I have been running for many years, starting back in Middle School. I started this mainly as a way to help me gain confidence, and to learn to stand up for myself. When you are one of the smallest kids in your class, and there are two of us (twins!), we were an easy target. I got tired of it, and running helped bring me out of my shell. It gave me confidence, strength, and belief in myself. As far as I was concerned, there is nothing more powerful than distance running for this. Everything in my life has been made better because of running, and I will continue it for as long as I can. Many people don’t think they can do it, or they are waiting for that perfect time to start.
Just like life, running has taught me how to handle things in my life better. And it truly has!
I learn something from every run. Every run is not a good run, don’t get me wrong. There are days when things are really tough. But, at least for my head, I have the ability to figure things out, and feel ready to take on the day much better. It is therapy, and medication rolled into one.
When things in life get tough, that is when I have to figure out how to be tougher. “Bring It On” is my mantra. I won’t be pushed around. I stand my ground. I believe in what I am doing, and have confidence to do it. That does not mean I am always right. I learn from my mistakes just like everybody else does. But it helps me get through the stress and pressure of medicine, and the fact that I not only have to take care of myself, but I have the lives of all of my patients to contend with as well. No easy task, let me tell you!
This is a perfect summary. It truly has taught me that I am capable of so much more than I ever imagined. I have also made a lot of friends because of running, and they all feel the same way!
Every weekend we have a group of people…friends…who go for a long run. Many of us are training for a half marathon, or a marathon, coming up next weekend in Fargo. If you ever want a true challenge, sign up for a marathon. The marathon is a huge challenge, but the bigger challenge is training for it. The marathon run is one day, and the training can be anywhere from 4-6 months, and that is if you already have a good base of regular running to start with. I challenge anybody to do a marathon, and not be changed as a result of it. The only way you will truly know how is by doing one! I kid you not, there are times when you think you might die! What does not kill you, only makes you stronger! Have you heard this before?
This is why we keep coming back. This next weekend in Fargo will be marathon number 17 for me. I have learned something from every one. Sarah is running, and this will be her second, and for my daughter Megan, this will be her first. This is why I am running it. I want to run one with my kids. Sarah is running to keep an eye on me! We don’t care about the time we finish it in. The only thing we are achieving is completing it. “Bring It On”!
I told you, after some runs you feel like you might be dying! Her Paula is demonstrating this. But after a few minutes she popped right back up and wanted to know when the next run was going to be!!! Until you push yourself, you have no idea how far you can actually go!
My forever training partner. Sarah and I started dating our second year in medical school. I knew she ran too, and I always made it a point to run past her house in Vermillion. And when it was hot, of course, I did not wear a shirt! Before long, she was running with me, and the rest is history! Hee Hee! Things are getting stressful again at work with COVID, so the distance running is saving my mind anyway. So that reminds me, I need to go for a run!
Keep moving everybody, for both physical, and mental, well being!
This weekend, yesterday, marks 20 years since the attack of the world trade center by terrorists. For all of us who were around then, it is something we will never forget. For me, I was just coming off of call Monday, and Tuesday morning I was getting ready to go back to the hospital and make rounds. I had the TV on when the news flashed on about a plane flying through one of the buildings of the trade center. I could not watch very long as I had to get in, but I had the radio on listening driving in. I went up to the OB floor to see a baby, and the nurses came running out of the break room stating a second plane just went through the other trade center building. We were all watching on the TV. Disbelief…shock…sadness…anger…too many emotions going through our heads. I know for the next several days in the evening, this is all I watched on TV, because all that was on was everything related to this. So yesterday, Saturday morning, many of us from run club put on our red, white, and blue, and went for a run in remembrance of this.
For me, it is hard to believe this has already been 20 years. I remember it like it was yesterday! All the emotions are still there as well. With this past couple of years going through everything with COVID, and the emotions that people have in regards to everything COVID related, this weekend was something to help bring us all back together again. We live in America, the land of freedom. We needed a reminder of why we all need to stick together. How we as a country need to stay united with things. Remove the politics. Remove the controversies. Come together once again for the right reasons. We need to come together again like we did 20 years ago. We all have a life, and we all have freedom…and we all want to keep it.
This was yesterdays sunrise after we were done running. It helps to get lost in the beauty of nature to help take your mind off of things going on around you. Take a break. Appreciate what you have, and don’t take your health for granted. We could not be here tomorrow…any of us!
This was the sunrise this AM! We are starting out new. A new day is ready to be had. Appreciate it. We cannot forget history. Never forget! Tearing down statues or monuments solves nothing. Things still occurred. You can’t change history, but you can learn from it. How are any of us to learn from our mistakes otherwise? And we all make mistakes. Learn and grow. Everything in life revolves around this. Stay safe. Keep moving. Take care of yourself…and never forget. Don’t dwell on the past, but learn from it. Keep moving everybody!
You ever hear the term “hitting the wall”? Many times I am sure. It definitely comes into play when talking about running a marathon. I have had it hit at 19 miles, and basically every mile after up to the finish of the marathon–26.2 miles. It is that feeling when you don’t think you can go any further. You are completely exhausted, and have had enough. You ask yourself: Why bother? Why should I keep going? I got nothing left. There are so many similarities to running a marathon, and life in general, that it is scary. Especially with this time of the pandemic, it has been so easy to “hit the wall” now. You get sick and tired of all the politics going on, the ranting and complaining about having to do this, or having to do that. It is not like any of us really have a true choice in the matter. Don’t get me wrong. You can choose to get a vaccine or not. You can choose to wear a mask or not. You can choose to be kind to someone or not. We are all in this together. We can agree to disagree. But, we can still respect each other, and treat each other the way we would want to be treated. When we get pushed though, we push back. It is human nature. And there has been a lot of pushing lately. Running helps take the stress away. In order to help with the stress, sometimes you just have to run further. A marathon can be the secret. But like everything else, it is always easier with help from your friends and family. They help keep you going, and when you feel like you hit a wall, they are there to help you get over it, or through it, or around it, whatever the case may be.
Good words of advice. Take things on head first. Don’t back down from challenges. You can push through things. You can meet those challenges. In life, as well as the marathon, there are times when things hurt more. Push through the pain. But there is no mistaking it. They are times when things get tough.
Sometimes you want to just lay down and say, “enough”! I can’t possible do any more.
The look on your face can say, “enough is enough”. I can only do so much. And that is when you dig down deeper. You figure out what you are really made of, and who you really are. We got saved yesterday doing a 20 mile run…the longest run we have done prior to the marathon that we will be doing in 3 weeks. We got saved by Randy and delivery of “nutritional vitamins”. Nothing better than peanut M and M’s for this!
Of course, the real reason we run is to eat! There has to be some other reward in all of this, doesn’t there?
If we did not have social media as well, how could we possible talk about our long runs, and our adventures, and experiences so everybody can hear about them?
Get back to having fun in your life. Ignore all of the other garbage going on all of the time. We do not need any other reasons to keep “hitting the wall”. Let it go!
Get excited about something…whatever it is, and be passionate about it. You only live once. Break down all those barriers…those “walls”, and plow through it. I believe all of us in our run club will do great in Fargo in 3 weeks, and we are going to take on that wall when it comes, and push right through it. Stay tough. Stay focused. Rely on your friends and family. And, keep moving everybody, and stop “hitting the wall”…and if you do, just hit it harder than it hits you!
We were back at work this past Monday, but the week prior we were on vacation. How did Sarah and I spend our vacation? We spent it being Grandpa and Grandma! We spent the first half of the week in Tyler, Minnesota, and the rest of it at home as our daughter Molly and grandson Connor came back with us, with our son-in-law Tanner joining us later in the week. It was great to just relax, and spend time with family. Of course, we spent time taking Connor for a walk, or a run, every day in the stroller.
It was nice taking some pictures of some different views of sunsets. The evenings over their farm in Tyler, MN made for some nice pictures as well.
We also got to spend some other time with other family members as well. Great Grandpa and Grandma Folk were here for a 4 generation picture…
…and of course Aunt Megan spent as much time here as well during the second half of the week!
Needless to say, it was a great week. Being a grandparent is better than I thought it would be. We can’t wait to see him again! He changes every time we see him. It was also a reminder to us, and to everybody, that you need to take some time for vacation, and get away. And if that get away allows you spend time with family, then it is just icing on the cake!
Until next time Connor! Grandpa Dan can’t wait to hold you again. This is why you need to take care of yourself. This is why you should stay in shape. This is why we all need to strive to survive. These days are priceless! Keep moving everybody!
Why do we keep trying to stay in shape by exercising? So we can spend more time with our grandchildren. Here we are taking Connor (C. Daniel…) for a walk. We are going to get to see him more this coming week, and am really looking forward to it! He will more than likely take after his Dad and become a farmer, but, he will be a running farmer! (Ha!) Will see, right? How do we attempt to keep taking care of ourselves? Well we always talk about trying to keep working on our diet, and exercising. But, we need to learn how to take breaks; learn how to slow down; learn how to appreciate what we have in front of us. This last 1 1/2 years with the pandemic has made life crazy, and very frustrating. There is also no shortage of rudeness around either. Now more than ever we need to learn to slow down and take a deep breath, and appreciate what we have.
Get out and appreciate nature. We have a great lake to go to and just watch, especially with sunrise and sunsets. Now more than ever I appreciate watching and taking it in since my health issues in the past. Those scenes were always there, I was just too busy to pay attention, and almost missed it all. Don’t let that happen to you! Appreciate the carefree life they have, and take in the beauty of it.
It never gets old going out by Lake Kampeska, especially when there are some clouds, and just sit back and watch…and take time to think. Amazing what this does for your mind, and attitude. It makes you forget about everything else going on. If you have never done it, you have no idea what you are missing. Give it a try!
Our run club was out doing a long run Saturday morning, and stopped long enough to take this sunrise picture. When you are out running, or walking, or biking, just take it in. You don’t even feel like you are exercising when you have the sunrise and sunsets to help take your mind off of things, and just let go. Sarah will tend to take Dakota for a walk in the mornings, and I prefer going in the evenings, so Dakota and I can stop for some pictures as well. Dakota is also getting used to this, and is patient while I take pictures. She is just glad she gets to go for another walk!
Remember what is important, and set your priorities, before things in life pass you by!
Grandpa Dan plans on taking this all in, and spending quality time with my grandkids. As a parent, things are crazy trying to keep the family afloat, and provide for them. Now those days, and pressure, can start easing off, or at least become better, that you can spend more quality time with the grandkids that you did not always have with your own kids. Make it count. The only time it won’t matter is when you are no longer here. So strive to survive, and make your life count. Learn to take care of yourself, and be around longer to appreciate the things in life that matter! Keep moving everybody!
