Thursday, March 8, 2012

Pizza and Hills?

A day without writing?....For those of you who know us Spanglers that is definitely the quietest you’ve ever heard any of us J  In our household of girls (when we all lived there), it doesn’t matter who is talking, whichever one wants to truly be heard will only talk louder and don’t think for a second the one prior to that one talking ever quits talking.  Therefore, maybe that’s why dad never had trouble telling stories to others, because he hardly ever got a word in at home. 

I’ve had a few shorter running days just due to timing issues and darkness sneaking in of about 3-4 miles each night.  Running up (ok so I walk a tiny bit SOMETIMES) J and down our hill we live on reminds me of our “mountain” (We can't remember if we called it Big Bertha...The Monster?) dad had included in the first Cross Country course we hosted at Ritchie County.  Well this “hill” he included in our first course was a bit of a challenge to say the least.  If he was aiming to beat the hill on Elkins course he was definitely giving them a run for their money.  (I will try to find a picture sometime of that hill to share with you)
To succeed upon running this hill some sort of motivation had to be brought into play.  Dad is famous for his “motivational” stories (also famous for hearing them more than once, twice, 3 times..well, you get the idea) Right dad?  Somehow he can relate just about anything to some event in his past rather it be in sports, coal camp, cost of items, college, winning, losing, and more.  
     I found myself though night before last when I was slowly but surely creeping up the hill to get back to our house. (The view from the top of a hill to live on is priceless and I love it, but having to climb it after every run is another story)  The mental impact of thinking walking is taking it easy and I’m failing if I don’t run up the hill to get back home however is just painful some days J  The story that crossed my mind with dad at this point in time just made me start laughing out loud literally (hope my neighbors weren’t watching closely).  Sometimes when the tops of my legs start to hurt and I think it really wouldn’t be a big deal to walk one of dad’s stories always starts to play in my head and I start to slightly feel guilty (which I think is actually what his intentions were all along with those).  
This story however comes from dad’s motivational speech’s impact on someone else, but ever so relevant.  I was at Robert Morris University and received a phone call from my “Best Friend Since Kindergarten” Jordan Taylor (We’ve called each other that, well…since kindergarten because I believe since our parents were always doing school events together we were always stuck hanging around each other) As another point, after I publish this I better let him know I was talking about him, so please don’t get to him before I do. J 
So….this call comes from him at Virginia Tech.  He goes into saying I just had to tell you….  “I was starving…I feel like I’ve never been this hungry before….so I ordered a large pizza just for myself.”  (I can only imagine what in the world he’s talking about at this point)  He then proceeds to go on with the overall concept being….  He was tearing through the pizza eating it and got stuffed with one slice left in the pizza box “staring at him”.  He realizes he’s never eaten a WHOLE large pizza by himself.  That’s when it hit him.  Dad’s motivational impact…the days of running and the start of a race and never knowing when you may have an opportunity to do what you can do today because it was a “good day” feeling of running.  You may never be where you are again today to take advantage of an opportunity.  So what do you think Jordan did?....  He ate that piece of pizza no matter how much he thought he couldn’t.  He never knew when he would ever have come this far again with just once piece left in that large pizza and be able to accomplish this task again. 
     So maybe that wasn’t EXACTLY what dad always meant with those motivational speeches and opportunities but motivation has to start somewhere right?  Given it being pizza or a little push at the end of the race when you just think you can’t do anything more.  One more step further today will help you accomplish one more step further tomorrow.  That is why I’m looking forward to today’s beautiful weather (hopeful it stays) and taking advantage of a longer run day and eating a whole pizza by myself….well maybe just running up the hill when I get home so I can then sit on the deck and appreciate the view J  

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