by Dan | Jul 17, 2016 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Last weekend was the 32nd annual Kampeska mini triathlon. Sarah and I once again participated. It is quite the adventure, to say the least. You do not have to be great at swimming, biking, and running, but you have to be good enough in all 3 to finish. It is a challenge. There is nothing like coming off the bike and going running. Your legs don’t know what they are supposed to do yet…unless you experience it, words really don’t describe it well enough. You have to use different muscles for all three sports. You have to learn to transition from one to the other without a break. You have to keep moving! That is the challenge…”tri-ing” to do well in all 3 sports!
It should really be: “Tri not to drown! Tri not to crash! Tri to run!” Sarah and I are definitely not strong swimmers. We just need to get out of the water, and then we start having fun…the bike is next, and last is the run. Here we are out of the water, on the bike, and running.
So many people say they could never do a triathlon. For many of those people, they have never even tried. You will never know what you can do, until you “Tri”! You may need to “Tri” a little harder. You may need to “Tri” to be a little more disciplined. It takes endurance, speed, perserverance, tenacity, dedication, self-confidence, commitment, and above all, courage. You will never know how far you can go until you “Tri”. That goes with everything in life. We face all kinds of challenges, and have to face them head on. We have to keep “tri-ing” in order to succeed. This is a great way to work on all of those life skills. If we can do this, we can “tri” anything!
Then you can say, “I Tri…therefore I am” whether with exercise, or life in general. You may not always finish something, or be good at it, but if you don’t at least “tri”, you will never know what you are capable of. It may just surprise you what you could do. Dig down deep for all of those characteristics that you would need to accomplish things in your life, and fall back on them often. They are within you, sometimes you may just have to dig a little deeper. You have to at least “tri”! This next slide summarize everything about what you can learn, or accomplish, with a triathlon, and life in general. We may not all be able to do a triathlon on our own, but they also had team events with this…3 people, and each person did one portion. Sometimes we need help to get things done, or to be successful. This is a good way to start, and before you know it, we may be ready to tackle on more things on our own! Surprise yourself!
Keep moving everybody! Keep “Tri-ing”!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3215
by Dan | Jul 10, 2016 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
I have been posting lately about different adventures that have been going on. I will still continue to do that, as they come up. Now, it is time to take on a new subject: Exercise for the Health of It! Time to discuss all that exercise can do for us, and why we need to do this. We all know reasons why exercise is good: It can decrease our blood pressure; decrease our risks of heart disease; decrease our chance of developing diabetes; help prevent osteoporosis; improve our mood overall, decreasing our anxiety and potential for depression, just to name a few. So if we all know that, they why are we not all doing it? What else is there that needs to set a trigger to get us motivated to do exercise? This answer is as individual as the individual, and only we, on our own, can figure that out. Time to make a list of our goals. What is it we want to accomplish? What do we want out of life? What more is there to experience that we have not already done? What if…I did things differently? What if…I were to go back in time, and change things that I know would be better now? What if…we constantly ask ourselves this all the time…what if? Clearly, we cannot go back in time and change things, we can only go forward. But, we can make a difference in our lives from this point on. The only time it is too late is when we are not here anymore. So, what are you going to do about it? What are your desires? Your needs? Your talents? How can you use all of these three components, as author Matthew Kelly writes: “How do YOU become the best version of YOU that YOU can be?”
Here are a bunch of us from yesterday’s Lake Kampeska Triathlon. Most of us are all members of the Watertown Area Run Club as well. What are we trying to achieve? I can speak for sure for me: I am trying to be as healthy and active as I can so as to enjoy as much of life as I can, for as long as I can. I want to spend time with my family. When the time comes that I am no longer here, I want to confidently say “I lived my life to the fullest, and I have no regrets!”. Will you be able to say that? If not, what are you going to do about it? Time to “Exercise for the Health of It”.
Sarah and I have a great time competing in all of these different events. That is how we started dating…by running together. We were in the same medical school class, but starting going out our second year. I saw her running on her own a few times, so then later, when I would go run, I made sure I would run by the house she was living in. She noticed! We started out by running together…and the rest is history! I may be the one having the consecutive running streak going, but she is my rock…my reason for doing all of this…my everything! I won’t even begin to imagine what life would be without her. If I was not a runner, our lives would be totally different, and we would probably never have been together. I will always be appreciative of running just for that!
There are many different reasons of how exercise can be healthy. Here is a good summary.
This is what this series is going to encompass. Even though there are a lot of things on this picture, this does not cover all of the reasons exercise is good, and why you should “Exercise for the Health of It”…but it is a good start. One main reason to keep in mind as we go on this current journey is the following:
You are saving your life! Don’t let anyone tell you anything different. Some day, ones who for whatever reason may be critical of what we do, will figure it out. They will realize they should have made some changes. They will be asking themselves, “What if” I had done things differently? Why didn’t I “Exercise for the Health of It”? Remember…no regrets. Do something about it now! And if you are, then keep doing what you are doing…for you! Invariably, this will be a benefit to all of those around you who are important, because you will get to spend more time with them. Is that not what life is about?
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3208
by Dan | Jul 3, 2016 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
This Friday was the kickoff to the 4th of July weekend, and it started out with the Freedom 5K run, put on by DASH of Watertown. It was a great run, great weather, and here are the members of the Watertown Area Run Club who participated, along with the 2 up and coming members, the McElroy girls! It was a great event for friendly competition, fun, and spending time with friends.
Even though it was fun, the start can be intense in every race!
Every race has its moments, but again, all in fun. Here Sarah and I are getting are game faces on, especially when I told her she was “going down” in this race!
And we are off! It is fun watching the little kids take off…they go like there is no tomorrow, and then start fading fast. It is nice to see them out and trying though!
Even though Sarah and I can have some friendly competition, we are also best of friends! It is great that we both love doing this. It is a great way to spend time together. The start of the race was a mile from our house, so we walked over to it, ran the race, and walked back home. Lots of time for talking as well!
Another set of friends can relate. Two very good friends, and my nurses, one current, one from the past. Susan and Chris. They are sticking to it, backing each other up, and having a good time doing their running!
Way to go you two! Smiling and enjoying life! But that is what is great about friends. They are there when you need them, they have your back, and are someone you can count on…especially to go running or exercise with! So, whether Susan and Chris, Sarah and I, all of our Watertown Area Run Club members, or whoever, the important thing in life is your friends. Those are the people that matter in your life. They are the people who will miss you if you were gone! They are the people you can count on! Run on!
Friends are truly what matters in your life!
Now, just remember this weekend, with it being the 4th of July, the true meaning behind it is Freedom! We are lucky to have had people fight for our freedom in the past, and those who continue to do so for us. Because we have freedom, we are free to choose what we want to do, such as participate in fun runs, spending time with friends, and having fun.
Be thankful for what you have, and who you can spend time with! We have that freedom to choose. Enjoy the weekend…enjoy life…and all the adventures it can bring! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3201
by Dan | Jun 26, 2016 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
There are all kinds of fun runs/walks during the year, and especially during the Summer, to be able to participate in. It is also a time when you can include your friends, or family, and have fun with it…or maybe even show how tough you can be getting ready for it. Here Molly, Nick and I are getting ready for the Fargo 5k in May. Sometimes though, we just need to convince ourselves that we can do it.
If we can convince our minds, our bodies can handle it! I had to keep talking Molly through it that night as well…to help convince her that she still could do it.
We all need some extra support sometimes…to help us realize what we are capable of doing…to help get past our fear of the unknown. It was great running a 5k with my daughter! There have been several other events so far this Summer…just last week we did the Race for Chase…a 10 mile race where you have a 2 person team. One person rides a bike, one person runs. You have to start together, and finish together, and you can trade off biking and running whenever you want…but you both are covering 10 miles. Sarah was my team mate. We won our age group category! Here is a group of some of the people participating.
It was a good time…and something different to do. Of course, I had to have a little fun along the way and hold up a trophy (which we did not win!) before hand as I was giving some of the other people who are on our run club a challenge as to who was going to get it!
Of course we also had the Hospital Hill Run. Another great turnout for our 20th anniversary. Here is everybody at the start this year.
Here is a good example when it comes to all of the events: You need to have the courage to start! Everything in life has obstacles, but those obstacles were meant to overcome. If you don’t push yourselves, you will have no idea how far you can go. You have to start in order to finish! Once you finish, you will be looking for more challenges…more experiences…more adventures!
You just have to remember it does not have to be a competition against somebody else. It can be a competition with yourself though…a competition to show yourself what you are capable of. What are you made of? How are you able to overcome challenges in your life?…Setbacks in your life?…Difficulties in your life? Are you going to be able to push through and create and experience new adventures in your life? You might actually like it too! For many of us, wouldn’t that be a surprise? I have talked about Dr. George Sheehan in the past…the cardiologist who helped promote the running boom in the 1970’s. He was wise beyond his years! What a great summary to keep in mind for all of us!
Convincing ourselves is the challenge…and if we convince our minds, we are half way there! Don’t worry what somebody else may think…worry about what you are going to think! Take care of yourself, and have great adventures along the way. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3194
by Dan | Jun 19, 2016 | Exercise, Family, Motivation, Wellness/Health
There were lots of fun times spent with the kids growing up. A lot of these memories start flooding back when I go looking through all of the pictures. Everybody here was so proud of the fish they caught. The kids always came with us when we went to go run races too.
Here are my twins one year after doing Grandma’s marathon. It was great having your own cheering section along the route. As they got older, I returned the favor by cheering them on at all of their sport events. It was just as much fun watching them as it was participating in the events myself. As a Dad, it was fun watching them evolve and change, and grow up!
They are all in college now…where has the time gone! That is what makes pictures such a treasure…you can always look back and feel like you were right back at that moment again. Forever a treasure.
Many of us can be a Father, but it takes someone special to be a Dad! Things may not always go as planned, and life throws a lot of curve balls, and problems along the way. At times there always seemed to be something more stressful that had to be worked on. That is where the exercise came into play. It was an escape valve. A way to unload some of that pressure, blow off some steam…just have time to think.
But, what I think was more important about being a Dad, especially for my kids, was to see how Sarah and I got along. When they see how much we care for each other, and do things for each other…there is no stronger bond. Lead by example. You can say anything you want, but if you don’t show it with your actions, it means nothing.
Parents set the tone for the kids…mom and dad both! If you don’t work as a team, nothing gets done, or at least not done very well. The kids bought us tickets to go on an adventure…Chanhassen to go see a play, Beauty and the Beast, followed the next night to a Twins game. This was our Mother and Father’s day present from them. It was great.
Here Sarah is at the play. It was a great gift!
Father’s Day now leave a gap with me since my Dad passed away 1 1/2 years ago. Maybe time will continue to heal, but not yet. It is a tough day for me. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of him!
But, I have lots of memories to keep looking back at! There were lots of things he taught me as well, and led by example. It takes a special individual to really be a Dad!
Hopefully I have been doing this for my kids…at least trying! We all make mistakes. That is what makes life an adventure. Things are never predictable, and it is always easier to come up with the right way to do things once the problem or issue is over. Trying to do it right at the time is what is hard. I still have my mom to bounce things off of, but there are still times when I wish I could still ask my Dad for advice.
Miss you Dad! Everybody else have a good Father’s Day…remember why we have these days. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3187
by Dan | Jun 12, 2016 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Yesterday marked the 20th Anniversary of the Hospital Hill 5k Run. Tom Beaudry and Kris Munger have been my mainstay for many years, but we have had help for many years by other people volunteering and helping. One of those was Tim Page. He was a pharmacist at Prairie Lakes Hospital since 1992. He was our official starter of the race for the last 19 years. Tim lost his battle with cancer, and passed away one week ago. Tim was a co-worker, colleague, runner, and…friend. He was in our hearts and minds yesterday. Here is a picture before last years race with Tom Beaudry, as we were getting ready to get set up for the race.
Here is a picture from years ago when Tom and Tim had done one of their first marathons together. I trained with both of them for one of the early Grandma’s marathons as well, but that was the only one I got to train with Tim also. Tom had some memories of quotes that Tim use to say on some of those runs: “There is Magic in Misery”, “I can, I will, I’m going to finish this run”. I remember a few of these lines as well. He struggled with injury on that last one where I was involved in, but he never quit. He finished…regardless. Just like his adventure in life. That is what running, or exercise in general, can do for us. It can make us stronger, not only physically, but mentally. It can help us push through the every day struggles that we can come across each and every day. But don’t give up! We all have our struggles to contend with…but we need to learn to deal with them as they come.
For the race yesterday, Tim’s dad stepped in, and became our starter for the 20th anniversary race…a race we dedicated to Tim Page.
I have to believe that put a smile on Tim’s face! Even though we may not always be able to handles things in life as they come, how we handle the “adventure” says a lot about us as well. We all have a purpose in life, and I think the goal would be for all of us…definitely for me…to feel like we made us difference with our lives. That what we do, and did, had a purpose, and that we should feel satisfied with how our life turned out. If it is not, then you need to make a change while you can…to figure out that purpose in your life…to decide what adventures you are going to take.
We need to figure out our purpose!
Here is Tim starting the race last year…
Even though he was not there, he was…in our hearts and minds! Tim is now “starting” a new adventure…one everybody else may not have been ready for him to take, but many of those times we are not given many options.
Tim…you will be missed!
Keep moving everybody! Keep doing what you can to take care of yourselves, as we all embark on new adventures, and continue to Strive to Survive!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3180
