Too Much Fun

It was fun to review a post since september. Three months flew by. My time with Jack Hayford was like sitting with one of the early apostles but the relationships I started were equally a highlight of my week. I also was able to catch up with Jon Cobler and Andy Houltberg who are some pretty dynamic and powerful pastors in our movement.

Talking about movement! not so much movement on my end except for a crash on my bike a few weeks ago. I was riding home from riverside when put my front wheel in the larger than normal train track grooves. I busted up the bike a little and put some holes in the knee and arm. I think the worst part was the spasms I experienced a few days later. I stayed off the bike for about a week but then had a great training ride with Haley my teammate from team hope. Others were supposed to show up but they flaked. What should happen to people when they flake? Would love to here some responses on that one.

Well all is good in the Hogan household. Christmas lights are up, the tree is up...and I am heading out the door for a run....Smell you later

Joe

40 and Vacation

I hope to be more consistent with the post and even some pic's some time soon but maybe not. Just returned from vacationing in Mauii and Yosemite. So much fun. I had a little anxiety about so much traveling with the girls but we had a blast.

A little funny to post after another outreach on Kodiak street where forty gave their live over to the Lord. I met many of the new kids and families at church today. God is so good!

I also competed in several races during my vacation. labor Day I headed over to disneyland for the 1/2 marathon and had a good time but it was more like a stroll through the park rather than a real race. People would stop and take pictures all over the park and I could understand since so many were from out of town. The following Weekend I competed in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon and had a great time. The race was sandwiched between Hawaii and Yosemite and I was a little tired at the start and did think the timing was not very good. After getting out of the water I sarting to get the juices flowing and was real happy I did the race. I am so grateful for my wife who joins me in this madness and brings our kids along to experience these sunrise races. We pretty much have the family at the event around 5am on race day. This next week I will be attending the school of Pastoral Nurture with Jack Hayford. I coming with high expectations and hopefully be posting on some of my nurturing. I have been of the training for about a week and hope to run in the morning. Get out thier and train....physically and spiritually.

Joe

55 and Wildflower

OK it's been over a month and again no post. Not sure if anyone has been checkin in but it's good to post. 55 represents the amount of people that were recorded who accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior out our first Community outreach on Balsam street. I have been prayin for an outreach in this community for over five years and this past month it has happened. If I was suave I could post the video on the blog, but I am not. We had over 300 in attendance and we literally won over the community over in about 3 hours. I can post for days about testimonies but I'm going to leave the report as is. I would welcome anyone who would like talk more about the outreach to call me. It's nice to reflect since it's been several weeks since the outreach.

The following weekend was Wildflower and the birth of Team Hope. Wildflower is a Triathlon located at Lake San Antonio, CA. 30,000 people come and camp for a weekend of racing. Much like the outreach we literally won over this community of triathletes in a matter of three days. We hooked up with other groups and had some great camp fires and a weekend full of racing. I started us off with a nice finish in the long Course on Saturday. I swam 1.2 miles followed by a difficult 56 miles on the bike and finished the 13 hilly miles of running. Danny finished her first triathlon on the same day completing the mountain bike race and we all were so full of adranaline. I still don't understand how I completed the race so well and can only thank God for blessing me with the stamina and health. On Sunday Pastor Chris, Nevah, Adam, Haley and others completed the Olympic course and the anouncer had Team Hope down by the time our relay teams came down the finishers shoot. Once again I could type for days about stories but overall I am so proud of our team. Everyone completed the race and brought more awareness to what Team Hope is all about. More Post to come I'm sure about future racing and training. My life is full of adventure and filling up this cup blows me away of what my days hold. I think tomorrow I'll post about Nick, our guest speaker this past weekend. The dude has no arms or legs and has more joy than anyone I have ever met. He may have more joy than me and that is amazing. It may be two days since manana I do have another long day. I typically am at the church around 13 hours on Tuesdays it's all good though. Ok enough cafeine for you, go to bed.

Joe

I know for some my cafeine puts you to sleep.

Crazy

Sorry for the long time no post. Our computer is dying and not to motivated to get on it. Crazy days since the last time I posted. Church is keeping me way to busy and it will only get worse over the summer but it's all good. It's interesting because my training is getting more intense at the same time will wildflower a little over week away. I beleive the Lord has been giving my strength because I have been popping up and ready for each day of challenges. On Friday it was raining and I was confident it was going to stop so I jumped on the bike for a 50 miler through the canyon. IT NEVER STOPPED RAINING! Probably one of the most physically and mental challenging moments of my life. I thought I may die out their and my toes were numb and I wasn't having much fun after about 40 miles. Over all a great experience. My insight the more busier you get the more you should stay committed to what you find joy in. I'm off to go on run and looking forward to a great weekend. Smell you later,

Joe

No Time To Ride

I have been out for the past six nights and haven't touched the bike until today. Funny posting this after Balance. Felt good to get on the bike today and curious how I will feel manana since I haven't been riding.

I have been at the church and attending a young adults conference among other things. Am I bummed...not really...it's actually given me more appreciation for the bike. I have turned my focus for the race to be the fastest fat man on the course and it has given me so much joy since I have not been able to lose the weight I wanted to.

So the lesson for the day is just to accept what is thrown at you and just roll with it.
For my team hope teammates ...Triathlon requires training.

sip

Balance

I took a few days to evaluate some things in my life and training. Coming off two weeks of some of the most consistent training I have done in years I was fatigued and wondering if I did a little too much even though it was hardly anything. I have so many passions in life it's hard to balance what is most important as all of you know. Not enough time in the day to do all the things you love. My priorites are simple God/family/work so where does that put my training or desire to swim bike run. After the talk with Peter Reid I felt a freedom to take a few days off and heal some wounds and just get away from the training. I discovered on my first ride back that my training is such a part of my quest in balancing my walk with God, family and work. All the books (including the bible) speak of the importance of taking care of the body. At times the work outs or whatever you do to train your mind and body do seem to be a waste of time but once again I was reminded that it is the opposite. I think I was just being a wimp and looking for a way to justify my lack to get workouts in. In fact I need to finish this post and get a run in. I'll probably swim at lunch since I wimped out this morning on the run. Remember taking care of the mind and body is an important part of whatever you do so get out there.

Joe

Riding With Peter Reid

The title is correct! I rode with Peter Reid today. Peter is a 3X Ironman Champion and arguably the best Triathlete of all time. I was a little nervous and had to remind myself several times that is was all happening. He is sponsored by Specialized which has a shop down the street from my house. It was supposed to be a moderate 30+ mile ride to hang with Peter but that didn't last very long. Twenty miles into the ride when it was time to turn back, all the club riders wanted to ride through the canyon. I had a choice to turn back or go with the big boys. Peter decided to go with the big boys so I seized the day. The paced took off as soon as the light turned green and I was in the thick of it. I was determined not to get dropped and glad to say that I was hangin but seriously workin. A couple of us got dropped when we hit the heavy climbing but we were able to regroup on top. Peter though now retired was working effortlessly and I was blown away. He is a pretty laid back guy and we talked about all kinds of stuff. I also met a guy who is starting a Triathlon Team at CSUF. I started prayin throughout the ride and had all kinds of opportunities to build some relationships that I know were by assignment. God is so good and I look forward to building on the relationship I made today.

At the the end of the ride I hung out and Peter did a seminar and gave us all some good wisdom. We ended up doing fifty plus miles of hard fast climbing. I am still on adrenaline and feel no pain. I am pretty stoked on my training these past few weeks and having a blast. Smell you later.

Joe

Welcome

Looking forward to sharing my life with whoever happens to visit what I have called a cup of Joe. You'll find all kinds of post coming from me. My heart is to keep things fun but also attempt to keep things real and inspiring. I honestly feel like I am the most blessed man that has ever walked the planet and feel a sense of assignment to somehow give to you what has been so freely given to me. Everything I do from my training to adventures of being a husband, father, friend, son, brother and pastor you'll probably find in this cup. I have so much to pour out unto these pages that I find it hard to communicate where we'll be headed. So let me leave it open ended for now and if you don't have a clue what I am talking I may start by teaching you a new language called Hoganese. For those who already understand the language feel free to post some lessons for our freshman.

For my fellow triathletes I am training for the wildflower and feel I am in a good place to have a good day in May. I logged some good miles on Saturday with my friend Nate Dog breaking a spoke at mile 9 and riding with no rear brakes the rest of the 30+ miles. Yesterday logged a nice afternoon run with Adam but strained something on my back side. Hoping I get myself out early tomorrow am, but not looking good since I am tackling this and trying to wind down from a heavy night at the church. I beleive I was the most impacted tonight by my message, and I still am trying to get my brain around what was tought. How do you process "It is not I who lives but Christ in me." Does anyone else just find it absolutly nuts to think God lives through us. That's enough caffeine for tonight. post quick and get to sleep. you have a long day tomorrow.

Joe