Chicago – Razflections

December 15, 2013December 15, 2013

My Fifth and Final Marathon (at least for a while)

A week ago was the one-year anniversary of my first ever marathon, and my fifth completed in the past year. The Sacramento marathon will always be a bit of a turning point for me, I felt like if I could run it last year–then run a few more during the year–and then run Sac again one year later, then I’d have hit some significant milestone. Though, now that it’s done, I’m not sure I feel that way. You’d think your 5th marathon would be your easiest, but last Sunday’s race was really tough for me–and nearly an hour slower than I’d run the Chicago marathon just six weeks before. Super humbling, though I had a few physical issues going on that contributed to making this one a bit more difficult. But, here goes.

Following are a few things I learned about myself over the past five marathons, more general tips than practical ones I’ve written about before, or other running stories about how I never thought I could do it, then I said screw it I’m doing it, and a few in between and one more here:

1. I hate the cold. I’m now a California weather wimp, and I now know I can get very Wangry. Do know the definition of angry ? Perfect. Now, know the term “hangry”? That’s anger induced by hunger. Therefore, “wangry”, is anger induced by cold weather. After this last weeks run (was 20’s during most of it) I never want to run long distances in cold weather again.

20's in the 2013 Sacramento CIM Marathon. Way. Too. Cold. — 20’s in the 2013 Sacramento CIM Marathon. Way. Too. Cold.

2. If you want to run a marathon…Just put some steps forward and make it happen. Pick a race (like, literally this week–pick a race for sometime late Spring or early Summer). Sign up. Develop a training plan. Start running. Just. Get. Going.

3. Training is part of the gift. It’s also a pain because it’s so time consuming. If you don’t train, and this is pretty straightforward, you will be in a lot of pain during your marathon. Like you might find yourself in a port-a-pottie at mile 23 crying from the pain. Hypothetically. And you run the risk of not finishing. Plus, while you learn a lot about yourself from the run itself, you also learn a lot throughout training.

4. Pick a marathon song. A soulful one. I have a song for every marathon. And it’s not a “power song” like in a Nike-sense where you need something to amp you up. It’s more significant than that. It’s, well, soulful…and I can’t really explain it further. Every marathon of mine has a different one, which is usually scattered several times throughout my marathon playlist. Of course it gets plenty of use during my training runs as well. And whilst blogging. This past race’s song was “Pieces” by Andrew Belle. It’s pretty amazing.

5. Stretch your ass off. Especially if you’re over 30. If you don’t stretch pre and post running,you’re a ticking time bomb. Especially if you have accumulated injuries from previous sports or, maybe, you’re just getting old(er). An Ortho once told me those with greatest risk of ligament and tendon tears are guys in mid 30’s who forego stretching and still do the weekend warrior thing and then…Stretching stinks. I hate it. But you have to do it.

6. Only listen to half of what your doctors tell you. Years back a doc told me I shouldn’t run. So I quit. Then I started running anyways. I’ve kept doc advice about running to pretty much zero ever since. But seven days before this past marathon I had to ask my doc about a little medical thing going on (fixed now, and I do not mean that literally) and I asked her whether I could run the marathon to which she basically said “Ummmm, no. This is probably a bad idea.” Days later I decided to ignore her advice, because I realized she translated my question as “do you think this is a good idea?” rather than “could something really really bad happen?” Don’t let other people talk you out of something you really want. If I had, I wouldn’t have started running, nor completed last weeks race.

7. Keep your head up. The most epic line I heard from a spectator this past race will forever be burned in my memory. As I’m at mile 24 there were still stretches with very few spectators. At this point I’d taken my headphones off and I’m just trying to run one step at a time while looking right in front of me.

Suddenly, I hear a lady standing around the 2 o’clock position on the sidelines yell out to me in a booming voice “GET YOUR HEAD UP HONEY! AIN’T NO DOLLAR BILLS DOWN THERE! NOW GET YOUR HEAD UP AND LOOK TO THE FINISH LINE!” I kept my head up the final 2.2. miles.

8. And keep your eyes open.

Joyce's First Marathon! Great job! — Joyce’s First Marathon! Great job!

Because you’ll be inspired. And this is what I love most about marathon running.

Watching my friend Joyce finish Chicago–her first marathon–was inspiring to me. So was the guy I saw at the same marathon running WITH brain cancer, who was having serious brain surgery the following day. That story is here,. And then there was the guy with muscular dystrophy, in the same race, who 17 hours later crossed the finish line. Or, simply, during this last Sacramento marathon, when I saw this guy cross the finish line completing his first marathon–and when his eyes met his girlfriend they were both crying. That stuff’s inspiring to me.

I LOVE watching people finish things they thought might be out of their reach. It’s a milestone towards their destiny. And it’s one of the greatest gifts I’ve received from running five marathons this past year, though completing them have also given me a bit of confidence moving forward.

But, despite all the fun I had, I’m not doing five again next year. Most people suggest two is the optimal number, so that’s what I’m sticking with.

Probably.

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November 2, 2008March 26, 2009

Winding Down (the Road Tour, that is)

We left Jax early enough, around 8 a.m., and caught a 10 a.m. flight that had a layover in Philly.

Now, when I kidded about foreshadowing in a previous post and how Stephen was forced to wolf down some rather unwholesome (but probably tasty) Bob Evans food due to scheduling problems, it probably was an indicator of scheduling challenges to come.

We arrived in Philly around noon and waited for our 1:30 p.m. connecting flight to Portland, Maine, which never happened. Nor did the 3:30 p.m. flight. Nor did the 5 p.m. flight. And then the 7:30 p.m. flight got delayed.

Hey, if the weather was bad enough to shut down a game of the World Series as well important political rallies, it was also very capable of trapping three Univera executives and Michael Jr. at the Philly airport.

With the Portland meet scheduled to start at 7 p.m., Regan, Stephen, Michael Jr., and I decided we needed to split up. Or risk that nobody would get to Portland on time.

So Stephen waited for the flight and managed to arrive at the Marriott in Portland at just about 9 p.m. Meanwhile, Regan, Michael Jr., and I drove around Philadelphia before finding a warm, cozy respite from the dreary weather that featured bottomless hot coffee and an ample supply of fried, sugary treats to tempt our health-conscious taste buds.

Yeah, we wound up at a Dunkin’ Donuts. By lack of better choices.

In the end, all was not a lost cause as Stephen was able to address the amazing crowd in Portland while Regan, Michael Jr., and I SKYPED in from our haven from the storm. Admittedly, the connection wasn’t ideal. Michael was able to deliver a good 10 or 15 minutes of comedy, which left just enough time for me greet the crowd but then, quickly, sign off prematurely due to a worsening SKYPE connection.

I can’t say enough about how great the folks in Portland were, however, braving this crazy weather and coming out, en masse, to hear about the Univera message. Kudos to the host and other local leaders including Claire Owens and Eddy Wittry, who really hustled and were able to both cover for us as we scrambled to get to Portland and then excite the 250 or so people in attendance about the possibilities with our company. Thank you so much for your hard work and your enthusiasm!

Determined to not be bogged down again by weather issues, Regan, Michael Jr., and I wasted no time making our way across the border to the Great White North, as our next event would be in Montreal in less than 24 hours. We passed countless Walmarts, McDonalds, and an assortment of roadside dining and shopping opportunities in our rental car, arriving in Montreal at about 5 a.m. Tired, but happy to still have time to rest and re-up for our event in the evening, the three of us pondered, where was Stephen?

Our question wouldn’t be answered until about 6:15 p.m. that evening, as Stephen apparently encountered his own travel issues while driving from Portland to Montreal. Did I forget to mention that when Stephen parted company from the rest of us in Philadelphia, we also left him with all of our checked bags?

If you were a border patrol agent — Canadian or American — would you find a very charming, physically fit, silver-haired man driving alone in a rental car with about eight pieces of luggage in the back seat suspicious? Apparently, the agent who checked out Stephen at the border did and consequently pulled him over for further interrogation. Poor Stephen would not be able to win the agent’s favor until he astutely remembered an old Road Tour flyer shoved somewhere in one of his bags. Only then was the agent convinced it was OK to let Stephen go.

So we had about 45 minutes to get ready, which, in light of all we’d been through in the last 48 hours, was almost a blessing. And we had a fabulous time meeting everyone in Montreal. We switched things up a bit due to language barriers and cultural differences, having Michael Jr. get the crowd laughing towards the end of the event rather than the beginning, but folks didn’t seem to mind too much. We heard all sorts of great testimonials both about our products and their health benefits, as well as how people have benefitted from our business opportunities.

We are so indebted to Andre Bedard and other Gold and Platinum leaders in that area of the country for their general leadership and in this case, for organizing a fantastic event that attracted 224 people (with more than half being guests). They even had simultaneous translations that were seamless and very helpful for the French-speaking folks in attendance.

And then before you know it, we reached our last stop: Schaumburg, Ill.

I don’t have a great, outlandish travel story to tell you about our last leg, but I do want to say this was one of the best events on the trip, thanks in large part to the great enthusiasm and leadership from local Associates like Dave and Becky Ylinen and Tim Kaufman as well as Mark and Patty Middleton and Tony Fightmaster among other great leaders. We had about 250 people in attendance and, again, about half of the people there were guests who might never had heard of Univera prior. It was a wonderful event with strong and sometimes poignant testimonials, especially about the benefits of AgelessXtra and Essentials for children.

As with our Spring Road Tour, we wrapped up our Fall Road Tour in Illinois (it was Chicago in May). And as with that previous event, this event was magical to each of us.

I will wrap up this rather long travelogue-type post by saying that sometimes I fear my chronicles make it seem like these Road Tours are all about us, and they’re plainly not. Lost baggage and travel delays aside, the Road Tour events give us at Univera Corporate the opportunity to reach, serve, and support the Field—the leaders and customers of today, and equally importantly those of tomorrow. They give us the chance to connect with who we think are the true VIPs: our Associates and prospects across North America who join with us in Bill’s mission of Bringing the Best of Nature to Humankind.

So thank you to everyone for coming to see us this time around. It is always heartening for us to witness firsthand the generosity, compassion, and friendship that characterizes our Independent Associate base.

And when that base intersects with the opportunities that come from Univera, it’s simply magical.

Road Tour: By the Numbers

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May 24, 2008March 26, 2009

The City of Broad Shoulders

Chicago…While often known as “The Windy City” in doing some reading I learned it used to also be referred to as the “City of Broad Shoulders”. The latter reference as a result of its strong industrial focus well into the early 1900’s and was referenced by a poem written by Carl Sandburg in 1916.

Which, I find particularly interesting because my Lithuanian grandparents immigrated from their native land separately, before they were married, to Chicago. They settled into a very blue collar, hard working neighborhood that probably epitomized the “Broad Shoulders” motto. My Grandfather left by escaping his homeland, as Lithuania was under Communist rule at that time, by way of Ellis Island, and they landed in Chicago where they lived well into the 90’s before passing.

From the annual Thanksgiving visits to Chi-town growing up, in what was a more “real” neighborhood than the manicured lawns where I grew up, the “City of Broad Shoulders” serves as a nostalgic reminder of a City that I really love and served as a new anchor for the Razgaitis family immigrants years ago.

Chicago’s event on Wednesday 5/21 (yikes, I cringe at writing that–I just got behind and couldn’t catch up in my writings) marked the end of our Road Tour.

The journey really started about five weeks ago, heading off to Korea then to China with the FLC. Immediately we returned to Lacey to embark on a nearly 20-city tour over a period of about 25 days. During this five week we logged a good number of miles.

21,970, to be exact. And that’s just the airline miles.

Four different countries (as a native Texan, I’m counting that state as the fourth) and over 20 different states during this period of time. And, Chicago marks the end of the official Tour, and the countdown to Convention here in Seattle from July 10-12th continues…

Regan, Stephen, and I were really excited to arrive in Chicago–really for many reasons. One, this is Regan’s hometown and you’ve already heard my connection. But, two, there is simply an amazing team in the Chicago and surrounding area. And, finally, three, it marked the end of what has been both an exhilarating–and at times–and exhausting journey. But we’re coming to this event feeling refreshed, invigorated, and even, possibly, a little nervous for the final event. We just wanted it to be spectacular.

Normally I don’t brag about the hotels, but the Renaissance Schaumburg is one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed in. It’s comparable to the Grand Inter-Continental Hotel in Seoul, really sleek and modern. Very hip. It was a great atmosphere for an event.

The leadership reception was an absolute blast, I think we did more laughing than we did talking. One group from Freeport, IL gave us these pretzel pins which we wore proudly (100 years ago a bakery in Freeport flooded the city with pretzels, thus the name–see all this useful trivia you’re learning?). From the leadership reception we went to the main event.

And, part of the buzz/rumors circulating around the event were that we almost went to jail instead of the hotel. But, the short of the story is that our transit didn’t show up as scheduled in Chicago (this became a rolling comedic theme in a few cities, only fitting that it happened in our last one) so we jumped in a cab. But, it was more of a handicapped van, with no more than a seat for two people plus a lot of space for a wheelchair. We were minus the wheelchair, so Regan and Stephen took the bench seat in the back and I piled up the luggage and took a seat on the bags.

Sadly, in the process of this I actually sat on “Stephen DVD” (he was asleep in the bag) and broke him. I knew he was too good to be true and that it couldn’t last forever. A loyal and consistent friend both was borne and passed on this trip, which is why I’ve dedicated this blog entry to the final remains of “Stephen DVD”, who died a violent but expedient death by being crushed by a pretty big Lithuanian guy in a filthy dirty cab without shocks driven by a crazy non-English speaking Greek man who wasn’t wearing a seat belt.

Which is, precisely, the story. The cab driver was without seatbelt (clearly, no desire to even make it to the proverbial 77.2 years of age, which incidentally just increased to 78.1 this week). So, at a toll booth we were pulled over and he was ticketed. Somehow this story twisted into “we almost got arrested” which is a far more interesting albeit less true story.

Back to the event…

The general session was exceptionally well hosted by David and Becky Ylinen–I continue to be so impressed with them, their tenacity and willingness to simply take meaningful steps forward every day of every week is inspirational. This event was well served with leadership from all over the Midwest, from Illinois itself to Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and beyond.

Which, was part of the reason there were well over 325 people at this Chicago event. Great leadership. Tons of energy.

I mean, tons. When we walked in the room it was oozing with energy. It was almost like you could see the energy like a fog or a mist, there were just a bunch of really excited people to be at this event, to be together with a group of excited people. This subject alone, energy…momentum, is subject for another blog entry, particularly since I just returned from an annual Direct Selling Association event and could share some interesting learnings.

So tonight Stephen took the stage, and for the first ten minutes I couldn’t tell whether it was going to be just a really good session or something exceptional. I remember looking at Regan saying just that…But then, at about the 11th minute, something changed. I don’t know what it was, but something sparked. And the rest of the night was magical.

Stephen’s presentation was, hands down and unquestionably, the best I have ever seen. It was 35-minutes of amazement–he was funny and focused, charming and credible, inspirational and factual. It was the best presentation of the science, our advantage, and the incredible difference our products make that I have ever seen by him or anybody else.

And it continued like that throughout the evening; Regan was really exceptional. Dr. Tim Kaufman hosted the testimonial section, and one of the most incredible ones I have EVER heard was from this guy named Eric who has been on Univera products for two months. A while ago he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, went to Mayo for surgery and was told he would be paralyzed on the left side of his body for at least six months if not permanently, in addition to needing six months of PT before he could go home. The thought that a someday successful outcome would be if he could walk around the mall one time and then be exhausted the rest of the day.

The day after surgery he was able to move his left arm and leg and took his first step with the help of a PT; he went home in TWO WEEKS using a cane and brace on his left leg, and after a few more weeks was able to give up his cane! And just a few weeks ago he was told to give up the leg brace…His surgery was only two months ago, and you can see him standing in the panel of those giving the testimonials–second from right. Amazing. He credited his recovery to God as well as what the Univera products that enabled his body to restore and renew itself.

The whole evening was magic to me, from each of the speakers to the hosts to the testimonials to all the Associates and guests. All along we have avoided saying “well, this was the best event”, but the Chicago event took the title. Among some many exceptional events across the Country, this was a unique event probably for a whole host of unique factors.

I suppose the reason I get behind on my blogs is because they’re rather long. But, they’re rather long because I’m really passionate about this business, what we’re doing, the people we’re doing it with, and the cause of it all. The Chicago event, as exceptional as it was, serves only as a representation of the amazing things that are happening across North America to both people’s health as well as their financial success and the opportunity that exists behind this.

And, beyond both these aspects, there’s our cause. The mission of “Bringing the Best of Nature to Humankind”, to get these products to every man, woman, and child, is something special. But it’s not just “what” we’re going to do, but it’s “how” we’re going to do it that makes this special.

Which is precisely why I hope that you come to see and celebrate who we are on July 10-12th right here in Seattle, Washington.

Thanks, friends, for making the Road Trip in inspiration for the three of us, for connecting us to your community, and for making a difference.

I’ll conclude this posting, with more to continue, with the last photo the three of us took before ending this part of the Journey when we got back home. Today, as I was posting the pictures, I broke into fits of laughter because I looked into the background of the photo and noticed the Golden Arches. Completely without intention, the way our limo driver took this picture was with the McDonalds Golden Arches in the background. And, they’re not just in the background, they’re resting like a halo on Stephen’s head. Hilarious.

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