The middle of August in Southern Virginia means the same thing as the middle of July….HEAT and HUMIDITY.
It also means I’m stuck inside most of the day….except at 5 in the morning (by the way it was still 80 at 5 in the morning today).
In honor of better, colder times…here’s what I’d much rather be doing right now:
My favorite Waterfall on the Blue Ridge Parkway- Skinny Dip Falls on a cold October afternoon on Mancation
Recently I feel as if I’ve been complacent.
Going through the motions. Like I’ve been doing just enough to get by.
I’ll do the same old workout in the gym. Run the same old routes at the same old pace. Do the same old yoga videos.
Start my morning the same exact way.
Go on this blog and post some lackluster post. Giving it about 10% of my effort.
That’s unacceptable. I hold myself to a higher standard.
I need to follow my own advice and stop riding this wave of momentum. So I’m going to intentionally steer my ship in the direction I want it to be on.
Step one: Find something to train for. Check! I now have two months to train for a 50k in Castle Rock, Colorado. Nutrition, strength training, endurance, and recovery all have a new goal to focus on.
Step two: Change my morning routine. Wake up and do something PRODUCTIVE. Meditate, gentle yoga, go to the gym, write, work on a project….anything besides sitting down and eating my breakfast in front of the TV and checking Facebook.
Step three: In fact, check social media only once a day. What the hell am I missing by doing this?? Absolutely nothing. Recently I’ve been telling myself that I’m only getting on to see updates of the 14ersproject anyways.
Step four: Find time to sit in quiet with my thoughts. I don’t need to be constantly entertained all day with noise. If I can do this then I will begin to organize my goals and begin to move forward on them.
I’m going to start with these four steps and see where it takes me.
Good luck to you on your journey!
What are you dedicated to?
What areas of your life are you trying to improve?
How are you becoming a better person? (We can all get better)
How can you use the powers of consistence and persistence to reach your goals?
What are your weaknesses and what are your strengths?
How can you use your strengths to improve your weaknesses?
These questions are important ones to answer every few months or so. I believe in the power of frequent self evaluation. This helps me control my own life and keep me on the path of INTENTION and prevents zombifying my life by riding the wave of MOMENTUM.
Now I’m gonna spend the morning really considering and answering these. Happy Tuesday!
Thanks for reading. Good luck on your journey!
**** humidity!
Fill in the little stars with whatever four letter word you want, but understand that in my eyes its intended to start with an ‘F’.
Blah what a hot, humid, soul crushing long run this morning.
12 miles usually isn’t too bad….in the spring, fall and winter. In summer (summer is coming) it is an energy zapping goliath EFFORT!
When it is already 80 degrees and 70% humidity at 8 in the morning you know you are in for a hellish workout.
Here’s what I learned about myself this morning:
“Listen brain, I said TWELVE MILES and by golly we are going to do TWELVE MILES!!”
“Wow you are super cool for saying ‘by golly’…that’s what all the kids are saying these days.”
“Quiet you!”
To prepare for my upcoming athletic events (which as of right now consist solely on climbing the second highest mountain in Colorado next week and preparing for the sleepless nights of newborn dadhood) I must choose to embrace Obstacles. (This word is underlined, bolded, and in italics…must be important!)
Humidity is just an obstacle.
When you’re trying to finish 12 miles, it is a craptastic should destroying obstacle, but its JUST an obstacle nonetheless.
Life will present you PLENTY of obstacles, use them to better yourself!! But be aware to not let the obstacles use you. Don’t back down from these barriers.
View them for what they are- simply stepping stones to accomplishment.
Obstacle appears, you embrace the challenge, you figure out how to get past the obstacle and take home the lessons learned for obstacles to come, a new obstacle appears.
That’s how it is. In that sense I’m grateful that it was humid and I had to deal with adversity on what should have been an ‘easyish’ workout.
On the other hand I stick with my original “**** humidity “statement!
I was drenched instantly and had to deal with attempting to stay hydrated with only two bottles of water.
In retrospect, I should have packed some electrolytes and maybe a third bottle, but the intense humidity popped up unexpectedly to me (although if I had any sense I would have just googled the weather).
Guess I learned some lessons from today’s obstacles.
Sometimes I go on “cruise control” and although I’m working out or running I’m essentially going through the motions.
Am I challenging myself? Nope….I’ve done this workout a billion times before.
When I have an upcoming race or an event to train for this doesn’t happen as often as each workout becomes important to get my body ready for the event. Unfortunately, I don’t have anything on the schedule right now. Maybe this is a clue that “Time to search for the next thing to train for.”
Needless to say today taught me that it’s good to get pushed out of my comfort zone every so often.
At the end of the run, I was drenched. I looked like someone just heaved me in a river, clothes and all. For the last 7 miles, my soaking wet running shoes would squish and slosh with every step I took. Afterwards I poured probably a good 20 oz bottle worth of sweat out of them (hey…I didn’t say this blog was going to skimp on the grubby details, did I?).
Now I’m at home having spent the last two hours chugging water.
I’m glad I did it. Glad I finished the twelve miles.
I’m sitting here basking in the glory of that feeling of accomplishment that you get when you actually finish something that your brain and body wanted nothing more than to quit.
Feels pretty damn good!
Hope you go out and overcome some obstacles today.
Thanks for reading!
One of my best friends is in the midst of his 14ers Project where he is hiking 75 mountains in 75 days and filming a documentary. We’re not talking about “small” mountains, we are talking the 14ers- the tallest ones in the contiguous United States!
As of today he has finished 15 and is going strong! Please support him by following Calvin.Johannsen on instagram or the hashtag #14ersproject or #75mtns75days
If you are in Colorado, California or Washington feel free to join him by contacting him by filling out the participation form here. He’s currently in Colorado in the middle of the “Collegiate Peaks”, the massive mountains lining the skyline between Buena Vista and Leadville, and is hopefully part way up Mt. Yale this morning.
Why climb a 14er??? Why not??
It’ll be one of the best experiences you have…that’s a promise!
Come on how could you not be inspired by this beautiful mountain climbing man??
Day 1:
My throats a little itchy…My 2 year old has been feverish for four days…I stayed home with her, sat by her, took care of her while she was coughing in my face, blowing snot rockets, and wiping her nose on my arm.
I won’t catch it though. I’m indestructible. Lets go on a run!
Wow what a beautiful run! A little slower than normal…but that’s cause I was taking in the beauty of Asheville…right? A couple coughing fits…no biggie.
Ok tomorrow morning I’ll do my long run at 5am.
Day 2:
5am alarm. I could always use a day off. Alright rest day today, long run tomorrow. My throats a little sore…weird?
10am. Cough, cough. Maybe its allergies.
11am. Yay my daughter’s fever is gone!!! Good for her. I’m glad this household is finally done being sick.
Noon. Holy shit….I feel lightheaded.
1pm. Yup….I have a fever now.
5pm. Alright the fevers gone! Maybe it was only a quick sickness (contrary to it taking 6 days for my daughter to get over).
6pm. Long run tomorrow!!! Better set my alarm.
10pm. F*** the fevers back.
Day 3
Well I’m now in a pile of my own sweat, shaking profusely. Looks like rest day #2! That’s cool my body probably needs it. I’ve been pushing pretty hard this summer.
Lets just watch movies on the couch all day!
Day 4
Alright this has to be the last day of this fever. Oh my god…its still there! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Ok, calm down, you got this. More movies??? scroll through Netflix, HBO, Youtube….shit I’ll even scroll through Vimeo.
Nothing. Nothing I want to watch.
Put on my favorite race day “Table Rock Ultra” shirt to feel better as I wallow in my own virus-infected bodily fluids….
My mom just got back from mountain biking in Moab. My dad is about to embark on a 6 week road trip to Alaska. One of my best friends is three days into his quest to hike 75 mountains in 75 days (14ersproject.org) Another best friend has lost a bunch of weight being consistent and persistent in his running and diet. I have a cousin who is 2 months away from a multi day stage race in Iceland (runiceland.org) My wife is finishing her 3 year medical residency (really an 11 year grind). And there’s probably hundreds of other people in my life doing amazing things!
Last summer I turned to the Iron Cowboy for my daily inspiration as he completed 50 ironmans in 50 states in 50 days. To find this year’s motivation I have to look no further than the people closest to me. That’s quite incredible. I don’t think everyone is able to say that.
So today I want to express gratitude for everyone in my life who is out there accomplishing their dreams, striving to make themselves better, and exploring this beautiful world.
I’m a lucky man to have these adventurers in my life. I’ve been raised to love the outdoors, to seek exploration, and to realize the importance of seeking life journeys. I am surrounded by people whom I care about who share the same ideals. You guys all inspire me to be a better person and to reach higher than I thought possible.
Thank you so much for the joy you bring.
I’m so grateful for the last few days as I’ve had the opportunity to grace myself with so much wonderful knowledge and experiences about POISON IVY.
It’s been a constant joy trying to fight off the “itch demons” every second of every single day. (Don’t itch, don’t itch, don’t itch, don’t itch)
I can’t be more thankful for the opportunity to see more and more rashes pop up when I periodically glance in the mirror.
I am very much a better man because I now understand that poison ivy can last quite a few weeks and end in permanent scarring. (Don’t itch, don’t itch, don’t itch, don’t itch)
I can truly say I enjoy waking up in the middle of the night desperately unconsciously scratching the hell out of the back of my knee.
It’s been so rewarding rubbing steroid cream all over my legs every few hours. (Don’t itch, don’t itch, don’t itch)
I love seeing the horrified look on the faces of my friends as I show them my grotesque legs.
I feel so blessed because I get to explain to my two year old that her dear old dad got a “boo boo” because he was running where he shouldn’t.
I’m basking in the glory of my wife’s “I told you so” during our discussions of the correlation between my trail running and the chance of getting poison ivy.
(F*** it…..SCRATCH SCRATCH SCRATCH! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh……..sweet relief)
In all seriousness…I’m just glad I didn’t wipe with the three leaved demon.
Ultrarunning: The only sport where last place gets a standing ovation
BACKSTORY
This is Western States 100. The biggest ultra running event in the United States.
Participants have 30 hours to finish. If they can’t make the cutoffs they get pulled from the race.
The race ends after 99 miles through the Sierra Nevada Mountains when participants run around a high school track in Auburn California.
Gunhild Swanson finished the race with 6 seconds to spare with exhausted legs and a tough as nails heart.
Hope this inspires you to do something awesome on this beautiful Thursday!
Good luck to all the Western States runners this weekend! I’ll be following all the awesome feeds on Twitter.
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