Comments for Run, Ben. Run.

Comment on 8.9 by Ben

Ben — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:25:44 +0000

Yeah, I also managed to seriously throw my shoulder out pretty bad.

I never said I was GOOD at softball…

Comment on 8.9 by David

David — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:57:48 +0000

Dude… you’re supposed the catch the balls, not get hit by them! You’re thinking dodgeball. I don’t recommend playing that game with softballs. Because softballs aren’t.

Comment on 7.20 by David

David — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:16:18 +0000

So if you’re doing the Lazyman, let’s see some totals! Where ya at in the thing? And I am really sorry about the bike. Though maybe the bright side is that it’s motivation to get a cool new bike.

Comment on 6.14 by Nicki

Nicki — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:09:31 +0000

Perhaps its just something about the summer. My weights been going up lately too. The lazy man is a great motivation and I’m starting to try to figure out how to schedule in all of those days of workouts with some of my other work out goals such as boxing, kicking Karen’s butt at the swimming in the Tri, and getting my run time down for the 4 miler.

As far as other motivation, I personally like setting goals such as the 4-miler, tri, and anything where there is a hard deadline and unless I train I’m not going to get there.

Comment on 5.8 by David

David — Sat, 10 May 2008 17:02:18 +0000

If it was the Charlottesville Running Company that fitted your shoes, I’d still go see Ragged Mountain Running Shop. CRC did my first shoes, and even with their fancy “video gait analysis” they sold me TOTALLY the wrong shoes. RMRS fixed the problem and got me in good shoes. At the very least, let RMRS watch you run in your current shoes and offer an opinion.

Comment on 5.7 by Ben

Ben — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:51:24 +0000

Tonight at softball I think I figured out that it seems like it’s my cleats that are making my shins hurt. They dont’ seem to offer much protection from running and that sort of thing.

Comment on 5.7 by David

David — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:03:41 +0000

Definitely get new RUNNING shoes. Go to Ragged Mountain Running Shop and get fitted for the right shoes. They might cost a little more, but in the end you’ll be MUCH happier. And the right shoes make a world of difference.

Comment on 4.30 by David

David — Fri, 02 May 2008 14:27:00 +0000

Nicki said:
> I went and had a good time swimming. (Which despite what
> David says it is the best portion of the Triathlon and
> can be very calming once you get to a certain point

This is true. That certain point would be that moment right before you actually drown that I’ve heard is very calm and serene. My goal is to not actually confirm that that’s true.

Comment on 4.30 by Nicki

Nicki — Fri, 02 May 2008 14:10:23 +0000

I agree with all of what David said there and like to add that unless you have a good reason NOT to go do some exercise, just do it. Last night I looked for any excuse I could not to work out. I thought about my dentist appt, being sleepy, doing laundry, and actively searching for other ones. Yet I looked at these and all of them were kinda silly reasons not to work out so I went and had a good time swimming. (Which despite what David says it is the best portion of the Triathlon and can be very calming once you get to a certain point - which even took me a few months to get to.) Of course on the other hand, if you have to make really silly excuses to get yourself to go to the gym - that is perfectly acceptable. For a while when I started (only about a year ago) I’d not want to go but then I’d make up a reason to go like “My flatmate will be home so I might as well go to the gym.” The logic really doesn’t follow but it didn’t matter, it was enough to push me to go. Another common excuse to go was (and still is) “Well, I packed my stuff this morning and brought it with me, so it would be a waste not to use it.”

I know you can do this!

Comment on 4.30 by David

David — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:31:10 +0000

I feel your pain on the whole plateau thing. That’s where my swimming is now. Lap after lap after frikkin’ lap, and the improvement is only in tiny increments. And I’ve got a damnable 1000m swim in four weeks. Plateaus are always frustrating. I hit lots in my weight loss, too. Months-long, sometimes. But eventually they break and there’s this surge of progress. Not sure why, but that’s how it happened.

Keep looking around for something active you like to do. Cycling is a great activity now that the weather’s warming up. If you can only do a few miles to start, do that. It’s low-impact and easy on your body if your bike is fitted properly. Likewise, though I’m loathe to recommend it, swimming is also good exercise that’s low impact. I keep hoping I’ll learn to do it efficiently.

No mater what it is, though, the important thing is to do SOMETHING active. Even brisk walking is better than nothing. Sustained weight loss and fitness take a long time if you’re starting from scratch. It’s hard. Very hard. But you’ve got to do it for yourself. It’s like running is for me sometimes… some days my only thought is to just make it to the next street sign without dying. And then the next street sign. Then that mailbox. Etc. Till I’ve made it all the way (at which point I can feel proud of myself while I puke

Seriously, though, it’s a mental challenge even more than a physical one. It’s one tough day after another, till eventually it’s a little easier. It’s slow, but it’s achievable. As the inspirational tag on my RoadID says, “Success is a choice.”