Dec. 24, 2023

Christmas Eve Reflections: A Quest for 80 Miles and the Resonance of 'The Shepherd'

Christmas Eve Reflections: A Quest for 80 Miles and the Resonance of 'The Shepherd'
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As I lace up my sneakers on this misty Christmas Eve morning, the goal is in sight: less than 20 miles to reach a year-end 80-mile milestone. What unfolds is more than just a typical workout; it's a testament to the inner strength we all possess, set against the backdrop of nature's quiet beauty and the serendipity of deer crossing my path. Join me on a journey that’s as much about the miles as it is the moments of reflection and appreciation for life's simple wonders.

During this episode, I find myself drawn into the atmospheric world of 'The Shepherd' by Frederick Forsythe, a novella that mirrors the eerie beauty of today's weather and the introspective mood of the season. Recommended by former Navy SEAL and renowned author Jack Carr, this story is a perfect companion for the holiday hustle. And as I pound the pavement to support Stop Soldier Suicide Organization, I send out a heartfelt holiday salute to the servicemen and women far from home, ensuring our safety. Sink into the essence of Christmas Eve with me, where every mile traveled is a step closer to home and every story shared is a light in the fog.

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Good morning and happy Christmas Eve.

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A surreal environment going on here.

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Anyway, safety disclaimer, I'm not looking directly at the camera, it is mounted on my dash and I am heading to CrossFit Pittsburgh to get in a workout and log some miles.

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Yesterday, yesterday, saturday the 23rd, we passed oh beautiful, dear, right in the middle of the road.

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Anyway, yesterday, 23rd of December, passed 80 miles, I think, right now like 80.58.

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So we're inside of 20 to go by the end of the year, which, unless I have a stroke or get hit by a train or some of my.

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Yeah, no easy day, easy day.

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We got this.

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But I walked out of the house this morning to a wee bit of fog and mist and it reminded me of a fantastic, fantastic short story.

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Actually, I believe it is referred to as a novella, yeah, a novella by Frederick Forsythe, a great British writer, and it is called the Shepherd.

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It's called the Shepherd If you've never heard of it, if you've never read it, and I think I mean I know it's happening, but I think it's Apple TV that's doing it.

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They made a let me call it a movie.

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It's a short, one episode and they turned it into an Apple TV.

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I'm pretty sure it's Apple TV is the platform, but never heard of it before.

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It was a book recommendation, a recommendation put out by Jack Carr.

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And if you don't know Jack Carr, shame on you.

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I'm not sure I'm gonna probably have to seriously reevaluate the nature of our friendship, but former Navy team guy and a fantastic New York Times bestselling author, really I'm a huge fan.

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But he puts out book recommendations, gear recommendations and all that, and he recommended it.

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So I bought the book.

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Read it.

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I'll tell you what it is.

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I'm not gonna say anything else.

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Right, it's a foggy, rainy Christmas Eve, the shepherd.

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Download it.

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It's a short, short read.

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It's a short listen, christmas Eve.

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Download it.

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Listen to it today while you're doing your last minute preparation, right.

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Then, after you've read it or listened to it, watch this video again and check out like the lighting.

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I didn't do this lighting on purpose, it's just if I didn't turn on the overhead, don't light here wouldn't see me at all and it would freak me out a little bit.

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Anyway, read it, listen to it while you're prepping today, a little meal prep, whatever.

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And after you do that, watch this video again and check out like the surreal nature of it.

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The Shepherd, you'll love it.

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It's a great book.

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Merry Christmas Eve.

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We're gonna go long, some miles for the benefit of the Stop Soldier Suicide Organization, and it's just.

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Merry Christmas to all the men and women who are not spending this holiday with their families because they are overseas watching out for the rest of us, and they deserve our love and support.

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Right, I turn this off without causing an auto-catastrophe, alright later.