I did my last long run in preparation for Las Vegas Sunday. It was a 20 miler and I actually felt decent. I did most of it at a 9 1/2min pace but slowed at the end. There were a few hills, not bad, but since there are actually some inclines in the race I figured I needed some training on them. I am a bit sore this AM but can now focus on proper nutrition and tapering. I listened to an interesting podcast yesterday that stressed the importance of eating some protein and fat along with your cards the morning of the race. Physiologically it makes sense. It helps to regulate digestion and keeps the blood sugar from shooting way up after a predominately carb meal. I think I will have a bagel (carbs) with some peanut butter and honey (fat and protein and some more carbs) before the race. That seems to fit the bill and I will see if it makes a difference. I am also entertaining the idea of doing the Galloway walk/run technique. For those unfamiliar with this, he teaches to doa 30 sec-1 min walk after running about 5-7 minutes. The idea is that your legs recover faster and you are not as fatigued in the last 6 miles. I have seen that is where my times suffer the most. I can keep a 9.5 to 10 pace most of the race , but the last 3-4 miles really slows and kills my times. Maybe this will allow me to stay on pace for those miles. I'll let you know. For more on the Galloway method go to www.jeffgalloway.com . Run long!
I am forever amazed by those courageous people who face extraordinarily difficult situations with a grace and peace. Often in the course of a day, I will come across a patient who tells me a tale of woe that would make a statue cry. Inevitably it will remind me, rather poignantly, of the necessity of daily thankfulness. In this country, we are all blessed beyond imagination as compared to the multitudes around the world, yet somehow we persist in leading the charge of the whine brigade at the least provocation. I think that is why I am in such awe of those, and there are many, who face adversity, be it physical or emotional, with a calm resoluteness that all will be well. Some call it feigned optimism. I call it the blessing of thankfulness.
Jenny was thirty-two when she was diagnosed with leukemia. She forced me to reflect on and examine my own life when she stated that her disease was a “wake up call”. She said that having a life threatening illness compelled her to focus on her priorities and unashamedly establish her short term and long term wants and needs. Her wish was that people would not have to face such adversity to reach this sense of purpose, yet I am afraid that human nature is not our ally in this respect. I, and maybe you, tend to wade through the day oblivious to what really matters: God, family, home, health etc. Jenny understood the power of thankfulness. She appreciated the rising sun, the soft touch of her husband, the smell of her eight-year-old’s hair. She lived for that moment of total thankfulness when she celebrated the countless good things in her life. I know I was touched by her wisdom. I am convinced that happiness comes when we understand and embrace the knowledge that everyday day is a gift. Rich Mullins, a gifted Christian song writer, wrote these words, which apply to anyone, Christian, Jew, or Muslim, who appreciates the temporary nature of today. He said, “Live like you’ll die tomorrow, but knowing you’ll live forever.” He was killed at age forty-two in a freak car wreck, but he lived in a state of thankfulness that took him from the bright lights of the
Giving thanks is a state of mind. It is the attitude of gratitude that we take for granted. If we would take the time to reflect on even the most common miracles in our lives, we couldn’t help but prevent the terminal disease of “hardening of the attitude”.
For a time I have been seeing as a patient a wonderful woman who was a church organist for many years. She was very accomplished and even had a recording made of her favorite songs which she gave to friends and church members. A few years ago she experienced a debilitating stroke that left her unable to play the organ or even walk unassisted. Her speech was also severely affected, and her medical problems became very complicated. Yet in the midst of all she had lost, on each of her visits she would repeat a solitary phrase over and over…”Pray much, no worry!” When I find it hard to be thankful, when I find myself slipping into a massive pity party, I try to remember this glorious lady and think about how thankful I really need to be.
Giving thanks implies action. I realize this may not be a common interpretation, yet when we show gratitude or appreciation for anything it is often in spoken words or deeds. Make a point of expressing thanks for simple things, an opened door, a parking spot, or a cool breeze. If we master that, then appreciating the things that really matter becomes much more commonplace. Every time I take someone to surgery, I give thanks for the God given ability of people to clot their blood. If it wasn’t for this miracle of engineering, no one going under the knife would ever wake up! Physicians, of all people, should daily stand in awe of the miracle that is the human body. Smart docs are thankful for the ability of the body to right the many wrongs we all accrue. I had a patient tell me one time that a good day was one where she didn’t see her name in the obituaries. Truly, any day above ground is better than the alternative! There is so much to be thankful for…if we just pay attention.
Life is full of small and large blessings. Make thankfulness a part of every day and you will see your physical, emotional, and spiritual health soar!
I did 16 this past weekend, and actually felt pretty good. I was most pleased by how I felt Sunday morning since sitting in church with "lactic acid legs" is not a pretty sight. I am following a training regimen from www.runnersworld.com. It is pretty basic and keeps the mileage at 35-45 per week. This seems to be a level at which I can improve yet not risk injury. Only about a month until the Las Vegas marathon. I would love to break the rut I have at a 4:30 time. The last three races have been right there and I would love to hit a 4:15. It's a flat course so maybe...just maybe.
Below are some links to some recent radio shows promoting the Fat Proof book. Take a listen and let me know how I did. It looks like the next book, A Woman's Guide to Hormone Health is set for a January 2008 release.
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=40362&cmd=tc
http://www.soundwaves2000.com/viewpoint/
Run Long!
Below are some links to some recent radio shows promoting the Fat Proof book. Take a listen and let me know how I did. It looks like the next book, A Woman's Guide to Hormone Health is set for a January 2008 release.
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=40362&cmd=tc
http://www.soundwaves2000.com/viewpoint/
Run Long!
This morning I ran in the coolest half marathon I have ever done, because I ran it with over 800 kindred spirits around the world. In a previous blog I talked about The Phedippidations WorldWide Half Marathon. This is an amazingly unique event that allows people from all over the world (40 countries) to run 13.1 miles wherever they are and report the results online. There has been training tips, message boards, podcasts and overall friendship building in the months leading up to this. I did my route (a great jaunt on the Augusta Canal and then some) in 2:03:49 for a 9:27 pace average. This is about my usual pace and I was okay with this given that I was by myself. If you are a runner, I encourage you to go to www.steverunner.com and get info on the phedippidations podcast and all the fun you can have while punishing your body. We even got a virtual goody bag!
I am well into my training for Las Vegas and having a blast planning the trip and the shows the girls want to see. I am amazed at how many family friendly shows are playing in "Sin City". I'm sure its the old image change thing as they have discovered that there is mucho buckos to be made from us non gambling types.
Keep smiling and...run long.
I am well into my training for Las Vegas and having a blast planning the trip and the shows the girls want to see. I am amazed at how many family friendly shows are playing in "Sin City". I'm sure its the old image change thing as they have discovered that there is mucho buckos to be made from us non gambling types.
Keep smiling and...run long.
I was traveling this week, so my mileage was a bit abbreviated. I really don't envy you folks who have to spend a lot of time on the road. (or in the air) I went to Tampa to do a couple of TV shows to promote the book, and I have decided that air travel is about as close to hell as I want to imagine. Has there ever been an airline that really cared about running on time? At least with Jamaican air you expect them to be slow (No problem, mon) but you would assume that real airlines want to provide a reasonable facsimile of customer service. Wrong! Of course my bags were lost on the return trip, but I will give them credit, they actually did know where they were. It was just unfortunate that where they were was not where I was! I did manage to claim them the next day...but my protein bars had melted! Okay, enough whining. Yesterday was my birthday, so I celebrated by doing 17.5 miles on the treadmill. I am figuring out my training schedule more specifically as I just realized that the Las Vegas marathon is only about 8 weeks away. I'm glad I have maintained a base, so adding distance won't be that hard. Inspired by other podcasts, I am going to wear a digital recorder in this race and post my ramblings and observations on my website after the race.
I have been thinking a great deal this week about daily devotions, so I want to address that in future posts this week.
Run Long
I have been thinking a great deal this week about daily devotions, so I want to address that in future posts this week.
Run Long
I did 18 this Saturday and felt pretty strong. I have been having a bit of trouble with mild plantar fascitis (foot pain) and have been concerned that this would limit my preparations for Las Vegas. I started doing the regular stuff, icing after runs, stretches, using a Strassborg sock (a special sock that keeps the foot extended at night). Also I began using some powerful omega 3 antioxidants in the form of mussel oil concentrate (the brand name is omega XL) I am somewhat skeptical of many of the claims of herbal and vitamin therapy, but the studies on omega 3 and inflammation are quite convincing. Anyway, I did the long run Saturday and have had minimal foot pain since. Honestly I don't know if it is the omega 3 or the other things...or a combination of all (what I suspect) but for those having any similar problems, maybe a regimen of omega 3 antioxidants along with the mechanical stuff will ease any discomfort you have.
Run Long
Run Long
Animal Studies Provide Hope
Aerobic exercise might be even better for your brain than your body. A new study from the Salk institute shows that exercise may possibly cause brain cells to regrow, a previously unproven phenomenon. "After conducting maze tests, the neuroscientist Fred H. Gage and his colleagues examined brain samples from the mice. Conventional wisdom had long held that animal (and human) brains weren't malleable: after a brief window early in life, the brain could no longer grow or renew itself. The supply of neurons - the brain cells that enable us to think - was believed to be fixed almost from birth. As the cells died through aging, mental function declined. The damage couldn't be staved off or repaired.All of the mice showed this vivid proof of what's known as "neurogenesis," or the creation of new neurons. But the brains of the athletic mice in particular showed many more. These mice, the ones that scampered on running wheels, were producing two to three times as many new neurons as the mice that didn't exercise." (New York Times , 2007)
Obviously it is too early to say the same thing occurs in humans, but other studies using PET scans have shown an enhancement of blood flow to the brains of elderly folks who exercised, potentially increasing the liklehood for new cell growth. Like I have been telling everyone, exercise is truely the fountain of yout, and now science seems to be backing this up!
Aerobic exercise might be even better for your brain than your body. A new study from the Salk institute shows that exercise may possibly cause brain cells to regrow, a previously unproven phenomenon. "After conducting maze tests, the neuroscientist Fred H. Gage and his colleagues examined brain samples from the mice. Conventional wisdom had long held that animal (and human) brains weren't malleable: after a brief window early in life, the brain could no longer grow or renew itself. The supply of neurons - the brain cells that enable us to think - was believed to be fixed almost from birth. As the cells died through aging, mental function declined. The damage couldn't be staved off or repaired.All of the mice showed this vivid proof of what's known as "neurogenesis," or the creation of new neurons. But the brains of the athletic mice in particular showed many more. These mice, the ones that scampered on running wheels, were producing two to three times as many new neurons as the mice that didn't exercise." (New York Times , 2007)
Obviously it is too early to say the same thing occurs in humans, but other studies using PET scans have shown an enhancement of blood flow to the brains of elderly folks who exercised, potentially increasing the liklehood for new cell growth. Like I have been telling everyone, exercise is truely the fountain of yout, and now science seems to be backing this up!
Those of you who regularly peruse Reader’s Digest remember a column titled, “Laughter is the best medicine”. I wholeheartedly support that idea, and sometimes during the holidays we forget that. So here is my prescription for surviving the holiday stress…laugh three times a day.
I recently attended a local high school football game and quickly lapsed into a “LOST” -like flashback when the bands took the field for the halftime entertainment. No, I wasn’t in the band in high school. The idea of walking backwards in circles while doing anything else was a bit overwhelming, but my mother was convinced that I had the potential to be the next John Philip Souza. Disregarding the fact that I was expelled from piano lessons for mixing Jerry Lee Lewis with Chopin, she felt that one way to integrate into the treacherous waters of a new high school was to join their celebrated band. I had just been uprooted from a comfortable middle school existence in
Over the past three days I have been going absolutely bonkers because of an email glitch at Medscape. I am getting no emails now, and for those of you as anal as I, you can understand how this is making me nuts. Of course it really pales when I watch the Hoyt video again (see the prior post) Anyway,I have decided to take matters into my own hands and get a new email address. So if you want to talk, trash the pol.net address and get me at reaker@yahoo.com .
Run Long
Run Long
I did my first 10K in about 5 years this morning. Focusing on the marathon for the last several years has been a blast, but I realized today that keeping tuned with 5 and 10 K races is a great tool. We don't have many in my area, so I don't have to worry about them interfering with distance training. All I have read; however, speaks to the benefit of racing periodically in shorter distances to stay fresh and use them as speed workouts. I ran this one in 50.14 or about an 8 minute pace. That is about a minute and a half to two minutes faster than marathon pace, so it was a good workout. It is amazing how your body adapts to different stresses. My legs felt strong throughout, but breathing became an issue as I felt I was never quite on a comfortable rhythm. In retrospect though, that is what a speed workout should be. If you are comfortable and not hurting, you not going fast enough. There is a 5K coming up next month and I will be interested to see what I can do there.
Run Long...and Go Vols, beat Florida!
Run Long...and Go Vols, beat Florida!
A celebration is often the result of an accomplishment, a special event or day, or honoring memories. These are good things, but do we really need the “special” to warrant a celebration? Wouldn’t it be great to be able to delight in the relatively mundane. Some of the happiest folks I know are those who relish just being able to get out of bed in the morning. We can celebrate our health, good or bad, by reflecting on what a true miracle it is that all these billions of cells are working in concert to allow us to walk, run, think, eat, love, write, and even occasionally complain. In celebration of simply being alive, I have compiled a list of rambling recommendations I have collected over the years to promote, extend, repair and rekindle your health. Let the celebration begin!
People who rarely spend time outside (elderly, housebound) are at a greater risk for osteoporosis due to a lack of vitamin D, which is increased in sun exposure. 400 IU a day in supplement form can help prevent brittle bones.
Taking 400 micrograms of folic acid a day before getting pregnant can reduce the likelihood of neural tube defects in the baby (spina bifida, etc.)
Exercise 30 minutes every day. The more and bigger the muscles used, the less time needed to achieve fitness (cross country skiing best, walking is good, using the channel changer is bad.)
The more colorful your meals the better. Bright colored fruits and veggies contain greater anti oxidants and other protective substances.
Use herbs (Black Cohosh) and vitamins (E) to control mild menopausal symptoms. Many are scientifically valid and generally safer than estrogen.
It’s not brain surgery; to eat healthy go low fat, low sugar, high fiber and balanced.
Eliminate soft drinks. An extra can of soda a day can add 15 pounds in a year.
Almost half of all doctor visits are stressed related. A great tool for stress management is regular aerobic exercise.
The solution to permanent weight loss is not dieting, it is getting fit. Only muscles burn fat, and only muscles that are used!
If you are pressed for time, three ten minute exercise sessions can be as helpful as a single thirty minute segment.
Most women over twenty need to take some extra calcium (500mg) The better the bones before menopause, the better they are afterwards.
Eating habits are formed at an early age. Teach children as early as two to be aware of good and bad food choices.
Don’t focus on weight. Your per cent body fat and/or your Body Mass Index (BMI) are better measures of health. Throw away the traditional scales and get a device that calculates body fat and BMI. They are reasonably priced and accurate.
A good doctor will always encourage and support getting a second opinion…so in important decisions, do just that.
Don’t limit yourself by thinking that health is strictly physical. Wellness is a balance of mind, body, and spirit.
Don’t skimp on preventive care. The Pap test and mammogram have saved millions of lives.
If you have a strong family history of ovarian cancer (in mother or sister) demand a yearly sonogram and CA-125 blood test to check your ovaries. It is far from a perfect screen, but it is the best available so far.
Young women (ages 9-26) who are not yet sexually active should strongly consider getting vaccinated against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). It is the single biggest cause of pre-cancer and cancerous changes in the cervix.
Acupressure has been effective for the nausea associated with early pregnancies. The most common device used is “Sea Bands”, an elastic band that applies pressure to a point on the wrist.
Caffeine consumption is one of the leading causes of bladder problems in women. Simply eliminating caffeine from the diet can reverse symptoms of incontinence, frequency, and urgency.
Many women in the menopause need testosterone supplementation along with estrogen and progesterone to help with a lagging sex drive.
Many herbal medicines and treatments can interact with prescriptions drugs. When getting your yearly checkup, don’t forget to tell your doctor about any supplements or herbs you take on a regular basis.
Before any surgery, always stop taking Ginkgo, Ginseng, Garlic, or vitamin E. They all can increase bleeding and lead to problems with the surgery.
Always bring two things to every doctor’s visit: a written set of questions and a list of your current medications.
20 percent of cancer deaths are related to obesity. Maintaining a healthy weight may be your best guard against developing cancer.
Aerobic exercise might be even better for your brain than your body. Early studies show that exercise can cause damaged brain cells to regenerate, possibly thwarting diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The average person makes about 250 decisions about food every day and most people don't have a clue as to what influences their choices. Consciously think about what you are eating and you will generally eat less.
A massage once a week can not only reduce muscle fatigue and soreness, but it can be just as good for stress management as a session with a counselor.
The quickest way to get fit with exercise is to WALC. Wind sprints (just periodically increase the intensity of the exercise) Aerobic (this type of exercise burns fat) Lift (lifting weights builds muscle, which in turn increases metabolism) Cross train (vary your exercise regimen and you will get fit faster).
I just completed registration for the December Las Vegas Marathon...pray for me! Actually, this is a great time of year for me as my allergies seem to take a hiatus during the holidays, and plane fairs haven't gone up. We are going to take the kids on this one. I think it is incredibly important for them to see their parents actively practicing what they preach. One of these days it might actually sink in that this exercise stuff is good for them. And with this generation of folks, you have to show them, not just tell them. A big part of the Fat Proof lifestyle is being role models for the kids. They pay much more attention to what you do and not to what you say. This will be loads of fun (some good shows and eats!) and the best thing is that the course is relatively flat. This has become a big consideration as I age. The one thing I have discovered is that I don't recover from hill training like I use to. This goes back to the whole listen to your body thing. The biggest chore for me is to not only to listen but to not delude myself as to what I hear. We all have limitations. That is not an excuse, it is reality. That is certainly not to say that limitations are ..well...limiting, but smart training allows you to explore those limits without hurting yourself. I did 16.5 on the treadmill this AM (2 episodes of HBO's Rome and 1 episode of Lost) and worked in some hills and a little speed work. That's what I love about the treadmill, it allows you to customize things based on how you feel and not be limited by the route. By the way, tonight is the first game of the season for my beloved UT Vols. Go Big Orange!
Run Long.
Run Long.
