by Dan | Sep 9, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Success means a lot of different things to different people. What does it mean for you? Did you accomplish a goal you set out to do? Did you lose weight? Did your cholesterol improve? Did you help someone else achieve a goal they were striving for? It may all mean something different to people, but it still means something was achieved. What makes it even more special is when it truly means something to you. That was this weekend for the Watertown Area Run Club. Many of us went down to do the Sioux Falls Half Marathon this morning, but one of us in this group was running their first marathon…26.2 miles. That person was Patricia Roth. She has been working incredibly hard this entire Summer to achieve her goal. We all saw it. We all wanted her to get it. Today, we all helped her get across the finish line! Her emotions afterwards holding up her medal, and knowing that she had just achieved something she did not think was possible for her. Our goals and our achievements are limited more by what is between our ears, than our physical abilities. She proved that over and over, and it was something special for the rest of us as well to see her achieve this goal.
Many of us started out Saturday night by going out to eat, and loading up on carbs. Spaghetti and pasta was the main course choices before hand. We were all getting ready for the next morning.
Patricia had to start first. The marathoners started 30 minutes before the half marathoners. We were there to get her fired up and to show our support. “This is it Patricia! This is what you have been working for. Go for it!”.
We got done with our race, showered, and headed out on the course to cheer Patricia on. We found her coming to mile 24.
A few of us started running with her to keep her going. Then, Owen and Amanda, after running their Half Marathon earlier, ran with her the entire last 2 miles of the marathon to keep her going. She did not stop! Smiling, and going strong. This is what she was working for! She wanted this!
The rest of us headed back to the finish line to cheer her for the last 100 meters coming in. Coming in strong, smiling, waving…grinning ear to ear!
This is Patricia coming into the final 100 meters, with Amanda and Owen on each side of her. She was giving us the “thumbs up”!
We were cheering so loud, yelling, screaming. Look at the smile on her face. She was about to accomplish her goal! She did it! She is now a marathoner!
Success again means different things to different people. Many of us had a good race today. We feel good about what we individually accomplished. But believe me, nothing felt better than how we all were cheering her on, helping her these last months achieve her goal! Seeing the look on her face, the tears flowing with joy afterwards. This is what running does for you. More importantly, this is what running friends do for you! We are a close knit group. We are there for each other. Now I call that a successful weekend. A success not only by the runners, but the spouses who help make it possible for all of us to run. They show support, they are out there cheering, taking pictures, driving back and forth. A special thank you to all of them as well. What does success mean to you? Keep moving everybody…you too will be successful!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3987
by Dan | Sep 2, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Holidays, Motivation, Wellness/Health
It has been a busy Labor Day weekend! We went down to Huron to stay with Sarah’s parents, and of course, there was a 5k race on Saturday morning that we ran in. We have done this race many times in the past. Andy’s Annual Road Race. My daughter Molly and her fiancée Tanner also joined us. Then we spent rest of the time at the SD State Fair, and went to the Night Ranger/Foreigner concert Saturday night. Wow! All the music from our days growing up. Great time. The running has become part of the tradition for this family. Whenever we go somewhere for a vacation, or a break, we have to see what running races may be going on.
Andy’s is a race Sarah grew up with when she lived in Huron. It is also the first race I did with her when we first starting going out, with the first one being after we started dating for a month. It brought back a lot of memories. This time one of our kids was able to run it with us. Great job Molly and Tanner! Tanner, you are starting to figure out first hand what it will be like to be a part of this family!
Tanner is wearing the shirt from the race. Very nice colors, and will be great for running! Tanner took 3rd place for his age group, and Sarah and I each won our age group divisions for the 5K. Bringing home more medals is just icing on the cake! Later that morning Tanner, Molly, and I went to the Fair. Sarah stayed home with her mom and spent the rest of the weekend quilting. Nothing is going to get in the way of quilting!
Then Saturday night came for the concert. Night Ranger was good, but nothing like Foreigner! All of the songs were hits when we were growing up, and they did not miss anything that night. Incredible concert! We loved every minute of it!
Every song was great listening, but the last one hit it home once again. It was a good way of summing of everything in life so far. “I gotta take a little time, A little time to think things over. I better read between the lines, In case I need it when I get older. In my life, there’s been heartache and pain. I don’t know if I can face it again. Can’t stop now, I’ve traveled so far, to change this lonely life.” And then of from there. We all face adversities. We all face challenges. But we need to take the time to spend with our family and friends. That is the only thing that matters. The relationships you make. The people you meet. We all need to learn how we have “gotta to take a little time” to be with those that are important to us, doing things that are important to do! Stay active, stay healthy, live life, with all of it ups and downs, with no regrets when we look back in time. Just keep looking forward, and enjoy the scenery, the adventures, and the ride! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3980
by Dan | Aug 26, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
We are all busy. We all have commitments in our life; job responsibilities; family responsibilities. But, we need to make time for our friends. Our Watertown Area Run Club–WARC–has been a great avenue for this. We are just a group of people who meet weekly, sometimes twice a week, and just go for a run. But it is not just a run. It is a time to be social, unwind, do some “venting”, and be there for each other. We support each other, cheer each other on, and we also worry about each other when some of us may be having some personal issues going on, or injuries that we have to deal with, or just issues with life in general. There are always challenges we face.
Helping each other overcome those challenges is what is truly meaningful. Knowing that you can help somebody out when they may need make you feel good too. After all, we don’t know when we may be the one who needs support and encouragement from them either.
Often times in life you have to step out of your comfort zone, “go out on a limb”, or “step out to the edge of the dock”. You take chances. When you take chances, it is so much more helpful to know you have other people around you to “catch you”, and be there when you need them. The importance and benefit of this really does not have words to describe this. We all need a support system. This comes even more into play when we have upcoming our annual Suicide Awareness Run on Wednesday Sept 5. People who have committed suicide did not feel they had any kind of support system to fall back on, or be there to “catch them”, or they would not have done that.
We show strength in numbers! Here are a bunch of us getting ready this Summer for the Kampeska triathlon. We were each competing individually, but we were there for each other as well.
Close friendships get made. Here are Erika, Amanda, Jill, Sarah, and Jenn when they went up to Fargo for the All Women’s Half Marathon. It was an all girls run, but that was not really the point for going. They could have run a Half Marathon together around the lake here one day. They got to get away, have some quality time together, and just get away from all of the other stresses of life we all encounter every day. Quality time! Quality people! Quality memories!
Our friend Paticia Roth is getting ready to run her first marathon coming up in 2 weeks in SF. A bunch of us will be doing the half, but she is doing the full. We will be there to cheer her on to the finish. Many of us have been helping her to get through some of her long runs, or having water out for her, supporting her, helping her get a ride in when she was going to be going too far. That is what we do. We support each other, care for each other, and learn from each other. Nobody knows everything, and we all have something different to offer, whether about running, or just life in general. Support your friends!
How true, how true! Sometimes, it can mean the difference of not only participating in a race, or event, but finishing it. And not just a “race”, but life’s ups and downs!
2012 was the beginning of the Watertown Area Run Club. It started off as the Dan and Sarah club, and has built up to dozens of people, all with a common interest of running. I will be the first to admit, I don’t keep coming just because we are running. That may be the common denominator, but I find I am truly missing something if I am not there on Sundays. I will plan my schedule as much as possible not to miss these runs, especially the Sunday runs. I look forward to this every weekend!
So feel free to join us. It is not a race. It is a social time. It is a time to make new friends, and often times, lifelong friends. Come join us sometime. You don’t know what you are missing. Watertown Area Run Club rocks! The bigger our group is when we start, the bigger the smile I have on my face. Support your friends, and the favor will be returned! Guaranteed! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3973
by Dan | Aug 19, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
What drives us? What inspires us? What are we trying to accomplish? Those answers are different for all of us, and the secret to it all: Knowing who YOU are! Who are you, and what are you about? What are your interests? What is your passion? What motivates you? Do you motivate anybody else? Those are some questions to answer for yourself. For me, what motivates me is my wife Sarah, and of course our kids, but I also find motivation from the people who we run with in our run club. We all have our stories. We all have different goals for ourselves. Yet we all have that same common factor: we like to run! This is the central point that drives us all. We may all get there by a different route, but we all help each other along the way. Motivation though is truly an inside job. We may have help along the way to keep us going, but if we did not have that driving force inside of each of us, we would not make it. That is what you need to help you be successful in your goals, whatever those goals may be. You have to be able to dig deep inside of yourself to truly find the secret, and then utilize all of the other outside help you get from your family, and also your friends. Never pass up help! Besides, they are looking to you for help and encouragement as well.
Often times how we feel when we exercise can be like the weather. There are some days when it is foggy, dreary looking out, and you feel tired, and not particularly excited to go workout. Your particular mood sets the tone for how that workout experience is going to go. Not every day is “magical”.
This picture is the same part of the bike trail as the one with all of the fog. Some days everything is crystal clear, everything is clicking right along. You feel smooth, strong, can see “for miles”, and actually the miles can go fast when you can also let your mind go and just have time to think. These are the days that make up for the bad ones. This is why I keep going at it. It is a lot like golf for me. I don’t play much now, but before what kept me trying was I would hit that one great shot, and it would fire you up to keep going, despite all of the other “crappy” shots you may have had prior. It was enough motivation to keep you going. It is no different with working out. Find out that motivation drive within you, and hang onto it.
This is the whole point of exercise. You are trying to reap the benefits of all of this, and you can, you just have to keep going. Some days may be tougher than others, but keep going.
You have to learn to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Keep reminding yourself of what it is you are trying to accomplish. It is also a great way to learn about other people around you, but it is even a better way of truly trying to find out about yourself. What is it about you that makes you different? What makes you unique? What do you have to offer? We all can learn from each other. We all have our life experiences, good and bad. We have to learn to take risks, and to take on challenges. You have no idea what you are capable of until you try. So…
If you keep this in mind, you can’t go wrong. Follow your heart, and do something healthy for your heart. Be there for others, but be there for yourself as well. It would be hard to be motivating to others, or to make them happy, if you are not happy, and can’t motivate yourself! There is only one you, so be the best you that you can be!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3966
by Dan | Aug 12, 2018 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
There are always things to do to keep you busy on the weekends…especially when it comes to exercise opportunities! Sarah went with a bunch of the girls on our Run Club to Fargo for an all women’s half marathon this weekend, and I went to Parker SD where my twin brother lives and was involved in a triathlon they were having. Both were a lot of fun, and we got to spend time with a bunch of people, and be active. It was a hot and humid weekend, and as always, need to keep staying hydrated. It was also a good time to get away from things for awhile as well.
I have to admit, I was a little surprised when the triathlon started that I found myself out in the lead. I cam through the 5k in 22:03, and then took off on the bike, and never really looked back!
It was a 10 mile bike ride after the run, and then the swim was last. 200 meters in the pool. Nothing like still being in the lead and having 30 people around the pool watch you when you are a terrible swimmer! Biking and running no problem, but I do not swim! My sister-in-law managed to take one picture of me where I actually was at least attempting to swim!
I ended up winning overall! First time ever winning a triathlon! The Kampeska one in the Summer we have close to a hundred people at. There were six of us in this one in Parker! I told my brother Don before hand I hoping for a “top ten finish”, and then when I found out there were only 6 of us, I was hoping for a “top 5 finish”. Don asked me how many times I have won these types of events! I just laughed! “This is my first time ever winning one!” I may have to make this an annual trip!
Sarah also had a great weekend in Fargo! Here are the girls from our Run Club who were able to make it. Amanda set a personal record by coming in 1:37! The biggest part of this race was for them to get away and have a good weekend. Sarah and Jill ran together, and Jill was not happy because she did not have one of her better days! We all get them. The point is not having a faster time every time. It is more important to get out and try, and if it happens to be there that day, then so be it. If not, then it was not meant to be! We learn something from every race we are in. Keep making adjustments, try a different strategy. Chalk it up to experience, and learn something from each one! This weekend was more for them to get away and have fun, and hopefully that goal was fulfilled for all of them this weekend.
Here they all are showing off their best side! Just kidding! The logo for the Watertown Area Run Club was on the back, and they had their shirts made just for this event! Now that is what it is all about. Being together, having fun, and do some running as well. Congratulations to all of you and we all hope you had a great weekend. I hope all of you had a great weekend as well. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3959
by Dan | Aug 5, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
It has been quite the week! I had all 3 of my kids home this week beginning on Wednesday. Megan has not been home from Virginia in over a year! We had a great week. We spent time together, ran together, raced together, and just hung out together. We need to have more weeks like this. This is what it is all about. We all need to spend more time together as a family, but we can also spend time working out and exercising together as well.
We all started out with the Hump Day 5k run on Wednesday this week. My girls fiancée/boyfriend also came and ran. We got everybody together before the event started. The girls really had a good time. They had not seen each other for awhile. We had all met out at Disney in January for their first half marathon together.
It makes me feel good when they get together again too! They had a good time running the event, doing the whole 5k together…and having fun!
Nick ended up winning the event, so did not get as many pictures of him. I was leading the race in a camel costume, and I was the one taking pictures after.
We also spent time staying active the rest of the week as well. Megan and her boyfriend Nate went running with us several times as well.
I think my exercise streak has influenced Megan. She wants to exercise everyday too! A chip off the ol’ block!
On Saturday, Sarah and I participated in the 10 mile Race for Chase. It is a team event of 2 people. One person has to run, and one has to ride a bike, and you can switch off as often as you want, but you have to start together, and you have to cross the finish line together. There were a lot of teams which were made up of one of the parents, with one of their kids. It was great to see parents out helping to get their kids active and moving. Sarah and I won our age group. Of course, we were the oldest combined age team there also! The kids took Zeus for a walk while we were doing this. The Hump Day 5k was enough competition for them this week!
The greatest part of is all was getting to spend time with them, and having them all home again…together. This has not happened for a year where we could be with them all at the same time. The family that exercises/works out together, stays together…longer!
They are all growing up so fast! It really does go by quickly. It is awesome to see how they are all growing up, and deciding what they want to do for the future. I look back at time, and see them now, and it makes me feel good that we instilled some good values in them. They also know the importance of staying active, and trying to take care of themselves. Nobody is perfect. We all need encouragement and help along the way. If you can’t depend on your family for support, than who can you depend on? Enjoy your time with your families, and make it a priority to stay active…together! Hopefully you will get to spend a lot of years enjoying each other’s company! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3952
