As i may have mentioned, my husband signed us up to run the 5k Turkey Trot this year in Buffalo. I am in day 4 of my training and this morning I was tired, sore and pretty sure I am not going to make it. While downing my 4th cup of coffee and soaking in a hot bath to relieve those aching muscles (mind you it was only an 1 hour session and I am weak) I came across this article in the NY Times regarding slow marathon runners .
Although it refers to marathons I am inspired.
For all of us slow runners or walkers, this article paints the back of the race as "the place to be" with a diversity of fascinating runners. People facing physical challenges, fund raisers for the cause and the mid life crisis that needs to make a change are all pushing through the pain to get to the finish line. They have to be more interesting than the pack gazelle in the lead. I may not be the best runner (actually I definitely will not be the best runner) on Thanksgiving but you can be sure I will be with my crowd thrilled to be in the race.
My sister had this BACK OF THE RACE experience. She has struggled with her weight all through her life and this past year she really worked hard to participate in a 5k. Feeling down and less than healthy, her training was a pleasure providing physical and mental benefits. The good news is she finished the race. The great news is she finished it besides a man with one leg. He inspired her to keep moving. I could not be prouder of her.
I believe you can find inspiration in many places and conversely be derailed based on the same number of experiences. So I am choosing to be inspired! I'll run or I'll walk or hell I may even crawl. I am running that race and I am going to enjoy every step of it surrounding by people with interesting stories who most likely are like me - simply happy to be a Turkey Trotter.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Driving while Texting
In an attempt to crack down on texting while driving Great Britain has sentenced the texting driver of a car that killed a young woman, to jail time. It goes without saying how tragic this accident is, and as a mother it just adds to all my fears for my son's safety (physical and social). But I am not sure I agree with the sentencing.
Texting is obviously dangerous when driving. So is talking on the cell phone, applying makeup, reprimanding the kids in the back seat and playing with the radio. Any thing that distracts the driver is trouble. It is so easy to divert your attention from the road; driving becomes habit and mundane. I hate to admit it but I have been know to participate in several of these distractive activities, not to mention changing from a work suit to an evening cocktail dress while driving down the expressway. Just like the driver of this car, I felt I was in control and could handle it. I was lucky and have honestly been better. I guess you just don't think of the ramifications. That's not a rationale it is simply true.
But does this driver deserve to go to jail? If I was the mother of the victim I would scream YES and for a long time. But if I were the mother of the driver I would have a completely different opinion. A car can be a weapon, just like a gun. But if a gun accidentally goes off killing someone, will that person go to jail? Should he? Maybe there a better way to eliminate phone usage while driving. Perhaps a device installed in cars which prevents cell reception. It seems the temptation is too great to grab that phone so we may need interference.
Which brings up another point - why must we always be doing at least two things at the same time? Multi-tasking is essential to our daily life. We are so overcommitted and afraid to miss out that we only scarcely pay attention to the task in front of us - like driving. A good friend of mine mentioned that our generation is not as good at mutli-tasking as our children will be. Technology has trained them to do multiple things and we are evolving into a heightened ability. Think about the examples. Of course video games and texting but watch your news broadcasts. Not only are you listening to the newscasters, but a ticker tape of information is scrolling across the bottom of the screen and a sidebar appears with additional facts. We are truly at a point of cultural ADD. Not only the media, but we do it ourselves. I can't think of one mother I know who hasn't had the kids eat in the car while doing their homework on the way to a sporting event.
Hi, my name is Bonnie and I am a mult-tasker.
Texting is obviously dangerous when driving. So is talking on the cell phone, applying makeup, reprimanding the kids in the back seat and playing with the radio. Any thing that distracts the driver is trouble. It is so easy to divert your attention from the road; driving becomes habit and mundane. I hate to admit it but I have been know to participate in several of these distractive activities, not to mention changing from a work suit to an evening cocktail dress while driving down the expressway. Just like the driver of this car, I felt I was in control and could handle it. I was lucky and have honestly been better. I guess you just don't think of the ramifications. That's not a rationale it is simply true.
But does this driver deserve to go to jail? If I was the mother of the victim I would scream YES and for a long time. But if I were the mother of the driver I would have a completely different opinion. A car can be a weapon, just like a gun. But if a gun accidentally goes off killing someone, will that person go to jail? Should he? Maybe there a better way to eliminate phone usage while driving. Perhaps a device installed in cars which prevents cell reception. It seems the temptation is too great to grab that phone so we may need interference.
Which brings up another point - why must we always be doing at least two things at the same time? Multi-tasking is essential to our daily life. We are so overcommitted and afraid to miss out that we only scarcely pay attention to the task in front of us - like driving. A good friend of mine mentioned that our generation is not as good at mutli-tasking as our children will be. Technology has trained them to do multiple things and we are evolving into a heightened ability. Think about the examples. Of course video games and texting but watch your news broadcasts. Not only are you listening to the newscasters, but a ticker tape of information is scrolling across the bottom of the screen and a sidebar appears with additional facts. We are truly at a point of cultural ADD. Not only the media, but we do it ourselves. I can't think of one mother I know who hasn't had the kids eat in the car while doing their homework on the way to a sporting event.
Hi, my name is Bonnie and I am a mult-tasker.
Fountain of Youth
Actually, I didn't really discover the fountain of youth as much as a little rain drop. As I begrudgingly say goodbye to my youth I believe I've found a way to retain some of those youthful feelings. Sounds trite but here is my solution: try new things, leave your comfort zone, take some risks. Easy enough right? Whenever I am feeling out of the marketing demographic and beyond the age limit, I do something completely different.
What I try or do depends solely on how bad I feel and how much energy it takes to change that feelings. For example, if I need a small dose of youth I try cooking a new dish. Mango enchiladas were not really a hit with the palette but they were someting different. I put on some salsa music, dices those chilis and all of a sudden I wasn't feeling so old. On a larger scale, I learned how to scuba dive last year. Six weeks of pool and classroom training was fantastic. Being underwater was a completely new sensation and the views were amazing. I felt new and more alive than I had in years. Talk about removing yourself from your comfort zone. Fifty feet underwater will do it. My latest attempt for youth came yesterday when I registered for the Turkey Trot. Well my husband registered us for the Turkey Trot. He is a recreational runner but like me has never run a 5k. So today I start my 3-4 week training session. After an hour on the treadmill I feel more decrepit than youthful, but I am hopeful.
When you think about it, middle age is a great position to be in for trying new things. You don't have to worry about what your friends think or if you'll embarrass yourself. At this age, we have already embarrassed ourselves countless times and our friends couldn't care less. It doesn't matter if you're not good at it or if you hate it. The thrill comes from trying it. The adrenaline, your hands are sweaty and your anxious. Isn't that a better feeling than tired and achy?
You may think this advise is useless, but try it. I promise you will feel better. At the very least, learning something new will take your mind off the fact that you are old :-).
What I try or do depends solely on how bad I feel and how much energy it takes to change that feelings. For example, if I need a small dose of youth I try cooking a new dish. Mango enchiladas were not really a hit with the palette but they were someting different. I put on some salsa music, dices those chilis and all of a sudden I wasn't feeling so old. On a larger scale, I learned how to scuba dive last year. Six weeks of pool and classroom training was fantastic. Being underwater was a completely new sensation and the views were amazing. I felt new and more alive than I had in years. Talk about removing yourself from your comfort zone. Fifty feet underwater will do it. My latest attempt for youth came yesterday when I registered for the Turkey Trot. Well my husband registered us for the Turkey Trot. He is a recreational runner but like me has never run a 5k. So today I start my 3-4 week training session. After an hour on the treadmill I feel more decrepit than youthful, but I am hopeful.
When you think about it, middle age is a great position to be in for trying new things. You don't have to worry about what your friends think or if you'll embarrass yourself. At this age, we have already embarrassed ourselves countless times and our friends couldn't care less. It doesn't matter if you're not good at it or if you hate it. The thrill comes from trying it. The adrenaline, your hands are sweaty and your anxious. Isn't that a better feeling than tired and achy?
You may think this advise is useless, but try it. I promise you will feel better. At the very least, learning something new will take your mind off the fact that you are old :-).
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