I just received an email from a fellow Mad Cow racer that Steve Larsen, an avid cyclist, runner and triathlete, died of a heart attack while out on a run. Some of you ‘glass is half-empty’ people will look at this and say, “See! Exercise can kill you! That’s why I take it easy so nothing happens to me. I’d rather play it safe.” Most of you ‘glass is half-full’ people will look at this and say, “Wow! That’s unreal! But at least he went out doing something he enjoyed. He didn’t let anything stop him from accomplishing what he set out to do.” I side with the half-full crowd.
This is proof, once again, that you never, NEVER know when your time on this planet is done. I highly doubt Steve went out for his training run thinking, “Well, today’s the day!” How did you wake up this morning? Did you wake up and think, “Ugh! Somebody tell those birds to shut up!” Or did you think, “Wow! I could not have asked for a more beautiful morning!” There’s the difference. I’m not saying (typing?) that every morning you should prance around doing your best “Rise and Shine” boogie. What I am trying to convey is that you can grab life by both horns and charge ahead or you can hang back and wait for it to come to you. You have a choice.
So for those of you who like to shake your finger and lecture us do’ers, this is fodder for your camp. And for those of us who are on the receiving end of that finger I say to tell ‘em, “KEEP ON SHAKING!” In fact, why don’t you stop shaking for one minute and just think. Think about what your life would be like if you stopped worrying about what MIGHT happen if you traveled abroad or rode a motorcycle or even ventured out beyond your 30 mile radius. Think about how much better you’d feel if you walked longer than the distance from the fridge to the computer. Think about how much better you’d feel if you reached for the bag of carrots instead of the free samples at Costco. Think. Live, don’t exist.
And for the record, I’m 39 and I just came back from a long run. Think I need to stop? I think not.
For more on Steve Larsen, please visit
http://www.velonews.com/article/92239/pro-racer-steve-larsen-dies-of-heart-attack-during-running