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Be Selfish

Posted in health, motivation, other, rest, tagged autism, mental health, physical health, running, Selfish on August 2, 2010| 8 Comments »

This post was inspired in part by akbutler. (You will run that 5K!)

That’s right.

Be selfish.

I don’t mean cut people off in line or swipe the last food item without asking. I don’t mean hoard all of the ice cream, talk without listening, or think only about yourself.

What I do mean is go out for that long run, go to that gym class, schedule that massage, meet your girlfriend for a manicure and pedicure, book that haircut with your hairdresser, and occasionally, eat your cake too! And don’t feel guilty about it! (Unless you are one of those people who ONLY does those things…then I’m not talking to you.)

I think that people who work very hard taking care of others very often forget to take care of themselves. I see it in the eyes of my wife and others who spend so much time tending to the special needs of their children, siblings or parents.

The focus.

The Go-Go-Go.

The exhaustion!

Even when a particular need is met, there is often still a mountain of needs that are waiting to be taken care of.

No time to rest. Must get to the next task!

But what we all need to remember, that in some cases, being selfish is the most selfless thing you can do. By taking care of yourself, you are better prepared, better able to deal with the challenges that you face. It allows you to be more than just there.

Taking care of yourself could be getting some sleep, getting a run in, or maybe even something simply cosmetic like getting your hair done. It’s important. It’s important because if you don’t do it, you’re gonna crash and be useless. Who can take better care of the ones you love better than you? No one, except a rested you.

There’s a problem of course. There are only 24 hours in a day. Those hours can come and go very quickly.

When, Luau, when am I supposed to be able to do these things for myself? I hear ya. I really do. Let me pose it a little differently with an unrelated short story:

Many years ago, the wife and I were struggling with a recommendation from a doctor regarding little Brooke. I won’t get into specifics, but suffice it to say that it was a very difficult decision that took a lot of soul searching. We kept asking ourselves, what happens if we do this? What are the possible negatives going forward? In the end, and I can’t remember whether it was the wife or I who came up with it, but we flipped it and asked ourselves, “what is the price if we don’t?” Once we approached it from this perspective, our path was clear.

So I ask you this. What is the consequence if you don’t somehow find the time to take care of yourself, both short-term and long-term? And if you ultimately break down, who will be there to take care of those you have been working so hard to take care of?

I am selfish about my running. 4 – 6 hours a week. Those 4 -6 hour are mine and no one else’s. Sometimes it’s 90 minutes at 4:30 in the morning, sometimes it’s 2 hours starting at 11:00 at night. If I’m lucky, I get a lunchtime run in. It keeps me up even when the world conspires to bring me down, but it also contributes to hopefully keeping me around for at least another 50 – 60 years. If I can be relatively sharp-minded and able-bodied until I’m 90, Brooke will have me around until she’s almost 60. Hopefully by then she won’t need me the way she needs me now. That is why I am selfish.

What do you need to be selfish about?

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Reasons

Posted in health, motivation, tagged healthy lifestyle, healthy living, motivation, running, why I run on July 15, 2010| 20 Comments »

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This one is for the mommies and the daddies. The uncles and the aunts. The grandparents and family friends. And for those who may one day become any one of those things.

***

Watching the cycle all over again…~2033 and beyond.

Spoiling little ones… ~ 2033

Motherhood… ~2033 – 2035

Wedding Day…~2031 – 2033

Engagement…~2028 – 2032

The first job…2023 & 2025

College graduation…2023 & 2025

First day of college…2019 & 2021

High school graduation…2019 & 2021

Driver’s License…2017 & 2019

First Boyfriend…hmmm…maybe that happens when the wife finally allows me to buy a shotgun and a rocking chair.

What’s your reason to run? Or swim? Or bike? Or walk? Or generally live a healthy lifestyle?

I have two:

Brooke & Katie

I am taking care of this old body of mine because I don’t want to miss a single milestone.

Are you?

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Not Smart

Posted in health, training, tagged not smart, running, smart, training on July 13, 2010| 4 Comments »

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So yesterday I tackled the first workout of my 12 week plan leading up to the Smuttynose Marathon. On tap: an 8 mile aerobic run (somewhere between a 8:45 – 9:15 per mile pace) followed by 10 x 100 meter strides. Sounded easy enough. Shoot, I’ve been doing 10 and 11 milers regularly lately between 8:00 and 8:27 per mile pace.

I was eager to get started. I truly believe if I can follow Peter Pfitzinger’s plan, I’ll have a good shot at 3:20. So after I fed the kiddies, packed Brooke her lunch for camp, sent the wife and Katie off to a water park, cleaned the kitchen and did the laundry, I was ready to get running. It was 11:50 when my feet hit the pavement. My plan was to finish my 8 by 1:05, get my strides in and be back home by 1:30.

***
24 hours earlier

Katie was finally getting over a fast working virus that knocked her out of commission on Saturday and Sunday. Now my head was starting to pound. It spread from my temples to my eyes. I was having trouble focusing. Soon the nausea hit. Katie had thrown up twice and I feared it would shortly be my turn. Although I managed to avoid praying to the porcelain god, I did end up spending the next 18 hours in bed. I drank little and ate even less.

***
As I ran past the first half mile mark, I realized I was going too fast for what this run called for. I tried slowing it down a bit. The first three miles were an interesting struggle of the mind calling for a slower pace and the legs pushing for a faster one.

But at the end of those three miles however, the struggle had flipped. Suddenly my breathing became labored and the legs dragged. This was supposed to be an easy run, but it was quickly turning into a battle. The temperature continued to rise, 84°, 86°, 87°. The humidity wasn’t helping.

I considered calling it a day, but I thought of the post I had just written about Heart and the fact that this was the first workout of the program, and so I trudged on. I thought about the marathon pace long run scheduled this Sunday and I wondered how could I possibly do that. I was ready to quit.

But this was day 1. I couldn’t quit on day 1. I struggled on. From mile 6 on, I had to stop and walk for 30 seconds to a minute after every half mile. After arriving at the track at 7.5 miles, I stumbled through one lap and had to stop. My easy 8 miler had turned into a brutal, oppressive 7.75 miler.

I drank the last of my nuun water and stared at the other end of the football field 100 yards away. I needed to do 10 of these?

I felt woozy. I glanced over at 3 kids, recent graduates from the local high school, running a hurdles drill.

“Do you know where a drinking fountain is,” I asked.

One of the boys answered that there wasn’t one but they could give me some water. They filled my bottle half way up as I thanked them. It was all I could do not to sit on the ground, but I was afraid if I sat down, I wasn’t getting back up.

Another wave of nausea and the ground started to spin. I straightened myself out, but the ground continued to tilt. Suddenly with every blink came black spots. I gulped down the water, hoping it would help hold the world still.

The ground stopped moving, but it didn’t feel steady. The spots didn’t go away for several minutes. I focused on the conversation I was having, trying to breathe normally. Another spin, another wave.

I suddenly had a vision of these three kids making the front page of the local paper because they had rescued some poor old, passed out, aspiring marathoner from his own stupidity.

I again straightened up, thanked the boys, and proceeded to stumble home, skipping the strides. When I weighed myself at home, I was nearly 5lbs lighter than when I had left for my run. This despite having drunk a bottle and a half of water and a bottle of mix1 recovery drink. I had obviously been sweating – a lot!

It took me the rest of the day and part of the evening to get back to feeling normal.

So why am I writing about this awful experience? What’s the point?

I should have waited until today to run. Aside from the marathon itself, schedules are not set in stone. If you’ve been sick, and not consuming liquids or calories, maybe it’s best to take the next day off. Don’t be stupid like I was yesterday just because you can’t wait to get started. If it hadn’t been for those boys at the track, I may well could have ended up passed out cold in the middle of the football field.

Hopefully the 9 miler tomorrow won’t be such a struggle.

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Annie

Posted in health, motivation, training, tagged Annie, commit, do it, motivation, running on June 7, 2010| 4 Comments »

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I used to love tomorrow.

Tomorrow offered the promise of a new day. The sun was sure to shine tomorrow. Tomorrow would clear away the cobwebs and the sorrow.

But there’s a problem with tomorrow. Something that I’ve grown to really dislike about tomorrow.

As the little red-head sings, it’s always a day away.

Tomorrow never comes and never will…especially when it comes to something like finding the motivation to run. If you are going to wait until tomorrow to start running, don’t bother – it ain’t gonna happen. I’ve seen it too many times among friend, acquaintances, but more specifically, me.

“Oh, I’ll start that running program tomorrow.”

“I am gonna start running next week on Monday.”

“I got sidetracked today [Monday] so I guess I’ll have to start next week.”

“I’ll get to those Yasso 800’s.”

NO! No, you won’t. You won’t do it unless you start today! Right now. If you’re not going to do it today, at least make a schedule and write it in. Not in pencil. Do it in permanent marker and write it down. Carve out the time. And then commit. And no more excuses. Just do it.

Time marches on, days go by, the body ages – but tomorrow will always be a day away.

Go!

Run!

Today!

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Efficiency

Posted in health, motivation, training, tagged efficiency, Run to Remember, running, tired on May 28, 2010| 5 Comments »

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So this Sunday I am running the Boston Run To Remember Half Marathon. It will be my second time running it and my third half marathon overall. So far, in my short racing career, every race has produced a PR. 8 races, 8 PR’s. Granted, some of those PR’s were because I was running a particular distance for the first time.

I am afraid that the streak will come to an end this Sunday. In order to keep the streak alive, I need to run a 1:33:13 or better. If you had asked me last week whether I thought that was achievable, I would have bravely answered in the affirmative, however, now that I have a few runs under my belt since taking two weeks off, I am a little more doubtful.

As wonderful as it has been to be back on the road and running, I have definitely noticed a drop in efficiency. It is taking more energy to go the same distance and despite working hard to maintain cardio health through the elliptical and swimming, the combination of two weeks of rehab and a four week taper (see Boston and Providence) may have proven to be too much. I have read that it takes four weeks for a well conditioned runner to lose their fitness level. Unfortunately for me, I feel like I may be 2 weeks over.

Running this week has felt great mentally, but has been a grind physically. Even today’s 5 miler was hard to get through. The wife asked me earlier this week if I was still planning on running this Sunday. I nearly scoffed at her saying, “of course I’m going to run!”

But she had a point.

Maybe it isn’t so wise to jump right back into a longer distance after taking some time off. After a 20 mile race and 2 marathons over the course of 5 weeks, I convinced myself that a half-marathon was a short distance.

It’s not.

Bottom line for me is that I will make how I run on Sunday a race time decision, and then continue to make adjustments throughout the race. If there is nothing else that running has taught me, it’s to do a self-check every few miles or so, no matter what kind of physical condition you’re in.

Before I went out for my run this afternoon, I told myself that instead of shooting for a PR this weekend, maybe I should be aiming for an RR (Race Record). Last year I ran a respectable 1:40:47 (though it turned out someone took a wrong turn and the course ended up being 12.95 miles). If I beat that, if I could keep a 1:3-:– handle, I’d be pretty happy.

But after today’s run, a tough 5 miles in what felt like tremendous heat, I’m feeling like I’ll be lucky if I finish.

It all comes down to efficiency. How efficient is my body with the energy stores it has?

This Sunday, we’re gonna find out.

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Power Surge

Posted in health, motivation, training, tagged getting in shape, power of running, running on May 27, 2010| 2 Comments »

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I’d like to think that I’m in pretty good shape for a 40 year old. In fact, I would argue that I’m in better shape now at 40 than I was at 20. I feel I owe a large part of that to running. I wasn’t in bad shape when I started running 18 months ago, but I certainly wasn’t in the shape I am now. As soon as I started running regularly (25 – 35 miles per week) nearly 30 lbs and a 5% body fat disappeared like magic.

As great as running has been though, it does beat up the body, especially if you run 2 marathons in 2 weeks.

After the Providence marathon my legs were worn out, particularly my right knee. So I took 2 weeks and self-rehabbed by laying off the running. I tried to keep up my cardio health by hopping on the elliptical or swimming laps, and I think I pretty much succeeded. That said, I noticed both in the mirror and on the scale, that I was getting a little soft around the edges. It wasn’t a lot, and I’m pretty sure nobody noticed but me. I was a little surprised in that I felt that I was doing a pretty good job of maintaining activity and effort. Still, the scale over those two weeks jumped 10 pounds, so I was obviously not working as hard.

This week I started running again. On Monday I went out for an easy 7 miler and on Wednesday I went out for a hard 5 miler in 92° heat. Nothing unusual about that, I know. But this is where I become ever more convinced of the tremendous power of running. Since Monday, half the weight gain has disappeared and when I looked in the mirror this morning when I got up, the figure I saw standing before me was a lot more focused. The softness was gone. 2 days of running and I can feel and see the difference.

That’s the power of running.

I know that swimming is supposed to be the best overall exercise for your body and that the elliptical is supposed to be much better for your knees, but I am more convinced than ever that the closest thing to a miracle pill is running.

It just works.

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I Know That Look

Posted in health, motivation, Odd Ball, tagged exhaustion, marathon, running, tired on May 21, 2010| 8 Comments »

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This post has nothing to do with running. Well, maybe in the metaphorical sense, but anyway…

I was at the grocery store yesterday, working my way through the aisles when I happened upon the baby section. You know the one with the diapers, baby shampoo, formula and baby food. Every time I walk down that aisle, I rejoice and celebrate the day I bought my last package of diapers for my kids. It is a good feeling.

As I mosied down the aisle, I noticed this guy standing in front of the babyfood and formula section. He had to be somewhere around my age, prematurely grey, left hand holding a scribbled list, right hand on his forehead.

I thought to myself, I know that look.

It was the look of sheer exhaustion. I thought, That’s the look I have after running a marathon.

But then the past came flooding back to me in a very intense wave. No, that wasn’t the look I have after a marathon. This was a look of a man who had just run a marathon everyday, for the last 60, maybe 90 days. I suddenly remembered that feeling during those first few months of parenthood when a solid night’s sleep is nothing more than a wish or a fantasy. THAT is exhaustion.

I am going to carry the image of this stranger in my head the next time I am running a marathon and remind myself that exhaustion is simply a matter of degree. When I feel myself fading at mile 23 or 24, I hope I will remember to think of that guy and find a way to push myself harder – find that reserve we use during those first few months of parenthood.

I gave him a reassuring smile as I passed him. I think he was too tired to understand what it meant. I hope he eventually gets a decent night’s sleep because 10 minutes later when I passed the aisle again, he was still standing there with the same confused, tired look on his face.

I am convinced that if you have endured those early months of parenthood, you are capable of running a marathon.

Okay, so maybe I was able to find a way to bring all back to running…

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Spectator

Posted in health, motivation, racing, training, tagged Heartbreak Hill Half Marathon, Rehab, Run to Remember, running, spectator on May 20, 2010| 6 Comments »

Don’t be a spectator. Don’t let life pass you by.

-Lou Holtz

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In every race that I have run, I have always been grateful for the people who come to cheer the runners on. Whether coming for a friend or family member, these people end up cheering everybody on. It is a great energy booster for me as a runner when random strangers cheer me on and even a bigger one when it’s from my family and friends.

Last Sunday was the Heartbreak Hill Half Marathon. I had no plans of running it, but I had two friends who were. Had I not been nursing this knee, I probably would have shown up last-minute to run, however, I did the right thing and staked out a spot late in the race to cheer on my buddies (Josh – @bostoncardiovet and Alett – @petfxr…I’d find out later that Alett had suffered a minor injury and was not running). I got to my spot maybe 20 -30 minutes early. I asked a cop what mile marker we were at (just shy of 11) and then asked the spectators already there how many people had already gone by (maybe 10 at most). I looked at my watch. 90 minutes, shy of mile 11, 10 runners. I did the math. Damn! I wish I was running this. Given healthy conditions, I could have had a shot at being one of those top 10. As the runners began to trickle by, I cheered each and every one of them on. Some said thank you, others were in a zone and kept on running. I envied each and every one of them.

This was the first race I had been to where I wasn’t a participant, and I’ve got to tell you, it was hard. I’m not talking “oh geez, I wish I were running too” hard. No, I’m talking “pang in my heart, itch in my legs, must resist the urge” kind of hard! I was never a huge racing fan before I started running, and even after I started running, I didn’t get into races until I ran my first one. As great as it was to cheer on complete strangers, all I wanted to do was run.

When Josh came running by about 20 minutes later I kicked off my flip-flops, put my coffee down and began running with him. Yes, I know. I’m rehabbing and I’m not supposed to be running! But I promise I was forced to run lightly since I was completely barefoot. It felt great. Just being out there with the other runners felt absolutely awesome. After taking Josh up a particularly steep hill, I bid him good luck and jogged back to my spot, cheering each runner I passed.

So, what did I learn?

I learned that running a mile barefoot isn’t so bad. It actually got me thinking that maybe one of these days I’ll try a 10K or half-marathon completely bare.

But the biggest thing I learned on Sunday was that I don’t like being a spectator. I will continue to support friends who run local races, but I have a feeling that if I’m healthy, I’m a lot more likely to be joining them at the starting line instead of cheering them on. I think that I can apply this to other parts of my life as well. How many of us have spent a good chunk of our adult years as a spectators or watchers? While I try to figure out what that means, I’ll just have to start with a half marathon next week (anybody else running the Boston Run to Remember?) and some 5K’s over the summer.

I can’t wait to get back on the road.

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Get Some

Posted in health, Odd Ball, training, tagged Coregasm, exercise, Women's Health on May 18, 2010| 5 Comments »

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So, since the beginning of this blog, I have been a huge proponent of physical exercise. True, I definitely skew toward the power of running, but quite honestly, as long as you get sweaty and breathe hard, I don’t care how you get your daily burn. I still feel that running was the best way to achieve this…

…that is, until today.

Today I read this article from Women’s Health Magazine. Yes, I know, it’s Women’s Health. It was on a friend’s Facebook page, okay? So anyway, go ahead. Click on the link and read the article and then come back. I’ll wait. Oh, if you are the type that is easily offended, don’t bother.

Are you back? Did you just run to the gym to do some core exercises? Maybe some hanging leg raises?

The sad part is that this article really isn’t directed towards me, though I guess that would present problems of its own. Seriously though, for all the women out there looking for a good reason to hit the gym, I can’t really think of a better selling point. I mean, really, I’m surprised that there aren’t groups of women coming out of the middle of a Pilates class for a cigarette! Talk about a feel good workout! It puts the Runner’s High to shame. AND you don’t need anybody or anything else with you. I mean seriously, if I were a woman I think I’d be a core-exercise nut!

I’ll tell ya, going to the gym from now on is going to be a whole new experience!

Here is the actual workout recommended by Women’s Health Magazine.

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The Sirens

Posted in health, rest, training, Vibram Five Fingers, tagged bikila, Odysseus, Rehab, running, Sirens, Vibram on May 17, 2010| 5 Comments »

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In Greek mythology, the Sirens were dangerous bird-women, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island [wikipedia]. This past week I have been dealing with my own version of the Sirens. The weather has been generally delightful, my knee has felt fine, and my new Vibram Bikila Shoes, though wonderful on the elliptical, have been whispering run, run over and over again. Yes, as I work to make sure that my knee is healthy, the Sirens have been calling me to the road, tempting me to run.

For once, I am trying to be smart about it. I want to run. I need to run. But like Odysseus, I am strapping myself to the mast (the elliptical) and having my men (the DVR) row me through temptation. Though I have to admit I did run one mile (ONLY ONE!) with my buddy Josh (@bostoncardiovet) as he made his way through an uphill mile 11 of the Heartbreak Hill Half Marathon on Sunday.

So far so good. The knee is on the mend, I’m maintaining cardio health and I can see the road just a week away. But as that day approaches, the Sirens’ song gets louder and more beautiful. The temptation to go back just a day, maybe two, early is very strong. Would it really hurt to go back to running just a day early? Probably not, but why take the chance? Right?