Back Running!

Sunday, April 29, 2012 · Mike Davis

Hi Everyone!

It’s early on Sunday (5:40) and I’m up with our puppy. My favorite time of the day is early morning when it’s quiet; I can sip coffee and enjoy the serenity. Having a puppy has pretty much changed all that, now my routine is quite different and it’s far from quiet as I say: “No Roy” about 100 times! Oh well.

I have now completed 2 weeks without running and today I will start back running by participating in the Chief Michael Maloney Memorial Walk/Run. My hip isn’t cured, but some of the pain I had 2 weeks ago is not there. I have another appointment in a couple weeks and we will see where things stand. The 2 weeks off has been good, I have started a new strength training routine and my body feels mentally ready to get back in my running shoes. Even someone such as me needs a break mentally as I get so driven; I start to wear myself out. My new strength training routine is called: “The Spartacus workout”, and it’s every bit as challenging as it sounds. The challenge moving forward will be to keep up with it 3 days a week while I run regularly and enjoy the coming summer.

At the base where I work, I’m starting a 10K training group that will run in the morning and afternoon. I have some help so I hopefully won’t be stretched too much. The Air National Guard has to maintain the same physical requirements as Air Force and that is a huge challenge. Unlike the Air Force the Guard does not have structured physical training (PT), and we have a much older demo graph as well, yet the standards are the same. Standards have become extremely important these days as the military is downsizing and standards are tools used to reduce the force. Many of the older folks begrudgingly have to change their attitude toward fitness whereas before many just wanted to focus on being a “good worker”, now they have to make time to work out. Having a career possibly cut short because they can’t meet a standard has certainly changed the mentality.

Of course I think it’s great that people in our unit are being motivated to get in shape, but as the Base Fitness Program Manager, I have tried to take a different approach with helping people besides holding a standard over their head. Much like my approach in working with runners; I try to encourage the empowerment and the “joy of fitness”. Over the past four years I’ve started an annual 27 mile relay race event, trained a group to run a 5K, started morning fitness classes and now I have nearly 30 people signed up for 10K training. I am stepping down from my role as the Wing’s fitness manager as I need to focus on other aspects of my daily job, but hopefully I have impacted a few people in our unit and they will not only meet the standards, but they will have a healthier life style. This was one of those additional duties that gave me opportunity and hopefully I made a difference.

Back to running today and though I’m still disappointed that I will not be able to run the Vermont marathon, I am still a happy runner! I am still looking for a non-runner that would like to train for a 5K, so send a name my way. Have a great week!

Mike