Dan Nitro Clark

It not about distance. 

It not about time. 

It not about speed.

It's about place.

The Grand Pitons of St. Lucia.  They are jaw-dropping stunning and one of the "1000 Things You Should See Before You Die."  

The run was through this sleepy little village island of St. Lucia in the Caribbean called “Fonds Gens Libre” which means “valley of the free people.”  The name of the village hints at its history.  It is where the native runaway slaves (Neg Mawons) and the black freedoms fighter first settled during the slave wars in 1748.

The run started on the outskirts of my hotel the Jalousie Plantation.

Within minutes I disappeared into a lush rain forest and was lost amongst giant ferns and massive bursts of green vegetation.  

I charged through a clearing, ran down a long dirt road past an ancient cacao plantation through magnificent stands of cocoa, banana, and coconut.  As I entered Fonds Gens Libre and raced past the small wooden shacks the speckled the hillside my heart pumped so hard in my chest — I could literally hear the battle cries of the ghost of the Neg Mawons. 

I thought about their battles.  The blood spilled for freedom.  And it made me think about our freedoms.  Our great country.  The things we take for granted. 

It made me think about this last year.  The triumphs… the failures… the dreams and the losses.  

I came to an impossibly steep incline – and charged up it for all I was worth.  My heart rattled against my ribs and my lungs burst, then finally hacking, spitting, grunting – I reached the top of the hill.  

There I stopped, took a deep breath in, and looked at the valley that spilled into view below me. 

Baptized by the fire and the adrenaline that only a hard run can bring, I'm filled with the desire to be a better man.  A better father. A better brother, son, companion and friend.   

And that’s what  a great run is. 

It’s a stage to get to a better part of ourselves.  To hear our inner voice.  To open up that hallowed place within us that allows us to connect with God, Allah, nature, the universe or whatever you may call it.

It’s a place I yearn to return to again and again. 

It’s the reason I run.  

Now go out there and get your run on – so you'll be ready for the "Gladiator Rock'n Run."   

Dan "Nitro" Clark

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Take me for example.  I went from the blustery world of Red, White and Blue spandex starring as “Nitro” on the American Gladiators for 7 years to reading Oprah.com.

And yep, I take a lot of flak for it from my buddies. It usually sounds something like: "What happened to you?  You used to be a man."

The truth is, I’m still a man. Just a better man.

Once I let go of the old ideology of what it meant to be a man – the transformation began. When I was young I believed a man was the toughest guy in the room with the icy stare who was impervious to feeling anything.

In the past, I often led with my ego and my fists, because violence or at least the threat of it was just easier.  But then I realized I was isolated.  I was a prisoner locked inside my meat-suit.

It wasn’t until I made the transformation from “man” to “human being” that I was free live as a: 

Father, teacher, student, writer, friend, and a fully conscious being who could feel. My mind set went from "what's in it for me?" to "how can I help you?"

The point I’m trying to make as the end of the year rapidly approaches is:

Are you living your best life?  Are you walking toward a place you want to go?

Or is there some type of transformation you need to make to become the better version of yourself?

If so, now it the time to act. 

There will never be another moment like this.

There will never be a better time. 

There will never be another now. 

Time flees so fast it’s hard to fathom.  Hopes, dreams, great ideas, become time-worn relics in the chest of “what could have been.”

Take in a stiff breath of courage.  Take those first few steps.  Start making that transformation.  Start on that path to a happier and healthier life.  Start walking toward a place you want to go.

You deserve to be happy.  You really do.

Here are a couple question that may help you along the journey:

• What do you love to do?
• What makes time disappear?
• What makes you smile when you think about doing it?
• What do people say you’re good at and have a knack for?
• What comes easy to you that other people find challenging?
• What have been some of your most rewarding experiences in the past?
• How would you finish this question: "If only I could make a living at… "

Good luck along the way.  Be brilliant!

Dan Clark

Pic of Me and Kid Rock goofin' around.

BTW – about Oprah.com. I’ll take good information from anyplace I can get it!  Including GQ, Men's Health, NY Times, Esquire,  Best Life, and Shape. 

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