Can you still hear the bell ring?

Happy Holidays! Happy Holidays! Happy Holidays! Sorry, I almost got caught up in a Christmas Carol! :)

In the movie the Polar Express, the people who believe in Christmas; the true meaning of Christmas, can still hear the reindeer bell that appears several times throughout the movie. Now you may not believe in flying reindeer or Santa coming down your chimney, but if you open your heart to the true meaning of Christmas, you will be fortunate to hear and see all the wonderful things that Christmas has to offer. The kindness, joy, love, consideration, compassion and worship that all is part of this wonderful season. Sometimes we all slip into a little Scrooge mode when something doesn't go quite our way. This Christmas I promise you if you open your heart to peace, love, honesty and kindness, you will find more enjoyment out of this holiday then you ever could have imagined. Open your heart to goodness!

Today was my day off from running but I did hit the weight room and worked on building that core. :) My brother Kyle who I run with a lot is coming in for the holidays. We usually get a run or two in while he is home. I can't let the little bro show me up! :) Three more weeks til the Disney Marathon. Sometimes the winter months can make it hard to train. It feels better to snuggle in a warm blanket with a bowl of popcorn and a good movie. Trust me, there is always time for that after you spend an hour or so a day doing your training. Here's a quote by an Olympian Emil Zatopek, "If one can stick to the training throughout the many long years, then willpower is no longer a problem. It's raining? That doesn't matter. I am tired? That's besides the point. It's simply that I just have to." Discipline is what builds champions. We don't have to all be Olympians, but if we want to reach our goals or achieve something great, we must do things; yes, even when we don't want to or it's not convenient.

Enjoy the holiday and especially the time with family and friends. No price tag can replace family and friends. I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and I hope that reindeer bell rings for you!!!

Run in the sun, the snow, the rain or even on the treadmill! :) Just run!
KB

And when they placed it on his head, he begain to dance around!!!

Hello Everyone!

What if you had a magic hat like Frosty the Snowman? One wish, what would it be? It will soon be time to open presents from your friends and love ones. I hope everyone gets what they have been wishing for!!! What a wonderful time of year. The joy for me is watching little kids get SOOOO excited when they are opening presents. The shrieks, screams, squeals and yells that come out of those little bodies are simply amazing! Let's face it, most of us adults have everything we want and if we need something we go out and buy it throughout the year. It is certainly the thought that counts when your exchanging gifts amongst adults. The time, thought and just the gesture of giving to someone you care about. Alan Jackson sings a song and in it is some very beautiful words in a tribute to 9/11 when our country was attacked. If we all can remember this everyday; "Faith, hope and love are some good things he gave us, and the greatest is Love..." Yes Love. It is stronger, more powerful and more valuable than anything we could ever get or give in our life. Treasure it!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvj6zdWLUuk

I ran 6 miles today and pumped some iron.. Tomorrow I run 9 miles. I am now 3 weeks away from the Walt Disney Marathon and starting to get excited about it already! This race will be fun because of where it is and the people and the crowd will all be in smiles with the atmosphere of Walt Disney and the characters. I want to be in great shape for this race so I can enjoy the full experience while I am there!

My daughter Katie had a basketball game this morning. She is a force! No matter who has the ball on the other team, Katie will take it away from them. Guess the time I spent in the basement with her beating her up really payed off! :) I am very proud of her. She is not the best dribbler or shooter, but her defense is second to none. As Vince Lombardi once said, "If you score you may win, but if your opponent never scores, you will not lose. Defense wins championships!"

I hope your Christmas week is filled with lots of smiles, laughter, love and some good homemade cookies with pecans!!!

Keep running, keep smiling!
KB

You are very Special!!!

Season's Greetings and Yuletide Joy!

Have you ever heard the saying, "you may be one person to the world, but you never know when you might end up being "The World To One Person!" I guess it inevitably goes back to the golden rule; do unto others as you would have them do unto you! So many times in our life we come in contact with people. Some of these moments are brief and some are for an extended period of time. We never know how we will touch that individual. If we start everyday out and every situation out by doing the right thing, we will hopefully leave a very positive and memorable interaction behind. I guess I learned this many years ago in the world of sales. I called on many people in a day and thought it was no big deal. Then I started to realize when I would get orders or phone calls back from people what a difference I could really make. You see; some of these people I would meet with may only be visiting with me that day. Even if I was out seeing 20 people that day, that one person I met with at 8:00 in the morning was as significant as the one that I met with at 4:30pm. Message: Make every interaction with someone you meet a positive one. We all want the same thing: success, peace, happiness, customer service and love. Now we don't always give these things, but rest assured that is what we all want at the end of the day.

Yesterday I ran 9 miles and will run 3 tomorrow! Today is my day off! Yippee!!! I am going to try and be very disciplined in my training before the Walt Disney Marathon. I can't afford to be out of shape to run a half marathon and a full marathon back to back. My goal is going to be to run faster, be smarter, choose more carefully, trust and be trusted and love lots in 2010!

Remember as you are doing your Christmas shopping; the greatest gift of all is peace, hope, love and joy!!!

Off and running!!!
KB

We all have our own very special song!

Hello Everyone,

Just got back from Vegas and I am happy to report I successfully finished my 15 marathon and my 14th state marathon!!! The Vegas crowd was incredible. There were over 27,000 runners who participated in this year's inaugural Rock n' Roll Marathon and everything lived up to my expectations. Cher started the race off with the National Anthem and away we went down the Vegas Strip. The awesome part about marathon running is there are cities in which you will run down streets which the average person will never ever have the opportunity to run. Never have they closed off the Vegas Strip until this event. The participants made it entertaining as well. Many people dressed in Elvis costumes and even one couple got married right before the run on the Vegas Strip.

The weather was a bit chilly starting out. Somewhere in the low to mid 30's. I was prepared for the weather with my "throw away" sweatshirt and sweats, so it did not prove to be a problem. When I saw one man running in a speedo with nothing else on, I all of a sudden felt much warmer. :) The bands along the run made for some great entertainment and the crowd of people cheering helped keep me motivated. Anytime you have over 20,000 runners, you are motivated just by the people running beside you. My brother Kyle and I ran about half of the race together and then his pace was too fast for me to continue running with him. About mile 22 I passed Kyle and was able to cross the finish line before he could catch me again! :) Something about beating your younger, more athletic brother that just sits well with you for the rest of the day!

I have many songs that I have loaded on my iPod. Every song that comes on I try to relate it to my life and in some way try to let it motivate me or inspire me to run harder and continue on. I have been looking for that perfect song to some up the past year, 2 years or even the past 43 years of my life. I now have come to the realization that that song isn't out there. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of awesome songs that I can relate to and many that motivate me; but no song is "just right" for me. I say this because like each one of our lives, every single one of us have a different story, a different path we have taken. We are not born winners or losers. We are all born "Choosers!". It's the choices we make that determine how we live our life. We sometimes learn by other people, we sometimes learn by things we see or read and fortunately or unfortunately we sometimes learn by our own life experiences. Each of our lives are as unique as our own DNA or our own fingerprint. We all have our own unique special song that tells our past, current and future life story. It is up to us to make it the best song we can!!!!

I look very forward to running the Walt Disney Marathon in January. The Goofy challenge will be something that will be an athletic, endurance test for me. I will run a half marathon on Saturday followed up by a full marathon on Sunday. I will get it done!!! I am learning very quickly to respect one of the quotes that I use often; "Hard training, easy combat; easy training, hard combat." I meet many people along my marathon travels. People who do Ultra Marathons of 100 to 150 miles in one day. People who have done several complete Ironman Events. It is simply amazing what we can train the body to do. How do you want to live your life. How do you want your body to be conditioned; and also, how much time can you dedicate to training? Some how we fit in and make the sacrifices to do what is important to us. Anthony Robbins always says that we will change our behavior for two reasons. Pain or Pleasure. Which ever of these because stronger in a certain scenario, we will make the change for that reason. If something becomes so unbearable we can't stand it any longer, we will make a change to do something different. If you stick your finger close to a fire, you pull it away very quickly. This also relates to addiction unfortunately. If something is giving us so much pleasure, we sometime find ourselves not able to let go because it in our minds is giving us happiness. Sometimes we continue to do things that are not healthy choices becomes we deem them as giving us pleasure. This is where being strong, disciplined and making the right choices comes in to play. No, sometimes its not easy and we make mistakes. It's okay to fall down, we just need to know how to get back up, shake off the dust and move on in the right direction.

Get the very most out of each and every day. It is the compilation of all these days put together that will make up your wonderful life!

I pray that each and everyone of you create that wonderful special song called your LIFE! It's important to make it as good as it can sound so when we play it back at the end of our time it will make us smile and also motivate and inspire the people left behind.

Run, run as fast, far and as frequent as you can!

Come run with me,

KB

Let's get Lucky in Vegas!!!

Hello Sports fan's,

How's everyone doing? I successfully completed the Oklahoma Marathon a week and a half ago and it certainly was eventful!!! On my way to Tulsa I was rear-ended by a semi. Yes, an 18 wheeler. I am very happy that I am typing this message because many people that have a run in(no pun intended):) with a semi; don't make it out safely to talk about it. Good news is, I am okay. Bad news is; my car looks like someone stepped on a aluminum can! I did finally make it to Tulsa, a little sore, but was able to run the marathon the next day. I met a lady who had been struck by lightning 3 months before while training in Colorado and this was her 2nd marathon since the incident. She still has tingling in her body and her legs were partially numb, but she continues to run. I also met a man who was running his 428th marathon. WOW!!! Isn't it amazing how so very quickly my little accident seems like such a minor thing and there is so much encouragement out there without having to look very far.

This weekend I travel to Vegas! Love that city! Lot's of things to do! Only bad story I ever heard that came out of Vegas is I once new a woman who got trapped at the pool at the Bellagio under a roof for 6 hours while it was raining and storming...I'm sure that will never happen again!!!

I am looking forward to running the Vegas Marathon. This is their inaugural Rock and Roll Marathon so it should be a blow-out! This will also be my last marathon of the year. This will be my 15th marathon and my 14th state. I have been very fortunate this year to have run 7 marathons, counting this weekend, without injury. I thank God for his blessings he has bestowed upon me. I also thank my family who has given me the support and encouragement and patience throughout this year. It truly makes a world of difference when you have such incredible support at home.

The holidays are upon us and I am blessed to have children to share them with. My son, Trent, asked the other day how well Mom and Dad actually new Santa Claus? The response, "We know him better than you think." "We do have his phone number on the rare occasion we need to talk to him." :) I hope your holidays are blessed with love and laughter!!!

Maybe, just maybe, I can pull off a PR in Vegas! That would be a nice way to end the year. I look forward to reporting back...

Come run with me...

KB

Get your kicks...off of Route 66!

Hello peeps, what up?

Seems like life gets crazier and crazier everyday. This Sunday I will run the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, OK. I love the fall weather and by the look of the forecast the temperature should be perfect. Somewhere between 45 and 65 degrees. AHHH....now that's good marathon weather.

Unfortunately life and death happens....My cousin Blaze passed away on Monday. At the age of 47 he was found in his home by himself deceased. I grew up with him and he was always quick with a joke and could make you smile. He also is part of the reason I like to hunt. He was one of the few people who introduced this exceptional sport to me when I was very young. No one knows why the good Lord calls us when he does; but I am certain God has an exceptional plan for Blaze and also for those of us who have been left behind to learn from Blaze's life here on earth. We will miss you Blaze!

This Saturday after the funeral I will get in my car and drive 6 hours to Tulsa. Some think I'm nuts, some think I'm crazy. Running marathons is just what I do. Running keeps me sane and provides a positive outlet for me to make everyday a better day. I thank God that I am blessed that I can run!!! Things in life seem to change so much everyday. People you meet, work that needs to be done, activities that you attend, hurdles and obstacles that arise in ever day life. My running is one thing that remains constant. Some days it is very hard to get my run in. I struggle with it but when I am finished with my run at the end of the day it seems as though God has given me just a little more peace to take into the next day.

After Tulsa I have one more marathon this year in Vegas. My brother Kyle will join me there but I will be flying solo in Oklahoma. Maybe we will hit a big jackpot in Vegas and can all retire! :) It's good to dream!!!

Don't be afraid to take risk. Don't be afraid to fall. One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the ability to dream! Listen to your heart...

Run til it's done! Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for those sparkly ones!

Catch me if you can!

KB

Things that cost you nothing, you can never replace!

Happy Halloween all you ghost, goblins and can't forget the wicked witch of the West!

It is a beautiful day here in St. Louis. About 55 degrees and sunny. It should be a great night for trick or treating! I put 6 miles in this morning and have 15 on the schedule for tomorrow. I am gearing up for the Oklahoma Marathon here in a few short weeks. I love this time of year to run. Fall is definitely my favorite time of year. The temperature is perfect for running and I love to run with the leaves changing and also hearing them crunch under my feet!

Remember your hopes, dreams, love, family and friends. All these priceless possessions that mean so much to us. Treasure them, love them and hold on to them as long as you can. Don't take them for granted for one second. We are often distracted from these important things in our life but if we focus on them they will show us the way and bring us back to what's most important. A good friend of our family died this past week. His name was Denny. He was a very nice man, loving and always had a joke and a smile to share. I only saw him once every couple years but always enjoyed his company. When my Mom called and told me he had died it was very shocking. He had been battling cancer for several years. Some people you really enjoy you think they will always be there. That you will get to see them or visit them whenever you want. This really made me realize once again how short life really is and that we only get one chance to do it right and enjoy it for all it's worth. Be as happy as you can be and enjoy every second with the ones you love!

Tonight my son will be a hobo and my daughter a clown. I am looking forward to this Halloween because I am afraid there wont be to many more when both my son and daughter will want to dress up anymore for Halloween. Katie who is 11 is already spending most of the evening at a Halloween party with all of her girlfriends. Trent who is 9 is all about the candy and running with his buddy's as fast as he can from one house to the next to fill up their bag of candy. Daddy will score some Snickers bars from the kiddos. That's just one of the perks of being a Daddy!

I better get ready to scare the daylights out of some kids tonight. Not sure if I will where a costume or not. Never to old really to dress up. :) Carbing up for tomorrow's run. Can't stop running because that's just what I do. Have a goal of these crazy 50 states and I am not giving up until a doctor tells me I have to stop! Running makes me smile! :)

Love all you can. Be honest, be true and never give up on your dreams!

Catch me if you can,

KB

Share your talents and treasure your gifts!

Hello Guys and Gals,

I got 5 miles in yesterday and had my 10 mile run finished by 8:00am this morning. Even after 13 marathons I am still experimenting with my blood sugar. I have noticed the faster I run the more it accelerates my insulin in my body. Guess I will have to run slower or start eating more food before my run. :) That's what we call a win-win! :) !!!!

Yesterday was a busy Saturday. 1658 Saturdays left if I live until I am 75! :) Enjoy every one of them to the fullest! We went to Ulysses S. Grant Memorial for a Cub Scout outing that turned out to be very nice. We got to explore his old home and found out a lot of interesting facts about a very decorated war hero; not to mention our 18th President. If you ever get the chance to explore this memorial it is well worth the visit. Even an old guy like me can learn something new. We went from the Cub Scout outing to Ted Drewes(Missouri's most famous custard). I couldn't have picked a better spot myself. Even though I am a diabetic, I do let myself have a little ice cream now and then. Now you know the real reason I run!!! After Ted Drewes it was off to the pumkin patch to explore the corn maze, eat kettle corn, play on the playground equipment and of course pick out the larges pumpkin I have ever bought! After the pumpkin outing it was starting to get dark. We went by Jefferson Barracks Cemetery and saw over 30 deer roaming around in the park. The deer have become so tame that they almost walk right up to the car. I did notice someone throwing food out their window. The deer have a pretty good gig going there. It does make for some free entertainment for the kiddos!

Now when I say share your talent some people automatically think talent as in Lebron James or Tiger Woods. Doesn't have to be that at all. Reading to the elderly, talking to children about positive experiences you have had or even helping a neighbor to the store who needs a ride. We all have talents and gifts to share. Life is amazing that way. You can't give without getting so much in return. I myself need to practice that more often! It makes you feel so good I am not sure why we all don't do it more often. One of those things we need to schedule every week to do a good deed!

Keep running, keep laughing, keep giving and keep loving!!!

Catch me if you can,

KB

Rise like a phoenix!!!

I rose from the ashes!!! Hey folks! I'm back!! Sorry I been away for awhile... I took a little sabbatical but I am back and still on my mission to complete these 50 marathons in 50 states. I have successfully completed Chicago and will participate in Oklahoma in November and then off to Vegas baby in December!!!

I am loving the fall weather and it makes me really want to get out there and run. The weather has been gorgeous here in St. Louis. I bought some new sneaks and some new socks today and I am fired up and ready to finish out the year with a bang!

I have been practicing an attitude of gratitude. Whenever I am feeling down, I stop myself and immediately reflect on 5 things that I am grateful for. You see, if we realize all the wonderful things in our life and focus on what we have, we are not always trying to find things everyday that we don't have or that we wish we had. It is okay to set goals and to dream, just don't forget how blessed we are with the things already right in front of us.

"How high can you fly?", said the baby eagle to the master grandfather eagle? "As high as you want", said the master grandfather eagle. No one on this earth knows what we are capable of or how far we can stretch ourselves other than ourselves and God. Be all you desire. Don't let anyone dictate how high you can fly or how far you can run!!! You are the only one that can set limitations. Dare to dream, dare to push yourself to be above average.

Just another note; when you do something, make sure you start out doing it right. If you start off on the wrong foot, it will inevitably end up wrong. Take for example. If you cheat on a test in school; you will probably get caught, get a zero on your paper and fail the class. Nothing good can come out of starting out wrong. On the other hand, if you study hard for a while, take the test and feel good about it, get an A, you will pass the class with flying colors!!! I have come to know through much trial and error that it is always best to start out right. If you can't, then don't start!!!

I look forward to sharing many stories along my journey. I hope you will tune in from time to time to follow me on my adventure. It has been one heck of an adventure so far. I have learned many things already and I haven't even really got started. :)

Thank God for the blessings in your life. Don't be afraid to step out there and want more than other people want. Be true to yourself and be true to others!

Catch me if you can!

KB

Love outrageously and live contageously

Hello guys and gals,

I am back from Nebraska and have chalked up another marathon to add to the list. My back gave me some problems so I didn't break any records but I crossed the finish line successfully!
Each race I do I think that maybe it will get easier. Well, I am here to tell you that each race is a whole new race. There is so many things that can happen to your body when you are out there for 5 hours.

The weather was awesome. 55 degrees at the start and about 80 at the finish. Omaha is a very little hidden secret to those who have never been there. My brother and I ate at an outside cafe called Vivace' Saturday night and it was very enjoyable. The pasta was exceptional and there were many people strolling the cobblestone streets that made "people watching" extraordinaire'. I would have no problem going back for a weekend trip to Omaha. Great Nebraska football and plenty of friendly people and good food. Myle Cyrus will be there for a concert in a couple weeks. Better not let my little girl get a hold of those details! :)

I do motivational speaking right? Right! But I will tell you when I finish the race I was very discouraged. My back was hurting a lot and the heat had taken its toll on me tremendously. I thought to myself. Maybe I wont run anymore. Maybe this is my last marathon. Then as I sat there a man and woman came over and sat down by me. The women was 72 and had just finished the race. The dry heat had taken a toll on her as well. As I started complaining to my new friend, the man told me that he had a disk replaced in his back and still ran 25 more marathons! He said he also has had his hip replaced and still manages to do 10k races. His wife who is 72 had run 39 marathons and only started in her mid 50's. Okay, okay, okay....My problems were now minimized to absolutely nothing. I have to deal with some back pain. So get over it Kurt and stop being a wimp! On to Chicago in two weeks for another! No more whining for me!

Every marathon teaches me something. Usually something about myself. I like to meet new people and I enjoy hearing their stories how they got into running and what inspires them to keep running more marathons. It is the way that it makes you feel!!! As difficult it is to push your body to go 26.2 miles, when it is all over you have an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and feeling of achievement. Every marathon I am humbled by the people around me. I meet some fantastic, goal-orientated people, but most of all they are very kind and willing to give a helping hand. We all share a common interest and know what each other goes through to get to, and finish a marathon. It is that kindred spirit that bonds us together almost instantaneously. I want to say thank you to the man and woman who sat down beside me at the race. They gave me more inspiration than 100 books I could have read on that very same day!

Givin' it all you got. Whether its running, swimming, dancing, being a good friend...Give it all you got! I am down to 1661 Saturdays. Yes, I threw my 1662nd marble away Saturday night. Time is going by and it is going by quicker than we think. I want to be able to climb mountains when I am 70 and run marathons when I am 70 also. Realistically, Mr. Time might have something to do with that. Go after your dreams today!!! Keep focused on what's important and don't let the doubters and disbelievers stand in your way. Here's a song I would like to share with you. Now all you who don't like country music please bare with me. It's the words of this song that are most important and not the beat or the tone...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkJA1rL_Ga8 In this song by Tracy Adkins, "All I ask for anymore" really says it all as we get older and define what's the most important things in our lives. Cherish your family, that's what counts!

I look forward to running with all the 40,000 runners in Chicago. Prepare for anything. It could be 40 degrees or it could be 80 degrees!

Smile everyday the Lord gives you to smile!

Come run with me,

KB

Be friends to your friends!

Hello Sports fans!

Six days away from the Omaha Marathon. I am getting excited and nervous all at the same time. I have my fingers crossed that my back will perform like a champion. I am looking at this race as just a warm up to the Chicago Marathon that will follow in just 3 short weeks. I have found that I am starting to enjoy my running more and all of my training when I know I have a race right around the corner. I just found out at church Sunday by talking to some friends afterwards that two men from my church will be going to the Vegas Marathon I have scheduled in December. Additionally, another guy I know whose son is on my son, Trent’s soccer team, will be running the Chicago Marathon. Just makes me what to break out in, “It’s a small world after all.” I have met some wonderful people along the road all because of running. Running a marathon is sometimes like a journey through life. I meet some great people along the way who I may never ever see or talk to again. I am starting to realize how important it is to make the most of every moment and appreciate every person I meet along the way. I have spoken with several people who I admire who have lived in many places all over the world. I have asked them how they do it? How do they live somewhere for a short time; meet some extraordinary people, make friends, put down some roots and then get up and move to a different country, state or city? There response is….Make the most of where you are and who your with at that moment in time. Hmmmm….I guess that’s what life is all about. As long as you have your family with you who loves you, the rest of your life and your travels is one fascinating adventure!

I read something the other day about the “100% Commitment Experiment.” If you are going to do something and set a goal you must give it nothing less than 100%. Not 98% or 99%, but 100%. Take marriage for example. If you only give it 99% then there is always that window to take the path of least resistance which could cause you to stumble and fall. Don’t give yourself an out; follow your problems to a solution because there is no other choice. Give it your best, give it your all. The same goes for your goals. If you really want to achieve something, you must not give yourself an out. Did you know that people who write down their goals are 75% more likely to achieve them? What a small little step that makes such a big difference. By writing your goals down it simply says that you are committed. It’s similar to telling someone your goals but even takes it a step further.

My daughter Katie had surgery on her fractured nose on Friday. She was incredibly brave. I am very proud of her how she handled the whole ordeal and came out of surgery with flying colors. On Sunday afternoon 3 girls in her class showed up with a huge colorful banner they made and 3 plates made of cookies, brownies and cakes. 10 girls from her class gathered at one of the girl’s houses on Friday and spent the whole evening baking and constructing the most beautiful GET WELL Card you ever wanted to see. As I sat there reading this card that was about half the size of the dining room table, I almost cried. I was so very proud of my daughter and the strong friendships she has built with her classmates that cared so very much. Isn't that what life is all about!!! Friends! We have always tried to teach our kids to be kind to everyone and to be genuine. I pray my children will always have many friends and will make good choices in finding ones that they can learn and grow from and will one day help them out in times of sorrow and need. I hope they equally return the favor.

I am on an airplane as I type headed to the beautiful state of California for work. I just finished playing catch with a 2 year old with his blanket. Lot’s of smiles and lots of laughs!!! Let’s all try to act like a 2 year old every now and then when life gets a little to serious!

Remember to succeed in life we must do things we sometimes don’t want to do. It is also equally important to smile, laugh and love as much as we can along the way. Self discipline I am told is the one thing we must have to become more successful than most. If I can only utilize all these gems I pick up along the way then maybe I too will reach my goals. I Guess I need to go write those goals down now!!!

Don’t lose your smile. If you have tucked it away for awhile it is time to get it back out and put it on. The world is counting on you to make it a better and brighter place!!!

Make the right choices even when it’s hard. Learn from your mistakes and pass the gifts you receive forward.

Come run with me,

KB

Celebrate Today!

Hello Everyone!

Today I started off my morning with a 5 mile run. I was back at the house by 6:30am. I showered and dressed for work and was greeted by my family who had made me pancakes in the shape of the numbers 4 and 3 . Yes, today I am 43! Let's celebrate! My kids had made me wonderful cards and my wife had a card for me and also wrapped up was the jar I have been meaning to buy with 1664 marbles! If I live to 75, I have 1664 Saturdays to enjoy! Each Saturday I will throw away a marble to remind me how precious life really is and how quickly it goes by. I drove my kiddos to school along with 3 of there friends and they all sang Happy Birthday to me. What a wonderful way to start my day! As I started to think about this day I thought how we should cherish everyday as if it was just as special. My kids and I had the discussion at breakfast what would you do if today was your last day here on earth. I initiated the conversation not to be morbid but for all of us to realize how special each and everyday is for us on this earth. We should treat people with care, understanding, honesty and love. Treat everyone like it is there Birthday and you will get back more gifts then you could have ever dreamed!!!

I share a Birthday today with David Copperfield, Mickey Rourke, B.B. King and Michael Smith to name a few. Time has really flown by and I remind myself today that I need to live every moment to the fullest because you never know when the good Lord will call you to be with him. Treasure each day and treasure the friends, family and loved ones you have who make your life special.

My daughter Katie and my son Trent made me some very special Birthday cards today. On Katie's card she had drawn a big oak tree on the front of it. She had written the words, "You were born too make me stand tall , so...don't ever forget that you are loved by me!" "Dear Dad, I hope you will have a happy Birthday! If not well hopefully this will make you feel gree-at! I love you forever and always! XOXOXO Happy Birthday, Love KatieXOXOXO, P.S. Have a great day!" My son Trent had made me a card which he had drawn a picture of him and I standing under a rainbow with a sun over the top. In it he wrote Happy Birthday! It is your special day! He had another picture of me inside a big heart with many little hearts all around. He also wrote, "I hope you have the best B-day! , Love Trent." Now folks you can spend all the money in the world on presents, trips and fancy cards, but these two special gifts given to me are priceless and mean more to me than anything in the world. Hallmark couldn't come anywhere close to the special words my children have shared with me on this day!!!!

Thank you for allowing me to share my day with you! I hope all your days are special and I wish you a very happy day as well...Thank you for letting me share a piece of my world with you!

Enjoy today and make every day special!

Love with all your heart!

Keep running, keep laughing and keep loving!

KB

Permanent Purpose!

Good Day Boys and Girls!

What if we all went through life realizing and understanding that everything we do, every action we make, really matters. Would we live life more purposely? After a lot of reading and careful observation I have come to realize that this can make a huge impact on our lives. No matter how small or large the task, who we interact with, how much publicity we get, what the end result is; everything we do in this world matters...We can affect peoples lives, including our own, just by realizing that all of our actions and words really matter. This is why it is so important to be honest and trustworthy in every single thing we do. We can realize this more than anything when it comes to our children. They are so impressionable at an early age. It seems that every little thing we say or do they pick up on and in some way it affects their lives. If we want to know how we are acting, it is very easy; just look at our children! Not only does our actions and words have a permanent purpose on our children, but it also has an impact on people around us. If we lie or deceive someone, it may hurt that person for the rest of their lives. We should never take people for granted. People are real, have real feelings and have real hearts. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but try to keep in mind that every action really, really does matter.

I will run 5 miles this evening after dinner. I am starting my taper for the marathon in less than 2 weeks. I am getting butterfly's in my stomach not knowing how my back will do for the long 26.2 mile stretch. The course is many rolling hills but I will not have the elevation factor as I did in my last several marathons. Every marathon I am able to gain a little more experience and hopefully this will serve me well on the streets of Omaha, NE.

My daughter will have surgery on her nose on Friday. Please pray for her. She has been incredibley brave through this whole ordeal. She is stronger than me and teaches me something knew everyday about being a better person. I think God put her here to teach me instead of the other way around. Both of my kids are a huge part of my motivation and inspiration. How lucky we all are to have these little blessings in our lives.

Sometimes we wish for things that never come true. No matter how much we want them they were not meant to be. It's hard, it's tough, but somehow we will gain character and move on. Just remember how important it is to move forward in a positive direction. Life is tough! Be tougher!!!

Embrace life for it is so very short. Spend time with the ones you love and don't forget to tell them how special they are!

Be the best you can be. It's okay to fall off the proverbial "perfect" bull. None of us are perfect. Just try hard everyday to get back on and ride it for another 8 seconds!!!

Count your blessings for they are many.

Come run with me,
KB

From this moment forward...

Happy Saturday Peoples!

We all have the ability to change our life or our situation. We have to make the decision, the commitment and then put it to action. It all starts today!!!!...From this moment forward... I will choose to be accountable for all of my actions. From this moment forward... I will choose to be a kinder, more gentle, compassionate person. From this moment forward... I will choose honesty, integrity and trust as traits that will not be compromised. From this moment forward ...I will rid my soul of jealously, bitterness, anger, rage and grudges. I will forgive others and stop waisting my life trying to get even. From this moment forward...I will live my life with more passion than ever before and go after what I want. From this moment forward...I will live a better life!!!

I ran 10 miles today and felt pretty good. I am a little off my schedule but hopefully will get back in the swing of things next week. The physical therapist I have been going to is working with me on some great stretches and also helping me with my running mechanics. I think both of these will pay huge dividends if I can be diligent in putting them into practice. Today I ate a late lunch because of some work that I had to do. I did not take any insulin purposely because I knew I would be running shortly there after. Your blood sugar should be between 80-120. When I started my run it was very high; 451! Ouch! Interestingly enough I took 2 units of insulin, had a PowerBar Gel Packet at mile 5(27carbs) and when I finish my run my blood sugar was 109. Perfect. It never ceases to amaze me what a roller coaster running and maintaining a good blood sugar seems to be. I have done a lot of running and just when I think I have it figured out, something crazy occurs that blows my entire system! I just keep, keepin' on!

Tonight I will join my cousins and my uncle for a bachelor party. My younger cousin Josh is getting married and I was cordially invited to the bachelor party. Now I will be almost twice the age of most of the guys going, but it should be great time. We are playing it safe by taking a bus out to the nightclubs and then we will all stay at a hotel at the end of the night when the bus brings us back. A song Toby Keith sings reminds me of tonight, "I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was." I'm headed out with my jeans and my boaconstrictor snake skin cowboy boots. We will definitely be kicking up some dust! I think it has been about 15 years since I was on a bachelor party! Guess I need to make up for lost time!!!!

Enjoy today, cherish tomorrow and look forward to the day after.

Love with all your heart. Be true to yourself and to others.

KB

"God is great, beer is good and people are crazy!"

Hello Earthlings!

Some of you are too young to remember the sitcom "Mork and Mindy." This was a show that Robin Williams starred in as someone from outer space who came to earth in an egg and had special powers. He used to say, "Hello Earthlings!." Special powers? Do you have any? I think we all have unique special powers. That uniqueness is our personality. We all are different: think different, act different and react to situations different. It is our personality that makes up a lot of who we are. We all have faults and we all make mistakes. We also have the ability to do good and give more than we take. I am trying to remind myself more of this everyday. To give!!!

I ran 5 miles last night when it was getting dark. It's crazy as a diabetic sometimes having to get my blood sugar up high enough to go for a run. I feel like the energizer bunny sometimes. Once I eat the right amount of food I am all wound up and then I need to go for a run!!! On my way home from my run it was very dark. I do have a fluorescent running vest I wear to make sure cars can see me in plenty of time before they get close. When I got back to my subdivision there was no traffic and at one point no street lights. There was about a 25 yard stretch where it was pitch black and I could see nothing! I trusted that the sidewalk I was running on was straight and that there was nothing laying in my path. It was really kind of weird. I remember thinking how there is so many times in our life that we need to have faith and trust in God or in other people. So many times in our life the path is taken away from us or we are misguided on the wrong path by some choices we make or some external forces that pull us in different directions. We as a society or sometimes to proud to ask for help or assistance. Sometimes we just are to afraid to make the hard decisions to do the right thing. I have seen a lot of people with addictions in my life. Maybe at one point in my life I had a few myself. The crazy thing about addictions is that there are things that make us feel like we are on top of the world but that are very bad for us. It's the very bad for us that we have a hard time realizing and that's why we can't stop. Sometimes addictions ruin peoples lives. Not just their lives but many of the people around them. Don't be afraid to ask for help and don't be afraid to pray!!!

There is a song by Matt Maher, "Jesus, my everything." I strongly recommend to listen to this song and turn the volume up loud. Even if you are not a spiritual person I am confident this song will speak to your soul. We all could use a lift from time to time and this song will LIFT you up! I believe in God and I certainly could use his hand to pull me along sometimes and also to lift me up when I am feeling down. I also could use his help to give me direction when I "can't see the path." Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZU6x9pGUo If the link doesn't work, just google the title and the artist and I am sure you can find it. I promise this is the best medicine you can take today!!!

I have a 10 mile long run this weekend and then 2 more weeks until the Omaha Marathon! Go Corn Huskers!!! My younger brother Kyle will be running with me at this race. I know he has been training although he has been sandbagging and telling me he is not in good shape. We will see if the old bull or the young bull prevails in this race! :)

We all fall off of our "horse" in life from time to time. Don't be afraid to shake the dust off and get back on. Don't be afraid to ask for help to guide you down the right path!

Run strong, run long,

KB

A Whole New World!

Happy Labor Day Everyone!

I hope everyone had an incredible long relaxing weekend! Our weekend was somewhat eventful and we certainly enjoyed the extra day off school and work. I had my 16 mile run finished by 8:00am yesterday. It's hard for me to get up so early but it is so worth it when I have the whole day a head of me and I don't have the long run hanging over my head. My back is still giving me a little trouble but I will tough it out and I am off to some physical therapy tomorrow. I am hoping with some weight lifting, proper stretching and some PT, that I will be able to continue my mission of running marathons in all 50 states. Many people and many situations have motivated me to continue my journey. This past weekend is no exception!

Yesterday my family went to the annual Kaskaskia Picnic in Kaskaskia, IL. This is where my Dad grew up and farmed for over 30 years. Every year we celebrate my Mom's Birthday after we take in a few fun-filled hours at the picnic. Many of my relatives come to the picnic for a quasi family reunion. It is interesting for me to see all my retired aunts and uncles enjoy each others company. It has just been recently that I started really thinking about growing older and that I to will some day be retired. What will my life have been like when I look back? My Dad's siblings make up a lawyer, nurse anethesist, salesman and a teacher. It is interesting looking back how they lived their lives and raised their children. In the end they are all here at the picnic enjoying each others company. It makes me think how I am living my life. Even though some of my Dads siblings lived a much more luxurious life than some of the others, they all seem to be at the same place at this moment in time. They are trying to savor every moment with the ones they love and get as much enjoyment out of the remaining years of their life. It seems that after you reach a certain age you enter into "A Whole New World."

Today is Labor Day. A day for picnics, BBQ's, shopping, visiting friends, doing fun activities with the family. On Saturday evening my son and daughter were wrestling on the couch and my daughter bumped her nose on my son's head. There was bleeding and crying. Today we realized my daughters nose may be broken. Her nose had swollen quite a bit and she was still in a lot of pain so off to the ER I took my daughter on Labor Day. After an X-ray and a doctor's consultation, she appears to have deviated her septum in her nose. Tomorrow we get a referral to an ENT Doctor. Isn't it amazing how life throws you curves...We are very worried about Katie's nose but know she will be just fine. As we sat there in the ER I read a book written about Dick and Rick Hoyt. A father who successful completed the Hawaii Ironman with his son who was born with cerebral palsy, a non-vocal quadriplegic. An unbelievable story how he tethered himself to a rubber dinghy and tow his son 2.4 miles in the Pacific Ocean, strapped him to a seat on a custom built bicycle and pedalled 112 miles and pushed his son 26.2 miles in a running chair to complete the "Super Bowl of Triathlons." A story about love, patience, courage and determination. As I sat there I thought no matter what the obstacles in my life, we all should be able to look at this story and draw courage from it to help us with the hurdles in our life. Sometimes we have things happen in our lives that create; "A Whole New World." When we get married, have children, witness death, tragedy, divorce, success, failure, happiness and sadness. There are many worlds within our world. We all learn from them and with any luck become better people to help ourselves and help others carry on.

My daughter Katie was playing the piano tonight and it only took me a minute to interpret the song she was playing so eloquently...A Whole New World. As I conclude this blog I will leave you with a short excerpt from the song and let your heart and your mind take you away to wherever you want to be.... "A whole new world. Don't you dare close your eyes, a hundred thousand things to see. Hold your breath-it gets better. I'm like a shooting star. I've come so far. I can't go back to where I used to be. A whole new world, every turn a surprise. With new horizons to purse. Every moment red-letter. I'll chase them anywhere. There's time to spare. Let me share this whole new world with you."

Enjoy ever moment.

Live your dreams,

KB

I Love Saturdays!!!

Hello Folks,

Getting ready to run my 5 miles today and then gearing up for a long 16 mile run tomorrow. I have 3 weeks and then I will visit the beautiful state of Nebraska. My first cousin, Loren, lives there with his family. He teaches at the University of Nebraska. Perhaps I can persuade him and his family to come and cheer my brother Kyle and I along!

I have always loved Saturdays! Maybe because it's the only day of the week that I really don't think about work. Friday is a work day and on Sundays I am always thinking about the work that I need to do on Monday. My kids and I have even thought about getting t-shirts that say, "I love Saturdays!". I recently read a story that I would like to share and I have decided that I to will incorporate this philosophy more into my every day life. The average person lives until he or she is 75. 75 times 52 Saturdays is 3900. That's how many Saturdays we have in our life. I will turn 43 here in just 2 weeks which means I have approximately 1,664 Saturdays to live it up! 1,664 more Saturdays to enjoy my family and spend time with the ones I love. I am guilty of spending too much time traveling and working and not spending time with my family. In the book I read it presented the idea of putting 1,664 marbles in a jar. Every Saturday I will throw a marble away. This may sound somewhat morbid but watching your time run out gives a whole new perspective on prioritizing the things you want to do with your life. This makes us focus on the really important things in your life. Working to make more money is NOT one of them. Spending time working and travelling to have that vacation home, BMW, trip to Germany or to build that dream house doesn't seem all that important anymore. Spending time every chance you get with your family is what is most important to me.

So there you have it....I have 1,664 more Saturdays to enjoy! How many do you have? How would you like to spend them? Who do you want to spend them with?

It is interesting how stories can speak to our soul. I almost did not pick up this book to read and gain this valuable insight to the hourglass we all have to accept as our lives move on. I am so very glad I read it.

Enjoy your Saturday and best wishes for thousands of more Saturdays to come!!! I am off to buy 1664 marbles!!! :)

Love the way running makes me feel,

KB

Dream! Dream Big!!!

Hello Ladies and Gents,

Ran late tonight due to a busy day at work and at the doctor but got a 5 mile run in. I have had an X-Ray, MRI and physical therapy in the last two days. Tomorrow I go to the dentist. I am getting a body overhaul but I will be ready in 3 weeks to run 26.2 in Nebraska! I don't know about you, but if I have any ailments I am all about getting to the doctor and making sure they are well taken care of. I want to make sure my back is in tip top condition for my next run and thus the reason for all the doctors visits and imaging. It would be easy to shut 'er down and not run anymore but I am not giving up!!!

I did some some speaking the other night for some underprivileged kids in the inner city of St. Louis. Funny thing is these guys taught me more than I could teach them in a life time. They were energetic, great listeners, eager to learn and had lots of good answers and ideas. I was very impressed to say the least. These guys regardless their situation are not giving up on life and continue to dream big. This is the message that they so eloquently gave me as I interacted with them. They want the dream and are hungry to go after it! I hope I gave them a few tools that will help facilitate them not giving up and going after what they really want. Dreaming is important. Dreaming big is important! It is also necessary that we set short term realistic goals and continue to accomplish them one at a time. These realistic goals that we set and continue to accomplish are the real secret to success and to making our dreams come true!!! :)

Don't let anyone take away your dreams! Dont!!! Don't let them squish you with words, comments or actions. Remember; you are ultimately in control of your destiny. No one can get you down unless you let them and I personally am not letting them!!! We have to be strong to live strong! We must not be arrogant to achieve our goals but we have to sometimes be strong hearted and strong minded. If someone tries to tear you down; I say, "bring it on!"

Run hard, run long and run fast!

Catch me if you can,

KB

Don't raise the bar, BE the bar!!!

Happy Monday Everyone!!!

I started my day out early. I was up at 4:30am and put in a 5 mile run. I took a week off because of a pulled muscle in my back but I am feeling much better. I am 4 weeks out from the Omaha Marathon and I am looking very forward to another run! I have met such wonderful people on my travels and now I am starting to see many of the same runners that show up at each of these events. I have found that I am not the only crazy one out there who is trying to accomplish a marathon in all 50 states!!!

On Saturday I bought my daughter Katie a new bike. No special occasion, she just had out grown her other bike and it was time for a big girl bike. A 16" bike. I can't believe she is 11 years old and getting so tall. The smile on her face as we walked out of the bike store was all that was needed to let me know I had done the right thing. She thanked me about 10 times before we got home. That night St. Louis was having their Moon Light Ramble. A 7 mile bike ride through the streets of downtown St. Louis that started at midnight. What better way to celebrate her new bike and to break it in then to participate in the Moon Light Ramble! My wife, Katie and my son Trent and I headed downtown at 9:30pm to take part in the festivities centered around the MR. There was free food, drinks and of course we had to get the T-shirt!!!
There were 11,000 bike riders that participated in the event. Riders of all ages. The lady who started the race shouted over a megaphone....LET'S GET READY TO RAMBLE!!!! We were off! 11,000 bike riders headed through the streets of St. Louis. My kids are very good bike riders but I was still a little nervous because of all the bikes. I had instructed them to keep their bikes in a straight path and not swerve back and forth. With that many bikes it could be dangerous. My kids were champs! They made it all 7 miles with no mishaps. We did witness several accidents of people bumping into each other and also a few crashes because of people going to fast. We were very blessed we finished unscathed. I am so proud of Katie and Trent. They went the distance and rode like real pros!!! We got home at 3:30am in the morning. After carrying the kids to bed I think I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow. A long day but a very fulfilling day!

The Cardinals are doing great! They swept the Nationals this weekend and the Cubbies are 10 games back. St. Louis fans are gearing up for some playoff baseball! HERE WE GO CARDINALS, HERE WE GO!!! BOMP! BOMP!

I recently had a friend remind me to live by a high standard. We sometimes get caught up in what other people do and think that we should live our life the same. I believe if you want more, than go after it! Achieve more! Don't be happy doing what everyone else does. Set the bar high for you, your children and the people you associate with.

Be true to yourself and be true to others.

Runnin' against the wind,

KB

It's a great day to be alive!!!

Hello from Arkansas!

I hope everyone is doing great! The weather is beautiful here in Little Rock and the weekend is almost here! We all need to sometimes take a breath, a step back and realize how lucky we are to have what we have in this great big world. I myself am to blame for taking things for granted. Everyday I am reminded how blessed I really am to have my family, friends and to be able to go to work and provide for my family. Let's all count our blessings!!! It's very easy to feel sorry for ourselves or think about what we don't have. My Dad says it best when he says, "Just when you think you have it bad, there is a whole lot of people who have it a lot worse." Working around the medical field for many years you come to appreciate how lucky you are to have your health and be living everyday. In just an instant, life can be taken away.

I am still nurturing my back and preparing for the Nebraska Marathon in just 4 short weeks. I did a little light cycling yesterday and lifted some weights. I pray that I will be back in tip top shape in no time. How lucky I am to have been able to run 11 marathons already. God has be very good to me. I thank God for all the blessings he has given me in my life and my health is certainly one of them.

My Mom always says if you make your bed you lie in it. So true, so true. We can blame the world or other people for our problems but we typically are the ones who create our own situation. Zig Ziglar I believe once said; "If you point your finger at someone, if you notice your hand, you have 3 additional fingers pointing right back at you." The message is clear....We try to blame others but it is 3 times more likely that the blame should fall right back on us. We are ultimately in control of our destiny in more cases than not. How do you want to live the remaining days of your life? The key is...we never know when our last day may be. Tim McGraw sings a song, "Live like you are dieing." Maybe we all should practice that a little more each day but keeping in mind we have to be responsible and also how we want the people left behind to view us when we're gone.

Treasure today and the people close to you! Don't take anything or anyone for granted!

Catch me if you can,

KB

Equip Your Mind!

Good Day Ladies and Gents,

How is it that some people can do the things that they do? How does a CEO get to be CEO? How does a boy from New York who was told by his high school guidance counselor to drop out of school because of his grades, grow up to be Jay Leno? Then let's look on the other hand...How does a bank robber become a bank robber? How does someone you love hurt you worse than you can ever imagine? How does a gang member shoot an innocent victim? The answer...it is by influences. Good influences, bad influences and equipping your mind with the necessary tools to make the right decision or the wrong decisions as the case may be. I once had a hat that read; "No Fear", "Equip your mind." I really didn't understand the full extent of what was the meaning behind this phrase. If we want to be successful; really successful, we must equip our minds with the right tools, get the book, the movie, whatever it takes to get it done. Equip your mind or unequip your mind; whatever the case may be. I had a dream or an epiphany if you will; how do people do what they do? At some point in our life we all have to decide what it is we want and then go after it. Life is short. Chances are you are not going to win the lottery or your psychiatrist is not going to give you that magic pill or formula, so you need to get up on your own 2 feet and make it happen now! It is all you!!! Once you decide what you want to do and what you are good at, then you need to become a master at your craft like Jay Leno has. Spend as much time you can becoming the expert in your field. After that the secret lies in sharing that craft with the world. Don't be afraid to share the gift God gave to you with the masses. Zig Ziglar once said that you will get what you want in life if you help enough people get what they want. Jay Leno found that people wanted to laugh and get life's stress' off their mind. He shares his craft with the world and in return he has become one of the most successful entertainers in the world! He has become a master of his craft and still works harder than anyone to improve and continually find avenues to share with numerous audiences.

We all are born into this world with different opportunities and different gifts. Now it is up to us to decide how and with what we will equip our minds. The tools are there; we need to go get them and use them!

We all make mistakes as we travel along lifes path. It is how we choose to move on after these mistakes that will make the difference in our lives forever. We can't look back or to the side, we must look forward with a new beginning and a new set of tools and experiences to make us better as we proceed.

We all want to be loved. Noone wants to be hurt. May God bestow upon us as much love as we are allowed and help take away any hurt that has happened.

Love with all your heart,

KB

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

It was Charles Dickens who could have summed up my trip every so nicely. Idaho; how beautiful this state really is. From the Grand Tetons to the beautiful waterfalls. I have never run a marathon an experienced so much of natures beauty. I did successfully complete the Mesa Falls Marathon but had pulled my back out and could barely run about half-way through the race. I logged my slowest time ever on this marathon. I have never run with an injury before but I now can appreciate how trying it really is. I was clicking along just great until about mile 15 and then my back gave out. Wow, what a humbling experience. I walked and ran the rest of the course. My back was in some excruciating pain but I wasn't about to give up. I will schedule an appointment today with the doctor so that I can get back on track. My back has had it's share of wear and tear over the years and I need to get some recommendations from the medical profession. I have played 4 years of high school football, 2 years of college rugby, a wrestling injury with a friend and a minor case of scoliosis that was never treated. These are not excuses but activities and genetics that make my back one of the hurdles I deal with everyday.

On to the good stuff!!! The people in Idaho know how to put on a marathon. I just love the small towns. I drove into Ashton, ID Friday evening about 6:30pm from Jackson Hole, WY. I pulled up at the local grade school gym where they were handing out race packets. There were less than 500 participants running the race and ALL of us were treated with care. The race bags that were given out were not bags at all but Idaho potato sacks!!! Very nice touch. The chip that we were given was an ankle bracelet that we velcroed around our ankle. I have never had this type of chip before but it worked well aside from the fact you had something that could potentially annoy you while you run. There was a spaghetti dinner in the high school gym served with, you guessed it, an Idaho potato! When was the last time you had spaghetti with a potato? :) After chatting with some of the locals it was off to my motel. Yes; motel, not hotel. I stayed at the Guesthouse Henry Fork Inn in St. Anthony, ID. This was the only hotel in St. Anthony about 15 minutes from Ashton. The 3 hotels in Ashton were fully booked when I made my reservations. The Guesthouse was clean, good airconditioning and the hot and cold water was just great. If your a fancy girl or boy this hotel would not be for you. You entered your room from the outside and the floor was kinda squeaky. There was a hot tub that was sitting outside in the grass next to the parking lot. Like I said. It was clean, but it wasn't the Hilton. :)

Saturday morning I woke up at 4:00am. Running gear on I drove my sporty Ford Focus over to Ashton to catch the bus. They had breakfast for everyone in the gym. Coolers full of water and power drink, oatmeal, cereal, eggs, sausage and bagels. These folks don't mess around. The course was an out and back and we all loaded on buses. These were tour buses with bathrooms. Did I mention that these people don't mess around! We drove out at least 26.2 miles and went up into the mountains for some of the journey. I believe we were at about 6,ooo ft when we reached the start line. The start line was on a gravel country road and nothing more than the electronic timing strip laid across the road. There were 4 porta-potties and that was it. No fan-fare or music to send us off. You really know that you are at a small race when the race director waits for everyone to finish using the porta-potties before he starts the race. The race was delayed about 10 minutes due to the line for the restroom. :) The race director told us that they saw a lot of bear sign while they were setting up the course. He said we should be fine because of all the noise that the 4-wheelers made while setting up the course and most probably scaring off the bears! He jokingly said that you only had to run as fast as one other person if you saw a bear! I did see some bear tracks along the path as I ran. Kinda fun, kinda scary!! We were out in the wilderness for sure! We ran across 3 cattle guards and dodged many piles of cow, horse and undefined animal droppings! :)

The course was beautiful. Wild flowers, waterfalls, mountains, rivers, horses, cows and very friendly people along the way. This was one of the top rated marathons in 50 states so I met people from all over the country. The people were awesome!

After I finished I was treated to a free Huckleberry Milkshake from the local restaurant. All runners welcomed this very special treat. The volunteers were great before, during and after the race. There were plenty of food and drinks for all. The medal we were awarded for finishing was made out wood and the information was wood burnt into the wood. Very cool. On the back was a wood burning of; bet you can't guess, A BEAR! :) That night I had a great dinner of steak and pasta and had a cold one or two at the Big Star Bar! The locals were having a pig roast and had invited me to join them. They gave me free food and treated me like family.

Although my back gave me problems this trip I will be back again in a few short weeks to tackle the Omaha Marathon in Nebraska. I will do whatever I need to do to get back in the saddle for the next race. This was my 10th state and 11th marathon. I met a lady at the airport in which this marathon was her 136th. Wow!!! How humbling it is every time I go to a marathon and meet the extraordinary people who participate in these events.

On the plane ride to Jackson Hole, WY I met a family from New York. They had a 16 year old daughter who is a type 1 diabetic. I always love to meet other diabetics and share stories with them and their family. The mom is a nurse and is certainly a blessing and a God sent to the little girl. I hope the family has a terrific vacation!!!

The interesting thing as well was the woman I met who had just run her 136th marathon. She has a daughter in her 20's that is a type 1 diabetic as well and who has run several marathons with her mom. She couldn't make this trip because she was in college but I was inspired how her mom said she took the bull by the horns and learned how to manage her diabetes while running. It is amazing how many people out there are affected by diabetes. Sometimes I like it when nobody knows I am a diabetic, but the more people I talk to, we all seem to find comfort in each other and help inspire each other as we continue with this obstacle on life's journey. One thing that hits home with me as I travel around the country... It's important to me to share my journey and the experience with others. I didn't like making this trip alone and will do my best to have my family with me on the next marathon I run. Life is about all the experiences you have and it makes them so much more fulfilling when you have that special someone or some one's there to share it with!

I could keep you all day with stories from my trip but I must get back to making a living! :) Take time on your journey in life to stop and smell the wild flowers. Enjoy the people you meet because you can learn so much from so many people and get an abundance of joy out of sharing your life with them. Be true to yourself and be true to others and love with all your heart!!!

Never give up, never stop running,
KB

Touch Someone Today!!!

Hello Boys and Girls of all ages!!!

I am pumped up for my trip tomorrow to the great state of Idaho! My family gave me a potato today with 26.2 miles and a heart written on it. Not everyday you get a potato as a present! :)

I received an awesome e-mail today from a gentlemen in Montana. His nurse had seen a news story about me on television several weeks ago and he wanted to tell me his story. He also is a type 1 diabetic and had a heart attack several years ago. As it turns out he is a marathon runner as well and his running saved his life because of how strong his heart really was from running and the additional vascular channels it had built because of all his training. I am so glad he reached out and shared his story. Touching peoples lives in a positive way is what life is all about. We all have obstacles, we all face hurdles and it is through the inspiration of others that we are able to continue on and sometimes achieve great things.

People ask me why I run? I do it for many reasons but if I can inspire one person to live a better life than it is all worth it. Last week I spoke with a church group. Many members had diabetes and were looking for motivation to help them manage their health and thus their lives a little better. I tell everyone that you don't need to run marathons to be healthy, but exercise as a daily routine is difficult and takes motivation and is a crucial element in managing diabetes. The ADA states if you can exercise for 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week and eat healthy and maintain a good weight that you can prevent type 2 diabetes. When I ask people if they would do this to prevent type 2 diabetes; guess what the answer always is? YES!!! Now we just have to discipline and motivate ourselves to go out there and do it!

Touch someones life in a positive manner today. If not today; definitely tomorrow. Life is short. Make it count. I have found that you can't take back bad choices so think about what you do before you do it. You may not know it, but you could affect or change someones life forever.

I read an article in the paper today. A woman was looking for her soul mate. She said that she had loved with all her heart someone who did not love her and she has dated someone who loved her with all of their heart in which she did not love. She has dated her best friend and someone who has treated her like she was an angel. Now she wants all of those things at the same time!!! She said she is in no hurry because it is in the Lords hands. When I read this I couldn't help but pray that we all have this come true in our lives!!!!

From one potato head to another...tell the people you love that you love them. Some of us may think that we say "I love you and it becomes a habit." If we could only form more habits like this the world would be a much much better place. :)

Come run with me,

KB

Idaho!!! Here we come!!!

Hello race fans!!!

3 days until I embark on another marathon in the beautiful city of Mesa Falls, ID!!! I am looking very forward to this race and have heard alot of great things about it. The scenery alone will be breath-taking and with such a small number of participants I'm sure it will be very fun. The people I meet during these events are what keeps me coming back and keeps me motivated. I have a 3 mile run tonight and then I am finished until I hit the trail in Idaho. Maybe I will see a bear, a moose, a elk. Who knows, maybe I will make a new friend!

I am very happy to report that my son Trent is just great. All test came back negative and he has been given a clean bill of health. Can't put a price tag on something like this. A million mile smile says it all!!! My daughter Katie and son Trent started school today. They are in the 6th grade and 3rd grade respectively. Silly as it may be I almost cried watching them walk out the door this morining. They are getting so big and it won't be long before my daughter is off to high school. Can't believe it! I have to remind myself all the time to spend as much time with them as possible. They are really into their friends now but are not to big to sit on Daddy's lap and tell me how their day went. These are truly the most important things in ones life. The kids had only a half a day of school today and then it was off to a pool party and games at a friends house. My kids are so lucky to have so many great friends. I hope they will always cherish their friends and make them an important part of their life.

I will be in Idaho this weekend and then in Arkansas next week on business. I will be assisting a new representative with my company in her territory in Arkansas. I was there just a few short months ago and ran the Little Rock Marathon. The BIGGEST MEDAL that is given in the country! I once had a best friend from Arkansas. Isn't it sad how we meet people along life's journey who become our friends and acquaintances and before we know it they are just a mere memory. I guess that's why it is so important to make the very best out of each and everyday and take nothing for granted.

Carbing up this week and hydrating as well. Can't do much to prepare for the elevation in Idaho. Perhaps I should put my bed on some blocks and stand on a ladder the next few days when I am speaking! :)

I will report back when I have further details about Idaho. Until then I have one important message. Keep your friends and your love ones close to your heart. Good friends are hard to find and it certainly takes a friend to have one.

Run, Reach and Rave!!!

KB

Life Is Good Today!!!

Goooooooooood Morningggggg America!

I hope everyone had a great weekend. This was the last weekend before my kids went back to school so we tried to pack as much in as possible. I have been caught up in work and life for the past year and have really tried to take a step back and appreciate the important things in life; my family!!! Sometimes we all fall into the trap of working to get ahead, hobbies outside of our family, events or even bad influences that pull us away from what's most important. Keep it real, be honest to yourself and others and realize that the most important things in life are free!!!

Saturday my family and I made a trip down to visit my parents. We went to church on Kaskaskia Island. The mass is at 3:30 and over by 4:15. There is less than 100 people that live on this Island but people come from miles around to benefit from the early and short mass. :). We joined my parents for some incredible fried chicken in Ste. Genevieve, MO after church. Fried Chicken, mash potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn and who can forget the wonderful cherry cobbler with ice cream!! Did I mention that this was a buffet!! :)

Then the bottom fell out....My son Trent came back from the rest room at the restaurant and told us he had blood in the stool. Without going into graphics it brought up an immediate HUGE CONCERN. Apparently this had been going on for the last 3 days unbeknownst to my wife and I. Just that quick; how the world can stop and all these things start running through your head. We took grandma and grandpa back home and hurried back to St. Louis. After one phone call to the doctor, Trent and I were headed to the emergency room at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis. Blood in the stool is nothing to mess around with. After 3 hours at the emergency room we were headed back home. We are still awaiting the lab results. Please pray for my son Trent and our family that all results will come back just fine. I can't even tell you the things that run through your head when something like this happens. I will tell you that all of a sudden nothing is more important than the health and well being of your family. You think of the good the bad and what you wished you would have done differently. I pray to God that my son will be just fine. How precious life is and how we all take it for granted everyday. As I drove my son to the hospital that night I tried to get his mind off of what was happening. I told him we would go to the Cardinals game the next day if we didn't have to spend the night in the hospital. All of sudden you want to do everything humanely possible to make up for lost time. If only we could bottle that feeling and bestow it on our children everyday.

Sunday my wife went to a wedding shower and Katie, Trent and I headed downtown St. Louis to see if we could buy some Cardinal tickets off of a street vendor. As soon as we walked out of the garage there were 3 vendors right there willing to sell us tickets. We picked up some awesome seats 14 rows from the field and out of the sun!!!. As I sat there between my kids sharing a soda and peanuts with them I thought to myself how awesome sharing this experience with them really was. To see their smiles and their laughs was priceless!!!! There was a rain delay with some Dippin Dots Ice Cream and then we were back watching the game again. Then it started to get cloudy again and we could see the rain coming in the distance. Katie suggested we head to the car. It was the bottom of the 7th inning and the Cardinals were losing. We had almost given up hope. We saw the rain coming down on the other side of the stadium. We all got up and started running. There we were, Katie, Trent and I sprinting through the stadium and dodging people as we ran out the stadium and to the parking garage. We got in the elevator at the garage and the down pour started! Katie, Trent and I looked at each other in amazement. We had beaten the rain by literally one second. They laughed and giggled and talked about it all the way home. Out running the rain. They didn't care who won the game but they would remember our run through the stadium and to the car forever. An awesome memory that we will all have tucked away to share another day. Oh, by the way. We found out later that in the 9th inning Colby Rasmus of the Cardinals hit a 2 run homer to bring home a victory for the Cardinals!!! I think the Cardinals manager; Tony La Russa said it best, "It's a feel-good day. Enjoy the moment. There's so much ahead of us." I know he was talking about the Cardinals Team, but I will apply this to my life and my family!

One last thing in this lengthy blog. So much to say, not enough time to say it....:) If you haven't heard the song "Toes" by the Zac Brown Band, you need to check it out. It will bring a smile to your face and you may find yourself tapping your feet or even downloading it to your iPod!

Have a great day and don't take one second of your life for granted!!!

Life is a marathon...Run long and run smart and cross that incredible finish line!

KB

Surround yourself with good people!!!

Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen!

I got up early this morning and headed to the gym. I only had to put in 4 miles today and thought I would do that while surrounded by other people exercising just like me. I am not sure why, but my lower back has been really hurting since my 18 mile run on Sunday. My 9 year old son Trent reminded me that I am getting older....:) God bless his honesty! Sometimes I enjoy going to the gym to help motivate me to exercise. It's like running a race; it's easier to do when there are people next to you doing the same thing. I am always amazed when I get to the gym at 6:00am and the parking lot is full. There are so many people who want to get that work-out in early and get there day off to a great start. When I enter the gym I am always greeted by a friendly "hello" and "have a great workout." I see people from all walks of life at the gym and all different shapes and sizes. I am inspired by the physically fit as well as the people who are doing everything they can to shed those extra pounds. All these people have chosen to put forth the effort to make their health and thus their life a little better. I have also found that people who exercise for the most part have a more positive outlook and are more goal oriented. Exercising is a choice and to do it consistently takes discipline and motivation. These qualities can assist you in everything you do in life. Keep up the good work if you're exercising regularly!!!! If your not exercising regularly, than try to make it a part of your day or your week. I once heard a Vice President at my company say that everyone has 24 hours in a day. You decide what kind of life you will live everyday. Make it a part of your life. If you start exercising it will become a good habit that you don't want to break and will drive you crazy in a good way if you for some reason can't make it happen regularly.

My daughter Katie started soccer practice last night. I can't believe that baseball is over and we are on to the fall sports already. Kids get so many opportunities for exercise and as long as it doesn't get in the way of school and they enjoy doing it, I will continue to support this healthy lifestyle. My son Trent will start soccer later this month. Let the games begin!!!!

Going to the gym you find good goal orientated, motivated people. Also, I have learned even just recently how important it is to surround yourself with good people. When I travel to my marathons I always seem to meet wonderful, positive, friendly people. My Mom always says, "one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch!" If you find yourself in a bad situation; do whatever it takes to get out of it. If you find yourself socializing with individuals you don't look up too; get away from them as fast as you can. I tell my kids to hang out with people that they feel are better than them and aspire to be as good as them. Don't hang out with people less than your standards so they make you feel like you are the best. Greatness can be addictive but hanging out with the wrong crowd can allow you to fall into bad habits before you know it. Just be aware that more often than not the choice is yours. Surround yourself with good people and you will live a good life!!!

Keep smiling and laughing and have a super fantastic day!!!

KB

Thank You To All!!!!

Hello Earthlings,

Today is Monday and what a great weekend! The Cardinals swept the Pirates, I completed my 18 mile run yesterday, my family is healthy and today I have an another amazing opportunity at life!!!

I wanted to say thank to everyone who has supported me over the last year. I have went through many hurdles and I have been surrounded by friendship, love, compassion and understanding. More than I could have ever asked for. My family has been amazing and has never given up on me no matter how hard the challenges I have had to face. I took time this weekend to sit down with my wife and my children and thank them for all their love and support. Additionally, I needed to tell them I was sorry for not being the person that I should be and treating them fairly as I have went through these challenges. Thank you's are important and can never come frequent enough, but saying I'm sorry was long over due. My son put his arm around me as we sat their in the Dairy Queen in Bonne Terre, MO and said, "It's okay Dad, everybody makes mistakes." How little time it takes to say I love you, I'm sorry or thank you and how very, very much it means to the people on the receiving end. Kids are awesome and I learn so much from them everyday. Someone once told me to lead by example and say very little at all. Your kids are so perceptive and idolize everything you do. Life is tough and we must stay strong and make good choices no matter what hurdles get in our way. Our children will learn from us. We need to make certain we are setting a great example.

I wanted also to say thank you to those of you who read my blog and give me feedback from time to time. I am really glad I have the opportunity to share a little bit of my life with all of you. It's amazing when you start to write things down. I encourage all of you to keep a journal or something where it forces you to write everyday. The amazing thing I have found by keeping this journal is that it really has made me reflect on my life and also has made me appreciate some of the little things in life that I have taken for granted. I really do now stop and smell the roses, look up at the sky and enjoy some of the most beautiful things the world has to offer. Before I started writing things down I ran by many wonderful things without giving it a thought. Yesterday when running I realized I was running up a hill but I was being shaded by some beautiful oak trees. I thought to myself that I didn't mind this hill at all because it was 82 degrees and I was getting to run in the well-needed shade. I think of little things when I run because I want to share them with you and hopefully remind you of some of the little but great things in your life.

Yesterdays run was HOTTTTT! By mile 5 I was completely drenched with sweat. Not a dry spot on my body. My shoes were quickly becoming squishy because of the sweat that was pouring down. The hat I had on had a slow drip coming off the brim like a leaky water faucet. I have never perspired like this before. The temperature was 82 degrees and the humidity I am sure was extremely high. Heat advisories were posted yesterday and the temperature eventually rose to the mid 90's. There was a point in my run where I wanted to give up. I am not sure what keeps me going but something deep down in my heart probably given to me along time ago, simply will not let me quit. When I got home I asked myself, "why do I do this? Why don't I stop? Why do I continue to run marathons? I don't have to prove anything to anyone, why don't I just stop?" I wish I had a clearly defined answer, but I don't. Something deep down inside of me wants to show diabetics and people with challenges that you really can do anything you want if you set your mind to it. It is quite amazing what the mind will allow the body to do. I sometimes forget that your body is much stronger than your mind. That's where most of us lose the battle. If we all work on our mental toughness, focus, concentration and discipline we will accomplish many, many goals and will live an extraordinary life!!!

Yesterday during my run I had to eat a Powergel Packet everyone 30 minutes. The heat and the long distance kept dropping my blood sugar faster than I had ever witnessed before. I lost 6 pounds during my run. Wow!!! That's a lot of water weight! Remember to keep that hydration going during your long runs especially in extreme heat! I finished my run with a 165 blood sugar. That was just perfect for me. I felt good but I was as exhausted as I had been even compared to any marathon I have run. I ate 5 scrabbled eggs, yogurt, granola bar, tish of a bagel and drank 36 ounces of water in about an hour. Back to my old self. Train hard. Easy training, hard combat; hard training, easy combat!!!

Stop and smell the roses. Stop today, pause and ponder; what things are you taking for granted in your life? I am 42 years old and I just have now realized how important that question really is. Learn from me; a young :) man who has learned to appreciate the little things in life!!!

Smile that awesome smile!!! As Zig Zigler says, " A smile is that little curve that sets a whole lot straight."

The very, very best!!!

KB