Mark Zajdek likes to exercise.  He is starting to get into shape to run in road races for pleasure again.  He likes the exhilarating feeling he gets from exercising.

Mark Zajdek Applies His Education

For nearly two decades, Mark Zajdek has worked for the United Parcel Service, commonly known as UPS. UPS has provided excellent health care for Mark Zajdek for the the whole time he has worked there and excellent pay too. It's a common belief that no higher education is required in order to work for UPS, many long-time employees like Mark Zajdek believe that their educational backgrounds perfectly prepare them for success in this challenging industry . In fact, Mark Zajdek believes that he applies his education in his work almost every single day.


Mark Zajdek holds a degree in social work. This is an interesting field of study in which students learn about how human beings think, how they are motivated and how they function in groups. In essence, it's a study of the society we all live in and how our actions influence the actions of the people around us on a daily basis. When Mark Zajdek was in school, he found the classes interesting and stimulating, and he was often encouraged to continue his education so he could obtain his license to work as a counselor, but he believed he'd find a way to apply his education in almost any career path he chose. As the following years have aptly demonstrated, Mark Zajdek was right.


In addition, the education of Mark Zajdek allows him to participate in a variety of rewarding volunteer opportunities. For example, he volunteers with the local chapter of NAMI, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. Here, he is allowed to put his counseling skills into direct action, and he's able to make a real difference in the lives of others in his community.
A degree in social work has been valuable to Mark Zajdek, both in his professional life and his personal life. He works hard to apply his education, each and every day.

Mark Zajdek on Learning to Love Reading

When the series of Harry Potter books first hit the shelves, teachers were ecstatic. Finally, they said, there was a reason for young people to fall in love with reading once more. The stories were riveting, and there were so very many of them, so even the most reluctant student was likely to pick up at least one book. No student would want to be left out of such a cultural phenomenon.
Adult readers like Mark Zajdek continue to hope that there will be a similar sea change in the adult reading market. Perhaps there will be one book that everyone must read, and perhaps the author will hold firm and refuse to allow a movie to be made of the subject. While this would be ideal, it might not ever happen. Just in case it doesn't, Mark Zajdek offers these tips for people who want to get back into the reading habit.


There are literally thousands of books to choose from, and Mark Zajdek says that some people become simply overwhelmed by the amount of choices open to them. Walking into a bookstore is just overwhelming, as there are far too many titles and too many authors, and there are no good ways to choose just the right book out of the plethora of choices. Mark Zajdek has a good solution for that. Many communities have book clubs, and they're often organized through the local chapter of the public library. While it's not necessary to join the club, it can be helpful for people to choose books from the reading list. Most clubs offer a synopsis of the plot, and this can be helpful for people who aren't quite sure what to read. The synopsis might turn them on, or off, of the book.


In addition, Mark Zajdek suggests that adults set aside at least 30 minutes per day for reading. Some adults find they like reading right before bed, but this can be risky if the books chosen tend to lull readers to sleep. These readers may end up perusing the same pages over and over, never remembering what they read and when they fell asleep. Sometimes, Mark Zajdek says, reading in the middle of the day can be soothing. A lunch break spent with a good book might be much more relaxing than a lunch break spent running errands. 

Another series I looked into was The Bane Chronicles. This series was a nice fantasy to get lost into.

Mark Zajdek Announces His Participation in the Rockville Rotary Twilight 8K Race

Mark Zajdek has recently announced that he will be participating in the Twilight 8K race at the 28th annual Rockville Rotary Runfest in July of 2014. The race will match him up against hundreds of other runners from around the world on an 8-kilometre course that winds through the neighborhood streets surrounding the Montgomery College Rockville campus. Mark Zajdek says he is ultimately participating in the event to promote a worthy cause, while also testing his endurance against worthy opponents. While many other charity races take place during the heat of the day, he says he's looking forward to the twilight atmosphere He remembers when he came in 115th in the male group in 1998.

Mark Zajdek encourages other avid runners to come out and compete in the Twilight 8K race, but notes that the "1K Fun Run will give people of all skill levels and ages the opportunity to participate in an exciting evening that will feature live music, refreshments, and other festivities.” When asked what he enjoys most about participating in charity runs, Mark Zajdek said “These events are advantageous in so many ways. They give you the opportunity to test and showcase your running skills against others who share a similar passion, while also giving you the chance to be a part of a fun festival that usually benefits an honorable cause.”

In regards to Mr. Zajdek's favorite aspects of the upcoming Rockville Rotary race, he says he is particularly impressed by the fact that there will be a festival, wheelchair race, and Fun Run, all of which make it easier for the entire community to join in. Mark Zajdek will also be competing in the 2014 Great Prostate Cancer Challenge and Baltimore Running Festival 5K charity races, two events that will help raise funds and awareness for the treatment, diagnosis, and research of prostate and pancreatic cancers. 

Mark Zajdek Gives Advice about Building Endurance

Mark Zajdek regularly participates in road races and has made a habit out of both cycling and running. As a result, he knows what it takes to build endurance in a relatively short amount of time, and has offered to share some advice on how to do so. Mark Zajdek says the most important aspect of building endurance is focusing solely on your performance, and not necessarily on the distance you're able to run or bike. He says it is imperative to understand the difference between racing and endurance building, as the key to improving stamina is to pace yourself by running at a slower speed for longer periods of time.

A great way to bring your endurance to the next level is to decrease the amount of time it takes to run or bike through your daily routine. For example, if you normally jog one mile in 10 minutes, try slowing your pace down to the point where it takes you 15 minutes to jog a mile. As a rule of thumb, you should be able to have a conversation comfortably without having to gasp for breath, and if you're unable to do so then need to slow down. Mark says that slowing down gives your body the opportunity to focus more on improving physiological functions during exercise, while also helping your muscles tone more effectively.

A great way to gradually improve your endurance is to run three days each week, and designate one of the days as your endurance testing day. Zajdek says that on your endurance testing day you should try to add between 3 to 5 minutes to your jogging time each week. Once you've begun seeing a gradual improvement in your endurance, you can begin working on your speed by conducting interval training, which involves running an entire mile at a faster pace before taking a break and walking for a mile.

As a rule of thumb, during your "speed mile" you should be moving fast enough to where it is difficult to have a conversation, but not too fast to the point that it is impossible to talk without running out of breath completely.  Mark Zajdek is currently training in preparation of three charity races that he'll be participating in 2012 – the 5K Great Prostate Cancer Challenge, the 5K race at the Baltimore Running Festival, and the 8K Rockville Rotary Twilight race.