Mentoring in the Community

Ok, brief project synopsis, then on to talking about a very important part of my life: Mentoring!

But first: Great workout week so far. I had a strong tempo run on Monday (7 miles total, with good strong 3 minute speed runs in the middle-6 sets total) a hard leg workout on Tuesday, on Wednesday it was time to take advantage of a 50 degree day outside, so I ran a half marathon with NO TIME GOALS. Didn't even bring my watch. Today I did a wonderfully crafted chest/bi/tri workout (GREAT JOB ON MAPPING THAT OUT, ROCHE!!) and tomorrow I will do an hour on the step-mill (which I also call the Gauntlet).

My legs are getting good at quick recoveries.....hence being able to get back on the aerobic path two days after a 13.1 mile run. I love this program for the training it gives my body to recover quickly.

Now: mentoring.

I am a mentor at New Tech High School and have been for two years. If anyone has considered volunteering their time to a worthy cause in your community, I would suggest getting involved with high schoolers who are at risk of not graduating. It is not glamourous at all. It sometimes really sucks. Sometimes they really don't like you at all. BUT I feel like I have gotten through the most shaky time with them and have won their respect and trust. I don't b.s them. I only talk about things that I know....the rest of the time I ask them questions and try to learn from them. The last three months I have become the unofficial "nutrition guy" for the mentoring program. Every week I try to bring in some info about eating right. Many of the kids are battling weight problems. They really took to the info I talked about bit time! More than I thought they would.

Also, I have won their respect because they came to see the last show I did at IRT. And they loved it! For lots of them it was the first show they have seen. And they all want to come back. I feel like I have created an avenue to make a real impact on the city I call home. Not an easy road to pave, but now that I have it started, I feel a really wonderful responsablitly to maintain it. If I can help just a few students towards graduation, that will be a wonderful thing.

In this day and age I think it is more important than every for us to reach out. Even as we are stressed about our own finances and future securities. When I go to mentor, I feel connected to the world and it makes me worry so much less about my own "Private Idaho".

Love you guys,

Rob

New Running Intervals....and SINGING!

Quick post before I fall down for the night....

Started my new interval training today. Running at an 8.5 for three minutes at a clip, then recovery running for a minute. Repeated that 6 times. And ran a mile and a half warm up, and a little over two miles for a cool down. Yea, wether I run the Bloomington race for time or not, I will be ready!

Also: Something "performance" based for me that this project is helping is my singing!

I am finding some vocal power in my upper core, between my chest and my abs, that I am tapping into to hit my upper vocal register. It's starting to give me a stronger third octive than I have had for a long while. A GREAT reason for me to keep up with those core routines!

Signed Up for the IU Half Marathon!

As the regular workouts resume, I found a nice end-goal for my project work(though I know there is no real "finish line" with this stuff). I am doing the I.U. half marathon on April 4th! Very psyched about going down to my old school and running around lots of old memories.

Now the two big questions for me are:

1. Will I challenge myself to run for time and try to get another half marathon under 90 minutes?

and the more important one.....

2. Where will I eat afterwards??????

.....so many good places I used to love to chow down at down there! I'll think about the answer to that as I train......

I did my Monday interval training waaaaay early (for me). BEFORE my student matinee at 10 am. I ran at 8a.m., which isn't too early. I am thinking of doing that again tomorrow, except trying to start at 7:30. We'll see.

So nice to have a "something special" to work towards.

Hope you are well,

Rob

Seven more miles!

Ran an easy seven miles (no watch!) at the Canal near Holcomb Gardens today. What a GOREGEOUS day!! Body felt worked, but good. That's 31 miles for the week. I think that might be the most I've run in one week before, so that's cool.

I cheated a bit this week, in that I did do some weight workouts. Hopefully I won't burn myself out on the recovery week!

I really love running outside on nice days, with no worries about how fast I am going.

Here's to a great 1/3rd of the project! And there's still TONS of time to grow into whatever you want to get better at! Remember that it doesn't all happen at once. Just keep at it.

Love you guys,

Rob

10 more miles

Ran 10 miles today. First time I have run such a long distance two days after running a half marathon distance.

My first mile was my slowest, which is different for me....and GREAT! I was trying to go slow as my body was sore from Monday's run. I ran the first mile in 7:17....but my average mile time for the first 7 miles wound up being 7:05! I think that is a testament to the Wednesday runs that Chris has had us doing....where we push hard at the end. I have always pushed hard at the beggining and then levelled off. But this is giving me another way to run.

I had to take a "potty break" before running the last 3 miles. And when I started them up, boy I didn't want to run them! My legs were lead. But I chugged 'em out in an average of around 7:22. Funny how a few seconds slower felt like an eternity.

Also am nursing a GROSS blister on a pinky-toe....which might have an impact on what I can do Friday. I was hoping to shoot for 6 miles, which would have given me 30 for the week. But I'll see......

Testing my recovery time......

Went for a 14 mile run today. Easy pace, probably an R.P.E. of 6.5-7 the whole way. I want to see how I recover and if I can do a good run on Wednesday as well. We'll see!

Has anyone seen the film BARAKA? Jen and I watched it last night and I was awed. Seems the simpler cultures really have this whole living thing down well. Simplicity and appreciation for life and death. The images of cities are kind of terrifying.

Anyway, happy week 4 and here's to recovering well!

xoxo,

Rob

Week Three Done Early....and 26 Miles Run!

Hi All,

Jen and I finished our week #3 a bit early, but in no way backing off our workouts. We both did our long runs today (Jen jammed out 6 miles running, I did an hour on the Gauntlet) and since we have a theatre obligation all day tomorrow, we decided to do our 90 minute power yoga TONIGHT, only eight hours after our run. Crazy!

But something else it showed us: you can do more than you think you can much of the time.

Usually I would assume that after a long run I need at least a day before I could work my legs the way yoga (especially Roche-yoga!) can work your legs. But we both had good form tonight and a fair amount of strength.

And a bonus: We are getting Saturday AND Sunday to recoup!!! And I am really looking forward to that, as I upped my weekly mileage to 26.4 miles. And if you're wondering, no, I have no desire to do a marathon!! It took me three sessions to run the length of a marathon. Running it in one session? The idea make me ill. It's half marathons for ole' Robby!

Happy recovery to all. Here's to three weeks of good work.

Peace,

Rob

Didn't want to run today.....

Strongly disliked the first four and a half miles. Wanted to cry. Dunno why....just not feeling it. But I kept on and wound up running 8 miles in an avg. of 6:45/mile. Then ran two easy "cool down" miles. That makes 17 miles so far this week. My hope is that Friday will put me over 26 miles for the week. Am I training for a full marathon? HELL NO! 26 is just my goal for this week. I did 22 in week one, 24 in week 2 and wanted to up it two more miles this week.

...but boy did I have some dread coming to the gym today. But I am so glad I didn't wuss out.

Making Progress......Read these Brief Points!!!

Hi Project-Folk,

I want to be brief so you guys can get on with your lives, but I REALLY want to share two awesome things about my journey thus far with the Project:

On Friday I pushed myself to working at between 85-95% heart capacity for an hour. The amazing thing was: After only nintey seconds of cooling down, my heart rate had dropped back down to near normal. A testament to the interval training Chris has us doing.....

Also: Three weeks ago I had a nagging ache in my right-upper hamstring. I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up the running. But incorportaing STRETCHING RELIGIOUSLY after every run (I do it with bands) has made that injury virtually disappear. Not every ache means we should stop exercising!! I just wasn't taking the time I should to stretch!

I ran a total of 22 miles the first project week. 24 miles the second week (If you count 10 miles on the Gauntlet...which I do!!) and I am off to a seven mile start this week. I did 10 intervals rather than seven. I just felt like I had it in me and I want to see if I might be able to get to 26 miles total for this week......

Keep on rockin'.....

xoxo,

Rob