Green Day

Green, green, green everywhere. There’s the green eyed goblin of jealousy, or environmentally green, but today’s shade of green is St. Patrick’s Day. Culturally, people who don’t even know where Ireland is on a map and think a shamrock is a type of stone, wear green clothes, shoes and other accessories on this day. Map and botanical skills notwithstanding, my immediate heritage has no trace of Irish, but I, too, join in the green day.

My favorite green, particularly for this day, is the ever increasing green of spring. I’m outside gazing on budding trees and green patches of grass filling in a field. Birds are singing, surely a song celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, or at the very least of the immanent arrival of spring. A nice addition to it all comes as I can hear echoes of children at play in this cacophony of sounds and sights.

Still it gets better. In just a short while I’ll spin around the neighborhood for five miles or so. I can’t wait to smell the cherry blossoms along the route and to enjoy the 72 degrees forecasted for the afternoon.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day.

Tom

Run Down Dreams

Uncharacteristically, I turned on the radio while shaving. Tom Petty's “Running Down a Dream” was playing on the "classics" station. The over twenty year old song did what music does so well, it transported me across time and place. No longer was I standing in front of the mirror with my face covered with foamy shaving cream, now my legs labored, my lungs pumped and my face was drenched in sweat as I ran laps around the track at Clarkston High School.

I had just taken up the sport of running. Also, I had recently moved to Stone Mountain in a rented basement apartment. During this outing I wore headphones and listened to 96 Rock. I ran harder and harder around the 440 track as Petty blared in my ears. While zipping around, I over-identified with the lyrics. I had escaped the death trap of my old neighborhood and was running down a dream of independence and success according to my measures of the day. I didn't simply move out. I had done that years ago. This time the move took me out of the city, to the suburbs. I had a job (in a warehouse). I had not even considered attending college at this juncture. I had no greater ambitions for my employment, though I had started a fledgling non-profit organization to help the homeless. Amid all this very grown-up stuff (or so I felt), I had taken up jogging for good health. At the time, to hear me tell, life was grand!

I still believe it was back then, and I am convinced it is now. I'm also still running. I'm still dreaming and I finally finished shaving.

Chase your dreams.


Tom

Don’t be left behind

Every time I mock an exercise move or workout I end up getting my butt kicked, literally. I scoffed at Shaun T.’s Rockin’ Body and the first work out of Tony Horton’s P90X Program, only to find great fitness routines and a resulting sore body. This morning I worked out with Shannan using Debbie Siebers’ Slim in 6, Ramp It Up! Program.

At one point you get on all fours, lift one knee and extend the leg back. I questioned out loud, “Is this the move?” Shannan confirmed and noted that it reminded her of Jane Fonda exercise tapes (yes, VHS) from days of old. I snickered a little to myself at the move, not the VHS reference.

Following Debbie Siebers’ thighs and gluts segment, however, I fully felt the purpose of the simplistic moves. Throughout the rest of that day I was continually reminded of the strain. Wow, did that little set of isometric moves do a great job! It’s funny; most workouts for men do not target those same areas. Who says nice legs and behinds are just for women?

Tom

You're Correct, Mr. Bowie.

Changes. Time may change me, but I can’t change….Running not only changed my weight, it changed my outlook on life. Over the course of time that I've spent on the road I’ve come to acknowledge and really appreciate the change of seasons. Previously, fall and winter were purely an inconvenience to me. Now, I’ve come to celebrate the changes in the landscape, weather and ecosystems.

Early in the evolution of my seasonal appreciation, I took a strong liking to running near bodies of water, from creeks to oceans. On one occasion in Clearwater Beach at the end of a run I kept going right in to the water. Communing with nature for me took a profound turn when I faced my greatest natural challenge. During the early part of 2004 luck shined upon me as my name was among only 300 chosen in a lottery to participate in the Seward, Alaska, Mount Marathon Race.

Okay, luck may not be the best choice of words when referring to race. It’s a punishing event. Also, “Mount Marathon” is a bit of a misnomer as the title of the race. The race does not span 26.2 miles through the fishing town of Seward. No, this foot race goes straight up 3, 222 feet above sea level to climb the mountain now known for the race it hosts. Unfortunately, the peak acts only as the halfway point. From there runners make the perilous descent. And let me tell you, this is where the real fun begins with the steep drop offs, severe inclines, massive scree and shale fields, and pure lack of well rutted trails on the mountain.

To be sure, Alaska holds natural beauty like no other place I have visited. In this run, I didn't feel like I battled with nature, which I'm keenly aware is a skirmish that can't be won. This race, the experience of it all, took me to a place much like a spiritual revelation or nirvana. I found an appreciation for more than the seasons—for creation itself. Running the mountain was a change of pace and a change of attitude. Lord knows I can’t change Mt. Marathon, but boy did it change me.

Tom

14 Years and Running

I’m delighted to announce that the 14 years are over. I engaged in a strenuous hour plus exercise routine this morning and thereby completed another year of The Streak. The last twelve months included a number of changes in my exercise program and physical fitness; for example, I started using work out DVDs such as Insanity and P90X. As a result, I’m at my high school weight with a level of strength, endurance and leanness I have never experienced previously.

I did bust out of the home gym and run in a new place or two as well. Visiting four continents in one year wasn’t bad for a middle class educator. As much as we enjoyed the big vacations, we also had wonderful little trips to many cities in Georgia, as well as Opelika, AL; Arrington, TN; Tucson, AZ; Detroit, MI; New Orleans, LA and especially Stamford, CT.

When I was a kid my every trip out of state went sour, and I mean every trip, and terribly sour. This trend held up so much so that by age twenty I swore off out of town travel completely. I eventually broke my vow and went to South Carolina with a church group. From there I slowly increased the parameters.

As a younger man I didn’t run. I didn’t travel. I didn’t see the benefit in either. Oh, what a naïve and small little man I was. I never would have guessed I’d break out of my inch of the world, which seemed so vast and haunting. Sometimes it’s still difficult to believe it’s true. Thank goodness it is. Running, as well as running in new places, rank among the great joys of my life, past and present.

I can’t wait to see what the next twelve months have in store.

Get up. Get out. Go!

Tom

2 More Days

March 10th moves ever closer and I am astounded that 14 years have come and gone. My 14 year-old Streak began since I have been an adult, so understandably numerous life changes have taken place in these fourteen years. I completed educational degrees, held elected office, became a grandfather, radically changed my career vocation from ministry to teaching (also a ministry:-), and a host of other milestones related to responsible midlife living.

Life is grand and I’m so grateful for good health, possibilities and the world of opportunity that exists for us all. In fact, I spend many of my runs celebrating those very concepts. I’m delighted that my individual choices and the order of the Universe have allowed me the wherewithal to engage in the wonderful world of exercise every single day without fail for lo these many years.

I started blogging about exercise a little more than a year ago. I can’t express how much I enjoy thinking about and writing little blurbs related to The Streak. Many posts go unread, while others generate lots of discussion. In either case, it’s all very meaningful to me. Nowadays, I can’t imagine a world without the combination. Thanks for listening.

Find things you love and do them.


Tom

No Fitness Center. No Worries.

Ohm. Close your eyes and imagine 300 people lying on the floor of a hotel banquet room inhaling deeply at the direction of their guru. With each exhale the mass gives off a meditative “ohm.” If that hasn’t painted an interesting picture, visualize this. Upon the final expulsion of breath, the horde jointly engages is a primordial scream.

After little more than an hour of “doing our best and forgetting the rest,” breathing and making a combination of calming and creepy sounds in the savasana (corpse) position is how we ended our workout routine. Along with plus or minus three hundred people at all levels of fitness and bridging generational and racial lines, I joined this group gathered at the Sheraton Hotel in Arlington, Virginia, to exercise with Tony Horton, and to have copies of his book, Bring It!, autographed.

Horton led us in a mixture of moves from his home workout DVDs, the book and the forthcoming follow up to P90X, called MC2. During the calorie burning cross-training routine Tony encouraged wellness in mind, body and spirit. He made jokes, shared success stories, and motivated individuals as we sweated. Mostly, he really seemed to be having a good time.

We engaged in cardio, plyometric and isometric exercises. Horton made the point over and over that we only needed our bodies, a water bottle and a towel (for the steady stream of sweat) to have a really good workout. He taught us a routine that can be used anywhere at any time to engage the entire body. I enjoyed it immensely.

I openly admit to being a loner and prefer exercise options I can do individually. This day was different. I really gained a lot from the experience. I enjoyed being with like-minded people who not only appreciate fitness, but are just wacky enough to go to a hotel to tip our hats to our charismatic coach and burn a boatload of calories together.

Take a deep breath and bring it!

Tom

physical fitness pilgrimage

On January 6, 2011, P90X creator, Tony Horton, made a stop in Atlanta on his Bring It! Book tour. It took several weeks of enduring the extreme workout program, P90X, to finally make me a fan of the Horton philosophy. His muscle confusion theory makes sense and works well. His dietary restrictions, however, cause me much consternation. I get his points about food and on some level agree, but bacon, gluten and caffeine are hard habits to kick.

The Bring It! book tour includes an opportunity to work out with Tony and other fitness fanatics. If not my love for exercise, my deep appreciation for out of the ordinary events led me to reserve a space at the event. Unfortunately, that very night was the first day of the term at the college where I teach. Nonetheless, I concocted a plan to go to the Horton event. I even went out and bought the book so I could have it signed. However, my well laid plan fell short. Class ran late and I was going to be over thirty minutes late to the workout.

Not to be undone, I found another stop on the tour that fit my schedule. Horton rolled his mobile gym and bookstore into Arlington, VA, over the MLK weekend. So, I registered again, booked airline tickets, a hotel and read half the book. I feel confident this one will come together as I am writing this post on the plane and we are a few minutes outside of Washington National Airport.

More to follow on this pseudo physical fitness pilgrimage.

Tom