Shaun Week

Greetings! Shark Week is still a month away. However, we just finished Shaun Week. Beachbody Fitness used a 7-day program from trainer, Shaun T., to promote their On-Demand channel.  Each day Shaun released a new workout inspired by his successful workout programs Insanity and Focus T 25. I’ve placed the schedule below.

The seven workouts are still available for On-Demand subscribers. Now, you can complete them in any order you like. If you work hard, days five and six can be tough. A modifier is present for all workouts.  Shaun T. was particularly entertaining in each workout. Shannan and I followed the schedule last week and enjoyed it immensely.

Any day. Any week. Run.

Tom

Reasons for Running

Greetings! It’s harsh, but after a certain age one expects icons from his or her youth to show signs of aging and to pass away. For me, that realization came in the recent deaths of Sir Roger Moore, James Bond and Adam West, Batman. I encountered quite a different feeling of aging altogether when one of the rock stars from my youth, America’s Heartland Rocker, John Mellencamp, was interviewed in the July 2017 edition of the AARP magazine. For clarity, AARP stands for American Association of Retired Persons.

Mellencamp is 65 years old and still making music and touring. In fact, his current album, Sad Clowns and Hillbillies is doing well on the Billboard Charts. In the short AARP article John mentions that he lifts weights and runs. However, he added a caveat that he exercises only because he smokes cigarettes. Mellencamp had a heart attack in 1994, rather than quitting smoking, he took up exercise.

If not for good health, then consider exercise to stave off ill effects of other choices or vices.

We can’t out run time. We can run!

Tom

Here is a link to the article: http://www.aarp.org/entertainment/music/info-2017/john-mellencamp-what-i-know-now.html 

Odd Running

Greetings! We recently visited the Chicago. Weather reports prior to our visit projected chilly and rainy days. Both counts turned out to be incorrect, and we were delighted about it. We drove along the lake shore a number of times during the trip, however, our schedule didn’t allow for a run in that fantastic location.  Every time we passed by MANY runners were out striding along Lake Michigan. Saturday morning hosted the most runners by far.  As we drove along it seemed sort of odd to see do many folks on the move.

If you think about it for a moment, it really is a funny thing we do as runners. I’ve many times talked about the plethora of benefits of running. However, watching people running to and fro, and not as a means of transportation, tickled me a bit. I struggle to articulate why that is the case. Perhaps it will be clear to you. Next time you’re near a popular jogging spot take a moment and just watch the runners. 

Be different. Run.

Tom

Have a Plan

Greetings! I read a page on the Beachbody on Demand website. They have a “workout of the day” schedule. Each day the site promotes different Beachbody programs with a rotating workout from the various trainers. It’s a good marketing strategy, for sure. I like the full body approach to the plan. Here is their weekly schedule:

Monday: Plyo

Tuesday: Upper Body

Wednesday: Cardio+Core

Thursday: Yoga/Pilates/Recover/Stretch/Rest

Friday: Lower Body

Saturday: Cardio

Sunday: Total Body Resistance

Of late I have roughly followed this schedule. I run as a substitute for the stretch/recovery and cardio days. It’s been fun to pull out some of the old DVDs I haven’t used in a while. I certainly can feel some of the specific muscle groups that I have not been isolated in some time.

Not everyone wants to or should exercise every day. However, I encourage you to aim for five days a week. Also, take a cue from Beachbody and add variety to your workouts. There are two distinct benefits. The first is not to overwork one area or your body, and the other is to add variety to your exercise program.

Keep it Fresh. Run.

Tom

Parks and Paths

Greetings! Let the good time roll. In the most recent post, I celebrated path extensions in a local park. This type of discovery remains a happy trend. I found the same true for small parks in Acworth and Dallas. Both of these parks are close to a campus where I teach. I hadn’t stopped in the Dallas park for a run in over a year. Since that time a labyrinth of trails have been carved out in the woods and winding around a couple of hills. During my run, I saw a variety of wildlife, including a turtle. Mountain bikers are welcome on the paths, which are fairly demanding.

In Acworth, the city built a new park next to an existing one and joined the two with a bridge. The two tracks are very nice with lots of open green space in the middle. There are restrooms at both, along with extensions of the paved trails for each. The extensions make for very nice connectors to downtown and other small parks. One nice bit is in the process of building the new park, a swampy area was drained. This created a path for running along the utility easement.

Local governments are doing a fair share to make it easy to get out and exercise. So do it. Run.

Tom

Truth in Advertising

Greetings! Some years ago, I ran in a local park which advertised having nice running trails. There was one wooded trail. Albeit it a good trail, and close to a water fowl filled pond, the loop was barely a third of a mile. Recently, as part of a longer run, I ducked back into that part of the park. I encountered a great surprise. The park now really does have multiple trails. In the years since I last ran there, signs have been added for three additional loops. The existing trail now has a couple of extensions. 

Thanks and kudos to the city and county for fantastic work. I have no idea how long the new trails have been in place, but I’m very happy I know now. 

Explore the Known. Run.

Tom

Long Life Running

Greetings! Consumer Advocate, Clark Howard, gave a teaser during the morning news radio broadcast. He mentioned something most people can do to add length and wellness to life. It worked, I listened through the next segment to hear his report. Clark briefly discussed a recently published article suggesting even with as little as five minutes a day, running can improve your overall health and add time to your life.  

I located the article online and have included the link below. It’s an interesting read. Of course, I am biased as a long-time runner, nonetheless, the data is compelling, and I’m fond of the outcomes.  

  

Enjoy: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/12/well/move/an-hour-of-running-may-add-seven-hours-to-you r-life.html?_r=0  

  

 Tom 

  

Purchase my new bedtime story for the digital age, Good Night Alexa, at this link. 

Thanks for your support!! ~ Tom