Perspiration Inspiration
When I made the leap into triathlon, it was a commitment to improve my health through athletics and hard work. What I didn’t know was that I was creating an amazing network of people that was empowering my commitment to a lifestyle change. I enjoyed living in Chicago, working all over the United States, and actively pursued amateur water skiing and triathlon. What I found was that, the people around me were helping me to consciously make new life changes that applied to not only my fitness, but my career, my relationships, my physiology, and my overall mental and emotional state. My goal of becoming an Ironman transformed my life and my perspective. I continue to meet inspirational people along the way which have given me the courage to pursue a lifestyle based on wellness and fulfillment. There are so many people that inspire me to actively perform at my greatest potential.
The mission of Perspiration inspiration is to share all motivational mediums and promote the discussion of stories, anecdotes, videos, songs, dance, and creativity. Collectively we can learn from each others experiences and empower each other to follow our dreams.
How Endurance Sports Saved My Life
An introduction into my unique brain chemistry: October 6th was National Day Without Stigma. On that day I finally decided to be public about my unique brain chemistry. To hear my message click the link to my youtube video below: During college many people find their identity. My freshman year of college I had my first extremely major depressive episode. I spent over 3 months torturing my brain, struggling to succeed in school, masking my emotions, and dealing with what I thought was stress. In 2005, two weeks before my sophomore year started at the University of Michigan College of Engineering, I was self-admitted to an in-patient psychiatric facility. Why was I in a psychiatric facility? I had a major manic episode that caused me to be awake for approximately 3 days straight. I then ended up in the hospital where I was given the option to receive help. I chose to receive treatment and help. During that week in the psychiatric facility I was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, also known as manic depression. I spent the next 9 years learning that my alternative brain chemistry is not a disorder and it is not an illness; it is a unique part of me that gives me strength and individuality in so many ways. There are many things that I can attribute to this unique outlook on mental health. The people who were aware of my condition, immediate family, extremely close friends, my psychiatrist, support groups, and friends who weren’t aware of my condition all gave me strength and encouragement. Most importantly, I had to help myself and constantly work on being a stable and successful person. From the beginning of my diagnosis, I recognized that my stress my freshman year of college actually severe depression. I distinctly remember the darkest weeks when I cried myself to sleep and woke up with my heart pounding in pools of my own sweat. I masked my emotions, tried to ‘act like a man,’ and ‘sucked it up.’ I wandered directionless and was so frozen by fear of failure that I couldn’t begin a thing. Somehow I made it out alive. When you have lived depression, in the deepest, darkest holes of your own self-conscious, you never want to be there again. I committed to doing whatever I could to be an optimistic, positive, outwardly happy, outgoing, stress-free, and drama-free individual. This has been and always will be a work in progress that I pride myself in. Eventually I made it through college, graduated with an Industrial and Operations Engineering Degree, and made so many long-lasting friendships that I value every day of my life. College laid the groundwork for many of the coping mechanisms which I have modified and still utilize in my life today. It also gave me the academic background to begin a career. I began a career in software consulting and worked for Chicago based companies for 4 years. The socio-economic norms of the times and my history of instability told me to stay at a job that was safe and stable. I became quite content growing my career and living the yuppy lifestyle (young urban professional). I had a great social life and an outsider looking in would say that I was doing quite well for myself. But,...
read morePositive Monologues & Motivation
Positive Monologues & Motivation Athens, Ohio to Harrisburg, West Virginia Day 33 was one of my favorite days on our trip across America. The bike baths and back roads provided an amazing back drop for a challenging 80 mile ride from Athens, Ohio to Harrisburg West Virginia. We started the day on a nice winding bike path out of Athens for the first 10 miles. This was the last of a series of awesome bike paths in Ohio which make riding very pleasurable. The bike paths provide a vehicle free haven for cyclists to enjoy the scenery and be able to ride 2-3 abreast and converse with each other. From the bike paths we rode eagerly toward the state border crossing which took us on a bridge over the Ohio River to West Virginia. We stopped on the bridge to ceremoniously take group pictures. Crossing the state provides the chance to reflect on riding through a whole state and the excitement of discovering what stories the road has waiting ahead. We followed back country roads all through West Virginia. The team cycled along rivers and streams, over the rolling hills, and around winding roads. There was a peaceful tranquility in the back country. It was great to ride and all you hear is the song birds in the forest. The tree lined hill ridges and pastures were lush with vibrant green grass and wildflowers from the spring growth. The entire day was quite challenging for me because I started the day extremely sore for the 87 mile day the previous day. After a week off, this 87 mile day to Athens was the longest ride I had done since we were in Arizona. I pushed through the soreness up the hills and kept my focus on cycling form to get through the days. It is extra important when I am very sore to focus on using the full circular pedal motion of dragging the heels and engaging the hamstrings on the up pedal so that the quads don’t do all of the work on the down pedal. Each day when I’m struggling through soreness, knee pain, fighting head winds, drenched with rain, or climbing hills I reach into my emotional bank for positive monologues and memories to keep myself going. I learned the idea of writing down and practicing positive monologues from Heather Gollnick’s book Triathlete EQ. “When the body is heavily fatigued and being filled with new chemicals (hormones) whose specific instinctive purpose is to convince you to slow down and give up (in order to preserve your body from any amount of pain. Monologues quickly turn to internal dialogues with negative and positive thoughts taking turns to convince you to give up or keep going.” Gollnick suggests to write down positive moments from successful races, motivating memories, and strong feelings which can keep your energy uplifted. By visualizing and revisiting these positive thoughts one can create internal positive monologues to help convince your body emotionally and therefore physically to successfully stay calm and focused under pressure and adverse conditions. Engaging in positive monologues really helped me get through the hilly day with a sore body. The beautiful scenery boosted my morale, putting a smile on my face, and reminded me how much fun I’m having and how...
read moreRide for World Health Receives a Friendly Welcome to Oklahoma
R4WH Receives a Friendly Welcome to Oklahoma Oklahoma was by far the friendliest state we have rode through. We were approached at rest stops, restaurants, and stop lights by locals intrigued by our group of orange riders. I enjoy the chance to talk to locals about our journey and use our healthy activity of cycling as a vehicle for change in promoting global health. One local American Indian shared his story of losing over 70 pounds by cutting back on his alcohol use and eating healthier. He was ecstatic to show us the spacious room in his overalls that he cleared out his weight loss. We tend to come across many people who have started casually biking to enjoy healthier lifestyles. No matter the person, and their form of activity, they are drawn to our cause of biking across the country and want to share their inspirational stories of healthy lifestyle changes. There is a common theme that I hear when people share their stories. Exercising gives individual goals to reach, a positive self-image, and they all exude confidence from their conquests. This is a large reason why I have partnered with Hope for the Day to encourage our healthy mind – healthy body initiative. By sharing our story, Ride for World Health is able to connect with other people who have made commitments to live move fulfilling lives through healthy active life choices. The MayoClinic Staff lists 7 main benefits of regular physical activity: weight control, combating heath conditions and diseases, improving mood, boosting energy, promote better sleep, enhancing sex life, and having fun. Exercise helps build a healthy mind through confidence, taking one’s mind off worries, creating social interaction, having positive coping mechanisms, releasing endorphins and increasing neurotransmitter activity. For me exercising is a way of life. I find that exercising helps me feel good both mentally and physically on a day-to-day. I tend to feel less lethargic and am able to maintain a regular sleep schedule. I enjoy setting both training and race goals to meet and exceed. These goals give me motivation to maintain healthy eating habits, learn new skills, and seek out people to train and race with. In the case of R4WH, I found 20 like-minded people to ride across the country with! I encourage everyone I meet to try something new, get off the couch, and pursue an active healthy lifestyle to keep the mind sharp and the body happy. When in Tulsa, we stayed with an amazing family with triathlon roots. A rider from last year named Blake posted on the local Tulsa bike forum that Ride for World Health needed a place for at least 10 riders to stay for two nights. Caroline and Carter opened up their doors to the riders and we are all extremely thankful for their generosity. I got to spend some extra time with the couple when we went to their local gym to swim together. As I train for triathlon, I am constantly looking for pools to get some laps in during the trip. It was fun swimming with some fellow triathletes and even better because Caroline gave me a lot of tips on my swim form. We also had a chance to chat while water jogging (attaching a flotation belt around our waists...
read moreR4WH – 3 Day Tour de Southwest – Arizona to New Mexico
3 Day Tour de Southwest Arizona < Pheonix – Payson – Snowflake – Zuni > New Mexico Ride for World Health April 2 – April 5, 2014 Enjoy every moment for it’s unique beauty. I currently writing with an adrenaline rush received from the finishing charge of a century ride (100 miles) from Snowflake, Arizona to Zuni, New Mexico. Today capped off 3 amazing days of scenic, challenging, and eventful cycling for the Ride for World Health team. The team came off of a rest day in Scottsdale, Arizona with refreshed bodies and energized souls. The first week of riding empowered us with a sense of camaraderie and by ride day 7 we felt like a well-oiled machine. We needed to be prepared because of the challenging 3 day tour de southwest which was ahead of us. Day 1 included 65 miles and over 8800 feet of climbing. Day 2 included 87 miles and 5600 feet of climbing. Day 3 was a filled rolling hills and our first century ride as a team. Before our Tour de Southwest (as I am calling it) we had a day off in Scottsdale where we enjoyed the plush accommodations at the Scottsdale Jewish Community Center. We were treated to sunny weather in the upper 70s and a salt water pool with lounge chairs to enjoy. I always have triathlon training on my mind and made sure to get a lap swim upon arrival and in the morning. Another great perk of the trip is travelling through towns with family and friends that I don’t normally get to see. In Scottsdale, I saw my friend Krista who I’ve stayed friends with since our time studying Industrial and Operations Engineering at Michigan. She joined our group for appetizers the first night and then I was pleased to stay on her comfy couch and wash all of my clothes in her washing machine. Everything I brought with me fits in one standard washing machine load. We capped off our ‘rest’ day with a 6 mile hike up the Cholla Trail of Camelback Mountains. The hike has a fair amount of both uphill hiking and scrambling. The mountain range gets its named by the shape which resembles a camel’s back. It was awesome to be on top of the first hump and see the peak that we were climbing to. From the top of Camelback Mountain you have a jaw dropping view 360 degree view of Arizona. It was fun to do a team activity that wasn’t biking for a change. If you find yourself in the Phoenix-Scottsdale area and it is not 110 degrees I would highly recommend this fun and slightly challenging hike. After the hike we drove 20 miles to stay the night at Usery Campground in the desert of Mesa, Arizona. Surrounded by cacti we had a campfire, cooked rice and beans, and many of us chose to sleep outside under the stars. 04/2/14 Mesa to Payson, Arizona (Ride Day 7) – We started out in the desert and climbed our way into the Mazatzal Mountains. The day was split into two major climbs. Before the first climb we were treated to a bunch of scenic overlooks. Enjoying the wonderful morning a few of us stopped to take a lot of pictures and...
read moreR4WH Day 2 – Julian to Westmoreland, CA
On morning 2 I scrambled around the church organizing breakfast and preparing the vans for the day of the travel with the rest of crew team Charlie. Our rambunctious Charlie crew consists of Jason, Erika, Nick, Sarah, and I. After we packed, I led our morning team cheer again to pump up the riders for a fun day of cycling. We than had another successful on time departure at 8:30. Erika made an awesome warning sign for the back of our van which read to have drivers proceed with caution. I began driving the back up support van to trail the riders and protect them during the winding downhill roads which locals warned us would be treacherous during the fog with trucks speeding by. We had our first run in with the cops as we were providing some extra safety during the treacherous downhill switchbacks heading out of Julian. The cop passed the car following us and waived me to the side. As he passed I was informed by bullhorn, “You are not allowed to create your own traffic break!” We gave pleasant waive of acknowledgment and continued slowly down the mountain. As the riders descended we followed and were in awe of the beauty provided by the raw untouched rolling mountain tops on every side of us. The riders were gifted this 4,500 foot scenic descent after the grueling climb of the previous day. Brandon caught a chest cold a few days ago and unfortunately was unable to ride again on day 2. I was very thankful to have another crew mate to help me with rear support. His knowledge for driving SAG (Support and Gear) the day before and conversation helped immensely. We had a lot of time to get to know each other as we gave the riders some space, caught up to the last few, stopped and repeated the process. While following the riders down the mountain we were able to capture some great action shots as they navigated the curves and we all took in the gorgeous valley views. We took an opportunity halfway down the mountain to take some group and individual pictures and soak in the picturesque area before we descended all the way into the desert. As we made it to the desert Brandon switched to driving and I seized the opportunity to find out why he joined Ride for World Health. Brandon always knew there were health care disparities between where he grew up and around the world. He wanted to find out how to bridge that gap and he discovered it could be done through education. Health care is a field the spans the richest of rich to the poorest of poor. He attended Northwestern University and pursued a degree in biomedical engineering. Even though he wasn’t sure if he would pursue a career in healthcare, it was always in the back of his mind. During undergrad he applied to Ohio State Medical School. While interviewing at the medical school, the CEO of R4WH at the time talked to med school candidates about the medical program and also briefly discussed the journey his organization was going to embark upon. Brandon thought the endeavor was incredible and believed that any university which fostered an environment where Ride for World Health...
read moreR4WH Day 1: San Diego to Julian, CA
Ride for World Health officially started our journey on Wednesday, March 26. We woke up in the darkness and scrambled to pack our luggage into the Budget truck and day bags into the support vans for the very first time. As the sun rose we donned our Ride for World Health kits (cycling jerseys and shorts) and headed for the Pacific Ocean with youthful enthusiasm. It is a tradition amongst cross country cyclists to dip your back tire at beginning of your journey and your front tire at the destination. Some cyclists will do this at state lines for cross-state rides. In our case, we ceremoniously lined up as a team and as a wave crashed in we all dipped are back tires in the salty Pacific ocean with the hope and dreams that in 52 days we will be able dip our front tires into the Atlantic Ocean. During my five years as a collegiate water skier at the University of Michigan, our team had a proud tradition of team spirit. We had amazing camaraderie rooted in motivating each other to ski well and succeed as a team. One of many nicknames in college was spirit man Dan and I continue to enjoy activating others. When people were looking for a morning ritual to start our ride, I naturally raised my voice to begin our Ride for World Health team chant. We pounded on our chests and rallied around the cheer: Me: Let’s Roll! Team: Let’s Roll! Me: Let’s Ride! Team: Let’s Ride! Me: What Are Riding For? Everyone: World Health! Variations of this chant would become our morning ritual in the weeks to come. We rode along the beachfront for one block and soaked up the last views of the Pacific Ocean to remember where we started. The team made a right turn off the boardwalk headed east. We left Mission Beach behind with our epic bike ride across the entire width of the United States of America ahead of us. Navigating out of San Diego was very stimulating. For the first time our group was forced to work together to traverse rush hour traffic, stop lights, bike lanes, and small shoulders. We got our first look at the diverse landscapes that America would offer. San Diego and La Jolla are famous for it’s rolling hills and valleys. The suburban So Cal neighborhoods were a stark contrast to suburbs of Chicago I grew up in. The morning sun and and gorgeous palm tree lined neighborhoods made me realize why so many are drawn to live within biking distance of the ocean. It was fun seeing how the group began to bond over riding and the camaraderie that was immediately formed from helping each other get from point A to point B. Everyone was in such high spirits from the eagerness of our first day. The major portion of the 61 mile ride came in the form of two major climbs on our way between San Diego and Julian, CA. The team ended up splitting into two main groups. I joined the lead group as we navigated the first XX miles of the ride leading out of the San Diego suburbs into the foothills of the XX mountain range. The astonishing views and the great 70...
read moreRide for World Health: Coming to a City Near You
RIDE FOR WORLD HEALTH: Coming to a city near you! Yesterday, we all arrived in sunny San Diego ripe with expectations for our journey across America to meet the needs of the world. The eager group road tripped for 38 hours from Columbus, Ohio and met up with the other members like me who flew in from all over the country. We made some very quick introductions, gathered around the campfire for a bit, pitched our tents, and we comfortably slumbered at Campland.by the (Mission) Bay. We had a lot preparation to do on our first official day all together (21 of us, 20 national riders and 1 portion rider). The leadership team had a big day planned full of activities to prepare our newly formed cycling team for the cross country adventure ahead of us. First we gathered in our awesome new orange gear for a team meeting to discuss the basic logistics of the ride. We talked about what a typical day on the ride will look like, lodging expectations, education lectures, basic bike maintenance, and group riding etiquette. We had a quick lunch of peanut butter & jelly, oranges, and bananas. Afterwards we got ready for our first bike ride, a practice ride around San Diego to get used to riding in a large group. The Ride for World Health Team donned our snazzy matching team cycling uniforms for the first time and jumped on our bikes with excitement. We were giddy after months of preparation to finally be on our bikes together. A group of bright orange riders cruised around the beautiful San Diego bay that afternoon for 20 miles. Everyone had a smile on their face as we biked around Mission Bay and 2 loops around Fiesta Island. One of the great parts of cycling is being able to ride next to others and get to know them while enjoying the sights and sounds of the road. I found out Casey and I both got into cycling for the same reason; after playing soccer all of our lives and suffering through 3 knee injuries, we both took up cycling to compete in triathlons. Riding next to Emily, we bonded over taking a break from our professional lives to follow our passions and bike across the country. Throughout the day we all realized that finally we were on our bikes doing what we have been dreaming about for months. The ride ended with a trip to the Pacific Ocean. The salty sea air pungently hit the nose and filled our hearts with excitement. We enjoyed the velvety San Diego sand, looked out on the wavy Pacific Ocean, and pondered what the 52 day adventure East to the Atlantic Ocean would bring. After taking some pictures, I stared out into ocean just tried to soak in the moment. The brisk ocean breeze caressed my skin, the soft sand hugged my feet, and the waning sunlight seeped into pores. The next day we would officially start on a crazy, fun, tasking, outrageous, grueling, and courageous trip across the United States by bicycle. The day wound down with a meal donated by Chipotle and a campfire. Over the next month and a half I would be spending almost every waking moment with this group of people who I...
read moreAcross the Country in 54 Days
This is a collection of stories from the 2013 Ride for World Health journey written by one of my best friends Erika. Erika inspired me to ride as a portions rider for 5 days and spend 7 days with the 2013 Ride for World Health cycling team. While biking from Nashville to Columbus, I became friends with so many of the riders and became aware how biking across America is such an amazing vehicle for change. Thanks Erika for the wonderful water ski memories as well as our Ride for World Health adventures. Please enjoy her whimsical collection of adventures which will be released in a two parts. -Dan Across the Country in 54 Days by Erika (part 1) This is the Ride for World Health, not the Race for World Health. Thank goodness for that, because this was my first time on a road bike, on a road, riding with other people, in traffic, and with clipless pedals. Overwhelming is an understatement of the mountainous 20 mile team practice ride our first day in San Diego. I didn’t even know how to shift yet – something Jody and Dana taught me later that day. So how did I end up on this team, anyway? Well, it all started on Facebook… I knew Eliza, the CEO of R4WH 2013, from pre-med classes in college at the University of Michigan, and I saw that she had posted something about recruiting medical students for an epic bike journey across America. As a medical student and runner, I thought to myself, how hard could it be? So I asked Eliza about it. Her response was, “The ride is open to individuals of all fitness levels, but usually only appeals to people who are capable of doing it. I am quite confident that you qualify.” With that, I signed up! But first, I needed a bike. I purchased a Specialized Dolce Elite Compact a couple of weeks later, and rode it a few times on a local 10-mile bike path until the weather got cold. Other than that, I only ever cycled on my indoor trainer over the winter. Michigan winters are no joke. But I continued to run and completed the New Orleans Half-marathon just one week prior to the start of R4WH, so I thought I was ready to go. I got dropped off in Columbus, Ohio with my bike and my bag and no clue what I was getting myself into on March 16th, not even one day after finding out that I matched into an Emergency Medicine Residency program in Michigan near home. I’ve never kept a journal before, but I decided to start one with this trip, and I’m thrilled that I did, because now I can share my experience with you. Here are some summaries and excerpts: March 17 – Departed at 6am for a 38 hour road trip from Columbus, OH to Indianapolis to pick up Will, to Albuquerque to pick up Dreas, to our final destination in San Diego, CA. We had two 12-person vans (Team Gold and Team White) and a Budget cargo truck for 13 people and 15 bikes. It rained from Indiana through Texas. We played games like 20 Questions and the Alphabet Game, and listened to all sorts of music, with emphasis on...
read morePeak Training Week: Sick, Tired, Stressed, & Under-trained
What do you when it is your peak training week for a marathon and you are sick, tired, stressed, and extremely under-trained? This week I am participating in the New Orleans marathon. I am happy to say that I am almost ready for a race that 3 weeks ago I thought I was going to have to drop out and run the half marathon. Training for any endurance event is difficult. The extreme cold winter in Chicago made training even harsher for the February 2nd marathon. Icy, snowy days which often dipped below my 15 degree running threshold made it difficult to train outside and I have a difficult time running on treadmills. Since the Ironman in August, I have found it difficult to stick to a structured training schedule. Already out of shape, I planned what I thought would be my best options for getting on track to run the marathon. For my peak weeks of training I planned my 14, 18, 18, & 12 mile runs each week before marathon race-day. Admittedly, I think I was still a bit dehydrated when I set out to run 14 miles a few days after New Years Eve. With temperatures hovering around 15 degrees and dropping as the afternoon light faded I ended up logging 13 miles in sub-13 degree weather. The conditions on the roads were hard packed snow and at the end my legs felt like frozen cement blocks as I dragged them through the last miles of sub-zero temperatures dropping quickly after sunset. That night I proceeded to drink heavily with old college friends I hadn’t seen in a while. This is where my peak weeks approached and the trouble began. Tired from the previous day I made it to the client site the next day by airplane. The week drew on and it became clear that my strenuously cold run, followed by lots of drinking, low sleep, travel. and dehydration was a recipe for disaster. One month from the marathon, I found myself busy at work, travelling without luggage (lost in transit), sick with a head cold, and stressed out. Looming in front of me were two 60 plus hour work weeks. This is where you throw out all of your previous plans for the next couple weeks and rely on the things you know: 1. Minimize the stress factor: In this case, I was in the middle of an important test cycle and I knew that regardless of how sick I was, I would be working every day for the next couple weeks. I approached my manager and told her I was under the weather and was going to need some help getting through the test cycle and getting better. Don’t be afraid to tell your boss when you are overwhelmed. I had to let her know from the beginning that I was overwhelmed and would need help getting tasks done. Any chance to get some extra rest was greatly appreciated. My manager responded well, lightened my workload, and allowed me to get tasks done at my own pace. I ended up working every day as planned but managed to actually get some rest as my cold was coming down with full force. 2. Get better first: Regardless of my marathon goals and the needs...
read moreHometown Triathlon Beast Andrew Starykowicz
I grew up playing Mundelein AYSO (American Youth Soccer Association) with Andrew’s younger brother Peter. Peter and I always had a friendly rivalry. My brother and I played on a team every year against Peter’s team. Peter was a fiery & fierce competitor on the soccer field and his family was always a part of the soccer community. Flash forward to 2013, the year of the my first Ironman in Louisville on August 25. These days my sport of choice is triathlon. I had an amazing year training, learning about myself, meeting inspiring people, having amazing training partners, and having the adventure of a lifetime. Then came long awaited mecca of triathlon races, the Ironman World Championships in Kona. It is exciting seeing Andrew Starykowicz, somebody whose family grew up in my community competing on the largest triathlon of the year. What a way to cap off the triathlon season! Congratulations to anyone who has trained and even attempted an Ironman! Below is a like to Andrew’s race recap from his website. He stayed with the lead pack on the swim and set out to break the Ironman World Championship bike course record in his strongest discipline. He arrived into T2 first after going into beast mode on the bike. He recorded the days fastest bike effort with a 4:21:50 bike split. Wowzers! In his Kona debut, just another kid from my hometown finished in 16th place. I’m inspired by everyone who has made an effort to find more happiness in life through wellness, training for a goal, fitness, nutrition, and a little perspiration! 19th – Ironman World...
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