14 Years and Running

I’m delighted to announce that the 14 years are over. I engaged in a strenuous hour plus exercise routine this morning and thereby completed another year of The Streak. The last twelve months included a number of changes in my exercise program and physical fitness; for example, I started using work out DVDs such as Insanity and P90X. As a result, I’m at my high school weight with a level of strength, endurance and leanness I have never experienced previously.

I did bust out of the home gym and run in a new place or two as well. Visiting four continents in one year wasn’t bad for a middle class educator. As much as we enjoyed the big vacations, we also had wonderful little trips to many cities in Georgia, as well as Opelika, AL; Arrington, TN; Tucson, AZ; Detroit, MI; New Orleans, LA and especially Stamford, CT.

When I was a kid my every trip out of state went sour, and I mean every trip, and terribly sour. This trend held up so much so that by age twenty I swore off out of town travel completely. I eventually broke my vow and went to South Carolina with a church group. From there I slowly increased the parameters.

As a younger man I didn’t run. I didn’t travel. I didn’t see the benefit in either. Oh, what a naïve and small little man I was. I never would have guessed I’d break out of my inch of the world, which seemed so vast and haunting. Sometimes it’s still difficult to believe it’s true. Thank goodness it is. Running, as well as running in new places, rank among the great joys of my life, past and present.

I can’t wait to see what the next twelve months have in store.

Get up. Get out. Go!

Tom