Archives For running

If You Read One Book on Sport

Chris —  July 6, 2011

To be fair, this is the only book I’ve read on Sport.  But it was amazing.

You can read my original thoughts about Born to Run, but here’s a few reason that EVERYONE should read it.

1.  It’s really fun.  At it’s core, the book is a mystery story: how can seeming Stone Age Native Mexicans accomplish feats that allude the best trained American athletes?  The journey takes you through badlands, past drug dealers, to the Rocky Mountains and Death Valley, and back in time thousands of years.

2.  It’s a must read for runners.  The stories of average people doing things that seem superhuman inspires you to get out there and push yourself.

3.  It explains the funny toe socks everyone is wearing. It will convince you to wear them, too.

4.  It will make you proud of your sweat. It’s the reason you can outrun a deer.

But seriously, one of the most fun and fascinating reads ever.  When you’re done, let me know, and we’ll discuss it over a chia fresca.

 

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One Year After the Marathon

Chris —  February 14, 2011

It’s exactly one year from February 14, 2010’s Love Austin Marathon.

A few weeks before I ran my marathon last year, someone mentioned that it would change my outlook on life.  Not automatically, but some point, maybe weeks or months after the marathon, I’d be doing something something difficult and would say to myself “this isn’t that hard, I’ve run a marathon.”

I wish I still run.  Even during the training my knees started giving me trouble, and they’ve never been the same.  I’ve run a handful of times since then and always regretted it. I haven’t given up on running.  I have high hopes or rehabbing my knees and making a few yearly half marathons part of my lifestyle.

But I do keep going back there in my head.  Marathon analogies are so obvious that they’re painful.  That is, unless you’ve run one.

My friend was right.  When I start a project for graduate school, set a new goal or even think about some of the big life changes I need to make, I think about the marathon.

You can do amazing things when you make a plan and work at it consistently.

The race isn’t hard.  It’s the training.

Whatever I’m dealing with now isn’t nearly as difficult as a marathon.

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Baby, We Were Born to Run

Chris —  September 2, 2010

“You don’t get old and stop running, you get old because you stop running.”

The adage shapes much of the story and science in Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run.  I first came across the story of the hidden tribe of the Tarahumara and the idea of barefoot running in McDougall’s Men’s Health article in 2005.  It’s always stuck with me, so I was thrilled to see a more detailed explanation of how 50 year old Native Americans can run ultramarathons in their sandals.

The book is part sports biography, part memoir, and part science textbook.  McDougall is a washed up marathoner, to injured to ever run again, who travels to the Copper Canyons of Mexico in search of a lost tribe, that apparently eats corn, drinks beer, and never gets injured.  Much of the book is made up of his stories of navigating drug country and foreign cultures.  Beyond that, he tells stories of the American cult of ultrarunning, seemingly superhumans with the ability to run over a hundred miles a day.

One main thesis of the book is that human beings are natural born runners.  From an evolutionary standpoint, we’ve got the ability to outrun any prey.  Our only hindrance is running shoes, which allow our feet to atrophy and our heels to unnaturally strike.  If we ran correctly, we could go for days, and never get injured.

The book is enthralling, addicting and will inspire you to put on your gym shorts, ditch your Nikes and hit the trail.

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3 Ways the Gomers Connect and Inspire

Chris —  June 11, 2010

I was raised listening to NPR, and since the advent of podcasting and audible.com, have consumed about 15-20 hours of audio content a week.  Despite a deep love for the work of Ira Glass and the guys at Radiolab, I’ve enjoyed listening to Two Gomers Run a Marathon more than anything else.

The podcast started when two friends decided to give up their monumentally lazy lives and run a half marathon together.  Living on opposite sides of the country, they decided to podcast the whole thing.

The journey has been a difficult one, causing everything from blisters to shingles, and even one gomer getting hit by a car while running.  It has also been a ton of fun.  The gomers are true nerds, and children of nineties.  In many episodes, the running related content seems to be tacked on top of references to Full House, descriptions of their love for fast food and stories from growing up.

The Gomer phenomenon is a case study in modern media.  Both seasons have consistently highly rated on iTunes.  They have nearly 1,000 Facebook fans, and raised over $3,000 from charity.  They are a perfect example of Seth Godin’s Tribes or the 1,000 true fans theory.    Three things make the Gomers stand out, and teach us about how to connect and inspire:

1.  Looking Stupid Can Be Inspiring.  Even by choosing the name “Gomer,” they started the project with a sense of self deprecation.  They have never stopped flaunting their ignorance, or their desire to overcome it.

2.  Interact Relentlessly.  Originally, it started with the Gomers asking for running tips.  However, conversation has included everything from how to revive leftovers to thoughts on the iPad.  These conversations have engaged fans on Facebook and Twitter, and find their way back into the podcast.

3.  Authentically Display Your Faith.  TGRAM is not a Christian podcast, however, it is a podcast made by Christians.  Mentions of prayer and spirituality pepper the conversation.  This gives the discussions an added level of depth and inspiration.

Last Sunday, the two Gomers ran a marathon.  The podcast is coming to an end, and I feel like I’m saying goodbye to friends.

You can catch up on the whole saga at TwoGomers.com or search for Two Gomers on iTunes.  Here’s another inspiration of the Gomers.

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Why You MUST Run a Marathon

Chris —  February 18, 2010

If you’d known me before I started training for my marathon, you would have laughed at the idea.  My only memory as a child of playing any sports was sitting down on a soccer field, while the rest of my team chased the ball.  I have never been mistaken for “athletic.”

This is why you MUST run a marathon.  For me, or at least, pre-marathon me, an accomplishment like this  would have been impossible.  I’m not saying “you can do anything if you just put your mind to it!”  But I have come to believe that life isn’t worth living if you are not aiming at incredible, meaningful accomplishments; goals that are out of reach of the person you are today.

If you read this blog, I hope my story will encourage you to set BHAGs and accomplish them.

For my single friends, what if you stopped focusing on things like getting your career off the ground and finding the perfect someone, and set a goal like rebuilding a village in Haiti or writing that book you have in you.

For those who are parents, what if you set the goal of being so involved in your children’s life and schooling that every single student in your community graduates.

For those who are retirees, what if you decided to devote your time and energy into coaching young couples in marriage, and personally destroying our nations 50% divorce rate.

What is impossible for you?  Why aren’t you doing it?

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