I recently read Eat and Run by Scott Jurek. Need I say more? Fine. My curiosity with ultramarathons started when I read Born to Run for book club but I think what put it over the top was Eat and Run. As an athlete, running was always used as a form of punishment, which I guess in a twisted round about way it is. However, until reading these two books running was something I was never anxious or excited to do (excluding my childhood). Now all I want to do is to run and test my own limits, thanks Scott.

Besides the point, it put a series of questions in my head. What do you want to do? What are your limits? What would you like to achieve? Why should I eat healthy? Why should I run? Simply put, Why?

I might not have the answers now and I may never but these books taught me a few things:
1.  Test your limits.
2. Live a heathy lifestyle.
3. Suck it up.
4. Sometimes you just do things.

While I don't personally think I will run an ultramarathon these books made me realize you need to dream BIG. With dedication, commitment, practice, tough mentality, and a lot little-bit of crazy you can pretty much do anything you want to do and even end up surprising yourself.

Every year when I was younger my family would attend The Boar's Head & Yule Log Festival. It is an ancient celebration of the meaning of Christmas in music, drama and dance. Once we got older and my brothers left for college the tradition fell by the wayside. But, this year my brother Ryan asked if I would like to go. After I wondered why I had not come back on my own or with friends. I forgot how much I really loved this tradition and how it made me feel like it was always going to be a good year.



On a side note: I now live in the same city as two of my brothers (Ryan and Carey) and yet it is impossible for us to get together because of our busy schedules. When an opportunity presents itself I always make an effort to go and spend some time with them. After all nothing beats spending time with family especially one like mine where we all think alike and sarcasm and humor are required. When my brother Carey sent me a text to meet up at a bar I went. We had a few beers while listening to some live music and caught up on each others lives. I love how I got to see two of my brothers in one weekend just not together. That's just how it works sometimes.