Yesterday, I saw this video and it REALLY motivated me to RUN.
You see, in high school, back when I weighed 160 or 170 lbs or less, I ran on the regular. In season wrestling runs were 4 - 5 miles every other day regardless of the freezing temps or snow. I hauled ass..... It wasn't a slow, easy jog.... it was an all out WAR, running hard through the cold night while Metallica blared through my head phones in my Sony Walkman, circa 91', 92' and 93'.
After getting heavier, bigger and bigger, running became painful.... it became something I hated, and that hate for running REALLY affected me emotionally. I was very upset with myself for having this relationship with running.
Today, this video changed me. I felt calm while running. My breath was relaxed. As I ran, I envisioned the Navy SEAL in the video below, reminded myself that the body can handle 20 X more than I have been setting limits on.
Yesterday, I ran beach side with my wife while my son rode his bike. I felt good running, which almost felt weird. I was running without getting tired as I used to. I started to feel that love for the run again.
Tomorrow, my truck will be getting a new stereo, navigation and DVD player for the kids. I plan to run to every place I need to get to without the truck. I am excited.
I miss running. I will keep you posted on this journey, as I evolve, I hope you evolve as well.
Check this video out, of a Navy SEAL....
[youtube width="640" height="360"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo_tz2ZbyaY[/youtube]
I'm letting go of the "performance thing".... things like "don't do anything except sprints or you'll be slow....."
I'm gonna run for what it does for the mind. Plain and simple.
Today's Underground Strength Challenge:
1) Run 1.5 miles
2) Kettlebell Snatches x 5 minutes x max reps (perform equal reps on each arm)
Please take a moment & Drop your comments on: running, this running video with Navy SEAL David Goggins, running for mental toughness and of course, drop a comment with ANY results regarding this challenge (weights, reps, time, etc.)
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22 Responses
Man,
This makes you realize that we have SO much more to accomplish!
Good stuff Zach!
Runners high. Jogging doesn’t have much of a place when it comes to getting in top shape, but when it comes to pushing it to the limit and seeing what your made of…then it’s time to run. Like you said, mental benefits. After you’ve made it through that initial wave of “I want to quit” you start to focus and concentrate and the pain goes away, and then it’s just you and those miles adding up.
Awesome post man!
I feel like going out for a run now.
Love your inspiration and energy!
I am not a runner! I get the high of running and how you can get lost in it because when I train I tend to loose myself in what I am doing.
I enjoy pulling sleds tell I drop, flipping my 600# tire for distance, and heavy farmers. But I do not run.
The prolonged impact causes more pain in my knees than any benefit from prolonged running sessions. So I sprint instead. Easier to control on my treadmill. I set the speed at 10mph, and elevation at 3. Sprinting 15 seconds, and resting for 15 seconds. No pain on the knees because it is quick, with a quick rest. I improvised my training.
I use to run a lot. But stopped as my knees got worse. Found walking was too boring so did nothing for years. I also could not perform back squats, even with the bar I would get stuck at the bottom. So I did partials, but they didn’t work.
One day I decided to crank front squats, and found I could go all the way down and didn’t get stuck. So I started cranking front squats ass-heels.
Since I could do that I cranked the sprints and had to work with a time/speed that didn’t cause knee pain, but gave me a good work out.
By set four I want to stop. My lungs burn, my heart is coming out of my chest. So I crank up my Native American Warrior’s Chant and shut my mind off and keep going. By doing sprints I am able to nail a 6 min/mile. Takes longer with the rest, but in the end a mile worth of sprinting. No pain, and feeling beat! Love it!
as long as you run in any form, we’re on the right path, BEAST man!
hey Dustin, I’m glad that you’ve found an aerobic workout that works for you. Gotta keep moving!
As for the running and knees, there are low-impact forms of running. I do the chiRunning style. The book is inexpensive and now that I finally understand it, most to all of my structural aches have gone away. I know large people (and from the lifts that you’re doing, I assume you’re a big guy) that used to run until their knees hurt and they’ve successfully switched to this style of running and are now regularly running farther than I run. I top at about 50k and at least one of them are doing 50 milers. Anyhoo, I only wanted to make it known to you.
good luck on your workouts!
Thanks Daniel! I will look into it!
Hey Zach
i found my way here becase I’m a into old school cal and coach wade said you were “one in a hundred thousand” when it comes to coaches!!
http://www.dragondoor.com/dragon_door_interviews_paul_coach_wade/?elq=54811e69023442ee9370a75efe89a3b7&elqCampaignId=75
Glad I came, lots of inspring stuff so thank you. love the article, may go for a run later
Leigh
Leigh, yes I saw this, this blew my mind 🙂
BIG time honored.
Thank you so much for help us to be shapper healthier, better person and sportists!
I LIVE 4 this!
Zach, I feel ya! Short, fast and brutal. Hitting stairwells along the way and bounding them. Cranking pushups and pullups after your legs are spent. It feels awesome to RUN, 2-3 miles, and then when you are about to drop you find two markers, and sprint with POWER!
RoadWarriors!
Mike, yo bro!!! NO doubt!
Hey dawg…so listen here. I think it’s crazy that many times when I made a change to my training, either by adding something new, or taking something away, without knowing it, we are following the same thinking. Here are some examples, a few months ago, I was going into a KB and bodyweight training program, and the next morning I read your blog, and Bam! Your posting about bodyweight and kb’s. Then I remember talking to my wife about committing to a program; not dropping it after a month, Bam again! You post something about some kid that was about 2 months into one of your program and seeing crazy results. Now, as I start running again, preparing for a 1/2 marathon in Jemez, NM with elevation increases peaking at 8,800 ft above sea level, I start appreciating running and making it a part of my training. Always including the strength training as well, and Bam! Here you go brudda with this sick running post. Word up dawg, I guess great minds think a like. Keep it coming my man.
LT – we share the same brain, ha ha
Seriously, brutha, this is about being a SOUL Lifter, connecting w/what feels best, strongest, both physically, mentally AND spiritually
Zach I love to run and jog. I find that I have to jog for a little while then walk and repeat instead of just outright running. Its slower but works pretty well.
A while back I told Zach about my Epic Charity Run… running the 2012 Boston Marathon… BLINDFOLDED for the National Braille Press and their work to support/promote literacy for blind children (vision42k.org).
What I also told him was my keys to success would be a combination of the mental strength of Mark Divine’s SEALFIT, the indomitable spirit of Greg Amundson/CrossFit, and the physical strength and spirit of the Underground Strength Nation. If I harnessed that power I would get to the finish.
What I didn’t know was that because of the blistering heat thousands of ‘runners’ opted not to run, hundreds dropped-out during the run… but me… I was on a mission and I had a purpose and getting to the finish was my victory and that is just what I did.
I’m not a runner but I respect it. Before the race folks would say don’t do it, you don’t have to… plenty of easy outs. But I had a spark within that was never going out. During the marathon it was all different… runners/spectators would yell “you can do it, you inspire”… man it got me pumped. Even at my darkest moments when my body and mind were at their weakest I never asked myself- Why? or What? but I did ask myself How? and got after it as best I could.
The USN is one of the toughest and kindest Tribes around and I’m fortunate to have learned over the years from Z. and the rest of the community here. TY.
Just keep getting after it and don’t let anyone tell you differently. Listen to your heart and mind and you won’t have any regrets… even if you stumble or fall you are still moving forward, getting smarter/stronger. Let other people know what you are doing and bring some fellow-Warriors along for trip/run. You can do anything if you believe strong enough.
Zach man good timing on this I just started running again 2x a week. Today was ab circuit followed by 12 mins on treadmill as follows:
– 4min warm up 6.0mph at 1% elevation
– 30 secs 15% elevation (max elevation at gym treadmills)
– 30 secs rest – standing on sides of treadmill
– Repeatx8
– Cooldown
Lungs were screaming at me but I feel great for it. Like you said short and sweet. Rocked it in my minimus trails too so calves and ankles got a workout too!
Great post Zach! I used to run cross country back in high school and loved, then I got away from running when I started lifting weights… Now I’m getting back into running and really enjoying it. I will be running to a park today to do a body weight workout! Keep up the awesome work with your website and blog, I check it every day!! Your posts are motivating and inspirational and really help me push myself to become stronger both physically and mentally! Thanks for all the great stuff!
Jeff
The only thing tougher than running is running up hills….or in my neck of the woods, mountains.
Here in the Burlington Marathon we have a long hill called heart break hill and I’ve litter lay seen it break people’s will and drive.
It’s not the same as using a stair master or setting the treadmil on an incline. Theres just something about looking up and seeing the mountain loom in the distance that really builds that mental strength.
Hills are the best, NO doubt!
The difference between your military and the clowns in the SADF these days, they’ll take the taxi (mini bus) to work and spend their off time slacking. Good job, really inspirational.