Should a Christian set New Year's Goals?

Did I Do Enough?

Notes from my sermon on 12.27.2015

Princess Anne Church of Christ

This is the question I ask myself ever year in the final few days in the calendar year. I always answer it the same way...NO. I'm never quite good enough or strong enough or faithful enough or successful enough.....I'm always hard on myself. I go through my list and see what I was successful at through out the year, and what I found that I failed at. 

I have to do this so I can properly evaluate myself in order to RESET my new goals. Often people use this as the only day to establish their new goals. I like to use a series of firsts, not just the first day of the year. I have a reset at the first of every month, week and even morning. Sure, I have my New Years Resolutions....or goals. I set them for personal, physical, business and of course my spiritual. It is important to have an appropriate mind set and priority when you establish these goals.

I've gone through the bible and selected a few key thoughts about characteristics you should first consider when setting your goals. After that I sought out several verses that tell us about our new goals and how they should be established.

Enjoy. 

8 Biblical Keys for Goal Setting

Faith – We serve a big God who can accomplish the impossible.  There is nothing He can’t do.  We can believe that He journeys with us and always has our best in mind.  He is trustworthy and faithful.

Humility – We never want to be in a position of demanding that things work out or that all our goals are accomplished exactly as we say.  The Lord’s will always trumps our own.  We need to be sure our attitude is one of humility before our holy and mighty God.

Commitment –  We need to commit ourselves to the tasks at hand.

Diligence – Goals often require hard work.  We need to be diligent in our effort.

Perseverance – We will face set backs and disappointments, but need to persevere through rough times.  Don’t give up!

Alignment with God’s Word and Will – Are we within the parameters of God’s Word and His character?

Forethought & Planning – Have we done the appropriate homework before starting our task?  Have we counted the cost?

Motivation – We need to ask the hard questions.  What is our goal and why?  Do we have selfish motives or are we operating with a healthy heart.

Bible Verses To Think on When Setting Goals

Goals, Plans, Desires, Paths, Visions

Psalm 20:4 “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”

Psalm 33:11 “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”

Psalm 37:4-5  Delight yourself also in the Lord,And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord,Trust also in Him,And He shall bring it to pass.

Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”

Proverbs 3:6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 13:16 “All who are prudent act with knowledge, but fools expose their folly.”

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

Proverbs 16:9 “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

Proverbs 24:27 “Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.”

Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.”

Isaiah 32:8 “But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.”

Jeremiah 17:7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”

Habakkuk 2:2-3 “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that whoever reads it may run with it.”

Matthew 17:20 “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'”

Luke 14:28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”

John 6:27 “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Philippians 3:13-14  “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Hebrews 10:35-36 “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

Hebrews 12:1-2a “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

James 4:13-15 “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'”

2 Chronicles 15:7 “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

Hope this gives you some perspective in setting your goals this year. Set them right and the Lord will prosper. God Bless my friends.

Eugene Thompson

ET This I Believe 

The Art of Sharing

Christmas time is often considered the most joyous time of the year. People are spreading good cheer toward their fellow man. Family gets the opportunity to join together and eat a fabulous meal. And of course there is the presents thing. A tree filled with lights and ornaments seemingly held up by the pile of presents surrounding the base of the tree.

I understand that this isn't the true meaning of Christmas....giving that is. There is a whole lot more involved. First of all it isn't really related to Christ so much as the world has put into it, but I'm okay with that. People can do and believe as they wish. There could be a whole blog post....probably books and books about it but that isn't the point of today's post. Today is about how we perceive and participate in the holiday. I'm sure none are wrong, it's your right to celebrate how you want to.....or not. Let's just remember that the spirit of Christmas shouldn't be just this one day of the year....but everyday. Everyday the homeless need to be fed, everyday somewhere people would like to be cared for, pampered maybe, treated fairly.....how about hugged, loved, cherished and so forth? That's what I believe anyway.

The things I do on Christmas are traditions that were either started back when I was a kid or since my wife and I started our family. Most actually have been created with our kids. We have had a few recent additions since everyone has grown older and I'm sure we will continue to develop a few......and maybe a few will disappear, which is sad, but that is okay. Change is okay. That's what I believe anyway.

The biggest part surrounding Christmas is the gift giving to one another. It could possibly be brought back into the bible when the three wise men gave gifts to baby Jesus in the manger. Actually by the time they got there Jesus was in a house.....sorry I digress, but you get the idea. So we give gifts to each other. All good and fine. Again I don't think we are really out there thinking about Jesus when we are buying gifts. I don't. I'm thinking about my loved ones. That's what I choose anyway.

I wonder if the three wise men knew what they were starting when they traveled great distances and brought presents.....creating Black Friday sales, discounts galore or the massive amount of wrapping paper we go through on this festive morning? They might have been wise men but sometimes I think we are a bit foolish. If thought of the right way....it is all for fun and love. That's what I choose anyway.

So here comes the negative part. Yes I'm sorry there can be a negative part.....if you so choose. The world has placed us in a monetary game of forcing us to spend money in order to cherish this tradition. Spend money, slave over the stove, shop shop shop until you drop.....buy buy buy until you're in deep deep debt. Okay so they may not say that on the toy advertisements but you feel guilty if you don't buy little Johnny that extra special gift....even if you cannot afford it.
 

I have to go back all the way to when I was a kid and celebrated Christmas. I was seeking to find what I believed.....not what my family told me to believe. I saw a cartoon Christmas special call "The Little Drummer Boy." Do you remember that show? I don't think I've seen it for years.....wonder why? In the story the drummer boy didn't have anything to give to the newborn baby Jesus like the wise men but he wanted to share something.....he was poor. But he gave what he could afford.....it was a song. A PA RUM PUM PUM PUM, ON MY DRUM. That my friends is the meaning of Christmas and the best gift you can give. Not because it was on sale at Target.....but because it was a gift given from the heart.

It doesn't take money to make Christmas special. It takes love. 

We have made Christmas morning a great festive occasion with some outrageous traditions. Not because we had lots of money to spend....on the contrary..... We were poor. Lol. I made gifts for all of our family. Sketches of superheroes (of themselves..... Called the IONIC 6). I created custom artwork from photos for everyone. When I was a kid I made pot holders out of the clothe rubber band things, leather carving kits, paintings, and on and on. I didn't have money.....not as a kid....not as a young family starting out.....not as an entrepreneur beginning his business. But I did have a gift to give. I had a talent to share, so I did.

Ever since then I love the opportunity to give. Not just at Christmas, but anytime. To help someone or to pick up the check at a meal. I've picked up the tab of people I know and often do business with that we've run into at a restaurant...... Not because I have to....but because I like to. That is just me. I like to do those things. Not always were we able to. We had just enough to make ends meet. It's not the gift.....it's the thought of the gift. That .....I believe ..... is my blessing the Lord has given to me. Sharing.

So I give not to expect something in return. It isn't about material wealth. It is about something that maybe I can say is selfishness.....yes selfishness on my part.....I like to give.....that makes me happy, that brings me joy. I've always tried to make Christmas special for my kids and my family......to make it memorable.....different......unique....because I care. That's what I choose anyway.

So today I continue the same. I will continue to do the same traditions. I will continue to be silly and have fun and make this time of the year memororable. For as long as I can. I might spend right now....tomorrow I might only be able to give you a doodle......but I do it because I love to do it....not because I'm obligated. This brings me joy. One day I might be too old and shaky and my eye sight too poor to draw....Ill find some other way to share......and then ill be gone. Oh don't be sad...it will happen.....but everyone will remember that crazy bald Dad or Grand Dad or maybe even Great Grand Dad that was just crazy.....Crazy about sharing.

Just remember my friends.....PA RUM PUM PUM PUM.....ON MY DRUM.

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS 

Eugene Thompson

ET This I Believe

For Those About To Rock......

For those about to Rock......n Roll Marathon......we salute you!

Okay so I had a hard time coming up with a title. It was either this or Remember the Alamo.

So I will start off saying that I don't remember the Alamo......they told us we would run past it but I'm not so sure we did. If we did...I missed it. This race was great weather and perfect setting. I hoped to do a PR. I assumed it was flat.....I assumed wrong. Last six miles was a steady incline.

My wife and I arrived in San Antonio early Saturday afternoon and did our normal check in the hotel and walk over to the convention center for package pick up. I'm so glad my wife found a room downtown next to everything because that made it incredibly convenient. We could walk to everywhere.

It was the typical Rock n Rock expo as we strolled around to see if there was anything different. There was a new massage thing that looked great to work out your muscles. Expensive but then again aren't they always. My high hamstring has been bothering me for some time so I took advantage of buying it to see if it would help.....it felt great. I used it before and after the race.

Saturday evening we went down to Riverwalk area and had dinner. I ate the largest Texas Sized Ginormous Chicken Fried Steak on the planet. Not sure I recommend eating one of these before running 26.2 miles. But I did anyway.....and an apple crisp with ice cream for dessert. Again maybe that wasn't a great idea either. Early to bed and we were beat!

Let me quickly mention that I had posted my intent of hitting my goal of 12 marathons this weekend on the Miracle Morning Facebook Community page.....I received an outstanding number of responses and notes of encouragement. Over 700 likes.....that inspires me to make Run Eugene Run a successful endeavor even more.

I woke up early and ran through my miracle morning routine, yes even before a race. Got my self in order and headed to the start line. I once got really nervous about the start of a race and wanted to make sure I was there in far advance. Now I chill pretty easy. I sort of zone out.

And this is why I titled this post as ....We Salute You!:

However this time I talked to someone that was truly amazing. I didn't catch her name but she noticed my medical ID on my wrist and said, "I've got one of those too." I responded and asked what hers was for....."I have a tumor." ....whhoooo, what?! She started to explain and that she also had diabetes. Type 3. I had never heard of type 3 before and she explained that it was when a issue like a tumor causes the diabetes to kick in. That's crazy! Had your running today!

She was doing the half and was shooting for just a fun run of 2:10......that's pretty good for an old lady as she described herself and her running career. She had done several triathlons and four Ironmans. The last one when she was diagnosed improperly and had the tumor. She has ran more marathons than she could count.....ok.....I have officially met The Beast! I have nothing to complain about. This lady is now my hero.

So started off great in the race and was hitting my pace to break the 5:00:00 mark for the first 18 miles. And then there it was.....that dreaded wall. I just can't seem to push past it and my time dies off terribly. I plugged a way but couldn't keep up with the pacer. I finished and that was the best part. Got my medal and my giant Stairway to Seven Heavy Metal so I'm feeling good.

We talked to lots of people along the way after the race and at dinner. I wore the giant metal to attract attention. It did. It didn't take much to wrap up the evening after dinner and ice cream.....chatting with a young girl serving ice cream about her cross country running and her family doing a race together. Great conversations. This is why I do what I do.

Back to hotel to crash, I'm tired.

Up the next morning and we head out to breakfast and then the Alamo. Got to see the Alamo.....don't want to walk too far for shopping though. Feet aren't real friendly with me this morning. I need new running shoes.....hint hint to Saucony to be my ordinary guy sponsor.....lol. Well its worth a try.

Grab a plane and back home late......what a trip.....ready for life again.....oh wait....crazy work week....short work week.....another race in a few days.

Until next time my friends.....have a Fun Run!

Eugene Thompson

Run Eugene Run

Thanksgiving 2015

Pretty amazing and ridiculously crazy week around our household. 18 adults, three kids under 2.5 and a dog......the dog being the biggest help by cleaning up the floor once anything was accidentally dropped....lol. It was pretty great to have some much of our family together. Doesn't very often even with our immediate family these days.

I was going to post this immediately after thanksgiving but I drag on.....not being very prompt on my writing diligence. I'm sorry. Looking at this picture makes me happy. What a silly bunch we are. I love my family.

Happy moments involved Nanee and Pop playing with the little ones. They are a handful....but a true blessed handful. We had lots of fun.

I really don't think my kids want to be like their father that much......so hilarious when they walked in the house this way. No wonder they were late for dinner! Just wait boys....before too long that will be your only styling option.

Thanks to my family for being there to enjoy the day. We really needed our family around that day. What a blessing.

Enjoy the day my friends

Eugene Thompson

ET This I Believe

Richmond Marathon

So this marathon wasn't for me at all....even though it was claimed as the national diabetes day. This day was all my wife's. She had been training long and hard to accomplish her first marathon. I cant really say that I helps her much....other than the occasional example. It was all her....to complete her first marathon on behalf of a friend of ours who was going to cancer treatment. That is her story to tell so I won't ruin it. I'll let her tell you.

I'll,just add some pictures of the event and her pursuit of something that a very small percentage will ever accomplish. She had an amazing team from TEAM IN TRAINING to encourage her along the way.

I have always had an interest and a passion for health and nutrition. I wanted to be strong and healthy and not like my mother. In college,  aerobics was the craze, but as real life went on getting to a gym was not that simple. When we moved to VB in 1995  I had a friend from church  that I walked with in the evenings. That was great as long as it lasted. In 2002 I was introduced to running. I didn't really think I could run. I had never been particularly athletic and I had allergies that made me think it would be hard to breathe. However, I began 1 street at a time, run to the next street, walk to the next until I could complete an entire lap around the neighborhood, (.7 mile). And so it began. I ran my first 5K in November of 2002. From then on, it was an on again, off again affair. I would do well for awhile, then I would slack, gain weight, and repeat the cycle. I decided I really wanted to do a long race, maybe even a marathon someday. My first ½ marathon was in 2008 and then I stopped and went back to the on and off of running and the shorter races. Somewhere around 2011 I was running most of the J&A races up to the 10 miler most every year. 

At that point Eugene finally got serious about his health, dropped weight, and started running. Unfortunately, I had kind of gone the other way. However, when he started running marathons in 2014, I found being a spectator was no fun. We went back to Disney in 2015 and I ran the half again for the first time in 7 years. I was feeling good and ran 2 more halfs in April. 

Some time before this I found out a good friend had leukemia and I wanted to do something, so in April of 2015 I joined TNT and signed up for my first marathon in November, almost exactly 13 years after my first 5K. 

Unfortunately, training did not go as planned over the summer. I did run a few 10 milers and 2 more half marathons in October. I was out of time, I got in an 18 miler 3 weeks before the race. I was a little terrified. I was pretty used to pain, but I knew how much a half marathon hurt, a full has to be overwhelming. 

We went to the TNT dinner and got inspired, woke up at the crack of dawn as usual for races and I was heading to the start line ready to “run” my first marathon. With TNT, there were lots of coaches along the way and that was helpful but my true coach and best friend stayed beside me all the way. At first, I was feeling excited and adrenaline was pulling me along, but as the miles passed, so did my energy. When we got to mile 13.1, my body was thinking ok this is far enough, but I had to do the whole 13.1 again!  My walk breaks grew slower and slower. Eugene had to take my hand and pull me along, so I didn't slow down too much. I was getting pretty cranky. We were blessed to have 2 of the coaches with us through a good portion of the race which took my mind off of the miles, the time, and the pain. All I could do was keep going, quitting wasn't an option. There are so many people, children included,  fighting much worse fights with their health as  they try to stay alive and not quit. I could do this for a few hours. As we neared the last couple of miles we met more of the coaches. I was the last team member to finish, so all of the coaches were with me at the finish line. I was surrounded by a “ great cloud of witnesses”! I got to cross the line hand in hand with my wonderful husband who had stayed with me all 6 hours and 48 minutes! I almost I cried as I realized I could now say, “ I am a marathoner” . 

Completing that comes with many lessons that can’t be told at once.  There are so many lessons and analogies in the marathon that apply to life. Keep fighting the good fight and never give up! 

As always my friends....HAVE A FUN RUN.

Eugene Thompson

RUN Eugene RUN

PS: Watch for our new design logo coming soon!

PSS: We have committed to seeking non-profit 501c status.....it'll take some time!

PSSS: We will have tshirts and new products shortly!

PSSSS: Watch for the new goals for 2016 coming in January and how you can help!

Now I'm done!

Savannah Rock N Roll #10 - The " * "Race

What in the world are you talking about now Eugene? An asterisk race? Just wait....you'll see.

I can tell you that after running so many marathons I've got a system down. However that doesn't necessarily mean that I don't worry. Savannah is probably one of the closest races to our own climate, terrain and general feel of home. With that said I am really wanting to have a PR. With the races stacking up afterwards I not sure I'll have a better chance than here.

I've been told that the course is one of the best in scenery, support and friendliness. We have never really spent time in Savannah before so it would be great to spend a few days here and see the sites.....unfortunately I'm on a fast pace schedule. No time to Lolly-gag around.....we fly out Friday morning and will fly back Saturday right after the race......literally within a few hours afterwards. Bummer.

We did arrive early enough on Friday to see a few sites and visit downtown area. Found out how hard it was to find a parking place in the historic area off the river. That should have been a signal that we weren't going to be able to find a spot for the race......duh, it didn't. Parked all the way down at one end and then walked back along the river. Not really what I wanted to do the day before a race but I was fine.

We had a nice lunch and then enjoyed the sites around town. Looked like there was a lot to see in a very short period of time. Figures.....I packed these trips in too tight and we won't be able to enjoy like we hoped. My wife wanted to be back for church that Sunday so we intended on flying back right after the race.....I mean RIGHT AFTER. A few hours after. I should be fine.

We stopped at a brewhouse downtown and enjoyed a cold one. I really wanted to be careful because I wanted to push tomorrow for a best PR. It was fun.....maybe we can return some day.

Dinner was an adventure.....I was really tired and didn't want to go all the way back downtown and struggle with parking. I looked over the fence right next door to the hotel and saw a restaurant.....a bit of a ghetto looking venue. I asked my wife if she was adventurous. Note to self: probably not a great idea to eat at a questionable place before a marathon. Although the place was ghetto, the chef only having a few teeth, the waitress appearing like a vulture as we were the only customers, the dessert being a piece of cake left over from the wanna-be major campaign party the previous night and the owner (self named The Lady) wearing outrageous body covering spandex.....the food wasn't half bad!

The morning of the race I grab the hotel shuttle since we found out there wasn't going to be parking. My wife took Uber a few hours later since I was leaving early. One of the guys in our van was probably going to be in the top 25. Pretty cool. We get to the race and I settle into my normal routine of preparing. Preparing my mind and my physical being. I eat my breakfast and wait the wait. The weather was warm so I decided to wear my tank top.....a departure from my normal gear. It promised to be warm today. In the high 70's to start the race.

Race time begins and I chat with several people. Everything is feeling really good. For some reason I'm in corral 17...... Really? That se ms really far back. I wonder what I put on my entry form. For that matter I wonder how many people lied on their entry form. I realize this quickly as the race starts and I'm having to zig and zag around everyone. This really hurts my time. I really like the fact that people are encouraged to run a marathon.....don't get me wrong.....but if you plan on walking the race within the first five minutes you should not be in corral 12!

My pace is great. I'm feeling great. I'm feeling strong. It's hot! People are dropping by the wayside quickly. Temperature hits 84 degrees and water is a nessecity. However cups are in short supply! Really? We haven't even got to the half way point and you are running out?! People with garden hoses are out as we run through the neighborhood. We grab a swallow and soak out head......not like I'm not already soaked with sweat. I've never been so wet except when I ran in the rain. I find out layer the humidity was 99%!

I was pushing good despite the temperature. My pace was set at 4:50 finish time and I was only 2 minutes off of that time due to the quick bathroom breaks......I peed in the bushes! I wanted a PR and didn't want to waste time! BAM mile 14.5 or so the state police was turning runners around. The heat was too extreme and they were shortening the race. No! No! I tired running around the officer but no doing, he stopped me. Crap!

At this point with a PR in my grasp I was deflated. I slow my pace and relax. Chat with a few other runners and met a new friend from Atlanta. Mike and I enjoy the run back which adds up to maybe 18-20..,..I'm not really counting at this point. Sure I got a PR.....my official finish was 3:30.....NOT! Oh well I get to listen to rascal Flats the headline band and chill out waiting for my wife. She was set up at mile 20 to cheer me on......I never reached that mark due to the shortened route.

So I finished the race (what there was of it), got my finisher metal, got my heavy metal for number six Rock n Roll, my jacket (like I needed that today!) but marathon number 10 will go down in the record books with a big asterisk (*). Just like the record holders for the baseball cheats......I didn't really do 26.2.

Dinner downtown after a baby wipe bath and we head to the airport.....mark through this journey and note that we need to return to Savannah again some time to enjoy the city. Rock n roll set me a free sign up for another race due to the race being cut short. Two people had died during or shortly after the race and over 17 more taken to the hospital. Countless others suffered. I won't complain......I live to run another day!

Have a great day my friends. Have a Fun Run

Eugene Thompson

Run Eugene Run

#RUNEugeneRUN

#RER26.2

9-11

For the last few years.....honestly I cannot remember how long I've noticed this.....every time I look at the clock I have seen 9:11. It immediately recalls the tragedy on September 11, 2001. First let me begin by saying that I'm writing this with all due respect for those that lost their lives and sacrificed much during this horrific event. My writing this is not meant to detract or take lightly from those that have suffered. I mearly want to relate what I have experienced regarding......I'm going to call it phenomenon.

Why a phenomenon? What else can it be? It happened so many times and I wasn't sitting there waiting for it to happen. It just always occurred. Maybe my conscience was trying to tell me something? Actually that was what I was worried about. All I could think of was tragedy. Was something in my life about to happen that was devastating? Was something looming over my future? I had no clue but it was getting a bit eerie. My wife thought I was crazy. It was all in my head. Yeah! I know! It is in my head but it kept popping up!

So finally I began trying to take a picture of the various times that I saw 9-11 so my wife would believe me. It wasn't like I was prepared to take a snap shot as I wasn't looking for it. I missed many of them because it quickly flipped to 9:12 before I got the camera or phone out. It was on my phone, on my alarm clock beside the bed, on my phone at the office, on the tv, on the clock on the stove. Over and over. Of course I look at my phone often so it makes sense but I still thought it was weird. 

So this last week I finally came to what might have been the answer. After several years of worrying about an impending tragedy......it could be something entirely different. Like......a great day! Like something new and fresh! Like a crazy new adventure beginning.....maybe! Possibly! What would be the odds?

For months I had been working on the procurement of another architecture firm in Richmond VA. Little did l know how much time and effort it would take. Offers and counteroffers. Exceptions and inclusions. Agreements and exhibits. It was endless. Initially we had established the end of July would be our closing date. Great we were all set. Unfortunately that was not the case. More paperwork back and forth. Some things we couldn't complete until the other firm provided us with answers and information.

So we pushed on......until the end of August. I drew the line in the sand.....the last day of August......no more! After all my bank was pushing me to close as well......it couldn't go on forever. Or could it? 

All parties agreed to September 4th......however my attorney, who had done many of these, had his doubts. He said there was just too much paperwork to push through. We still needed some, information from their attorney, accountant, landlord.....on and on. Once we had it, we had to incorporate into our agreements......and then the bank had to do its underwriting. Oh this was crazy!

So we set the fall back date in case the 4th didn't work.......yep, you guessed it.....Septemebr 11th 2015......9/11......no way! I asked the banker and attorney are you sure you want me to close on that day? However I really began to think.....what if this is what I have been waiting for? What if this was the reason for all these signs appearing? 

Who knows! But that was the day. I looked at it as a great opportunity....a great day.....a great adventure on a day that most remember the tragedy. I now will always approach 9/11 as a pretty awesome event in my personal and professional career. Of course I'll remember the sacrifice others gave first, but then after that, I can smile with recognition that this day was rememberable for all the perfect reasons.

Crazy I know! Now let's see if I still see the 9:11 on the clock all the time.

Have a great day my fellows TIBs. Remember your loved ones and hug them daily. Remember your blessings and be thankful for them daily. Remember what others have given so that you can receive a reward.

 

Eugene Thompson

ET This I Believe

Mr. Incredible and Elasta Girl

I've always wanted to be a superhero. At least in someone's life. I love my wife for being so willing to be silly with me. We haven't done Halloween much at all mostly because we try to avoid the blood and gore. So silly it is. It probably fits me well.

These days I feel a little like Mr. Incredible. Everything is exactly that in my life right now.....INCREDIBLE! I feel more confident in everything I do and every challenge in front of me. Stronger than ever before in my life. And my wife? Well she has been pretty 'ELASTIC' for me allowing me to take on all these new challenges. That makes her pretty incredible too.

I'm wondering what ever took me so long to embrace this ability? It feels like a new super power that I just found. That I just realized I had. Where did it come from? Why me? Sure, I'm being silly right now but truthfully feel so blessed. Life is fun....and therefore I'm going to enjoy it. Each and every day!

Have fun my friends. Enjoy your day and be sure to share it with the one you love!

ET This I Believe 

Eugene Thompson

Run Eugene Run

Rock n Roll Denver - The Character Building Marathon

Well shall we just say that the morning started off beautiful....and then it went downhill from there. And I don't mean like terrain downhill. It was a struggle the entire run for me. I won't call it a failure, just a character building race.

The first 8 miles was fine. They dropped us off (shuttled) to what seemed like forever outside of town. On the bus I met Alan who was from California visiting family. Apparently he did well. I didn't see him the entire race. We had also met a couple at the previous afternoon movies. They were local runners. We had a nice chat. 

Back to the race, as they pulled the bus up to Adams County Park, the sun was just peaking over the skyline. I thought that was incredible. And then it peaked up a little more with an amazing orange reflection in the water beneath. And then once again as it rose a little higher it seemed as if the sky just burst into and explosion. Truly amazing. If anything about running these races I get to see some amazing sites. This was the best. 

And then I started running. 

The trail was along the river. Apparently the city wasn't in too much agreement to shut down the streets. So river trail path it was. Not a lot of spectators. Not a lot of shade. However there was a lot of sun at that altitude. I think the altitude hit me harder than expected. That and the 26.2 miles. I didn't give enough respect to either. Marathon number 9 or not I was feeling the pain. 

After mike 8 my hamstring began giving me issues. It became achy although it didn't hinder me much. I tried eating early on in this race so I could begin my fueling early. Whether it helped or not is still unknown. All the other effects hit hard on this race day. I saw my time slip away into one of my worst times ever. I had no control. 

My mind isn't staying focused at all. I have doubt, I have feelings of wanting to quit. Why am I doing this anyway? What is the purpose? What does it matter? I fight my fight of mental fatigue. This is crazy. Way too early to be feeling this way. What went wrong?

At mile 17 I had my blood sugar tested and was at 123. Not bad considering. Back to running. 

Mile 18.

Mile 19. 

Mile 20. Yeah. Dang I'm sucking. I know right now that there is no way I'm going to finish under 6 hours. Not at this pace. I post a Facebook picture. I suck!

Well that's how I feel. I don't feel like I gave it my best. Regardless I press on passing other turtles. This isn't really motivating either. They are hurting too. Mile 21 is a medical tent. A couple of guys lying down on cots. I so want to join them. "Hey dudes! How's it going?"  I don't. I push on. Define push. It's more of a shuffle. This feels like my first run or something. 

People are falling out right and left. Throwing up along the side. Great! That's helping my stomach so much. The heat is extreme at this altitude. 72 doesn't seem hot. But hang out in it for 6 hours running and then tell me that. 

Mile 22. 

Mile 23. Met a girl from Portland doing her first marathon. We both shuffle along together for a few. 

Mile 24. Just two more. I see people I've seen along the way where I pass them, they pass me and then we do it all over again. Several times. After the race one lady came up to me (we never spoke on the course) she wanted to thank me for helping her push on. Passing back and forth helped her. Go figure. Sucking today actually helped someone else. 

Mile 25. We enter city pavement with buildings. Dang it. I have to run across intersections. The police are holding up traffic for me. I can't walk through them. They encourage me giving me a countdown. I need that. 

Mile 26 and around the corner I come. .2 Point FREAKIN TWO as my shirt says. I got a lot of compliments on my shirt during this run. Chatted with many even if it was only a few words. My shirt was caked in salt. My stomach turning upside down. My hamstring now starting to tighten up. I run. I run for those last point 2 freakin miles.
 

The finish line isn't a glorious crossing other than a grand relief. I'm finished. I'm done. I won. If you want to call it that. I still suck. But hey, that's just me. Really tired. Don't want to look at my time. I know. 

Blood sugar tested once more. 69. Better get something. This one took a lot out of me. Not really hungry. Too tired to eat. I get my finisher jacket. And then I get my Heavy Metal #5 for completing five Rock n Roll races. Dang they are heavy on my neck. 

Call Uber. Go home. I stink. No really! I stink really bad. Foul smelling. Poor Uber driver. Oh well. 

Another race completed. Another finish. Another medal, race bib and tshirt. I'm ready for home. 3:15 comes early tomorrow morning to catch the flight home. 

Thanks to all of those racers that chatted. New friends. Thanks to the volunteers. The supporters. Thanks to the emergency crews watching over us. But thank you Lord for walking me through this. In a week I will forget the pain. But I'll never forget that sunrise. Never. 

Run Eugene Run

Eugene Thompson

Don't Quit. You're already in pain. You're already hurt. Get a reward from it. 

Have a Fun Run. 

Wineglass Marathon - #8

Here we go! Beginning the second half of my 2015 challenge. If you haven't been following me and don't know my crazy goals this year well here it is. Last year first time running a marathon and I did a total of 6. After knowing exactly what this old man could accomplish.....I raised the bar. I decided to push for a total of 12-14 marathons in order to raise funds and bring awareness about DIABETES. Yes I have it and many of my family members have it too. My parents had suffered from it too.

So here I am in Corning NY getting ready for yet another one. I feel like a pro at these now. Not really. I know what I am doing but there is never a marathon that when I finish I say I feel GREAT! It just doesn't happen. It is a huge physical challenge and certainly drains one of every last bit of strength. 

My wife and I left Virginia Beach in the downpour of the impending Hurricane Joaquin and drove 8+ hours up here. Heavy rains the better part of the drive but a great time talking the entire trip without the radio on one time. I thought that was impressive.....for me. We both are always running at full speed......not actually....just life....that times like these are perfect to take advantage of......so we did!

We arrived at Corning, checked into the hotel.....fantastic place to hang out the next few days and they were very pet friendly. Once we got all of our stuff, we went for a quick bit to eat at The Gaffer. I got my early carb load....something I don't often do. It was nice and peaceful.

The next morning we got up and walked to the 5K starting point. I decided to push a little since I hadn't run much this last month. I worried the marathon would be harder than I hoped. It was rainy and blah but we both enjoyed the run and meeting new people. That is the best part. I did a quick spent to the finish line and finished 141 out of 800, not bad for really not pushing it. We went back, cleaned up and then headed out to another place called the Foot + Head. Great lunch. Grocery store stop and then hung out at the hotel the rest of the evening to prepare and rest for the evening.

Race morning always comes early but we were up and prepared. My wife running the half and I the full made us part ways early to grab the separate buses to the respective starting lines. She meet some new friends from the HAMPTON roads area that were also crazy runners. It's good to find like company.

Well just as I expected, I felt really good the first 13....that is about all I've maxed on the last few months. After that it was all uphill......okay actually it was downhill but it felt like I was running uphill. No wind, no push. I just did what I could do. I always have these crazy ideas that I'll get a marathon time of under five hours but I just don't have it in me yet. I suppose I should train better.....train with more focus on one race rather than a ton of them.

Regardless I plugged along, made a new friend Alisha as we ran together the last four miles pushing each other. Her first marathon. Good for her! Not much left for a huge sprint at the end but I did it. Marathon number 8 is in the record books as completed. 

We went back downtown after cleaning up to grab a bite to eat and went to a nice local hangout called 54. A few other racers, one who finished first in his age class were all hanging out. They were a bunch of great guys. Certainly much faster than us...lol. Most people are! Regardless a fun time chatting.

On to the next one in two weeks as we recover from this race and set our mind for the higher altitude of Denver. It will be my fifth Rock N Roll sponsored run this year. I'm looking forward to an easier time of it......who am I kidding?

Have a fun run my friends! See you at the next finish line!

Eugene Thompson

ET This I Believe

Run Eugene Run

Sponsoring the Ordinary

Nike sponsoring the ordinary guy instead of always the super athletes. Wouldn't that be amazing! We see all these commercials with superstar athletes being paid multimillion dollars to promote various products. I understand the principle behind it, they are in the spotlight because of their profession and talents.....so it makes good common sense.

However.....honestly I won't ever be able to play basketball like Michael Jordan even if I wear his shoes. I also won't sweat orange after drinking Gatorade (or at least I hope not) after completing a marathon like the various other athletes. I realize that. And, though impressive for there accomplishments, I'm not a kid anymore that falls for the sales gimmick. Reminds me of the Saturday morning television where they used to sell all the toys. Or the cereal......be like Mikey! So what did Mikey ever do?

I would be encouraged to see the average everyday Joe.....like me.....I'm not Joe....I'm EUGENE....get a sponsorship to promote their products. To be able to share with the typical consumer how these products have helped me be better, be faster, be stronger, recover quicker.....whatever it is! I could get behind an advertising campaign like that. Because now I see a comparison.

Nike or Saucony wouldn't have to pay me a million dollars.....but a few pair of shoes a year would be cool. I could show how worn out mine are from all the running.

Or how about how tasty the yogurt is before a long run.....doesn't have to be a marathon. I eat yogurt every morning in my daily routine. Again not a huge payout.....maybe just a couple dozen cups every month to keep me stocked up.

You know those Powerbars they give after a race? Now that would be awesome. I eat one after every long run to help bring my blood sugar back in line and re-energize my worn out body.

Oh I know....how about my favorite running shirts...Brooks? I only wear those for my long races and I need me some new ones.....ones with my name and mission printed on it......now that would be extremely cool. Races shirts for the ordinary guy.....trying to be extra-ordinary!

Yeah, that would be great. For me it wouldn't be about the money. It would be truly because I use the product.....because it helps. If it works for me......the average EUGENE.....why wouldn't I want to share my results? Hey, a guy can dream can't he? Anything is possible!

Dream my friends.....and keep running.

See you out on the road.....Have a Fun Run!

Eugene Thompson

Run Eugene Run

Working on a new website....check back soon.....please share with others as I work at helping others fight diabetes.