13.1

The half-marathon's complete!

After Mom filled us with an Easter dinner of pasta, this morning having taken the day off work I rose about 9:00. Last night I'd started drinking some water to make sure that my legs weren't sluggish this morning, and I continued that by downing about 25 oz. or so while getting ready.

In my arsenal were another 50 oz. of water in a bottle, a baseball preview edition of Sports Illustrated, and my iPod. On this gorgeous 75 degree sunny spring day I donned a tank top, pair of shorts with pockets (in case I needed to carry the iPod), two pair of socks and my trusty 10.5 black New Balance running shoes.

As expected, the twenty treadmills at Four Seasons were mostly empty. I hoped that by starting around 9:30 there would be something good coming on T.V. as I got there. It was my lucky day, the movie Evan Almighty was just kicking off.

I'd done some math prior to starting. Bearing a goal of finishing in under two hours (ignoring a ten minute restroom break, during which I also downed a banana that I'd brought along to guard against muscle cramps), I figured that running at an 8 minute mile pace for the first six miles would enable me to run the rest of the way at a comfortable 10 minute mile pace.

I started at the "10" pace for the first three minutes or so, to give my body a little warm-up time. Breaking into the faster pace was about what I expected it to be. Under my original plan, I'd handle those sprint portions in two, three-mile pieces. Once I got into it though, I realized that it was going to be pretty hard to kick into that high gear again once I settled into the lower gear. So it was that, as Steve Carrell's character was trying in vain to shave a God-induced permabeard, I polished off the six-mile burst. This turned out to be a great move. The ten minute mile clip was like a walk in the park compared with that!

I took my break at the hour mark. The movie ended with a good half hour of running left to go, and I gladly and easily flipped open the mag. Having run long segments during the previous three weeks, I'd developed a controlled and smoother gait that kept my head level enough to be able to read it even as it was attached to the machine.

Once the final seconds ticked away, I walked through a five minute cool down period. Then I stripped off the tank top, socks and shoes and replaced them with a sweatshirt and slides. When I got home, I started filling a hot bath while doing a series of lower body stretches for my Achilles' tendons, calves, hamstrings and back. At last, a healing hour in the tub with a fresh book in hand, contact lenses tucked away to relieve my eyes, accompanied by another bottle of water to keep me on the way to re-hydration. I probably consumed 100 oz. by noon in all.

As I sit here chronicling tonight, my muscles are a bit weary but in no significant pain. Following Hal Higdon's online novice training schedule worked like a charm. The two full days of rest and the light exercise week preceding today had my body ready to handle the rigors of the feat and pass with flying colors. Taking Monday off work to do it was an accidental stroke of genius, as it just so happened to fall on Opening Day of the baseball season and the NCAA championship basketball game, so there was plenty to occupy my mind while lying on the couch in quiet recuperation. I think this may have to become an annual ritual (the Opening Day off, not the half marathon)!

Prayer Of The Optimist

I'm not what I ought to be,
Not what I want to be,
Not what I'm going to be,
But I am thankful that I'm better than I used to be.

- Anonymous

Two Sets Of Threes

Never lie,
Never cheat,
Never steal.

Don't whine,
Don't complain,
Don't make excuses.

- Joshua Wooden

Simple enough... tough in practice. Every day that I can successfully wipe out the virus of the victim mentality is a great one.

Everyone's A Teacher

"Always try to learn from others, because you'll never know a thing that you didn't learn from somebydy else - even if it's what not to do." - Joshua Wooden

John Wooden's dad would probably also therefore encourage people to get outside the house and find ways to interact with others. Plants grow without moving around. People don't.

What To Try For

"Don't try to be better than somebody else, but never cease trying to be the best you can be. You have control over that. The other you don't." - Joshua Wooden

High/Low Week 13 2010

Coach John Wooden equates success with doing all you can to become the very best you can be. So it's okay to have a few turnovers. Being human, mistakes happen. For example, failing to cancel an insurance policy timely such that for the rest of the year due to IRS regulations we'll have to pay premiums on two health policies. Or ordering the wrong-sized checks for our condominium association treasurer's log.

What's with the diet recently? I've been letting myself slide, I think, in anticipation of all the calories I'll be dumping during the half marathon this week.

I've not been way up on a high horse recently, but enough so that I can clearly see that I need to step down the ladder of humility a few pegs before I break something. Tiny signs add up, a cutting joke here, a mildly cocky comment there. Next week would be a good time to tighten the screws.

This week I successfully explored a relationship with the ISU Honors Program as a possible organization to be involved with in retirement. Successful exploration in this case meant determining that I should move on to others. The polite message was that my skills could probably be better used in other places. They may well be right. What drew me here originally was a reminiscent sense of community that made living in the Honors House a wonderful experience, one that may not be recaptured from an administrative view point, or at least under current leadership. Plus, there is the subtle obstacle of finding a parking place! In that sense "volunteering" at ISU on a regular basis requires a monetary donation as well. I've turned my thoughts toward Heartland Community College, or the ISU Alumni Office, or a hospital, or retirement home, or... on we go boldly exploring.

Jack and I have completed our fantasy baseball draft! Opening Day is today, basically extended through tomorrow, with beautiful weather and me taking a vacation day. Exciting...

Dena and I got to go for a couple of nice long runs now that the weather has returned to suitable for me.

At work, I remained caught up this week, got a nice raise, and also am looking forward to teaching a class on Tuesday.

Living the dream yet one more week!

Hawks And Doves

While reading a book about Indiana basketball recently, I came across the chair-throwing incident of legendary college coach Bobby Knight. In describing those who berated and supported him through newspaper editorials I saw the phrase "hawks vs. doves."

It brought me back to my annual performance review which took place informally on Friday morning. It's been a fine year professionally, and the only bit of coaching offered was, to paraphrase, that I sometimes spend too much time trying to create harmony rather than making a decision and moving on.

What a spot-on assessment! Hidden Bloggers know that a keystone of my leadership philosophy is inclusiveness. Within the last two weeks I've had to make tough calls on matters where unanimity did not exist, and likely some disagreed with the decisions. That's a fine part of the authority with which I've been blessed. The other aspect of that responsibility, which I feel to be more important, is to foster a sense of teamwork and ownership among everyone by gathering and debating sufficient points of view as we did in these cases. "Analysis paralysis" is counterproductive. But inclusiveness is exponentially productive, creating not only better rounded decisions in the short run but a culture of togetherness, respect and humility that inspires those who tend to be motivated from within, which in my experience describes most people.

I'll always be a little out of place working among hawks. My integrity rests on doing what I can to be a dove, accepting whatever consequences that may have upon my pay.