How many choices do you think you make on a given day? 10? 20? How about 98? (Assuming you get eight hours of zzz’s, that’s like six an hour – at least one every ten minutes.) I counted the other day and was amazed at the number of times I had to decide to zig versus zag. And I am sure there are many days when that number is much higher. From the shoes I’ll wear, to which type of coffee to drink, to which route to take to work, to the number of times I’ll allow my son to open the back window in the car to whether or not I’ll answer the phone – I am empowered to decide (AKA “The Decider”). It’s a beautiful thing – part of being American, having a choice – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
This issue is full of perspectives of proactive choice. We had the pleasure to sit down with world record holder and 2008 Olympic hopeful Cullen Jones at our studio last month, and we talked about his choice to swim. Here’s a guy who could play basketball at a level to which most kids only aspire, and he makes the decision to pursue swimming as his sport. Not the choice many would make, but Cullen found his way through a myriad of challenges and is now at the top of the swimming world, ready for next summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing. If you ever get a chance to meet or talk with Cullen, you should. He’s only at the beginning of what promises to be an incredible ride that will undoubtedly impact the lives of many kids and adults across the world. His story is inside (along with some awesome photography of him).
In another ‘conscious choice’ piece, Derek Powers shares why he’s “Choosing to Believe” in the Tour de France (and professional cycling as a whole). When many are questioning the integrity of the sport, Derek shows us the virtue of looking past the problems (as if they aren’t there) and embracing what he’s always loved.
And if you think there’s the slightest chance you’ll ever be interested in running, cycling, or exercising for more than 45 minutes (in a row), we have teed up some of the best electrolyte replacement drinks and gels available – 138 choices, to be exact – to help keep you cool when the Carolina summer settles in.
Choose to Inspire. Perform. Endure.
PS – A special thanks to all of our loyal readers, contributing writers, photographers, event partners, advertising sponsors and publishing team members (past and present). With this, our July 2007 issue, we are kicking off our fifth year! Lots of things have changed over the past four while we maintained one main principle – our mission to deliver inspiration, motivation, and an attitude of possibility to our perpetually growing active community. I can’t count the number of people who have told us that Endurance Magazine has changed their life, that it gave them that boost of excitement to change their perspective for the better. And we seem to pull in new readers with each new issue – people who come across Endurance for the first time while at an annual doctor’s visit; at their local running store; their health club; grocery store; or coffee shop. Truth is we’ll always have more people to reach with our message, and I personally look forward to your continued support as we make Endurance a ‘way of life’ for our entire community.
