Good Evening,
Woke up early today so I could get my run in before the heat and humidity kicked in, full force and man am I glad I did. By the end of my early morning run I was drenched with sweat, from head to toe. Aside from beating the heat, I also love doing morning workouts because I know that nothing is going to keep me from getting it in later in the day. I start my day content, energized, and inspired and today was no exception.
And now, a little peak into the Project for all you spectators...
Each Monday through Thursday I email the Project Test Pilots a "Project: Tip of the Day" and on Friday it's the "Project: Tip of the Weekend". These tips offer helpful suggestions and advice to those making this 12-week journey. The tips may range from how to better plan for your workouts, to meal ideas, to suggestions about the meditation practice. Along with offering helpful guidance, I find that the "Project: Tip of the Day" also offers inspiration and hopefully gives the Test Pilots something to look forward to each day. On a self-serving note, emailing the Tips five days a week is excellent discipline training for me. Plus I get to share bits of knowledge and wisdom that I have cultivated over the years.
Please enjoy this little glimpse into the "Project: Tip of the Day". If you would like to join in the fun you will have the opportunity to participate in the Project later this fall. Just be sure to visit my blogs frequently so you don't miss the application deadline.
"Project: Tip of the Day -- Go Early" -- edited to share with the blog viewers...
"... today's "Project: Tip of the Day" offers some ideas to make outdoor workouts through the summer more do-able. The biggest and best tip I can give you is GO EARLY! For example, I woke up at 0-dark thirty (old military slang, for way too early), did my run and was back home before anyone else was awake.
Here are a few other ideas to help you beat the heat:
* Hydrate throughout the day. Nothing saps your fitness strength like being dehydrated, even mild dehydration can cut your performance by as much as 20%.
* Wear a lose fitting, technical shirt that wicks sweat and helps it to evaporate faster
* If you cannot go early, go late. If you do this, just be mindful of your surroundings especially if you are alone. If it is after dark, wear a reflective vest and use lights. You may feel goofy doing this, but you will feel more goofy wearing a full body cast should you get plowed by a "cager" (look it up)
* Workout in a shaded area if possible, such as the park.
* Listen and feel for the signs of dehydration -- read one of my previous blog posts for more information on this topic: http://chris-roche.blogspot.com/search?q=summer+training
* Hydrate often during your workout
* On your longer workouts wear a hydration system/backpack with lots of ice in the bladder. The added ice helps to keep your core temperature lowered.
* If it is insane-hot and humid you may want to cut your workout short and lower the intensity. Just be smart about it, and as in your yoga practice, listen to your edges and honor them."
Thanks for reading.
Peace,
Chris
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Day 3 -- So Long Bootcamp...for now
Aloha,
Wednesday's are my "marathon" day (although Thursday's are quickly becoming just as active); I leave the house at 6am, teach several classes, coaching sessions, consultations, office hours and get home around 3pm. Just long enough to shower, eat, perhaps catch a power nap, or spend time with the family, then out the door again at 5pm to lead a yoga class. It's usually around 8pm or later before I get home.
Most Wednesday's I participate in the bootcamp class I teach at Delta Faucet. The class is a blast, and it's intense and the students at Delta are amazing. Unfortunately, I have decided that participating in bootcamp will not be a part of my half marathon training, aside from doing all the running with the group. The bootcamp workout doesn't dovetail into the flow of my training, which includes running (duh?), weights, yoga, and more. If I could shift the class to a different day, it might work, but that ain't gonna happen. So that is part of the reason I'm not going to be bootcamping for the next several weeks. which is kind of a bummer because I love doing the class as well. The bigger reason I've decided to do only the running aspect of the class is that bootcamp is not a part of the assigned workouts found in "Project: Bridging the Wellness Gap" and my vision for this half marathon is to use ONLY the principles and workouts from the Project. The only exception being some modifications to the running volumes which will deliver the health, fitness, and well-being needed to run 13.1 miles.
So, in today's bootcamp I made sure we had several running efforts, which for me consisted of some anaerobic threshold intervals of 2 - 6 minutes in duration. Painful, but oh so sweet.
Insight from today:
Several people have asked me why I preach running outdoors as the mode of aerobic conditioning in the Project. There are multiple reasons, and today I was reminded of one of the more well kept secrets about running; something which I find is hidden even from many seasoned runners -- running is Sacred. Seriously. Once we cultivate a relationship with our running which includes our body, our mind, and our spirit you realize the oneness you can experience with running. There is no separation between me and my running. Unlike bicycling, in line skating, cardio machines, or even running on a treadmill, when I run outdoors I do not rely on anything external or separate from myself.
Unfortunately, many look at running as another chore or assignment and maybe they dread it like going for a root canal. Or some may look at their running as something to conquer or something to enforce their ego pride. And some are actually attached to running as though it were a drug. All this is okay to some degree, I just see it as a very narrow and immature view of running and it is a fear-based motivation. That to me is the big difference between seeing running as Sacred or mundane. When running is Sacred, it is rooted in love and free from attachment and fear.
I had the above realization as I was leaving my in-law's home tonight. As I walked into the night air, I felt my legs beneath me and knew that if I wanted to I could run right there in that moment. No need to grab my bike, no need to find a treadmill or a workout video, I could just go if I wanted to. It made me smile and I could feel my love and union (yoga) with running. Isn't that the relationship we are all looking for; the relationship we want with our health, fitness, and well-being, with our family, our spouse, with God? As we deepen our spiritual life we begin to feel God around us all the time and we know that He is there in each moment. And, if we wanted to, we know that we could "run" with Him right there in that moment too...
In Peace,
Chris
Wednesday's are my "marathon" day (although Thursday's are quickly becoming just as active); I leave the house at 6am, teach several classes, coaching sessions, consultations, office hours and get home around 3pm. Just long enough to shower, eat, perhaps catch a power nap, or spend time with the family, then out the door again at 5pm to lead a yoga class. It's usually around 8pm or later before I get home.
Most Wednesday's I participate in the bootcamp class I teach at Delta Faucet. The class is a blast, and it's intense and the students at Delta are amazing. Unfortunately, I have decided that participating in bootcamp will not be a part of my half marathon training, aside from doing all the running with the group. The bootcamp workout doesn't dovetail into the flow of my training, which includes running (duh?), weights, yoga, and more. If I could shift the class to a different day, it might work, but that ain't gonna happen. So that is part of the reason I'm not going to be bootcamping for the next several weeks. which is kind of a bummer because I love doing the class as well. The bigger reason I've decided to do only the running aspect of the class is that bootcamp is not a part of the assigned workouts found in "Project: Bridging the Wellness Gap" and my vision for this half marathon is to use ONLY the principles and workouts from the Project. The only exception being some modifications to the running volumes which will deliver the health, fitness, and well-being needed to run 13.1 miles.
So, in today's bootcamp I made sure we had several running efforts, which for me consisted of some anaerobic threshold intervals of 2 - 6 minutes in duration. Painful, but oh so sweet.
Insight from today:
Several people have asked me why I preach running outdoors as the mode of aerobic conditioning in the Project. There are multiple reasons, and today I was reminded of one of the more well kept secrets about running; something which I find is hidden even from many seasoned runners -- running is Sacred. Seriously. Once we cultivate a relationship with our running which includes our body, our mind, and our spirit you realize the oneness you can experience with running. There is no separation between me and my running. Unlike bicycling, in line skating, cardio machines, or even running on a treadmill, when I run outdoors I do not rely on anything external or separate from myself.
Unfortunately, many look at running as another chore or assignment and maybe they dread it like going for a root canal. Or some may look at their running as something to conquer or something to enforce their ego pride. And some are actually attached to running as though it were a drug. All this is okay to some degree, I just see it as a very narrow and immature view of running and it is a fear-based motivation. That to me is the big difference between seeing running as Sacred or mundane. When running is Sacred, it is rooted in love and free from attachment and fear.
I had the above realization as I was leaving my in-law's home tonight. As I walked into the night air, I felt my legs beneath me and knew that if I wanted to I could run right there in that moment. No need to grab my bike, no need to find a treadmill or a workout video, I could just go if I wanted to. It made me smile and I could feel my love and union (yoga) with running. Isn't that the relationship we are all looking for; the relationship we want with our health, fitness, and well-being, with our family, our spouse, with God? As we deepen our spiritual life we begin to feel God around us all the time and we know that He is there in each moment. And, if we wanted to, we know that we could "run" with Him right there in that moment too...
In Peace,
Chris
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Day 2
Hey There!
So far so good. Batting a thousand, as they say. 'Course, just about anyone can pull off two days of proper training and diet : -) I don't envision being "perfect" for nearly 90 days, just consistent and perhaps nearly "perfect". One of the "Project: Dietary Principles" has to do with rating your diet at the end of each day, based on a 0 - 100% scale. This score is based on several factors, not just "what" you eat. You will have to wait for more details to be revealed on that topic. At any rate, I call it "The 90% Rule", which means that if you really want to make a positive impact on your health, fitness, and well-being, you need to consistently score 90% on the dietary scale. As you dip lower and lower on the scale, progress greatly slows, stalls, or reverts, especially once you get below 80%.
One can use this same rating scale on all aspects of their training, which I do, and my vision is to score as near 90% in all aspects of my training over the next 12-weeks.
Here's a little insight into today:
Woke up 2 hours early today in order to take care of my Test Pilots: responding to emails, weekly training logs, and working on the next phase of training (which relates to the last 4 weeks of their training). Yes, BTWG Test Pilots, I went to bed early in order to get my 7.5 hours of sleep!
I originally planned to run once Christian was up and about, yet he decided to sleep in and by 9am it was too hot and humid to take him out for a 3 miler, so I opted to postpone until this evening.
Taught my 5:45pm yoga class, at Cityoga and I actually participated in almost the entire class, something I rarely do these days (long story). And when I got home I headed out for my run. Christian didn't go with me, he stood me up by going to the store with Jody. It was great running with less humidity, which sucks your performance yet I consider it a nice "training effect".
My training schedule called for a 3 mile run, which is what I did in around 28:00. Yup, all you serious runners out there, I am sloooooow compared to competitive runners. Anything over 2 miles and I drop down to around 10:00 miles. I don't really intend to increase my running pace for the half marathon, though I do have a finishing time "goal" which I may share somewhere along the line.
Since it was 9:30pm when I finished my run and too late to actually eat a meal (another Project: Dietary Principle), I settled for some low-fat cottage cheese and a couple small slices of fresh watermelon.
Just briefly, one thing I love about running is incorporating elements of yoga and meditation, such as mindfulness of breathing, internal locks (bandhas) and so forth. As I was doing this tonight, and dodging monster insects, I smiled inwardly as I felt all those years on the zafu and yoga mat showing up, naturally, while I was running. Much like having an old friend or teacher joining you for your workout. Pretty cool and amazing.
Now, off for a meditation session and sleep.
More tomorrow...
Peace,
Chris
So far so good. Batting a thousand, as they say. 'Course, just about anyone can pull off two days of proper training and diet : -) I don't envision being "perfect" for nearly 90 days, just consistent and perhaps nearly "perfect". One of the "Project: Dietary Principles" has to do with rating your diet at the end of each day, based on a 0 - 100% scale. This score is based on several factors, not just "what" you eat. You will have to wait for more details to be revealed on that topic. At any rate, I call it "The 90% Rule", which means that if you really want to make a positive impact on your health, fitness, and well-being, you need to consistently score 90% on the dietary scale. As you dip lower and lower on the scale, progress greatly slows, stalls, or reverts, especially once you get below 80%.
One can use this same rating scale on all aspects of their training, which I do, and my vision is to score as near 90% in all aspects of my training over the next 12-weeks.
Here's a little insight into today:
Woke up 2 hours early today in order to take care of my Test Pilots: responding to emails, weekly training logs, and working on the next phase of training (which relates to the last 4 weeks of their training). Yes, BTWG Test Pilots, I went to bed early in order to get my 7.5 hours of sleep!
I originally planned to run once Christian was up and about, yet he decided to sleep in and by 9am it was too hot and humid to take him out for a 3 miler, so I opted to postpone until this evening.
Taught my 5:45pm yoga class, at Cityoga and I actually participated in almost the entire class, something I rarely do these days (long story). And when I got home I headed out for my run. Christian didn't go with me, he stood me up by going to the store with Jody. It was great running with less humidity, which sucks your performance yet I consider it a nice "training effect".
My training schedule called for a 3 mile run, which is what I did in around 28:00. Yup, all you serious runners out there, I am sloooooow compared to competitive runners. Anything over 2 miles and I drop down to around 10:00 miles. I don't really intend to increase my running pace for the half marathon, though I do have a finishing time "goal" which I may share somewhere along the line.
Since it was 9:30pm when I finished my run and too late to actually eat a meal (another Project: Dietary Principle), I settled for some low-fat cottage cheese and a couple small slices of fresh watermelon.
Just briefly, one thing I love about running is incorporating elements of yoga and meditation, such as mindfulness of breathing, internal locks (bandhas) and so forth. As I was doing this tonight, and dodging monster insects, I smiled inwardly as I felt all those years on the zafu and yoga mat showing up, naturally, while I was running. Much like having an old friend or teacher joining you for your workout. Pretty cool and amazing.
Now, off for a meditation session and sleep.
More tomorrow...
Peace,
Chris
Day 2 Coming Soon
Hey Guys,
I'm finding that for most days I will probably be posting here later in the evenings. There are several reasons and I think it will be the most conducive to this blog and my schedule. Plus, on days like today, I won't be done will all my training until around 9:00 tonight. I was going to do my run with Christian at 9:00 this morning, yet it was already too humid for me to take him out, so we are going this evening when I get home from leading a yoga session.
So, if you plan to follow me each day, over the next 12 weeks, you may want to pop by in the mornings to see what's up.
Thanks for your support!
Also, be sure to visit in the upcoming days as I will be sharing "Progress Reports" from the "Project: Bridging the Wellness Gap" Test Pilots.
Peace,
Chris
I'm finding that for most days I will probably be posting here later in the evenings. There are several reasons and I think it will be the most conducive to this blog and my schedule. Plus, on days like today, I won't be done will all my training until around 9:00 tonight. I was going to do my run with Christian at 9:00 this morning, yet it was already too humid for me to take him out, so we are going this evening when I get home from leading a yoga session.
So, if you plan to follow me each day, over the next 12 weeks, you may want to pop by in the mornings to see what's up.
Thanks for your support!
Also, be sure to visit in the upcoming days as I will be sharing "Progress Reports" from the "Project: Bridging the Wellness Gap" Test Pilots.
Peace,
Chris
Monday, July 28, 2008
Day 1 -- Cont...
Hello Again,
I couldn't resist updating today's post with a picture of the new wheels Christian and I just got.
Yesterday, we had a joint celebration for my sisters birthday and my birthday. As a gift for making it to the big 4-0, my parents surprised me with a new running stroller.
I took this "self portrait" as we were heading out the door for a test drive. We just did a quick 2 mile loop to feel it out in preparation for tomorrows workout. Let me tell you, this thing rocks! It's a Trek "Dash" which my sis located at "Play it Again Sports". Apparently, the previous owner wasn't much of a runner because this baby is like new and is smooooth as glass. This thing makes my previous running stroller look like a tank (it felt like one too compared to this). Christian loves it as well and I have a feeling we will get lots of great miles in together. When the climate permits I take him on all my runs which is usually 3-4 times per week.
I'm looking forward to spending lots of quality time with our new wheels as I prepare for the Indy Half Marathon... I only wish they allowed running strollers in the race...
Peace,
Chris
I couldn't resist updating today's post with a picture of the new wheels Christian and I just got.
Yesterday, we had a joint celebration for my sisters birthday and my birthday. As a gift for making it to the big 4-0, my parents surprised me with a new running stroller.
I took this "self portrait" as we were heading out the door for a test drive. We just did a quick 2 mile loop to feel it out in preparation for tomorrows workout. Let me tell you, this thing rocks! It's a Trek "Dash" which my sis located at "Play it Again Sports". Apparently, the previous owner wasn't much of a runner because this baby is like new and is smooooth as glass. This thing makes my previous running stroller look like a tank (it felt like one too compared to this). Christian loves it as well and I have a feeling we will get lots of great miles in together. When the climate permits I take him on all my runs which is usually 3-4 times per week.
I'm looking forward to spending lots of quality time with our new wheels as I prepare for the Indy Half Marathon... I only wish they allowed running strollers in the race...
Peace,
Chris
Day 1
Welcome,
Thanks for stopping by. What you will find here will be daily posts from me, as I chronicle the next 12 weeks of training for a half marathon using the training principles from "Project: Bridging the Wellness Gap". The intention here is to share my experience, perhaps inspire others, and to display for all who visit the simplicity, effectiveness, potential of the Project. All aspects of "Project: Bridging the Wellness Gap" are oriented towards simplicity, eliminating excuses, and helping people to obtaining their vision of health, fitness, and well-being.
In addition to my daily posts, I will be sharing highlights, updates, stories, tips, and more from our current group of Project participants. My Test Pilots are currently in their 4th week of their Project, which happens to be a recovery week. So please check in to hear more about them and from them.
This blog is pretty bar-bones, so I'll look into jazzing it up a little as things flow along. Enjoy!
On to today's training session:
Today was a strength/toning session -- Chest, Shoulders, Tricpes, Abs/Core. It's actually a workout that my Level II Test Pilots will be following in the near future and let me tell you, it's intense. Short, yet Ooooh Soooo Sweet. My arms are still shaking as I type this post...
I followed the session with some light yoga and stretching as I have prioritized my yoga practice over the next 12 weeks. It's cracks me up how many people will forsake an activity such as running because "it will ruin my yoga practice", or "running makes you too tight". B.S.. That, to me, is just an excuse not to run. Trust me, I'll prove it to you over the next 12 weeks. I'm not saying that out of ego, or being boastful. Rather, part of my vision with the Project is to dispel some of the excuses people come up with when it comes to their health, fitness, and well-being. The key is intelligent training. In this example, it means that as I've prioritized running, I also devote adequate time to flexibility training. I've taken some preliminary range of motion measurements and will continue monitor and share my progress.
Again, thanks for reading. Now, off for some re-fueling...
In Peace,
Chris
Thanks for stopping by. What you will find here will be daily posts from me, as I chronicle the next 12 weeks of training for a half marathon using the training principles from "Project: Bridging the Wellness Gap". The intention here is to share my experience, perhaps inspire others, and to display for all who visit the simplicity, effectiveness, potential of the Project. All aspects of "Project: Bridging the Wellness Gap" are oriented towards simplicity, eliminating excuses, and helping people to obtaining their vision of health, fitness, and well-being.
In addition to my daily posts, I will be sharing highlights, updates, stories, tips, and more from our current group of Project participants. My Test Pilots are currently in their 4th week of their Project, which happens to be a recovery week. So please check in to hear more about them and from them.
This blog is pretty bar-bones, so I'll look into jazzing it up a little as things flow along. Enjoy!
On to today's training session:
Today was a strength/toning session -- Chest, Shoulders, Tricpes, Abs/Core. It's actually a workout that my Level II Test Pilots will be following in the near future and let me tell you, it's intense. Short, yet Ooooh Soooo Sweet. My arms are still shaking as I type this post...
I followed the session with some light yoga and stretching as I have prioritized my yoga practice over the next 12 weeks. It's cracks me up how many people will forsake an activity such as running because "it will ruin my yoga practice", or "running makes you too tight". B.S.. That, to me, is just an excuse not to run. Trust me, I'll prove it to you over the next 12 weeks. I'm not saying that out of ego, or being boastful. Rather, part of my vision with the Project is to dispel some of the excuses people come up with when it comes to their health, fitness, and well-being. The key is intelligent training. In this example, it means that as I've prioritized running, I also devote adequate time to flexibility training. I've taken some preliminary range of motion measurements and will continue monitor and share my progress.
Again, thanks for reading. Now, off for some re-fueling...
In Peace,
Chris
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