tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33292972683229780872024-03-19T00:39:44.760-04:00Life Through Endurance...Triathlons, running, and life beyond the finish line with a vegan Ironman...Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-2858136545259828592017-05-14T14:51:00.001-04:002017-05-14T15:08:07.929-04:00Takes A Village: It Starts With My Mom<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i>(The month of May at Skratch
Labs is #TakesAVillage. In this blog series I will be thanking all the people
in my village who have helped me get to the start and finish lines). </i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAI-nWZEoZwlTvTnZRj7Xi85A00UNxUA-OXFsSKtzkgGJtQb-pwnkKLSFL1niy70yGDJhdOrcETWfu8GCkfqQLDU7LVQZpiFhZPtQ7ogV8ukRSPATXm2kIiErzhZDyWRQwLz9nxRFQR2k/s1600/Mom+and+me+Skeeter+Barnes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAI-nWZEoZwlTvTnZRj7Xi85A00UNxUA-OXFsSKtzkgGJtQb-pwnkKLSFL1niy70yGDJhdOrcETWfu8GCkfqQLDU7LVQZpiFhZPtQ7ogV8ukRSPATXm2kIiErzhZDyWRQwLz9nxRFQR2k/s400/Mom+and+me+Skeeter+Barnes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The center and foundation of my village...my beautiful mom.</td></tr>
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When thinking about the village of people - the support
system - on whom I’ve depended to help me achieve my goals in life, the
matriarch and center of that village is my mom. The beautiful thing about a mom
like mine is that her love, support, and words have flowed through me and
echoed in my ears for as long as I can remember. And they continue to do so
even though she’s no longer physically here. </div>
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<b><i>She Provided My Foundation</i></b>: The earliest memories I have of my mom may be fuzzy, but the
emotions those memories evoke are clear. For as long as I can remember, my mom
encouraged me to be myself - not to
conform to societal norms. Granted, I had my share of whoopin’s for
misbehaving. And of course she taught me basic rules of common decency,
respect, manners, love, compassion, and those crucial qualities of what it
means to be a human being. But I never felt an expectation beyond doing the
best I could and being a decent person. She never made me feel “less-than.” Never
made me question who I was. </div>
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Although I may not have recognized it growing up, I
see now as an adult that at the heart of every lesson my mom taught was that no
matter what I did, she would always love me. Truly, unconditionally, love me. </div>
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Admittedly I sometimes took that unconditional love for
granted. But it was always there supporting me, sometimes in imperceptible
ways. That unconditional love is <b><i>the</i></b> foundation on which everything
else has been built. Like a house with weak a foundation, a person without that
type of foundation eventually will crumble and collapse. Thanks to my mom’s
unconditional love, I never have. In fact,
that foundation of unconditional love is what has allowed me to grow, be
fearless, thrive, and become stronger. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLFeMgKKDTwKZzfs4RtMgb8w1TySQk6M_atIm_eNE0ud8nbqjcSPzGhPXqVrxZwKv5ciqv8uKMnlmkCPHmd_ZKXN56kK1U1NgPIaTVh1WuybrR1cHGDQK9DNOieT2RqCV-7X8EZX4VnE/s1600/Mom+and+me+swim+practice+Ironman+Arizona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLFeMgKKDTwKZzfs4RtMgb8w1TySQk6M_atIm_eNE0ud8nbqjcSPzGhPXqVrxZwKv5ciqv8uKMnlmkCPHmd_ZKXN56kK1U1NgPIaTVh1WuybrR1cHGDQK9DNOieT2RqCV-7X8EZX4VnE/s400/Mom+and+me+swim+practice+Ironman+Arizona.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and me during the swim practice at Ironman Arizona in 2011. There was never a better Sherpa.</td></tr>
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<b><i>She Showed Me How To Hang With
The Boys</i></b>: Like my mom, I
was and am a tomboy. Sure, just like my mom, I also clean up pretty well. But
underneath the make-up, painted nails, and occasional dresses is a fiery girl
who is far more comfortable drinking beer, cussing, and telling dirty jokes
with the guys.</div>
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When I was in elementary school,
our teachers and principals had a policy that girls and boys could not play
together at recess. (This was in the late 70’s/early 80’s, not colonial times).
That didn’t sit well with a couple girlfriends and me who wanted to play football
with the boys at recess. My mom even wrote a note to the school saying she had my permission to play football with the boys and wouldn’t hold the school
responsible if I got hurt. The school wasn’t persuaded. So one day at recess, my friends and I
put on a couple of the boys’ hooded sweatshirts and sneaked over to play
football. A few minutes later we were busted. When we got called into the
principal’s office, my mom came too. Let’s just say the teachers and principal
got an earful that day from my mom about the absurdity of their policy.</div>
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Because of my mom, I have <b><i>never</i></b>
thought I had any limits because I was a girl. I have never doubted I can do
anything just as well, if not better, than a man. I have never felt
uncomfortable or intimidated in a room full of men. And I have <b><i>never</i></b>
felt that I couldn’t stand up to a man.</div>
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People sometimes call me an
“Ironwoman” instead of an “Ironman.” Frankly, that bothers me. I earned the
title of Ironman because I have done and will do things that most men cannot
do. And that’s because of my mom. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgIZQ5d79ozgTFVpBzjZqBXrel00jFOtiambh30QOkIcSkn7RPkNCScxcLCM2ooSBKZl833Vhzo6qbKoZ2eGKZOcE5EyhzlaSVGxUQGm9BWcxx_4hxQzYm_g3FozTR2NJDpkpUeRdgYg/s1600/Mom+and+me+Marine+Corps+marathon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgIZQ5d79ozgTFVpBzjZqBXrel00jFOtiambh30QOkIcSkn7RPkNCScxcLCM2ooSBKZl833Vhzo6qbKoZ2eGKZOcE5EyhzlaSVGxUQGm9BWcxx_4hxQzYm_g3FozTR2NJDpkpUeRdgYg/s400/Mom+and+me+Marine+Corps+marathon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the start of the Marine Corps Marathon in 2006. I had shirts made for us with my grandpa's Marine Corps photo.</td></tr>
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<b><i>She Taught Me To Help People</i></b>: Many people thought of my mom as their
mom. Her business card at work even listed her job title as “Office Mommy.” If
there were one quality I had to pick that best represents my mom, it would be
her limitless ability to help and care for others, especially those who were
struggling or less fortunate.</div>
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My mom had countless stories of
standing up to bullies to defend other kids when she was growing up, giving care
and support to people who didn’t have anyone else, and finding ways to
encourage those around her. Because of my mom’s example, I am driven by a deep
desire to help and inspire people every day, in even the smallest ways. </div>
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That desire carries through to
my training and races. My most rewarding moments on the race course actually
aren’t when I cross the finish line. They’re when I know I’ve helped someone
else cross the finish line. At the end of one race a few years ago, a woman
came up to me and said that she’d been struggling during the race. She saw me
ahead of her, liked my pace, and told herself that if she stuck with me she
could finish the race. For me, that moment - realizing I had helped someone without
even knowing it - was more satisfying than finishing the race. </div>
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During every race, I shift the
focus from my pain and misery to finding others who are struggling. I try to
encourage them, give them a laugh. During Ironman Boulder in 2015 I handed out
all my Tums tabs to other athletes who’d also gotten sick from swim. That desire to help is my mom, working through me, to lend a hand to those around
me. It's what a village is all about - helping others. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQ9L28ph1UM42_PUYMLysnkpI4FfoYpZbe-0bxIARrOwbVEORdMrdZBvtHAt5PX-JJ_pVuthVGerskqfrsDG06GCKO1PDrATIi-6LISTKq3SEZbNvPaAouk25V3tbQQCEAgY0ENzpxkY/s1600/Mom+and+me+Ironman+Arizona+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQ9L28ph1UM42_PUYMLysnkpI4FfoYpZbe-0bxIARrOwbVEORdMrdZBvtHAt5PX-JJ_pVuthVGerskqfrsDG06GCKO1PDrATIi-6LISTKq3SEZbNvPaAouk25V3tbQQCEAgY0ENzpxkY/s400/Mom+and+me+Ironman+Arizona+finish.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A proud Sherpa Mom after my Ironman Arizona finish.</td></tr>
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<b><i>She Was My Original Sherpa</i></b>: Growing up, my mom was at every, single
event I had. From spelling contests in elementary school, to sporting events in
junior high and high school, to moot court competitions in law school. And she was
always the loudest parent there. It never embarrassed me. It made me proud to
know my mom was letting everyone know she was cheering for her Baby Girl. </div>
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My first marathon was the Marine
Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. in 2006, which I chose to honor my grandpa
who was a Marine in WWII. My mom, without hesitation, flew from Nebraska to cheer for me. Navigating through thousands
of people around the race course and cramming into D.C.’s metro like a
sardine was a lot to ask of my claustrophobic mom. But she did it (along with
her fiancé and several of my friends), just for me. She helped get me to the
race start in the morning and helped me limping from the finish line at the
end. </div>
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She also came to my first
Ironman in Arizona in 2011. She lugged gear around for me during race check-in,
made sure I found a warm neoprene cap and booties at the race expo for the
bone-chilling swim, and she (along with several of my friends) hustled all over
the race course to cheer for me. She even spotted me in the water during the swim -
out of all those swimmers - and got some amazing pictures. At the finish line,
she was screaming her lungs out. Her face was the first one I saw when I made
my way out of the finishers chute. She wrapped me in her arms and kept saying
how proud she was. When I said I couldn’t go another step, she hailed a
pedi-cab to take us the three blocks back to the car. </div>
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Ironman Arizona was the last
event at which my mom was my Sherpa. But I still feel and hear her at every
race I’ve done since then. </div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My mom was my original Sherpa, my foundational support. She was and always will be, the
matriarch of my village. She is
the legend whose lessons live on, giving
me and others within my village the courage, strength, and unconditional love to keep moving forward.</span><!--EndFragment--><br />
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<!--EndFragment-->Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-59721923803782618422017-04-30T16:18:00.000-04:002017-04-30T16:41:40.393-04:008 Tips for Starting Over <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2iXNTCaZfy9xyZDjuiFCBw1oH9aKna89Czji6BGoq9tfWogCOBMcT9AOuSkr8rmAOeXFclZ609WCNKB02XAGRJNGWcsKd6lbZGXGPtANVWvhMg7NSnGfK41VX1Ydnv20XaIKZ3R7ND0/s1600/IMG_5890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2iXNTCaZfy9xyZDjuiFCBw1oH9aKna89Czji6BGoq9tfWogCOBMcT9AOuSkr8rmAOeXFclZ609WCNKB02XAGRJNGWcsKd6lbZGXGPtANVWvhMg7NSnGfK41VX1Ydnv20XaIKZ3R7ND0/s400/IMG_5890.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting comfortable with the starting line...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16pt;">Ten months ago I uprooted my life of 18 years in the
Washington, D.C. metro area, put my dog and some of my valuables in a massive
rental Suburban, and drove across country to start my new life outside Denver,
Colorado. As someone who is notoriously adverse to change, this move
represented an epic upheaval in my life and an obliteration of my comfort zone
boundaries. </span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Looking back, there's no doubt this was the best
decision I could have made. Growth really does come from doing what's
most difficult. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Making that move happen was a year and a half long
process that required a job transfer, sorting through an 18-year accumulation
of stuff, packing up, doing house projects to prepare the house to sell, putting
the house on the market myself, and selling it without a realtor. Priorities
had to shift and my usual athletic pursuits weren’t anywhere near the top of
the list. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Once I got to Colorado, I tried to ease back into
triathlon and running; but life happens. Injuries. Sickness. Depression. Holidays.
More injuries and sickness. I just couldn't get back into a rhythm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Then it hit me: I brought my old way of life
into a fresh new setting. It was like using old nutrient-deprived soil to plant
new flowers. Nothing will flourish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">So as springtime emerged, I decided to fully
embrace the notion of “rebirth” and start everything from scratch - from my
diet to my mental outlook to my workouts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">In some ways, this has been more difficult than the
move itself. That’s how I know it’s the right thing to do. When you’re used to
a certain level and way of doing things, not being able to rise to that level
can make you feel “less than.” So it’s critical to fully embrace the chance to start
from scratch, with the hope of emerging better than you were before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Here’s what I’ve learned about starting over and
how you can maximize the process:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Recognize
"Setbacks" as Opportunities</span></b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">: Perspective is the most
important aspect of everything in life, but especially if you want to seize the
power of a “setback.” If you allow yourself to wallow in your “setback” you
will remain stuck. So shift your perspective. Viewing a “setback” as a glorious
opportunity is the only way to emerge from the depths like Wesley pulling
himself and the Princess Bride out of the death grip of the lightning sand. This
“setback” is an opportunity to reevaluate, rebuild, reemerge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKc2oGHhBUrIcemyy7H1F9W8VwWAtwt-GfPHNa322l4vtK1DXo5UIVQyadMkDPSoW46pICxVQZhkuGZOae4VMsMbLnRtmBrE3Zk3n-X2ussBbIkSWMmFHD1oEYVRBDCdksmBEl-zLxub0/s1600/Wesley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKc2oGHhBUrIcemyy7H1F9W8VwWAtwt-GfPHNa322l4vtK1DXo5UIVQyadMkDPSoW46pICxVQZhkuGZOae4VMsMbLnRtmBrE3Zk3n-X2ussBbIkSWMmFHD1oEYVRBDCdksmBEl-zLxub0/s400/Wesley.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Allow
Time to Heal</span></b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">: Whether it’s your body, mind, or spirit,
now is not the time to push through whatever has been causing you pain. For
Type-A people, that’s a difficult pill to swallow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But easing back on or eliminating whatever has been causing
discomfort, does not mean you’re a failure. It just means you’re stepping back,
giving some space, and coming back to it from a different angle. As part of my
physical healing, I started a 10-series <a href="http://www.rolf.org/ten_series.php" target="_blank">Rolfing session </a>with the idea of
realigning the structure of my body through fascia work. To maximize the benefits
of that therapeutic bodywork, I drastically cut back on and even stopped my
workouts for awhile. Respect your need to heal, otherwise you’re just building
a foundation on the same weak, injured system as before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Meditate</span></b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are countless studies, articles,
and statistics to which I could point to persuade you that meditation isn’t
just for a bunch of hippies sitting in the mountains. But you can Google those
yourself. What I will say, however, is if the proof is in the pudding, then I’m
the pudding. I’d been in and out of meditation for the last two years, but with
this recent decision to start everything over, I committed to meditating every
day, even if just for 5 minutes. I’ve been meditating for 78 days straight.
My shift in perspective (there’s that word again) is noticeable. Meditation has
allowed me to be more kind to myself and receptive to what I need. No one’s
brain is “too busy” to meditate and meditation doesn’t “quiet your brain.” The
point is to open your mind to possibilities, options, answers, and views that
otherwise wouldn’t come to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Listen to
Yourself</span></b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">: For once in your life, don’t listen to your friends, your family,
your coach, or your critics. Listen - deeply - to yourself. This is where
meditation helps. What are your body, mind, and spirit deeply calling for by starting over?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Do
Something Different</span></b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shake things up. Starting over is the perfect time to brainstorm
ways to do something fresh and different. Our bodies and minds get used to
routine activities and adapt accordingly, becoming stagnant. Athletes use
“muscle confusion” to change up the pace, intensity, or routine of activities
to stimulate a new level of adaptation. The same concept applies to your brain.
So find new ways to stimulate your body, mind, and spirit to reach a new level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Be
Careful With Your “Goals” Right Now</span></b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Goal” can be a tricky four-letter word. Maybe you have a
specific goal that has prompted you to start over, and that’s wonderful. If you
don’t have a specific goal though, that’s okay! After years of specific
goal-setting, I’m a little burnt out on long-term specific goals right now. Although
my general goal is “to be stronger,” I’m not imposing any expectations beyond
that. I realized setting specific goals kept me repeating old, unhealthy
patterns. So right now, my goal is “to just BE.” Be here, now, with where I am.
I trust that I’ll know when it’s time to start setting more specific goals
again and with a new mindset, I’ll be able to set my goals more wisely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Assemble
An Entourage</span></b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">: Although many of the keys to starting over
are deeply solo pursuits, we never accomplish anything without support from
others. Now, more than ever, starting over necessitates a core group of people
who can provide support for this process:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>friends, health professionals, coaches. Assemble a list of 5-10 people
to be your entourage, identify how each person can help you, and specifically
ask them to fill that role.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Ease Back
In</span></b><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">: After deciding to start from scratch, the worst thing you can do
is to dive back into whatever plagued you before. One thing Rolfing has taught
me is that if the Rolfer too aggressively massages a fascial layer, it’s
painful and the fascia can react negatively. So instead, she “eases into” the
fascial layer to get the tissue gradually used to the new pressure. The fascia
then relaxes and deeper layers can be reached without pain. The same holds true
for whatever physical, mental, or spiritual growth you’re trying to achieve by
starting over. Ease into your new levels. Allow yourself time to adapt, and
then move to a deeper level. When you reach an area of pain, ease up a little
until you can relax into a deeper level. That’s how true growth is achieved and
new levels reached. And it will all be rooted in the fact that you were able to
embrace the opportunity of starting over in the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><i><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Please share your story below of how you’ve
started over…</span></i></b></div>
Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-14749977095350603972016-02-13T09:00:00.000-05:002016-02-13T09:00:00.145-05:00Skratch Labs: Real Food. Real People. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUT1FpIngXuSA98LB6DRt_uhO5VOwtZSl8D9lPmu5QLfW-mBlKFJ-__s538Yu_vPwlfIdZZ4Bg6NTtbkwgOrEAB_IKg0Z2k4YHJz_7xaCZx1ioUX_MtpA8uKkayx3b_ukqZIgzQGgeStI/s1600/Skratch+logo+white+on+black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUT1FpIngXuSA98LB6DRt_uhO5VOwtZSl8D9lPmu5QLfW-mBlKFJ-__s538Yu_vPwlfIdZZ4Bg6NTtbkwgOrEAB_IKg0Z2k4YHJz_7xaCZx1ioUX_MtpA8uKkayx3b_ukqZIgzQGgeStI/s400/Skratch+logo+white+on+black.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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For runners, cyclists, triathletes, and anyone trying to stay fueled during workouts, the morass of available electrolyte drinks, chews, tabs, and goos from which to choose can make you sweat as much as a good workout. We put our gastrointestinal tracts through trial after trial of sugary electrolyte mixes. We waste money sampling chew after goo after chew. And at the end of it all, we're left with over-sugared, too sweet, syrupy drinks that are filled with artificial ingredients, tear up our GI tracts, and aren't all that great for our training needs. </div>
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So over four years ago, one of my local bike shops started carrying a new electrolyte drink mix that had - wait for it - no artificial ingredients, sweeteners, flavors, or colors. Instead, it was made with <i style="font-weight: bold;">real</i> oranges, less sugar, and more sodium. It's name: Skratch. </div>
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I bought it. I tried it. I loved it. I've been using it ever since...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECTaeXk2RjB9fXtvkRB0_wMmPdFMaPdkOrda4baWdQvAVRBR9YEU6X5GdmDyhbmspJB3rtl8qYwAQjuvdZJu0A0jUk9TPJdLJzdAZ3wxJGdSgXdxlM_9aMqEA8my2j0bCbL8HyeIWoqs/s1600/Skratch+circle+black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECTaeXk2RjB9fXtvkRB0_wMmPdFMaPdkOrda4baWdQvAVRBR9YEU6X5GdmDyhbmspJB3rtl8qYwAQjuvdZJu0A0jUk9TPJdLJzdAZ3wxJGdSgXdxlM_9aMqEA8my2j0bCbL8HyeIWoqs/s200/Skratch+circle+black.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I've used Skratch Exercise Hydration Mix (in the orange flavor) in all of my races over the last four years. It's gotten me through three Ironman races, including the infamous inaugural Ironman Lake Tahoe in 2013. It's been with me for various half-Ironman races, a 50k trail run, and a century bike ride. And it goes with me on all my long training workouts. </div>
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Why? </div>
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The obvious answer is: I love it and my body loves it. For starters, it tastes <i style="font-weight: bold;">light</i>. It's not syrupy or over-sugared. I can drink it for hours-long workouts and even Ironman races without being sick of it by the end. And the proof is in the pudding or, in this case, the ingredients: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrB7zQloGwy24MYTABXQHb_p2AqztSgeSm0Lh5qwmo155LjOVPEw4CFB1ZWaM4i8TEtxYMyPtvSUaqcq8nUPJ2feCCpZOez7RQOs5t7OjXtv6YlWKC67o_xnCrwMByoYzxRgng__l580c/s1600/Skratch+orange+hydration+mix.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrB7zQloGwy24MYTABXQHb_p2AqztSgeSm0Lh5qwmo155LjOVPEw4CFB1ZWaM4i8TEtxYMyPtvSUaqcq8nUPJ2feCCpZOez7RQOs5t7OjXtv6YlWKC67o_xnCrwMByoYzxRgng__l580c/s400/Skratch+orange+hydration+mix.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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As Skratch explains, its ingredients basically equate to <a href="http://blog.skratchlabs.com/blog/why-sports-drinks-are-important">flavored sweat</a>. Yes, that's right. Now stick with me...</div>
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You see, Skratch was founded by Allen Lim, Ph.D., (read his story <a href="http://www.skratchlabs.com/pages/about-us">here</a>) who several years ago was working as a sports scientist and coach for a professional cycling team. He started making his own food and sports drinks from scratch, which his athletes loved. He eventually teamed up with Chef Biju Thomas and they wrote their first book called <a href="http://www.skratchlabs.com/collections/food/products/the-feed-zone-cookbook">The Feed Zone</a>. Since then, the word about the sports drink has spread among everyone from triathletes to race car drivers. Skratch has exploded with a variety of hydration mixes, food, and two other books: <a href="http://www.skratchlabs.com/collections/food/products/feed-zone-portables">Feed Zone Portables</a> and <a href="http://www.skratchlabs.com/collections/food/products/feed-zone-table">Feed Zone Table</a>. </div>
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Long story short, Lim developed the ingredients in the Skratch Exercise Hydration mix to mimic our sweat - with some delicious natural flavors like orange, lemon-lime, raspberry, pineapple, apples with cinnamon, and the new matcha with lemons - so it doesn't actually taste like you're drinking your sweat. Seriously, can you think of a better way to replenish what you lose through sweating than with something that's basically yummy tasting sweat? </div>
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Now before any of you sugar-phobes get worked up about the first ingredient being "cane sugar," take a look at the science behind why we need sugar when we work out: </div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;">In small amounts during exercise, sugar is absolutely one of the most important and ergogenic substances out there. Not only is having some calories critical for maintaining blood glucose and exercise performance, a little bit of real sugar paired with sodium significantly enhances the rate of water absorption through the small intestine. This is why clinically based </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.skratchlabs.com/products/rescue-hydration-mix" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.1s linear; border: 0px; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear;" target="_blank" title="Oral Rehydration Solutions">oral rehydration solutions</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 14px;">developed by the World Health Organization contain sugar and glucose just like Skratch - it hydrates you better. Which is kind of a good quality to have in a product designed to do just that.</span> </i></blockquote>
Source: <a href="http://www.skratchlabs.com/pages/faq">Skratch FAQ</a><br />
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All this is to say that Lim and Thomas know what they're doing. They <i style="font-weight: bold;">know</i> athletes. They <i style="font-weight: bold;">know</i> the science (check our their awesome <a href="http://blog.skratchlabs.com/blog/?category=Science">science blog posts</a>). They <i style="font-weight: bold;">know</i> what works. <br />
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Aside from the solid science and amazing taste, there's one more reason to love Skratch: the company and its people are downright authentic. The real deal. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDX6Ibz4IFoGr4jt0_i2gDTC8ZAqX3uLzAzITEJG8Lr2w9n6tWfAo-eXI7RxK5VVXdkEMTQn-j2JlUJVBYsjPuPlOHRg5sM_MJZyL-1Eqj03MWhuPlRUF1yuyUq8C_3_WuAbYOGHZPAM/s1600/Skratch+HQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDX6Ibz4IFoGr4jt0_i2gDTC8ZAqX3uLzAzITEJG8Lr2w9n6tWfAo-eXI7RxK5VVXdkEMTQn-j2JlUJVBYsjPuPlOHRg5sM_MJZyL-1Eqj03MWhuPlRUF1yuyUq8C_3_WuAbYOGHZPAM/s320/Skratch+HQ.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scratch's headquarters in Boulder</td></tr>
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Skratch's headquarters is in Boulder, Colorado, so it earn points for coolness right out of the gate. When I was in Boulder this past summer, I accidentally stumbled across their office. (Okay, I'll confess, I was at the brewery across the street when I noticed the big Skratch sign on a building in a strip mall). I assumed it was just a storefront.<br />
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But when I popped my head inside, I was greeted by the sweetest employee named Nicole. She scored big points with me when she said I could bring my dog, Winnie, into the store. <br />
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Winnie and I spent probably the next 45 minutes talking to Nicole and stocking up on all kinds of Skratch products. Nicole also told me about Skratch's Taste Agent program and encouraged me to apply. <br />
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So I did.<br />
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And this past December I received an email saying that I was selected as one of Skratch's Taste Agents. I was absolutely giddy and honored to get the opportunity to officially promote a product that I've believed in and used for so long. <br />
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(And now for this brief interruption for some legal mumbo-jumbo: As a Taste Agent I receive a discount code that can be used four times in a year and may receive other discounted and promotional items. In exchange I agree to do, well...basically what I've already been doing the last four years: talk about Skratch to my friends, promote it on my social media, follow Skratch on social media, and exclusively use Skratch).<br />
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But back to the awesomeness of the company itself. Skratch keeps it real - not only with their products, but with their staff and their customers. In a sports world where athletes often feel like just another walking wallet for some company vying for our business, Skratch <i style="font-weight: bold;">cares - </i>about its products <b><i>and</i> </b>its customers. I felt that philosophy of caring during my visit with Nicole at their headquarters and in her subsequent emails to me. I feel it in every funny confirmation email I receive after I place an order. And I especially feel it in the handwritten notes that I get in the box along with every order... <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJGdb7IuXlL6gqbLskEHEyQM-5OVFREI8QKWbVBMXnbzjhQW-ZyoQkJpC2puZm36DR6cYANSuXRM7AekFiKDGuq6uoXfc4QSmWzgKbolxFtBpLfFuwFf8XqF5rUmq3bCO4rsFp_rHkDY/s1600/Skratch+note.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJGdb7IuXlL6gqbLskEHEyQM-5OVFREI8QKWbVBMXnbzjhQW-ZyoQkJpC2puZm36DR6cYANSuXRM7AekFiKDGuq6uoXfc4QSmWzgKbolxFtBpLfFuwFf8XqF5rUmq3bCO4rsFp_rHkDY/s640/Skratch+note.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously, when's last time you received a handwritten note from a company?</td></tr>
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That's Skratch. From their ingredients to their products to their staff, they are the real deal. <br />
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I look forward to being one of their Taste Agents this year to help spread the word, the science, and the value of this company and its products. <br />
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Stay tuned for future posts as I explore some of the recipes from The Feed Zone, Feed Zone Table, and Portables cookbooks. <br />
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You can follow Skratch Labs on:<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Twitter </i>and <b><i>Instagram</i></b><i style="font-weight: bold;">:</i> @SkratchLabs<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/SkratchLabs">YouTube</a> (and check out this hilarious video - <a href="https://youtu.be/BPBggWHaEK4">A Sports Drink That Doesn't Suck</a>)<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/skratchlabs">Facebook</a><br />
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Oh, and don't forget to follow me too!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Be strong. Suffer wisely. Endure always. </i></b></span></span>Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-60460522949358398132016-01-06T21:57:00.000-05:002016-02-09T16:50:49.668-05:00My Ultimate DC, Maryland, and Virginia Bucket List(s)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have lived in northern Virginia for over 18 years now. I've explored and played a lot in DC/Maryland/Virginia ("DMV"); but, there are still a surprising number of sights and activities I have yet to see and do. So in the interest of expanding my horizons and sucking the marrow out of my DMV backyard, I have created the Ultimate DMV Bucket List. <br />
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Or should I say "lists"...</div>
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Because I'm an anal-retentive lawyer, having only one list wasn't good enough. After all, I need to keep track of what I've done versus what I haven't done. Consequently, there are two lists...</div>
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So here you go. If you have a suggestion for something to add to the list, please do so in the comments below. (Note that most entries have hyper-links you can click for more information). </div>
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Good luck whittling down your own bucket lists! </div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>THE "NEED TO GO THERE, DO THAT" </b></span></u></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>DMV BUCKET LIST</b></span></u></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">MUSEUMS</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.newseum.org/">Newseum</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.koshland-science-museum.org/">Koshland Science Museum</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.moneyfactory.gov/washingtondctours.html">Bureau of Engraving</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/visitor/home/index.html">Goddard Space Center in Greenbelt</a></li>
<li><a href="http://nmaahc.si.edu/About">National Museum of African American History and Culture</a> (scheduled to open fall 2016)</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">WAR/HISTORICAL/MEMORIAL SITES</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.gunstonhall.org/">Gunston Hall </a>(George Mason's home)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm">Gettysburg</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/frsp/index.htm">Fredericksburg Battlefield</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.workhousearts.org/">Lorton Prison Workhouse/Arts Center</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0001104.htm">Titanic Memorial</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0001473.htm">Kahlil Gibran Memorial</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.congressionalcemetery.org/">Congressional Cemetery</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/frdo/index.htm">Frederick Douglass House</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.lincolncottage.org/visit/">President Lincoln's Cottage</a></li>
<li>Go to the top of the <a href="http://www.gwmemorial.org/">George Washington Masonic Temple</a> in Alexandria, Virginia</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">FEDERAL BUILDINGS</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.visitthecapitol.gov/">Capitol Tour</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/fbi-headquarters/fbi-education-center">FBI Tour</a></li>
<li><a href="http://pentagontours.osd.mil/">Pentagon tour</a> </li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">RECREATIONAL</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li>Canoe on Potomac River (out of <a href="http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend-park/riverinfo.htm">Riverbend Park</a>)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.waba.org/50-states-13-colonies/">50 States Bike Ride </a>(62-mile bike ride down all named streets in DC)</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">ART GALLERIES</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://hirshhorn.si.edu/collection/home/#collection=home">Hirshorn</a></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">MUSIC and FESTIVALS</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.kingmanislandbluegrass.com/">Kingman Island Bluegrass and Folk Festival</a> (April 30, 2016)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bluesalley.com/">Blues Alley</a> (Georgetown)</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">THEATERS</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.arenastage.org/">Arena Stage</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/index">National Symphony Orchestra</a></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">MISC.</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://perrysam.com/information/brunch/">Drag Breakfast at Perry's </a></li>
<li>Baseball game at <a href="https://www.ripkenbaseball.com/youth_baseball/aberdeen/facilities">Aberdeen Cal Ripken Experience</a></li>
<li>Embassy tour/event (any embassy!). Take advantage of <a href="http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/portal/passport-dc1">Passport DC</a> during the month of May, which is 31 days of programming by over 70 embassies and over of DC's cultural institutions. You can even do the Around the World Embassy tour during that month, when more than 50 embassies open their doors to the public. </li>
<li>Research family history at Archives</li>
<li><a href="http://www.barracks.marines.mil/Parades/EveningParade.aspx">Marine Corps Barracks Parade/Procession</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nationalharbor.com/the-capital-wheel/">Ride ferris wheel at National Harbor</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.dcducks.com/">DC Ducks Boat Tour</a></li>
</ul>
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<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>THE "BEEN THERE, DONE THAT"</b></span></u></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>DMV BUCKET LIST</b></span></u></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></u></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">MUSEUMS</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li>All of the <a href="http://www.si.edu/Museums">Smithsonian museums</a> (yes, there's more than one!)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ushmm.org/">Holocaust Museum</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.usbg.gov/">Botanic Gardens</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.usna.usda.gov/">National Arboretum and Capitol Columns</a></li>
<li><a href="http://national%20museum%20of%20the%20marine%20corps/">U.S. Marine Corps Museum</a> near Quantico, Virginia</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">WAR/HISTORICAL/MEMORIAL SITES</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.mountvernon.org/">Mt. Vernon</a> (George Washington's home)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.monticello.org/">Monticello</a> (Thomas Jefferson's home)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.montpelier.org/">Montpelier</a> (James Madison's home)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/mana/index.htm">Manassas Battlefield</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/#/">Arlington Cemetery</a> (including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and changing of the Guard; and Kennedy's gravesite)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.usna.edu/homepage.php">U.S. Naval Academy </a>in Annapolis</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/fomc/index.htm">Ft. McHenry</a> (home of the Star Spangled Banner)</li>
<li><a href="http://pentagonmemorial.org/">Pentagon 9/11 Memorial</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/nama/planyourvisit/dc-war-memorial.htm">Washington, DC WWI Memorial</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.nasonline.org/about-nas/visiting-nas/nas-building/the-einstein-memorial.html">Einstein Memorial </a>at the National Academy of Sciences</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/fowa/index.htm">Fort Washington Park</a> (Maryland)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/this/index.htm">Theodore Roosevelt Island and Memorial</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=martin+luther+king+memorial&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8">Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/frde/index.htm">FDR Memorial </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.airforcememorial.org/home">Air Force Memorial </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/usmc_memorial.htm">Marine Corps Memorial </a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">National Mall tour (including Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Washington </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Monument, Vietnam Memorial, and Korean War Memorial)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Go to the top of the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/opot/index.htm">Old Post Office Tower</a> or <a href="http://www.nps.gov/wamo/planyourvisit/fees.htm">Washington Monument</a> (I</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> prefer the Old</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Post Office Tower. The views are better and it's less crowded)</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">FEDERAL BUILDINGS</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://whitehouse.gov1.info/visit/tour.html">White House Tour</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.loc.gov/">Library of Congress</a></li>
<li>Tour the <a href="http://www.supremecourt.gov/faq_visiting.aspx">Supreme Court</a> and hear an oral argument </li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">RECREATIONAL</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li>Hiking at <a href="http://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm">Shenandoah National Park</a></li>
<li>Bike or drive <a href="http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/driving-skyline-drive.htm">Skyline Drive</a></li>
<li>Hike <a href="http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/old-rag-hike-prep.htm">Old Rag Mountain</a>, </li>
<li>Hike <a href="http://www.sugarloafmd.com/">Sugarloaf Mountain</a></li>
<li><a href="http://luraycaverns.com/">Luray Caverns</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.naturalbridgeva.com/">Natural Bridge</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm">Great Falls Park</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/turkeyrun.htm">Turkey Run Park</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/pohe/index.htm">Potomac Heritage Trail</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm">C&O Canal</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.hikingupward.com/OMH/BillyGoatTrail/">Billy Goat Trail</a></li>
<li>Run/walk/bike around <a href="http://dc.about.com/od/restaurant1/a/EastPotomacPk.htm">Hains Point</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.patc.us/hiking/destinations/bull_run.html">Bull Run Occoquan Trail</a> (encompasses three regional parks: <a href="https://www.nvrpa.org/park/hemlock_overlook/">Hemlock Overlook Regional Park</a>, <a href="https://www.nvrpa.org/park/fountainhead">Fountainhead Regional Park</a>, and <a href="http://www.nvrpa.org/park/bull_run">Bull Run Regional Park</a>) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/prwi/index.htm">Prince William Forest Park</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/rocr/planyourvisit/upload/rocrmap1.pdf">Rock Creek Park Trails </a>and <a href="http://www.nps.gov/pimi/index.htm">Pierce Mill</a></li>
<li>Run, walk, or bike the <a href="http://www.nvrpa.org/park/w_od_railroad/">W&OD Trail</a> (bike the entirety to Purcellville and back for 90-miles round trip!)</li>
<li>Run, walk, or bike the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/mtvernontrail.htm">Mt. Vernon Trail</a> (18-miles from start at Roosevelt Island to finish at Mt. Vernon)</li>
<li>Run, walk, or bike across <a href="http://www.traillink.com/trail/woodrow-wilson-bridge-trail.aspx">Woodrow Wilson Bridge</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/cct/downloads/cct-4-wakefield-trail.pdf">Wakefield Park trails</a></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">SPORTING EVENTS</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li>Washington Nationals game (baseball)</li>
<li>Baltimore Orioles game (baseball)</li>
<li>Washington Redskins game (football)</li>
<li>Washington Wizards game (basketball)</li>
<li>Washington Capitals game (hockey)</li>
<li>DC United game (I've never actually been, but don't really follow soccer much)</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">ART GALLERIES</span></h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://renwick.americanart.si.edu/">Renwick</a></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple;">MUSIC and FESTIVALS</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.wolftrap.org/">Wolf Trap</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.930.com/">9:30 Club </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.iotaclubandcafe.com/">Iota Club and Cafe</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.birchmere.com/">Birchmere</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.festival.si.edu/visitor-information/general-information/smithsonian">Smithsonian Folklife Festival</a></li>
<li><a href="http://dcvegfest.com/">DC VegFest</a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "'times new roman'" , serif;">Attend a variety of other festivals. Here's a list of all <a href="http://www.partyearth.com/washington-dc/festivals/all-annual/">DC-area festivals</a> (including food and film festivals)</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new" serif;">THEATERS</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "new" , serif;"><a href="http://thenationaldc.org/">National Theater</a></span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fordstheatre.org/splash">Ford's Theater</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.warnertheatredc.com/">Warner Theater</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/">Kennedy Center</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="color: purple;">MISC.</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.virginiawine.org/wineries">Virginia Wineries</a></li>
<li><a href="http://maps.georgetown.edu/exorciststeps/">Exorcism stairs </a>in Georgetown</li>
<li><a href="http://www.visitalexandriava.com/old-town-alexandria/">Old Town Alexandria</a></li>
<li>Watch airplanes take off and land from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravelly_Point">Gravelly Point</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/jonespoint.htm">Jones Point Park and Historic Lighthouse</a></li>
<li><a href="http://washington.org/DC-focus-on/top-spots-catch-fireworks">Catch the July 4th fireworks</a> over the Washington Monument</li>
<li>See the <a href="http://thenationaltree.org/">White House Christmas Tree</a></li>
<li>See the <a href="http://www.capitolchristmastree.com/">U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree</a></li>
<li>See the <a href="http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/">cherry blossoms</a></li>
</ul>
<b><i>Please leave a comment below if you have any suggestions! </i></b></div>
</div>
Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-2328594909356230592014-09-13T22:06:00.000-04:002014-09-13T22:06:28.765-04:00YOU Have No Excuse NOT to Meditate: A 5-Minute 30-Day Meditation Challenge<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: PrioriSerRegularMedium, Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 25px;"><i><b>"[M]editation is a way to get in the space between your thoughts. You have a thought here, a thought here, and there's little space between every thought."<span style="color: #666666;"> -- </span><a href="http://www.chopra.com/ccl-meditation/21dmc/meditation-tips.html" style="color: #666666;">Deepak Chopra</a></b></i></span></div>
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YOU have no excuse <b><i>not</i></b> to meditate. <br />
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Yes, you...I'm talking to YOU. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVvi7u60phFsqoPRRWnI3nlNRMVXCl6_awOoA1aiFPvhw-OqNOrLoxTbIZ16oRAsjNaQpRf9-joGB5lJk8REs34qKzeEsw1uufygKzGKyDOlq6ScLVyioekmQoP1ogo69fcU5df17SoM/s1600/finger+pointing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVvi7u60phFsqoPRRWnI3nlNRMVXCl6_awOoA1aiFPvhw-OqNOrLoxTbIZ16oRAsjNaQpRf9-joGB5lJk8REs34qKzeEsw1uufygKzGKyDOlq6ScLVyioekmQoP1ogo69fcU5df17SoM/s1600/finger+pointing.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I'm pointing at YOU...</td></tr>
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I'm talking to all of you out there who claim your mind is too busy to meditate. <br />
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To all of you who claim you have tried meditation and it just doesn't work for you. <br />
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To all of you who claim you don't have any time to meditate.<br />
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To all of you who think that meditation is for a bunch of hippies who like to burn candles and make weird chanting noises. <br />
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To all of you who have used any kind of excuse <i style="font-weight: bold;">not</i> to meditate, I am here to tell you that your excuse is a cop-out. Your excuse is nothing more than a self-created justification to keep you from doing the hard work - and yes, meditation is hard work - that you need to do to live a happier life. And if you say, "I'm already happy, I don't need to meditate," then think about how amazing it'd be to feel <i style="font-weight: bold;">even happier. </i><br />
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Before I go further, I want to make clear that meditation is not a cure all. It won't fix all the problems in your life. It won't make money suddenly appear. It won't make that guy you see at the grocery store magically fall in love with you. It won't make the girl of your dreams come walking through the door. It won't cure cancer. <br />
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Meditation, however, will make you <i style="font-weight: bold;">happier</i> - and that's completely relative to how you feel from day-to-day, moment-to-moment. It will also make you more productive. It will help you open your mind and see new opportunities that you may have completely missed otherwise. Most of all, it will make you recognize that the little voice that constantly runs in your head - the one that tells you stories all day long about how you look, how you feel, how someone else looks, whether you're doing a good job - is <i style="font-weight: bold;">not</i> the truth. That's right. That little voice in your head is only telling you some version of a story. Once you recognize that, pause, and realize that's all it is - a story - then your entire outlook can change a little bit at a time. <br />
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For now, I'll save the science and details of the benefits of meditation for another post. My only goal for this post is to get you to commit for one month to meditate for at least 5 minutes a day. There's no science to that number. It's just a place to start. <br />
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I mentioned in my post a couple weeks ago, <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/2014/08/slowing-down-for-speed-efficiency-and.html">Slowing Down for Speed, Efficiency, and Endurance</a>, that I'd been trying to meditate for 20 minutes twice a day. I'll admit that there have been days when I don't fit in the 20 minutes or I don't do it twice a day, and I was feeling guilty about that. (Actually, that little voice in my head was telling me that I was being lazy and failing at my goal). <br />
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Then I listened to a wonderful podcast by my <a href="http://www.richroll.com/category/podcast/">favorite podcaster, Rich Roll.</a> I've mentioned him before and if you haven't checked him out, then you truly don't know what you're missing. One of his recent podcasts was with <a href="http://www.richroll.com/podcast/rrp-97-dan-harris/">ABC News anchor, Dan Harris</a>. If you think that meditation is a bunch of hooey, that it's for hippy freaks, that you can't slow your mind down enough, or that it's just a waste of time, then this podcast is a must listen for you. <br />
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I promise that if you listen to this podcast, you will wipe away every excuse that little voice tells you to let you get away with not meditating. <br />
<br />
You can read Rich Roll's notes about the podcast to get a better sense of Dan Harris and his entry into meditation. In a nutshell, as a broadcast journalist, he's one of the busiest, most overstressed people you will find. He's not religious and is a self-proclaimed agnostic. His mind races probably faster than yours on any given day, and he's in a constant pressure cooker with his job. He would be one of the last people you would think would take up meditation. Yet, after an interesting couple of years following an on-air panic attack, some news assignments covering different faiths/religions, and reading a book on Buddhism that his wife gave him (which he thought was ridiculous), he decided one day on vacation to screw it and try meditation for five minutes. <br />
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As he describes, it sucked, it was hard, and his mind wandered off all the time. Over time, however, it got better. And over time, he got happier. Consequently, he wrote a book called <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/book-excerpt-abcs-dan-harris-10-happier-tamed/story?id=22850949">10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works - a True Story</a>. I implore you to click the link and watch the videos where he describes how he came upon this journey, how ridiculous he thought meditation was, and how he came to realize the immense benefits meditation would have. The video is actually quite funny and sarcastic (right up my alley) as Harris tells about his journey. You can also watch the talk he did at the MindBodyGreen seminar, which is on <a href="http://www.richroll.com/podcast/rrp-97-dan-harris/">Rich Roll's website</a>. <br />
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His point - and mine - is a simple one: focus on your breathing for 5 minutes every day. Don't call it meditation if that you creeps you out. You don't have to light a candle or chant sanskrit. All you have to do is sit comfortably - in a chair, on a couch, on the floor, however you want - close your eyes, then focus on the breath coming in your nose, moving down your throat into your stomach as you inhale, and then moving back out your stomach, throat, and nose as you exhale. That's it. <br />
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Yes, your mind will wander. You may take one breath and then that little voice will start saying "oh, wow, good job, you focused on that breath. I wonder how long we can do this? I wonder if I'm breathing the right way. I wonder if I should be sitting differently. Did I turn my phone off? Oh wait, I'm supposed to be focusing on my breath." Once you realize that the voice is running on auto-pilot, just turn your focus back to your breath. <br />
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Then your mind will wander again...and again...and again. Don't get angry, frustrated, or disappointed, and most of all, don't give up. Just recognize that your mind wandered and refocus on your breath. <br />
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Contrary to what you may think, the point is <i style="font-weight: bold;">not</i> to clear your head of all thoughts. That's not going to happen. The point is to recognize when that little voice kicks into gear and just bring your attention back to your breath. The beauty of meditation isn't to clear your mind. It's to get in touch with your mind - more specifically, to find the space in between the thoughts. That's where the true peace lies. It's where - and this may freak you out - you will find the true spirit, God, or whatever higher power you want to call it. It's where you find your true consciousness. It's the place where that little voice - the one that only tells you stories, not truths - ceases to exist. <br />
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Okay, that was a bit lofty...but that's the carrot at the end of the stick. Your goal isn't to wipe your mind clean, so stop stressing about how you can't quiet your mind. Your goal is to find the space between the thoughts. And you do that by doing one simple thing: focusing on your breath. <br />
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Doing that one simple thing doesn't have to be a huge undertaking. So don't let that little voice tell you that you don't have time. If Dan Harris can find 5 minutes a day (actually he does more than that), then so can you. If not 5 minutes, then do 1 minute and build from there. Just establish a consistent, daily practice of focusing on your breath for a set amount of time. Do it when you first get out of bed. Over your lunch break. Right before you go to bed. On the metro. Just <i style="font-weight: bold;">do it</i>. <br />
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Don't get discouraged and say "I can't do it, my head is to busy. It's just too hard." That excuse is the equivalent of not going to the gym because it's hard, it makes you breathe hard, and you get too sweaty. Let go of any expectation that meditation is easy or that you should be able to be good at it in a matter of days. As I mentioned in my prior post, you wouldn't expect to get up off the couch and run a 5k without training. So don't expect your brain to run a 5-minute mediation session without wandering off for most it. <br />
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Doing some amount of meditation every day (well, almost every day) the past few weeks has nearly blown my mind. Just in the last few days, I've begun to notice opportunities and meet new people that I know I would have missed before. How has meditation helped me do that? It's made me notice when that little voice is rambling on. It's made me decide that I don't have to listen to that little voice. Instead of letting that little voice talk me out of introducing myself to a new person, I let that negative thought pass, and decide to take another course of action by walking up to the person. Instead of pre-judging a situation and assuming that a certain outcome was sure to be the end result, I decided to open myself up to at least trying to achieve a different outcome or exploring the possibilities. I've had a more empathetic response - rather than knee-jerk reaction - to other people and situations throughout the day. It's allowed me to focus better and not get caught up in the constant storytelling of that little voice. <br />
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It's made me....<i style="font-weight: bold;">happier. </i><br />
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Am I happy all the time? No. But I'm happier more of the time. <br />
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Do I still flip people off in traffic? Yes. But I do it less. <br />
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Do I still get annoyed with people throughout the day? Yes. But it's less often. <br />
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Am I able to meditate for 20 minutes without my mind wandering off? Absolutely not. But I'm getting better. <br />
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On my <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/p/helpful-links.html">Helpful Links</a> tab I've provided some Meditation Tips that provide a couple of resources to get you started with a simple meditation practice. Whether you do one of those or find your own, all I ask is that you commit to focus on your breathing - meditate - for 5 minutes a day for 30 days. <br />
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Drop the excuses. Just do 5 minutes of focusing on your breathing for 30 days. Then I dare you to tell me that you're not even slightly happier at the end of that 30 days. <br />
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<b><i>Can you commit to that challenge? If you do, I'd love to hear about your progress, your struggles, etc., so email me at mwally40@gmail.com or leave a comment below...</i></b><br />
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<br />Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-18758802793242897162014-08-30T17:35:00.001-04:002014-08-30T21:30:09.122-04:00Slowing Down for Speed, Efficiency, and Endurance<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>"<span style="font-size: large;">Sit down and wait 'til your hurry's over...because before you know it, in the blink of an eye, </span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">your life is over."</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">~ Norman Gibbs (my Papa Norman)</span></i></b></div>
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My Papa Norman - the greatest Grandpa ever to live - always used to say that to me. He said it's something his Grandpa used to tell him. I sort of understood it, but thought it was a little counter-intuitive: how are you supposed to sit down and wait if you're in a hurry? The past couple weeks, however, that little Papa Norman-ism has taken on a whole new meaning...one that I understand on a new and profoundly deeper level. <br />
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We're a crazed, busy society for the most part, and nothing makes you sit up and take notice of how busy we are like returning from a relaxing vacation. I spent three weeks in Nebraska and Colorado in July and August, and returned from that vacation with an unsettling sense of how much I've been sucked into the rat race of urban life. I'm a very adaptable person and think I could live just about anywhere I had or wanted to. But the mountains of Colorado and the Boulder area spoke to me in a way that only one other place has before (Ireland). They didn't speak to me in a whisper...they spoke to me in a loud, drill sergeant voice (much like my Papa would have used in the Marines, although he wasn't a drill sergeant) to say "You must, for the good of your soul and to live your true life, find a way to move here!" Yes, the mountains of Colorado are pulling at my heart and soul with as much force as the gravity between the Earth and the Moon. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TwHoHkkraK24_ee7YKzM7JEB45266WejlYb9JWgK3ye5UHSbmFnn82iZot1viVXj34bFXca-MI6KcuRiETJMQD7aLqi-x1njKdD1YfAuQmurCzz2PW_kyhFNlX9b49NL4o_PiWuUbBQ/s1600/IMG_9162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TwHoHkkraK24_ee7YKzM7JEB45266WejlYb9JWgK3ye5UHSbmFnn82iZot1viVXj34bFXca-MI6KcuRiETJMQD7aLqi-x1njKdD1YfAuQmurCzz2PW_kyhFNlX9b49NL4o_PiWuUbBQ/s1600/IMG_9162.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy mountains in El Dorado Canyon outside Boulder...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Usually when I return from vacation, I feel a sense of calm and joy to be back home. I've loved D.C and northern Virginia in the 17 years I've lived here, and always thought this is where I would stay. But upon returning from this vacation, for the first time ever, I had the feeling of "I'm done with this place." Done with the competitive chaos. Done with the politics and suited-up Type A personalities who saturate this area. Done with only feeling connected to nature on the weekends. <br />
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But recognizing that I'm not in a position to just drop everything and move to Boulder, I decided I need to set about implementing a path that will get me there. In the meantime, however, I still need to live here, still need to work, still need to somehow thrive in the chaos. <br />
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But how do I do that?<br />
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On the drive back from Nebraska I was listening to my usual podcasts and one was on the topic of Zone 2 heart rate training. This is a topic that I know all too well (see my <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/2012/02/race-periodization-building-blocks-you.html">prior post on periodization</a>), but for those of you who aren't familiar with the concept, here's a simple explanation.<br />
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Whenever you're doing any type of physical activity, your body is primarily burning one of two types of fuels for energy: fat or carbohydrates. Your carbohydrate stores are limited and break down quickly, whereas your fat stores are significantly more replete and break down slowly. Theoretically, even a skinny person with relatively low body fat has enough fat stores for days of energy. <br />
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Because your carbohydrate stores are limited, an endurance athlete cannot realistically complete an endurance event by burning just carbohydrates. Instead, the endurance athlete needs to train the body to burn primarily fat, for longer, sustained energy release. This type of training is accomplished by training in your aerobic heart rate zone, which will teach your body to burn more fats than carbohydrates. Thus, heart rate zone training focuses on determining your aerobic zones (where your body is burning primarily fats) versus your anaerobic zones (where you body is burning primarily carbohydrates and producing lactic acid - the painful burning you feel in your muscles after shorts bursts of hard efforts). <br />
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Heart rate zones can be calculated based on your maximum heart rate with different methods and metabolic testing that I won't get into. For this simple explanation, all you need to know is that there are basically <a href="http://running.competitor.com/2014/02/training/get-in-the-zone_66832/2">5 heart rate zones</a>:<br />
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<b><u>Zone 1</u></b>: 50-60% of your maximum heart rate. Base aerobic zone that is typically used for warm-ups and is a pace where you can easily hold a conversation. <br />
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<b><u>Zone 2</u></b>: 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. Aerobic training zone where you can exercise comfortably at this pace and still hold a conversation. <br />
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<b><u>Zone 3</u></b>: 70-80% of your maximum heart rate. There is debate over whether this is still an aerobic zone or is an aerobic/anerobic combination. This is a more challenging pace and isn't typically used for training, with the thought that it "confuses" your body as to whether it should be using fats or carbs. <br />
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<b><u>Zone 4</u></b>: 80-90% of your maximum heart rate. This is the first aerobic zone, at which point your body begins to lack in oxygen and primarily use carbs rather than fats. You can only spit out a few words at this pace.<br />
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<b><u>Zone 5</u></b>: 90-100% of your maximum heart rate where you'll be gasping for air after just a few seconds. <br />
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The idea behind calculating your heart rate zones is to teach you to train predominantly in the aerobic Zone 2, so that your body learns how to burn fat more efficiently to keep you going for longer periods of time. In other words, by training your body at this Zone 2 pace, you develop better endurance. Moreover (and somewhat contrary to what you would think), training at this slower Zone 2 pace actually helps you become faster. Thus, your body not only become more efficient at burning your primary energy source for endurance, but you also become faster and, consequently, can run a quicker pace at the same lower heart rate. Don't believe me? Then check out the story of arguably one of the best Ironman champions in history, <a href="http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2010/04/mark-allens-training.html">Mark Allen</a>. By training in Zone 2, Mark Allen went from running an 8:15 minute/mile pace, to a 5:20 minute/mile pace in a matter of weeks...all while still functioning in that easy-going, fat-burning Zone 2. <br />
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So what on Earth does this have to do with functioning in a fast-paced urban setting and me trying to figure out a game plan for moving to Boulder? Everything. <br />
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Quite simply, this concept of slowing down to become faster and more efficient translates just as easy to your mind as it does to your body. <br />
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It seems that we think the faster we can go each day, the quicker we can plough through our never-ending "inbox" of things to do, and the happier, more fulfilled, more productive we'll feel. But does that really work? Is what you're doing really working for you? Does your inbox ever empty? Sure, there are times when you have specific deadlines that must be met, where once they are, you feel that sense of accomplishment and completeness. But those days likely are the minority. For most days, your schedule consists of little "goals" that you feel must be accomplished: walk the dog; workout; get ready for work; commute to work; work; commute home; do laundry; fix dinner; feed the kids; do dishes; pack lunches for tomorrow; walk the dog; go to bed; get up & repeat. Then somewhere in the midst of all that hurrying around, you also have to find time to pay the bills, see your friends, spend time with your family, clean the rest of the house, run errands and, oh yes, just sit and relax. <br />
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Unfortunately, it's that last bit - the relaxation - that often gets kicked to the curb (along with other self-maintenance "luxuries" like working out). <br />
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But what I'm here to tell you is that my Papa Norman was right all along: just sit down and wait 'til your hurry is over, because before you know it, your life will be over. What you need to understand is that your "life" isn't your commute, your house chores, or even your job. Your life is what happens in between all the self- and society-imposed obligations. Your life is what happens in the seconds and space between all that...when you're not looking. So the trick is this: teach your mind to see the space in between. Teach your mind to slow down time. In doing so, you will find that precious gift of time, along with peace, happiness, and love. <br />
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It's no secret that our stressed out lifestyles are killing us. So stop accepting that. Stop thinking there's nothing you can do to change that. Stop treating yourself like you're just another burnt-out, typical American. <br />
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Start slowing down. Start training your mind to function in Mental Zone 2. <br />
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Think of it this way: if an athlete tried to go out and do a marathon or an Ironman at a blistering Zone 4 or 5 pace, she wouldn't last more than a few miles. If she tried to push through that burning pain of lactic acid building up in her muscles, she quite likely could cause a heart attack, collapse, and die. Best case scenario, she'd just pass out or fall to the ground. Athletes know better than to do this. So why can't we, as normal, every-day humans, know better than to do this on a daily basis? <br />
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You may think you're winning your race by functioning in Mental Zone 4 or 5 every day just because you're still waking up every day. You think this pace is sustainable simply because it allows you to keep slugging through each day. Truth be told though, the race of life obviously (and hopefully) is vastly longer than any marathon or Ironman. So the fact that up until this point in your life you've managed to function at Mental Zone 4 or 5, really only means that by comparison, you're only a few feet or maybe mile past the start line. Trust me, your breakneck pace is catching up with you. You will collapse in just a few miles...and it will be ugly. <br />
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I've said it before and, indeed, the entire theme of this blog, is that life is an endurance event. Let go, right now, of any notion that you'll be able to get through this endurance event by continuing to function at Mental Zone 4 or 5. If you refuse to let go of that notion, then you will fall well short of your finish line. By that I mean, what should be a long and happy life for you, will be dramatically cut short by precious years. <br />
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So what's the solution? Sit down...and wait. Better yet, sit down, and meditate. Yes, I said it...that lofty, weird, new-agey word: meditate. I'm not going to go into the benefits and in's and out's of mediation right now (I'll save that for a future post). Right now, I'm just going to leave you with my experience the past couple weeks....<br />
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Since returning from vacation, I set out to start meditating. It's been on my "to-do" list for quite a while now. But given my burning compulsion to make some dramatic changes in my life, I finally realized that the only way to do that was to slow down and open myself up. <br />
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I started by downloading an online course from <a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/">MIndBodyGreen</a> by vegan Ultraman Rich Roll called <a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/course/the-art-of-living-with-purpose?utm_source=mbg&utm_medium=home&utm_campaign=coursepurpose">The Art of Living With Purpose</a>. If you're not familiar with Rich Roll's life-transforming story, I highly encourage you to check out his <a href="http://www.richroll.com/">website</a>, podcasts, and book, Finding Ultra. The dude will inspire the hell out of you...seriously. <br />
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His online course is all about how to set goals and achieve them. Perfect for a Type-A, goal-driven person like myself, right? Well, his approach is a little more holistic than just writing down some goals on a piece of paper and carving out time every day to devote to them. Yes, his course starts with the "assignment" of meditating twice a day for 20 minutes for 30 days, and journaling for 20 minutes once a day, by hand (not computer). Ideally, you do your journaling right after one of your meditation sessions when your mind is more free. You can journal about anything and everything. Just let the words and emotions flow. <br />
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I can hear you now: that's dumb. That'll never work. My mind is too busy. I can't mediate. This is crap. And journaling? Who has time for that? I'm going back to how I normally set and achieve my goals. <br />
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Well just hear me out. I was right there with you. My head is as twirling as the spin cycle in the washing machine. I'm sure yours is too. But like training your heart to slow down in heart rate zone training, you also have to train your mind to slow down. Yes, it's really true: your brain is a muscle that you have to train. If you'd been eating McDonalds every day, living an unhealthy lifestyle, and filling your body with crap, you wouldn't expect your heart to be able to go out and run a marathon, let alone a 5k, with no training would you? So why do you expect more immediate results from your brain? <br />
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I took my task to heart, put faith in the process, and began meditating twice a day. It's not easy by any means and I've only been doing it for a little over a week. I missed a couple days of meditation and journaling, and there were some days where I only meditated once. But that didn't derail me. I was gentle and forgiving with myself and just started anew the next day. Mediation isn't about perfection. <br />
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My mind still wanders during meditation, but that's ok. Again, training yourself to slow down - physically and mentally - takes time. But I'm certainly better than I was when I first started. <br />
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Admittedly, it's hard to carve out essentially another hour of my day - 20 minutes of meditation in the morning, followed by 20 minutes of journaling, and then 20 minutes of meditation before bed. Interestingly, however, I haven't felt like my "inbox" has fallen behind. Whatever can be accomplished in my remaining time for that day gets accomplished, and what can't, will wait until tomorrow. <br />
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As for how I feel...almost indescribable. I started this journey with the intent of freeing up my mind to ways of developing a game plan for moving to Boulder and, in the process, of opening myself up to great joy and happiness in my every day life. Cosmically, however, another purpose has emerged. My dog, Addie, was diagnosed last week with lymphoma. While I obviously had a day of sadness and many, many tears -- and still have moments of sadness -- I also feel an extreme sense of acceptance. As my Uncle Bud used to say when he was battling cancer, "It is what it is." Another somewhat baffling saying that seems to now have more meaning. I've accepted Addie's diagnosis with a clear head, recognizing that I can only control what's within my power - like her diet, her exercise, how I react to this illness, and what I ultimately decide is in her best interest. I can't control how she'll react to the weekly chemotherapy treatments or how this disease will play out. So we'll just take it a day and a week at a time, while enjoying every precious minute with her. <br />
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I know that I wouldn't have embraced this mindset if I hadn't started calming my spastic mind and opening it up to other feelings, emotions, and messages. I feel a sense of calm determination - not just about Addie, but about everything. Each day I now awake without a dread of the looming "to-do" list. I simply wake up, walk and feed Addie, mediate, journal, do some yoga, and start about my day. I feel more efficient - almost as if things are in slow motion like in the movie, the Matrix. Life isn't about trying to get a certain list of things accomplished during the day. It's about just moving through the day, unhurried, yet efficient. It's something you have to experience for yourself to fully believe it. <br />
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Believe me, I'm nowhere near living in some zen-like state. But the small amount of meditation and journaling I've been doing has opened my eyes to the vast power of our mind and what lies beneath. We can be guided by something more powerful than our self-made drive to tackle our daily to-do list. <br />
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I am beyond excited about the infinite possibilities that will emerge as I slow down my mind. It's even more exciting than the prospect of being able to run better than an 8-minute mile at a Zone 2 pace. It's actually very fortuitous that I'm having to re-start my run training at the same time that I'm starting my mental training. Due to some injuries, I've had to re-start my run program, so I'm slogging away at a very slow Zone 2 pace right now. Yet, I know with time, that pace will improve, my heart will become stronger, and my body more efficient and faster. <br />
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Likewise, with time and training, by bringing my mind into more of a Mental Zone 1 or 2 pace, it will become stronger more efficient, and more open. <br />
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Many of you probably don't believe me. Many of you may believe me, but think you're somehow different and that this won't work for you. Trust me, you're not different, and trust me, it will work for you. It won't necessarily work within the first day or even the first week. But again - if you're out of shape, you won't go run a 5k within a week's time. Accept the fact that right now, your mind is out of shape. Commit to giving it the time and training it needs to get into shape, just as you'd made the same commitment to get your body into shape. <br />
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I'll post some resources on the <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/p/helpful-links.html">Helpful Links</a> tab, but here are some meditations and other resources that I've found most valuable in starting this practice, training, and journey:<br />
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<li>The <a href="https://www.headspace.com/">Headspace website and app</a> and guided Take 10 Meditation with Andy Puddicombe: This guy is amazing and his website and app are great resources for beginning mediation. I became interested in him through his 10-minute TED talk, which you can watch on <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/andy_puddicombe_all_it_takes_is_10_mindful_minutes">YouTube</a>. His app and website have wonderful visual aids, and his Take 10 series - a series of 10-minute guided meditations for 10 days - are an excellent way to break into meditation. </li>
<li>Deepak Chopra: That's right - the man, the myth, the legend - Deepak. Seriously, his stuff is the bomb! His website is a wealth of meditation and wellness information, as well as downloadable <a href="http://www.chopra.com/ccl/guided-meditations">guided meditations</a>. I've recently been doing his <a href="https://chopracentermeditation.com/experience">21-day meditation experience</a>, which is almost over. You can access meditations in this series for 5 days after they post. But I'm hoping he'll have other series after this. His voice is so calming, and the messages and mantras he delivers with every meditation are so powerful that I find myself repeating them - without even knowing it - throughout my day. </li>
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I know many of you will use the excuse (let's call it what it is, it's an excuse) that you don't have time to meditate. Don't elude yourself into thinking that you're any busier than the next person. If this is your excuse, then check out these ways to <a href="http://www.chopra.com/ccl/how-to-squeeze-meditation-into-your-busy-schedule">squeeze meditation into your busy day</a>. </div>
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Even more of you will probably cling to your self-limiting story that for some reason, you are unique and you won't be able to mediate or that your problems are too insurmountable for something as silly and simplistic as meditation. But ask yourself what is <i style="font-weight: bold;">truly</i> holding you back. Whatever story or facts you're telling yourself isn't the "truth" - it's only the version you <i style="font-weight: bold;">choose</i> to see. Ask yourself: is my desire to hold onto whatever is holding me back more powerful than my desire to slow down? A desire or need is only as powerful as you make it. Only <i style="font-weight: bold;">you</i> can choose which one you want to give more power to. </div>
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<b><i>Are you meditating? If not, what's holding you back? If you are meditating, what helpful resources or tips can you share? </i></b></div>
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<br />Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-71075728014293814912014-07-10T22:01:00.002-04:002014-07-10T22:01:50.022-04:00Two Trail Races, the Air Force Cycling Classic, & a New Charity Race TeamThe 2014 race season has started off with a bang! My race calendar is packed this year as I venture into the world of ultra trail running and continue to try to build triathlon strength for the brutality that is the SavageMan Triathlon in September. So let's get right to the recap of this season thus far....<br />
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<span style="color: #073763;"><u>EX2 Adventures Backyard Burn 5-Miler</u></span></h4>
My trail running kicked off this year with a 5.8-miler at the EX2 Backyard Burn at Wakefield Park on March 16th. If you live in the DC area and have any love for trail running, the <a href="http://www.ex2adventures.com/">EX2 Adventures</a> Spring and Fall Backyard Burn series is a must. With both 5- and 10-mile options for each race around four Virginia parks, these series are always a good time. The organizers are awesome, the race support top-notch, and the post-race food can satisfy even the pickiest of trail runners.<br />
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The Wakefield Park run ended up being a 5.8-miler through the undulating wooded trails. I pushed it hard from the outset, dodging around the other runners and hoping to stay vertical in the process. Amazingly, I did. The last mile or so, I noticed a woman just in front of me that appeared to be in my age group. So, of course, my competitive side kicked in as I pushed a little harder to get past her. She had the same competitive drive and stuck right on my tail. With 25 yards to go, the course split between the finish line for the 5-miler and the rest of the course for the 10-miler. Naturally, I went the wrong way onto the course for the 10-miler. My detour only last about two seconds, but it was enough for the woman behind to shoot past me down the finisher gate. <br />
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I finished in 57:41 (a 9:44 pace) and finished 7th out of 24 in my age group, just missing 6th place by <i style="font-weight: bold;">one second</i>. I missed 5th place and the podium by less than four minutes, but I felt better about that than missing 6th place by one second! It just goes to show that seconds really matter in a race...<br />
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<span style="color: #073763;"><u>Fountainhead Offroad Half-Marathon</u></span></h4>
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Another amazing EX2 Adventures race was the <a href="http://www.ex2adventures.com/fountainhead-orm.php">Fountainhead Offroad Half-Marathon</a> on May 18th. This would be my first real trail running test and my longest trail run at that point. I'd done a couple of trail runs on the Fountainhead course and knew that it'd be a good test for a newly trail runner. </div>
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I stuck to my plan for the most part and treated the race as a training run. Given this was my longest trail run and race, I didn't expect a stellar performance and I told myself I'd be happy with under a 2:30 finish. </div>
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Boy, did I surprise myself! I felt great the entire race. I restrained my competitive fire when people were sluggishly passing me to run the uphills. But I held my ground, did my own thing, and power-hiked the uphills. I figured that most of these people either were the 10k folks or were half-marathon folks who'd be kicking themselves toward the end of the race when their legs were shot. I was right. </div>
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As the race wore on, I started passing people (many of whom passed me running uphill). Around mile 4 or 5, a woman and I were running close to each other, so naturally we started up a conversation. She stuck behind me for much of the race, but I lost her the last couple of miles. I was actually disappointed because I enjoyed running with her. </div>
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My legs felt amazingly good - tired, but good. So I just powered through and ended up finishing at 2:27:35 - under my goal! Not only that, but I was 6th in my age group out of 23. I've never finished that well in any running race. Once again, I missed the podium by about three minutes, so I need to focus on a bit more trail speed. For my first significant trail race, however, I'll take that finish! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fountainhead trail </td></tr>
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I have to say though, as happy I as I am with my finish, I'm even more stoked about my race wounds. Until this race, I hadn't really fallen down on any of my trail runs. Around mile 5, however, I was talking to the woman who I ended up running with for awhile and we were trying to figure out if we were still on the half-marathon route instead of the 10k route. Forgetting that I don't tend to multi-task very well on the trail, I was yammering away and gesticulating with my hands when a tree root reached up, grabbed my ankle, and threw me forward. I took a pretty good spill. Fortunately, runners (and especially trail runners) are very kind folk, so the woman behind me and another guy stopped to make sure I was okay. Not wanting to hold up their race, I thanked them, waved them on, and popped back up. <br />
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As I started to run, my right knee felt pretty sore and for a few minutes I was concerned that I'd bruised it too badly. When I looked down, I saw blood streaming from both knees. At that point, rather than freaking out, a feeling of "damn, that's pretty badass" surged through me. So I pushed on and finished the race with some bloody knees. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A happy finisher...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muddy...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSshoyNZHSROmlNlnkYFNIecvO2Zhy0vPqVJNt3q_ouTAW4YAV5mMyQZwiTZFGEnSQWDAa7MuwpP1A4lYGt1ysf5eMthYE5OMFsLCPcZX_aONGsvqcskpUcZl7BFJ09KBCDqxVmalCvKU/s1600/10382994_1422050281398901_4248006903871568466_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSshoyNZHSROmlNlnkYFNIecvO2Zhy0vPqVJNt3q_ouTAW4YAV5mMyQZwiTZFGEnSQWDAa7MuwpP1A4lYGt1ysf5eMthYE5OMFsLCPcZX_aONGsvqcskpUcZl7BFJ09KBCDqxVmalCvKU/s1600/10382994_1422050281398901_4248006903871568466_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and bloody...</td></tr>
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My new saying: It ain't a race unless you finish muddy and bloody. </div>
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The best part about this race, however, was the fact that it was my first official trail race on behalf of my new race - Team Rescue Tails! I'd done the GW Parkway Classic 10-mile road race as my first official road race for the Team a few weeks earlier and did a <a href="http://www.teamrescuetails.com/apps/blog/show/42160936-gw-parkway-classic-10-miler">blog post on our Team website</a> about that race. But given my focus this year on trail races and ultras, I was particularly excited to be running my first significant trail race wearing my Team Rescue Tails t-shirt! </div>
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I'm so thrilled and honored to be part of this Team. It's no exaggeration to say that this is a dream come true because for quite some time, I'd been wanting to set up a charity race team for the <a href="http://www.awla.org/">Animal Welfare League of Arlington</a>. Finally, after months of work and thanks to the tremendous help of other passionate folks, the Team is up and running. Our goal is to fundraise to benefit the League and all the animals it helps. I see great things in our future and I look forward to the Team growing throughout the year. So please check out <a href="http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/michelewalter100/michelewalterteamrescuetails">my fundraising page</a> and the Team's website at <a href="http://www.teamrescuetails.com/">www.teamrescuetails.com</a>. </div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><u>Air Force Cycling Classic</u></span></h4>
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Mixed in with all my trail running and ultra training are some long bike rides. I need to work on my bike strength in preparation for the SavageMan half-iron triathlon this September, which is dubbed as the toughest triathlon (or at least the toughest half-iron). More on that later...</div>
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So as part of my training rides, I signed up for the Air Force Cycling Classic in Virginia on June 7th. The entire event hosts two days of rides over the weekend, with a challenge ride for regular folks like me on that Sunday. The course is a 15k (just over 9-mile) loop starting in Crystal City and going up into Rosslyn, Clarendon, and around by the Air Force Memorial. With that short of a loop and all the riders registered, I envisioned a full-on chaotic crashfest...but I was pleasantly surprised. </div>
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The race was controlled chaos and I actually felt very safe and in control the entire time. The race goes off at 7:00 a.m. and you can start any time up until 8:00 a.m. You must be off the course by 10:00 a.m. You get a medal depending on how many loops you do: 3 loops or less is bronze; 4-5 loops is silver; and 6 or more loops is gold. I was shooting for 5 loops and the silver. </div>
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My friend and I waited to start until some of the crowd thinned out because I didn't need to get caught up in someone's wheel as we slow-rolled our way through the starting gate. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1g8ysM8cAdnfpU25dYru5QJOmEk9pe1_5LZUoR4XtzIYRcakbD8yvrgGyQW6YCOsgsGF9NiYkaXfiPML4RqE-3AUWDHvlNu191grL_0OjK1Fy7pjjzj-CoOXHgLjbV2frLfQk9WP4-I/s1600/IMG_8667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1g8ysM8cAdnfpU25dYru5QJOmEk9pe1_5LZUoR4XtzIYRcakbD8yvrgGyQW6YCOsgsGF9NiYkaXfiPML4RqE-3AUWDHvlNu191grL_0OjK1Fy7pjjzj-CoOXHgLjbV2frLfQk9WP4-I/s1600/IMG_8667.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, no way in hell was I jumping in the middle of that in the beginning...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnj6UAVGC4BKRIvNmokUjBiLLTOOXEeWhYVYylizeBquiCVj32e-IZbVMyGlZp3yj5pa-asP7L1b2mNZX3WigDQJ2vmNKO-u7e53RPruabUPl-FIw3jiAMPDX3-H8Ur6IoXHrpT2JPPc/s1600/IMG_8677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnj6UAVGC4BKRIvNmokUjBiLLTOOXEeWhYVYylizeBquiCVj32e-IZbVMyGlZp3yj5pa-asP7L1b2mNZX3WigDQJ2vmNKO-u7e53RPruabUPl-FIw3jiAMPDX3-H8Ur6IoXHrpT2JPPc/s1600/IMG_8677.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great view riding up to the Air Force Memorial....</td></tr>
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Once I got past the start line though, it was pretty smooth sailing. The 9.3-mile loop took us up route 110, into Clarendon/Rosslyn, then back down to the Air Force Memorial. There were only 2 little climbs that were enough to slow you down for a bit, but other than that, it was a fast course. I was surprised at the variety of cyclists - everyone from kids with their parents to elite athletes gunning for the gold. <br />
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For a few moments, I thought I could push it hard enough to get six laps...but I slowly realized that I wouldn't make the 3-hour cutoff. Next year, if I start right away and push it a little harder, I think I could go for the gold! <br />
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So in the end I got my 5 laps for the silver medal. I finished in 2:46:17, which was good for 17th out of 78 female age 40-49 riders. That number is a little deceiving, however, because it includes all those female age groupers who did at least one lap. Out of the 19 females in my age group who did 5 laps, I was 12th. My pace was 16.8 mph. To get 6 laps next year, I'd need to pick that up significantly to 18.6 mph. A tough feat....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with Cherry Cervelo and my silver medal after the Air Force Cycling Classic...</td></tr>
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With these races under my belt I feel like the 2014 racing season is off to an awesome start...but I have a lot to improve upon. My biggest goal, however, is to gain recognition and support for AWLA's Team Rescue Tails. No matter what my personal accomplishments may or may not be this year, I will consider the year to be a tremendous success if Team Rescue Tails continues to grow and raise money to benefit AWLA. </div>
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Next up on the list is my first ultra trail run: the Rosaryville 50k on July 20...<br />
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<i><b>Please share how your race season is going....I'd love to hear about your accomplishments! </b></i></div>
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<br />Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-8906022951098241822014-02-16T09:00:00.000-05:002014-02-16T09:00:03.438-05:00If I Were An Olympic Athlete, I'd Boycott Sochi for Killing Stray DogsHistory is replete with instances of sports and athletes breaking barriers, changing the way people think, and bringing people together in solidarity. In 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel, <a href="http://amhistory.si.edu/sports/exhibit/firsts/ederle/index.cfm">dispelling the notion that women were "the weaker sex."</a> In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier by becoming the first African American to play in a major league baseball game. In 1954, Roger Bannister defied what were believed to be human limitations by becoming the first runner to break the 4-minute mile. And in 2012, 78-year-old Harriett Anderson became the <a href="http://www.ironman.com/hu-hu/triathlon/news/articles/2013/12/performance-of-the-year-harriet-anderson.aspx#axzz2spljsLcq">oldest woman </a>to ever finish the Ironman World Championships in Kona Hawaii, which she did this after flying over a guard rail on her bike, injuring her shoulder. <br />
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These are just a few examples of how sports have defied expectations, pushed our limits, and caused a sea change in people's beliefs. <br />
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So why hasn't the killing of thousands of stray dogs in Sochi for the 2014 Olympics caused a similar sea change in how the world - or at least Americans - view and treat homeless dogs? <br />
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You've probably heard by now about the thousands of homeless dogs that have been <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/sochi-city-hall-orders-killing-stray-dogs-22342524">ordered to be killed by Sochi's City Hall</a>. The purported reason for this mass slaughter is <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/sochi-city-hall-orders-killing-stray-dogs-22342524">"so they don't bother Sochi's new visitors." </a> I find this "justification" to be bullshit. While there may be some health issues associated with homeless dogs (such as rabies) or random incidents, many people are reporting that most of these stray dogs are extremely friendly, affectionate, and healthy, as seen in these <a href="https://www.thedodo.com/why-were-trying-to-savesochist-419406742.html">ph</a><a href="https://www.thedodo.com/why-were-trying-to-savesochist-419406742.html">otos</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3i8b8Ajv7puApphw810X1VGHYygy8QbdEEZM5DF6YDBRjrqfvcSBHhieAvPUX-z9pjmzNPUiogGPxwFCmyeyz5Ij1R0tzFJSUwnX7MW_O-HYoe2rJl1O_JAF5ImptRguiXWhi4Bq_U6Y/s1600/Sochi+dog+1+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3i8b8Ajv7puApphw810X1VGHYygy8QbdEEZM5DF6YDBRjrqfvcSBHhieAvPUX-z9pjmzNPUiogGPxwFCmyeyz5Ij1R0tzFJSUwnX7MW_O-HYoe2rJl1O_JAF5ImptRguiXWhi4Bq_U6Y/s1600/Sochi+dog+1+.jpg" height="276" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the dogs from <a href="https://www.thedodo.com/why-were-trying-to-savesochist-419406742.html">The Scruffy Faces of Sochi website</a> who looks like he could be really threatening...NOT!</td></tr>
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So why is Sochi continuing their practice of killing as many homeless dogs as they can find, despite the city being in the limelight right now? My speculation is that there are several reasons. <br />
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First, the homeless animal population in Sochi is out of control and, sadly, seems to be indicative of the problem throughout Russia. In Moscow in 2012, it was estimated that there were <a href="http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/moscow-dog-shelters-beset-by-difficulties/471728.html">tens of thousands of homeless dogs running Moscow's streets, with another 17,000 in private and state-owned shelters. </a>With such an overwhelming homeless animal population, the poisoning and shooting of massive numbers of homeless dogs is common practice in Russia. Yes, that's correct: Sochi and other Russian countries have been engaging in this type of mass killing of dogs for years. Moreover, this is not a practice developed just for the Olympics, nor is it a practice specific only to Russia. <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/02/140206-stray-dogs-russia-sochi-olympics-killing-animals-world/">National Geographic</a> reports that other countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya, Egypt, much of eastern Europe, and the Baltic countries have "mass dog-killing programs." Moreover, the "stray dog problem" also was an issue in the <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/theedge/2014/02/06/272478534/sochis-stray-dogs-melt-hearts-and-put-officials-on-defensive">Beijing and Athens</a> Olympics.<br />
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Second, the vast majority of Russians don't have the mentality about dogs that Americans or other Westernized countries do, nor do they have the animal shelter infrastructure that we do in America. One organization in Moscow - <a href="http://www.moscowanimals.org/advice/adopt.html">Moscow Animals</a> - reports that "there are few western-style societies that aim to protect the interests of animals in Russia." It seems that like many things in Russia, the few state-owned shelters that exist actually are rife with <a href="http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/moscow-dog-shelters-beset-by-difficulties/471728.html">corruption and bribery.</a> <br />
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Third, Sochi officials apparently think it's easier to kill the dogs than to sterilize and vaccinate, or even to sponsor legislation that would fund a better shelter network. Russia, like other countries with an extreme homeless animal population, doesn't have programs for the mass sterilization and vaccination of dogs. Why? Because killing them is less expensive and/or more efficient. Interestingly, in April 2013, when it was first learned that Sochi would institute this mass killing to <a href="http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2014/02/no-medal-for-sochi-when-it-comes-to-animals.html">"beautify and sanitize"</a> for the Olympics, the Humane Society of the United States offered to help Sochi with a <a href="http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2013/04/sochi-announces-it-will-scuttle-stray-extermination-plan.html">mass sterilization and vaccination program</a> to discourage the city from following through on their killing program. Initially, Sochi agreed last year to forego their mass killing plan. Clearly the Russian city didn't keep their word. <br />
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As a consequence of all the media coverage of Sochi's massive dog-killing program, Americans and others throughout the world have become outraged, with many people saying they will not watch the Olympics. As an athlete and an animal lover, I have a bit of conflict or confusion over this move to boycott watching the Olympics on television. <br />
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Although I commend and respect the sentiment behind such an approach, I think it inadvertently hurts the athletes who have worked for years to compete in the Olympics, and is too passive of an approach. First of all, neither Sochi nor the IOC cares if you sit in front of your t.v. and watch the Olympics. Granted, I don't begin to understand the moneymaking aspect of the Olympics, but the only thing a boycott on television watching seems to do is hurt NBC's ratings, which has no impact on or relevance to Sochi's massive dog killing program. <br />
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Second, what such a boycott really does is weaken the support for American athletes. Although I am not nor will I ever be an Olympic athlete, I have a good idea of what it means to commit yourself to an athletic goal, train hard for years, and pour your heart and soul into that goal. These athletes have committed their lives to this one goal. They have trained countless hours. They have shed tears, blood, and sweat that could fill an ocean. Their families and friends have stood behind them at every turn. They've made extensive efforts to obtain fundraising and sponsors to support their journey. If you are an American who loves sports, you must feel compelled to support these athletes through something so simple as watching them on t.v. After all, isn't that what we Americans do when it comes to major sporting events? Professional baseball and football players don't know that <i style="font-weight: bold;">you</i> are watching the World Series or SuperBowl to cheer them on. But <b><i>you</i> </b>know it, and you feel a certain solidarity with the rest of Americans who also are huddled up in front of their televisions to support our American athletes. So while the athletes may not know that <i style="font-weight: bold;">you</i> are watching them on t.v., they know that their <i style="font-weight: bold;">country</i> as a <i style="font-weight: bold;">whole</i> is watching. <br />
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Third, boycotting the Olympics by not watching them on t.v. is too passive. If you really want to have an impact, then be active. Again, I completely understand the motivation and sentiment behind boycotting the television viewing of the Olympics and I respect that decision. If, however, you really want to put some meat on the bones of your intention, then make your actions more active. Find an organization to which you can donate to help save the Sochi dogs. (I am not personally recommending any particular organizations here because I cannot vouch for their veracity, so that decision is left to your judgment). Or, if you want your actions to have a more local impact, donate to or volunteer at a local shelter where you'll be able to see first-hand the impact your actions can have. <br />
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At any rate, taking <i><b>some</b> </i>action is better than nothing. And what may seem like small actions by just one person, can collectively create a significant impact. <br />
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Which leads me to wonder why more Olympians haven't taken a stand against this massive killing of homeless dogs. These athletes have the world's attention right now, so think of the incredible impact they could have on the collective conscience of millions of people if individual athletes stood together to speak out against this horror. It has warmed my heart to see athletes like American Olympian <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1958388-olympian-and-russian-billionaire-doing-their-part-to-save-sochi-stray-dogs">Gus Kenworthy and Russian Olympian Oleg Deripaska</a> take a stand. Kenworthy found a group of stray puppies and their mom, and immediately took to social media to announce that he'd brought them food and made vaccination appointments for them. Even more inspiring is Deripaska, who reportedly is taking action to build shelters just five miles outside Sochi in Baranovka. <br />
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There's also former American Olympian <a href="http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2014/02/olympian-tom-mcmillen-says-nyet-to-street-dog-slaughter.html">Tom McMillan</a> (1972 U.S. men's basketball team), who has written a letter to the IOC urging the governing body to intervene to stop the killing of Sochi dogs. <br />
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It's individuals like this who are using their status as current and former Olympians to stand up and bring awareness to this issue. Individually and collectively, their actions are making a difference - both on the ground at Sochi and around the world as other individuals are inspired by their actions.<br />
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That's why I can say, with 100% confidence, that if I was an Olympian in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, I would boycott my event because of the government's decision to kill thousands of dogs and the IOC's blessing of that action. Now granted, I will never qualify for the Olympics, so maybe that seems easy for me to say. But not so fast. Although I may never be an Olympian, I am an avid athlete and an even more avid animal lover and animal welfare activist. So while I've never devoted the effort and resources to training for the Olympics, I have done so in training for other events like Ironman Arizona and Ironman Lake Tahoe. I was fully committed to each of those events. I'd poured my heart and soul into training for each of them. I was obsessed with making sure that I finished each one and was determined not to fail. And when I came so close to not making the bike cutoff for Ironman Lake Tahoe, I started to panic over the thought of being pulled from the race. All those hours of training would be down the drain. All the people who came to support me would be let down. I would have done it all for nothing...(thankfully I did finish Ironman Lake Tahoe!). <br />
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Yet, despite all of that, if I'd arrived in Tempe, Arizona or Lake Tahoe, and discovered that the Ironman Corporation had decided it needed to "clean up" the town by ridding it of any animals - dogs, cats, deer, birds, whatever...I would have refused to participate in the event that I'd devoted so many months, hours, blood, sweat, and tears to. <br />
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Why? <br />
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Because I would want to show the world how important the issue of animal welfare is to me; how important it is to be kind and compassionate to all living creatures; and how important it is to recognize that at the end of the day, <b><i>no</i> </b>sporting event is worth killing <i style="font-weight: bold;">any</i> living creature. <br />
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I simply would not want to be a part of something that resulted in the massive death of any creature. It's how I live my daily life, and I would expect nothing less of myself just because it's a "big race." At every race I do, I show up hoping that on that day, I will be the best version of myself -- the strongest person I can be, both mentally and physically. If I participated in an event that was the impetus for the massive killing of animals, I'd be turning my back on that. I'd become the worst version of myself all in the name of that one event. All in the name of my personal glory. <br />
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I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror. <br />
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So instead, I'd want to send a message that no matter what the event or situation, your belief system should always be at the center of what you do. Sometimes that will require you to make an awkward decision that may make you unpopular or the outcast. But at the end of the day, if you compromise who you are, what kind of message are you sending? <br />
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I certainly don't expect any other athlete - professional or amateur - to feel the same way or take the same action. Nor do I think that the Olympic athletes at Sochi have compromised who they are. I just think that they could all send a much stronger message - one stronger than "what it takes to be an Olympic athlete" - if they stood up for creatures smaller than them. These athletes who are on the world's center stage right now could stand together to send a message that homeless pets are an issue throughout the world - not just in Sochi - that can be addressed through spay/neuter programs, vaccinations, education, and better shelter systems rather than massive killing. These athletes don't necessarily need to boycott their events - just standing up on a different podium to speak out against this injustice would be a wonderful step in the right direction. <br />
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The power these athletes have is the same power that Jackie Robinson had to change an entire country's view of African Americans. It's the same power that Gertrude Ederle had to defy all notions of women's strength. And it's the same power that Roger Bannister had to change all understanding of what the human body can accomplish. These Olympians have the power to change the world's view on how to treat homeless pets. These Olympians have the power to shed light on a homeless pet problem that permeates so many countries. Yes, these Olympians - like Gus Kenworthy and Oleg Deripaska - have the power to teach people all over the world that compassion, love, and kindness should transcend all boundaries, including those of an Olympic sports pavilion. <br />
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I only hope that the world follows in Kenworthy's and Deripaska's steps and learns from these Olympics not only what it means to have the spirit of an Olympic athlete, but what it means to have the spirit of a compassionate human being....<br />
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<b><i>What would you do if you were a Sochi Olympian? </i></b><br />
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<br />Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-86489384123743683032014-02-02T10:00:00.000-05:002014-02-02T10:00:00.888-05:00Stop Trash Talking About Each Others' Sports(**<b>WARNING: this post contains explicit content not suitable for under people 18)</b><br />
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<b><i>"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."</i></b></blockquote>
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<b><i>-- Mark Twain</i></b></blockquote>
Seriously, the trash talk needs to stop. It seems like every day I read or hear something bashing CrossFit, triathlons, ultra marathons, or cycling. I'm not talking about the "scientific studies" out there taking issue with each of these - that's a topic for another day regarding how you can find a "study" to criticize anything you want. I'm talking about the personal attacks and criticisms being made by people in one sport against another sport. Now I have no problem with friendly jokes between athletes in different sports in the spirit of a little competitive ribbing, like the YouTube video below between Ironman and Ultraman. What I take issue with are the gross generalizations and personal attacks that people are making against their fellow athletes from another sport. <br />
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Here are very few examples of some of the ridiculous trash talk to which I'm referring: <br />
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<li><a href="http://charliebroadway.blogspot.com/2011/01/triathlon-is-stupid-sport.html">"Triathlon isn't really a sport but the narcissistic indulgence of rich assholes."</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://www.happyhungryfit.com/2013/11/why-crossfit-sucks.html">"My bottom line with Crossfit is that in an effort to be extreme, these workouts are poorly executed, and the elitist attitude of the CrossFit community rubs me the wrong way."</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_printable;post=4324169;">"I don't get the ultra-endurance snobs, especially slow ones. People who think they're awesome because they did some really long race, but think that short events aren't real."</a></li>
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Comments like these from online blogs, forums, and articles are only part of the problem. Personally, my bigger problem is with the statements and Facebook comments I hear and read from friends and fellow athletes. Comments along the lines of how "trail running is just too slow," "CrossFit is just a bunch of beefed up dumbasses," "triathletes are a bunch of Type-A snobs," or "cyclists are self-righteous assholes who think they own the road." To the people out there making these comments - you know who you are; but, in case you don't know this, the only reason you feel compelled to make critical generalizations about athletes from other sports is this: to compensate for your own insecurities. <br />
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It's not rocket science; in fact, it's psychologically simple. The only reason we gossip about, criticize, or put down other people is to make ourselves feel more important, more powerful, or "better than." So it's not puzzling why some triathletes, ultra athletes, cyclists, runners, and CrossFitters feel the need to criticize and trash talk each other: the athletes who engage in this type of negative behavior are insecure about <i>something</i>. Maybe she felt snubbed by people in the other sport. Maybe he wasn't good enough at the other sport. Maybe she feels like her sport is the only "answer" and everything else is inferior. Maybe the only way he can feel validated through his sport is to put down other sports. <br />
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Whatever the reason for your insecurity, knock it off. <br />
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Now before you get your tri-shorts or cycling shorts in a wad, let me be clear on two things. First, <i>all</i> sports -- hell all areas of life -- have assholes in them. There are asshole triathletes, CrossFitters, cyclists, and runners, just like there are asshole lawyers, doctors, police officers, and teachers. Believe me, there are triathletes who make me ashamed sometimes to be a triathlete. These "sportholes" are the ones who seem to be the fodder for the negative generalizations out there. They are the bad apples that spoil the whole bunch. <br />
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Second, not <i>every</i> athlete engages in this negative, cross-sport trash talk. Although I don't have any numbers to back this up, I bet it's safe to say that the vast majority of athletes in all these sports do <i>not</i> engage in that behavior. So I'm not talking to them. I'm talking to the few insecure athletes in each group who engage in this behavior on a regular basis....and you <i>know</i> who you are (although right now you're probably taking issue with the fact that you have any insecurities...but trust me, there's no other reason to justify that kind of behavior). <br />
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In addition to the trash talking, these insecure athletes often have the tendency to push their sport on other people by claiming that his/her sport is the "only answer" and all other sports have various flaws. I'm not talking about the enthusiastic people who have pure joy from their sport and try to spread that joy through positive, non-confrontational messages. Rather, I'm talking about the athlete who posts about their sport and how awesome it is in 95% of his/her Facebook posts. The athlete who (in response to anyone who wants to lose weight, become healthy, or address an injury) claims that the athlete's chosen sport is the only answer. The athlete who dominates 90% of the conversation with talk about his/her chosen sport, how wonderful it is, how people in other sports suck, and how other people must do this sport. <br />
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You know who you are...and you need to knock it off. <br />
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Why do you need to knock it off? <br />
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First, and most obvious, is the fact that it's <i>negative</i>. It's soul-sucking negative behavior for both you and the person at whom it's directed. <br />
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Second, it's ignorant - as all gross generalizations are. Maybe you think that calling triathletes "elitist snobs" or CrossFitters "stupid meatheads" isn't that big of deal. But tell me this: how is that mentality any different from saying that pit bulls are dangerous? Or children are brats? Or, worse yet, any particular ethnic group is lazy or a bunch of criminals? Mentalities that lump any group of people together under one umbrella are ignorant. <br />
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Third, if your sport really is <i>that</i> awesome and all the others suck so bad, why are there thousands (if not tens of thousands) of athletes engaged in the other sports? Why isn't everyone gravitating to your sport? The reason is that no one sport fits all and, thus, no particular sport is <i>that</i> awesome for everyone. <br />
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Fourth, your insistence on criticizing other sports stems <i>solely </i>from your insecurity, and unless and until you find the underlying source of that insecurity, you will continue to be a small person who can feel big only by belittling others...no matter how awesome you think you and your sport are. <br />
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Finally, and most importantly, you need to realize that you're not <i>that</i> special. What gives <i>you</i> the right to criticize another athlete's chose course for physical health? Presumably it's because you think <i>you</i> are <i>that </i>special....that <i>you</i> have been enlightened and everyone else is in the dark. But <i>you</i> don't live in someone else's body. <i>You</i> don't have someone else's schedule. <i>You</i> don't have all the answers. If you did - if <i>you</i> really were <i>that</i> special as to have "earned the right" to bash other sports - you wouldn't be an amateur athlete. If <i>you</i> were <i>that</i> special at your chosen sport, you'd be able to quit your day job and become a professional...and even some professionals aren't <i>that</i> special. <br />
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If you really want to show how awesome your sport is, do it by being a humble ambassador...not by bashing other sports. If you really want to "help" someone by convincing them to join your sport, don't push it in their face like the athlete equivalent of a Jehovah's witness espousing, ad nauseum, about the virtues of your sport (sorry to any Jehovah's witnesses out there). In other words, don't be like the nauseating "enthusiastic guy" played by Alec Baldwin in Friends who couldn't shut up about everything wonderful little thing in life: <br />
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If you sound like Alec Baldwin as you blabber on about how awesome your sport is, you need to knock it off. Why? Because, again, if you and your sport really are that awesome, you shouldn't feel the need to be so "in your face." Your sport should speak for itself, with just a little positive reinforcement from you. <br />
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Bottom line: The negative trash talk is helping <i>no one, </i>including yourself and your sport. In fact, you're doing a tremendous disservice to both. And your overly enthusiastic, "in-your-face," self-promotion isn't helping either. Both mentalities serve only one purpose: to show how insecure you actually are. So spend your time working on <i>that</i>, rather than working to rip apart other people who are out there working just as hard as you are to have a healthy lifestyle. <br />
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After all, isn't <i>that</i> what's really important? Isn't it more important for the triathlete to support her overweight friend who has decided to try to lose a few pounds with CrossFit? Isn't it more important for the CrossFitter to recognize how hard the triathlete has worked and the hours of training the triathlete bas devoted to becoming an Ironman? Isn't it more important for the triathlete to realize that ultra runners want to appreciate nature and slow down the chaos of life? And isn't it more important for the ultra runner to realize that short distances can require hard effort and training in a different way than long distances? <br />
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At the end of the day, the one generalization that can be made about all athletes is that we're all trying to find a healthier lifestyle, to find an outlet for our stress, and to become the best version of ourselves that we can be. That noble goal shouldn't be tainted by small people who feel the need to belittle another person's ambitions...<br />
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So knock it off....<br />
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<br />Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-25099857500705451532014-01-20T12:27:00.001-05:002014-01-20T22:11:52.065-05:00Bikram Yoga: An Auctioneer, a Sauna, and Scantily Clad People <div>
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<b><i>"I have been a seeker and I still am, but I stopped asking the books and the stars. I started listening to the teaching of my Soul." -- Rumi</i></b></div>
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I've known for <i style="font-weight: bold;">years</i> that I needed to do some form of yoga. My tight, inflexible body was craving it, and my racing, overly-stimulated mind was begging for it. Yet, I never catered to either one of them; instead, I tried to address my body and mind weaknesses through other methods. </div>
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Finally, thanks to the wonders of Groupon, I've answered the calls of my body and mind by signing up for a Bikram Yoga class. (By a show of comments, how many of you have thrown caution to the wind and tried something new thanks to Groupon?)</div>
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Bikram Yoga is a <a href="http://www.bikramyoga.com/BikramYoga/TwentySixPostures.php">series of 26 poses</a> designed to warm and stretch muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the specific order they were designed to be stretched. The real kick in the yoga pants is the temperature. Bikram Yoga studios are kept at around 105 degrees Fahrenheit, with about 40% humidity. The purpose of the heat is to protect the muscles to allow for better stretching, detox the body, thin the blood, and increase heart rate for a more aerobic workout…<br />
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You can learn more about Bikram Yoga <a href="http://www.bikramyoga.com/BikramYoga/about_bikram_yoga.php">here</a>, but here's my simple description: <br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Bikram Yoga is less like this...</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNixhN0GVrKdIx6yNG0G2Uo8wS7CiBNQOLrk95q27mS5eLcYbr-bqphDZeBcgZgfMx1MLbzjoPKIBXan_zgvC8D-PsiCZJdFUhDKbAJHU-KDgqVeqEdlHF6b5AgEpndagZs9PIJ8KZpx4/s1600/Waldo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNixhN0GVrKdIx6yNG0G2Uo8wS7CiBNQOLrk95q27mS5eLcYbr-bqphDZeBcgZgfMx1MLbzjoPKIBXan_zgvC8D-PsiCZJdFUhDKbAJHU-KDgqVeqEdlHF6b5AgEpndagZs9PIJ8KZpx4/s1600/Waldo.jpg" height="320" width="229" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>And more like this…</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_FEFlmHzQvt72KEtcgE1PnUheHCTLxwfy6VXplY2sdCzZax0zjE5WkRPlSwtfE4nfHSHhVVb55L9lD_YbDIPZj8EkP5FxVy1mK7uoui3dyG_Xn4kcBNDKn_5cwGoGEnVBMYwFkXxr-o/s1600/yoga+corn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_FEFlmHzQvt72KEtcgE1PnUheHCTLxwfy6VXplY2sdCzZax0zjE5WkRPlSwtfE4nfHSHhVVb55L9lD_YbDIPZj8EkP5FxVy1mK7uoui3dyG_Xn4kcBNDKn_5cwGoGEnVBMYwFkXxr-o/s1600/yoga+corn.JPG" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCO-zFggtvIWW4Gu9eculAOWWUFSvianChbZYG0kiZLaiNmveY33BI__8jqGF2aSne8eC6FAnP-84CLt3HOxhqX6aKbnq3EhFa0XuJMgNRqugcpKfgAufJsdaw_pku6BgwO1XsfCo1tQ/s1600/Yoga+pic+funny+sweat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCO-zFggtvIWW4Gu9eculAOWWUFSvianChbZYG0kiZLaiNmveY33BI__8jqGF2aSne8eC6FAnP-84CLt3HOxhqX6aKbnq3EhFa0XuJMgNRqugcpKfgAufJsdaw_pku6BgwO1XsfCo1tQ/s1600/Yoga+pic+funny+sweat.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty much how I look during Bikram...</td></tr>
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Bikram yoga is unexpectedly, yet intoxicatingly different from what I thought it'd be. It's unexpected because I knew it'd be hot; but, "make me want to peel my skin off" kind of hot - no. I knew it'd be difficult (given my lack of flexibility), but heart-pumping, knee shaking, muscle aching kind of difficult - no. I knew it would force me to focus on my breathing; but, "you will pass out and fall over if you don't breathe right" kind of focus - no. <br />
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The intoxicating part comes from how amazingly awesome, detoxed, and strong I feel afterwards. It's a true rush. All that sweat, all those challenging poses, all that focus on my breath, makes me fully aware of what's going on with my body, what's weak, what's strong, and what my body craves. <br />
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Coincidentally, what my body craves after Bikram Yoga is the most nutrient-dense, healing, whole foods I can get my hands on. So naturally that calls for a smoothie or juice. I immediately run home and make one of my green smoothies, the ingredients of which can vary depending on what's in the fridge. Here's one recipe (made with all organic ingredients, of course): <br />
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<ul>
<li>2 kale leaves</li>
<li>1 apple (I prefer Fuji or Gala)</li>
<li>2 large carrots (peeled)</li>
<li>1/2 cucumber </li>
<li>banana (optional)</li>
<li>fresh grated ginger (however much you like - I used probably 1 TBSP. If you're using dried grated ginger from the bottle, you can use less because it's stronger)</li>
<li>2 cups filtered water</li>
<li>3-4 ice cubes</li>
<li>tear/chop all ingredients and place into a blender (preferably a VitaMix) and blend until smooth</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFatHroZ4ubhD8-sLaGJ3wdHL8xP3ELI5ulxzfD7dhKhYONyhpYOFmKqMMKBGFRtangi3TAAPPklxF8lOaPbkj8EgkTopANt74evd32gc2AuwwqzyQhYXGtKdTKcNSaXOMJLk46WYW9k/s1600/green+smoothie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFatHroZ4ubhD8-sLaGJ3wdHL8xP3ELI5ulxzfD7dhKhYONyhpYOFmKqMMKBGFRtangi3TAAPPklxF8lOaPbkj8EgkTopANt74evd32gc2AuwwqzyQhYXGtKdTKcNSaXOMJLk46WYW9k/s1600/green+smoothie.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green smoothie heaven to continue to nourish & detox after Bikram...</td></tr>
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<div>
But now back to the hotness….</div>
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What do I love so much about the Bikram class and what is it teaching me? Plenty….<br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">The Heat: Drink, Breathe, & Calm the Body</u><br />
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At my first class the instructor said the goal is just to stay in the room. If you feel faint, sit down, drink some water, but just stay in the room. Easy enough I thought. But about 20 minutes in I wanted to jump out of my skin, leave my sweaty carcass in that sauna, and go running outside in the 30-degree coolness. I stayed though and, to my surprise, slowly started to acclimate. Now mind you, at no point did I feel "cool." I did get to the point, however, where by focusing on my breathing and my poses, I not only took my focus off the heat, but I started to control my body's response to it. The focus on deep breathing slows your heart rate, which slows down your system and, consequently, slows down the heat your body is generating. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwhoVLsdkIxnUiZC1uW0n4bLG4WAnPKXHP1Mf8sobQu5-3NZS5JFJMjUFPFXlzciqpejtSEqbYHp4ylNUH91R58mMkTyr9UYKk4-wPOrJhaIsBZwq8KI7_v3LWlR9rOnWs_L0qkyUm2c/s1600/glass+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwhoVLsdkIxnUiZC1uW0n4bLG4WAnPKXHP1Mf8sobQu5-3NZS5JFJMjUFPFXlzciqpejtSEqbYHp4ylNUH91R58mMkTyr9UYKk4-wPOrJhaIsBZwq8KI7_v3LWlR9rOnWs_L0qkyUm2c/s1600/glass+water.jpg" /></a>For me, this heat acclimation is critically important given my history of heat exhaustion at races. I'm hoping that Bikram will help my body learn to acclimate better to the heat, and teach my mind how to calm and cool my body by focusing on my breathing and my movements. In addition, Bikram is showing me that I need to drink even more water than I usually do during the day. I'm pretty good about drinking at least eight glasses of water per day, which may be fine for an inactive lifestyle; but, for the days when I'm working out, particularly in the heat, I need to up this consumption a little bit. The Bikram instructor said that we should be able to get through the first 20 minutes of class without needing a drink. If not, then we probably didn't drink enough throughout the day. Now, that's not necessarily a rule for other sports, and that certainly does <i style="font-weight: bold;">not</i> mean that if you're properly hydrating during the day, you won't need much hydration during an endurance event. But it's a good indicator to me that my body needs to start off an event - be it yoga or a triathlon - with my muscles <i style="font-weight: bold;">plenty</i> hydrated to keep me going with the ability to top off (rather than totally replaces) my water reserves during the event. <br />
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<b><u>The Poses: Stretch & Strength</u></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgo8N8qQhgz6UetdCOt2424GZDAwA-zjhF_HmyzEkWOJF1SYbudmaP1MVTO9CfaHwQk0gMHlFcnuU1HRlOc-K51qrCz3lylBGhnaP866LdLZ0hjlH6_vzOwh5Thj8GH6qBYd9xVZQQdck/s1600/bikram+yoga+poses.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgo8N8qQhgz6UetdCOt2424GZDAwA-zjhF_HmyzEkWOJF1SYbudmaP1MVTO9CfaHwQk0gMHlFcnuU1HRlOc-K51qrCz3lylBGhnaP866LdLZ0hjlH6_vzOwh5Thj8GH6qBYd9xVZQQdck/s1600/bikram+yoga+poses.png" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bikram Yoga poses. Source: <a href="http://independentspirituality.com/practice-yoga/">Independent Spirituality </a></td></tr>
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There are <a href="http://www.bikramyoga.com/BikramYoga/TwentySixPostures.php">26 Bikram Yoga poses</a> designed to stretch the muscles in the order they were meant to be stretched. These poses are <b><i>not</i></b> meant to be done in the absence of the increased heat, so doing them at home in this manner is not advisable. (The high heat allows the muscles to temporarily soften and increase their flexibility.) <br />
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According to <a href="http://www.bikramyoga.com/BikramYoga/TwentySixPostures.php">bikramyoga.com</a>, these poses: <br />
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;">"<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif, 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">systematically move fresh, oxygenated blood to one hundred percent of your body, to each organ and fiber, restoring all systems to healthy working order, just as Nature intended. Proper weight, muscle tone, vibrant good health, and a sense of well being will automatically follow."</span></i></blockquote>
Well hell, that sounds awesome, right? Seriously though, these poses are kicking my butt and reaffirming my long suspected weaknesses. I've known for <b><i>years</i>, </b>that many of my running-related injuries and my overall muscular "weenie-ness" comes from lack of flexibility, muscular imbalances, and muscular weaknesses. I'm addressing those imbalances and weaknesses through PT and a chiropractor, and the Bikram Yoga is adding a much-needed compliment to that. The strength and flexibility needed for the poses, as well as the mental focus, is a triple whammy for triathlon and running. <br />
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Keep in mind, however, that the competitive nature possessed by most triathletes and runner<i style="font-weight: bold;">s has no place</i> in yoga. Don't try to keep up with the rest of the class. If a pose causes pain, stop. If you can't do the pose fully, don't push it. Yoga is all about accepting where you are at that moment. <br />
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<b><u>The Breath: Focus & Presence</u></b><br />
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Breathing is definitely one of my weaknesses. Sounds odd I know; but STOP, right now, and notice how you're breathing. Chances are you're breathing very shallow, into your chest. This is how most of us breathe throughout our normal day. In fact, the only time I'm consciously focusing on my breath is during my workouts. Maybe that's part of why I love my workouts: it's the only time I'm truly present, focusing on every deep breath, and every movement. <br />
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There's a wonderful quote about yoga and breath: <br />
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<i style="background-color: #ffe599;">"When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath." Hatha Yoga Pradikipa</i></blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfH63tmYSOMsxH4eIxRtPWEs_HH_G86DkKbEp2QyIGaaVIze6t68TtQTIc8z7krxvvGs0xLK5M9WIm-mI0M9iLLAkabAjJ5HM_kJpAalNpbiBAgZl7zXs8Tyux8VgU0s3hCHVDC46X9Jg/s1600/Breathe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfH63tmYSOMsxH4eIxRtPWEs_HH_G86DkKbEp2QyIGaaVIze6t68TtQTIc8z7krxvvGs0xLK5M9WIm-mI0M9iLLAkabAjJ5HM_kJpAalNpbiBAgZl7zXs8Tyux8VgU0s3hCHVDC46X9Jg/s1600/Breathe.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a>In Bikram Yoga, I think the importance of the breath is even more symbolic of its importance in life. If you don't focus on the power of your breath - on the rejuvenation of the inhale and the release of the exhale - you will pass out and fall flat on your ass. The Bikram instructor kept saying that if you start to feel faint, keep your eyes open and focus on your breath. The same can be said of life: when you start to feel like life is going too fast and your head is spinning, instead of closing your eyes and hoping it will pass, <i><b>open</b> </i>your eyes, focus on your breath, and steady your mind and body. <br />
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As cliche as it sounds, focusing on your breath brings you into the present. If you take your focus off your breath, it pulls your focus off the movement, making you unsteady, wobbly, and again, likely to fall on your ass. By focusing on your deep inhale and exhale, your mind is pulled to the connection between your breath and your body. Thus, your mind can focus on the pose, making you stronger and fully present on what you're doing <i style="font-weight: bold;">at that particular moment</i>. How strong would we be in life if we did the same thing….<br />
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<b><u>My Attention: Mindfulness</u></b><br />
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The auctioneer-style of the Bikram classes I've attended is no exaggeration. Imagine being explained how to do this pose by someone who spits out all these instructions in quick, successive order in about five seconds: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87opoOxXvMAUJZrBZzXi9aMBhRlhMd_2hm5H2EyOQwn-gSGHhEdxLY1nmI4hwOD5CV5e5WxaOgWkjojMvt74USqv1KZv1oF5ZlADtxKeNTJsHRD4qCvOcaJZ_rUpuvyvUpYrnJBGubnE/s1600/Bikram+yoga+balancing+stick+pose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87opoOxXvMAUJZrBZzXi9aMBhRlhMd_2hm5H2EyOQwn-gSGHhEdxLY1nmI4hwOD5CV5e5WxaOgWkjojMvt74USqv1KZv1oF5ZlADtxKeNTJsHRD4qCvOcaJZ_rUpuvyvUpYrnJBGubnE/s1600/Bikram+yoga+balancing+stick+pose.jpg" height="121" width="320" /></a></div>
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My over-stimulated little brain can't always keep up! I find that by the time my brain has transmitted to my body what movement I'm supposed to be doing, I've missed the next five steps and am stuck in some yoga-pose-limbo where I don't know how to finish the rest of the pose or get out of the position I'm in. Combine that with the fact that my brain is simultaneously saying "how the hell am I supposed to do that?" or "holy crap that hurts" or "wait, which way are my hands supposed to go?" It's all a lesson in mindfulness. Yes, the Bikram instructors talk fast and, for a newby, it can take some getting used to. But instead of letting my brain give its running commentary on what I'm doing, if I just focus on every word the instructor is saying, my body will intuitively follow. Another strong symbolic gesture of how your body will follow if your mind leads the way….<br />
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<b><u>The Scantily Clad Yogis: Letting Go of Self-Consciousness</u></b><br />
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I'm self-conscious. I hate women's locker rooms because I feel like women are going to stare at me thinking "wow, she looks thin in her jeans, but she really has cellulite on those thighs and a muffin-top to go along with it." I try not to wear anything too revealing, even in races, because I'm afraid of the teeniest bit of cellulite or untoned muscle flapping around. Silly and narcissistic, I know. <br />
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So when I showed up to my first Bikram class and saw people - of <b style="font-style: italic;">all</b> shapes and sizes - dressed basically in the 60's style bikinis, I was taken back: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IaHbVzTX67tbEMDjOiAvR_mL1PYa0PVGwYAHC2DO2usMI5wnb25C80nPRgo7DArpx5-g0HOiS348HbwrbI3LgEovrUJbbyNFpY4NX7hZiq_p3UUkbvFlOXokiS5jpS1Ns3TGqbSfFo4/s1600/bikram_yoga_benefits-250x175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IaHbVzTX67tbEMDjOiAvR_mL1PYa0PVGwYAHC2DO2usMI5wnb25C80nPRgo7DArpx5-g0HOiS348HbwrbI3LgEovrUJbbyNFpY4NX7hZiq_p3UUkbvFlOXokiS5jpS1Ns3TGqbSfFo4/s1600/bikram_yoga_benefits-250x175.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Compare this...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXHE7bXPw9FDftxqZdDD8x5rDeQUTxWWmKX0gHPp0_tPKN6cCr9bqm_cJAMZ7q_qeJvLaKAgm33XYGuHksWjLeeYQva-2sQN45Yva8ECPIk-Vw-sBMOb3clIjWJRxmeOtRAPhMXo-Esk/s1600/pat-on-steps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXHE7bXPw9FDftxqZdDD8x5rDeQUTxWWmKX0gHPp0_tPKN6cCr9bqm_cJAMZ7q_qeJvLaKAgm33XYGuHksWjLeeYQva-2sQN45Yva8ECPIk-Vw-sBMOb3clIjWJRxmeOtRAPhMXo-Esk/s1600/pat-on-steps.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">to this...</td></tr>
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And the attire for some of the men was even more shocking: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsfMWDDUxRZNU9ekAOrqTbg9az_2E1eHr_MoDNdwLf8n4ew0feLaBbzXblDnpqHo4osRzDEJUn-RQJ4J0ze3OqhYMfQpj6IO5ocTDERxj0PGM5__izgbHl2EOLWVXRM2Zs9mpNoMEOqk/s1600/Instructor_HArticle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsfMWDDUxRZNU9ekAOrqTbg9az_2E1eHr_MoDNdwLf8n4ew0feLaBbzXblDnpqHo4osRzDEJUn-RQJ4J0ze3OqhYMfQpj6IO5ocTDERxj0PGM5__izgbHl2EOLWVXRM2Zs9mpNoMEOqk/s1600/Instructor_HArticle.jpg" height="221" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">NOT</i> my instructor, but looks like some of the guys in my class...</td></tr>
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So I felt a bit out of place in my full-length yoga pants and tank top. And about thirty minutes into the class, I was wishing I could strip off my clothes! Yet, despite my thin yoga clothes feeling like a fur parka, I still can't bring myself to buy some of the teeny little yoga shorts and a mid-riff tank top. The most I've done is wear my knee-length yoga pants instead of the full-length ones... </div>
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The people in my yoga class are <i style="font-weight: bold;">real</i> people. Even the instructors. They are not professional models or people who work out 24/7. They have jobs, kids, friends, and a million demands. They have bodies of all shapes and sizes. I'm no different. Yet, I can't bring myself to let it my muffin top hang out like some of the women in the class. So I can't help but say to myself: I need to be more like these women! I need to not give a crap if my muffin top hangs out. I need to recognize that <b><i>all</i> </b>women have cellulite. I need to embrace what society has labeled as "imperfections" and realize they are <i style="font-weight: bold;">not</i> imperfections at all; rather, they are only one part of a whole that in its entirety is <i style="font-weight: bold;">me in my perfect form</i>. I'm not there yet…but hopefully I will get there. </div>
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Yoga therefore has given me insight into self-love, beauty in <i style="font-weight: bold;">all </i>its forms, and the potential I have if I just let go of the self-consciousness. Ironically, despite the strenuous poses, the sauna-like heat, my inflexibility, and my shallow breathing, I think my biggest obstacle will be in letting yoga teach me this concept of self-love. Accepting where I am <i style="font-weight: bold;">at this present moment</i> - be it in a particular pose or a particular body shape - will be the key to unlocking my greatest potential. Only then can I do as Rumi suggests: listen to the teachings of my soul - instead of letting the incessant questions and doubts of my rambling mind be my focus… </div>
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<b><i>Do you practice yoga? Why or why not? </i></b></div>
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<b><i>And have you drank the Groupon Kool-Aid and tried something you haven't done before just because it was discounted on Groupon? </i></b></div>
Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-15500509209397343552013-08-17T09:41:00.000-04:002013-08-17T09:42:33.770-04:0010 Lessons from the Musselman Triathlon It's been over a month since I did the Musselman half-iron distance triathlon in upstate New York on July 14th. Before that, the last triathlon I did was Ironman Arizona in November 2011. Getting back in the saddle - literally - was invigorating.<br />
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The setting was idillic, nestled in the Fingers Lakes region of New York. The swim was in beautiful Seneca Lake; the bike took us through the rolling countryside between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes; and the run tortured us in the blistering sun along the lake and around town of Geneva. Overall, despite getting heat exhaustion and basically shutting down during the run, I was happy with the race and the course. <br />
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As you know, I don't really do race reports. So in an effort to make this as little like a "race report" as possible, I thought I'd pass along some nuggets of wisdom I learned from Musselman. <br />
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1. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Make a road trip out of your next race</u>: If you haven't done this already, find a race that's not right in your backyard and plan a manageable road trip. There's something to be said for packing up the car and hitting the road, with nothing but the scenery and your music (and coffee of course!), en route to a weekend of race adventure!<br />
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The Fingers Lakes were about six hours from me (perfect), and the drive up through Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York was stunning. I'd never been up to this part of the country and I had no idea that my drive would be so mesmerizing, particularly when I got to the part of Pennsylvania that goes along the Susquehanna River. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZH8s2QLFTFfqxV5ZjkgDiBZzJ1cm2o9erCes-MKB3G9nSAQFYZP2P9KiDIXnzq1yo6CKqAJqiWes6bOhYwElATmUTKTpKx_lt9xdtHM6buODWcjX8WZTl3Up8YpEsEVG9wVhHnGL3oE/s1600/IMG_5772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZH8s2QLFTFfqxV5ZjkgDiBZzJ1cm2o9erCes-MKB3G9nSAQFYZP2P9KiDIXnzq1yo6CKqAJqiWes6bOhYwElATmUTKTpKx_lt9xdtHM6buODWcjX8WZTl3Up8YpEsEVG9wVhHnGL3oE/s320/IMG_5772.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driving along the Susquehanna....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_rcalfOe13Qc9lhfuQ_kGWQHYfLQ0ewFxGtDGfMn303cJCN2QDoe3aW9BVC30EPAgikaw5YQEYJvvsDeNH3q3YS1ZS_h8phnfXSsgnmBB_9Hk8SAm4rxMNtaZMvxbjEV9Ogbg8f_PjA/s1600/IMG_5771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_rcalfOe13Qc9lhfuQ_kGWQHYfLQ0ewFxGtDGfMn303cJCN2QDoe3aW9BVC30EPAgikaw5YQEYJvvsDeNH3q3YS1ZS_h8phnfXSsgnmBB_9Hk8SAm4rxMNtaZMvxbjEV9Ogbg8f_PjA/s320/IMG_5771.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I stopped for lunch along the banks of the Susquehanna and just chilled out for a bit...</td></tr>
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Combining a race with a mini-road trip is the perfect combination to get you out of your backyard...<br />
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2. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Stay away from the hustle and bustle of the race</u>: Personally, I'm not one who likes to be right in the mix of the athlete village and host hotel. I like to be close enough to the race so that it's not inconvenient to get there race morning, but far enough away that I don't have to be surrounded by nothing but athletes for the next couple days. Seriously, those of you who compete know what I mean...you get a little tired of seeing people in their compression socks two days before the race, wearing their Ironman or other race t-shirt to let the competition know their accomplishments, and talking about all their races, how many times they've done this race, or their PR's ("personal records" for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about)...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDn5vCxg84PWJ-70k0iiFt_l5WUhfMkvNBb3bDy4CF2GXmtvPJ7IHEV83t4ASp6DSuYd9R3HwG4k2g6Be7J_8rlomHhyphenhyphenyjxvgrwltMhzKGAaMfHXdlQFJjLdJ-TSZ7UvVECgqggf_DX48/s1600/IMG_5813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDn5vCxg84PWJ-70k0iiFt_l5WUhfMkvNBb3bDy4CF2GXmtvPJ7IHEV83t4ASp6DSuYd9R3HwG4k2g6Be7J_8rlomHhyphenhyphenyjxvgrwltMhzKGAaMfHXdlQFJjLdJ-TSZ7UvVECgqggf_DX48/s320/IMG_5813.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peaceful trail that went throughout the property...</td></tr>
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So I stayed in the small town of Mecklenberg, about 30-40 minutes away from the race site, in an adorable cabin on land that used to be a lily farm. I highly recommend this place if you're ever in that area. It was spotless, had everything I needed including a full kitchen, a comfortable bed, and...goats!! Here's the <a href="http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p3001678">link to the Mecklenberg property</a>. The owners were so friendly and accommodating. Plus, the property had beautiful trails, a pond, blackberries, lilies, and, did I mention the goats?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfl8sorEqvjYPpRCRmTYMrkpOP58QXjlO9I-2c9O8L5iyz78iabAZP8A2JsnG9CtdI3KG6muDxnGhLe2GMOJJhZaENFWfYdn-e35zW4TaatyutTFYMK7lBPCbCtMalN8g2-ynFZUg94f0/s1600/IMG_1932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfl8sorEqvjYPpRCRmTYMrkpOP58QXjlO9I-2c9O8L5iyz78iabAZP8A2JsnG9CtdI3KG6muDxnGhLe2GMOJJhZaENFWfYdn-e35zW4TaatyutTFYMK7lBPCbCtMalN8g2-ynFZUg94f0/s320/IMG_1932.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of the three adorable goats on the Mecklenberg property...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqhqxpzplvhMlNR48yY3O83VnS4yHTIlIwrj4QucouSpMWq9K1jS9R1k9Vratg6Q0Ioiig0Y6POhXyAP9nfuXq3hiuDnq_Ggt04DSye_69urRAQAlvyUNln1rxmHtsRIZqcQumkYhqjA/s1600/IMG_5783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqhqxpzplvhMlNR48yY3O83VnS4yHTIlIwrj4QucouSpMWq9K1jS9R1k9Vratg6Q0Ioiig0Y6POhXyAP9nfuXq3hiuDnq_Ggt04DSye_69urRAQAlvyUNln1rxmHtsRIZqcQumkYhqjA/s320/IMG_5783.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mama and her babies...I visited them several times...<br />
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Staying a little further away from the race site let me get away from all the buzz and hype so that I could just focus on me...<br />
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4. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Get your mind off the race and do a little touring</u>: One of the other reasons I like to stay a bit off-the-beaten-race course is that it allows me to explore my destination area. It ain't all about racing folks. Coming to the Finger Lakes area meant I could do something I've been wanting to do for several years now...tour the <a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/">Farm Sanctuary</a> in Watkins Glen, New York. (FYI, being a vegan will make you want to do weird things like schedule races around going to a farm sanctuary). I was absolutely giddy. <br />
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The Farm Sanctuary was founded in 1986 and its <a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/about-us/">mission</a> is "[t]o protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan living." It now has three locations: Watkins Glen, NY; Orland, CA; and Los Angeles, CA. <br />
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The Farm Sanctuary tour was amazing! Not that I needed anything to reaffirm my commitment to being a vegan, but this certainly added more fire to my passion. The Sanctuary is situated in the peaceful hills, with acre after acre of happy farm animals. I won't post all the pictures I took on the tour, but here are some of the highlights:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pigs were very sleepy...but they loved to have their bellies scratched!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwusl_UCUM4oJ3lEn9ZpzsLmj_a6STX32psXgNq9l4fENUiJuTZhxm8r_Q_pJiGy3Vs9Ei2MDvNfmVVZsebKG7E6R1LLErm9xnRfEs_vslpOcH3m9sRaIeCxRH-cCHOGK5XRZv5EmLkAg/s1600/IMG_5797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwusl_UCUM4oJ3lEn9ZpzsLmj_a6STX32psXgNq9l4fENUiJuTZhxm8r_Q_pJiGy3Vs9Ei2MDvNfmVVZsebKG7E6R1LLErm9xnRfEs_vslpOcH3m9sRaIeCxRH-cCHOGK5XRZv5EmLkAg/s320/IMG_5797.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVED the cows! They were like big dogs! And yes, I stepped in a couple cow patties...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Turpentine...the MAN at Farm Sanctuary. He came out to greet people and puffed up his feathers...Gorgeous! </td></tr>
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The Farm Sanctuary is definitely worth visiting, and I was so thrilled to be able to combine in one trip my love for animals and my love for triathlons! So next time you're looking for a race, think about what other quirky, off-the-beaten-path activities you'd like to do, and combine the race with a little mini-vacation. <br />
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5. <b><u>A</u></b><u style="font-weight: bold;">ttend the pre-race lecture, drive the course. and do your pre-race primer</u>: I cannot emphasize this enough: unless you're a professional triathlete, you are <i style="font-weight: bold;">never</i> too cool or too knowledgable to forego the pre-race informational lecture. Every time I've gone to one, I've learned something I didn't know or couldn't have anticipated. Valuable information is given at these talks, such as the 90-degree right turn at the bottom of a hill right on the shore of the Cayuga Lake at mile 25. Take the time, respect the effort the race directors put into ensuring that you have a good time and remain safe, and attend the pre-race talk.<br />
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Also, even if you're not neurotic like me, you should at least drive the bike course, and maybe the run course too (although, I have to say, I've never driven a run course). I try to drive the bike courses of my longer distance races. For some reason I find it comforting to familiarize myself with the course over which I'll be hurling myself and my bike. I like knowing the tricky turns, the ups and downs, landmarks that can remind me that I'm at a certain point...It takes some of the mystery out of a 56-mile or 112-mile bike course. Run courses certainly are worth driving as well, but for me, I don't feel as unprepared for the unforeseen fork in the road when I'm running as I am when I'm going 3 to 4 times faster on my bike. <br />
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And lastly, do a pre-race primer the day (or two) before the race. This means, go to the site and do a short swim (if they'll allow it), and ride and run a small part of the course. Nothing long at all - I think my entire pre-race primer triathlon was 30 minutes. Do it just to shake your legs out, go over your transition set-up, get your mind focused, and work out some of your jitters..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT22m2Yz3XoTb1b7YZ1pdpFBOrNt4IWSWObO37MevA8K4hq41U6PuduVm9FcwOB2JOPC_gtwWiA-IH6UHyhOGo5et31jFbqlGjAxwtD9qKo-cXLTTwxZOCfQhlV9LrREBq-Rqt2gOf1SE/s1600/IMG_5774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT22m2Yz3XoTb1b7YZ1pdpFBOrNt4IWSWObO37MevA8K4hq41U6PuduVm9FcwOB2JOPC_gtwWiA-IH6UHyhOGo5et31jFbqlGjAxwtD9qKo-cXLTTwxZOCfQhlV9LrREBq-Rqt2gOf1SE/s320/IMG_5774.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me on my pre-race primer bike ride....</td></tr>
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6. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Get to the race site earlier than you think you should</u>: However early you think you need to get to the race site, plan to get there at least 30 minutes earlier than that. Why? Because you're getting up basically in the middle of the night anyway and you probably didn't sleep well the night before, so just get up 30 minutes earlier and make the morning easier on yourself. Personally, I like to get to the race site 1.5 to 2 hours before the start. This gives me plenty of time to use the porta-johns two or three times without having to wait in a huge line or run the risk of not having any toilet paper! I literally was one of the first 50 people into the Musselman race site, and I didn't even have to use the porta-johns...I got to use the park's regular indoor bathroom, where there was no line, a clean toilet, and plenty of toilet paper. It's so nice to get that over with in peace and comfort!<br />
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Also, getting there extra early allows you the freedom to take your time to set up your transition area correctly, make sure you didn't forget anything, get air in your tires or have the bike techs repair any issues, survey the race site for any last minute changes, and take the all-important pre-race pictures to post to Facebook right before you start...For me, it also allows me time to sneak off by myself, get my head on right, and pray for a safe race. <br />
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Getting there early gave me time to also to do a swim warmup once I got my transition area set up. I recommend doing this about 20-30 minutes before the race start, if you're allowed. It gives you a chance to see how the water is going to be, work off some of your nervousness, and get your blood flowing. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5to96MLIRI8n65jiXJ9AGU9KHYwOIyC1xAXz0PQSrSf2h4mR4m59l81oz7-UVhubvPigdiPlOtP8dm_IvfobQ7o8GmNundVsJyBmjbk27phTl5bMeZhMQySOrlayq4LuKiAB5AjVNh8/s1600/IMG_5826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5to96MLIRI8n65jiXJ9AGU9KHYwOIyC1xAXz0PQSrSf2h4mR4m59l81oz7-UVhubvPigdiPlOtP8dm_IvfobQ7o8GmNundVsJyBmjbk27phTl5bMeZhMQySOrlayq4LuKiAB5AjVNh8/s320/IMG_5826.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise over Seneca Lake as the race coordinators set out the buoys for the swim course...</td></tr>
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7. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Embrace your race</u>: As my wave of age-grouper women entered the water to wade out to the starting buoy, a woman next to me asked me if I was nervous (apparently she was). I paused for a second and said "You know what? I'm actually not. I'm really excited." In four years of triathlons, I don't ever remember being so excited. Sure, my nerves were firing, but it was different from other races. Usually I'm worrying about the swim, hoping I don't crash on the bike, and wondering whether I'm going to blow up on the run. But this time, I was ready. Granted, I know that you can't control everything on race day. But for once, the uncontrollable "what if's" didn't bother me. I knew that up to that point, I'd controlled all I could. I'd done my training, I'd worked hard, and there was nothing else I could do now except rely on that hard work to put it all together.<br />
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So when our wave went off, I attacked the swim for the first time ever. I'm usually very hesitant, almost apologetically moving out of the way anytime someone comes remotely close to bumping into me. Not this time. I just put my head down and swam. Someone bumped into me, I kept going. And if they tried to swim over me, I had no problem pushing them off. (Yes, I think if you run directly into someone on the swim it's incumbent on you to stop trying to swim over the top of them. Move the hell around them!) My buoy siting was dead on. And there was no panic. No fear that I could drown. No wishing the swim would hurry up and get over. For the first time ever I embraced the swim...and I enjoyed it! <br />
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On the bike, I did about as I expected and was happy about that. But half-way through the 56-mile rolling hill course (which included dodging horse poo from Mennonites in their wagons on their way home from church), my neck and shoulders cramped up so bad that I couldn't turn my head to the right without my neck having a spasm. I've battled neck and shoulder cramps/knots ever since I first started riding my triathlon bike. And even though I'd just had another bike fit (my fourth one), I knew the problem wasn't totally fixed. So as painful as it was, I just embraced it. It hurt, it sucked, oh well. It wasn't keeping my legs from pedaling, and that's all that mattered. <br />
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The run was a little more difficult to embrace. I don't know that I "embraced" as much as I said "fuck it." The minute I started the run, I knew I was in trouble because the sun was so intense and there was virtually no shade along the mostly asphalt course. Heat + sweat + me = heat exhaustion. Again, something I've battled for years. So my run basically fell apart and I did a lot of walking. I was pouring ice down my shirt and shorts, putting wet sponges on my head, going through every hose that the town residents were spraying on us (bless each and every one of them), drinking all the water/electrolytes I could get my hands on...but my body just wasn't having it. At first I was pissed because I'd really hoped to nail this race and especially the run. But after a couple miles, when I saw that <b><i>everyone</i></b> was suffering - badly - I just embraced it and started commiserating with the other runners. Misery loves company, and everyone out there in the heat that day became best friends for 13.1 miles. As my Uncle Bud would say, "It is what it is." <br />
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8. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Get your nutrition RIGHT</u>: Turns out, one of the reasons that my heat exhaustion was so bad during Musselman (aside from the blistering sun and lack of shade) was the fact that I was taking in <i style="font-weight: bold;">half</i> of the calories and carbs that I was supposed to. Apparently there was a miscommunication between my nutritionist and me. After discussing a series of numbers with her, I asked her what my bottom-line calorie/carb intake should be. She thought I was asking her how many calories and carbs were in the sports drink I'd been using and gave me that number. So while I needed to be taking in about 235 calories and 65 carbs per hour, I actually ended up taking in about 120 calories and 35 carbs an hour. Big difference!<br />
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Lesson learned - if you're working with a nutritionist, get a specific breakdown - in writing - of your nutrition intake requirements and make sure they are hourly, race-specific numbers. <br />
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9. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Relax and refuel post-race</u>: Whether you're doing a destination race or not, take the rest of that day and the next day to relax, refuel, and recuperate. Sleep in. Take the day off work. Spin your legs out on your bike or go for a short swim if it will help shed some of the built-up lactic acid, but take it easy. Treat yourself to a massage (which I did). Go to a nice restaurant for breakfast or lunch (and wear your finisher shirt if you want, but don't wear your medal around all the next day...) Allow yourself to bask in the glow of your accomplishment...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I enjoyed a leisurely post-race morning the next day, just relaxing at the cabin and watching the butterflies...</td></tr>
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10. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Be thankful that you finished, no matter what the clock said</u>: Although I finished Musselman about 30 minutes slower than I'd hoped, I <i style="font-weight: bold;">finished</i>. To some people, that's not enough. But for me, no matter how much I complain about the race (and I do complain) or how I wished I'd been faster (I'm never satisfied), I am <b><i>always</i></b> very much aware of how fortunate I am just to have <i style="font-weight: bold;">finished</i>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2gixPyRMrxWCxhvt5zMEVHUngtRLNGt7v4x6o4SGy_aFE9BDkw6jys-lZFD7fsccU6bApUjJkmgqaj8myDT6QxbcplrsvQrzLGhCzIKo_tEahDn0LvHeOzmLNjYc-TKarUIXcUhAiBY/s1600/Finish+line.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2gixPyRMrxWCxhvt5zMEVHUngtRLNGt7v4x6o4SGy_aFE9BDkw6jys-lZFD7fsccU6bApUjJkmgqaj8myDT6QxbcplrsvQrzLGhCzIKo_tEahDn0LvHeOzmLNjYc-TKarUIXcUhAiBY/s320/Finish+line.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always a welcome site...</td></tr>
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Two people died as a result of injuries they sustained during the Musselman races this year. One man died during the sprint race the day before when he apparently was coming down a hill and hit a car that was parked along the side of the road. A woman also died - the week after the race - as a result of injuries she sustained in a bike crash during the half-iron event. I'd actually seen the aftermath of this accident as the ambulance arrived, but didn't know at the time how serious it was. <br />
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We all know that we can die or become seriously injured during any portion of the triathlon. But that knowledge means about as much to triathletes as the knowledge we all have that we could die any time we get behind the wheel of a car. You know it's a possibility...you just never really appreciate that it could happen to you. <br />
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These two competitors were young, healthy, vibrant people who, in the stroke of a pedal, had their lives ripped away and their families' lives shattered. In that context, the race clock and my age group rank really are meaningless. I <i style="font-weight: bold;">finished</i>. Some weren't so fortunate. <br />
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When I signed up for Musselman, the registration form asked me why I do triathlons. I'd completely forgotten about this. But when I got into transition the morning of the race and found my designated spot on the bike rack, the amazing folks at Musselman had this reminder: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbceJ38XER4_51MOlRTENYBFr3JmqL6nWOL8IBcBNHuLEJSBvJa1uA0O3FgCvcCLq7DNhOzo_Ey5GYwSDk62JuzCmw4aIaJSsBi1uR0FUKs7mUKO85Wf2zcdTt9Zg_8VIg0Za2QwpmFm4/s1600/IMG_5825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbceJ38XER4_51MOlRTENYBFr3JmqL6nWOL8IBcBNHuLEJSBvJa1uA0O3FgCvcCLq7DNhOzo_Ey5GYwSDk62JuzCmw4aIaJSsBi1uR0FUKs7mUKO85Wf2zcdTt9Zg_8VIg0Za2QwpmFm4/s400/IMG_5825.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved that Musselman did this...</td></tr>
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I started running 16 years ago because I wanted to be healthier. Well, mission accomplished. I'm healthier than I've ever been and I continue to grow stronger every year. That one little reminder kept repeating in my head during the race and, honestly, was probably part of why I just embraced the entire experience. (Although, I have to admit that it did cross my mind during the sweltering run that collapsing from heat exhaustion isn't exactly a healthy thing...)<br />
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Every time you start training for a race, think about what made you want to take this journey. Whenever you toe up at a start line, remember the blood, sweat, and sacrifices that it took to get you there. And every single time you step or crawl across the finish line, be thankful, above all else, that you made it. <br />
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Musselman was a fun, difficult, rewarding, and educational race. And in reality, it was just a training race to see how I'm doing in preparation for Ironman Lake Tahoe this year on September 22...So my journey to be as healthy as I can be and to cross another finish line continues...But next time, it will end (hopefully) in the heart of Squaw Valley after 140.6 miles...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road to the end of another Ironman marathon continues...</td></tr>
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<br />Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-81674624801747608112013-07-06T09:00:00.000-04:002013-07-06T09:00:05.760-04:00Roosevelt Island and Capital Crescent Trail Run A couple of weekends ago I set out on a two-hour, rainy Sunday run. I was dreading it, not only because it was pouring, but because my runs lately haven't been going all that well. So to take my mind off my running woes, I wanted to run someplace where I don't go very often, with new scenery to distract me. My choice: Roosevelt Island and the Capital Crescent Trail. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOnUVBeW9HpDW2IwyZxiz92iEb2Ihx1MBBJsuAdMlJynOobPBWX2b6U27geUXlkbOStSWgDKDMKlSA028LWLzJMnAGm3-oybv-V7wshm5Q7XMiKph3mMZxB9eqp8AFIcuO415IbPqg0M/s1600/IMG_5625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOnUVBeW9HpDW2IwyZxiz92iEb2Ihx1MBBJsuAdMlJynOobPBWX2b6U27geUXlkbOStSWgDKDMKlSA028LWLzJMnAGm3-oybv-V7wshm5Q7XMiKph3mMZxB9eqp8AFIcuO415IbPqg0M/s320/IMG_5625.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Roosevelt Island is named, you guessed it, after out 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt. The island, with swampy woods along the banks of the Potomac River, is designed to honor the outdoorsman that Roosevelt was. </div>
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There are several trails that wind around through the island, and on this particularly rainy Sunday, they were pretty muddy. But I wound my way around the trails and found myself at the actual memorial portion of the island. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFPiyZcVUzykanb6Nigh-840HoE6JepbOHG6ToD94ASUDISApU4laDM9MK0kQ22zR_qdJTLYTKuscOp9Een6OSLmL3CzI64pGtpfTTjPmdZyqh5PNvHu-p89IyI3K4fn2h-bPuvlNDJY/s1600/IMG_5626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFPiyZcVUzykanb6Nigh-840HoE6JepbOHG6ToD94ASUDISApU4laDM9MK0kQ22zR_qdJTLYTKuscOp9Een6OSLmL3CzI64pGtpfTTjPmdZyqh5PNvHu-p89IyI3K4fn2h-bPuvlNDJY/s320/IMG_5626.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello Mr. President...</td></tr>
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I have to say, as far as Presidential memorials go, I think Teddy's wins hands down. He has an entire island!! Plus, he has a beautiful memorial with walls of wonderful quotes: </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm going to have to add this to my list of favorite quotes...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Tbq_cx9CZlgoRqHJND-bvq4eCUhL2f3HgtE9K2gHhPLwEDXa8X8Rg56et5xCace8PCkXW2FURUIXctLJqUUNHkHgksGGhLkbcQbzOmy3hg-J6mRQX3ZmrsGAMNQvq-aSDEKkB0cv7q0/s1600/IMG_5628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Tbq_cx9CZlgoRqHJND-bvq4eCUhL2f3HgtE9K2gHhPLwEDXa8X8Rg56et5xCace8PCkXW2FURUIXctLJqUUNHkHgksGGhLkbcQbzOmy3hg-J6mRQX3ZmrsGAMNQvq-aSDEKkB0cv7q0/s640/IMG_5628.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another wall of quotes....</td></tr>
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After I left the memorial, I started back along one of the muddy trails. Suddenly, on my left about 15 feet off the trail, was a juvenile deer. I've written how the deer is one my <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/2012_05_01_archive.html">Eight Empowering Symbols</a>, and I tend to see deer at very meaningful and opportune times. On this day, seeing this deer to remind me to be light and agile on my feet (like the deer); to remind me of my childhood love of Bambi Gets Lost that my mom always read to me; to remind me to slow down and appreciate all the beauty around me - it was just what I needed. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYCRYgFo0Z2z7bxkv444V3T_a2j07tVP-cER2gYtTta4NNPmFDsW4nRWn-sgyl7QWsV1Ih97hc_L9kLrDs-1QmPSd1QPwhHvETCJh7znvbeKKcoHw3PTiMiQMXSFb_64755LOXYA_0qg/s1600/IMG_5633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYCRYgFo0Z2z7bxkv444V3T_a2j07tVP-cER2gYtTta4NNPmFDsW4nRWn-sgyl7QWsV1Ih97hc_L9kLrDs-1QmPSd1QPwhHvETCJh7znvbeKKcoHw3PTiMiQMXSFb_64755LOXYA_0qg/s400/IMG_5633.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey Bambi! </td></tr>
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The most amazing thing though, is that the little deer never moved. He just stood there as I had a conversation with him for about 10 minutes (Yes, I stood and had a conversation with a deer, in the pouring rain). I'm sure it's because he's so used to seeing humans on the island, but still....</div>
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I shot this video of him just chewing the grass and watching me: </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyqVZMZjkJi9acb7_pYUbzUWVBX4l418tBci8SNevdhERRUPDsWx6lkwI9z-VTDGDx7qtJHhBxU7ZSM9EMH0A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I hated to leave my new little friend, but I had another hour and a half of running yet to do...</div>
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From Roosevelt Island, I headed over the Key Bridge into Georgetown to pick up the Capital Crescent Trail...another historical trail. That's what I love about the D.C. metro area...there's a history lesson virtually everywhere you turn. </div>
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According to the <a href="http://www.cctrail.org/">Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail</a>, the paved trail is a rail-trail that was built on the abandoned railbed of the 11-mile Georgetown Branch of the B&O Railroad. The trail goes from Georgetown to Silver Spring, Maryland and it provides another beautiful wooded trail for running...Well, except maybe when it's raining, in which case you have to watch out for pollution from combined sewer overflows that dump into the Potomac...Again, only in D.C....</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4JCE9YAQKjSXMVeANrzQCFnQgYoXKI59pgSVNVdF-waD8Ab-mxDNW96c91R6-4aI4UQ0w7NWrLRvBdRWmmbltB204m8T3w7ilMkqVDb_KovvgkQvorARVwspqqraxN6tvfNngA5DAeI/s1600/IMG_5638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4JCE9YAQKjSXMVeANrzQCFnQgYoXKI59pgSVNVdF-waD8Ab-mxDNW96c91R6-4aI4UQ0w7NWrLRvBdRWmmbltB204m8T3w7ilMkqVDb_KovvgkQvorARVwspqqraxN6tvfNngA5DAeI/s320/IMG_5638.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely...Uh, yes, it was raining that day....</td></tr>
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Nonetheless, the trail is beautiful...pollution and all...</div>
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I also spotted another deer along the trail...It must have been my day for Bambi sitings! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deer on the Capital Crescent Trail...</td></tr>
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The trail runs between the Potomac and the C&O Canal...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SPAmTZww7p6uJD-8dJgdgIxIO8jZQqO0shpTIpFvA7tY_oKJxnZA5gphZuInz2vOEoXwa9Fos4sYmxgPRHp8oW9_W0Brn-sVkJto9WhyjSrYlqPC7grhdN31eZNh2zh-Q5UAqYzHn-8/s1600/IMG_5641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SPAmTZww7p6uJD-8dJgdgIxIO8jZQqO0shpTIpFvA7tY_oKJxnZA5gphZuInz2vOEoXwa9Fos4sYmxgPRHp8oW9_W0Brn-sVkJto9WhyjSrYlqPC7grhdN31eZNh2zh-Q5UAqYzHn-8/s320/IMG_5641.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C&O Canal out of Georgetown....</td></tr>
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There are lovely grassy fields and woods along the trail....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1BjvYYAK4u0qa8AqDSRGuR3HXrN3U7S1NKEbb4DzmiW_HKmUmJ-6IW7l3SsS6XlAc0sfKVvwukUFve8X3JBZbp23YUVOJpTHIzemD-3utrReyyoSo_DeYbp3cpxsrRitxsIez_y4NbX8/s1600/IMG_5642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1BjvYYAK4u0qa8AqDSRGuR3HXrN3U7S1NKEbb4DzmiW_HKmUmJ-6IW7l3SsS6XlAc0sfKVvwukUFve8X3JBZbp23YUVOJpTHIzemD-3utrReyyoSo_DeYbp3cpxsrRitxsIez_y4NbX8/s320/IMG_5642.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Gorgeous views of the canal and bridge crossing...</div>
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And views of D.C. along the Potomac...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlbKFqs3s0lFnElrs3TWfCQHnziueJEG2cVQK72pRUik3_QOmXwJwZO_U9eGC62Jt96eND5sjZhlLXSUiJgXRiN5bmHiTWkRFr9xNhfFDuLzfxWXyJvpcdpHnVWuIsuSGKOPR23tfE-4/s1600/IMG_5645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlbKFqs3s0lFnElrs3TWfCQHnziueJEG2cVQK72pRUik3_QOmXwJwZO_U9eGC62Jt96eND5sjZhlLXSUiJgXRiN5bmHiTWkRFr9xNhfFDuLzfxWXyJvpcdpHnVWuIsuSGKOPR23tfE-4/s400/IMG_5645.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainy view looking south down Potomac toward Washington Monument....</td></tr>
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The trail basically was a gradual incline the whole way out, so once I turned around to head back to Georgetown, it was all downhill...<br />
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By the end of the run it had stopped raining. I felt surprisingly good and was thrilled with my two deer sitings and the gorgeous scenery...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A soaking wet, but happy runner after 2 hours of deer, woods, beautiful sites, and rain...</td></tr>
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Not bad for a rainy Sunday run....</div>
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<b><i>Where's one of your favorite places to run where you live? </i></b></div>
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Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-5180405051610879122013-05-01T22:06:00.002-04:002013-05-01T22:06:55.543-04:00LTE Book Club: May SelectionI hope you enjoyed our first LTE Book Club selection <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/2013/03/lte-book-club-april-book-announcement-9.html">A Life Without Limits by Chrissie Wellington</a>. I haven't yet provided my wrap-up summary and I sincerely apologize, but will do that soon! <br />
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I didn't want to delay, however, in sending out May's Book Club selection. There are so many that I have on my list, but I've picked this one for spring because if anything represents the springtime notion of "rebirth," it's this book: <a href="http://www.mattslongrun.com/">The Long Run by Matt Long</a>.<br />
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This book has been out for almost three years now, so some of you may have read it. I'll confess, I have; but, this truly is one of those books that you should read again. I highlighted the hell out of my copy!<br />
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If you're not familiar with Matt Long's story, here it is in a nutshell: NYC firefighter, Ironman, Boston Marathon qualifier, and one of many siblings in a large Catholic family. During the NYC taxi strike a few years ago, Long was riding his bike to work when he, quite literally, was run over by a bus that had been hired by a company to take its employees to and from work. The extent of his injuries was horrific and he details them quite graphically in the book. So this is the story of his struggles and his rebirth to not only walk again, but to compete in Ironman. <br />
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This story, more than many I've read, epitomizes the heart and soul of an endurance athlete...<br />
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I'll get my final thoughts on Wellington's book up this weekend. In the meantime, get crackin' on this new book. I hope you love it as much as I did...I'll be reading it again along with you. The book is about 266 pages, so like last month, that's a little less than 9 pages a day! <br />
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<b><i>Happy reading....</i></b>Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-77587659402076538142013-04-15T23:55:00.003-04:002013-04-16T00:33:07.391-04:00The Day That Changed The Finish Line Forever...Of all the memories that will remain burned in my mind, two of them will be the first time I finished the Marine Corps Marathon in 2006, and the time I finished Ironman Arizona in 2011. I remember them not only because of the accomplishment they each represented, but because my mom and other loved ones were there to cheer me on and welcome me across the finish line. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and me at the start of the MCM in 2006...I had shirts made with my Grandpa's Marine Corps picture.</td></tr>
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And although I don't remember every finish line I've crossed over the last 15 years, I remember many of them. Each time the finish line represented the culmination of months of training, hours of sacrifice, and buckets of sweat and tears. Each time, no matter how small the race, there were spectators along the course, particularly at the finish. Spectators, some of whom had loved ones in the race, but some of whom were just there to cheer on complete strangers. And every time during a race when I needed a little inspiration, I'd see either a familiar face or a total stranger who was cheering me on. Every time as I approached the finish line, it was the roar of the crowd, their applause, and their cheers, that gave me the extra wind to come across the finish with a little "umph." Each time I crossed the finish line, there stood a stranger or volunteer to hand me a medal, a bottle of water, take off my timing chip, and congratulate me. <br />
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That finish line has now been forever changed...<br />
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Today at the Boston Marathon there were 28,000+ runners. That means there were at least that many spectators, but probably more. Even conservatively estimating that there's one spectator for every runner, that means there were 56,000 people running or watching the Boston Marathon today. That doesn't even include the countless emergency personnel and volunteers who were helping with the race. <br />
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So let's just say there were 60,000 people out in force for the world's premier marathon today. Do you understand how powerful that is? Do you grasp how amazing it is that 60,000 people would be in <i style="font-weight: bold;">one</i> place, celebrating <i style="font-weight: bold;">one</i> goal, all cheering and bringing their positive energy to <i style="font-weight: bold;">one</i> event? <br />
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That's what race events do. They bring people together to support the accomplishment of one goal - the mastery of a particular distance. Races are different from sporting events where there are two teams, where the crowds can become hostile as they compete for the win. Races are even different from other individual sports like tennis or golf, where the spectators are still cheering for a "victor" to beat the other opponent. In those team or other individual events, there's always a slight air of negativity, even when there's a storybook finish. Those events are always slightly tainted with at "let's beat 'em" mentality. <br />
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But you don't really see that in races. Sure, there are the elite athletes who certainly want to "beat" the other elite athletes. But that rivalry is nowhere near as contentious or negative as other sports rivalries. Moreover, even if the crowd is rooting for a particular athlete to win, people still are happy and congratulatory when everyone else comes in after the first place finisher. That doesn't mean races aren't competitive - they most certainly are, especially given that most people who run them are Type A personalities. But, most of the time, the competition is within each person more than it is against another person. That type of internal competition brings out the best - not the worst - in people. <br />
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In addition, triathlon and running races are one of the few events where regular 9-to-5 Joe's and Jane's get to compete on the same course as professionals. That gives us amateur athletes a sense of how unique these events are. You'll never get to play football with Drew Brees during an NFL game. But you can certainly run in the same race as Craig Alexander (albeit a pretty far distance behind him, but still....) Thus, endurance events are head and shoulders above other sporting events because they literally put amateurs and professionals on the same competitive field. <br />
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And like no other sport, the spectators are right in the action. The race sidelines are closer than any football or baseball sideline. The spectators truly can reach out and touch the competitors.<br />
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But more than all of that is the cohesiveness and comradery that permeates a race event. The overwhelming majority of endurance athletes are giving and supportive people. Sure, there are jerks just like in every sport. But during races more than any other time in life, I see random acts of kindness and support. I've seen heart warming gestures as one runner helps another across the finish line, or stops to help another runner who has fallen down or is throwing up along the sidelines. <br />
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All of these things have allowed athletic races to bore a special place in my heart. Nowhere else do I feel such a sense of people united for one goal. Nowhere else do I feel that kind of unsolicited support and affirmation. Nowhere else do I feel such accomplishment as when I cross a finish line...<br />
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Yet now, the acts of a one or a few evil individuals have tainted the magical nature of the finish line forever....<br />
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At this point, we don't know who is responsible for the deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon today. Nor do we know the motivation behind their heinous acts. Whether knowing the "who" and the "why" will make a difference, I don't know. What I do know, is that if ever there were a group of people who can take a tragedy like this and not only bounce back, but bounce back stronger, it's the community of endurance athletes and those who support them...<br />
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Although this tragic memory will forever waft over endurance sports from this day forward, it does not have to quell the spirt of those running and watching the races, including the Boston Marathon. Endurance races are popular and successful for one reason and one reason only: endurance athletes have extraordinary spirits that will not let anything get in the way of their goal. Bombs will not stop the endurance athlete any more than terrorists have stopped Americans from flying. Sure, there will be some people so understandably traumatized by today's events that they may never enter or watch another race again, just like there are people who have never flown again since 9/11. And that's ok. But there will be countless more people who not only continue to enter endurance events, but who may decide for the first time in their lives to reach for the goal of entering an endurance event. <br />
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It saddens me beyond words to know that the memory of this tragedy will creep into my mind and the minds of other athletes every time we cross a finish line in the future. It's the same as every day when I pass the Pentagon on the way to work: the memory of 9/11 creeps in, even if but for a fleeting second. It's inevitable. It changes you forever. But you can either make that change in a positive or negative direction...that's a choice everyone impacted directly or indirectly by this event will have to make. <br />
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I hate that runners and spectators were deprived of their lives, limbs, and sense of security. I hate that an 8-year-old child was killed. I also hate that so many runners and spectators were deprived of the joy that I experienced when I finished my first marathon or Ironman. I hate that any runner who was competing in the marathon for the umpteenth time did not get to experience the magical finish line that they'd experienced so many times before. I hate that the acts of one or a few evil individuals have scarred tens of thousands of people forever. <br />
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But as an endurance athlete, I feel it is my responsibility not to let this keep me from toeing up at any start line ever again. Believe me, within a few minutes of hearing of today's attack, I thought of the Marine Corps Marathon that I'm scheduled to run this October. What if there's an attack during that race in the Nation's Capital? I can't let that stop me, however. I'm an endurance athlete because my soul craves the journey and the destination. I'll be damned if I'll let the threat of evil deprive my soul of what it craves. <br />
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More importantly, I feel that if we let this evil deter us from ever crossing another finish line, we're doing a great disservice to those who were killed or injured today. Those people were there either because their soul craved the same journey, or because they were supporting a loved one on that journey. Either way, we owe it to them to continue that journey and continue to support others on that journey....<br />
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Yes, the finish line has changed forever. But so too has the spirit of endurance athletes and those who support them, which should rage stronger now than ever before...<br />
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<br />Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-82259311671749234842013-04-14T10:19:00.000-04:002013-04-14T10:19:05.921-04:00Reactions to First 130 pages of A Life Without LimitsHopefully those of you who have jumped on board with the LTE book club are enjoying our first book, <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/2013/03/lte-book-club-april-book-announcement-9.html">A Life Without Limits by Chrissie Wellington</a>. By now if you've been reading about 9 pages a day, you should be up to around page 126, so let's just call it 130! <br />
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So here are my reactions so far. What the book has made me think, things I can relate to, etc. All page cites are to the hard copy book: <br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Page 47</u>: "It's all too easy to see a homeless person on the street almost as a non-person. It doesn't really occur to you that they have a life and a family and have often been in so-called 'normal' jobs. But at some point, or points, along the way they have encountered adversity and have been unable to cope. A lot of them were ex-Forces. They had become institutionalized, and had left the system without any support." <br />
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I love that Wellington is always conscious of those in need around her and around the world. For her, these social issues strike a deep chord within her. I can relate to that. How many of you try to talk to the homeless people you see on the way to work or as you're out getting your morning coffee? There are two homeless men that I usually see and talk to on the way to work or when I'm out getting my afternoon cupcake! Both of them sell Street Sense, the homeless newspaper, and both have fascinating stories. One of them, Ivory Wilson, just published a book on Amazon called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Players-World-Manual-Wanna-Pimp/dp/0974483001">A Player's World: Wanna Be a Pimp?</a> It's about his life as a pimp and how it sent him on a downward spiral. His hope is that it will encourage other young men <i style="font-weight: bold;">not</i> to take that same path. His life story is one of despair, drugs, and ultimately, redemption. <br />
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But those two men don't represent a fraction of the homeless people I encounter in this metropolitan area. Yet, many of them, I don't speak or even see. I'm a hypocrite, just like all of you...And yes, you are. Unless you stop and talk to or give money to <i style="font-weight: bold;">every</i> single homeless person or person in need that you see, we're all hypocrites. But that's ok. The flip side of that is that even if you talk to <i style="font-weight: bold;">one</i> person in need or help that <i style="font-weight: bold;">one</i> person in some way, you've made the world a better place. That's all we can ask. <br />
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Also, the next time you see a person in need, remember, as Wellington points out: "Your own problems paled into insignificance." Always keep perspective. <br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Page 52-53</u>: When Wellington first joined the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as a "civil servant," I could relate to her enthusiasm. That's how I felt when I first joined the Government as an environmental attorney. I too, was "bapti[zed] by fire; I was flying by the seat of my pants." It was exhilarating and rewarding. Then, later on she explains: "Something else had been growing inside me in 2003, and that was the sense that my work at [the Department] was not making the difference to the world that I had hoped it might. I was becoming disillusioned with all the bureaucracy and red tape." (page 62). Again, I can relate, and find myself in that exact same position now....<br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Chapter 6 - Nepal</u>: This whole chapter made me want to quit my job and go ride around Nepal! The "sixteen-day bike ride from Lhasa" that she describes (pg 74) is the exact type of endurance activity that I think calls to so many of us. It's brutal, physically and mentally demoralizing, yet so unconscionably rewarding. This chapter shows how Wellington truly started to find herself. What it leaves me struggling with, however, is how can those of us who can't afford to take off and bike around Nepal, start to find ourselves? I posed the same question to myself when I recently watched the movie The Way, with Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez. It's about hiking the El Caminio (the way) through Spain. Thousands of people do it every year and it takes at least a month (depending on your pace and how long you stay in towns along the way). People do it because they're in search of that elusive "something." My heart longs to buy a plane ticket, pack a bag, and set off to walk the El Camino on my own. But again, responsibilities here preclude that. So what can we do instead? I have yet to figure that out...<br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Page 93</u>: Wellington talks about her diagnosed "weakness in [her] core, [her] glutes and hamstrings[.]" You're preaching to the choir sister! I have the same issue and it's something I need to be much more diligent about working on. This is also one of the other reasons I find Wellington so relatable. Not only is she so open about her eating disorder, but she's honest about the fact that her body needed work to get to the level she wanted. All athletes think that. All athletes think their core is weak. But Wellington's weaknesses were much more similar to what most of us women face. Even more than that, however, is the fact that she turned all of her weaknesses into strengths. She wasn't resigned to having a weak core, and neither are we! <br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Page 101</u>: Wellington talks about the swimming weaknesses that Brett Sutton pointed out. Again, preachin' to the choir! It almost made me want to go out and hire Sutton and break out my paddles and pull buoy! Again, she shows her weaknesses...and then in the end, shows how they became a strength.<br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Page 123</u>: I love the email that Wellington quotes from Sutton. My favorite part: "I hope you are receiving the point i am making here. it's time you forgot about, 'woe is me, all these coincidences,' and got some self-discipiine in your head. the training you got a handle on, the walking around in nerd lad you have not. you get over that the same was as improving an athletic weakness. BY KNOWING AND BY TRAINING IT OUT. life is nothing but a habit. get to work." <br />
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One of the other important ways in which I relate to Wellington is her "nerdiness" - her own self-proclamation as a "muppet." I too am clumsy. I too get wrapped up in all the details. I too flail around like a muppet. <br />
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I bust may ass with training, but what do I do to mentally train my mind and my spirit? Mental focus is such an integral, yet often looked-over, part of training. Not only does having a strong mind and spirit keep you going, but it keeps you upright. If you're not in the moment and totally focused on what you're doing, you'll likely end up on your ass. It's so easy when you're out on a long run to just zone out, letting your mind wander. Maybe you're thinking about the problems in your life, maybe it's happy memories, maybe it's what you'll make for dinner. Whatever "it" is, it's depriving you of the moment. It's also making you more susceptible to stepping on a rock and twisting your ankle. Or getting hit by a car. This is where road running, I think, is a disadvantage over trail running. It's so easy to zone out when you're running on the road. You do that running on the trail and you'll be on your ass in a flash. Running on the trail forces you to focus on every step, every rock, every tree root...every moment. When you get to the point where your mind can be that focused, you're actually free. You hit a meditative state where you are completely within yourself and your surroundings. Not anywhere else. <br />
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It's possible to reach that meditative state off the trail too, and not just running on the road, but in every day life. Do I work on that though? Nope. Instead, I (like Wellington) seem to focus on what's happening <i style="font-weight: bold;">to me</i>. I focus on all the obstacles that have fallen in front of me and think "woe is me." If you come across a fallen tree on a trail run, do you think "that tree fell just to be in my way!" No, you think "well, let's just go around or over it." <br />
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After being reactive for so long, my mind has just developed that habit. But, like any muscle, I can retrain it to do something different. To not look at something that is being acted upon, but as the object that is doing the acting. To be proactive instead of reactive. To take control. To be in the moment. To really see myself in my surroundings. Only then will my mind be as strong as my body...<br />
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I hope you're enjoying the book...<br />
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<b><i>What are your reactions so far? </i></b><br />
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<br />Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-56512590137089172862013-03-23T11:34:00.000-04:002013-03-23T11:34:18.230-04:00LTE Book Club: April Book Announcement (9 pages a day)Hey LTE'ers! I'm very excited to announce the launch of the LTE Book Club! In response to <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/2013/03/takers-for-lte-book-club.html">my last post</a>, several of you said you'd be interested in a virtual book club. No, we're not going to meet at anyone's house to discuss the book; but, I would like to have some online chats...but more on that in a minute. <br />
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Let's get right to the good stuff! The first book for the LTE Book Club starting April 1, 2013, will be A Life Without Limits, by Chrissie Wellington. <br />
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So why did I pick this for the first book? Well, first of all, if you don't know who Chrissie Wellington is, she's a 4-time Ironman World Champion and has <i style="font-weight: bold;">never</i> lost an Ironman race. But that's not why I love her. I love her because if ever there was a "regular Jane," she's it. Like many triathletes (pro and amateur) she came from humble beginnings and just worked her ass off. She's relatable, and we all need role models to whom we can relate.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with Chrissie Wellington at her book signing last year...</td></tr>
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Second, she's struggled all her life with body image issues, including bulimia. For many women (and some men) reading her story about how she's learned to deal with those issues can be very powerful. <br />
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Finally, she teaches us that life is about more that just <i><b>one</b></i> thing. Before she became a professional triathlete, she was working for the British government in environmental issues/international development (something to which I can definitely relate). Through her travels and her work, she fed her passion for international development and continues to pursue that passion through charitable work today. Triathlons gave her a platform to raise awareness about some of these issues. Triathlons also gave her a doorway into a healthy lifestyle where she takes care of her body and appreciates what it can do for her. And then, after she accomplished all that she wanted, she stepped away from triathlons after her last championship in 2011 to go back to pursuing some of her other passions. She teaches us that life has many chapters, each one building on the next. It's a good reminder about how you can't get too hung up on any single one of them. <br />
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So I've picked this for the first book because it may inspire the regular Jane's and Joe's out there to accomplish more than they can imagine; it may teach women to overcome their body image issues; and it may help us all realize that life is about being well-balanced. <br />
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One little FYI: the foreward in the book is by Lance Armstrong, which obviously Chrissie had him write before he confessed about his years of doping. In recent public statements, Chrissie understandably has been very outraged about Lance's actions and has even said that she regrets having him write the foreward. So, whatever your feelings are about Lance, don't let the foreward deter you from her book. <br />
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The hard copy of the book is 274 pages and I'm sure you can download it for Kindle, iPad, etc. There are 30 days in April, so you'd only need to read <i style="font-weight: bold;">nine</i> - 9 - pages a day in the hard copy to finish it!! Now anyone can do that!<br />
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I'd love for people to post their thoughts on the book as you're reading; however, I don't want anyone to ruin the book for someone who may not be as far along. So try to (a) keep up with the reading and (b) remember that if you're reading pretty quickly, you want to be careful not to spoil the book for anyone else. <br />
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So please post your favorite quotes; inspirations, etc. as you're reading so we can generate a dialogue. You can also post questions for other LTE readers, like "What do you think about Chrissie's first coach, Brett Sutton?" <br />
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You can post your reactions, thoughts, quotes, questions, etc. on the blog here, on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LifeThroughEndurance">the Life Through Endurance Facebook page</a>, or Tweet them to me @LifeThruEndure. <br />
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<b><i>Happy reading! </i></b>Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-3282609573862350562013-03-11T21:16:00.000-04:002013-03-11T21:16:12.950-04:00Takers for an LTE Book Club? I've been pretty MIA from the blog world lately, but hopefully soon I'll get on a more regular schedule. So in an effort to help me do that and also watch less t.v., broaden my horizons, be inspired, and read more books, I've been thinking of starting an LTE Book Club...<br />
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Now, I know I'm no Oprah and I may get exactly less than 2 people who'd be interested. The idea is not to put a burden on anyone to read a certain number of pages or even to have any discussions if you don't want; rather, the idea is to get others out there to read some great stories from real life Joes and Janes who've used endurance sports as a way to better their lives. And actually, even if other folks aren't interested, I'm going to do this on my own and post my "book reviews" and reactions as I'm going along...It'll be a good motivational tool for me!<br />
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When I started thinking about it, there are a fair amount of endurance-related books out there: The Longest Race; The Long Run; A Life Without Limits; Unbroken. All of which I've either read or am currently reading. So there would be more than enough to fill up the rest of the year. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOyIW9fDV9mneV9Kx-ui9RQJJV31wXGS1rZ3xwNiOQz_i_a2i6Cqb8-qpmwMVIoy4bMC9MLNHliIAlAyelN_1gaRwWQ_8XHNqq_E7uZy2hVa74FOuLVBexXD0BimrsTlOZM90T7Y_MCg/s1600/The+Longest+Race.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOyIW9fDV9mneV9Kx-ui9RQJJV31wXGS1rZ3xwNiOQz_i_a2i6Cqb8-qpmwMVIoy4bMC9MLNHliIAlAyelN_1gaRwWQ_8XHNqq_E7uZy2hVa74FOuLVBexXD0BimrsTlOZM90T7Y_MCg/s320/The+Longest+Race.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is definitely going to be on the list....</td></tr>
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I'm thinking one book a month starting April 1, 2013. I'll post what book I'm reading in advance of the first of the month, and will occasionally post my thoughts, favorites quotes and lessons, etc., from the book. If you want to join me to share your thoughts, reactions, etc., that'd be great! I'd love to hear how some of these books could impact your lives. And of course, there's no obligation to read a particular book...It's a totally voluntary and virtual book club thanks to this crazy little thing called the internet. <br />
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<b><i>If you're interested, leave me a comment....I'll let you know in a couple weeks what the first book will be.</i></b>Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-89775969210658391792013-02-03T10:24:00.000-05:002013-02-03T10:24:38.609-05:00Make Out Like Bandit...Be Relentless<div style="text-align: left;">
I recently posted a YouTube video showing <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/2013/01/the-true-spirit-of-sportsmanship_24.html">The True Spirit of Sportsmanship</a>. I now want to share another video that should not only make you smile from ear-to-ear, but also inspire you to be relentless...</div>
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Before I get into the video, I want to provide an explanation, so bear with me. If you're not someone who's particularly concerned about animal issues, then you can skip these disclaimers and go straight to the video below. This video was shared by a group with which I'm involved - the <a href="http://www.awla.org/volunteer/pit-crew/">Pit Crew of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.</a> And no we're not an Indy 500 group...the "Pit" in "Pit Crew" means "Pitbull" and, technically, all "bully" breeds. The goal of the Pit Crew is to spread awareness about pitbulls, hold training sessions and walks, and attend events. It's a fabulous volunteer group, along with the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (where I volunteer as a dog walker). </div>
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The video below was created by a group called <a href="http://www.peaceloveandpitbulls.org/">Peace, Love, and Pitbulls</a>, and has been circulating among a lot of pitbull groups and Facebook pages. For the most part, it's received wonderful responses. There have been a few people, however, who concerned or dismayed by the video. The video shows a pitbull puppy - Bandit - who is trying desperately to get on the treadmill that another adult pitbull is using. </div>
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For those of you who don't know the pitbull breed, treadmills are sometimes used to give pitbulls (and other dogs for that matter) additional exercise. Unfortunately, some people improperly train pitbulls for fighting using treadmills and other equipment that pushes the pitbulls too hard; but, some people and trainers use treadmills more properly to help exercise them. Whether that's an advisable technique or not is probably up for debate among dog trainers. I'm not here to get into that debate. </div>
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A few negative comments I've seen have said that the adult dog on the treadmill seems to be panting. Well, yes, dogs (and people) tend to pant when they're working out. That doesn't mean the dog is suffering (any more than I was suffering on my run last nite in 17 degree temps!). Another comment said that it's not safe to have the dog leashed to the treadmill and that the human should have used a special treadmill for dogs that stops once the dog stops walking. Although I agree that having the dog leashed to the treadmill is dangerous, it seems that this human did that to allow the one dog to stay on the treadmill while the other three or four dogs were in the room. Plus, the treadmill was moving at a very slow, safe pace, and the human was there the whole time (at least during the video). Judging from the Peace, Love, and Pitbulls website, this is not a person who would just leave his pitbull tied to the treadmill and leave him there for hours. </div>
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Also, one comment said that the treadmill was not safe for the puppy because the puppy was putting his paw under the end of the treadmill where it runs underneath. Again, although I agree that can be dangerous, this person knows his dogs, knows his treadmill, had the treadmill operating at a safe pace, and was standing there the whole time. </div>
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Finally, one comment chastised the person for being lazy and not walking the dogs himself. As the description for the video reads, the puppy had not had all of his shots yet and therefore all the dogs were quarantined to the house for the time being. As people who work with dogs know, puppies are very vulnerable to viruses and diseases their first few months until they can get all their shots. So they typically are kept away from adult dogs when they are in shelters and not allowed outside until at least three months old. The biggest threat to them is the parvo virus, which is extremely contagious and spread very easily - such as by another dog tracking in the virus from outside. So, this person was not being lazy - he was rightfully being cautious to protect against the adult dogs from bringing the parvo virus into the house to be spread to the puppy....</div>
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I felt that as a pitbull lover, general dog lover, and all creatures-great-and-small lover, I had to provide those explanations before sharing the video. I have to stop and wonder whether the people who left all those "concerned comments" about the safety and welfare of the puppy have ever watched how their beef and chicken is slaughtered. If you're concerned about one living creature, how can you not be concerned about another...but I digress...</div>
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So now, onto the video and my explanation below as to why this is related to endurance sports: </div>
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You have to admit that you're now smiling from ear-to-ear, right? I've watched this video nearly every day (and sometimes more than once a day) for the past several days. What do we, as endurance athletes, have in common with Bandit? </div>
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Well, for one, some of us (e.g., this writer) are a little rolly-polly and have lots of wrinkles!! But seriously, doesn't Bandit embody the spirit, determination, and confidence that we all want? </div>
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No one ever told this little puppy that he wouldn't be able to walk on the treadmill. And even when he kept falling off, he refused to believe that he couldn't do it. He was relentless....</div>
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Like most of us, Bandit saw a role model in the adult dog. He saw another bigger, stronger dog, doing what he wanted to do. We are no different when we look to professional athletes and think to ourselves "I want to do that." They inspire us to try it ourselves...</div>
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Also like some of us, Bandit jumped right in - without much planning! When some of us set our eyes on a goal, we often forget that it takes time and baby steps to get to that goal. Sweet little Bandit would have been better served to wait for his own time at the treadmill and let the person help him a little bit at a much slower speed...But Bandit didn't care about baby steps...He wanted to run with the big dogs! </div>
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And unlike most of us, Bandit was not afraid to look silly! It seems that we often are too wrapped up in what we look like - how's my triathlon kit look? What kind of bike do I have? Do I look cool on the run? Did anyone see me fall down? Who cares about all that! Bandit certainly didn't care how many times his cute little butt went sailing off the treadmill...He climbed back on every single time. </div>
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Bandit also needed the help of a coach and a little encouragement. I look at the white pitbull in the video as the coach. I could see him saying, as he nudged Bandit's butt back on treadmill, "Get back up there son, you can do it!" I think we all need a coach, a buddy, someone to nudge our butts once in awhile. </div>
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Bandit also wasn't afraid to ask for a little help. After so many attempts, he finally stood at the edge of the treadmill, trying to get the bigger dog's attention. It was as if he was saying, "Um, excuse me sir, but could you please slow it down a little for me? Or maybe show me how you're doing that?" He even raised up his paw once - in determination - to get the other dog's attention: "Hey, yo, down here - a little help please!" But even when that didn't work, Bandit was relentless...</div>
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He went to the back of the treadmill, hopped on, and ran a few steps. I could almost hear what was going through little Bandit's mind as he took those five or six steps on the treadmill: "Holy shit, I'm doing it, I'm really...aw crap..." Then off the back he goes...Yet he gets back on again. Remember how great it feels when everything clicks? When you get that perfect "catch" in the water, or that perfect form on the run? Sometimes the perfection doesn't last long, but it's enough to inspire you to keep trying for it again and again....</div>
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And finally, as Martin Luther King said: "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward." When little Bandit was probably too tired to keep trying to walk on the treadmill, he didn't go curl up in a corner....No, he took one paw and let it move back and forth across the treadmill. This cracked me up! It was almost as if he was saying "I could do it if I wanted to, but I just don't want to right now. So I'm just gonna chill out with one paw for a bit." Instead of giving up, he did what he was capable of doing until he can get stronger - giving it the ol' one-paw. </div>
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I think there's so much we can learn from Bandit, and from young ones in general. In the beginning we believe we can do everything because we've never learned or been told otherwise. Then somewhere along the way, we fall and we're laughed at, or we're told that we could never accomplish X,Y,Z, or we compare ourselves to others and think we've failed. Very young children who've never experienced those negative things, will never know anything but confidence and success, just like Bandit. You certainly didn't see Bandit losing his confidence. In fact, he seemed to learn from his experience, realize he needed to change his plan of attack, be creative, ask for help, and continue to be relentless....</div>
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Next time you're falling down, going slower than you want, or comparing yourself to the big dogs, think of Bandit. Be comfortable with where you are right now. Be creative. Be willing to ask for help. But most of all, be relentless...</div>
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<b><i>What did you think of Bandit? </i></b> </div>
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Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-36728923931411340112013-02-02T09:36:00.005-05:002013-02-02T09:36:49.092-05:00Checking in on the 30-Day ChallengesHey there LTE'rs...Just wanted to check in on those of you doing the 30-day challenge! It's winding down in the next couple days, so I hope you've stuck to it! <br />
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I'll be honest...I wasn't able to accomplish my two challenges: yoga every day and getting to bed at the same time (10:00). <i style="font-weight: bold;">But, </i>while I haven't been perfect, I've been <i style="font-weight: bold;">so</i> much better than I was before. Just having those two goals, and yet giving myself the freedom to fall off the wagon if I have an off-day, has kept me more regimented and able to achieve them more often. As a result, I'm getting much more sleep and I'm doing a lot more yoga!!<br />
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I can't wait to hear about how your challenges are going...Don't forget to email by 5:00 p.m. EST on Thursday February 7th to let me know how the challenge went. <br />
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<b><i>How's your challenge going? </i></b>Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-21352902826160961812013-01-24T08:35:00.001-05:002013-01-24T08:36:08.649-05:00The True Spirit of Sportsmanship...<br />
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Have you ever wanted to win so badly that you thought you'd do <i style="font-weight: bold;">anything</i>? Well, define "anything." Would you dope if you knew you wouldn't get caught? Would you sacrifice family time? Would you let someone else win?</div>
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There's a great video circulating around of Spanish runner, Ivan Fernandez Anaya, who was in second place coming into the finish of a cross country run behind the leader, Abel Mutai. Mutai mistakenly thought he'd already crossed the finish line, so he slowed down. What did Anaya do? More importantly, what would you have done?</div>
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Well, watch the video to see...</div>
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<b><i>Would you do what Anaya did? </i></b>Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-59691370903182343432013-01-22T19:08:00.003-05:002013-01-23T12:13:31.944-05:00It's Definitely Not About The Bike...For Me It's About Lies, Cheating, Double Standards And Yes, ForgivenessFor those of us who watch professional sports and engage in amateur sports, we develop our own secret, yet deeply personal relationships with the athletes we admire. For the most part, we never get to meet these athletes, let alone develop any real-life relationship with them; yet, these athletes inspire us, bring out the best in us, make us smile, make us cry, and sometimes, break our hearts. In that respect, Lance Armstrong is like any other professional athlete...<br />
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In another respect, Armstrong also is like other athletes who have cheated and/or lied about behavior that directly impacted their sport. Growing up I was a huge Pete Rose fan. I remember watching "Charlie Hustle" with my mom and talking about how he gave every at-bat, every run around the bases, every catch, his absolute "all." I played first base in softball so I could be like Pete Rose. He epitomized the heart, the grit, the passion, the pure joy, of baseball. So when he was banned for life from baseball for gambling on games, I was heartbroken... <br />
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In the summer of 1998, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa re-ignited the country's passion for baseball. I remember being mesmerized by every at-bat for those two that summer, completely caught up in who was going to break Roger Maris' homerun record. Those two athletes made this country fall in love again with baseball. And I remember sitting in my apartment, with tears of joy streaming down my face, when McGwire hit the record-breaking homer and Sosa ran out on the field to congratulate him. Then, sometime later, as the story unfolded that these two likely took steroids during this historical homerun chase (as well as before that), I felt my heart breaking again... </div>
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And now, once again, my heart has been broken by an athlete with whom I'd developed my own "relationship" - my own admiration, inspiration, and personal connection. Lance Armstrong was the first athlete who got me interested in the Tour de France and cycling. I'd read his book - It's Not About the Bike - and was captivated. As a cancer survivor myself (thyroid cancer in 1996), I and virtually every cancer survivor in the world latched onto Lance's story. He gave people more than hope...he gave them faith as only someone who has stared death in the face can give. Faith that you can beat terrible diseases and come back to fight your way to the top. Faith that a death sentence doesn't always come to fruition. He carved out a place in my heart with his amazing story of cancer, marriage, children, and victory. </div>
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So in 1997 when Armstrong launched Livestrong, I was fully on-board. Shortly thereafter, my Grandpa was battling lung cancer. So I immediately bought 200 Livestrong bands. I kept several for myself and gave the rest to my mom and Grandpa to distribute to the staff and patients at the cancer center. It was like I'd given them winning lottery tickets. The faith that this little yellow band (unfortunately made in China) gave them, was priceless. In nearly 16 years, I've only taken my Livestrong band off less than a handful of times. I look at it to remind me of what I, my Grandpa, and other loved ones battled and overcame... </div>
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In the summer of 2005, Lance once again reinvigorated my faith in life...particularly, my faith in a healthy life that includes endurance sports. That July, while the Tour de France was in progress, I'd flown home to Nebraska to help with a surprise party we were throwing for my Grandpa's 80th birthday. My brother and I went to his assisted living apartment the morning of the party to find my Grandpa lying on the floor, groaning in pain. He'd fallen in the middle of the night and been there for hours. After several days in the hospital, it seemed like his condition could persist for awhile, so we made the decision for me to go ahead and fly back to D.C. While I was back home, I remember watching Armstrong win his 7th Tour de France....again, with tears streaming down my face. I remember feeling so immeasurably certain in my ability to conquer anything based on what Lance had accomplished. One day later - on July 25th - my Grandpa passed away....wearing his Livestrong band. </div>
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And now....well now, my heart is once again breaking...</div>
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I defended Armstrong <i style="font-weight: bold;">without any</i> hesitation or doubt during all of these years that he's been accused of "doping." </div>
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I believed him every time that he said that having cancer made him never want to put anything bad in his body. I too want nothing but good things put into my body because if there's one thing that cancer makes you realize, it's that you don't ever want <i style="font-weight: bold;">anything</i> harmful in your body <i><b>ever</b></i> again. </div>
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I believed in the <i style="font-weight: bold;">fact</i> that he was the most tested athlete <i style="font-weight: bold;">ever</i> and <i style="font-weight: bold;">never</i> tested positive for any illegal doping. </div>
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In many ways, I put the same faith in him that I put in people with whom I have actual, personal relationships...</div>
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And as with some of my personal relationships, that faith was tested, shit on, and ripped to shreds like a bad bridesmaid's dress....</div>
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Yet, like every relationship where I've been on the receiving end of a truckload of lies, I still manage to find the silver lining(s) and the lesson(s) to be learned. And I can honestly say that if I've forgiven people who have personally lied to me, stolen from me, or screwed me over, then I can certainly forgive Lance....<br />
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Armstrong's recent interview with Oprah certainly has people divided. But what I find ironic is the failure in most blogs, newspaper articles, and media reports, to mention the comparison to other athletes who have lied, cheated, and, in some instances, gone much further than bullying. The double standard that exists in professional sports disgusts me, yet no one else seems to notice...More importantly, the double standard we Americans perpetuate with professional athletes and superstars, is even more disgusting...So this is where it seems to be that Armstrong is <i style="font-weight: bold;">not</i> like other professional athletes - or at least not being treated like other athletes (except for maybe Pete Rose, who also has a lifetime ban). <br />
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In January 2010 - nearly 12 years after the historic homerun chase - Mark McGwire <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4816607">admitted that he used steroids</a> during 1998. Like Armstrong, he cheated to accomplish his record-setting career and then lied about it for over a decade. Yet, where is McGwire now? An MLB hitting coach. Armstrong, by contrast, faces a lifetime ban from USADA-sanctioned sports. Now some may say that McGwire didn't "bully" anyone (as Armstrong described some of his own action) and didn't sue anyone who was actually telling the truth (like Armstrong admits he did). Does that really matter when what's really at issue is the "crime against the sport?" The USADA and other professional sports organizations don't (to my knowledge) possess the power to ban people for being bullies and initiating bad lawsuits; they do possess the power, however, to ban people for crimes against the sport, like doping and gambling. <br />
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Professional sports organizations also possess the power to ban or suspend people for illegal activity, e.g., DUI's, assaults, illegal drugs, and murder. Yet, rarely, if ever, are such athletes banned for life from their sport. Case in point, Michael Vick. I don't truly <i style="font-weight: bold;">hate</i> anyone, but Vick comes as close as you can get with me. Let's be clear: Vick gave his permission for the brutal, inhumane killing of 6-8 fighting dogs who "underperformed," and later admitted to personally <a href="http://aldf.org/article.php?id=928">killing 2 dogs</a>, one of which he hung by a rope and dropped over an edge. And that's not to mention the whole illegal dog fighting gambling ring that he pled to. Now let's compare to Armstrong...<br />
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Armstrong did not <i style="font-weight: bold;">physically </i>harm anyone or any living creature. I don't care if someone felt bullied or pressured into blood doping, they're big boys and have to make their own choices. Also, while Armstrong was a self-admitted jerk and inflicted a lot of mental and financial pain and suffering on people around him, that's all a far cry from Vick's actions of actual physical harm. Yet three years after the NFL "indefinitely suspended" Vick, this convicted <i style="font-weight: bold;">criminal</i> was allowed to return to football glory. On top of that, he has endorsements from such big sponsors as Nike. Conversely, Armstrong (who it does not appear at this time will face criminal charges) faces a lifetime ban from cycling, triathlons, and running events. Moreover, before Armstrong confessed, Nike dropped him like a bad habit. How Nike can endorse someone like Vick while dropping someone like Armstrong is beyond me. I will never buy anything from Nike again... <br />
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The notion that Vick "did his time" so he should be allowed to return to the NFL is irrelevant in my mind. The time he did was to repay society in general for the crime he committed, which is what every convicted criminal must do. That has nothing to do with damage he did to the NFL, his team, and his fans. And this is where the double standard between athletes and us regular Joes really bothers me... <br />
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People claim that Vick should be allowed to return to the NFL, despite his abhorrent crimes, because that's all he knows how to do - play football. Well, all Armstrong knows how to do is compete in cycling and triathlons. So shouldn't the same consideration be given to Armstrong as was given to Vick? More importantly, most "regular" people with 40-hour/week careers would not be afforded the same consideration. I can tell you that being an attorney is all I know how to do, and I invested a lot more in my actual career from a financial perspective than Vick did. I didn't have full-ride scholarship (but Vick did) and I have a huge student loan debt (which Vick did not). If I get convicted of a crime or even commit an ethical (although not illegal) violation, I likely would be banned <i style="font-weight: bold;">for life</i> from the <i><b>one</b></i> thing that I know how to do: practice law. Why is the same standard not applicable to professional athletes? I know that all professional sports are governed by different bodies, but it seems there should be one standard for all. If you're going to allow Vick back into the NFL after the crimes he committed, then why shouldn't Armstrong be allowed back into professional cycling and triathlon? If you're going to allow McGwire to become a coach after his admitted steroid use, then why now allow Armstrong back in?<br />
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If that's not enough, then look at one more example. Bill Clinton. Do I need to remind people of the phrase "I did not have sexual relations with that woman..."? The President of the United States - a position obviously more powerful than that of a professional cyclist - <i style="font-weight: bold;">lied</i> to the world. Cheated on his wife. Abused his public office. Yet was he impeached, banned from politics, financially ruined, or even knocked off the public stage? No. If anything, Slick Willy is more popular and more financially well-off now than ever. Why is Armstrong held to a more penalizing standard than the President of the United States? <br />
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So, in that respect, Armstrong certainly has not been treated like other athletes, or for that matter, like other non-athletes....<br />
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Unlike any of these other athletes I've mentioned, the American public seems so much more offended by Armstrong's lies. I've read several articles or blogs where the writers said they felt like "chumps" because Armstrong lied to their faces all these years. Really? Who among us has not been lied to? If the mere fact that someone lies to us makes us a chump, then maybe we all need to form a Chumps Anonymous support group. If these writers think that Armstrong's lies somehow harmed their reputation as writers, I find that hard to believe. Most of the country believed Armstrong's lies, and when you act, in good faith, on something that someone has told you, I don't think you have any personal fault. Plus, I have yet to see or hear of anyone suffering in their reputation because they believed Armstrong's lies. If you want to feel like a chump, why don't you try dating someone who told you he was divorced, "borrowed" $6,000 from you, turned out <i style="font-weight: bold;">not</i> to be divorced and, then, just vanished. That happened to me and, yes, I was a chump because I didn't do my due diligence. I just took his word for it. But all of these writers, who did their due diligence and found the same evidence and information that we all did, do not in my view qualify as chumps just because they were the brunt of a very convincing, well-planned lie. Further, if Armstrong's own son, Luke - who vehemently defended his father - didn't feel like a chump, then how can you? <br />
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The people who deserve the most to be offended and hurt are those whom Armstrong "bullied," those whom he wrongfully sued, and those whom he slandered. Those people were directly and personally impacted by Armstrong's actions. The most that the rest of us - the mere admirers who put Armstrong and other athletes up on a pedestal - are entitled to is disillusionment and disappointment. <br />
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If you're pissed off at Armstrong, you're wasting your energy. Like most people with whom we are angry, they usually never know or care. And even if they do know or care, the person investing the most negative energy on the anger is you. <br />
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If you'll never again be a fan of Armstrong, then that's your choice. If you say you will never forgive him, then I ask you: how many of your friends or family have lied to you? How many times have you forgiven them? And, more importantly, how many times have you lied, or even cheated? Whether you were caught or not, don't you hope to be forgiven by those you've wronged? More importantly, did Armstrong ever inspire you to be more than you thought you could be, or to fight cancer, or to start an endurance sport? If so, and yet you're so quick now to abandon your support of him, maybe you should consider whether you were a real fan to begin with...<br />
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Armstrong was dead-on when he wrote and said "It's Not About The Bike." It never was. The bike was a means to an end....the means to a career, financial security, popularity, and health. But as Armstrong recognized back then and now in his Oprah interview, there are so many more important things, like fighting cancer. For yet another comparison, I'll throw this out there: how many of the other athletes I mentioned initiated a movement that inspired and helped so many people? At the end of the day, if there's <i style="font-weight: bold;">one</i> good thing to come of all of this, it's the existence of the fact that Armstrong established one of the most powerful organizations out there today: Livestrong. <br />
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I've seen people bash Livestrong because it doesn't fund cancer research. That's not the mission of the organization. The <a href="http://www.livestrong.org/What-We-Do/Our-Approach">mission of Livestrong </a>is to: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
"empower the cancer community to address the unmet needs of cancer survivors. To do so, we encourage collaboration, knowledge-sharing and partnership. Then, we develop evidence-based solutions to address both the common and unique problems survivors are facing around the world."</blockquote>
Livestrong has helped provide resources, counseling, and advice to millions of cancer survivors and their families, myself included. It fills a need for information and support that previously did not exist. Ironically, if Armstrong hadn't won a single Tour de France (let alone seven) after beating his cancer, it's questionable whether Livestrong would have been formed. I don't think that justifies his doping by any means...I simply point it out in an effort to take something positive out of this entire mess. And while Livestrong certainly got it's start because of its association with Armstrong, it just as certainly has thrived on its own and can continue to thrive without him. <br />
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Some people have urged Livestrong to change its name to get away from the "strong" part of the name - an obvious association with ArmSTRONG. Although Armstrong's name was the inspiration for Livestrong, it doesn't embody the current meaning of Livestrong - at least not for me. To me it means survivor, strength, and faith. And for that reason, I will continue to wear my Livestrong band....<br />
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So I ask - will you forgive Armstrong? To be sure, the man has <i style="font-weight: bold;">a lot</i> of work to do, amends to make with those he wronged, and personal growth to achieve. I truly hope for the sake of him and his family, that he can do all of that. Why would I forgive him for cheating, lying, and all his other jerk-ish actions? Because I would want the same. Because we imperfect humans are supposed to forgive. As much as it pains me, I have to forgive Vick for his heinous crimes; but, I don't have to like him or be a fan. You certainly have the same prerogative when it comes to Armstrong. But at the end of the day, it's not about the lies, the cheating, the double standards or even the bike...It's about forgiveness...<br />
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Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-30298776249439617462013-01-14T13:30:00.002-05:002013-01-14T13:45:35.806-05:00Exercises for Weak Ankles and a Reminder About Improving Your ProprioceptionIt was bound to happen. I've enjoyed several successful trail runs lately without twisting, spraining, bruising, or breaking anything, so it was inevitable that my luck would run out. This past Saturday I went for a run on the Potomac Heritage Trail with a friend of mine. It was a gorgeous day and we hadn't been out on the trail for awhile.<br />
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Then, at mile 5.6, with a little less than a mile to go, it happened...the dreaded slip off the side of a tree root and the familiar crunching sounds in tendons and muscles as my left ankle rolled to the outside. Down in a squat position I went, screaming "F*#K, F*#K, F*#K!!" Deers, squirrels, and beavers stood up in fear....<br />
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I think I have probably the weakest ankles of anyone on Earth...seriously. It's been a problem for years as I've sprained my ankles on countless runs doing something so minor as stepping in between the pavement and grass. Yet, do I do anything about it? Of course not...that'd be too easy. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXnn6k4mdeqSooXLZFVhQH3FTUGUgyAMbgCn281DKtHZVmCein77HvK7DkhXgyZ7QvGvEc361u8PUWWixc2EVIE5nyNZlYW8rgfmSZy057ckqGajjNSYl71ZCGksSazaaNjpFyGFe2gAc/s1600/Ankle+left+sprained.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXnn6k4mdeqSooXLZFVhQH3FTUGUgyAMbgCn281DKtHZVmCein77HvK7DkhXgyZ7QvGvEc361u8PUWWixc2EVIE5nyNZlYW8rgfmSZy057ckqGajjNSYl71ZCGksSazaaNjpFyGFe2gAc/s320/Ankle+left+sprained.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two days later...Not too bad and just some mild bruising, but still fairly swollen...</td></tr>
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This certainly is not the worst sprain I've ever had and now, 2 days later, I'm walking more normally. But have I been good about keeping it iced and staying off of it...Of course not. And the other kicker is that I think I messed up my left calf a little bit too when I rolled the ankle because it's bothering me... And yes, this is the same calf that was eff-d up in the <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/2011/12/recovery-hop-skip-and-injury.html">Calf Injury of 2011</a>. My acupuncturist Mr. Miaggi will not be happy with me...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvSZtVaojISQrGNq-6p31zJUPRyV8FX9EGTvwFg_gxM5tzLs3q_IYCFu20EPU8_CalsN0vdu46ve3-LnjG1w1n_55AHyyvMTPcBx2uTplA0G5DDRC-opcp3cYEluQRHHRCoQSaFeBv34/s1600/Ankle+sprained+comparison.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvSZtVaojISQrGNq-6p31zJUPRyV8FX9EGTvwFg_gxM5tzLs3q_IYCFu20EPU8_CalsN0vdu46ve3-LnjG1w1n_55AHyyvMTPcBx2uTplA0G5DDRC-opcp3cYEluQRHHRCoQSaFeBv34/s320/Ankle+sprained+comparison.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Umm, the left one is supposed to look just as boney as the right one, so apparently there's still some swelling...</td></tr>
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So do you think I'll finally pull my head outta me arse and start doing some ankle strengthening? You'd think I'd wise up, especially if I want to make trail running part of my regular training and racing...<br />
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Here are my recommendations (for you and for me) for ankle strengthening exercises, which include exercises for improving your proprioception - your body's ability to know its place in space. If you have good proprioception and balance, you're less likely to sprain your ankle, trip, etc., because you'll be better able to sense the danger below your feet.<br />
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1. <u style="font-weight: bold;">One-leg balance</u>: Stand on one leg for 30 seconds, then switch legs. Work up to 1 minute on each leg. Focus on one spot to help you balance. If you get really good at this, try to close your eyes.<br />
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2. <u style="font-weight: bold;">One-leg squat</u>: Stand on your right leg, hold your left leg up at a 90-degree angle, and do a half-squat. Make sure your right knee doesn't go over your toe. Start with 1 set of 10 on each leg and work your way up.<br />
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3. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Inversion with exercise band</u>: Sit on a couch or chair so your leg is hanging off and not touching the ground. Place an exercise band around the top part of your foot, under your toes, and hold the ends taught so you get resistance in the bands. Move your foot toward the inside (to about 10:00 for your right leg, or 2:00 for your left leg). Curl your toes toward the end to work the muscles in your foot. Move your foot back to the starting position. Do this slowly, 10 times on each foot and start with 2 reps. Note, make sure to isolate your foot and don't move your leg. Also, your foot shouldn't move like a windshield wiper; it's going to curve down and in a bit. You may also want to position the band to the opposite direction of where your foot is pulling so you get a bit more resistance.<br />
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4. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Eversion with exercise band</u>: Wrap the band around the top of your foot as described above and this time, move your foot to the outside. Do 2 sets of 10 reps on each leg.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMVUAyrdork0Fo1aRA0aDA0lolvrjhEuRgVzbP1Chyqpsj35wNaz8TuPTtL7qyvlDSXst7o8obG-eWLVOi7dFzFG70LT_ocm2VCNdqUM8vLc3hqsOZGBzYjUjHvV1xEB-VLfVv1NGe80/s1600/Ankle+inversion.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMVUAyrdork0Fo1aRA0aDA0lolvrjhEuRgVzbP1Chyqpsj35wNaz8TuPTtL7qyvlDSXst7o8obG-eWLVOi7dFzFG70LT_ocm2VCNdqUM8vLc3hqsOZGBzYjUjHvV1xEB-VLfVv1NGe80/s320/Ankle+inversion.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ankle Inversion with Exercise Band</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUb4eCTW5XwfQQZD5nwYdxesLUgNKXzgH4qAMai2EvdwRm9nfkW3CyNOwYUaEJzHvPTDnAkLIDdpV_lykO8FpgBfptMdu9yNRUIT9uG7BCalasrjEcV-DEDdSxBeVhjSB6AbIkzOLVzw/s1600/Ankle+eversion.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUb4eCTW5XwfQQZD5nwYdxesLUgNKXzgH4qAMai2EvdwRm9nfkW3CyNOwYUaEJzHvPTDnAkLIDdpV_lykO8FpgBfptMdu9yNRUIT9uG7BCalasrjEcV-DEDdSxBeVhjSB6AbIkzOLVzw/s320/Ankle+eversion.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ankle Eversion with Exercise Band<br />
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5. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Dorsiflexion with exercise band</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">: Sit on a table or chair, wrap the band around the top part of your foot/toes, and tie the band to something directly in front of you. Start with your foot pointed out in front of you and flex it back to 90 degrees. Return to the starting position and do 2 sets of 10 reps on each foot.</span><br />
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6. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Plantar Flexion with exercise band</u>: Sitting on the table or chair again, wrap the band around the top part of your foot/toes and pull the ends toward you, taught. Start with your foot flexed and then point it forward. Return to starting position and do 2 sets of 10 reps on each foot.<br />
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7. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Toe/heel walking</u>: Stand with your feet together. Raise up on your toes onto the balls of your feet and walk across the room or about 15-20 steps. Make sure your feet do not wobble. Lower your feel and raise your toes up to come onto your heels and walk back.<br />
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8. <u style="font-weight: bold;">Calf raises</u>: Stand on a step (use a wall or handrail for balance if you need to). Place the balls of your feel on the step and raise up. Lower back down. Most articles recommend to lower just below the top of the step; however, I feel that this can hurt my achilles and have been advised by some people that this is bad for your achilles. To be safe, I lower back down to the step level. Start with 2 sets of 10 reps and work your way up. <br />
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This shouldn't take more than 10 minutes a day and hopefully the payoff will be less time spent on the ground yelling "f*#k!" </div>
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This recent ankle sprain has reminded me of something: If you don't work on your weaknesses, they will eventually come back to bite you in the ass. I ignore my ankles because in the priority list of muscles to work out - glutes, quads, hips, core - they've always fallen at the bottom. Our feet and ankles, however, are what connect us with the ground. If they become weak and unstable, so too will our connection with what's beneath us. Our feet and ankles provide the foundation for the rest of our body to be steady. Weak ankles equal, simply, weak foundation and, consequently, more time spent on your ass. </div>
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We all have weaknesses - physical, mental, emotional - and some more important to focus on than others. But in your laundry list of weaknesses that you're trying to improve, it's worth figuring out which ones form a foundation for the rest of you and your life. Which weakness can you focus on to improve your daily proprioception, not just on the ground, but in the world: what will help you improve your sense of place in the world around you? If I have stronger ankles, other muscles won't have to work as hard to stabilize my run. Similarly, if I have a strong faith, strong confidence in myself, or other strong foundations, other things will come more easily so that, for example, I won't get so wrapped up in worrying about the future or what's happened in the past. Often, however, it's those foundational blocks that we ignore the most...and believe me, if you continue to ignore them, you'll end up on your ass... </div>
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You need to have a strong, rooted connection - be it physically, mentally, or emotionally - to yourself, to your family and friends, and to the Earth beneath you. We have to work on not only our physical proprioception, but also our mental and emotion proprioception - the sense of where we are in life. So start strengthening not only your ankles, but any other weakness that will improve those important connections so that you can have a stronger foundation and better sense of your place in the world around you....</div>
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<b><i>Do you have weak ankles? Any exercises you recommend? What other foundational weaknesses can you work on? </i></b></div>
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<br />Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-62995951312861974042013-01-10T09:00:00.000-05:002013-01-10T09:00:00.941-05:003 Quick & Effective Yoga WorkoutsIt's Day 3 of the <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/2013/01/pick-your-30-day-challenge-to-kickstart.html">2013 30-Day Challenges</a> and so far I've been successful at getting into bed by 10 p.m. (although I can't actually fall asleep for awhile) and doing at least 30 minutes of yoga a day. The yoga is the part I'm most excited about right now...Maybe that'll change once I can actually start falling asleep at 10:00! But the yoga has been very invigorating and yet, calming...and it's only day 3!<br />
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I've been breaking up the yoga into 2-a-day segments of 15 minutes or more each. That way I can do a.m. and p.m. segments. So I thought I'd pass along the yoga routines that I've found. If I can do them, so can you because I'm about as far from a yogi as a park ranger (bad joke)...<br />
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The a.m. sequence I've been doing when I first get out of bed is courtesy of <a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3761/Good-Morning-Yoga-Sequence.html">MindBodyGreen</a>, which by the way, is one of the most informative and useful websites I've found for everything from recipes to workouts to spirituality. It's a 10-15 minute yoga sequence that is perfect for waking up your body first thing in the morning. My dog Addie likes to do her downward dog and cobra poses while I'm doing my morning yoga...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5GZusgN1fkme1muLDazejepzbIOCeVTIBmZo75-mx7HwhnWt1KlXp-xa-i5MjwpmhHqBAcdt5XukvWBFghras9H4QICPxh9MmGTWQ1d1tJMQ2txcf_ldW8f5hZk0Y9VDP5EnuKmmLeM/s1600/Yoga+pose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5GZusgN1fkme1muLDazejepzbIOCeVTIBmZo75-mx7HwhnWt1KlXp-xa-i5MjwpmhHqBAcdt5XukvWBFghras9H4QICPxh9MmGTWQ1d1tJMQ2txcf_ldW8f5hZk0Y9VDP5EnuKmmLeM/s320/Yoga+pose.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening bend for MindBodyGreen's Good Morning Yoga Sequence...this feels soooo good... </td></tr>
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I also found another yoga sequence from MindBodyGreen called a <a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/1-4166-10/PickMeUp-Sequence.html">Pick Me Up Sequence</a> that I did the other nite...And pick me up it did! This sequence is a bit more challenging than the Good Morning sequence, but it gives me a goal to work toward! There's one pose in this that I didn't even attempt because I'm not that advanced: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbXFgXJdnGmFMu9r3EKzPVwsLFTRFcCQyfuOc1lA75CCitOpuEQxd8xmbx-Bb8n00DEEeILArK-5K2x3fX6nra0IutG_FLZAvvAJ6ENFFygM1LnVe3sqp5LQkHTVZ50pvME4P5IM2NXY/s1600/yoga+backbend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbXFgXJdnGmFMu9r3EKzPVwsLFTRFcCQyfuOc1lA75CCitOpuEQxd8xmbx-Bb8n00DEEeILArK-5K2x3fX6nra0IutG_FLZAvvAJ6ENFFygM1LnVe3sqp5LQkHTVZ50pvME4P5IM2NXY/s320/yoga+backbend.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someday I'll get there...<br /></td></tr>
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My final recommendation is a DVD that I recommended in my <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/2012/11/the-2012-z-holiday-gift-guide.html">2012 A-Z Holiday Gift Guide</a>: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-For-Athletes-Michael-Wohl/dp/B00006JXWC">Yoga for Athletes</a>. I've owned this for several years and love it because it breaks the yoga workouts into different sports: from golf, to swimming, to running, to cycling. In addition, within each sport there are several workouts to choose from in varying lengths that focus on different body parts or experience levels. So you can really mix and match your yoga workout. <br />
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On day 3 of my 30-day challenges, I'm realizing the "fluff" that's usually in my life. To get everything done during the day - do a 15-minute yoga workout in the morning, a regular workout, another 15-minute yoga workout, walk the dog 3 times a day, go to work, do everything in between, and get to bed by 10:00 - all makes me cut to the chase and be more focused on what I need to accomplish for the day. Instead of watching t.v. while I eat dinner, I'm writing this blog...multi-tasking. So it's making me more efficient. Who knew by trying to cram more into my day I'd actually become more efficient at everything?<br />
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<b><i>Do you have any yoga recommendations? </i></b><br />
<b><i>If you're doing a 30-day challenge, how's it going? </i></b><br />
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<br />Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-38114922983005914992013-01-07T19:03:00.003-05:002013-01-07T19:03:19.080-05:00Day 1 of 30-Day Challenge...Today is Day 1 of the <a href="http://www.lifethroughendurance.com/2013/01/pick-your-30-day-challenge-to-kickstart.html">2013 30-day Challenges</a> and thanks to those of you who signed up! I look forward to hearing about your progress and seeing how the challenges have helped you kickstart 2013! <div>
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I need to make one modification to challenge #4 (going to bed at the same time every night). I wanted to make clear that this did not necessarily mean you cannot go to bed earlier. The goal is to get you on a routine and getting your body adjusted to going to bed at the same time; but, certainly if you're tired one day, you can go to bed earlier. So I've changed the challenge to note that you cannot go to bed later than a particular time. Sorry for any confusion! </div>
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Personally, I'm doing challenges 1 (yoga) and 2 (bedtime). In reality, I want to do all of them, so I'll probably dabble with some of them during the 30 days as well. But getting on a regular sleep cycle and starting a yoga practice are the two things that I think will benefit me the most in the near future. </div>
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So with Day 1 almost at a close, here's a little motivation: </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><i>"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves."</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><i>-- Edmund Hillary (explorer)</i></span></div>
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<i><b>Please post here or shoot me an email to let me know how your challenges are going!</b></i></div>
Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329297268322978087.post-18119710872386679192013-01-03T09:00:00.000-05:002013-01-03T09:00:00.218-05:00A Podcast, a Website, and an App: 3 Great RecommendationsWhile traveling half-way across the country and back between D.C. and Nebraska during the holidays, I had to find some way to occupy the time during the 2-day drive on each end. As much as I love music, even that gets old after awhile. And audio books put me to sleep (not a good combo at 75 mph on the interstate). <br />
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So I started listening to some podcasts on iTunes and found one I really like. Plus, over the last few weeks I've been turned on to an awesome website and a cool new app. So let me share these new finds...<br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.theagegrouper.com/">The Age Grouper Triathlon Podcast</a></u>: I probably listened to ten of these on the road. Podcast by other people can be mind-numbingly boring, stupid, or just plain weird. But The Age Grouper is put out by two, guys (Jeff and Eric) who live in the Chicagoland area and have jobs and families just like us regular Joes. They are sometimes joined by another guy, Dean, and all seem to have between 15-20 years experience doing triathlons.<br />
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The thing I like about them is that while they are very experienced and very fast, they're not arrogant and they're funny as hell. They share their triathlon and daily life experiences, with helpful tips and hilarious anecdotes. Their most recent podcast "Sh#t Triathletes Say," was one I rewound several times because their rapid-fire triathlon expressions had me crackin' up in the car. If you're looking for an informative, funny, and relatable podcast about triathlons, this is it. <br />
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<a href="http://athlinks.com/">Athlinks</a> website. I have to give credit to my friend Laura for turning me onto this. Athlinks is a website where you can look up virtually every race you've done over the past several years. I've found dozens of races dating back to 2002. Once you sign up and fill out your information, Athlinks searches for races with your matching information. The results give you overall time, pace, age group rankings, and overall rankings. Plus, you can hook up with friends to compare races! It's a great way to track all your race results. <br />
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<a href="http://www.charitymiles.org/">Charity Miles </a>smartphone app. This is a new app that I just found and that overall has good reviews. Charity Miles let you earn money for selected charities by walking, running, or biking. For running and walking, you raise 25 cents/mile, and for biking you raise 10 cents/mile. The best part is, the donations are made by corporations - not you! You essentially become sponsored by a corporation who makes the charitable contribution to the designated charity on your behalf.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAt8IlNaXMX_ewKgPzMX3R9cdp-8uzEwPpXv_4kcFEpm0Msgmav4nSjvzraoW8ZJrwz70XCmtPHREjD9-XQ-zg7qRBGWJc0FzcGHFDDnYEFgcfn6YISkwKhcSVReNtj8-BBxG_YbRpRo/s1600/Charity+Miles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAt8IlNaXMX_ewKgPzMX3R9cdp-8uzEwPpXv_4kcFEpm0Msgmav4nSjvzraoW8ZJrwz70XCmtPHREjD9-XQ-zg7qRBGWJc0FzcGHFDDnYEFgcfn6YISkwKhcSVReNtj8-BBxG_YbRpRo/s320/Charity+Miles.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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The one catch with Charity Miles is that you have to sign up with your Facebook account, so if you don't have one or don't want them accessing your info, then you're SOL. The reason for this is that the corporate sponsors obviously want the free advertising via your Facebook posts in exchange for their contributions...a fair trade in my opinion. Plus, it spreads the word and gets other people to sign up, which raises even more money for the charities. <br />
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The designated charities from which you can choose are:<br />
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<li>RED</li>
<li>Stand Up To Cancer</li>
<li>Feeding America</li>
<li>Every Mother Counts</li>
<li>Autism Speaks</li>
<li>The Michael J. Fox Foundation</li>
<li>World Food Programme</li>
<li>Wounded Warriors Project</li>
<li>ASPCA</li>
<li>Habitat for Humanity</li>
<li>The Ironman Foundation</li>
<li>The Nature Conservancy</li>
<li>Achilles International</li>
<li>Pencils of Promise</li>
<li>Do Something.Org</li>
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The only drawback is that you have to take your smartphone with you on your walk, run, or bike so that it can track your miles...But don't most of us take our phones anyway? So if you're going to workout, why not raise some charitable donations in the process? At the end of the year it'd be great to see how much money you raised through your sweat!<br />
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<b><i>Have you stumbled on any good media recommendations lately?</i></b>Life Through Endurancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00591646203586889209noreply@blogger.com4