We all feel the pressure and challenges that come up in everyday life. We all have to deal with them. We all have to face them. Once you get through them, or even as a means to help you get through them, you need to find something else to “escape” from the pressures of reality. We all need this! Find a hobby! Go exercise! Go read a book! Something! Whatever it is you enjoy, just do it. For me, obviously, it is the exercise, and running in particular. It has always been my escape from the reality. Time for me to just forget about everything else. But as I get older, I also realize I need to come up with other things as well. There are definitely things I like to do besides work. Here are some of them.
This past weekend I went to take home my grandson Connor, and I got to play around with a tractor for the afternoon. It was a lot of fun! Listening to music while moving gravel. Who would have thought! I just got to play around with a big toy!
My grandson loves it too. It was time for a break though because the Vikings were going to be coming on soon, and he was all ready with his Vikings uniform on to go watch the game! Which brings up the next area of escape–my grandson! Connor is just a blast to be around. We had him for 4 days, and I absolutely loved it! We had him for part of Halloween, so he got to spend some time with “Batman” as a grandpa!
“Buzz Lightyear” Connor took it all in stride!
I also love to take pictures, especially of the sunrise and sunsets, especially if the clouds are out as well. It is just such a great escape to just see what nature has to show, and just get lost in my thoughts as I take pictures. Then I can always look at them later as a way to escape again.
There is never a dull moment when I am out taking pictures. We all need to find something as an escape from the pressures of work, and stress associated with life. Put your thinking caps on, and do something you like. Exercise and your health always need to be at the top of the list, so hopefully then you can spend more time later doing these other things you like to do. Who knows, maybe it is something you never thought you would like! Be adventurous, and think out of the box. Do it for you! Keep moving everybody!
As a member of the Watertown Area Running Club, WARC, we have had the pleasure of being able to run with many people. Some come and go, and others are what we in the club call “lifers”! We are there, week after week, year after year. We have made many friends. We have had many conversations. We have run many races. The memories are what are the best. One of our “lifers” is moving to SF. Paula left at the end of this week after being here for years. Now, granted, she is not far away, but, she will not be running with us every week anymore. We had a going away party for her earlier this week. That is why run club is not just about running. It is about lifelong friendships.
We have had too numerous to count runs together with Paula. I can only hit the tip of the iceberg in this post, as there are too numerous to count runs and races we have done. Jill, Paula, Sarah, Amanda, and I ran a few years ago in Colorado for a Half Marathon. They had T-shirts printed: South Dakota Girls, and Dan! We had a great time. We have had multiple marathons together, other Half marathons, as well as 5k’s. The training runs literally are the best. You spend mile after mile—talking! You figure out what each of us is like. What we do, what we like, what we don’t like. Running brought us together. Being friends kept us together. I remember one Sunday when I was taking a picture of a bunch of the girls who were running because it was either Mother’s Day, or national women’s day, or something to that effect. I was trying to get them lined up and to run towards me, and they were all acting goofy, and laughing, and of course, were not listening. So, of course, I had to yell at them and tell them not to act like “a bunch of idiots”! Then they really started laughing. Paula especially. I told her it was like telling my little sister what to do, and she would not listen!
Sarah and I had Thursday afternoon free, so we came earlier and helped Kevin and Paula get the U-haul loaded up. We got it done before the rest of the group even had a chance to get there. It was work, but we did a lot of laughing too. Everybody else in Run Club was trying to figure out how we slash the tires so they would not be able to leave to SF on Friday. This is the picture we posed for, but the next one was how it really was!
It was like finishing another marathon! It was bitter sweet. They are on to their next adventure in life. They just can’t stay strangers. We have to figure out when to meet for a run, or go out to eat, whether they are back here in Watertown, or we are in SF.
This picture was taken before I could get there. Work still had to come first. These are some of the people who have run a lot of miles with Paula, and with each other, over the years. We are WARC Strong! This is what you can be a part of if you ever want to come join us some Sunday morning, 7AM. We do still meet on Wednesday at 5:30 PM, but COVID has hindered the ability for Sarah and I to get there. Someday things will start to normalize. I am going to have to find somebody else to give some “crap” to now on our runs. Paula really was like a younger sister to me!
Whenever Paula wanted to just be Paula, there I was with the camera!!! Just like family! We have had a lot of fun times, and adventures, talks, and runs. It will make the times we meet up next even better.
Good luck Paula and Kevin on your next adventure. You will be missed, particularly by your WARC family. Until we run together again, take care, and stay safe. Keep moving everybody!
It’s that time of year again. Not only are the aisles of Wal-Mart strewn with witch hats, zombie make-up and fairy wings, but of course there is the looming aisle of Halloween candy. It can be easy to over indulge on treats this time of year. Most of the candy passed out to trick-or-treaters comes in “fun size” or “mini” portions. However, looks can be deceiving; people often believe that since they are smaller in size, more can be consumed. Calories from Halloween candy can quickly add up. For example; 3 mini snickers bars pack 300 calories. To burn off that many calories you would have to walk at a brisk pace for 1.5 hours or run for 40 minutes. Fortunately the 31st of October doesn’t have to mean automatic weight gain. Try waiting until the day before to buy treats to pass out. You will be less likely to feel the need to nibble if you don’t buy it a month ahead of time. Keeping it out of sight, such as up in a closet you rarely use, can help you forget that it’s even in the house. The biggest challenge with Halloween candy is the leftovers. After the trick-or-treaters have come and gone we are often left with the reality that we stocked up for 400 doorbell ringers, and only got 15. Buying candy that you don’t like is an easy way to keep you from eating it both before and after the holiday and you can always donate it to get it out of your house. Below are some healthier options to pass out next week! Halloween the Healthy Way….treats/prizes to try:
Sugar-free gum
Boxes of raisins
Animal crackers
Pretzels
Trail mix
Fruit snacks
Lollipops
Non-Candy choices: stickers, small toys, erasers, etc.
Pictured above are my boys from a few years ago: Buzz Lighyear & Woody from Toy Story. -Kelsey
Life is full of good days, and bad days. Hopefully the good days outnumber the bad. You learn to hang in there, keep trying, and never give up. Just like relationships. You keep going, in good times, and in bad, for better or for worse, and in the end, you figure out that two hearts really do beat as one. That is my life with Sarah. Being with her has taught me so much in life. Your past also teaches you a lot. And, for me, running has taught me a lot. There are times when you just need “to let it go”. Quit dwelling on the past. You can’t change it, even though many of us try. There are always things in life that we would have liked to have changed, after the fact. We want it changed because we either did not like how something turned out, and we were just disappointed by it. Frustrated by it. Angry by it. But the only thing that keeps it going is we keep thinking about it. So stop, and be like the Disney movie, Frozen, and just “let it go”!
Learn from it, and move on. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Then why can’t we do it? Maybe we like to be miserable at times. I don’t know. I guess it is human nature to keep thinking about how we could have changed something, but we can’t. So move forward, and learn from our mistakes. Keep looking for those positive moments. Do something to create those positive moments. Keep trying!
Look at things that may have always been there in a different way. Experience it differently. Learn from it. Appreciate it!
Just sit back and relax and take it in. R-E-L-A-X!
Spend time with those who matter. You have always heard don’t sweat the small stuff. I find it easier to spend time with the small…ones! I love spending time with my grandson! Everything else seems to go out the door during that time. What I thought were things that really needed to get done, really did not need to get done. For some reason it was a priority that really was not important. We all need to get our priorities straight!
This is me talking to my past self. Running changed my life for the good, and it has been a part of my life now for over 40 years. I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. Besides, I will be having a grandson I am going to have to train for cross country and track some day!
Our true power lies within all of us. It is between our ears. Never doubt yourself. Learn from our mistakes. Don’t dwell in the past, and keep looking forward. There will always be challenges we face, and we may not always handle them the way we want. We just need to keep learning from them. Become lifelong learners in more ways than one. Strive for improvement. Keep moving everybody!
How many of us in the past have heard the phrase: “We are what we think!” We all have those days when nothing seems like it is going right. The day may have started off with something unexpected, and right away, we, me included, think, “oh boy, here we go. I can tell this is going to be a good day.”. Of course we are being sarcastic. If we think we are going to have a bad day, we will. If we think we are going to have a good day, we will. It has now been 3 weeks since we ran the Fargo marathon, and the marathon is the most accurate of how our thoughts help determine how we do. If we are struggling, it gets in our head that things are not working, and then all of sudden, the entire race starts to unravel. Coach Godfrey here in town had the greatest line when it came to running a race: The race is 90% mental, and the other 10% is in your head! Exactly! Positive thoughts help create a positive experience, and negative thoughts create a negative experience, whether it is about running a race, or things in life in general. We are what we think!
Our run group in Watertown helps motivate each other, and push each to reach our goals. We still have to perform individually, but the strength and motivation each of us can get when we work together is amazing. We encourage each other, push each other, cheer for each other. We keep the thoughts positive. This is what you need to succeed. If you are around somebody all of the time who is negative, it is hard to hang around that person. And, if you are the one who is always negative, then maybe it is time to become more positive yourself. We are what we think!
This is Sarah and I walking to the start line of the marathon we just did. The back of my shirt says: Success–A Journey, not a Destination! Every race has taught me something, both positive and negative. They are all educational. Learning what we do right, and what we do wrong, all helps us grow as a person. Learn from your failures, and turn it into something positive. Make it be a positive memory. We are what we think! Many times we have to look beyond what is in front of us, or learn to look at what is in front of us, in a different way. Hopefully a positive way!
I take a ton of pictures of sunrise and sunsets. I learn something different from each one. It helps me look at something that I used to think was the “same old thing”, yet I am finding that each one can be, and is, totally different. Look beyond. See what may not be obvious. When we look at things we see everyday, looking at it another way can give us a whole different outlook, and perspective on things. We are what we think!
I even surprise myself as to how the reflections the sun will create with the water. If you are not paying attention, or getting right up to the edge, you miss it completely. Just like things that come up everyday in life. If we keep looking at things the same way all of the time, we miss things, and sometimes the obvious. Look beyond. Sometimes the answer we look for is there, but we are looking at it all wrong. We are what we think!
Eventually when we are running a race, or walking, or biking, we eventually get to the finish line. All it means is that particular event is done. Now we keep working for the next one. Or we keep coming up with new goals to attack head on the next day. Keep striving. Keep learning. Keep looking deeper. We are what we think!
This is our run group early one Saturday morning. We continue to keep going. We are looking ahead. There is also another common saying stating that the reason when we are driving in our car, that looking out the windshield has a much bigger view, and everything in the rearview mirror looks small. Keep looking ahead, and not back. Be positive. The past is already done. Don’t let it take you down from growing, and moving forward. When we listen to the positive thoughts in our head., the days are much more fulfilling and enjoyable. We are what we think! Keep moving everybody!
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many of us know of someone who has been affected by breast cancer as it is the most common cancer in women and more than 230,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the United States as stated by the American Cancer Society. It is important to recognize some symptoms of breast cancer. The most common symptom is the presence of a painless lump in the breast area. Less common symptoms include swelling, tenderness, skin irritation, redness, or nipple abnormalities which may include ulceration or discharge. Factors that increase the risk of developing breast cancer include the onset of menstruation before age 12, menopause after the age of 55, not breastfeeding for at least one year, not having children, or having children after 30 years of age, and having a high body mass index. Increased body weight in postmenopausal women who are not taking hormones increases the risk for developing breast cancer. The more fat cells you have, the higher your levels of estrogen in the postmenopausal period, when your ovaries are no longer producing estrogen. Moreover, overweight women have higher insulin levels, and insulin may promote breast tumors.
Nutrition Tips for Cancer Prevention: Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are great sources of antioxidants and phytochemicals. Antioxidants and phytochemicals play a role in cancer prevention. Carotenoids is a type of antioxidant that is found in red and yellow produce. Some examples of foods that contain carotenoids are carrots, pumpkin, winter squash, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and red sweet peppers. All dark green vegetables contain nutrients that protect against cancer. Good sources of dark green vegetables include spinach, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts and kale. An additional benefit to eating a well balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is that it promotes a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight will help you to decrease your risk of developing cancer. A helpful tip to remember is that the more colorful the fruit or vegetable, the more nutrients it contains; so pack your plate with colorful choices!
