Running & Cross fit… The New Hit!

In Jamaica, the place of my birth, upbringing and where I live, running is who we are, it’s part of our culture. Most kids start running from as early as when they start learning their ABC’s and 123’s and every kid aspires to one day participate for their High School at the prestigious Boys’ and Girls’ Championships at the National Stadium. Here, there is no bigger stage to perform on, even representing Jamaica pales in comparison to what it means to represent your school and run at these Championships.

What is ironic though, there is a small percentage of the thousands of athletes who compete at Champs (as it’s affectionately referred to), who go on to do the sport professionally and represent Jamaica. So I asked the question, what has happened to all this budding talent over the years? Most of us go on to lead very successful and productive lives in our chosen professions, but in so many cases (like my own), we get so badly out of shape through weight gain. It is frightening how many friends I come across daily that we use to run together and they no longer even own a pair of sneakers anymore.

Alfred 'Franno' Francis

A few years back, a few good men I like to call them started running again, this time road running, men like; John Lieba – Attorney At Law, Alfred Francis – Businessman, Allan Beckford – Business Executive, Maurice Wesney – Educator and of course, the Jamdammers Running Club. It would also be remise of me not to give mention and credit to Running Events Limited, who are the chief organizers and race facilitators in Jamaica, they currently have a calendar of (21) races through the year that they manage and execute, that is almost one race every other week of the year.

Patrice - President

Through the work of these people, today running and cross-fit training is the fastest growing adult lifestyle activity in Jamaica and people like myself and so many others, have rekindled our passion for running in pursuit of a healthier more full-filling way to relax and exercise.

So when Patrice Wilson-McHugh said that she wanted to start her own running club, I immediately knew I wanted to be part of the experience she was about to create with this her newest venture. Patrice is an Entrepreneur that has built her business (Bars-To-Go Group of Companies) from the ground up by being relentless, fearless and creative. No one who knows her is surprised that she has absolutely done the same with Sonic Steppers Running Club. I grabbed her for a quick sit down to talk about Sonic Steppers.

Below are excerpts of that chitchat:

DW:  Why did you form Sonic Steppers Running Club?

Steppers - Tuff Warrior

PWM: I saw the need for a Club that caters to the running needs of all runners that wanted to participate in the local racing calendar, it didn’t matter if these were 5k’s or marathons as long as the Club could provide a support systems for these runners to have regular activity to properly prepare to compete.

DW: There are many running clubs in Jamaica, how have you been able to position Sonic Steppers to differentiate what you do from other clubs?

PWM:  Sonic Steppers Running Club is the newest of many recreational running clubs in Jamaica. Unlike most however, our mission is to provide runners with varying levels of fitness (beginners to advanced pros), as long as like us; they are committed to achieving a healthy lifestyle while having fun through friendly competition.

DW: What is your vision for Sonic Steppers Running Club?

Sonic Steppers 

PWM: With recreational running and cross-fit training being the fastest growing adult activity in Jamaica, we are excited about the prospect of being Jamaica’s premier running club through the continued promotion of a healthier Jamaica across all the socio-demographic groups.

DW: How does one become a member of the Club and what is the price of membership?

PWM: If you are reading this and always wanted to be a part of a movement that is built on friendship, fun, laughter and a commitment to achieving excellence through fitness, let us hear from you: sonic.steppers@gmail.com it is that easy to become a member. Membership fees are $2,000.00 per year.

DW: $2000.00 for the year seems very low considering there are so many activities and races on the official racing calendar, how are you able to sustain this?

Andi - Stepper of the month - Aug

PWM: Firstly, this was never designed or intended to be a money making venture, I just wanted an outlet to give support to the running community and particular for those persons who felt left out or left behind because they didn’t feel they could do it. Secondly, the fees are a minimal contribution to the club administratively to manage the weekly activity schedule and general communication on a daily basis. In addition to the fees however, runners cover their own race registration costs.

DW: Surely, membership has its benefits. What would some of those be?

PWM: Of course, membership has it's benefits, we have many corporate entities that have come on board already to support what we do, these include; Jamaica Yellow Pages, Designs by Marc, Opa, JMAX Hair & Nail Club, Digicel, Spartan Health Club, Body by Trainer Tony Powell and Toss & Roll Salad Bar. With these partners, our members compete every month for special awards. These include: Most Consistent Stepper, Most Improved Stepper and Most Inspirational Stepper. 

DW: The Club is very popular and does seem to be gaining traction everyday, how big is the membership and how do you plan to expand, if at all?

PWM: The phenomenal thing about the rapid growth of our running club has been that we embrace and treat each other like a family in every sense of the word. Today our paid up membership is in excess of 150 persons and growing. In the coming months we will look at expanding more aggressively into cross-fit training for our members and extend the club remotely into other parishes of Jamaica.

DW: Finally, is there anything new with Sonic Steppers you want to tell me about?

PWM: There are a number of opportunities for us in the planning stages that will enhance the overall experience of our members and their membership to the club. Also we are ready to release our monthly newsletter titled Sonic Steppes HQ. It’s and exciting publication that will be distributed electronically and will keep readers informed of our activities monthly, milestones for our members, tips for runners, Tips for healthy eating, local race calendar activities plus a whole lot more.

Anyway gang, check out issue number one of the Sonic Steppers newsletter Sonic Steppers HQ - Vol #1. You can also check out their Facebook page Sonic Steppers Running Club

I have to go running now so we catch up again soon.

One Love as always.

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Developing a Conversation over a Rant

Recently I came across what was a Facebook post by a friend Andre Hudson and I thought, this makes so much sense I had to add my few cents and share with you, so don’t let me down now take a few minutes and leave your thoughts and comments at the end.

Andre’s FB post read: “Been a while since I've done one of my rants so bear with me as I get this off my chest. I've been thinking about relationships. The type of relationships I've grown up seeing. My parents have been married for over 50 years. My best friends parents are 45, 32 and 40 years in wedlock. And I'm wondering what's different? It’s occurred to me that they had it easier. In this technologically advanced online culture that we are living in. Where conversations are now reduced to 1's and 0's and where actual speech and physical interaction is not the norm. When a decent conversation is almost non-existent we have become a society of "likers" and "followers".


My parents didn't have to validate their life by how many likes they got. They didn't have a hundred options a click away when their marriage or relationship got too hard. 
Our generation has no clue what working through an issue is. If it gets hard, instead of working through it we log onto Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and get high off this false sense of security, admiration and appreciation. 


We value our worth based on emoji filled comments and phone numbers under five week old pictures;
 meanwhile, the person hopelessly in love with you. The real you, the unedited, unspell-checked, unfiltered you, they become an option in a sea of otherwise unworthy advocates and suitors. 
Again, this is a rant, my opinion. I don't seek to present a solution. I am only stating what I'm seeing and I am saddened by what the future holds.”

Well well my friend, I read your post a couple of times and while I know you claim it as just your ranting your opinions, I believe your rant as you term it, is real in so many ways and probably would strike a cord with any readers around us, so I have decided to post it here. Bottom line is, too many people today aren’t exposed to the significance of courtship, which ultimately forms the basis of any lasting relationship because it is then that we learn about the other person and determine whether or not your likes and dislikes can survive inevitable disagreements and most importantly develop the trust and respect required for success. 

It is really and truly where you get to know and understand each other, so there is clarity about each individual’s personal principles and general behavioral expectations. More importantly though, courtship allow people about to enter a relationship/marriage to talk, or at least learn a little bit about each other before it gets complicated with intimacy.

My friend’s other points about longevity of marriages and the use of social media to fill personality holes is real but coupled with the lack of courtship and a basic understanding of human behavior, we begin to uncover issues of low self esteem caused in some instances from nurture not nature. By that I mean, children live what they learn and often times what they learn is what they see not necessarily what you tell them. So in today’s world, reduced in size and complexity by the Internet, mobile devices, Facebook and Google; it’s definitely easier to reach out and touch someone, but I will continue to argue that the basic human principles have not and probably will never change.

Not lost on me while thinking about this topic is the increased pervasiveness of same gender relationships in the last 10 years and the notion that they are ‘normal’. I don’t agree and say so unapologetically as I am entitled to my own thoughts, behavior and opinions. So here again comes the issue of nurture to which our children act what they see and train these behaviors into accepted norms later. So if you ask me, a possible solution to this saddened view of communication, people and relationships is nurture, courtship and responsibility.

So as my friend so rightly said, his parents have been married for 50 years and he grew up seeing love and affection at work and therefore can relate. However, I do not agree or subscribe to the thought that it must have been easier back then, hell no! Perhaps from a technology stand point but I believe what was really important then was:

• To ask a lady for a dance (please note I said lady, bump and grind doesn’t count);
• Offer her a glass of wine (because wine not Beer or Guinness sends a different message);
• Ask her out to dinner and/or a movie (be sure to ask her what she likes, don’t assume);
• Open a door ahead of her (simple enough task but men often get caught gazing at her butt and forget);
• Offer her your jacket if she gets cold (Chivalry is alive and well);
• Ask for her opinion and listen while she speaks (shut up and listen, it’s that simple);
• Send her flowers just because you can and not because it’s her birthday (for the cheapskates a single rose is good enough, it's the thought that counts);
• Saying ‘I am sorry’ or ‘I was wrong’ shouldn’t be a burden (Ego have no business in relationships, check it at the door);
• One hour for lunch, use it wisely (the element of surprise will unlock any door);
• Repeatedly and unapologetically tell her I love you (Do it because you do and you mean it, they’ll know the difference).

Now, tell me how hard is that and why it’s so hard for young men and women to grasp these little virtues that make or break any relationship/marriage.

Dr. George White snr. Aka ‘My Pops’ once told me “Your first 30 days of courtship with a woman will define your relationship”.

Keep reading and never stop loving... One Love as always!

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World Cup 2014 - My Highs & Lows

Having taken a sabbatical from all forms of alcohol, the World Cup and the performance of  my declared choice for the championship (Brazil) was a bitter pill to swallow as I am still haunted by the thought that my big side, samba football, home of the great Pele, Socrates, Garincha, Revellino, Careca, Zico, Roberto Carlos and ever present ‘Buff Teet’ Ronaldhino, got a 7-1 whopping from the eventual champions Germany.

That said, I would like to publicly congratulate Germany on a well-played tournament, clearly they thought of everything in capturing their 4^th hold on the trophy but also, they left a fitting legacy behind in Bahia, Brazil. When I say these people thought of everything, I mean they thought of everything. The Germans went to Bahia and built; a Hotel, a Health Centre, a Football Field, a road to the facility and they used only local labor to achieve this.

Not a lot was written in the international press about this back-story but it is too heart warming not to mention. While in Bahia, Brazil, the Germans socialized with the locals by hosting a festival, visited with the locals, which from all accounts suggests are from the lower socio-economic class in Brazil. They even donated an ambulance for the health centre and wore the local team kit for their training sessions. On leaving the World Cup with the most prestigious trophy in world sports, the Germans gifted all that created to the people of Bahia, which is now to be transformed in a school for poor children. This my friends is what true champions are made of. It is also what investment in major sports bring to third world nations like ours from bigger more affluent first world nations.

This noble act though self-serving for the Germans whilst at the tournament, as to be one of my highs of #Brazil2014. Here are the rest of my highs and lows:

Match of the Tournament: Germany 2 Ghana 2. This has to have been the most intense match from start to finish, it had everything in it that a football fan wanted to see in a world cup including, four goals, 31 shots at goal, 16 shots on target, 28 fouls, almost equal possession and10 corners, wow what a match.

Player of the Tournament: Arjen Robben. There wasn’t a player in the tournament that meant more to his team’s success than Robben. His relentless enterprise and industry in attack was refreshing with so many teams electing to play safe first. The eventual winner Lionel Messi was less than inspiring throughout the tournament and many must have wondered why even players like James Rodriquez and Thomas Mueller didn’t figure more in those votes.

 

Goal of the Tournament: James Rodriquez. The goal against Uruguay was simply spectacular and in my view the best in the tournament. Comparable mentions for Robin Van Persie goal against Spain and Tim Cahill – Australia vs. Holland.

Biggest Disappointment: Germany 7 Brazil 1.  I knew after the second goal it was all over because the body language said it all, but never would I have thought a score line like this. I still get depressed thinking about it.

World Eleven: (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Lahm, Vlaar, Hummels, Blind, Mascherano, Kroos; Robben, Neymar, Rodríguez, Messi.

I think this was officially the social media world cup, with hundreds of millions around the globe enjoying the tournament via the large and small screens and live tweeting every match, some of which provided comic relief for otherwise boring football, but more importantly raises the benchmark for what to expect in 2018 (Russia) and beyond. Statistics like 35.6m tweets during the Brazil vs. Germany semi-final match, which was more than the Finals, which had 35.1m tweets. Of note, before this World Cup the most tweeted about event was Superbowl XLVIII with 24.9m tweets.

During the Final between Germany vs. Argentina, twitter recorded its highest tweet per minute when the goal was scored at 618,725 TPM.

Not to be outdone, Facebook hit a billion posts about the world cup in the second round of the competition with 220 million Facebook users involved. According to Facebook data editors, they had never before had an event be it sports or otherwise reaching a billion interactions. By the end of the World Cup in Brazil, Facebook reached 3 billion interactions involving 350m users.

The most popular conversations were around the World Cup Final with 88 million people generating 280 million interactions - making the game the single most talked-about sporting event in Facebook history.

Google was not to be outdone; there were over 2.1 billion World Cup-related searches on Google. The most searched players worldwide during the tournament were Brazil's Neymar Jr at number one, followed by Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, then Argentina's Lionel Messi. Neymar Jr was in third place, but after his back was injured and he was ruled out of the rest of the World Cup, there was a spike in searches. His search volume increased 10 times his average on the day of his injury and he has been the most searched player ever since.

It should be interesting to see if there is a role reversal in broadcast rights fees in coming years with Internet or streaming rights becoming more pervasive and costly to the traditional terrestrial and cable rights. Even with that said though, you only have to read this article that appeared in Business Week http://www.businessweek.com/ to understand the reach and demand for this game that most of us call Football and the Americans call Soccer.

Speaking of the Americans, how the game has grown up North!!! Did you not see how many Americans went to Brazil to support the Team USA or did they? Some believed the huge influx of Americans in Brazil were immigrants of Latin and South America who migrated to the US for greener pastures. Whichever it was, it is hard to deny that the game is on strong footing in the US with Major League Soccer games pulling in as a big a crowd as NFL games.

Maybe finally our good friends in the USA will recognize that in order to be a World Champion at anything you have to complete against the rest of the world at something that the rest of the world is equally good at; Basketball, Baseball and NFL Football are great sports but until you have full national teams competing in global championships, it’s just media hype to say a domestic club team is a world champion. Please don’t get me wrong, I love all three sports and follow all three religiously, but nothing compares to the greatest show on earth for that little gold trophy standing 36.8cm high and weighing 6.1kg.

The memories are for us to enjoy and keep the conversations alive until we meet again in Russia 2018.

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One Love as always

You can find me on twitter maninja2 | Facebook Donovan White | Google+ Donovan White