First Half-Marathon of the year!

Hey Everybody! I hadn't been able to blog while in Utah, but now I'm back! I will be checking in on your blogs soon!

Ran a solid 13.2 miles yesterday in a bit over 93 minutes. I was very happy with that as I haven't really been training for a half marathon. But it sure felt (and still feels) great to have run that distance. I cannot run in the Indy Mini this year because I am in a very physical show right now, and we have two performances that day. It would be irresponsible of me, so I will continue to run my own mini's when my schedule allows.

I sorely missed my community of yogis while away. But going away reminded me of how lucky I am to be here with so many people I love and have a history with.

Keep the faith, Project-Folk!

Love,

Rob

Donate Blood...a different kind of marathon!

I want to make a plea to all in the Project, both past and present: Please donate whole blood, platelets and/or plasma.

FYI: About 4% of all eligible donors actually donate. 96% of our population doesn't do it! That's a shocking number.

For those of you who don't donate, please consider this:

If your loved ones were injured, wouldn't you pray that there was a blood supply available if they needed it?

If you know anyone who has been touched by cancer, especially leukemia, you probably know how vital it is that they have other people's platelets (basically the part of your blood that clots). You can donate platelets once a week!

I called this entry "a different kind of marathon" because donating platelets (which I did today) take a long time. I donated a double-dose today and it took 90 minutes! That kind of sucked. Way to long with a needle in my arm....but each time it was really bothering me, I remembered how lucky I was to be able to only be here for 90 minutes, and walk out a healthy person. The platelets I donated today will wind up in someone who is fighting for their life, and knows pain I have never known.

If you donate platelets, you are helping give people a fighting chance.

Also, you get to learn valuable info! You get your cholesterol read, you find out if you have enough iron in your blood, what your white blood cell count is. It's a way of "pre-screening" yourself for any potential trouble....or just a way of checking in with your general health.

Think about it: Only 4% of us donate. Let's change that.

ps-The one thing I HATE about the blood center is that they won't take anyone's blood who is openly gay. WHAT THE HELL? They screen the blood for problems, so why not open it to everyone?!?!

I'm putting my feet up!

Haven't had a "day off" from working out in about 8 days. The last five looked like this:

Wednesday: Great Project weight workout: 5 Supersets: Pull ups, Slow Mo Push Ups, Hammer Curls, Dips, Weighted Sit-Ups...all as many as you can do....5 sets of that.

Thursday: Ran 14 miles at "non race pace"

Friday: Hot Yoga with Lisa D.

This Morning: Power Yoga with Chris, where he gave us all hip replacements in honor of Diane!

Tomorrow I will do one more weight workout, then Monday I take the day off as I am donating platelets.

I LOVE THIS CRAZY LIFE! Keep hangin', Project-folks!!!!

10 mile run.....OUTSIDE!!!

Took advantage of the warmth and ran outside today. Hard to believe we were ice-bound a week ago. Running on the street (Pennsylvania between 71st and 86th..I do laps!) was so nice. I felt the winter depression start to fly away from me. I saw old man winter and told him to keep on blowin' outta here.

Friday, hot yoga with Lisa D.

Saturday Morning, my favorite time of the week, power yoga with Chris.

And doing a really solid show at IRT. And Jen is back home.

I am a lucky guy.....

Namaste,

Rob

Be Creative...there is ALWAYS a way to workout!

I have been thinking about last Saturday's post-yoga meeting. One issue that was touched on was someone's inability to work out because of snowy conditions. No running on ice.....and I agree! What we all have to remember is this: By using our creativity we can almost ALWAYS come up with a decent workout to sub for what our first choice might have been.

For example: Running or walking stairs. Unless you live and work in a ranch house, this one rarely gets done and it is an ass-buster! Even a walk up and down stairs for 20 minutes will leave you sweating. I often times find it more challenging than lots of machines that are out there. So BAM! That's a permanent excuse-killer for not doing some great aerobic work!

Another example: I found a welded bar of iron at the theatre where I do most of my work and it is PERFECT for chin-ups. I love the challenge of chins....and understand that they can be daunting. IF YOU CAN'T DO A CHINUP, just find something to hang on that can support you weight! Hang as long as you can. When you get stronger (and you will!) start pulling....somewhere down the line, you WILL do a pullup!

Anyway, when I know I am going to be pressed for time on a day I want to work out, I plan to use that chin up bar. It's right there, and the moment I am done with a show, I hit the bar (hee hee) Even if I'm a little hungry I wait to eat till the chins are done.....and if you don't want chins......you can do push ups ANYWHERE! When I drive back to NY to visit my family, every time the car stops, I do 50 push ups. It wakes you better than any coffee, and in one trip I can bang out 300 push ups.....

On any day if you need a workout and can't possibly get to a gym or even to you Project Gym at your house, BE CREATIVE!!! There is always a way!

Peace,

Rob

Keeping the Project Workouts Rolling....even in an ice-storm!

Hey All Project-ers!

I just finished a really fabulous yoga class. All my friends were there. Chris Roche was the teacher and he ran a great class...just what I needed. How did I do this during one of the worst ice-storms on Indiana record?

I used Chris' cd of a class that he recorded a few months ago during an inspired Tuesday night class.

The next few days drive home the importance of a home workout program. No one should travel in this weather to do something like a workout in a gym or yoga studio. AND NO ONE SHOULD USE WEATHER AS AN EXCUSE NOT TO WORK OUT! (unless you lose power, your roof caves, your kid is frozen onto his sled....you get my drift....or my snow drift....:0)

The project is such a good tool to teach us to keep our bodies vibrant so our minds and hearts can be vibrant and happy. So if you haven't began the process of learning to work out at home....seize the crappy day and GET ON IT!!!!

Sending all you guys love and safe thoughts,

Rob

Lovin' the Project meetings! and Yoga!

Had a nice Project meeting at the coffee shop after a great yoga class taught by Chris this morning. Feels so good to get back into BOTH things. I was reminded especially of how we all are emotional eaters at times, and we talked a lot about getting only good stuff in the home to eat, so when we do have an emotional binge, at least we are eating good stuff and not pure crap!

Also, I LOVED sharing ideas about substitutions for crappy food (greek yogurt for sour cream type of stuff). We need to have a meeting based around that stuff. I'd love to hear what everyone has come up with......

Be well everybody!

A Nice Ten Mile Run

I set out to run ten miles today with the intention of not pushing my speed, which can get me very emotional when I run.....when I feel my body pushing for a personal best time, and when I know it's not the "right day" to go that hard, I can get very scared when I run. No fun! What am I doing that for? Save it for the day I am feeling the great mojo! I don't have to prove anything to anyone, just keep myself healthy.

So I ran with purpose: Stay off the speed and focus on form and enjoyment. And I succeeded! And my time was still good: I averaged 6:50 per mile. Still two seconds under my cut-off time for running a sub-90 minute half marathon. Just reducing the speed from a 6:35/6:40 type of run to what I ran today lets me relax so much. I need to remember that......

Back in the Blog-o-sphere!

Hey Fellow "Project" Alum and Newcomers!

Though I am not in the project, I believe I am going to be a mentor with this winter's group so I want to get back in the saddle and start communicating!

My name is Rob Johansen. I have gone through two rounds of the Project and loved both experiences. I am looking forward to helping this group in any way I can.

I am currently putting myself through a mini-type of project...kind of inspired by Chris. I have put myself on a two week South Beach Diet, phase 1.....the short story: No cereal, no bread, no rice or pasta, no fruit. I am just trying to give myself a bit of a clean-out. Trying to lose a few pounds and curb a bit of an addiction to munching on cereal every time I walk past the pantry.

As I learned in The Project, you'll be amazed how fast calories add up. Those fistfuls of cereal I was having could easily add up to 500 additional calories a day. And since much of it was "mindless eating" I wouldn't figure it into my daily intake. It's been four days without doing that, and I already notice a big difference! Will I go back to having cereal? Frankly, YES! But it's good to curb it and after two weeks gently re-introduce it. Hopefully I won't want it as much!

Anyway, I will be around the blog world and I look forward to reading all your posts. Happy New Year!

xoxo,

Rob