There were all the runs one can imagine in the pacific northwest winter; muddy, sunny, snowy, rainy, late, early, spontaneous, planned, hungry, after dinner, on trips, from home, on trails, through neighborhoods, up mountains, along creeks, with Lola and the Bob’s stroller, in the dark under stars, in the dark under clouds, long runs on hills, short runs along the Boise River, on tired legs, with fresh legs on the track, in rain storms, blizzards and hail, in air so cold and crisp, in sunlight so warm, at dusk, and dawn, all with heightened senses.  Something profound can happen when your body and mind engage in a deep practice re-wiring of the soul.  Move your body every day and the passion becomes you, a daily ritual of energy that fosters more energy.

Many runs stand out but one bore into Hortense’s psyche in particular. She left the house with Lola strapped into one of the coolest human transport vehicles ever conceived, the Bob’s Stroller. The two run east to the base of the Boise Ridge Mountains and find themselves nestled in the desert sage trails cloaked in sunset hues of purple and red; the sky on fire. The shadow rise and the sunset competing to allure the eyes like so many pleasant tones of music being played as one sits in rapture for the climax. The moment to moment shifts in lighting, the blur of purple sage brush, feet stomping the dirt, labored breathing, the rolling stroller, the plethora of colors and the just right blues and pinks motivate one to grab a canvas and paint brush ; a shared instant with mother and daughter can last for eternity.

The power and beauty of a sunset run can ignite the imagination while centering one in the eternal instant. We are often excited to witness the end, transformation, and beginning to the day and night cycles. It intensifies the ever fleeting moment.

Lola will be 8 months next week and her mom has just completed 100 consecutive days of running. When she started Lola was just 19 weeks old and a year had gone by since Hortense ran. While pregnant she swam and/or hiked on most days. Then, a c-section kept Hortense in recovery mode longer than she wanted. I know it seemed like it would be eternity before her fitness returned, but somewhere in those last 100 days she has morphed into a super fit mom.

A reoccurring theme in my training as a professional triathlete, exploring the nuances of my endurance, is the sheer and simple joy of training outside. This is the most important aspect of my active lifestyle. I love to be outside; therefore, I am happiest when the myriad of life experiences conspire to get me moving while in nature. The tap, tap, tap of earth below your shoes, wind in your hair, air in your lungs with images of natural wonder bring out strong emotions of awe, euphoria, and joy while the convergence of a strong body and mind empowers your soul. One learns to seek out and discover these sensations when employing the meditation in movement; especially when trail running.

Beautiful thing about my house is that in 4 minutes (give or take 30 seconds based on effort) I can leave my front door and run to a trail system so vast it has you scouting the wild-wild-west in no time. Your mind retreats to a familiar and astounding place I like to associate with the animal mind; a quiet, here and now, in touch with your surroundings kind of place. The Ridge to Rivers trail system attracts a wide variety of health seekers from Olympic and World Champions to bird watchers and is one reason Boise is so desirable to spirit warriors like myself.

Much like an ancient Angel Oak, with branches tapering off in an explosion of options , does the Ridge to Rivers trail system ignite the imagination with exploration prospects; trails meandering up valleys, through rock beads, along gulches, and over mountains.

To accomplish these feats one needs first-rate gear; namely shoes. I’ve ran on a wide array of trail shoes over the years; Adidas, Asics, Brooks, Mizuno, Saucony all descent to good shoes. Then, I bought a great pair of shoes, the Pear Izumi Syncro Seek III. These shoes are durable, light and provide the traction you need without over doing it. These shoes let me run free. Now, to my delight, an even better shoe has come along; the Aztec II.

When putting on SCOTT’s Aztec II, one immediately notices the quality and craftsmanship of the shoe. In my never ending quest to run outside, Boise’s Late Autumn months have put these shoes through the gauntlet. I’ve ran in snow, slush, mud, over rocks, up hills, down descents and through tricky terrain. It’s hard to put a finger on it at times but it undeniable how functionally sweet these shoes are. They are durable and light, while providing supreme traction and protection. It’s simple really, they feel like an extension of my body and they make me want to run and run and run and then run some more.

The SCOTT Aztec II is a key enhancement to any trail enthusiasts ambition.

Endurance training.

The ability to exert one’s mind and body for long periods of time, once a natural occurrence in our place with the animal kingdom, now is an art that must be sought after.  Sufferance was the order of the day for 99.9% of human history and still is in much of the non developed world.   Mere survival meant hours, days, weeks, years and decades of toil just to keep breathing.  In the last 100 years, a mere nano second for human history, more and more of society go hours, days, weeks, years and decades without more than an hour or two of sustained recreational induced endurance.  For me this draws parallels with the eagle that rarely if ever takes to the sky.  Is it not a basic fundamental right of man to be and experience endurance?  A brief look into our history and one can’t help but notice the lavish evidence of man overcoming.  Man overcoming the impossible because of our unmatched ability to endure.

It’s in our core.  Survival has taught us and forced us.  Suddenly the game has changed and survival means making this month’s mortgage payment or performing well in your 40 hour a week position.  My question is how important is endurance for happiness?  How important is endurance for achieving your best self?  How important is endurance for a life of fulfillment?

For me this trait has been manifested every step of the way for as long as I can remember; from playing soccer at recess to riding my BMX Huffy, to those hikes in the woods and fabrication of ‘forts’ until ultimately channeling it into swimming.  I didn’t know it or couldn’t explain it then but looking back with hindsight it’s obvious the underlying joy of endurance.

Can the mind reach its full potential without the body being there too?  I believe the answer is yes, but it’s testing and requires a strong spirit to have a robust mind when the body is not at its potential.  Maybe in some facets of life but how about all facets of life?  Can one become self actualized and well balanced without discovering the limits of their own physical and mental fitness?

Questions to ponder that delve deep into the psyche and nuance of man when trying to come up with the answers. 

My passion for endurance became evident as a swimmer with the Boise YMCA Swim Team.  The combination of making tough send off times to a long set all the while counting and calculating your time along the way has no end to its challenges.  Then, in college at Oakland University, swimming with guys from around the world pushed the margins.  I would push myself every practice of which we had two a day, and not only every practice but every set of every practice.  When you have 30 other supreme athletes to test yourself against, you find limits quickly.  Then you find ways to overcome them.

Today, endurance plays a vital role in my goal to achieve fulfillment.  It is and will always be.  Pandora’s Box has been opened. 

On October 9^th a 17 mile run, my longest, became my ‘first’ day of Ironman training for the November 21 IM Arizona.  I say ‘first’ because even a Sprint Triathlon first and foremost requires endurance.  So I hit the ground running for my first ironman 6 weeks before the start.  The challenge and the journey have already been rewarding.  Riding my bike all over southwestern Idaho is a real treat.  Being in the mountain trails less than a mile from my front door has no end to its rejuvenation and boundless beauty; running for my life is so much fun.  Doing long sets like 40 x 100 on 1:10 refine my focus and force me to be economical in the pool.  Yet the most valuable experience is that of balance.  The family + work + training + recovery = balance equation. 

As a husband and father working fulltime for the YMCA all of life’s moments become amplified.  There is not a moment to take for granted.  And that really sums it up for me.  Achieving the most out of each and every moment and then realizing there is no limit to this simple yet mystifying equation.  You can forever get more out of this moment; right now.

July 20, 2010 The Birth Day

Summer ripened like a mango bursting with sweet juices

The Golden Rain Drop Tree summoned pollen collectors for miles around

The tepid weather with its beaming sun rays surrendered to pleasant wafts of air

A bloom in yellow the rain drops to be, start a blaze in flame

The roar of bees humming from nectar to nectar dropping pedals like rain

A house calmly waiting for its new arrival; the sparrows approving the nest

A Father and Mothers loving embrace followed by an entire family

Emotions bordering on the other worldly, deep in the soul and profound

Time stops, a singularity is reached

Awe, pure and absolute wonder shakes the mind at its core

The minds reason impedes the moment and cascades to a quiet place

Now, one becomes centered as the essence of the soul

We’ve come through on the other side; breathe in the world fresh and newborn

We meet for the first time?  But we’ve always known you

Waltzing with us amongst the universe for millennia

Welcome Lola Annabelle Everett to the human race

Little Lola weighed in at 8.6 lbs and 21 in long and is the sweetest angel….Mom and Dad are thrilled!