Giving Thanks to a Bathroom!

On my long runs, I leave my house in Portage and run until the trail ends in Chesterton. As anyone that runs will tell you, eventually all of that moving will lead to you having to go to the bathroom in some really bad ways. It happens. It almost always happens to me when the only bathroom that is going to be around for miles is a very scary outhouse along the trail. This thing looks disgusting on the outside. It doesn’t lock and you better bring your own toilet paper or have a spouse that is willing to hop on her bike and bring you some. I am pretty sure that you don’t want me to go into the details of the stains on the wall and floor or the smells. Just know this- for as scary as it looks it smells even worse. Imagine to my delight this morning as I am realizing that I am going to HAVE to use the scary bathroom when in the distance I see that it’s gone and a brand new port-a-potty is in its place. I have never been more grateful for a port-a-potty. When I started my run again my thoughts drifted to all of the things that I have found myself being grateful and thanking the universe for, things that I am not sure I would have ever paused to say thanks for before I started running. Here is a list of a few of my favorites.

1. Semi-clean bathrooms
2. 20 degree weather, when on previous days it had been in the teens
3. 87 degree weather, when on previous days it had been in the high nineties
4. Soft snow or light rain
5. Smiles and encouragement from complete strangers
6. Watching the seasons change
7. Seeing my spouse mid-way through my run holding out fresh water for me
8. A cat that demands I take a break to pet it
9. Watching the sun set or rise

I have always taken the time in my life to be grateful and say thanks but running has given me so many more opportunities to be grateful.

Losing Weight VS. Running

People send me emails, contact me through Facebook, and call me asking me how I started running because they want to lose weight too. First I want to tell you that I always enjoy answering their questions and I am always flattered by the kind words they say to me. It is very encouraging. However, what I want people to know is that I did not start running nor do I continue running to lose weight.

I lost weight by changing what I eat. I eat whole foods, lots of fruit and veggies. I don’t eat much meat, oil, or dairy products. I have not cut any food from my diet and the only way I would encourage someone to give up a food group is if they were doing it for religious, moral, health, or environmental reasons. If I am hungry I eat. I try and sometimes fail especially if it is an all you can eat situation to only eat until I am no longer hungry. I also wish to point out that it took me 18 months to lose 100 pounds. So, while many people are just now noticing my transformation this has been a slow work of progress. I didn’t take diet pills or have any surgery. I did however pay attention to my calories and tried to stay above 1,600 and below 2,000.

I started running after I lost the first 50 pounds. For me running is my time. I get lost in my thoughts. I explore my emotions. I let go of my past. I forgive people. I forgive myself. During a run I push myself to run further and harder, to let go of the shame that haunts me and the fears that paralyze me. Running makes me feel strong, beautiful, and confident. I run because I know when I return from pushing my body’s limit to places I didn’t think were possible, I am ready to push on in other areas of my life. I run because it makes me feel alive. I run because I never thought I could and every time I go out there I am showing myself that I can do all the things I never dreamed possible.

I hope that all of you can find something that empowers you, gives you space, makes you feel confident, and brings out your inner beauty.

Running for Children's Memorial Hospital!

The Children’s Memorial Marathon Team Kick-Off Party was yesterday. It was a chance to “meet your teammates, pick up your uniform and receive a tour of Children's Memorial Hospital!” I was excited to go and it was a beautiful evening. Some of the patients and their families were there. It was good to see them. It was inspiring to hear why some of the other runners are running on the Children’s Memorial Team. I was glad I went. I am also very thankful that I choose to run for the Children’s Memorial Marathon Team.

Most of you can probably already know why I chose to run and raise money for the Children’s Memorial but just in case you missed my spouse is a chaplain there. The work which her colleagues and she does inspire me, tugs at my heart, and often makes me cry. When I first met her I was unclear of what a chaplain actually does. I knew she was a minister and so I figured it was about religion. Me not really being into religion didn’t really ask a whole lot of questions about her job.

It wasn’t until a couple months into dating her that I really began understanding how important a chaplain is to patients and their families. My daughter and I were spending the weekend at her house in Chicago. We had met her at her work and were taking the bus back to her place. She told us that she just had to drop off this memory box to family in the morning and then she had the rest of the weekend to spend with us. Here I am sitting on the train holding my daughters hand staring at the memory box. It hit me hard what was in there. I started crying. She was bringing the last few things these parents would have of their child to them. It had a molded hand print and foot print, a piece of hair gently cut off and wrapped in ribbon, and whatever other items that had remand in the room that night. As I held my daughter closer to me I just couldn’t imagine.

Turns out that she also does the religion stuff prays with families, offers communion, and baptizes babies and children. She also does what important things like watches SpongeBob with a child who is scared and for whatever reason his/her caregiver can’t be there. She supports parents through emotional and draining times. She tells stories, sits quietly in the dark, listens, comforts, and helps children deal with the reality of being sick. She also supports the staff and is there to listen to their problems and the emotional toll it takes on them to take care of really sick children every day. I don’t know how she does her job but as a mother I know how important she must be to all of these children, staff, and family members because if my daughter was in the hospital and I couldn’t be there the person sitting watching SpongeBob and giving her ice chips would be my hero.

My wife supports me and encourages me in everything I do. I am so proud to be raising money that helps and supports her important work.

http://www.heroesforlife.org/site/TR/MarathonTeam/MarathonTeam?px=1490681&pg=personal&fr_id=1260

100 pounds

I lost 100 pounds. I thought when and if I ever got to this point I would have a Biggest Loser moment. In case you have no clue about the show, it is where contestants compete to lose the highest percentage of weight for a cash prize. Every season they always have these moments where a contestant gets up on the scale for their weekly weigh in to discover that they have lost an over all of 100 pounds. The contests sometimes cheers, cries, thanks God, thanks the trainers, jump up down, sings, or any combination of joy that can be expressed.

Anyway that’s the moment I thought I would have but I didn’t. I woke up stepped on the scale and saw that 160 and was like hmm. I felt indifferent about it. It took me a week to even say out loud that I lost 100 pounds. I didn’t care to shout it from the roof tops. It really didn't seem to matter. I was worried about myself. I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t excited. Why didn’t I want to celebrate this? My spouse offered this answer, “Maybe it's not the weight but the life that has meaning.” She is right. It is no longer about the weight, it never really was. It is about the life that I am living.

I may have lost a 100 pounds but what I have gained is something that can’t be measured.

Fear and Doubt

This was my first week of ‘official’ marathon training. I am following a seventeen week plan. The first week is 3 six mile runs and 1 ten mile run. I usually do 4 six mile runs so this week shouldn’t have been hard for me. It was amazingly hard.

Monday came around I did my first run. Tuesday came and I couldn’t get myself out the door. Wednesday came and I was sure I had made a mistake in signing up for the marathon. I was positive there was no way I was going to make it. Doubt came over me. Fear started paralyzing me. I was running out of days to run. I just kept thinking that I wasn’t even going to make it through my first week of training.

Lavender, my spouse, started her vacation Wednesday. Thursday morning she woke up and said let’s go for a run. That was the first turning point for me.

Friday I sent out my first set of emails asking for donations to the Children’s Memorial Hospital. I am running the Chicago Marathon on their team because that’s where Lavender works and I wanted to do something to say ‘thank you’ to her for all of her support and belief in me. Anyway, I went out for a run after sending those emails. When I got back my Aunt Linda and Uncle Robert had already responded and donated. That made my day.

All of this leads me to today. I was feeling so much better. I was back to my “I can do this” attitude. Today was my last run for the week, my ten miler. Lavender and I started the run together (we do this a lot). She ran her 3 miles and then came home, hopped on her bike, did some errands and then surprised me by meeting up with me on my seventh mile.

Self-doubt, fear, and anxiety sometimes make it hard to keep going. I think the amazing thing is that we all keep going. I am grateful for the extra push and support this week. I am grateful that even in the midst of fear and doubt I was able to recognize the support and see beyond this week to a bigger, stronger, and more meaningful life.

This is What I Know

This is what I know-

I do not do well with change.

I love routine.

I like schedules and list.

2012 is going to be an amazing year for my family full of accomplishments and celebrations, yet complicated by so many unknowns.

First off, I will graduate! Where will I be able to find a job? Will I be able to find a job? Next my spouse’s job changes location. This means she also loses her place to sleep in the city? How ill she ever get enough sleep? Will we have to buy a second car? Will we be able to afford two apartments for a while? Will I have a job that can help with this?

Our daughter graduates! Where will she go to school? Will we be able to give her money towards her education? How much? Will I have a job that can help with this?

Finally we are moving. How far away will be from our daughter, who will be away at school? How often will I get to see her? How hard will it be to be separated from someone that I have been with for over half my life? Where will we move? Will I have a job that can help with this?

There is nothing we can do right now to find answers. We have to wait. We can’t help my daughter pick a school because we don’t know where we will be living or how much money we will have to help her. We can’t decide where to live because we don’t know where I will be able to find a job.

This is what I know; Monday I start a training plan for the Chicago Marathon. I have a schedule. It is written in my calendar book. I know that I will wake up early Monday morning, run, come home start my coffee, check my email, eat my oatmeal and repeat until October 9th. I know I will drive a lot of people crazy talking about the marathon and my training. I know this marathon is important to me because I can’t focus on all the changes and unknowns. This gives me a schedule. This gives me a routine, at least until the marathon.

I know that I am grateful for the routine of running, the schedule of training, and the support and love of friends and family.

Quinoa!

I love quinoa. Below is my basic recipe for it. I use this as a side dish or stir in some easy add-ins for the main dish. Tonight I added cooked adzuki beans and served it with zucchini, avocado, and baked corn tortillas topped with fresh salsa. Another thing that I love doing with it is adding sautéed mushrooms, red pepper, and a bag of fresh spinach. I hope you will give it a try. Quinoa is a bit expensive when it comes to grains but stores like Whole Foods sells it in bulk. Quinoa is rich in nutrients and it is a complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids.

Ingredients
1- Cup of quinoa
1- Can of tomatoes (I buy the salt free ones) or 3-4 chopped tomatoes
1- Jalapeño pepper, diced
1- Poblano pepper, diced
1- Lime
4- Garlic cloves, diced
Fresh cilantro

Directions
In a medium non-stick pan (so you don’t have to use oil) slightly cook the peppers and garlic over medium heat for about five minutes. Add the quinoa and 2 cups of water bring to a boil, cover, lower the heat and let that cook for about 15 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook all the juice out, about five more minutes, stir in cilantro and juice from one lime. Enjoy!