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Running with My Eyes Closed

Posted in Odd Ball, tagged breathing, eyes closed, meditation, running, zen on January 25, 2010| 6 Comments »

A few days ago I was out for a run when I caught a glimpse of myself in a storefront window. I was still in the warm up miles of my run and it showed. I looked tense – shoulders scrunched up, arms tight and stiff. I thought to myself, “relax!”. It wasn’t happening. I passed another storefront window and stole a glance. I looked even worse. As I continued along I took a deep breath and then another. I took myself back to my kung-fu days. I could hear Sifu Steve going through the meditation process with us at the beginning of class:

Control your breathing.

Check.

In through the nose, out through the mouth.

Got it.

Find a focal point to concentrate on, but stay aware of everything in the room.

It was kinda working. I could feel my shoulders lower, my arms loosen up.

Now close your eyes and listen…

I started to close my eyes.

Whoa! Not while you’re running, you idiot!

Now close your eyes and listen…

I looked around. Long straight away, no traffic, no other runners, a full 3/4 of a block to the next intersection. I let my eyelids fall and ran about 10 paces.

Listen to your breathing.

Almost instantly my entire body relaxed. I opened my eyes and found myself both at ease and fully alert. Over the next 4 or 5 miles I found myself in an almost meditative state – relaxed yet aware – flying (that’s what it felt like) along at a much faster pace than I had intended when I went out. My mind was practically empty, almost zen-like, as I floated through the streets of my town. Obviously I had to stay aware of traffic, but for the most part, I was able to listen solely to my footfalls and breathing, intertwined in their rhythm. Inevitably I came to an intersection where I had to stop and the spell was broken.

I’m hoping I can find a way to replicate this experience the next time I run.

I’m thinking that I may try to expand this running with my eyes closed thing beyond just running. Taking a moment to reduce the data input, listen to my breathing and footsteps and then refocus. Probably not a good idea to try it while driving a vehicle, but maybe during high stress moments in the day.

Close the eyes, control the breathing, relax the shoulders. Open the eyes and fly.

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Playing with House Money

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged blackjack, early morning, early morning run, gamble, House Money, running, sure thing on January 21, 2010| 3 Comments »

I’m pretty sure I’ve made this clear: I am NOT a morning person. I do NOT like getting up early. If left to my own devices with no responsibilities, I would sleep until 9 or 10 every morning. It could be my biology or maybe the remnants of my hard drinking college days, but I like to stay up late and wake up late. Until a few weeks ago, I’m pretty sure I had gone to bed at 4:45 AM more often that I had woken up at that time.

That said, I love the early morning runs. Actually, check that. The pre-dawn runs themselves have varied, from the blissful to the “please let me sustain an injury RIGHT NOW”. I don’t always have the enthusiasm or drive to do them. I am always glad when I do, no matter how miserable the run itself ends up being. I love the feeling I get after the early morning runs. That is because for the rest of the day I feel like I’m playing with house money.

Have you ever gone to a casino and won a few hundred bucks early? When I do, I tend to put my original bankroll back into my pocket and happily play with the house’s money for the rest of the evening. That, to me, is what the early morning run is. It’s winning a bunch of hands early at the blackjack table and putting my original stake away. I’ve produced a significant caloric deficit AND jolted the metabolism into high gear. After the early morning runs I can essentially munch on whatever I want for the rest of the day. There’s a freedom in that, and I think that freedom actually keeps me from eating whatever I want.

Truth is, I eat fairly healthfully anyway, but it’s knowing that I am essentially playing with the house’s money for the rest of the day that is so gratifying. The coolest thing about the early morning run is that it’s not a gamble like blackjack or roulette. It’s like knowing what the cards are before they are dealt. If you run, you win – every time!

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“Shut Up and Run!”

Posted in motivation, tagged ironman, kona, motivation, running, shut up and run, triathlon on January 19, 2010| 3 Comments »

Runners, in general, are a motivated bunch. Whether it’s the early morning, lunch hour or late evening run, one has to be motivated to get out the door. But there are times when I’m either on the road or on the treadmill I feel myself losing steam. It can be emotional, physical or a combination of both. We have all had those moments, not just in running but in our every day lives too. Very often we are inclined to give up, call it a day. Chalk it up as a bad run and put in the extra miles later.

When it happens outside of running, I remember to think about two friends of ours who happen to be soldiers. One is stationed in Iraq, the other has just returned from Afghanistan. I remind myself that because of them and all the other volunteer soldiers that make up our armed services, I am free to do what I do. Brandon and Paul, words cannot convey my gratitude to you and your fellow soldiers.

However, when I am running and I feel myself wanting to give up, I think of my friend Brian. Brian has participated in the Ironman Triathlon in Kona 3 times, most recently in 2008. He is not a super-athlete. He is just a guy like you and me. He does not enter to win. He enters to finish. He’s finished the race all 3 times! I can’t imagine swimming 2.1 miles, riding 112 miles and then, THEN running 26.2 miles.

“Shut up and run!” That’s what I shout at myself when I start to drag. Brian runs 26.2 miles AFTER he’s swum 2.4 and then biked 112. “Shut up and run!” It usually works. Usually it’s the only motivation I need.

Oh, did I mention that Brian has only one leg? Yeah, that’s right, he’s finished Kona three times on one leg!

So the next time you start feeling yourself lag and you start feeling sorry for yourself while your running, think of Brian finishing Kona three times. Think of his determination and will. Then dig down a little and gut it out.

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The Routine Revisited

Posted in motivation, tagged early morning run, housework, running, The Routine, Trek, VFF, VFF Trek, Vibrams on January 15, 2010| 5 Comments »

So after two weeks, two things have become clear. I still suck at housework and getting up at 4:45AM still sucks.

However, I do have to admit that getting up this morning was just a tad easier than it has been the past two weeks. Now it may have something to do with the fact that I picked up a new pair of VFF Treks yesterday and was extremely eager to take them out for a spin.

I also think that I am slowly adjusting to the early wake up call. I actually turned off the television last night at 10:45 anticipating the morning run.

The run? It was fabulous. The weather app on my phone said it felt like 27°. I put on my shorts, slipped into the new Treks and I was off. My toes stayed toasty warm for the whole run, which does not happen with my regular VFF KSO’s. 7.7 miles in the pre-dawn darkness in just under an hour and I loved every minute of it. I understand now why Pigtailsflying runs when she runs.

As for the cleaning? Well, 2 weeks in I still suck at it, but Operation De-Clutter is moving ahead – slooooooowly, but ahead. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll have this house in order by Spring.

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Walking is the Gateway Drug

Posted in motivation, tagged 30 miles in 21 days, Birthday, Gateway, My Big Walk, present, running, walking on January 11, 2010| 6 Comments »

Learn to walk before you run.

– Proverb

A few days ago a friend of mine asked me what I would like for my birthday. I was a little confused, in part because my birthday was over 3 weeks ago. She was disappointed that she had missed my surprise party but still wanted to get me something. I scratched my head. I wasn’t sure what to say. A bottle of wine? Some running gear? Truth is, most of the “things” that I want are in the “too expensive to ask a friend” category (KSO Treks, a watch, hatphones, a new iMac). I asked her to let me think about it for a day, but as I walked away, inspiration hit!

“You know what you could get me for my birthday?”

“No, that’s why I’m asking.”

“I’d like you to walk 30 miles in 21 days.”

There was a pause and a look.

“Walking for who?” she asked. She obviously thought I was asking her to join a charity team.

“For me! I want you to start walking. 30 miles in 21 days. You’re always talking about how you want to get started. Well, let’s call it a present for you and for me.”

She laughed. Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure she’s not going to do it (though she is thinking about it), but it got me wondering. What if we all did something like that. Asking people for the gift of their health – it’s a win-win situation. Recently Laurie over at My Big Walk posted an excerpt from an article in the Wall Street Journal on the incredible benefits of simply walking 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Breast cancer, colon cancer, Alzheimer’s, depression, high blood pressure and diabetes are among the several diseases and conditions that can have their likelihood reduced dramatically by the simple act of walking.

So in the spirit of my 2010 Challenge, I am adding the Gateway Challenge. I figure if I can get people to start walking regularly, maybe they will see the benefits of walking, and slowly graduate to running.

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The Routine

Posted in motivation, tagged early morning, housework, pre-dawn run, predawn run, routine, running, SAHD, Stay At Home Dad on January 7, 2010| 14 Comments »

So I have come to realize that I suck at housework. Wait, I take that back – I have known all my life that I suck at housework. The problem is that as a Stay At Home Dad, part of my responsibilities are, you guessed it, keeping the house clean. I’m pretty good at the other stuff. I feel like I’m a pretty good dad, I think that the wife is still happy she said, “I do”, and I can hold my own against most people in the kitchen.

What in the world does this have to do with running?

Here’s my problem: I stink at keeping the house clean.

No, that’s not the problem (though the wife might argue otherwise). The problem is that in the last year, if the sun was out and it was a choice between cleaning the house or going out for a run, the run almost inevitably won. I’d tell myself, “Oh, it’s only a quick 5 – 7 miler. I’ll be back in an hour and then I’ll clean.” The truth being I’d also warm up for 5-10 minutes, cool down and stretch for 5-10 minutes and then take a shower for 10-15 minutes. Suddenly that hour run would stretch itself out to an hour and a half – and that would be on days where I decided not to tack on a mile or two for no reason. By the time I dried and dressed, it would be time to pick up the kids.

“Oops! Sorry honey! I’ll get to the cleaning tomorrow.”

The thing is, the cleaning needs to get done. The floors aren’t going to sweep themselves. The dishes and laundry aren’t going to walk themselves over to their respective washers and take their little bubble baths. So something has to change. I’m not about to give up running, but I am reminded of a phrase my dad’s cousin Teddy said to me on my wedding day. He said, “Son, there are two phrases that you will have to learn now that you are married. The first phrase is ‘A happy wife means a happy life.'” Truer words were never spoken. I’ve lived on both sides of that equation. Consequently, the second one was, “let me check with my wife.” Another phrase that I’m always telling my girls is “do the things you have to do so that you can do the things you want to do.” We can sit here and argue the finer points of whether running is a “want to” or a “have to” (and believe me, if you want to keep me in a good mood it’s more of a “have to”), but the truth is, in the bigger picture of my family, we have to have a clean environment not only for my wife but for my two daughters as well. Disorder can play particular havoc on my younger, autistic daughter.

So I’m not about to give up running, but the housework needs to get done. A few days ago I read a post by agirlrunsthruit. It was a tough love post to people who complain about not being able to find time to run or exercise. She essentially called “bullsh*t!” on these folks saying that if you make exercise a priority in your life, you will make time for it. I found myself nodding at the screen in agreement.

So earlier this week, I decided I would try a new routine. I decided to get up early (5AM) and hit the treadmill. Based on the mileage I’ve been able to get in, I may try a little earlier next week, but so far so good. Do I like getting up that early? No Frakking Way! I am a night owl by nature. I have a hard time going to bed before midnight, but I have to set some priorities. I was encouraged yesterday when I read pigtailsflying‘s post on her early morning runs. As the snow starts to get cleared away, I will probably venture out for some pre-dawn runs on the road.

There will still be days where the pull of the sun and the road is just too strong, but for now the plan is to do these early morning runs at least 2 or 3 times a week so I can focus on getting the house right.

Will it last? Who knows, but hopefully it will get to point where I will have done the thing I have to do so I can do the thing I want to do.

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Patience

Posted in motivation, tagged boston marathon, BQ, Hyannis Marathon, long run, marathon, MTV generation, pace, patience, running, veruca salt on January 5, 2010| 5 Comments »

Don’t care how, I want it now! – Veruca Salt

I really do enjoy running outside. But I have a problem when I do.

I am, without question, a part of the MTV generation 1.0. I was part of that first wave of young kids gawking at the TV when the Buggles popped onto our screens and Martha Quinn & company began providing us with a 24 hour feed of music videos. I am firmly a part of the immediate gratification generation.

As a result, I lack patience.

There have been countless runs where I have said aloud that I was going for a long, SLOOOOOW run only to end up running a tempo run or faster. I’ll start slow, with every intention of keeping a relaxed pace, but all too often, I end up speeding up less than halfway through. At first it’s unintentional, but then I see the split on my stopwatch and it’s all downhill from there. I refuse to slow down.

I’m starting to think that the injuries that I sustained in April and September were direct results of being impatient.

Early on, a friend of mine pointed me to a couple of training sites that help you figure out what pace you should be training at based on past race performances. Before my personal triumph at the Chilly Half back in November, I had not run a race that extrapolated out to a 3:20 marathon or better (a BQ for someone my age). The best result I had put me at about a 3:32 marathon (the Chilly put me at 3:17). I didn’t want to hear that. The various sites would tell me that I had to run my long runs at a certain pace. They also said in bright, flashing, red letters that I needed to train at the level I was, and NOT at the level I wanted to be. I didn’t want to hear that either. I plugged in what the long run pace should be for a 3:15 marathon. I wanted room to spare. The resulting number still seemed slow to me. I could run 15 miles at a much faster pace (or at least, that’s what I told myself). I ignored the numbers. I would go out for long runs of 12 – 16 miles and run at close to marathon pace.

Inevitably, I got hurt.

I had to stop running for nearly 4 weeks (which quite honestly was probably not long enough). When I returned to running, I still didn’t heed the numbers and went out at paces that were where I wanted to be, not where I was. The result was a crash and burn at the Manchester Marathon. I held up great for 16 miles, hit a wall and then froze up at 20. I play back that marathon in my head from time to time. The first mile was a killer (the 3:30 pacer decided to go out at a 6:30/mile clip), and I probably didn’t hydrate properly, but the more I think about it, the more I believe that my training philosophy was all wrong. I was training where I wanted to be, NOT where I was.

That’s impatience. That’s the Veruca Salt training method.

So this year, starting today (an arbitrary day resolution), I resolve to be more patient with my runs. Run at the pace my racing legs say is where I’m supposed to be. I now have enough races under my belt that I should be able to comfortably rely on what the numbers say.

If I do it right, run patiently, I have no doubt that I have a qualifier in me for October. I’m still going to run Hyannis (I think), but it’s going to be for fun. At least, that’s what I’m going to tell myself.

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Here’s the Pitch…

Posted in motivation, tagged 10 friends, exercise, health, healthcare reform, log, luau, New Year, new year's resolution, non-, pitch, plan, run, running, support, weight loss on January 1, 2010| 17 Comments »

-To My Non-Running Friends –

This is my New Year’s Resolution (please ignore the fact that I just wrote a post about not waiting until New Years to make resolutions):

I want you to start running*.

Here’s my pitch:

It’s gonna hurt.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Even after running for over a year now, the first 1 – 3 miles can still suck whenever I go out for a run. The likelihood is that over the first couple of months, you will rarely get past 3 miles, and you shouldn’t. Most of the time it’s gonna stink. Most of the time it’s gonna hurt. You’re gonna ask yourself why? Why are you running these stinking 2-3 mile runs 3 days a week. Why did you listen to that stupid Luau and start this stupid thing? Why are you not sleeping in/going to bed early/lounging on the couch/cuddling with your significant other? Why Luau Why?

Wrong questions.

Look at the people who have crossed the threshold. The looks on their faces when they are done with a run should be all the answer and motivation you need. It feels good. It makes them happy. The first 1-3 miles become an entrance fee – an investment in the run, if you will. If the payoff wasn’t worth it, they wouldn’t be doing it.

That’s it.

That’s my pitch.

Tell yourself whatever you need to get past the first few months; to get to the point where you can run 5-6 miles comfortably 3 or 4 times a week. That’s when you really start to see the payoff physically. Tell yourself that you need to get in shape. Tell yourself that you want to be at your child’s graduation. Tell yourself that you want to be able to walk your daughter down the aisle when she get married. Tell yourself that you want to hold your special person’s hand when you are both in your 80’s. Tell yourself whatever the hell is takes to get yourself to that 6 mile mark.

Once you’re there you won’t have to tell yourself anything. Your body will tell you. It will tell you it’s time to run, it’s time to let the horses out. It won’t be a fight to get your butt off the couch.

BUT…

You’re going to need a plan. You’re going to need support. Sometimes the simplest of plans can work.

A simple log.

Keep track of every mile and all of the food you eat. It’s not nearly as hard as you think. If you have a smartphone there are plenty of apps that will record both for you. Otherwise, a small pad and mini-pen will work just fine. The simple act of keeping a log can steer you towards healthier habits. That is what worked for me. I dropped the food log about 2 months in when I realized that my eating habits overall were just fine except for the second full plate of dinner I was having every night. As soon as I stopped going back for seconds and thirds every night, the pounds melted away. I have kept a workout log since November 2008. Two nights ago I proudly logged my 1,329th mile of running for 2009.

Start slowly. 1-3 miles per run, 3 times a week. Try to follow the 10% percent rule, building your weekly mileage just a little at a time. Set a goal for yourself for the year. 400 miles. It may sound like a lot. That’s because it is. But if you break it down, it comes down to a little over 33 miles a month – that’s just a touch over a mile a day. You can find an average of 15 minutes a day.

You will stumble. You will have days, maybe even weeks where it all falls apart. It’s inevitable and it’s okay. But as long as you get back up, you will be fine. Stay determined, stick with your plan and you will be rewarded. When you hit the 5-6 miles per run average, you will see the changes in the mirror.

As for support, you can always find it here. I am more than happy to help. Even better, you can find it on websites like dailymile or even Twitter where you will find an instant group of friends who will support and cheer you on. They will help you when you are down, and celebrate when you are up.

My goal this year is to get you to start running.

For my running friends: My goal is to get you to get 10 of your non-running friends to start running regularly in 2010. If 40 of you get 10 of your friends to start running and they do the same next year, and so on, we can have this whole nation running by 2016. Healthcare reform? We won’t need it! It starts now.

*If you can’t run, then bike or swim or cardio-kickbox. Whatever it is that will get you eventually exercising regularly 3-4 hours a week.

Email me here ( runluaurun ) if you would like to leave a non-public comment/question or leave a comment in the comment section:

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I won the Boston Marathon last year…

Posted in boston marathon, motivation, Physics, tagged Alternate Universe, boston marathon, Luau VFF's, Many Worlds Interpretation, Max Tegmark, Multiverse, MWI, New York Marathon, Reality, running on December 28, 2009| 7 Comments »

…I finished with a world record shattering time of 1:59:59. The first sub-2 hour marathon in history…AND I did it in my signature Luau VFF’s.

The Highly Anticipated Luau VFF

Get yourself a pair today at http://www.vibramsfivefingers.com.

Okay, so no I didn’t. I didn’t even qualify for Boston last year. Shoot, I barely ran a sub 4-hour marathon in my first (and so far only) try. But, somewhere, and I mean that, I did it. I not only won the Boston Marathon, but I won New York, Chicago and London as well.

The coolest part…

-wait for it-

…is so did you!

Of course, it didn’t happen in this universe, but if you are familiar with quantum physics (of which I am – just enough to make a fool of myself) you may also be familiar with the Many Worlds Interpretation (MWI). In a nutshell, MWI states that for every decision we come to in life, both/all choices are in fact made and reality branches off in two or more directions instead of just one.

For the infinite number of choices we could have made since the beginning of time, an infinite number of not-quite-identical worlds have branched off into existence. Infinite worlds – infinite possibilities, all occupying the same space, just not the same reality. This is not fantasy. It is scientific theory that is actually gaining support in the scientific community.

In one of these worlds, all of the right choices have been made to turn me into a world-class marathoner. I am simply the best there was, is, and ever will be. There is also one where YOU are the number one marathoner of all time.

Looking at the glass half empty, I could ask: Why am I not in THAT reality? Why am I stuck here as just an average, every day runner? I point this out not to tease us or make us feel bad. No, I choose to look at the glass as half full. This other me is still me – the other you is still you. We are connected by the fact that we are essentially the same person. So when I am out there pounding the pavement, feeling the legs tire, I can reach across the ether, mentally touching that other reality and channel the world-class me. He’s/I’m out there/right here – occupying the same space, often running the same routes.

The next time you feel yourself lagging, draw on some cross-dimensional strength. I’m sure the Olympic medalist you would be happy to lend a hand.

***I also have a best-selling book, Run Luau Run, available on Amazon and at your local bookstores. Well, somewhere I do.

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Do it now!

Posted in motivation, tagged calendar, Do it now, do it today, january 1st, New Year, new year's resolution, resolution, running on December 26, 2009| 2 Comments »

I don’t make resolutions. If it’s something I need to do, I do it. I don’t wait until the New Year.

– Alice White

What is it about the turning of the calendar that makes us want to make New Year’s Resolutions? Why is it that we feel the need to make promises we are unwilling to start today? Why wait until January 1st?

We should make Arbitrary Day Resolutions. Whatever and whenever it is you are thinking of changing (eating better, exercising more, quitting smoking), don’t wait for the artificial day on the calendar to make that move.

Obviously there are certain resolutions that require a calendar: Michelle’s Quest for 1000, Pete’s Dashing Through December, my goal of qualifying for Boston. But many of the resolutions that we make every January 1st are things that we wish we would do every day. If your resolution is one of those, then why wait for January 1st. Be it. Live it. Do it now!

What are you going to start to do today?