by Dan | Mar 18, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Yesterday was St. Patrick’s day, and also Sarah’s birthday! We had a great run in the AM! We were originally supposed to go to SF to run the Irishman there…a 5 mile run, then later a 5k run, followed several hours later with a 1 mile run. We did not make it down due to the weather there…rain, becoming ice, so we did not take a chance. Quite a few of us who were going to go down decided to stay back, and we got together Saturday morning to run the 9.1 miles here. Then, we all went out to celebrate Sarah’s birthday! It wa a lot of fun. We do a lot of talking on these run club runs. You get to figure out and hear how everybody else is doing. You listen to issues…both good and bad…that someone else is having to deal with, and you support each other. I love these runs because I get to run with Sarah! I have said many times she is my “one and only”, my forever partner…with everything. Someday one of us is not going to be here. This may be reality, but not something I really want to spend a lot of time worrying about. I am going to take advantage of all of the moments we have together…now! I can’t even imagine doing something, or going somewhere, without having her come along. I would be totally lost. I love her beyond words! We are working on 28 years of marriage…I am saying “I do” now, just like I did back in 1990!
She looks just as beautiful to me now as she did on our wedding day! That is why I do all this activity…working out…trying to stay healthy. I want to spend as many days as I can with her, and my kids. I want to experience as much of life as I can. I want to be able to say that I have no regrets. So I throw out a challenge to all of you: “What are you waiting for?” “What excuse do you come up with now to not get started?” When is the right time for you?” The right time is now! There is no excuse for waiting. Time goes by so fast, that if you are not careful, you are going to miss some of the most important times in your life! Plus…you may not have as many days in which to enjoy all of those extra activities that you want to do if you don’t care of yourself. Appreciate what you have, and who you have in your life, everyday! Your spouse, your kids, the rest of your family, your friends…anybody who is a part of your life! And then continue to keep showing them how much you appreciate them!
These were the flowers I had sent for Sarah for her birthday. Never stop showing how much you love somebody. I don’t want her having any regrets either. Does this mean we don’t ever have any tough times? Any arguments? Please…we are human. Every couple goes through tough situations, but you stay together because the bond you have together is so much stronger. Our wedding announcement had this saying on the cover: “Two hearts that beat as one!” Right on! Forever!
The older we get, the more I realize how time goes fast! Really fast! So fasten your seat belts, stay healthy by working on your diet, exercising, and spending the time with those people who are important to you! Then, you can always say with confidence, “I did the best I could, and I have no regrets”. No regrets! Strive to Survive…I have been saying that for years. Hopefully, I don’t just say it, but live it! I continue to tell my patients this all of the time. “If I can do it, so can you!” No more excuses! What are you waiting for? Nobody is going to do it for you! Enjoy all of the experiences life has to offer, with the people who mean more to you than anything. I love you Sarah, and want to have many more years, and celebrations with you! I am going to keep working on it as well to help ensure that I do everything in my power to make that happen! Keep moving everybody…and don’t take anything for granted!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3812
by Dan | Feb 4, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Motivation, Wellness/Health
If you want your kids to be active, you have to help show them the way. Earlier I had posted about when my kids were little how we tried to keep them active, and was mainly talking about my twins. Now many years later, as my twin girls are 23, it is just as important to make sure they continue to stay active as well. We still push them, but we try to have as much fun along the way as possible.
In the days when they were back in high school, Molly was the runner, and Megan was a swimmer. Both very different sports, but each of them loved what they did.
Molly has been running yet, and Megan swims every chance she can get. But Megan too has been running as well. She is out in Virginia, and even when she gets home, she is always eager to do more walking as well, because that means she can spend more time with Zeus as well. He, of course, loves it!
But as they get older, I now get to spend time going to races with them, and running with them…which I love. A few years ago, Molly joined me for the Fargo 5K.
And this Summer, they were all home, and my girls had their boyfriends with them, and they all ran together in the Hump Day 5K! It was great having them all home, and they were all out running too! I love it! I have to think deep down we did something right by instilling in them the importance of exercise, and taking care of themselves. I will be talking about Nick coming up in the future posts. But, this last month, when my twins came with us to Orlando to run in the Disney World half marathon, I was very excited, and proud, to have them tackle a half. Neither one of them had gone this far before. I ran with Megan, and Sarah ran with Molly. Lots of pictures along the way, and quality time outside in Florida…running together. I don’t know who was happier about this…me, or them. It was a great trip. I hope there are more in the future for us to get to run together…and then also with Nick too! Here Megan and I are hamming it up for one of the photographers on the course, and Sarah and Molly after they finished!
Memories I get to keep forever! It takes work to exercise, and try to stay healthy…but it is much more fun when we do this together. Get going! Enlist your friends, your family, and get out and get moving. These times make for memories forever! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3777
by kelsey | Jan 31, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Wellness/Health
With it being the middle of winter, it’s more challenging to be outside and stay active….especially for our kids. Children need at least 60 minutes of activity a day. Meeting this activity recommendation will not only promote a healthy weight, but also ward off diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This 60 minutes does not have to be all at once though…it can be spread throughout their day. You may consider the following tips to help you and your child be more active:
- Join a sports team or try a new physical activity.
- Take a walk or turn up the tunes and do some dancing indoors after your supper meal.
- Instead of catching a movie or watching TV, pick an activity that requires movement such as laser tag, bowling, or family swim.
- Give children toys that encourage physical activity like balls, kites, hula hoops, Frisbee and jump ropes. You could do some of these in your basement or garage if it’s too cold to get outside.
- Limit TV time and keep the TV out of your child’s bedroom.
- Plant a garden this spring. Kids love to water plants, and they’ll get excited weeks later when they see their flowers bloom or vegetables grow.
- Practice what you preach! Kids will be more apt to engage in activity and stay interested when their parent or family is doing it!
Create a positive environment with encouragement and reinforcement–this will help your child live a long and healthy lifestyle!
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
by Dan | Jan 21, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Those early days seem a long time ago. I remember like yesterday the day my twin daughters were born. It was one of the happiest days of my life. My twins now are 23 years old…my how time flies! Those early days were so busy a lot of it is still a blur. These were our first kids, and we had no idea what we had gotten into. When people say they “fly by the seat of their pants”, how true this was. Every day was new. We also got a lot of attention wherever we went with them as well.
They were both always “hamming” it up for a camera, or other people. Much of this is still the same today! But one thing was for sure, Sarah and I still wanted to be active ourselves. The same was true then as it is today…we were going to stay as healthy as we could so we could spend more time with them. Many of those first days, one of us would run, or workout first, and then the other. But many of those times, we all went together. So we had to figure out how to have them included.
We bought a Burley at that time, and we could put them both in there, and then go running, walking, or biking with them. We all still got to spend time together, but we got to exercise as well. We set the tone right from the beginning…in this family, staying active was important, and we led by example…then, and now.
We would all spend time riding our bikes together. When we started the Hospital Hill run, now well over 20 years ago, the kids participated as well. They participated not only by running, or walking, but also setting up, and taking everything down. It became a family event every year.
The kids all went along to the marathons that I did as well. They were the top cheering section anybody could ever have!
They were there to support me, and cheer me on. I will never forget one of the marathons…Grandmas…when I was coming along mile 24, and just feeling like I had enough. I heard them cheering from the sideline, and I looked over, and almost lost it right there! I had no idea they had this planned out. Sarah had made T-shirts for the kids, and the front of them said one message, and the back said another. After I saw them, then they all turned around at the same time, and I will never forget it. This image is permanently burned into my brain. It remains today my favorite pictures, and memories!
They were cheering me on…being there for me. We tried to do this for them for all of their events as well when they were growing up. Next week I will have other pictures and a story about our recent half marathon we did together. Another event that will remain with me forever. A family that works out together, stays together…and hopefully has a lot of time that they get to spend together, making more memories. Keep moving everybody! Somebody out there wants you around a long time!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3770
by Dan | Jan 14, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
It was a busy week last week, but a very fun one, and one that will go down in the books as a memory forever. Our family, except for Nick who had to stay back for school, and our second family, Steve and Carletta Hauck, and 2 of their kids, went to Orlando last week to take part in their Run Disney events. 4 days, 4 races, beginning with a 5K, then the second day a 10k, third day a half marathon, and the final day, a full marathon. You can pick and choose one or more, or all of them. Steve and I signed up for what is called the “Dopey Challenge”…you run all 4 events over the 4 days. The last time we did anything of this was 5 years ago, and we did the “Goofy Challenge”, which is the half marathon, followed by the marathon.
Steve and I were signed up to do the Dopey, but he hurt his knee and was unable to do this. He was able to “gut” it out, and he ran the 5k with me.
The weather was kind of a shock…28 degrees at the beginning of the 5k. The tough part of all of this was getting up at 2:15 AM every day, getting bused out to Epcot, which is where the start and finish of all of the races took place. Start time for the race was 5:30, and you are all assigned a corral to be in for the start. Between 20-25,000 people were in each race, and my daughters had never run a half marathon before, so we were assigned the last corral for all of the races. By being in the last corral, that meant we did not start the race until approx. 6:30 every day, so we had to stand outside for over 3 hours every day! That was harder than the run. Steve and I had a ball for the 5k, then I did the 10k myself the next day, and on Saturday, Sarah, my girls Molly and Megan, and our neighbors son Noah Hauck, all did the half marathon. Megan and Noah ran with me, and Molly ran with Sarah. It was a thrill! We got to run together, go through the them parks, high five all of the characters out on the route, and lots of pictures to be taken. Here are several:
We all had fun! I have always wanted to run races with my kids!!! Then, Sunday, it was time for the marathon…26.2 miles. I did not know how much I had left. I had already put in 22.4 miles in 3 days! Carissa Hauck, Steve and Carletta’s daughter, ran the marathon with me. She was very reluctant to do this, and her longest run had been 8 miles, done several months before this. She had never come close to running 26.2 miles at one time. She is in the military, stationed at Fort Bragg. She may not have been in running shape, but this kid is in incredible shape otherwise. If anybody was going to be able to do this, it was her. She ran with me from start to finish, and we picked up the pace as we went. Our second half was 10 minutes faster than the first half. We were on fire! So many people, so many things to do…I had not felt this good in a marathon ever! Here we are coming across the finish!
The medals were amazing. They all got one as they each ran one race. I got 6 medals! One for each of the 4 races, one for completing the Goofy, which was the half and full marathon, and one for the Dopey…doing all 4 races! People have asked me if I was crazy! How could I do this much at one time? What possessed me to do this? Why would anybody want to do this? It was called the Dopey Challenge…it was a challenge! It was a goal! I had never done this before. You never know as an individual what you are capable of doing. Several quotes stand out to me with this event: “It’s up to you how far you’ll go. If you don’t try, you’ll never know”. “You will never know your limits until you push yourself to them”. How true! The biggest thing out of all of this…I got to run with my kids, and my second family, and their kids. I have memories for a life time!
We all have memories for a lifetime! Bottom line, your only limitations are those you set for yourselves. If you think you can’t, you won’t. And if you think you can, anything is possible. The sky truly is not the limit…but your mind is! You can do this. No matter what your goal is, sometimes we all have to go out on a limb, and be a little “Dopey”…we don’t know what we are capable of until we try. Focus on your potential, not your limitations! Now Megan has told me she can’t wait to do another race with me. Nick is running in college, so when he gets done with school, I hope to run a race with him as well. If anything, my kids, and future grandkids, are going to know the importance of staying active, and living life to the fullest. Living life with adventures, challenges, setting goals…and they are even better when you have someone to do them with! This 4 days has to rank right up with some of the toughest I have ever done…and with the memories I have out of them, the run we had, I would not trade them for anything. Yes, I may be a little “Dopey”, but it was worth it. Find the “Dopey” that is hidden in all of us, and find out what you are really capable of doing. If you don’t start, you will never know. Put one foot in front of the other, and go! Strive to Survive! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan (aka “Dopey”)
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3763
by Dan | Jan 1, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Holidays, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health, Winter
2017 is done, and 2018 is here! How was the year for you? Did you accomplish things you wanted? Is there anything in particular you want to accomplish in 2018? What is it you want? That is a good question for all of us. We have to decide what is personally important to us, and how bad do we want. At the same time, what kind of work are we willing to do to achieve. In general, New Years Resolutions don’t always have a good track record. It may be a good time to try to focus on things, and we all have good intentions, but the secret is how are we going to keep doing this year round, year after year? You need to keep going back to your original goals, your original reasons as to why you even want to accomplish certain goals. Why is it important to you?
Here we celebrated yesterday Jill reaching her 1000 mile running for the year, and Jenn reaching 1500 miles. Is the total important? No. It was a goal for them, and they achieved it, and we helped celebrate by running outside with them for the final mile, in what was unquestionably the coldest day of the year! That is what friends do…that is what family does…in this case, our running family. It always makes goals more achievable, and more meaningful, if you have someone else helping you along the way, motivating you along the way!
How truer can this be! Don’t think about it too hard, it will just give you more time to back out of your goals, or come up with excuses not to work for something you know would be of benefit to you. Just Go!
This was the group that came out yesterday to go for their final ceremonial run. We all did a mile (well, a couple of us did 3.5 miles!). I spent 45 minutes on the elliptical prior to going to meet for this run because of the cold…-22, with a wind chill of -40! Far from ideal, but also, if you wear the right clothing, far from impossible as well. We did it, and we helped them get to their final goal. Then we all went out to Caribou to celebrate! That is a reason to do this…spend time with your friends and family…people who truly do care about you, and who you care about. We want to be here more to have more of these moments. Always striving…
I will be the first to admit it…it was cold. If we were not meeting for this specific reason, and for a mile, there is no way I would have gone outside on my own. My workout would have been inside for all of it. It does prove to yourself as well how tough you really are (or stupid! Sometimes this is a very thin line!). You always have to take into account the conditions, the weather. When you are in a group, we all look out for each other. If I had been out there on my own, I would have been worried. What if I would have fallen, and it was that cold out? You have to be smart in this regards as well.
We stick together…look out for each other…are there for each other! There is even more of us when the weather is good! Your friends and family who help push you when things get uncomfortable make things or goals what would otherwise seem impossible, possible! Sometimes you even amaze yourself what you are capable of. Our biggest limitations tend to be between our ears! Believe in yourself, and good things happen.
Just remember, there is never a perfect time. If we keep waiting for that perfect time, we won’t get off of the couch. We won’t achieve our goals, and we won’t live our lives to the fullest that it could be. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Don’t wait for perfect weather. And…normally, I would say don’t wait until Jan 1 to make a start…start anytime, just keep it going. Since today is Jan 1…then this is a good day to start. Come on, what are you waiting for? We are not guaranteed tomorrow! Live today, achieve our goals, be happy, and be around to enjoy the things in life we find worthwhile! Just be safe as well!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3750
