 | | In today’s edition, Joe shares:- My Take on Listening to Your Body
- The OCR Lent Diet
- Tips for Building Your Endurance
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| WHAT IS YOUR BODY TELLING YOU? | Spartans!
Twenty years ago,I was ejected from a car traveling at 85 miles per hour. The driver, a friend, had fallen asleep, and we collided head-on with a tree.Miraculously, both of us survived, but my injuries were severe.I was thrown out of the window, and my leg was torn from its hip socket.
The doctors painted an ugly picture,predicting that I would never run againand would require a cane for mobility.
However, a turning point came when I met a doctor at Cornell Medical. He shared a different perspective, emphasizing the critical role of blood flow.My femoral artery had been damaged, cutting off blood circulation for four critical hours, starving my hip joint of oxygen and nutrients.
Refusing to accept a fate dictated to me,I went into fighting mode. Driven by the question of what I could do to reclaim normal,my doctor and I devised a rigorous three-hour daily training regimenaimed at restoring my hip health and mobility.
It worked, and my hip has been healthy – until recently. A few months ago, it began to act up, affecting my lower back as I entered my 54th year.Faced with the prospect of a hip replacement, I prepared for the worst.
Aftercompleting 21 IRONMAN competitions, 50 ultra marathons, and numerous 350-500 mile adventure races, I noticed a pivotal moment during a DEKA event. Among the ten different fitness movements, the reverse lunges proved troublesome.
In a moment of insight, I considered the possibility that my glutes were not keeping pace with my core.Could it be that simple?Why was the reverse lunge station of DEKA my kryptonite? What was it telling me and was it related to the hip and back pain I was feeling?
So, I began to do daily reverse lunges to see ifleaning into the discomfort might help. It turned out to be the solution, and within a week or two, my pain disappeared.
It was a reminder to me and you topay attention to the body—it has a language of its own, often revealing what it needs. And sometimes, the solution hurts a little.
Here’s to The Hard Way!
Joe |
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| OBSTACLE RACE LENT CHALLENGE | Lent is often associated with fasting and giving up indulgences like cookies, snacks, and lattes. Throughout the month of March, we present you with a unique OCR dietary plan designed to test your discipline and fuel your performance on and off the racecourse. While you’re on this plan, we challenge you to give up excuses, self-doubt, and limitations that hold you back from reaching our full potential. Meanwhile, you’ll gain strength, endurance, and a deeper connection to your body and mind. |  |
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\t\t\t| You Ask, Joe Answers | Q: Hi Joe,I’m not much of a runner but I signed up for a Spartan Trail 10K because I want to get better. Is there any additional training I could do to work on endurance on the two days that I don’t go to the gym?
– Ryan L.
A:Hey Ryan, Your mission to improve endurance will serve you well. Not only does endurance running help you prevent disease and increase your health span, but the unpredictable terrain of trail running challenges your balance, agility, and flexibility. Plus, being alone in nature is deeply therapeutic for humans.
Unfortunately, the best “hack” to increase endurance isn’t much of a hack at all. Simply run more. Use at least one of your non-gym days to go for a long run, anywhere from 60-90 minutes. Since you’re new to running, try alternating walking and running first. Every week, run a little more than you walk. You’ll push your capacity and quickly build a strong aerobic base.
Aroo!
Question for Joe? Want to tell him what you think of The Hard Way? Email him atthehardway@spartan.com. |
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| They Said It | | "Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value." | | –Albert Einstein |
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| The Hard Way Podcast | | “When you’re playing in the NBA, then you worry about fixing your weaknesses. But until then, you need to focus and lean into the areas that you have profit from training.”
–James King | |
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