21 Years and Counting

Greetings! Three hundred and sixty-five more days have come and gone and The Streak remains alive and well. I admit to being a bit nervous when closing in on a yearly anniversary of The Streak in past. This year proved different. Maybe that comes from longevity of The Streak, or life itself. I celebrated a milestone birthday earlier this year. Perhaps, my daily mantras about calmness are paying dividends. That's a good practice, but I reckon I've lightened up because I’m getting older.

As you know, I love to quote John Mellencamp lyrics. The 21^st anniversary of The Streaks seems like as a good occasion to continue the trend. In Mellencamp’s song, Don’t Need this Body, he writes:

This getting older

Ain't for cowards

This getting older

Is a lot to go through

….

Well I can't see much

Like I used to

And I can't run like the wind

The last three lines resonate more than I’d like, but I thank goodness for reading glasses and that my legs have plenty of strength to run.

Shannan and I had fun making a short podcast about The Streak. You can hear it at this link.

Aging Happens. Run.

Tom

Tattoo Podcast

Greetings! I hope all is well with you and yours. We are trying several new options for this site beyond health and fitness. One of those options is to connect with a new podcast site at https://anchor.fm/tlp-public-scholarship

The first episode relates to our collection of tattoo images and interviews. Since 2014 we’ve been compiling an archive that allows individuals to describe how their tattoos tell stories of social protest, spiritual encounters and comment on this often-misunderstood art form. For some, tattoos can turn a body into a bulletin board or serve as an outward display of what’s inside of a person. In this way, an individual’s personal experience and beliefs take visible form on the skin. 

We’d love to hear your tattoo story. You can send a voice message from the anchor podcast site or send an email to drtlp1101@gmail.com for more information.

All the best,

Tom

2017 Running Reflection

Greetings! 2018 is off to an excellent beginning personally and professional. We intend to have a year that exceeds all expectations for excellence. 2017 proved to be a fantastic for us. As noted over the years, running gives a great opportunity for reflection. This site affords the chance to further reflect on things happening in life and on running itself. 

Last year, I didn’t run in any races, nonetheless I logged many miles. In every instance, I used the time to think about things happening at home and work, most of those times I offered a prayer and placed positive intentions in the Universe.  That part turns out to be just as important as the exercise for me. Across 2017 I ran in new cities in 9 states, 4 countries and in some cool places like Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden.

Looking back over the previous year, things really went extraordinarily well. Shannan and I took part in meaningful projects, received promotions, and worked with incredible people. Mostly, we were healthy and our lives where filled with happiness. Running contributed to the good health and the reflection activities promoted the other areas of wellness. That recipe keeps working and I’ll keep using it in 2018 and beyond.

Think. Travel. Run.

Tom

Chinese New Year

Greetings and Happy New Year! Shannan and I recently returned from a whirlwind tour of China and Japan over the holidays. We had an unforgettable experience. I strongly encourage folks to visit that part of the world. It’s well with the time and resources. Our trip gave us the opportunity to tour Shanghai, Beijing and Xian in China and Kochi, Osaka and Hiroshima in Japan.

I took a pollen mask to wear for the air pollution. That was a good call and necessary in China. Running was not as easy as I hoped. I had planned for very high populations in most of those cities, what I didn’t plan on was the terrific number of cyclists and people riding scooters. Navigating the streets and sidewalks required complete attention, especially as the scooters are mostly electric powered, and thus virtually silent on the road.

The hardest bit came on the last day in Shanghai. That morning it rained. This made the tile sidewalks even more difficult to traverse. All in all, I enjoyed many miles in the far east.

Travel Far. Run.

Tom

December 21 The Road to Spring

Greetings! It’s December 21, 2017. Some celebrate this as the first day of winter. Others bemoan it as being the day with the fewest hours of daylight. I like to think of the 21^st as the day that begins the brief March to Spring. I first started running in 1996 to lose weight. The effort succeeded. One lingering side effect has been I find myself cold all the time. I wear long sleeve shirts all year around and generally only wear shorts to exercise. It’s that bad.

Raised in the American South, I never had much exposure to real cold anyway. Following the weight loss my distaste for the cold increased. In the last year, I’ve found ways to embrace the cold. The correct mindset is as important as the right clothes. Shannan taught me the art of layers. All that said, I’m ready for the coming winter and plan not to complain or lament a single time about being cold, no matter what.

Enjoy the Seasons. Run.

Tom