Running for a Better Life

I guess I better get this blog going now that T2EA Marathon training has officially begun. I will also be swimming/biking and running the Chicago Triathlon, but I'll write more about that in a later blog.

First, I'd like to share something very personal with you. Not too long ago, my 55 yr old uncle, Dr. David Yanase, passed his physical with a clean bill of health. Then just a couple weekends ago, he was feeling tired and decided to go for a run as he often did. Unfortunately, he didn't return home from that run. While running, he suffered a heart attack and died. The autopsy indicated he had 100% blockage in his artery. There were no indications that he had any heart problems. 

For me, this is further reinforcement that when it's your time to go it's your time to go and there's nothing you can do to stop it. With this in mind, I've thought about why it is so important to me to train for a marathon and the triathlon. I train for fitness, not because I care about prolonging my life, but because I want to be able to live every day to the fullest with the most energy, comfort and strength possible.

In addition, no matter what your beliefs are about life after death, the fact is, we are all here for a limited time. This is why I try and do/see/experience as much as possible. I don't want to be laid up in a nursing home thinking about the things I wish I had done, or places I wish I had seen but can't anymore. I also don't want to lay there thinking wishing I had done more to make life more enjoyable, or better for other people. But, one thing I hadn't really thought about, was the thing my uncle did best. He made sure that every person in his life knew his love for them. He left nothing unsaid.

So while I was pushing myself to run my timed 3 miler a little faster on Saturday, I thought about my uncle. I don't know how far he planned to run, or how fast he ran, or even his route, but I know he died running. Note to self: don't think of sad things while running. Getting choked up, doesn't help your breathing. So I quickly dismissed these thoughts, and instead thought of how this was the beginning of my journey towards improving my fitness for all the reasons I listed above. 

I checked my blog from last year and found out I completed the 3 mile run with about a 13:00 min pace. This year, I finished with a little less than a 12:00 min pace. I'm still not breaking any land speed records, but Hot Damn! I'm proud of myself. So, I'll keep on running, biking and swimming.... and I think it's time to cut back on the french fries and save my arteries.