There's always gotta be one marathoner who runs to the beat of a different drum. Mike Brost, one of our lean mean running machines, is our one "Iowan for Haiti"...in fact, he's cuckoo for Haiti! (read the back of his blue jersey).
Mike is running for kids in Haiti. The money he's raising will be going to the ministry efforts of Kristie and JeanJean Mompremier, one of Orchard Hill's partners in Haiti. JeanJean and Kristie work for UCI, United Christians International. You can read their website at www.unitedchristiansinternational.org. God is doing AMAZING work through their call and mission in Haiti. Kristie and JeanJean will actually be at OHC next weekend while we're at the marathon. We'll be sorry we miss them, but grateful for those supporting them through Mike's "Cuckoo for Haiti" mission!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Hotel room
Amy Lynch has an extra room reserved near the airport for Fri and Sat. nights. It's about a 30-40 minute trip to downtown Chicago on the Blue Line Train. She'll hold it until Monday, and if there's no interest, she'll cancel it on Monday. Contact her at amy.lynch@mchsi.com if you'd like to talk with her about the room.
Thanks!
Thanks!
For Life!
$25,782 and counting, Iowans for Africa!
The redistribution of these funds to African friends with life-threatening needs is an awesome way to show the love of Jesus to our neighbors!
Thanks, World Vision, for being the structure through which we can give, and thanks to all of you teammates for gathering support from friends and family! You are all life-givers! Thanks for allowing thee Life-giver to shine through you!
The redistribution of these funds to African friends with life-threatening needs is an awesome way to show the love of Jesus to our neighbors!
Thanks, World Vision, for being the structure through which we can give, and thanks to all of you teammates for gathering support from friends and family! You are all life-givers! Thanks for allowing thee Life-giver to shine through you!
Countdown.....8
Team mates,
After today we have 8 days until we are celebrating. Please take the time to enjoy this final stage of our journey together. God has done and is still doing some amazing things through each and every one of us. I am sure as we look back on this experience it will be even more evident. The picture that keeps coming back to my mind is that each one of us has a bright light encompassing us, but when we all get together that light is amplified hundreds of times.
I have to take my mask off for a moment and share something with you. Unless I am reading a book to learn something, I do not read for enjoyment. This might be genetic, as our son Eric has the same DNA, even though my wife, Terri is just the opposite. I think the last book I read, not for an educational purpose was Lord of the Rings and that was over 35 years ago! Sad but true. Anyway I share that with you for one purpose. Recently quite a few people have strongly recommended that I read the Ultra Marathon Man by Dean Karnazes. I said sure, knowing in all probability it was not going to happen. Well finally someone put the book in my hands and said READ IT, so Wednesday night about an hour before bed, (I am embarrassed to tell you how early that was) I picked it up. I was half way through the book before I could put it down and I finished it last night. There is no reference in the book about anything spiritual but yet somehow to me that is what it is all about. Scott & Sue you will love chapter 18, the gift of life. Maybe it is just me, but it made me want to run this marathon even more than before! So my tip for today is READ IT if at all possible before the 11th!
A quote from the book: "Running great distances is mostly done with your head... and your heart. The human body is capable of amazing physical deeds. If we could just free ourselves from our perceived limitations and tap into our internal fire, the possibilities are endless."
Have an awesome day!
Coach Don
After today we have 8 days until we are celebrating. Please take the time to enjoy this final stage of our journey together. God has done and is still doing some amazing things through each and every one of us. I am sure as we look back on this experience it will be even more evident. The picture that keeps coming back to my mind is that each one of us has a bright light encompassing us, but when we all get together that light is amplified hundreds of times.
I have to take my mask off for a moment and share something with you. Unless I am reading a book to learn something, I do not read for enjoyment. This might be genetic, as our son Eric has the same DNA, even though my wife, Terri is just the opposite. I think the last book I read, not for an educational purpose was Lord of the Rings and that was over 35 years ago! Sad but true. Anyway I share that with you for one purpose. Recently quite a few people have strongly recommended that I read the Ultra Marathon Man by Dean Karnazes. I said sure, knowing in all probability it was not going to happen. Well finally someone put the book in my hands and said READ IT, so Wednesday night about an hour before bed, (I am embarrassed to tell you how early that was) I picked it up. I was half way through the book before I could put it down and I finished it last night. There is no reference in the book about anything spiritual but yet somehow to me that is what it is all about. Scott & Sue you will love chapter 18, the gift of life. Maybe it is just me, but it made me want to run this marathon even more than before! So my tip for today is READ IT if at all possible before the 11th!
A quote from the book: "Running great distances is mostly done with your head... and your heart. The human body is capable of amazing physical deeds. If we could just free ourselves from our perceived limitations and tap into our internal fire, the possibilities are endless."
Have an awesome day!
Coach Don
countdown....9
Athletes,
Tomorrow morning when you rise you will have only 9 days until the marathon day. Keep working on the list of positive things happening in your lives due to this journey we are on. The thought that I want to share with you today has to do with anxieties. There is no way that I am going to tell you that you will not have a lot of anxieties, depending upon when you leave for Chicago, Friday or Saturday and of course Sunday morning. But there are things that you can do to prepare in advance to lessen them. Anxieties are ok, they get your motor running before a big event and they get your adrenaline pumping and your body ready for the start of a race. But too much anxiety or for too long of a time can be physically draining. I try to keep my cross country girls relaxed as I can until right before they go to the line to avoid tense muscles burning energy. Often anxieties can be reduced by just being prepared, organized and planning ahead. So my suggestion is to start reading through all of the email, looking on line, getting maps, gather all the information and begin to plan your itinerary so to speak. Be thinking about what time you want to get to packet pickup, communicate with someone you have been training with to meet you there, plan on spending quite a bit of time at the expo. There are a lot of things to see and do. Then Hotel check in, what time can that happen, assuming you are traveling on Saturday, otherwise those will be reversed. My point is that the more you can be prepared the more relaxed you will be the day or two before the event. This also follows with race morning. I usually plan from what time I need to be at the start line and back up to the time I need to get out of bed. I lay out what I am going to wear and take with me the morning of the race the night before, less to stress about. Some people don't stress, I envy you! Maybe it is because I am not typically organized that I try so hard to expect the unexpected. Not sleeping well the night before a marathon is typical, so try your best to get a good night of rest two nights before. And most importantly keep your eyes upon our Savior, He and only He can give you a sense of calmness and reassurance that He will be with you at all times. If we surrender our lives, only then can we really begin to live. Next week early we will focus on a packing list, then late in the week the best way to get hydrated without having to stand in line at the port-a-potties all the time.
Blessings,Coach Don
Tomorrow morning when you rise you will have only 9 days until the marathon day. Keep working on the list of positive things happening in your lives due to this journey we are on. The thought that I want to share with you today has to do with anxieties. There is no way that I am going to tell you that you will not have a lot of anxieties, depending upon when you leave for Chicago, Friday or Saturday and of course Sunday morning. But there are things that you can do to prepare in advance to lessen them. Anxieties are ok, they get your motor running before a big event and they get your adrenaline pumping and your body ready for the start of a race. But too much anxiety or for too long of a time can be physically draining. I try to keep my cross country girls relaxed as I can until right before they go to the line to avoid tense muscles burning energy. Often anxieties can be reduced by just being prepared, organized and planning ahead. So my suggestion is to start reading through all of the email, looking on line, getting maps, gather all the information and begin to plan your itinerary so to speak. Be thinking about what time you want to get to packet pickup, communicate with someone you have been training with to meet you there, plan on spending quite a bit of time at the expo. There are a lot of things to see and do. Then Hotel check in, what time can that happen, assuming you are traveling on Saturday, otherwise those will be reversed. My point is that the more you can be prepared the more relaxed you will be the day or two before the event. This also follows with race morning. I usually plan from what time I need to be at the start line and back up to the time I need to get out of bed. I lay out what I am going to wear and take with me the morning of the race the night before, less to stress about. Some people don't stress, I envy you! Maybe it is because I am not typically organized that I try so hard to expect the unexpected. Not sleeping well the night before a marathon is typical, so try your best to get a good night of rest two nights before. And most importantly keep your eyes upon our Savior, He and only He can give you a sense of calmness and reassurance that He will be with you at all times. If we surrender our lives, only then can we really begin to live. Next week early we will focus on a packing list, then late in the week the best way to get hydrated without having to stand in line at the port-a-potties all the time.
Blessings,Coach Don
icing on the cake
If you'd go fishing with my dad, you'd hear him say that catching fish on a fishing trip is a bonus. He finds the joy in the fishing and considers the fish as "icing on the cake". I'd say the same thing about this marathon. It's really no longer the pinnacle for me, but rather just a bonus of what's been such a great ride..or run, I should say. This experience has been such a great example of "joy in the journey" that I can now consider the destination ahead as being "icing on the cake".
Thursday, October 1, 2009
A room has become available, sleeps 2 but probably one bed. The cost is $227.18 for Saturday night and it is at Club Quarters, where quite a few of our team are staying. It is walking distance (less than 1/2 mile) from the finish line. If you are interested contact Natalie Brown at nbrown@orchardhillchurch.org as she will be cancelling it on Friday 9/2.
Our T-shirts will be available this Saturday at 7:00 AM at Orchard Hill Church before our SHORT 8 mile run, or Sunday morning between services. Thanks to Kallie Thompson for doing this.
Scott Doyle has an idea to put together a short picture/video clip when the marathon is over and is asking everyone to send him 3 of their favorite pictures or even a short video clip and he will put them together with music. He would like like to have it done the Sunday after the marathon so needs everything by Tuesday October 6th. For more information contact Scott at geckos4@cfu.net.
Hope to see you Saturday 7:00 AM at OHC.
Attitude is everything!
Coach Don
Our T-shirts will be available this Saturday at 7:00 AM at Orchard Hill Church before our SHORT 8 mile run, or Sunday morning between services. Thanks to Kallie Thompson for doing this.
Scott Doyle has an idea to put together a short picture/video clip when the marathon is over and is asking everyone to send him 3 of their favorite pictures or even a short video clip and he will put them together with music. He would like like to have it done the Sunday after the marathon so needs everything by Tuesday October 6th. For more information contact Scott at geckos4@cfu.net.
Hope to see you Saturday 7:00 AM at OHC.
Attitude is everything!
Coach Don
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