Podcast appearances and mentions of wilson horrell

On Episode 69 I sit down with Wilson Horrell. Wilson is a recovering drug/alcohol addict who is now big-time into health and fitness. He is an avid CrossFitter who has also done a handful of 50-mile races. Also, go check out his podcast, "Lift Heavy Run Long" through the link below. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! LHRL Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lift-heavy-run-long-podcast-inspire-be-inspired/id785714991 UBY Website: https://www.upbeforeyou.com/ Leave a rating/review and subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-before-you/id1440543027

https://youtu.be/F2KDRTUvevI This week on the Lift heavy Run Long® Podcast, we decided to change things up a little bit. We got rid of the dead weight (the men) and brought in the heavy-hitters (the ladies). This provided a unique and interesting perspective into how females approach fitness and their goals. It was very insightful, and we hope to make it more of a regular thing. It was informative, entertaining, and powerful. Let us know what you think. Here is a little bit about the ladies on this episode:   Laura  Pinckley is an Air Traffic Controller at Memphis Center, mom of three kids and married to a Crossfit coach.  She gets paid to talk all day long for work but in her spare time, she yells (encouragingly) at folks in the gym for free.   Although she loves deadlifting most of all, she is always looking for new ways to exercise and is currently attempting to learn immersion swimming for open water distances. She hopes everyone is lucky enough to not only find the exercises or sports that keep them healthy and energized but that they also find a group of folks that keep them laughing until they pee their booty shorts.   Jenny Lovitt was the original frumpy, overweight teenager, who was bullied and teased. She finally decided, at the age of 16, to take control and learn about proper nutrition and exercise. She truly believes that without that experience, she would not be the person she is today. She learned to never judge a book by it's cover, always assume people are going through something painful, and always treat people how you would want to be treated. It has been a long journey for Jenny, in regards to health and fitness. She has since had 2 children and with each gained 70 lbs. Needless to say, exercise has always been a necessary evil, but it wasn't until she found Cross fit that it became fun. In the past, she worked out and dieted, out of fear of becoming that little, teased, 14 year old, who still lives deep within her soul. To this day, she can still hear that little girl, every time she looks in the mirror, telling her  to stay strong, don't let them see you cry, and smile through the pain.  If she could talk to that girl now, she would tell her, "You are beautiful, you are strong, and you will be a force to reckoned with!"  She can actually say, she now loves the person she has become. Never count out the frumpy caterpillars because they will eventually turn into a butterfly, and there are no limits on how high they can fly. Amanda Drogmiller is the owner of Starting Gun Events which focuses on bringing cost effective running events and programs to her local area. She started the first running series as well as the first Women’s Run/Walk program in Desoto County. Her business has helped raise over 30,000 dollars for organizations like the Red Cross, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and local law enforcement agencies. Amanda has completed numerous triathlons, ultras, marathons, and other running events. Amanda is also a CrossFit Level 1 trainer at Olive Branch Crossfit and at Crossfit Hammered Steel and has organized and competed in CrossFit events held at her local box. She strives to bring a positive and healthy environment to her local community and be a strong and empowering role model for her three sons. Amanda has made HUGE gains throughout her fitness journey, and is an incredible inspiration to those in her life.   Amanda Horrell is a clinical pharmacist from Whitwell, TN who now resides in Byhalia, MS with her husband Wilson Horrell and two children Andie Kate and Grayson. She grew up on an angus farm and commuted to Chattanooga, TN for school and basically everything else in life. She attended Chattanooga Christian School, the University of Tennessee Chattanooga for her undergrad and Union University for her Doctorate in Pharmacy. Amanda started running a little over two years ago as well as CrossFitting. Through these two things,

"My dad asked me if you could go anywhere and do anything, what would you do? And I said, I'd go back to bed."—Wilson on depression in early recovery. Lift Heavy, Run Long: https://www.liftheavyrunlong.com/ _________ Themes by @djfmdotcom

"It wasn't until I was alone, with the gun on the table when I realized I had hit bottom..." -Wilson Horrell It's hard for me not to start every single episode with "I was blown away by this guest..." Podcasting has been one of the most powerful gifts when it comes to my personal development. I have the opportunity to share some of the most powerful and vulnerable stories that are beyond inspiring. When I started The Happiness of Pursuit Podcast, I wanted to inspire people to find happiness in the pursuit of their dreams by taking action. In this episode, we not only talk about the power of action but more importantly how taking action saved Wilson's life. Wilson Horrell was a hard working, successful business owner. During a trip to Las Vegas, he hit the jackpot, literally, and won over $2 Million. Following that win, Wilson went on a wild ride with drugs and alcohol which led to him losing everything, including his family. While his story is a sad and common one amongst lottery winners, what Wilson did after is amazing. What you will learn in this episode of The Happiness of Pursuit Podcast: >>The importance of finding a community >>The necessity of taking action immediately >>Why you need to enjoy the journey, not the destination To get the full show notes, visit www.douglasjfoley.com/72 Enjoy!

Amanda Horrell is a clinical pharmacist from Whitwell, TN who now resides in Byhalia, MS with her husband Wilson Horrell and two children Andie Kate and Grayson. She grew up on an angus farm and commuted to Chattanooga, TN for school and basically everything else in life. She attended Chattanooga Christian School, the University of Tennessee Chattanooga for her undergrad and Union University for her Doctorate in Pharmacy. Amanda started running a little over two years ago as well as CrossFitting. Through these two things, she is learning to love herself a little more each day. She also sees herself becoming a stronger person both physically and emotionally each day. Running competitively is something she knows will never be able to attain but just running the races and crossing the finish line is a solid victory to her. Surrounding yourself with the right people can help you in so many ways. She's always been a negative person, a glass half empty girl but since joining a community of people who have positive attitudes, she is singing a different tune. She attributes most of her transformation to her husband, Wilson, who ‘is the most positive and upbeat human being I know.’ He wakes up of a morning with a huge smile on his face and he goes to bed each night with a smile under his CPAP mask. She strives to be more like him and exude positivity, approach all situations with a calm demeanor. Past relationships were NOT like this at all and it was a breath of fresh air to meet Wilson and others like him in the Olive Branch Crossfit Community and the running community. Each day she becomes happier with life. The past doesn’t haunt her as much as it used to and the future looks bright ahead. Nothing but good things to come. Things you may not know about Amanda: she plays the flute and loves to play in church services, she can fold money into roses, she loves to sing all the time, she loves the symphony and goes whenever she can, she has taken three levels of sign language classes, her favorite movement is the power clean and she loves super cars. Her dream car is an Audi R8. :) Show Notes and all the -ish 0:00-3:00 Intro and outtakes 3:00-10:00 We ask listeners to send in stuff for the set. Von gets over his fear of reading and tries to rent out the studio for "dirty movies". 10:00-20:00 We discuss buying real estate from dead people. Von eats raw chicken. We FINALLY start interviewing Dr. Horrell 20:00-30:00 Amanda starts CrossFit after finding herself spending too much time on the couch with her dog and Little Caesar's pizza. 30:00-40:00 Amanda and Wilson discuss how they met and fell in love, as well as Amanda's passion for her job as a clinical pharmacist. 40:00-50:00 We talk about the role that Amanda has played in becoming a mother to our children since she entered their lives. We discuss her goal of becoming part of the 50mile/300deadlift club. 50:00-60:00 Amanda's entry into the running and endurance world. 1:00:00- ending Amanda COMMITS to running another 50mile race!

Beefcake #26 I am kinda in a hurry. I need to get to my meeting, but I still have to pick the kids up from school, grab dinner, and drop them off at the house. I feel tense, and my brain feels scattered. It's moments like this when I should pause, and take deep breaths....but who has time for deep breaths when you are busy freaking out? The kids are eating in the backseat of the car when Andie tells me, "Daddy, my tooth hurts." Well crap. Can't she see that I am in a hurry? Ain't nobody got time for that. Now is just not a "convenient" time in my life for someone I love to have a problem. As we arrive home, thank God, Amanda is pulling in the driveway. She will know what to do, and be able to guide me in the right direction. She takes a look and gives a directive. "We will give her some Tylenol and call the dentist." Damnit. What if the dentist can't see her? What if it gets worse in the middle of the night? Do I call her usual pediatric dentist or my dentist? What time do they open? When should I expect a response? Do I make an appointment, or just show up at the office? This is going to throw off the dentist's schedule immensely. Suddenly, I am not only worried about my daughter, but I am worried about putting out the dentist by having him arrange his schedule for the unexpected. I don't like this feeling. I am really not the person for anyone to be reliant upon, especially when that person is as precious as my seven year old daughter. Upon arriving to my meeting, I had some time to share about what it was that had me so disheveled. Before I could finish my story, I had a couple of older men having a laugh at my account of the predicament which I faced. One gentleman in particular had this to say, "I know where you are coming from. I am capable of turning this fly on my coffee cup into a buzzard on a light post. It doesn't matter how big of a problem that I want to make it out to be, one thing's for sure, neither the fly nor the buzzard is going anywhere, until I move the cup." He then grinned and said (in the deepest of country accents), " And another thing, I'd imagine this ain't gonna be the first time that your dentist friend ever had his schedule interrupted cause an achy tooth." I couldn't help but laugh. Some people have that gift. It's the gift of perspective, and I'm glad to be on the receiving end of it. I get busy. I get worried. I lose track of the problem at hand, because my emotions are inflated because it affects someone that I love. I think it's important for me to be aware of my actions and emotions when faced when these types of situations, but I think it is more important to be cognizant that people all around me are dealing with these situations all the time. If someone is acting irrationally, there could be a perfectly logical explanation for their illogical behavior. Give Grace. Peace, Love, and all things Beef related, Beefcake My name is Wilson Horrell, aka "Beefcake".  I'm a junkie turned sober that found CrossFit, running, and community to be my new addiction. I have no education or experience as a writer, and almost zero knowledge of grammar. I love sitting in front of a computer and spitting it out on paper as it goes through my brain. I hope you enjoy reading, and feel free to reach out or comment at anytime! I would love it if you subscribed to this blog HERE. Thanks for reading!  

Happy Luigi Day everyone even though it was last week by the time you hear this. In this episode, Farley introduces a new theme song for Joanna and we discuss MCM tapering one week out from the big race in DC. We then call Wilson Horrell, from lift heavy run long, a member of the 50/400 club. We ask him about the egg bowl, cowboy qbs, playing slots, and his amazing journey with drug abuse and how running and lifting changed his life. Then, Farley outsources a strava problem to our listeners, and we finalize our new york city marathon plans.

Ep 77 - Happy Luigi Day (Wilson Horrell)

Episode #18 In the early 1500's, there was an English horse stable owner named William Hobson. As the story goes, Mr. Hobson had quite a large stable, which housed upwards of forty horses. William rented his horses by the week or month, usually to mail carriers, but the horses could be in whatever capacity they were needed. Many people relied on Hobson and the availability of his horses for the sake of their own welfare. Upon entering the stable, one would expect to have the freedom to evaluate which horse they needed for the job, and evaluate fair pricing from there. However, this is not how Mr. Hobson chose to do things. Here's the catch, if you were to choose a mount within the stables of William Hobson's place of business, you had to choose the horse in the stall closest to the door....essentially giving you no choice at all. This practice was designed to keep people from only renting the best horses, at the risk of having them overworked. So, because of Hobson's style of horse lending, the term "Hobson's choice" was coined. This this translates into, "take it or leave it". Those are your only two options, and there ain't no in-between. You will take the horse closest to the door or you will take nothing at all. There is no room for negotiations, and you do not settle on a different price. All horses are the same fee, regardless of how valuable you believe one to be versus the other. You have the option of taking the horse that is in front of you, and getting the most out of it, or you can grab your hat and walk your happy ass back down the road. That is strictly your decision. I don't know about you, but I kind of like Mr. Hobson's way of doing things. I don't know that I would agree with it if I didn't get the horse that I wanted, but I have to respect it. It certainly cuts down on the guesswork. There would be no sense in letting your dealings with Hobson rattle around in your brain all day, with the what-ifs, and shoulda, coulda, woulda's. I don't know anything about your life, and the last thing that I want to do is come across as if I know how you should live it. I will say this about me though, everyday when my eyes open, and my feet hit the floor, I have, to some extent, been given a Hobson's choice. I can take it or leave it. I can go throughout my day as if I am just trying to survive- avoiding as many people, places, and things as possible, hoping that I will somehow make it to the next day. Or, I can take whatever horse that life has for me to ride, and I can run it wide open. I can run that horse as hard, fast, and strong as it will allow me to go. The great thing about each day being a Hobson's choice is....every day it's a different horse. Take it or leave it. There might be a well kept, pure-blooded stallion waiting on you, as you rub the sleep from your eyes. Or, life might present you with a raggedy cross-breed that looks more like a mix between a donkey and an Alpaca. Ride that thing anyway. Get out of it what you can. Kick it at the end of the day, as you return it to the stable, if you need to. Curse it, swear at when it wheb the day is over...but for God's sake, ride it, and take from it what you can. Keep your fingers crossed, and be excited that a new horse is coming tomorrow- a different horse, an entirely different animal. Do what you will. Ride the horse however you choose, or don't even ride it at all. Walk beside it. Try to train it. Hook it up to the plow and try to work it, but whatever you do......don't ever, ever, ever choose to leave it. That horse and that day is already paid for. I hope your day is good and your prospects are many. Peace, Love, and all things Beef related, Beefcake My name is Wilson Horrell, aka "Beefcake".  I'm a junkie turned sober that found CrossFit, running, and community to be my new addiction. I have no education or experience as a writer, and almost zero knowledge of grammar.

Beefcake #10 At The Risk of Sounding Cheezy... What is this word, "cheezy"? What does it actually mean? Why must it be inserted to detract from so many meaningful and positive statements of love and compassion? "Not to sound cheezy"..."I don't mean to sound like I care"...."I'm not wanting you think I'm weak".... "I don't want you to get the impression that I give a f**k". It is my belief that the fear of "sounding cheezy" is the number one cause of compliments not given, relationships not being nurtured, and affection not being shown. Von and I talk about this briefly in the Beefcake Podcast #9, and we will be talking about it more in Episode #10. I am as guilty as anyone. Often, as I am paying a compliment or preparing to say something nice, I lead into it with something like, "Not to sound cheezy, but....". This is my insecurity shining through. This is my self-doubt  being thrown right in your direction. This is my being afraid that you are going to think that I am weak, or not tough, or not a man. Where did this start? I think that our society has a pre-determined idea of what goes into being a "man". Unfortunately, I think that men are the ones who created the falsehoods regarding what is required of manliness. Men generally don't want to be viewed as loving, caring and nurturing- we want to be rough, tough, and mean. The roughness, toughness, and mean-ness, I have found, is usually based around an underlying fear or insecurity. I know this because I have spent most of my life trying to be a tough guy, while also being fearful and insecure.  Not being affectionate, caring, and compassionate has nothing to do with being or not being manly, and everything to do with being uncomfortable and an unwillingness to be vulnerable. It's crazy how much discomfort can go into saying something nice to someone, or paying a compliment. For some people, saying the words, "I love you" is the scariest thing they can imagine. I am not suggesting that you run out and tell everyone with which you shake hands that you love them. But, what I am saying is that people like, need, and deserve compliments in order to help them be better people. I can assure you that the risk of anyone truly believing that you are a cheezeball because you paid them a compliment is very, very small. I have received many, many texts from grown men who have just wanted to let me know that they were thinking about me, they love, and they hope I am well. At no point in time did I ever feel anything less than overwhelmed with gratitude and appreciation for for having these people in my life. Never once did I shake my head at my phone, and think, "what a cheeze" or "what a pu**y". It just doesn't work that way. I will not speak disclaimers, warnings, or give explanations regarding what my compliments to you, say about me. That is just like me- I am paying YOU the compliment and I try to make it something about ME. How incredibly selfish and corwardice? But you, my friend are not selfish and cowardice. You are a good person who is learning to be better, just like me. So let's get over ourselves, if only momentarily, and pay someone the compliment they deserve...and not just because you are trying to screw them (that is a completely different topic, altogether). Peace, Love, and all things, Beef related, Beefcake My name is Wilson Horrell, aka "Beefcake".  I'm a junkie turned sober that found CrossFit, running, and community to be my new addiction. I have no education or experience as a writer, and almost zero knowledge of grammar. I love sitting in front of a computer and spitting it out on paper as it goes through my brain. I hope you enjoy reading, and feel free to reach out or comment at anytime! I would love it if you subscribed to this blog HERE. Thanks for reading!        

Sam and Scotty sit down with Wilson Horrell, Tunnel Hill 50 finisher and host of the Lift Heavy Run along podcast. We talk crossfit, ultras, sobriety, and throwing away a $2 million Vegas Slot Machine win.  

Beefcake #7 People can be incredibly stupid. I'm not saying that people are stupid, I am saying they can be incredibly stupid. I wonder how much frustration and bitterness is generated as a result of other peoples' stupidity. How many times would someone need to get frustrated and bitter at another person's stupidity before the question was raised, "Who of you is in fact, being more stupid." Folks get bent outta shape, people are really upset, because humans are being human. With any level of human-ness comes an extraordinary potential for stupidity...Did that sound really stupid? You get the point. I believe that as life goes on, we, as humans, are constantly reaching new PR's in the field of ignorance and stupidity. I am not saying that this is a bad thing, it is just a thing. Some people are capable of laughing at the moments of their life that will most likely be left out of their life's highlight reel, and others spend a great deal of their life trying to get past these moments. We exert a great amount of effort in trying to cover up our human-ness, in an effort to disguise ourselves as humans. No one wants to be stupid, but we all appear that way at many, many points in our lives. Sometimes, I feel like I am the reigning world champion of stupidity. I once, quite literally, ran over myself and was knocked unconscious by the vehicle which I was operating. As I was parking, I did not fully put my one-ton truck into gear, and before I knew it, it was rolling away. I ran beside the vehicle, opened the door to press the emergency brake with my hand, only to have the truck hit the neighbors curb, and WHAM! When I woke up, I was spread-eagle in my neighbors front yard, and the truck was still running. You know what I did? I got in my truck and I drove off. I honestly, never really gave it much thought until years later. Granted, it took years and years, but I learned from it. I did not need someone pointing their finger in my face and giving me lectures about the stupid things that I do in life. I believe that if given enough time, we will all learn exactly what we need to learn. I even believe that giving grace and allowing people to make stupid decisions can speed up the learning process. I guess what I am trying to say is this, don't get bent outta shape because of other people's stupid behavior. Stupidity can be a vital aspect to the learning process. Expecting people to act rationally and reasonably in ways that you believe to be rational and reasonable is really just stupidity on our part. Let people "do their thing" and appreciate that there is a lesson within every action. People will not stand and sit on my command, nor will they adhere to my rules and my way of life. Expecting them to do so is stupid. Instead, enjoy the circus. Sit on the sidelines and appreciate the entertainment. Appreciate those who make stupidity look like a talent, ever reaching new heights, and achieving new levels of stupidity. We all need grace, especially those of us who run over ourselves with our own vehicles. Peace, love, and all things, Beef related, Beefcake My name is Wilson Horrell, aka "Beefcake".  I'm a junkie turned sober that found CrossFit, running, and community to be my new addiction. I have no education or experience as a writer, and almost zero knowledge of grammar. I love sitting in front of a computer and spitting it out on paper as it goes through my brain. I hope you enjoy reading, and feel free to reach out or comment at anytime! I would love it if you subscribed to this blog HERE. Thanks for reading!  

Beefcake #6 I hate my septic tank. There is something wrong with it. I don't understand it. I don't trust it. Actually, I'm not really sure if anything is going on with it or not, but it's the first place I turn when something is not acting right with my plumbing. I have a toilet that is "burping" whenever I flush it. I have called a plumber and he is coming out tomorrow. I waited to call the plumber because I wanted to worry about it. I wanted to let my mind sift through all of the worst case scenarios and decide which one would be my fate. Chances are, it's probably a plugged vent pipe or clogged drain pipe that can be fixed with minimal expense. I just don't know. I saw a commercial once, it had a backhoe and men working, warning of the tens of thousands of dollars that a bad septic tank could cost you. This is the extent of my knowledge of septic tanks. This is not the first or the tenth time that I have gotten all worked up about a fictional septic tank issue. I have been blaming toilet and drain irregularities on the septic tank for 13 years...and never had a problem with it. I have created more imaginary issues, situations, and financial problems based around this septic tank, and truthfully, it's never given me any problems at all. I have a tendency to drift to worst case scenarios, and this is no different. You wanna know why I really hate my septic tank? It's because I don't understand it. I really don't understand how it operates and exactly how it functions. I don't have the necessary knowledge to have a good understanding of precisely how it works. I don't worry, fear, hate, or feel as strongly about the other components of my house, because I know how they work. I have a better understanding of them. I can generally fix most things around the house, or at least I know who to call. I don't have this comfort and security with my septic tank. I don't know who to trust to repair it or judge if it needs repair. This is why I hate having a septic tank. I wonder how many of the feelings I have towards my septic tank are echoed in society. I'd like to know much of this sort of thinking goes on in the world. I'm curious as to how many people have a dislike or hatred towards certain groups or individuals simply because they don't understand how they operate, how they function, and what it is that they do. How much hate is really just a lack of understanding directed towards certain groups of people, whose purpose we don't fully understand. I wonder how much animosity is formed because of a lack of information. I want to know how many of us really have the desire to understand how and why people function the way that they do, and how many are like me, simply to lazy to put in the effort to try to understand. I can learn about my septic tank, but it's easier to hate it. I don't have to like my septic tank, I don't have to appreciate my septic tank, and I don't have to understand it. What I do know is that I need it, and would be in a load of shit without it. Have an awesome day. Word to your mother. Peace, Love, and all things Beef related, Beefcake My name is Wilson Horrell, aka "Beefcake".  I'm a junkie turned sober that found CrossFit, running, and community to be my new addiction. I have no education or experience as a writer, and almost zero knowledge of grammar. I love sitting in front of a computer and spitting it out on paper as it goes through my brain. I hope you enjoy reading, and feel free to reach out or comment at anytime! I would love it if you subscribed to this blog HERE. Thanks for reading!      

Beefcake #5 "I thank Thee first because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth because it was I who was robbed, and not I who robbed." ~Matthew Henry I received a call from my neighbor of over 13 years. Earlier that morning they found Amanda's handbag laying by the big tree stump at the end of our driveway, along with other personal belongings strewn about. Her car had been broken into the previous evening. I think I had the same checklist of emotions that comes with any instance where personal items are taken from you without consent. Briefly, I was afraid, concerned, angry, quick to point fingers, and vigilant. I experienced these feelings briefly, but ultimately, I was grateful. I am grateful for all of the things that I am, and all of which I am not. I am grateful for all of the possessions that I have, and what I have done to earn them. I am grateful for my situation and the people that have helped me shape my environment. What should I feel? Should I feel more hatred? Should I pretend to be above stealing (because I am not)? Should I view the world as spiraling down the toilet? I don't know how I should feel. I don't know this person's situation. I don't know what their life looks like. I don't know what any of the lives look like, that aren't in my little, white, upper-classed, privileged bubble. I don't know what it's like to be raised without the love of a mother or the guidance of a father. I don't know what it is like to feel as if I have to steal something because I really "need" to. I don't know his situation, and I don't know his options. What I do know is this, I have utilized every option that I swore that I would never utilize, when I reached the place where I felt I had no other options. I have done some bad things and been raised in the best circumstances, it is hard for me to say what I would do if my environment was different. At the end of the day, I really hope that this person breaking into Amanda's truck helps. I hope it helps them reach the bittersweet "bottom". I hope that this is the turning point. If I can be of any assistance in helping a man reach his bottom, so that he might begin the re-building process that is often necessary in order to do better, and be better....well by all means, keep the watch and the sunglasses. Peace, Love, and all things Beef related, Beefcake My name is Wilson Horrell, aka "Beefcake".  I'm a junkie turned sober that found CrossFit, running, and community to be my new addiction. I have no education or experience as a writer, and almost zero knowledge of grammar. I love sitting in front of a computer and spitting it out on paper as it goes through my brain. I hope you enjoy reading, and feel free to reach out or comment at anytime! I would love it if you subscribed to this blog HERE. Thanks for reading!

Beefcake Episode #2 It was time for the both of us to get some rest. My son, Grayson, was probably about 5 years old at the time, and we were wrapping up long evening of father/son bonding, or "boys night". I turned off the television, flipped off the lights, and crawled under the sheets with Grayson, as he would be crashing out in my bed tonight. As is often the case, as soon as the lights go out, Grayson's energy level goes up. He gets inquisitive and chatty. My son is rolling off questions like some sort of auctioneer, each inquiry more difficult than the prior. As I laid there listening to the cogs of my 5 year olds brain, hum and churn, I was unsure whether I was more exhausted, impatient, or interested in his line of questioning. There seemed to be no real end in site, and each question was only opening up another possible rabbit hole, which could take all night to explore. However, these were questions that my son wanted answered, and I cannot fault him for being inquisitive. The Q&A session had brought me to the brink of insanity. I simply did not have the answers to any more of the questions that my 5 year old son was rattling off, like the bullets of a Gatling Gun. I had to put an end to this. It was time to get some sleep. I told Grayson that he would be afforded just one more question, and that was it....one more! I cautioned him that he needed to put some real thought in his next and final interrogation. I wanted him to be sure that he took time to think about what concern he truly wanted to address, and what was important to him. As he began to verbalize his query, I stopped him and I said, "make it count, son. Make sure that whatever you are about to ask is important to you, cause this is your last question until morning." I asked, "Are you ready?" Grayson paused, momentarily. He took a deep breath, and he replied, "ready". His disposition indicated with the utmost confidence that his next question was most certainly the most important concern that he had going on in his world. As I gave him the go-ahead to proceed with his final question, he said this, "Daddy...if you were Batman, would you wear the black suit or the blue suit." I responded, "the black suit." He nodded, rolled over, and exclaimed, "me too, daddy. Goodnight." That was it! At this moment, the color of my Batman suit was his deepest concern.  I am a worrier. I take the smallest, teeny-tiny shred of information and place it into fictional scenarios until I have built a potential problem, that can affect my entire day. Grayson's inquiry caused me to take a look at the things which I concern myself. While true, as an adult, my concerns are of a different nature, it does not make them more important or even more realistic. In fact, I think that his concern over the color of my Batman suit was equally as founded as the concern over another individual's sexuality, religion, or political stance. I think that using bandwidth on costume colors is no less silly than most of what I see adults debating over, every time I turn on the television. I think that there are many adult concerns which are far less healthy, produce far fewer results, and ultimately provide far less benefit than the color of my Batman suit. I want to spend a little extra time evaluating my concerns, my stances, and my beliefs, and determine if they are worth the emotional investment, or if they are arguments over costume colors. I want to look past my concerns and identify whether I can do anything about them or not. Is my frustration in a situation, or anger towards a given subject going to change the situation, or would I be just as well concerning myself over the color of my Batman suit? Peace, Love, and all things Beef related, Beefcake My name is Wilson Horrell, aka "Beefcake".  I'm a junkie turned sober that found CrossFit, running, and community to be my new addiction.

I was treading water and praying for a sandbar. I don't mean this metaphorically, I needed some shallow water. My family and I were on vacation and had seen some people playing way out in the ocean, in water that was only chest high. Judging by the color change in the ocean, we assumed that we had a sandbar in front of our condo as well...I feel like sandbars should come included in the price of the condo. I swim fairly well, so I was comfortable paddling a fair distance from shore. I would paddle-try to touch-paddle-try to touch-paddle-try to touch. I just couldn't find the sand I was hoping to feel. I stopped and turned around to look towards the shore. Oh dear, I had swam a pretty fair distance away from safety. It wasn't the end for me, and there was not a REAL threat of drowning, but there was a moment. There was a moment of panic, which butted-up painfully with mortality. I didn't see my life flash before my eyes, but I did stop to think about the potential seriousness of my situation. It was truly a gift. That moment of fear, uncertainty, and feeling of impending doom, was a welcomed addition to my ever-evolving perspective. Upon returning to my family in the shallow water, I began to think about the degree of safety that I take for granted everyday. There are so many measures taken to ensure that our lives are safe and secure. Our vehicles, ambulances, police, locks, guards, fences, phones, rules, and regulations all provide us with safety and security. I think it is great to go throughout my day, while not having to fret for my well-being at a higher level than I do. However, I think that there is something to be said for having that security blanket torn from your hands, leaving you exposed, if only briefly, to the possibility of death, or at least potential danger. I think it encourages gratitude. I think it spurs humility. I feel that it encourages me to be thankful for the measures that have been taken to provide me with a comfortable life. I believe that it helps me to feel what it would truly feel like to lose my family. I don't think that I do a very good job of appreciating what it means to really live, or understand the brevity of my existence, until I am threatened with the possibility of it being taken away from me. Last week we interviewed Paul DeAngelis on the LHRL Podcast. Paul is a guide in mountain climbing expeditions. He experiences legitimate life and death situations, regularly. We discussed the change that occurs in people who are removed from their perceived "normal" life, and have their safety blanket removed. Paul said that he sometimes feels that he is going down the mountain with an entirely different person than he went up it with. The appreciation and perspective that comes with stepping out of your comfort zone is life-altering. What was most interesting to me regarding Paul's stories of people's lives being changed by the experience on a mountain, was his agreeance that a mountain is not necessary to create the change. What in the hell does that mean? I will tell you. The point that was being made is that change is available within each of us. Appreciation and a new energy for life can be brought about simply by being more aware. It's an attitude change that can be brought about through awareness, which requires no mountain. An experience similar to climbing a mountain, jumping out of an airplane, or making a long, symbolic journey might be a great vehicle for delivering this awareness, but these things are far from necessary. See things differently. Be positive. Be appreciated. Be aware of all the good things that have been given to you, and the effort that has been put into keeping you safe. Peace, Love, and all things Beef related, Beefcake My name is Wilson Horrell, aka "Beefcake".  I am a total fat guy. At heart, I am a drunken, cigarette-loving, junkie, and addict of all things unhealthy.

The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-345 – Wilson Horrell – Lift Heavy Run Long  (Audio: link)       Link MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks - Hello my friends and welcome to episode 4-345 of the RunRunLive Podcast.  We’ve got a full agenda for today – so I won’t babble on too much.  I’ve got an interview for you with Wilson Horrell from lift heavy-run-long who has a fascinating and educational back story. I had done an interview with Josh LaJunie who is an ultra running vegan from New Orleans – but I messed up the recording and I figured we just had a vegan last episode.  The eat vegan on $4 a day got a lot of feedback.  Some folks were very enthusiastic about Ellen’s message, some were less enthusiastic and wanted me to balance that out with some fat-adaptive athletes.  Which I will at some point. My personal opinion is that nutrition is quite specific to the individual and you need to find what works for you.  That process may involve some coaching but keep an open mind.  As athletes we have the added wrinkle of our performance to think about. I’m also going to treat you to my Eagle Creek Marathon race report, but true to form it came out so long that’s all I’m going to be able to fit into this episode.  So I’ll put the interview up front and the race report on the back and we’ll call it a day! Since I’m pretty sure I’m going to run long I’ll cut my comments short. … The RunRunLive podcast is Ad Free and listener supported.  We do this by offering a membership option where members get Access To Exclusive Members Only audio Member only race reports, essays and other bits just for you! Exclusive Access to Individual Audio Segments from all Shows Intro’s, Outro’s, Section One running tips, Section Two life hacks and Featured Interviews – all available as stand-alone MP3’s you can download and listen to at any time. For the cost of an 850 gram can of (the shipping is probably a bit onerous) you can be a member of the runrunlive support crew.  There is no shipping charge for membership and I just today fixed the bug in the annual membership signup process! Links are in the show notes and at RunRunLive.com … Just a quick sentiment … On Plateaus… One of the interesting asides in the book I read last week about memory was a short bit on what to do when you practice something but hit a plateau.  I think we all know this works.  Initially when you learn a new discipline, whether an exercise routine or really, anything new it your learning follows the same basic arc. Initially it’s hard and you learn slowly.  Then you hit a stretch of rapid improvement. Eventually you plateau.  And then you’re stuck.  You push harder, you practice more hours, but you’re stuck. The example they use is typing.  Most typists get to a certain point and don’t get any faster.  They get to the ‘good enough’ plateau. How do you get unstuck?  How do you get through the plateau? Science shows 3 things that you can do, or at least try.  Mindset, discomfort and approach. .” The first one is mindset.  When you reach that ‘good-enough’ plateau you self-talk yourself into being as good as you’re going to get.  Your mind says, “Well, since I’m not getting better anymore I must be at the top end of my ability.”  Like everything else once we let our minds tell that story, we internalize it and it manifests. Like your parents and coaches always told you “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, either way you’re right!”  You have to fix your mindset.  The people who break through performance plateaus essentially don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. I’ll give you an example from my book on how to qualify for the Boston marathon.  When I talk to runners about running a qualifying time they will invariably say “I could never do that!”  I always ask a dumb question – “Why not?”  If you reframe your mindset then the question becomes “How do I?” instead of “I can’t” – sometimes it’s as simple as making that mental switch. The next that has proved to be effective in breaking through plateaus is to force yourself you’re your discomfort zone.  In the typing example this would mean forcing yourself to type at a faster rate even though you are making more mistakes.  Even if you fail a lot – you assume the higher level of performance and hang in there until the plateau is broken. The key here is you have to really push to spend time in a place where you will most certainly fail consistently at first.  Embracing the failure is part of the key to breaking the plateau.  Starting at a higher level of performance and sticking with it until you catch up is the other part.  Both are very uncomfortable. The marathon qualification example is to start with the training paces you need to run to qualify.  Even though at first you won’t be able to maintain them.  It will hurt and you will fail.  If you stick with it you can find a new level of performance. Getting yourself to perform above the comfort zone (plateau) works hand in hand with the mindset of believing you can do it. Lastly, when you think you can do it, and you force yourself out of your comfort zone into the failure zone you will be forced to find new approaches.  In a sense you can’t operate at that level and it forces you to abandon your existing approach and try approaches that support that higher level of performance. You will find the consistent areas where you are making mistakes – the failure points.  Just like lowering the water level reveals the rocks, upping your forced performance reveals your weaknesses.  Then you can devise focused practice to fix these failure points and enable the new level.  It’s a virtuous cycle. When you get to the point of re-evaluating your approach a coach or an expert can be a big plus. They have seen those mistake patterns before and can help you fix them faster. In the typing example, maybe you find that when you speed up you consistently miss the ‘b’ key or the semi-colon.  You can devise exercises that focus on those.  Or maybe switch to a Dvorak keyboard layout to totally change the approach. In the qualification example forcing yourself to run those faster-than-comfortable 1600 repeats will reveal flaws in your form and mechanics.  A coach might quickly help you fix it.  Either way you’ll quickly realize you can’t run on your heels and hold those paces. There you go – simple way to break through a plateau.  Give it a try. On with the show. Section one –   Voices of reason – the conversation Wilson “BeefCake” Horrell Hey Chris, My name is Wilson Horrell, sometimes referred to as “Beefcake”, and I am a 39 year old, married, father of 2 children (ages 10 & 7). I am a raging drug addict and alcoholic, who after years of living and unhealthy life and blowing through a $2 million dollar windfall, found running, CrossFit, and people to be my new addiction, as I sobered up and began the process of picking up the pieces.    I started running 5k’s as an effort to stop smoking and lose some weight. I found a community of trail runners who welcomed, not only me as a person, but were also open to my slow pace. My love of the trail came about immediately, as I enjoyed the lack of pounding that the soft dirt placed on my over-sized body. I heard about Lift Heavy Run Long’s 50mile &400 Deadlift club. I set my sights on this, and ran various distances until this goal was achieved. Since I started on my fitness journey in 2013, I have participated in numerous CrossFit events, some obstacle races, a couple of marathons, a handful of 50k’s, and a 50-miler last November. I am registered for the Tour D’ Spirit 24-Hour Race in Memphis, TN on Sept 30-Oct. 1 I am an incredibly average runner, as well as average athlete. I enjoy the endurance sports, as I like spending long periods of time in introspection. I like the slower paced events, and enjoy listening to the internal struggle that exists between the body and the brain.   I do not take for granted the role that people in the running community, combined with the CrossFit community, played in saving my life, and providing me with happiness. I became a partner in Lift Heavy Run Long, LLC last December because I wanted a challenge and purpose. Our goal is to build as large and strong of a community as possible for those who enjoy an active lifestyle. We want to encourage the people in the fitness community, but also welcome the people who are struggling to make the decision to change their life through fitness. I know first-hand, how scary and intimidating it can be to sign up for that first race, or first fitness class. We want to help people who are struggling to take that first step.   I love positivity, and I love being inspired. I have found that running and lifting provides a multitude of opportunities to connect with other people and be of service.    I have a blog, which started as fitness journal, but has since turned into an almost daily rambling of all of the craziness that goes through my oddly designed brain. Von and I also started a podcast, where we are trying to find some of the world’s most inspirational people, who are leading lives of fulfillment through following their bliss. Back Squat 325lbs Push Press 250lbs Front Squat 240lbs Deadlift 415lbs Fastest 5k 26:20 Fastest 10k 54:36 Sylamore 50K 2015. Finished Dead Last, but was robbed of this title because they grouped the final three of us in alphabetical order 10:22 Stanky Creek 50K 2015 7:30 Tunnel Hill 50miler 14:52 Didn’t finish dead last, but with enough perseverance, I can get there. Section two Eagle Creek Trail Marathon - Outro Well my friends you pulled the one arm bandit’s handle, hit the progressive jackpot, won the car and wheelbarrows full of shiny golden coins that are at the end of Episode 4-345 of the RunRunLive Podcast.  (Really had to work that one didn’t I?) I’ll keep this quick.  I’ve got a lot of projects going on in parallel this month. Next up is the Wapack Trail race on September 4th.  I expect some of you to come up and run this with me.  Or just come up and volunteer.  It’s an out-and-back course so you can do as much or as little as you like. Then in September I’ll be doing that Spartan race and if all goes well I’ll be interviewing Joe the owner for the next episode. Then I’ll be gunning for the Portland Marathon in October with coach – which actually has some significance because I am aging up another 10 minutes for my Boston Qualification time for 2018. Then of course we have to decide if we’re going to do the Groton Marathon at Christmas again.  This would be our fourth outing and I was thinking about opening it up to the 50-staters and the Marathon Maniacs. In the meantime I’m working on my next book and speaking project. And, oh yeah, working full time, traveling and now that my kids are out of college, seeing if we can fix up the house, consolidate our finances and, what the heck, work on my marriage. In order to support this swarm of ill-conceived projects I’m going to have to get healthy and find some creative time.  So I’ve kicked off a project in August to get healthy.  This includes cleaning up my nutrition, no more alcohol and getting up a 5:00AM every day.  I’m two days into it. I’m going to make a short video every day when I get up to document it and I’ll see if I can get those up on my YouTube Channel ‘cyktrussell’and on the RunRunLive website.  I can’t imagine why anyone would want to see my burry-eyed, discombobulated 5AM apparition, but I’m doing it for accountability. … When I was hanging out with my sister Lou this weekend she was telling me about a crime data study she had seen.  Basically all the crime data for cities is publically available so institutions have taken to turning the methods of big data loose on it to see if they can learn anything. It seems one of the things they found, not unexpectedly, was that certain areas of the cities were hot zones for crime.  But they also saw something that they couldn’t explain.  Within these hot spots were small bubbles that were crime free.  There were oases of peace in the worst parts of the city. When they looked to see why and what caused these bubbles they consistently found that it was due to one person in that neighborhood.  That person ran a gym or a business and kept the kids off the street.  That single person created a clearing for peace to manifest. One person made that happen. One person made a difference in their neighborhood. One person created a bubble of love in the rip tide of hate. You can be that person. Be the person your dog thinks you are and I’ll see you out there. MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks -

The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-345 – Wilson Horrell – Lift Heavy Run Long  (Audio: link)       Link MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks - Hello my friends and welcome to episode 4-345 of the RunRunLive Podcast.  We've got a full agenda for today – so I won't babble on too much.  I've got an interview for you with Wilson Horrell from lift heavy-run-long who has a fascinating and educational back story. I had done an interview with Josh LaJunie who is an ultra running vegan from New Orleans – but I messed up the recording and I figured we just had a vegan last episode.  The eat vegan on $4 a day got a lot of feedback.  Some folks were very enthusiastic about Ellen's message, some were less enthusiastic and wanted me to balance that out with some fat-adaptive athletes.  Which I will at some point. My personal opinion is that nutrition is quite specific to the individual and you need to find what works for you.  That process may involve some coaching but keep an open mind.  As athletes we have the added wrinkle of our performance to think about. I'm also going to treat you to my Eagle Creek Marathon race report, but true to form it came out so long that's all I'm going to be able to fit into this episode.  So I'll put the interview up front and the race report on the back and we'll call it a day! Since I'm pretty sure I'm going to run long I'll cut my comments short. … The RunRunLive podcast is Ad Free and listener supported.  We do this by offering a membership option where members get Access To Exclusive Members Only audio Member only race reports, essays and other bits just for you! Exclusive Access to Individual Audio Segments from all Shows Intro's, Outro's, Section One running tips, Section Two life hacks and Featured Interviews – all available as stand-alone MP3's you can download and listen to at any time. For the cost of an 850 gram can of (the shipping is probably a bit onerous) you can be a member of the runrunlive support crew.  There is no shipping charge for membership and I just today fixed the bug in the annual membership signup process! Links are in the show notes and at RunRunLive.com … Just a quick sentiment … On Plateaus… One of the interesting asides in the book I read last week about memory was a short bit on what to do when you practice something but hit a plateau.  I think we all know this works.  Initially when you learn a new discipline, whether an exercise routine or really, anything new it your learning follows the same basic arc. Initially it's hard and you learn slowly.  Then you hit a stretch of rapid improvement. Eventually you plateau.  And then you're stuck.  You push harder, you practice more hours, but you're stuck. The example they use is typing.  Most typists get to a certain point and don't get any faster.  They get to the ‘good enough' plateau. How do you get unstuck?  How do you get through the plateau? Science shows 3 things that you can do, or at least try.  Mindset, discomfort and approach. .” The first one is mindset.  When you reach that ‘good-enough' plateau you self-talk yourself into being as good as you're going to get.  Your mind says, “Well, since I'm not getting better anymore I must be at the top end of my ability.”  Like everything else once we let our minds tell that story, we internalize it and it manifests. Like your parents and coaches always told you “Whether you think you can or you think you can't, either way you're right!”  You have to fix your mindset.  The people who break through performance plateaus essentially don't take ‘no' for an answer. I'll give you an example from my book on how to qualify for the Boston marathon.  When I talk to runners about running a qualifying time they will invariably say “I could never do that!”  I always ask a dumb question – “Why not?”  If you reframe your mindset then the question becomes “How do I?” instead of “I can't” – sometimes it's as simple as making that mental switch. The next that has proved to be effective in breaking through plateaus is to force yourself you're your discomfort zone.  In the typing example this would mean forcing yourself to type at a faster rate even though you are making more mistakes.  Even if you fail a lot – you assume the higher level of performance and hang in there until the plateau is broken. The key here is you have to really push to spend time in a place where you will most certainly fail consistently at first.  Embracing the failure is part of the key to breaking the plateau.  Starting at a higher level of performance and sticking with it until you catch up is the other part.  Both are very uncomfortable. The marathon qualification example is to start with the training paces you need to run to qualify.  Even though at first you won't be able to maintain them.  It will hurt and you will fail.  If you stick with it you can find a new level of performance. Getting yourself to perform above the comfort zone (plateau) works hand in hand with the mindset of believing you can do it. Lastly, when you think you can do it, and you force yourself out of your comfort zone into the failure zone you will be forced to find new approaches.  In a sense you can't operate at that level and it forces you to abandon your existing approach and try approaches that support that higher level of performance. You will find the consistent areas where you are making mistakes – the failure points.  Just like lowering the water level reveals the rocks, upping your forced performance reveals your weaknesses.  Then you can devise focused practice to fix these failure points and enable the new level.  It's a virtuous cycle. When you get to the point of re-evaluating your approach a coach or an expert can be a big plus. They have seen those mistake patterns before and can help you fix them faster. In the typing example, maybe you find that when you speed up you consistently miss the ‘b' key or the semi-colon.  You can devise exercises that focus on those.  Or maybe switch to a Dvorak keyboard layout to totally change the approach. In the qualification example forcing yourself to run those faster-than-comfortable 1600 repeats will reveal flaws in your form and mechanics.  A coach might quickly help you fix it.  Either way you'll quickly realize you can't run on your heels and hold those paces. There you go – simple way to break through a plateau.  Give it a try. On with the show. Section one –   Voices of reason – the conversation Wilson “BeefCake” Horrell Hey Chris, My name is Wilson Horrell, sometimes referred to as “Beefcake”, and I am a 39 year old, married, father of 2 children (ages 10 & 7). I am a raging drug addict and alcoholic, who after years of living and unhealthy life and blowing through a $2 million dollar windfall, found running, CrossFit, and people to be my new addiction, as I sobered up and began the process of picking up the pieces.    I started running 5k's as an effort to stop smoking and lose some weight. I found a community of trail runners who welcomed, not only me as a person, but were also open to my slow pace. My love of the trail came about immediately, as I enjoyed the lack of pounding that the soft dirt placed on my over-sized body. I heard about Lift Heavy Run Long's 50mile &400 Deadlift club. I set my sights on this, and ran various distances until this goal was achieved. Since I started on my fitness journey in 2013, I have participated in numerous CrossFit events, some obstacle races, a couple of marathons, a handful of 50k's, and a 50-miler last November. I am registered for the Tour D' Spirit 24-Hour Race in Memphis, TN on Sept 30-Oct. 1 I am an incredibly average runner, as well as average athlete. I enjoy the endurance sports, as I like spending long periods of time in introspection. I like the slower paced events, and enjoy listening to the internal struggle that exists between the body and the brain.   I do not take for granted the role that people in the running community, combined with the CrossFit community, played in saving my life, and providing me with happiness. I became a partner in Lift Heavy Run Long, LLC last December because I wanted a challenge and purpose. Our goal is to build as large and strong of a community as possible for those who enjoy an active lifestyle. We want to encourage the people in the fitness community, but also welcome the people who are struggling to make the decision to change their life through fitness. I know first-hand, how scary and intimidating it can be to sign up for that first race, or first fitness class. We want to help people who are struggling to take that first step.   I love positivity, and I love being inspired. I have found that running and lifting provides a multitude of opportunities to connect with other people and be of service.    I have a blog, which started as fitness journal, but has since turned into an almost daily rambling of all of the craziness that goes through my oddly designed brain. Von and I also started a podcast, where we are trying to find some of the world's most inspirational people, who are leading lives of fulfillment through following their bliss. Back Squat 325lbs Push Press 250lbs Front Squat 240lbs Deadlift 415lbs Fastest 5k 26:20 Fastest 10k 54:36 Sylamore 50K 2015. Finished Dead Last, but was robbed of this title because they grouped the final three of us in alphabetical order 10:22 Stanky Creek 50K 2015 7:30 Tunnel Hill 50miler 14:52 Didn't finish dead last, but with enough perseverance, I can get there. Section two Eagle Creek Trail Marathon - Outro Well my friends you pulled the one arm bandit's handle, hit the progressive jackpot, won the car and wheelbarrows full of shiny golden coins that are at the end of Episode 4-345 of the RunRunLive Podcast.  (Really had to work that one didn't I?) I'll keep this quick.  I've got a lot of projects going on in parallel this month. Next up is the Wapack Trail race on September 4th.  I expect some of you to come up and run this with me.  Or just come up and volunteer.  It's an out-and-back course so you can do as much or as little as you like. Then in September I'll be doing that Spartan race and if all goes well I'll be interviewing Joe the owner for the next episode. Then I'll be gunning for the Portland Marathon in October with coach – which actually has some significance because I am aging up another 10 minutes for my Boston Qualification time for 2018. Then of course we have to decide if we're going to do the Groton Marathon at Christmas again.  This would be our fourth outing and I was thinking about opening it up to the 50-staters and the Marathon Maniacs. In the meantime I'm working on my next book and speaking project. And, oh yeah, working full time, traveling and now that my kids are out of college, seeing if we can fix up the house, consolidate our finances and, what the heck, work on my marriage. In order to support this swarm of ill-conceived projects I'm going to have to get healthy and find some creative time.  So I've kicked off a project in August to get healthy.  This includes cleaning up my nutrition, no more alcohol and getting up a 5:00AM every day.  I'm two days into it. I'm going to make a short video every day when I get up to document it and I'll see if I can get those up on my YouTube Channel ‘cyktrussell'and on the RunRunLive website.  I can't imagine why anyone would want to see my burry-eyed, discombobulated 5AM apparition, but I'm doing it for accountability. … When I was hanging out with my sister Lou this weekend she was telling me about a crime data study she had seen.  Basically all the crime data for cities is publically available so institutions have taken to turning the methods of big data loose on it to see if they can learn anything. It seems one of the things they found, not unexpectedly, was that certain areas of the cities were hot zones for crime.  But they also saw something that they couldn't explain.  Within these hot spots were small bubbles that were crime free.  There were oases of peace in the worst parts of the city. When they looked to see why and what caused these bubbles they consistently found that it was due to one person in that neighborhood.  That person ran a gym or a business and kept the kids off the street.  That single person created a clearing for peace to manifest. One person made that happen. One person made a difference in their neighborhood. One person created a bubble of love in the rip tide of hate. You can be that person. Be the person your dog thinks you are and I'll see you out there. MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks -

https://youtu.be/oxjC-mUW1Ao So, I like to write, but I have a hard time considering myself "a writer". My grammar is really poor, and my sentence structure can be rather elementary. I guess it's not really important, but it does bother me. No one else really seems to care what I call myself. The same goes for running. People, myself included, have a hard time classifying themselves as "runners" if they don't run a certain distance or speed. This is all based on how I feel about myself, as well as my perception of how others feel about me. Sometimes thing just smack you in the face and make you feel a little different about things...... Meet Lisbeth Darsh. I really don't know how to describe her. I would give you a brief bio on her, but it won't really tell you who she is. You are just going to have to listen to feel her passion for life and her willingness to just "go for it". I began reading her blog, wordswithlisbeth.com, and I can't get enough of it. Lisbeth is a very knowledgeable teacher with a passion for both fitness and writing. She is also very passionate about life. Just the correct mixture of knowledge, humility, passion, and humor makes her someone who I respect very much. Take a listen and tell us what you think. Peace, Love, and all things Beef related, Beefcake My name is Wilson Horrell, aka "Beefcake".  I am a total fat guy. At heart, I am a drunken, cigarette-loving, junkie, and addict of all things unhealthy. I reached rock-bottom back in the Summer of 2011 and decided to get clean. With sobriety came a great deal of changes in my day-to-day life. I am a big, lazy animal who somehow got mixed up in CrossFit, started hanging with the crowd at LHRL, and watched my life and daily habits change. I started blogging as a way to journal my fitness, and it has turned out to be very therapeutic. I have found that my life is enhanced by community, and I am at my happiest when I am interacting with other people. I have a beautiful and incredibly intelligent wife, Amanda, as well as two wonderfully gifted children, Grayson and Andie Kate. I have no education or experience as a writer, and almost no knowledge of grammar. I just enjoy spitting it out on paper as it goes through my brain. I hope you enjoy reading, and feel free to reach out or comment at anytime! I would love it if you subscribed to this blog HERE. Thanks for reading!