I did not write every day this week last year, but I did write quite a bit. Local running news mixed with weight lifting tips and hob-nobbed with research on running and the brain. There was even a diet note for folks out in Illinois who like concept of hamburgers but would prefer to eat a donut.

• I continued the animated lifting series with a demonstration of how to do a triceps extension using a pulley. I also offered a great tip when doing this exercise, which is to flex at the lowest point of your pull. This will intensify the exercise and work your muscles harder.
• In local racing, Ethan Hemphill won the Kerryman Pub 5k. I much preferred the race when it was a four miler. On a sadder note, the local shoe store Running Dog Sports closed their doors for good. The location was probably what killed it.
• The Gateway Grizzlies decided to start offering their fans donut burgers, no doubt in an effort to improve their health.
• There was some research that pointed to the lack of brain benefits when running by yourself. Apparently, the absense of social interaction has a negative influence on us runners. I don’t really agree with the research and I think that their conclusions are flawed. A comment on this article spurred another one, this time about whether the time of day affects the clarity of your mind while running.
• The weekly series about the New Rules of Lifting continued, this time exploring the second rule (use more than 1 muscle at a time) and third rule (strength before size.)