Saturday, September 29, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Weather or Not...
Have you checked out the weather? It looks like the weather is going to be real nice! Highs in the 50's to low 70's and lows in the 30's to low 50's.
Wait a minute, that is a huge swing and variance! Yes, it really is. It all depends on what site you are looking at. So the message I am trying to get out is to be prepared for the best and the worst. Be prepared for mild weather and for bad weather. Be prepared for cool and be prepared for cold. All in all, the weather forecasts are looking great and we should have a pleasant time.
Get your wind breakers and your cool weather clothes prepared just in case you need them and pack them all in your carry-on bag (If you carry the MM bag - put your name on it!
See you tomorrow and let's have fun!
Wait a minute, that is a huge swing and variance! Yes, it really is. It all depends on what site you are looking at. So the message I am trying to get out is to be prepared for the best and the worst. Be prepared for mild weather and for bad weather. Be prepared for cool and be prepared for cold. All in all, the weather forecasts are looking great and we should have a pleasant time.
Get your wind breakers and your cool weather clothes prepared just in case you need them and pack them all in your carry-on bag (If you carry the MM bag - put your name on it!
See you tomorrow and let's have fun!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Professional Conferences, UGH!!!!
Well, I'm sitting in Philadelphia at the Pearl River Resort at a professional conference to get the needed CEU's to renew my license that is up for renewal. I'm about to learn about pedophiles. Woohoo! I'd rather be getting ready for Chicago!!
I know that so many of you are getting excited about the trip and it is great to see everyone reflecting on this journey. The reason why Robin, Matt and I keep on doing this is because of the life changes that we experience each year and the life changes we get to see experienced by our participants. The best part is watching the life changes in you!
We are down to the last group run before the BIG ONE and I am still amazed, even after four years, oft he tremendous transformations that occur over 35 weeks. I remember sprinting ahead of you in Belhaven to get to the turn around point and tell everyone to turn around or go further for the advanced distance. As I think about it, most of the "advanced" (not all) who ran that extra distance that day are not still training. It is all of you who started out with small steps and didn't do too much, too soon, or too fast that have stayed the course.
The good news is that there are no big hills in Chicago and you are ready for the course. I can't wait to see all of you on the airplane and on the boat tour and at the pasta meal and at the starting line experiencing this incredible event. You are going to be blown away! To see your excitement as you come back into the hotel with a medal around your neck, wrapped in silver blankets worn out and beaming is a real treat and is worth seeing again and again and again!
Now is the time to take some time and relax. Get your time and miles in and enjoy the experience. Here we go!
I know that so many of you are getting excited about the trip and it is great to see everyone reflecting on this journey. The reason why Robin, Matt and I keep on doing this is because of the life changes that we experience each year and the life changes we get to see experienced by our participants. The best part is watching the life changes in you!
We are down to the last group run before the BIG ONE and I am still amazed, even after four years, oft he tremendous transformations that occur over 35 weeks. I remember sprinting ahead of you in Belhaven to get to the turn around point and tell everyone to turn around or go further for the advanced distance. As I think about it, most of the "advanced" (not all) who ran that extra distance that day are not still training. It is all of you who started out with small steps and didn't do too much, too soon, or too fast that have stayed the course.
The good news is that there are no big hills in Chicago and you are ready for the course. I can't wait to see all of you on the airplane and on the boat tour and at the pasta meal and at the starting line experiencing this incredible event. You are going to be blown away! To see your excitement as you come back into the hotel with a medal around your neck, wrapped in silver blankets worn out and beaming is a real treat and is worth seeing again and again and again!
Now is the time to take some time and relax. Get your time and miles in and enjoy the experience. Here we go!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
One more to go!
One ten-mile run down and one more to go! You have come so far and the fact is that you only have one more Clinton run to get out of the way for your Chicago Marathon debut. The biggest part now is staying the course, eating well, resting up and getting mentally prepared.
I don't want you to freak out AND I want you to prepare yourself for difficulties. There are reasons that people describe long and difficult tasks as marathons. The main reason is that they are long and difficult. Now difficult is not impossible, they are just difficult and you are prepared for that. It was difficult to get up the nerve to attend the first Marathon Makeover meeting. It was difficult to run that first mile in Belhaven. It was difficult to start getting up early every Saturday morning and meet to run before sunrise. It was difficult to run in the extreme heat for the 12 miler and 18 was hard, too.
My point is that you have encountered difficult and prevailed. There will be some difficult things you will face on the course in Chicago - and I don't know what it will be. It might be nerves, blisters, cramps or it might be nagging doubts, surfacing stuff or just plain ole fatigue. Whatever it is, now is the time to decide.
The word "decide" come from the Latin meaning "to cut from". Deciding to finish is cutting from yourself any option other than to finish. Cutting from yourself any excuse to step to the side (barring injury that is life threatening). It is burning the ships and marching forward off the beach away from our comfortable, and known, ships we've created and into the battle and unknown.
Find your reasons in the next two weeks. Find your "Why's" to finish the race. When your "why's" are strong the how becomes inconsequential. Decide now. Decide before you get on the plane. Decide before you lace up your shoes. You are marathoners and you are ready. The only thing left is the decision to keep putting one foot in front of the other until the medal is placed around your neck and you are wrapped in the silver blanket and told - "Congratulations Marathoner!"
Robin, Matt and I are so proud to have taken this journey with you and we can't wait to see your success. In actuality, you've already won the race, the rest is the decision to enjoy your life and do the spectacular!
I don't want you to freak out AND I want you to prepare yourself for difficulties. There are reasons that people describe long and difficult tasks as marathons. The main reason is that they are long and difficult. Now difficult is not impossible, they are just difficult and you are prepared for that. It was difficult to get up the nerve to attend the first Marathon Makeover meeting. It was difficult to run that first mile in Belhaven. It was difficult to start getting up early every Saturday morning and meet to run before sunrise. It was difficult to run in the extreme heat for the 12 miler and 18 was hard, too.
My point is that you have encountered difficult and prevailed. There will be some difficult things you will face on the course in Chicago - and I don't know what it will be. It might be nerves, blisters, cramps or it might be nagging doubts, surfacing stuff or just plain ole fatigue. Whatever it is, now is the time to decide.
The word "decide" come from the Latin meaning "to cut from". Deciding to finish is cutting from yourself any option other than to finish. Cutting from yourself any excuse to step to the side (barring injury that is life threatening). It is burning the ships and marching forward off the beach away from our comfortable, and known, ships we've created and into the battle and unknown.
Find your reasons in the next two weeks. Find your "Why's" to finish the race. When your "why's" are strong the how becomes inconsequential. Decide now. Decide before you get on the plane. Decide before you lace up your shoes. You are marathoners and you are ready. The only thing left is the decision to keep putting one foot in front of the other until the medal is placed around your neck and you are wrapped in the silver blanket and told - "Congratulations Marathoner!"
Robin, Matt and I are so proud to have taken this journey with you and we can't wait to see your success. In actuality, you've already won the race, the rest is the decision to enjoy your life and do the spectacular!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Easy Does It!
Marathoners! You've come so far and now it is important that you take it easy! Slow down your pace, relax and keep moving but now it is all about replenishing your energy for the big day in a couple of weeks. I heard some of you were still sore come Wednesday - you should be! That's why we have 3 weeks between the last LONG run and the marathon.
This is the time to eat right, move slow, sleep a lot and start visualizing your success in Chicago. Think about your boat tour and deep dish pizza on Friday, shopping on the Magnificent Mile on Saturday, celebrating with everyone Saturday night over pasta and getting a great night sleep for the marathon on Sunday. See the city blocks packed with the thousands of people just like you and think about how alive you will be every step of the way with 1.5 million people cheering you on to success. Tell yourself pain will not stop you and that you haven't come this far to pull out.
Tomorrow we start at 6AM to get a little extra rest and an easy 10 miles. We have the tickets and running jerseys and we are ready to see you in the morning. Way to go marathoners!
This is the time to eat right, move slow, sleep a lot and start visualizing your success in Chicago. Think about your boat tour and deep dish pizza on Friday, shopping on the Magnificent Mile on Saturday, celebrating with everyone Saturday night over pasta and getting a great night sleep for the marathon on Sunday. See the city blocks packed with the thousands of people just like you and think about how alive you will be every step of the way with 1.5 million people cheering you on to success. Tell yourself pain will not stop you and that you haven't come this far to pull out.
Tomorrow we start at 6AM to get a little extra rest and an easy 10 miles. We have the tickets and running jerseys and we are ready to see you in the morning. Way to go marathoners!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Confirmation
I got my confirmation ticket today! Yea! This is my 4th Chicago Marathon and I still like getting that little confirmation booklet. The dictionary defines confirm as "to strengthen (a person) in habit, resolution, opinion, etc."
That's what that little book does. It strengthens my habit and resolution to do and be my best. It strengthens my determination to reach as many as possible with the message of personal possibilities. So many people lead mediocre lives leaving so much on the table. They never risk. They never stretch. They never move out of their comfort zone.
When you received your confirmation book, you were given evidence of your strength of character and personal determination. You have made it so far and the only thing left is the baptism by miles and your final confirmation into the community of Marathoners!
To all of you who have arrived at the place to celebrate, with no regrets, your confirmation booklet - I AFFIRM you!
That's what that little book does. It strengthens my habit and resolution to do and be my best. It strengthens my determination to reach as many as possible with the message of personal possibilities. So many people lead mediocre lives leaving so much on the table. They never risk. They never stretch. They never move out of their comfort zone.
When you received your confirmation book, you were given evidence of your strength of character and personal determination. You have made it so far and the only thing left is the baptism by miles and your final confirmation into the community of Marathoners!
To all of you who have arrived at the place to celebrate, with no regrets, your confirmation booklet - I AFFIRM you!
Saturday, September 01, 2007
10 Miles and Yoga
I ran 10 miles this morning with Craig Flowers and we kept a steady 2:1 interval finishing in 1:52. It was a great run and I felt great the whole way. Afterwards, Robin, Anna and I went to Beagle Bagel and got some grub and talked with Suzanne and Chuck. Great time!
I got home and unloaded the coolers with Robin and while she was washing them and Anna was sleeping, I started my P90X yoga video. It's 90 minutes of kick butt yoga and sweated like a mama-jamma! I was sweating as much inside with the A/C at 72 as I did running 10 miles outside. Wow! I love the yoga and the stretching and strengthening is making a huge difference! I hope all of you who can will make Heather's yoga class.
Went to Newk's again and now Robin and I are heading to dinner at Applebee's with Scotty and his wife Amy. I gotta stop eating out!!!
Keep blogging and jogging!!!
I got home and unloaded the coolers with Robin and while she was washing them and Anna was sleeping, I started my P90X yoga video. It's 90 minutes of kick butt yoga and sweated like a mama-jamma! I was sweating as much inside with the A/C at 72 as I did running 10 miles outside. Wow! I love the yoga and the stretching and strengthening is making a huge difference! I hope all of you who can will make Heather's yoga class.
Went to Newk's again and now Robin and I are heading to dinner at Applebee's with Scotty and his wife Amy. I gotta stop eating out!!!
Keep blogging and jogging!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)