Run to Win

This week last year I pondered the psychological aspects of running.

• The week began when I discussed what goes through your head while you are running. You are to some degree concentrating on the task at hand and distracting yourself from what you are doing.
• I recommended that you cut your hair before race day to gain a small edge. This is mostly a psychological advantage, but there are a few (very) minor physical benefits to it as well which obviously depend upon how long your hair was to begin with and how much you cut it.
• It’s important to step back once in a while and revisit your past achievements. This week last year I was reminded that a year prior I had had a great chat with Bill Rodgers when I was looking at the finisher’s certificate of a race I had run. The memories are one of the best parts of being a runner, so take a few minutes now and again to indulge in them and even share them with a friend or family member.
• While it is always important to get the advice of your primary care physician, I do not spend much time worrying about whether or not running will ruin my heart. Better a healthy life well lived than a sick life lived on a couch, and my operating assumption is that the running is not only going to provide a better life for me but will in all likelihood provide a longer one as well.
• This week two years ago I continued my discussion about the New Rules of Lifting, this time examining the eigth and the ninth rules. I also wrote about the 5 most common treadmill mistakes, namely:
  1. Taking it too easy
  2. Stepping off of a moving treadmill
  3. Using the handrails
  4. Unnatural stride length
  5. Not realizing how much easier it is

What is myocarditis, and how is it different from a heart attack? As a runner, do I need to worry about it? These are a few questions that went through my head recently after what happened to John Parker. He was reported to have had a heart attack, but that was not actually the case. In a recent update on his caring bridge site (see journal entry dated 10/13/2007 04:39 PM CDT), John wrote the following:
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Anne at Complete Running has pointed out a recent study where running can cause heart issues in middle aged men. Is this something that you should worry about?

A 51-year-old physician failed a calcium screening used to measure hardened arteries despite having no coronary risk factors to explain the buildup. Researchers say it’s a first for them: the man seemed in perfect health with no history of heart disease. The culprit, they concluded after further study, was too much running.

They later determined that the man had some other problems that were contributors towards his issues, but the exercise certainly did not help his situation. The question that we need to consider, though, is whether running can have a negative impact on our health and can lead to a heart attack? It is not secret that Jim Fixx, who wrote the Complete Book of Running, died of a heart attack after a run. Had he continued his unhealthy lifestyle and never started running, though, he probably would not have lived for over a decade and a half more than his folks or grandparents.

Photo by Lady AnnDergroundI have a minor heart issue, and heart disease runs in my family. It is possible that I will have some serious problems with my heart when I reach middle-age. My quality of life is so much better than it would be without my running, though, that I seriously doubt that I will ever worry about any detrimental effects that running can have on my health. The benefits far outweigh any imaginary or undiagnosed problems, and until those problems materialize I would not limit myself based on a “what if” type of scenario.

If you are new to running and exercising, then I recommend that you see your primary care physician before you start any serious training program. No matter what your age, having a little advice to get started and to make sure that you don’t over extend yourself and do too much too fast and too early can keep you from hurting yourself. Running is a great lifestyle choice, and some people are turned off by the negative experiences that they may have had earlier in life or by not starting responsibly.

Anybody with an existing heart condition should definately see their doctor. Even if regular exercise would help you improve your lifestyle, you will need to see how your current medications and your current heart strength will hold up. Just don’t use the possibility of a heart condition as an excuse; I personally won’t stop for anything short of a heart attack.

Having always been an active person, it is hard for me to tell people that I am happy because I exercise a lot. I know that it is true, but the only significant times I have not exercised have been when I was sick so I really do not have a good frame of referene. However, I read an article earlier today that does provide a frame of reference. FMF from Free Money Finance used to be unhealthy and had high cholesterol. He describes how riding a bicicyle saved his life.

All my adult life I’ve had borderline bad cholesterol. Since I started keeping track of my results in 1998, my total cholesterol has been at a high of 237 and a low of 216. [...] So three years ago I took up cycling. [...] Two years ago, after I had a year of cycling under my belt, I went in for a physical and had my blood taken. For some reason, I never received the test results and I never called to ask for them (I figured that if I was on death’s door, they’d call me.) Anyway, I recently went in for another physical and received the test results from 2005. My cholesterol was at a mind-numbingly-low 169!

In one year, his cholesteral went down the better part of 100 points. He has been working out consistently for 2 years since then, and expects that his cholesterol will be even lower now than it was then. He has saved himself a lot of money by becoming fit, despite the three grand or so that he has spent on cycling toys. He is healthier, he is happier, and he will most likely live longer to enjoy his life.

It was a good story and a quick read. If you are on the edge of starting a workout program, spend 3 or 4 minutes and head over to read his entire article.

Tracking your resting heart rate is a good way to prevent burnout and is a great guide to determining what type of workout is appropriate on any given day. Much like weighing yourself daily, you can use fluctuations in your resting heart rate to determine when you are overtraining or coming down with an illness. It is a good barometer for what your overall fitness is through each season, as well. Here are some tips to easily and accurately check your resting heart rate:
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The state of Washington has passed a new anti-smoking law. Unlike other states that have similar laws (such as California and Maine), Washington not only forbids smoking inside but also forbid smoking outside. Smokers are not allowed to light up anywhere within 25 feet of a door to any bar or restaurant.
(Click here to continue reading…)