Today’s training role model is future NHL Hall of Famer Rod Brind’Amour.

Known as “Rod the Bod” for his rigorous off-season training (and evidenced by the shot below of him holding the Stanley Cup at Elk Falls), this dude brings an unmatched level of will, fitness and competitive spirit to the way he approaches the game.

He led the Carolina Hurricanes to the 2006 Stanley Cup and, despite being one of the league’s best defensive forwards (two-time Selke Trophy winner) he has also managed to score over 1,100 points (and counting).

And before you say anything, the NHL tests for steroids. This guy is just a beast in the gym.

ON TO TRAINING…

All right, I almost decided to take today off. My 5K run had gotten slower for two consecutive days, with yesterday’s being a struggle just to crack 20 minutes (and I managed to combine it with a pitiful performance on the bench press). Sounds like the perfect time to take a day off and let things settle down.

Also sounds like a perfect opportunity for a willpower test.

TODAY’S PERFORMANCE

5K Run Time: 19:52

iPod songs during the training run (custom):
1. Eurythmics vs. Tone Loc – Here Comes the Wild Thing Again
2. The Breakfast Club – Right on Track (14th Street Mix)
3. R. Kelly / Ludacris / Kid Rock – Rock Star

TRAINING NOTE

Well, I tried to tell myself at the start of the run that today was the day I would go at 10 mph the whole way. It was not to be. The performance was roughly identical to yesterday, but my God was it ever a test of will.

I found a treadmill right in front of a TV that was showing hockey highlights and Superbowl predictions. Then almost the instant the belt started going, it switched to Soccer Saturday or some sort of special all about Man. City and the German League. Now, I have no valid reason for feeling this way…but I can’t stand soccer. Making me watch soccer while I am trying to get pumped up for a run…it might as well be ballet or 2 Girls 1 Cup. It did not help. And it didn’t stop there.

About 30 seconds into the run, two girls stepped onto the treadmills on either side of me and, while walking leisurely for the duration of my 19:52, proceeded to yell over, in front of and through me at each other as they discussed Jessica Simpson’s recent weight gain, Marisa Tomei’s fashion choices at award shows…pretty much everything I don’t want to hear about except for 2 Girls 1 Cup.

So anyway, I managed to hold off on the music for the first mile, but then I had the music on and I had it on loud. Despite the fact that the music was up to the maximum and hurting my ears, I couldn’t drown out the Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears talk to either side. I heard it all. And if I dared look forward…soccer.

I went at 10 mph for the first 1.5 miles and 9 mph the rest of the way. But I was just proud of myself for not quitting altogether. I figure that race conditions equivalent to the soccer thing might be the guy beside me trying to trip me every 50 meters, and the equivalent to the celebrity gossip might be a pair of seagulls hovering over me and pecking at my scalp as I run. So if I am able to put up 19:52 under those conditions on race day, I guess I’ll be able to live with myself.

INSPIRATIONAL CLIP

There is no inspirational clip today. This was 19:52 of hell.

BACK TO Index of Inspirational Role Models for Training

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