Back on Dry Ground

So I was in Cedar Rapids Iowa last weekend and it was an eye-opening experience. I had a pretty decent idea of what kind of work we would be doing on the houses we worked on (they were damaged by floods in June). I had done cleanup after a hurricane in Tarborro, NC a few years back and had seen what the houses looked like before rebuilding so I assumed we would be doing the demolition end of things on this trip.

I was correct. The houses were empty because all of the belongings had to be discarded due to water damage. I was right in that we would be tearing out the drywall and ceilings and walking on plywood floors because carpet, wood or lenolium would have been torn out already. I figured we might still be hauling out damaged belongings. All of these were correct. What I didn't expect was that there would still be between 3 and8 inches of mud, dried sewage, riverlife, and sludge in the basements that would need to be shoveled into five-gallon buckets and hauled upstairs and out side to the curb. Imagine having to put boots on to go into your basement and walking on a floor that you wouldn't recognize as even having concrete beneath. I honestly thought there was no concrete in the basement because it was so deep.

We did much work and heard the stories. I never thought about the fact that people are paying mortgages on houses that they cannot live in, that are not worth anything near what they are paying off in loans. I did not think about the fact that people would be camping in their front yards because they did not have people to stay with. I didn't think about the fact that evacuating from your house means having a short time to pick what belongings you want to take with you and not necessarily knowing that anything that did not come with you would be a total loss.

Eye-opening is the best way to describe the weekend. It was hard work and work that needed to be done. I feel blessed to have been able to help. It is a reminder that I truly am
living the dream!

One for the Road

Tomorrow I leave for Iowa with a group of students and faculty to help with flood relief in Cedar Rapids. What fun it will be. I think I am all packed up and ready to go, for the most part.

So tonight we had the second of our birthing classes. It has been helpful. We have learned some pain management techniques. This will surely come in handy for me when I get out of line and receive a swift kick in the pants. Many breathing techniques may come in handy.

It is great to learn how to recognize when it is actually time to go to the hospital, how labor progresses and how to work through the process.

I don't know if I am just too immature or what! I am behaving in class but I keep thinking random things that our instructor says are funny. There is no way for me to relay the comments over a blog so as to convey the humor that I am finding in them. Sometimes I am just thinking of a sarcastic response, or a hilarious joke that has been set up for a punchline that I am absolutely ready to deliver... I hold them to myself. We talked about the need for a focal point and honestly, I have put my focal point to good use when trying to keep my smiles and chuckles to keep from bubbling over into laughter.

I kept thinking that it was just me but I have been watching some classmates and have been noticing that they too are giving looks to each other and even hiding their faces at times. We have two classes left and I keep wondering to myself if we, as a class, will ever share the great humor that we are all apparently finding in pieces of the class.

Well, one thing is for sure... I am overjoyed at the thought that in, what will likely feel like a quick few weeks, I will be a daddy. How could anything else better epitomize
living the dream!

I finished!

Yup! I finished! How exciting! So the morning started off bright and early. We left the house at about 6:15. As we were driving up to Grafton I found myself thinking, if it takes this long to drive up to Grafton, how long is it going to take to run back?!?! What have I gotten myself into?!?!?! but then we got to the school and I settled down. Elizabeth helped me get last things ready, number on, figuring out what clothes i would actually wear (since it was not raining as I had anticipated). I went to the POJ (that would be port o John). Little did I know that the line was, what seemed to be, half an hour long! I got back just in time to rescue Elizabeth from her worry as the entire area where people were readying to run had cleared out while I was gone! Everyone except those of us in line for the POJ was lined up ready to start.

So we went our ways and I got smoooshed in the middle of the pack of people waiting to start. Eventually the person said over the PA, ready, get set, and I think there was a gunshot. Anyway, we all cheered and continued to stand right where we were since we knew it would take the people in front of us at least 30 seconds to begin moving. Jokingly, the person next to me yelled "here we go" and began running in place.

So off we went.

The first few miles went by pretty quickly, before we made it to mile one I ran into Sam, a young woman who goes to Cardinal Stritch and has done Reach Out Reach In. She was running with her dad and so we chatted for a little while. By the time we got to mile one, my shins were hurting (and they had been all week). I was worried. But before long that was gone. I'll get the pain stuff out of the way first: Honestly, my knees were what I was most worried about. They have always bothered me but there were only two, one-second-long shocks of pain during the entire run. Heaven! My legs began to cramp up around mile 20. Ok, no more pain stuff... it's depressing!

So then somewhere around mile 4 or so, we are running through the farmland
on this brisk morning and from a distance I could hear some music. Not just any music, but the best kind of music for running to--polka! I came closer and closer until coming to the yard from which this lovely music rang out. Sure enough, here is a wonderful old man standing in his front yard with a couple amps hooked up to his accordion, squeezing out lovely polka melodies!

Most of the run was downhill... very nice! It felt like I just needed to keep picking up my legs and I would keep going forward. So I get to Concordia University in what felt like 20 minutes. I am feeling good, and there I find some friendly faces. I ran with my water bottle and Elizabeth had a gatorade for me. I didn't want to carry the gatorade bottle, so I dumped it in the waterbottle, all of it except for the half which I dumped on myself, her, and her belongings! Way to go me. I was in a rush to keep going because I was feeling good and had someone to follow who seemed to have a good pace.

Now, in all honesty, most of the rest is a blur. I am really trying to remember but all I remember was that I kept running! It went really fast until mile 20 or so. I turn a corner and there was the most wonderful group of smiling faces and loud voices. It was just what I needed. That pushed me on for another half mile despite the happy tears that it brought to my face.

After the race, Elizabeth said that many people claim that a marathon is not half over until you reach mile 20. Well, I was done at 21. I was done. But I kept thinking of people that had sponsored me, repeating their names with every step. I kept looking at the people around me who wouldn't quit running... those jerks! And so I kept going.

Honestly, I would like to downplay the difficulty but each of the last 6 miles felt like it was 2-3 times longer than each of the first 20.

The last .2 the highlights are as follows:
5. For the first time, paying attention to random
people calling out my name and cheering.
4. Seeing the faces of people who came to cheer me
on (my jockstraps--get it, they are athletic supporters!)
3. Hearing Ben yelling out cheers as I could hear him
running along my right side behind all the spectators!
2. Seeing the finish line and hearing someone yell-"
"Jon--see the finish line?"
1. Crossing it and stumbling toward the energy drink station!

Of course, the best part of the entire thing was the people who were a part of the run, both from near and far. I really can't adequately thank anyone who supported me with funds, with running supplies, by being at the race, by putting up with the stink that emanates from me after each training run, in prayers, in thoughts, or in any other way. Thank you.

Anyone up for the Green Bay Marathon in May? The finish line is in Lambeau Field!
Crossing the finish line = living the dream.

Less than 24 hours!

So I picked up my race packet today. I am number 364! Yahoo for 364! It looks like it will be pretty chilly tomorrow and it will likely rain. That works for me. I would rather be cool and wet than hot and dying from humidity.

I told Elizabeth I would go and pick up my packet this morning. She said I should come home and lay on the couch for the rest of the day. So here I am, watching college football, waiting for the Brewer game with two rented movies and a big bottle of gatorade. That is what I call
Living the dream!

3+ Days to go!

And excited as ever. Today was the CMH Walkathon and I ran it with a group of about ten other faculty/staff. It was a good paced three mile run. It worried me about both my knee and shins. My right knee has always plagued me and it actually began getting sore just as we were finishing. Running 23 miles with a bad knee would not be fun! I am worried that I have shin splints but I am tapering so I am hoping that they begin to heal before Sunday. They are not a big deal, but it would be nice if they were pain free.

So I am trying to get plenty of sleep this week. I am eating like a vulture. I can't wait and what's more, I am excited to keep running afterwards.

You may recall that I am running this marathon to raise money for my former place of employment, TYME OUT. I am still looking for a good number of sponsors. If you would like to sponsor a mile please let me know so that I can keep you in thoughts and prayers that mile!

Til Sunday I will continue eating a ton, sleeping plenty, and
Living the dream!