Monday, March 07, 2011

Run Potato Boy, Run!

There is something that happens when you turn 30 that I am sure can be explained by the medical community or evolutionary biologists but that I am unable to articulate with any sort of informed opinion. Basically what happens is you wake up one day and see yourself in the mirror and say "When did I become such a fat ass?"

This happened to me. I graduated from college a lean 170lbs and then I woke up one day, tried to put on a suit for work and realized there wasn't enough fabric in my apartment to bridge the continental divide between my trouser's button and button-hole. Instead of the flat plain of my abdomen, a large planetoid created from Gatorade, ramen noodles and Baja Fresh had crash landed into my mid-section. Much like the theoretical meteorite who's crash blocked out the sun and killed the dinosaurs, this alien mass successfully blocked out the fantastic southern view of my naughty bits.

That was 10 years ago.

In the last year I took it upon myself to try and change the situation. I actually peaked at 250 lbs, started dieting and running and dropped down to about 200lbs and then over the winter have gotten back up to 230 lbs. Apparently I have climbed aboard the proverbial yo-yo.

I am fully aware that the condition in which I find myself is entirely my own doing. I am a horrible eater. I don't eat a lot of sweets, but what I do eat I eat in bulk. Portion control would be a wonderful thing to learn. I am also a soda addict and I am not even sure Dr. Drew could get me to quit my sugary caffeinated smack addiction. Is there a cola version of methadone? I also eat out everyday. I am not sure when or how this habit started but the idea of making my lunch and bringing it to work is just overwhelming; like asking a 5 year old to read War and Peace.

Regardless of my own battles, I did discover something along the way. I love to run. I am no longer fast or graceful like I was in my high school days. I can't do wind sprints all day like I did on the lacrosse field for most of my athletic career. But putting one foot in front of the other and focusing on my breathing until my mind goes blank and my eyes are only faintly aware of color and light is supremely gratifying. Every time I set out I tend to go a little faster or a little farther and I always feel a little stronger. It isn't easy and sometimes it gets frustrating. I might be older but I am still irrationally competitive. I don't care that the junior Olympic cross country team is running through my neighborhood I am going to run down every last one of those young punks like cheetah taking down a gazelle. Granted this usually ends in me puking, going so light-headed that I lose vision...but when I recover with a shower there is always a smile on my face.

So why don't I run more?

Because it freaking hurts. A lot.

It seems no matter how great a runner you are sooner or later you will become injured. I know from my personal experience that my knees began to misbehave, my lower back would hurt, ankle issues, etc. The ironic thing is all this issues would pop up after running and they would disappear during my actual workout. Now maybe I am mental, but everything from shin splints to Plantar fasciitis all seem to appear after running, not during. Which I have no explanation for...but there has to be a better way?

To the Internet I go! As I am researching about running techniques and how to stay injury free I keep seeing a few things pop up over and over again. Terms like "Natural Running" or "Barefoot Running" keep popping up, as well as methods of running "Chi" "Pose" etc. One thing that keeps catching my eye is a book called Born to Run.

Now I considered myself a pretty well read and informed person, but I've never heard of this book but it apparently has received all sorts of acclaim. Already I am skeptical but it keeps popping up in all these running discussions. I even spoke to a few people at work (I work on an Army base and many of them are fitness crazy) and they have all heard of this book. Well as usual with me, things come and go from my mind and I put all this running stuff on the back burner.

Then one weekend about two weeks ago I went into my local Barnes and Noble. Anytime I go to a bookstore I make the same loop through the sections. Comics, History, Sports then Art. I get to the Sports part of my trip and something catches my eye; Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.

It's that book! So I grab it and for the next two days I couldn't put it down. It wasn't just a book about running, it was a book about everything! It talks about philosophy, medicine, science, nutrition, politics, evolution and of course running. Not just any running either. Ultra distance marathon running, which usually involves people running at least 50 miles over the course of one race.

50 miles! That is slightly less than the distance I drive to work everyday and it takes me an hour and a half...and I am going 80!

The book is a very easy read and McDougall's voice is clear and entertaining. The characters he comes across in his running Odyssey are intriguing to say the least. But the revelations he comes across about the art and science of running are fascinating. You may never wear shoes again!

Of particularly fascinating interest to me is the Running Man theory of human evolution. While I am not completely sure of its truth, the facts used to support the theory are certainly compelling. But what you are sure to come away with from reading this book is a desire to experience the freedom and euphoria of running that McDougall so eloquently describes and eventually experiences first hand.

If you love to run or at least want to start running you should read this book. If you are looking for a great literary distraction, you should read this book. If you are looking for a story with a cast of characters that rival some of the greatest works of fiction but are actually real, you should read this book. Go run and then read this book or read this book and then go run.

Did I mention you should read this book?



Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Presidential Weekend

It has been kind of an interesting weekend here in the low country. I have discovered some new things in and around Savannah. Some I would recommend and others I think you should avoid.

This past weekend was the annual Irish Festival. Every year a few weeks before St. Patrick's day, the Savannah Civic Center is taken over by green wearing Fenian lunatics who make their children do traditional Irish dancing while they sit and drink Guinness. I had never been before and every year I kept telling myself I should go. So this year I threw down the 10 dollars for a ticket and walked into the arena.

What a joke! Aside from the main stage that features numerous Irish acts, there wasn't much to see. If you were older and enjoyed "traditional" Irish music, then the 10 bucks to get might be worth because you could sit there all day, eat and drink and listen to some tunes. I, on the other hand, had no patience to sit and listen to the same traditional Irish songs over and over again. So I wandered through the vendor stalls and it is filled the typical Irish nick knacks that many a souvenir shop around the Ring of Kerry carry minus actual Irish selling them. The only thing worthwhile about this event was possibly eating some good food. Well, I was fooled again. First off, you have to buy "food tokens" which if any of you have ever attended a church festival or the like, realize that this is the scam to end all scams. You inevitably walk away with left over tokens that aren't good for anything and can't be turned back in for cash, which means you just wasted more money.

After getting my overpriced fish and chips, I walked out of the convention center to meet some friends in Forsyth Park. My buddy, Tyler, send me a text saying that there was a tree climbing competition in the park. I was slightly intrigued by this and decided to check it out. What I didn't realize was how serious a competition this was. This competition was actually the Husqvarna North American Tree Climbing Championship and had tons of super-fit dudes in harnesses and helmets, working ropes and swing from branch to branch like Spider-man. It was awesome and FREE! Plus it was sponsored by Husqvarna and they had all sorts of chainsaws and power tools on display and I walked away with a product catalog. Not that I need a chainsaw, but come on, I have a Y chromosome. You can find more info about this competition here http://www.northamericantcc.com/

I also started reading a book that I just can't put down. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall might be the coolest book about everything I have read in a long time. Basically it is manifesto about running barefoot, throwing out everything we think we know about running long distance and how to get back to running for days on end like our ancestors. Whether you believe it or not, it is a good read. Check it out here http://www.chrismcdougall.com/

Friday, January 21, 2011

New name, new post

It has been ages since I updated, but now that I am writing I figured I would bring a few things to the table. I added some new links, one to my twitter and one to my online portfolio. Both are works in progress and I am hoping to add some great visual candy in the coming weeks.

Signing off for now.