Author: George Banker

We are going through interesting times now. Many of us are adjusting our lifestyles in ways that we have never had to before. This is the time to look after one another.

I have asked some athletes about the impact of COVID-19 and changes to their lives. All forms of athletic activity are undergoing changes and restrictions. 

The new balance includes furloughs, working from home, daycare, and homeschooling. And somewhere on the list is fitness. 

Here are some comments about changes from coaches and athletes themselves. 

Time for some tough talk! The year has started, but have you? Maybe you made some resolutions but never put them to paper let alone execution. It’s time to be real with yourself and ask the question, do you care about health and fitness? If you don’t, you can stop here. If you do, continue to read.

An overriding obstacle for many people is not having the confidence in themselves to succeed. You don’t need to be judged by anyone, and you don’t need their approval. Your choice for your fitness program is personal and what makes you feel good and happy.

Years ago, I went to an aerobics class and lasted one session because I felt so embarrassed that I couldn’t keep up. When everyone was up, I was down, and I couldn’t didn’t catch on. So, I did what many of us do and returned to my comfort zone.

The months continue to pass by, and what you planned to achieve might have gotten away. What happened to your fitness goals? 

It happens too frequently, the interruptions and sacrificing your aspirations to fit in others. But you can still achieve your goals if you want them bad enough. You can analyze what it will take. Do you possess the willpower to follow through?

You can increase your chances of success when you have others to assist and recognize your talents. In order to be successful, you must have the desire to want to improve.

In this column we will visit with Emily Harrison Torrence.

General Dennis J. Reimer participated in the 35th Army Ten-Miler on Oct. 13, 2019 for his 16th time. The net running time was 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 7 seconds. General Reimer takes the time to look back over his shoulder to the time when he was the Chief of Staff of the United States Army from June 1, 1995 to June 21, 1999.

It is evident that the competitive nature remains.

On Oct. 11, 1998 at the 14th Army Ten-Miler, he was the 1,207 out of 7,933 males in a time of 1:10:45.

A tradition started in 1997 at the 13th Army Ten-Miler—the Commander’s Cup for the top U.S. active-duty female team. In the first year, the ladies from Fort Bragg set a standard for others to follow. The teams are comprised of eight members with the top four to score. The concept is the combination of individual and team effort. Each member is out to give their best performance, and in the mix is the Coach who provides the technical guidance. We all like winning, but it comes down to all giving 100% and leaving it out on the road.

The Fort Bragg women’s team for 2019 was under the leadership of Erica Chabalko (Womack Army Medical Center). The pressure coming into 2019 was 14 wins for the team plus holding the team record of 4 hours, 13 minutes, and 49 seconds (set in 2016). There were 11 teams going for the top honor.

It is one thing to take care of your own exercise program, but to play a part in seven others takes more dedication. I asked Erica to share some thoughts.

Take a moment right now and look back on your past year. What have you accomplished? Did you set any goals in the beginning of the year, or did you delay in making a commitment?

As we progress over the years and our priorities change, our lives begin to clutter up with stuff.

If the first set of comments on “Why Do I Run” didn’t inspire you, then maybe you will find some inspiration in the following. The individuals below are from the novice to the advanced. The common thread that ties them together is that they all were inspired to try something to see if they liked it. Once upon a time, there was a person I was training, and we met a couple of times a week after work. We would hit the track and walk and run only for a couple of miles. After about a month, Candy just came out of the blue and said, “I don’t like running.” Well, that caught me by surprise, but I listened. She just said, “I like walking.” So, we did accomplish one thing—we found out she preferred to walk. Can you say the same?