The Race

The last man (maybe woman) standing race is coming up on October 19th. So far we have 15 entries to enjoy the misery together. We will start the race at 9:00am with a rules briefing at 8:45. The course is 4.15 miles long almost completely on the trails at angel mounds. Base camp (start and finish line) will be at the Komar's house on Polaris. The trail should be marked including mile markers (unless someone removes markings again). Here is a list of rules

1. You have 1 hour to complete 1 lap.  Anything left is yours to rest.
2. At the next hour (on the hour) we start the next lap.
3. If you are not across the finish line before hour is up, you are disqualified.
4. If you are not ON THE START LINE at the bell for start of next lap, you are disqualified.
5. All your water and food is your responsibility. Anything you want/need for the race is up to you.
6. Headphones and GPS are allowed.
7. Running off the course will result in disqualification. (Honor system)
8. Winner is the runner that completes the most consecutive laps. Time doesn't matter, only laps.

We will have a $10 entry fee with 75% of the profit going to the winner. 25% will go to the Nostradamus award winner. Each runner will predict the number of  laps he thinks everyone else will complete.  1 point will be given for each lap you are off in your prediction. Lowest point total wins. We will also average the laps predicted for each runner and he will receive -2 points for each lap that he surpasses the predicted total for him. (If average prediction for a runner is 2.5 and he completes 4 laps, he will subtract 4 points off his total prediction number for everyone else.)

This race promises to be miserable and fun at the same time. A true mental and physical challenge for  non-runners like ourselves. For an enjoyable and entertaining read, check out this blog http://ilove2runraces.blogspot.com/2012/10/2012-big-dog-backyard-ultra-death-match.html?m=1about a guy who ran the race we are basing this race off.

Good luck to all and I'll see you on race day.

Tough Mudder

Well the Tough Mudder challenge has been accepted and completed.  Congrats to all who finished (Brandon, Chris, Meggie, and myself). I am proud of every one of you for enduring the elements.Unfortunately the training for the Mudder knocked two team members out of the race.  Next year we will do it again and get Ken Smith and Susan their official Tough Mudder status.  Overall it was a great time, but very cold for those not built like a grizzly bear. We have many great stories, most of which will be embellished over the next few months, so just ask.

 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.

More warrior dash photos

Looking good (pre-race photo)

Looking better (post-race photo) 

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.

(Some say sexy, I say scary) Warrior

Warrior down!

A couple of weeks of great training.

Gotta love having "fun"!

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.

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.

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.

More inspiration

Here are a couple more of my favorite videos.

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!

Decathlon Results

		2 minute	2 minute	2 minute				145 lb.	2 minute
Male	1 Rep DL	Situps	Pushups	Box Jumps	Chins	Hang	1 Mile Run	Farmer's Hold	Burpees	Pop a Shot
Benji	405	47	57	90	22	:46	6:34	1:03	35
Brandon	435	60	51	63	32	1:25		1:47	32	47
Dan	335	54	40	65	15	:35	7:28	1:12	23
Davido	365	53	53	108	23	:49	6:41	:52	28	58
Drew	300	63	27	94	17	:42	8:01	:36	29	45
Frank	455	50	52	56	21	:42	7:44	1:27	30	56
Matt	285	34	35	67	15	1:13	7:34	:32	33	71
Michael	100	53	36	44	3	:27	7:42	-	22	56
Mills	255	58	32	69	22	:31	6:48	:25	25
Nicky	395	71	52	83	27	1:08	6:55	1:05	31	83
Sean	305	80	39	73	15	:58	6:44	:35	36
O	515	83	53	105	35			2:04
Erdy		63	36	63	8	:22	7:06
		2 minute	2 minute	2 minute				75 lb.	2 minute
Female	1 Rep DL	Situps	Pushups	Box Jumps	Chins	Hang	1 Mile Run	Farmer's Hold	Burpees	Pop a Shot
Emily	135	68	22	56	1	:23	8:33	:59	19	24
Kayla	205	80	22	54	2	:37	8:59	1:13	17	81
Lil Kayla	85	63	36	52	3	:26	11:01	-	24	30
Maria	175	55	28	48	0	:24	8:38	1:27	22	62
Megan	170	75	27	64	3	:34	8:13	1:29	22	39
Susan	220	78	32	50	9	:33	7:37	2:55	23	48

December Decathlon

The Sanctum Gym is up and running and now we are trying to be hi-tech. The results for the December Decathlon will be posted here and updated as individuals complete some of the fun.  Hopefully all will enjoy and this will be an annual tradition. (Maybe this year some of you college kids actually lifted more than the first month of school!)