An easy 6 with Mike

Ran with my buddy Mike at lunch today. I told him my plan called for an easy 6 and he said TAKE IT EASY on me!! Mike is a strong runner so we were pretty evenly matched. I signed up for a local half marathon, the Race to Robie Creek, that is held on the same day I am flying to Boston. I thought it would be fun to raffle off the bib for my fundraiser but then a number of my friends didn't get in.

So, I told Mike I would let him have first dibs on it but I told him I wanted to see a finish time of 1 hour and 40 minutes (which is smoking fast on that course). The race motto is 'The toughest half marathon in the Northwest' with 1900 feet of elevation gain in 8+ miles and 1500 feet of loss in roughly 5 miles. We both finished around 1:50 last year so I know he can do it. Today's splits 7:09 7:06 7:08 7:08 7:11 6:54.


This was from a run in January - from left to right Mike, Ben, and John

                                                         

A2O Fitness Video Diary Part III

...with cool background music thanks to Austin Zander and great video courtesy of Allison and Ryan Casper!

A2O Question of the week: If you were a song....

........what song would it be?

I got the question in my email just before heading out for my run in McCall on Sunday.  At first I thought it was kind of silly, but it really made me think about who I am and how I perceive my progress and goals.

I thought about it the whole time and couldn't really come up with anything.  I asked the kids when I got back and had several honorable mentions.  Dr. Feelgood by Motley Crue (Zach's favorite), Wheels on the bus (because I just keep going and going), For those about to rock we salute you by AC/DC, Firework by Katy Perry, and This ain't nothin' by Craig Morgan.  Good songs but not quite.

Running is my time to reset my brain so I can think clearly.  Believe it or not I don't even own an Ipod. That said, I went through my daughters MP3 player and found The Climb, by Miley Cyrus. It does a good job of capturing what I am all about. 

-----------
I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"

Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb
-----------------------

Life is a journey, not a destination.....enjoy the ride (climb)! Keep up the hard work everyday and you will get there.

My second choice was The Four Horsemen by Metallica. Mostly because it is a fast, rockin' song and because it brings a smile to my face every time I think about how I would turn it on full blast and leave the room to wake up my older brother Russ before school back in 1990!


My trainer, Austin at A2O Fitness, suggested "He's going the distance", by Cake. Which I really liked too!

Make it a great day. Ryan

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO LIVE YOUR DREAMS

This day for me was March 18th, 2009.
__________________________________________
 
The day you take complete responsibility for yourself, the day
you stop making any excuses,
that's the day you start moving down the road to success.

No one else can do it for you.
Only you can make it happen.
You're the only one that has to live your life.

Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility.
It's up to you to choose the thoughts and actions
that will lead you to success.

Your life will be what you make of it.
Nothing will ever happen by itself.
Success will come your way once you realize
that you have to make it come your way by your own actions.

The power to succeed is yours alone.

Nikita Koloff

Me and Zach at the World Center for Birds of Prey

Simple Question

Not so simple answer.

Me?  I'll try just about anything once......and if you fail SO WHAT?

"Those who do something and fail are infinitetly better then those who try to do nothing and succeed." – Lloyd Jones

Please join me in supporting the Humphreys Diabetes Center

Please join me in supporting the Humphreys Diabetes Center as I prepare to run the Boston Marathon on April 18th.   HDC is a non-profit organization that provides education and treatment to those affected with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.  Click here for donation form Please mention your donation is to support Ryan Anderson. 

(From the HDC website) Humphreys Diabetes Center, Idaho’s diabetes center of excellence, provides education in diabetes self-management and prevention to people with or at-risk for diabetes, their families and health care professionals.

Trusted by over 600 Treasure Valley referring physicians, the Center provides services to more than 4,000 clients each year. Working with our experienced Certified Diabetes Educators, clients learn how to manage diet, exercise and medication to stay healthy and prevent complications such as heart attacks, strokes, blindness, kidney failure, and amputations. HDC programs are recognized by the American Diabetes Association.

HDC also participates in national research trials for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.  For an overview of all the good work we do, review our 2009 Community Report.


Michelle's fathers funeral April 28, 2007

 
My first experience with Humphreys was in the spring of 2008 at a health fair sponsored by my employer Idaho Power.  Humphreys was giving a presentation on nutrition and exercise.  It was a real eye opener for me because I had no idea about either of those two subjects at that time. 

Diabetes has affected our family a number of times which makes this a very personal fund raising opportunity.  My wife Michelle was diagnosed as pre-diabetic in the summer of 2003.  She was prescribed medication and instructed by her doctor to improve her nutrition and control her weight.  Her father had diabetes and died at the age of 67 from a heart attack.

In 1994, my mother Kathleen donated a kidney to my cousin Craig who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was about twenty years old.  At the time of the kidney transfer Craig was 40 years old and had been living with diabetes for about 20 years.  Craig was married and had four children at home at the time.  The transplant gave him another 8 and a half years to help raise his family before he succumbed to the challenges of diabetes.


Race to Robie Creek April 17, 2010

I always thought I was healthy because I never went to the doctor.  Looking back, I think I was one doctor visit away from a pre-diabetic diagnosis myself.

In April 2009, Michelle and I began to take control of our health and weight.  By mid February of 2010 Michelle had lost 100 pounds and I had lost 135 pounds.  Michelle is no longer on medication and no longer pre-diabetic.

Running has provided me a wonderful outlet for controlling my weight and improving my health.  I hope my Boston Marathon run will be an inspiration to those that struggle with their weight and health.  My goal is that it might give someone the hope that they too can do anything they set their mind to.

Michelle and I both feel wonderful and would be honored if you would join us in supporting the Humphreys Diabetes Center and their mission of education and prevention.

If you would like to follow my progress with live updates during the race you can sign up for text message or email alerts at the Boston Athletic Association website.  You will need my bib number which is 6143

Donations of any amount would be greatly appreciated.  Please mention your donation is to support Ryan Anderson.  Thank you for your support. 
Click here for donation form





Boston Marathon Unicorn Symbol

The kids were curious why the unicorn is on the BAA symbol.  I found this online.....

"Chosen by the founding members of the Boston Athletic Association in 1887 -- ten years prior to the inaugural Boston Marathon -- the Unicorn is believed to have been chosen as the organization's symbol due to its place in mythology. In Chinese and other mythologies, the Unicorn represents an ideal: something to pursue, but which can never be caught. In pursuit of the Unicorn, however, athletic competitors can approach excellence (but never fully achieve it). It is this pursuit to push oneself to his or her own limit and to the best of one's ability which is at the core of athletics. And for this reason, as the marathon matured, that the B.A.A. also decided that the Unicorn would be the appropriate symbol for the marathon" - per Boston Athletic Association

Life Lessons - Why do I do this?

Yesterday was supposed to be a rest day for me but I ended up doing 4 miles after work.  I finally got my act together and nailed down the details of my taper phase for final 3 weeks and it said I should run 4 easy miles.  I ran from the house and, to my surprise, I found it hard to stay at my easy pace which the plan says is 7:18 per mile.  I say it was a surprise given the 11 miles I ran on Saturday, followed by yard work, followed by 13 miles on Sunday.  It is nice to see everything come together at the right time.

Anyway, I told the kids I would go to the school with them and they could play on the equipment while I ran laps around the school yard.

It was fun for me to have my kids there as I passed by on my loops. I always do my running in the morning before they are up during the week and my long runs are usually away from home. When I was going around the school they got a glimpse of just how much hard work all of this is. My six year old son rode his bike with me for two of the eight laps before he got tired.  Secretly, I was glad he got tired because he was behind me most of the way and all I could think was that he was going to catch me from behind and we would get tangled up and go down in a heap!

When I got done my oldest asked if I needed water and I nodded slowly through my wheezing breath. She had a look of HOLY CRAP DAD!  She asked how long it took and how far I went. After I told her, I saw her crunching the math in her head and she said "Wow, that's 6 something a mile!"

This small acknowledgement of the hard work it takes to do this was very gratifying for me.  I have told my kids before that the reason Michelle and I started paying attention to our health and eating habits in the first place was to be better examples as parents.  I never want my children to feel the way I felt about myself when I was overweight.

My hope is that they will learn a number of life lessons through our examples that can be applied to whatever is important to them.

• Yes, it's hard work, but the rewards are worth every ounce of energy you put into it.
• Learn to set goals, make a plan, and don't listen to anyone who tells you can't do something or you aren't good enough.
• You are your only competition and your own worst critic.
• Remember those in your life who helped you along the way and tell them Thank You!
• Share your passion with others in whatever you set you heart to, so that you might help them find their true passion.
• Give your best in all you do.
• You can do anything you set your mind to.

 Make it a great day everyone.
Ryan

A2O Fitness Video Diary Part II

Boston or Botox?

Boston or Botox? Thoughts on surviving marathons, motherhood and midlife triumphs

I just wanted to share this wonderful story from one of my running friends I met recently.  Danica had an essay published in Runner's World that got things started. (RW Essay)

One of her goals over the last year was to run 1770 miles between last year's Boston Marathon and this year's.  She is really close to her goal and has asked friends who wanted to help to share training miles in support of her goal.  (T-shirt challenge) I am supporting her with my miles this week (Saturday-Friday).  I am at 24 so far and hoping for more!

I looked back at my miles this morning and I am at 1,697 miles since last year's race. Unfortunately, according to Google Maps it is 2,695 miles from Boise to Boston!!

Make it a great day everyone! Ryan