4.  Gets you to explore a new world.   I have mentioned this a few times in previous reasons on how running can transform your life, however, I wanted to emphasize this one more time.  Running has allowed me to explore many new worlds.  I remember running at 5 a.m. in the spring time in Hong Kong while it seemed thousands of Chinese were practicing their early morning tai chi all around me.  I remember running the streets of Venice in the early morning hours, admiring all the architecture while the street sweepers swept their store fronts before they opened up for their day.  I remember trekking through unknown streets of Sydney, Australia, and “accidentally” stumbling upon the Sydney Harbor in all its glory one early morning – nearly taking my breath away.  I remember having a run in with a bicyclist on the streets of Oxford, England.  We both were shaken up a bit, however, he did, admittedly, have the right of way.  I just wasn’t used to having to share the sidewalk with anyone in that early, rain-filled morning.  I remember running the same stairs as Rocky Balboa after my Philadelphia Marathon.
I am not just meaning when I have traveled the world to experience a new world.  I remember when I was running my usual path in the Twin Cities along the mighty Mississippi and I decided to go “off-road” and entertain a new journey.  Little did I know that it would cause me to be creating my own rock-climbing wall experience down the way when I could find no other way to go other than into the river itself!  (This was in the middle of winter, so my rock climbing back up to the trail was more like mud climbing)
As Dr. Seuss said so graciously, “Oh the places you will go!”  I think he meant that for runners.  It is so true. 
Think about where you want to go next.  I guarantee you, if you have a creative mind, you will go a lot farther than just your own back yard.

Article contributed by my coach, business partner and friend, Leo Ramos of BodyMindSuccess. 

Some of the best advice I heard from one of my coaches about watching professional sports surprised me a bit.  He stated that his favorite part of watching professional athletes was their pre or post interviews.  After hearing this, it made a lot sense to me.  If you really take a moment and look at most of these interviews, you’ll see that there is almost always a pearl of wisdom that they’ve learned in the process and are sharing with  us.  Talk about free coaching that works, who else is better qualified to speak on what it takes to succeed, than one who has actually succeeded.  I love seeing the mindset that each of these amazing athletes have acquired to achieve their success.  More importantly, I gain a lot from being reminded of how important my mindset is for getting what I want, and even more by implementing this mindset on a daily basis.

How does this all tie into business?  Here is an game/exercise for you to play.

1. Watch the video below of Michael Phelps being interviewed.
2. Write down the key principles that have helped him achieve his success.
3. Then write down a few ideas of how you could implement those same principles in your business for the next 30 days.  Then observe the success you create in your business.

I trust you actually are going to do this and see the results for yourself.  If you wish to have additional support that comes to no cost to you, I encourage you to register for the free year of coaching that you’ll find on the home page of www.bodymindsuccess.com.

CLICK HERE for Lois’ next hiking conquest.

Who else is IN??  If this doesn’t bring more meaning and purpose to your life (or at least stretch your boundaries in your own Self-Realizations) I don’t know what will!

This article was contributed by my good friend, Marv Bero, of Chicago, Illinois.  Thanks Marv!
This can help you a long way in contributing to your long-term wealth with some simple preventative measures.

DIY identity-theft protection: A 12-step program
Dan Tynan
 

May 06, 2008 (PC World) You don’t have to spend $100 to $200 a year to defend yourself from identity theft at the level of protection that a paid service offers. You can do almost everything the services do, for free. But following these steps will require time and effort.

1. Get a free copy of your credit report by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. Don’t be fooled by look-alike sites that promise free reports if you subscribe to their credit-monitoring services. Better yet, order by phone at 877-322-8228.

2. For DIY credit monitoring, order a free report every three months from a different bureau. Scan the report for unfamiliar information, such as accounts you don’t remember opening.

3. Place a fraud alert on your credit report by calling one of the credit bureaus. (You can find contact information for all three bureaus by browsing to Fight Identity Theft.)

4. Put a recurring event in your online calendar to remind you to renew your fraud alert in 90 days.

5. Tell the bureaus to stop selling your information to credit services, by calling 888/567-8688 or visiting OptOutPrescreen.com. Doing so will reduce but not eliminate the number of preapproved credit card offers you receive.

6. Request a free public records report from ChoicePoint. You’ll have to print a form and mail it, along with copies of your driver’s license and proof of address. Scan the report for addresses and other details not related to you.

7. Take your name off other marketing lists by signing up for ProQuo.com’s free service. In some instances, you may have to mail letters or navigate to a marketer’s own site to complete your opt-out request.

8. Buy a mailbox that locks, or use a post office box. This will help prevent thieves from stealing your identity via paper mail.

9. Buy a crosscut paper shredder and shred junk mail to frustrate dumpster-diving identity thieves.

10. Never click a link from an e-mail message to log in to your bank or to any other financial institution. Type the secure site’s address into your browser, bookmark it, and use that link to access your accounts. Otherwise, you risk having your identity stolen by phishers.

11. If you believe that you are a victim of identity theft, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center. Volunteers there can walk you through the process of restoring your identity.

12. Get educated. Mari Frank’s IdentityTheft.org, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, and the Federal Trade Commission  maintain huge libraries of information on how to avoid being victimized, and what to do if it has already happened.

What are Shin Splints?

Although the term shin splints is often used to describe a variety of lower leg problems, it actually refers specifically to a condition called Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS). To better understand shin splints, or MTSS, look at the muscles, tendons and bones involved.

As you can see from the diagram to the right, there are many muscles and tendons that make up the lower leg, or calf region. It’s quite a complex formation of inter-weaving and over-crossing muscles and tendons.

The main components of the lower leg that are affected by the pain associated with shin splints are:

The Tibia and Fibula. These are the two bones in the lower leg. The tibia is situated on the medial, or inside of the lower leg. While the fibula is situated on the lateral, or outside of the lower leg.
There are also a large number of the muscles that attach to the tibia and fibula. It’s these muscles, when overworked, that pull on the tibia and fibula and cause the pain associated with shin splints.
Specifically, the pain associated with shin splints is a result of fatigue and trauma to the muscle’s tendons where they attach themselves to the tibia. In an effort to keep the foot, ankle and lower leg stable, the muscles exert a great force on the tibia. This excessive force can result in the tendons being partially torn away from the bone.

What Causes Shin Splints?

While there are many causes of shin splints, they can all be categorized into two main groups. Overload (or training errors), and Biomechanical Inefficiencies.

Overload (or training errors): Shin splints are commonly associated with sports that require a lot of running or weight bearing activity. However, it is not necessarily the added weight or force applied to the muscles and tendons of the lower leg, but rather the impact force associated with running and weight bearing activities.

In other words, it’s not the running itself, but the sudden shock force of repeated landings and change of direction that causes the problem. When the muscles and tendons become fatigued and overloaded, they lose their ability to adequately absorb the damaging shock force.

Other overload causes include:

Exercising on hard surfaces, like concrete;
Exercising on uneven ground;
Beginning an exercise program after a long lay-off period;
Increasing exercise intensity or duration too quickly;
Exercising in worn out or ill fitting shoes; and
Excessive uphill or downhill running.
Biomechanical Inefficiencies: The major biomechanical inefficiency contributing to shin splints is that of flat feet. Flat feet lead to a second biomechanical inefficiency called over-pronation. Pronation occurs just after the heal strikes the ground. The foot flattens out, and then continues to roll inward.

Over-pronation occurs when the foot and ankle continue to roll excessively inward. This excessive inward rolling causes the tibia to twist, which in-turn, over stretches the muscles of the lower leg.

Other biomechanical causes include:

Poor running mechanics;
Tight, stiff muscles in the lower leg;
Running with excessive forward lean;
Running with excessive backwards lean;
Landing on the balls of your foot; and
Running with your toes pointed outwards.

How to Prevent Shin Splints!

Prevention, rather than cure, should always be your first aim. I was very surprised when researching this topic at the number of articles that totally neglected any mention of preventative measures. They all talked of treatment and cure, but only one out of twenty took the time to address the issue of prevention in any detail.
Even before any sign of shin soreness appears there are a number of simple preventative measures that can be easily implemented.

Since about half of all lower leg problems are caused by biomechanics inefficiencies, it makes sense to get the right advice on footwear. Your feet are the one area you should not “skimp” on. The best advice I can give you concerning footwear, is to go and see a qualified podiatrist for a complete foot-strike, or gait analysis. They will be able to tell you if there are any concerns regarding the way your foot-strike or gait is functioning.

After your foot-strike has been analyzed, have your podiatrist, or competent sports footwear sales person recommend a number of shoes that suit your requirements. Good quality footwear will go a long way in helping to prevent many lower leg problems.

Apart from good footwear, what else can you do? I believe the following three preventative measures are not only very effective, but crucial.

Firstly, a thorough and correct warm up will help to prepare the muscles and tendons for any activity to come. Without a proper warm up the muscles and tendons will be tight and stiff. There will be limited blood flow to the lower legs, which will result in a lack of oxygen and nutrients for those muscles.

Before any activity be sure to thoroughly warm up all the muscles and tendons that will be used during your sport or activity. If you would like me to resend my Z’ Gram on how, why and when to perform your warm up. let me know and I will resend it to you…

Secondly, flexible muscles are extremely important in the prevention of most lower leg injuries. When muscles and tendons are flexible and supple, they are able to move and perform without being over stretched. If however, your muscles and tendons are tight and stiff, it is quite easy for those muscles and tendons to be pushed beyond their natural range of movement. To keep your muscles and tendons flexible and supple, it is important to undertake a structured stretching routine.

Stretching is one of the most under-utilized techniques for improving athletic performance, preventing sports injury and properly rehabilitating sprain and strain injury. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that something as simple as stretching won’t be effective.

Thirdly, strengthening and conditioning the muscles of the lower leg will also help to prevent shin splints. There are a number of specific strengthening exercises you can do for these muscles.

How to Treat Shin Splints!

Firstly, be sure to remove the cause of the problem. Whether is be a biomechanical problem, or an overload problem, make sure steps are taken to remove the cause.

The basic treatment for shin splints is no different to most other soft tissue injuries. Immediately following the onset of any shin pain, the R.I.C.E.R. regime should be applied. This involves Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, and Referral to an appropriate professional for an accurate diagnosis. It is critical that the R.I.C.E.R. regime be implemented for at least the first 48 to 72 hours. Doing this will give you the best possible chance of a complete and full recovery.

The next phase of treatment (after the first 48 to 72 hours) involves a number of physiotherapy techniques. The application of heat and massage is one of the most effective treatments for speeding up the healing process of the muscles and tendons.

I have found, both from personal experience and from working with many clients, that this form of treatment is the most effective. The application of heat and deep tissue massage on the effected area seems to bring the best results. If you suffer from shin splints, be sure to spend at least a few minutes massaging the effected area both before and after you exercise.

Once most of the pain has been reduced, it is time to move onto the rehabilitation phase of your treatment. The main aim of this phase it to regain the strength, power, endurance and flexibility of the muscle and tendons that have been injured.     Always remember, your goal, is to try to heal at full range of motion as possible.