We’ve officially set sail in this journey called running. One month plus two days now are already complete in the new year and the workouts have been as good if not better than I could imagine.
Only been going at it for about three weeks hard and I can feel the difference big time. My energy level is where I need it to be, the endurance for several different work outs including interval training, pace and tempo runs along with a long run during the weekend, mixed in with kettle bell training, boxing (four two minute rounds with a retired pro boxer = INTENSE), some basketball, stationary bike, core work outs, upper body with some free weights, elliptical, step ups and “one arm” running, it’s been a busy time to kick off the official training sessions. You might be wondering what the whole one arm running thing is…here’s the deal: I run with a 3’x5’ American flag at all races. A thing of honor and respect to our military serving, the war vets who’ve been there/done that, and of course, for my good friend who lost his life in battle and the thousands of others who have done the same. I never train with the flag. But the one thing I do to try and resemble what it’s going to feel like is hold the mp3 player/cell phone in my left hand, periodically I will raise it close to my shoulder and grab on to my shirt, making it immobile while I run. I pump with the right arm, keep the left arm still. Try it sometime; see how out of rhythm it is for you. Once you get used to it, it’s not so bad. I even had one lady tell me “Hey kid, pump with both arms, it works better than way.” I told her just wait until you see my next trick…I only use my right leg and hop on this treadmill at the 20 minute mark. She looked at me funny, shook her head and then five minutes later was gone. I guess she didn’t want to see something like that happen, even though it was a joke.
Since the start of my actual training in January, I’ve dropped nine pounds (as of tonight, 2/2/2011). I haven’t really changed my diet much, if at all. With a lot of traveling for my job and late nights with not much chance to get an actual meal, pizza becomes a nightly occurrence for me, which is fine because I love it. That’s when the supplements (multi-vitamins) take their effect.
Along with exercise for the physical portion of my training, I can’t go without the mental training. This is more important to me than running. Of course if you want to be able to feel good, and for some (not me) look good during a race, you’re going to train right and hopefully eat right at the same time. I’d rather have the right attitude going into each workout session, each marathon race; just every day in general about my life than thinking too hard about what’s going to happen with my body in the next hour to two hours. Someone had asked me in the gym one day, “What do you mean by mentally train?” I told him get your attitude straight. Don’t complain about little things. Don’t make up excuses for yourself even when you’re in the gym working out. What you do is what you do, what I do is what I do. Everyone’s on a different level. I commend people that just step foot in that fitness center I go to do my work outs! That’s the first step to get you going. If you’ve got a positive attitude that you want to start, you will. I’ve noticed something really interesting with the two aspects of training for me: physical & mental. In physical, the thing people hate is the actual work you have to do. In mental, the one thing that works best is another thing people aren’t very fond of: reading. I can tell you two authors that would keep you occupied for the entire year reading their books and you would become so mentally equipped with the right tools to get out of the house and get moving, you might decide to go to a specialist because others will think you’re going crazy. Trust me, I know this from experience…
If you’ve got a positive attitude in certain situations, people will look at you like you’re from another country and spoke in a way that they just don’t understand. Why is that?? Watch the news sometime, you’ll see. Really pay attention to what’s being broadcast. Eighty percent of it is bad or sad news. Tally it up if you want. From one story to the next, make a column with two sides; tally one on the left for a story that is bad news, on the right a story that is good news. It’s just the way it is. It’s what gets people to watch. Who would want to read a boring book anyway? I’d never consider John Maxwell or the late great John Wooden boring, but some may. I’ve learn a lot from those two men through reading their books. Two L’s: Leadership & Life. Put things into perspective. John Wooden was a coach for UCLA Men’s Basketball for many years. He was ten national championships. Of those ten, SEVEN in a row. SEVEN IN A ROW. Ask a coach, any coach, how easy it is to win seven championships in a row. They won’t be able to tell you, because they haven’t won that many in row, many probably not even total. My dad is a head coach for high school boys basketball – he took a team from Clearbrook/Gonvick to state back to back years in the early 90’s. They won the Region championship two years in a row which was a huge deal, especially for a smaller school. They didn’t win state though. But they still accomplished a lot as a team!
The books I read by John Maxwell & John Wooden are excellent for not only running, but anyone that wants a good read to learn how to become a better person over all.
Just remember when you start your training, don’t just discipline yourself to get to the gym to work out. Discipline yourself to sit down or lay down for 20-30 minutes a day/evening to read one of your favorite books about becoming a better you. Read something that motivates you. Read something that will keep you hooked and want you coming back for more the next time you pick it up. If you want some good titles, let me know, I know some really good ones that you’ll like a lot.
Keep your mind on the goal. Take it one step at a time. Don’t ever try to leap too far forward at once. Bounding takes a lot more out of you than walking smaller steps.
The other thing I’ve felt has increased for me since the start of the year is my focus. I’m focused on what I need to do to get this training started, keeping it going then rocking and rolling my way through each and every event! You can do the same; it will just take some time to get going in the right direction. You might as well start now.
Only been going at it for about three weeks hard and I can feel the difference big time. My energy level is where I need it to be, the endurance for several different work outs including interval training, pace and tempo runs along with a long run during the weekend, mixed in with kettle bell training, boxing (four two minute rounds with a retired pro boxer = INTENSE), some basketball, stationary bike, core work outs, upper body with some free weights, elliptical, step ups and “one arm” running, it’s been a busy time to kick off the official training sessions. You might be wondering what the whole one arm running thing is…here’s the deal: I run with a 3’x5’ American flag at all races. A thing of honor and respect to our military serving, the war vets who’ve been there/done that, and of course, for my good friend who lost his life in battle and the thousands of others who have done the same. I never train with the flag. But the one thing I do to try and resemble what it’s going to feel like is hold the mp3 player/cell phone in my left hand, periodically I will raise it close to my shoulder and grab on to my shirt, making it immobile while I run. I pump with the right arm, keep the left arm still. Try it sometime; see how out of rhythm it is for you. Once you get used to it, it’s not so bad. I even had one lady tell me “Hey kid, pump with both arms, it works better than way.” I told her just wait until you see my next trick…I only use my right leg and hop on this treadmill at the 20 minute mark. She looked at me funny, shook her head and then five minutes later was gone. I guess she didn’t want to see something like that happen, even though it was a joke.
Since the start of my actual training in January, I’ve dropped nine pounds (as of tonight, 2/2/2011). I haven’t really changed my diet much, if at all. With a lot of traveling for my job and late nights with not much chance to get an actual meal, pizza becomes a nightly occurrence for me, which is fine because I love it. That’s when the supplements (multi-vitamins) take their effect.
Along with exercise for the physical portion of my training, I can’t go without the mental training. This is more important to me than running. Of course if you want to be able to feel good, and for some (not me) look good during a race, you’re going to train right and hopefully eat right at the same time. I’d rather have the right attitude going into each workout session, each marathon race; just every day in general about my life than thinking too hard about what’s going to happen with my body in the next hour to two hours. Someone had asked me in the gym one day, “What do you mean by mentally train?” I told him get your attitude straight. Don’t complain about little things. Don’t make up excuses for yourself even when you’re in the gym working out. What you do is what you do, what I do is what I do. Everyone’s on a different level. I commend people that just step foot in that fitness center I go to do my work outs! That’s the first step to get you going. If you’ve got a positive attitude that you want to start, you will. I’ve noticed something really interesting with the two aspects of training for me: physical & mental. In physical, the thing people hate is the actual work you have to do. In mental, the one thing that works best is another thing people aren’t very fond of: reading. I can tell you two authors that would keep you occupied for the entire year reading their books and you would become so mentally equipped with the right tools to get out of the house and get moving, you might decide to go to a specialist because others will think you’re going crazy. Trust me, I know this from experience…
If you’ve got a positive attitude in certain situations, people will look at you like you’re from another country and spoke in a way that they just don’t understand. Why is that?? Watch the news sometime, you’ll see. Really pay attention to what’s being broadcast. Eighty percent of it is bad or sad news. Tally it up if you want. From one story to the next, make a column with two sides; tally one on the left for a story that is bad news, on the right a story that is good news. It’s just the way it is. It’s what gets people to watch. Who would want to read a boring book anyway? I’d never consider John Maxwell or the late great John Wooden boring, but some may. I’ve learn a lot from those two men through reading their books. Two L’s: Leadership & Life. Put things into perspective. John Wooden was a coach for UCLA Men’s Basketball for many years. He was ten national championships. Of those ten, SEVEN in a row. SEVEN IN A ROW. Ask a coach, any coach, how easy it is to win seven championships in a row. They won’t be able to tell you, because they haven’t won that many in row, many probably not even total. My dad is a head coach for high school boys basketball – he took a team from Clearbrook/Gonvick to state back to back years in the early 90’s. They won the Region championship two years in a row which was a huge deal, especially for a smaller school. They didn’t win state though. But they still accomplished a lot as a team!
The books I read by John Maxwell & John Wooden are excellent for not only running, but anyone that wants a good read to learn how to become a better person over all.
Just remember when you start your training, don’t just discipline yourself to get to the gym to work out. Discipline yourself to sit down or lay down for 20-30 minutes a day/evening to read one of your favorite books about becoming a better you. Read something that motivates you. Read something that will keep you hooked and want you coming back for more the next time you pick it up. If you want some good titles, let me know, I know some really good ones that you’ll like a lot.
Keep your mind on the goal. Take it one step at a time. Don’t ever try to leap too far forward at once. Bounding takes a lot more out of you than walking smaller steps.
The other thing I’ve felt has increased for me since the start of the year is my focus. I’m focused on what I need to do to get this training started, keeping it going then rocking and rolling my way through each and every event! You can do the same; it will just take some time to get going in the right direction. You might as well start now.
No comments:
Post a Comment