About two years ago, around December 2009, I decided to lose weight and regain some dignity. Two years later I've lost lots of weight, gained plenty of endurance and regained a fair amount of the strength I once had. I look better and I feel great. But what's next?
On the eve of a new year I am adopting a new purpose. It's no longer about the vain reasons that animated my long runs and rigorous diet. The new purpose is to achieve all the things I once dreamed about accomplishing in my youth but set aside, little by little, as I fell short at one thing after another.
My kids are getting older. I need to give them a real life example of how to push through pain, to overcome failure, to endure hard work, to do mundane prep work day after day and to pursue dreams. Fitness training is an excellent way to train the mind and the body.
The world is a hard place. I've actually had a very easy go of it, but everywhere I look I see others struggling and can't help but think to myself that but for the Grace of God I might be struggling like others. While I've avoided any real challenges (homelessness, illness, chronic unemployment, ailing children, etc), there is no guarantee my kids will have the same luxury. My parents struggled. My kids may too.
I want my kids to have iron wills. It's not enough to be book smart. They may not struggle for physical survival (I hope), but the physical stress and the challenge that comes for grueling physical exertion has an impact on the mind and can the benefits can translate into purely cerebral situations.
How do I help them develop iron wills when I question whether I have one myself? My solution is to challenge myself with tougher goals that require extreme dedication and grueling effort.
I don't know how to make them understand the connection between the strength of their bodies and the strength of their minds, but I know that there is connection. While I can't explain it to them with words alone, I can try to live it for them.
In 2012 I'm going to train to run the Chicago Marathon (10/7/12) and I'm going to commit to simultaneously pursuing a powerlifting regimen as well. I will bring myself down to (or under) 15% body fat by the end of 2012, and I will exceed 300 lb. lifts in each of the three powerlifting moves (bench press, dead lift and squat).
These are the challenges I will take on in 2012. I expect them to be very hard, but if, by some miracle, they are easier than anticipated, then I will revise them mid-year. And all the while I will keep my focus on relishing those moments when I'm feeling too tired or too sore too un-motivated and push myself to do more in those moments.
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