Fit date ideas for Valentine's day

So... I've never been much of a romantic-dinner-for-two person on Valentine's Day. In fact, one of my favorite Valentine stories is from the year I went out with a group of also-single-then co-workers to a swanky dessert restaurant in San Diego.

Loving my dessert at Extraordinary Desserts in San Diego (circa  2008)

Our group included surfers, kayakers, and swimmers. At the time, I was training for a triathlon. We were conversing over chocolate cake and a bottle of wine when talk turned to wetsuits. All of us, at one point or another, had answered to the (ahem) call of mother nature in the ocean. Olympic swimmers pee in the pool, so, we wondered aloud: Why should surfers be any different?

The couple seated next to us waved for a waiter and asked to be re-seated.

Oops.

I guess peeing in the pool isn't romantic chit-chat?

Needless to say, traditional candle-lit romance and overpriced flowers aren't the way to this runner's heart.

So, what does a girl like me do on Valentine's Day?

Here are a few of my favorite non-traditional Valentine's dates:

• A run followed by brunch (especially if the run involves Sunset Cliffs in San Diego)



We weren't the only people who thought Sunset Cliffs was a nice spot for Valentine's

• Couples sports massage
• A hike and picnic lunch



Hiking in Mission Trails

• A walk on the beach (yes, even in the winter in cold climates)
• Tandem kayaking*

*Seriously, tandem kayaking can make or break a couple. (Honest) kayak salespeople refer to them as "divorce-makers." But I swear that's not always true. Hubby and I paddle well together. I paddle, and turn around to find him taking photos.

For more ideas, see my new posts Five fit and fun Valentine's dates (for any location) and Four fit and fun Valentine's dates in Florida.

Are you a Valentine's lover of V-day Grinch?

Favorite V-day date?

Can't we all just get along?

Ever get frustrated by an over-crowded gym at the beginning of January?

Image source

My, haven't we all!
But... maybe we shouldn't.


Resolutionists

In the post Attack of the resolutionists, Fat Slow Triathlete targets the angst that many of us feel as the typical January influx of newbies overrun "our" gym (only to disappear by February 1).

FST then turns the situation on its head:

So here's the thing ... try to swallow your irritation... our intent is to ensure that people seek out fitness no matter their perceived obstacles. The sad truth is that some of us have become the obstacles. By making people feel uncomfortable, or out of place, we chase these newbies out of "our gyms" or aways from "our parks". These people take shelter back into their comfort zones; their homes, their TV's, their foods. Not to be seen again until January of the next year.

It's important that everyone exercise regularly, because new research shows that the brain benefits of exercise begin to wear off after a period of inactivity.

Maybe by reaching out to that lost-looking newbie we can encourage another budding athlete?

Image source

Oversharing?

Continuing the "who is annoying who?" theme... Last month Gina Kolata of the New York Times asked why runners inspire extreme resentment in others. Our talk of training plans and our 13.1 and 26.2 bumper stickers apparently elicit eye rolls from the non-runners among us.

Maybe I'm too deeply entrenched in my love of running to notice when other people cast aspersions on my sweaty self, but I wondered "why anyone would roll their eyes at my bumper sticker?" I smile when I see another 13.1, 26.2, or (way to go, triathlete!) 140.6!

And then I read a Washington Post article about oversharing parents.
(Warning: do not read the last example while eating lunch...)

And something clicked.

Source: someecards.com via Diannne on Pinterest

I do roll my eyes at some outward displays of pride.

I have a particularly strong reaction to the bumper stickers: "My child is an honor student" and the flippant response "My child beat up your honor student." Both make me cringe a little (the latter more than the former, of course).

We are, it seems, all inflicted with the same diseases: pride and passion.

Fortunately or unfortunately, we're not all passionate about the same things.

That leaves us with three choices:

1. We can avoid those who don't share our passions,
2. We can tone it down and stop talking about what we love in order to accommodate the preferences of other people, or
3. We can fly the freak flag proudly, and (this is the important bit) be similarly respectful of those who are passionate about a subject we find perplexing.

Option one sounds like the least conflict-inducing, but mine would be a mighty lonely world if I were only friends with globe-trotting runners. Similarly, I suspect non-runners would miss out on a lot if they refused to be friends with anyone who ever ran a 5k.

While I don't and won't talk all about running all the time (so I suppose I do practice a bit of option 2), I would hope that my friends and colleagues would accept my recreational endeavors the way I accept their love of knitting, baking, bike-riding, or repairing classic cars. If it makes them happy, it makes me happy. (Just don't expect me to go hang gliding with you...)

So... I'm strongly leaning toward option three.

I will curtail my eye rolls over the honors student bumper stickers. I will suspend my beliefs about the healthful benefits of being outdoors for those who dedicate hours of their day to MMGS. And those t-shirts that proudly announce where you've been, where you're from, or where you want to go? Right on!

We all have a right to be proud of the things we're passionate about.

Let's just accept it and move on.

What's a pet-peeve you have?
What's one you'd like to let go of?

Not a fitspo blogger

I wear many hats. I am a runner. A traveler. A writer. A weight-lifter. A cross trainer. A statistician by day and a sociology teacher by night. I even write about fitness and outdoor adventures for Examiner.com. (Feel free to subscribe!)

But please don't call me a "fitspo blogger" or "fitspirational." Heck, maybe I'm not even a "fitness blogger."

True: I appreciate a good salad, and my go-to breakfast is oatmeal with extra bran and flax.
True: I have not had a soda in years.
True: I work out an average of 6 days per week.

In short, I lead a fit and active life, and there are health-and-fitness blogs I adore.

But in the world of online personalities in which each blogger is trying to outshine others, the terms like "fitspo" and "fitspiration" are frequently distorted to reflect the extremes of diet and exercise.

Friends, I submit to you...


Exhibit A:

Marie Claire article, "The Hunger Diaries: How Health Writers Could Be Putting You at Risk"

Good fitness bloggers provide excellent tips on strength training, nutrition advice about getting enough protein, or suggestions for how to improve speed and endurance for long-distance events. But there is a darker side to "fitness blogging" that glamorizes disordered eating.

...weight-control tips and even cover "food sabotage" (spoiling treats to avoid eating them). Weeks before the 2009 San Diego Marathon, Anderson ate some coconut mousse cake, then destroyed the rest. Younger, who wrote about netting out at 1,100 calories one day, trying to maintain her "happy weight," has described pouring salt on desserts after one bite. In a post about whether this kind of food destruction was "disordered eating," Pare recalled trashing an entire batch of cookies after craving "just one more."

This theme of disordered exercise and eating is particularly pervasive on the fitspo and fitblr tagged posts on Tumblr.

To be fair, there is an obesity epidemic in the United States. Some of the nation's top fit bloggers defend their work, saying:

"The vast majority of Americans aren't anorexic or bulimic. They're overweight and have no idea how to eat healthy," says Boyle. "If they read blogs like mine, maybe they'd learn something." Anderson—who blogged about running a 5K, a 15K, and a marathon race in one weekend—says some readers have told her they've gotten hurt imitating her workouts. "I just assume people have common sense," she says.

Anderson has a point. Just because one blogger can handle high mileage does not mean everyone should try it. Readers need to maintain a level of personal responsibility for their actions.

Moreover, in a free-speech country, bloggers have a right to write about whatever they'd like.

But I have an equal right to be weirded-out by bloggers who sit down for a pre-marathon feast... then hit the gym to "work off the calories" because they "feel fat." (Running 26.2 tomorrow isn't enough? This happens with freakish regularity on certain "fit" blogs.)

I appreciate healthy recipes. (I find black bean brownies fascinating!) But I won't follow bloggers who restrict their caloric intake to < 1,500 calories per day while training for a triathlon.

There are healthy-and-balanced bloggers in the blogosphere, many of whom I love, but the terms like "fitspo" and "fitspiration," are often used to embrace the extremes.


Exhibit B:

The "fitness" pins on Pinterest are out of control. Healthy eating is a noble goal. Disordered eating is not.

The most shocking captions (selected from, literally, hundreds posted within a few hours):

• "Negative Calorie Foods" (top left)
• "How to lose body fat while pregnant." (top 2nd from left)
• "7 days to skinny jeans" (top middle)

Clearly there is no such thing as a negative-calorie food.
A fit pregnancy is a lovely idea, but losing weight while pregnant... um... downright dangerous!
There are no 7 days to anything in a healthy lifestyle.

...and don't even get me started on the bones poking out of the model in the middle. Ugh.

There is nothing fit or healthy about protruding hip bones, weight-obsession, and exercise addiction... yet these images consistently show up in the "health and fitness" section.

Exhibit C:

I find #FatFluential to be the funniest thing on Twitter.

I rest my case:

You can stick me squarely in the not-a-fit-blogger camp.

I'm fit.

I blog.

But I am not a here for fit-spiration.


What's your take on the fit blogger concept? Healthy inspirations or unhealthy extremes?

Healthy snacking at 37,000 feet

My running shoes are always on my feet in the airport (except, of course, when TSA makes me take 'em off). So exercise is rarely a problem for me when I'm on the road.

But travel can wreak havoc on healthy eating habits, and it can also be brutal on the wallet.

Peanuts: the traditional airline snack

Most airlines charge a small fortune for a can of chips or the "healthy" alternative: a crackers-and-cheese plate that contains a grape or three. TSA doesn't help matters by confiscating a wide and seemingly ever-changing variety of comestibles.

As a result of the dearth of healthy, cost-effective airline dining options, I've become a pro snack-packer. Here are my go to foods for in-flight snacking.

• Mixed nuts
• Sliced cucumber or bell pepper with hummus*
• An apple and a string cheese
• Whole-grain ginger snaps or a piece of good, dark chocolate

Because I never know what I'll be craving 4 hours from now, and airport fried-food kiosks are all too tempting, I try to bring a variety of salty, crunchy, and sweet snacks with a balance of carbs and protein.

Image source

I particularly like cucumbers as an in-flight snack because they're refreshing in an otherwise very un-refreshing situation.

As it turns out, bringing high water content snacks (cucumbers, oranges, apples, grapes) is also wise from a food science perspective.

Does This Taste Funny?

Due to a combination of low humidity and high altitude, food tastes more bland at 37,000 feet than it does in your home. Bringing water-rich snacks helps to combat the low humidity problem.

In addition I often spice my snacks in advance (think cumin-and-cayenne roasted almonds) and I bring a couple of salt and pepper packets with me when I travel.

Also, while we're talking about what I do pack, we should discuss...

Things Not to Bring:

While TSA rules can be frustrating, some suggestions for foods to leave at home during airline travel are plain ol' common sense.

• Heavily scented items - I like a good tuna sandwich, but no one wants their airplane to smell like a bait bucket.
• Food that requires slicing, dicing, or other preparation - If you need a knife to eat it, leave it at home.
• Dishes with sauces that can spill/stain - See note below on sauces.
• Foods that are not properly wrapped - TSA doesn't want your hamburger grease on their equipment, and I don't want it on my luggage.
• Any of the items on the banned-foods list - I repeat: See note below on sauces.

*A Note on Sauces, Liquids, Creams, Gels...
...and other foods TSA won't let through the security gate.

TSA thinks hummus and peanut butter are "liquid, cream, or gel" items, and agents have been known to confiscate sandwiches for contraband peanut butter.

Clearly the rule-setters are not scientists, as I'm pretty sure ground legumes do not count as a "liquid" by any physicist's or chemist's standards. But having lost one battle over a yogurt, I gave in and learned how to work within the rules. After all, the TSA agents are the ones with the guns, and it was just one yogurt.

But you'll note that my list above includes hummus as a favorite in-flight snack.

How do I do it, you wonder? Magic, maybe?

My Traveler Trick:

Put a 2-3 tablespoon serving of hummus in a small snack-sized plastic bag, seal it well, and put the hummus snack pouch in your 1-quart toiletries bag. As long as the hummus packet fits in the toiletries bag, it passes security standards.

(Don't get me started on how ridiculous this policy is. Just be glad you now know the frequent-flier's inside scoop on how to get your snack onboard!)

Source: Uploaded by user via Missy on Pinterest

The same trick works for other small containers of liquid, including packets of soy sauce, salsa, and those single-servings of peanut butter you sometimes find at breakfast buffets.

That said, I avoid soy sauce and salsa on the airplane if only because I'm clumsy under normal conditions. Give me a stain-inducing liquid and a bumpy flight, and both I and my neighbors will be wearing more food than I eat.

What's your favorite snack - in flight or on land?

It's my party and I'll hike if I want to

As an August baby, this month I'm one year closer to a new age group!
(This should go in the "you know you're a runner if..." files. Only people who race look forward to the -0s and -5s birthdays.)

While other people might want to unwrap piles of presents, my favorite way to spend a birthday is to do something active. A few cases in point...

My 30th birthday was a bowling party.

Photo of women bowling circa 1950. No I am not old enough to be in this photo
Image source

Last year I was working on a 21-day yoga challenge.

This year Hubby and I went spelunking.

My parents, who refuse to get on the no-gift bandwagon, usually send me a new pair of running shoes, which makes us all happy.

I've gotten a few raised eyebrows over the years when people ask "What did you get for your birthday?" and my answer is "Nothing. We went out to _insert field trip here_ and it was awesome!" Not everyone understands, but it's my birthday and I'll hike if I want to.

First of all, there's plenty of evidence that exercise slows the aging process.

Second, as I get older, I can blame aches and pains on running rather than blaming them on "old age."

Third, every year older is one year closer to a new racing age group - which means I'll be the youngest all over again (at least for that year).

And last, but certainly not least, there's something to be said for staying young at heart and going out to play for your birthday.

What birthday traditions do you have?

Fit frequent flier

I travel for play. I travel for work. In either case I work hard to maintain a balance between obligations (social, work, or otherwise) and fitness. (I also like to sample the local beers and wines when I travel, but we'll get to that later...)

When I was in San Diego for work last week, I had the opportunity to stay at a Westin hotel, which was a switch for me. (I normally stay at another place, closer to my office. And before you start rolling your eyes about marketing masked as a "review," I should note that I am not yet cool enough to score free hotel nights for my writing...)

Of all the places I've stayed for business and pleasure travel, the Westin has 'em all beat for fitness-friendliness.

Westin hotels take pride in being fitness-focused

Here are just a few of the fitness perks Westin offered during my stay:

• One of the most gorgeous gyms I've seen in a hotel, spread across two rooms that accommodated a full set of free weights ranging from 3 - 30+ pounds, multiple state-of-the-art cardio machines, and plenty of room for at least a dozen people to work out without feeling crowded.
• A fitness gear "rental" system: For $5 a hotel guest can borrow workout clothes and shoes. (Now, I don't know why anyone would travel without running clothes. Mine get packed before my business suits. But if my luggage ever gets lost, I'll keep this program in mind.)
• Fresh fruited water in the hotel lobby. Strawberry mint, cucumber, pineapple, grapefruit, lemon, and apple cinnamon were among the offerings during my stay. It was delightful to come back after a long day in the office or a long run and have a cup (or 3) of cold pineapple water waiting for me.
• Fresh fruit and healthy snacks in the hotel lobby on weekends. Forget cookies and candy (though they had those, too). Westin's snack bar was stocked with plenty of fresh fruit and mixed nuts.
• Oh, and if you prefer your workouts to be private, Westin can arrange a room with in-room fitness equipment for you.

On my way home from the trip, I had a long layover in Dallas-Fort Worth.

I finally got a chance to try the DFW yoga studio in person. The practice area, snuggled between the B and D terminals, is stocked with yoga mats and hand sanitizer. Given the hustle and bustle of the rest of the airport, the space is amazingly quiet.

While I didn't get in a full practice, it was lovely to take my shoes off and stretch out a bit after hours of being smooshed into tiny, uncomfortable chair.

In other airports I like to find a quiet corner of an unused gate for "airport yoga." A few twists, bound-angle pose, and some forward bends between flights help work out some of the kinks of cross-country travel. But, on the downside, I occasionally get strange looks from other travelers.

DFW's yoga studio solves that problem, and gave me both the room and the privacy to practice some more bold poses (that I'm sure would get me picked up by security otherwise) like downward-facing dog, cat/cow, and extended side angle.

Yoga practice area at DFW

And lest you think my trip to San Diego was all fit and healthy (you know better by now, right?), I admit that I did quite a bit of beer tasting heavy drinking. It's San Diego, and San Diego is known for big, hoppy IPAs. And I am a fan of big, hoppy beers.

With breweries like Stone, Alpine, Port/Lost Abbey, Green Flash, and dozens of others, how could I not partake?

Sampling one of many local brews at Bottlecraft in San Diego

I wanted to smuggle some Green Flash Trippel back in my suitcase, but TSA wouldn't let me.

How do you stay fit when you travel?
What's your favorite-of-all-time beer?

Running will kill you (or not) - and a stats lesson

One death in the ultra-running community, and suddenly there's a flurry of news headlines touting research that "running is bad for you." Recent publications from the Mayo Clinic Proceedings and American Journal of Cardiology show that endurance athletes have higher rates of atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) than non-runners and moderate exercisers.

But there is plenty of well-documented, conflicting evidence that running is linked to longer life expectancy. And isn't obesity killing us? (Or maybe high BMI isn't so bad if you exercise, too.)

Is your head spinning yet?

Image source

What's a runner to believe?

Allow me to switch hats to my "day job" for a moment, wherein I get paid to play with data and write articles about correlation...

My advice:
Believe none of the headlines.
Not the good stuff or the bad stuff.
And here's why...

First:
Each of the headline-grabber articles shows correlation, not causality.

Correlation is a purely statistical relationship. For example: ice cream consumption and bicycle accidents rise and fall at about the same time of year.

Image source

Causality is the reason why those things vary together. Clearly, from our example, ice cream doesn't cause more bike accidents; long, hot summer days are to blame for both.

The best analysis will try to show both correlation and causality. Unfortunately, in the messy realm of real-world statistics, that's often easier said than done.

To be fair, the 2008 study did attempt to identify exercise as the cause for lower disability and higher life expectancy among runners by controlling for factors including age, sex, body mass index, smoking, and disability level. But maybe the investigators failed to capture some key explanatory variable like the "running buddy effect?" After all, research does show a positive correlation between social networks and health.

And in the new studies that show higher rates of heart malfunction among endurance athletes, maybe the analysis fails to account for those with extremely low body weight? Research shows that both "underweight" (low BMI) and obesity are correlated with higher mortality than "normal" weight. Or maybe ultra-runners are more likely to eat a certain type of food, or are more likely to go through bouts of dehydration...?

The point is that no study can control for all factors.

In fact, the American Journal of Cardiology article even admits to this weakness:

"Recent studies have shown that the prevalence of AF [atrial fibrillation] is higher in individuals who are involved in intense short-term training and long-term sports participation compared to general population of the same age although clear evidence about the causal relation between these conditions is lacking." (emphasis added)

To look at the importance of understanding both correlation and causality, let's take a step back and consider alcohol.

We've all heard that moderate alcohol consumption is "good for our health," right?

Well... it's not that simple.

The alcohol/health correlation is based on the U-shaped "mortality risk" curve shown below. In this case, much like with golf scores, a lower number is better because it means less likelihood of dying at any given point in time.

Those who drink 0 drinks per day (left side of chart) have a higher mortality risk (i.e. are more likely to kick the bucket) than those who drink, say, 20 grams (slightly more than 1 drink) per day. After that first drink, risk of death starts going up. (By the far right hand side of the chart we're drinking ourselves into instant liver failure.)

Image source

The data clearly show that moderate alcohol consumption is correlated with lower "mortality risk."

So pour me a beer, right?

Not so fast.
We've forgotten about that little problem of causality.

When we stop to think about the "reasons" - the causal factors - that make those abstainers avoid alcohol, a few causes stand out:

• People who are non-drinkers might abstain because they have another health problem (think of prescription labels that warn about adverse drug interactions with alcohol).
• Non-drinkers may have been problem drinkers in the past (thus the damage may already be done).
• And last, but not least, people who are moderate drinkers probably are drinking with friends (again with that pesky "friend" benefit).

Once researchers controlled for those other factors (especially that doosie in the first bullet point - the underlying health conditions) the curve shifted. Mortality risk is higher for every gram of alcohol consumed per day.

Moderate alcohol consumption isn't the cause of better health, it's a symptom of it!

When we look at statistics, we must keep in mind both the correlation and the causal factors. The statistical relationship is important, but the reason for the relationship is more important.

Second:
(You thought I was done? Well, almost...)
Even if there was a proven link between exercise and longer (or shorter) life there will still be a sizeable minority of the population that bucks the trend.

Image source

Correlation predicts average results.
Some of us are a-typical.
Outliers.
Extreme cases.

And (unfortunately) we have no idea who is typical and who is unique until we test the theory in that great "experiment of one."

The moral of this story:
Talk to your doctor.
Listen to your body.
Read the literature, but do so with a critical eye.

(And if you don't believe me, try Amby Burfoot and George Sheehan's take on the conflicting headlines.)

Healthy eats while traveling

Over my years of traveling, I've developed a few strategies for eating healthy while I'm on the go.

To be clear, while vacationing, part of the fun is trying the local delicacies.
(In addition to my intense wanderlust, I also happen to be an adventurous eater.)
If that means eating biscuits and gravy for breakfast and po-boys at lunch, I'm in. If that means trying barnacles for an afternoon snack, then eating bites of jamon on bread at midnight, and washing it all down with cava, I'll gladly oblige.

But those trips are the exception, not the rule. In general, I try to keep things as healthy as possible, especially when I'm on the road for work.

Here are some of the tricks I use to eat well when I'm traveling:

• Grocery stores are a traveler's best friend. Many markets have a good salad bar (Central Market, in Texas, is one of my favorites). But even without a salad bar, I've been known to make a lovely lunch out of a couple of pieces of fruit, a single-serving yogurt, and a bag of mixed nuts.
• While TSA has taken away most of my favorite travel food options, I still pack some things with me for the trip.
• I often bring a snack (a piece of fruit and some almonds, or cheese and whole grain crackers) for the flight so I'm not tempted to spend $4 on a can of airline Pringles. (I did once have an overzealous TSA agent re-screen my lunch bag 3 times because of an apple, but I finally got ticked off, said "just search the damned bag," and haven't had another incident since.)
• These days even McDonald's sells oatmeal, but why pay $3 when you can pack your own for about 25 cents? I measure 1/4 cup of quick-cooking oats plus flavorings (cinnamon, raisins, walnuts, and ground flax seed) into snack-sized plastic bags. I make these oats the same way I'd make one of those single-serving oatmeal packets. The result: all of the convenience and fewer preservatives (the key: be sure to use quick-cooking oats).



Homemade single-serving oatmeal packs: cheaper, healthier, and no preservatives.

• I pack a few bags of my favorite herbal tea. If I can brew a cup of tea in my room, it keeps me from wandering down to the hotel bar for a nightcap or over to the local coffee shop for a beverage (which usually leads to buying a pastry). 
• For dinner, I often order salad and an appetizer. If I get an entree, I wind up over-eating because I know I'm not going to take the leftovers "home."
• If I do get an entree for dinner, I will often ask to swap a calorie-dense side (like butter-laden mashed potatoes) for something healthier (like steamed broccoli).

What travel tricks do you use?

Heat warnings, DNS, and DNF

By now, you've probably heard that the Boston Athletic Association is encouraging runners to take things easy, walk, or sit tomorrow's race out due to predicted record temperatures. (For more info see Miss Zippy and Will Run for Beer.)

I am a strong believer that runners train to race through tough conditions. After all, as one of my favorite race-day posters reads "If it was easy, everyone would do it."

BUT

Each race has its own unique circumstances and conditions. Expecting a PR when running into 20mph headwinds is just silly. Expecting that the heat won't affect your race is borderline dangerous, even if you have been training in the heat.

Treating heat illness
Image source

Our sport glorifies those who push through tough circumstances. After all, if we don't push ourselves beyond our comfort zones, we'll never improve. But there is a fine line between exceptional performance and stupid risk-taking. So...

...in the spirit of full disclosure, I have DNFed, and it's OK.

After training for a year for a triathlon in Encinitas, CA, including many hours of swim workouts, I thought I was ready for anything. Unfortunately on race morning the surf was 8-10 feet with a strong rip current.

I watched the first wave (elites) get dragged 400 yards off course. Still, I got into the water.

I got pummeled and dragged off course by the current. I was not making headway against the surf.

I turned and paddled back in to shore. I had an official cut off my timing chip. I finished the bike and run as a fun run. I won't say I'm proud of my DNF, but I am proud that I was wise enough to know my limits that day.

I also have one race that I DNSed.

Another triathlon was scheduled in the autumn. San Diego had gone more than 180 days without rain. On the day before the race, the heavens opened up, washing 6 months of trash, dog poo, and other unmentionables into the bay.

While the County had officially closed all waters to swimming, the race organizers chose not to turn the race into a duathlon. The swim was on, despite all health regulations to the contrary.

I was not getting in that water.

I slept in.

Reading reports of sinus infections, sore throats, and other post-race ailments, I've never regretted the decision to not start that race.

And heat is my enemy in any race.

Northwest Florida is warm all the time.

When I run, it's hot outside.

My body, theoretically, is used to this.

Still, in this morning's half marathon, I suffered from heat illness. While I have no formal diagnosis, I can say that at about mile 11 I noticed I had stopped sweating (despite consuming two full bottles of water).

I threw in the towel and walked.

This wasn't a wussy move on my part. I knew the symptoms and made a calculated decision. And, it turns out, my on-the-fly diagnosis was pretty accurate. I took my temperature an hour after the race - 100 degrees - and that was after soaking in a cold bath.

So, the moral of this story is: if you are running in the heat, keep these symptoms in mind (from Medlineplus.gov):

• Heatstroke - a life-threatening illness in which body temperature may rise above 106° F in minutes; symptoms include dry skin, rapid, strong pulse and dizziness
• Heat exhaustion - an illness that can precede heatstroke; symptoms include heavy sweating, rapid breathing and a fast, weak pulse
• Heat cramps - muscle pains or spasms that happen during heavy exercise
• Heat rash - skin irritation from excessive sweating

Walking might be an ego-bruiser, but being carted off the course in an ambulance is way worse.

Be safe, friends!

Have you ever DNSed or DNFed a race?

When I grow up

When I grow up, I want to be just like this:



In case you haven't heard already, 86 year old Johanna Quaas proves that we don't need to sit quietly on the sidelines as we get older. In fact, the woman might have more upper body strength than the average 20-something guy (and is definitely more fit than Stephen Colbert).

"Accomplished gymnast" is not the image most of us imagine when we think of an 86-year-old. But I like this option better than the stereotype of crocheting doilies while sitting in a rocking chair or (worse) being wheeled around a senior day care center in a wheelchair.
Ok.
So maybe I don't want to be "just" like her...
The last time I got on a balance beam, I split my lip open falling off of that balance beam.

But I do want to keep running well into my golden years.

What's your idea of a good retirement: quietly relaxing or taking on some new challenge?

Reframing eating disorders as a personal choice?

On a recent essay assignment, one of my students clued me in to a new term: "pro-ana."

The term, shockingly, is short for pro-anorexia.

I am aware that eating disorders exist, and that mass media plays a none-too-subtle role in reinforcing body image issues. In fact, that was the topic of the essay assignment (and to be clear, my student was reporting on the phenomenon, not encouraging it). But as I stared at the page, I wondered how anyone could reframe an eating disorder as a good thing? *shudder*

Image source

Pro-ana? Not only is there a cute-sounding term to describe this disordered behavior, the topic has gained a cult following on the interwebs. The Huffington Post provides a detailed analysis in their recent article "The Hunger Blogs." I would highly recommend that you read the article in full, but if you are short on time, here are some of the most shocking quotes from pro-ana bloggers interviewed for the story (note: thinspo = "thinspiration"):

Sixteen-year-old Antonia (last name withheld) also runs a popular, photo-based thinspo blog out of her bedroom. "I like images that show skinny, happy girls," she writes in an email to the Huffington Post. "They look so confident and we can see their bones through their skin. It's the most beautiful thing ever. I also like tips about food or how to ignore hunger."

And this one...

It documents addictive and compulsive behavior, yet masks this behavior in the rhetoric of self-control and willpower ("Your stomach isn't grumbling, it's applauding").

Keep in mind that this next quote is from a girl who started modeling in ninth grade:

"[Modeling and fashion] was one of the original reasons I started looking at thinspo," she says. "I had an interview with a very, very tough agent in ninth grade and they told me that they would be happy to represent me because of my height and my facial structure. But they wanted me to lose 25 pounds. I wasn't overweight at the time -- I was probably average for my height. It was a big shock for me and that's what really pushed me in the direction [of pro-ana]."

And this is where my jaw dropped...

"They say, 'You know, this is my lifestyle -- I live an extremely low-calorie lifestyle and this is my choice,'" says Pascoe. "And what goes along with that is all sorts of personality traits that they're very proud of. They have an extreme amount of self-control, dedication and willpower. And when they talk about it, they seem like these extreme athletes who run a hundred miles in a shot or do these 24-hour races.”

To be clear, I am not a 24-hour runner, but I do work out nearly every day. On Tuesdays I will sometimes run twice a day 2-fer-Tuesday style... But I fuel appropriately. I take time off when my body needs a rest. Frankly, I am in shock that anyone with a serious eating disorder would compare my running with their illness, because:

Running. Won't. Kill. Me.

Ana Carolina Reston, fashion supermodel who died from her eating disorder, is just the most famous example of an extremely debilitating lifestyle. She was 5'8" and weighed 88 pounds when she died of multiple organ failure due to anorexia.

A modeling photo of the late Ms. Reston.
Image source

At the time, Ms. Reston was still modeling.

So. Eating disorders can kill.

But what about running? Isn't it possible to have a heart attack while running a marathon?
Sure (though the likelihood varies based on underlying conditions). Isn't it bad for your knees? No. But that's another post for another time...

Yes, runners can be slim and dedicated to the point of distraction. (And yes, there are people who have a disordered relationship with working out - similar to and often linked with an eating disorder.) But here's the difference: Not all runners will die from running.

In fact, most will live longer because of running.

(note: you see abs, not ribs, on Shalane)
Image source

On the other hand, eating disorders do - in no uncertain terms - cause serious physical harm and can lead to death.

Having the willpower to complete the last hill repeat in a series is not the same thing as starving yourself for a 50-day anorexic bootcamp, aka the "ABC diet," that limits caloric intake to 500 calories or less per day! (If you don't believe me, skip to page 3 of the Huff Post article).

Glamorizing starvation in terms that reframes it as willpower is just plain wrong.


What are your thoughts/comments on this issue?

Heart health and happy Valentine's

Iconic? Yes.
Delicious? No.

I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day.

In fact, I sort of hate the holiday.
Always have.


This "one day for love" crap makes me crazy. I usually dress in black and board up the windows on Feb 14th. I will not spend twice as much money as usual on a bland meal just to watch new couples (who will last about as long as the desert course) suck face in a restaurant. I will not buy into overpriced flowers.


(And I'm in a happy relationship, so haters can't blame my anti-V-Day sentiment on being bitter.)


EVERY day should be a day to care for the people we love.

But, thanks to the brilliance of some marketing director at the CDC, February is also Heart Month, and that's a holiday I can get behind.

Source: facebook.com via Shawnna on Pinterest

Heart disease, while almost entirely preventable, is the leading cause of death in America. Heart disease causes more deaths than all forms of cancer combined. I'm a runner. Hence, I love my heart. Any holiday that celebrates heart health is a good holiday in my book!

Unfortunately, heart disease flies under the media radar. Preventing heart disease is not as sexy as saving the Ta-Tas. There are no 3-day walks for heart health. There are no yogurt-top collection drives. But heart health is every bit as important as cancer prevention...

So, this month let's ditch the over-priced candy and do something kind for our tickers!

What's your feeling on Valentine's Day? Do you agree with me, or think I'm being grinch-like on this one? (Be honest. I can take it!)

PS - I also posted a more detailed article on heart health at Examiner.com.

Blame cheese?

I was flipping through the news this morning, and came across this article from NPR: "Billboards Slather On The Guilt With Anti-Cheese Campaign."

Apparently the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine has posted two billboards in Albany warning residents that cheese makes them fat.

This really steams my buns.

Yes, we do have an obesity epidemic in the United States. But to demonize a single food is misleading at best and is potentially dangerous. By pinning the blame on cheese (and ignoring, for example, ice cream, donuts, potato chips, candy bars, etc...) PCRM is giving the impression that cutting out cheese alone will make people slim.

Fat chance.

The PCRM billboards completely ignore one of the major contributing factors in the rise in obesity: our increasingly sedentary lifestyle. We no longer work in factories or on farms. We work at desks. We no longer walk to the grocery store. We drive.

And perhaps more importantly, there are no documented studies that link cheese consumption to obesity. The France counter-factual proves that no causal link could be drawn between cheese consumption and body fat. The French public consumes more cheese, per capita, than any other nation on earth (more than 50 lbs/person, on average each year, compared with about 30 in the U.S.) yet France has a very low obesity rate - about 10 percent, compared to 30 percent in the U.S.

Cheese alone is clearly not to blame.

In fact, 100 years ago, Americans were encouraged to eat less meat and more cheese. During World War I cheese was a convenient way to get important nutrients, like protein, at a time when meat was in short supply.

Source: U.S. National Archives

Now... Clearly meat is no longer in short supply. I would not try to make the case that cheese is a "health food" but I also would not blame it for single-handedly causing obesity.

My point here is that the PCRM ads are political, not science.

There are studies that prove an active lifestyle and sensible, balanced eating habits do reduce incidence of obesity. PCRM chooses to ignore these facts. Instead they are trying to scare people into believing that cheese is the root of all obesity evil.

This sort of bad "science" just makes me mad.

I'll bet the "doctor" behind these ads is lactose intolerant.

What do you think?

Fitness and funnies

Source: Uploaded by user via Swade on Pinterest

Each day week I spend hours culling the interwebs for weird and wonderful (read: f-ing hilarious) goodies to share with you.

I do it all for you, dear readers!

Fitness:
(Just) Trying is for Little Girls threw down a "new to you" cross-training challenge... One new activity every month to bust us out of our comfort zones. Brilliant! As a result, I tried burpees for the first time (not a fan), and Sweet Tooth Runner completed a new circuit training routine.

MeGo talks about why strong is the new sexy.

AbbyNYC loves yoga, but has some valuable warnings about safety.

Funnies:
Gross or hilarious? Adam (the Boring Runner) posted an entire series of body hair "art" photos... Umm... Don't read if you're eating dinner.

If you haven't seen it yet, the video interview of Shalane Flanagan on her opinion of Kara Goucher, and Kara's opinion of Shalane is hilarious.

And last, but not least...

Source: Uploaded by user via Jean on Pinterest

Beyond the health benefits

"For artists, entrepreneurs, and any other driven creators, exercise is a powerful tool in the quest to help transform the persistent uncertainty, fear, and anxiety that accompanies the quest to create from a source of suffering into something less toxic, then potentially even into fuel." ~Jonathan Fields, Fast Company

Of all the places I would expect to see an article extolling the virtues of exercise, Fast Company magazine would not top my list of likely sources. I'll admit, I read this article months ago, and only now am getting around to sharing it.

I can't say that I've done my own scientific study of the effects of exercise, but I believe strongly that there is a physical fitness / mental health connection. Fortunately the research backs me up on this. Exercise:

"has been shown to lead to reductions of more than 50 percent in the prevalence of the symptoms of anxiety. This supports exercise training as an additional method to reduce chronic anxiety." ~Richard Milani and Carl Lavie, New England Journal of Medicine

Granted, the authors warn, clinical anxiety or depression cannot and should not be treated with exercise alone. But exercise is a helpful addition to a comprehensive treatment program. And for the rest of us, the benefits are clear: less anxiety, less stress, more creativity, more productivity. (In addition to all those other health benefits.)

Why am I finally sharing this article?
Maybe it has something to do with "taper brain."

I woke up this morning anxious about the weather for race-day Sunday, which is forecast to be 70. Humid. With possible thunderstorms. These are not ideal racing conditions. I'd prefer 45 and dry, thankyouverymuch.

Normally when I am anxious about something, I lace up my shoes and run. Some of my most challenging work dilemmas have been solved after I've thrown in the proverbial towel and worked up a good sweat.

Staring down the keyboard doesn't make a solution
appear. But sometimes running down a long road can...

My clearest personal example of the exercise-brain connection occurred a couple of years ago while I was working on statistical/programming problem.

My coworkers and I were walled up in a room for hours trying to hammer out a solution. I got frustrated, broke up the meeting, and went out a 3 mile run through downtown San Diego. One of my project teammates is also a runner. I'm sure he understood. The other two, well, I'm sure they thought I was a quitter...

I beat the pavement in frustration. I hadn't stopped thinking about the problem, but I needed a change of scenery. But here's the interesting thing... as I rounded the last corner back to the office, the solution came to me in a "duh!" moment. I raced back into the office and explained my idea to the project team, sweat still dripping from my ponytail. (Now the other two coworkers also thought I was gross, but who cares!)

After dozens, maybe hundreds, of similar instances I have learned that sometimes going for a run is the best way to relieve stress or bust out of a mental rut. (Obviously my life is not a scientifically designed case-control study, but it works for me, and that's all that matters.)

Which is why it can be so hard to accept rest days.

Thank goodness the race is only two days away.
In the meantime, I'm going for a walk.

How do you deal with stress when you're sidelined from running?

Long days

5:45am alarm clock, but eyes wide open at 5:30.
In the confusion of dawn light: Is it nerves? Do I have a race today?
The coffee maker is set to brew at 6 so it's ready when I stop hitting "snooze."
I rush to get out the door on time.
Do I have my notes? My textbook? My roster?
Where's my coffee?

Spring semester has started!
And oh what a semester it will be...

Two days a week I'm scheduled for 12-hour days. I start office hours before 9am. My last class ends at 9pm. I  work the "day job" in the middle. I have exactly 30 minutes for lunch. Only.

This is not a complaint, it's a statement of the situation. I am happy to be teaching, despite the long hours.

But half an hour break for lunch is not enough time for a workout. (Or is it? Maybe if I eat at my desk, I can sneak in a quick run around the block? Maybe I can get in a round of strength training before I leave in the morning?) Dinner waits until I get home (sometimes 10pm). I will have just enough energy to shovel food into my mouth and put on my pajamas. Working out after class is an unlikely option.

Is it bad that my biggest concern about this semester is what havoc it will wreak on my training schedule? Is it weird that I'm already postering my home office with signs like this:

Source: a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net via Beth on Pinterest

Source: mrandmrsjonathanbutler.blogspot.com via Beth on Pinterest

I know I will make it through the next 16 weeks. I have done more difficult things than teach morning and night. But I want to keep my sanity and health intact during these 12-hour days.
I will find a way to adjust my schedule to make this work.

How do you stay fit when your schedule gets crunched?

I saw my heart today!

Photo courtesy of the Keene, NH Public Library 

I got to see my heart today!

Back in November I mentioned that I made an appointment for a round of physical fitness test before I return to longer-distance training this year. (You know, finally taking that advice that you should "check with your doctor" before beginning any new fitness program... I've only been running for a decade or so. But better late than never, right?)

But I digress...
I saw my heart!

No, the doctors didn't do a heart transplant on me...

Today's appointment was for an echocardiogram. The Mayo Clinic writes that "An echocardiogram uses sound waves to produce images of your heart. This commonly used test allows your doctor to see how your heart is beating and pumping blood."

Basically, an echocardiogram is an ultrasound of your chest. You put on a hospital gown and lay on a table. A technician puts gel on a transducer and moves the transducer around your ribcage to get "pictures" of your heart from different angles.

At some points during the procedure I lay on my back, at other points I had to turn onto my left side. The weirdest bit was, when I was lying on my left side, the technician removed part of the table beneath me! Apparently you get a better view of the heart when the patient's body is in that position. The tables are built specifically for that part of the procedure.

Image is not drawn to scale.

But here's the cool part:
I got to see my heart!
(Oh wait... I said that already...)

Throughout the procedure, the computer screen was visible. For half an hour, I could see my heart pumping away. I was so proud of my little heart and all the work it does even when I'm just resting!

It was, by far, the coolest doctor appointment I've ever had!

What was your best (or worst) doctor's office experience?

How to (almost) pass out at the doctor's office

This morning I went to the doctor's office for routine blood-work and other tests, and I nearly passed out!

Right now you're probably thinking:
"What a wuss! A little needle and she faints!"

But seriously, that wasn't what happened at all. Let me explain...

I decided to run a marathon in 2012, and -- as all people should before beginning a strenuous new training program -- I made an appointment to talk to my doctor. (No, I did not take this precaution before my 2006 marathon, but I was young(er) and dumb(er) then... Do as I say, not as I do.) To make sure everything is A-OK before I start logging 20 mile weekend runs, Doc ordered a series of tests, including bloodwork, an EKG, and a pulmonary function test.

Pulmonary function test being administered in 1974.

MedlinePlus describes the pulmonary function test as:

...a group of tests that measure how well the lungs take in and release air and how well they move gases such as oxygen from the atmosphere into the body's circulation.
How the Test is Performed:
In a spirometry test, you breathe into a mouthpiece that is connected to an instrument called a spirometer. The spirometer records the amount and the rate of air that you breathe in and out over a period of time. For some of the test measurements, you can breathe normally and quietly. Other tests require forced inhalation or exhalation after a deep breath.
How the Test Will Feel:
Since the test involves some forced breathing and rapid breathing, you may have some temporary shortness of breath or lightheadedness. You breathe through a tight-fitting mouthpiece, and you'll have nose clips.

I was told not to have any caffeine before the test. I've mentioned before that I have a long-standing love affair with my morning coffee... I am still a bit amazed that I managed to stumble out of the house and find my way to the hospital without a cup o' joe.

In the pulmonary lab, the testing technician was what I would call "chipper" -- friendly, happy, and welcoming. (Maybe a little too happy for my un-caffeinated state, but I'll take "too happy" over grumpy or surly any day.) During the test I did wonder if the woman ever gets bored with her job, gently saying "breathe normally" and then barking "breathe out hard! push! push! push! push!" over and over again, day after day.

Important note: Signs in my testing room were posted to remind the clinician of proper protocol if a patient faints. Those signs should have given me a clue to take the "lightheadedness" warning seriously.

One segment of the test involved hyperventilating into the machine. I started feeling woozy right away, and my vision started to blur right before the technician said: "Ok. You can take a rest now." Two more seconds and I'm pretty sure I would have fainted right there in the testing room! But, fortunately, I did not, and the feeling passed quickly.

Compared to the lung test, the blood-work portion of this morning's doctor's visit was a piece of cake.

Do you go to the doc for a checkup before you start training for an endurance event?

Photos courtesy of the U.S. National Archives