Interesting Ironman race in Mont-Tremblant last weekend, and we had great fun camping, which was also much less expensive than the big hotels at the Ski center. The soporific rain on our tent sure helped me to sleep; 11 hours night -1, and 7 hours night before the race - best pre-race sleeps ever. What an outcome for our age-group, 6/7 didn't make it, even my hero, Howard Glass, though he'd been sick, ... Read more
When undertaking training for an endurance race, especially when it comes to running injury, it rarely pays to change anything at the last minute. Sometimes you are forced to adjust, such as when struggling with a tight calf, so work it through carefully, and pull out if you have to - live to fight another day. But, you might say, "Wait a minute, endurance races are 50-90% mental, so how can I avoid being ... Read more
I just received an 'out of the blue' communication from an endurance athlete, Shaun, an ultramarathoner who plans to continue his running once he recovers from recent aortic valve surgery. Shaun kindly permitted me to present his story here, as extracted from our e-mail conversation. When you are out there on your own on the trails with aortic disease, inspiration from fellow 'aortic athletes'' provides ... Read more
FitOldDog's Exercise Tips: Into every life a little rain must fall, right? But try to workout anyway. When it comes to stress, it is important to optimize eustress (good stress) in your life, and minimize distress (bad stress). I was at the pool a couple of days ago, whilst in the middle of a family 'issue' that made no sense at all - someone is crazy and I know it's not me (but then, all crazy people say that, ... Read more
One of my favorite exercise tips is to finish races feeling good, not nauseous but hungry, and remember that winning is not everything. In fact, I think this approach is the way to really win. When I undertake a race, short or long, I don't seem to be focused on winning so much as finishing, feeling happy (and ravenous). I'm not much of a competitor, I'm really a completitor. I just learned this excellent term ... Read more
It seems that the older I get the more my feet ache in the mornings, and much of this can be traced to tight calves and hamstrings, in my case at least. You could develop flat feet (collapsed arches), if you give into the constant pull of gravity, but your normally springy arches are designed to protect your body from jarring impacts and to facilitate effective walking and running. So, look after your ... Read more
Hi folks, welcome! If you are having a hard time finding inspiration to help you cope with aging, remember that there are always others who have overcome greater adversity into later life, and with a smile. Along with aging, can come a feeling of increased separation from the mainstream of society, but it can be countered by inspiration from others who have traveled a harder road, which is why I spoke to ... Read more
Hi folks, welcome! Sometimes I feel like a young man trapped in an old man's body, as I deal with the challenges of training, especially when it comes to running. So, can I turn setbacks into opportunities? As I struggle to get my training back on track, and deal with the challenges of WordPress locking up all the time, I decided that I needed to read a good book. I chose a an uplifting and cheerful play, ... Read more
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