24 Comments
May 18, 2023Liked by Terrell Johnson

As a runner and triathlete and homeschooling mom of 6 kids who also each play instruments, I found that if I didn’t have a race on the calendar, my running would be sporadic. But then last May (2022), I had the epiphany to do a run streak with my kids. My regular running buddies are my 14 yo son and 17 yo daughter. They were on board. What started out as a 100 day streak turned into a 1 year (and still going) streak with no end in sight. And my 12 yo son finished his first year run streak and my 9 year old son started a streak of his own. My mileage has never been higher (our minimum mile has grown from 1 to 3) although we average about 25 miles/week. It’s kind of hilarious how seriously we take not missing a day. And the side benefits appear to be pretty great- less stress, none of us have been sick in a year and zero injuries. We just started training for a marathon this fall and our base feels pretty darn solid. 😊

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Terrell, for me one hour of walking/ running per day was pretty much non- negotiable after I eventually figured out it was my “keystone “ without which all other important things in my life would slowly but surely deteriorate.

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Years ago hearing aides were so expensive that few everyday people could afford them. My wife purchased my first “Good’ pair from a friend of hers whose mother died. They had just purchased a pair of hearing aids for $3000.00

They said she would sell them for $1000.00. She bought them along with the three yeah warranty. Like you, I could finally hear. I used to kid my wife that the old lady used to talk to me through them. “She says we should go out for dessert tonight!”

Ok it worked only once...

Tell her your on a diet and to get her own desserts...

She never talked to me again....LOL

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May 18, 2023Liked by Terrell Johnson

I'm seven years retired and use a different adage now, but during a 38-year teaching career I found that the old running saying “Too busy to run? You're too busy” helped me enormously in finding some sort of work-life balance. Great article, thank you!

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May 21, 2023Liked by Terrell Johnson

Wow, I needed this!

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Hello to a fellow hearing aids wearing human! I too am amazed at how goal-habit-leak can occur but how purposefully bringing attention to it can get me back on track. Hearing too can change without me being conscious of it happening. Paying attention and being conscious is a daily project it seems to me.

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Congrats on your daughter's graduation! Mine graduates next week too.

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I don't run. I even have trouble walking a lot of the time because of my left knee. Regardless, I find your posts very helpful with my writing. I take your outlook and place myself on the trail in my mind and I find myself rejuvenated. Thanks.

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May 18, 2023Liked by Terrell Johnson

Don't know what I would do without my birds!! Robin an towhee singing their heads off now. So glad you are able to hear again. . . same with vision. We shall see if I get courage up enough to go through an eye surgery for cataracts. . .

I'm on track with my mile/day. I have to write it down on Map my Run which seems to get pushed to the last part of the day. Told myself I'd catch up on book work and mapping by Friday. We have to go check out a house this weekend in Eugene, OR. that my daughter has her heart set on buying. Big move for her. . . she's determined to get out of the "rent trap" here in WA.

Be sure and post pics of the graduating ceremony!!:)

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May 18, 2023Liked by Terrell Johnson

Thank you for this! I’m going to repost the quote at the top, if that’s okay.

I’m glad to hear (ha ha) that you are trying out the hearing aides! That gives me motivation to get my hearing checked this summer. I need to do it! I’m scared about how deaf I might be. 😬

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I started running after a long lull this month.

I think I put off running because I didn't want to accept how out of shape I had gotten and I thought it would be discouraging to only be able to run 1/2 a mile or a mile at a time. I was just dreading getting started again and resented that I wouldn't be able to do "real runs".

But then my experience did not line up with my expectations at all. The weather has been so great and there are lots of flowers and animals at my running spot and it's been an absolute joy to run 1.5 miles out and then walk the 1.5 miles back as I gear back up. I also decided to take a break from snack food, caffeine, and beer in tandem with starting to run, and I'm really astounded by how little I miss all of it.

I was expecting all this to be hard, and instead it's been easy and calming and clarifying?

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