Couch to ATHLETE!

***I am going to use some terminology that might be offensive to some, Sorry! Also, this is a bit of a rant so read on if you wish... This is also probably going to make me seem OLD!!!*** Isn't this the truth!!! It is a rare occasion, anymore, to have a conversation with a friend that doesn't include at least a brief mention of Facebook. Daily Mile is creeping up to be of similar stature with the running crowd. I have been analyzing the impact of social media on my life for some time. Many smart (and not so smart) people have conducted studies on the psychological impact of social media on humans. Like any research, you can find a study to match any position you would like to take on this issue, I am going to be the guinea pig for this post though! So, in my case I gave up regular use of Facebook back in December. I now have, what I call, Facebook Sunday. Every Sunday I allow myself unrestricted use of Facebook and I can honestly say that I probably ...

I know everyone will relate to this in some fashion... Have you ever had a crush or really liked someone but didn't know what to do about it? You know what I am talking about; it is that giddy feeling or the butterflies in your stomach that make you feel more alive when you are thinking about the person or around the person? I know you have. Or better yet, have you ever been on a date and you really wanted the other person to give you a hug or a kiss but they didn't? Have you ever walked away wondering why you didn't make the first move? I'm sure everyone has had this experience. I know I have. As a matter of fact there was one instance some time ago where I went on a date and at the end we were standing in the parking lot and we were both awkward and we both took the time to name it. What do I mean by naming it? Well he told me that he was always awkward at the end of dates, I then told him that it was OK because I felt just as awkward as he did. Side note: As a m...

The other day, while in the most thought provoking spot in my house (otherwise known as the shower) I had a moment; for some strange reason the fable ' The Boy Who Cried Wolf ' popped into my head. I was thinking about the story and felt some compassion for the boy who cried wolf. I was thinking about how, in the story, the boy cries wolf to amuse himself and then I realized the boy was probably lonely and looking for some friends/companions but didn't know how to ask for what he truly needed. I felt bad that the boy didn't know how to ask for what he needed and in trying to bring people near him he isolated himself even more. OK, so I admit I over think things! On Friday I found myself telling people about my discovery of compassion for the boy. I don't think I was ever successful in eloquently making my point, so what did I do? I started relating it to running and continued over thinking... Last night I attended a lecture (or should I call it stand up comed...

I am an ELECTRICIAN!!! Well, not really, but I didn't kill myself when I swapped out the electrical cord on my dryer!!! The electrical cord project made me reflect on my early running days. I remember a conversation from many many years ago that included me telling my sister why I was embarrassed to run. At the time, I lived in Boulder, CO and if there is anything to know about Boulder it is that a bunch of super athletes make a living there by coaching the greater population, who all seem to be aspiring super athletes! These are the people who go for ten hour runs or go out for century rides just for fun. I told my sister and her friend Beth that I was embarrassed because I had to stop often and I was SURE people were staring at me when I was running. My sister and her friend told me I was crazy and that more often than not, people were just happy to share the trail with a new runner and were even impressed with my willingness to get out there. Let's just say I...