Optimism

Do you remember Jim Fixx, the consummate runner who preached about the value of exercise in the 1970's? He wrote a gospel of a running book called "The Complete Book of Running" which popularized running to the masses. Well, he died of a heart attack at the age of 52 while doing his routine run. His death created an irony of sorts which was picked up easily by the pessimist of people: If I'm going to die anyway sometime, why bother to exercise or run?

The Jim Fixx argument, as it was called, lingered in my head for the past few weeks. But thanks to a friend of  mine who helped me bust the creeping defeatist attitude in me. He knew I was struggling to get back to running. So, a few days ago he agreed to run with me. I like his company, even when not running, because he's a bundle of energy and jolliness. Nothing seems to disparage him, even my litany of negativity. He saw beyond my rambling. He encouraged me that I could gradually start over and reminded me about achieving my running goals. It was reassuring to come from somebody who has supported me so many times - when I moved houses three times, when I needed to start a garden at my school where I teach, when my wife was on treatments until the day she died. What struck me most about my friend as we talked was his indomitably positive attitude.

Then there it dawned on me was a counter reasoning to the Jim Fixx argument. Look at the bright side of life.  Be in the moment. Stay optimistic. For all you know, it was because of his exercise and running that Jim Fixx lived a full life until the age of 52.

Praying Runner to run/walk his 27th marathon
in San Francisco, CA on July 29th

Since that day I ran with my friend, I've logged in 32 miles of running. Also, I've been tracking my diet, something which went wayward the last two months, and am trying to be in "performance" shape in time for my 27th marathon in San Francisco in two weeks. My "performance" here will be nowhere close to a personal best, but so what? There comes a time.

I will run San Francisco with an optimistic heart. Set aside the mental strategy. Because in reality, I really have little control over outcomes of events. But I know can always find something good in everything.

To my readers, I still offer this run in prayer for your special intentions. If you have any prayer requests, you can post it here or email me at prayingrunner@gmail.com. You can also post it at my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/prayingrunner. Feel free to "like" the page or share my page to help me reach more people in need of prayers. And most of all, please pray for me, too. God speed!