Creating Opportunities to Succeed

When it comes to training or weight loss, sometimes it's easy to set ourselves up to fail. The challenge is to create the opportunities to succeed. This week I spoke to a woman who came into my store, who had never been in a running store before. She was looking for a heart rate monitor. We talked about why she needed one, and I learned she was in Weight Watchers and had just come from the gym. Evidently the gym experience had not gone well.

The woman thought she was taking a bicycle class. What she didn't understand was she was in a spin class, and from what it sounds like, a pretty advanced one. Now I am talking about a woman approaching 60 who had not done a lot, if any exercise in her life, tackling a spin class.

I asked her why she took it. She explained that she thought everyone would just ride for an hour to music. She said she wanted to quit, but she was determined to finish the class, which she did. Now though, she didn't even know if she really wanted to go back to the gym.

I told her that the class just wasn't for her....yet. I suggested she go back to the gym and tackle some things she could do. I talked about the treadmill, the Elliptical, the stationery bike. She liked the idea of those. I also told her not to be afraid and ask a trainer how to use any of the machines. They are there to help.

She told me she felt silly in the class, like somehow she just did not belong. At this point I told her that she shouldn't feel silly, she just did not create an opportunity to succeed. She had never taken a class, didn't let the instructor know she was a newbie, and got depressed from it. It's experiences like that, that keep us from going to the gym. I advised to take baby steps and find the things she could do, and master those.

She smiled, and told me I was right. I could even see her straighten up a bit. She asked if she could come back for more advise - anytime.

I thought about her on my run yesterday. I did a 1 hour 5 mile run. When I felt like stopping the run, I thought about how that would not be an opportunity to succeed, so I pushed ahead. In fact my last mile I clocked 10:48 -phew!

Charlie

How to Pace

I thought about this alot today as I was on my 45-50 minute run. I knew I would get 4 miles in, but I wanted to think about how I pace myself. I think this question vexes many runners. There are a couple ways I have tried it lately.

Without music, I focus on my breathing. I listen for how I am breathing. The more labored, then I know I am too fast. If I can repeat something over and over again like numbers, a phrase, or something else, I find I start hard, but sooner, rather than later, I have a rhythm going, and my pace seems to fall into place.

The old adage is if you can't carry on a conversation while you run, then you are going to fast. I have had some pretty fast conversations, but seriously, I think there is some truth to that. The problem is, when I am having the conversation, then I am going too slow. So how do you speed up, and maintain the conversation pace?

Thoughts?

Charlie

$1500

Yesterday I reached my second goal in my fundraising quest for NDSS - $1500. The woman who got my there, I knew in high school. I took her to the prom our junior year. I'm sure when my sister reads this she will smile a funny little smile. There is a story there, but that's for another time.

Now that I have hit $1500, it would be easy to stop, but I know deep down I want to raise more. I don't know if I want to change my goal on the website. Does seeing a goal met keep people from donating? I hope not. Yes, I would like to raise $2000 for NDSS. So I still encourage people to give. This is such a worthy organization, I don't a number on a website to prevent people from donating.

www.crowdrise.com/runningforsabrina

Charlie

Baby Steps

Training for a marathon is baby steps, which can at times be frustrating. You have to slowly build your miles, at the same time you are up against the calendar. I thought about this during today's 1 hour run. I actually ran for 1:01:40, and completed 5 miles.

To the average non-runner, 5 miles seems like a marathon. To runners, it's another step on the way to 26.2. This run was pretty good. Once I finished 3 miles, I thought, let's do another mile. After 4 miles, I thought 5 was a must for today. Mission accomplished.

I thought about how I need to increase the miles, but feel frustrated because the work schedule is not consistent and not always the most marathon training friendly schedule. Still I find time to run 3 times a week. I wish it could be more.

The half marathon is less than a month away. My next goal is to run 10 miles. I know if I can do the 10 miles, then I can do the 13.

Baby steps.

Charlie

A Gay Moment - Running Shirtless

I normally don't have a gay moment on this blog, but I have been thinking about this post for a long time, so for the next few moments, I am going to be gay about running.

There is one thing, and really only one thing I like about summer - shirtless guys who run. Oh wait, let me be clear - good looking shirtless guys who run. There is something very hot about a guy running without a shirt on. I don't run shirtless. Then again, I don't consider myself hot. I'm sure Mark does, and he would love for me to run shirtless, but I will spare the world that sight, unless I somehow wake up tomorrow with pecs of death and six-pack abs.

A body in great shape needs be to be seen....not covered by technical fabrics. "But Charlie," you might ask, "what about women?" HELLO....this is my gay moment. Women need not run shirtless. You may also wonder about skin cancer. That is why god created SPF100 sunblock my friend.

No....good looking men were meant to run in the summer without their shirts. Now, for the guys who are a bit saggy and running shirtless - PLEASE put your shirts back on. If you are a man who needs a sports bra - don't run shirtless. If you are a man who jiggles like JELL-O, put the shirt back on.

I am being superficial on this? Oh yes... oh HELL yes! HELLO - GAY MOMENT HERE!

So here's to summer....may the Greek running gods be shirtless.

:-)Charlie

Note: The above message was meant to be humorous. No shirtless men were ogled during the writing of this post.

90 Days

Today I am 90 days from the Portland Marathon. Thought I would give a bit of an update.

I feel I am on track, or at least back on track with my training. I ran 3.124 miles yesterday at the gym and felt great. I know I need to run more outside, but it is in the 90s these days, and miserable. Who really wants to run in that?

For my long run this week, I will be working towards about 90 minute run.

For my fundraising efforts for NDSS - I have passed my initial goal of $1000. As of this writing I have raised $1,297 for NDSS. I am thrilled, and have decided to create a new goal - $1,500. Would I like to raise $2,000? Yes, but to be honest, I would like to raise much more. I know the time and effort involved to do that, so I will be happy to hit what I hit.

So .... 90 days out. I feel good.

Charlie

Goal for the Week

One of the things I notice I have lost over time is my flexibility. This is hindering my running, so I am making an effort to slowly add more stretching into my routine. I don't want to push hard, but I want to do something.

I feel stiff after a long run, and I know that with more stretching I can reduce that stiff feeling in my body. Eventually I want to take a yoga class, but for now, I think I need more stretching.

Ironic, because taking the time to stretch is something I hate doing. It just seems like a chore to me. So I have to find a way to make it seem less chore like.

Any ideas?

Charlie

The Meltdown

It isn't often you find an interesting race. When you do - embrace it. I did that today. The Meltdown is a small race in Shelbyville, IN. It consists of three 5Ks. As the race director said, "You paid for one and get two more for free." Here's the deal. You run the first race at 8am, the second at 9am, and the third at 10am. Since the race is in the middle of July, you can see where the meltdown occurs.

My friend Kris and I ran The Meltdown this morning. The race starts in a soccer park, winds its way around the baseball diamonds, heads through the county fairgrounds, around some houses, and back. Yup....this is a small town Indiana race. It had the feel of some runners getting together for some madness.

The weather was overcast, but humid. I'm sorry, I meant to say HUMID!!! Kris and I headed out with the pack. Fast was not our speed today. With the humidity I found it hard to breathe for the first couple miles. We did the first race in 41:55. Not my best time. Humidity, and running on some rocky paths slowed me down.

Next race things went well until we got through the fair grounds. I felt my left IT Band acting sensitive. I think part of my problem is I'm in shoes which are too old. New ones aren't coming soon enough. We walked more in this race. Our overall time for the two races was 1:30.

I melted down and sent Kris on her way for the third race. She had her fastest race, finishing in 39 minutes.

I wish I could have done more, but I was really worried about the IT Band. Still I feel I have goal for next year - run all three.

Charlie

Run Around the Track

This week has been brutally hot in Indiana. Temperatures everyday have soared into the mid to upper 90s. Options for running are either very early in the morning, later in the day, or at the gym. Yesterday I opted for the gym.

The track at NIFS was pretty empty, so off I went. The goal was to run between 45-60 minutes. I ended up running 50:07 - 4 miles. I was in the zone as I went around and around the track. I never felt labored during the my run, except when I hauled my butt to the finish. I felt good and pretty strong as I ran.

One thing I noticed, which I have noticed before, if I think about speeding up to reach a certain time, I actually don't do well hitting that time. My body actually tenses. Really how does Usain Bolt do this stuff?

My only question for the week, is do I fit in another run before The Meltdown? Or do I rest up for the three 5k meltathon?

Charlie

Running for One Who Doesn't

Running with a noble purpose means for some people that they are running for those who can't or don't. My niece Sabrina can run. I have seen her run. Can she run the distances I do? Not at this time. I don't even know if she comprehends running like that. So for this marathon, I run for her because she doesn't.

Today's run was 41 minutes total for 3.3 miles. I got the run in before the heat set in. As the sun came up, I could feel it getting warmer and warmer. I felt good out there. I continued my running easy, and telling myself that I needed to take it easy. As I took it easy on the road, I felt my legs felt like they were striding better.

I have a challenging run coming up this week, as I try to get back on track with the training. I am running The Meltdown next weekend in Shelbyville, IN. The race is 3 5K runs. You have to do the first one to run the next two. So my goal will be to complete all three 5K runs. As the day goes on, it gets hotter, hence the meltdown factor. Wish me luck.

Charlie

Running is Different

When I first started running, I wanted to see how far I go could. Later running was an exercise in seeing if I could do it faster. As my running has changed, I look at it a bit differently. Now when I run, I think about the quality of the run, and how well I am doing.

I thought about this during my run at NIFS yesterday. I ran 3.14 miles. The last few weeks I have been injured, with what I am not sure, but I was determined to run yesterday. My only thought was to go nice and easy. I did just that. Going at a relaxed pace helped me think about how I run, how I step, how I move. I felt like I was moving well.

Considering the odd pains I have felt in my left leg for the last couple weeks, I thought this was a really good run. My pace turned out to be 12:05 a mile. That is better than it has been. Of course what I have to realize is my run at the gym is totally flat, and my runs outside are rolly, hence the times vary.

While I train for Portland, I really want to focus on the quality of each run, and keep a relaxed feeling about me. I think this is working well, and I want to continue it.

Charlie

Bookin it on the Bike

Yesterday I rode the bike at the gym. This served dual purposes. First it was a nice cross train. Second it was a non-impact exercise while I am nursing the IT Band/knee.

I rode hard on the bike. I did 5 miles, and I poured it on. Sweat was flying off me. I believe I topped out at 118 RPMs. Is that good? It sounded fast to me.

I also did a 7 minute elliptical workout. That was intense as well.

Tomorrow I am hoping to run a little. Yes, I am off track at the moment, but nothing I can't get back to.

Charlie

Running with the IT Band

If you have had an irritated IT Band, then you know how much it hurts. I laid off most of this week, because it was bothering me. Yesterday though was a good day, and I headed to the gym to run. I figured the softer surface would help and not hinder.

I went at an easy pace. I averaged about 13min/mile. I ended up running 3 miles, and I felt fine. The area still feels tender, but not as bad as it was. So now I have to do some exercises to strengthen that area, while running. I am behind in my running, but I also know I should NOT make up runs. I can't. All I can do is run from here.

Charlie

This and That

Quite a bit to talk about.

I didn't run today, but that old nasty friend the irritate IT Band was visiting me. So I made sure I took it easy. I also worked on it at work with "The Stick." If you haven't used this product, it's a good one to have. It is a stick with rolly bars on it to work the muscles over and over. It isn't as painful as a foam roller, but it works.

My sister Anne visited over the weekend, and she brought Sabrina. I will be sure to share pictures soon. It was a nice visit. Sabrina is such a sweet girl. Of course, now then she is a bit stubborn, but what 8 year old isn't.

Her visit showed me a lot of things. First, I am even more determined to hit my $1000 goal for NDSS. The work they do is truly going to help her in the future. Second, I am in awe of Anne. She has a lot of patience and love. Being a single parent of a child with Down Syndrome can't be easy. There are challenges I cannot even begin to imagine. I know though Anne's resolve is strong. Sabrina has a wonderful mom in my sister.

I did manage to get in a 5k run this week. I felt good running through the cemetery near me. Of course now I am trying to figure what I did to the IT Band.

My big news came this week. I have been promoted at my store. I am now the manager. I can not tell you how thrilled I am that the upper managers and the owners have faith in my to make a go of this store. I have, in essence been in place for 6 months, but more as a manager in training. My formal training is over, now I get to put into practice what I have been toying with.

My friends in Chicago will understand how much this means to me, especially after my experience there.

So the week is a good one. Now I just have to work on this IT Band.

Charlie

Running for the Week

While I posted quite a bit on NDSS this week. I did run some. I ran 4 days, and I typically ran 2- 2.88 miles. I am a bit behind in the training, but this schedule just did not allow for longer runs. So my goal next week is to run longer runs.

Still I am glad I got to run. Today was just too hot. My goal was to run an hour at the track, but the weather was hot and so was the track. I really had nothing in me when I finished 2 miles. It was just hot. Other people on the track were wilting - never good.

Now I focus on next week's runs. Longer and stronger.

Charlie

NDSS Interview Part 5

Today is the last part of my interview with Jordana Stern of NDSS. Over the last week, we have learned some of what the National Down Syndrome Society does for people with Down Syndrome and their families. The answers to my questions only scratch the surface of what this organization does.

In today's post, Stern talks about how NDSS works with over 300 affiliate organizations around the country.

5) How do you help affiliate organizations around the country?

NDSS is affiliated with over 350 organizations that provide an array of benefits to help better service the Down syndrome community in their regions. We view our affiliates as equal partners working on behalf of individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and the professionals involved with their overall welfare. Services and programs at an affiliate may include: new parent support and education, family meetings, recreational activities, lending libraries, Helplines, regional conferences, training for medical professionals and educators, and Buddy Walks®. Some affiliates are large operations and some are small neighborhood groups; they perform a variety of services, though nearly all have a parent support component.

NDSS links its affiliates to the greater Down syndrome community. New and expectant parents and members of local communities are referred to local affiliates through our toll-free Helpline, email service and www.ndss.org, the most accessed and comprehensive Down syndrome website on the Internet.

Affiliates receive NDSS educational materials, NDSS bulletins, NDSS National Policy Center Action Alerts, affiliate messages, and are invited to join our monthly affiliate webinars. Affiliate webinars are hour-long presentations conducted online by experts on a variety of topics related to Down syndrome. Past affiliate webinar topics have been: Respiratory Concerns in Children with Down Syndrome, Sibling Issues: What Your Other Children Without Down Syndrome are Thinking, Universal Design for Learning, and the NDSS My Great Story Public Awareness Campaign. In addition to the presentation, the webinars include an open Q&A with the presenter.

For more information on NDSS, please go to www.ndss.org

To donate towards my $1,000 goal for NDSS, please go to www.crowdrise.com/runningforsabina

Charlie

NDSS Interview Part 4

Today is the 4th in a series of questions I asked Jordana Stern of NDSS to address. Today Stern talks about one important resource NDSS provides - the NDSS Helpline

4) What is the NDSS Helpline? Who is it for, and how does it help people?

Through its toll-free helpline (800-221-4602) and email service (info@ndss.org), NDSS receives more than 10,000 requests a year for information on Down syndrome. The professionally staffed Goodwin Family Information and Referral Center responds to questions from parents, professionals, self-advocates and other interested individuals.

A trained NDSS representative is available to respond to email inquiries and phone calls between the hours of 9am and 5pm ET, Monday - Friday. The Goodwin Family Information and Referral Center is supported by a translation service that can be accessed in over 150 languages and publishes brochures and a new parent packet in English and Spanish.

www.ndss.org

www.crowdrise.com/runningforsabrina

Charlie

NDSS Interview Part 3

This week has certainly been an education on this blog. This week's focus is on the National Down Syndrome Society(NDSS). As you all know I am raising money for this organization in honor of my niece Sabrina.

Jordana Stern, Communications Associate for NDSS has answered a series of questions I asked about the organization and how they help people with Down Syndrome. Yesterday she broke down the different programs they focus on. Today we are looking at one of their most visible programs - "My Great Story."

3) What is My Great Story?

The My Great Story (MGS) public awareness campaign seeks to fuel a new way of thinking about people with Down syndrome by celebrating their accomplishments and achievements. Through sharing stories written by self-advocates, as well as their family members, friends, colleagues, teachers and many others, the campaign sheds light on the abilities of people with Down syndrome. The MGS online storybook has several sections in which participants can choose to share their stories, including family, friends, hobbies, education, travel, sports and several others. A holiday section rotates throughout the year and features stories that are relevant to the month or season. All are invited to join the campaign by reading the stories in the collection, and commenting and voting on their favorite submissions.

The MGS campaign was created pro-bono by NY based Ad Agency, Pedone. After 14 months of market analysis the Pedone team developed the MGS campaign theme in an effort to educate both those with a personal connection to someone with Down syndrome and the general public about the advancements and achievements being made by people with Down syndrome. The online story book was developed by CT based Interactive Agency York and Chapel, who spent over 12 months developing the user friendly technology, sophisticated design and esthetics. Two of the stories in the collection, The Public Speaker, by self-advocate Sara Wolff and The Traveler, by self-advocate Sujeet Desai, were made into print ads for the campaign that were shot by photographer Zachary Scott. TV Hosts Meredith Vieira and Nancy O’Dell, Actor John C. McGinley and Actor and NDSS Goodwill Ambassador Chris Burke joined in as well by staring in 30 second PSAs for the campaign.

The MGS campaign has garnered strong visibility in a profound timeframe. To date, over $6 million has been donated in national and regional ad space and services. The campaign has been seen by over 225 million people across the country and featured in media outlets such as Allure, Fortune, Glamour, Newsweek, Self, Time, USA Today, Vogue and Wired, among other noteworthy outlets. The My Great Story campaign has attracted other types of media as well, including placements in airports, bars, checkout counters and hospital patient and waiting rooms.

For more information about My Great Story and NDSS, please go to www.ndss.org

Please consider a donation towards my $1,000 goal. At this writing, I am over 40% of the way there.

Charlie

NDSS Interview Part 2

This week I am posting portions of a series of questions I asked Jordana Stern, Communications Associate for NDSS. Yesterday, Ms. Stern addressed the challenges people with Down Syndrome and their families face. One of the most interesting things I took from that was that people with Down Syndrome are living longer, thus affecting family decisions at the economic level, that had not happened before.

Today's questions focuses more on the work NDSS does. For more info on NDSS, please go to www.ndss.org

Again, please consider donating towards my $1,000 goal as I run for my niece Sabrina and NDSS.

2) NDSS has four areas of focus: Education, Development & Community Life, Policy, Research, and Healthcare. Can you talk about some of the successes NDSS has had in those areas? (Please note our four areas of programming below)

Jordana Stern: NDSS is focused on four areas of programming: community support programs, the NDSS National Policy Center, public awareness initiatives and the National Buddy Walk® Program.

NDSS Community Support Programs

NDSS leads a network of over 350 affiliate groups across the country, consisting of local parent support groups and other organizations that provide services to the Down syndrome community. Some key services NDSS offers to its affiliates and to the Down syndrome community as a whole include:

• The Goodwin Family Information and Referral Center

Through its toll-free helpline and email service, NDSS receives more than 10,000 requests a year for information on Down syndrome. The Goodwin Family Information and Referral Center is also supported by a translation service that can be accessed in over 150 languages.

• Publications

NDSS publishes A Promising Future Together: A Guide for New and Expectant Parents and informational brochures in both English and Spanish.

• Website

A comprehensive and up-to-date resource for families, professionals, affiliates and others, www.ndss.org receives over 3 million page views each year and includes an extensive Spanish translation.

NDSS National Policy Center

The NDSS National Policy Center strives to protect the rights and remove barriers for all individuals with Down syndrome. The work of the policy center is guided by its dynamic legislative agenda which includes a wide range of issues and touches every stage of life. These issues include education, health care, research, employment and independent living.

The NDSS National Policy Center:

• Works with Congress and federal agencies to develop and improve legislation

• Trains and educates parents, self-advocates and others to advocate on the local, state and national levels

• Organizes and participates in coalitions of national disability organizations

• Leads national and statewide Governmental Affairs Committees

NDSS Public Awareness Initiatives

The purpose of public awareness at NDSS is turn the mission of “value, acceptance and inclusion” into a positive, comprehensive national public awareness message. NDSS proactively reaches out to national media outlets including television, print, online media, and radio to secure editorial content on issues within the Down syndrome community, as well as to secure positive and inspirational news stories. NDSS monitors all forms of media on a daily basis, 365 days a year.

My Great Story is NDSS’ largest public awareness campaign, and its goal is to ignite a new way of thinking about people with Down syndrome by sharing and telling stories, which are displayed in a beautiful online storybook.

National Buddy Walk® Program

The Buddy Walk® is a national Walk program created by NDSS to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome and to raise funds for local and national initiatives that support people with Down syndrome and their families. The Buddy Walk began in 1995 as a public awareness and advocacy effort with 17 Walks. A fund raising component was added in 1999. Today there are 275 registered Walks with over 250,000 Walkers, which raise approximately $10 million annually across the country.

Charlie

NDSS Interview Part 1

Part of raising money for and organization is raising awareness for the good works an organization does. Over the course of this week, I am going to highlight questions I submitted to Jordana Stern, Communications Associate for the National Down Syndrome Society(NDSS). I submitted five questions, and each day I will highlight a different question.

1) What are some of the biggest challenges people with Down syndrome and their families face?

Jordana Stern: People with Down syndrome attend school, work, live independently, participate in decisions that affect them, and contribute to society in many ways; however, there are some challenges that individuals with Down syndrome and their families commonly face. All people with Down syndrome experience cognitive delays, but the effect is usually mild to moderate and is not indicative of the many strengths and talents that each individual possesses. Despite this, students with Down syndrome face barriers to a quality education all too often.

People with Down syndrome have an increased risk for certain medical conditions such as congenital heart defects, respiratory and hearing problems, Alzheimer's disease, childhood leukemia, and thyroid conditions. Many of these conditions are now treatable, so most people with Down syndrome lead healthy lives. In fact, the life expectancy of people with Down syndrome has risen significantly in recent years, increasing from 25 in 1983 to 60 today. As a result, for the first time, families of people with Down syndrome must plan financially to provide throughout this longer lifespan. Quality educational programs, good health care, and positive support from family, friends and the community enable people with Down syndrome to develop their full potential and lead fulfilling lives.

For more information on NDSS, please go to www.ndss.org

To donate towards my $1,000 goal for NDSS, please go to www.crowdrise.com/runningforsabrina

Charlie