Posted by: Joe Nuss
on Jan 22, 2009
Pics from LEFT to RIGHT: Joe, Steve, Thys and Squonk
Joe garnered the first two beard comments and Thys' "accidental" shaving incident made the first ever "Battle of the Beards" contest for the Uwharrie Mountain Run much more interesting this week. The two comments enabled Joe to jump out to an early 3-0 lead, while Squonk worked the ground game with an impressive 17-mile run in freezing temperatures at Hanging Rock. The speedy Thys, of course, is unfazed by his shaving blunder, and is still confident his run performance will see him through, providing the elements comply (inside info says it's going to snow at Uwharrie this year!). Steve on the other hand, sits in quiet confidence despite his lack of run training... what's Steve up to?
Posted by: Thys Wind
on Jan 16, 2009
The winner of the first annual Uwharrie 20-Mile Mountain Run "Battle of the Beards" contest will be determined by the total score of the following 3 categories.
1. FINISH TIME (Thys "The Terror" Wind has the advantage.)
Based on official time rounded off the nearest minute.
3:00 or faster = 10 pts
3:01-3:15 = 9 pts
3:16-3:45 = 8 pts
3:46-4:15 = 7 pts
4:16-4:45 = 6 pts
4:46 or slower = 5 pts
2. BEARD LENGTH (Certain to be a hard-fought battle between Joe "Tridaddy" Nuss and "Squonk" from the Trailheads).
Measured by Joe at the chin on race day. Note: the average beard grows 1/2 inch per month
"pubescent" (less than 1/4 inch) = 4 pts
"manly" (1/4-1/2 inch) = 6 pts
"grizzly" (1/2-1 inch) = 8 pts
"HOLY mountain man!" (greater than 1 inch) = 10 pts
3. BLOG COMMENTS (Steve "GQ Money" has the advantage.)
Photos will be posted right here on the Endurance Mag blog and we're counting on you to respond. Be sure to mention a name so one of us gets credit for the points.
comments made by male readers = 1 pt/comment
comments made by female reader = 2 pts/comment
IN CASE OF A TIE:
Chances are that the margin of victory in the inaugural Battle of the Beards will be "razor thin." After all, we are Endurance Magazine. In the unlikely case of a tie, however, we will defer to the lovely ladies in our studio to decide who will win. Tamara, Casey, Mandy, Lisa, Courtney, and Rachel will be asked to cast a vote. This is perhaps where the fullness of the beard comes into play, so think twice before you go crazy with the beard groomer.
May the best man win!
Posted by: Joe Nuss
on Jan 14, 2009
Hundreds of thousands of readers have experienced the intensity of Endurance Magazine's award-winning editorial... now it's your turn to witness the intensity of the men* behind the magazine as they engage in the ultimate 20-mile trail running experience in a way you've never seen BEFORE ...
BATTLE OF THE BEARDS - Uwharrie Edition
Who will grow the gruffest, gnarliest, nastiest beard for the 2009 Uwharrie Mountain Run?
Posted by: Mandy Beard
on Jan 09, 2009
Tagged in: Untagged
How about this for a New Year's Resolution: Ditch New Year's Resolutions. Why? They rarely stick. It can be beneficial to reflect on what changes we want to make in our lives and to identify habits that we want to leave with the previous calendar year. The overindulgence that comes with the holiday season leaves us primed for extreme and overly ideal desires for changing certain things. Before we know it, we declare that we will join the gym and lose 25 pounds as a way to start fresh. This is easy to say after finishing a calorie and fat packed holiday meal; A little harder to follow through on when it requires peeling our body out of bed before day light on a 30 degree morning.
Enter the concept: Unrealistic Optimism. Duke University Profession and researcher of Unrealistic Optimism, Kurt Carlson, says, "People seem to ignore all likely common constraints as if things are going to be ideal." He continued to explain that people know where they want to be with something and unconsciously gather information and a perspective to build a likely case. They know the end result they want and recruit support for this ideal without giving adequate (or any) attention to basic realities. They move forward with execution and then when these basic realities come up, they are derailed. Instead of learning from the realities and updating the ideal, they become defeated and then even the ideal fizzles away.
So how do we avoid the black hole of New Year's Resolutions? How do we shift our perspective from ideal to realistic? One place to start is to take stock of all aspects of life and to honestly evaluate where you are in all areas of life: Health& Wellness, Spirituality, Fun/Social, Family & Friends, Significant Relationship(s), Career, Personal Growth, and Finances. Without much analysis, rate your level of satisfaction with each of these areas of life. Take a brief overview of how balanced (or out of balance) you are by noticing how evenly round your pie is? Is one or two areas of life throwing off your balance? If so, spend some time drilling deeper to better understand this satisfaction level: what do you want this area of your life to look like? If you are only 50% satisfied, why and what makes you less than 100% satisfied? This is also your opportunity to be idealistic; give this voice in your some space.
Looking at our lives through this life wheel exercise provides a bigger picture perspective than the post holiday meal blues allows for. It is a structured way to see where you are out of balance and truly where you are not satisfied so that you can set yourself for longer term, more impact change. It may also bring to light some hidden areas of dissatisfaction or provide some clarity about where and why your life is really out of balance.
