Internet fail

how in the fuck does this not have at least one million views???!!??!?!?

This makes me happy about life

Still tasting the rainbow

knee high rainbow socks make me as horny as a twenty-horned toad! i don't know why. maybe it harkens back to my ecstasy-laden candy-ravin' youth. not sure. but sometimes i will do a google search like this and then just salivate over the results.

i'm sure there's a fetish club for this rainbow sock lovin' addiction i got.

right?

Recovery

sunday was one of the best days of my life. i finished the houston marathon in 3 hours, 15 minutes, 19 seconds -- a whole FIVE AND A HALF minutes faster than my previous best.

i'm recovering now, planning to post a full race report on the run factory within the next few days.

here is the song that was stuck in my head for at least 22 of those 26 miles (during the last 4 my brain wasn't working well enough to understand music):

Pardon the interruption

i'm going to do something i haven't done in almost two years: take a few days off from sharing my thoughts.

why?

because i'm super focused right now on running a personal best at the houston marathon this weekend. i'm going to be traveling, the technology loop (as mentioned previous) tends to drag my focus in times like these, and i want to really kick some fucking ass down there.

i'll be back.

while i'm gone, do yourself a favor by going outside and exploring.

HOLLA!!!

In awe of ueli

to say i have a soft spot for ordinary people doing extraordinary things is quite the understatement. so it's no surprise that ueli steck, multi-record-holding speed alpinist, gets me excited about living.

here. see for yourself.

This Will Destroy You's "Quiet"

music is powerful.

i doubt anyone would deny that.

what is up for debate is what kind of music causes that power to stir within you.

for me, this will destroy you's "quiet" is really hitting it on all levels right now. when i listen to it i am reminded of how far i have come in my journey to be the best me i can be. i see my mistakes. i see my triumphs. i see me soldiering on, whatever it takes.

that's something i need today. maybe you'll find it too.

Ronald jenkees -- "Disorganized Fun"

not sure how i missed the whole ronald jenkees blows up youtube phenomenon a few years ago, but i did. i admit.

sorry, interwebz.

but thankfully, pandora introduced me to "disorganized fun" and now i'm jamming out to all the jenkees fun!

HOLLA!

No one tells it like carl...

goddamnitimissyoucarl!!!!

Go ahead, i dare ya not to love this

but first, make sure you're relaxed. if you're not relaxed, then get relaxed.

chill the fuck out.

and just listen...

Introducing "The Run Factory"

i have too many running-related pieces running (pun intended) through my head, so i decided i'd post those at a different site, therefore keeping Sky God! real with the usual badassery and not confusing it with all those running adventures.

i'll be writing about running at The Run Factory.

holla.

To live life with no regrets

i seem to have this ongoing conversation with myself, each and every day, where i psyche myself out of just going through the motions (especially from a mental standpoint) that typically ends with the shawshank redemption morgan freeman character quote "get busy livin, or get busy dyin."

on the real.

while it sorta sucks that it took me almost 30 years to realize that i am in control of my own mental state -- that i have the power to discover contentment within myself for myself, no matter what circumstances may surround me -- at least i can be thankful i'm awake to the idea.

so many people in the world are clueless. they expect happiness to come to them, they expect things to line up properly, just because. i know, 'cuz i used to be one of those people.

i still have a long, long way to go. every day is a struggle, but it is a struggle that i know i can win -- I HAVE TO WIN -- and the reward of living life without regrets is the proverbial carrot that i won't stop chasing.

The XX -- "Intro" (Remix)

if you're super sly mcslicksalot, then you might know where i nabbed this sweet ass song. if not, it doesn't matter. just know that it works in just about any situation (i wanna punch something real hard, i wanna make love to something real hard, etc).

try it on for yourself.

Kaskade's "Llove" -- HOT DAMN!

i've listened to kaskade's new album the requisite 10 times now, and while i'm not as blown away by him as i have been in the past, i gotta say, there are still some killer tracks to groove to.

this one called "Llove" is particularly badass.

my affinity for haunting yet airily soothing female vocals gets a rubdown, and the chanting keys in the background sure make this a close-yer-eyes-throw-yer-head-back type of jam.

when i hear the song, i'm transported back about 8 years, clubbin' my nuts off in hollyweird with beautiful women all around.

good times. good times indeed.

Endorphin ecstasy

i completed my first 50K trail race on saturday. it was fucking badass.

i don't know how else to explain it.

in fact, it's hard for me to describe a 5 hour endorphin trip that includes listlessly romping through the forest on a 55 degree morning with plenty of sun. the whole time i kept saying to myself, "this is the life, this is the life, this is the life"...

and everyone i came upon seemed to agree.

what shocks me is that most people don't enjoy running. i know it's not for everybody, but i do feel like adults could use a little play in their lives. for a good part of the race i was clicking my heels and doing twisted leaps down the rocky trails, the smile on my face stretching from one end to the other.

i can't wait to do more. i even signed up for my next challenge: a 50 miler.

BOOM!

Kaskade -- "start again"

kaskade is one of my favorite DJs, and with the excitement of a new album coming out in november, i thought it appropriate to share one of the songs that gets me up when i'm down.

it's about new beginnings. it's about opening one's eyes. it's about hope and it's about just letting go and feeling fucking good because we deserve to feel good.

we CAN feel good.

so let's do this.

A fine musical discovery

one would think that after 30 some years a person wouldn't have too many surprises left regarding his musical tastes. but, that's just wrong because i found out i actually enjoy most country music just a few years ago.

and, recently, i discovered that i am a huge fan of the drum and bass subgenre of electronica. i don't know if this immersion song counts as DnB, but it was DnB that lead me to the album that this is on, and after one listen i knew it was a good muthafuckin thang.

Switchin' it up and slowin' down

i run a lot. it's my thang. that is no secret.

but when i run i'm usually in my head. yes, the surrounding environment is there, but my mind isn't focused on it.

the other day i decided to rest my legs and do something different: i went on a walk.

i walked up and down the streets in my neighborhood -- a chi town neighborhood i've lived in for nearly 5 years now -- and for the first time, i SAW my neighborhood.

that may sound weird, but i encourage you to try it. slow down. look at everything. pay attention to the little things. ask questions. be curious.

when i got home -- TWO HOURS LATER!!! -- i was giddy from all of the cool shit i learned lurked just beyond my door.

Victory, sweet victory

my top 4% finish at the chicago marathon sunday was as exhilarating as it was mind-blowing. running at the front of a pack of 45,000 people was something i had never done before and being treated to the neverending cheers from 1.7 million spectators gave me the energy to fly without much perceived effort... until about the 23 mile mark, where i conveniently asked myself: "whose legs are these?!?!"

nevertheless, i kept pushing. hard. then harder. then HARDER. until i crossed the line with a dizzy disposition.

it was a little too warm for my liking, so my time wasn't as good as i thought my legs were capable, but finishing at 3 hours 20 minutes and 49 seconds was good enough for a top 4% finish and a to-date personal best time at the distance.

next up: two 50K trail races (one in texas and one in indiana in november and december respectively), then on to houston in january for another sub 3:15 marathon attempt.

as one of my best buddies would say: HOT MUTHAFUCKIN DOG!!!

What i'm doing

if you're reading this between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. chicago time, well, this is what i'm doing. i'm running like a madman through the streets of my beloved city. in fact, miles 20 through 24 take you right through my neighborhood.

this is either going to be the greatest running achievement of my life thus far or a colossal failure... either way, i'll tell ya all about it and not get too hung up if things don't work out the way i want them to.

HOLLLA!