Time

Time-

Time is defined as an indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future. Runners see time as a measurement or goal depending on the distance. Most elite runners complete a marathon in the time that most of us complete a half marathon. For other sports, time is set and competition occurs in that set time frame, a 90 minute soccer match, 60 minute football game, or a 48 minute basketball game. We also look at time during training and that time often with other factors is a measure of our performance. These results, good or bad, have a bearing on future performance. The past & present effecting the progress of future performance and decisions, but that is not only true in athletic performance, but life. If one devotes time to anything, they in essence should improve, adapt, and better the future results. Whether it is eating better, learning more, improving at work, or lowering race times, it’s about putting in the time.

One excuse that is often used is that there is not enough time. Excuses are merely roadblocks to success. Let’s just look at one day, 24 hours. Eight for sleep and nine for work. Saying that most of us have a family, let’s devote four of the remaining seven hours to family. That gives you, three hours everyday. With three hours everyday, could you workout, run, bike or do yoga? That’s 21 hours in a week and let’s be honest, we all have more time on the weekend. What are really doing with that time? Are you on track with your goals?

I, on a personal note, deal and struggle with time like everyone else. Just recently, I have had to travel a lot with a new career, changing time zones, and spending more time focused on getting ahead to then get into a routine with this new career. I try to keep goals and life in prospective. With 3-4 hours a day to train, I always have a couple of backpacks ready in the car. Now I plan out my week and have at least options available to workout during the week. If I’m scheduled to go to the gym or get a run in, I’m prepared for both and get at least one of those training activities in, but really try to get both in. If I’m traveling, I try to get in a run or a bodyweight workout at the hotel. Now, the key is making time for those workouts and I stick to my training schedule, but I’m also prepared for those few times that a curveball is thrown my way. Surprisingly, once you get a morning workout in, you are energized and for me I crave another workout. Success breeds more success. A morning workout, breakfast, work, then typically family time, and another workout of either a run or a swim.

One final way to put time in prospective for yourself is to look at the next year. Since we don’t know what tomorrow may bring, what would you want to accomplish if you only had one year left? How would you want people to see you and talk about you at the end of a year? For me, it’s World’s Toughest Mudder, a couple of half marathons, be successful at home and at work, and take a vacation with someone special. All that in one year, but it starts an hour at a time.

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Nutrition

I would like to tell you as a runner and athlete that I have always eaten well, not at all. As a college & high school basketball player, I ate everything. Especially in college many of us have free reign, most of all, drinking, partying, and eating whatever was convenient. Now we also ate pasta, chicken, some fruits, sports drinks (more as a hangover cure), maybe vegetables as in french fries.

When college was completed, I was responsible for cooking and shopping for myself. Eating out or having food delivered was a common occurrence. Shopping consisted of buying things that were convenient, microwavable, or just heat on the stove. Real cooking or semblance was grilling meat. I got older and reactivating my exercise, not running yet, but moved to AZ and was outside and much more active physically with hiking, mountain biking, and swimming. I tried to learn how to cook better. Improved my grill game, shopping skills, and trying new ways to cook meals. Now I still needed improvement.

Becoming a runner, you realize you need fuel. After more than an hour of running, I would be ravishingly hungry. My cooking skills were the same, but the quantity was increased. With my training programs, I was running 3-4 days a week and eating mountains of food. I believed that carbs were the fuel I needed, the runners idea or phrase of carb loading. A fair share of beef, chicken, fruits & vegetables, but a large amount of rice, pasta, and pancakes. My run times got better in the beginning but then plateaued for years.

About a year ago, my nutritional outlook changed. It's common thinking that what goes in, determines what goes out. Feed yourself crap, you are going to produce crap results. Training can't overcome bad diet, duh. With diet change added to the training routine, I feel better everyday, energized, and look much better physically. Eating well has shown with the physical effect and time I put in with a stronger, sexier body. Honestly, I look better than I did 5-10 years ago and my race results have improved.

How is this done? Make simple changes, gradually. If you have ice cream, sugary cereal, and donuts in the house, make those in the house the last ones ever in the house. When you go shopping the next time, don't buy that type of stuff. If it's not in the house, it takes a lot of effort on a night to go get that stuff. Shop for simple things to replace it. Fruits and vegetables work well. Try cutting apples and put them in a crock pot for 2 hours for dessert instead of ice cream. Fruit smoothies cure the sugar cravings. Hummus is great for snacking with celery, carrots, peppers, or radishes. The same thing for soda, this you should eliminate immediately. Read a Pepsi or Coke can, it's sugar and chemicals. Now people usually say, "I need a boost mid afternoon at work" or "I don't like coffee". Make iced tea at home (unsweetened, obviously). I love coffee, but I mix in a little coconut oil and coconut milk for flavoring, spin it in the magic bullet and away you go. You just need to retrain your brain. I hate sweet potatoes because as a kid they were always offered to me with brown sugar and/or honey. Now, I cook them with turkey bacon or shred them and cook them as a hash brown and put eggs over top of them. I try to drink 3-5 smoothies a day. Sometimes with kale and banana, other fruits typically used are pineapple, raspberries, mango, papaya, blueberries, strawberries, honeydew, watermelon, even kiwi. Play with different fruit with coconut milk in a magic bullet or blender.

My biggest change has been that I haven't drank alcohol now for a year. My first reasoning was you go out have a few (or many) and the next morning or afternoon you may skip a workout or if you can make that workout you under perform. I had done that many times, I wanted to see if quitting alcohol would show improvements in the race results. I trialed this for 6 months. In that time, two sub 2 hr half marathons (first time in 6 years) and PR'd a half marathon (first time in over 6 years). Are those results good enough to convince you? Did I mention with my exercise regimen, healthy eating, and not drinking alcohol, I look stronger, sexier, and more energized. I'm also happier but because I feel better and seeing results. Convinced yet?

In future blogs and Instagram posts, recipe and ideas will be posted. The banana taco is killer!! 

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The Tribe

The Tribe

    I have been running for almost 9 years now. Recently, with next level results, I have learned that just running does not make you a better runner. Simply running more miles and at times faster did not show improvement in my race results. Approximately nine months ago, I began making changes by adding strength training and making changes to diet. We will discuss at many various levels in many blogs & webcasts about strength training, rest, hydration, injury, and dietary changes. 
    Nine months ago, I joined SICFIT Scottsdale to add strength & conditioning to my running program. The coaching & classes helped me understand better the advantages of adding strength to help my running, but it also pushed myself to a new level of overall fitness. Overall strength increases overall running times, duh, if you are stronger you are faster and in better shape. Also, pushing yourself mentally beyond your comfort levels in the gym a couple of times a week, makes pushing yourself on runs much easier. I noticed with the addition of core strength that my long runs felt easier over time. Recovery time also improved. 
    With training going well in preparation of the Las Vegas Half in Nov, I decided to try the Vancouver Half in Oct. I was concerned about the recovery and turnaround time between the two races, something I have never done. Vancouver Half was my first sub 2 hour half marathon in just under 6 years. My recovery was excellent and I did as well in the Las Vegas Half with a 2:01:03, in the wind and rain. 
    Around the time of the Las Vegas Half, I decided to challenge myself farther and in a different way. I joined a beta program at SICFIT Scottsdale called the Fittest Tribe Alive. Luke Kayyem, owner & coach at SICFIT Scottsdale, came up with this idea of a 90 day challenge with thirteen people including myself, ending with a hike up Mt San Jacinto, called cactus to clouds. It's one of the hardest hikes in the US, approximately 18 miles & 10,000ft elevation change with many climate changes. This hike, this challenge, and this tribe worked perfect with schedule of races, it would also change my focus from running to try something different. For the first half of this Tribe, I was preparing for both the Rock n Roll AZ Half and this cactus to clouds hike. After doing a PR at the RnRAZ, I was able to focus now on cactus to clouds.
    Physically preparing for cactus to clouds took days in the gym every week, sometimes even two a days. Working with both Luke Kayyem & Jesse Holland, they pushed me and have been pushing me since I joined SICFIT Scottsdale to improve my running. Adding a gym component is not just putting down a credit card, going in, doing some weight lifting or cardio and thinking ok I'm gonna be fit and healthy. At SICFIT Scottsdale, it's so much more, it's functional strength & conditioning and weight lifting, it's nutrition, setting goals, and support like a family. People, if you don't love your workouts, you are not reaching your goals. For me, it has been all of these things, but so much more. Yes, I'm seeing very positive results, but SICFIT Scottsdale has become my workshop and my sanctuary. Basically, if you want to see physical results, you need to find a gym that if you are not working out, you are missing out, and can't wait to back to. 
    Myself and my fellow Tribe members all joined this particular challenge for our own personal  & varied reasons. The common theme was we all wanted to better ourselves, but we wanted to make a change. There have been many success stories of weight loss, PRs, along with physical & emotional transformations in many of the Tribe members. We will discuss my why in another posting, but I want to take my fitness and goals to an outrageous level. As a Tribe member and not having a race until April, I have really been able to concentrate on building strength & improving my technique.
    The last Saturday of Feb, 13 of us began our accent up Mt San Jacinto in Palm Springs. It was a warm, cloudless day at the base. Everyone packed and we began hiking at the base. I naturally overpacked with water & food, my pack weighed between 35-40 pounds. The first part of the hike was 4 miles, approximately 2500ft elevation change to the tram. I was slightly overdressed with the compression shirt for this part of the hike. A quick stop for food and the Tribe to regroup halfway through this section. We arrived to the tram about 2-2 1/2 hours into the hike, then a 20 minute tram ride to 8,000ft.
    Off the tram was a restart of the group, refuel, and add a few layers. For me, it was compression pants, compression shirt, shorts, long sleeve running shirt, and an Under Armour fleece beanie (on & off throughout). The next hike was approximately 2.5 miles to Round Valley, elevation 9,100ft. This section of the hike was amongst the trees and winding through the mountain on hard packed snow. 
    We hit Round Valley at a good pace and the climb began. Next stop was to be Wellington Point en route to the summit, 3 hours to the summit with about two hours left. Coming out of the valley, the climb was a steep incline and at points the snow was deep. We lost the trail due to the lack of people using the trail and the snow on the ground. Our group of five that had taken the lead, went off at a strong pace. We tried for the summit, missed it by the cutoff time due to the depth of the snow. The last mile was a slow march at points, but with many pictures. We needed to head down no later than 2:30pm to make sure we got back to the base. The entire group hustled down the mountain, back to the train. 
    This challenge only made me more enthusiastic about different opportunities to improve myself and my fitness. We will discuss slight and new goals for this year and how to deal with these changes. You have to set goals, challenge yourself, however, it's the experience with friends that make these challenges and accomplishments memorable. Find something to challenge your fitness and set a goal, This Week!!
    Thank you to the Tribe, it was an amazing experience, but only our first.

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Rock n Roll AZ - Race Report

    My apologies to all for a lack of posting since the launch of this site. Like most of us, sometimes throws you a change up, for me recently, it was a job change & with a new career comes training and travel, along with changes in goals & races. Onward & forward we go and I will now start posting & growing this website more regularly. 
    With that said, first order of business is a race report from the Rock n Roll AZ Half Marathon. Coming off the Las Vegas Half a month & a half prior, I felt strong, prepared, and excited to have an aggressive time in mind. My philosophy for most races is to not look at my time during the race until Mile 10. The reason is to enjoy the flow of the race, self check how I feel, and just run relaxed. It's not about time!! We all get excited, a little over amped at the start, and looking at your time early doesn't always give a good barometer of the overall picture of your race. Relax, breathe, enjoy what you are accomplishing.
    For this RnRAZ race, a friend and I were running and ideally planned on being there a little earlier to stretch and hydrate. This did not happen. We were delayed with traffic, parking, and crowd size getting to the start line corrals. We used the walk/jog to the start line as a warm up. It was also for me a chance not to over think the race. So, I jumped into the corral, took my selfie, turned on my playlist, and started the race.
    Miles 1-6 of the RnRAZ course is relatively flat. I was very comfortable through this part of the run. I was actually moving past many racers on a clear 55 degree morning. Just past the beginning of Mile 6 the course changes by going uphill. My pace naturally slowed but I stayed strong. Continuing to push the next miles of uphill running, I felt good, mentally strong, and passing racers, including my friend at just past Mile 7. Between Miles 8-9 is one last hill to a beautiful view of downtown Phoenix. Now was back down this hill, but turning off this decline goes back up a hill until just past Mile 10. Push til 10, lets see where we are? As the downhill began just past Mile 10, I was ahead on time and allowed gravity and momentum to carry me for the next two miles, still have some distance, don't empty the tank early. At Mile 12, I felt amazing, legs were strong, breathing was controlled, no real fatigue. Just past Mile 12 the course takes you over a bridge to basically the finish. One last look at my time, looking real good, let's kick it in. Running the bridge, you start to see the crowd, my legs were churning, and it was a quick right turn at the end of the bridge and less than a quarter of a mile left. Sprint hard after the final turn. I hit the turn and opened it up until the finish. Stop the watch at the finish line, catch my breathe, look at the watch. BOOM, 1:56:33!! A new PR!! A PR for the first time in over 6 years.
    I have been blown away with my results over the past six months and we will discuss the changes. Results and goal achievement are accomplished by hard work and pushing yourself, there are no CAN'Ts. I have been amazed at my recovery, I was not sore after the race, in fact I worked out the next morning. There was some muscle fatigue of my legs and shoulders, but fully recovered in 24 hours.

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How's your resolution?

So it's the beginning of the year, you have probably made resolutions, so how are those resolutions going 10 days in? Resolutions are good in theory, but difficult in practicality. Resolutions are open ended goals with no accountability, such as "I want to eat better" or "I want to get in shape". What do either of those entail? What your timeframe? Everyone's definition of eating better is widely different? 

Instead of resolutions, write down your goals. Writing down specific goals holds you accountable and keeps you focused on a specific target, such as losing ten pounds, running 3 miles, or eating healthier by eliminating sweets. Set daily goals to keep yourself accountable and on track to your written goals. Live for today, don't eat those cookies or potato chips today, then worry about tomorrow, until tomorrow. We can only control and make decisions for today. 

That's part of the purpose of this website, to help as a resource to set goals, discuss those goals, share our successes and failures, but to live each day and push your limits. 

If you have comments, please email me at ttprunning@gmail.com

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