Archive for the ‘trail running’ Category

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XTERRA Georgia Trail Race Series “Runnin the Rocks 10k Race”

Monday, March 9th, 2009
Courtesy of Defiant Photography Atlanta

Courtesy of Defiant Photography Atlanta

Be a part of history and run the trails at the Georgia Horse Park where the Olympic Mountain Biking competition was held in 1996.  The XTERRA Georgia Trail Race Series Runnin the Rocks 10k Race is a great trail race at the horse park put on by Dirty Spokes Productions, LLC.  I know what you are thinking about this race.  6.2 miles isn’t that serious.  Well, you’re wrong.  This is a very difficult course with a number of inclines and technical downhills that will challenge you and leave you breathless.  Breathing is for suckers anyways.

This race may have been a little more difficult for me than other runners because I started it a bit too fast.  Although I held my position from my quick start, passing two runners and not allowing any to pass me during the race, I thought I was going to throw up at about mile two.  I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it.  The runner in front of me had been slowing down so I figured what better time to pass him than when I was exhausted.  I decided to blaze past him on the uphill.  About two minutes later I heard him gagging and throwing up loudly!  It sounded like he was feeling just as bad as I was.  When running competitively don’t focus negatively on how poorly you are feeling personally, but think about how slow and tired the other runners in front of you are.  You’re always thinking of yourself anyways.  Maybe you should think of others sometime.  Then pass them!

Dirty Spokes Productions, LLC describes the race as, “…a great single and double track off road running experience! The race will start in the “Steeplechase Field” (required for spacing) but will soon lead into the woods. The terrain is rolling hills, single track, double track along with technical sections and creek crossings (about 2-3 feet wide ⁄ 2-3 inches deep). The course is beautiful and offers something for every runner truly wishing to ‘ditch the city’.”  I had a great time ‘ditching the city’ for this run on a beautiful Saturday morning.  I liked that there were logs and other obstacles to hurdle on the course giving you the feeling of really running on a recently blazed trail.  The trail floor was also very technical with a lot of exposed roots and rocks to dodge and maneuver which was a lot of fun.  The switchbacks were great, letting you truly feel like you were escaping the city.  I didn’t even know I was near downtown Conyers, GA!

The XTERRA Georgia Trail Race Series “Runnin the Rocks 10k Race” was a well run running event.  Race registration was quick, there were plenty of restrooms, plenty of food and Gatorade afterward, and again quick race results.  My favorite thing that Dirty Spokes Productions, LLC does that other races don’t seem to do is the overall quick post race operations.  When you are tired after a race you want to relax a little bit, talk to other runners, and refuel, but eventually get back home to take a shower and eat a much deserved lunch.  After the bulk of runners finished the race, the organizers quickly posted the “unofficial” race results.  Any psychologist will tell you, positive reienforcement needs to be quick to be effective.  Same goes for negative reienforcement so no matter how you did in the race you’ll be able to give yourself quick feedback!  Yeah for you!  Dirty Spokes Productions also start the awards ceremony at the right time.  Even though there were still a few participants walking the course, the race organizers went ahead and started the awards ceremony which I really liked.  It allows other participants, who may or may not be receiving anything, to attend the awards ceremony and cheer on their fellow running comrades.  It allows for a fitting celebration for fit individuals.  How fitting.

So next year be a part of history and run this Olympic course in the “Runnin of the Rocks 10k.”  Likewise, if you want to run a well organized and executed trail race then check out one of the other races in the XTERRA Georgia Trail Race Series. Do it.

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Is Trail Running Extreme?

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009

Without a generally accepted unit of measure, quantifying the “extremeness” levels of an activity can be very difficult.  Two ways to measure how extreme your activity is by the level of adrenaline your body produces and the amount of risk involved in your activity.

Adrenaline is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands to stimulate the heart-rate, dilate your blood vessels, and open your air passages.  Your body produces adrenaline in high-stress or physically exhilarating situations.  So when your body produces adrenaline it means you are doing something extreme right?  Well, not necessarily.  Although many extreme activities are designed to promote the release of adrenaline to your body, other activities can produce adrenaline in the same way; such as alcohol, stress, caffeine, or sugar.  None of those things seem very extreme to me.  Maybe sugar and caffeine are what makes Mountain Dew so extreme.  So extreme.

I prefer to measure extremeness by the amount of risk you take.  A friend was trying to tell me last night that the television show “Man vs. Wild” was extreme.  I don’t agree because the host of the show has a safety net, which lowers the risk levels considerably. I will admit, most of the things the host does are risky and difficult (not to mention disgusting), but I assume, based on the presence of the cameraman, that if something horrible were to happen, that they have an a back-up plan.  I’m sure they always have an evacuation route, first-aid kit, and probably weapons to heed off wild animals.  If this is not true, then the cameraman is the real risk taker on the show, not the host.  He does everything the host does but with a camera!  AIG took risks but I wouldn’t consider them extreme.  Anyone can insure 150 billion dollars worth of assets without any collateral to back them up if they have a safety net in the form of a 70 billion dollar government bail out.  Too easy.  Put down the Mountain Dew and stop being a poser AIG man.

Extremeness is best measured by the amount of risk you take, without a safety net, and the severity of the potential outcome.  This is why trail running is extreme.  I admit that the risks of trail running is lower than other activities but the difference is that when you go down on the trail, you’re going down.  You can do very little to alter the outcome as the event is happening.  Not having control of whether or not you get injured is extreme.  Also, the types of injuries that can occur while trail running, broken or twisted joints and bones, can lead to a very detrimental outcome.  Runners often run daily, use it to relieve stress, and often don’t “feel right” when they aren’t able to run on a non-rest day.  Trail running injuries are often ones where the only thing you can do to recover is not run.  Not being able to run can be a very negative outcome to a runner.  Not to mention losing all of the ability gained from logging hundreds upon hundreds of miles in all conditions.  Other running injuries which are often developed over the long-term allow recovery to include not running as many miles or doing alternate cardiovascular training.  Trail running injuries usually require you to go “cold turkey.”  I wish trail running injuries would require you to go “jive turkey” instead.  That would be awesome.

Taking risks without a safety net and a high negative outcome is extreme so get out on the trail and run…or just put a lot of sugar in your coffee this morning.  Extreme!!!

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TEVA’s X-1 Control 2 Trail Running Shoe Review

Monday, March 2nd, 2009

This weekend I ran in a brand new pair of TEVA X-1 Control 2 trail running shoes in the XTERRA Georgia trail run series “Thrills in the Hills XDURO” half-marathon.   When I say “brand new,” I mean it.  Prior to this trail race, I had only run 6 miles on the road in these shoes.  I also wore the TEVAs around the house the night before the race but I don’t know if this is a good technique for breaking in new running shoes.  It did make me feel better about my preparation for the trail race.  I like feeling better.

teva-mens-x-1-control-2-resize2There was no need for me to worry though, the TEVA X-1 Control 2 trail running shoes fit perfectly and performed well above my expectations!  I had been training for a road race and hadn’t been on any serious trails in a while.  I needed a shoe that would be able to transition me from the roads back to the trail.  I definitely picked the right shoe.  The TEVA X-1 Control 2s cushioning and lightweight package made it feel like I was running in road shoes while on the trail.  The Spider XC rubber outsole maximized my traction while the Shoc Pad inserts provided the extra comfort that I get from my road shoes. 4 out of 5 shoe-scientists agree, Teva’s X-1 Control 2 Trail Running Shoes are, “Strong enough for the roads, but PH balanced, just for the trails.”  You don’t believe me?  Go ahead and ask any 5 shoe-scientists you want!

I really put the TEVAs to the test racing in extremely muddy and slippery conditions.  It had rained for 24 hours straight prior to the race and the course had a lot of standing water with the Georgia red clay forest floor being extremely soaked and slippery.  Even though TEVA was developed in the laid-back CA atmosphere, they made some trail running shoes that performed great even in GA conditions.  Maybe its because all of the best shoe-science Universities are in CA.  At any rate, while other runners were slipping and falling in front of me, I was maneuvering and pivoting with ease because of the superior traction of the X-1s.  I even had to hurdle one runner who went down directly in front of me.  My TEVAs stuck the muddy landing, no problem.  Maybe these trail running shoes could be good hurdling shoes.  Someone should try it out and let me know.

I tend to run straight through standing water rather than go around it which the TEVAs did great in too.  No, they don’t allow you to walk on water, but they do have quick drying mesh material which keeps them from staying wet.  My X-1s were bone dry by the end of the race!  Now I just have to find some socks that do the same thing and I’ll be golden.

The TEVA X-1 Control 2s are for runners that need more stability in their running.  The shoe has a dual-density compression molded EVA midsole which reduces pronation and aids in stability.  It’s science.  At any rate, I’m very picky about the amount of stability in my running shoes and have a tough time finding the perfect fit but I didn’t have any issues with these TEVA X-1 Controls.  They provided the perfect amount of support.  Now I just have to work on my other “stability” issues.

Overall, TEVA’s X-1 Control 2 Trail Running Shoes gave a great performance on my first trail run trial.  Their lightweight cushioning gives you the comfort you need but it is tough enough to handle even the most technical trails.  This shoe allows you to go all out on steep descents and provides enough traction to climb the hills; no matter how muddy the conditions are.  I would recommend these shoes to anyone.  They are perfect for runners who are just beginning to run trails and want to maintain the feel of their normal road running shoe or experienced trail runners who want more performance out of their trail running shoes.  If you are looking for stability in trail running shoes, go no further than the TEVA X-1 Control 2s.

It’s like Le Var Burton from the 1983 kids television show Reading Rainbow says, “You don’t have to take my word for it.”  Check the TEVAs out for yourself.  Remember, ‘you can be anything, take a look, it’s in a book’….a book about trail running is cool.

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Hash Running: Do You Have A Running Problem?

Friday, February 27th, 2009

beer-after-marathon-resize-2Lately when talking about running, many people have asked me if I do hashes.  It usually is a reasonable question since the running discussion is shared over a beer.  Hashers, properly called Hash House Harriers, or if you’re into the whole brevity thing, H3s or HHHs (not to be confused with the long-haired wrestler Triple H).  They describe themselves as a “drinking club with a running problem.”  Lovely.  I hashed a couple of years ago and it was a lot of fun.  I’ve been planning on participating in some more hashes but haven’t found a way to make time for them on the weekends between races and training.  I really need to make more time for beer.  Sorry beer, I promise I’ll spend more time with you.  Beer can be so demanding sometimes can’t it?

Hashing started in 1938 by a group of British expatriates living in Malaysia seeking to cure their hangovers and clean out their bodies from weekend activities.  I agree, there’s nothing that can clean out your insides better than a good sweat from running.  Hashing resurfaced and started gaining popularity in the early 1980s as a protest to the rapid growth of the Atari game system in American homes.  Not really.  But hashing has grown exponentially since the early 1980s with approximately 2000 Hashes worldwide.  Find your local Hash, called “kennels” by going to the World Hash House Harriers Directory and searching from over 1879 Hashes worldwide!  You don’t have to deal with your running problem alone, there are others out there just like you.

H3s say that hashing is a state of mind.  They aim to relive their childhood and fraternity days (sorority days too I assume…minus the underwear pillow fights), as well as release the tensions of everyday life.  Even though there is a Hash House Harriers Bible with specific rules that H3s must follow, hashing is typically a laid-back affair, giving people another opportunity to act foolish on the weekends.  Being serious on the weekend sucks…serious running is always cool.  H3s give each other nicknames, originally because officers and enlisted people in the military wanted to be able to hash with each other on the weekends without it being considered fraternization.  I wonder if I can pick my H3 nickname to be my old military call sign, Red Bull 6.  I should have gotten sponsored.

Hashing starts with the “hare” running ahead of the “pack,” leaving directional markings along the route.  The runners chasing the hare must determine the correct directions to take.  Hashes are typically run over 3-6 miles, traversing some sort of trail run or sticky route.  H3s feel best when they are dirty.  There are typically stops along the route that involve drinking beer to replenish carbs used during the run.  Doesn’t this counteract the “cleansing of the body from the weekend” concept of hashing?  Whatever.  Who wants to be clean anyways?  At the end of the hash all of the runners gather in a group for some ritualistic activities that aim to facilitate more foolishness.  Just what the doctor ordered.

As I do some more hashes I’ll let you know more about hashing.  But until then you can go to The World Hash House Harriers to learn more.  Do something about your running problem and start drinking!


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Always Have A Flexible Running Training Plan

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

So from the Running Down a Dream blog series, the first comment I received from someone was that I should talk about my training and about the different work-outs that I do.  Which is pretty much the one thing that I said I wouldn’t write about.  Well, you want to hear about it, you got it.  Maybe it will help someone in their training.  Maybe it will motivate some people.  Maybe it will help keep me accountable in my own training schedule.  Or, or, maybe it’s some sort of cool training plan that you’ve never even heard about.  What?  We’re not in the tree?  Don’t worry.  We are in the tree.

I’m training to run a half-marathon below 1:25.  I’ve never raced a half but ran a 3:24 marathon about a year ago on only 6 weeks of training.  It was back in my “I can do anything” post-Iraq phase.  I did it though.  I’m on week 4 of a 9 week training schedule.  I really like this schedule because it loads a lot of the miles on the weekends and keeps the miles during the week down.  That is why I’m running a half, I just don’t have the training time it takes for a full right now.  I’m doing the “expert half-marathon” training plan posted on this website under training plans.  We’re working on this feature in the website but here you can see what training plan I am following by strolling down to “expert.”

I’m not religious about my running training schedule.  I do every planned run but sometimes find the need to switch rest days and long runs around to fit my social life.  I know the schedule is made up to give me the optimal build and recovery periods but it is not necessarily optimal for my life.  Maybe I’ll rest, not run the 6 miles Saturday calls for and make it up on my Monday rest day.  That is what I’m going to do this weekend.  I hung out with some friends unexpectedly on Saturday and decided to switch my schedule around a bit.  I mean, I know that’s not the best for me going into Tuesday’s intervals, but I’ll still hit my interval times.  It just may hurt a bit more but it is worth it.  I think that while you can be serious about running, you can also maintain a healthy social schedule around your early Saturday morning races and long training run Sundays.  You have to live a flexible schedule where you can socialize, work, and train in unison.  Yeah, you probably won’t be on the couch/tv scene too much, but it is worth it to keep all of those things at optimal levels.  You just have to be flexible.  So do the butterfly stretch and get limber!

I’m also doing a half marathon trail run this weekend at Thrills and Hills XTERRA trail race series and substituting it for a 16 mile run.  Depending on how tough it is I may add a couple of miles to my Sunday run.  Keep it loose.  Have a flexible lifestyle.  Trust me, everyone around you will appreciate it.

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Running Down a Dream (Part 3 of 3)

Friday, February 20th, 2009

strip-show-at-marathon-resize…to work at a small firm.  I learned a lot about the whole real estate development process and feel that  I am more knowledgeable than many of my peers.  The risk was that a slow down in the market affects the smaller firm more than a larger, diversified firm.  Honestly though, in this market and economy, I don’t know if it really matters where you work.  I may have taken another offer at a larger firm and had been laid off recently since I was the newest hire.  Who knows?  I enjoy real estate development and continue to be somewhat involved in it, but it doesn’t excite me as much as running and working on this website does.  I can see myself doing this for the rest of my life and enjoying it.  I am excited to learn, build, facilitate, and create.  And continue to do something that I love…running.

But honestly, even though this post is about me, it’s not about me.  It’s about creating something that may inspire people to become more mentally and physically healthy.  To motivate people to push themselves to their limits in accomplishing anything in life.  Running is what brought clarity to my post-Army life.  While I had to come back and resume my life with so many changes in it, running slowed things down and put the world in perspective for me.  It simplified it.  Made it clear.  It has lead me to overcome, grow, mature, and understand myself and my surroundings better than ever before.

So I’ve been writing this blog for about a month and a half now and I can tell you what I tend to write about.  I usually analyze the psychology of running.  Sometimes I equate running to some sort of social issue.  Sometimes I write a review on a shoe.  Maybe I’ll tell you about something we’ve added to the website.  A lot of the times I’ll talk about the medical side of running, like nutrition, injury prevention, how to make a turni-kit out of sticks, whatever.  I talk about my military experiences and how they relate to running.  I don’t write anything political.  I try to motivate.  I make suggestions.  I tell you about cool new running gadgets that I try.  I add humor whenever possible.  I find I make a lot of references to movie or TV show quotes.  I think that is because humor in the written form is different than in person, the readers have to understand your intent to humor.  I discuss the economy and how running relates to it.  I run races and tell you about them.  I run trail runs and tell you about them as well.  I won’t give you updates on my training schedule or PRs.  I don’t find doing this is very useful and quite frankly, boring.  Unless you ask me to do it.  Then I’ll talk about it.  This blog is whatever you want, I’m here for you.  One thing you can count on is  I will always talk about one thing:…running…seriously….I’m serious.

So that’s it.  That’s me.  I’m an open book and open to any suggestions about what you want to hear about or how much my grammar sucks.  Whateves.  I’m just Running Down a Dream.  Workin’ on a mystery; goin wherever it leads.  Thanks TP.

I’d also like to thank my brother Jeff who actually created the concept for this website and began building it using an awesome software program he developed:   review app. Check out his other websites too:  singletracks.com and tripleblaze.com.  Very smart guy; not as good of a runner.  And he’s not as good looking, but you would already know that if you read the blog yesterday.

Alright that’s enough about me.  Now you know who I am.  I’m actually tired of talking about myself and look forward to getting back to my normal blogging.  I recently read in Chris Brogran’s blog that the smartest, most successful people in the world are those who always want to know more about you rather than tell you about themselves.  I think that is true.  I’m going to try to do that from now on.  And yes, I was reading someone else’s blog.  I guess I’m a blogger now, but it’s not official because I haven’t added it to my “interests” on Facebook yet.

Word,

Chris Barber

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Running Shoe Types and Classifications

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

blog-use-resize3You’ve got the cushioned, the stability, the support, the performance, and the trail running shoes; those are for the trails.  As I begin my journey for the perfect running shoe I am going to totally re-think my normal running shoe type:  stability.  Even though my pronation indicates I need some stability in my runs (and maybe in my life for that matter), I still want cushioned support that performs the best to its ability; whether or not on the road or trail!  Well, minus the trail part, I want it all.  Here’s are the types of running shoe and explanations of the why I want a bit of it all:

Cushioned: Some may call this type a Comfort running shoe; but I don’t.  It’s not a stuffed animal that you sleep with every night for your comfort.  It’s like a leather couch…cushioned.  These shoes are neutral running shoes with soft midsoles and a rounded toe.  They are for the runner that is looking for comfort on the bottoms of their feet and do not need extra support.

Stability: These shoes are for overpronators like myself.  I can admit it, I overpronate.  So you can admit it too.  The difference in these shoes is that the density is on the base of the inner foot which gives more protection and cushion on your rolling foot.  These types of shoes are also referred to as “motion control” shoes but if you have a problem controlling your emotions, running shoes aren’t going to help.  Why can’t you just land flat on the ground like a normal person?  I bet a caveman could do it.  I didn’t mean to sound condescending.

Support: These shoes are for severe overpronators.  They have a heavy bulk with flat arches that provide the support you need so you don’t completely roll your feet into one other while running.  It’s that severe.  Sure, we all need some extra support now and again but you need it on every run.  Seriously.  Stop being so needy, it’s a turn-off.

Performance: These shoes won’t “enhance” your performance but they will allow you to perform to the best of your ability.  These types are lightweight, typically have a lot of mesh, and are made to be your racin’ shoes.  Buy the fastest shoes you can find and I bet you’ll break your PR.  If you don’t, it’s the shoes’ fault, blame them.

Trail Running: These shoes are obviously built for trail running.  They are in between hiking shoes and running shoes.  They are more durable and provide more protection than normal running shoes against all the rocks and roots you’ll be tripping over.  Stop dragging your feet!

So there you have it.  I want it all.  I want to feel the cushion as I make every step in my run.  I want the stability that my pronating feet need.  I also want a little extra support to guard against injury and wear and tear.  I also want to run as fast as possible, not only in races, but in everyday intervals and on my everday runs.  Is that too much to ask?  I think not.  If the shoe fits, you must…run quick!

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How Do You Determine Which Route to Run?

Monday, February 16th, 2009

road-less-travelledGo with the flow.  Grip it and rip it.  Do it-to it.  Pick whatever verb-subject rhyme combination you would like but the motto still means the same thing, just go for it.  I have recently borrowed a Garmin Forerunner 205 from a friend and have been loving the freedom I have now when I run.  I don’t have to run a pre-planned course in order to run my desired distance.  I can run whereever I want and feel like!  I am still learning all the capabilities of this product and will blog more about it as I learn but what I want to focus on right now is the freedom you get by knowing exactly what the distance you have run.  I have always felt that I could predict how far I ran with in half a mile and know the time I ran within + or – 30 seconds, but now I can say how far I ran, and at what pace, with confidence.  Not that I didn’t say my guess with confidence before.

One of my favorite things about running is exploring new areas.  You don’t get the same understanding of your surroundings when you are flying past in a car.  It takes a run to notice and appreciate everything.  Although its tough for me because I run by so fast but I seem to manage.  This weekend I ran a route that I had run before but I was searching for another trail that breaks off of the normal path.  I knew what I wanted to accomplish:  10 miles and find a new trail, but I only had an idea of what route I should take to get there.  I quickly looked at a map before I left the house but ended up missing the turn I was looking for on my run.  I decided to continue, I had a Garmin Forerunner 205 so I was going to be able to run the distance I desired.  I would just Go with the Flow.  The first thing I did was follow signs to a Museum that I had heard of but had never been to before.  I ran to it and now know exactly where the museum is.  Next  I saw a couple of runners running on the awkward side of the road so I decided to run over there.  Grip it and Rip it.  This lead me about to a 3-4 mile trail run right next to the road I had driven on and run by about 50 times!  The trails were great and really neat.  I’ll run those again for sure.  After that I had run just over 5 miles and needed to head back towards the house.  I noticed a smaller trail off of the main path which I had never seen before.  Do it-to it.  I ran up it and it ended up leading me to the front of the club house of a municipal golf course I had seen numerous times but had never played.  Yeah, that’s right, I don’t mind playing Municipal Golf Courses.  I’ll even run on them too!  I pay taxes just like everyone else.

The point here is that I knew what I wanted to accomplish and had an idea of how to get there; but when that didn’t work out how I had planned, I adjusted, continued on, and ended up accomplishing more things than I had set out to do.  There’s no blueprint to making decisions about your run or your life.  We all have many decisions to make along the life run.  Usually the decisions that seem insignificant end up being significant and the ones that we assume will determine if we accomplish our goals may not be that important.  You determine what route you take and how you will run down it.  There is no right or wrong path, just make sure you have a GPS of some sort so track your progress along the way to accomplishing your goals.

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Running Outside of Your Comfort Zone

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

comfort_zone1I like “being in the zone” just as much as anyone else, but we all need to challenge ourselves in order to learn and grow.  When I am “in the zone” you will usually find me on the basketball court, on the golf course, or maybe even conversing with someone of the opposite sex.   If you want to find me “zoning out” just look to my comfortable leather couch and no further.  I’m probably watching some pointless reality show; but enjoying it nonetheless.  So obviously there are many types of zones to be in but today I am challenging you to get out of a zone; your comfort zone?. Where is your comfort zone?  Check somewhere “inside the box.”

Every time I go for a run over 10 miles I try to run somewhere new.  Whether I am starting from my house or traveling by car to a trail-head, I try to experience a new environment on my run.  This weekend it only took 4 miles from my house to get out of my comfort zone.  I ran to a lower socioeconomic area of town early on a Sunday morning where I did not see one person that was the same race as I.  Being around people that don’t look like you is one way to get out of your comfort zone.  Here are some of the things that I noticed in this zone that I was not used to:  a quick handshake on a corner with the two parties retreating quickly in opposite directions, presumably an illegal transaction.  A makeshift soup-kitchen which consisted of a van, a couple of tables, and huge metal container of soup in an empty parking lot with a lot of people happily being served.  A man yelling at a woman walking behind him in a crosswalk saying, “I’m yelling at you because you won’t hurry up.  I’m late to go see my girl!”  She responded with, “I wouldn’t be walking this slow if you hadn’t gotten me pregnant, (explicit name)!”  She looked to be about 8 months pregnant so was understandably walking slowly.  So what does this mean?  It means that in order for us to grow and understand ourselves we must go out of our comfort zones and experience things we may not ever experience.

Running can take you out of your comfort zone.  Not necessarily by traveling to a different place than you are used to but the fact that you are constantly pushing yourself and challenging yourself to achieve new things you have never attempted.  Every time you think about slowing down but instead keep running is moving outside of your comfort zone.  People generally put a lot of effort into keeping their lives constant, but I challenge you to push closer to the edges of “your box.”  I’m always trying to stay edgy, that’s why I watch MTV sometimes to see what the kids are up to.  You have to make a conscious effort to break down your comfort walls.  Although I am a strict proponent of running, try starting with changing up your exercise routine with other activities other than running.  Better yet, try other exercises while still visiting seriousrunning.com and reading this blog daily!  Talk about edgy!

Just like we strive to diversify our investment portfolios (I’m risk-loving so I don’t adhere to this mantra) and our diets we need to diversify our exercise.  I know what you are thinking, ‘I run 5ks and marathons.  I diversify my work-outs.’  Sorry, that doesn’t count running man.  While running is great for the overall health of your body, it does puts stress on the same joints and builds particular muscles more than others.  That is why I recommend adding some other activities to your training.  Some suggestions are mountain biking, hiking, or kayaking to work out different muscles which will actually help to improve your running.  If you are an avid runner, I understand, try changing your running patterns by running on more trails or running steps.  Obviously, I think just by running a different route you are getting outside of you comfort zone so try that at the very least.  Exercising outside of your comfort zone prevent injuries (unless you fall off your mountain bike or something) and will leave your body more balanced.  Now you don’t have to drink as much V8!  Sweet!

Please stop being a square (box) and become a well rounded individual like our ancestors, the original “Renaissance People.”  No, I don’t mean showing your wealth by being rounded (fat) or eating so much that you throw up because you can afford to.  Don’t waste food, there’s soup kitchens in parking lots!

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Get High Off of the Environment

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009

runners-high-enviroment1Since we have cleaned up the environment around us by picking up trash and repairing trail runs, what do we do with the environment now?  I mean, we can run in the middle of it, but what else is an environment good for?  Well, it has been hypothesized that you can get high off of nature.  No.  Not what you are thinking.  In the extensive studying of the Runner’s High, many have found that the environment plays an important role in attaining this euphoric state.  A Runner’s High can be described as an elevation of the senses while running, typically while running long distances.  It is difficult for runners to describe the exact feeling (much like drug users) they get from a Runner’s High, but many equate it to the feeling of an orgasm.  Humph.  Well there you go.  The physical explanation of  a Runner’s High is that it is the release of endorphins to the brain.

Runner’s have described attaining a feeling of invincibility and superior performance by their environmental surroundings while running, leading to a Runner’s High.  Consider this, while out on a long run, alone and the only other thing around you is Ms Nature, you connect with her more deeply.  You are more aware.  This deep connection allows your senses to be greatly enhanced, making you more in tune with your body and what it is feeling.  As you become more aware of yourself, you begin for feel the euphoric state of a Runner’s High.  It is almost as if you can feel each extra endorphin, above the normal levels, being released to your brain and then the feeling of your brain receiving them.  Well, almost is the key word here.  Although I am pretty in tune with my body, I’m not sure if I have made it to the level of feeling individual endorphins yet, hopefully, someday.  I bet David Blane feels individual endorphins.   I assume Chuck Norris can feel them too.

The role the environment plays in attaining a Runner’s High does make sense when you think about it.  For instance, when it is more sunny out you are more likely to be happy and enjoy yourself, moving your mood closer to attaining the Runner’s High.  Compare that to a day that is dark, cloudy, and cold and you are running an unknown routes.  You are not as open to the environment.  You are not open to anything other than getting to your final destination and out of the weather.  You are not appreciating what your environment has to offer.  Go trail running!

That actually brings up another great point for the runner’s life.  Enjoy where you are (and love the one you’ve got for that matter).  If it is cold and raining outside when you go for your run, appreciate it.  How often is it that you get to just be outside in the rain?  Usually you are cramped in an office or curled up on the couch dreading leaving it when it is cold and rainy outside.  You never get time to enjoy the moisture in the air.  Remember when you were a child and it rained, you loved it, you played in it.  Love it again.  Stop blaming it on the rain, no matter what you do, go ahead and put that blame back on you.  You are the only one that can decide how you feel about your environment.  Appreciate where you are.

Cold weather, I still don’t appreciate it.  I’m working on it.  The problem is that the colder it gets the more clothes I put on, so I really never get to feel the cold for it’s most important attribute, being cold.  Maybe I should start dressing down.

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