Saturday, January 3, 2009

Meet at the Dog Park on the north side of White Rock Lake.
South side of Mockingbird between West Lawther and East Lawther.

7:00 a.m. Departure
Conversational pace from 0 - 9.1 miles -- see map on right

Saturday 3/15

The spring running season is nigh upon us. Let's greet it at 7 am Saturday at the Dog Park parking lot. Some of us are going long but we'll figure out a way to stay with you short timers, too. Confirmations requested.

I thought I'd throw out a quick update on the upcoming races. This Saturday is the Dash Down Greenville St. Paddy's Day 5K. It's been a fun race in the past. If you decide to give it try just save a little for the third mile. The hills on Southwestern will eat your lunch. The crowds keep this one from being a PR race but also make it a fun race to do with friends. Not what I'd call a family race though - especially if you stay for the parade.

At the moment, we've got at least three commitments for the Oklahoma City Marathon at the end of April. James, Joel and I are signed up and committed. This will be Joel's first full marathon. Bruce is also considering throwing his hat in the ring for the full - I think he's almost convinced. In any case, it will be a good showing for Team Journey. If anyone is interested in making the trip, let me know and we can help you get set up.

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18.

Update for 3/8

Its come to my attention that there is a 18 mile relay at the lake tomorrow so we're going to move our run north to the Chisholm Trail. Einstein Bros. at 7 AM - South side of 15th St. just west of Central - weather permitting and the good Lord willing.

Let me know by email if you will join us.

Friends of Team Journey,

Lets meet again Saturday at 7 AM at the Dog Park lot south of Mockingbird near West Lawther. Depending on the distances everyone wants to run, we'll either run a lake loop or we can run an out-and-back on the White Rock trail for variety. We'll decide then and make sure everyone has someone to run with. We hope you can join us.

I do hope that everyone gets a chance to come out now that the weather is getting better. Also, don't forget that we spring forward on Sunday so we'll back to running to the sunrise at 7 soon.

For those of you that haven't run with us yet, I thought I'd try to give you a little taste of the seasoning we try to add to our conversations on the trail. Last week I thought we had a really good discussion about how Team Journey dovetails so well with the Wheel Illustration.

For those that aren't hip to the Wheel, its a simple picture tool that the Navigators use in their equipping ministry. (I'd attach a picture but I can't figure out how to do it - so I'll just have to describe it.) At the center of the wheel is CHRIST. There are 4 spokes each at 90 degrees. The two vertical spokes are PRAYER and THE WORD. The two horizontal spokes are WITNESSING and FELLOWSHIP. Around the rim of the wheel are the words "THE OBEDIENT CHRISTIAN IN ACTION." In Navigator terms, "The key to living a victorious, Spirit-filled Christian life is Jesus Christ as the Center and Lord of all we do. With Christ in control, life is balanced and effective. The Wheel illustrates this Christ-centered life."

The team aspects of Team Journey move us forward in witnessing and fellowship. And, if we incorporate prayer and scripture into our time running together, I feel like we can truly move the power of Christ into our lives.

And you thought you were just burnin' calories . . .

For more on the Wheel Illustration or other cool Navigator stuff, check out www.discipleshiplibrary.com.

Bob

Saturday 3/1

We are going to run at the lake this week. We'll meet at the dog park lot on Mockingbird. We're going to start a 5 mile out-and-back at 7AM and then some of us will do an additional 9 mile loop for 14 miles total. If you want to just do the 9 mile run with us, let us know and we'll meet you at 8 AM when we get back to the dog park.

Pick a distance and come run with us and we'll all run with Him together.

For in him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28

Saturday 2/23

I am out of town again this weekend but James will be ready to run the Chisholm Trail Saturday morning at 7 am. If you can make it, let him know and meet him at Einstein Bros Bagels parking lot on the south side of 15th Street just west of Central Exwy in Plano. You can confirm with him at jamesjodi@gmail.com. The trail sets up very well for various distances so go out and join him. I'll be back to run with you next week.

Bruce, Joel and I had a great time running the AT&T half last Saturday in Austin. The weather was perfect and it was a very well organized race. The course was extremely difficult (hills throughout) and a serious lesson in perseverance. Joel and I hammered on 1 Corinthians 10:13 throughout the race and he had it down pretty well by the end. Bruce, in the meantime, blew by us and clocked an impressive 2:18. We had one direct inquiry about the Team Journey jerseys along the way and many others surely saw them as well.

Assurance of Victory

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Cor 10:13

This weekend Bruce, Joel and I will be flying the Team Journey colors at the AT&T Austin Marathon. We'll be running the half. **correction** Heath Johnson will be here for those of you that would like to run Saturday morning. He will be at the dog park on Mockingbird at 7 AM to run around the lake.

James is running from 2-4 p.m. at a location tbd. The determination will occur if someone once to join him for all or part of his 14 mile journey. Please let James know if you are planning to join him at jamesjodi@gmail.com.

We've had a number of women ask if this is a men's only group. Definitely not. So far, the women that have indicated an interest haven't shown up but its just a matter of time. In my running club experience, there has always been a greater number of women running than men.

We've also had people ask about pace and distance. As we've said before, don't let those concerns keep you at home on the couch. Get up and run, you'll be glad you did.

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Phillipians 4:13.

Hello everyone,

This week there is a half marathon and a 5K at the lake so I think we should avoid the crowd and meet at the church at 7 am and run the trail.

As always, let me know if you can make it. My cell for last minute contacts is 214-202-3366.

Going forward, I am trying to be very short and sweet with the emails since keeping up with email seems to be more and more overwhelming. I'll stick to the critical details for the weekly run and we'll use the blog to fill in the color commentary.

This Saturday 2/9 I am planning to run about 6 miles so it will probably be the loop to Moss Park. Those that want to run longer can go further out or add the north loop when we get back to the church. I think the north loop adds about 2 miles to Spring Valley and back.

I was at Summit this morning and Todd talked about the "dash" - the line that separates the year of your birth from the year of your death. What really matters, he said, is what happens in the dash. There is no doubt that life is short and we need to be very intentional about how we spend our time. And, most of you know that its easy to spend a large amount of time training for races. Therein lies the beauty of Team Journey - it allows us to put the time spent running to use for His glory.

Join us and make your running an act of worship.

Saturday 2/2 Post Run

Although we had a small turnout this morning, (James, Bruce and I) the run was great. Kudos to Joel for pointing us to the Chisholm Trail. The trail is really beautiful and has a lot of advantages that make it a good selection to add to our regular rotation. It runs along both sides of a creek (White Rock?), has water fountains fairly evenly spaced and has numerous bridges that will allow loops of different distance. Starting and ending at the Einsteins was great for ease of parking and a post run coffee as well. The trail was well populated with runners, not too many bikers, and seemed to be safe.

I hope those of you who are battling the flu or whatever is going around, feel better soon. It is wise, especially this time of the year, to take a multi-vitamin daily. Running distance, especially 15k and up, will definitely tear down your immune system and leave you vulnerable after a hard work-out.

Fellow Journeymen and Journeyladies,

This Saturday is Groundhog Day - Will Joel see his shadow? To find out, you're going to have to meet us at 7:00 AM at the Einsteins Bros. Bagel store that is about one-block west of I-75 on the south side of 15th Street in Plano (street view in Google Maps is really cool.) From there, Joel has promised to give us a guided tour of the Chisholm trail . We'll do an out and back so come and run whatever time and pace works for you. I don't know if there are working water fountains so I would suggest carrying your fluid of choice.

I hope to see you there. As always, if you can make it let me know and for last minute contacts, my cell is 214-202-3366.

Bob

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.
Psalm 1:1

Saturday 2/2 Clarification

For those of you that haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting Joel, I should probably clarify. He's like a younger brother - and you know you have to work your little brother - even though you love him. No doubt I'll pay for it later . . .

Team Journey hit the ground running at the Too Cold to Hold this past Saturday as James and I suited up for the run. Joel also ran well and provided team support. James and I each had a couple of good contacts during the run and compliments on the jerseys. I had hoped to get pictures for the blog but the schedule was tight and we missed our opportunity. Overall, it was an encouraging start. I think if we can get 4 or 5 folks in the team colors, we'll be a noticeable phenomenon.

Since we ran at the lake last week, I thought that we would meet at 7 at the church this Saturday 1/26 in the south lot. For some it is time to gradually start stretching the distances. We can run an out-and-back on the trail and accomodate different distances and paces most easily and we'll see some new scenery this week as we continue south beyond Moss Park. Let me know if you're going to make it.

Also, if you have another trail or route that you like to run, let us know. I'd like to get a little more variety in the routes but prefer to stay off the streets as much as possible. Water fountains are a plus, too.

Training Schedule for the hill, tempo and farklet averse

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/longterm/stories/062805dnlivtrainingextra.4f97dcd1.html

Here's a simple running schedule to get to 1/2 marathon distance. From there, I left the weekly schedule the same. For my long runs (Saturdays) I alternated going up 1 mile and 2 miles on alternating weeks. vis;

wk 21 - 10 miles
wk 22 - 14 miles
wk 23 - 11 miles
wk 24 - 16 miles
wk 25 - 12 miles
wk 26 - 18 miles
wk 27 - 13 miles
wk 28 - 20 miles etc. or taper.

This Saturday, I and some of the other regulars will be running the Too Cold 15K in lieu of our normal training run. I'm hoping that we'll have multiple runners sporting the Team Journey jerseys and that our fashion will help us start some conversations on His behalf. If you haven't run with us yet, this would be a good time to come out and join us - we should be easy to spot. If you're coming, let me know and we'll meet around 8 in the park building at the top of the hill.

Note that contrary to what I may have previously said, there is no race day registration. If you are planning to run with us, you'll need to get to one of the RunOn stores to sign up, either tomorrow or Friday. Sorry for the misinformation.

And, if you haven't participated in an organized race before, don't let that be a hindrance. They are a lot of fun. There are people at all levels of ability and all ages that take part in them. These local races are really more a community event than an athletic event.

We hope to see you there.

Bob Lamkin

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

We're back at Watermark this week to run the trail. We'll be in the south lot to start at 7 AM. We have a couple of pace groups developing and we can easily adjust distances on the trail if some want to run longer or shorter. Don't let concerns about pace or distance keep you from joining in. We'll make it work. You can always email me if you'd like to do some pre-planning and meet us a point during the run to shorten a distance or pick up some miles before or after. There are maps and links at the blogspot.

Also, note that we are happy to grow this group if it's in His plan. If you have friends that are interested, have them check out the blog and send me an email. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. We also think that there could be a biking or tri chapter of Team Journey eventually as well.

Remember to bring fluids and your favorite energy supplement. The fountains have been hit or miss lately with the variable temperatures. If you have a favorite verse from one of Paul's letters, bring it too.

Touch base with the blog periodically http://teamjourney-run.blogspot.com/ . We've uploaded some information about upcoming races and other fun stuff. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Bob

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

Upcoming Races and Events

Too Cold to Hold
Saturday, January 19
Starting at Winfrey Point, 8:30 a.m. -- the winter counterpart to the summer's Too Hot to Handle. This race is a 15K (9.3 miles) and is a single loop of White Rock Lake. They also have a 5k (3.1 miles) that is an out-and-back run on the lake trail. The race is organized by the good folks at RunOn and you can sign up on line or at any of the RunOn stores. (The main store is at Mockingbird and Central SE corner in the same shopping center with Jason's Deli across the street from Mockingbird Station.) The link below will get you to the registration. We will have Team Journey representation.
http://runontexas.com/TemporaryPages/toocold2008/toocold2008.htm

AT&T Austin Marathon
Sunday, February 17th
A few of us have registered and made hotel reservations to do the half-marathon that day so Team Journey will be represented. If you'd like to join us, please send me an email at rwlamkin@sbcglobal.net. I have not run this race but I have heard that it may have a few hills - it is Austin afterall. It does offer one of the better looking finisher's medals I've seen (its all about the "bling.")
attaustinmarathon.com

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon and Half Marathon
Saturday / Sunday, April 26 and 27
Again, a few of us are planning to represent for Team Journey - some are even considering the full marathon. One of the premier races in the Southwest, it is the 8th annual running of the race to remember the wrong that was done in OKC, April 19, 1995. I have run this race twice and it is a great event. The race begins with prayer and 168 seconds of silence for the 168 victims. There are also 168 banners along the course. The race is well supported and a good way to see OKC. Its an easy drive as well. This race also has a half marathon, the full and a relay, so there are opportunities at multiple distances. Again, send me an email if you are interested in joining us. We may be able to do some ride sharing or put together a relay team.
okcmarathon.com

Also of interest is a new movie that is showing one day only nationwide, January 24th, called The Spirit of the Marathon. It is the story of 5 runners, first timers and professionals, as they prepare for and run the Chicago Marathon. Check out the clip on the website - it looks like it is going to be really good. If you've ever wondered what its like to run a marathon or why people do it. you'll enjoy this. I think these showings will sell out, so check it out soon and buy your tickets on line ahead of time.
marathonmovie.com

And, watch for news later this spring as we may be taking Team Journey international.

RWL

Saturday, January 5

Greetings all,

I hope the New Year is off to a great start for all of you. If you've made a resolution to start or increase your fitness program, we're here for you.

Let's meet at the Dog Park lot this Saturday (on Mockingbird east of West Lawther at the north end of the lake) at 7 AM and we'll run the lake loop. Its about 9 miles but if you would like to run a shorter distance please let me know and we'll coordinate. You can start later anywhere along the route and run with us back to our starting point. One of us will shuttle you back to your car after the run. The temperatures look like they're going to be in the mid 50's so it should be another glorious day to run. Let us know if we should expect you.

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