SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE

Jim, Nathan and Trisha have taught me so much. They have taught me about the dangers of ego. They have taught me about the importance of nutrition, supplements and eating right. They have beaten into my head that I MUST rest. And this morning Jim taught me about the importance of setting a good example. We teach our children how important that is and it is so easily lost when we get older and our egos kick in.

Last weekend’s ride and the Light the Night Walk were not great for me. Trisha told me during the walk that she has never seen me sweat so much. I thought that maybe I just had a couple of bad days. I was completely oblivious to the fact that the weekend was hot AND humid, two combinations that I do not do well in. Jim asked me this morning whether I wore my cooling vest. I did not. As my sons say: DUH!

Jim reminded me that I have to THINK about my training. I have to THINK about my nutrition. THINK about my rest. THINK about everything about what an athlete does to train for an event.

But he also reminded me of something that is so much more important than my training for this event for me. He reminded me that folks are watching. Folks are using our journey as an example. Whether you have a struggle or not, if you saw me finish Sunday’s walk, he asked whether THAT would inspire someone to get off a couch or try to beat an illness. If I am being honest with myself, it would not because it did not look easy or comfortable. Jim told me that sometimes, as much as it might pain me, I might have to sit something out and cheer on those who are doing the event for Team Inspiration. That is, of course, IF, AND ONLY IF, I have done everything intelligently (rest, nutrition, minimize the effect of the heat, etc., etc., etc.) and really should not participate myself. That does not mean that I CAN’T (I hate that word) do something. It simply means that I should not do it at THAT time. I have a responsibility to set a good example whether it is in my training or in being smart enough to cheer Team Inspiration on. Thank you Jim, Nathan and Trisha for sharing your wisdom with me and now many others.


Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

-Trace

ADDENDUM: The good thing about having so many folks supporting me is that I get feedback very quickly. PLEASE DO NOT THINK FOR A MOMENT THAT I INTEND TO SIT ON THE SIDELINES AND CHEER RATHER THAN DO. The purpose of this post was to acknowledge that I need to be INTELLIGENT about my training, forgive myself when I have a bad day, SET A GOOD EXAMPLE, and .... YES! MIND MY HEROES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ADDENDUM 2!:

WOW! I apparently very poorly set out my message today. Thank you Anne who walked with me Sunday and who emailed me:

Hey, Trace, I just read your blog ….

May I remind you of …

Ross, the young man who, at the end of the race came over to you, shook your hand, and said, “Wow, man, that was so inspirational” ….

… And the crowd control man, who as we were leaving Market Street with the crowd turned to you and said, “All the best, man – next time you see me I am going to be 40 pounds lighter. Seeing how hard you work will never let me complain and sit on the couch again!”

… And the families who as they walked by asked your name and began clapping and cheering you on ….

Don’t forget about those ….

Take care,

Anne

YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE

I was vividly reminded of the power and compassion of Team Inspiration this weekend. What an amazing group of people are supporting me. Several of our team members joined me for a bike ride Saturday and then several for the Leukemia Light the Night Walk last night. To be kind to myself, both performances were less than stellar. I told the group Saturday to go on and finish the ride at their own pace. They refused. I apologized profusely to my friends both Saturday and Sunday that I was slowing them down and they all told me to stop. They reminded me that we are a Team and that they support me no matter what. I was reminded of the song “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Specifically of the parts that say “When you walk through a storm hold your head up high. And don’t be afraid…” “Walk on with hope in your heart. You’ll never walk alone.” I am not walking alone. In fact, besides my friends on Team Inspiration last night a group of high school ROTC folks waited behind to walk through the finish line with me. The world needs so many more people like those who have touched me. The strength this awesome group of people gives me will get me there! I thank you all so very much. I could not do it without each and every one of you.

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

-Trace

OWN IT FOR THE LOW, LOW PRICE OF …

I have talked with so many folks lately who have told me that a friend, relative or acquaintance has MS. Today’s blog applies to those folks or anyone afflicted with any condition or situation in life that prevents them from living a happy and healthy life.

Taking charge of, or OWNING, your existence is your privilege. You can own your health. You can own your situation. You can own your happiness. The cost? Making your mind realize that you can conquer your challenges and being patient and mastering patience. I am still working on the patience part. If you believe that you can make yourself healthy or happy, then you can. But do not expect it to happen over night. Be patient. See what Blessings come your way and how they multiply exponentially!

Sundays with Jarvis has been delayed a couple of weeks. That does not mean I will be sitting idle though! Tomorrow we have a 15 mile Team Inspiration Bike Ride. There is another group doing a run. Then on Sunday, Team Inspiration will be participating in the Light the Night Walk in the Woodlands. We have many exciting things going on right now. Thanks to Jason and Nutrition Central, we have a new professionally created logo! The team is growing by leaps and bounds! We will keep you posted! For now -


Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

-Trace

The Coach becomes the Coached

Trace and I reminded each other in several ways of this past week that we are not perfect nor do we strive for perfection. Actually we are highly flawed but yet it is through our flaws that we are typically humbled which makes us easier to be around. Furthermore we found a renewed appreciation for each other by switching roles several times and in several ways. For those of you wondering, I do occasionally listen to Trace.

In simple terms the coach becomes the coached. This is an amazing asset contained within Team Inspiration and we make it real as we reach out to each other and support one another. This is easy to do within the boundaries of triathlon training but becomes even more meaningful when we start applying to other messy areas of our lives.

Trace and I will both admit that we are good at making mistakes but we are getting a lot better at being vulnerable with each other and finding out that we can help each other not just in being a better triathlete but to live better. Don't forget to be coachable and be able to coach as well.

As a group of individuals, let's continue to bring more hope and encouragement to this world. Go make it a great day!

Jim

P.S. I'll start to pay attention to Trace's cycling speed when he goes aero....which I know he will. :)

OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING

What an AMAZING day! Pete and Heather Garbes and I scoped out Team Inspiration’s weekly bike training route for now until we decide to tackle the Tour de France! We have a 15.3 mile route picked out. For me, the important part is that I was able to complete it and did not have to hit the ground as soon as I got off of my bike, neither of which would have been in the realm of possibilities when we started this awesome adventure. Team Inspiration will start having a weekly ride and a weekly run every Saturday morning. You can do either or!!! If you are not doing the triathlon with us but are in the Woodlands, join us!!!!!! This is exactly what I keep talking about when I proudly talk about the power of positivity this Group is creating. Joining us Saturday morning will guarantee your being in a good mood all day and maybe all week!!!! (Can you tell that I had a wonderful morning?!)

Hey! Iron Man Jim! Who is that behind you catching up on the bike crazy fast?! Oh yeah. IT’S TRACE! Be afraid! Be VERY afraid!

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

-Trace

STRONG MUSCLES, STRONG BONES...STRONGER MIND

I'm writing this article in response to Trace's recent rib injuries. Sometimes a strong mind can be a little too strong for the body and injuries can happen. It's important to know not only what you can use to prevent an injury, but how to treat an injury if one occurs. Here are a few tips off the top of my head:

PREVENTION

1) Protect your joints first...they don't repair as easily as muscles. A good joint supplement such as my favorite - BCS Labs ElastiFlex - will not only keep your joints in the best shape possible but give you the piece of mind to not always be worrying about them every time you feel the slightest knee, ankle, wrist, shoulder, or elbow pain. I prefer this specific supplement because it has the widest spectrum of ingredients that have been proven effective in clinical studies, and it is one of the few supplements that contains every ingredient in CLINICALLY EFFECTIVE DOSES. If the effective dose of something like glucosamine is 1500mg/day and a joint product that your friend (or even doctor) recommends to you only contains 200mg.....don't waste your time! Sub-clinical doses will produce sub-clinical results. FYI, other supplements that I recommend for joint health are Fish Oil (I like Scivation Essential EFA), Boswellia, and Bromelain (pineapple enzyme). A good multivitamin is essential too....connective tissue is made of many trace minerals as well as Vitamin C.

2) Get enough rest - most injuries happen when you are overtrained, meaning your central nervous system cannot keep up with the rest of your body. Sleep WELL and even take a nap after intense training if possible.

3) Eat a diet of healthy, unprocessed, natural foods (like Pure Healthy Eatery if you live in The Woodlands). If it didn't come out of the ground, or tree, or out of the animal looking the way you see it.....don't eat it! Processed food is cheating our body of nutrients that it would otherwise get in unprocessed foods. ALSO minimize refined sugar.....not just because its processed, but because sugar releases insulin and constant high insulin levels causes Glycation, which in layman's terms is the hardening of flexible tissue due to sugar....flexible tissue includes ligaments, tendons, cartiledge, but also veins and arteries. Certain B-vitamins help reduce glycation, but minimizing your sugar intake is the best route.

TREATING INJURIES

1) Diagnose the injury - joint, bone and muscle injuries should all be treated differently. For joint injuries refer to PREVENTION step #1.....it's more important now than ever. For bone injuries (such as Trace's ribs) I sold Trace a bottle of NOW Foods Bone Strength which is a multimineral and gives you additional minerals in highly bioabsorbable forms above what is already present in your multivitamin. For muscle injuries, since muscles are made of protein and amino acids you want to make sure you take in extra amounts of them to repair faster.

2) Ice or Heat or Advil - For muscle injuries you want to ICE for the first 24 hours, HEAT for the next 24 hours. ICE reduces swelling naturally while heat relaxes the muscle. If you put heat on too soon it can exacerbate the swelling. For joint and bone injuries NO HEAT only ICE (bones and joints can't relax like muscles). Ibuprofen (Advil) works great, much better than Tylenol for reducing inflamation.....but the body has a natural inflammatory response that precedes the repair process and I wouldn't interupt that immediately when an injury occurs. If you can wait 6 or 12 hours to take Advil then I would, unless the injury is severe.

3) Don't let it bring you down! Injuries happen to everyone (even Super Trace) and this is where a strong mind comes in. Keep your eye on the goal. The human body is a wonderfully complex and adaptive machine and you can't let a little setback discourage you. As they say in the song below....."Don't drop your arms"!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPOZifPfUsU

HAPPY TO BE TOLD “I TOLD YOU SO”

This week I am thrilled to report to the world that I was wrong! I have learned my lesson about the importance of rest and off days. During my 2 mile walk with Nathan this morning I CUT 6 MINUTES OFF OF MY RECORD TIME! I did the entire walk in 46 minutes 52 seconds. We took NO breaks. Nathan and Jim have been advising me to rest when I need to and I have finally learned. Thanks guys!

Also, I am starting to feel like Scooby Doo. Nathan brought another mystery guest this morning on the walk. Thanks for joining us Cory! It was a blast. Now if you and Nathan will stop making me laugh, I can REALLY improve my time.

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

-Trace

WE ARE NOT A PATIENT PEOPLE

Nathan and Jim have FINALLY gotten through my thick skull on a very important point. Bear with me.

Mom went into the hospital many months ago to have a cancerous spot on her arm cut out. In the course of that surgery, an issue with her heart was discovered and she ended up with a double bypass, following which numerous complications and issues kept her from her active life. She is 78 years old. We finally took her home about a week ago. She lives alone and was trying to do too much and fell, causing her to get 5 staples in her head. (Nathan observed “how Sherer-like.” Jim concurred.) She was upset that she was not able to multitask immediately upon her return home. She and I have kept referring recently to the fact that WE ARE NOT A PATIENT PEOPLE. We MUST learn to be.

Nathan keeps admonishing me to stop overdoing things and to rest. His instructions are getting more and more….let’s say blunt. Yesterday morning Trisha started me on something she called “Trace’s Boot Camp.” It includes rapid sets of jumping, side to side squats and pushups. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. I was VERY pleased with how I did. So last night I decided to go to a spin class and work on some one legged drills Jim gave me. I did GREAT until about half way through the class and Jarvis just decided that he had had enough for the day and checked out. Jim was standing outside when I was done and noticed I was obviously not happy. He helped set my bike properly for next time and gave me a lot of encouragement.

He was not so delicate with me this morning. After my workout, when I went in the locker room, he talked about his great and easy swim this morning. He then asked if because he felt so good about it whether he should go upstairs and run a billion miles or find some other way to over do it. OKAY. OKAY BOYS. I FINALLY GET IT. I can stop when I KNOW that I have worked hard and be satisfied with my accomplishment. Success does not mean I reduce myself to a quivering mass of worthless lawyer. (Yes. I know Jim that the worthless lawyer part will still be there.) Here we go again boys and girls. Baby Steps. Rest. Now let’s add be happy with your progress and BE PATIENT. I know that we have said to be patient before but maybe if I keep saying it I will follow my own advice. Mom. Kimi. WE MUST BECOME A PATIENT PEOPLE.

Good luck, KEEP TRYING and my best,

-Trace

Sundays with Jarvis Update 10/2/2010

Folks,

Trace has had mostly solid weeks and is now moving, again, into the personal record zone for our two mile CB&I Triathlon run course. Trace capped last Sunday with a new record time.

Here are the last twelve weeks.

10/2/2010 52.40
9/26/2010 54.01
9/19/2010 ~1:29
9/12/2010 1:02.12
9/5/2010 1:03:36
8/29/2010 1:11:34
8/22/2010 1:14:52
8/15/2010 ~1:06
8/8/2010 53:48
8/1/2010 ~57 minutes
7/25/2010 ~1:07
7/18/2010 ~1:20

The White Chocolate Smoothie (Trace Sherer) was moving with some new equipment last week end, my cross-country ski poles. The ski poles added stability that clearly made a huge impact as Trace, as usual, ignored my instructions to take and easy Saturday. Instead of taking it easy, he swam a long way and road his bike for 15 miles. In the past, he would have been drained and probably not set a new personal record. But yesterday was different. Just wait till the ski poles are cut to the perfect length!

Great Job Trace.