RACE WEEK PREP FOR SMILES FOR SOPHIE, 6 DAYS OUT

It's time for one of our favorite 5k's this weekend, Smiles For Sophie Forever Bash N' Dash on July 4th in Avon Lake, Oh!  

Some of you have been training hard with us for the last few weeks to run your FASTEST 5k!  You really want to make sure you do the right things this week leading up to the race.

I used to think that tapering the week before would help me freshen up and perform better, but I've actually found the opposite to be true. I peak during my second week back from a taper. So I've found that keeping my workouts the same during race week helps me feel strong and powerful on race day.

Below are a few of my race week DO'S and DON'TS that will help you maximize your 5k performance this weekend:

1. DO RUN 30/30's ON WED.
If you've been following my TO THE MAX FASTEST 5K PROGRAM and have done these before, then do them again on Wednesday. You run fast for :30 seconds then you rest for :30 seconds and you repeat for 20 sets. Your leg muscles will remember this speed on Saturday and you'll feel like you can maintain this power the entire race.

2. DO RUN 10 MINUTES AT A MEDIUM PACE ON FRIDAY NIGHT.
This is a secret I've been practicing for a few years now. On Friday night, usually sometime between the  4-9pm window, I'll head out for a nice medium paced 10 minute run. It's not fast but it's not slow. It keeps my muscles loose, blood flowing, and my heart primed and ready to go the next morning.

3. DO MIND-MAP YOUR RACE FOR 3 MINUTES.
I personally believe that thinking too much will hinder your performance. However, you do have to spend at least a few minutes visualizing your game plan. Here's what I want you to map out in your head:
a. The start. Where are you placing yourself? How fast are you starting off? When are you settling into your pace?
b. The wall. How will you push through when you hit it? For me it's the start of mile 2. I'm always like how the heck am I going to keep this pace for another 2 miles!? And the response has to be, just do it.
c. The finish. You better believe you are finishing this race strong. You've trained your butt off to run your fastest. I know it's painful but in a few more minutes you're done and you get to enjoy the day. Crush it!

4. DO SLEEP GREAT.
It's especially important to get your sleep this week. I know it's hard but be honest, some of you do it to yourselves. If you have kids, I know it's not very likely. But fight for those 7.5-8 hours/night as much as possible this week. I'm convinced that if you spent some time learning the vital role that sleep plays in your performance and results, you would be convinced to do whatever you could to sleep more.

5. DO JOG YOUR JITTERS OUT BEFORE THE STARTING BLOCK.
It's really hard to run fast from a cold start. I spend even just three minutes jogging a little bit about 10 minutes before the race starts. I even do a few short sprints to get my heart jump started. Being loose, being warm, and breaking a sweat helps prepare your mind and body big time.

6. DON'T WEAR NEW SHOES AND TRY NEW GOOS. 
Unless you've worn your shoes a few times and are used to them, don't put a brand new pair on for the first time on race day. It's not guaranteed that you'll get blisters or they'll feel too awkward but you are definitely taking a big chance. Race day is not the time and place to test out new footwear, nor is it the right time to try out new goos or energy blocks. If you haven't tried them before, your stomach may not respond well and you'll end up with discomfort and GI tract issues (i.e. standing in line at the port-a-potty or slowing down during the race from stomach cramps).

7. DON'T CHANGE YOUR DIET NOW.
Unless you are cleaning it up, I wouldn't try any new tricks that you read about on that performance nutrition article that just came across your Facebook feed. Carb loading? I wouldn't go that route either. Keep your diet lean and clean and balanced as usual.  I will point out that energy will most likely come from what you ate a few days before rather than that pre-race big pasta dinner the night before. Replenishing glycogen stores is a process and doesn't happen overnight. Peak performance is more about what you're doing days, weeks, and even months leading up to an event, not what you're cramming in last second. It's fun and ok to mix in some carbs as a tradition, but don't stuff yourself! It will slow you down.


8. DON'T DO NEW WORKOUTS OR RUN FASTER THIS WEEK.
Kind of like the premise above in number 7, there's nothing you're going to do this week that is going to enhance your performance other than being smart about your training and keeping things regular. If you've never cycled before, now's not the time to try that new spinning class to see if you like it. And I know your adrenaline is pumping for race day too, but turning up the Rocky tunes as you sprint faster than ever before during your workout this week, isn't going to anything but possibly wear you out and leave your legs feeling trashed. Save it for Saturday.

9. DON'T THINK TOO MUCH.
As I said before, thinking too much can slow you down. Worrying doesn't make you run faster. You've trained. You are prepared physically. Just show up and do your thing. Drop your expectations because honestly, you don't know what to expect. You may wake up too sick to even run that day. Expect only one thing, what we always chant with our kids. "I WILL, BE THE BEST, THAT I, CAN BE." The rest is HIStory.

10. DON'T THINK IT'S THAT BIG OF A DEAL.
Look, of course we want you to rise up and do your absolute best. We should all strive to reach our greatest potential. But think about the bigger picture, is it really that big of a deal? It's a race. There are way more important things in life to be worrying about than our PR times. Remember why we are really there. Sophie has a story. She passed away and now leaving a legacy through her story. Being there on Saturday is bringing us into her story. We contributed to her foundation that will benefit cancer research and other families that are affected by cancer. We are joining together as a community to be apart of something greater than ourselves and show that It's Not About Us. But then we gotta ask ourselves, how will we use Sophie to change how we live out our daily lives?  That's the bigger deal we should be worrying about.

Now that I said that, show up and run your heart out.

It may be an absolute game-changer for you and everyone in your life.

It's not about me,
Coach Theo

MY FOUR WAYS TO BE A BETTER FATHER

If I make it to 99 years old one day and get the chance to lie on my death bed with the time to reflect on my life, the 4th thing I want to be remembered for is being a great business owner. The third thing I want to be remembered for is being a great coach. The second thing I want to be remembered for is being a great family man. And the first and most important thing I want to be remembered for is being a great Christian man.

So why would I spend more time focusing on the 3rd and 4th thing on my list, instead of the 1st and 2nd?

This past Sunday I was sitting in church listening to a phenomenal sermon on Father's Day. My son Gio wanted to sit with us in big church instead of going into the kid's room. While sitting their together I began reflecting on being a father to him (I only tuned out the sermon for a few minutes).

It's such a great responsibility being a dad. Am I being a good one? What would my kids say about it? Later on in life when they're older, how do I get them to say that I was a great dad?

I absolutely love being a dad. It is the best thing that's ever happened to me. But I mess up a lot and I'd like to reduce my mess-ups as much as possible.

So I sat there in service and decided to take a few minutes to jot down some action steps on what I need to do to step up my game. Just like writing up a training program or a vision map for our business, I know that if I do these things, then I can only continue to get better as a father.

HERE ARE MY 4 WAYS TO BE A BETTER FATHER

1. PLAN TIME WITH MY KIDS DAILY
I used to think this was ridiculous. Plan time in my schedule to be with my kids? No way, that should just happen. I shouldn't have to plug that into my daily regimen. Well, guess what? I failed. I get caught up in other things and before you know it, I'm a distracted parent not spending quality time with my kids. I plan meetings. I plan training sessions. I plan my own workout time. I HAVE to plan play time with my kids. So if I say that from 3-5pm today I'm #ALLin with my kids, then I know nothing else is allowed to be done during that time. We can go for a walk, we can play legos, I can paint my daughter's toe nails (which I did the other day by the way), but I cannot do anything else but be fully in the moment with them. It's so much harder than it sounds. Watch.

2. PLAN DADDY-SON AND DADDY-DAUGHTER DAYS
Sometimes our kids just need some one on one time. Two weekends ago Gio and I stayed at a hotel together. At first it was going to be a family thing, then we realized the baby wasn't going to let us sleep that night. So it ended up just being Gio and I. He loved it. It was at the Cambria in Avon by the way---a sweet hotel, thanks to a friend's husband who owns it! He was so excited to watch a show before we fell asleep and eat breakfast in the morning together.  He even said, "we gotta do this again next week daddy."  It doesn't have to be staying away for long, even just a movie or meal.  My daughter will need this too.  I don't know how often it should be, but I know it should be often.

3. ASK MY KIDS THESE TWO QUESTIONS EVERY NIGHT
How was your day today? Is there anything that you wish you could have done?  I need to sit with them before they go to bed and actively listen to them and genuinely care what they have to say.  I've been surprised a few times by what Gio has said was his favorite part. Sometimes it's simple things that you wouldn't guess would be his favorite, like sitting on the ground at the corner store eating a popsicle together. It's also a reality check if he says well I want to play more with you because you were on your phone a lot for work today.

You might not think this is powerful but by taking at least a few minutes each day to reflect with each other can help put meaning behind our daily grind, instead of just making it another day that goes by too quick. Plus, when they see that you're making changes based on their feedback, they know you're listening, and they know you care.

4. PLAN WEEKLY DATE NIGHTS WITH MOMMY
I've been talking about this challenge for a few years now and we still can't get a rhythm. What does this have to do with our kids you're asking? Well they need to see that mommy and daddy love each other, A LOT. So much that we know how important it is to never lose US-time and that we'll actually devote a time block each week to it. Amber and I talked about it yesterday. We need two hours a week, even in the middle of the day after work to go grab a bite to eat or whatever it is, and just be in-tune to one another. Gio and Alana may not get this right now but I know they will later on in life. Our children are a part of our lives, we're not a part of theirs. They have to see that husband and wife come first. So if we lead by example, they're more likely to follow later on in life when they are married and have kids, and they are going to say my dad was a great dad, he loved my mom!

I was listening to one of my favorite speakers Bishop TD Jakes in his sermon a few days ago, and he said something that really hit home with me. He said something along the lines like, "Each day I have many roles to fill. The role of a pastor. The role of a business owner. The role of a father. And the role of a husband. I have to know that because I'm human, each day I'm going to flunk at one of these roles."

I'm going to add that not only am I human, but I am a man!  I'm not going to be 100% in all my roles each day. I'm a husband. A father. A business owner. A coach. I'm going to flunk at at least one of these, because my gender isn't wired to get it all right!

BUT, I've seen how detrimental it is for kids with distracted parents. As a social worker I saw kids literally dying inside because of the absence of a father.

So if I'm going to flunk at one of my 4 main roles each day, then I don't want it to be my 1st and 2nd.

My prayer is that I wake up each day with my first intention dedicated to succeeding at being a great father and a great husband.

For today and hopefully everyday, a great business owner and a great coach will have to stay 3rd and 4th place.

Be a better father today. There's no doubt that this will be an absolute game-changer for you and everyone in your life.

It's not about me,
Coach Theo

*Please excuse any typos or grammar mistakes. I did not edit.

TOP 10 HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL BODY SHRED ATHLETES

Do you do these 10 things?  If not, let it be encouraging, because that means there's room for improvement.

1. KEEP A FOOD JOURNAL 
Maybe not always, but at least occasionally to checkpoint yourself.

2. PLAN OUT YOUR WEEKLY MEALS. 
You might not stick to it exactly, but you should have a guide of what you're eating every day throughout the week. This includes planning a "free meal" when/if you know you're going to let loose. 

3. GO GROCERY SHOPPING OR HAVE SOMEONE ELSE DO IT FOR YOU.
If you're not buying groceries then you're probably not eating good food most of the time.

4. EAT PROTEIN WITH EVERY MEAL.
Aim for 20-25 grams of protein each meal. Recommended basic guidelines are 3/4 of a gram per your bodyweight each day. 

5. EAT GOOD CARBS FROM FRUITS AND VEGETABLES and sometimes brown rice, quinoa, etc. 
No carb diets don't work, at least not for long. When people say they aren't eating carbs they're probably talking about breads and pastas and junk food. You need carbs, just good ones. 

6. EAT GOOD FATS AT MOST MEALS. 
Back in the day people used to be so scared of fats, which is why food companies started producing all kinds of "low-fat" and "no-fat" processed garbage. We know the human body needs fat. Fat is a big source of energy. You just need GOOD fats. Again, olive oil, avocado, salmon, and some nuts if you're body responds well to those. 

7. SUPPLEMENT WITH AT LEAST A MULTI-VITAMIN AND FISH OIL.
Oops, I've been forgetting to tell you to take fish oil---omega 3's and 6's. From what I've researched, we are all deficient in omega's and this is usually a main supplement recommended for all human beings. *NOTE: You should always try to get your vitamins and minerals from FOOD sources. I'm not trying to push supplements. If you eat ideal, then you don't need them. I know a lot of people are skeptical of supplements, which I still am as well. But just by seeing the difference in the way I feel, they are helping. And high quality ones are much better (Amber and I are researching and testing a new product that seems promising, we'll keep you informed afterwards). For good fatty acids, if you like fish, aim to eat fish high in DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids two to three times a week.

8. DRINK WATER AND MOSTLY WATER.

9. SLEEP 7.5-8 HOURS A NIGHT.
People without kids have no excuse, but when you're a parent, it's not going to happen most nights. Just know that you should fight for it and take it when you can get it.

10. REDUCE STRESS.
You gotta give yourself down-time. You can't worry all the time. You have to eliminate negative things, situations, and people. You can't do so much. You get the picture. 

AND HERE ARE MY PERSONAL BONUSES. THESE ARE MY OPINION. TAKE THEM FOR WHAT THEY'RE WORTH. I firmly believe that people that do these next five things are way ahead of the game.

11. ELIMINATE OR GREATLY REDUCE TV AND RADIO STATIONS.

12. READ QUALITY BOOKS.

13. PRAY.

14. HAVE A SUPPORT GROUP, A HEALTHY FRIEND, OR MENTOR TO REGULARLY CHECKPOINT THEM.

15. MAKE NO EXCUSES AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR LIFE AND HOW THEY LIVE IT.

If you read that scripture above, don't take it the wrong way.

It's about living with INTENTION and not just going through the motions. 

Your body doesn't own you.

Make it do what you want it to do.

People are watching and following.

If there's one question to ask yourself today it's this:  "ARE YOU LIVING EXACTLY LIKE YOU WANT TO?" 

If not, then keep making changes. 

Trust me, I don't have it all right.

I have so much work to do to be a better husband, father, coach, owner, speaker, athlete, etc.

I'm willing to rise up.

Are you?

It may just be an absolute game-changer for you and everyone in your life.

It's not about us,
Coach Theo