This is what we mean when we talk Tao of Po

Kung Fu Panda is one of my favorite movies of all time. The story amounts to a modern day CGI animated version of the Vinegar Tasters as it contrasts the essential differences between Confucianism and Taoism at the expense of Confucianism. I haven’t identified any Buddhism over- or undertones, so we’ll only discuss the difference between the portrayals of Confucianism and Taoism.

“Whaaaaa?!?!” say those who have seen the movie. There is absolutely no story line about Confucianism, Taoism, Poohism or any kind of -ism.

Ahh, but alas. Kung Fu Panda is distinctly a story of the dichotomy of Confucianism and Taoism, and is indeed very much like the Vinegar Tasters.

Kung Fu Panda is the story of Po: a fat, clumsy panda bear who is something of an anti-hero. Po is the farthest thing from a Kung Fu hero, yet he is probably the biggest devotee of Kung Fu in, as he says, “the history of Kung Fu.” Yet, the very wise – and very Taoist – Kung Fu Master Oogway declares unexpectedly that Po is the Dragon Warrior: the legendary Kung Fu warrior Messiah who will preserve peace in their home valley.

Everyone is nonplussed, including Po, and especially his new Kung Fu teacher Master Shifu, the protégé of Oogway who represents that most strident and disciplined of Confucian martial artists.

Realizing he is the most unlikely candidate for Dragon Warrior, Po nonetheless accepts the role and trains to become the legend, in a manner not unlike my 4 year old son training for the Super Bowl. He accepts himself for what he is – a fat, clumsy panda – but struggles to convert his natural state into the acutely honed fighting machine of Kung Fu master.

Po, at this point in the story, is a reluctant kind of Taoist. He realizes that he is who he is, and that he is unlikely to change. Before he was declared the Dragon Warrior he was less concerned about his condition, abilities and intellect and more or less accepted who he was out of default. More like, “this is as good as it gets.” Still he yearns to enter the realm of Kung Fu master.

Master Shifu, having trained China’s greatest warriors through years of rigorous, repetitive, physical, intense training embodies all the principles of Confucianism. Harmony, or the mastery of Kung Fu, in his world requires rules and order. It is a practice that has been quite successful in his life, and he is considered the best Kung Fu teacher in all China. Oogway has assigned Shifu the task of molding Po into the Dragon Warrior. Predictably, Shifu takes the lumpy clay that is Po and attempts to mold him in the way he knows best.

Therefore, a clash emerges when the irresistible force of Shifu’s Confucian methods meet the immovable (literally) object of Po’s talentless, gelatinous girth (his Taoist, natural state).

But the real struggle is not between the Po the pupil and Shifu the master. It is actually between the pure Taoism of Master Oogway and the essential Confucianism of his protégé pupil Master Shifu. Oogway compels the resistant Shifu to accept Po for what he is and allow him to blossom into the Dragon Warrior, a notion that defies everything Shifu knows about Kung Fu.

In this clash we see the modern day portrayal of the Vinegar Tasters (minus the Buddha). In this conceit, it is Shifu who reacts bitterly upon tasting the vinegar. He is Confucius. Oogway is Lao-tse, smiling sweetly because the vinegar – or as the painting suggests, the Essence of Life – is being what it is supposed to be. Vinegar is bitter and the Taoist Oogway recognizes it as such, so he smiles pleasantly.

The Essence of Life is Po.

I am not attempting here to oversimplify spiritual creeds and practices of three great philosophies in a few mere brilliantly pithy sentences, but to describe the painting that is allegorical to the movie Kung Fu Panda, which is allegorical to the theme of this blog– the Marathon and Big Thing – which is allegorical to life.

I am also not trying to convert anyone to Taoism. I’m not even a Taoist, but the philosophy is not without merit and there is much we all can learn from it. In fact, throughout this blog, I will cite Kung Fu Panda when the basic tenets of Taoism (or Poohism, or in this case Po'ism) expressed in Po’s story relate directly to the Big Thing.

 

Indeed.

Intro to good nutrition

This is how I feel

** Note: over the next few weeks I will serialize in blog entries the Nutrition page over there on your right. Feel free to read ahead. But the daily entries will be sometimes different than what's on the Nutrition page.

Good nutrition is a critical component to marathon training. In fact, I consider it important as road work. And nearly as important as rest, which you may recall me browbeating you about earlier. Rest is important and too because it is easily ignored and forgotten during a serious training regimen. Neglecting rest could be harmful to your health. Neglecting nutrition, too, is harmful to your health, but there are few Americans in these modern times who ever neglect a meal.

When I set out to write this blog I did extensive research on nutrition, foods, nutrients, vitamins, phytochemicals, nutriceuticals, and everything I could get my hands on about the science of nutrition. With a head obese with gluttonous food information, it occurred to me that not only was this information unnecessary, it missed the point. This blog is about dreaming the Big Thing and grabbing hold of it, all in the metaphor of marathoning. This is not a blog about dietary nutrition. I will give you advice if you prefer to tackle the science of food, but for the purposes of this blog, I will keep it simple, but essential.

And without stuffing your brain as much as your stomach with food information, there is still a lot to say about nutrition. It is critical to your marathon success. This cannot be stressed enough. And planning out a dietary strategy, in my opinion, is just as important as the actual running.

Form follows function

It seems a funny thing to discuss form in the context of running. Is there such a thing? Humans have been running ever since they became bipedal and when Adam realized Eve was naked. Running is a natural capability that we all share - some faster or more goofy than others, but nonetheless equally endowed with the same propensity to locomote.

Me... on a good day.

Yet, in my experience, I have discovered that there is such a thing as good form, which is important to maximize efficiency and comfort. The more efficiently and comfortably you run, the more likely you will enjoy running. And if you enjoy something, what other motivation do you need to strive for your Big Thing goals?

A runner who lumbers along leaning forward, with hands and arms awkwardly flailing is an inefficient runner. Running inefficiently will lead to quick fatigue, possible injury and certainly an uncomfortable experience. And these symptoms will ruin your motivation to run. All that from bad form? Yeah.

Also, it is my experience that I really don't feel in the groove until about mile 3. My starts are sometimes a little awkward and my pace can be erratic. After about 20+ minutes of jogging - or 3 miles - I am sufficiently warmed up to settle into a good, comfortable stride.

Admittedly, I have just revealed that I do not warm up prior to hitting the streets. Running gods like Jeff Galloway and Hal Higdon would cast down their dour frowns from Olympus and chastise me for disrespecting the sport. True. You should warm up. I don't. I'm not going to preach it to you because (a) I'm no preacher, and (b) it would be hypocritical. If you have time and interest in such things, smarter people than me advise you to warm up before jogging.

Once you've settled into a comfortable stride, I believe you will naturally assume "proper form". Here again, I follow my own running religion when it comes to defining proper form. I have followed techniques described by Greta Waltz and Jeff Galloway but always fall back into my own unique form.

If you’re like me, it will take some time to find it. And on some days, when your muscles are not quite feeling it, or if you’ve missed a few days of running, or sometimes for some inexplicable reason, your body will follow a form of its own.
I prefer long runs over the shorter ones because after 2 to 3 miles I settle into a good stride, which makes the rest of the run more managable and even comfortable. Sure, the longer you run the more pounding your body will endure, so, yeah, you'll eventually feel discomfort. But if you're form is good and your stride is relaxed, you will run more efficiently and comfortably, getting you closer to your small goals (long runs x, y and z) and the Big Thing goal (marathon!).


The best way, in my opinion and experience, to develop and maintain good form is to exercise regularly. Muscles that sit on the couch for days then are called into action are not in peak condition. On the other hand, muscles that regularly feel the burn stand ready to be called into service.

When you do eventually get off your tuckus and hit the road, here are some tips to remember:

TIP 1: Keep hands about waist level, even brushing lightly against your hip. Holding hands high creates tension – not to mention it looks goofy – and it tires you out more quickly.

TIP 2: Keep your body erect, with head up, back straight and shoulders level. Try to envision what famed running guru Jeff Galloway calls the marionette. There’s no point in describing it. You know what a marionette looks like. Just picture it. And please don’t confuse a marionette with a ventriloquist dummy.

TIP 3: Heads up! Keep your head up by looking ahead. I will even look up into the trees and sky. You’d be surprised how well adapted your brain is at keeping you running straight and avoiding obstacles when you look up above. Watching the ground in front of you will cause your head to tilt, which will cause you to lean forward. Leaning forward will cause stress on your back and knees. Also, it requires more energy to support a body that looks like it is chasing a rolling quarter. So, heads up!

Runner's World devotes a whole page to Running Form. Read a few entries so you get a grander picture of the importance of good running form. Then decide for yourself what works best for you.

What have I done?!?

Have you ever run an Ultramarathon relay? I signed up for one today. In the words of David Byrne, "My God, what have I done?"

You may ask yourself,
where does that highway lead to

On the weekend of Feb 10-12, 2012, my team of 6 will run 126.2 miles from downtown Baton Rouge to Audubon Park in New Orleans. As the crow flies it is a 68-ish mile, hour+ drive on I-10 from hither to yon. But the meandering path on the Mississippi River levee along River Rd. is a marathon + 100 miles.

Our team will include a bold starter and strong finisher. Somewhere between will be me, the Clydesdale who will lope along like someone is pushing me from behind.

The ultra is a pretty thrilling concept, I must say. It is quite intimidating. It will probably present the most phyically demanding test of my life. And like all major decisions that I have been peer pressured to make, I am gradually warming up to the idea.

The ultra is a Big Thing. You've seen me refer to the Big Thing before. It is something intimidating, "impossible," beyond my reach and capabilities, but the thought of conquering it gives me butterflies. It is scary and exhilerating all at once. Training for a successful finish will require planning and strategy. Lucky for me I am already training for Houston and New Orleans, which should totally prepare me for the ultra.

Wow. My first ultra. I will celebrate with a beer.