"Tis the season to be jolly..." and tired, and broke, and bloated and stressed. It seems our culture tends to perpetuate a need to be busy and hurried in December. While I don't want to be a scrooge or grinch I do try to avoid falling prey to this seasonal pressure. If my time is limited, internet shopping offers me convenience and comparison pricing from the comfort of my home. Although I sometimes wish I was more outgoing the reality is I am an introvert; I can decline a holiday party and opt for an evening at home without much regret. I love this season for the snow, the Nativity, the lights, the Christmas tree, and especially this year the anticipation of my brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law visiting us from Atlanta.
For me personally, there are responsibilities in life that year-round, if not vigilant, result in a persistent undercurrent of stress. I once heard a physician make an analogy between our lives and starting an outdoor grill. In order to light the grill we need charcoal, a match or lighter, and a healthy dose of air; i.e. we cup our hands and breathe on the spark to ignite the fire. Figuratively speaking there are times we "breathe" more for the people around us than for ourselves. We encourage, instruct, and direct our kids to ensure they are meeting academic standards. Sometimes we fan the spark at work to meet company expectations. Often we fan the flames for our partners absorbing the areas that cause them stress through being a considerate listener, completing daily chores, or simply praising and respecting their efforts. Regardless of where you are directing your breath, air and effort; there comes a point when you see your own fire has somehow been extinguished...the spark is gone.
So where do you go to reignite this spark which generates a flame? Perhaps you thrive on relationships and a night out with friends reinvigorates your life; maybe you have discovered that a massage helps you to release tension and feel more balanced; perhaps you are like me and find completing a vigorous run clears your mind and re-establishes a sense of strength.
Dara Torres, awesome two-time Olympian in both her 20's and 40's (three-time silver medalist in her 40's and coming back for more!) said recently in a Sports Illustrated article that music drives her training---she doesn't hear the words but instead feels the tempo. Granted, Torres has an amazing training team: head coach, sprint coach, strengthening coach, two "stretchors", a masseuse and nanny but she still "works" harder at her job than most any athlete I know. If selecting songs with upbeat, driving tempos assist her in her goals then it certainly should influence my novice training as well.
When I think back to my Auburn college days I am reminded of the Supper Club, a small hole-in-the wall bar, off the beaten path, that drew a great variety of bands. My girlfriends and I would "fight" for position at the front row and from 10pm-2am we would dance as if our lives depended on it. I have always been the early-bird in the bunch, as stated earlier, not an extrovert. No matter, most of my friends knew the right band could lure me out of my comfort zone and into a fun night-life. This idea of non-stop dancing "secretly" motivates my exercise today. There are times I remind myself of the ease that came with dance marathons. With the right tunes dancing and running become synonymous.
My "hard run" is likely a warm-up for most of my readers. There are so many runners of all ages in our community that inspire me. My goal today was to do 7 miles in under an hour but more than that it was to clear my mind and push my body. Lucky for me Bon Jovi and Lynard Skynard found me at mile 5.5 and 45 minutes. The superstars cheered me onward when I really wanted to quit.
I used the following songs (yes, I know they are old...so am I!) in my mix to enable a gradual climb from 6.3mph to 8.5 mph then hovered around 7.1 for the remainder. Songs take us back to different times...I love that.
6.3 Warm up: Who Says You Can't Go Home (Bon Jovi)
6.5 All Summer Long (KidRock)
6.7 Life is A Highway (Rascal Flatts)
6.8 Something More (Sugarland)
7.0 1985
7.2 Change (Sons of the Desert)
7.4 Here It Goes Again (OK Go)
7.5 Urgent (Foreigner)
7.6-8.5 Shadows of the Night (Pat Benatar)
8.0 Move (Outkast...ignore the words!)
8.0 Runaway (Bon Jovi)
7.8 Sweet Home Alabama (Skynard..WDE!)
7.3 Don't Stop Believen' (Journey)
Cool Down Songs: Southern Cross, Drift Away (Uncle Kracker), Testify to Love (Avalon)
Thanks for reading. Merry Christmas.
For me personally, there are responsibilities in life that year-round, if not vigilant, result in a persistent undercurrent of stress. I once heard a physician make an analogy between our lives and starting an outdoor grill. In order to light the grill we need charcoal, a match or lighter, and a healthy dose of air; i.e. we cup our hands and breathe on the spark to ignite the fire. Figuratively speaking there are times we "breathe" more for the people around us than for ourselves. We encourage, instruct, and direct our kids to ensure they are meeting academic standards. Sometimes we fan the spark at work to meet company expectations. Often we fan the flames for our partners absorbing the areas that cause them stress through being a considerate listener, completing daily chores, or simply praising and respecting their efforts. Regardless of where you are directing your breath, air and effort; there comes a point when you see your own fire has somehow been extinguished...the spark is gone.
So where do you go to reignite this spark which generates a flame? Perhaps you thrive on relationships and a night out with friends reinvigorates your life; maybe you have discovered that a massage helps you to release tension and feel more balanced; perhaps you are like me and find completing a vigorous run clears your mind and re-establishes a sense of strength.
Dara Torres, awesome two-time Olympian in both her 20's and 40's (three-time silver medalist in her 40's and coming back for more!) said recently in a Sports Illustrated article that music drives her training---she doesn't hear the words but instead feels the tempo. Granted, Torres has an amazing training team: head coach, sprint coach, strengthening coach, two "stretchors", a masseuse and nanny but she still "works" harder at her job than most any athlete I know. If selecting songs with upbeat, driving tempos assist her in her goals then it certainly should influence my novice training as well.
When I think back to my Auburn college days I am reminded of the Supper Club, a small hole-in-the wall bar, off the beaten path, that drew a great variety of bands. My girlfriends and I would "fight" for position at the front row and from 10pm-2am we would dance as if our lives depended on it. I have always been the early-bird in the bunch, as stated earlier, not an extrovert. No matter, most of my friends knew the right band could lure me out of my comfort zone and into a fun night-life. This idea of non-stop dancing "secretly" motivates my exercise today. There are times I remind myself of the ease that came with dance marathons. With the right tunes dancing and running become synonymous.
My "hard run" is likely a warm-up for most of my readers. There are so many runners of all ages in our community that inspire me. My goal today was to do 7 miles in under an hour but more than that it was to clear my mind and push my body. Lucky for me Bon Jovi and Lynard Skynard found me at mile 5.5 and 45 minutes. The superstars cheered me onward when I really wanted to quit.
I used the following songs (yes, I know they are old...so am I!) in my mix to enable a gradual climb from 6.3mph to 8.5 mph then hovered around 7.1 for the remainder. Songs take us back to different times...I love that.
6.3 Warm up: Who Says You Can't Go Home (Bon Jovi)
6.5 All Summer Long (KidRock)
6.7 Life is A Highway (Rascal Flatts)
6.8 Something More (Sugarland)
7.0 1985
7.2 Change (Sons of the Desert)
7.4 Here It Goes Again (OK Go)
7.5 Urgent (Foreigner)
7.6-8.5 Shadows of the Night (Pat Benatar)
8.0 Move (Outkast...ignore the words!)
8.0 Runaway (Bon Jovi)
7.8 Sweet Home Alabama (Skynard..WDE!)
7.3 Don't Stop Believen' (Journey)
Cool Down Songs: Southern Cross, Drift Away (Uncle Kracker), Testify to Love (Avalon)
Thanks for reading. Merry Christmas.
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