Red Dragon Entrepreneur |
Alfred Ball's Entrepreneurial Blog
Health Care Entrepreneur | Kinesiologist | Author | Presenter
Formally Adventures of a Young Entrepreneur. Red Dragon represents 2012, Year of the Dragon. Alfred was born in this year and is of Welsh ancestry. Follow his lessons on how to stay active and build a health care business.
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 To become and stay a leader in your profession you need to continue to learn. With all the continue education opportunities available how do you choose? Roger
Takashashi, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Vancouver Canucks and fellow
Kinesiologist spoke at the 20 th Anniversary of the British Columbia
Association of Kinesiologists in November. The crowd
was mainly undergraduate Kinesiology students, though there were a few veterans
who came to hear him speak. His session
was a question and answer format. A key point he made was that his degree in Kinesiology at Simon
Fraser University was the foundation to his current career, knowledge and
experience.
A
university degree is not the end of professional training. If we stick to one
field we have about 30-40 years of work to accomplish before we retire. The world is changing fast and so is the body of knowledge. Takahashi
explained that he is able to connect what he learned in his course work to what
he does on a daily basis with NHL players. It helps him fundamentally
understand how each each exercise affects his clients physiology, state of
recovery and biomechanics. I can relate
to this. He emphasized that to stay sharp, competitive and prepared we need to
be continually be learning.
The
average amount per employee that is provided in Canada for education and
training is around $650 and great companies spend about 3% of their budget on
training. I often hear that continuing
education is an expense; instead think of it as an investment towards future
earnings growth. Investing in continuing education over the last ten years has
made a significant impact on my income and success of my business. Many
professions also have a minimum number of continuing education credits needed
per year to maintain their designation.
How to Choose Appropriate Continuing Education
There
is a plethora of continuing education courses now for Kinesiology,
rehabilitation and fitness and I am certain the same is true for other industries.
How do we choose, especially when our budget can at times be small.
1. Make a Someday/Maybe List and a Must Take List
Remember many courses and conferences are offered annually or
semi-annually. What are some courses that would be nice to take and
what courses are must takes?
2. Follow Your Passion
Is there a stream or specialty
of your profession that you are passionate about? Make courses in that stream
the priority. For me it is musculoskeletal, orthopaedic and neuromuscular
disorders.
3. Figure Out What is Missing
Is there a piece of knowledge that you are missing that would add value to
your client interactions? Take those. I found a solution to unlocking clients lack of mobility in 2007.I found Fascial Stretch
Therapy. A friend and excellent Kinesiologist, Paul Turner of Three Peaks Kinesiology and I looked at each other and said "we have to take this." Three months later we were in Arizona for Level I.
4. Figure Out How You Learn
Kinesiology education has a hands and experiential quotient, however there
are plenty of other ways to learn some of the theory. Are you a visual, kinesthetic or auditory
learner? Most people are predominantly one, however they are also a mix.
5. Set an Education Budget, But Learn to Stretch It
If there is something you really want to attend figure out a
legal and ethical way to make the additional cash to attend.
6. Will It Make an Impact?
Will this new knowledge make an immediate impact on the way practice, run
your business or add more value to client interactions? Pick the courses that
you can experience immediate improvement in your practice. Sometimes the return
takes a little bit of time. People will pay more when you add more value.
7. Find Free Stuff and Share with Others
You don’t need to spend big bucks or
travel the world. Though, travelling to out of town places is a great way to
learn from some of the best directly and network with others. It easier to
learn from your peers by connecting through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Also, you can easily learn by sharing blog articles, researching online,
listening to free podcasts and attending webinars all on your own
schedule.
Oh, there is also the library (physical and electronic).
You can now download pretty much most things to a mobile device, laptop or
table to take anywhere you are. Industry journals will also have CECs quizzes
for you to complete. When you find something really neat, share with your
colleagues. Labels: Being a Professional, continuing education, regeneration, Success strategies
While supporters of the Occupy Wall Street movement
complain of excess spending and compensation packages of corporations and banks
I have been wondering what is Enough?
Part of question comes from trying to
figure out how to protect my business and myself from the financial Aftershock. To answer this I have to continually be ok
with facing the Cold Hard Truth about my particular situation and the economy.
To succeed I have to come to Common
Purposes with my fiancée, my family, our clients and my staff.
All of these are books I recently read that have given
valuable insight into how prevent personal and business financial crises, grow
my business and lead into the next few years.
Does my business need to grow to become a large organization like some
big box gyms with twenty or more locations? No, but a business does need to
grow, evolve and remain profitable as the markets, society and environments
change. This growth needs to be done at manageable so that the owner and staff
stay sane and don’t have their own meltdowns.
Achieving Common Purpose
The original vision of Lifemoves, locations in at least one
Fitness World in each community is no-longer. Fitness World’s new ownership and
I were unable to come to agreement in May, so we are looking for new space and
a new direction. This new direction has been set (which will be revealed in the
appropriate time frame). Engaging your
team in discussions based on the question “what is next?” or “how can we
improve?” leads to a two major values: 1. team members feels more valued
because they are making distinct positive contributions; 2. the conclusions of
the conversations become the common purpose.
On Friday, we had a very productive team meeting at a coffee
bar that lead to an understanding of what our long-term goals and challenges
are as well as knowledge of the steps needed to get there.
Facing the Cold Hard Truth
Growing up with parents who were both librarians (information
junkies) and one who understood the power of databases (he created a school
library system) means that I know the intrinsic value of having accurate
searchable data. Our records give of an idea of what has happened in the business. Accurate records enable a business to make
appropriate analyses and decisions. Sometimes this data can be chilling.
Last year I hired a couple of new
Kinesiologists with idea of floating the hourly rate with the current session
fees that my other Kinesiologist was booking until the new hires were fully booked. That all crashed when the original employee quit
less than a month later taking much of that business with them. Action should
have been taken a lot sooner to right this situation because it put Lifemoves
in a financial hole that we dug out of, but it was an arduous and long task.
As we move from a single location to several remote
locations I am thinking more and more about our records management system. How
can maintain communications, accurate information and financial control? I am always aiming to build this company so
that we are mobile. Adding more
employees and more locations adds to the complexity of our systems. However we
still need to continually evolve our records management system towards Canadian
and ISO standards (which I discovered recently) while keeping it as simple as
possible.
Gaining the perspective of your employees also helps the
business improve, create new initiatives and understand our strengths as well
as our weaknesses. Although, Aftershock primarily describes the
future of the U.S. economy Canadians can still take home a few lessons from
it. The major one for me is how to
position my business in the future. Health care will take hit in the coming years
however, it won’t be as bad as discretionary spending such as retail. We need
to shift further from a fitness company to a health care provider to continue
to grow in a “melting economy.”
Figuring Out What is Enough?
Everyone will have their own determining factors for what is
enough when it comes to life, money and business.
- Enough is being a market leader in several
municipalities.
- Enough is being able to pay our accounts
receivable on time.
- Enough is being to able people full-time in a
career which they are passionate about and in a company that they are thrilled
to work for.
- Enough is being able to provide appropriate
benefits for our employees so that they are taken care of.
- Enough is having zero commercial credit card
debt – business and personal
- Enough is having a flexible work schedule to
enjoy recreational pursuits when I desire
- Enough is being and to contribute more to my
community
- Enough is have $1.00 more than I need.
- Enough is feeling like my family and I are
financially secure and will be secure as we age.
- Enough is having loving, trusting, mutually
supportive and meaningful relationships.
Please share what enough and the cold hard truth means to
you? How are you going to protect your business and yourself from the financial
meltdown?
References
Labels: Achieving Common Purpose, Being a Professional, Business Process Management, Cold Hard Truth, Enough, Growth, Happiness, resilience strategies
 What do you immediately think of when someone says “I am successful”? Most often people think of the attainment of wealth or celebrity, however it can be much simpler to be successful all you have to do is achieve an aim or favourable outcome. Take a good look inside and around you. You have the power to be successful and really define what that means to you. It appears too many people think that being an entrepreneur is about chasing vast amounts of wealth, but instead the monetary return is a reward for creating value. Being a successful entrepreneur is about going out every day and being able to create the value for our clients, our community and our employees. The only way to be successful is set goals, take action and achieve them. There are many layers to success, health, relationships and finance. Many people become unhappy by defining their success as others see it – massive amounts of wealth or having the latest gadget or stylish home. Each day set a few aims to accomplish – picking up your socks from the floor, having a good breakfast, calling your parents, going for a walk with your partner or making that call you dreaded then go get them done. Then take sheet of paper and write down “today I am successful because I ______” and fill in the blank with has many things as you can think of. Read the list, smile and share. Examples Today I am successful because I finished and sent the Lifemoves Newsletter Today I am successful because I completed a post on chronic pain for Get Moving for Life Blog Today I am successful because I wrote this blog post for you The next step for a successful day is to get in my own movement training. How are you defining success?
Labels: Entrepreneurship, Happiness, Success strategies
 The recent exposure by CTV of some Personal Trainers claiming to be Kinesiologists, when they are not, just to make a few extra dollars and the Occupy Vancouver/Major World city movement motivated me to seek further understanding about what it means to be a professional and how the financial markets have evolved or devolved. We often hear of CEO’s being overpaid for underperformance or various people (not professionals) doing unethical things which have at times even been illegal, just to have “more”. In his book “Enough” John C. Bogle describes mostly how the financial industry has gone from adding value to the investors to taking more value away from the investor as well as how professional standards have degraded. Through his vast experience and knowledge he also gives the reader a solid history of financial excess which has permeated CEO compensation in the USA. He also gives his own thoughts about how to turn this situation around. On a sunny day in June 1999 I officially joined the working world to become a professional in the rehabilitation and health fields. Often the term professional is reserved for and only associated with lawyers, doctors, teachers, engineers, architects, accountants and others with similar designations. There are even special banking services for “professionals,” but only the previously described qualify. As a Practicing Kinesiologist with over 10 years of experience I consider myself to be a professional. Does having a particular degree and designation means you are a professional, while others with degrees are not? I agree with Bogle, who thinks that there is more to being a professional and that it is more about how you act than what your designations is that defines you as a professional or not. Mariam-Webster Dictionary’s Definitions
Professional “Characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession." or “Exhibiting a courteous, conscientious and generally businesslike manner." Profession “A calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation." 6 Characteristics of a Profession In Chapter 5, Bogle mentions how Daedulus examined professions in the 1940’s and then again in 2005. They go on to describe the six characteristics of a profession: - A commitment to the interest of clients, in particular society in general
- A body of theory or specialized knowledge
- A specialized set of professional skills, practices and performances unique to the profession
- The developed capacity to render judgements with integrity under conditions of ethical uncertainty
- An organized approach to learning from experience, both individually and collectively and thus the growing of new knowledge from the context of practice
- The development of a professional community responsible for the oversight and monitoring of quality in both practice and professional educators
Is Kinesiology a Profession?
Yes, by the above definitions Kinesiology is a profession and I am a professional. Lifemoves was created to promote health, fitness and wellness opportunities for clients with medical conditions, disabilities and injuries. My inspiration was in 2000 when I noticed, during a volunteer practicum with an individual with a spinal cord injury that I noticed that there were very few fitness opportunities for individuals with medical conditions or disabilities. This has changed through the years, especially due to community centre revitalization projects however; there seem to be a very limited number of commercial centres with integrated facilities and programs. I stand by my professional ethics and place adding value to our clients’ lives at the forefront of what we do. To become a practicing Kinesiologist we have a specialized knowledge and skill set that is obtained during a undergraduate degree as well by continuing our education throughout our career. I am connected with fellow professionals who take pride in what they do and who share their knowledge and opinions through discussions in various forums. I have contributed some of my knowledge by speaking at conferences and contributing to Kinnected, the BCAK’s member newsletter. The BCAK, which turns 20 years old this year, is our professional community that is responsible for oversight and monitoring of both those in practice and those who provide professional education. What being a Professional Kinesiologist Means to Me Kinesiology is not a job for me, nor is it a field that I intend to be in for a very short time. I chose a Human Kinetics degree for the specific reasons of helping others become healthier and improve their own physical performance. Lifemoves is my business and my full-time livelihood. Helping people move with greater ease is also my passion. - Contributing to the wellbeing of Lifemoves clients, society and other Kinesiologist
- Sticking to my ethics and standards of practice
- Continuing to grow, challenge and improve my skills and methods of practice
- Ensuring that Lifemoves remains profitable so that we are able to grow and expand our services thus have the opportunity the provide more services to more people
- Respecting and valuing the members of our clients medical/health team – Doctors, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, etc by maintaining open dialogue and communication
- Only recommending services and products that clients need while referring out when appropriate.
- Transparently communicating with clients and colleagues, which at times means admitting to my mistakes or the need for additional research
- Providing current knowledge and passing that on through communications with colleagues, team members and clients
- Providing timely communications, effective, innovative and efficient service delivery
- Taking care of myself so I can take care of others
References Bogle, John C. True Measures of Money, Business and Life. John Wiley and Sons¸ 2009 Bogle’s Blog – John C Bogle Media Related Posts 6 Ways to Elevate Fitness Professionalism Kinesiology Gains More Recognition in British Columbia Labels: Being a Professional, Entrepreneurship
 Today was a humbling yet motivating experience in the rain. It was just over ten years ago that I participated in my first James Cunningham Seawall Race. Endurance running was never something that I had focused on so, I never became all that great at it, however I was proud of what I did achieve, including a 4:08 hr marathon after training for the half (not recommended, but I knew I could do it and that his a another story). In the early 2000s I was trying to prove to myself that my knees were capable of running great distances without giving me grief. What is measured and acted upon will always improve. The past few months my training has solely been on the Grind; with very little endurance training in between. Entering today was a whim, inspired by a few friends who said let's do the James Cunningham Race and see how closely our Grind times correlate. The point of today was to see how fit I was compared to ten years ago, as well as set a baseline for future training.
In the book The Running Edge, which I reviewed, the authors mentioned that a 10 km race pace is approximately equivalent to your lactate threshold pace. I had not done a blood lactate running test since a few months before Seek the Peak in July.
The Race
It was cold and raining before the race as everyone was huddled under tents trying to stay dry and warm. Unfortunately we didn't have any warm-up time, but the rain did subside before the official gun went off. In big crowds I never seem to get my starting place right. The first ten minutes were spent bobbing and weaving as I strived to find a place to get into a running rhythm. My Garmin was set to beep and if I went below 8.3 mph or above 9.5 mph and every 1.475 miles which was one quarter of the distance. Eleven minutes went by and I was setting a good pace then a stitch hit me like a brick which made it difficult to ran faster without pain. My heart was 183 beats per minute. This is about 5-8 beats above my lactate threshold.
To continue I had to slow-down. I was holding on for the second quarter trying my best to slow down and deepen my diaphragmatic breathing to get rid of the stitch. There were even instances where I drafted behind someone to see if they were going at my pace. In a lap race like the seawall – take the shortest path, the inside lane; most of the time I hung there and somewhere above 7.4 mph. Along the third quarter someone kindly asked if I got rid of the stitch and offered advice about how to get rid of it. It subsided, but never really went away.
While climbing the Grind and now on this running race I noticed that I get a stitch if my heart rate goes above my lactate threshold; there is a lesson there. By the time I hit the fourth quarter I could see a friend ahead in the distance. 7
I repeated the following mantras in my head to stay motivated "Just keep going, place one foot in front of the other and pick up the pace a little"
I caught up to my friend as the tents of the finish line came into view. We encouraged each other as I passed by him. Seeing the finish line, I sprinted to finish in a time of 46:19. This is a minute and a half slower than 2000.
Age Graded Finish Times
How did I do? Do I compare myself to me 10 years ago? My age graded time is 57.7% and 55.6% of the world's fastest times for 10 km. On the Grind my times are about 78% of the fastest in my age group; still in the top 30 As a fitness professional I have always believed that participation and self-improvement are important and need to be celebrated, however as a someone who participated in sport at a National level I still have the competitive drive. It is great to see where I fit on a regional, national and world-class level. To be the best at something you have to know where those standards are. When I competed in Biathlon international competition spots were given on a basis of how close you finished to the top as a percentage of time; the standard to meet was usually 90% or more.
Lactate Threshold and New Pace Zones
Today helped established new pace zones. I use The Running Edge: High Tech training for Peak Performance (p.54) Pace Zone Index to establish my training zones, which need to be evaluated every 6-8 weeks as fitness changes from training stimuli. Since my last blood lactate test this has dropped from 32 to 36.
Conclusions
Seek the Peak is awesome event which I trained for specifically by building my base then going for specific interval runs on the terrain that would be the event route. I want to in top physical condition related to my age as I age for both physical strength and endurance. That leaves me with a few things to focus on the half-marathon, 10 km, Seek the Peak and the Grouse Grind. Overall placement is not important however gradual improvements relative to previous years as well as percentage improvements relative to age group are important. I want to be in the 80% - 90% at the very least.
Now it is time to build a plan around these new standards and goals. There are striking similarities between high performance and business: the need to review, set standards, set a new plan and take actions. PS - I find it confusing when the chip time and gun time are the same. I pressed my stopwatch when I stepped on the mat, which was a minute after the gun time (see the age group results - here). Either way I placed 16th in my age group and have four more years to reach the podium.
Find your age graded pace – click here I am still very happy with the last six months of events and training. What are your standards? What are you measuring and taking action on?
Labels: endurance training, Excellence, Happiness, Learning to Adapt, resilience strategies, Standards, Success strategies
 Friday was the end of the Grouse Grind season for 2011. The reason isn't because the trail is closed, though with the snow starting to stick at the ¾ marker I am sure it won't be too long until it is.. My second climb today was the last one because I am at ease that all my season goals have been accomplished. That morning I woke up knowing it would probably be cold, wet and snowing up on the mountain, but with the drive to complete two more goals: 10 sub 40 min and 50 Grinds for the season; this meant at least two more ascents. Staying active outdoors in the late fall and winter requires wearing the appropriate layers and planning to have dry clothes close by for when you finish. I decided it was time to pull out the long-underwear for the slightly cool damp weather to avoid hyperthermia and keep my torso warm. When we are cold our blood goes to our vital organs to keep them warm, so by keeping my torso means that some of this blood could go to my arms and legs.
Number 49
It was very close to toque weather, but now quite. Instead what it is raining I need a peaked hat to stay prevent heat from escaping and water from dripping in my eyes. The magic gloves are great during this time of year, so with ball cap, gloves, long underwear, shorts and double knotted shoes it was time get my 49th Grind underway.
The canopy provides some shelter so the trail wasn't too slippery at the start. Since, I had heard that there was black ice near the top on Thursday I knew that I had to drive my legs a little faster for the first three quarters to reach the top in less than 40 minutes. The first quarter was a little slow, 8:40 min, probably due to my body's requirement for a longer warm-up. My next pace evaluation point was the old blue quarter sign – 11:56 min, just under my goal of twelve minutes. So, far I was definitely on pace. Finishing the second quarter in 9:18, just over my personal best gave me even more encouragement. I passed a couple of multi-grinders who mentioned that I was on target for sub 40 min. Little did they I know I might finish in 38 minutes.
As I climbed the rain started to fall a little harder through the trees. At the third quarter red sign, I might be on pace for a new personal best. There was more foot traffic after this point which made it difficult to navigate at a fast tempo. There was also some snow on the ground making each footstep a little more tenuous. When I started I set my timer to beep every 9:45 minutes, as I reached the last rocky section it had not chimed yet so I knew that 39 minutes was possible. Scrabbling over the top, I hit my watch lap button, 38:35 min! A great time, but not quite what I had hoped for. Still this was one more goal reached: 10 under 40 minutes!
Number 50
Do I go home and come back on Saturday? Or head-back out for a second time? I did bring extra clothes and an additional hat. My shirt wasn't too wet, so all I changed was my hat. It was raining harder at the beginning this time. Overcoming the cold rain in Vancouver is a matter of mental attitude. I told myself it was sunny and 30c outside. Two objectives were set for this climb. Goals for this last ascent were first to finish and secondly to finish in less than 42:30 min which was my season average. Somewhere along the trail it started to hail. It isn't very often that people pass me, however I could start to hear foot steps behind me after the second quarter started. Knowing that at some point he would pass me I kept to the right as best I could, but I wasn't about to slow down at all.
He kept pace with me for quite awhile, but never passed me; there were plenty of opportunities. It almost started to get annoying, but it was admirable that he was trying to keep pace. I have always said, "run your own race and the rest will follow." Steve Jobs was right to be a leader and innovator in business you will always need to think ahead of what is next and there will always be followers and imitators. As the fourth quarter started more space started to open up between us; it was then that I took charge and sped up.
One of my favourite parts is the last set of stairs where you can more gradually by steering left or steeper by heading right to get to the rocks. The rocky area is my favourite because represents the final push of the Grind before the trees line clears. Looking up I saw the familiar gait and umbrella of Terry, a Grind legend. The snow started to fall heavily, coating the ground with the first white blanket of the winter season. The trail was slippery, so each step had to be taken more carefully. A wonderful white world revealed itself as the trees line cleared. This climbs time was 42:07 making this season's average 42:24; it felt like a comfortable and rewarding end to a season full of accomplishments.
I had the pleasure of coming down on the tram with Frédérique and Jim who were just one climb away from finishing 150 and 300 ascents for the season respectively (they finished their 5th Grind of the day and reached their goals later that day). Congratulations to everyone who at least completed the Grind even once.
As an entrepreneur being physically active outdoors is important to me because I am able to reconnect with the earth, be within my own thoughts and release most of the negative stress that accumulates during the week. Accomplishing each Grind goal this season builds confidence within me that I am able to transfer into my business.
Another aspect of the Grind that are powerful to me the bonds that are formed between those of us who are part of the Multi-Grind Club. There are people who have done some amazing things who continue to inspire me to challenge myself further. If you are ever to improve in business surround yourself with those who are successful and who push you to new heights.
With the snow falling I am looking forward to snowshoeing and trying the Snowshoe Grind at Grouse. Labels: Excellence, goals, Grouse Grind Training, mountain running, Success strategies, trail running
 On Saturday morning I woke up to the rain and the prospect of it not letting up. It did not matter what the weather was like when I awoke because it was my mission this weekend to finish my quest to reach 100 lifetime Grouse Grinds. This is to honour of Barbara, who in her lifetime completed over 100 climbs despite a brain injury that made it challenging to walk. When she passed away earlier this year I knew that reaching my 100 th climb this season was how I could pay tribute to her admirable courage and perseverance. I had pushed through a dark soggy climb on Friday morning and had reached number 97. As winter approaches it becomes more likely that Metro Vancouver will close the Grind due to safety concerns. The unpredictable closing date made completing my goal this weekend even more urgent. Learning my lesson from Friday I remember to pack additional clothes including socks. It was still dark out when I left the house because the sun rose at 7:42 AM.
Finding a positive outlook is important when it's dark, raining and cold outside. Part of the beauty of the Grind is the wonderful canopy that the trees provide so you don't get that wet. My body started to warm-up once I started moving as well. The trail was wet and full of puddles, but also silent in the darkness. There weren't very people on the trail in the morning; being on my own gives me sometime to be quiet and listen to my own body and breath.
Number 98
Three minutes after starting the battery power drained on my Garmin. I was truly on my own without technology. Could I finish in less than 40 minutes? What does that pace FEEL like? I searched through my memories of previous ascents to find the right speed. As I continued to climb the trail became clearer as the sun rose in the morning sky. My favourite part of the Grind came upon me quickly – the last stairs before the rocky climbs. It was there that the wind shook the trees to nicely shower me. Clamouring over the last bit where many people stop – I reached the timer hoping my card would produce that satisfying long beep which signals that it scanned properly; it did.
Out of breath I waited for my name to scroll on the screen – 39:58! Under the wire! Triumphant! Two more climbs to reach 100. Coming down on the tram listening to the rain fall didn't inspire me too much. I really wasn't looking forward to another climb in soaked shoes. Refuelling with a couple of carbohydrate gels and some electrolyte fluid I reframed my thoughts by realizing I had been smart this time by bringing a second peaked cap and t-shirt.
Number 99
After changing my clothes, setting my bag in the bag check I was feeling warmer and ready for climb number 99. By this time the rain had stopped. The trail was still wet and on several sections it was cascading over the rocks to create mini-waterfalls. With the wet trail, roots and stairs one needs to be judicious about each foot step. There was a moment when one foot went sideways and I had to catch myself before straining my groin. Even though I really wanted to push the pace my body kept telling me that I need to maintain a steady rhythm while my mind kept reminding me that today wasn't about time, it was about completions. The second climb was finished in 43:41.
I really wanted to stay for a third, however I had booked one client that day and had to head to work. It was going to be difficult to wait until Sunday to finish that ascent and feel the victory of crowning the top for my 100th Grind. Also, I knew there might be some other activities planned on Sunday that would force to wait until next weekend.
Number 100
Looking outside after my session was over I noticed that the weather had cleared a little bit more. There was time in the day to finish that 100th climb and complete my third triple multi-day. Another inspiring factor was that a friend completed his 500th climb on the same day.
 After having a bite to eat, hydrating and doing a little stretching with self-myofascial release I set out to find a bus. I could feel the excitement build as I approached the gate to swipe my timer card. The third climb was completely by feel. Another goal I had set was to finish ten climbs in less than 40 minutes each, I was at nine. With the first few steps my legs were feeling free, so was this also the 10th? I decided to let my body set the pace. There were times when I was dragging and had to mentally give myself a kick, while others times I felt like I was flying at a speed that would earn a personal best.
As the trees started to thin out I passed a few people who had stopped. Some smiled as I encouraged them to keep going because they were literally almost at the top. Feelings of joy, relief and elation began to overwhelm me as I crested over the top to the final timer post. My time was 40:12. I strongly believe that part of success is being able perform at a consistent level – so just over 40 minutes is still successful for me. On the way down we could see the snow on the Lions.
While everything worthwhile usually takes quite a bit of investment of effort and time remember the rewards are well worth it. Be patient and keep striving towards your goal. Ensure that each step or action, no matter how small takes you closer to your goal. When you want something enough, obstacles are only challenges. Find your way through them and keep preserving.
These 100 Grouse Grinds are dedicated to Barb Burton. Rest in Peace.
Labels: Excellence, goals, Grouse Grind Training, perseverance, Success strategies
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To become and stay a leader in your profession you need to continue to learn. With all the continue education opportunities available how do you choose? Roger
Takashashi, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Vancouver Canucks and fellow
Kinesiologist spoke at the 20th Anniversary of the British Columbia
Association of Kinesiologists in November. The crowd
was mainly undergraduate Kinesiology students, though there were a few veterans
who came to hear him speak. His session
was a question and answer format. A key point he made was that his degree in Kinesiology at Simon
Fraser University was the foundation to his current career, knowledge and
experience. 
