At least once a month I like to listen to the song, "Standing Outside the Fire". It is the theme song for the Special Olympics and is full of meaning for all athletes. Adult athletes especially should listen to it once in a while.
Some of the words will really hit home for anyone who has trained for an athletic event, be it a local 5K walk or a World Championship competition. To be willing to lay it on the line, to give it your all, to give full measure. I have done 5K races and been so spent at the end that I didn't have the strength left to peel my after race banana. Those are the times when regardless of the results, I'm at peace with my effort.
I might have finished in the middle of the pack but I know I gave it my best. When I see the guys who run the race and then run it again since they didn't get enough, I wonder, how fast could they have done it if they had really put their heart into the effort. I think that is what separates the really great athletes from the thousands of others who could be, if they would just push through into that magic effort level of champions.
To have the courage to see what it feels like to push your limits is indeed a glimpse of magic for an athlete, no matter if your a 20 year old collage sprinter or an over 60 race walker. If we train for health and fitness, then a really hard effort isn't really necessary. But if you train to see just what your made of and to learn what you are capable of then you have to push those limits.
Next time you train, go full throttle, hold that effort as long as you can and then hold it a little longer, see what happens. Perhaps you will find yourself in a magical place. When you stop standing outside the fire and dare to burn. It might just change your whole way of thinking about what you can do.
Thanks for reading.
Rambling Panda.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
How NOT to do a Goofy Challenge
I have just returned from Walt Disney World where I completed an event called the Goofy Challenge. This event consists of a half marathon on Saturday and then a full marathon the following day. An event such as this should never be taken lightly and the chance of injury is significant. You should never do such an event without at least a minimal amount of training. All that being said......
Sally had never done an endurance event before this year, during this year she had trained for and successfully completed two 5K races and a 10K. Her official half training started toward the end of October so she had at best two and a half months to get ready. About this same time our weather turned unseasonably cold so her training was walking in the mall. I started her with walks of 30 min 4 days the first two weeks, walks of 45 min 4 days the third and forth week and walks of an hour 4 days a week the next two weeks. Then we added a walk of an hour and a half one day a week for 2 weeks along with 3 other days of an hour. Then she increased to a walk of an hour an 45 min for 2 weeks and finally a walk of 2 hours for two weeks still keeping the other 3 days at an hour. She did the half marathon walking at a pace right at 16 min a mile, with a potty stop and 2 stops to massage out a toe cramp she completed the distance in 3 hours and 38 min.
I've said many times and it's worked for a lot of people, that working up to a couple of 2 hour walks can get you through a half marathon. Unfortunately this was all the training I got also. I had developed a bad PF injury and was just recovering when Sally started her training. I was going to increase my training during that time but ended up catching a bad head and chest cold the last 2 weeks before the trip to Disney.
The half with Sally went smoothly for me and except for tired feet I felt fine. Then we walked the two miles back to the hotel, had a light lunch and took a shower and a nap. When I woke from the nap I couldn't put weight on my right foot. I hobbled into the bathroom and ran a tub of hot water and sat in it massaging my feet and calves, after about 30 min of this I dried off and tried walking again. I could walk but my foot was still very tender. We walked a couple of miles to Epcot and back slow and easy, to get some dinner. Then I took some Advil and went to bed. At 2am when it was time to get up I was able to walk pretty good so decided to try to do the marathon.
I grabbed a couple of pool towels on the way to the bus so I could sit on them at the staging area and the start. I knew I had a slim chance of finishing with the training I had leading up to here so as soon as I got to the staging area I sat on my towels and didn't get up till time to walk to the start corrals. At the start corrals I sat on my towels till it was time to go. Then I stood up and did some easy stretching and got ready to go.
When our corral started I was with Robert and we had decided to do our own race and not try to stay together. I went out at a 14:30 pace and my plan was to just try to hold that pace as long as possible to build up a time buffer for later in the race when my lack of training was going to be a demon to battle. I ended up keeping that pace for the first half and then finally slowing to about 15 min a mile for the second half. I had problems with soreness in my right arch, my left toes and balls of both feet. I popped a couple of the pain tablets at the Med tent and pressed on. I drank Powerade at every water stop and had about 4 bananas and a couple of gels. My energy level stayed good and the pain pills took the edge of my foot issues.
I was enjoying the race but expecting any time to have a melt down but the slow pace and the just keep moving attitude worked. I finished in 6:33, not pretty but in the book and then it was beer and party time. I did come away with a new confidence and resolve to get my fitness level back to where it needed to be.
Thanks for reading.
Rambling Panda
Sally had never done an endurance event before this year, during this year she had trained for and successfully completed two 5K races and a 10K. Her official half training started toward the end of October so she had at best two and a half months to get ready. About this same time our weather turned unseasonably cold so her training was walking in the mall. I started her with walks of 30 min 4 days the first two weeks, walks of 45 min 4 days the third and forth week and walks of an hour 4 days a week the next two weeks. Then we added a walk of an hour and a half one day a week for 2 weeks along with 3 other days of an hour. Then she increased to a walk of an hour an 45 min for 2 weeks and finally a walk of 2 hours for two weeks still keeping the other 3 days at an hour. She did the half marathon walking at a pace right at 16 min a mile, with a potty stop and 2 stops to massage out a toe cramp she completed the distance in 3 hours and 38 min.
I've said many times and it's worked for a lot of people, that working up to a couple of 2 hour walks can get you through a half marathon. Unfortunately this was all the training I got also. I had developed a bad PF injury and was just recovering when Sally started her training. I was going to increase my training during that time but ended up catching a bad head and chest cold the last 2 weeks before the trip to Disney.
The half with Sally went smoothly for me and except for tired feet I felt fine. Then we walked the two miles back to the hotel, had a light lunch and took a shower and a nap. When I woke from the nap I couldn't put weight on my right foot. I hobbled into the bathroom and ran a tub of hot water and sat in it massaging my feet and calves, after about 30 min of this I dried off and tried walking again. I could walk but my foot was still very tender. We walked a couple of miles to Epcot and back slow and easy, to get some dinner. Then I took some Advil and went to bed. At 2am when it was time to get up I was able to walk pretty good so decided to try to do the marathon.
I grabbed a couple of pool towels on the way to the bus so I could sit on them at the staging area and the start. I knew I had a slim chance of finishing with the training I had leading up to here so as soon as I got to the staging area I sat on my towels and didn't get up till time to walk to the start corrals. At the start corrals I sat on my towels till it was time to go. Then I stood up and did some easy stretching and got ready to go.
When our corral started I was with Robert and we had decided to do our own race and not try to stay together. I went out at a 14:30 pace and my plan was to just try to hold that pace as long as possible to build up a time buffer for later in the race when my lack of training was going to be a demon to battle. I ended up keeping that pace for the first half and then finally slowing to about 15 min a mile for the second half. I had problems with soreness in my right arch, my left toes and balls of both feet. I popped a couple of the pain tablets at the Med tent and pressed on. I drank Powerade at every water stop and had about 4 bananas and a couple of gels. My energy level stayed good and the pain pills took the edge of my foot issues.
I was enjoying the race but expecting any time to have a melt down but the slow pace and the just keep moving attitude worked. I finished in 6:33, not pretty but in the book and then it was beer and party time. I did come away with a new confidence and resolve to get my fitness level back to where it needed to be.
Thanks for reading.
Rambling Panda
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Preparing for Battle
The new year is a good target time to begin a life style change with better eating habits, regular exercise and lowering your stress level. But a life style change is still a change and it must be prepared for. You have to be thinking now about how and what and where you will begin. When the day comes to begin you should be excited and ready.
Starting a life style change is not going to be easy. Your fat cells are hardened from all the battles they have fought in the past, with on and off diets and even periods of fasting. Your muscles will resist your new demands to move and your mind is going to cling to the comfort of the past. Make no mistake you must prepare for this battle.
You prepare by first making a commitment to yourself that you are going to win, you are going to win because you want a new life style. You must commit for those you care about, your health is a gift to them because you will be around to be with them and not die young or be a burden to your family when you get older. You must commit that you will be a strong and healthy life partner to your significant other.
Plan now where you will do your walks and plan for what you will do on days that it's to cold or rainy to be outside. If your going to join a health club start investigating now, find out costs and read the ratings that the members give. Look for a place that has to offer all that you want, if you plan on swimming as one of your exercise routines that make sure you find clubs that offer a pool.
The last and most important is to "KNOW THAT YOU ARE WORTH IT"! You are worth whatever efforts that it takes to make the changes.
Thanks for reading.
Rambling Panda
Starting a life style change is not going to be easy. Your fat cells are hardened from all the battles they have fought in the past, with on and off diets and even periods of fasting. Your muscles will resist your new demands to move and your mind is going to cling to the comfort of the past. Make no mistake you must prepare for this battle.
You prepare by first making a commitment to yourself that you are going to win, you are going to win because you want a new life style. You must commit for those you care about, your health is a gift to them because you will be around to be with them and not die young or be a burden to your family when you get older. You must commit that you will be a strong and healthy life partner to your significant other.
Plan now where you will do your walks and plan for what you will do on days that it's to cold or rainy to be outside. If your going to join a health club start investigating now, find out costs and read the ratings that the members give. Look for a place that has to offer all that you want, if you plan on swimming as one of your exercise routines that make sure you find clubs that offer a pool.
The last and most important is to "KNOW THAT YOU ARE WORTH IT"! You are worth whatever efforts that it takes to make the changes.
Thanks for reading.
Rambling Panda
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Paying for it.
We are closing in on a new year. This is the time that many make a resolution to regain the fitness they once had or they want to become truly fit for the first time in their lives. Unfortunately for the vast majority this means spending money in hopes that the cost will motivate them to stay with it.
A health club membership costs a couple about $500 to a $1000 a year. Health club owners love January, that's when they rake in the most money for the year. Club members, those that stay around and work at staying in shape hate January because that is when the club is busiest. After January the new members are into that wonderful soreness that just won't seem to go away or they have an injury that has already sidelined them and made them think this fitness thing is just to much trouble.
Buying equipment, the most common being treadmills and stationary bikes seems like a good way to go especially if you live in an area that has long winters. The last couple of years that's been pretty much all of us. But what happens is after a few uses the new addition to the living room becomes just another piece of furniture. Treadmills become a great place to hang coats and to set things that you are just not quite sure where to put yet. The longer they are there the less and less you notice them.
Buying exercise clothes as a way to motivate yourself doesn't work either. Just one outfit, especially if your a woman, can be costly. Shoes, shorts, tights, Capri's, pants, shirts, jackets, sports bras, hats and visors...... The list goes on and on. But just having the clothes doesn't make you do it, you can sit on the couch and think about which outfit you would wear today but that doesn't make it happen.
Ok so what is the magic and that makes it happen? What is the cost and how do you make sure you get your money's worth? Well, tough question and one that has gone unanswered for as long as people have been gaining weight and getting out of shape. That answer has to start and stop with you. How bad do you want it? How much effort are you willing to put into a new life style?
A good start is to put on comfortable clothes and your most comfortable shoes and go out for a walk. Walk for 30 min, thinking about how it feels being out moving under your own power. Do this every other day for a week. If after a week you are still doing it treat your self to a reward, buy you a new pair of walking shoes. After another week buy you another piece of your outfit. Keep doing this, keep doing the time and earn your rewards.
Thanks for reading.
Rambling Panda
A health club membership costs a couple about $500 to a $1000 a year. Health club owners love January, that's when they rake in the most money for the year. Club members, those that stay around and work at staying in shape hate January because that is when the club is busiest. After January the new members are into that wonderful soreness that just won't seem to go away or they have an injury that has already sidelined them and made them think this fitness thing is just to much trouble.
Buying equipment, the most common being treadmills and stationary bikes seems like a good way to go especially if you live in an area that has long winters. The last couple of years that's been pretty much all of us. But what happens is after a few uses the new addition to the living room becomes just another piece of furniture. Treadmills become a great place to hang coats and to set things that you are just not quite sure where to put yet. The longer they are there the less and less you notice them.
Buying exercise clothes as a way to motivate yourself doesn't work either. Just one outfit, especially if your a woman, can be costly. Shoes, shorts, tights, Capri's, pants, shirts, jackets, sports bras, hats and visors...... The list goes on and on. But just having the clothes doesn't make you do it, you can sit on the couch and think about which outfit you would wear today but that doesn't make it happen.
Ok so what is the magic and that makes it happen? What is the cost and how do you make sure you get your money's worth? Well, tough question and one that has gone unanswered for as long as people have been gaining weight and getting out of shape. That answer has to start and stop with you. How bad do you want it? How much effort are you willing to put into a new life style?
A good start is to put on comfortable clothes and your most comfortable shoes and go out for a walk. Walk for 30 min, thinking about how it feels being out moving under your own power. Do this every other day for a week. If after a week you are still doing it treat your self to a reward, buy you a new pair of walking shoes. After another week buy you another piece of your outfit. Keep doing this, keep doing the time and earn your rewards.
Thanks for reading.
Rambling Panda
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Time to Hunt
In less than a month many of us will be toeing the starting lines of the Disney, half marathon, full marathon and Goofy challenge. Thousands of others will be doing half and full marathons all over the world. These are races to only a few of those thousands who will be there. For the vast majority it's a call to arms. It's a decision to live, to be free of the chains that have bound us all our lives. It's taking a stand, it's over coming the fear, it's our drawing a line in the sand.
We all have our personal demons, the demon of weight, the demon of feeling inadequate, the demon of failed marriages and the demon of never being enough. The demons of fear and doubt, the demon of not being rich enough or pretty enough. We are controlled all of our lives by these demons that have enslaved us.
These long distance events are an avenue for us to fight back. When we train for and complete an endurance race we are proving we are not slaves, we are free. The path to the finish line is symbolically a path to our destiny, we have to fight our way through those personal demons that stand in our way. We have to draw our sword and march forward, each training run or walk a small victory, each sore muscle a badge of honor, every step forward a stab in the heart of our demons.
It's time to mentally draw our sword, and prepare to hunt those demons that plague us. It's time to hit them hard and show them no more mercy than they showed us. It's time to put to rest our feelings of doubt and take charge of our lives. When the marathons are over, if we gave full measure, we will be changed forever. What we do with that change will be our personal destiny.
Get your best Grrrrrrr going and get ready to hunt your demons next month, you will have lots of company.
Thanks for reading
Rambling Panda
We all have our personal demons, the demon of weight, the demon of feeling inadequate, the demon of failed marriages and the demon of never being enough. The demons of fear and doubt, the demon of not being rich enough or pretty enough. We are controlled all of our lives by these demons that have enslaved us.
These long distance events are an avenue for us to fight back. When we train for and complete an endurance race we are proving we are not slaves, we are free. The path to the finish line is symbolically a path to our destiny, we have to fight our way through those personal demons that stand in our way. We have to draw our sword and march forward, each training run or walk a small victory, each sore muscle a badge of honor, every step forward a stab in the heart of our demons.
It's time to mentally draw our sword, and prepare to hunt those demons that plague us. It's time to hit them hard and show them no more mercy than they showed us. It's time to put to rest our feelings of doubt and take charge of our lives. When the marathons are over, if we gave full measure, we will be changed forever. What we do with that change will be our personal destiny.
Get your best Grrrrrrr going and get ready to hunt your demons next month, you will have lots of company.
Thanks for reading
Rambling Panda
Friday, December 3, 2010
Moving Forward
One of America's Elite Dreamers, Walt Disney, told us to "Keep Moving Forward". He reminded us to keep dreaming and to never give up in our quest to realize those dreams. Strong words and words that are just as powerful now as they were many years ago when he coined that phrase.
We are all on a journey. Every step we take is a step toward our personal destiny. Each step is a step into the unknown, we've never been this far before. But we need not fear this unknown or falter because of self doubt. Another wonderful phrase is, "knowledge is power", many others have walked before us blazing the trail with their sweat and determination. We can learn from these others, if we just listen.
Countless Pilgrims before us have walked the same trail and written about what lies ahead, they have mapped their journey from cradle to grave for others to read, evaluate and take from it what they need. We have the journals of many great warriors, dreamers and philosophers, we have the words of those who enjoyed immense wealth and from those who lived in poverty. This journey of life belongs to all of us, no matter our status in life or the size of our bank accounts.
I challenge everyone to not just learn from the journey of others but to blaze trails of their own. There is a lot of life before each of us and it hasn't all been lived before. We are all an experiment of one and a when an opportunity arises to push our personal limits we owe it to ourselves to pursue that opportunity. Be it learning a new skill, taking a chance to accomplish a difficult task or just become more comfortable in our own skin, we should "Keep Moving Forward".
Thanks for reading
Rambling Panda
We are all on a journey. Every step we take is a step toward our personal destiny. Each step is a step into the unknown, we've never been this far before. But we need not fear this unknown or falter because of self doubt. Another wonderful phrase is, "knowledge is power", many others have walked before us blazing the trail with their sweat and determination. We can learn from these others, if we just listen.
Countless Pilgrims before us have walked the same trail and written about what lies ahead, they have mapped their journey from cradle to grave for others to read, evaluate and take from it what they need. We have the journals of many great warriors, dreamers and philosophers, we have the words of those who enjoyed immense wealth and from those who lived in poverty. This journey of life belongs to all of us, no matter our status in life or the size of our bank accounts.
I challenge everyone to not just learn from the journey of others but to blaze trails of their own. There is a lot of life before each of us and it hasn't all been lived before. We are all an experiment of one and a when an opportunity arises to push our personal limits we owe it to ourselves to pursue that opportunity. Be it learning a new skill, taking a chance to accomplish a difficult task or just become more comfortable in our own skin, we should "Keep Moving Forward".
Thanks for reading
Rambling Panda
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Has This Happened to Any One Else
All through my adult life I wore a size 8.5 shoe. Then about age 40 my feet started growing larger, I went into size 9 then 9.5 and now at age 59 I'm having to go into a size 10. I have always been a runner or a walker so I don't think it has anything to do with muscle growth nor does it have to do with body weight since I have fluctuated up and down some over the years.
I have a friend that swears that as you grow older your ears grow larger and of course men's ears get hairier as they grow older. But I haven't ever researched feet growing larger as you age. I'm going to look into it though, since it affects shoe fit and comfort for adult athletes. I may have stumbled onto something that is common but no one has given it much print.
Shoe fit is critical when your an endurance athlete since you spend a lot of hours training and races are often over 2 hours and can last much longer. It's common knowledge that your feet swell as you exercice for long periods so you should wear a half to a full size larger shoe to exercise in than your work and dress shoes.
If anyone else has experienced this please let me know. It will be worth getting some print on the subject if it does affect other people. It may be a contributing factor in a lot of foot issues.
Thanks for reading.
Rambling Panda
I have a friend that swears that as you grow older your ears grow larger and of course men's ears get hairier as they grow older. But I haven't ever researched feet growing larger as you age. I'm going to look into it though, since it affects shoe fit and comfort for adult athletes. I may have stumbled onto something that is common but no one has given it much print.
Shoe fit is critical when your an endurance athlete since you spend a lot of hours training and races are often over 2 hours and can last much longer. It's common knowledge that your feet swell as you exercice for long periods so you should wear a half to a full size larger shoe to exercise in than your work and dress shoes.
If anyone else has experienced this please let me know. It will be worth getting some print on the subject if it does affect other people. It may be a contributing factor in a lot of foot issues.
Thanks for reading.
Rambling Panda
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