FRIDAY FINDS

First one, I saw this on a car the other day and had to laugh, then promptly snap a photo!  It was quite refreshing since we are always bombarded with those darn bumper stickers parading around making me feel like a loser.  (Although I confess that if I ever did an actual Ironman, I would have to sport that 70.3 sticker!)  

Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
is happening as I type and you read.  On Saturday, October 13, the world’s best ironmen and -women will battle the “ho’omumuku” crosswinds of 72 km/h, 32 degree Celsius temperatures and a scorching sun in Kailua-Kona, Hawaií, for the Ironman World Championships. The 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run begins at the Kailua Pier and the run ends at Ali’i Drive to the cheers of thousands of spectators at the finish line. 

The current course record is 8:03:56 set by Craig Alexander in 2011… 
If you aren’t too familiar with the whole IRONMAN world, here’s a little info: 
The iconic IRONMAN® Series of events is the largest participation sports platform in the world.  Since the inception of the IRONMAN® brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines at the world’s most challenging endurance races. Recognized for excellence through distinguished events, world-class athletes and quality products, World Triathlon Corporation (d/b/a IRONMAN), owner and operator of the IRONMAN® Series, has grown from owner of a single race to a global sensation with nearly 190 events across five unique brands: IRONMAN®, IRONMAN 70.3®, 5150™ Triathlon Series, Iron Girl® and IronKids®. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.

Pretty cool and inspiring.  These athletes train typically from 18 – 24 hours each week for this event, and some while holding full time jobs.  Whew!

IN THE BLOG WORLD:
One of my favorite bloggers, Charlotte Hilton Anderson from The Great Fitness Experiment, had a great post on Monday.  I’ve linked it here for you to check out. http://www.thegreatfitnessexperiment.com/2012/10/happiness-youre-doing-it-wrong-the-problem-with-dieting-to-get-skinny-running-to-win-and-blogging-for-money.html
 She ends it with a great movie trailer of The Happy Movie (www.TheHappyMovie.com).  I hope you check it out! 

And if you think I’ve been harping on finding fun and happiness lately, you are quite observant.  During the last 18 months I’ve had some really not fun, not happy events occur.  Some of these have been life’s hiccups and some have been the earth shattering, life changing kind of terribleness.  So, whereas I have usually been that annoying kind of too  perky person in the morning kind of person, now it is my quest to make myself and someone else happy every day.  In this endeavor I find myself telling myself many things and doing other things.  Not letting minor things “steal my joy”, realizing that “life is too short” for some things, sometimes you just have to “fake it to make it”, buck up and decide to be happy.  I have always told my children, “You can either choose to be happy or unhappy.  It’s a choice.”  So, there you have it.  Sometimes truly happy moments only come for a minute, an hour and sometimes an entire week.  Whatever it is, let’s just enjoy the moment!