Remember

I know it is a day later, but any day is a day that we can stop take a breath and thank those that gave everything for us.

Thank you & God Bless - Memorial Day 2014

Bill

Supporting Role

Sometimes sitting on the sidelines isn't always that bad.

This past weekend was the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon.  A part of me was exciting for everybody that I knew running in it and the other part of me wanted to be there running with them.

My wife even asked me if I was glad I wasn’t running in it.  I said, “No.  I’m kind of jealous.”  It is the training that makes it so hard, but race day is so much fun.  Even back in my younger days practicing and getting ready for a golf tournament there was something about the completion.  Beating the course or beating your time.  It makes the competition so much more exciting. 

I am proud of my friends that ran.  One friend had wanted to beat the 2 hour time frame for a Half Marathon.  He did it.  Another longtime friend of my wife and I wanted to break 3:40 Full Marathon and qualify for Boston…she did it and we couldn’t be more proud of her.  Both were commitment, put in the time and hard work.  They are inspirational and all around good people.  Just being an encourager can go a long way too.
 

I love the fact that my little ones continue to work hard at what they are doing too.  Despite all the rain and cold weather we’ve started soccer and baseball.  They continue to get better and better each season and I pray that they stick with it and continue to work hard.  But they need the support from Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, and other friends and family.  Faith, hard work and a great group of people around you pays off every time. 

Keep working hard and keep on encouraging others that are working hard.

Coach Bill
 

The After-half

See what I did there...replaced the 'math' in aftermath with...eh, never mind.

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." - Hebrews 12:11

I talk about discipline a lot, because it truly is the hardest thing for me.  The worst time is after I've finished something, is starting up again.  A week after the Half Marathon I picked up where I left off.  I started a routine of getting up in the morning and doing my normal work outs.  I talked about doing T25 back in October, and how much it helped and still helps.  Wanting to stay strong and wanting to stay fit I cranked it up a notch.  I started T25 GAMMA:

I really do love this program.  I will get up at 4:30am to get in these work outs, Tuesday through Saturday.  This particular one focuses on strength and in doing so keeps the heart rate up.  Its intense, but will continue to help me with running so that my goals are more obtainable.  But, its only 25 minuets!  I have also put a little running schedule together during the weeks to either do at night or on off days, three days a week.

Tuesdays:  Ladders or Mile Repeats at the track

Thursday:  Shorter runs that I plan on getting faster during the summer from 4 to 7 miles

Sundays:  Long runs from 10 to 15 miles

I've put it down in writing and I have this site to hold me accountable.  It is hard for me to do it on my own and if I don't write it down, I won't follow through.  My discipline is to maintain this schedule through out the summer until late September.  Add a couple of 5K's and 10K's into the mix as well (its flexible, but its a routine). 

What's yours?

One thing is for sure, my son has taught me a lot about disciple.  This is a picture of him last week at his color belt test.  In July of this year he'll have been in Taekwondo for 2 full years, 2 to 3 times a week, all year long.  He is only two belt levels away from obtaining Black Belt status.  At 8 years old, I couldn't be more proud of him.  Any type of Martial Art requires a tremendous amount of disciple, and I hope that in disciplining myself I hold myself to this schedule.  I also hope that this will prove to him, and my daughter, that no mater what age or what activity, it requires work to obtain your goals.

Now, if the two of us could teach each other patience...

- Coach Bill