Hi folks, For many years I have been able to incorporate moderate exercise into my day-to-day activities through minor changes to my modus operandi. This can be done in many ways. For instance, scientists attend a lot of meetings in tall hotels. If I were given a room on one of the higher floors, I would walk up to or down from the 10th floor, and take the elevator for the rest. Why the 10th floor you may ask? ... Read more
Three Cycling Tips That Might Just Save Your Life On The Bike One Day
Hi folks, Cycling on the roads is dangerous, as is Mountain Biking. Almost everything worth doing is dangerous, so don't stop, just adjust your approach for a (hopefully) long and (definitely) happy life. Even the most experienced cyclists have crashes, but there are ways to improve your chances. If you read this blog you are probably not an elite cyclist, but just a 'regular dude' like yours truly. As an ... Read more
To Perform Well Hang Out With People Who Perform Well
Hi folks, Birds of a feather tend to flock together, so choose 'your flock' wisely. This is why I like to attend triathlon training camps, as they provide me with the opportunity to mingle with talented athletes and learn from them. I also meet some older people, like myself, who are endeavoring to become better athletes in spite of the inevitable aging process. The energy of the group just pulls you ... Read more
Two Triathletes Die In Swim: The Issue Is Training, Not The Rules Of The Game
Hi folks, I was very sad to hear of two unnecessary deaths in the New York City Triathlon. I say unnecessary because of my experience in triathlons as an ex-water polo player. I have completed the Lake Placid Ironman five times, which has an extremely crowded swim start. This year I completed the race with an abdominal aortic stent graft, and at no time did I feel threatened in the water. The start of these ... Read more
Don’t Stretch Your Muscles, Lengthen Them Kindly
Hi folks, Flexibility is an important attribute of a healthy body that tends to decrease with age. This thought comes straight out of that old book of life, the Tao te Ching. The Steven Mitchell version is nice and concise. "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 ... Read more
Relaxed Strength Is Stronger Than Tense Strength, But Does Chi Exist?
Hi folks, I was in the middle of our Pilates lesson the other day, when Tara our instructor said, "relax Kevin, you'll feel stronger that way." We know these things but we forget. This comment took me back 30 years to my Kung Fu lessons. I studied this martial art for two years under Floyd, a truly talented individual. We were trained in two main areas, mental resistance to pain and the development ... Read more
Invited Post: In Praise of English Food (or Nourishment for the Athlete’s Body, to keep it relevant)
- This is an invited post by my sister and editor, Marian. Over to Marian: First of all let me say that my brother's memories of English food (boiled cabbage) are not the same as mine. Admittedly, there don't seem to be English restaurants in other countries (except for the Spanish coast which has been overrun by British “expats” who want to be in the sun but don't want to give up the food they are used to), and ... Read more
Solving The Money Flux Equation, And What If Tim Ferris Is Right?
Hi folks, A while ago I wrote a post about good pain versus bad pain. Well, there is good crazy and bad crazy, too. Tim Ferris is definitely good crazy. As I approach the end of another year of training, and my income is about to drop dramatically (on September 24th, in fact), I am considering self-coaching for my next season. Generally this is a bad idea, and I may live to regret it, but the experience ... Read more
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