Some morning thoughts on this second day of Spring...
As distance runners, we can tend to become infatuated with running farther and running more. But sometimes, the runs that have a lasting impact on us are the ones that are short and sweet.
I awoke today at 5:00am thinking about the Fire Tower Trail at M. Cone Manor (Blowing Rock, NC). For me, it's one of the best runs in America. Obviously, there's an endless supply of incredible runs out there, but this one has had such a profound impact on me as an athlete and a person.
A great run changes you. In July, 2011, I had a run on that trail that I still claim as the best run of my 16 years in the sport. It was one of those days where everything just worked: my pace, the way my legs felt, the clarity of my mind, the rhythm of my entire body. I recall how summer thunderstorms framed the setting sun, casting a red-orange fantasy-light on the freshly washed green of the upper meadows and forest groves of Appalachia. To say the least, it was Epic. A multitude of elements came together to create one of those days where 5 miles outdid satisfying. It was one of those runs that humbled me as a human being.
A great run is many times just a short and sweet one that reminds you that it's not always about going farther or faster. It's not always about trying to beat the competition or to outdo yourself. It's about making that connection with your environment and "finding yourself" out there. Those are the days that allow you to give your best in your next race or on a particularly tough training run. You'll remember the joy and magic of that day, and it'll bring a smile to your face every time.
Always searching for the next Key Experience,
J. Brewer
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Waiting It Out
I have spent a good bit of this quiet Sunday morning thinking about how badly I want to be in my element, training for my next race and spending as much quality time on my feet as I can. I have had a lot of time lately to ponder this, as I have been "down and out" and living vicariously through Runner's World articles and fellow runner's blogs.
What I want to say is that it's quite alright (and in fact very healthy) to have time away from what you love. While it may be difficult, this downtime allows one to put things into perspective. With the right attitude, you will find that it's time spent away from what we love that inspires new passion and an increased sense of awareness about why it is that you do what you do. Being off of the road and trail has given me ample time to reflect on past joys, and maybe more importantly, past mistakes. Thus, I can thrive on my joys and simultaneously re-wire the circuitry where the errors were made.
So use your downtime, whether because of injury or a caveat, as a tool to improve yourself, further strengthening your focus, motivation and behavior. And remember to enjoy your time off. Don't rue it. Once you are back into your routine, having truly reflected on who you are and why it is that you do what you do, you'll find that you are literally a new person.
Always searching for the next Key Experience,
J. Brewer
What I want to say is that it's quite alright (and in fact very healthy) to have time away from what you love. While it may be difficult, this downtime allows one to put things into perspective. With the right attitude, you will find that it's time spent away from what we love that inspires new passion and an increased sense of awareness about why it is that you do what you do. Being off of the road and trail has given me ample time to reflect on past joys, and maybe more importantly, past mistakes. Thus, I can thrive on my joys and simultaneously re-wire the circuitry where the errors were made.
So use your downtime, whether because of injury or a caveat, as a tool to improve yourself, further strengthening your focus, motivation and behavior. And remember to enjoy your time off. Don't rue it. Once you are back into your routine, having truly reflected on who you are and why it is that you do what you do, you'll find that you are literally a new person.
Always searching for the next Key Experience,
J. Brewer
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Coping with downtime doesn't have to be so bad...
As some of you know, I've spent the last many weeks dealing with a self-induced "complication" which resulted in dropping a race and taking several weeks off from training. As all of you athletes know, physical discomfort really puts a damper on training, racing and general happiness. But it does not have to be so bad.
When injured (or just taking time off of your feet), try to find as many ways to learn from your situation. While it may be disappointing, it can be an opportunity to modify and/or improve a training schedule. Use the downtime as a chance to develop your psychological strategies for becoming a stronger, faster "you". This is a prime opportunity to meditate on what went wrong and how to not make the same mistake again.
Look for ways to strengthen your running when not logging miles. The gym has an endless amount of resources which some runners might tend to overlook. Also, if you have the available resources, get in the water and swim, surf, kayak, or stand-up paddle-board. Any opportunity to strengthen the core and upper-body are golden opportunities, as long as you don't put strain on that injury! Now downtime doesn't seem so bad, does it?
Perhaps most importantly (and this is the hardest part), resist the urge to run, no matter how great the temptation! Being patient, while it may be difficult, is vital. If you count the days on the calendar, you'll only prolong the torment. Instead, treat each day as a new and exciting opportunity to cross-train the body and mind. We always heal, and we always bounce back stronger, as long as we are smart about our recovery and are not over-zealous with getting back into a training routine.
In the end, you will strengthen yourself by accepting your injury and not allowing it to dampen your spirit of self-improvement! You'll be back in action before you know it.
Hopefully, you are all injury free and training and racing with all of the joy in your heart!
Searching for the next Key Experience,
J. Brewer
When injured (or just taking time off of your feet), try to find as many ways to learn from your situation. While it may be disappointing, it can be an opportunity to modify and/or improve a training schedule. Use the downtime as a chance to develop your psychological strategies for becoming a stronger, faster "you". This is a prime opportunity to meditate on what went wrong and how to not make the same mistake again.
Look for ways to strengthen your running when not logging miles. The gym has an endless amount of resources which some runners might tend to overlook. Also, if you have the available resources, get in the water and swim, surf, kayak, or stand-up paddle-board. Any opportunity to strengthen the core and upper-body are golden opportunities, as long as you don't put strain on that injury! Now downtime doesn't seem so bad, does it?
Perhaps most importantly (and this is the hardest part), resist the urge to run, no matter how great the temptation! Being patient, while it may be difficult, is vital. If you count the days on the calendar, you'll only prolong the torment. Instead, treat each day as a new and exciting opportunity to cross-train the body and mind. We always heal, and we always bounce back stronger, as long as we are smart about our recovery and are not over-zealous with getting back into a training routine.
In the end, you will strengthen yourself by accepting your injury and not allowing it to dampen your spirit of self-improvement! You'll be back in action before you know it.
Hopefully, you are all injury free and training and racing with all of the joy in your heart!
Searching for the next Key Experience,
J. Brewer
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Freedom Because of Choice
I spent that magic hour before sunrise walking my dogs and enjoying the warm January weather when I began to think about choice. This morning, it seemed more clear to me that the choices we make play a large role in determining the freedom and peace of mind that we can achieve in life.
"Freedom Of" and "Freedom Because"
1.) "Freedom of Choice" means that we have the freedom to choose to do whatever it is that we want.
2.) "Freedom Because of Choice" means that we can receive a certain amount of internal freedom because we have decided to make certain positive choices using our freewill.
The Differences
The choices we make may be beneficial to ourselves and society, or they may not be. We have the freedom to choose to hurt or to heal. In the end, it's up to you. Most people unfortunately view this freedom as a means to self-serve regardless of how it impacts others. In the end most people end up becoming "slaves". To name a few examples, people may find themselves bound to substance abuse, obsessive and compulsive behaviors, and ego-driven narcissism. These habits and personality traits can be fostered largely from the choices one makes and can be largely detrimental from physiological, psychological and sociological standpoints.
Not to hurt, not to be secretive, not to be devious, not to inhibit ourselves or others through substance misuse and reckless behavior... These hurts stay with us forever, whether physiological or psychological. The negatives in life inhibit our internal freedom. However, choosing to enrich, empower, encourage, build up: these are result that stem from good and noble (however you may define these) choices that will follow us for all of our days and act as "keyways" to our internal freedom. We can make choices not only to help others, but to better ourselves so that we may become motivators to inspire wellbeing and hope, and in the end, inspire freedom.
In short, you have the freedom to choose to do whatever you want. However, the impact of your choices will be with you for the rest of your life.
So I urge you to ask yourselves this: "What choices have I been making? Do they improve the self (mind, body and spirit), and do they improve other's individual lives and the greater world around me?" Stand back and seek for ways to make improvements today and everyday in order to clean out the negatives and residual hurts that come from making poor choices. Instead, strive to make positive, informed choices that foster healthy minds, bodies, and a sense of overall wellbeing for you and for others.
Always searching for the next Key Experience,
J. Brewer
Monday, January 23, 2012
A Nostalgic Tribute...
...an old piece of writing that I dug out of my archives. Thanks.
From a runner who intends to never, never, never stop his quest to become a stronger competitor, leader and believer in what it is he's doing....
From the early days of discovery on the trails and roads somewhere in the mid 90's, my love affair began with the sport of running. Whether it was cross-country, track or simply free-running, it literally became a way of life for me. One finds that you learn to breathe, eat, drink, think, and sleep running. But most importantly, I find that you learn to dream big dreams.
When Coach Randy Down introduced me to Paavo Running Camps, everything for me changed. The Paavo program to me to new levels of psychology and physiology that I never new existed. Upon my return from Paavo Camp West, I was truly a new and changed person. I attribute a great part of who I am today to the Paavo program. The challenges which we faced and the goals that we athletes achieved during those weeks have shaped our lives and continue (no doubt) to mold us into who we are becoming. I learned what it takes to mold my character and to motivate and lead those individuals around me. Without the experiences, concepts and belief systems that Paavo training allowed me to grasp, I believe that I would have never become the captain and teammate that I was in high school, nor would I have become the man who I am today. I tip my hat to the Paavo staff and coaches, and to the runners who shared in those Key Experiences with me. Today, as i go to do hill repeats in the summer heat and humidity, I will recall all of those moments that we runners of that long ago summer shared together as Paavo runners.
Always searching for the next Key Experience,
-J. Brewer
Monday, January 16, 2012
Harnessing Intuition and Training to Higher Levels
Today, on this chilly January 16, I had a lesson in intuition, or my ability to channel it further to my (and others) benefit. The lesson of the day actual began with my two Siberian Huskies and a box of cereal. Strange, I know, but let me embellish.
My morning began as usual with any early, just past sun-up awakening. Shortly after, I let my two young huskies outside for there morning "business" and a bit of play. Keep in mind, I am usually able to worry very little about their safety and security if they are only out for a short while, as we have developed a rather healthy level of trust with one another.
This morning, however, as I opened my fresh box of Kashi, I sensed that something was off kilter. I tore the box in three spots, and fumbled awkwardly with the bag. I knew that something was not right. I simply knew, felt, sensed, experienced some sort of emotion that I really could not explain; some sense of "wrongness" that would not even allow me to function with my normal dexterity. I set my bowl down and abandoned the idea of milk until I was able to quell this oppressive shadow that had set over me. I ran outside in time to see Kira, my youngest addition to the pack, on the verge of disappearing under the fence at the rear of the property. I arrived just in time to grab her tail (to many screams, growls, and snips), pull her about an 1/8 of the way back, grab a leg, turn her about, get a collar hold through the space in the fence, and precede to pull her through headfirst. Muddy, scratched and a little scraped up, I hauled her back into the house amid my fatherly rebukes, thankful to find (as smart as she is) that she was in full apology, and experiencing severe remorse for her actions. Long ten minutes. Hell of a way to start the morning.
Application:
Intuition. Running. Racing. FEELING. Here is a vital junction point of a sense, or an innate form of consciousness colliding with the science and particulars of training at higher levels. I find that through my experience, intuition is a runner's/racer's strongest tool (after conditioning and sheer guts.) So strong of a tool in fact, that one could run/race without a watch and know his/her pace, and what to do with that pace based off of a trained sense of feeling. Here, I want to talk not about the ominous cloud that can be cast by intuitive interpretation (like the above story suggesting that something is terribly wrong), but about the very positive and empowering enlightenment that reading one's own intuition can bring.
It is important not to abandon the science of running. Likewise, it is just as important not abandon the emotionally triggered side of running. The Buddhist teaching of the Middle-Way is a great method to view what I am speaking of. BALANCE. Keep an eye on the wrist-watch, on the mileage you have logged in your weekly schedule, be conscious of the goals for your run, but never, never, never neglect the feelings that might even compromise a set of rules that you are training or racing by. Know your rules and then break them.
In the race scenario, do not be afraid to break away from your projected pace, but if and only if you feel compelled. Strongly compelled, at that. You will know if you need to do this. It won't be a vague and ambiguous notion. It is key to trust your training, but it is just as key to trust your instinct; your intuition.
A Personal Experience and Recent Training Session:
This past Saturday, I had projected my long-distance day to exceed 16 miles but to be no more than 20 miles. I even cataloged this exact "warning", if you will, into my runner's log A series of factors went into why I chose to break the guidelines which I had set for myself. But the biggest factor at play was intuition; that voice inside that was so certain in prodding me to do more.
This run turned out to be my first training run that had logged that kind of distance. For me, it was important to obtain marathon status for a training session, partly to push that kind of envelope as a solo training runner, and mostly to push my pace and my wall-tolerance in a training environment, as opposed to a racing scenario.
I do not suggest making common practice of casual marathoning (unless your training level asks you to), as for the toll it will take on your legs and joints if done too often. I am saying that if you have to go, just GO! As runners, we sometimes need to push an extreme. A big part of me warned against such a run, especially without aid-stations and in-run enhancers (i.e. Gu Chomps, Power Gel, Gatorade, etc., etc.) However, a bigger part of me was certain of this run as an essential part of my current training. It was the voice of my intuition. This practice of going with gut instinct and pushing the barriers can be risky, but this sport is all about risking it. Otherwise, how will you know how far or hard you can take yourself?
I finished this solo marathon at a time of 3:12:15, staying fairly consistent with my negative splits and with no "walling" and no legitimate pain. (Note: the fastest miles were between miles 9-14; and then the quickest negative split intervals were from miles 18- 26)I proved to myself that I was capable of an entirely new level of training. In turn, I have shown myself what I am capable of for my next race at the marathon level of competition if I continue to train smart and train at higher levels.
It's amazing what you can do when imbued by the race-day adrenaline, but it is even more amazing what you can do when you are an isolated, yet open and unrestricted individual on a mission for success. Follow your gut, listen to your intuition. You'll be glad you did.
Always searching for the next Key Experience,
J. Brewer
My morning began as usual with any early, just past sun-up awakening. Shortly after, I let my two young huskies outside for there morning "business" and a bit of play. Keep in mind, I am usually able to worry very little about their safety and security if they are only out for a short while, as we have developed a rather healthy level of trust with one another.
This morning, however, as I opened my fresh box of Kashi, I sensed that something was off kilter. I tore the box in three spots, and fumbled awkwardly with the bag. I knew that something was not right. I simply knew, felt, sensed, experienced some sort of emotion that I really could not explain; some sense of "wrongness" that would not even allow me to function with my normal dexterity. I set my bowl down and abandoned the idea of milk until I was able to quell this oppressive shadow that had set over me. I ran outside in time to see Kira, my youngest addition to the pack, on the verge of disappearing under the fence at the rear of the property. I arrived just in time to grab her tail (to many screams, growls, and snips), pull her about an 1/8 of the way back, grab a leg, turn her about, get a collar hold through the space in the fence, and precede to pull her through headfirst. Muddy, scratched and a little scraped up, I hauled her back into the house amid my fatherly rebukes, thankful to find (as smart as she is) that she was in full apology, and experiencing severe remorse for her actions. Long ten minutes. Hell of a way to start the morning.
Application:
Intuition. Running. Racing. FEELING. Here is a vital junction point of a sense, or an innate form of consciousness colliding with the science and particulars of training at higher levels. I find that through my experience, intuition is a runner's/racer's strongest tool (after conditioning and sheer guts.) So strong of a tool in fact, that one could run/race without a watch and know his/her pace, and what to do with that pace based off of a trained sense of feeling. Here, I want to talk not about the ominous cloud that can be cast by intuitive interpretation (like the above story suggesting that something is terribly wrong), but about the very positive and empowering enlightenment that reading one's own intuition can bring.
It is important not to abandon the science of running. Likewise, it is just as important not abandon the emotionally triggered side of running. The Buddhist teaching of the Middle-Way is a great method to view what I am speaking of. BALANCE. Keep an eye on the wrist-watch, on the mileage you have logged in your weekly schedule, be conscious of the goals for your run, but never, never, never neglect the feelings that might even compromise a set of rules that you are training or racing by. Know your rules and then break them.
In the race scenario, do not be afraid to break away from your projected pace, but if and only if you feel compelled. Strongly compelled, at that. You will know if you need to do this. It won't be a vague and ambiguous notion. It is key to trust your training, but it is just as key to trust your instinct; your intuition.
A Personal Experience and Recent Training Session:
This past Saturday, I had projected my long-distance day to exceed 16 miles but to be no more than 20 miles. I even cataloged this exact "warning", if you will, into my runner's log A series of factors went into why I chose to break the guidelines which I had set for myself. But the biggest factor at play was intuition; that voice inside that was so certain in prodding me to do more.
This run turned out to be my first training run that had logged that kind of distance. For me, it was important to obtain marathon status for a training session, partly to push that kind of envelope as a solo training runner, and mostly to push my pace and my wall-tolerance in a training environment, as opposed to a racing scenario.
I do not suggest making common practice of casual marathoning (unless your training level asks you to), as for the toll it will take on your legs and joints if done too often. I am saying that if you have to go, just GO! As runners, we sometimes need to push an extreme. A big part of me warned against such a run, especially without aid-stations and in-run enhancers (i.e. Gu Chomps, Power Gel, Gatorade, etc., etc.) However, a bigger part of me was certain of this run as an essential part of my current training. It was the voice of my intuition. This practice of going with gut instinct and pushing the barriers can be risky, but this sport is all about risking it. Otherwise, how will you know how far or hard you can take yourself?
I finished this solo marathon at a time of 3:12:15, staying fairly consistent with my negative splits and with no "walling" and no legitimate pain. (Note: the fastest miles were between miles 9-14; and then the quickest negative split intervals were from miles 18- 26)I proved to myself that I was capable of an entirely new level of training. In turn, I have shown myself what I am capable of for my next race at the marathon level of competition if I continue to train smart and train at higher levels.
It's amazing what you can do when imbued by the race-day adrenaline, but it is even more amazing what you can do when you are an isolated, yet open and unrestricted individual on a mission for success. Follow your gut, listen to your intuition. You'll be glad you did.
Always searching for the next Key Experience,
J. Brewer
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Fantasy Running: Nostalgia and Reality
As we become more accomplished runners, we build up a repertoire of experiences. Typically, when we look back on our experiences and the training runs that got us to our new peak levels, it can become easy to gloss things over; sugar coat our past runs so that we remember them as painless and relatively easy paths to success. Perhaps this is because we simply become excited, so high from what we've done that we forget the pain, sweat and tears that we had to endure to achieve our goals.
I was out for a run about 6 weeks after my most recent marathon, and a thought came to me: why is it so hard right now to run such a mediocre pace? A few answers jumped out at me immediately, and I am quite thankful that I did not have to search the cosmos for those answers.
The first of these was quite evident. The faster you become, the harder you have to work at becoming faster (let alone to maintain what you already have). This is an absolute for all things when one is attempting to raise the bar and up the standards. To become more satisfied, you must elevate the level of your challenges.
Second, and perhaps most importantly, don't get lost in the idea that your past training sessions were part of some blissful fantasy. Your past runs were always a challenge, and that is a fact. We tend to forget the pain, or perhaps the pain feels somehow numbed in our minds. It is important that you don't misunderstand me here, as our hardest and biggest runs do tend to be the most fantastic and inspiring.
During your difficult runs, especially if you are feeling at your lowest point, you may have this idea in your head: "I don't remember my training runs feeling this tough before." Perhaps that is because you are in the moment, the pain is present and real, and you may be recalling all of your training and racing in the past only as magical moments. No doubt those past runs were imbued with magic. But that magic is always impregnated with pain. Love the pain! This was a constant reminder I would give my teammates when I captained my high-school X-C team. It is still a constant reminder of the day. Your memory can become sugar coated and you may recall only the best moments of your training. This is an easy trap to fall into. It is vital to recall every aspect, especially the pain (physical and mental) that you had to endure for your greater goals as a distance runner.
In conclusion to this abridged version of a very deep subject, I am simply saying DO NOT compare your comfort levels of your current runs with how you think you remember the comfort levels of your past runs. It will always be hard, and you must remember that anything worth trying to achieve will test your character. Remember to keep some separation between your running nostalgia and your running reality. Your nostalgia is one of your best tools, but remember to use it wisely.
Always searching for the next Key Experience,
-J. Brewer
I was out for a run about 6 weeks after my most recent marathon, and a thought came to me: why is it so hard right now to run such a mediocre pace? A few answers jumped out at me immediately, and I am quite thankful that I did not have to search the cosmos for those answers.
The first of these was quite evident. The faster you become, the harder you have to work at becoming faster (let alone to maintain what you already have). This is an absolute for all things when one is attempting to raise the bar and up the standards. To become more satisfied, you must elevate the level of your challenges.
Second, and perhaps most importantly, don't get lost in the idea that your past training sessions were part of some blissful fantasy. Your past runs were always a challenge, and that is a fact. We tend to forget the pain, or perhaps the pain feels somehow numbed in our minds. It is important that you don't misunderstand me here, as our hardest and biggest runs do tend to be the most fantastic and inspiring.
During your difficult runs, especially if you are feeling at your lowest point, you may have this idea in your head: "I don't remember my training runs feeling this tough before." Perhaps that is because you are in the moment, the pain is present and real, and you may be recalling all of your training and racing in the past only as magical moments. No doubt those past runs were imbued with magic. But that magic is always impregnated with pain. Love the pain! This was a constant reminder I would give my teammates when I captained my high-school X-C team. It is still a constant reminder of the day. Your memory can become sugar coated and you may recall only the best moments of your training. This is an easy trap to fall into. It is vital to recall every aspect, especially the pain (physical and mental) that you had to endure for your greater goals as a distance runner.
In conclusion to this abridged version of a very deep subject, I am simply saying DO NOT compare your comfort levels of your current runs with how you think you remember the comfort levels of your past runs. It will always be hard, and you must remember that anything worth trying to achieve will test your character. Remember to keep some separation between your running nostalgia and your running reality. Your nostalgia is one of your best tools, but remember to use it wisely.
Always searching for the next Key Experience,
-J. Brewer
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