Have you seen the movie The RUNNER?

It's the story about ultra-marathoner David Horton. Here's a short clip from the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejs09vhj1x4

If you haven't seen the entire movie, you should... especially if you are a runner or an outdoor enthusiast of any type! This movie will inspire you, challenge you and by the last scene you'll be thinking about what dreams you will want to conquer!

At least that's how I felt after watching this with Vicki last night. (We borrowed the movie from Pastor Jon Wimmer, a friend and a fellow runner...). Although I'm not sure I'd ever tackle the The Pacific Crest Trail as David Horton did in the movie, it has raised my sights to see what challenges I could seek to conquer. Perhaps one of the following would be in my future:

- a full marathon

- a 90 mile backpacking trek called the Wonderland Trail around Mt. Rainier

- Rainier to Pacific team race (152 miles from Ashford to Ocean Shores)

- a mini - Triathalon (I think I'd like the variety of 3 different challenges)

- the opportunities abound....

For me at least, I think it starts by getting the whole family more experiences in outdoor adventures including camping, backpacking, and more hiking. I really enjoy doing things as a family and it creates some lasting memories. Speaking of lasting memories....

Last year, Vicki and I were so proud of our girls for hiking with us on some of the beautiful trails out of Paradise @ Mt. Rainier. We took two trips two weeks apart in Aug. '09. The first trip featured beautiful high mountain meadows in rare form. The fragrance alone told you this was a piece of heaven. Added bonuses included high glacier-covered peaks that loomed ahead of us on Mt. Rainier (Glacier point) and the views of distant Cascade peaks such as Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams and in the far distance Mt. Hood in Oregon. It was spectacular!







Our second journey had us going even higher to Panorama point @ 7,000 ft.. The view was worth the 3 hours hiking up and around totaling 7 miles, but that's not all we saw. Marmmots, shale rock, and a glorious sunset, with the darkening sky illuminating a crescent moon. It was one of the highlights of our summer! We can't wait to go back together and find more parts of Mt. Rainier to explore.

Speaking of getting back...I need to get ready to run 6 miles today. Vicki is currently running her 10.5 miles (a shorter run for her!). She's doing such a great job at pacing and preparing herself for the 1/2 marathon on her birthday (5/16) and then for the full 26.2 m. in the Rock 'N Roll Marathon in Seattle on June 26th. I know she'll do great! After she completes her 2nd full marathon, I wonder what adventures she'll be dreaming of next?....

In the meantime, we'll keep our eyes on Jesus as He keeps us on course. . . . (Hebrews 12:2)

Running in His Footsteps-

Jay