I was scheduled to swim with my masters team this morning but when I woke up I had two thoughts: The first was -- "It's a beautiful, cool day. Maybe I should go for a run instead." And the second was --- "I've already done five swim workouts this week and put in north of 12,000 yards in the pool. Maybe a run on the trail would be good cross training."
Of course, I always worry about overdoing things so before I laced up my Asics and left the house I grabbed my pulse oximeter and checked my pulse rate and my oxygen uptake. My resting pulse rate was right where it should be at 55 and my oxygen reading was steady at 98. And no, I'm not on supplemental oxygen.
Just for good measure I also grabbed by my blood pressure measuring device and put it on my wrist for a quick reading. I was happy enough with 118 over 65. Again, unassisted by meds.
I headed down to Lady Bird Lake to hit the hike-and-bike trails and was thinking about just knocking out the 3 mile loop. I've been running off and on through the Summer and I'm more or less acclimated to run in temperatures up to about 96 degrees (f) but today, at the start of my run the temperature was still in the lower 60's. (Yes, I run slower when it gets hotter).
I started slow and stiff but quickly worked out the stiffness and found a rhythm and by the time I got to the turn-off for the three mile loop I was feeling so good I just decided to pop for the five mile route instead. I'm here to tell you that five miles with low temperatures and low humidity beats the crap out of three miles with high heat and elevated humidity. It wasn't my fastest run by a long shot but the face mask adds a bit of resistance so I'm using that as an excuse for my slower time. It took me a bit less than an hour to finish my run today. Slow by daily runner standards but not bad for someone who spends too much time in the pool and not nearly enough time with shoes on.
I noticed several things which may, anecdotally, provide evidence for exercise being a prime determinant of health and longevity. First, there were more women running the trails this morning than men, a ratio of about 3:2. The women ran smoother and a bit faster, on average. Coincidence that women outlive American men by about seven years? Maybe they are just more disciplined about getting exercise...
Second, the larger the person (BMI = body mass index) the more leisurely (slowly) they walked. The thinner the person on the trail generally the faster they were traveling. This makes me think that people aren't necessarily overweight just because of what or how much they eat but maybe even more importantly by the deficit of overall movement and pace in each aspect of their daily existence, as evidence by their casual approach to even walking. A brisk walker might cover a mile in 12-15 minutes but based on my observation the people with the higher BMIs were walking at a leisurely pace that I judged would get them a mile every thirty+ minutes.
Scientists are finding that people really do need to be up and moving for at least (AT THE LEAST) an hour a day. More is better. A good measure for me is the wear and tear of my running shoes. If' I don't have to replace them at least every six months I know I've gotten lazy.
My intention is not to be preachy. If you don't want to exercise more that's up to you. But walking briskly is....free. It doesn't cost anything. And if you can feel better and live longer it seems like a good bargain.
I try not to judge anyone who is already out on the trail and moving at any speed. They're way ahead of all those folks still sitting at home on the couch, or the Lazy-Boy recliner, getting ready to spend an afternoon of staying very, very still and watching stuff on TV.
Tell me again why we have the highest cost for healthcare in the entire world? And with really poor outcomes compared to almost every other civilized country? It's not just the Big Macs and the sodas...
8 comments:
You're gonna make to 90 ... at least.
Both parents did so I'm aiming for 100. Thanks!
Here is to a long and healthy life Kirk. This year took my grandmother at 93, and my father at 73. I hope to live long enough to see Grand kids, and hopefully great grand kids as my Gran was lucky enough to see 7 of her great grand children.
Good to hear you are doing well, and bring pulled back into m43rds ;)
I certainly see way more women runners in Boston. I hope that it's just "more discipline" but I fear that it's just knowing that they are judged by appearance more than men are.
My two favourite photo blogs will soon be renamed "Eat Less" and "Exercise More" :)
I think that the thinking on women living longer is simply that men are more likely to take on strenuous manual work which gets them in the end.
When we get the new house built (early next year to complete) I will have space for my rowing machine. But I could do with snacking less as well whilst working at home.
I'v found that eating a little less and exercising a little more always works for me.
When I get lazy the formula turns upside down...the little extra food won't hurt...it may be too hot to bike. In hardly any time at all a pound or two (or more) show up on the scale.
So eat right, and many would be surprised at how little food we require. Exercise right, more or higher intensity always does the trick.
To be the best we can be, take care of yourself. The world looks better and you look better to the world.
cheers,
Jb
I was an intercollegiate wrestler back in the 80's, but after my athletic career was over I got into the work force where I developed some bad habits like excessive drinking and smoking. Did that intermittently for 30 some odd years along with a stagnant desk job.
About a month ago I opted for an early retirement. This was possible because my wife and I have been stringent savers over the years. We own our So.Cal. home outright, have solid savings, good monthly income and zero debt. Additionally, I've not bought any cameras since my beloved Canon 5D many years ago! And it's still going strong. :)
Under this chaotic Covid lockdown, with nothing to do and nowhere to go, I decided it was time to channel my former athletic self, so I started walking and jogging: 5 - 10 miles per day. In addition, I'm doing body weight calisthenics and plenty of vigorous yard work. Eating less (and less often) too. Skipping the after work happy hour beers has helped with cutting out a lot of empty calories. As a result, I've lost about 25 pounds, and I'm starting to look and feel much better. About another 25 pounds to go to get down to my ideal 160 pounds. I don't care for long distance running (prefer hiking), but I would like to be able to run a 7 minute mile again...someday.
Unfortunately, here in So.Cal., the air sucks. In fact, it's just about the worst air in the nation. (As an aside, back in March, April and May, when freeway auto traffic was DRAMATICALLY reduced, the air quality was just as bad as ever.) I have to be very selective about when I walk and jog outside: early to mid-mornings being about the only time frame. I will carry a mask with me, but I don't wear it at all unless I'm crossing paths with other people.
Because outdoor exercise has become a priority for me now, we're deciding where we would like to move to outside of California. So. Cal. is too congested, with too many people, and a quality of life has been destroyed through terrible public policy. Our kids are all on their own now, so we are free to move anywhere in the CONUS. My wife and I both like to hike, and we plan on doing our share of immersion travel. Any suggestions for nice places to live would be welcome. We're looking for cleaner air, cooler weather, outdoor activities in a more suburban/rural setting.
What anonymous said. We all need to find a place that suits us, so we can be our best selves, and we all need to think kindly of people who are at least out there trying. Encourage them.
"Second, the larger the person (BMI = body mass index) the more leisurely (slowly) they walked." Bless them for being out walking, and I don't mean that in the Minnesota sense. Bless them.
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