This past week, I read a book I never thought I would read.

And you know what, I even read it fast; it was an easy and dare I say, enjoyable read.

Okay, enjoyable might be a little too strong. Some parts were enjoyable, many parts were upsetting, (very) frustrating, and a few parts offensive.

I agreed with with a lot of it; I could not possibly disagree more with a lot of it.

But I truly did go into it with an open mind, and I did learn some things; it also gave me a different opinion of my past life as an elite athlete. I can see the allure in giving yourself fully to a goal; I have done it before.

I now have a different view and respect for this person. We can agree to disagree...even if at times I think his messaging is more damaging than it is helpful.

Any guesses as to who I am talking about?

Go on, don't peek, stop for a moment and take a guess. I will leave some space so you don't accidentally see it ;)

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David Goggins and his book, Can't Hurt Me.

A friend and I had kind of an inside joke where he would say how he was gonna channel his inner David Goggins, to which I would (jokingly....kinda) swear about how I couldn't stand that guy.

This went on for months, until one day he presented me with his personal copy of the book to read; he assured me that there were some elements that he felt David and I were aligned on, that I would in fact understand and agree.

Reluctantly, I took the book home. It sat on my desk for a few months. Every time I finished a book (which was a lot more often than usual with my downtime), I looked at it before going with one of the books on my shelf I actually wanted to read.

Until the time came when I knew I probably should give it back if I wasn't actually going to read it.

I promised Ryan I would give it an open mind, and so I did.

Surprisingly, it wasn't that hard to be open minded. There were parts where I said, What the F?! out loud, as I felt so much frustration towards the message he was presenting. There were times I felt so much empathy for him. And yes, there were times where I thought, Actually, he has a point.

Like when I had Bailey walk home from school on Friday like any other day when it was 20F with a bitter windchill. Did she enjoy it? Hell, no. Did I enjoy her constant whining? Absolutely not.

I do hope though, that there is some part of her that will remember moments like that when she's older, that she'll look at them fondly and appreciate that she learned she could get through discomfort and be okay. That by being the only one walking to and from school day in and day out, she was getting an opportunity to breathe in fresh air and admire nature changing as the days passed. What is only half a mile probably does feel a long way for a five year old.

My auntie Jenny used to make me go on walks in the countryside that felt like they were ultramarathons (but probably were no more than a few miles); I whined and complained that it was boring. I am sure I was annoying, but I also believe that somewhere, somehow, that instilled something in me about the beauty of getting out in nature. I believe that is a part of why I feel so at peace immersed in nature, why I love being on trails or cross country courses.

So yeah David Goggins, I agree; it is good for us to get out of our comfort zone often.

I also agree that we are often surrounded by people who feel too scared to leave their safety zone and might make (well- intentioned, but) doubting and offensive comments as you are about to step out there to do something bold and scary. Those comments can make us doubt ourselves, and yet, like he said, it's not about them, it's about you. Well, actually, their comments are exactly about them, their own fear of getting out of their comfort zone and the shame it brings them....but in your own setting and pursuit of goals, you are doing it for you and you only.

I could write a lot more. I did learn a lot from him, and at the same time, he was exactly who I thought he was. The snippets I have seen from him are a pretty accurate depiction of him, other than the remorse he showed at times for being selfish. It was good to see the side of him that recognizes that at times he has sacrificed others for his own gain. Admitting that takes courage.

So I encourage you to take one of the books, documentaries, conversations you have this year (or as many as possible) to see if you can go into it open-minded, to see what you can learn from it. Even if it is someone who really makes you mad. As we go into 2024, it is a critical year for us to humanize people, to keep our minds and hearts open. I challenge you to do whatever you can to do that for yourself. It will help our community, but it will also help you.

David Goggins, I appreciate you.

This week on the Running For Real podcast...

Here's the official description:

Kayla Jeter has always been athletic: she was a professional volleyball player after a stellar high school and college career, and moved onto coaching at the University of Cincinnati. But running became an important part of her life when she was caring for her dying mother and was embraced by the running community. Since then, she’s helped that community grow through the 100 Miles of Summer challenge, and as Run Community Lead for AG1.

Here's the real deal:

Kayla and I met a few months ago at a dinner hosted by AG1; her answers to prompts from the AG1 team floored me with the intentionality and depth she shared. We talked the next day and have been communicating often since. Kayla has this energy about her that just brings people in. Whether you are a brand new runner or someone who has been doing it a long time, she welcomes everyone to come be a part of something special. This time of year can be tough; I think this episode can be a balm for that.

Listen to Kayla here

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I will be at The Boston Run Show at the end of the month, and will be in the city for a few days around that event. I am thinking about doing some kind of plogging trash pickup during that weekend (26-28th). If you know the city and have a suggestion as to where (but somewhat close to the convention center), let me know.

I will also be at the Running USA conference in Orlando, and although I am not staying for the trials at the end of the week, it will be fun to work with MarathonFoto at their booth. I have been going through some of my old photos from them recently, and they gave me a laugh!

With bitterly cold temps for a lot of the US this week, I shared a video about how for me, getting out in negative temperatures is not about showing how tough you are, but instead should be carefully considered. You can watch the video I made immediately after here, but it is also a good time to remind you to check out my winter running gear blog post from nine (!!) years ago, that still tops the Google charts every year. It is handy to keep for reference....photos definitely need retaking though!

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"The most important conversations you’ll ever have are the ones you’ll have with yourself."- David Goggins

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Thanks to our partner, Precision Fuel & Hydration

When I think of gels, my conditioned response is to think, Okay, 3, 2, 1, GULP! UGH! Water! Water! Give me water!

Most of my life, gels have been something to get through. I didn't particuarly enjoy them....okay, not even particularly, I did not enjoy them at all. They were a means to an end. Energy my body critically needed to keep moving forward, and they were just the price you had to pay.

Now though, with Precision gels (and chews!), that could not be further from the truth. I genuinely enjoy having the gels, look forward to them on my runs, and can consume an entire gel in under 20 seconds, without having to choke it down with water.

Precision really has changed the game for me. Not just with their fuel and hydration knowledge and experience (which you can also find out what you (yes, you dear reader!) need for free. Not just with the amazing conversation I had with Andy Blow where I learned so much about fueling and hydration as I asked your questions to this sports scientist.

And not only when I realized that all my elite years I was underfueling during races as well as during life. They have changed the game because they have made it not only easy, but fun to fuel. I love their original gels, PF 1500 electrolytes, and mint and lemon chews.

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Be kind to one another, yourself, and this beautiful planet of ours.

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