Friday, March 31, 2006

trechoagon

What’s up with the trechoagon in the blog address?

Both trecho and agon are Greek words. I do not really know any Greek except when it comes to ordering food like a “Gyro”. That’s mostly what I know about foreign languages … how to order from their menus, because I like food.

Trecho” is a Greek word where the English word “trek” is derived. Trek is a bike, it is also a long walk, or a journey on foot.

Agon” is the Greek word from which the English word “agony” comes. It is translated “race” in the New Testament of the Bible. There is a verse that says “Let us run (trecho) with endurance the race (agon) marked out especially for us …” My last marathon included some agony so I think it fits.

These two words are what this blog is about. Running the race both figuratively and literally. Running the race of life, running the race every morning to get out of bed and cover a couple of miles. Running the race is what my life is about.

Trecho agon …

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Running, Rockets and a picture

I’m still running. Over the last four days I have put in 19 miles. Nothing spectacular to report except that Jakeb has run with me some.

Due to the overwhelming generosity of a good friend, Jakeb and I got to go to the Rockets Cavaliers game on Sunday. The seats were incredible. The rockets lost in overtime but it was a good game. We got to see Yao and Lebron. Tracy McGrady didn’t play. Vince Young was sitting courtside and Jakeb was geeked because he is a huge Longhorns fan.

Below is a picture of Tori and me at Herman Park after lunch on the field trip Thursday. The look on my face betrays my true emotions. I was having fun.

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Body Worlds 3

Thursday I was a chaperone for my oldest daughter Tori and her biology class’ field to the Houston Museum of Natural Science to see the exhibition call BODY WORLDS 3: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies.

The exhibition is quite controversial. Here is some of what the HMNS web sight says about the exhibit:

Created by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, BODY WORLDS 3 is the culmination of the German scientist and physician’s 30-year career in anatomy. Like its predecessors, BODY WORLDS 3 presents more than 200 authentic specimens, including organs and whole body specimens, that have undergone Plastination—von Hagens’ groundbreaking method of halting decomposition and preserving the body after death for medical study, which he invented in 1977. But von Hagens says the Houston exhibit captures the evolution and refinement of his invention to its outer limits.

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip. It was good to hang out with Tori and her friends. I was fascinated by Body Worlds. The first time I heard about it was when I read Phillip Yancey’s book Rumors of Another World. I am glad I went.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Weekend Road Trips

As of Saturday there are two teenagers in the Stunz house. Jakeb, our son turned thirteen. For his birthday he wanted to go to Cabellas in Buda Texas. So he picked five friends and we woke up early Saturday morning and took the first of three Texas road trips.

We got to Buda at about 9:30 a.m. and spent the day exploring the huge outdoor store. The boys went to workshops on fly casting, flounder fishing, and archery. About mid-day we ate lunch in the Cabellas restaurant. Some of the boys ate venison brat and bison brat. I’m sure it made them feel more manly. After lunch Andrea parked in a booth in the restaurant with a lap top to get some work done and rest her feet while everyone else continued to explore the store.

For his birthday Jakeb got money, which I assumed he would spend while we were at Cabellas, but he only spent about $25. Before lunch over the intercom a voice said “Jakeb Stunz please come to the customer service counter.” Jakeb assumed they had done something wrong and he was scared to go. But he went anyway and found that his aunt Edie had phoned in a Cabellas gift card for him. That was the $25 he spent. He has decided that he wants to save for a kayak.

I bought a backpack for my Nepal trip in May. Overall it was a good day. We left at about 4:30 p.m.

On Sunday I preached for my friend Danny at The Way Fellowship Church in Spring. Phillip and Jenny lead music along with Andrea (my wife ) and my daughter Tori.

Yesterday Andrea and I went to Clear Lake and ate a late lunch or early dinner at Pei Wei and finished the day at Jakeb’s track meet in Santa Fe, TX.

This weekend has been full of driving. I think I spend a billion dollars on gas but it was all worth it.

Friday, March 10, 2006

Picture from the LSTR


A bit of a blur but that's because I was moving so fast (ha). My feet and my left hamstring hurt just looking at it.

Sunday, March 05, 2006

25K

I ran the Lone Star Trail run today. I was not fully prepared for what I would find there. It was a smaller race (a couple hundred people) it felt like everyone knew everyone; although I only knew the guys I rode with.

Trail runners are a prepared lot. I had a belt with some ibuprofen and a couple of gels. But the experienced trail runners had water bottles with hand grips, impressive fuel belts and camel backs with special pockets that could hold a steak and baked potato for race fuel (okay not the part about steak and baked potato). And the aid stations had M&M’s crackers, cookies, banana’s, peanuts, oranges, water and Gatorade. I felt like I needed to order and then sit for lunch. The race organizers knew what they were doing.

Footing was precarious at times so I had to watch closely where my shoe landed. I almost crashed once. I had to restep many times so I would not twist my ankle.

I ran the out too fast so the back was tough. I finshed in 2:31:52 (9:47 pace) according to my watch. Race organizers are supposed to post official results by Monday evening.

My marathons have been an accomplishment but this was just plain fun. It was incredible, running through the woods.

Now it’s time to tone down the distance some and start running to run – not run to prepare for a race.

Friday, March 03, 2006

Lone Star Trail Run

As usual I have found other things to do besides blog. No excuses just life.

In my last post I said I would start writing about stuff that had nothing to do with running, and I will, but not this time.

This weekend is the 25k trail run and I’m excited about running it. My training for it has been a disaster. I got sick and missed a week and when I started running again I had no energy for it. So I hadn’t run longer than 12 miles since February 4th.

Last week I started panicking. I don’t care if I run this race fast, but I at least want to be able to finish. So Monday morning I ran 12. It wasn’t a pretty 12 miles, but it was 12 and I felt like I could have plodded out four more if I had to.

So I think it will be cool to run in the woods.

My trip to Nepal in May is becoming more of a reality. I’ll talk more about that soon. Also there is weirdness going on in my world ... good weirdness, but weirdness none the less.

Run hard …