Here I sit in the location where I truly believe God intended me to take up permanent residence: the Ritz Carlton Hotel. To say that I love the Ritz Carlton would be like saying that Brett Favre has committment issues. Like saying that Britney Spears has issues. Like saying that American Idol is a little played out. I do. I love it. A lotta lotta lot.
And I am also spending a week away from my real life, which is a good thing for me. We all need a break from ourselves once in a while, especially when your self is bossy and demanding and places unrealistic expectations upon you. So, even though I am here for work, I am going to do my best enjoy the temporary change of scenery and take full advantage of my little dip into luxury. And the turn-down service. And my marble bathroom. I'm not going to eat the chocolate on my pillows though.
I'm also going to take it upon myself to get back in the driver's seat and start navigating some of the (inevitable) changes in my life. Last week, change was thrust upon me in the form of news that Captain Awesome may have to change his schedule to one that doesn't include driving across town at 4:30 am to open the gym. Some hooey about grad school and I'll admit, I reacted badly to the information. Not in a throwing-a-fit kind of way....more in a sitting at the lat pull with my arms on the bar but staring vacantly into space for 20 minutes kind of way. I spent the rest of the day in a bit of a fog until I worked out a solution. Well, until I worked out my second solution, the first one being to somehow hide him away to a hypnotist where he was reprogrammed to believe that he could train me and only me for the rest of his career. But seeing that I only get an hour for lunch and usually spend that in Pilates, it just wasn't practical to think I could pull that off anytime soon. So I reverted to Plan B, which was to suck it up and deal.
That news, on top of some other things I would have rather not experienced over the span of three days, called for a time-out. I kind of believe that when a lot of bad things start happening all at one time, it means I need to step back and regroup. Obviously something was off, and the common denominator was me. So I took myself out of the equation. I pressed pause on myself.
I came to the Ritz.
Well, first I went to church. I sat alone in the quiet and listened to a message reminding me that I have never truly been left without a plan. I've never actually had the bottom fall out. I've always made it through, something always worked out, and it would this time too if I would just get out of my own damn way.
Then I came to the Ritz.
I'm out of my box, forced out of my routine. I have a new gym facing me, and more time than usual to workout each morning. I have solitude and quiet. I can work hard and focus and move this ship forward without the usual static of my everyday life.
And when I return, I will have three months left to train. I've mapped out a new schedule, had it blessed by Awesome, and am ready to get back to building up the callouses on my hands.
But first there is a down comforter calling my name.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
The Thing I Cannot Do
"You must do the thing you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt
I saw this quote in a work-related email last week and liked it. I find that I copy/paste most things that Eleanor Roosevelt said, so I was not surprised that this stuck with me. And, I had an almost immediate application to my training.
As you know, or should know by this point, I am about 18 months into training for a fitness challenge, which will take place this coming November. (For new readers - I meant to do it last November but backed out, mostly because I messed up my knee running but also because I didn't think I could do it.) I went and practiced on the course back in March at the Al Rosen Tri-Fitness Camp, and found out exactly what God thinks of me. Which is not much judging from my performance. Unless God plans for me to be a reliable source of amusement for genetically blessed athletes, in which case I am a huge success.
So anyway, I guess you could say that I am taking Eleanor's words to heart because I am still on the road towards becoming America's Next Top Model. Ooops, sorry. I am still on the road towards doing what I (thought) I cannot do.
But there's a hitch: I don't have the course in my backyard, or anywhere near me, where I can practice on the actual equipment I will be tackling. Instead, I do a lot of functional training. I do pull-ups, jumping, sprinting, rope pulls, and other exercises to strengthen the muscles I will need to accomplish the tasks in the course, which include scaling a 10-foot wall, climbing a cargo net, jumping hurdles, running through a grid, and other things you might expect to see on your average Japanese game show.
So, to do what I cannot do, I have implemented a technique used by high-performers everywhere: visualization. I do a lot of visualization. I always have, to be honest. From the early days of setting a personal goal as a kid and then putting my head down and barreling through to the victory, visualization has been a key part of my plan. I visualize myself where I want to be in the most graphic and realistic way possible, down to the minute details of texture, sounds, breathing, peripheral vision, and emotion, and then save that data in my mind and replay it over and over and over. If I truly believe that the scene can replicate itself in reality, I will work to achieve it. I am very rarely unsuccessful when I use this technique; it is that simple.
At the beginning of this training schedule, I would visualize myself going over the hurdles and consistently see my trail leg catch the hurdle and bring it down behind me. Or, I would consistently see my leading leg crash into the front of the hurdle and trip me up. I had a huge disbelief in my ability to clear that hurdle and I knew I had to get over it. I watched videos and learned techniques for building the skills necessary. Each time I practice, I visualize. The combination of functional training and visualization has resulted in an adaptation to that scene - I now see myself clearing the hurdle by jumping higher at the approach and bringing my leg up higher and to the side on the trailing end. As a result, I've noticed my trailing foot cocking up when I do my in-real-life practice drills. Just as perception is reality, visualization can become reality.
And soon, I will try to recreate that scene in reality and see how my training has prepared me for a regulation-height hurdle. I fully expect to clear it.
But the course is more than just a hurdle. There are a series of obstacles to overcome in quick succession. So, I frequently watch this video to aid in my visualization. It is a video of a newly-found friend completing the actual course I will be competing on in three short months. She is flawless (and fearless). And, having met her in person, I can attest that she puts in not only the hard work required but the positive attitude necessary to accomplish the course time and time again. Go Berna!
There are a lot of things we cannot do. But, if you seriously and consistently apply visualization to your training, that list gets pretty short pretty fast. Take Eleanor's advice and do the thing you (think) you cannot do - do it in your mind. Visualize yourself doing the thing you (think) you cannot do, over and over and over and over and over and over until you have every detail memorized. That visualization will lead to you doing what it takes to accomplish it, and then to real success.
I know I can do it; I have already seen it. Now I just can't wait to bring that scene to life.
I saw this quote in a work-related email last week and liked it. I find that I copy/paste most things that Eleanor Roosevelt said, so I was not surprised that this stuck with me. And, I had an almost immediate application to my training.
As you know, or should know by this point, I am about 18 months into training for a fitness challenge, which will take place this coming November. (For new readers - I meant to do it last November but backed out, mostly because I messed up my knee running but also because I didn't think I could do it.) I went and practiced on the course back in March at the Al Rosen Tri-Fitness Camp, and found out exactly what God thinks of me. Which is not much judging from my performance. Unless God plans for me to be a reliable source of amusement for genetically blessed athletes, in which case I am a huge success.
So anyway, I guess you could say that I am taking Eleanor's words to heart because I am still on the road towards becoming America's Next Top Model. Ooops, sorry. I am still on the road towards doing what I (thought) I cannot do.
But there's a hitch: I don't have the course in my backyard, or anywhere near me, where I can practice on the actual equipment I will be tackling. Instead, I do a lot of functional training. I do pull-ups, jumping, sprinting, rope pulls, and other exercises to strengthen the muscles I will need to accomplish the tasks in the course, which include scaling a 10-foot wall, climbing a cargo net, jumping hurdles, running through a grid, and other things you might expect to see on your average Japanese game show.
So, to do what I cannot do, I have implemented a technique used by high-performers everywhere: visualization. I do a lot of visualization. I always have, to be honest. From the early days of setting a personal goal as a kid and then putting my head down and barreling through to the victory, visualization has been a key part of my plan. I visualize myself where I want to be in the most graphic and realistic way possible, down to the minute details of texture, sounds, breathing, peripheral vision, and emotion, and then save that data in my mind and replay it over and over and over. If I truly believe that the scene can replicate itself in reality, I will work to achieve it. I am very rarely unsuccessful when I use this technique; it is that simple.
At the beginning of this training schedule, I would visualize myself going over the hurdles and consistently see my trail leg catch the hurdle and bring it down behind me. Or, I would consistently see my leading leg crash into the front of the hurdle and trip me up. I had a huge disbelief in my ability to clear that hurdle and I knew I had to get over it. I watched videos and learned techniques for building the skills necessary. Each time I practice, I visualize. The combination of functional training and visualization has resulted in an adaptation to that scene - I now see myself clearing the hurdle by jumping higher at the approach and bringing my leg up higher and to the side on the trailing end. As a result, I've noticed my trailing foot cocking up when I do my in-real-life practice drills. Just as perception is reality, visualization can become reality.
And soon, I will try to recreate that scene in reality and see how my training has prepared me for a regulation-height hurdle. I fully expect to clear it.
But the course is more than just a hurdle. There are a series of obstacles to overcome in quick succession. So, I frequently watch this video to aid in my visualization. It is a video of a newly-found friend completing the actual course I will be competing on in three short months. She is flawless (and fearless). And, having met her in person, I can attest that she puts in not only the hard work required but the positive attitude necessary to accomplish the course time and time again. Go Berna!
There are a lot of things we cannot do. But, if you seriously and consistently apply visualization to your training, that list gets pretty short pretty fast. Take Eleanor's advice and do the thing you (think) you cannot do - do it in your mind. Visualize yourself doing the thing you (think) you cannot do, over and over and over and over and over and over until you have every detail memorized. That visualization will lead to you doing what it takes to accomplish it, and then to real success.
I know I can do it; I have already seen it. Now I just can't wait to bring that scene to life.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Mediocre Expectations
We all start a journey towards a goal with great expectations, right? Sure, we're going to be beach-ready by Memorial Day! We're going to sail through the holidays without even a nibble on a candy cane! So-and-so's wedding? Pshaw! I don't even like wedding cake. (It's true. I'm not just making that up to illustrate my point. I honestly don't like it.)
Great expectations are, well, great! I'm all for aiming high. And as long as those expectations are coming from the right place, I say the higher the better. Last week I promised more about finding a support network despite having less-than-supportive family, friends, or other immediate environment. That's where expectations come in. Ah, the tangled web we weave - our expectations of ourselves, others' expectations of us, our expectations of what others' expectations will be, our expectations of what our response will be to those expectations... you see where I am going with this.
I've fallen victim many times to proudly throwing my arms up and calling, "ta-da!" to an adoring audience of zero. I've heard the deafening silence of no one giving a $*&% if I ran my fastest time ever or maxed out the squat rack. I've put on my big blue ribbon and paraded around like a peacock and attracted a crowd of none. I was hurt and disappointed, but I've also learned that I was looking for positive feedback in the wrong places.
Some people just aren't going to get it. They won't cheer for you because they don't get it. It took me a long time to figure out that they don't need to get it.
My husband is an electronics geek. He's always working on some project, sodering and welding and doing all kinds of mad-scientist stuff until his creation beeps, blinks, lights up, and plumes smoke just the way he imagined it would. He calls me over to revel in the wonder of what he has done. And I try really, really, really hard to appreciate the time and effort that went into it and manage a, "that's really neat, babe." I don't get it. I get that he gets it, but I don't get it. Luckily for him, there are a lot of people on YouTube who get it.
I guess I am taking the scenic route to say something very simple - ignore the people in your life who don't get it and move on. Trying to convince someone of your ability to reach a goal is a waste of time because their belief has nothing to do with your ability. Tackling a fitness obstacle to prove something to a naysayer is likely to result in disappointment when they could not care less about your smashing success. Instead, seek feedback and encouragement from people who do get it.
It's hard to realize that the people who are closest to you might not be your biggest cheerleaders, especially when you need a cheering squad the most. But after I let go of the expectation that they would be, its been easier to not only own the goal, but shape it and direct it without the confines of others' mediocre expectations.
Once you let go of needing someone else to be impressed or even believe that you can, it becomes a lot more fun to do it - for yourself and on your own terms. So, free yourself from mediocre expectations, and start working on something great.
Great expectations are, well, great! I'm all for aiming high. And as long as those expectations are coming from the right place, I say the higher the better. Last week I promised more about finding a support network despite having less-than-supportive family, friends, or other immediate environment. That's where expectations come in. Ah, the tangled web we weave - our expectations of ourselves, others' expectations of us, our expectations of what others' expectations will be, our expectations of what our response will be to those expectations... you see where I am going with this.
I've fallen victim many times to proudly throwing my arms up and calling, "ta-da!" to an adoring audience of zero. I've heard the deafening silence of no one giving a $*&% if I ran my fastest time ever or maxed out the squat rack. I've put on my big blue ribbon and paraded around like a peacock and attracted a crowd of none. I was hurt and disappointed, but I've also learned that I was looking for positive feedback in the wrong places.
Some people just aren't going to get it. They won't cheer for you because they don't get it. It took me a long time to figure out that they don't need to get it.
My husband is an electronics geek. He's always working on some project, sodering and welding and doing all kinds of mad-scientist stuff until his creation beeps, blinks, lights up, and plumes smoke just the way he imagined it would. He calls me over to revel in the wonder of what he has done. And I try really, really, really hard to appreciate the time and effort that went into it and manage a, "that's really neat, babe." I don't get it. I get that he gets it, but I don't get it. Luckily for him, there are a lot of people on YouTube who get it.
I guess I am taking the scenic route to say something very simple - ignore the people in your life who don't get it and move on. Trying to convince someone of your ability to reach a goal is a waste of time because their belief has nothing to do with your ability. Tackling a fitness obstacle to prove something to a naysayer is likely to result in disappointment when they could not care less about your smashing success. Instead, seek feedback and encouragement from people who do get it.
It's hard to realize that the people who are closest to you might not be your biggest cheerleaders, especially when you need a cheering squad the most. But after I let go of the expectation that they would be, its been easier to not only own the goal, but shape it and direct it without the confines of others' mediocre expectations.
Once you let go of needing someone else to be impressed or even believe that you can, it becomes a lot more fun to do it - for yourself and on your own terms. So, free yourself from mediocre expectations, and start working on something great.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Pressing Delete
Everyone has that special someone, that person who, despite all odds, regardless of the battle won or lost, no matter what, will rain on your parade. They might not intend to crush your soul, but they do.
"I just completed my first 10k!" you may jubilantly exclaim, sweaty and flushed and holding your hard-won t-shirt. "When are you going to do a triathlon?" they'll reply. Your great accomplishment is never enough.
"I'm getting closer to my goal size!" you may enthuse to your family. "Do you really think you'll lose that much?" They doubt your fortitude, and plant the seed of doubt in you, as well.
"No dessert for me, I'm full," you may share at a celebration. "Are you on some kind of diet now?" may be the accusation as they scornfully eye you as if you're some kind of traitor.
Yeah, you know who I'm talking about. They get inside your head and jumble up your plan and try to sabotage your efforts. We all have at least one.
I've been thinking about mine lately, and even more now that a fellow historian/writer/fitness fanatic (only he actually gets paid to be a historian/writer/fitness fanatic, whereas I am only a legend in my own mind) posted this on his blog, CrushPlay. It's about the importance of surrounding yourself with positive people and influences, and getting rid of the people who crush your soul.
I usually refer to it as, "pressing delete."
I've pressed delete on workout buddies who slowed me down, friends who spread negativity everywhere, routines that distracted me from my goal, and habits that slowly and quietly sabotaged me. I've pressed delete on people who aren't ready to work on their goal, aren't serious about changing their health, or just plain don't follow through on their action steps. It's not personal, it doesn't mean we can't be friends. I am just not going to spend a lot of time trying to convince you of one's ability to reach a goal, yours or mine.
I've found that soul crushers have different motives. Some work from a place of envy - they wish they had the discipline to live a healthier life and don't want you to have it either. For others, they may feel resentment over losing their drinking or late-night snack buddy and try to make you stop taking the "fun" out of indulging in unhealthy habits. Some are just plain miserable in their own lives and don't want to see anyone succeed if they can't. And there are those who just don't think you can do it and don't want to see you get hurt when you fail.
Either way, that's fine. Their response has absolutely nothing to do with your ability to reach your health goal. It's a lot easier when you have support, but you don't need it. At least, not from where you may be expecting it. You can do it, whether soul-crushers are trying to sabotage you through planting the seed of doubt, protecting you from what they fear is going to end badly, or just doesn't think you have it in you. It sucks when these people aren't on your team, but that doesn't mean you can't keep winning.
It makes me sad and angry at times when people who are important to me doubt my chances at success, but ultimately the energy it would take to "convince" them is not worth the difference it would make in my ability to do it - which is none. There is absolutely no difference in my ABILITY to meet my goals whether people support me or not. It's a lot easier and more fun if they do, but it is not impossible for me to do it without them.
So I'm sure that some of you who know me in person are wondering if I am talking about you. :) I'm not. It's just been on my mind lately. A positive support network is absolutely essential to success, but keep in mind that it might not be where or who you expect. More on this next week.
"I just completed my first 10k!" you may jubilantly exclaim, sweaty and flushed and holding your hard-won t-shirt. "When are you going to do a triathlon?" they'll reply. Your great accomplishment is never enough.
"I'm getting closer to my goal size!" you may enthuse to your family. "Do you really think you'll lose that much?" They doubt your fortitude, and plant the seed of doubt in you, as well.
"No dessert for me, I'm full," you may share at a celebration. "Are you on some kind of diet now?" may be the accusation as they scornfully eye you as if you're some kind of traitor.
Yeah, you know who I'm talking about. They get inside your head and jumble up your plan and try to sabotage your efforts. We all have at least one.
I've been thinking about mine lately, and even more now that a fellow historian/writer/fitness fanatic (only he actually gets paid to be a historian/writer/fitness fanatic, whereas I am only a legend in my own mind) posted this on his blog, CrushPlay. It's about the importance of surrounding yourself with positive people and influences, and getting rid of the people who crush your soul.
I usually refer to it as, "pressing delete."
I've pressed delete on workout buddies who slowed me down, friends who spread negativity everywhere, routines that distracted me from my goal, and habits that slowly and quietly sabotaged me. I've pressed delete on people who aren't ready to work on their goal, aren't serious about changing their health, or just plain don't follow through on their action steps. It's not personal, it doesn't mean we can't be friends. I am just not going to spend a lot of time trying to convince you of one's ability to reach a goal, yours or mine.
I've found that soul crushers have different motives. Some work from a place of envy - they wish they had the discipline to live a healthier life and don't want you to have it either. For others, they may feel resentment over losing their drinking or late-night snack buddy and try to make you stop taking the "fun" out of indulging in unhealthy habits. Some are just plain miserable in their own lives and don't want to see anyone succeed if they can't. And there are those who just don't think you can do it and don't want to see you get hurt when you fail.
Either way, that's fine. Their response has absolutely nothing to do with your ability to reach your health goal. It's a lot easier when you have support, but you don't need it. At least, not from where you may be expecting it. You can do it, whether soul-crushers are trying to sabotage you through planting the seed of doubt, protecting you from what they fear is going to end badly, or just doesn't think you have it in you. It sucks when these people aren't on your team, but that doesn't mean you can't keep winning.
It makes me sad and angry at times when people who are important to me doubt my chances at success, but ultimately the energy it would take to "convince" them is not worth the difference it would make in my ability to do it - which is none. There is absolutely no difference in my ABILITY to meet my goals whether people support me or not. It's a lot easier and more fun if they do, but it is not impossible for me to do it without them.
So I'm sure that some of you who know me in person are wondering if I am talking about you. :) I'm not. It's just been on my mind lately. A positive support network is absolutely essential to success, but keep in mind that it might not be where or who you expect. More on this next week.
Monday, June 29, 2009
No Gym? No Problem.
Every time I hear someone say that they "couldn't" work out because the gym was closed, or they were out of town, or it rained, I just smile and wait for them to continue. It only takes a few seconds before they sheepishly add, "...and next time I'll do lunges in the parking lot." One (since reformed) friend accidentally confessed that she waited in her car for 40 minutes for her trainer to show up and open the gym, and then "had" to leave. I empathized, but then caught on. "Wait a second...you waited for 40 minutes?" She blushed. "I shouldn't have told you that."
Being healthy and fit is a truth, not a consequence. And for it to be a truth for you, YOU have to make it happen. In the same way, training for my obstacle course is a truth, and I have to make time for the training, regardless of whether the gym is closed, or I am out of town, or it rained. There have been plenty of times I have run or done lunges or run a shuttle drill in the rain. You're going to get wet anyway, right? At least the rain cools you off a little.
So when I looked at my morning and tried to find an extra 30 minutes to do my hurdle, sprint, and plyometric work before the gym opened, I knew where I would end up - the parking lot. I work out at a gym that shares its parking lot with a gas station, and I've gotten to know the early morning delivery men pretty well. They look out for me and wave as they bring in their snacks and sodas and bread, and I return the greeting with a sweaty nod and smile.
When I first started working out in the parking lot, I kept it simple. The length of the lot is about 50 meters, perfect for sprint drills. So I ran back and forth doing different drills, then got my homemade hurdle out of my trunk and worked with it a little. But then I started getting bored. And I started getting restless. And I noticed that the gas station parking lot was full of shiny new toys.
Well, not shiny. But you get what I'm saying.
Just take a look around the next gas station you drive into. Looks like a regular old run-of-the-mill gas station right? But look closer. Next to the pump. Down, lower. Is there a little block of concrete there? There are six of them around the perimeter of the pumps at my station, and they're great for running and jumping over, on top of, and in between.
A big block of concrete next to the air machine serves some important purpose in another life, but for me it is where I practice box jumps. Or, I take a running start and just leap on top. I'm pretty sure it isn't going anywhere.
A traffic cone has been in the exact same spot for the last six months. I'm sure it is there for a reason, but I use it to work my hip flexors, kicking my leg up and over the cone with ankle weights on to strengthen my hips and increase my flexibility.
Then I move on to a little sign advertising the entrance to a store. But, to me, it is a mini-hurdle. I've knocked it down plenty of times and startled the delivery guys. It makes a huge racket.
And parking space dividers are always fun. Jump forward and back over one, or do what I do and jump over and then onto the sidewalk. Then add one more - over, on the sidewalk, and then up to touch the ceiling.
I do this stuff every morning, and consider it my own little obstacle course. After a few rounds, Captain Awesome shows up and the real work begins. I enjoy working out with a trainer in a nice gym with machines and weights and fancy equipment, but I love knowing that a decent workout can be found just about anywhere if you look hard enough.
I sometimes wonder if I will ever run out of new games to play in the parking lot, but I'm not too worried about it. My next plan is to put those delivery guys to work.
Being healthy and fit is a truth, not a consequence. And for it to be a truth for you, YOU have to make it happen. In the same way, training for my obstacle course is a truth, and I have to make time for the training, regardless of whether the gym is closed, or I am out of town, or it rained. There have been plenty of times I have run or done lunges or run a shuttle drill in the rain. You're going to get wet anyway, right? At least the rain cools you off a little.
So when I looked at my morning and tried to find an extra 30 minutes to do my hurdle, sprint, and plyometric work before the gym opened, I knew where I would end up - the parking lot. I work out at a gym that shares its parking lot with a gas station, and I've gotten to know the early morning delivery men pretty well. They look out for me and wave as they bring in their snacks and sodas and bread, and I return the greeting with a sweaty nod and smile.
When I first started working out in the parking lot, I kept it simple. The length of the lot is about 50 meters, perfect for sprint drills. So I ran back and forth doing different drills, then got my homemade hurdle out of my trunk and worked with it a little. But then I started getting bored. And I started getting restless. And I noticed that the gas station parking lot was full of shiny new toys.
Well, not shiny. But you get what I'm saying.
Just take a look around the next gas station you drive into. Looks like a regular old run-of-the-mill gas station right? But look closer. Next to the pump. Down, lower. Is there a little block of concrete there? There are six of them around the perimeter of the pumps at my station, and they're great for running and jumping over, on top of, and in between.
A big block of concrete next to the air machine serves some important purpose in another life, but for me it is where I practice box jumps. Or, I take a running start and just leap on top. I'm pretty sure it isn't going anywhere.
A traffic cone has been in the exact same spot for the last six months. I'm sure it is there for a reason, but I use it to work my hip flexors, kicking my leg up and over the cone with ankle weights on to strengthen my hips and increase my flexibility.
Then I move on to a little sign advertising the entrance to a store. But, to me, it is a mini-hurdle. I've knocked it down plenty of times and startled the delivery guys. It makes a huge racket.
And parking space dividers are always fun. Jump forward and back over one, or do what I do and jump over and then onto the sidewalk. Then add one more - over, on the sidewalk, and then up to touch the ceiling.
I do this stuff every morning, and consider it my own little obstacle course. After a few rounds, Captain Awesome shows up and the real work begins. I enjoy working out with a trainer in a nice gym with machines and weights and fancy equipment, but I love knowing that a decent workout can be found just about anywhere if you look hard enough.
I sometimes wonder if I will ever run out of new games to play in the parking lot, but I'm not too worried about it. My next plan is to put those delivery guys to work.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Pedestrian Crossing Next 4.5 Miles
I just got back from a few days at the beach, which were badly needed. While there I went on some nice long (for me) runs, which were also badly needed. I usually have a hit-and-miss record with working out on vacation, but luckily this trip included my brother, Michael, who is currently training for a marathon. So when he asked me if I wa
s interested in running across the bridge that connected the island to the mainland, I put out my running shoes. When I asked him if he was interested in leaving at 6:00 am, he pretended he didn't hear me.The next morning at 5:45, I started to poke Michael with my shoe and ask if he was ready. He pointed out that he had 15 minutes left to sleep, but soon we were on our way. I told him he didn't have slow down for me, since his
legs are about three feet longer than mine, and about 2 miles into it he finally believed me and took off. I followed him across the bridge on the narrow pedestrian walkway and realized that this was the first time I had run across a bridge. I liked it.Since neither of us had looked at the clock before we left or tracked the distance of our run, we weren't sure how much of a workout we had gotten. We estimated 3 or 4 miles but I was pleasantly surprised when I logged it later in my car and found that it was actually 4 1/2 miles. Not only was that my first bridge run, it was also the furthest I had run without stopping to walk. I immediately planned to do it again the next morning.
When 5:45 rang loud and clear on day two, my shoe-nudges to Michael were fruitless. His "sunburn hurt." Uh huh. So I set off on my own. This time I slowed my pace and took advantage of the sprinklers watering lawns along the way. When I turned toward the bridge, I picked up the pace a little. I wove i
n and out of fishermen setting up for the day and enjoyed a breeze off of the bay. I wondered how hurt I would be if I fell off of the bridge and landed in the water, and stopped to peer over the edge. I briefly contemplated stretching my arms wide and spinning around shouting, "I'm the king of the worrrrld!" but I thought that might be a little much.On the last day of vacation I didn't even try to wake up Michael. I took the opportunity to leave just before dawn in hopes of seeing a sunrise. I missed it by a few minutes but that was okay; the fun of running made up for it and instead of climbing the stairs to our condo when I got back, I headed to the sand for a walk. It was my last day on the beach and I wanted to soak it in. I sat down in the sand and let the waves wash over my legs. And then I remembered.
I remembered back when I was all bitching about form over function and throwing
my little hissy fit about how I'd rather be able to run five miles on the beach than just look like I could (which is true but really more me doing a grown-up version of "fine, I didn't want that anyway!"). And I realized I was pretty darn close to running five miles on the beach, having just completed 4.5 of them. So, you know what's coming, I got up and took off running. I don't know if I ran half a mile, and technically that doesn't count as running five miles "on the beach," but for now I am willing to accept half a mile on the beach and 4.5 near the beach and call it a goal accomplished.Its kind of fun when a goal sneaks up and taps you on the shoulder, and even more fun when you turn around and give it a hug. I hope you get that kind of surprise this week, too. That is, if your sunburn doesn't hurt too much. :)
Monday, June 15, 2009
Might As Well Jump
Okay, so I'm doing these kind-of-random-this-is-me-being-spontaneous early morning drills to build up my explosive strength, practice hurdles, strengthen my hip flexors, and generally work up a sweat before the gym opens. I consider this to be "spontaneous" because I don't have a set plan each morning, which if you know me at all, you'll recognize as a sign that medical help needs to be summoned because I have obviously lost my mind. Some people fly off to Vegas and get married on a whim and call it spontaneous...well, I really live on the edge and wait until the last possible stretch to decide if I am going to run sprint drills or pull out the hurdle. Watch out, people. I'm dangerous.
But lately I've found myself opting for the same general thing - jumping. It happened kind of, well, spontaneously, one morning. After a set of shuttle run drills, I was cooling down a little and came upon a parking space divider. On a whim - woah! - I decided to jump over it. As the mother of a preschooler who wants to jump over every single crack in the sidewalk, I've become somewhat accustomed to spontaneous jumping but this was the first time I had considered jumping over random objects just for the hell of it on my own. So I jumped.
And I jumped over it again.
Hmm. That was kind of easy, I thought. What else can I jump over? My eyes spied a slightly higher mound of concrete (I'm not really sure of its purpose other than as a hurdle for me). I took a gallop towards it and jumped on top. Okay, it was maybe a foot off the ground but it felt impressive to me. I raised my arms in victory and imagined "Rocky"-esque music. A bored cat who had been observing me rolled its eyes and walked away.
From that point on, I started jumping every morning. I did a lot of plyometrics in my regular workout, but they were more about improving my balance, strengthening my hamstrings and calves, and increasing agility and speed. And to be honest, I loathed them. But this seemed different. For one, I didn't have Captain Awesome taunting me and poking me with a stick like some kind of dancing monkey.
I jumped over small traffic cones. I jumped over a little trash can/ashtray by a bench. I jumped on and off of the curb. I jumped up on those green boxes that house electrical stuff. I jumped on this big block of cement by the road. I considered jumping over a fire hydrant one day but decided against it since I was wearing a skirt and there was a lot of traffic. And one day with my son, I jumped with him over a big medallion on the ground indicating the site of a time capsule set to be dug up in the future. And when they dig it up, I might jump over that, too.
All of this jumping comes at a good time, because I've set a goal to be able to clear that hurdle by the end of June. The things I have been jumping over aren't as high as my hurdle, which is about 6 feet in the air, but I think it's a good start. So I'll start looking for more things to jump over until finally, by June 30, I jump over that hurdle. Onto a soft surface that is unlikely to cause too much damage upon impact to my already glamorously bruised and scraped legs. Heroic jumping doesn't come without sacrifice, you know.
Converting myself from a run-of-the-mill gym rat to a functionally fit high-performing athlete is a bit of a leap to begin with. But I guess it wouldn't be too ironic to say that before you can leap, you have to start with a jump.
But lately I've found myself opting for the same general thing - jumping. It happened kind of, well, spontaneously, one morning. After a set of shuttle run drills, I was cooling down a little and came upon a parking space divider. On a whim - woah! - I decided to jump over it. As the mother of a preschooler who wants to jump over every single crack in the sidewalk, I've become somewhat accustomed to spontaneous jumping but this was the first time I had considered jumping over random objects just for the hell of it on my own. So I jumped.
And I jumped over it again.
Hmm. That was kind of easy, I thought. What else can I jump over? My eyes spied a slightly higher mound of concrete (I'm not really sure of its purpose other than as a hurdle for me). I took a gallop towards it and jumped on top. Okay, it was maybe a foot off the ground but it felt impressive to me. I raised my arms in victory and imagined "Rocky"-esque music. A bored cat who had been observing me rolled its eyes and walked away.
From that point on, I started jumping every morning. I did a lot of plyometrics in my regular workout, but they were more about improving my balance, strengthening my hamstrings and calves, and increasing agility and speed. And to be honest, I loathed them. But this seemed different. For one, I didn't have Captain Awesome taunting me and poking me with a stick like some kind of dancing monkey.
I jumped over small traffic cones. I jumped over a little trash can/ashtray by a bench. I jumped on and off of the curb. I jumped up on those green boxes that house electrical stuff. I jumped on this big block of cement by the road. I considered jumping over a fire hydrant one day but decided against it since I was wearing a skirt and there was a lot of traffic. And one day with my son, I jumped with him over a big medallion on the ground indicating the site of a time capsule set to be dug up in the future. And when they dig it up, I might jump over that, too.
All of this jumping comes at a good time, because I've set a goal to be able to clear that hurdle by the end of June. The things I have been jumping over aren't as high as my hurdle, which is about 6 feet in the air, but I think it's a good start. So I'll start looking for more things to jump over until finally, by June 30, I jump over that hurdle. Onto a soft surface that is unlikely to cause too much damage upon impact to my already glamorously bruised and scraped legs. Heroic jumping doesn't come without sacrifice, you know.
Converting myself from a run-of-the-mill gym rat to a functionally fit high-performing athlete is a bit of a leap to begin with. But I guess it wouldn't be too ironic to say that before you can leap, you have to start with a jump.
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