Runner Insight

Core Strength

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Here are a handful of simple  and quick core-strength exercises you can do while doing everyday chores like brushing your teeth or waiting for the water to boil on the stove, standing in line or even talking on the phone. 

I have a SoniCare Toothbrush, and it has a two minute timer and every 30 seconds it beeps so you can change the side you are brushing.  So, for a full two minutes while I’m brushing my teeth, I balance on one foot and every 30 seconds I change feet. 

Just lift your knee so that your upper leg is at a 90 degree angle to your body, and parallel to the ground.  Hold it, balancing on your (non-lifted) leg using the counter or a wall if necessary to keep from falling over.  Then switch feet.

I made a video to demonstrate:

Another good core-strength technique is wall sits.  Just squat down with your back against a wall, like you are sitting in a chair.  Your back against the wall and your bent legs are holding you in place. Hold for as long as you can, and increase each time you do it. 

Another exercise that looks very simple and is, will surprise you at how much you feel it working!  They’re called Hindu Squats.  With your feet shoulder length apart, act as if you are going to jump.  Squatting then springing up with your arms, swing back then forward as you stand again. Your feet never leave the ground.  This motion of basically pretending to jump is amazingly effective and a lot of fun.  But don’t try to do too many the first time, or you will pay for it with very sore thigh muscles.  Like any exercise, start out slow and build up your endurance.

These are just a few ways that we use to move in the direction of becoming stronger and healthier while doing everyday chores that we’re going to be doing  anyway.

Watch for videos of the other ones coming soon!

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner        

P.S. If you’re getting value out of this blog, you can do me a favor by linking to us and mentioning my Run Over To Ellen’s fundraising project to friends and co-workers. Here’s the link information for this particular article:
Title: Core Strength Tips
URL: http://runnerinsight.com/2009/07/17/core-strength-tips/

P.S.S. You’ll want to check out my Run Over To Ellen’s fundraising run. We only need 30,000 people to donate $1 each. When you get your donation in and get your private access to the donor’s only daily updates, you’ll want to go check out the video blog because we love to do give-aways to our donor’s.

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Let’s Get Real!

What’s more important than your health?  Oh I know there’s probably not one of you out there who would disagree with the concept that your health is your most important asset, but how many of us truly live by those words? 

Think about it like this:  Remember the last time you were really sick? I mean really feeling-crappy-death-melted-on-toast kind of sick.  Maybe you had the flu, or a 4 day long debilitating migraine.  Perhaps it was a bout of sciatica with lower right back pain (oops, …that one was me.) Or … you fill in the blank.  We have all been there. 

Now, answer me this. At that particular point in time – in between the moaning and wailing and feeling sorry for yourself, and wishing that the agony would end – were you thinking about your bank account? I know when I’m not feeling well, even just a little under the weather, all I can think about is wishing I felt better. That’s it: just aching to feel better.

All the money in the world does you no good if you don’t have your health.  So why do we ignore our health and put it off for another day? 

I know, I know. I understand all the human psychology stuff that indicates that we’re more motivated to avoid and alleviate immediate pain, and not much inspired to do things that involve work in the short-term, but result in long-term benefits.

Mostly, as a human race, we are motivated by what we see that is immediately in front of us…the bills that need to be paid, that pressing seminar we just can’t miss, the phone call we need to return, and the seventeen other things on our desk that need our immediate attention Right Now. 

I’ve heard it said that when you find a big enough why, you will make the changes necessary to propel yourself into your better healthier life-style. Think about how you feel right now.  If you feel pretty good, then why not be proactive and take the steps to insure you will continue to feel good tomorrow and next month and next year?

If you are suffering and have no energy, why not just start to take the baby steps to move you towards a better place in your healthier life?  Doing nothing at all guarantees that someday you will be asking the question, “Why didn’t I take care of myself when I had the chance?”  It truly doesn’t have to be that way.

Remember to take a moment to evaluate what is important.  We have a tendency, all of us – and I’m just as guilty of it as the next person – to focus on the financial aspect of things as if it’s the most important thing I need to be worrying about.

A friend of mine recently was so caught up in the spinning of her wheels trying to move forward in her business that she was neglecting her health. While she wasn’t literally sick or unhealthy, she wasn’t doing anything to maintain her health. She was just sitting at her desk all day every day trying to make things happen.

She was struck one day with the thought that it didn’t matter how successful she ended up being in her business if she wasn’t taking care of herself physically. She’s now made the commitment to doing some kind of physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day, whether it’s going for a walk or yoga or putting on the Latin Dance Workout DVD or whatever. And she feels that she can have the same amount of financial success, or even better, by investing at least 30 minutes a day in her physical well-being. The business and financial success will come, but your health deserves your attention and focus.

Even if you’re feeling okay, you could be doing even better. If you are sick, you can’t do all the things you deem important right now.  And you can have fun while getting healthy.  Find an activity that resonates with you and go for it.  Remember it’s all about baby steps. No one is saying you have to go out and run a marathon this year, or even run at all.  Just start moving!  Do things a little at a time.  Be gentle with yourself and start out slow. And celebrate all the baby steps! Hey if it’s more then you were doing just a day ago, it’s all forward progress. 

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

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Running Summary:

Yesterday was the half marathon! This was the first race that
I had to use my white cane. Here’s the videos of my day!

My pre-race update:

…Here’s a little clip of the start of the race, but I don’t think I’m in it.

The Race Clips…running, running and more running!

After the race….replenishing my glycogen stores!! In other words….FOOD!!!

I finished the 13.1 miles in 2:26:03.
Here’s my results:
Vision Runner’s Half Marathon Results

Victory Photo:

How ’bout it?
-Vision Runner

Run Over To Ellen’s Summary After Half Marathon on Sunday:

Start Date: April 20, 2009

Goal Date: Dec 15-18, 2009 (Whenever we can get Ellen Degeneres tickets to a taping of the Ellen tv show before they stop taping for the end of the year break.)

Total Mileage from Montana to the studio for an Ellen tv show taping: 1,222.25

Must Average: 36 miles of running per week or 5.12 miles per day.
Day Number: 84
Mileage Run Today: 13
Mileage Run so far: 592

Mileage To Go To Get There: 630.25

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

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