Top Banana

This morning I accompanied (biked) Sue Ann while she ran 15 miles. Basically the routine was that I would ride a mile and then wait for her. During my time waiting, I prayed, read some Psalms, sent emails and made phone calls, while also writing tomorrow's sermon in my head.

On Thursday, I walked my 15 miles so today was a good day of cross training. I've included the "Top Banana" picture to remind you to eat plenty of fruits and veggies if you are beginning to "revup." A good way to think about changing some of the things you eat or don't eat is to remember, "If you fuel differently,
you'll feel differently.

Be sure to check out
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/
peace,
rtg

REVUP Walkers

Coming Soon, join the folks who want to REVUP! To Increase physical activity and Decrease
Caloric Intake. Just click on this link

http://groups.cafepress.com/projects/73869/shares/0600bb

Walk the Talk and Talk the Walk

On Friday Sue Ann and I celebrated our 33rd Wedding anniversary.
We both worked during the day but had a lovely dinner with some
friends on Friday night. Both of us are training for the marathon in Portland, Maine on October 4th. Sue Ann is going to run the marathon.
I plan on walking it. I must confess that we've had more advice and done more training on "doing" marathons than we did in terms of pre-marital counseling. Back the, I mean in 1976 it was a pretty straight forward process in terms of making wedding arrangements. Although, as I remember it I didn't have too many responsibilities besides actually showing up for the rehearsal and the wedding.

On Thursday my friend Paul and I walked twelve miles. As we walked we talked. As we talked we walked. There were some times of silence but most of the three hours were filled with conversations. As I've indicated it's good to have a friend when it comes to training. There are those times when silence and the solitude of the process are benefits. However, it's important to have people to share the journey.

The picture in this posting is of one of my favorites "treats" along the way, Clif Shot Bloks specifically the Lemon/Lime ones. These "bloks" are as the good folks at the Clif Bar Company state a way to "replace carbs and electrolytes during activity." If you haven't tried them before I suggest you might want to sample them. They are available at most sporting goods stores as well as runners/walkers shoe stores.

I think marriage is similar to a marathon. I'm grateful for Sue Ann's constant love throughout the journey. I am mindful of how our parents, siblings, friends and parishioners have "cheered" us on along the way.

Have a blessed day and meditate on the words of the Psalmist who wrote in Psalm 26

But as for me, I walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
¹²My foot stands on level ground;
in the great congregation I will bless the LORD.

"Would I Lie To You?"

Just finished walking around Wash Park. First of all, thank you for your comments and suggestions. This evening I did utilize my heart monitor. The result was a significant time decrease in my walk. So, thanks for that suggestion and reminder. I was able to get my heart rate to increase while listening to the tunes of The Eurythmics. Check them out at http://www.eurythmics.com One of their songs, "Would I Lie To You?" got my feet moving and my heart beating at the rate I wanted to achieve.

Here's a helpful suggestion for you. If you find after walking or running a particular distance that you have some blisters or chafing (and if you don't know what that is, you will when you experience it) then try to Body Glide. Basically, this is like a deodorant type of consistency but can be put on your feet prior to putting on your socks. It can also be applied at places where your clothes tend to rub.

I've often thought that maybe there is some kind of theological equivalent to Body Glide. It just might be the words in the Lord's Prayer, "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." When that phrase is applied liberally on those parts of our lives where we tend to blister or have chafing life seems to go a little more smoothly. Try it and let me know what you think. I mean, the Body Glide and also the "forgiveness glide" as well.

Cross Training

Just got back from a 12 mile walk. Got it done in three hours. Bob P and I walked together for the first 6 miles and then I did the second half by myself. It's a great day in Denver to be out and about.

The image on the left is from Mount Nebo. The work in iron is by Gianni Fantoni. It is the likeness of the Serpent lifted up by Moses in the desert as a symbol of the Crucified and Risen Christ.

If you check out Numbers 21 you can read what was going on with Moses and the children of Israel. It was that part of the journey when everyone was asking the theological question, "Are we THERE yet?" So, here's how the story goes:

⁴From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. ⁵The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." ⁶Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. ⁷The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. ⁸And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." ⁹So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

Fast forward to the Gospel of John. In the first Episode of "Nic at Night" (Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the dark) we here these words from Jesus:

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
¹⁷Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Many people have heard those comforting words and take them to heart. As we have discussions in the church about Biblical interpretation I remind people that very few folks have Leviticus 3:16-17 memorized, whereas they do have John 3:16-17 memorized. And that's for good reason.
Here are the words from Leviticus 3:16–17 ¹⁶Then the priest shall turn these into smoke on the altar as a food offering by fire for a pleasing odor.
All fat is the LORD's. ¹⁷It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, in all your settlements: you must not eat any fat or any blood.

So, it's all about cross training whether you are thinking about God's love for the world or about
increasing physical activity and decreasing caloric intake. It's a good idea to leave the "fat"
at the altar.

Wait & Weight

I just read the abstract for the report by the TRUST for AMERICA'S Health (TFAH) and the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). It is entitled "F as in Fat 2009- How Obesity Policies are Failing in America." A link has been provided on this blog for you to check out how your state is doing. Kudos to the good folks in Minnesota! I encourage you to check out the report and then make some comments on this blog.

The picture on the left was taken in Phoenix at the Rock n Roll Half Marathon. Our good friends Sherrie and John ran the half along with Sue Ann.
I happened to walk the half with my friend Cynthia Tanner (who as this picture was taken was congratulating her husband Bob who ran the marathon). It seems to me that a key element or ingredient to increasing physical activity and decreasing caloric intake is to have a friend participate with you. For example, my friend Bob P just got back into town and emailed me to invite me to walk with him tomorrow morning at 7am. Now, I have to tell you that tomorrow at 6am when the alarm goes off, I will not be very interested in walking. But, since I have an appointment with Bob, I won't disappoint him. In other words, I'll show up. Whereas, if I was just counting on my own good intentions I just might let the opportunity slide off my calendar until the 3rd of July or maybe the fourth of July.

So, here's what I'm saying, the more you and I "wait" to increase physical activity, the more
chances that weight will increase and caloric intake will not decrease.