Rascal Manifesto by Chris Brady

Rascal Manifesto

I was born free and I intend to live like it.

This means that I will live my life while I'm alive.

No one owns me except my Creator.

No one can put me in a box, a category, a social group,

a voting block, or a classification.

I am fiercely independent, and with those aligned with

me in common purpose, interdependent.

I know that with my freedom comes responsibility.

I take responsibility for my own actions, and I hold the

bar high on myself.

I am not afraid to struggle, because it's the struggle that

makes me great.

I know that excellence always lies on the other side of

inconvenience.

I am a learning machine.

I read, I confront brutal reality, I grow.

Long term, no one and nothing can defeat me, because

I will keep coming back, stronger and better than before.

I will educate myself about the true principles of freedom,

and I will strive mightily to preserve freedom for

the next generation.

I rely on no man and no government to provide for me.

I will not follow the herd of mediocrity and

victim-thinking.

I don't follow herds, instead I run with a pack-a pack

of Rascals.

Let others bask in their privileges, as for me, I will

invest them in my purpose.

I will defy tyranny.

I will charge the hill.

I will make a difference.

I'm a Rascal!

My road back to recovery.....

2010 was a slow year for me. Took the year off from all the traveling and racing, I was just exhausted. Well for some reason on a year I took off I end up with all sorts of injuries.

The latest one came back in December when I decided it was time to get moving again. I was out for my morning run when I took the opportunity to step in a hole just a little bigger than my foot. Lucky for me I wasn't far from home, had to hop all the way back. Never felt pain like that before. Needless to say I stopped running for 2 months.

This was extremely difficult because I wasn't sure if this was something that could end my running for good. As many of you know I started dieting in December, well when this happened I had a hard time sticking to anything. I couldn't seem to keep my head in the game because I was so upset over my ankle. I was still able to exercise, I still rode my bike and lifted weights. So I did gain some upper body strength but I also watched my weight go back up the scale.

Well 2 weeks ago I was able to go back out for my first run, I felt like a million bucks. Sometimes I think the best thing for you can probably be a little time away. Haven't ran in the last couple days though due to some extreme snow! Plus there was ice on the road and I'm not taking the chance of slipping. So I have been on the bike like crazy. Still in the gym and I can slowly see my body develop back into the form it used to be. Plus being back running has re-inspired my diet. Back on the RVL and eating better for the rest of my meals. Down 8lbs last week. Still have a long way to go though.

I'm going to run my first race this year, and actually first race since July, on March 26th. To my running friends in the area would love to see you out there running as well. I don't have plans this year to do anything out of the ordinary. I'm just going to take it one race at a time for now, but I'm sure something will change that...........