Pushing your body past what you thought it was capable of is easy; the hard part is pushing yourself even further … past what your mind wants to let you. That’s what ultrarunning is all about; introducing you to a self you’ve never known. -Rex Pace Ride the wave. Breathe, Susie. Keeping riding. Just breathe. …
The real purpose of running isn’t to win a race, it’s to test the limits of the human heart. -Bill Bowerman For the past six months, I’ve been spending 6-10 hours a week coaching a group of about 35 people, many of whom started out as strangers to one another in November. Together we began …
“The body never lies.” -Martha Graham At age twelve I became a vegetarian. It wasn’t a rash decision. I knew my convictions surrounding the issue and I got to work researching the topic. Even at this young age, my modus operandi in life was highly developed. But I did it all in silence. I kept …
“At least once a day, allow yourself the freedom to think and dream. [I] didn’t write that headline. Albert Einstein did. He was saying: Beware of the ever-present ‘experts’ in your life. Don’t let other people tell you what or how to think. Don’t let them tell you who you are, or what you …
The mind, when housed within a healthful body, possesses a glorious sense of power. -Joseph Pilates Most people think of your core as just your superficial abs (rectus abdominis) or the traditional six-pack abs. But true core work covers muscles surrounding your pelvis, rib cage, shoulder girdle as well as those that follow the length of …
For the past 30 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘no’ for too many days in a row, I know I need …
Since I’m a multi-sport athlete, I don’t have a ton of time for any one discipline. I also love many forms of movement–Spinning, Pilates, yoga, running, strength training, cycling, plyometrics–which means I need to maximize my time with each one. When it comes to strength training I love using combination moves (movements that combine multiple …
For nine months I thought about a single sign. Almost every time I ran or trained from November until June 29th, I visualized it. But the more I pictured it, the more questions arose. What would it be made of? What direction would it face? Would it be covered in snow? What would the path …
By Susie Crossland-Dwyer I am deep into training for 2013, with my first real race just four weeks away. So, with the Memorial Day holiday weekend in full swing as well as the need to get in some serious miles, Chris and I decided to play a game and go for an adventure instead of …
“Things that are hard to bear are sweet to remember.” -Seneca We ALL have tough spots in training and in life. But, if we are able to relax into them, push through them, ride them out = ADAPT to them, then often there is new found strength on the other side. So, whatever you are …
By Susie Crossland-Dwyer This time last year I noticed something strange. I was enjoying my version of “high holy days” at the World Spinning & Sports Conference in Miami, FL, riding along to tribal drums during African Storm (taught by one of my mentors, South African genius, Elsa Storm), when, all of a sudden, it …
By Susie Crossland-Dwyer This week Chris and I retreated into the woods and countryside of Adams County, OH (thanks to our amazing friends Paul and Karen who let us borrow their incredible log cabin). The winter cobwebs that just a few weeks ago covered me have now been gently swept away and I am ready …
“Don’t work towards freedom, but allow the work itself to be freedom.” -Dogen Roshi February and March were tough months. They weren’t life-threatening or anything major–I’m aware conditions could be much, much worse. But being sick for three weeks (and not really knowing what I had) was a big enough jolt to my current paradigm. …
By Susie Crossland-Dwyer When I started this blog project, I promised myself that I wouldn’t just share my highlights but also my low, realistic moments. After all, as humans we have many sides, even if the world often only sees our good side. When I’m going through a tough moment, week or even year, I …
The Challenge: Build up to a 5:00 min. plank hold (forearm or straight-arm). The Method: -Use these dynamic plank variations to help improve your core strength and pelvic stability while preventing boredom of simply holding plank. Practice these variations 2-3 times per week. Perform as few repetitions of each exercise as you need to in …
“Without inspiration the best power of the mind remain dormant. There is a fuel within us that needs to be ignited with sparks.” -Johan Gottfried Van Herder This week I was ignited with sparks from the “Spark Seeker” himself, Matisyahu. Not only did he create my personal theme song of 2012 (Live Like a Warrior), …
“You can never be great at anything unless you love it.” -Maya Angelou Snow was falling as I performed hills repeats in Alms Park today. The silence, breathing of cold air and rhythmic motion of running all “whispered” to me that there is no other place I’m supposed to be but here and now.
This video is 3:27. If you have 3:27, you have a smoothie. I challenge you…can you make this smoothie in the length of time it takes to watch the video? One Susie Smoothie Serving 3 bananas (ripe!–brown & spotted) If the bananas aren’t truly ripe the recipe will be too bitter/chalky. 1/2 cup(ish) frozen or …
During my time as an endurance athlete–training for marathons, an ultra-marathon and Ironman–I’ve been completely injury-free (minus my freak cycling accident that wasn’t my fault). I train six days a week for 11 months of the year and have another month that is light training/ full of rest. I credit my success not only to …
Incline Treadmill Workout: –Warm-up 10:00 minutes or 1 mile at a slower than your normal pace. -Keep as much of that slower pace as you are able while you test out each “automatic” incline on the treadmill. My treadmill organizes them in increments of three. So, if you don’t have auto buttons on your treadmill, …