Journal of today’s activities:

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• Days since my release from 26 years in federal prison:
• Miles run today:
• Miles run this week:
• Miles run this month:
• Miles run in 2014:
• Miles I need to run to reach my 2,400-mile running goal for 2014:
• Number of miles I’m ahead of schedule or behind schedule:
• Today’s Weight:

Journal of today’s activities:

Today I had my first long run in about a week. The busy schedule makes long daily runs more difficult to schedule. The running log that I keep reveals the following: I’ve run a total of 1,071 miles so far this year. Since we’re on day 140 of the year, I’ve only been averaging 7.65 miles per day. That’s because I’ve gone several days without running at all. I haven’t run a single marathon distance this year. I don’t know whether I’ll spare five hours to run the full 26.2-mile distance this year. Last year I ran 14 marathons. In 2011 and 2012, I ran more than 50 marathons each year. So the distance running has really slowed down since I’ve returned to society. I continue tracking the mileage each day because I’m convinced that accountability logs keep me on track. The focus now is on building more stability in our family, which means that I cannot afford to devote as many hours to exercise. Still, I’m maintaining my commitment to fitness.

• Days since my release from 26 years in federal prison: 280
• Miles run today: 14.05
• Miles run this week: 25.15
• Miles run this month: 103.83
• Miles run in 2014:
• Miles I need to run to reach my 2,400-mile running goal for 2014:
• Number of miles I’m ahead of schedule or behind schedule: 151.27
• Today’s Weight: 166

Journal of today’s activities:

I enjoyed running through Petaluma again today. This community has been home to Carole and me for the past 21 months. We really love it here. Although we own our home in Petaluma, we’re expecting that my work will require us to spend most of our time in Newport Beach. Newport Beach is another great community, but it’s another community that we’ll need to get used to living in. The reality is, both communities are magnificent. And Newport Beach has the advantage of being closer to my mother, my grandmother, and Carole’s sister. We’ll enjoy sharing a few meals each month with family. Fitness will always be important to me. So when we’re in Newport, I’ll likely run from our home to the office. When I’m in the office I’ll work 12-hour days. On the side, I’ll continue working with Justin to spread our Straight-A Guide program and speaking to audiences. Busy times are ahead for Carole and me, but each day we thank God for the blessings we receive.

• Days since my release from 26 years in federal prison: 279
• Miles run today: 11.1
• Miles run this week: 11.1
• Miles run this month: 89.78
• Miles run in 2014:
• Miles I need to run to reach my 2,400-mile running goal for 2014:
• Number of miles I’m ahead of schedule or behind schedule: 143.79
• Today’s Weight: 167

Journal of today’s activities:

Carole and I flew home from Orange County early this morning. Once home, we kept busy catching up with our responsibilities in the morning. In the afternoon we celebrated Hudson Nobmann’s first birthday at a wonderful party that his parents hosted. Carole and I feel so grateful to the Nobmann family for welcoming us into their life. The generous support they offered eased my transition into society. The need to pursue additional income streams will require that Carole and I spend considerable amounts of time in Newport Beach, as I must go where opportunities open. I will miss spending time with the Nobmann family. Fortunately, we’ll always have our home in the Bay area, which means that we’ll likely continue to see the Nobmann family every other month or so. We’re looking forward to watching Hudson and his cousins grow in the months and years to come.

• Days since my release from 26 years in federal prison: 278
• Miles run today: 0
• Miles run this week: 49.53
• Miles run this month: 78.68
• Miles run in 2014:
• Miles I need to run to reach my 2,400-mile running goal for 2014:
• Number of miles I’m ahead of schedule or behind schedule: 139.69
• Today’s Weight: 167

Journal of today’s activities:

Carole and I drove to San Diego yesterday afternoon so that I could prepare for a keynote presentation I was scheduled to deliver at a conference for juvenile justice educators. We slept at Paradise Point, a beautiful resort on the bay. We woke early. Justin met me at the hotel, and we went for a seven-mile run. It’s helpful for Justin and me to spend time together. While running, we discussed our strategy and reviewed individual tactics each of us are pursuing to sustain our work. Thanks to support we’re receiving from many, our progress continues. At 9:45 I began speaking inside of the beautiful conference center. The audience of approximately 100 listened as I spoke about my journey, the lessons I learned, and how educators could use our Straight-A Guide program as an innovative resource to teach others how to reject the criminal lifestyle. We left the conference with an order from a principal who teaches in the Los Angeles County School District. Several other administrators expressed interest in the program, and I’m confident that Justin will persuade those buyers of the value we offer.

• Days since my release from 26 years in federal prison: 277
• Miles run today: 7.84
• Miles run this week: 49.53
• Miles run this month: 78.68
• Miles run in 2014:
• Miles I need to run to reach my 2,400-mile running goal for 2014:
• Number of miles I’m ahead of schedule or behind schedule: 145.83
• Today’s Weight: 157

Journal of today’s activities:

I am creating a pre-application process to recruit “A-players” onto the sales team that I’m building. What’s an “A” player? Well, it’s quite simple. I’m looking for individuals who have a track record of being driven. Ideally, the candidate will have a four-year degree from an accredited university. Much more than that, the individual will have distinguished himself while at the university. He or she will be able to articulate how hard he or she works to develop or improve a skill set. I’m using the Straight-A Guide as a screening tool. I want individuals who can articulate values and define clear goals. Then, I want the individuals to describe their attitude, their aspirations, and their action plans for success. I want them to describe how they hold themselves accountable. Finally, I’ll consider them more closely if they can articulate the deliberate steps they take to stay aware of the market, and what steps they take to make the market aware of their commitment to success. Once I review the responses each candidate provides, I’ll have more insight that I can use to dig deeper into the individual’s background. That research will help me build a killer sales team. It’s the Straight-A Guide approach to success, and I’m grateful for this opportunity to apply these lessons to a corporate market.

• Days since my release from 26 years in federal prison: 276
• Miles run today: 0
• Miles run this week: 41.69
• Miles run this month: 70.84
• Miles run in 2014:
• Miles I need to run to reach my 2,400-mile running goal for 2014:
• Number of miles I’m ahead of schedule or behind schedule: 144.56
• Today’s Weight: 168

Journal of today’s activities:

The current responsibility I have requires that I learn how to work on a different kind of computer system than I’ve been using since my prison term ended. When I walked out of prison I purchased all Apple products. I have a MacBook Pro, a couple of iMacs, and an iPhone. I purchased Apple products because I heard that people who didn’t have computer experience could learn more quickly on Apple systems. The business where I’m now working to teach our Straight-A Guide relies upon personal computers rather than Macs. I now have a Dell. Besides learning different computers, I’m also using different software applications. One robust tool is called SalesForce. The SalesForce application allows us to manage more precisely the lifeline of all sales leads. Several weeks may pass before I master SalesForce, but for now I am learning the basic information I need to know in order to navigate the system that coordinates our team’s sales consultants. In time, I expect to build this force to a team of more than 100 people, so I have a lot to learn.

• Days since my release from 26 years in federal prison: 275
• Miles run today: 8.39
• Miles run this week: 41.69
• Miles run this month: 70.84
• Miles run in 2014:
• Miles I need to run to reach my 2,400-mile running goal for 2014:
• Number of miles I’m ahead of schedule or behind schedule: 151.13
• Today’s Weight: 168

Journal of today’s activities:

I enjoy running along Newport Beach in the early morning. The house where Carole and I have been staying is less than half of a mile from the beach. Today I left my house at 4:45 to get a head start on an early run. I ran the first hour alone; Carole joined me for the final portion of my run. Running alongside the ocean really inspires a sense of gratitude for our many blessings. Right now I’m too busy to take a swim, however. There will be plenty of time for relaxation later. At the present time I need to maintain focus on the tasks ahead. Today I arrived at the office where I’m working at 7:00. I spent the day reviewing training materials every individual on the sales force is supposed to learn. I’ll master every task that we expect from our sales professionals. Then I’ll do the same things that they do. The experience I derive from this experience will help me build a more disciplined and deliberate sales organization.

• Days since my release from 26 years in federal prison: 274
• Miles run today: 9.93
• Miles run this week: 33.3
• Miles run this month: 62.45
• Miles run in 2014:
• Miles I need to run to reach my 2,400-mile running goal for 2014:
• Number of miles I’m ahead of schedule or behind schedule: 149.31
• Today’s Weight: 168