motivation – a response to Peter’s blog post ->When the Problem is You… | Peter Shankman

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This is my blog comment to When the Problem is You… by Peter Shankman.

I’ve been at 215 and dropped to 155 and have been there ever since 2010. got the T-Shirt..

I know what’s like to be overweight.

The thing to going down and staying down (and healthy) is the mindset.

source: http://www.superskinnyme.com/exercise-inspiration

 

I didn’t decide I didn’t want to be overweight anymore. I just decided that I wanted to be more physically active. I started in 2009 by running and was at my current weight more or less in one year.

And this year I added a consecutive days streak.

I’ve run every single day this year. (oftentimes just 1 mile, but the most being 111Km over 24 hours.)

Why? 

Because I want to.

And now that I have over 300 consecutive days running, I will not stop. I won’t let laziness stop me. No way.

It is true. You make time for what’s important to you. I do it when my kids (and oftentimes my wife) are asleep. I do it at our gym in Panama.

If you want a little extra motivation, sign up for the most expensive  Ironman in 6 months or a half Iron (or marathon) in 3 months. Remember how good it felt to accomplish the first time.

That should give you a jumpstart.

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What to do in Panama City, Panama?

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well, it depends…

What do you like doing?

Do you want to get to know the city, nature or both?

Here’s some suggestions:

Must see places (more tourist-oriented) include:

  • The Panama Canal, of course
  • Panama Viejo
  • Casco Viejo
  • Biomuseo – The only Frank Gehry-designed museum in Latin America – It is not finished yet (2012), but you can tour the construction area.
Shopping
  • The malls: Multiplaza (high end), Multicentro (high end), Albrook Mall (all ends), Metro Mall (all ends), and the new Westland Mall (in Arraijan, about 30 minutes away from the city)
  • Other shopping centers: El Dorado Mall is another smaller mall option, Los Andes, Los Pueblos (across the street from Metro Mall)
  • If you want real deals and a more Panamanian experience, go to any place where you see many Panamanians going to, like Saks, Titan, Costo
  • To get a feel for how many Panamanians shop, you can visit Avenida Central (Central Avenue) and La Gran Estacion (The Grand Station) de San Miguelito

Outdoors in the City

  • Parque Metropolitano (Metropolitan Park), Parque Soberania – An interesting fact is that Panama City is the only capital city with jungles in it.
  • Cinta Costera and Causeway de Amador – great places to walk, run, and bike
  • Parque Omar – nice central park where you can walk and run

Near the water

  • There are many beaches within an hour and a half of the city. Veracruz is the closest, but some advise not to swim there. However, I have swam there before without a problem. On the Pacific Side, there are Gorgona, Coronado, Palmar, Punta Chame, San Carlos, Riomar, Corona, Santa Clara and Playa Blanca to name a few. On the Atlantic side, you can visit Portobelo and Isla Grande.
  • For island visits, the closest ones on the Pacific side are Taboga and Contadora. If you visit Taboga, make sure to check my friend, Cynthia’s B&B, B&B Hotel Cerrito Tropical. Make sure to tell her Marvin sent you. :)

Workout

  • [shameless plug] make sure to visit BurnedIt Fitness Center, our gym in El Dorado (very close to El Dorado Mall), for a great workout in Panama. Refer to this post and get 2 days free!

This is just the beginning. I’ll probably be updating it later. If you have specific questions, feel free to email me marvin-at-burnedit-dot-com.

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Considering an English-speaking school in Panama?

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The Oxford School Panama - English-speaking school

Here’s one to consider:

  • The Oxford School – According to the website, it is the first english-speaking British School in Panama.

    The Oxford School first opened in 1984, in the heart of Panama´s banking sector close to Via España. Later, in 1990, the school expanded to include a regular school programme opening Pre Kinder, Kinder and 1st grade in purposely-adapted premises in Punta Paitilla.

     

     

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Replying to Ericka’s Blog post about Born to Run

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enjoyable post, Ericka!

(I decided to post my reply. Hope you don’t mind. :)

To answer your questions:

-Did you read “Born to Run?”
I have not.

-What do you think about barefoot running? I REALLY want to know!
I’ve been running barefoot for 2 years now. Totally enjoyable. I really don’t like having anything on my feet when I run except maybe when running or walking on rocks. But the feeling after walking or jogging on rocks actually is great. Like my feet have just be massaged.

 

-Did reading this book make you want to do an ultra?
Haven’t read the book, but would love to do more ultras.

-Did you change anything about your running lifestyle after reading it? If so, please explain!
I actually changed my running style through self-experimentation and reading on BFT’s huarache forum. Basically, if it hurts, change something so that it doesn’t hurt. :) Listen to your body…

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