Be present. Get the damn earbud outta your ear!!!

"One of the interesting lessons I've learned from running extreme distances is that the more you can rely on the natural scenery around you for company - the mountains, the desert, your crew, the other runners - rather than distracting yourself from what you're doing by feeding artificial noise into your ears, the better. Instead of listening to someone else's disembodied, digitized voice, you make yourself listen to your own thoughts and reactions to what you see, and you pay attention to the other people who are with you in the present moment." 

Most of the long mileage I log these days is solo. Me and nature often at odd hours early in the morning, late at night, or in the blazing heat of the day when even the reptiles seek respite in the shade. Sometimes I do run with my iPod on occasion, not very often though. The essence of this statement by Frank McKinney captures very well why I usually do not. Some people say it helps them to get lost in the miles and pass the time. If you are too busy creating a distraction trying to get lost how can you find yourself?

Running for me is not about running away from things. It is a journey without end or destination. The next is merely a continuation of the previous and so on.

This morning was a great example of why being present was so great. The last owl of the darkness. Breaking dawn. Deer in the field. The crunch of my feet on the gravel. The steady pounding of my heart and even breath of air in my lungs as the miles slipped away effortlessly. Bliss was found.

The next evolution....Dave ver 4.0

It has been over a year since I have posted. Many evolutions and revolutions have taken place in my life. I am writing this on the eve of my 40th birthday. Many people, when hitting a milestone such as this, look back on their life so far and pass judgment on themselves and wonder if they have made good use of their time on the planet so far. Not me!

I do believe there is value in contemplating past experiences and outcomes, but I am all about making my next hour, day, year, 40 years the most they can be. Life is not necessarily all about the outcome of any particular action. Over the past year I have had good outcomes and bad outcomes. Anyone who knows me will tell you I focus on the positive and moving forward. I do not waste time bemoaning a mistake or negative situation. Let's find the silver lining and move on!

This past year has been one of great change and growth for me personally. I believe I will look back 40 years from now and be able to say 2009 was the year I truly let go of all my inhibitions and hang-ups and truly embraced who I was and began to become the person I really have always meant to be. "To thine self be true" has never meant more to me than today.

Back in January I started doing some soul searching. When taking inventory of myself the initial scrutiny was placed on my physical fitness. I have always been an athlete of some sort, but we all know what happens over the years. I told myself in January I would turn 40 and be in the best shape of my entire life. Well, tomorrow is that day! Here is what I have accomplished:

• I lost over 40 pounds! From over 225 to my goal of 185.
• Reduced my body fat percentage from "Tub o' Goo" to less than 10%.
• Trained for my first 50-mile Ultramarathon (I overachieved and ran 93 miles in 31 hours).
• My resting heart rate in the morning when I wake up is between 40-44 bpm.
• A marathon is no longer a goal, it is a weekly training run.
• Average between 50-100 miles/week running.
• Got completely hooked on Trail Running.
• Gained peace and acceptance of who I am and who I aspire to be.

Obviously the transcendental activity for me this year was running. After several years of increased inactivity, I woke up one day in January and said no more! I went out to Lake Lavon that day and ran 20 miles. It was very painful, but in a very good way. From that moment on I embraced pushing myself to and beyond my perceived limits. I knew every step I took beyond those barriers was making me free!

And so it began. I used my time on the trail this past year to untie every knot in my life. Some people talk about how you get lost out on the trail and the miles pass by without you even noticing how far you have gone. For me it was different. I did not lose myself, I found myself on the trail.

Now that I have "found myself" really for the first time in my life I could not be more excited about what each new day offers me. I also know that a part of each day will be getting my feet in the dirt somewhere and keeping myself livin and lovin life to the max! Some people in my life do not seem to understand this. They think running 100 miles is extreme. It is extreme! Extemely gratifying. Extremely healthy. Extremely real. Extremely challenging. Extemely exteme!

Most people sit around on their ass and limp through life without ever becoming who they truly are or want to be. They go through their life as a spectator. This is a gift of truth that I have chosen to give myself. How about you?