Running the C.I.M.! Yahoo! I made it!

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me, the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. - Acts 20:24

A day after running the California International Marathon and I’m delighted to report that I both survived and finished! It was a wonderful experience, one that I’d recommend to any runner. After crossing the Finish line, my wonderfully supportive wife Janet and amazingly supportive girls asked how the race went, I said “great!” Then proceeded to say, “I have to sit down…” I was spent; I was drained. Later I would think about running the marathon as being the highlight and culmination of six months of training for the marathon. Six months of expectations, reading magazines, books & internet sites about training regimes; six months of fund raising for the Ishimwe Center; six months of blogging and tracking miles run in training; six months of talking about it, thinking about it, dreaming about it. So in retrospect, the marathon was an outstanding six month success!!

My gratitude and thanks goes out to everyone who sponsored me through the fundraiser, encouragement and/or prayer. Thanks to everyone who asked about and patiently listened to my patter about running. Thank you to my family for encouraging me to ‘go for it!’ And thank you God, for granting my prayer for health and non-injury for the training and for giving us great weather the day of the race.

Janet, Beth, Amy and I left San Jose mid-Saturday morning, Dec. 4, and drove to Sacramento to attend the Race Expo. The Expo is the race’s pre-gathering to distribute racer’s bib numbers, t-shirts, timing chips and race goodie bags. Held downtown in Sacramento’s Convention Center, the Expo also has vendors selling race apparel (including humorous t-shirts such as “Will run for coffee!” or “chocolate” or “tequila”, energy stuff (GU, snacks, etc.), and a number of up-coming races were represented such as the Big Sur Marathon next May. If you were staying in Sacramento, there were signups for special shuttle busses to take you to the start ($10 tickets). There is no Starting Line parking for spectators, so bussing was pretty much the only way to go. People watching at the Expo can also be fun. The running community is a sub-culture all itself. If you have ever actively been part of your kids’ lives in soccer, theatre, dance, voice, or other sports, you understand what I’m talking about when I mention sub-culture. It has a look, feel and vernacular unto itself. There are hard core athletes, marathoners as thin as a twig, casual runners like me, and every body type, shape and style in between. Conversations are about running using running terms (negative splits, hydration strategies, chafing, etc.). We enjoyed our time there, but hunger overcame us, so we left looking for lunch at Old Town Sac.

Old Town is always fun to walk through with its shops, live steam train and the river view, but we found nothing enticing for fast food, so headed toward Folsom, following the race course out of town. We thought this would benefit both the family’s driving around on race Sunday, and me in seeing what the course looked like. My first impression was clearly that there are a lot of rolling hills to run. My second impression held the same as the first (and my viewpoint didn’t change during the race either). The course is a net downhill course, starting at the Folsom Dam in the foothills and running down to and ending at the State Capitol. Now I understand why hill training is important…. race’s like this one. And course is absolutely beautiful!

We made it to our hotel, the Marriott Courtyard, Folsom and checked in. In connection with the Folsom Chamber of Commerce, the Marriott had their customer service hats on for marathon runners. Discounted rooms, breakfast bags in the morning (bagel, banana, water bottle) and coffee! And the hotel and Chamber sponsored free (as opposed to $10) bus shuttles to the start. All to encourage patronage of Folsom area hotels and shops. Saturday evening was rainy. Before the race we met our friends the Bonne’s at the Old Spaghetti Factory (Rancho Cordova) to get caught up on family and to carb. load! I could carb. load every day! Trust me, I could. I recommend the Garlic Mizithra pasta! It was a great evening of fellowship and laughter! Then back the hotel to try and sleep! We all prayed for no-rain during the race!

Sunday dawn cool, crisp, cloudy, gorgeous and no rain! The school bus picked up runners at 5:15am and headed toward the starting area. Here is where staying in Folsom paid off big time! The C of C also sponsored a VIP tent with heating, lights, chairs, private port-o-potties. We arrived at the start line at about 5:45 (the race doesn’t start until 7am) so a warm tent was well appreciated. It was the only tent for runners. We had maybe 200 runners in the spacious tent! The other 8300 runners could only dream in the cold steel gray dawn about the luxury we enjoyed. I me two guys who flew in from Mexico City to run and another guy from Cape Town, South Africa.

At about 6:40 I finished stretching and headed out to find the pace group that I wanted to run with. The group’s leaders (a guy & a gal) were both experienced runners who said they guaranteed a finish time of 4 hrs 15 min. if we stuck with them. They carried small dowels with red signs identifying their pack of runners as 4:15. This was my fantasy goal. I chatted with a couple of runners who had the same fantasy as me. The announcers identified some runners including a runner who had run all 27 previous Calif. Intl. Marathons! Amazing!! And before we knew it the Star Spangled Banner had been sung and the starting gun fired at 7am sharp! It took our group maybe two minutes to cross the starting line. My timing chip later confirmed that. We were off with only 26.2 miles to go with a gorgeous pink and gray sunrise filling the eastern sky. In hindsight I liked the one way route of the marathon (as opposed to routes run out and back or in a loop). Everything on the way was new. The ground was wet from the night’s rain and as the sun warmed small patches of ground fog formed.

As we ran, the two pace leaders called out encouragement, identified each mile accomplished getting us to yell and even led runners in shoulder and neck exercises on downhill stretches! They did a great job. I ran behind each for stretches of miles. Each had a bit different style. They even bantered back and forth as old friends do. Janet, Amy & Beth observed that as our group approached them, it was a little pack of runners crowded around the leaders. Before and after were runners spaced out. I think the girls enjoyed people watching as they debated which guy runner was cute, etc. done in the spirit of fun while waiting for me to run by! They were waiting near the 15 mile marker as I ran by and waved, yelled and gave high fives to them as I went!

Then the miles continued to mount. I started feeling the distance tiring me. At the 20 mile mark, the pace team started to pull ahead. The race committee had fun putting up a painted ‘wall’ for us to run through. Twenty miles is considered ‘the wall.’ In theory, this is when the body’s store of glycogen is all but used up and you are running on empty. I could feel the energy starting to fade even with all the training, the energy gels, carb loading, drinks and water to keep me hydrated. At around mile 23, I hit my ‘wall’ and was running on empty. Here’s where the race truly begins. Here’s where training, prayer and mental toughness helps carry you through.

In retrospect, I feel that I didn’t go out to fast. My training times had been a little faster. I was very happy with my marathon split times. Following readings and advice, I hydrated and consumed carbs. (Gu) at appropriate rates. It just wasn’t enough to carry me through at my fantasy pace. I wasn’t disappointed. Hey! I finished a marathon! And lived to tell about it!!

Those last 3.2 miles were just plain long, hard and slow. The crowds that lined the streets along the route were great and extremely encouraging. I would walk for a couple minutes then would run to the next mile marker. Eventually the 26 mile marker appeared! Two tenths of a mile to go! “Never give up, Never surrender” I told myself. All the runners around be felt a lift in there step and pace! Turning the last corner and heading for the Finish Line I saw Beth, Amy and Janet yelling encouragement and waving! Only a hundred yards to go! The Finish Line is so close. The State Capitol building in the background and thousands of spectators and runners everywhere! I remember thinking “Pick up the pace! ... Don’t trip now.” Crossing the Finish Line felt great! Although thousands finished ahead of me (and thousands after), I knew that I’d finished the race, that I completed the course! Victory!! It was all good. After volunteers relieved me of my timing chip (they actually have volunteers on stools, with tiny stools for runners to lift their shoe onto then cut off the running chip for later re-use), I received the finisher’s medal then hobbled to where I might find Janet and the kids. After their greetings, my sweaty hugs and obligatory family photos, I just had to sit down.

Sitting down was probably not the best thing to do. I felt light headed. Maybe it was hydration, maybe low blood sugar or salt / electrolytes imbalance. I have to do some research, but the cause was probably one of these three. I didn’t experience this is practice (but only ran 22 as my longest practice run). After eating part of a bagel, banana and water, I felt better. Janet and the kids were patient with me, letting me rest until I was ready to stand. Then it was off to retrieve my sweats bag to warm me up. We then walked to the car and relaxed! Janet drove us back to the hotel to allow me to shower and us to check out. After a quick lunch, we headed home, stopping by Manteca to see my Mom! After the visit, Janet drove home while I napped! What a great feel that was. Great finish (of a day) to a great finish (of a race)!

Here’s my split times:


5.9 mile    split 0:56:41
13.1 mile  split 2:06:49
20 mile     split 3:18:10
26.2 Finish      4:29:34

Once again, let me thank everyone who encouraged and supported my run! Thank you to all who sponsored the fund raiser for Ishimwe! As I wrote in several emails: every dollar of support goes directly to Faith and Roger Shaw’s ministry, and in God’s economy is applied directly to the bottom line of His heavenly balance sheet. God is good! Actually, He is so much more than good; He is Awesome!

Happy Running! - John

I am grateful for God’s blessing on my run!
I am grateful for a supportive family!
I am grateful for supportive friends!
I am grateful for my health!I am grateful for completing a marathon!

Running Big Sur… well, kind of…

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. - 1 Peter 4:10-11

This could have been my key verse for running for Ishimwe Center. It’s actually what I put forward to my 10th grade World History class. Use your talents, whatever they are for the glory of the Lord! We are each given multiple talents and scripture is clear in its command to do so. What are your talents? Big or small, God wants to use them! How? Start by praying about how God might use you. Don’t tell Christ how He should use you, but rather listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Maybe just ask for an opportunity that you might have overlooked or missed. Then see God open doors for you. Be humble in asking. I will never be a world class runner, or even terribly competitive, but He can use me with each step of that 26 miles in advancing the kingdom of Christ!

Last year was the year of the Tiger? Tom (le Tigre’ to some) and I enjoyed two races together. The first was the Wharf to Wharf with Amy (see earlier blog from July), and the second was the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay http://www.bigsurhalfmarathon.org/ . This year I ran the Big Sur Half without my wonderful daughter Amy or my trusty, not rusty, friend on Sunday, Nov. 14 (paint a sad face on John here). I used this as (a) my weekly long run, (b) a tempo run and 3) a fun run. It worked great for all three and was completed with a finishing time of 1 hr 56 min. 33 sec.! Yahoo! ...and yes, those 33 sconds count! :)


The Big Sur Half is both a beautiful course and a very well organized race. With the exception of having to pick up your race packets the day before (not very time and energy efficient… not green at all), and the start time of 7am (which means leaving San Jose at 4:45am!), the race is a favorite. The pre-race Expo is well organized and well staffed for bib and t-shirt pickup as well as cruising through the vendors for running ‘stuff’. On race day the organizers have plenty of port-o-potties, sweats’ bag drop-off, signage and uses starting corrals to control crowds of runners on the course. The start is staggered by using the corrals, grouping runners by estimated finish time. I never felt overwhelmed with bodies crushing me and hampering me from running during the entire race.

The course is spectacular starting on Del Monte Ave (near the Monterey Wharf), then runs around the Dennis the Menace Park, through downtown Monterey and through ‘the tunnel’. As we emerged from the tunnel there was a bagpiper playing! No wonder I like this run!! The course turns and runs down Cannery Row, past The Monterey Bay Aquarium http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/ (check out their cool web cams), then continues down the coast road until we reach Pacific Grove where we run up a hill through their downtown, eventually running past Lovers Point, and heading down the coast road once again past breaking waves, and amazingly blue sky against an even bluer ocean. This part of the course matches the “Together With Love 10k” that Amy and I have run mid February in years past (Tip: this is great run for a tune up race early in the year). The course continues along the coast past the lighthouse and down the coast to just past the Asilomar State Beach and Conference Center http://www.visitasilomar.com/ where the course turns around and heads back up the coast to Pacific Grove, then on to the finish at Custom House Plaza in Monterey.

Along the way are entertainments such as garage bands, New Orleans Jazz, Monterey Brass, Taiko drums (Taiko in Japanese means drum or great drum, so ‘great drum drums’ entertain you). One of my favorites was this guy playing an upright piano in the back of his pickup truck. It was parked very near Toasties Restaurant in Pacific Grove. All of the entertainers were well received by the runners! This race even encourages you to BYOB. Yup, Bring Your Own Bottle (not THAT kind of bottle!).

Instead of using thousands of small paper cups for water stops, this race has a special filling station at the turnaround point. Great idea! After finishing and catching your breath, you can stop and take a ‘Finisher’s Photo’, and there’s a post run party in a nearby plaza with a rock band, food, massage, water, beer, sweats bag pick-up, etc. A new add this year was a computer set-up that allowed you to type in your bib number and see ‘instantly’ what your time was. Then on to lunch with friends Tom & Shelly! Next year Tiger!
Happy Running! - John

I am grateful for crisp fall running weather!
I am grateful for God’s blessing on my friend’s families!
I am grateful for technologies that help spread the Gospel!
I am grateful for the Holy Spirit’s prompting in my life!
I am grateful for the Godly men and women who stand for Christ!

30 days and counting…

I have seen something else under the sun:

The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,

nor does food come to the wise

or wealth to the brilliant

or favor to the learned;

but time and chance happen to them all.

- Ecclesiastes 9:11

With 30 days to go until the Calif. Intl. Marathon, I am amazed, blessed and humbled at the journey of preparation that I’ve been blessed to experience. God blessed me today with a great 22 mile run; the longest run until the Dec. 5th run in Sacramento. For the next weeks I’ll be tapering the lengths of runs, with one highlight being next weekend’s Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay.

I’m certainly amazed at how the past 5+ months have flown by with the running; amazed at the blessing of health, support and encouragement from family and friends; and amazed at how God has worked within our family with the challenges of jobs, school, friends, and the everyday challenges of life. The blessings have been many. From the progress made with training schedule, the blessing of the money pledged for Ishimwe, with a new job, with the ongoing blessing of my family and serving at church! Humbled? I am continually humbled by the blessings of a faithful God who provides for our daily needs. He never fails! I’m humbled by the task ahead. Last week a friend asked how the training was going, to which I replied that the marathon is a long, long run! Duh!! Until you have hiked or biked or run 26 miles it may be hard to appreciate the distance, and the effort it takes to run such. Early on I estimated that I’d run 500+ miles in training. But I’m approaching 1000! And I’m delighted! I write this not to boast at all, but with respect for the many dedicated runners whose efforts to run well take them well beyond whatever my finish time will be. Keep running! - John

PS - A new record was set at the 2011 Boston Marathon, even before the starting gun goes off. Registration for the 2011 Boston Marathon opened on October 18 at 9am (EDT) and closed at 5:03pm (EDT) — that's right, in 8 hours on the very same day. In 2009, registration closed approximately two months after opening.

I am grateful for God’s blessing on our nation!
I am grateful for a country where we can worship freely!
I am grateful for a country where we can criticize our gov’t!
I am grateful for powerful teaching by our church’s Pastor David!

I am grateful for my wonderful Sister and Brother!

Statistically Speaking...

I have seen something else under the sun:
    The race is not to the swift
    or the battle to the strong,
    nor does food come to the wise
    or wealth to the brilliant
    or favor to the learned;
    but time and chance happen to them all.
    - Ecclesiastes 9:11

Let’s start with a few statistics… According to MarathonGuide.com, 397 marathons took place in 2009 compared to the estimated 372 the previous year. “nearly 468,000 marathon finishing times were recorded in the USA in 2009 - almost 43,000 more than the number of finishers from 2008. The number of male finishers increased by 9.8%, while the number of female finishers grew by nearly 10.0%” The average age for male finishers was 40.2 and for women it was 36.5. The average finishing time for males’ was 4:24.17 and for women it was 4:52:31.

How about men’s records? The winning time for the 1896 Olympic Marathon was set by Spiridon Louis of Greece at 2:58:50; in 1908 London Olympics, John Hayes of the USA won with a time of 2:55:18. It’s not until 1925 that a sub-2:30 marathon is won in New York by US’s Albert Michelsen. Then, not until 1963 when USA’s Leonard Edelen will break the 2:15 marker with a time of 2:14:28. Four years later on Dec. 3, 1967, Australian Derek Clayton won the marathon in a world record time of 2:09:36, becoming the first man to run a marathon at a faster pace than 5 minutes/mile. 2003 saw the first man to break the 2:05 mark. Paul Tergat of Kenya won the Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:04:55. 2008 saw the record lowered to 2:03:59 by Haile Gerbrselassie of Ethopia. The question is not will this be broken; merely when? How long will it be before a man breaks a sub 2 hour marathon?

Before 1966, it was generally believed that women were physiologically unable to run marathon distances. The longest Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)-sanctioned race for women was one and a half miles. Yet on April 19, 1966, a young women name Roberta ‘Bobbi’ Gibb challenged the status quo of the then male dominated sport of marathon racing. Read her own words at: http://www.runningpast.com/gibb_story.htm She was denied an official entry in the race for the above AAU reasons. Undaunted, she donned her brother’s bermuda shorts and wore a blue hooded sweatshirt, and then jumped midway into the throng of runners as an unauthorized runner. As the May 2, 1966 Sports Illustrated magazine (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/) reported, she finished “fast enough to finish ahead of no fewer than 290 of the event’s 415 starters.” She would return in 1967 and 1968. On February 28, 1970, Caroline Walker, age 16, set a new world record for women of 3:02:53. Other women followed in her path. In 1978, Greta Waitz of Norway set a world record at the New York Marathon with a time of 2:32:30. Although she vowed never to run another marathon, she returned in 1979 to break her own record with a time of 2:27:33. She would win the NY Marathon seven more times. Joan Benoit of the USA won the Boston Marathon in 1985 with world record of 2:22:43 beating the second place finisher by seven mnutes. It would be Naoko Takahashi of Japan at the Berlin Marathon in 2001 to break the 2:20 mark at 2:19:46. Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain is the current world record holder at 2:15:25 set in 2003 at the London Marathon. How long will it be before a woman breaks a sub 2:15 hour marathon?

One last statistic: The 2009 average marathon finisher in my age category ‘55 – 59’ (I’m 56!) is 4:40:27 and composes 3.62% of all marathon runners. Please keep praying that I will remain uninjured as we come into the final month of training. With God's help, I will finish strong.

I am grateful for completing a 20 mile run!
I am grateful for the blessing of a Godly wife!
I am grateful for the grace God shows me daily!
I am grateful for the talents God has gifted my nieces and nephews!
I am grateful for the students in World History!

60 days to go!

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
   where does my help come from?
   My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.
   He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber – Psalm 121

60 days until the C.I.M. (Calif. Intl. Marathon)! Unbelievable! It seems like only yesterday that Amy and I were kibitzing over the challenge of doing 26.2 miles. What race to enter? Should I prayerfully consider doing a fund raiser for the Ishimwe Center? Are we crazy? Now, four months and 600 plus training miles later, there have been some lessons learned.

• Start early and start often.
• Marathon training means miles of running (duhh!).
• Family & friends make all the difference in the world.
• Chafing happens, sometimes in the oddest places.
• Weight will come and go. Don’t obsess. Eat healthy.
• Practice with gels, drinks, clothes, etc. No surprises on race day.
• Run for the joy of it.
• Keep your toenails clipped.
• iTunes inspires running performance.
• Hill running helps with strength training & mental toughness.
• On fundraising: People will surprise you with their generosity. THANK YOU!

I am grateful for Fall weather!
I am grateful for the Holy Spirit dwelling in my children!
I am grateful for walks, hand in hand with Janet!
I am grateful for coffee time w/ friends & family!
I am grateful for the BSF study of Isaiah!

Delta Running

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. - Proverbs 18:10

Rio Vista Bridge

This past weekend, Janet and I enjoyed an overnight in the Delta with special friends at a cottage on the water. It was an enjoyable trip down memory lane remembering sailing times past with my Mom, Dad, and family time on both our sail boats Misty Eagle and Parallax. To get to the island we were staying on we drove up 680 then over to Pittsburg and Antioch crossing the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers on increasingly narrower roads. After reaching Rio Vista we turned off the highway and drove our car on road topping levees (Ok, sing with me now… “So… Bye, bye miss American Pie, Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry…”). We then took a ferry across a waterway and drove three more miles on top of a levee (keep singing… “And good ol' boys were drinking whisky and rye? Singing this will be the day that I die. This will be the day that I die.”). Just to get away from San Jose, and go to a wonderful retreat setting was amazingly relaxing. We enjoyed a lovely candle lit dinner, Martha Stewart style, al fresco, watching the orange moon rise over the far bank of the river, topped by a feeding frenzy over a delicious coconut cake (double dipping allowed!). Lots of laughter!!

Up at 7am, Sunday morning dawned cool and beautiful. Just right for a run on the levee road (OK… stop with the singing already!). I was out the door in no time, leaving everyone asleep. Here was one of those Rave Runs. The sun had yet to rise, the clouds were the colors of brilliant pinks and oranges. I ran out the gravel road and up to the levee road and ran down the three miles to the Ryer Island ferry crossing (named “The Real McCoy Ferry” I kid you not!). Running without iPod was perfectly wonderful. I heard birds in trees, and others flying down to feed on bugs near the river, fish jumping to catch their own breakfasts, roosters crowing as I passed farm houses standing next to groves of pears and peaches as well as acres of vineyards; only one fisherman’s boat quietly passed by on the water. The air was as fresh as you’d ever imagine, with scents of river, and farm orchards occasionally wafting by. As I ran, the Sun finally peaked over the Sierra flooding the Valley with light and coming warmth. At the ferry, I stopped just to take it all in and walked near the water. Several worship songs came to mind as I walked. Times like that are as precious a worship time as any spent in a church sanctuary. Then I was ready to kick up my heals and run back to the cottage and our friends, ending my run in a happy contented sweat. So what if the run was a little slow, and so what if I missed my long run for the week.

Take the time to get away. Take time to re-charge your batteries. Take time to spend time with your spouse and loved ones. Take time to read God’s Word. It’s worth every second, and I’m praising God for those precious moments! – John

I am grateful for my NEW JOB!
I am grateful for my old job at So-Lite!
I am grateful for beautiful sunsets
I am grateful for sharing dinner w/ friends
I am grateful to serve an awesome God!

Swag; not swagger

"What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Swag – noun 1. a suspended wreath, garland, drapery, or the like.

Every race that I have run has swag. It may be a t-shirt, a finisher’s medal, discounts to a running shop, announcements to upcoming races, a water or Gatorade sample bottle, Cliff Bars, Gu, etc. The last race even included tiny sample bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (we used them on our backpacking trip, thank you very much!). The bag that it all comes in is even called a swag bag. At the SF Half Marathon, the bag was made of cloth with cording to draw it closed and printed with the race logo and a place to write the bib number and could be used to store and drop off sweats before a race.

The finisher medals are cute. Most display the year, the name of the run and maybe the race's logo. Most are made of metal hung on a wide ribbon to fit over the head. The finisher's medal at the upcoming Big Sur Half Marathon (Nov. 14?) is a unique ceramic piece. ...but a medal for finishing? ... really?…why? We received the t-shirt. We have the memories and the stories to share. I guess… to each his own. To one person, the medal represents the accomplishment, to another, just a ribbon and cute medallion. T-shirts from a race are a much more visible representation of running the race and are practical to run practices in. Oh, we may have our favorite shirt because of its color or t-shirt design, or because we completed some special ru; it lifts our spirits reminding us of what all the hard work is about. T-shirts also are small mile markers (no pun intended) of the distance we have come since getting off of the couch and walking out the door many months ago.

So whatever your motivation, enjoy the fellowship, enjoy the moment, enjoy the swag, enjoy the run, but know that at the end… you may stagger but for heaven’s sake don’t swagger. (swagger – verb 1. To conduct oneself with an arrogant or pompous manner.) – Johnny B

I am grateful for worship services

I am grateful for family dinners

I am grateful for the Holy Spirit’s promptings

I am grateful for morning runs

I am grateful for music – all kinds