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The Body is Just a Vehicle
My Tibetan Buddhism class in Dharamsala, India.
My sleep becomes more restless in the evenings as I battle through my subconscious asking me questions such as: “Am I training enough?”, “Am I doing enough speed work?”, “Am I on pace?”, “Will I make my time goal?”, and “Will this damn Plantar Fasciitis ever go away or will it derail my marathon?”.
Talking to all my fellow runners seems to make the anxieties worse. They all want to know things like about my pace, my goals for race day, even what I plan to do after race day.
Often my job seems to get its busiest right before the race. Just adding to this ongoing stress level.
Well I was thinking about all these things this morning.
A brief update. I am in Dharamsala, India (Home of the Dalai Lama). My dream for many years was to run a marathon. I kept on believing in that dream. Kept learning, kept making daily little progress. It came true seventeen fold. Even helped a few others complete a marathon.
My next major dream was to travel around Asia, especially to see the Himalayas.
That is what has taken me to India. Dharamsala is the spiritual gateway to the Himalayas. I look out of my guesthouse window to the beginning of the mountain range. They are huge and majestic.
Interestingly enough, I have been attending Buddhist philosopy classes the last few days.
They are held in a classroom next to the Tibetan Library. Most of the great Buddhist texts and scholars were destroyed by a tumultuous Indian History. The Tibetans, however, translated all of these into Tibetan. Then through their devotion to the monastic life and scholarship, kept the teachings alive through the centuries.
In other words, when you study Tibetan Buddhism you study some real authentic, old teachings. Some say the “real stuff”.
So this old scholar comes in in the morning, we all bow, say a bunch of prayers which I can’t even seem to read the English translations of. Then he begins talking. A lovely funny older English woman gives the translations. They have been working together for like 30 years. Translating like 10 of his books or so, to give an idea of his scholarship.
So he is giving a talk this morning which is part of bigger talk on some sacred text, which is a commentary on some other sacred philosophies.
And in the midst of it, I thought of people training for the Marathon.
The main theme of the talk is about how to be a Bodhissatva. This is a very holy Buddhist term to describe someone who doesn’t go off to nirvana in order to devote their life to care and compassion of all living beings. Like a Saint.
One of the essential characteristics of such saintly work is PATIENCE.
Here’s where it gets interesting. He says we all suffer. And some like the Tibetan people have suffered a great, great deal. And the more you persue a spiritual, or in my opinion, an athletic path, the more suffering, and enemies you will encounter.
It shouldn’t be that way. It should get easier right? Your training should get easier as you get closer to the goal.
Well, hogwash according to the spiritual master.
It gets harder so you can develop some patience. And this he defined as a calmness in the face of suffering. A faith in the direction of your work. A willingness to face your hardships. A certainty in the teachings of your coaches or spiritual masters.
Because this patience will allow you to learn. This patience will shatter your overblown pride as athlete so you can begin listening again. Listening to you body, your coaches, the old teachings.
And ultimately this patience will be your greatest teacher. To teach that you WILL get through this anxious time in your training. And you WILL survive those long training runs with that bunk ankle. And someway, somehow you find the patience in others to juggle all those people in your life so that you can just show up on Saturday morning.
Well when you get through all these little hardships, you will get some real patience.
This spirital master taught us to imagine that you are experiencing all of this in order to help all the other marathoners out there. To imagine that you are experiencing all of this to demonstrate to you family that you can stay strong in the face of adversity. And to imagine that you are experiencing these pains to show your friends and colleagues that great things are possible.
The Bodhissatva way is to experience all of this so we can develop the greatest of all human qualities…COMPASSION.
Because on race day, you will need some compassion. You’ll need to be compassionate and loving to your body and mind in that great battle of 26.2 or 13.1 miles.
Or even more important, and this is the part I love…
You’ll need that compassion to lift your head high to look around you and motivate the runners around you. You’ll need that compassion to share a joke when they look sad. To share an inspirational story when their spirit seems down. You cheer on every honorable runner you pass to let them know how awesome they are doing. Because YOU KNOW what they suffered through to just get there on race day.
And even better, when you develop more and more patience and compassion your performance, your race day time, your goals will just dissolve away into the practice of something deeper….seeing just how many people you can help on race day.
And in that, you will find happiness beyond your dreams. That by making others happy in training, before the race, and on race day you will find….happiness.
So hang in there, be patient, this time like all others, will pass.
That is why you suffer. So you can help others. So simple and beautiful.
This was the teaching I heard today, that has been taught for over 2,000 years and just might help you in your journey today.
Namaste,
Gary
An Interview with Coach Gary – His first 10 Days in India
My guide and my porter. The porter carried a lot of weight on his back and was very very strong. The going rate is 300 rupies a night about $7 a day for that hard work.
Steve: What’s up
Gary: Sitting out the monsoon rain in an internet cafe with lots of hippy Israelis. It rains every day here
Steve: Are you in hippie land? I saw your epic hiking pictures and you had to walk through a pot forest.
Gary: Such hippie land, its like the dead shows of the 80s.
Steve: What do you do?
Gary: Not smoke, be of service.
Steve: Cool.
Gary: Meeting lots of interesting people.
Steve: What are you plans for the next couple of days?
Gary: Chilling, I am in Baghsu
Steve: What message can I relay from you? People are always asking me.
Gary: I’ll have something good for you soon. I will see the Dalai Lama speak this Saturday and Sun on the diamond sutra, in Mcleodganj at his temple.
Steve: Are you going to get to Mt Everest base camp?
Gary: Hopefully I will fly to Nepal in a month soon as i finish this service work in the Tibetan refugee camp, teaching English for the next month
Steve: What is a snapshot of your day?
Gary: I wake up after about 10 hours of sleep pray/yoga long breakfast, message today, then meeting Tibetan students for conversation practice, then meeting former teacher to check out a new room, then some dinner and meet new people. I just had a long conversation with a Brazilian journalist who had just finished traveling asia for year last night, pretty simple life.
Steve: Do you get bored at night?
Gary: Not really, lots of interesting people around to talk to.
Steve: Has the food made you sick?
Gary: Sometimes very sick, diaherra.
Steve: What has been the hardest thing for you so far?
Gary: Diaherra and rain that’s the story around here during monsoon time. At least we are not flooding like China and Pakistan no, not that sick took local medicine which seems to work well and i avoid caffeine and spicy food
Steve: what’s the best thing so far?
Gary: best thing is….many things…
So I actually meditated in this Shiva cave for a while. Yes, I can now say I meditated in a cave in the Himalayas. The ideas that came to me:
1. Spiritual way of life demands discipline.
2. My life like Shiva’s is holy too.
Steve: How was meditating in a cave in the Himalayas?
Gary: well you can imagine, pretty cool. Shiva probably sat in that cave, cool things…
Steve: how was your 6 day hiking trip?
Gary: The views of the Himalayas were maybe the coolest thing because I dreamt of that coming true so to see it with my own eyes. The mountains are HUGE the sierras pale in comparison, and I have not even seen the big mountains yet
Steve: Tell me more about the refugees
Gary: I told them i went trekking for six days. These 22 year old girls told me that they crossed the mountains for 30 days!!!! Glaciers, high passes, escaping the Chinese no food for days, just the hope of freedom and a better life there. I was with a cook, porter, guide they arrive with NOTHING here these girls I am working with have not even had one day of school in Tibet.
Beginning of third day we had to take this hairy trolley across the Pavarti river. Pavarti was the mistress of Shiva. And supposedly fierce. Just like this river.
Steve: What’s your vibe right now?
Gary: I am on a weird spiritual vibe. It’s like whatever I imagine is coming true breaking through the illusions of maya as I realize what we imagine in our minds come true with prayer relaxation and blind faith in god as we do our karmic duties so I try to contribute
Steve: It was great talking to you. I miss you and take care of yourself. We’ll talk soon. IM me like this when you get a chance. People want to know about your journey.
Gary: Funny my life is soooo weird and that’s the way i think it should be not some sanitized packaged set of goods that you can buy at Costco the future is unlimited my good friend. Keep on creating your future in pictures do your karmic duty, pray to God, and it will come true, with a little work. God Bless
Last Trail Run and Runners Yoga of 2010
Tonight is the last Trail Run and Runners Yoga of the year. What a great summer, mostly cool, so we go out on a hot one. We meet at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center grassy ares at 6:30 PM for the Trail Run then 7:15 PM for Runners Yoga.
Afterward we will go to Donna Rosa’s for $1 tacos and cheap beer.
If you can’t make the trail run make the yoga. If you can’t make the yoga, meet us at Dona Rosa at 8:30
I’m gonna make the yoga challenging and fun. Come out and share the run/fun. Bring some extra clothes, it is gonna be a sweaty one.
Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Yogi in training
A Running Dialouge – Sole Runners Mentors’ Newsletter
Click on the photo above to download the PDF file of the newsletter
Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Sole Runners Head Coach
Sole Runner’s Track Workout 800’s – Working to Get Faster
Click the image above to see more details. The data does not include warm-up and the complete cool down.
Had a fun track workout last night as the Sole Runners took on 800’s for the first time this session. Our goals were, practice a fast pace, work on our Chi Running® posture while going fast, lifting the heels slightly higher, keeping our lean, swinging our arms and I always work on moving my internal energy (chi) up and out, so my feet land soft and quick.
I also was keeping an eye on my HR (heart rate). I know where it is going to be in the last hour of my marathon if I am running close to 8 min/miles. The good thing was the intervals felt easier than I expected. I still have to work speeding up my long runs. Can I get past mile 16 before I want to start slowing down? The track workouts make going faster easier, that’s for sure.
As, usual we finished with some yoga at sunset. Another beautiful night in Long Beach. Oh, I forgot to mention $1 tacos afterwards
Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Sole Runners Head Coach
Long Training Run Data
Click on the map above to look at each mile split.
The weather was pretty cool for Pasadena, with some cloud cover. I could have used some more calories around mile 17. In fact, an aid station would have been great but by that time the run was coming to an end. You’ll also notice no real stops. Barry and I only hit 2 red lights at major intersections during all 19 miles.
The best part of yesterday was that I came prepared. It started with a Gotein as soon as I finished. Then I went for a 16 mile bike ride (not recommended) but I drank Clif Electrolyte and Coconut water the entire ride. I got home showered, went to lunch with my mom and had a nice big meal. I felt great. Good enough to run a short, slow trail run and lead a Runner’s Yoga in the evening.
What I am getting at is getting the proper ratio of nutrients in you right after your training sessions, especially if they are long and/or intense. I know on Saturday with the Sole Runners I grab some type of recovery meal/drink but sometimes I am outside that 45 minute window. I will start writing more on recovery nutrition as I am going through a nutritional programming certification course this month. Look for me to bring a cooler with more specific recovery nutrition and give Gotein a try.
Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Chi Running Instructor.
Power Bar Brought the New Power Bar Ironman Perform Sport Drink to Our Thursday Night Trail Run
The Thursday night running crew tested the new Power Bar Ironman Perform Sports Drink after a hot 4 mile trail run. Jeff with Power Bar had them all iced down and they tasted great after the run.
From what I understand, it will be the on course drink at many of the big marathons like: LA, Long Beach, Boston, Chicago and others.
Now’s the time to test it out on some longer training runs. Thanks Power Bar and Jeff. I’ll let you know how I think it works soon, here on SoCalRunning.com
Drink Focused, Steve Mackel – Product Tester
Free – The Red 11’s, My Band Made Up of All Runners, Plays T. Boyle’s Tavern in Pasadena Wednesday, July 28, 9 PM
The Red 11’s is an all runner band and the band I play in. We play at T. Boyles 9 PM, this Wednesday in Pasadena. Every member in the band is a runner and triathlete.
If you wonder how we got our name, well it had to do with running. If you have ever seen a guy that forgot Body Glide® and seen the red streaks down the front of his shirt, you can guess where we got the band name.
We play covers and have fun. T Boyles is in the alley behind the theater. Come join us Wendnesday. Directions to T. Boyles in Pasadena.
Play Focused, Steve Mackel Red 11’s Bass Player
The Second 16 Miles – More Data with the Sole Runners
Click Above to View the Details
Friday’s 17 miles were probably the most consistent 17 miles I have ever done. These 16 were more difficult because the legs were already well-trained. I did slow down and speed up to run with various Sole Runners. After the push during mile 13, I took a long walk break.
In the end it really felt like a breakthrough weekend. My legs felt better after the second 16 then the first 21. Breaking through one barrier at least.
Now it is time to prepare for the Red 11’s show this Wednesday night.
Play Focused, Steve Mackel -RRCA Certified Marathon Coach
Got ‘er Done – Ran 37 Miles in 37 Hours
I can’t download my Garmin until Monday but I averaged 9:14 min/miles in my 16 mile run today. But that’s because I took a long walk break. I wanted a sub 2 hour half (13.1) and had a 1:57 with some slowing down to run with Sole Runners. At mile 10.5 Matt went flying past me. I ran with Alex mile for a half mile until he dropped me. I finished running in with Weitze while he was pushing a 8:00 min/miles pace on me in the last two miles.
I ran 33 of 37 miles in 27 hours and it was a great test for my legs. Work to do but feeling good about it.
Train Focused, Steve Mackel Sole Runners Head Coach
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