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

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

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

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

Don't Stop Running!

Hello Gals and Guys!

Everyday we are faced with challenges that can bring us down. Some of these are small, some of these are life changing. These challenges can sometimes alter the direction of our entire life. We must not give up!!! Ray Kroc; the founder of McDonald's, opened his first restaurant when he was 52 years old. My point; it's never to late to start over and you're never to old to accomplish great things!!!

Happiness. We all want to be happy, right? How do we measure happiness? Is it having a fulfilling career, having healthy children and watching them grow up? Is happiness being in love with someone and that person loving you back? Is happiness being financially comfortable and not having to want for anything? Being happy is defined differently for everyone. No matter how hard we try; we will never have EVERYTHING we want in life. There will always be hurdles and will always be challenges. When our journey ends here on earth, we can only wish to have spent as much time with the ones we love and have enjoyed as much as the world has to offer with these individuals. Life will throw you a curve ball. You may even get hit upside the head with a pitch. Don't stop going to the plate. You may even get traded to another team not by your choice. Eventually my friend; you will hit a home run!!!!

I am carbing up for a 5 mile run this evening. It has been a long day working and I don't really feel like running. I know if I get out there and start my run I will feel better that I did it. I will get rid of the days stress, and I will have a better outlook on the hurdles in my life no matter how big.

Don't stop running, not today, not any day. Life has a rewarding finishing line, don't give up no matter what hurdles are put in your way!

Love to all,
KB

Keep trying even when it's not easy!!!

Good Day Everyone!

This morning I put in 12 miles. It was my intent to go 15 but I ran into some hurdles and decided to stop at 12 instead of perhaps over doing it and hurting myself in the long run. There are things that can certainly go wrong when you are out there running for several hours. Your body not only needs to be in shape from an endurance and physical standpoint; but the nutrition, hydration and food intake at appropriate times needs to all be in sync as well. I will not let this bump in the road discourage me, but get back on that horse on Wednesday and start running again. People sometimes ask why we do what we do when we take on extreme sports. Is it the way it makes us feel, the ability to fit into our favorite blue jeans, the ability to eat almost whatever we want? Maybe it's the thrill of pushing yourself to a point where you know most people have never gone. When we accomplish something great we have a feeling of confidence that allows us to achieve great things in all aspects of our life. We need to remember this: Whatever your extreme sport of choice is; it's not easy. Sometimes we fail, but we continue to try and in the end we will inevitably accomplish our goal. In life: sometimes we fail. It is equally if not more important to push on and make the decisions to accomplish our goals and live the life that we want. We must keep going even when it's not easy. Just because we make a mistake or stumble and fall, we must keep going and that's what it means to go from good to great. It's never giving up and pushing past our hurdles and our fears.

This weekend I observed my children Katie and Trent(11 and 9 years old) climbing rocks, going under water falls, kayaking, swimming, fishing and even playing checkers. It is simply amazing the energy children have and the zest they have for life when doing all these activities. They are not only learning a lot about these sports, but they are learning how to help each other, work through difficult times, overcome their fears, push themselves when they didn't think they couldn't and building character along the way. They are a joy to watch and they give me inspiration and motivation to want to live until I am 100 so that I can be there by their side and share all of life's experiences with them.

Life is tough, get a helmet! Don't give up even when it becomes challenging! Go after what you want and go after it NOW!!!

Make somebody smile today!

KB

Zig Ziglar once said, "You will get what you want in life, if you help enough people get what they want!!!"

Hello Guys and Gals!!!

I wanted to share something with you that my daughter Katie has had hanging on our refrigerator since the end of school. Call me Mr. Observant, but today was the first day I took time to stop an read it. There was a picture of a boomerang. Inside of this colorful boomerang she had drawn, written were the words: trust, listening, honest, truthful, being kind to others and obey. Her teacher had written at the bottom of the picture, "You have been an inspiration for our class this year! You are a joy to have in class!" Signed Miss Mitchell. The little things in life that make such a big difference...If all of us were to take these attributes and use them everyday, how wonderful the world would be. The point of the boomer rang, if not obvious, was if we treat others this way, these wonderful things will come back to us from other people. It is true that sometimes we treat others nicely and we get treated badly in return. We learn by our mistakes and these individuals unfortunately end up not being our friends or people we aspire to be like as we grow up and move on in our lives. That doesn't mean for one second we should stop being who we are. We should continue to love, trust, listen, be honest, be kind and be truthful in what we say and do everyday. This makes us a person we can be proud to be and others will be proud of as well. We all must develop these good habits. I would be the first to admit that I could use some work on developing my good habits. Habits have a way of taking control of our lives and we start doing them without ever thinking. That's why it is so important to develop good habits and it takes an even extra effort sometimes to break bad habits.

I want to thank my daughter Katie for her picture she left on the refrigerator and the inspiration. Something so small that means so much!!!

Continue to give to others and expect nothing in return. When you least expect it someone will give back to you when you need it the most!!!

Don't stop loving! Even if your heart gets broke. Like the ole' saying goes....If at first you don't succeed, try try again!!!

Run often, run hard and run with purpose!!!

KB

Soar Like An Eagle!!!

Hello Everyone!

I am hopeful everyone is getting the most out of your summer! Whether it is swimming, white-water rafting, travelling, going to the zoo, visiting your relatives or just relaxing and enjoying your family; I want you to enjoy every ounce of your summer!!!!

I have a 5 mile run to put in today and I am excited about a new running group that I will join tomorrow for a 5 mile run. They meet every Saturday and run between 5 and 10 miles and then go to the local St. Louis Bread Company for some carbs and drinks. I am looking forward to this new adventure. I have usually ran alone, but joining a group can help motivate you to run, can increase your pace time and can also introduce you to people just like you who love to run!!!

I have recently read something that I found very inspirational. It is an explanation of how a mother eagle must have the courage to push her infants out of the nest to learn how to fly. This excerpt from a book I read can be interpreted many ways and motivate you to do different things. A quote from David McNally in the book called, "The Push"..."Until they learned how to soar they would fail to understand the privilege it was to have been born and eagle." Everyday day most of us are very fortunate to wake up with health, energy and God-given talent. We are privileged that we have all these glorious things the Lord has given us. It is up to us to use these talents to make our families, children, careers and our relationships flourish! Let us all try to remind ourselves everyday that we have the ability to SOAR!!! We all will face adversity in our lives. It's not a matter of if, but when. Reach down deep in to your soul and know that it will be scary, frightening and even very difficult. Know you have been born an "eagle" and you do have the ability and the right to SOAR!

David McNally writes, "Why does the thrill of soaring have to begin with the fear of falling?" Excellence comes with risk, caring, dreaming and expecting more than others think is wise. Today is your day!!! Know that you have the ability, the heart and the determination to live an extraordinary life!

I pray that all of you soar like an eagle!!!

KB

Did you let out the Monster today?!!!

Hello AMERICA!

I have dove back into my training and have only 5 weeks before the Mesa Falls Marathon in Ashton, IA. I have never done two marathons this close together so I am anxious to see how my body will perform! This past Sunday I ran Missoula, MT and by Wednesday this week I started out with 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer and 30 minutes of weight lifting. Today I put in a 3 mile run. I truly miss when I go several days without running. Exercise in general for most people gives us a great feeling of accomplishment and provides us with some extra energy along the way. My kids have a saying that they use when I run marathon's. They tell me when I get close to the finish line that I should, "Let the Monster out." They have seen me grit my teeth, clutch my fist and turn up the speed when I get close to the finish. They say I look like a monster coming across the finish line. The "letting out the monster" gives me that extra boost sometimes I need to cross the finish and perhaps pass a few runners who I have been behind the whole race! Everyday we get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, go to our jobs, come home, eat dinner, go to bed. I don't want to sound mundane, but we can let life become that way if we don't go after what we want ever day with passion and zest!!! My brother says to do something everyday that scares you. You know you are being challenged and taking risk if you do things that scare you. This is also how I found to build character and gain experience. If you do something you are scared to do, but you do it anyway and accomplish the tasks successfully; you have gain experience and more often then not, some character along the way. Make sure you are getting the most out of every day! The compilation of all the days end up to be....guess what? Your life!!! Get the most out of it!! Make sure sometime during the day you "Let out the Monster!" You want to get the most out of your day and certainly in the end the most out of your life!!!!

Love, trust, forgive and live!!!

KB

Never pass up an opportunity to be great!!!

Hello Runners, Friends, Family and All Star Fans!!!

Yesterday I completed my 10th marathon and my 9th state that I have run a marathon in. It is awesome to have hit double digits with marathons I have run! Missoula Montana puts on an awesome marathon. For those of you considering a great place to travel and a marathon well done; this is a great one to put on your list. From the moment I arrived, Missoula offers a lot to the average visitor. The airport was only 2 minutes away from my hotel. The hotel offers 24/7 shuttle service which I utilized several times during my trip. I would like to say a big THANK YOU to the folks at the Hawthorn Inn. Not only were they very nice and cordial, but anything you asked for it was delivered in a matter of minutes. The day of the race my brother and I left the hotel at 4:15am. The hotel had put together a bag with a bagel, yogurt, apple and orange juice for us to take with us. For those of you who don’t travel much, most hotels if you are not up before breakfast is served, you just simply miss breakfast. The Hawthorn definitely gets a 5 star for customer service! The temperature at the start of the race was around 55° F. Perfect for the start of a marathon. The course was very flat with the exception of one monster hill around mile 11. It could have been classified as a small mountain. Once we were able to master the mountain it was a battle of endurance to the finish. My brother and I were suppose to start the race together but do to a bathroom break I had to take I had forgotten to turn on my GPS watch. The gun went off and I stayed behind the start line for the satellite to load on my watch. My brother took off and thought I was seconds behind him. I only started the race a minute and half later. I caught up with my brother Kyle about mile 2 and ran with him until about mile 5. He then started running faster and I didn’t see him again until mile 22. He was about 100 yards in front of me. I knew if I kept him in my sites and did not fall more than 100yds behind, that I would beat his time because of my delayed start. Kyle unfortunately did not factor my late start in because unbeknownst to him I had waited over a minute to start the race. Kyle tried to keep me at bay and I did my very best to push myself although fatigue was setting in at an enormous level. I sprinted the last 100 yards and was only about 25 yards behind my brother when I crossed the finish line. I knew I had beaten his time. A few minutes later he was talking about how he was able to beat me in this race. I let him know about my late start and then the shock set in right then and there that I had beat him by approximately 1 minute. He couldn’t believe it. It was most definitely a, “you could have heard a pin drop” moment!! I am not very fast or do not ever brag about beating someone in a race. On this day, it was okay because it was my younger brother and I had just out foxed him in this 26.2 challenge of endurance! I love you bro! I smoked you, but I love ya!

Remember everyday to thank the people for the little things in your life. I thanked the race organizers, the hotel staff and the shuttle driver. Just giving your kids a call when you are away is an opportunity for you to do something great. It is not the “great” that you may think of, but it is the “great “ that allows you the opportunity to do something that is right there in front of you, and you just have to put forth that little effort to make a difference in someone’s life. Don’t pass up an opportunity to tell someone you love that you love them. Don’t pass up an opportunity to say thanks, hold a door open or make someone smile who might be having a rough day.

Good luck to the National League tomorrow in the All Star Game! Go Albert Puhols! You are an ambassador of good will and a wonderful role model for millions of children watching.

Go after the things you want in life no matter what it takes!! Make good choices, don’t be afraid of a challenge or obstacles in your way and love with all your heart!

After being in Montana for the weekend, I think it’s only appropriate that I use one of my old sayings….If you’re gonna be bear…Be a GRIZZLY!!!!

KB

Tortoise Or Hare; Winning is in the eye of the beholder!

Hello Friends!,

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. St. Louis has been a real pressure cooker recently but we are down in the 80's this week and the weather has been beautiful. Enjoy the outdoors; it is one of the greatest gifts God has bestowed upon us!

I am 12 days out from the Montana Marathon and getting very excited about visiting this beautiful state. It is one of the few states in North America that I haven't yet visited. I won't be able to stay long, but will try to soak up all that it has to offer in the time I am there.

Today I did a 5 mile run. No frills, just me, my sneakers and the great outdoors. While I was running I saw a turtle just starting to cross the highway. This is a 4 lane road and gets quite a bit of traffic. Part of me wanted to pick the turtle up and point him back towards the woods, but I left him do what he was intending to do. I thought to myself that he will probably never make it across the road. A lot went through my mind as I thought about that turtle as I continued to run. The turtle was going as fast as he could because he was for whatever reason determined to get to the other side. I don't know how smart turtles are; maybe he just didn't know any better. There he was; moving as fast as he could and I was hoping he would not get squished as he crossed the 4 lane highway. About a dozen cars went by as I continued on my run. On my lap back I looked for the turtle with anxiety that he would not be smashed on the road. To my delight there was no smashed turtle. He had made it to the other side. He had made it to his finish line! I thought to myself as I finished my run how many types of runners there are; some very fast, some very slow. Some turtles, some rabbits. Those of us who do not win races, medals, ribbons or who do not get recognized as elite athletes are still winners! We run the race, give it everything we got and cross that finish line! That turtle; no matter how slow, was determined to get to the other side. With a little luck, determination and persistence; he accomplished his goal. God watched out for him and made his journey a successful one.

Never give up! Run your own race and be very proud of yourself that you are doing what ever exercise it is that you do. Self discipline is the biggest factor of what turns ordinary people into extraordinary people. Do what you need to do. Even when you don't want to do it; do it anyway. Whether the tortoise or the hare, be very proud of your accomplishments. Getting to the finish line makes you a true hero; It doesn't matter how or when you arrive, just get there!!!

Live and Love with all your heart and never look back!!

KB

A Little Each Day! Life is truly a Marathon!!!

Hello Folks,

I am getting ready to run the Montana Marathon in less than 6 weeks. Today I ran 5miles and I have a few more small runs this week and a whopping 20 miler this weekend! A long time ago a friend told me that life is a marathon. I didn't know quite what it meant because maybe I was to young to understand. Everyday we are faced with challenges and opportunities. To give that extra smile, to make that extra phone call, spend that extra 15 minutes with our children and to make that extra sales call that will propel us ahead of the pack. We certainly can't do everything we want in one day. Even though we have great intentions, we cannot do all the goodness we want to do in one day. We cannot kiss our children as much as we want in one day and we cannot sell as much as we want in a lifetime in one day. Life is a marathon. We must do the necessary things every single day and then choose to do a little extra every day to make us feel good about what we have accomplished. Don't try to do it all in one day, but keep putting one foot in front of the other day after day and at the end of your life you will have run that incredible marathon called "your life".

My grandmother is turning 90 years old this weekend. She is one of the sharpest, funniest, kindest, religious and energetic people I know. She also in my opinion makes the world best red velvet cake!!! She drives her car to church, bingo, quilting and visits many friends and relatives. She once told me it is sad to see all your friends pass and sometime she wonders why she has been so lucky to live so long. She is a great person and has lived a good life and cares about people more than anyone I know. It is Gods blessing to the world to keep my grandma here for us all to learn from. My grandma has run a great life long marathon. She has figured it out more than most. It's not what you do just in one day, it is a compilation of the good things that you do each and everyday. Happy 90th Birthday Grandma! You are our hero! There isn't a medal for grandma's but my Grandma Arnold sure deserves one!!!

Run your life marathon! Make each step count and never give up!!!

Kurt