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My race uniform and some of my rewards (the best rewards were breakfast with Mark and Linda and as noted below!).
Golfing is not the best training for running. It may, in fact, be a version of insanity. But it lured me in. So I ran less and played more this year. Maybe I needed a break after last year’s collection of long-ass runs. Long-ass runs are character builders. They can turn nice people into cussers. They can also boost our confidence. They are hard tests.
Pesto is one of my favorite fuels. I love the taste and I can burn the calories during a long-ass run. Double win! Basil grows in my yard, so pesto it was! It tasted so good! Would it help me run fast?
Hell yes! Well, it’s relative, of course. Fast to me is defined differently than it once was. But it is still fun!
Races are filled with deja vu. For me, mind games are inevitable. So we just have to win them. Against ourselves! Let the optimist win!
I surprised myself today, because I was willing to believe. Go for it and see what happens. What’s the worst thing that can happen? Can you live with that? I could crash and burn and have to walk to the finish. I could live with that. But what if I could keep the pace? Then I get to ride a high!
The young speedsters went out fast. So did some of us plodders. My first two miles averaged about a minute and a half faster than my recent training runs. So I started to dream about success. Hey! I should go for it!
I found my groove and kept a steady pace. It felt like a miniature version of a marathon. Focus on form, keep it steady, remember to fuel and hydrate and prepare for the mind games.
They always come for me. Thoughts of failure. Signals from tiring muscles. Memories of past disappointments. Fear of falling short. Freakin’ fears! Buzz off you damn fears! I CAN do this.
Each passing competitor spurred me on in the later miles. A new rabbit! Chase that rabbit! Mile eleven was my slowest of the day, approximating my training run average. My legs felt so heavy! My left foot was blistering. It would be so easy to walk. It would feel so much better. Or not, at least in the long run. Push! Go! Dig deep! When your body is failing, run with your fiery spirit! It’s only two more miles! How hard is that?
Mile twelve felt very hard, but it turned out to be one of my fastest of the day. I didn’t know that until my post-race review, because it felt a little like hell. I kept fighting during mile thirteen, when a lovely woman passed me. The best rabbit yet! She pulled me to an even faster thirteenth mile. As I turned into Pioneer Park for the finish, Charles Stanger urged me on. He had blessed us all day with his musical bike parade. I owed him something! So I dug down deep. I had a little left. I sprinted to the finish. It felt fast. I’m not sure how it looked. I nearly caught my favorite rabbit! It was a win for me, because I beat my fears, and I ran my fastest time in years. What more is possible?
It felt too hard! Man, what a recurring theme! It’s a timeless feeling of deja vu; I’ve been here before, many times, over many years. There are easier, softer options: slow down a little, slow down a lot, walk, quit, devise excuses…
Excuses can arise from an early morning bed: a rainy day? Perhaps I’m meant to rest this morning? Or is that fear rearing its ugly head?
Today I hit an excuse jackpot. My right calf cramped less than two miles into the race. Good or bad? Just breathe in and out, sending relaxing thoughts to my muscles. Hmmm… was this a chance to run from the run? It’s not always easy living in my mind. So stay out of it if you can!
Using a watch to forecast results is easy for me. It can also be quite limiting. My GPS watch does much of what I used to do, creating opportunity for other thoughts. These can be devilish or inspirational.
Mile one passed in 7:30. Judgement commenced. Too fast! I did it again! I will only slow down from here! So mile two took 8:08. See how much I slowed down! Feel how winded I am! It’s all downhill from here!
A self-fulfilling prophecy? Mile three elapsed in 8:26. I’ll be crawling by the end! I’m out of shape from not running all week! I’ve gotten lazy. Shit!
Whoa! Finally, my free-wild-optimist fought back. I’m nearly half done and averaging 8:01 per mile. Not bad for my condition! I should do my best and see what happens.
Part of the beauty and challenge of the Balloonsday 10 kilometer course is the loneliness, especially coming on the heels of a mega-crowd road race like Bloomsday. Most Balloonsday participants choose five kilometers. The scarcity of ten kilometer racers leads to some big gaps. Mine was a lonely path today, creating a wonderful opportunity to choose between easy lagging and difficult pushing. Who am I to be today?
Lonely mile four took 8:15. Was I choosing to be all that I could be? Perhaps my fifty minute goal is too tough today. I should have trained harder! Why do I think I can push on race day without more fast-paced training? Still, I must push and do what I can!
The volunteers were so encouraging! The course was extremely well-marked. This is my favorite race of the year! But mile five took 8:16. I think I’m slowing down too much. I’ll miss my goal. I’m doomed! More waiting? Will I just keep on saying “wait ’til next year”? Wait a minute! It’s the negative thoughts that are holding me back! I can almost always push at least a bit harder. Do it now! Run free and wild! Be the spirited stallion! Go for it!
Hey, it’s true! I do have a little more to give. When I do so, I gain capacity to give a little more next time. My life gets better when my heart, mind and soul embrace faith and venture forth, fully alive!
Mile six took 7:48. I picked up the pace! Bring it home! I strode strongly to the finish, clocking 49:29. It was my best time in years and another step towards better health. Physically, mentally and spiritually, I must face the demons I meet with faith, perseverance and lots of smiles. It fills my journey with pleasure, which sometimes masquerades as pain. Namaste!
Undeniably, much of life is far beyond our control. Yet it seems prudent to consciously develop who we are, instead of living reactively. Maybe we should work backwards? What would be cool on a headstone?
Adventurous, Believing, Calm, Daring, Enthusiastic, Funny, Game, Honorable, Innovative, Jovial, Kind, Loving, Motivating, Natural, Optimistic, Parental, Quenchable, Ready, Studious, Trustworthy, Uniting, Valiant, Wild, Xyzlacatotic, Youthful and Zesty!
Loving It Fully Everyday!
Two thirds of the way to 26.2!
Maybe I’ll shoot under par. Perhaps I’ll standup paddle (SUP) on lakes and rivers. I may finish a marathon! I could become awesome at hackysack. Maybe I’ll fall in love again. Watch the Cougars win at football. Mountain bike in heavenly places. Help solve the overwhelming challenges facing healthcare. Live as an example of good health myself. Play with kids to be like them!
I don’t know what’s coming, but I like the possibilities! I believe in them. I trust that good processes increase the likelihood of good outcomes. I’ve done much work to prepare for a marathon. I’m mentally prepared to do the rest. My body has held up well and prospered. Cross training has helped me avoid injuries while preparing me for more fun, such as SUP and golf. It would be silly to become complacent. The better polished my body becomes, the better equipped it is to paddle and swing, among other things!
Spring is so fun! I’d like to hold it in my heart forever. I’m feeding off the energy from positive people and trying to feed them encouragement and inspiration. I see the synergy. I love it! I’m glad that my kids are so much fun!
Am I like other smack talkers? Why do it? Mostly to: (1) increase the likelihood that I’ll follow through with the actions and (2) motivate some of you, including my long-run training partner, Annie. I believe it’s a potential win-win-win scenario. Those are my favorites!
Sometimes, I’m a legend in my own mind. I start thinking I’m the most important person I know. Mom, I hope you’re chuckling a little here. I’m working on bettering me to become more capable of serving others. If I’m on the wrong path, someone should tell me.
So Annie, I’m coming for you! I’ll be faster, better fed, tapered and energized! I’ll do intervals, hills, long-ass runs and stairs. I’ll even do the leg weights! If this makes you work even harder, I win!
Has anyone out there lost the belief, desire and/or habits of being the best possible version of themselves? If you get anything at all out of this post, I win again! I could really be on a roll here!
If all you learn is that I’m an egotistical, unashamed self-promoter, well, I win again! Because you’ll know exactly who you don’t want to be. It’s starting to look like I can’t lose on this deal…..
I hope we’re all looking for ways to have fun. I sure am! Tough stuff comes naturally enough. Being the fun is like taking a run: it boosts me higher! Can I help someone smile? Induce a laugh? Spark a chuckle? I know I’ll try!
The sun is shining gloriously this morning! I knew it would. I needed a bit of patience. I don’t know which days will offer the most pleasant weather. I can’t do anything about that. But the storms in my soul are within my control. Because I’ve been gifted spiritual tools that I can use to help my light shine. Time to put in a new bulb? There’s an endless supply! Let’s flip the switch!
That’s me! I’m a youngster, because I feel that I am. If I’m lucky, there may be time for being old later. If not, such is life. This youthfulness is really fun!
Stretching. Massaging. Toning. Pushing. Re-fueling. Resting. Meditating. Letting go. Researching. Imagining. Believing. Embracing. Accepting. Observing. Staying the course. Helping. Loving. Feeling. Joining. Solving. Releasing.
Joy! Beauty! Love! Excitement! Passion! Challenge! Desire! Success! Freedom! Blessings!
Kindness. Compassion. Gratitude. Sharing. Being.
Life is new, fresh and full of mind-boggling possibilities! Spring has sprung again, in a place that is dear to me: my soul!
Happy new day!
What if I soar, right out that door?
What if I fly, all across the sky?
Why should I miss such a delicate kiss?
Why pass by another endorphin high?
Perhaps I will smile at Ms. Grumpy-head;
maybe it’s time her spirit is fed!
Shall I serve Mrs. Pain-in-the-ass?
Provide her with help, in lieu of more sass?
How to get through to Mr. Know-it-all;
what if he’s me? Can I take that fall?
If pessimism rears up and darkens the day,
what will I do? What will I say?
What about dismay? What of despair?
How will I become a breath of fresh air?
Will I bring joy? Will I spout love?
Riding a spirit sent from above?
I’ll try, yes I will, it’s the best plan I’ve found!
If I miss it a bit, I’ll do better next round!
A day in the life of the Shankster
I tackle the challenges that keep streaming in
to an electronic in-box that measures my wins,
since our mission is worthy: we help people heal.
Addressing co-workers, I try hard to peel
back the layers of pessimism, contempt and dismay
while laughing and joking and mixing in play.
Extra stress builds up, so I head to the Y,
Striding and lifting and stepping to highs!
I’m inspired by soreness, I feel that it’s good.
It promises muscles that work as they should.
Depleted, yet smiling I seek out some chow
Delicious re-charging that sweetens the now.
I spar some with Nicko, in words or in play,
his spirit’s a bright spot in almost every day!
I move off to blog world to see what you’ve found
blissfully noticing my feet on the ground!
It’s never been more clear to me that attitude is everything.
I can always find many things to be grateful for. It is gratitude that carries me to happiness. Making a gratitude list has rescued me from despair, discouragement, loneliness and the like. It’s medicine for self-pity.
I can always find many things to complain about. I can choose to be disgruntled. That’s a silly way to live. We only get so much time. I want to enjoy mine!
I can choose to live in happiness. It should be an easy choice! I haven’t always had this clarity. I’m so grateful to be grateful!
I woke up again! Yippee! I’d dance around the house, but walking is hard. Judging “good” or “bad” is truly beyond me. How would I know? I’m just me. That’s freeing. No pressures, just opportunities. How to see them all? Both opportunities and the myriad of ways to respond to them. How to choose well? How to expand awareness? Culture wellness? Open new ideas to polish older ones? Humility, variety, discovery, adventure, curiosity, surrender, honesty, open-mindedness, willingness and acceptance?
Happy new day! 🙂
How’s your outlook on life these days? My glass is not half full. It’s overflowing! Can I learn to remember this, knowing it deeply in my heart, mind and soul?
Someone stole my new rain jacket with clip-on sunglasses in the pocket. So I ordered prescription sunglasses, for the first time, and I’ll get to shop for another cool rain jacket later!
My right elbow and index finger have hurt, limiting certain activities. I get a different variety of experiences! If I’m unable to water ski at the lake this year, I’ll find other fun things to do. Yay! My pains also give me perspective to stimulate compassion for the sick and elderly.
I relapsed with addictive eating. I learned the depth of this substitutive addiction and my imperative need for fully working step one on this. I am reminded of the persuasive nature of my addictive mind. I now have nine days of clean eating and I’m moving to better health and confidence, fat loss and greater strength and endurance. Yay!
The ropes course experience showed me that I can quickly jump to a defeatist attitude. Perhaps this is tied into self-esteem issues. Maybe it’s like the chicken and the egg . Which came first? Does it matter? I can understand how I interpreted the outcomes of experiences in love, addiction and other events as failures. Perfectionism seemed to hone in on the negative aspects, rather than the sometimes bigger positives. Now I’m reminded of the amazing successes that positive living has brought to me. I’m powerless over almost everything and certainly everybody, which sets me totally free to focus on being a better version of me! I just need to do my part and let everything else happen as it will.
My assistant mistakenly wiped out most of the budget work I performed last week by neglecting attention to details when projecting her part of our budget. I gained greater ability via repetition in troubleshooting budget problems, and was able to let go of the frustrations.
My son sometimes suggests that we go lift weights or do something else together; he often changes his mind and cancels at the last-minute. I learn to do the next right thing, which is usually to stay active myself, leading by example, as well as staying calm and demonstrating and enjoying the benefits of healthy living.
My boss sometimes gets wound up over job pressures, bringing the heat on me. I learn to stay calm myself, calm him down and prioritize tasks. I also learn to focus on solving problems, instead of being overwhelmed, and have faith that things will work out just fine.
I’ve experienced incredible highs of being in love with beautiful women, with some amazingly fun attributes, only to have them opt out later. I’ve learned that I can’t solve their problems and I can be more aware of different aspects of people by using patient observation. I can work to become a better version of myself and embrace the beauty of life as it is now. I’ve learned how I can be more loving to others and more true to myself. I strive to stay out of expectations. I’ve learned to enjoy the simple moments even more, as they stream into my life. I’ve come to peace with having absolutely no idea what is coming. I have faith that whatever is coming will be “good!”
Such advice is good. Yesterday was a great chance to be obedient!
Annie and Zach and I had a great time at the WSU Challenge Program’s ropes course. I was awakened to my sometimes defeatist attitude, which I thought was long gone, when I became convinced that I would not be able to succeed on some of the elements. Yet we did succeed on each one attempted! I skipped the climbing intensive ones (Giant’s Ladder and Over Beam), as I’m rehabilitating my elbow, but tasted much success and the amazing powers of teamwork, perseverance and “can do” attitudes. I highly recommend this course to anyone who has never experienced such a course. I especially enjoyed the Track N Trail (multiple high challenges) and the Mohawk Walk (team assisted cable walking). I wonder if the things I considered “failures” in my life, which were really just experiences, built up a defeatist attitude, as a warped “protection” against really trying to succeed.
I received an opportunity for bonus growth at the end of the day. When we returned to gather our personal belongings after putting away the climbing gear, I discovered that someone had stolen my brand new rain jacket, which had the clip-on sunglasses for my prescription glasses in a pocket. My first feelings were of being violated, disappointment and anger. Luckily, I quickly switched to making a gratitude list and putting it into perspective. Sure, I was $275 poorer, presumably because of someone’s selfish, lazy greed. But the worst option was to make myself spiritually poorer by holding the negative feelings. I’ve been given many opportunities in my life to learn to let people and things go. This was just another test in letting go. So to the perpetrator: please send your address, so I can send you my shirt! ( :
Brother Dick slices North Twin Lake!
Far from the equator, we come to see
sweet summer days, as long as can be.
Just starved by winter, from needed sunlight,
so sleep in summer can be a fight
between restoration we really need
and diverse fun for which we plead!
Pent up desires flow free and wild,
we dance and play just like a child!
That’s if we’re open enough to be
aware of life’s blessed majesty!
Being fully alive, like a love affair,
finding contentment everywhere!
I used to see things looking bad,
but now to see, makes my heart glad!
To waste this gift, or live it well?
Easy choice? It’s a rose I smell!
Nephew Tim sails over North Twin Lake!
I’m learning to listen to my body. Here’s to hoping it’ll soon have more encouraging things to talk about! Just kidding, sort of. I have little trials, but I’ve been blessed with a lot of health and a body that’s allowed me to do so much. Yay God! ( :
ChiRunning talks about focusing on our form, starting with basics that make a lot of sense. For instance, spending energy efficiently allows us to go farther. Good postural alignment lets our spine handle our body weight, instead of our muscles. Good alignment while running avoids the multitude of problems that people face, which often turn them away from running. This is a tragedy if it makes them less active. Moving leads to grooving! In running, we make the same moves so many times over that it’s particularly important to do them with good mechanics.
The tendonitis in my right elbow is blessing me with a chance to appreciate the challenges that others go through in life. It’s also granting me opportunity to think positively, switching quickly away from what I cannot do and honing in on what I can do. This is a chance to run again! I did sixty minutes, or 281 floors, on the stair-stepper machine Tuesday evening. I’ll be ready if I ever need to climb a skyscraper! I ran for 45 minutes after mowing the lawn and fertilizing the plants on Wednesday evening. If I have to rest my arm, I can still move my legs!
Snake River Canyon half marathon in 2007; my second best time so far……
Sweet delicate rain, you came to say,
cheer up plants, I’ll help you stay!
I’m the stuff of life, I’m just what you need,
I saw you sprout from a baby seed.
You soak me up, and blossom into life.
You’re as beautiful as a smiling wife!
Every one of you, with such diversity,
depend on me, plain as can be.
I’m a simple thing, who with my friend the sun,
creates beautiful things – every single one!
If my assumptions are correct, this is a day for twos! We can be two times as grateful as we normally are. Any discontent will vanish. Poof! We can smile two times as much as normal. Others will smile back. This could get contagious! I’m planning on two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners, albeit half-sized. Thanks Annie! I’ll even try to work two times as hard as normal. I’ll do two workouts and tell two people how they add joy to my life. I’ll make two posts on this blog, since I’ve slacked off. ( ; I will pray at least two times and set aside two meditation periods. Hopefully I can do it all and get way more than two hours of sleep tonight! I hope you have at least two loving experiences today! Toodles!
Golf courses (Photo credit: eutrophication&hypoxia)
I went out to practice some golf shots today, for the first time in nearly seven months. The weather was perfect: seventy degrees, lovely sunshine and gentle breezes. Putting practice reminded me of a life lesson: don’t think too much about the stroke. Instead, concentrate on getting the ball rolling well on a line of your choice. Then maybe, just maybe, it will drop into the hole! After some success with this concept, I was about to graduate to the driving range, when I heard an old friend calling my name. Since he was preparing to play a round, I cast aside my fear of embarrassment and joined him. I struggled on some holes and excelled on others. How did they differ? Well, since golf is as complicated of a game as I’ve ever met, I hesitate to oversimplify cause and effect. But there are truths to be shared! When preparing for a shot, I must visualize a good shot, seeing it in my mind, while relaxing my muscles and controlling the length of my backswing, effectively playing within myself. When I did this today, I stroked a 230 yard fairway wood to within two feet of the cup, allowing myself a simple tap in for birdie. On the very next hole, I had missed the green by about twenty yards and faced an uphill/sidehill pitch to the pin. I had a rough idea where to hit my next shot to get my ball close, but I chose to walk up the hill to get a better feel for the lay of the land. I remembered that I needed to relax, visualize the perfect shot, trust my swing and do my best. The ball flew perfectly, skipped a bit and rolled right into the hole! I had two birdies in a row after suffering through double and quadruple bogeys earlier in the round. Perhaps life, like golf, is about visualizing the best path, having faith that proper actions will be effective, executing as well as we can and enjoying the results, whatever they may be. Setbacks need not be reason for dismay or pessimism. They can rouse our willingness to believe in the possible, spur our ability to visualize awesomeness and open the door to achieving previously unimagined successes. If I believe something is not possible, then it surely is not. If I believe in possibilities, amazing things can happen! ( :
Well, like it or not, you are at least a bit like me. We’re from the same species! Damn near kinsfolk, if you will. So how similar are we? Will my solutions help you? Will your solutions help me? How do we help each other live in solutions, rather than downhill slides?
I am absolutely, unabashedly and fully convinced that I have found solutions that have saved my life. Inactivity, and its partner in crime, obesity, seem to be key problem areas for many people. MANY problems stem from these! Since I’m most intimately acquainted with myself, let’s see what inactivity does to me:
- Lethargy: I want to sleep, lay around, engage in mindless activities……
- Grumpiness: why aren’t things going my way!?!?!?!?
- More inactivity: laziness begets laziness.
- Weight gain: if I don’t move much, I don’t burn many calories.
- Vicious circle: when I start down a path, it seems to perpetuate itself.
- Depression.
What happens when I’m active?
- More energy! Don’t give up too early; it takes time to establish good habits and reap the benefits.
- Excitement: I look forward to life and its wonderful opportunities! No depression! Yay!
- Engagement: I opt in to more things.
- Clarity: my brain works MUCH better when I feed it more blood and oxygen!
- Inspiration: I get more cool ideas. Yay!
- Optimism: We really can do this! God gives us all the power we need when we let him. Really!
Is it a tough choice? Do I need help believing that good results can happen for me? Am I in denial of my condition? Both were once true for me. Now I feel incredibly lucky to be honest with myself and to have willingness to do the next right thing, right now, to make a better me. I must act now, because now is all I have. Yesterday is indeed gone, and tomorrow is make-believe, until it gets here as today. Shake it baby! ( :
Well, do you? I do! Not on drugs though. Drug highs, including alcohol, were short-lived phenomenons. Early highs on some drugs were fun, carefree and seemingly mind-opening escapes from fears, pressures, depression or boredom. I’m here to tell you emphatically, the fun fades! Then escape turns into addiction, an ugly world of dullness, oppression, hopelessness, anger, depression and fears. Yuck!
I love natural highs! Sex, running, back-country hiking/skiing/bicycling, kayaking, listening to music, writing, meditating, loving, talking and serving are some of the ways I like to get high now. It’s fun!
I love the physical, mental and emotional benefits that activities like these bring to me. Sometimes music engulfs me and inspires me, hopefully even helping to transform me into a better version of me. It can be psychotherapeutic, helping me to understand and recover from emotional traumas. Open up, country music bashers! ( : I listen to a lot of faith-based music now, because its spiritual focus lifts me up, inspiring me to become a better servant. I love to dance! Dance music offers inspiration and fun exercise. How’s that for a win-win solution?
Sex is God’s way of bonding couples in a magical way. My best shot at describing it is indescribably delicious! Life has taught and re-taught me a lesson I hope to take to heart: sex bonds people like nothing else, so be careful with whom you bond!
Escaping the busyness and noise of modern life is essential for my health. Meditation is like taking a healthy trip without leaving home! Back-country excursions can be extended meditation retreats. Pouring refreshment into our souls fills us up enough to return to our modern lives. Much of what we call progress might be better spelled regress. ( :
Some adventures join several of our favorite things, so we appreciate them immensely. Will Bloomsday 2012 be like that for me? Will the energy of the crowd, the music of the bands, encouraging fellow runners and extreme physical exertion lead to memorable highs? We’ll find out soon! Yay!
Annie & Frank. Bloomsday buddies!
Frank’s been getting high again….. ( :
After galloping down the beach! ( :
Hmmmm. When I actually ask the question, the answer is obvious. Whining will help no one. Shining will at least help me and hopefully others too! If I’m tired enough, or lost in self-will, I can whine without realizing it. What a sad way to chase people away! How to shine? Thinking about what I can do to make other people’s slice of this world a better place to live. How can I serve? Can I help them find their way? Can I make them laugh? Can I help them see their God-given potential? Can we brainstorm together? Might we enrich each others’ days, even if only with smiles? I write this today to remind me to make the most of this amazing gift of time alive. Can this be the best day of my life so far? How could one possibly measure that? What if it were my last day on earth? I’d want to show you all my love, my hopeful spirit, my kind heart, my passion for life and especially my appreciation for you and the incredible gift of this journey we share. Hey! I”ve lost the urge to whine!
Wow! I am so inspired! I’ve always advised my kids to chase their dreams. Do what you love and your life will end up well. I took a safe path in my education and career and it’s been a good life. But what if I had chased a passion? Who knows what would have happened? Hey! Life’s not over! One of my current passions is building my physical body into the best temple of God that I can. It’s fun, exciting, hard, painful, exhilarating, invigorating, challenging, social, confidence-building and really good for me. I’m not obsessed, but I’m more dedicated than I’ve ever been. Sometimes I feel sore, injured or discouraged. But when I work out, I don’t get depressed. So I work out almost every day! Exercise is one of the best medicines for me. I want the best for me! I want the best for you too, but your choices are totally up to you. I don’t have time to think too much about how life might have gone differently if I’d made better choices earlier. I’m too busy making up for lost time! ( :
Age really is a state of mind! Maybe it’s a state of sore ankles, tight back and slower recovery too…. NO! That’s my mind trying to trick me again. I need to rest, I need that giant Costco chocolate muffin…. Ha! I want to be child-like, not childish. I want to be adventurous, not fool-hardy. I prefer to be athletic, but not obsessed. I remember some cool old adages: variety is the spice of life, moderation in all things, etc. A balanced life: the elusive, alluring goal that draws me on. When I was a young man, I was too lazy to build the strong muscles that now tease me on. Some days I think I’m making good progress and other days I think I’m losing the battle, physically speaking. I refuse to surrender, as my belief is that the aspects of health are so inter-related: physical, emotional, spiritual, mental. Life has dealt me blows, as it naturally does. I want to bounce back, better than ever before. My belief is that God makes all things possible. He’s done amazing things in my life. My recovery from the pits of despair and hopelessness fired my faith. If the value in life is loving others the best I can, then I need to be the best version of me that I can be, to be spiritually capable of such love. Today I ran 8.5 miles in glorious sunshine! I tried to serve my kids as best I could today, which strangely led to the start of this blog. My loving daughter Annie, aka http://fitnessaficionada.wordpress.com/, masterfully pointed out that the worst case scenario is that I’ll have documented part of my life and thoughts for my kids to read. Cool! I wonder what tomorrow will bring?
frankoshanko 