Falling Short

There is no shame in falling short – at least I don’t feel any.

I set a goal in early August to walk 100 miles by December 31. As of this moment, I’ve walked 74.58 miles. But I figure that is 74.58 miles farther than I would have walked without a goal. And I had a lot of fun along the way.

Several people with dogs stopped and chatted with me over the past few months.

One woman had a dog that just wouldn’t leave me alone as we met lap after lap (she was walking clockwise around the track, while I was walking counterclockwise).

“I’m a cat person,” I said. “She probably smells my cat.”

She nodded, but apologized anyway.

An elderly man who was out walking his dog on the trail one day tipped his cap at me as we passed. Not enough people tip their cap anymore. I felt like I was in Mayberry, and I mean that in the best way possible.

Every time I walk, I see something new.

One day I marveled over the energy that kids had as the ran from one end of the field to another, playing soccer. Another day I watched a similarly dressed, similarly talented couple play tennis. I also saw a teenage girl with the arm of Derek Jeter throw out an adult man at first base from the shortstop position. As fall set in, I marveled as the leaves changes colors. And I worshipped as I walked on numerous occasions.

More than once, somebody significantly older passed me on the track. I don’t feel any shame over that either. We’re all walking for different reasons. I’m not in a race with anybody. I’m simply out to improve my health and breathe a little fresh air.

So, in 2013 I’ll set a new goal – maybe 200 miles. We’ll see. But I’m also hoping to interact with more people. And if I do, you’ll probably hear about it.

My First 50 Miles

If you haven’t listened to worship music
outside, then you haven’t experienced
its full power

I’ll hit the halfway mark of my 100-mile walking goal this week. I set the goal on August 7 with the intention of hitting it by the end of the year. As I have walked, a number of truths have solidified themselves in my mind.

The power of an extra tenth. I have an app on my phone called Endomondo (that Arthur Fonzarelli must have designed: correctamundo?) that tracks my walking using GPS. I hit the start button the second my feet hit the ground and hit the stop button when I arrive back at my van. The four laps I walk, plus the five tenths of a mile to and from the track usually total 1.10 miles. That extra tenth adds up. Every ten times I walk, I gain an extra mile. There’s a life lesson in there somewhere.

The power of music. My taste in music has varied over the years. That has led to an eclectic collection of songs on my iPod and it comes in handy when I’m walking. If you haven’t listened to worship music outside, then you haven’t experienced its full power. If you haven’t listened to Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” during a workout, then you’ve probably never fully experienced an adrenaline rush. And if you haven’t listened to Metallica’s six-minute minute version of “Turn the Page” while traveling by vehicle or foot, then you are missing the power of shared experience. There is a time to listen to music passively, but when you listen to it in motion, it becomes a soundtrack for your life.

The power of encouragement. Many people have sent me encouraging messages since I set this goal. Most of those people are more confident than I am that I’ll reach my goal, but that type of encouragement fuels the fire. I was sick last week and just didn’t feel like walking, so I’m behind schedule now. And next week I’ll be on the road, so I’m not sure how much walking will happen then. But I have this week, and I can hear people cheering me on.

The power of community. The neighborhood I live in is racially diverse, which means the park I walk in is too. I’m enjoying seeing so many people with different skin colors interacting. Once in a while a group will bring a grill and cook out next to the basketball court. They also bring coolers of pop, condiments, and chips and they make an event out of it. And they invite others to join them. There’s nothing like food to bring people together.

The Third Lap

Last week I reached the one-third mark of my 100-mile walking goal from August 7 to the end of the year. The first 33 miles have not come without difficulty.

One overcast day I got up early and my body wasn’t all that thrilled about walking a mile. My back hurt, my hips were sore and I walked with a slight limp since overcast days tend to aggravate my bad leg.

I popped my headphones on, pressed play on my iPod and walked anyway.

The park was empty except one middle-aged man. He was on the softball field, taking practice swings in preparation for an apparent game or practice.

On my second lap, the man had moved to a spot close to the walking track where he was tapping a tree with his softball bat. I had no idea what he was doing. Simulating contact? Steadying his swing? Preparing to attack me?

I was cautious as I passed him. Once I knew I was in the clear, I stopped trying to figure him out. My body was still protesting my decision to walk. I pressed on anyway.

Half way into the third lap, my pace picked up and my arms began to swing a little harder, and mysteriously, the pain in my back, hips and leg were gone. The final lap and a half were easy. I just had to push through the first two and a half laps to get to that point.

A former co-worker once said I spend too much time talking about what needs to be done and not enough time doing it. After considering what she said, I knew she was right (note: I had to spend time thinking about what she said before concluding she was right). But knowing she was right and doing something about it are two different things.

Contemplation is in my nature.

I need information and then I need to process it before I act. I mull over major decisions from every angle. And I like getting feedback from people I know and trust. I talk myself into beginning every new work project – not because I’m lazy, but because I want to do it well, and to do it well, I need to figure out my approach.

But when I finally do push past the point of contemplation to the third lap, I always find a rhythm. I just need to make sure I get there as quickly as possible.

100 Miles of Music: Mile 9.58

My blood sugar has dropped more than 200 points
since changing meds and re-starting a walking routine
Photo: Michael David Pedersen

So far, so good.

The combination of walking and prescription medicine is doing the trick. My blood sugar is dropping into a range my doctor will be happy about. Yesterday afternoon it was 128. I feel better physically and find myself looking forward to walking each evening.

I didn’t have a lot of time on Sunday evening, but I still took a short walk – just over a mile.

Here are the tunes that played randomly on my iPod:

Just for You by Lionel Richie. Love this song. It’s not one of his early hits, but it’s a good one nonetheless.

Let Me Go by Scott Stapp. A depressing tune that declares, “We are lost and all our hope is gone.” All of us feel lost sometimes, but we always have hope.

More Love More Power by Various Artists. I think this was originally a Michael W. Smith song that is a strong contrast to the previous song. This one leans on the source of all hope and asks for more of Him.

Nobody’s Fool by Cinderella. Always loved this song, but it is yet another breakup tune.

The Best of Times by Styx. A sappy love song. Have I mentioned that I like sappiness?

*****

I returned to the walking track on Monday night and a rather odd mix of songs popped up.

Spark by Over the Rhine. This particular line always pierces me, “You either lose your fear or spend your life with one foot in the grave. Is God the last romantic?” I wrote more about this song here.

Headed for a Heartbreak by Winger. Another breakup song. Wow.

Baggage Claim by Miranda Lambert. A sassy little pick me up. I like it.

Twisted Angel by LeAnn Rimes. A song about consequences. There are always consequences to bad decisions.

Damn by LeAnn Rimes. This song has always been a curious one for me. It’s about a woman who hates how well a man knows her. Maybe she hates feeling so vulnerable. To me, that’s what love is all about – secure vulnerability.

Cryin’ in My Sleep by Zurich. Some 25 years ago, I used to go see the band play live quite often. This song was always my favorite from the one album they released (to the best of my knowledge). I was stunned to see that they made a video for this song and that is available on YouTube.



I Don’t Wanna Waste Your Time by Over the Rhine. Wrote a post about this song a few years ago. I love this line, “I’ve got a different scar for every song, and blood left still to bleed. But I don’t wanna waste your time, with music you don’t need.” We all have different scars for every story we have to tell, and we’re all looking for someone who really wants to stick around and listen to us bleed. Bleeding leads to healing. But we don’t want to waste someone’s time with stories they don’t need.

Distance walked: 1.21 miles and 1.60 miles
Total distance since August 7: 9.58 miles
Goal = 100 miles by December 31

100 Miles of Music: Mile 6.77

The softball diamond has two first bases,
which probably helps to prevent injuries --
great idea!

A group of men my age, or older, swung for the imaginary fences on the softball diamond. The walking track surrounds the park, with the softball field tucked inside the track’s western boundary, which means the track itself is located about where a left field wall would be.

Everything in me wanted to grab a bat and give it a try.

But I also couldn’t help but wonder how many of these guys were going to wake up on Sunday morning with sore sides and back muscles, or worse.

I know about worse.

In 1997 I played on a softball team for my church. I normally played second base, but one day the coach wanted me to play first base. When the shortstop fielded a ground ball and came up firing in my direction, I could see that it was going to be over my head. I jumped to try to catch it, was unable to do so, and somewhere along the way I felt something snap inside my right leg.

I ruptured my Achilles tendon.

To make a long story short, after surgery I developed a blood clot which turned into a pulmonary embolism and that landed me in the hospital. After surviving that, I began the difficult road of physical rehabilitation. I worked hard and regained the use of my right leg, but it still isn’t right. It swells and my flexibility is limited.

That is frustrating for somebody who loves to play sports. I’ve haven’t played softball since that day in ‘97, but I would sure love to – especially when I see guys who are older than I am who are still playing.

As I walked around the park, these songs on my iPod seemed selected for just this occasion, even though they played randomly:

Jesus Name Above All Names by Various Artists. Nothing like hearing these words to bring perspective: “Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds. And nothing I desire compares with you.”

Never Been to Spain by Elvis Presley. I used to listen to this as a boy on my record player. Always loved cranking up my “Elvis as Recorded Live at Madison Square Garden” LP.

Jump Then Fall by Taylor Swift. This isn’t even funny. Yes I jumped and yes I fell, but you don’t have to rub it in.

Forever & Always by Taylor Swift. My softball incident happened on a Tuesday. The opening lines of this song are, “Once upon a time, I believe it was a Tuesday ...” Hmm.

Whenever We Wanted by John Mellencamp. Hard to believe that this tune is 22 years old. This album, also titled “Whenever We Wanted” is one of Mellencamp’s most underrated.

What a Man’s Gotta Do by Living Proof. An original from a local band that played bluesy rock in the Melissa Etheridge vein. I bought their cassette at least twenty years ago and converted the songs to MP3 a few years back. Nice to see this one pop into the rotation.

Suddenly by LeAnn Rimes. I sang along with the chorus, “Suddenly you’re in this fight alone. Steppin’ out into the great unknown.” I sort of feel that way about walking and trying to get my blood sugar down – which by the way, seems to be working quite well. I’ve had numerous readings within the target range my doctor set since I started this routine.

Something to Believe In by Poison. Who doesn’t love a good power ballad from the ‘80s? Well, technically this is from 1990, but it’s close enough.

Distance walked: 1.60 miles
Total distance since August 7: 6.77 miles
Goal = 100 miles by December 31

100 Miles of Music: Mile 5.33

A picture of the trash / check stub/ check,
which has been doctored to remove the
account number

It looked like a piece of trash on my first lap.

It looked like a check stub on my second lap.

It looked like a check on my third lap.

I picked it up on my fourth lap and discovered it was a $200.00 check a woman named Kim wrote to a local vendor. The vendor cashed it and I’m guessing the bank returned the check to her. Apparently, after she disposed of it, either a dog got into her trash or someone stole it out of her trash can.

Should I put it in an envelope and mail it back to her with a brief note about where I found it or should I destroy it? If I send it back, she might be freaked out and accuse me of stealing it. If I destroy it, she might never know about the possible risk the check posed while lying in the park about a foot away from the walking track.

I decided to return the check to her. We’ll see what happens.

You never know what you are going to see when you walk. You also never know which songs are going to show up when you hit shuffle on your iPod while you are taking the walk.

Here’s the list of songs that showed up on mine Friday:

Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift. I like Taylor Swift. Don’t judge me.

When Am I Gonna Get Over You by LeAnn Rimes. I had no idea how many breakup songs I had on my iPod until I began this series.

I Don’t Want to Wait by Paula Cole. A song about seizing the moment. This one needs to stay in my rotation.

Fire and Rain by Badlands. Six years ago I wrote a paragraph about Badlands performing this old James Taylor cover live that I’ll repeat here. Read the entire post for the context:

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as [Ray] Gillen sang the following lyrics with more passion than I’ve heard before or since from any performer, “Won’t look down upon me Jesus, You’ve got to help me make a stand. I just can’t make it through another day...” Standing in the middle of a bar, listening to a band most Christians have never heard of, I felt closer to God than I’d ever felt before.

Since I wrote that post, someone uploaded this video of Badlands performing this song in 1990. The sound isn’t great, but seeing it still made the hair on the back of my neck stand up:



Blessed be the Lord God Almighty by Various Artists. As I said in a previous post, you really need to be outside to fully experience a worship song.

Five Feet High and Rising by Johnny Cash. A beautiful song about God using adversity in our lives. You know that standard Johnny Cash guitar riff? It provides a perfect rhythm for walking. Give it a try. 

I Love You This Big by Scotty McCreery. Not my favorite song on his debut album, but it was his first single – the one that got him going. So, it’s fitting to be listening to it at the beginning of my 100 mile walking goal.

The Story of Us by Taylor Swift. I like Taylor Swift. Don’t judge me.

Distance walked: 1.44 miles
Total distance since August 7: 5.33 miles
Goal = 100 miles by December 31

100 Miles of Music: Mile 3.73

If you think kids are so involved in their gadgets that they aren’t willing to chase a ball around a park like we used to, then you might want to check out Churchich Park in Omaha.

Thursday night the temperature dropped enough to take a walk in the park and there were probably 20 to 30 kids playing soccer, 15 or so on the playground, a dozen playing tennis, 10 on the basketball court, five or six playing volleyball and several practicing softball.

These kids were much more prepared than we were when we used to spend all afternoon in the park as kids.

The soccer players had orange cones to mark the goals. When we played football in the park, we usually used a couple of shirts. The softball players had a dozen softballs, so they spent more time practicing than chasing errant softballs. And nearly every group had a cooler with water inside. We used to drink out of garden hoses at a nearby friend’s house.

As I made laps, I just had to be mindful of all the activity so I could avoid being drilled in the side of the head by a ball. But that’s a good problem to have. While I prefer walking in empty malls, I would much rather walk in a full park. 

I pushed play on my iPod, and here are the random songs that came out:

All Your Life by The Band Perry. Last year about this time I declared it as my new favorite song. It’s still right up there.

Won’t be Lonely Long by LeAnn Rimes. The anti-lonely song. That’s a relief compared to the songs that randomly came up during my last walk.

Jackson by Johnny and June Carter Cash. Have you ever visited songmeanings.net? It’s a fascinating website because passionate fans gather to debate the meaning of their favorite songs. One person said this about Jackson, “It’s about a married couple whose passions may have waned a bit (fire went out) and the man is forever talking of going to the bright lights of Jackson (TN? Famed at the time for its entertainment offerings and as the home of Casey Jones, then the subject of a popular song).”

It is Well by Rebecca St. James. A modernized version of the Horatio Spafford classic hymn. As I rounded a corner on the walking track and came out from under a few trees, St. James sang these words, “And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, even so, it is well with my soul.” You need to be outside to fully appreciate these lyrics.

The Trouble with Girls by Scotty McCreery. Didn’t really have a lot of relevance to my walk, but a couple of thoughts did come to mind about 18-year-old McCreery singing, “Spent my whole life trying to figure out, just what them girls are all about.” First, this song is too old for him – I have CDs that are older than his “whole life.” Second, I’m not sure any man has figured out women.

Streets Cry Freedom by Badlands. One of my all-time favorite bands, whom I’ve written about in the past. I especially like these lines, “There is no reason, for livin’ in sin. I don’t believe when they say hey boy, you better give in. You know I’ll fight for what I know, till the day that I die. Cause I'm better off dead, then buried along with my pride.”

Little Things by Shannon Curfman. It’s not my favorite song by her, but the title is fitting for this blog.

Distance walked: 1.49 miles
Total distance since August 7: 3.73 miles
Goal = 100 miles by December 31

100 Miles of Music: Mile 2.23

A picture of the actual mall --
not a soul in sight.

A group of 10 women approached me in a desolate mall yesterday where I went to take a walk, which is probably not the worst thing that can happen to a single guy. At least I know I’m not invisible. 

I pulled out one of my earbuds.

“Is there another mall nearby?” said the ringleader.

“You mean one with people?”

She laughed. “Yeah, there’s nobody here.”

“They are tearing this one down soon. But if you go west on Dodge Street about three miles you’ll find a mall with lots of people.”

I picked this desolate mall on purpose. It has great AC, and since nobody is there, I do not need to dodge shoppers as I make laps. I chose the busier mall the day before and on several occasions had to take evasive action as several teenagers cut across the flow of traffic without even looking up from his or her cell phone or iPod.

After conversing with the ring leader, I turned my attention back to my iPod “walking” playlist, hit the shuffle button, and continued my four lap journey. The songs ended up being mostly about living without someone, which is probably not the most motivating music to listen to when you are mostly alone. But that’s the luck of the shuffle.

Breathe by Faith Hill. A sappy love song about being caught up in the moment. But I like sappy.

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted by Didi Benami. An old Jimmy Ruffin tune that has been remade more times that I can count. This line struck me as I was walking the empty corridors of the mall, “I walk in shadows, searching for light. Cold and alone, no comfort in sight.” Okay, maybe I’ll take this one off the playlist.

Tough Times Don’t Last by Bad English. So, we’ve gone from sappy to lonely to some sort of encouragement. That’s a good thing.

After Midnight by Matt Mason. A country tune that puts the words of mothers everywhere to flight when they warned that nothing good happens after midnight. Good thing it was only 6:00 pm when I took my walk.

Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not by Thompson Square. More sappiness, which is probably why it is on my iPod.

With or Without You by U2. I usually only listen to this song if I want to brood a little. I wonder if everybody has one particular person who comes to mind when they listen to this song?

How Great Though Art by Elvis Presley. Marvelous song. Gives me goose bumps. And there’s nobody who can sing it like Elvis.

It’s My Life by Bon Jovi. “This ain’t a song for the broken hearted,” sings Bon Jovi. “No silent prayer for the faith-departed.” Finally, a little balance. 

Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy. And we’re back to the broken hearted theme: “Goodbye, my almost lover. Goodbye, my hopeless dream. I’m trying not to think about you. Can’t you just let me be?”

Definitely time to tweak the playlist before my next venture.

Distance walked: 1.20 miles
Total distance since August 7: 2.23 miles
Goal = 100 miles by December 31

100 Miles of Music: Mile 1.04

Photo: Thomas Beck

Over the past few weeks I've been working with my doctor to get my blood sugar down. He adjusted a few prescriptions and it is helping quite a bit. I've also been walking and that helps drive it down too.

I track the walks I take on a smartphone app called Endomondo (it's free). It uses the GPS in your smartphone to track the mileage, calories burned, etc. I just started a challenge for the casual walker on Endomondo. The challenge is to walk 100 miles by the end of the year. With 145 or so days left in 2012, that leaves quite a few "free" days. I would love for you to join the challenge.

It's 100 degrees out this afternoon, so I drove to a mall to do my walking and was met with the scent of perfume and cologne the second I entered. That made me think of the '80s. Not a day passed in which I didn't squirt a little Drakkar on before going anywhere.

As I started four laps around the mall, I took advantage of my iPod's shuffle feature and that led to one of the strangest mixtures of songs anybody has probably ever listened to. Thought it might be fun to list the songs periodically in a series called "100 Miles of Music."

The Good Life by Casey James. It's ironic to begin my walking challenge with a song title that is also the motto of the state I live in. And, I suspect, if I keep up with the challenge, I'll be walking toward the good life, metaphorically speaking.

Believe by Stryper. Hey, there's nothing wrong with a little Stryper. Yellow and black attack baby. You have to be at least 40 to even know what I'm talking about.

5150 by Van Halen. Van Hagar rules.

I Will Celebrate by Various Artists. Nothing like a good worship song to provide motivation.

Northern Sky by Nick Drake. This is from the Notting Hill soundtrack. It's the song that is playing as Jonathan sprawls out on the ice at the end of the movie. Sara hurls a glove from across the pond and it lands perfectly on Jonathan. No making fun of this scene or this movie. It's one of my all-time favorites.

Gonna Come Down by Zwarte'. Not one of their better songs.

Workin' On It by Casey James. A song about doing our part to make improvements, which makes it a perfect walking song.

Don't Let Me Down by No Doubt. Forgot I even owned this song.

The Nightingale by Trisha Yearwood. Don't think I have ever even listened to this one. Probably won't listen to it again any time soon.

It's Never Easy to Say Goodbye by Wynonna Judd. No it's not.

Distance walked: 1.04 miles
Total distance since August 7: 1.04 miles
Goal = 100 miles by December 31