Monumental 169.4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):)

I don't know why I did it, but today after my run I had to stop by the gym to pick up some things for basketball practice, which is where I keep the scale now!!!  Not knowing what made me weigh myself, I usually like to do it after a couple of weeks have passed, I stepped on the scale, waited for the scale to give me back my weight and sure enough:

169.4 POUNDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):)

Now granted prior to the weigh-in I ran 11.5 miles and that has a LOT to do with it, HOWEVER, I have weighed myself after runs before and NEVER have I been under 170 pounds!!!!!!!  In fact the last time I have been under 170 was back in 5/6th grade!!!!!  For as long as I can remember (4th grade or so) I have been a fat kid (until Freshmen year of college)!!!!!!!  I was the slowest one in the mile test, least amount of push-ups, a lineman for football, and always the anchor for tug-o-war!!!!!!!!!  My highest point of my weight was around 220 pounds, around 10/11th grade football season!!!!  And no, not all muscle, in fact it was about 30-35% body fat I would say!!!!!!

Stepping on the scale today has really opened my eyes on how far I've come, through my passion of not only running, but eating healthy and controlling/stabilizing a healthy weight once and for all!!!!!!  People ask me how did you do it, what are your tricks????  My answer is simple: PASSION!!!!!!  Every single person that tells me they want to lose weight, I simply tell them, how badly do you want it?!?!  I compare it to something they're passionate about!!  Reading, cooking, teaching, gardening, etc.!!!!!! I tell them, look you have to treat losing weight and exercising the same way you treat your passion!!!!!

If you REALLY want to achieve something, like losing weight, you better be ready to live and breath change and determination!!!!  This is something that doesn't last for 2 months and then you're good to go, this is a LIFESTYLE change that you better be ready to commit for your ENTIRE LIFE!!!!!!  How did I do it, I changed my eating habits, I had self-control (stopped eating out, junk food, etc.), and it also helped that my other passion was long distance running!!!!!!!:):):):)  But I felt and lived obesity for 5-6 years and once I started to change I got addicted!!!!!!! In a good way!!!!!!! I LOVED the way I felt after I would eat a healthy, yet delicious meal, or finish a nice 15 miler!!!!!!!:):):):)  I'm lucky in the sense I have lived both worlds, because it gives me motivation to NEVER, EVER go back to being obese ever again!!!!!  Sitting on the couch doing nothing, eating crappy foods, feeling tired all the time!!!!!! NEVER!!!!!!!  So before you start your journey of losing weight, you need to really ask yourself, deep down, are you ready to do a complete lifestyle change?!?! If not, you better take some more time and really think about it!!!!

For it is not an easy path you are about to take, and without mental toughness and self-control it will be even harder!!! BUT the rewards, if you do complete your conquest, will be ASTRONOMICAL!!!!!!!:):):):):) Take it from me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY SMILING AND LIVING HEALTHY!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):)

Hard Grader or Not Easy A anymore!!

So this past week in PE I've heard things that please me:

"This is PE, why are we doing all of these extra things.  Why can't it be like my old school where we just play sports and that's it.  I don't like all this extra work."

"I heard you (Mr. L) were a hard grader for this. And why does African Dance have a grading rubric?"

"Why do we have so many assignments in class, it's only PE"

YES!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!! AND YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS is what should be coming out of students mouth if they are receiving the NEW and IMPROVED type of Physical Education!!! The credited, assessed, and valid Physical Education the new generation of students NEED!!!!  Why?!?! Because no longer do we live in a world where kids will go out and play on their own and get the natural physical activity I got as a kid playing tag for 2-3 hours STRAIGHT!!!! I never even knew I was doing interval training, which is what ALL tag games are!!! You sprint hard for 1-2 minutes, take a break, sprint again, take a break!!!  Who knew!!!:):):)

I hear my 11/12th grade students say thankfully we didn't have to do this when I was in PE, oh you mean actually LEARN something in class!!  Instead of doing the same thing over and over, year and year out!!  I remember my high school experience was focused solely on sports and barely anything outside of that, like heart rate, muscles, over training, etc.!!!!  I loved it, but looking back at it what did I get from it?!? Barely anything!! It wasn't until college that I opened up my eyes and realized, wow, I really didn't get that much out of PE like I thought!! There is SO much more to physical education than just learning sports, sports, and some more sports on top of that!!  Why does your body react to that, why does your heart beat faster or slower for these certain things!! What the heck is this muscle and why do we use it?!! Oh you mean we should be challenging ourselves more and more after each session in the fitness room to actually grow stronger?!?!

At the end of the semester Physical Education students ACTUALLY have to take a test, assessing them on all the knowledge they gained throughout the year!! WHOA, shocker!!!  And it's not just a test asking what are dimensions of the court or how many fouls can you get before you're out in a basketball game!!  It's actually pleasing to hear comments like this, KNOWING, that these students actually have to work for their grade in PE, and NOT receive the "Easy A"!!!  Fail Physical Education?!?! Heck yes!!  You don't put forth the effort and work, you bet you'll fail!!  Not that I am promoting students failing, obviously that is not the point!! I will help them with everything and anything!! BUT, they don't put in the work and/or effort and you better believe they will earn the grade they receive at the end of the year!!  The stigma of "Easy A" is no longer associated with Physical Education at Woodstock!!  Students are working and LEARNING at the same time!!!

Like I said, students more than ever now need to be equipped with knowledge about their bodies and how to stay healthy, because we are heading towards a very lazy future generation!!!  Unless some changes happen!!!!!  Oh and I definitely love when even teachers say "wait, you're doing what in PE????"  Yeah, this is a whole new generation of PE, and the old school/outdated way of teaching one dimensional is OUT of here!!!!  To a HEALTHIER and more ACTIVE future!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):)

HAPPY SMILING AND BEING ACTIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):)

Oh and the VERY first thing I do in the beginning of the year is cut out an A and tell them to try and get it!!! Then I proceed to run around the entire court, making sure they have to WORK to get it!!  Thus, setting a tone for the year and getting the point across, yeah not so EASY to get an A in PE is it!!!:):)

Eye of the FATHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):)

FINALLY I CAN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE THE WONDERFUL NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHUBHRA IS PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):):):):):)

We wanted to wait 3 months before announcing, to ensure the baby's health and growth were all normal!!!!! WHICH THEY ARE!!!!!!!!!!!! It has already been a magical 3 months and 3 days, and now not only the next 6 months but our ENTIRE LIFE will be magical as well!!!!!!!!!!:):):):)

Before announcing the news to the entire school, I wanted to tell my 11th grade homeroom first!!! So I sent all of Grade 11 an e-mail saying we needed to urgently meet 6 minutes before assembly started to go over some Talent Show things!!!  Not thinking anyone would buy that or read the e-mail in time, about half the 11th grade actually showed up to the media center this morning (more than I expected)!!!! I got started by saying some jumble on behalf of the Head of Senior School, then said he had a document he wanted the students to look over!!! That's when I pulled out the ultrasound and held it up!!!!!  Not knowing what the heck was going on the 11th grade looked shocked and confused, then I said the words finally through tears and smiles: "and with this document I will be a father in September!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  The 11th graders mouths dropped and couldn't believe what they just heard!!!!!!!  I excused them so they wouldn't be late for assembly and on the way out all of them came up and gave me a huge hug and said their congrats which really got the emotions flying!!!!!!:):):) Then I announced the wonderful news in assembly (grades 7-12) with a surprise fashion ensemble!!!!:):):) Some staff were displaying their "modeling" talents for the Fashion Club, and I was planning on today as the grand reveal!!!! So I wrote on my running singlet "Future Father" (on the front) and then when turning around to model the back I had written "In September" (on the back)!!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say that go the crowd really going and talking!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):) With all the energy at that point, definitely let out the biggest "OH YEAH" and ginormous fist pump a new future father could let out!!!!!!!!!! It was a FANTASTIC moment!!!!!!!!:):):):)

Throughout the day congrats were said, names were suggested, and babysitters were lining up!!!!!!! It was amazing!!!!!! Emotionally I was freakin unstable as heck!!!!!  Whenever I would have a couple of minutes between class to myself I would just sit there and think about how real this has just gotten!!!! I think making the news public makes the baby THAT more real, and looking at the ultrasound throughout the day!!!!!!:):):):) But even the way students looked at me today compared to the previous 4 1/2 years was different, like a more adult and parental look!!!!!  And the way I looked at them, a more caring and "fatherly" type of way, if that makes any sense?!?! The whole day just felt more mature and ready to "take the next step" in this world!!!!!!:):):) Maybe it was just because of all the emotion from the morning, but I really think something changed in me today, something for the better!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):)

The students reaction though was the best!!!!!!!:):):) I am in my cultural 9th grade dance unit, and our theme for this week is African Dance and they have to create their own African dance and tell a story through dance!!!! So some ideas, after the big announcement, were to tell a story of my kid growing up!!! I couldn't help but laugh and have a huge smile!!!!! My kid's life story!!!!!!! It just stuck with me for the entire rest of the day and it felt so surreal to think about "my kid's life story"!!!!!!!! I know my kid has already started their journey, BUT in 6 months my kid will actually begin their journey on Earth and with it comes the fear, joy, enthusiasm, support, care, role modeling, mentoring, love, and all the other type of emotions a father can have for their child!!!!!!!!!:):):):)

When students weren't making dances of my child, they were just SO freakin cute!!!!!!!!:):):) They would say you should name your child after me, it means _____ or _____!!!!!!! Or they would volunteer to babysit, EVERY night!!!!!!:):) Or just smile at me, but not the same smile I've seen these past years, a HUGE HAPPY SMILE that I loved to look at today!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):)

All in all it was the most perfect day any future father could have!!!!!!!!!:):):):) I think Shubhra was also relieved to have the news finally in the open so she wasn't worried about who knew or didn't knew!!!!  And she, as me, is also VERY excited for this journey into a new chapter of our lives!!!!!  I cannot think of a better mother to have at my side in life, and together we will make, hopefully, an amazing parental team!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):)  Full of love, laughter, and guidance!!!!!!!!:):):):):)

Today was the Eye of the Father type of day I was hoping for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I can only pray and hope for a healthy baby boy/girl, it doesn't matter, just as long as it's healthy and happy!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):) Oh and you better believe the music and reading to the stomach will begin now!!!!!!!!:):):):) That music of course: FINAL COUNTDOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahALBEn8HJI

HAPPY SMILING!!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY LIVING!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY PARENTING!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):)

Quality OVER Quantity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Having just registered for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in Phoenix, AZ on January 19, 2014, it got me thinking!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):) I get asked a lot "how many marathons have you ran, what's your fastest, etc." and when I respond at this point I honestly (off the top of my head) do not know the exact number of marathons I've ran, it's either 8, 9 or 10!!! And it gets me thinking, does the number of marathons I have ran really matter when my overall goal is running THE Boston Marathon??!?! No.  It does not matter!! I don't run marathons to say, oh I've done over 50 marathons in my life, I run marathons to achieve a lifelong goal of qualifying and running in THE Boston Marathon!!!!!!!!!  Now if you ask me what is my first marathon's time I'll say instantly 3:48:32 and what is my fastest 3:06:24, because A. everyone who has ran multiple marathons will ALWAYS remember their first finishing time!!! That's a milestone for anyone!! B. anyone who is going towards a goal time will always know what time they have achieved and how much they need to take off, BECAUSE it relates to their goal!!! But that quantity of marathons sits behind all of those other things!!!! Which brings me to the point of all of this:

Here at Woodstock, we are trying to change the lifestyle of students from doing AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE and being excellent at almost nothing, but being okay at everything, to really focusing on a couple of passion-related things and EXCELLING at them!!!!  If you go through life and NEVER truly focus on one thing and try your hardest at it, well I think you're missing the point in life!!! What makes you the happiest is when you achieve something fantastic!!!  Even when you fail at that one thing you've been working hard on, it's still a great feeling, because you know you've worked your butt off at something!!! And if you really love that thing then you'll learn to try again until you succeed!! A WIN WIN!!!!!!!:):):):)  AND not only will you learn determination but you'll learn perseverance as well!!! You'll learn what it takes to really excel at something you love, AND if you work hard enough, to see you improve over time is the BEST thing ever!!!!:):):) I think back to my very first days of running and thinking how I had stomach cramps and muscle aches after a 1/2 mile run!!!!  Now I use that 1/2 mile to warm-up my legs for an ultimately longer run!!!  And you want to talk about perseverance, I'm on year 7 of running and it's now that my warm-up 1/2 mile is equivalent to my "race" pace long back!!!!!!:):):)

So no, it doesn't have to be running, or anything physical that you want to be good at!!! All I'm saying is to choose a couple of things that you TRULY love and GO ALL OUT with them!!!!!  See what it takes to go from good to GREAT or from bad to AMAZING!!!!!!  Yes, there will be times when you feel like you're destined to always fail or you're not progressing like you wanted to!! Guess what, if you truly love it you'll suck it up and continue down the hard road!!!!!!!!  Quality over quantity will win any day of the week!!!!!

Find your passion, chase after it, and don't let anyone or anything get in your way of achieving GREATNESS!!!!!!!!:):):):):):) HAPPY SMILING!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):) 

Failure leads to hunger!!!!!!!!!

As I came upon mile 24 of the Mumbai Marathon last weekend (20th of January), I noticed myself fading from my goal pace of 7 minutes per mile!!!! Previous to mile 24 I had a little bit of a hill problem for mile 23 which completely ate up the rest of my fading hamstring muscles!!!!!!  Doing quick calculations in my head and figuring out if I can still salvage a sub-3:05 time I figured I had to do exactly (and no less) 2 consecutive 6:58 miles once reaching mile 24.2 of the race!!  I thought in my head and repeated "I trained to hard for this, I want Boston" I noticed my pace recovering and speeding up quite a bit!!!  My heart was tearing, legs were feeling of jello, and desire was never higher!! I WAS going to finish this marathon below a 3:05 time AND qualify for the Boston Marathon!!!!!

One thing I DID not count on at the finish was a traffic jam, however!!!  Apparently all 3 races (Full, Half, and Dream Run) were finishing at the same time, which meant the last 1.5 miles I had to bob and weave the walkers and runners who were not serious about the race, but instead were focused on taking pictures and getting the free water and oranges along the way, quite frustrating for those who actually took these races seriously and had goals to accomplish!!!!  As I bobbed and weaved I notice that that alone took more and more energy, more of which I could not afford at this point!!  Thus I felt my pace, once again, was fading and not stabilizing the 6:58 I desperately needed just to finish a couple seconds faster than 3:05!!!  It was around the final turn (500 meter checkpoint) that I realized that my goal and Boston would once again be put on hold and again would take another marathon to try and achieve and conquer this white whale of mine!!!!!!

As I crossed the finish line I stopped my watch and looked down to see a torturous time of 3 hours 6 minutes and 36 seconds!!!!!!!  I want you right now to stop everything, look at the clock and watch as 1 minute and 36 seconds tick away........... not so fast is it!!?!?!?  When you're running a race you desperately wished time would tick away that slow!!! Instead it does quite the opposite with minutes seeming to turn to seconds!!!!  I swear those last 3 minutes of the race lasted 30 seconds!!!  For all the heart, guts, and determination I exerted into my legs it just didn't seem to help, I was not going to have the stamina to finish this race as I so many times had hoped I would!!!!!!

Crossing the finish line and taking a moment to reflect on what just happened, I had no other option than to sink to the ground on my hands and knees, put my forehead to the ground and just crouch there.  Being completely exhausted, not even enough to put forth some tears of which I felt were coming soon but never came, I was defeated.  Here I trained for 6 months, roughly 260,000 minutes, and I fell 1 minute and 37 seconds short of my dream!!!!!  I didn't have the energy to pick myself all the way up, but instead to go half way and sit on a chair for what seemed like 4 hours, but was about 5 minutes, sitting there, thinking of what is to come.

At this point in time, and we ALL have faced moments like these, there are two roads one can CHOOSE to go down:

1st road: Give up, convince yourself it will never be, and move on not looking back, but always having a question of "what if" in the back of your mind.

2nd road: Pick yourself up, reflect, learn from it, use it, and try even harder the next time!!!!

It was at this moment, on that chair, I thought to myself, "I am TOO damn close right now to just give up and let failure take over!!!!!!!!!!"  I could feel an appetite, similar to the one I felt immediately after Grandma's Marathon in June, when I missed 3:05 by 7 minutes!!! This appetite was PASSION AND DETERMINATION COMING BACK INTO MY BODY!!!!!!!!! MY SOUL!!!!!!!!! MY HEART!!!!!!  To be that close to something and still fail is torture, but also a GREAT motivator!!!!  And that's exactly what Mumbai is now and forever will be, the marathon that motivated the crap out of me!!!!!  I WILL not miss the next marathon by 1 minute and 36 seconds, but instead DESTROY it!!!!  My goal will be a sub- 3 hour time, taking another 6 minutes off of my personal best!!!!!  I have 1 year to prepare for this marathon, and yes the United States of America, be ready, because I am coming after one of your marathons!!! Houston, Phoenix, or Disney World are the options and one of you will be at my mercy!!!!!!!!  Come next January you will see the most determined and passionate Minnesotan Marathon Runner you have ever seen or met!!!!!!!!!

THE HUNGER IS BACK AND I WILL BE QUALIFYING FOR BOSTON NEXT TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!  362 DAYS UNTIL THAT MOMENT HAPPENS, LET'S GET STARTED RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This year's theme (going old school):  "No Pain! No Pain! No Pain!"


HOUSTON, PHOENIX, OR DISNEY WORLD I'M COMING FOR YOU NEXT JANUARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY SMILING AND TRAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The world has lost 2 amazing souls

It really seems just like yesterday Grandma passed away, but it's already been 4 months.  Sadly and happily Grandma is reunited with Grandpa once again.  This morning (last night for Minnesotans) at 9:51am (8:21pm Minnesota time) my Grandpa joined my Grandma once again, as he passed away surrounded by family watching him go peacefully in his hospital bed.  And once again I was in India half way around the world, missing the final moments with my beloved Grandpa.  I was very thankful to have my dad pass on a final message from me via e-mail, but of course it's not the same as actually being at his side as he went.

My Grandpa and Grandma were the most caring, thoughtful, family oriented grandparents I have ever known.  Both Grandma and Grandpa went to EVERY single recital, game, concert, etc. that I played in.  Even if it was a minor role, if I was in it they were there.  And as family tradition, after it was done my Grandma always made chocolate covered rice krispie bars, cookies, or something sweet for me to have after it was finished.  My Grandma was the talker of the two.  She could entertain a crowd of 5 - 25+ people easily with her stories.  Grandma was never without a conversation lingering in her.  My Grandpa on the other hand did the listening.  He would always sit their quietly and listen to her stories and every once in a while chime in with a funny joke or missed detail (which was rare for Grandma to miss).  The thing about Grandpa though, yes he was a listener, but when he talked he was listened.  Everything coming from him was wise and genuine.  My Grandma was too, but mostly stories came from her.

Grandpa was completely opposite to Grandma when it came to me playing sports.  Grandpa would always encourage me, never to give up and if I fail to try even harder next time.  Grandma was the loving softy and was constantly worried I would get hurt and not to try too hard that I might hurt myself.  Football season was always the best time of year for them.  Grandma was constantly worrying and Grandpa (played in college) was prouder than ever.  When I first got into running marathons, Grandma would ALWAYS say, "Now Steven, there is no shame if you feel like you can't continue and have to give up during the marathon."  Grandpa (I could see in his head) would roll his eyes and counter what she said with a try your hardest and never give up attitude.  A real air force mentality was Grandpa (served WWII proudly).  Grandma also served proudly in WWII as a nurse, healing the wounded and cheering/lifting up spirits with her stories and distracting the men from their pain, Grandma's specialty.

Grandpa and I both shared a unique common bond no other member of the family shared, and that was the University of Minnesota Duluth.  However, when Grandpa attended it was called Duluth State Teachers College.  Showing how long ago that was!  Grandpa played collegiate baseball and football, while I played intramural inner tube water polo and dodgeball.  However, sports aside, we both went to college for the same reason/passion and that was teaching.  Granted our subjects might have been different (history to PE) but our passion lied within teaching and inspiring children.  Grandpa started off as a teacher, but then fast tracked his way to Superintendent.  I don't think I'll follow his footsteps anytime soon, as I love where I am and what I do.  I know what administration has to go through and no thank you, Grandpa you can keep that position.  But one thing I hope I can be half the man Grandpa was is having the respect from every single teacher that he worked with.  They looked up to Grandpa and Grandpa showed them the same amount of respect and care back at them.

My best memory I have of my grandparents would have to be in 6th grade.  Now back in my day at school, we celebrated Grandparents every year with "Grandparents Day."  Everyone who had Grandparents were invited to bring them along for the school day and have them see what mischief and trouble their grandchildren get into!  So on this one particular 6th grade Grandparents Day I maybe said a little too much, but in an innocent way.  The beginning of every Grandparents Day class would start with introductions of all the grandparents.  Well when it came to my turn, I remember I stood up and said, "These are my Grandparents, Grandma and Grandpa."  Now in addition to introducing them we had to say one interesting or unique thing about them.  Well I introduced them and then said, "Me and my Grandpa play blackjack and poker and he teaches me how to gamble with oreos/cookies.  I win most of the time, because I'm lucky."  The whole class burst out laughing, including my Grandparents.  Again, probably said a little too much, seeing at the time it was illegal!!:)  But the way my Grandparents reacted was who they were, caring, light hearted and amazing people.

I will and do miss them both dearly.  After Grandma died, I knew Grandpa was not going to last long, and even when I visited them this summer I knew Grandpa was not long.  Grandma was completely unexpected, but Grandpa's time was on the final turn in a marathon.  And sure enough today Grandpa crossed the finish line, leaving in the dust a wonderful, amazing life.  I am so blessed to have gone home this summer and spend the final months with both of them, before both passed on.  Grandma and Grandpa I will never forget you.  Your spirit will forever live on in me, especially the Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish heritage.  The color red will forever symbolize you Grandma and Grandpa your amazing listening skills will forever be engraved in me.  Rest in peace both of you and I am so happy you are both reunited once again.

Happy smiling Grandma and Grandpa!!!!!:):):):):)

Why running?

As I sit here on a Saturday night, alone (Shubhra's in Dehradun with friends), and having some time to think and reflect alone, I can't help but think why the heck is running so important to me?  Why is everything in my life revolved around running?  What is so great about running that 95% of my blog posts are about running?

Because to me running is life.  Running to me is how life should be.  A struggle.  A challenge.  A goal that constantly is changing.  A strive for personal best every single time I go out there.

Now you tell me how does that compare with your life?  Are there moments in your life when you are up against a wall and have no IDEA what to do?  When you think to yourself, do I have the guts, do I have the heart to continue and fight through the pain and struggle?

All of these thoughts today come from watching Sports Day at Wynberg-Allen and mostly from the other teams that show up.  Now I have no physical proof except my eyes and what I see, and I will not name names or point fingers, but what I saw today is the exact opposite of what sports and healthy competition is all about.  What LIFE is all about............finding ways to overcome adversity.  Finding ways to dig down deep and realize you have this gift that you never even knew existed until that person or thing made it come out of you.  However, how can this gift come to fruition if you cheat yourself.  I saw so called "athletes" on the field today competing for external glory and sadly NOT internal glory.  I saw athletes today care more about breaking records and standing on the top of the podium, then to take the risk and actually compete against worthy competition of their own age.  It saddens me, not that Woodstock athletes got slaughtered by these so called "athletes" but that these "athletes" are too scared to face real challenges.

Now if you're sitting here and agreeing with me, I want you to stop and really think about this last paragraph before judging, before saying "oh yeah, how can these students cheat like this."  Because I want you to think about the last time you truly challenged yourself with something, with anything.  If you can't think of anything in the past year or even 6 months, then how are you better than these boys?  If you're not finding ways to challenge yourself, to push yourself to be the best human being out there, then how can you judge these boys?  Yeah, wow you're not cheating, but you're not striving to be the best you can be either.  So I ask you what's better?  You don't cheat, but you don't push yourself either.

So why do I run?  I run, because every single day I lace up my shoes and want to see how far I can push myself, how fast I can go day in and day out without tiring.  I run, because unlike some people in this world who go for that easy external glory, I want to be the best that I can be and not care about anything else.  Does this mean I'll win every race? No.  Does this mean I set records every race I compete in? No.  But this does mean that every freakin time my feet touch that asphalt I will be giving it my 100% and I WILL.......NOT.........QUIT!  Just like in life.  Yeah, I will make mistakes.  I will screw up.  But I WILL learn from those mistakes and I will try, try, try until my heart stops beating I've tried so hard.

I teach my students to always try and never settle for average.  I show my students I try and never settle for average.  I live my life to always try and never, ever settle for average.  Now I ask you, what do you want to do?

Happy smiling!