Monday, February 14, 2011
What's Up, USANA?: From the USANA Test Kitchen: Strawberry Yogurt Two...
What's Up, USANA?: From the USANA Test Kitchen: Strawberry Yogurt Two...: "In honor of Valentine's Day, I've whipped up a couple of treats that are perfect for sharing with your sweetie. With only a few simple ingre..."
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Who Would Ever Run a Marthon by Tim Maggs
Who Would Ever Run a Marathon?
By Dr. Tim MaggsMay/June 2001Washington Running Report
For anyone who's ever crossed that fine line, the one that only takes 26.2 miles to get to, and now owns the title of "marathon finisher", you've probably been asked this question many times. The insinuations in the question are that anyone who would ever consider running a marathon borders on insanity or downright lunacy. Well, do you want to know what I think?
I think...
The marathon should be a requirement for all kids graduating high school today. All kids would have to complete a marathon before graduating, or would have to work forty hours a week doing community clean up (for free) until they do complete one.
The marathon should become part of an incentive program for prisoners who want early release.
The first treatment for anyone with high blood pressure, weight problems, psychological disorders, bowel problems, upper respiratory difficulties, self-esteem issues, or anxiety disorders should not be medication or group therapy, but to complete a marathon.
If anyone is caught being a bully in life, regardless of age, we should have some legislative body we can report them to and this body has the authority to convict this individual and sentence them to run a marathon. Arrogance is bad, humility is good. Marathons promote humility.
Anyone sentenced to "community service" must run a marathon. What better community service could be achieved than to get someone in the community healthier, both mentally and physically?
More serious crimes might require two marathons in one year, a sentence that would not allow any time off from training. (Whoa, would this be an inconvenience for someone not used to working out?)
There should be a fifty percent discount on all health insurance premiums with proof of running a marathon each year.
Community leaders and politicians should be required to run a marathon each year, rather than annoying everyone by going door-to-door making promises they're unable to keep. A marathon will continually encourage "honest work" instead of more rhetoric the world doesn't need. Leading by example has always proven to be successful.
Any family owning more than one vehicle must all run a marathon in order to get registrations for every vehicle after the first one.
All police officers and fire fighters must run one marathon per year to be able to continue wearing a badge.
Anyone who isn't happy in life, can't figure out why life isn't giving back the way it should, and is looking for that bigger house, perfect soul-mate, or winning lottery ticket, join in and run a marathon. I'm sure you'll find the answer somewhere along the way.
From my vantage point, there are two causes of unhappiness and poor health---the lack of drive and discipline. With technology bringing so much excitement into every room in our house, why would anyone ever need to leave the house for fun? And the media is continually telling us to take this pill or that because "you haven't got time for the pain," but the cold truth is, it's all painful. Life hurts too much these days, and on too many fronts. The marathon solves these problems in a flinch. It reintroduces us to drive and discipline, for, as we know, there are no shortcuts to crossing that finish line. You must pay the price for a long enough period of time, or you won't cross that line.
The training phase is the backbone of this program and the direct reason for improved happiness. Our social lives improve by joining a regular group to go on our weekly runs. We talk, listen, and become the person we thought we used to be---happy and interesting. All social stigmas disappear, as we all become runners seeking the same goal. We're no longer lawyers, doctors, teachers, or housewives living according to some bogus pecking order society has created. We revolve our days around our training schedule, giving us something to look forward to at the beginning of the day and something to be proud of by the end of the day. And we all inherently know this powerful fact--we're doing something that most people will never have the guts to try. We're running a marathon. Our self-esteem goes up dramatically. In fact, isn't the scale looking a little kinder these days? Those clothes that just never seemed to fit on that Monday-morning diet plan all of a sudden fit perfectly. The big clincher in this life-altering metamorphosis a person goes through occurs on that first day that someone asks you "Have you lost weight?" There's no turning back now!
And the day we cross that finish line, the day we complete the journey we started six or eight or ten months earlier, that's the day we can't wait to start all over again on our next chapter. For what we learn is one simple fact---"Who wouldn't want to run a marathon?"
By Dr. Tim MaggsMay/June 2001Washington Running Report
For anyone who's ever crossed that fine line, the one that only takes 26.2 miles to get to, and now owns the title of "marathon finisher", you've probably been asked this question many times. The insinuations in the question are that anyone who would ever consider running a marathon borders on insanity or downright lunacy. Well, do you want to know what I think?
I think...
The marathon should be a requirement for all kids graduating high school today. All kids would have to complete a marathon before graduating, or would have to work forty hours a week doing community clean up (for free) until they do complete one.
The marathon should become part of an incentive program for prisoners who want early release.
The first treatment for anyone with high blood pressure, weight problems, psychological disorders, bowel problems, upper respiratory difficulties, self-esteem issues, or anxiety disorders should not be medication or group therapy, but to complete a marathon.
If anyone is caught being a bully in life, regardless of age, we should have some legislative body we can report them to and this body has the authority to convict this individual and sentence them to run a marathon. Arrogance is bad, humility is good. Marathons promote humility.
Anyone sentenced to "community service" must run a marathon. What better community service could be achieved than to get someone in the community healthier, both mentally and physically?
More serious crimes might require two marathons in one year, a sentence that would not allow any time off from training. (Whoa, would this be an inconvenience for someone not used to working out?)
There should be a fifty percent discount on all health insurance premiums with proof of running a marathon each year.
Community leaders and politicians should be required to run a marathon each year, rather than annoying everyone by going door-to-door making promises they're unable to keep. A marathon will continually encourage "honest work" instead of more rhetoric the world doesn't need. Leading by example has always proven to be successful.
Any family owning more than one vehicle must all run a marathon in order to get registrations for every vehicle after the first one.
All police officers and fire fighters must run one marathon per year to be able to continue wearing a badge.
Anyone who isn't happy in life, can't figure out why life isn't giving back the way it should, and is looking for that bigger house, perfect soul-mate, or winning lottery ticket, join in and run a marathon. I'm sure you'll find the answer somewhere along the way.
From my vantage point, there are two causes of unhappiness and poor health---the lack of drive and discipline. With technology bringing so much excitement into every room in our house, why would anyone ever need to leave the house for fun? And the media is continually telling us to take this pill or that because "you haven't got time for the pain," but the cold truth is, it's all painful. Life hurts too much these days, and on too many fronts. The marathon solves these problems in a flinch. It reintroduces us to drive and discipline, for, as we know, there are no shortcuts to crossing that finish line. You must pay the price for a long enough period of time, or you won't cross that line.
The training phase is the backbone of this program and the direct reason for improved happiness. Our social lives improve by joining a regular group to go on our weekly runs. We talk, listen, and become the person we thought we used to be---happy and interesting. All social stigmas disappear, as we all become runners seeking the same goal. We're no longer lawyers, doctors, teachers, or housewives living according to some bogus pecking order society has created. We revolve our days around our training schedule, giving us something to look forward to at the beginning of the day and something to be proud of by the end of the day. And we all inherently know this powerful fact--we're doing something that most people will never have the guts to try. We're running a marathon. Our self-esteem goes up dramatically. In fact, isn't the scale looking a little kinder these days? Those clothes that just never seemed to fit on that Monday-morning diet plan all of a sudden fit perfectly. The big clincher in this life-altering metamorphosis a person goes through occurs on that first day that someone asks you "Have you lost weight?" There's no turning back now!
And the day we cross that finish line, the day we complete the journey we started six or eight or ten months earlier, that's the day we can't wait to start all over again on our next chapter. For what we learn is one simple fact---"Who wouldn't want to run a marathon?"
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Goal Setting and the Mindset of the Marathoner
Goal Setting Ideas for 2011: Running a Marathon and the Mindset of a Marathoner
There is nothing more powerful than a great idea whose time has come.
Someone else has the goal of helping you achieve your goal. Mark Victor Hansen. In other words the universe wants you to complete your goal.
Goal choices are more important than abilities. See below.
Focus on completion rather than perfection.
Goal Setting a la Tony Robbins: There are three kinds of goals
1—Minimum Must: No matter what this goal will be achieved. In our case finishing the race would probably be a must.
2—Goal: this is where most people start, usually with a time goal
3—Stretch Goal: maybe qualifying for another race based on your performance.
You do not have to believe you can achieve a goal to set a goal. So even if you don’t believe in your “core” that you can finish a marathon set the goal anyway.
You don’t have to believe you can run a marathon to set a goal to run a marathon. If you develop the Mindset of a Marathoner you will be able to act “as if” you can. Think about what actions you would take if you were a Marathoner.
In my talks prior to marathons I usually tell the audience to walk around the week before their event “as if” they are proudly hanging their finishers medal from their neck. Acting “as if” you have already done something helps to accomplish the goal.
Goal Setting is a 10 step PROCESS
1—Think about what you want and write it down.
2—Decide exactly what you want and write it down. This is where goal setting begins. Choosing the right goal is important here.
3—Look at your goal and make sure it is measurable. Running and finishing a marathon or half marathon are indeed measurable in more ways that finishing time.
4—Identify the reasons why you want the goal and write them down. Think back to the reasons you first joined FBF. Some want to lose weight, some want to achieve fitness, some want to do it as a tribute to someone else important in their lives, etc. Naturally the more internal the reason the more powerful it is in terms of motivation.
5—Decide an exact date you want to accomplish your goal and write it down. This is easy since running events have deadlines.
6—Make a list of action steps and write them down. Again here comes the Mindset of a Marathoner concept. If you were a marathoner what steps would you take to insure you would be ready to finish a marathon. Steven Covey talks about beginning with the end in mind.
7—Create a plan from your list of action steps and write it down. One of these simply could be to follow the FBF training plan.
8—Take ACTION. As the Nike commercial says Just Do It!! If this is difficult see your local sport psychologist ;)
9—Do something every day; follow your FBF training plan.
10—View, Visualize, and speak your goals daily. I have said it many times in talks to running groups that visualization is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. If nothing else, visualization shows that you have done something before.
Lastly, it is ok to set a goal and not achieve it. If you set a goal and don’t achieve it don’t look at that as a failure. What it means is you picked the wrong goal. Goal choice is critical in the process. Simply go back through the 10 step process and refine your goals.
There is nothing more powerful than a great idea whose time has come.
Someone else has the goal of helping you achieve your goal. Mark Victor Hansen. In other words the universe wants you to complete your goal.
Goal choices are more important than abilities. See below.
Focus on completion rather than perfection.
Goal Setting a la Tony Robbins: There are three kinds of goals
1—Minimum Must: No matter what this goal will be achieved. In our case finishing the race would probably be a must.
2—Goal: this is where most people start, usually with a time goal
3—Stretch Goal: maybe qualifying for another race based on your performance.
You do not have to believe you can achieve a goal to set a goal. So even if you don’t believe in your “core” that you can finish a marathon set the goal anyway.
You don’t have to believe you can run a marathon to set a goal to run a marathon. If you develop the Mindset of a Marathoner you will be able to act “as if” you can. Think about what actions you would take if you were a Marathoner.
In my talks prior to marathons I usually tell the audience to walk around the week before their event “as if” they are proudly hanging their finishers medal from their neck. Acting “as if” you have already done something helps to accomplish the goal.
Goal Setting is a 10 step PROCESS
1—Think about what you want and write it down.
2—Decide exactly what you want and write it down. This is where goal setting begins. Choosing the right goal is important here.
3—Look at your goal and make sure it is measurable. Running and finishing a marathon or half marathon are indeed measurable in more ways that finishing time.
4—Identify the reasons why you want the goal and write them down. Think back to the reasons you first joined FBF. Some want to lose weight, some want to achieve fitness, some want to do it as a tribute to someone else important in their lives, etc. Naturally the more internal the reason the more powerful it is in terms of motivation.
5—Decide an exact date you want to accomplish your goal and write it down. This is easy since running events have deadlines.
6—Make a list of action steps and write them down. Again here comes the Mindset of a Marathoner concept. If you were a marathoner what steps would you take to insure you would be ready to finish a marathon. Steven Covey talks about beginning with the end in mind.
7—Create a plan from your list of action steps and write it down. One of these simply could be to follow the FBF training plan.
8—Take ACTION. As the Nike commercial says Just Do It!! If this is difficult see your local sport psychologist ;)
9—Do something every day; follow your FBF training plan.
10—View, Visualize, and speak your goals daily. I have said it many times in talks to running groups that visualization is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. If nothing else, visualization shows that you have done something before.
Lastly, it is ok to set a goal and not achieve it. If you set a goal and don’t achieve it don’t look at that as a failure. What it means is you picked the wrong goal. Goal choice is critical in the process. Simply go back through the 10 step process and refine your goals.
Monday, November 8, 2010
What's Up, USANA?: Holiday Health: Tricks to Help You Stay Away From ...
What's Up, USANA?: Holiday Health: Tricks to Help You Stay Away From ...: "I think of Halloween as the opening ceremony to the two-month fat convention. Don’t get me wrong, I love the holiday. But first with the big..."
Thursday, November 4, 2010
What's Up, USANA?: USANA Athletes: Special Visitors, Marathon Runners...
What's Up, USANA?: USANA Athletes: Special Visitors, Marathon Runners...: "Members of the US Speedskating team stopped by the Home Office yesterday for a photo shoot supporting a project that's in the works here at ..."
Monday, November 1, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Mental Toughness on the Run
I have two outcomes for my talk today. First I want to share a series of great mental training tips and strategies. You can actually practice these on your training runs. It is a way of getting double the benefit of your training runs.
I also want to remind you to use my blog. It has lots of articles on very similar topics to what I am talking about today. Many are from previous presentations I’ve given.
My Top Ten Tips for Psyching up for a race:
My friend Stewart Hughes lives in Utah and bought a home near Salt Lake and it had a tennis court. So he decided to learn tennis and hired the U of Utah tennis coach to give private lessons to his family. One day during a conversation it came out this coach was doing some research for a sport psych degree on the personality makeup of world class tennis players and athletes.
The coach said there were five key traits and one of them accounted for 80% of the effects. They are: self-confidence
Character
Emotional stability
Athletic Ability
Self-Motivation
Self-Motivation was the most important factor in sports excellence and probably in marathon training as well.
How do you get Self-Motivation? By setting goals and meeting commitments.
2—Goals are usually considered as the single most important tool for improving performance in sports. Think of developing smart goals: S specific; M measurable; A achievable; R recorded; T timebased.
I ran across an interesting way to look at goals: a Pyramid with 3 layers, allowing you to see the big picture.
The base of the pyramid is your vision or story describing the big picture and how you want it to look. These are your long term goals, precise levels of achievement you want to accomplish: finish the marathon, qualify for Boston, a time goal.
On the next level are your weekly performance goals, specifying frequency, intensity, duration of workouts for the week.
At to top are your physical and mental goals for each training session. Daily goals.
By using this pyramid approach, every workout is directly connected to your big story. Feeling good about achieving your daily and weekly goals is motivational and has a cumulative effect on your attitude come race day.
3—Know the course---good to practice this on training runs; helps to plan race strategy accordingly.
4—Learn to regulate level of tension and use relaxation techniques before and during the race to control tension. Stay loose and Centered.
Relaxation training; Deep breathing; muscle tensing and relaxing.
Bud Winter San Jose track coach Relax and Win book; 90% rule
Bud was probably first sports psychologist. 100% effort not as fast as 90%
Glen Mills went to one of his workshops; he later became the coach for Usani Bolt.
5—develop Positive affirmations/power words
Using Positive self-talk
“I am comfortable being uncomfortable.” “All the Way” Yes I can
Smooth and relaxed Tough Strong
I am doing the best I can
Mood words like Power and Strength
Use these thoughts and words especially at those moments when negative thoughts show up; they are sure to do so during a race.
6—Use Imagery before and during the race. Why imagery is effective: free throw shooting studies.
Influences performance; it can enhance athletic performance and can be a more effective practice tool than no practice at all. Effective in basketball shooting, volleyball serving, tennis serving, golf shots, placekicking, figure skating, swimming starts, diving, skiing, running, dance and rock climbing.
For example:
Imagine yourself at difficult points in the race, feeling calm, focused and energetic.
If fatigued picture your lower body as a horse on which you are riding; going downhill picture self as a sled; Frank Shorter Gold in 1972 Munich imagined his legs as bicycle wheels
Plan for and during the event use, specific images(visual, phrases, words) at particular cue spots.
Experiment: close your eyes and imagine you can see yourself running in your mind’s eye
7—Use thought strategies
Association---scanning your body, stride, respiration
Dissociation—musical phrases, counting trees, thinking of friends
Reframing the Pain: Sensations of Endurance Sport Effort
This is the body’s way of telling me I am running at my race pace
The feelings/sensations are feedback
8—Run for yourself, not against someone else
9—Expect at least something which you planned on won’t go the way you planned it. Decide now how you will forgive yourself then.
10---similarly, when you know you will be facing an emotional dilemma you have to make a decision on how you will handle it before hand, not when you are in the emotional dilemma. Decide now that you will Never Never Never Quit.
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