Running as Play

Dan and Steve Disney web

I had stated in an earlier post about Dr. George Sheehan…cardiologist, runner, writer, and philospher.  Sheehan believed that life should be simple, that people needed to free themselves from the things that squash creativity adn play.  Play, he believed, was serious business, and people should make time for it.  For Sheehan, running was play.  That is how I try to make it too.  Here above is Steve and I at the Disney Goofy challenge, stopping at about mile 8 for our wives to take a photo.  We presented ourselves well from South Dakota.

Sarah and I keep that in my too, not only in how we take each run, but how we take life.  You need to have fun.  Of course, there is a time to be serious, and get things done, but it can be done in fun ways as well.  Here we are the one year for a halloween run.

Sarah and Dan Halloween web

Have fun!  Be healthy!  Life is too short not to do this.  Take each day as a gift, and do with it what we can.  At the end of each day, we should be able to look back and say…”What did I accomplish today?”  We should then feel good about what we did accomplish.  There are always challenges, pressures, things to get done.  Always!  This will never change.  But, making running fun…play…allows us to handle things in life much better as well.

More thoughts from Dr. Sheehan in posts to come!  Keep moving everybody!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise day #:  2480

Holiday Festivities

This 4th of July holiday weekend was a great time to spend with family/friends, and enjoy life.  Things get hectic enough, and sometimes you just need to unwind and relax, spend time with those around you, and have it be OK to indulge in some great food!

Hauck family reunion web

Saturday was the 4th annual Hauck ribfest!  Great food, great company.  There was an assortment of ribs to try, and not a bad one in the lot!  Serious competiton, with judging and everything.

Hauck ribfest judges

Here the judges go through all of the entries.  There were 10 entries this year, with the winner going to Jeff Hauck.  Sarah tried it this year as well.  The food was incredible!  This is what holidays are all about.  You can work on your food intake, and exercise, all of the other days.  It is OK to indulge and enjoy the good foods that life has to offer as well.  It would be a different story if we did this everyday!

Hauck family reunion sign web

Hopefully your holiday was a great one.  Remember, have fun and enjoy what life has to offer.  You can get back on track following these times.  Keep moving everybody!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #:  2473

Summer Time…Get Out and Move!

Sarah with Zeus

It is officially Summer time!  Get outside and enjoy the weather when it is nice.  Here Zeus is taking Sarah for a walk.  He is ready to go, holding the leash in his mouth.  He starts out of the gates strong, but then starts to fade before too long.

Sarah with Zeus 2

He is still leading the pack, but we get about a 1/4 mile down the trail, and he has to rest, and looks at us thinking “you can carry me anytime now!”  We just take a rest, then go off again.  His stamina is increasing, just like all of us when we start out.  We have to start slow, keep going, and then gradually keep increasing the time.  Walking, running, biking…whatever!  Just get out and move!

After our run this AM with the running club, I took off on my bike around the lake..15 miles.  Great day for a ride.

bike on trail

There is a variety of activities to do, just take advantage of this time of year, and get out.  Take your spouse, kids, significant other, friend, pets, other relatives…whoever!  Motivate each other to keep going. Enjoy the weather while we can.  Keep moving everybody!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #:  2459

Happy Father’s Day!

My dad and family

I want to wish all you Dad’s out there a Happy Father’s Day!  You help us stay on track, are there to watch our back continuously, and you always show us how much you love us!  Appreciate you Dad’s while you can, as we don’t know when we are not going to have them around anymore.  I miss my Dad every day…but I always have his memories.  If he told me anything, it included, by his actions, how important family is, and should always be. I am trying to be there for my kids as much as I can as well.

My family

I have stated many times that my reason for the consecutive exercise, and trying to take care of my health, all revolve around 4 goals.  Those goals remain the same, and they are:  Sarah, Megan, Molly, and Nick.  Thank you for all you do for me as well.  I am the father for you three, but I hope you will always refer to me as Dad…that has much more meaning to me.  It takes someone special to be a Dad.  Happy Father’s Day to all you Dad’s out there!  Keep moving everybody!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #:  2452

My New Training Partner!

Zeus

This afternoon we went and picked up my new training partner.  Meet Zeus, our new purebred German Shephard!  I found a new partner to take over where Buddy left off.  He has a lot to live up to with Buddy, but so far he is off to a good start.  We went for a short walk/jog this evening, and stayed by my side the whole way!  He is now 7 weeks old.

Zeus 2

Looking forward to having another training partner.  I miss Buddy everyday!  Hopefully this little guy with help fill that role.  He has some big paws to fill, but as you can see, he is off to a great start!  Look at the size of his paws already!  Getting fired up for this summer, and spending time with my new training partner, and my family, who are all excited about this new addition.  He came from the family of one of my daughter’s boyfriends, and we have been anticipating his arrival here since early April.  Welcome home Zeus!  Keep moving everybody!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #:  2444

Vacation Training Partners

Other training partners

Sarah and I took my mom out to Albuquerque to see my brother and his family.  Even though we were not at home, we went running everyday.  It was a very nice change of pace.  Going out running is a great way to go see sites.  After Sarah and I did our run, we were joined each day by my nephew Richie, and their dog Oscar, who loved to go out and run.  Here they are with Sarah.

Other training partners 2

Of course I got to pose with them too.  Great scenery there, and the view of the mountains was so nice for watching each day.

Other training partners 3

Of course, it was always a race back to the house once we got to the halfway point.  Great way to exercise for everybody.  Oscar was also great to have along.  First time running with a dog again since Buddy passed in March.  Hopefully I will have some other news coming in the very near future in regards to a new training partner coming.  I can’t wait!  More to come on that later.  Keep moving everybody!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #:  2438