Day 2 of the 2009 MDS and 2010 MDS!

I have been waiting and waiting for all the results to show on the race web site but several runners results are still not up. We wait and wait..but I am going to bed!

Today was more sand dunes and lots of rocks..the Dreamchasers are doing very well.
Meghan Hicks is the 3rd women overall...yeah for her!! This is a great start,

The long day which is 50 miles will start on Wed. morning. The runners have 2 days to complete the 50 miles. This is the stage that will make or break the race..and in my eyes this is where the race is won. If our men's Dreamchaser team is going to move up in the rankings they are all going to need to run a very hard fast 50 miles. You know what? They can do it!
Today Mike, Ted and Byron all ran very well and I know they were holding back and running the top guys down from the back! We should all be thinking about and praying for all the runners on Wed. for a very successful long day.
Jay Batchen is doing awesome..is is the 4th American behind the team Dreamchasers.

Some others that I would like to mention today is our Colleen Woods and Alisha Strobel who are from the Tetons are moving great.

We are thinking about you all today and everyone..Go Connie, Steve, George, Tess, Jane, Elizabeth, Terry, Mike, Bill and all of you! You inspire us all to do and be better. Thank you!

I have gotten over 40 emails in the past 2 days about the 2010 as well as the 2011 MDS race.
The 2010 race is sold out and we have a long waiting list. This does not mean it is impossible to get in it just means you are on a waiting list. If you would like to get on the list for either years please email me at lisa@dreamchaserevents.com



FROM THE RACE WEB SITE: Today March 31st, 2009

2nd stage Men ranking

Aziz El Akad (3-Morocco) : 2h41m17s
Salameh Al Aqrah (357-Jord) 2h45m48s
Lahcen Ahansal (1-Morocco) : 2h49m17s
Mohamad Ahansal (2-Morocco) : 2h50m30
5.Michael Wardian (870-USA) 2h52m36s (IN 7th OVERALL, 22 MIN BACK)

2nd stage Women ranking
. Touda Didi (265- Morocco) : 3h54min9s

General ranking stage 2Men

Aziz El Akad (3-Morocco) : 5h15m54s
Salameh Al Aqrah (357-Jord) : 7m21s (time difference with top runner)
Mohamad Ahansal (2-Morocco) : 8m41s (time difference with top runner)
Lahcen Ahansal (1-Morocco) : 8m44s (time difference with top runner)

A surprising stage today, done with at infernal speed. Dunes, stones and wind were excepted, but coldness and wind have been the last stage's guests. Lead by the Jordanian Salameh Al Aqrah and the Moroccan Aziz El Akad's paces - second and third rankings respectively last year, the race was really testing for the stretched bunch of runners at the foot of the spectacular Jebel El Begra. An amazing duel, worthy of the best Western movies.

Up to the second check point, the two leaders were on each other's heels, cooling down their rivals' enthousiasm. Thanks to an impressive final sprint, the Moroccan Aziz El Akad left his challenger way behind, seizing the 1st place of the general ranking. He seemed really confident at the finishing line regarding his 1st place this year, ? private proptery ? of the Ahansal family for 13 years. Despite his tough end of stage, the Jordanian shares exactly the same ambitions and expects a lot about tomorrow's heat. 7 minutes behind the leader in the general ranking is actually not an insuperable obstacle...
Exhausting race for the Ahansal' brothers : Mohamad suffered of digestive confusions, obliging his body to have a short break during this stage. His brother Lahcen was weak as well on the finishing line, apparently destabilized by the other competitors' ardour. Totalising more than 8 minutes difference with the top leader, this is an unforeseen situation for them. Temporarily lapse of end of kingdom ? Anwser tomorrow during the longest and mythical stage...

The Moroccan Touda Didi keeps shining in this competition, reaching the finishing line on the 1st position. Unless something drastic happens, she should keep the lead all through the week with a well deserved title.



DREAM CHASERS TEAM (numbers 868 - 870 / USA)

INTERVIEW WITH THE TEAM’S CREATOR, GERALD BATCHEN

The three musketeers of the American team “Dream Chasers”, Theodore Archer (32 years old), Brion Powell (30 years old) and Michael Wardian (34 years old) were brought together by Gerald Batchen, 39 years old, who is also participating in the race as a solo competitor under number 788. Michael Wardian, trained by Lisa, Gerald’s wife, who won the women’s MDS in 1999, is clear about his goal: to win the MDS this year and thus overthrow the near reign established by the Ahansal brothers for a good decade...His tactic: to use the flat stretches to back up his strong point, speed, and to slow down on the uphill stretches, which he has practiced less in training and, above all, not make any concessions to the Ahansal brothers, not to let himself fall behind...As for Theodore Archer, he finished in 16th place last year and hopes to optimise his results after 6 months of intensive training.This is a baptism of fire for Brion Powell: his first MDS, where he plans to implement a strategy of sustained effort, but has no specific goal in terms of placing.
Gerald Batchen confirms: “For this edition of the event, I have brought together a high level team of sportsmen who are developing fast and we have the ability to get on the podium.” In this first dunes stage, which is, in fact, his “weak” point, Michael finished in 8th place, in 2h 45' 59''. A good start. One to watch, then...Gentlemen, you have been warned!

Marathon Des Sables 1st day and more!!!

I posted this before on my blog..but now that the MDS is in process you may be interested in checking out Teds book. Ted is on the men's Dreamchaser team and today he was 18th overall!
Last year he was 16th overall and the first American...what can he do this year???

You have GOT to read this book written by one of my coaching students, Ted Archer! "Carved by God, Cursed by the Devil" is a story about the Marathon Des Sables, the 150-mile ultra-marathon through Morocco's Sahara Desert. www.tedarcher.com has a photo slideshow, a video clip that ABC News ran on the race, and even excerpts of the book that you can download for free. You will quickly see that it's an amazing story--and you'll want to buy the book! Ted, the author, is someone I met two years ago when he attended one of our running camps. He was a naturally gifted runner, but he was hilarious: He knew nothing about running. He had finished a marathon without eating or drinking anything, and he had never heard of some of the most basic running gear. He went from this to finishing 16th (the top American!) in a field of 802 runners at the world's toughest footrace. Look at the photos, read a piece of his story, and watch the video--and you'll need to find out how it ends. One of the great things about this book is that it's a story, not a journal. It's a fun read, and it's inspiring to read about someone else's journey. You'll also get to know many other runners (of varying abilities) who struggled along with Ted through 125-degree heat, sand dunes, salt flats, and rock gardens. Go to www.tedarcher.com, look at the photos, read the excerpts, and buy the book! Oh, and look for an interview with Ted to come out next week at www.enduranceplanet.com.



Photo of Ted on March 26th, 2009!!!

I can tell you that everyone who is in Morocco is thrilled!!! The sun is out and they are on there way.

What I want you to do today is go to this link and find the runner you are looking for.

On Tues. I will post this for you so you don't have to look so hard!

http://www.darbaroud.com/resultats/resultats.php?langue=en&epreuve_id=2009

The Dreamchaser team did very well today for there first day!

Mike, Ted and Bryon are all in the top...and so is JAY Batchen. I have to brag a bit to you about Jay because he was really only able to run about 1 time a week and play hockey 1 time a week.

He knows this race well and the moto is to GO SLOW TO GO FAST.

On Tues. the results will look different. Many who went out to fast today will pay the price on day 2 and through the rest of the race. You have to manage yourself well.

ALL Dreamchasers are in there tents right now, safe and going to bed. This is a great first day!

If you haven't seen the video of the Land Rover being washed away in a Saharan flash flood (at www.darbaroud.com and click the little British flag to get the English version), I hear that it is incredible.

REPORT FROM TED ARCHER:

The weather is now better, and the race has begun with an altered course. It's only about 80 degrees, so the field is exceptionally fast even though more than half of the 21 miles was in sand dunes today. I ran well today, sticking to my strategy of running hard on flat sections and walking uphills. The desert is a lot different than last year. We ran through flooded areas: mud was everywhere when we weren't in dunes. I'm not sure how things will go from here. We'll see what happens . . . more rain predicted Thurs.

Stay tuned!

Lisa

How to follow the MDS runner's

Happy Sunday!

The Marathon des Sables was to start today but today all the runner's are checking in there gear and the race WILL start on Monday morning. It is still raining in the Sahara! This is sure going to be an interesting race to follow this year.
Dreamchasers has a men's team that hopes to WIN the team division overall as well as WIN the race overall. This would be the FIRST time in the 24 year history of the race. I will be able to follow the race really well so stay tuned! The main race web site will have great photos and stories as well:)
Mike Wardian #870
Bryon Powell #869
Ted Archer #868

To track and communicate with a runner. You can track the results on the main website http://www.darbaroud.com/index_uk.php (This is the link to the English version, if by chance it pops up in French, simply click on the American Flag in the upper right hand corner.)

You can also write to a runner at the same site. This will be really helpful to all the runners.

There will be a section on the website from March 29 to April 3rd (After April 3rd this will no longer be available.) Look for the instructions under "écrire aux concurrents/write to competitors.” This is important: YOU MUST INCLUDE THE RUNNERS FULL NAME and RACE ID in the SUBJECT of the EMAIL.

Put: To Competitor AND the race # in the subject line. They will print out all the emails addressed to runners and deliver them to there tent at night. DO NOT SEND ANY ATTACHMENTS OR PHOTOS or the email will not reach the runners. There are over 800 runner's so you can imagine that printing out and delivering emails for 800 people would take a long time.

Race # of all Dreamchasers!!

Iwan Axt # 785
Arthur Baczyk # 786
Jane Ballantyne #787
Jay Batchen # 788
Richard Bryson # 789
Connie Carpenter # 790
Benji Chu # 791
Anton Clark #792
Rebecca Clements # 793
Andrew Cohen # 794
David Croghan #795
Ian Cunliffe # 796
David Deany # 797
Alessandro Tomaiuolo #799
Giuseppe Radaelli #800
Umberto Pizzochero # 801
Leandro Contessi #803
Alessandro Dal Toso #804
Ugo Marco Vendramel # 805
Renzo Marcanzin #806
Stefano Calvi #807
Giuseppe Scotti # 808
Luciano Rossi #809
Carlo Bianchi #810
Alessandro Carrara # 811
Leonardo Bisori #812
Patrizio Fedozzi # 813
Robert Dobson # 815
Teresa Donnelly # 816
Jessica Downs # 817
Matthew Dyer #818
Kerri Elfvin # 819
Jean Paul Frey # 820
Tess Geddes #821
Jill Halabi #822
William Henderson #823
Lynne Hewett #824
Meghan Hicks #825
Steven Holman # 826
Julie Horton # 827
Mohammed Idlibi # 828
Dennis Janzen # 829
Reinier Jesserun # 830
Michael Julier # 832
David Kemp # 833
Danny Kendall # 834
Ineke Kuiper # 835
Francis Labrune # 836
Christine Lallier # 837
Caroline Lea # 838
Marc Leclerc # 839
Ray Levasseur # 840
Terence Madl #841
Paul Mayson #842
Christian Vachon # 843
Mandy Miller #844
Katherine Morgan #845
Emeka Ngwube # 846
Yoan Paquet # 847
Karl Roche #848
Leo Rogato # 849
Paul Roper #850
Luke Rowden #851
Hans Schmid #852
Molly Sheridan # 853
Elizabeth Smith # 854
Michael Smith # 855
Alisha Strobel # 857
Keith Sullivan # 858
Jordan Thurlow # 859
Patrick Tomada #860
George Velasco # 861
Samuel Whitaker # 862
Daphne Williams # 863
Colleen Woods # 864
Albert Martens #865
Walter Unrau #866
Dale Wohlgemuth # 867
Guy Gibbs #871
Nikolai Pitchforth # 872
Darren Karasiuk #874
Daniel Ouimet #875
Leo Power #876
Pascal Boutreau # 877
Fabrice Pradin # 878
Walter Batel # 879

Go Team!!!!
May you have the journey and experience of a lifetime!

Lisa

MDS: The Sahara Desert is under water!!!!

The Sahara Desert is UNDER WATER!!!!

Good morning everyone! While you are all warm and toasty in your beds over 850 runner's who are in Morocco to run the Marathon des Sables just might have to swim sections of the race.
Just kidding. The first stage at this point has been canceled! This is the first time in 24 year's that they have had to cancel any stage of a race. This is the first time in 24 years that 10 time winner Lachen has seen the kind of rain and flooding they are having.
All runner's have been taken to hotels and as it looks right now the race will start on Monday not on Sunday. This will cut the distance form 155 miles to 132 miles. As you can imagine what the race organizers are going through right now to work out all of the changes that need to be put in place. Jay said that everyone is in good spirits...really as they say..things happen.
Below are a few emails from Jay as to what is going on and also Bryon Powells blog link!
Have a great day
Lisa


.Email #1 from Friday!..it was pouring all day today. Our group was split up and sent out to the bivouac on two buses. The first left at 7:30am and the second at 10am. I was with the second group and we were stopped for about 4 hours while a flash flood washed made the road impassable. It seriously looked like class 5 rapids were rolling over the road. Eventually, the water subsided a bit and they sent the catering truck across to see if it was possible to get a vehicle across to the other side. It made it, so we pulled all of our gear out from under the bus and put it inside. Then, the driver proceeded to drive across...as soon as the current hit the bus, we felt the bus shift, but made it through successfully. WHEW?
At that point, we'd been on the bus for about 6 hours. As we continued on toward the bivouac we encountered numerous other washes, but none were as violent. Eventually, we made it to Erfoud where we met up with the others who took the earlier bus. They made it as close as 1km from the bivouac, but were returned to Erfoud where they spent most of the day on the bus as it continued to downpour. It turns out that the first bivouac is under water, so plans changed quickly.
The decision was made by the race organizers to put us in hotels for the night, which is much better than the other options. I have to get off line, but wanted to let you know that everyone is safe.



http://blog.irunfar.com/

Email #2 from Sat. morning: We're still at the hotel (11am here) and it's still raining. The first stage has been canceled. Cannot believe it. We're at the same hotel as Lahcen and some of the other top Moroccans. Still haven't found the other part of our group, but I'm about to go look for them. As of right now, they plan on doing the admin/medical checks tomorrow, Sunday, and starting us off at what would be the second bivouac. Still waiting for confirmation, but they need to see if the vehicle out there to the check-points. We'll see what happens next.

Meet ANDY JONES-WILKINS in August!

CAMP SCHEDULE

At the August 2009 Dreamchaser camp in the Tetons, we are proud to announce that Lisa will be joined by Andy Jones-Wilkins. Lisa and Andy will offer their collective expertise. Interested in coming to this camp? E-mail Lisa at lisa@dreamchaserevents.com with the subject 'August Camp' and we will reply with more camp details.

See you in AUGUST!!!

Andy Jones-Wilkins began his ultramarathon running career after discovering the rugged, mountainous trails of Arizona in 1996. Upon moving to Northern California in 2001 he began participating in 100-mile races that he soon discovered to be his strongest distance. The trails of Northern California proved to be quite good to Andy as he has steadily made his way into the elite level of 100-mile trail races over the past five years.

Currently living in the mountain town of Ketchum, Idaho Andy has now discovered the value of high altitude mountain training that he hopes will continue to propel his running career upward. He has a particular love for remote, high mountain, technical trails.

Andy is a married father of three children. His wife Shelly and his three sons (Carson, Logan, and Tully) are his biggest supporters and crew for him at every 100-mile race he runs.

Andy’s remarkable running career has been documented in regional and national publications. Among them are Running Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, Trail Runner, Ultrarunning, The Oakland Tribune, The Idaho Mountain Express and The Auburn Journal. Additionally, in July, 2007 Andy was featured prominently on NBC Television’s Jeep World of Adventure Sports’ coverage of the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run and in 2008 on PLUM TV’s feature story on endurance athletes of the mountain west.

Andy’s personal records include:

Marathon - 2:38
50 km- 3:31
50 Mile - 6:55
100 km - 9:10
100 Mile - 14:57

Come meet Andy at camp or say hello to him this summer when he competes in these races: Western States 100 Mile, Hardrock 100 Mile, Leadville Trail 100 Mile, and the Javelina Jundred.

Meet RAY ZAHAB in July!

CAMP SCHEDULE

At the July 2009 Dreamchaser camp in the Tetons, we are proud to announce that Lisa will be joined by Ray Zahab. Lisa and Ray will offer their collective expertise. Interested in coming to this camp? E-mail Lisa at lisa@dreamchaserevents.com with the subject 'July Camp' and we will reply with more camp details.

See you in JULY!!!

Ray Zahab is an adventurer and ultra marathoner.

On November 1, 2006 Ray and two other runners set out on an epic expedition to cross the Sahara Desert by foot. One hundred and eleven days after leaving the coast of Senegal they made history by dipping their toes into the Red Sea and raising the bar of all that we consider possible.

The epic expedition had the trio running an average of 70km’s a day, without a single day of rest. National Geographic tracked this epic expedition by web, and the documentary film ‘Running The Sahara’ - narrated and produced by Matt Damon – was filmed in an effort raise awareness for the drinking water crisis in Northern Africa. After witnessing and experiencing the water crisis and malaria epidemic in Africa, Ray decided to dedicate his future adventures to raising awareness and funding for causes that he supports and believes in.

Two years later, Ray, and two other Canadians, broke the world speed record for an unsupported expedition to the South Pole, In the process, Ray became the first person to trek this traditional route to the South Pole solely on foot- without the use of skis. This expedition was completed as part of Ray’s Foundation, impossible2Possible, a non-profit organization with a mission is to inspire and educate youth through adventure learning, and inclusion and participation in expeditions.

Ray is a member of the board of Directors of the Ryan’s Well Foundation, is the official Athletic Ambassador to the ONExONE organization, and is a representative of SpreadTheNet. Ray was the recipient of the ONExONE Difference Award in 2007.

Learn more about Ray at: http://www.rayzahab.com/

Meet DR LISA BLISS in June!

CAMP SCHEDULE

At the June 2009 Dreamchaser camp in the Tetons, we are proud to announce that Lisa will be joined by Dr. Lisa Bliss. Share in their collective expertise! Interested in coming to this camp? E-mail Lisa at lisa@dreamchaserevents.com with the subject 'June Camp' and we will reply with more camp details.

See you in JUNE!!!

Dr. Lisa Bliss is a physician, board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She has an outpatient private practice in Spokane, Washington that specializes in Sports and Spine injuries. She did her training at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.

Lisa has been the Badwater Medical Director since 2003, heading up a team of 8-10 medical professionals for the race held in Death Valley in July. She was Medical Director at the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run for two years in 2005 and 2006.

Lisa has conducted research on fluid and electrolyte changes at ultramarathons in extreme heat environments. Her professional goals are to restore and maximize one’s function and to prevent reinjury.

Lisa is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and a leading member of the American Road Runners’ Society Best Practices Committee, which strives to stay abreast of the most appropriate medical diagnoses and treatments of runners.

Lisa started running marathons during medical school and ran her first ultra in 1999. She has completed 60 ultramarathons, including numerous 100-mile races, and 24- and 48-hour races. She has run the Badwater Ultramarathon twice and won the women’s race in 2007. Lisa’s 100-mile personal best is 19 hours 42 minutes, a top-ten time for women in 2008.
Lisa’s running philosophy is that each person has unique needs and goals, which means that optimal training styles and intensities vary from person to person.

Core Training Class Schedule - Teton Valley, Idaho

This blog post is for anyone who lives in Teton Valley...or anyone who wants to come visit and take these great classes...ALL are welcome!!!

Core Training Class Schedule
At the Nikko Judo Academy
Class Leaders: Lisa Smith-Batchen and Mike Ehredt

This schedule is subject to change and updates will be communicated as early as possible to provide you with advance notice.

MONDAY
6am Morning Class……………..Mike
9am Morning Class……………..Lisa


TUESDAY
6am Morning Class……………..Lisa


WEDNESDAY
6am Morning Class……………..Mike
9am Morning Class……………..Lisa
6:30pm Evening Class…………Mike or Lisa


THURSDAY
6am Morning Class……………..Lisa


FRIDAY
6am Morning Class……………..Mike*
9am Morning Class……………..Lisa



Class Prices, effective March 1, 2009
* Drop-in class = $10
* 10 Class Punch card (expires in 3 mths) = $80
* Monthly Unlimited Card = $85

These classes are geared towards all levels….Beginners to Advanced!

These workouts will find your weakness and allow them to become your strengths. These workouts are great for any sport you love to do or just for those trying to drop a few pounds, be with a group of motivated people and get back into shape.

Each class is 1 hour. You will get your heart rate up, work all muscles in the body & at the end stretch.

You will be in bare feet. Bring a towel, water, a friend and your happy attitude.



For more information,
e-mail lisa@dreamchaserevents.com

March 2009 Dreamchasers Women's Training Camp

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
You playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates other.”

--Marianne Williamson


Dreamchasers Women’s Training Camp – March 2009

Hard to believe nearly a week has passed since the week-long Dreamchasers Women’s Training Camp took place. It was an amazing week, filled with lots of laughter, a few healing tears and the emergence of many friendships we trust will endure for years to come.

The camp began on Monday night and ran through Sunday afternoon. To describe it as action-packed is to say the least…and we couldn’t have enjoyed it more, sharing the week with many women visiting the Tetons for the first time.

Campers hailed from California, Missouri, Illinois, and NY…plus some neighbors including residents of Jackson, Victor, Driggs and Rexburg. Their collective experience was formidable – including women who have run marathons and ultramarathons and climbed the Grand Teton. And for those with less athletic experience, it was so rewarding to watch how the veterans readily shared their experience and even confided that they envied the rush and reward that comes with doing many of these things for the first time.

We offer a huge debt of gratitude to the wonderful guest speakers:

Katsey Long, LCSW: Katsey’s memorable discussion on Setting Boundaries inspired conversations among campers for the entire week. Perhaps it was best said by one of the campers who shared: “I had to learn this slowly, but I now understand that NO is a complete sentence.” Sometimes, explanations just aren’t necessary.

Dr. Maura Lofaro: Dr. Maura shared a heart warming account of her own life and the role that running has played in it. Her passion for running was sparked by her Dad and has helped her in her role as a caregiver to both her patients and children. Look for her running in Jackson and inspiring us all!

Laurie Andrews: As Executive Director of the Jackson Hole Land Trust, it came as little surprise that Laurie loves the outdoors. However, her offering to the group allowed us to understand how she has grown to know the mountains and that her race accomplishments are based on some simple, but lasting, principles…including advice to build on your past success. Laurie, thanks for the quote that starts this Blog post!

Dr. Naomi Albertson: In sports, nutrition and hydration are described as disciplines that can’t be ignored. Dr. Naomi shared her knowledge and advice about hydration and dealing with different elements. An excellent teacher, Naomi brought samples of commonly used sports drinks and foods and helped us learn about sodium counts and how to read labels. Naomi, thanks for making us all safer on the course and in training…and hopefully eliminating some visits to the Medic tents!

Adolfo Gutierrez: A Judo sensei, Adolfo led our group through a 90 minute Self Defense class. He helped us learn how to get away from a person who threatens us and to understand our need to trust our intuition. A big thanks to helping us feel safer and more grounded in our ability to protect ourselves.

If you would like to join us at a future camp, e-mail us at colleen@dreamchaserevents.com



For a listing of the 2009 camp dates, click here:
http://www.dreamchaserevents.com/lisasmithbatchen/camp_schedule.htm



Here are some photos of a week’s worth of fun!

Snowshoeing!

Our New Friends from Rexburg!





A Sleigh Ride Dinner!



The infamous CORE class!

The tire pull!

Cross-country Skiing!

Katsey & Lisa


Colleen & Liz

Marie & Lisa

Lunch at Julie's Awesome Yurt!

You all have to read this book!!!

Hi my friends!!

You have GOT to read this book written by one of my coaching students, Ted Archer!

"Carved by God, Cursed by the Devil" is a story about the Marathon Des Sables, the 150-mile ultra-marathon through Morocco's Sahara Desert. www.tedarcher.com has a photo slideshow, a video clip that ABC News ran on the race, and even excerpts of the book that you can download for free.

You will quickly see that it's an amazing story--and you'll want to buy the book! Ted, the author, is someone I met two years ago when he attended one of our running camps. He was a naturally gifted runner, but he was hilarious: He knew nothing about running.

He had finished a marathon without eating or drinking anything, and he had never heard of some of the most basic running gear. He went from this to finishing 16th (the top American!) in a field of 802 runners at the world's toughest footrace.

Look at the photos, read a piece of his story, and watch the video--and you'll need to find out how it ends.
One of the great things about this book is that it's a story, not a journal. It's a fun read, and it's inspiring to read about someone else's journey. You'll also get to know many other runners (of varying abilities) who struggled along with Ted through 125-degree heat, sand dunes, salt flats, and rock gardens.

Go to www.tedarcher.com, look at the photos, read the excerpts, and buy the book!
Oh, and look for an interview with Ted to come out next week at www.enduranceplanet.com. -

Love to all
Lisa

The greatest goal you can set this year!

Love this:) Lisa


The greatest goal you can set this year is to make peace with your life, no matter your circumstances. These 10 powerful insights from Eckhart Tolle will get you started.

1. Don't seek happiness. If you seek it, you won't find it, because seeking is the antithesis of happiness. Happiness is ever elusive, but freedom from unhappiness is attainable now, by facing what is rather than making up stories about it.

2. The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it. Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking. Separate them from the situation, which is always neutral, which always is as it is. There is the situation or the fact, and here are my thoughts about it. Instead of making up stories, stay with the facts. For example, "I am ruined" is a story. It limits you and prevents you from taking effective action. "I have 50 cents left in my bank account" is a fact. Facing facts is always empowering.

3. See if you can catch the voice in your head, perhaps in the very moment it complains about something, and recognize it for what it is: the voice of the ego, no more than a thought.

4. Whenever you notice that voice, you will also realize that you are not the voice, but the one who is aware of it. In fact, you are the awareness that is aware of the voice. In the background, there is the awareness. In the foreground, there is the voice, the thinker. In this way you are becoming free of the ego, free of the unobserved mind.
Wherever you look, there is plenty of circumstantial evidence for the reality of time—a rotting apple, your face in the bathroom mirror compared with your face in a photo taken 30 years ago—yet you never find any direct evidence, you never experience time itself. You only ever experience the present moment.

5. Why do anxiety, stress, or negativity arise? Because you turned away from the present moment. And why did you do that? You thought something else was more important. One small error, one misperception, creates a world of suffering.

6. People believe themselves to be dependent on what happens for their happiness. They don't realize that what happens is the most unstable thing in the universe. It changes constantly. They look upon the present moment as either marred by something that has happened and shouldn't have or as deficient because of something that has not happened but should have. And so they miss the deeper perfection that is inherent in life itself, a perfection that lies beyond what is happening or not happening. Accept the present moment and find the perfection that is untouched by time.

7. The more shared past there is in a relationship, the more present you need to be; otherwise, you will be forced to relive the past again and again.

8. Equating the physical body with "I," the body that is destined to grow old, wither, and die, always leads to suffering. To refrain from identifying with the body doesn't mean that you no longer care for it. If it is strong, beautiful, or vigorous, you can appreciate those attributes—while they last. You can also improve the body's condition through nutrition and exercise. If you don't equate the body with who you are, when beauty fades, vigor diminishes, or the body becomes incapacitated, this will not affect your sense of worth or identity in any way. In fact, as the body begins to weaken, the light of consciousness can shine more easily.

9. You do not become good by trying to be good, but by finding the goodness that is already within you and allowing that goodness to emerge.

10. If peace is really what you want, then you will choose peace.