Its not shocking that I already missed a day. It is an attempt at a new routine and these things seldom come easy. In addition to that, last night was packed with activity. I had a 2 hour afternoon workout followed by a couple of hours with friends at a restaurant and then a couple of hours with my close friend, Joe.
I also need to keep mindful of the fact that I do not want this to become burdensome. This must be a natural part of my daily activities. So as I write this, it is morning. Perhaps I can fit it into my morning routine better than my evening one.
So what happened yesterday?
The day started with mostly housework. I completed an application for a commercial mortgage for my office in Camillus and then spent a bunch of time in the gym downstairs. I completed a three mile run, an eight mile bike ride and a couple of lesser workouts on the rower.
We have had the rower since Christmas day and I have to say that I am really enojoying it so far. Interestingly, the unit would not find any of the heartrate monitors we have in the house. I called Ergatta to get help with the issue. The very attentive and helpful man on the phone gave me a free month of service and we got a firmware update the next day that resolved the issue. Excellent customer service.
Following my workouts, Jessica and I went to dinner with my friends Brian and Beth Meany. We chose Francesca’s Cucina in the city, which is a fine spot that never disappoints.
The day ended with Joe coming over for the first episode of The Book of Boba Fett. I have been looking forward to this show for some time, as the logical next arc for the new Star Wars universe being created by Dave Filoni. I was NOT blown away. It wasn’t bad, per se…it just wasn’t as “cool” as I was hoping it would be. One of the characters, an emmissary from a local mayor, was especially cheesy. Robert Rodriguez, the director, seems to be choosing a comedic route with the show. Perhaps as the picture of the whole series comes into focus, this creative choice will make more sense.
The Book of Boba Fett airs on Disney+ and is released on Wednesdays
So to today…one week from today is the 5k, the first race of four of The Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World. This is my fourth time doing these races, but also proabably the least prepared I have been. I am hoping the hard press these last few weeks will be enough. I will taper this week, limited myself to walks on the treadmill, light pedaling on the bike and light paddles on the rower. I have to trust my body, with its right completed marathons, to know what to do.
Weight: 222.9 Yesterday’s workouts: 4k rower, 7.11 mi bike, 2.64 mi run
I have never successfully kept a diary. I have tried a couple of times to start one, but something has always derailed me.
Recently I have experienced an epiphone. It is time in my life for me to once again go through a transformation. I feel the calling of the Universe, if you will.
“Why?” you ask. It is because I am floundering. For the last couple of years, I have lived in the “Covid World.” The reality of that sent me spiralling down a rabbit hole of alcohol, food, pot, and less fitess. My weight has ballooned. My stress has increased. My life has gotten increasingly more complicated.
Professionally, I have been on a roller coaster. When Covid arrivd in March of 2020, my business was closed for three months due to the mandated closings by, then Governor, Cuomo. For those months, I was racked by stress. Stress of the unknown, money, my relationships, my staff, the future of my business.
When my business opened back up, everything was pretty good for a while. Yet I felt compelled to turn my life upside down again by running for local office in 2021. I also decided that a third marriage was a good idea. My oldest son tried his hardest in 2021 to fail at graduating high school. The culmination of these stressors was the news that the massage school in Syracuse was closing. Without a school, there is an uncertainty about future staffing.
The other thing that has been hard during these Covid years is all the death. Sadly, I am not talking about Covid death. My greater friend group has seen many losses to suicide, overdose, alcohol poisoning, etc. A few of these losses have been especially close ones. Two of them were former lovers.
So this brings me to the original point of today’s post. A new beginning. A Universal calling. An epiphone…
Here is what I have done so far:
I have begun my fitness recovery. For Christmas, I bought my wife (and me) an Ergatta rowing machine. I have used it a bunch since Christmas day, already logging over 17 kms of distance. I have also been utilizing my treadmill and Wahoo setup for my bike in Zwift. I recently became better familiarized with the workout options built into the software...and I like it.
I am starting Yoga Teacher Training in January. To begin this process, I have some required reading I have to accomplish before I begin. I will explain why I have chosen this new path.
I am signed up for the Berlin Marathon in September of 2022. I will find out on January 9th if I made it into the lottery. In preparation of the trip, I have begun learning German. I took several years of German in High School, but that was nearly 30 years ago, and I have forgotten a ton.
I have reengaged my meditative practice. It is a struggle each and every day to find the time, but I will get there one way or another.
I am reconnecting with business in new ways. I have a bunch of plans for the near and far future, and 2022 is the year I begin several of these. I will discuss this in a future post as well.
That is all for tonight. As I get more comfortable with this process (hopefully I stay on the wagon for a while), I will include photos, videos, and links.
Chris
ZeroOctane
P.S. I will be including some stats as a part of my daily posts. These will include my weight and a general list of my physical activity and food intake.
Weight: 222.1
Workout: Several activities on the rower. Approx 600 kcal
Food: TOO MUCH...two tacos, a burrito, a tossed salad and 3/4 of a bag of Sweettart Hearts (LOTS of calories)
A couple of months ago, I began a podcast with my friend, Marc. In order to get it up and running, I had to learn some new software. The main program we use for recording the show and streaming it LIVE is OBS Studio.
After using the software for a while, I realized it may offer the perfect opportunity for me to revisit the idea of daily vlogging. With OBS, I can produce a quality video with realtime edits.
The following video is the first official episode of the new format and there is ZERO editing. All of it was recorded live. In the video, I discuss the lawyers in St. Louis that pulled guns on Black Lives Matter protesters, Trump’s retweet of “White Power” in The Villages, and the state of Covid-19 in Florida and whether it should delay the opening of Disney World.
When we feel grief, it doesn’t always manifest in sorrow. I read something profound this morning. It was a quote I saw on Facebook that a friend of mine had shared. I have already forgotten the author’s name and I am paraphrasing here:
We are all in mourning…we are mourning what life used to be like…
There is so much truth in that. I recall the early days of my divorce in 2018 when several people gave me valuable advice. Two things stand out. The first is very similar to the quote above: In divorce, you are not sad about the divorce, but rather you are mourning the loss of the life you had because your new life is not the same.
The second recurring thing I was told was that the hardest thing in divorce is getting used to your new normal. Both of these ideas are born from the same notion that everything is different now. The same can be said for social distancing and living in the current world that is under assault from Covid-19.
Social Media as the canary in the mine
In the early days of the pandemic, as things in the United States were just starting to shut down, most of what I saw on social media was humor. There were countless memes addressing everything from relationships to toilet paper. That changed after several days. I began to see more hostile posts. More and more people were complaining about the inconvience of their situations. Angrier posts blamed Chinese people or New Yorkers for making things worse. Today, I have begun to see a shift in the tone again. Several people have shown sadness. There are some people who seem forlorn and confused.
This certainly reminds me of The Kübler-Ross Grief Cycle:
If the comical memes and people like the President saying it was a hoax is denial and the demand for New Yorkers to stay in New York was anger, then it would make sense for people today to be depressed. Honestly, I felt depressed yesterday too.
At the time of this post, I believe we are in the Depression stage.
Depression is not a normal state for me. I have made it part of existence to avoid the trappings of depression. By living an active lifestyle, I obtain the endorphines I need to maintain a positive mental state and I try to eat in a way that reduces inflammation and the associated trappings that leads to. I have read and studied some Buddhist teachings and I used to meditate often. I need to meditate more.
But what comes next? As society enters into the bargaining stage, what form does that take? Will people start making unsafe decisions? Are we going to see packed churches? Schools opening back up? I would make the argument that we are already seeing that. We need to keep our focus and treat this pandemic for what it is. We need strong leaders with an appropriate message.
We need President Trump to incrementally make this worse. Up until today, he was claiming we would open for business by Easter. Now he has adjusted the timeline to April 30th. At some point, an adult in the room needs to tell the truth to the American Public…this is going to go on until long into the summer…this is going to be our NEW NORMAL!
Check out my daily rant on YouTube. I have softened my tone a little bit as I am moving through the depression stage. I will not bargain with my health, though…
There is clearly no love lost between Governor Cuomo of New York and President Trump. I have been shocked over the last few weeks at how well they have gotten along during the Covid-19 outbreak, but that seems to be coming to an end.
It started a couple of days ago when Trump said that he doesn’t believe that New York State needs forty thousand ventilators. During an appearance on Hannity, a FOX News program hosted by an adoring sycophant, Trump said this:
“I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they’re going to need,” the president said. “I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You know, you go to major hospitals, sometimes they have two ventilators. Now all of a sudden they’re saying can we order 30,000 ventilators.”
Bully in Chief
It is appalling that Trump uses something like ventilators as a device to control behavior. He is exploiting New York’s and other states’ need for aid as a way of achieving fealty. Reports came out of the White House on Friday that Trump instructed the Vice President to not reach out to Governors who aren’t “appreciative” of his efforts. This is what Trump said during a White House Daily Briefing:
“I think they should be appreciative. Because you know what? When they’re not appreciative to me, they’re not appreciative to the Army Corps [of Engineers], they’re not appreciative to FEMA. It’s not right,”
Because I don’t want anyone to think I am taking things out of context, here is the interaction in its entirety:
President Trump on what he wants from the governors: "All I want them to do, very simple, I want them to be appreciative. I don't want them to say things that aren't true. I want them to be appreciative. We've done a great job.”
As I ranted about yesterday, I see people on social media applauding the efforts of Donald Trump and it disgusts me. He began this whole ordeal by denying its existence. He followed that up by claiming we were going to defeat it before it takes hold. Then, he claimed it was all a Democrat hoax to derail his reelection. Recently, he made obtuse claims that people don’t want the economy to fail and that everyone he talks to is pleading to go back to work to save the Stock Market. Now he is holding federal aid hostage and demanding Governors “kiss the ring” in order to get assistance.
Doesn’t this all sound a little bit like The Godfather or Scarface?
Donny Montana
The latest fiasco coming out of The White House was Trump indicating that he may enact a quarantine of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. This would essentially close the borders of the states. First of all, this is most likely unconstitutional and outside of his executive power. Second, he didn’t even discuss this with the Governors of the three states mentioned. All three pushed back.
While speaking with CNN’s Ana Cabrera, Governor Cuomo of New York said the following:
“It would be chaos and mayhem,”
“It’s totally opposite everything he’s been saying. I don’t think it is plausible. I don’t think it is legal.”
“This would be a federal declaration of war on states,”
That last statement made by Cuomo has very deliberate phrasing. It acts as a line in the sand, per se. I only hope there is someone in The Oval Office that is speaking rationally to the President. He is in uncharted waters and he is making a lot of mistakes. Sadly, these mistakes have the potential to cause a lot of death and do serious harm to the economy.
My escape from the national chaos
On a very different note, I would like to take a few moments to express my sheer love and admiration for Animal Crossing on the Nintendo Switch. It has been a welcome distraction during this last week of severe social distancing (I still hate that term).
This new game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, is technically the fifth release in a series of games that have scanned several consoles. There have been a few spin-off releases, as well. In hindsight, I am saddened that this new one is the first one I have played.
For those that have not heard of Animal Crossing, the concept is simple:
You are a human who decides to move to an deserted island owned by a company called Nook, Inc. There, you are going to act as a representative of a new flock of animals that are going to build a community there. You start with a tent and some simple tools and build your way to a thriving city over time.
I am amazed by the manner in which the games takes full advantage of our brains’ dopamine reward system. The next achievement is always in sight and easy enough to obtain. It keeps you playing with a nice balance of “cute” and “challenge.” If you own a Nintendo Switch, I highly recommend this game.
At the time I am writing this, there are five of us currently living in the house and all five of us are playing the game. We take turns visiting each other’s islands and trading fruits and other supplies.
I guess this is what the apocalypse looks like:
This is my character in Animal Crossing. Like real life, he is spending most of his time in a robe on the couch with a safety mask…
I recently made the decision to unfriend a bunch of people on Facebook. For years I have kept ties with many of my social media contacts who had dissenting opinions to me. I convinced myself there was value to understanding how people viewed politics from a different position in life. The idea was that I could better convey my own beliefs by processing them through debate with these people. I am now done with that.
The current state of the world has altered things. Gone are the days of passionate debate and a desire to find common ground. Why? How did we get here? Who’s “fault” is it?
click here to read about kayaking during a pandemic
I think the answer to those questions is complicated. I would argue that it is actually a series of dominoes that have fallen to get us here. The following is my OPINION. Its just one person’s opinion and I am sure everyone else has their own. Remember, I am not a poly-sci major nor do I work in politics. Regardless, here it is:
The main culprits of our political divide are the following:
The 24 hour news cycle
When cable made its first appearance in the early 1980s, CNN splashed onto the scene, bringing the opportunity for us all to view the news whenever we wanted. As time went on, more cable news organizations came onto the scene. Competition demanded that news become more and more sensationalized in order to win market share and ultimately more advertising dollars
The election of Obama
I truly believe that a large portion of our society is inherently racist. In most people, it is latent. The average person is not going to say or do overtly racist things, but rather they exist in a native state of racism. It is common for many people to be fearful of black and brown people. It is also not unusual for people to feel that minorities are taking an unfair portion of the proverbial pie.
The election of President Barack Obama tapped into that inherent racism. I feel a large swath of people became invigorated by politics born from a sense of fear and that latent racism.
The Tea Party
During the early days of Obama’s Presidency, there was a coup of sorts in the Republican Party. The Tea Party was born of a desire from the base of the party to move the national agenda further to the right. They began winning local elections, then state elections, and ultimately finding their way into a smattering of seats in The House of Representatives.
During the debates of The Affordable Care Act, the Tea Party was instrumental in damaging public opinion of the legislation. Following that debacle, they further influenced John Boehner (the Speaker of The House at the time) into a series of grandstanding moves to stop budget progress. This took specific form during the need to raise the debt ceiling following President Obama’s financial moves to rebuild the economy after the crash of 2008.
Mitch McConnell
The obstructionist playbook was expanded by Mitch McConnell when he publicly stated, “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”
As Majority Leader of the Senate, he was uniquely positioned to block every possible piece of legislation the Democrats brought debate. He refused to allow votes on popular bills. McConnell used a myriad of parliamentary maneuvers to block legislation on a regular basis. He is the epitome of the phrase, “do nothing politics.”
The Democratic Party
For their part, the Democratic Party also has some blame to share. On the national level, the party is actually quite dysfunctional. For decades, it has lacked a cohesive voice. The leaders of the party seek some sort of balance of moderation and progressiveness, all the while achieving neither.
The Democrats are wonderful at cannibalizing their own party. If a Republican does something untoward publicly, their party tends to close ranks and speak no ill will. The Democrats are far to quick to publicly admonish their own side, often making the party look elitist and fractured.
The Democrats have never seemingly been a single party, but rather a pack of people with 100,000 different agendas. Instead of building a coalition of strong candidates with a cohesive agenda, a hodgepodge of activists seem to drive the agenda and the message is lost in the noise.
The Religious Right
Somewhere along the line, the Republic party was hijacked by religion. I am unsure if it is actual ideology or the fear of public admonishment that scares candidates the most. Realistically, it is more likely that GOP candidates are the recipients of large donations by religious organizations and beholden to the marketing of Political Action Committees controlled by the same groups.
The Religious Right ultimately has two agendas in today’s political sphere: Stop Abortion and the dismantling of equal rights for the LGTBQ community.
The Social Conservative Movement, as it likes to refer to itself, is the main driver of public discourse for most people. It is hard to argue fiscal politics, but being for or against abortion is easy…and no one will ever change your mind.
Live and let live
So I quit. It is easier to give up on arguing with my friends. I tried for so long to be polite in my social media posts. I tried to ensure that I was using facts and logic to make my point. The biggest problem to arise from the current political divide is the phenomenon of Confirmation Bias. This refers to the natural disposition people have to only see “truths” in their own opinion. If they believe something to be true, they will only seek out information to support and they will ignore information that contradicts it.
On my YouTube channel today, I posted a rant about this very subject. Check it out:
How are you spending your time during this age of oddity?
If you are coming across this blog post years in the future, please note that this was written in the midst of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. At the time I am writing this, I am on day 8 since I closed my business at the order of Governor Cuomo. I have been filling my time since this started in a number of different ways, but yesterday I decided go kayaking during a pandemic. And I was so happy I did.
Before I go too deep into this post, I would like to address my absence. Several weeks ago, I began to post daily blogs. I was enjoying it, but after the second week, I realized that I wasn’t keen on the format I had chosen. At the end of the day, I am not looking to be an informational blog. My goal is to be an editorial source. I want to throw out my opinion on the news of the day, or a new movie, a video game I am playing, or whatever else suits my fancy.
So, going forward, I am going to do just that. I am also not going to hold myself religiously to posting each and every day. If I have something to write, I will write it. If I don’t have something I want to comment on, then I won’t.
The other piece of the puzzle is my YouTube channel. While I have never been successful at regularly posting there, I dropped it altogether when I decided to focus on this blog. I want to try to hybridize things more appropriately. One should not have to be sacrificed for the sake of the other.
The Current Pandemic Status
Today is Friday, March 27th. Over the last couple of weeks, I have created some new habits and my daily routine has changed drastically. While I still get up at 6 or 7 am, I no longer have ninety minutes of bookkeeping and other administrative tasks to do. Now, I make my coffee, turn on my Nintendo Switch, and play Animal Crossing. At some point, Governor Cuomo goes live with a press conference in which he outlines the current state of things. After my coffee is done, I either ride my bike on the trainer or run on the treadmill.
Yesterday, the weather was quite nice, so I got the chance to change things up. I followed the same routine until Cuomo finished his press conference. Instead of hitting the gym, I went to my garage and took out the patio furniture and the fire pit. I also put the bike rack and kayak mounts on the Subaru. When all that was accomplished, I loaded my 14 foot kayak onto the car and went to The Erie Canal Park in Camillus.
People Out in Force
I was shocked when I arrived by how many people were there. In my YouTube video, I claim there to be around 50 people. That was a gross underestimate. By the time I left, I am certain I saw well over 100 people there. During this crisis, we are being asked to “Social Distance” from others, meaning to keep six feet away from the person near you. The width of the trail at the park does not allow that. Luckily for me, I was nowhere near anyone because I was in the water.
I needed to get out. As I could tell from the size of the crowd, other people needed to as well. How do you condemn people for congregating in that way, whether there is a pandemic or not? They were not there to socialize. They went to the park to get outdoors and exercise. Endorphines are the best defense against stress in times like this. I would make the argument that the risk is worth the reward.
My girlfriend Jessica and I also took our bikes out at the lake last night. That was really nice too and the crowds were much smaller there. I am thinking an outdoor run is on the docket today. I guess you will find out tomorrow.
Do me a favor: subscribe to this blog. You can find the subscription box on the right sidebar if you are on your computer or at the bottom of the page if you are on a mobile device. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel while you are at it. Hopefully I will get back into the swing of all this.
On February 29th, Disney and Pixar released Onward to theaters. I first heard of Onward more than a year ago with a teaser that featured unicorns acting like street cats and some wisps of magic. The early teaser, like Disney does with most of its films, did not give anything away. Over time, the creative team shared more information about the film. It became clear that Pixar was making a movie with classic fantasy elements.
The setting of Onward is set in a modern time but it is juxtaposed over its fantasy based history. The stories we tell of orcs, goblins, elves, and wizards is real in this land. Fantastic stories we would tell are the real history of that world. That is, until technology makes magic obsolete. The reday, , I sidents of Onward’s world forget their magical past and soon begin to lives very similar to ours.
We meet two brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot. They are played by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt, respectively. The two brothers have broadly different personalities; Ian, who is celebrating his sixteenth birthday, is unsure of himself and struggles to find his way in the world. Barley, his older brother, is a history buff. He laments the passing of the days of magic and adventure. He also spends most of his time playing Quests of Yore, a role playing game modeled after Dungeons & Dragons. Although in their world, the game becomes something of a guide book for the adventures they are about to go on.
Half the man I used to be
In Onward, the boys are getting through life after the loss of their father. They were young when he died, but the loss is still felt strongly. They handle it in very different ways, even after learning they may be able to bring him back to life. I will not say any more except to say that the father is their companion through most of the movie, but as a half complete form. As the trailers show, he is only resurrected from the waist down.
I was happy to see Disney and Pixar make a movie with boys as the protagonists. Disney, a company most known for princesses, went out on a limb here. The irony is in the manner in which the story telling is accomplished. On the surface, the tale is one of fantasy and adventure, but it is the power of family that is front and center. Pixar is known for making you cry in their movies.
At the very end of Coco, I was bawling my eyes out as the credits began to roll. Up gets me right in the feels in the first 15 minutes of the film. Onward has one moment, an awakening of sorts for Ian, that I had strong emotional reaction to. I thought of my parents and my brother during that scene. It is a thought-provoking concept that takes place. Again, I don’t want to spoil anything, but is a very mature sentiment for a “kids” movie.
I would like to pause with my review of the movie itself by discussing the marketing for the film. There has been basically no marketing. That is so odd for a movie that I so thoroughly enjoyed. Perhaps Disney and Pixar do not know how to market Onward to boys since its not a Star Wars or Marvel property. Who know? Regardless, I knew little about this movie before its release and was shocked when I heard it was already in theaters.
Ian (left) and Barley (right) are brothers trying to spend one more day with their deceased father in Onward
The other thing I would like to comment on is how terrible we are becoming as a society. The theater was nearly empty. We saw it in Regal’s RPX theater, which is a premium experience. Perhaps the cost kept people away or maybe it was the marketing, as I mentioned before. Regardless, there was less than 35 people in the theater. Directly behind my family was group of people with two obnoxious children. I could not believe the behavior of the children, but it was the lack of parental involvement that struck a chord with me.
A good time regardless
Don’t get me wrong. Disney and Pixar make family films. Family films will draw families. Families have children. I was not upset that there were children sitting behind me. That was to be expected. What I could not believe was that the parent was alloying the child to cry for half the movie. Dad did take the little girl for a walk, but then brought her back where she proceeded to start crying again. They had a younger boy with them too who repeatedly grabbed and pulled on the back of our seats. The final nail in the coffin was the Chinese food they brought in with them.
Chinese food is NOT appropriate for a movie theater
Coincidentally and unbelievably, this is SECOND time I have had people eating Chinese food behind me in a theater. Who does that? Seriously…who?”
Annoying people and poor marketing aside, Onward was a fun movie. It did a wonderful job of addressing family and the difficult nature of parenting and complexity of brotherhood. Along the way, there were some very funny moments and some real emotion. Not all the jokes landed however, with my girlfriend even saying she expected it to be funnier. All in all, as a geek who grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons and as a brother, I thoroughly loved Onward…even with some idiots behind me.
Today is going to be a crazy day. I have made the mistake of packing my day with things. When I made the decision to start this blog, I had every intention of writing several days ahead and to continue to stockpile posts. That has not happened. Whoops. So, I am taking a day to reflect on the blog.
I have reached two weeks of posting daily blogs with subject matter specific to that day. Some trends are starting to show already as it pertains to my motivation and the reactions of readers. I am going to take today to reflect on the first two weeks and maybe make some tweaks to my format.
Still having a good time
This is all far more enjoyable than I expected to. I am also getting more traction with readers than I expected. With that said, I do want to make sure that I am fostering a format and environment on this blog that I will enjoy and feel motivated to continue for a long while.
I will be back tomorrow with a post. It may be Entertainment based, it may not. Even I don’t know right now. Regardless, I am so proud to have you reading my posts and I absolutely welcome any and all feedback.
It is no exaggeration to say that many of the choices I was making ten years ago were killing me. My food intake was horrific. I never exercised. Stress over life, marriage, and employment was as high as it could be. I was also a two-pack-a-day smoker. Today, all of that has changed. I have become a fitness junkie, substituting nearly all of my bad habits for good ones. Of all of them, running has had the most profound affect on me. Here are the three ways running changed my life.
#3 – Running kept me away from smoking
On June 15th of 2009, I made one monumental choice that fundamentally led me on a healthier path. I quit smoking cigarettes and I did it cold turkey. I would love to say that my entire life turned around in that instant, but the truth is that things got worse before they got better. My weight ballooned because I replaced the cigarettes with food. It was actually candy and high calorie snacks that found my stomach. Eventually I hit my maximum weight of 279 pounds in December of that year.
Beginning in January of 2010, I fundamentally changed my diet and began to workout incessantly. I started with a recumbent stationary bike, but by late Spring I had started running as well.
Running with my oldest son before my first 5k
Starting a running regimen was infinitely harder than riding a bike for me. Running’s cardiovascular requirements are, at least for me, much more demanding on the heart and lungs. My heart rate would regularly be high, in the area of 185 beats per minute. On top of that, my lungs would burn. I was only a year out from smoking at that time. While that is a significant time to allow the lungs to heal, it takes longer for the vascular system to rebound and achieve proper function.
My early running days required a constant internal struggle to stay the course. The pain of adjusting my body to running and the difficulty in staying motivated were real. There is no way I would have been able to continue running if I was still a smoker. As a matter of fact, I likely never would have started running. By maintaining running as a part of my life, I never desire a cigarette. I haven’t wanted one in years. I love running too much to risk my ability to do it effectively.
#2 – I get by with a little help from my friends
When I first got involved in running in 2010, I knew no one else that ran. I always ran by myself. My first 5k was that summer but I had no one at the start line for encouragement. When I finished that race, I did know someone at the finish line. It was a woman I went to high school with. It was nice to commiserate about the run and discuss future events.
Somewhere along my fitness journey, someone told me about a website they used to track their fitness and stay motivated. It was called Daily Mile. Sadly, the website shut down in 2019. I could write a whole story about what was great about the site, but let me just paraphrase by saying is was a Facebook for athletes. You posted your workout and race results and your friends and others could comment on them.
Jeff and Michele Richardson have been friends for years. We met through Daily Mile
Through that website, I connected with runners and cyclists from around the country. Most importantly, I formed friendships with some local athletes. A few of those people have become close friends and remain so to this day. These local people I connected with were often at the same races I was attending. Soon, I was participating in meet-ups and casual conversations at all my events.
Fitness is a journey without a defined destination. Along the way, there are times you feel less motivated than you want to be. There have even been times for me over the decade that I have stopped working out altogether. It is my cohort in fitness that has always nudged me back into it. By maintaining a connection with athletes through social media and fitness groups, I always find my way back to my path.
On my Tech Tuesday post this week, I emphasized how much I hate treadmills. While I admit they serve a vital purpose, I would never in my life choose the treadmill over the road on a nice day. Running on a good trail or safe road is the superior choice 100 times out of 100. Not only is the physics of the process more beneficial to efficient training, the scenery is better as well. I find peace and tranquility on a slightly foggy morning in the woods. That never happens on a treadmill.
One of the greatest joys I have had in running is competing in destination races. The problem with running a 5k or half marathon near home is that I often know the route intimately. There is nothing new for me to see. It is a glorious thing to get to see a different city or country and run somewhere new.
I have been lucky in life to be able to attend a number of runDisney races over the years, starting in 2016. In January of that year, at the age of 40, I ran my first full marathon at Walt Disney World in Florida. The 26.2 miles took me through all four parks featuring some exciting glimpses of backstage areas. Over my many trips to Disney, I have run at almost every one of the resorts as well. New Balance sponsored a series of designated running trails at nearly all the resorts on property. Each one has its own charm.
Everywhere I go, I try to get a run in. I ran in California while visiting Disneyland in 2018. I have run in the Bahamas on Castaway Cay while on the Disney Cruise. That is their private island and they offer an official 5k on the morning of the arrival there. I have also run countless miles on the fourth deck of The Disney Dream, which is the cruise ship I have sailed on several times.
My 2019 Marine Corps Marathon post-race pic
I have run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. twice. The sites and sounds of that race rival anything else I have participated in. You run through Georgetown, Potomac Park, The National Mall, Crystal City, The Pentagon, and end in Arlington National Cemetery. There are very few events as awe-inspiring as that marathon.
I have run the boardwalk in Virginia Beach, home of the annual Shamrock Run, but never during that popular race. Central Park and Times Square have been backdrops of several runs for me. The hustle and bustle of New York City has an amazing way of spurring you on to a faster pace.
The hilly jungles of Saint Lucia are perhaps the most difficult I have experienced. The tranquil wonder of that island exceeds any other place I have visited. With that said, its oppressive heat and agonizing slopes make it a difficult place to run.
Slow down with a run
Travel is the best way to vacation. Unfortunately, we are often in a hurry to reach our destination. We jump from cab to plane to bus to train. We rush past people in the street to be the first in the door, first to get a table, first to take a picture, and the first to get on the plane to go home. While we are supposed to be decompressing and relaxing, we often speed up even more.
Take the time to jog around the places you visit. A thirty minute run is the perfect way to see the intimate details of your environment that are lost in an Uber. I like to run before my family wakes up. Seeing the sunrise on the ocean or behind a mountain is the most amazing way to start a day.
If you are just reaching a point in your life that you are considering running for health, these have been just three reasons running has changed my life. There are countless other ways it will change yours. Run for your health. Or Run for new relationships. You can Run to see the world. Run for any other reason you can think of. Just Run.
