Roots That Run Deep: The Surprising Power of Family History

I'm just coming out of Erik Erikson's seventh stage of life. He called it generativity. Generativity brings with it a renewed concern about the welfare of not only your current family but all the generations to come. For most of our adult lives, we men tend to devote a minimum amount of time to our family. We become more-or-less self-absorbed. The focus is on our creativity and productivity, on our own needs and satisfaction. Thus generativity does not come easily for many of us. It certainly won't come automatically. Your personal interests and goals still matter, but are now seen in the light of eternity. The word "family" takes on a whole new meaning.

I recently hired a professional genealogist to research my family tree back to John Miller of Sharpsburg and even further back to his ancestors who immigrated to the United States from the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. My own belief is that it's helpful to know where one comes from and what shaped one's forebears. I can't wait for the day when I can take my grandkids to see John Miller's 1840s farmhouse on the Antietam Creek.

From there we would visit his brother David's farm, in whose famous "Cornfield" the great Battle of Antietam began in September of 1862. 

All too often the elderly spend little time in reflection. We fail to meditate on the meaning of our experiences. Failing in that, we fail to see the people involved as well. I don't want to be guilty of that. People are more important than accomplishments. Relationships matter more than rituals. So much so that sometimes my eyes fill with tears. 

Age Is Just a Number (and So Is Your Finishing Time)

See this man?

He finished the Rome Marathon in 6:44. That's a 15:26 per mile pace. It took him 7 hours. Oh, did I mention he's 92 years old?

Remember that the next time your legs go heavy at mile 20 and you want to quit. 

The Blessing of Brokenness

In July of 2016, I flew to Switzerland to climb 4 peaks in the alps. I did this for two reasons. First, it was a way for me to regain my footing after Becky passed away 3 years earlier. I climbed with a Bible verse in my pack with the reminder that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. The healing process was underway. My second reason for climbing these peaks was to raise funds for UNC cancer hospital where for 4 years Becky had been treated for endometrial cancer. My goal was to try and raise $25,000 for cancer research there. Everywhere I went I took my banner with me. 

Here's the first mountain I wanted to summit. 

It's called the Breithorn. It was to be my first ever 4,000 meter peak. I don't know how many steps it took me, but I eventually made it to the top. There I started to cry, right in front of my mountain guide to whom I was roped. 

It was as though the full weight of God's declaration hit me when he said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you." In my mind, "sufficient" meant just barely enough. Is "sufficient" really sufficient? On the summit of the Breithorn, I realized that sufficient is indeed enough -- for God and for me. 

Upon my return to the states, we had a celebration at UNC, where on behalf of my family I was able to say thank you to Becky's doctor as well as the experts doing cancer research there. I am standing next to Becky's oncologist, Dr. Gehrig. She is simply the best. 

Owing to the kindness and generosity of those who contributed to the memorial fund, it was my great joy to present this check to the research team. 

Jesus was serious about caring for the sick and so should we. I don't know a single person who hasn't been affected by cancer. I would not want to wish it on my worst enemy. I still struggle with it today. If, my friend, you are struggling to make some sense out of the sudden, inevitable, and senseless loss you've experienced, I can assure you God is ready to help you make a new beginning in your own personal healing journey. When Becky died, I never felt more fragile or inadequate. But my brokenness drove me to look up, where I found a source of peace and hope I could not find in myself. I found it in a God who delights in caring for broken people like me -- and you. 

Keep moving forward, regardless. 

This Book We Call the Bible

I just gave four of my grandsons their first Bible. As a boy I got my first Bible when I was 8 -- a brand new convert to Christ. 

It was a KJV, of course. I'm sorry to say I read it much too infrequently. But gradually my love for the Scriptures increased until one day, at 16 years of age, it happened. I fell in love with God's word. I haven't been able to put it down since. 

The world tells us this book is outdated and full of mistakes. I have found it to be just the opposite. I am not the man I want to be. But I am a better man today than I was yesterday and much of this is due to the way God has spoken to me through his Book. I imagine your experience is not much different. 

What a priceless possession, this book we call the Bible. 

The Week in Review (Steps-Wise)

The big race is only 8 weeks from today! With so much riding on my race preparation, I approach the problem the way I do any big life decision. I exclude anything involving a high heart rate. That would make my cardiologist very unhappy with me. Next, eliminate anything dangerous, like running in extreme temperatures or on the roads. That leaves me with just the boring, day in and day out, well, STEPS. Here are my totals from the past 7 days (I always take Sundays off and, no, I am not a sabbatarian, so don't bother asking). 

Who knows but that this ultra might be my last one (they are soooo hard), so I want it to be iconic, like Albert Einstein's tongue-out birthday photo or Steve Jobs 2007 iPhone reveal panic.

 I know it will work because I promised myself Mexican food in Farmville ONLY if I finish the race. 

We Need More "Doubting" Thomases

Poor old Thomas. He gets a bum rap. He has been broad-brushed as your chronic skeptic, eternal pessimist, and habitual doubter. I'm not so sure. I think he was just his own man. He's the kind of man who refuses to be influenced by those around him. He's an independent thinker. I admire Thomas for that.

I've been blessed to have had several Thomases in my classes over the years. They're not unduly influenced by what others say or believe. They think for themselves. They speak for themselves. That's a good way to be. That's an admirable trait. Thomas said, in effect, "I refuse to act like I understand when I don't." The Thomases in my classes always seem to be asking questions. Good questions. I love that about them. You've got a question? Ask it. You've got a reservation about something I said? Say so. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that and everything right with that. What's wrong is going along to get along. 

When I was a student, I wasn't always as quick as I should have been to question the status quo or the scholarly "consensus." Then I met men like William Leonard and William Farmer and Bernard Orchard and Harry Sturz. They didn't buy into the consensus just because their New Testament buddies were saying it. William Leonard was one of the first modern scholars to challenge in writing the almost universal rejection of the Pauline authorship of Hebrews. William Farmer and Bernard Orchard mounted a formidable challenge to Markan Priority. Harry Sturz put forth convincing reasons to reject both Alexandrian Priority and Byzantine Exclusivism.  I loved them for that. 

I'm never going to tell my students to believe something just because I believe it. On the contrary. You've got to be sure in your own mind that it is so. As a matter of fact, if there was ever a moment for Thomases, it's today. Students who are not overly influenced by the majority of scholars are always welcome in my classes. I want you to stay at it. Be your own person. Continue to think independently. Never be ashamed of how you process information. Don't accept something and believe it just because everyone around you does.

Today we need more "Doubting" Thomases, not fewer.

Arm Day

I am 6 feet 4 inches tall and I weigh 185 pounds. I have been weight training for several years. I almost always work my arms along with all of my other muscle groups. Today, however, I decided to have a dedicated arm day. An isolated arm day allows you to train your biceps when they are completely fresh. This allows for maximum intensity and deep muscle fiber recruitment. That said, you have to be careful. There are pros and cons to having a dedicated arm day. The main pro is that you prevent undertraining your arms. The main con is that you risk overtraining your arms. Your arms already get plenty of work from bench presses, so please don't feel like you have to get in an "arm day" very often. 

For those who don't have anything better to do, here are some vids from today's workout. Thanks for visiting! 

Today's Steps

Training for an ultra is only as complicated as you make it. Choose a daily step count that suits your needs. 

The right intensity will yield the right results. Don't choose a program that is beyond you. 

The Summer the Rains Stopped (But the Blessings Didn't)

The yellow fields were parched and dry,

The cracked and dusty earth cried out;

Three generations wondered why

The summer brought a cruel drought.

But grandfather took up the key,

And father hooked the baler tight,

While grandson stacked the wagon free,

To haul the golden crop by night.

Though weather dry had tried the land,

The heavy bales now fill the floor,

Preserved by God's sustaining hand,

We praise him for his endless store. 

Chicago Marathon Weekend Is Here!

The Chicago Marathon is this weekend. Seems like only yesterday that I was standing at the starting line. 

Runners love this marathon. The course is famously flat. The race starts and finishes in Grant Park, relieving runners of bus rides to the start. 

Almost 2 million spectators line the streets. You never feel alone. It's one of the elite Abbott World Marathon Majors. But for me the best part about the course is that you get to run through 29 of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods, giving you a spectacular cross-section of the city. 

These include the East Side, the North Side, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View East, Old Town Triangle, Greektown, Chinatown, Bridgeport, Motor Town, and South Loop. You don't merely pass through different streets. You pass through entirely different worlds, languages, and histories. At mile 21.5 you are greeted by colorful lion dancers performing at the iconic Chinatown Gate. Heading into Bronzeville, gospel choirs line the steps of historic churches. The race reflects the beautiful tapestry of an American city. As someone with German roots on my father's side and Romanian roots on my mother's, I love how our nation is built on the foundation of "E pluribus, unum" -- "Out of many, one." We demonstrate to the world that a nation does not have to be homogeneous to be strong, united, or patriotic. The Chicago Marathon wonderfully illustrates that. 

Run this race if you can! 

The Temple and the Track: Paul's Theology of Physical Exercise

Have you ever wondered why the apostle Paul is the only New Testament author to use sports analogies in his writings to illustrate the discipline and perseverance required in the Christian life? The classic example, of course, is Heb. 12:1-2, which is closely followed by Phil. 3:13-14, 1 Cor. 9:24-26, and 2 Tim. 4:17. 

This athletic imagery may well reflect the influence of the Greek games in Paul's life. Paul's cultural world was vastly different from that of Peter, James, and John. He was, after all, Paul of Tarsus. He understood Hellenistic culture perfectly. He was familiar with the Greek games. Paul's sports analogies demonstrated his ability to connect biblical truth to human experience. Of course, for the Christian, bodily training has limited value. Paul himself taught as much (1 Tim. 4:8). Training can't forgive sins or produce godliness or secure eternal life. Still, Paul never despised disciplined living. 

In Paul's world of Hellenism, athletic experience consisted of three parts:

1. The training.

2. The race.

3. The virtue resulting from the training and the race.

The Greeks called the training askesis. They called the race the agon. And they called the ensuing virtue arete. This education, according to Plato, was what developed virtue from childhood. The goal was to create the ideal citizen-soldier who was able to rule the state or defend it. The ultimate aim of all this was very simple: self-mastery. (Paul calls this "self-control" in Gal. 5:23). No one can dominate events who hasn't already dominated himself. Self-mastery comes naturally to the athlete.

It is in the agon where the self is developed. For the Greeks, there is a race to be won, a defeat to be risked. Your main opponent is you -- the true self who is willing to compete. Above all, the agon is freely accepted. It is never forced on anyone. But nothing teaches virtue quite like it, including virtues like dedication, courage, sacrifice, self-mastery, loyalty, cooperation, leadership, and respect for authority. For the Greeks, as for Paul, the agon is a daily experience. The game cannot be deferred.

All of this is intriguing, isn't it? Today, exercise is greatly admired but very rarely experienced. All of us would consider it important. We watch it on TV but don't go there ourselves. We love the benefits of it, but we can't quite get our arms around it. Strangely, unless we are forced by the Lord himself -- often through an illness or a cardiologist's warning -- we neglect the place of exercise in our lives. How well we Baptists know this. Baptists are the most likely religious group in the United States to be obese. Studies show that our lifestyle and cultural practices -- including our social gatherings centered around food -- contribute to higher obesity rates. How odd, considering how we generally eschew other vices like alcohol and tobacco. Some argue that this focus inadvertently encourages overeating as a substitute for these avoided behaviors. I need not point out that obesity is linked to serious health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and sleep apnea. Yet as a lifetime Baptist I have never once heard a single sermon promoting physical activity that can help mitigate the obesity epidemic among us. Sadly, we seem to take better care of our cars than we do our bodies. It is up to us to avoid unnecessary illness and premature death, to be active instead of sedentary, to age fast or age slowly. Instead, we are dying from affluence and sedentary lifestyles.

Now, I'm not talking about everyone running a marathon -- what Roger Bannister called "the acme of athletic heroism." I know (and I suspect you do, too) that the solution is a far simpler one: to get the great mass of immobile Americans moving again. For a fitness program to succeed, you have to enjoy it. To select the right activity for you, simply follow the Delphic advice, "Know yourself." If you can do this, I guarantee that exercise will become a self-repeating compulsion. And you won't believe the effect exercise will have on your mental health. If it fulfills your needs, you'll end up loving it for the rest of your life. Athletes need no prodding or planning. They do what they love. Before you know it, exercise will become an accepted method of taking charge of your life and becoming the person God meant for you to be. 

I recognize that nothing I've said is probably new to you. But Christians must act on what they know. Knowledge alone is not sufficient. It should lead to actions that reflect our beliefs. When we know the right thing to do, let's stop putting it off. Remember: the more you know, the more is expected of you. Chances are you've gotten a little soft in the past few years with this matter of exercise. I can't say with dogmatism because I don't know you, but I do know human nature. So let me close with two brief words of exhortation. First, your time in the word of God is the most important part of your day. Don't omit it. I don't care if you work 12 hours a day. You can still find a few free moments before your work starts, even if it's for only 10 or 15 minutes. Every child of God must be reading the Scriptures daily. Secondly, become more physically active than you are today. Some of you are thinking, "Man, I don't have time for exercise." Of course you don't. So you have to make the time. You already have everything you need to become an athlete. It's the mindset -- not the miles -- that separates those who do from those who dream.

Have a wonderful day!  

Today's Steps

Grateful.

Getting up bales tomorrow, Lord willing. 👌

The Crawdad Chronicles

The boys trapped this guy today at the pond. 

Wonderful to spend time with them -- and the crawdad. 

The Accidental Running Back

Ya gotta love this! 

Brandon, you're not alone, brother. If ever there was an accidental athlete, it's yours truly. Being an athlete doesn't necessarily mean you're athletic. Or even that you're good at what you do. That I became an athlete has got to be a joke. And not just any athlete but a runner (from 5Ks to 50Ks). Fact is, what makes you an athlete isn't how fast you go or how far you go. It's knowing that you will take on whatever the world throws at you (including a football) that day. 

Bravo, big fella, bravo! 

Finishing His Race

Very saddened to read that an apparently healthy 24-year old youth pastor died after collapsing at mile 20 of a marathon on Sunday. Everyone knows that mile 20 is the hardest one on the course. Even well-trained athletes struggle with it. My deepest sympathies to his loved ones. What should have been a great achievement for him turned into a great tragedy. You were almost there, man. Praying for your family. 

Banding Together against Gravity

Can't do a bodyweight pullup yet? Start with support that actually helps. Using a pullup band makes every rep feel more controlled, so you can train with confidence and see real progress. Here's an example from today's workout. 

Pullup bands are basically training wheels until you can work your way up to bodyweight pullups. The pullup band is not a gimmick. It's a fantastic piece of equipment. As in all resistance training, it's about posture, form, and technique, not how many reps you can do. 

P.S. Carrying excess body fat will make the pullup incredibly more difficult as you are pulling more weight. At 185 pounds I've found a pullup much easier to perform than when I was 240. 

Yes!!

 

Today's Run on the Danville Riverwalk Trail

Care to join me? 

Move over Earl Scrubbs

There's a new picker in the family. He built the banjo from scratch. 

It's been great to bond with our grandkids through our mutual love for music.

Great job, Nolan! 

Enjoying the Fall Season of Life

I'm happy. 

Had another good run today on a gorgeous day. 

Running is a sport for every season. For now, it's the fall season. Think of it. Crisp, invigorating air. Cool evenings. Amazing colors. Leaves crunching underfoot. Nature is dying while you are feeling reborn.

Growing up in Hawaii, we knew nothing of the seasons. We would joke, "Hawaii has four seasons: summer, summer, summer, and summer." Today, life on the mainland is unpredictable. You may even experience snowstorms and freezing temperatures. I once ran a marathon in Allen, Texas, on New Year's Day. It was one degree Fahrenheit that day. Out of 750 registered runners, only 45 finished. I was number 44. I refused to accept a DNF. I mean, how often do you get to race in those challenging conditions? And having made the decision, I focused my attention on finishing. It took me hours to stop shivering after the race. It's human nature to be averse to suffering. We all have the tendency to give up. Even Jesus asked that the cup might pass. A marathon is hard enough without having to battle the elements. Life is so much like that. But cruel or not, you must choose to keep going.

I am now 74 years old. People in their 70s are called septuagenarians, a term derived from the Latin word for "seventy." This is an awkward stage of life to define. You're certainly not "middle-aged" anymore (I've never met a 148-year old). Other terms for this age group include "middle-old," "senior," or even "Boomer." Interestingly, most people in America are considered "old" at 65, an age that aligns with Medicare eligibility and access to other federal benefits. 

Research tells us that the average American lives between 70 and 80 years: 73.5 for men, and 79.3 for women. If you're an American male still alive at 70, your average life expectancy increases to 85. Statistically, that leaves me with 11 years, years that could be as exciting as any that have gone before. That's 11 years of running. That's 11 years to enjoy the "fall" season of life. Fall symbolizes change and transition, much like the aging process. This season can be both beautiful and filled with potential. The leaves of your life change from vibrant green to warm hues of orange, red, and yellow. 

This season is a time for harvest and gathering, for celebrating relationships, and for creating new memories. Fall reminds me that change is not only inevitable but also beautiful. Just as fall brings perfect running weather, it's a time to savor the experiences and wisdom gained over the years.

From where I sit, the 70s look pretty good, and I suspect -- should the Lord tarry or prolong my years -- the 80s will be just as good. The day will come when a DNF will be welcome, and you can ride the sweeper bus back to the finish line. In the meantime, we pursue God's will, and do it with all our might. 

Which Type of Greek Student Are You?

There are two basic approaches to Greek studies. One is practical, the other mystical. One is obligatory, the other voluntary. One is utilitarian, the other creative. One is work, the other play.

Interestingly, either approach can succeed. The first is successful because it is concerned with the outcome. The other is successful because it is concerned with the process. In the first, the goal is a grade. In the second, there is no purpose behind the language beyond the language itself. The first pursues an education. The second pursues a dream and sees the degree as a mere by-product.

This explains why Greek classes have two basic types of students. Some have to study Greek. Others love to study Greek. For some, Greek is an inconvenient and boring use of their time. For others, Greek is something that is creative and playful. Like Paul on the road to Damascus, the latter have been converted to a completely different way of life. We see this even in those who teach us. Some Greek profs teach Greek because they must. For others, Greek is the reason they were born, and joy cannot be attained without it. Students know the difference.

Apparently I was born with a built-in love of Greek. I cannot explain that. It's a pure absurdity. Yet no one can persuade me that it isn't true. "Retirement" can retard the gift but not eradicate it. 

Whether your reason for taking Greek is practical and just a matter of "gettin' 'er done," or the focal center of your Christian walk, I wish you success. Remember: in life it's not how long you lived that matters, but the way you played the game. Each of us must answer this question for ourselves. I teach Greek because it's the right and true thing to do. My task is to be as faithful to that calling as long as I have breath.

Hill Work

Yesterday, other than walking in and out of church, I gave my drumsticks the day off. But today -- well, today is MONDAY! Time to ruuuummmmbbbllleeeee. 

Since I'm praying about doing the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincy again next May, I thought I'd grab some hill work today. The Pig is generally a pretty flat course, except for the dreaded Mount Adams, which requires you to be on oxygen and accompanied by a Sherpa. 

This is where I usually "lose" a top three spot in my age group. Studies have shown that the country with the slowest average marathon time is Malaysia. Reading this study I discovered that I was from Malaysia contrary to what my parents, doctors, and passports had been telling me. Spain, on the other hand, leads the world with an overall average marathon time of 3 hours and 49 minutes. Since I speak 2nd grade Spanish, I'm hoping I can change nationalities for this race. 

I know I'm bad at sports, but I still love them. This includes the marathon distance. Marathoners never forget that the man who ran the first marathon died. That said, there are 1,000 different marathons in the U.S. alone, with many more around the world. The vast majority of marathoners are, like me, amateur runners. Running is our hobby, not our life. But we're no less dedicated to the sport. Elite runners do their thing, and we do ours, just at a much slower pace. 

Anyway, I know there's no way I'm going to get up Mount Everest Adams without hill work. 

From today's run. 

How Are Your Eyes?

When drawing a face, the eyes are probably the most important thing to get right. I suppose it's because the eyes are the first things we see when we look at a person or even ourselves in the mirror. Nothing ruins a drawing as much as poorly drawn eyes. I've never met an artist who hasn't had the experience of completing a drawing and thinking, "Man, those eyes spoil everything."

How an eye is drawn is perhaps 60% of the drawing. Eyes are expressive, have plenty of detail, and can be made to look beautiful, confused, upset, etc. 

The nose just can't do that. When we look at a person in the eyes, we can tell what they're doing, how they're feeling, and what they're focusing on. 

Honestly, I can't draw eyes very well, but on those rare occasions when I feel like I nailed them, I am ecstatic. 

When babies are able to focus, the first thing they look at are the eyes. It's just an instinctive thing to focus on. Even with dogs, the eyes and eyebrows are the most important facial features to determine emotion and temperament. 

As a runner, I love Heb. 12:1-2, where we are told to "fix our eyes on Jesus." Just like runners in a race are to avoid focusing their attention on the crowds or the obstacles, so believers are to focus their attention on Jesus as the ultimate example of "running life's race." He serves as our ultimate spiritual focal point. This passage reminds us that our spiritual gaze is a matter of life and death when it comes to our perseverance. Similarly, in Matt. 6:22-23 Jesus reminds us that a healthy eye represents a heart focused on God rather than on things. When I ponder such verses as these, I can't help but wonder: Am I single-mindedly pursuing the values of the kingdom of heaven? Am I pedestalizing people I admire and respect over Christ? Does my faith rest on a flawed human messenger rather than on Jesus? Do I look to my peers rather than my God for validation? 

Pastors and teachers are guides, not God. We must avoid idolizing them. It's not good for them, and it's not good for the kingdom. God is looking for humble men and women who will serve him faithfully. Part of that service is pointing others to Christ and away from ourselves. 

How are your eyes? How are mine? 

Is "Retirement" Biblical?

As an adult-onset athlete, I've come to love sports. I can't wait to watch the weekend NFL games. But I also see a danger in ESPN-ing one's way through life. That danger is the pervasiveness of spectating in American culture. Too few translate what they admire on TV into their own lives.

I was once like that. Today, however, I realize I was made by my Creator to move. I can no longer be a bystander. Fitness is a big part of my life. Just as God created me to achieve educational and publishing goals, I must now achieve the athletic goals he has designed for me. 

All this, of course, defies logic. My culture tells me that retirement is meant for comfort and ease. You win, the experts agree, if the game of aging is played by watching The Late Show and then going to bed. The athlete knows this to be wrong. The unbiblical concept of "retirement" has made us prisoners of an artificial construct. You will look in vain for the idea of retirement in the Scriptures. "Retire, and we will give you a gold watch," says the world. But the Bible states that the elderly "still bear fruit in old age. They are full of sap and green" (Psalm 92:14). We are to age with purpose. We are to remain active in serving God, mentoring the youth, and guiding others in the faith. As the life of Moses illustrates, God can call individuals to significant tasks regardless of their age.

The aging saint, for all his talk of heaven and the afterlife, knows that all of time is right now, and he must choose and continue to choose to reject the temptation to "retire." No saint, Old Testament or New, was content with what he accomplished yesterday. Can day-to-day living provide that? Can mundane life become a Super Bowl? It can if you realize that everything you do is of consequence.

I know that eventually the baton will leave my hands permanently. But until then, I have a weight to lift, a mountain to climb, a race to run. 

This Week's Steps

An ultra is full of unforgettable moments. But the finish is only a tiny part of the story. 

Remember: it's your training that gets you to the finish line. 

The Exceedingly Great Value of Low-Effort Distance Training

Ultramarathon training is basically learning that your body can do way more than your brain initially agreed to. Well, today my goal was to do a 13.1 mile training run at the High Bridge Trail. 

That's the equivalent of a half marathon. But the day was so perfect for running that I changed it to 16.2 miles -- exactly half the distance of December's 32-mile ultramarathon in Farmville. 

Becky and I built our house 26 years ago. I've noticed that a person's training program, much like the house they built, will ultimately be a reflection of them. There will always be aspects of training that must be present, but you get to decorate the rooms. How long it takes someone else to train doesn't mean anything to you. You must choose a training program that suits your taste. 

Since endurance is at the heart of any successful long-distance training program, your workout will have to be both low-intensity and high-duration. Here's another way to put it. You are training your legs. All you want to do is repeat the muscle action a few hundred times per mile. You're not interested in putting strain on your heart or lungs. Remember: these are low-intensity, low-effort workouts. The longer the miles, the less pressure you want to put on the rest of your body. You can't -- no one can -- maintain a high a level of effort on a regular basis. Your heart is as unique to you as your fingerprints. You cannot exceed your maximum heart rate. In many cases, less is more and more is less. 

Low-effort distance training goes a long way. The wrong program is worse than no program. When in doubt, be conservative.

Today's run on a picture perfect day in Southside. 

Up Close and Personal

In the foreground is the Waikiki Wall. See that hut at the end of the pier? 

I was there a month and a half ago. When I see a picture like this, I see it from a different perspective. Here's one of the videos I took from the wall. 

Likewise, when we come to the Scriptures, we need to go from the bird's eye view to an "I was there" perspective. 

If people read the Bible with the same level of attention to detail, we'd be a race of spiritual giants. 

Heat Wave in the Alps

The Matterhorn today. 

No ice. No snow. Looks like a desert. It's incredibly rare for the Matterhorn to be completely dry in October. This was my view when I climbed it in July of 2016. 

Heat wave in the alps! 

Yearly Miles

Out of curiosity I thought I'd check my total miles for the past 12 months. 

2,873 miles is the distance from Los Angeles to Toms River, New Jersey. Running is just as much mental as it is physical. Grateful to feel my body handling the beefiest training I've done in a long time.

Some of My Favorite Exercises

At 74, here are some of my favorite exercises at the gym.

Cross body hammer curls.

Machine assisted pullups.

Dead man hangs (for at least 2 minutes).

Australian pullups. 

Be grateful for what your body can do for you.