Late Year Checkpoint

Things always seem like a busy time for me, but that's because I tend to choose to stay busy.

I'm very thankful of the things that I'm given the opportunity to do. And a lot of times, I do a lot of juggling to try and make them all happen.

I had the quality vs. quantity argument thrown at me many, many years ago.

My response six years later is this: In the end, nobody is going to remember what race I did or what my time was, they will just remember what kind of person I was.

I'm not perfect. I've hurt some people - not maliciously, although I'm sure they probably think otherwise - yet I've been hurt too. Maybe causing some of the former.

I've been mocked before, "You'll hurt Jon's feelings." Sure, I'm a sensitive guy, but I credit my daughter for that - and my mother for the rest.

It doesn't mean that I haven't experienced failure or disappointment. I've had my fair share.

Probably more than some and not as much as others, but as I'm writing this I'm in as good of a spot as I've been in a few years.

So what's gone by the wayside?

My work has pretty much eliminated most of my writing. I just don't have time to invest to write with the informative style that I enjoy. It takes time to research and track down the information that I need.

I've been very fortunate to do a very good job at what I do for a living over the last 18 months. It is what allows for me to be able to fund Waverly's education.

Therefore, the (Conroe) Courier column that I wrote for almost five years, my columns with Texas Runner and Triathlete, editing HARRA's Footprints and even some of my blog entries have all paid the price.

If I was concerned about my popularity, maybe I'd be more disappointed about not doing much of that anymore. Have you heard of the term, "Under the radar?" I think I've trademarked it.

Nevertheless, I still get to do some of those things here and there.

I have probably moved more into event management and some of its various roles.

Gone also is most of my race directing days. Some personal challenges took two of the three races out of play for me over the last two years while it may have also affected a third. That's yet to be seen.

However, those abilities are leveraged for quite a few number of events:

+ Running Alliance Sport and its founder, Robby Sabban. It is probably fair to say that I've earned Robby's trust enough to handle RAS' communications and social media endeavors - short of the web site (which is admirably handled by Susan Bell and BJ Pearce). In addition, I'm part of a group that works from a strategy standpoint. 2012 has been a great year and discussions have begun for 2013.

+ The Woodlands Marathon. I handle media relations for this event. I appreciate the trust that Willie Fowlkes, Rick Frank, Don Wisenbaker and Danny Golden have placed in me.

+ The Gusher Marathon and the Pleasure Island Bridge Half Marathon and their founders and race directors, Richard and Amie James. They're doing great work in the Golden Triangle area and I've started to assist them by doing their race announcing for them. Great, compassionate and humble individuals that are doing really good things in their communities to inspire others to strive and make healthy lifestyle changes.

+ The Galveston Marathon. Jana and Kevin Landry are the race directors and are co-owners with Jay Lee of On The Run in Clear Lake. I finish line announced the inaugural event in 2011, but wasn't able to because of Rocky Raccoon this February. However, it is a week before Rocky this year and I'm looking forward to doing it again. Jana has intimated me doing the Space City 10-Miler if I'd like to, but I usually like to run it. Even with hating the typical humidity off the coast.

+ Roxanne Davis. In a few weeks, I'll get to once again race announce Thanksgiving Day's GE Run Thru The Woods. She actively embraced Bill Dwyer and my efforts to promote that weekend's races that she coined our Friends of the Running Community named so that we didn't have to put our names out there.

+ Texas 10 Series. After earning Willie's trust a few years ago, he let me finish line announce CB&I in 2010 and then I did it again in 2011 after he left Parks and Rec with The Woodlands Township. The first race is this coming weekend in Conroe and I'm hoping to bring my best "A game" to do a few more of the races that he, Rick Frank, Angie Henderson and Aaron Palaian are putting together.

+ Muddy Trails 5K. I've done this the last two years for The Woodlands Township, but we'll see if 2013 will happen after I stepped away from CB&I this year after a personal issue in the community. Kelly Deitrich and Angel Nicks really treat me well and I appreciate their enthusiasm and enjoy working with them.

+ Nike South and Nike Cross Regionals. Thanks to Jo Ann Blakeley, I get to move into high school cross country meets. I'm very thankful to have done an excellent job - with some great help from Raul and Meghan Najera with Run-Far -- at October's Nike South and am looking forward to a bigger stage even with the Nike Cross Regionals in three weeks (Saturday, November 17).

+ Texas Marathon. Steve and Paula Boone are great friends of Waverly and I. They've been so generous with their friendship that spending much of January 1 with them as much like Christmas with family.

And all of this doesn't even include the work that I'm geting back involved with regarding Texas private and parochial high school athletics again.

And along the way, I meet so many great and positive people.

There's only one thing - in my control - that would stop me from doing much or all of it and that's pretty easy to figure out.

And God knows that I've failed in that arena too.

I'm just trying my best to please God, be a good Dad, be a good friend to those who are able to reciprocate their friendship and be happy. It is of great comfort to know that your daughter - in her faith - is where I believe God wants and needs her to be.

I apologize for waxing poetic a little bit here, but I'm an indvidual that tends to need to get it out of my system - and this is the best way to do so.

Thanks for reading!