The Word of the Now: Determination

de·ter·mi·na·tion

noun \di-ˌtər-mə-ˈnā-shən\ : a quality that makes you continue trying to do or achieve something that is difficult

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I was driving home from the gym the other day.  It was around 5:45am (yes, I work out in the very early a.m. - don't judge me - all the hottest senior citizens work out in the a.m.).  My route home takes me by our town park.  As I drove by I saw an empty wheelchair placed beside a station wagon.  Before I had a chance to be confused I noticed, farther up the parking lot, a man slowly, steadily rolling in his race wheelchair.  He woke, like the rest of us morning junkies, to get his training in.

Strike that.  Not like us.  Not at all.

As I drove away I started thinking about what he did: He woke and got in his wheelchair to roll to his car, to get out of his wheelchair, get into his car and pull his wheelchair into his car before driving to the park to pull his wheelchair out of his car and get into it to roll himself to the back of his car and pull his race wheelchair out, get out of his regular wheelchair and get into his race wheelchair to train.  All that, just to train.  He has to then do everything in reverse to get home and start the rest of his day.  All of that every time he needs to get his time in to be better than the day before.  Every time to maintain his fitness.  Every time to not be stuck motionless in a chair his whole life.

I'm sure when he woke that morning to go about his normal routine he never meant to be inspirational.  He only wanted to get his training in.  Often times it is the actions of ordinary people that strike us as extraordinary.  It was his determination that struck me, with all he had to do, all we take for granted, to get where he wanted to be.  It also got me thinking that determination isn't about how far you can go but, after a setback or after you've fallen, how much farther you're willing to go.

That's determination.

So how determined are you?  How determined are you to break your daily cycle of sitting at breakfast, sitting in your car, sitting at your desk, sitting at lunch, sitting in your car again, sitting at dinner, sitting, sitting, sitting, instead of moving, shakin', and creating the version of you that you want?

Does your bag of excuses weigh more than a wheelchair? 

How determined are you to get where you want to be?

Feeling decidedly determined,

Illustrious

Rants and Raves: Ralph Waldo Emerson 10 Mile Trail Race - Concord, NH

Where it was: Ralph Waldo Emerson Trail Race in Concord, NH

http://www.acidoticracing.com/events/view_event.php?ID=6#.U2RQvuZdVQY

What it is:  Acidotic Racing puts on several trail races a season.  This was the first acidotic race Age Aggressively ran and, like meth*, it was addictive the moment we started.

*To all you kiddies out there, meth is bad.  This was only used as a comparison and by no means was it suppose to convey support or encouragement of meth use.  You can't do much on meth except die.  If you die you won't be able to experience the joys of life, like trail racing with other likeminded crazies.  Crack**, of course, is a different thing altogether.

**Yes, crack is also bad!
 

Feeling Super!

Who was racing:  Your dear Illustrious, McWhiskey (reverting back to his maiden name), and the newly named GPS (to be explained later), along with several other people, men and women alike, old and young, who enjoy the thrill of the trail, the pace of the pursuit, the freezing cold of the rain.

Why we do it:  We as a people have grown tired of running on the roads.  Let's face it, roads eat you up.  Like marriage, roads are unforgiving and pound away at your energy, your body, and your soul, leaving you an empty shell, a remnant of the strong person you use to be.  Okay, not really, only marriage does that.  Roads just hurt my delicate feet and are boring as f***.  Trails, however, offer up constant changes in scenery, of direction, of challenge.  Trails, simply put, are more fun, and who wouldn't call the chance of sprained ankles, broken bones, falling over roots to fall face first into boulders fun?



 


Rants:

1. It was cold and rainy.  I know this isn't the race organizer's fault but this is the only rant I can come up with because the race was fun.  So, it was cold and rainy which, as I think about it, wasn't that bad because the weather was perfect once we started running.  Dammit... so this isn't a rant.
2. Ok, how's this:  Due to the weather I was forced to sit in a cramped car with two annoying teammates instead of warming up for a trail run... nope, that doesn't work either because it became more team bonding.  Dammit... this isn't a rant either

   

   Pre-race warm up, Aggressive-style!

3. I am rantless... which is a rant!

Raves:

Who knew runners were so happy?

1. Let's get down to brass tacks for a moment.  I have no idea what that means: brass tacks.  I can only assume it should go with "uphill both ways in the snow," but I can't be sure.  Sounds old.  Anyway, brass tacks: the price of the race alone should make you want to run it.  For under $30 you get (a) an awesome trail run (b) a tech race shirt (c) free food supplied by local vendors (d) proceeds of the race went to support local charities and (e) dude, seriously, it was under $30 dollars.
2. Trail racers are a different breed of runner.  Road racers have this long, sinewy form and grace about them - they're like the gazelles of the running world, effortlessly gliding above the pavement as they float to their 4 minute mile finish.  Trail racers are like gazelles whose legs were exposed to gamma radiation.  I've never seen quads this size on runners and that was just the women.  After watching them run, which was ever so briefly as they tore into the brush, I could only imagine there was far less gliding, much more grinding everything in their path to a fine powder from their quadrasaurs.  Maybe this should have been a rant due to the fact that I don't have quadrasaurs, or quads of any time, not even a gazelles.  Yes, I have quad envy.
3.  Everything from the course direction to the pictures were due to club volunteers.  Other event organizers should take note of how acidotic racing does their races because for one price you got everything, even free pictures.  The pics were not your cheapo iphone pics either, they were high quality stuff - and free.  Did I mention that?  Free.



"I have no idea where I'm going" - GPS

4. Ok, storytime: Nice Pipes (seen to your right) signed up for the 10 miler with us.  She was all set to run the 10.  She started with the other 10 milers.  She followed the course with the other 10 milers... and completed the 5K, which was also being run the same day.  Somewhere along her run she took a left when she should have went right.  Not to be deterred from her original goal, Pipes set out once more to complete the 10 miler and once again, and no one knows how, she took a wrong turn and completed the last two miles of the 10 miler.  On the down side, she never ran the 10 miler.  On the upside, she came in first place for the unplanned 5 miler!  For your efforts, your commitment to the race, and to yourself, we hereby award you the new blog name: GPS!

 

Overall:
Do it.  Register for races organized by acidotic races.  Have fun.  Leave the road.  Hit the trails.  If you had a barrel full of monkeys you would put it down to run these courses - it's that much fun!  WARNING:  Please pay attention to the arrows and directional flags.  They are everywhere and it's practically impossible to get lost... where'd Amie go?

Losing teammates since mile 1

- Illustrious

Results:

http://www.acidoticracing.com/viewResults.php?CurID=6

19

Todd Spencer

01:24:29

00:08:27

44

Michael Hillis

01:45:50

00:10:35

 Shockingly, GPS is nowhere in the results.  They must have lost her info :)

Don't Be a Douche: Gym Etiquette

And now another episode of...

This week we'll discuss Gym Etiquette.  Can you say "Gym Etiquette" boys and girls?  I knew you could.

1. Not My Job:  Dude, great job pushing around that weight!  What do you have on the sled because that's a lot of plates!  What is that, around 540 lbs?  And your bench press, looks like you were repping over 300lbs, before you hit the sled!  You are totally massive.  Truly, a Beast!  I am humbled by your hulk-like strength and awed by the sheer power that is you.  You know what would be even more inspiring?  Using that Herculean strength to strip the frickin' weights from the bar when you're done and put them away.  We understand that you take your workouts seriously.  It's why you're here at the gym every day without fail.  Great job, you!  Guess what?  We do, too, and we don't need to clean up after some douche who doesn't unrack his weights when he (not to be sexist) or she's done.  Unless you want every bar in the place covered in 10 lb plates (which would be incredibly annoying for someone like you who hasn't had to touch such a dainty weight in your testosterone-fueled life), put your damn weights away.  No one around you gives a shit how much weight you can move.  Seriously.  No one.  Not even that hot chick you're trying to impress.  We do give a shit how much weight you can put away when you're done.  Don't be a douche.  Clean up after yourself.
2. Hey, That's Mine: Love how you're supersetting between three machines.  What are you doing?  Chest, back, and squats?  You, sir, are awesome with your dedication, perseverance, and overall stamina and strength.  While you're off being incredible on another machine I'm just going to step in here and, what's that?  You're still using this?  Um, ok, sure, no problem, I'll go use the other... huh?  You're using this, too?  Is there a machine or dumbbell or system you're not using today?  I didn't know this was your personal gym.  Let me check the front and, nope, not Douche's Gym.  Either do something really amazing during your workout which will make it entertaining for me to watch, like smashing your scrotum between a set of 45s, or stop hogging all the weights.  We all came here for the same reason: to workout.  Not to watch you workout.  Don't be a douche.  Learn to share.
3. Just One Sec: Excuse me, you good here or are you still using the bench?  I'm asking because you're sitting here (choose one) staring off into space / talking on your cell phone / having vapid thoughts of how incredibly muscular you are, but you're not actually lifting.  What's that?  Oh, you're holding up one finger to me, indicating that I should wait a moment because you're not done with it?  Really?  How long is your break between sets?  Appears to be about 5-10 minutes.  We like to call that a "cool down."  Either let me work in or you move on.  I'm sure it's possible that you are thinking about your plans for world peace / talking to the president of the Anti-Douche League of America / admiring your bulging finger muscles, but would you please do it over there, away from the stuff the rest of us want to use?  I have one finger for you, too.  Don't be a douche.  This is a weight bench, not a park bench.

Etiquette is very important.  Always remember your pleases and thank yous, get your elbows off the table, and, most of all, stop being a douche.

Feeling summer clean

- Illustrious