This post will not be directly related to training.

It won’t be directly related to travelling, food, nutrition, children, work, play.

It will be indirectly related to all of those things.

I’m already behind, I know.  Sometimes great ideas occur in a timely manner, and sometimes they don’t.  This one was a little slow on the uptick, but I think I can make it work.  Ready?  Open your mind…

This year is my 50th birthday year.  The Ironman was a big part of my celebrating that milestone day; a family cruise in December is another I have planned.  Today during my 75-minute run, it occured to me that I should have been celebrating this entire year.  I am so humbly grateful to be reaching 50 years old.  I’m so grateful to be healthy and loved, and to love.  Every morning when I open my eyes, I think:  “I get to be here one more day!”  In the spirit of celebrating that joy and gratitude, I intend to do 50 new things this year as I turn 50.  One of my life mottos is “When is the last time you did something for the first time?”

Here are the parameters:

50 New Things to Do the Year I Turn 50

A.  It has to be something I haven’t done before.

B.  If you suggest it, and it goes on my list, count on me asking you to do it with me.  Count on doing it with me.

C.  Because I have gotten started late, my goal is to finish the list by Dec. 31, 2010, but I can push all the way into May 18, 2011, the beginning of the 365 days of celebration (my actual birthday is November 18, squarely in the middle of the 365 days)

D.  I will blog about each event.

E.  The events can run the spectrum; so far I’ve already got fire-hooping (guess who’s doing that with me?), eating ostrich meat, skydiving, hiking Mt. LeConte (I know, how did I miss that?), attempting an Ironman (check), completing an Ironman, watching Dr. Zhivago (missed that too).

I’ll try to post all the ideas I’ll get from friends and family, then assemble the list of 50.  May 18 is the start date, but I can count any of them that I’ve already done since Jan 1 of this year.

So, watcha got????  Remember, Dora, suggesting streaking through Publix, while a cute dare, will mean you doing it with me if it goes on the list, and lots of ruthless, relentless calling-out if you refuse, so consider your suggestion wisely.

In the spirit of gratitude to be on this big blue marble, as I reach 50 I am profoundly grateful for every one of my friends and family, more grateful than I can begin to express.  In evolutionary terms, my purpose on earth has been served, since I have reproduced myself and given my genes the opportunity to live on.  Those terms just serve to make me that much more awed at this bonus time I get.  I know how very lucky I am, and it is in that spirit that I ask for your help with my birthday celebration!

Thanks for reading, and this time, thanks too for writing!

Thank you!