Saturday:
Today was one of the most fun runs I’ve had in a long time.
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Let’s set this run up first, then I’ll get into some thoughts from the trail and the excitement that ensued.  Since the beginning of May I’ve been running the Great Virtual Run Across Tennessee.  It’s 1000k between May 1 and September 31 which averages out to be about five miles a day.  I’ll probably write about that once GVRAT1000k is behind me.

Two weeks ago, I went on a trip the boundary waters in Northern Minnesota with my Dad.  We made a pretty good push back to a favorite spot of ours about seven miles deep, paddling and portaging all the way.  We came out a few days later to Minneapolis on fire and it’s been a whirlwind ever since. 
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These trips take more out of me now as I age and look to stay injury free in rhythm with training and life so I gave myself a week to just let my body heal and recover.  

That brings us to today, well almost.  Yesterday I got back in the saddle and started making my way (virtually) across Tennessee again.  I felt pretty good and pretty much just shook the rust off for 5.8 miles.  Today I was looking forward to adding to the mileage and I was hoping for my daily five a maybe a couple more.  As I pulled up to the parking lot, the park was a very busy place.  I skipped over a few lots until I found one tucked right into the center of the park and got a spot in the shade.
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As I was leaving my vehicle with a bottle full of Nuun I grabbed an s cap and popped it as the air was pretty heavy and I figured I’d be sweating quite a bit.  

In running there is a balance that is important to strike between being hydrated and having enough electrolytes to help prevent cramping during running.  I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum having too much water and not enough electrolytes and also having too much electrolytes and not much water. 
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When you have too much water, in my experience, it’s not good.  Our bodies need electrolytes to keep all the muscles working.  The electrolytes help send signals through nerves.  If we don’t have those electrical connections or if they’re insufficient to cope with the demand placed on the system, muscles cramp and movement becomes quite labored.

I’ve also been on the end of the spectrum where I’ve got too much electrolyte in relation to water.  When this happens, I feel nauseous and fatigued.  It’s almost as though the body is overloaded as the s cap capsule breaks open and all of the electrolyte spreads to the body. 
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From experience, one experience in particular, I know this is temporary and a really good place to be.  I can’t remember if it was 2018 or 2019 as I was coming into County Road 6.  The sun was getting low in the sky and I was traversing the bluff about to drop down to the aid station.  It was a mystical setting at dusk 42 miles into a 100-mile effort and night was approaching.  

Hours prior I had gotten behind on electrolytes and started cramping so I probably overdid the s caps in hopes I would be able to keep moving.  I felt lethargic and tired.  All of a sudden everything changed and I crushed the night!

Back to today.  I thought I recognized the feeling I was dealing with and looked forward to the next hour or so, even though I was feeling like crap and barely moving at the time.  As I got back to the south side of the park things started firing.  The combination of rest from running, shaking things out the day before and overshooting the electrolyte balance all contributed to some REALLY fun speed intervals. 
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The moral of this story is, listen to your body.  It will tell you everything you need to know if you listen with intention and the willingness to learn.  Today was one of the most fun runs I’ve had in a long time.

Sunday:
Today was another really fun day on the trail.  It started much the same as yesterday and turned into more of yesterday.  The intervals started off approaching anaerobic threshold and by the last of 5 or 6, were crossing nearly into zone 5.  I wasn’t going faster than yesterday but I was reaching a higher heart rate than yesterday.  How could that be?  Cardiac drift is what some call it. 

Usually the term cardiac drift is used to describe heart rate over the course of one effort.  In this case I’m using it to describe over three efforts.  Friday was nearly 6 miles, Saturday a clean 10 and Sunday 6 again.  I would be able to complete these efforts without much drift if I was cruising at steady state intensity.  As I added intervals, my heart (a muscle) is having to work harder.  If I were to add many more days in a row of interval intensity it could be detrimental to my health.  Recovery is an activity and that’s what I’ll focus on Monday, maybe even Tuesday.  The intervals sure are fun though!

If you haven't picked it up yet, I've got a neat little booklet I put together for you called Cardio Efficiency Programming.  The stuff in there can be applied immediately.  Grab yours today... It might just change your running forever!

Not many folks know me as a baseball coach anymore.  Coaching was a big part of my life at one time and I accumulated a lot of knowledge around the game of baseball.  So, I'm creating some simple, short coaching videos sharing what I know. 

​While I'm not going to be putting kids through drills and spending time in the development, I'm sharing some good things for kids to know, especially as they learn the game.  These are things that I learned over many years and hours spent coaching and experimenting with an eye for coaching.  

Click the button below to go to the Youtube playlist where I'm creating a library of baseball lessons.  I hope you're able to take much away from this teaching.  If you have questions, email me at jon@jonhoward.co and I'll do my best to answer.  Enjoy!

​In this episode I talk about my time in Dallas, TX working for a company called DBAT.  It was a great experience all the way around and I'm extremely grateful for my time there.  Wishing Cade, Kyle and all of the DBAT family well through this time!

As I laid in bed this morning before the sun came up, I felt the bed tremble.  I didn’t know what was going on but, let’s be honest, it could have been an earthquake here in Minnesota the way things have been going.  Thankfully, it wasn’t.

As I came to, I realized it was my wife, who’s been a teacher of first graders and kindergarteners for almost 20 years.  She was crying as the thought of not being able to close out the year the way she had imagined became very real.  This story plays out across schools all across our nation and all around the world.
 
We have all been grinding to try and figure out what this means for us and life as we knew it just a week ago.  Everything has changed.  I personally think we’ll come out better for it on the other side but “normal” will be a bit different.  It’s out of these challenging times we grow.  This morning, it wasn’t that the grinding was over.  Far from it.  Everything is new. 

Just the other day the Governor of Minnesota laid out all the things that need to be figured out now that schools are closing.  There’s food, childcare, emotional and behavioral support and much more.  Hearts ache caring for these kids daily since September and not knowing what their daily will look like for the foreseeable future.  The most structured and steady thing in our lives is closing until further notice.  Nobody knows what to do. 

This isn’t about that though.  This is about our teachers.  I see it every day, have for the last almost 20 years and will continue to through this challenging time.  I’ve got a front row seat and offer support whenever, wherever I can.  One thing you can be assured of is that our teachers and administrators are working around the clock to find solutions.  They’re not taking an extended spring break.  They’re meeting, organizing and trying to figure out how they are going to keep your kids on track for next year. 

My wife amazes me every day and it seems when things seem most uncertain, she digs in, leads with integrity and grace and makes those around her better.  The truth is, she’s not the only one.  Our teachers are our most valuable assets and it’s unfortunate it takes global pandemic to see and truly appreciate all they do.

Before the sun came up this beautiful spring morning the bed shook and courageous emotions prevailed.  My wife got out of bed, got ready for the day and headed to the front lines to organize what she thinks her students will need to learn at home for maybe the rest of the school year.
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Our education system will come out of this better for it and I am so proud of my Queen.  Teachers, I acknowledge you for what you do every single day and appreciate your efforts during this time.  You are doing enough.  Live today with relentless courage!

Today's episode I talk with Mark Johnson, owner of Performance Run Gym!

Here's a list of things that we talked about in this episode. If you haven't checked out Performance Running yet, you should!

www.performancerungym.com - Contact owner Mark Johnson right from the site.

Interview with Mark Johnson - Why PRG then, what's the current state, what is the vision?

Purpose of back to back runs? How often in a training plan and how far out from a big event?

What's the purpose and timing of a lifting session heading into recovery?

What should we be doing at this point in the season if we're training for an early season/mid season/late season 100 around strength training and how does our strength training fit into our overall plan?

PRG pricing, packages, options and upcoming programs.

Don’t get too attached to the legality of your plans.

How often do we write a plan and it works no matter what happens? 

The answer is never.  That doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea to make plans.  It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make our plans intending for them to work perfectly every time.  It just means we need to be real in our expectations during our planning. 

Real life doesn’t happen in planning.  Real life happens when things get dirty.  Real life happens when ideas move and become action. 

When we take action, we learn.  We learn about the plan and the process.  If we are set on sticking to the plan we created, we risk killing the creativity of the process. 

I try and use lessons from the trail and my experience doing ultramarathons to help others.  One thing I’ve learned over the years is that the best laid plans can fall apart in an instant.

The cool thing is that when they do, there is usually a path to success that becomes visible.  If we don’t take off the blinders once we leave planning though, we can miss out on the path to success.

This idea applies across the board.  Maybe it’s weight loss, starting a business, marketing, ultramarathoning, parenting and the list goes on and on. 

Planning is important.  Agility and the ability to pivot based on the reality of what we see is also important.  It might even be more important.  Don’t get too attached to the legality of your plans.
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Share your thoughts with a comment below.

​Benefits and Tips!!

5 Benefits to Optimal Hydration

Among many other benefits to being and staying hydrated throughout you day, here are 5 benefits to optimal hydration:

1.  Improved cognitive function all day long
2.  Improved circulation throughout the body
3.  Joint lubrication throughout the body
4.  Improved ability to flush toxins from the body
5. Improved ability to loose weight

3 Tips to Staying Hydrated Throughout the Day

1.  Carry a water bottle with you all day long.  It should be half full all the time.

2.  When you feel hungry, instead of going to food to satisfy that hunger, have a glass of water.  Often times you're not hungry, but thirsty!

3.  Establish a water drinking routine.  For example, have a glass of water right when you wake up in the morning and another bottle full when you first get to work.  Make it a point to take a drink of water each time you sit down at your desk. 

I hope these few tips will help you stay hydrated throughout the day. 

Full Set Product idea, process and review.  It's in the store. 

After a week in the woods with his daughter’s sixth grade class, Frode, hopped in his noble steel and proceeded North until he reached his destination. 

Upon arriving, he un quivered his skis and made for the trees!  Day one was a peaceful one with one to three inches of fresh icing on the ground, frosting the branches of every pine in sight.  Nothing but quiet filled the air as the fresh flakes drew every last bit of sound from the forest. 

One other, Marin, was also in the woods that day.  Frode and she met on the Upland Loop, the most remote track on the chain.  The woods felt as if they hadn’t been touched for many days.  It was utterly still and eerily calm as the snow began to fall gently.  With many miles left on his journey for the day, Frode made haste to his lodging for the night. 

Many hours later, after stopping at the outfitter for some backcountry Hok’s and grabbing grub at a local diner, it was time to check in.  A talk of continuous improvement and some back-end broadcasting ensued.  After one day in the woods nearly thirty-three miles had been covered in just over seven and a half hours.  A winter storm was coming.

Day two brought stormy seas and blustery waters.  It was a good thing Frode wouldn’t be sailing today.  Instead, he grabbed his Hok’s and headed up the hill toward the entrance to the woods.  After nearly an hour of climbing, talking all the way up, Frode entered the main trail. 

Never had he experienced such a peaceful day.  No one dared venture out after over a foot of fresh snow had fallen.  He was thankful he had chosen the path he had for this day.  It was quite possibly, the most peaceful day he’s ever spent in the woods.  After just over seven hours and ten minutes on the trail, Frode covered nearly twelve miles of ground.  He traveled just two miles per hour all day long.
 
More nourishment, this time prepared on a small heating element atop a cooler serving as a table, filled his belly.  A talk of past, purpose and promotion and some back-end broadcasting ensued and the pillow worked just fine that night.

On the third day, after preparing skis the night prior for another long day on the trail, Frode headed back up the hill toward the corduroy blanket.  As fatigue set in, peace deepened and he entered a blissful cave of happiness and accomplishment.  He slid along hallowed ground as he’d spent many difficult hours in this stretch of wood. 
He crossed paths with many others who were enjoying their time.  None of them knew what Frode had been through the last two days and that didn’t bother him one bit.  He smiled, encouraged and enjoyed the company.  He hadn’t had much for the previous two days.  It’s as if the path came alive with all the fresh faces.

After day three and more than thirty-one miles on the trail in just over seven hours and fifteen minutes, Frode headed back down the hill and soaked up every last bit of this beautiful time away.  After one final stop at the outfitter to sign off for the time, it was back to the lodge for a warm cup of hot chocolate, a burger and an ice cream Sunday.  One might call it a bit of a celebration, more for the peace and restoration of the experience than the distance or time traveled.

The following morning it was time for Frode to make the trek back to his family.  They awaited and seemed excited to see him upon his return.  He hopped in his noble steel and proceeded South until he reached his destination.  Until next time... 
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Live today with relentless courage.  Peace!