My buddy Michael (who happens to be my boss), calls me on Saturday after our 7 mile group run. I'm laying out at North beach, half asleep.
MICHAEL: Whats up bro?
ME: hmmi'mcoolbrothajustsortof... napping.
MICHAEL: Dude (pause) how fast can you make a movie?
Now I'm listening. Michael proceeds to explain that Team World Vision, through an awesome turn of events, has been offered a slot in the Olympic Trials Running Film Festival in Eugine. If we can get a short produced in a week, we have an audience, a Q & A session, and a platform to tell our story.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
training: a wonderful notion.
Yesterday went for a run. Which, despite the fact that I will run 26.2 miles in 16 weeks, is rare.
My marathon training consists of 95% talking about running the marathon and only 5% running. Either way, I went for a run. It was 5 am. I thought "this is perfect, I can blog about running at 5am and everyone will know how good training is going!"
but that would be lame.
I cut through Millennium Park on the way to the Lakefront.
Sheriff Looking Lady: I wish you wouldn't have done that!
Me: ... huh?
Sheriff Looking Lady: I wish you would have waited 45 minutes before entering my park!
Me: Oh. Sorry.
Me: Is the park closed?
Sherrif Looking Lady: Yes.
Me: Ok.
I start to run back to the gate where I entered.
Sheriff Looking Lady: WOOOAHAHAAAAAA!!!
Me: (bewildered with touch of impatience) What!?
Sheriff Looking Lady: YOU CAN'T GO THAT WAY!
Two more security guard sheriffs appear. They block the path.
My attempt to exit the park from where I entered is temporarily thwarted.
Sheriff Looking Lady: YOU HAVE TO LEAVE!
Me: (quickly losing my temper) THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING!
Sheriff Looking Lady: YOU CAN'T GO THAT WAY!
Me: (now i'm angry) THAT'S WHERE I CAME IN!
Sheriff Looking Lady motions to a different gate, this one 20 feet east of where I entered.
The other security guard sheriffs grab their guns. (haha, not true.)
The other security guard sheriffs narrow their eyes. (haha, probably not true, but possible.)
The other security guards stand still, looking tough. (sort-of)
The other security guards don't look like runners.
I start jogging towards the gate that Sheriff Lady pointed me to. Suddenly! boldly! brazenly! I change course. Veering right on the sidewalk, and start towards the forbidden gate I entered. At a crazy fast pace. The security guards had never seen a ten-minute mile before. I never looked back.
"Who was that good-looking, young, employed, very not creepy, single, trouble-making runner?" The Sheriff Looking Lady would later wonder. "Could I have chased him down?"
The answer is no, Sheriff Looking Lady. No, you couldn't have caught up to me. I can run a 10k in over an hour.
My marathon training consists of 95% talking about running the marathon and only 5% running. Either way, I went for a run. It was 5 am. I thought "this is perfect, I can blog about running at 5am and everyone will know how good training is going!"
but that would be lame.
I cut through Millennium Park on the way to the Lakefront.
Sheriff Looking Lady: I wish you wouldn't have done that!
Me: ... huh?
Sheriff Looking Lady: I wish you would have waited 45 minutes before entering my park!
Me: Oh. Sorry.
Me: Is the park closed?
Sherrif Looking Lady: Yes.
Me: Ok.
I start to run back to the gate where I entered.
Sheriff Looking Lady: WOOOAHAHAAAAAA!!!
Me: (bewildered with touch of impatience) What!?
Sheriff Looking Lady: YOU CAN'T GO THAT WAY!
Two more security guard sheriffs appear. They block the path.
My attempt to exit the park from where I entered is temporarily thwarted.
Sheriff Looking Lady: YOU HAVE TO LEAVE!
Me: (quickly losing my temper) THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING!
Sheriff Looking Lady: YOU CAN'T GO THAT WAY!
Me: (now i'm angry) THAT'S WHERE I CAME IN!
Sheriff Looking Lady motions to a different gate, this one 20 feet east of where I entered.
The other security guard sheriffs grab their guns. (haha, not true.)
The other security guard sheriffs narrow their eyes. (haha, probably not true, but possible.)
The other security guards stand still, looking tough. (sort-of)
The other security guards don't look like runners.
I start jogging towards the gate that Sheriff Lady pointed me to. Suddenly! boldly! brazenly! I change course. Veering right on the sidewalk, and start towards the forbidden gate I entered. At a crazy fast pace. The security guards had never seen a ten-minute mile before. I never looked back.
"Who was that good-looking, young, employed, very not creepy, single, trouble-making runner?" The Sheriff Looking Lady would later wonder. "Could I have chased him down?"
The answer is no, Sheriff Looking Lady. No, you couldn't have caught up to me. I can run a 10k in over an hour.
Monday, June 16, 2008
I must confess...
I've never liked running.
To be honest, running was always the punishment. In football practice: "If you guys don't start tackling harder you're going to run!" In the beginning of the lacrosse season, coach made us jog nearly three miles in our pads and helmets. THREE MILES! Yup, I survived.
I remember during two-a-days during football seeing the cross country guys go for miles in the summer heat and thinking "It could be worse... at least I'm not running!" I probably laughed a little.
Turns out, the joke's on me.
My feeling is that there are two types of people running with Team World Vision.
The Marathoners. Purportedly these folks enjoy running. You can easily spot them on the lake front: they are skinny and they smile while they run. Along with finishing the marathon, they have some sort of time goal. The marathoners on Team World Vision made an awesome decision to make their past times even more meaningful, by running to change lives in Africa.
The (fake) Marathoners. Here I am! I printed off a pre-training guide and stuck to it for almost four whole days. I sometimes wonder if I could just raise money for the cause, and skip the marathon part. I love the cause. I am humbled by it. Honestly now, how much can I complain about how sore I might be... I eat three meals a day (sometimes four), I have a place to sleep and clean water whenever I need it. I signed up to run for communities in Africa - If I accidentally get in shape that will be a total bonus!
The more I've started running, the more I love the idea of overcoming this obstacle. How many people do you meet who say someday I'm going to run the marathon. When Chitwood first started talking to me about running Chicago, that was my response.. "Sounds great - someday I totally will." Never underestimate Michael Chitwood's ability to convincing someone to run a marathon.
The commercials for the Boston Marathon have an awesome line: "Because once in a lifetime only happens once a year."
This is my year.
Maybe someday I'll be a real marathoner... Or maybe not. Ask me in 18 weeks. :)
To be honest, running was always the punishment. In football practice: "If you guys don't start tackling harder you're going to run!" In the beginning of the lacrosse season, coach made us jog nearly three miles in our pads and helmets. THREE MILES! Yup, I survived.
I remember during two-a-days during football seeing the cross country guys go for miles in the summer heat and thinking "It could be worse... at least I'm not running!" I probably laughed a little.
Turns out, the joke's on me.
My feeling is that there are two types of people running with Team World Vision.
The Marathoners. Purportedly these folks enjoy running. You can easily spot them on the lake front: they are skinny and they smile while they run. Along with finishing the marathon, they have some sort of time goal. The marathoners on Team World Vision made an awesome decision to make their past times even more meaningful, by running to change lives in Africa.
The (fake) Marathoners. Here I am! I printed off a pre-training guide and stuck to it for almost four whole days. I sometimes wonder if I could just raise money for the cause, and skip the marathon part. I love the cause. I am humbled by it. Honestly now, how much can I complain about how sore I might be... I eat three meals a day (sometimes four), I have a place to sleep and clean water whenever I need it. I signed up to run for communities in Africa - If I accidentally get in shape that will be a total bonus!
The more I've started running, the more I love the idea of overcoming this obstacle. How many people do you meet who say someday I'm going to run the marathon. When Chitwood first started talking to me about running Chicago, that was my response.. "Sounds great - someday I totally will." Never underestimate Michael Chitwood's ability to convincing someone to run a marathon.
The commercials for the Boston Marathon have an awesome line: "Because once in a lifetime only happens once a year."
This is my year.
Maybe someday I'll be a real marathoner... Or maybe not. Ask me in 18 weeks. :)
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