My Real Life

We concluded each night at the beach, after the kids were in bed, by watching the Olympics.

And, as always, the best part of the Olympics were the behind-the-scenes stories about the athletes.

No excuses.  Just hard work.

Champions, all of them.

Because, even if they were dead last in the Olympics and went home empty-handed, they were there because they were the best in their nation.

Can you imagine?

Being the very best at something in your entire nation?

It doesn’t just happen.

It takes ridiculous amounts of hard work, and these people aren’t afraid to put in that work, despite some amazing obstacles.

Left their families.

Came back despite horrific injury.

Practiced 12 hours a day.

Trained while working a full-time job and parenting.

It’s amazing.

While I have to say that Usain Bolt completely rubs me the wrong way with his utter lack of graciousness in victory, the fact that he trains on a dirt track that was hand made,  while many of the people that he beat run on state of the art tracks every single day, impresses me.

So, the lesson that I take away from these athletes is that there is no better day than today, and that there are no reasons that are good enough why I’m not taking better care of myself and exercising every day.

At the beach was easy.

At home will be the challenge.

I can do it.

There are limitations, yes.

I can’t join a gym, because I truly can’t get there.

But, I have a treadmill in the basement and more fitness games for the Wii than I care to count.

I realize I’m not going to have the body of  Anna Chicherova (women’s high jump) or Kellie Wells (women’s hurdles) but I can be better, because I have to be.

Diabetes doesn’t go away, and as I’ve said a million times before, I want to hold the needles and insulin off as long as I can.

And I’ve been slacking.

There are examples right here in my real life, as well.

People to inspire and keep me going.

My friend, Heather, posts inspirational sayings on Facebook, every day, as she heads to the gym.

Yesterdays was “An imperfect workout, done today, is better than a perfect workout, delayed indefinitely.”

Love it.

She’s been working hard, seeing results, and I’m proud of her.

My friend, Tara, participates in all sorts of athletic competitions and rocks them.

She works, she parents two boys, and still takes care of herself and competes.

My own Real Man has been getting up at 5 am, every single morning, and hitting the trail and working out and is looking amazing.

He has to leave a snuggly ole’ me, sleeping away in bed, to go out in the icky, sticky, heat, but he does it.

Every day.

The father of one of my students, this past year, has been battling Leukemia, and just yesterday, completed an Ironman.

Inpsiring?

Absolutely.

So, today’s the day.

No time like the present.

No excuses.

It’s time for a change, because I’m halfway to 41, and I’m not going to spend my 40’s tired, sick, and exhausted.