Today's Morning Coach podcast was a very good one, with an introduction to the topic of "Struggle." Everyone has struggles in life, but it's important not to judge the struggles as problems and instead to see them as opportunities.
We can sit and moan and complain that our lives are filled with too much struggle and change. We might get past those struggles with some work, and then sit back, exhale sharply, and say "whoa, glad that's over." And we might even get a small sense of satisfaction out of having beaten that struggle.
Or...we can look at that struggle as what it is: an opportunity. Every struggle in life can be used to learn and grow.
Having money problems? Learn better money management, or find new ways to make money. Or both.
Having health problems? Research your problem above and beyond what the doctor tells you - you might find different ways to regain your health to even better levels than before you were sick. You may even discover that you have a knack for that sort of treatment and be on your way to a new career or source of income helping people with what you've learned.
Work treating you poorly? This might be the message that the universe is sending you telling you to look for something else - new employer or new career! Boredom is a form of pain, and pain is your body's way of telling you something is wrong. So make the change and get rid of that pain.
Every change in our lives can be made into a life improvement, we just need to figure out how. And to welcome change into our lives makes that transition easier and more productive - really, truly welcoming change is a key to the constant improvement that we need to make every day of our lives.
So take some time today to create the belief that change is good. Look forward to change. When life throws a struggle into your path, examine that struggle and say "How can I turn this into a positive and use my new knowledge to help others like me?"
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
On Creating A Motivational Environment
This past weekend, my family and I went up to Cleveland to watch our friend Sam Felsenfeld run the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. Sam is running 60 marathons in 2010 to raise money and awareness for Train4Autism via his charity Operation Jack (named after his own Autistic son). My wife was going to run the 1/2 marathon in Cleveland, but an injury put her on the sidelines, so we went up to experience it and support Sam.
One of the things that many self-improvement experts talk about in regards to creating motivation and putting yourself at a higher vibrational level is to put yourself among those types of people. And you could not do better at this than to hang out at a marathon and cheer on the runners as they complete this awesome event.
Now this is not to make less of running shorter races at all. As you may recall, I ran a 5K a couple weeks ago to gauge my fitness level and I enjoyed it a lot. But there's something about the people who have put in the time and work to get to the point where they're running a marathon that is just a step or two beyond that sort of thing. I got up one morning and ran a good 5K with just my normal level of fitness, but with a marathon you have to train specifically for that event.
And the training is not easy. You're out pounding the pavement and working on your strategy for the race every time. You're thinking about diet and hydration and making sure you time things right so that you don't have to go the bathroom in the middle of the race as much as possible, and that you don't lose all your energy partway through. You're paying attention to how specific footwear affects your stride and how you feel during the race. And you're carefully monitoring your diet to keep your energy levels high and weight low.
So when you're among a group of people who has been living that plan for so long (it takes weeks and even months to get ready for your first marathon) you're among people who are infectiously focused, motivated, and excited about what they are doing. And it rubs off, believe me. As I said a couple weeks ago, I'm not a runner - but being among all those people who were achieving and living their dream of finishing a marathon made me want to go after it myself.
I think that's part of the draw of these things, too. Getting yourself among a bunch of people who have moved themselves to a higher vibrational level, and one to which you've moved yourself, is refreshing. It's work sometimes to keep your enthusiasm up. Even as just a regular bike commuter, I hear all sorts of people who say "Oh, I could never do that" or "that just sounds like a lot of work." Well, yes it is, but the results are so worth the effort. And to do a marathon, you must hear the same things from people who ask you what you're up to a lot. It's hard keeping up the motivation sometimes with people around you who just don't "get it."
So being among the folks who are with you means you can relax a bit, and get out and do what you want to achieve. And for those who aren't among that crowd currently - it can't help but bring you up to it.
The next time a marathon is in your area, just go and absorb. And see if you don't feel the sensation of being swept along in a sea of motivation and high energy!
One of the things that many self-improvement experts talk about in regards to creating motivation and putting yourself at a higher vibrational level is to put yourself among those types of people. And you could not do better at this than to hang out at a marathon and cheer on the runners as they complete this awesome event.
Now this is not to make less of running shorter races at all. As you may recall, I ran a 5K a couple weeks ago to gauge my fitness level and I enjoyed it a lot. But there's something about the people who have put in the time and work to get to the point where they're running a marathon that is just a step or two beyond that sort of thing. I got up one morning and ran a good 5K with just my normal level of fitness, but with a marathon you have to train specifically for that event.
And the training is not easy. You're out pounding the pavement and working on your strategy for the race every time. You're thinking about diet and hydration and making sure you time things right so that you don't have to go the bathroom in the middle of the race as much as possible, and that you don't lose all your energy partway through. You're paying attention to how specific footwear affects your stride and how you feel during the race. And you're carefully monitoring your diet to keep your energy levels high and weight low.
So when you're among a group of people who has been living that plan for so long (it takes weeks and even months to get ready for your first marathon) you're among people who are infectiously focused, motivated, and excited about what they are doing. And it rubs off, believe me. As I said a couple weeks ago, I'm not a runner - but being among all those people who were achieving and living their dream of finishing a marathon made me want to go after it myself.
I think that's part of the draw of these things, too. Getting yourself among a bunch of people who have moved themselves to a higher vibrational level, and one to which you've moved yourself, is refreshing. It's work sometimes to keep your enthusiasm up. Even as just a regular bike commuter, I hear all sorts of people who say "Oh, I could never do that" or "that just sounds like a lot of work." Well, yes it is, but the results are so worth the effort. And to do a marathon, you must hear the same things from people who ask you what you're up to a lot. It's hard keeping up the motivation sometimes with people around you who just don't "get it."
So being among the folks who are with you means you can relax a bit, and get out and do what you want to achieve. And for those who aren't among that crowd currently - it can't help but bring you up to it.
The next time a marathon is in your area, just go and absorb. And see if you don't feel the sensation of being swept along in a sea of motivation and high energy!
Friday, May 14, 2010
On Beating The Propaganda
As I get older, I'm finding that I have increasingly less tolerance for the marketers of the world, the folks who want us to poison ourselves or take care of ourselves wrongly under the guise of health. And it's all just to make a quick buck.
Now don't get me wrong: I don't believe there's anything wrong with money, but what's really more important is providing value to the world. If you provide value to the world, the world will provide value to you in return. And that's not saying that you'll get rich, that's saying you'll have a life that is happy and rewarding. The rewards may be financial, or spiritual, or they may be a number of things. But they all supply energy to us - whether it's financial energy, emotional energy, what have you.
But the modern world increasingly has little to do with treating ourselves well. We're told that we're treating ourselves well if we buy a new car, or get that new pair of running shoes, or to eat all our grains, and more. But what's really happening here?
Cars have made us lazy and sick. They've cut us off from society at large and allowed us to incubate in little cocoons with a huge lack of social input. I've been talking about this on my Bike Commuting in Columbus blog for over three years now, so I'll let you visit that blog for some input on that. But we're continually told that cars are something our society needs. "What's good for GM is good for the country," we were frequently told - now we're finding out that this isn't the case at all.
Running shoes have been shown to be useless. Or actually, they're worse than useless, they're injuring us and making us worse runners. I encourage you to read Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
by Christopher McDougall if you haven't - and he also has a great blog. And also, check out the many reports on the benefits of barefoot running that are appearing all over the news.
Grains may be the worst of these - they're almost directly responsible for the obesity epidemic we're seeing in the developed world today. The government recommendation for carbohydrate intake is about twice what is healthy for us, and all those extra calories are going straight into body fat, creating insulin-related inflammation, and creating a rise in degenerative diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes; and are also increasingly linked to ADHD, Autism, Multiple Sclerosis, and other neurological conditions. I encourage you to check out Primal Body-Primal Mind: Empower Your Total Health The Way Evolution Intended (...And Didn't)
by Nora Gedgaudas and The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram your genes for effortless weight loss, vibrant health, and boundless energy
by Mark Sisson if you want to know more on this.
So how do I try to overcome these challenges to my mindset and my health? Simple: I don't own a car, for one. I ride my bike or take the bus to work. And I've located my home in a place that is easily accessible to both easily navigable bike routes and the bus routes that get me to where I need to go. Am I 100% car free? Well, no, that's not as easy in our city, unfortunately - it was laid out for car traffic. But we're changing that.
When I run, I try to run in the flattest shoes possible. No padding, and no shoes if I can help it. It makes me run as our bodies were designed - not landing on the heel like our modern shoes encourage us to do. It seems crazy, but running that way actually puts MORE stress on our feet, not less. Vibram FiveFingers
make these, and Nike makes their Nike Free models
that are similar (without looking as odd).
And I try not to eat grains, or anything that contains grains (or too many carbohydrates for that matter). This is the hardest one - our society is surrounded by high-carbohydrate and grain-based foods. And we're told how all-American it is to support our farmers (not that I disagree with that, by the way, I just wish they were planting something a little healthier). But I try to avoid shopping in the aisles at grocery stores, and stick to the walls - where all the produce, eggs, meats, and fish are. Even some dairy isn't bad for us on occasion. I'm also fortunate in that I live two doors away from a local organic market and can get good healthy food whenever I need. And I get all the carbs I need from veggies and fruit, and my body has slowly modified itself to get more energy out of animal fats (as our ancestors did).
And I drink Body Balance, which is a whole-food sea vegetable/aloe vera-based drink that has done wonders for my health and physical performance in filling in the cracks where modern food lets us down (mostly in nutrient value due to over-tilled soil).
And most important, I don't watch that much TV. I don't open myself up to the advertising and subliminal messages that ads send to our brains. I listen to positive and productive messages almost every day and fill my head with affirming ideas. Morning Coach, Success Magazine
, and a whole host of other personal development folks let me do that.
So I've thrown a lot of stuff at you today. Some of it may help you, some may not. But what I really hope I've done is open your mind to the idea that what we're being told, even by people who may think they're trying to help us, isn't always good. Don't be afraid of alternative voices, and don't be afraid to experiment a bit. I tried lots of different stuff before I settled on the lifestyle I have now, and I'm still studying and modifying to make it really work for me and make my life better. Keep learning, keep applying new knowledge, and don't be afraid of what's out there.
Now don't get me wrong: I don't believe there's anything wrong with money, but what's really more important is providing value to the world. If you provide value to the world, the world will provide value to you in return. And that's not saying that you'll get rich, that's saying you'll have a life that is happy and rewarding. The rewards may be financial, or spiritual, or they may be a number of things. But they all supply energy to us - whether it's financial energy, emotional energy, what have you.
But the modern world increasingly has little to do with treating ourselves well. We're told that we're treating ourselves well if we buy a new car, or get that new pair of running shoes, or to eat all our grains, and more. But what's really happening here?
Cars have made us lazy and sick. They've cut us off from society at large and allowed us to incubate in little cocoons with a huge lack of social input. I've been talking about this on my Bike Commuting in Columbus blog for over three years now, so I'll let you visit that blog for some input on that. But we're continually told that cars are something our society needs. "What's good for GM is good for the country," we were frequently told - now we're finding out that this isn't the case at all.
Running shoes have been shown to be useless. Or actually, they're worse than useless, they're injuring us and making us worse runners. I encourage you to read Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
by Christopher McDougall if you haven't - and he also has a great blog. And also, check out the many reports on the benefits of barefoot running that are appearing all over the news. Grains may be the worst of these - they're almost directly responsible for the obesity epidemic we're seeing in the developed world today. The government recommendation for carbohydrate intake is about twice what is healthy for us, and all those extra calories are going straight into body fat, creating insulin-related inflammation, and creating a rise in degenerative diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes; and are also increasingly linked to ADHD, Autism, Multiple Sclerosis, and other neurological conditions. I encourage you to check out Primal Body-Primal Mind: Empower Your Total Health The Way Evolution Intended (...And Didn't)
by Nora Gedgaudas and The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram your genes for effortless weight loss, vibrant health, and boundless energy by Mark Sisson if you want to know more on this. So how do I try to overcome these challenges to my mindset and my health? Simple: I don't own a car, for one. I ride my bike or take the bus to work. And I've located my home in a place that is easily accessible to both easily navigable bike routes and the bus routes that get me to where I need to go. Am I 100% car free? Well, no, that's not as easy in our city, unfortunately - it was laid out for car traffic. But we're changing that.
When I run, I try to run in the flattest shoes possible. No padding, and no shoes if I can help it. It makes me run as our bodies were designed - not landing on the heel like our modern shoes encourage us to do. It seems crazy, but running that way actually puts MORE stress on our feet, not less. Vibram FiveFingers
make these, and Nike makes their Nike Free models that are similar (without looking as odd). And I try not to eat grains, or anything that contains grains (or too many carbohydrates for that matter). This is the hardest one - our society is surrounded by high-carbohydrate and grain-based foods. And we're told how all-American it is to support our farmers (not that I disagree with that, by the way, I just wish they were planting something a little healthier). But I try to avoid shopping in the aisles at grocery stores, and stick to the walls - where all the produce, eggs, meats, and fish are. Even some dairy isn't bad for us on occasion. I'm also fortunate in that I live two doors away from a local organic market and can get good healthy food whenever I need. And I get all the carbs I need from veggies and fruit, and my body has slowly modified itself to get more energy out of animal fats (as our ancestors did).
And I drink Body Balance, which is a whole-food sea vegetable/aloe vera-based drink that has done wonders for my health and physical performance in filling in the cracks where modern food lets us down (mostly in nutrient value due to over-tilled soil).
And most important, I don't watch that much TV. I don't open myself up to the advertising and subliminal messages that ads send to our brains. I listen to positive and productive messages almost every day and fill my head with affirming ideas. Morning Coach, Success Magazine
, and a whole host of other personal development folks let me do that. So I've thrown a lot of stuff at you today. Some of it may help you, some may not. But what I really hope I've done is open your mind to the idea that what we're being told, even by people who may think they're trying to help us, isn't always good. Don't be afraid of alternative voices, and don't be afraid to experiment a bit. I tried lots of different stuff before I settled on the lifestyle I have now, and I'm still studying and modifying to make it really work for me and make my life better. Keep learning, keep applying new knowledge, and don't be afraid of what's out there.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
On Finding New Results from Old Exercises
I've been working with the Men's Health Ultimate Iron-Free Circuit Series workout recently. Basically, it's seven different bodyweight exercises done without rest, alternating between an upper- and lower-body exercise, then rest a minute, and do the whole thing again. You start with two sets. . And, I've been getting good results from it.
I added a third set of it today and the results I'm feeling are really good. Definitely feeling it more in my shoulders, from the extra sets of close-grip and t-pushups. But I also felt it from an exercise that I didn't think I was getting much out of, but was doing because it was part of the routine. It's called the inverted hamstring.
I figured it was getting me some good balance work and that was about it. But today, I really concentrated on doing it slowly and keeping my balance all the way through it. It's still not as exhausting as some of the exercises, like the aforementioned t-pushups, but today I'm feeling it much more in my upper hamstrings, where they meet my glutes.
And that's one of the things I love about exercise - just a small change and some more concentration on form can make all the difference and let you know how your body is working for you. Our bodies are a sum of all the parts, not just a bunch of big muscles that we can isolate to look huge. And true functional fitness comes from the big movements that use lots of muscles, not things like wrist curls and bench presses and the like - but from exercises that challenge the whole body and force it to support its own weight.
And it goes further than that - body and mind are one unit, so a strong body can mean a strong mind. But you have to work both properly and conscientiously to strengthen them.
I added a third set of it today and the results I'm feeling are really good. Definitely feeling it more in my shoulders, from the extra sets of close-grip and t-pushups. But I also felt it from an exercise that I didn't think I was getting much out of, but was doing because it was part of the routine. It's called the inverted hamstring.
I figured it was getting me some good balance work and that was about it. But today, I really concentrated on doing it slowly and keeping my balance all the way through it. It's still not as exhausting as some of the exercises, like the aforementioned t-pushups, but today I'm feeling it much more in my upper hamstrings, where they meet my glutes.
And that's one of the things I love about exercise - just a small change and some more concentration on form can make all the difference and let you know how your body is working for you. Our bodies are a sum of all the parts, not just a bunch of big muscles that we can isolate to look huge. And true functional fitness comes from the big movements that use lots of muscles, not things like wrist curls and bench presses and the like - but from exercises that challenge the whole body and force it to support its own weight.
And it goes further than that - body and mind are one unit, so a strong body can mean a strong mind. But you have to work both properly and conscientiously to strengthen them.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
On Obtaining More Prosperity
MorningCoach.com is doing a series this week on prosperity. Here's founder J.B. Glossinger's introduction to the week.
The thing that struck me about this is that we need to take care of ourselves before we can even hope to expect that the universe is going to take care of us. If we don't take care of ourselves, how can we hope to add any value to our lives? If we don't value ourselves enough to get off the couch, get some exercise, eat healthy food, and make sure our health is in order, then we're basically telling ourselves that we're not worth any other improvements. And that's counterproductive to creating the passion to improve other aspects of our lives.
One of the things about setting goals that I'm learning is that they don't mean anything without passion to achieve them, and that passion comes from what's called "having a big enough WHY." To say it another way, you need to have a big reason to want positive change in your life to give you that burning desire to see your goals through.
For me, my burning passion is to be able to give more time to my family, to be able to give the time to my children that they need in order to be the happiest and most prosperous individuals that they can be, and to give the time to my wife that will make her able to carry out her dreams as well.
And the way I'm going to achieve this is by getting my own business going. Life Force, the company I'm working with, specializes in health and wellness products like Body Balance, TruBoost, and more. By using their products, I've made myself healthier and will continue to make myself healthier through their use. And by working with their business plan, I'm creating residual income, income that will continue to come to me long after I've done the work to show people their products and this great opportunity. That's where the freedom comes into play. (If you're interested in knowing more about these products or this opportunity, let me know either via email or by checking out my business site).
But it's not simply about having the right business idea, by a long shot. I'm taking care of myself via regular exercise (bike commuting most days and regular strength workouts), better nutrition (less carbs, more veggies and fruits), and proper supplementation (the aforementioned Body Balance). And that extra attention to me and my health just makes me feel better about myself and increases my burning desire to achieve those other goals. And it's telling the world that I know I'm worth my life's improvements.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
On Belief and Taking Action
Morning Coach has been doing a series this week on Belief. For those of you who aren't familiar with Morning Coach, JB Glossinger is the creator of the Personal Evolution system in which he helps you to improve your life a little bit each day via regular podcasts and workbooks to help you manifest the life you desire. I've been listening for a long time now... a year and a half or so! And I love getting that positive boost of energy each morning as I ride to work.
But as I said, this week's topic has been belief, and the power of belief. Belief that we can achieve the things we want is key to getting them. I think that's a pretty simple concept: if you don't believe you can achieve something, well, then, you're right. But you can make yourself believe them and not limit yourself by your beliefs.
But today, the specific belief-related topic was Action. JB pointed out that many people believe you can manifest your dreams simply by having great enough belief. But, and I agree with him here, he believes that creating great belief means nothing if you don't take action on those things. I've been a believer that I can achieve great things my whole life - but where I've fallen down on many occasions is taking action.
My motto, that I got from Matt Furey, is "Beginning is Half-Done." Just making a start on your belief-driven goals is a fantastic way to start. How many times do you find that if you just get off the couch and do some pushups that you find yourself doing your whole workout, even though you are really tired? How many times have you just bitten the bullet and made that uncomfortable phone call, and gotten that nagging issue out of the way? Taking action on your beliefs creates results.
And by taking action often, you build your "action muscles" up to a point where you feel restless if you're NOT taking action. You feel great when you start on a project and want those feelings to continue. One challenge I frequently have when working out, for example, is giving myself enough rest between workouts. I feel so great doing them that I have a hard time letting my body have time to recover!
So pick an item in your life - one that's been nagging at you for a while, and take that first action on it today. See where it takes you, and most important see how you feel after you're done doing it. I bet you'll feel great, accomplished, relieved, and most importantly energized to take more actions.
But as I said, this week's topic has been belief, and the power of belief. Belief that we can achieve the things we want is key to getting them. I think that's a pretty simple concept: if you don't believe you can achieve something, well, then, you're right. But you can make yourself believe them and not limit yourself by your beliefs.
But today, the specific belief-related topic was Action. JB pointed out that many people believe you can manifest your dreams simply by having great enough belief. But, and I agree with him here, he believes that creating great belief means nothing if you don't take action on those things. I've been a believer that I can achieve great things my whole life - but where I've fallen down on many occasions is taking action.
My motto, that I got from Matt Furey, is "Beginning is Half-Done." Just making a start on your belief-driven goals is a fantastic way to start. How many times do you find that if you just get off the couch and do some pushups that you find yourself doing your whole workout, even though you are really tired? How many times have you just bitten the bullet and made that uncomfortable phone call, and gotten that nagging issue out of the way? Taking action on your beliefs creates results.
And by taking action often, you build your "action muscles" up to a point where you feel restless if you're NOT taking action. You feel great when you start on a project and want those feelings to continue. One challenge I frequently have when working out, for example, is giving myself enough rest between workouts. I feel so great doing them that I have a hard time letting my body have time to recover!
So pick an item in your life - one that's been nagging at you for a while, and take that first action on it today. See where it takes you, and most important see how you feel after you're done doing it. I bet you'll feel great, accomplished, relieved, and most importantly energized to take more actions.
Monday, May 3, 2010
On Surprising Myself with a Great Run
I'm not a runner.
Seriously, for the most part I really don't care for pounding the pavement on a regular basis. I don't really like sports that I have to worry about proper hydration and nutrition schedules during the race, or whether I need to replace my shoes because I've run 500 miles in them, or anything like that. I enjoy trail-type running at times but don't really live in an area where it's a regular option. So for the most part, I really don't do it very much. I ran cross country the fall of my freshman year in high school and screwed up my knees, which negatively affected my swimming season that following winter (and swimming was my primary sport in high school). I never ran it again after that.
So running and I have a live and let live relationship. I recognize that some people do really well with it, and are able to turn their lives around with it. For a great example, go and read a bit about Operation Jack. And my wife is turning into a really fine runner and improving her health greatly. And I do appreciate the pureness of just running with nothing tied to it but your own legs and wind.
But for the most part, it's not my cup of tea.
However, every once in a while, I get the bug to go out and gauge my fitness with a run. Nothing heavy, just a 5K or so. And so I stepped out Saturday morning to run the Columbus Commit to be Fit 5K (which was run in combination with the Capital City Half Marathon that morning). I had no expectations, and my only goal was to finish around what I got last year when I ran this thing, which was a 24:49.
My preparation? Well, as I said, I don't run, but I practice clean, active living. I work out two-three times a week with a pretty high-intensity bodyweight exercise program. I bike to work most of the time (though I didn't do it much over the winter this year), and when I don't I take the bus so I'm getting some walking in daily as well. I do a set of sprints on a somewhat regular basis. I don't own a car for my personal use so I walk or bike most places. I try to stay away from eating grains and I eat a lot of meats and veggies (organic or free-range when I can get them), nuts and seeds, and some fruits. And for the past month I've been drinking 8 oz. of Life Force Body Balance daily.
Body Balance is a sea vegetable/aloe vera drink that is chock full of nutrients in a whole food form - meaning that they're about as close to the original source as they can be without being actual kelp/dulse/nori/etc. It's an energizing drink that I have grown to love.
And that was all I had to eat or drink the morning of the run - my 8 oz. of Body Balance. Well, and some water, naturally, but mostly I'd hydrated the previous day so I didn't take in too much that morning. I drink a lot of water anyway. I rode my bike down from Clintonville, where I live in Columbus, to the Arena District, where the run began - about 4.5 miles. I took it nice and easy to warm up my muscles a bit but not tire them out.
My pre-race stretching consisted of some ankle rotations, knee rotations, and then a couple of sun salutations that I learned when I was into Ashtanga Yoga. I followed that up with a back/neck bridge which really stretched out my core and quads. Felt great. Then I went through some groin and leg stretching that I'd picked up in Tae Kwon Do in college - splits and the like (and no, I can't do a full split, but I did some of the training stretches for it). I just wanted to stretch out the whole body and not concern myself with any one part too much.
Last year, when I ran this run, it was a cooler day, and while standing in the corral waiting for the race to begin, I tightened up without really realizing it. It made for a very painful race and I really didn't enjoy it at all. This time, I kept loose in the corral much more - partially because of the better weather (about 65 degrees and just a little bit humid with occasional sprinkles) and partially because of the better stretching. We were in the corral for about 25 minutes (as they were exhorting us to get lined up for organization's sake). I took my place in the 8:00 milers section (as that's the pace I ran last year) and kept loose.
Finally, at 8:00, we were given the start. I turned on my iPod to the "African Rundown" music from Casino Royale (if you've seen the movie, this is the music they played during the parkour scene in Madagascar) and I was off. I started off slowly and built my way up. I didn't want to start too fast and tighten up, so I loosely let myself get up to a pace where I felt good. I looked around a bit for some of the folks I'd seen standing near me in the corral to help pace me, found a couple, and set my pace.
After the one mile mark, where the half-marathon broke off from the 5K, we had a bit of a downhill as the course went downhill from near the State Capitol building to the river, and I let my stride open up a bit to take advantage of the slope (a tactic I remembered from my one year of cross country in high school). I was feeling good. In fact, I was feeling darned good. I started to pass a lot of people, which was always the way I personally preferred to run when I was younger - start slower and pass folks as you pick up speed. It was just a motivational thing that made me run faster.
We headed down a ramp near the river to the Scioto River walk and headed around to North Bank Park. I was feeling REALLY good at this point. Sure, I had some run soreness from simply not being a runner and being used to the pounding, but it wasn't the cramping soreness I had last year. This was expected. I continued to pick up speed.
Then, as we came back uphill past North Bank Park and were suddenly approaching Spring Street again, running into the corrals where we'd started the race, I began to get worried - was I going too fast? This couldn't be the end already!? I sort of hesitantly rounded the corner onto Spring Street as we headed toward what was, indeed, the finish line, and I strained my eyes a bit to see the clock. It looked like it said 28:00 something. I moaned a bit, and picked up my pace.
Suddenly I realized - that was not an 8. It was a zero.
I turned on my sprint even harder and ended up crossing the line at 20:15. With the chip timing and my delayed start based on my location in the corral, I figured I had to be just under 20 minutes - which had been my goal time last year when I'd actually done some training for the race. I was pretty ecstatic and a bit flabbergasted!
Later in the day, I checked out the race website to see if the official results were up and they were - I'd finished at 19:02 and with a 6:09 mile pace. I'd placed 77th overall in a field of 1868, and was fifth in the men's 40-44 age group. It was far and away the best finish I'd ever had in a road race of any size, and I've run a few in my day (more when I was younger). It was near my best time when I was running regularly in high school as a freshman.
So I had a great race. And I'm trying to figure out what the difference was between last year and this. And aside from the weather, which was cooler last year but not so much that it should mean a six-minute time difference, the only thing I can come up with was my nutrition - it's been MUCH better this year and especially since I've been drinking Body Balance to get all those nutrients that we miss with our diluted food supply in the US nowadays. That could explain the lack of cramping, too - as cramping can be from bad nutrition and lack of things like potassium.
So I'm sold on Body Balance. It's helped me a lot with a regular healthy lifestyle And I think it can help you, too, no matter who you are. If you're interested, let me know.
Seriously, for the most part I really don't care for pounding the pavement on a regular basis. I don't really like sports that I have to worry about proper hydration and nutrition schedules during the race, or whether I need to replace my shoes because I've run 500 miles in them, or anything like that. I enjoy trail-type running at times but don't really live in an area where it's a regular option. So for the most part, I really don't do it very much. I ran cross country the fall of my freshman year in high school and screwed up my knees, which negatively affected my swimming season that following winter (and swimming was my primary sport in high school). I never ran it again after that.
So running and I have a live and let live relationship. I recognize that some people do really well with it, and are able to turn their lives around with it. For a great example, go and read a bit about Operation Jack. And my wife is turning into a really fine runner and improving her health greatly. And I do appreciate the pureness of just running with nothing tied to it but your own legs and wind.
But for the most part, it's not my cup of tea.
However, every once in a while, I get the bug to go out and gauge my fitness with a run. Nothing heavy, just a 5K or so. And so I stepped out Saturday morning to run the Columbus Commit to be Fit 5K (which was run in combination with the Capital City Half Marathon that morning). I had no expectations, and my only goal was to finish around what I got last year when I ran this thing, which was a 24:49.
My preparation? Well, as I said, I don't run, but I practice clean, active living. I work out two-three times a week with a pretty high-intensity bodyweight exercise program. I bike to work most of the time (though I didn't do it much over the winter this year), and when I don't I take the bus so I'm getting some walking in daily as well. I do a set of sprints on a somewhat regular basis. I don't own a car for my personal use so I walk or bike most places. I try to stay away from eating grains and I eat a lot of meats and veggies (organic or free-range when I can get them), nuts and seeds, and some fruits. And for the past month I've been drinking 8 oz. of Life Force Body Balance daily.
Body Balance is a sea vegetable/aloe vera drink that is chock full of nutrients in a whole food form - meaning that they're about as close to the original source as they can be without being actual kelp/dulse/nori/etc. It's an energizing drink that I have grown to love.
And that was all I had to eat or drink the morning of the run - my 8 oz. of Body Balance. Well, and some water, naturally, but mostly I'd hydrated the previous day so I didn't take in too much that morning. I drink a lot of water anyway. I rode my bike down from Clintonville, where I live in Columbus, to the Arena District, where the run began - about 4.5 miles. I took it nice and easy to warm up my muscles a bit but not tire them out.
My pre-race stretching consisted of some ankle rotations, knee rotations, and then a couple of sun salutations that I learned when I was into Ashtanga Yoga. I followed that up with a back/neck bridge which really stretched out my core and quads. Felt great. Then I went through some groin and leg stretching that I'd picked up in Tae Kwon Do in college - splits and the like (and no, I can't do a full split, but I did some of the training stretches for it). I just wanted to stretch out the whole body and not concern myself with any one part too much.
Last year, when I ran this run, it was a cooler day, and while standing in the corral waiting for the race to begin, I tightened up without really realizing it. It made for a very painful race and I really didn't enjoy it at all. This time, I kept loose in the corral much more - partially because of the better weather (about 65 degrees and just a little bit humid with occasional sprinkles) and partially because of the better stretching. We were in the corral for about 25 minutes (as they were exhorting us to get lined up for organization's sake). I took my place in the 8:00 milers section (as that's the pace I ran last year) and kept loose.
Finally, at 8:00, we were given the start. I turned on my iPod to the "African Rundown" music from Casino Royale (if you've seen the movie, this is the music they played during the parkour scene in Madagascar) and I was off. I started off slowly and built my way up. I didn't want to start too fast and tighten up, so I loosely let myself get up to a pace where I felt good. I looked around a bit for some of the folks I'd seen standing near me in the corral to help pace me, found a couple, and set my pace.
After the one mile mark, where the half-marathon broke off from the 5K, we had a bit of a downhill as the course went downhill from near the State Capitol building to the river, and I let my stride open up a bit to take advantage of the slope (a tactic I remembered from my one year of cross country in high school). I was feeling good. In fact, I was feeling darned good. I started to pass a lot of people, which was always the way I personally preferred to run when I was younger - start slower and pass folks as you pick up speed. It was just a motivational thing that made me run faster.
We headed down a ramp near the river to the Scioto River walk and headed around to North Bank Park. I was feeling REALLY good at this point. Sure, I had some run soreness from simply not being a runner and being used to the pounding, but it wasn't the cramping soreness I had last year. This was expected. I continued to pick up speed.
Then, as we came back uphill past North Bank Park and were suddenly approaching Spring Street again, running into the corrals where we'd started the race, I began to get worried - was I going too fast? This couldn't be the end already!? I sort of hesitantly rounded the corner onto Spring Street as we headed toward what was, indeed, the finish line, and I strained my eyes a bit to see the clock. It looked like it said 28:00 something. I moaned a bit, and picked up my pace.
Suddenly I realized - that was not an 8. It was a zero.
I turned on my sprint even harder and ended up crossing the line at 20:15. With the chip timing and my delayed start based on my location in the corral, I figured I had to be just under 20 minutes - which had been my goal time last year when I'd actually done some training for the race. I was pretty ecstatic and a bit flabbergasted!
Later in the day, I checked out the race website to see if the official results were up and they were - I'd finished at 19:02 and with a 6:09 mile pace. I'd placed 77th overall in a field of 1868, and was fifth in the men's 40-44 age group. It was far and away the best finish I'd ever had in a road race of any size, and I've run a few in my day (more when I was younger). It was near my best time when I was running regularly in high school as a freshman.
So I had a great race. And I'm trying to figure out what the difference was between last year and this. And aside from the weather, which was cooler last year but not so much that it should mean a six-minute time difference, the only thing I can come up with was my nutrition - it's been MUCH better this year and especially since I've been drinking Body Balance to get all those nutrients that we miss with our diluted food supply in the US nowadays. That could explain the lack of cramping, too - as cramping can be from bad nutrition and lack of things like potassium.
So I'm sold on Body Balance. It's helped me a lot with a regular healthy lifestyle And I think it can help you, too, no matter who you are. If you're interested, let me know.
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