Much Too Young To Feel

To Live Without My Music Would Be Impossible To Do
To Live Without My Music Would Be Impossible To Do

We all love music don’t we. And tonight, New Year’s Eve, we’ll most likely be listening to great music. What a joyous occasion New Year’s Eve is for so many people.

One of my favorite songs from legendary Country singer, Garth Brooks is “Much Too Young To Feel This Damn Old“.  It reminds me of all the resolutions people make to get in shape, lose weight, quit smoking, etc.

Last week, I was reminded of this and had to laugh. The morning that I was heading to the Podiatrist for long-term foot pain, was the same morning an email came from the USATF, United States Track and Field.

The email announced the deadline was fast approaching for the 2010 Master’s Track & Field Indoor World Championships, in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Good thing I have a sense of humor, and a box of tissues.

Merry Christmas from Lane 8

And on this day was born a child.  In a manger, at the stable. No room at the Inn.  And they called him Emmanuel.

Impossible?

Perhaps nothing is impossible.  Perhaps impossible is nothing.

Lane 8 is a simple website and blog.  Even the first Lane 8 business card was handmade, in five minutes. And  5,000 were printed and taken to Finland.

August, 2009, in Lahti, Finland, the Master’s Track & Field World Championships drew 5,300 athletes from 80 Countries, with the same Olympic spirit as the official Olympic Games.

Many of the Master’s athletes celebrate Christmas, and that little boy everyone calls Emmanuel.

Lane 8 is simply a humble beginning. Not at all unlike a child born in a stable.

Lane 8, Finland, 2009
Lane 8, Finland, 2009

Merry Christmas from Lane 8.

Handmade t-shirt, Finland
Handmade t-shirt, Finland

Peace on Earth, good will toward men.

Lane 8 Optimism

Tell Them Age Is An Excuse
Tell Them Age Is An Excuse

What can we learn from defeat, loss, failure?

Many things to be sure. But only if we try hard to learn from setback. And only if we listen. And only if we then try again.

Are you listening? And I don’t mean, “Sleigh bells ring, are you listening”.

I mean, are you the kind of person that will pick yourself up after you fall?

Are you the type of person that finds a million ways to stay motivated?

You see, getting motivated is one thing. What makes winners is staying motivated.

Oh wait, you want to tell me something, right?

Okay, go ahead.

“Jeff, you don’t understand, my life is hard. It’s very difficult.”

Here’s a Christmas gift for you, and it is given with the most hopeful and sincere intent – “No one has it easy. Period. End of story.”

This may scare some people off, and I would hate to see that happen, but I can’t allow myself to make excuses.

How can I teach our son (9), that it’s okay to make excuses?

Lane 8 In Fancy Hotel?

Okay, so yesterday was a video of Jack the Bear in Mexico.  And today we find Jack in Dallas (different trip) at a nice place.

It was 20 degrees the next morning and I found the willpower to run outside at 7:00AM.  I used a pair of socks for gloves and had four layers on my upper body.

No sweatpants though, which took me back to the winter days in Pennsylvania, when a few of us would run distance runs in the snow and freezing temps, sans sweatpants.

Even found the willpower to do a core workout in the Hotel gym the night before, even though I was tired from travel.

So, here’s Jack commenting on where we stayed:

Yes it was a fancy hotel. And yes, Jack watched TV while I worked out and also when I ran in 20-degree temps. Not only is he one lucky bear, but he’s also very smart.