Waking up this morning to torrential rain down here in tropical South Florida, and after a week of intense training sessions that left one of my hips tight and stiff, I decided to feel my day out leaving the training program to a decision made later on. I had planned for an easy 5 mile run barefoot on grass at the beginning of the week, but with the rain and the way my body was feeling it was better that I approached today’s session with wisdom.
As the day progressed, and one thing came up after the other, swimming sounded like the best option. I grabbed my goggles and headed to the pool for a relaxing easy swim for an hour. About 7 laps in I noticed my eldest fidgeting with his goggles so I stopped to help him. After adjusting them I grabbed mine and went to put them on when, SNAP!, they broke.
My first reaction was an expletive I’d rather not write down. The next reaction was playing the blame game like, “why did my eldest get in the way”, “if I only was able to keep swimming without interruptions”, and more blah like that. As I started to shift the focus towards a solution in terms of what will I do instead, “shall I just run later”, “borrow my son’s goggles”, “go home to get a snorkeling mask”, or “just stop swimming all together”, as it was just not my day; through all this I searched my feelings and decided upon doing some breaststroke without immersing my head under water. After a few laps this was not doing it for me. At that moment, side stroke came up for me and as soon as I started down to the other side of the pool I realized why I never thought of this before as the scissor kick in side stroke is so reminiscent of a running stride, for swimming related strokes that is; it’s a perfect way to loosen up tired muscles and joints as well as getting the blood flowing with water resistance. With the freestyle stroke’s flutter kick, I mostly use my arms for distance swimming primarily working a part of my body that isn’t going to assist with me being a better runner. And, even if I kicked hard all the time, it still won’t simulate a runner’s gait. I know the cardiovascular benefits are there, but the development of sport specific adaptations are not. Now, if you have an underwater treadmill, awesome, but for the majority of people who don’t have access to one or can afford it, the side stroke is a great addition to a runner’s program. I have also used the water belt that keeps you afloat, but I dislike how my legs don’t feel anchored not being able to grab onto anything.
Putting everything into perspective, it’s never a wise course of action to stay focused on a problem, as soon as one arises shift the focus towards solutions and search your feelings during these moments as one of the solutions will be the best fit. We are all given everything we need in life as all our challenges can be handled, just be open to the opportunities that are presented by letting your spirit flow free and clear.
Hello All and welcome back! For this installment of my blog I will detail a wonderful product that I came across in the beginning of 2013. Its called Guardian Technology and its manufactured and sold by Evolving Life Innovation. What struck me first in terms of getting to know more about this product is that it reduces the impact that wireless radiation has on our bodies via use of modern day electronics (i.e. cell phones, wifi, computers, GPS watches, etc.). Now this is not a conspiracy theory, it is well documented that these types of devices have effects on our cells and the evidence continues to mount that this is a problem needing to be addressed. So, when I first heard about the Guardian Badge, which is applied to the back of cell phones or cases, I promptly ordered for my wife and myself. Now I have peace of mind when using and storing my cell phone close to my body.
Guardian Badge
The next thing I learned about Guardian Technology is that on top of absorbing a percentage of the radiation that constantly surrounds us in our modern society, it uses this as a power source to create a signature that water understands and uses to revitalize itself. In other words, stagnant and low quality water is primarily what most people drink considering day in and out water is piped to us after being chemically treated or, if you buy bottled water, that water has been sitting still (read: stagnation) losing its energy over time. Think about it this way, if you’re cooped up in a small container all day long, or longer, what will your body feel like once you try to stand? Being a runner, I immediately clicked with this as water is what I usually drink throughout the day and the more energy water has the more energy I will have. And the best part is, this water can be used for making coffee and tea, enhancing the qualities of the beverage and drawing out more of the essences. Evolving Life Innovation (ELI) made this accessible by creating lovely coasters that can be used throughout your home for all your beverage drinking needs.
Guardian Coaster
Guardian Coaster Back
Last but not least, is ELI’s Guardian Tag which can be worn around your neck or placed in a water bottle.
Guardian Tag
I have one in my glass water bottle (Note: use glass for all your sports water drinking needs as exposure of the plastic to the sun will promote leakage of potentially harmful chemicals), and I wear one around my neck.
Now it’s your turn to own one of these great products. Both my kids have tablets (a Nabi for the youngest and a Kindle Fire for the eldest) and I made sure each one has a badge on the back – I would be remiss if I didn’t state that, even with the Guardian Badge protection, you should limit kid’s use of such devices as there are other psychological effects of using them all day long. That is: Get them outdoors! 😉
Enjoy the ride!!!! 🙂
Update: All Guardian products will now be under the coMra Wave product line. A passive approach to managing your health and wellness. Purchases will be made available at coMra For All. Stay tuned as we unveil the new line and what’s next to come.
Dear lovely readers and fellow runners, today I am going to cover a very important aspect of ones training routine: the easy run. I feel inspired to cover this topic as I just ran my best and most enjoyable easy run (or run in general) ever. Not to say that I haven’t enjoyed efforts in the past or appreciated the accomplishments from hard work after the fact, it’s just that today during this barefoot, on soft grass, 5 mile 9:48 pace I was in such a lovely groove that I now truly understand why this time spent running easily is so important.
In the first place, aside from the fact that many runners are looking for better times and more accomplishments, we initially started running since this activity is so primal it brings us back to an element of our self that is easily overlooked in our modern society (i.e. when we were little kids we ran because we could). It’s like mini rewilding vacations even though one may be surrounded by a concrete jungle. For a human being, nothing is purer than running. So, the easy run is just that, a time to return to our natural roots free from the bondage of modern life without the need to conquer any goal – it’s running for the sake of running.
Furthermore, and in regards to a run training program, the easy run allows our body to recover from the harder efforts all the while still prompting the body to understand that it will need to continue making adaptations to endure the stress from running. This means, we will give it the opportunity to get stronger and faster without over doing the stress level. And if you’re a runner you know full well what over doing causes, no need to explain that.
Along with both of these points, an easy run is a great way to refresh your running drive, that deep seated passion to push the limits of our bodies and see what we are capable of.
The point is, take time to love your self and respect your body with these easy runs. Trust me, you will enjoy it to the fullest and feel refreshed and ready for your next hard efforts.
I love this statement, “make haste slowly”. An apt way to express how to develop running longevity.
This is a follow-up to the “Will Power” post I wrote some months back.
Because of the nature of my life, I regularly hear the people that I connect with speak about enjoying the journey, living in the moment, being present, etc. And these words, as great as they are, are just that, words. When faced with difficult life situations one finds it hard to embrace the now when the now is kicking you in the face, or maybe in a worse spot. LOL Basically, easier said than done.
I bring this up to touch base about the challenges I had when I wrote that previous post and how I’ve fared so far. At that time, I felt cornered with the amount of issues being felt in my body as I had recurrent injuries and noticeable discomfort muscularly that developed in rapid succession. These experiences began to weaken my mindset even to the point of considering various systemic debilitating neurological disorders that matched some of the symptoms I was feeling.
Now, throughout this recent period of my life, deep down inside, I still harbored a semblance of belief in myself and even though this belief was so faint at times to be practically unnoticeable, I still knew that one way or another this was an opportunity for me to learn. Learning is what the journey is all about. It is the process of taking the worst out of any situation one encounters and turning it into an experience of knowledge. Some might say I was overthinking the issues I was having and I will not deny the hypochondriac in me, but that is my personal learning and in that process I was able to recapitulate, with the help of my sister, of my maternal grandmother and mother’s own preoccupation with thinking the worst of physical illnesses. You see, this is part of the learning I took from the challenges that I faced and still face in some ways. Shifting the focus from feeling hard-done-by to looking for gems of learning in any situation is what constitutes embracing the journey. With each step, and as one gains proficiency in any task, we get more fluid and able to make life’s challenges more about experience and less about being a victim of circumstance.
Now I have a deeper respect for life, for my body (as I learned more about it, how it works, what works better for it, and how to love it more), and most importantly, respect for my Self, and if you ask me, this is what life is all about.
Thank you for reading and my wish is for you to also find that heart in your life, the passion that fuels your drive. And remember, Life is not a problem to be solved, but a journey to be enjoyed and experienced…..
As runners we have many different tools of our trade. From foam rollers, compression gear, lacrosse balls, physio appointments, massage therapists, chiropractors, yoga, tai chi, ice baths, supplements, high-end running shoes, coMra-Therapy and so on. In each of these we look for ways to maintain healthy and injury free to continue pursuing our passion of running.
I am now going to properly introduce you to a life changing solution that I have found invaluable in overcoming some serious injuries and running conditions that would have otherwise proved difficult to recover from. Now, knowing that a tool is just that, a tool, it’s all in the manner of how one uses such and makes the most of what is in front of them. I mention this because knowing the stubbornness of runners firsthand I need to share that life is a natural gradual process of evolution and running is no different. This means, even though coMra-Therapy will cut most injury healing times in half, compared to only using the R.I.C.E technique espoused by most, one will still need to see through proper rehabilitation strengthening exercises and appropriate rest.
Maintenance
After a day of adding some additional miles to my training regimen, I noticed an ache in my knee that made walking a bit uncomfortable. That evening I proceeded to treat it with my Delta Pro Medical Terminal as I didn’t want to take any days off for it to normalize nor did I want it to progress further. And it worked out exactly as I wanted it to as my training program continued without a hitch.
Recuperation from Injury
I recently developed my first case of plantar faciitis. One thing I’ll state upfront is that having the ability to effectively treat many of my sports’ conditions at home has made me quite bold about training through certain injuries. I do this especially in the case of grade 1 muscle strains where I’ll return the following day to running with a toned down approach in terms of a shorter stride and slower cadence all the while treating the affected area with coMra. I did the same with the plantar faciitis injury because at first I didn’t know it was plantar faciitis, being my first time experiencing it. Not knowing exactly what was the problem with my foot, I ended up training on it for 3 days one of which included a 10 mile run. This was the second day I trained on it, the first being a strength and conditioning circuit including tuck jumps and many more high impact movements. And the best part was, it was getting better! Well, that was up until I did the 10 mile run. LOL My bad!!!! After that run, I took two running days off (I cross train) and then I did a nice run set which was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Realizing that I want to have this issue heal fully, I decided to only cross train around it and treat my foot with my Delta.
A week later I ran a total of 10 miles at varying speeds. Now, to be fair, I did notice the area was a bit tender the evening of this 10 mile day and decided that on top of coMra a lacrosse ball under foot, rolling back and forth, would add an additional healing dynamic with its gentle, yet firm, rolling motions. The combination was magic! Like I mention above, the extent of a tool’s efficacy is all in the manner of how you use it. Furthermore, builders don’t just use one tool when they are constructing something. Instead, they employ an assortment of tools to accomplish their work from nails and hammers to power tools and cranes; running is no different. I liken coMra to the high-end power tools that get the job done more effectively and efficiently when used under a thorough rehabilitation program.
Family Matters
Being an active father, and married to an active woman, we have raised to very active boys. Now boys will be boys, pushing their limits to times of physical harm. Case in point is an abrasion my eldest attained by doing his natural freerunning/parkour practice at the park. The two images on the right side of this picture collage are from February 28, 2015 and March 1st, 2015 (1 day!). As you can clearly see, the healing that took place was rapid. We only cleaned the wound properly with soap and water and then administered a 3 minute treatment on the Delta 1000Hz setting. And that was all!
The 1000Hz setting is used for superficial conditions of the skin. The Delta also has a 5Hz setting – for deeper penetration, 50Hz setting for medium depth penetration, and a Variable setting which cycles through the above mentioned frequencies and where it is preferable to reach various depths.
The speedier healing time also occurs in a similar vein with internal injuries for any tear, strain or sprain. Times do vary when it comes to acute or chronic conditions and taking into account the type of tissue involved. So, be patient, give your body love and care and enjoy the ride.
How does it work?
As complex as it might sound to some, this is a simple therapeutic approach that is very easy to use. Basically, coMra-Therapy works only by supporting the body to heal itself. In other words, the body has the intelligence and the capacity to heal itself, what coMra does is provide an energetic stimulus the cells understand and use, then the work is done by the innate ability of each specialized unit of the body. This is primarily why coMra-Therapy is considered a holistic modality with no harmful side-effects. It doesn’t change anything, move anything around, or alter the body in any way. As the radiances are absorbed by the body, the most notable effect is increased ATP, the energy currency of the cells, via natural cellular metabolic pathways, and here it is plain to see how just this process alone can induce quicker healing times for an assortment of conditions.
I truly hope this information helps you become a healthier and more vibrant natural athlete. And remember, above all else, the most important part in healing, training, and life, is belief in Self, which is the true limit not the sky.
To receive 10% off your purchase of a Delta device and make an income sharing the benefits of coMra, please visit coMra For All and sign up to become an ambassador.
I wanted to share a great quote that I came across as it states how I feel right now in my journey. Sometimes when we are discouraged and feel that we have gone ten steps back, in reality we have gained so much and learned even more. So, Today, Here and Now is where we are suppose to be, and today, I encourage those who feel they have lost time to remember that it’s better late than never and to continue working towards your dream 🙂
By the time I reached this drill I had already done:
Knee Skips
Step Ups
Squat Jumps
Fast Step Ups
Skaters
Side Jumps ————>
All at 3×30 second reps with 30 second rest in between reps and drills. I followed side jumps with:
Frog Hops
Fast Turn Overs ————->
Bulgarian Squats
Planks
I did the first 3 with the same program as above and the planks are done 1 minute standard, diamond and preacher and then 30 second for each side plank with 1 minute rest in between plank sets. It was a great workout and one that had me fighting to continue after the side jumps. It felt good to push again at this level and I’m starting to really notice how my conditioning has improved with gradual and conscious steps towards higher fitness levels.
Even though I was beat after the above circuit I proceeded to do 10 strides barefoot. I did these as cool down and as feeling runs. I was searching for a smooth ride and soft touch. All in all, this was a great training session on Thursday and I’m stoked to be doing what I love!
Note:
Don’t ever stop doing what you love, if you fall, get back up, dust yourself off and get back on the horse. The only failure in life is the failure to continue the fight towards achieving your dream.
After doing an assortment of chest, triceps and shoulder lifts (core always at the end) I ended my gym work with sprint 8’s on the elliptical. If you don’t know about these then you are missing out. Oh, how I love AND hate them. It’s never a dull workout when you include it. I mentioned them in a previous post and linked to the creator’s, Phil Campbell, demo of how, why and when you should do them. Not to scare anyone, but you should really consult with a doctor before engaging in these. I know, I know, they say that for any workout routine, but sometimes that is just straight ridiculous as walking in a mall could be considered a workout routine and I don’t see anyone needing approval for that. LOL However, these, if done right, will leave you worn out by the eighth one and if you aren’t prepared then….who knows! Just look at me after I finished all eight. Take your time when it comes to building conditioning and don’t jump into things that are way above your fitness level. It’s like the signs at North Shore, Oahu, around pipeline area, “when in doubt, don’t go out”. Pushing past your present fitness level is good and it’s the way to build new and improved physical adaptations, but overdoing it can cause an assortment of issues that are unnecessary if we just learn to listen to our bodies.
Following my training session I take a protein mixture and sometimes (depending upon the intensity and duration of my session) mix it with C2O coconut water. Through research and discovery, sports scientists have determined that for optimum nutrient uptake for cellular repair (i.e. recovery: better and stronger physical adaptations) there is a 30 minute window post training session. I figure most people know this, but in case you don’t – there you have it. Also, please query it online and find the various ratios of protein:carb combos that work best for you and your particular activity. I think it’s pretty standard in a general sense across the board.
I felt so refreshed after that recovery drink that instead of driving to the post office I decided to walk. It’s about a mile and a half away, so a total of 3 miles of steady walking was extemporaneously added to my daily training log. Though I had this recovery drink and then followed it by a sandwich and popcorn for lunch, I felt like I needed another snack after I returned to maintain a caloric balance. I had a homemade yogurt parfait. So easy to make and enjoy I wonder why people even buy these pre-made to begin with. Once you mix the different parts of the parfait you have to either add unhealthy preservatives or eat it quickly. This makes making it the preferred choice for health conscious individuals. A fresh pineapple was cut, organic raisins were used in addition to shelled walnuts, raw honey and, of course, organic plain unsweetened yogurt. Its unfortunate that all they had was the low-fat variety at the time I purchased it. I prefer whole fat for all my dairy products and now science is vindicating all those who didn’t fall for the low/no fat health fad.
As I write this post I am enjoying some yerba mate. Something, believe it or not, I learned from a Turkish Canadian while living in Oahu, Hawaii. LOL!!! He’s actually a good friend of mine and an avid holistic tea maker and organic farmer living on Maui. He is really knowledgeable in organic farming practices as he has gotten his hands dirty over the past few years learning – practically – and discovering how communities can thrive via local sustainable growing techniques.
Today is an active rest day for me. Earlier, I did two Chen Family tai chi forms (Old Frame First Routine) and silk reeling exercises. I started doing tai chi when I was 21, so I am going on 13 years of keeping the mindset of the beginner.
Stillness in movement…movement in stillness
I’ve found incorporating tai chi into my routine has been invaluable in maintaining fluidity of movements with its spiraling motions. Tai chi is especially helpful for runners mainly working on linear progression. Please don’t try and learn tai chi from a video. Contact a qualified professional who can work with you in person during the first stages of your learning. Not to mention, if you want something then practice practice practice…
Before doing the form I did stake standing barefoot for some earthing/grounding. Not only do I get enhanced connectivity, while barefoot, with the earth in this way, but I also, during the form and silk reeling practice, get a more natural spiral motion off the soles of my feet along with better joint and muscle alignment.
After my tai chi practice, I had a good lunch consisted of: organic romaine, walnuts, hemp seeds, organic carrots, tuna in olive oil (Tonno Genova), red onions, tomatoes and organic popcorn – for crunch – with organic coconut oil and Himalayan sea salt. ‘Twas good and fulfilling. As you can see my coMra coaster there, on the side, is energizing the molecular structure of my water as well as increasing the dissolved oxygen count to a more natural, lively, spring like state. You can learn more about these products here.
Well, that’s enough for now. Enjoy the moment, live for a higher purpose and find contentment.
The weather was lovely today, a bit hot for my liking. It seems like winter has fled Southern Florida and we skipped spring for summer. LOL I’m crossing my fingers for a few more “winter” like days here.
My training program this day consisted of strength and conditioning for my legs and then after lunch I returned to do some swimming, sprint eights via 50yrd freestyle sprints and 50yrd breaststroke for recovery. This is a tremendous anaerobic workout and each time I do it the intensity is rough, to say the least. And that’s why I love it! Considering that each 30 second exertion must be done at 95-100% intensity level, one can understand that by number 4 the remaining speed efforts are will and belief alone. With only 1:30 for recovery between sets, this is a great engine building exercise without putting stress on the legs as a running workout would. I also enjoy sprint 8’s on the elliptical and do it this way once or twice a week depending on my need to swim more or not.
After my sprint 8 work, and for cool-down, I did kicking with my fins to loosen my leg muscles, in particular my lower leg muscles. It feels really good to cross train in this way. I think this type of kicking and the breaststroke kick would assist runners dealing with runner’s knee. The fluid movements in the water help greatly relax the knee and allow it to open up to a more natural position we all had when we were young children.
Relaxed and ready, this is next…
Round and round we go…
I remember these times. So much energy and vibrancy. I’ve seen my boys slide directly onto their knees while in play. Oh the pain! I feel we need a balance as adults. Returning to this type of life outlook with the wisdom that comes with aged experiences. These young beings are so free and open to life with gusto while we stomp around pompously and self-importantly. At playgrounds alone kids show us how to live and connect. They’ll find a peer and simply ask, “will you be my friend or lets play?” Its wonderful! Where, as adults, did we lose this aspect of ourselves?
I must say, tonight’s dinner was fantastic, thanks love!
Chicken with sauteed onions and tomatoes, fried rice, kidney beans and a Florida avocado.
I am not a calorie counter and for someone who trains as much as I do one would expect an eight pack, etc. Nah, I’m au naturale and I enjoy eating so much I don’t see the point on counting calories. I don’t plan on being a super ripped body builder and I am happy with how I look. Using the word diet for a weight loss program is silly. Diet just consists of our eating habits primarily based on our cultural experience. One person’s diet may be right for them and wrong for another person (e.g. imagine eating like the Inuit people). Find what’s right for you and enjoy it. Denial and avoidance is the path to indulgence.
Now I’m not sure I should follow that last sentence with what I ate for dessert. LOL
Homemade oatmeal bites with organic milk
There were four of them to begin with, but one of my challenges in life is to NOT eat food once put in front of me. Oh I SOOO want to dig in asap. LOL I’ve found myself literally reaching for a succulent morsel and snatching my hand back in dismay – discreetly of course – as it would have been an inappropriate thing to do at the time. I’m getting better and learning to be stronger in this respect of my life. Hey, no body is perfect and each and every one of us has a shortcoming needing to be explored and used constructively. More on that later. 😉
The next reaction was playing the blame game like, “why did my eldest get in the way”, “if I only was able to keep swimming without interruptions”, and more blah like that. As I started to shift the focus towards a solution in terms of what will I do instead, “shall I just run later”, “borrow my son’s goggles”, “go home to get a snorkeling mask”, or “just stop swimming all together”, as it was just not my day; through all this I searched my feelings and decided upon doing some breaststroke without immersing my head under water. After a few laps this was not doing it for me. At that moment, side stroke came up for me and as soon as I started down to the other side of the pool I realized why I never thought of this before as the scissor kick in side stroke is so reminiscent of a running stride, for swimming related strokes that is; it’s a perfect way to loosen up tired muscles and joints as well as getting the blood flowing with water resistance. 
With the freestyle stroke’s flutter kick, I mostly use my arms for distance swimming primarily working a part of my body that isn’t going to assist with me being a better runner. And, even if I kicked hard all the time, it still won’t simulate a runner’s gait. I know the cardiovascular benefits are there, but the development of sport specific adaptations are not. Now, if you have an underwater treadmill, awesome, but for the majority of people who don’t have access to one or can afford it, the side stroke is a great addition to a runner’s program. I have also used the water belt that keeps you afloat, but I dislike how my legs don’t feel anchored not being able to grab onto anything.
