Love Letters to My Crew – Page 58

Having Fun

August 11, 2021/in Love Letters 2021/by RWadmin

Hey All!

Hope you’re all enjoying watching the Olympics. Wow. So much drama and emotion and so many stories!

I have always loved sports. To me, sports have always represented fun and play. When I was a shy little kid and my parents asked me what camp I wanted to do in the summer, I always said “Sports Camp”. There was such a thing. It was completely generalized – which worked for me. I didn’t care which sports I played – I just wanted to play. My favourite day of the year at school was Journée Sportif which was basically a mini-Olympics but we all did all of the sports. I think that’s where I began to self-select into the longer running events vs. shot-put and high jump, but I certainly had the opportunity to “play” at everything. All through elementary and even high school, my favourite class was always Phys-ed. Again, I didn’t really care what game we were playing – to me Phys ed meant running around, laughing with others and basically having fun. Phys ed was my absolute relief from math and science and geography – sitting still at a desk was so boring!!! (still is tbh). So of course when I learned that Phys Ed was an actual degree you could take in university, that is what I took!

Aren’t we lucky that as adults we still have this opportunity to play and run and laugh together? That is what I want to remind us all about. When did sport become so serious? I guess I get it for our Olympic athletes, although in some you can definitely still see the elements of play and fun they have managed to hold on to. For the rest of us who are running and biking and swimming for our “goals”, let’s not forget to keep it fun. Fun, play and enjoyment are the reasons I got into all this sports stuff over 40 years ago. And to be honest, they’re the reasons I’m still doing it. And yes, it’s “fun” to work hard, but let’s not lose the ability to keep the lightness in there – to laugh with others and at ourselves, to show up with excitement and enjoyment and to remember that we’re playing here. This is what we do as a relief from work and stress and obligations. So keep it fun. Or if you prefer, I could always give you a sheet of long-division problems to do on Wednesday mornings!

Tomorrow’s workout: (and here’s a sub-goal – smile as you pass ppl every time)

3 x 800 @ HM pace, 3 x 800 @ 10K pace (all w 1:30); 3 min rec,; 2 x 400 w 1:15 @ 5K pace
If going fartlek style: 6 x 3 min on, 1:30 off (first three @HM, second 3 @ 10K), 3 min easy, 2 x 1:30 w 1:15
If training for 5K: 2 x 800 @ HM pace, 3 min, 4 x 400 w 1 @ 10K, 3 min, 4 x 400 w 2 @ 5K
Tempos are written in your plans

See you at 6:15 and Have Fun!!!!

xo

Seanna

Asking

July 27, 2021/in Love Letters 2021/by RWadmin

Hi Everyone!

It’s been so great seeing so many of you out doing a multitude of activities. And I hope everyone is getting in some good Olympics watching! I am loving it.

What I’ve been thinking about this week is the ability to ask for what we want or need. I think many of us have had this ability trained out of us by society or our own inner voices. But being able to ask for what you want is a huge strength. People want to help us – they just don’t always know how.

I was listening to a podcast with Brandi Carlile. She was asked whether she was good at asking for what she wanted. She unapologetically said “Yes! I know what I need and I can’t get it all alone”. I loved this. There was no shame in asking – only confidence. A lot of what she asks for is charity involvement for fundraisers. She joked that people in Hollywood probably screen her calls because she is so unafraid of asking, but she believes in what she is doing and makes things happen. And in reality, people do want to help.

A female friend of mine who is a top executive in a male dominated industry was on a podcast talking about going back to work with small kids. Her team had meetings at 8:30 am. She asked for them to be moved back an hour because she was doing the school run. No problem. She has since risen higher and higher and that is in part because she has been able to ask for what she needs.

Similarly, as we take on commitments in our lives as athletes and in service to others (paid or unpaid), it will only help us if are able to ask for what we want. Can you make dinner on these nights? Can we move these meetings a bit later or earlier? Can you join me on this hard effort? Can I have this half day off to attend to my wellness needs?

The people around you want your success. But they can’t guess what you need. So please learn to ask. If not only for yourself, then as a path that you’re carving for those who are coming behind you and who maybe won’t have to ask as loudly. Jumping through hoops while carrying all the balls yourself won’t help you. Please learn to ask. It will make you so much stronger and more successful.

For this week! We are back to hills:

5-6 x Pottery Rd Hill – 3-4 min recovery then 2 x 8 mins @ mara pace w 3 min recovery
If on a recovery week, 3 x hills and a few good strides after
5K runners: 5-6 x Pottery (or similar if in beach) and 4-5 x strides after
Short tempo for recovery week ppl if feeling like you need something: 5min, 2min, 2min, 2min – same tempo paces – don’t speed up bc it’s shorter – all w 2 min easy OR no tempo
Tempo for 5K ppl: 3 x 5 min w 2 min, then 5 min easy, then 5 min a bit quicker
Tempo for ppl building: 2 x 12 min w 3 easy

That is all for now – see you out there!

xo

Seanna

Magic Bullets

July 20, 2021/in Love Letters 2021/by RWadmin

Hi Everyone!

Hope you’re all managing to stay cool and drinking lots of water (dehydration can sneak up on you when you’re going from heat to air conditioning). Also, let’s just stay aware of this smog that is hanging over the city – it is particulates from forest fires, so if you’re feeling any irritation in your lungs or feeling light headed, back off. Hopefully some rain tonight will clear it out.

What I’ve been thinking about is our strange irrationality as humans (again). What if I told you you could take a pill that would give you greater exercise adaptation, increased muscle growth, bone building and fat burning? It would also be your recovery salve when you’re injured as it would increase your recovery rate by increasing protein synthesis. And it would increase your motivation to work out and make your workouts feel easier? Would you take it? How much would you pay for it? Consider how much you invest in all of your other products that give you a slight edge. Now what if I told you it was free? Yes, I’m talking about sleep.

This is where we become irrational. Yes, workouts are important, and fitting them into our busy days are hard. And the truth is, you won’t get fitter and stronger if you have nothing to recover from. But continually depriving yourself of sleep in order to work out will eventually lead to diminishing gains if not injury.

I’m not lecturing, just reminding you of something to remain aware of as you lean into training at the same time that you rediscover patios and socializing, and your kids and partners get busier, and work is not slowing down. None of these things should be taken off the table. But please remember that sleep is not the one that should constantly be compromised. It won’t help you. Rationally, if you want the best results from your efforts, the smartest thing to do is to compromise your workouts every now and then in favour of sleep. We think if it doesn’t feel hard, we’re not working towards our goals – but that is not the truth. I’m telling you that. So shut off that part of your brain that is compulsively telling you to “push through” and take the advice that will actually get you fitter, stronger, faster. Sleep!!!! It actually is a magic bullet.

Ok, onto Wednesday workout!

1K tempo; 2 min rec, 6 x 600 @ 5K pace w 1:30, 3 min rec; 1K tempo
If doing this fartlek style: 4 mins tempo, 2 min easy, 6 x 2 min Hard, 1:30 Easy, 3 min easy, 4 min tempo
If on a recovery week (like me!) feel free to join me for jogging, strides and mobility

That’s all – have a good one and see you out there! (Lakeshore & Leslie at 6:15 J)

xo

Seanna