However, as Chris said the above, marathons can be lethal man, start doing PACE program, it’s a killer!!

I have studied personal development for years and I gained a lot of my inner strength from listening to all the Greats in the industry.

Just a little message of my own; To all you young guys and gals make the most of your youth and your health because you never know what God has in the works for you.

I consider myself extremely lucky to have overcome all my fears when I was young as it gave me the best days of my life. I left a job that most people would kill for to start a business I knew very little about and I ran that business successfully for 18 years. I was also a very successful competitive boxer that supported my family in lifestyle that most will never experience. I pretty much had it all and I really mean I had it all, it was such a great life.

But then when I was at my peak it all came tumbling down. A couple of bad headaches turned into a life sentence but I cannot complain because I am still here even though I was given less than a year to live. A big shout out to the Doc’s at Boston Medical.

I am thankful that I am still here but it cost me everything I had except my family. Which you should all treasure! (Your Families, not mine)

Thanks to the Great Medical System we have in place in this country the big bad insurance company refused to pay for all my surgeries or any expense related to the medical trial that saved my life all because our wonderful government that gladly took nearly 40% of all my earnings when I was bringing in over $50,000 a fight would not approve the medical trial which takes a minimum of 7 years for the FDA to get off their ass. You would not want to know what 6 brain surgeries cost, trust me.

So here I am at 44 chained to my house because of the seizures I have on a weekly basis and over the past two years I have slowly lost my ability to speak which completely puttered out within the last 3 months so now I use a machine to speak for me. I have a permanent hole in my neck which allows me to breathe and I have had 4 back surgeries from laying in those rotten hospital beds for weeks on end. Now I am doing everything I can to make a living working online.

My story may sound really crappy to most but honestly I consider myself extremely lucky. I did have my health for half my life and when I had I used it and I loved it and I would not trade it for anything.

It was because I was not afraid to take chances that I had the opportunity to experience building a business from nothing into a $2,000,000 a year enterprise and it was because I was not afraid to take chances that I had the opportunity to fight some of the top fighters in the world and travel and live the lifestyle that I lived.

My message is the same as Keith’s….Face Your Fears! Don’t wait another second, don’t put it off until tomorrow or next week or next month.

If you have dreams that are just swelling inside you…DON”T WAIT!! Cherish your health, use it to your advantage as much as possible.

You never know you just might have a marathon inside of you just waiting to come out but you will never know unless you expand your vision and explore every possibility in life! If you don’t take every advantage you have right now at this very moment, you could lose it all and never know what hit you until it is just too late.

I,m sorry about the long post! I try to take every chance I can get to touch people in a way that helps them to realize their true potential in life and to ACT on it. We all think we are invincible at times but the fact is we are all equally vulnerable.

That’s all I have,
Howard

PS. My older brother just turned 50 and he ran the Boston Marathon this year in 2 hours 34 minutes which was 3 minutes faster than the year before. He is one of the top 5 masters in the country. In his prime he ran a marathon over in England and his time was 2:13 one of the best in the world at that time. Nike sponsored him for years I think they still do…not sure.

Congrats Keith on completing the 1/2 marathon yesterday.

By any chance, did you participate in the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon here in Phoenix? Huge event, THOUSANDS of people.

I was there (didn’t run though) with my kids to greet my wife at the finish line when she successfully completed the 1/2 marathon too….. 2nd time in 3 years.

Congrats again on such a major life accomplishment,

Marv

That is a greater fear that can stay with you for life…..try & if you fail…just pick yourself up & learn from the experience.

Anyway, my heartfelt congratulations Keith…it is a great feeling to have done it…so my hat off to you. Set yourself another target & go get it!

I do run & for all your readers, here’s something….do some excercise that gets you to focus…you’ll find it sharpens up your business focus incredibly.

When running you focus on your breathing, your pace & measurable distances & doing it within target times…everything else it zoned out.

The more you do it…the better you get at the routine

Just like business!

Look forward to hearing about your next endeavour (& that important announcement due out)

Best for all in 2010

Ron

I did the London marathon last year and like you started out not being able to run a step! But like you I did it, feel the fear and do it anyway!

Well done!
Mark