Well, we’re less than 4 weeks out from the Fargo Marathon and our Fargo Fitness Challenge on Facebook has been a great success. While we hit 70 fans and at least 32 confirmed runners, I have a feeling that it’s impact is going to be much larger than that.

Let’s just take a look at my immediate family for an example. The Selvig clan has slowly grown into a running family. My father was a runner before the boom and as a result, is a little broken down. His running has been limited (by physicians, not him) but has sought the help of a trainer and will running the 5K. While it took a little work on my dad, my mom was “gung ho” from the beginning. She’s always been in shape and a dare anybody to stick with her exercise schedule. My sister and brother-in-law will be running the 5K and 1/2 marathon with me and I talked my cousin and his wife to join the family reunion run. Now, to top it off…my 85 year old grandmother wants to walk the 5K. 85!!!

Side note: there will be over 20 people staying at my parents place that weekend!!!

For those of you that lost count, thats 8 fair-skinned Norwegians that will be hitting the streets of Fargo, ND – all in the name of fitness and health. It didn’t take a whole lot of encouragement. It was more infectious than anything. People get excited if your truly excited and motivated to do something.

Sometimes we keep to ourselves because we don’t want to drown a conversation with our running stories. I challenge you to dangle the bait the next time your in a group of nonrunners and see who takes the bait. You never know whose life you could change by introducing them to running.

RMFR

As much as I like the running quotes, they’re messin’ up the site. This mornings quote will be the last.

“You must always realize one thing. In every little village in the world there are great potential champions who only need motivation, development and good exercise evaluation.”
– Arthur Lydiard

All it takes is the right opportunity or the right push.

“I love running cross-country, especially where I live in Northern California….You come up a hill and see two deer going, ‘What the hell is he doing?’ On a track, I feel like a hamster.”
– Robin Williams, film star/comic

Believe it or not, I had to long eared cottontails say the same thing to me 3 weeks ago.

“I was too embarrassed to be another fat guy in new running shoes and sweats, so we’d go out at night with a flashlight…I found out that runners weren’t judgmental.”
– George “Norm” Wendt, actor

Our second “Cheers” quote. Not quite the first show that comes to mind for running quotes!!!

It’s 10:00 p.m. There isn’t hatred in my stare, it’s more like annoyance. It isn’t doing anything, my “big blue ball” just sits there…staring right back at me. It’s going to win since it doesn’t have eyes and I blink first. Time to work on my core.

I don’t hate much in life but working my core…I HATE!!! I’ve never like sit ups. OK, I hate doing sit ups. Just the mere thought of them will make me consult my “honeydo” list for something BETTER to do. I’m stuck between two rocks and a soft place. The faster my running has gotten, the more I realize that I need my core now more than ever.

So I consulted my friend Heidi for some help. I’d seen people working out with their “blue balls” but had no idea how or what to do with them (yes, the connotations are intentional – just for you Heids). Her reply was easy. Do crunches in all four directions and stretch your back. No problem.

First of all, I must have no balance because getting my fat arse on that ball and to stay in one place is a workout itself – never mind having to eventually workout on it. I quickly realized that this balancing act is what makes using the “blue ball” much more effective. My normal 25-50 crunch rep was immediately cut down to 15 the first week. After 3 sets, I could barely move. Working on the love handles is the biggest spectacle of the whole routine. It took nearly 2 minutes just to find a spot where I wasn’t going to end up on the floor but again, the workout was intense. The picture of a grown man rolling around on a ball even makes me laugh but my disdain for all things abs is lessening.

While a core workout still ranks behind doing the dishes and pulling weeds, I think with a little determination and consistency, I might get it above matching socks and making the bed.

RMFR

“Running helps me stay on an even keel and in an optimistic frame of mind.”
– Bill Clinton, former President of the United States

…and if you plan your route juuuust right, you’ll be within a sprint of at least 3 McDonald’s!!!

“You can listen to the stream run. You can listen to the birds. Music is my life, but running allows me to appreciate the music of the outdoors.”
– Gail Williams, hornplayer

Another reason to leave the iPod at home. Zone into nature. You’ll be surprised at what it has to say.

San Jose, California it is not…but let’s not write off “Sin City” just quite yet.

Bert Sperling of Sperling’s BestPlaces culled data on 50 U.S. cities from both public and private sources and tested each city against 50 select measures in five major categories: physical activity, health status, nutrition, lifestyle pursuits, and mental wellness. Here’s the MSN link.

In this study, Las Vegas is ranked #42 and I think the city gets a bad rap. Yes it is true that we have 24-hour gambling, drinking and general debauchery (enjoyed mostly by out-of-state visitors). We also have 24-hour gyms, suitable weather and loads of Californian transplants – bringing their active lifestyles and healthy regimens with them.

With a Convention Authority that likes to taut and promote an “unhealthy” lifestyle, it’s no wonder most health analyses of Las Vegas would be negative. If I have to see another “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” commercial, I may decide to throw my running shoe at the television (but I digress). If you lived here and saw the amount of people out running and biking on a Saturday morning, you would definitely draw a different picture in your head at the mention of Las Vegas.

While runners are outnumbered 20-1 by cyclists, I couldn’t believe the amount of runners I saw Saturday morning. While the number of us crazy runners at 6:00 a.m. haven’t increased (love the number of hard core faces on my long runs), the shear number of people out running in the mornings is inspiring. From mothers and their daughters to groups of men running/walking on the sidewalk has me believing that it’s a turn for the better. What once was a playground for gamblers at the table is slowly progressing into a playground for the healthy at heart.

With the growing number of running clubs and events (Rock-n-Roll Las Vegas had nearly 23,000 participants), I’m hoping this trend keeps picking up speed and we’ll see Las Vegas move up this top 50 list in years to come.

RMFR

“It’s elevating and humbling at the same time. Running along a beach at sunrise with no other footprints in the sand, you realize the vastness of creation, your own insignificant space in the plan, how tiny you really are, your own creatureliness and how much you owe to the supreme body, the God that brought all this beauty and harmony into being.”
– Sister Marion Irvine, 2:51 PR and 1984 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier

This quote is so cool on soooo many levels. 1) A Sister, a Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier. 2) I’ve had this same feeling many times running, especially on my prayer runs. 3) Every time I’m on a trial, I feel like I’m the only person on earth that’s ever set foot on that piece of earth.