Never ever thought it would happen!!

There are thoughts that come to mind of my days back in middle school and Jr. High when we had to do the mile run in PE, and of course I was one of the slowest students and had to run/walk almost every 2 minutes it seemed!!  Mile time was never better than 11 minutes and until college my thoughts of ever winning a race was 1 in a billion/non-existent!!!!

Then last weekend something of the unimaginable happened!!!! I WON A MARATHON!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):)  We went to Corbett National Park where RunningandLiving hosts the Corbett Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km, and 5km races!!!!  Having just finished Mumbai 2 months prior, I basically maintained for the last 2 months and signed up for the full, goal time of 3:15 (record time for the course is 3:16:35)!!!  So I thought since I ran a 3:06 in Mumbai, a 3:15 would be quite doable without putting too much strenuous training!!! Coming off 6 straight months of strenuous training for Mumbai, I didn't want another 2 additional!!!  Needed to give my mind and body a little break!!!!:):):)

Now this Corbett Marathon to me is something special and something of a chip on my shoulder!!!  Last year we went to Corbett and I ran the full marathon and had to quit at mile 22!!!  The heat was too much and I know I wasn't as prepared as I could have been!!!  So finishing Corbett was my ultimate goal, just to say "yeah I dominated it"!!!!  Placing top 3 in Corbett was somewhat in the back of my mind, but more of a bonus to finishing!!!:):)

Day before the race we went to pick up our race packets and of course I looked at the number of runners running the full marathon, and there were roughly 60-70 runners signed up!!  So about 10 more than last year, meaning the field should be a little more competitive!!!  Now between 2009-2011 I really didn't compete to seriously in any marathons so even though I've been running for 7 years, there was a gap that I took off from serious competition (at least in fulls, did many half's)!!!  So establishing a race week and pre-race day routine was something I wanted to do for Mumbai, which I think I have established now!!!:):)  Running the exact same distances and time that I did the week of Mumbai and having almost the exact same meals the day before AND morning of, I was feeling  a LOT more confident mentally than I was last year at this time!!!  It's amazing how much a routine can help settle the nerves of an athlete!!! You don't have to worry about what will negatively effect you because you've done it so many times!!!  Even though this is the second time I did this routine, with my time in Mumbai I know I did something right!!!:):):)

Morning of the race had my granola bars, snicker bar, cup of straight black tea, gatorade, and 2 bananas (my marathon morning meal)!!!!  Arriving to the starting line was a little more hectic than I imagined since they moved the starting line 1.5km's and that meant taxi's had trouble getting to the starting line!!  The guards wouldn't let the taxi past the 1.5 point so I did my begging and pleading, which in India I have found out if you stay persistent enough they will soon bend the rules!! So it worked, we got our taxi (of few) to drive all the way to the start!!! Like heck I and my runners were going to walk 1.5km to the start THEN run an entire full or half marathon too!!!;):):)  Gotta look after Woodstock of course!!!

The race started and there was one runner out in front of me: BENDIX!!!! That made me feel good!!!  Knowing that Bendix was on his way to winning and his pace was slightly faster than mine!!!!:):):)  The course was a down and back (for half), down and back, soooooo pretty much saw the same thing the second time out!!!!  I don't like these types of courses, but hey what can you do!!!:):)  On the way out to the first turn-around I kept pace with these 2 guys from Delhi!!!!  Ironically enough we started talking and one of them graduated from Doon School (the town down the valley from Mussoorie) and I told him I was the CC coach for Woodstock and he said that being an alumni he knows the CC coach for Doon and they were looking for teams to run against!!! I said GIVE WOODSTOCK A CALL!!!!  Having this conversation with these two guys made me solidify my theory that running is by far the MOST competitive-friendly sport out there!!!!  What other sport can you be competing but have friendly conversations, cheering on other runners, and still stay in motion/keep the heart rate up the entire time (said that last part to eliminate golf!)!!!!  I mean the friendly competition you have in running gets beat no where else!!!!  You are mainly competing against yourself, WHILE competing against others!!!  But it's the personal goals that make you bond with the other runners and make you want them to succeed just as badly as you do!!!!  IT'S AWESOME!!!!!!

After finishing my first down and back, things got very quiet!! The two guys I was talking to and Bendix had now finished their half and it was basically me and mother nature!!!!!  Picture a road with trees and bush on both sides, and a small village every 3-4 miles, with NOTHING else!! THAT is what this marathon consisted of!!! There were water stations with some volunteers every 5km, but other than that it was deserted!!!  No groups of people cheering with cowbells and signs, no other runners to give you hope and reminders of why you are this crazy to run a full marathon in the middle of no where!!!!  There was nothing!!! So this was by far the HARDEST mentally full marathon you could do!! You don't have the distractions to make time go by faster, or get that small boost of energy from the crowds!! It is YOU and the sounds of nature!!!

On the final turnaround (31.5km) I was in the home stretch!! The same spot I was in last year, but this time feeling energized and a LOT better and less exhausted!!!  After turning around I made sure I checked my watch and looked for the 2nd place runner!!!! Yeeeeeeeeeeeeah he didn't show up until 11 minutes after I turned around, which means I had a comfortable lead of around 22-25 minutes, assuming he was slowing down!!!  I couldn't believe it at that point!! That is when it hit me that not only am I going to finish this race, but I am in a very good position to actually win it!!! HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):) I got to my spot I quit last year and took a nice big gulp of water and spit it out on that spot, basically gesturing NOT THIS YEAR!!!!!  That alone gave me a huge energy boost!!!  With only 1.5km left of the race, I took my right hand turn into the final and by far HARDEST (literally hardest) part of the race!!! Picture a narrow, single lane, dirt, rock, and puddled road, THEN multiply that by 10 because you have just ran 25.2 miles at that point!! THAT is the pain level my feet were fighting against!!!!

I took a deep breath, sucked it in, told myself SCREW YOU 1.5KM TO FINISH, I'M GOING TO DOMINATE YOU!!!!!!!!!!  I picked up the pace, basically leaping at some points over puddles and rock patches, and got to the Woodstock cheer squad!!!!  There was Owen and Tara about .5km away, THEN my row of high fives about 500mts from the finish, and then Judy and the rest waiting at the finish line!!! WHAT A WAY TO FINISH RIGHT THERE!!!!!  Feeling so pumped and full of life, the feet were not even a factor anymore!!! Finished acrossed the line with a ginormous "YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and flexing double arm fist pump and then quickly sat down exhausted!!!!!!!:):):)  Immediately I was surrounded by my Woodstock running family, and felt a feeling I have NEVER experienced before: winner!!!!!!!:):)

I didn't know what to feel, all that was going through my head at that time was I KICKED THIS MARATHONS BUTT AND I FINISHED FOR MY WIFE, FUTURE KID, FAMILY BACK HOME, ALL OF WOODSTOCK, AND ME!!!!!!!!  First place was a distant second!!!!  With 2 miles to go that is all I was thinking about: wife, future kid, family, and Woodstock!!! There was no way I was quitting that race!!!:):):)  Not after all the talks about never quitting and giving it your all, always!!!  2 failures in a row was NOT happening!!! Winning was not expected either!!!!!!! SOOOOOOOOOO BONUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):)

Looking back at Corbett and the FUN we had, I think it's these life experiences that only running can bring!!!!  People so often see running as pointless!! Why run from one point to another!! Not even thinking of WHERE running can take you!! Literally!!:):)  With races on every continent, every country, world travelers are made because of running!!!  I would have never seriously considered Finland as quickly as I did if it wasn't for the Turku Marathon!! I wouldn't be talking to people I met in Mumbai, Delhi, and Corbett because of the races!!!  There is SO much more than running from Point A to Point B!!  Friendships, personal goals, connections, world exposure are one of the many reasons why I love running so much!!!!!:):):)

Overall Corbett was ANOTHER lifetime experience I will cherish forever!!!!:):):)  And the students/staff I went with will all have a common bond for the rest of our lives!!!!!:):):) CORBETT 2013 FOREVER!!!!:):)

HAPPY SMILING AND RUNNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):)

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!!!!!:):):):):)