Helen ~ Heynen

My buddy Phil. Is like a true fire.....

It's funny....sometimes we don't even need to say much to each other yet we know that we are always there...somewhere....thinking....and just "getting it"

The concept of "just tie your shoes" emerged over a period of our friendship and still creeps into my mind almost every single day -- it's my motivation. My drive. When I don't want to move, it ALWAYS comes down to "just tie those damn shoes Helen!"....

Then there was "run like a panther....but I didn't want to be a panther....I wanted to be a PUMA...and Phil said: That's okay. *wink*

....and then we learned how to nuture ourselves and take care....and rest....and recovery....and take breaks.

Over the course of our friendship, there has been this truly remarkable gift that Phil has to mark the exact moment to "get inside my head"...and strike a nerve...in a good way...

He has been there with me, along side me for when things got low and for those high moments when I just wanted to burst out and shake up the world! The messages that have flowed across the pages, sometimes, has illicited tears of joy....and I will always cherish and value our friendship forever.


Phil says:

Helen is the kind of bud that you can tell anything to, and she doesn't throw you away. She just kinda lets you have your space to be any way you wanna be - just love her for that (plus, I think Helen is EXTREME too...and I love that about her!!).

Yea...well who do you think I learned from???




Helen, Helen, Helen, Helen,

Ah...Helen

You are such a sweetheart and hearing your voice on the phone last night was such a treasure for me. You know, your voice is just so loving and real - it really has a softness and lightness that is just like your heart and spirit I know. I loved talking to you - and I only heard your Canadian accent on "goin", when you said "Hows the foot goin?" And you think I sound "American" - hmmm...I wonder what that sounds like- hope it's good.

That day I felt like a shining star!....


Buddy, have you and I been through a lot together or what. You have been a witnesss to the boards for every second. And you've seen me at my best, and you've seen me crash and burn, and you are always right there with me. I remember doing my "Becoming-X UltraMarathon" - you were there for every minute of all 10 hours of that thing. You hung in there with me, and I thought about you the whole time - I couldn't figure out how you were the ONE and ONLY person who got what I was trying to do with that - and I've been following you around like a little puppy ever since. You are so special to me buddy, and I am so inspired by the risks and challenges you are undertaking. I don't think there is ANYONE on BB who is taking greater risks with greater payoff than you - YOU WALK THE TALK Helen.

Helen, I just love you girl, and I know you love me right back. I am just loving watching you in your adventure, because it gives me the fire and courage to pursue more myself.

Big Hug Buddy, so glad you are here

It ALWAYS comes down to our emotional selves....and buddy...you are soooo emotional.


On the way home from dropping Lexie off at the party I started rocking to my favorite Pirate Rocker - Keith Richards. The tunes were cranked as I drove across town, and my phone ran. It was my buddy Helen!!!!!

Helen and I talked and talked about how great a time we have had on BB, about the incredibly positive people we meet - and we talked about how this is about growth, about "getting out of the box" as Helen puts it, becoming our full selves by developing EVERY ASPECT of our lives and persons here = not just the fitness. It ALL matters here - our minds, our hearts, our reading, our thoughts, everything.

Thanks for the great conversation Helen - it's been so great getting to know you and watching you push beyond your comforts to reach it all. You are so awesome my friend. So great to hear your voice.

Our Helen  Thanks so much.

No, Thank you for being my bud.


Once again, as I struggle with myself over changing my internal clock and schedule....Phil gets it. Again. And like usual, he lets me know it. In my attempt to totally flip the switch and take on something totally different and new....he jumps in to the rescue yet another time....

Every once and awhile your surprise visits amaze me.

I remember the day I realized my working out was either before sunrise or it would never happen. Lunch workouts got stolen. Evening workouts got stolen with other plans and commitments. I realized that the only time that is really mine is before dawn - the whole world is mine. THE WHOLE FRIGGIN WORLD IS MINE BEFORE DAWN - cuz everyone else is sleeping. No one will ever interfere with your workout before dawn - it's cool.

I learned that an early morning workout starts the night before with getting to bed. Then I slowly developed little tricks. I put my coffee pot on a timer at 3:30am and as I woke up feeling like a lead pipe was still stuck between my ears I said to myself, "Just make it to that first cup of coffee." And then I learned to turn the lights on. When the lights come on, I learned that my body does too.

Then I sip my coffee and say to myself, "there is NO friggin way I feel like working out." So I just relax, sip my coffee and get the mind going. I either review my goals as I sip, or look at one of Tony's workouts, or read something inspiring on a blog or on the boards, and then my coffee is done and I feel awake. Still though, you have the "ugh, where I am going to find it" feeling. That's when you just trust "just tie your shoes" and "just push play". You learn to just trust that, go through the warmup with Tony, and next thing, without you knowing how or why, you are into it!!

And then you learn your little tricks to bringing it. Just like I break the marathon into the secret of 90 - I just count 90 steps to center and focus on my form, and then do it again, and again, and again...next thing I know I've finished a 50 miler. With the X I've learned the secret of 5. I learned the secret of 5 by watching Tony's One-on-One's - he seems to break everything up into 5 counts, and gives those 5 everything - especially the last 5.

And then, you find yourself dripping with sweat as you get into the shower, soaring like and eagle inside. Happy as can be, in charge of your own life, and the one thing that is most important: your own happiness. You have no idea how you got yourself to do it, and the next day won't be any easier, but you just learn to trust that daily miracle, a miracle you alone control.

The morning is the best THE BEST.