Happy New Year!

it is 12:08am 1/1/10. i know i haven't blogged in a long time (since dec 9)so i thought i would take a little time to do that and wish everyone a happy new year.

well, the last 3 weeks have been so busy. from trying to get one goose pit redone and decoyed to getting another pit decoyed, to trying to cull some does, working, getting ready for Christmas, etc etc etc.

i did shoot 2 does the other day. i did miss one good buck the day before i shot the does. i am not sure what happened but i looked for blood for 2 hours in the dark and went back the next morning and looked for another 2 hours and never found a single drop of blood. i have not raised my gun on a duck since the second weekend of the season, it is pretty slow where we are hunting.

i got lots of things for Christmas that i am very excited about (i am sure i will leave a few out). i got a gps watch with a heart rate monitor, can't wait to start using it. i got a bike rack for the back of my truck, a pair of oakley sunglasses for running that will be so much better than my old sunglasses, and the best thing is they are camouflage! so i can wear them hunting too! i got guitar hero 5 for the wii (hopefully that will not get in the way of my running when i start back). i got several other small things for my bike and for hunting. i can't wait until it warms up a little to start riding my new bike. wait a minute, i really don't want it to warm up until the week after the youth duck hunt here in tn, i can wait at least until then. i got a couple of pair of wool socks to replace the ones i burned on my montana hunting trip :). oh, i also got an awesome windproof mossy oak jacket that i have already used extensively and it is great. if it was waterproof it would surpass my rivers west jacket as my all around best jacket. the wind does NOT get through the mossy oak jacket one bit. i also got lots of money in gift certificates to cabelas and bass pro. and i got a new duck call and dog training dvd to list a few more.

the weather is supposed to turn really cold here for the next few days so it will be hard to deer hunt thinking that there might be a chance the ducks are flying, so i will most likely be found in the blind/pit for the next couple of days.

the last thing i got for Christmas is a big gut and larger waist. some of my pants are starting to get a little tight. seems like every time i start to drop a few pounds i have to go out to eat, and i find it so hard to not eat such good food. i just love the taste of food, just one of my many weaknesses.

on another note, i did get to shoot another elk this year a couple of weeks ago, not sure if i blogged about that earlier. there is a little zoo nearby that i am the official vet for, and their bull elk was tearing up the fences with his antlers. i had to tranquilize him with a dart gun and cut his antlers off. unfortunately, the owners wanted to keep the antlers, but i did get my picture with it while it was asleep (check out my facebook page).

i hope everyone has a great 2010! my resolutions are to re-lose this weight, try to be less selfish and spend more time with my wife doing things she wants to do while hunting the same amount or more. (if only i could get her to want to go hunting!)

quote of the day today: just think how awful the world would be if there was no pain and sorrow. if there was no pain and sorrow, or hurting, there would not be the opposite of those things either, joy and happiness. i was once told of an actual condition in which people are born that have no ability to feel pain. you might think how great that is. however, most of those people die at a young age because they scratch or chew themselves up constantly. that would be horrible. so pain is good for us so that we can fully appreciate the joys in life. so, i would say, don't try to be numb to the world and live in a daze. live full of hope and desire, knowing that strong desires and goals may bring failure or sorrow, but that only makes the it more fulfilling and joyful when you reach your goals or meet your desires.

have a great year.

Hello Again

i know it has been a while since i have blogged, very truly sorry about that to all of my faithful followers (all 1 or 2 of you). since then what i was afraid would happen did happen. i started hunting a lot, it started getting dark earlier, my exercise decreased, and my appetite stayed the same (and maybe increased). add that all together and what do you have? a bigger, slower, older shane. i weighed last night and weighed more than i ever have, period. that is one reason i decided i had to start blogging again. i have to have someone, even if it is myself thinking others are reading, to keep me accountable.

here are some things that have happened since i last blogged. i did shoot a 7 point buck that came by at 10 yards and had an arrow through his neck (15.5 inch spread). i also went to arkansas to kill 1 duck and get way behind on sleep. i have seen and passed up several nice 2 and 3 year old bucks, some very close. i just haven't seen the 4 or 5 year old buck that i want (might have seen one or two but a little too dark to shoot). i have not been deer hunting much since the arkansas duck hunt and the rut is well passed (the best weekend for deer was probably the weekend i went to arkansas). so now i will be duck hunting mainly and maybe trying to get a buck over some food plots when gun season opens back up.

One other set back to the duck season here in tennessee is that my uncle decided to tear all the stuff out of the goose pit the day before the season opened and we have been getting it re-wired, repainting, etc, etc, etc and have not been able to hunt. i am hoping we will have it finished and decoys out by this weekend since there is a bad winter weather storm up north.

so here are the plans and thoughts for next year's hunts. i plan to put in for montana (chances are i will not get drawn since you typically need a preference point and i don't have any). i also plan on buying another wyoming preference point. i had not planned on elk hunting next fall, although i have thrown around the thought of bow hunting for mule deer, or rifle hunting for elk/mule deer. my uncle has also said he wants to go to idaho and bow hunt for elk since you can buy an over the counter tag there. i had planned on just one trip next year, a trip to canada to goose hunt, one heck of a trip i took last year and the year before. didn't go this year since i took 2 weeks vacation to elk hunt. i have really missed that hunt this year. so, who really knows, those are just some thoughts.

for now i have to get back on schedule and get some of this winter weight off (even though this is the season for eating big meals and sitting around). the high for tomorrow is 31, so not very good for outdoor exercising. guess i will just have to grin and bear it.

lesson of the day, when your exercise decreases, try not to let it decrease, but if you do, try to decrease your food intake adequately. and don't decide to completely remodel your #1 hunting spot the day before the season opens.

a little running and a littlel hunting

I did get to run last monday, 4 miles a little slower than on saturday. other than that exercising is pretty minimial. i also got nearly 3 dozen duck decoys strung, i have one dozen left and have to put anchors on the all as well. zeke and i have gotten most of the boat blind put on. we had to order a few things so when that comes in we should be able to finish in no time.

i did get off on saturday because one of the vets needed to switch so i hunted instead of running in the 1/2 marathon. should have ran in the 1/2. it was very warm and windy and deer were not moving very well. that is really all i have for now.

lesson of the day: you don't always need a lesson of the day.

Busy Weekend, Back on Track (somewhat)

i did get back on track a little this weekend, even though it was pretty busy. i was off this weekend, the first weekend since the first weekend in october. however, we did have a partner's meeting at 6:30am saturday. so, on my day off i had to get up for that. it was probably good since i did get up and going. saturday was the youth hunt, otherwise i would have skipped the meeting to be in the woods. after the meeting i came home and ran 4 miles. it was a little harder this time as compared to 6 weeks ago when i was running regular. my time was 37:28, so not too bad, but my body felt it a little more than usual.

after that emily, my uncle and i left for knoxville. it was the first time i had seen the vols play in 2 years! it was exciting though, black jerseys, stomping spurrier, what could be better! i did miss taking my nephew on the youth hunt though. i would have taken him this afternoon but i had to teach a class at church, none of the kids showed up for the class.

we got in today from knoxville and i took a short nap and got up and rode my new bike for about 40 minutes, decent workout, but i was picking up cans to recycle too and there were more cans today than i had seen in a long time.

i did get my hunting stuff together tonight to prepare for muzzle loader season. i will not be able to run the clarksville 1/2 marathon this weekend because i have to work (not that i am in real good shape to run it). i thought about switching my weekends so i could run in the 1/2 but figured if i was going to have this coming weekend off i would rather be hunting than running, since it is the opening of muzzle loader season.

tomorrow, bow season opens back up after the youth hunt but i don't think i will get to hunt then either. in the morning i have to get some supplies to help my cousin build a duck blind for his boat, then i am going with my uncle to pick up his dog from the trainer in grand junction (2.5 hours away), then my cousin and i are going to work on building the blind tomorrow night. i think hunting with my cousin out of boat blinds we have killed a total of 1 duck. but, it never hurts to be prepared for that one day that the ducks come pouring in! i just know one of these days we are going to get lucky.

i will keep everyone updated on my running so you all will know where to come watch me when i do get ready to run a marathon. hopefully i will get up in time to run in the morning.

lessons of the day: know when the youth hunt is to plan your fall college football schedule. every hurdle in life can be looked at like it is a hurdle of it can be viewed as something to make us stronger. everyone who is against us can be viewed as our enemy or as people who make life more challenging/interesting. be thankful for all of these hurdles and people, don't let them break you, they will make you a better person, they have made you who you are today.

Need to quit work!

Well, the last week has been so busy! sorry i haven't been able to blog very much. i thought this might happen, i was afraid that when hunting season came around the running and blogging might get a little less regular. i am trying, i promise. i did shoot a decent buck the other day, not what i was hoping for, but he had an arrow sticking out of his neck. so i shot him and got the other arrow out and the entire wound (from one side of his neck to the other) was badly infected and pus was just pouring out. he is probably the biggest deer i have ever gotten with a bow, so i can't complain too much. i did get to watch one huge 10 point. when i first saw him he was 20 yards from my stand, through some very thick brush, and i thought he was a 10 point that my uncle passed a few days before. however, when he walked out where i could see his antlers i knew no one would have passed him. he had mass, was wide and tall. i got to watch him through my binoculars (because it was getting dark) at 80 yards for a good while. i also saw another big 10 point at the other end of the field, out in the open, during the entire last hour of daylight. i saw another 10 point about 70 yards away. he has good G2s and pretty good width, but not much of anything else. it has been an extremely eventful and fun year so far, and we are still in bow season and haven't even hit the rut yet! other than that i have only been able to hunt a few days since i have had to work every saturday since i got back from montana, and teach the youth on sunday morning and evening. if anyone is hiring for a job where i could have the next 2 months off (plus march, april and may) and still earn a good salary, please call me asap!

i got a new bike, more of a road bike than my other bike, hopefully it will stop raining soon so i can get back to running and riding my new bike!

lesson of the day: while growing up they tell you, you should get a good job that makes good money, that's false, get a job that allows you to hunt as much as possible and that pays you enough to be able to hunt as much as possible. period.

Trying to get back on schedule

i must apologize for not posting like i said i would. this week has been busy, i was on call tues, had a birthday dinner wed, and on call again tonight. however, i think one of the vets is going to cover my night on call next week since i covered his call tonight. i should not be on call at all next week. hopefully that will help me to get back on track running and blogging. i know everyone has missed my blog so much. i really think only shannan reads it. at least she is the only one who comments. so maybe all this is for you shannan. even so, as long as i have at least one regular follower (or at least think i do) i will continue to post. this past tuesday i did run 4 miles over lunch, nearly killed me. to think a month ago i could have done that without thinking twice about it, a breeze. i will get back, look out marathons, here i come!

thought of the day: when around camels, wear a raincoat, they can spit a pretty good distance, even sideways.

Montana Hunting: Day 8 (The Real Hunt)

Walker and i got to the spot around 9 or 9:30 in the morning. we got back to the last blood i had found and started looking for more blood. after 30-45 minutes of not finding any blood we decided to crosshatch the hill we were on. we started at the top and would walk from the point of last blood to the first big gully we came to, about 100-150 yards. then we would move down the hill 20 yards and go back. we finished that hill around lunch time. we stopped to get a little drank and a little snack and discuss which hill was next. there were really 3 hillsides to choose from. we had the hill side on the back side of the one we just walked, the next hill in the direction the elk appeared to be running and the hillside on the back of that hill (which we thought was the least likely). i thought since the elk was so close to the top of the hill that maybe he crossed over the ridge and got back into his sanctuary. i had walked the next hill in the direction he ran, to get back to the truck the other day (just one trail about the level that i had found the last blood) and we had walked it coming back in today (a trail a little lower down the hill). we decided to crosshatch the hill on the backside of the hill we had just done. we walked down to the bottom of that hill (i knew there was a creek there) and worked our way up. we did find 4 or 5 nasty big wallows at the bottom of the hill but never found any sign of the elk. we had to get back into town that night so we quit when we got back to the top of the hill and walked out the top of the next hill.

Now it was the 3rd day looking for my elk and walker could not go with me this day. i decided i would walk the next hill in the direction that the elk had run. i started at the top and worked my way down, looking in every nook and cranny. i was starting to feel like someone looking for a lost person, the longer i looked the worse it felt like my odds were getting. the longer i looked the more disappointed i was getting with myself. i had worked so hard to prepare for this trip, running, shooting, etc and i had screwed it up. i would rather not get a shot at an elk than wound one and not find it. but here i was in montana, with a few more days left, i was not going to hunt anymore unless i found my elk then i would do some mule deer hunting. so i had all kinds of time to look for the elk. i saw several magpies flying to the northeast so i got on the ridge and headed that way. i got the point of the ridge and sat and listened for a long time but the magpies were gone. crosshatching a hill by yourself takes a lot of time and gets lonely. i had to do it, i owed it to the elk. day 3 no elk.

on the 4th day i went looking for the elk, it was actually the day before i flew back to tn. i decided to go back to the mountains and look a little more. i had to drive back to billings for the night and fly out the next morning and the mountains were on my way. i was going to check the hill on the backside of the last hill i checked. i thought i would walk the hill about the same level of the last blood i found. i was going to look for ravens and magpies or try to get a whiff of the dead body. if i hadn't found anything by noon i was going to climb over the ridge and head back to the truck and back to billings. i had walked about 1/2 a mile in and looked at the gps and realized i was about 400 foot in elevation above the last blood i found and decided i should get down the mountain a little. i had moved down the mountains a little and came to a gully. i thought i saw an antler sticking up on the other side and was trying to look at whatever it was through my binoculars. when i did, a raven flew right by me and landed in a tree a little ways away. i looked again and realized it was not an antler, but a limb. i decided i would stay there for a little while to see what the raven was doing. after waiting about 10 minutes the raven did switch trees but that was it. the wind was blowing in my face pretty steady. i decided it was time for me to head out. just as i was taking my first step to leave the wind stopped. all of a sudden i could smell something odd. my first thought was, that can't be it, i'm not sure i really smelled anything. i started walking up the hill towards the raven and i smelled it again and knew it had to be my elk. i saw something about 40 yards uphill but couldn't tell if it was the elk of not. i walked up to it and there he was! it was the elk i had shot, there was no mistaking his rack. he was laying on his right side so i could easily tell where i had shot him. the shot was about 5 inches behind the front leg and mid chest. i do not think i could have made a better shot. however, there was very little blood on his body below the wound. it could have been because he had been there so long or maybe he just bled internally, i don't know, but i still think it was a great shot. i immediately got out my gps to see how far he had ran from where i shot him- 3/4 of a mile, and gained 400 ft in elevation. so much for wounded elk, especially ones shot in the lungs, running downhill and towards water. well, i found him, and he was rancid. there was a bubbling gas coming out of the wound...rancid. getting him out, the wind was blowing the smell from my back to my face. and i don't know how much an elk head weighs but i can tell you 2 things: 1)i packed it wrong, with the antlers hanging back behind me and 2) i thought i was going to break an ankle or tear an acl getting him off the mountain. it was ankle busting and knee knuckling!

lesson of the days: never, never give up. know how to pack your elk to get him off the mountain. hunting elk is a hard roller coaster ride of mental thoughts.

Montana Hunting: Day 7

when i woke up i had to eat, i was trying not to, but after skipping supper i was pretty hungry. i ate a chocolate covered caramel granola bar. i tried to get all my stuff together as quiet as possible since i had not heard any elk and wasn't really sure where they were. when i got everything packed up and ready to go i still hadn't heard anything so i bugled....no response. i headed to the area where the elk was the day before that i had called in, thinking he might be in that area this morning. still no bugling so i tried something a little different, i did a few cow calls followed by a few low chuckles. not 2 minutes later the 2 bulls started bugling. they were in the opposite direction. i was not sure if they would come across the mountain like they did yesterday or just go up the mountain, i was in a bad situation. if they came across the mountain, like i thought they would, and i was up the mountain the thermals would be blowing my scent to them. if they went up the mountain and i waited on them to come across the mountain, i would not be able to get to them because the thermals would be going up to them by that time. i had to make a choice, and quick, and hope the wind and thermals would work with me a little. i decided to go up the mountain. at least i would be above them and it was getting a little later in the morning so i was hoping the thermals would soon be warming up and going up the mountain to keep my scent from the elk. i started up the mountain and the elk were still bugling pretty regular, to the south. as i got up the mountain i checked the wind and the thermals had started going up and the wind was blowing to the east, which was perfect because now one of the elk was coming across the mountain below me. i came into a spot in the woods and it was like i was guided there by some strange force. there were elk rubs everywhere (trees just torn to shreds), elk beds galore, and a stench of elk urine soaked dirt filling my nostrils. i wasn't sure if i had just died and was in heaven or if i had just accidentally found one great spot. after looking around for a few minutes i tried to guess which way the elk would be coming from. with the wind and the way the elk had came up the mountain yesterday, i set up to where i thought the elk would come from my right, into the wind, up a long ridge. i set my pack against a tree and sat on it. i had waited for just a few minutes when i heard an elk bugle from the spot i had chuckled from. hearing that made me think he was on his way around the mountain to come up the ridge into the wind. a few minutes later i heard a twig snap just over the hill directly in front of me. i was about 10 yards from the top of the hill. i looked in the direction of the twig that snapped and saw antlers coming over the hill. as he started walking up the hill i drew my bow. it felt lke someone had cranked the poundage to 100lbs. it took everything i had to draw it back. i did it so slow that when i got it to full draw the string made a little squeak with the elk now at 20 yards. of course he stopped in his tracks and stared at me at full draw. i don't know how long he stood there, but it seemed like 20 minutes. my arm tried to let down 3 times but i was able to catch it each time, with the elk looking directly at me. fortunately there was a small tree between us. then i noticed i was shaking so bad that the bow in my left hand kept tilting back and forth. i thought there was no way i was going to get a shot, i knew he could see the bow moving. finally, i decided i was going to have to let down. i decided to close my eyes and just concentrate on holding the bow at full draw. if he had turned when i opened my eyes, i would shoot him, if he hadn't turned i was going to have to let the bow down. when i opened my eyes, he was starting to turn to his right. when he got fully broadside i released the arrow. it appeared to be a really good shot. he turned and ran back down the hill. i waited for a few minutes, called emily and another friend and told them what happened. after 30 minutes i went to just see if i could tell the direction he went. finally, i found his hoof prints going straight away from where i had shot, down the hill. it had been about an hour now so i decided to see if i could find any blood. i followed his tracks down the hill and found the back 17 inches of my arrow, it had blood all the way up to the nock. i thought this would be pretty easy. great shot placement, good penetration, what more could you want. a good blood trail, that is what more i could want. there was a little blood where the arrow was laying but not much. i followed the tracks and finally found a little blood. i was able to follow blood for a short while until it starting becoming very scarce. i was down on my knees finding one or two occasional tiny blood spots. when i couldn't find blood for 5 to 10 yards i would follow tracks, if i didn't find blood with those tracks for 20 yards i would go back to the last blood drop and find another set of tracks to follow out for 20 yards. i finally got to about 150 yards from where i had made the shot and the blood just stopped. i looked for several more hours (taking a short lunch break), followed lots more tracks and found nothing. i had shot the bull at about 8am and finally stopped looking for blood at 6pm. i was severely depressed. i was going to have to leave my elk up on the mountain overnight. i went back to walker's house that night to get some rest and hot food. walker and i decided we would both come back the next day and look. i still felt pretty good we would find the elk but i was really worried about the meat spoiling.

tomorrow i will tell the story about finally finding the elk, don't miss this! (really it may not be as exciting but still it was a very important part of this story).

lessons of the day: it is better to get on your hands and knees to look for blood and leave no stone unturned. i had wasted a little time following a couple of sets of tracks that i was almost positive were his (when the blood would get scarce) just to come back and find another speck of blood going the other way. i thought he was going straight down the hill but he had actually turned and ran along the side of the hill for a long while. lesson 2 is elk do not always go downhill or towards water when they are hit, even if they are hit good. when you are tracking an animal be meticulous and if you need to take a break occasionally, take one, regroup and get back at it. elk hunting can go from an extreme high to an extreme low in a matter of minutes. looking for an elk on a mountain can be exhausting, it ain't no whitetail tracking.

Montana Hunting: Day 6 (9/23/2009)

i got up this morning and nothing was bugling, not a sound. i climbed up to a little higher viewing area to take a look and get a better listen. still nothing. i let out one bugle and one bull started up. i wasn't 100% sure i could get to him, i thought there might be private land i would have to get around. i thought to myself, the only way i'll know is if i go to them. if i get to private land, i will have to stop or try to call him over, if i didn't run into private land....yowzah...i'm in. so i headed that way, luckily there was a ridge that led me pretty close. i got between 150-200 yards from the bull. however, he was going up the hill and he was ahead of me, no way for me to get ahead of him when i didn't really know the terrain. but he was bugling a lot, i had to do something. i thought that if i bugled over top of one of his bugles he might get a little upset and come to run me off. slim chance but it was all i could think of. so, on his next bugle, i bugled. to my surprise there was a bugle about 100 yards on the same level i was one, a different bull. i snuck up another 40 yards and called some more, a few very excited cow calls followed by a short, screaming bugle. both bulls started bugling back constantly. when i decided the second bull was not going to come in, i decided to try and sneak a little closer. i made it another 20 yards and came to a spot with a tree i could not get around without making too much noise (rocky ground on one side and brush on the other). where i was i did have a pretty good view. if he came around the tree i would see him in enough time to draw, if he came the other way i should be able to see him in plenty of time too. can you guess what happened? neither of those. when got in position (kneeling) the bulls were still bugling but not any closer. so i let out a few, very excited, almost painful cow calls followed by a short, bugling scream. when i did that i could hear the closer bull pawing and panting, then he let out 5 very short bugles right in a row, better than a triple gobble from a spring tom. i wasn't sure if he would come in, but it didn't matter, this was good enough for me. all of a sudden he took off running down the hill to my left. when he stopped i knew i was in trouble. if he came up the hill from where he was he would have to go to his left (my right) to come into my shooting lane. if he went to his right he would walk behind lots of thick brush. if he walked in one spot i would have one small spot for a shot. when i raised my bow to make sure i could take a shot i realized the lower limb of my bow was going to hit a branch. as i tried to move a little i saw him coming up through the woods, about 40 yards away. i raised my bow and it still hit the limb so i tried to move a little more and twist just a little to be able to shoot through the small opening. when i did, a branch caught my pack and made a little scraping sound. the next thing i saw was the bull trotting back down the hill. i was so excited, just to have even been that close. i had never been that close to an elk before, let alone a bull, let alone a mad bugling, snotting bull that was coming in looking for me. i knew my hunt was over for the morning, one bull trotting away and one, still bugling frequently, but now far up the hill with the thermals now going uphill. i did not have enough supplies for the night so i was going to head back into town. on the way back to the truck i ran back so i could call emily and tell her what happened. she sounded pretty excited for me. i went back into town, got my food, etc. and headed back to the mountains. i thought i might be able to catch at least one of the bulls coming back down the mountain. i got to a spot about 1/2 way up the mountain on a very good trail. unfortunately, there was no action that afternoon. as it was getting close to dark i decided i had better get up the mountain and get a spot to sleep before it was too dark. i did not want to be walking around the mountain in the dark, for obvious reasons and to try and not scare any animals. so i got up the mountain and found a pretty good, level spot. i decided not to eat supper and not to get my bivy sack/sleeping bag out. i did not want to create any extra scent or noise, being in the elk's territory. i was worried with the thermals going downhill in the evening, any weird or strong smells might make it to the elk. unfortunately, i was not able to sleep all night without the sleeping bag. i got a little cold around 10pm and had to get it out. anyway, around dark the bulls were bugling, coming down the mountain, 2 of them. where i had set up, was right in the middle of them. one of them had to walk across the path i had used to get up the mountain that afternoon. the bulls came down the mountain, one to the south and one to the north and met up in the bottoms (private land) well after dark and bugled for a long time that night.

come back tomorrow (as long as i do not have too many late night calls) for day 7, it only gets more exciting.

lessons of the day: if you have a chance, even though it seems like a long shot, at least it is a shot, give it a try. you can still call elk in, despite what lots of people say (if i can do it anyone can, for sure). elk hunting can go from extreme lows to extreme highs in a very short period. elk hunting is crazy fun!

Montana Hunting: Day 5 (Finally, Some Elk)

i woke up and got ready, i did not hear the bull i had heard the day before. so, i started going up the road that lead to the elk sign i saw the day before. i started to get on a ridge and still hunt through the timber going south (that is the way the local said i should go). however, the wind was exactly wrong for hunting in that direction, and playing the wind is the biggest part of getting close to an elk. i decided to go towards the north. as i was heading up the road and heading towards some timber. i came into an open spot where i could see other hills and fields in the distance. i decided to glass those hills and was thinking to myself, non-elk seeing self, what i would give to just see an elk. it is day 5 and i haven't seen any, i will never see any, i should just go home. as i was thinking that, i saw a bull through my binoculars (go figure, just something else to keep me out here one more day :)). i looked at the map and figured the bull was about 1 mile away, as the raven flies (there are no crows out there). so i decided to keep on the same track i was on (i was planning on spending the night at the truck) and maybe try to get on that bull in the evening. however, by looking at the map it appeared this bull was right on the edge of private land. so i headed into the timber and found lots of fresh rubs and poop, but no elk. i tried calling a little and got no response. because i was stalking through the timber i was not going very fast. by 10am i had gone no more than 1.5 miles from the truck. i went out on a point and got a spectacular view (if you want to see the view you will have to go there because i forgot to take pictures). i ate a little and got hydrated, just rested a bit, and thoroughly went over my map to see what the topo was around me and to see if i might be able to get on that bull in the evening. with no action there i decided to head to the truck, eat lunch and see if i could find a trail that looked like (on the map) it went right to where i had seen the bull. i got back to the truck and drove around a little in and out of private land (that had public access roads cutting through) and came to a small opening by a creek where i decided to eat lunch and really study my maps, some more. after figuring out a plan i decided to look for that trail again. i never found that trail but i did find a road that i thought lead up the the hill i wanted to be on. unfortunately there was a camp there and another truck further up the road. so i got in my truck and drove a little more. i came to a hill that i thought i could climb and get the spot where i wanted to be. it looked steep. i thought to myself, lazy self, just maybe this is far enough away from those other hunters that they aren't hunting here. then i thought, that hill looks steep. then (too many thens?) i said to myself, inspirational self, if i came all the way out here, away from emily for 2 weeks, i did all that training, i better climb that hill for emily, if i think i might get into some elk. i turned around and the hill did not look as big. so, i got packed up, and with my busted hiking pole and overweight pack, headed up the hill. 1 hour and 5,000,000 hitch-hikers later i was at the top, heart about to bust, legs like jello. i looked around ad decided i was one hill over from where i had seen the elk and the wind was wrong. the good thing was the road with the camp did not come up the valley between me and that elk's hill, so it had to be one hill over, opposite the side of the hill where the elk were, if it even went up that far. i was pretty sure those hunters weren't hunting this far up. it was getting a little late and the thermals were changing and i had a great view of lots of little meadows, especially meadows where i had seen all the fresh sign that morning. i decided to sit, glass the meadows, pull hitch-hikers off and listen. around 6:45pm it was starting to get a little dark so i decided to eat and set up camp. about 7pm i heard the bulls start bugling. there were 2 on my side (about 2-300 yards away) and one where i had been that morning. i called emily (she was probably upset i kept interrupting her to say "one just bugled"). they bugled all night. at 12:41 am (ok, this gets into day 6) i heard one bugle (and wake me up) about 100 yards away and i thought to myself, sleepy self, you might have camped a little too close. about 15 minutes later i heard one give an alarm sound about 30 yards away and run off. i thought to myself, busted self, you camped too close.

tune in next time for the rest of day 6 (when it really gets exciting, i promise, no just keep reading, it does get more exciting).

lessons of the day: the bread that comes in mres was made to protect our troops not eat, it has to be bullet proof. don't be lazy, if you need to climb a hill to reach your goals, climb it. wherever you are, whatever you are doing, you did not come this far to not push yourself. lastly, you are only insane if you talk back to your talking self.

Montana Hunting: Day 4

This is where i really started missing Emily. I wasn't seeing any elk, having bad weather, all by myself.

so this morning i was going to try the spot the local had told me about. i got to the spot (after driving 1.5 hours) pretty early, after missing my turn twice. after i found the turn i got to a point where i thought i was driving the wrong way and turned around, realized there was no other way to go, turned back around, finally found the signs i was looking for, passed the spot i was supposed to park at, turned around, got parked, and got going. the good thing was, i allowed an extra hour to get to my spot. i was there in plenty of time.

when i got out of the truck i heard coyotes and then a bugle, i started getting closer to the bugle and ran into a fence. knowing there was a lot of private property i stopped and tried calling the bull to me. no luck. i tried to go around the fence by making a big circle, ran into another fence. the map i really needed, to tell where the private land was, was in my truck. i walked 1/2 a mile back to the truck and got the map and realized the fence was not separating private/public land, it was just an old fence on public land. by now the bull had quit bugling. i headed in the direction he had been bugling and found a couple of piles of fresh elk poop. i kept heading in the same direction very slowly. after walking about 1/2 a mile i was trying to decide which direction to go and heard a bugle back in the direction i came from. i headed back that way and he quit bugling. this was the point where i realized my 40 yard through 60 yard sight pins had been moved, must have happened while hiking with my bow strapped to my pack. i was headed back towards the truck so i decided to resight my bow in and get a nap then try to get on this bull in the afternoon. i went back out that evening in the area of the fresh poop and several elk rubs. i got there and set up fr about 2 hours. my boots were soaking wet and i was getting very cold. i decided to get back to the truck a little early, eat supper, build a fire and dry my socks and boots. i built a fire, ate an mre, and put my boots and socks by the fire to dry out. after finishing the meal i realized 2 of my wool socks had dark brown lines on them. i pulled on the socks and they tore in two. luckily i had an extra pair. i also noticed that both pairs of my polypropylene socks had melted. luckily i was still able to wear one pair comfortably. while sorting all this out, i heard a bull bugle near the private land 3-4 times. i was a little upset by now. at this point i had broken one of my hiking poles, one of the sight pins on my bow, and burned three pairs of socks. i was all alone, not seeing any elk, much less getting close to any, in a place i had never been before. i slept in the truck that night, wishing i was back home in tennessee. funny, when i am here all i can think about is hunting in montana. while i was there, all i could think about was Emily, funny how that works. when i would talk to her on the phone she had so much faith that i was going to kill an elk, i really wanted to do it just as much for her now, to make her proud of me. i was really debating coming home early. i know, this is all probably a big surprise to everyone, before the trip i was acting so tough, now so weak. the mountains were giving me a swift kick in the pants, a real wake-up call. humbling. i was doubting i would ever go elk hunting ever again (i know, it's true).

lesson today: do not put your socks too close to the fire, no matter how wet they are, and don't leave them there too long.

Montana Hunting: Day 3 (Finally)

Well, day 3 might have been the worst and best day i had in montana. i started by driving to the mountains from walker's and seeing lots of other trucks. i decided to hike in for a while, going east, then head south on a trail that connected to another trail that went southeast. don't forget yesterday it was 95 degrees, record highs, then there were thunderstorms all night. when i got to the mountains, it started raining, the rain was supposed to have stopped by now. i got on my rain gear and headed out. saw several mule deer and whitetails in the bottoms. i finally got to the southbound trail that connected the 2 main trails and stood 10 yards from a 4 point whitetail for about 20 minutes. it had stopped raining so i took my rain gear off and put on a dry shirt. i headed down the trail and saw some more whitetails. then it stared raining again, i put my rain gear back on and walked for a while. i never got to the other trail and new i was heading in the wrong direction. i decided to head back and look for the other trail. i still never found it, so i got back on the first trail and headed east (when i looked on another map walker had at home the connecting trail only went west, my map had it connecting to another trail that went east). i took off my rain gear again and changed into my last dry shirt. i walked for about 30 more minutes and (now about 3 miles from the truck) turned around to see a very black cloud coming at me. i took cover under a pine tree just about the time it started hailing. i waited that storm out for about 10 minutes and started walking again. i stopped to build a fire and get dry. when i was getting the fire going, the bottom dropped out and it started hailing BAD! needless to say, the fire went out. after waiting the hail, thunder, and lightening out under a tree for about 30-45 minutes, i decided if i survived this storm i was going to head back to the house (i was cold, wet, and just found out the waterproofness on my boots had completely stopped working, completely). the storm stopped and i saw a guy coming bye on a motor bike. i stopped him and we talked (as my teeth chattered). when he drove off, i got my stuff together and walked to the truck. at the truck i got stopped by a game warden and of course had all my licenses and tags. (at the truck it was 34 degrees) i got to the truck and drove back to walker's (i had walked 8 miles by 2:30). on my way i stopped at arby's to eat lunch. while there this older gentleman came in and we talked for a little while as i was getting a refill on my drink. he told me he was a wildlife artist. on my way out the door he gave me a sketch of elk in the mountains that he had sketched on a napkin. then i went to the store to get a few supplies and actually talked to a man there who had hunted the highwoods quite a bit and somehow i got him to give me a few hints. when i got to walker's i washed and dried my clothes and got a little nap. so, it was a very tough day but i got some great info and a great sketch from a couple of very nice locals.

my lesson for the day: while on a do-it-yourself hunt, ask everyone for advice, sift through it carefully, and work hard (but occasionally you will need to take the easy way out so you do not die from hypothermia).

Montana Hunting: Day 3 (Postponed)

Sorry guys, i have put in a very long day and i am really tired. Day 3 will actually be posted tomorrow or saturday (i am on call tomorrow night). hope everyone has a great friday.

Montana Hunting: Day 2 (Friday)

so, i made it through the thunderstorms the first night and everything (equipment) was already dry the next morning when i got up. i got up, ate a little (bagel with peanut butter and honey), packed up and headed out. i hiked for a while, saw several mule deer does and finally came to a fork in the trail. it was either go one way that would take me back towards the truck or go the other way that would take me a good ways from the truck. i decided to set up and call for a few minutes (it was still pretty early in the morning). i did that, with no luck, and then decided to continue on the trail. while on the trail i saw some good looking timber on the other side of the creek that i might try later. i devised a plan to go back to the truck, get some more gatorade and get on another trail that would take me in another direction, where maybe i would have more luck.

on this day, it was around 85 degrees, again. as i was getting close to the truck i rounded a corner on one of the national forest roads that was closed to traffic. i was surprised to see a truck coming at me. when i got closer, i realized it was a park ranger. i talked to him for a few minutes, he told me that the forecast was calling for some pretty bad thunderstorms with lots of lightening on saturday and sunday. i decided to head back to my friend Walker's house and let the storms go bye. i'd had enough of thunderstorms. he also told me that the only elk he had ever seen in that national forest were in the southern part (i was hunting the northern part) (do remember this for further reference). i got to the truck, drove to Walker's, cleaned up, etc. and the rest will come tomorrow.

About the Montana Trip

Glad to see everyone back, glad to be back.

well, before i left i talked about a quote about getting from the mountain what i couldn't get from the world below. the first few days of my trip i thought the only thing i was getting was a butt whoopin'.

Here on the blog i will give a day by day account of what went on (mainly the hunting days but some of the rest days as well).

by the way, i was supposed to get up and run this morning to get back on schedule but i have not been feeling well the last couple of days so i decided to sleep in.

so, to get on with the hunting story...

day one: i got out of the truck around 1pm and it was around 85 degrees, not usually considered good elk hunting weather. i hiked in for a ways and then came to an area that looked pretty good so i decided to set up camp for the night. i found a somewhat level spot and set out my sleeping bag and bivy, ate an mre, then stashed my food for the night. as i was starting to get ready for bed and starting to really miss emily, i heard thunder in the distance. i rushed to get all of my equipment covered up and get in my bivy sack for the night. just as i did, the thunder, lightning and rain hit, not bad, but bad enough. if you have never weathered a thunderstorm in the mountains all by yourself, i would recommend, try not to. i was not enjoying my first night in the mountains. after the storm passed i decided it was safe to call emily on the satellite phone. it rained, thundered, and lightened (?) on and off all night long.

that is it for day one, come back tomorrow for day 2.

lesson of day one: appreciate the things you have at home, when you are all alone in a bad storm in the mountains, you will wish you were home!

Last Blog Before the Hunt

i leave tomorrow morning. the plane leaves at 7:40am, i should get to billings around 2:30pm central time, i will get my stuff together, do a little shopping, and stay in great falls tomorrow night. then thursday i will be hunting in the highwood mountains! i can't wait to get out there.

walking so much at work has been killing my feet, i hope i can get them a little rest on the trip tomorrow so they will be ready on thursday.

the thought of the day is simple, thanks to everyone who has read my blog, posted comments, gave encouragement, etc. i think it will go a long way while i am out there all by myself in the mountains. there is an old movie that starts out by talking about why "pilgrims" would want to go up in the mountains, and it says something like the pilgrims go up in the mountains to get from the mountains what they couldn't get from the world down below. i will be getting all of it that i can in 2 weeks! thanks everyone!

Wednesday, get here quick!

well, i have outdone myself. i was on call this past weekend, and i will be on call tomorrow for my regular week day call, well i had to get switch my call while i will be out of town (trade around a little). so i get to take call tonight too, so 4 days in a row. working 96 hours in a row before i go on my trip. good thing i was so excited i got almost everything packed over a week before the trip.

my ankle/foot is a little better today. still hurts a little. i had an x-ray taken of it today and nothing suspicious really showed up.

i did get my satellite phone in the mail too. that thing is almost as big as an old bag phone. a phone booth would be lighter to carry around.

the thought of the day is this: even when you are getting close to going on a trip or leaving for a while, do not get in a hurry and get sloppy. finish the things you are working so that no one will need to ask questions about it. that way you do not have to worry about it when you are away and it doesn't stress others out to try and get it done for you. i always try to do this, but, inevitably, there is always one or two little details that i miss. it always seems the day before i leave everything goes crazy and i have to deal with twice as much. but i do my best because i don't want to stress others or make them work harder than they need to.

Track me while i'm on my trip!

here is the web address to track me while i am hunting elk.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0G7P3EkQzolCbLNfzeu1TyxePJ2vlpqBu

Just Believe

it has been 2 days since i last blogged. they have been 2 busy days. i was on call yesterday and worked from 8am-11:30pm, it was a long day. my foot is still hurting, friday it felt much better and yesterday it hurt a little more. it really hurt all along the outside of my foot but it does not hurt up into the calf anymore.

3 days until i leave for montana!

i am a little sad, i was going to carry a voice recorder to montana with me to record my thoughts while i was out there, after looking for the voice recorder for a while i think i might have sold it in our last yard sale or gave it away. i am still thinking about buying one of those video recorders that attached to your hat and is very small. bass pro has them for $129, anyone want to make a donation to the cause?

thought of the day: "if you want it, you've got it, you've just got to believe, believe in yourself." this is a quote from the Lenny Kravitz song Believe, one of my all time favorite songs. i believe in this life there are not many things that we can't achieve if we truly want to, and believe we can. of course, i do believe that to truly want to achieve something you should make sure it is God's will for you, but i believe people achieve things everyday because of their desire that are not in God's will. but as a Christian you should try to always be in God's will (and then that goes back to the quote, if you want it you can get it).

Less than a week

the ankle is still hurting today. it was hurting so bad after lunch that i wrapped it with tape. i think the running is over with until i get back from montana. i may try to ride my bike or something in a day or two. i hope all the other runners reading this are doing better. in less than a week i will be sleeping out in the mountains of montana. the satellite phone is in the mail, i think i have everything else i need for the trip, most of it is already packed. i can't wait to get out there. i have been waiting 2 years to get back there and the time is almost here.

still need to shoot my bow at the longer distances to make sure it is still sighted in. i'm on call this weekend and have to work monday and tues, then leave wed. guess i'll have to do what i have to do.

here is another thought o' the day: "Some men see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say why not?" of course it was JFK who said this and this is what i feel like i am fighting everyday in life. i don't know why people want to sit around and watch the world go by. how boring. why not try to do something new, try to do things that other people are afraid of trying. what is there to lose? grab life by the horns and just do it (that is really all of the cliches i can think of this late), etc. have fun, accomplish something new.

R E S P E C T

i did another best today, but at a price. i ran 3 miles (so i am back on track) in 26 minutes. i think that is my best time to date at 8:40min/mile. however, my ankle was a little sore yesterday but fine when i woke up today. after i ran it was a little sore, then i put on some boots i thought would give it some support. it may have, but my ankle hurt and got worse all day long. hopefully it will be better on friday so i can run again, if not i probably won't be running again until after the hunting trip. i'm sure it'll be better though.

thoughts of the day: respect others and treat them as you would want to be treated. don't talk about others behind their back, help one another, if you are an adult act like it (just remember adults have fun too, but responsibly), stand up for yourself AND others. don't cry because someone has it better than you, take it upon yourself to have it better, don't depend on others to provide for you. i regress. have a great day!

Rest?

today was a rest day, i didn't rest very well. the new clinic has us all taking a lot more steps! we run around all day trying to get everything done. i have been there at least an hour late every night so far, and some nights 2.5 hours late. i guess that means business is good and i am getting more exercise, but i don't know how long i can take it.

tomorrow i start decreasing the distance of the runs by a lot to give my legs rest before the trip. i think i am scheduled for 3 miles tomorrow. i need to get to the bow range and shoot a bit too. i have been shooting at 30 yards a little but need to make sure i am sighted in at least out to 50 yards.

here is an interesting thought, who learns more in a conversation between a wise man and a fool? the fool has more to learn but he is foolish and doesn't learn anything. the wise man may not have much to learn from the fool but makes it a point to learn something from everyone. think about this the next time you are in a conversation and think about which side of the conversation you are on;)

1 week from tomorrow and i'll be in montana!

Hot Sun = very hard run

i did go for my run today, first day in over a week. i got up a little late. i left the house around 10:30am, the thermometer said 87. i ran for a little while, the sun felt like it was shining right through me. finally at mile 8 i decided i better not try to push it too much and decided stop running. so i walked another 1.5 miles and started running again. i ran for another mile and walked the last 1/2 mile. when i got to the house the thermometer said 99. i know it didn't get that hot, but i think that is what it felt like in the direct sun , that is what it felt like to me anyway. so i'll do a little light running this week and leave for montana in 8 days. after that i will get back on schedule and be right on track for the marathon (hopefully it will be much cooler for running when i get back).

the thought i had today came to me as i was running and i was getting scorched by the sun. occasionally the sun would go behind a cloud and i would feel so much better while i was running. then the sun would come back out and it would be hard running once again. so my thought is this: not every cloud brings rain, some bring shade, and just because the sun is shining on you that isn't always a good thing. ok that was lame, it sounded a little better when i was just thinking it and hadn't written it down. i guess the point i was trying to make was this, things that seem like they are bad can work out for the good and vice versa. so always look for the positive side of things and don't get too comfortable when it seems like everything is going great and nothing can go wrong.

Getting Closer

well, thunderstorms kept me from running today (or the forecast of thunderstorms). so, it has been a week today since i have ran. i will try to run a long one tomorrow. i will get it done. after that it is slow down time until the big trip. 10 days from now i will be in montana!

i have been trying to get all of my gear together and organized to make sure i can pack it all. i have bought 2 new rolling suitcases that i thought i would be able to put my bow and all my other luggage in for the flight. however, neither looks like it will work, they do not have enough protection for my bow. i do have a very good bow case that is ultra protective, but it will only carry a bow, my arrows and nothing else. i thought i would get something that would carry it all since they charge for every bag you check now. oh well, back to the drawing board, i think i will send one of the bags back and just check 2 bags and fly knowing my bow will be protected in the heavy duty bow only case.

here is my thought of the day: sometimes you can really screw up and fail and be honest about it and you can benefit so much from the failure. don't look at your failures as failures but as learning experiences. when Thomas Edison was working on the light bulb he was asked if he was getting discouraged and he said something like this, "i have not failed, i have found 175 ways that it won't work," implying that he was learning from each failure.

next week i will be setting up my SPOT (personal locator) and i will let everyone know how to follow my progress while i am in montana. i hope everyone is as excited as i am!

Killa

this week has been a killa! from being on call last weekend (which seems like yesterday) and this past tuesday, and staying late at work EVERY night this week, i am about to go insane. i guess i have to say business is good and i can't complain about that, i just wish it didn't make me so tired. i have not ran a single day this week. maybe this weekend i will have a chance. on monday (which is my normal day off, so i really don't get a day off next week) i will start the slow down process which is only 3 miles 4 days a week. then i have to be on call next weekend and i have to work that monday. if i can only make it until that wednesday! on that wednesday i fly into montana not to return for 14 DAYS! if i do not come back it will not because because i got killed by a bear or mountain lion, but because i couldn't come back to work after being out there, so don't bother looking for me!

i guess i have not been very inspirational this week, i have let work overtake my running schedule. i think one reason i have allowed this to happen is because i do not want to be extremely worn out when i go on my trip and because i think even if i miss a week i can still complete the schedule for the marathon. also, i have not had anyone pushing me, no one is commenting on my post anymore, i have lost all interested people. oh well, i will keep writing, at least i still read it :)

here is my quote for the day: if you get off track or off schedule, get back on as soon as you can and keep trudging. don't let a little stop in action make you stop completely. that is what quitters do, they are always looking for an out, a reason to follow the easier path. don't be a loser. but, even if you are on the right track, you will still get run over if you just sit there. so get back on track and keep moving, the best you can. i told someone today, when they asked about my montana trip, "this is not a vacation, i am not going out there to enjoy the sites, i am going out there to work my but off and to shoot an elk. i don't want to stay in a hotel, i don't need a cozy place to sleep. i am going out there to do what 95% of elk hunters choose not to do (work extremely hard), to be able to do something 80% of elk hunters can't do (kill an elk by myself). if i do not kill an elk this trip i will not be upset. if i killed an elk on my first solo do-it-yourself elk hunt i would be upset, because that would make me think that elk were not as much competition as i had hoped. the reward is working hard and sticking with them for 10-12 days." i wish i was out there right now sleeping under the stars!

Whoa

i couldn't get up to run today either. it's not that bad, i can run 6 miles in the morning, 4 the next morning and 14 on sunday, and it's like i never missed a beat! the rest does feel pretty good though. tomorrow i have to get back on track.

just 2 weeks from now and i will be sleeping in montana, out in the mountains, all by myself. but all of you will be able to keep up with me. i have a personal locator beacon that will show my position on google earth. i will try to post how to keep up with me here and on facebook.

here is yet another quote from Cameron Hanes about backcountry bowhunting. "Rugged country, thin air, primitive weapon, hard ground, wary animals and that is the easy part!" doesn't that sound incredible. i find it hard that i can't get anyone to go with me. he then lists some of the challenges of backcountry bowhunting "thirst, temperature extremes, fatigue, loneliness & boredom and fear" just to name a few. if anyone wants to go with me just let me know.

Oops

well, today i did what i was afraid i might do. i got up and decided i would take my own advice from yesterday. i went back to bed and got more rest. my body was pretty tired from all the running and lack of sleep over the weekend. i figured my body would do better if i had enough sleep anyway. so i will continue tomorrow. i am on call again tonight, hopefully i will not get any late night calls.

here is a piece of advice that i learned in vet school that i have used a few times. it seems pretty simple but it can save you some time every now and then. if plan a does not work, do not make plan b the same as plan a. you laugh, but it happens (to you) more than you think (especially men).

Another Long Weekend and Unproductive Monday

well, today was extremely unproductive. i didn't get home this morning until 3:30am because i was seeing an emergency last night. i tried to get some sleep this morning but got about 5 calls before 9am so i just got up. then i have been looking for a suitcase that will hold my bow and clothes for the flight to montana, with not much luck. and that is really all i have done today.

tomorrow morning i have a 4 miler, so i am going to go to bed pretty soon so i can get up for that. this week will be the last week i run far for a while. after saturday i will start running a lot less so that my legs can rest before the trip.

thought of the day: when you are tired and ready for bed it can be hard to be motivational, other than inspiring people to do what you should do....get some rest. that is just as important as exercise. word.

Another Longest Run (Funny how that happens every weekend)

I did the 12 miles today! i did it in 2 hours and 6 seconds. at less than a mile my plantar tendon on the right foot started hurting, it went away after a little while. after that everything felt pretty good until mile 5.5. at that point i could feel my legs getting a little tired. then at mile 8 i could feel i was a little more tired. also, at mile 5.5 my hydration backpack started cutting into my left arm, which it did until i was finished, it was quite uncomfortable.

but i did it, i ran the 12 miles. when i think about it, it is hard to really realize that i ran that far. i have always wanted to run distance races but have never been motivated enough. i guess i just figured as old as i was i wouldn't run any now since i never had before. next weekend is 14 miles. that will be interesting!

the thought of the day came to me as i was running today (a good thought usually comes to me but i usually don't remember it). the thought was about pain, discomfort, etc. the thought was about how people want to rid themselves of pain and discomfort. i was reminded of how some baseball teammates in high school would numb their arms so they could pitch longer or throw harder. then i thought about the condition in people where their nerves do not function and they do not feel pain. the odd thing about this condition is that these people usually do not live to be very old, they die from self mutilation. that means they bite or scratch themselves, or in some other way hurt themselves, until it eventually kills them in some way. the funny things is, without the pain and discomfort, we would never know what joy or happiness felt like. if there was nothing bad that happened to you, how would you ever feel good. good would be the worst you would ever feel, and if you felt good all the time, good would become mundane.

Moving Too Much

it seems like we have been moving into the new clinic for the last week. it really has only been 4 days. those have been 4 long days. i was so tired last night i didn't even blog. seems like that has happened several times lately. anyway, we have moved almost everything now, we just have to put everything away and get everything ready to be able to work in the new building.

i did run 4 miles yesterday morning. my pace was a little slower than usual but not bad 37:05. that is a pace of 9:27/mile. not too bad as tired as i have been lately. my legs have felt really tired all week. i am supposed to run 11 or 12 miles in the morning and then be back at the clinic to finish moving. i hope i can get up for the run. i am also on call so i hope that doesn't interrupt my run or work, but it would be nice to make a little extra money.

my trip to montana is about 2.5 weeks away. it is getting close! don't worry, i will keep blogging until the st jude's marathon in memphis (it is in dec.).

Yet another quote from The Mental Game of Baseball... "If a player has made himself aware of the fact that there is something to be learned in everything he hears and sees, he's one step away from being a model athlete." this is a great statement. i coached 12-13 year old boys one year (in baseball). before the district tournament for the last practice, we did not do any physical practice. we sat around and talked about confidence and ability, etc, and i shared some quotes and encouragements that i had gotten over the years. many of these were about learning, having confidence, not being intimidated, etc. i asked the kids after the practice if they had gotten anything from it and one of the most talented players said, "no, not really." before the first game i heard him talking about how good the other team was, and how we didn't really have a chance. we did lose the game. the kids couldn't hit, they couldn't field, they had forgotten all of the things they did so well in the regular season (which we finished with 20 wins and 4 losses). they were so intimidated and badly beaten by a team that was no better than they were, but had confidence. this should teach us at least 2 things. we can always learn something, if we are observant enough and have the desire to. this is one way to get through life easier. number 2, the moment you think you are beaten you might as well throw in the towel. always believe in yourself and never, never give up.

Who Does #2 Work for, Mr. Snotty Nose?

Today was another battle with #2. i got up after 6 hours of sleep and thought maybe i should get more rest. then i thought, my brain has to overcome my body being tired. so then i stretched, got a little drink and went outside to run. i was about to start and the urge to go #2 hit, again. i knew if i went back inside i would not run, and anyway i was late so i did not have time to go back inside. so i headed off for a 6 mile run. fighting the urge the entire time, i made it back home before #2 got the best of me. i was also fighting draining snot the entire time i was running. i have not blown that much snot out of my nose in the last 5 years combined.

my time this morning for the 6 miles was 57:18.16, that gave me a pace right at 9:30min/mile. not too bad for a 6 mile run. i also got to shoot my bow about 20 times this afternoon.

in the morning i have a 4 mile run. i am getting a little tired again, hope i can get up.
tomorrow night we are also moving a lot of the stuff from the old office to the new office so i will not be able to run in the afternoon. then this weekend i am on call, hopefully i will be able to run early sunday morning.

here are more quotes from The Mental Game of Baseball A Guide to Peak Performance, "Each time we confront fear we gain courage. We become more confident that reality is not as bad as the threat." The successes we achieved in our past are more real than the failures we fear in our future." confront your fears, remember, the outcome of failure probably isn't that bad, but the reward of success is sweet. without much risk you can't accomplish much.

True Motivation, Positively Posititve

today when i woke up i was a little sore from the weekend. i thought to myself, i may not be able to make 4 miles this morning. well, i started off and the first hill was pretty rough, after that it got better. i did have to take a detour because the road i normally run on was completely closed down for construction. so i had to guess my mileage a little. then i almost got hit by a bus. i was running on the side of the road where traffic would be coming at me, on a 12 inch shoulder. then a school bus started coming at me and an explorer was coming from the other direction. no one slowed down and the bus and explorer passed me at the same time. it was a close call.

about the last 200 yards i was running pretty fast. the old # 2 started to hit me again. i tried to go right when i got up, before the run, but couldn't. i guess that just primed the system. but i did make it home.

here are some quotes from the book The Mental Game of Baseball, A Guide to Peak Performance, by H.A Dorfman and Karl Kuehl. "A negative thought is not a quality thought and it doesn't lead to quality action." "Negative programming hinders us both as athletes and as human beings." "So thinking about what you don't want to happen greatly increases the chance that it will happen." the point they are trying to make here is that if you fill your mind and life with negative thoughts, like i can't do it, or don't miss the ball; will cause your life to be more negative. you will believe you can't do it, you will miss the ball. instead think i will try my hardest, i can do it, catch the ball. then your life is filled with more positive thoughts and actions. i will be quoting this book for a little while, it was my favorite book in high school, reading back through it reminds me of why i liked it so much.

Spoke too Soon

yes, yes, i spoke a little too soon. yesterday i said i felt very good after the run and wasn't sore. well, last night, while i was asleep it hit me. it being some pretty bad soreness. Emily asked why i was walking so funny today. but i gradually walked out the soreness through. i have to get up and run 4 miles i think in the morning before work, i think i should be fine (if i can just wake up). and of course i have stayed up too late tonight looking at my hunting district in montana on google earth.

i did get to shoot a lot today, about 20-30 times at 60 yards, then about 15 times at 40 yards, then about 40 times at 30 yards. i also went through my montana list to try and get things a little better organized for now.

this is my thought of the day: who really knows what is right? we can read the Bible, listen to others who have studied the Bible, etc, but how do we know what is right? i think anyone who says they can tell you exactly what the Bible says for every circumstance is probably a little confused and arrogant. i think we are all in for a big surprise when we get to heaven. i think God will open our eyes to the complete truth and we will say "wow, i didn't get that on earth." and a lot of things i think we will probably say "i couldn't have been more wrong." but what else are we to do, other than stay in The Word, fellowship, and prayer as much as possible and let God reveal what He will to us and live by it.

Eleven Miles and Never Felt (Much) Better

I did the 11 miles this morning. i started out slow so i wouldn't run out of steam. luckily it was very cool and not humid, that really helped. i was trying to stay at around a 10min per mile pace. i was able to stay pretty close to that. at mile 7.5 my shin and foot started hurting a little, but by mile 8 the pain was gone and i felt so good that i started picking up the pace a little. from miles 8-10 i was trying to maintain a 9:45 pace, then at mile 10 i tried to pick it up a notch again. if i hadn't done that i would not have felt bad at all. however, i really tried to push it during the last mile and the last hill took a little toll. here are my times if you are interested:

1m: 9:43
1.5m: 14:20 (4:37)
2m: 19:29 (5:08)
2.5m: 24:25 (4:55)
3m: 29:25 (5:00)
3.5m: 34:30 (5:04)
4m: 39:20 (4:50)
4.5m: 44:30 (5:10)
5m: 49:47 (5:16)
5.5m: 55:07 (5:20)
6m: 1:00.28 (5:20)
6.5m: 1:05.41 (5:13)
7m: 1:10.50 (5:08)
7.5m: 1:15.42 (4:52)
8m: 1:20.45 (5:02)
8.5m: 1:25.41 (4:56)
9m: (oops i forgot to hit the button)
9.5m: 1:35.21 (9:40)
10m: 1:39.49 (4:27)
11m: 1:49.05 (9:16)

that gives me a pace of 9:54 min/mile. i don't think that is too bad. i really felt like i could run another 4-5 miles if i had needed to. but my schedule says not to do that. i have not been sore today either, like i was when i ran the 8 miles. so, overall i feel very good about my run and think it is time to register for the clarksville 1/2 marathon!

because i didn't run yesterday and i ran today that sort of throws my schedule off, but i was thinking it might be better that way. we are moving into the new clinic next saturday, so it will be hard for me to run that day. so, by being off schedule by one day this week i will have the big run scheduled for next sunday. i will just have to do some running before work.

this quote is from Josh McDowell's book More Than a Carpenter: "Christianity is not a religion. Religion is humans trying to work their way to God through good works. Christianity is God coming to men and women through Jesus Christ offering them a relationship with Himself." The Bible teaches us that we can't earn our salvation through works but by faith through grace. now don't get me wrong, if you are a Christian you will want to work for God, but just doing "Christian" work does not get you into Heaven, it's the relationship with God through Jesus.

Off Schedule Again

Well, what i thought might happen, happened. i went to bowling green to the rocky mountain elk foundation 3-d archery shoot/dinner. i shot the range twice and shot a 150 the first time and a 168 the second time. neither of those scores are too bad for my first time. next time i will be more prepared and think i will do much better. of course i stayed too long and did not get to run today. i am going to try to get the 11 miler done in the morning. i also shot at a "novelty" target they had set up which was a buffalo at 88 yards. out of 12 shots i would have killed the buffalo 5 times, took his manhood once, just wounded him once and totally missed him 5 times (or something like that). my sights are only set to 60 yards, so i had to make some adjustments to shoot him. after i got the first arrow close i put the next 3 out of 4 in the kill zone.

in 3.5 weeks i will be on my way to montana!

Quote O' thu day: "help people reach their full potential." this is one thing i have tried to do after i read the quote in the book The One Minute Manager. i realized that just because someone worked for me, just to get them to do their best job for me was not the ultimate goal. but the ultimate goal would help them to do their best for me. the ultimate goal is to help each employee to reach the fullest potential that they want to reach, and also push them to want to do more than they think they can. The full potential for a technician may be a better technician, a certified technician, or even to go to vet school. whatever they think it is, i want to help them reach it. unless, their goal is to not grow, not get any better, etc. then, if i can't motivate them a little, then i really don't think they belong working for me. but i want to help every employee i can to be reach their maximum potential. sometimes that may mean that they move on because they have outgrown our practice. those are the employees you hate to lose, but it is worth it to see people better themselves.

Sorry

Sorry to all my faithful followers, my internet was down last night and i was not able to blog. however, it is back tonight and i can fill you in on everything you have missed! not much. i did run last night, i ran 4 miles in 37:46. that gives me a pace of about 9:26 per mile. that is not bad considering i felt like i could not breathe the entire time. i felt like i was running a 10min/mile pace, so i did a little better than i thought, it just seemed so hard. maybe this past weekend took more of a toll on me than i thought. here is the breakdown of the run.

1m: 8:49 (not too bad)
1.5m: 13:26 (4:37)
2m: 18:32 (5:05) (whoa)
2.5m: 23:29 (4:57)
3m: 27:52 (4:23) (pretty good)
4m: 37:46 (9:53)

overall i am pretty happy. tomorrow i am going to a bow shoot in bowling green, it will be good to shoot with a little pressure on (it is competitive). the bad thing is i haven't gotten to shoot all week so i may not do as good as i had hoped but it is mainly for practice for me anyway. anyone want to ride with me just call.

i have to set the record straight. i have been having a discussion the other day with a cousin about something i said on my blog and i want everyone to know exactly what i meant. i made the comment that we are all God's children. what i meant by that was that God is our ancestor because He is our creator and we are made in His image (so we are minutely similar to Him). i guess the discussion is we are not God's children unless we are saved. i was making a conclusion that if a being comes from another being, the first being is the parent. i really meant we all came from God. maybe i should have put it that way. without God there would not be an us. if you are not a Christian you are God's enemy. that is all i will say about that.

the thought of the day: i am tired...no i used that one already. Here is a list from a book called QBQ! The Question Behind the Question. This is the list of the risk of doing nothing:

• Action, even when it leads to mistakes,brings learning and growth. Inaction brings stagnation and atrophy.
• Action leads us towards solutions. Inaction at best does nothing and holds us in the past.
• Action requires courage. Inaction often indicates fear.
• Action builds confidence; inaction, doubt.

"A friends said, "It's better to be one who is told to wait than one who waits to be told."

hope this motivates you to do more than usual, go the extra mile.

Another Personal Best (or worst, depending on how you see things)

Well tonight was not a good night. i had to do a 5 miler. i really didn't feel like running but had to keep on schedule. so i stretched and started and my legs were so stiff and i could not breathe. to beat that i had rattling in my chest when i was trying to breathe. i was thinking i would take it slow but i took it really slow. i will not post any times but i will say it took me nearly 56 min to jog 5 miles! that is my best time for jogging, however that is my worst time for running (i have never "jogged" 5 miles before). take it however you want. after i stopped i felt so much better, i almost felt like running again to see if i could get a better time. however, i know that right now i can't concentrate on times i have to concentrate on finishing.

i wonder if i am coming down with something. last night i fell asleep very early on the couch even though i didn't feel that tired (hence why i did not blog). then i went to bed and slept until 7:10 this morning. and then i felt so bad during my run. makes me worry a little. and i am about to go to bed in just a few minutes, maybe i just need a little rest after this past weekend.

the thought of the day is this: i am tired. if you are tired you should get more rest. i am going to bed. goodnight. (maybe tomorrow i will be more inspirational)

One Rough Weekend

well, i am back. i will give you a very short run down of a very long weekend. friday night left for big south fork, got there and stayed up to 5am talking. slept til 8am, got up, hiked 17 miles with 30-40# backpack, saw some black bears, slept about 8 hours, got up and hiked about 7 miles with pack, .4 miles of which was straight uphill (finished hike early after nearly stepping on copperhead, really about 6 inches from him (the snake is not the reason we finished early)), grilled out, slept 5.5 hours, drove 4 hours home, cleaned up camping stuff, ate a little, went to sam's, ate a little more, shot my bow, ran 4 miles.

my run this afternoon was pretty hard, i guess from the good leg workout over the weekend. here are my times:

1m: 8:54 (pretty good)
1.5m: 13:18 (4:24)
2m: 18:10 (4:51) (pretty slow)
2.5m: 22:59 (4:48)(pretty slow)
3m: 27:19 (4:19)
4m: 37:09 (9:50)(slow, but good for this stretch)

so that gives an overall pace of about 9:17 min/mile. that is not too bad especially after the weekend workout i had.

the quote of the day is from Zeke. he made the comment and then utterly ignored his own advice. "If you pass water and you need water, get water." about 30 min after telling someone this 2 of the people in our group walked past 3 different streams without getting any water. funny thing is, neither had any water with them. so, because of this mistake, we had to walk an extra 4-5 miles on saturday afternoon. so here is my take on the situation: if you NEED something and someone puts it in front of your face offering it to you, take it. forget your pride, if someone wants to help you, let them. (do not take it without their permission and don't take it if they want you to do something that is against your morals, etc).

Gone for the Weekend

today i did it again. i ran another fastest 3 miles. i was worried that i might not be able to since i just ran 5 miles yesterday, but i pushed and pushed and i did it. here are the times:



1m: 8:51 (not too bad)

1.5m: 13:08 (4:16)

2m: 17:26 (4:18)

3m: 26:21 (8:54)



so that gives me a pace of 8:46/mile, my best by far. i did this 3 miles 50 seconds faster than my 3 miles on monday and 33 seconds faster than my previous fastest 3 miles. i am pretty happy right now.



i also got to shoot my bow today. i had to do a little sight adjustment, due to the work i had done on it the other day, but very minor. i took 11 shots at 50 yards, and shot one of my best groups at that range so far. i also shot a little at 20, 30, and 40 yards to make sure it was sighted in. at 50 yards i put 3 arrows in a 3 inch circle and all but 2 of the other arrows very close to the circle. the other 2 arrows would still have been in the kill zone. i can't complain too much about that!



i will be on a hiking trip this weekend so i will not be able to blog. so this will be the last blog until monday. our hiking trip has us doing 10 miles on saturday, 9 miles on sunday, and 1-2 miles on monday. hopefully i will be able to get back on the running schedule even though i will not be taking a rest day on sunday.



the thought of the day comes from several discussions we have had at work recently and from an e-mail i got today that had an inspirational quote in it. the thought is this: i do not care what color of skin a person has, they are still my brother/sister in Christ. Christ does not see people for their color of skin, we are all God's children, all His creation. i would think any non-Jewish Christian would be able to see this because if you remember, the Jews were God's chosen people and His salvation was luckily extended to the gentiles because He loved us ALL. i do not remember reading that the white race was superior in The Bible. if you have any prejudice in your heart you need to get it out NOW. i do not think it is right for minorities always playing that card and trying to use it to take advantage of another race, but man, we are all people, lets just love and respect each other. i would think with the intelligence we have in the world now racism would cease to exist. but i guess when you have pride and self love in the world evil will be there too (or maybe it's the other way around).

I Know I'm Bad, But Am I Scary

i got my 5 miles in this afternoon. thankfully it seemed a lot cooler than my last couple of runs. if you are interested, here are my times:

1m: 9:12
1.5m: 13:39 (4:27)
2m: 18:21 (4:41) (way slow)
2.5m: 22:56 (4:35)
3m: 27:32 (4:35)
3.5m: 32:06 (4:34)
4m: 36:27 (4:20)
5m: 45:20 (8:53)

so my overall pace was 9:04/mile. not too bad. for some reason i slowed up between 1.5 and 2 miles, or else i would've had a pace under 9min/mile. anyway, i am pleased. 5 miles is easier now than i ever thought it would. after running the 8 miler on sat i have started losing a little weight too. somehow i dropped 5 pounds since sat. that doesn't really sound healthy but i have been eating and drinking just like normal.

the thought for the day comes from personal experience. i have noticed at work (and have talked about in the blog) that people sometimes go around me when they have a question or need. they even do this when i am the person who could best answer their question or fulfill their need. i think sometimes people are looking for the path of least resistance, and i don't believe in doing things half way. however, sometimes i feel like (or know) that some people are scared of me. i do not try to be scary. as a matter of fact i try to help everyone in anyone way i can. i try to show appreciation by giving employees new benefits, buying them treats, letting them have time off for personal stuff, etc. i almost feel a little ashamed when i hear they are scared of me, and a little hurt when they feel like they can't ask me the questions. and i guess i am probably a little quiet and to the point a lot. but i feel like i do try to have fun with and respect all the employees. maybe the employees just go around me to someone they know will give them the answer they want 99 percent of the time without thinking things through. oh well, i guess all i can do is try to be humble and serve them while leading them (i thought this is what i was doing, maybe i'm just not good at it). any suggestions welcomed.

Maybe I Think Too Much (Classic Philosophical Questions)

i did not have to run today, it was a rest day. i do have to fit 5 miles in tomorrow. i think i will try to sleep in and run tomorrow afternoon. i was up late last night with the dog barking about every hour to keep me awake, i am a little tired today. i didn't shoot my bow today either, we had to go out to eat lunch since it is my cousin's last week at work before he gets ready to leave for school. i am hoping i can get a good night's rest tonight (even though i am on call) so i will be well rested for the run tomorrow.

don't really have much to say today. i have gotten a little more feedback on the blog since i posted it on facebook. i always like feedback, i think i just like hearing what others have to say about my posts and the occasional joke i get. Sheri said the title to one of my last posts did not describe me (short and sweet). i guess she has a point, i am average height.

"It is good to rub and polish our brains against that of others." Michel de Montaigne i really like this quote. i think these days too many people want the easy answer, want a quick way out....without thinking too much about it. some people think i am argumentative because when i am asked a question i usually respond with a question and then get into a discussion. sometimes i do it so that the people will realize the process of thinking a thing through. another reason is because a lot of times people ask me a question without giving me, what i feel, is enough info to answer the question. this disgruntles many people because they want a quick fix, a quick answer. most people do not want to think things through. when i am asked a question i try to think of all the possibilities and all the possible answers. this leads to many people asking someone else now for their quick fix. many times i hear someone ask a question to a fellow employee that was originally supposed to be asked to me. then i hear the other employee giving a quick answer and they both go on about their business. it kind of upsets me to hear people give these quick answers just to make someone happy for the short term. i like discussions because i can plead my case and they can plead theirs and we both go away smarter. however, other people don't like this because it causes them to think and sometimes it can seem like i am trying to prove them wrong. i can't tell you how many times i have completely changed my opinion on something by having one of these discussions. it just seems these days most people aren't trying to dive into the deeper meanings of life. kind of upsetting, what a waste.

Heat, Heat, Go Away

today i didn't get near as much done as i wanted (do i ever). i shot my bow then i did get the badly needed hair cut, then got a minor adjustment made to my bow. then i had to go to work on my day off (only for about 2 hours), then i had to go shopping for things for the new clinic. then i came home and shot my bow a little more. when i had waited as long as i could for it to cool off i went for a run. it was another hot and humid run. however, i did beat my personal best by 1 second. so i had my second run of 3 miles in less than 27 minutes, but it took everything i had today. at one point, just over 1.5 miles, i was running close to the shoulder of the road to stay away from the cars and stepped 1/2 way on/off the road. somehow i didn't fall and didn't even hurt my ankle. i think jason from friday the 13th is following me around, i keep getting these stabbing pains, today it was up under my ribs. it has been a long time since i have felt that, and it usually comes when i am trying to run too fast.

i shot my bow a total of 28 times at 60 yards, 20 times at 50 yards and 30 times at 30 yards. pretty good day as far as that goes.

J told me he ran a little today. i think it was a bad to start, with the heat and humidity, but if he could run today, he shouldn't have any problems getting back into it.

"There was no doubt, that if faith did not fail, God would not fail." this is a quote from Hudson Taylor (i really recommend reading his biography and any other book you can find about him). to me this quote is saying that if my faith does not fail i can accomplish the task because God will never fail. God has many constants in His character. one of those constants is NEVER failing. once again, i believe you do have to be doing God's will for this to be true. although, sometimes it has seemed i had so much faith in something that i "faithed" it to be true. but i do not think that was the case, even though it sure seemed like it. so, stay in God's will and never doubt your all powerful and all knowing and all loving God and see how many more things you can accomplish that once seemed impossible.

Short and Sweet (no, not me the blog)

ahhh, today was a much needed rest day. my legs felt good when i went to bed last night, but during the night they got so stiff and achy, it was a little hard to sleep. this morning was a little rough trying to get up and down the steps, but my knees warmed up after a little.

i did shoot my bow 22 times today at 30 yards. i am going to try and go to the range tomorrow and shoot longer distances for a good while. i need to get a haircut too. and tomorrow starts another week of running. i think tomorrow is 3 miles, i will have to check the schedule. i think i have gotten all the maps i need for montana (just ordered the last one). i have a few more things to buy before i go. it is getting close. i leave in about 5 weeks!

the thought for the day is this: it is never too late and you are never too "bad" to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior. i want everyone that reads this (and many many more) to be with me in Heaven. i am sure most of you reading this know that already, but just thought i would throw it out there.

More Personal Bests and Sharp Knives

ok, i know i let some of you down by not blogging at all yesterday. and i know some of you are thinking did he get his run in yesterday morning (i know no one is really thinking that, but thought it would be funny if you thought i thought that for a minute, too many thoughts, huh). well, the answer to your question is yes. i did get the 3 mile run in yesterday in 27:10. not my best, but pretty close. i did run the last mile in the fastest time i have ever ran that segment by 20 seconds. i also got my 8 mile run in this afternoon, and i can i say, it was not fun.

to start out i had a few things going against me. this was the furthest i had ever ran in my entire life, at one time. it was the hottest temp i have ran in all year, as well as being the most humid. i had to carry 2L of water on my back (for the first time) due to the length of the run so i didn't get dehydrated. and for the first time all year, i felt like the run was 90% uphill, the other 10% felt level, in other words, i didn't feel like i was running downhill at all. just after 1.5 miles my right shin got a knife stabbed in it, i couldn't find the knife but i know it had to be there. finally around 4 miles the pain went away, somehow. then, just before 6 miles, the knife fell out and i stepped on it and it drove up into my left plantar tendon. at 7 miles i could feel a blister starting on my right big toe. at 8 miles i have never felt so relieved to just be able to walk. i know i complain a lot. but that is one reason i run, to see how much pain i can overcome, to see how i can mentally overcome obstacles. when i get to montana and get back in the mountains by myself, it will be a big mental game. here are my times:
1m: 9:40
1.5m: 14:21 (4:41) (severe shin splint)
2m: 19:33 (5:11)
2.5m: 24:26 (4:53)
3m: 29:21 (4:54)
3.5m: 34.22 (5:00)
4m: 39:07 (4:45)
4.5m: 44:10 (5:02) (shin pain gone)
5m: 49:25 (5:15)
5.5m: 54:42 (5:16)
6m: 59:50 (5:07) (ipod dies)
6.5m: 1:05.18 (5:28) (severe foot pain)
7m: 1:10.22 (5:03) (big toe blister)
8m: 1:21.27 (11:05)

i deliberately started out at a slower pace than usual, didn't want to wear myself out, especially with the heat and humidity. i was trying to do the whole thing in 76 minutes, if i could, but decided i would be happy for a pace of 10min/mile or a total of 80 minutes. during the run i decided i would be happy just to finish. i never had the feeling that i would not finish, just some aches and pains here and there. so my pace was a little over 10min/mile. i think on a cooler, less humid day i could do it in 76 min. i did find that it was a good thing that i have not trimmed my mustache in a while, it caught 2 bugs that i normally would have had to swallow!

so now i am at home (almost 2 hours after the run) and i am getting a little stiff, but i feel great otherwise. i had 2 pieces of pizza after i finished the run, usually i would eat 4-5. my first thought was, there goes that 8 miler (but i ate them anyway because i was really hungry).

all during the run i had to keep focused on the saying that i have mentioned before "relentless forward progress." it really kept me moving no matter how bad my shin or foot hurt. crazy what a simple idea in your head can do.

i do want to say congrats to Todd who ran a 7k today despite hurting his ankle.

"Dread of death ends when you know heaven is your true home." this is another quote from Max Lucado's Come Thirsty. and i like this quote because i see so many Christians who either do not realize Heaven is their true home or they do not realize the fullness of heaven. there is a (pop) country song that says "Lord I want to go to heaven...but I don't want to go right now." whoever wrote that song fell under one of those 2 categories. i do not care how much fun or joy you have or are having, it can't compare to the joy of heaven in any aspect, no not one. so, live life to the fullest while you are here, enjoy every moment, serve God with every chance possible. stay here on earth as long as He allows you to be here serving Him. but, optimistically and joyfully await the minute that He takes you to your real home. every year i can't wait for the start of turkey and deer season, and once again this year, the first day i will get to elk hunt. if those things bring me such joy, knowing what Heaven is (as much as He has revealed to me anyway) how much more do i long to be there? I think if non-Christians could see this portrayed in Christian lives it might give them some desire to learn about our God and our true home. but why would they care if we are so caught up in other things. Salvador has a song called "How Far is Heaven." whenever i hear it i get a grin on my face and wonder when am i going home, it brightens my day and gives me hope.