Sabbatical #9 - Long Drives, Triathlons and Bears, oh my!

Thanks for reading this and joining my family and I on this Sabbatical journey! It is a fun adventure.  As I sit in a hotel room in Akron, Ohio, it's time to catch you up to date.

When I first was dreaming of what a Sabbatical would look like, one of my first ideas was for me to attend a week-long Triathlon Training Camp. As I began exploring options that would fit into my time-frame, a camp and coach jumped out at me from New York State. Coach Mark Wilson has been coaching for over 20 years and use to be a coordinator of event for HITS Triathlon. He has since started coaching on his own and runs the Hudson Valley Triathlon Club. I called him and talked to him on the late fall of 2016 to find out about his style. He was very familiar with both Total Immersion Swimming (he had been an instructor of the method for many years but now teaches POSE swimming) but also was an instructor in POSE running. I have studied both and wanted to be instructed directly in each. Mark also owns a bed and breakfast, (Coldbrook BNB) and offered for me to stay with him as part of the camp experience. Check out the link to the website if for pictures, or if you want to spend some time in the Woodstock area. IT'S BEAUTIFUL! I sent in a deposit right away!

Fast forward 8 months and I called Mark the week before Camp to see how things were coming together. It turns out that I was the only person registered. He asked if I minded, I said "NO! I'd love it!" So...I packed up to head to Bearsville, NY for a week of personalized Triathlon instruction. I left on a Saturday evening and made it to Columbus, Ohio for a hotel stay on the road. I got up early and drove the next 9 hours to Bearsville, NY and met Mark and his fiance' Tonia at his house. It was really cool! It's in the woods, backing up to Wilson State Park. We saw a bear in their yard! We headed out to dinner at The Bear Cafe in Bearsville, right on the border of Woodstock. The dinner was great and the company was outstanding. We talked about what would happen for the week at camp. It would begin with a swim at the local YMCA.

 I had a great week. We road almost 100 miles over 4 days, with an amazing climb to a Tibetan Monastery just above Woodstock. I am most excited about the work we did on my running style and speed. Mark gave me a lot of confidence that I can run faster and survive, physically and cardio-wise. He was very complimentary of the bicycling work that I had been doing. (Thanks Cycle Studio, CycleBar, Monon Center LoKe Bikes, and the CLC Life Team!) We had some very good and fast rides together with some amazing scenery. Mark gave me a training plan to prepare me for the 140.6-mile Ironman Louisville Triathlon event that I hope to complete in October this fall.

I spent an evening walking around Woodstock and had dinner on Wednesday at the Landau Grill. (A Sammich - as was listed on the menu). There were plenty of interesting sites, people, signs, and wildlife. One highlight was spending some time in a soup kitchen at  Christ's Lutheran Church in Woodstock. It was a great opportunity to talk to some locals. I picked up a Woodstock bumper sticker to add to our car-topper cargo-carrier. I thought about a tie-dye shirt, but passed. I have a few already.

After a great week of specialized training, I packed up my stuff, strapped my 2 bikes on the back of my MDX, and started back toward Indiana this morning. I currently am staying the night in Akron, OH before finishing my drive tomorrow morning. I miss Beth and the kids. It's been a great week, and I'm ready to be home. Until next time...

Sabbatical #8

While I'm in Woodstock NY (actually Bearsville, NY which is adjacent to Woodstock) for Training Camp, I have some extra "down" time in the evenings. Hence: back to back Blog posts...

My next Sabbatical adventure was a trip to St. Louis to do some exploring. I wanted to talk to some more people in our church about Health and Wellness. I decided to contact some professors at the seminary to see if they had time to talk. I also contacted our regional representative for "Vitality" which is the Concordia Plan for church workers to encourage healthy living. I was able to meet with 2 professors for a while, (Dr Gibbs and Dr Arand) one of them in the faculty lounge. That was a pretty cool hour in the lounge at the seminary. I then had dinner with a 3rd person from seminary, Travis Scholl who is the author of one of the books I'm reading. We talked about the Sabbatical, and about Camp Arcadia this summer where we will be working together for a week. His topic is related to "Epiphanies" in everyday life. I told him that this was exactly what I was getting out of his book.

The next day I met with Steve Gruenwald from Concordia Plan Services and "Vitality". We took a trip to Christ Church Memorial in St. Louis to look at their Health Center. The church converted an old Target building into their church building about 10 years ago. As part of the renovation, they dedicated a large space to be a workout facility. They offer free gym usage throughout the week, with classes as well as free rehabilitation services. It is a large endeavor in which they receive some outside funding to make happen.

Steve and I talked for a while about ways that the Lutheran Church could bring together some of the many groups that are doing Health and Wellness ministry. We also discussed the changes to the Concordia Plans rewards program for workers. He recognized that it is more difficult to get rewards (workers can get gift cards for various wellness activities), but he believes that the website is much more informational and that the focus of the program is trying to get people in better health. For some, me included, the goal was about rewards.

After 1 night in St Louis and some great discussions, I headed back home. The Sabbatical has been a great time of evaluating many areas of my life, including home life. The rewards have been great thus far as Beth and I have learned some things about ourselves that have helped us grow together even closer. Getting out of the routine of life has brought some things into focus that can easily be missed.

My next race (4th overall) was on Saturday last week, an Olympic distance triathlon in Muncie. It was COLD that morning. I spent most of the pre-race meeting and prep in the Men's bath house, trying to stay warm. Even with a full wetsuit on, it was chilly. The first race of the day was the Sprint Triathlon before they let those of us doing the Olympic triathlon start. During the swim portion they had to pull 7 people from the water due to cold and choppy water. They decided to cut the Olympic swim in half, we swam about 800 meters instead. Once I got in the water, I was very glad it was no longer. I felt pretty good after the swim, although I did not feel my feet until half-way through the run, and this was after over an hour on the bike. I got my best Olympic-distance time, but placed further down in age group for this race. It was a large field and my age group is very competitive.

I headed home for the evening. We went out together as a family to church at Northview, a large church in our town for their Saturday service. We then went to dinner at Chic-fil-a before I headed out of town that evening to head to my Triathlon Camp in Woodstock NY. More about that in my next BLOG. Until then...

Sabbatical #7

I thought I'd give you an update on the Sabbatical so far...

When I last left you, I was headed to Camp Lutherhaven near Ft. Wayne for a few days. The retreat was great. I spent 2 nights in "solitary" if you will. I read my 4 books, and took a few walks as well as a couple of runs. I spent some time on the trainer with my bike. I had the opportunity to go to lunch with Brenda Jank who operates an organization called Run Hard. Rest Well.  Her husband Tim Jank is the Executive Director of Camp Lutherhaven. It was great to spend time with her and find out about what she is doing in the area of Health and Wellness in our church. She asked if I would be interested in being a contributor to the website. If I have something to say, I might. She recommended 2 books that I purchased since then, one on Spiritual Disciplines, and one on the Enneagram personality type indicator. I look forward to diving into both of those soon.

My favorite part of my time at Camp was a walk that I took to explore the property. I wasn't sure what to think about, so I started to pray the Lord's Prayer. I must have said it 20 times on my walk, slowly reflecting on each phrase. Each time I said it, I had different thoughts. It was meaningful. When I returned to my room, I started reading "Walking the Labyrinth" again. The author Travis Scholl then started using the Lord's Prayer in the book as an outline for his prayer meditation. Perhaps my reading of his book took me to the same place in my spiritual journey that God was taking Travis, and we ended up at the same place at the same time. I was taken back a bit by that experience, thankful for the chance to have such an event occur in my life.

After 3 days/ 2 nights at the camp I traveled south to Muncie for the night to race on Saturday at the Indiana Spring Sprint Triathlon at Ball State. I checked in at the race the night before and hung out with the race organizers (American Multi-Sport) for a bit and talked about the Sabbatical. They are both brothers in Christ and I appreciate their vision of athletics and competition. I raced in the rain on Saturday. It was not the best of race conditions, and my bike did not want to stop at the corners. I took the ride very slow, especially at the turns. Despite my caution, I was able to place first in my age group. I then traveled home.

Next installment coming soon. I'll catch you up on my trip to St. Louis, my 4th race, and my trip to Woodstock NY! (That's where I am now)

Sabbatical #6 - It has begun

Day #5 of being on Sabbatical. I have finished 2 races, no injuries, good finishes. I'm pleased and looking forward to more races. I have begun reading 4 books: "Sabbath" by Wayne Muller, "Walking the Labyrinth" by Travis Scholl, "Eat This Book" by Eugene Peterson, and the Bible by the Holy Spirit.

I was given "Sabbath" by Pastor Don Hasse before he passed, it was given to the entire staff at CLC at the time. In the introduction it talks about how those who have gone through near-death experiences often come out on the other side with a new appreciation for life. They take more time to "be in the moment" with others, to rest and be refreshed, and to live intentionally. I find that I sometimes live from event-to-event and miss day-to-day life. This book is great for me right now.

"Walking the Labyrinth" was given to me last year by the author whom I worked with at Camp Arcadia for a week. He and I will also be working together during the second week of family camp this year. I am very much looking forward to spending the week with him. He challenges me to grow deeper in my devotion-life. He makes me aware that God is in our every moment.

"Eat This Book" was a part of my seminary training, and I skimmed it, mostly looking for enough information to pass a class. I set it aside years ago for a time such as this. It opens the door to reading scripture with new eyes, or mouth as it were. The idea is that the bible is more than information or knowledge to be gained, but it is meant to dwell in us and shape us. Its intent is to reveal God's work and his kingdom. It shows us something that no other book can, God himself.

In light of the above, I am reading through scripture that it might simply dwell in me and guide me. I am also reading the bible with an eye toward stewardship. I am seeking to grow and be moved in how we are directed to be stewards of all that God has given us. This of course includes our body.

I ran 8 miles today on the Monon Trail. It is a beautiful day. My Garmin says I need 36 hours of recovery after racing Sunday, spin class yesterday, and running today. I think I will take its advice. I am headed to Camp Lutherhaven for 2 nights starting tomorrow. I can't wait. From there I will spend Friday night in Muncie before the Indiana Sprint Tri on Saturday at Ball State. The race director said that I could invite anyone to join me with a 10% discount code of PASTORMAXTEN. How cool is that?

I'll catch up with you after the race...

Sabbatical #5 - T minus 1

It is my final day before the Sabbatical begins. I have a box full of books to take from the office with me, song sheets for Camp Arcadia, travel itineraries, race registrations, and my guitar. I am very excited, and just a bit anxious. Is it weird to feel pressure about going on Sabbatical? Everyone is very encouraging. The expectations are very high it seems. My prayer is that God uses it for His purpose. I have plans to rest, spend time with family, train, race, travel, and read. We will see what plans God has for it.

The staff at Carmel Lutheran had a nice send-off for me yesterday. I was given many aids for speeding up my triathlon times: arm-floaties for the swim, Energy drinks to so sustain me, training wheels for my Tri-Bike (when I'm wobbly coming off of the swim), cushioned insoles for my running shoes, some extra wide platforms (paper plates) to attach to my shoes for running stability in the long runs, and finally baby powder, to prevent chaffing. I should be set!

I was able to run in the Carmel Half-Marathon this past Saturday. I met my 2 goals:
      1) Don't get hurt
      2) Finish under 2 hours
It was fun to see so many CLC disciples out there, and to run about half of it with Pastor Scott.
Race #1 of 12 is done. Next on the list is the Carmel Sprint Triathlon this Sunday.

Sabbatical #4

Just over a week until the Sabbatical starts. I'm collecting books that I want to read. I've been training for a half-marathon (Carmel Marathon) that will be this coming Saturday morning. Unfortunately, my hamstrings have been bugging me, so I have not been able to do as much prep as I'd like. My goal for the half-marathon this week is to finish without hurting myself. I have to keep telling myself that my time is not important. (That is very hard for me to do).

Sabbatical #3

So getting ready for Sabbatical is a bit stressful. You know how frantic it is to get ready for vacation for a week or more. Well, I feel like I'm getting ready for a 14 week vacation. But trust me, there are no complaints! I feel blessed beyond words for this opportunity. Here is a run-down on the Sabbatical that I shared at Cornerstone Lutheran this past weekend...

Begins April 22    Ends August 7

108 Total Days
52 travel days
10 Triathlons (1 Half-Ironman 70.3 distance in KONA, 3 Olympic Distance, 6 Sprint Distance)
2 Run-Races
Trips to London, Hawaii, Florida, Woodstock NY
2 Personal Spiritual Retreats
1 Week long Triathlon Training Camp

Goals:
-       explore relationship between spiritual and physical discipline
-       Read through the bible and journal stewardship references
-       Enjoy time with family
-       Train and Race