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SimplyStu Podcast Series


Welcome to my Podcast.  I love what I do and hope you enjoy the shows!

No Shortcut Today

Sep 29, 2006

I was in the hall of local movie theater a few months back. It was the usual red carpet with the overpowering smell of buttered popcorn. As I walked toward the movie I saw an advertisement for a Adam Sandler movie called "Click." On the poster was Adam holding a remote control. This particular remote gave him superpowers that included all kinds of cool stuff with one exception. It had a button for exercise. As we stopped in front of the poster everyone made comments about this button.

"Man, that would be great to just click a button and exercise would be done."

"That's what I need."

"Life would be so great without having to bother with exercise."

I was so taken by these comments. "What is wrong with you people?" I do not get it!

This may work for some people, but this is NOT for me. I live to train. I live to run. I live to bike. I live to swim. To me it's not about the race, its about the journey. I look so forward to the day when I can get out and run in the ice, snow, and rain. I love the thought of months and months of training. Months of wet clothes from running. Months of early day workouts. The feeling when you drop into bed and fall asleep instantly. I love everything about training. What is bad about it? What is bad about treating your body like this.

I want to see the people look at me like I'm crazy running in 5 degree weather. I want to smile at someone in a car while I'm soaking wet from the rain. I want someone to see me with steam coming off my head from the speed workout in the middle of Winter. I don't do it to show off. I want people to see the joy I feel when running, biking or swimming. I will be riding a BMC next year in Ironman Wisconsin. I'm so excited about this, but the bike does you no good without putting in hours, days, and months of work in the cold basement over the Winter. I want to see the sweat stains from the hours of riding. I want to see the mud on my shoes from running in the mud and snow. This is not work - this is fun. This is as good as it gets. I get such a rush from all this. I'm not sure why. I'm not sure how long it will last. I'm not sure about much. I'm just 100% sure that right now, I'm ready to start my journey to Ironman Wisconsin. I just want to tell you that I plan to do a few things before that day and LOVE every minute of it. There is NO way that I would use the remote, I don't want to miss this opportunity.

So until that day, I have a few things planned:

1) Run about 1500 miles 


2) Bike about 5000 miles


3) Swim about 200,000 yards

No remote needed. Just give me the joy of the mud, rain, basement, pool, ice, snow, peace, quiet, hail, thunder, gravel, blood, and anything else my 7000 mile journey will bring.


Greyhound
seventeen and a half years ago

I just DO NOT understand the attitude that exercise is cod liver oil or something. Check it out people. This is PLAY!!!!!

Races can be scary or intimidating, but training alone or with friends is ALL GOOD.

Training is recess. GO PLAY!

fe-lady
seventeen and a half years ago

A man after my own heart!
Go get \'em!
Keep playing! Ain\'t life grand when you can?

Iron Pol
seventeen and a half years ago

I\'m right there with you, Stu (Appleton, WI). I get a lot of people that actually stop and ask if I need a ride when they see me running in the cold and snow. When I say, \"Nah, I\'ve only got 10 miles to go,\" they usually drive off, shaking their heads.

It amazes me that I\'ve swam further (only about 45 miles) than many people walked for exercise, this year. And next year, it will be much higher.

Keep up the energy, and I\'ll be there to capture your race just as you were there for Wil.

Cliff
seventeen and a half years ago

Stu,

u are nuts.and i am with you. I disagree about the remote control though..i will use the slow button and the reverse...reverse all the trainign i have done so i can do them again. Slow it down so i can savoir every stroke, pedal, step.

IMWisconsin is on my to do so I will see u sometime in the future.

Mandy
seventeen and a half years ago

Stu, you are soooo wickedly awesome!!!! Good luck you can do it for sure!

Flatman
seventeen and a half years ago

Your enthusiasm is so infectuous... thanks for always pushing us!

wil
seventeen and a half years ago

OMG YOU JUST ROCK THE ASTRODOME! I love this attitude! This is totally why you are Mr. Triathlon in my book, absolutely the embodiment of this freakin\' \"wickedly cool\" lifestyle!