It is everywhere we look. I find it fascinating that, upon discovering an insight in one corner of life, it begins to show up elsewhere. Last week, the insight was about tires. If we don’t balance and align our tires regularly, they wear out faster and the cost is impressive, both in terms of safety and expense. This week, the message is about Chi.
I am learning how to download audio books from the library. I resisted for the longest time. I am a visual person, and the idea of listening to a book instead of reading it with my eyes had little appeal. Then a friend told me how audio books added enjoyment to her long runs. With a winter training plan climbing to 2, 2.5, and 3 hours at a time on the indoor track and treadmill, I was ready to give it a try. This week’s read is Chi Running by Danny Dreyer.
My quest for injury-free running into the sunset years began with Jeff Galloway’s run-walk-run approach and continues with this read. For Galloway, safe and healthy running shifts between one type of impact and another. He offsets the tendency toward repetitive use injury by making the use less repetitive. Walking and running affect the body differently. Alternating between the two helps the body last longer.
Dreyer’s Chi Running is about energy. His approach is built on the principle that the running motion can be effortless; and, if effortless, it can also be free from harm. When our posture enables the body to support its weight on bones instead of muscles, we are properly aligned. When our gait allows forward motion to be driven by gravity instead of muscular effort, we are in balance. Chi flows through the body when alignment and balance generate relaxed motion around a stable core.
How do balance and alignment work in your life? Can you tell when they are out of whack? Does it feel different when you stop and adjust? Does energy flow more smoothly when you stand straight, look ahead, and lean into gravity? Do your body and soul appreciate the evenness of effort and reduction of impact when you relax around the core strength of both muscles and values? Check it out. Let me know.
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
When the Rubber Hits the Road
We had a big snowstorm the week before Christmas. The car was slipping and sliding more than I expected it to. The trusty Subaru always felt like a tank plowing its way through winter, but something had changed. Facing a holiday highway trip, I checked with the tire shop.
“Legally bald!” How could that be? When was it last aligned? Balanced? Oops! Without regular alignment and re-balancing, the rubber hits the road unevenly. The tires do not all aim in the same direction. They wobble. They wear. They lose their grip.
Buying new tires was a startling and costly lesson, especially during the holiday season. The silver lining has been the opportunity for reflection. It is important not only to re-balance and align our tires on a regular schedule, but also to re-balance, align, and watch for signs of wear in our lives. We will extend our lives, as well as our tread-life if we pay attention and correct course when needed.
A few weeks ago, I was slipping and sliding again. This time, it was not about tires. It was about commitments. When I volunteered to work with the Galloway marathon training program, I did not immediately see how much that new commitment would affect my life balance and alignment.
First, I needed to clear the calendar on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings for nearly six months. Then I needed to recognize the time, energy, and focus that would go into learning the program, dealing with logistics, meeting new people, working in a new partnership, preparing, following up, and staying in touch.
For a few weeks I wobbled all over the place, like a tire that has hit a pothole. Re-alignment meant connecting with my deepest values. My personal mission as a wellness coach is to support people in making positive behavioral change. My new commitment is perfectly aligned with that mission; I had made a great choice in raising my hand for this opportunity. After affirming the convergence of purpose and direction in my new project, I took steps to re-balance the larger picture, deciding that some other activities could take a back seat for now.
It is so easy to add commitments to our lives without taking the time to reflect, re-align and re-balance. Before we know it, the rubber is wearing thin in spots. We wobble, lose our grip, and skid out of control.
How does this analogy apply to your life? Are you slipping and sliding more than usual? Might you be over-committed? Does your calendar track with your values? Would you benefit from re-balancing your days to steady yourself and regain traction? Pause, step back, and take a look. Get a grip.
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
“Legally bald!” How could that be? When was it last aligned? Balanced? Oops! Without regular alignment and re-balancing, the rubber hits the road unevenly. The tires do not all aim in the same direction. They wobble. They wear. They lose their grip.
Buying new tires was a startling and costly lesson, especially during the holiday season. The silver lining has been the opportunity for reflection. It is important not only to re-balance and align our tires on a regular schedule, but also to re-balance, align, and watch for signs of wear in our lives. We will extend our lives, as well as our tread-life if we pay attention and correct course when needed.
A few weeks ago, I was slipping and sliding again. This time, it was not about tires. It was about commitments. When I volunteered to work with the Galloway marathon training program, I did not immediately see how much that new commitment would affect my life balance and alignment.
First, I needed to clear the calendar on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings for nearly six months. Then I needed to recognize the time, energy, and focus that would go into learning the program, dealing with logistics, meeting new people, working in a new partnership, preparing, following up, and staying in touch.
For a few weeks I wobbled all over the place, like a tire that has hit a pothole. Re-alignment meant connecting with my deepest values. My personal mission as a wellness coach is to support people in making positive behavioral change. My new commitment is perfectly aligned with that mission; I had made a great choice in raising my hand for this opportunity. After affirming the convergence of purpose and direction in my new project, I took steps to re-balance the larger picture, deciding that some other activities could take a back seat for now.
It is so easy to add commitments to our lives without taking the time to reflect, re-align and re-balance. Before we know it, the rubber is wearing thin in spots. We wobble, lose our grip, and skid out of control.
How does this analogy apply to your life? Are you slipping and sliding more than usual? Might you be over-committed? Does your calendar track with your values? Would you benefit from re-balancing your days to steady yourself and regain traction? Pause, step back, and take a look. Get a grip.
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Run Walk Run: Mixing it Up
Last week I shared a model of marathon training that builds endurance by alternating between running and walking. Jeff Galloway has patented his “Run-Walk-Run” program, and has demonstrated it effectiveness with beginners, elite athletes, and everyone in between. I embrace the program as I strive to extend my running habit past the challenges of age. I am also intrigued by the concept of alternating effort with recovery in other areas of life.
Our bodies function best when we push them past their current limits, just enough to challenge the system without damaging it. Weight training, flexibility, endurance, speed all improve with a cycle of exertion and recovery. Evidence is growing that recovery is the more important of the two. During recovery, the body mends micro-tears in the muscle, generates the cellular structures that produce energy, and produces neuro-chemicals that help us learn from experience to improve timing and coordination. Run-Walk-Run.
Our minds also respond well to a cycle of effort and rest. Effective mental focus lies balanced between the challenges of distraction and burnout. It is difficult to get into a concentrated effort because there are so many other things to think and do. On the other hand, when we try too hard, forcing our noses to the grindstone without rest, clarity fades and productivity wanes. In The Power of Full Engagement, authors Loehr and Schwartz recommend that we exert mental effort for 90 minutes, recovering for 30. Recovery is defined by contrast with the primary task; it can mean taking a nap or a walk, running an errand, visiting a friend, or doing a household task. Focus-Divert-Focus. Run-Walk-Run
Social and emotional well-being can also benefit from oscillation. As an introvert, I love social connection but seek alone-time to restore energy. Extraverts may need solitude to get things done, but lose momentum if they don’t interact regularly with others. It works well for most of us to move back and forth. The optimal cycle will differ from person to person. Connect-Withdraw-Connect. Run-Walk-Run.
How does the value of alternating between effort and recovery manifest in your life? Do you find yourself exhausted and injured—whether mentally, physically, or emotionally—when you neglect the power and importance of change? If you haven’t tried it, you might like it. Run. Walk. Run.
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
Our bodies function best when we push them past their current limits, just enough to challenge the system without damaging it. Weight training, flexibility, endurance, speed all improve with a cycle of exertion and recovery. Evidence is growing that recovery is the more important of the two. During recovery, the body mends micro-tears in the muscle, generates the cellular structures that produce energy, and produces neuro-chemicals that help us learn from experience to improve timing and coordination. Run-Walk-Run.
Our minds also respond well to a cycle of effort and rest. Effective mental focus lies balanced between the challenges of distraction and burnout. It is difficult to get into a concentrated effort because there are so many other things to think and do. On the other hand, when we try too hard, forcing our noses to the grindstone without rest, clarity fades and productivity wanes. In The Power of Full Engagement, authors Loehr and Schwartz recommend that we exert mental effort for 90 minutes, recovering for 30. Recovery is defined by contrast with the primary task; it can mean taking a nap or a walk, running an errand, visiting a friend, or doing a household task. Focus-Divert-Focus. Run-Walk-Run
Social and emotional well-being can also benefit from oscillation. As an introvert, I love social connection but seek alone-time to restore energy. Extraverts may need solitude to get things done, but lose momentum if they don’t interact regularly with others. It works well for most of us to move back and forth. The optimal cycle will differ from person to person. Connect-Withdraw-Connect. Run-Walk-Run.
How does the value of alternating between effort and recovery manifest in your life? Do you find yourself exhausted and injured—whether mentally, physically, or emotionally—when you neglect the power and importance of change? If you haven’t tried it, you might like it. Run. Walk. Run.
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Next Steps: Run-Walk-Run
We have read Spark. Like Sir Isaac Newton, we have noticed the difference between bodies in motion and bodies at rest. Last Sunday, we asked the question, “What Next?” Last Sunday, I experienced the answer to that question in vivid and personal terms.
In Missoula, Montana the morning dawned behind an icy fog at 8:03. In a room above the local running store, more than sixty people gathered. Their eyes held a mix of hope and apprehension, excitement and anxiety. They had registered to train for the Missoula Marathon and Half Marathon in July. Most are new to the distance. Many are new to running. Some are new to movement.
On January 18, national running guru Jeff Galloway inspired a diverse audience that filled the Wilma Theater here. His core message to us all was, “You Can Do It!” Those people at the Runners Edge on Sunday took him at his word. Some of them question their sanity in doing so, but they have invested a leap of faith in Jeff’s promise, and in themselves.
Jeff’s training for distance is kinder and gentler than average. Galloway programs begin earlier in the year and add miles more gradually. Slow running alternates with mandatory walking. The training pace is two minutes per mile slower than race pace. Beginners jog 15 seconds and walk 60; speedsters run four minutes and walk one.
Begin slowly, and slow down. How can that be a formula for success? The answer is in commitment over time. It takes a month or two longer to train for an event under this regimen than under programs. Galloway has worked with hundreds of thousands of people, developing and honing his approach. He claims an impressive high rate of success and equally impressive low rate of injury. He leads us to improve, one small step at a time.
In addition to walk breaks, the program relies on a powerful network of support. Not only does the large group train together, but smaller pace groups are formed. Pace mates ensure that everyone goes slowly and walks on schedule. No one is left behind. If someone falls behind on a given day, another member stays with them for encouragement and support.
Galloway’s marathon book pulled me into running as a mid-lifer more than a decade ago. Jeff is a master of designing training programs that work on the physical, mental, and emotional levels. Now we are offering his program in my own home town, and I get a front-row seat as co-director of the program. I am SO jazzed!
What’s next? For me it’s “run-walk-run.” What’s next for you?
In Missoula, Montana the morning dawned behind an icy fog at 8:03. In a room above the local running store, more than sixty people gathered. Their eyes held a mix of hope and apprehension, excitement and anxiety. They had registered to train for the Missoula Marathon and Half Marathon in July. Most are new to the distance. Many are new to running. Some are new to movement.
On January 18, national running guru Jeff Galloway inspired a diverse audience that filled the Wilma Theater here. His core message to us all was, “You Can Do It!” Those people at the Runners Edge on Sunday took him at his word. Some of them question their sanity in doing so, but they have invested a leap of faith in Jeff’s promise, and in themselves.
Jeff’s training for distance is kinder and gentler than average. Galloway programs begin earlier in the year and add miles more gradually. Slow running alternates with mandatory walking. The training pace is two minutes per mile slower than race pace. Beginners jog 15 seconds and walk 60; speedsters run four minutes and walk one.
Begin slowly, and slow down. How can that be a formula for success? The answer is in commitment over time. It takes a month or two longer to train for an event under this regimen than under programs. Galloway has worked with hundreds of thousands of people, developing and honing his approach. He claims an impressive high rate of success and equally impressive low rate of injury. He leads us to improve, one small step at a time.
In addition to walk breaks, the program relies on a powerful network of support. Not only does the large group train together, but smaller pace groups are formed. Pace mates ensure that everyone goes slowly and walks on schedule. No one is left behind. If someone falls behind on a given day, another member stays with them for encouragement and support.
Galloway’s marathon book pulled me into running as a mid-lifer more than a decade ago. Jeff is a master of designing training programs that work on the physical, mental, and emotional levels. Now we are offering his program in my own home town, and I get a front-row seat as co-director of the program. I am SO jazzed!
What’s next? For me it’s “run-walk-run.” What’s next for you?
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