Triathlon and Running No comments yet

Recap of the 2011 Mayo Lake Triathlon

By on August 14th, 2011

Yesterday, I competed in the 2011 Mayo Lake Triathlon in Roxboro, N.C.  This was a special triathlon for me for several reasons.  First is that I have family in the Roxboro area.  It is neat to be able to compete in an area where you have family ties.  And as an added bonus, the bike course took us right by the church where my parents were married way back in 1971.  Second is that I got to take my new bike out on the course.  The bike came to me courtesy of my friend Steve Jordan.  Steve has enough bikes and bike parts in his garage to start his own bike shop and he graciously agreed to let me use a true road bike– a Specialized from about 1995 or 1996.

But the most significant part about this tri was that this was the fourth and final triathlon of 2011 for me.  I never would have thought back in January when I began training for my first tri that I would have pushed on to continue training and do four triathlons in one year!  I’ve found triathlon to be one of the most challenging and enjoying sports that I’ve ever participated in.  And after taking an opportunity to reflect on the past 8 months of training, I can definitely say that I’m in better physical shape than I’ve been in for several years and I’m mentally tougher in each of the sports than I was back in January.  For those two reasons alone, I’m marking my first year in triathlon as a success!

Recap of the 2011 Mayo Lake Triathlon
Now, the actual Mayo Lake Tri itself brought a new first: competing in the pouring down rain!  My good friend and

My transition area setup before the downpour!

training partner, Brett “Chick” Ciancanelli and I arrived at the race site just a little before 6 a.m.  As we setup our transition areas and walked the area to become familiar with the surroundings, the sun was rising, the temps were moderate and it looked like it would be a good day.

We headed down to the water to start the race.  Unlike the other open water Tri we competed in (the Mission Man Tri 3 weeks ago in Burlington), this event only had a two-wave start for the men: all men 39 and under and all men over 39.  I felt better prepared for this event than the last one and made sure that I got out to the right edge of the group to stay away from the pack of swimmers.  As the gun went off, I started with a good pace and focused on the new stroke technique I’d been working on.  All was well for a while, until I found myself swimming off-course.  I began to correct it, but found myself swimming in the same area as another competitor and kept bumping up against him.  We then came to a shallow area in the lake where I actually had to walk through an area before resuming the swim.  And that’s when my “swimming yips” (I know, it’s a golf term, but it works here, trust me!) kicked in.  I had a brief moment of panic where I felt I couldn’t go on.  It lasted for a few minutes and I did have to grab hold of a kayak a couple of times to get my breath and re-focus.  However, unlike the Mission Man Tri, I was able to re-focus and continue pushing ahead (in my mind, I shifted to thinking about the bike portion and what I wanted to do there).  I set small distance goals, varied my strokes and continued pushing ahead.  At last, I actually caught up with a few of the swimmers ahead of me and reached the shore to exit the swim.  After a long jaunt up a steep hill and around a bend to the transition area, I made it back to my bike & equipment and got ready for the ride.

As I headed out on the bike, I noticed that there were some dark clouds off in the distance, but didn’t give it a second thought because I needed to keep moving.  I used the first mile of the bike to recover a little and get my legs acclimated to the ride.  This was only my second time on the new bike and I felt great.  And then it happened: first it was a few drops, then the bottom dropped out and it poured down rain.  In fact, it would continue to pour for the rest of the race and for some time afterwards.  When you’re on the bike and you’re not yet halfway through the race, you simply can’t worry about a little rain (or in this case, a lot of rain!).  So, I kept plowing ahead.  The bike course had a lot of hills on it and the rain definitely hampered my ability to go all out as I’d hoped, but I felt really good on the bike.  I’m sure that during other conditions, it would have been a scenic ride, but in this instance, I was pleased to have caught several competitors while climbing the hills and continue pushing ahead.  The new bike really made a huge difference since I was carrying about 10 fewer pounds compared to the bike I’d been riding.  As I came into the transition area, I noticed that my socks and shoes were saturated from the rain.  That would certainly come back to get me!

In the transition area, I swapped out my helmet for my visor (normally for the sun, but today, it helped keep the rain out of my eyes.  As I took off on the run, I noticed that my legs felt really good– lots of spring in my stride.  The only real issue was that I felt like I was carrying an extra 5 pounds since my shoes were so water logged!

The run course was tough as it was a trail run.  Mix in all the rain and there was a lot of standing water on the (skinny) trail.  Several competitors were slipping around me, so I made sure to keep my footing as stable as possible.  That was a good move for protecting myself, but a bad move on my overall time.  I moved a lot slower than I’d hoped and the trail really took a toll on my legs.  At last, I turned the corner and could see the finish line through the driving rain.  I dug down deep and poured everything I had left in me to run as hard as I could to the finish.  As I crossed the line, I noted the time: 1:57:57.  Less than 2 hours and in difficult conditions.  That may not be a high mark to some, but it was good for me on this day.

Jon Parks and Brett Ciancanelli of The Second Wind multi-sport ministries at the 2011 Mayo Lake Triathlon

My mom came to the race and it was nice to see her.  It was even nicer to see that she was holding an umbrella!  Chick, my mom and I made our way over to the covered shelter where we lamented the driving rain.  Chick shared the scare that he endured of hydroplaning while on the bike heading downhill at nearly 40 miles an hour.  And then, I remembered that my bag was in the transition area.  And it was totally soaked.  Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem.  But I keep my phone in my bag while competing and, you guessed it: it was damaged.  (fortunately, the phone spent a little time in rice later in the day to draw out the water and it works as good as ever.)  As we wrung out the towels, socks and everything else, Chick and I threw on our shirts for The Second Wind, a multi-sport ministry that we’ve started at our church.  This is the first time that we’ve had the shirts for an event and it was great to be able to get a photo of us at the finish line (even if it was pouring down rain!).

So, that was it.  I completed my fourth and final triathlon of the year and I’m heading into the off season.  Though I won’t be competing in any more triathlons for the remainder of 2011, I am planning to run in a 5K in October and a 10K in November (this one with The Second Wind group).  I’ll likely take a week to 10 days of only light workouts at best and then I’m pushing ahead on preparing for my 2012 triathlon plan!  I’m building out a race calendar now and am looking to ramp up the intensity, seek faster times and perhaps even tackle a longer distance race!

But for now, I’ll celebrate the success of 2011 and enjoy my new found excitement for triathlon!

Uncategorized No comments yet

Launching My New Company: Dijital Farm

By on August 1st, 2011

Today, I’m excited to announce that I’ve officially started my own company!  The new company is called Dijital Farm and it is an Internet/Digital Marketing Consultancy.  The idea for this company is something that was planted about two years ago and I’ve been working to bring the idea to the marketplace for the past few months.  Dijital Farm has gotten off to a great start and I’m blessed to already be working with several great clients.  You can learn more about the services offered through Dijital Farm in the How We Can Help section.  You can also learn about Dijital Farm and find out why the company is named “Dijital Farm.”

Of course, launching a new company doesn’t happen on its own.  I’m grateful to the support of my incredible wife and my three children.  They have helped me in so many ways that I couldn’t possibly name them all here.  Lastly, the vision for Dijital Farm is something that God placed in my heart and He made it a reality.  He’s the CEO– I’m merely the Lead Dijital Strategist with the company!

Check out the Dijital Farm Web site and let me know what you think of it!

Uncategorized No comments yet

Finding New Hope and Life in America: Elliott’s First Ever July 4th Celebration

By on July 4th, 2011

It is amazing what kinds of events can transpire during the course of a single year. At this time last year, my wife, Melinda, and I were in the process of adopting our youngest son, Elliott.  As we marked Independence Day last year, I took a few minutes in a post on our adoption blog to look ahead at what life might be like for our son as this would be the last July 4th he would spend without a family. (clarification: at the time, we did not know if we were adopting 1 or 2 children, and we did not know that Elliott would be the child God had chosen for us; we learned all of that in November once we arrived in Ukraine).

Now, we are celebrating July 4th, 2011 and Elliott has been home with us for a little more than 6 months.  In many ways, it seems as though he has always been in our family, which is a good sign.  But every now and then, Melinda and I think a little about what life was like in Ukraine and how that contrasts with life in the United States.  Our little Elliott, who is really starting to show his personality now, lived in a Soviet-era orphanage, complete with the

Melinda & Elliott at the orphanage

Melinda & Elliott at the orphanage

requisite cinder-block walls and institutional feel.  Elliott was well-loved and cared for there and we will always be grateful to his caretakers for what they did for him during the first months of his life.  But, children aren’t meant to live in orphanages.  They are meant to be a part of families who love them, care for them and provide for them.

 

On July 4, 2010, Elliott was just another child in a ward of a Ukrainian orphanage without a lot of hope in life.  On July 4, 2011, he is a bright and vibrant child that is excelling in his development, chasing his brother and sister and delighting his parents with his laugh and his wonderful way of saying “helloooo!”

To me, this is the quintessential American story.  A child, without family and without hope in his own land, is given a new chance in a new country.  Today, Elliott will join us as we travel to the old State Capitol building in downtown

Melinda, Elliott, Ryan & Anna

Raleigh.  He will stand with us as we listen to a reading of the Declaration of Independence.  He will hear the music, see the colonial themed costumes and enjoy watching all of the people on the grounds.  He will enjoy his lunch sitting on a blanket on the lawn outside on the Capitol grounds.  He will enjoy eating homemade ice cream with friends.  He will see fireworks for the first time ever as we watch, from a safe distance, in the town of Rolesville.  And he will fall asleep in his own crib, safe and secure.  This year, on Independence Day, Elliott is a little two-year old boy, growing up in America.  Will he know the difference between last year and this year?  Probably not.  But we, his parents, will.  And we are so thankful to have this charming and sweet little boy in our family.

Happy 4th of July everyone!

note: this entry is cross-posted on JourneyThroughTheParks.com

Digital Marketing Observations, Search Engines No comments yet

Why Google’s Recent SERP Change Means Your Web Site Should Include Photos and Videos

By on June 3rd, 2011

Yesterday, Google announced the release of a new feature in its search engine results pages (SERPs): the inclusion of more images that match the search inquiry. Google began offering images as part of the SERP a while back (along with video as well), but images were confined to just a few results and were displayed in a very simple fashion (usually 3 images in 1 of the zones on the SERP). The changes are two-fold:

  1. Larger thumbnails more closely integrated into the SERP.
  2. If Google believes that your inquiry has “high image intent” (read: you’re really looking for photos), then the search query results will show even more images.

At first glance, this may not seem like a big deal.  Photos are photos, right?  Well, Google knows that searchers respond to images and videos.  This is why they incorporated those two elements into the SERP a while back, and this is why I typically advise clients to incorporate as many images and videos into their content as is reasonable since it will help them better compete in the search engines.  So, it would stand to reason, that including more images in the SERP would give an advantage to those who have done a good job of properly tagging their image and video assets on their site (or within YouTube!).

To demonstrate the new feature, I performed a simple search on a favorite topic of mine: Appalachian State Football.  The image on the left shows the SERP without the “high image intent” (I didn’t include the word “photos”) in my search (the actual bar of images returned in the 8th position, just below the fold in this screenshot).  The image on the right does include the high image intent.  Interesting to see the difference.

 

Not only is the page on the right a lot more colorful and engaging, I’m sure it will generate a lot of click activity.  So again, it really emphasizes the importance of making sure your image and video assets are properly tagged on your site so they can be found in the search engines.  Not sure what that means, shoot me an e-mail and let’s talk; I’ll be happy to work with you on this critical part of your Web site and digital marketing strategy.

Digital Marketing Observations No comments yet

How Google Music’s Launch Can Help Google TV

By on May 10th, 2011

There’s some exciting news coming out today about Google.  Starting today, Google Music is launching in beta form.  Google Music, in short, is a cloud-based (read: Internet) service where users can upload their music files and then access that music on other devices they use.  Most notably, any phone using the Android OS (hey, I’ve got one of those!).  And the cloud-based space is supposed to be generous, allowing users to store 20,000 songs for free.  I believe this launch is exciting in that it gives me yet another way to take my music and unhinge it from my PC (we put the CD’s away years ago!) and access it anywhere I am.

Will Google Music make Google TV more useful?

Google Music will let you take your music wherever you go.

Now, there is a caveat.  In this initial version, you will only be able to upload the music you already own. Google was running into negotiation problems with the major music labels who, presumably, are continuing to fear for their very survival in the digital age.  So, Google moved their product into market without the ability to purchase music through Google Music.  For some, that might be a deal breaker.  Indeed, Andy Beal speculated as much in a post this morning on the topic.  I’m not yet convinced as there are plenty of ways to acquire new music; however, streaming your music to other devices from the cloud has been a little more difficult up to this point.

Now, what does this have to do with Google TV, you ask? A lot, I believe.  I recently purchase the Logitech Revue box (which contains Google TV).  I know there’s been a fair amount of criticism about Google TV, particularly how Hulu and the major networks block access to their content via the Chrome browser in Google TV.  That’s not a concern to me as I rarely watch network TV any more.  But, I do use Google TV to do other things and access to my music files is something I would like the option to do.  I could easily see a new app within Google TV that allows me to access Google Music (just like I access Netflix and Pandora today) and then stream that music over my sound system at home.  Ta da! My music is no longer confined to the room where my PC and Mac that have my music files are located.

I’m not suggesting that this will completely salvage Google TV in the eyes of critics.  Apparently access to the 30 different versions of CSI “Name of City Here” is the only thing that will change their minds!  But I do believe this makes Google TV just a bit more useful.

photo courtesy of shankar, shiv.

Digital Marketing Series No comments yet

How to Create a Digital Marketing Strategy in Two Hours or Less

By on May 5th, 2011

I believe the single most important thing you can do in your digital marketing efforts is to develop a sound strategy. I know that may sound obvious, but it is surprising how many people want to skip the strategy stage and shoot right on into developing a Web site design or setting up a Facebook fan page without having first stopped to think about where it is that they want to end up. I’ve encountered this in past conversations with clients at the start of a project or engagement. And while I understand the competitive desire to “do something” to keep up with your market, failure to consider a guiding strategy is almost a guarantee that you will struggle in your efforts.

create a digital marketing strategy in 2 hours or less

The clock is ticking ... let's get started!

So, you might ask, what goes into a creating a good digital marketing strategy and how long will it take? I believe you can create a solid digital marketing strategy in 2 hours or less by focusing on three things:

1. Deciding what you want to accomplish/how things will be different once you are finished.
2. Defining what will constitute success in your efforts.
3. Determining what tactics and resources you will use.

Now, if you really like lengthy strategic planning documents, this may not be the best approach for you. However, if you want to focus on developing a strategy and getting down to work as quickly as possible, let’s take a closer look at these three steps and what’s involved.

Step 1: Deciding What You Want to Accomplish (30 minutes)
As you start your planning process, ask yourself a simple question: “what will be different if this plan is successful? “ By spending a few minutes on this question (don’t be afraid to let your mind wander), you should imagine the end of your project. I know this is hard for some, but trust me, if you can provide concrete statements on what you want to accomplish, you will be well on your way to defining your digital marketing strategy.

Sample concrete statements:

  • We want to change the way people watch video on the Web
  • We want our audience to freely share vacation tips and suggestions with one another in a social media setting.

Step 2: Defining Success (20 – 30 minutes)
Once you have decided what things will look like when your project is completed, you need to define success. In this instance, defining success is writing down measurable number targets (metrics) to your objectives so you can figure out if you moved the needle to reach your overall goals. In my experience, this is a step that a lot of people skip because they are afraid of putting down targets for the fear that they may not actually reach those targets. Again, that’s unfortunate because setting measurable targets is about letting you know how far you need to stretch and in what direction so that you can be effective.

Sample success metrics:

  • We will average $10,000 per month in pre-roll video advertising sales in Q3 and Q4.
  • We will maintain an audience engagement rate of 35% for all subscribers on our e-mail marketing list.

Step 3: Determining What Tactics and Resources You’ll Use (60 minutes)
You will spend the largest amount of time in this final step as you explore the tactics that will help you accomplish your strategic goals. In this step, the sky is the limit. You should take all the constraints off and explore all options. I typically recommend doing this with the aid of Post-It notes on a wall or a more sophisticated tool such as MindManager to help you capture all possibilities. This will keep you from discarding any options too early and help you see any potential connections between ideas.

If you are working with a team, be sure to create an environment where everyone can offer up an idea, not matter how off-the-wall it may seem, because it just may be the next great idea that will help you achieve your goal. However, once you are finished, you will need to summarize the options you discussed and be prepared to rank-order them so you can turn them into actionable items for your digital marketing plan.

Sample tactics:

  • We will setup a YouTube channel to host our product videos and improve our organic search rankings. The videos will live within the YouTube platform and we’ll use the embed code to place the videos on the product pages within our site.
  • We will use our e-mail marketing platform to develop a triggered e-mail series to introduce our products to new and current customers.
    • We will reach new customers through Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising.
    • We will connect with our current customers by sending an initial e-mail announcing the new product line.

Clearly, you can do a lot more to make your digital marketing strategy quite sophisticated, and in some cases that may be required. However, the above framework will work in most cases as it provides the basic “blocking and tackling” you’ll need to do to get your project or company up and running in the digital space. And best of all, you’ve only spent about 2 hours to do it!

About Jon Parks
Jon Parks is a digital media/digital marketing strategist based in Raleigh, N.C. He has more than 13 years experience in helping clients across multiple industries develop their strategies and communicate their stories to their customers. Contact Jon at jondparks@gmail.com to learn how he can help you make the most of the digital marketing landscape.

Photo courtesy of Dalo_Pix2 on Flickr.

Disaster Communication No comments yet

How Wake Cross Roads Used Facebook, Twitter and Video to Respond to the Tornado Disaster in Raleigh

By on April 20th, 2011

This past Saturday afternoon, April 16, I was at home with my two sons when we learned that a tornado was quickly moving through Wake County and headed for our community. Without giving it a lot of thought, I woke up my youngest son from his nap to bring him downstairs, grabbed a flashlight, my MP3 player (for its radio function) and headed for our downstairs bathroom.  No sooner had we finished lifting up a frantic prayer to God asking for His protection, I saw a darkness that is hard to describe and the strongest winds that I’ve ever experienced blow through the water behind our house.  In an instant, our deck furniture was blown away.  All of our trees were bending over at a 90 degree angle.  And then … it was gone.  A tornado had blown through our community.  As I quickly surveyed the damage, I found that we lost a large 40 ft. tree (fortunately it fell across our fence and not our house) and we had some minor roof damage.  Overall, however, we were still in-tact.

Little did we know the damage that had been wrought on our community.  We later learned that several neighborhoods just 1/4 a mile away from us had been totally devastated.  Many lost everything.  Fortunately, no one in those houses lost their lives either.

Our church, Wake Cross Roads Baptist Church, sits at the center of our community.  It is more than 220 years old and an anchor within the community.  So it is not surprising that it quickly became a staging area for Samaritan’s Purse, the Boone-based Christian relief organization.  The had a mobile relief trailer in place by Monday morning and were already coordinating operations to get volunteers out into the community by that afternoon. In short, they are an amazing organization to watch up close.  They move with precision in difficult situations and do so with tremendous caring and concern, all while seeking to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.

So, what does all this have to do with digital media?  Well, in some of the positions I’ve served in during my career, I’ve been afforded the opportunity to work with the North Carolina State Emergency Response Team (SERT) and the Wake County Emergency Operations Center.  These governmental entities are charged with leading the state and county efforts to manage and respond to disasters of all kinds (hurricanes, ice storms, tornadoes and even nuclear disasters).  In my time with these groups, I was able to work in disaster communications where I learned how to deliver key messages, make sure people had the information they need to do their jobs, deliver media interviews in pressure-packed situations and handle wild rumors that could create panic.  It was challenging work and some of the most gratifying that I’ve done in my professional career.

On Monday, I got in the car and headed over to our church to see what I could do to help.  I can certainly grab a chainsaw or put on a pair of workgloves and move debris.  But I sensed that God was asking me to play a different role this time.  He was calling me to step in and use the experience I’d gathered through the years in disaster communications and put it to work here.  We were quickly able to get a communications structure setup that made use of social media, e-mail, video and phone lines.  We also focused on identifying our key messages at the moment and coordinating them with the church staff and the volunteers on-site to make sure everyone knew what was going on.  I’m amazed at just how quickly we were able to pull this off.  I got the chance to work with some tremendous people and it was nice being in an environment where everyone puts ego aside and simply focuses on getting the work done, regardless of whether or not you get any credit for it.

We made strong use of Facebook as WCRBC already had a Facebook page.  One of the things we focused on with Facebook was making sure we were pushing out regular updates about every hour or two so we could keep our church members engaged and enlisting them to help spread the word.  We also focused on using it as a conversational medium so that if anyone had questions (i.e. “how can I volunteer” or “what supplies are needed”) or wanted to check on someone, we could get back to them quickly.  These efforts paid off as we saw a great deal of engagement, re-posting of status updates and growth in the number of fans on the WCRBC page (we went from just over 200 fans on Saturday to 311 by Wednesday).

One thing WCRBC did not have in its toolkit was a Twitter account.  We quickly setup an account, supplied it with basic information, found key people within the church that we knew were active users of Twitter so we could follow them (and in turn enlist them to help us push out the messaging), and started sending our messages out right away.  Twitter is one of those interesting areas that can either explode for you right away in terms of finding a lot of followers to consume your message or take a long time to ramp up.  We found it to be more of the long ramp up approach, but that was OK.  We’ve planted the seed and it can now grow into other uses for WCRBC into the future.

The item that was most interesting to me was the use of video.  I’m a big proponent of video and believe it should be used in your digital media strategy wherever possible. In this case, we took the form of posting a regular update from our Sr. Pastor, Bill Bowyer, about the on-going efforts, how people could get involved and what items were needed.  We did shoot one video with the on-site coordinator from Samaritan’s Purse explaining how people could volunteer with SP to help with debris removal. The feedback from these videos was great.  I heard from more than one person saying that it really helped them understand the magnitude of what was happing within the community. To me, that is what good disaster communications is all about.

Our community still has a long way to go.  Those whose homes were a total loss are unlikely to see their lives return to “normal” for several months to come. However, I was very encouraged to see how we could take some very simple tools like Facebook, Twitter and video and use them to coordinate a community-wide response to a disaster.

On a final note, I don’t want to leave anyone with the impression that WCRBC was the only group doing disaster comm in the area. Indeed, we were merely one of many.  The American Red Cross, along with the state and the county and several others were working very hard in the area. Their efforts were incredible (and still are as we’re still working on response to this disaster) and they should be commended for their work. Bottom line– it’s amazing to see what can happen when people pull together in one direction!

Triathlon and Running 2 comments

My First Ever Triathlon!

By on April 10th, 2011

As I mentioned some time back, I’ve been training for a triathlon.  This was something that I’ve wanted to do for several years, but hadn’t quite worked up the nerve to sign-up for.  All that changed last fall in a conversation with my good friend Brett Ciancanelli (Chick) when, in a conversation after an early morning run, realized that we were both interested in competing in a triathlon.  So, we set about looking for information on triathlons and while I was in Ukraine for the adoption of my youngest son, I received an e-mail from Chick mentioning the Granite Falls Triathlon in Rolesville.  We signed up for it just after the first of the year and began our training plan, which led us to yesterday’s big event.

I packed my bags and assembled my gear on Friday evening and got a good amount of sleep.  But, when my alarms (yes, I set two of them so I wouldn’t accidentally oversleep!) went off, I was up and ready to roll.  I was headed out the door at 5:45 to meet Chick, load the bike onto the carrier and head over to the race site.

Jon Parks Triathlon Bike Area

Me with my bike in the transition area before the race.

It was chilly when we arrived and I was a little concerned about the conditions, especially after we came running out of the pool and into the cool air.  However, I had several things on my mind and didn’t want to get bogged down by something I couldn’t control.  So, I focused on setting up my transition area, getting my bike and run gear ready and talking with a few fellow contestants.  I learned that there were several first timers in the field and that made me feel a little more comfortable (it can be intimidating when you see people unloading triathlon bikes that easily cost more than a month’s house payment!) about the event.  I got a look at the pool and found out that it was a saline pool (my training pool is a chlorine pool and the difference was remarkable!) and quite warm.  Then, I fueled up with a homemade cliff bar, courtesy of my lovely wife!

As the start time drew near, I wanted to focus on simply running my race.  I knew there would be competitors that would be a lot faster than me, but I wasn’t there to beat them.  In fact, I wasn’t there to beat anyone– I simply wanted to finish.  With that said, I did have a target time in mind that I wanted to finish within– 1 hour and 40 minutes.  That was based on a combination of my various training times for the three events with some generous padding for the transition areas.

Soon, the time came for me to start the pool swim.  The competitor in front of me didn’t show, so instead of the usual 15 seconds between me and the person in front of me, I had 30 seconds.  Well, as it turned out, I was able to pass 3 or 4 of the people in front of me.  While that was nice, I believe I expended more energy than I had planned on and I was a little zapped coming out of the pool.  But, I felt good and was on to the transition area.

I felt great on the bike.  I rode the course the weekend before and was caught off-guard by a fairly significant hill on the back half of the ride.  Well, I was prepared this time and I attacked it in a smart way that focused on keeping my legs moving.  By the time I made the turn into the last 3 miles of the 10 mile bike ride, I felt good.  And, thanks to a good friend at church, I learned a lot about how to use the gears to my advantage and I was able to really kick it for the last portion of the ride.

Jon Parks Triathlon Run

Running up the final hill towards the finish line.

I found the run to be the most difficult part of the race.  My feet and shins were stiff from the bike ride and it took a lot of the first mile of the 5K to get moving.  I had to walk a few times just to get my feet adjusted to no longer being on the bike.  However, after that first mile, I was able to find a good groove.  Again, like with the bike, my focus was to simply keep putting one foot in front of the other.  The most interesting part of the run was the 1/2 mile jaunt down an off-road trail into the woods.  We passed a few old houses and if it hadn’t been for the trail markings, I would have sworn that we were no longer on the course.  But, I made it and came into the home stretch.  As I made the turn out of the neighborhood where the run was held and headed back for the Granite Falls Athletic Club, I heard some familiar voices.  My wife, 3 children and my mom were there complete with signs ready to cheer me on!  I felt a nice little burst and kicked it up the hill and into the chute towards the finish line!  I finished strong and felt a tremendous amount of satisfaction after crossing the line!  I did it– I completed a triathlon!

Jon Parks and Brett Ciancanelli after the triathlon

Me and and my good friend Brett Ciancanelli after the race.

There was a lot of excitement before, during and after the race.  However, there’s a larger story at play here.  This was all something that God put in my heart, and I’ve found that when God puts something in your heart, you have no option except to go for it!  And what’s most amazing here is that I just started running again last September after an absence of a few years.  When I went for that first run last September, I couldn’t even run 1/2 a mile without stopping to get my breath.  But, gradually, step-by-step and day-by-day, I kept pushing ahead and got a little better to the point that when I crossed that finish line, I became a triathlete!

So, in the end, I didn’t finish first and I didn’t finish last, but I did beat that goal.  I completed the triathlon in 1 hour and 26 minutes!  It was a sweet personal victory and I’m now officially hooked on triathlons because I’m already looking forward to the next one!

Digital Marketing Series No comments yet

March Digital Marketing Blog Post Series

By on March 4th, 2011

I’m finally getting the chance to do something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: a blog post series about digital marketing and digital media.  I’m planning to do a post a day for the remainder of March, partly to get that chance to

Digital Marketing Media Strategy

talk about some topics that are of great interest to me (and hopefully others) and partly because I need to bring some focus and discipline to this blog.

So, with that in mind, here’s the agenda as it stands right now for the topics I’m planning to write about (I’ll activate these topics as links once I write about them):

  • why you need a digital strategy and fast
  • an overview of the new Facebook Fan Page features
  • should you be on Twitter?
  • great tools that make digital marketing a lot easier
  • tips and tricks
  • ad serving technology
  • how Outlook 2007/2010 impacts e-mail marketing
  • the basics of online video
  • how to craft a solid advertising strategy
  • what is Foursquare and how businesses can use it to extend their reach

Of course, there’s a lot more to the month, so I expect the topic list to grow.  And as always, if you have something you want to know more about, be sure to let me know!

Happy March!

Triathlon and Running No comments yet

NHL All-Star 5K Race

By on January 29th, 2011

This morning, I joined 1,998 of my closest friends and fellow Caniacs in a really cool event that is part of the 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend, a 5K road race held at the RBC Center (home of the Carolina Hurricanes) this morning. I competed in the race with my good friend (and fellow Triathlon training partner) Brett Ciancanelli. We got to the arena at about 8

Jon_NHL_All_Star_5K

Me (left) and my friend and fellow runner, Brett Ciancanelli

a.m. this morning and it was a frosty 30 degrees. Now, that’s not too bad as it is January, after all, but when you step out of the car and into the cold air only wearing a long-sleeve dry-fit shirt and shorts, it is a little overwhelming! But, after a little warm-up run, it started to feel a little better.

All runners gathered together in the chute at the starting line in front of the arena and as the sounds of the Hurricanes theme song were blasting over the speakers, we started on our journey. Now, I’ve only been running for the past 3 weeks as I was out of commission during our trip to Ukraine, Christmas and the various snow storms we’ve had. So, I was a little nervous about how well I might do. But, I felt great during the entire race, even the long uphill climb on Trinity Road!

A new thing for me today is that I raced as part of a team– Team 413. This is a group of runners that, drawing from Phillipians 4:13, which says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It is special to know that you are running to glorify God and to be connected with other Christians in this special way.

As for the race, I was very excited to see the clock as I approached the last turn. It read 29:30! I picked up the pace and sprinted across the finish line to wrap up the race in 29:45, one of my best times yet.

We had a lot of fun today in the race and as I reflected on it throughout the day, I realized that this was an easy way for the common, ordinary fan (read: don’t have a ticket to the game on Sunday) to be involved in a special way with the NHL All-Star Weekend. I sincerely hope that the league will make this a regular event in every city that hosts the All-Star Weekend in the future. In fact, perhaps they should consider hosting a 5K on Saturday of the All-Star Weekend in each city that has a team and do a simultaneous run, just to see how many people they could get running at the same time! Talk about a commitment to physical fitness and supporting the sport of hockey!

So, this was just one more step on the road to completing a Triathlon. Now, back to the training schedule. Got to work on those BRIC training sessions!