by Dan | Nov 1, 2015 | Exercise, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, weight lifting
As a physician, we do our best to take care of our patients. But, we would be totally lost without our Nurses! My current team is Linda, Melody, and Chris, of which Chris has been with me the entire 21 years I have been at Brown Clinic. My team knows my patients just like me. But, they also know me! They keep me organized and on track. It would be prudent that I listen to them! There is no question, my team takes care of me, for which I am grateful. Here is my Team:
My team has heard me thousands of times encouraging my patients that they need to watch their diet, and they need to stay active and exercise. When it comes to the exercise, they all follow this advice. Linda has run several 5k races, and Melody walks…someday I will get her to try running! Chris, though, has become a running maniac! She has been doing this now for about 3 years, and she runs and goes to races a lot with Susan, a former nurse of mine, and they are having fun. After all, this is what it is all about. Hopefully in the process, you improve your health as well.
Here is Chris, then Susan, and Shelly, one of Dr. Greg Larson’s nurses. They all participated in the Hospital Hill run this Summer.
Here is Linda after participating in one of the color runs.
I have heard excuses from them, and at times still do (Ha!) about the time and effort it takes to keep trying to exercise. Chris struggled at first, and was always worried that she was too slow! Now she does not worry about her speed, but she did get a shirt that expressed her thoughts.
As her shirt states: I Run…I’m slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter, but I Run!
Exactly! I does not matter how fast you go, or what anybody else thinks of you…It only matters that you are trying, and that you are improving your health…Improving your health to be around longer to spend time with their family. Deep down, they work on this so they will be able to spend more time being my nurses!!!! After all, I listen to everything they tell me! (No laughing!) There is no question this takes work, and that there are always other things to do that keep us busy. We need to make it a priority. It took almost 17 years to get Chris on this bandwagon, and Linda is going…I need to keep working on Melody, and eventually she will get it too. Are you listening Melody? I am not giving up getting you going more! They are all important to me, and I want them to be around helping me, and my patients, for a long time. There will always be that special bond with Chris. What can I say, she has been with me since day one of my Watertown practice. Sarah is my wife, and I have her at home to help keep me organized and on track, but I have Chris at the clinic. I love it when we can all run in a race together…and here are Chris and Sarah after the 4th of July run this Summer.
We can have fun staying active as well. Chris just signed up at Anytime Fitness so she can stay active inside when it gets cold out, but is also working on strength training as well. I was encouraging her on her first day!
Way to go Chris! Keep encouraging those people around you to keep working on taking care of themselves. There are other people who would like to have them around a lot longer too. There is no question this takes work. If it were easy, everybody would be doing it. Just remember, anything worth having is worth working for! Thank you to MY TEAM! I appreciate all you do for me! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2956
by Dan | Oct 25, 2015 | Etc.
Which came first…running, or friends? In this particular case, friends. It just happen to be that running reinforced that friendship even more. Steve and Carletta Hauck have been our neighbors since we have lived in Watertown. Carletta was our daytime nanny for our kids, and now is our Executive Director for the South Dakota Academy of Family Physicians. Steve, or course, is one of my training partners. Where do you start to thank someone for everything they have done for you? Words cannot express how much we have appreciated them over the years. We and the majority of our families have gone to Disney twice to do the Marathon weekend, and the entire trip was more fun than I could have ever imagined. This last time, all but Jeff and Molly were able to attend. This is not like 2 different families, but more like one “big family”. We care and worry about each other just as much as our own direct family. We look after each other, but we know how to have fun together too!
We can be “goofy” together, but we have our serious moments too.
And of course, those unbreakable running bonds for those of us competing!
The running event is just what got us all to the same place at the same time. It was an excuse to go on vacation together…and it worked well!
Those bonds go back for years. Here is Tom Beaudry with his family at one of our Grandma’s marathon days. Having our families there cheering us on is more valuable than words can describe. No money value can be placed on it. It truly is priceless!
There is no stronger bond in life than your family. They are there through all of the good times, and the bad times. In fact, they make the bad times tolerable. If you can’t trust your family for support, who can you trust? With running, and the bonds that have been extended with this, now have effectively just increased the size of what we would refer to as family. It has been a pleasure getting to know these people over time. Time, and distance, may change some of the direct impact, but there will always be that “bond” that was created from those events in the past that cannot be changed. Looking back on them, they can only be appreciated even that much more. Thanks for all of the memories guys! It has been an honor and a privilege!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2949
by Dan | Oct 15, 2015 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Wellness/Health
When it comes to your kids, there is no better way to teach them about life, or how to handle things, than to lead by example. Staying active, participating in sports, or exercising on your own is so important when it comes to teaching skills in life. You learn how to mange your time, to focus and concentrate on things at the time, and to not only perform for your own individual goals, but to learn to work as a team. Life is a continuous struggle, but running, walking, biking, swimming, or whatever your favorite activity may be, will help you learn how to do things better. All 3 of my kids are now in college, learning to juggle schedules, managing time, and yet still try to have fun and enjoy life. Hopefully we have taught them adequately how to do this. Teaching them not only by continuously talking with them, and showing up at their events cheering them on, but by them watching us do our activities, and compete in racing events here. As my daughter reminded me here this last weekend when she called from school: “When are you going to showcase us on the blog, and talk about how we are superstars!” Well, Megan…here you go!
Megan was our born fish! Ever since she was little, all she wanted to do was be in the water. It is only fitting that her sport was swimming. She started when she was 10, and swam all through high school, and even swims now at college on the swim club. She gets to travel to different large universities and compete. She was a graceful swimmer, and it was fun to watch her, especially the backstroke. Effortless! Swimming is not my sport…I have to think too much trying. We all have our different talents, but the skill comes in continuing to push yourself. Your only limitation is the space between your ears!
Here she is taking off at the start of her backstroke. Perseverance is the key to any sport or activity. You have to keep trying…keep working…never settle for just being OK.
You are our superstar swimmer Meg! It was fun watching all those years. Never give up on yourself…if you take on life like you do swimming, there will be no stopping you!
Molly started coming into her own in High School with running. She always wanted to be a sprinter in track, but she was deep down a distance runner. Sorry Molly…but that is where your talent truly was. She was our “jack of all trades” sport participant. Gymnastics, soccer, softball, band, cross country, track. She wanted to do it all. Eventually things had to give, and she had to pick and choose, so she did more running as far as school activity. She played softball in the summer.
She was a hard worker, and never gave in. She was proud to be the first recipient of the Godfrey Award for participation in Track and Cross Country. And so were we! A very special award for a “super star” runner.
Keep up the running Molly. Will you be the first one to run a marathon with me???? Time will tell. Just don’t give up. You have many talents …never forget that!
Nick took off in running like Megan did with swimming. He ran more middle distance in track, and they were shorter races, but yet you had to have the stamina of a distance runner.
Lots of traveling involved going to all of your Cross Country races in the Fall. You were a great example leading your Arrow teammates, and showing leadership. They looked up to you, and often times it was commented how well the Arrow boys worked together as a team.
You liked doing different things in the summer as a break also, so you did many years of softball. Lots of games and championship competition that we saw with you as well. Learning to work together as a team, and showing good sportsmanship. It was fun to watch you!
Your true favorite sport was track…you loved the middle distance…800 meters. And, you were good at it! You have to have speed and endurance. Way to go all of those years!
Many times we would be cheering you down the home stretch! It was a proud moment for Sarah and I at Track awards when it was your turn…Just like Molly, you won the Godfrey Award for Cross Country and Track! Now is that cool or what? You guys all learned to compete, to show good sportsmanship, and win or lose gracefully. That makes the 3 of you all of “my heroes”! Your High School days of competing may be done, but hopefully the tone has been set for you all to keep staying active. You have seen your mom and I doing this your entire lives. Something was bound to wear off. Just remember, in life you are always coming down different “home stretches”. There is always another goal to achieve, an accomplishment to reach, a setback to endure. Just like sports and activities. It has set the tone for you to succeed in life. Remember that! Set your sites high, and continue to work on new goals. I have no doubts that you will all succeed! We will always be your mom and dad, and will be “cheering” for you along the way! All the Way! Forever! Love you!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2939
by Dan | Oct 11, 2015 | Etc.
Anyone who has a dog knows how they become part of the family. What makes them even more unique and special is how faithful of a training partner they can be… and do become. It does not matter the weather or time of day, they are ready to go anytime. It does take training, patience, and persistence, but over time, they are always there for you, and are a great motivator to get out the door and get moving. This is not only for yourself, but the rest of the family as well.
We started out with Shelby while we were still in residency. Here she is leading our kids for our bike ride and activity at home.
As a Sheltie, Shelby’s talent was leading and keeping everybody in line. But like I said, they become part of the family, and this develops right from the time they are a puppy.
They become part of the family!
Shelby was our first 4 legged training partner. Next came Buddy, our Golden Retriever.
It was hard to imagine Buddy being this little again, as his weight later was 98 pounds. But he loved to run, always ready to go, and would let you know when he did not get to go with you. He would pout, and just not be himself that day. He was great in helping to get out the door because you always had to have him in mind as well.
But even though he was the biggest dog we had ever had to that point, he still wanted to be a “lap dog”. Here he is cuddling with my daughter Megan. Buddy was a major part of my kids lives growing up, and it was a tough day last year in March when we had to put him down. He was almost 12 years old. We all still think of Buddy often, and talk of the good times we had with him.
I did not think I could get another dog after Buddy. But, 3 months later, my kids talked me into another one, and that is when Zeus came along!
After losing Buddy, I guess I could get attached to another dog. There will never be another Buddy, but there shouldn’t be. Zeus has his own personality, and unique characteristics, but there is overall no change with him either as far as how eager he is to go out for a walk or a run. He, too, is ready anytime, anywhere.
Here Sarah is going with him. He is learning, but still does better with one of us at a time. Too much puppy yet, and gets distracted easier with both of us running, but does great with both of us walking. It is coming, it just takes time.
But, Zeus has now taken over our hearts as well, and he is part of the family. There is never a dull moment. A forever friend, and faithful training partner that is once again ready to go anytime. They are all special friends, and have unique characteristics that make each of them stand out. The hardest part is when we have to say goodbye. We keep thinking of all of the good times we spend together, and how each one of them has made our family…family! They all leave permanent marks in our hearts, and give us all special moments that will never leave us. Pictures are great to look back on! So what are you waiting for? Is it time for your own 4 legged training partner? Or time to utilize the one you already have? Take advantage of their help, and keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2935
by Dan | Oct 4, 2015 | Etc.
Being a twin has brought many adventures over the years. There is no more special bond that anybody can have than to have a twin. Don also runs, and I even got him to do a few marathons with me, but other than a few isolated long runs, we never really got to train together for the marathons we were together on. He lived in SF, and now in Parker, so distance made it tough to do. But there is that unwritten bond that we have, and always will. It is not that we are just brothers–but twins. Anybody who is a twin knows what I am talking about. He was an elementary/special education teacher for many years, and then went to his true calling…he is now a Lutheran minister…and very good at it! We both work with people, try to help get them through tough times, listen, offer advice…so similar, yet very different. Twins, but still unique. Just like my twin daughters. But for us, just like my girls, there is a bond that will never be broken. Even though distance may separate all of us, there is not anything any of us would not do for the other. Here are some shots of us growing up.
When we were small people had a hard time telling us apart. Inseparable then! It is not unusual that running had a special bond between us. I was the one who was competitive, and competed, but Don ran for fun. He still is active and runs as well, and I did get him talked into doing a Marathon. He has done several now, but not sure I can get him to do another one! Here are some shots of us after completing the Twin Cities Marathon, and then the Phoenix Rock n Roll marathon.
Along with Tom Beaudry!
With my youngest brother Rich, and Don’s wife Michele, and Sarah. Tom is taking the picture!
There are many special memories growing up, and as an adult, where we did things together. We will be twins forever! Again, the bond is unbreakable, just like it is for my twin daughters!
You have a forever friend, sibling…unique bond stronger than anything. Words are hard to describe this bond, but it is unbreakable.
Thanks for all of the memories Don! It has been great being your twin brother! And to my twin daughters, lean on each other as you continue to grow up. You are more than just sisters, just as we are more than just brothers. We are twins! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2928
