It has been an inspiring week, both at work and in marathon training – two areas of life that are somehow intertwined.  Is it the more rigorous training that is fueling more energy and focus at work?  Or is the self-discipline and organization practiced at work making training more productive?  Maybe a little of both…We started out this week with a rained out long run on Sunday so instead did our six mile run on Monday morning — the rain had cooled things down a bit so it was really a pleasant run, even during July in Southwest Florida.  After work, we met with my client and our personal trainer LouAnn at Fitness Together to find out the results of our fitness assessments.  I learned that I definitely need to work on bench press/strength, speed, a little reduction of body fat and a few other issues. LouAnn reviewed Steve’s report separately and then we got to work on our personalized workouts based on the assessments — VERY individualized, recognizing that no two people, or bodies, or levels of fitness, are exactly alike. I am really excited that my plan is designed specifically to meet my goals.

For the next 45 minutes, LouAnn had us lifting, lunging, throwing, pushing and pulling — a wide variety of exercises that kept it really interesting and quite fun. We worked on both cardio and strength since we will be relying on both for the long race. We left feeling a little tired, but well-exercised, stretched and stronger already — looking forward to next week’s session!

Tuesday’s adventure focused more on mental preparation — I had the great pleasure of being invited to lunch at Bistro 41 by Jean Gruss, editor/Lee-Collier of Gulf Coast Business Review to talk with Charles K. Idelson, President & CEO of Investors’ Security Trust. about the Nov. 7 NYC Marathon. Charles completed the NYC Marathon last year and  generously shared some great advice with us on training, nutrition, the race route, where to stay and where to eat.  Jean and I took copious notes, and marveled at Charles’ beautiful medal:

It was thrilling to hear about Charles’ NY experience — he didn’t just run the race, he took in all the excitement and drama of the event, and truly seemed to enjoy himself even through a little pain. Knowing both Jean and Charles through business, I learned a lot about their “running” sides and gained more perspective on two very special people. It was great getting to know them a bit better.

Like our “marathon” lunch, so far this journey is incredibly enriching and has provided a high level of inspiration that goes well beyond the daily runs and workouts. The result? Creativity, motivation, and continuous improvement that is sure to benefit me, my family and my clients. Read more about our marathon training on my blog plus you can learn about innovative public relations solutions at PKECreative.com.