Running Can Be Risky Business

Greetings! Over the holiday weekend Shannan and I logged a lot of miles. One of the days I joined Shannan for a walk at Kennesaw Mountain Park. We walked at the base, up the mountain trail, down the paved roadway and a bit more around the base. It was a beautiful morning. The clear sky provided stunning views of the metropolitan Atlanta area from the mountain top. We have exercised at this location many times for well over ten years. In 2004, I was training for the Mount Marathon race up a mountain in Seward, Alaska.  As I’ve noted in previous posts, there is not really a good place to adequately train for that race, I didn’t know that beforehand.

Nonetheless, long after the race I continued to run up and down the mountain trail at Kennesaw. Many runners do the same. This weekend, as we ambled up over craggy rock out cropping and protruding tree roots. I reflected how dangerous it is to run on the trail. I mentioned it to Shannan. Then I really began to pay attention to the landscape. It is not ideal for running, particularly downhill. I recall being mindful of sharp turns, narrow pathways and jagged rocks while running. However, it was this moment of going slowly and deeply investigating the terrain that I recognized the many terrible possibilities that a single misstep or slip of the foot could bring. 

Shannan pointed out accidents can happen anytime walking or running. Perhaps I’m getting too old. I vowed in the future I would only run up hill, as if that is any less dangerous, and take the paved route down.

Run Carefully.

Tom

Making Time for Miles

Greetings! Most folks work to manage time wisely. In terms of exercise, I have always advocating making regular exercise a priority.  There are ways to make it happen for all levels of fitness. Folks new to exercise can read while on treadmills, stationary bikes and elliptical machines. People can watch television while doing low impact exercises in homes or gyms.  However, more intense resistance or cardio exercise requires more focus on the moves and trainers, and of course running takes time.

I’ve come to realize how using in-home DVD exercise programs created a major shift in my planning of exercise time. Just getting ready for a run takes a few minutes, and then there’s the time on the road. At present, I’m training for a 10-miler in October and a half marathon the following month. Getting in a long run or two each week has caused me to do some shifting in my routines. It’s a first world problem, I know. In fact, I feel pretty bad as I worked myself in to this situation with in-home convenience exercise for a couple of years. 

To make it more interesting, I’m trying to get in long runs and Shannan is training for a 10-mile speed walk. Saturday and Sunday I’m readjusting my time for my exercise and trying to walk with her as well. It’s quite a difference to schedule three to four hours verses 30 to 45 minutes. It will come together. 

Make time. Run.

Tom

Plan C

Greetings! In an ideal world I prefer to exercise first thing each day. For me, that usually means very early in morning.  As is obvious from previous posts on this site, I maintain this same schedule when traveling as well.   

As you all know, the best laid plans do not always yield the desired results. This week I rearranged a bit. I knew I had an easy day at work, so I completed different tasks in the morning and planned to complete a resistance workout in my office at lunch time. Unfortunately, the resistance band broke in the second exercise of the second set. There are five exercises in each of 4 sets for the program I was using. The band snapped and I could not rig it to complete the routine.  So much for plan A and plan B.

Plan C. I considered going for a run as well and waiting to exercise later in the day. Just prior to taking off to run, I decide to do an internet search for free exercise videos. On the first page of returns I located a 30 minute body resistance workout video from Tony Horton. It worked perfectly. 

If you want to exercise. You can find a way.

Tom

Thank You Fire Fighters

Greetings! What a delight to ride along the coast on the Highway 1 from Los Angeles to Monterrey. Unfortunately, raging wild fires burned across California’s drought stricken hills as we enjoyed the otherwise glorious drive. Smoke added red hues to clouds and mist from Santa Barbara to Marina. We heard several news casts reporting how fast the flames cut through the land. July 28 one of the reports also noted a worker lost his life fighting the fire. 

We were mindful of the serious situation. It felt a bit odd as we had come to experience the fabulous and dramatic landscapes of the area, which were in the middle of a major catastrophe. In a show of support, Californians displayed homemade banners that read, “Thank You Fire Fighters.” Hotels provided rooms for those who came from out of town to help in the effort to quench the flames. Restaurants offered meals as well. 

As I write, the fires continue to ravage the state. It’s horrific.

Support California Forestry, Emergency Response Teams and Fire Fighters.

Tom