Hi folks, I look around and watch the world, and wonder about many things. I was fortunate to inherit an enquiring mind from my Mom (and maybe my Dad, but I never did meet him), and that is why I so much enjoyed my research career. One of the things that I wonder about is why people worry so much (hypothesis number one - neocortex too big to handle). I know people worry, because I've done my share. ... Read more
Fingers, Toes, Ironman Training, And The Power Of Human Imagination
Hi folks, We have many sensors with which to explore our environment, and now the Universe in general, including sight, sound and touch. We have extended our senses through the development of tools, which increase the reach of our bodies, from earth moving machinery to the Hubble Telescope. Feedback from these tools markedly extends the range of our minds, but once you start to train for an Ironman or other ... Read more
On Balance!
Hi folks, Just out on an evening run, cruising along a lovely trail, when a mountain biker, a guy about 45-years of age, pulled alongside and started chatting. It was getting pretty dark, so I wondered what was going on, when he mentioned that he had just had his second child. He needed to talk. Having three sons, I understand where he was coming from. I, on the contrary, have just lost my Mom, so ... Read more
Conditioning Versus Technique And Why You Need Superior Training Partners
Hi folks, Learning new skills always seems to be a kind of stepwise process, be it learning a foreign language, running a business, playing a musical instrument, or becoming an athlete. You reach a plateau, stay stuck for ages, have a breakthrough, and with your new found knowledge work towards the next sticking point. This certainly seems to be true of swimming. I've made major progress in the last ... Read more
Tips On Building Mental Strength For Endurance Sports And Life In General
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going" Joseph P. Kennedy "That's alright for them, but what do you do if you're not tough?" FitOldDog Hi folks, I find Twitter to be a great source of information and ideas, much of which comes in the form of links to articles that I would never otherwise find. For instance, take this tweet: "Rebecca Joslin @MissTriathlon How can you build mental ... Read more
Hydration: Art Or Science?
"Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail." Tao Te Ching Written by Lao-tzu From a translation by Steven Mitchell Hi ... Read more
Once An Englishman Always An Englishman When It Comes To Food
Hi folks, Born and raised in Bristol, England, I've now been in the USA for over 30 years, and I love living here, but I still enjoy many English things, especially certain foods. Nostalgia for one's youth plays a role in our gustatory preferences. I am very suspicious of so-called health food, with special reference to the latest fad, be it low fat milk or tofu burgers. Just recovering from a ... Read more
Beware The Dangers Of Bonking Out Of Context And The Potential Role Of Network Dynamics
Hi folks, welcome! Noticing a bright and detailed image of the outside world through a small window in a dark room, I was struck by the imperfect or incomplete picture of the world it provided. Knowing the forest outside this house quite well, I could fill in the surrounding details for quite some distance, but what if I was not privy to this information? That little window view would be the world to me. This ... Read more
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