Track and Field Blogs - David Flaugher

If youre like me (and unfortunately many of you are), you probably like many of the shows on the Discovery Channel. One of the shows that you may have seen is "Future Weapons". Its a pretty cool show hosted by a guy named Richard Machowicz. "Mack" is a former Navy SEAL and by all accounts a pretty tough dude. He is also the author of a book called "Unleashing the Warrior Within". When Richard was training for becoming a Navy SEAL he went at it full blast. He knew that one of the tests would involve extreme cold in water. So, he began taking cold showers every morning. For two years before the SEALs, he took nothing but cold water showers even when the weather was as cold as 80 degrees BELOW ZERO outside. It is a practice he has maintained for many years since. He starts every day with a cold shower. Mack says that it helps cut a "little toughness groove in the brain" by beginning everyday this way.

First and foremost I am not advocating that any of you do this. But with the weather that we have had this winter, I believe that many of you are in practice doing the same thing. When you make it to practice on a cold/windy day, you are also cutting a toughness groove. I think its interesting watching many of you progress over time from cold weather haters to runners who just deal with the elements. Many of you began your winter careers wearing every outer garment you owned on any day below 40. Now many of you are pounding it out, never even mentioning the weather, wearing gloves and short sleeves. In your own way you are carving that groove.That groove is sometimes what carries you through a hard race or workout. Its the knowledge that you are doing something that others wont do. When spring comes, you will have a solid groove!