(308,1,'2017-01-08 10:56:02','2017-01-08 15:56:02','This has got to be the <b>single most frustrating thing</b> that has happened to me in recent memory.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LjWZ6besTZQ/VD8xoVhjtFI/AAAAAAAAKvw/KeXo9vefYKs/s1600/brokenlegbeast.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LjWZ6besTZQ/VD8xoVhjtFI/AAAAAAAAKvw/KeXo9vefYKs/s1600/brokenlegbeast.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\">For those who may not have read, <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/10/Beast2014.html\">I finished the Spartan Beast at Mt. Killington, VT</a> (their World Championship course)...but long story short I broke my knee in the process. Now, I\'m left with the aftermath - recovery, healing, and attempting to live daily life pretty much without the use of my left leg (for 6 - 12 weeks).&nbsp;</div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\">Today marks the halfway point through my \"initial recovery\"...but man...<b>I\'ve about had it.&nbsp;</b></div><i>(Forewarning - some pictures in this post might be slightly...gross.)</i><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><a href=\"https://www.blogger.com/null\" name=\"more\"></a><br /><b>Injury sucks.&nbsp;</b> I really don\'t know how else to put it. For those who have had to deal with it, I\'m sure you understand. For those who haven\'t...<b>be glad</b>.<br /><br />For \"Average Joe\" an injury is a big fat inconvenience... but as a fitness freak and a runner this is about a million times worse. But...before I launch into a rambling tirade...<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">So, what actually HAPPENED?</span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NmsiirqE_RY/VD81dH-svGI/AAAAAAAAKv8/lee2h0KHzKQ/s1600/IMG_20140921_144024.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NmsiirqE_RY/VD81dH-svGI/AAAAAAAAKv8/lee2h0KHzKQ/s1600/IMG_20140921_144024.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"180\" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>The Beast </b>was about 16.5 miles long. I went up ~6,500 ft and down ~6,500 ft. I must\'ve done around 200 burpees (maybe more). <b>It took me 10 hours 16 minutes</b>. By the time I got to the very end - the Fire Jump - I was pooped. I\'m talking a level of honest-to-God <i><u>exhaustion</u></i> I didn\'t know existed. <b>I saw the finish</b>. I ran. I <i>leaped</i>. I <u>hurdled</u> myself over those burning logs like I was about to win the Boston Marathon. It was <b>right there</b>...I was FINALLY about to finish!<br /><br /><b>Unfortunately</b>, the last bit of strength I had went into the lift-off....and <b>I had nothing left for the landing</b>.<br /><br />Do me a favor - stand up (yes, right now) and jump. Notice how when you land you bend your legs and kind of shock-absorb yourself?<br /><br /><b>Yeah...that didn\'t happen for me.</b><br /><br />So, when I landed, my femur (thigh bone) took my full weight plus my momentum and hammered it directly down into my tibia (calf/shin bone). My \"medial tibial plateau\" (the top side of the tibia facing the other leg) cracked under the pressure.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdD77Hm-ZYo/VD87wNhWjLI/AAAAAAAAKw4/ttrrgWjwl4c/s1600/IMG_20140929_141814679_HDR.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdD77Hm-ZYo/VD87wNhWjLI/AAAAAAAAKw4/ttrrgWjwl4c/s1600/IMG_20140929_141814679_HDR.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>I now have a titanium plate in my left leg. </b>It has some lovely screws and elegant swelling to go with it. From date of surgery I\'m looking at 6 weeks until I can bear weight on the leg and an estimated 12 weeks until I\'m running races unrestricted.<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">So here I am.</span></b><br /><b><br /></b><b>In the grand scheme of things, </b>it could be a lot worse. I could have soft tissue damage (ACL, MCL, etc). My knee could be <i>really, really </i>damaged and require much longer to heal. I could be looking at <i>never running again</i>.&nbsp;<b>But it\'s not, it doesn\'t, and I\'m not</b>. I got lucky.<br /><br /><b>And instead of being grateful, I\'m whining.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Why? </b><strike>Because I\'m useless.</strike>&nbsp;Because I <i>FEEL</i> <b>useless</b>. I have to use crutches to get around, so I can\'t really carry things. Sure, I can throw on a backpack, sling my laptop bag and my lunch bag on...but then my balance is so whacked I fall over if someone breaths on me the right way. I can\'t do so many of the things I took for granted 4 weeks ago.<br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OHLc2MqsTbQ/VD87mtM3JxI/AAAAAAAAKwo/FRxIUuFXfNw/s1600/IMG_20141007_125710263.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OHLc2MqsTbQ/VD87mtM3JxI/AAAAAAAAKwo/FRxIUuFXfNw/s1600/IMG_20141007_125710263.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a><br /><br />I feel like an incredible burden on those around me - my friends and family who are helping me out <b>immensely</b>&nbsp;during this challenge. My poor wife...the \"in sickness and in health\" clause got invoked WAY before either of us expected.<br /><b><br /></b><b>And to top it all off, I can\'t run or work out!&nbsp;</b><br /><b><br /></b>I am a runner, a fitness freak, and <b>a gym manager</b>. I go to work 5 or 6 days a week and stare at treadmills I can\'t run on. I see weights I can\'t lift. I see all my members doing what I want to leap up and do.&nbsp;<b>It\'s maddening</b>.<br /><br />It makes the little victories and the progress difficult to appreciate.<br /><br />My swelling has gone down. I can get through the day-to-day without painkillers (not even Tylenol!). I can rest my foot on the ground enough to balance myself (but no more weight than that).<br /><br />Yesterday I even had a major milestone: &nbsp;<b>I hit 90 degrees range of motion.</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cC_erJwY-1o/VD9BWPIF5gI/AAAAAAAAKxM/TamiEvC3c9U/s1600/IMG_20141015_110301762_HDR.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cC_erJwY-1o/VD9BWPIF5gI/AAAAAAAAKxM/TamiEvC3c9U/s1600/IMG_20141015_110301762_HDR.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>But as soon as I\'m done celebrating, its not long before I\'m reminded of the frustrations. Y\'know, when <b>I can\'t carry the coffee pot</b> to the sink to fill it with water.<br /><br /><b>I know this will pass.</b>&nbsp;Before I know it I\'ll be weight-bearing and then it\'ll be leaps and bounds and I\'ll be cycling, on the elliptical, and then back on the road. Until then, I need to focus on the progress, the little victories, and my rehab plan. I have to figure out how to workout once I\'m cleared to weight-bear.<br /><br /><b>Focus on the positives. </b>My leg and my body may have found their breaking point, but I can\'t let my spirit and my mind find theirs. I will come back from this stronger and smarter than before.<br /><br />After everything I\'ve been through, <b>nothing is going to keep me down.</b><br /><br />','Breaking Point ...Literally','','inherit','closed','closed','','61-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 10:56:02','2017-01-08 15:56:02','',61,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/61-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_ryff_posts` VALUES (309,1,'2017-01-08 10:56:19','2017-01-08 15:56:19','It\'s been two weeks...it\'s finally time to talk about this. On September 20th, 2014 I did the single most challenging thing I have ever done in my life -<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>The Spartan Race Beast at Mt. Killington, VT.</b></span><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o9Pq39zt0sg/VDKYPeJq4uI/AAAAAAAAKjQ/4S7GScQIeGY/s1600/Beast-black.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o9Pq39zt0sg/VDKYPeJq4uI/AAAAAAAAKjQ/4S7GScQIeGY/s1600/Beast-black.jpg\" /></a></div><b>The VT Beast.</b> I thought I knew...I thought I could take it like a champ. I thought I\'d be ready - <b>really</b>&nbsp;ready.<br /><br /><b>I had no idea...</b><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b>Forewarning: this is going to be long. &nbsp;Here\'s the short version:</b><br /><b><br /></b>Some say this race was unnecessarily brutal. Others say it SHOULD be - its the VT Beast... its the World Championship! Whichever camp you belong to, one thing is certain - this is the most difficult Beast that Spartan has ever offered up for our masochistic pleasure. Many succeeded, but many did not. <b>This race broke people.</b> The victories were hard-won. The failures hurt (literally and metaphorically).<br /><br />Stats:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-l4lZ2-65o/VDPE6rwmYrI/AAAAAAAAKjw/E8OQEh7Eywc/s1600/10534253_10205603262067258_7856677417406428934_n.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-l4lZ2-65o/VDPE6rwmYrI/AAAAAAAAKjw/E8OQEh7Eywc/s1600/10534253_10205603262067258_7856677417406428934_n.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"300\" /></a></div><br />Distance:<br />Spartan measured about 14 miles<br />everyone else measured about 16.5+ miles<br /><br />Elevation gain / loss I have at roughly 6,500 ft. <b>each</b>.<br /><br />Time: the top elite man finished in 3 hrs 23 min. The majority of \"normal\" people seem to have finished in 8+ hrs.<br /><b><br /></b><b>I\'ve run a lot of races this year - </b>about 32 at this point. <b>None of them</b>&nbsp;could\'ve possibly prepared me for The Beast.<br /><br />The Spartan Race people themselves didn\'t exactly help with this \"preparation\" thing either. There were a number of things Spartan Race did, (and didn\'t do) that set people up for failure. From allowing newbies/rookies to run in early afternoon waves (most had slim hopes of finishing / finishing in daylight) to not enforcing mandatory gear requirements (headlamps, glowsticks...even hydration packs), Spartan Race set many people up for a bad experience. Course safety was a concern as well - at a number of points spectators weren\'t exactly \"corralled\" away from runners behind caution tape. I distinctly remember actually having to meander THROUGH a crowd of spectators after the tractor pull to continue my race.<br /><br /><b>But overall</b>, despite the organizational shortcomings and the incredibly difficult course...this was still a great Obstacle Course Race. It challenged me, it pushed me farther than I\'ve ever been pushed before, and it taught me a lot. There was decent race support (hydration), there were medics everywhere, lots of volunteers, and I got a sweet (special) finisher\'s medal. <b>There\'s a video near the bottom of this post that you should watch.</b><br /><br /><b>Still interested? Read on...because there\'s more to it.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">For those who DON\'T know</span></b> - Spartan Race is an obstacle course race series. They offer different distances, the most popular and widely known being:<br /><br /><ul><li>Sprint (3+ miles, 15+ obstacles, red logo)</li><li>Super (8+ miles, 20+ obstacles, blue logo)</li><li>Beast (12+ miles, &nbsp;25+ obstacles, green logo)&nbsp;</li></ul><br />They have each of these distances all over the country (and world)...but Killington, VT is home to the mother of them all. The Beast at Mt. Killington is so big, so bad, so <b>brutal</b>...that it was made their World Championship event (hence why most times I simply refer to it as \"<b>The</b> Beast\"). The top of the top, the \"elite elites\" generally finish in the rough neighborhood of 3.5 hours (give or take a half hour). \"Normal\" people finish anywhere from 7 - 9 hours (typically). Newbies and the ill-prepared can typically take over 10 hours...or not even finish. That said, one of the most important things to take away from this post is<strike>...unless you\'re an \"Elite Elite\"</strike>:<br /><br /><b>This race is NOT a race - it is a <u>test</u>, and NOT everyone will pass -</b><br /><br />- just as with any test. Yes, I think this even applies to the top Elites...its just so damn <i>difficult, </i>it\'s a test for everyone that does it...it\'s just a different sort of test for them.&nbsp;And, just as with any test, with adequate preparation you can not only pass - you can exceed expectations and rise to the top of the class. <b>I, however,</b> just barely made it out of this thing. It took everything I had...<u>and more</u>. I was not as prepared as I should\'ve been and though I got my finisher\'s medal...I paid the difference.<br /><table align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nc8YlNN_fvY/VDKgiW0OYyI/AAAAAAAAKjg/Dz7nMjxHEm4/s1600/DSC04755.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nc8YlNN_fvY/VDKgiW0OYyI/AAAAAAAAKjg/Dz7nMjxHEm4/s1600/DSC04755.jpg\" height=\"300\" width=\"400\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Photo Credit - Kim Overstreet - Ragnarok Training - Lincoln, RI</td></tr></tbody></table><b>More on that later...</b><br /><b><br /></b><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>What can you say about The Beast?</b></span><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BZvcVqcbLco/VDPJSZ13PFI/AAAAAAAAKj8/pzWQPNz8TVM/s1600/norm.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BZvcVqcbLco/VDPJSZ13PFI/AAAAAAAAKj8/pzWQPNz8TVM/s1600/norm.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"213\" /></a></div>It\'s <b>probably</b>&nbsp;harder than any race you\'ve done before. <b>Yes, </b>even if you\'ve done The Beast before, this time, it will probably be harder. Norm Koch, the Spartan Race Director and Course Designer...well...though I understand he\'s a generally happy person that really enjoys life...when you\'re out on that course...I really though he <b>wasn\'t hugged enough as a child</b>. <a href=\"http://www.mudandadventure.com/norm-koch-spartan-race-director-qa-the-beast-behind-the-beast/\">He openly admits that he has set athletes up for failure and would rather be called a bastard (than congratulated for good design) when you cross (or don\'t cross) the finish line beaten, bloody and broken.</a><br /><br /><b>I definitely felt that sentiment. </b>But the man sure can\'t be accused of designing a wimpy, boring, or predictable course. <i><b>That\'s for sure.</b></i><br /><br /><b>I was, however, a bit disappointed </b>that many of the traditionally more challenging obstacles (rope climb, Hercules Hoist, ...2nd...Spear Throw...) weren\'t until very late in the course. I had hopes of my first successful rope climb that day...<b>didn\'t happen</b>. Speaking of disappointment...<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XjXfAWH6FIg/VDS3pqNEYZI/AAAAAAAAKkY/WrLh_0t0qjs/s1600/my%2Bbad.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XjXfAWH6FIg/VDS3pqNEYZI/AAAAAAAAKkY/WrLh_0t0qjs/s1600/my%2Bbad.jpg\" /></a></div><b>As far as my earlier comments</b>&nbsp;about Spartan Race setting people up for failure? There is typically (read: always) a \"racer packet\" that goes out maybe a week before the race listing all the important information for the day, any required gear, etc. This packet didn\'t go out until a few days (max) before the race. The packet listed a&nbsp;<i>working</i>&nbsp;headlamp, two glow sticks (that you can attach to yourself front/back) and your own source of hydration as&nbsp;<b>mandatory</b>&nbsp;gear. It was clearly stated that you would not be allowed to start without a hydration pack of some sort. It was also stated that if you came across a time cutoff and did not have a working headlamp or glow sticks you would DNF.&nbsp;As I understand it - <b>this did not happen</b>. I\'ve read many accounts saying that those who did not have headlamps were grouped with those who did. One person with a headlamp was made to wait at a checkpoint for people without. That person would then guide 3 lamp-less people through the remainder of the course. Given the very challenging terrain...<b>explain to me&nbsp;</b>how this is <b>safe</b> for those unprepared souls being guided or <b>fair</b> to the prepared participant made to guide? It was also made clear that a number of obstacles were to be closed at a certain point in time (for safety). It is incredibly unfortunate that one of these obstacles (Tyrolean Traverse) was late in the race. Right out of the gate, many people would not be allowed to participate in this obstacle due to start time and average completion time.<br /><br /><b>What bothered me most has to do with that last point</b>, however - that Spartan allowed people to<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zcYqR1n_rmc/VDS2GZH2oVI/AAAAAAAAKkM/CeYv-BGOO9M/s1600/misc-you-dont-say.png\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zcYqR1n_rmc/VDS2GZH2oVI/AAAAAAAAKkM/CeYv-BGOO9M/s1600/misc-you-dont-say.png\" /></a></div>register for early afternoon waves. Knowing this course was more difficult than in the past...knowing many of those people simply wouldn\'t have a chance to finish...how could they happily accept your money? When I registered (and perhaps I\'m remembering wrong), I don\'t recall having seen something advising me not to register for a late wave if I was inexperienced. Knowing I was green, I chose to register extra early (8:30 am \"confirmed\" start time). Maybe it\'s as simple as the old saying...<br /><br /><b>\"Proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance.\"</b><br /><br />But, as I said, despite those issues, I did experience a pretty smooth registration process, relatively organized \"everything\", and good race support.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ceY5h8zN7As/VDS_7CgCTsI/AAAAAAAAKlQ/AaW617EhR0Y/s1600/IMG_20140921_144024.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ceY5h8zN7As/VDS_7CgCTsI/AAAAAAAAKlQ/AaW617EhR0Y/s1600/IMG_20140921_144024.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"180\" /></a></div><b>The medical situation was similar - \"mostly\" good.</b><br /><b><br /></b>On the final obstacle of the race - the Fire Jump, I landed funny and broke my left medial tibial plateau. <b>For the record - I finished under my own power (rolling over the timing mat - I did have help under the actual arch).&nbsp;</b>The journey from the finish line to the med tent was drawn out, slightly confused, and had its fair share of miscommunication. Eventually, after my knee had successfully had time to swell like a watermelon, I arrived at the med tent to be treated to warmth, cup-o-noodles, and ice saran wrapped to my leg. This, unfortunately (though, predictably) was the extent of what they could do for me. To their credit, I will say they did seem genuinely concerned for my well-being, <b>and I certainly was comfortable in the med tent. </b>So there\'s that.<br /><br />On a lighter note:<br /><br /><b style=\"font-size: x-large;\">Running with a TomTom GPS watch </b>may have <b>changed the game</b> for me.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EQTfYl924ow/VDUhOObtfBI/AAAAAAAAKnI/oquJaKQ4IK4/s1600/Tom-tom-multi-sport.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EQTfYl924ow/VDUhOObtfBI/AAAAAAAAKnI/oquJaKQ4IK4/s1600/Tom-tom-multi-sport.png\" height=\"155\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />I ran The Beast with a <a href=\"http://www.tomtom.com/en_us/products/your-sports/\">TomTom Multi Sport</a> GPS watch. I usually run road races with Runkeeper on my phone, and I normally don\'t have any tracking at all (GPS or not) during Obstacle Races. This time, however, <b>I did</b>. I have to say, I think it made all the difference in helping me keep my sanity, helping me know where I stand, and helping me maintain proper calorie intake and hydration throughout the race. I love it, and it did really well for me, but I\'ll talk more about it in a dedicated review (which will come very soon).<br /><br /><b>Speaking of calorie intake</b>&nbsp;- when you\'re running a half-marathon that can take you 1.5 to 2.5 hours, eating some calories is important. Can you just <b>IMAGINE </b>how important, then, eating something during a 16.5 mile, 7+ hour event like <b>this</b> is? If you wait until you\'re thirsty to drink, or until you\'re hungry to eat...<b>it\'s already too late</b>. I packed a <b>LOT</b>&nbsp;of food for The Beast, and I ate nearly all of it. I also drained my 3 liter hydration pack almost 3 full times.<b>&nbsp;Proper calorie planning is a major key </b>to success in The Beast. Much of what I ate consisted of <b><a href=\"http://www.healthwarrior.com/\">Health Warrior Chia Bars</a> - </b>they\'re stupidly tasty and have a TON of nutrients in them that your body will just soak right up, especially in circumstances like this race <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/01/ch-ch-ch-chia-health-warrior-chia-bar.html\">(see my review here)</a>. I love being part of <a href=\"http://www.healthwarrior.com/tribe/\">The Tribe</a> - it\'s one more way I\'m able to help inspire and motivate people to get out there and <i>do something, </i>whether they think its crazy or not.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGeDwJoI4QU/VDS8cPRV0tI/AAAAAAAAKlA/Btp0F-fv5Iw/s1600/health-warrior-bar-banner.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGeDwJoI4QU/VDS8cPRV0tI/AAAAAAAAKlA/Btp0F-fv5Iw/s1600/health-warrior-bar-banner.jpg\" height=\"180\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>For all those wondering about the obstacles themselves...</b></span><br /><br /><b>The full obstacle list, in order, is as follows:</b><br />1. Under/Over/Under<br />2. Over/Under/Through<br />3. Sandbag Carry 1 (45 lb pancake)<br />4. Bucket Brigade 1 (~80 lb bucket carry)<br />5. Traverse Wall<br />6. Tarzan Swing (swim, rope climb, tarzan swing, swim)<br />7. Atlas Carry (~120 lb stone)<br />8. Barbed Wire Crawl 1<br />9. Log Carry<br />10. Log Hop / Balance<br />11. 7 Foot Wall<br />12. Vertical Cargo Net<br />13. \"Big Cargo\" (at the mountaintop)<br />14. Tractor Pull<br />15. Memorization Wall<br />16. Spear Throw 1 (This is about where I lost my Battle Buddies Heather and Geoff)<br />17. Inverted Wall<br />18. Bucket Brigade 2<br />19. Tire Pull<br />20. Sandbag Carry 2 (70 lb bag)<br />21. \"PlatinumRig\"<br />22. Tyrolean Traverse<br />23. Memory Recall<br />24. Rope Climb<br />25. Spear Throw 2<br />26. 8\' Wall<br />27. Barbed Wire Crawl 2<br />28. Dunk Wall<br />29. Pipe Traverse<br />30. Hercules Hoist (45 lb women, 90 lb men)<br />31. Big...Climby...Thing...<br />32. Monkey Bars (varying heights)<br />33. Fire Jump<br /><br />But honestly, the biggest and baddest obstacle of this entire race is not in that list: <b>The Mountain</b>. I\'m not going to give a ridiculous in-depth heartfelt recounting of all the obstacles - I\'ll let my video below do that for me.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/6pdUNQ9TFAA\" width=\"560\"></iframe> <b>The short version: </b>I was beyond pleased with myself that I succeeded in the Traverse Wall, the Tyrolean Traverse, and the Hercules Hoist. Very disappointed about the PlatinumRig, Rope Climb, and Monkey Bars, and so close it was <i>heartbreaking</i> on my first Spear Throw. The steep, never-ending climbs and steeper, muddy, treacherous descents were incredibly challenging. The technical trails through the woods could (and probably did) end many peoples\' races with the greatest of ease.<br /><br /><b>Running with a Battle Buddy (or two) is a REALLY GOOD IDEA. </b>I ran with these two nuts Heather and Geoff...they were pretty hilarious and kept the pain to a dull roar for the first 9 miles until I lost them (or...they lost ME?). hah. Either way, it was really good to run with them while I did. Check out Heather\'s blog over at <a href=\"http://www.relentlessforwardcommotion.com/\">www.RelentlessForwardCommotion.com</a>.<br /><br /><b>But, in the end, I did finish. &nbsp;Despite all the negative</b>, I did finish. <b>Despite woeful lack of preparation</b>, I DID finish. And despite breaking my damn knee and having absolutely no gas left in the tank...<b>I. Did. FINISH. &nbsp;</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DtebSO3QKUc/VDTDNDKXUMI/AAAAAAAAKlo/VM2SIZdURus/s1600/IMG_20140924_200130838.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DtebSO3QKUc/VDTDNDKXUMI/AAAAAAAAKlo/VM2SIZdURus/s1600/IMG_20140924_200130838.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b><br /></b><span style=\"font-size: large; font-weight: bold;\">I learned a lot during this race. </span>Some of it I\'ll be keeping to myself, but I will share this: Like I said before - this race is not a race...it\'s a <b>test</b>. Through enduring the trials and tribulations of this monstrous test...I learned a lot both in general and about myself.&nbsp;<b>The Beast taught me about me.</b>&nbsp;I learned what my body can <b>physically do right now, </b>and the difference between that and where I want to be.&nbsp;I learned just how important <b>hydration and calories</b> are to athletic performance. I learned about <b>fatigue</b>. About <b>willpower </b>and the strength of an <b>unbreakable, unshakable spirit</b>. About the value of teamwork, friendship, and camaraderie. I learned the <b>value of each moment</b> spent in training and preparation for any test life puts before you, be it schoolwork, children, marriage, or a physical endurance test such as The Beast. Not only that, I learned the value of each moment <b>period</b>, and <b>how quickly the winds of fortune can change</b> when you least expect it.<br /><b><br /></b><b>But, perhaps most importantly...</b>I learned that if you really want something bad enough you can <b>defy all odds</b> and rip it from the cold, greedy hands of Fate<b>.&nbsp;</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>It\'s incredible to think</b>&nbsp;that this time a year ago I was getting ready for my first half-marathon...and this time two years ago I had just barely begun my fitness journey and was still about 300 lbs...wondering if I\'d ever shrink below a 42\" waist pant.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1NlnGgWJ74M/VDTEidSj2FI/AAAAAAAAKl0/kk4S1KWyHWM/s1600/impossiblekillington.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1NlnGgWJ74M/VDTEidSj2FI/AAAAAAAAKl0/kk4S1KWyHWM/s1600/impossiblekillington.jpg\" height=\"266\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br /><b>Nothing is impossible. </b>Set a goal and <b>go get it! </b>I\'ll see you at next year\'s VT Beast.<br /><br />','The Beast','','inherit','closed','closed','','62-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 10:56:19','2017-01-08 15:56:19','',62,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/62-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(310,1,'2017-01-08 10:56:37','2017-01-08 15:56:37','72 hours from this moment, this moment that I\'m writing this...\"the gun will go off\", so to speak, and I will begin what will be the most difficult race I\'ve ever run...The Vermont Spartan Beast. It will test me, it will try me, and it will push me to my limits. It will show me what I\'m really made of. And y\'know what I\'ve come to accept?<br /><br /><b>I must not fear.</b><br /><div><br /></div><div>I must not fear The Mountain. I must not fear The Beast. I just have to put one foot in front of the other and <b>do it</b>. It\'s JUST a hike up a mountain. A really long hike...up a really steep mountain...with lots of obstacles...<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HFaiP35bqKo/VBmZjgvkSZI/AAAAAAAAKU4/uuWAwnlLmP8/s1600/tired-looking-at-that.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HFaiP35bqKo/VBmZjgvkSZI/AAAAAAAAKU4/uuWAwnlLmP8/s1600/tired-looking-at-that.jpg\" height=\"213\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><a name=\'more\'></a><b><br /></b></div><div><b>NO BIG DEAL, RIGHT?!</b></div><div><br /><u style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Right.</u>&nbsp;SO WHAT if this is the first time I\'m running something so challenging? SO WHAT if it\'s going to be at least 14 miles and 3 or 4 times up and down Mt. Killington? SO WHAT if I\'ve NEVER run for 7+ hours in one go? And SO WHAT if the weather is unpredictable?&nbsp;I will admit - the last couple of weeks have been kind of an interesting roller coaster ride and frankly...I panicked a couple of times this past week. I heard it was going to be super cold, and I panicked about dressing warmly enough. I saw new obstacles that I wasn\'t expecting, and I panicked that I hadn\'t trained for them. I remembered I STILL can\'t climb a damn rope...and I panicked.<br /><br />But in the end, none of it matters. I have trained, I have prepared, and <b>I am as ready as I will ever be. </b>Self-doubt and worry will get me nowhere. I have to remember -&nbsp;<b>I signed up for this.</b>&nbsp;I wanted it. I wanted that race, I wanted that experience, and I wanted that finisher\'s medal and the amazing sense of accomplishment that goes along with it. It\'s time to <b>go get it</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I suppose this mindset should apply to anything in life, really. Any race or competition you have coming up, any big exam (you signed up for the class, right?), any event or task at work (you applied for the job, didn\'t you?)...it\'s all the same. Fear, negative anticipation, dread, wild speculation and hype...none of it helps you swing on those monkey bars...none of it helps you climb up that rope or tackle that big mile-long hike up a black diamond trail...all it does is suck away your energy, your will, and your emotional strength. <b>So why give in to it?</b><br /><br />Suck it up, buttercup. Put on your big boy/girl pants and spartan the f**k up or don\'t go on the mountain to begin with. I mean, you have to climb over a 6 foot wall to get to the starting corral...<b>did you think this was going to be easy? </b>As a wise man once said (very recently) - \"<span style=\"background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, \'lucida grande\', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 21.466667175293px;\">Every single person reading this can finish - if you chose to. You can DNF right now, three days early - if you chose to let it get to you.\"</span><br /><br />I have accepted what is coming, and I\'m ready for this. There\'s no room for fear, just total ass-kickery.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-48o4tcZCeAQ/VBmfWOXgk3I/AAAAAAAAKVU/Suexh42FD3Y/s1600/IMG_20140810_150008684.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-48o4tcZCeAQ/VBmfWOXgk3I/AAAAAAAAKVU/Suexh42FD3Y/s1600/IMG_20140810_150008684.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"235\" /></a></div>So when you start worrying yourself silly...just remember the little gem below from one of my favorite books (this is The Litany Against Fear...bonus points if you know what book its from)</div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mu-UbW8ackU/VBoOrPwOQBI/AAAAAAAAKVk/IRD7F7OHkfM/s1600/litany-against-fear-killington.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mu-UbW8ackU/VBoOrPwOQBI/AAAAAAAAKVk/IRD7F7OHkfM/s1600/litany-against-fear-killington.jpg\" height=\"332.5\" width=\"500\" /></a></div><br /><div><b>See you at the finish line.</b></div></div>','Fear Is The Mind-Killer','','inherit','closed','closed','','63-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 10:56:37','2017-01-08 15:56:37','',63,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/63-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(311,1,'2017-01-08 10:56:56','2017-01-08 15:56:56','As we get closer and closer...I can\'t believe I set myself up for this. September is going to push me to my limits. September is going to show me what I\'m really made of. September is going to show me exactly how far I\'ve come and what I can really do.<br /><br /><b>If it doesn\'t kill me first. </b><br /><br />September I face back to back to back weekends of pain...with a 5K kicker on the 4th weekend. And the hardest part of it all...the Coup De Gras...<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-amillRsdPZg/U_dKh9NdWhI/AAAAAAAAJGk/wDslkdv3kXk/s1600/Spartan-Beast.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-amillRsdPZg/U_dKh9NdWhI/AAAAAAAAJGk/wDslkdv3kXk/s1600/Spartan-Beast.jpg\" /></a></div>On the 3rd weekend - Saturday, September 20th...I take on the Spartan Beast Vermont. 12+ miles of pain and suffering up, down, and all around Mt. Killington, VT.<br /><br /><b>What did I get myself into...</b><br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b>It\'s been a hell of a year so far</b>...and it\'s not over yet. With the Falmouth Road Race, 4 half-marathons, and my first outdoor Spartan Sprint behind me (which, by the way, was SUPER hard)...I now have September to look ahead to...<br /><br /><b>and lucky me, it\'s right around the corner</b>.<br /><br />So what, exactly, is so awful about September? <b>Let me break it down for you:</b><br /><br /><b>Weekend 1:</b><br />September 6th (Saturday) - Run to the Rock Half-Marathon in Plymouth, MA<br />(Sponsor - Cape Cod Nutrition Corner)<br /><br /><b>Weekend 2:&nbsp;</b><br />September 13th (Saturday) - BoldrDash Mud Race (5K Obstacle Race) in Exeter, RI<br />September 14th (Sunday) - Michelob Ultra Boston 13.1 (half-marathon) in Boston, MA<br /><br /><b>Weekend 3:&nbsp;</b><br />September 20th (Saturday) - <u>Spartan Beast, Vermont</u> (12+ mile obstacle race) on Mt. Killington, VT<br /><b> </b>(Sponsor - Health Warrior)<br /><br /><b>Weekend 4:</b><br />September 28th (Sunday) - Craft Brew Races 5K (5K and craft beer festival) in Falmouth, MA<br /><b> </b>(Sponsor - Sportclips Falmouth)<br /><b> </b><br /><b> </b><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>&nbsp;</b></span><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>whoa.</b></span><br /><br />I\'ve had triple-booked weekends (here, here and here), I\'ve had back to back races in the same morning (here) but <i>this</i>...this is a whole n\'other animal. I do not recommend doing this. <br /><br />Best thing I can do is keep running, keep up my strength training, and make sure I\'m about as prepared as I can be. I guess if you see me still posting in October you\'ll know I\'ve survived. <br /><br />For once...I\'m speechless. There\'s really just not much more to say. Check out these videos for an idea of what I\'m up against.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/qeLbT3Os3fM\" width=\"560\"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/de9UaSTfb3s\" width=\"560\"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/KfO7VPe9ME4\" width=\"560\"></iframe><br /><br />See you on the other side.','September...There Is No Being Ready For This...','','inherit','closed','closed','','64-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 10:56:56','2017-01-08 15:56:56','',64,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/64-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(312,1,'2017-01-08 10:57:10','2017-01-08 15:57:10','<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>What a relief to FINALLY be getting caught up on all these race recaps and product reviews! I pretty much always go in order, but for now I\'m delaying the BoldrDash Beach Race recap (lots of video to edit). I also usually like to have recaps up within a few days after the race...but if you\'ve read my <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/06/when-life-gets-you-down-surfacing-from.html\">most recent article</a> you know what\'s up.&nbsp; <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zc5lGJzQZwA/U7Af55da7uI/AAAAAAAAIAQ/oOnMyqK-iXI/s1600/IMG_20140504_111539298.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zc5lGJzQZwA/U7Af55da7uI/AAAAAAAAIAQ/oOnMyqK-iXI/s1600/IMG_20140504_111539298.jpg\" height=\"229\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br />At any rate - today I have the distinct pleasure of talking about the race that began it all...and how things came full-circle one year later with a new PR :)<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Lovin\' L.I.F.E. 5K...</b></span><br /><br />This race was so early in my running career that I hadn\'t even created \"So THIS Is Fitness...\" yet! That said, I should do some explaining...<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UxxJ-4xeU34/U7ce-lVwWkI/AAAAAAAAICE/YYrXDGD9Kpw/s1600/12400_605858926109550_962739796_n.png\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UxxJ-4xeU34/U7ce-lVwWkI/AAAAAAAAICE/YYrXDGD9Kpw/s1600/12400_605858926109550_962739796_n.png\" height=\"313\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>Lovin\' L.I.F.E. is a charity 5K run/walk that benefits L.I.F.E.<br /><br /><b>OK...so what is L.I.F.E.?</b><br /><br />&nbsp;L.I.F.E. (Living Independently Forever) is a unique non-profit program that has been serving adults with learning and intellectual disabilities for more than 20 years. It\'s this little assisted living community tucked away in Mashpee, and you\'d never know it was anything short of normal...which, I suppose, is the point. They do great work at L.I.F.E. supporting their residents and encouraging them to live life to the fullest - they even have an athletic program, and many of the residents participate in the Special Olympics! <b>Pretty great if you ask me.</b><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>And it\'s where it all started for me</b></span><br /><br /><b>Lovin\' L.I.F.E. 5K was the very first race I ever ran</b>, and I was SO out of my element. The race was in early May, and I had only gone for my first run at the end of March...saying I was new and clueless is an understatement. Nevertheless, I had been working out hard and had made major progress over the 8 months leading up to the race, so I figured I could handle it. I made sure to get out there, run, and be as prepared as I could. Overall, I would say I did an OK job, especially considering how little I knew. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ChJDxmcTCUs/UgxBopuEU4I/AAAAAAAAELA/5CzLuzNJeDw/s1600/IMG_20130505_110659_774.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ChJDxmcTCUs/UgxBopuEU4I/AAAAAAAAELA/5CzLuzNJeDw/s1600/IMG_20130505_110659_774.jpg\" height=\"180\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>Race day came- and I felt ready. I was <b>so</b> pumped up and excited and I had my little cheering section there for encouragement. <b>I was gonna take on the world.</b> When it came time for the start, I lined myself right up at the front and was poised for the gun to go off (there wasn\'t a gun...just a \"GO!\").<br /><br /><b>Long story short</b> - I exceeded my own expectations. I was one of the leaders for a pretty decent portion of the race, ended up being one of the top finishers, and took 1st place in my age group. As I rounded the corner and saw the finish...I also saw the big L.E.D. clock with the time...and my jaw dropped...I was stunned with how well I did.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>One year later - another GREAT race!</b></span><br /><br />This year was much the same as last year - a large contingent of walkers, a lot of people out for a good time and a \"fun\" 5K...and a few people like me gunning for gold. I thought, considering my performance a year earlier, I might actually stand a chance at an overall podium finish...maybe even win the whole thing! I went out hungry for 1st place...it might be my only shot for a long time in a real race environment (spoiler alert: I\'m not THAT good of a racer). <br /><br /><b>The race began, and for almost a mile, I was in the lead! </b>Somewhere near the one mile mark, someone passed me<b> - </b>it was the guy that ended up winning. Come to find out...it was the SAME guy that won last year! That\'s ok though, I kept chugging along. Little by little, a few more people passed me along the way, but I kept on going...<i><b> </b></i><b>I was determined</b>. <br /><br />In the end, I came to the home stretch and I knew a PR was within my reach. I rounded the corner just like last year, saw the L.E.D. timing clock just like last year...and the afterburners kicked on to seal the deal.<b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dbNSpNaGlxk/U7fpEKWCIHI/AAAAAAAAICU/6hNBg_DC9SQ/s1600/lovin+life+results.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dbNSpNaGlxk/U7fpEKWCIHI/AAAAAAAAICU/6hNBg_DC9SQ/s1600/lovin+life+results.jpg\" height=\"228.8\" width=\"520\" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>I PR\'D! </b>I came in at 23:41 - 10 seconds off my Personal Record! <b>I came in 5th place out of 171 </b>and once again took 1st in my age group! I was SO happy - my one year race-aversary produced some stellar results and great memories. It was nice to have my mom and fiancee there to cheer me on and watch me finish, and during the awards ceremony the Race Director, Ian, even gave me a special little intro/shout out (he knew it had been my first race ever).<br /><br />All in all, I was THRILLED with the day. Lovin\' L.I.F.E. 5K is a GREAT local race, and I strongly recommend you register for it next year if you live in the area. This race holds a special place in my little fitness world, and I\'m sure no matter where I live I\'ll find an excuse each year to come back home for the first weekend in May to run this race. <br /><br />Everybody starts somewhere. Never forget where the journey began - you might lose sight of where you\'re going.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6q5J6E6lo0s/U7fu7FUkRcI/AAAAAAAAICs/jvB0JdDL0zc/s1600/neverforget.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6q5J6E6lo0s/U7fu7FUkRcI/AAAAAAAAICs/jvB0JdDL0zc/s1600/neverforget.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"381\" /></a></div>','One Year Of Running Races - Lovin\' L.I.F.E. 5K Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','65-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 10:57:10','2017-01-08 15:57:10','',65,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/65-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(313,1,'2017-01-08 10:57:40','2017-01-08 15:57:40','<span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Sometimes <i>Life</i> feels the need to test you.</b></span><br /><br />The last few months have been one of those times. <b>It\'s felt a lot like this:</b><br /><b><table align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_fg18LkeB-4/U67GaAUcTfI/AAAAAAAAH-I/PibTJqTKO6w/s1600/Tough+Mudder+Mid+Atlantic+Facebook2.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_fg18LkeB-4/U67GaAUcTfI/AAAAAAAAH-I/PibTJqTKO6w/s1600/Tough+Mudder+Mid+Atlantic+Facebook2.jpg\" height=\"319.5\" width=\"480\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Yes, that is a pool of Ice Water.</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b><br />The last few months have been a little insane, and it all started with my triple-booked race weekend (<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-1-herring.html\">here,</a> <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-2-262.html\">here,</a> and <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-3-spring.html\">here</a>). Despite the fact that a number of things are off my plate, I\'ve managed to get buried by what IS still there - <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/anytimefitnessmashpee\">new job</a>, <a href=\"http://www.theknot.com/wedding/Megan-Darrell\">my upcoming wedding</a>, the looming menace that is \"September\", and more. <b>This can, and DOES, happen to the best of us.</b> So <b>what do you do</b> when life keeps on knocking you down? What do you do when it\'s tough to keep up with your health and fitness? <b>How do you beat the <i>I don\'t have time</i> thing?</b><br /><br />...let me tell you a little story...<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Lately it\'s been tough to un-bury myself. </b></span><br /><br />That ever happen to you? I envisioned a quiet couple of months for the summer. I don\'t have many races scheduled (see calendar widget to the right), I\'m not traveling to Amherst to visit my <a href=\"http://www.deltachi.org/\">Delta Chi </a>chapter (I\'m their Alumni Advisor), and most of the wedding planning is done...should be relaxing, right? Lots of time to write race recaps, product reviews, be thoughtful and create original content, create a workout program, and just <b>relax</b>.<br /><br /><b>I was wrong.</b><br /><br />Instead, I got a little complacent, got a little lazy, and things started to pile up. I don\'t know what happens to YOU all when you start getting behind...but for me it\'s kind of like my brain wants to do everything at the same time...and nothing actually gets accomplished. <b>Which really only made the problem worse</b>. Then the panicky stress sets in and you\'re really just not gaining any ground. Here I am about 10+ articles behind (a combination of race recaps and product reviews), I\'m 48 days away from the wedding and running out of time to accomplish the last things on the list, and there\'s a whole <i>laundry list </i>of things I need to accomplish on top of that (including laundry!).<b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>How do you surface? How do you break out of the crazy and actually make some headway?</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nrbs03J4ReA/U67fQiergDI/AAAAAAAAH-Y/JSKJgCvE4GU/s1600/Ice-Ice-Baby.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nrbs03J4ReA/U67fQiergDI/AAAAAAAAH-Y/JSKJgCvE4GU/s1600/Ice-Ice-Baby.jpg\" height=\"214\" width=\"400\" /></a></b></div><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Stop. Breathe. Don\'t Panic.&nbsp;</span> </b><br /><br /><b>You WILL get through this.</b>&nbsp;<b> </b>You just have to stop, breathe, and break it down into bite-sized pieces. Prioritize just like I walked you through in my <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/makingitwork.html\">time-management article</a>.You <b>can </b>get through it.<br /><br /><u><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Focus.</b></span></u><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8MxCMT9t1Hw/U67l6g2VpNI/AAAAAAAAH-o/b9Y7vxci-_8/s1600/adhd-1.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8MxCMT9t1Hw/U67l6g2VpNI/AAAAAAAAH-o/b9Y7vxci-_8/s1600/adhd-1.png\" height=\"282\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>It can be easy to get distracted<b> </b>and fall off from your super-productive timeline. This is an especially great challenge for me...as I have A.D.H.D. (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Basically...I start at \"apple\", I end at \"Optimus Prime rolling down I-95 Boston during rush hour\" and totally forget where I started and what happened in the middle. Picture the dog from \"Up\" - that\'s me. This is a large part of how I fell behind - I can spend hours accomplishing nothing...just running in place.<br /><br /><b>Through all of this, my workouts have not suffered.</b><br /><br />I had a workout program, I knew I needed to set aside an hour in the morning before the day got rolling, and I <b>got it done.</b> The problem happened when I completed that program. I didn\'t have anything else made up and ready to go...so <b>I kind of floundered for the last 2 weeks</b>. I ran a few miles as many days as I could...but I didn\'t have a program. I <b>certainly</b> didn\'t lack <i>motivatio<b>n </b></i>(If that\'s your issue, <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/conquer-truth-about-motivation.html\">read this now</a>), I just didn\'t have <b>direction</b>.<br /><br /><b>That\'s when my fitness fell off right along with everything else I wasn\'t getting done.</b><br /><br />So that\'s pretty much when I said enough is enough. <b>YOU CAN NOT </b>let your health &amp; fitness suffer...that\'s when it begins an ugly downward spiral.  I\'ve had to take time to stop, breathe, re-focus, and prioritize. I\'ve had to start trying to take things bit by bit and accomplish SOMETHING. <b>You can\'t do it all at once, </b>but if you start with one thing, you can move on to the next. Pretty soon, you\'ll break through and dig yourself right out of the ugly little pit you fell into.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1X2u_jJseiY/U67oU2k6RxI/AAAAAAAAH-0/ppGrHBPZgbA/s1600/TM-Arctic-Enima-Ice.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1X2u_jJseiY/U67oU2k6RxI/AAAAAAAAH-0/ppGrHBPZgbA/s1600/TM-Arctic-Enima-Ice.jpg\" height=\"247\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>And try to remember - you\'re not the only one stuck in that pit. You\'ll all get out.</b><br /><br />I guess what I\'m trying to say is - <b>try not to let it all overwhelm you.</b> Stop, breathe, don\'t panic, and focus. You can get it done AND find time for yourself. That said, you should start seeing more regular posts from me again. I have a few races coming up in the next two weeks that I\'m excited to share with you, and you\'ll FINALLY find out what the big deal is with September. Have questions? Email me or reach out on my Facebook Page. <br /><br /><b>You <u>Can</u> Do It. </b>','When Life Gets You Down - Surfacing From The Crazy','','inherit','closed','closed','','66-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 10:57:40','2017-01-08 15:57:40','',66,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/66-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(314,1,'2017-01-08 10:58:32','2017-01-08 15:58:32','<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>I know - <b>it\'s been a little while.</b> Life, a new/second job and planning a wedding apparently take a lot more time than I initially gave them credit for. <b>Time to get back on the horse.</b> <br /><br />Remember that weekend I ran 3 races in two days? Yeah...there was one more race I didn\'t talk about, and it was pretty fun.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jOPnXFdfuTE/U33nkMOrhuI/AAAAAAAAHqQ/kfKtmeCZxRM/s1600/IMG_20140504_111731990.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jOPnXFdfuTE/U33nkMOrhuI/AAAAAAAAHqQ/kfKtmeCZxRM/s1600/IMG_20140504_111731990.jpg\" height=\"297\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>Spring Classic 5K! </b>What a cap-off to my crazy, double-booked, super-packed weekend.<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">I may have exercised poor judgement in planning my weekend...</span></b><br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />Running back and forth in Plymouth to two races wasn\'t the only reason the weekend was nuts...<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>To pick up where we left off...</b> </span><br /><br />Team checked in at relay for 9 am start - check. Bolted across town for the 10 am 5K - check. Back across town to start my leg of the relay round-about 11 am - check. Placed 4th overall in the 5K (24:14), placed 2nd all-male team, 6th overall team (out of 57) in the relay (33:19 individual time, 4.37 mi). <b>Sweet.</b> Many a post-race libation was shared in celebration of our sweet sweet victory and the awesome medals we took home.<br /><br /><b>Aaaand then I hit the road to Amherst.</b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7SCpYlcubbo/U33sL9eukrI/AAAAAAAAHqc/QdkcZM_EkWM/s1600/Delta_Chi_Logo_Color.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7SCpYlcubbo/U33sL9eukrI/AAAAAAAAHqc/QdkcZM_EkWM/s1600/Delta_Chi_Logo_Color.jpg\" height=\"130\" width=\"320\" /></a>I serve as Chapter Advisor to my college fraternity chapter at UMass Amherst. That night they just so happened to be holding an important ceremony...one which I REALLY should be at. So, of course, I went. <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-1-herring.html\">In the first article about this weekend of races </a>I mentioned I originally hadn\'t even planned on any races...<b>this was why.</b><br /><br /><b>So I shot out to Amherst, </b>we had our night, and I didn\'t end up going to sleep until about 1 AM. <b>I then got up 4.5 hours later </b>to make the drive to Cambridge. So now, not only<b> </b>was I physically <b>POOPED </b>from running two races the day before...but I was also now running (literally) on 4.5 hours sleep.<br /><br /><b>ugh.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />Arrived in Cambridge a little over an hour early (as I like to do), and meandered my way to the number pick-up. Got a sweet tech tee AND a pint glass for signing up so early. I had bib #384...aaaand they were capped at 3500 runners. So yeah, I was a little early to sign up. hah. <br /><br />Ended up doing a LOT of wandering and time-wasting. Kiiind of my own fault. I had registered as a part of <a href=\"http://www.nespahtens.com/\">the \"New England Spahtens\" team</a> - they\'re a huge Obstacle Course  Race enthusiast group / team. The Spahtens, generally, show up IN  FORCE...<b>En Masse, </b>in <i>droves</i>, etc...whenever they show up to a race. More often than not they are the largest team present.<br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ_-83bXw9U/U35wUOqyynI/AAAAAAAAHq4/tKxQ37RpZLw/s1600/ne_spahtens_final1.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ_-83bXw9U/U35wUOqyynI/AAAAAAAAHq4/tKxQ37RpZLw/s1600/ne_spahtens_final1.jpg\" height=\"290\" width=\"320\" /></a><br />Naturally I assumed they would be the largest team at Spring Classic so I went off in search of the special \"largest team\" tent. I could not find it. Short answer was, I think it was pretty much just me and this other guy that actually ran Spring Classic for the Spahtens. <b>I didn\'t realize there were two obstacle races happening that very same morning</b>...so guess where all the other Spahtens were.<i> Whoopsie.</i> In the end I got my stretching in, used my Tiger Tail (review to come) and got to the starting corral in plenty of time.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>I had forgotten what it was like to run a big race.</b></span><br /><br />It was jam-packed. Spring Classic 5K had even more runners than <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/03/5k-recap-smuttypalooza-pace-to-pint.html\">Pace to a Pint 5K </a>did, and you could tell. I couldn\'t even get into the corral until the gun went off and people started moving and making room. Once we were off, it was pretty crowded on the streets of the course - there was a lot of bouncing between people, slowing, speeding up, etc. Overall, despite the crowd I was able to maintain a strong pace. <b>It was pretty cool running through the streets of Cambridge - </b>traffic was stopped/blocked off and we got to run through major thoroughfares of the city! I love races like that...part of <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/achievement-unlocked-131.html\">why I enjoyed the Boston Firefighters\' 10K so much.</a><br /><br />In order to keep myself at a strong pace, I had to push hard through the lack of sleep and tired muscles. I tried picking people out of the crowd and pacing them, then I\'d pick someone else out and try to pass them. I repeated this process for the vast majority of the race. At one point I spotted a guy wearing a New England Spahtens \"drill shirt\" - he was the only other Spahten I had seen all morning...I <b>had</b> to catch up. I tried, but he was just too fast. I was now determined to find him post-race.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>The effort required to keep running was immense.</b></span><br /><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndI00k9Y8O0/U35zwp2MrGI/AAAAAAAAHrA/LKxn5La6i7Y/s1600/IMG_20140427_105721497.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndI00k9Y8O0/U35zwp2MrGI/AAAAAAAAHrA/LKxn5La6i7Y/s1600/IMG_20140427_105721497.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"262\" /></a>I was SO tired, SO exhausted...SO <i>worn out.</i>..but I wanted to <b>push</b>. I wanted to break 24 minutes. I wanted to end the stupidest weekend of my running career <b>strong</b>. At the time, I mistakenly thought my 5K PR was 23:57 (it was actually 23:51) - I was convinced a new PR was within reach if I just kept pushing.<br /><br /><b>Funny thing about a 5K</b>...a brief slow-down, a quick walk-break...can make such a difference in your official time. I had a rough idea of how far the finish was, and I pushed it. I pushed <b>hard</b>. <br /><br />I ended up sprinting it out at the end like I always do, and I got an official time of 24:24. I didn\'t PR, and honestly, I don\'t think I <b>really</b> expected to. Thinking it was within reach was probably just what I needed, at the time, to get it done with (to me) a respectable time. <br /><br /><b>Once I crossed it was all over</b> - the last two days caught up with me. My legs felt like jelly and politely informed me I was done exerting myself for a while. <b>Once I got to the beer table, my day got interesting again. </b>I ended up meeting this guy right here - Kevin. <b>The guy in the Spahtens shirt.</b> Found him. Ended up having a great conversation, several beers, and when the free beer ran out we continued our revelry at The Asgard (where the official post-race party was). Then later we went and watched a robot fight at The Middle East club a la BattleBots. I kid you not. I DID say my day got interesting, right?<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Definitely a fun race.</b>&nbsp;</span><br /><br />If you\'re looking for a fun race, a great course, and an opportunity to run through some big city streets with 3499 other people...go run Spring Classic. They also have Winter Classic, and they\'ve just added Fall Classic. Same course, just different seasons/weather/conditions. Give it a whirl! <b>I can\'t promise you\'ll see a robot deathmatch</b>, but you\'ll very likely have a good time regardless. <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Oh...and...don\'t double-book yourself.</span></b><br /><br /><b>Do yourself a favor - learn from my mistake.</b> I may have gotten through it...but <b>good lord</b>...what an effort it took to coordinate, keep it straight, and make it work. I was lucky both the Herring Run Classic 5K and 26.2 Challenge Team Relay were in the same town just 8 minutes apart. <b>They easily could\'ve been across the state</b>. Then I would\'ve been out my registration money and potentially pissing off a sponsor. Keep your races straight and you\'ll thank yourself.<br /><br />Then again...I don\'t know many other people running 35+ races in a year. So maybe this isn\'t a common problem...','A Lesson In Double-Booking Pt. 3 - Spring Classic 5K Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','67-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 10:58:32','2017-01-08 15:58:32','',67,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/67-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(315,1,'2017-01-08 10:59:02','2017-01-08 15:59:02','<b>I love the feeling when you finish a race.</b> You see the finish line and get that burst of energy...and everything you have gets left on the pavement as you sprint on ahead to claim your victory (whether personal or overall). You cross the timing mat, you break the tape, you <b>get there</b>. The feeling of release, relief, and accomplishment on the other side of the finish line is <b>fantastic</b>...the joy and sense of satisfaction with the fruits of your effort simply <i><b>palpable</b></i>. Then you get to relax, have some water, have a banana, and chat with other runners...<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FEUjJDj5Rvc/U2osja9Id6I/AAAAAAAAHMg/ybdJ7fjZ8OI/s1600/IMG_20140504_111745870.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FEUjJDj5Rvc/U2osja9Id6I/AAAAAAAAHMg/ybdJ7fjZ8OI/s1600/IMG_20140504_111745870.jpg\" height=\"221\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br /><b>Unless you\'re a genius like I was the weekend before last.</b><br /><br />Then you get to say a quick \"thank you, goodbye\" to the race director, wave to your friend that ran the race too, and shoot off across town to run the relay that your 5 friends have all been at for an hour and a half...<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b>Today\'s article will pick up <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-1-herring.html\">where part one ended</a></b> - after I crossed the finish 4th overall at the <a href=\"http://www.plymouthrockracing.com/\">Herring Run Classic 5K.</a> Please, learn from my carelessness...unless you WANT a weekend like I had. Then go for it I guess.<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">OK, so...wait, what?</span></b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-22t0emFJ7yY/U2t1SKtYvNI/AAAAAAAAHOg/DYIrcWQoKdA/s1600/IMG_20140504_111755774.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-22t0emFJ7yY/U2t1SKtYvNI/AAAAAAAAHOg/DYIrcWQoKdA/s1600/IMG_20140504_111755774.jpg\" height=\"241\" width=\"320\" /></a>Yeah...for those who didn\'t read <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-1-herring.html\">\"A Lesson In Double-Booking Pt. 1\"</a> - first off...you should read that, but the short version is...I accidentally double-booked myself for races on Saturday, April 26th. I registered for the Herring Run Classic 5K (bib to the right) which I THOUGHT was April 19th, and the 26.2 Challenge (team marathon relay, bib above) which was on April 26th. As it turns out...I was wrong about the date for the 5K (it was the 26th too!)... Fortunately, the relay began at 9 am and the 5K at 10...and the starting lines were an 8 minute drive apart in Plymouth, MA...so I could make it work if I ran a late leg in the relay...<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Which is exactly where we\'re picking up now.</b></span><br /><br />So...<b>I crossed the finish</b> at the 5K. Elation, joy, hurrahs, handshaking with the 3 guys that beat me, my buddy that came in 2 places behind me, and the guy I edged out at the 2 mile marker. The joy of the moment, however, was predestined to be short-lived - after allowing myself but a moment of reverie it was time to head&nbsp; back across town to the staging area/starting line of the 26.2 Challenge Team Relay.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>26.2 Challenge?</b></span> <br /><br />The <a href=\"http://www.262challenge.com/\">26.2 Challenge </a>is a 6 man Team Relay over a total distance of 26.2 miles (marathon distance). It was put on by 26.2 Productions - this race is their thing...it\'s what they do. This year they\'re putting on a 26.2 Challenge in Plymouth (MA), Newburyport (MA), and Philadelphia (PA). The one we participated in, as you are aware, is the Plymouth event. The starting line, finish line, and team festival area was in Cordage Park Plaza...a little off the beaten path in Plymouth, MA. The Race Director Steve is a REALLY nice guy - very helpful, personable and approachable. He actually found me and came up to say hi as he spotted me leaving the registration tent. Great way to start the day.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QuP8Kaihc7g/U2uBid2qGMI/AAAAAAAAHO0/_-T787bT1zw/s1600/DSCN8996+(2).JPG\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QuP8Kaihc7g/U2uBid2qGMI/AAAAAAAAHO0/_-T787bT1zw/s1600/DSCN8996+(2).JPG\" height=\"240\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>I arrived shortly after our 4th man began his leg of the relay. </b>The first three runners had all done really well in their leg (R to L - Terrence, JP, and Jesse). I talked with them and with Jimmy (the guy to my right) and decided I\'d do the next leg, making Jimmy the anchor.<br /><br /><b>What\'s the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchor_leg\" rel=\"nofollow\">\"anchor\"</a>? </b><br /><br />In athletics, the final leg of a relay is typically referred to as the \"anchor\". It is usually reserved for the fastest or most experienced member of the team. This person is the one who is responsible for making up ground/catching the leader or preserving the lead the team already has and widening the gap to ensure victory. Typically, you put your slowest man right before the anchor, who then comes in and smokes everyone. <b>Needless to say...</b>this described me and Jimmy perfectly. hah.<br /><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MH9u-j6--t8/U2uEd62ZWVI/AAAAAAAAHPA/1vYpy191W0M/s1600/DSCN8968+(2).JPG\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MH9u-j6--t8/U2uEd62ZWVI/AAAAAAAAHPA/1vYpy191W0M/s1600/DSCN8968+(2).JPG\" height=\"240\" width=\"320\" /></a>I took every moment I had to stretch, refuel and rehydrate. <b>I had done this before, </b>and I knew how to prepare and ensure success. <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/04/foolish-fools-dual-challenge-5k-131.html\">The Fool\'s Dual Challenge</a> was still fresh in my mind - a 5K at 8 AM and a half-marathon at 9...If I could manage that, surely I could do a 5K then a 4.37 mile relay leg. Just a few key differences though...<br /><br />In the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/04/foolish-fools-dual-challenge-5k-131.html\">Fool\'s Dual Challenge</a> I made a point to go slow in the 5K - my goal was to get a decent time in the half-marathon and, frankly, to finish. I ended up doing so well I placed 3rd in my age group for combined time! This day, however, my goal was not to finish. <b>My goal was to compete.</b> I knew I\'d have a shot at a podium finish in the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-1-herring.html\">Herring Run Classic 5K</a> given the small field. I knew my team had a shot in the relay considering how fast the other 5 guys are. Also...<b>it\'s a team effort</b> - nothing but my absolute best effort would suffice. <b>That said</b>, refueling, re-hydrating, stretching, and using my <a href=\"http://www.tigertailusa.com/\">Tiger Tail</a> (review to come) were all critical. Once that was complete...it was time...<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>My Experience in the 26.2 Challenge - </b></span>&nbsp; <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RxTzCiiFMS8/U2uI2sCG46I/AAAAAAAAHPM/6cLjKgvdirk/s1600/DSCN9024+(2).JPG\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RxTzCiiFMS8/U2uI2sCG46I/AAAAAAAAHPM/6cLjKgvdirk/s1600/DSCN9024+(2).JPG\" height=\"320\" width=\"240\" /></a></div>As I reached a point where I felt adequately prepared, I got ready to head to the starting line. We all knew about how long we expected each other to take, so I knew about when to be primed and ready. As we came within minutes of when we expected our 4th man to round the corner, I got my music playing, had <a href=\"http://runkeeper.com/user/dwmctague/profile\">Runkeeper</a> ready and waiting, and kept my eye out. Others on my team spotted him first (in the maroon long-sleeve shirt, pic to the right) and I stepped up to the starting line, finger poised over Runkeeper\'s \"start\" button. The team was fired up. I was amped. The crowd was cheering each finisher as they came in. As my teammate Alex crossed the finish line next to me<b> </b>I shot off like a rocket.<br /><br /><b>I was so ready to crush it.</b><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>The course was great!</b></span><br /><br />As I\'ve come to expect from many races (especially those in coastal towns)...this course was beautiful. We were along the streets of Plymouth, went along a rail trail, popped out by the waterfront, and then looped back around to the rail trail. The course was pretty flat, pretty fast, and a lot of fun. The rail trail was a bit narrow, and the gravel had become a weird almost muddy mix...but it was easily overcome by simply keeping an eye out. The course was well-marked when out on the streets and it was damn near impossible to get lost. This was another non-standard distance...4.37ish miles...but it\'s easy to figure out why when you consider it\'s a marathon team relay consisting of 6 people (26.2 / 6?). While out on the course...I learned a valuable lesson that helped me earn a great achievement - <br /><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Relays are a different animal entirely...</b></span><br /><br />I\'ve run road races before...but this was my first team relay. I learned very quickly how different relays are from normal road races. I\'m sure track meet style relays are different...but in this relay...it was so spread out that you were really running your own race. When I started, nobody else did. As I made my way out along the course there were lots of runners...but I had absolutely no idea how I stacked up against them. I had no idea if they were the 5th leg like me...or maybe the 3rd or 4th leg...or maybe even the 6th leg! I had no way to gauge myself against others...so I was left with only one option - <b>go as hard as I can for my teammates.</b> In the end, that\'s what it came down to - <b>my team.</b> <b>My team</b> is what encouraged me to keep running when I wanted to walk.<b> My team </b>is what encouraged me to pick it up when I felt myself slacking and slowing down. <b>Four of my teammates </b>had already given their all and run hard in their leg...<b>I couldn\'t let their efforts go to waste.</b> One of my teammates was ready and waiting to seal the deal and carry us to victory...<b>I couldn\'t keep him waiting and make his job harder.</b><br /><br /><b>So I ran. Hard.&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YbYzqXWe1fY/U2uTQQc0ZHI/AAAAAAAAHPc/Ax8snshIEw8/s1600/DSCN9053+(4).JPG\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YbYzqXWe1fY/U2uTQQc0ZHI/AAAAAAAAHPc/Ax8snshIEw8/s1600/DSCN9053+(4).JPG\" height=\"300\" width=\"400\" /></a> </div>As I came back in to Cordage Park Plaza I knew the finish was close (and so was Jimmy)...so I kicked on the afterburners, gave it everything I had, and rocketed on towards the finish. As I crossed, Jimmy took off like a rocket and the final leg had begun. I ended up finishing in 33:19 - a Personal Record pace of 7:38 /mile...that beat my previous best pace by 2 seconds per mile! I couldn\'t believe it...not only was this race over a mile <b>longer</b> than my previous best pace <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/what-is-good-enough-tavern2tavern5k.html\">(Tavern to Tavern 5K 2013)</a>...but I had <b>already run a race</b> before this one. Guess I was warmed up!<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>The anchor did his job well</b></span><br /><br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MPYsCOvct-4/U2uXnd0tWMI/AAAAAAAAHPo/UQbmmgjQjL0/s1600/262medal.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MPYsCOvct-4/U2uXnd0tWMI/AAAAAAAAHPo/UQbmmgjQjL0/s1600/262medal.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"178\" /></a>We all went inside for a celebratory (free) beer, and a little over 20 minutes later we started looking for our anchor Jimmy. He finished in 25:07 - a 5:46 pace and a good enough leg to earn him 4th place overall individual runner! We had to get a timing issue fixed, and as a result we found out a little early that we were the 2nd place All-Male team! Once the full results were in, we found out that not only were we the 2nd place All-Male team (there were 7 team divisions) but we were also the 6th place overall team out of 87! We only missed 5th by about 3 minutes, but we were THRILLED with our performance! It was nice to walk away with a medal when, honestly, we hadn\'t really gone in with any expectations of greatness. We were a rag-tag bunch of guys thrown together into a team when I, on a whim, asked one buddy if he was up for it. Nice how things work out. <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Final/Overall Impressions?</span></b><br /><br />This race was a <b>ton </b>of fun and a great first experience with a team relay. I would do this race again in a heartbeat, and I absolutely plan on it next year. It was such a different experience, a totally different feel in the race festival area, and I love the team aspect of things - it gave me a whole new sense of motivation that I simply don\'t think I can replicate in a solo race. If you have an opportunity to run a team relay, <b>go for it</b>. If you live anywhere near Plymouth, MA...<b>run this race next year!&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>Oh, and honestly...</b>I don\'t think running a 5K before this relay hurt me. I DO wonder how I would\'ve done had I not participated in the 5K...but I\'m glad this happened. Next year I\'ll <b>probably</b> plan to not run anything else that day...and be a little more careful when registering for races. I very well could have been faced with a decision of having to choose...and that\'s no fun. <br /><br /><b>Then it was time to shoot out to Amherst, MA for an event with my college fraternity and...oh wait...I had another 5K the next morning...Good Lord...it never ends...<br /><br />More on that next time. </b><br /><br />','A Lesson In Double-Booking Pt. 2 - 26.2 Challenge Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','68-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 10:59:02','2017-01-08 15:59:02','',68,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/68-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(316,1,'2017-01-08 10:59:17','2017-01-08 15:59:17','I had one of those sinking \"whoopsie\" moments a couple of weeks ago and learned a valuable lesson in double-booking oneself. As a result, I ended up running not one, not two, but <b>three races</b> last weekend.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cxu6sl617_U/U2DXIN_AD1I/AAAAAAAAHDA/aRTzo_FfF1Q/s1600/PhotoGrid_1398855237122.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cxu6sl617_U/U2DXIN_AD1I/AAAAAAAAHDA/aRTzo_FfF1Q/s1600/PhotoGrid_1398855237122.jpg\" height=\"332.5\" width=\"500\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><b>That\'s right - </b>on a day I originally hadn\'t even planned to run a race at all, <b>I ended up running two</b>. Then I ran one<b> the next morning</b>. I\'m going to break this down in three articles because, frankly, I may have made <b>one</b> dumb move, but I ran<b> three</b> <b>awesome</b> <b>races</b>...and they each deserve their own recap. Today is all about the lead-in / how this happened...and the first race I ran - the <a href=\"http://www.plymouthrockracing.com/\">Herring Run Classic 5K. </a><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">How did this even happen? </span></b><br /><br />As many of you might be aware...I am slated to run a RIDICULOUS number of races this year. Currently, I am either committed to or registered for <b>33 races in 2014</b>...and frankly I expect to add a few more late in the year. <b>Why? </b>Because I can. I want to see how far I can push, and I want to show others that if I can go from where I was to a place where I can do this...<b>there\'s no reason</b> they can\'t reach their goals too. <b>One of those 33 races </b>is the Herring Run Classic 5K....which brings us to today\'s lesson...<b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h1gb8b0FkqE/U2KiZwPy8pI/AAAAAAAAHEA/NkI6d3LEz1k/s1600/DSCN8795+(2).JPG\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h1gb8b0FkqE/U2KiZwPy8pI/AAAAAAAAHEA/NkI6d3LEz1k/s1600/DSCN8795+(2).JPG\" height=\"240\" width=\"320\" /></a></b></div><br />As I approached Saturday, April 19th I was eagerly anticipating the Herring Run Classic 5K in Plymouth, MA. Just a couple of days out I decided to look at the event website...and that\'s when my heart sank - it wasn\'t scheduled for April 19th, like I thought it was...It was instead scheduled for Saturday, April 26th...<b>the same day</b> as the <a href=\"http://www.262challenge.com/\">26.2 Challenge</a> - a 6 man marathon relay! <b>CRAP.</b> Lucky for me they were both set to take place in Plymouth...and the start times were an hour apart...<br /><br /><b>It was a one in a million thing...</b>and it looked like it just might work. <br /><br />I was sponsored for the Herring Run Classic 5K...and honestly I wasn\'t interested in the headache of finding a DIFFERENT race to run in place of it...I\'m already pretty-well booked. I also wasn\'t about to leave my relay teammates high and dry - besides, that was the race I had actually MEANT to run that day...So I looked at times, I looked at Google Maps...<br /><br /><b>And it WOULD work.</b><br /><br />The short version is - I showed up to the 26.2 Challenge right smack at 8 am to get my team checked in and settled. We figured out our running order, got everybody set to go, and when 9 AM came, off went our first runner. I then said my good-byes and my good-lucks and hopped in the car for the 8 minute drive to the Herring Run Classic. That race was slated to begin at 10 AM - I figured I\'d run about a 24 minute 5K, take 5 minutes to wrap up, catch my breath, and thank the Race Director, then 8 minutes back across town with a 2 minute walk to the team area - by 10:40 I should be back and ready to go! I anticipated running the final leg of the relay, or maybe even the 5th if I got back soon enough (it WAS possible depending on how fast they all went). <br /><br /><b>Yes, this was LITERALLY </b>how I was thinking and processing it all that day to make sure it worked.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><b>What about the 3rd race, you say? </b>That one I had been registered for for quite some time...I just hadn\'t anticipated running TWO races the day before. Whoops.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So Let\'s Talk About The Herring Run Classic 5K!</b></span><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kDYVnrwRKeM/U2KSRfYNsJI/AAAAAAAAHDo/lcrTNGU7x4A/s1600/herring+run.png\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kDYVnrwRKeM/U2KSRfYNsJI/AAAAAAAAHDo/lcrTNGU7x4A/s1600/herring+run.png\" height=\"230\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />The Herring Run Classic was a ton of fun! This race was put on by <a href=\"http://www.plymouthrockracing.com/\">Plymouth Rock Racing</a>...I have yet to be disappointed by an experience with them, and I doubt it\'ll happen any time soon. Plymouth Rock Racing, for those who don\'t know, is a small race company - it\'s pretty much one guy and his kids! They have all their own equipment and they do their own timing - this allows them to put on small races on courses you might otherwise not get to run! The Herring Run Classic was one of those races! The field was very small - just 21 runners crossed the starting line. This was, likely, due in large part to the fact they were competing with such a big race across town (26.2 Challenge).<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-czD_1qVwlhI/U2Kix0ukoeI/AAAAAAAAHEI/qjb0Htepe0I/s1600/DSCN8895+(2).JPG\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-czD_1qVwlhI/U2Kix0ukoeI/AAAAAAAAHEI/qjb0Htepe0I/s1600/DSCN8895+(2).JPG\" height=\"240\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>The small field had no ill effect on the race, though! The race began by the old Plimoth Grist Mill, went along the pavement on Court Street in Plymouth, and eventually you snaked your way to a woodsy area where the actual river is that the herring run through in Plymouth! Apparently Plymouth is home to one of the most active herring runs in the country...who knew?! <br /><br />The course was great - very scenic, not too many potholes and divots in the dirt road (though there were some), but it was DEFINITELY hilly as described. The way out was hilly, the way back was nice and, for the most part, downhill. Makes sense.<br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><br /></span><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>How about my own experience in this race?</b></span><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l26tQR3prUw/U2Kf6HCLraI/AAAAAAAAHD4/knBMboXkCAQ/s1600/DSCN8900+%25282%2529.JPG\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l26tQR3prUw/U2Kf6HCLraI/AAAAAAAAHD4/knBMboXkCAQ/s1600/DSCN8900+%25282%2529.JPG\" height=\"240\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>I was feeling pretty good going into this race! It was my first race of the day, and it was a BIG day, so I was pretty amped up! I also remembered that Plymouth Rock Racing\'s events have the potential for small participant fields, so there was a shot I could get a podium finish! <b>Then I saw that guy...</b> yeah, that guy in the photo to the right. Wearing the neon. The guy was decked out in matching neon Brooks gear...he looked like he was sponsored by them the way he was decked out (not a bad thing...go you!). He looked like he meant business. I actually cracked a joke...something like \"guess I\'m not winning THIS one!\". By the time we finished...shocker...he won 1st place. <br /><b></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GxIWz-znXIs/U2OJ5whyAMI/AAAAAAAAHEY/rKx8Zhbisi8/s1600/DSCN8889+(2).JPG\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GxIWz-znXIs/U2OJ5whyAMI/AAAAAAAAHEY/rKx8Zhbisi8/s1600/DSCN8889+(2).JPG\" height=\"296\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>The course was good to me, though.</b> The beginning, as I said, was a bit hilly. That was a good challenge, but I\'m used to hills (and trying to train on them more often) so it wasn\'t that bad. Once we got into the woodsy park area I pushed myself a little more to maintain/improve my pace - I could tell I was up with the leaders and I wanted to keep it that way. I also saw my buddy (and brother Freemason from my lodge) Chris behind me - no offense brother...but I wasn\'t letting you get ahead of me ;).<br /><br />Once we hit the turnaround and I saw the leaders coming back at me I knew exactly what place I was in...and what I <b>COULD</b> finish in. I pushed it, and right at the 2 mile marker I broke away and pushed to the 4th place spot. I maintained my distance and widened the gap ever so slightly as we made our way back along the last mile. When we got within .5 miles there was even a police escort along the busy street! <b>How cool was that to run behind a cop car again :D</b>.<br /><br />As we got to the final corner and the home stretch, the Race Director (Craig) was there cheering you on and waving you down that last stretch of road to the finish line. I finished 4th place overall (out of 21) with a time of 24:14. Not too shabby :). <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Once again, Plymouth Rock Racing nails it</span></b><br /><br /><b>Craig and his team really know what they\'re doing!</b> Great course, well-organized, good people, and a fun race experience. There may not be a big ridiculous booze-filled post-race party...but <b>so what?! </b>Sometimes it\'s nice to go run a good race, have THAT be the focus, and enjoy a laid-back day of running. Maybe next time I can hit a local bar with the RD and grab a drink after the race is all broken down. That\'d be nice. <br /><br /><b>So in case you couldn\'t tell</b>...I HIGHLY recommend finding one of Plymouth Rock Racing\'s events and <b>registering for it</b>. You won\'t be disappointed :). Check them out at <a href=\"http://www.plymouthrockracing.com/\">www.PlymouthRockRacing.com</a><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>PS - see those sweet photos?</b></span><br /><br />I have added to my Rolodex of people :) I now count among my friends an up-and-coming photographer! She does lots of weddings and engagements, but had decided that sports is a good area to branch out into, and she\'s learning right alongside me! All of the actual photos (rather than clipart) in this article were taken by her! <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sees-The-Day-Photography/1422947037957688?ref=br_tf\">You can find Keri and Sees The Day Photography here. </a><br /><br /><b>And after alllll that...</b>I hopped in my car, went back across town and got ready for my leg of the 26.2 Challenge. Keri brought her camera and ran all over creation with me too! More on that tomorrow :)','A Lesson In Double-Booking Pt. 1 - Herring Run Classic 5K Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','69-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 10:59:17','2017-01-08 15:59:17','',69,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/69-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(317,1,'2017-01-08 10:59:57','2017-01-08 15:59:57','This past weekend I had another running first...another thing crossed off of my \"Running Bucket List\" - My first mud run! <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wsvw6sxJABo/U05fgJqQ5TI/AAAAAAAAG-4/g5lFPLagYP0/s1600/IMG_20140413_214213231.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wsvw6sxJABo/U05fgJqQ5TI/AAAAAAAAG-4/g5lFPLagYP0/s1600/IMG_20140413_214213231.jpg\" height=\"297\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>Frankly, I\'m shocked my bib (number) survived!</b> This past Saturday I ran <a href=\"http://www.runmassmayhem.com/\">Mass Mayhem</a> - a four mile obstacle race going up and down <a href=\"http://skiblandford.org/\">Blandford Ski Area</a> out in middle-of-nowhere Western MA. This race was SO much fun! Overall I have to say it definitely left a good impression on me, and left me hungry for more obstacle races! So how did it go? What happened? Just what is a \"real\" mud run like...and what do I mean by that? What room for improvement is there considering this was the inaugural run?<br /><br /><b>Let\'s chat...shall we?</b><br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Mass Mayhem... Where to begin?</b></span><br /><br />I cannot even begin to describe to you how much I have fallen in love with Health &amp; Fitness. As part of that, I fell in love with running, and now... Obstacle Racing! It\'s tough to describe...but at the end of the day I can just say...it\'s <b>so freaking FUN</b>! It\'s exhilarating! There\'s a certain rush you get, a certain sense of <b>success</b> and <b>accomplishment</b> when you\'re able to hoist yourself over a 6 foot wall just a little easier than last time...when you\'re able to do an obstacle you couldn\'t do before...when you finish just a little faster than you did last time...<br /><br /><b>But I digress.</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8e59QZE2p2w/UxcbZt_XbZI/AAAAAAAAGkE/wyY_Jt8TtEw/s1600/MassMayhemLogo.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8e59QZE2p2w/UxcbZt_XbZI/AAAAAAAAGkE/wyY_Jt8TtEw/s1600/MassMayhemLogo.jpg\" height=\"166\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>Mass Mayhem</b> - This was THE FIRST Mass Mayhem, and as such there was a lot of success, a lot of new experiences, and some lessons learned / room for improvement (both for runners AND race team). I\'m sure the Race Director and his team learned a lot of lessons and filed away a lot of ideas for next time. <br /><br /><b>For The Basics </b>(<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/03/mayhem-time-to-get-muddy.html\">just in case you didn\'t see the pre-race breakdown</a>)<b> - </b>This race was put on by the Type-One team.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>What is Type-One? </b></span><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cnIEGcQiHmY/Uxcmj8m-y2I/AAAAAAAAGk0/rkmoYiQX88c/s1600/Type-One-Logo-White-Black.png\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cnIEGcQiHmY/Uxcmj8m-y2I/AAAAAAAAGk0/rkmoYiQX88c/s1600/Type-One-Logo-White-Black.png\" height=\"141\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br /><b>Straight from <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/TypeOneLLC\">their Facebook </a>- \"</b><span>Type One was founded with the sole purpose and objective to increase public awareness and to find a cure through  research for Type One Diabetes.\"</span><br /><br />Prior to Mass Mayhem, Type-One had put on <a href=\"http://typeonerenegaderun.com/\">Renegade Run</a> twice - Renegade Run is another OCR they hold in Hingham, MA. Some races are for profit, some races donate their proceeds to charity - Type-One donates the proceeds of THEIR races to Type-One Diabetes causes...so while you\'re getting muddy and suffering you can feel good about that. <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Location, Location, Location.</span></b><br /><br /><b>With Obstacle Racing - location is everything...</b>Tyson and the Type-One team picked a great one! Your entire race can be predicated on your location - is it a ski mountain? Is it flat terrain? Is it moderately hilly? How about altitude - will there be snow? Man-made or natural pools of water? Man-made or natural obstacles? <b>All of these </b>can depend on your location. This race happened at Blandford Ski Area, a ski mountain owned and operated by Springfield Ski Club. In case you\'re wondering...Blandford is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. I thought I had a pretty good grasp of Western Massachusetts...I was wrong. It WAS a great pick thought - this mountain afforded Mass Mayhem some great advantages. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5EyED9Kuw3o/U0_AjAxMeXI/AAAAAAAAG_Q/0YWHLw0t-SM/s1600/Mass-Mayhem-Course-Map.png\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5EyED9Kuw3o/U0_AjAxMeXI/AAAAAAAAG_Q/0YWHLw0t-SM/s1600/Mass-Mayhem-Course-Map.png\" height=\"348\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />So here\'s the course, to the left. The dot at the bottom by the \"pump house\" is the starting line - the yellow line is the course. If you follow that line, you\'ll see we went up and down the mountain SIX TIMES. I saw markers on some of those slopes...black diamond. Here I thought I was gonna run right up it...but after a couple minutes of chugging away...I realized I had to just kinda power-walk up. <b>That\'s about how the whole race went. </b>Doing something like this on a mountain was a lot tougher than I had anticipated.<br /><br />Something I LOVED about Mass Mayhem that I don\'t think other obstacle races necessarily nail - <b>it had it all</b>. It had mud, water, even SNOW! There was a lot of different terrain to cover, and it made for a well-rounded course. The mountain itself was like an additional obstacle, which I liked. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Speaking of obstacles...</b></span><br /><br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--B8uSLHMt7M/U0_GBOnVbsI/AAAAAAAAG_g/JWTB-7qKNno/s1600/-d8159d57f98aa7fd.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--B8uSLHMt7M/U0_GBOnVbsI/AAAAAAAAG_g/JWTB-7qKNno/s1600/-d8159d57f98aa7fd.jpg\" height=\"266\" width=\"400\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Photo from MassLive.com</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Let\'s talk about those. </b><br /><br />I\'m pretty sure they said there was about 20 obstacles. <b>I wasn\'t exactly counting as I ran the course</b>, but there WAS a GoPro on my head, so I got footage from my perspective of the entire race. <br /><br /><b>On the Mass Mayhem website there is a \"course description\" page. </b>On it, they give the image of the course I used above and a \"sneak peek\" of some of the obstacles we can expect on the course. They all did appear, just took me a second to match up the \"sneak peek\" description on the site to the actual obstacle on the course. I\'m not entirely sure I remember the \"Mayhem Web\"...maybe it didn\'t manifest in quite the way they imagined? Who knows. <br /><br />Before I go into the video and my experience with the obstacles themselves...<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Overall Impressions?</b></span><br /><br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oqmWK1ECrqw/U1AbUjj03VI/AAAAAAAAHAc/G5Dr1JDrLh8/s1600/IMG_20140412_125009536_HDR.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oqmWK1ECrqw/U1AbUjj03VI/AAAAAAAAHAc/G5Dr1JDrLh8/s1600/IMG_20140412_125009536_HDR.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Me and Tyson, the Race Director</td></tr></tbody></table>Overall, I had a ton of fun! There were a lot of great things about this race! I have to give major credit to Tyson and the rest of the race organizers - this race was VERY well put-together. These guys had everything covered from soup to nuts. Registration was a snap, there was good pre-race info so we weren\'t left guessing, on-site help was plentiful and it was easy to find everything we needed. Race-day check-in was easy too, and the racer packet was even neatly organized into a labeled zip-lock bag with some aspirin in it for after the mountain had its way with you. The race and all the waves (as far as I know) started prompt and on-time, and the course was NOT over-crowded. One of the things that bugged me about the Fenway Spartan Sprint was how LONG I had to wait for some of the obstacles. No worries of that sort this time! VERY short waits, when there were any. There were also plenty of goodies for racers, including PLENTY of water and bananas, more than enough finisher\'s medals, a free beer, and (LOTS of) food was available for purchase. There was even a big area to hose off after the race! Thanks!<br /><br /><b>As far as obstacles go,</b> overall I was happy. I didn\'t feel like they were crazy hard - as a matter of fact, I was able to complete all of them! Without cheating or skimping! The obstacles were well-built, which is important, and kind of no-frills, which is perfectly fine. They don\'t need to be fancy - they need to be FUNCTIONAL.<br /><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JEZbWAYSLQk/U1Ab2PT7DvI/AAAAAAAAHAo/I5jPw_OSDi4/s1600/IMG_20140412_114722402_HDR.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JEZbWAYSLQk/U1Ab2PT7DvI/AAAAAAAAHAo/I5jPw_OSDi4/s1600/IMG_20140412_114722402_HDR.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a><b>I suppose the only improvements I would like to see </b>for next time, in terms of obstacles, would be some more challenging/difficult obstacles...and honestly? Just plain <b>more</b> obstacles. I liked that there was some trail running in-between, and I certainly appreciate that the mountain itself (and our six ascents and descents) was an obstacle in and of itself...but it felt like there was even more running in-between than there was in <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/01/blizzard-blast-recap-my-season-breakdown.html\">Blizzard Blast.</a> That said, I\'m not sure where or how they would include more obstacles. I almost feel like in order to include more they\'d have to put them on an ascent or descent, or maybe on a narrow section of path they may not have wanted to stick an obstacle in. None of those options would be unheard of...but I\'m sure it would be a bunch more work. At any rate...just a thought, and I heard some other more seasoned racers say similar things (about more obstacles).<br /><br />In a way, it\'s nice that the obstacles weren\'t insane or so tough I couldn\'t do some - <b>that makes the race accessible.</b> It brings Obstacle Racing to more people! Some super-hardcore events might scare people away, or make some people think it\'s out of their reach...but Mass Mayhem? People can <b>do</b> Mass Mayhem. That doesn\'t mean it\'s EASY...it means it\'s <b>do-able</b>.&nbsp; <b>Again - </b>I am not by <b>any </b>means saying it is wimpy. Climbing that mountain 6 times SUCKED (in the best way possible) and I certainly feel like I earned that finisher\'s medal you see right there. I think everyone else that crossed the finish line will say the same. Just a thought :)<br /><br />I tried to run the course as much as I could, and I tried to get through the obstacles as quickly and efficiently as I could...but there\'s only so much you can tolerate <b>running</b> up a black diamond ski slope, so in the end, I power-walked a little more than I originally intended. I also took a little more time and care on some obstacles than I initially envisioned. At the end of the day, I finished in about 1 hour 16 minutes (official time is incorrect). I\'m pretty happy with that for a 4 mile OCR - if that were a standard 5K distance OCR I would\'ve finished in under an hour. I\'m happy :) and again, I definitely feel like I earned that finisher\'s medal (and beer). Speaking of beer, I MAY have ended up hanging out after the race finished...for about 5 hours...haha. The race cultivated a great sense of camaraderie and there was a friendly atmosphere - I was in a group photo pre-race with some members of the <a href=\"http://www.nespahtens.com/\">New England Spahtens OCR Team / Enthusiast Group,</a> and I found them after the race! Below is me with Chris, Michelle and Nicole. I also had a nice chat with Heather, a fellow <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/nespahtens\">Spahten</a> who runs <a href=\"http://relentlessforwardcommotion.com/\">Relentless Forward Commotion</a> (check her out!).<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uH9xaJhk_xU/U1ApAHDrmxI/AAAAAAAAHBg/SbmJig1FqZk/s1600/IMG_20140412_144608466_HDR.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uH9xaJhk_xU/U1ApAHDrmxI/AAAAAAAAHBg/SbmJig1FqZk/s1600/IMG_20140412_144608466_HDR.jpg\" height=\"260\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>If you read no further,</b></span> know that it was a GREAT experience! It was a great event put on by some great people that was well-executed and benefited a great cause! What more can you ask for?! I HIGHLY recommend you check out their Renegade Run event in Hingham, MA and get yourself in line for Mass Mayhem when it comes back next spring! I know I\'m pretty pumped for it :)<br /><br /><hr width=\"300\" /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>SO, let\'s talk <u>details</u> - THE OBSTACLES! And my personal experience with them.</b></span><br /><br /><b>I won\'t bore you with 45 minutes of mountain-climbing video</b>, but suffice it to say...I spent a LOT of time climbing up and down that damn mountain. Let\'s break down how this course went - I\'ll mention all the obstacles in order. I\'ll also include video - I won\'t show you EVERY obstacle...just some of my favorites :)<br /><br /><b>I mentioned there was a lot of mountain climbing, right? </b>I swear, I felt like that first hill took FOREVER. In all reality, looking at the video, it was about 5 and a half minutes of going up. Felt like more. So after that first huge ascent and descent, what did we run into first?<br /><br /><b>The Classic Over/Unders</b><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/6NtUa5ax5J4\" width=\"560\"></iframe><br />Pretty standard in Obstacle Racing world - 4 foot wall to go over, about 3 foot something-or-other (sawhorse, here) to go under. I enjoyed it :). Every time i come across a four foot wall I get excited because I know I can practically throw myself over it :D I like how the guy that blew by me clearly didn\'t understand the concept of \"over / <i>under</i>\". <br /><br />After getting through that, it was a run up another nasty hill, back down a hill and on to -<br /><br /><b>Another staple of Obstacle Racing - the 6-Foot Wall</b><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/CmVtzROSzLU\" width=\"560\"></iframe><br /><b>Three of them.</b> This is another pretty standard obstacle, and one of my favorites! <b>Why?</b> It\'s a great gauge, for me, of my progress. Each time I\'ve come across a 6 Foot wall, I\'ve been able to hoist myself over it more easily. The other two obstacle races I\'ve run, I only came across one at a time...in Mass Mayhem there were <b>three in a row</b>! I DID have to take a quick breather before the third wall here...but I was able to get over all three AND <i>carefully</i> lower myself down the other side...not just drop like a stone. Turns out that was a wise choice - I heard over medic radios later in the race that a number of people were getting knee injuries because they dropped (hard) into the mud on the other side of those walls. Please, if you\'re doing an obstacle race (or even just a regular trail run) exercise a little caution.<br /><br /><b>After the walls </b>there was a barbed wire crawl, and I had to get REALLY low in my military crawl for that! Even so, it caught my shirt at one point. Had to work for that obstacle. A little after that (and up an incline) there were some wooden crosses like you\'d see in a video of Normandy beach on D-Day (not super-tough). Next? Up more hill to get to...<b> </b><br /><br /><b>The Monkey Bars</b><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/4HT-ZNWgrNA\" width=\"560\"></iframe><br /><b>THIS. I was so happy about. </b>Again, this is not an unusual obstacle - many many obstacle races have this. This isn\'t even any kind of super-hard or out-of-the-ordinary monkey bar...like ascending and descending...or made of beer kegs...<br /><br /><b>So WHY am I posting the video?</b> Because I actually DID it this time! I\'ve never been able to really do monkey bars. During the Fenway Spartan Sprint I got halfway through and had to drop to the floor - I was slipping thanks to some sub-par gloves. This time? Nailed it. <br /><br />Next was a partner carry (you switched off in the middle) which I did not do (and was told to skip) since I was not running with a buddy. That was kind of a bummer, not gonna lie. I guess I didn\'t really want to carry someone I don\'t know, so in the end I guess that\'s OK. That led directly to three incline walls with rope to help you up them. I <b>may </b>have just run directly up the first one. Then down a pretty good decline and around the corner to a classic balance beam series (nothing awful). After QUITE a bit of running down the mountain...<br /><br /><b>Ladies and Gentlemen...we have found THE MUD.&nbsp;</b><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/QnOUgiZRvr0\" width=\"560\"></iframe><br /><b>So</b>...Remember that part where I said I\'ve never done a real \"mud run\" before? Yeah...this is one of those things that was just 100% missing. It was fun! Not, like, insanely <b>challenging</b> or anything...just fun. That\'s the point, right? Have fun? OK good - Mass Mayhem achieved it.<br /><br />After that, there were two 8 foot walls connected by a cargo net over the top - yes, you crawled across. Back up the mountain and another 5 minute hike later (yes, really) we got to a water pit we had to wade through. Nothing awful, but it was INCREDIBLY cold. Another couple of minutes of hike up to a climbing wall straight up-and-down, another couple of minutes of hike to a cargo net up-and-down, and then the descent began again. There was a big drainage tube to crawl through - again, nothing really hard. More descent (like, a LOT more) and we then reached the last video I\'ll show...<br /><br /><b>The Tunnel</b><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/wStvUntdfF8\" width=\"560\"></iframe><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cswqkIsiz3g/U1AlvVL1tiI/AAAAAAAAHBE/P7qF4huu59M/s1600/IMG_20140412_152511121.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cswqkIsiz3g/U1AlvVL1tiI/AAAAAAAAHBE/P7qF4huu59M/s1600/IMG_20140412_152511121.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"180\" /></a></div><br /><b>Just in case you hadn\'t had enough mud</b>, here\'s where you can get a healthy helping. You had the choice to go through one of two tunnels or the trench on  the outside. The only difference, really, was the tunnels were covered  in plywood and the open trench was not. Oh, and some rocks. Ok...LOTS of rocks... I found that out once I got a few feet into the tunnel. I was <b>very </b>careful not to lose my bib on this one - thus my knees and forearms suffered. Nothing bad, just some scrapes and bruises. I\'d rather that than lose my bib.<br /><br />\"The Tunnel\" is also presumably where Chris (one of the Spahtens I hung out with post-race) got this lovely gash on his arm. Did I mention there were rocks in there? <b>Don\'t worry</b> - he was ok. He didn\'t seem all too upset about the \"injury\", I think he was more peeved the bandage wouldn\'t stay on it. Frankly, I\'m not surprised...he was covered in mud! <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QraiXxwEbyc/U1AnPdNVulI/AAAAAAAAHBU/ouNyTExpPmU/s1600/IMG_20140412_113241508.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QraiXxwEbyc/U1AnPdNVulI/AAAAAAAAHBU/ouNyTExpPmU/s1600/IMG_20140412_113241508.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"181\" /></a></div><br /><b>After almost 10 minutes of ascent</b> we reached a rope swing kinda thing - it was like&nbsp; swings at the playground, except the \"seat\" was hovering close to the ground and you stood on it. There was a rope overhead to steady yourself with. That was kind of challenging. We then ran aaaaaaaalllll the way down the mountain again and got to \"the frog pond\". It was a pond kinda thing in a massive pit (looked like a fenced in asteroid crater in the middle of nowhere) with about a good foot and a half of muck at the bottom you sank into. After that, we ran down the mountain to the last obstacle...<br /><br /><b>A sled hill!</b><br /><br />Because <b>come on</b>...that\'s just plain FUN! <br /><br /><b>So there you have it. </b>My experience in the first Mass Mayhem 4 mile obstacle race! Like I said, I had a ton of fun. I highly recommend it. <br /><br /><b>Will I be seeing you out there at the next one? :)</b>','D. I.R. T. Y. - Mass Mayhem Mud Run Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','70-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 10:59:57','2017-01-08 15:59:57','',70,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/70-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(318,1,'2017-01-08 11:00:22','2017-01-08 16:00:22','<span style=\"font-size: large;\"><i><b>\"I can\'t believe I just did that!\"</b></i></span><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3VteV8kQRa0/UzAluwpZPoI/AAAAAAAAGs4/5mGik_RUbOk/s1600/Fools_Dual_Logo_2013.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3VteV8kQRa0/UzAluwpZPoI/AAAAAAAAGs4/5mGik_RUbOk/s1600/Fools_Dual_Logo_2013.png\" height=\"165\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br /><b>This past Sunday I ran the YuKanRun.com Fool\'s Dual Challenge. </b>It was a 5K at 8 AM and a half-marathon at 9 AM.<b> A combined 16.2 miles. </b>It is the farthest I have <b>ever</b> run in one morning, and my greatest challenge to date. I was exhausted. I was sore. I was hungry as all hell...<b>but I did it.</b> Not only did I do it, but...well...I guess you\'ll have to keep reading to find out ;)<br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />All I can say is...<b>WHAT A DAY!</b> I still can\'t believe I did that, and everyone I\'ve told so far looked at me like I was a nutball. For those of you who read <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/03/im-getting-foolish5k-131.html\">my pre-race article about the Dual</a>, you know what I\'m talking about. For those who didn\'t catch that, let me give you a brief breakdown:<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fUh7z0JC77c/UzAoBtLqR_I/AAAAAAAAGtI/Qu15w0TGh-s/s1600/yukanrunlogo.png\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fUh7z0JC77c/UzAoBtLqR_I/AAAAAAAAGtI/Qu15w0TGh-s/s1600/yukanrunlogo.png\" height=\"111\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>The <a href=\"http://yukanrun.com/\">YuKanRun.com</a> Fool\'s Dual Challenge was a dual race put on by a race company called...you guessed it...YuKanRun.com. Their \"thing\" seems to be, well, making people run a LOT in one morning. \"Oh, you just finished a 5K? Go ahead and run a half-marathon!\" \"Oh, you had a nice mile run, you say? Go do a 5K, then grab a drink and run a half...<b>then</b> we\'ll talk!\"<br /><br />The race director, Craig, is a very nice guy - I went back and forth with him via email a bit. I have to say, he and his team put together a very good race! Well-organized, well-run, and FUN! <br /><br /><b>So, what\'s the deal? How did this work?</b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FEeO5Gx2044/U0fYoc0I9aI/AAAAAAAAGyo/ZWzY22Vwg_g/s1600/IMG_20140406_075941_661.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FEeO5Gx2044/U0fYoc0I9aI/AAAAAAAAGyo/ZWzY22Vwg_g/s1600/IMG_20140406_075941_661.jpg\" height=\"335\" width=\"400\" /></a><b>Basically</b>, it was dual races...<i>and that was the challenge. </i>At 8 am the 5K began. See that neon yellow person on the runners\' right of the starting line? That\'s me. Go ahead, zoom in. I finished in 25:21. I then had about a half hour to relax, stretch, lose layers, refuel...do whatever I needed to do to get ready for the half-marathon. At 9 am, the gun went off and the half-marathon started. There\'s your dual race, and there\'s the challenge.<br /><br /><b>I was worried about the 5K, not the half-marathon.</b><br /><br /><b>I said this in my pre-race article</b>, but I\'ll say it again - The 13.1 was not my big concern - it was the 5K! When I go into a race, I go in with a certain mindset, approach, and set of expectations for my performance based on the race distance. A 5K is a VERY different mindset and approach than a half-marathon! I usually run out of gas and \"leave it all on the pavement\" when I run a race, no matter the distance...so having a half-marathon to deal with a half-hour after finishing a 5K...<b> that was MY challenge.</b> I had to make sure I paced myself and didn\'t go balls-to-the-wall in the 5K. A minute or minute and a half on my 5K time meant a lot more physical exertion, and could be the difference between great success and wild failure in the half-marathon. <b>I had to pace myself</b>. I had to try very hard to monitor my speed and keep myself under control. <b>It was tough</b>, but I had to remind myself over and over...<b>today is not a PR day, today is about finishing.</b><br /><br />With that mantra in mind, I ran two successful races, ran the farthest distance I\'ve done in one morning, and achieved a big accomplishment! <b>More on that in a minute ;)</b><br /><br />So, again...in my pre-race article I talked about the courses for the races. The 5K was, indeed a loop. On our approach driving to the race, we went up this gnarly hair-pin twisty steep hill, and Megan goes \"good thing you don\'t have to run on this road! It\'d already be blocked off.\"...guess what? <b>I had to run down it.</b> Thanks, babe. hah.It was a nice course though - classic rural New England, and not too bad difficulty-wise. The half-marathon course was just as advertised - a 6.5 mile out-and-back with a nice little loop for a turnaround. The elevation chart provided was also accurate...but I didn\'t realize exactly what it meant...more on that later.<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Let\'s talk about the experience.</span></b><br /><br /><b>To be honest, I don\'t remember much of the 5K run.</b> It was such a big morning and there was so much going on...it\'s all a blur. As we were leaving after the races, Megan pointed out \"race\" signs that had designated the course for runners, and I completely had no recollection of running on those roads! Weird. I remember pacing myself. I remember making a point to not go too hard, but still run a strong, respectable pace. I remember crossing the finish, seeing my time...and being a bit disappointed...but I knew it had to be done to achieve overall success. It\'s just all so BLURRY!<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vH-CWPgk1Zo/U0fhz9x9RLI/AAAAAAAAGzE/uW9WVTA1czo/s1600/IMG_20140406_090031_426.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vH-CWPgk1Zo/U0fhz9x9RLI/AAAAAAAAGzE/uW9WVTA1czo/s1600/IMG_20140406_090031_426.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a></div><b>In contrast, I remember the half-marathon vividly</b>. The picture to the left is right after the starting line - for some reason Runkeeper started before I actually began the race, so when I tried to \"start\" it when the gun was about to go off...it was already running! I had to scramble to stop, delete, and restart it, so for about the first .1 miles I was trying to start up my run. Once I got that taken care of, however, things went well. I remembered \"today is not a PR day\", and that thought carried me through and helped me not over-exert myself. Another thought flying through my head was one word - <b>Endure</b>. That was particularly poignant given I was running 16.2 miles total. And, of course, the shirt...<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/02/no-limits-frosty-knuckle-5k-hyannis.html\">It was the same shirt from the Hyannis Half - \"NO Limits - I Can, I Will\"</a>.&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>This race was all hills and headwinds! </b>I guess it didn\'t really click in my head when I looked at the elevation chart...I\'m so used to running on Cape Cod that I was NOT mentally prepared for the hills I encountered! Thanks to <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/beachbody-coach.html\">Insanity: The Asylum</a>...I knew how to handle it though! Haha...lean forward and do high-knees! Those headwinds...I have never experienced anything like that! It takes so much more effort to run against that! I managed, though. Every once in a while I had to refocus, recenter, and renew my efforts. I also had to occasionally fix my form - pull my elbows in towards my body, stop doing the loopy-leg dance...just generally tighten it up. I didn\'t run with a pace band this time (like I did for Hyannis) because, as I said...it was NOT a PR day...so I had to monitor my pace the \"old-fashioned\" way.<br /><br />I had no urge to go to the water stops along the first half of the race - I had my own hydration source, and I\'d hydrate on my terms, when I was ready. I managed my water pretty well, but I did top off towards the end (people at the water tables were VERY nice). They also gave out energy gels along the course! I got a Gu Salted Caramel on the way out and a Clif Shot citrus on the way back! Hey, that\'s two less of my own I had to use, so I\'m not complaining :). <br /><br />I got a little bit of a surprise when I got to around the 6-mile mark...I saw the \"Entering Rockport\" <span></span>sign! Again, this was just me being oblivious to the world and it not \"clicking\" when I looked at the map of the course...but I distinctly remember thinking to myself <i>\"we\'re seriously running all the FREAKING way to Rockport and back?!\"</i> <b>Yes, Darrell...pay attention next time.</b> The scenery WAS nice though - classic rural New England the whole way. <br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-znlGtLvpR8w/U0fmF6l_uAI/AAAAAAAAGzU/IAJAn6ZtWys/s1600/4332-500h.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-znlGtLvpR8w/U0fmF6l_uAI/AAAAAAAAGzU/IAJAn6ZtWys/s1600/4332-500h.jpg\" /></a><br />The last half of the half-marathon was tough. Once I passed the turnaround (which was a nice little loop of road, not a hairpin turnaround) I started talking to myself in restaurant terms... <i>\"7 miles...10.1 all day\"</i> - literally just how it sounds - I had 7 miles down, and had run 10.1 all day (thanks to the 5K). I kept saying that each mile to remind myself to stay strong, run hard, and realize just how far I had actually gone...and how far I will have gone once I finish. To think...the accomplishment I was about to make by not only running two miles farther than I ever have...but to do it <b>strong</b>...<a href=\"http://runkeeper.com/user/dwmctague/activity/285722002\">something I failed to do on New Year\'s Eve Day when I ran 14 on a whim</a>. Damnit...<b>I prepared for this</b>, and I was gonna <b>SMASH IT!</b> Once I got to the 10 mile mark...I knew I had a <b>real</b> opportunity to come in at about 2 hours - if I could keep it strong I might even meet or beat my sub-2 hour PR from the Hyannis Half! I just had to achieve 9 minute miles... <b>Then the last two miles happened.</b><br /><span></span><br /><br /><b>The last two miles were especially tough.&nbsp;</b> <br /><br />At that point...I had gone 14 miles in total. My body was tired. I was mentally tired. My little mental boosts of \"you DON\'T need to stop, you\'ve GOT this\" were starting to wear thin. The people cheering along the race course began to be very important. Seeing others chugging along also became important to me - usually I tune everything out and run my own race, but I had to know, at that point, that others were struggling and fighting along with me. I saw others taking walk breaks just like I was. I saw people who I passed earlier pass me. I passed some who had flown by me earlier...it was just one big fight to the finish. <br /><br /><b>The last mile was the worst.</b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQIok7aF6AU/U0fbJH3tG-I/AAAAAAAAGy0/uxvnu1vL5o4/s1600/IMG_20140406_110207_296.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQIok7aF6AU/U0fbJH3tG-I/AAAAAAAAGy0/uxvnu1vL5o4/s1600/IMG_20140406_110207_296.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"254\" /></a>At just past the 12 mile marker for the half (15.1 overall) I started really feeling it in my right hamstring and left calf. My muscles were starting to let me know just how hard I had worked that morning. With about .6 to go, I think, my left calf cramped. <b>Just once</b>. Just to say hi. Just to challenge me. I had to stop, stretch my calves, and hit the pavement again. <b>I refused to be beaten</b> this close to the end. I had worked WAY too hard to nuke my time and limp over the finish. I did everything I knew to keep a calf cramp from happening...and kept on chugging. My left calf and the bottom of my right hamstring threatened to cramp for the entirety of that last half-mile...but I kept going. I could SEE the finish, and it was gonna feel good.<br /><br /><b>And it did.</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B9rK603SsRA/U0fqnG5I1OI/AAAAAAAAGzc/Qaba3necSsk/s1600/IMG_20140406_110210_516.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B9rK603SsRA/U0fqnG5I1OI/AAAAAAAAGzc/Qaba3necSsk/s1600/IMG_20140406_110210_516.jpg\" height=\"155\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>I finished the half-marathon in 2:01:55!&nbsp;</b><br /><br />Considering all the hills and headwinds I had to deal with, I\'m pretty happy about that! Oh, and there\'s that whole \"ran a 5K first\" thing too. <b>I was thrilled! </b>After finishing, I literally said out loud <i>\"I can\'t believe I just did that!\"<b>&nbsp;</b><b> </b></i>I then proceeded to stretch and eat A TON...I was so sore...but I could actually function! I was a <i>wreck </i>after the Hyannis Half...I was pooped, I was discombobulated and couldn\'t think, I was sore, and my legs almost didn\'t wanna work. After this...I felt pretty good actually.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vMIAusZUCEg/U0fvdPkCf3I/AAAAAAAAGz8/OTxsFKXGbMg/s1600/IMG_20140411_070915785.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vMIAusZUCEg/U0fvdPkCf3I/AAAAAAAAGz8/OTxsFKXGbMg/s1600/IMG_20140411_070915785.jpg\" height=\"263\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>Oh...Remember that big achievement I mentioned earlier?</b><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">I PLACED 3RD IN MY AGE GROUP FOR COMBINED TIME!</span></b><br /><br />With a time of 25:21 in the 5K and 2:01:55.1 for the half, I had a combined 2:27:16.1 for the Dual...and <a href=\"http://racewire.com/html_results/3664_Fools%20Dual%20Age%20Group.htm\">clinched 3rd in the Male 19 - 29 age group by a commanding 19 minutes</a>! They had a classic podium for winners for a photo op...but I don\'t have any photos from that. Why, you ask? <b>The timing was messed up</b>. My 5K results for some reason didn\'t register, which meant I also didn\'t show up in the Dual results - it was as if I had only run the half-marathon! I figured this out after the fact, and was pretty bummed. I realized, though, that <b>this was in no way the race\'s fault - it was the timing company.</b> I shot an email to the Race Director and submitted a timing error request with the timing company, and they were both super-helpful in getting it fixed! My official results now show up, and I can say that I officially snagged 3rd in the Male Open Age Group! The Race Director is even sending me out my age group award since, due to the error, I didn\'t get it AT the race! That\'s very nice of him :)<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">There were some cool people and parting gifts too!</span></b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vzr8KpEcCT4/U0fyMeKgVqI/AAAAAAAAG0Q/STLs5ImhIT4/s1600/IMG_20140406_110909_893.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vzr8KpEcCT4/U0fyMeKgVqI/AAAAAAAAG0Q/STLs5ImhIT4/s1600/IMG_20140406_110909_893.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"299\" /></a>In the picture above you can see the finisher\'s medal - pretty sweet medal! My 3rd half-marathon, and my 3rd finisher\'s medal. It even has a nice ribbon, complete with the race company\'s logo on the back. They also were nice enough to include a 13.1 sticker for my car! I\'ve been meaning to get one of those... I also got a sweet string sackpack (actually well-built!) and a runner\'s visor (for doing the Dual). Oh, also...<br /><br /><b>I got to (re)meet Nicolas - the Perfect Fuel guy!</b><br /><br />Within a few days (I hope) I\'ll have a product review up for <a href=\"http://www.perfectfuelchocolate.com/\">Perfect Fuel</a>. It\'s a performance chocolate, and I had it before both the 5K and the half-marathon. <b>I love it</b>. I think it tastes great, I like the idea and the science behind it, and I feel like it helped me in every run/race I\'ve used it in! Look for that article soon.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Overall, a great day and big success!</b></span><br /><br />I\'m SO pleased with my overall performance and just the day in general! This was the greatest challenge I have taken on yet - I went in with a strategy/gameplan...<b>and it worked!</b> I did well, I pushed my limits, and I achieved what I wanted - I may not have placed in the 5K or the half-marathon individually, but I achieved a combined place...which is fine by me :) I also learned...I was wrong - I said that it was NOT going to be a PR day...but once again it didn\'t \"click\" - I gained a new distance PR - 16.2 miles! Chalk that up to a win.<br /><br /><b>*Bonus* - </b>I took some video for my buddy Rick who\'s vlogging as part of his Falmouth Road Race training this year - you can see the video below! <iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/gQXc2sDAjHg\" width=\"560\"></iframe><br /><br /><b>So What\'s The Moral Of The Story?</b><br /><br />I strongly recommend checking out www.YuKanRun.com and looking into their races! they\'re a ton of fun, a great challenge, and a great way to try something new and see just what you can do! <br /><br />Just remember - If I can do crazy things like this, <b>so can you.</b> Pick a race, register, and take the plunge! You\'ll be amazed with what you can accomplish :)','FOOLISH! Fool\'s Dual Challenge 5K & 13.1 Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','71-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:00:22','2017-01-08 16:00:22','',71,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/71-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(319,1,'2017-01-08 11:00:39','2017-01-08 16:00:39','This past weekend was<b> jam-packed</b> with <i>awesome</i>. Saturday I ran the <a href=\"http://runthecircle.org/wordpress/?page_id=403\" target=\"_blank\">April Fool\'s Four Miler</a> put on by the <a href=\"http://www.runthecircle.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Winner\'s Circle Running Club</a>, Sunday I did the Spartan Race <a href=\"http://www.spartanraceworkout.com/home.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Spartan 300 Workout\"</a> at Mohegan Sun...and right before the weekend started I got confirmation about a major development...<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kJtevBcc2KE/UzkA7O-M5YI/AAAAAAAAGvI/Dcg47jt5O_Y/s1600/aprilfools.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kJtevBcc2KE/UzkA7O-M5YI/AAAAAAAAGvI/Dcg47jt5O_Y/s1600/aprilfools.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"245\" /></a></div>I\'m going to save the Spartan workout for another article. Today\'s story is all about the April Fool\'s Road Race and my big announcement... So, that said...<br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>The April Fool\'s Four Mile Road Race Was A Blast!</b></span><br /><br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zLLnrixtZ-c/UzkDqY5H87I/AAAAAAAAGvU/j-IOdeDwxj8/s1600/wcrclgo3.gif\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zLLnrixtZ-c/UzkDqY5H87I/AAAAAAAAGvU/j-IOdeDwxj8/s1600/wcrclgo3.gif\" height=\"320\" width=\"315\" /></a>I had a <b>ton</b> of fun at the race! There\'s so much to say about it! In order to understand a race like this, you have to understand the people putting it on - <b>The Winner\'s Circle Running Club</b>.<br /><br />I had read the information online, but somehow it didn\'t click until I got there - <a href=\"http://www.winnerscirclema.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Winner\'s Circle</a> <i>is a sports bar</i>. So this is a running club more or less based out of the bar. They meet at The Winner\'s Circle weekly for a run (and have a monthly meeting as well) and after the run...well...they have \"social hour\" at the bar! The club helps out with lots of local races...many of which they put on themselves! It also appears that they participate in USATF Grand Prix racing (look into if it you\'re curious).<br /><br /><b>I met a number of WCRC members</b> at the post-race party...and enjoyed a number of <i>libations </i>with them...and I have to tell you <b>they\'re a hoot and a half. </b>The group I was with was a bunch of older guys, and <b>man</b> were they a tough crowd! They joke and pal around just like I\'m used to with my college fraternity brothers - it felt like these guys had been buddies for decades. I have to say, I felt very welcomed by them - I was easily 2 or 3 decades younger than most of them, and I felt just as much a part of the conversation as any of them seemed to.<br /><br />I also (of course) made a point to meet the Race Director, Laurie. This woman was all. over. the. place. In a good way! I swear, I didn\'t see her stop moving until well into the post-race party, after most participants had left and it was down to the hardcore partyers and volunteers who finally got to relax. I have to give her and the WCRC folks a big hand for putting together a great race - well-organized, and a lot of fun! <br /><b><br />This was also the first time</b> I have <b>ever</b> had to do race-day registration. For some reason I wasn\'t sure up till the last minute that I was GOING to do this race, and by then it was too late for pre-registration online. I got there, walked in, filled out a form, and they handed me a bib. <b>It was that easy</b>. No hassle, no headache, no worries...<b>no nothing</b>! It was a breeze! I\'m not sure if this is how race-day registration USUALLY works, but I was impressed. Oh...speaking of the bibs...<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-712oJgHdaYI/UzkIL0GdOII/AAAAAAAAGvg/jc_WeYt8zi4/s1600/IMG_20140330_234914371.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-712oJgHdaYI/UzkIL0GdOII/AAAAAAAAGvg/jc_WeYt8zi4/s1600/IMG_20140330_234914371.jpg\" height=\"321\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br /><b>EVERYONE was #0! </b><br /><br />Hah. April Fool\'s, huh? <br /><br />Everyone\'s ACTUAL number was up in the corner - I was 844. Those bibs made for a pretty hilarious scene at the start and finish though. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So...Back To The Race...</b></span><br /><br />This was the 33rd running of WCRC\'s April Fool\'s race. After over 30 years of putting on the same race it\'s evident that it\'s survived so long because it\'s well-planned, well-executed, and fun for everyone. The course was an \"out-and-back\" - I\'m coming to appreciate them. I know I\'ve mentioned in other articles and recaps...but it\'s fun to start anticipating the turnaround as you watch the leaders come back at you toward the finish. It\'s also cool to see everyone else behind you after you go through the turnaround and head back towards the finish yourself. The course was VERY flat - no noteworthy hills or inclines to deal with. This was <b>definitely </b>a pleasant course and a fun run.<br /><br />I\'ve run a number of 5K\'s, 5 Milers, and 10K\'s...but I\'ve never before run a <a href=\"http://www.usatf.org/Home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">USATF (U.S.A. Track &amp; Field) Certified</a> 4 mile race, so this was a bit of a different experience. Even though this race was about 1/3 longer than a 5K (4 miles vs. 3.1) I still tried to run it like I would run a 5K - hard, fast, and aggressive. I also tried to treat it  like a 5K as far as walking was concerned (meaning DON\'T walk if I can  help it). Overall, it went pretty well. I finished in 31:55.4 - 7:59  min/mile and 182nd of 825 overall (21st /41 Open age group)! Not bad for  four miles, and not bad for not having run all week! Not to mention my  lack of sleep the night before...I\'d say I\'m satisfied! <br /><br />As I may have alluded to earlier...the post-race party at The Winner\'s Circle was a ton of fun - everyone got two beer tickets...but people just kept <b>giving</b> beer tickets to me! And the WCRC guys I was hanging out with kept bringing beer to the table and sliding some my way! I wasn\'t about to be rude and refuse, of course...<br /><br /><b>So 5 hours later</b> I left The Winner\'s Circle. <b>HAH</b>. What a fun day! I <b>highly</b> recommend this race to anyone looking for a good time on an unusual distance. Again, BIG thanks to Laurie and the folks at the <a href=\"http://www.runthecircle.org/\">Winner\'s Circle Running Club</a> for putting on a GREAT race!<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8TvWeuVbIQo/UzkLEf3wTCI/AAAAAAAAGvs/xlbsiMRQq64/s1600/IMG_20140329_111229243_HDR.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8TvWeuVbIQo/UzkLEf3wTCI/AAAAAAAAGvs/xlbsiMRQq64/s1600/IMG_20140329_111229243_HDR.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a></div><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">While We\'re Busy <i>Thanking </i>people... </span></b><br /><br />Most races I have someone there to support me - a friend, family member, etc. For this race my aunt Dorothy came out! Her husband (my uncle Joe) is an electrician and owns Flanagan Electric out of Newburyport, MA. Flanagan Electric was my sponsor for this race. I tried to be clever with my shirt and keep it \"electrical\" themed...I thought I did ok with \"Wired To Run\". I\'m very fortunate to be sponsored for so many races this year - my sponsors (and some generous RD\'s) are <b>literally</b> the <i>only</i> reason I am able to run this many races, so a <b>big thank you </b>to Flanagan Electric and my aunt and uncle is in order for making this race (and a few more to come) possible! If you\'re up in that neighborhood and need some electrical work done, call 978-463-4330 - Flanagan Electric does both residential and commercial. <b>Who Knows...</b>maybe I can get him to put together a website and/or a Facebook page! 21st Century, <i>here we come!</i> <br /><br /><b>On the topic of <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/sponsors.html\">Sponsors...</a></b><br /><br /><b>&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: large;\">ANNOUNCEMENT - I am a Team Armored Athlete!</span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rMcJUTO6bpI/Uzlk1F2zpcI/AAAAAAAAGwA/fuu0T6R6eqA/s1600/00_armoredlogo15.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rMcJUTO6bpI/Uzlk1F2zpcI/AAAAAAAAGwA/fuu0T6R6eqA/s1600/00_armoredlogo15.png\" height=\"73\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>Just in case I couldn\'t consider myself one in the <i>traditional </i>sense before...<b>I am now officially a sponsored athlete!</b> I\'ve been picked up by <a href=\"http://www.armorednutrition.com/\">www.ArmoredNutrition.com</a> as one of their Team Armored Athletes! I am <b>beyond</b> excited to be a part of Team Armored and look forward to what will come in this new relationship! <a href=\"http://www.armorednutrition.com/Darrell-W-McTague_ep_54.html\" target=\"_blank\">You can check out my profile on Team Armored here!</a><br /><br /><b>I do my nutrition shopping at a combination </b>of brick-and-mortar store and online store. One of my sponsors prior to Armored is a brick and mortar nutrition store - I love them to death! Both have their benefits, and I\'m not saying to stop going to the brick-and-mortar (not at ALL)...both have their place... <br /><br /><b>That said - I really believe in <a href=\"http://www.armorednutrition.com/\">Armored Nutrition</a> and what they have going on!</b> They\'ve got incredible, honest customer service that\'s only a live chat or call away and their shipping is LIGHTNING quick! <a href=\"http://www.armorednutrition.com/About-Us_ep_7.html\">They have 7 warehouses across the country</a>, so they can ship orders to MOST places within one day. Couple that with their incredible effort to get it packed and shipped as fast as possible (often same-day) and its at your door before you have time to turn around! I\'ll have to do an article soon on the benefits of brick-and-mortar vs. online...hmm...anyway...<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s3eBQN6O8vY/UzlnW6DVFiI/AAAAAAAAGwM/Dxyz96llP8w/s1600/runarmored.png\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s3eBQN6O8vY/UzlnW6DVFiI/AAAAAAAAGwM/Dxyz96llP8w/s1600/runarmored.png\" height=\"180\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br /><b>Check them out! </b>Give <a href=\"http://www.armorednutrition.com/\">Armored Nutrition</a> a try and support my new team! Not only do they have kick-ass service and shipping, but their prices are actually pretty good too.<br /><br /><b>You can use coupon code \"RunArmored\" for 5% off your order</b> to give them a whirl! Let them know Darrell sent you!<br /><br />Look for me running for <a href=\"http://www.armorednutrition.com/Team-Armored-Athletes_ep_45.html\">Team Armored</a> in the future! Can\'t wait to take this on the road and see how it goes! <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">What\'s the moral of the story here?</span></b><br /><br /><b>Get Out Of Your Own Way! </b>If you work hard, strive for it, and <b>put yourself out there</b> you <b>WILL </b>get what you\'re working for! I went through the list - it looks like, so far, <b>I\'ll be running 32 races this year. </b>Why on God\'s green earth would I do that? <b>Like I\'ve said before - </b>It\'s all about showing that <b>it CAN be done! </b><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-story.html\">If I can go from a hopeless 300 lb lump</a> on the couch resigned to a life of mediocrity and health issues to becoming a sponsored runner...<b>there is no reason Joe Six-Pack can\'t get off the couch and start getting healthy!</b> <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html\">I\'ve said it before</a> and I\'ll say it a million times more - <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zOLOwqzhF0k/UzlptV8FThI/AAAAAAAAGwY/RS8QvucfAa4/s1600/lyl-photo-collage.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zOLOwqzhF0k/UzlptV8FThI/AAAAAAAAGwY/RS8QvucfAa4/s1600/lyl-photo-collage.jpg\" height=\"263\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>The Only Limits We Truly Have Are The Ones We Set For Ourselves.</b></span><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Stop limiting yourself, </span></b><span style=\"font-size: small;\">get out of your own way</span>, <b>and go get it!</b></span> Happy Motivational Monday :)','April Fool\'s 4 Miler Recap & Team Armored','','inherit','closed','closed','','72-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:00:39','2017-01-08 16:00:39','',72,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/72-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(320,1,'2017-01-08 11:01:05','2017-01-08 16:01:05','In two short weeks I\'m going to be doing something VERY silly. <b>Foolish</b>, even. It\'s called the Fool\'s Dual Challenge, and it\'s going to be the greatest test I\'ve put myself through so far.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3VteV8kQRa0/UzAluwpZPoI/AAAAAAAAGs0/NRUrM7Dadfk/s1600/Fools_Dual_Logo_2013.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3VteV8kQRa0/UzAluwpZPoI/AAAAAAAAGs0/NRUrM7Dadfk/s1600/Fools_Dual_Logo_2013.png\" height=\"165\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>That\'s Right.</b> <a href=\"http://www.yukanrun.com/Fools-Dual.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Fool\'s Dual Challenge</a> features both Half Marathon AND 5K road races. <i>\"What\'s wrong with that?\" </i>you might ask? <i>\"Plenty of races feature more than one distance.\"</i> - you would be correct.<b> </b>But this is the Fool\'s Dual <b>Challenge</b>...so of course, I\'ll be running <b>both.</b> <i>\"So? There are race challenges that feature more than one race in a weekend! Disney, for instance! Dopey Challenge, anyone?\"</i> Yes, that\'s fair, there <b>ARE</b> challenges like that...but those are back to back days...<br /><br /><b>And this is back to back in the same morning.</b> <br /><br />Therein lies the key difference :)<br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><b>I\'ll probably hate myself for this</b>...but I HAD to do it! I mean, <b>come on!</b> What a unique concept! I\'ve never seen a race challenge that has you go back to back races <b>in the same day!</b> That\'s just silly! So of course, <b>I had to go for it</b>. <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Who would put this together? Crazy People?!</span></b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fUh7z0JC77c/UzAoBtLqR_I/AAAAAAAAGtE/DN7hrmhmGx4/s1600/yukanrunlogo.png\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fUh7z0JC77c/UzAoBtLqR_I/AAAAAAAAGtE/DN7hrmhmGx4/s1600/yukanrunlogo.png\" height=\"89\" width=\"320\" /></a>The race management company that put together this insane test of willpower and endurance is <br /><a href=\"http://yukanrun.com/\">YuKanRun.com</a>.Of course, with an idea this incredible and unique...<b>this is not the only race like this they do</b>. As a matter of fact, every race they put on is structured like this! YuKanRun.com is based out of Rockport, MA, and that\'s the general neighborhood in which it seems all their races take place (Gloucester, Rockport, etc). This is GREAT NEWS for runners...you\'ll get some stunning views along the race courses - this is something I\'m REALLY coming to appreciate as a runner. It seems YuKanRun.com really wants to offer athletes a new, unique challenge, but they cater to everyone! If you aren\'t quite foolish enough for both races back to back, you can do just the 5K, or just the 13.1! But I digress...<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">How does this <i>work</i>...exactly?</span></b><br /><br />The morning of April 6th, 2014 I will show up at O\'Malley Middle School in Gloucester, MA (early of course) to pick up my packet. When 8 am comes, the gun goes off and we start the 5K. Once we finish, it\'s time to try to stretch, rest, recuperate, re-fuel, re-hydrate and find a port-o-potty...because once 9 am hits, the gun goes off and the half marathon starts!<br /><br /><b>Yes, that\'s right - the 5K starts at 8 am and the 13.1 starts at 9 am. </b>That means I\'ll have about a half hour to \"rest\". YIKES! I think that might be the craziest part of the whole thing - how close together these races are! Presumably, that means the only people who would be <b>crazy </b>enough to do this challenge are people that can finish a 5K in a half hour or better.<br /><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5jpa_oCrNDw/UzA0fKTbRzI/AAAAAAAAGtQ/b0lOjua_ZI0/s1600/FoolsDualTshirtMockup.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5jpa_oCrNDw/UzA0fKTbRzI/AAAAAAAAGtQ/b0lOjua_ZI0/s1600/FoolsDualTshirtMockup.jpg\" height=\"361\" width=\"400\" /></a><b>You get some pretty sweet swag for running, though! </b>All participants (5K, 13.1, and Fool\'s Dual Challenge) get this sweet shirt, 13.1 runners get a finisher\'s medal, and those doing the Challenge get what I\'m told is a <i>sweet </i>running visor. Not sure if I\'ll actually wear it running since I usually just go with a sweatband, but I\'ll proudly hang it from my medal rack (which I\'ve yet to buy/make...). <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">What about the race courses themselves?</span></b><br /><br />I looked at the maps they offer online - the 5K looks to be a nice little loop...should be a very pleasant run with some great scenery! The half-marathon is an out-and-back course - both half-marathons I\'ve run were loops, so this should be interesting. I didn\'t take the time to try to do math on the elevation, but it looks like there\'s some incline to deal with - especially going to and coming back from the turnaround. We\'ll see how THAT goes! All in all, though, the courses seem to offer a great morning of running with some great scenery all day long.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>I\'m not worried about the half-marathon...</b></span><br /><br />Believe it or not, the biggest challenge in this whole thing, I think, is going to be the 5K. I\'ve said before (and I imagine others feel the same) that when I\'m going into a race, I come into it with a different mindset and attitude based on the distance. I\'m mentally prepared for a 5K, so I go out running a 5K pace. If I\'m running a half-marathon, I go out mentally prepared for it, ready to endure the distance, pace myself, monitor my pace and time each mile and adjust accordingly...<br /><br /><b>But I don\'t know how to do two different ends of the spectrum in one day.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />This is TOTALLY new ground for me! I have to admit, I\'m a little worried I\'m gonna gas myself during the 5K and run out of steam during the half! As I think about the coming challenge, I look back on my experience <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/02/no-limits-frosty-knuckle-5k-hyannis.html\" target=\"_blank\">the weekend of the Hyannis Half-Marathon</a>. That weekend, I did something I thought was very silly - I ran the Frosty Knuckle 5K+ on Saturday and the Hyannis Half on Sunday - <b>BACK TO BACK RACES!</b> I knew I was going to have to pace myself and take it easy on the 5K that Saturday...I KNEW I had to...and I found myself going hard on the first mile. I had to force myself to slow down, and I <b>still</b> ended up placing 3rd in my age group! Yes, I know, I sound like a spoiled little whiner (wah wah, I placed in my age group!)...but honestly - I could\'ve blown my chance at a 13.1 PR the next day! Fortunately, I didn\'t...I got my sub-2 hour half.<br /><br /><b>The worry is, though...</b> If I had that hard of a time pacing myself in the 5K <i>the day before </i>the half...how am I going to do when they\'re <b>the same morning</b>? It\'s a mental thing - I\'m going in prepared to run a 5K...and I\'m afraid I\'m going to do my thing and <b>run a 5K</b>. <br /><br />What I need to do is run it like it\'s a 3.1 mile warm-up. Someone told me something very smart - <b>treat the 5K as if it were the last 3.1 miles of the half-marathon...</b>because that\'s where it\'s gonna either help me or hurt me. I have to very carefully monitor my pace, just like I would at the end of a half.<br /><br /><b>But I\'m rambling...</b><br /><br /><b>Suffice it to say - </b>this is easily going to be my greatest challenge to date. If you want to take this on with me, visit <a href=\"http://www.yukanrun.com/\">www.YuKanRun.com</a>. Only the crazy need apply for the challenge, but if you\'re interested in a fun 5K or a great 13.1, go for it! I\'ll let you know how it goes :)<b> <br /></b>Happy Motivational Monday, indeed!<br /><br /><br />','I\'m Getting Foolish...5K + 13.1','','inherit','closed','closed','','73-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:01:05','2017-01-08 16:01:05','',73,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/73-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(321,1,'2017-01-08 11:01:22','2017-01-08 16:01:22','Well that was a fun couple of weekends! Took a break from  half-marathoning (is that a word?) for a month and did a fun couple of  5K\'s!<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1klLWMlBucQ/UyWfOh67JnI/AAAAAAAAGno/Tjn-IxzXU7w/s1600/march5kbibs.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1klLWMlBucQ/UyWfOh67JnI/AAAAAAAAGno/Tjn-IxzXU7w/s1600/march5kbibs.jpg\" height=\"155\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>Smuttynose  Palooza 5K and Pace To A Pint 5K in the books! I guess I was having so  much fun I forgot to do a recap for SmuttyPalooza! And then didn\'t  manage to get this article posted till the following Friday... Whoopsie :).  Anyway...These races were just slightly different than other races I\'ve  run...in a few ways...<br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />So, like I said  - these two races were a TON of fun! There was a different atmosphere  about them than other races I\'ve run...Let\'s break it down race by race,  shall we?<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Let\'s talk about <a href=\"http://smuttynose-palooza.com/\" target=\"_blank\">SmuttyPalooza</a></span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--xwLuTM6Gak/UymCf68HUUI/AAAAAAAAGqY/fYgwZNPzf74/s1600/smuttypalooza.gif\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--xwLuTM6Gak/UymCf68HUUI/AAAAAAAAGqY/fYgwZNPzf74/s1600/smuttypalooza.gif\" height=\"146\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VlTIroeWPvw/Uywp-m_K8UI/AAAAAAAAGrQ/4XPNyYpmBAc/s1600/eclipxshirtpic.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VlTIroeWPvw/Uywp-m_K8UI/AAAAAAAAGrQ/4XPNyYpmBAc/s1600/eclipxshirtpic.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"181\" /></a><b><span style=\"font-size: small;\">&nbsp;</span></b><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: small;\">OH MY...SmuttyPalooza...</span></b><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> WHERE to begin... This race was a TON of fun. I ran this race for Natalie at <a href=\"http://www.eclipxhair.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Eclipx Salon</a> (in Salisbury, MA). Smuttynose Palooza was put on by <a href=\"http://www.locoraces.com/\" target=\"_blank\">LOCO Racing</a> - a \"for-runners by-runners\" race management company out of New Hampshire. It was up at Salisbury  Beach, which is actually where the <a href=\"http://rutraceseries.com/frosty-knuckle-5k/\" target=\"_blank\">Frosty Knuckle 5K+</a> was just a few  weeks prior! Not only that, but the course itself actually traveled  through Salisbury Beach Reservation along part of the same course Frosty  Knuckle used!&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SHYEobdLSe8/UymDlBcdtDI/AAAAAAAAGqo/dB9E_pwjqv0/s1600/smuttypalooza+course.gif\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SHYEobdLSe8/UymDlBcdtDI/AAAAAAAAGqo/dB9E_pwjqv0/s1600/smuttypalooza+course.gif\" height=\"245\" width=\"400\" /></a></span><br />I  have to say, it WAS a really nice course - the scenery was picturesque.  Salisbury Beach Reservation, as the LOCO race  company folks like to point out, is one of the most popular ocean  beaches in the state. There were LOTS of birdwatchers camped out with  their cameras and binoculars looking over the salt marshes....I can  safely say that\'s the only place I\'ve seen that in real life. It was  like something out of Discovery Channel.<br /><br />You can tell from the picture...it was an \"out-and-back\" course -  meaning you run out to a certain point, turn around, and run back to  where you started. Typically, \"Out-and-back\" courses can drive some  people crazy...but they don\'t really bother me all that much (maybe  because that\'s how I train). I also find it kind of fun to see the  leaders on their way back as I\'m almost at the turnaround...and I LOVE  running by 80 - 90% of the runners as I\'m on MY way back to the finish  line. An \"out-and-back\" course also allows you to know exactly where you  stand, so to speak, in terms of getting back to the finish. Oftentimes  on a \"loop\" course you can\'t really keep track of where exactly you are  unless you see a mile marker, and even then you can get \"lost\"  in-between mile markers...but once I hit the turnaround? I know <b>exactly </b>where I am and how far it is to the finish. The course was also incredibly flat, which I was thrilled about (I was shooting for a new 5K PR).<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mspxwqkiJZ8/Uyml8QGEeNI/AAAAAAAAGq4/DDPKvHmRUMU/s1600/IMG_20140308_082222428.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mspxwqkiJZ8/Uyml8QGEeNI/AAAAAAAAGq4/DDPKvHmRUMU/s1600/IMG_20140308_082222428.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>I was very disappointed with myself in this race.</b> I took a walk break. I took TWO very short walk breaks. I usually NEVER  walk during a 5K...one of my proudest moments was the first time I was  able to run 3 miles without stopping, and now I take pride in running  3.1 mile <b>races</b> without stopping...CONSISTENTLY. This day, I was  pushing myself very hard, and I think there might\'ve been a headwind or  something...but close to the 2 mile marker...I felt like I <b>had</b> to walk for a second...and as I did it...I said to myself I\'d be SO upset if <b>this</b> is what cost me a PR.<br /><br />I came in at 24:14...my 5K PR is 23:57. <b>I missed it by 17 seconds.</b> I knew it before I turned the corner and saw the big LED clock. I was pretty disappointed for a few minutes...but then I got over it because 24:14 is still <b>pretty damn good!</b><br /><br /><b>Remember how I said these races were a bit different?</b> Well, if you notice...the name of the race includes \"karaoke contest\". Once you finished the race and had some water and pizza outside...you go into the Blue Ocean Pavillion (entrance pictured above) for the beer (yay) and karaoke!<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/aiEo4Dk2l8E\" width=\"560\"></iframe>As a sidenote - I\'ve learned&nbsp; that races and beer <b>generally</b> happen one of three ways - as a runner you either get no free beer, one (or two) free beer(s), or they just keep on pouring beer until it\'s either gone or the party\'s over. With a karaoke contest and a name like \"SmuttyPalooza\"...I think you can figure out which of the three it was (spoiler alert - 3rd option). It was SUPER fun. I definitely didn\'t do any karaoke, but those guys in the video above sure did...and MAN were they into it! The crowd went nuts when the music started playing for this one. <br /><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HxGoTB28hvY/UymDM56T6rI/AAAAAAAAGqg/B2sZAQIpAu0/s1600/IMG_20140308_082013377.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HxGoTB28hvY/UymDM56T6rI/AAAAAAAAGqg/B2sZAQIpAu0/s1600/IMG_20140308_082013377.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a><br /><b><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/02/no-limits-frosty-knuckle-5k-hyannis.html\" target=\"_blank\">When I was talking about Frosty Knuckle 5K+</a> </b>I mentioned Salisbury Beach looked like some kind of abandoned, creepy beach pavilion out of Zombieland or something, right? Check out that pic to the left. If you open it up and look, you can kind of get the idea. The area, specifically, that I was talking about was at the end of this street and to the right - right along the beachfront. It was WEIRD. I\'m sure it\'s very nice in the summer though...but with no people in the winter...creep city.<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">What About Pace To A Pint?</span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qDRo6vm2SWQ/UyRG-gsCPxI/AAAAAAAAGnA/WZklBFym6E0/s1600/pacetoapint10afinalol.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qDRo6vm2SWQ/UyRG-gsCPxI/AAAAAAAAGnA/WZklBFym6E0/s1600/pacetoapint10afinalol.jpg\" height=\"193\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b><a href=\"http://www.wickedawesomeproductions.com/pace-to-a-pint/\" target=\"_blank\">Pace To A Pint 5K</a> was also super fun!</b> I ran this one for <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/CapeCodNutritionCorner.Plymouth\" target=\"_blank\">Cape Cod Nutrition Corner </a>(it\'s right in town!), and wore, again, what has probably become one of my new favorite running shirts :). Supplement/nutrition stores DON\'T have to be ALL about muscle and bulk, y\'know! <a href=\"http://www.capecodnutrition.com/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">RUN CCNC!</a><br /><br /><b>ANYWAY - </b>this race was St. Patrick\'s Day themed, so just about everyone there was wearing green and ready to drink. Then there\'s me...in a bright orange tank.Guess it was easy for my friends and family to spot me! <b>This race was a little special for me...</b> Why, you ask?<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LFiMoq2JaEY/UyxEPtNCyRI/AAAAAAAAGrw/r4T1HwLu0xo/s1600/IMG_20140315_114552726_HDR.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LFiMoq2JaEY/UyxEPtNCyRI/AAAAAAAAGrw/r4T1HwLu0xo/s1600/IMG_20140315_114552726_HDR.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>MEGAN RAN!</b><br /><br /><br />I was SO stoked to have her out there with me! We may not have run side by side the whole time, but we were both out there slogging through it \"together\" :). We DID start together, and I was there to see her finish. It is SO nice to be able to share this fitness journey with her and to do things like this together. If your significant other is in it with you, ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF IT, and if they\'re not...encourage them to get into it! If you can do it, so can they! Why shouldn\'t they enjoy it with you? <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-story.html\" target=\"_blank\">Megan and I started this whole thing together</a> - not everyone does. My dad held out for a long time - for almost a year my mom was doing the workouts with us before he finally joined in. It\'s important to share something that\'s such a big part of your lifestyle. <br /><b></b><br /><b>I should probably get off the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soapbox\" target=\"_blank\">soapbox</a> now...</b><br /><br /><b>I\'m sure you noticed my bib number...13. </b>Lucky number 13. How about that, huh? The only bad luck I ended up having was at the start. Megan and I pretty much missed the boat on the starting corral thing...We had just switched her to a new phone, and we had never opened the Runkeeper app before (whoops). For some reason, it didn\'t want to log in for her, so she had to run without Runkeeper in her ear tracking her run :(. We DID manage to get her music playing by the time we crossed the start though. In the end, we didn\'t get into the starting corral until they were getting ready to blow the gun, so we ended up at the back of the pack. <b>Literally...the back of the pack.</b> We were in the back of just over 1,000 runners. Don\'t believe me? Below is the video my dad took of the start.<br /><b> </b><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/FIZjym93OCI\" width=\"560\"></iframe><b>&nbsp;</b><br /><b>See? Literally, </b>1:14 after the gun, Megan and I get across. Remember that big crowd that started before me and save that for later... By the way, sorry about the finger in the cam - he just got a new GoPro and he hasn\'t quite figured out how to use it yet. <b>GOOD NEWS - </b>I\'ll be taking that GoPro on <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/03/mayhem-time-to-get-muddy.html\" target=\"_blank\">obstacle races</a> :)<br /><br /><b>Because we started this race in the back of the pack I experienced something I haven\'t dealt with since last year\'s <a href=\"http://www.finishatthe50.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Finish at the 50 10K</a> - </b>I had to fight through a crowd! I\'ve gotten into the habit of beginning a race as close to the starting line as possible. <b>I don\'t care</b> if 100 people blow by me in the first 5 minutes - it\'s worth it to me not to have to fight through a crowd, picking my way through the gaps. Doing that expends a LOT of energy, and with all the slow-downs and speed-ups you end up going AT BEST the average speed you really <b>want</b> to go anyway...it just takes more out of you to do it. Worst case, you blow a lot of energy and end up finishing the race slower than you could\'ve. UNFORTUNATELY, the latter is what happened to me. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MH3P3PG8JpM/UyxQmNmJlTI/AAAAAAAAGsE/EReFCc7LRXw/s1600/pacetoapintbib.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MH3P3PG8JpM/UyxQmNmJlTI/AAAAAAAAGsE/EReFCc7LRXw/s1600/pacetoapintbib.jpg\" height=\"196\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br /><b>I ended up finishing in 24:24</b>, a 7:51 minute/mile average. Overall, that\'s not an awful time. It\'s almost 30 seconds slower than my PR, which is kind of a bummer, but at least I came in under 25 minutes. <b>Now, here\'s the fun part: </b>I finished 128th out of 1,024 overall, placing me in the top 11.7%. I came in 25th out of 84 in my age group (19 - 29). Remember that MASSIVE crowd that all crossed the starting line before me? <b>I passed the vast majority of them.&nbsp;</b> So much for UN-lucky number 13 huh? HAH.<br /><br /><b>What made THIS race different was the post-race celebration.</b><br /><br />You got a ticket for a free Harpoon beer. You were able to use that ticket at any of <b>9 participating bars. </b>For real? SO basically the post race party was one big bar crawl. It was a lot of fun! Two of my <a href=\"http://www.deltachi.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Delta Chi brothers</a> (college fraternity) met up with us too! <br />&nbsp; <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sGcOjiGrW98/UyxUeuHxyzI/AAAAAAAAGsY/_ybXT6C4org/s1600/IMG_20140315_150829030.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sGcOjiGrW98/UyxUeuHxyzI/AAAAAAAAGsY/_ybXT6C4org/s1600/IMG_20140315_150829030.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>What I\'m coming to appreciate about 5K\'s is...aside from the elites out in front...it\'s more of a party than anything. <b>5K\'s are a social event.</b> I\'m not diminishing the distance as a race, but honestly, most 5K\'s I participate in are more of a fun social event / party than anything else! Once I realized that, things like color runs, electric / glow runs, zombie runs, etc all made sense. It\'s <b>fun</b>. It\'s all about <b>FUN!</b> Those hundreds of people I passed and finished before? Most of them <b>probably don\'t care that they got passed</b>.<b> </b>Many of them <b>probably aren\'t bothered </b>if they come in over 30 minutes, or if they walk. <b>That\'s not what it\'s about for them</b>. Most people also typically choose a 5K as their first race, so they\'re out there making a huge accomplishment, and SO WHAT if they\'re \"slow\"...they DID IT. All of these people have embraced something that I sometimes forget as I get lost in the competitiveness of it all - <b>it\'s about having fun and enjoying the run.</b> <br /><br /><b>All of this makes me love the 5K distance even more.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />It\'s about <b>having a good time. </b>It\'s about <b>enjoying running</b>.&nbsp;<b> </b>It\'s about <b>doing it</b>. I need to make sure to remember that when I\'m out there. Why am I out there pounding pavement when I could be at work making money, or at home relaxing? <b>Because I enjoy it</b>. Running is my \"me time\". I need to let go of the competitive thing once in a while and just <b>go</b>. <br /><br />Speaking of which...I think I\'m gonna <b>go </b>right now. I just inspired myself to go run. Are <b>you</b> gonna get out there? It IS spring now, after all! HAPPY FRIDAY!','5K Recap - SmuttyPalooza & Pace To A Pint','','inherit','closed','closed','','74-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:01:22','2017-01-08 16:01:22','',74,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/74-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(322,1,'2017-01-08 11:01:50','2017-01-08 16:01:50','SO just a quick update here. It\'s race day! Again. hah. Yes, at this point I\'m running 25 (probably more) races this year, so it seems like every other weekend is race day! TODAY is a fun one - <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qDRo6vm2SWQ/UyRG-gsCPxI/AAAAAAAAGm8/Fw6225QgGZM/s1600/pacetoapint10afinalol.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qDRo6vm2SWQ/UyRG-gsCPxI/AAAAAAAAGm8/Fw6225QgGZM/s1600/pacetoapint10afinalol.jpg\" height=\"192\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>Pace To A Pint! This\'ll just be a quick update (quick compared to some of my other posts...) about what\'s been going on, why I haven\'t been writing much, and how CRAZY life is about to get. <br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">So THIS is new ground...</span></b><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">&nbsp;</span></b> <br />Considering I only started running at the end of last March, and my first 5K ever was last May...I\'ve obviously never run a St. Patrick\'s day race before! This should be interesting! I\'ll give more details in the post-race recap (probably tomorrow) but for basics, it\'s a 5K race right at the Plymouth, MA waterfront! The race starts and ends right near Plymouth Rock, so there should be some great scenery along Plymouth\'s historic downtown area and waterfront. After the race there\'s a big post-race party - 9 pubs are participating! They really know how to get down with the get down at this race! Each runner gets a ticket for one free Harpoon beer, to be used at their choice of bar (figures they\'re not giving away tons of freebies on a St. Pat\'s race, huh?). <b>more on that later</b>.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>I\'ve been a busy little bee lately...</b></span><br /><br />And as such, my posting has suffered! Life is crazy - volunteering for my college fraternity (Delta Chi), work, running, wedding planning...lions and tigers and bears OH MY! So, naturally, things fall by the wayside...including, unfortunately, my posting. That should be changing soon - and it simply HAS to...because I have lots of BIG updates to share!<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Oh, and a <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/running-playlist.html\" target=\"_blank\">playlist update</a>!</span></b><br /><br />So, I\'ve updated my running playlist - <b>I\'d like to repeat my disclaimer:</b> Just because it\'s on my running playlist <b>DOES NOT </b>mean I actually listen to it in real life. I\'m sure you\'ll figure out which songs I mean. As has been the case before, everything 146 BPM and faster is also on a special \"sprint\" playlist for 5K\'s and maybe 10K\'s. Check out the additions and let me know what you think! Some of them might not stick...just kinda tryin\' it out. We shall see. <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/running-playlist.html\" target=\"_blank\">You can see the full, updated playlist sorted by BPM here.</a><br /><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWPvK0Cwh3E\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">110 BPM - The All-American Rejects - Night Drive</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWPvK0Cwh3E\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">126 BPM - Demi Lovato - Neon Lights</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWPvK0Cwh3E\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">127 BPM - Nicki Minaj - Va Va Voom</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWPvK0Cwh3E\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">128 BPM - Martin Garrix - Animals (Original Mix)&nbsp; </a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pCUuwgMbXA\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">128 BPM - Avicii - Hey Brother (Syn Cole Remix)</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llyiQ4I-mcQ\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">136 BPM - Vengaboys - Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!&nbsp; </a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zbi0XmGtMw\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">136 BPM - Vengaboys - We Like To Party</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC8N9WywIqY\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">138 BPM - Miley Cyrus - See You Again&nbsp; </a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5fBdpreJiU\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">139 BPM - The Killers - Somebody Told Me&nbsp;</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvf--10EYXw\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">140 BPM - 3OH!3 ft. Katy Perry - Starstrukk</a>&nbsp; <br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qptFFT11eEk\" target=\"_blank\">140 BPM - Cascada - Just Like A Pill&nbsp;</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k85mRPqvMbE\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">140 BPM - Crazy Frog - Axel F</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elo9svwGg0c\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">142 BPM - System Of A Down - Violent Pornography&nbsp; </a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgFwiCApH7E\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">148 BPM - Basshunter - Now You\'re Gone&nbsp;</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNXmKiEqVx4\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">158 BPM - Metallica - Ain\'t My Bitch&nbsp; </a><br /><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QewNZn871s\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">180 BPM - Cascada - Sk8er Boi</a><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So that\'s all for now.</b></span><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b><span style=\"font-size: small;\">I\'ll be sure to take lots of pictures today </span></b><span style=\"font-size: small;\">and give a thorough update tomorrow. Are YOU running today? Get out there and GET IT!</span><b><span style=\"font-size: small;\"></span>&nbsp;</b></span>','So What\'s Going On? (Playlist update included)','','inherit','closed','closed','','75-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:01:50','2017-01-08 16:01:50','',75,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/75-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(323,1,'2017-01-08 11:02:20','2017-01-08 16:02:20','Tomorrow is Friday - another week coming to a close, and another race on the horizon for me. This morning, however, I\'m not thinking about Saturday\'s race...I\'m thinking about a race that\'s just over a month away. Why?<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8e59QZE2p2w/UxcbZt_XbZI/AAAAAAAAGkA/ZdZuukzrkPM/s1600/MassMayhemLogo.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8e59QZE2p2w/UxcbZt_XbZI/AAAAAAAAGkA/ZdZuukzrkPM/s1600/MassMayhemLogo.jpg\" height=\"166\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>Mass Mayhem - </b>THAT\'S why. Mass Mayhem is going to be my first \"real\" mud run, and it\'s coming up really freakin\' fast... <br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><b>So WHAT IS Mass Mayhem? </b>Oh, nothing major...just a casual 4 mile jaunt up a mountain through the mud. <b><u>hah.</u> Why don\'t we start at the beginning?</b><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><a href=\"http://www.runmassmayhem.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mass Mayhem</a> - How \'bout the basics?&nbsp;</span> </b><br /><br />Mass Mayhem is an Obstacle Course Race. On the <b>most basic</b> level I could possibly describe it, I will be running on, over, through (and hopefully not <i>around</i>) a number of obstacles on my way up and down a ski mountain. The problem with the basic version is...<b>There\'s SO much more to it than that.</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cnIEGcQiHmY/Uxcmj8m-y2I/AAAAAAAAGkw/NS4CX25WKxw/s1600/Type-One-Logo-White-Black.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cnIEGcQiHmY/Uxcmj8m-y2I/AAAAAAAAGkw/NS4CX25WKxw/s1600/Type-One-Logo-White-Black.png\" height=\"141\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>One of the things I really like about Mass Mayhem is that <b>it\'s all to support a great cause.</b> Mass Mayhem is run by an organization called <a href=\"http://runmassmayhem.com/benefit/\" target=\"_blank\">Type One</a>. Type One\'s mission is to support research to cure type one diabetes. <b>Isn\'t that great?</b> They\'re partnered up with <a href=\"http://www.faustmanlab.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Faustman Lab at Mass General Hospital</a> - Dr. Faustman\'s work is being DIRECTLY ASSISTED by each and every registration for the Mass Mayhem event...I think that\'s pretty awesome! You know EXACTLY where they\'re donating money...and wouldn\'t it be cool to see, down the road, that Dr. Faustman found a cure? And by getting muddy that one time (or more times) you helped make it happen?<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>OK, <span style=\"font-size: small;\">now that I have the warm fuzzies...</span> How about the course? </b></span><br /><br />The course itself seems a bit tougher than your average 3 - 4 mile obstacle race. <b>That isn\'t a bad thing!</b> <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WIgl_GFOtUE/UxcktgOeHUI/AAAAAAAAGkc/swdHJvYNrgM/s1600/Mass-Mayhem-Course-Map.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WIgl_GFOtUE/UxcktgOeHUI/AAAAAAAAGkc/swdHJvYNrgM/s1600/Mass-Mayhem-Course-Map.png\" height=\"348\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>From their own site:<br /><blockquote><i><b><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">\"Picture  this mountain with all it’s elevation changes, ski slopes, surrounded by  woods, full of a thousand of your new best friends, covered in mud,  trenches and tunnels, trails carved out, and obstacles constructed! What  could those spheres represent? What fun would it be if we showed you  the whole course?! Mass Mayhem is unlike any other race, so let your  imagination run wild!\"</span></b></i></blockquote>So <b>yeah...</b> Most other 3 - 4 mile obstacle runs I see don\'t happen ON A MOUNTAIN. Races like <a href=\"http://superheroscramble.com/events/new-england-2013\" target=\"_blank\">Superhero Scramble</a> and the <a href=\"http://www.spartanrace.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Spartan Sprint</a> (comparable distance) are happening at <a href=\"http://www.amesburysportspark.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Amesbury Sports Park</a>...and while I\'m sure there will be some hills to run up...it is most certainly <u><b>NOT</b></u> a freaking <i>mountain</i>. <b>So we\'re starting off with a bang...</b><br /><br /><b>&nbsp;As far as obstacles go...</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UHtpn0MPCjg/UxcmK9Fw07I/AAAAAAAAGko/bOJAsC6i_4o/s1600/Man-in-Mud-Photo.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UHtpn0MPCjg/UxcmK9Fw07I/AAAAAAAAGko/bOJAsC6i_4o/s1600/Man-in-Mud-Photo.jpg\" height=\"266\" width=\"400\" /></a></b></div>Looks to be much of what you\'d expect from any worthwhile, self-respecting obstacle/mud run - things to climb up and over, things to crawl under, lots of pounding on your upper body and punishing your lower body...and <b>ample mud</b>. They list some events on their site, such as cargo net crawls, wall climbs, rope swings, etc, but they\'re keeping much of it a surprise for race day. Who knows...if we\'re REALLY lucky (hah) there might even be <i>snow </i>too. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So Where The H#*! Is <i>Blandford?!</i></b></span><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Funny you should ask...</span></b><span style=\"font-size: small;\">I said the same thing. B</span>landford, Massachusetts is PRECISELY...in the middle...of nowhere. Blandford is out in Western Mass about a half hour west of Amherst (home of my alma mater UMass). Not much around out there...Except for <a href=\"http://skiblandford.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Blandford Ski Area</a>. THAT is the site of this race. I asked the Type One folks why on Earth they picked <b>THAT </b>place...<br /><blockquote><i>\"<span style=\"font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;\">One of the most  exciting aspects of obstacle course racing is locking down an amazing  location, and that\'s&nbsp;exactly what we\'ve been able to do with the folks  at the Blandford Ski Area.&nbsp; Runners are going to be climbing up the  mountain terrain across wooded areas and through the trails.&nbsp; The base  is located at 1,025 ft above sea level&nbsp;and the summit is located at  1,490 ft; a 465 ft vertical drop.&nbsp;&nbsp;We have a slew of new obstacles and  some old favorites that everyone will enjoy.&nbsp; Maybe we will even&nbsp;get  lucky with a late season snow, but if not, we do have full access to  snow making equipment!\"</span></i></blockquote><b>Wait...so there\'s snow no matter what?</b> Crap. OK fine.<b> Like I said</b> - this course looks just a BIT more challenging than every other OCR of this length I\'ve come across. <b>GOOD - I like a challenge.</b> <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">So...There\'s That...</span></b><br /><br /><b>This is it - my first \"REAL\" mud run. </b>At least it looks like I picked a doozie! I think I\'m going to go away pretty satisfied with this one, and I think it\'ll give me a good taste of what OCR\'s are really like. I also think this\'ll be a great preview of what I\'m getting myself into for some...bigger and longer OCR\'s...(more on that in a later article...)<br /><br /><b>And of course, </b>there will be finisher\'s medals, t-shirts, and a post-race party complete with beer...<b>because after something like that, </b>you deserve a beer (if you\'re 21+). &nbsp; <br /><br /><b>So, all of this begs the question...</b><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Why Not Join Me?!</span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fYND2kQqI-0/UxhtTbuP4lI/AAAAAAAAGlI/TDlkkZ9-Ayo/s1600/massmayhemjoinme.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fYND2kQqI-0/UxhtTbuP4lI/AAAAAAAAGlI/TDlkkZ9-Ayo/s1600/massmayhemjoinme.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>It\'s always more fun with friends, right?</b> I LOVE when people join me for races, and its even better when they join me in supporting a great cause! Come run Mass Mayhem with me in support of a cure for Type One Diabetes! <b>IF YOU REGISTER WITH COUPON CODE \"FITNESS\" YOU SAVE $20!!! </b>That\'s definitely the best coupon code out there right now. You also save an ADDITIONAL $10 if you\'re a student (college OR high school) or military (active OR retired).<br /><br /><b>So what are you waiting for?</b><br /><br /><b>Go to <a href=\"http://www.runmassmayhem.com/\">www.RunMassMayhem.com</a> and register! </b>You can also feel free to join Team \"So THIS Is Fitness...\" (search for it on the team selection screen). If you register, write on the wall of <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/SoTHISIsFitness\" target=\"_blank\">My Facebook Page</a> and let me know! This is gonna be <b>FUN!</b>','MAYHEM! Time To Get Muddy','','inherit','closed','closed','','76-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:02:20','2017-01-08 16:02:20','',76,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/76-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(324,1,'2017-01-08 11:02:50','2017-01-08 16:02:50','GOOD MORNING! And what a GOOD morning it is. I\'m still sore from <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/02/no-limits-frosty-knuckle-5k-hyannis.html\" target=\"_blank\">this past weekend</a>...a reminder of victories past. Lately I\'ve been starting my mornings a little differently and I wanted to share what that difference is. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Of1H9h8svrw/UwyNh_GFQ3I/AAAAAAAAGg8/Twkxo8TvmW0/s1600/cognitea.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"102\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Of1H9h8svrw/UwyNh_GFQ3I/AAAAAAAAGg8/Twkxo8TvmW0/s1600/cognitea.png\" width=\"400\" />&nbsp;</a>&nbsp; </div><a href=\"http://www.cognitea.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>CogniTea. </b></a>That is the difference. Normally I\'m a coffee freak...I <b>love</b> coffee. I love its bold flavors, its delicious aromas, and how it kick-starts me to take on the day. There are things I <b>do not </b>like about coffee, however, so sometimes I have tea. But what about CogniTea?&nbsp; <b>What IS </b>CogniTea? What\'s so special about it? I could say that it actually makes your brain work and helps you focus...but that would be a <b>gross understatement. </b><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Oh, where to begin...</b></span><br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><br /><b>I have been a coffee drinker for a long time.</b> Like I said, it\'s delicious, it\'s flavorful, it smells great, and it gives me a great kick-start to my day...<b>it wakes me up</b>. Oftentimes I\'ll even have a second cup, and maybe a <b>third</b>.<b> Problem is</b>...while the coffee might wake <b>me</b> up...it doesn\'t exactly wake up <b>my brain</b> the same way. I just get wired and jittery...its kind of a diminishing returns thing where after a certain point, I\'m not getting any more benefit and instead I\'m getting hyper and jittery and just generally unable to focus or concentrate on anything. Sometimes I like green tea, but it doesn\'t have nearly enough gas to power my day, and it doesn\'t really help me focus.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Enter CogniTea.</b>&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yPC-ZwoFUw4/Uwy2tBQ0VoI/AAAAAAAAGiA/g_QrbNdnufs/s1600/IMG_20140225_085151123.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yPC-ZwoFUw4/Uwy2tBQ0VoI/AAAAAAAAGiA/g_QrbNdnufs/s1600/IMG_20140225_085151123.jpg\" width=\"232\" /></a><b>CogniTea is different</b>. <a href=\"http://so%20i%27d%20rather%20not%20just%20say%20all%20the%20same%20things%20they%20say%20there.%20i/\" target=\"_blank\">You can read all about CogniTea on their IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign </a><span></span>(which you should check out anyway), so I\'d rather not just say all the same things they say there. I <b>will </b>say, for a brief idea - CogniTea is an all-natural tea designed to help you think clearly, focus, and generally <b>help your brain function well</b>. It\'s not coffee, and it\'s not a regular tea. <b>It\'s brain fuel</b>.<br /><br />So what makes CogniTea different? What\'s it taste like? <b>What\'s the big deal? </b>I mean, it\'s just <b>tea</b>, right?<br /><br /><b>False.&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">To understand The Tea, you must first understand The Idea. </span></b><br /><br />I\'ve had, at this point, many conversations with the founder of <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/Cognitea\" target=\"_blank\">CogniTea</a> - Alex Kravets. I asked him where this all came from, and his answer was simple. He was relying on coffee and energy drinks to power himself through work, as many people do. The more he tried to fuel himself with those, however, the more jittery, hazy, anxious, and just generally <b>unable to focus</b> he became. He saw a need for something <b>more</b>. Coffee brought jitters, but green tea was too soothing. <b>There had to be a middle ground.</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qBnYA_2ZLxg/Uwy9OH4IQSI/AAAAAAAAGio/W_ohFrUo278/s1600/cogniteawings.png\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"172\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qBnYA_2ZLxg/Uwy9OH4IQSI/AAAAAAAAGio/W_ohFrUo278/s1600/cogniteawings.png\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br /><b>CogniTea is about achieving your goals. </b>It\'s about reaching new heights, living life relentlessly, and making your dreams a reality. Sounds pretty big for a tea company, right? <b>It\'s about more than just tea</b>. Tea is just the tool to make it all possible. How?&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>Simple:</b> In order to achieve your dreams and reach your goals...you have to be able to focus and think clearly, right? You need to start your day properly? <b>That\'s what CogniTea is designed to do</b>. It\'s the key that unlocks your potential. Their slogan, which I smoothly borrowed for my <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/02/no-limits-frosty-knuckle-5k-hyannis.html\" target=\"_blank\">Hyannis Half Marathon</a> shirt, reads \"I Can. I Will.\". This tea helps you say it - and <b>mean it. THAT</b> is the idea.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So How Does It Help You Think/Focus/Achieve?</b></span><br /><br /><b>It\'s all about the ingredients</b>. <br /><ul><li>Organic &amp; Fair Trade Guayusa Leaf</li><li>Organic &amp; Fair Trade Yerba Mate Leaf</li><li>Organic Peppermint Leaf</li><li>Organic Assam Black Tea Leaf</li><li>Organic Ginkgo Biloba</li><li>Organic Guarana Seed</li><li>Organic Stevia Leaf</li><li>Organic Goji Berries</li><li>Organic Panax Ginseng</li><li>All-Natural L-Theanine</li></ul>Some of those stick out to me right off the bat - I\'m very familiar with Yerba Mate, Ginkgo Biloba, Guarana, Stevia, and Ginseng.&nbsp; Yerba Mate, Guarana, Ginseng, and Ginkgo Biloba are all commonly used to help with cognition, memory enhancement and the like. The one that sticks out like a sore thumb in this list, however, is L-Theanine.<br /><br /><b>What the heck is L-Theanine?</b><br /><br /><b>L-Theanine </b>is an amino acid found in green tea. In combination with caffeine and the other ingredients found in CogniTea, it is <b>proven to promote alpha brain waves</b>. What does that mean? Well...basically...<b>It helps your brain work better</b>. That is putting it SUPER simply, but that\'s pretty much the idea. This tea is literally designed to help you think clearly, focus better,&nbsp;<b> </b>and <u>get stuff done.</u> The combination is scientifically proven. <a href=\"http://jn.nutrition.org/content/138/8/1572S.long\" target=\"_blank\">You can find more details about the study here. </a><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bgg5HI20UxY/Uwy9Gqo6ZPI/AAAAAAAAGig/YJHwDZklR1k/s1600/20140125160414-newintro6.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"203\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bgg5HI20UxY/Uwy9Gqo6ZPI/AAAAAAAAGig/YJHwDZklR1k/s1600/20140125160414-newintro6.png\" width=\"400\" /></a> </div>Alex researched very thoroughly to come up with this list of ingredients and consulted with tea experts to get the blend <b>just right</b>. What he got was a tea that achieves both his goal of mental clarity and a great taste too.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>What\'s That, You Say? Tastes Great, You Say?</b></span><br /><br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Oyk9ggwBf9c/UwzFe5roGEI/AAAAAAAAGi8/oOCNfZfrSZc/s1600/IMG_20140212_082957.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Oyk9ggwBf9c/UwzFe5roGEI/AAAAAAAAGi8/oOCNfZfrSZc/s1600/IMG_20140212_082957.jpg\" width=\"240\" /></a>Why yes, <b>yes it does. </b>I\'m sure you noticed in the ingredients list \"Peppermint Leaf\". I will say,<b> </b>I am usually pretty picky about peppermint. When I like peppermint, I like it on its own - in gum, in mints, that sort of thing. I don\'t generally like peppermint and chocolate, I don\'t generally like peppermint ice cream, and <b>I don\'t do peppermint beverages.</b><br /><br /><b>Then CogniTea happened.</b><br /><b> </b><br />I know, I sound soooo dramatic. Honestly though, this stuff is blowing my mind (no pun intended). I really don\'t normally do peppermint drinks, and I\'ve tried peppermint tea before - <b>I didn\'t like it</b>. I enjoy CogniTea. It\'s got a subtle peppermint flavor that is absolutely NOT overpowering. It\'s <i>just enough</i>. I happily drink this tea \"black\" - no milk/cream/lemon/sugar...no NOTHING. Just hot water and the tea. It tastes great on its own, probably due in part to the fact it includes stevia leaf - a natural sweetener. The only other tea I drink is green tea, and that\'s how I drink my green tea - \"black\". Honestly, the taste kind of reminds me of a pepperminty green tea. The tea has a gentle peppermint aroma as well. Smelling this tea, and tasting it, you wouldn\'t think it has the <i>cajones </i>necessary to propel you through your day...<b>but it does.</b><br /><br /><b>How About Re-Steeping? </b>I personally tried re-steeping the same bag and I thought I was able to still get pretty good tea out of the 2nd use. The longer you leave it in, obviously, the less use you get out of the 2nd steeping. I asked Alex what he thinks about re-steeping the same bag, and he sounded like he himself prefers to just leave the bag in his tea while he drinks it - <b>no re-steeping for him. </b>He also hasn\'t yet done any studies about benefits of the first steeping vs. subsequent steepings, so its probably safe to say you\'re better off just doing it once. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Sourcing &amp; Fair-Trade </b></span><br /><br />I know many people who actually <b>REALLY </b>care about this. <b>What is \"Fair Trade\"? </b>It\'s literally just that - fair. Farmers in far-off countries are justly and fairly compensated for the goods they provide instead of being taken advantage of. You can feel good about what you\'re drinking :). Sourcing is also important to many people - some like to know where it\'s coming from and some ingredients are apparently superior depending on which country they come from. CogniTea\'s ingredients come from all over the world. For specific countries for each ingredient I\'m sure the company would be happy to answer. <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Shut Up And Take My Money! </span></b><br /><br />Unfortunately, right now it\'s not that simple. CogniTea is not yet available on store shelves. It\'s not even available for purchase on a website yet. <b>WHY NOT?!</b> CogniTea is still on the ground floor! Right now, as I mentioned waaaaaaay in the beginning, <a href=\"http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/cognitea-productive-energy-for-mental-clarity-focus\" target=\"_blank\">CogniTea is currently in crowdfunding on IndieGoGo! </a><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XtUE_-VBCBs/UwzNwG7EiAI/AAAAAAAAGjM/fBpHYtiWFwY/s1600/IMG_20140225_085151123.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"125\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XtUE_-VBCBs/UwzNwG7EiAI/AAAAAAAAGjM/fBpHYtiWFwY/s1600/IMG_20140225_085151123.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">So How Can I help CogniTea Become A Reality?</span></b><br /><br /><b>You can help by telling everyone you know about CogniTea,</b> how great it is, and maybe <a href=\"http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/cognitea-productive-energy-for-mental-clarity-focus\" target=\"_blank\">by contributing and making a pledge!</a> There are different reward levels on <a href=\"http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/cognitea-productive-energy-for-mental-clarity-focus\" target=\"_blank\">indiegogo</a>, and most reward levels include tea! So, <b>essentially</b>, you can <b>pre-order CogniTea </b>by pledging to their crowdfunding campaign. You can also follow <a href=\"https://twitter.com/Cognitea\" target=\"_blank\">CogniTea on Twitter</a> and <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/Cognitea\" target=\"_blank\">\"like\" them on Facebook</a>. <b>I encourage you to do both</b>. I love the mission and the ideology behind this company, and honestly, I LOVE the tea itself. I\'d love to see this hit store shelves so I can go GET IT. Oh, and it\'s a local, Boston-based company, so I can feel good about helping a neighbor :)<b> Let\'s help make this a reality, ok?</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sNiT1hV8V4w/UwzZ9DuHX9I/AAAAAAAAGjc/Qq6hidNfTyg/s1600/DOG2.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"100\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sNiT1hV8V4w/UwzZ9DuHX9I/AAAAAAAAGjc/Qq6hidNfTyg/s1600/DOG2.png\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br />','Wake Up Your Brain - Cognitea Review','','inherit','closed','closed','','77-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:02:50','2017-01-08 16:02:50','',77,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/77-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(325,1,'2017-01-08 11:03:07','2017-01-08 16:03:07','What an INCREDIBLE weekend! I\'m still kind of in shock...words just can\'t describe how <b>elated</b> I am. This weekend I ran the <a href=\"http://rutraceseries.com/frosty-knuckle-5k/\" target=\"_blank\">Frosty Knuckle 5K+</a> AND the <a href=\"http://www.hyannismarathon.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Hyannis Half-Marathon</a>...<b>back to back days</b>.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--B0rrgmczaA/UwppIp5tN5I/AAAAAAAAGdg/jiE1WGiv4F0/s1600/runwkndnumbr.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--B0rrgmczaA/UwppIp5tN5I/AAAAAAAAGdg/jiE1WGiv4F0/s1600/runwkndnumbr.jpg\" /></a></div>Not only did I do well in both races...but I came away with a pretty big accomplishment in the 5K+ and a MAJOR accomplishment in Half-Marathon! If <b>I </b>can do this...<b>anyone</b> can. How did I do it? And how can <b>you?</b> Read on, and share in the journey!<br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />This weekend, by all accounts, was probably <b>a really bad idea</b>. On Saturday I ran the Frosty Knuckle 5K+...then I ran the Hyannis Half-Marathon Sunday. That in itself could\'ve been passable...if it weren\'t for a few things... you\'ll find those as you read through...<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Let\'s Talk About the Frosty Knuckle 5K+!</span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvySA8uyoHc/UwdHjD6XKRI/AAAAAAAAGbM/iZNE6aNHxsE/s1600/frosty_logo_MAIN-300x135.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvySA8uyoHc/UwdHjD6XKRI/AAAAAAAAGbM/iZNE6aNHxsE/s1600/frosty_logo_MAIN-300x135.png\" /></a></div><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lnE9r_MfMP0/Uwp8FNIAdcI/AAAAAAAAGd8/U5bx_XVVEH8/s1600/IMG_20140222_104632950_HDR2.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lnE9r_MfMP0/Uwp8FNIAdcI/AAAAAAAAGd8/U5bx_XVVEH8/s1600/IMG_20140222_104632950_HDR2.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"170\" /></a><b>Frosty Knuckle 5K+ was a blast!</b> I should start by thanking my friend Natalie at <a href=\"http://www.eclipxhair.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Eclipx Salon</a> for sponsoring me into this race! <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/EclipxSalon\" target=\"_blank\">Eclipx Salon</a> is her hair salon in Salisbury, MA (50 Elm St.) - the race was actually only about 8 minutes from her salon! Normally I do aim to sign sponsors that have something to do with health &amp; fitness, but I think it\'s also great to represent local / small businesses. <a href=\"http://www.eclipxhair.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Please be sure to give her site a look!</a> I\'ll be running more races for her later this year, so keep an eye out!&nbsp; She loved my shirt idea, by the way - \"Run Like A Beast, Look Like A Beauty\".<br /><br />It was a smaller race - the \"field\" (# of participants) was only 160 people. Smaller races are different - having a smaller \"field\" can provide for a different feel. I don\'t really know how to describe it... \"intimate\" isn\'t the right word...but it isn\'t the big song and dance that something like the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/andtheniranfalmouthroadrace.html\" target=\"_blank\">Falmouth Road Race</a> is (with its 12,000+ runners) or even the Hyannis Half Marathon (with just under 3,000 runners). You get to see more of individual runners\' personalities, the groups that come having fun together, and even the event staff has more fun. <b>Whatever word you use to describe it </b>- I enjoyed it.<br /><br />Going into this race I was still riding the high from my MIRACULOUS <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/02/winter-warlock-recap.html\" target=\"_blank\">2nd place overall finish in the Winter Warlock 5K (Plymouth, MA)</a>. Between that and the size of the race...I may have gone a little harder than I initially intended....<b>whoops.</b><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">How I Set Myself Up For Trouble:</span></b><br /><br />My initial plan was more or less to take it easy - I knew I had my 2nd ever half-marathon the next day, I knew what my goal was for the half...and I didn\'t want to risk screwing it up by burning myself out the day before. <b>What ended up happening</b> was mile splits of 7:21, 8:09 (when I realized I had to SLOW THE HELL DOWN), and 8:48 (once I hit the sand).<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pHVDMGumL8Y/UwqIfVUo5PI/AAAAAAAAGeY/EmhsUqBcNss/s1600/frostyknucklemap.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pHVDMGumL8Y/UwqIfVUo5PI/AAAAAAAAGeY/EmhsUqBcNss/s1600/frostyknucklemap.jpg\" /></a></div><br /><b>Oh yeah</b>...forgot to mention...from just before the 3rd mile until pretty much the end...<b>we were running on the beach.</b> <b>SAND!</b> Good Lord...let me just tell you...this was the first time I had ever run on sand before...NOT FUN.<br /><br />OK...maybe \"not fun\" isn\'t the right way to put it...<br /><br />Running on sand was <b>incredibly challenging</b>. There\'s a reason my mile split dropped to 8:48 on the sand...its just so tough! <b>*PRO TIP*</b> If you\'re running on sand, do yourself a HUGE favor and run near the water, where the sand is wet and more firm. The dry sand is nearly impossible...it just moves underneath you so much - it\'s hard to get any propulsion! When you push off with your foot, usually the ground doesn\'t move and you go forward...but when the sand moves backward you get less forward movement for the effort you\'re giving. Running on the wet sand is a little better, but it still moves and dampens the effort you\'re putting out.<br /><br /><b>This is why I\'ve come to the conclusion that running on sand is EXCELLENT for training. </b>It\'s also why I\'ve come to the conclusion that <i>I don\'t think I want to run any more races involving sand</i>. Haha. Unless it\'s an obstacle race - then I\'ll just consider it another obstacle.<br /><br />I ended up doing pretty well all things considered. The race was a little over a 5K (3.3 miles) and I finished in 26:59, which is about 8:11 min/mile. I was pretty satisfied with that, especially considering I intentionally tried to slow myself down starting somewhere late in the 1st mile. <b>What really caught me off-guard</b> was when the race director Heidi started announcing age group awards...and got to the Male 19 - 29 age group...<b>and announced me as 3rd place!</b> My Mom (who was there) can tell you...the look on my face must\'ve been hysterical - I was NOT at ALL expecting that. The medal itself was pretty hilarious, but appropriate considering Frosty Knuckle is actually a beer (Google it).<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ztz0A3KJlAE/UwqZ8qz1ftI/AAAAAAAAGew/58yyErXAcYo/s1600/IMG_20140223_195721959_HDR.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ztz0A3KJlAE/UwqZ8qz1ftI/AAAAAAAAGew/58yyErXAcYo/s1600/IMG_20140223_195721959_HDR.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>Yeah - it\'s a bottle-opener. Hah.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />The race was put on by <a href=\"http://www.heateventmanagement.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Heat Event Management</a> - Heidi (the Race Director) was SUPER nice and great to talk to - she said they do a LOT of trail runs, which is something I\'m looking to get into. She also mentioned that they happen in some really scenic places, which is a bonus. I definitely recommend looking into what they have to offer :) I LOVE local races. Another great thing about local races? ...sometimes they bring in LOCAL BEER! Ipswitch ale was there with a free beer for every runner :) So <b>that </b>was pretty great.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Jxnpf4Lw60/UwtIbzA3KDI/AAAAAAAAGgs/Hmk4rutNt5Q/s1600/ipsalebrewery.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Jxnpf4Lw60/UwtIbzA3KDI/AAAAAAAAGgs/Hmk4rutNt5Q/s1600/ipsalebrewery.jpg\" height=\"117\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>Quick side-note: </b>Salisbury Beach in the winter looked like something out of a zombie apocalypse movie. Think Zombieland...its got that creepy abandoned fun-house / boardwalk thing going on...it was odd. I wish I got a picture. Maybe when I go up in March for Smuttypalooza :)<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">On to the Hyannis Half Marathon!</span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LKY7_wbGd3Q/Uwqpu6I_UbI/AAAAAAAAGfE/C2Fc3Nmv2_k/s1600/hyannis+half.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LKY7_wbGd3Q/Uwqpu6I_UbI/AAAAAAAAGfE/C2Fc3Nmv2_k/s1600/hyannis+half.jpg\" height=\"351\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>This was the big race! </b>I\'ve been looking forward to this since before the new year! This was my 2nd half marathon ever, and I was going in with a goal. My first half - the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/achievement-unlocked-131.html\" target=\"_blank\">Cape Cod Marathon Half</a> - I had a rough idea, I was a little slower, and I was focusing on just <b>finishing</b>. I had a lot of hamstring and foot issues, I had I.T. Band issues, and I stopped to walk a lot as a result.  In the end, I finished in 2:09:29 (goal was to break 2:15:00).<br /><br /><b>Hyannis was different. </b>I had run more, trained more, and done long distances more. My obvious goal was to beat my old time. <b>My REAL goal was to break 2 hours. </b><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j3Sn-o8DbV4/Uwqz0ycT5NI/AAAAAAAAGfY/7P1bY37f1ZQ/s1600/IMG_20140223_095223017.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j3Sn-o8DbV4/Uwqz0ycT5NI/AAAAAAAAGfY/7P1bY37f1ZQ/s1600/IMG_20140223_095223017.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a><span></span><span></span><br />So I showed up in Hyannis ready to go. My timing was a little off and I ended up getting there with enough time to get my number and shirt, hit the restroom and stretch. I had planned on getting there early, but that didn\'t happen...so I had to fight off that awful \"rushed\" feeling. I managed to simmer down once I got to stretching though.<br /><br />For starters...(literally)...I couldn\'t even get in the corral! It was so packed full there was just no room! I wasn\'t the only one who had to sneak in once the gun went off, though. To be fair, it was partly my own fault - I waited until about 5 minutes before gun time to even GET to the start and I refused to go farther down the chute - I was right up at the 8 min/mile flag. What can I say...I wanted to be near the start line! There\'s something about having that big neon clock at the finish at least KIND of close to your actual time...<br /><br /><b>***REAL quick - </b>for those who don\'t know - gun time is when the starting gun goes off to when you cross the finish. Net time is from when you cross the start to when you cross the finish. In a big race, you might not cross the start right when the gun goes off - might take 30 seconds, might take 5 minutes. The big neon clock at the finish goes off of gun time...so by being close to the start line, my net and gun times are close and that big neon clock is ALMOST accurate.***<br /><br /><b>As far as the race itself</b> - It was a nice run through Hyannis - we went close to (if not IN) downtown Hyannis, through Osterville, Craigville, and Centerville. We didn\'t <b>quite </b>go as far as Cotuit. It was a nice tour of Hyannis.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sLT_Q9f3WcM/UwrRrJFRQqI/AAAAAAAAGgM/x0Hv5SBW4yM/s1600/hyannismap.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sLT_Q9f3WcM/UwrRrJFRQqI/AAAAAAAAGgM/x0Hv5SBW4yM/s1600/hyannismap.jpg\" /></a></div>I\'ve learned that it\'s all relative. I approach each different distance I run with a different mindset and a different target pace. When I\'m half done with a 5K I\'m just as pooped as I am when I\'m half done with a 10K. This is <b>almost</b> the same with a half marathon...but it\'s a little different. It may have been because I was trying to go much faster than my first half. It may have been because I ran a race the day before. It may have been because there were hills ALL OVER the course instead of mainly concentrated along a 3 mile stretch...or it may just be because 13.1 miles is a <b>long freaking distance</b>. Whatever the case, this race was tougher than my first 13.1. I may not have had injuries/cramps/issues like the last time...but that opened up a new set of challenges. <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wLl42a6iFNE/Uwq0bTotE3I/AAAAAAAAGfg/VVzpdiFQxj8/s1600/IMG_20140223_145512083.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wLl42a6iFNE/Uwq0bTotE3I/AAAAAAAAGfg/VVzpdiFQxj8/s1600/IMG_20140223_145512083.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"297\" /></a></div><b>What challenges? </b>It was me, my preparation, and my mind. In general, I feel like anything over 10 miles is all mental, and today reinforced that for me. That\'s the front of my shirt right there. I wasn\'t sponsored for the Hyannis Half, so I wore my own shirt. It wasn\'t a giant logo...it was <b>motivation</b>. It was for me and for whoever saw it - it\'s what I believe and what I\'ve been saying all along. The front said \"NO Limits.\" and \"I Can. I <u>WILL</u>.\" - You can see the back up above - \"Success happens one mile at a time\". I was repeating these three little gems to myself the whole race, because they were <b>all true</b>. Every time I wanted to slow down...<b>stop</b>...take a walk-break...I DEMANDED more of myself and resolved to get to the next mile. Know what I figured out? <b>I didn\'t really need to stop.</b> I kept telling myself \"I Can. I WILL.\"...<b>and I did.</b><br /><br />I started feeling my quads after a while...I kind of want to attribute that to running the Frosty Knuckle. The Race Director DID say she\'s had people tell her how sore their quads are after that race...<b>whoops</b>. After a while, that led to me feeling just how much my legs really weigh. I was reminded that while I have lost a <b>ton</b> of weight...at 175 lbs I\'m still heavier than many runners, and picking those legs up with each step requires a <b>lot </b>of work. <b>Didn\'t matter.</b> <b>No Limits.</b> I powered through it. I didn\'t demand big crazy reaches out of my body...I did it one mile at a time. My calves started to feel like they wanted to cramp up on me. <b>I didn\'t allow it</b>. I Can. I WILL. I kept telling myself...<i>every little bit you can run instead of walk...every little bit you can keep going...it ALL matters, and it ALL gets you closer to your goal! </i><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TdZa5Y7cjqI/UwrM6BiActI/AAAAAAAAGgA/Za0LdGLP5e0/s1600/paceband.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TdZa5Y7cjqI/UwrM6BiActI/AAAAAAAAGgA/Za0LdGLP5e0/s1600/paceband.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"153\" /></a></div>At mile 11 an old friend caught up with me...<b>my left hamstring</b>. I realized if I tried to just blast <span></span><span></span>through it my time would suffer and it could get worse, so I stopped and stretched super-fast and got back in it. I took a couple extra 10 second walk breaks because I had the time. <b>And I kept going. </b>Nothing was going to hold me back - I was on track for a sub-2 hour half...and I was gonna <b>get it</b>.<br /><br />How did I know I was on-track? <b>I had a paceband. </b>What\'s a paceband? It\'s that thing right there! I found a site, I plugged in the time I wanted to finish in, and told it the distance I was running. It did the math and put it together into a wristband that said at what time I needed to be at each mile marker. I printed it out, cut it out, and...\"laminated\" it...with some scotch tape. For the first 8 miles I was 2 minutes ahead of target. After that I started to slow a bit, but I was on-track. I knew <b>for a fact</b> that I could do it. It also allowed me to make smart, informed, tactical decisions about \"walk-breaks\"...10 seconds of walking here and there helped me keep my overall pace up. I DEFINITELY recommend printing up one of these for your next race. Solid idea for sure.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So...How Did It Turn Out?!</b></span><br /><br /><br /><b>I DID IT! THAT\'S how it turned out! MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT - I BROKE 2 HOURS! Not by much, but I did it! I came in at 1:59:40 official time</b>. That\'s 9:49 faster than last time...almost 10 minutes off my time! I cannot BEGIN to describe how elated I am to have accomplished that! <b>ESPECIALLY </b>after having run that 5K+ the day before with that freakin\' <b>sand</b>.<br /><br /><b>The whole point of ALL of this...</b>all these races I\'m running this year...this site...<b>all of it</b>...it\'s to encourage, to motivate, and to show that <b>it <u>can</u> be done.</b> I was 300 lbs at the end of 2012! I had been a big guy <b>my whole life</b>. And here I am running back to back races and achieving amazing things like a sub-2 hour half marathon in the process! <b>ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! </b>Is this real life?! I literally would\'ve laughed out loud if, back then, someone tried to tell me this would happen...<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J-YOUducNeI/Uws8a0XiYCI/AAAAAAAAGgc/IUc3WDad9FQ/s1600/aftert25front.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J-YOUducNeI/Uws8a0XiYCI/AAAAAAAAGgc/IUc3WDad9FQ/s1600/aftert25front.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>It goes back to what I said</b> in the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">Lose Your Limits Challenge article</a> - the only limits we TRULY have are the ones we set for ourselves. The human body is an amazing thing - given time and training it will do <b>whatever</b> you ask of it. It will change shape. It will get faster. It will endure longer. You just have to have the confidence and stamina to make those changes happen. Tell yourself exactly what I put on that shirt for me and everyone that could see it - <b>NO Limits. I Can - I <u>WILL</u>. </b>And remember - <b>Success happens one mile/km/lap/rep/pound/day at a time.</b><br /><br /><b>Honestly...</b> If I can do this, <b>anyone can. </b>You <u>WILL</u> get there. Just keep going :)','NO LIMITS. Frosty Knuckle 5K+ & Hyannis Half Marathon Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','78-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:03:07','2017-01-08 16:03:07','',78,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/78-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(326,1,'2017-01-08 11:03:22','2017-01-08 16:03:22','<b>Not even a blizzard could stop what was going to happen this past Sunday.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />In the wake of a blizzard I, and many like me, showed that classic \"yankee can-do attitude\" and dug ourselves out so we could go run a race. I in particular am VERY glad I did.<br /><br /><b>The human body, mine in particular, continues to amaze me. </b>At every turn I think I\'ve reached the mountain top, and <b>at every turn I am surprised once again</b>. This time, it was on Old Sandwich Road in Plymouth, Massachusetts. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dWMAgrWH38Y/UwSh-nmNBWI/AAAAAAAAGYA/V4-PdbC4k2g/s1600/winter+warlock+logo.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dWMAgrWH38Y/UwSh-nmNBWI/AAAAAAAAGYA/V4-PdbC4k2g/s1600/winter+warlock+logo.png\" height=\"236\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>This race was very cool, very different, and taught me a lot. Someone upstairs also saw fit to bestow upon me a HUGE achievement/milestone. Read on and share in it with me!<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u5YYjE33iI4/UwS4r9UweBI/AAAAAAAAGaE/_hqsZIdEP8c/s1600/IMG_20140216_070204.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u5YYjE33iI4/UwS4r9UweBI/AAAAAAAAGaE/_hqsZIdEP8c/s1600/IMG_20140216_070204.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"305\" /></a></div><a href=\"https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Plymouth/2013Winterwarlock10K\" target=\"_blank\">Winter Warlock</a> was a different race indeed. There was a 5K and a 10K - I ran the 5K. I almost upgraded last-minute to the 10K, and BOY am I glad I didn\'t. For starters, I hadn\'t prepared for a 10K and wasn\'t in the right mindset...but for another...I might not have achieved what I did. I suppose I should start by thanking my friends at <a href=\"http://www.capecodnutrition.com/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Cape Cod Nutrition Corner </a>for sponsoring me for this race (and four more this year!). Check them out in Plymouth and Easton if you\'re around - they\'re a great  supplement / nutrition / health store with a very knowledgeable staff -  worth the trip for sure. I drive all the way from Falmouth to go there! If it weren\'t for <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/CapeCodNutritionCorner.Plymouth\" target=\"_blank\">CCNC</a> sponsoring me I wouldn\'t have chosen, registered for or run this race...and I wouldn\'t have had the achievement I did. <br /><br /><b>More on that later.</b><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Why is Winter Warlock So Special? </span></b><br /><br /><b><a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/pages/Plymouth-Rock-Racing/384290475018929\" target=\"_blank\">Plymouth Rock Racing</a>, for one. </b>Craig, the Race Director / President CLEARLY has a passion for running, runners, and putting on great local races. <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/pages/Plymouth-Rock-Racing/384290475018929\" target=\"_blank\">Plymouth Rock Racing</a> has a TON of races in the Plymouth area and he sounded excited about ALL of them as he was speaking via megaphone at the starting line (and when I talked to him individually before/after the race!). He was even dressed in running gear - seemed like he wanted to run his own race instead of...running it! Hah.<br /><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ynr64GxPWkw/UwStQuLnmRI/AAAAAAAAGY4/uhyEK8lVctU/s1600/dsc01587.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ynr64GxPWkw/UwStQuLnmRI/AAAAAAAAGY4/uhyEK8lVctU/s1600/dsc01587.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"266\" /></a>One thing Craig likes to do at Winter Warlock, since it\'s a relatively small race, is test out new technology. I think that\'s pretty cool! The new tech Plymouth Rock Racing tried out at this year\'s Winter Warlock was a new timing system called \"Race Splitter\" - it used iPads / iPhones and, shockingly enough, did NOT involve a giant mat you have to run over to start/finish the race! I have to admit...that part threw me off a little bit. Not like I\'ve been running for a long time, but I got very used to the mats and the guy on a computer next to it and all the beeping as people finish. Instead, the RD\'s two sons were manually punching peoples\' bib numbers into the iPad as they finished. Not sure how this tech would work on a much larger scale (or if it would even be feasible), and not sure how accurate and consistent it is (in terms of people crossing the finish), but it was definitely cool to be part of a trial run. Hah...I got jokes today...<br /><br /><br /><b>\"Stop blabbing and tell me about the race!\"</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SDnUKHG6yrI/UwSr39L7M9I/AAAAAAAAGYY/fHlfuDcUKEg/s1600/dsc01533.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SDnUKHG6yrI/UwSr39L7M9I/AAAAAAAAGYY/fHlfuDcUKEg/s1600/dsc01533.jpg\" height=\"266\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br /><br />The race itself was very cool. Just look at that scenery! That\'s what I got to stare at as I ran my 5K - it\'s enough to make me wish I ran the 10K, and to make me want to run the <a href=\"https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Plymouth/OldSandwichRoadRace\" target=\"_blank\">Old Sandwich Road Race</a> Half-Marathon in June (too bad I\'m already running the <a href=\"http://www.active.com/newburyport-ma/running/races/newburyport-river-run-1-2-marathon-and-5k-2014\" target=\"_blank\">Newburyport River Run</a> 5K). As you might gather from what I just said - this race took place in Plymouth, MA on Old Sandwich Road. Old Sandwich Road is the oldest dirt road in the country in one of the oldest towns in America. The road is actually pretty well-maintained, not too many ruts and potholes. I wore my trail shoes that day expecting a snowy mess, and I was <b>infinitely</b> glad I did - whatever parts of the road weren\'t covered by snow were dirt. I firmly believe if I were in my regular running shoes I would\'ve had far less traction and wouldn\'t have performed as well.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><b>Speaking of my performance...</b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TXzVR2_WAj0/UwSvOZB7gmI/AAAAAAAAGZM/VMeCtvii8nI/s1600/IMG_20140216_110415662.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TXzVR2_WAj0/UwSvOZB7gmI/AAAAAAAAGZM/VMeCtvii8nI/s1600/IMG_20140216_110415662.jpg\" height=\"640\" width=\"259\" /></a>Remember that big huge amazing achievement I mentioned earlier?<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>I HAD MY FIRST PODIUM FINISH!</b></span><br /><br /><b>I came in 2nd place overall! Are you freaking KIDDING ME?!?! </b><br /><br />This was SUCH a different experience for me! I am NOT that fast, and I\'ve kind of accepted that until I drastically improve my form, my stride and my pace I will not be coming in top of a race...maybe placing in my age group if I\'m lucky but certainly not overall podium! I made sure to thoroughly enjoy this rarity as it was happening.<br /><br />There was a \"lead car\" - a police cruiser leading the race. For the first half of the race, I was in front...<i>in first place</i>...so it was me and the cop car out in front of me leading the way.<br /><br /><b>That. Was. Cool.</b><br /><br />I think I like being out in front. No crowds, no competition, no \"I have to go faster than that guy\"...no urge to keep up and get worn out...<br /><b> </b><br /><b>Once we got to the turnaround I was no longer in first place.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />There was a guy trailing me for the better part of that first leg of the race, and as we got to the turnaround and I took a nice wide turn, he practically stopped on a dime, spun in place and took off. He then steadily crept further away from me towards the finish. Since it was an \"out and back\" course, we were running by everyone behind us on the way back to the start/finish...I knew then that unless I screwed up big I had clinched second place. There was a solid group close behind us, but many of them were running the 10K, and would be continuing past our 5K turnaround - the next person running the 5K was far enough behind that if I kept my pace I could do it. <b>So I did.</b> I didn\'t stop, I tried not to look back, and I just kept on chugging along.<br /><br /><b>Funny thing happened - </b>when I got to the end of Old Sandwich Road there was a couple of cops set up to keep an eye on traffic so we could get onto the main (paved) road and get back to the start/finish at the country club...I got there and I literally looked at the cop, pointed left and right, and put my hands up like \"which way do I go?\". <b>I have never been in front before</b>, I\'m usually following everyone else to the finish! What a weird experience. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPytFze3FyI/UwS-MKh4BfI/AAAAAAAAGaY/g_EnN1LLrWs/s1600/IMG_20140216_104002_987.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPytFze3FyI/UwS-MKh4BfI/AAAAAAAAGaY/g_EnN1LLrWs/s1600/IMG_20140216_104002_987.jpg\" height=\"312\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>At the finish I heard my name over the megaphone and I went under the big goofy inflatable finish - I then had a trophy and a $10 <a href=\"http://www.marathonsports.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marathon Sports</a> gift card stuck in my hand as my prizes. <i><b>Prizes?!</b></i> Cool. <br /><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZyQN8OvgVXQ/UwSzzbgxq_I/AAAAAAAAGZk/iU8Cr48VHCY/s1600/IMG_20140216_104547119_HDR.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZyQN8OvgVXQ/UwSzzbgxq_I/AAAAAAAAGZk/iU8Cr48VHCY/s1600/IMG_20140216_104547119_HDR.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"219\" /></a>I had to go find the guy who got me at the turnaround. Wasn\'t hard...there were only three people at the finish...the Race Director, my fiancee, and him! His name is Chris Housley. Nice guy, too...aside from that whole \"passing me\" thing. hah. Maybe I\'ll run into him (or by him) at another race this year!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f2R8yv9RYnA/UwS2GPgD3-I/AAAAAAAAGZw/nYX7glsczXk/s1600/IMG_20140216_105319154_HDR.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f2R8yv9RYnA/UwS2GPgD3-I/AAAAAAAAGZw/nYX7glsczXk/s1600/IMG_20140216_105319154_HDR.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"216\" /></a>I then went and found the guy who came in 3rd. His name is Sean Sullivan, and Winter Warlock was special for him too...<b>it was his first race!</b>&nbsp; Congrats to him on coming in 3rd place in his first ever race...that must be HUGE encouragement. My first race I was shocked to see my time and to place in my age group...placing overall must\'ve been nice. I <b>DEFINITELY</b> hope to see Sean at some more races this year! Hey Sean! Check out my <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/01/blizzard-blast-recap-my-season-breakdown.html\" target=\"_blank\">Blizzard Blast recap article </a>for a list of races I\'m running...let me know if you\'re running any of those!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><b><br /></b><b>I feel like this recap is appropriate for Hump Day.</b> Take the lessons of my most recent race to heart and use them to help you get over the hump...whatever hump it is you\'re trying to get over. Motivation, encouragement, progress...<b>whatever.</b> There are little victories and big achievements everywhere, and you only reach them if you can get over the hump, whether its mental or physical, and get to the finish.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UEOGwOGmmQ8/UwS_T3L0TvI/AAAAAAAAGak/2badE9SqBiU/s1600/IMG_20140216_181415394.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UEOGwOGmmQ8/UwS_T3L0TvI/AAAAAAAAGak/2badE9SqBiU/s1600/IMG_20140216_181415394.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a></div>','Winter Warlock Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','79-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:03:22','2017-01-08 16:03:22','',79,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/79-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(328,1,'2017-01-08 11:04:24','2017-01-08 16:04:24','<a href=\"http://www.smithfestruns.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Blizzard Blast winter obstacle race</a> was this past Saturday, and I have to say...I had a ton of fun! This was only my second obstacle race, and it was VERY different from the other one (<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/11/aroo-spartan-sprint-fenway-recap.html\" target=\"_blank\">Spartan Sprint Fenway</a>). There were some big differences from a \"traditional\" OCR that made this event really fun and unique, and there were some <i>particular </i>moments of success that I\'m going to hold on to for quite some time. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mUZplu8Ssf8/Us9yWaEOJsI/AAAAAAAAGL4/--Q4XF_eJ5A/s1600/26639_320972704676948_1386258176_n.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mUZplu8Ssf8/Us9yWaEOJsI/AAAAAAAAGL4/--Q4XF_eJ5A/s1600/26639_320972704676948_1386258176_n.png\" height=\"189\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>In the spirit of Motivational Monday, we\'ll take a look at the race, the experience and I\'ll also announce the rest of my season that I\'m committed to so far! So far I\'ve only run two races this year...and so far there are 19 more! Read on to find out what they are, and why Blizzard Blast sealed the deal and gave me the OCR bug!<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b>Blizzard Blast</b>...where to begin...<br /><br />Well, I suppose the biggest difference between this race and every other obstacle race out there would be the SNOW. It\'s kind of hard to miss that one. Usually when I\'m talking about OCR\'s (Obstacle Course Races) the terms \"OCR\", \"Obstacle Race\" and \"Mud Run\" are interchangeable...but that certainly doesn\'t work here. Believe it or not, this race actually <b>wouldn\'t work</b> if it were warm enough for mud - there are a number of obstacles designed for snow (which I think is great). I was talking to the race director Fred a few weeks prior to the event (nice guy!) and he was very concerned there was going to be a warm spell and a lack of snow - I totally understand that worry having run the race! Fortunately, Massachusetts got about a foot of snow dumped on it c/o a conveniently timed blizzard. <br /><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h4uIQfxoJII/UuZJfQhIwDI/AAAAAAAAGNk/KcjPCqZI3gc/s1600/IMG_20140125_105149747_HDR.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h4uIQfxoJII/UuZJfQhIwDI/AAAAAAAAGNk/KcjPCqZI3gc/s1600/IMG_20140125_105149747_HDR.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a><b>As far as the race-day experience goes - </b>overall I\'d say it was a great experience. My mom went with me to spectate and cheer me on (it\'s always more fun when someone goes with you!). We showed up at the designated off-site parking area an hour and twenty minutes before my heat and took the shuttle to the venue. I have a feeling the parking thing is going to be a recurring theme with obstacle races - I suppose it makes sense considering the type of venue you have to have for this sort of thing. This event was held at <a href=\"http://www.fouroakscountryclub.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Four Oaks Country Club in Dracut, MA</a>. A golf course ended up being a pretty great place to hold a snowy obstacle race, and you\'d never know it was a golf course if nobody told you (and you didn\'t know you were at a country club). <br /><br /><b>Registration was easy </b>(as it should be) and we breezed through and hung out inside the country club. I ended up meeting a pretty cool guy - <a href=\"http://edibleendurance.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Jim from Edible Endurance</a>. More on that in a later article. We also ran into my cousin John, which neither of us were expecting!<br /><b><br /></b><b>I proceeded to the starting area </b>when my heat was up, and the very first thing I noticed after the gun went off was how <b>incredibly different</b> it is to run in the snow. I\'ve never run in the sand before (I will soon...) but from what people tell me about that, running in the snow is pretty similar. It was strange to have the ground moving underneath me, dealing with the slip-factor, and navigating the bumps, lumps and mounds of packed snow vs. untrodden powder. That in itself added a 3.1 mile long obstacle to this race. I\'m definitely glad I wore trail shoes for this, and I\'m sure I\'ll continue to thank myself for wearing them in future OCR\'s.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qCwjaVLIl1c/UuZN1iYIc2I/AAAAAAAAGN4/wSgk71-yGHI/s1600/IMG_20140125_121623101_HDR.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qCwjaVLIl1c/UuZN1iYIc2I/AAAAAAAAGN4/wSgk71-yGHI/s1600/IMG_20140125_121623101_HDR.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a></div><b>There were a number of both natural and man-made obstacles</b> - lots of climbing over things, a few balance-walks over walls, rocks, etc. There was a lot of trail running, which I liked - I felt like there was more actual <i>running </i>in this race than there was in the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/11/aroo-spartan-sprint-fenway-recap.html\" target=\"_blank\">Fenway Sprint</a> (which you may or may not like). I\'m coming to find that depending on how many obstacles an event packs in to their distance, there can be hardly any running...the jury\'s still out on which way I prefer.<br /><br /><b>As far as obstacles go</b>, I have to say two of my favorite obstacles had to be the two sled hills. I learned something that day...sledding backwards holding on to a saucer for dear life is exhilarating (haha). I most certainly did NOT stay on the beaten path with that one...neither did a lot of other people though. There were some wall-walks, over-unders, a few wall-climbs, and a very interesting monkey bar setup made from empty beer kegs...that was the ONE obstacle I couldn\'t do. That\'s ok, I took my 5 snow angel penalty and moved on. <br /><br /><b>I think my most memorable moment</b> from this race would have to be the 2 mile marker. The 2 mile mark was a 6 foot wall. As is often the case, there was a slight bottleneck. I waited patiently for the people there to navigate the wall, and they could tell I was waiting...from a distance...and figured out I planned to get a running start. They motioned me to go ahead, and I did. I promptly jogged up and hoisted myself up on top of the wall, and the guy trying to figure it out on the right side said \"Yeah...that\'s what I was gonna do...then I realized I\'m a pussy.\" - I definitely had a smile on my face as I was jogging away from that one, not because I was doing better than he thought he was, but because I was <b>doing it</b>, and doing it well.<br /><br />I will say, I <b>did </b>get lost on the course for a minute. I\'ve read some stories of people getting lost on a race course before and I COULD NOT for the life of me understand how you could <b>possibly</b> get lost on a race course. I now do. It was <i>not</i> their fault, by the way...it was totally on me. They said to stick to the yellow caution tape as it was the boundary for the course and marked the trail...aaaand when the trail took a hard right turn I cruised right by it. I think that little detour added about 5 minutes (maybe more) to my time, but that\'s OK - I learned a valuable lesson...listen to the race emcee. <br /><br />Oh...did I mention that one of the last obstacles was a <b>Christmas tree carry</b>? Yeah...get up to that one and there are two signs, one on each side of the course. Left side - \"good news, only 0.25 miles left!\" Right side - \"Bad news - Christmas Tree Carry!\". I asked one of the volunteers if it was for the whole .25 miles and he confirmed my fear. I figured out REALLY fast that the best way to carry a pine tree taller than I am and still be able to run is across the shoulders (a lesson I learned from the Fenway Sprint - both hands across your back is generally best for a sandbag carry...or in this case a tree). There were some people dragging theirs, some people trying to figure out a good way to carry it, and I saw some pairs of people helping each other carry their trees team-style...and then there\'s me jogging past them with a tree on my back. I actually heard a few of the people I passed make a comment as I went by of \"wow\" or \"damn\" or other similar exclamations either under their breath or out loud. <b>Again, I smiled as I jogged on.</b> To add on to the fun, the carry was across a very wide open space, and hurricane-force winds decided to kick up halfway through it, making the tree act like a giant sail...so THAT was fun...<br /><br />I had another <b>great </b>moment of self-satisfaction...at the end of the Christmas tree carry you had to put your tree back where you got it...on the other side of a tall wall. While others were trying to figure out the best way to get their tree over the wall, I promptly flopped mine down off my back, picked it up, and hurled it over the wall with the greatest of ease. The others standing there just kind of looked at me sideways, and the volunteer standing there said \"nice throw!\". <b>Again, </b>I smiled as I jogged away.<br /><br />The last obstacle was some mountains of snow you had to go up and over, and I sailed through them with that finish-line-in-sight adrenaline burst. I actually ran into someone right over the finish line because I was so amped up on momentum! Got my medal and proceeded to enjoy a post-race beer. While I was standing there with my mom I even ran into a friend - a member of <a href=\"http://www.marinelodge.org/\" target=\"_blank\">my Masonic Lodge </a>(Chris Qubeck) came up and found me! He\'s the one in the picture up above. We found my cousin after the race too.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DBNJdWNBaPY/UuZSbMkOF9I/AAAAAAAAGOA/axmibwvqtGM/s1600/IMG_20140127_061642190.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DBNJdWNBaPY/UuZSbMkOF9I/AAAAAAAAGOA/axmibwvqtGM/s1600/IMG_20140127_061642190.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>All in all, I\'d say this was a great experience! </b>I had a ton of fun, and I learned new things about my body and my abilities. This was such a unique event, and I STRONGLY encourage anyone and everyone reading this to run it next winter! You won\'t find anything else like it around here, that\'s for sure. The race company, <a href=\"http://www.smithfestruns.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Smithfest Events</a>, also has another race - Panic in the Dark - it\'s a nighttime obstacle race (headlamp required!). I\'m looking forward to checking that out. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So, how is this a Motivational Monday post?</b></span><br /><br />Did you notice how many times during this recap I mentioned jogging away with a smile on my face? During this race, <b>I was \"that guy\"</b>. I have NEVER been \"that guy\". I was running by people who were walking, who were huffing and puffing. I was motoring on when they were resting. I was running with a tree on my back while they were struggling to walk with it.There were so many moments of success, so many smiles of self-satisfaction...of <b>accomplishment</b>...<br /><br /><b>I was the guy I looked at in my first races and said \"you\'re nuts\". </b><br /><br />This race sealed the deal for me - <b>I am now an OCR fiend.</b> I love it! I love the feeling of accomplishment when I haul myself over a 6 foot wall. I love the satisfaction when I come out the other side of an obstacle unscathed, and I even appreciate the moments where I fail an obstacle, analyze how it went, and learn how to approach it next time (as I take my penalty burpees/snow angels/whatever). <br /><br /><b>It\'s all about progress.</b> <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">It\'s about getting out of your own way and just <i>going for it<b>.</b></i></a> If I can make this change, go the distance and accomplish things like this...<b>anyone can</b>. Seriously! Try it! Find a race, register, and train. The human body is a pretty amazing thing - it\'ll do whatever you train it to do, it will go the distance. As long as you train, fuel and prepare properly... when you keep asking more and more it will <b>perform for you</b>. It will not happen overnight. It will not happen in a week. Over time, if you keep plugging away at it, you\'ll be able to go farther, go faster, jump higher, last longer. You\'ll be able to get over that wall without taking ten fingers (a two-handed boost from someone). You\'ll cross the finish line and feel like a million bucks because <b>you did it, you conquered it, you have achieved success.</b> That guy that called himself a pussy at the 6 foot wall? He wasn\'t a pussy...<b>he was out there doing it</b>. And next race, he\'ll have a little easier time getting over that wall. Progress.<br /><br /><b>You can do this.</b><br /><br />Below is my season so far for this year. If I\'m currently sponsored for a particular race I\'ll list the sponsor as well. Some sponsors are \"silent\", and don\'t want any advertising...they just want to help me spread the message that if you <b>lose your limits</b> you can make it happen. Pick a race. <b>Join me</b>. Let\'s tackle this thing together.<br /><b> </b><br /><ol><li><b> </b>34th Annual CCRR Winter Fun Run - 1/5/14 - Bourne, MA (SportClips Falmouth)</li><li>Blizzard Blast - 1/25/14 - Dracut, MA - (Silent Sponsor)</li><li>Winter Warlock 5K - 2/16/14 - Plymouth, MA (Cape Cod Nutrition Corner)</li><li>Frosty Knuckle 5K+ - 2/22/14 - Salisbury, MA (Eclipx Salon)</li><li>Hyannis Half-Marathon - 2/23/14 - Hyannis, MA</li><li>SmuttyPalooza 5K - 3/8/14 - Salisbury, MA (Eclipx Salon) </li><li>Pace To A Pint 5K - 3/15/14 - Plymouth, MA (Cape Cod Nutrition Corner)</li><li>YuKanRun.com Fool\'s Dual Challenge - 4/6/14 (Silent Sponsor)</li><li>Mass Mayhem 5K OCR - 4/12/14 - Blandford, MA (Silent Sponsor)</li><li>Herring Run Classic 5K - 4/19/14 - Plymouth, MA (Cape Cod Nutrition Corner) </li><li>Spring Classic 5K - 4/27/14 - Cambridge, MA</li><li>BoldrDash Beach Race - 5/3/12 - Westerly, RI (Silent Sponsor)</li><li>Lovin\' Life 5K - 5/4/14 - Mashpee, MA (SportClips Falmouth)</li><li>Newburyport River Run 5K - 6/1/14 - Newburyport, MA (Eclipx Salon)</li><li>Falmouth Flag Day 5K - June \'14 TBA - Falmouth, MA (SportClips Falmouth) </li><li>Superhero Scramble 5K OCR - 7/6/14 - Amesbury, MA</li><li>Narragansett Summer Running Festival Half-Marathon - 7/13/14 - Easton, MA (Cape Cod Nutrition Corner)</li><li>Falmouth Road Race - 8/17/14 - Falmouth, MA </li><li>20th Annual Run To The Rock Half-Marathon - 9/6/14 - Plymouth, MA (Cape Cod Nutrition Corner)</li><li>BoldrDash Mud Race - 9/13/14 - Exeter, RI (Silent Sponsor)</li><li>Michelob ULTRA Boston 13.1 Marathon - 9/14/14 - Suffolk Downs, Boston, MA (Silent Sponsor)</li></ol><b>That list is still growing, by the way. </b><br /><br />Get out there and accomplish something great! If I can go from where I was to where I am now running all those races on that list (and more!) then there is <b>NO reason</b> you can\'t do the same! <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">Lose your limits, change your life.</a><br /><br />See you on the other side.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>','Blizzard Blast Recap + My Season: Breakdown','','inherit','closed','closed','','81-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:04:24','2017-01-08 16:04:24','',81,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/81-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(329,1,'2017-01-08 11:04:41','2017-01-08 16:04:41','At this point I think we\'ve established that<b> I\'m run-crazy </b>and I\'ve fallen in love with Obstacle Course Races. I\'ve only run one so far - the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/11/aroo-spartan-sprint-fenway-recap.html\" target=\"_blank\">Spartan Sprint at Fenway Park</a>...but that was all it took! One of my goals for this year is to run at least 5 OCR\'s, and I\'m well on my way so far!<br /><br />Most people are familiar with Obstacle Course Races like Tough Mudder and Spartan Race...but once you start looking, there\'s actually a lot of them out there. Some are big, some are small, some are long, some are short. Some are founded and put on by one or a few people, some are put on by military types. No matter the differences, they\'re all a lot of fun, and they all have their own unique challenges. Most of them involve mud, fire, water and a lot of sometimes intimidating physical exertion. I am now officially running a very different sort of OCR...it\'s called <a href=\"http://www.smithfestruns.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Blizzard Blast</a>...and instead of mud and fire, I\'ll be facing (hopefully) snow and cold!<br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUZplu8Ssf8/Us9yWaEOJsI/AAAAAAAAGL0/AtlkwuYMijM/s1600/26639_320972704676948_1386258176_n.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUZplu8Ssf8/Us9yWaEOJsI/AAAAAAAAGL0/AtlkwuYMijM/s1600/26639_320972704676948_1386258176_n.png\" height=\"236\" width=\"400\" />&nbsp;</a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\">I have to say, I\'ve been tirelessly scouring social media and, really, the internet in general looking for races to run to further my mission of the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">Lose Your Limits Challenge</a>...and this race was different from all the others I found. There are many unique Obstacle Course Races out there, and this is one of them!&nbsp; As I said, most OCR\'s feature lots of mud, some fire, water obstacles, and some serious physical challenges. Some races even feature electrical obstacles, some freaky mind-game challenges, and the like. For a start...this race does not seem to feature mud, water or fire...it\'s too cold! Instead, there\'s SNOW. Yes, an obstacle race involving, featuring, and with obstacles designed around SNOW. Good luck finding a race like this in California or Texas...welcome to New England, kids. </div><br />Like many other OCR\'s, when you browse <a href=\"http://www.smithfestruns.com/\" target=\"_blank\">their website</a> they don\'t give away much in terms of what <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0-kuDm4gnMs/Us9zmjdVN_I/AAAAAAAAGME/mfywwPsBcSM/s1600/73359_353905568050328_1619214790_n.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0-kuDm4gnMs/Us9zmjdVN_I/AAAAAAAAGME/mfywwPsBcSM/s1600/73359_353905568050328_1619214790_n.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"265\" /></a></div>the obstacles are. I\'ve got the gist of it - 5K obstacle race in the (hopefully) snowy cold. From pictures, there\'s going to be at least some wall climbs, obviously there will be some running involved from obstacle to obstacle, there will probably be some sort of climbing obstacle and maybe some over-unders...but honestly, I really don\'t know what to expect in terms of obstacles. I also don\'t know what the weather will do to an event like this. I\'m hearing this coming weekend (one week before the race) will be warm and rainy...the snow-killer. I DO know that, worst case scenario, these guys will BRING IN snow in order to make some of the specifically snow-based obstacles work. Just like a ski mountain, they make it happen regardless of nature. Obviously it\'s best for this race if nature cooperates and dumps a fresh pile of the fluffy white stuff before race-day, but no snow does NOT mean no event.THAT\'S a \"the show must go on\" level of dedication...I LIKE IT!<br /><br />This race also seems to be pretty family-friendly. I\'m not sure why I get that vibe, but I do. Remember how I mentioned some OCR\'s use electrical obstacles and other similarly intimidating, mind-gamey stuff? This event does not seem to have that. Looking at pictures on their site, it doesn\'t look like it\'s a \"hardcore\", \"AROO\", \"this is the toughest event on the planet\" kind of thing...and there is NOTHING wrong with that. It\'s nice to have an event that makes itself accessible to a wider audience. Some of the most well-known OCR\'s out there market themselves as incredibly difficult and life-threatening...but if Blizzard Blast shows us anything, it\'s that the FUN FACTOR, and not necessarily the life-threatening challenge to survive, can be a good reason to participate in an<b> </b>event. <br /><br />In a sea of sameness, it\'s refreshing to see a creative event like this. I have to say, this was more or less a last-minute entry for me, but I\'m REALLY excited! Before I registered for this, my next race was going to be 2/16/14, so it\'s nice to get a race 3 weeks early! I know the race is really soon, but I\'d LOVE to see some of you join me! You can register at www.smithfestevents.com - click the \"join a team\" registration button and join Team \"So THIS Is Fitness...\" - then during checkout, use coupon code STIF10 to save $10! Yeah, they made a coupon code just for the \"So THIS Is Fitness...\" family! How ya like that?! The price jumps tonight at midnight (1/10/14 at 11:59 PM Eastern), so I urge you to make a speedy decision (and go for it!). It\'d be nice to have some company during this unique event!<br /><br />Again, that information:<br />site: www.SmithFestRuns.com<br />Team: \"So THIS Is Fitness...\"<br />Date: 1/25/14<br />Place: Four Oaks Coun­try Club<br />1 Club­house Lane<br />Dra­cut, <span>MA</span>&nbsp;01826<br />Wave Time: 11:00 am<br />What do you get? A long sleeve event t-shirt, finisher\'s medal, free beer ticket (for 21+), free soup/chowder/chili ticket, post-race party and more! Plus, obviously, tons of fun and the satisfaction of completing a great, challenging, unique event! <br /><br />I urge you to check this out and give it a go! If I can do it, you can do it! Let\'s run together! <b>Why Not? :)</b>','Hot And Muddy? Try Cold And Snowy....','','inherit','closed','closed','','82-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:04:41','2017-01-08 16:04:41','',82,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/82-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(330,1,'2017-01-08 11:04:54','2017-01-08 16:04:54','Yesterday, I woke up at 8 am on a cold early-January morning to get myself in gear, have some coffee, and get ready to chug my way along through 4.9 miles in the snowy, slushy, wet cold of Monument Beach, MA. Many people would think I\'m a nut and tell me to go back to bed. Many people would wonder what in the hell would possess me to go running in the snow. Others would call me a sicko for saying that it was \"ONLY\" 5 miles. <b>Bottom line</b>...many people look at me and ask...<br /><br /><b>Why do it?</b><br /><b></b><br />It\'s a question I\'ve been learning the answer to as I\'ve gone along. The answer has changed over time. For this Transformation Tuesday...the first of 2014...I want to give you an idea of just how yesterday\'s race went...<b>why</b> I do this...why I <b>started</b> doing this...and why I\'ll <b>keep </b>doing it. Hopefully my transformation will inspire you to begin yours :). <br /><a href=\"https://www.blogger.com/null\" name=\"more\"></a><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-icCssMcGVs0/Urgx-WsctrI/AAAAAAAAGF8/S_7uCJ_tcRY/s1600/IMG_8095.JPG\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-icCssMcGVs0/Urgx-WsctrI/AAAAAAAAGF8/S_7uCJ_tcRY/s1600/IMG_8095.JPG\" height=\"298\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SJsWGtZtjdY/UsqQ3p2xkDI/AAAAAAAAGJ8/E2HHdlKDgw4/s1600/IMG_20140105_111405489.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SJsWGtZtjdY/UsqQ3p2xkDI/AAAAAAAAGJ8/E2HHdlKDgw4/s1600/IMG_20140105_111405489.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a><b>Sunday was </b>the 34th annual Cape Cod Road Runners\' Winter Fun Run. Thanks again to my friends at <a href=\"http://haircutmeneastfalmouthma.com/\" target=\"_blank\">SportClips Falmouth</a> for sponsoring me (check them out)! I have to say, despite the conditions, I DID have a good time.That\'s a photo from last year\'s race (above). I don\'t have a TON of pictures since my phone was in my <a href=\"http://www.tunebelt.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Tune Belt</a> and my mom doesn\'t have a digital camera...I guess I didn\'t have the presence of mind to bring my digital camera along for her to use. <br /><br /><b>Anyway</b> - I had fun. While getting ready and stretching and whatnot I violated one of the cardinal rules of running - <b>nothing new on race day</b>. What was new, you ask? <b>THE SHOES!</b> Yeah, seriously...I couldn\'t have picked something more \"don\'t do that\" to do. <b>Why?</b> It was gross out on the roads and I was nervous that I\'d either take a digger (fall) or at the very least have to slow WAY down. So...I switched to my BRAND NEW New Balance 610 trail shoes. For the first couple of miles, I was  a little wary...I was kind of kicking myself and hoping they didn\'t  aggravate my feet or leave me sore. Once I got past the two mile marker, however, <b>I was instantly glad I wore them</b>. All of a sudden the road got very hilly and had lots of snow and slush. Thanks to having some grip, I was able to maintain my pace and not eat pavement. <b>Yay.</b></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ywud4Jo3Rfg/UsqSNbF-p4I/AAAAAAAAGKI/uWQNcPE4ALU/s1600/fuel.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ywud4Jo3Rfg/UsqSNbF-p4I/AAAAAAAAGKI/uWQNcPE4ALU/s1600/fuel.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"320\" /></a><b>I ended up doing way better than I anticipated</b>. I was CRUISING along.&nbsp;<b> </b>Almost every time I was going to stop running and walk for a minute, <b>I just kept going. </b>I only slowed or stopped a handful of times, and honestly...I don\'t know that I really needed to...I think that\'s just a mental hurdle I need to get past. I think part of why I was able to go so strong was because I had fueled properly. I had a <a href=\"http://healthwarrior.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Health Warrior Chia Bar</a> about 20 minutes before race start (in addition to a light race-day breakfast a few hours earlier) and let me just tell you...those little bars are <b>awesome</b>. There\'s a review article coming, but the short version is they\'re so <b>crazy packed</b> with nutrients and fuel, they\'re the perfect way to kick-start your run. No, they are not paying me to say that. <br />At the end of it all, I came in 99th place, and finished, officially, in 39:45. <b>That\'s ridiculous.</b> How did I <b>do</b> that? And...I got quite the surprise during the awards ceremony - I got 3rd place in the Open age division! Seriously?<b> How</b> did I place in my age group? Isn\'t my age group the one that <b>goes fast</b>? It\'s 19 - 29! How am I placing? Whatever, I\'ll take it! I\'ll only get a few of those, right? Might as well enjoy it!<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So...all of this begs the question - why do it?</b></span></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\">Like I said, the answer to this question has changed over time for me. In terms of fitness in general... my reason began as a desperate need to make a positive life change and get healthy. Now that I <b>AM </b>healthy and fit... my reason has become... that I enjoy fitness and want to maintain where I\'m at.</div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X1hWVdPG1oI/UsuZJWsW_jI/AAAAAAAAGKk/PTSZQnQqfz4/s1600/ffrunning.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X1hWVdPG1oI/UsuZJWsW_jI/AAAAAAAAGKk/PTSZQnQqfz4/s1600/ffrunning.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"284\" /></a></div>But... <b>running</b>... I don\'t even really remember why Megan and I <i>did</i> that first run. It might have been to see if we could do it at all. It might have been because we had come so far in our fitness, we wanted to see if our new abilities extended to running. It might have been to test ourselves. Or it might have just been because...well...<i><b>why not? </b></i>Whatever the reason...I\'m damn glad we did it. It opened my eyes to a whole new world of fitness...and it allowed me to find an activity...a SPORT...that I truly enjoy. <br /><br />Running is about more than just long (or short) distances and going fast. You have to learn your body, be <i>in tune </i>with it. You have to understand your body\'s wants and needs and tend to them properly. You have <b>no choice</b> but to fuel your body appropriately and treat it right...otherwise it won\'t perform properly and you <b>won\'t be having fun</b>. Running teaches you how to take care of yourself and be truly healthy, inside and out. <br /><br />Running is also...well...kind of peaceful. Y\'know, once you get past the monotony, boredom, and jaw-rattling pounding across the pavement. The first mile or two sucks, but once you get in a rhythm...it really is nice. One thing I\'ve come to appreciate with some of these races is the absolutely incredible scenery. For the majority of the Cape Cod Marathon Half...I was staring at beach and the ocean! Beautiful views, scenic vistas, and just <b>nature</b>. There\'s something to be said for taking \"me time\"...and running certainly provides that. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c6CQ6zp7O_Y/UsuY1H6VFKI/AAAAAAAAGKc/ehNYp8VyefA/s1600/aftert25back2back.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c6CQ6zp7O_Y/UsuY1H6VFKI/AAAAAAAAGKc/ehNYp8VyefA/s1600/aftert25back2back.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"198\" /></a></div><br />On top of all of that...I do this so <b>I can enjoy a better, longer, happier life</b>. Health and fitness, for me, is about longevity and quality of life. <b>I feel so much better</b> now than I did when I was 300 lbs. Gee, that kinda makes sense, huh? I don\'t get winded going up a flight of stairs. I have so much more ENERGY now. My thighs don\'t rub together and chafe. I don\'t feel embarrassed about my body. <b>Clothing fits me properly</b>. Imagine that. The immediate benefits are simply STUNNING.<br /><br />The long-term benefits are great too. I have been told by a number of doctors that <b>I saved my own life</b> by losing 125 lbs. I have not escaped unscathed though - my knee cartilage is damaged from having carried so much extra weight for so long, and my feet are out of whack as well - plantar fasciitis, metatarsal periositis, and some other issues (to name a few). <b>What if I hadn\'t lost the weight?</b> What if I reached 40 and still had that extra weight on me? <b>For another 15 years?</b> Would I need a knee replacement by 60? Would I be in a wheelchair? Would I get diabetes? <b>Maybe</b>. At least now I know I have SIGNIFICANTLY reduced the odds of that happening. <br /><br />I\'ll be around longer for Megan, my kids, my family, my friends. I\'ll be able to <b>enjoy </b>my years rather than wasting away, becoming a bitter old man disgruntled with my lot in life. I\'ll be happy, healthy, energetic, and fit. <b>That is worth its weight in gold</b>, but by the time you reach that age...it\'s too late. <b><br /><br />That\'s why </b>I do this. That\'s why I get up at the crack of dawn, haul myself out of bed, and get ready for a workout. <b>That\'s why </b>I go running in the snow, slush, and frigid weather. <b>That\'s why headlamps and reflective gear </b>for runners exists. Because it\'s fun. Because <b>we enjoy it</b>. Becaues <b>it makes us happy. </b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aqce_JPWhMQ/UsubdlYGmeI/AAAAAAAAGK0/NszU25ihyks/s1600/aftert25front.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aqce_JPWhMQ/UsubdlYGmeI/AAAAAAAAGK0/NszU25ihyks/s1600/aftert25front.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>That\'s why </b>I\'m putting in the work now and making the change. Because <b>now is the time! Because it makes me happy. Because the guy on the right looks way better than the guy on the left. </b>(Check out the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-transformation.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"My Transformation\"</a> page for the new update from the completion of <a href=\"http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/sothisisfitness\" target=\"_blank\">Focus T25</a>!)<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RaTf1zgeDQ8/UsuiS6kxIUI/AAAAAAAAGLE/Qg4dYVLT9kA/s1600/whydoit.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RaTf1zgeDQ8/UsuiS6kxIUI/AAAAAAAAGLE/Qg4dYVLT9kA/s1600/whydoit.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"320\" /></a></b></div><b><br />What\'s YOUR reason? </b>','Why Do It? (Plus Fun Run Recap)','','inherit','closed','closed','','83-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:04:54','2017-01-08 16:04:54','',83,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/83-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(331,1,'2017-01-08 11:05:09','2017-01-08 16:05:09','I know, this is gonna be another one of those corny \"I\'m reflecting on an amazing year\" posts, right? <br /><br /><b>...maybe...</b><br /><br /><b>But...</b>I mean...<b>COME ON!</b> When your life changes THAT MUCH in the course of ONE year...you\'re allowed to have a post like that...(excuse me while I go pout and cross my arms in the corner). <br /><br />Really though...2013 has been incredibly life-changing for me! So many things have happened, so many things have improved...And I never in a MILLION years would\'ve <b>ever </b>thought <b>any </b>of it could happen to me.<br /><br /><b>News Flash: </b>If it can happen for me...it can happen for <b>anyone</b>.<br /><br /><a href=\"http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11554363/?claim=tn8ees7ud8b\">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a><br /><a name=\'more\'></a>So what are some of these ridiculous milestones I hit and changes I made in 2013?<br /><br /><b>Weight, for one</b>. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rjvzQd77Pjw/UegcZqAK2SI/AAAAAAAAA2k/BnyZWorX2uw/s1600/2012-07-25_09-00-15_455.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rjvzQd77Pjw/UegcZqAK2SI/AAAAAAAAA2k/BnyZWorX2uw/s320/2012-07-25_09-00-15_455.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"180\" /></a></div><br />I got back down under 250 lbs for the first time in years, and for the first time I can remember...I broke 200 lbs! I feel so disgusted with myself saying it, but I honest to God cannot remember, prior to 2013, when I last was 200 lbs or lighter. Probably middle school. Yeah...about that...<br /><br />I\'m now sitting at about 175 lbs, and a LOT of it is muscle. How do I know? <b>I can see it</b>. There\'s another something I\'ve never been able to do...see my own muscle! <b>Imagine that</b>. <br /><br /><b>What about this \"running\" thing?</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GJxqwdI2ffI/Um3glwJ8W3I/AAAAAAAAB7o/GozBLla5nSU/s1600/IMG_20131026_094154_638.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GJxqwdI2ffI/Um3glwJ8W3I/AAAAAAAAB7o/GozBLla5nSU/s320/IMG_20131026_094154_638.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"180\" /></a></div><b>Oh, </b>right...<b>that</b>. The first time I ever \"went for a run\" happened in 2013 - March 23rd. I remember it vividly...three loops around Megan\'s neighborhood...3.25 miles. wow...some first run, huh? My first 5K happened early May, my first 10K on July 3rd...and my first Falmouth Road Race (7.4 miles) in August. Then...whoa...my first <b>half marathon finish</b> on October 26th. <b>WOW</b>. Seriously? You\'re gonna tell me that Fat Darrell ran a half freaking marathon? Guess I\'m not Fat Darrell anymore.&nbsp;<b> And now I did it again - </b>I finished out 2013 strong by running 14.17 miles in one shot...a new distance record! <b>No medal for this one</b>, but that\'s ok...I have the satisfaction I need :)<br /><br />So...First run ever, first 5K, first 10K, first Falmouth Road Race, and first 13.1! Not bad.<br /><br /><br /><br /><b>So how about all this cross-training I\'ve been doing?</b><br /><br />I\'ve completed 6 BeachBody workout programs now, 5 of which were completed in 2013 - P90X (2012), INSANITY, INSANITY: The Asylum, Les Mills COMBAT, Body Beast, and Focus T25! These programs are the main reason I lost so much weight and got fit, and they\'re the reason I was able to start running! I\'m excited to add another one to the books soon :)<br /><br />What else? Well...for one thing...my little inspiration/motivation journey began. 2013 was when the biggest changes of <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-transformation.html\" target=\"_blank\">My Transformation </a>happened, and many of my friends and family told me how inspired they were by the change they saw - so inspired that they got up off the couch and started their own fitness journey! That made me think - I sure wish someone had told me all these things I had to figure out the hard way! And so, \"So THIS Is Fitness...\" was born. Now, as we\'re minutes away from 2014...it has grown from a little blog for sharing my thoughts to something way bigger than I could\'ve anticipated! I\'m so happy to be able to motivate, encourage, inspire and guide so many people to finding their fitness like I did! It\'s a great thing being able to spread the fitness bug :)<br /><br />I\'m so thankful for a great year, and there are some BIG things coming for 2014. 2013 was about making big change - 2014 is going to be about challenging myself, <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">losing my limits,</a> and seeing what this new fit and in-shape body can do! Join me in the journey, and have an incredible year! I\'m sure I\'ll go a little more in-depth on the year within the next few days, just wanted to reflect before the ball dropped!<br /><br />Happy New Year!','2013...wow.','','inherit','closed','closed','','84-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:05:09','2017-01-08 16:05:09','',84,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/84-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(332,1,'2017-01-08 11:05:23','2017-01-08 16:05:23','I have a confession to make...<b>I\'ve been cheating. </b>Cheating is bad. Cheating is where we lie to ourselves, to our loved ones, and to those around us. It\'s where we pretend what we\'re doing is OK even though in our hearts we KNOW it\'s wrong. Cheating is where we slowly undermine all the hard work we\'ve been doing. And <b>DON\'T EVEN </b>try to tell me you don\'t feel bad about it when it happens...<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-871zZ3EszOg/UsF44O1PC4I/AAAAAAAAGIw/Plf6xOwg2D0/s1600/Cookie_Monster.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-871zZ3EszOg/UsF44O1PC4I/AAAAAAAAGIw/Plf6xOwg2D0/s320/Cookie_Monster.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>So why do we cheat? <b>Because it\'s supposed to be OK here and there</b>. People tell us you just <b>have </b>to <b>allow</b> yourself a cheat day every once in a while to stay sane. <b>Why?</b> How is going against my nutrition plan going to help me? The short answer is...<b>it\'s not</b>. It\'s time to talk about the elephant in the room - and I\'d like to ask you to <b>RE-COMMIT TO YOURSELF </b>to be the best you can possibly be with your nutrition habits for 2014 and beyond! <br /><b></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b></b></div><b> Read on...and tell me if my story sounds familiar to you</b>.<br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />So...Like I said...<b>I\'ve been cheating</b>. I really almost wrote \"nothing major\"...but that\'s just me lying to myself again. <b>Every cheat is major</b>. Every cheat is one more step down the rabbit hole. But I\'m getting ahead of myself.<br /><br />I\'ve been cheating. Little nibbles here and there, a few bites of this, not being strict about that, etc. I figure, I\'m doing great with my fitness and nutrition, I\'m down to 175...<b>THAT\'S AN EXCUSE! I had a ton of excuses!</b> \"It\'s ok, I\'m doing well, I can handle it.\", \"My metabolism is so fired up it\'ll just shred through this like nothing.\", \"<b>I\'ve earned it.</b>\", \"I just ran 10 miles, <b>shut up</b>.\"...<br /><b>The list goes on</b>. Bottom line, I was justifying little violations of MY OWN RULES! Those rules, combined with hard work, are what got me these results...they\'re why I can actually SEE ABS NOW for the first time in my life...why would I go against that?<br /><br />Really...no good reason. It was there. I had waited too long to eat and was hungry. It looked good. None of those were on my list of good reasons to eat something.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Why is cheating bad? Why is this a big deal?</b></span><br /><br /><b>I\'m so glad you asked. </b>It\'s really simple. A cheat meal, or worse, a cheat DAY, is extra calories, fat, sodium, oil, grease, etc that you wouldn\'t normally have in your day or week. A cheat is a direct violation of all the hard work you\'re doing - of your careful portioning and planning, of your low-fat cooking, your extra effort each day to avoid those sources of fat and \"badness\"...that time you said \"no, thank you\" to a chicken wing or a beer. Cheating basically <b>undoes that hard work.</b> It might seem obvious, but if you don\'t cheat and you stick to your plan, <b>you\'ll see better results faster.</b> Cheating is also bad for another reason.<br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\"></span></b><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><br />Cheating is a slippery slope</span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oh7trFoyLKY/UsF3FBxbrcI/AAAAAAAAGIg/rAZ9kqCnZfI/s1600/celebrity-pictures-cookie-monster-stop-anytime.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oh7trFoyLKY/UsF3FBxbrcI/AAAAAAAAGIg/rAZ9kqCnZfI/s1600/celebrity-pictures-cookie-monster-stop-anytime.jpg\" /></a></div>Once you start cheating, you\'re making it ok. After you allow yourself to cheat enough times, you may start cheating bigger. It might not be just a nibble anymore, it might be a half a bacon cheeseburger...or a whole one...or a whole <b>day...I know</b>, I sound ridiculous and as if this is the end of the world...but honestly, <b>I\'ve been there</b>. <b>I did it</b>. When I was on Weight Watchers with my mom, we\'d go weigh in on Saturday morning, and once we left the meeting it was cheat day! We\'d go get a fatty sloppy greasy breakfast at our favorite local place, then we\'d do whatever for the rest of the day - no weighing, no measuring...just enjoy the day! Why? <b>We had the whole week to make up for it. </b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><b>With that mindset, you\'re starting behind the 8-ball instead of making forward progress all week!</b><br /><br />So, I had established my one cheat day a week - I was following all the bad habits I needed to get rid of! What happened when I went to UMass and lost my support system? <b>I hadn\'t learned anything</b> and I fell back on what I knew. 5 years later...well...you know how I blew up. <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">I\'m asking you to re-commit to yourself for 2014</span></b><br /><br /><b>Keep up your end of the bargain with yourself!</b> Stick with the program and get the results you\'re working so hard for. I know, I make it sound kind of DefCon 1, but it\'s better to head this kind of thing off at the pass than to get caught with your pants down later like I did. The whole point of starting this blog was <b>to help people learn from my mistakes</b>...well, here\'s a BIG one to learn from. I bet I could\'ve got better results from Focus T25 if I buckled down and stuck to my guns on nutrition. When I start P90X3 in January, I\'m going to revamp my nutrition, <b>really </b>pay attention to it, and get the best possible results out of it that I can! <br /><br /><b>Join me</b> in this! From this day forward (yeah, I\'m not waiting for the new year) every time I find myself looking at a cheat...every time I find myself bringing a cookie towards my mouth or some similar situation...the words of the video below are going to replay in my mind.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" gt=\"\" height=\"315\" iframe=\"\" lt=\"\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/mayCvk2P4f0?rel=0\" width=\"420\"></iframe><b></b><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>I kid you not.</b></span><br /><b>&nbsp;</b><br /><b>A friend reminded me about that little gem</b>, and it is SERIOUSLY what I need to scream at myself in my head sometimes...<b>and it works</b>. Try it :) You\'ll be glad, down the road, that you said no to that ONE BITE of pie, or that ONE SLICE of pizza...or that ONE DAY to just go nuts. Stick to your guns!<br /><b><br />Have faith - you can do this! 2014 is going to be a big year!</b>','Put That Cookie Down!','','inherit','closed','closed','','85-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:05:23','2017-01-08 16:05:23','',85,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/85-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(333,1,'2017-01-08 11:05:48','2017-01-08 16:05:48','2013 was such a huge year for me - I learned a lot about myself, my body, and my abilities. I learned that the only limits we <b>truly</b> have are the ones we set for ourselves - that\'s why I threw the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Lose Your Limits Challenge 2014</a>\" out there. At the time, I didn\'t realize <b>I had already taken on this challenge myself.</b> As my 2013 running season drew to a close, I began lining up my 2014 season - that is where MY challenge lies - this upcoming year of races is jam-packed. If things continue the way they are I\'ll be running a race nearly every weekend! Lots of races are close together or back to back, and there are going to be some BIG ones later in the year. My 2014 season starts in 13 days, and I\'d like to share the first installment of that season with you today.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><a name=\'more\'></a>I\'m so fortunate to have a number of sponsors backing me for my 2014 race season! Without them, I wouldn\'t be able to run <b>nearly </b>as many races as I am. These first three races I want to share with you are sponsored by my&nbsp; very first sponsor - the one that made it possible for me to <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/achievement-unlocked-131.html\" target=\"_blank\">run my first half-martahon</a> -<a href=\"http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;ved=0CC8QFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fhaircutmeneastfalmouthma.com%2F&amp;ei=NEO4UrCEGOjv2QWuiYDQDA&amp;usg=AFQjCNFtc1JAvTbUMLqdzkdh92bZgrH5CQ&amp;sig2=zN0loStr8ORivGZ3VaRvwA&amp;bvm=bv.58187178,d.b2I\" target=\"_blank\"> <b>SportClips in Falmouth</b>. </a><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1-2CYtLQjJA/UgobuUylIzI/AAAAAAAABO8/0n6Q7101Shg/s1600/sportclips.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"200\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1-2CYtLQjJA/UgobuUylIzI/AAAAAAAABO8/0n6Q7101Shg/s400/sportclips.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>For those of you who haven\'t been there...as the logo implies, it\'s a sports-themed haircut place meant primarily for guys. There are tv\'s literally everywhere - including posted up between chairs for you to watch tv while you get a haircut. It\'s definitely an interesting concept, and I can dig it. They also do this thing called the \"MVP\" - it\'s like a little man-spa. You should check out their site and learn a little more - if you\'re anywhere near (or on) Cape Cod, the one in Falmouth <b>is</b><i> </i>the closest one to you - I\'m pretty sure it\'s the only one this side of Boston. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><b>The Races</b></span><br /><br />George (the owner over at SportClips) was kind enough to sponsor me for three local races. The first one is on January 5th! I bet that\'ll be a cold one (or not, if this weird New England weather keeps up!).<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-icCssMcGVs0/Urgx-WsctrI/AAAAAAAAGF4/TaOujXI2l04/s1600/IMG_8095.JPG\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"298\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-icCssMcGVs0/Urgx-WsctrI/AAAAAAAAGF4/TaOujXI2l04/s400/IMG_8095.JPG\" width=\"400\" />&nbsp;</a> </div><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Cape Cod Road Runner\'s 34th Annual Winter Fun Run</span></b><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nvSQ-gFC2sY/Urg0dTJgcII/AAAAAAAAGGI/8kGzFoBQQ50/s1600/CCRRFunRunroute.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nvSQ-gFC2sY/Urg0dTJgcII/AAAAAAAAGGI/8kGzFoBQQ50/s320/CCRRFunRunroute.jpg\" width=\"272\" /></a>This one looks like a lot of fun! The course takes you through some back-road area in Bourne / Monument Beach (just past the Bourne Bridge), with about a half-mile stretch along the beach itself. I\'m REALLY hoping it\'s not windy - that half-mile could be pretty awful. It\'s a weird length for a <span></span><span></span>course - 4.87 miles. I\'ve found that most, if not all, non-standard distance courses tend to have a story behind their distance. The <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/andtheniranfalmouthroadrace.html\" target=\"_blank\">Falmouth Road Race</a> began as a run from the Captain Kidd in Woods Hole to the BBC in Falmouth (hence 7.4 miles), and it looks like (in terms of having a story) this race is no different. It used to be a course along a dirt road, which began at The Weary Traveler Shrine Club (Shriners are a part of Freemasonry), but over time maintenance of the dirt road became an issue, so they chose a new course. The revised course fell just short of 5 miles, but they stuck with it. <br /><br />This is a \"fun run\". <b>What does that mean?</b> It means there is no chip timing, and those bibs you see in the picture are basic and, it would seem, to help them jot down some overall and age group award winners. This\'ll feel the same as any other race I\'ve run - not like I\'m the leader of the pack taking home the prize for running a 15 minute 5K yet! Hah. The entry fees from this go to support the <a href=\"http://www.bourneconservationtrust.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Bourne Conservation Trust</a> - a private non-profit that acquires land in order to leave it in its natural state. Sounds good to me :). <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Lovin\' L.I.F.E. 5K</span></b><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fzHSbPZwReY/Urg1dzW9s9I/AAAAAAAAGGU/DDJZ4ErfKKA/s1600/12400_605858926109550_962739796_n.png\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"313\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fzHSbPZwReY/Urg1dzW9s9I/AAAAAAAAGGU/DDJZ4ErfKKA/s320/12400_605858926109550_962739796_n.png\" width=\"320\" /></a><br /><b>This one has some special meaning for me</b>. This was not only my first 5K, but my first RACE ever! I\'m VERY excited to run it again and see how I stack up against myself from last year. Last time I ran this race it was just a month and a half after I started running in the first place. <span></span><span></span><br /><span></span><span></span><br />This race, if they keep the same course as last year, takes you through some back roads and neighborhoods in Mashpee, MA. The home stretch goes along Great Neck Road in Mashpee, and the finish line is right in the L.I.F.E. complex. <br /><a href=\"http://www.lifecapecod.org/\" target=\"_blank\">L.I.F.E. stands for Living Independently Forever.</a> It\'s a non-profit org that provides assisted living for adults with disabilities in its condominium complex. It\'s a great group doing some great work, and I\'m happy to support them! The race is on May 4th, 2014. Should be a nice spring day, just like last year!<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Falmouth Flag Day 5K</b></span><br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LgkoCZp99DA/Urg-7E1gmrI/AAAAAAAAGGg/JiloqDnbVzc/s1600/598812_436432483056708_1291712048_n.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"262\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LgkoCZp99DA/Urg-7E1gmrI/AAAAAAAAGGg/JiloqDnbVzc/s400/598812_436432483056708_1291712048_n.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a><br />This race is still pending announcement, so it\'s tentative. I\'m PLANNING on running this one! This looks like a really fun race, and I ALMOST registered for it last year. I\'m not sure of the exact route of the course, but if photos are any indication it looks like the finish is right near the Falmouth Road Race finish - by the BBC in Falmouth Heights. If that\'s the case, I\'m sure this will be a very scenic race! This (hopefully) sunny June race will be a nice way to come down off of a half-marathon and an obstacle race...more on that soon ;)<br /><b></b><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>WHY Am I Doing This?</b></span><br /><br />These are just three of the 12 races I am (so far) registered for (through July), and there will be more coming. <b>Why </b>am I running so many races? And<b> why</b> would I register for races back to back? <b>I\'m doing it to show that you can</b>. If I can do it, anyone can. This time last year I was just beginning <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-transformation.html\" target=\"_blank\">my fitness journey</a> - I had just finished <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/beachbody-coach.html\" target=\"_blank\">P90X</a>, I was on the road to being healthy, but I never in a million years would\'ve thought I could go and <b>run</b>. A year and a half ago...I was still resigned to the \"fact\" <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-story.html\" target=\"_blank\">that I was, and would forever be, <b>big</b></a>. Clearly, that is not the case. <br /><b><br />Running is the most simple form of fitness. </b>Some more...<i>enthusiastic</i> runners...can make it very complicated...but in its simplest form, you strap on a pair of shoes and hit the road, trail, or treadmill. <b>That\'s it.</b> No complicated moves, no fancy agility training, no weights, no special gear, just you and the road. There is <b>no reason</b> why someone can\'t get out there and <b>be </b>a runner. This is how I\'m losing <b>my</b> limits - I\'m running. I\'m running <b>more</b>, I\'m running <b>faster</b>, I\'m running <b>farther</b>. By the end of 2014, I want to have completed my first marathon. <b>I want that 26.2. </b><u>And I\'ll get it. </u><br /><br />I didn\'t identify, personally, as a runner until I finished that half-marathon. I don\'t really know why...maybe I felt like I had something to prove to myself, or had to accomplish something big...who knows. I\'ve come to find, however, that it\'s very easy to figure out if you\'re a runner. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yXwiwZTzSfk/UrhBOaTYQ1I/AAAAAAAAGGs/EFNqOoJ6xEM/s1600/definerunner.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yXwiwZTzSfk/UrhBOaTYQ1I/AAAAAAAAGGs/EFNqOoJ6xEM/s1600/definerunner.jpg\" /></a></div><br />So <b>get out there</b>. Challenge yourself. Do something amazing. <b>Lose your limits.</b> I promise you, if you lose your perceptions of what you\'re capable of, if you <b>challenge yourself</b>, and <b>put the time in</b> to train...you can accomplish some <b>mind-blowing</b> feats. If someone had come up to me in August 2012 (when this all started) and told me that as I entered 2014 I would be training for my first marathon...I would\'ve told them to their face they were <b>high</b>. Now...Now I\'m hoping to be training for an Ultra-Marathon by 2015. <b>Funny how things change.</b><br /><b>&nbsp;</b><br /><b>What are YOU training for? </b>Have you taken on <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">the challenge</a>?','I\'m Running. A Lot. This Is The Start.','','inherit','closed','closed','','86-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:05:48','2017-01-08 16:05:48','',86,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/86-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(334,1,'2017-01-08 11:06:23','2017-01-08 16:06:23','2014 is going to be a huge year - If things go the way I\'m hoping for I\'ll not only be running a race almost every weekend...but I\'ll be <b>running a half-marathon a month</b> and my <b>first marathon</b> or <b>Spartan Beast</b> by the fall! Maybe <b>both</b>.<br />I\'m going to push myself, I\'m going to find the ceiling and <b>SMASH through it</b>...<br /><br /><b>and I want YOU to join me.</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iDkwFWSYoLQ/UqqofNnjVwI/AAAAAAAAGDg/kk-dcRJHahw/s1600/STIF-LYLCYL-Ch.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iDkwFWSYoLQ/UqqofNnjVwI/AAAAAAAAGDg/kk-dcRJHahw/s400/STIF-LYLCYL-Ch.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b></b></div>I\'m calling it the \"Lose Your Limits\" Challenge 2014. The idea is simple, the challenge is not.&nbsp;<b> </b><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">\"Lose Your Limits\"?</span></b><br /><br />Like I said - The idea is simple: most of us think we have a pretty good idea of what our limits are. We know what we\'re capable of, and we know what probably isn\'t a good idea. We\'re also SURE of what we simply can\'t do. <b>Running?</b> No way. I\'m not a runner. I can\'t go out there and do that. <b>Obstacle race?</b> Are you <i>kidding me</i>? <b>Marathon?! </b>Are you <i>high?!</i> <br /><br /><b>I thought I knew what time it was</b>. I was a big guy. I was <b>always </b>gonna be a big guy. That\'s just how it was. I just needed to not be a <b>huge</b> guy. There was <b>no way</b> I would <b>ever</b> be under 200 lbs...I couldn\'t do that even at the PEAK of my physical fitness in high school. No way it was <b>ever</b> gonna change. <br /><br /><b>Then Megan and I did P90X. </b>That was August 2012. Mid-June 2013 I broke 200 lbs. <br /><br />I was <b>not </b>a runner. I was <b>not</b> an athlete. I was <b>not</b> gonna go out there and run. Just because I could do P90X and INSANITY didn\'t mean I could actually get out on pavement and <b>go</b>. That was a whole \'nother animal entirely. <br /><br /><b>But Megan and I went out for a run</b>. That was late-March 2013. May 2013 I finished my first 5K. Late-October 2013 I finished my first <b>half-marathon.</b> <br /><br /><b>Starting to catch on to the trend?</b> The first time I challenged myself was August 2012. <b>Nothing has been the same since then.&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>I got out of my bubble. </b>I left my comfort zone in the <b>dust</b>. I <b>made time </b>to <b>make it work.</b> I pledged to myself and to those I love that I would <b>make a change</b>. And I DID. I changed my <i>life<b>.</b></i><br /><br /><u><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>I want you to join me for the next step of the journey.</b></span><i><b> </b></i><b>&nbsp;</b> </u><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rvt3AOYj8pc/Uqqn__DYAWI/AAAAAAAAGDY/5Y17jR45pZo/s1600/STIF-LYLCYL-Chpledge.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rvt3AOYj8pc/Uqqn__DYAWI/AAAAAAAAGDY/5Y17jR45pZo/s400/STIF-LYLCYL-Chpledge.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br />What do I want you to do, exactly? I want you to <b>take the pledge</b> to <b>lose your limits</b> by challenging yourself. If there\'s anything I\'ve learned in the last 16 months its this: the only limits we truly have are the ones we<b> set for ourselves</b>. I\'ve said it before and I\'ll say it until I\'m blue in the face - <b>Given time and training, anything is possible. </b>What do you think you can\'t do? What\'s outside your comfort zone? Do you think you can\'t contort yourself into some kind of human pretzel (which would mean yoga is out of the question)? Do you think there\'s no way you have the stamina, endurance, or just plain <i>ability </i>to go and run any kind of distance (however short)? Do you think you\'re the most wimpy weakling on the planet and the idea of lifting weights is laughable? Do you think there\'s just <b>no time</b> to get it done? Don\'t have anywhere you can work out?<br /><br /><b>See where I\'m going with this?</b><br /><br />If it\'s something you \"don\'t do\", \"won\'t do\" or \"can\'t do\"...guess what? <b>Go DO IT. It doesn\'t have to be a physical barrier - </b>notice how \"no time\" and \"don\'t have anywhere\" were in there? Lots of people have a barrier like that in their way - they think they don\'t have time or anywhere to do it. They\'re <b>just as wrong</b> as the guy or girl who thinks they can\'t run a mile.<br /><br />If I can do it, <b>anyone can do it</b>. Seriously - see this guy? These two are the same guy.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sl7dTuG5CMY/Uqqtw49X8CI/AAAAAAAAGEE/mUjbADIjOK8/s1600/blob.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"186\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sl7dTuG5CMY/Uqqtw49X8CI/AAAAAAAAGEE/mUjbADIjOK8/s400/blob.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><b>Hard to believe, I know. </b>Amazing what happens when you get out of your own way, huh?<br /><br /><b>THIS ISN\'T JUST FOR NEWBIES! </b>Do you already work out? Already run races? Do Crossfit? What\'s the next big step that you haven\'t done yet? The next race you don\'t think you&nbsp; can handle? Do you lift/Crossfit and don\'t think you can run to save your life? <b>Bingo.&nbsp;</b> <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">What am<i> I </i>doing, you ask?</span></b><br /><br />So far I have 13 races lined up through July, including a few half-marathons and an obstacle race. <b>I am planning on adding many more</b>, and by fall my goal is to participate in <b>and finish</b> my first marathon or Spartan Beast / Tough Mudder. More on all those races coming VERY soon. First race is January 5th! BRRRR! Check out the race calendar tab to the right for all my races (click \"find more\" to see them all!) - maybe come run a race with me! (if you DO want to, reach out! Comment, shout out on Facebook, use the contact form below, or email me at Darrell@SoTHISIsFitness.com.<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">So How Do You Take The Pledge?</span></b><br /><br /><b>Simple: </b>Go to the <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/sothisisfitness/app_208195102528120\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook Page here. </a>\"Like\" the page, and follow the instructions. <b>Make the commitment.&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>Don\'t have Facebook? </b>\"Follow\" the blog (via email or RSS - instructions below) and comment below telling us all that you\'re gonna <b>do it</b>! You can even tell us what limit you\'re gonna lose!<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>You Can Do This. </b></span><br /><br />If you <b>make the commitment</b>, <b>take the pledge</b>, and <b>set your mind to it</b> - you can absolutely <b>CRUSH</b> this challenge! There are lots of articles already on this blog to help you - check out the below articles for a good start in the right direction:<br /><br /><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/so-this-is-nutrition-basics.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"So THIS Is Nutrition\"</a> - Nutrition Basics<br /><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/makingitwork.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Making It Work - Time Management\"</a> - Helps you figure out how to make it all work<br /><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/its-always-better-together.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"It\'s Always Better Together\"</a> - Thoughts on doing all this with a partner / buddy<br /><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/race-beginner-dos-donts.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Race Beginner Do\'s and Don\'ts\"</a> - Self-explanatory<br />The Original <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/lose-your-limits.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Lose Your Limits\"</a> Article that gave me the idea for this challenge<br />How to deal with <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/haters.html\" target=\"_blank\">Haters</a><br />Also, look at pretty much anything in the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013_07_01_archive.html\" target=\"_blank\">July 2013 part of the archive </a><br /><br /><b>There will be many more articles, product reviews, updates and (hopefully) giveaways / contests to help you along the way in your challenge. </b>I encourage you to follow this blog via e-mail (enter yours right above the run calendar box) or via RSS (click the orange RSS feed tab on the left of the page) to make sure you get all the updates!<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>No excuses.</b></span> It\'s time to <b>get out</b> of your own way, <b>lose</b> your limits, and <b>change your life</b>.<br /><br /><i>Will you take the pledge and accept the challenge? Leave a comment and let us know!</i>','\"Lose Your Limits\" Challenge 2014','','inherit','closed','closed','','87-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:06:23','2017-01-08 16:06:23','',87,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/87-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(335,1,'2017-01-08 11:06:51','2017-01-08 16:06:51','<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>I\'m getting really excited about the 2014 racing season - so far I\'ve got sponsors signed on for 11 races, and I anticipate more to come soon. You\'ll be hearing about those races and the sponsors soon...but before I get into that, I think it\'s important to talk about one of the things that helped me get through 2013 and will most certainly help me keep on chugging through 2014. I have it with me every single time I run (unless it\'s an obstacle race / mud run), and I\'m fairly certain I couldn\'t run without it. What am I talking about?<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PN6M5qEH60w/Up6O302lRnI/AAAAAAAAFgU/o9ijXOUIAi4/s1600/tubebeltlogo.gif\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"228\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PN6M5qEH60w/Up6O302lRnI/AAAAAAAAFgU/o9ijXOUIAi4/s400/tubebeltlogo.gif\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>Tune Belt! </b>Tune Belt was one of my sponsors this past year, and they make a sport armband. Yes, I understand there are about 45,000 different sport armbands out there, but they are not the Tune Belt. This thing is great, and is going to help me get through (hopefully) 5+ half marathons this coming year (not to mention a ton of 5K\'s, 10K\'s, and non-standard distances)! <br /><br />SO...<b>why is Tune Belt so special?</b><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b>As I said, there is an obscene variety </b>of sport armbands out there. I can walk into a Wal-Mart, Marshall\'s, or virtually any mall BLINDFOLDED and leave with one. They\'re everywhere. You would think that with such an immense variety it would be easy to find one that\'s <b>just right</b> for you. Yeah, that\'s what I thought too. After lots of trial and error, I came across the Tune Belt at the Falmouth Road Race 2013 Expo at the high school. There were several vendors at the expo that had Tune Belt, and I thought it might just be worth a shot. I had been doing my best to spend $10 on one, but after all the trials and tribulations, if I had to spend $20 or $25 to FINALLY have one that actually gets the job done...<b>so be it. </b>And here I am. So let\'s talk about what makes Tune Belt special and why my long, exhaustive search is over.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SXVHgt4A56w/Up8z_ZFR6pI/AAAAAAAAFgk/DVezC7qtgT4/s1600/tune_belt.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"213\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SXVHgt4A56w/Up8z_ZFR6pI/AAAAAAAAFgk/DVezC7qtgT4/s400/tune_belt.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>One Size Does NOT Fit All</b></span><br /><br />It\'s no secret - I\'m an Android fan. I love my Droid - I had the Droid Razr Maxx for the last two years (didn\'t break it!) and I just upgraded to the Droid Maxx. For those who don\'t know, the Droid Razr Maxx is a pretty big smartphone. The Droid Maxx is even <i>bigger</i>. I didn\'t realize just how much bigger a Droid could be than an iPhone...until I started trying to find a sport armband. There are LOTS of really cool ideas for sport armbands out there...<b>if you have an iPhone</b>. I, just like all other non-iPhone owners, was neglected. There were virtually NO good options out there for a sport armband! It\'s like the companies only care about iPhone owners...though I guess it makes sense - it\'s such a popular device, and there\'s only one kind, more or less. There\'s a million varieties of Android device, and it\'s tough to cater to all of them. I searched TJ Maxx and Marshall\'s, I searched Wal-Mart, I searched sporting good stores...nearly ALL to no avail. I felt like a moron standing in the store trying to shove my phone into the two armbands that looked like they MIGHT fit my phone. <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-srDb8VtGouA/Up9Ee_KHZRI/AAAAAAAAFjA/B8SFXoCr2dA/s1600/IMG_20131204_095455872.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-srDb8VtGouA/Up9Ee_KHZRI/AAAAAAAAFjA/B8SFXoCr2dA/s320/IMG_20131204_095455872.jpg\" width=\"304\" /></a></div>At the Falmouth Road Race Expo...I thought I\'d give it one more shot. I picked a vendor, picked up the \"Generic Large Smartphone\" version off the rack (Model AB85) and asked the guy if I could open it up and try my phone in it. Can I tell you the sheer <b>joy</b> when it fit! And it fit pretty well too! For a \"generic\"...it was pretty damn good! The only thing was, as you can see to the right, the headphone hole was a little off. THAT\'S FINE. I just had to shimmy my headphone plug in there and I was good to go. <b>Not a big deal for me</b> - I knew what I was getting into getting a \"generic\" one. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Fits Like A Glove</b></span><br /><br /><b>This thing fits great!</b> I had no problems with it sliding around on my arm, like I had with other armbands. I slide it on,<b> </b>tighten the strap, and off I go. The strap is a \"hook and loop\" enclosure...it\'s not Velcro, but its similar and it gets the job done. No tugging, no adjusting, no nothing. <b>It stays put</b>. I like that. It\'s comfortable too - there\'s something to be said for Neoprene...it doesn\'t stick to you and feel gross like some other materials out there. More on Neoprene later though...<br /><br /><b>Also, I\'ll throw this out there - </b>They sell an \"extender\" in case the strap built into it isn\'t long enough for your arm...I wear mine around my forearm for ease of use and so I can constantly look at my stats. Even around my bicep, it fits comfortably with room to spare. I think you\'d have to have an exceptionally beefy bicep for this to not fit...but then again...I don\'t often run into runners with arms that big.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>A Well-Built Tool!</b></span><br /><br /><b>This thing is solidly built - </b>they really thought out the design well. What you see below is what sits on your arm:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yORapRq-udo/Up9JWYsMgcI/AAAAAAAAFpI/Lu9ciK2c93w/s1600/IMG_20131204_100756772.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yORapRq-udo/Up9JWYsMgcI/AAAAAAAAFpI/Lu9ciK2c93w/s320/IMG_20131204_100756772.jpg\" width=\"260\" /></a>See that rectangular stitch in the middle? That\'s where your phone goes...<b>on the other side. </b>No part of your phone touches your arm! Instead, the compartment for your phone sits more or less on top of a little neoprene pad. <b>Neoprene, for those who don\'t know,</b> is what they make wetsuits out of. Nothing like having a waterproof barrier between your arm and the thing holding your phone! What\'s more, even the compartment that holds your phone is made of Neoprene!&nbsp; <br /><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AnxkYgOt5gg/Up9IS_KSXmI/AAAAAAAAFo0/Jnuhk58Z8tw/s1600/IMG_20131204_101728137.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"260\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AnxkYgOt5gg/Up9IS_KSXmI/AAAAAAAAFo0/Jnuhk58Z8tw/s320/IMG_20131204_101728137.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a>I was DESPERATE for something that would keep my phone dry! When I was Fat Darrell, I would sweat like I\'d just jumped in a pool. Surprise...<b>I still do</b>. I can\'t afford for my expensive smartphone to get wet. The sport armband I had prior to my Tune Belt had a slit along the top backside of the thing where you were supposed to shimmy your phone into (see where the green arrow points? That\'s about where the slit was on the old armband). <b>Explain to me how having the slit against my arm will keep my phone dry?! Tune Belt got this part right, too!</b> See where all those red arrows are pointing? That\'s where you slide your phone into the Tune Belt. The opening sits on top of that neoprene base - sweat doesn\'t get up in there. What\'s more, when its secured to your arm, it\'s tough to get much of ANYTHING in that slit (you have to put your phone in before you strap it to your arm). I am perfectly happy with that. As far as I\'m concerned as a runner, it\'s basically waterproof (don\'t go diving in a pool or anything). I\'d feel ok taking this out for a run in the rain. Maybe not a downpour, but I wouldn\'t want to run in a downpour anyway.<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Cool Feature!</span></b><br /><br />One of the unique things about the Tune Belt is the little flap on the armband where you can secure your extra headphone cord. There\'s few things worse on a run than trying to figure out what to do with the extra headphone cord flopping around everywhere! Tune Belt figured that one out and filed it away in a nice neat little place. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSJYCMi-cus/Up9MOT9eA4I/AAAAAAAAFpo/7D6SDw2nqOc/s1600/IMG_20131204_103453886.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"280\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZSJYCMi-cus/Up9MOT9eA4I/AAAAAAAAFpo/7D6SDw2nqOc/s400/IMG_20131204_103453886.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">There\'s a Tune Belt That\'s Just Right For You</span></b><br /><br /><b>Remember how I complained earlier</b> that there was a complete and total neglect towards people who don\'t have an iPhone? <b>Not with Tune Belt</b>. I swear, they have a Tune Belt that\'s designed to be perfect for almost every phone out there! Go on their site (www.tunebelt.com) and see for yourself! You pick your brand, model, and off you go! Not only that...but there are models designed for your phone <b>while it\'s in an Otterbox!</b> Yes...they not only make a Tune Belt that fits your phone \"naked\", but also that fits your specific model with its Otterbox Defender / Commuter on it! I can literally order a case designed to fit my Droid Maxx with an Otterbox Commuter on it. I don\'t have to take my phone out of the case? Seriously? <b>Shut up and take my money.</b> <br /><br />I\'m sold. Seriously. They\'re getting it right where everyone else is failing. They\'re taking care of not only those who have iPhones, but those who have an Android phone! There\'s even a Tune Belt for your iPod Shuffle, Nano, your Nike+ square device thingy, your <b>walkman cd player or cassette tape player</b>, and more. I swear...I have yet to find a device that they <b>don\'t </b>make a Tune Belt for. They\'re even starting to make them in reflective pink and yellow colors! Those are currently only available in iPhone size or generic large smartphone size, but there\'s a relatively smaller market for those so I suppose that makes sense. Kudos to them for offering it in the generic large smartphone size! <br /><br /><b>Tune Belt is getting it right!</b> If you\'re in the market for a sport armband to carry your precious smartphone and equally precious tunes, go find a Tune Belt now! Check out their site www.TuneBelt.com , find your smartphone, and find what model number you need. You can get it all over the internet or in many running / sporting good stores! The one I have (Model AB89) actually does juuuust fit my new Droid Maxx without a case, but I\'m strongly considering getting the one designed for my phone with its case on (Model AB88)...if I do get that, you can expect a review - not many armbands out there that allow you to keep your phone in the case - that\'s certainly worth its own review!<br /><br /><b>Go get one. </b>I got one for myself and for Megan. <b>I\'m glad I did</b>.','Keeps You Moving | Review - Tune Belt','','inherit','closed','closed','','88-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:06:51','2017-01-08 16:06:51','',88,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/88-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(336,1,'2017-01-08 11:07:05','2017-01-08 16:07:05','WOW, that was fun. The Spartan Sprint at Fenway Park was my first  Obstacle Course Race (OCR) and wow was it different from just running a  regular road race! I\'m glad I \"ran\" it - it gave me a new perspective on  both those kinds of events and my own abilities. I learned a lot about  myself, my skills, and what my new, significantly lighter and much  stronger body can do.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SwMzyxtkMTU/Uooa02ehJ5I/AAAAAAAAFTo/6lZyMpJjlKs/s1600/IMG_20131117_131023641.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SwMzyxtkMTU/Uooa02ehJ5I/AAAAAAAAFTo/6lZyMpJjlKs/s400/IMG_20131117_131023641.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"376\" /></a></div>So what exactly was I dealing with that day? How\'d it go? Why did I do well over 100 burpees?<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b>First off</b>,  let me just say...the sheer number of people at this thing was  absolutely stunning. I knew Spartan Races, Tough Mudders, etc were a big  deal...but holy crap there were a ton of people! Thousands upon  thousands of runners, spectators, vendors, volunteers...<b>whoa</b>. As  soon as I got off the T at Kenmore Square I started seeing people in the  tell-tale neons of running gear, and even a few finisher\'s medals. Once  Fenway was in view it was all I could see...including some great  shirts...like this one:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d4TgEXJovVA/Uoofg4uZ1ZI/AAAAAAAAFUA/kYTjnB5BLB4/s1600/burpee0people.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d4TgEXJovVA/Uoofg4uZ1ZI/AAAAAAAAFUA/kYTjnB5BLB4/s400/burpee0people.jpg\" height=\"156\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>I don\'t think I fully understood </b>that  shirt until after the Spartan. Now...I get it. If you think you don\'t  like burpees...just run a Spartan...you\'ll learn a whole new level of  disdain for the exercise. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Team Up!</b></span><br /><br />I  ran this race as a part of a team - the MMRL Ruffians. We ran to raise  money and awareness for the <a href=\"http://www.mmrl.edu/\" target=\"_blank\">Masonic Medical Research Laboratory (MMRL)</a>, as well as to raise  awareness of and promote Freemasonry in general. There were 5 of us  running -<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EoxIVRXnZPw/UoorzDahI1I/AAAAAAAAFUY/Xr5MHUU224U/s1600/MMRL+Ruffians+2013+003.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EoxIVRXnZPw/UoorzDahI1I/AAAAAAAAFUY/Xr5MHUU224U/s400/MMRL+Ruffians+2013+003.jpg\" height=\"353\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>It  felt a little disorganized when we were inside Fenway itself getting  ready to start...we kind of lost track of each other. The four of us on  the right found each other and got in the starting corral together...but  we couldn\'t find the guy in the orange shirt. It came to a point where  we either started or missed our wave...so we kind of had to just go. <b>Sooooo</b>...four  of us ran together. It was good! Running with a team was a good  experience, and you can help each other. More on that later.<br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--oKSlcUug-k/UooswHe9oLI/AAAAAAAAFUk/aMCUwWpHgNE/s1600/MMRL.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--oKSlcUug-k/UooswHe9oLI/AAAAAAAAFUk/aMCUwWpHgNE/s200/MMRL.jpg\" height=\"200\" width=\"198\" /></a><br /><b>As far as MMRL - </b>The MMRL is the signature charity of the <a href=\"http://www.massfreemasonry.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts</a>. The MMRL does a lot of its work under the more specific  banner of the Cardiac Research Institute (at MMRL). One of the  groundbreaking things they\'re researching is how to grow organs for  transplant - imagine...someone needs a heart transplant...and they could  have a heart grown from <b>their own cells</b>...it would eliminate (or  at least immensely reduce) the risk of rejection! It\'d be a huge leap  forward - that\'s just one of the things the MMRL is working towards, and  it\'s why I thought this would be a GREAT cause to support!<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">So...remind me what a Spartan is?</span></b><br /><br /><b>As I said in the pre-race article - </b>a Spartan race is one of many \"Obstacle Course Races\". There\'s Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, Warrior Dash, Hero Rush, etc etc. Most of them are just one kind of race - 5K distance, 13ish miles, etc. Spartan comes in several varieties - the Sprint, Super, Beast, Ultra Beast, and Death Race. The race I ran, the Spartan Sprint at Fenway Park, was...as the name would imply...a Sprint. It was about 3 miles and had 22 obstacles. Unlike a typical Spartan, which would occur in a field or on a mountain somewhere, this was in a ballpark - so no mud, no water, and no fire. There were plenty of creative obstacles to take the place of those though (that used the venue well!).<br /><br />Let me just say...<b>Spartan Race is no joke. </b>Below is the envelope I got with my number, timing chip, etc inside:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7X6938UclHQ/UowrPiiNiFI/AAAAAAAAFW4/dx7rW9BnKPc/s1600/spartan+envelope.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7X6938UclHQ/UowrPiiNiFI/AAAAAAAAFW4/dx7rW9BnKPc/s400/spartan+envelope.jpg\" height=\"255\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>In case you can\'t read it...it says: <b>&nbsp;</b><br /><blockquote><span style=\"color: red;\"><b>Warning!!!!! </b>The Spartan Race is a dangerous and demanding extreme sporting/racing event. <b>THERE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT <span style=\"font-size: large;\"><u>YOU MAY DIE</u></span> OR BE CATASTROPHICALLY INJURED. </b>Each participant voluntarily and knowingly accepts and assumes all risk of participating in the event.</span></blockquote><b>No. Joke.</b> Probably not quite so much risk of THAT bad of an injury in the stadium...but I can just bet on a longer Spartan (like a Super, and <b>especially </b>a Beast) there\'d be a real risk of real injury. Yeah...about that...<br /><br />Anyway...<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>The Fenway Sprint</b></span><br /><br />The race itself was a load of fun. Like I said, it ended up being about 3 miles and 22 obstacles. <b>There must have been hardly any running with all those obstacles</b>, you say? <b>NEGATIVE</b>.  There was plenty of running involved. More like jogging from obstacle  to obstacle, though, as we were making sure to stick together as a team.  If I were on my own I probably would\'ve been doing a lot more running,  but that\'s A-OK...it was good I took my time and paced myself as I  learned how to navigate this kind of a race.<br /><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-69HHzXmvVb0/Uoou5fRqDrI/AAAAAAAAFU4/Fi5ze33Nj0Q/s1600/IMG_20131116_135929132.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-69HHzXmvVb0/Uoou5fRqDrI/AAAAAAAAFU4/Fi5ze33Nj0Q/s400/IMG_20131116_135929132.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"305\" /></a><br /><b>There was work to do before we even started the damn race!</b> See that look on my face? That\'s a look of awe at the fact that I just  hurled myself over that 6 ft. wall behind me. That, I can safely say,  was the first time I ever hurled myself over a wall! <b>It would not be the last time that day</b>. Not by a long-shot.<br /><br />So you waited in line, climbed a 6 ft wall, then waited in line more. Once we got up to the starting area, the emcee had us step up to do 5 burpees before he \"fired the gun\" and let us start.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/90mykixs6Pc?rel=0\" width=\"560\"></iframe> <b>OK...so I climbed a 6 ft wall and did some burpees...CAN I START NOW?!</b><br />Yes. <br /><br /><b>And off we went.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />I\'m  not gonna sit here and talk about ALL 22 obstacles...that\'s a little  excessive. I WILL talk about the ones that stuck out (they may not be in  order). First - the \"jerry carry\" or \"jerry can\" or whatever it  was...(the water jug carry) was not as bad as I was expecting. When I watched a video of last year\'s race...that flight of  stairs you had to go down and up seemed a hell of a lot longer. Going up  still sucked, but it was early enough in the race that it was  manageable.<br /><br />Another obstacle that occured RELATIVELY early on (I think) was the 500 meter row. Megan actually got a video of it:<br /><br /><iframe align=\"middle\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"500\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/6w1HVDf_X00?rel=0\" width=\"420\"></iframe><br /><br />Had a little trouble getting my feet out of the stirrups at the end. whoops!<br /><br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-539nBBa5wt8/Uoox6Kvm5PI/AAAAAAAAFVE/h8XtVKgwOxo/s1600/IMG_20131116_132711823.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-539nBBa5wt8/Uoox6Kvm5PI/AAAAAAAAFVE/h8XtVKgwOxo/s400/IMG_20131116_132711823.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a><b> </b>There was a point where we ran into a locker room to do pushups...that was <b>pretty cool</b>. I would imagine it was a visitor\'s locker room and not the actual Red Sox one...but <b>still</b>...come  on - that\'s awesome! I heard 20 pushups...so I did awesome  pushups with good form, straight as a board, no dipping in my middle...and when I hit 15 I heard the volunteer in the room telling  someone they were \"hand-release pushups\"...i.e. when your chest touches  the ground, your hands leave the floor for a second. <b>Guess who did 35 pushups instead of 20</b>. Yeah...good thing that was followed by a jog along the bleachers... <br /><br />Before I realized it, I was <b>running along the Green Monster</b>! Again...<b>cool</b>. There were lots of obstacles along the upper decks that didn\'t give me much trouble - Medicine Ball Drop, Hobble Hop, Stone Carry, Rope Jump...  The obstacles that <b>did</b> give me trouble were the Monkey Bars (got  halfway through, had to stop), the Hercules Hoist (got the weight almost  to the top of the pulley, had to stop), the rope climb and the spear  throw.<br /><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e9juMK-78h0/UotvNyOmXPI/AAAAAAAAFV0/kV8UCu96mjg/s1600/1384562319674.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e9juMK-78h0/UotvNyOmXPI/AAAAAAAAFV0/kV8UCu96mjg/s320/1384562319674.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"239\" /></a>The monkey bars and the hercules hoist were both, I think, failed  due largely to my gloves. I researched online to find as good a pair of gloves as I could, and my search led me to the Madgrip Pro Palm glove. Picked them up cheap (about $10). They were <b>not</b> as secure and tight to  my hand as I was expecting, and they slid around to the point where I  was grasping a handful of plastic/rubber, and not a rope or monkey bar. I have a feeling this was because the back was stretchy, meshy fabric and the palm was rubber - the palm stayed practically glued to the rope/bar/whatever...but my hand moved around inside. <b>Guess I need different gloves next time</b>. I think a pair of gloves that secures at the wrist and isn\'t made of meshy fabric would be good...maybe the Mechanix M-Pact. More research will follow.<br /><br /><b>Anyway...</b><br /><b>&nbsp;</b> <br />The spear throw sucked because the obstacle right before it was a  wall-walk....big long wall with blocks of 2x4 screwed in at  angles...kind of like a climbing wall. You couldn\'t touch the ground or  the top of the wall, just the blocks...<b>talk about hand strength!</b> There was a chick crowding me once I got halfway down, and 2/3 through I  almost fell off! I made it though... I was pretty happy about that!  Once I finished though, I had no hand strength left! <b>Good luck with that spear throw!</b><br /><br /><b>With all those failed obstacles, </b>there were lots of 30 burpee penalties to deal with! Remember how I said running with a team was great? If you\'re with a team...your teammates can eat penalty burpees for you - i.e. you have 30 burpees to do and 3 of your teammates each do 5 burpees...you now only have to do 15. We did that for each other more than a couple times. Even so, I think I did well over 100 burpees throughout the course of the race...<b> </b><br /><br /><b>I could go on for days about the obstacles</b>, but the bottom line is...this race was a TON of fun<b>! </b>I mean... <b>I got to run all over Fenway Park! </b>The concourses, the bleachers, the dugouts, the locker room, the warning track, the Green Monster...I even touched the scoreboard! For a Red Sox fan...<b>that\'s pretty fantastic</b>. The medal was special too - the lanyard part of it (I have no idea what the proper name is) had Red Sox-themed lettering for \"2013\", and on the back of the medal was Fenway Park itself. Pretty sweet reminder, if you ask me.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jcH6tkJo1uU/UooyR3L0cYI/AAAAAAAAFVM/6ieo0yj3jdQ/s1600/IMG_20131117_131115117.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jcH6tkJo1uU/UooyR3L0cYI/AAAAAAAAFVM/6ieo0yj3jdQ/s320/IMG_20131117_131115117.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"300\" /></a></div>This race was also a great learning experience - I learned just what I can expect from an obstacle race, where my strengths lie, what I need to work on, and what techniques I need to practice. Now that I know what I can do with regular road races and with obstacle races, I can set realistic goals for next year and plan how to train. <b>I\'m already working on filling up next year\'s race calendar! </b>I\'m actively seeking out sponsors for a number of races - if you\'re interested in being one of them, reach out (Darrell@SoTHISIsFitness.com). I\'ve already got my first sponsor signed on for a few races up in Newburyport / Salisbury (more on that very soon!). I\'m looking forward to a year of seeing what I\'m made of and pushing myself to the limit! I might even do my first marathon next year!<br /><br /><b>Nothing is out of reach</b>. Remember - given time and training, <b>anything is possible.</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nodmU6vwBhU/UowoUppbsoI/AAAAAAAAFWM/-sTLnd7m3ts/s1600/1384644592854.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nodmU6vwBhU/UowoUppbsoI/AAAAAAAAFWM/-sTLnd7m3ts/s400/1384644592854.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"text-align: center;\">If you want to do a Spartan, visit www.SpartanRace.com or reach out to me and I can help you find a good one!<br /><br /><b>PS - After alllllll that...I did a double workout the next day. NO REST! Beast up! AROOOOO!</b></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b></b></div><br />','AROO!!! Spartan Sprint Fenway Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','89-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:07:05','2017-01-08 16:07:05','',89,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/89-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(337,1,'2017-01-08 11:07:38','2017-01-08 16:07:38','Finally updated the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/running-playlist.html\" target=\"_blank\">running playlist.</a> Learned a lot in the past couple months about running, my pace, etc, and I\'ve made some changes and additions to the playlist to go along with that. <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/achievement-unlocked-131.html\" target=\"_blank\">Finishing that half-marathon </a>taught me a lot, too! Read on to check out the changes, and why I made them. Check out the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/running-playlist.html\" target=\"_blank\">running playlist here!</a><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8LEdP8TY7uI/Ueh2Kn3CLTI/AAAAAAAAA7A/bpCKl5WHzZk/s1600/IMG_20130718_185043_332.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"180\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8LEdP8TY7uI/Ueh2Kn3CLTI/AAAAAAAAA7A/bpCKl5WHzZk/s320/IMG_20130718_185043_332.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br /> <br /><a name=\'more\'></a>You\'ll notice there\'s a lot of slower songs - around 130 bpm - that were added - I\'m still in the process of feeling those out on distance runs. They encourage me to keep a pace I can maintain over the course of 13 miles. I\'ll have to do a few more long runs to say whether they\'re keepers or not, but <b>so far</b> they\'re working for me. <br /><br /><b>ADDITIONALLY - </b>as of right now...everything 146 BPM and faster is part of a second, separate playlist for \"sprints\" - 5K\'s, maybe 10K\'s...shorter runs with a much faster pace! Right now I don\'t have the endurance, I don\'t think, to maintain my 5K pace over much more than a 10K pace...we\'ll see what happens.<br /><br />Newly added:<br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8eXaXoUJRQ\" target=\"_blank\">128 BPM - Selena Gomez - Slow Down&nbsp;</a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys7-6_t7OEQ\" target=\"_blank\">128 BPM - Justin Bieber ft. Nicki Minaj - Beauty &amp; A Beat&nbsp;</a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDrschw-wdI\" target=\"_blank\">128 BPM - Ke$ha - Warrior </a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOubzHCUt48\" target=\"_blank\">128 BPM - Ke$ha - Die Young</a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89u9T7WDoaM\" target=\"_blank\">130 BPM - Selena Gomez - Come &amp; Get It (Dave Aude Club Remix)</a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAhHNCfA7NI\" target=\"_blank\">130 BPM - Alexandra Stan - Mr. Saxobeat&nbsp;</a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHESy8XsJPs\" target=\"_blank\">130 BPM - Pitbull ft. Ke$ha - Timber&nbsp;</a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w211KOQ5BMI\" target=\"_blank\">132 BPM - Rage Against The Machine - Sleep Now In The Fire </a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1slFc9G7I74\" target=\"_blank\">133 BPM - The Offspring - Hit That</a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pco91kroVgQ\" target=\"_blank\">140 BPM - Lady Gaga - Applause&nbsp;</a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq0H-1IuaY8\" target=\"_blank\">143 BPM - The Offspring - (Can\'t Get My) Head Around You&nbsp;</a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNXmKiEqVx4\" target=\"_blank\">160 BPM - Metallica - Ain\'t My Bitch</a> <br /><br />Back on the list:<br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpjGVyxZRDY\" target=\"_blank\">139 BPM - Britney Spears - Toxic (Armand Van Helden Remix)&nbsp; </a><br /><br />Cut From The List:<br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJH38M723aU\" target=\"_blank\">123 BPM - Shiny Toy Guns - Le Disko (too slow)</a><br /><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-jC3H_8Dk4\" target=\"_blank\">215 BPM - Good Charlotte - Lifestyles of The Rich And The Famous (too fast)</a><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlOAMKTj0hU\" target=\"_blank\"><br /></a> <br /><br />Again...let\'s not forget that disclaimer...<b>just because I\'d run to it...doesn\'t necessarily mean I\'d listen to it in real life.</b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/running-playlist.html\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Check out the running playlist here!&nbsp;</b></a>','Playlist Update - Go The Distance','','inherit','closed','closed','','90-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:07:38','2017-01-08 16:07:38','',90,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/90-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(338,1,'2017-01-08 11:07:54','2017-01-08 16:07:54','I\'ve been thinking a lot lately about what moves people...what motivates us to get out there and GET IT on a daily basis? What moves us to make the lazy choices, the crazy choices...the choices PERIOD? On that note...I\'ve been moved to do something that I\'ve been kind of quiet about -<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QC8YTfri-lI/UnekPXeyxqI/AAAAAAAAE1k/cCU1X4znnT4/s1600/Spartan-Race-Spartan-Logo2.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"125\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QC8YTfri-lI/UnekPXeyxqI/AAAAAAAAE1k/cCU1X4znnT4/s400/Spartan-Race-Spartan-Logo2.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>Yup - I\'m doing an obstacle race now! On November 16th, right about noon, I\'ll be doing the<a href=\"http://www.spartanrace.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Spartan Sprint Time Trial</a> at <a href=\"http://mlb.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/index.jsp\" target=\"_blank\">Fenway Park</a>. Because a regular 5K wasn\'t enough...let\'s throw in some obstacles. So what gives? Why would I do something like that? Why would someone else? Why would someone even get up off the couch to run a REGULAR 5K? On this chilly Motivational Monday morning...I\'d like to answer that question to the best of my ability.<br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Yes, </span></b><span style=\"font-size: small;\">November 16th at 12:15 pm I will be running the Spartan Sprint TT at Fenway Park as a part of the Masonic Medical Research Lab\'s team - The Ruffians (that was the most badass name the Masons could come up with I guess. haha). I was pretty quiet about this because I wanted the attention to be on my big half-marathon and the fundraising campaign that went along with it (thanks again to those who donated!).&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><b>BUT! </b>Now that it\'s done, I\'ve completed the half-marathon, and the fundraising is complete...it\'s time to focus on the newest challenge. But what exactly is a Spartan Race? <b>It\'s an Obstacle Course Race (OCR). </b>Ok...what is THAT?<br /><br /><b>It\'s exactly what it sounds like.</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FYdFaqmyu6c/Uneor1ZCHxI/AAAAAAAAE14/jO7xPRu1V90/s1600/tough-mudder-numbers_fe.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"225\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FYdFaqmyu6c/Uneor1ZCHxI/AAAAAAAAE14/jO7xPRu1V90/s400/tough-mudder-numbers_fe.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7CPbinDGRwc/UnepL7TiIQI/AAAAAAAAE2I/Kh-zyE_RKFc/s1600/Tough-Mudder.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"213\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7CPbinDGRwc/UnepL7TiIQI/AAAAAAAAE2I/Kh-zyE_RKFc/s320/Tough-Mudder.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-glP-ZweDUyM/Uneo5zEc2MI/AAAAAAAAE2E/xSeHLhzF-Zk/s1600/tough-mudder.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"210\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-glP-ZweDUyM/Uneo5zEc2MI/AAAAAAAAE2E/xSeHLhzF-Zk/s320/tough-mudder.png\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>An Obstacle Course Race, such as a Tough Mudder or Spartan Race, is just that...an race on an obstacle course! There are many different ones, and many different lengths. There\'s the Tough Mudder, which is roughly a half-marathon with about 20-something obstacles, there\'s the Spartan Race, which has a few different varieties within itself, and there\'s MANY others, all sprouting up from the original popularity of Tough Mudder and Spartan. Remember in <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/achievement-unlocked-131.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Achievement Unlocked - 13.1</a>\" I mentioned every race half-marathon and up tends to give you a finisher\'s medal? <b>So do all these obstacle races. </b>Why? Because they\'re just as much of an accomplishment to finish as a half-marathon. Hell...some of them ARE a half-marathon!<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So Let\'s Talk about the Spartan Race</b></span><br /><br /><b>Spartan Races come in a number of flavors: </b>The Spartan Sprint (about 3+miles), Spartan Super (8+ miles), Spartan Beast (12+ miles), Spartan Ultra Beast (26+ miles), and Spartan Death Race (48 hours of ridiculous). There are also Time Trials (what I\'m doing) that seem to range in length from 1 mile to 3 miles, and other military-style races (as if a regular Spartan wasn\'t military enough). <br /><br /><b>How about the one I\'m doing? </b>Spartan Sprint Time Trial at Fenway Park. Let me tell you how FUN this looks! Many of you probably wouldn\'t consider carrying a 60 lb sandbag up, down and across the bleachers at a ballpark \"fun\"... I wouldn\'t have either a year ago.<br /><b> </b><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Which Brings Me To My Topic For Today: What Moves You?</span></b> <br /><br />What is it that makes you do what you do? What makes you run? What makes you bike? What makes you do P90X, INSANITY, COMBAT, etc? Why on EARTH would you run a freaking obstacle race? <b>What Moves You?</b><br /><br /><b>Everyone has something different</b> that moves them - that makes them do what they do. Some people want to make a change. Some people want to take on a challenge. Do you move in memory of someone? Because your friend is doing it? Because you\'re bored?<br /><b> </b><br /><b>I want to challenge you. </b>I want you to get out of your comfort zone. Do something <b>different</b>. Do something <b>challenging</b>. Get up off the couch and <b>start something</b>. If you\'re already off the couch and moving...take on a <b>bigger challenge. </b>Work <b>harder. </b>Go <b>farther.</b> <b>Push yourself</b>. Every day is valuable - it\'s up to us to take life by the horns and ride! If you get thrown off the bull, catch up, get back on, and <b>show it who\'s the boss!</b> I learned a valuable lesson throughout <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-transformation.html\" target=\"_blank\">my journey</a> - every day counts - LIVE LIFE! So, <b>MY next challenge?</b><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">THIS sure looks like fun:</span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-My_WV7HXhHk/UnekxWHIqFI/AAAAAAAAE1w/A_k-VvQ1MEE/s1600/spartan+spartans.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"265\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-My_WV7HXhHk/UnekxWHIqFI/AAAAAAAAE1w/A_k-VvQ1MEE/s400/spartan+spartans.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>So WHY exactly </b>would I want to get the stuffing beat out of me by <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Gladiators\" target=\"_blank\">Nitro and Gold from American Gladiators</a>? <b>Because I can. </b>Because <b>it\'s there</b>. Because I want to <b>challenge myself </b>and <b>push my limits. </b>I want to see <b>just how far I can go</b> and prove that with time and training, <b>anything is possible.</b>. Don\'t listen to those clowns that tell you something is impossible. <b>Nothing is impossible.</b> Get out there and <b>GET IT!</b>','What Moves You? - Obstacle Race Time!','','inherit','closed','closed','','91-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:07:54','2017-01-08 16:07:54','',91,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/91-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(339,1,'2017-01-08 11:08:25','2017-01-08 16:08:25','I did it. It\'s all over. 13 point freaking one miles. I can\'t believe I did that! And I can\'t believe my time either! It\'s been an incredible journey up to this point, and there are many miles ahead as I continue on to the next goal.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aBQQ16x-OUg/Um1PTRq8vEI/AAAAAAAAB6k/VrHqgDlWO9Y/s1600/cchalfbibmedal.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aBQQ16x-OUg/Um1PTRq8vEI/AAAAAAAAB6k/VrHqgDlWO9Y/s400/cchalfbibmedal.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"376\" /></a></div><br />So today, as I recover, I think I\'ll take some time to talk about the last couple of weeks - the injury worries, the Boston Firefighter\'s Memorial 10K, and the half-marathon itself! I have a lot to catch up on...bear with me!<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b>Lesson Learned - Listen To Your Body! If It Feels Wrong...Something\'s Wrong!</b><br /><b>&nbsp;</b> <br />So I\'ll start with the injury worries that, for a minute, I thought might knock me out of the half marathon before I even started. <a href=\"http://runkeeper.com/user/dwmctague/activity/249332036\" target=\"_blank\">September 29th I went for a 10 mile run</a> as part of my training for the half. I was <b>wrecked</b> for the rest of the day - limping everywhere. I ended up feeling some pain on the outside of my left knee...I\'d never felt pain there, but I thought nothing of it. I gave myself a full week of rest to recover from it. Fast-forward to the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/canal-run-10kburpee-recap-lessons.html\" target=\"_blank\">Canal Run For The Troops 10K</a>...and things got bad. Not only was I feeling that left knee pain I\'d never felt before the 10 miler...but at 5.7 miles I was stopped dead in my tracks by debilitating right hamstring pain (right at the bottom of the hamstring). I thought it was just an immense cramp, and almost a month later I\'m still not sure what it was. I do know that I\'ve been able to stretch on the spot and run through it every time it comes up. I struggled through the last half mile of the Canal Run and finished.<br /><br /><b>At that point I hit the panic button</b>...made appointments with my primary care doctor (not until November), a podiatrist (not until 10/31) and my physical therapist (right away). As it turns out, my work shoes were too small and caused acute plantar fasciitis, which led to I.T. Band irritation on my left side. Painful, but not nearly as bad as it could have been. I took the right steps by getting new work shoes and new insoles as soon as my foot started really hurting, but by that point the \"damage\" had been done as far as my knee was concerned. My physical therapist was able to help me identify the problem (I.T. Band) and do some work to help me get through the half-marathon. Good news is, I did it...and now I\'ll see the podiatrist to permanently resolve the plantar fascia / foot issue and be back to normal come springtime, or maybe even later this winter (frozen fivers, anyone?).<br /><br /><b>For those who didn\'t read that far - ow.&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XPYKPgdyp50/Um3YULJePbI/AAAAAAAAB7I/YjkpOBd3p-Y/s1600/ffrunning.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XPYKPgdyp50/Um3YULJePbI/AAAAAAAAB7I/YjkpOBd3p-Y/s400/ffrunning.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"355\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br /><b>Anyway, Boston <a href=\"http://www.firefighters10k.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Firefighters\' Memorial 10K</a></b><br /><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xqrK0835xfg/Um3UC3Jt9gI/AAAAAAAAB60/OVCcWcidw8I/s1600/IMG_20131027_123212_380.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xqrK0835xfg/Um3UC3Jt9gI/AAAAAAAAB60/OVCcWcidw8I/s320/IMG_20131027_123212_380.jpg\" height=\"249\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>This race was supposed to be my last \"big\" run before the half-marathon...and it ended up being even more important than that - it became the big test to see if I\'d actually BE ABLE to run the half. I want to start off by saying a big THANK YOU to <a href=\"http://www.flexappealsportsnutrition.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Flex Appeal Sports Nutrition</a> for sponsoring me for this race!<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TsjXAnnOMfU/Um3bOc0RrJI/AAAAAAAAB7U/zfRPhtwIa6I/s1600/1526170193.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TsjXAnnOMfU/Um3bOc0RrJI/AAAAAAAAB7U/zfRPhtwIa6I/s320/1526170193.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"213\" /></a></div>I have to say, I had a lot of fun with this race, and I learned a lot about my body, my legs, and my running. This race is apparently a big deal - lots of firefighters and military people coming out to support the cause. This was the 31st running, so they know what they\'re doing, and they had a huge level of support from countless area businesses. I ended up taking home a free year\'s subscription to New England Runner...they were literally just tossing stuff out there.<br /><br />Anyway, as far as the race itself - the course was pretty flat overall. I got to run through some major highway space which was pretty cool. It\'s too bad I\'m not much of a mid-run photographer...the firefighters had their boat spraying water everywhere for runners to see as we went over a bridge and ran through the harborwalk area. That\'s ok...my Droid stays right in my <a href=\"http://www.tunebelt.com/\" target=\"_blank\">TuneBelt</a> where I like it.<br /><br />Unfortunately, thanks to more walk-breaks than I would\'ve liked, I didn\'t quite get the time I wanted. I finished in 56:39, 9:08 min/mile average. 467th of 995 overall.&nbsp; I was hoping to&nbsp; break 54 minutes, and I know I can do it...but my knee/I.T. Band was an issue...oh well. There\'s always next time, and I know what I\'m capable of. Still WAY better than my first 10K!<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aBQQ16x-OUg/Um1PTRq8vEI/AAAAAAAAB6o/Jbpg1k1FvTg/s1600/cchalfbibmedal.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aBQQ16x-OUg/Um1PTRq8vEI/AAAAAAAAB6o/Jbpg1k1FvTg/s320/cchalfbibmedal.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"301\" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>The Cape Cod Marathon Half&nbsp;</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IPPwJAkgugM/Um5NesTuz5I/AAAAAAAAB74/vRgMxUqcW4Y/s1600/IMG_20131026_072625_288.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IPPwJAkgugM/Um5NesTuz5I/AAAAAAAAB74/vRgMxUqcW4Y/s400/IMG_20131026_072625_288.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a></b></div><br />This was it...the big one! I\'ve been training for this for three months! I still can\'t believe it. It was an incredible experience getting my first 13.1...I feel so accomplished! It\'s so different running a half-marathon than it is to run a 5K or 10K...much more challenging and a completely different mindset.<br /><br />This race, as well as the full marathon and relay, are put on by the Falmouth Track Club. The half is a beautiful course that starts in front of the post office downtown, does a little loop in the downtown area, then goes along Surf Drive, to Woods Hole along the Shining Sea Bikeway, back to Falmouth along the first three miles of the Falmouth Road Race route, and finishes in Town Hall Square. The full/relay goes in a big loop all around Falmouth, starting in the same place and finishing downtown. <br /><br />Before I launch into it...a big thanks to all my sponsors that made it possible not only for me to run, but for me to be able to afford the gear necessary to train and compete in cold weather! It was 35 degrees at the start! SportClips in Falmouth was my title sponsor and, actually, my first sponsor period! I was fortunate enough to have a lot of sponsors - please check out the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/sponsors.html\" target=\"_blank\">Sponsors Page</a> to see who thought I was good enough to sponsor! THANKS!<br /><br />So, the race itself...first off let me just say I have never before run in such absolutely FRIGID weather! It was bone-chilling cold...and I know it\'ll get colder, so I shouldn\'t complain...<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Tm3CKve_jk/Um5XwptI9yI/AAAAAAAAB8I/LTCRS_xD34Y/s1600/IMG_20131026_072611_869.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Tm3CKve_jk/Um5XwptI9yI/AAAAAAAAB8I/LTCRS_xD34Y/s400/IMG_20131026_072611_869.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a><br /><b>That cold weather was forgotten</b> as I passed the first mile marker...traded my Under Armour beanie for a sweatband and kept on truckin\'. I had gone four miles before I even realized what happened! It was at that point I realized just how different the mindset is when you run different races - Your mind and your&nbsp; body adjust to the length of the race! 6 days prior, when I hit 4 miles I felt like I had gone so much farther...but during the half? I wasn\'t even 1/3 done...and I felt like I could keep going for days! It\'s interesting, that\'s for sure.<br /><br />And it is at this point I would like to say - what a beautiful course! As we ran along Surf Drive, with the beach to our left...I was marveling at how great the scenery was. If it\'s one thing I\'m coming to realize is a treat about foot races, it\'s that it\'s about taking time to appreciate the scenery, get in touch with your body and your world, and just <b>be</b>. If you\'re in the market for a gorgeous road race, look into the Cape Cod Marathon Half. We turned left onto the Shining Sea Bikeway to make our way to Woods Hole, and were treated to more of the same beautiful sunrise / early morning beach views. Makes me wish I was taking pictures.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><b>It was at this point - about 4.5 miles, I had my first problem.</b> The right hamstring issue, that I didn\'t experience AT ALL during the Firefighters\' 10K, came back! I immediately stopped off to the side, stretched it out and kept on going. I had to do this several times between 4.5 miles and 5.5 miles (which slowed me down by a couple minutes, total), but by the time I got off the bike path and into Woods Hole I had run through it.<br /><br /><b>But now I had a new challenge...</b><br /><br />The entirety of the CCM Half is flat...except for miles 6.5 - 9.5. Those three miles are the first three miles of the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/andtheniranfalmouthroadrace.html\" target=\"_blank\">Falmouth Road Race</a>, so there\'s rolling hills, including Nobska Lighthouse. This was the challenge not because of the hills, but because my I.T. Band is sore 100% of the time going uphill (it\'s in and out / avoidable on flat terrain and non-existent on downhills). This part of the course slowed me down by probably a minute or two...I went slower than I wanted and had to take a bit more walk-break than I wanted. I got through it though...and at mile 9 I had a feeling...<br /><br /><b>But at Mile 10 I knew - </b>I had a real shot to break 2 hours 15 minutes! Not only that, but if my math was right...if I was able to keep up 9 minute miles, hell...just be better than 10 minute miles...<b>I could break 2:10!</b> At that point, nothing else mattered. I had, at that point, officially run farther than I ever had in one shot before...<b>and nothing was going to stop me from breaking 2:10.</b> I told myself no more walk breaks - <b>walk when you finish</b>. I told myself the knee and the I.T. Band weren\'t going to be a problem - <b>I\'ve come too far to crap out now</b>. This was <b>my time</b>, and I was going to <b>nail it</b>.<br /><br /><b>And I did.&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GJxqwdI2ffI/Um3glwJ8W3I/AAAAAAAAB7o/GozBLla5nSU/s1600/IMG_20131026_094154_638.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GJxqwdI2ffI/Um3glwJ8W3I/AAAAAAAAB7o/GozBLla5nSU/s400/IMG_20131026_094154_638.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a></b></div><br />When I started the race, the one thing I hadn\'t checked that morning was my playlist. There were about 12 songs not showing up that I had put on...and I thought nothing of it. Ironically, at Mile 13, with the .1 miles of the finish line lead-up left to go...I ran out of music. For the last .1 I had to listen to my own huffing and puffing, but I got to hear the sound of the crowd...the cheering and clapping...and I saw that LED clock...2:09:22...<b>it was in reach! </b>I crossed at 2:09:29.&nbsp;<b> </b>Thirteen point FREAKING one miles...accomplished. I found out that considering how serious of an accomplishment it is and how hard you have to work to be able to do it...it seems every race half-marathon or longer gives you a finisher\'s medal after crossing the finish line. Know why? <b>Not everyone finishes. </b>There were 1,200 people in this race...<b>995 finished</b>. The first picture in this article was the bib and finisher\'s medal, but I put it in again in this part too - that will not be the last finisher\'s medal I get. I\'ve got big plans for next year.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s4k1AEXVlVg/Um5bUPpXt1I/AAAAAAAAB8Q/nPeb7H3VN_w/s1600/IMG_20131026_095523_208.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s4k1AEXVlVg/Um5bUPpXt1I/AAAAAAAAB8Q/nPeb7H3VN_w/s400/IMG_20131026_095523_208.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" />&nbsp;</a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><br /></div><b>I thought calling this article</b> \"Achievement Unlocked - 13.1\" was  incredibly ironic considering this was about as far from sitting on a  couch playing a video game as I could be. A year ago, I WOULD\'VE been on  the couch playing a video game. Its incredible what you can achieve  when you just put your mind to it. I now firmly believe, beyond a shadow  of a doubt, something I said in a prior article - <b>Given time and training, anything is possible</b>.  I don\'t care who you are, how heavy or skinny you are, what problems  you have or how busy you are...if you put in some time, train, and get  determined, you can do anything. So, on this Motivational Monday, think about this - if, in less than 14 months, I can go from 300 lbs with a couch cushion molded to my butt to 179 and running half-marathons...<b>why can\'t you?</b> If I can do this, anyone can. I\'d love to help! If you\'re interested, check out the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/beachbody-coach.html\" target=\"_blank\">Coach</a> page of this blog.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r6QzF3n9mDs/UjcbDB-Z99I/AAAAAAAABpU/2-GfIixZHmc/s1600/giventime.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r6QzF3n9mDs/UjcbDB-Z99I/AAAAAAAABpU/2-GfIixZHmc/s400/giventime.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />It\'s already yours...<b>Go out there and GET IT!</b>','Achievement Unlocked - 13.1','','inherit','closed','closed','','92-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:08:25','2017-01-08 16:08:25','',92,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/92-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(340,1,'2017-01-08 11:08:42','2017-01-08 16:08:42','Once again, I thought long and hard about how to approach this topic, but the simplest way to say it is - going through a health &amp; fitness journey alone <b>sucks</b> and often <b>just doesn\'t work</b>. For so many years I tried and failed to do it on my own. The desire was there, and I did use the word \"tried\"...<br /><br />Many, maybe even most people out there just can\'t do it alone, and if you\'re one of those people<b>...I get it. </b>I\'m not gonna say it\'s not your fault because, frankly, I don\'t think there necessarily <i>is </i>anyone at fault...it\'s just <b>freaking hard </b>to go it alone. In the last week I have really embraced, openly, the \"group effort\". I became a <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/beachbody-coach.html\" target=\"_blank\">BeachBody Coach</a> and immediately set out to start a P90X Challenge Group to help people make a change, stay with it, and <b>succeed</b> (more on that later). Today, on Hump Day no less, I want to talk about how to get over the hump of sticking with your health &amp; fitness decision by not having to go it alone. You might think twice about your impending solo act.<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dz2l_d_zAoU/UlQOwn7vPSI/AAAAAAAAB3U/0skgMkyckXk/s1600/IMG_20131005_093735_948.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dz2l_d_zAoU/UlQOwn7vPSI/AAAAAAAAB3U/0skgMkyckXk/s400/IMG_20131005_093735_948.jpg\" width=\"225\" /></a></div>I\'ll come right out and say it - <b>going it alone sucks.</b> Some people out there have the drive and motivation needed to make change happen without anyone else there to push them, encourage them, and do it with them. Looking back,<b> I was not one of them. </b>I recognize that. I had my fiancee Megan there with me from <b>before </b>Day 1. When the decision was made to start...we decided it <b>together</b>. I tried for years to do it alone, and it never stuck. Without anyone there to help motivate me...it was so easy to just say \"nah...not today\" or \"<i>God Almighty</i> this is too hard...I\'m out\".<br /><br /><b>Nah, I\'m Totally Capable, I Can Do This!</b><br /><br />Ok, that\'s great! There <b>are</b> people out there who can get it done on their own. People who are SO motivated...SO driven, that they could not only complete a fitness program on their own...they could climb Mt. Freaking Everest on their own. I <i>wish </i>I was one of those guys. I mean, I probably am NOW, but then again, NOW I\'m fit, healthy, and I <b>enjoy </b>this stuff. I\'m talking last August, when I was 300 lbs and hadn\'t started this whole thing yet. <i>That guy </i>wishes he was driven enough to do it alone. If you\'re one of those people, I encourage you to <b>go for it</b> and make it happen. <b>You </b>are the kind of person who helps motivate others towards their successes. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Why Should I Have Others?</b></span><br /><br /><b>No Easy Outs</b><br />I have found, over the course of the years, that <b>not </b>having someone else doing it with you and committed to it...there are a lot of easy outs. For one, <b>nobody is there to see you quit</b>. It\'s really easy to quit when you don\'t have anyone to answer to...nobody to witness it. It\'s like it never happened! I feel like that\'s one of the top reasons people are...OK...with giving up. <b>It\'s not ok.</b> You\'re only letting yourself down. It\'s so easy to fall prey to the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-inconvenience-factor-accepting.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"I Don\'t Feel Like It\" Syndrome</a> when you\'re on your own...easy for <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-1-napoleon-complex.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Napoleon Complex</a> to overtake you...to just plain <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/conquer-truth-about-motivation.html\" target=\"_blank\">lose motivation</a>!<br /><br /><b>SUPPORT!</b><br /><b>I can\'t TELL YOU </b>how great it is to have someone there reaching milestones with you, achieving successes with you...just generally sharing in the experience. It was great to get through a workout, look at Megan 5 feet away, and high five her after we finished a workout. The look we gave each other after finishing the last workout of week 1 was of such accomplishment, relief, and joy...in that moment we knew we could do it - if you can get through the first week you can get through it all...<b>and we had done it! </b>Sharing that with her was great! Working with a partner I was able to <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/lose-your-limits.html\" target=\"_blank\">lose my limits</a> and achieve new heights I never would\'ve dreamed of before...I\'m running a half marathon in a week and a half for crying out loud!<br /><br />Likewise, it\'s great to be able to share in your struggles and work through it together. We were both practically dying on the floor together during some of the more intense days during some of the programs we did...but we looked at each other, reaffirmed we could do it, and kept going. You keep going for yourself, you keep going for them...whether it\'s because you want to succeed for them or because you want to challenge them to keep up...it\'s because <b>they\'re there</b>. <b>They\'re doing it too. </b>That other person can make the difference. They can also help to shield you from outside influences too...help keep you strong. When you\'re in it with someone else, they can help defend against the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/haters.html\" target=\"_blank\">Haters</a>. <br /><br /><b>Accountability</b><br />If you\'re doing your workouts with someone else...they\'re gonna know if you didn\'t do it. Maybe because you work out together, maybe because you check in with each other...but <b>they\'ll know</b>. Whether they give you crap for not doing it or whether you feel guilty all on your own...having that other person can keep you honest and get you to do it on a day you\'d otherwise say <i>screw it</i>. Knowing that other person is tracking their progress and will be showing you their before/afters can also encourage you to work just a little bit harder throughout the course of the program instead of taking it easy on yourself. Besides...if you\'re gonna commit, <b>why not go whole-hog?</b><br /><br /><b>THIS IS NOT A NEW IDEA</b><br /><br />Working out with others is by no means a new idea...workout classes, CrossFit gyms, etc...there are countless people, groups, and organizations that use and encourage the buddy system or the group mentality. Why? <b>Because it works</b>. Having a community of people all in it together makes it work so much better.<br /><b> </b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KuZMwagaiGg/UlgGym6nN4I/AAAAAAAAB4E/UfZQ_RrjzXI/s1600/BBAltSigB.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KuZMwagaiGg/UlgGym6nN4I/AAAAAAAAB4E/UfZQ_RrjzXI/s1600/BBAltSigB.jpg\" /></a></div><b> </b><br /><b> </b><br /><b>What About That \"Challenge Group\" You Mentioned?</b><br /><br />Many<b> </b><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/beachbody-coach.html\" target=\"_blank\">BeachBody Coaches</a> out there (probably all, really) run \"Challenge Groups\". Each coach, I\'m sure, does it differently. The idea, no matter how, specifically, they do it, is that a group of people (maybe 5, 10, 20...depends on the coach) all do the same program starting on the same day. They check in on a special Facebook group (or through some other method, again, depending on the coach) and talk about their progress. People in the group will talk about their struggles and successes, share in their accomplishments and difficulties, and seek advice, guidance, and motivation from the rest of the group and their coach. The coach is usually always there to actively guide and encourage the group members and provides tools for success to make sure each individual can achieve their fitness goals. Some coaches run their group for the full duration of the program, and some run it for a month or two. The idea is to help make sure, again, that each individual has the support, encouragement, and tools necessary to achieve success.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DvAPRqiRNpA/Ul8K0foMflI/AAAAAAAAB5A/WxHDvU36Jlk/s1600/challengegroup.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DvAPRqiRNpA/Ul8K0foMflI/AAAAAAAAB5A/WxHDvU36Jlk/s400/challengegroup.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />I am running a P90X Challenge Group. My group will be pushing play for Day 1 on Monday, October 28th. I\'ll be starting to put out information and guidance for them this weekend, getting them ready and preparing them for the challenge to come. If you are interested, please don\'t hesitate to reach out to me at <a href=\"mailto:Darrell@SoTHISIsFitness.com\">Darrell@SoTHISIsFitness.com</a>, make an account on <a href=\"http://www.teambeachbody.com/\">www.TeamBeachBody.com</a> (identify me as your coach - coach id 301487 or screenname SoTHISIsFitness - I\'ll find you), or request to join the <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/group/SoTHISIsFitness\" target=\"_blank\">\"So Fit\" Family facebook group</a>. You&nbsp; can get the program through me at <a href=\"http://www.beachbodycoach.com/SoTHISIsFitness\">www.BeachBodyCoach.com/SoTHISIsFitness</a> . <b>If you\'re interested, you likely need to order by Friday or Saturday in order to have it in-hand in time. </b><br /><br />I\'m SO excited to have the opportunity to help people achieve their goals and finally attain success. This is the first program I did...it\'s what started me on the path to  where I am now! It\'s great to see that it\'ll also be the first program like  this for a number of people who have already committed to the Challenge  Group. I\'d love to help you too! That\'s the whole point of this blog. <br /><br /><b>So why do it alone?</b><br /><br />I\'m sure there\'s <b>someone </b>you know that also wants to make a change. <b>Someone </b>else who\'s having the same thoughts go through their head that are going through yours. Try feeling it out among those you know and see if someone wants to join you. Maybe you\'d rather go through a challenge group or online support community (like the <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/group/SoTHISIsFitness\" target=\"_blank\">So Fit Family</a>) to find your encouragement and motivation. Whatever the case, know that <b>you don\'t have to do it alone. </b>It\'s always better together. Happy Hump Day!','It\'s Always Better Together','','inherit','closed','closed','','93-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:08:42','2017-01-08 16:08:42','',93,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/93-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(341,1,'2017-01-08 11:08:58','2017-01-08 16:08:58','<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-40_cr0Pt8ek/UlQLgLshfBI/AAAAAAAAB24/_YrdgdVG6CM/s1600/canalrunbib.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-40_cr0Pt8ek/UlQLgLshfBI/AAAAAAAAB24/_YrdgdVG6CM/s400/canalrunbib.jpg\" height=\"290\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>Another race run, more lessons learned. Honestly, every time I go out there and run a race I learn more about myself, my body, and what to/not to do. If I can save someone having to learn some of this stuff the hard way,  “So THIS Is Fitness…” has done its job. Saturday was the Canal Run For The Troops 10K and the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/canal-run-burpee-challenge.html\" target=\"_blank\">Burpee Challenge</a> that I issued (video is in this article!) - let\'s get right down to it and go over how it went, what I definitely did wrong to screw myself, and what I\'m going to do next time to save myself a LOT of pain and frustration.<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dvN0PKTI490/UlQMrGRQ-pI/AAAAAAAAB3E/9wBgJk6vR0w/s1600/IMG_20131005_091115_828.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dvN0PKTI490/UlQMrGRQ-pI/AAAAAAAAB3E/9wBgJk6vR0w/s400/IMG_20131005_091115_828.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />SO - <a href=\"http://www.canalrun4thetroops.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Canal Run For The Troops 10K</a>...that was FUN! The course was nice - a flat course along the Cape Cod Canal. The weather started out kind of so-so, but it ended up getting sunny and being a nice day! For those who missed it in previous articles, the event was put on by <a href=\"http://www.capecod4thetroops.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Cape Cod Cares 4 The Troops</a> - and everyone\'s entry fee went to help pay for postage for care packages for our troops overseas. Considering my \"little\" cousin Joshua is out there putting his life on the line, I can appreciate what they\'re doing here.<br /><br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dz2l_d_zAoU/UlQOwn7vPSI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/mC8-NQfqxlE/s1600/IMG_20131005_093735_948.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dz2l_d_zAoU/UlQOwn7vPSI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/mC8-NQfqxlE/s400/IMG_20131005_093735_948.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a>This race was special for a couple of reasons as well - for one, it was the day after my 25th birthday, and as soon as it was over I went home and enjoyed the company of some family, friends, and Delta Chi brothers I haven\'t gotten to see in a long time. On top of that...<b>MEGAN RAN WITH ME!</b> And by \"ran with me\" I mean she was running the race. We laugh about it, but I do have a tendency to zoom away. It\'s nice, though, because I get to see her cross the finish (she\'s really not all that far behind me, and I\'m always damn proud of her).<br /><br /><br />As far as results - I came in at 55:51 (RunKeeper tells me I was doing 8:46 min/mile). I was 37th out of 89 10K runners and 3rd of 4 in my age group (2nd of 4 in my age group was a full minute/mile faster - I don\'t feel bad about that). I have to say...overall I think I could\'ve done better. I\'m a little disappointed because I have made better time in my own neighborhood with much more hill. I know I did a number of things wrong that, in the end, screwed me. <b>I broke my own rules!</b> I find that ironic considering <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/race-beginner-dos-donts.html\" target=\"_blank\">I posted an article about race beginner do\'s and don\'t\'s</a> right before I broke exactly those rules. <br /><br /><b>SO - </b>How did I screw up?<br /><br />For one, <b>I didn\'t run at all </b>during the week leading up to the race. I did a 10 mile run on sunday and the next run I did was the 10K on Saturday. <b>Big Mistake</b>. I should\'ve gone for a couple, stayed loose, and kept my body ready.<br /><br />What else? <b>I didn\'t eat enough the day/night before</b>. My body wasn\'t fueled up enough - no energy stores! When I was pushing and demanding my body to give more, there wasn\'t much gas in the tank to do it with!<br /><br /><b>I didn\'t hydrate enough the day before. </b>I keep talking about how important hydrating is and I keep falling short when it counts the most. Before the Falmouth Road Race I hydrated the crap out of myself - I had to run to the restroom constantly. This time? Not so much.<br /><br /><b>I didn\'t re-fuel mid-race.</b> I got my body used to getting some fuel around mile 3 or 4 when I\'m pushing hard on a 6+ mile run. A Gu gel or an energy block or something. I didn\'t do that this time. That was a big mistake - looking at my mile splits and remembering how I felt...those last three miles suffered greatly. I was working much harder and achieving a slower time. My first mile felt effortless and I had an 8:04/mi split...my last mile I felt like I was pushing to the limits and I got 8:38/mi split...<br /><br /><b>SO - </b>what did I learn? <b>Follow my own advice </b>and <b>don\'t get lazy pre-race</b>. You have to maintain your body and keep it prepped and ready. If you don\'t, your performance will suffer. I DID have fun, don\'t get me wrong...I\'m just a little disappointed because I REALLY wanted to break 50 minutes. That\'s ok...I might be able to do it next Sunday in the Firefighter\'s Memorial 10K. <br /><br /><b>What About The Burpee Challenge?!</b><br />In order to kick-start fundraising for The V Foundation I issued a challenge - for every $5 donated by the time I finished the race I would do one burpee (<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/canal-run-burpee-challenge.html\" target=\"_blank\">see the original challenge here</a>). By the time I finished, $135 had been donated, equaling 26 burpees. I decided since it was ONLY 26...I would do full rather than half burpees. <b>I regret this choice. </b>You can\'t see it in the video, but Megan shook her head at me when I said I was doing fulls...I didn\'t get why then, but I do now. As you watch be aware that - <b>yes, I know - my form starts to suck around #16</b>. That\'s what I get for doing 26 full burpees after killing myself on a 10K.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/F0_IANHAI1U?rel=0\" width=\"560\"></iframe><br /><br />And after that nonsense I went home and did a T25 double workout - Lower Focus then Ab Intervals. <b>YIKES!</b><br /><br /><b>There is still time to donate! </b>Please check out the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/do-it-for-v.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Do It For The V\"</a> article to read more about what The V Foundation is and why I\'m fundraising. If you\'d like to make a contribution, please visit my page at <a href=\"http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/SoTHISIsFitness/ccm13\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/SoTHISIsFitness/ccm13</a><b>. I thank you in advance for your contribution!</b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NuhQUlHwMDs/UlQVqW9rn5I/AAAAAAAAB3o/qCPEK39CaAE/s1600/sponsorsbackcanal.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NuhQUlHwMDs/UlQVqW9rn5I/AAAAAAAAB3o/qCPEK39CaAE/s320/sponsorsbackcanal.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"195\" /></a>I\'d like to thank my sponsors on this race for helping make it possible! <a href=\"http://moceancapecod.com/\" target=\"_blank\">MOCEAN Cape Cod </a>was the <a href=\"http://www.bodyworkcapecod.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bodywork Health &amp; Wellness</a>, <a href=\"http://www.anytimefitness.com/gyms/2694/falmouth-ma-02540\" target=\"_blank\">Anytime Fitness (Falmouth/Mashpee)</a> and <a href=\"http://www.innerglowyogacapecod.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Innerglow Yoga</a> for their help and support! Please visit the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/sponsors.html\" target=\"_blank\">Sponsors page</a> to check them out and the rest of my sponsors as well!<br /><br />Don\'t forget to check out the <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sothisisfitness\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook page</a> and follow the <a href=\"https://twitter.com/SnuffyDX\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter</a> for more updates (only full articles go here - there\'s lots more available)!<br />title sponsors - they got me into this race in the first place! I\'d also like to thank <br /><br />Just remember - if I can do this...<b>anyone can!</b>','Canal Run 10K/Burpee Recap: Lessons Learned','','inherit','closed','closed','','95-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:08:58','2017-01-08 16:08:58','',95,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/95-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(342,1,'2017-01-08 11:09:14','2017-01-08 16:09:14','OK - this is short and sweet. I\'m gonna try to up the ante and get some donations in for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. After crossing the finish line I will do one half-burpee for every $10 donated to The V Foundation on my online fundraising page from now until 10 AM Saturday 10/5/13. See the video below if you don\'t know what a burpee or half-burpee is. I will count the $45 already donated, so I\'m starting with 4 burpees. Let\'s make this happen!<br /><br />We\'ll be getting video proof which I\'ll post by Monday.<br /><br />Wanna see me do burpees after running a 10K? Visit <a href=\"http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/SoTHISIsFitness/ccm13\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/SoTHISIsFitness/ccm13 </a><br /><br /><iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"//www.youtube.com/embed/3ZKQ9dFsh4w?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />If $100 is donated, 10 burpees, if $1,000 is donated...100 burpees. <br /><br /><b>Make me regret this. </b>','Canal Run Burpee Challenge','','inherit','closed','closed','','96-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:09:14','2017-01-08 16:09:14','',96,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/96-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(343,1,'2017-01-08 11:09:28','2017-01-08 16:09:28','A friend (who is probably reading this!) posted on Facebook that she had signed up for her first 10K. My first thought was \"AWESOME! Good for you!\" and I immediately sent her a message to start talking about it. As we talked a little, I reflected on my first 10K and how much I learned from it - it dawned on me that not only could I have benefited <b>immensely </b>from knowing then what I know now, but others who are getting ready for their first race could benefit too! My first 5K and 10K both taught me a lot, and they are very different kinds of races! <br /><br /><b>SO, </b>in the spirit of Hump Day, let\'s talk about some do\'s and don\'t\'s to help you get over the hump of your first race(s)!<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />When I started running this past March, I dove right in. Megan and I talked about it and figured hey, we got through P90X, we did Insanity...why couldn\'t we run? We went...and I went farther than I probably should have...and finished having gone <b>3.2 miles</b>. I\'m not exaggerating when I say I had <b>never </b>\"gone for a run\" before that. I figured if I could do that, I could do a real 5K race - same distance!<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So Where Do I Start?</b></span><br /><b>&nbsp;</b> <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0qLX-CaSKJk/UkwnWfqQMQI/AAAAAAAAB0A/D2gUoWoaEg4/s1600/Aug2_Run4Ke_photo.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"200\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0qLX-CaSKJk/UkwnWfqQMQI/AAAAAAAAB0A/D2gUoWoaEg4/s400/Aug2_Run4Ke_photo.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>Do A 5K!</b><br /><b>&nbsp;</b><br /><b>I will be so bold as to say </b>anyone can run a 5K. If you can run, you can do a 5K. Either it\'s a challenge and you push yourself to finish, or it\'s a piece of cake and you push yourself to break your best time. Either way, <b>you can do it! </b>If it\'s going to be more on the \"I\'ve never run before\" / beginner side of things, there are LOTS of training schedules out there to get you ready to run that 3.1 miles. I recommend using Runkeeper (if you have a smartphone / device that can use the app) - you can either track your runs doing your own thing or you can choose a training plan developed to help you be your best! <br /><br /><b>Did the 5K? How about a 10K?!</b><br /><br />If you\'ve overcome the challenge of your first 5K and feel like you can go farther, why not find and register for a 10K? A 10K is 6.2 miles - twice as long as a 5K. It might not seem like that much of a difference, but running a race is a whole different animal after the first 3 or 4 miles. A 10K can give you new challenges to overcome, including pacing yourself,&nbsp;<b> </b>staying hydrated and fueled, dealing with hills and inclines, and much more. If you have successfully completed a 5K I <b>highly </b>recommend finding a 10K to do.<br /><br /><b>What about those do\'s and don\'t\'s?</b><br /><b>&nbsp;</b><br />I mentioned I learned a lot from the first couple of races I ran - I have some hot tips that I <b>really </b>wish I had known going into my first 5K and 10K. Some of them might seem obvious to you, but I didn\'t realize the importance of some of them until it was too late.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EyG-EtXTV7Q/UkwwMl-zNwI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/XxDH6qbPC6g/s1600/IMG_20131002_103549.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EyG-EtXTV7Q/UkwwMl-zNwI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/XxDH6qbPC6g/s400/IMG_20131002_103549.jpg\" width=\"180\" /></a><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Rule #1 - HYDRATE!</b></span><br /><br /><b>I CANNOT stress this one enough!</b> Hydration (drinking water) is INCREDIBLY important. Not properly hydrating before and during a race can leave you cramped, panting, and <br />struggling through what should have been a piece of cake. Properly hydrating is SO important I had been considering writing an article entirely dedicated to it, but even if I do follow through with that, it needs to be mentioned here. The average person should be drinking 8 glasses of water a day. I know we\'ve been beat over the head with that our whole lives...prior to this whole fitness thing I never really understood <b>just </b>how important it really was.<br /><br /><b>How do I know if I\'m getting dehydrated?</b><br /><b>&nbsp;</b> <br />Your body is mostly made up of water - as you sweat that water leaves your body. When enough water leaves your body, you start feeling thirsty and your mouth might get dry. As you get more dehydrated, you might get a headache (I do), you\'ll eventually get cramps, and you might get nauseous. If you get dehydrated enough you can pass out and have a real medical issue.<br /><br />Bear with me here. One of the easiest ways to tell how hydrated you are at any given time is the color of your urine. Think about it - urine is your body\'s way to get rid of what it doesn\'t need - the water component of it is more or less a vehicle to get rid of the waste. If you\'re dehydrated, there\'s less fluid in your body. If your body has less fluid to spare, it\'s going to get rid of that same amount of waste using less water, so it\'s going to be more concentrated and thus, a darker/more saturated color. If your body is well-hydrated, there\'s a lot of fluid in there to spare and your body will use more fluid to flush out the waste - thus less concentrated and a lighter color. The clearer the urine, the more hydrated you are. <br /><br /><b>So how do I stay hydrated?</b><br /><br /><b>Easy - DRINK WATER!</b>&nbsp;<b> </b>It\'s that simple and that difficult. I drink on average about 20 glasses of water a day. That green water bottle? It\'s a 1 litre Camelbak Eddy. I drink about 4 or 5 of those a day. Yeah. Water is just about all I drink. I used to drink almost that much diet soda each day, but then again I was also 300 lbs. <b>If you find drinking that much water is a challenge </b>try easing yourself into it with flavor. Add fresh citrus fruit to your water - lemon, lime, orange...not only does it add some flavor to your water but you get some vitamins out of it! Eventually you can use less and less fruit until you can just drink regular water! The calories from the fruit you squeeze into your water is going to end up being negligible, so go for it!<br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><br /></span><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Rule #2 - Eat Breakfast!</b></span><br /><br />Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and race day is no exception. The longer the race, the more important it is to eat something before the run. Race-day nutrition can be the difference between a strong run with sustained energy or huffing, puffing, and crapping out. There\'s lots of products out there designed to help you before and during your run like Gu gels, sport beans, chomps, blocs, etc. Find what works for you and stick with it! They\'re all made from fast-absorbing and easy to break down carbs/sugars to give your body the juice it needs to get through the race. I like to start my race-day morning with a combination of those and some fruit. To each his own.<br /><b> </b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8T25BkizJ4/Ukw9jfMar6I/AAAAAAAAB04/5Oio-1xj_S4/s1600/2.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"225\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8T25BkizJ4/Ukw9jfMar6I/AAAAAAAAB04/5Oio-1xj_S4/s400/2.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Rule #3 - Test your playlist before the race</b></span><br /><br /><b>This one only applies if you listen to music during your runs</b>.  I do. You can see <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-music-while-running-controversy.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"The Music While Running Controversy\"</a> to see exactly  how I feel about the topic. If you DO listen to music while you run, be  sure to test out your playlist on a run before the actual race. The  wrong music can make you go too fast or too slow, mess up your pace  mid-stride, and just all around lead you to a bad time. Find what works  and stick with it - always best to test it out. <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/running-playlist.html\" target=\"_blank\">Check out my running playlist (tested) here.</a><br /><b> </b><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Rule #4 - TRAIN!</b></span><br /><br /><b><b>Training is about learning your pace, testing your limits, and improving both.</b> </b>Do shorter runs to see what kind of pace you can reach, how fast you  can go, and what your stride is. Do longer runs to see if you can maintain that pace over a longer distance. Do some REALLY long runs once a week to push your limits, increase your stamina / endurance, and ultimately be able to run farther. Training is a learning experience, and it IS very important. Try and fail. Experiment. Do hills some days and flat courses other days. Map it out ahead of time - know where you\'re going and when to turn around and go home. Give yourself options in case you decide to run a longer or shorter distance when you\'re already out there. Get the most out of your training so you\'re ready for that race! There are lots of training programs for every different race distance - if you\'d like help finding a good one reach out with the contact form at the bottom of the page!<br /><br /><b> </b><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Rule #5 - PACE YOURSELF! Run Your Own Race.</b></span><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rAJ1GVTsFm4/Ukw3AEc2Q0I/AAAAAAAAB0o/CjcKl-NFShg/s1600/runyourownrace.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rAJ1GVTsFm4/Ukw3AEc2Q0I/AAAAAAAAB0o/CjcKl-NFShg/s400/runyourownrace.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />This one I learned the hard way. When you go and do a race, it can get very competitive. There\'s lots of people out there, you\'ve got the adrenaline pumping, you\'re antsy...and once you cross the starting line you just want to shoot off like a rocket and GO. <b>That\'s a bad idea</b>. My first 5K I shot off like a rocket - I broke out of the pack early and tried to beat everyone. I was able to maintain it and go hard the whole time...but it was only 5K. I tried to do the same thing on my first 10K...it didn\'t work out so well. There were a LOT more people...hundreds! I tried to bounce from open spot to open spot in an effort to break out into open space where I could really run. <b>By mile 4 I was toast.</b> I went SO hard in the first 5K that I had no gas left for the second 5K. I was so concerned with going fast and passing people that I didn\'t worry about myself and my own limits/abilities. <b>I paid for it in the end</b>. My time was absolutely <b>awful </b>compared to what it could have been. I learned my lesson and applied it to my Falmouth Road Race run...and <b>what an improvement! </b>I ran my own race and did WAY better than I did during the 10K...better average pace, a stronger run...I felt better...Trust me - this is a lesson you can take to the bank.<b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">&nbsp;</span></b><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Rule #6 - Know The Course And Have A Plan</span></b><br /><br />You should <b>absolutely</b> know the course before race-day. Know the route, know if there\'s hills and if so, how steep/long they are, and overall know what to expect from the course. Knowing the course<b> </b>ahead of time allows you to come up with a plan for your run - where the hard parts are, what parts you need to save some energy for, and where you can turn on the afterburners and just <b>go.</b> If you don\'t know the route you might burn yourself out before a particularly hard hill at the end. Conversely, you could be more conservative than you need to and not achieve your best possible time. You could also, heaven forbid, take a wrong turn! Suffice it to say - know the course and have a plan.<br /><br />I\'m sure there\'s more to running a race than just this, but these rules are a good jumping off point to help you achieve success in your first race(s)! Take these lessons to heart and learn from my mistakes - I certainly wish someone had told me about these when I was getting ready for MY first race(s)!<br /><i></i><br /><i>What tips would YOU give a beginner?</i> <i>Comment below!</i><br />','Race Beginner Do\'s & Don\'t\'s','','inherit','closed','closed','','97-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:09:28','2017-01-08 16:09:28','',97,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/97-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(344,1,'2017-01-08 11:09:46','2017-01-08 16:09:46','<b>Health and fitness isn\'t just about the body.</b> Stay with me here. Mind, body and spirit are all linked together. Your body can be in ultra-marathon shape, but if you don\'t believe you can do it, or you only think you can run a mile and you\'re gonna crap out...<b>guess what\'s going to happen.</b> Each of the three - mind, body and spirit - can affect the other...in a real, visceral way. So why am I getting all philosophical on you?<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lpZzGDSmRDw/UklxuSu68HI/AAAAAAAABzM/9XVoe1Kvomk/s1600/stress.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lpZzGDSmRDw/UklxuSu68HI/AAAAAAAABzM/9XVoe1Kvomk/s320/stress.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>Stress is one of the WORST things you can do to your mind. If you are constantly over-stressed it can and very well <b>may</b> have a physical effect on your body. On this Motivational Monday morning, I want to have a little chat about stress, and why it is that Rule #1 of your day should be <b>\"DON\'T FREAK OUT!\" </b><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />I\'ve thought about a lot of different ways to approach this topic. I suppose I kind of have to be careful because some people tend to get <b>very </b>worked up about things that<b>, </b>when you come right down to it, <b>really </b>aren\'t worth the agitation. I\'m sure you all know someone like that - the people who take everything way too seriously...who tweak and get bent about the most <b>trivial </b>things. Many of us (hopefully most of us) understand what things just aren\'t worth the stress and worry...but what about the things that DO matter? What about the bills, the lack of time in the day, the myriad obligations we have and are responsible for, the mile-long to-do list...it\'s all just <b>so much. </b>Sometimes some of the problems we face seem <b>so insurmountable </b>and the pressure put on us by others is <b>so intense</b> that we don\'t know what to do with it.<br /><br />I\'ve pulled the definition from Merriam-Webster below:<br /><blockquote><i>Stress:</i> <i>a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work, etc.</i><br />further defined as: <br /><i>&nbsp;<span>a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation</span></i></blockquote>Mental  tension. Worry. When these are amplified and made to be extreme...all  it will do is impair your ability to solve issues. Notice in the  definition above that stress is defined as <i>a physical </i>(body), <i>chemical </i>(mind)<i>, or emotional </i>(spirit)<i> factor.&nbsp;</i> Stress really does affect you mind, body and spirit...the dictionary  even says so! No matter which one of the three stress-factors you are  experiencing...it will carry over to the other two areas. If you are physically strained your mind will believe you can\'t do it. If your mind believes you can\'t do it your spirit can be broken. If your spirit is broken, your body won\'t respond to its full potential. It\'s a cycle that can be hard to break out of.<br /><br /><table align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ShlkwbrMBsM/UkmR8CRRK2I/AAAAAAAABzs/nolqIInyGWw/s1600/killer-stress.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"213\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ShlkwbrMBsM/UkmR8CRRK2I/AAAAAAAABzs/nolqIInyGWw/s320/killer-stress.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">img from PBS.org</td></tr></tbody></table>I was having a conversation with a like-minded co-worker the other day about this topic, and we agreed on something - <b>stress isn\'t worth it.</b> Getting stressed out about all the bills you have to pay and your lack of funds to pay them with <b>doesn\'t magically make your paycheck bigger</b>. Getting stressed about how you don\'t have enough time to accomplish everything you need to <b>doesn\'t make the clock stop</b>. Stress does not solve problems...it can\'t! Some tension and worry can encourage you to give attention to a problem or to come up with a solution...but excessive worry and tension only serves to cloud you, clutter you, and put you in a kind of mind-lock where you can\'t focus well enough to clearly think and come up with a solution. <br /><br />Not only does stress <b>not </b>magically solve your problems, it actually <b>creates more</b>. You may become more irritable, you may have a hard time losing weight or even GAIN weight (or lose weight depending on your body). Your hair and nails may become more brittle and prone to breakage and your hair may shed more (ladies...sound familiar?). Stress can make you feel constantly overwhelmed - and if that\'s the case, eventually all this stress can build up and you might blow up on someone. At that point, it might not matter what\'s been stressing you for so long...it becomes about that last straw that broke the camel\'s back - all of a sudden someone who did just enough to send you over the edge is catching an earful (or worse!). <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5xRm--X62SI/UkmI2xKr2oI/AAAAAAAABzc/ChA43RtTfU0/s1600/Untitled-1.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5xRm--X62SI/UkmI2xKr2oI/AAAAAAAABzc/ChA43RtTfU0/s400/Untitled-1.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>I thought that quote was pretty relevant in such a situation. <i>\"The time to relax is when you don\'t have time for it\"</i> - Sydney J. Harris<br /><br />The best advice I can give you is - Don\'t Freak Out! Relax, take a breath, and calm down. Once you do that, you can start to come up with constructive ways to resolve whatever issue you are facing. Sydney J. Harris (an American journalist) had it right! The BEST time to relax is when you feel like you don\'t have time for it. When you are bogged down by stress, scatterbrained, and ready to pop...you definitely don\'t feel like you have time for ANYTHING. <b>That </b>is when you need to stop, breath, and re-focus. If someone tries to tell you that <b>you don\'t care</b> because you aren\'t stressed...<b>brush it off</b>. You don\'t have to be stressed in order to care about something. I would argue that calming down, breathing and relaxing shows you care<b> MORE</b> - you\'re putting yourself in a position where you can actually be productive and use your noggin, right?<br /><br />The mind is a powerful thing - if you focus your energy in a positive way you can overcome <b>any </b>obstacle, issue, trial or tribulation. You&nbsp; can find a way to pay those bills. You can budget your time, dismiss the unimportant tasks, and get everything accomplished. You can lose 100+ pounds and take back your health, do that pushup <i>not </i>on your knees, climb that mountain, run that marathon...<b>there is nothing you can\'t accomplish!</b><br /><br />Just remember to take time, relax, breath, and <b>DONT FREAK OUT</b>.','DON\'T FREAK OUT!','','inherit','closed','closed','','98-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:09:46','2017-01-08 16:09:46','',98,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/98-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(345,1,'2017-01-08 11:11:18','2017-01-08 16:11:18','I\'ve been talking a lot about all these road races I\'m doing in the next two months - the 5K (from Sunday), the two 10K\'s, and of course the half-marathon. I\'m fortunate so many companies have signed on to sponsor me - they have made it possible for me to do these races and to continue to do work for a great cause (please be sure to check out <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/sponsors.html\" target=\"_blank\">the sponsors page</a> and see who\'s helped me out - they\'re all great!). I\'ve only made a small announcement on Facebook, but the big news is -<br /><br /><b>I\'m fundraising for <a href=\"http://www.jimmyv.org/\" target=\"_blank\">The V Foundation For Cancer Research</a>!</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f70yhYqH3Mk/UkON7n9SwoI/AAAAAAAABzA/466xqGDiB7o/s1600/JimmyVLogo.gif\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"190\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f70yhYqH3Mk/UkON7n9SwoI/AAAAAAAABzA/466xqGDiB7o/s400/JimmyVLogo.gif\" width=\"400\" /></a></b></div><br />Yes, this campaign of runs is a fundraising campaign, and the fundraising officially started a few days ago. <a href=\"http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/SoTHISIsFitness/ccm13\" target=\"_blank\">You can visit my online fundraising page here</a> if you\'d like to make a contribution. All of my training, <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-story.html\" target=\"_blank\">My Story</a>, and <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-transformation.html\" target=\"_blank\">My Transformation</a> has made this possible.<br /><br /><b> </b><br /><b>So...what IS The V Foundation and why do I (you) care?</b><br /><b></b><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><b>&nbsp;</b>The V Foundation\'s mission statement, found on their website, is:<br /><br /><i>The V Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to saving lives  by helping to find a cure for cancer.&nbsp; The Foundation seeks to make a  difference by generating broad-based support for cancer research and by  creating an urgent awareness among all Americans of the importance of  the war against cancer.&nbsp; The Foundation performs these dual roles  through advocacy, education, fundraising, and philanthropy.</i><br /><br />The V Foundation was founded in 1993 by former NCAA basketball coach and N.C. State Athletic Director Jim Valvano with the assistance of ESPN. It was announced in a tear-jerking speech at the 1993 ESPY awards (seen below).<br /><br /><br /><br />Basically, Jimmy V was diagnosed with terminal cancer and wanted to help find a cure. Going through it from the patient side of it, he realized just how slowly cancer research fundraising ended up benefiting the actual patient, so he sought to speed up the process. Jimmy V passed away just two months after his ESPY speech, but 20 years later The V Foundation is going strong, making an impact, and working hard towards realizing his ultimate goal of finding a cure.<br /><br /><b>So what exactly am I doing to help?</b><br /><br />I am running four races to raise awareness and raise money for The V Foundation. One of them has already happened, the other 3 are all in the month of October.<br /><b> </b><br />9/22/13 - <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/what-is-good-enough-tavern2tavern5k.html\" target=\"_blank\">Tavern to Tavern 5K - Cambridge, MA (finished 200/722 - time: 23:51 - 7:45 min/mile)</a><br />10/5/13 - <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/getting-things-in-mocean-running-update.html\" target=\"_blank\">Canal Run For The Troops 10K - Buzzard\'s Bay, MA</a><br />10/20/13 - <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/2-months-4-runs-one-great-cause.html\" target=\"_blank\">31st Annual Boston Firefighters Local 718 Memorial Road Race 10K - Dorchester, MA</a><br />10/26/13 - <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/on-to-next-one-131.html\" target=\"_blank\">Cape Cod Marathon Half - Falmouth, MA</a><br /><br />I\'m currently fundraising through word of mouth and online through social media. You can, again, reach my online fundraising page here:<br /><a href=\"http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/SoTHISIsFitness/ccm13\">http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/SoTHISIsFitness/ccm13</a><br />&nbsp;I\'m in the process of brainstorming a fundraising event to hold locally. More on that soon (I hope!).<br /><br /><b>Why The V Foundation?</b> <br /><br />I know there are a million charities out there I could be fundraising for and some people have asked me how/why I chose The V Foundation. The answer is very simple: My college fraternity - <a href=\"http://www.deltachi.org/\" target=\"_blank\">The Delta Chi Fraternity, Inc.</a> - partnered up with The V Foundation in 2006. Almost every philanthropy event I did as an undergraduate member of my Chapter was to benefit The V Foundation...needless to say I had a lot of exposure to it and what it stood for. After raising over $2,800 for Dana-Farber through my Falmouth Road Race run, I thought it\'d be nice to do something similar for the first charity I ever really worked with and that I had such ties to. All money raised through this campaign will be donated to The V Foundation on behalf of The Boston Area Alumni Chapter of Delta Chi. <br /><br /><b>So why should I care? And why should I contribute?</b><br /><br />These days it seems like everything causes cancer. We\'re figuring out every day that something else we\'ve gotten used to can give us cancer! Even some of those who do their best to avoid carcinogens can be struck by the disease, and unfortunately, nearly everyone has a friend or family member who has been touched by some form of cancer. Cancer has stumped the world\'s top scientists for years, and the research necessary to learn more and figure out how to beat cancer takes a lot of time, training and equipment which, of course, costs a lot of money.&nbsp; By contributing to fundraising for organizations like The V Foundation, we can help build up the funds needed for grants to help researchers who are working so hard to find a cure. <br /><b> </b><br /><b>Please help me make this a successful fundraising campaign!</b><br /><br />On behalf of The V Foundation for Cancer Research and The Boston Area Alumni Chapter of The Delta Chi Fraternity, Inc. I thank you all in advance for your help, support, and generosity! If you have any questions please don\'t hesitate to reach out and ask - Darrell@SoTHISIsFitness.com<br /><b> </b><br /><a href=\"http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/SoTHISIsFitness/ccm13\"><b>http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/SoTHISIsFitness/ccm13</b></a>','Do It For The V','','inherit','closed','closed','','99-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:11:18','2017-01-08 16:11:18','',99,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/99-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(346,1,'2017-01-08 11:12:14','2017-01-08 16:12:14','Now that I\'ve undergone such big changes and my body has transformed so much, I\'ve gotten a better understanding of both my pre-fitness mindset and my current boundaries and limitations. The funny thing is...they go hand in hand.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3SC41-blrdg/UjZyBZdbFTI/AAAAAAAABo8/OH1Y1xygKTY/s1600/idontthinklimits.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3SC41-blrdg/UjZyBZdbFTI/AAAAAAAABo8/OH1Y1xygKTY/s400/idontthinklimits.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />On this Motivational Monday morning, I want to have a (relatively) brief and (per usual) candid chat about knowing yourself, being in touch with your body, and learning your limits. I hope many of you will come to find what I did - <b>it\'s all in your head.</b><br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b>When I was 300 lbs </b>part of what was holding me back was <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/defeating-demotivators-1-fear-monster.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Fear Monster</a>. I was afraid to get up and go, I was afraid of failure. I wasn\'t really sure what my physical limits were...where my boundaries lay...<b>but I figured the bar was pretty low</b>. I knew how easily I got winded and I wasn\'t too keen on finding out just how little I could really do. So I just assumed I was pretty limited in terms of physical fitness. No running a mile, no heavy lifting, no endurance to speak of...nothing.<br /><br /><b>Then I started getting fit.</b> I started pushing it, going until exhaustion...<b>and then continuing</b>. This was a big step for me...I had never tested my boundaries...never challenged my limits. But I had to get through the workout. I had to keep up with the people in the video. I had to look impressive for Megan or <i>at least </i>look like I was making progress. Slowly but surely the little victories came...I could do regular push-ups instead of on my knees...I could do the jump a little between lunges instead of having to step quickly through them...progress is progress, right? Slowly, I kept getting better. I even tried going for a run!<br /><br /><b>Then Something Happened Last Week -&nbsp;</b> <br />I finished Body Beast...and I started getting onto my endurance training calendar for the half-marathon I\'m running. I went out for a run, and decided to do a fast 5K. Just <i>go </i>and see what I can do. I was <b>cookin\'</b>. I got back home and crossed my little \"finish line\"...and Runkeeper\'s audio cues came on when I \"stopped\" the run - my pace had <b>drastically </b>improved. I\'m not talking like baby steps progress, good for you, rah rah rah...I\'m talking <b>WHOA...who kicked on the afterburners? </b>I got 8:22 min/mile average - that\'s about a minute and a half off my usual mile time. I had no idea how I went that fast or maintained that pace over 3.1 miles...<b>but I did it</b>.<br /><br /><b>The Next Day </b>I went on a longer run - I had planned on 8 miles but only had time for 5, so I went. As I was running I heard my Runkeeper audio cues over the music of my playlist...telling me 9:15 min/mile, 8:56 min/mile, 8:57 min/mile...um...<b>EXCUSE ME</b>? <b>I was doing it again! </b>This time, I was going farther...could I maintain that past the 3 mile mark? Was it <b>possible?</b><br /><br /><b>YES! </b>I did 5.06 miles in 44:36. That\'s an average pace of 8:49. <b>You\'ve got to be kidding me!</b> The bottom line here is...my initial perceptions have gone out the window...totally shattered. My boundaries have been <b>pushed off a cliff</b>. I don\'t actually know what my limits are now, but I\'m convinced I can continue pushing them and improving. People like to say \"no, that\'s impossible\" \"no, there\'s no way I can do that\". <b>Nonsense. </b>One of my favorite quotes out there...is about the word \"impossible\".<br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dI0SobW7TAw/Ue14lv4J6TI/AAAAAAAAA-4/FdU2N0hF-IY/s1600/impossible-is-nothing1.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dI0SobW7TAw/Ue14lv4J6TI/AAAAAAAAA-4/FdU2N0hF-IY/s1600/impossible-is-nothing1.jpg\" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><i>\"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they\'ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact, it\'s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration, it\'s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.\" - Muhammad Ali</i><br /><br /><b>We create our limits in our minds. </b>I firmly believe that, given time and training, <b>anything is possible. </b>Our bodies are amazingly adaptable and will take as much as we are willing to throw at them. The human body can morph from 300 lbs and sedentary to 160 lbs and running ultramarathons. <b>The body will learn to do what you tell it. </b>If you just take the time and train, you can do anything. That\'s how professional body builders get so huge. That\'s how these people who run 100 mile races get that kind of endurance. <b>That\'s how I got where I am. </b>I whole-heartedly believe that, and I hope others will come to figure it out as they too push their limits and learn their potential.<br /><br /><b>The mind is an incredibly powerful thing</b> - if you believe you\'re sick, and you believe it hard enough, your body will manifest that and you\'ll get sick (it\'s an actual medical thing). If you believe you can\'t do something, you simply won\'t be able to. If you believe that you can\'t run, you will never make it past the first mile. But if you <b>let go</b> of the mental roadblocks you\'ve created for yourself and just...well...<b>try</b>...you\'ll be amazed at the things you can accomplish. In the last week I have had so many personal milestone accomplishments...its like all of a sudden I <b>broke through</b> to a new place. My body is more flexible, I found&nbsp; core strength I didn\'t know I had, I can run faster...all because <b>I just let go </b>of all the mental roadblocks and limits that I thought I had.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Lose your limits.</b> </span><b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>I challenge you not to</b> focus on what you can\'t do, or what you think you can\'t do...but to work on <b>being better than you were yesterday.</b> Reach a little farther, go a little faster, experiment with&nbsp; a little more weight...you\'ll find that over time, as you try harder and harder, you will go farther and farther. You will <b>shatter </b>your own perceptions of your ability. No matter how out of reach something might seem, just remember - <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r6QzF3n9mDs/UjcbDB-Z99I/AAAAAAAABpQ/ZHY68-GNkdE/s1600/giventime.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r6QzF3n9mDs/UjcbDB-Z99I/AAAAAAAABpQ/ZHY68-GNkdE/s400/giventime.jpg\" width=\"400\" />&nbsp;</a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">It won\'t come to you...you have to <b>work for it</b>.</span><b> </b></span></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So get out there and GET IT!</b> </span></div><br /><b> </b>','Lose Your Limits','','inherit','closed','closed','','101-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:12:14','2017-01-08 16:12:14','',101,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/101-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(347,1,'2017-01-08 11:12:31','2017-01-08 16:12:31','<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument>  <w:View>Normal</w:View>  <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>  <w:TrackMoves/>  <w:TrackFormatting/>  <w:PunctuationKerning/>  <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>  <w:SaveIfXMLInval>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>  <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>  <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>  <w:DoNotPromoteQF/>  <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>  <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>  <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>  <w:Compatibility>   <w:BreakWrappedTables/>   <w:SnapToGridInCell/>   <w:WrapTextWithPunct/>   <w:UseAsianBreakRules/>   <w:DontGrowAutofit/>   <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>   <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>   <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>   <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>   <w:Word11KerningPairs/>   <w:CachedColBalance/>  </w:Compatibility>  <m:mathPr>   <m:mathFont m:val=\"Cambria Math\"/>   <m:brkBin m:val=\"before\"/>   <m:brkBinSub m:val=\"&#45;-\"/>   <m:smallFrac m:val=\"off\"/>   <m:dispDef/>   <m:lMargin m:val=\"0\"/>   <m:rMargin m:val=\"0\"/>   <m:defJc m:val=\"centerGroup\"/>   <m:wrapIndent m:val=\"1440\"/>   <m:intLim m:val=\"subSup\"/>   <m:naryLim m:val=\"undOvr\"/>  </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]-->It\'s been a mind-blowing couple of weeks for me. Within the last few weeks so much has happened…finished Body Beast, broke 190 lbs, got heavy into yoga, blowing away PR after PR running...I’m ecstatic to say the least! Then yesterday, I ran the Tavern to Tavern 5K and <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">completely shattered</i> my last 5K time and my expectations for the day.  <br /><div><br /></div><div><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">But why? How? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">I decided </b>that everything I had done and accomplished so far <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">wasn’t good enough.</b></div><div><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NHMrwIggMeA/UkCLYx8pc9I/AAAAAAAABs4/QZEKAlJkrwU/s1600/IMG_20130923_142231.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NHMrwIggMeA/UkCLYx8pc9I/AAAAAAAABs4/QZEKAlJkrwU/s320/IMG_20130923_142231.jpg\" height=\"251\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div>On this beautiful Motivational Monday Morning I want to talk about the words <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">“good enough”.</b> This is partly a Tavern to Tavern 5K recap and partly a breakdown of that phrase so many people use and can’t break past. The last few weeks has really made me think about those two simple words…it’s time for everyone else to think about it too.</div><div></div><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><div>So, let’s start with <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">The Tavern to Tavern 5K Recap</b></div><div><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LV4wa-cA8XM/UkB9Gbsru8I/AAAAAAAABr0/qwdCIuj53fw/s1600/1231348_10202120953334306_1168709344_n.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LV4wa-cA8XM/UkB9Gbsru8I/AAAAAAAABr0/qwdCIuj53fw/s400/1231348_10202120953334306_1168709344_n.jpg\" height=\"372\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div>This was a fun race! There were 722 runners total – male, female, young, old…a good mix of people to make things interesting. Apparently the race organizer had a hell of a time – due to construction in Cambridge he had to re-map the course route 17 times in the last week or two. Poor guy! I’m sure he had to deal with the hardcore runners who were all bent out of shape that they didn’t know the EXACT course layout, etc etc. I was a little bummed because I was expecting a flat course, but it <span></span><span></span>didn’t really matter in the end – I had fun anyway. <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">Isn’t that the important part?</b> The course ended<span></span><span></span> up being a kind of lollypop loop – out along one street, took a right and did a loop, eventually came back to the street we started on, ran past where the starting line was and went through the finish line “chute”. There were definitely some hills on the course but overall I feel like I was able to power through it. I had to remind myself to <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">do my own thing</b>, don’t worry about everyone passing me. I don’t care HOW fast I was able to go yesterday…there’s <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">still </b>going to be someone faster than me. I mean…the top finisher came in at a little over 15 minutes…<b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">are you kidding me?</b> Yeah, I can deal with people passing me. I think that’s what saved me – if I had let it get to me and tried to go even harder I’m pretty sure I would’ve crapped out. </div><div><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XJ-flzUBvbo/UkB8Ll7JswI/AAAAAAAABrU/77U_x4xLA_s/s1600/BUxrbugCUAA659B.jpg+large.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XJ-flzUBvbo/UkB8Ll7JswI/AAAAAAAABrU/77U_x4xLA_s/s400/BUxrbugCUAA659B.jpg+large.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div>There was a great post-race party too! Sam Adams / Boston Beer Company sponsored the party so there was free Sam Boston Lager and Curious Traveler summer shandy. Pretty fantastic if I do say so myself. The race organizer was also giving away a TON of swag, so that was pretty cool. Ended up getting this year’s shirt, both a regular and performance version of last year’s, plus pint glasses! Whoever says they don’t care about the t-shirts at a road race is either lying or has too many t-shirts. Get it in a medium and give it to me if you don’t want it. Hah.</div><div><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NQEA-axNYMw/UkCEZBKDIsI/AAAAAAAABsY/uD5yXx8TRlU/s1600/1237114_10202121000975497_566356172_n.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NQEA-axNYMw/UkCEZBKDIsI/AAAAAAAABsY/uD5yXx8TRlU/s400/1237114_10202121000975497_566356172_n.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"300\" /></a></div><div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">Thanks again to Flex Appeal Sports Nutrition for sponsoring me!&nbsp;</span></div><div style=\"text-align: center;\"><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"><br /></b></div><div><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">So what about this “good enough” thing?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Well, that’s why I feel I can combine the “Motivational Monday” article I wanted to write and my recap of the race…they go hand in hand. In yesterday’s race I was reaching for the sky and shooting for breaking 25 minutes. Considering I ran a 5K in my neighborhood in 26:30…I thought knocking a minute and a half off was a good goal. And what ended up happening?</div><div><br /></div><div><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">I broke 24 minutes instead.</b></div><div><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IRo5zBpW3mw/UkB8lfUNE0I/AAAAAAAABrk/NzahWKonSSo/s1600/1235198_10202121317063399_705503009_n.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IRo5zBpW3mw/UkB8lfUNE0I/AAAAAAAABrk/NzahWKonSSo/s400/1235198_10202121317063399_705503009_n.jpg\" height=\"303\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lHCbowevQw4/UkB8YlqF-4I/AAAAAAAABrc/lzmkXaZqsUI/s1600/1235198_10202121317063399_705503009_n.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><br /></a></div><div>It made me stop and double-check the LED time clock at the finish…”did that really happen?” – I <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">SMOKED </b>the time I was aiming for…absolutely <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">smashed it.</b> I finished in 23:51 (in the above pic I had actually already crossed - can\'t tell from the angle). Many people would think that kind of progress was plenty good enough and would be completely satisfied with where they had gotten. They’d understand that it was only 5K and perhaps that pace (roughly 7:40 min/mile) might be a bit too fast for a longer race, like a 10K or 5 miler <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">and they’d be OK with that</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"><u>I am not OK with that answer.</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">Don’t get me wrong</b>, I’m THRILLED with my performance yesterday! Absolutely, positively <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">pleased as punch</b> that I went <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">that </i>fast and shattered my previous Personal Record (which, by the way, I only set within the last couple weeks).</div><div><br /></div><div><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">But why stop there?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I was having a conversation with a co-worker the other day – she runs, she’s kind of a fitness person…and she said something that stuck with me. It went something like “I see all these other people and I think to myself – I’m doing better than a lot of these other people…that’s good enough for me.” – I didn’t really know what to do with that. She was basing her goals on her opinion that she was in better shape than a lot of other people and thus, didn’t need to go any further. <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">I don’t get it.</b> For me…it’s not about anyone else. It’s about <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">me</b>, and being <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">better than I was yesterday</b>. There’s <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">no such thing</b>as “good enough”…it doesn’t exist. <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">It doesn’t make sense</b>.</div><div><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6rEQeEg7cYg/UkB9lXJ9sFI/AAAAAAAABr8/kJOrWRcfqaQ/s1600/1238298_10202121315423358_1213095490_n.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6rEQeEg7cYg/UkB9lXJ9sFI/AAAAAAAABr8/kJOrWRcfqaQ/s400/1238298_10202121315423358_1213095490_n.jpg\" height=\"366\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div>As far as I’m concerned, fitness should be about constant improvement of oneself. Continue to reach higher, go farther, run faster, lift heavier, improve your physique…<b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">continually become a better you. </b>“Good enough” is an excuse to stop. “Good enough” is (no offense) the lazy man’s way out. It’s a cop-out, and I think it opens the door for “I Don’t Feel Like It Syndrome” to set in. Why should where you’re at be “good enough”?</div><div><br /></div><div><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">You have not yet reached the mountaintop. </b></div><div><br /></div><div>Over time, yes, progress will slow down. Your improvements will become smaller and will take more time to achieve. <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">That’s OK</b>. I’m losing weight much more slowly now than when I started, but I also <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">don’t have 100 lbs to lose anymore</b>. I’m increasing my weights a bit more slowly now, but <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">I’m not weak and wimpy anymore.</b> I’m reaching farther in my stretches a bit more slowly now, but <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">I can already reach pretty far.</b> </div><div><br /></div><div><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">It’s all relative.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>After a while, these things happen more slowly and after more work because…well…<b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">you’re already doing so well!</b> Take that as another measure of success! I CAN’T lose weight at the rate I used to…because I don’t have that much left TO lose! Don’t lose faith once you get “pretty good”, and don’t let “pretty good” become “good enough”. “Pretty good” can still become “really good” and “really good” can become “wow, I’m impressed”! <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">Continue to work hard and test your limits.</b> Fitness is about how you stack up against Yester-You. Continue to become a better <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">you</b>. It’s not about anyone else, it’s not about how many people you’re going faster than, and it’s not about how many people you’re generally <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">better off than</b>. It’s about <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">you, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\">you </i></b>and <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"><u>only you.</u></b> I finished 200<sup>th</sup> out of 722…that’s pretty good! Next time I’m sure I’ll do even better. There’s no such thing as “good enough”. Don’t forget…</div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-on0raOkOfKw/UkCD6qvrWnI/AAAAAAAABsQ/mivtaY_ZUEA/s1600/yesteryou.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-on0raOkOfKw/UkCD6qvrWnI/AAAAAAAABsQ/mivtaY_ZUEA/s400/yesteryou.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\">You can always keep improving.</b> Get it. </div>','What Is \"Good Enough\"? +  Tavern2Tavern5K Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','100-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:12:31','2017-01-08 16:12:31','',100,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/100-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(348,1,'2017-01-08 11:12:52','2017-01-08 16:12:52','Another program finished, another round of \"after pictures\" and measurements. I\'m pretty stoked, not gonna lie. This is the reward after every workout program...results. There is nothing quite like seeing the fruits of your labors. I usually just post a bunch of pictures on Facebook and call it a day, but I decided, this time, to do my \"after recap\" in the form of an article talking not just about my results, but the program itself.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s8-PBkyzqLE/UjMAdRdJyBI/AAAAAAAABkI/iwt6E6GtaWc/s1600/timthumb.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"106\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s8-PBkyzqLE/UjMAdRdJyBI/AAAAAAAABkI/iwt6E6GtaWc/s400/timthumb.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>So, I\'ll dive right into my results (since that\'s the best part!) then cover a little bit about Body Beast.<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b>Results (only listing changed measurements):</b><br />Weight - 188 lbs (from 197.8)<br /><b></b>Biceps - 15 in. (from 13.8!)<br />Waist - 32 in. (from 34)<br />Chest - 39 in. (from 40.8)<br />Thighs 23.5 in. (from 25.3)<br />Calves 17.5 in (from 18)<br /><br />Neck and hips stayed the same, but I wasn\'t really expecting any movement there - tough for those to get any smaller. Overall...<b>wow!</b> More fat was cut all over, and my biceps blew up! Now...before we delve into this...take a look at what those kind of changes look like when done by building muscle while at the same time cutting fat - <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br /><div data-href=\"https://plus.google.com/111258674674819401777/posts/jgbriPrLBWL\"></div><br />All I can say is...<b>wow!</b> A year makes a big difference, huh? So how about some from before and after just this program? (blue shorts are after, neon are before)<br /><div data-href=\"https://plus.google.com/111258674674819401777/posts/C5skZNTKCKp\"></div><br /><b>So, what happened?</b><br />I tried to eat in such a way that I would, essentially, be cutting and bulking at the same time - only adding lean mass (muscle) while at the same time burning fat. While it can be difficult to see some of the differences between before and after bodybeast (yellow/black and blue shorts) I think I can safely say...it worked! I leaned out a bit more, cut inches in some places and added inches in others (biceps), and I can see more tone and definition. Could I have added more muscle if I ate differently? <b>Probably</b>. But I was being careful. Having been so big before...I wanted to make sure I stayed on track and didn\'t go back up. I\'m not ready for TRUE bulking (which I\'ll talk about in a later article). I couldn\'t handle it mentally...I\'d get unhappy really fast. <br /><br /><b>So What\'s So Special About Body Beast?</b><br /><br />Body Beast\'s \"thing\" is it uses <i>dynamic set training</i>. Dynamic Set Training changes things up - you do several types of sets:<br />traditional \"single sets\" (eg. 10 reps x 3 sets)<br />\"super sets\" (two exercises back to back (eg. 10 reps incline bench then 10 reps incline fly = set 1)<br />\"giant sets\" (three exercises)<br />\"drop sets\" (final set is really two - 8 reps heavy weight immediately drop to 8 reps lighter weight)<br />\"force sets\" (5 sets of 5 reps back to back to back with ~5 sec rest in-between)<b> </b><br /><br />It forces your body to work harder, use more muscles, and get bigger. Sagi Kalev, the program\'s creator and the big jacked guy in the video, says that if you do it right and eat right your body has no choice but to get bigger. <b>I\'m inclined to believe him, seeing my results</b>. The program is split into three phases - Build, Bulk, and BEAST. Build gives you a foundation to work up from, Bulk packs on the muscle with heavy lifting focusing on a single muscle group, and Beast is sort of a combination, designed to help you lean out a bit, get some tone and see the definition you\'ve been working for over the past couple of months.<br /><br />Every workout program out there is all about getting slimmer, tighter, losing weight...if you want to <b>gain weight, build muscle, and get BIG</b>...Body Beast is for you. Next time I\'m ready to bulk and get some serious muscle on...I will be coming back to Body Beast. It\'s a monster! <br /><br /><b>So Now What?</b><br /><br />Now it is time to put away the pre-workout, leave the iron on the rack, and go back to cardio-land. I\'m beginning the serious endurance training for the Cape Cod Marathon Half. I\'ll be doing a combination of running training, yoga and a new BeachBody Program - Focus T25 (from the creator of INSANITY). I\'ll try to post some periodic updates to talk about how that program is.<br /><b> </b><br /><b>Just remember - </b>If I can do this, anyone can. That includes YOU.','Body Beast - Results and Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','102-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:12:52','2017-01-08 16:12:52','',102,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/102-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(349,1,'2017-01-08 11:13:35','2017-01-08 16:13:35','<a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ycoIyAHdC0k/Ui26pd_QY5I/AAAAAAAABf4/1H4jfoWfW6k/s1600/Screenshot_2013-09-09-08-08-14.png\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ycoIyAHdC0k/Ui26pd_QY5I/AAAAAAAABf4/1H4jfoWfW6k/s400/Screenshot_2013-09-09-08-08-14.png\" width=\"225\" /></a>There really just aren\'t enough hours in the day. Life is busy! We have so many things we need to get done in 24 hours...and it\'s just not enough. Work, sleep, eat, meetings, chores, errands, meet up with friends...before you know it you\'re overdue on a whole laundry list of things...oh and there\'s the laundry too! I have a whole screen of my phone (multiple homescreens) dedicated to my \"To Do\". That\'s it, right there! That\'s not even the whole list...those widgets <b>scroll</b>. I even have to color-code it to keep it all straight. I\'m sure some of you can relate.<br /><br /><b>Bottom line is...</b>how are we supposed to be expected to juggle everything we\'ve got going on <b>AND </b>get a workout in? It\'s crazy! What if you work a 12 hour day? What if you\'ve got the kids to worry about? It just. Doesn\'t. WORK.<br /><br />Well...On this lovely Motivational Monday morning...I\'m here to tell you...We have to <b>make it work.</b> \"BUT HOW?! I just can\'t do it!\" <b>Yes. You CAN. </b>And it\'s not as daunting as it might seem.<br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><b>OK... I know what you\'re probably thinking.</b><br /><br />You\'re probably thinking I have <b>no idea</b> how busy you are, <b>how much</b> you have to get done, and&nbsp;<b> how much this just doesn\'t work for you</b>. Well...that\'s just the thing. <b>It\'s not GOING to work for you</b>. You have to <b>make it </b>work. <b>You </b>have to work. Nothing worthwhile in this world comes easy. Your ideal body is no exception to that rule. It\'s never easy adding something else onto your plate, and that goes doubly so for a commitment of this magnitude. Last August, if I knew what this was going to become...300 lb me <b>probably</b> wouldn\'t have gone for it. 300 lb me would think 188 lb me was insane.<br /><br /><b>Baby steps.&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NyoeB1EbLPQ/Ui294Hk9WNI/AAAAAAAABgE/SIZWX5yvGYY/s1600/pugg-wall-clock__13080_PE040801_S4.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"200\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NyoeB1EbLPQ/Ui294Hk9WNI/AAAAAAAABgE/SIZWX5yvGYY/s200/pugg-wall-clock__13080_PE040801_S4.jpg\" width=\"200\" /></a><b> </b><br /><b>What I find</b> is that most people staring a workout regimen in the face aren\'t looking at <b>that</b> big of a picture - they\'re looking at day one. Or week one. They\'re  looking at 45 minutes squeezed into their day, or an hour, an hour and a  half, even two hours when all\'s said and done getting to the gym,  working out, showering, coming home...<b>oh no Darrell...that\'s SO much time I don\'t have!</b><br /><br /><b>That\'s the thing...</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mglP1WHNXM0/Ui3AIREn8UI/AAAAAAAABgQ/xF3B2-hc4ns/s1600/excuseshappy.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mglP1WHNXM0/Ui3AIREn8UI/AAAAAAAABgQ/xF3B2-hc4ns/s320/excuseshappy.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>If that\'s the mentality</b>...you probably just don\'t want it bad enough yet. I know I know...I don\'t know you, I have no idea what you want...<br /><br /><b>Truth of the matter is</b>, when you want something bad enough, you will <b>move mountains</b> to make it happen. If not, you won\'t move very far from the couch. I know plenty of people who say they don\'t have time, they\'re SO busy...but somehow find time to watch hours and hours of TV each day...(<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-inconvenience-factor-accepting.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"I Don\'t Feel Like It\" Syndrome</a>, anyone?)<br /><br /><b>The important thing to know is: </b>There is ALWAYS a way to make it work.<br /><br /><b>So, I\'ve done a lot of talking but I haven\'t told you how yet. </b><br /><br />You have to take a good hard look at what you\'ve got going on in your life. Look at your daily schedule. You probably have a LOT of free time that you don\'t even realize you have! My college fraternity - <a href=\"http://www.deltachi.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Delta Chi</a>, has a part of their scholarship program dedicated to Time Management - I\'m pulling this directly from that program...because it <b>works</b>. Take a blank weekly schedule like the one below (you can download it from http://www.time-management-abilities.com/printable-planners.html under \"advanced planners\":<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dnK00cAo53o/Ui3CyoO_JKI/AAAAAAAABgc/z-lO4mHExGE/s1600/weekly-planner-printable-planner-sample.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"289\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dnK00cAo53o/Ui3CyoO_JKI/AAAAAAAABgc/z-lO4mHExGE/s400/weekly-planner-printable-planner-sample.png\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>Fill it out in order of: <br />1. Work (include travel time and getting ready...be reasonable)<br />2. Sleep<br />3. Meals (including cook time)<br />We\'ll pause here. All the remaining time, right now, is \"free time\". Yes, I know, you have SO MUCH you need to do...that\'s not free time. Well...here\'s where the next step comes in...<b>Prioritizing</b>.<br /><br />Yes, there\'s a lot you need to get done. Ok, great. This is the time where you need to decide what is ACTUALLY important. You might surprise yourself. Things like doctor\'s appointments, grocery shopping (gotta have food to eat, right?) picking the kids up from school or bringing them to sports/activities/etc are going to be high priorities. Many of these things likely have to happen at a certain time, so that\'s going to bump them a little higher up on the priority list as well. All of the other little things you need to get done are probably lower priority items. So, let\'s go ahead and put those high priority items on the calendar. So now we have<br /><br />1. Work | 2. Sleep | 3. Meals | 4. High Priority Items<br /><br />And the rest is free time. There\'s still probably a good bit of free time left each day, right? It might be occurring at strange times, but it\'s there. <b>This is the part where you can shimmy a workout in.</b><br /><br /><b>Yes, I know</b>...you still have SO MUCH you need to get done. That\'s what <b>prioritizing</b> is about. If you\'re still reading this, you\'ve already decided that getting your health and fitness straightened out is a high enough priority that you can shuffle some lower-priority things around. <b>So,</b> let\'s find a convenient place to stick that workout. I like to work out first thing in the morning...energizes me, gives me a boost for my day, gets it out of the way and...frankly...at the end of a long day I\'m worn out and there\'s a good chance I could lose motivation. I recommend you work out as early as you can. The earlier you work out, the more energy you\'ll have and the more successful your workout will be. <br /><br /><b>So now we\'ve got</b><br />1. Work | 2. Sleep | 3. Meals | 4. High Priority | 5. Workout | 6. Low Priority<br /><br />Now you can fit all of those other lower-priority items into your day. Throughout the course of the week, I\'m sure there\'s enough free time to get everything done that you need to get done. You probably even STILL have some free time left after that!<b> This will even work for the people who work crazy shifts</b>.<br /><br /><b>Yes, </b>this is not a fool-proof system. There are some people out there who work two jobs, three jobs, are going non-stop, and might not think they have time. Well, these are the people who need to take \"make it work\" to heart. I know plenty of people who will sacrifice something to make the workout happen. Sleep just a little bit less, get up a little bit earlier, go to bed a little earlier or later, take a little less time to eat, get ready for work a little bit faster...You need to look at your schedule once you\'ve gone through the list of work, sleep, meals, and high priority items and think hard about what or how you can shuffle, squeeze or re-arrange to make it work.<br /><br />I challenge you to <b>stay strong</b> and put the workout into the schedule before the low priority items. The only reason I wouldn\'t count the workout as a \"high priority item\" is because it <i>doesn\'t have to happen at a particular time</i>. High priority items should be the kind of thing that either HAS TO happen first, or <b>has to</b> happen at a particular time (such as a doctors appt., or getting to a business before it closes, etc). <br /><br />I\'ve gone through a lot of trial and error getting my schedule to work. I\'ve had a lot of ups and downs. Working in a restaurant, my schedule is different week to week...<b>I have to make it work</b>. As I\'ve gone through these 5 different programs I\'ve done, I\'ve gotten a little better at it each time. But, as I get more and more dedicated to my fitness I have to look a little harder at my schedule. I\'ve designed an endurance training schedule for <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/on-to-next-one-131.html\" target=\"_blank\">my half-marathon run</a> that is pretty involved...I\'m juggling a workout program, running, and yoga. I have commitments with Delta Chi, my Masonic Lodge, work, my fiancee, etc etc. <b>I\'m</b> making it work. <b>You</b> can too. <br /><br /><b>In almost every case</b> there is a way to make it work. You just have to find it. If you can\'t, <b>reach out to me</b> at Darrell@SoTHISIsFitness.com and I will do my best to help you figure it out. If you find you\'re having a hard time keeping your priorities straight (or <b>doing</b> the prioritizing in the first place) or want a community to help keep you accountable and share your struggles, please feel free to join the <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/sothisisfitness/\" target=\"_blank\">\"So Fit\" Family on Facebook</a>. It\'s a special community within the \"So THIS Is Fitness...\" world where we share our successes, seek support during tough days, seek and share advice and keep each other motivated to be and do our best and get to the goal we\'re all chasing.<br /><br />Just remember...<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xUySsNkZkb0/Ui3JRUvtscI/AAAAAAAABg4/hrQok_YxeCU/s1600/grassgreensweat.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xUySsNkZkb0/Ui3JRUvtscI/AAAAAAAABg4/hrQok_YxeCU/s400/grassgreensweat.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br />','Making It Work - Time Management','','inherit','closed','closed','','103-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:13:35','2017-01-08 16:13:35','',103,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/103-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(350,1,'2017-01-08 11:13:51','2017-01-08 16:13:51','<b>Ladies and Gentlemen</b>, welcome to <u>my first official product review</u>! I\'ve had so many things to talk about I\'ve kind of just put off reviewing things, but today I have something I\'m really excited about that I really want to get out there. So, what is this that has my attention?<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2tWbQ0bCwE/Uik2B-wI5xI/AAAAAAAABb4/gD_3CMfM1mQ/s1600/FitAID-logo-.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"100\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2tWbQ0bCwE/Uik2B-wI5xI/AAAAAAAABb4/gD_3CMfM1mQ/s400/FitAID-logo-.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br />This little drink called FitAID. Long story short, they sent me a 4 pack to try out, and I gave it a whirl. I was very impressed. There\'s a lot to this little drink, and it\'s pretty versatile. I had it before and after both a run and a strength training workout, and after experiencing it, I\'m ready to talk about it!<br /><br /><b>So...what\'s the deal with FitAID?&nbsp;</b><br /><b></b><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UNg7aTuYD08/UilLi1xgfhI/AAAAAAAABc0/dL8gNcy90VA/s1600/IMG_20130812_132634_341.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UNg7aTuYD08/UilLi1xgfhI/AAAAAAAABc0/dL8gNcy90VA/s400/IMG_20130812_132634_341.jpg\" width=\"225\" /></a>Where to begin? FitAID is <i>not </i>an energy drink - it is a \"synergy drink\" (the company likes to be very clear on this point), and I\'m sure you\'ll figure out what that means by the end of this article. The box has lots of artwork and information on it all about the benefits of the drink. Among these decorations you will find a <b>\"Paleo Friendly\"</b> sta<span></span><span></span>mp. I\'m going to cover the \"Paleo\" thing in a future article, but suffice it to say it strives to remove everything \"processed\" from your life and bring things back to <u>caveman-basics</u>. As you can well imagine, a hardcore nutrition plan like that would pretty much put the kibosh on most, if not all, pre-workout supplements and energy drinks. Paleo has more or less been adopted as the go-to nutrition plan for CrossFit (which, for those of you who don\'t know, consists of hardcore workouts)...so that left a <b>GAPING </b>hole in the fitness/nutrition world for someone to fill. Lo and behold - FitAID came along. <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nxxata_goBg/UilN3in2cjI/AAAAAAAABc8/kggW-lhnVWE/s1600/IMG_20130812_132656_038.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nxxata_goBg/UilN3in2cjI/AAAAAAAABc8/kggW-lhnVWE/s320/IMG_20130812_132656_038.jpg\" width=\"289\" /></a></div>While there are a lot of great things in this drink, what I think is just as important is <b>what isn\'t in it.</b> They say this product is 100% natural and they <b>mean</b> it. Right on the top of the box it lists off several things that DO NOT appear in this product: sucralose, aspartame, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, crystaline fructose, \"artificial anything\". <b>This makes me very happy, </b>and it should make YOU happy too. Why? Who cares? Well, for one, aspartame - an artificial sweetener - has well-known ill-effects on your health, high fructose corn syrup is just bad news, and the general lack of artificial \"anything\" is just great. Think about it - your body has to <i>do something</i> with everything you put into it. If you\'re putting artificial things into it, your body has to figure out what to do with it - <b>our bodies aren\'t designed to process artificial things...we force our body to do it. </b>Many of these artificial things we put in our body on a regular basis end up hanging out for a while. Ever hear of someone doing a \"detox\"? More often than not, they\'re trying to flush the remnants of these artificial things out. <b>How about we just don\'t introduce them into our bodies in the first place.</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><b>So let\'s talk about what IS in FitAID.</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8KozgjI6QQU/UinH5OgUMUI/AAAAAAAABdU/8pQhnuk4qL0/s1600/IMG_20130812_133025_495.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"301\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8KozgjI6QQU/UinH5OgUMUI/AAAAAAAABdU/8pQhnuk4qL0/s400/IMG_20130812_133025_495.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>It\'s pretty important to understand what exactly is <b>in</b> this drink that\'s helping to power you through your workout, and helping your recovery after. There\'s a pretty big range of ingredients in here! There are electrolytes and vitamins (like many other drinks contain), there are lots of amino acids (including L-Glutamine, which is HUGELY important for muscle recovery), and there are other things such as glucosamine, tumeric, CoQ-10, Bilberry...some of these aren\'t things you generally see in a \"fitness drink\" or a \"pre/post workout drink\", but they are part of an overall supplementation picture that FitAID is going for. These ingredients support flexibility, joint health, cardiovascular health, balance, provide antioxidants to your body...I\'ve never seen such an all-encompassing range of body-health ingredients in a drink! Check out the label below:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GtyhSjmy93U/UinUHUJN1YI/AAAAAAAABeM/1mAXIgHp8YI/s1600/91YkeZO8FoL._SL1500_.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GtyhSjmy93U/UinUHUJN1YI/AAAAAAAABeM/1mAXIgHp8YI/s400/91YkeZO8FoL._SL1500_.jpg\" width=\"368\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br /><b>Remember how I mentioned there\'s no </b>aspartame, sucralose, HFCS, etc? <b>So it tastes awful, right?</b> <u>No</u>. It actually tastes really good. <b>How, you ask?</b> It\'s sweetened with Blue Agave Nectar...just 9 grams of all-natural sweetening in this thing. 45 calories total in the drink. Pretty awesome if you ask me.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><b>Actual Experience With The Drink Please?</b><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPAiTJMyF4E/UineGILUchI/AAAAAAAABfA/2YxoqH0YKTw/s1600/IMG_20130821_115725_432.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPAiTJMyF4E/UineGILUchI/AAAAAAAABfA/2YxoqH0YKTw/s400/IMG_20130821_115725_432.jpg\" width=\"225\" /></a><u>Take a look at that drink.</u> That\'s right after pouring it into the glass. No, you don\'t have to do that - I just did it to see the color, carbonation and clarity. That fizz died down pretty quickly - FitAID is very lightly carbonated to aid with absorption of all the supplements in it. The yellow/orange color is simply a result of the ingredients - there are NO artificial OR natural things added in order to color it. No dyes, no beet juice, no nothing. That\'s just what color it ended up being. If you look closely, you\'ll notice its not crystal clear...it\'s kind of \"cloudy\". The company actually talks about this on its site, saying this is because it\'s so packed with supplements - 2343 mg of supplements and active ingredients, to be exact. They challenge you to ask why other sports performance drinks <b>aren\'t</b> cloudy (they\'re implying its because other drinks aren\'t packed with good stuff, in case you were wondering). One of the things FitAID is clear on is how large an amount of supplements is actually crammed into this little 12 oz can. Most vitamin drinks and sports performance drinks have relatively trace amounts of these things. The levels of concentration in FitAID makes it something you can take before an intense workout and <b>actually feel confident you\'re getting a boost. </b>This drink was designed by former athletes to power people through CrossFit - if it\'s good enough for them it\'s good enough for ANY workout.&nbsp;<b> In case you were worried - </b>there was no sediment in there...while it WAS cloudy, there was nothing floating, no sediment, and nothing separated out...it really was just cloudy because of how saturated with supplements it was. <b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>TASTE?</b><br />It\'s pretty yummy, I have to say. Kind of a faint orange taste, just sweet enough, not too sweet. They really nailed the taste in spite of all the nutrients they crammed in...most other performance drinks I\'ve tasted are either too sweet or too bitter/chalky...I\'d drink this for taste on an off-day. Can\'t say that about other performance drinks. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L5PKdLzgpXM/UinTi9_f-pI/AAAAAAAABd8/ZHK3YkrjEhQ/s1600/fitaidxfit2.jpeg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"165\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L5PKdLzgpXM/UinTi9_f-pI/AAAAAAAABd8/ZHK3YkrjEhQ/s400/fitaidxfit2.jpeg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br /><b>So How About The Run You Tried It On?</b><br />I was kind of an idiot that day. It was an early afternoon run - I was in an awkward post-breakfast pre-lunch time and I had not eaten enough, mainly because I kept delaying my run being distracted with other things. I also found out about a mile into the run just how dehydrated I was. I felt worn out through my run, had to walk more than usual, and was kind of slow all-around. <b>FitAID is probably the only reason I finished the run.</b> It was hot, humid, and I was dehydrated and under-nourished...I shouldn\'t have been able to make it through that. I should have had to walk all the way home. Somehow, I finished. I\'m fairly certain that FitAID is the only reason I actually made it. My muscles weren\'t fatigued (Thanks FitAID) and I had the focus, drive and determination to get it done. My problems were a direct result of being so dehydrated. I had a second FitAID after finishing the run, and I have to say I felt pretty good. After having the second drink and hydrating, it was like the run never happened (in terms of negative effects)...I felt good, great recovery. <b>Chalk up a win for FitAID.</b><br /><b></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wET4yX34CK0/UinTPdbvCqI/AAAAAAAABd0/sAOgLVl4w-U/s1600/fitaidxfit.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"281\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wET4yX34CK0/UinTPdbvCqI/AAAAAAAABd0/sAOgLVl4w-U/s400/fitaidxfit.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></b></div><br /><b>FitAID During Strength Training?</b><br />I used FitAID before my Body Beast Tempo: Chest &amp; Triceps workout. For those who don\'t know, Body Beast (by Beachbody) is a pretty intense strength training program. Tempo Chest &amp; Tri is all about the tempo with which you do the moves, up and down. You go much slower, which gives a great isolation effect on the muscle you\'re working and ends up making you feel like you\'ve REALLY hammered on that muscle. Oh, and going so slow on the reps...is <b>hard!</b> I took FitAID instead of my usual pre-workout and let me just say...<b>I Felt Like A Champ.</b> I felt the burn, I powered through the struggle, and it felt <b>great</b>. I have to admit, I was a little wary of going without my traditional N.O. boosting stimulant-filled pre-workout...but I felt great with FitAID! There\'s something to be said for a pre-workout without stimulants...it was a completely different feel to the workout. I wasn\'t working any harder, I was just deriving my power from somewhere else. It felt more...<b>natural</b>. Like I was more in-tune with my body. That\'s a great description of how I\'ve felt with my nutrition plan as a whole, so it\'s nice to experience that in my workout too. I had plenty of gas to get through the workout and the weight I was using didn\'t suffer for lack of N.O. / Stim-filled pre-workout. I had it after the workout as a recovery drink and y\'know what? <b>I\'m not sore today. </b>I feel like I worked out, but I\'m not sore. <b>Chalk up another win for FitAID.</b><br /><b></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WVYWIZmq2CQ/UixpzldGGzI/AAAAAAAABfc/lL62QPLvk1I/s1600/sealofapproval-fitaid.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WVYWIZmq2CQ/UixpzldGGzI/AAAAAAAABfc/lL62QPLvk1I/s400/sealofapproval-fitaid.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b></b></div><br /><b>So, </b>FitAID is great for runs, it\'s great for strength training...what CAN\'T this little drink do? It\'s loaded up with things your body wants, needs, craves, and even some things it might not know it needs, and there\'s <b>NOTHING </b>in it that you don\'t need or shouldn\'t have. Tastes great, designed to fuel you, and it\'s not CRAZY expensive. My recommendation? <b>Buy this.</b> No, they didn\'t pay me to say that. They just sent me a four-pack to try. Pretty brave of them, considering I could\'ve torn it apart and said it was awful. <b>They must be confident in their product</b>. Now I am too. Interested? Reach out and I can tell you all about how to get it. For any questions or comments get me at Darrell@SoTHISIsFitness.com. You can <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/fitaid\" target=\"_blank\">find FitAID on Facebook here</a>, follow them on Twitter @DrinkFitAid, and <a href=\"http://www.drinkfitaid.com/\" target=\"_blank\">visit their website here</a>. <b> </b>Be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram @SnuffyDX,<a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/sothisisfitness\" target=\"_blank\"> \"like\" the \"So THIS Is Fitness...\" Facebook fan page</a> and keep reading this blog for more updates like this and future product reviews!','Review: FitAid','','inherit','closed','closed','','104-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:13:51','2017-01-08 16:13:51','',104,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/104-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(351,1,'2017-01-08 11:14:08','2017-01-08 16:14:08','<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/getting-things-in-mocean-running-update.html\" target=\"_blank\">Yesterday I talked about</a> how <a href=\"http://www.moceancapecod.com/\" target=\"_blank\">MOCEAN Cape Cod</a> went above and beyond in their sponsorship and helped me get into <a href=\"http://www.capecod4thetroops.com/upcoming_events.html\" target=\"_blank\">a second race</a>. Today, I have more news on the same topic....<b>two more runs have been added to the calendar!</b><br /><br />People are really responding to this campaign I\'m putting forth. The more people and businesses I talk to, the more people want to back me and help me do this thing. It\'s great to have support in an endeavor such as this, and it\'s nice to know there\'s people out there that care about people getting healthy as much as I do. As far as I\'m concerned, being able to raise money for charity while doing all that is icing on the cake.<br /><br /><b>SO, two more runs in preparation for the half-marathon. </b>What are they? And who\'s backing me to run them? <br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><b>I\'m being backed by Flex Appeal Sports Nutrition </b>in Burlington, MA. <br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rysYNzjO38c/UiHVaoOS-mI/AAAAAAAABZU/l8BLboov9Ws/s1600/flex+appeal.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"300\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rysYNzjO38c/UiHVaoOS-mI/AAAAAAAABZU/l8BLboov9Ws/s400/flex+appeal.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a>They\'re a hidden gem in Burlington, MA. I actually never even knew they were there until last week. We had just left the Used Book Superstore and took a wrong turn...Megan spotted them in the plaza I was using to turn around. We decided to take a look and were greeted by a fully stocked little store. They\'ve got <b>everything</b> broken down on the shelves by category (and labeled), and they\'ve got a good selection of protein, bars, cookies, etc. I was listening to the clerk talking to people about different things and he was <b>incredibly</b> knowledgable, and my favorite part - <b>they don\'t make commission there. </b>I CANNOT overstate the importance of that. Employees of big chain nutrition stores, like GNC, make commission on certain products. Of course, they\'re going to want to sell those products, so the opinions and advice they give you is skewed...and frankly I feel like I can never trust an employee\'s advice when I go into one of those stores. Smaller, local stores like Flex Appeal...with NO COMMISSION, are <b>great. </b>I know I\'m getting an honest recommendation. If you\'re in the Burlington area (or anywhere close) check them out (282 Cambridge St.)! I\'m pretty sure they\'ve got a store in Medford too. You can check them out online at www.flexappealsportsnutrition.com <br /><br /><b>So what about these races you mentioned?</b><br /><br /><b>I know, </b>I went on for a minute there...but I think it\'s important to recognize and thank the people that help you along the journey. <b>SO - these races </b>they backed me for...there\'s TWO of them! I\'ll go in chronological order:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3NQrgcv5vI/UiHYi1aAp_I/AAAAAAAABZo/vP7Ir_HA5So/s1600/tavern+to+tavern+5k.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"131\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3NQrgcv5vI/UiHYi1aAp_I/AAAAAAAABZo/vP7Ir_HA5So/s400/tavern+to+tavern+5k.png\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>9/22/13 - <a href=\"http://taverntotavern5k.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Tavern to Tavern 5K </a>in Cambridge, MA</b><br />Oh boy oh boy...this looks like a fun one! <br /><b>So basically </b>you start this race at the Tavern In Porter Square, go out, do a loop and come back to the Tavern In Porter Square. Then there\'s beer. Who doesn\'t love beer after a race? It\'s recovery carbs (that\'s my story and I\'m sticking to it). Your registration fee for this race benefits Cambridge Rindge &amp; Latin Track and Field, so once again your entry fee is going to a good cause (isn\'t that nice?). The website says the course is flat and fast, meaning (perhaps obviously) there\'s no hills to contend with so you can turn it up and zoom along. I\'m pretty excited - this one looks like a lot of fun...and since it\'s an out-and-back course with the start/finish in the same place, if Megan doesn\'t run it with me she can be there to see me both start <b>and</b> finish...we don\'t have to pick! That was one of the most annoying things with the Falmouth Road Race - my parents trying to decide where they were gonna be...they wanted to see me running, but they wanted to see me finish (they ended up getting some prime real estate right near the finish line). <b>And the other race?</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8mjed6yfWiQ/UiM6-CDXdgI/AAAAAAAABZ4/HJY_tRjPd3Y/s1600/BF10KMRR_logo_large.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8mjed6yfWiQ/UiM6-CDXdgI/AAAAAAAABZ4/HJY_tRjPd3Y/s320/BF10KMRR_logo_large.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br /><b>10/20/13 - <a href=\"http://www.firefighters10k.com/\" target=\"_blank\">31st Annual Boston Firefighters\' Local 718 Memorial Road Race 10K</a> in Dorchester, MA</b><br /><br />Boy, that was a mouthful! This one, I have to say, looks pretty awesome as well. The race is run in memory of Boston Firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty. According to the website, the event raises money for various charities and helps fund scholarships. It also looks like they make this a pretty big event with a sizable celebration afterwards. The course is described on the site as follows: \"A 10k (6.2 miles) USATF certified course that is fast and flat, with a  great ocean view, strict course security, and electronic timing with  mile splits.\". <b>Sounds good to me!</b><br /><br />Best part is, considering this race is six days before the half-marathon, it\'s at a perfect time to be my last \"long\" run beforehand! Crazy to think, though, that I don\'t consider 6 miles a \"long\" run anymore; 3 miles is short, 5 or 6 is average, and 10+ is long. Can\'t wait for 10 to be average!<br /><br /><b>So That\'s Where I\'m At For The Next Two Months</b><br /><br />I don\'t think I\'m going to be adding any more races to my calendar - I think that\'s plenty for now. Between fundraising efforts (I\'m already brainstorming events), endurance training, my regular workouts and work...I think I\'ll be plenty busy!&nbsp;<b> </b>I\'m so excited to have the opportunity to run all these races and even more excited to be able to raise money for the V Foundation as a part of running them! If you\'re going to be at any of these races, give me a shout and we can say hi at the finish!<br /><br /><b>Let this serve as a lesson - </b>with enough determination and perseverance <b>anything is possible</b>. <b>The only limit is the one YOU set for <i>yourself</i>. </b>','2 Months, 4 Runs, One Great Cause','','inherit','closed','closed','','105-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:14:08','2017-01-08 16:14:08','',105,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/105-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(352,1,'2017-01-08 11:14:28','2017-01-08 16:14:28','A lot has happened in the last sixteen days. In order to make fundraising for The V Foundation possible I\'ve been hitting the pavement hard in search of sponsors for <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/on-to-next-one-131.html\" target=\"_blank\">my big half-marathon run</a>. I\'m happy to say...I\'ve been incredibly successful! I\'ve been floored by the outpouring of support and by all the businesses who have responded to my story and have committed to sponsoring me! I want to recognize and thank all of my sponsors and talk about how some of them have gone a step further to support me, but I can\'t do ALL of that in one post...it\'d be too long and you\'d get bored.&nbsp; Instead, let\'s talk about one particular addition to what\'s becoming <b>two months of training and races</b>.<br /><br /><b>Those who have been reading</b> \"So THIS Is Fitness...\" know that Sportclips is the title sponsor for my half-marathon run. I called that the \"platinum level\" sponsor. I have also been seeking Gold and Silver level sponsors. One of the Gold level sponsors I\'ve secured went a step further and, among other things, went beyond the \"Gold\" level, allowing me to register for another race in preparation for the half-marathon! <b>That\'s awesome! </b>What race? Who did it?<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xwqUQpmiSgA/UiANlyusqwI/AAAAAAAABY0/bGSP2Wyd-94/s1600/Mocean-Logo-22-300x102.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"135\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xwqUQpmiSgA/UiANlyusqwI/AAAAAAAABY0/bGSP2Wyd-94/s400/Mocean-Logo-22-300x102.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><a href=\"http://moceancapecod.com/\" target=\"_blank\">MOCEAN Cape Cod</a>! <b>That\'s </b>who. I poked my head in to the store one day (in Mashpee Commons, by the way), had a GREAT conversation with Ryan, the owner, and he seemed really into the blog, my story, and what I was trying to do. He threw out a lot of great ideas and hopefully late in September or early October we\'ll be able to hold a fundraising event at his store (as long as I can think one up!). He was so into everything I\'ve got going on with this that he not only signed on to be a Gold sponsor for the half-marathon, but he\'s now the title (Platinum) sponsor for another run! How excited do you think I am to add in another run to this little campaign? Yeah. So, what run is this?<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c4lueAHLlYw/UiCBA91nvPI/AAAAAAAABZE/dHx7ZaSYyPk/s1600/capecod4troops.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c4lueAHLlYw/UiCBA91nvPI/AAAAAAAABZE/dHx7ZaSYyPk/s320/capecod4troops.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>The 5th Annual Canal Run For The Troops 10K</b><br /><br />October 5th, at 10 am, I\'ll be starting what promises to be a beautiful run along the Cape Cod Canal. What a great way to spend day 2 of my birthday weekend! Turn 25 one day, go run a 10K the next. Works for me<br /><br />This run is put on by a great little organization called <a href=\"http://www.capecod4thetroops.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Cape Cod Cares For Our Troops</a>, headquartered in Brewster. I poked around their website, and they actually do a lot for Cape-based troops. You should check out their site (linked above).<br /><br /><b>There\'s something I\'d like to point out about road races:</b><br /><br />One of the nice things many people don\'t realize is that when you sign up for a road race like this, where an organization is putting it on, your entry fee isn\'t just helping to pay for the running of the event itself - <b>your entry fee is a donation to the organization</b> and the (presumably) good work it\'s doing. They plan to use the money raised from this run to send 1500 Christmas care packages to our troops deployed overseas. <b>Seems like a worthy cause to me.</b> Maybe one will make it to my cousin Joshua, <i>who knows</i>. <br /><br /><b>This Is Only Going To Continue Growing!</b><br /><br /><b>That\'s not the only run </b>I have the privilege of adding to my little campaign here, but I\'ll save the rest for another update. I\'m so excited at what this is turning into, so happy at the outpouring of support, and I can\'t wait to really get rolling with this! I want to send a BIG thanks out to Ryan and his crew at MOCEAN in Mashpee. You can find them in the Mashpee Commons at 34 Steeple St., <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MOCEANCAPECOD\" target=\"_blank\">on Facebook here</a>, and <a href=\"http://www.moceancapecod.com/\" target=\"_blank\">at their website here</a>.<br /><br />I\'ve got about two weeks until the <b>real</b> training starts. Once I get all the sponsors lined up and confirmed I\'ll get everything in order for fundraising, which will probably happen about the same time I start some serious half-marathon training! Keep an eye out for the next update - it\'ll probably be about the other runs I\'m adding in!<br /><br /><b>If there\'s one thing you learn from this</b> - let it be that anything is possible. In March I had never run before, <b>now I\'m sponsored for four races</b>. Wait...did I say four? You\'ll have to find out about the other two next time ;-) Don\'t forget to <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/sothisisfitness\" target=\"_blank\">\"like\" the Facebook</a> and <a href=\"https://twitter.com/SnuffyDX\" target=\"_blank\">follow the Twitter </a>- I post more frequent updates there - you might get some cool insider info!','Getting things in MOCEAN - Running Update!','','inherit','closed','closed','','106-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:14:28','2017-01-08 16:14:28','',106,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/106-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(353,1,'2017-01-08 11:14:49','2017-01-08 16:14:49','Let\'s have a little talk about <b>-Haters-</b>.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-80WmeXeDx6M/UhtMBo-Un6I/AAAAAAAABYI/i88hlw2LLJQ/s1600/hatersgonnahatethumb.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"225\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-80WmeXeDx6M/UhtMBo-Un6I/AAAAAAAABYI/i88hlw2LLJQ/s400/hatersgonnahatethumb.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />We all know what haters are. We all probably <b>know</b> some haters too. Odds are, many of you out there might even <b>have</b> haters of your <i>very own!</i> I\'ll go ahead and say that 90% or more of the haters out there are the people I\'m talking about in this post. Up to 10% might have a legitimate reason for hating...maybe. For the purposes of this article, let\'s assume we\'re talking about the 90% that I\'m about to describe.<br /><br />Ultimately, I have to say..<b>.I don\'t hate haters.</b> If you think about it the way I do...you can\'t help but love them just because of their very nature.<b> </b>Haters are <b>important! </b>Just not for the reason they wish they were. On this Motivational Monday morning, I think its time to talk about <b>the haters.</b><br /><br /><b>What drives a hater? What do Haters...hate? Why?</b><br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />So, before we go on...you might be wondering what exactly I mean by \"hate\". <b>What does it mean to be \"hated on\"?</b> How does someone \"hate on\" you?<br /><br />Think back to elementary school, middle school...yes even high school. The haters will <b>make fun of you. </b>The haters will <b>belittle you and your achievements. </b>The haters will try to <b>recruit others </b>to their side to make you feel like you\'re <b>all alone</b>. The haters will <b>bully you </b>and <b>badmouth you. </b>Haters will <b>spread rumors </b>about you. They\'ll try to make you feel like everything you\'re doing <b>doesn\'t matter </b>and no matter what you do, in the end you\'re <b>just a loser</b> wasting their time. <br /><br />If you\'ve seen people getting \"hated on\", you\'ve probably wondered what that person did to \"deserve it\". If <b>you\'re</b> getting \"hated on\" yourself, its probably bothering you that you <b>don\'t know why</b>! I\'m going to make this REALLY simple:<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Haters Hate Your Success&nbsp;</span></b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76T_sSFFaFU/UhtNkxLQqwI/AAAAAAAABYU/lYjvob5e8hw/s1600/hatersmeme.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76T_sSFFaFU/UhtNkxLQqwI/AAAAAAAABYU/lYjvob5e8hw/s320/hatersmeme.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>Yes. It really is that simple.</b> Haters are <b>bitter</b>. Haters are <b>jealous</b>. Haters see in <b>you</b> a reflection of everything they wish <b>they</b> were. Haters want to be able to achieve what <b>you</b> have achieved. Have you lost weight recently? <b>Your hater feels fat.</b> Have you run a race? <b>Your hater wishes they could run. </b>Your hater DID run that race? <b>You got a better time than them</b>. I\'m sure you get the point.<br /><br />I know this seems really childish and like something that belongs in grade school...but it\'s the unfortunate truth. Rather than celebrate your successes with you the haters try to wash it away and put you down. Rather than try to improve themselves and work on their shortcomings, they focus their energy on <b>bringing. you. down</b>.<br /><br />But <b>why?</b><br /><br /><b>Because the haters can\'t be bothered to do the work.</b><br /><br />Haters are often people who suffer from things like <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-inconvenience-factor-accepting.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"The I Don\'t Feel Like It Syndrome\"</a>.<b> </b>Maybe <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/defeating-demotivators-1-fear-monster.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Fear Monster</a> has them in it\'s grasp. <b>Maybe </b>they\'ve got a <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-1-napoleon-complex.html\" target=\"_blank\">Napoleon Complex</a> or <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-2-scale.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Scale </a>discouraged them so badly they just can\'t bring themselves to try anymore. <b>Maybe they\'re lost in <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/america-fat.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"America The Fat\"</a>. Or perhaps </b>they just can\'t drum up the<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/conquer-truth-about-motivation.html\" target=\"_blank\"> motivation</a> to get it done. Whatever the reason...<b>SOMETHING</b> is keeping the haters from getting what they want and being happy, and it\'s everything that <b>YOU </b>have managed to work past to reach your successes and keep on going. <b>That makes your haters very mad</b>. It <b>frustrates them</b>. People often get angry or begin to <b>hate </b>what frustrates them or what they can\'t understand.<b> </b>So since the hater can\'t get past whatever it is stopping them...the mindset becomes toxic.<br /><br /><b>If the hater can\'t have success, neither can you!</b><br /><br /><b>THAT,</b> in a nutshell, is why haters hate. If the hater can\'t be happy...if the hater can\'t lose weight...if the hater can\'t run a race, get an A+, get a girlfriend, get a promotion...<b>neither should you</b>. They <b>hate</b> seeing you get what they want. That\'s why they hate on you and try to bring you down - <b>they\'re trying to make you quit</b>.&nbsp;<b> </b>But <b>this </b>is why I <b>love </b>haters.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Haters let you know you\'re doing a good job</b></span><br /><br />Honestly, the more hate I\'m catching...the harder my haters are hating, the <b>better</b> I must be doing. If they\'re hating on me <b>that much harder</b> then I <i>must </i>be making <b>that much greater</b> of an achievement. THAT is why I said haters are so important - <b>haters are your success meter!</b> Don\'t let them drag you down or discourage you - rather, let your haters <b>be encouragement</b> to go harder. See <b>how much</b> you can make the haters <b>hate </b>you. I\'d like to hope that eventually they\'ll either <b>give up hating</b> or start backing you, but it could very well be the case that they just <b>can\'t get past</b> whatever their own problem is...and they\'ll just keep on hating. <b>So what. Let them hate. </b>Just remember what it means.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdYuObL40sc/UhtT3ipSrDI/AAAAAAAABYk/ibm6uS1uZFE/s1600/tumblr_md5tvm53DT1qmp520o1_500.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"292\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdYuObL40sc/UhtT3ipSrDI/AAAAAAAABYk/ibm6uS1uZFE/s400/tumblr_md5tvm53DT1qmp520o1_500.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />By <b>continuing to do what you\'re doing </b>you\'re sending a message to your haters:<br /><br /><b>Your Opinion Does Not Matter. </b><br /><br />Your continued success and your positive attitude lets the haters know that <b>they are powerless to stop you.</b> In the end, you should probably <b>take pity on your haters - </b>they <b>wish</b> they could do what you\'re doing but they can\'t beat their own roadblocks. They <b>can\'t plow through </b>like you have and get down the road to success.&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>Sucks to suck.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />So next time someone starts hating on you or trying to bring you down...<b>just smile at them, </b>walk away, and know that <b>you </b>are what someone else wishes they could be. <b>Don\'t let the haters get you down or stop you - let them push you and encourage you </b>to keep achieving new heights. <b>Don\'t be afraid </b>to post those <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-transformation.html\" target=\"_blank\">before &amp; after pictures</a>. Don\'t be afraid to <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-story.html\" target=\"_blank\">talk about how you got where you are.</a><br /><br /><b>Don\'t be afraid to keep becoming a better you. </b>\"Haters gonna hate\".<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Let \'em. </b></span>','Haters','','inherit','closed','closed','','107-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:14:49','2017-01-08 16:14:49','',107,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/107-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(354,1,'2017-01-08 11:15:13','2017-01-08 16:15:13','<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8n99vhRQcg/UhSlDm5MViI/AAAAAAAABWg/QjTQLWq4hWM/s1600/e-bk-easy-readers-04goldilocks-pic3-anim.gif\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8n99vhRQcg/UhSlDm5MViI/AAAAAAAABWg/QjTQLWq4hWM/s1600/e-bk-easy-readers-04goldilocks-pic3-anim.gif\" /></a></div><br />I thought I was pretty original with this one, but apparently some scientists thought they were clever too...so I guess I have to be specific in my title. I\'m sure you\'re all familiar with the story of Goldilocks, right? Goldilocks and the three bears, three of everything, one was always too cold/little, one was too hot/big, and one was just right? Yeah...today, think of us - the American People, as Goldilocks. Forewarning - this is, to some degree, going to piggyback off of <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/america-fat.html\" target=\"_blank\">America The Fat</a>, so having read that might help you understand where I\'m coming from with some of this.<br /><br />The problem we face in our society and our culture today is - we can\'t find \"just right\" like Goldilocks did.<br /><a name=\'more\'></a>That\'s not necessarily all our fault either...we aren\'t generally <i>encouraged</i> to find \"just right\". Instead, we\'re told to pursue \"too small\" or \"too big\".<br />Look at the media, at TV, at movies, at society in general...everything we see either encourages us to be (what <b>I consider</b>) too skinny or tells us that being fat is OK. The examples of \"fat being OK\" are glaringly obvious and easy to see (my opinion) as its <b>thrown in our faces </b>to make those who are fat feel better, but the \"too skinny\" message is a little more subliminal than that, so let\'s tackle that first.<br /><br /><b>What is too skinny?</b><br /><br />I assume its easy to understand what \"too big\" means, and I\'m sure many of you can visualize it...but what about \"too skinny\"? What, exactly, constitutes \"too skinny\"?&nbsp; <b>\"Too skinny\" is a stick figure. </b>\"Too skinny\" has no muscle definition and looks like you\'d blow away in a strong breeze. When I think \"too skinny\", I think of people doing whatever they can to lose weight, be \"thin\", and look as tiny as they can. Guess what weighs a lot? <b>Muscle</b>. The \"diets\" many people do in order to lose weight and achieve \"too skinny\" don\'t just make you burn fat, they also force your body to break down muscle as well. <b>That\'s not healthy!</b> If your body is at a point where it has to break down muscle, it means it is <b>malnourished</b> and not getting enough nutrients and fuel! Here\'s my prime example:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br /><b>Giuliana Rancic. </b>Those of you who watch E!, any kind of gossip news, the TV Guide channel or any kind of red carpet anything have seen this woman. So what\'s my issue with Giuliana?<br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Qp4KBMzQgc/UhS1M02xtQI/AAAAAAAABW8/U0E4zzv6qFQ/s1600/Giuliana.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Qp4KBMzQgc/UhS1M02xtQI/AAAAAAAABW8/U0E4zzv6qFQ/s320/Giuliana.jpg\" width=\"213\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Img Credit - Fame</td></tr></tbody></table>Well, for one, she\'s a perfect example of the kind of body being shown by Hollywood to women as ideal, and let\'s be honest - what we see on TV, <b>especially</b> <i>those</i> sorts of programs, is meant to be our model for ourselves. We\'re taught to idolize the famous, envy the rich and powerful, and do what we can to be more like them. That said, look at some of the celebrities we\'re either told or supposed to imply are the standard of \"attractive\" that <b>we</b> should be - Giuliana being one (who, by the way, started her own \"fitness\" website to \"help\" others get in the \"perfect shape\"...). Keira Knightley is another one - Pirates of the Caribbean anyone?&nbsp; It\'s tough to find if you go out <b>searching</b> for it, but its there and its sneaky. I had to think about it for a minute, but then I looked at some pictures of Megan Fox from Transformers, and I can\'t decide without watching the movie again, but from pictures I can see online, she definitely rides the line. What was the big reaction to her in that movie though? <b>Sexy</b>. The problem with things like that is, while she may not actually <b>be</b> \"too skinny\", women, especially teenage girls and women in their early 20\'s, want to <b>be</b> that skinny, so<b> they become \"too skinny\" as a result</b>.<br /><br /><b>I will say</b> - while this IS still a problem, its becoming <i>less </i>of a problem as we begin to demonize certain celebrities and their behaviors - certain celebrities who, in addition to drug problems and bad behavior, <i>happen </i>to also be too skinny, so that becomes bad too. As long as there are celebrities like Giuliana who are being praised, and movies showing near-toothpicks like Megan Fox in Transformers, it will still be an issue...and frankly I don\'t foresee Hollywood casting directors changing that anytime soon.<br /><br /><b>How About \"Too Big\"?</b><br /><br />I want to be clear here - when I say \"too big\", I\'m not talking about people who are riding the line and are somewhere close to being \"just right\"...I\'m talking about people who are <u>clearly</u> \"too big\". Visibly overweight. When you <b>get winded going up a flight of stairs</b>, you might be \"too big\". When <b>you can\'t see your toes over your belly</b> you might be \"too big\". When <b>you regularly put down over half a pizza by yourself in one sitting</b> you might be \"too big\". The worst part of \"too big\" is that this country is making it OK. Let me give some examples:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sbc-b1-upK4/UhTIR7XfNKI/AAAAAAAABXI/gKQhDZ2OaDI/s1600/adele+fat.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"274\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sbc-b1-upK4/UhTIR7XfNKI/AAAAAAAABXI/gKQhDZ2OaDI/s320/adele+fat.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>Some of you may be familiar with this popular recording artist - Adele. She\'s a well-known big girl and I\'ve actually read a quote from her saying she\'s not concerned about weight and being skinny - she never plans to lose weight. She basically said she could be a house but as long as she\'s making quality albums she\'s ok with that. <b>That is the wrong message to send.</b> But that\'s not <i>really </i>what I\'m talking about: Adele\'s attitude, I feel, just <i>implies</i> that being overweight isn\'t something to worry about. What I\'m talking about is much worse than that. What I\'m talking about is a culture that makes it <b>acceptable</b> to be overweight. Teaches us that everyone is beautiful and to love your body.<br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K7S7UthwIdo/UhTI3niIKjI/AAAAAAAABXQ/KtJ8Lgczw64/s1600/Fat-Amy-pitch-perfect-32534849-720-720.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K7S7UthwIdo/UhTI3niIKjI/AAAAAAAABXQ/KtJ8Lgczw64/s320/Fat-Amy-pitch-perfect-32534849-720-720.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Img credit - Fanpop</td></tr></tbody></table>Let\'s get this straight - <b>I thought Pitch Perfect was hilarious</b>. That said, now that I think about it, I have a <b>BIG</b> problem with the \"Fat Amy\" character. Basically, Fat Amy is teaching people that it\'s OK to be fat, that skinny girls (or \"twig bitches\") are mean and not to be admired, and that you should love yourself and your body regardless of your size. The movie uses her size for many jokes (both physical comedy and verbal jokes) which, of course, I would expect in a comedy. However, when you couple those jokes with the message the character is sending, you kind of <i>glorify</i> being big like that. They\'re portraying her as a strong character because she\'s overcoming adversity and being happy with herself. <b>I can\'t agree with that</b>. We shouldn\'t be teaching people that maintaining an unhealthy body fat percentage is ok. It creates health problems! High body fat percentage puts stress on your body in so many ways, it puts you at risk for heart disease, diabetes and more...<b>why are we telling people that\'s OK?</b> <br /><br /><b>I\'m gonna <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soapbox\" target=\"_blank\">get up on my soapbox</a> for a minute - this is going to be a long paragraph.</b><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pd_yBWoBcyA/UhTL-F-MQVI/AAAAAAAABXg/GGqh3CfDWt8/s1600/soapbox.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pd_yBWoBcyA/UhTL-F-MQVI/AAAAAAAABXg/GGqh3CfDWt8/s320/soapbox.jpg\" width=\"304\" /></a><b>&nbsp;</b><br /><b>Your doctor </b>should be telling you what a healthy range is and helping you figure out a plan to get healthy. Your doctor should also be describing all the health risks associated with being overweight. One of my faithful readers and members of the <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/sothisisfitness/\" target=\"_blank\">\"So Fit\" Family</a> messaged me a link a short while ago and I have to tell you it got me so fired up I wanted to pop. There are, apparently, doctors out there who are telling people <b>that it\'s OK to be fat</b>, that aren\'t making an issue of it, that aren\'t weighing you when you come in for a visit and tell you not to worry about losing weight. <b>I don\'t even know where to begin with this</b>.<br /><br />First off, a clarification - not all of the doctors on this list are internal <span></span><span></span>medicine - there is a wide variety. There are internal medicine, family medicine, naturopathic, OB/GYN, midwifery, psychologists, therapists, gastroenterologists, etc etc. What bothers me is that these are <b>doctors</b> making it <b>OK.</b> If nobody else in the universe tells you the health risks of being overweight and urges you to \"get healthy\", <b>your doctor should</b>. Frankly I think it\'s irresponsible and a violation of the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath\" target=\"_blank\">Hippocratic Oath</a> to tell people it\'s OK and to tell them they don\'t need to worry about their weight or think about losing any. When someone walks in your office door and is 400 LBS...you offer them <b>help</b>, not a mozzarella stick (there is no tall person alive tall enough for 400 lbs to be healthy...please correct me if I\'m wrong). Now, don\'t bite my head off here - I understand that many people don\'t go to the doctor because they\'re embarrassed about their weight and don\'t want to weigh in, yes I do believe these people should be able to see a doctor without having to be ashamed...but if you feel ashamed because your doctor is telling you about the health risks you\'re currently facing...<b>shouldn\'t that be a hint that you\'re not happy and it\'s time to do something about it?</b> If the doctor is being a jerk about it and is intentionally making you feel ashamed about it, that\'s another thing entirely and I <b>don\'t condone</b> that, but what we have out there is the exact opposite - doctors making you <i>feel good</i> about being overweight! That\'s something that needs to stop. Another part that gets me fired up is: some of those doctors out there who are psychologists or therapists are basically preying on those who are overweight. These doctors get the overweight to come in under the auspices of caring about them and not making their weight an issue. <b>That\'s deceptive and dirty</b>. Ok...off my soapbox...<br /><br />Add on to all of those things we just talked about the general culture of \"love your body\" \"it\'s OK to be big\" and \"be happy\" that these promote and what you have is a nation of overweight people who are empowered to pick up that chicken wing and chow down because y\'know what...<b>I\'m OK with this and it\'s OK to be big! </b>Add in <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-inconvenience-factor-accepting.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"The I Don\'t Feel Like It Syndrome\" </a>and you have a recipie for disaster.<br /><br />Y\'know...let me tell you...I was Mr. I\'m-Big-I\'m-Not-Ashamed for a while but y\'know what...when I stopped fooling myself and lying to myself...I admitted that I really wasnt\' happy. That\'s when <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-story.html\" target=\"_blank\">My Story</a> and <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-transformation.html\" target=\"_blank\">My Transformation</a> began. Don\'t forget...<b>I was a pretty big guy</b>...so on a lot of this, I\'m speaking from experience. I may have seemed happy or tried to be happy, but I really wasn\'t. It was the biggest thing dragging me down in my life.<br /><b> </b><br /><b>So What Is \"Just Right\"?</b><br /><br />Do we really know what \"just right\" is? We\'re pulled in two directions so much that many people don\'t actually find the way to \"just right\" or the tools to figure out what exactly that is. Where\'s the happy medium between \"too big\" and \"too skinny\"? Well, many would say to follow a \"body mass index\" (BMI) chart...but I\'m not sure I agree with that. BMI charts follow age and height to find what your ideal weight range is. The government website where I found a BMI chart DID make a point to say that it is inaccurate for those with an athletic or muscular build, or for those who are older or who have lost muscle weight. Not everyone who is 24 and 5\'8\" should weight the same...some are lean builds and some are athletic. <b>So BMI Chart is out. My vote </b>is to use the Jackson &amp; Pollock chart.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nJq_iaqOctk/UhTMzJvQuXI/AAAAAAAABXo/MPScp5ti340/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart2.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nJq_iaqOctk/UhTMzJvQuXI/AAAAAAAABXo/MPScp5ti340/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart2.jpg\" /></a></div><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGBM0EcTxW8/UhTNcEkvyvI/AAAAAAAABX4/XKPYemPz99k/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart3.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGBM0EcTxW8/UhTNcEkvyvI/AAAAAAAABX4/XKPYemPz99k/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart3.jpg\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>These charts, I think, hit the nail on the head. They go by age and gender, and there is a range! Lean, Ideal, Average, and Above Average. I\'m gonna go ahead and say that, since this IS \"<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/america-fat.html\" target=\"_blank\">America The Fat</a>\" that \"average\" is probably \"slightly overweight\" and \"above average\" is probably \"too big\". I\'m not sure where I fall right now because I can\'t for the life of me figure out how much pressure to use when I use my body-fat measuring calipers. I\'ll go more in-depth on this in a later article, but the basics here are: women have higher acceptable body fat %\'s than men because they have more need of it in their bodies. These charts use age because as you get older, you naturally have / need more fat in your body. Like I said, <b>this is a really REALLY basic explanation</b> but the gist here is, I think this is the chart to follow. Ask your doctor to help you figure out your body fat percentage and go from there. This is also good for those building muscle as it allows you to account for muscle in your body - notice this chart <b>doesn\'t use weight</b> as a measurement! Imagine that...<b>weight itself isn\'t everything</b>.&nbsp; I feel like <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-2-scale.html\" target=\"_blank\">I\'ve heard that somewhere before...</a><br /><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjTPjwp6uQQ/UetkdSWAiaI/AAAAAAAAA84/mALlnkHUDOk/s1600/wall-e-human.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"238\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjTPjwp6uQQ/UetkdSWAiaI/AAAAAAAAA84/mALlnkHUDOk/s320/wall-e-human.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a>\"Just Right\" is different for everyone. Some of you might want to fall into the \"ideal\" category, some of you might want to be a little more in the \"lean\" category. Just make sure if you\'re gonna go down the \"lean\" road you have some muscle in there...don\'t go down the \"lean\" road in such a way that you become \"too skinny\". I don\'t want to sound like I\'m putting down the \"love yourself\" idea, but you should be able to love yourself <b>and be healthy too!</b> It\'s all well and good that people want others to be happy, but there\'s nothing wrong with being<b> fit and healthy</b> as a means to be happy<b> </b>. All too often the \"fit\" people are demonized as the jerks, the evil ones, the people <b>putting me down for being fat. The sad truth is, </b>there are \"fit\" people out there who DO actually do that. So my advice to you is - <b>Offer help, not hate.&nbsp; </b>Part of why this whole \"love yourself, fat is OK\" thing is out there is because of \"the jerks at the gym\". Let\'s try to turn that image around, ok? Otherwise Goldilocks is never going to find \"just right\" and we\'ll end up like the humans in <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WALL-E\" target=\"_blank\">Wall-E</a>. Nobody wants that. <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>','The Goldilocks Problem - Body Image','','inherit','closed','closed','','113-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:15:13','2017-01-08 16:15:13','',113,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/113-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(355,1,'2017-01-08 11:15:39','2017-01-08 16:15:39','<b>Not sure if you\'ve noticed, </b>but there\'s a serious problem in this country. I\'m not sitting here trying to lecture people about the \"obesity\" epidemic, or spit out some figures and statistics at anyone. I\'m talking about what I see in the world around me each day. <b>What am I talking about?</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><table align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0yPuOqYgrfg/Ug46ZpYYQII/AAAAAAAABS0/wTqEworgdcI/s1600/maternal-obesity.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"178\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0yPuOqYgrfg/Ug46ZpYYQII/AAAAAAAABS0/wTqEworgdcI/s320/maternal-obesity.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">img from medicaldaily.com</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>We, </b>as a nation,<b> are fat. </b>And for the most part, <b>it doesn\'t really seem to bother us.</b> Not as long as the line at McD\'s isn\'t too long. <br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yY8cOcxnR7Q/UgywAeH6xJI/AAAAAAAABRk/Y19jxLJoVd8/s1600/fat-american.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"226\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yY8cOcxnR7Q/UgywAeH6xJI/AAAAAAAABRk/Y19jxLJoVd8/s320/fat-american.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br />The problem is - we <b>want </b>what we <b>want</b> when we <b>want</b> it. When do we want it? <b>Now</b>. What do we want? What we <b>like.</b> Don\'t worry,&nbsp; we know what we like...<br /><br /><b>Everything we\'re told to like.</b><br /><br />Sugary, salty, fatty, sweet and designed to taste so good we just. want. <b>more</b>. What foods do you see advertised on TV? What delicious delicacies are you told are so good, so <i>irresistible</i>, you simply HAVE to go out and get it <b>right now</b>? Everything <u><b>bad for you</b></u>. Fast food burgers and fries, ding dings and hoo hoos, little snack cakes, drive-in hot dogs and potato puffs you <b>don\'t even have to get out of your car for </b>brought to you by people who can <b>roll to you</b> (because why should <b>they</b> be bothered to walk if you aren\'t?) and cheese poofs that look <b>bold and daring</b> because the cheetah eating them is a <b>jerk</b>. All these awful foods are <b>glorified</b> and <i>celebrated </i>as something we are privileged to be able to have.<b> But that\'s just ONE part of the problem...</b><br /><br /><b>IN MODERATION</b>, and I mean, like, as a <b>once-in-a-while treat</b>...I suppose it could be <i>possible</i> that your health and energy level wouldn\'t suffer too much from all this stuff. Problem is we don\'t seem to understand the <i>concept</i> of moderation. I find that many people just <b>aren\'t taught limits</b>. Our bodies will <b>tell us</b>&nbsp; when we\'re full, when we are satisfied...when we are <u>sufficiently nourished</u>.&nbsp; When I was little, I was told to <b>finish my plate</b> before I was allowed to have dessert. \"Eat your food, <b>there\'s starving kids in Othercountria\"</b>. That\'s great, stick it in a box and mail it to them...<b>little-kid-me is full!</b> And <u>that</u> is the instant we are taught to ignore anything resembling a signal from our body. We also don\'t eat slowly...we just <i>inhale</i> this stuff. People eat all this awful \"food\" so fast that it doesn\'t even register with their body that it\'s<i> </i><b>in there</b>, so we miss the signals our body is still <i>trying</i> to send us.<b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>And this is a behavior that we celebrate!</b><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1plSxZlgo-c/Ug4s0485LbI/AAAAAAAABSM/FGpmWKyPvi8/s1600/moderation.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"252\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1plSxZlgo-c/Ug4s0485LbI/AAAAAAAABSM/FGpmWKyPvi8/s320/moderation.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a> <br />How many food-eating contests do you see? Food \"challenges\"? That famous American hot dog eating contest on July 4th? Where like 10 people line up on a nationally televised stage and try to shove 50+ hot dogs down their food-hole in <b>the fastest manner possible</b>? Seriously? It\'s disgusting to watch!&nbsp; I used to LOVE \"Man vs. Food\"...I thought it was <b>awesome. </b>Then over time I noticed the guy on the show seemed to be getting kind of fat. Like <b>visibly, noticeably </b>fat. Pretty soon after that there was a new show called \"Man vs. Food Nation\" where <i>he wasn\'t the one eating</i>, it was other people! Imagine that.<br /><br /><b>Speaking of portion size - </b>I was talking with a co-worker the  other day and I mentioned that I really liked the bbq chicken pizza at  such-and-such restaurant - it was REALLY good and very well-done. They  replied \"Oh, I don\'t like such-and-such restaurant...their portions are  so small!\". <b>Really?</b> Their portions are actually a pretty good size...it\'s just not the <b>overflowing platter of nom</b> that we\'re taught to expect. What a shame that\'s the expectation...the  food at such-and-such is actually really good and not the typical  get-fat-and-blow-up fare you get at most big chains.&nbsp; <br />And y\'know what makes this awful food and lack of moderation even <i><b>worse</b></i>?&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>It\'s all so cheap you can feed the wife and kids too!</b><br /><br /><b>Ten dollars </b>feeds the WHOLE family from the dollar menu! Got a <i>powerful </i>appetite <b>all on your own</b>? Get a <b>big box</b> of heart-stopping <i>tasty</i> for just $5! Want to make sure you REALLY fill up? There are plenty of buffets to choose from, some as cheap as 4.99 for endless everything! <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-Qfm0aRU6E/Ug4peJeDPYI/AAAAAAAABSE/3c1mJX7PVic/s1600/obesity-ad.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"235\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-Qfm0aRU6E/Ug4peJeDPYI/AAAAAAAABSE/3c1mJX7PVic/s400/obesity-ad.png\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br /><b>Appetite Stimulus Plan?</b> Are you <b>kidding me?</b><br /><br />This has got to be one of the top reasons, as far as I\'m concerned, that we as a nation are so fat - <b>it\'s so damn cheap!</b> I know as a recent college grad I have been broke since I was \"on my own\" in college. What happened when I got hungry? <b>I\'d find something cheap!</b> But boy was I HUNGRY! Well, I <b>was</b> taught to make sure I got my fill...Easy beans! 4 bucks at Taco Bell and I was <b>stuffed</b> for the night. Then again, that 4 bucks\' worth of food was probably more fat and calories than I should\'ve taken in for the whole day.<br /><br /><b>Another problem with all this cheap food</b> we stuff ourselves with is...it\'s <b>cheap</b>! Not just price-wise, but quality-wise too. Next time you go grocery shopping look at the ground beef. Notice that the higher the fat content (and lower the quality) the less expensive it is. The health food section, \"natural\" section...whatever they call it... is often much more expensive than the rest of the store - prohibitively expensive for many people.&nbsp; The average American can do a pretty good job eating relatively healthy, but the average American is also pretty decent at stretching a buck - so the cheap stuff makes it into the cart.<br /><br />But if you\'re feeding the family with this...that means <b>the kids are eating it too</b>.<br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6iZjQlS3ewg/Ug46XoW4ESI/AAAAAAAABSw/OdLd9BZMXJc/s1600/obesity.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6iZjQlS3ewg/Ug46XoW4ESI/AAAAAAAABSw/OdLd9BZMXJc/s320/obesity.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">img from the-menace-of-obesity.com</td></tr></tbody></table>This is one of my<b> biggest </b>problems with this WHOLE thing...we\'re teaching our <b>kids</b> that not only is eating to excess ok, but its the norm. Some of you may know, I work in a pretty big restaurant chain (over 100 locations)...and I\'m in a tourist town, so LOTS of people come in. I can\'t tell you how many <b>round</b> children I see walk in the door. ROUND! I can\'t understand how, as a parent, some people can allow their child to eat so much that they become <b>so</b> fat they\'re <i>round.<b> </b></i>Kids can\'t get their hands on that amount of food on their own, it\'s being <b>provided</b> to them. I don\'t even know what else to say...it\'s just <b><i>irresponsible</i></b> to feed your kids that kind of food that often and that much that they blow up. And this isn\'t a nutrition thing...but most of these kids aren\'t encouraged to go out and play all that much...many of these kids are the same ones who sit at one of my tables with their eyes glued to and hands surgically attached to a GameBoy or smartphone playing games. <b>Not the best way to burn off the 3000 calories your kid ate today.</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-axzMVOgSmTM/Ug42slFHkYI/AAAAAAAABSc/W-8GzYll_ck/s1600/so+hungry.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-axzMVOgSmTM/Ug42slFHkYI/AAAAAAAABSc/W-8GzYll_ck/s320/so+hungry.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>No. You\'re not. </b>You\'re <b>bored. </b>Put down the burrito!<br /><br /><b>I guess where I\'m going with all this is</b> - we need to SERIOUSLY re-examine how we as a nation behave when it comes to food. Fast food, snack food and deep-fat are so ingrained in our culture that it\'d take a pretty big paradigm shift to get truly healthy. This whole problem, coupled with the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-inconvenience-factor-accepting.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"I don\'t feel like it syndrome</a>\" is why we\'re in such a bad situation right now. However, if we take baby steps, <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/so-this-is-nutrition-basics.html\" target=\"_blank\">follow good nutrition guidelines like I\'ve talked about before</a>, and embrace healthy-eating movements we can start going in the right direction. <b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>I implore you</b> - start at home, with yourself and your kids. <b>Be conscious</b> of the foods you\'re putting in your mouth and putting on a plate for your kids. <b>Make sure</b> not too much of your food is coming from a greasy bag or box handed to you through your car window. <b>Listen to your body</b> - it will tell you when you\'re done. We eat for nourishment and to enjoy the taste, <b>not because we\'re bored.</b>&nbsp; <b>Teach your kids</b> healthy habits and the right foods to eat. <b>They\'re learning from YOU - </b>so make sure you\'re careful about what you\'re showing them.<br /><br /><b>We, as a nation, don\'t have to be fat</b>. But <b>it starts</b> at <i>home</i>. With <b>you.</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>','America The Fat','','inherit','closed','closed','','116-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:15:39','2017-01-08 16:15:39','',116,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/116-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(356,1,'2017-01-08 11:15:59','2017-01-08 16:15:59','<b>That\'s right</b>. The <a href=\"http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Falmouth Road Race</a> is over, I finished in 01:10:04, raised (so far) $2,520.00 and feel on top of the world! So what do I do? I go and register for an even bigger race. Because 7.4 miles wasn\'t enough...<b>let\'s go for 13.1</b>. This is the official announcement -<br /><br /><b>I am officially registered for the <a href=\"http://www.capecodmarathon.com/halfmara.php\" target=\"_blank\">Cape Cod Marathon Half</a>.</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2QzMewiZ9mk/UgMMzMJlegI/AAAAAAAABHU/Pd95FG9mHg8/s1600/meme-well-that-escalated-quickly.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"202\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2QzMewiZ9mk/UgMMzMJlegI/AAAAAAAABHU/Pd95FG9mHg8/s400/meme-well-that-escalated-quickly.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br /><b>But Wait...It Gets Better - I\'m Sponsored!</b><br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />Yeah, that\'s right...I have a sponsor for my race entry! How \'bout that, huh? Look at me getting all legitimate up in here. So <b>who </b>would sponsor me? <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1-2CYtLQjJA/UgobuUylIzI/AAAAAAAABO4/kDJWOMvtsGA/s1600/sportclips.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1-2CYtLQjJA/UgobuUylIzI/AAAAAAAABO4/kDJWOMvtsGA/s1600/sportclips.jpg\" /></a></div><br /><a href=\"http://haircutmeneastfalmouthma.com/\" target=\"_blank\">SportClips in Falmouth</a>. Yes, I actually get my hair cut there. <b>For those who don\'t know</b>, SportClips is a sports-themed men\'s \"haircut place\". I don\'t want to call it a barber shop, because it\'s not, and I don\'t want to call it a hair salon because that\'s not manly enough. It\'s kind of like a little man-spa. Seriously! There\'s tv\'s everywhere with sports on - in the waiting area and at each \"haircutter\"\'s chair. It\'s pretty sweet. The reason I call it a \"man-spa\"? They have this thing called the \"MVP\". It\'s 5 bucks extra and basically its like they bring back the old school barbershop thing and mix it with something...new? After your haircut you go back to \"the showers\" and get a hot towel, scalp massage / shampoo, another hot towel, facial massage - its pretty sweet. Worth the 5 bucks each month I go. If you\'re in Falmouth, check them out (they\'re next to Michael\'s and Wal-Mart). If you\'re not in Falmouth, <b>find one</b>. I used to go to Procuts or Supercutsand this place blows them out of the water. No offense if you work there (I\'m sure <b>you</b> don\'t suck) but now I don\'t have to worry about hoping I win the \"haircutter\" lottery so I don\'t look like I lost a fight with a lawnmower. Some just people shouldn\'t cut hair...<br /><br /><b>Anyway - </b>about this race!<br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YqL-qDvCT4k/UgpfT3iZtkI/AAAAAAAABPI/Ny8opORtN3A/s1600/FalmouthTrackClub11.gif\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"188\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YqL-qDvCT4k/UgpfT3iZtkI/AAAAAAAABPI/Ny8opORtN3A/s200/FalmouthTrackClub11.gif\" width=\"200\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Image from www.capecodmarathon.com</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Just so you know (in case you don\'t) - a marathon is 26.2 miles, and a half-marathon is, you guessed it - 13.1 miles. Ever see a sticker on someone\'s car that says 26.2 or 13.1? They ran one. There are many marathons throughout the country, with the Boston Marathon and the ING New York marathon being two that are both popular and nearby. The <a href=\"http://www.capecodmarathon.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Cape Cod Marathon</a> is put on by the <a href=\"http://www.falmouthtrackclub.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Falmouth Track Club</a> and has been around for a while - this is the 36th running. This year\'s half-marathon is only the third one they\'ve had, and it\'s very popular. They limit entry to 1,200 runners and from what I\'ve seen, it has filled up (early) both years they\'ve held it. <a href=\"http://www.capecodmarathon.com/maps/halfcourse.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">The course looks great</a>, and part of it is actually along the <a href=\"http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/course-information\" target=\"_blank\">Falmouth Road Race course</a>, so there\'ll be some familiar ground there. And it\'s right in town! How convenient for me!<br /><br /><b>Didn\'t you just start running at the end of March?&nbsp;You\'re gonna double your top distance again in 75 days?</b><br /><br />Well...yeah! Why not? Part of how I\'ve come so far is that I\'m <b>constantly challenging myself</b>, <b>pushing and testing my limits</b>. I don\'t know what my limit is and, frankly, I don\'t believe there IS a limit. There is only constant improvement. <b>Impossible is nothing</b>. In April I considered it an accomplishment that I made it 3 miles without stopping...now I can go 7 without stopping. By October, I\'m sure I can go further, and I have no doubt I can not only finish the half-marathon, but achieve a time I can be proud of. A while ago I said one of my goals was to run the Boston Marathon 2015...and I meant it. <br /><br /><b>And It\'s For A Good Cause, Too!</b><br /><br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-stfiSqQsbic/Ugpm2HtDjEI/AAAAAAAABPY/SwCjLK9IAyQ/s1600/JimmyVLogo.gif\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"152\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-stfiSqQsbic/Ugpm2HtDjEI/AAAAAAAABPY/SwCjLK9IAyQ/s320/JimmyVLogo.gif\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Image from www.jimmyv.org</td></tr></tbody></table>I felt great being a part of <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/pages/Team-Lanzoni/195301487166598\" target=\"_blank\">Team Lanzoni</a> and helping to do something incredible and raise so much money for Dana-Farber!&nbsp;<b> </b>I want to do it again - this time for the <a href=\"http://www.jimmyv.org/\" target=\"_blank\">V Foundation for Cancer Research</a>. The V Foundation is the official philanthropy of my college fraternity - <a href=\"http://www.deltachi.org/\" target=\"_blank\">The Delta Chi Fraternity, Inc.</a> I plan to raise and donate money to The V Foundation on behalf of <a href=\"http://www.sites.google.com/site/dxboston\" target=\"_blank\">The Boston Area Alumni Chapter of Delta Chi</a> (of which I am President). We\'ll see if I can get a team of Delta Chi Brothers and friends together to do this thing (before the half marathon fills up!). I\'m going to have to get creative to do this since I don\'t have those sweet raffle tickets Team Lanzoni gave us, but I\'m sure with the help of the <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/bostondeltachi\" target=\"_blank\">Boston Alumni Chapter</a> and my friends and family I can come up with some great ways to raise money! I\'ll be sure to let everyone know when the fundraising begins!<br /><br /><b>So Now It\'s Time To Start Training Again</b><br /><br />I feel good about this. I had such an incredible time at the Falmouth Road Race, and I feel like I can officially call myself a runner. So what am I gonna do? <b>Keep Running.</b> Keep on doing it. Keep on seeing how far I can go, how fast I can get there, how strong I can get, how much I can improve myself. The alternative is to get stagnant or maybe even lose everything I\'ve worked for, and honestly <b>that\'s not an option</b>. I didn\'t get through <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/p/my-transformation.html\" target=\"_blank\">My Transformation</a> by deciding I had reached the mountaintop - I got where I have by continuing on. So, you know where I\'m at...the question is: what are <b>you </b>gonna do?<b> </b>','On To The Next One - 13.1','','inherit','closed','closed','','117-revision-v1','','','2017-01-08 11:15:59','2017-01-08 16:15:59','',117,'http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/117-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),