Nine rules for living

Who wouldn’t want to be physically active and mentally alert into their 90’s? Olga Kotelko has been winning track & field medals and setting age group records for decades. In the book, “What makes Olga run?” author Grierson spent a lot of time traveling to meets with Olga, interviewing her and other senior athletes, and taking her to be studied by exercise physiologists. Is it genetics, environment, or a combination?

Grierson provides nine rules, after senior athlete interviews and scientific studies, that seem to promote vitality, longevity and happiness – this is the abbreviated version of those rules;

1.       Keep Moving. Break a sweat, daily and differently and with others. It’s the sweat that’s the big thing. Sure walking or an easy stroll is nice, but the extra effort makes all the difference, mentally and physically.

2.       Create Routines. But sometimes break them.  Commit the mundane parts of life to habit. But don’t get into a rut, try a new routine once in a while. Park in a new spot at work and walk different hallways. The new routine doesn’t have to be life changing.

3.       Be Opportunistic. Figure out the 20% of every task that is most important and put 80% of your effort there. For Olga this meant she mentally and physically geared up for the championship meets and, though giving a lot of effort, saved something in the lesser meets. Spend your precious energy wisely.

4.       Be a Mensch. Kindness used to be an obvious virtue. Being kind is good for you and the other person.

5.       Believe in Something. This isn’t necessarily religious, but people who see life’s dark spots as necessary tasks to get through tend to live longer.

6.       Lighten Up. Figure out how to manage your stress.

7.       Cultivate a Sense of Progress. Move the yardstick if necessary, adjust expectations, then when reached, try to improve a bit more.

8.       Don’t Do It If You Don’t Love It. Yes, even the mild pain after a hard effort is part of the fun, or should be, knowing that you gave your best on that given day.  You may not love it at the first try, or even third, but exercise,  in particular can become addicting and fun!

9.       Begin Now!! You’re a boomer, so what? Haven’t exercised, really exercised, in years? It’s not too late. Olga began track & field in her seventies. You can start now too.

National Snowshoe Championship Qualifiers

Congratulations to our own Mike and Eileen who qualified for the National Championship race to be held in Woodford, Vermont. As of now there are racers from 24 states competing. Race day (March 1) begins with the Junior 5k championship race, followed by the women's 10k and then the men's 10k.
On Sunday there will be a relay race and uphill race challenge, if the previous day's 10k wasn't enough.
Take a look at the course map, there is a nice little climb for the first three miles!

Eeyore's Gloomy Instruction Book

Much can be learned about life from Eeyore, such as; "Anybody who tells you that getting thin takes "about a week" is lying."

Regarding weather Eeyore says, "It's snowing still. And freezing. However we haven't had an earthquake lately." That's Eeyore, always looking for the silver lining. Considering the upstate NY area is in another deep freeze (daily high temperatures 0-10 again), an appropriate thought.

Yesterday it was 2 degrees when I came home from work. It was a great afternoon for a short brick workout, 2 miles on the treadmill and 13 on my bike, all in the comfort of my basement while watching the Australian Open tennis championship. Today the temperature is shooting up to 12, maybe I'll brave the outdoors for a run?

Eat Like a Rabbit

It seems like every celebrity or want-to-be celebrity has a diet and/or cookbook out now. Even Cameron Diaz has a new book, "The Body Book", in which she states "Personally, I love the gym. I love being around people who are sweaty and pushing themselves. Who are all focused on the same goals. I love being in a group like that."
Maybe she'll run on the canal path with Sals?
 

Probably not. Instead I have begun my Eat Like a Rabbit diet. Around our suburban home is a virtual cornucopia of animals. We have rabbits jumping everywhere, eating the grass and garden plants. Squirrels are in abundant supply, stupid little ratlike creatures people think are cute. They are a nuisance, digging holes everywhere looking for lost nuts. Eating any bulb I plant. Running along the wires and rooftops. Then we have birds, which are okay except for the crows that come out on garbage day caw-cawing most of the morning.

How do crows know Tuesday is garbage pickup day?

 

After watching some of these animals I have come up with my own diet plan;

1. Like a rabbit, eat often and in small portions.

2. Eat more green vegetables, especially the fresh, organic homegrown varieties, like when the rabbits eat my plants.

3. Keep a supply of good food in the house to snack on, instead of junk food, but unlike a squirrel remember where you put it.

4. Cook enough to have high quality leftovers, thereby saving on food costs. Obviously crows don't mind leftover food and neither should we.

5. Keep exercising, endlessly. Watch the squirrels, do you ever see one sleeping? No. They are running along wires, jumping from trees, scampering across the lawn. We need to do the same (not running on electrical wires, that would be insane).

 

That's it, five simple steps to diet success. I guess there won't be a Sals 200 page diet book coming out anytime soon.





Biggest Loser Contest @Spencerport

Yes, it's true, we are having our own couple's contest to see who can lose the biggest percentage of body weight by March 29. Running concurrently with the local Fleet Feet store's Ton of Fun challenge, we decided to create our own contest.
Lou, MW and I realized about a week ago that we are either at our highest weight ever (me) or highest weight since taking up running (Lou and MW). My weight gain is solely due to the intense weightlifting I did in 2013 and has nothing to do with cooking dinner while grazing on cheese/crackers, Bourbon or Southern Comfort.
Lou and MW gained weight because, well, old age I guess. That time of life when pot bellies form, your belt buckle has to be loosened to the next hole and when shopping at Kohl's for pants you go for the "relaxed" fit.
Jan, Eileen and Joanne are beautiful already and don't need to lose any weight, but still decided to join the Ton of Fun program and are responsible for making our couples challenge.
Feel free to place bets on which couple will win.

New Year's Day Freezeroo

Mike and Mike - Freezeroo @ Mendon Ponds 2014

 

What story is being told by these facial expressions?
A. As MW (on the left) paces (or drags, depending on your perspective) me around the hilly 7.5 mile New Year's day race it is obvious he is telling another joke. From my look it is obviously not a funny  joke.
B. Or it may be that he is in better running shape and the 8:13 mile pace is a breeze?
C. Maybe the 14 degree temperature has my face frozen in a grimace?
D. The Bear has come out (my breathing noise during hard efforts) and MW finds this funny?

I think the answer is E, all of the above.
http://www.grtconline.org/

Screw this...running shoe

With 16" of snow covering a lot of ice mixed with slush and temperatures hovering around 8 in the Rochester, NY area, I am going to try the following technique to help in staying upright while running:

Skyrunner (courtesy of Matt Carpenter, an accomplished mountain runner).

All the years of running in the north and this will be my first time using screws in my shoes. Seems like a cheap method of gaining traction. I'll let you know if it works for me.

Doing the Right Thing

Let's say you were working at the local college, maybe University of Alabama Birmingham? It's 8:30am on New Years Day and you are on "rounds" going between labs in different buildings. Suddenly as you are walking outside you see a naked man run by and some screaming.

What would you think? Really, would you be disgusted or amazed that some people are still partying? How do you know what is happening and what your next step should be? Maybe you should just step back into the building and let the event pass like you never saw it? Many people would do just that. It's the easy way and it's none of your business.

But then there is a female voice saying, "Help, please help my friend" near the roadway. She is hidden in some short bushes as the man seems to be dragging a woman away, or attempting to. The friend is yelling at the cars passing, many of them, and none are stopping. So, the prudent thing to do is call 911 immediately and pray the police come quickly, but yet stay hidden from the naked wild man. You see the girl a bit bloody around the face and realize this isn't a partying situation, something is definitely wrong.

 A policeman shows up, but just one at first, so you still stay in a safe spot, smart thinking. Finally more cops show up and they get the naked man in cuffs. The young lady is taken away in an ambulance. You did the right thing Andrea and probably saved this woman from greater harm. I am proud of you!