You need a compression session

What an amazing machine that body of yours is.

I am constantly in awe at the elegance and economy of our design.  Don't love your body?   Time to get over it.  You are a work of art; beautifully made.

Need an example?  Did you know the body's major lymph glands are located near the most active joints; moving these joints effectively turns them into lymphatic pumps.  How's that for sophisticated design?  Motion is the lotion, movement is in fact medicine and whoever coined those phrases was more right than they understood.

It's hard to improve on perfection but I'll give it a try.  Your body's circulatory system, for all it's efficiency and grace, benefits from a little jumpstart, a little help, from time to time.  Enter compression.

What's compression?  Imagine your circulatory system is a tube of toothpaste.  Compression acts like your hand squeezing the tube and pushing the paste out.  It improves circulation (beyond what your joints and heart do), waste elimination and helps push good stuff (like O2) into your cells.  

Oh- I forgot to mention that using compression is practically effortless.

Benefits of compression:

• reduce pain

• quicken recovery

• reduce swelling

• increase recovery

• stimulate blood flow

• reduce swelling

• eliminate jet lag (rumored)

• solve world peace

Sound good?  Here are four ways you can harness compression's benefits.

Compression wear:  You've seen runners wearing those knee high socks post (some even wear them during) race/run.  The reason runners wear them is primarily so you'll ask them 'Hey, Did you run a race or something?' and then they can tell you all about how hard the last mile of the BAA 10k was.  The second reason is they've just smashed their feet up for up to 26 miles.  Feet swell.  Personally my feet have swelled over a shoe size post race; I would wake up the next morning and walk like an old man around my house for a few hours before regaining my natural youthful vigor.  
Wearing compression socks to bed hastens recovery.  No more doing the old man shuffle around the house post long run.  You don't have to be a runner to enjoy the benefits though.  If you are on your feet a lot, working out, or suffer from high blood pressure and dizziness compression socks are helpful.
And compression wear doesn't stop at socks.  There are shirts, sleeves, full body suits (which are rumored to help mightily with jet lag).

Normatec boots: I'd been eyeing normatec boots for the gym for awhile, but they're expensive.  My wife is 8 months pregnant.  Her feet and legs sometimes swell.   Seeing/hearing her struggle made me take another look at the boots.  They were on sale (but still expensive).  I'll take that as a sign.  I bought them.  

For her.

This is how they work: You stick your legs into loose fitting baggy pants, a motor pumps air into different sections of the pants, systematically squeezing your legs and flushing blood/lymph/fluid through your circulatory system.  They are intelligent compression socks.  Hospitals use a version of them on nearly all post surgical patients.

The big question: Was the wife impressed?  Well, she threw them on, hit power, and they whirred away for about 5 minutes at which point she asked me how much I paid for them.  
'They were on sale,' I said.  Then I told her. 
'Worth every penny,' she said.
It's now a nightly ritual.  
These boots will make their way to Train once the baby arrives.
 
Voodoo Floss:  Sometimes muscle, skin and fascia get matted and stuck underneath the skin.  Voodoo floss is a wrap that compresses these adhesions into a sort of tourniquet.  Once you're wrapped up move the muscle in question.  The stuck skin/fascia/muscle/soft tissue move through the tourniquet you've created; the adhesions and scar tissue are shredded.  There is a restriction of blood flow (while flossing) followed by a sudden blood rush upon removal that often creates a euphoric, tingling/sparkling sensation.  This is usually accompanied by an amazing increase in range of motion and a decrease in pain/stiffness in the muscle/joint. 

Lymphatic drainage:  Your cells are a relay station.  Nutrition/oxygen come in, are metabolized, and then waste is shipped out.  The waste travels along your lymphatic system.  If the lymphatic system isn't clear and viscous the whole system is backed up.  Waste can't get out and nutrition can't enter.  Your cells become sluggish.  Some light brushing and tapping (explained HERE) along with any of the compression outlined above will ensure the lymphatic system is operating optimally, shipping waste out, allowing nutrition in.  Follow the video linked above or, even better, book a lymphatic massage to clean out the pipes and optimize your lymphatic flow.

Your body is amazing, remember, and the best thing about this amazing body it is that it improves with intelligent use.  Life is a contact sport.  You're gonna accumulate a few cuts, scars, scrapes and swells along the way.  Compression is a tool that helps keep your body moving.  

The wear and tear will still slow you down, but it doesn't have to stop you. 

110%, 110% of the time

Don't be that guy.

• You stack the bar with tons of weight, move it 6 inches, and claim you lifted it... don't be that guy.

• You don't wipe down gym equipment...

• You tell people to chillax...

• You tell people sit ups burn belly fat...

• You go as hard as you possibly can every time you step in the gym...

I appreciate the effort, but don't.  Just don't.  Especially that last one.  That isn't how it works.

"Serious Bro?  Be ALL IN or GET OUT of my gym!  That's what I say.  I work until my body is so sore I can hardly lift my arms or bend my knees.  You hate it 'cause you ain't it!"

Aha!  You mentioned muscle soreness.  Let me break it down for you.

What is muscle soreness?
Working out breaks the body down.  Muscle fibers are torn (micro-tears) when you exercise, after which your body adapts, repairs and grows back stronger.  The repair of the muscular micro-tears provokes an inflammatory response from your body.  

That inflammation is muscle soreness.- also called DOMS- Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness because Muscles are never sore right after a workout.  It's usually a day or two later.  Hence the D-O.  

It is worth noting that Muscle soreness is NOT related to lactic acid build up (a common misconception).  Lactic acid (a byproduct of anaerobic energy production) is present in the muscles immediately upon completion of strenuous exercise and is mostly gone by the time muscle soreness kicks in- it can't be the culprit.  Everybody knows THAT, right?

"So what if my muscles get sore.  I go balls to the wall.  I'm a swoldier known for two things:  snapping necks, and flexing pecs"

Let me teach you a little secret about going all out every time.  It doesn't work.  When a muscle isn't allowed adequate recovery it breaks down and you get injured.  Then you're giving 110% on the couch.  That reminds me:

Are you sore or are you hurt?
Muscle soreness is diffuse.  All over the worked muscles.
Injuries are usually acute.  Relegated to a specific muscle or joint.
Muscle soreness improves with movement.
Injury worsens with movement.
Soreness comes a day or two later.
Injury happens in real time.  When you tear/hurt/injure something you know it.

" Two words Bro!  Muhammad Ali?  He said 'I don't count setups until they hurt.'  He was the GREATEST".

I have to admit that's a great quote.  He must have been 20 when he said that.

You're not 20.

He was a world class athlete.

What are you?  A Vlogger?  A bouncer?  A stockbroker?

Do you think he was working out like that before going head to head with Foreman?  With Frazier?  With Chuck Wepner?  Or do you think he's tapering for a few weeks before the big one.

"For your information, Bro, I'm a trainer.  And what does my age matter?"

When I was 25 I once drank til 2, slept 3 hours, woke up, ate a twinky and then won a road race.   Suffice to say that chain of events may kill me today.

And I'm fit.  

Let me give you some tips on managing muscle soreness:  

How do I prevent/avoid muscle soreness?

• Schedule easy days (3-4 a week)

• Schedule rest days (1-2)

• schedule easy weeks (once a month)

• move- even when you're sore.

• foam roll

• drink water

• eat aint-imnflammatory foods (turmeric for example)

• lymphatic massage

• wear compression gear

• Eat lean protein

• Have a reason/goal for your hard work.  What are you trying to accomplish with your 11 minute plank?

Muscle soreness IS proof you worked hard.  You pushed past a perceived limit.  Get some rest and let your body recover.  Come back stronger.  Read up on Progressive overload!

What's even better is working out hard and NOT getting sore. The gym culture that celebrates muscle soreness and going 110% 110% of the time is hurting people (There are two types of Cross Fitters: those who are hurt; those who are about to be).  Smart coaches and trainers build up strength with sub maximal work, pick their spots to push and don't over do it just because it makes them feel like David Goggins.  

Have a compelling reason for going all out, 'cause if you do it too often you'll end up injured, chillaxing on the couch.  

Don't be THAT guy (or girl).

Dreams + Goals + Action =

Thoughts become things, Baby

The phone you're reading this on started off as an idea.  Someone had a vision, wrote down a design, did the work, made it happen.

The shirt on your back- someone had an idea for a better shirt, wrote down their design, made it happen, now you look fabulous.

You ever hear the one about the guy who changes his computer password to reflect his goals. He wanted to quit smoking so his password became idontwantcigarettes84*.  He has quit smoking, ran a marathon, got a better job, met his dream girl, took his dream vacation Yada yada yada with this method. 

There's something about having a dream, a thought, an idea, writing it down, breaking it into goals, and making it happen.  Well actually there are two somethings.  Encoding and the Generation Effect.

Encoding is the biological process by which the things we perceive travel to our brain’s hippocampus where they’re analyzed. From there, decisions are made about what gets stored in our long-term memory and, in turn, what gets discarded. Writing improves that encoding process. In other words, when you write it down it has a much greater chance of being remembered.

 Next up: the “generation effect”, which basically says individuals demonstrate better memory for material they’ve generated themselves than for material they’ve merely read. It’s a nice edge to have and, when you write down your goal, you get to access the “generation effect” twice: first, when you generate the goal (create a picture in your mind), and second, when you write it down because you’re essentially reprocessing or regenerating that image.

"Dream big — but remember dreams without goals are just dreams, and they ultimately fuel disappointment."
- Denzel Washington  

Let's take it to the gym.  What dreams am I hearing?

• Lose 5lbs.

• Fit into the clothes.

• Get stronger.

• Tighten and tone.

I hear them over and over and over.

and over.

Let's go with lose 5 lbs.  If you lose 5 you're also going to tighten and tone and as a result your clothes will fit better.  

That's three birds with one stone.  And you're probably doing some strength work and getting stronger here too.

4 birds.

5 lbs is the dream.  Without goals to achieve that dream you'll be 'fueling disappointment.'  Let's make some SMART goals.  Here's what I mean by SMART.  

• Specific

• Measurable

• Achievable

• Relevant

• Time bound.

Five lbs of fat loss will take 5 weeks.  That's a daily  500 calorie deficit for 35 days.  Looks SMART to me.  

We need to be more specific.  How do we drop that 500 calories?  Let's write down 3 specific goals to get there.  Why write them down?  Did I mention you're 40% more likely to achieve a goal you write it down.  
Get out your pen and pad or open up the notes app on your phone.
There are hundred of goals you can write.  I'll give you five I'd start with.

1. Throw out all the crappy food in your fridge/pantry.

2. Create a daily 500 calorie deficit (diet and exercise).

3. Walk 10,000 steps today.

4. Do a 20 minute strength workout or 20 minute yoga flow.

5. Hire a trainer (should be #1 but I'm biased)

You're on your way.

Prune the list.  If you accomplish a goal that you only have to do once (like #1 at the very top) you can cross it off or move it to the bottom of the list.   Add another goal.  

Assess how effective the goals are.  If you find that a goal you're consistently checking isn't moving the needle in your favor strike it from the list.

Revisit and rewrite your list every day.  Add new goals.  See what sticks.  Strike what doesn't. 

Don't worry about setting the right goals.  Just keep writing, acting, pruning, failing, learning, repeating until you step on the scale and see what you want.

And then stop.

Just kidding...

New goal.  New List.  New challenge.  New you.

Thoughts become things.  What you repeatedly think will repeatedly show up.  Think big, dream big, get SMART and get moving!  Today is the youngest day of your life.

Answers to the most Googled Fitness questions

Google Query:

What are the most googled fitness questions?

I'm warning you- none of these questions have clear answers. All my answers will probably start with... 'it depends'.

Question: How long does it take to see results?
Depends (told ya). Some results come at the speed of your nervous system (around 275 mph). If you want increased speed, strength or flexibility all it takes is for you to do something your body likes and voila! Result. One drill or one move can be incred ably effective.

Don't believe? Watch this.

The results most people are alluding to are weight loss or muscle gain.

Again it depends.

It's 90+ degrees out today. I've run long on days like this and lost 9 lbs in an hour. But that's all water weight. I weigh less, but I'm dehydrated (weaker/foggier). The scale reads lower, but I'm not looking vibrant or thinner. Just exhausted. The weight comes back the minute I hydrate.

Looking for fat loss? Sustainable fat loss comes at about a pound per week. If you create a caloric deficit (diet + exercise) of about 500 calories per day you will lose that pound. 1 lb does not sound significant but look at the size of 5 lbs of body fat.

If this comes off, and muscle goes on, people will notice

Fat does not come off at one specific part of your bod, but if you lose 5 lbs, even while gaining muscle, people will notice.
Answer: 5 weeks.

Just the other day I was wondering where my summer went. I feel like yesterday it was late May. 5 weeks ago. Time flies.

Question: What are the best diets to follow?
Answer: Eat like an adult. From Dan John's book 'Never Let Go':

"Here is an idea: Eat like an adult. Stop eating fast food, stop eating kid's cereal, knock it off with all the sweets and comfort foods whenever your favorite show is not on when you want it on, ease up on the snacking and—don't act like you don't know this—eat vegetables and fruits more. Really, how difficult is this?"

Learn how to eat, how to shop, and how to cook. You can try keto, south beach, Atkins, fat flush and see success but until you can shop for and cook 2-3 tasty meals from memory, have a go to cookbook or food blog you're leasing that thin body, you don't own it.

It took me until my 30's to eat like an adult. I made my transition to adult eating via a cookbook called Gourmet Nutrition from Precision Nutrition. I can personally vouch for about 80% of the meals in there (meaning I've cooked, eaten and enjoyed them). The book gives you dozens of delicious recipes (that don't require much prep), a schedule of when to eat them relative to your daily activity/workout, the portion size you should be eating, and all of the relevant nutritional information. I believe in this book. If you eat recipes from this book for 5 weeks you're people will take notice.

I am not paid to recommend this book and you couldn't pay me to recommend a diet. Eat Whole Foods, control portions, drink water, stop before you over eat. I have been some degree of fit my entire adult life and I wish I found this book earlier.

What's the best gym in Boston?

Too easy. Train, Baby! This is the place where the trainer and the client can maximize their potential! That was a softball. One more.

What are the best exercises to lose weight?
Answer: Jump rope. I covered this one partly in this blog post from a few months ago. Jump rope burns the most calories.

But the question is flawed. Why?

Because some people can't jump rope to save their lives.
And some just can't stand jumping rope for a long time.
And jump rope will hurt other people.

Let me ask you a question? Why do you want to know the best exercise?

Is it because you want the fastest results? Results aren't coming for 5 weeks.

And if you do any exercise (jump rope, running, lifting) consistently for 5 weeks you're gonna see and like the result. Oh boy... I think I have a definitive answer.

Answer 2: Consistency is the best exercise to lose weight.

Be consistent. Time Flies Baby! Time Flies!

Don’t know how you do that voodoo that you do

A year or so ago I had tennis elbow.  The best part: I don’t even play tennis.

But every time I placed my right elbow under load and tried to move it I had pain.  Sharp, searing pain.

I set up an appointment with my Doc but you know how annoying that is. First you make an appointment, then you see your Doc who then recommends you see a specialist with whom you make another appointment.  But that guy’s the best and there’s no quick appointments so three months later you get fixed.

There has to be an easier way.

So I stretched.  The elbow still hurt.

I foam rolled.  Still hurt.

I used R.I.C.E.  No change for the R (Rest), I (Ice) or E (Elevation).

But the C (Compression) worked.  How did the Compression work?  It was voodoo.

Voodoo floss.

I was reading ‘Becoming a Supple Leopard‘ at the time.  The author, Kelly Starrett wrote that Voodoo floss ‘is my first stop for treating tennis elbow,’ which led me to the question  : What is voodoo floss?

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‘Voodoo flossing is an intermittent, compression based joint mobilization method that incorporates all the mobility systems simultaneously.’  Look at the smaaaaaht Kid with the ten cent words.

This sounds way too involved for me to do on my own but Voodoo flossing is easy.  Most things in fitness are easy, even when people science up the words.

Find your sore joint (in my case it was the elbow).  Wrap your voodoo bands around the affected joint (one client called it a tourniquet).  Once your joint is wrapped move the joint through some Range of Motion drills.  Do this for 2 minutes and remove the band.  Instant relief.  Your joints will feel like they are sparkling (that’s the rush of blood back into the joint).

I wrapped above the elbow and did some elbow circles, pushups etc and then the song on my iPod changed to one I’d like to skip.  I pulled out the iPod with the wrapped arm and started swiping.  Bingo.  I was on to something.

Turns out my tennis elbow was texter’s elbow.  I had been swiping away at my phone a little bit too much (No Tinder jokes please, I’m engaged).  I kept the wrap on and kept swiping.  Three weeks of consistent pain were flossed away in a minute.

I’ve since flossed out my feet, my knees, hamstrings, shoulders, wrists, you name it.  I always feel a little bit better after I do it, particularly my knees and feet.

The reason it works: voodoo.  The real reason- there are several.  Sometimes muscle, skin and fascia get matted and stuck underneath the skin.  The wrap compresses and tears apart these adhesions.  The restriction of blood flow, followed by the rush will often create a euphoric feeling wherever you have wrapped.

There are some guidelines to voodoo flossing (straight from the manuals).

-Wrap towards the heart.

-Don’t leave it on for more than two or three minutes.

-Apply the band at 50-75% tension.

-Don’t wrap if you’ve got any open wounds or skin conditions.

-Don’t use the wrap if you have cancer, are on blood thinners, have deep vein thrombosis, or are diabetic.

My observations- Voodoo flossing is great if you are hurt.   Suffering from an overuse pain like shin splints or sore knees, this is your savior.  If you have a long term injury like a rotator cuff or a ligament tear the floss will make you feel better initially but later on you may be in for some serious hurt.  I have a client with a long time shoulder injury.  We flossed it and she felt A-mazing in the moment!  Her ROM improved dramatically after two minutes in the wrap.  She left happy only to text me the next day:  Never Again.  The floss made her feel worse later on that day.

I saw that response three more times (a foot, an ankle and a knee).  It always feels better in the moment, but these were long term injuries that people had for years.  They all said the same thing: Never Again.

But runners and lifters who were just sore and inflamed from tough workouts LOVE IT!  You feel immediately better and there is no post floss hangover.

Bottom line- if you are hurt, then floss.  Injured?  Skip it.  

Minute :32

Two shows I can watch all day: Behind the Music and 30 for 30.

Behind the music on VH1 takes a look at the origin stories of your favorite bands from the ’80’s and ’90s.  Duran Duran, Peter Frampton, U2.  It starts the same every episode.  Young and hungry band catches a break, makes it big beyond their wildest dreams and then

POW!  Minute :32.

Minute :32 is the moment every episode where the band breaks up, drugs take over or they release a shitty album.  They are laid low.

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It’s usually drugs.  Ain’t that right Rick James?

Every band has a minute :32.  And the last :28 minutes are all about rehab, the band getting back together, the lead singer forgiving his father, the comeback album.  The last :28 are about redemption.  The band, the singer, has to rediscover what made them great.

30 for 30… Same thing.  it’s not as predictable as minute :32, but your protagonist athlete will miss the shot, lose the game, lose their money, something.  And then they must enter the pain cave to find retribution.

My favorite 30 for 30 was the ‘Best That Never Was’ about Marcus Dupree.  Marcus was an amazing football player.  He scored a touchdown on his first possession in high school, college and then in the pros (AFL).  Because of concussions, injuries and bad luck he never made it to the NFL.  He let himself slip for 5 and a half years.  He was overweight and depressed.

He was out of shape, out of work and running out of time, A friend brought Marcus to watch an NFL game from the sideline.  He saw the game and knew that he wanted back in.  Enter the pain cave!

Marcus locked himself in a small, dilapidated garage stuffed with crummy weights, crummy workout gear and an even crummier stereo.  No air conditioning.  He lost over 100 lbs, got back into football shape and made the LA Rams the following season.

Equipment in the Pain cave looks like this. So screw Equinox.

This is fascinating.  He had desire, he had work ethic and he never stopped.  He didn’t have the latest workout gear.  He didn’t have the latest coaching.  He didn’t care.  Don’t believe me?  Here’s a picture of his weight bench:

His ceiling was the NFL.  Your ceiling probably isn’t as high, but that doesn’t make your accomplishment any less inspirational or important.

My pain cave was the Field Loop at Thayer Academy.

My Freshman year of College Track and Cross Country were forgettable.  I was determined to run faster.  I hammered the roads that summer for over 70-80 miles a week.  I only took 2 days off the entire summer and quite predictably I got hurt.  I was unable to run a step from September through January.

I was depressed.  Running was my identity and I couldn’t do it.  I swam and I hit the bike but it wasn’t the same.

By January I could run.  I started back slowly.

I started off running for 5 minutes at a time, testing out my legs.

I’d run laps around the Thayer Field loop because I didn’t trust myself to run to far from home.  I wanted to be able to walk home if my injury (ankle) flared again.  There were a few days I had to make that walk.

For 2 months I ran in loops around the .6 mile grass loop.  That was it.  Starting at 25 minutes a week and increasing by 10% every week.  In 6 months I was back to 15 and 16 mile runs through the relentless hills of World’s End Park.  In 10 months I was a collegiate All American.

If your ceiling is the NFL, All American, or making it one mile without stopping it does not matter.  You are still inspirational.  Your effort has value.

Minute :32 may have just happened.  You’re down.  You’re hurt.  You’ve retreated to the pain cave (or garage).

Do yourself a favor.  Lock yourself in.

Feel the pain.  Lose the fear.

But start moving.  Start working.  Start running.  Start writing.  Send out your resume.  Put yourself out there.

Don’t come out until you’ve changed something.

No matter how justified you are in your pain, anger, and fear they are ONLY HOLDING YOU BACK.

Let ’em go.

Don’t stop.

You don’t need equipment.  You don’t need money.  Coaching will help but it will help more when you have momentum.

Don’t stop.

Write those last :28 minutes.

shit rolls uphill

Listen up anyone with foot pain, knee pain, hip pain, lower back pain!

I dislike cliches.

What do you say we take one down.  I mean cut through it like a hot knife through butter (that was on purpose).

‘Shit rolls downhill’.

1st of all it doesn’t roll anywhere.

And for athletes shit can roll uphill.

Metaphorically that is.

I’m talking about your feet.  Did you know your feet withstand literally hundreds of thousands of pounds of force during the average day?

Did you know that while running the force generated from the impact of your foot into the ground is somewhere between 3 and seven times your body weight?

I’m willing to bet that the collision between your feet and the floor is the most violent force you experience on a daily basis.

The only love we give our feet is the occasional massage or pedicure (if you belong to the fairer sex).  Most of us just shove our feet into crummy shoes and sandals and then ignore them until they hurt.  Then we go to the shoe store and hopefully find the right pair of shoes to fix what ails us.  And if the shoes don’t work then we go to the Podiatrist and get hooked up with some $200 orthotics.

Now is a god time to remember Injury Rule #5: Pain refers out.

Sometimes our feet hurt.  There is a direct cause-effect relationship between force of impact and injury there.  But more often foot tightness/disfunction is the first compromised link leading further up the kinetic chain into our knees, hips and back.  So sh#% (pain) is rolling uphill.  

I used to think that if my back hurt I should stretch my back or if my hip hurts I should mobilize my hip.  Sometimes this works beautifully.  Sometimes not.   Experience has taught me to look a joint above and a joint below the sight of an injury.  If the foot isn’t functioning properly then the ankle will not function properly, nor will the knee.  The poor function will climb up the kinetic chain until some body part says ‘Enough’!

The foot has the ability to affect so many joints and muscles above it because it is at the base.  It affects everything that follows.

Orthotics and new shoes may help you sort out your various hip and back issues but let’s get to the source of it all.  Let’s create strong, flexible feet.  Feet that can withstand pounding long runs, heavy lifts and balance poses in yoga.  Feet that can wear Vibram 5 finger shoes and not get made fun of.  No need for expensive shoes and orthotics.

Let’s make our feet Bulletproof.

Step 1: Go back in time and walk around bare foot until you are old enough to drive.  This works for the Kenyans and the Tarahumara and will work for you.

No time machine.  You’ll have to settle for what I got.

Below I’ve created my first Boston Running Man instructional video (which will double as my most crudely produced) that will show you how to warm up your feet and get them bulletproof in Minutes.

Stretching your feet is boring… but effective.

Note: the bouncy balls aren’t specially made.  You can get them for a quarter at the Grocery store or here on Amazon.

This routine isn’t just for runners!

This is for lifters who have plateaued in their power lifts (squat and deadlift).  Strong feet will make a difference.  Strength rolls uphill.

This will help you if you have trouble with your balance.  Balance starts with a strong foundation.  The rest comes from your eyes and ears but that’s a subject for another blog.

This will help with knee, hip, ankle, and lower back pain.

This is cheaper than new shoes and orthotics.  2 bouncy balls= $.50.

It’s short and sweet.  Do this every day for a month and watch how much you improve.

Pay special attention to how much easier the first few steps out of bed in the morning are.

Sh#% can roll uphill.

But so can relief!

Long Strides? Bitch Please.

If you are somewhat fast you’ve heard this at some point.

‘It must be those long strides’

That’s why you’re fast according to most.

Running Rule #1: Long strides are not good for you.

 As in bad.  Inefficient.  

As in shorten your stride.  Now.

There’s a WIDELY accepted myth that long strides=speed.  This myth was once again reconfirmed during the coverage of the 100 meter dash in Rio this summer when it was disclosed that Usain Bolt takes 5 fewer strides per 100 meters than his competitors.  See- long strides are essential for speed.  

Don’t buy in.  It’s all about Turnover.  They neglected to mention that Bolt’s turnover is probably just as quick or as his competitors.  He’s just 6’5″ when everyone else is around 6′ so naturally he’ll take fewer strides.  

Speed and efficiency come from proper turnover.  Not Long strides.  Don’t believe me?  Let’s do a test.  

The test:  Get out of your chair and run 20 meters with as long a stride as possible(L for long).  Walk back and run the same 20 meters using slightly shorter strides (S for Shorter).  One of these two runs felt better (S), was quieter (S), and if timed was likely to be faster (S). 

One was louder (L), felt heavier (L), and felt unnatural (L).

Why do people still think log strides are the key to speed?  One reason is long strides cover a greater distance, meaning you’re covering more ground and finishing quicker (in theory).  The other reason is scenes like the opening of ‘Chariots of Fire’.  The boys on the beach, the effortless beautiful trot of Britain’s finest Olympians. 

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‘Hope in our Hearts, wings on our heels.’

The effortless lope of Aubrey Montague, the joyous smirk of Lord Andrew Lindsey.  Slow motion, Long strides, bare feet.  Cue the score by Vangelis.  Cue the Goosebumps.

This is how one runs.

Right?

Wrong.

One- these guys are filmed in slow motion, so the strides seem longer.  Two- they are actors and not athletes.  Mimic actual runners, not actors.

sidenote: I don’t buy it that BOTH of the Alpha males from the film are in the back of the pack.  Especially Abraham.  That guy has to win every race.  Practice?  He’s racing.  Warm ups?  He’s racing.  Racing.  He’s racing.  Give him any task, he’s competing.  He’s not letting any of them think they can beat him, ever.  Love that guy on film.  Ran with a someone like this in college.  Scott Barbuto, what’s up?  

So let’s debunk the myth about long strides.  

You want to run roughly 90 strides per minute (180+ if you count both feet).  Roughly, that’s 15 right foot strides every :10.  

Why 90?  When you run 90+ strides a minute your cadence is recreating the wheel.  The wheel is a very efficient tool at moving things forward.  Effortlessly.  Like British Olympians on the Beach.

It just works out that 90 is a catch all.  Some people are fine at 88, some at 92.  We have different leg lengths and hip heights sure, but shoot for 90.  You’ll be fine.  

90+ Your foot strikes under you and the force is transferring into the ground and sending you FORWARD.  

<90 The foot strikes ahead of you.  You’re breaking your own stride and sending (your bodyweight x’s 3 lbs of force) into your ankles, knees, hips and spine.  

As my High School Coach put it: ‘Youre putting on the brakes’.

You’re also landing on your heels.  Look at the anatomy of your foot quickly.  You do not have to be an expert to notice that you have your narrow, bony heel and your wide, flexible forefoot and toes.  Would you rather land on something narrow and hard or wide and flexible?  Thought so.  

Your annoying upstairs neighbor who walks so heavy on his feet that he can wake you up by walking around the house:  Overstrider.  

If this is bad for us why do so many of us over stride and land on our heels.  Part of the reason: running shoes.  

Your foot is the product of millions of years of evolution.  Running shoes were invented in the past 60 years.  For some reason someone thought it wise to build up cushions in the heel.  This was a mistake.  We are not meant to heel strike.  

We are meant to run barefoot.  Landing on the bony part of the heel (over striding) would quickly end your barefoot running.  

Now if you read ‘Born to Run’, put down the book, ran out an grabbed a pair of Vibram 5 finger shoes and promptly got injured you’re shaking your head right now.  ‘Wrong Steve!  We are not meant to run barefoot.’

The real reason you got hurt was that you probably read the book when you were 30, or even 20-25.  The musculature needed to run barefoot should be developed when you’re young and you weigh about 50-60 pounds.  If you read ‘Born to Run’ as a toddler, well done.  But I bet you still ran in shoes because your parents made you.  Only neglectful parents let their children run barefoot.  

Trying to run barefoot at an advanced age is very difficult.  If you try to make the conversion to barefoot running, or even more minimal shoes, do so 1 mile at a time.

Running less than 90 strides per minute?   

Chances are you have sore knees.

Or plantar fasciitis.

Or back pain.

Or all of them.

Or worse.

You have a Doc on speed dial.  He love$ you.

Shorten your stride and watch your problems disappear.

How do I shorten my stride?

Run with music that’s 90 BPM or more.  Feet match the beat.  Here’s some examples: https://jog.fm/workout-songs/at/90/bpm

Run alongside someone with a higher stride rate (you’ll tend to run in step).

Run quietly.  If you can hear yourself running you are the upstairs neighbor.

Run downhill with help from Fat Joe and Michael Jackson... seriously

There is an art, it says, or a knack to flying.  The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.’- Douglas Adams ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’

Running down hills.  Hard to do it right.

Leaning back is what we want to do.  Leaning back is easy.

Because we’re tired.

It takes effort to run down hill.

The added speed makes us feel like we’re out of control.

I’d rather just do it like Fat Joe cause Runner’s ‘don’t dance, they just pull up their pants and do the roc- away, now lean back, lean back’.

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It’s what most runners do when they come to a downhill.  They lean back.

Your foot fall will get really loud (Warning!  Loud runners aren’t graceful or efficient).

Lean back and let your calcaneus (heel) slam into your cushiony running shoe.

Buuuuut now that force of impact is moving up the kinetic chain.  First stop is your ankle.  Slam that joint closed.

Athlete’s rule: Jammed joints create global weakness.  Ask your chiropractor.

Next stop your knee.  Another joint smushed… and Bye Bye cartilage.

Then your hip.  Joint three.  Crunch.

Then your lower back.  More joints.  Ouch.

Running down a hill can hurt more than running up one.

But it doesn’t have to.

Develop that ‘knack’.  Throw yourself at the ground… and miss.

‘Most people fail to miss, and if they are really trying properly, the likelihood is that they will fail to miss it quite hard.’

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No need to throw yourself really.

Lean FORWARD (Thanks MJ).

Don’t lean forward at the waist.  Stay tall.  But lean forward.

Keep your body at a 90 degree angle with the hill you’re running down.

You may pick up a LOT of speed.

You might feel a little out of control.

You might feel like you’re sprinting.  It’s ok.  I sprinted once and lived to tell.  Just pick up that turnover.

‘Running down a hill should feel like a controlled fall.’ someone once said.  Tried to find the exact quote but Google has failed me.

But here’s the Truth, Ruth, you’re actually saving energy by leaning into a hill… as well as saving your ankles, knees, hips and low back.

And you’ll pass people.  How’s my back look chumps?

So Lean forward.  It’s usually a good idea.

Usually?  What do you mean usually?

Well if the hill is reaaaaaaally long,

and reaaaaaaaally steep,

and reaaaaaaaally slick…

well then you gotta stay on your feet.

So then ‘Runners don’t dance they just pull up their pants and, do the roc-away, and lean back, lean back, lean back.’

The Cult Marathon

We all run different roads to arrive at the same starting line.  I’m running the 2017 Boston Marathon.  This is the start of my journey.

August 25th, Dog Days of summer, 90 degree heat, 9 laps around around a reservoir, 26.2 miles.

This is the guarantee of the Sri Chinmoy (Self Transcendence) Marathon.  Where do I sign up?

What depraved mind state brought me to the starting line at Rockland State Park in New York?

I wanted a Boston Marathon qualifying time.

The Buildup: I swore that last marathon would be the last.

Disney, a couple years ago.  The training went ok but my heart wasn’t in it.  I made it through mile 22 with my sights firmly set on a 2:55 finish.  I stepped onto the track at ESPN zone running fine, I stepped off the track a scant 300 yards later with a funny limp caused by a sudden and painful onslaught of  IT Band tendonitis.

I did not finish.  I was distraught.  This was my Final Marathon.  I was CERTAIN.

Just as I was sure 10 years earlier that the Cape Cod Marathon was my first and last.  First thought at that finish: ‘Never Again.’

Just as I was sure after my PR in the Chicago Marathon 6 years previous. First thought:  ‘Never Again.’

But then I started coaching the St. Jude charity marathon team and damn it, on race day, watching them run by, I wanted in.  I wanted to run Boston.   I want the hometown crowd, I want the hills, I want the history, I want the challenge.  I WANT HOLYFIELD!

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I also want to do the race on my  terms, which means qualifying.

There aren’t too many marathons scheduled in the Summer.  Why?   Heat, it turns out, can really kill your ability to run 26.2 miles.  Who knew?  There was one in Indianapolis in early August with the unfortunate name of ‘The Beaver Chase Marathon’.  I told a few friends I was thinking of running the ‘Beaver Chase’ and they’re reply:

‘Can I have your T-shirt?’

So I kept looking and found this little gem of a race on August 25th.  9 loops around a reservoir which means it’s pancake flat.  This is where I’d make my stand.

The Training:  Training began in May.  I was crazy busy at work but managed to up the long runs steadily.  2 weeks up, one week down.  This progressed until I absolutely crushed an early July 20 miler in 6:20 pace.  The reason I ran a 20 so early was I going on a cruise through Europe from 7/15 to 8/1.

The cruise was an amazing experience (including a magical run through Liverpool England) but while running along the top deck I was stabbed in my right calf.  Or at least it felt that way.  I did not panic.  I continued to walk, to do yoga, I practiced some nerve glides to reduce the pain but I did not run a step from 7/28 through 8/4.  There was pretty legitimate pain all the way up to 8/2.  Shooting pain on one side.  Not a good sign.

Then the pain, in response to some of the care I was giving it, vanished.   August 5th I ran a five miler that went pretty well.  This didn’t mean that I was ready for 26 so I readied another test.

August 8th was a Monday.  It was hot.  I carved out a couple hours in the afternoon to try and run a 10.  I ran a flat waterfront loop from my home in Jones Hill (Dorchester) around Umass Boston and the JFK Museum to Castle Island.  I coasted for 3 and then felt sluggish as I rounded Castle Island.  I finished dejected, ready to throw in the towel on this marathon until I saw I ran 6:20’s for the entire run.  I went for a 15 miler that weekend and crushed it in 6:30 pace.  It was worth the risk.  I was heading to New York!

Pre Race: This race goes off at 7 am on Thursday morning.  Cool.  I do some of my best running Thursday morning at 7 am.

I arrived at 6 am, took a short walk to the start, picked up my number and then went back to the car to dump my stuff.  There were plenty of bathrooms, and some pre race amenities like gatorade and watermelon.

A few days prior to running the race I checked out the list of entrants to confirm I was in.  I was expecting to be running with a couple of people from Massachusetts, Connecticut and then a ton of New York and New Jersey Runners, but a glance at the field showed something interesting.  This was a truly international field.  There were runners from South Africa, Sweden, China.  I was expecting a local running club vibe but this was an international affair.

I Updated my Facebook Profile:  “Running the Self Transcendence marathon in :35. Good vibes appreciated.

Rod Tidwell is the real MVP.

St. Jude Inspired.

In the Immortal words of Rod Tidwell:

That scene pumps me up.

Go time.  Like my Grandmother used to say ‘it’s time to snap necks and cash checks.’

Lap 1: The temperature was around 70-75. The early miles of a marathon are crucial because your thinking/cautious side doesn’t want to go out too fast, buuuuuuuut you’re tapered, you’re pumped up, you’re READY.  You can hold back and still drop a fast couple of miles (whoops).  That in mind I positioned myself towards the front of the pack but I let the leaders go.  Given the up and down nature of my training my only goal was to qualify for Boston.

It did not have to be pretty.  In 2016 you had to beat your qualifying time by about 2 minutes to get in.  That meant I had to run about 3:08.  I set a goal of 3 hours just to be safe.  9 laps @ 2.96 miles per lap meant roughly :20 per lap.  I settled into a groove and hoped for the best.

My big criticism of the race is that there was no running clock on the course for the first half.  I don’t run with a watch so I was flying blind for a little while.

The first lap gave me the lay of the land.  Mile 1 (also 3, 6, 9 etc) was in the sun.  Mile 2 was shady but turned a lot.  Mile 3 was shady and felt pretty straightforward.

It felt good to be underway.

Lap 2: Every single mile was marked, meaning you ran past each marker 9 times.  The loop was 2.94 miles so there were 3 stretches of mile markers all positioned .06 miles apart.  To keep things straight I would tap the mile marker that reflected the distance I had run.  On this lap I forgot to tap the 5 mile marker.  My superstitious side lamented on this for a while.  Later on I forgot to tap 18 so I had to turn around to tap it and appease the Running Gods.

Just kidding.  I have 1 running superstition: DO NOT CROSS A FINISH LINE UNTIL YOU FINISH.  Don’t pretend you’re finishing the day before and run across, don’t drive over it on your way to the mall.  Stay away until race day.   Twice I have seen this happen against my dire warning and both times it was BAD.

If you live are running Boston this means you can’t go down Boylston between the day you commit to running and race day.  And definitely don’t take selfies (ugh) standing on the finish line when you come to the expo to pick up your number.  Your pics can wait.

Lap 3: I think I was in 4th or 5th place.  The guy right ahead of me took off and the part of me that still thinks I’m 21 and weigh 155 wanted to go with but thankfully I remembered that I am actually 37 years old, 182 lbs and recovering from an injury. I held back.  This is when I started to lap other runners.  Because the course was loops I was going to be passing people pretty much non stop for the rest of the way.  The downside of constant passing is maneuvering around them.  2 yards here, 3 there; if you’re not careful you can run 26.5 miles.

.3 miles is a negligible distance… until you tack it onto the end of a marathon.

Lap 4: There was a clock at the 10 mile mark!  I have banked 10 minutes already.  Wow!  I’m on pace for 2:40 (a PR).  I know this is not realistic.  Time to slow it down.

Lap 5: Current mind state: This is easy.  I’ll hold back until lap 8 and then crush it for 2.  I’m purposefully slowing myself, protecting the time I’ve banked and feeling pretty good.

Lap 6: It’s getting hot.  I’m still feeling good, taking water at every mile.  A sip down the hatch then the rest gets dumped on my head to stay cool.  I’m purposefully slowing down but I still ran a :19 lap.

Lap 7: And now the race begins.  I’m starting to feel really hot (I’d later discover it was 88-90 degrees).  Slowing it down but I still manage to run a lap around :20-:21.

Lap 8: I’m out of gas.  So much for hammering the last two laps.  This always happens.  I’m good for about 20-21 miles and then I just run.out.of.gas.  Maybe I should have banked more time when I was feeling good.  Aaaargh.

This is the agony of the Marathon.  The race is so long that you run perfectly for 90% of it and still die a slow horrid death.

Song in my head: Nikes by Frank Ocean.  Slow paced, laconic beat.  Good song the first time I heard it a couple days ago.  Now I HATE IT.  ‘These bitches want Niiiiiiiiikes…’  That’s the only part of the song I know.  I keep repeating it over and over in my head and can’t let it go.  Decent song, but it’s killing me now.

I once ran 17 miles with the chorus to ‘Livin’ the vida Loca’ in my head.  Just the chorus.  ‘Upside, Inside out, Livin’ la Vida Loca’.

I could run with music and control what I was hearing but that would make me a Jogger and I came to RUN today.

Gut check.  Keep pushing.  Just get that qualifying time.  ‘All Heart!’

Lap 9: On fumes.  I’ve been passed 5 times. I’m walking through water stops and the heat has defeated me.  I’m hemorrhaging minutes here.  Just destroyed.  Just get it done.

‘These bitches want Niiiiiiiiiikes’.  Ugh.

Running a loop course is advantageous here.  The other runners are very supportive and by this point I know the course very well.  I can check off landmarks.  Push to where you saw the gopher (mile 1), push around the S curve, get to the straightaway etc.  Having the small goals/distractions helped.

The Good news:  I’m done.  11 minutes and change ahead of the Boston Qualifier.  It was not pretty, but I’ll take it.

My Social Media is blowing up.  If a runner qualifies for Boston and doesn’t post it on Social Media does it even count?’

The bad news: the way I look in this photo:

Possible Caption: Victory and Defeat, simultaneously.

Ugh…  You know a guy that passed me with 2 miles to go ran 2:54.  That’s how much I sucked on the last lap.

At least I have 8 months to figure out how to fix the last 3-4 miles.  I think I need more calories during the race.

The negatives on the Self Transcendence Marathon are obvious.  It’s run on a Thursday which means you’re taking a sick day and your cheering section is most likely working.  There was no clock for 3 laps so if you’re watch averse like myself then you may fly blind for a while.  The last negative is August.   You take the chance that the race will be hot.  This year it got up to 90, but I never felt really cooked.  The previous year the race was won in a much slower time.  I’m thinking it may have been hotter then.

The Self Transcendence Marathon is also called The Shri Chinmoy Marathon.  He was a Monk who believed in using fitness (running, yoga, weight lifting) to elevate the spirit.  Shri was an accomplished runner and lifter himself.  I was googling him to find a quote I could throw into this blog post and some of the articles that came up suggested this group was somewhat of a cult which made me question the water stops (Kool Aid anyone?).

Rest easy.  There were no uniform black Nikes and even though they have my email and phone number no one has reached out to get me to join the movement or wear a tinfoil hat.

The positives vastly outweigh the negatives.  The course is flat and fast.  The runner support was great.  Passing each aid station 9 times allowed me to build camaraderie with a few of the volunteers.  Running a loop may get boring for some but I found, especially on the last lap, the familiarity I had with the course kept me calm.

The first of many roads leading to Hopkinton.

Don’t sh*t your pants

Warning!

I’m about to go there.

Run enough and this will happen to you but no one else wants to talk about it.

You’ve been warned.

Your senses are heightened.  You’re alert, focused, hyper aware.

Every step is calibrated for maximum velocity, your muscles are clenched.

Your brow is damp, eyes squinting.  You’re on the hunt.

You are not racing.

You are hunting.

For a bathroom.

You are trying to not shit your pants.

You were running when it hit you unawares.  Now you’re desperate.

Your beautiful effortless stride is now a waddling, shuffling mess as you realize that your body is not equipped to simultaneously clench your bowels and move forward quickly.

Of all the times to be slow.

You’re hunting for a bathroom while out on a run and it’s…

THE WORST FEELING EVER.

The first thing you will do when it hits you is try to figure out how far you are from home.  

Too far.

Always too far.

Now you’re thinking of where you can go.

You can’t be picky.  I’ve used gas stations, restaurants, movie theaters, coffee shops, bike stores, porta johns, grocery stores, museums, hotels, gyms, construction sights, public rest rooms, even the woods.

Don’t judge.  Run enough miles and the shits will hit you unprepared.

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I once pretended to be an MIT student so security would let me into the Student Union.  What’s that award winning actor John Lithgow?

I once did the bow legged hobble for a mile until I spied a porta john 200 yards in the distance.  It was a hot, hot day.  The heat singed the ground, making distant objects look like they were shimmering.  I made it only to find the door bound by a pad lock.

I thought that because of my need I’d have the strength to rip the pad lock off the door.

Turns out that flight or fight super strength is fictional.  Entirely fictional.  I had to gingerly walk another mile to a coffee shop.

I can’t speak for the coffee served at Pavement Coffeehouse on 44 Gainsborough street but the baristas are kind hearted, wonderful people.  Tip them well.

I’ve had some close calls.  Hopefully some of the advice below will save you in a bind.

When you’re in a jam act like you own whatever place you head into.  Don’t ask, just do it.  Hotels don’t know if you’re a guest or not, people in restaurants are usually too busy to stop you.  If you act like you belong people won’t question it.

And if they give you a hard time? Try this face.

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Run at the same time every day.  Your bodies natural rhythm will protect you.

If you get into a jam look for one of the places I listed above.  My first spot to look for is a gas station or a construction sight.  Get there, and act like you own the place.

Know your run.  Once you’ve done a loop enough times you should have a good idea where to find water and where you can use the loo.  It’s hard enough to move when your in a bad way, but when you have to move and search?  Things get desperate quick.  My mind takes on Terminator vision as I size up each building and area while searching for the nearest bathroom.

Last of all DON’T PANIC.  I’ve had hundred of close calls and I’ve always managed to win out in the end.  Be smart, don’t push your luck and when most comes to worst there’s always the woods

Open your 3rd eye

‘How do I break the chains, Jojen?’ Bran asked.
‘Open your third eye.’
‘They are open. Can’t you see?’
‘Two are open.’ Jojen counted. ‘One, two.’
‘I only have two.’
‘You have three. The crow gave you the third but you will not open it. With two eyes you see my face. With three you would see my heart. With two you can see that oak tree there. With three you would see the acorn the oak grew from and the stump it will become. With two you see no farther than your walls. With three you could see south to the Summer sea and North to the wall.’
George RR Martin ‘A Clash of Kings’

You wouldn’t expect the Man who wrote the ‘Red Wedding’ to so brilliantly describe the third eye, but there it is.  I look at that passage and I feel two things: understanding and jealousy.

As in I understand what he’s talking about and I’m jealous I didn’t write it.

You ever hear that the adjective most associated with Shakespeare is rage?  As in

‘What pisses people off about Shakespeare, what lies behind every controversy, is rage.  Rage over the nature, and unequal distribution of talent.  Rage that genius appears where it appears for no reason at all.’- William Monahan (The Gambler)

That goes double for me and George RR.  God I love those books.  The TV show’s ok too.

Confession: I’m an English major who doesn’t care for Shakespeare.  Some people are in awe watching Hamlet.  I’m more like Peter Griffin watching ‘Uncle Vanya’.

Where were we?  The Third eye.  Yes.  Every day I finish teaching a yoga class by saying:

‘Place your hands at your third eye, together we bow.’  We then bow.  And what happens here differs for everyone.

Let’s explore the ritual.

The third eye can refer to the pineal gland, a pinecone shaped gland in our brain which monitors our melatonin release (important for modulating sleep cycles and circadian rhythms). It is thought to have once been a functioning eye that we evolved away from.  The philosopher Descartes referred to the pineal glad as ‘the principal seat of the soul.’  He also famously said ‘Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.’   Damn!

According to yahoo answers the third eye is the ‘6th chakra’ and opening this eye allows ‘perspective in, dreams, of colors, your personal life and relationships be seen through a ‘new light.”

A kundalini yoga website concurs, ‘The third eye is a chakra that is responsible for what we call “second sight”. Intuitive perception. It is by the third eye that people see ghosts, auras and other usually non-visible phenomena. The perceptions of the third eye are not limited by time or space. The Third Eye sees energy patterns, and it is not limited by distance. It’s also not limited by time and space. So focusing on the Third Eye, you can see things that are happening on the other side of the world. You can see things that happened in the past. And you can see potential events that happen in the future.’

And all that happens when I raise my hand to my third eye is the room goes dark.

Another yahoo answers poster described the moment as, ‘Bullshit.’

The ritual is introspection.  You may see Auras, you may see nothing.

For the longest time I went through the motions during this part of class.  I bowed and that was it.  I’m not one of those pseudo, hippie crunchy yoga guys.  It was a workout and it helped me move well.

But now my concept of the third eye is changing.

I have not seen mystic visions, I have not seen energy patterns.  But I am looking.

Looking deeper into myself to understand what makes me tick.  I recently left my job of 12 years.  I was comfortable but I was not happy.  I have a feeling there is more out there if I just knew where to look.

I had to break the cycle I was stuck in.

Maybe the third eye will let me see my path.

Sometimes as I finish a class I can see how far I’ve come.  When I began every class was a struggle, every pose a challenge.  I see my present where the poses have improved and I even finish some classes thinking ‘that went by fast.’  I can see the trajectory to a deeper backbend, a steadier handstand, an effortless flow.  I see the acorn, the tree and how beautiful the tree can become.

I don’t care to see the stump just yet.

Can I see the acorn of my current path?  Can I see the tree?

Can I see the chains holding me?

Let’s break the chains on our current physical state.

Let’s break the chains on our current emotional state.

Open the third eye.

I think it’s there at the end of your next class, at the end of your next long run.  I’ll be looking more intently.  Will you?

I’ll see if I can glimpse the possible and set a path.

I’ll write down what I see.  If you write a goal down then you are 40% more likely to achieve it.

I’ll share it with friends.  You are over 70% more likely to accomplish goals you share with others.

Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don’t have time for all that.’             -George Carlin

This is our work.  Let’s do it.

Run Forrest, Run (and other great insults)

Internet trolls existed before the internet.

They used to drive by me while I was running, roll down the window, yell out something like ‘Nice shorts loser!’ and then drive away.

Throw a punch and run.  Troll style tough guys.

And so clever.  I wear running shorts.  They’re short.  You got me.  Ahhhhh…..

Nowadays they drive by me, yell something clever and then go home to their chatroom kingdoms where they tell everyone how much they suck from the safety of their parent’s basement.

If you’ve run your share then you’ve been insulted by some wannabe tough guy/girl.  If you haven’t you’re in for a treat.

All you running trolls are so clever.  Let’s look at some of your greatest hits as overheard by the Running Man.

5- ‘Hannah Montana Rules’- I was running down Pond street in Braintree on a 16 miler when a car full of girls yelled this out to me.  Well I’ll have you ladies know that while I am not a Hannah fan ‘Party in the USA‘ is the JAM.  So there.

4-‘Nice shorts, Sweet boy’- Yeah… you got me on that one.  I am pretty sweet (they used another word that I’m not touching).

And my running shorts are short.  You’ve opened a real wound there.

That’s serious.  Not that serious, but once upon a time I was hung up on running apparel and how goofy it was.  I had some trouble in high school accepting that running was my sport.  It’s only popular every 4 years, the clothing (short shorts and tights) is uncool, we do a workout called Fartlek (For the LOVE OF GOD call it a TEMPO RUN), we’re skinny, everyone hates running, it hurts like hell sometimes.  I could go on.

Discover & share this Dirty Dancing GIF with everyone you know. GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs.

You know Patrick Swayze didn’t want to say ‘No one puts Baby in the corner’.

‘You expect me to say that line, do you,’ he reportedly said.  Then he gave the line and Cinema will never be the same again.  It’s in the top 100 most quotable movie lines.  EVER.

I’m not ashamed to admit I love this movie.

According to Swayze he had to figure out a way that he could say it and stay true to the character.

Similarly I had to figure out a way to wear running shorts and tights and accept this is my sport.  Gotta do it and stay true to me.  Steve Prefontaine helped me accept this.

You can wear short shorts and be cool.  Thanks Pre.

I do TEMPO RUNS though.  I ain’t calling it that other name.

3- ‘Hey, you’re a p*ssy.’

Yes.  I am.  No arguments here.  Several passing motorists have pointed this out to me over the years and they can’t be wrong.

Enjoy the ride back to your Sister’s basement.  See you on Catfish next season.

4- ‘You got a f*#kin’ problem?’

I was running through the back lot of the Braintree Plaza.  There was a ton of snow melt and HUGE puddles.  This little ’93 shitbox drove by and tried to spray one of the puddles onto me.  I gave them the finger.

The car stopped.

And it was like a clown car.  Like 15 Dudes stepped out.

Alright it was more like 4.   But they were listening to Tupac and their hats were turned around.

‘You got a f*#kin’ problem.’

‘No.  I love it when cars try to spray water all over me.  Love it!’

When they chased me I ran away.  Remember #3. I’m a p%ssY

5- ‘Run, Forrest, Run’

By far this is the most original one out there.  I mean, the first time I heard it my mind was so blown.  Forrest Gump runs.  I run.

Mind blown.

The ensuing 5,000 times I heard it I was able to discern deeper shades of meaning and subtle insight in each one.

So clever, no one has ever thought to yell that at a runner.

Sometimes people even get violent.  I have a friend who was purposefully hit with a car door.  They just opened it up, whacked him, and drove away.

A guy threw a full beer can at my friend Craig and I in college.  Just drove right up and tossed us a cold one at twenty miles an hour.  ‘Get his license plate,’ I said.  We checked the plate.  It was a piece of cardboard cut into the shape of a license plate with ‘T BONE’ written across it.  We had to stop and catch our breath we were laughing so hard.

T Bone gave us the great gift of laughter and foamy Budweiser.  We let him pass.

Ahh T Bone…  What heights have you ascended to.  I imagine you work in a prestigious law firm where people value your opinion and say things like ‘I don’t know what we’d do without T Bone.’

A car once drove by, slowed down and threw a full coffee at me.  They missed.

And then got stopped at a light ahead.

Idiots left the window open.

And got served by yours truly.

Karma bitches.

I’ve become jaded.  A car drove up alongside me a couple years ago and beeped.  I turned and flipped the driver off, expecting the worst.  It was my friend Jack.  ‘Just sayin’ hi.’

Sorry Bro, thought you were someone else.

The OG trolls are getting vicious though.  Especially with women:  Cat calls, body shaming, pick up lines.  Ladies are nodding their heads right now.  There’s a reason some girls refuse to run at night.

I get it.  If you want to meet a classy woman running down the street the logical thing to do is whistle and yell out ‘show me your tits.’  ‘Cause you KNOW that guys who get laid yell shit like that every chance they get.

A girl I know was cat called, turned and asked the guy ‘has that ever worked?’

He had no reply.

Recently I was running a TEMPO RUN down Dot ave and a jeep drove alongside me, the window rolled down and a girl put her head out the window.

I’m indifferent at this point.  I’ve been told to have sex with myself.  I’ve been told I’m less of a man.  Do your worst.

‘You got this.’ she shouted.

I gave her a thumbs up.

She gets it.

No one puts the Running Man in the corner.

That time my sister destroyed the Philly Marathon

Here’s a great blog from the Boston running Sis, aka Jamie Brown. I’m sure once you read it I’ll become the the third most popular writer on my own blog. The stage is yours Jamie.

A few weeks ago my younger brother, AKA the Boston Running Man, asked me to be to be a guest writer for his blog. He was hoping that I would chronicle my experience leading up to and my participation in the Philadelphia Marathon. I was flattered. I was excited. I was… terrified! What on earth could I, a 42 year old stay at home mother of three young children, hope to contribute to Stephen’s wealth of running and wellness knowledge? Why would anyone want to read about MY running life? What value could I possibly bring to those athletes who are just starting out, or even more importantly, to those seasoned and accomplished runners who could kick my butt all over the race course? Not only was I a little nervous about the race itself; now I had the added pressure of writing this blog! I think I was actually more unsettled about the writing than I was about the running.

But here I am. The race is over, and I am sitting at my computer still trying to figure out if I have any wisdom to impart. Why is this so scary? Why is a simple blog post tripping me up like this? Why am I avoiding this? It would be so simple to talk about Philly, the city, the race, and the glorious heated tents that kept runners warm as they waited for the gun to go off (an unexpected simple pleasure that any fall marathoner will appreciate). It would be expected and so typical to make a reference to the “Rocky” movie, comebacks and underdogs, and the Philly cheese steaks we all sought after the race. But I know I can’t write about that. Too obvious. Too mundane. Who cares!? I know there is something deeper for me to share…

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t shy away from a challenge. In fact, issue one, and I am the first one to show up! I can’t help myself. However, every time I tried to think about what angle I might want to take in writing my first blog, my normally very organized and methodical brain went haywire. I couldn’t focus. I got the butterflies. I made excuses to do something else. I would rather run an extra 20 miler, strip the beds, vacuum the house, scrub the bath tub, or head to the grocery than think deeply about what I had to write for Stephen.

Why is this so hard?

All I want to do right now is put on my sneakers and head out to the Charles River to clear my head and sweat it out. After a few miles, I know my breath would even out, my brain would slow down and the important things that are going on in my life would make an appearance in my thoughts. I can pick and choose which ones I want to acknowledge and which to cast aside (for now, as I know anything of significance will haunt me until I deal with it). Out there I can hear myself think. I can hear my thoughts click into place. I allow myself to face the truths of my life; good or bad. I admit things to myself that I might not otherwise. Sometimes I even talk out loud, just to put my intentions into the universe. Maybe someone is listening?

Ah ha! There it is! My voice! That is what I am listening to out there as I put one foot in front of the other, mile after mile. Sometimes, usually on short runs, my voice simply tells me what I need to make for dinner or what I need to do for the day, or calculates my splits, or that my pace feels slow that day. Other times, mostly on long runs when the minutiae has been covered during the early miles, my voice inevitably gets more philosophical, more existential, more serious. It tells me that it is no coincidence that I choose to run these long distances. I need these miles to force myself to look closely at my life. Who am I? What is my purpose? What do I want from my life? What meaningful contributions am I making? Am I a good person/mom/wife/sister/daughter? Am I happy? Wow; I am running into my problems and confronting them head on; I am so enlightened, so self aware.

Or so I thought…

In September of 2015, while training for a November marathon, I seriously injured my foot. I have no idea what I did to it. I do know that I did not twist or sprain it, nor was there any direct trauma. I stepped outside to start my run. One minute I was fine; the next I was incapacitated. I couldn’t walk. The pain was excruciating and debilitating. Try getting around in downtown Boston on foot with three kids in tow, while in a knee-high walking boot, on a cane, then crutches, and back to the cane. It literally took me a full minute just to cross the street. Misery. The pain was visible on my face; people said that I looked different. My Uber bill was ridiculous. I had no real diagnosis; we assumed that it was a result of over-training and I was tagged with plantar faciitis, achilles tendonitis, post-tib tendonitis, a possible trapped nerve in my heel. I had months of physical therapy. Second opinions. MRI’s. Cortisone shots. Acupuncture. Progress was nonexistent. Time and rest was the prescription.

REST??? That is not a word in my vocabulary. I LOVE to run. I NEED to run. I am a mover. I move. If I am not moving, what else will I do? I will go crazy! Sitting at home with me, myself and I? Not moving? My worst nightmare! Panic time! In the beginning I kept busy with aqua jogging, I practiced yoga, I rode the stationary bike. The pain stayed. It got worse. It “spread” to the other foot. How the heck does that happen? I thought I was going crazy. I decided to just stop. I stopped everything. I spent a lot of quiet time in my home when my kids were at school. I sat. I read. I googled everything there is to know about foot pain. I cried. I cried a lot. I don’t even really know what I was crying about, but there were buckets of tears.

I was forced to sit with my thoughts in a quiet (albeit teary) manner. My body was speaking to me. My body was telling me to slow down. I needed to stop – everything. My mind had been taken over by my physical being.

Or maybe, just maybe, it was the other way around.

It was during those months of relative stillness that my real voice came to me. I was not happy. I was hurting; in more ways than one. I was not being the best mom/wife/daughter/sister that I could be. I was not the enlightened person I thought I was when I was out crushing miles on the Charles River. Sadly, none of these revelations were actually new to me. I had always known they were there. Because I could keep running with them I could keep them at bay. I was (gasp!) literally running away from my problems. But now I did not have the luxury of running away from my problems. I knew that I needed to confront these thoughts if I ever wanted to run, or walk, again.

I made some significant decisions during those long months of rehabilitation (I’ll save those details for a later blog – too fresh). I went deep. I called myself out. I began to see myself for who I really was, and who I was not. I put new plans into action. I realized that what I was really scared of was myself. It is one thing to acknowledge your thoughts and feelings and emotions. That is not good enough. Experience now tells me that it is an entirely different thing to actually deal with them. However uncertain the new future I allowed myself to see seemed, I knew I had to make these changes if I was ever going to be pain free; emotionally and physically.

I felt the pain in my feet kind of fizzle away. I know that sounds like a weird way of describing it, but that is truly how it felt. It was kind of a tingly sensation. It was like the pain was slowly oozing out of my feet. It took only a couple of weeks. With the help of several professionals, I went off the crutches first. Next I got rid of the cane. Over time, I was slowly able to put my feet down on the ground without wincing in pain. I went from a hobble to a slow walk; from a slow walk to a normal gait, from a normal gait to a fast walk and from a fast walk to a slow run. Progress! All of this happened just in time to start training for the Boston Marathon which I had qualified for the year before.

Coincidence?

I think not. Mind over matter. I had to ask myself if the pain had been “all in my head”.

I was able to run Boston, and it was one of the slowest and definitely the most gut-wrenching of my 7 marathons to date. But I didn’t care. I was out there. I was doing it. I was feeling it. Physically, I was relatively strong. Emotionally, I was just starting to come into myself. I was so grateful for the opportunity. I had as much fun as one can while running 26 miles!

Determined to challenge myself again, and to put my new learnings to the test, I decided to try Philadelphia again; the race that I had missed last fall because of my feet. I set a goal for a finishing time. I kept it private. I was going to run the heck out of this race. This race was all about quietly and humbly putting in the work. I had never felt better; both physically and mentally. I was lighter in being and in spirit. I was having fun again. My long runs were freeing, not tangled with subliminal deep thoughts about life. I knew was ready to put the new and improved me back on the streets.

Cue the “Rocky” theme song…

Last Saturday, I arrived in Philadelphia alone. Normally my family accompanies me to races; the kids love the atmosphere (and, let’s be honest, the expo). But I I wanted to be solo this time around. The only family member present was a picture of my late mother which I stuck on my race shirt. No distractions. It was a tactical mission. I was unusually calm. I went inward. I didn’t over think or second guess my training which I normally do. I was as ready as I had ever been. I knew before I stepped foot in the corral that this was my day. At mile five, a man shouted to me from the sidelines (we had our names on our bibs): “Jamie – this is your race! You were born for this!” How did he know?

At 7 am the course was quiet. As we ran through downtown I could only hear the tapping of sneakers hitting the pavement. We ran into a less urban setting where there rolling hills and trees, and we ran along the banks of the beautiful Skuykill River. Fans dotted the course, but nothing like the throngs of spectators that come out at Boston and NYC. The vibe was perfect for my mood; I wanted to run without distraction.

As always, the last three miles of the marathon are agonizing. I knew that if I just kept my head down and slogged through that I would do well. In fact, my secret goal of getting a PR became a reality!

This 42 year old mother of three just ran a 3:22.  A best by six minutes.

Face your fears, no more tears!

I should mention that my first marathon, at the tender age of 26, in Boston, I ran a 4:45…  Like a fine wine, maybe we get better with age!

I tried hard not to write this story. I told myself I wouldn’t. I had several other topics half written. But the clicks on the keyboard kept coming back to the voice in my head that told me that this is my running story. What I have learned is that it is imperative to listen to your inner voice. In one way or another, sooner or later, it will compel you to listen. I know why I was hesitant to share this part of me. Even with intentional ambiguity it bares a bit of my soul; it subtly reveals some scars and some flaws. However, I guess maybe I do have something worthwhile to say. Wisdom? I don’t know. I will let you be the judge. But a voice to be heard; for sure!

Did I mention those heated tents?

Superstition everywhere

‘When you believe in things that you don’t understand and you suffer, Superstitions ain’t the way.’- Stevie Wonder

I hate to disagree Stevie but…

If you’re going to race you gotta have superstitions.

When it comes to racing I’ve been a lucky guy.  It must’ve been my lucky shirt.  I had this ratty old race T with a pic of a coke bottle on the front of it.  Whenever I wore it pre race I ran great.  I ran in a snow race and wore it under my tunic.  Best race of my season.

It must have been my lucky shoes.  I bought them an hour before my last home meet, ran in them and lost EVERY toe nail on both feet in the process.  But I set the course record.  I didn’t wear them the next race, had a huge let down.  Naturally I blamed the shoes.  They were back on the following week.  I blistered like crazy but set another course record.  The shoes were magic.  I only lost to one runner wearing them.

After that loss they became a pair of shoes that didn’t fit.

It must have been the music.  Pump up songs like ‘Canned Heat’ by Jamiroquai, ‘Summon the Heroes’ John Williams, ‘Superstition’ by Stevie Wonder (the irony)… I’d listen to them incessantly beforehand to find the mindset.

My HS coach (the great Harold Hatch) told me early on that you must have superstitions.  You must have traditions.  You must have rituals.

The course, the competition, the size of the field, and the size of the crowd will change but you’re still playing the same game.  So prepare the same and don’t get rattled.  You need things to keep your mind set consistent.  Rituals and superstitions remind us that the race is the race is the race.

So race morning through HS and college meant wake up, eat a bagel with peanut butter, drink some water  and then nothing but gatorade or power bars until after the race.  I’d listen to the same pump up songs, warm up the same way.  Rituals are about preparation.  Mindset.

Consistency is key.  You don’t want to be trying new stuff out pre race.  I’ve done that and suffered for it.

I’ve also had some downright stupid superstitions along the way.

strength and honor, Spaniard.

After I saw Gladiator I would bend down at the start line, grab some dirt and rub it in my hands to be like Maximus.  Every race.  And I had a great season.

Momentary side track- I saw Gladiator as a sophomore in College.  Went with a couple friends to see it at like 7, was home by 10 and then went to the campus Pub to watch a poetry slam that two of my friends were competing in.  The magical moment came when this Girl Seena (I think that was her name) read this heart wrenching poem about some asshole ex boyfriend of hers.  I looked at my friend Mike and he was shaking, obviously moved.  I mouthed the words ‘Wow’ at him.  He gulped.  For a week I thought that Mike was really affected by the writing, but it turned out he was the asshole ex boyfriend described in the poem.  And we came in just as she was starting.  What are the odds? I think Mike had it coming.

You’re still a good guy Mike.

Ahhh I miss college.

There are also some cool superstitions out there.  I knew a guy who would grab a leaf off the ground before the first X country practice of the season, keep it safe all season and then crunch it in his hand on the starting line of the season’s most important race.

All of it worked.

And none of it worked.  You run well because you prepare, not because your superstition is magic.

Now- I’ve whittled my superstitions down to 2.  I’ve broken them both in the last 10 years and SUFFERED for it.

Number 1- Don’t wear your race T shirt until AFTER you have finished the race.  Try it on, sure.  But keep it in the bag until you have crossed the finish.  Someone bought me a race t shirt ahead of a marathon and I wore it around.

I did not finish that race.

Number 2- Don’t cross a finish line unless you have run the entire race.

This one is important.  This one is magical.  This is one YOU DO NOT IGNORE.

Don’t touch the finish line.

Don’t go near it.

Don’t get your picture taken on it the day before the race.  This one kills me when I go to the Marathon expo.  People taking pictures on the finish.

A friend of mine who ran Boston last year posted a picture of himself on the Boston finish line a day ahead of the race.  Zoom on the pic and you can find my reaction.  I was genuinely concerned.

‘I’m rooting for you BK but NEVER touch the finish line until you cross it at races end.  I’m hoping I’m wrong but that’s bad karma.  Sending positive vibes to you.’

Bobby is a tough MF.  He finished.  But he’ll tell you it was painful.  Could it have been helped?

The Running Man thinks so.

There exists somewhere in the ether a pic of me doing something similar.  I paid for this BIG TIME!  It’s a story to share over beers (or twisted Teas because drinking beer gives me acid reflux.  FML.).

As a Junior in college my cross country team was poised to grab an upset berth to the National meet.  The night before we toured the course we’d run the following morning.  5 of the 7 members of the team ran through the finish.  I pulled one guy aside and told him that we weren’t crossing the line.  We had to jog through 50 meters of mud, but the next day we were the only ones to run well.  The other 5 crashed and burned.

I have dozens of stories like this.  I believe in superstitions; not in the same way as people who won’t step on cracks, open umbrellas indoors or walk under ladder.  You canntake things too far.

Unless it comes to the finish line superstition.  That one is black magic.

How to make :30 minutes on the treadmill feel like :29

I am not a huge fan of running on the treadmill.  One hour can feel like two (three?) when you’re on the tread.

But it has it’s value.  Case in point: Thursday’s workout.

I woke up Monday with a stiff right knee.  I felt like a case of IT band tendonitis was taking hold.  All day I’d walk fine and then… a lightning bolt of pain shooting into my knee.

Monday AM I took an hour and put myself through a complete Z health joint mobilization routine and some yoga.  I focused a lot of energy on mobilizing my hips and knees and then directed my practice into some deep twists and hip openers.  After a thorough warm up (don’t stretch a cold muscle) I dug into my hips with crescent lunges, twisted triangles, and half and full pigeons.

The knee felt great.  I hopped onto the treadmill.  It was time to give the knee a running test.  I chose the treadmill bc if my knee acted up I could step off.  Run done.  No cold, frustrating walk home.

:30 minutes later I stepped off the treadmill; relieved.

That lasted another hour until, while teaching yoga of all places, the knee twinged again.  Twice.

Too much.  I took Tuesday off.  I did the same warm up routine and hoped for the best.

Weds back on for another treadmill session.  This time I was going to push myself and the knee so I broke out an old favorite.  A workout that I find myself doing mainly because I find the treadmill boring and it’s something to do.  Here it is for you to enjoy (or merely finish).  I burned 700 calories in just over :30 minutes.

I started by picking a number (pace) that was close to where I ‘d feel maxed out.  I know I can run a 5 minute mile (12 mph) but that would take some inspiration, so I settled for close to that.  I was going to top off at 5:27 pace (11 mph) on the treadmill.

I subtracted 3 to arrive at my starting pace.  8 mph.

Every minute for :30 I pushed the pace up by .1.

I created this workout because, as I stated above, running on the treadmill can be boring; time stands still.  This way I am distracted bc I have something to do every minute.

It also reminds me of one of my favorite scenes from ‘Without Limits’.

When I do this workout I always think back to Pre vs George Young.  ‘Wear him out.  Descending series.  Negative splits.’

So I start at 8.  Then ‘gradually, go a little faster than you think you’re going.  By the time he realizes what’s happening, he won’t have enough to hurt you.’

In my mind I’m Pre.  And for the first 10 minutes this run is a walk in the park.  I’m setting the pieces on my chess board.  Then, as I’m inching towards 9.0 and I can see I’m sweating through my jersey, I start to feel the consequence of each move, but the increase in pace has been so gradual I don’t feel particularly put out by the effort.  I’ve shifted gears smoothly and allowed my body time to adjust to every gear shift.  This is where self talk becomes important.  This time I just kept telling myself that I’ve been here before.  The treadmill can feel claustrophobic but that is all in the mind.  I focused on breath, I focused on form, I thought about my knee and how good it felt after the stretch and rest.  I built myself up.  ‘I can.’  ‘I will.’

Your body will follow two things: Your eyes and your attitude.  If you’re skiing and you look at the tree, sorry to say but that’s where you’re heading.  If you’re running and you’re beating yourself up, saying you’re not fast enough, not strong enough, then you’re right.

You know what you’re negative statements will be.  Script an answer and push through.

This week it felt just right.  The last ten minutes were a shift into sub 6 pace, a territory I haven’t been spending enough time in lately.   I left George Young in the dust.  I built myself up with tough talk about how easy it felt.

The gradual increase in pace put me into flow.  I finished the :30 without too much difficulty.  Average pace was 6:22.

I pushed this workout onto my Tempo run class on Friday but I added a 5 minute warm up and stretch.  10 people bravely took this on.  Some played it just right, for some it was a learning experience (they went out too fast) and for some I saw a break out in self confidence.  They pushed through in the last :10 and went even faster than they originally planned.

This workout is a great way to train for negative splits.  If you play it right you can experience that subtle transition from medium to fast (the body LOVES subtlety).  You’re so smooth on the approach that sometimes you feel like you can keep pushing, keep increasing, keep getting faster.

I hopped off the treadmill.  My knee felt fine.  The twinges gone.

And most importantly the time flew by.

My ass is killing me- let’s work on your priformis

‘Hey running man, Any experience with piriformis syndrome? I’m dealing with a nasty case of it and I’m missing running big time.’

First off, I’m sorry to hear you’re suffering.

‘Piriformis syndrome is a neuromuscular disorder that occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed or otherwise irritated by the piriformis muscle causing pain, tingling and numbness in the hip/ buttocks and along the path of the sciatic nerve descending the lower thigh and into the leg.’

I just wrote that without even looking at a textbook.  Impressive, eh?

Kidding.  That’s from wikipedia.

In sum, your ass is killing you.  Or your thigh.  Let’s look at some very simple fixes to get back in action.

Remember I am not a Doctor.  I’m just a guy who has made every mistake in the book and learned what worked in his own recovery.

What I recommend below is safe and may get you out of pain (it has for me).  If pain persists it’s always smart to see your Doc.

I have not had piriformis syndrome but if I did these are the steps I would take to get better quickly.

1- Read my article on R.I.C.E.  Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.  This is the start of any journey of recovery.  I would stress the Rest aspect.

2- Activate your glute muscles:  In some cases of piriformis syndrome the glute muscles are not firing optimally.  The piriformis and glutes are synergist muscles, they help to put your hip in extension (extend your leg behind you).  If the glutes are not functioning properly then the piriformis will be overtasked with movement work it is not designed to handle.  This is called synergistic dominance.

Imagine you and a co-worker do similar work.  They go on vacation and you have to not only do your work but you have to pick up their workload too.

For a couple days you’re fine with it.

After a week you’ll start to bitch about it.

If you don’t bitch you deserve a raise.

The pain in your butt can be the overworked piriformis bitching about too much work.

So why do our glutes get inhibited?

Glutes often get inhibited because we are seated so much.  The glutes are inactive when seated, so our brain loses the desire to fire them properly.

Your brain has a move it or lose it mentality.  If you spend no time moving a muscle your brain forgets about it.

Lie down on your stomach, bend the knee on the unaffected side and lift the thigh as high as you can.  Take a picture or have a look at how high it comes.  Bring it back down.  Now lie flat, bend the knee on the affected side, lift it as high as you can.  I will bet you $20 your affected glute didn’t lift nearly as high.  The lack of muscular recruitment is contributing to your injury.

So what to do: Bridges, assisted bridges, single leg bridges, bird dogs, and progressed bird dogs.  These will activate your glute muscles.

2A- Release your hip flexors:  Why aren’t your glutes firing properly?  You may (probably?) have tight hip flexors.  I’ve been training clients for 15 years and can count the number of clients with fair to good hip flexor mobility on one hand.  Hip flexors are tight because we ALL sit so much and sitting puts our hips in a shortened position making them tight.  They will remain that way unless we ask them to open up.

The hip flexors will release if you do the bridges, single leg bridges and bird dogs as well.  Or maybe you release them with isometric glute flexes throughout the day.

3- LAX Roll-  Here’s the progression for foam rolling.

Start with a soft foam roller.

Progress to a harder one.

Progress to a PVC pipe.

Then to a tennis ball.

Finally to lax ball.

You want to sit that ball right into your glutes, right onto your piriformis and hunt around for your “points of interest” (aka the spots that really sing when you put some pressure on them).  Repeat for your hip flexors.

I’ve filmed videos of how I would roll out both your piriformis and your hip flexors.  Check them out.

What’s your prediction for foam rolling sore glutes and hips, former heavyweight champion Clubber Lang?

4- Stretch

A quick word on stretching.  I recommend you stretch after you’ve warmed up (you’re warm and sweating) or at the END of your workout.  Stretching before a workout or run has been proven to decrease neuromuscular recruitment of your muscles.  So jog for 5 minutes, then stretch.  Or mobilize before hand (active stretch) and then do your sit and reach stretches after your workout is done.

Some stretches I like for the piriformis (with video):

Figure 4 stretch– A versatile stretch in that you can do it from your back, from a seat, or even standing.  Try :60 each side during a warm up or after your run.

Half pigeon– simultaneously a hip flexor and hip stretch.  A great place to lie for a few minutes after you finish your run.  I’d recommend :60+ on each side after a run.

Twisted triangle– An intense dig into the hip.  :60+ each side after a run.

Standing Hip stretch– this is a stretch that people with IT band tightness like very much.  This and figure 4 you can easily break out in the middle of a run.  Feeling tight, run to the side of the road and sit in this stretch for :30+ aside after your run.

5- Nerve glides- The sciatic nerve runs alongside or through your piriformis.  If you’re getting a stabbing pain that extends down from your glute and into your hamstrings then something is likely pressing on the sciatic nerve.  The shooting pain is a message from the nerve telling you to cool it.

So you’ve foam rolled, you’ve activated glutes and released your hip flexors and you’re still in pain.  Let’s glide the nerve a little bit. Maybe it became impinged and just needs a little nudge to get to a more comfortable spot.

There are 2 types of nerve glides:

Tensioning sequences- the proximal and distal ends of the nerve are separated (mildly) and then released.  Basically you lengthen the nerve, floss it around and then release.

Slacking sequences- the proximal and distal ends of the nerve are unloaded to decrease threat.  Do this when you think the nerve is stretched too long. Just shorten it and let it hang.

Nerve glides deserve their own blog.  I’m on it.

In the meantime here’s some glides that may help with piriformis syndrome.

A common theme I’d like to underline: Your body loves subtlety.

Don’t hit it with the grand gesture, but give it some small daily affirmations.  Little things mean a lot.

Less is more.  While performing these HOLD BACK.

Don’t tense beyond a 3/10.  If you go to hard your body will not respond.

Common Peroneal Nerve Glide

To review here is a summary of the tension – slacking sequence (parentheses)
plantar flexion – (dorsiflexion)
ankle inversion – (ankle eversion)
toe flexion – (knee flexion)
straight leg raise
hip adduction – (hip abduction)
hip internal rotation – (hip external rotation)
spinal lateral flexion
spinal flexion – (spinal extension)Test out your muscles after each sequence and see if you feel stronger, more flexible, pain free.

Tibial Nerve Glide

To review here is a summary of the tension – slacking sequence (parentheses)

dorsiflexion – (plantar flexion)
ankle eversion – (ankle inversion)
toe extension
straight leg raise – (knee flexion)
hip adduction – (hip abduction)
hip internal rotation – (hip external rotation)
spinal lateral flexion – (spinal extension)
spinal flexion

Test out your muscles after each sequence and see if you feel stronger, more flexible, pain free.

Sural Nerve Glide

To review here’s a summary of the tension – slacking sequence (parenthese)
dorsiflexion – (plantar flexion)
ankle inversion – (ankle eversion)
straight leg raise – (knee flexion)
hip adduction – (hip abduction)
hip internal rotation – (hip external rotation)
spinal lateral flexion – (spinal extension)
spinal flexion

Test out your muscles after each sequence and see if you feel stronger, more flexible, pain free.

Don’t piss off your achilles

A friend texted me last night:

‘Having some pain in my achilles.  Thinking I should take a few days off and stretch.’

The moment I read it I thought of the movie ‘Avatar’ when Jake (the hero) faces down a huge predator in the forest.

‘What do I do?  Run?  Shoot?’

‘Don’t shoot you’ll just piss him off.’

That ferocious beast right there, that’s your aching achilles.  Don’t stretch.  You’ll piss it off.

Remember… I’m not a doctor.  But below are some safe actions you can take to feel better.

Before we delve into fixes for this injury let’s understand why you’re in pain.  My friends over at P-knot.com explain micro trauma brilliantly on their website.

“‘If an individual experiences pain from an injury their body will move differently to avoid such pain. These new movement patterns create undesirable postural deficiencies. As posture changes the body’s range of motion decreases. As their range of motion decreases their daily performance suffers; from bending over to tie a shoe to swinging a golf club properly.’”

— MY FRIENDS @ P-KNOT.COM

BTW- for my money the P-Knot is the best foam rolling apparatus I’ve used in 15 years.  Great gift for an athlete in your family.

When you run or lift often you are literally breaking your muscles down so they can adapt and rebuild themselves.  Sometimes the tissue doesn’t set correctly (bc you’re trapped in a chair, in the car for hours, or your feet are shoved into dress shoes that don’t quite fit) and your body will move inefficiently, sometimes leading to pain.

Running or lifting more than usual?  Your body could respond in this way.  The achilles pain is a response to poor movement patterns.

And usually the achilles pain is a response to something going wrong directly above or below where it hurts.  Don’t stretch your achilles, but approach indirectly through your feet or your hamstring.

Achilles pain is a one way ticket to a restful week.  Why?  If your achilles goes from achy to hurt you’re looking at a looooong recovery.  The risk of running on a cranky achilles FAR outweighs the rewards of a week of training.

If you’re smart then you’re swimming, biking or rowing for a minute.

Our blood and lymph system bring oxygen and nourishment to all our cells.  It would follow that an area with a great blood supply (like your abdominals) will recover quickly and repair itself from wear and tear.  Hence you’ve rarely heard of anyone being put on the Injured Reserve with a strained rectus abdominus (abs).

The achilles has a limited blood supply to begin with, but now that the area is injured the circulation is even poorer which means slow recovery.  If you hurt it then you’re looking at weeks of inactivity and possibly months of rehab.

So now you’re reluctantly taking some time off to prevent this from becoming a full blown problem.  What can you do in that time if your achilles is sore and you can’t stretch it?

1- R.I.C.E.  Rest, ice, compress, elevate.  I’d stress the consonants here.  Rest and Compression.

If your achilles starts to bark at you then your best plan is to schedule a week of rest.  See above.

All runners, no matter how fast or slow, should schedule in a light mileage week once a month.  If your achilles aches schedule in a light light week,  Nah mean?

Compression socks let you look smooth and help your achilles at the same time.

2- Compression socks are another potential savior here.  Compression socks increase circulation and blood flow and therefore will encourage a faster recovery.  I wear compression socks the night after a tough run and find that I move much better the following morning.  Some people wear them during their run as well.  I haven’t found that this helps with recovery or performance but I acknowledge every runner is different and hey, it can’t hurt.

My clients with sore achilles tendons have noted better runs while wearing compression socks.  The rigid cloth supporting the tendon helps them run pain free.

3- voodoo flossing– I’d file this under compression but I feel like it needs it’s own category.  I’ve never had full blown achilles tendonitis but two years ago I came close.  I was running home after work and my right leg just went limp below the ankle.  I had a terrible ache in the achilles area and limped to work the next morning.

Don’t know how you do that voodoo that you do

Don’t worry, I practiced what I preach.  I didn’t panic.  I rested it for about a week.

During that time I had a friend assess my gate.

One word: ‘f*#ked’.

I flossed it.  I started at the base of the achilles and wrapped upwards toward the heart.  As soon as I had wrapped the entire calf I immediately felt better.  The compression supported the tendon and I was able to walk somewhat normally.  I walked with an exaggerated heel to toe strike by plantar & dorsiflexing to the extreme range of motion.  A minute later I removed the wrap and we reassessed.

‘If I saw this walk a minute ago I wouldn’t have thought you were injured.’

The limp was gone and my leg didn’t hurt nearly as much but this was not a miraculous recovery.  It took another week or so of rest and flossing to get right, but the relief was immediate.

4- Foam rolling- There is still debate about how or if foam rolling even works.

I believe for the simple reason that it works on me.

Whenever I foam roll sore muscles and tendons I feel better immediately.  What I want to stress here is not just to limit your rolling to your achilles.  Search for tender spots above and below the achilles.  Pain refers out.  A tight muscle a joint above or below will affect movement and thus will affect the function of your achilles.  I would foam roll your calves, your hamstrings, the achilles, the calf and hamstring simultaneously, and even your feet.  Find the places that are most sensitive and roll on each one until you feel you’ve affected a change.  Check the links to see how to roll them effectively.

5- Joint mobilization-  When you jam a joint anywhere in your body, the entire body becomes instantly weaker.  The great thing about jamming joints is you can unjam them with some targeted joint mobilization (see here to mobilize your feet).  When a specific muscle or tendon isn’t performing correctly you should mobilize the joints above and below to make sure all the muscles are functioning properly.  I recommend mobilizing the ankles and knees several times a day until your pain disappears.  These are fast and effective ways to warm up your feet and legs prior to a run.

6- Lastly, don’t stretch.  The achilles is already under too much tension.  Stretching will just add more.  The standing calf and curb stretches are great, but I caution against using them when the achilles is already pissed.

Remember what you’re up against.

3 times I hit the wall (and how I kept going)

‘Life comes down to whether or not you can take a punch.’– Richard Gargiulo

Hitting the Wall: the most dreaded feeling in all of sports.  All the preparation in the world can’t ready you for that feeling when your energy hits zero and you have miles to go before you sleep.

I hope you experience it for yourself (I’ll explain later).

Is there any feeling worse than wanting to go faster, or dig deeper and finding out that you just can’t?  It’s not there.  It’s been used up, picked over.  All the will in the world can’t get a depleted body to move once it has hit the wall.  It isn’t about wanting it more, or digging deeper than ever.  It’s about SURVIVAL.

I hope you experience it for yourself (I’ll explain later).

Run long enough, you’ll hit the wall.

Live long enough you’ll hit the wall.

Here’s 3 stories about when I hit the wall, and what I did to get through.

Wall #1:

October 2004- Cape Cod Marathon.

Let’s take it back to my 26th birthday.  I’m out for a run in Falmouth MA. and I notice some blue spray painted squiggles on the side of the road.

‘Water stop 18’.

‘What’s this for?’

‘The Cape Cod Marathon’s in 2 weeks.’

I’m thinking hey, I’m 26, why don’t I run 26.

Now every year I get an email from someone 2 weeks ahead of the Boston Marathon saying something like ‘Steve-o, just got a number for Boston.  What should I do?’

My honest answer:  ‘Talk to your priest.’

Honest answer #2: ‘I have no idea.  You can’t train for a marathon in two weeks.’  Unless…

You are an active person who runs a bunch anyway.  At 26 I had been a competitive runner for 11 years, I was running at least 20 to 30 miles per week and I was lifting three to four times a week for years.  I was fit, strong and my running age (number of years I trained seriously) was over a decade.

Two weeks later I was on the starting line in Falmouth.  I wanted to run a Boston qualifier: 3:10.  7:15 per mile.

So I ran the first mile in 7:10.

Then the second mile in 7:12.

It was easy.

My friend had just run a 2:54 and trained for it.  Wouldn’t it be great if I ran faster on only two weeks of serious training?

And by the way, my ego reminded me, You’re Stephen Allison.  You’re a conference champ.  You’re an All American.  You’re the man.

Captured here is rare photo of an idiot in the wild

You’re an idiot.

I picked up my pace and absolutely crushed for 18 miles.  That was the longest run I had done to that point in my life.  Fatigue set in.  I struggled.

Then more fatigue.  My body screamed for calories and all they had was watered down gatorade.  My hips were a wreck.  I couldn’t lift my knees more than a few inches.  My feet were smashed to blistery bits.

I had 8 miles to go.

So I ground out 8 miles on blistered feet with hips that wouldn’t work.

I suffered brutally for 4 of them.  It felt like gravity doubled, pulling me down at twice it’s normal power.

Every muscle in body ached.  Breathing was painful.  Yes, breathing.

The last few miles… I just wanted to quit.  This was not worth it.  Just stop.

What pushed me through that?  Was it pride?  Vanity?  Toughness?

It was ego.  My ego was having none of that.  ‘You’re Stephen Allison, you’re a conference champ, you’re an All American.’

The same thing that got me in hot water was getting me out.

I finished in 2:49.  It wasn’t pretty, but it got done.

What I learned: when you think you’re out of gas you can go an extra 8 miles.

And next time Steve, train for the stupid race.

Wall # 2:

Boston Marathon April 2006

My first taste of the wall put me off for a couple of weeks, but then it was time to put myself to the test again.  I wanted Boston.

This was Winter ’05.  Training was going pretty well.  I decided to run the Martha’s vineyard 20 miler as one of my long runs.  Untrained and running conservatively I had hit the wall at 18.  I figured I could bring the pain for all 20 this time.  I took this race out FAST.  I think I averaged 5:40’s for the first 18.

And then the wall.  Crash.  A painful schlepp to the finish in which I coughed up the victory in the last mile because I couldn’t push faster than 8 minute pace.

The next morning I woke and couldn’t bare weight on my right leg.  My knee throbbed just walking.  ’05 wasn’t my year.

So I came back for ’06.  And I was hell bent on running fast.  Guys I beat in college were dropping mid 2:30’s.  ‘You’re Stephen Allison…blahblahblah’ my ego reminded me.  I was going to run 2:30 or else.

I reran the Martha’s Vineyard 20 in preparation.  Early on this preparation worked.  I won the Vineyard 20 this time and was able to walk the next day.

Discover & share this Like Me Now GIF with everyone you know. GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs.

So the next week I ran the Beverly 30K.  Then a half, then a couple of fresh pond 5 milers tucked into long runs, then the Borderland 15 miler, Khoury’s run, and a bunch of other runs I can’t remember.

I overtrained.

By the time Boston came my energy was trashed.  I ran the first half of the race in 75 minutes (my 2nd fastest half) and it felt easy (probably bc the first half of Boston is downhill).  And then the wall.

Gravity increased by 2.  My body weighed 250 pounds in an instant.

It was mile 17.  Earlier this time.

But I trained so hard.  Shouldn’t it come later?  I came here to run 2:30 and my pace is tanking before heartbreak hill.

What followed was a mental meltdown Running Man style.  I tried to gut it out but there was that stupid voice in my head ‘You’re Stephen Allison…blahblahblah’.

If I was so good why couldn’t I figure out this stupid race?

I suck.

I’m not the runner I was.

I made it to mile 21 and walked off the course, smoke coming from my ears.

I hardly talked the rest of the day.  I was a failure.

But time allows us to reflect.

What I learned: My training was stupid.  I was fried by race day.

And my ego was a hindrance this time.

Wall # 3: Chicago Marathon 2008

The three most stressful things in life: Death, divorce, and moving.

Three walls.  Any one of these three can ruin you and send you into depression.

Naturally I added running a marathon to this.

Death: Diane Allison, my mother, passed away from cancer that summer.  It was very painful to lose her.  More painful (for me) to watch cancer chip away at her hair, her energy,her muscle tone, her posture.

I couldn’t cry when she passed.  I wanted to.  I wanted to let go of something, but all that was there was a dull ache.  It wouldn’t get better and it wouldn’t feel worse.  I wanted to face it full on.

But you can’t force it.

“‘You know you’re a real head case.’”

— DIANE ALLISON (REFERRING TO ME, HER SON STEPHEN)

Flashback to college. I was jogging to the start of the 1500 M conference final and those were Mom’s “words of encouragement”.  I had run like shit in the relay the previous day.  I coughed up a lead and got my ass handed to me.  I let my team down.  I was feeling sorry for myself.  I was a head case.

But hearing it from her made me fight.  I won the 1500.  I ran my fastest last lap ever.

We made eye contact post race.  Me: defiant.  Her: smiling.  Proud.  She knew what she was doing.

I couldn’t grieve so I wanted to make a grand gesture to show I cared.  I would run the Chicago Marathon.  For her.  I raised $8,000 for the American Cancer Society  (because I have generous friends, one of whom, Alex Treves, donated $2,620).  My catharsis was waiting for me on that finish line I thought.  I’d PR and feel Mom smiling down on me.  Something would happen on that finish line and I’d move on.  It was waiting…

Divorce: no I didn’t get a divorce but…

I was in a tumultuous relationship at the time.  When you’re going through some shit you just want to be loved.  My family… we were all struggling in our own way and we weren’t there for one another like we could have been.  That includes me.

So I just wanted to be loved and I overlooked some rather bright red flags being waved by this woman.  It was an intense relationship, not in the fun way, but in the jealous/petty/unstable way.  She was checking my emails and voicemails.  She once stopped her car on the high way when she thought I got a text from another girl.  Just pulled over to the side of the Mass Pike and asked to look at my phone.

And then one night she wouldn’t stop accusing me of cheating so I got up to leave.  She grabbed me from behind, not on the shoulder, not on the arm.  Down there.

Yes, she grabbed me down there.

That was a long night.

Don’t worry.  Everything’s fine down there.

Guys, you can’t win a physical fight with a woman because if you win you still lose.   So I got roughed up.

A week went by where she apologized daily.  She pleaded with me to give her another chance.

‘I love you’ she texted.

‘I didn’t mean grab your testicles.’ (Exactly what she wrote. )

And then 5 days before the marathon I’m training a client in a packed gym and I’m summoned.

‘You need to come up front.  NOW.’  The girl who asked looked scared.  Frightened of me.

I was arrested that night.  At work.  In front of hundreds of people.  Coworkers.  Clients.  Prospective clients.   I can remember some astonished looks as five, count ’em five, of Boston’s finest escorted me into an elevator.  My ex had told them I’d roughed her up after an argument.

It was bullshit. I knew I’d win out in court.  I’d just show the judge her text messages, her threats, show them that she’d fraudulently used my credit card and the case would go away.

But I got arrested at work.  During prime time.  Did I still have a job?  How do I show my face back there?  The word was out.  Innocent until proven guilty is not how things work in the court of public opinion.

She’d made her point.  I was screwed.

The court of public opinion saw me get arrested by 5 cops.  My business was F#cked.

And innocent or guilty a lawyer was gonna be $10-$15K.

I may lose every client I had.

No job.  Legal bills.  How was I going to live?

Mom would know what to say.

And Mom was dead.

I had a marathon to run for her.

Moving: After all this I had to move.  She lived close.  Just imagine how much fun seeing her at Starbucks would have been.

I lost out on two places because my background check revealed an open case.  So moving was fun.

Days later: I was a mess on the starting line.  That dull ache was worse.   My mind was not on the race.  I felt the need to proclaim my innocence to anyone who would listen.  Literally.  I had a check up at the Doctor’s that week.  He asked me how I was, just a simple ‘how ya doing?’ and I told him the whole story.  I just needed to get it out there.

‘You know you’re a real head case.’

This race meant everything.  She knew I was running.  I knew she was tracking me online.

This was my first marathon after the Boston flame out, and now it was more than a race.

Lawyers would sort it out in court, and I’d never have any further contact with her, so This was my battleground.   My chance to tell her she got away with a sucker punch but it takes more than that to knock me.

Does it?

I was so low.  I didn’t know if I had it.

‘Life comes down to whether or not you can take a punch.’

I created two mantras: ‘the only revenge is living well.’  She wanted a reaction from me.  That’s why she did this.  She’d get nothing.  i’d live well in spite of her.

‘Shut up and win.’  No matter what I was moving full steam ahead.  Just do good and things would work out.

The race began.  I ran the first 20 miles beautifully. 6:06 pace.

Then 2 more after that were a struggle.

And then the wall.  I was hoping that because I’d suffered so much that week that I could skip the wall.

No.  The wall was back.  Worse than ever.

It was bad.  It was painful.  Energy- low.  Hips- jacked.  Feet-smashed.  Gravity turned up to 4.

4.2 to go.

I tried my mantras, I tried self talk but by mile 23 I was in some serious trouble.  Seriously slowing down.  Thinking of stepping off the course.  A loss here was more than a loss.  It would spiral into something worse.

I needed something.

‘You’re Stephen Allison,’chirped my ego.

Was I?  Stephen Allison’s a good guy.  I got arrested Monday night.  I spent a night in jail.  My Father saw me shackled hand and foot in a court room two months after his wife passed.

He needed me more then than ever and I got arrested.

I didn’t know who the hell I was.

‘Shut up and win.’  I want to.  I’ve never wanted it more but I just can’t.  The fatigue.  Gravity.  I’m not here like I should be.

‘You know you’re a real head case.’  

I’m not giving up.

I had volunteered for the Jimmy Fund Walk that September (My Sisters and Dad raised over $10,000).  I was passing out Gatorade to the charity walkers when this little powder keg of a kid wearing a camouflage T-shirt that said ‘My Team’ materialized before me.  He was surrounded by dozen’s of people wearing the same camouflage.  Their slogan ‘Dario’s Team’.

The kid came up to me and yelled ‘I play football!’

So this is Dario.  Cancer survivor.  Football player.

And he didn’t just yell it.  He YELLED it like Teddy Bruschi yelled “Who’s got the F#ing ball now” while waving a freshly intercepted ball at the opposing team (can’t remember the game, but this happened in the playoffs.  It was classic, the replayed it in slo mo and you could make out the swear words on national TV!).

He stared me down for a second and then kept walking.

This is why we run for a charity folks.  So Dario can play football and scare the shit out of me.

This was where my mind went when I couldn’t go on.  To Dario.

Gravity was the weight of sadness; My mother’s passing; the arrest; the embarrassment; the job uncertainty; my Father seeing me in chains; the move.

‘I PLAY FOOTBALL!’ I yelled.

I can imagine I got some interesting looks from the crowd.

I didn’t regain the magic of the first 20 miles, but gravity left.  I got it done.

i ran my fastest marathon to date.  2:46.

My Dad met me at the finish.  I was freezing cold and wearing a running singlet.  I put my hand on his shoulder, holding him at arms length.  Allison men aren’t terribly emotional with one another.

‘It’s been a tough year,’  I said staring at the ground.  No tears yet but Dad could sense the emotion in me at that moment and he wanted no part of it.

Allison men- we’re stoic.

‘Let’s go,’ he said.  We walked back to the hotel.

Months later I had my day in court and everything was dismissed.  I didn’t hear from the woman again until last spring when she friend requested me FB.  I have a picture of it.

I wrote her a nice little note that ended with two words… and not the two you’re thinking.

‘I won.’

No clients left me.  I kept my job.  Dealt with some depression and disillusionment, but I got through somewhat unscathed.

Looking back on your life you can cry, or you can realize that the whole thing is kind of funny.  So I went on to make a film about the whole ordeal.  You can find the trailer to this no budget masterpiece here.  And my favorite scene here.

And I finally cried while thinking of Mom.  I was teaching a mock yoga class during teacher training; ’cause, you know, where else?

“‘Now here you are, a little older than before. You’ve really been through it and you might go through some more, but if there’s one precious thing you’ve learned, it’s that you can’t take what’s been given ’cause now you know better.‘”

— AMEL LARRIEUX

So there you have it.  Three times I hit the wall.  I hope this happens to you.  Allow me to explain.

I don’t wish misfortune upon anyone.

But each time I hit the wall I learned something that only the wall can teach you, and that I hope you learn for yourself.

Prepare well.

Love your ego.

Forget your ego.

Tough times pass.

Keep pushing.

NEVER.GIVE.UP.

If you learn these things authentically, first hand, there is no wall that can stop you.

Poetry in motion

‘The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter–it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.’- Mark Twain

‘Give us a poem,’

Muhammad Ali finished his commencement speech at Harvard when an audience member shouted this.  Ali returned to the microphone and spoke off the cuff.

‘Me.  We.’

The shortest poem ever written.  From Ali it’s larger than life.  Beautiful.

Poetry is many things, most of which exceed my grasp of language.  But I do understand and appreciate the power of brevity.

Brevity is elegant.

‘Brevity is the soul of wit,’- Lord Polonius in Hamlet (paradoxically not a brief play).

Don’t use two words when you can use one.

Which brings us to an English language cliche: Poetry in motion.

Apt.

Economy of movement.  Don’t move any more or any further than you need to.  The right amount of movement at just the right time.

Graceful.

This is what we aspire to.

Watch great yogis.  Great athletes.  Great dancers.

It looks simple because it is.  Right movement, right time, right speed.

Simple movements combined effortlessly.  Precise.

Much is written about running form.  Books, articles.

Poems.

Short (brief) strides.

Be light on your feet.

Be flexible.

Tall.

Quiet.

Recreate the wheel (90 strides a minute (one leg)).

Be poetry in motion.

There is something about great movement that affects us emotionally.  It’s why we shell out so much money for dance, professional sports, movies.

Athletic poetry.

And when you’re graceful, for a moment or for a mile, you understand why.

It’s the drug we trainers and coaches are selling.

‘But how will I know when I embody poetry in motion?’

There just aren’t words for some things.  They must be experienced.

The difference between the lightning bug and lightning.

You’ll know.