Havin' Fun...

We decided to paint our room this weekend. You can tell this because if you have ever been to our house you know it was a very light tan and now as the picture shows our bedroom is a lovely hue of blue. The other reason you can tell from this picture is the blue painters tape is around the window frame and floorboard.

We also decided to take a few pictures of the room during the painting process. I decided not to go on my long run so we could paint and because there were bad storms in the area most of the day. As is evident, our camera has a timer setting and is very useful for fun photos.

Flip-Flops can destroy...

I have tried to tell my wife about this for a while, but she is morally opposed to wearing real shoes. Fortunately, in this months Runner's World they rated different types of flip-flops and actually suggested certain ones. The main idea seems to be that they have some sort of structure or form much like a regular shoe. So if you are like my wife and you have to wear flip-flops check it out or just make sure the cheap dollar flip-flops are not your "go to" option. Instead, find flip-flops that will help walking form and not cause harm to your body from the foot up. This will be my goal: convince my wife to purchase flip-flops that are better for her and actually enjoy wearing them. To further understand my wife's aversion to "real" shoes here are her musings upon the subject.

Weighty Subject

Should doctors lecture their patients about their weight? This blog posting from a doctor in the southeast says no, and I am inclined to agree. Most people at least have some idea of what they would have to do to lose weight, but doing it is another story. Personally, I would like to lose 10 to 15 pounds and yes I am a runner and many consider me thin. If I put my measurements into a BMI calculator I end up being just over the line into overweight. Also, I know it is not just the fact that muscle weighs more than fat that I am further up the BMI scale, I do have a fair size piece of jello in my stomach. Although I still have a jiggle and now weigh 180, I remember when I used to weigh quite a bit more. Around 230. Looking back at what motivated me, I would have to say my wife, then girlfriend, started participating in a national weight-loss chain and I was presented with the idea of losing weight for the first time. Along with this was another change in my life; moving into an apartment without enablers to make meals for me. Due to this, I was able to drop approximately 2 to 3 pounds a week without exercise and as a direct result of losing the weight I began to run more and now try to eat better. Of course, I think I still use running as an excuse to eat. As stated above I would like to become faster, but sometimes I feel that I "run to eat."

This change as well as other things in life come with sacrifice, hard-work, desire, and motivation. Personally, I have the desire, but sometimes lack the motivation to put in the sacrifice and hard-work. Good Luck everyone.

Youthful Cholesterol screening

I found this article this morning and almost couldn't believe what I was reading. They mention cholesterol screenings for children as early at age 2 (with a family history), as well as, a weight loss regimen if necessary. My immediate thought is that at age 2 they have no choice of what they eat. It is the responsibility of parents to ensure their children are eating healthy. I believe that parents should start with themselves, if there is an issue with cholesterol and or weight. Then by default they would begin to influence their children. I have not done extensive research on this, but I have talked with a few females who have started going to Weight Watchers and their husbands starting losing weight as well. This rub-off effect should work in much the same way for children. Culminating point for parents: Take care of yourself so that inadvertently and consequently you will take care of those around you. Do it for your family no one else will.

Big heart? No problem...

According to this article a recent study of Olympic rowers shows that an enlarged heart for athletes is natural and may not prove anything more than a side-effect of training and not a sign of a problem. I remember hearing proposals for testing all athletes for an enlarged heart before they are allowed to compete. My thought is, I would rather die doing something I love than die because I was out of shape. To me quality of life is more important.

Bring out the Yogi in your running...

I have found a wonderful site that publishes a new Yoga class (asana) every day, for free. One asana in particular is purported to be specifically for runners. They rotate through them on a weekly basis. Above is that video and here is the link, but don't blame me if it doesn't work because they updated their website.

Mosquitoes want you to exercise...

I have never read this before, but it kind of makes sense now that I think about it. The article states "Cues like body temperature, carbon dioxide in the breath, and certain skin chemicals, such as lactic acid, all help mosquitoes orient and find their next blood meal." Hearing something like that makes me want to sit inside on the couch eating chips and watching television to avoid the potential for West Nile, another promoted issue. Not really, but the next question is how to help avoid the problem altogether and enjoy those times when a person is outside and wants to be hot, breathing out tons of carbon dioxide, and producing enough lactic acid to make a person sore for a week.

Deet doesn't really seem like a logical choice, as I am all about using "eco-friendlier" plant derived chemicals, but what is purported to be the next best thing. According to this University's research "Oil of eucalyptus-based repellents includ[ing] Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent, SC Johnson Off Botanicals, and Fite Bite Plant-Based Insect Repellent." The average working time was 2 hours for these products, which, I am sure increases when working out and sweat is removing it like runoff.

I have personally experienced the above mentioned post-workout phenomenon with bugs. Sometimes, I go running near a lake and when I arrive before the run the bugs hardly notice me, but after the run it is a different story. There are so many bugs that I can never get away from them without running and jumping into the car. Although this strategy works, my car, as with most, is definitely not a help in my post-workout stretching. I guess my next logical choice will have to be utilizing an oil of eucalyptus-based repellent.

Sweating is a good thing...

This article explains the complexities of running in the heat of summer and how to strategically put forth your best effort, but here is what I really got from the story.

On the second page it states "people who are heat adapted sweat sooner and more profusely, allowing their bodies to cool more efficiently." I have always considered myself an over sweater, even in the dead of winter. I have even noticed that coming back from a run I have lost many pounds due to loss of water/sweat, but now I understand things differently. I am most certainly not an over sweater; I am just prematurely adapting to the heat. Ergo, I am obviously superior to everyone has to adapt when the heat comes!

Egotistical sarcasm seems to run wild in this post. Deal with it.