I love to read. I wish I had more time each day, each week, each month, and each year to read. I learn a lot and am inspired a great deal by the written word.
And I love to keep lists (they are long lists now) of all the books I have read.
Continue reading “The Best Books I Read In 2021”
2016 was a long time ago.
I was still in my forties, barely, by most measures, but I was still there. I turned 48 that year.
2016 was the last year that I was able to accumulate 1,000 running miles in a calendar year. In the immediate years before 2016, I started breaking down, started having multiple running injuries.
But, still I ran. On and on. As I always hope to.
After reaching 1,000 miles in 2016, I was unable to make that mark again. I pushed my body as best I could. I still worked out every day, or almost every day, but I couldn’t maintain high mileage weeks or months.
And, in January 2020, almost two years ago now, I went under the knife to repair the tears in my right Achilles tendon. (The tears in my tendon had led to the tears in my eyes as I pushed and tried to struggle through an injury that just wasn’t going to heal on its own.)
I have chronicled the surgery and its aftermath on these pages time and again.
The surgery went well. The physical therapy went well. And I found myself getting stronger and stronger, day by day, week by week, and month by month.
Well, today I reached a milestone. A big milestone. Huge, if you ask me.
Today, after I ran a nice solid (and somewhat fast for me) seven-miler (57:44), I once again reached the thousand-mile mark. 2021 has been a success. It’s been a great success. Huge, if you ask me.
It’s funny, I never had any doubt that I’d eventually get back and be the runner I used to be. I’m not there yet. I’m older and slower. I might never be as fast as I used to be again. (And that’s okay.) But I still want to be the guy that can run and run and run some more.
I want to be the guy that can reach 1,000 miles (and more) year after year after year.
I don’t ever want to stop.
I believe that in life we have to find ways, many ways, to push ourselves. We have to always strive to be more than we were and better than we are.
I took a big step back today.
I rejoined the thousand-mile club.
It’s great. And I feel great.
I can’t wait to see what 2022 brings.
***
(I’ll be working on a running book in 2022 that will be a completely original, motivational, and fun. Stay tuned!)
Note: This piece was inspired by a quote found in the book The Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win World War II. I originally shared this passage with my teaching staff.
***
“I would not go through Pre-Flight (training) again for a million dollars, but I would not trade the experience for ten million.” Ed McMahon
***
Think about the biggest accomplishments in your life.
No, no, no. Stop reading and think about them. This passage will still be here when you’re done.
Continue reading “The Power of Hard Work”
It was a pleasure, once again, to appear on the GSMC Podcast to discuss my newest book, a great book about Yankees history, The Least Among Them.
You can listen HERE:
“GSMC Book Review Podcast Episode 328: Interview with Paul Russell Semendinger“
Sarah speaks with Paul Russell Semendinger about his new book The Least Among Them: “The Least Among Them is a most special baseball book that looks at the New York Yankees history in an original, unique, and never before written manner. Throughout their history, the New York Yankees have been defined by the legends and the successes of their most famous players. But, as part of their long history, the Yankees have also fielded players that have become lost to history. This book is those players’ story, telling the unique histories of the men whose entire major league baseball career lasted but a single game with that game being played as a New York Yankee. While these players may be forgotten, their stories are compelling. Filled with a unique Yankee history, single game stats, and a love of baseball, The Least Among Them tells the story of baseball’s most successful franchise in an entirely new way.”
Dr. Sem's Blog 