Dirt Dawg's Rambling Diatribe

Call of the Wild

2012-01-25T10:27:00.000-05:00

Natural instinct or domesticated obedience? That in a nutshell, is how I best summed up to myself my recent rereading of Jack London's "Call of the Wild".

In the story, Buck is a large mixed breed dog who endures several adventures. Beginning with a life of ease on a large estate to the frozen tundra of the Arctic, Buck slowly learns about himself and this growing yearning to tap into his natural instinct. Buck's natural instinct is one steeped in survival, being one with nature, leadership, and a yearning to be with the pack mentality that serves as his moral compass. After many trials and tribulations, he follows his natural instincts and the call of the wild.

As I read the story, I couldn't help but think about how we are all a little bit like Buck. We as humans are born and built to run. Are bodies has evolved over the years to be able to move in such a manner that can carry us great distances. It is natural for us to do this movement. However, as we have evolved over time, we have traded our pitchforks and sweat on the brow for coffee cups and Botox. For all intensive purposes, we have become domesticated.

How do we help non runners see that running is something natural that we should be doing? How do we get them to break out of the domesticated obedience where they blindly follow the latest fad or got to have thing that makes us less self reliant? How do we help them to hear, see, and feel what it is like to step out into nature?

As runners, are we the only ones who follow our natural instinct and shun the domesticated obediance as we dash off in pursuit of the call of the wild?

Is it all to much?

2012-01-23T06:58:00.000-05:00

As I watched my 5 year old daughter open gift after gift at her birthday party yesterday, I wonder if it is all to much? She was able to take four of her girlfriends to a salon where they all got manicures and pedicures and then back to my mother in laws for cupcakes and little sandwiches. That was just the first party.

A few hours later, the adults arrived and there was more food and more gifts. She knows the routine well enough that after dinner was desert followed by presents. Occupying the "birthday" chair, she opened presents, and ours (a pink baseball mitt) wasn't even in the pile. That gift I am saving for her actual birthday on Monday.

I will admit that I am guilty. Guilty in that I want my kids to have birthdays, and experiences that they remember. Experiences that they can draw upon to learn as they make their way in the world. The old adage that I want them to have what I didn't have rings true, but part of me wonders if it is all to much?

There is a fine line as a parent that we toe I believe. A line that on one side children learn about responsibility, respect, and caring for their fellow man and on the other, a dangerous descent where they feel entitled, know better than anyone else and don't respect others. We model much of what they will learn in these first few years before their circle of influence expands and the impact of what they will learn from us diminishes. I know which side I want my daughter to be on, but I can't help but wonder if sometimes such experiences like this weekend have her on the wrong side of the line.

Book Review: Following Atticus

2012-01-20T10:43:00.000-05:00

" In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir

There is absolutely no way that I would have run across this wonderful book, "Following Atticus" by Tom Ryan had it not been for the podcast Books on the Nightstand. While this book can be found in the Pet section of your local brick and mortar store, it is about so much more than just a dog named Atticus M. Finch.

Evoking the spirits of Thoreau, Emerson, and Muir, Tom Ryan describes his journey from a small town newspaper man who rediscovers himself in the White Mountains of New Hampshire along with a miniature schnauzer. While there is not a signal running tip or workout schedule in this book, what this book does so eloquently is describe what it is like to be outside, in nature, and in tune with your body.

Less, I forget that yes, Atticus, plays an important part in the book, and Ryan does an amazing job to describe the relationship that many of us have forged with our animals in our lives. This book is a testament to how nature and animals can impact our lives in ways that we would have never thought if we had never taken that first step or held that little ball of fur in our arms.

Marathon Olympic Trials Thoughts

2012-01-17T12:46:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, the U.S. Olympic Men's and Women's Team were decided in Houston. I was a bit disappointed that the United States Olympic Team had not negotiated for some live TV coverage of the event. I mean, even the New York City Marathon shows a "taped" coverage of the race. Don't you think the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials is on another level and deserves some live TV coverage? Furthermore, Track and Field, Gymnastics, and even Swimming show qualifying heats leading up the finals so why not the marathon? I certainly would have paid a few bucks to watch a live streaming feed of the event.

Instead, like many, I was left to first follow the action on Twitter, and then set my DVR to record the event that was shown later that day on NBC. While it was exciting to follow the updates on Twitter, the emotions displayed on TV were far more powerful.

Unlike other countries, who arbitrarily decide their marathon teams, I like the format the U.S. has chosen. Run the qualifying time needed to earn the right to toe the line on the day of the trials, and then let the chips fall where they may. In the end, there weren't any real surprises as the favorites lived up the "hype" and laid down performances that by all accounts leads me to believe that we are sending our strongest team ever to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

GO TEAM USA!!
U.S. Women's Olympic Marathon Team

(from left to right: Desiree Davila, Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher)

Summer Olympic Marathon Date: August 5, 2012

Men's U.S. Olympic Marathon Team

(from left to right: Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi,Abdi Abdirahman )

Summer Olympic Marathon Date: August 12th

Author and Runner Michael Selmer

2012-01-14T12:44:00.000-05:00

In the most recent episode of the podcast available over at: Dirt Dawg's Running Diatribe, I had the opportunity to chat with runner and author Michael Selmer. Michael's first book "Harvest of the Heart" has just been published and one of the things that I took away from the chat was how his running had an impact on him chasing down his dream of writing a book.

Competing in the Leadville 100 Miler, Michael realized that anything is possible. Out there on the trails, putting one foot in front of the other, was the training ground for him when he decided to write a book. Just another example of how running can have such a positive effect on our lives if we lace up our shoes and head out the door.

Check out Michael's Website: Michael Selmer

Do not push

2012-01-12T17:02:00.000-05:00

"You cannot push anyone up the ladder unless he is willing to climb.” – Andrew Carnegie

If there is anything that I have learned from people who have approached me about getting into running or even helping to coach them for a bit, it is as exactly as Andrew Carnegie stated. To reach their goals, they must be willing to do the work. Pushing is likely to be met with resistance.

While most people at work know me as someone who runs, most do not know that I podcast or blog about it. I display my race bibs that I run during the school year and have my Boston Marathon poster hanging up, but I don't stand on a pulpit and preach my passion for the sport. The bibs and posters in my office are also a conversation piece with my students when they talk about how far they had to walk to get somewhere or about how they need to start doing something to get rid of their frustration or anger that is built up. I know my audience and know that if they have a question I will gladly answer or point them in the right direction. Preaching will tune them out.

Recently at work, I have been approached by several individuals about running and their goals for the year. One individual was quite happy when I told them that the early registration ($60) for the Free Press Marathon was open so that they could afford to run the event. They have been working dilligently for a couple of years to put their body and mind in the right frame to be able to train for the event. Another individual, proudly talked about how they have been running again and how he and his wife are looking forward to race a 5k in the spring. I realized in discussion with these individuals that there were a couple of key points that were contributing to them climbing the ladder.

1. Be Supportive: - Their goals are not your goals. Whether someone is getting off the couch and getting moving or looking to run their first marathon, be supportive of their endeavor. They were the ones that came up with this goal and are telling you for a reason.

2. Be Authentic: - In short, people can sense if you are blowing smoke up their ass or not.

3. Be an Ambassador: - Running is not perfect. There are highs and lows out there on the roads and trails, but the reason we keep going back is to recapture those moments when everything is clicking and the miles fly by. If they ask, talk to them about it.

It doesn't take much to help a fellow runner or someone who is just starting out. Be supportive, be authentic, and be an ambassador.

Falling off the wagon

2012-01-10T13:39:00.000-05:00

I am falling off the wagon. I thought I was better than that. With a daily writing minimum and blog post due, I thought that was what it would take to become a habit. I wrote how writing would become something that I would carve out time each day to do right along with my running. While it's true that along the way my love for the written word has been rekindled, a something happened got in the way, LIFE. It's not a great excuse, but, work, family, and all the other distractions have suddenly become bumps in the road that I am hitting. The wagon is swerving and I am dangerously close to falling off.

It has only been a few days, but I feel it slipping away. I feel like an ass that spoke out of one side of my mouth and then did the exact opposite. Maybe because I only wrote and posted on the blog for 21 days and not the 30 or 100 days that people recommend to truly make it a habit as to why it didn’t stick. Maybe, I am not making it enough of a priority? Nevertheless, I found myself staring at the pad and pen on the desk and walked right past the last couple of days. I know that’s how it starts. That slow descent where the muscles whither away and you are left starting back again at square one.

Unlike the past though, I am determined not to let this writing thing just wither away. I won’t let it go without a fight. If I can’t sit down at the end of the day to write, then I need to find ways in order to get some thoughts down during the day. Whether it is a brief snippet at work, a few moments at a kids practice, or even in the morning, I have to find a way to make it stick. Stick until it is something that I can not shake and even with the bumps on the road that I encounter, I won't fall off the wagon.

Streaking

2012-01-06T11:56:00.000-05:00

Running every day or more commonly referred to as a "streak" has always a niche in the running community that has always been of interest to me. While I have never been one to start a running streak, I started to think about it a bit more after reading the book, The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma.

In the book, what began as a little challenge to read every night consecutively at first for 10 days, turned into 100 and eventually went for 3,218 nights. After reading the book, I remember hearing and reading about Ron Hill, a man who began running ever day in 1964 and set a minimum of 1 mile per day in order for the streak to count. Even after a surgery and hospital stay, he still managed to hobble on a crutch for one mile in order to keep the streak alive. Robert "Raven" Kraft has runs the same 8 mile stretch on a beach in Florida every day since 1975. There is even a webiste dedicated to running streaks over at United States Running Streak Association where many other runners share their stories about running streaks.

What fascinates me about fellow runners who streak is their ability to focus daily on a singular task. It got me to thinking if there were streak runners out there who happen to read this blog or listen to the podcast, I would love to gain a little bit more insight into your thoughts, training, feelings about a streak.

1. Why did you start the streak?

2. What is the minimum amount of mileage and or time that you need to run everyday in order for the day to count?

3. How long is the streak and when might it end?

4. What is the craziest thing that you have done in order to keep the streak alive?

5. How has the streak affected your running (races, times, etc)?

6. What goes into making sure that you get to your streak everyday?

7. How do others who know about your streak view it?

8. What does the streak mean to you?

Please feel free to respond on the blog via a comment or via email @ dirtdawg50k@aol.com

How much for that marathon?

2012-01-04T06:16:00.000-05:00

How much are you willing to pay for the "experience" of a running a marathon? That question seems fair enough given that the New York City Marathon has decided to raise the entry fees beginning with the 2012 race. Race organizers stated that the reason for the increase was due to the fact that the New York Police Department will be charging the organizers for traffic control and policing costs.

Here is a list of the top 5 U.S. marathons ranked by several sites:

1. Boston Marathon                            $150 = $ 5. 73 per mile

2. New York City Marathon
- Non member of NY Road Runners $255 = $9.73 per mile
- International partcipant                   $347 = $13.24 per mile

3. Honolulu Marathon                      $260 = $9.92 per mile
(2011 price)

4. Bank of America Chicago Marathon -
U.S. participant                                $150 = $5.73 per mile
International Participant                   $175 = $6.67 per mile

5. Walt Disney World Marathon - $160 - $6.11 per mile

Note: The prices reflected do not include travel, lodging, etc.

Now to be fair, I know that some marathons offer early registration discounts. Take for instance my local marathon, the Detroit Free Press Marathon. The entry fee this week is a mere $60 ($2.29 per mile). After this week, the price rises to $80 ($3.05 per mile) and then on a sliding scale up to $125 ($4.77 per mile).

As a veteran of 20 marathons, I understand the idea of wanting to pay for an experience. Some people say that they would rather pay for an experience than pick up another piece of useless crap ( Tablet, e-reader, etc) that will be outdated in 3 months. I know that some people have a marathon on their bucket list, or have spent years and invested blood, sweat, and tears to get to the starting line to take their victory lap during the marathon. Some make marathons as their vacations and find it the best way to see a new city, often seeing things that are not mentioned in tour guides or would never see if you only stayed in the "tourist areas". You hope that when you pay your entry fee, your experience will be on par for what you have paid. In some instances, I have been happy with my return on investment (Boston, Chicago) and other times left scratching my head wondering where does all the registration money go (Nashville).

With rising registration fees, how much are you willing to spend for the experience of running a marathon?

State of the Blog

2012-01-03T09:36:00.001-05:00

Five years ago on this date, I started the blog with this simple entry:

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

The Lowdown
Parent, runner, occasional cyclist, and amateur yogi who works with special needs kids. I have a son who is named after the most tested man in professional sports and am about to round out the typical american family with a girl. Organize a weekly fun run at work where participants such as Twinkle Toes, Einstein, and Abstract participate. Ran 4 marathons and 1 50k last year....looking to hit that 50 miler this year, finally finish a strong group ride and learn how to be a pretzel in yoga.

458 posts later, here I am today, still behind the keyboard. Most of what I first blogged about is true. I still run, have a family, and work with special needs kids. I have posted mundane, uninteresting topics (like should I keep my new smartphone? ) to what I believe were honest reflections on my experiences (DNF at Burning River 100). The writing at times has been good, and at other times forced with no feeling.

The blog started out as my public journal and was in part the spark to start a running related podcast. Through it all, the interaction with people who have read and commented on the blog are what I have enjoyed the most. On occasion, I have even had a chance to meet several of you which has been great.

So where is this blog going? I have vacillated at times between deleting the blog, moving it over to WordPress, and even starting a new one that is educational related. However, in the end, I think that the current format is fine. As topics of interests and thoughts come to mind, I will continue to blog about it. I am certain though that I will be posting on a much more frequent basis and as has been the pattern, it will be a potpourri of topics from running, to family, to education, books, etc.
I wanted to take a moment and thank you for reading the blog and commenting. Thank you for taking the time during your day to read the ramblings of a father, husband, runner and educator.

Keep Moving Forward,

Mike aka Dirt Dawg

Sexually Exploited Youth

2012-01-02T09:25:00.000-05:00

Facts:

The average entry in the age of prostitution is between the ages of 12-14 years of age (www.usdoj.gov)

100,000–300,000 children are at risk for commercial sexual exploitation each year in the United States (Estes & Weiner, 2001).

70–90% of commercially sexually exploited children have a history of child sexual abuse (Murphy, 1993).

Girls Like Us: Fighting for a World Where Girls Are Not For Sale, an Activist Finds Her Calling and Heals Herself by Rachel Lloyd was the most eye opening book that I have read in recent memory. While Rachel weaves her own heart wrenching story of abuse and commercial sexual exploitation through the book, it is her work when she comes to the United States and establishes GEMS, Girls Educational and Mentoring Services, that I found the most valuable. Not discounting Rachel's journey because hers is one that required incredible strength, it is the fact that she leads the fight on a topic that is far too often swept under the rug in most communities when it comes to the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

What is the commercial sexual exploitation of youth? Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) constitutes a form of coercion and violence against children and amounts to forced labour and a contemporary form of slavery. A declaration of the World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, held in Stockholm in 1996, defined CSEC as: ‘sexual abuse by the adult and remuneration in cash or kind to the child or a third person or persons. The child is treated as a sexual object and as a commercial object. CSEC includes the prostitution of children, child pornography, child sex tourism and other forms of transactional sex where a child engages in sexual activities to have key needs fulfilled, such as food, shelter or access to education. (Wikipedia) Sadly, the commercial sexual exploitation of youth has seen a sharp rise with the Internet. Using sites like Craigslist, and others, it is possible for pimps and johns to connect and continue this disturbing commerce.

One of the points in the book that Rachel makes is that a teenage prostitute and commercially sexually exploited youth are the same. The common misconception amongst the public and even more sadly within the law enforcement is that a teenage prostitute knows what they are doing. They do not!

Young girls who find themselves on the streets have done some more often than not because they have run away from home. The home which should have been providing key needs like food, shelter, and education, has instead been centered around abuse. That abuse could be in the form of verbal, physical, psychological or even sexual. They have taken to the streets for survival. Pimps prey on these girls by providing them with things that they have been looking for - food, clothes, attention, friendship, love, and a seemingly safe place to sleep. Once they gained some "trust" and compliance in the girls, that is when the pimps turn to violence, intimidation, or psychological manipulation to trap the them in a life of prostitution. Because the girls are taught to lie about their age and often have Fake ID's they are not seen as commercially sexually exploited youth when they are arrested or picked up. More often than not they are arrested and jailed. They have become some hardened to the life on the streets and taught to not trust anyone other than their pimp or even more disgustingly referred to as their "Daddy" that they do not outwardly present as a trauma victim.

The book goes into length about how trying to get out of this life style and the trauma that these girls have endured is very similar to the Stockholm Syndrome. It is not just that easy to get the girl off the street and poof! her life will be forever changed. These victims need specialized services that are not widely available. They often present with illnesses, drug additions, physical and sexual trauma, lack of viable family and community ties, and total dependence – physical and psychological – on their abusers, the pimps.

I struggle with the fact that many topics like the commercial sexual exploitation of children seem only to gain recognition when we view them as happening in other countries. It is easier to cast a glance at something from afar then to turn around and put a lens on what is in front of us, often in our own city. This book was written with a rawness and honesty not often seen when exploring topics like this. As an educator, and someone who routinely works with children who have been abused, it continues to reinforce the fact that there is a lot of work that need to be done to bring such issues like this to the mainstream. It is not something you can put a band aid on then shuffle it along. It is not something where you can have one person come in, give a self centered hoorah speech and leave hoping to inspire a traumatized girl. This is a problem like many social issues where you have to roll up your sleeves and commit to the work. It's not glamorous work, but when you are talking about the life of a another human being, what more motivation do you need?

Sources:

GEMS - www.gems-girl.org

Documentary: Very Young Girls

Estes, J. & Weiner, N.A. (2001). The Commercial Sexual Exploitaion of Children in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Executive Sumnary (Of the U.S. National Study). Philadelphia, PA

Westat. (2007). New York Prevalence Study of Commercially Sexually Exploited Children. New York: Gregg, Petta, Bernstein, Eisen & Quinn

National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotlin: 1-888-373-7888

In the rear view

2011-12-31T08:17:00.000-05:00

There is only one time that is important – NOW! It is the most important time because it is the only time that we have any power.” Leo Tolstoy

I am not looking back. Today is the last day of 2011 and I suppose I could write the obligatory summarization of the year. I could talk about how many miles I ran, the highs and lows with my family and work, and try to put a bow around it to make it seem all nice and tidy. You know, like a sitcom where all issues are discussed and resolved in 23 minutes or less after commercials. I not going to though. Fact is, 2011 was dirty, frustrating, exhilarating, tiring, and adventurous. I enjoyed it all and the book is closed.

In the past, I would gaze at the new year ahead and keep one eye on the year just passed in the rear view mirror. Problem was, is that I was never enjoying the moment. Sure there are moments when running, or even now in writing that I feel that "flow" and in the moment, but what about expanding that to all the moments that we experience. What about being present all the time?

There is an old Zen saying, "Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water, after Enlightenment chop wood, carry water." If you are fully engaged and present there are no differences in the tasks. Being fully engaged can lead to several things: Increased enjoyment, reduced stress, and getting things done. Why might these things happen as a result of being present?

If you are in the moment, you are just experiencing as it happens. There is an true enjoyment in the activity. You are not checking your smart phone for text messages, or going over the list for the store, you are there. Because you are only focusing on one thing, your stress level is reduced. Things get done because you are focused on the task at hand. Whatever you are doing has your full attention.

The good thing is if you are already an athlete (runner, triathlete, golfer, etc) you have experience in being present. You know what being present means when you are fully engaged in your endeavor that you truly enjoy. There are no distractions and you are fully immersed. That is flow. Just like exercising the muscles the only way to keep both eyes on the road or task and not in the rear view is practice.

Are we talking about practice man? Of course, its the secret to success. Remember as a kid and you were learning a new sport or instrument? The only way to improve was to practice, over and over, sometimes much to the pleas of our parents to stop. Now, I know most of us don't have the time to commit to a "practice" each and every day but in the course of your everyday routine there are plenty of opportunities to practice being present.

1. Do one thing at a time: If you are reading, just read. If you are folding clothes, just fold clothes. Don't check Twitter, Facebook, or think of all the other things that you have to do. Experience it.

2. No failure: It's impossible to fail. Practice is what is important. Even if you start/stop you are still working that muscle: Focus

3. Exercise: It's great practice for being present. Listen, look, and feel for when you start to feel that flow. Those are the signs that you can look for when are doing one thing at a time outside of your exercise.

I am not perfect and I am not present all the time. However, I suspect that most of us are somewhere else most of the time rather than focused on the now. Not looking in the rear view is a place to start as we turn the page on a new year.

“With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Points of Interest

2011-12-30T12:08:00.001-05:00

As a kid I have vivid memories of driving back East from Michigan or up to Northern New England with my face plastered to the glass. While the miles rolled and with a AAA Trip tik in my hand, I imagined stopping at the various points of interests advertised along the way. Billboards dotting the landscape talked about a Trading Post, or Indian Cavern and indicated that they were just a few miles off the route we were currently on. Sometimes my dad would indulge us and pull off to let us explore before getting back on the road.

I never lost that sense of wanting to get off the road to explore. Running has helped to fill that void for many years, but as this writing challenge has unexpectedly brought about some change, I have been entertaining some thoughts. If 2012, is to have no goals, what if there are some points of interest along that way, that I could pull off and check out throughout the year? Unlike those attractions that I wanted to see as I child, these points of interest have no timetable. How I get to them and how long I stay will all be up to me. These are just a few of the points of interests that I am interested in pulling off the road to check out.

Learn a new language: I took French and Spanish in high school, but all I can remember from those classes are the horrible crepes I made for a project and my Spanish teacher’s affinity for Playboy. There is a beauty to the spoken word of a foreign language that is intoxicating.

Get Published: Writing this blog is a bit like getting published without getting rejected from a magazine, journal or website. Furthermore, there are technically no requirements for my topics, so I think that working through the process of trying to create content will be one of value.

Volunteer: Although I help coach my kids sports teams, I would like to expand my area of service. That could be at a running race or even something in the social services area of the community.

Learn to play an instrument: I picked up a guitar several years ago and quickly passed it on to one of my students. I could strum a few chords (Friends in Low Places), but never got over the initial callusing of the fingertips to build on. In essence, I never exercised the muscles enough. Maybe the guitar, but I have always had an eye on the piano.

Become more politically astute: In light of this being an election year, I must admit to being a dolt when it comes to politics. If it's in the paper, I skip over it. I really would like to understand the issues and the sides from all parties involved.

Can running help with these points of interest? Absolutely. While I am out on my early morning ambles, I can listen to podcasts that cater those points of interests so that I can maximize my time. This can serve as a springboard for my day if I am going to look into something further or practice if time is available. I won't have a Triptik in my hand, and my face won't be plastered to the glass. Instead, the window will be down and I will sticking my head out looking for a point of interest to pull off into to.

What are your points of interest for the coming year?

No Goals

2011-12-29T08:42:00.000-05:00

“ A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” Lao Tzu

It’s easy to get swept up in the current. If your ear is bent and your eyes are open to what occurs this time of year it is a declaration en masse. People are mapping out 2012 with projected races, schedules, and training plans. To their family, friends, Tweeps, Daily Mile friends and others, making this declaration gives them a sense of accountability. Something to chart their course for the new year and something tangible that people can check in with them on as the year progresses.

Aside from the accountability, it provides people with a clear cut path with specific checkpoints in which to gauge their progress. Failure to meet those checkpoints at the predetermined times often means going off the paved path and scrambling through unfamiliar terrain. This deviation from the plan is only temporary with the hope that this shortcut will have you back on track towards the goals established. Sometimes taking the shortcut though can lead to anger, frustration, and injury because what if the goal then becomes unattainable due to not being able to get back on schedule? What if staying on unfamiliar terrain is a better course?

Normally, I go into each year with some clearly defined running goals. Run a 100 miler, re-qualify for Boston, run a 40 min 10k, etc. From there, I usually work backwards to give some shape to the goals within a framework. It’s easy when you are plugged into social media or around others when the declarations begin for you not to start thinking about goals as well. However, although there have been some ideas that have bubbled to the surface, there has been nothing that has taken flight for me. Nothing has gripped to me to say...this is what I really want to do. Maybe my running goal for 2012 is to have no goals?

No goals mean no schedules and no checkpoints. I am not committing to any races or schedules for 2012. I am free to venture off the road as I please and stay there as long as I like. If that means that I become engaged in an idea, a pursuit, or a challenge outside of running then that is what I will do. Running and I have been together for so long that it’s not going anywhere. However, I do believe that it is time to expand the circle a bit and welcome some new interests in.

Exercising the Muscle

2011-12-28T09:46:00.000-05:00

“You will never gain success unless you love what you are doing.”

- Dale Carnegie

As the end of my own self imposed writing challenge is approaching, an interesting thing has happened. That “thing” hit me somewhere today just before the 4 mile mark of my run. With the bitingwind blowing straight into my face, and as I struggled to hear a BBC podcast about Henry David Thoreau, it hit me, I love writing. It’s that kind of declaration that is made in silence because you know if you were to scream it out loud that people would turn an look at you with that odd tilt to their head like “what’s wrong with him?”. Then again, I could have done that since it was still dark out and I was the only one on the road out running.

Long before I became a runner, I wrote. I wrote stories as a youth about a character that I called “Super Cop” and remember painstakingly typing them out on an old borrowed typewriter with ink that barely covered the paper. But just like any muscle, if not worked out often enough it atrophies and has no endurance. It becomes a frustrating cycle of starting and stopping because you can never quite get over that part where it becomes natural and free flowing.

In the past few days, as this daily blogging exercise has forced me to write to meet my own self imposed deadline, I have started to see that writing muscle grow once again. Similar to my daily runs, I have begun to feel that “flow” when writing. Proposed by Mihaly Czikzzentmihalyi “flow” is often referenced as a mental state of operation in which a person is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement and success in the process of the activity. Those short bursts of writing in the first few days of the writing challenge, slowly awakened those atrophied writing muscles. Setting the timer initially at 5 or 10 minutes and storing at a blank piece of paper, was like looking at a training plan and seeing that you had to do a “long run” that was farther than you had ever gone before. In passing days, that writing muscle as I have taken it out and written has begun to grow stronger. It no longer seems like a chore. Even the idea of getting to 262 words daily, which yes, I admit that I check the word count in Pages, is like warming up during the first mile of a run. The idea is to get the blood moving and the body loosened up with the idea of moving towards “flow”

Success in terms of writing right now is doing it every day. My challenge is over in 3 days, but I will still continue to write. My writing muscle is growing stronger and with it my love for doing it. I am not saying that writing will be kicking running to the curb, but it had better be prepared to spoon.

A Different Lens

2011-12-27T19:48:00.001-05:00

To escape for a little while, I sometimes lose myself in a book. Lost between the pages of a story, I can imagine scenes, people and ideas being played out. A silent observer to the action. What happens though when you read a book, and even after closing the cover, the scenes and people you imagined are actually being played out in real life?

Someplace Like America: Tales from the New Great Depression, written by Dale Maharidge and photos by Michael S. Williamson is a powerful look at the last 30 years of the the “working class” and America at large. Traveling by train, plane, and automobile, the words and pictures put a face to the struggles of “everyday” Americans from the trickle down Reaganomics of the 1980’s to the globalization and downsizing of corporate America of the current day. Families of every configuration are highlighted as you read about their dreams and struggles all intertwined. The ease of credit thrown around by the banking industry, to the ghost towns of Youngstown, Ohio and my city of Detroit decimated by the shifting of industries for a cheaper fare to other countries, as well as the daily struggles of single mothers, and families are all part of the landscape that we call this country. For the most part though, these struggles go unreported. These types of stories don’t drive ratings.

It would be easy to dismiss this book as something that doesn’t happen where I live, but in reality I see it nearly everyday and it starts with my morning run. On one of my loops that takes me through Ferndale and then back up to Royal Oak via Woodward, I often see an older gentleman pushing a grocery cart while yelling obscenities as well as incoherent ramblings as I run by. Before the book, I would just put my head down and keep rolling, but its one of those signs of a great book. A book that even after you are done reading makes you look at situations through a different lens. I wonder silently, is he a casualty of this “New Great Depression”? Have all of his resources, opportunities, and families dried up? What’s his story?

Another running loop of mine takes me past a church heading into downtown Royal Oak. Not even a 1/4 mile from the restaurants and shops, I see homeless people in the early morning hours bundled up in sleeping bags of make shift cardboard boxes, tightly packed into the corners of the building to protect themselves from the frigid air. Like the older man pushing the cart, I start to ask those questions to myself. I know my wife will see most of them in the next few weeks when the warming shelter’s rotation comes to our church. It’s a cycle and it’s one that is hard to escape.

Throughout the book, statements were made about how the current redistribution of wealth in this country has widened the gap between those who are wealthy and those that are not. For some analysts, this gap is as big as the recession that rocked this country in the 1930’s. There was a collective belief at that time that this country had to work together and do the work that was necessary to restore greatness. This country is more than about those that have and those that don’t. My lens that I used to view things with is rapidly changing and coming more into focus. What I thought I was doing is not nearly enough and that I can do more.

Why wait?

2011-12-26T16:11:00.000-05:00

Gifts are unwrapped, stomachs are full and now there is a lull. That lull is the time between Christmas and New Years. Not a lot is going in terms of work for the majority of people and retailers are doing their best mind manipulation to get you into their stores to spend either those little plastic cards or your hard earned money.

Inevitably, now is the time that you start to see articles and references for resolutions that should start on New Years in less than a week. Why now? Why does the start of the new year signal that a change can take place now? Part of it, I believe at least is marketing. There isn’t a whole lot going on like I said, so why not drum up something that will sound snazzy and coincides with a fresh clean slate in everyone’s mind. Of course along with the clean slate is a whole slew of gadgets, apps, and gizmos to get you headed and reportedly keep you moving in the right direction.

My question is why wait? Why wait 5 more days to start something that you could start today or even tomorrow? Is there something that you have been wanting to do? Learn a new language? Create something great? Is there a list in your head that you hold onto secretly waiting to find the time and or place to go for it? The time and place is now!

I have realized this as I have been going through my self imposed writing challenge this month and to be honest it is quite refreshing. I have been jotting down notes of things I have had in my head that I have wanted to do, but never said I had the time. If I can make the time to write this daily blog entry, then surely I can find the time to do things on my list that I have taken from head and put down on paper. My time for action like yours is now. What is it that you have been waiting to start on?

Over it....

2011-12-25T16:52:00.000-05:00

I agree with my dad’s dogs. I am over it. Spent. Wiped out. Done with it all. The build up to Christmas day is in many ways I have decided is like running an ultra.

First, you have to plan accordingly. You need to look at your schedule and those of your family and friends and figure out when you can get together. This takes a highly coordinated effort as no one can really remember their schedule without checking their 3rd arm (smartphone) or asking their second brain (Siri). Think of this in terms of sending in your application for an ultra that you really want to get into and waiting as they pull the numbers ever so painstakingly. You would rather get picked/schedule that appointment than get the dreaded words, “waiting list or I’ll have to get back to you.”

Secondly, when you meet up with friends and family, it is best to graze like coming into an aid station at an ultra. You don’t want to seem like you are ungrateful, but you are better off to nibble than to stuff with your face with calorie dense foods, like chocolate covered Oreos. You know from your training that an upset stomach will only slow your forward progress. Sip and nibble become key phrases this time of the year just like out on the trail.

Lastly, as you weeble wobble through the last several days and nights you can see the finish line in sight.You know if you can just keep moving forward that all your planning, sipping, and nibbling has put you in the position to finish strong. All that is left is the mad dash for the finish line, err gifts, and with the paper flying like some fried legs after moving for 24 hours you cross the line hands in the air. You look around at the carnage (paper, toys, bodies) and look for a place to crash.

In the end, much like at the finish line of an ultra, you can put up your beaten body and feet up for a few restful moments with a smile on your face. Maybe, even a cold beer will find your hand and you will have the strength to hobble over to the table for some well deserved chow. A justly reward for a long journey.

Merry Christmas,

Dirt Dawg

Rembrandt and Running

2011-12-24T13:09:00.000-05:00

So what does the world renowned painter and printmaker, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn , whose achievements were part of the Dutch Golden Age have to do with running? If you were to line up his art and running side by side, there is nothing that would seem to make any correlation. But at look at his process and running, and that is where I made the connection.

Last night, the wife and I headed down to the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) to take in the exhibit that is currently been shown called: Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus. Mind you, I am not well versed in art at all. I once took an Art Appreciation course in college , and have been to the DIA as well as the Toledo Art Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago but really have no idea of what I am looking at. Simply put, I don’t talk the art lingo nor do I understand how they produce all the different types of mediums out there.

That being said, I did have somewhat of a revelation last night as I wandered around with my audio tour of Rembrandt’s exhibit. As I toured lost in my thoughts with the headphones on, the exhibit talked about how Rembrandt would often begin with sketches before moving onto creating paintings or the other forms of medium that he used. That’s where it started to click. You see, Rembrandt used his sketches as training, building his skills and his foundations before moving onto greater pieces.

How exactly does that translate to running? Our daily runs serve as a foundation for something greater. We can not hope to achieve a PR, distance goal, or health without having first laying the groundwork. Like Rembrandt, we might start a training program or try out some workouts and find out that they just don’t work for us. So, even though we might scrap it and move on, we have become that much more in tune with ourselves and our craft that we call running.

As a result, I have a much greater appreciation for what painters like Rembrandt were able to create. They didn’t just pick up a brush and create a masterpiece. Their passion for their craft comes through with their tools in which they choose to create their expression. Our tools are our shoes. Run happy my friends.

COD - Change of Direction

2011-12-23T07:52:00.000-05:00

I like my running routes. They might be flat and run through residential and city streets, but they are my routes. No matter where I have lived, I have always come up with several routes that have become my daily staples. Whether I run them fast or slow, I can count on them to be the same distance day after day and I don’t have to really think about where I am going. Right on 9 mile, right on Woodward, the routes become so ingrained in my legs, it is like flipping a switch and cruising on auto pilot.

That’s why today’s amble was a COD, change of direction. When I headed out the door, I ambled along on one of my normal routes in reverse. Mind you, I don’t do this. I like the comfort of my routine. In fact, when I started out, I resisted the little voice telling me to just keep moving forward on my normal route. Once I turned right instead of going straight, I began to see things differently.

When you keep going the same way all the time, nothing really changes. You might notice subtle changes to the landscape, houses, or business but only if you take the time to look around. Going in the opposite direction every once in awhile can change your perspective. For example, the route I chose today in normal rotation I have done hundreds of times in the nearly 6 years at my current residence. Not once, did I notice that there was an Actor’s Studio or a Photography Center like I noticed today. Now, I am not interested in becoming an actor, but my wife who got her new camera for Christmas early might be interested in learning how to take better photos.

Now, I am not sure what prompted this. Maybe it’s this notion of scratching below the surface and some cracks are starting to form on the top layer as a result. Often times, it has been through my daily forward motion that I have to work things out in my head and try them out there on the road before I am ready to put them into practice. The COD was good today and maybe I need to start making it more or a routine.

Scratching Below the Surface

2011-12-22T09:02:00.002-05:00

Someone commented yesterday in response to my post stating that on paper, that I had failed in terms of my running goals, to think of all things that I had not done yet. They were spot on and without hesitation, I responded back, "I am just scratching the surface of what I have done and what I am going to become. " My response bore authenticity as it has been a feeling that has been below the surface for some time now and has slowly risen to the top as of late. It struck me that this was somewhat of my first public declaration even if only to one person that there was change ahead.

I cant quite pinpoint where the idea has sprouted from. Could it be that I just passed my 10th year as an educator in the same building and am wondering what should be my next step? Is it an early "mid-life" crisis? Could it be that my recent return to writing has paved the way for the idea to spring forth? Maybe it is that at some level, I have come to an understanding of who I am at the moment and what I contribute to society. In respect to that, while I feel that I do positively contribute to society, I feel that I should be doing so much more. I believe that I haven’t done all that I can do.

What “more” means and what it will entail, is something that I believe will slowly unfold as I start to scratch below the surface and start the journey.

On paper, I failed

2011-12-21T08:37:00.000-05:00

On paper, I failed. At the outset of 2011, I had written some goals down to guide my running for the year. With no more races, it is safe to say that there won’t be any more opportunities to and achieve the goals that I had written. Below are the target goals that I had set for myself.

1. Another Boston Marathon qualifier (3:15 or better)

2. Better my 18:51 5k time set in high school cross country

3. Sub 40 min 10k

4. Complete a duathlon or triathlon

Here are the fastest times I ran this year for each of the goals:

1. Marathon: 3 hr 32 min

2. 5k time: 19:41

3. 10k time: 41:05

4. No duathlon or triathlon...

If I were to simply look at what I had written down and based my success as a runner off of that then yes, I did fail. However, as I began to ruminate on the goals written, I actually learned quite a bit and grew as a runner.

First and foremost, I tried not only one but two training plans this year. For years, I have eschewed running plans, but I thought that if I was going to try and get back to Boston, then I should try and follow a plan. In the spring, I followed Hal Higdon's Intermediate Marathon plan and even though race turned into being assaulted by aliens and a 4 hour finish, I was quite satisfied. I learned the value of scheduling runs for a week and why runs based on the pace you expect to run in the marathon are important. When fall rolled around, I jumped into the Hanson’s Marathon Plan and learned about making sure to adequately warm up before settling into race pace and the added value of speed work. Again, race day was what it was, but I came to appreciate the value that a training plan can provide.

Secondly, I made a return to the track and actually raced some 5k's. Prior to this year, I hadn't gone to the track to do any specific training since high school, and I couldn't recall the last time I raced a 5k. The anaerobic gasping of the 5k's this year brought back memories of my high school cross country days. I found myself enjoying the challenge of racing rather than dreading it after I learned that warming up slowly prepared the body for harder efforts. You can’t just hit full speed off the line without priming the engine. Racing the 5k's were a great lesson in making sure I didn't blow my wad in the first mile and translated to a solid 10k in the fall.

The most important thing I learned this year was that even though I set the bar and failed, I still grew as a runner. If I had set the bar too low and achieved the goals to early in the year, I wouldn't have given myself anything else to shoot for the rest of the year. In that, I continued to challenge myself and it made me step out of my comfort zone in regards to running. Sometimes, we have to step out our comfort zone and feel the fresh air of a challenge to be rejuvenated.

Last Minute Stocking Stuffers for Runners

2011-12-20T09:53:00.000-05:00

There are still a few days left until the fury that accompanies the mad dash of present opening. The baited anticipation upon waking up and making the anaerobic dash to the tree and wasteful motion scrambling to find the best way to open up the taped, shiny goods is very similar to a 5k. For me, some of my favorite goodies in the mad hare scramble are found in the stocking. The following ideas are some of my favorite things and can easily fit within that stocking if you are still looking for a few hidden treasures for your runner.

Injinji Socks

I began running in these socks 3 years ago as I transitioned into ultras. Several pairs and models of socks later, these are my go to socks for long runs and races. The first few times you slip your toes into their own individual sleeves might seem odd, but soon enough I think you can appreciate the comfort and the fact that your toes are not rubbing up against each other. Since I began using them, I have not had a blister on a long run or race. Bonus: they come in several fun and funky colors.

IPod Shuffle

I know that most runners who listen to music and or podcasts carry their Smartphone with them. However, I don’t like to carry a lot with me on a run and seeing as how the shuffle clips to your waistband or back, it weighs next to nothing. Furthermore, I load up the shuffle with music and or podcast for the run and go. No need to stop and find what I want to listen to with my smartphone as I just click a button on the way or worry about getting it wet. It was gone through the washer and still keeps playing. If your going long, the current version has been upgraded to 2GB which is large enough to hold several hours of audio enjoyment.

Road ID

No runner should take the road nowadays without some form of identification. I am quite forgetful in nature, so the idea of taking my driver's license doesn’t work. After I strap on the GPS, the next thing is always my Road ID. I use either the Ankle ID or Write Elite ID due to my daily shoe rotation and know that it there. Besides the fact, it gives my wife peace of mind when I am out there out on the road.

Happy Holidays!

12k's of Xmas

2011-12-19T16:58:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the best organized events are those without an entry fee. Take for instance the 12K's of Xmas that I participated in last night. Organized by a friend of mine Kevin, who runs the website Just Finish (www.justfinish.com), this was a "fun run" event meant to celebrate the holidays. The opportunity existed to either run, walk, or man the tables and pass out the food and drink at the end of each loop.

The out and back 1km loop was run on an residential street and people were quite festive in their wear. Some sported tree skits, holiday socks, and even Santa made an appearance:

Me, I stuck with my standard Santa Socks, and newly acquired Grandma sweatshirt and Elf Hat.

My race bib:

Here is the menu:

Start: Champagne Toast

1K - Hot Cocoa and Peep

2K - Beer and Pretzel

3K - Shot of Peppermint Schnapps and Candy Cane

4K - Milk and Cookie

5K - Chocolate Wine and Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seed

6K - Coffee and Fruitcake

7K - Beer and Donut

8K - Shot of Hot Damm and Cupcake

9K - Eggnog and Peanut Butter Cup

10K - Hot Cider and M&M's

11K - Beer and Cookie

12K - Shot of Grand Marnier and Gingerbread

There had been some gentle ribbing amongst several of us as to who might "win" the event. At stake was an artfully crafted Christmas Tree belt buckle made out of cardboard. Santa said "Go" and we sprinted off.... With my elf hat flying I quickly realized that we were scampering at a 7:30ish pace and that I wasn't going to be able to maintain that given the food and drink that I needed to ingest.

I will not lie. I was quite concerned that at some point given that I had to run between each K, that there was a likelihood that I would be making my own special concoction that would fly like a sleigh. However, that was not the case, and I ran, walked and had a chance to catch up with some people all the while ingesting the yummy treats laid out. Managed to finish in second place which in reality meant nothing other than I got to stop and eat pizza and drink beer. A great event that I hope to fold into the already busy holiday season.

From ID'er to Fanatic

2011-12-18T09:34:00.000-05:00

Dear Brooks Running,

For the past several years, I have worn your shoes when I have laced up to head out for a run. I owe much to the staff at Hansons Running Stores for introducing me to your footwear. From the Dyfances, to the Axioms, Ghosts, Launches, Adrenalines, Green Silences, and Cascadias, in them I have found a line of shoes that work for my narrow, high arched foot.

When the opportunity presented itself two years ago to apply for the Brooks ID (Inspire Daily) program, I thought that I might as well try. Given the fact that I write a blog, produce a running podcast, tweet , and ran in several races in the Metro Detroit area, I figured I would have an outside shot at making it. Still I was nervous that I did not do enough that would fit into the criteria of Inspiring Daily.

Needless to say, I got in and for the past two years, I have worn your gear proudly. At races as well as on the podcast and this blog, I have continued to promote Brooks. I made sure that at each race, I either sported the ID Shirt or racing uniform provided, and talked about the shoes and gear when questioned.

This year, when the application process began again, I answered the survey to the best of my ability. However, it seemed like the process was geared more towards people who were coaches, or put on races, than the average runner. There was not really an area to talk about the podcast, or blog, or twitter influence. Upon submission, I did not feel really good about my chances of making it.

My chances dimmed as I began seeing people on the Facebook page getting there acceptance letters for the varying levels of Brooks. Sure enough, the email came in last week. Here is a snippet:

" We appreciate your support and dedication to Brooks over the years. In this Olympic year, we had difficult decisions to support all of our key sponsored athletes program. As such, we are not able to invite all I.D. members back for 2012. However, as a valuable member of the Brooks family, we want to invite you to join the Fanatics program."

The immediate, "knee jerk" reaction was to send out a tweet stating my disappointment, and to change my avatar on Twitter which had me sporting a Brooks ID shirt.

Now, I understand that I am not "elite". I don't race every weekend and I don't win races. I am a father and husband with a full time job who regularly runs marathons and does some ultras. Sometimes I help coach people when asked, but coaching my children's sports right now is more important. I run in Brooks shoes and gear every day and talk to and or answer questions from email about your gear all the time on the podcast, Twitter, and Daily Mile. However, because of your criteria, and to be honest, I am not sure what the criteria was other than that survey, I apparently did not Inspire Daily enough and was invited to join the Fanatics program.

Yes, I understand that I will still get a discount, but will not be required to wear Brooks all the time and will not have a team uniform. While you have done an excellent job in my humble opinion in growing the brand and putting together the varying levels of the Brooks program, I hope you don't lose your focus. After this Olympic year, there will still be runners like myself who are not elite hitting the road. Those of us who purchase and talk about Brooks help to support those "elites" as they work towards their individual goals. Even as a Fanatic, I will continue to use that mantra of Inspire Daily with my family, staff, students, kids I coach, and fellow runners that I come in contact with.

Keep Moving Forward,

Dirt Dawg