NATHAN HAS A NICKNAME AND PROGRESS REPORT

Nathan will write later on the last few weeks of Sundays with Jarvis. While I have not been at all happy with my performance, the important thing is that I have finished the walk each week and have never taken longer than I did when we started this great adventure. Baby steps, remember?! My swimming and biking continue to get stronger. I am swimming between a half a mile and a mile several times a week. I am biking a great deal as well. Last Saturday morning I biked 11 miles outside in this very mild Houston heat before I crashed my bike. I let ego make me sloppy and hit a curb. That could explain the poor walk performance last week and again this week but everyone tells me that wrecking is expected. Jim has wisely advised me that I should not, however, make it a regular part of my training. He is SO wise. I am LOVING my training and workouts and am feeling stronger every day.

And now for this week’s great news. Nathan finally has a nickname. We have Iron Man Jim and Trisha, the Pie Lady. We have the Super Jocks and Trace’s Angels (who you will meet later.) Nathan’s new nickname is “THE HANDLER.” You can call him the White Chocolate Smoothie Handler if you like. Now I know that that name conjures images of an animal trainer and I expect many jokes and jabs at my expense that I now have trainers and handlers. In the legal parlance we call this “taking the wind out of the opponent’s sails” so I will allow time for you to make all of the appropriate or inappropriate jokes and references now. (Insert all jokes here along with a great deal of laughter. Trace pretends to be offended and hurt by them.)

Are we finished? Now the story. Nathan talked to the gentleman who will likely be running the CB&I triathlon next year because he wants to do the whole race with me, even though we would start at different times given the difference in our age. He was told that if he was my “handler”, then we would be able to start at the same time. So there you have it. Nathan will do the entire race with me. I only hope that he can keep up with me. I’d hate for him to slow me down.

With his new designation as handler, Nathan has demanded several perks. He wants to do the race in sunglasses. He wants a Secret Service Earpiece. He wants a black tshirt with the word HANDLER in big white block letters across the front. He will do the whole race talking into his earpiece and looking from side to side suspiciously.

As you can tell, I am having a BLAST with this. Life is good!

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

Trace

THE IMPORTANCE OF REST

A wise man (Iron Man Jim) once again reminded me today of something that he, Nathan, Trisha, Michelle, Eric, Lauren and a host of others have been trying to beat into my brain for some time now. That is that we MUST take time to rest and to allow our bodies to recover. Jim used a word in quoting an article that got my attention. Lawyers either love or hate the word. EGO. Jim told me: “Don't let ego ruin a rest day. Discipline is also about keeping the tiger under the hood on your easy days.” I am learning that I MUST take time to recover. Last Sunday was all about ignoring my body’s pleas for rest. I took it easy Sunday afternoon and Monday and was better than ever Tuesday. So we have learned two things this week. Rest is a part of any workout regime and to do what I have done. That is to surround yourself with people that are WAY smarter than you!!!!!

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

Trace

WHEN AN UGLY REMINDER IS A VERY GOOD THING

Nathan will fill you in on the details next week of Sundays with Jarvis but I wanted to share an important lesson with you that I learned this morning. You are probably smarter than me, so this would have come to you very quickly but lawyers as a general rule are very dense so it takes us so much longer to figure things out.

When I got up this morning at 5 am to go walk with Nathan, I immediately fell twice. I am talking MS fall. The kind that I have not had since April. It's basically where Jarvis and his brother both say “It’s too early. I quit and am going back to bed.” The voice from the little girl in Poltergeist rang through my head saying “It’s baaaaack.” In the past, I would have freaked out and called Lynn and told her that I was not doing well and that I needed to start my IV steroids as soon as possible. I probably would have thrown myself a HUGE pity party and spent most of the day in bed. After all – I have MS. But Nathan would be waiting for me and I would not fail him. So I went walking.

I did not tell Nathan about my falls. He also did not mention to me the fact that the second I started, he knew that something was seriously wrong. The important thing is that I finished the walk. I did not blow my time from last week out of the water. I took more frequent and longer breaks and it was obvious that I was struggling. I did not, however, take longer than I did when we started this adventure. To me that was HUGE. AND I FINISHED. Nathan attributed that fact that I was able to finish to Trisha and the core work she is doing. I agree.

The key is what I always say here. KEEP TRYING AND DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED when you have a bad day. It happens. JUST DON’T QUIT. Maybe don’t push yourself as hard that day and know that you will try again tomorrow. Remember that courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying “I will try again tomorrow.”

I rode 13 miles on my bike outside yesterday, swam a good bit and walked this morning. I have trained all week. So bad days like this are to be expected but will not beat me. Too many people are counting on me! That keeps me going. The folks around me see to that by encouraging me on good days and on bad.

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

Trace

THE POWER OF THE POSITIVE AND PROGRESS REPORT

It is amazing to me how negativity drags us down. Even the slightest bit of it can affect us deeply and permanently. And it is so hard to shake negativity off. We are always going to have challenges and obstacles in our lives but I have finally discovered that if I learn from them and do not dwell on them, they are less likely to be an oppressive burden. Live for today, do not regret yesterday and do not obsess about tomorrow. Concentrate on being the best you today. The rest will take care of itself. It is the overwhelming positivity in my life that is allowing me to do the things that I am doing. That starts with the people I am around.

Now to highlight the dramatic effect the positive environment around me has created, let me share with you some of my latest workout results. I am now training at least two hours a day. I work about an hour in the morning and then an hour in the evening. I mix up the type of workout I am doing. Michelle has a schedule for me which includes my time with Trisha and Nathan. I am trying on the weekends to combine my workouts more closely together in time so that I can get ready to do the three events in the triathlon without a break. I was thrilled this weekend when I rode my bike outside 14 miles then swam about a half mile. Sunday, I cut 3 more minutes off of my walk time with Nathan then swam 1600 yards (.9 miles) in 52 minutes. I then worked with a friend on swimming afterwards, so I swam well over a mile that day.

I cannot breathe without someone encouraging me or giving me an ata-boy. This incredible positive environment around me is making me do amazing things. I hope that you all can create this environment in your lives.

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

Trace

Sundays with Jarvis Update

I think I should just let Trace's results speak:

2.0 mile portion of the CB&I Triathlon run course

Date Time
7/18/2010 1:20 minutes
7/25/2010 1:07 minutes
8/1/2010 57 minutes
8/8/2010 53 minutes 48 seconds

Folks, this improvement over 4 weeks is nothing short of awesome.
The great thing about this morning, other than that Trace set a new personal record, is that we took only one break. There are two interrelated components that still need to be tweaked for Trace to attack this triathlon: mitigate the impact of the heat and the timing and duration of his rests periods to minimize Jarvis's impact. I think we got the rest period nearly right today, one long 7.5 minute break at the 1.0 mile mark. Even with this long break, Trace still demolished his previous best time. His performance was awesome to say the least but particularly in light of how he looked when he rolled out of his car at 5:45, TIRED. Fitness wise, Trace is a machine, we just have to get these logistical issues worked out.

Sundays with Jarvis is going to be a bi-weekly report from now on for a couple of reasons. First, for those of you that know him well, Trace can tend to put too much emphasis on a single performance and I think context is important. Second, with the logistical issues working the way they are, I think Trace will be getting into a groove of more consistent times and less dramatic improvement.

Great Job Trace, AKA White Chocolate Smoothie and Hemp Seed Speedo Man (for those of you who do not know or belong to Villa, Trace is dawning Speedos these days)

Talk to you in a couple of weeks.

Nathan

AGAIN -- I AM SO PROUD

I am proud of every person on this journey. This is why. I just received this email from a dear friend of mine and want to share it with you all:

Good morning Trace,

I wanted to share with you that I love reading all the emails/blog updates. It is encouraging for me as well as others. However, it was even more special this morning when I read it out loud to my mother who is really struggling right now with her MS.. As you know, I am in Colorado with her and the timing was perfect for me to open your email and share your enthusiasm and amazing story with her. I try so hard to educate her on the importance of exercise not only for physical health but for mental health. She was so happy for your success and prays for continued success in your personal goals.

I have been trying for YEARS to encourage my mother to participate in some form of exercise program. I have fought with her, joined with her, ignored it for awhile, and even tried the "for me" card. She is an amazing mother and a fighter. For years she has tried not to let this disease get the best of her. She tried to keep her lifestyle as it was prior to her diagnosis. However, her "Jarvis" is not cooperating at all anymore so changes are demanded now and she is discouraged. It breaks my heart to see this decline and I want to take her away and mother her......she won't have it. However, she said she wants to follow your stories because they inspire her. As a matter of fact, after reading your blogs this morning, she went to her closet and grabbed an old pair of shoes (with a slight wedge) and put them on. She instantly felt better because she was able to walk without her tennis shoes and brace on for a full morning. She knows she has to be cautious but she states "boy did it feel good to have a regular shoe on!"

Just wanted you to know that I am proud of you and THANK YOU for the email/blog updates. They are reaching out to my mom as well as many others and encouraging them to believe they can do more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lynn


ANY QUESTIONS CLASS?! WE CAN AND ARE GIVING PEOPLE HOPE AND ENCOURAGEMENT! I COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. LET'S KEEP IT UP!!!!!!!!

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

Trace

A GOOD KIND OF PRIDE

There is pride that is bad and pride that is good. Let’s talk about the good pride. Jim’s daughter, Alyssa, came to the pool yesterday to coach me and give me some swim drills to work on. Here is a beautiful 17 year old (she must take after her Mom thank goodness) who got up before dawn and gave up her sleep and time to help me. Besides the obvious thought that her folks must be very proud of her, she is obviously very proud of them. Eric, a friend from high school that I have not seen or talked to in almost 30 years, sent me an email telling me that when he thinks of quitting training in 100 plus degree heat for his next uber-athletic event, he pushes himself because he knows that I am training for the CB&I next year. I am very proud of him. After Alyssa put me through my paces yesterday, Jim and I talked and a little more of this amazing mystery became clear. We are all PROUD of each other for so many different reasons and on so many different levels. This is not about competition. I am not (YET) competing with the Jim, Nathan, Trisha, Michelle or Erics of the world. I work hard and show up at the gym because I want the people supporting me to be PROUD of me and my efforts. Jim has told me that he shows up at the gym when he would rather sleep because he knows that I am there. Perhaps he wants me to be proud to have him as a mentor. I work hard on my Sunday morning walks with Nathan because I want him to be proud of me and to feel like his time is well spent. Whether I am proud to know and be associated with Jim, Nathan, Trisha, Michelle, Eric, Alyssa or any of the now over 50 people on Team Inspiration or whether they are proud of me, it is that pride that is motivating us to do things that we did not think possible. Whether athletically, helping other people in ways we have not been previously comfortable with or providing support in whatever way we can, the energy we are creating is bigger than any of us will ever understand. I am so PROUD of everyone on this journey with me and I want to work hard to make them each proud of me.

This started with a very few people and has grown to enormous proportions. For those of you with a challenge, you can create this kind of pride as well. Again, we go back to baby steps. Surprise yourself. Make someone proud of you. See how it builds.

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

Trace

PROGRESS REPORT

Nathan will write about Sundays with Jarvis later. I realize that I talk a lot about various things here but I wanted to give you an overall status report. PLEASE keep in mind that when I started this in April or May, I could not do even a FRACTION of this. It is my sincere hope that the folks who read this will just TRY to do a little, do it consistently and someday (who cares how long it takes) shock yourself with what you CAN do and what you are doing that you never thought possible. PLEASE JUST TRY. The improvement in your quality of life will amaze you. And, like me, you might find yourself wrapped in the love of many AMAZING people. People whose blinding light of encouragement, support and love propels you to heights you never imagined you would soar.

First, I should set the record straight on a few comments made recently by my dear friends. Stuart -- I have hair. Not much but I have some. Okay a little. Okay, not much at all and I can see how you would miss it, particularly due to the glare of my tanless body. Jim – I do not whine. Ever. (Note to self -- do not whine around Jim or anyone that might report to him.) Nathan – I ONLY talk incessantly because if I am talking, I know that I am alive. The day you all need to worry about me is the day that I shut up.

We talk about the walk/jog/run with Sundays with Jarvis. That is improving. I wanted to let you know that my swimming is getting very strong. I am swimming between a third to two thirds of a mile every day, 7 days a week. I alternate strokes and using a kickboard and pull buoy. Based on my heros’ advice, the more I swim with my arms, the more I save my legs for the bike and run portions of the CB&I. For example, yesterday I swam a half mile ALL with my arms using a pull buoy. When I started swimming in April, I could barely stand swimming a lap without taking a break. So see, you CAN do this. I am also biking a great deal. I am doing between 10 to 20 miles a few times a week. Yesterday I did a 10 mile run OUTSIDE without my cooling vest and really did not have a problem. (I did it at 5 am before it got hot.) The fact that I could do that distance outside is something that I would not have dreamed possible in April. Again – you CAN do this.

Folks – this is all about baby steps. Do not take on so much that you get frustrated because you do not see progress fast enough. Be patient with your body, yourself and your challenges. I assure you that the changes in the quality of your life will be exponential. I LOVE my life more now than I ever have. I love the people around me. I love waking up each day and genuinely look forward to what the day will bring. I am a truly Blessed man!!!

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

Trace