Get Outside!!!

Enough bitching about the cold weather here in New England (or if you live in a similar seasonal area). It's spring god damn it and that means it's time to get outside. I don't care if it was only 30 degrees this morning, or if there were snow flurries yesterday, it's time to get outside. So quit milking that bike trainer and/or treadmill and go exploring. I watched an episode of The Biggest Loser in which they had to run up this hill and find a key that would open up the gym. There were only two keys and the two people that found them would receive exclusive access to the gym for a week, meaning that no one else could use the gym. The contestants were really bitching and complaining about this. What really blew me away was that the devil looking female (I think) trainer made the biggest stink, whining that she needed her gym and her toys. Meanwhile, they are in southern California and the weather there looks perfect every episode! They have all these outdoor trails right around there premises, and they run indoors on a treadmill!!! In most cases, we begin exercising to gain or regain control of our health, and the safety of being indoors is appealing. Then, we get a bit more adventurous and venture outside and realize that the senses are much more heightened and thus so is the experience. You see and learn a lot more from a one hour run outdoors than you do running in place watching Oprah. One of the highlights of living in a seasonal state is the unpredictability of the weather each day. Today could be sunny and in the 60's and tomorrow could be rainy and in the 40's, and that's cool - It keeps things interesting. I think I'd take the weather for granted if it were 75 and sunny every day. At least that's what I've convinced myself. In any case, the cold and soggy days make you tougher. I'm still blown away by the amount of people that won't RUN in the rain! In any event, suck it up, bundle up, and get outside. It's spring, regardless of what the weather is telling us today. OK, that's enough of a break. I need to get back to my Hip Hop Abs dvd - training is going well.

One other quick thing first: Sunday night, I met the group of runners that are on my training plan for Megan's "Run Like A Mother 5K" at the Ridgefield High track. There were probably 100 women that showed up with maybe two thirds of them on the "Just Want To Finish" and "Beginner" programs, and it was really inspiring. Talking about taking things for granted, I have been training myself and others since the late 80's. I went from being an athlete in college right into triathlon, so I never had to "start up". Working with "starter uppers" is always incredibly motivating for me. Many of these women were way outside of their comfort zone and you know what, they were still chugging away on the track, smiling (for the most part) and enjoying the camaraderie. Megan has created something really, really cool here and it's the little things like being a part of these athletes (that's right women, you are all athletes now, training for an event!) training session and training plan that can motivate a seasoned veteran like myself to work a bit harder and push a bit more in my own training and goals.

Cheers,

EH