Morning from Texas!

It’s great to be back in the United States where the weather is warm, football is back on and I can enjoy running outdoors without inhaling smog, dirt, dust and a host of other bad things.

This month I’d like to talk about enjoying your training.

How often do you smile when lifting weights, running, cycling, swimming or doing yoga? Are you grateful for the opportunity to train that day, even if you don’t feel the greatest?

This morning I went for a 5-mile run near where I live in Central Texas. The weather was cool, there was a slight breeze and it was just a great day to be outside enjoying God’s creations (even if there were a bunch of cars zipping around taking their kids to school…). I enjoyed my run and enjoyed the beautiful cool weather, which is a rarity this time of the year in Texas.

When you’re strength training, do you ever just find yourself smiling on the inside or the outside at the opportunity to make your body stronger through training? When you complete a difficult set, do you crack a slight grin because you’re proud of the effort? I’ll admit…I do at times. Do you smile when you’re mid-800m track interval (and sucking!) and a great song comes on your iPod? I do. And you should too.

Almost every day that I have the opportunity train, I am grateful. I am grateful because I know there are people in this world - because of wounds suffered in combat, sickness, or other health defects - that do not have the opportune to train. In the morning when I wake up, if I’m ever feeling just the slightest bit sorry for myself, I remind myself that I am fortunate to be able to exercise and grateful for the opportunity to go out and train hard that day.

If you’re able bodied and can go out and work hard - enjoy it. I encourage you to have a sense of gratitude about your training and I think it will go a long towards enjoying your workout - even if it is a brutal training session (like 800m interval repeats…).

And when you’re done working your tail off…take Perfect Amino. Why? Because it’s a lot easier than making a complicated protein shake (and cheaper), and it will help you enjoy your next training session that much more. Why again? Because the less sore you are - the better the next training session is going to feel (at least I hope so).

I’ve lost men under my command in combat and know several others who suffered life altering wounds at the hands of the enemy. I was also wounded in combat and still feel the effects of my wounds from time to time. I think of those men I lost and those who can no longer train the way they did before being wounded and it brings me a sense of gratitude every time I am able to train.

I encourage you to find your reason for gratitude and the next time you lace ‘em up, be thankful for the opportunity to push yourself and get better.

Talk to you next month.

-Ed