Sean Tucker is one of my favorite photographer and YouTuber. I first stumbled across his channel while looking for photography/videography. Sean takes some amazing photos and some of his tutorial videos are amazing. What kept me coming back however was less Sean’s talents as a photographer and more his talents as a philosopher/presenter of ideas. If you are looking for technical tips on photography this is not the interview you are looking for.
I am more interested in Sean’s world view and some of the history of how he has become the man that he is.
Raphael Cushnir is a leading voice in the world of emotional connection and present moment awareness. He has shared his unique approach to personal and professional development with millions of readers in O, The Oprah Magazine, Beliefnet, Spirituality and Health, Psychology Today, and The Huffington Post. He is the author of six books, lectures worldwide, and is a faculty member of the Esalen Institute, the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies. In addition, he coaches individuals and teams at Fortune 100 companies, governments, religious organizations, and leading non-profits. Raphael’s own heart was opened by an experience of profound grief.
Cushnir’s first book, Unconditional Bliss: Finding Happiness in the Face of Hardship(Quest), was nominated for the year 2000 Books for a Better Life Award. It introduced a simple yet profound process called Living the Questions. Learn more about the book and the process here.
Cushnir’s second book, Setting Your Heart on Fire: Seven Invitations to Liberate Your Life(Broadway Books/Random House), was published in 2003 and is currently used as a major teaching text at spiritual centers around the U.S. The book’s Seven Invitations comprise an invigorating, step-by-step process for reopening and reawakening even the most wounded of hearts. Learn more about the book and the invitations here.
In 2005, Chronicle Books released How Now: 100 Ways to Celebrate the Present Moment. This gift book, with 20 full-color photographs and a highly accessible version of his core principles, quickly became Cushnir’s bestseller. A companion card deck soon followed. How Now was chosen as one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2005 by Spirituality and Health Magazine. Learn more about the book and deck here.
Chris Norton is a former American footballdefensive back who played Division III football for the Luther College Norse. His football career ended in 2010 when he became paralyzed while making a tackle during a kick off in a game against Central College. He was given a 3% chance of ever regaining movement below the neck but has continued to recover some sensation and mobility throughout his body—including his hands, legs, feet and torso.[1] Today he lives in Florida with his wife where he manages his non-profit foundation and works full-time as a motivational speaker.
Chris managed to work hard to defy all the odds and got to a point where he walked across the stage for his graduation. Inspired by the help and dedication of his fiance Chris made his next mission to walk down the aisle to marry the love of his life. Chris has an incredibly inspiring story. In this episode, we talk about the importance of accepting that sometimes life has better plans for you than you had for yourself.
Chris shares how he was able to take his mess and turn it into a message. We discuss the importance of taking responsibility for your life no matter what the circumstances. He talks about how he made that choice and refused to accept the status quo but also accepting where he was at.
Your future will take care of itself if you take care of today.
We talk about celebrating the little wins in order to keep you motivated and moving forward. There is a balance of grieving the past and simultaneously move forward. Allowing ourselves to feel all the negative feelings rather than suppressing them.
Chris has recently published his new book The Seven Longest Yards. Stay to the end of the podcast for a free gift from Chris.
Levi Allen is an adventure filmmaker and a gem of a human being. He is best known for his work on the Slack life series and his feature-length film Untethered. I had a chance to sit with Levi face to face and discuss filmmaking, relationships and some of the productivity strategies he employs in his life. Levi hosted a 6 day, 5 night storytelling workshop on a sailboat along the Sunshine Coast in BC. Levi explains where his tag line “Life’s better when you make stuff” originated with a level of detail and personal intimacy he has not yet captured on video. I think you will enjoy this one.
John Price is a photographer and climber. He has spent the last six years traveling all over the world, while basing himself out of Canada. Over the last three years John has been actively climbing and photographing rock, ice and alpine ascents throughout North America, including the deserts of Nevada, the Ruth Gorge in Alaska, the remote corners of the Himalaya, rural Japan and extensively throughout the Canadian Rockies. Currently based in Canmore, Alberta. Working as a freelance adventure, lifestyle and landscape photographer, John teaches private workshops, creates editorial pieces and shoots for commercial projects for a range of clients.
Accelerate your growth
In this episode we talk about what it takes to accelerate your learning and shorten the time frame for mastery in whatever field you are in. John shares how he leverages his mentors to learn more and learn faster. We get real and talk a little bit about John’s struggles with anxiety and depression and how he handles that. We talk about how as a species we tend to suffer in silence. We talk about vulnerability and connection.
We talk about getting real as men and the practice of holding space for each other.
Check out John’s work at http://johnpricephotography.ca or on Facebook and Instagram. Links below
As Fathers Day approaches I am left to reflect on the kind of father I am and the kind of father I want to be. I am privileged to be called “Dad” by two fine young adults, a 16 year old daughter and an 18 year old son. I think often of how I can best serve them as they navigate this crazy world of ours. And while I am far from perfect, as a student of leadership it seems to me that the most effective way of supporting their growth is to take a page from Kuezes and Posners work The Leadership Challenge and Model the Way. To lead by example.
This is one of the reasons I am proud to take on a strong advocacy role when it comes to gender equity and the prevention of violence and abuse. I believe that men have a very important role to play in both these arenas. I also know that many good men, men who want to make a difference, sometimes struggle trying to understand where they can step up and pitch in. I strive to be an example for my children as to what you can do when you take a stand for something you believe in. I strive to show men everywhere how they can make an impact.
For my daughter, I want her to see that there are ‘good men’ out there. I want to show her what it means to have healthy relationships. For my son, I want him to see the same and show him how as a ‘good man’ he can step up and make a difference. I want them both to understand how much better our world becomes when we actively participate in solutions instead of simply griping about the problem.
This is why I am incredibly excited to tell you I have agreed to take part in the Strengthening Ties initiative put together by Women’s Shelters Canada. Strengthening Ties is putting together 100 founding men who will make a commitment to standing in solidarity with women who are suffering abuse. We currently have 82 men, some of the most influential businessmen in Canada, who have made a commitment to this initiative.
The Opportunity
While there is a financial commitment to becoming a founding member, I see this as an incredible opportunity to show my children and the world that men do care. That in fact 100 of us have agreed to stand together for change. So when I reflect on what kind of father I want to be I can easily say that I want to be the kind of father that Models the Way to a better world, a world of gender equity free of abuse. I want to be the kind of father that shows, rather than tells his kids how to create that world.
If any of this resonates with you as a father, you still have an opportunity to become one of the last 18 founding members. You can find information here or give me a phone call at 780.903.4000
You can see the men currently involved here as well.
I wanted to share with you an experience I had that is honestly one of the best moments of my life. This was an incredible example of a very important topic. ‘Holding Space’ for another human being.
What does it mean to “Hold Space” for someone? This is a topic that has profound impact on our relationships. As men, we have a tendency to want to jump in and ‘fix’ things for those we care about. Holding Space is pretty much the opposite of that.
Simply put “Holding Space” means to be entirely present, supportive and non judgemental to another’s current emotional state while being fully immersed in your own experience. We need to practice awareness and empathy for another while simultaneously being attuned to our own judgements, emotions and desired outcomes.
The Chopra Centre defines holding space as
“embodying the principle of surrounding the environment with your awareness in a way that provides comfort and compassion for all.”
For our purposes we are really talking about being present, aware and supportive of each other in the current moment without intervening to try and ‘fix’ whatever experience another person is having. Holding Space is about creating a safe environment for a person to lean into whatever they are feeling without fear of judgement.
My Story
On the weekend I ended up taking my 16 year old daughter to get her winter tires swapped out for summer ones. We ended up having about an hour to kill while the tire shop worked on her vehicle. We went out to a quaint little coffee shop and ordered iced mochas. They were delicious.
We chatted a little about her work schedule and I remarked on how proud she must feel given how hard she had been working and how much money she had saved up. Eventually, she came around and asked me what was new. I shared with her my excitement about the men’s group I was leading and shared some of the impacts it was having on the men. She beamed and said that I must be very proud as well. This really touched me. I told her I was and I went on to explain to her why this was important work.
You see several years ago my girlfriend had been killed by an ex-boyfriend who had also taken his own life. So as I spoke the words “This is important because emotionally connected men do not kill people” I absolutely fell apart and started sobbing. We were in the middle of a crowded coffee shop. She just held my gaze with a look of compassion and as I started trying to compose myself she reminded me of what I had just spent the last 10 minutes telling her. That it was OK for men to feel. She didn’t offer me condolences, she did not try to assuage my pain. She simply held space for me. It was truly one of the most beautiful moments of my life.
Where have you ‘held space’ for another or when has someone ‘held space’ for you? Maybe more importantly do you ‘hold space’ for yourself?
As a business leader, one of the greatest challenges I’ve had is communicating my vision with my team and gaining buy-in. But what if I didn’t have to do that at all? What if I could turn the tables on communication as I knew it?
I found I could actually attain a higher level of buy-in with listening rather than talking. It may seem counterintuitive, however, sometimes I am more effective in communicating my vision by listening rather than talking.
So what am I talking about? I am talking about “Empathetic Listening”.
What is empathetic listening?
Empathetic listening means listening to fully understand rather than listening to respond. Let’s have a look at the definition of the word empathy:
“the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.”
This means when we are “listening” to our team we need to do so in the context of their feelings and not our own. We need to suspend judgement and potentially even suspend our own objectives in order to truly hear what someone is saying. It is about the practice of hearing through the emotional lens of another.
Why is this important?
Many leaders today only ‘listen’ to their team in order to gather fuel to defend his or her position. For me, when I was early in my leadership career the ascent was swift. I climbed the corporate ladder and eventually branched out on my own. I learned early to become a good listener. This allowed me to spot growth opportunities and respond appropriately based on what I had heard.
Once I started having some success however, it was easy to start feeling like I had to start providing more answers than questions. I had to remind myself to keep that listening mindset or risk losing the support of those around me.
I recently came across a quote which resonated with me.
“Leaders who don’t listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say.” Andy Stanley
This can be the kiss of death to any organization. If your people stop talking, then apathy sets in. Apathy breeds disengagement and ultimately results in lost productivity. Employing the practice of empathetic listening will ensure your team feels valued and stays engaged.
“In order to increase trust, leaders need to take steps to increase their ability, build their benevolence, and demonstrate their integrity. Leaders can do so on a follower‐by‐follower basis, but can also take steps to create a culture of trustworthiness within their organizations.”
Empathetic listening is a perfect opportunity to do this on a one on one basis. It also helps to build a listening culture that fosters trust throughout the organization. Through better listening, you have the opportunity to demonstrate that you actually care about the well being of those you work with (benevolence). You can further demonstrate your integrity by following through on what was discussed. This follow-through can only happen once you have actually heard what your team has to say.
2. Empathetic listening allows the speaker to release their emotions.
In business, we have long been taught to remain logical doing our best to remove emotion from the equation. The reality is that research demonstrates this is not really possible. As human beings we make decisions based on emotion, justified by logic. Allowing a healthy release of emotions is a great way to diffuse difficult situations.
3. Stress reduction
When a team feels like they are actually being heard and that they are valued they will feel more comfortable and therefore less stress.
From a leadership standpoint, decision making can be extremely stressful. You can reduce your own stress levels through better listening. Knowing that you have a more complete picture from your team from which to base decisions can help you more confidently move forward.
4. Better listening often leads to getting to the heart of the matter sooner than later.
In a sales context, I call this getting past the ‘stall’ to get to the ‘objection’. A stall is really just a deferral of a decision and not a true ‘objection’ that can be addressed. For example, a “Let me talk to my partner” may be a legitimate requirement or it may simply be a stall because your prospect feels your product or service is too… fill in the blank. Expensive, poor quality, etc.
In this case, you may need to ask more questions to get past the stall to find out what the real objection is.
In leadership, it is easy to make assumptions about team comprehension of, buy in to, or desire to achieve your organizational vision. These assumptions usually come from our own experiences and may or may not be relevant to you and your current team. Fostering a culture of listening will assist you to identify any current or potential disconnects from where you are and where you want the team to go.
5. Creates a safe, collaborative workplace that is more conducive to problem-solving
When your team feels heard without judgment they are more likely to speak freely without reservation. As previously discussed this allows the leadership team to more readily identify areas for improvement and more importantly it serves to foster a culture of collaboration. It is when our teams feel safe to express thoughts and ideas that innovation happens.
How can we do it?
If you are still reading at this point I am going to presume that you buy into the value of empathetic listening. So the next question is obvious… How do we do it?
Listen with all of your senses. Check body language and tonality as well as the actual verbiage.
Listen even when no one is speaking.
I was out for a run with my Sunday run group and was discussing this topic with a friend who is in a management position. One of the things that she brought up that I thought was absolutely brilliant was this concept of listening even when no one is speaking. What I mean by that is to pay attention to your surroundings. The mood of the office, the conversations at the water cooler. Where do people light up with respect to the organization? What aspects do they dread?
Be aware of raw spots.
I first heard the term ‘raw spot’ while reading Susan Johnson’s book Hold Me Tight: Conversations for connection. The book is meant to be a guide for couples in a relationship though many of the principles are well heeded by any business leader. A raw spot can cause a response/reaction that may seem disproportionate to the situation. For example a team member who was constantly publicly berated under prior leadership may be extremely sensitive to conversations about performance no matter how trivial they may be.
Accessible, Responsive and Engaged.
Another concept in the same relationship book is what the author describes as “A.R.E. you there?”. I have found this to be a great acronym when it comes to practicing the art of empathetic listening. These three pieces are a great checklist to keep top of mind.
Ask questions: More often than not what people need are not better answers but simply better questions. In a leadership role, it is easy to get sucked into the belief that we always have to provide answers. The truth of the matter is that providing better questions is substantially more valuable than providing answers. There is also an additional advantage in that asking the right questions can actually change peoples way of thinking. There is a popular phrase in psychology “Neurons that fire together wire together.” meaning that the more our brain cells communicate with each other in a certain fashion the more those neural pathways become ‘wired together’. Asking strategic questions allows us to shape the thought patterns of our team keeping those neurons firing in a positive manner that assists in moving forward toward organizational objectives.
Getting to the heart of the matter. Sometimes people are slow to have difficult conversations with leadership. It is important to recognize this and practice the art of patience and question in order to dig deeper and get to the root of an issue.
Repeat back/paraphrase – Take the time to recount what you have heard in your own language and ask for confirmation. There are many times when what we hear is not what people said (or meant to say). Taking the time to confirm what you heard not only ensures clarity it also demonstrates caring, making your team feel more valued.
Bringing it all together
Empathetic listening is as much an art as it is a skill. And like any other art or skill, it requires practice in order to achieve mastery. I am going to ask you to not ‘try’ any of the concepts I have outlined above. Instead, I am going to ask you to ‘practice’ all of them. A subtle shift in language I know, but this reframing from trying to practicing can make the difference.
The beauty of the art of listening is that it can be practiced anywhere.
It requires no special equipment. Simply the presence of, and interaction with, another human being. Listening as a leadership trait is not limited to the boardroom and workplace. Look for opportunities to practice the skills we have discussed wherever you are. You can practice with your kids, your spouse, your neighbor or even your grocer or barista. Try them out and see what happens to the quality of relationships in your life at all levels!
It struck me odd to hear myself saying “I’m JUST running the 24 hour race”. At what point in my life did running for 24 hours become a “Just”???
2019 is the year I turn 50 and I am committed to making this the best year yet. As a result of this commitment Michelle and I decided to follow my running buddy Dennene down to Phoenix where she would be competing in the Across The Years 72 hour race.
Insert record scratch sound effect here. Yes you heard that right. She would be moving for 72 hours.
In fact there would be some that would be doing the same for a total of 6 days. According to their website: “Across The Years is the original fixed-time multiday running event celebrating the New Year! Runners have 24, 48, 72 hours or 6 days to cover as much distance as possible. Each runner is free to walk, stop, eat, and sleep whenever they wish, but the clock is always running!”
I had heard of these timed events before but never really had been attracted to explore the possibility of running one. Oh yeah. Did I mention that the run is held on an approximate 1 mile loop?? This idea had never really appealed to me. I did however think it would be fun for Michelle and I to hop on a plane and head down to sunny Phoenix to ring in the new year together. I also still needed to get some training miles in for my big race in Costa Rica taking place on my actual 50th birthday February 10.
The only truly appealing thing about Across the Years timed event was the fact that the finish line keeps getting closer whether you are moving or not. We booked our flights and AirBnb knowing that at minimum we’d have a nice getaway and be able to cheer Dennene on. I had until 11:59pm December 24 to decide if I wanted to register for the race.
If you know me you will not be surprised to learn that my registration was submitted on December 24, 2018 at 11:14pm. Last minute for certain but I was in. Running the 24 hour race starting at 9am December 31, 2018 and ending 9am January 1, 2019. Hence the name Across the Years.
I typically overpack by a ridiculous amount and while I always have everything I could possibly need I rarely use more than a quarter of what I take.
As luck would have it I have been exploring a little bit of a minimalist approach to life these days and decided to pack in that fashion. A quick look at the weather app suggested daytime highs of around 20 degrees celsius (68 Fahrenheit) and lows in the mid single digits (low 40’s fahrenheit). So I packed three pairs of running shorts, 5 running shirts, one thermal long sleeve top, a pair of jeans in addition to the hoodie and spring Helly Hansen jacket I would wear on the plane. I also had 2 pairs of runners and a pair of flip flops for post race.
When we got off the plane in Phoenix it became clear that this packing strategy was a big mistake. It was 11am and only 3 degrees celsius. Another look at the local forecast confirmed what I was afraid of. High’s in the single digits drifting towards the low teens, rain on race day and freezing temperatures overnight. Good thing I had 5 pairs of shorts to run in. Eek.
This was frustrating for sure. I could picture exactly in my bedroom where I left my toque, my buff and my ridiculously expensive, high end running rain jacket. Fortunately for me I have a fairly large network of social media friends. A few of whom live in the Phoenix area. One reached out hoping to connect and when I explained my predicament he quickly offered up some of his cool weather hiking gear. Thanks to his generosity and a $12 raincoat from Target I was now feeling much better prepared for my race.
The days leading up to the race we spent a little bit of time at the track getting a feel for the landscape and cheering on Dennene who had started her 72 hour journey on December 29, 2018 and would finish with me on January 1, 2019. We also found a great pizza place in Scottsdale called Dough Birds, which I would highly recommend. Thankfully race start was not til9am so we didn’t have to get up stupid early to get to the venue on time. That being said I do like to be there with plenty of time to spare.
Given that I would be running for 24 hours a good night sleep the night before seemed like the prudent thing to do. Sadly the 2 dogs who lived at our AirBnb did not have the same sentiment. The old deaf and blind pair of dogs barked at shadows keeping Michelle and I awake far longer than I would have liked.
We woke at 7am and meandered to the kitchen for my traditional pre race meal of oatmeal. I typically eat a banana at the same time but had forgotten to grab some the night before. I wasn’t too worried though as I knew the looped course format and fully supported race would provide ample opportunity to eat if needed. We finished breakfast and headed out the door.
The morning air was crisp and hovering around 2 degrees celsius. As we left the house I had to pause. The glow of the sun starting to crest the horizon creating silhouettes of the palm trees overhead. The ambient glow of the Christmas lights on the house across the street against the looming sunrise was enough to stop me in my tracks. This was certainly a moment to stop and smell the roses (or in this case lemon tree).
We arrived at on course at about 8am after stopping for a Starbucks enroute. I had sweat pants over my shorts and a toque and several top layers to stay warm. We went to the registration tent to pickup my race package and timing chip and made our way to Dennene’s tent and crew to settle in.
The Course
Alright, let’s talk about the course itself. This is one of the pieces I found most intriguing about the 24 hour format. Not only do you run for 24 hours, you do so on a single mile loop. Well, 1.0498 miles to be exact. According the race website the loop consists of 85% dirt paths and 15% asphalt/concrete. The track averages 10-20 feet in width, with a minimum width of 8 feet.
A lake/water feature broke up the monotony about half way through the course. The course is relatively flat. In fact if you were to go for a quick run with friends you would say that the course was dead flat. However, in a 24 hour race something funny happens. At about 8 hours in you start to notice that someone has added a few ‘substantial’ hills to your previously flat course. At about the 12 hour mark you start to notice that somehow they have also snuck in some ‘minor’ hills to the course. After about 16 hours I noticed that even those portions that you would have sworn were flat as a pancake also actually had had some incline introduced to them.
The Race Experience
So much to share here but I’ll try to be succinct. The race started at 9am and was oddly anticlimactic. Most races I have done there is this build up to the start, everyone like Greyhounds waiting to be released from the chute. Not here. We would soon be joining a host of other runners on this looped track. Some had already been running for 3 days. It was an eery sight to see people of all shapes, sizes and ages making their way around the track. In these long distance timed events it is all about pacing and strategy. The format is a great equalizer and it is not always the strongest/fastest runners who win. Body management here is key.
We counted down from ten and a flock of a couple hundred runners doing the 24 hour new year race took off down the track. What added to the oddity of the experience was that they changed directions every four hours and our start time, 9am, was one of those occasions. This meant that as we started out we were running into runners coming the other direction. All of whom had been out for at least 24 hours so far and most were quick with the high fives to the fresh meat entering the arena.
I really had no expectations going into this one and since I was only 5 weeks out from my ‘A’ race, the Coastal Challenge in Costa Rica, I did not want to risk injury by pushing too hard. It was a nice position to be in. There are no DNF’s in a timed event. You simply run as far as you can (or as you like) in the allotted time. Aid was never more than a mile away which made for a really nice, comfortable environment.
I ran the first lap with my GoPro to get some shots for the VLOG and as usual went out a little fast. After the first lap I ditched the GoPro and my toque with Michelle and set off to see who I could meet on lap 2. I ended up running with David from Albuquerque, a consultant who had recently finished the Big Foot 200 mile race. We settled into a great conversation about running and life. In the back of my mind I knew I was running faster than I should be given the distance I would be covering. David and I ran together for some time and eventually I peeled off to grab a drink with Michelle knowing I needed to settle into my own pace and not someone else’s.
I decided to shoot a quick Facebook Live video in an effort to slow down a little and give my friends at home a quick look into the window of a 24 hour race. A few laps later I also engaged on Facebook and posted
“Time to slow it down. You know the adage it’s a marathon not a sprint? Well I need to remind myself it’s a 24 hour race not a marathon. Thanks for all the love so far. ❤️”
Which I thought would be a good way of updating friends but also keeping myself accountable to slow it down. The best part was the text that I received shortly after this post from a friend of mine.
“Hey buddy, just saw your FB post. Everything OK?”
Clearly he had seen the post out of context and thought that life was getting me down. It makes me smile to know I have friends like this. I replied with a quick selfie and a
“LOL. Yes sir! I’m literally running for 24 hours. Life is good!”
At this point the rain was threatening with a drizzle or two but not really actually raining enough to warrant the inconvenience of a jacket so Michelle wore the newly acquired $12 rain poncho. At about 4 and a half hours in Michelle decided to go grab herself a coffee from Starbucks. She let me know I would be on my own for a few laps while she left the course. I kissed her and took off on the next lap. She texted me as I was leaving to remind me the water bottle and warm clothes were on the table at Dennene’s tent if I needed them.
About five minutes later Mother Nature decided she was done teasing us and the sky opened up as I was on the far side of the track. Great, half a mile til I could get back to the extra clothing. No problem. I got back to the tent, found the warm clothes and quickly noted that the one item I needed, the rain coat, did not appear to be there. I guessed the obvious, that Michelle had forgotten she was wearing it when she left. I texted her “Rain coat?” to which I received no reply.
This made me smile as I love a good story and this would add to our repertoire of ‘crew stories’. Ask me about some of the others some time ;0) Eventually she came back with coffee in hand and rain coat at the ready for me. I was thoroughly enjoying our shared experience on this race even just a quarter of the way in or so.
Did you sleep or rest at all?
Sleep no, rest yes.
At some point I decided I would take a 5 minute break at the 6 hour mark. I knew that I had to take some rest and find some way to break up the monotony of a 24 hour run. The break felt amazing and I left ‘camp’ feeling refreshed and re-energized. Each lap I slowed to grab a drink and walk a few hundred feet to consume some fluids and calories as needed. I thought I would try and go another 6 hours before taking my next ‘substantial’ break.
I didn’t make it that long. 9pm would mark the halfway point and I was eager to reach that knowing that it would be similar to running an out and back. The second half you are on your way home and psychologically it feels so much better than running the ‘Out’ portion. At this point I did not let Michelle tell me how much distance I had covered and simply started asking about lap times. I ran til just before 8pm then decided to take a break. I knew I must be getting close to 50 miles (halfway to my goal that I didn’t really have). I debated asking Michelle to tell me when I hit that milestone but forgot to.
The Bell
I had just bested my previous 50 mile time by a long shot.
They had a brass bell that hung waiting to be rung anytime someone sets a new personal best. It was pretty cool to hear the bell from time to time. We’d cheer someones new 100km, 100 mile, 200 mile or even 300 mile personal best. At my 8pm break Michelle slid in a “I meant to ask you. What is your 50 mile PB?” I had a hunch I knew why she was asking. The next lap around, as I came in, Michelle smiles at me and says “Ring the bell!”
The Game
At 9pm I rolled over my 55th mile. Halfway through and now I knew that the elusive 100 mile “goal that wasn’t a goal” was actually solidly on the table. I get goosebumps as I write this.
At this point I started playing the math game. I suspect most long distance runners play some variation of this game. I started calculating how fast I would need to run each lap to make 100 miles in the 24 hour time frame. Each lap was a little over a mile and would therefore require 96 full laps to hit the 100 mile mark.
24 hours times 60 minutes = 1440 minutes to complete. 1440 minutes / 96 laps = 15 minute lap average.
Since I had completed 55 miles so far I knew I just needed to average 15 minutes per lap on the last 12 hours and I would still have some wiggle room. In fact every hour after 12 that I met that 15 minute mark would mean I would have a little more grace on each lap thereafter.
I told Michelle we were going to play a game. I was going to run four laps every hour on the hour. This meant that if I ran four laps in 56 minutes I had 4 minutes I could rest. If I ran faster then I had a longer rest.
The beauty of this was that I only ever had to run four laps. Easy. It also helped on that fourth lap, which was sometimes quite difficult, to know that the faster I finished it the more rest I got.
This worked fabulously until after several hours I miscounted and peeled off for my rest after only 3 laps. I sat down in the chair and accepted whatever food or liquid Michelle brought me. I looked over at the clock and realized there was no way I had gained that much time. I confirmed with Michelle that I had come in early. She nodded. I looked at the clock and decided to take my rest now making sure I left enough time to finish lap 4 within the allotted hour.
I wasn’t sure how well, or how smart it would be to string together five laps in a row but decided I could figure it out later. Fortunately when I finished lap 4 of this set I still had a minute in the bank. When I came in Michelle asked me if I wanted to take that minute and rest. I initially said no then quickly back pedalled. Heck yes. The minute was just what I needed and I felt fresh going back out for my next set of four.
I think it was at this point when I asked Michelle how far in I was. I was hoping I was at 80 miles which would leave me 5 sets of 4 to go. Not the case. I was around 76.8. The way the math worked I would have 5 sets and then 3 laps. A much more palatable way of thinking then 23 laps. It was at this point we started doing estimations. “If you keep up this pace you can hit 100 miles by 8am” Michelle said. What I heard that she did not say was “and we can be in the fucking car by 8:05”.
Crew
I have to take a minute and talk about how amazing Michelle was during this race. It’s not every woman’s version a romantic getaway but it was definitely ours. Come to Phoenix they said. It’ll be warm they said. Definitely not the case. I ran in shorts and a tee shirt the entire time, quickly being identified as Canadian, it was neither warm nor sunny.
From a crew perspective the difference with a looped course is that you see your runner on average every 14 minutes. This meant that Michelle had to be ‘on’, catering to my needs every 12 minutes or so. This is not conducive to rest periods. Despite the amount of aid available this type of race has to be one of the most difficult to crew.
Michelle put up with my highs and lows for the full race always putting her comfort aside to ensure I had what I needed. Babe, if you are reading this let me tell you, you are one amazing woman and I am forever grateful for all your support in everything we do together.
The Home Stretch
Alright, enough with the mushy stuff. At this point, 80 miles in I knew that barring some catastrophe that 100 mile belt buckle would be ours. We were starting to really count down, although I don’t think either of us really verbalized it for fear of jinxing something. I got down to the point were I had two full sets of four laps then one set of three to go. Less than 11 miles to go to that milestone and plenty of time to do it.
It was just past 90 miles (my fourth lap of the set) where I started feeling my right knee give out. The pain came out of nowhere and was a solid 7 or 8 out of 10. Are you fucking kidding me? I am not going to do this again. I am not having to hobble my last 10 miles only to fall short. I was scared, I was annoyed and I was frustrated. I came in off my 4th lap ready for a break and hoped that the rest would work magic. I told Michelle that it was hurting, not wanting to verbalize it into being any more than it already was. I took my rest and headed back out on the track.
The rest had done what I needed it to. I came in off that first lap feeling about a 3/10 for pain. I could finish this. I hope.
I think it was around this lap that I said to Michelle “You know when I hit that 100 miles we’re done right?” She replied with a “Fucking rights we are. I’ve already got the car packed.”
I could hear my Sunday run buddy Steve Baker in my head “Are you fucking kidding me? Finish the fucking 24 hours.” I smiled and dismissed the thought. I wanted that buckle but beyond that I had nothing to prove and did not want to risk injury in “meaningless laps”.
I told Michelle to make sure she had the camera ready for the last lap because I wanted footage of me ringing that bell. I came in on my 2nd last lap and saw her already with the camera. I smiled and mugged for the camera holding up my pointer finger “1 more to go!”. I would find out later that she thought that was my last lap.
So off I set on my final mile loop. I was like a horse to the stable. I did not want to slow down, I wanted to finish this thing. I reflected on the time that had passed and marvelled at how far I have come as a runner. More importantly how far I have come as a human being.
If you know me you know it is never about the run. For me it is about the people. It is about the lessons. It is about the discipline to train and the grit to push through what you used to think impossible. It is about relationships. It is about strengthening existing ones and creating new ones. I run for me and for no one else.
So whether you are JUST running a 24 hour race, or JUST running a 5 km or JUST walking a block, do it for you and for no one else. I think you will be amazed at what can happen when you JUST show up!
Today I went back in to work on final edits of a book I finished the first draft of over a year ago. At the very top of the document, I found what amounts to a journal entry the last time I looked at it. I share this today so that you, my readers, friends, and followers will help keep me accountable to finish this thing. Will you help? Give me a little nudge in the comments please!
——————————————————————————————————————————————
April 21, 2018: You will likely never know this but it has been awhile 🙂
I think it was Stephen Pressfield who said “It is not the writing that is hard. It is the sitting down to write.”
For whatever reason, I have been reluctant to sit down to write lately. I seem to have had some measure of a crisis of confidence. It is a feeling that surely plagues us all. Whether we call it imposter syndrome or just our demons of doubt, these feelings I at least hope, are not unique to me. We see these folks, especially now on social media, espousing great mantras of self-confidence and bravado. Perhaps they really feel that way, perhaps they are just trying to make themselves feel it. The old ‘fake it til you make it’ adage. Whatever it is I need to find some of it.
I think it is about having some little successes along the way. That though, requires putting yourself out there. If no one sees our work then we have no opportunity for success. Though the flip side is that we, therefore, have no chance of failure either. It is a safe comfy little space to play in.
So why the fuck am I here? I have never been one to play it safe. I have always been about moving forward regardless of outcomes. Sometimes I win sometimes I suck. I loved Dave Proctors discussion about how he sucked at every other race, and that meant that he also succeeded at every second race.
If you do not enter the race you have no opportunity to win, place or show. So, Mike, it is time to become that man in the arena. Time to put on your gear and step into the ring. It is absolutely fucking terrifying to think that you may well get the shit knocked out of you by those who choose to stand on the sidelines. Ask yourself this though: “Would you rather wither and fade in silence or would you rather crash and burn in a blaze of glory.”
His mind said “What if I can’t? What if I am no good? What if I fail?” Then his heart spoke up “But what if you can?! What if you really are that good? What if you succeed?” So he proceeded in spite of his fears.
This episode is a special one. It was a bit of an experiment in the fact that I strapped on a couple of wireless Lav mics and ran with Dave to conduct this interview. I also believe this is the beginning of a long term friendship with Dave.
Dave lives in Okotoks, Alberta ,Canada, a small city just south of Calgary. Married since 2004 to the love of his life Sharon. They have three gloriously buzzing kids Julia (11), Sam (8), and Adele (6). Dave has a busy massage therapy practice specializing in deep tissue therapy, working out from two clinics: LIV ACTIV Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation in Calgary and Diamond Valley Chiropractic & Health Centre in Black Diamond. When he’s not chasing his three monkeys and treating patients, he like to run obscene distances.
He is the world record holder for the furthest distance run on a treadmill in 24 hours (260.4kms), the Canadian record holder for 24hours (257.093kms), and hold numerous Canadian course records for ultramarathons.
His passion for running started in his teenage years running track and cross country in school. It went further in high school when he joined a Calgary track club (Caltaf Athletic Assn.) and started competing in Decathlon. In 2006 he ran his first ultramarathon in Lethbridge and hasn’t turned back since.
In June of 2018 Dave will set out to break another record. He will be running across Canada in 66 days. He will average a total of 108KM per day for the entire 66 days. His “Why” is his son Sam who struggles daily with a rare disease called RECA, which makes simple movements difficult. Simply put, if he could run like his father he would never stop. Dave’s goal is to raise over a million dollars for the Rare Disease Foundation.
In this episode, we talk a lot about self-limiting beliefs and how to push past them. We dive into ultramarathon running strategies including body management, mind management as well as nutrition and sleep strategies.
Dave talks about training both on and off the road. “Some of the best runners I know are some of the best people I know. I don’t believe that is by accident.”
We talk about how rare disease affects 1 in 12 Canadians and the lack of strategy that exists in our current health care system. Dave shares his 6 year journey finding a diagnosis for his son and the challenges this places on families.
There are so many incredible stories and nuggets of wisdom in this episode it is impossible for me to summarize them all here. Some of the things we discuss include:
Jane Atkinson is a speakers coach with over 3 decades of expertise in her craft. She has worked with some of the best in the business to ignite their career. She is the author of a 3 books The Wealthy Speaker, The Wealthy Speaker 2.0 and The Epic Keynote. In this episode we discuss the systems and processes that Jane has put in place so that she can get off the hamster wheel of trading time for money.
Jane shares some of the strategies she has employed to help her clients reach 7 figure revenues in their business. While we talk about these strategies in depth we also talk about the need to consistently do good work. Not only do we need consistency we also need Clarity as well. There are no overnight successes are the result of long-term hard work.
Jane outlines her formula of Ready, Aim, Fire to get any business setup for success. All of the strategies that we discuss are applicable to any business not just the speaking business.
One of the keys to successful marketing is to make sure you “make it about them”. We talk some direct strategies to make sure we speak to our customers in a meaningful way.
You will get some social media strategies you can employ immediately.
Click on the link above to listen to the full audio podcast!
Dr John Izzo is the bestselling author of seven books including the international bestsellers Awakening Corporate Soul, Values Shift, The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die, The Five Thieves of Happiness and Stepping Up. John’s passion in helping organizations activate purpose with employees and customers has inspired him to write his 8th book, The Purpose Revolution: How Leaders Create Engagement and Competitive Advantage in an Age of Social Good, to be released March 13, 2018.
Over the last twenty ears he has spoken to over one million people, taught at three major universities, advised over 500 organizations and is frequently featured in the media by the likes of Fast Company, PBS, CBC, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and INC Magazine. He has advised some of the best companies in the world on activating purpose including DuPont, TELUS, Manulife, McDonald’s, SAPA, RBC, Lockheed Martin, Qantas Airlines, Humana, Microsoft, and the Mayo Clinic.
John was a pioneer in the Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability movements and is an Adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia where he is a co-founder of The Men’s Initiative which is dedicated to creating a more “equitable, compassionate and sustainable world through enhancing the wellbeing and integrity of men.” John also serves on the Advisory Board of Sustainable Brands.
There are a number of reasons why today’s leader needs to care about purpose within their organization:
Talent is the number one reason why purpose should matter to today’s business leaders.
– 60% of millennials would take a pay cut to work for a company that gave them a sense of purpose
– 37% of the global workforce are purpose-focused
Because consumers care and will start to demand it. Customer acquisition and retention are solid reasons.
Because we all need to care about what we put out in the world.
Risk: Investors and shareholders are demanding purpose focused, socially responsible companies.
Dr. Izzo shares strategies for organizations to become more purpose-focused. We talk about the Purpose Gap and how you can communicate to your consumers and staff what your purpose is.
“We have to start talking about job purpose, not job function.”
There are a lot of actionable gems in this interview. You can find a copy of the book here (You can also download a free chapter)
