Back to the Future

This has been the most troublesome Streak pressure I’ve ever had to think about. We have known for a year or more about our trip to Australia. At this point (15 years into the game), I'm dedicated to authenticity of The Streak. The 14 hour time difference is one thing to consider. I've managed that sort of thing in several other international trips. However, traveling to Australia presented my first time to cross the International Date Line. I really struggled with how to handle this.

In theory, Tuesday, June 12 got lost altogether. It became the day that never was as we flew over the Pacific Ocean. As I considered all the options of exercising in the airport, on the plane and so forth, it fell fresh on me when Shannan began setting her watch for the correct time and date in Australia. I decided to leave my watch alone. Thus, according to my trusty Iron Man Timex, we landed in Sydney at 6:00pm of the lost Tuesday, June 12. I took the day back, better yet, I held on to it. According to Shannan, on our return we'll have two Thursdays, both the June 28. That's just fine by me and my watch. I'll exercise twice. It won't be the first time.

Whatever the time or date, exercise!

 
Tom

Perfect Combo Part III

Ah, yes it would be  good idea to include the  routine for the Perfect Combo Workout (see below).

Do each cardio exercise (odd numbers) for one minute. Some lend themselves to gradually increasing intervals of 20 or 30 seconds. Depending on the weight or band you use for the resistance moves, complete repetitions between 8 (higher weight for strength) and15 (toning). For the two abdominal exercises (21 & 22) try to do 12 to twenty-five of each.

I realize some of the exercises listed below are not widely known. I'll follow up with descriptors for each or perhaps a YouTube clip. Until then enjoy!

1.             Tires

2.             Biceps

3.             X-jumps

4.             Swim press

5.             Skater

6.             90 degree row

7.             Plyo squat

8.             Triceps

9.             Loading dock

10.    Lawn mower

11.    Cardio run   

12.    Crazy 8’s

13.    Side kick/lunge

14.    Dips

15.    X-hop

16.    Upright row

17.    Leg chair      

18.    Chin pull-ups

19.    Corner run

20.    Wide curl

21.    Cross crunch

22.    Scissor leg lift

 

Make it your own. Exercise!

Tom

The Perfect Combo Part II

In a previous posting I mentioned my intention to piece together The Perfect Combo workout. I sought a compact routine to incorporate cardio and resistance. After a couple of drafts I came up with something and gave it a try. Blam! What a nice little workout!  I admit it's still a work in progress, but I think it gets at what I want.

I took moves from a variety of Tony Horton's canon to create this 22 move exercise routine. I gave it a test drive in Milwaukee, WI last month in a hotel fitness center. Given limited space and access to fitness materials was part to the plan. The initial workout took little over 30 minutes, 33 to be exact. Once more familiar with the sequence I believe it can easily fit in under 30 minutes.

I used bands for the resistance, and of course weights will create more intensity. I'm very happy with the outcome. The workout touches on muscles in the lower and upper body with a little core work and two abdominal exercises. This little gem gets the heart rate up, burns fat and works muscle, the Perfect Combination.

Work it all at once.
Tom

All Roads to the River

There's a John Mellencamp song I like, All Roads to the River. It's been a mainstay on my mp3 player for MANY years. I leave it especially as I go to extra effort to run by or near water when possible.  As I thought about this it dawned on me I've been fortunate to enjoy a number of glorious runs on interesting roads and splendid rivers.

Not all roads are the same. I've jogged on a Street Called Strait in Damascus. This is where the Apostle Paul had his famous life altering experience and religious conversion. Over the years I found the opportunity to run along Route 66 in four different states, a grand slice of American Pie. Being from Atlanta, I've trotted on our widely known Peachtree Street for exercise and in over 25 races. The first place I heard of New Orleans most famous thoroughfare, Bourbon Street, was in a Grateful Dead song. Everyone who has been there knows it is the land of the living. My run on Bourbon Street took place at 4:00 am to find the party still in full effect.

As for rivers, I gazed at world famous landmarks on a beautiful spring morning in April as I ran for miles crisscrossing at every bridge over London's Thames River. Unfortunately, my time was much too short in the Merry Olde City. Our Mighty Mississippi River provided a sublime backdrop for morning and afternoon runs. Running allowed me to appreciate the power and majesty of the Mississippi River in several states. Georgia's main river is the Chattahoochee. I can't count the times or the places. I can say it's always been a joy to run in parks, on paths or sidewalks near the pride of my hometown. One sand blown morning in Cairo, Egypt, like a child ripping open a gift, I sped along a channel from the Giza Plateau to the banks of the Nile River. Sometime later I ran by the Nile from the Luxor Temple to Karnak looking across at the western mountains wondering what other secrets were held and what mysteries might unfold in the Valley of the Kings. This stands out as a personal favorite.

All roads to the river, indeed. Run by water.

Tom

Religious Renaissance

I got up and exercised at 5:00 am knowing there would be no time for a walk or group run. Joel arrived at 7:00 in the morning. We didn't even sit sown for polite southern chit chat or offer him a beverage. Promptly, the three of us hurried to the car to begin our Religious Renaissance Day. Yes, it was Sunday, and we would enter a church and prayer space, but not as part of a community or for standard worship.

Our first stop came in Elberton, GA, the granite capital of the world. On a small portion of a hilltop farm (the highest point in the city) stand the Georgia Guide Stones (www.guidestones.org), a religious structure of sorts with 10 guidelines for all humanity.  If you can’t afford the two hours to drive out there, do click on the link above and read the 10 guidelines.

The next planned destination was the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers. However, along the way we passed the Farm where for 8 years an apparition of the Holy Mother Mary appeared on the 13th of each month. Of course, I pleaded and they conceded. We turned around and toured the campus. We stopped in the room of the apparitions, toured the Way of the Cross and a very interesting wooded path with busts and information about saints and other sightings of the Virgin Mary.

Finally, we arrived at the Monastery. It was as one would expect, beautiful and peaceful. We spent time in the church, walked some of the grounds, visited the new museum and spent a fair amount of time and a little money in the gift shop.

Along our drive through northeast Georgia we noticed a lot of places of worship. This Sunday morning many of them were well populated. It’s clear religion is alive and well in our part of the world.

Believe in something.

Tom

infomercial intervention

Blogs, like most other social media, work nicely as outlets for vanity and or electronic confessionals. I have practiced both. Today, I have another confession. I rarely watch television (we don’t have access to free stations or cable channels at home). Yet, somehow I appear to be an infomercial junkie. I have purchased a variety of exercise products including Supreme 90, Insanity, P90x, Shakeology and more, as well as home products such as Shark steam cleaner, Magic Bullet. Recently I ordered a Health Master Juicer. Oh the shame, I fell prey to an item marketed by none other than Montel Williams.

For years I used the Magic Bullet to make smoothies and breakfast shakes. In fact, I actually wore out the cogs on the device.  Thus, I needed something new. During the juicer infomercial I told myself the following reasons why I’m a good candidate for the Health Master and how it will be worth the money:

I will use it daily for shakes and smoothies. I’ll save money on juices, soups, dips, etc. I’ll have more uses for food (I’ll put anything in a shake or smoothie-REALLY beans, onions, broccoli stalks, tomato). Juicers promote good health.

 Now, I have this huge expensive piece of equipment. As noted in previous postings, I never spend money without a bit of whining.  That ended as soon as I received the Health Master. Day one I made organic carrot soup. YUM! It’s been a sheer delight from there.

I’m not advertising for the Health Master or advocating spending money, I’m simply using this medium to confess my infomercial weakness. It’s a good thing we don’t have television.
Eat well. Purchase wisely.
Tom

Start on the right foot

Over 15 years of exercising every single day is an interesting component of my life. I'm utterly confounded by this obsessive oddity. Often I dread the unfortunate end of The Streak. Mostly, I see The Streak as a wonderful part of my life. I've spent all of my adult life as a runner. I completely understand it's an acquired taste. 

Folks often inquire about adding running to their lifestyle. I tel them it's best to start out on the right foot by getting a professional fit for running shoes. These shoes generally cost between $80 and 120 dollars.  After some time of learning about shoes and how your feet while running, you can go to discounters and find the right shoe at a lower price.  However, it's really important to start by stabilizing your feet and keeping them comfortable, especially since they are the worker bees for runners.

Today, I strapped on my $50 shoes and met with our newly formed running group. Shoes were a topic of conversations. Many of the folks in the group are new to running. I want them to love it as I do (perhaps in a less obsessive way). So, as out of fashion as it is for me I strongly advocated visiting a specialty store to see a shoe professional for sizing and the correct shoe for their individual stride. 

Won't it be funny if we continue to get together for a run 15 years from now? It can happen. We could talk about less expensive shoes J

Get good shoes and run.

Tom

Space and Music

Running brings together space and music in more ways than one. Birds sing out before 5:00 am. What a divine way to begin a great day out in nature's space listening to her music. Space and music are the forces that often pull Shannan and me to Huntsville, AL over and over again. We have visited the Rocket City on several occasions, mostly for events at the NASA Space Center, but also to attend Sister Hazel concerts.

A Werner Von Braun exhibit at the Space Center provided the "pull" this time. Even in the "recession" the city of Huntsville has experienced significant growth in businesses and new home construction. Many of the places we have visited over the years have dramatically changed, yet the southern charm of the city remains the same.

 Over the course of the weekend we toured the Burrett Museum on Monte Sano Mountain. The view alone is worth the time. We also made our requisite stop for dinner at Gibson's BBQ. There's a lot more to Huntsville than just space and music. We need to see and do more. In our short stay, I enjoyed two fabulous runs in the beautiful city listening to the nature's song.

If not in Huntsville, run somewhere.
 
Tom