"Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.” - Charles Dickens in David Copperfield
For the better part of my life, I spent my time wanting to be someone else, anyone else other than me. Sports are an important part of our society. As I grew up, I fell in love with sports of all kinds, partially as an escape. I was a fanatic, meant in the most extreme ways, with regard to sports, imagining myself on par with athletes similar to me in size and stature. All of this was a ploy, on my own behalf, to avoid living my life. The lie of my existence continued, fed off itself, and grew to monstrous proportions. I saw nothing wrong with it. I was deferring my life, my own existence, towards others in the hopes he would somehow lead me to the promised land with amazing athletic endeavors. In reality, I was in my early 30s and still playing pretend.
Many have done this very thing, in some way or another. We see people - perhaps celebrities - on television, in movies, and in print and truly feel some attachment to them and, what's more, look to them to be our heroes. When we are at our lowest, we often take pity on ourselves in that we are not how we want to be either in health, appearance, or mentality. A much easier alternative than affecting change is looking to others for the success or progress you wish to have.
However when it comes to your self-care, things are different. You write your story. You are the focal point of the narrative. You are in the lead role. You are your own hero.
Once I made the decision to right the ship and put my self-care plan into place, things changed. My concern no longer stood with comparing myself to famous athletes or in transferring my life onto them. In taking the initiative to be the hero of my story, in launching and directing my self-care, I found new abilities I never thought I had, including the ability to change myself both inside and out.
It all starts with the basic elements of self-care: eating cleaner, being more active, and developing a personal understanding. Incorporating self-care's basic elements into your life will provide you with a taste of success you may have never felt before - a genuine feeling that you can lend control to your health and put yourself on the path to a better, more positive life.
One taste of success leads to wanting more and, with improved, consistent efforts in the elements of self-care, you will set goals for yourself that you know will be achieved. As an added benefit, every goal you reach will make you stronger than ever before, both in mind and in body.
Write your own story and make yourself the focal character. Although it takes effort and dedication, being the hero of your own life is the most rewarding personal experience you may have and, as a result, you can be the strongest person possible for yourself and those important to you.
Be well.
24 July 2009
17 July 2009
Progress Report: 17 July 2009
Something of a random entry, I know. This week (actually, it has been a few weeks since I last reported) has included nothing out of the ordinary. A 7-miler is planned for tomorrow morning. The next two weeks, however, will reach pinnacles with 12- and 13-milers respectively. So, the training is slowly becoming more and more of a reality. So too is the fact that I am on my way to this marathon. Odd... I still wonder, some times aloud and others to myself, when it will strike me that I will be running a marathon. Perhaps it will be the first time I run longer than ever before (which for me will be anything longer than 13 miles), maybe once I hit the peak of my training, or maybe not until I get to the starting line of the Marine Corps Marathon. Nevertheless, it continues to amaze me how preparing for this race (even in the early stages) let alone the actual race itself, has positively affected my life so far.
And there is a LONG way to go from here. 99 days and counting...
And there is a LONG way to go from here. 99 days and counting...
08 July 2009
Dan Runs from Couch to Coach
By Katherine Dyer City People Writer
kdyer2@greenvillenews.com
At 346 pounds, Dan Herman says he'd tried everything - diets, prescription weight- loss pills, everything - and nothing worked.
And he was fed up. Fed up from being endlessly ripped off by specialty clothing stores, fed up by the frustrating social perceptions, fed up from struggling to just move around, to sit, to stand.
He'd had enough.
"I decided to go to my local running store back home (in Pennsylvania) and get laced up," he says. It was the one thing short of surgery he hadn't yet tried.
Before starting out, he researched beginners running programs online ("What would I do without Google?") and found a wealth of information about the "Couch to 5K" training program.
Essentially, the nine-week program does exactly what its name suggests, providing tri-weekly workouts specifically designed to turn non-runners into 5K-finishers.
Herman was willing to give the program a shot.
"They say running's the most natural thing for your body to do," he says.
Yeah.
"Initially, it really sucked ," he recalls. "Those first few weeks were amazingly unnatural."
But he was doing something, he was moving, even if it was just for the 60-second intervals called for by the early workouts of Couch to 5K.
Then one day, he says, it happened. He was jogging in the park first thing in the morning, the sun was coming up, it was cool - about 60 degrees.
"There was just something," he says, "I couldn't tell you what it was. It wasn't an epiphany or anything like that, but somehow it just clicked. I challenge anybody - go out and run first thing in the morning when the sun is just coming up in the Upstate and not fall in love with it. It just sets the stage for a great day. Life is a whole lot better."
And from then on, running - jogging - was it for Dan Herman. As the weeks of Couch to 5K went by, he slowly, slowly, began to shed excess weight.
"I'm not saying that running's easy," he interjects emphatically into what sounds like a bit of a fairytale story.
"It was a labor, it absolutely was, you know. But now, five or six years later, I'm 120 pounds lighter, and it's been an absolute blessing."
He ran his first 5K, Bethlehem, Pa.'s Fountain Hill Memorial 5K, in 2006, collapsing to the ground immediately after crossing the finish line with a time of 27:03.
"You can't get that race T-shirt off me for anything," he says.
Now, Herman's pretty much hooked. He has competed in several 5Ks and 10Ks since 2006, as well as his first half marathon last fall in Greenville. Currently, he's training to run a full marathon in October.
But while he says Greenville is an area full of great runners and outdoor athletes, he readily insists that he is not one of them.
"As a bigger runner," he explains - he's now at about 220-ish pounds, "I can't run with a lot of the people I know - they're too fast for me. For a lot of new runners, that's very intimidating."
Well it's no longer intimidating for Herman, and part of his mission now is making other start-up, non-runners just as comfortable with themselves as he's become with himself.
For the past two years, he has coached seven 12-week "No Boundaries" programs through Fleet Feet.
Similar to the Couch to 5K program, No Boundaries provides simple resources and workouts that cater to beginners with the ultimate goal of participating in a 5K race upon completion of the program. No Boundaries, though, is a group training program, drawing upon social camaraderie as a means of support, encouragement and accountability.
"There's something so powerful about coming out with a group," he explains. "I preach this from the very beginning, 'It doesn't matter how fast or slow you are - there's no prize for who finishes first, and nobody leaves until the last person's in.'"
After all, he says, running doesn't have to be so serious.
"So many people are so dead set on being perfect," he says, citing the negative influence of reality weight loss TV shows on notions of eating habits and training routines. "They think, 'If I don't exercise 10 hours a day like they do on the ranch, I won't get where I need to be.'"
"Anyone who's even considering being active in any capacity," he says, "I urge them to take that first step for themselves. It doesn't matter where you go or with whom you train, just take that first step."
kdyer2@greenvillenews.com
At 346 pounds, Dan Herman says he'd tried everything - diets, prescription weight- loss pills, everything - and nothing worked.
And he was fed up. Fed up from being endlessly ripped off by specialty clothing stores, fed up by the frustrating social perceptions, fed up from struggling to just move around, to sit, to stand.
He'd had enough.
"I decided to go to my local running store back home (in Pennsylvania) and get laced up," he says. It was the one thing short of surgery he hadn't yet tried.
Before starting out, he researched beginners running programs online ("What would I do without Google?") and found a wealth of information about the "Couch to 5K" training program.
Essentially, the nine-week program does exactly what its name suggests, providing tri-weekly workouts specifically designed to turn non-runners into 5K-finishers.
Herman was willing to give the program a shot.
"They say running's the most natural thing for your body to do," he says.
Yeah.
"Initially, it really sucked ," he recalls. "Those first few weeks were amazingly unnatural."
But he was doing something, he was moving, even if it was just for the 60-second intervals called for by the early workouts of Couch to 5K.
Then one day, he says, it happened. He was jogging in the park first thing in the morning, the sun was coming up, it was cool - about 60 degrees.
"There was just something," he says, "I couldn't tell you what it was. It wasn't an epiphany or anything like that, but somehow it just clicked. I challenge anybody - go out and run first thing in the morning when the sun is just coming up in the Upstate and not fall in love with it. It just sets the stage for a great day. Life is a whole lot better."
And from then on, running - jogging - was it for Dan Herman. As the weeks of Couch to 5K went by, he slowly, slowly, began to shed excess weight.
"I'm not saying that running's easy," he interjects emphatically into what sounds like a bit of a fairytale story.
"It was a labor, it absolutely was, you know. But now, five or six years later, I'm 120 pounds lighter, and it's been an absolute blessing."
He ran his first 5K, Bethlehem, Pa.'s Fountain Hill Memorial 5K, in 2006, collapsing to the ground immediately after crossing the finish line with a time of 27:03.
"You can't get that race T-shirt off me for anything," he says.
Now, Herman's pretty much hooked. He has competed in several 5Ks and 10Ks since 2006, as well as his first half marathon last fall in Greenville. Currently, he's training to run a full marathon in October.
But while he says Greenville is an area full of great runners and outdoor athletes, he readily insists that he is not one of them.
"As a bigger runner," he explains - he's now at about 220-ish pounds, "I can't run with a lot of the people I know - they're too fast for me. For a lot of new runners, that's very intimidating."
Well it's no longer intimidating for Herman, and part of his mission now is making other start-up, non-runners just as comfortable with themselves as he's become with himself.
For the past two years, he has coached seven 12-week "No Boundaries" programs through Fleet Feet.
Similar to the Couch to 5K program, No Boundaries provides simple resources and workouts that cater to beginners with the ultimate goal of participating in a 5K race upon completion of the program. No Boundaries, though, is a group training program, drawing upon social camaraderie as a means of support, encouragement and accountability.
"There's something so powerful about coming out with a group," he explains. "I preach this from the very beginning, 'It doesn't matter how fast or slow you are - there's no prize for who finishes first, and nobody leaves until the last person's in.'"
After all, he says, running doesn't have to be so serious.
"So many people are so dead set on being perfect," he says, citing the negative influence of reality weight loss TV shows on notions of eating habits and training routines. "They think, 'If I don't exercise 10 hours a day like they do on the ranch, I won't get where I need to be.'"
"Anyone who's even considering being active in any capacity," he says, "I urge them to take that first step for themselves. It doesn't matter where you go or with whom you train, just take that first step."
22 June 2009
Progress Report: 22 June 2009
Where to begin...
Another Couch to 5K group has left the nest and, despite my attempts to mess up their efforts, they performed extremely well at the Candlelight Run 5K this past Saturday evening. The course was challenging and the weather left a bunch to be desired. I was again fortunate to have been surrounded by their amazing strength and determination from the very start of this program to the very end.
The great thing, in something of a selfish capacity, is that being around these people - these folks who perhaps somewhat blindly, left at least a portion of their self-care in my hands for the better part of three months. In exchange for their trust, I did my best to nurture them on how to do the best you can, as often as you can and to always remember that this journey of ours is neither finite nor perfect. Mistakes will be made. But it is always about making better decisions more often than to the contrary.
Ultimately though, this is entirely about them. I hope they get from me at least a portion of the energy, drive, and determination I get from them. They will continue to run and be healthy and happy. For many of them, running was a singular key to a singular door. But that door opens up a world of possibilities. Anything is now possible.
On a personal level, MCM training is going well. Week Two is officially in the books with 16 miles. This week will be 15 miles and I am okay with that. Soon enough, we will be in uncharted territory and well beyond the 25 weekly miles I worked up to a few weeks back.
The scale's progress is showing as well...
03/30/09: 245.0
04/18/09: 241.2
04/22/09: 238.8
05/01/09: 235.2
05/16/09: 230.2
06/20/09: 227.0
I am dropping about 1.5 lbs per week while, by my own admission, not exactly being vigilant about what I eat. I am down a total of 118 lbs overall and my goal range of 200-215 lbs by October 25, 2009 is well within reasonableness. Thanks to the recommendations from a good friend, I ordered a couple of good reads on nutrition for distance athletes, so hopefully this helps sharpen things. My legs are feeling good and my mind is steady - for now.
Be well.
Another Couch to 5K group has left the nest and, despite my attempts to mess up their efforts, they performed extremely well at the Candlelight Run 5K this past Saturday evening. The course was challenging and the weather left a bunch to be desired. I was again fortunate to have been surrounded by their amazing strength and determination from the very start of this program to the very end.
The great thing, in something of a selfish capacity, is that being around these people - these folks who perhaps somewhat blindly, left at least a portion of their self-care in my hands for the better part of three months. In exchange for their trust, I did my best to nurture them on how to do the best you can, as often as you can and to always remember that this journey of ours is neither finite nor perfect. Mistakes will be made. But it is always about making better decisions more often than to the contrary.
Ultimately though, this is entirely about them. I hope they get from me at least a portion of the energy, drive, and determination I get from them. They will continue to run and be healthy and happy. For many of them, running was a singular key to a singular door. But that door opens up a world of possibilities. Anything is now possible.
On a personal level, MCM training is going well. Week Two is officially in the books with 16 miles. This week will be 15 miles and I am okay with that. Soon enough, we will be in uncharted territory and well beyond the 25 weekly miles I worked up to a few weeks back.
The scale's progress is showing as well...
03/30/09: 245.0
04/18/09: 241.2
04/22/09: 238.8
05/01/09: 235.2
05/16/09: 230.2
06/20/09: 227.0
I am dropping about 1.5 lbs per week while, by my own admission, not exactly being vigilant about what I eat. I am down a total of 118 lbs overall and my goal range of 200-215 lbs by October 25, 2009 is well within reasonableness. Thanks to the recommendations from a good friend, I ordered a couple of good reads on nutrition for distance athletes, so hopefully this helps sharpen things. My legs are feeling good and my mind is steady - for now.
Be well.
17 June 2009
Progress Report: 17 June 2009
Time is really flying.
I am less than one (1) week away from graduating yet another group of fantastic, energetic, and determined beginner runners into the world of open possibilities and where nothing is impossible. Their first 5K is this coming Saturday evening, and I will be there to cheer every last one of them across the finish line. It is funny, somehow, for me to try to explain to others just how much I take from coaching beginning runners. If nothing else, it continually reminds me just how special the act of starting out to run truly is. The first few runs, how incredibly painful both mentally and physically, so much self-doubt. Like I often preach, sooner or later, it just clicks. It happens for everyone, it is just a matter of when. Suddenly, running seems much more fluid and, to some degree or another, much less of a chore. Running is truly a gift we receive, there is no questioning that. However I believe running is a gift better when given to others. But that's me...
MCM training is going well. I am continuing to stretch with the help of some yoga-for-runners postures and the like. The right hamstring is still something of an issue, but I feel confident that this will continue to improve. I really need to consider a little massage therapy to help it along though. Weight is holding steady and, really, I am not expecting much more of a drop until the mileage picks back up over 20 per week, which will be soon enough... Soon enough, indeed.
Be well.
I am less than one (1) week away from graduating yet another group of fantastic, energetic, and determined beginner runners into the world of open possibilities and where nothing is impossible. Their first 5K is this coming Saturday evening, and I will be there to cheer every last one of them across the finish line. It is funny, somehow, for me to try to explain to others just how much I take from coaching beginning runners. If nothing else, it continually reminds me just how special the act of starting out to run truly is. The first few runs, how incredibly painful both mentally and physically, so much self-doubt. Like I often preach, sooner or later, it just clicks. It happens for everyone, it is just a matter of when. Suddenly, running seems much more fluid and, to some degree or another, much less of a chore. Running is truly a gift we receive, there is no questioning that. However I believe running is a gift better when given to others. But that's me...
MCM training is going well. I am continuing to stretch with the help of some yoga-for-runners postures and the like. The right hamstring is still something of an issue, but I feel confident that this will continue to improve. I really need to consider a little massage therapy to help it along though. Weight is holding steady and, really, I am not expecting much more of a drop until the mileage picks back up over 20 per week, which will be soon enough... Soon enough, indeed.
Be well.
19 May 2009
Progress Report: 19 May 2009
Just a quick fly-by report here. I stepped on the scale on Saturday, May 16, 2009 and weighed in at... Well...
03/30/09: 245.0
04/18/09: 241.2
04/22/09: 238.8
05/01/09: 235.2
05/16/09: 230.2
Still, granted, a long way to go until I get to my ultimate goal, but the plan is in place, progress is being made, I am not starving, and my runs are getting done. What more could a guy want?
03/30/09: 245.0
04/18/09: 241.2
04/22/09: 238.8
05/01/09: 235.2
05/16/09: 230.2
Still, granted, a long way to go until I get to my ultimate goal, but the plan is in place, progress is being made, I am not starving, and my runs are getting done. What more could a guy want?
01 May 2009
Progress Report: 01 May 2009
Not much to report at this point. April was a decent running month for me, despite the nagging left shin and right hamstring issues. I am working through those though. I logged 68.10 miles in April and have 245.63 miles for the year so far.
A nice and somewhat easy 3-miler last night. The humidity has not even really begun to sink in here in South Carolina and I am already longing for weekday morning runs.
Here's how things have fallen since I really got back into journaling food with my running:
03/30/09: 245.0
04/18/09: 241.2
04/22/09: 238.8
05/01/09: 235.2
I am happy with the progression so far and, for me, I am eating more now than I was when I got down to my lowest weight of 206 back in 2006. I am feeling the benefits of the increased carbohydrate load, in a very good way. I still need my protein, otherwise I will eat My goal weight for MCM in October is 215. I think this is VERY reachable right now.
Be well.
A nice and somewhat easy 3-miler last night. The humidity has not even really begun to sink in here in South Carolina and I am already longing for weekday morning runs.
Here's how things have fallen since I really got back into journaling food with my running:
03/30/09: 245.0
04/18/09: 241.2
04/22/09: 238.8
05/01/09: 235.2
I am happy with the progression so far and, for me, I am eating more now than I was when I got down to my lowest weight of 206 back in 2006. I am feeling the benefits of the increased carbohydrate load, in a very good way. I still need my protein, otherwise I will eat My goal weight for MCM in October is 215. I think this is VERY reachable right now.
Be well.
23 April 2009
2009 Reedy River Run 10K recap (late and very brief)
Great day, great friends, and a great race. My first ever 10K was at the Reedy River Run on March 7, 2009 and I feel good about where I finished... 58:50. The picture above is after the race, as the lot of us recuperated and rehydrated. What is this "Zing Zang" thing of which they speak?
22 April 2009
Progress Report: 22 April 2009
Of course, with official Marine Corps Marathon ("MCM") training still about five (5) weeks away, the only kind of update I could be posting here is relative to...? That's right. Weight loss.
After re-tuning the diet (defined as calories consumed, and NOT in a restrictive manner), things have seemed to progress nicely. I stepped on the scale a few weeks back with 245 lbs staring back at me. As of this morning, I am 238.8 and can really start to feel the difference.
I am still a bit concerned about the left shin pain. I am not sure if it is either a muscular issue which could be resolved with some deep massage or something structural. I feel good with my combination of shoes and inserts (note: NOT the custom orthotics I shelled out $$$ for) right now. We shall see where this progresses. I can take a step back with the training for a couple of weeks to let it mend, if need be. I would much rather be fresh for the start of training than limping into it.
Be well.
After re-tuning the diet (defined as calories consumed, and NOT in a restrictive manner), things have seemed to progress nicely. I stepped on the scale a few weeks back with 245 lbs staring back at me. As of this morning, I am 238.8 and can really start to feel the difference.
I am still a bit concerned about the left shin pain. I am not sure if it is either a muscular issue which could be resolved with some deep massage or something structural. I feel good with my combination of shoes and inserts (note: NOT the custom orthotics I shelled out $$$ for) right now. We shall see where this progresses. I can take a step back with the training for a couple of weeks to let it mend, if need be. I would much rather be fresh for the start of training than limping into it.
Be well.
19 April 2009
The plan is in place
As things progress, I will continue to write here more regularly. This will act as something of a hournal, something of a sounding board for thoughts and observations throughout training for the 2009 Marine Corps Marathon. I am, if not incredibly so, intrigued by the process and how it will change me.
Coming from someone who has never run a marathon before, allow me to say that the reality of actually running 26 miles, 385 yards did not really sink in until I started writing down my training plan. Sobering...
In my best day, maybe I ran 20 miles per week. The plan I will be using (the Hal Higdon novice plan - along with a minor tweak, for those of you following along at home) will last 20 weeks and will have me running 42 miles in my highest volume week. *shiver*
But I wrote all of that so I can write this... I could not be more focused and excited about that which lies ahead. To say that this entire process will be a life-changing event is the understatement of all understatements. My family and friends are important. My job, too, is important. However from the beginning of June until October 25, 2009, my body, heart, and soul will belong to the Marine Corps Marathon.
This is not about finishing in a particular time or whatever have you. This is all about doing something that 5 years or over 100 lbs ago, I never would have imagined. As I sit here, typing in the dark, there is a part of me that is anxious/scared to death about that which lies ahead. I am not sure, however, if I have ever been as focused on any one singular personal goal.
By all accounts, I cannot think of a better place to show my stuff than Marine Corps Marathon.
Time to get to work.
Coming from someone who has never run a marathon before, allow me to say that the reality of actually running 26 miles, 385 yards did not really sink in until I started writing down my training plan. Sobering...
In my best day, maybe I ran 20 miles per week. The plan I will be using (the Hal Higdon novice plan - along with a minor tweak, for those of you following along at home) will last 20 weeks and will have me running 42 miles in my highest volume week. *shiver*
But I wrote all of that so I can write this... I could not be more focused and excited about that which lies ahead. To say that this entire process will be a life-changing event is the understatement of all understatements. My family and friends are important. My job, too, is important. However from the beginning of June until October 25, 2009, my body, heart, and soul will belong to the Marine Corps Marathon.
This is not about finishing in a particular time or whatever have you. This is all about doing something that 5 years or over 100 lbs ago, I never would have imagined. As I sit here, typing in the dark, there is a part of me that is anxious/scared to death about that which lies ahead. I am not sure, however, if I have ever been as focused on any one singular personal goal.
By all accounts, I cannot think of a better place to show my stuff than Marine Corps Marathon.
Time to get to work.
06 April 2009
It's Official!
Well, it is official. Thanks to the help of my wife and a great friend (Thanks, Lee!) I am officially registered for the 2009 Marine Corps Marathon. The race itself is on Sunday, October 25, 2009 and training will begin in June. I am anxious, excited, and petrified all at the same time.
Let the good times roll...
10 February 2009
Progress Report: 10 February 2009
As things stand now, I will start training for the Marine Corps Marathon on June 21, 2008. I am as anxious as I have ever been for a personal endeavor. This will be something the likes of which I have never attempted and, in reality, five (5) years ago or so, never would have even imagined. Sure, I ran the Spinx Half Marathon last October but, by my own admission, I never really trained for it the way I needed or wanted. This whole thing is a process. Now, more than ever, I will use my preparation for Marine Corps Marathon to finish what I started on this leg of the journey. I made it to the summit, but quickly slid right off. I am still within striking distance of the peak and know what it takes to get there. The time for excuses in my life has come and gone. While I get great joy in helping and training others, it is time for me to take care of things in my world as well, for a change.
02 February 2009
Progress Report: 02 February 2009
Wherever does the time go? I sit here, on a Monday, thinking about many things… Most of them not related to the vocation in which I currently reside. But I digress.
Things are, surprisingly, good right now. Last week, I ran a bit over 18 miles, which is the highest I have run in quite some time without grimacing in pain at the mere thought of it. The custom orthotics with these particular shoes appears to be the winning formula right now. That, and the fact that I am really minding my pace on most runs and not trying to “race.” For me, that is a straight shot to injury and that I cannot have. Not now. Training for the Marine Corps Marathon starts in earnest in May.
So, five (5) weeks until the Reedy River Run. I am proud of all of the runners in both my 5K and 10K groups right now. They are pushing forward in a very strong and determined way. I too am looking forward to running Reedy, specifically the 10K. I would be lying though if I said my mind and heart were not already starting to pack my bags for Germany. I need it, in so many ways.
Be well.
Things are, surprisingly, good right now. Last week, I ran a bit over 18 miles, which is the highest I have run in quite some time without grimacing in pain at the mere thought of it. The custom orthotics with these particular shoes appears to be the winning formula right now. That, and the fact that I am really minding my pace on most runs and not trying to “race.” For me, that is a straight shot to injury and that I cannot have. Not now. Training for the Marine Corps Marathon starts in earnest in May.
So, five (5) weeks until the Reedy River Run. I am proud of all of the runners in both my 5K and 10K groups right now. They are pushing forward in a very strong and determined way. I too am looking forward to running Reedy, specifically the 10K. I would be lying though if I said my mind and heart were not already starting to pack my bags for Germany. I need it, in so many ways.
Be well.
09 January 2009
The best reason to run is staring at you in the mirror
Motivation, so I have learned, is an evil, cynical mistress. It can be with you in one moment and leave you for dead the very next. It is invigorating and perplexing all at the same time. It is not always to be trusted but, when it is working in high gear, can often be your best friend. Often, when I think about why I run, often for a sense of motivation, I have to take myself back to the beginning... What got me started with running in the first place?
For the better part of my rational life, the amount of difficulty I had with "life-stuff" was legendary. Not only did I not have an avenue through which to relieve that stress but neither did I have the mental clarity to even form the necessary logical thoughts to solve any of my own problems. Running was, initially for me, a place to hide from the demons of my past. It was my own little vacuum-based world in which I could solve all of the world's (i.e. my) problems while having what would appear to the outsider as almost schizophrenic conversations with myself. This, for me, was revolutionary. Running, at least for me, is perhaps the best way for me to clear out my "mental inbox." I can solve many of the problems [at least temporarily] with which I may be plagued or, at the very least, think them through more coherently.
But enough about me...
There will be days when, whether with a group or on your own, when you will find it something next to unbearable to lace up your shoes to go out for a run. Allow me, however, to offer up to you that is the time when you need to get out there, more than perhaps any other. But how you go about moving yourself from being sedentary to running is the question.
The late Steve Prefontaine once said: "You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
Really, few other sentiments in the world sum up running quite like that. The purpose of running is metaphysical just as much as it is physical. It is the glue that can sometimes hold the few pieces of your life together in just such a way like nothing else can. Running is your best friend when no one else can or will listen. It is your time, for you. Running allows you the opportunity not only to flush out all of the negativity that this insanely condescending world has to offer but also, in the next stride, can offer you the greatest sense of satisfaction for achieving something that your mind told you to skip. Powerful stuff, indeed.
Motivation is something that is inside of all of us. It hides often when we need it most and, when we have it, can be the most infectious thing this side of the common cold. It is the former that deserves a long and close inflection. Find within yourself the reasons that brought you to running in the first place and I would be willing to bet you will find your motivation to continue down that road and on your journey towards many goals and a longer, happier life.
For the better part of my rational life, the amount of difficulty I had with "life-stuff" was legendary. Not only did I not have an avenue through which to relieve that stress but neither did I have the mental clarity to even form the necessary logical thoughts to solve any of my own problems. Running was, initially for me, a place to hide from the demons of my past. It was my own little vacuum-based world in which I could solve all of the world's (i.e. my) problems while having what would appear to the outsider as almost schizophrenic conversations with myself. This, for me, was revolutionary. Running, at least for me, is perhaps the best way for me to clear out my "mental inbox." I can solve many of the problems [at least temporarily] with which I may be plagued or, at the very least, think them through more coherently.
But enough about me...
There will be days when, whether with a group or on your own, when you will find it something next to unbearable to lace up your shoes to go out for a run. Allow me, however, to offer up to you that is the time when you need to get out there, more than perhaps any other. But how you go about moving yourself from being sedentary to running is the question.
The late Steve Prefontaine once said: "You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
Really, few other sentiments in the world sum up running quite like that. The purpose of running is metaphysical just as much as it is physical. It is the glue that can sometimes hold the few pieces of your life together in just such a way like nothing else can. Running is your best friend when no one else can or will listen. It is your time, for you. Running allows you the opportunity not only to flush out all of the negativity that this insanely condescending world has to offer but also, in the next stride, can offer you the greatest sense of satisfaction for achieving something that your mind told you to skip. Powerful stuff, indeed.
Motivation is something that is inside of all of us. It hides often when we need it most and, when we have it, can be the most infectious thing this side of the common cold. It is the former that deserves a long and close inflection. Find within yourself the reasons that brought you to running in the first place and I would be willing to bet you will find your motivation to continue down that road and on your journey towards many goals and a longer, happier life.
07 January 2009
No one is perfect
We see it all the time, whether it be on television, in print media, and just in our everyday lives. It is rubbed in our faces like a big and brazen symbol of that which many of us strive to be, albeit for better or for worse. Perfection is something dangling out there like a carrot that is rotten to the core. Sure, it is appealing on the outside and may even seem somewhat good for you, but on the inside is nothing more than a disappointing emptiness that leaves you with a further sense of desperation than that which which you started.
It can be infuriating, without question. The images portrayed of physical perfection are just that: images. Like a great comic strip, the point is made, but the substance is a bit lacking.
So I say: "So what?"
It is not only impractical but I would argue that it is counterproductive to think for one single solitary moment that anyone can be absolutely perfect with regard to dietary plan, physical activity, and the rest of the self-care elements.
There mere thought of doing something other than that which is perceived to be perfect strikes a sense of fear in some the likes of which I cannot comprehend. It is almost as if you can be your own worst critic... on steroids. Now, while I am not an expert in anything other than falling off the wagon only to climb back on, I will quickly point out that this sort of militancy will put you on a road to failure sooner than ignoring your self-care altogether. If your notion of self-care is filled within nothing other than thoughts of perfection, you have no room for "life stuff." That is, you have no wiggle room to live. By clamping yourself into the mindset of perfection in all places and at all times, you paint yourself into a corner from which you may never be able to recover.
That is not to say that I am giving clear credence to making less than idea choices on a regular basis. Far from it. Reaching your self-care goals has nothing to do with beating yourself into submission with rigid standards that are, for want of a better word, unsustainable and impossible to maintain. Self-care does not come from a nice and neat little bottle or other seemingly benign package promising you a wonderful if not dramatic cleanse in ten days. What a properly developed and maintained self-care plan will offer you, however, is the ability to live the rest of your life far from the fear and trepidation that comes with the false sense of needing to be perfect.
Self-care is not perfect. If it were, you may not be reading this and I may not have written it. You, at the same time, are perfect in your own way. You and your self-care plan can be perfect for you, together. Making better decisions with regard to foods and activity are just the beginning. Perfection, for me, is finding that almost ethereal balance of making sure my body gets what it needs to be effective with running and, perhaps more importantly, the rest of my life.
Free your mind of the thoughts of perfection: whether you feel you do not run fast enough, your waist is not slender enough, you feel you are not able to eat like someone else, or whatever the case may be... Life your life for you, by the best self-care plan you can develop. Life happens.
Self-care is a learning experience just as much as it is a way of life. You will learn great things about yourself that, if you had opted to take a shiny packaged way out, you may not have known. Errors in judgment happen and are generally unavoidable. Just remember that if you fall, make sure you are face up, because if you can look up, you can get up.
Be well.
It can be infuriating, without question. The images portrayed of physical perfection are just that: images. Like a great comic strip, the point is made, but the substance is a bit lacking.
So I say: "So what?"
It is not only impractical but I would argue that it is counterproductive to think for one single solitary moment that anyone can be absolutely perfect with regard to dietary plan, physical activity, and the rest of the self-care elements.
There mere thought of doing something other than that which is perceived to be perfect strikes a sense of fear in some the likes of which I cannot comprehend. It is almost as if you can be your own worst critic... on steroids. Now, while I am not an expert in anything other than falling off the wagon only to climb back on, I will quickly point out that this sort of militancy will put you on a road to failure sooner than ignoring your self-care altogether. If your notion of self-care is filled within nothing other than thoughts of perfection, you have no room for "life stuff." That is, you have no wiggle room to live. By clamping yourself into the mindset of perfection in all places and at all times, you paint yourself into a corner from which you may never be able to recover.
That is not to say that I am giving clear credence to making less than idea choices on a regular basis. Far from it. Reaching your self-care goals has nothing to do with beating yourself into submission with rigid standards that are, for want of a better word, unsustainable and impossible to maintain. Self-care does not come from a nice and neat little bottle or other seemingly benign package promising you a wonderful if not dramatic cleanse in ten days. What a properly developed and maintained self-care plan will offer you, however, is the ability to live the rest of your life far from the fear and trepidation that comes with the false sense of needing to be perfect.
Self-care is not perfect. If it were, you may not be reading this and I may not have written it. You, at the same time, are perfect in your own way. You and your self-care plan can be perfect for you, together. Making better decisions with regard to foods and activity are just the beginning. Perfection, for me, is finding that almost ethereal balance of making sure my body gets what it needs to be effective with running and, perhaps more importantly, the rest of my life.
Free your mind of the thoughts of perfection: whether you feel you do not run fast enough, your waist is not slender enough, you feel you are not able to eat like someone else, or whatever the case may be... Life your life for you, by the best self-care plan you can develop. Life happens.
Self-care is a learning experience just as much as it is a way of life. You will learn great things about yourself that, if you had opted to take a shiny packaged way out, you may not have known. Errors in judgment happen and are generally unavoidable. Just remember that if you fall, make sure you are face up, because if you can look up, you can get up.
Be well.
05 January 2009
What would we be left with if not for challenges?
It is not unusual at all, really, to think about how someone else may "have it better" or how your journey seems, at least on the surface, to be so much more difficult than just about anyone else's. I am here to tell you, my friends, that these challenges not only build character (just like your Mother told you so many times) in a very hardened fast way, but they also give you the grand opportunity to truly revel in your accomplishments as you begin to achieve your goals.
Let's bring this back into focus for a moment. Running, on some days, is not fun for me. I offer to you this sentiment... there is NO bigger challenge on days which you have dedicated to running than to actually lace up the shoes and get out the door. The mere thought of running, the notion of lacing up a pair of odd looking shoes to meander down through some neighborhoods, has been known to gnaw at my very last nerve from time to time. There are times when it is nothing short of a chore that could be synonymous with cleaning out the gutters of my house or cleaning out a chicken coup. Of course, not all running days are like this for me. Daily stresses, instigators, other do-badders who insist, albeit unknowingly, to ruin my day just enough so that the thought of running does not come before the thought of a soothing Gin and Tonic. Yes, my friends... Running is evil. That is, of course, until I finish the run.
Sitting down to the supper table is no different. In fact, challenges are more prevalent here than anywhere else as we eat a whole lot more often than we run. There are and will continue to be those who will tell you that you can eat and drink whatever you like and your running will "balance it out." Yeah, that has worked not so well for me over the years. We are often bombarded with thoughts and opinions on how, what, where, and why to eat... I am absolutely certain that the infomercials, books, television programs, product placements, and the like are not, in any way, aimed to take money out of your pocket in an egregious way.
Putting all of the elements to a good self-care plan into place is difficult, to say the least. It is much akin to creating your own language, from scratch. You have to develop your own terms that are relevant to that which you want to achieve, assemble those terms in a way that means something to you and, hopefully, to those around you and, perhaps most importantly, you want it all to make sense. In reality, that is easier said than done when it comes to this journey.
You may have been told or will be told at some point along your journey that this hill is too steep to climb. Well, I doubt that. I have told you already and I will tell you again... Your biggest challenge, really, has been conquered. Like it or not, you are a runner. You made the decision that your prior life-ways are no longer in line with your current self-care plan.
The best part of this whole thing? Not only have you invested time and effort into yourself and your future, but you have surrounded yourself with many like-minded people. Allow me to welcome you to your built-in support system.
Going forward, both literally and figuratively, you will never walk alone.
Be well.
Let's bring this back into focus for a moment. Running, on some days, is not fun for me. I offer to you this sentiment... there is NO bigger challenge on days which you have dedicated to running than to actually lace up the shoes and get out the door. The mere thought of running, the notion of lacing up a pair of odd looking shoes to meander down through some neighborhoods, has been known to gnaw at my very last nerve from time to time. There are times when it is nothing short of a chore that could be synonymous with cleaning out the gutters of my house or cleaning out a chicken coup. Of course, not all running days are like this for me. Daily stresses, instigators, other do-badders who insist, albeit unknowingly, to ruin my day just enough so that the thought of running does not come before the thought of a soothing Gin and Tonic. Yes, my friends... Running is evil. That is, of course, until I finish the run.
Sitting down to the supper table is no different. In fact, challenges are more prevalent here than anywhere else as we eat a whole lot more often than we run. There are and will continue to be those who will tell you that you can eat and drink whatever you like and your running will "balance it out." Yeah, that has worked not so well for me over the years. We are often bombarded with thoughts and opinions on how, what, where, and why to eat... I am absolutely certain that the infomercials, books, television programs, product placements, and the like are not, in any way, aimed to take money out of your pocket in an egregious way.
Putting all of the elements to a good self-care plan into place is difficult, to say the least. It is much akin to creating your own language, from scratch. You have to develop your own terms that are relevant to that which you want to achieve, assemble those terms in a way that means something to you and, hopefully, to those around you and, perhaps most importantly, you want it all to make sense. In reality, that is easier said than done when it comes to this journey.
You may have been told or will be told at some point along your journey that this hill is too steep to climb. Well, I doubt that. I have told you already and I will tell you again... Your biggest challenge, really, has been conquered. Like it or not, you are a runner. You made the decision that your prior life-ways are no longer in line with your current self-care plan.
The best part of this whole thing? Not only have you invested time and effort into yourself and your future, but you have surrounded yourself with many like-minded people. Allow me to welcome you to your built-in support system.
Going forward, both literally and figuratively, you will never walk alone.
Be well.
28 December 2008
Tomorrow starts today
So often, we are stricken with guilt over what could have been, what ought to have been, and what should be. We are quick to form these grand plans in our minds about where we see ourselves personally, professionally, and with regard to our self care. Many will say there is always tomorrow. I disagree. Tomorrow's successes are the direct result of not your words, but rather your actions today.
The time is coming for resolutions to be made and broken. Remade and re-broken. It is easy given how unproven and shaky in support as our surroundings can be at times. Companies make billions of dollars off folks like us who, as soon as we take that first step towards self care, they know we are destined for failure and several subsequent attempts to make good on the age old promise to ourselves to just "be better."
January 1st is right around the corner. What positive changes have you already made in your life that have put you on the road to better self care in 2009? Do not put off until tomorrow that which you can accomplish today. If the changes you want to implement are genuine in nature, and if you are completely behind them with every ounce of your very being, there is no reason to get a head start on the rest of the human race.
Do something good for yourself now. Do it now. Do it today. Get a head start on the new year and the rest of your life.
The time is coming for resolutions to be made and broken. Remade and re-broken. It is easy given how unproven and shaky in support as our surroundings can be at times. Companies make billions of dollars off folks like us who, as soon as we take that first step towards self care, they know we are destined for failure and several subsequent attempts to make good on the age old promise to ourselves to just "be better."
January 1st is right around the corner. What positive changes have you already made in your life that have put you on the road to better self care in 2009? Do not put off until tomorrow that which you can accomplish today. If the changes you want to implement are genuine in nature, and if you are completely behind them with every ounce of your very being, there is no reason to get a head start on the rest of the human race.
Do something good for yourself now. Do it now. Do it today. Get a head start on the new year and the rest of your life.
17 December 2008
The Decision Has Been Made
Well, the time has come to stop fretting about this thing. After much thought, discussion with my wife who is my absolute rock of support, and folks who either have the Marine Corps Marathon ("MCM") on their Marathon Bucket List or have done it already, this is the race for me. The organization, the crowd support, the pride, the course (serious hills in the first 8 miles, by the way), and the location just seem to make this a good choice for me.
How often can we run right next to the Washington Monument or the White House or the Pentagon with closed streets? Neither my dad nor my uncles were in the Marines but, you know, I think I am able to look past that... Rather, I will be proud to have a member of our armed forces place that finisher's medal around my neck when I cross the finish line.
Some have told me that my first marathon will be like another prior first in my life... full of sound and fury signifying nothing (i.e. will not live up to the hype). I disagree. Being a part of the MCM is something that, really, I am not sure how it could not inspire me more.
I am looking forward to registration, training, and getting there. I truly feel at peace with this. Now, the fun part... Training.
Be well.
14 December 2008
Why do we want that which we do not have?
I have seen it for years... People seemingly with everything compared to my presumably nothing. Someone else is skinner, did it easier, did not struggle as much as I did, or fail as much as I failed. Surely they must also be happier than me as a result of that. Maybe. Maybe not.
Obviously though, the grass is not always greener. Ease in one's pursuit should not imply happiness. If I have said it once, I have said it too many times... A large part of the reward is in the toil and effort put into your journey.
Yet why still am I almost always intrigued by those who take a different path on their journey (i.e. an easier path or, better, one of less resistance)?
My prior life (and, I would argue, partial current life) of self-deprecation, self-abuse, self-neglect - perhaps better, ignorance - has made me into the person I am today, for better or for worse is up for discussion. But the desire for the easy way out, which referring to it that way is perhaps presumptuous on my part, is nothing more than to short change myself on that which will truly right the wrongs of my past work. To not struggle, to not put forth all of the effort I have to make myself right or, perhaps a better word is "better", through self-care really is to eliminate perhaps the biggest prize of them all - knowing that it was earned and not given, achieved by effort, and the understanding of all that went into it.
Perhaps I am making excuses for the willful desire to torture myself with this long, drawn out process. Just perhaps. But I still believe there is something more there to be had. What I have is truly mine. Granted, I am not to where I want to be just yet. Yet I think as time goes on I will be less attracted to the shiny, packaged alternative of an easier way compared to the lessons I have learned/am learning. My appreciation and respect for this process, for my own self-care, to understand the effort that went in to get me to where I am now and where I want to be down the road, will only go to further strengthen my resolve to ensure that I will never be that way again.
Obviously though, the grass is not always greener. Ease in one's pursuit should not imply happiness. If I have said it once, I have said it too many times... A large part of the reward is in the toil and effort put into your journey.
Yet why still am I almost always intrigued by those who take a different path on their journey (i.e. an easier path or, better, one of less resistance)?
My prior life (and, I would argue, partial current life) of self-deprecation, self-abuse, self-neglect - perhaps better, ignorance - has made me into the person I am today, for better or for worse is up for discussion. But the desire for the easy way out, which referring to it that way is perhaps presumptuous on my part, is nothing more than to short change myself on that which will truly right the wrongs of my past work. To not struggle, to not put forth all of the effort I have to make myself right or, perhaps a better word is "better", through self-care really is to eliminate perhaps the biggest prize of them all - knowing that it was earned and not given, achieved by effort, and the understanding of all that went into it.
Perhaps I am making excuses for the willful desire to torture myself with this long, drawn out process. Just perhaps. But I still believe there is something more there to be had. What I have is truly mine. Granted, I am not to where I want to be just yet. Yet I think as time goes on I will be less attracted to the shiny, packaged alternative of an easier way compared to the lessons I have learned/am learning. My appreciation and respect for this process, for my own self-care, to understand the effort that went in to get me to where I am now and where I want to be down the road, will only go to further strengthen my resolve to ensure that I will never be that way again.
10 December 2008
Progress Report [of sorts]: 10 December 2008
Well, what's to report, really...
I have not run in a little over a week due to the simple fact that my running has felt, for lack of a better word, horrendous. The contorted way in which my stride has evolved moves me to tears with every single step. So, something had to be done. Hovering around the 240-ish mark makes me even more weepy, really.
Thanks to the help of a good friend who just so happens to be a phenomenal physical therapist, I am on a path to getting back out on the roads. Lots of stretching and strengthening of the lower back, continued work on the core muscles, and a prescription for custom orthotics are in order. That and, of course, losing the remaining weight on my frame. That kind of goes without saying though.
So, it will be a couple of weeks without my believed running shoes. No long slow runs, no tempos, no intervals. None of it. I find it hard right now to even read about running even though I have some books to sift through in an attempt to formulate a marathon training plan.
Ahh yes... The marathon issue. I am aiming for the Kiawah Island Marathon in December of 2009. My thought process, flawed as it may be, includes reducing my weight [somewhat], getting back on the road, and building a solid base of 20-ish miles per week between now and the start of May. Then, it is all about training for 26.2. TWENTY-SIX point TWO.
I must be insane.
I have not run in a little over a week due to the simple fact that my running has felt, for lack of a better word, horrendous. The contorted way in which my stride has evolved moves me to tears with every single step. So, something had to be done. Hovering around the 240-ish mark makes me even more weepy, really.
Thanks to the help of a good friend who just so happens to be a phenomenal physical therapist, I am on a path to getting back out on the roads. Lots of stretching and strengthening of the lower back, continued work on the core muscles, and a prescription for custom orthotics are in order. That and, of course, losing the remaining weight on my frame. That kind of goes without saying though.
So, it will be a couple of weeks without my believed running shoes. No long slow runs, no tempos, no intervals. None of it. I find it hard right now to even read about running even though I have some books to sift through in an attempt to formulate a marathon training plan.
Ahh yes... The marathon issue. I am aiming for the Kiawah Island Marathon in December of 2009. My thought process, flawed as it may be, includes reducing my weight [somewhat], getting back on the road, and building a solid base of 20-ish miles per week between now and the start of May. Then, it is all about training for 26.2. TWENTY-SIX point TWO.
I must be insane.
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About Me
- Dan
- NJ, United States
- A former 355-pound man, Dan has continued his journey, complete with ups and downs, and has begun to devote his life to helping others through their journeys.
