Coach’s Corner – Run Happy!

[cewait]

There is a relatively new ad campaign from our friends at Brooks. I have never run in their shoes but really like their campaign. What caught my eye was a print ad featuring Ironman Superstar Chrissie Wellington. For those who have not seen her, she cycles and runs with a huge smile on her face. A little background, Chrissie has not lost in the IM distance since her first attempt in the 2007 IM in Hawaii and always seems to be smiling. All the while she crushes the competition.

That brings me to the point… Run Happy. We all have great days, good days and well; those other days. You know the ones where we really should have hit the snooze button, played with the kids or attacked the six pack in the fridge. Once out running, it is so easy to turn a great run into a tedious one if we start to over think the run. You know the thoughts, my ---- hurts, it’s too hot, or I feel slow. Once we enter an event, we tend to lose sight of the play that should be part of sport. I have to get the run in now regardless of the (name the issue) takes over and we just trudge through the run. It can grow to a point of just baling out of an event. It hits us all, me included.

Run Happy – we should try to overcome all the negatives and run happy. That does not mean that we should not run with purpose or cover the necessary distance to assure a great race. It means having the attitude of wanting to be there. Run in the moment and focus on the task at hand…. or not focusing and just running until you hit the end. By running happy, we smile or at least run with relaxed faces. If you face is relaxed, then the jaw remains relaxed and likewise the neck, shoulders and back. Once you start rolling the shoulders forward you have lost form and are now not running happy.

Clear you mind and you will run happy.

Run Happy!

 

[TMcDwyer]

Thanks for sharing this! I will try to run with a smile on my face tomorrow!

 

[rubato]

Thanks Coach. I have my good and bad days, but do always try to remember that I'm doing this because I want to and it makes me happy!

 

[jmasgat]

Thanks, coach. Now that I am sidelined--hopefully temporary, but not sure yet--I appreciate running more. If I make it back, I will definitely be able to run happy.

I always marvelled at another IM multi-time champ, Natascha Badmann, who also wore a perpetual smile. Amazing.

Maura

 

[Duanerice]

Good post Charles. Another good idea is don't hang your head. No matter how tired you get, keep your heard up. A lot less stress on your neck nd shoulders. I know when I get tired I tend to dip my head. But, I am usually smiling
enjoy,
Duane

 

[Disfan11]

Great advice.
I'll try and keep my smile on throughout my training and races!

 

[Maddykins06]

Thanks Coach.
I really needed to see this today.

My next run will be a Happy Run!

 

[cewait]

It was posted on a day that I needed the extra smile also. That day my company announced it agreed to a take over from a firm that would more than likely start to gut staffing (a guess - but true to it's historic model). A week later, another firm stepped up and now there is a battle royale.

I have bee through 6 mergers or acquisitions and this was the first time since the first one in 89 that I was immediately worried. Then I had the issue of a 10 month employment history - today, it would be age discrimination under cover of paring of those with higher salaries.

 

[joan4mickey]

I guess Run Happy is relative....

I got ill the first week of February, Dr. said don't run Princes, I did and was "happy" with my time. Turned out I was more sick than thought so when I got home I layed around, lost weight (ie muscle) couldn't do anything. Back to Dr. more test (strep infection, never had a sore throat), drug therapy. Better, run, exercise, and even had some good run, but wasn't "feeling" it.

So...Thursday morning I go out, pretty cool for this time of year, take NO timing/pace device and decide to just run for an hour. It was like freedom, not sure I was smiling, but I was happy, content and felt good.

Well, that's my run happy story and I guess the moral is just go out and forget about all the technology and enjoy the moment.

Happy Independents Day to all you fellow Americans and to other have a great weekend too!

 

[NCrunner]

It was posted on a day that I needed the extra smile also. That day my company announced it agreed to a take over from a firm that would more than likely start to gut staffing (a guess - but true to it's historic model). A week later, another firm stepped up and now there is a battle royale.

I have bee through 6 mergers or acquisitions and this was the first time since the first one in 89 that I was immediately worried. Then I had the issue of a 10 month employment history - today, it would be age discrimination under cover of paring of those with higher salaries.

So all good with work now coach? We don't like to hear our best motivator and coach having hard times......thank you for always responding to our ever persistent questions!

 

[cewait]

So all good with work now coach? We don't like to hear our best motivator and coach having hard times......thank you for always responding to our ever persistent questions!

I am taking it harder than necessary. Though a little background may be in order. I have been through six mergers/acquisitions/spin-offs in my career. That does not include the blood letting layoffs that have occurred from time to time. Of these, I have only thought holy smoke, this is not good. Besides this one, the first one I had the same feeling. The first merger occurred about 10 months after I walked in the door. So I had good reason to worry. I did have a boss at the time who focused us and I survived in fine fashion. The only other one that my hairs stood on end was this final one. Not sure why, but I feel like I am in a surplussed position if the original bidder company prevails. If the white knight company prevails, I think I am much better off. I left my current company about 7 years ago and spent 19 months at the white knight company. So I think I am a known asset there.

Regardless and the intuition feelings, I am getting past the initial shock and trying to get a couple huge projects tied up by year end. That will keep my mind off the unnecessary BS and hopefully gainfully employed in the newco. If the worst case happens, I may just head off and due what I have threatened to do for the past 5-6 years. I would love to be a full time trainer. We are now empty nesters and almost have everything paid off. Financially it is not the ideal end, but it would fulfill a passion. I think there is a huge market in clubs for an 'experienced' person, one who fully understands what arthritis is like, how hard it is to get off the couch after 20 years, how to get past the embarrassment of having to show up at the club after letting yourself go. I see kids (sorry young folks) trying to push other gray hairs, not understanding how to motivate a long term couch potato; generally thinking that I am buff so everyone should want to be me. That does not work well.

Oops - vented some.... anyway, long story short. Doing much better.

 

[NCrunner]

I am taking it harder than necessary. Though a little background may be in order. I have been through six mergers/acquisitions/spin-offs in my career. That does not include the blood letting layoffs that have occurred from time to time. Of these, I have only thought holy smoke, this is not good. Besides this one, the first one I had the same feeling. The first merger occurred about 10 months after I walked in the door. So I had good reason to worry. I did have a boss at the time who focused us and I survived in fine fashion. The only other one that my hairs stood on end was this final one. Not sure why, but I feel like I am in a surplussed position if the original bidder company prevails. If the white knight company prevails, I think I am much better off. I left my current company about 7 years ago and spent 19 months at the white knight company. So I think I am trying to get a couple huge projects tied up by year end. That will keep my mind off the unnecessary BS and hopefully gainfully employed in the newco. If the worst case happens,

It is always great to see people follow a passion.....I too am almost empty nest and have thought about too paying it forward. I am a nurse and have lost 50 lbs, almost got this nutrition thing figured out ( almost) and would love to help others on a very difficult journey from the side of having been there too. So, I say follow your heart in worst case senerio.....wish I lived in tx! Will I see u in Feb for the Princess?

 

[Maddykins06]

If the worst case happens, I may just head off and due what I have threatened to do for the past 5-6 years. I would love to be a full time trainer. We are now empty nesters and almost have everything paid off. Financially it is not the ideal end, but it would fulfill a passion. I think there is a huge market in clubs for an 'experienced' person, one who fully understands what arthritis is like, how hard it is to get off the couch after 20 years, how to get past the embarrassment of having to show up at the club after letting yourself go. I see kids (sorry young folks) trying to push other gray hairs, not understanding how to motivate a long term couch potato; generally thinking that I am buff so everyone should want to be me. That does not work well.

Oops - vented some.... anyway, long story short. Doing much better.

OR you could come to Philadelphia & teach in my program - Exercise Science & Wellness Management!

 

[Bookwood]

Sorry you have this to be concerned over coach! (we've lived through a few of those in the last several years- and with the final one finishing college in Dec- we'll be racing to pay off the house just in case because with a company with alot of defense contracts one never knows!!)

I have a great coach/trainer at our local Y very inspiring and makes working hard fun (can't say that for the rest of the locals though) so I think a good inspiring trainer is worth my weight in gold (their weight ,for the most part, isn't enough LOL) so if you have to go that route I'm sure it would do well for you.

I ran happy yesterday (back to the original post) I'm hassled right now with a tear in my left knee meniscus and usually can't run pain free- yesterday, although hot and humid, it was pain free and felt fun again!

 

[cloudnut220]

Good luck Coach. A good friend of our family's just lost his job to age discrimination. He was told that his job series was eliminated, but it was only those 55+ who were let go.

 

[cewait]

Thanks for all the well wishes. With these kinds of mergers we will not understand where we are personally until late this year or early next. Quoting a great and inciteful movie line... Mongo is just a pawn in giant game of life.

 

[jennypenny]

Mongo is just a pawn in giant game of life.

My DH always says that when work is driving him bat sh$t. Try not to worry about your job. Your job may disappear next year, or it might not. Worrying about it won't change the outcome. Don't just Run Happy, Live Happy.

BTW, I took your advice today. I didn't want to run this morning (dead legs this week--not sure why). So when I stepped on the treadmill, I looked in the mirror, smiled and remembered all of the reasons I should be happy I am able to run now (used to use a cane/walker to get around, was taken out of the BCV by ambulance because of severe pain, used to weigh 70+ lbs more). I happily ran my incline program after that.

 

[OregonGirl]

Coach -

Great thread. Sorry to hear about your work problems, though. My mom's job has recently been outsourced to India, even though she is a software engineer for a company that handles automotive dealerships and works with proprietary software, and apparently automotive dealerships don't exist in India and the programmers there are having to learn the software at the company's expense, and the time zone, cultural and language differences are already causing problems with the remaining US based team... so apparently so far the shift has been an all around bad move, but nevertheless my mom is out her job. She expects to be brought back as a contractor that will work less hours from home with more pay though, so I guess there is always a silver lining.

If you were to ever start an online running blog or advice forum or something, I would pay to be a member of it. You have been so helpful on the threads thus far and have really offered some invaluable information. I wish you the best and hope that everything works out!

HUGS!! - Carey