TUES 01.22.08

You know it never really hit until just now. What I do effects how other people, namely my kids, grow and mature. Now of course I already knew this, but it really hit home today while reading a friends blog. His dad, years before ran in a race and won a turkey. He mentioned the fact that dad ran the race without even training for it as a joke. I am pretty sure it was no big deal to him, but it sure was to his son. Things that we will probably never remember can and will change a life!! That is a powerful statement!

Of course as parents we need to set the foundation. Brush your teeth, wash your hands, hold the door open for a lady, watch out for strangers, etc. More important than that, the glue that holds that foundation together, is what we DO more so than what we say. For the most part I run for myself, to get into and to stay in shape. I drag myself to the gym or out of bed on cold mornings or after a long day at work for my satisfaction. So I can be happy about myself and reach the next goal. I obsess about time and mileage. Nobody gets excited when I come home after a sub 36 minute 4 mile run. I usually just get this strange look from them before they go back to their video games or whatever it is they may be doing at the time.

Up until now my kids have only seen me compete in one race and I think the main reason for that was my 12-year-old stepson was running with me. There really hasn’t been a lot of support at the home front. I have to say that I take part of the blame in that only a few of my races have been local. I hope to change that in the upcoming year. Having said that getting up off the couch in the dead of winter or putting in 5 miles before we go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house on the 4th of July has a profound effect on the little ones that up until today has been lost on me.

I guess what I am saying is, as runners we run for ourselves for the most part. In doing so, however, we affect so many people around us. Some of whom we will never meet. The lady driving in the car who lets us cross the street when it is pouring rain. The little kid we give a high five to at mile 20. The person grabbing their mail as we run by in shorts when it is 40 degrees out. Then there are those people we do know and with any luck I will live long enough to be able to hear my grandchildren say to their friends, my Grandpa used to be a runner just like me!


Thanks for stopping by and special thanks to Bill, whose blog inspired me to write this.
R.P.D.


USELESS FACTOID...
Approximately sixty circus performers have been shot from cannons. At last report, thirty-one of these have been killed.

ONE IS THE LONELIEST NUMBER...

As in one run this week!!! First time in a very long time running without a watch, although I did have my cell phone clock, so I know the approximate time. Which leads me to a question....

Is everyone else time obsessed or is it just me? Way back when in '06 I was just happy to have have made it back home without having a heart attack. Now if I don't have negative splits and sub 9 minute miles I am frustrated. I feel like the ground will open up and Satan herself will come out of the hole in the earth and ask me why do you even bother.

But in all seriousness it was a refreshing change to run without knowing. It was the first time my step son, who is 13, watched the little ones for me while I ran. Because of this I was a little nervous about being gone, hence the cell phone. So I realized a few minutes in that I was much faster than normal, but it felt good. there is something about working up a sweat when it is 30 degrees out! So around 26 minutes later I made it back home, happy to see nobody even realized I'd left!!! Funny how fast kids grow up!

Bottom line is I ran. I ran when it was inconvenient for me to do so, when it was cold outside, when it would have been so easy to shower and get into some comfy clothes and hang out with the kids. Thinking back on it as I do with almost every run. I felt so much better!!!! There is nothing I can do for only 26 minutes that makes me feel so refreshed and renewed like running does.

Thanks for stopping in,
R.P.D.

Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time; for that's the stuff life is made of.
~ Benjamin Franklin

HAPPY MONDAY!!!!!

So another weeks goes by and I only run twice, 3 and 3.2 miles. Although those runs went about a good as I could have hoped I am finding it increasing difficult to make time to run. You'll notice I didn't say find time, I said make time. That little part of my brain that says, "go ahead and sleep for another 30 minutes", "hey lets watch football, you deserve a break", etc. etc. etc. We all know that guy, well mine I fear at times is winning!! Having said that, the battle is on!! No more Mr. Nice Guy!! For lack of a better way to say it, every time that voice speaks up it's getting bitch slapped!!!! When I have time to I am going to run. I will say that again so I can hear it... When I have the time to run I AM going to run. When I don't have the time, I will make the time. The only, and I mean only thing that will prevent me from running is time with the kids. I will and cannot sacrifice what little time I spend with my children. That of course doesn't mean that they can't come with me!!

A reasonable and doable schedule for me is to run 4 times a week. Three weekly runs and a long run on the weekend. That will not get me ready for Boston, but I won't be ready to try that in earnest for a year or two anyway. Baby steps!!! 4 runs a week will give me the miles I need and a good base to build on. My short term goal is to build and maintain a base of sub 9 minute miles runs, gradually increasing the miles at that pace until I bump it down to sub 8:30, hopefully by sometime next year.

The picture, by the way, is the grandfather of an old friend. Notice the popcicle stick the guy in the lower left is getting ready to hand to him!! Tell ya how long ago this was taken! It is no less inspiring , however.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by,

R.P.D.

"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired." - Jules Renard

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECCAH....

A WHITE ROSE FOR YOU...

The light of my life, my oldest daughter Beccah birthday is tomorrow. It is hard for me to believe she is going to be 11 years old. Most everybody that visits my blog knows the story about how Beccah told me that we should hang out all day together, that way I wouldn't smoke for at least that day because I didn't like to smoke in front of her. Well one year, nine months and five days later I am still smoke free and it is all because of my little girl.
We are going through some trying times right now and between working ungodly hours and trying to maintain some sort of normalcy around my house I loose sight of just how special she and my other kids are. Every now and again...more now than again the kids will do something that makes you understand how a person's heart can walk around outside of your body!
Sometimes it is as simple as laughter in the bath tub or slurping up spaghetti noodles at the dinner table. Then there are the time where I swear I can't love them anymore than I do...until the next time. Nothing feels better than walking in the door after a long day and being tackled by a 4 and a 3 year old screaming DADDY!!!! We missed you!!! Or playing catch in the basement on a cold winter day, making easy bake cakes, double piggy back rides to bed or one of my favorites, watching a movie surrounded by my kids.
So on this the eve of Rebeccah's 11th birthday I want to say thanks to her. For not only being my inspiration to get healthy, but for simply being her. For always and forever my baby she will be.

R.P.D.

P.S.
3 miles yesterday...26:50...tried and succeeded in maintaining sub 9 minute pace.

I RAN TODAY!!!!

Not bad, day two of the new year and I ran. 5k, nice and easy...29:16...dreadmill.

Felt like an old friend came back into my life after a long absence!!!! My legs never really felt loose, but overall I was pleased considering I had almost a month off. My plan is to gradually build up to 7 to 10 miles a day with a long run mixed in whenever I can. Maybe throw in some speed work now and again. For me to be ready for Bayshore, miles are going to be the key. I am going to run run run.

I am very excited to see how this year plays out. Big changes are a comin' and weather I am ready for them or not doesn't matter. The ride will be bumpy at times, but hey that's life!

Have a great day,
R.P.D.


I should have liked, I do confess, to have had the lightest license of a child, and yet to have been man enough to know its value...... Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol