20 Weeks and Counting

It's hard to believe that twenty weeks today, I packed my seabag one last time in a hotel room in Gulfport, MS, laced up my Army combat boots one last time, and boarded a plane bound for HOME. I hadn't been on Ohio soil since April 8, 2011 and had only dreamed about the day I'd set foot on it again. I learned a lot that day and the weeks since. On that day, I learned about true support as I walked off the plane. I saw people that totally surprised me with their presence. I saw signs welcoming me home that were carefully crafted and colored by little ones. I also got more hugs than ever welcoming me home. Most wanted to be there and it was a great feeling. I'm guessing around 50 were at the airport that night around 10pm. Then there was my youngest who at first sight of me, sprinted out of my wife's care, past the Department of Homeland Security guard (who jumped from his chair), and into my arms. I will never forget that moment. Her eyes as big and blue as the sky and tears welling up. Moments later, I held her and my wife and oldest daughter while the crowd kept their distance.

20 weeks have now passed. In Afghanistan, 20 weeks took an eternity. 20 weeks home has gone by in a snap. Life is different now like never before. Many things that mattered a lot matter no more. Gone are the days of running in groups on Saturday mornings and here are early mornings with my wife on country roads. Gone are days I head to my Navy weekends on Friday nights and here are super-early Saturday morning drives to that weekend. Gone are nights watching sitcoms and here are nights talking, walking, and sharing quality time with my wife and girls. Gone are hours on the computer while my family does whatever and here are nights playing Bananagrams on the kitchen table. (a terribly addictive game!) Gone are race entries upon race entries, trying to rack up more finishes. Here now is running for the pure satisfaction of running in its purest form. Gone are days worrying about my weight. Here are days where I weigh nearly my lowest ever yet run slower and less. Gone are days of Kashi cereal for breakfast and mornings alone and here are mornings spent with my bride along with 1 slice of toast and 2 eggs. Gone are the days I fall asleep on the couch and perhaps stay out there for the night. Here are days where we head to bed together and kiss each other goodnight. Gone are the days of doing it all on my own and not looking to Him for help and strength. Here are days where I look alone to Him for everything. Gone are the days that I accept that I will never be good enough as I have believed my entire life. Here are the days of acceptance that I am good enough just as I am.

Life is different. In fact, it's totally overhauled. Practically nothing is the same as it once was. I am thankful, though, for what is true today. Did my deployment "cause" this overhaul. Perhaps indirectly. Is "reintegration" a real issue for the military family today that nearly all of the non-military public is unaware of? Absolutely. You really have no idea until you walk in our shoes. Bottom Line: I am thankful for where I am today, my marriage that is stronger than ever, and my calling as a
husband/father/protector/leader.

So back to running: you may recall a tradition I started back a few years ago. That tradition took a hiatus last year due to being at combat training in South Carolina. That tradition was running my age on my birthday. This year I will hit 39 years of age and the planning has begun to travel the roads yet again, stopping along the way to see friends, family, and familiar places. Fluids, some food, a camera, and
a body that will withstand the rigors of 39 miles of asphalt is all I ask for. Let the planning begin...

Happy Trails, everyone!

Review: Nathan Quickdraw Elite

I've been trail running for about 5 or 6 years now. It began with resistance to leaving the asphalt for a muddy trail but turned into an obsession of immersing myself in nature and what waits out there for all of us. With that came goals to push past the limits of the ever-popular 26.2 mile marathon distance and go 50 kilometers (31.2 miles) on the trails followed by the 100-mile ultra marathon distance...3 times done in 2009. Along the entire way, from the very beginning, I've been carrying a handheld water bottle. What I have found is that Nathan Sports makes the best when it comes to carrying your desired hydration product, whatever that may be. For me, I fill mine up with Hammer Nutrition but that's just my preference. Not only have their products carried me through hundreds of miles, but they've even saved me as I have fallen on the trail. Many, many times as I was on my way down, I reached out my right hand to brace myself and that cushioned BPA-free bottle cushioned my fall. I bet the designers at Nathan Sports weren't thinking of this when they made their bottles. :-)

Anyway, a few days back while I was out on a run, I said to my wife something like this: "Nathan really needs to make a handheld that'll fit my iPhone. With so many iPhones/Droids on the market and the heavy usage of apps like "MapMyRun," it only makes sense to make such a product." Not only have I had a few Nathan handhelds, but I have one waist-mounted one with the bottle carrier in the back along with a zippered pocket and net pocket. During the 2009 Oil Creek 100 Miler, I carried my Heed Perpetuem in that bottle, my BodyGlide in the net pocket, and a few necessities in the zippered pocket. In my right hand, I carried my handheld and Hammer's Heed, always keeping my left hand free for balancing and just plain safety on the trail. So back to what I, the customer, desired: I was at my local specialty running store yesterday, Vertical Runner in Hudson, OH, where I used to work part-time and support unapologetically. There is no better place to support in the area when it comes to running. Not just a business, but one that gives back without end. As I was leaving the store after picking up a pair of Brooks' for my 11 year old, I noticed something hanging on the back wall...as if my vision had become reality before my very eyes: the updated Nathan Quickdraw Elite. While not branded for Apple's iPhone, you cannot deny the absolutely perfect fit it is. No doubt...Nathan is tuned in to what the customer wants. You can see how well it fits below and notice the rubber seal that surrounds the zipper. That's an upgrade over the other version I have. Clearly, they are doing their best to keep the elements out of there.

Zipped up, it's a perfect fit. Also, you'll see the little "ID" tab sticking up. That's a slip that pulls out where you can write in your emergency contact information should something happen out there on the trail or wherever your feet take you. Made to withstand the weather, it slides right down in its compartment, out of sight. In the photo below, my iPhone is in that pocket and it has its protector on, too. Nice!

"Thanks, Nathan, for making excellent products. From my back-mounted hydration pack, to my waist-pack, to multiple handhelds, keep up the great work and thanks for listening to us, your customers, as you constantly re-invent your own products for the better. Thanks, too, for sponsoring the Oil Creek Trail Runs! Happy Trails!"

Product Page // Vertical Runner // Authorized Retailer of Nathan Products

20 Miles, a 5-min Sellout, and Daffodils

Not too shabby of a St Patrick's Day yesterday. I doubt it related closely to the many people I saw screaming and making fools of themselves in downtown Kent mid-day, but it was great. At 6:15am, I was on the road for 20 miles from my home. First up, I crushed 10 miles in 1hr, 18min at 7:47 per mile under super heavy fog. As the run progressed, the sun was beginning to rise in the east with a very small Mr. Moon remaining. My Pure Connect's were treating me well so far. Back home at the agreed-upon time of 7:30am, I met up with Marjie for our couples' run of "Karen's Loop" of 8.2 miles. It's a hilly, quiet loop through the country that we love to share, especially under lifting fog, rising sun, and Spring springing all around. Back at home at 18.2 miles, I dropped her off and crushed the final 1.8 miles in under 7:30 per mile. I have to say, I'm impressed. For a shoe only weighing 7.2oz and with only 4mm between my body and the asphalt (a 200lb body), it is flat-out awesome. (here are the specs, if interested) Advisable to take out a minimal shoe on a 20 miler? Not at first, but I've been working towards this for awhile and with stronger feet now because of it, I'm reaping the benefits. This morning? I feel like another 20-miler is in me...but alas, a day of rest. :-)

Back at home, I had a few eggs and toast and readied for the High Noon Scramble...or better known as registration for the 2012 Oil Creek Trail Runs. Oil Creek was home to my 3rd 100-miler and most memorable event of my life and also responsible for many friendships I would not have otherwise had. This year, I signed up for the Oil Creek 50K as did Marjie. This will be her first shot at the distance and I'll be with her for every step. At 12:05pm, it was SOLD OUT. In 2009, it sold out in 5 months. This year? 5 minutes.

My youngest is 11 years old today, too. Yesterday after the registration took place, I took her for her first pair of running shoes at Vertical Runner in Hudson. Of course, she got a pair of Brooks. :-) Brooks Adrenaline GTS, of course. Watching her walk barefoot, she's in great need for stability and that's the perfect shoe for her. I hope to start running a bit with her with an eventual 5K together. That was pretty cool to pick up some shoes with her. Of course, I shopped a bit, myself. :-)

After some shoes, we wandered through downtown Kent, strategically avoiding the college crowd which was very much intoxicated mid-day, already. No need for her to see/hear stuff like I was hearing in the distance. We parked near the Cuyahoga River and made our way up to the new Tree City Coffee and shared a Mint Frappe then went on down along the river for a walk in the sunshine. It really was nice down there and a chance to just hang out. Along the trail, I noticed a daffodil that was just beginning to peek out at the world. How often do we get to witness this? We see the finished product but rarely do we see it first enter the world like this. Pretty awesome. (see below) Afterwards, we headed on home. Great times and a brilliant, warm day in mid-March in northeast Ohio!

Click to view an amazing, high resolution version of this. LOVE IT!

The Past Week

This past week had its share of ups and downs but all-in-all, a pretty good week. Work is work and it went fine. I continue to submit applications for promotions and hopefully, one will happen someday. In the meantime, I'm doing my very best to serve the public and help out my fellow employees. I have a government job with Social Security and with the economy, we've lost lots of staff with little or no authority to hire replacements so we're very understaffed. Compared to before my deployment to Afghanistan and now, the office works much better as a team and achieves more...with less. It is cool to be a part of that and I feel like I'm really bringing something to the table.

This past Tuesday, our youngest began piano lessons. Amazingly, we aligned it at the precise same time as when our oldest takes guitar lessons in the same location in Kent. We have found this a PERFECT time for a weekly 30 minute date. To that end, the brand new development dubbed "Acorn Alley 2" recently opened up behind the music store and a new coffee shop along with it. Truth be told, I'm a big Starbucks nut since working for them back in 2002. Well, a local coffee shop called Tree City Coffee opened up a few months ago and we LOVE it. Well-crafted drinks, pastries/treats that change every week, modern decor, and a comfy environment to just decompress, get some work done or for us, a 30 minute shared beverage and shared pastry while our little ones dive into music a few feet away. This week with St Patrick's Day on tap, we had a mint mocha and chocolate/chocolate muffin. See the chocolate shavings? Mmmmmmm......GOOD!!! 2 forks + 30 minutes + my bride = perfect.

Levi's = have never fit me. Until now, that is. Since I returned home from Afghanistan, I've shed around 20+ pounds. Not on purpose, really, though. I simply ate way less and eat better...and oh yea, I run more and slower. The more and slower together is actually a great fat burner. Lower heart rate burns fat more efficiently vs. running fast with a higher heart rate. Plus, the smorgasbord of Army food while deployed 3 times a day and a dangerous/filthy place to run (aka: very little running) made it really difficult/impossible to shave the fat. Anyway, I picked up 2 pairs of Levi's last weekend and they actually fit. Even better, they are size 34 waist. I remember when I wore a tight 38. At 198-200 pounds at 6'2", I'm happy. I still think I can stand to lose some more, but adding muscle mass via running doesn't really support that. I don't think there is much fat left to rid myself of. We'll see.

Yesterday, we hit the trails of the Fools 50K course and it was MUDDY! March 16th and we had temps in the 60s. It was great. Plans called for the 15.4 miles around but we ended up with 11.4 for the day. I think the hunger for lunch took over. No big deal, though. We're going to knock out more this morning on the roads. I hope to kill 20 on the roads and 8.2 of those with her. I haven't taken my Brooks Pure Project shoes on a 20 miler yet so today is another test of how my body holds up along with the shoes. Speaking of Brooks, a nice, big box arrived yesterday via FedEx. Two more pairs of Pure Project shoes and a bunch of apparel. I'll be giving away/garage-saling a lot of my old running gear this Spring and am replacing it with this stuff. By the way, Spring is awesome and if you find yourself on the trails, be sure to stop along the way and enjoy what's around you. Life is emerging from under the dead leaves all over. This was a quick snapshot of beautiful life emerging from the rubble. So perfect, so beautiful, and right there if we'll just notice.

Time to hit the road for 20 then at high noon today, registration for the Oil Creek 50K this October! I will be crewing, "sherpa-ing", supporting, and running her first 50K with her. No better place than Oil Creek State Park to do it! Happy St Patrick's Day!

Going Minimalist

I'm no small person. I'm a solid 200 pound, 6'2" guy. Longer legs than I should have, given my height, make buying jeans and running pants a challenge. I run very, very upright and am sport-less for nearly my entire life. I can run, though, and I can run for hours and I love it. Since my first marathon in 1997, I've always been a neutral runner which basically means I don't lean much to the left or right and the soles of my running shoes through 500 miles on a pair will be worn fairly evenly. Most folks lean or out (pronate) but not me. Back 5 or 6 years ago, I ran the Akron Marathon and up until then, I was a diehard Asics running shoe wearer. But, Brooks was giving free shoes to all finishers. Simply take your bib to a sponsor-store and leave with a brand new pair of shoes. As they say, the rest is history as I switched to Brooks for all off of my road running needs. For the trail, I was still shopping for the best shoe for me.

Today, I'm in my 3rd year of sponsorship with Brooks Running. Before I say anymore, let me preface this with a statement: I'm a big believer in supporting companies and products I truly believe in. If I love the product but hate the company, forget it...and vice versa. Everything about Brooks is amazing as far as I'm concerned and I have a newfound love for their entry into the minimalist running shoe segment, spearheaded by the Vibram FiveFingers shoes a few years back. Read "Born to Run"? That book got it all moving. Today, every specialty running shoe company has a plethora of lightweight to minimalist shoes to choose from. Back to my big, 200lb frame: in the past, this frame of mine has caused me to get less life out of my shoes. In races, I often signed up for the Clydesdale division, or the big boy division. Well, Brooks new Pure Project line of minimalist shoes has literally changed my running in the very positive direction. For the trail, their shoe is the Pure Grit (pictured at right sidebar). It is, BY FAR, my most favorite trail shoe ever.  I can't wait to take them on my first 50K in less than a month. You'll notice the split toe on the shoe which gives freedom of movement and more connection with the road or trail beneath. Brooks has also introduced a fair deal of cushion in the shoe but you wouldn't know it if you picked it up...it is SUPER light. So much so that you'd swear my 200lbs would tear it up. Nope! Anyway, the Pure Grit has been great so I thought it was time to give the Pure Connect a try, the neutral runner's road shoe in the Pure Project line. THIS was the test of all tests because unlike the trail which is super soft, the asphalt stood a good chance at shredding these shoes given all of the pounds force coming down on them. Right? Let's take a look at them at 100 miles on them to date:

So as you can see at the very last one, they are holding up quite well given how little is between me and the road.  One thing that running barefoot or in a minimalist shoe is that your body naturally changes its gait and the way you strike the ground/land. We as human beings were designed to run (whether you like that or not!) and the arch of our foot is a natural spring. So, as soon as you remove the regular running shoe and all the cushion underneath which PROMOTES heel strike, you begin to land mid-foot almost immediately. Why? You were made to...it's as simple as that. So if you ask my wife, she can tell a distinct difference in my posture when I run in my Pure Connects vs. my normal Brooks Glycerins. I lean back more in my regular road shoe and strike towards the back. If I landed on the heel in this shoe, you'd see it above. I'd SHRED this shoe to pieces. Instead, you actually see the most wear mid-foot (as it should be) and at the front-center toe where I toe off (as it should be). Everywhere else is even wear. So will I get 400+ miles out of these like my Glycerins? Unlikely. But, I bet I'll see 200-300 on them...more on the Pure Grits. I'll be sure to report back.

As for me physically, this shoe is all that I've changed in my running except for running less miles. However, I have less aches and pains, my previous stress fracture in my hip no longer presents itself...ever, and my feet have really grown stronger as I've run more in these, both on the trail and on the road. Today, my Running Times came in the mail and they did a story on 4 tests to determine if you're ready to transition to a minimalist shoe. In all 4 tests, I passed with flying colors, even though the end of the article mentioned that most runners can't pass more than one or two. (4 tests: dorsiflexion of the ankle, dorsiflexion of the big toe, isolating the big toe, and single-leg balance...pages 40-46 of the April 2012 edition) Lastly, I won't say these shoes make me fast, but I'm running faster than ever...like I used to over 10 years ago and I'm not even doing speed work. It makes me want to find a local 5K and see what I've got in me! I think I can break 20 minutes again. I just ran a hilly 8.2 miler and averaged 7:30 per mile in these so I'm confident I can do it. These shoes just feel so dang good on me.  I love to feel the road like I do, I love to feel the muscles surrounding my feet working, and I like feeling practically nothing between me and the earth.

So Brooks...get those red ones to me quick, OK?! I just ordered a new pair of Pure Connects and Pure Grits...different colors, of course. :-)

Run Happy and Run Strong! Enjoy every step!

I'm Back

Hey y'all...I'm back. As you might notice if you scroll down a bit, 2011 is basically history. All posts have been un-published with the exception of my Call to Patriotism series and post about the 7 Baby Steps to Get Out of Debt..the RTRSBM version. By the way, we did make our "Debt Free Call" LIVE on the Dave Ramsey radio show back in October 2011. We did a three-way call between Afghanistan, Ohio, and Texas where Dave was touring to promote his new book. Anyway, I'm going to give this blog a shot again and see where it leads.

Running, running, running...doing lots of it but my wife is normally with me for every last step. Today is time change Sunday and while most slept in and brewed second pots of coffee, we were on the road at 5:30am for 10 miles along with a friend and my sister-in-law. Clear skies, stars above, Mr. Moon (about 85% of him) high above but beginning to set to the west, and first light in the eastern sky as we finished up. It was a GREAT run.

Before we hit the road, though, I did some more shopping on Brooks Running. Being sponsored for my 3rd year by Brooks, I've been replenishing some of running gear and retiring some very old stuff. Goodwill, garage sale, donations...all of that is in the near future for a lot of stuff. I've become a huge fan of Brooks' Pure Project shoe line...a minimalist endeavor by Brooks which I really love. I ordered another pair of the road version I wear (the Pure Connect) and the trail shoe (Pure Grit), just different colors. The Pure Grit is my new favorite trail shoe, by a landslide. I've also been really impressed by their Rogue III shorts. They are longer than most shorts but I'm 6'2" with longer legs than others my height. They have a silky feel to them, have a pocket on each side, and have a hidden, zipper pocket inside the right pocket. I picked up 3 pairs of them previously. I've also become a big fan of the Rev3 tech tees. They have a slight contour to them through the midsection and use a different kind of material in there. They also hide a side/back zipper that I bet most miss.

For the rest of this year, I'll be running the Fools 50K here in a few weeks and signing up for the Oil Creek 50K this upcoming Saturday. The Oil Creek 100 in 2009 was my 3rd 100-miler but I'll be returning this year with my wife to accompany her on her first journey across 31.2 miles within Oil Creek State Park. I'm also considering a few other races but nothing definite right now. My craving to participate in races has really gone away, for the most part. I love to run...I love to run with her...I love to give back and be a part of the community, but I don't crave the race itself any longer. I see them being few and far between, indefinitely. The passion just isn't there right now. When or if it returns, I'll jump back in. For now, I just want to run. Giving back also means I'm back writing for the Western Reserve Trail Running Newsletter as a co-editor and will most likely be taking over a popular trail race in 2014 as race director. More news on that at a much later date. Till then, though, I think I'll just run and be the best husband, father, and Navy Reserve officer I can be.

Till next time, friends. It's good to write again.

A Call to Patriotism: Part IV

Part 1 : Part 2 : Part 3

I've been the recipient of lots of patriotism over the past few weeks.  Through my travels from the west coast to the east coast on active duty orders, I experienced all kind of emotions over patriotism and love of my country. One evening about a week ago, I stood and listened to a World War II veteran talk in vivid detail about his service with the 82nd Airborne. You could see him living it through his eyes, his voice, his hands...he still remembered well and was proud to show it...you should've seen his leather bomber's jacket with a patch for the 82nd Airborne that was no smaller than an average dinner plate...I kid you not!  It was on his right chest, too.  Just beside him was a Korean War veteran...clearly a bit bitter as he talked about his country who by his perception, didn't even know it was going on.  As his voice shuttered as he was still upset about that, his wife sat there, staring at him, and with her wrinkly hand, squeezed his. Inside, I could tell he was hurt...and still hurting. My heart poured out to him inside and his wife, sitting there fully engaged and 100% behind him without saying a word.  For me, it was incredibly powerful and a moment in my life I will never forget.

I was also on 8 different airplanes in two weeks so as you can imagine, I saw a lot of soldiers in the airports.  The uniforms all make sense to me and I try to craft their story in my head as I pass them by.  By the way, only the Army and Air Force wear their uniforms on official travel.  The Navy (and maybe the Marines) are forbidden from doing so.  We are to blend in and not draw attention to ourselves. Even if I were to be deployed overseas, the same rule applies...thus the reason you will not see Navy personnel in uniform. The one exception is Navy recruits.  They will be wearing their "cracker jack" uniform and probably look 18 or 19 years old and one ribbon on their left chest.  They just graduated from boot-camp north of Chicago and are on their way home. Anyway, back to those soldiers: look on their upper left arm.  If you see a patch with some Arabic writing and the letters "ISAF" on it, they most likely are on their way home from Afghanistan...most likely, from over a year-long deployment.  (the exact patch I posted on my "Part 3" post)

In the past few days, a friend of mine who has a 5 year old wanted to say the Pledge of Allegiance to me.  She called and although he was very shy and needed some prodding, he recited it verbatim and with gusto! So very cool to hear that! I've also had my niece and nephew do the same thing awhile back. I am thankful that although a lot of things have been banned from our schools in the name of political correctness, the Pledge is still recited every morning.  In the elementary school, at least, a student leads it via microphone every morning (in my home town). I love it when it's my girls' turn to do it.  They'd better know it! :-)

On my Part 3 post, I talked about flying Old Glory and pleaded with many of you to fly her and take photos of ones you see flying and send them to me. Unfortunately, only 4 people have responded. 2 of those have sent me no less than 20 photos. Surely, you can do better! Start looking, start flying her, and talk with your family about what she stands for...not just on holidays, but every day. Freedom is not an entitlement.  It can be taken away but today, it is maintained by those standing the watch in our place. Fly Old Glory for them!

In closing today, I want to share a super short video from the Navy. It's a recruiting video but I especially love it because on the last frame as the camera pulls away from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier, look at the flight deck...you'll see "74".  That's the USS John C. Stennis...a nuclear powered aircraft carrier. Why do I care?  I am a "plankowner" of that ship.  Plankowners are either original crewmembers or the last crewmembers of a ship.  I was on that ship before she was placed in the water and sailed her maiden voyage.  I was there as we lowered nuclear fuel rods into her reactor. I operated that reactor! I also stood topside and watched our fighter jets launch from her flightdeck.  I sure do miss being out to sea and seeing her again just brings it all back!  Enjoy!

A Call to Patriotism: Part III

Old Glory.  I sure do love her and watching her wave.  The single best purchase at my home was digging that hole last Spring and installing a 20 foot flagpole where she flies 24/7 along with the Navy Jack.  The Navy Jack has the snake and the words "Don't Tread on Me" on it. It's a flag with a rich history in the Navy but also that flag that is on the left shoulder of every Navy sailor serving in Afghanistan this very moment (see actual photo of one at left). It's not the nice red, white, and yellow that you see on the right side of my blog, but Army green and black.  As I walk out of my house every day, I never pass that pole without looking up and thinking about my freedom, thanking God for it, and keeping those serving right now in my thoughts...so I can have the very home I just walked out of and the freedom to do so.  Never one day goes by where I do not think about the blood shed so that Old Glory can keep flying.  It wrecks my world when I see a beaten and tattered flag flying, too.  When Old Glory has passed her prime, she needs to be properly disposed of and replaced.

So here is my Call to Patriotism to YOU.  Fly her.  Fly her always.  Stick up for her when you know she is being mistreated.  She is NOT just a piece of cloth.  It is what she represents and what has gone before us and what is going on today that keeps her flying.  Over the last few days, a friend of mine (to remain nameless) has been sending me text pictures of flags she has been encountering which prompted today's post.  I want YOU to do the same and I am going to create an online album of as many as you can send me.  Tell me the location, too.  You can e-mail it to me, you can "post it on my wall" on Facebook, or you can text it to me if you have my phone number.  It doesn't have to be anything fantastic as far as location (while I won't complain if it is!!), but just start looking.  I bet you'll see more than you ever did before.  When you stop and snap the photo, think about what Old Glory means to you...and perhaps have a conversation within your family about it.

Before I share a few photos with you, here is an article posted by the U.S. Marines yesterday about the importance and significance of flying Old Glory.  From the perspective of a U.S. Marine, it may change how you view Old Glory and her significance.

Here are the photos she sent to me along with a few of mine...just so you get the idea.

A Call to Patriotism: Part II

Another day and my government office is closed.  Another day and my girls' school is closed.  Outside, icicles are dripping on the downspouts because it's 40F out but soon, it will be 15F.  The roads are covered in ice.  Inside, though, 3:30am is the same as it was yesterday and every day before.  Today, though, while the family slept, I stumbled upon a 1hr, 24min documentary titled "The Way We Get By" on Hulu.  Before we get to that, though, I will admit that I've read my own post on this topic multiple times and received a plethora of feedback...all good, actually.  Mostly thanks for raising awareness and also opening some doors for great discussion.  As I mentioned in the original Call to Patriotism post, I urged seeking out local ways to get involved. To that end, I did that in one small way.  The Wounded Warrior Project is an organization dedicated to those who return home wounded from war.  Their slogan is "The Greatest Casualty is Being Forgotten." They are a non-profit organization fully funded by donations.  Not being able to find a local chapter, I reached out via e-mail and immediately got a response guiding me to sign up on their volunteer form online so that I may be added to their database so when a need arises locally, they know how to get me.  Only a few hours later, I received an e-mail welcoming me to the family from a wounded Army soldier who is actively involved with the WWP.  This is just one step I've taken but will continue to seek out new ways to get involved.

Back to the documentary I watched this morning.  It is not what you might expect.  It is a story about 3 senior citizens who live in Bangor, Maine, near the airport where many of our troops last touch U.S. soil before heading over or where they first arrive back in the States.  They greet every soldier, shake every hand, both outbound and inbound.  It's a story both about strong, deep, unwavering, quiet patriotism that asks for nothing and wants nothing...from a generation that many have forgotten.  It's also a story about the stark reality of our troops constantly flooding in and out of Harm's Way while we go about our daily lives.  Watching them celebrate each 100,000th member is a visual reminder of the shear volume of service-members fighting the fight.  As the documentary closes, I was humbled as one of the older men, a Navy veteran of 32 years, pulled the protective plastic off of his dress blues uniform to attend a rainy Memorial Day parade.  That uniform was squared away, inspection ready!  A quote I pulled from this documentary was spoken by him about 2/3 of the way through (paraphrased): "I don't have anything else to live for.  My usefulness is gone.  But, as long as I can serve someone else, perhaps I can still be of some use."  Friends, that epitomizes a servant's heart and what true devotion is.

7 Baby Steps: the RTRSBM Version

13 months ago, Marjie and I pinky-swore to change everything we did money-related and commit to a new direction and way of life.  Today, that bond is stronger than ever and thriving.  This post is intended to give a basic understanding of the plan we are following, things we've done, things that we've altered, and the future that we are looking forward to.

A couple of foundation points:

• Basis of our plan: The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
• Absolute Teamwork with full accountability to one another
• 7 Baby Step Framework to Get Out of Debt
• Cash-based and credit card free -- never borrow again
• Your income, her/his income, bank account, etc. > NO MORE.  Married couple = joint everything.  When you said your vows, you became linked forever.  You operate as one.

The 7 Baby Steps are the logistical steps to follow with the ultimate goal to be 100% debt free with the ability to give and live "like no one else."  The most common phrase when hearing about Dave Ramsey is "Living like no one else today so that tomorrow, you can live like no one else."  Unfortunately, many tie that first part to living on nothing and suffering.  Today's post should prove at least one thing to you...that is extremely far from the truth.  Quite the opposite, actually.

BABY STEP #1: $1000 EMERGENCY FUND

This is the foundation.  You've got to have it in savings to prevent you from running to credit at the first sign of an emergency as you work through the plan.  If you hit it mid-plan, you simply pause and replenish it.  Have a large emergency fund already but also have debt outside of the mortgage, you bring it down to the $1000 level and put the rest straight on debt.  Tough, I know, but consider it more of a driving force to get out of debt faster.

CORNERSTONES of OUR PLAN

As part of building this emergency fund, you must realize that the cornerstone of your financial life and most powerful tool is your income.  It is your weapon you take to battle to make it all work.  You need to maximize it and there are multiple ways to do so without actually getting a raise and you need to do these things as part of kicking off your plan:

• Adjust your withholdings: how much of a tax return do you get each year?  Much more than a few hundred dollars?  If so, you need to stop loaning Uncle Sam your money interest free and put it in your pocket, your budget, and against your debt.  Let's say you get $5000 back, on average and get paid every other week, ie: 26 times per year.  That means that you are loaning Uncle Sam about $192 PER CHECK, interest free.  Wouldn't that be better in your hands so you decide what to do with it?  Forget the worksheet on your W-4...it's based on an outdated system.  You need to start increasing your withholdings until you put this money in your pocket.  You'll probably have to make a few changes to your W-4 as you fine tune this adjustment as you cut off Uncle Sam.
• Stop investing.  What?!?!  Yes...stop.  We stopped our 529 Plans (kids' college savings), idled Marjie's deferred comp at work, and initially stopped my 401K contribution.  Now, Dave Ramsey's plan calls for stopping the 401K even if given a match.  In all honesty and transparency, we did that, but re-started the matched amount only two months later.  Giving away free money for retirement was something I simply disagree with.  It's a minor, minor change, but one WE decided to do.  Everything else remains idled until later.  If we were contributing to an IRA, we would've idled that, too.
• Can you sell anything?  Another common phrase in "Ramsey Land" is "Sell so much that your kids think they're next!"  Garage sales are awesome for this.  Don't look anything over in your house.  Open boxes, dig out the closets, clean out the garage...sell, sell, SELL!
• Term Only: as a prior financial advisor, I used to believe in whole life insurance.  Whole (vs. Term) gains cash value over time and eventually pays for itself.  Typically, whole life is far more expensive than term because of that.  Term, on the other hand, gains no cash value but is worth much more.  Whole is a horrible "investment" and the better option would be to "self-insure" yourself later on to achieve the same ultimate goals of having that insurance.  So, we cashed in our whole life and kick-started our debt snowball.  On the flip side, we have maximized our term life coverage...typical goal is 10 times your annual income in term coverage...for each of you.  If you are a relative healthy, non-smoker, term is CHEAP!  You are being irresponsible if you are not protecting your family with term insurance.  Period.

Next, write out your debts, build your budget, and build your self-escrow plan: now you are going to face head on the numbers, the big "not talked about in public" numbers.  You can buy budgeting software, etc. but for me, I'm a big fan of Google Docs.  Word docs, Excel spreadsheets, etc. are all available for free and are accessible from anywhere.  No files to e-mail around and wonder which one is current, etc.  With my travel, I can access my budget and debt snowball from work, from my iPhone, or from the other side of the world, and Marjie can be viewing it with me in real time.  Awesome, simple, free tool.

• First Tab on your Google Doc: Across the top, list your debts smallest to largest, including your mortgage.  One column per debt: ie: Kohl's card, Mastercard, school loan, car #1 loan, equity loan, mortgage.  On the left, list the months starting with the current month and list them month by month for the next two years.  Column A should all be months.  Now you have the framework built.  Next, log in to all your accounts and type in the current balance...remember, smallest to largest, left to right, ignoring any interest rates.  Don't skip anything.  List everything!!!  As you work through your plan, you will come back to this tab on the 1st of each month and type in the balance.  As you zero out a debt, you will close that account and stop recording the zeroes.  Can you picture the ladder forming on your spreadsheet?  That simple graphic will help keep you moving as you achieve your short-term goals.
• Next tab: your budget.  For over 17 years of marriage, we had no budget.  We lived paycheck to paycheck.  It didn't matter what we made.  More, less, it didn't matter!  We just spent what we had and prayed nothing bounced.  It never did and we were proud of a great FICO score!  We could buy anything!!!   ON DEBT!!!  WOOT!!  That's so normal today but so wrong...but we as a nation have been brainwashed that it is normal...which it is.  Normal IS wrong.  Debt Free is right and weird.  Yes, your goal here is to be WEIRD!  Anyway, your budget: for us, we get paid weekly so our budget is built on a weekly basis.  Yours may be different.  The top is the take home income followed by the necessities.  Here are some pillars of our budget:
• Groceries: cash amount each week withdrawn from ATM.  Cash only.
• Allowance: we each get one weekly and if we want something, we save for it.
• Gas: you should have an idea how much you need to make it to the next budget
• Self-Escrow Account: see later in this post for this.
• Mortgage (we break our mortgage into weekly amounts and sweep that into savings each week but make the payment once a month)
• Monthly bills as they become due
• Tithe for church
• Entertainment Fund (what we use to do extras like restaurants)
• Vacation Fund (weekly amount to save for vacation or Christmas)
• Self Escrow Account: OK, this is my own creation but let me tell you, it is a "work of art"!  You know how you have those bills like the sewer, water, and trash bills that perhaps come everything 2 or 3 months?  For us, our taxes are not part of our mortgage and that monster bill comes every six months.  We also have our security monitoring, lawn care, timeshare maintenance fee (timeshare is owned free and clear and deeded for life), and a few other items.  These bills, depending on when they show up, can be the "perfect storm" and derail your forward momentum.  What we do is "self escrow" an amount every single week.  That amount is found this way: we convert all the bills into a yearly amount.  For example, let's say the trash bill is $45 and it comes every 3 months.  That's $15 a month and $180 a year.  Take $180 and divide that by 52 weeks.  That is the amount for that bill that needs "swept" into savings each week.  Using simple formulas on the Excel spreadsheet, you do this for every bill and determine the amount needed in total to sweep to savings.  When those bills show up, you simple write the check.  Zero emotion, zero worry.  The money is there and makes no impact on your debt snowball.  For us, this is a major and critical component to our budget.

You are ready!  Your plan at each payday is to go right down your spreadsheet and knock each thing out...immediately.  Give every cent a name and tell it where to go, not the other way around.  YOU take control of your most powerful resource, your income.  Your goal each payday is to zero out the bottom.  Always, the bottom line is "Debt Payment."  Whatever is next, from smallest to largest on your debt tab, gets that amount in full.  Nearly all people who build this budget start finding money they swore didn't exist nearly immediately.  When you budget and tell your money where to go, you find more of it.  Hard to believe until you see it happen before your eyes.  KEY POINT: you must zero that budget out quickly or you'll find yourself adding line items to your budget as supposed "must-haves" appear in your daily life, thus killing your debt payment.  If it's not budgeted, it doesn't happen!  Period!  Remember, you pinky-sweared to your spouse (if married) that you'd adhere to the budget and be fully accountable to each other, right?  Right.  As you attack and pay off each debt, you'll free up more cash and can put more towards the next debt, hence the reason for the term "snowball."

What about emergencies?  What if the the washing machine dies?  Remember that baby emergency fund? In the last 13 months, we have replaced our dishwasher, put new brakes on Marjie's 2006 Honda and put 4 new tires on it as well.  Those 3 items were far more than the $1000 but of course, didn't all happen together.  We simply took a pause in our debt payment and paid what needed to be paid.  If we had to touch the $1000, we did so but immediately at the next check, replenished it.  See how we didn't use credit or take a loan to pay for the "emergency?"  That fund keeps you honest and on track and AWAY from borrowing any more money.

BABY STEP #2: DEBT SNOWBALL

What you've been reading above is the machine that makes the snowball roll.  You simply live to the budget, stay accountable to it, and watch it happen.  IT IS REALLY THAT SIMPLE.  Even though we've 'restricted' ourselves to a budget, we honestly feel that we have more money than ever before, tithe (give) more than ever before, and have ZERO stress over money.  Why?  Because we have a plan and there are no surprises.  I can't stress enough how truly easy it is once you "get sick and tired of being sick and tired" and sit down and do it.  Enriched marriage, complete stress removal, and a path to true financial freedom and the ability to give like never before.

As you pay off each debt, celebrate!  Cut up the credit card, take a picture of the payoff notice or you holding the title to your car...celebrate!  At the same time, swear to never return again to that place.  From now on, you will save and pay in cash.  Never be a slave to the lender again!  Don't forget to update your 1st of the month balances, either.  This is a great motivational tool to propel yourselves forward.

BABY STEP #3: 3-6 MONTH EMERGENCY FUND

When you arrive here (we're not quite there yet), you will have NOTHING left but the mortgage.  That includes an equity loan if you have one...that's part of the debt snowball in Step #2.  Now, you build up 3 to 6 months of living expenses and store it in savings.  This should be easy at this point because you've been living on a budget and it's all written down in front of you.  You just need to add it up.  Plus, you have far less bills to pay, too. :-)  For us, we're going to go for 6 months but it's a case-by-case basis.  We plan to store it in a money market fund that doesn't earn a whole lot but is very accessible if necessary to access it.  Once done, move on to Step #4!

BABY STEP #4: INVEST AGAIN

Time to max out Roth IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) and start up your pre-tax 401Ks or 403Bs at work.  Roth IRA's are funded using your take home income (money you've already paid tax on) and grow tax free and taxes on your earnings from the growth are tax free.  You should max these out and invest them in mature, diversified mutual funds.  I'll stop there with my financial guidance as I'm no longer in the business of giving financial advice.  As for  your 401K, at least contribute what they are matching.  All in all, you should be contributing 15% of your income into retirement savings.  That's the benchmark...15%.  Once you've reached the 15% level, you are done with Baby Step #4.  This should simply be a matter of getting it set up and turning the switch on.  Do not linger on this step!  Get moving!

BABY STEP #5: COLLEGE FUNDING FOR CHILDREN

Obviously, this can look very different for every single family.  529 college savings plans and Coverdell accounts are the most popular and work very similar to Roth IRAs in terms of tax advantages, as long as they are used for education.  The goal here is to not send your kids to college on debt.  Your lessons learned now should spill into your kids' lives.  Yea, they might join the military and get it all paid for or may be a tradesman and never go to college...who knows.  There is no benchmark for this baby step but lots of advice out there.  Start here.  Once you have it up and running regardless of your plan, move on!  No lingering, folks!

BABY STEP #6: PAY OFF HOME EARLY

Oh yea, this is the exciting part.  "But Nick, it's to our advantage to have a mortgage and get the tax write off.  Right?"  What a HUGE misconception that I once had.  Let's break it down: If you have a $200,000 mortgage at 5%, you would have a $10,000 tax deduction. With your income, you’re in a 35% tax bracket. That means with your income you would pay about $3,500 in taxes. So the math you are working says you should send $10,000 to the bank to keep from sending $3,500 to the government.  Make sense?  The money saved by paying no mortgage but paying the taxes is FAR MORE than having a mortgage payment and getting the "deduction."  This has been a huge brainwashing in our country and one that just keeps getting spread by every mortgage lender out there.  Anyway, you now are free to attack your mortgage, guns blazing!  You are debt free but the house, borrow nothing, have 3 to 6 months of living expenses saved, fueling your retirement at 15%, funding college, and now can blast your mortgage.  For us, our goal is before our oldest graduates high school...about 8-9 years from now.  That would pay our mortgage off about 15 years early.   Do THAT math!

BABY STEP #7: BUILD WEALTH AND GIVE LIKE NEVER BEFORE

Debt Free!!  We can't wait for the day!  We already tried some extra giving on a very small scale a few weeks ago.  We were at Outback Steakhouse and received great service.  It was a very "weird" feeling but we decided to give it a go.  We tipped like 40% or something like that.  While I wanted to peek through the blinds outside and watch her surprise, I didn't.  It felt...well....awesome.  That was so simple and so minor, but it was just a taste of what it feels like to "give like no one else."  WE CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS STEP!  Yea, the wealth building will be nice, but we really want to give spontaneously and often.

Friends, that's the plan.  Our testimony is this: this complete switch that we "cold-turkey'd" 13 months ago has changed our life.  It has enriched our marriage.  It has put us on firm footing to do so much more.  Not the material things, mind you, but for others.  In the past year, we've given more than ever before yet we've paid down thousands and thousands of dollars in debt.  We are proof that it works.  I can't tell you how cool it is to go on vacation, paying for everything in cash, having some left over at the end, AND paying off a car while there!  I used to say that cash is the same as my check card with my bank...after all, it comes from the same place, right?  Yes...and no.  There is an emotional connectional when you hand over cold hard cash for a product vs. swiping your check card.  You order at a restaurant differently, you visit Starbucks less often (well, I actually increased my frequency but use my allowance..my choice...to do so!), and it just changes your perspective on everything.  Trust me...it's not the same.

To you, a swift kick where you need it to become "gazelle intense" and become debt free.  We are living it and hopefully, you can garner this intensity and become "gazelle-like" yourself.  Being weird..."living today like no one else so that later, you can live like no one else," is our new 'normal' and I gotta tell you, it's AWESOME!