Goal Big or Go Home

I know, everyone has been irrrking for the next sort of funny, somewhat informative post on the Long Sox Fitness blog. Well you can stop hitting refresh now, because it's finally here. And you're in luck because this one is relevant to everyone, fitness freaks and sedentary people alike. Whether you're fat or fit, young or old, injured or healthy, you need to set goals. You may be after a 6 minute mile, a 300lb bench press, a promotion at work, a road trip to Canada, spending more time with family, or a happier life in general.

Why should you set goals and how you can set goals to maximize results? According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine (the organization that will be certifying me as a personal trainer if I pass the big bad exam), goals should follow SCAMPI principles. What do they mean? They mean goals should be...

-Specific. Avoid less-concrete, nebulous goals of losing weight or increasing muscle. Know how much you want to lose or gain. EG burning off a single pound or increasing your squat by 5lbs. Instead burn 500 more calories per day than you eat. For muscle gain, try squatting to near-failure 2 times a week.

-Challenging. You'll push yourself harder. If you're running a 20:08 5k after setting the goal of 22:00, you probably could have broken the 20:00 threshold with a 20:00 goal.

-Framed as an Approach to something, not to avoid something. NASM sez: "Avoidance goals create memories of accidents or failures, and tend to make people less happy, healthy, and motivated." It's going to take some creative thinking for weight loss (IE avoid overeating) and injury avoidance. So reframe it, "I'm going to eat 2 salads a day and drink 4 glasses of water," or, "I'm going to buy better running shoes, ice after running, and change the way I run." And personally, I love pwning the to-do list.

-Measurable. So you can tell if the strategy is working, if not, adjust.

-Proximal. Have something near term to shoot for. Confidence booster.

-Inspirational. "Consistent with ideals and ambitions." I don't know how to not do this. Let's see... I like exercising... I like sustaining good friendships and a fun social life... I don't like exercising so much that my relationships and social life suffer... ipso facto, ergo sum: I will not set the goal of being a competitive marathon runner because it will take too much time away from other life aspects... I think. IE, if you don't want to do something, don't do it. Going into it with an "I guess I want to do that" attitude probably isn't a great goal to set. Probably definitely a 100% chance of the give-ups.

Set your SCAMPI goals. Be a better person, get more out of your 2012.

Keep training,
LSF

The Techsnique, Week 1

So I reached a new level of calf pain last week as I amped up the Techsnique of silent running in preparation for barefoot running. Here are the initial effects:

Slower pace: The Techsnique is initially slower. I'm still building muscle, tendons, ligaments and bone. I'm not about to push this faster than it needs to go but I'm going to step outside of my comfort zone on every run to ensure I get that body "shock" without destroying something.

For Bearfoot runners. Buying theeeem.

Faster regular pace: When I switched back to my regular gait for the Cambridge 5k, I was going a lot faster than I estimated and had mad calf STREMPF in the reserve tanks at the finish line.

Stronger legs: No hint of muscle fatigue last night on a 3.5 miler with agility drills incorporated. Try some ladders/agility drills and see how your foot hits the ground. That should be YOUR Techsnique.

Concentrate: Buddy runs are a no-go when changing your gait. Focus on the noise of your feet, how you're stepping, an upright, posture, bent knees, etc.

I did the last quarter mile of last night's 3.5 miler sans shoes. I made it about 100m before I had to walk. Totally forgot to build up thicker sole skin. If you try it, your feet will quickly remind you that you're not ready.

And that ends this year's edition of Long Sox Fitness. I'm headed home for Christmas to see family and friends and get fat drinking eggnog and eating cookies. There won't be much time for blogging in the next couple of weeks due to the aggressive schedule. Don't let your training get in the way of life.

What you can look forward to in the first few days of 2012:
-Setting goals/New Year's Resolutions, I'll be figuring mine out until then
-Personal Trainer Certification, the exam is coming up. Time to cram.

Happy Holidays,
LSF

Cambridge Yulefest 5k

I'm pretty sure everyone on the eastern seaboard is aware that yesterday was the single coldest day of winter so far. Even colder than the day that I was cooler than cool but at least this time I was ready for it.

I got a text from my buddy who was going to run with me saying he was stuck at home in nurse-mode for his gal. They're a good team - one goes down, the other turns into Florence Nightingale (to quote him directly). Looked like it was just me. But out of disaster comes opportunity. I asked if I could run under his bib number, and since the race staff was willing to let me, I saved myself a cool $40.

Although the weather was freezing, Cambridge was prepared to take almost 1000 runners and keep them warm, hydrated, and caffeinated at Au Bon Pain, Starbucks, and Dunkin Donuts. Runners are extremely friendly, and I ended up talking to a few groups of people to pass the
time.

There were some truly great costumes there. My favorite was one of the most realistic Grinches I've ever seen. There was also a Yoshi, green man, several presents, a bajillion santas, -- one was a Santa riding an ostrich (winner of the best costume). Check out the Cambridge 5K Facebook page for some photos.

How it went:
+Start and stop time were obvious
+Chip embedded on bib, awesome
+Route clearly marked
+Runners had right of way with traffic
+Easy registration, bag check
+Close to the T
+1 water station (surprised it wasn't solid ice)
+Somewhat scenic route in Cambridge, probably the best you can do for the distance

-A little oncoming traffic on the left side of the road but easy to avoid
-Heat lamps would have been nice at the start and finish lines
+/-Very few hills

Personal Results: 20:08, 6:29 pace, 52nd overall. I was shooting for 22 minutes which shows that my running is a lot better than my goal setting. More on goals later.

Another friend of mine was unexpectedly waiting for me at the finish line with a high five and congratulatory "Run faster." We went to get some IHOP so I totally forgot about the party that Cambridge 5K was hosting. Oh well, next time. Definitely returning to the next Cambridge 5K.
Next time under 20 min. Next time to party.

Keep training,
LSF

Athletic Resume

Until 1998: Basketball, Tennis, Ice Hockey, Soccer

1998: JV Lacrosse, Starter, Ground Ball Award

1999: JV Lacrosse, Captain, varsity in post-season, Ground Ball Award, MVP
V Wrestling, starter 105lbs class

2000: V Lacrosse, Starter, Old North State All-Tournament Selection
V Wrestling, starter 119lbs class

2001: V Lacrosse, 2nd Team All-State, Captain, Offensive Player of the Year, Dixie Top 150 Lacrosse Camp All-Star Selection for Champ Camp.

2002: V Lacrosse, Honorable Mention All-State, Conference Player of the Year, MVP, Captain, Phone calls from some Division I and several Division III programs.V Wrestling, starter 162lbs class, 3rd Place Jerry Hampton Wrestling Tournament at 162lbs.

2003: Collegiate Club Lacrosse, Starter (UNC), One month college rugby

2004: Team member of Brigade Championship Team Army ROTC Ranger Challenge team of 10, competing in Army tactical challenges for time, Collegiate Club Lacrosse

2005: Awarded "Recondo" Badge at ROTC Advanced Camp for first time completion of all graded events, Collegiate Club Lacrosse, recreational swimming

2006: Consumed "El Gigante" 5lb burrito in 2 hours...

2007: Army Ranger School, Army Airborne School, Army Combatives Level I Certified

2008: Deployed to Iraq

2009: "Summit Day" Combatives Champion 155-170lbs for Level I certified combatants

2010: Muay Thai 3 months, Jiu Jitsu 2 months, Hiked 84 miles across England in 5 days, Climbed Mt. Washington in winter conditions, introductory CrossFit and Olympic lifting lessons from friends

2011: Athens Classic Marathon, 3:47:46, Gracie Academy Jiu Jitsu white belt with 2 stripes

Mostly scored 300+ (perfect score) on Army Physical Fitness Tests throughout Army career, in top ~2% of company

Intermediate skier, basketball player. Beginner surfer, golfer.

A CrossFitter on CrossFit

QUIET! Quiet down now. You've heard some love, you've heard some hate. Today I have guest blogger Rob Burke. He's a man who literally owes his life to his training. After being a varsity baseball player at SUNY Oswego, he continued to work out in the Army which literally helped him to build muskulls to literally stop Al Qaeda bullets, literally. Rob, you have the floor.

Rob at CrossFit Queens in September 2011

I have been doing CrossFit for a few years now. For the last a year I have been goingto an official CrossFit Affiliate or "Box" as we call it. Like anyfitness nut I was drawn to CrossFit, enjoyed it, pursued a Level 1 Certificationand adapted it into my fitness program. I would like to make it clear off the bat; Iam in no way, shape or form an expert or a guru in the CrossFit discipline. Ilike to compare my CrossFit passion to that of my Fly Fishing abilities; I amfirst a student always, I thirst for knowledge and chose to lead others indeveloping their answers to the question of "Why do we decide toCrossFit?” It is a passion for ultimate fitness.

I encourage everyone to research their options before they form their opinions. How can we decide if we like something without trying it in a multitude of ways? (Editor: Sorry Burke, had to link it) Get out there and experiment.

If you search for the broad definition of "What is CrossFit?"you will find that it is defined as- "Constantly Varied, High-intensity,functional movement". Wikipedia defines Functional Movement as:"movements based on real-world situational biomechanics. They usuallyinvolve multi-planar, multi-joint movements which place demand on the body'score musculature and innervation." What do you consider functionalmovements? Picking up a bag of dog food from the ground (Deadlift). Putting abox in a shelf over your head (Shoulder Press). Sitting in a chair and standingup (Squat). These three motions (Squat, Press, and Deadlift) are the buildingblock movements for a majority of your remaining CrossFit Movements. Fail atthese and you will fail at basic life functions. CrossFit prevents this. This is why it is so popular with military,public servants (police, firefighters, EMTs) and professional athletes. Now that I gotthis out of the way, "Further research you must" (say it in your best Yodavoice, I am not as good at clips as James). I would like to address the hate of "The Dark Side of CrossFit".

Reason 1: Newbies will hurt themselves.

Like anything new you do; you have to properly prepareyourself. By posting this reason are you telling me that the TV showthe Biggest Loser should be cancelled because the participants can hurtthemselves? Or that I should not try snowboarding because I might get hurt?Most CrossFit Affiliates have "Foundation" classes to learn how to properly perform each taskbefore they thrust themselves into a WOD or Workout Of the Day. CrossFitCoaches require that new members meet first with them to help the coachunderstand their level of fitness and limitations. That’s the glory of CrossFitthat it can be scaled for everyone. For example: Can't do a squat with weight? Okay do an air squat. Can't do an air squat? Okay sit on this bench and stand backup. Same goes for pull-ups, Olympic lifts and cardio. Can’t run? Try the rowing machine. Don't let your limitations keep you from wanting to succeed.

Reason 2: Newbies will hurt themselves; mentally.

Yes, CrossFit can make you feel like you are weak. It canbeat you down, but where else can you go but up? Why do people go back the gym,spin class, palates, running clinics or on Jenny Craig? Because they look atthemselves in the merrier one day and say, "What the fudge happened to me?" (Editor: not the author's original word choice. 'Fudge' that is.) What are the #1 or #2 New Years resolutions every year? Get fit,that’s right. If you get out of bed the next day and can barely move thenyou over-worked. CrossFit trainers are very cautious of this because we learnabout Rhabdomyolysis which is a serious syndrome due to a direct or indirectmuscle injury. Most people come into a CrossFit gym and think thatbecause they exercise already that they do not need to scale. Look at theworkout and what you think you can do and cut it at least in half. I don’t knowabout you but I am not going to go onto a golf course and pay for 18holes whenI have been only shooting 9 every few months. It is your own body. In the endrun you need to know your limitations, work on them gradually and don't beafraid of humility. We have all been there; using bands to assist a pull-up. Who cares anyways? CrossFitters are just glad to see that you came totry and you'll be glad you did.

Reason 3: You'll be a jack of all trades and a master ofnone.

CrossFit is not a specialized fitness program. It wants tooptimize physical competence in 10 fitness domains. They are Cardio andRespiratory Endurance, Stamina, Strength, Flexibility, Power, Speed,Coordination, Agility, Balance and Accuracy. If you want to run marathons thenyou need to run, you want to be in a triathlon then bike, run, and swim, youwant to be a Sumo wrestler then do whatever a sumo wrestler does. These“Fringe” athletes, and their particular training is so specialized that it doesnot allow maximum competency in all 10 physical challenges. Many ProfessionalAthletes implement CrossFit into their training programs. The overall goal isto be healthy right? Does the average person run 26.2 miles frequently? Notthinking so but they do conduct functional movement everyday. 2011 CrossFitMen's Champion, Rich Froning does not just practice CrossFit workouts. Hisworkouts are comprised of bench presses, dumbbell raises, bicep curls andend with a WOD. It's only a part of his athletic trainingprogram. For most individuals a WOD is a workout program in itself. They do notneed to be in a gym for 2 hours when they get the same muscle reaction by aCrossFit WOD in less than an hour.

Reason 4: It's too short.

Yes, most WOD's are only 8-12 mins long and when you are doneyou want to puke, lay there and talk about how smoked you are. Most CrossFitAffiliate Boxes run ~1 hour workouts; 10min warm-up, 15 minStrength/Skill training, WOD and stretching to wrap it up. I suggest you locatea CrossFit Affiliate around you andcheck out their programming. Shop around; you may not like that location, thecommunity atmosphere, or the coach. It’s like shopping, most of us try to look atdifferent stores to see if it is better priced somewhere else, or the shoe maynot fit in one style but better in another.

Rant: The CrossFit Games are like any sporting event. If youdon't like watching football don't watch football, you don't like golf thenturn the channel.

Remember and quote me, “CrossFit is programmed for everyonebut not FOR everyone. Running a marathon in Athens is not for me but hey I gotmad love for those people that do”. I hope this provides a little bit moreinsight to the world of CrossFit.

Analogue:

 James posted his WODin “CrossFit Do It”:

3 Sets for time:

Deadlift @ 135lbs x 10; Kettle bell (KB) Jumping Jacks @25lbs x 15, KB Ground to chin upright row x 25lbs x 20.1 min rest, 1 min rowsprint (got 299m)

I did the same workout with James. It took me longer tofinish (less than 2 min) with 225lbs on the Deadlift, a 62lb KB and I rowedover 310 meters. Next day I was not as sore as James stated but that was onlybecause I was more experienced in the movements and used better form. I stillwas smoked in the end but that did not stop me from giving instruction to himon proper lifting techniques. See where I am going with this. Don’t let oneCrossFit experience lead you to a quick opinion, give it some time and then letme know.

*James you are a wordsmith and a poet of thought. You helpedme be vocal about my passion in CrossFit and fitness. For that I am grateful.

-Written By CrossFitter Rob Burke, friend of Long Sox Training Blog writer James Megliola.

My New Running Techsnique

So I've been listening to "Born to Run" on audiobook for the past couple of weeks because reading anything longer than a blog post is, frankly, for nerds. I'd wager almost all distance runners are familiar with this book because it made barefoot running more mainstream in 2009. Those Vibram Five Finger shoes couldn't stay on racks in the summer of '09 and they still seem to be in most gyms. Whether you've seen them or not, they gained a ton of popularity because of B2R. While it was fun to point and laugh at the fitness junkies wearing them, I've finally hit the breaking point. I have to get on the bandwagon. B2R had everything to do with this.

Book Summary: The 6'3" author (Christopher MacDougall) sucks at running but loves it. He's slow and gets all kinds of injured regardless of how he changes his gear and form. He sees some Native Mexicans (Tarahumara tribe) who are awesome runners and run in nothing but skirts and sandals and sometimes floofy shirts. The key? Barefoot running their entire lives. The logic? The foot, leg, and entire body evolved without shoes. Just run like a caveman and your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones will adapt to the stresses you put on them by forcing you to step carefully and quietly. He argues that the more cushioned the shoe, the worse it is for your body. Check out the feet on the picture above. Shoes/orange shirt is going heel first (but is one of the greatest ultramarathoners of all time), sandals/floofy shirt (Tarahumara) is stepping toes first.

I've got some personal knowledge that backs this up. My best runs when preparing for the marathon were night runs when I had to step carefully, keep my center of gravity low, bend my knees more, and gently place each step. When I got to lighted areas, I felt energized and picked up the pace. Those steps in the dark were also the most quiet.

I learned to keep the sound down when I took a "stalking" class at a camp in 5th grade (before Craigslist was invented). The purpose was to learn to walk as quietly as possible so you could sneak up on woodland critters. We were taught to put our toes down first then softly transition to the heel. Zero sound, like sneaking. This same concept works when running to minimize fast-paced stomping. Less stomp, more full body cushion, more natural steps, less pain, more distance, more speed.

Finally, consider going down stairs quickly. You are putting even more pressure on the body as you land from step to step. Where do you land? On the balls of the feet. Boom.

Proper sneaking technique: The Techsnique

In conclusion, if a novice runner's story, a lesson from a 5th grade stalking class, and your experience with stairs doesn't have you convinced, you're obstinate and unreasonable. Change yourself.

I'm going to begin training for barefoot running by running as quietly as possible. I've only gone for one 1.5 miles run so far. Calves were sore for days. The good sore. I've heard it's best to take it slow and build up miles to begin with. When starting a new type of exercise, it is important to build the muscles AND joints. And seriously, I'm very interested in anyone's feedback who has tried the Vibrams for distance running. Any love or hate out there?

Keep Training,
LSF

PS: Couldn't you imagine Todd and Margo (aka Elaine Benes) from Christmas Vacation wearing Vibrams? I mean, where do I get these reflective couple's track suits and a liter of Evian these days? Also, neon green shelves. Every futuristic home in the past should have neon green shelves.

The Dark Side of CrossFit

I've come to grips with my preference for CrossFit. It's quick, it's tough, it'll turn you into a steely eyed killer who can body slam the Undertaker 2000 times. However, this sect of training is not for the weak or faint of heart. Why not?

Reason 1) Newbies will hurt themselves. And I don't mean in that good "ooh feel the burn" way. It will be more of a, "Sorry kids, grandpa can't shoot hoops anymore with these knees, hips, ankles, spine and shoulders." If you haven't built up the tendons and ligaments needed to support the muscle, you're setting yourself up for chronic joint and back problems.

Reason 2) Newbies will hurt themselves. And yes, in that, "ooh feel the burn" way. And yes, in that, "I can barely get out of bed with these sore hammies" way too. You have to embrace your inner masochist who appreciates the pain that reminds you, "Hey bud, nice job at the gym yesterday. Proud of you." If the pain doesn't make you feel good, you're only going to feel bad.

Reason 3) You'll be a jack of all trades and a master of none. As a way to improve your current sporting passion it's a great way to supplement your other workouts. However, only doing CrossFit only makes you better at doing CrossFit. Yippeee.

Rant: CrossFit games. I kind of can't stand them. It's like people want to figure out who is the best at working out. Why not have a national bicep curl competition or see who can do the most lunges? Because nobody cares. I get it though, there is a large enough following so that people will watch. Also, competitions give athletes something to shoot for. Attainable goals = athletic motivation. Still though, not my bag.

Reason 4) It's too short. It's a 15 minute rampage where you put every muscle in sprint mode and then collapse in a heap on the floor. A few minutes after the collapse I was ready to do more.

Keep training,
LSF

CrossFit Do It

I went to Fort Drum deep in Upstate New York's Snow Belt this week for some business travel and managed to get in a few visits with some very good friends. Two of these friends were infantry officers in my unit in the Army and both are heavily involved with CrossFit which was the rage among junior officers circa 2008 and as far as I can tell, remains popular. I got my first taste of CrossFit in Iraq where there is nothing better to do in your free time than lift weight, finish Modern Warfare for the 3rd time, or watch every existing episode of Smallville for the 4th time.
My buddy, Rob, became a Level I CrossFit Certified Trainer. He said I could train at his box (gym to the layperson) at CrossFit Dewitt, in Dewitt, NY to get a feel for the sport.

 Unsurprising finds:

-Jacked people
-Copious open space, free weights, squat racks, pull up bars
-Loud angry music

Here's what we got into:
-3 Sets for time:
Deadlift 135lbs x 10
Kettlebell (KB) Jumping Jacks x 25lbs x 15
KB Ground to chin upright row x 25lbs x 20
-1 Set:
1 min rest, 1 min row sprint (got 299m)

Total time 12 minutes. Form went downhill on the deadlift, gotta slow down or reduce weight. The rest was a too easy, gotta increase weight. Three days later and my hamstrings are still sore. The good sore. Muscle fibers tearing and repairing.

I also got a free lesson in the clean, jerk and snatch. Watch the vid. I'm pretty sure that's perfect form.

I expect incorporating some CrossFit tenets into my workouts will help me prepare for fighting sports. Power and short term endurance in full body movements will result from the average CrossFit training schedule. I will be referencing the CrossFit Workout of the Day for the next month or so on non-recovery days.

However, there is a dark, dark downside. More on that later.

Keep training,
LSF

(Dewitt=do it. See what just happened?)

Why I Hate Gis

As I mentioned in "Jits", the traditional wear for Jiu Jitsu is the gi (guh-ee, gee, no "j" sound) I don't care for the gi mostly because it takes away from the purity of fighting- it levels the playing field between heavier, stronger fighters and lighter, weaker fighters. I'm not saying I want to strip down and grease up like a gladiator but you don't see MMA fighters wearing anything but gloves and shorts.

The gi levels the playing field. It's easier to grab and hold onto. Weaker fighters can gain limb control by grabbing sleeves or pant legs. And they can get easy chokes by grabbing collars. This works to the advantage of smaller guys like myself (5'8" 160) but doesn't help answer the question that we're all here to answer, "Who can kick whose butt?"


It gets messed up. It's not the simplest piece of clothing you own. The pants have a drawstring, no fly. If you have to pee in the middle of practice, it's a 5 minute endeavor. The top opens up like a blazer and is cinched off by a belt (white, blue, black etc.) that denotes your skill level. The sides of the top get all messed up and come out of the belt. The belt is 4-5 cm wide and is tied in a square knot and comes undone frequently. You probably spend a total of 5 minutes per practice just pulling down each side and re-tightening the belt. Not that appearance is important, but you don't want flaps and belts all over the place. How is your opponent supposed to choke you when your jacket isn't tucked into your belt? It's just bad form.

It's hot. Kevlar cotton is not thin. Crazy sweat. Absorptive at least.

One major advantage to the gi is that it is basically indestructible. Dudes weighing several hundred pounds grab, twist, and pull on it for hours without a tear. The textile developers who created the gi definitely know what's up. You may have spent $80 on that gi but you're not going to tear your favorite Hard Rock Orlando shirt or throwback UNC basketball shorts.

Another MAJOR advantage is that you look like Ryu from Street Fighter. I haven't cut the sleeves off or gotten red gloves yet but I have 11 months until the next Halloween. I will be shoryuken-ing and haduken-ing people left and right.

Keep training,
LSF

Fun Runs Are Dumberer

My place of work held the 2nd Annual Jingle Bell Fun Run last Friday. Didn't cost anything. Didn't know how long it would be. DID know that costumes were encouraged. DID see this dog on the flyer advertising it. Not going was not an option.

Digression: Seriously though, time out. I don't think anyone, of any species, has been this embarrassed to be photographed in a dorky costume since Ralphie walked down his stairs on Christmas morning. And here it comes, animal caption:

Just don't show the other dogs OK?

Just like Bob Saget owning video captions on AFHV. Now back to our show...

As I reached the starting line. The typical Christmas fun run costumes started showing up. Elves, Santa, a present. The guy organizing the race pumped everyone up with a sweet safety brief (wait, so I SHOULDN'T run into other people?). We got the, "Ready, Set, GO!" and took off.

8-10 minutes later I was the 2ND ANNUAL JINGLE BELL FUN RUN CHAMPION!!! Finishing 1st Overall with a time of... there is no such thing. It's not timed, there is no winner, it's just running. People are just running/walking/skipping the same route, untimed in ridiculous getups. That's what a fun run is. Anarchy.

So why run? 1.4 miles ain't going to challenge the old physical endurance threshold too much. You're not going to see beautiful sights along the run. You may break a sweat, but that's about it. I ran to socialize and race against actual people rather than my Garmin. Half of that I could have done in my office, in the cafeteria at work, or at the bar (at work. Yep, a bar at my work).

Oh well. First is first. It's fun to dominate even when it's small beans.

Keep training,
LSF

Local 4.7, Mystery Solved

So I emailed Paros Surf Club to figure out what Local 4.7 was all about. Faster than you can Google it, I got the following response from Nikos at PSC.

"The story goes like this. There was a guy Kostas, who is now running the surf club. He used to work at a restaurant 4 to 5 km away from our beach. He had a 3 hour break every day between 4 to 7 in the afternoon so he was coming running to the beach asking what sail to use, according to the wind, and then he was always using a 4.7 sail (size sqm) because that was the only one that he had.  Kostas will always use a 4.7 EZZY sail. So this became the official size sail of the beach. The truth is that our beach is ideal with conditions for 4.7 ... As for surfing next time that you come to Paros we go to a very nice place for surfing in Antiparos." 

Thanks Nikos.

So there you have it. Rest easy tonight knowing both the mystery behind Local 4.7 and that there is surfing on Antiparos.

Keep surfing,

LSF

Jits

My Christmas lights are freshly strung up, I just made a grand return to the free-weight section of my gym, I have a beer in my Hofbrauhaus stein, and I'm hopped up on some major yogaphetamines. It is definitely time to get writing about the next great endeavor.

Drum roll please. It is a sport that needs no introduction. It is a sport and an art developed in the beautiful country of Brazil but derived from a predecessor in Japan. The most reliable encyclopedic website on the internet (and ever known to mankind) describes it as, "a martial art, a combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling, especially ground fighting." The scholarly article continues, "It teaches that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger assailant by using leverage and proper technique- most notably by applying joint-locks and choke holds to defeat the other person."

That hobby/sport/fighting style/way of life is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, BJJ, JITS. The sport of grappling with other people that ends in one of two ways - tap out or pass out. No punching, no kicking, no biting, just good old fashioned strangling and joint breaking. Sounds wonderful. Why am I doing this?

Fine Grandpa we can go to Red Lobster at 4! Geeeez

Learning to fight increases safety: Although hand to hand combat has not been a totally relevant skill since the invention of the pointy stick, you've got a drop on bad guys if you ever find yourself in a mugging/a-hole situation. BJJ is not about seeing who can put whom on his back or get the throw, it's about putting someone in the hospital or making them quit.

Low(er) risk of injury than other styles: There will be days when I get home from the gym and feel like doodoo because I either pushed too hard or got my butt kicked over and over. But when compared to sports like MMA or Muay Thai kickboxing, BJJ is well controlled. Just tap and you're no longer at risk.

Cardio and resistance at the same time: Aside from kickbox sparring, I have never been more tired in my life than when I was fighting to keep my arm from getting broken off or my windpipe from getting closed shut. On the mat you are constantly totally occupied, mentally and physically... Like CrossFit if the kettlebells and barbell were trying to kill you.

Kicking butt is confidence: When you tap 50 times, you've got 50 mistakes to learn from and are a better person for it. When you make 50 people tap, you'll have some major mojo outside of the dojo.

Awesome gear: Nothing looks more studly than wearing a kimono with a colored belt that tells people how far you've progressed with your fighting style. NOT. I can't stand wearing a gi. I understand that the pure form of the sport demands it but chances are the fighters would look better in something other than geisha garb.


Anyway, I'm just dipping my toe to begin with. If it works out, I'll keep with it. Motivation, improvement, and injury avoidance will be key factors. You'll get updates.

Keep training,
LSF

PS: If you got all the way through that Ace Ventura 2 clip then BJJ is the sport for YOU. I know for a fact that there is no hold in the world that will make you tap out.

Should You Marathon?

I didn't just run the marathon to run a marathon. It was an experience I'll remember with pride for my entire life, not even sarcastic. I now understand the hardships, joy, and culture that surround this freakish sporting event and can recommend it or not to friends and future clients. So you, dear reader, are about to get the lowdown on something you may be considering in your future. The following are pros and cons of training for and running a full marathon based on the assumption that you are not increasing your workout time:

Physical:

+Athletic and Aesthetic:  From the waist down, you are going to look great. I don't care how slow your metabolism is, you can't eat enough to keep the pounds on when running 40+ miles per week. Dudes and dudettes, I hate to set a double standard but women are going to love the results on themselves a lot more than men.

-String Bean Arms:  Bros, it's going to happen if you sacrifice time with the free-weights to go running. I lifted a couple of times a week for the first couple of months but the road eventually catches up to the bis and tris. I maintained some good definition in my biceps, back, and shoulders from keeping my arms up for hours at a time.

+Good Hurt:  Like any kind of workout. Your legs let your muscles know when you pushed yourself. On a 3 month timeline this rarely happened to me because I was cautiously avoiding...

-Bad Hurt:  When you pushed bones, ligaments, and tendons too hard. A little pain turns into more pain turns into an injury. When you run 3 miles further than you've ever run in your life, it's going to shock the system. 

Mental:

+/-Confidence:  Setting the elusive PR (personal record, not Puerto Rico) is what every runner seeks to do. Knowing that you haven't peaked just yet is a great confidence boost. At the same time, there is ALWAYS somebody better than you. Maybe somebody smaller, older, heavier. He or she is out there and will smoke you. Hey at least your butt looks TOIGHT.

-Too Repetitive:  A lot of non-runners get caught up in this. I don't get bored on new roads, I kinda get bored on routes I've run 10 times, and I 700% get bored on a treadmill, even with WWE Monday Night RAW on a TV screen in front of me. Music, Podcasts or audio books help a lot of people.

Social:

+Friendly Folks:  It's a supportive, friendly community out there. People are humble, welcoming, and congratulatory when you accomplish your goals and they're sympathetic when you don't. I joined a social networking website to log my miles and people randomly friended me and congratulated me on good runs. No agenda, just super nice people. PS: Dailymile.com is a great place to log miles regardless of the social aspect.

+Easy-ish On The Wallet:  You'll go through a pair of shoes in just a couple of months. You'll spend some money on non-chafing shirts and skivvies, a GPS, a heart-rate monitor, cold weather gear, race registrations, a water bottle holder and maybe some mid-run nutrition or club fees. However, you're not paying for any rentals, pads, balls/pucks, mats, greens fees, or lift-tickets.

+Year Round Season:  If you're tough and get some non-slip kicks or live south of the Mason-Dixon.

+Solo:  You don't need other people to play but it's nice when you do.

+/-Spectator Sport:  How many people do you know tuned in to any fast paced, nail biting, edge of your seat marathons this year? I think I watched the NYC Marathon for about 10 minutes and switched it to football. Remember that repetitive thing I mentioned? Howeverrrrrr, I did use my lunch break during the Boston Marathon to see a buddy (and 2000 other people) pass. Everyone was having a blast. I intend to do it right and take the day off work to optimize my cheering this coming year. The marathon is a city-wide party in most places.

Bottom-line:

Ladies, absolutely go for it.

Gentlemen, I'm glad I did it. Going for it once was a great goal. I will probably continue to run 5Ks to continue the social and fitness aspects and this I recommend 100% for both genders. Really though guys, there is a "Je ne sais quois" aspect of marathoning that can be best explained in pictures. At the end of the day, who would you rather be?

vs. 

I'm giving Jiu Jitsu another shot this month. More on that later.

Keep training,

LSF

Thermopgypsy

If you like parking your caravan in smelly, muddy, cold, steamy wide open places then Thermopyles is the vacation destination of a lifetime!

Our gorgeous hot springs are a mecca to hobos, gypsies, and truck drivers. If you're only showering once this year, do it at Thermopyles. You may be concerned by all the dog doodoo in the area but don't worry the sulphuric smell hides all other scents. Showers aren't your thing? Just camp near the springs and you don't have to worry about that embarrassing body odor. Imagine that. A strong egg smell every single day. Who doesn't love omelettes?

Can't afford electricity? Just power your vehicle with diesel and feel free to leave the can in the bushes. Nobody will notice! Tired of emptying your septic tank? Just go outside! We have acres upon acres that are ready to do your dirty work!

Still not convinced? Thermopyles is perfect for dog lovers! We've got big dogs, little dogs, old dogs, young dogs, unhealthy dogs, sick dogs, sicker dogs. They even have starving dogs and the best part, wait for it... None of them have owners so they can be yours Yours YOURS for the low low price of absolutely nothing!

So come on down to Thermopyles and live out your gypsy dreams!!

Buuut seriously, it smelled like Bigfoot's big feet, the dogs were depressing, and the thought of getting murdered, kidnapped, or raped by gypsies struck genuine fear in my heart several times. I then found the monument, museum, and former Greek campsite. I'm going to bypass Delphi to walk the Ephialtes Trail at tomorrow. Psyched.

Greek Mythology

I was driving out of Piraeus today in another mini European vehicle at approximately as fast as it can go when I saw it. Boards. Kite boards, windsurf boards, snowboards and... Em. Effing. SURFBOARDS!!! It was like when Santa met the M&Ms before he passed out, "They DO exist!"

A few days ago, before I came to Piraeus, I had my hotel staff in Santorini look into surfboard rentals on the Attican peninsula where Athens, Piraeus, and a popular surf spot called Vouliagmeni are located. Their final answer was that there were many shops but all closed for the winter. Confirmed.

Obviously some place in Piraeus slipped through Google's cracks. I saw the shop, slammed on the breaks and parked at a bus stop. Just maverick Greek driving moves all over the place.

"You guys have surfboards?"
"Of course." The go-to Greek answer when there is probable doubt.
"SURF boards. Not windsurf boards."
"Oh, yes. We have those."
"For rent?"
"No, I am sorry we cannot afford to do that. We do not have the conditions here."
"Is there anywhere on the peninsula that is open now that rents boards?"
"No. Nobody does that."

Confirmed.

Got me a Paros Surf Club tee to commemorate the search. I looked up the PSS online and it is also a windsurfing only establishment. I don't think I can wear it in good conscience. Comments section time: Big time poser move or at least you've been to Paros. Keep the gloves up, tryna keep it clean.

Update: I can't even figure out what "Local 4.7" means. Wearing this would be the dastardliest of deeds.

Surf Crete

I will say this definitively, authoritatively, decisively, Ah-heh-heh-HEM: there is no surfing on Crete in the month of November. To be clear, there is as much surfing on Crete in November as there is crying in baseball. Which is none. I scanned 200km+ (or about 5-10 miles I think) of beach today and did not see a single person on, with, or who has ever heard of a surf board.

That last part was an exaggeration. Cretans 100% know what a wind-surf board is. Got gales galore up in here. If you don't specify "just plain" surfboard, people will tell you it's a great day for surfing because of the wind. I talked to about 2 dozen people over those 200km, all of whom looked at me like I was a crazy person. Maybe I am. I tried to see things from their points of view. What would it be like in the US if someone rolled up on my shop/restaurant/bar/gas station and asked about an uncommon sport with a close and much more prevalent partner sport? Idunno, is that unicycling?

"Uhh really? You came across the Atlantic to do some awesome unicycling? Well since you're here, lost I guess I'll help you out. I have seen some people who do that in the next town over at 3PM when conditions are good. Are you sure you didn't mean bicycling? A lot more people do that here but they do it when it's warm. Its really not in season now. Say, did you check the Internet?"

This last part killed me. Did I check the Internet? They must have changed the name of this country to Freece because I was talking to a bunch of Freeks. I checked the internet so hard I referenced posts from 2004. And it said to go check your town. Here I am. I guess they haven't given much consideration to the I-just-came-here-for-the-marathon-and-thought-i'd-see-if-there's-any-surfing-during-the-winter demographic. It's a key market.

Anyway, the only surfing here in the off-season is done by locals who already own boards. None of whom were out today. However there ARE a ton of awesome roads that go absolutely nowhere and provide views that combined the terrain of the helicopter scene in Jurassic Park with the fauna in the Sicily scenes in the Godfather. Loved it. Also, driving in Europe is carte blanche to drive like an a-hole. Loved it. My seafoam green Hyundai Micro Machine and I blended right in with the Freeks.

Keep training,
LSF

5 Reasons Why I Loved Athens

First off, thanks to everyone for the congratulatory messages. I appreciate the recognition. Thanks especially to DD and SN for your direct support along the way. Whether driving me to my starting points, offering great advice or letting me borrow some gear, it would have been a much worse experience without you. Let me know how I can return the favors.

Exploring Athens has been a good time. Initial observations (if you hate travel blogs, stop reading):

1) It's not totally safe. I'm staying in an immigrant neighborhood and the lines to the soup kitchen are out the door by 8AM, you don't see women out after dark, cab drivers lock their doors, I've heard stories of gunshots (not that I've heard any myself), its easy to get lost, and tonight saw a guy cuffed, getting escorted back to the police station which isn't far away. Even though I'm not staying in a tourist area, I'd like to think the rest of the city isn't like this, but I can't speak for other neighborhoods. There is very little swanky area in downtown Athens.

2) The Acropolis is incredible. The size of the Parthenon (the hugantuan temple with columns) and view from the hill is comparable to the views from Sugarloaf or Cristo Redento in Rio de Janeiro. This alone is almost worth the trip. PS: They just built a new museum to augment the Acropolis experience. I don't like visiting ruins because it involves so much imagination which I can use home. However, they show the glory of the monument with what remains. Mad sculptures of Greek history and mythology.

3) Cryptograms are everywhere. Translating Greek is a culminating event for every language I've studied. I've just about got the alphabet down and can translate words like "write" (graph), "people" (anthro..), "child" (pedi... easy now) which have close English parallels. Just looked up parallel: παράλληλο (parallelo). Easy peasy.


4) The riot threat level is still at red. The picture I posted on FB of runners waiting on buses is exactly where the action went down. Guards are still standing outside the capital with their gear on, tear gas canisters clipped onto their kit, carrying shields, batons, and pistols. They're big dudes and ready to bash some heads but you can tell they are sick of being there. They have buses as  mobile armories. They are caged in and with additional gear strung up in case the situation gets worse. I took a picture and nearly had my phone ganked. The fact that I'm American and that the picture didn't show much got me off the hook. 


5) The Greeks stink at English. I was 100% expecting this until an Aussie on my flight from Rome who looked exactly like Drew Carey told me that 85% of Greeks speak English. He did not mention that all they can say is "Okaeye" and "Khan ah hailp yeww?" Either way, their English > my Greek. So good on 'em.

I'm flying to Crete tomorrow morning to see what's going on in the surfing world. It's the Mediterranean so I'm not expecting huge waves. The off-season just started so I'm expecting very few open hotels and surf shops. The internet, locals, and travel agencies are all giving me different answers so I'm getting boots on the ground on the Greek islands to see what I can see and catch ferries as I need to. If anyone in cyberland knows anything about surfing Greece, get at me.

This is officially the start of a hiatus on fitness/working out. I know you all stay at home updating

Keep training,
LSF

Marathon Results

I crossed the finish line today. Left it all on the road. Heart of a champion, legs of a virgin marathon runner. I passed like 2,000 people, at least. Owned the uphills. Took some pictures. Finished with glory. Went to get my space blanket. Keep me warm -- fail. Flap around in the wind, hit me in the face, and keep me from seeing things -- win.

I wasn't real happy crossing the finish line because I thought my GPS was a liar. I was ready to throw it over the bow of the Titanic like Kate Winslett. There's really no better way to get rid of something than the Titanic Toss. Screw my husband I am done with this marriage: ring over the bow of the Titanic. I don't need a college degree!: crumpled final exam over the bow of the Titanic. I am done with this hamburger!!!: wrapper over the bow of the Titanic. Try to argue, impossible. The final time on my GPS read 3:45. Exactly my Objective goal. I don't think I published this so let's review:

Threshhold: 4:00. Achieve this to avoid scrub status.
Objective: 3:45. Achieve this for stud status.

I saw the Garmin's 3:45 and was pumped. HOWEVER, I came into the stadium with 4:02 on the official clock. Scrub status. Whatever, "Just cruise in, get this over with, get a shower, and get a nap." When all of a sudden, a GIRL tried to pass me. Aw HAIL NAW. So I sprinted to the end with my crappy 4:03.

My knees hurt, ankles hurt, hips hurt, nauseous. All I could do was zombie walk to the metro. Left it ALL on the road, that means I'm better than that 65 year old that happily walked past me right?

At this point I completely, 100% understand old people. Some college-age kids tried to hand me some fliers, I glared. The kind of glare that says, "Get that out my face." I was on the metro. Started to get a jumbly in my tumbly. What are my options? I could walk out of the metro, that would take 20 minutes and sneak into McDonald's (again). I could wait for the metro and go back to my hotel. That would take 30 minutes. I could go right here... that would take 0 minutes... options were weighed. I decided that I should have packed Depends and waited it out. I went back to my hotel, showered, slept for 3 hours and felt a lot better. I checked the final results on the marathon website:

Start:	00:36 (time behind race start)
5km:	29:00
10km:	56:11
21,1km:	1:56:57
30km:	2:45:11
Finish:	3:47:46

3:47:46 final time. Forgot to account for the time behind the race start. I'll take it. Still not sure how 4:02 minus 36 minutes = 3:47. I could have been hallucinating at that point. Or maybe the Greeks are really bad at math.


The finish line was in this stadium.

Keep training,
LSF

PS: This time qualifies me for the Boston Marathon... in the 60-64 age bracket as well as the Blind/Visually Impaired Division and Mobility Impaired Program. Unfortunately my age, eyesight, and mobility do not.