RAW Passion

On Thursday evening I attended “Sensory May 2015” presented by Raw Artists.

“Raw Artists” is an international organisation, or an international concept with an objective of allowing local artistic talent a vehicle to display itself.

There are over 60 cities world wide where regular “Raw” events are held and we can be both proud and grateful Brisbane is one of them.

The Venue for this event was The Met nightclub in the heart of the Fortitude Valley entertainment precinct and I confess to being just a little amused that as someone who just happens to be over 25 years of age that I was heading off for a night at The Met. But hey, age is but a number.

My prime motivation for attending was to catch up with, and support Alberto from Monte Rego Photography (http://www.monteregophotography.com) who was exhibiting a superb sample of his landscape, scenery and wave images. (Alberto’s image of the Burleigh Surf Club is amazing)

Alberto was one of several photographers presenting their work, and they were joined by fashion designers, make up artists, sketch artists, painters, musicians, short film makers, art and craft and a near naked woman being drawn on.

Overall, it was a very impressive display of local Brisbane artistic talent, much of it “young” and others just young at heart.

However, I was impressed by much more than the talent on display.

The talent was diverse, but the diversity of the crowd in attendance also impressed me.

There were what you might describe as “artie” types and dressed as you might expect. But, but there was alsobusiness people dressed in their corporate finery, others dressed to kill as if on a night out at an exclusive restaurant or event and others ready for a nightclub. It was incredibly invigorating and motivating to see such diversity, mixing and mingling in perfect harmony and without judgment.

But what impressed me most, what motivated me most were the exhibitors and the common theme of all exhibitors.

All were passionate about their particular artistic pursuit.

All were doing what they wanted to do, following their dream, making it come true, or doing all they could to make it come true.

How many of us genuinely pursue our passion or passions?

How many of us have the self honesty to even identify and articulate just what our passion is?

It is a wake up call for me.

To conclude, I am going back to Alberto and will then end with his words.

Many years ago when living in Adelaide, Alberto worked as a photographer in a specialist field.

Very many geographical moves and many jobs later, fatherhood, cycling and travel, Alberto has acknowledged and accepted his love for his art and is pursuing it.

His words to me were enlightening, honest and motivating.

In respect of his photography, he said:

“I feel like I have come home”

Running to New York

Its time to get Blog “active” again and the motivation to do so is my entry in to the 2015 New York Marathon. I have always wanted to do a Marathon, one Marathon, and figure that I may as well do the grand daddy of major city events, which means 1 November 2015 and New York.

My entry is as part of the group representing the MND and ME (Motor Neurone) Foundation and it is with much pride that they have adopted me for this event.

I have a training program courtesy of myasics.com and with this, I am transitioning from cyclist to runner, be it only (at this stage) until the conclusion of the Marathon.

And the transition is interesting. In the space of three weeks, I have run my best 10k road run in some 25 years, begun to enjoy, even look forward to running and am watching my diet from not just a health perspective, but looking in to diet from a performance and recovery perspective.

Which brings me to my training run on Saturday morning. My program called for a 12 kilometre medium paced run. I have gained great confidence the last week or so by completing similar runs very comfortably. My average heart rate has been getting lower, my energy burn reducing and my times improving. It has actually been comfortable, verging on the edge of being easy.

However, this morning was really difficult. It was hard to get in to a rhythm, I was aware my heart rate was higher than usual and I just felt sluggish.

Not withstanding, I pushed on, paid particular attention to my running posture and breathing while at the same time looking for anything to distract me.

I completed the run; in fact, I added extra 2 kilometres just for the sake of it and was quite surprised to find my average pace was 4 seconds per kilometre quicker than the equivalent run only two days before. However, my average heart rate was 27 beats per minute higher and my energy “burn” was 334 units more than 2days prior.

So, what was different? Why the sluggish feeling? Why the higher heart rate?

I went over the period since my last run, 36 hours previously. What had I done differently?

The answer was simple and obvious.

I left work for home at about 4.30pm Friday hoping to get a head start on the weather ravaged traffic in a Brisbane that had been hit by freakish weather conditions. After driving nearly 3 kilometres, in 2 hours 10 minutes, I executed a “doubtfully legal” U Turn and returned to the office.

Back at work, I consoled myself with three Gin and Tonics supplemented by a large packet/container of Pringles.

On finally getting home at about 10.30, I had some soup, watched the end of a movie and went to bed.

Given my attention to diet has been somewhat fastidious, and my alcohol consumption basically zero, it is obvious that the difference was wholly and solely diet related.

I should note that sleep time was consistent as have been weather conditions (run in the rain excluded).

I have never been a fan of supplements but will now research them. I will also look closer into diet and what further I might be able to do to assist training performance and recovery.

If one relatively small diet divergence can have such a huge negative impact, it stands to reason there is an equal positive impact ready to be discovered from more attention to diet detail.

Watch this space…..