This past weekend I turned 43. FORTY THREE!!! Meh! It’s a good thing I still love and embrace my birthday every year because they sure come around fast. I remember as a kid when birthdays could not come fast enough and yet they seemed to take forever. These days I blink and it is June 6th again – time to celebrate! David is not into birthdays at all and would rather forget about his all together but I have to admit that I love my birthday. My mom always made sure that it was a special day for me and I still believe that since this is the only day of the year that is truly about you, it should be celebrated accordingly. Meaning: just as you want it!

Of course there are different levels of birthdays, those you celebrate BIG and those you just, well, celebrate. The decades are always special, the ones in between not so much. 43 is definitely not a special age, although every year I am grateful that my aging body continues to allow me to run without major problems. Yes, there are aches and pains here and there and the occasional injury, but overall – knock on wood – it has afforded me to run long, hard, and always place in my age group in races. It’s pretty awesome and I try to treat it well.  43 years is a pretty long time to be alive and in those years I certainly learned forty three things:

1. blood is not always thicker than water

2. beautiful children do not necessarily turn into beautiful adults

3. when you move away you will find out who your real friends are

4. karma is a bitch

5. water is still the best drink

6. bitchiness is always written all over your face

7. Vitamin D makes me happy

8. the past usually paints with a golden brush

9. parents posting photos of “first tooth lost” on the internet is getting very old

10. CROCS are not shoes

11. road trips are the best way to get around and see the country

12. the fun factor on group runs outweighs that of solo ones plentyfold

13. wool belongs on sheep not humans

14. shoes worn for more than 500 miles pose an occupational hazard

15. the loneliness of the long distance runner is no myth

16. fleece is genius…

17. …so is cotton

18. there are not many gray areas in general

19. when in … (insert any city here) do as the … (insert any city people here) do

20. trying that new hotspot Mexican restaurant is not a good idea the night before a long run

21. yelling usually leads to nowhere

22. Livestrong is a motto I can live strongly by

23. your child is not the best and prettiest to the rest of us

24. beans are not your friend…

25. … but carbs are

26. once you become a runner forget about your toes

27. use deodorant. Daily!

28. if you have to ask if something makes you look fat you usually already know the answer

29. wearing someone else’s clothes does not give you their body

30. kids’ clothes should all come in adult sizes

31. no one looks good in leather

32. bananas with peanut butter are the world’s most perfect food

33. don’t throw rocks in glass houses, don’t even throw pebbles

34. trust your instinct

35. McDonalds is not a restaurant

36. just because you experienced something once does not make you an expert

37. stockings should be outlawed…

38. …so should the word “panty”

39. not all Germans love beer…

40. …or wear Lederhosen

41. “Life” support has very little if anything to do with living

42. change starts with each and every one of us

43. you are only as old as you feel

Today’s Running Tip: Age is just a number!

Age is no indication of your ability to run. Anyone can run no matter how old they are and I have seen many 20 year olds who have trouble finishing a mile and 80 year olds that cross the finish line at a marathon!