Foundations

Oh, yeah ... a whole bag of Dubble
Bubble. Within my 5-year-old reach.
Excellent!

So, there we were, driving (not running ... it's Rest Day after all) along this morning when Aaron and I were just shooting the breeze. For whatever reason, I was telling him the story about how, when I was about 5 years old, I decided I needed to see if 10 pieces of bubble gum could fit in my mouth. The household rule was 1 piece at a time, but my mom wasn't there in the kitchen with me, and the gum was accessible right there in the "junk" drawer. I had just crammed piece number 8 in my mouth when I heard my mom coming. Not to be deterred, I furiously worked on pieces 9 and 10 and just got them in my mouth when my mom rounded the corner. She took one look at me before asking, "How many pieces of gum are in your mouth?" To which I replied, "Owowwnne."

It really wasn't about being sneaky nor defiant. I just really wanted to find out if they would fit! And, how else would I find out without giving it a whirl?!

Aaron listened to the story and said, "That's called focus on the goal." I said, "Yeah. Started young, huh?"

You know, it was through thinking back on different undertakings in my life and figuring out why I was or was not successful in them that helped me set my current running path. For real. The story of the gum has more to do with my own stubborn focus than actually setting a goal and going through the steps to achieve it. But, that kind of early focus carried through my life, and, when starting running at 39, I truly had to think back and understand my own personal keys to success and then play them up as much as possible. By my own measure, I think it's been working, so I urge you to steal the process and make it work for whatever challenges you!

This was a fun story for us to poke at early this afternoon after some Rest Day trail walking and rock throwing -- Excellent ways to take a break from the beaten path! Rest resumes tomorrow! See you then!

A perfect skipping rock to be sure. (And, you thought these
hands only grabbed hold of coins ...)