Badwater is a coming.........

"It's 90% mental and the other 10% is all in your head"

- very wise Canadian

Seven weeks till game day, mid day training is heating up and one week till some true on course training and fun with Tony Portera, Cheryl Zwarkowski, Frank McKinney, Ben Jones and others :)




Basin to Furnace Creek


Last year we had an amazing crew and an amazing time, this year we intend to do the same. E has promised to start blogging again and include a meet the crew version. Since she is a much better writer and more interesting person in general I will leave the detailed post up to her. That being said here they are:

E: the love of my life, incredible yogi, bff and crew chief extraordinaire. Don't be fooled by her cute smile :)

Death Valley Dancer

Ray Zahab: one of the worlds greatest desert/adventure racers ever, coach, brother and founder of i2P

Ray

Kathy Zahab: gracious and amazing friend, mother, ultra runner. Saint for putting up with Ray!

Kathy

Amy Costa: big sis, multitasking mother of three awesome kids, incredible ultra runner, BEST smile ever

Amy and her crew

Jay Pack: my best friend and brother in the world who is not an ultra runner, photographer to the stars

Jay and fam

Carson: my little me, how I love her so!!!!!!!!!

C and c

Count your blessings, you may have more than you think :)

"If you live your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself...your dreams will come to you."

- Randy Pausch

I spend a lot of time running a lot of miles around Jacksonville. Not so coincidentally I know a lot of random people from various walks of life and I LOVE that. I have never been a big fan of people but am a big fan of those I love and care for. These days that mostly includes my nuclear family and my extended family in the ultrarunning and yoga community. On my long run today I tried to spend sometime counting all my blessings, I ran out of time which says a lot.

My love for ultrarunning is no secret, it is a passion, ok an obsession to some degree but above all a love. My biggest fan and bff of all is of course my beautiful wife e and I am hers. Over the last few years I have developed several special relationships the deepest of which are with Tony Portera and Ray Zahab, brothers who I love and respect deeply.

e and I Day5 Erie Canal run. Great hug!!!!

That being said I have been able to create so many special bonds over the past years with people to numerous to count. Most of these guys and gals know who they are and amazingly I could talk to any of them for hours despite whatever length of separation there is. I have tried very hard to eliminate negativity and focus on the positive. What can we do? What can we change? Who can we help?

As the old AA saying goes "It is attraction rather than promotion". I am doing something right because everyday more awesome people enter my life and they are all people I want there. Givers not takers.

Just yesterday I finally had the chance to meet a friend of e's who I had known peripherally for awhile. She is an amazing old soul like e and not coincidentally we had some great time chatting on the beach. I even found my first starfish. It is yet another in a long line of encounters/friendships in our life that I see as no coincidence.

Spend some time one day counting your blessings, you have more than you think :)

Take me back or spin me forward

Had the amazing pleasure of seeing Rusted Root live last evening with my bff and a bunch of people that made both of us feel very old. Did you know they don't serve wine at most concerts???? Multiple Facebook responses later I realised once again how lucky we are. Our life's adventures are amazing and continue to grow daily. There is a part of me that likely yearns for the reckless old days but honestly I am far richer now. In fact, probably more reckless and carefree in a very good way.

Over the past few months e has made awesome forward growth in her Yoga aspirations and is seeing well deserved opportunities open up. Her story is one of growth and mentoring, she is valued for her ability to enrich those around her. In one week she will venture to Level II training with Baron Baptiste in Mexico, I could not be more proud of her. As Baron would say "you are ready NOW" !!!!!



I woke up this morning thinking how important the "I will" commitment is that we are making as a family. In several weeks I head off to the desert to train for Badwater and in 10 weeks a family reunion and another lesson in being stripped to the core.

Step out of that comfort zone and dream big, the first step is believing. I say spin me forward I am loving this ride :)