A few years ago I recognized I was creating a dysfunctional routine that was sabotaged my fun. Every winter I would get excited about the upcoming racing and training season so I would begin to plan my schedule before the holidays so I could hit the New Year already “on track”. In December I would develop these grand plans about how I was going to squeeze every available workout in every possible minute. In my head these ideas seemed very doable; all it would take is controlling my time and staying on schedule.

It took a few years of repeating the same pattern until I started to notice a trend. I wasn’t a robot that could constantly follow the “ideal schedule” (life tends to throw things in our way) and more importantly, I would get burnt out by mid to late February and be totally bored of trying to squeeze everything in. It was starting to feel like a second or third job and the joy was gone.

With this in mind I made some changes that have definitely helped.

• Anchor workouts: I now create a schedule for myself that has “anchors” at certain times of day that I KNOW I can do. This provides me the foundation of structure and makes sure I have specific hours of training time per week no matter what. These keep me motivated.
• Rigid Flexibility: I schedule these secondary workouts day by day but know they can be done anytime during the week. Sometimes even after the anchor workout.
• Holiday festivities and food: I do not worry about what I’m eating or what kind of weight I’m gaining from Thanksgiving through to New Years day. As long as I am committed to training all year, I can enjoy the fun for 5 weeks out of the year.

• Timing: If I have a 6am workout planned and I need to get to get up at 5am, I MUST get to bed around 9-9:30pm, which means setting my phone to go off at 8:45 as a reminder to wrap up the evening.
• Lunch: Because I feel quality food is so important to health and performance, I try and either take my lunch every day or coordinate a healthy restaurant to eat that I can call ahead to pick up something after my lunch swim. This means preparing the food either the previous weekend or planning what I’ll need and getting it from the grocery store the night before.
• It’s worth it: Yes, it’s a bit of a hassle having to throw 3 bags over my shoulder every morning (lunch, work backpack, swim bag) but it pays big dividends long term and many times can be the difference between getting to work out in or missing it because the hunger pangs redirected my brain.

I’ll post a few podcast links on my Facebook page next week that can help you get more ideas for time savers, scheduling and your training. I would also recommend www.runtri.com and the book “Qualifying for Kona” by Raymond Britt. He does a nice job of breaking down how get the most out of your day.

As always, let me know your thoughts.

Dr. Michael Cerami is an avid runner, cyclist and triathlete. He is available for a no charge consultation one Saturday per month at The Salt Lake Running Company (Salt Lake store) by appointment. He can be reached at 801-486-1818 or online at www.utahsportsandwellness.com

****Dr. Cerami will be at Salt Lake Running Co on 700 east on Saturday Jan 14th 2012 Please call 801-484-9144 to schedule and appointment.

You’ve already read Running For Beginners: The Right First Steps so you know way more than I did when I first started running. You have the right shoes, fit to you specifically for your Biomechanical needs, the right socks, a running buddy and a goal.

Now that you have all the confidence in the world, let’s crush it! Just kidding…but really, the first runs can be quite humbling/heartbreaking, especially for those who used to run and ran quite well. It takes time and patience and consistency to be able to run so take note of your accomplishments along the way and don’t get discouraged. You will get there. I promise. If you follow the steps below, your run will be motivating instead of demotivating.

Your first run is a chance to test the waters, test out your new shoes and to see what your starting point is. You will see great improvements in your fitness over the first few weeks of running and it will boost your confidence. I recommend getting a note book or training journal/log to track your workouts and see improvements. Anything will work for this purpose. You could even start a training blog and all your friends can read about your progress. The log I like to use is part of the the Nike + Sportband system.  This watch is really affordable, tracks my distance pace and time, and after every run I plug it into my computer and it keeps track of everything! I don’t have to write anything down!

To Cat-Callers,

I don’t speak for all women runners when I say this, but I think the majority would agree- we love to get cat-called when we run. We love getting into a groove, only to find an entirely new groove as the sound of shouting causes our bodies to jerk like we are being startled during a scary movie. There is nothing better than cozying up in newly opened head space and then letting it fill up with the voice of every hollering man driving by.

We wish you would shout out your address so we could run by later and get to know you better. We love the smell of exhaust when you rev your engine at us at stoplights; you guessed it, it gets our engines revving too . We especially like it when you call us derogatory names. If we flip you off, or shake our fists at you, we are only teasing; like I said, we really like to be cat-called.

Is it instinct you’re acting upon? Because it almost sounds like you’re barking at us. As if the skills of enunciation and volume control give way to some primal instinct. Are we developing a new sort of mating ritual on these urban streets? Although, for some reason every man I talk to finds these elusive shouting voices inappropriate and immature. Who are you cat-callers and why won’t you admit it so I can date you? Your motive is a mystery, as you shout at us as we run by minding our own business. Nevertheless, keep it up because it makes us feel like whole, respected people. You seem like the type that would have that sort of intention.

Don’t worry, silent cat-callers, we won’t forget to thank you. The strong silent type. You know who you are; you hang out your window to get a longer look at us. You insist to act as if we can’t see you as you ogle us as we are stopped at intersections. Just happy we could entertain you for a moment.

Really that’s why we run: to show off the goods, get a little attention There are few things I love more than to be yelled at while I run. What could be viewed as sexist or demeaning I know is really just complimentary. To cat-callers everywhere I hope you never stop, and I hope you someday have daughters who are cat-called. And you teach your sons to cat-call. And we can always live in a world where it is appropriate to objectify women for their bodies.

Love,

Amanda Theobald

As I was riding up Big Cottonwood Canyon last week, I was wondering why I put myself through this pain on a regular basis. Why can’t I just get used to hanging out on the sofa and rubbing my dogs belly for hours at a time? What’s the matter with me?

Then it hit me. Sport defines us. Yes, I’ve heard other people way smarter than me say that before and it kind of made sense. Then I thought about it a little more with the right mindset. You know, like on that killer hill where you are huffing and puffing and your brain won’t work but good ideas and thoughts connect anyway on a subconscious level?

We are all in a competition; it’s called life. And it’s a test to not only see if we survive but how well we do. Every living thing on the planet is taking the same test every day or a nanosecond at a time. Evolution defines us as we are constantly being tested through our adaptation to our environment. That’s what we as humans do; we need a purpose biologically and socially. It’s normal to continue that process as a conscious choice through sport.

It’s interesting that we, as humans, are the only species who get to use sport as a fun test because it’s an open book test and we are the ones doing the grading! Just finished your first mile without resting? Excellent, you get an A! Broke 8 minutes per mile on your trail run last week? Awesome! Rode 100 miles last week? Yahoo!

In life, it might take 80-90 years to get your final test score. In sport, you can grade with any style, and you can get that grade any time.

When I was in my thirties, I was a tough grader with no bonus points EVER given. I had high expectations and dang it, they needed to be met. In my forties, I had to prove I was still young and did as much as possible to hold on to my past.  Now, in my fifties, I grade on a curve and there are all kinds of extra points available to up my score. Points for King of the Mountain (err…getting up the mountain),  20 mile run weeks, completing 5 races in a year, keeping my weight down and still having fun, not taking things too seriously, and more.

When you have finished all the personal testing you could come up with, maybe it’s time to go to the next level, see what you are made of: Competition through racing. Try it. Sign up and see what you can do. Feel the energy of group focus on a goal. Feel the extra power you can generate from within.

Sport is so great because it allows us to see what we’re made of anytime and anywhere. It’s so easy and so rewarding and we can take it as easy or as hard as we want to. What else can you say that about?!

I hope to see you out there breathing hard and smiling. That’s what my dog and I will be doing. (She can wait a few years for the extended belly rubsJ)

Special thanks to Dr. Jeff Spencer for the kernel idea for this blog. Dr. Michael Cerami is an avid runner, cyclist and triathlete. He is available for a no charge consultation one Saturday per month at The Salt Lake Running Company (Salt Lake store) by appointment. He can be reached at 801-486-1818 or online at www.utahsportsandwellness.com

Disappointment.  That is one word that most people would rather not feel after finishing their race. Yet, it happens. But, why? What is happening out there on race day to cause some people to feel bad about their race? Now sometimes there are things that happen beyond anyone’s control, like a cancelled swim leg of a triathlon, or a weird mishap that result in twisting an ankle or something. But, beyond the unavoidable, how is disappointment avoidable?  Let’s take a quick look at that as the race season is coming full swing since the negative race experience usually comes due to a shallow, wrongly focused, and /or ill-timed race goal.

Pick a goal with some POP to it

That means to pick a goal that really means something to you and helps get you motivated to not only train, but to actually reach the goal during the race when the going get really tough. My favorite definition of endurance is “to hold firm within oneself”.  So, what are you holding firm to? That is the most important question any athlete of any age or level should know the answer to.  What’s it all for? Do you really care about what you are doing? Does the place, time or event matter enough to you to have that goal propel you through the turbulence times that come predictably and try to loosen your grip? So, the next time you decide on a goal of some kind, then be able to picture yourself  passionately holding firm to that driving force from within. If that is hard to imagine, pick a different goal that POPS out at you, grabs you and that you just can’t shake because it means that much to you.

Bring reality into focus

Be honest with where your current fitness is at or what your current life demands take out of you.  If you want to make a time prediction, then do some workouts before the race that may help you understand where you will actually be.  There are tons of pace charts and workouts that will help you know more about where to set the time goal if that is what matters to you.  And then you have to take into consideration what your life stresses are. It is okay to be at peak race fitness some years and not in others based on your how your life is going outside of exercise.  Be okay with altering your time goals if you just know that you are not ready to emotionally or physically give what you have in the past.  If you can’t handle that adjustment, then stay home.

This is also true about place goals. Reality is that you cannot control anyone but yourself in a race. So to say that you want to be top 10 in your age-group or top whatever can sometimes set you up to fail. This happens most often when people have done small events and then move up to bigger ones with more competition and have no idea what kind of competition is really out there. Now, I am not suggesting that picking a place goal is obsolete, but to really make it stick and not be disappointed, then consider getting to know better those you race against before making judgment. There are a lot of fast fishes in the sea and they may or may not be swimming in your school on race day.  Therefore, as you get to understand who is around, you may be able to broaden your goal to different scenarios like being top 5 in smaller races, but being happy with top 10 in bigger ones.

When the time is right, go for it.

What’s the rush? Too many people trying to go too far or do too much in a race too soon. Slow down!  Don’t speed up progress so fast you end up crashing in bright red flames. The daily exercise grind should be happening the rest of your life so let the bigger, faster, longer races come in their own time, not your time.  I have heard this best described as picking a goal that helps you establish a feeling of flow. Your next goal or race should be something that get you excited, fits in your life, challenges you, but doesn’t overwhelm you. If you keep all your athletic pursuit inside of the flow parameters then you will find that happy medium between pushing yourself without the race(or life) pushing you back.   Getting yourself into the right flow of things well set you up nicely on race day to accomplish the goal that is completely and totally within your realm to reach at that time

Rethink

Now is the time to rethink your race goals. When you do this, ask yourself the following, Does my goal really grab me? Is it realistic? And is it time to do this? If you answer no to any one of these three, then adjust your plan. You need to say yes to all 3 questions in order to put yourself in the best and most gratifying position possible on race day.  And if you answer the first two with a yes, but not the last, you are in good company. Sometimes you know you are passionate, you know you are capable, but you must be patient. Racing isn’t everything. Always a good thing to remember when you get to the starting line anyway.

What to say to yourself during the race–Race self talk article

“In the beginning, it’s hard to understand that the race is not against others but against that little voice in your head that tells you when to quit.” Charles Brenke

After all the preparation in training, the time comes to pin on the race number and herd yourself into the corral that leads to the starting line.  With a lump in the throat and a knot in the stomach, the starting gun finally is fired. And you are off! But, now what? What are you supposed to think while you go all that way? What is your plan when the going gets tough or something goes wrong? And most of all, are you going to really make it to wherever you are going?

The above questions are pretty common ones that run through an athlete’s head. So no, you’re not crazy for thinking them. And yes, there are ways to calm the troubled mind. There are many strategies that one can use to stay in the mental game. One of the most simple is to decide ahead of time what it is you ARE going to think while you are out on the race course.

You can choose what to tell yourself even in the worst of circumstances.  You just have to take some time before the race starts to actually imagine what your weaknesses are, what situations might come up to disrupt your experience and decide what to say to yourself to get through it all.  The key is to pick very simple phrases or sets of words. These predetermined thoughts should always be positive, focused on your process, focused on you operating in the present and helping you make progress. Below are some examples of some phrases or key words that you can use:

“Relax, breathe evenly”

“Make it as fluid and easy as possible”

“Run tall, lean forward, push”

“I will endure the discomfort. Be relaxed, be patient”

“I am not afraid”

“Eat enough, drink enough, do it now”

“I can race in these hard conditions, stay calm, be patient”

“Be a warrior”

“I am always moving forward”

“I can do it, I am tough enough to make it”

“I am here and I am finally free to be everything I have wanted to be.”

Plan ahead, face your fears and pick what mental phrases will work for you. All the emotional effort is worth it because it is like the opening quotation says,  “In the beginning, it’s hard to understand that the race is not against others but against that little voice in your head that tells you when to quit.” And knowing YOU, YOU are not a quitter!

Ah yes, the predictability of the normal routine, the well traveled path and revisited goals.  Humans are creatures of comfortable habit for sure. I can’t say that it was an easy decision to move the “flagship” Highland drive SLRC location after 15 years of yearly growth. But, we were in need of something different. We were holding ourselves back and our vision for the running community back too. While some may cringe at the thought of rocking the boat that seems to float just fine, we figured it was time for a new motor.

And isn’t that how life goes on many levels? In order for us evolve as people in life and in sport, we have to find ways to create turbulence in our lives. Although, most of us might say we have enough turbulence already! Then, how about letting that massive mixing stir up a part of ourselves we never knew existed or dared to find out? Just let all the concerns go  and embrace the opportunity to become something more. At SLRC, we know its scary. You MIGHT lose something in the process, but MAN its well worth the risk(because you probably will only make gains and not lose anything except your fear).

Change in Sport

Since this site is focused on running and such, it seems appropriate to examine the possibility of self imposed change in your athletic life. At SLRC, we have heard hundreds of remarkable stories from all of you especially regarding your first taste of the fitness journey. How cool, how inspiring! But, have you ever thought, now what? I know I have on many occasions. But, that is not a bad thing. This is where a change in focus, goals or long term plan can dig out of you a dormant strength, trait or passion. So what are the options? What kind of changes are reasonable? FOR SURE, it is not always going longer or doing more, although sometimes it may be. Here are some ideas on what kind of changes help to challenge and recharge people while they make their way in the athletic jungle. But, BE CAREFUL, there are lions out there! They come in the form of overtraining or rushing a quest for fitness when life’s other commitments come calling. And trust me, that lion will eat you whole, poop you out in a mangled mess and not think twice.

When you are ready for a change, try the following options:

• Go shorter and faster. It is exciting to go from marathons back down to a 5K or 10K training plan. This direction does not make you less of a runner, but it will make you faster! Same goes for Ironman. Its okay to go back and do sprints again. I promise that the race number slathered on your arm still looks cool.
• Hire a coach.  Nothing like putting your life in someone else’s hands. But, be careful to pick one that you are comfortable with in personality and attitude.
• Go off-road Sick of the roads?  Head to the mountains. Running, biking and triathlon all have trail options.
• Do a Triathlon If you haven’t had some of that Kool-Aid, its pretty tasty and a fun way to train.
• Learn to swim Triathlons or not, swimming is a GREAT sport. Totally “fun” for the brain since it’s very skill and technique oriented and BOY does it ever help to get off your legs 1,2 or 3 times a week. Just don’t quite when the 11 year-old girl in the lane next to you swims faster than you…while she’s warming up. We should have ALL started younger, you’re not the only one!
• Add strength work Especially from Oct-March, this will really mix things up and wake muscles up you never knew existed.
• Pick a race somewhere exotic location, location, location…recovering on a beach…you get the idea. Keeps training exciting up until, thats for sure.
• Take a season off If you are not excited, then don’t force it, you and your body probably needs a break. Do you really have to do the same marathon again? Wait for the races to come to you emotionally. That means you are ready to give it a go.
• Do an adventure race That should mix things up a bit!

So what are some of the changes you have made? Any from above? Something different? Are you considering making a change, but still a little nervous?  Come on, throw it out there. Tell us what has relit your fire!