10,000 crazy people ready to get sweaty!

We have participated one way or another in Crim since the late 80′s and I always get a rush from seeing downtown Flint full of life. This year Crim set another record with 10,000 people on the street getting ready to run. Sue and I singed up for the Crim training and Sue didn’t miss week. I pulled a calf, then a hamstring and have reaffirmed my commitment to bicycling.

Last year was the first 10 Mile event for us and we walked it in just under three hours. This year we followed Jeff Galloway’s method of run/walk and completed the 10 miles in just under two and a half hours. I have to admit, I’m looking forward to next year and cutting some more time off. I’ll be training on a bike though.

Thanks to our training group(s). We started out way above our heads with Pam Kitchen and her team. An awesome group, we were too slow. We moved to R16 with Liz Gage and Mary Wheelock as leaders. The training is easier with a group to provide that peer pressure and encouragement. New friends were made, I’d recommend joining the Crim training next year.

Part of the R16 group.

hello world

I was at a meeting this morning and listening to author Michael J Thorp speak about his new book, The Great Great Lakes Triva Test, which you can learn about here. It is chuck full of historical trivia about Michigan – the Who What Where When and Why.
In the group with me was a great guy, Norm. Norm is 90ish and spent his career repairing televisions and electronics. It got me thinking about the enormous progress that was made from the time Michigan became a state. Look at what has transpired from 1853 until now. Amazing.
I truly believe that it was a result of freedom. In America we have been free to succeed or fail. We have been free to produce, free to invent, free to dream. Our nation was made great by people stretching the boundaries.
Since the 40′s there has been a movement to be “progressive” and help those who need a hand up. That is great in theory but it has gone way too far.
I fight with myself all the time to resist the urge to be lazy. Because there is more opportunity and personal growth available to me by producing and working than sitting back, I get up early and work late every day. I play some too, but I’m taking action. We all have a lazy side that we fight with. Some are more naturally driven than other, maybe metabolism. As “the state” moves in with its safety net and support system to take care of more and more people, how many can fight the urge to just let them? Then at what point do they find that if they ask for more they can get it, so that becomes the focus of their action?
I don’t have an elegant solution, but a cry for action.
Protect our freedom to fail.
Educate people on their ability to excel and achieve on their merit.
Vote every day with the dollars you spend. Reward those that do the right thing. Buy local even if it a few bucks and a drive across town to do so.
Pray that we can keep American the land of the free.