THURS – 20 Mile March

(Thursday workout below.)

The concept of Jim Collins’ 20 Mile March goes like this. Let’s say you want to get up one day and walk across the country, from New York to San Diego. This is a gigantic objective to which only Forrest Gump can relate. For the rest of us, we’d plan this out in one of two ways.

  1. Go according to feel each day.
  2. Pick a number that you stick to each day, every day.

For Collins, the first option would result in burn out and mental fatigue. In this scenario, perhaps we walk forty miles our first day because we are eager to get a great start under our belt. Only, we wake up the next day and we can’t move. Our legs shot and our brain fried. So we take a day off. Then the day after, we go ten miles. Our motivation already a bit depleted because of initial over-exertion. This repeats indefinitely until sooner or later, the lack of routine and predictability leads to mental breakdown and failure. Ups and downs rock the boat and over time, it creates a big enough wave to sink you.

The second option, however, suggests an opposite approach. You march 20 miles every day, no matter what. Hot, cold, snowy, sunny. 20 miles. Have more energy and can keep going? Nope. 20 miles. Tired and want to take a day off? Nope. 20 miles. This leads to a clear vision of your objective is everyday, and is a way for you to seize control of your own outcome in an environment where you might not have control over each and every variable. In this approach, we do not alter our plan based on outside influence or happenstance.

We stick to the script because we know that after 150 days, we will arrive.

This metaphor is analogous to our goals. Do we bust it hard out of the gate only to crash and burn? Are we unpredictable with our behavior that is entirely dependent on the day’s variables? Hard day at work, fight with our spouse, poor meal planning. Or, do we exert control on our own with a combination of discipline, patience, and vision. Do we march our daily 20 miles.

When we sit down and create our goals for the upcoming year, are you going to be a sporadic, unpredictable marcher? Or, are you going to whistle blow your erratic behavior before it starts with proper planning and mental acuity?

One approach will get you to the other coast, while one will leave you stranded somewhere in the mountains.

Choose wisely.

-Dave

Thursday, 12.21.17

First, for Strength.
w/ 20’ running clock, perform as many sets as time allows. Let rest be dictated by transition between movements. Prioritize load and quality.
1 Rope Pull:Drag:Deadlift
100m Farmer Walk
—
Then, for Conditioning.
Complete as fast as possible while still prioritizing position.
5 Power Cleans (135#/95#)
150m Run
(x5)