Working Out

A recent survey before running the Chicago Half Marathon on September 13, 2009 revealed the majority of runners who participated prefer to eat a banana after a race. Does that mean you should throw out your protein bars and feed your post race trail mix to the squirrels? Of course not! When training for a race, competing in a race, or after you cross the finish line, it is important to remember the fact that one must find what source of energy works best for them.

A fortune cookie once said, “Imitation is the best form of flattery” and in a world of fad diets, endless meal plans and health clubs on every corner, imitation is all around. People waste time and energy working towards achieving something they are not. People get so caught up with imitating someone else’s diets, workout regiment and eating habits that so often people fail to realize there is not one answer which works for everyone.

Running is so much more than what meets the human eye. For some, the runner you see pounding the pavement on a brisk Chicago morning is just another person trying to stay in shape, lose weight, or fit into those trendy skinny jeans. They must be crazy all bundled up running at wee hours in the morning as people drive by staring out the windows of their heated car drinking coffee to get that morning rush of energy.

Runner’s high is not a statement; it is not a definition but a feeling that is so extraordinary that the only way to describe it is to experience it. There are thousands of reasons people run yet running is so often labeled first as a form of exercise to lose weight. Running to lose weight is last on my list.

I’ve been fortunate as a former athlete to have competed and trained with some of the best athletes in the world and what I’ve found through my experiences is that these athletes never shied away from pain. That is a part of what made these athletes so great. I come from an athletic and training background where it was instilled in my head that with no pain there is no gain. I absolutely believe that this concept is very true.

Too many people (and I am talking about both men and women) stop their set right when they start to feel the burn in the muscle they are exercising. Your workout doesn’t start at rep 1, it starts once you feel that burn. I had a coach that used to tell me when I was fatigued and in pain in practice, “this is when the workout starts”. I’ve never forgotten those words and I take those words with me every time I train. Remember pain is just a temporary thing and it is not going to kill you. In fact, you will experience greater muscle growth and burn more calories throughout the day if you can work through that burn and pain and execute that set properly.