I used to have a lot of training buddies back in my competitive running days. One buddy, Ed, whom I have trained with off and on for ten years now, sent me an e-mail inviting me for a run near his house, which is the foothills of the beautiful Sandia Mountains, here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We have 10,000 foot mountains that are just gorgeous. This makes for great high altitude training, and rolling soft surface hills.
Albuquerque is a mecca for elite runners. I have met Paula Radcliffe, who is currently the women’s world record holder in the marathon. She’s so fast that most men cannot keep up with her. She comes here to altitude train for her marathon races. A dear friend of mine since our college running days, is Mbarak Hussein. He has won Honolulu marathon numerous times, and many other marathons. Albuquerque is his home training ground. Many other professional runners and Olympians come here to train also.
Well, Ed and I were competitive runners in the past. We were nowhere near the level of Paula Radcliffe or Mbarak Hussein, but we did like to train our butts off and be our own best runners. We both did well competing in local races and we both even traveled to some big races such as the Mardi Gra half marathon, Phoenix half marathon, Rock n Roll marathon, Boston marathon and more. I was so excited when Ed invited me for a foothills run near his home. I used to run in that specific area many years ago. I wanted to venture out there again. But, I would have never ventured out there alone. It took a buddy inviting me and the both of us running it together. We ran a 7 mile loop of constantly changing scenery, and a constant of uphill and downhill. Some of the path was rocky, but most of it was hard packed dirt. That makes the pounding less intense. But all that hill climbing and high altitude gave my lungs and leg muscles such a workout. I was breathing so hard, and by the last two miles my legs were jello. I was whipped. But, you know what? I had the time of my life! Oh, it was so much fun. It brought back my true love and passion for running. Now, I am not planning on training for another race anytime soon (if ever) and I do not have the desire to go back to the track and do 1 mile repeats. But, I do have the desire to go back to the foothills with Ed and run that 7 mile loop again. I know each time I run it I will get and stronger and better. I may even feel a little like Paula Radcliffe. SMILE!
I had a buddy to train with yesterday and that was the best! I encourage all of you to also have a buddy to train with. There are many different ways you can have a buddy or buddies. Here are some examples, and some of you may already be doing some of these: Use the Team Beach Body virtual online gym each time you workout. If you do this you will soon have some great workout buddies. You don’t want to miss out on WOWY. I have at least ten different WOWY buddies that I workout with in the mornings. They write messages of encouragement to me and I write messages of encouragement to them. Some of us even exchange e-mails so we can help each other with specific fitness issues or advice. I would be sad if I had to log in all alone each morning.
Next, you can use your independent Team Beach Body coach as a buddy. For most of you, that would be me. A coach is there for you at anytime if you have a fitness or diet question. A coach is there for you when you are feeling blue about your workouts or eating. A coach is there for you when you have reached a goal and are so excited about it, and want to share. A coach is there for you to encourage you every step of the way. Your coach is only an e-mail away. Your coach adores her Beach Body members!
There is the Beach Body message boards. I know a few of my members use the boards and have had great success with them. This is a place you can go to meet others who are doing the same workout program that you are. You can post questions or comments about your workout. You can get advice from others who have had success with their program and now want to help others. It is a place of peer support. I highly encourage you to try it if you have not already.
You can have a workout buddy who is there in the flesh. Maybe once a week get together with a friend and do a workout together. Most likely, your workout will be more lively and hardly feel like work at all. You will be having so much fun with your buddy that it will be like play. Even though I was breathing hard and my legs were getting wobbly at the end of the foothills run with Ed, I was only thinking about how much fun I had and I could hardly wait until the next foothills run with him. If I had been alone I probably would have wanted to stop and walk.
If you have young children, they could be your workout buddies! Yesterday evening, I pulled out my daughters’ wagon (they are 3 1/2 and 16 months old). We went for a wagon ride in our neighborhood. I walked fast, and I chose an area that had a hill. This makes for a great little workout. We did stop along the way to say hello to neighbors and look at the pretty spring flowers that are starting to bloom, but after each stop we got going again, and I walked at a brisk pace. I take the girls for a wagon ride at least three times per week. What a fun workout it is, and I am spending time with my daughters while working out.
I know for myself, having buddies works. I love it! I wouldn’t want it any other way. All of you are my buddies, and all of you help me stay accountable to my fitness. I am your coach, and I know I must live what I preach. I will sometimes stumble along the way, I will sometimes have a bad eating day, or a bad attitude day. I often share about it with all of you. Being able to have buddies that I can share with and be honest with is the best, and I feel so blessed. I hope all of you have a buddy or two or three, and use those buddies to help you stay on track. One of your buddies is right here, just waiting for your e-mail!
Buddy up, everyone, buddy up!
Albuquerque is a mecca for elite runners. I have met Paula Radcliffe, who is currently the women’s world record holder in the marathon. She’s so fast that most men cannot keep up with her. She comes here to altitude train for her marathon races. A dear friend of mine since our college running days, is Mbarak Hussein. He has won Honolulu marathon numerous times, and many other marathons. Albuquerque is his home training ground. Many other professional runners and Olympians come here to train also.
Well, Ed and I were competitive runners in the past. We were nowhere near the level of Paula Radcliffe or Mbarak Hussein, but we did like to train our butts off and be our own best runners. We both did well competing in local races and we both even traveled to some big races such as the Mardi Gra half marathon, Phoenix half marathon, Rock n Roll marathon, Boston marathon and more. I was so excited when Ed invited me for a foothills run near his home. I used to run in that specific area many years ago. I wanted to venture out there again. But, I would have never ventured out there alone. It took a buddy inviting me and the both of us running it together. We ran a 7 mile loop of constantly changing scenery, and a constant of uphill and downhill. Some of the path was rocky, but most of it was hard packed dirt. That makes the pounding less intense. But all that hill climbing and high altitude gave my lungs and leg muscles such a workout. I was breathing so hard, and by the last two miles my legs were jello. I was whipped. But, you know what? I had the time of my life! Oh, it was so much fun. It brought back my true love and passion for running. Now, I am not planning on training for another race anytime soon (if ever) and I do not have the desire to go back to the track and do 1 mile repeats. But, I do have the desire to go back to the foothills with Ed and run that 7 mile loop again. I know each time I run it I will get and stronger and better. I may even feel a little like Paula Radcliffe. SMILE!
I had a buddy to train with yesterday and that was the best! I encourage all of you to also have a buddy to train with. There are many different ways you can have a buddy or buddies. Here are some examples, and some of you may already be doing some of these: Use the Team Beach Body virtual online gym each time you workout. If you do this you will soon have some great workout buddies. You don’t want to miss out on WOWY. I have at least ten different WOWY buddies that I workout with in the mornings. They write messages of encouragement to me and I write messages of encouragement to them. Some of us even exchange e-mails so we can help each other with specific fitness issues or advice. I would be sad if I had to log in all alone each morning.
Next, you can use your independent Team Beach Body coach as a buddy. For most of you, that would be me. A coach is there for you at anytime if you have a fitness or diet question. A coach is there for you when you are feeling blue about your workouts or eating. A coach is there for you when you have reached a goal and are so excited about it, and want to share. A coach is there for you to encourage you every step of the way. Your coach is only an e-mail away. Your coach adores her Beach Body members!
There is the Beach Body message boards. I know a few of my members use the boards and have had great success with them. This is a place you can go to meet others who are doing the same workout program that you are. You can post questions or comments about your workout. You can get advice from others who have had success with their program and now want to help others. It is a place of peer support. I highly encourage you to try it if you have not already.
You can have a workout buddy who is there in the flesh. Maybe once a week get together with a friend and do a workout together. Most likely, your workout will be more lively and hardly feel like work at all. You will be having so much fun with your buddy that it will be like play. Even though I was breathing hard and my legs were getting wobbly at the end of the foothills run with Ed, I was only thinking about how much fun I had and I could hardly wait until the next foothills run with him. If I had been alone I probably would have wanted to stop and walk.
If you have young children, they could be your workout buddies! Yesterday evening, I pulled out my daughters’ wagon (they are 3 1/2 and 16 months old). We went for a wagon ride in our neighborhood. I walked fast, and I chose an area that had a hill. This makes for a great little workout. We did stop along the way to say hello to neighbors and look at the pretty spring flowers that are starting to bloom, but after each stop we got going again, and I walked at a brisk pace. I take the girls for a wagon ride at least three times per week. What a fun workout it is, and I am spending time with my daughters while working out.
I know for myself, having buddies works. I love it! I wouldn’t want it any other way. All of you are my buddies, and all of you help me stay accountable to my fitness. I am your coach, and I know I must live what I preach. I will sometimes stumble along the way, I will sometimes have a bad eating day, or a bad attitude day. I often share about it with all of you. Being able to have buddies that I can share with and be honest with is the best, and I feel so blessed. I hope all of you have a buddy or two or three, and use those buddies to help you stay on track. One of your buddies is right here, just waiting for your e-mail!
Buddy up, everyone, buddy up!
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