I keep a picture of a great man on the bento box of my race bike. It is the picture of triumph, of beating the odds, and of staring death in the face and not flinching. It is the picture of Randy, standing a top Sun's Gate at Machu Picchu in Peru. He did the hike with only one leg, losing the other to cancer, and with lungs filled with the same cancer. He did it because...well, that's just who he was.
There is much hype around my upcoming Ironman race in Wisconsin, as maybe there should be. But as they say "you can't always believe the hype". I have never done an Iron distance triathlon before. I have done a couple of halves and ran a marathon. I have ridden a few "centuries" and swam over 2.5 miles. I do not recall any of these being a prerequisite to competing in the race. To be honest, the only pre-req for this race was $625.00, which was paid in full the day after last years race. I have trained for this race since last November, which only means that I spent a lot of time away from my family doing the swim/bike/run thing. There are no guarantee's to this race, other than the refund date on my entry fee has passed, and they only give back $150 of your money anyway...not that I would back out...but it is the only guarantee I could find in the fine print.
So here I am, with good lungs, two legs, and a body of fitness I hope can carry me across the line on Sept. 11th, and that is what I am going for. What I have come to realize about this sport, and life in general, is that if you never toe the line, or show up to battle on race day, you are left with a lousy refund and a bunch of time spent training to avoid everything else. The race does not care what I did before today, it only records a start time, a few splits in between, and a finishing time. The best part about racing, is that the line doesn't care how fast I was in my last race, for today is a new day.
To honor my family and those who have helped me along the way, I will take the opportunity I have been given and go after my first Ironman finish.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Monday, May 17, 2010
First Time
We all have many “first times” in our lives. This year has been a little shady when it comes to that for me. This weekend I attempted another first…and rocked out!!!
The water was 60 degrees, the air temp was about 55, and the sky was partly cloudy. It had rained earlier in the morning, but by the time the race started the roads were dry.
My first triathlon was all I hoped it would be, and more than I expected it to be. I had only been training hard for about 10 days after recovering from my marathon, so I went in with low expectations. My goal time was between 1:25 and 1:35. I hit 1:25:08 and finished 7th in my age group 21st male and 22nd overall. I got chicked by an amazing women who was a repeat winner in the women’s division about 20 minutes into the bike (I had a 3 minute head start on her from the swim wave). Those are the numbers…now for the story.
I had ridden most of the bike course on Friday and had an idea of what to expect. On Saturday I swam off the dock to get a quick open water swim in before the race. The 60 degree water would haunt me for the next 21 hours, until I did my swim warm-up about 10 minutes before the race. I dove in head first off the dock and swam as hard as I could for about 50 yards. I then realized that I needed to slow down and swim back. My chest and lungs had tightened up and I was freaking out due to the cold. I did some breast stroke and swam back to the dock and called that an “experience”. I lost sleep due to that “experience”. With the normal race night jitters I sleep poor at best, add the fear of freaking out during the swim, and you get a sleepless night of tossing and turning. Later on in the day on Saturday I ran most of the run course. The run course is a very hilly and winding road that changes from asphalt to gravel and back many times throughout the 5k distance. I was glad I had run it before the race and knew what to expect.
Race Day: After not really sleeping all night I was less than happy with how I felt race morning. I had to choke down my normal pre-race meal of whole wheat waffles with peanut butter and a banana. I drank my normal cup of coffee and decided maybe I would just do a gel before the race. Pre-race jitters have never been my thing, so having them was not something I was prepared for. The time finally came to go get my timing chip and claim my space on the rack. I racked my bike and set up my transition about 45 minutes before the race meeting. I went on a nice calming warm up jog and then put on my wetsuit. I waded into the water, put my face in it, and blew bubbles. I came out of the water and listened to the pre-race announcements and then went back in and took a swim. My warm-up swim went great. I was way more comfortable in the water than the day before and I felt like I could breathe again. My pre-race jitters went away by the time I got back on the beach.
I positioned myself at the back of the crowed and to the right of the buoy. The gun went off and away we went. I made my way through all the slower swimmers and found my rhythm. I passed a ton of people in the water and set myself up for a great race. My first transition went smooth and I was off on the bike. The bike went well and I was really happy to be inside the top 20 for the entire bike (with 2 turnarounds you can see where you are at in the pack). On my way back towards transition I was taking my feet out of my bike shoes and one of my shoes came off the clip. Luckily I was still holding it and carried it with me up the hill. My speedplay clips are great…but they offer little in the way of surface area when your shoe falls off! The transition went well and I was off on the run. The run started and ended on a grueling hill. I knew I needed more practice going from the bike to the run, and having to go up a long hill to start the run really pointed that out!! I was passed by a guy with about a half mile to go. I tried to stay as close to him as I could to try and take it back from him on the long downhill to the finish. I gave the fans a great show, but came up 1 second short of catching him.
All things considered it was a great first race for me. I had so much fun pushing myself throughout the morning that I eagerly await my race next month. I will have another 4 weeks to train hard and we will see what I can do to improve my time on a much flatter race course.
The water was 60 degrees, the air temp was about 55, and the sky was partly cloudy. It had rained earlier in the morning, but by the time the race started the roads were dry.
My first triathlon was all I hoped it would be, and more than I expected it to be. I had only been training hard for about 10 days after recovering from my marathon, so I went in with low expectations. My goal time was between 1:25 and 1:35. I hit 1:25:08 and finished 7th in my age group 21st male and 22nd overall. I got chicked by an amazing women who was a repeat winner in the women’s division about 20 minutes into the bike (I had a 3 minute head start on her from the swim wave). Those are the numbers…now for the story.
I had ridden most of the bike course on Friday and had an idea of what to expect. On Saturday I swam off the dock to get a quick open water swim in before the race. The 60 degree water would haunt me for the next 21 hours, until I did my swim warm-up about 10 minutes before the race. I dove in head first off the dock and swam as hard as I could for about 50 yards. I then realized that I needed to slow down and swim back. My chest and lungs had tightened up and I was freaking out due to the cold. I did some breast stroke and swam back to the dock and called that an “experience”. I lost sleep due to that “experience”. With the normal race night jitters I sleep poor at best, add the fear of freaking out during the swim, and you get a sleepless night of tossing and turning. Later on in the day on Saturday I ran most of the run course. The run course is a very hilly and winding road that changes from asphalt to gravel and back many times throughout the 5k distance. I was glad I had run it before the race and knew what to expect.
Race Day: After not really sleeping all night I was less than happy with how I felt race morning. I had to choke down my normal pre-race meal of whole wheat waffles with peanut butter and a banana. I drank my normal cup of coffee and decided maybe I would just do a gel before the race. Pre-race jitters have never been my thing, so having them was not something I was prepared for. The time finally came to go get my timing chip and claim my space on the rack. I racked my bike and set up my transition about 45 minutes before the race meeting. I went on a nice calming warm up jog and then put on my wetsuit. I waded into the water, put my face in it, and blew bubbles. I came out of the water and listened to the pre-race announcements and then went back in and took a swim. My warm-up swim went great. I was way more comfortable in the water than the day before and I felt like I could breathe again. My pre-race jitters went away by the time I got back on the beach.
I positioned myself at the back of the crowed and to the right of the buoy. The gun went off and away we went. I made my way through all the slower swimmers and found my rhythm. I passed a ton of people in the water and set myself up for a great race. My first transition went smooth and I was off on the bike. The bike went well and I was really happy to be inside the top 20 for the entire bike (with 2 turnarounds you can see where you are at in the pack). On my way back towards transition I was taking my feet out of my bike shoes and one of my shoes came off the clip. Luckily I was still holding it and carried it with me up the hill. My speedplay clips are great…but they offer little in the way of surface area when your shoe falls off! The transition went well and I was off on the run. The run started and ended on a grueling hill. I knew I needed more practice going from the bike to the run, and having to go up a long hill to start the run really pointed that out!! I was passed by a guy with about a half mile to go. I tried to stay as close to him as I could to try and take it back from him on the long downhill to the finish. I gave the fans a great show, but came up 1 second short of catching him.
All things considered it was a great first race for me. I had so much fun pushing myself throughout the morning that I eagerly await my race next month. I will have another 4 weeks to train hard and we will see what I can do to improve my time on a much flatter race course.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Join the Club
Do you want to live the Triathlon lifestyle? Are you committed to your training plan? Could you use a coach? How about a bunch of friends with the same interest as you? For only 50$ a year we can do that for you…we are THE TRIATHLON CLUB.
I have been swimming at one of the local YMCA”S for the past 3 months now and I have been given this speech about a dozen times. All by well meaning people who want to welcome me into the fold and let me know that there is a triathlon family out there. I appreciate the sentiment…but I think I will pass. Yes, I said “No thanks” to the local organization that will give me some free goodies and a small discount to local shops for being a member. I am not against clubs or the people who belong to them. The problem I have here are that other than helping out at club functions and get-together’s, most of the members I know do not train or hang out with the club except at the races. They happen to win a lot of the races, so people flock to them to be around the chosen members of our sport who have got what it takes to be ranked as all Americans. I like to hang out with them because…because I know them outside of the sport…funny how that works.
I work a 2nd shift job at a local hospital and do not have time to go to meetings and clinics. It is not that I am against them, I just can not attend them. I have sought the advice from many of the local experts, some whom I have paid, and others who have graced me with their knowledge, because that is how they role. I am grateful for what I have learned from them, and they know it.
In the end, I joined a club…The NTTC Racing club sponsored by Jelly Belly Sport Beans. I sold out for a great box of swag!!!! I now have a fancy race top and hat to wear and some really yummy candy to eat while I am on the bike. I am currently the only Iowa member that I know of…and I am just fine with that.
Happy Training to all and to all a great race season!!!
I have been swimming at one of the local YMCA”S for the past 3 months now and I have been given this speech about a dozen times. All by well meaning people who want to welcome me into the fold and let me know that there is a triathlon family out there. I appreciate the sentiment…but I think I will pass. Yes, I said “No thanks” to the local organization that will give me some free goodies and a small discount to local shops for being a member. I am not against clubs or the people who belong to them. The problem I have here are that other than helping out at club functions and get-together’s, most of the members I know do not train or hang out with the club except at the races. They happen to win a lot of the races, so people flock to them to be around the chosen members of our sport who have got what it takes to be ranked as all Americans. I like to hang out with them because…because I know them outside of the sport…funny how that works.
I work a 2nd shift job at a local hospital and do not have time to go to meetings and clinics. It is not that I am against them, I just can not attend them. I have sought the advice from many of the local experts, some whom I have paid, and others who have graced me with their knowledge, because that is how they role. I am grateful for what I have learned from them, and they know it.
In the end, I joined a club…The NTTC Racing club sponsored by Jelly Belly Sport Beans. I sold out for a great box of swag!!!! I now have a fancy race top and hat to wear and some really yummy candy to eat while I am on the bike. I am currently the only Iowa member that I know of…and I am just fine with that.
Happy Training to all and to all a great race season!!!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
80 and sunny
3:48:45
That is what the clock said at the end of a 26.2 mile run. When I started I was looking for something around the 3:30 mark. After I finished, I was glad to be under 4 hours. I worked my training plan and put in the miles. All winter long I ran on a treadmill and on the frozen gravel roads of greater east Bertram. I stuck to my hydration plan and took on my nutrition at the scheduled times. I started the run with a 8 minute mile pace group and was set to see the finish line around 3:30 all the way to mile 15. Mile 15 is where my goal time met its Waterloo. I was half way up a mile long hill and my heart rate was pegged at 98% max. I was redlining my engine and I knew it. I slowed off my pace a wee bit to see if I could bring myself back into a more acceptable range. I got my heart rate back down and picked up the pace again. Same result, 98% of max. I knew I had a choice to make and I had already made the decision before the race started. I told myself that not finishing the race was not an option on the table. I was willing to crawl on my hands and knees if that is what it took to make it past the finish line. I chose to let my pace group go and finish the race as strong as I could. I saw my Wife and children around mile 17. It was a quad busting down hill after another long slow up hill. I ran to the side of the road where they were holding signs for me. I grabbed my oldest boy and gave him a big hug and thanked him for cheering me on. (He would later tell me that I had failed. I did not beat my goal time…he was right…I did not reach my goal) I gave my youngest boy a hug and he ran away because I was all sweaty. I thanked my parents for coming along for the ride. I then gave my wife a kiss and told her I would see her at the finish. That all took place in about 10 seconds, and those 10 seconds helped me run for another 90 minutes +. Along the route people dropped out left and right. There was a stretch around mile 22 that looked and felt like a war zone. Bodies of once strong humans lay to waste on the side of the street. They lined the walls of buildings as EMT’s rushed to get them fluids and nutrition. I just kept running. I ran and walked my way to the bitter end. I lost feeling in my legs at mile 26. I ran with a heel strike to the end to ensure that I wouldn’t trip and fall. I was willing to crawl at that point. I got the past the line, got my medal and some other goodies they throw at you when you have paid them money and then finished the task. I drank a bottle of water and chased it down with the complimentary cup of beer. I took an Ice bath and headed north.
I am a very goal oriented person, and my son was right, I did not meet my goal. I had failed. I am greatfull that my son has learned from me what goal setting is all about. I can talk all day about the 80 degree heat, poor water stops, pace group that ran way to fast for the first half, and the 20%+ attrition rate that the race had. It still does not change my goal. I will run a 3:30 marathon. It may not be St. Louis, but there will be a coarse that I am well prepared for. My friend told me the plus side of this is that I will run a PR the next time I run a marathon. I think the plus side of this is I may have lost the battle, but I won the War.
That is what the clock said at the end of a 26.2 mile run. When I started I was looking for something around the 3:30 mark. After I finished, I was glad to be under 4 hours. I worked my training plan and put in the miles. All winter long I ran on a treadmill and on the frozen gravel roads of greater east Bertram. I stuck to my hydration plan and took on my nutrition at the scheduled times. I started the run with a 8 minute mile pace group and was set to see the finish line around 3:30 all the way to mile 15. Mile 15 is where my goal time met its Waterloo. I was half way up a mile long hill and my heart rate was pegged at 98% max. I was redlining my engine and I knew it. I slowed off my pace a wee bit to see if I could bring myself back into a more acceptable range. I got my heart rate back down and picked up the pace again. Same result, 98% of max. I knew I had a choice to make and I had already made the decision before the race started. I told myself that not finishing the race was not an option on the table. I was willing to crawl on my hands and knees if that is what it took to make it past the finish line. I chose to let my pace group go and finish the race as strong as I could. I saw my Wife and children around mile 17. It was a quad busting down hill after another long slow up hill. I ran to the side of the road where they were holding signs for me. I grabbed my oldest boy and gave him a big hug and thanked him for cheering me on. (He would later tell me that I had failed. I did not beat my goal time…he was right…I did not reach my goal) I gave my youngest boy a hug and he ran away because I was all sweaty. I thanked my parents for coming along for the ride. I then gave my wife a kiss and told her I would see her at the finish. That all took place in about 10 seconds, and those 10 seconds helped me run for another 90 minutes +. Along the route people dropped out left and right. There was a stretch around mile 22 that looked and felt like a war zone. Bodies of once strong humans lay to waste on the side of the street. They lined the walls of buildings as EMT’s rushed to get them fluids and nutrition. I just kept running. I ran and walked my way to the bitter end. I lost feeling in my legs at mile 26. I ran with a heel strike to the end to ensure that I wouldn’t trip and fall. I was willing to crawl at that point. I got the past the line, got my medal and some other goodies they throw at you when you have paid them money and then finished the task. I drank a bottle of water and chased it down with the complimentary cup of beer. I took an Ice bath and headed north.
I am a very goal oriented person, and my son was right, I did not meet my goal. I had failed. I am greatfull that my son has learned from me what goal setting is all about. I can talk all day about the 80 degree heat, poor water stops, pace group that ran way to fast for the first half, and the 20%+ attrition rate that the race had. It still does not change my goal. I will run a 3:30 marathon. It may not be St. Louis, but there will be a coarse that I am well prepared for. My friend told me the plus side of this is that I will run a PR the next time I run a marathon. I think the plus side of this is I may have lost the battle, but I won the War.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Failing to plan is planning to fail
Two weeks ago I attempted my first 20 mile run and I failed. I completed the run, with several bouts of walking, but a failure just the same. What I learned from that failure set me up for this weeks 20 miles of success.
After fearing the upcoming 20 mile run for almost 2 weeks, I decided I had better get my mind right before I dug myself into a hole that would be damn hard to dig out of. I ordered another piece of equipment and armed myself with the knowledge I had gained from the first attempt. The mistakes I made were all ones that could have been avoided, and ones I had been warned about from others who have taken this journey before. Some lessons are best learned through experience.
On a “warm” and sunny morning I set out on my run. I planned a new route with different challenges to help keep me from getting into a rut. I had stashed water bottles on my route and wore the new fuel belt I had purchased. I slowed my pace down to be inside the window of my plan, instead of always trying to beat those times. I set my nutrition times closer together to keep up/stay ahead of it, as opposed to falling behind on my caloric needs.
The run was largely text book. Other than the crazy yellow eyed dog that chased me and forced me to walk for about 30 seconds, the run went according to plan.
What was different? I took out 2 huge variables, hydration and nutrition. The first time I ran 20 miles the average temperature was around 26 degrees, so having good weather was a huge boost for my confidence. I only had to battle some wind, and in the end I almost got down to my shorts, but I am glad I stuck with pants!!! I also ran with purpose. I knew that if I failed this run I would force myself to try it again next week and put off my taper. I am glad that is a road I did not have to take!
The knowledge or “distance confidence” I gained from a SUCCESSFUL 20 mile run sets me up nicely to attempt my 3:30 marathon in a few weeks. I am more in-tune with what my body is telling my when I get past that 15 mile mark. I understand why people “bonk” after mile 20.
I am glad I failed on my first try. I am glad that I did not listen to those who told me “hey it’s ok, I couldn’t run 20 miles” or “you gave it your best shot, you’ll do better next time”. That is a bunch of SHIT!!! I do not care that you can not run 20 miles, and, at the time, I did not believe that I could do better next time. I took a knock-out style punch when I had to walk that ¼-1/2 mile on the first try. For the first time on this journey did I realize that I could fail. Failure is not an option, it is a consequence. For me, it was the consequence for lack of preparation. I am proud of myself for looking deep inside and deciding that I would do what it took to make my second attempt a success.
So for those of you who want to rest on the comments of idle bystanders, good luck ever completing your goals. For those of you who are willing to dig deep within and learn from your mistakes, keep up the good fight!
As of this post, I have logged 394 miles training for this marathon. There is also the hours of spinning I have done on my bike trainor and the laps that I have swam in the pool. I have enjoyed most of them and learned a lot about who I am and who I want to be.
I would like to thank my friend and mentor CJ for his great advice and training tips during this journey. He is the one who told me to “suck it up and figure it out”. He knew the answer all along; he also knew I had to figure it out for myself if it was going to mean anything.
After fearing the upcoming 20 mile run for almost 2 weeks, I decided I had better get my mind right before I dug myself into a hole that would be damn hard to dig out of. I ordered another piece of equipment and armed myself with the knowledge I had gained from the first attempt. The mistakes I made were all ones that could have been avoided, and ones I had been warned about from others who have taken this journey before. Some lessons are best learned through experience.
On a “warm” and sunny morning I set out on my run. I planned a new route with different challenges to help keep me from getting into a rut. I had stashed water bottles on my route and wore the new fuel belt I had purchased. I slowed my pace down to be inside the window of my plan, instead of always trying to beat those times. I set my nutrition times closer together to keep up/stay ahead of it, as opposed to falling behind on my caloric needs.
The run was largely text book. Other than the crazy yellow eyed dog that chased me and forced me to walk for about 30 seconds, the run went according to plan.
What was different? I took out 2 huge variables, hydration and nutrition. The first time I ran 20 miles the average temperature was around 26 degrees, so having good weather was a huge boost for my confidence. I only had to battle some wind, and in the end I almost got down to my shorts, but I am glad I stuck with pants!!! I also ran with purpose. I knew that if I failed this run I would force myself to try it again next week and put off my taper. I am glad that is a road I did not have to take!
The knowledge or “distance confidence” I gained from a SUCCESSFUL 20 mile run sets me up nicely to attempt my 3:30 marathon in a few weeks. I am more in-tune with what my body is telling my when I get past that 15 mile mark. I understand why people “bonk” after mile 20.
I am glad I failed on my first try. I am glad that I did not listen to those who told me “hey it’s ok, I couldn’t run 20 miles” or “you gave it your best shot, you’ll do better next time”. That is a bunch of SHIT!!! I do not care that you can not run 20 miles, and, at the time, I did not believe that I could do better next time. I took a knock-out style punch when I had to walk that ¼-1/2 mile on the first try. For the first time on this journey did I realize that I could fail. Failure is not an option, it is a consequence. For me, it was the consequence for lack of preparation. I am proud of myself for looking deep inside and deciding that I would do what it took to make my second attempt a success.
So for those of you who want to rest on the comments of idle bystanders, good luck ever completing your goals. For those of you who are willing to dig deep within and learn from your mistakes, keep up the good fight!
As of this post, I have logged 394 miles training for this marathon. There is also the hours of spinning I have done on my bike trainor and the laps that I have swam in the pool. I have enjoyed most of them and learned a lot about who I am and who I want to be.
I would like to thank my friend and mentor CJ for his great advice and training tips during this journey. He is the one who told me to “suck it up and figure it out”. He knew the answer all along; he also knew I had to figure it out for myself if it was going to mean anything.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Get off the fence, you are killing your future.
Moderation? It's mediocrity, fear, and confusion in disguise. It's the devil's dilemma. It's neither doing nor not doing. It's the wobbling compromise that makes no one happy. Moderation is for the bland, the apologetic, for the fence-sitters of the world afraid to take a stand. It's for those afraid to laugh or cry, for those afraid to live or die. Moderation...is lukewarm tea, the devil's own brew.
Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior
A friend sent this to me the other day and got me thinking. I work in the healthcare industry at a large area hospital. I see people die on a regular basis. I also see families keep people alive, on machines and drugs, to avoid having to “deal” with the reality of death for a few more days. I have made my wishes to my family and friends as to what I want done in the “End” if it comes down to it. I have also told other friends what to do to said family members if my wishes are not carried out. Call it “end of life” insurance. That’s for another day.
Today is all about being Healthy. A friend of mine brought up this point in a conversation today. “Why are Americans so FAT?” A HUGE question to tackle, in more ways than one. I, myself, think people are lazy, just plain lazy. The days of hard work and sweat in this country have long been replaced by an entitlement and “ME” society. I pay taxes so those same lazy people can get free healthcare. I work out 6 days a week, spend money on quality food, and I try to keep my weight up to military specs (5’ 8” tall = 169 lbs to be fit…if I recall correctly). What if that was a requirement for food stamps, or a welfare check. What if you had to meet a fitness standard to get your “free” money each month? Diabetes’s, Heart Disease, and High Blood Pressure are just a few examples of things we spend billions of dollars on each year that could, in large part, be eliminated with a good diet and healthy exercise habits. I do not expect anyone to have to complete a marathon to get the aid they need. I do think that our tax dollars would be better spent on fresh vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats. Not processed food and soda pop. People are up in arms about soda pop taxes these days. I hate taxes as much as the next guy, but I like this one. Let’s throw in any beverage that is high in any of the corn syrup derivatives, not just the carbonated ones. As long as that money goes directly to pay for education about healthy lifestyles and helping people get better foods. As a nation of lazy people we have blamed everyone but ourselves for the mess we are in. Wake up, take a good hard look at your life, and make changes that will keep you out of the doctors’ offices and hospitals. Healthcare is cheap, when you do not need to use it!!!
That brings me back to the quote from Dan Millman. The time for fence sitting is over. This nation will crumble under its own debt, based on Medicare expenses alone, if we do not get off the fence and make it happen. If you want to be “free” and do what you want to, I am OK with that. Just make sure you are not spending my money to keep your fat ass from dying. Tell your friends, get the movement started, one healthy person at a time.
Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior
A friend sent this to me the other day and got me thinking. I work in the healthcare industry at a large area hospital. I see people die on a regular basis. I also see families keep people alive, on machines and drugs, to avoid having to “deal” with the reality of death for a few more days. I have made my wishes to my family and friends as to what I want done in the “End” if it comes down to it. I have also told other friends what to do to said family members if my wishes are not carried out. Call it “end of life” insurance. That’s for another day.
Today is all about being Healthy. A friend of mine brought up this point in a conversation today. “Why are Americans so FAT?” A HUGE question to tackle, in more ways than one. I, myself, think people are lazy, just plain lazy. The days of hard work and sweat in this country have long been replaced by an entitlement and “ME” society. I pay taxes so those same lazy people can get free healthcare. I work out 6 days a week, spend money on quality food, and I try to keep my weight up to military specs (5’ 8” tall = 169 lbs to be fit…if I recall correctly). What if that was a requirement for food stamps, or a welfare check. What if you had to meet a fitness standard to get your “free” money each month? Diabetes’s, Heart Disease, and High Blood Pressure are just a few examples of things we spend billions of dollars on each year that could, in large part, be eliminated with a good diet and healthy exercise habits. I do not expect anyone to have to complete a marathon to get the aid they need. I do think that our tax dollars would be better spent on fresh vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats. Not processed food and soda pop. People are up in arms about soda pop taxes these days. I hate taxes as much as the next guy, but I like this one. Let’s throw in any beverage that is high in any of the corn syrup derivatives, not just the carbonated ones. As long as that money goes directly to pay for education about healthy lifestyles and helping people get better foods. As a nation of lazy people we have blamed everyone but ourselves for the mess we are in. Wake up, take a good hard look at your life, and make changes that will keep you out of the doctors’ offices and hospitals. Healthcare is cheap, when you do not need to use it!!!
That brings me back to the quote from Dan Millman. The time for fence sitting is over. This nation will crumble under its own debt, based on Medicare expenses alone, if we do not get off the fence and make it happen. If you want to be “free” and do what you want to, I am OK with that. Just make sure you are not spending my money to keep your fat ass from dying. Tell your friends, get the movement started, one healthy person at a time.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Enjoy the addiction
Hello, my name is Ebe, and I have been addicted to working out for over a year now...
That is how I envision the punch line to jokes other people like to make about those who are willing to bleed, or at least get a blister or two. I could care less about how the "non-fit" view my life and my training. They may express their opinion as often as they like, for I believe people should be free to speak. It is still my choice not to listen. That is the joy of being in control of your life and lifestyle. Fitness does not care what color you are, religion you believe in, or who you are sleeping with. Fitness, to me, is a healthy way to live my life. I do not ask others to partake in my addiction, but often times they do. It is amazing to me how one person can start looking better, feeling better, and being vocal about it, can change the lives of so many around them. I was helped out by a person like that, and I am eternally grateful for the push.
I ran my first long outside run of the year this week. 18 miles in sub 18 degree temps. I loved every second of it...Ok, that’s not quite true. My ipod gave up at mile nine, my ductape shoe covers fell off at mile 12, and my last power gel was more along the lines of a power popsicle. What I loved about it was that I did it. I fed my addiction to push myself to new limits. In 34+ years, I have never run 18 miles consecutively. Now I have.
Go out and feed your addiction for fitness. If you have never felt the joys of pushing yourself farther than you have ever been, give it a try!!!
I look forward to my marathon in April, after I finish a few more long runs.
That is how I envision the punch line to jokes other people like to make about those who are willing to bleed, or at least get a blister or two. I could care less about how the "non-fit" view my life and my training. They may express their opinion as often as they like, for I believe people should be free to speak. It is still my choice not to listen. That is the joy of being in control of your life and lifestyle. Fitness does not care what color you are, religion you believe in, or who you are sleeping with. Fitness, to me, is a healthy way to live my life. I do not ask others to partake in my addiction, but often times they do. It is amazing to me how one person can start looking better, feeling better, and being vocal about it, can change the lives of so many around them. I was helped out by a person like that, and I am eternally grateful for the push.
I ran my first long outside run of the year this week. 18 miles in sub 18 degree temps. I loved every second of it...Ok, that’s not quite true. My ipod gave up at mile nine, my ductape shoe covers fell off at mile 12, and my last power gel was more along the lines of a power popsicle. What I loved about it was that I did it. I fed my addiction to push myself to new limits. In 34+ years, I have never run 18 miles consecutively. Now I have.
Go out and feed your addiction for fitness. If you have never felt the joys of pushing yourself farther than you have ever been, give it a try!!!
I look forward to my marathon in April, after I finish a few more long runs.
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