Stepping Out of Your Box

A brand new year, 2019 is just a couple days away. For many, a new year is a time for resolutions and a fresh start. Resolutions are great, but only if you follow-through with them. More often than not, resolutions are so lofty and unattainable from the get-go that the individual who set them quickly gets discouraged and quits. 

My resolutions tend to be challenging, but not unattainable. I learned a log time ago, that If I have too many goals, I'm going to get discouraged when I realize I can't accomplish them all. I also learned a long time ago that in order for me to grow, I have to step out of my comfort zone. So, I tend to pick one goal that's going to push me, get me out of my comfort zone box.

Sometimes I've stepped out of that box by choice and other times I've been shoved. In both cases I've learned so much and become a stronger individual. Becoming a 5th grade teacher, moving my family to Greensboro to pursue a writing/editing career, speaking in front of large groups at national conferences, being laid off from a job of 13 years and going back to school at 45, opening a small business (who does that during the great recession?), coaching hundreds of runners, creating RunTheBoro. Each of these life events were hard. Sometimes I wondered if I was doing the right thing. I'm still growing. At times, I still wake up in a cold sweat thinking, "What am I doing?" "How am I going to get through this?" 

At times I had to force myself out of my element. But over the years I've learned that your element is not cut in stone. Your element is often self-imposed. Your element can change. It's up to you. 

So, make 2019 a year of positive change for yourself. Remember that stepping out of that box can be scary. Don't leap frog out of that box. Take it one step at a time and remember the RunnerDude mantra, "Trust. Believe. Conquer!"

Goals Keep You Accountable

Just started running and find it a little daunting or have you been running for a while and find yourself in a rut? In either case, setting a running goal might be just the thing. Sometimes that little push of a commitment is all you need to get you going. Personally, I've found that setting a yearly running goals, gives me the motivation I need to keep running year-round. Plus, it gives me something to look forward to and strive for.

When you set a goal for yourself, be it a 5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon, ultra, or whatever the distance, it gives you something tangible to aim for. Setting a goal, making-a-plan to achieve that goal, and monitoring your progress can help raise your self-confidence as you realize that you have the ability to achieve the goal.

Make sure you set a strong goal. Don't be wishy-washy. Goals like, "I'm going to run more this year" or "I'm going to train harder" really aren't very motivating and you'll quickly lose interest. However, committing to running your first 10K, half or full marathon and announcing it to the world...now that's a goal. Sometimes making your goal something that's a part of something even bigger like a charity fund-raiser can help strengthen your commitment even more.

Make your goal realistic but at the same time make it a little challenging by selecting something that's attainable, but a little beyond your comfort zone. A challenge like this will give you something to work toward as well as build and increase your strength and endurance. Be careful though not to make your goal so challenging that you'll become discouraged and quit.

Making a long-range plan will often help you avoid picking a goal that may be out of reach at-the-moment. For example, if you are a brand-new runner and you'd really like to run a marathon, make the marathon your long-range goal and make running a 5K, 10K, and/or half-marathon your short-term goal(s). This may take a little longer, but it will help ensure that you reach the long-term goal you desire so much. If you're a new runner, achieving these smaller milestones will help build your confidence as you see the progress being made working your way up the ladder.

Post your goal for all to see. Let your family, friends, and coworkers know about your goal. Knowing that others are award of your goal will make you more accountable. This positive pressure will help you get out there for a run on those days that you're not so motivated to do so. Try to recruit a buddy to join you in your challenge. Running with a buddy can be very enjoyable and you can help keep each other motivated.

Reward your efforts! Attach some kind of treat to your successful completion of your goal. You will have worked hard, so celebrate the fruits of your labor and then get to work setting your next goal.

I'd love to know about your running goals. Email them to me at runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com.

Your "Bun-Print" to Success

Sometimes you find evidence of your success in the most unlikely places. Sue who is in her fifties, joined one of my beginning running groups over a year ago. New to running, it was a challenge for Sue, at first. But man was she committed. She came to every group run ready to run. Sue lives near me and I'd see her out in the neighborhood getting in her solo homework runs too. She was bound and determined to get to the end of the program and be able to run 30-minutes straight with no walking. Boy did she accomplish that... and more. Not only did Sue finish that 30-minute run, she went on to do the group celebration 5K a few weeks after the group's last run. Sue was bitten. Bitten by the running bug. Sue is now a member of my RUNegades program which includes each week a group full-body circuit workout, one group easy run, and one group speed workout. She's running over 5-miles now.

But, I knew she was bound for success early on in the program. Each of our group runs finishes up a slight hill that leads out of an underpass tunnel near the RunnerDude's Fitness Studio. I have the group stop there to do stretches. The wall along the side of the the hill makes a perfect ledge for propping up feet for hamstring and hip flexor stretches. It's also a great place for the group members to sit after the run to chat about their run.

After one such chat, Sue stood up and looking down said, "Ew...a bun print!" She was mortified that she was sweaty enough to have left a bun print on the concrete wall. Without skipping a beat, however, she repeated the same comment, but this time with an heir of pride..."Ahh...a bun print!" She was suddenly filled with pride and accomplishment that she indeed had worked hard enough to produce a bun print.

So, what is a "Bun Print to Success"?  Steve, another previous beginning running client sums it up best, "Learn to celebrate the small gains." During stretching after a beginning running group, Steve ran up to me all excited. He was amazed that he just balanced on one foot while doing a quad stretch. Steve had not been able to balance on that ankle for several years due to a previous injury. Running had helped strengthen his ankle and he didn't realize it until that one-legged stretch. That made his day. Celebrate the small gains.

Whether it's a bun print, balancing on one foot, or finishing that 5-miler 10 seconds faster than the last time, learn to celebrate the small gains.  Small steady gains lead to huge success in time.

TRUST. BELIEVE. CONQUER!

As a coach and personal trainer, there's nothing more rewarding than to see someone progress and realize their potential and that the only boundaries there are, are the ones we set for ourselves. The RunnerDude's Fitness motto is Trust. Believe. Conquer.  TRUST is often the hardest part. Trusting yourself that you'll commit and stick with it. Trusting your trainer that he/she has your best interest at heart. BELIEVE is equally difficult. Believing that you can do things and achieve goals that before seemed so unattainable and out of reach is hard. CONQUER sometimes seems the most unattainable. How can you conquer a goal when just getting to a workout is overwhelming? 

The good news is that it can be done. You can Trust in your training. You can Believe in yourself. You can Conquer that goal, no matter how unrealistic it may seem now.

The biggest key to success is having realistic goals. Frequently I have people come to me who want to run a marathon. My first question is, "When is the marathon?" My next question is, "Are you currently running and if so how far?" Often the response is "The race is in 3-4 months." and  "I'm not running now." or "I'm running about 10 miles a week." While I don't want to burst the individual's bubble, I also, know this is an unrealistic goal. Yes, there probably is someone in the world who has gone from the couch to a marathon in 3 months, but my goal isn't to just get you across the finish line barely alive. My goal is to get you across that finish line healthy, alive, and motivated to continue for more. So, my response to these individuals is, "It's too soon for a marathon, but how about we work on a base-building plan for a few months. Once you're able to maintain a total weekly mileage of about 20-25 miles per week for at least a month, then we can look at marathon training." 

Sometimes we're our own worst enemy. Running a marathon is not an unrealistic goal. Even if you're extremely obese and have never run in your life. Often the culprit is the time frame. We are a society of "now!" We want everything right now. So, often we'll pick a challenging goal and then put an unrealistic time frame in which to complete it. This is a recipe for failure. I see if over and over. However, if you take that same challenging goal and break it down into a realistic time frame with multiple short-term goals or bench marks along the way, then all the sudden your realize, "hey maybe I can do this."  

My son, Duncan, is the perfect example. Overweight, on his own, he decided

to focus on a healthier lifestyle. He decided to stop eating fried foods. Pretty quickly he noticed some weight loss. So, then he started making more diet modifications. More weight came off. At the same time, he started working out at home. He noticed how working out increased his weight loss. So, he joined my beginning running group. He lost more weight. He started adding more workouts to the week. Before long, working out, eating right, and living healthy was a lifestyle not a burden. He's lost about 110lbs in a little over a year. His mind set has changed from, "I can't do that." to "What can't I do?" He's run 5Ks and a half-marathon and is in training for his second half-marathon with his eye on training for a spring full marathon. Incremental goals. Achievable goals. Goals he has and will continue to obtain. 


Another client, Kim, has been such a joy to watch blossom as a budding athlete. Kim was in one of my beginning running groups a year or so ago. She did well, but then I didn't see much of her afterward. Then when I started my RUNegades running group (a year-round group the meets weekly for a full-body workout, a group run, and a group speed workout), Kim and some fellow runners from her previous running group joined. I think she was running about 3 miles at the time. Within the first six months, Kim extended that run distance to 5+ miles. She became fitter with the weekly workouts, not only physically, but also mentally. The Trust and Believe were taking root. Earlier this summer, my full and half marathon training groups kicked in. Hesitantly, Kim approached me about whether or not she was ready to do a half. That was a huge self-confidence step. Making that goal and acting on it. Kim signed up and just this past Saturday, she did her first 9-mile long run and did an awesome job.

Last night after the RUNegades group workout, she told me that when she signed up for the race she was literally sick on her stomach from fear over what she had done. But, then she thought about how far she's come and all that she's accomplished. Yesterday it hit her that she now thinks of herself as being able to do anything. She sees herself as a runner not just someone who runs. It's like all the sudden Trust. Believe. Conquer has become a reality. Kim gets the Gibson Daily Running Quote and the one she received yesterday so eloquently said what she was feeling.

"It takes guts just to step out the door for a run. Let alone take on a half-marathon. This is what makes the running community so remarkable. For in that shared belief in pushing limits and venturing into murky waters of a previously undoable race distance, there comes to exist a community of people buoyed constantly by hope and a sort of learned fearlessness. The weak grow strong. The strong carry on.

I don't know if there's a proper way to define toughness in a runner, but I do know that there comes a sudden moment when the mindset shifts. The impossible become doable, or at least attemptable. The long run goes from two miles to four to ten to fifteen, until it becomes routine at some point deep in an intense training cycle to knock off a couple hours without giving it a thought."

--Martin Dugard, Running Coach  & NY Best-Selling Author.

Kim has had that moment. Her mindset has shifted. The impossible is now the doable. She's now looking past her approaching half-marathon to a full marathon. Can she do it? Hell yeah!

RunnerDude's Runner of the Week: John Flynn

Think you're not a runner? Think you're too out of shape to run a marathon? Think fitness is too unattainable? Then read on about John Flynn's journey to fitness.

RD: So John, you're not too far from my neck of the woods.

John: Yep, I'm originally from South Carolina, but currently living in Raleigh, North Carolina

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RD: Share a little about yourself. What do you do for a living in Raleigh?
John: I'm a software developer. There's tons of technology work here in Raleigh. But I don't think a career or a particular hobby should define who you are. I have a great family (wife and two kids) and really enjoy triathlon training and racing.

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RD: How long have you been running?
John: Since 2008 really. Ran the mile on the track team in high school, but only broke 6 minutes a few times. Now that I've found endurance and the joys of 9 minute miles it's gotten really fun!

RD: I hear ya man. Fast is good, but there's something about running long that's very satisfying.

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RD: What got you into running?
John: In December 2007 I stopped smoking. I totally replaced one addiction for another one, and signed up for my first triathlon a few days after I put the cigs down. It was a sprint, and I had 8 months to train for it. My mother thought I was going to have a heart attack. When I first started training I could only do 20 minutes on the elliptical and I thought I was going to die. 40 lbs later (lighter?) and I finished that first sprint in 2:02:30. Then in 2009 I did the same sprint in 1:31. Crazy stuff. Now I'm hooked on the improvements—in my times, health, speed, and waistline.

RD: That's truly awesome man! You rock!

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RD: What do you enjoy most about running?
John: I like it all, anytime, anywhere. Outdoors, treadmill, heat, cold, alone, or in a huge race. I like monitoring my form. I like the badass status and confidence I feel after a 20-mile run or a 7:30 mile. Most of all, I like that it keeps me from smoking.
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RD: What are your favorite training foods?
John: Favorite recovery dish has to be Chicken and Dumplings. You need a 3:1 ratio of carbs and protein after a hard workout and that will warm you up and fill the belly right. On the run I like Heed, GU, Roctane, e-Gel, and endurolytes.

RD: Dumplings....hmmm, now that's a new one. May just have to give that a try!
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RD: What’s the funniest or oddest thing that’s happened to you while on a run?
John: 16 miles into my first marathon, I was crossing the Kentucky/West Virginia state line in the Hatfield & McCoy family reunion marathon when a guy (looked like a character out of Dukes of Hazard) in a rusted out pickup truck was driving the opposite way down a one lane mud road from the way we were running. Out of maybe 20 runners within sight, he looks at me and offers me a hit on a joint he was currently smoking. I declined and kept on running. Thinking about it now, 16 miles into a marathon that might not have been a bad idea! Still, funny things like that happen to me in races. I love it.

RD: Oh man, If I had heard "Dueling Banjos" in the background, I think I would have PR'd in that race! LOL!!

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RD: What’s your biggest running accomplishment? Why?
John: Got to be the marathons. I just finished my second a few weeks ago and it was awesome. Full marathons are the standard by which any and every runner can measure themselves. Say what you want to about fast 5k's. My goal is Ironman next year so I need marathons.

RD: Awesome goal man. Let us know which Ironman you're running and keep us posted on your training progress!

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RD: Do you have a favorite brand of running shoe? Which model? Why?
John: Love the Mizuno Wave Inspires. The 2008 model is the most comfy running shoe I've ever had.

RD: Hope you bought 8 pairs back in 2008. LOL! Seems like when you find your favorite shoe, Murphy's Law kicks in and they change the model or discontinue it the next year.

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RD: What’s your favorite race distance(s)? Do you have a favorite race you run each year?
John: Got to be the 26.2 baby! My new favorite is the Tobacco Road Marathon in Cary, NC. It's mostly trail with about 6 miles on the roads.

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RD: If you were speaking to a group of non-runners or runner wannabes and trying to encourage them to run, what would you say?
John: I talk non-runners into getting out there all the time, and it always makes me smile. Most people don't think they can do it. I used to be one of them. Now I know that there will also come a day when I can't do this anymore. But today is not that day.

RD: Hey John, I know runners in their 80s still running 5Ks, 10Ks and even marathons. Heck the oldest person in the very first marathon I ran (NYC) back on '97 was 95!! He ran a 5.5hr marathon. So, you've got quite a few miles left in you yet!

RD: Open Mike: Share anything you‘d like about your running experiences, past accomplishments, goals, dreams….anything you haven’t previously shared.

John: Set goals for yourself that are so high you don't think you can actually reach them. Then when you nail it, the goal becomes even more special. I did not expect a 33 minute PR at my last marathon even though that was the stated goal. Then I got it. Sweet! My next mountain to climb is a Full Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run - all in one day). It seems like torture and is completely unattainable for most people. That's why I want to do one. If you reach for something higher than you think you can grasp, you might just surprise yourself.

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Thanks John! You certainly are an inspiration! We look forward to hearing the recap of next year's Ironman experience!

How Running Changed My Life: Amanda's Story

Amanda has a truly inspirational running-related journey to share. Like many, Amanda has discovered the importance of setting goals as well as the wonderful sense of accomplishment when you work hard toward those goals and achieve them. In her own words, here's Amanda's story:

How running changed my life? How hasn’t running changed my life is a better question. Let’s start from the beginning. January 2008 I walked into Weight Watchers weighing 276lbs. This is not the heaviest I have been but my brother was getting married in 8 months and I didn’t want to be the fat sister in all the pictures. My weight loss journey went well. By the time August came around I had lost 40lbs. I was still overweight but I felt much better about myself. Now that the wedding was over I was stuck. I thought; what next? I had a goal the first 8 months but now that I didn’t have something to reach for I didn’t know what to do with myself.

Around this time I came across the C25K program on the WW message board. The program intrigued me. Probably because my dad was a runner and I remember him running the NYC Marathon year after year. He was always super fit and loved to run. August 2008 I started week 1 of C25K. The program is 9 weeks long and it gradually increases your running up to 30 mins straight. You start with 60 second intervals of running and then walking. I wont lie the first week was pure torture. At 230lbs it was not easy. I kept with it and I completed the program October 2008. I signed up for my first 5k which would take place on Thanksgiving morning. At this point I was not running 3 miles yet so for the weeks after C25K and before the 5k I worked up to running 3 miles. It took me 45 mins but I couldn’t believe I was running! I ran the turkey trot in 39:02! I was so proud of myself. I ran the entire time!

Fast forward a little. I have run a bunch of 5ks and a 10k throughout the months. I decided that I would train for my first half marathon. I trained throughout the summer and I ran my first half marathon on October 11th. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. I wanted to cry several times during the race. I just kept thinking that a year ago I couldn’t run for 60 seconds and here I am running 13.1 miles! The best part is that I finished the race 25 mins faster then I expected! My finish time was 2:26:21!!!

In case you are wondering – I have continued to lose weight and I have lost a total of 98lbs to date. I know that if it wasn’t running I probably would have not lost this much weight. I owe my life to running.—Amanda

Go Amanda! You truly are amazing! Be sure to check out Amanda's Blog Manderz Journey to a New Life. Thanks for sharing your story, Amanda!

Set a Goal and Go For It!

Just started running and find it a little daunting or have you been running for a while and find yourself in a rut? In either case, setting a running goal might be just the thing. Sometimes that little push of a commitment is all you need to get you going. Personally, I've found that setting a yearly goal of running at least one marathon a year, gives me the motivation I need to keep running year-round. Plus it gives me something to look forward to and strive for.

When you set a goal for yourself, be it a 5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon, ultra, or whatever the distance, it gives you something tangible to aim for. Setting a goal, making a plan to achieve that goal, and monitoring your progress can help raise your self-confidence as you realize that you have the ability to achieve the goal.

Make sure you set a strong goal. Don't be wishy-washy. Goals like, "I'm going to run more this year" or "I'm going to train harder" really aren't very motivating and you'll quickly lose interest. However committing to running your first 10K or half marathon and announcing it to the world...now that's a goal. Sometimes making your goal something that's apart of something even bigger like a charity fund-raiser can help strengthen your commitment even more.

Make your goal realistic but at the same time make it a little challenging by selecting something that's attainable, but a little beyond your comfort zone. A challenge like this will give you something to work toward as well as build and increase your strength and endurance. Be careful though not to make your goal so challenging that you'll become discouraged and quit.

Making a long-range plan will often help you avoid picking a goal that may be out of reach at the moment. For example if you are a brand new runner and you'd really like to run a marathon, make the marathon your long-range goal and make running a 5K, 10K, and/or half-marathon your short-term goal(s). This may take a little longer, but it will help ensure that you reach the long-term goal you desire so much. If you're a new runner, achieving these smaller milestones will help build your confidence as you see the progress being made working your way up the ladder.

Post your goal for all to see. Let your family, friends, and coworkers know about your goal. Knowing that others are award of your goal will make you more accountable. This positive pressure will help you get out there for a run on those days that you're not so motivated to do so. Try to recruit a buddy to join you in your challenge. Running with a buddy can be very enjoyable and you can help keep each other motivated.

Reward your efforts! Attach some kind of treat to your successful completion of your goal. You will have worked hard, so celebrate the fruits of your labor and then get to work setting your next goal.

I'd love to know about your running goals. Email them to me at runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com.

Need to Set A Running Goal? Let The Circle Help

Are you a goal-oriented person or do you need to set some goals to help get yourself motivated to run? In either case, I have the perfect site for you! TheCircle.org is a new goal-oriented social network with resources and support that can help you achieve your goals. How does it work? TheCircle.org is a free site that gives registered users access to Circles where you can meet others with similar interests who may have already done what you seek to accomplish and who can share advice and encouragement to help you to succeed. As a registered user, you can ask questions and get insights on what steps to take to accomplish your goal.

Each Circle has a mentor that hosts a weekly blog and acts as a guide and moderator for the circle. Mentors are people who have a passion for and an above average knowledge of the subject matter related to the circle in which they participate. They offer their time and knowledge to help members learn more about the subjects they are interested in and to help members become more fulfilled people. Mentors may be professionals or just lay persons with training or experience that gives them special knowledge about a certain subject area.

TheCircle asked RunnerDude to be the mentor for two of their running-related circles—Run for Fitness and Long Distance Running. I'm excited to have this opportunity to connect with even more fellow runners, share the knowledge I've gained over the years, as well as learn from the circle members.

The idea for TheCircle.org grew out of a book written by Joe Mellett in the early 1990s called The Circle. The book is an inspirational work that offers those in need a way to organize their life to achieve goals and, ultimately, to get to know one self better. The book will soon be published on this website and will be found under the Tools section. Understanding that self improvement does not mean going it alone, and in fact, that a mentor or guide, as well as a social group of people with similar interests, could aid one in taking the steps necessary to achieve a goal, Joe had the idea of creating a website where people could share their advice and encouragement to the end that all involved come away with a sense of self-fulfillment. TheCircle.org LLC was formed in 2006 to create this website built on Joe’s ideas of self-improvement, self-fulfillment and community.

The site is growing with new members each day. I encourage you to check it out. While you're there, take a look at their other circles. They cover a wide variety of topics such as fitness, hiking, training for a triathlon, competitive swimming, sewing, travel, relationships, stress management, and much more.

Don't worry, RunnerDude's Blog isn't going anywhere. It's going strong (thanks to you, the readers) and daily posts will continue as well as the fun contests that you've made so successful.