Category: Healthy Living

Since the running season is about half-over, I thought I’d make a little post about some gains I’ve had.

Well, I can breathe. This is good, and I’m glad my surgery worked. It only cost ten shortdays in the hospital and 2 months of being super defensive about my throat. BUT I CAN BREATHE WHEN I RUN.

My breathing has improved, too, in a pretty short time. This means that my casual pace has gotten faster.

Speaking of pace, my pace is finally back to my pre-accident pace of 6 mph (that’s been my advertised pace for 9 years. Which it was sometimes, but who knows?). Now I’ll try to improve that. I’d say I knocked about 40 seconds to a minute and a half from my pace.

It’s not always 10:00, though. Only when it’s not terribly hot or early.

Also, I figured out a loop by my house that is 3.2 miles or so. Pretty cool. I’ll tell more about running forms later. This post is just a Sunday Random.

Many of you remember me telling you about my running form, The Dancer, and I mentioned there were two forms I use to run. Perhaps you were wondering about the other form.

The other form, called The Dasher (likely ‘The Sprinter’ would be more appropriate, but c’mon, it sounded like a cool team).

This one is very much like sprinting.
You would run on your toes the whole time, which like an Olympian sprinter. This form is harder to pace yourself. It’s super good for building your calf muscles.

Mich like the Dancer, I think it is low impact on your knees. In this case, though, it’s a very high impact run. While the Dancer tries to make less of an up and down motion, this one does not.

However, all of the force from hitting the pavement is absorbed by your calves, and they just think you’re hopping up and down. It’s the kind of impact they’re made to do.

A little later, I may talk about the two forms and talk about neat concepts I’ve developed. Until then, run safely!

There are many, easy to see advantages to being in-shape:

1. You feel good
2. You have more energy
3. People of the other gender generally over-respond with smiles and enthusiasm when you randomly ask them how they’re doing
4. You look good (well, relatively)
5. You have more confidence
6. You can eat cookies without looking like a shlub

But there are some disadvantages to being in shape that I think are often overlooked when someone decides, “Hmmm.. should I have get in-shape? I think I will.”

The Slippery Slope

Initially, when getting into shape, it’s easy! When you go for a walk, your pulse gets increases, and by walking you’re generally (in theory) increasing your lifespan. Go you!

After you get in shape, that’s no longer the case. Tonight I went for a fast walk. I usually go for runs, but I ran this morning before work, so I figured I was good, and I could just go for a walk to get some exercise.
Anyone who knows me knows that my walk is pretty quick. I mean they know that it’s quick all the freaking time. The only time it is slower is if I’m interested in talking to someone, usually one of the female-type (so ladies, if I slow down when walking with you, take it as a compliment).

Since I’m usually a fast walker, tonight I went for a walk. I was walking pretty fast (4.5 mph). After a 12 minute walk of this, my pulse was a mere 85 to 90. It also takes longer before anything.

So the disadvantage of being in shape is that it takes more time, effort, and discipline to work out. I apparently can’t go for walks and get a cardio workout. Runs only, I guess.

Essentially, being in shape makes a person have to go faster, harder, longer, and stronger. Maybe that’s the reason to number three….

Obviously “disadvantage” is sarcasm.

It’s healthy, it’s sweet, and it’s all natural.
I’m talking about orange carrots, of course!

One part of my health plan (“Eat decent and exercise sometimes”) is to not eat a bad lunch. That means nothing “out”, nothing from the “cafeteria”. Well, usually…. built in flexibility in any plan makes it possible for the average guy like me to follow.

Of course, I need to bring a lunch. Rather than always bring a frozen dinner like everyone else, I bring fresh vegetables or a salad. My dinner is “bigger”.
Actually, I don’t eat any crappy food, and I haven’t for quite some time.My house is always “out of food” because I eat all fresh foods. I usually buy fruit and vegetables on Sunday, and I prep containers I can bring to work or randomly eat whenever I can.

But one thing I am in the habit of doing is buying a bag of organic baby carrots.

They’re awesome!

They’re sweet, they’re really clean-tasting, and they’re semi-filling.

Moreover, when I work, I prefer to always have something nearby with flavor to constantly munch. If they’re healthy, that is a good things.

To make a little flavor variety, I bought a red pepper, so I have a lunch of baby carrots and red peppers. I also usually have fruit and a flavored sparkling water.

It’s also a great money-saver! A bag of carrots only costs about $1.50, much cheaper than lunch in the skyway! A bag also has about three servings.

Plus my power bill is cheaper because I don’t have to use lights anymore (from seeing so well in the dark from eating carrots, of course!). And yes, that was a lame joke.

When I run, I have two forms that I believe minimize impact on my knees. I can’t prove it, but so far, my knees don’t hurt. One uses my calves, and one uses my thighs, I use one until I get tired, then I switch to the other form. These are just generally the forms I try to do. What I look like and what I’m actually doing may be completely different, but this is how I think.

The first form is what I call The Dancer. Many of you may understand why. The main focus of the form is to be lower to the ground and take heal leads.

There are two nuances to understand. The first one is that your quad is doing most of the work, so make sure you strech. Its job is to basically pull you through the step. Using both forms, it uses the heck out of your Achilles’s heal, so stretch that if you want to walk the next day.

The lower stance makes the motion more of a forward motion instead of an up and down motion, and that is the main thing that will help save your knees.

I also think about the step, and this is an impact absorber.

In marching band, the first thing the instructors taught is how to walk without mashing your teeth against the mouth piece. Basically, you have to make your lower body absorb all the impact. They taught how to use your foot.

Rather than clapping your foot in a 1-2 motion, you should round it off. You start with a heal lead, and then make your foot curve around the outside of your foot. In this way, the step will never clap against the ground.

In general. this form is easiest to pace yourself and has great endurance. If you want to go on a run and think about things and not concentrate on your run, this is the form for you.