You ever hear the term “hitting the wall”? Many times I am sure. It definitely comes into play when talking about running a marathon. I have had it hit at 19 miles, and basically every mile after up to the finish of the marathon–26.2 miles. It is that feeling when you don’t think you can go any further. You are completely exhausted, and have had enough. You ask yourself: Why bother? Why should I keep going? I got nothing left. There are so many similarities to running a marathon, and life in general, that it is scary. Especially with this time of the pandemic, it has been so easy to “hit the wall” now. You get sick and tired of all the politics going on, the ranting and complaining about having to do this, or having to do that. It is not like any of us really have a true choice in the matter. Don’t get me wrong. You can choose to get a vaccine or not. You can choose to wear a mask or not. You can choose to be kind to someone or not. We are all in this together. We can agree to disagree. But, we can still respect each other, and treat each other the way we would want to be treated. When we get pushed though, we push back. It is human nature. And there has been a lot of pushing lately. Running helps take the stress away. In order to help with the stress, sometimes you just have to run further. A marathon can be the secret. But like everything else, it is always easier with help from your friends and family. They help keep you going, and when you feel like you hit a wall, they are there to help you get over it, or through it, or around it, whatever the case may be.
Good words of advice. Take things on head first. Don’t back down from challenges. You can push through things. You can meet those challenges. In life, as well as the marathon, there are times when things hurt more. Push through the pain. But there is no mistaking it. They are times when things get tough.
Sometimes you want to just lay down and say, “enough”! I can’t possible do any more.
The look on your face can say, “enough is enough”. I can only do so much. And that is when you dig down deeper. You figure out what you are really made of, and who you really are. We got saved yesterday doing a 20 mile run…the longest run we have done prior to the marathon that we will be doing in 3 weeks. We got saved by Randy and delivery of “nutritional vitamins”. Nothing better than peanut M and M’s for this!
Of course, the real reason we run is to eat! There has to be some other reward in all of this, doesn’t there?
If we did not have social media as well, how could we possible talk about our long runs, and our adventures, and experiences so everybody can hear about them?
Get back to having fun in your life. Ignore all of the other garbage going on all of the time. We do not need any other reasons to keep “hitting the wall”. Let it go!
Get excited about something…whatever it is, and be passionate about it. You only live once. Break down all those barriers…those “walls”, and plow through it. I believe all of us in our run club will do great in Fargo in 3 weeks, and we are going to take on that wall when it comes, and push right through it. Stay tough. Stay focused. Rely on your friends and family. And, keep moving everybody, and stop “hitting the wall”…and if you do, just hit it harder than it hits you!
Our diabetes support group is meeting again! Be sure to check out the details below and join the group.
Meeting Time: 2nd Thursday of the Month @ 6:00 pm Location: Holy Name Church • 1009 Skyline Drive, Watertown, SD
September 9th Topic: Diabetes and Mental Health Managing mental health and chronic disease is differnt for everyone. Join the discussion with Karla Schupp, Clinical Social Worker (CSW-PIP) with Rising Hope 605
A group gathering for people with diabetes and those who support them. Meetings feature a speaker. Presentation topics change each month related to diabetes.
We were back at work this past Monday, but the week prior we were on vacation. How did Sarah and I spend our vacation? We spent it being Grandpa and Grandma! We spent the first half of the week in Tyler, Minnesota, and the rest of it at home as our daughter Molly and grandson Connor came back with us, with our son-in-law Tanner joining us later in the week. It was great to just relax, and spend time with family. Of course, we spent time taking Connor for a walk, or a run, every day in the stroller.
It was nice taking some pictures of some different views of sunsets. The evenings over their farm in Tyler, MN made for some nice pictures as well.
We also got to spend some other time with other family members as well. Great Grandpa and Grandma Folk were here for a 4 generation picture…
…and of course Aunt Megan spent as much time here as well during the second half of the week!
Needless to say, it was a great week. Being a grandparent is better than I thought it would be. We can’t wait to see him again! He changes every time we see him. It was also a reminder to us, and to everybody, that you need to take some time for vacation, and get away. And if that get away allows you spend time with family, then it is just icing on the cake!
Until next time Connor! Grandpa Dan can’t wait to hold you again. This is why you need to take care of yourself. This is why you should stay in shape. This is why we all need to strive to survive. These days are priceless! Keep moving everybody!
Why do we keep trying to stay in shape by exercising? So we can spend more time with our grandchildren. Here we are taking Connor (C. Daniel…) for a walk. We are going to get to see him more this coming week, and am really looking forward to it! He will more than likely take after his Dad and become a farmer, but, he will be a running farmer! (Ha!) Will see, right? How do we attempt to keep taking care of ourselves? Well we always talk about trying to keep working on our diet, and exercising. But, we need to learn how to take breaks; learn how to slow down; learn how to appreciate what we have in front of us. This last 1 1/2 years with the pandemic has made life crazy, and very frustrating. There is also no shortage of rudeness around either. Now more than ever we need to learn to slow down and take a deep breath, and appreciate what we have.
Get out and appreciate nature. We have a great lake to go to and just watch, especially with sunrise and sunsets. Now more than ever I appreciate watching and taking it in since my health issues in the past. Those scenes were always there, I was just too busy to pay attention, and almost missed it all. Don’t let that happen to you! Appreciate the carefree life they have, and take in the beauty of it.
It never gets old going out by Lake Kampeska, especially when there are some clouds, and just sit back and watch…and take time to think. Amazing what this does for your mind, and attitude. It makes you forget about everything else going on. If you have never done it, you have no idea what you are missing. Give it a try!
Our run club was out doing a long run Saturday morning, and stopped long enough to take this sunrise picture. When you are out running, or walking, or biking, just take it in. You don’t even feel like you are exercising when you have the sunrise and sunsets to help take your mind off of things, and just let go. Sarah will tend to take Dakota for a walk in the mornings, and I prefer going in the evenings, so Dakota and I can stop for some pictures as well. Dakota is also getting used to this, and is patient while I take pictures. She is just glad she gets to go for another walk!
Remember what is important, and set your priorities, before things in life pass you by!
Grandpa Dan plans on taking this all in, and spending quality time with my grandkids. As a parent, things are crazy trying to keep the family afloat, and provide for them. Now those days, and pressure, can start easing off, or at least become better, that you can spend more quality time with the grandkids that you did not always have with your own kids. Make it count. The only time it won’t matter is when you are no longer here. So strive to survive, and make your life count. Learn to take care of yourself, and be around longer to appreciate the things in life that matter! Keep moving everybody!
It’s hard to believe school starts in the next few weeks…. and that means homework, studying, and activities! We often forget about the importance of our health due to the fact we get consumed by our studies. Making health a priority during school is important and can be much easier than most would think. Whether you’re in elementary, high school, or college, here are some healthy tips to keep a healthy balance between nutrition and school:
•Pack healthy snacks/lunches: One main reason students establish unhealthy eating habits is because of how busy their schedules are. Packing healthy snacks to bring to class or to your study spot makes it easy to skip the junk food and extra caffeine.
•Hit the gym/use recess: Elementary students should use their recess period to add some extra physical activity to their day. Many universities have wellness/rec centers that are free for students to use. Take advantage! Working out for as little as 30 minutes a day can make a big difference.
•Get a good night’s sleep: Sleep puts our bodies into an anabolic state, meaning that our muscles grow and recover from break down. Getting enough sleep each night is vital for our body to reach its peak potential and function properly.
•Eat breakfast: Skipping breakfast is very common for students of all ages. Eating breakfast helps keep you fuller throughout the day, making it easier to lay off the junk food. Eating in the morning also gives students more energy and makes them more attentive during class.
•Walk/bike to school: Walking or biking to school instead of driving is an easy way to burn a couple extra calories during the day.
There are multiple ways we can stay healthy during the school year. Make sure to stay health conscious and you will have no problem keeping a healthy lifestyle. -Kelsey
