Mark Spitz (1950 – present) – swimmer

In 1972 the Olympics returned to Germany for the first time since Hitler ruled, nearly 35 years. After winning 6 gold medals swimming for the US Team in the Olympics in Mexico City in 1968, athlete Mark Spitz was back for more. During the 1972 games in Munich, Spitz topped his previous performance by setting a new world record in each of the seven events he competed in making him one of only 5 athletes with more than 9 Olympic Gold Medals. After his final victory he was quickly evacuated when 11 Israeli athletes and officials were kidnapped and  killed by Palestinian terrorists. Officials worried Spitz would be targeted because of his Jewish heritage. His record of winning 7 gold medals in a single Olympics was unbroken until the performance of Michael Phelps in 2008.

Jesse Owens (1913-1980) – runner

Jesse Owens tied the world record in the 100-yard dash during a track meet in high school. In college, as an African-American, he travelled with his team but was required eat in black-only restaurants and sleep in black-only hotels. Despite winning a record of eight individual NCAA championships in 2 years that still stands, he was never awarded a scholarship and had to work part-time to pay for school. During the Big Ten meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Owens set three world records and tied a fourth, a feat named by NBC announcer Bob Costas as the best athletic achievement since 1850. In 1936 Owens competed for the US in the Summer Olympics in Berlin. Adolf Hitler had used the games to  show the world a resurgent Nazi Germany. By allowing only members of the Aryan race to compete for Germany, Hitler hoped to demonstrate racial superiority. During those games, Owens won four gold medals, a performance unequalled for almost 50 years until Carl Lewis won medals in the same events in 1984.

The Olympic Games throughout history is a wealth of amazing stories of people who dedicate their lives to a single goal and overcome the odds to realize their dreams. This week I will feature athletes from different sports in different generations. If you think of someone who should be mentioned in such a tribute please feel free to let me know. I wish I could include them all.

Today’s feature is speed skater Apolo Ohno.

http://blog.changemyselfchangetheworld.com/?page_id=1446

The other day I was running on the treadmill in our basement thinking about what to do with the space behind the couch. We half-jokingly but half seriously talked about getting a foosball table but they can be expensive, especially a Tornado. Later that day, just for fun, I checked Craigslist to see if anyone happened to be selling one. An hour earlier someone had posted a barely used Tornado for about a third the price of a new one. We are now the proud new owners of this foosball table. Gotta love Craigslist.

Well, I took last night off from healthy eating. Grandma did not disappoint. Last night it was Chicken Cacciatore over delicious pasta with yummy garlic bread. Mmmmm. I took that picture with a cell phone. It does not do it justice. The chicken recipe itself will be a great addition to the health food diet. It was the garlic bread that did me in. But it was sooo good. I was right, too. She did have M&Ms in the cabinet. I managed not to go near those. I also resisted the toffee in the refrigerator. Butter infused sugar covered in chocolate, my favorite. Not just any toffee either. It was Enstrom’s, the Lexus of toffee. I didn’t touch it. However, despite my best efforts, I just cannot say no to Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies. I caved. It was so worth it. No guilt. Today is another day.

Of all the things I have written about, the page I wrote about my Mom has received the most hits on this site by almost double. She would be happy to know how many people were interested to know more about her and that she will never be forgotten. Today would be her 60th birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom! That makes it the perfect day to go to Grandma’s for dinner after work. Grandma always thinks it must be a hassle for me to come over to her house and that I do it just to be nice and keep her company. But in reality she is very entertaining and a delicious cook. I always look forward going over there. Many happy memories at Grandma’s house. I just need to be careful not to get into her candy cabinet. She’s got M&Ms in there, I just know it.

I am almost half way through Destinos. It is amazing how much Spanish you can pick up by watching these episodes. The story itself is pretty bad. A rich family inexplicably hires a lawyer named Raquel Rodriguez to travel the world looking for lost long relatives. Raquel learns about the culture of each country she visits while she constantly encounters drama, death, and romance. Yet she still has time to stop along the way to count fruit and name her articles of clothing. It is like the Spanish version of a really bad soap opera combined with Sesame Street for adults and a special on the Travel Channel. Very bizarre. But still I have learned a lot so I continue on.

Check out a few minutes of an episode if you want to see what I am enduring:
http://www.learner.org/resources/series75.html

Today is the service for Dave Inskeep.

Rest in peace, Dave.

The setback last week definitely cost me but I am back on track this week with the fitness goals. Today I am half way through the first 12 weeks. There is still a lot left to do so I really need to make every day count.

WEEKLY WEIGH-IN:
Last week: 149
This week: 146
Goal: 137

Nancy Stutesman never climbed the Seven Summits or cured the blind. What she did do was work full time and attend school full time while raising two tiny girls…

 http://blog.changemyselfchangetheworld.com/?page_id=1288