For those wondering what the yellow spaghetti strings are, they are electrical wires ran on an alternating current, so you do get shocked when running through. Good times! Anyone looking for someone new and challenging, I highly recommend the Tough Mudder. Check them out online to see the race schedule.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Tough Mudder
For those wondering what the yellow spaghetti strings are, they are electrical wires ran on an alternating current, so you do get shocked when running through. Good times! Anyone looking for someone new and challenging, I highly recommend the Tough Mudder. Check them out online to see the race schedule.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Warrior Dash Complete
Congrats to all who ran in the Warrior Dash. I thought everyone did a great job. We definitely have to plan a return trip next year (possibly a new location with different obstacles). I will post more pictures as soon as I have them.
Warrior down!
(Some say sexy, I say scary) Warrior
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
2 sets of 3
I recently read The Wisdom of Wooden. It is essentially a compilation of the thoughts of John Wooden (for those who do not know, John Wooden was the coach of UCLA basketball, winning 10 NCAA championships in 12 seasons). He praised his dad for establishing good moral values in him. One of his dad's concepts was the 2 sets of 3. As some of you know, I have been doing "Daddy's School" with the kids over the summer. We tweaked Wooden's sets of three just a little and came up with our own sets to live by.
Set 1
Never lie.
Never cheat.
Never steal.
Set 2
Don't complain.
Don't make excuses.
Don't quit.
Obviously we are not perfect on the sets of three everyday, but we will continue to try. Every night I ask the kids how they did on the 2 sets of 3. Not only when they succeeded, but also when they failed.
The other day I was doing my tire mile (fun!) and Kayla (my 8 year old) wanted to run with me. After the first lap, she was only 20 feet in front of me. She complained about the run and I told her she could do better on the next lap and she did a little but not great. Later that night we were talking about what happened during the run. She made a few excuses (headphones kept falling out, trying to pace herself, etc). We discussed what it takes to make a great athlete and if she could have done better. She of course said yes. An hour later (around 7:00) the family and I were watching a movie and Kayla comes downstairs with her Vibrams and heaphones on. She walked out the front door and started trotting down the road. After the first straight away she throws the headphones at me because they kept falling out. At the end of the first lap, she starts to hobble a little bit from a blister she got the other day. I told her she could stop and she gave me a look as if I was the biggest idiot in the world. She continued down the road, finishing the mile 3 minutes faster than earlier in the morning.
This is the set of three at its best. Excuses were made. Complaints were spoken. And even though she finished the first mile, she still quit on herself. But instead of letting that go, she decided to make a change and do it over the right way. Obviously I was proud as well as inspired. Maybe even you are too.
Set 1
Never lie.
Never cheat.
Never steal.
Set 2
Don't complain.
Don't make excuses.
Don't quit.
Obviously we are not perfect on the sets of three everyday, but we will continue to try. Every night I ask the kids how they did on the 2 sets of 3. Not only when they succeeded, but also when they failed.
The other day I was doing my tire mile (fun!) and Kayla (my 8 year old) wanted to run with me. After the first lap, she was only 20 feet in front of me. She complained about the run and I told her she could do better on the next lap and she did a little but not great. Later that night we were talking about what happened during the run. She made a few excuses (headphones kept falling out, trying to pace herself, etc). We discussed what it takes to make a great athlete and if she could have done better. She of course said yes. An hour later (around 7:00) the family and I were watching a movie and Kayla comes downstairs with her Vibrams and heaphones on. She walked out the front door and started trotting down the road. After the first straight away she throws the headphones at me because they kept falling out. At the end of the first lap, she starts to hobble a little bit from a blister she got the other day. I told her she could stop and she gave me a look as if I was the biggest idiot in the world. She continued down the road, finishing the mile 3 minutes faster than earlier in the morning.
This is the set of three at its best. Excuses were made. Complaints were spoken. And even though she finished the first mile, she still quit on herself. But instead of letting that go, she decided to make a change and do it over the right way. Obviously I was proud as well as inspired. Maybe even you are too.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Warrior Dash
Check this out.
http://www.warriordash.com/register2011_tennessee.php
I thought this would be a fun thing to do. Those who complete the race get a t-shirt, a warrior helmet (think Fred Flintstone Grand Poobah hat), and a warrior feast. Let me know if you are interested.
http://www.warriordash.com/register2011_tennessee.php
I thought this would be a fun thing to do. Those who complete the race get a t-shirt, a warrior helmet (think Fred Flintstone Grand Poobah hat), and a warrior feast. Let me know if you are interested.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Pain?
Lately I have been fixated on pain. I am not for sure why, but I keep pondering the questions : What is the purpose of pain? and Why do I enjoy pain? Now for some of you the second question will confirm your opinion that I am crazy, but we will get to that later.
What is the purpose of pain?
A dictionary definition of pain is
1) physical suffering or distress
2) mental or emotional suffering or torment
Neither definition really explains the purpose of pain but definitely makes it sound like something you would want to avoid. But I think by avoiding pain we are cheating ourselves of growth.
Pain develops character
"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3-4
Look at the people that we admire in the world. The inspirational people are those who have overcome significant pain and have achieved great success (Aron Ralston, Lance Armstrong, Oscar Pistorius, etc.) The internet is filled with inspirational videos and success stories of athletes who defy the odds. We look to them and are inspired to be more, because if they can do it, then so can we. The pains and sufferings that they faced forced them to either quit and give up or perservere and be who they wanted to be. This perserverance develops an intense character that does not know how to quit and can also have hope that they can overcome anything that comes their way.
If pain develops character, wouldn't we want to experience this and push through it whenever we can. Every serious athlete has accepted pain as a normal experience. The great ones look forward to the opportunity to prove that a little pain can not deter them from a goal (Ironmans, mountain climbers, strongmen, etc).
Every one of us enjoys pain to some extent. Every time we step into the gym we are confronting a soon to be painful experience, that in the end we can either relish in the fact that we dominated that challenge or ponder why we failed to perservere. We choose to put ourselves through things that "normal" people would never understand or choose to do. If we can overcome these trials on a daily basis, when something major comes a long we will be a little more prepared for it and know how to handle the "new pain".
So maybe I am not crazy for enjoying pain, but if I am so are you.
What is the purpose of pain?
A dictionary definition of pain is
1) physical suffering or distress
2) mental or emotional suffering or torment
Neither definition really explains the purpose of pain but definitely makes it sound like something you would want to avoid. But I think by avoiding pain we are cheating ourselves of growth.
Pain develops character
"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3-4
Look at the people that we admire in the world. The inspirational people are those who have overcome significant pain and have achieved great success (Aron Ralston, Lance Armstrong, Oscar Pistorius, etc.) The internet is filled with inspirational videos and success stories of athletes who defy the odds. We look to them and are inspired to be more, because if they can do it, then so can we. The pains and sufferings that they faced forced them to either quit and give up or perservere and be who they wanted to be. This perserverance develops an intense character that does not know how to quit and can also have hope that they can overcome anything that comes their way.
If pain develops character, wouldn't we want to experience this and push through it whenever we can. Every serious athlete has accepted pain as a normal experience. The great ones look forward to the opportunity to prove that a little pain can not deter them from a goal (Ironmans, mountain climbers, strongmen, etc).
Every one of us enjoys pain to some extent. Every time we step into the gym we are confronting a soon to be painful experience, that in the end we can either relish in the fact that we dominated that challenge or ponder why we failed to perservere. We choose to put ourselves through things that "normal" people would never understand or choose to do. If we can overcome these trials on a daily basis, when something major comes a long we will be a little more prepared for it and know how to handle the "new pain".
So maybe I am not crazy for enjoying pain, but if I am so are you.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Favorite Motivational Videos
Sometimes some simple media clips will help get you the motivation you need to keep going. I sometimes watch these before some workouts that I am having trouble getting up for. Enjoy!
And for those of you that can imagine, here is one of my all time favorite commercials (the kids like it too).
Keep staying at it, you jackwagons!
And for those of you that can imagine, here is one of my all time favorite commercials (the kids like it too).
Keep staying at it, you jackwagons!
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