Catching Up . . .

Well, it's been a while.

If content slows down on the blog, chances are that either one of two things have happened. Either I have stopped running and exploring the Great Outdoors, and so have nothing to write about. (This is a running blog after all.) Or, life has simply gone from a jog to a sprint, and so has demanded the time and energy that normally gets saved for writing and blogging. For creatures like us with finite limitations (seriously—we can't even go a day without needing sleep), so it goes sometimes.

In our present situation, I would say the latter is more true than the former. Since the Wild Duluth 50k on October 20th (report forthcoming), the following events have happened:

• My sister Lauren got married. (Ashley and I flew down to Georgia for the wedding weekend.)

• I wrote a 20-page exegesis paper on Deuteronomy 29:2-4.
• I preached a sermon on 1 Peter 1:13.
• I taught a 6-week class here at our local church arguing that the Christian, new covenant sign of baptism should (1) be given only to those who personally express faith in Jesus Christ, and (2) that it should be celebrated, given the breathtaking reality which it symbolizes!

• I painted our baby's room a nice shade of gray. (To be complemented with bright-colored objects in the near future.)
• I assembled our baby's "crib."

Seriously, he/she better sleep in it until (at least) their 8th birthday. The thing, in my opinion, is incredibly spacious.
I think I may even be able to fit in it. Actually, now that I think about it . . .

Make that their 18th birthday . . . (Photo: Ashley Robbins)

Anyways—all good things, but things that move blogging to the back burner.

Running has slowed with the acceleration of life (and the graying of the seasons), but not altogether disappeared. In the 42 days that followed the race, I've managed to get out the door and shuffle somewhere for 13 of them. The 69 total miles I clocked in November were by far the fewest since the injured month of May, but I still managed to find my way across 27 bridges. (Which leaves me needing to find my way across 46 more before the end of the month to reach 500. A little steep—especially with some travel weeks on the schedule to close out December, but doable.)

With the Wild Duluth bringing the 2012 "racing" season to an end, I've enjoyed running just to run again. No weekly mileage goals, no speed sessions, no tempo runs. Just pure, unpredictable, irrational wandering.

Last week (Thanksgiving morning, if I remember correctly), I finally ventured across the Mississippi to check out the trails on the other side of the river. I found this:

Which then gave way to this:

Who knew? A waterfall within wandering distance of our front door. Which proves, once again, that exploring, taking the trail less-travelled, and even getting lost will often end with reward. It also proves that you should watch your step.

A 4:30pm setting sun has effectively turned afternoon runs into night runs. Some days I miss the light and the way it warms the soul on cold days, but I've begun to realize what a blessing the early sunsets can be. There are running joys known only in darkness. And daylight savings time, surprisingly, allows the Central Time Zoned runner to taste them without having to lose sleep in the middle of the night.

Anyways, I hope to get back to blogging more regularly soon. With a report on my favorite 2012 race to finalize, a 500th bridge to cross, and a 2013 racing calendar waiting to be filled, December will have much to write home about . . .