Joe says:

I believe that the only way to stick with a healthy living plan is to face every day with resolve and optimism. That's why in POSITIVE MIND, HEALTHY HEART I'm sharing hundreds of quotes, tips and motivational stories. Here is one:

"My radio alarm clock, set as usual for 5:00 AM to wake me for my morning run, went off on a cold, rainy Pacific Northwest day. I needed to get up but instead continued to lie snugly in my bed, listening to the rain pelt my bedroom windows. After about 10 minutes of procrastination, I heard the radio announcer say something that got my attention. He related that the last finisher in the 1986 New York City Marathon - number 19,413 - was a man named Bob Ireland. Bob, who was 40 years old, had his legs blown off in Vietnam. He became the first person to run a marathon with his arms instead of his legs, completing the course in 4 days, 2 hours, 48 minutes and 17 seconds.

Let's back up to the time after the alarm went off and before I learned about Bob. It felt so warm and cozy under my down comforter that I was seriously thinking about skipping my morning run. Then I heard the story of Bob's amazing feat. That was enough to get me to throw off the covers. But I got sort of "stuck" on the side of the bed, and just sat there, motionless, listening to the downpour. Then I thought,I have two good legs. How can I not use them. By 5:30 I was laced up and out the door. Sometimes we need a reminder of what real perseverance is and of how many blessings we have."

1 | Jan. 8, 2010 at 12:40pm