Skaha Loop Accomplished! Longest Personal Distance!

Well, I did it!it was a huge milestone for me, to get 30 km under my belt!  The Skaha Lake Loop happened for me today as i had set out a while back.  So happy to get a significant goal I set out for this year done. 

It started out rocky.  My nephew was GOING to come with me, on bike, but copped out (boy 15 year olds I thought LIKED getting up at 6 am!) , and arriving at the start of my run, I quickly found out that the bathrooms were not available.  And I needed them.  Badly.  I tried a couple of times at home, but I guess my body didnt want to get ready like my brain did.  What happened after this shall remain between me and the trail.  Lets just say, I will NEVER eat corn on the cob the day before a long run again.  Cramps and much wind also accompanied me throughout the run!

Well, the run went fine, my hip felt good (I massaged at home before).  I added a km in Penticton (the half way point) to make it a fair 30 km.  The second half was hilly, Especially the last 20 minutes, on which my legs were trying to tell me to give up and sit.   But I would not hear of it!  I guess that was the "wall".

It was Ultraman weekend, so some roads were preparing for that, which made me feel like a triathlete, which was great.  It only dawned on me the last half that i probably looked like one of the training triathletes because there were so many out and about.  I actually passed a couple of them!  That felt really good.

I fueled at the 1 hour mark with my GU espresso and throughout with Gatoraid from home.With all the stomach issues I was a bit worried it would be a  inner fight, but things were mostly peaceful.

I felt fantastic after I finished and entered the lake to recover (my form of icebath).

So one HUGE milestone in my running life is accomplished, with much more to go.  It feels great to see what i could accomplish!  Im still on my high!

Heritage

My little girlasked if she could go with me the other day on a run.  I was so blessed to hear her express interest in what I do!  I reemmber back in the day, going iwth my own father on a run.  Not many, mind you, but that memry sticks with me.  Im sure i was slow and not the ultimate running partner when I was 6, but I was thrilled to see where my dad went when he geared up and went out!  Later in life, I would join him on runs and it was a very special memory.

We ran 1 km approximately, with a couple of decent walk breaks.  She was such a trouper!  That positive impact on fitness and running and our time together I pray will have life-long heritage for her life, as i pray other blessings are for my kids.  I know I am impacted every day by my own number of 'little moments" with my father.  I hope my children see not just a man who went away mornings running, but was a man who loved deeply, took joy in his body's ability to endure and took good care of  his family through prayer and pursuing new goals.  Most of all that I was a man deeply in love with Jesus, his wife, his family and life.  Hey that rhymed!

Here are a few more pictures from my Black Sage road route.  I  love to take it all in as I run and talk to my Maker. 

As you can tell, Im sounding a bit more spiritually connected in this blog entry, but I dont apologize, my heart is really thankful for each blessing and I am trying to make a point of counting them lately.  When life is challenging, scripture says to be thankful for each blessing, to see yourself as a beloved child, to be a thankful steward of your gifts and to ask for provision.  I am surrounded by such a terrific life really!  I have always been in fairly good health, moreso now that i have been passionately pursuing a fit life, a wondering family with a loving funny beautiful wife, three amazing children, a new beautiful dream home, a career (until this point!) which expresses my gifting and passions, friends who love me and support me, and each moment I live I can see God's good hand in my life.
More to come on that, I have to get ready for my day.

Just Gotta Share! Black Sage Running Route Pictures

Check it out!