Roots Through the Ferns

03/13/2025

Running in Washington DC and lessons from the Metro and walking the city

https://rootsthroughtheferns.com/f/if-you-don%E2%80%99t-know-where-you-are-going%E2%80%A6any-road-will-get-you-there

12/09/2024

latest drop of the RTtF blog, Honolulu Marathon race day!

11/26/2024

Reflections from the trails and roads of Hawai'i

11/06/2024

For all my RTtF running blog fans, moving to the RTtF website. Like, share and repost.

10/31/2024

RTtF Coaching: Prioritize your sh**. Get your sh** done. Repeat. Win.

10/30/2024

Check out the Roots Through the Ferns Origin Story video updated on our site! Book "The Cost of Yes: Communicating with Leaders" for your next company off site, conference or lunch and learn.

RTtF Coaching: Prioritize your sh**. Get your sh** done. Repeat. Win.

08/09/2024

We all know what we need to do. So why dont we do it? That's the problem Executive Coaching and Roots Through the Ferns solves for you. Prioritize your sh**. Get your sh** done. Repeat. Win. Book your discovery call with Sean now.

Executive Leadership Coaching: Prioritize your sh**. Get your sh** done. Repeat. Win.

03/23/2024

Everything hurts…

Q: (from Doc) “How would you rate your pain today? On a scale of 0 to 10?”

A: (from retiring SF dude) “just the regular amount…”

R: (from Doc) “ The regular amount is Zero…”

….awkward silence

I had the privilege of giving a keynote speech on leading through change to big tech firm at their Las Vegas convention last month. In reflecting on what makes a Special Forces Soldier “Special”, I offered this.
There is nothing particularly special about a Special Forces Soldier. If we have a super power, it is that we are willing to purposely be uncomfortable, for as long as is required. That means we will knowingly enter into and subject ourselves to situations that range from simply odd to borderline excrutiating…on purpose. And then stay there. And stay there. Until the job is done. Put 12 of these individuals together on one team, and well…that is where the “Special” emerges.

Today’s run started an awful lot like that. My L5-S1 low back chronic pain, was at “the regular amount” along with a flaring up achilles and for good measure some nice pinpoint left hip pain in the aftermath of mobility work at Physical Therapy yesterday. EVERYTHING in my body was screaming to my brain “We do NOT want to go for a run today”. My brain then starts making all the excuses and compromises in the language that is most convincing…tailor made to push all the right buttons by my own brain intent on sabotage.

Just go. Decide. No more waiting or options or “one more thing”. Go.

Ankle twinging, a little knee electricity feeling, back refusing to loosen up. The 15 minute slow jog with both dogs (Bayern the 10 year old lab and the new add, Mahina the 18-month old Weimaraner) then transitions to Outdoor Cardio Workout #1 (of 2 in Phase 1 ) on day 1. Just me and the puppy headed out to do Lanikai Pillbox loop.

It was muddy, windy and wet. Picking my way through the Spring Break tourists making the climb was annoying me , for no justifiable reason, just my subconscious piling on why I could stop working and thus stop hurting. Up the hill to Pillbox #1.
“We can just turn around here and head back down….we’ll be well past 45 minutes at the finish”…the inner voice says

Pro Runner tip #1: Bring a buddy. Everything is better with a buddy.

Mahina the Weim, sensing my slowing down at the crest and seeing the continuing trail to Pillbox #2, just looked back over her shoulder with what could only be properly interpreted as,
“Um, what do you think you are doing? We are fu***ng going.”

Just go.

The crowds disappear on the backside of the trail and I see the path through new eyes as this is the first time I have taken my puppy on this trail that prior to this morning I would have characterized as “moderate” at best. However, it is interesting when you see a place or thing you are so used to, through the eyes of someone (or some puppy) for whom you feel protective. That trail is actually gnarly and treacherous. I have just grown accustomed and familiar over the years. She did awesome. The outside world faded away as the endorphins kicked in and it was just a dude and his dog on the trail together, loving the run and the work.

Pro Runner tip #2: Your playlist can be a substitute “buddy”. Plan your playlist for “Happy” by Pharrell to pop up in the last ¼ of your run…its like having a double-caffeine Power Gel.

Just a week+ of falling off purely disciplined diet and lifestyle management and the resumption of the inflammatory effects of poor food and drink choices…So clear and obvious the impacts and consequences when you have months of the ABSENCE of those things to compare with. Grateful for Mahina pulling me through this morning and grateful for the trail peeling away all the BS excuses to NOT do the work that creates progress. And I am totally serious about Pharrell.

05/30/2023

Re-posting here for the RTtF crew

The Wisdom of the Universe
Thumbs in her ears with hands spread out like antlers, shaking hips side to side while facing her pursuer,
“Na-na, Na-na……” Can you finish the “sentence”?
Now here is the real question: you are a grown-ass adult. Why in the F**K do you know the end of that sentence is “Boo, Boo”. Na-na, Na-na, Boo-boo. This was the refrain I heard echoing from the Ka’elepulu park (otherwise known as Triangle Park in Kailua), just down the street coming back from the daily running of the dogs (there are two now…that’s another post) down to, along and back from the beach. It was of course a 5 or 6 six year-old taunting another 5 or 6 year old and I did exactly what you just did, finished the sentence while the comic book dialogue bubbles were still hanging in the air.
Somehow, this is what gets passed along to our youth. It is not as if ANY parent has EVER actually said that to their own children or advocated for them learning it. But I am in my 50’s and I remember it from my childhood and then it somehow metastasizing into my kids vernacular (who are now all in their 20’s). Of all the things that we as a society deem worthy of passing from generation to generation: its not
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you or
It is amazing how much you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit or even
Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise (PERSON…I know, but that’s the old saying)
Nope, Na-na, Na-na, Boo-boo. That’s what makes it.
I had been pondering as I ran my dogs along Kailua beach that when aliens finally make contact with us they will naturally ask to meet with the dogs, because CLEARLY those are the creatures that are in charge. They force the creatures who walk upright to accompany them around all over, the dogs are clearly so untouchable by the law that they just p**s on anything they feel like and the poor upright creatures are in such a sorry state of servitude that they are forced to pick up and carry around f***s as a badge of shame. Yes, clearly the dogs are in charge.
When the aliens meet with the Dog-Kings, they will start with “We’ve been watching you from afar for centuries and your civilization is finally advanced enough that we deemed it safe to make contact. We are now ready to pass along to you the words that will unlock all the secrets of the universe and answer all the mysteries that have eluded you for the ages”
“Come closer, because we only dare whisper such powerful words…..
Na-na…….Na-na…..Boo-boo.
Well s**t.

07/29/2022

http://rootsthrutheferns.com/2022/07/29/i-sold-my-sole-to-the-devil/

Unknown distance trail run through creeks, root and rock obstacles and beautiful shaded forest, climbing 1500 feet, all in prep for our upcoming Spartan race in late August. So awesome was this run…

07/07/2022

Welcome to our FB Group!