Here is a picture of our run group that was taken a few weeks ago. In here are 4 people who are getting ready to complete a marathon in the next several weeks. 3 of them will be doing their first one. For those of you who have done a marathon before, you know what it takes to get ready. If you have never done one, it can be one of the most challenging things you could do in your life. You spend anywhere from 4-6 months getting ready, and this is if you run on a regular basis. Jennifer West is in the back ground, and she rode here bike that Sunday because she had a long run the day before. Many of us have been helping her get ready. Yesterday was a great example of how things can get done, with a little help from your friends. Several ran/rode bike with her to complete her 19 mile run. Many of us had different segments, so that by the time all was said and done, somebody was with her from start to finish. On the last 3 mile loop, Jenn, Erika, and I were talking about the mental stamina is takes to complete a marathon. We have to be prepared just as much mentally as we do physically. In many respects, the mental aspect of it is much more difficult, in my opinion. All this self doubt comes in, and you start thinking you can’t do this anymore, that you are not ready. Maybe I should have put in more long runs? Maybe I should have worked harder? Maybe…maybe…maybe…You need to overcome this self doubt, and start believing in yourself!
Believe in yourself…Be You! You put the work in. Stay positive. Stay focused. As our previous high school cross country coach here in Watertown said many times: Distance running is 90% mental, and the other 10% is in your head! How true! So that is where our Watertown Area Running Club (WARC) comes into play. We help each other reach our own individual goals. We work as a team, so that each of us can do our best individually! Here are some pictures from both yesterday, and the previous week, working with Jenn on Saturday mornings!
The biggest thing we have to do is believe in ourselves, and to not be afraid!
Our minds our in control, and if we can do this, our bodies can do amazing things! That does not mean our bodies don’t have to work hard, and that we may have to endure some aches and pains at times. But, that too is where your friends come in handy!
Erika was using a hand massager on Jenn’s back during the time meeting back at the Wellness center for water, and where I joined up, as others were completing their portion of running help. If we want to achieve something important to us, we have to be willing to work at it. If we don’t have to work for it, then it does not have as much significance to us. We have to believe in ourselves!
This does not mean we can’t, or shouldn’t, have help along the way. That goes for anything. Everybody needs help at one time or another, with anything. If help is offered, take it. If help is needed, give it! Overcome our self doubt, and keep going. Here is one mantra that is worth reading over and over again. This is for anybody, working at something, regardless of what it is.
Repeat! Repeat! Repeat! This not only works for marathon training, but life training! Never give up! Learn from our mistakes. Overcome our self doubts. Trust yourself, and your abilities. Then you will…
Our original WARC (Watertown Area Run Club) picture! Carefree…just a bunch of people getting together because we like to run. This week has brought up many of those times over the years that reminded meof the fun involved with this. We need to remember to learn to have fun with our activities/exercise now more than ever. I will start first with our Wednesday evening run club gathering. My daughter Megan and I were having fun at the Zoo where they put up some caution tape. It was not there when we started, and 40 minutes later, it was up. So, we pretended we were racing and getting ready to cross the finish line .
We even did another where Megan was pretending to fall, or at least look like I tripped her! (interpret for yourself!)
Saturday brought a few different things. Sarah and Erika were helping Jenn run and train for her upcoming marathon. Jill was riding the bike along side.
Patricia and Paula were in Castlewood competing in a 5k run. They were working, and running together.
But when we run together, we have fun together. We cheer each other on, keep pushing each other to the finish. We can talk, laugh, joke…today was talking about “Pizza lady” at the lake a week ago ( I will leave it at this for now…you had to run with us to hear the inside story on this one!). It is not about exercise. It is about spending time together, supporting each other, spending time with friends, who just happen to like exercising/running!
We are learning from each other all of the time. Here are a few more pictures of us in the past, where we are posing and goofing around taking pictures after we get done running.
Whether we all just “died” on the run, or practicing “snow ballet”, we have fun! Some of the best parts of the week are running with my friends. Carefree, laughing, and forgetting about all of life’s other issues at the time. And best of all, making memories!
So get out there and move, and have fun! Join us anytime for run club. Watertown also has a walk club as well. Get somebody to walk or work out with you, and if you can’t, then take the scenic route out on the bike trail by the lake and walk and take in all of the beauty! Just remember to keep having fun! Keep moving everybody!
You can’t listen to anything on the radio or the TV without getting an every 30 second update on COVID. I deal with it all day long in the clinic. The clinic has still been very busy, but now, when I leave, I go home, and I get to stay home. Prior to all of this going on it would mean multiple other things going on: meeting for this, or for that; going out to eat; gathering in groups somewhere, for something. For me, life has slowed down once I get home. I for one am thankful for this aspect. I never got to spend enough time at home before all of this occurred, and now it has allowed me to be home, spend more time with Sarah, and getting things done around the house. There will never be any changing the busy, crazy world of medicine. It will always be chaotic and stressful. But when I leave, it is time to wind down, slow down, and appreciate what I have.
During the week, Sarah will take Dakota for a walk in the morning, and I take her in the evening. She is ready to go anytime, anywhere. On the weekends, we may both run together with her in the mornings. Dakota is just out there, carefree, taking it all in, just happy to spend time with us, and go walking/running. We all need to act like Dakota. Forget everything else going on, and enjoy the moment at hand. Slow down. Life moves too fast anyway. Maybe this is the positive we can take out of this. Slow down and enjoy our life at home more. Spend time with those of our family. Just slow down the hustle and bustle of everything else going on, and take a deep breath. When I take Dakota in the evenings, I have been taking pictures of sunsets at the Lake. I have to admit, I did not really take the time to appreciate what was even going on before. There was too much to do, and not enough time to get it all done. Now I have some time, and it is one of the things I enjoy very much right now. It is a perfect way to forget about all of the other craziness going on this year. Here are some examples:
Maybe God had some insight into this, and is telling us to all slow down. Enjoy life. Take it all in. Take care of ourselves, and respect others as well. This is not about each of us individually. This is about all of us, and how we are going to get through all of this together. Nobody is immune. We all have to make sacrifices. We all need to take care of not only ourselves, but each other. I can’t even watch the news anymore. I think I have heard everything that could possible be the stupidest thing possible, and every day, something else tops it. Maybe that is how some people are dealing with the stress. I don’t know. But we are all human, and I think it is time to start acting human. Be respectful. Be kind. Is this how you would want to be treated? Use your head. Get out and move, and enjoy the things that are available to us, especially during the Summer. Pretty soon, we will be back to Winter, and won’t be able to spend time outside. Don’t blow it. Exercise of some sort is the cheapest medicine we can all take…and it is free! Keep moving everybody!
The weather is nice, and the trails are open, so what are you waiting for? Get out there and use them while you can! Before too long, Winter will be here, and we will be much more limited on spending time outdoors. With everything going on with COVID now, you want to take this time and spend as much of it outside now while you can. The scenery has been very nice lately too, especially around the Lake! Here are a few more examples!
Get out there and take it in. When you have views like this, it does not even feel like you are exercising. Do whatever activity you like to do: running, walking, biking, roller blading, whatever, just get outside and utilize the trail system we have while you can. 30+ miles just waiting to be used! It does not matter if in the morning, afternoon, or in the evening as the sun is setting. I will say, when the sun is setting, the views have been spectacular!
You don’t know what you are missing, until you give it a try. It really is very relaxing, especially at the end of the day. This time is great to unwind from everything that has gone on from the day, and a time to just forget about everything else…especially COVID!
So go get your tail out on the trail! Spend the rest of this Summer enjoying the weather, and utilize the resources we have available to us. Make it a priority. Take your health into your own hands, and enjoy the scenery. Keep moving everybody!
Well, you can chalk up another Half Marathon Finish for Sarah. She competed in the Half Marathon around the Lake Saturday, even with the heat and humidity. She has been a runner for many years, starting in High School. She has done countless Half Marathons. She always followed me around to races/marathon that I was in those first years when the kids were small, because she held back to keep an eye on the kids. She started her Half Marathon debut in 2006, and has continued since then. I did not run this race this weekend. Physically, I am not able to handle this heat yet. So, I rode my bike to help provide water, and give cheer support for her. It was my turn! She did very well, in spite of the terrible heat and humidity. It was at least better than it was on Friday. I don’t think they would have been able to have the race if it would have been on Friday. She was nervous because she knew it would be hot, but we had a lot of people from our Run Club who were also running in it.
Sarah is on the far left, as they were just taking off. The rain the night before helped cut down on some of the humidity, but only slightly.
They followed the Lake during the run. They are coming around one of the corners here, and she is still hanging with a bunch of them from run club. The further the race went, the more separated people got. The heat and humidity can change even the best of plans, or the best of training.
Here she is giving the thumbs up after just going up the hill by Memorial Park. She is one tough individual. Her feet got chewed up pretty good because of the heat, so then she was limping around Saturday afternoon. We as the run club are going to be doing a virtual Wonder Woman 10k coming up soon, wearing our Wonder Woman gear. It really won’t be any different for her, as far as I am concerned. She has always been my Wonder Woman! Life is busy as a physician, being a mom, a wife, cooking, running, and her favorite escape/hobby, sewing. She can do it all. She too leads by example. It was my turn to support her during a race. I did some cheering on the sidelines last year for her during some of them, but riding along beside her most of the way was a first. Running is what got us going out together. Running helped us raise a family. Running is helping us as we get older as well, and hopefully will get to do more of this when we retire. If we can’t run, we will bike. But, regardless, we will be spending time being active just like we always have. Good job this weekend Sarah. I know it was hot. I could not run for you, but tried to help you get through it as easy as possible. You are tough, determined, and always positive, and I am lucky enough to have you as my wife. Love you Sarah! Keep moving everybody!
