Picking up where I left off....

Just picking up where I left off, it has become very much like a cliche that life is like a marathon. Even for nonrunners, it's become very commonplace to say things
with that theme. For example, after something doesn't go quite right, you may hear "no big deal - in the marathon of life, that's not even a mile" etc. This way of
thinking has really become linked with success. Especially looking at comparisons of sprints vs. a long run marathon. Absolutely no disrespect to fantastic athletes like Usain Bolt (trust me, if I had his talents, there's a pretty good chance I might have stumbled on to a different path), but sprinting is often compared to a quicker turn endeavor as compared to a longer term venture i.e. launching a business.

But I digress. Overall, I think it's easy to accept the idea that having young people participate in the training and ultimate participation in training for an endurance event can be a teacher and motivator for setting goals, success, leadership and health. That I'm still quite clear on and no doubt should be the ongoing mission of Teens Run Yonkers.

But back to Seth (Rogin's) point, what's the question we're responding to? Here are a few possibilities:

How do we make a real impact on the growing number of unhealthy young adults (a.k.a. increasing rate of youth obesity)?
What factors contribute to low or under achievement in our schools? and what can be done to change that?
What activities offer the best alternatives for teens engaging in positive activities as opposed to ending up in trouble?
What are the best venues for encouraging teens to set and achieve big goals especially if they haven't before?

One thing I can share - and this is why I think a blog like this may be very helpful - is because once there's a strong mission in place, it becomes difficult to reframe
the question without having some part of the answer in your head (i.e. mine!). I'd really welcome your thoughts on what we as a community can do to encourage
our teens to lead healthier bigger (in the impact) sense of the word. I clearly recognize that running a race or a marathon is not the cure all. What I'm trying to
better define is how Teens Run Yonkers can make it's best and most effective impact.

As an example, right now, we typically recruit a large number of students that run with us throughout the school year. Some stick with it through the summer and
a large number, unfortunately, don't. It's understandable and something I'm not sure how much power we have to change. The focus has been on our teens
running in the Yonkers Marathon which is a wonderful way to connect our young people to their City. This is a powerful idea.

At the same time, for example, would it be better to be an after school program with a focus on a run in May? Or, as we're chartered to work throughout
Westchester (yes, we're legally Teens Run Westchester) would it be more impactful to work throughout the county. And if so, it would have to be a broader
as opposed to more intensive approach.

These are some of the questions I've been playing with. Again, your input is welcome.

Making a good thing better --- Please share your ideas!

With just a few weeks left in Teens Run Yonkers core season (from March right up to the Yonkers Half Marathon typically mid-to late September), I was already starting to block out a few minutes a day to think through what to do improve upon the program.

I was initially going to just make it a practice to take 10 or 15 minutes and free-think on Evernote - sort of a running journal to myself of what can be done to have a more significant and sustainable impact on both the volunteers and teens we work with. As I was doing it, I realized that in this day and age of social media, what better way to drive change than invite others ideas. So, without much further adue (is that the right word?), I'll share what I had started to write; in fact, here it is...


I like Seth Godin's thinking. Before moving from this model which I've come to believe is good but can be much better and more effective, it might make sense to better (not necessarily re) define the problem (or question). This was right out of one of his recent posts. I'm not linking it here because I've come to realize that linking contest on here can get your posts pulled. And what a drag that is. So, I'll simply say thanks Seth...

I basically started Teens Run Yonkers because I liked what I saw in Philadelphia - Young people (students mostly) I'm guessing, being supported by adults as they completed the marathon. What was the connection I liked? Why did it speak to me so much? This is what I really want to think through

First off, I loved the idea of teens (students whatever) participating in a big, goal-oriented event like a marathon. Even today, when I train for one, there is such
a quality of process to it; the long term goal - visible but far enough out of sight that you recognize the dedication you'll need to accomplish it. Then the pure logic
and metaphorical quality of the training so much like life.

STOP

So, that's literally where I stopped before I cut and pasted my Evernote note into my blog. I know this is very early stage but I'd welcome your thoughts. As you can see, I was thinking through what was the specific thing I saw when seeing this program in action that had such a strong connection for me. Feel free to share:

what drives you when you're passionate about something?
especially if you're an entrepreneur - how you go about continuing to share the quality of your business or venture.
anything else that you think might be interesting, motivating, curious

Welcome to the next phase of Teens Run Yonkers (and this blog too!)

Fraternities and Philosophy - (what, more of that fraternity stuff?)

A few weeks ago - no doubt after July 26th - I posted a bit about a wonderful reunion dinner one of my fraternity brothers generously took his time to put together. Thanks again for all the great work Dave Sumka (yes, naming names!).

Since then I do find myself thinking more about this all too brief experience (it was actually just two years) of being away at college and sharing great experiences with a group of terrific (young at the time) guys and the women that were kind enough to tolerate us. At the time you're thinking that this is a chunk of your life, it's a lot of fun and in the end, how much can it really matter? I mean after all, it's just a fraternity, right? Some goofy rituals, lots of beer and/or whatever your drink of choice, parties, some sports, cool sweatshirts and jackets etc, etc.

Again, pardon me using this blog to philosophize a bit but I'm finding that the more I think about it, well, the more it is (or was).

For some reason - have no idea what made me start thinking about it as I was riding a stationary bike this morning- but I ended up thinking about something that was written in my pledge book. For the uninitiated amongst you (and I don't think this is super proprietary as others do it)that may be reading this, that's a book that you get filled out by various individuals connected with the house...It's a way you get familiar with those associated with it.

In any event, I found myself thinking about these words "Rob, be your own man". This was written to me by my Big Brother (a brother assigned to mentor you as you pledge) Brian Schwab - yes, again naming names. Brian might have written that to me when he was 18 or 19, probably barely knew me at the time as we had just met but the reality is, for me those words were pretty profound and I often find myself thinking of them. And have for the 20 years post him writing them to me.

While I've certainly had my ups and downs in life - fortunately more of the former than the latter - I've always tried to do that. Be my own man. Choose the path that I think is right and follow it.

And I consider myself incredibly fortunate. I'm not going to get into a big "yea America" or "free will" discussion (though my wife has been reading a ton of Any Rand and yes, I love Rush). I did find myself thinking how lucky I've been to have had that suggested to me and then have done so. I've tried various careers, jobs and now find myself at a place I consider the best yet, running an organization - Teens Run Yonkers - that means the world to me. We are lucky to get to choose that path.

So let me close by making the same suggestion to all of you ...Be your own man - or woman and create that path.

Thanks again Brian (and TEP)

Saturday 8/4 - Great Day for a 10K

This past Saturday was an amazing day. We held our First Annual Teens Run Yonkers 10K in Tibbetts Brook Park and it was a hot one. I'm not sure what the temperature was when we fired off the starting gun (OK, it was actually an app on my phone designed to sound like a gun) but it easily seemed like we were in the 90's.

The course that day was a deceptively challenging one - three miles up the new South Trail Extension to Tuckahoe Road in Yonkers. What you never exactly realize till you have the fun of running back the same way is that about 1.5 of those first miles is completely uphill. Not a steep elevation but slightly worse (depending on your perspective) just a long one. Once your over that it's a bit windy but at least well shaded which was the reason for the choice.

Anyway, despite the weather conditions and the challenging course, our runners and Running Leaders, did a fantastic job. Our top two finishers, Will Lewis and Alonzo Lockly finished in 48 and 55 minutes respectively (7 and 8 minute miles) and the balance of the group all finished a few behind but still with excellent times. Please note that the writer of this blog can only imagine a 7 or 8 minute mile and it would be on a cool day on the flattest, fastest surface imaginable. And it certainly wouldn't have been for six miles.

But speed isn't the point. Every runner gave a 110% effort and in many cases, surprised themselves with their results. And that's the idea. Effort over outcome. Achievement that occasionally surprises. It was all there.

Afterwards, the team celebrated with trophies, t-shirts, bagels, bars and water.

Most important, the excellent showing for the race made it clear that the team is well on its way to doing a phenomenal job for our goal of running in the Yonkers Half Marathon on September 16th.

Congratulations to all!

Pictures can be seen on our Facebook page at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Teens-Run-Yonkers/130787670273053?ref=hl

My Galaxy 3 Adventure - I miss the pay phone in my fraternity hallway....

Sometimes - days like today - I am amazed by technology. But sort of sadly amazed. Not to go into the long story but yesterday, against my better judgement, I bought a Droid phone, the Glaxy 3. Now, with all due respect to those who already have and love this phone, I knew going in that it was going to take some customization as it has a lot more bells and whistles and requires more patience than the iphone. But I spoke a salesperson who convinced me that transferring my music from itunes and the iphone was a two step process that wouldn't take more than 10 minutes. Not so much.

For those of you considering this move, you should know - and the blogosphere convinced me I'm not crazy - that this doesn't work without additional software, cost and hassles. I refer to the following as a few examples:

http://support.doubletwist.com/doubletwist/topics/galaxy_3_will_not_show_up_on_double_twist


http://support.doubletwist.com/doubletwist/topics/air_sync_galaxy_s3

and there are others...

Anyway, you may be asking what this has to do with running. Well, only that I can't wait to go to get out the frustration of this. Also, makes you think how and why would ever spend so much time on this kind of stuff when we used to live without it so easily. I guess I'm just waxing nostalgic for that pay phone we used to have on the wall at my fraternity house. We waited, made our phone call and moved on....

Out of the box - is well, out of the box - and fun - Seinfelds Personal Trainer

One of the most boring cliches- in my humble estimation - is the term "out of the box". You know, stuff like "oh, let's really try to think out of the box". How many corporate meetings have you hear that at?

Well today, I'm happy but slightly embarrassed to have to use that term. Tonight, we had a wonderful Teens Run Yonkers training session and a lot of it was due to willingness to think out of the box. The reality of what we do is that we are always looking for new volunteers - great and inspiring adults that are willing to commit the time to help train - and sometimes simply be there for our teen runners as they train for races. A truly valuable, and hopefully rewarding endeavor...

Many times when I advertise, I get runners interested in spending time with young people. Sometimes, I attract people that are great with teens and are eager to run a marathon for their first time, just like our young people. And once in a while I find myself speaking with someone with some skills that fall somewhere in between.

A few weeks ago, I was talking to a potential new volunteer (names left out to respect anonymity). This individual let me know that he had a fitness training background and was presently on a no carb diet. Honestly, I'm thinking to myself, as I heard the no-carb part, what is he doing here? I mean everyone knows long distance running=carb intake.

Yet, the more we talked, the more I appreciated his enthusiasm for what we do. And the more I wanted to include him and wanted to figure out a way for him to be a part of it. We came up with the idea of having him do some strength training/core training before the run.

Well, after a few weeks that went by due to a variety of circumstances, this gentleman joined us tonight for our training....Huge Hit!(in my estimation). Typically, we start off with some stretching and warm-up. Not tonight. We kicked off with team push-ups, balance push-ups and finally some squat thrusts that I'm embarrassed to admit my 47 year old body Just Said NO to. But all in all it rocked! And what a great way to kick off a run.

So, truly out of the box on adding something new. And well worth the cliche!

Good night!

Oh right, Seinfeld related. Ironically, I was watching Seinfeld this morning while doing a treadmill tempo run (I'm evening things out from my Teens Run on the tmill and not feeling too guilty about it), I was watching the one where Jerry's parents employ a personal trainer for him. Little bit of multi-program trivia for you. Who was the trainer and better yet, who plays him? What other TV show did that actor make famous? And what spoof movie was the actor in? And, what is the final exercise that the trainer has Jerry do that doesn't end well?