Running Isn't All There Is

Yesterday, I ran 13.9 miles.  I was supposed to run 14 but I hit 13.9 as I ran by my house, and I just didn’t feel the need to do another 0.1 yesterday.  Much last last weekend, I wasn’t feeling it.  I wouldn’t say, “Felt like crap”.  (Although if I had run another 6 miles maybe I would have.)  Instead, it just was not an inspired 14.

But that is okay.  Not every 14 has to be an inspired 14.

And if I look at the crazy week I have had, it is probably not so bad.

First, I had the trip to Ireland to sit on a dissertation final defense in which I left work around 1:45 on Tuesday, was on a plane to Boston at 4:05 for a connecting flight to Dublin.  Arrived in Ireland slightly before 8 AM on Wednesday morning.  Had a nice breakfast with a colleague and then was the external examiner for the defense which ended around 12:30.  Had lunch at a south Asian place in Dublin.  Then went back to the airport and was on a plane by 4:15 to return to the US.  I was home and getting ready for bed around 10:10 my own time. 

Went to work on Thursday.  Made it through a day that included a 9 mile track workout on the treadmill (uncooperative mother nature) and dinner at my boss’s house.  Had a personnel issue that rocked that day.

Then Friday was also a long day at work (personnel issues mostly resolved).  And I had to be up really early for the 13.9 mile run this morning.  When I hit the six mile mark and saw my pace and then flipped through to see the actual time, it was only 5:01 (AM!).  

Life lesson—there are only so many hours and sometimes only so many things can fit in.  Especially fit in and do well.  

Hope—while I don’t often take inspiration from Jimmy Buffet songs, “come Monday, it’ll be alright.”  (And I'm looking forward to Monday as today is an off day for running.)  

Regardless—13.9 miles at an 8:10 pace is not bad.  I have not missed significantly on any speed work.  I have missed two weekends in a row on long runs.

We will see what this all leads to.  As I said last weekend—all this work is really about one thing—minimizing the chance that I will not succeed at my goal of a PR marathon time.  But all I can do is minimize it. Life brings no guarantees.  

Other realization which I am coming to more and more as I talk with people about this fall’s Philly marathon—for the foreseeable future, this will be the last time I train this hard.  I can keep running the 5K’s and 10K’s.  I can run halves and even fulls.  But training myself to where I’m accumulating 60 miles a week to really improve my time has gotta be put on the back burner for a while. Maybe forever.

As for my virtual piligrimage, total—1638.  Still working my wife to Truth or Consequences.  Still on US 54. 

As for more than running, yesterday after the run I had the opportunity to go to a faculty summit for the business school and then attend the wedding of a cousin on my dad’s side.  All good.  Nice to be with family.  Even if the amount of my dad’s side of the family was quite small when all was said and done.  Best thing was a picture of the five men who are blood related in two generations on that side.  It was a nice shot.  And thinking about the life stories of the five men in this picture, it speaks worlds about the variety of experiences that we can have, the ways to raise kids, and the ways that we can make it in a satisfying life.  

40 Days to Better: Day 21

Today is another non-running day as are most Sundays now.  That is fine.  A day of rest after a hard run and a therapeutic massage is not a bad thing.

As for today's lesson it will be brief, as there is a lot to do today.

Today's lesson at St. Pius X for third graders will include the completion of last week's lesson.  In last week's lesson we talked about how God speaks to people.  One example is the story of the road to Emmaus.  On that, God, as part of the Holy Trinity, was in the form of the risen Jesus.  

I have always loved the story.  

There are certain aspects of the story that I find particularly appealing--especially how the disciples eventually identify Jesus through the breaking of the bread.  Bread is a constant theme in my life, and if I ever get a second tattoo (and I am not sure that I will) bread will be an important feature.

In any case, this is the first wedding anniversary for two friends of mine who had a wonderful wedding ceremony last year on Saturday September 22.  

The gospel story of the Road to Emmaus was the gospel reading at their Catholic wedding.

It is a wonderful story but I never really thought of it as something for a wedding.  I had always presumed that the two disciples on the road were men.  My one friend pointed out that there are some interpretations suggesting it was a man and woman.  What a wonderful story then for thinking about recognizing Christ together as part of a couple's spiritual life.

This is just one example of looking for second meanings and then thinking of how a second interpretation can be translated into a new insight, a new meaning, a new lesson, and something new to help me act.

I am sure that lesson can be carried over to other parts of my life to help me on my road to better.

Emmaus

Today, I accompanied my eight year old to church at 9 AM to participate in a workshop that is part of the preparation for his First Holy Communion.   One of the elements of the workshop was the director from the parish reading a version of the story of the road to Emmaus.  I have always liked the story (perhaps not as much as our director who described it as one of her favorite stories from the Bible), but my view of the story has changed in the past six months.  Back in September, I was at a wedding of two runners who used the story of the road to Emmaus as the Gospel reading for their wedding mass.  I blogged about it back then, so I won't repeat my earlier thoughts here.  

I will, however, comment on two things.  First, it is wonderful for the kids to think about ways that they might be surprised to "meet Jesus".  Second, while I thought about it last time as a runner, I thought about it today with that in mind but also as a "baker" as we talked about and participated in making unleavened bread.  I was glad to hear the diretor make a point about unleavened bread because in at least one of our parish Sunday school textbooks there is a picture of Jesus at the last supper with what is clearly a loaf of bread that had a chance to rise which is just so wrong.  Third, the director's emphasis was on how the two people on the road to Emmaus recognized Jesus because of something he did as part of a meal that they recognized.  So much of this is about how people related. (As a brief aside, this is also critical to me looking ahead as my new position will really involve working with people more than working with data or research and that is a skill that really shows in the story of Emmaus.)

What I struggled with in listening to the story this morning was that in the version read to the kids it identified the two on the road to Emmaus before meeting Jesus as two men. So, I went back to the NABRE version of Luke 24:13-35 and it never says they were two men.  It only mentions the name of one.  I'd always pictured two men until the wedding in September where my one friend suggested that it might have been a couple and the beauty of the idea of discovering Jesus together.  If one focuses on verse 32 (and I don't typically like to focus on just one verse), one finds "Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?"  That alone is an amazing thought for a couple.  To share the love for, passion for, and joy for their spiritual, religious experience and relationship with God.  It is a wonderful way for a couple to come together and an even more amazing way for a couple to stay together.

I suppose I'll ask our director tomorrow before I teach what she thinks about the two people on the road.  Regardless, it was a great story for a wedding four months ago, and a great story for the kids today.  And, as the director said, it gives us so much to think about in terms of how Jesus relates to us and how we related to each other and God in just 23 verses.  

The Catholic Gospel Reading on the Feast of St. Sebastian 2013

I have commented on three of four readings for tomorrow's Catholic mass on the Feast of St. Sebastian.  Today, I will end with a comment on the Gospel.  The Gospel is the story of Jesus's first miracle in the Gospel of John, the wedding at Cana.  As a person who, here is what I take away from it:

(1) At weddings, miracles happen. It is amazing to think that two people would promise each other one year together.  It is incredible to think that two people would promise each other the rest of their lives.  Sherry and I got married at 22.  That could be 60 years--or even 70.  Through all of a partner's changes.  Opinions.  Self-expressions.  Aspirations.  And moving forward together.

(2) Our gifts should be shared.  Mary asked Jesus to share a gift when the wine at the wedding ran out.  Jesus was hesitant at first.  Then he decided to do what his mother had asked.  Part of that is respect for parents.  Part of that is sharing gifts.  I am all called to do that.  St. Sebastian found bold ways to do it.

(3) Knowing when to share our gifts.  Sometimes I think that there is a specific time for development and display of particular gifts or talents. Sometimes I think my life is on a certain path and a certain timeline.  But life rarely follows the exact path and the exact timeline I expect.  As Jesus overcame his hesitation, in some cases so must I.  Life is not on a set path.  And I must respond when at the right time even if I was not originally thinking that the time was right.  The tension between what I expect to be the right time and what actually turns out to be the right time is tricky to figure out sometimes.

Many insights from the readings on the day of the saint I have adopted as a patron saint for the last year.  Now, I hope to continue throughout the rest of this year in the process of my own development of living out the roles in which I am given the opportunity to show and share my gifts.  For my own benefit and hopefully for the benefit of others.    

Last Few Thoughts on Friends' Wedding

A few final thoughts on my friends' wedding last weekend...

First, during the procession into the church, it was very touching to see the groom pushing his father's wheelchair into the church.  I had not known that the groom's father was in a wheel chair.  Anyone in the groom's family could have wheeled his father in.  But it was yes another sign of the giving of self and completely being there for others and not focusing only on one's own needs even on the wedding day.

Second, the couple has asked two of their guests to read the prayers of the faithful.  In asking for a prayer for a particular set of individuals, one reader become incredibly emotional.  Obviously even being asked to read this particular set of names was a big deal, although I did not know what the connection was.  The other person who had been asked stepped up and took over reading the rest of the intentions.  A sign of being there for another without question.

Third, at the receipt of the Eucharist in the Catholic church, for years there has been a practice of having individuals other than the priest helping to distribute Eucharist.  I have never been to a Catholic wedding mass at which the bride and groom assisted in the distribution of the Eucharist--in this case the wine that is the Blood of Christ.  Another sign of giving themselves and connecting with the congregation of guests.

Fourth, the bride after the Eucharist played Pachabel's Canon in D on piano in a duet with the violin player.  I was amazed that she could do this.  This was a great example of putting all of herself (and a talent I was unaware she had) into the experience of her wedding.

Finally, the table at which I sat was a table dominated by people tied to Back on My Feet.  An organization that both the bride and groom have participated in and which the bride has helped to make a huge difference in Baltimore.  An organization of individuals who give of themselves to lift the lives of others.

So, in summary, a wedding day that began with bringing together a large group to celebrate an aspect of life giving experience (running and meeting others), with a mass whose readings made me think of humility, perseverance and being open to the grace of God, with music that was uplifting and focused on humility and justice while representing the diversity of musical heritage in the Catholic church, with other acts of being there for others and giving of self throughout.  

Wedding Music

The songs for the mass on Saturday were also amazingly fitting.  The refrain for the opening song that was entitled come to the waters was, "Come to the waters, flowing clear/...where new life abounds/Live by the spirit, do not fear/God is here, love surrounds".  A total reliance on God.

The responsorial psalm was from Psalms 116 with the title God is Near.   It is a beautiful song that I know how to sing along to with a response of "I will take the cup of life, I will call God's name all my days."  Again, a complete reliance on God.  Interestingly enough being completely reliant on God was exactly what the priest who says the mass I most frequently attend at St. Pius X talked about in his homily on Sunday.

The Alleluia was sung as Halle Halle Halle!  It was an uplifting and inspiring version that brought percussion into the music for the first time.  It was incredible.

For the offertory we sung A Place at the Table.  This is one that I had not heard before but I was amazed at how fitting it was as it talked about welcoming everyone to the table (something that Jackie and Patrick do quite consistently in their real life behaviors) and bringing about justice and joy.  The work each does for social justice speaks for itself if you know the two of them.

The communion song was We are Called which I knew well enough to sing along to for the most part.  The refrain again emphasizing justice and walking humbly with God.  Another reflection, much like the first reading from Micah, of the need to live humbly.

The closing song was also one I had not heard before--The Canticle of the Turning.  (I am familiar with a song called a Canticle but that is the Canticle of the Sun).  In any case, it was a cool song because the music was different in tempo and rhythm from much of what else is sung at most masses I've ever attended.  The link I've given above gives it a bit of an Irish feel.  The way it was played at mass with a violin made it feel a little more like country.

The instrumentation throughout included several very strong voices, piano, organ, violin, guitar, bass, and drum.

The music was another uplifting part of this celebration of the start of what will be a wonderful marriage.  So much of the music focused on reliance on God, humility, and justice.  More great messages.  The music also reflecting the wonderful variety of diversity of music that is part of the Catholic heritage at this point just added to the celebratory atmosphere of the mass.

Three Well Chosen Readings

Each Catholic wedding has the potential to be a unique experience.  At least among people I know, the bride and groom working with the priest who will celebrate the wedding mass have a chance to choose the readings.  A Catholic mass typically includes one reading from the Old Testament, one reading from the New Testament that is not part of the Gospel, and a Gospel reading.  Each couple has many reasons for choosing the readings they do.  Each couple is at a unique point in their lives in terms of their understanding of their faith and their understanding of themselves.  The choice of readings was guided by both for me and Sherry 20+ years ago when we planned our wedding.  We were just two people of an age we now refer to as "kids" (22 at the time we were married) who had attended mass regularly, had some exposure to what was called CCD at the time (Sherry having more than me), and had been involved in the campus ministry while in college.  At Jackie and Patrick's wedding (at a slightly later point in their lives with a different background in exposure to and working with their faith) the choices were clearly inspired by their understanding of themselves and their faith.  And, as I am clearly one who thinks about how the words I am hearing from the Bible relate to the current day (myself or, in this case, those whose wedding is being celebrated) I projected from the readings onto my own life experiences and the lives of the two beautiful individuals getting married.

The first reading was Micah 6:6-8

With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow before God most high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old? 

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with myriad streams of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my crime,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 

You have been told, O mortal, what is good,
and what the LORD requires of you:
Only to do justice and to love goodness,
and to walk humbly with your God.

I have never known Jackie and Patrick to be anything but humble.  Quiet--not necessarily.  Shy--definitely not.  But wonderful examples of humility before everyone and focused so much on the lives of others.  Giving not to be noticed but because it is right and it all comes from their hearts.

The second reading was from the letter to the Hebrews (12:1-3)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us 

while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. 

Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

As I heard this one, I looked around at the packed chapel on Loyola's campus (where Jackie and Patrick had met, gotten engaged, and were getting married) where they were surrounded by a cloud of witnesses as two people whose eyes are truly fixed on Jesus.  Running races (both figuratively and literally) is something they do a lot and endurance (whether the opposition of sinners as mentioned in the reading or, more, in a running race) is an important part of their lives.

Finally, the Gospel reading was Luke 24: 13-35, the story of the Road to Emmaus.  I won't copy and paste the whole thing (it is a long reading) but there is a link above.  It mentions that the disciples were walking a distance of seven miles when they came upon the person they did not recognize as Jesus at first.  In the reading, they ended up walking seven miles to Emmaus and seven miles back--14 miles or just over the distance of a half marathon.  Yes, my brain actually went to thinking about how it was like an "out and back" course that the two disciples ended up walking.  What else did I think about?  Jackie conducts many of the orientations for community members who want to be new participants in Back on My Feet.  I remember that she told us to try to remember to say hello to as many people as possible when out on our runs.  Just to be polite.  Just to try to brighten people's day.  Whether the person was homeless, outside a shelter of some sort, at a bus stop, or at Health Care for the Homeless.  There are many popular stories about how a person might come to meet Jesus or someone representative of the qualities of Jesus in a modern setting and overlook that person.  This is where I connected the story.  When we are out running with Back on My Feet, we never know who we will meet on the road.  We never know what type of difference we might make for the people we meet or what type of difference they may make for us.  We never know who might be able to demonstrate for us and share with us the grace of God.  In fact, we never know anywhere in our lives when we will come upon a sign from God or the second coming of Jesus himself.  Yet we should always be open to it.  And the disciples, once they realized that they had seen Jesus, did the second half of their "course" quickly and shared all the news when they returned.  Again, so closely similar to the experience of many runners who share stories about what they saw, who they experienced, and how they felt when they get back from a run.  And this relates to Jackie and Patrick not only because a half marathon distance is something with which they both are familiar but also because I know that they live their lives in a way that shows they are always open to receiving God's grace.  To welcoming a stranger.  To extending hospitality to a stranger.  To listening.  To relating.  And to sharing stories of the little things and most important things in life.

Their three readings were well chosen for them.  And their three readings served as a reminder for me. Of how incredible my two friends are.  And of the importance of living a life of humility, perseverance, and openness to the grace of God every day.  

An Amazing Wedding

Yesterday was an amazing day for my friends Jackie and Patrick.  It will take me more than one blog entry to write about everything that I observed and connected with on their wedding day.  I'll outline what I want to comment on here and then take however many days I need to get through it all.  The fact that this will all be about a wedding will then lead into my last entry for my personal vision board.  Sometimes it amazes me just how much aspects of my life intertwine.

I'll comment most fully on how the day began.  The day began with a run.  I know that some people may find this totally crazy.  Who starts their wedding day with a run?  A run at 6 AM in downtown Baltimore.  A run with 100+ friends.  A run in which out of town family is invited to attend the run rather than sleeping in on the wedding day--and many of them came.  It was incredible.  It shows how important running is to both of my friends.  It shows how much family embraces the fact that running is important to both of my friends.  And it shows just how much the two of them have helped in building up the community of Back on My Feet (running to help with part of recovery) in Baltimore and how that entire community embraces them.  It shows how their love of others, their kindness, their helpfulness, their generosity even overflows into their running.  It was also the second time I had met Jackie's father after running.  It was nice to then be able to meet him after the wedding in the receiving line to show that Jackie's academic advisor does not always look totally winded and sweaty. I haven't run downtown on a Saturday morning with Back on My Feet in quite some time.  I forgot that one of the most exciting things about running as part of a community is the chance to meet new people almost every time I am out there.

The things I would like to comment on from the wedding and reception include: seeing Patrick helping his father (who was in a wheelchair) into the chapel; the appropriateness of each of the three readings--they fit perfectly for the two of them representing what I have seen in their lives from my Augustinian prayer life perspective; the appropriateness of all the songs they chose and the ease with which I could sing along with several of them; the wonderful music that drew on instruments including the piano, violin, guitar, bass, and drums in ways that made the mass come alive in ways that I have not seen at other Catholic masses; the fact that Jackie and Patrick served as extraordinary Eucharistic ministers sharing the Blood of Christ with everyone who received communion; the fact that Jackie played the piano part of Pachabel's Canon in D as part of a duet after communion; and the band at the reception.

So many wonderful moments yesterday.  For them.  For everyone they brought together. For the community of friends and family.  A wedding planned down to each amazing detail.  A ceremony that I hope others will also remember as representing the couple for whom we were celebrating the beginning of their married life in a way that seemed as close to perfect as I could imagine.

Today will be another wonderful celebration of life--teaching third grade students in St. Pius X's religious education program about the importance of community (including our faith community), having lunch with my parents for a belated celebration of my middle son's 13th birthday, playing bass at mass, and catching up on some work.