Starting to run for all the good reasons

Why can I not resist a worthy challenge, no matter how unsure I may be of my ability to successfully complete it? First, when the goal seems worthy to me, the pain and potential “humiliation” I might have to endure in the process seem insignificant by comparison. Then, I know from experience I had always gained at least some valuable lessons. To top it all, if I do succeed, I feel exhilarated and reinforced in my determination to continue to accept good challenges. This time my challenge was indeed related to participating in a 5K “fun run”. I had good reasons to accept this challenge and to believe I had the stamina to complete it, but I did not know how to actually do it. The lessons I learned are widely transferable.

Sunrise on Lake Michigan

I was attending the annual meeting of the American Heart Association. In the spirit of the conference, the participants, professionals who work in the area of cardiovascular disease, are encouraged to “walk the talk” or rather, run it. My early career mentor, Peter, a dedicated runner, has been asking me on every eve of the run, for almost 20 yrs, if I was going to participate. I have been saying: “No, not this year… I am not a runner, I’ll need to prepare for it.” But that never happened. Not only do I not enjoy running, but by doctor’s orders after a bus accident that immobilized me for months in a hospital bed many years ago I am to avoid any physical activity pounding on my spine. Last year, my mentor finally wore me down. I thought: if I can compete in a 5K rowing race, I should have enough stamina to finish a 5K run, right? So, I ran it, felt good about finishing, but I was not sure I wanted to repeat the experience; however, it turns out that my mentor had asked the organizers to dedicate this year’s run to the memory of one of our colleagues who had been struck and killed by a car while running precisely during last year’s annual meeting. Peter enlisted all the runners who were current members or alumni of his institution, which included me, to wear a tee-shirt displaying the name of our lost colleague to honor his memory. How could I say no to running this year?

I got up really early and put on several layers as my iPhone indicated the temperature was 30 F. I was not sure what runners wear, I had put on a couple of layers, and now I got the extra tee-shirt, however while waiting for all the runners to show up, I was regretting being there so early (I was in the first bus that dropped people off at the site). In spite of the dark, we snapped pictures “before”, we heard some brief talk encouraging us to maintain healthy physical activities, then a couple of short speeches about the person we were commemorating and we held a moment of silence. We were then told to go to the start line by letting the competitive runners start first. In fact, I went around the crowd to snap some pictures of the competitive group, running in place impatient to catapult over the start line.  Only now, while writing this, did it occur to me that their puzzled looks may have been related to the fact that by walking over the start line to take the pictures, I had likely triggered my own timing device! Did I mention that I am “green?” Satisfied with the spectacle of their explosive start, I then walked to the back of the gathered crowd and started my own run from there.

So, here are the main learning points I selected from my (overall) experience of 2 x 5K runs, one year apart (with no training what so ever).

1. Accept a worthy challenge.

If the cause seems important to you, take a chance and do your very best. Worst case scenario, you will learn from it.

2. Seek and follow (some of the) advice.

I knew this would not be easy with no training, so I asked several experienced runners for some tips, “Should I try to touch down first with my toe or my heel? How should I pace a 5 K run?” Their face betrayed their amused incredulity: “You do not usually run??? Well, then… best just forget it!” Finally, Sonia, another of my mentors offered advice that unleashed for me the possibility of participating: “If you really, really want to do it, just take it easy and hang in there!” I decided to go with her advice.

3. Find a buddy (support system)

As I began to run at the end of the crowd, I was still getting passed by many! I felt very discouraged: I was slow even in the slow crowd… Judging by their toned and nice physiques, it seemed that the great majority of runners were fitter or younger, and many were both. Once more I doubted my decision to participate… Then, I finally spotted in front of me someone who was more like me, in fact she seemed heavier. I told myself, “If she can run I can run! I will just try to stick with her for as long as I can”. For a while, I only looked at her back and tried to keep up with her speed, ignoring all those passing us.

4. Enjoy your route, but don’t find excuses to give up/get off track.

The view was really amazing: the sun was beginning to rise over Lake Michigan, seemingly setting its calm waters on fire. If I did not come out here to run at this early hour, I would have not been able to see this remarkable scene from behind the tall city skyline. I kept thinking I may not be able to remember the splendid picture in its full glory. Besides, my legs were hurting, so I wanted really badly to stop, rest, and take some good pictures. I took my camera out of my pocket (I had thought I might need it), but realized that should I stop to take those good pictures, this might just turn into a photo safari. I was there for a different reason so, I stopped only long enough to snap several pictures in the low light. It turns out that many are not in focus, but I was still able to find a few that are good enough to jog my memory.

5. Learn, find ways to compensate for your shortcomings,adapt.

Since having my back injured in the bus accident many years ago, I have a deficit in my left leg that becomes noticeable (to me) with strenuous activity. I had learned over the years how to compensate for it while rowing: I decrease the force with which I push against the boat with my right (“good”) leg to match the weaker left leg. It is easy to tell if I am doing it right, any difference between left and right foot’s pressure makes my single boat veer… While running, I could not pound away with my left leg as vigorously as I could with my right. It took a while to figure out that I could not split differentially the gravitational pull on my two legs, so I resolved to run “softer” (and of course slower).

6. Hang in there.

 I was following the advice, running only up to where it felt hard but not uncomfortable, and keeping the hope that I will not run out of steam before the official finish line. I was making steady progress, albeit many had passed me by. At some point I began to notice people slowing down, and then I began to pass some, including the woman I had resolved to follow. A quick corner of the eye look when passing her revealed she was many years my junior.

7. Aim for a strong finish.

With the finish line in plain view, I tried to gather all my remaining energy to sprint. Someone decided that we needed encouragement and shouted in a megaphone: “Looking good! You need to smile for the finish.” I thought, how could I possibly smile, everything hurts. At the exact moment when my brain rebelled, I felt a violent cramp in my left leg. In a strange way it was reassuring as just moments ago I could not feel my leg anymore, and was wondering if it was still bending correctly or was about to buckle. I thought: “Oh no, I am not going to be able to finish!” My response was to run even faster to make sure I do make it across the finish line, so I pushed my chest forward and hoped my legs will rotate fast enough to keep up with it. I could not believe it, but here it was: the finish arch. After going under it, my first thought was: ”I did it!” Second thought: “Is this real or am I dreaming?” For one, the speakers were still blasting (appropriately?) "Forever young, I want to be forever young" as when I had started running, it felt like a "Groundhog day" type of situation. Then,  a couple of guys watching my finish exclaimed loudly: “Oh wow, that was really impressive!”

8. Pass it on: challenge/encourage someone else!

The reason I wrote about how I was able to overcome this challenge is because I hope that at least one other person will find it inspiring enough to tackle a challenge new to them (not necessarily taking up running), anything worthwhile they currently think they are not capable of achieving…

“If I can run, YOU can run!”  

A sure way to get my heart rate up

My heart beats per minute (BPM)

The media published yet another story in its quest for mass-appeal with the potential for huge public disservice…  Is it me, or is media defeating the essential reasons for its very existence?

The other day, I received an email message from my son. In his usual succinct style, the subject line said: ”Well, so much for that plan” and it included a link to story published in “The Observer” (/the guardian/UK) entitled “Why exercise won’t make you thin.”  He is a bright young man (as illustrated by his reading on a variety of subjects including in the foreign press), who has been likely looking, like many others, for an “intelligent ,“ seemingly science-backed, excuse to skip on exercise. The effect of this story hit close enough to shock me out of my writing hiatus. No worries, I waited till I had pondered on the article while rowing and my heart beat came back close to its regular rhythm (as demonstrated by the picture - talk about exercise not having positive effects...) before starting to write.

The article contains the following executive summary: “A result for couch potatoes, yes, but also one that could have serious implications for the government's long-term health strategy.” By the number of tweets and Facebook shares it seems this was quite a popular story; I am sure the couch potatoes “ate” it up (no apologies, the pun is intended!) The coup de grace is questioning the government strategy on regular exercise.  Surely the British, as well as other, governments that came up with recommendations are not interested in how their citizens “look” but in their health status.  There is a massive amount of scientific data showing how regular exercise improves people’s health. By publicly questioning the benefits of exercise in such misleadingly written articles, the mass media is doing a huge disservice to people looking for “evidence” to avoid the effort that may be needed to make healthy choices.

I will not repeat what the article says, so you could have the pleasure of reading it yourself, but it contains a lot of statements like these: “More and more research in both the UK and the US is emerging to show that exercise has a negligible impact on weight loss. Almost worthless, as far as fitting into your bikini is concerned.” And supposedly backs up the perception of “worthless” with studies from reputable sources such as The Mayo Clinic. The problem is that one has to read carefully to fully understand the implication of their quoted conclusion: "an exercise regimen… is unlikely to result in short-term weight loss beyond what is achieved with dietary change." But of course! There are no magic bullets for losing weight. As someone who spent more than 20 yrs trying to understand how our body functions, I can tell that it is too complex and resilient (thankfully!) to undergo lasting changes due to any crash-style regimen, either diet of exercise. 

If your ultimate goal is "looks,” then the question is: do you just want to ”look good” for some specific upcoming event or do you want to look the best you possibly could for the rest of your life? More importantly, one should plan to lose pounds to reach their healthy weight not just to fit in a specific dress on one special occasion or even in their favorite “skinny” jeans. We should all aim for our healthy weight – we have a pretty good idea of what that is. For faster but fleeting changes, you could go ahead starve or poison yourself with some crazy diet, but for a sustained effect, you will have to be diligent and determined, and possibly even call upon some of your math abilities! The article suggests people who exercise do not lose weigh because they (over)compensate, i.e. feel entitled to eat more because they exercise. Well, there is a simple equation each of us has to solve out every day: “Did I eat more than I burned?” No worries, there are many free websites that will help you approximate calories for food and exercise, and now many fast food and restaurants have to show calories to you as soon as you are ready to decide what to order. And there is plenty of help teaching you what and how to cook healthy (I wrote another time on that strategy for weight loss “Winning the race against gravity and inertia”). It’s a lifestyle change!

I made that healthy lifestyle choice myself and have been working at it for a while. However it is nothing like the discouraging statement made by the article that says: “From a practical perspective, then, exercise is never going to be an effective way of slimming, unless you have the training schedule – and the willpower – of an Olympic athlete.” Not true! The biggest challenge is to make a little time each day (no Olympic athlete works out less than an hour!) and to use a combination of exercises. What worked for me was identifying  and adding some “body weight lifting” type exercises that I enjoy (I do not like working with machines). One quote I liked from the article was: “We know that dietary behavior is quite a negative behavior – we're having to deny ourselves something. There aren't any diets out there that people enjoy. But people do enjoy being physically active." So why is the Observer article discouraging people from exercising??? And yes, I am also paying attention to what I eat, but I can’t diet: I love food too much! Luckily not donuts, but I love and occasionally eat French fries and two portions of desert (especially if the option of trying different ones is presented to me). I just know that I will have to burn these off in the next couple of days and I don’t give up every time after, as if I had already blown it and there is 'no hope anyway.' Oh yes, I also eat chocolate every day (but I do limit the amount). Some of my friends attending food-themed events have complained saying that “it’s not fair” that I can eat this much. My frequent reply: “so, see you tomorrow for an early morning row?” The secret is that muscle needs more energy, but is also better at burning it (IF you use your muscles!)

Let me tell you how the last couple of years have been for me, and I promise I am not an exception (I recommend reading Mayo Clinic's  “7 benefits of regular physical activity” and the American Heart Association scientific position on physical activity). Every day I do exercises that I enjoy (I picked them based on that!) and I resist at all costs the temptation to skip exercise because of a time crunch (there are other things that could be cut, sometimes sleep time for me!). Nevertheless, overall I have more energy than ever; I even have more time to think (away from other distractions). My physician was astounded (again) after my yearly physical: “What have you been doing???” he asked, “You have the vitals of a 30 yr old hard core athlete!”  Only that… I’m not. Also, I’m not so light, but I’m tight! Muscle weighs more than an equal volume of fat. Imagine my surprise the first time I could not find my size for some clothing item I liked because I was… too small?!?! It happened to me more than once since, and instead of getting upset, I am still (pleasantly) surprised every time. So although the effort/compliments ratio is not exactly one to one (I exercise every day!), people who know me and people I had not met before compliment me all the time about how healthy and good I look. Every week someone asks for specific advice on how they could obtain the same results. Here is my advice if you want to enjoy and benefit from exercise: 1) pick physical activities you like best so that you will want to do them regularly, and 2) make a commitment to find time for it every day… for the foreseeable future. It's that simple! If other circumstances require some exercises that you normally do not enjoy - try my strategy to get those done ("Start with the end in sight"). But the most important advice I have in response to the Observer's story is, regardless of your weight: if you are considering giving up on exercising or on starting to exercise regularly, DON’T!

I went back to check for other reactions to this article: I was hoping people would speak up. I would have been surprised to see publicly expressed cheers from self-acknowledged couch potatoes (especially if that might have involved getting up from the couch ;-) My favorite comment summarizing this article? “Dreadful Sunday fodder article, shame on you. However, wonderful picture of a lean gonzesse doing sit-ups on a doughnut, well done, keep it up.” Certainly a better use for the large doughnut if you plan to look like the girl in that picture!

 p.s. wondering if anybody already did a study examining the effects on weight and overall health status of a group giving up their daily exercise routine for extra time to read the newspaper?!?

A view “to live for”…

My recent experience with trying to measure up against the mighty Potomac provided the most vivid illustration of this twist of the phrase ”to die for” , which had apparently stuck in my brain after hearing it a while back. Those who had similarly gone through serious situations, fearing for their life, yet in the same time feeling elated, will probably relate. No, I’m not going to recount a pure adrenaline-rush episode some seek on purpose, like plunging at the end of bungee cord. Mine was a less contrived occurrence requiring me to put up a good fight, the reward was not only staying alive but feeling overjoyed about being alive (something I would otherwise take for granted).

My professional career created the opportunity to further expand my… rowing horizons. As of April I became a guest member of the Potomac Boat Center in DC, one of the most prestigious and venerable US rowing clubs, situated on the banks of one of the mightiest North American rivers. After a long winter during which I was reduced to sadly contemplating my little frozen lake, I could not wait one more second to experience water in its liquid form. On my first day as a member, I had been summoned to launch my boat well before the crack of dawn, something I never do back home. I was told the basic rules (needed to use boat lights to be noticed, which side I was allowed to navigate on) and some useful information (how far to the last bridge and ‘current is strong today’).

The mighty Potomac, further inflated by the heavy rain in the last few days, was glowing seductively under the full moon, so there I went, taking on it in a light weight single boat. The power differential was a bit intimidating, but the water seemed rather smooth, and the easy going with its flow enhanced the whole magic of the new experience and my belief that “I can do this”… However, after navigating a couple of turns (in the dark!) the water became very rough just before having to pass under a series of bridges. All of the sudden I was sucked into a vortex, the boat was accelerating toward a huge pillar. I rapidly pulled in my oar (which normally hangs more the 6 feet on the side of the boat) completely into the oarlock to prevent it from being snapped. Of course, the boat was now completely unbalanced so I instinctively leaned overboard on the other side while we were twirling together out of control toward the pillar.

I used the blade as a rudder and just when the light boat was about to crash into the pillar, instead of avoiding it, I planted my blade into the pillar and began to push and extend again the oar redirecting the force to push us away from the center of the vortex. Seemed like time stood still, yet the locked dance with the pillar might have taken only a few seconds, then all of the sudden we were set free of its embrace. If I had to plan it, I would probably not been able to anticipate the moves needed to keep us afloat. The experience of less dramatic yet various challenges during the past years somehow combined into an instinctive knowledge of how to maintain the balance. Probably even more importantly, I distinctly remember becoming more calm and deliberate as the outside world started to spin around me. I also remember wondering, almost as if I was looking at myself: “how comes I am still riding above the water?” It was a strange feeling of completely being into the moment, yet rationally thinking about it as if observing if from the outside.
The last couple of bridges I navigated as in trance, then I hit again open water, seemingly reaching the proposed goal for the day and such decided it was time to turn back. The first signs of light helped avoid getting close to the pillars again. Working now against the current, I was making slow progress. Then, the wind really picked up.

My boat, being close to the shore hit by the wind, began to briskly jump up and down on the valleys and hills created by the combined direct and reflected waves. My back was now swept by cold waves, that swept of the boat, soon the hull was completely filled with water, and my legs and feet became submerged. I was pulling my oars very hard threading through the water but it felt as if I was exercising on a stationary rowing machine. I could now see the shadows of some lone runners making good progress on the shore while I was apparently not moving at all; the Potomac was pulling every trick to just not let me go back. I remember feeling my legs were frozen, I began worrying that my back will lock, and although the adrenaline was still giving me strength to continue, I began to feel some despair.

Then… a fire lit the sky and the water, and I found myself under an enormous pink dome. Flocks of black birds began swarming the sky, and I could now make out the white lace of the blooming cherry trees on the shore. I fixated on their joyous image then realized that I was very slowly, but surely, progressing against their position. That made me happy and reassured that if I just continued I would eventually get back to the dock. I then also began to look beyond my immediate surroundings. The DC monuments looked truly majestic from the water, their light stone glowing against the fiery sky background. I thought: 'had I given in to the treacherous vortex earlier, I would have missed all of this. I’m so lucky to be alive, here, at this very moment to see this view from such a great vantage point. This was indeed a “view to live for!”’ and felt elated. I swear the obelisk even winked his red eye reassuringly at me and I smiled back at it. I knew that I will be OK, despite both the current and wind fighting against me, and the extra-liquid weight I had to carry all the way back in my boat. I grew accustomed to the rhythmic sweep of the waves getting all the way up around my waist, then over the boat’s hull, then dissipating back into the rest. I could not go any deeper than that, right? I had been literally integrated by the Potomac. Now, I knew it was just a matter of keeping going and the view was so beautiful that I did not mind moving so slowly.

When I finally reached back to the dock, the boat captain was standing waiting for me, visibly worried. As soon as he had helped me flip the boat to empty all the water, he launched into a quick series of questions: why did I go beyond the bridges? Didn’t I know that even a big 8+ boat got snapped in two by the pillars in such high current and they had to fish the rowers out the water? Did I realize I was the only single boat out there this morning? Didn’t I know it was acceptable in such a life threatening situation to break the traffic rules, why didn’t I row on the “wrong” side to minimize the effects of the wind? I looked at him, lots of answers and more questions running through my mind (why did he immediately tell me how many miles past the last bridge which I interpreted as a suggested trip, why didn’t he caution me about the pillars’ vortex, how could I already know I was allowed to break the traffic rules and not be expelled from the club?) But, then I took another look at the fiery Potomac and decided to stick with the essential. I replied:

“Sorry, just got carried away”…

Going solo: small boats and big boats

An analogy struck me the other day while rowing my single boat: self-powering a small boat is very similar to running your own business. After a long winter, I could no longer stay off the water. The weather is still unpredictable and although it was still fairly windy, I decided to go out thinking this was my chance. It was good to be out, but while working hard to balance the boat and maintain my speed, I questioned the wisdom of my decision.

Why do some people enjoy self-powered boats? The simple answer is the sense of self determination and accomplishment that comes with being in control of your boat. You can decide when to go out and you can choose the course, but that freedom comes at a price. You are the one who will have to pull the oars or the ropes, keep the boat afloat and bring it and you back home safely, whether it’s sunny or the storm had turned against you. Similarly to self-powering a small boat, an entrepreneur is both the athlete and the coxswain, providing both the muscle and the brain power. A sense of independence, determination, willingness to take risks, and self discipline are essential.

On the other hand, working at a large corporation might feel very much like going on a cruise. The course is set and the boat offers a lot of comfortable amenities. Rough waters that could easily tip a small boat are barely sensed on the deck where you can bask in the sun, sipping exotic drinks. Even if the captain might occasionally sweat at the wheel wary at the thought of the ship hitting an iceberg, he has a large dedicated crew ready to act at the slightest sign of distress. Better yet, there are those who are thoroughly enjoying the ride, with little concern as to where the boat is at any given point in time, or what may be needed to keep it going… So, why not take avantage to just “sit back, relax, and enjoy it”?

While occasionally taking a cruise might prove relaxing, spending your life on a cruise ship cannot be real fun, can it? At some point the abundance of food and drinks must get sickening and the daily routine boring. You may start wondering what was on that last island that you could not visit because it was not on the cruise’s schedule? You might get a glimpse of the vigorous excitement of a small group of tanned people with large white smiles pulling the ropes of a sleek sailing boat elegantly sliding by the slow moving giant. You may begin to wonder: “Could I possibly be able to do that? Couldn’t I then decide what places to visit?”

Should one truly seek the answers to such questions, s/he will have to take the leap, jumping off the big boat to test a self-powered one. Some might like it, yet others might decide that cruising is actually their thing. Either way, we will better off knowing what it’s like and learning more about ourselves.

Going against the wind

Seems that if I am on the water on a windy day, no matter which way I need to row, somehow I always end up going against the wind! A big challenge, especially for the delicate balance of a one person boat, as opposed to sailing, where the wind is your friend. The wind ruffles the water which in turn messes up with my ability to steady my boat. Worse, when rowing against it, the wind pushes into my back and my oars, creating tremendous resistance against moving the boat forward (if you are reading this and wondering what am I talking about: the rower’ back is toward the leading end of a rowing boat).

So what’s one to do when having to row against a strong wind? I had asked the rowing camp coaches this question. They all gave me a large smile and a halfway serious answer: “You do not leave the dock!” ...“But what if I have no choice” I insisted, “what if the wind starts after I am already on the water and I have to make it back safely, or what if I had already signed up to compete in a race and day turns out to be windy?” I got no better answer after that either, probably the coaches were worried about sending a beginner into the wind. So I persisted any chance I got, I asked the more experienced rowers for their advice. Best technical advice came from faraway rowing friends, Viking descendants, who shared their tips perfected from routinely braving the Nordic waters (e.g., to decrease resistance, shorten the time the oars are out of the water and work like a sail against the wind). I turns out it was really good I had insisted asking this question beforehand, as indeed, I soon found myself in dire need to row in tough weather conditions. I diligently tested all advice I had received. After perfecting my approach to rowing in stormy conditions for a few years, I can finally offer my own view about the main “secret” of braving adverse external conditions. More importantly, I came to the realization I could apply the same principles to help me get through tough times in my personal and professional life.

I found that what matters most while having to brave harsh external conditions is discovering and engaging one’s internal “gyroscope”. We all have one! My brush with Yoga and Pilates helped me to conscientiously engage my center of gravity (located I feel at the center of my body, also called the “core”) to maintain my balance in such testing times. I found that being able to concentrate on my core brings amazing stability at times when the rest of the world seems to be in turmoil. When rowing, the wind is violently rocking my boat side to side, and my oars hit or catch unevenly the waves on the two sides: sometimes I miss my catch, sometimes I go too deep into the water. Boat becomes frighteningly unsettled. On top of it, due to strong wind resistance I row in place, it’s like being in a nightmare I cannot escape! Then, I conscientiously overcome my panic response to the powerful outside influences and I concentrate on bringing all my power into my own center. I begin to feel how this becomes very heavy: I am now pinned down solidly by gravity. All of the sudden I seem to be connected to the Earth's core by an invisible string stretched just enough to allow me to smoothly glide on its curving surface. My own center is stable, even as the whole world around me seems to whirl around in a storm. The previously awful hauling slowly fades away into the periphery of my perception, as I smoothly and silently slide between air and water. The wind feels just a fast rush of cold air on my skin and it is now exhilarating. I return safely to the dock and it feels good, really good. I was able to mount the extra muscle power to overcome elements’ resistance and I was able to keep my mental cool.

Thus I have learned "mind over matter" from my "mind over water" technique. The willingness to prepare for and then to take the challenge taught me to summon my core power: strengths, beliefs, values, and hopes, to minimize the influence of external adversity, and to actually turn challenge into a personal victory. I think this might resonate also with martial arts philosophy? I will have to check and come back on that.

For now, I think I could go ahead allow myself to have that brownie with my hot coffee.