Networking Our Promises

A note from Dort Munder:

I was walking into Wellworks today to use the treadmill because it is now rainy and my lovely outdoor walks have to be curtailed for a few days, when I ran into W____, a woman my age who still does karate twice a week. 

She wondered why I hadn’t been in yoga for the last two weeks. 

“I’m training to do a 10K race,” I boasted, and her eyes lit up.

“Really, when?”

I thought a moment, and said, “I’m actually training to run around the block without collapsing, in hopes that I’ll do a 5K this spring, and maybe a 10k in the Fall.”

The good news. She thought that was great too. Dort

Good news indeed. It's great to see a continuing optimism and focus on the ultimate goal of this project. I suppose that it is true, as the t-shirt once claimed, "Obstacles are what we see when we take our eyes off the goal.

I've heard that it is helpful to share your resolutions with friends and family -- I've heard that gaining their support can often sustain a resolution when one's own commitment falters. So, thank you W_____ for your support and encouragement.

Meanwhile, Dort wraps up the end of the hardest two weeks this weekend. He has not, to my knowledge, missed a workout. He has created a space in his life for a sustained consistent effort. I see two things on the very near horizon:

First: I believe, the workouts will begin to get more intense. As a runner myself, I would suggest burst of fifteen-thirty seconds of running -- maybe five or six per workout, for the next couple of weeks. Again, for every body out there performing similar resolutions, I would hazard: don't add on too much too fast. You'd be begging for injury, or risking a debilitating encounter with exhaustion -- either situation can be frustrating and create doubt for your resolution. Most running advice I've ever read or heard or made up says, "Don't increase your workouts (in duration or intensity) by more than 10% per week."

Second: now that the daily routine has been created, it seems like a good time to get to the yoga studio once or twice a week in place of the daily run -- cross training, by all accounts I've ever known, improves one's running (for reasons both physical and psychological). I also believe, for a resolution such as this, it would not be slipping to replace one good workout with another. Slipping on such a resolution would look more like replacing a run with an all-you-can-eat chicken wing special and one of those 100 oz. beers some places offer.

Dort's Running Tally:

As of 011 January 2012

Days Running:12

Minutes Run: 400+

Cross Training: 1 day

Running Tip of the Day: always cross reference my advice with advice from more reputable sources.

Cross Training Day

Just for the record, that was not a photograph of Mr. Dort Munder that I shared on yesterday's post. I was not being intentionally misleading, but it occurred to me in retrospect that someone might get the mistaken impression. Apologies for any miscommunication . . . enough said?

Meanwhile. Here we are, rapidly approaching the close of the hardest two weeks of any resolution.

I hope the best for anybody out there who has undertaken a lifestyle change for the new year, and I hope folks are sticking to their resolutions. Either way, if any body has any input, please feel free to comment; let me know how you're doing with your resolutions, or join me in celebrating Dort's continuing resolve.

I did get an email message from Dort's spouse today, saying how pleased she was that he is sticking to this resolution, rather than letting life, work, etc. get in the way. I'm pleased, too. Those are the things, particularly life, that you have to watch out for when you make a resolution.

As for the workouts, Dort has continued his daily routine without faltering a step. Yesterday, I'm excited to say, he went for a 45 minute bike ride to celebrate what looks like the last of some amazingly beautiful January weather. What better way to celebrate! And I think most runners would agree that a weekly bike ride or two is a useful cross-training tool, something to be employed once or twice a week.

Dort's Running Tally:

As of 011 January 2012

Days Running: 9

Minutes Run: 300

Cross Training: 1 day

Today's Quick Tip: Red Tea, drink it.

One of These Days, You'll No Longer Be Able to Do This . . .

Today's not the day.

Resolution (Running) Tip: make yourself an inspirational sign and hang it above your running shoes. Hokey, yes, but sometimes it helps.

Entering Week Two

A series of events, including a computer crash, have prohibited my posting. I apologize to every body.

Dort has been in contact with me constantly, and, at this point, is into his second week of training. I've often felt as though the first two weeks of just about any new lifestyle (and especially working out) are the hardest. This space between an old and a new me is full of questions: can I do this? should I do this? what's going to happen? what's at stake? do I even want to do this?

And, of course, during these two weeks, when we're trying to establish a sustained, consistent effort, well, we are pounding a wedge into our normal daily routines. We have to figure out how much time we can dedicate to our resolution, when we might be able to find that time, and what's got to go for us to make this happen. Let's face it, none of us has more than 24 hours in a day, and while it might seem more difficult for a person who appears extremely busy to find space for that 45 minute wedge, all of us, even the laziest among us, have to give up something . . . even if it's an episode of our daily Dukes of Hazard rerun watching time.

Dort, for those of you who don't know, is of the variety of folks whose days are already packed. He does just about as much in any given day as any body I know -- that is, between work, family time, travel, professional development, etcetera, he does not have an easy 45 minutes to give up. But he's finding the time. One week down!

Dort and I are trying to work out the frequency of our communications and interactions, such that we keep each other sufficiently updated without overwhelming each others' inboxes. He'll be updating me about every third day or so. If something out of the ordinary should occur (if he gets hit by a meteorite upon his run, for instance), I'm certain he'll contact me immediately.

Here is an update from Dort, himself:

-          I eat too much.
-          I drink too much beer.
-          I get short of breath going up the steps in Ellis Hall. This may be asthma, but it feels crappy.
-          I’m looking at Zappos.com for Saucony running shoes. Clearly, I over-pronate.  Further advice, or should I just go for ones that look pretty?
-          I’ve just reached the point in my annual “get more fit” resolution where I would normally say “Oh my goodness, things have heated up so much at work, and the new hiring committee, and all of those applications to read, plus three writing deadlines.  I need to give something up  I know!  I’ll give up exercise for a few weeks.  I can use that time to catch up on my desk work”  But having to be answerable to you has already reaped a benefit, since I am too embarrassed to use that old excuse right now and need to keep showing will power. Peer pressure, even the gentle friendly peer pressure you exude, is a powerful thing.

So, as I say, Dort has pushed through this moment when normally the wedge simply no longer fits. These first two weeks are a pain in the ass, Dort, a royal pain. From my own personal experience and what I've seen in other folks, conventional ideas about reaching down and pushing hard and going the extra mile and "obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal" -- these ideas are great, but all good workout routines begin with a sustained, consistent effort. Developing a routine, creating a space in your life for this event, that is the first (perhaps most important) step of completing a resolution.

Way to go, Dort.

Hydration, Tally, and an Update from Dort Munder Proper

Here's an update from Dort Munder himself:

Jackson

So yesterday (Wed) I did another 35 minutes on the treadmill at Wellworks. I improved my rate, mainly by starting faster now that I’ve found a comfortable speed, to the 18 minute mile. So that is two points shaved off of Tuesday’s 20-minute mile. If my math is correct, within nine day I will be able to teleport myself instantly?

On a more serious note, I added a small incline to the tread mill, and managed to work up a medium sweat and good cardio level.  My legs are tired but not beaten.  I plan to take advantage of the sunshine these next two days and skip the gym, instead walking back and forth from home to school, which is actually 1.5 hours per day, but not brisk.  I may break out into a run at some point – we’ll see

Dort

I, of course, suggested that by next week, he'll be walking so fast, he'll be travelling back in time . . . Dort and I are both terribly funny amateur theoretical physicists -- have I mentioned that yet?

As for my serious note, this is fantastic -- at this point, we're still seeking a comfortable intensity such that we can make gains without causing injury. For anybody else interested in working out with us, I'm of the opinion that an hour and a half worth of walking will be enough of a work out for a day at this point. Later in the season, we'll see, but, again, no need to overdo it.

Also, a tip: I'm noticing my skin is becoming dry -- which is one of my indicators that I might be getting dehydrated. It took me a long time to realize how easily I dehydrate in the winter, but it happens easily when we're running in the cold, not noticing the sweat. We're living in the dry heat of our offices and homes. We're not drinking water to cool down. It happens easily this time of year . . . I'm not dermatologist, but do beware of dehydration -- it can be awful. Some signs: dry skin and lips, brown pee, headaches (I'm sure there are others, but, like I say, I'm not hydrologist).

Also I just wanted to say pee in these updates.

Two more quick things:

1. I hadn't anticipated this, but it seems to be working fine: I'll probably post Dort's workout's consistently the day after the workouts -- I think it might be overwhelming for him to get a status report over to me late each evening, and I'm certain it would be nerve-wracking for me to sit around awaiting such a note. I think it works fine anyway.

And

2. I just started keeping a running (Ha!) tally of my own running for the year, and, while my spouse refers to it as obsessive and weird, I like it.

Dort's "Running" Tally:

As of 04 January 2012

Days Running: 3

Minutes Run: 100

Make that 3 things:

3. As a long time runner, I consider each moment of these workouts "Running," as long as we're in motion. Runners do not, under any conditions, "jog" etc. If we sit to rest, rest is good, but, at this stage, what other folks might refer to as "walking," and what we might also report occasionally as walking, still logs as running.

Keep up the resolutions. If anybody has slipped, right yourself, hydrate yourself, sleep and unstress yourself, and get yourself back in stride.

2nd and 3rd Days

While I didn't post yesterday, I did hear a nice bit on the radio during my drive home from school: a local station had an "expert" on resolutions come on air to explain how to keep one's resolutions. The dj built the expert's reputation through two sets of commercials and fifteen minutes of programming. When he finally did make it on to the broadcast, the dj asked, "What advice can you give our listeners to help them with their resolutions?"

The expert responded, "Get more sleep and have more stress."

Holy crap! I thought, there is such a thing as an "expert" in resolutions, and said experts only need to know two things: more sleep, less stress.

Still, sound advice for us all, the resolved and unresolved alike.

*     *     *

Update from Dort: yesterday, he spent 35 minutes on the treadmill walking briskly yesterday. I haven't heard from him today, yet. My advice for him is the same advice for everybody out there who is taking this sort of action this time of year: don't try to add 15% to your work out every day. It's great if you go over a bit here and there, but it can be, I think, a big mistake to go too far overboard in a single workout: a lot of times this leads to feeling too pooped on subsequent days. Other times, we might feel obligated to maintain that level of intensity on subsequent days. I know, I know, it's only 5 extra minutes, and, yes, I am enormously proud of Dort for getting into such a great early rhythm, and, no, come to think of it, nobody actually asked for my advice. I just saw that I had written "expert" above, and was trying to amount to something.

I will do my best to keep every body posted every day . . . Tuesdays and Thursdays are going to be trying.

Meanwhile, 2012 has gone off without a hitch for me so far, and I'm already 1% of the way through it (did you ever find when you're writing and you include a percentage sign, you start thinking of everything in percents? No? Just me? I figured a good half (50%) of you would agree).

Keep up the resolutions, all!

Happy New Year: Here's Your Toad

If my family has a motto, it's this: "If you eat a live toad first thing every morning, it'll probably be the worst thing that happens to you all day." I thought about that expression on my way over to Dort Munder's house this morning. (We've decided on a pseudonym, such that I will feel comfortable being, as Dort says, "brutally honest in these posts" about his condition, shape, form or lacks thereof.) I thought about eating the toad, because I was thinking about the weather, yes, and running, of course, but also about the way we choose our resolutions, the way we plan to make change(s) in our lives. I think it's interesting that in our culture we have chosen New Year's Day as a starting point for resolutions.

On the one hand, it makes absolute sense to begin something with the New Year. Our entrance into 2012, we'll always remember, was also the rebirth of our running careers. It's an easy day to remember, because whatever else we believe in our lives, most folks in our culture adhere to the modern ordinal calendar. We celebrate it, in a sense, unanimously: the secular with the religious, Democrats and Republicans, East Coast and West Coast Rappers alike -- we reflect on the old and welcome the new; many of us watch a ball drop for no apparent reason, and most of us wear earmuffs for the only time this year (though we should wear them much more often). It's a perfect day to celebrate, to challenge ourselves, to resolve.

On the other hand, 01 January follows swiftly on the heels of the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and we are a species prone to feeling poopie without sunshine (I hear Vitamin D helps some folks when the sun's not as frequent as we'd like, but I'll leave the rest to the learned vitaminologists). So why do we resolve to make ourselves and the world a better place when the world is so cold and dark that the gravelly mud tracks by the side of the road are frozen, begging us to sprain our ankles on their surprisingly sharp angles?

My first guess is that we're masochists.

I say that, of course, jokingly, but there is something to it: testing the limits of our will power seems a very human thing to do. I have no doubt this is why so many folks pick New Year's Day to quit smoking after staying out at the bar until 2:15 a.m. New Year's Eve, decidedly not quitting smoking. No doubt many of us have come off a month and a half of heavy eating and spent the past day and a half miserably dieting -- Yay for us all who have done so: 2012 is going to be a great year! Yes, we challenge ourselves in these ways sometimes it seems just to see what we're capable of, what we can stand up against, how many times we can listen to "Eye of the Tiger" on repeat. So it is, in part, some sort of test for oneself, going for one's first run in three decades today the coldest windiest snowiest day so far this season.

But there is also some wisdom in my family's eating of the toad. At this point, Dort Munder and I have braved weather about as cold as would be safe to run -- in truth, we'll probably meet at a treadmill farm for subsequent runs, until the weather breaks -- if we can run today, we can run any day. We've eaten our toad. I feel good about this.

About the run proper:

The weather is cold. The roads are cold. The wind is cold. The world is cold.

Because I have been running regularly for several years, he has left the training regimen up to me. I've suggested a half hour each day for the first two weeks, because it seems like a good amount of time to get some blood flowing, to get our heartbeats raised, to break a little bit of a sweat. At the same time, we are not likely to come home too tired to make it through the rest of our lives. We have agreed that if Dort should feel some sort of pain, that we will back off -- again in his own words, "If I break anything, I'm screwed."

This sounds like good advice for anybody thinking of this new year as a chance to get in shape: trying to push past pain early in your return to fitness is often a gateway to injury. Obvious, yes, but not unwarranted advice. A lot of folks, I often imagine, are like me in that our early athletic training is competitive athletic training. For me, getting in shape meant two-a-days at cross country camp (running upwards of seventy miles), or two weeks of basketball conditioning, or everything it takes to prepare one for track season. These kinds of workouts came at a moment in my life when I could have the hardest, most intense two-hour session imaginable, and all I needed to recover was half a large meat-lovers pizza, a two liter of Mountain Dew, and a twenty-minute nap. This body that I have today . . . it's not that same body. And I am happy to embrace this limitation.

I met Dort Munder at his house this morning for a thirty minute walk / run. This is our starting point. We did not measure the distance in linear feet, rather we're going to spend the next two weeks walking / running half an hour a day. As I mentioned last post, Dort has not been a runner for three decades or better, but he is active -- he often walks or rides his bike to work; he does yoga; he plays tennis once or twice a week, so it's not as if we're starting from absolute zero.

He is, in fact, rather fit. Still half an hour was plenty for a first day, and the fact that we only ran a block was plenty, too. Dort, in the interest of full disclosure, would like for me, I'm certain, to point out that he is not as slim as he was three decades ago. He's about my height (to paraphrase one of my favorite Introduction to Creative Writing Metaphors: "About as tall as a five-foot-eleven-inch birch tree"), and he claims to weigh 250 pounds. Perhaps we'll get a verifiable reading on that at some point, but his weight today and his weight this spring are not the concern of this resolution. (He did mention that as a tangential goal, it would probably be wise for him to shed some weight: he thinks it would be better for his knees and other body parts.) And, again, as the Nature Channel once told me, "Nothing exists in isolation in the forest." Nor in our bodies. Nor in our lives.

And thus begins our resolution of 2012. Dort has agreed to keep up with the regular running, and we will meet once a week to run together (whether on tread mill or concrete), and I will post results, accomplishments, other things as they become beautiful, necessary, and true -- we'll see you all at a 5K this spring.

*     *     *

Post Script: Dort Munder ran today in jeans and a leather coat, a scarf, gloves, a hat -- it was, after all, damn freaking cold. I not this as of interest to us all, because so many of the modern world's resolutions seem more accessible to those of us who can drop $500 on running gear, double that on a gym membership, triple that for a personal trainer. But that's mostly a myth. While I do suggest a decent pair of running shoes if you're going to join this adventure, the rest of your attire can be whatever you've got on, clean or dirty. It's my running opinion that whatever you're wearing when you go for a run are, at least for the moment, running clothes. As for me, I have a pair of gray socks from my blue-collar days that I wear on my hands -- preferring those to mittens -- and, should it get any colder, I'll put on a second pair of gray socks.

This advice, I believe, extends far beyond resolving to workout. If anybody out there has resolved to write a novel, but all you got is a yellow legal pad for the holidays, start scribbling -- a good novel has never been the result of owning one's own Macbook Air.