Day 20:I Started New and Strengthened Old Relationships

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, having an obese friend ups your chances of tipping the scale by 57%.  An obese spouse increases your chances by 37%.

With that being said, I have met many new friends on this journey.  Friends that work in the wellness business and friends that are on their own path to being well.  From instructors to Friday class regulars, these are not simple acquaintances, they are friends.  Since starting 30 Days, I have also found new friends with similar experiences. 

Here are only 2 of those relationships:
When I did my first marathon I started cross training in the pool at the Y- I jumped in and thought I could swim- ended up doggie paddling 2 laps and got out- hardest- thing- ever. Luckily they offered a master's swim class and a coach taught me proper technique. I get by in the pool now, I did 1250 yds after work yesterday in 20 minutes, which is ok for me. Through swimming at the pool I met "Louis the Lifeguard."

Louis is in his 80's. He watches over me every Saturday morning. He plays old dance hall music on the speakers and has become a dear friend. After my laps, we gab while I soak in the hot tub. He always asks about the boys and I ask about his wife. Louis was a Navy Vet- he served in both World War II and the Korean War. Just this past year, he was able to travel to the WW II memorial with his daughter Mary, whom I work with. I remember being so excited for him. He would update me about his trip each Saturday morning, the anticipation was building. Since he traveled with The Honor Flight, it was a 24 hour trip- there and back and Louis was as giddy as James with his mound of candy on Halloween. He has spent the past several years taking care of this wife who has Alzheimer's. His daughter and him had spent much of the past year with his wife in the hospital then nursing home. He'd tear up during several of our visits. But when he returned to the pool after the Honor Guard Trip he was ecstatic. He never had a homecoming when he was deployed, so this was an amazing experience. He grinned from ear to ear while he told me about the whirlwind tour. Sometimes I bring the boys back to swim under Louis watchful eye. He is a remarkable person, and since my own grandparents have passed, he has taken on much of that role for me.

My Fabulous Family in December 1999

Through running, I found common ground with my brother Mike.  Mike is 5 years older than me and growing up I looked up to him, actually I worshiped the ground he walked on.  I would make countless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for him or fall into many traps which ended up in either me getting into trouble or owing him money.  Who pays to see their own Christmas gift?  Me.

Mike went off to the Navy when I was in 8th grade and we never really had many 2 way conversations.  I wrote him letters when he was away.  I remember once tracing the stencil that I painted on his walls once I moved into his room it was a coyote dessert theme. Why, who knows. I also saved my babysitting money for a few weeks to give to him.  I hid it in an envelope under the seat of our van and planned on giving it to him when we dropped him off at the airport.  That was a tough visit- we were all afraid he would be deployed to fight in Desert Storm. I'm not sure how $66 was going to ease his anxiety.  I was always excited when he would come home on leave.  Our conversations never totaled more than 10 words.



Mike, Mom, Uncle Danny, Cindy and myself
after Mike ran the Chicago Marathon in 2005

 My older brother Mike is the reason I actually started running. When he ran his first marathon, I remember telling myself- If he can run 26.2 miles then I can do ONE. I was never able to run one mile straight without stopping. EVER- not even in high school- in fact I think half a lap was as far as I got. I got back from a walk at my parents one summer morning- my face was beat red and he asked how I was doing, had I started running? I explained the stroller situation.I'd strap James in his stroller most evenings- a $10 umbrella # with NO shocks. He'd bounce along like a bobble head. I had honestly never heard of a running stroller. That week The Dream Glider showed up on my front porch. My sister-in-law Cindy picked a winner! With that I started my first days of running.

I walked a block, ran a block, walked, ran...you get the picture- I built up to running 1 mile straight without stopping. Something I could NEVER do! I heard many cat calls on my runs- Run, Forest, Run! is my all time favorite. I started doing local races- Turkey run, Jingle Bell Run...you name it. I did a few half marathons.  Indy was my favorite.   Thanks to my brother Mike, I was introduced to triathlon. It was ah-mazing. I loved the training part the most. 



The 2006 Chicago "Hotter than Hades" Marathon
Mike, Margie and Eric all flew in to cheer me on. Here I am with Matt and my cousin Mollie.

Watching Mike in race the Wisconsin IronMan is actually one of my top 10 highlights.  It was an incredible experience.  I keep waiting for him to email me his IronMan tattoo that he has had emblazoned on his calf like the rest of the IronMan World.  But that's not him, Mike's a quiet guy- a man of little words.  But when he speaks, I definitely listen.
 

Mike and Cindy after IronMan Wisconsin 2009.



My first Sprint Triathlon.  I'm in there some where. Probably hanging on a buoy.