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EARNED RUNS VACATION WEEK 2017 SCIENCE FRIDAY: MUSEUMS, AQUARIUMS, PLANTERIUMS. Let’s start with museums. They’re not only about science. They can be about art, history, and sports too. Have you lived in or near a city with a museum, maybe even a famous museum, but never visited? Or your last visit was with elementary school classmates?
Aquariums and planetariums fall into the same category of often-neglected entertainment venues. Yes, entertainment! Today’s institutions are likely to have hands-on exhibits and moving parts that educate and provide a fun experience for adults as well as children. Friday is the beginning of the end of the vacation week. Perhaps you’ve spent first days of vacation in the outdoors in various activities and could use a break from full-on physical exercise. Yes, Fridays might be busier than other weekdays at these institutions, but being surrounded by happy visitors can add to the excitement and fun of a tour. Strolling through empty halls on less hectic days could be dull. If visiting a distant location, there is sure to be a museum nearby, even if small. Local museums may focus on an important regional industry, like petroleum and oil (Texas), autos (Michigan), flight (Washington), motorcycles (Iowa), iron (Michigan), shipbuilding (Maine, Mississippi, Massachusetts, California), to name a few. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is possibly the most well know, but there’s one in Baltimore too. Washington DC likely has the greatest concentration of places to visit especially related to government activities. Nearby Baltimore area has a fantastic National Cryptologic Museum adjacent to the grounds of the National Security Agency headquarters at Fort George G. Meade, one of the most interesting in my opinion. Summer vacation is perfect for slowing down and enjoying what doesn’t make it into hectic everyday schedules. Business Insider and Trip Advisor have suggestions. Consider spending a few hours in buildings that are designed to awe and inspire! RUN AND VACATION HAPPY! http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-museums-in-america-ranked-2016-8/#25-diabeacon-1 https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Museums-cTop-g191 http://petroleummuseum.org/contact/about-the-museum/ http://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/about-us/ http://www.museumofflight.org http://www.michigan.org/property/michigan-iron-industry-museum http://penobscotmarinemuseum.org/pbho-1/ships-shipbuilding/ships-shipbuilding-introduction http://www.thebmi.org https://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic-heritage/museum/ http://www.msichicago.org
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THURSDAY AUGUST 10, 2017 IS NATIONAL S’MORES DAY!
WHAT CONJURES UP MEMORIES OF VACATION camping more than the idea of making and eating s’mores? Regardless of how and where you are spending your time off, and whether or not you have children with you, Click on this link to a recipe for S’MORES BARS you can make up in advance. Eat them tonight sitting around a fire pit, on the beach watching the sun set, or at home on the porch or patio. A link to s’mores recipies was posted in 2016, “24 S’mores Recipes You Can Make All year Long” by Michelle Profis in Country Living magazine (2015). I especially would like to try the Mini S’mores Tartlet (#1) S’more Bite (#2), S’more Dip (#4), and S’more Cups (#19) If you are running for fun in the early morning during vacation, the S’more Stuffed French Toast (#13) would be a perfect breakfast treat! RUN (OR NOT ON VACATION) HAPPY! https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/s-more-bars http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g2006/smores-dessert-recipes/ EARNED RUNS 2017 VACATION. LET’S ALL GO TO THE MOVIES. Last year Earned Runs featured science fiction movies as a fun option for Science Friday activities. There were several lists of SciFi films judged by various review sites to be the BEST over the decades, starting on some lists in the 1930’s. If scary movies appeal to you check out the VACATION WEEK 2016 post.
THIS year ER is suggesting that Wednesday, clearly falling midweek and not occupying a potential weekend date slot, is a great day to see a classic kid flick that even adults can enjoy. There are a number of lists with a delightful title that goes something like, “movies to watch before you turn… (fill in the age) 12, 13, 14.” These lists seem to be an improvement on the “bucket list” versions that focus on what to do before life’s end. Of the lists that came up in an internet search (see other links below), the one from Parenting Magazine is the most original. There are more than a few films on it that don’t appear on any other compilation. It may be difficult to find these older films with living actors however. The other lists are often populated almost entirely by animated feature films well known to most movie-goers. Viewing options include: 1. Seeing movies in a theater or a big screen. Local theaters and chains may have summer specials aimed at entertaining the younger set and their older chaperones at reduced prices. Cities and vacation towns may do this by sponsoring outdoor movie nights. Go out of your way to find a drive-in theater! 2. Playing a hard copy on your own equipment. Public libraries might have some hard-to-find/hardcopy titles but a library card is needed to check them out. Best to search local libraries before getting on the road if traveling to a vacation spot. Secure the appropriate equipment for viewing tapes or DVD’s too. It may be possible to find some of the older movies at a video rental brick-and-mortar store. 3. Downloads from online sites. This option provides less of a throwback experience than the others. However, some movies might only be found in this manner. Check out the IMDb.com website if this method will work best for you. One reason to watch these movies with kids: “going out to play’ is demonstrated in those which are not cartoons. Children have an opportunity to see what parents mean about how much fun it can be to go outside, assemble the neighborhood gang, dream up an exploration or play a physical game. Boredom is oftentimes the stimulus for the best movie adventures, NOT A SMARTPHONE APP GAME. These movies also show that, in a group of social ‘misfits’, everyone is able to contribute to the fun. The Parenting Magazine (PM) list includes films with people of diverse backgrounds, a potential learning device. One reason to watch without children: adults can re-think our grown-up lives. Perhaps there are opportunities to re-charge that kid movies can model for us. Maybe we can learn again how to look for and find magic in everyday life. Encountering magical forces in unexpected places is a plot-line of many most-loved kid movies. Enjoy the movies, and even some popcorn and candy treats on vacation; escape from everyday worries, if only briefly. RUN AND VACATION HAPPY! 20 Best Movies for Families by Parenting Magazine (at a glance; click the link former info) http://www.parenting.com/gallery/best-movies-for-families Goonies (10+) Pollyanna Land Before Time Newsies The Ghost and Mr. Chicken Akeelah and the Bee The Point The Sandlot Spirited Away The Gods Must Be Crazy I and II Are We There Yet? Blank Check The Watcher in the Woods (safely spooky) Little Manhattan The Time Machine Harvey Wall-e Chicken Run Triplets of Belleville (French but not dialogue!) Selena A few that didn’t make the PM list that are personal favorites: BIG (1988); Wizard of Oz (a bit scary; 1939); American Tail (1986), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001). https://celebrationcinema.com/freekidflicks https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/50-movies-all-kids-should-watch-before-theyre-12 https://www.intofilm.org/msm VACATION 2017 TUESDAY: TRY A NEW SPORT LIKE SUP OR KAYAKING
“Cross-Training 101: Stand-Up Paddle Boarding” by Julie Kailus for CompetItor.com explains how great this surging sport is for improving running. It’s terrific way to get in a total body workout, for developing balance, and getting outdoors! No nearby lake, you moan? SUP rental and instructions have been offered on relatively shallow bodies of water that are found in big city parks! There’s likely an opportunity within a short drive of your vacation location. Yes, you can alternately kayak or canoe, but SUP will benefit running. Also, you can call yourself a surfer, dude. REI also ran an article in 2015, “Kayaking and SUP: Training Tips and Exercises” that provides a guide “designed to help you focus on the most essential aspects of fitness for completing a paddling adventure: cross training and strength training.” For those not possessing the foot, lower body/hip, and core and upper body strength to take on SUP during a quick vacation ‘adventure’ without incurring injury, kayak may be more appealing. Regardless, enjoy the water if it’s nearby. RUN AND VACATION HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2013/07/training/cross-training-101-stand-up-paddling_77515 https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/kayaking-sup-training.html http://www.supthemag.com/travel/urban-paddle-guide/ PERFECT FOR READING ON VACATION, MONDAYS SHOULD BE LAZY, and not get you “down” like rainy days do, as the song by the Carpenters tells us. It’s the first real non-weekend day of a holiday.
The entire week of fun lies ahead, so anxiety about getting back to the daily grind should be at it’s lowest, especially if you are true to the spirit of vacation and not checking devices for grind-related mail or messages. If you wish to get lost in a great book and read it from start to finish during your break, Monday is a perfect day to start. According to NationalDayCalendar.com Wednesday August 9 is Book Lover day…you’ll be all set to love a book! Perhaps you planned ahead and picked out a book specifically for this time. If not, find one left by a previous guest in the summer place you are staying, order one online that can be delivered instantly and read on a device Or perhaps there's a neighborhood book exchange or free library nearby in which to acquire one. If you have never ‘listened’ to a book, give it a try. Download an audio book that you can play in the car to entertain everyone as you drive to a vacation destination. Or, listen while walking to the best vantage point for the sun to rise or set, hiking, or another activity. If it seems there’s never enough time to enjoy a good book, perhaps there’s time to hear one. There are some newer running books, classic running books, or an entire world of non-running books you can enjoy on the beach, in a cabin, or on your own patio or porch. RUN AND VACATION HAPPY! “What (Books) to Listen to This Summer”. A compilation of recommendations by book critics of the New York Times Book Review https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/14/books/review/audiobooks-summer-recommendations.html “7 New Must-Read Running Books” 2016 http://running.competitor.com/2016/05/photos/7-new-must-read-running-books_150394 “25 Greatest Running Books Of All Time” from Competitor.com http://running.competitor.com/2015/10/lists/the-25-greatest-running-books-of-all-time_138463 GoodReads Listopia: “Books that Everyone Should Read At Least Once” http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/264.Books_That_Everyone_Should_Read_At_Least_Once#656 “These Are the Best Books of June” by Kevin Nguyen for GQ.com http://www.gq.com/story/best-books-june-2017 “33 Of the Best Books for Men” GQ Magazine 2016 http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/gallery/best-books-for-men WEEKS 11 + 12 RUN-WALK ACROSS AMERICA*; combined in advance of Earned Runs "2017 Vacation Week"! Segments maps are posted on the RESOURCES page and can be viewed on ACROSS AMERICA IN PHOTOS page; too many to post here.
WEEK 11 Segment 27: Ferry from Milwaukee WI to Holland MI Segment 28: Holland MI to Coldwater MI Segment 29: Coldwater MI to Bowling Green OH WEEK 11 BEGINS WITH A HIGH-SPEED ferry ride across Lake Michigan, from the terminal in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to one in Muskegon, Michigan. The trip takes 2.5 hours and allows travelers on their way into “Pure Michigan” (its advertising campaign) to avoid Chicago area traffic around the southern end of Lake Michigan. Upon arriving on the eastern shore of the ‘Big Lake’, Michigander-speak that distinguishes this Great Lake from the many small recreational lakes in the western part of the Mitten, you will be at the far edge of the Eastern Time zone. The sun sets just before 9pm here in early August, and twilight extends the length of camping and picnicking trip days at State Park beaches even further. From Muskegon you will travel through blueberry country as you move south to Holland, MI; the nearby fields will be in the height of production for the year. This charming college and vacation town, which boasts a Dutch heritage and spring Tulip Festival, hugs Lake Macatawa and its channel to the Lake. Humble, quaint, and stately cottages are built into graceful tree-covered sand dunes at the shoreline. As the route continues in a southeast direction, it passes through farmland and around inland lakes. The most productive fruit, vegetable, and landscape plant growing areas are in this western region of the state because of the climate- moderating effect of Lake Michigan, which acts to extend the growing season longer than in inland areas. The state is third in the nation in apple growing and is a leading grower of blueberries, cherries, peaches, grapes, and other fruit. You will skirt this area and travel through farmland where dairy, livestock, and corn are also of agricultural importance. On the way to Coldwater MI you’ll travel through the city that gave its name to Kalamazoo College, home of the Boys Junior National Tennis Championships since 1943. “Nats at the ‘Zoo” is one of the most important events for 16-18 year olds in the US, held in early August. From Coldwater the route heads to another college town, Bowling Green, Ohio, briefly running through the very tip of northeast Indiana, also a Midwest apple growing area. WEEK 12 Segment 30: Bowling Green OH to Strongsville OH Segment 31: Strongsville OH to Meadville PA Segment 32: Meadville PA to Bradford PA From Bowling Green the you’ll travel south of Put-In-Bay, a historic vacation resort town on the shores of South Bass Island in Lake Erie, and Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, which is a must–do destination for roller coaster ride enthusiasts throughout the world. The area surrounding the route is fertile farmland; you’ll see soybeans and corn as well as other field crops, dairy cows, beef cattle, and sheep among other livestock. The most important livestock product is milk; wool is also a leading product. South of Cleveland, Ohio, the site of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, as well as Home of the 2016 NBA Champion Cavaliers basketball team and Indians baseball team is Strongsville OH. The family of John D and William Rockefeller, later co-founders of Standard Oil Company, moved to Strongsville when JD was in his teens. The first oil refineries of their pre-Standard Oil Company were built in nearby Cleveland. Rockefeller Park is part of the vibrant city’s Emerald Necklace of metro-parks, an extensive system of nature preserves. The road from Strongsville to Meadville, Pennsylvania takes runners and walkers through rolling hills, past horse farms east of Cleveland into the quaint village of Chagrin Falls, Ohio on the powerful Chagrin River. From there you’ll pass through Ohio and Pennsylvania Amish country areas with its lush farms, horse-drawn buggies, and plainly dressed folk. Middlefield Ohio, just south of the route, is famous for it’s fine Amish Swiss cheese. Meadville is about 40 miles south of Lake Erie and 90 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, known for it’s steel mills and bridges. The Drake Well is nearby, site of the first commercial oil well in America. You will continue on through the Allegheny National Forest to Bradford, a city in the Allegheny Mountains very close to the border of New York State. This city, like Meadville, experienced booming growth in the country’s oil rush years. It is also known as the home of the Zippo Manufacturing Company, which has produced the iconic windproof lighter since 1932! The past few weeks journey will have taken you along the relatively flat and green glacial plains of the Great Lakes region, up into the wooded heights of the Allegheny/Appalachian Plateau. With a bit more than two weeks remaining of this challenge, next week you will enter upstate New York and the Finger Lakes region, then move on to New England! RUN HAPPY! *Full disclosure, Michigan is my home state; West Michigan my favorite place in the world! I've loved times lived in the Cleveland area too, frequently traveling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Maryland. That's why there's a bit of insider detail in this post. YOUR insider information on places the route passes through or near, would be amazing to include. Please share. http://www.michigan.org/pure-michigan-ads . END-OF-RUN OUTDOOR OR INDOOR BOXING-STYLE INTERVAL TRAINING workout to try. Are you Interested in performing high intensity interval training (HIIT) that’s a bit different from the usual routine? The Competitor.com article, “5 Moves Make Up This Effective At-Home Boxing Routine” written by Makenzie L. Havey with photos by Oliver Baker might be for you.
The 5 components aren’t as difficult as the moves I’ve done at a boxing workout class, and most are classic moves not thought to be strictly boxing-related (push-ups, bicycles, jumping jacks). The straight punches and uppercuts are definitely boxer-like moves. Performing 3-5 circuits sequentially (1 circuit = repeating each of the 5 moves for 1 minute without a rest in between + 1 minute of rest) makes this a HIIT routine. Depending on your usual workout, this one could ‘hit’ muscles you don’t regularly exercise. This routine is perfect for an apres-run workout. You can perform it in your driveway, a park, or another place where you might wrap-up a run. I’ve performed the straight punches and uppercuts after runs along with a few other moves, but NOT BY THE CLASSIC HIIT PROTOCOL as Havey suggests. I’ve not thought about putting them together in this way…it seems like a wonderful opportunity to sneak in some HIIT exercise! Thanks Mackenzie L. Havey. You may get a few odd looks as you throw the punches (my experience) but these onlookers might assume you’re a fighter and not mess with you, especially as your technique improves. RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2017/06/training/5-moves-make-up-effective-at-home-boxing-routine_165201 “THE TOLL OF EXERCISE ON THE HEART (and Why You May Not Need to Worry)”, an article by Gretchen Reynolds for the WELL blog of the New York Times, discusses at length two new studies that have provided more information about heart health risks in endurance athletes. Reynolds indicates previous studies that raised questions about long term harmful effects of extreme exercise on the heart had examined few participants and often only men. The two new studies she reports on in the WELL blog enrolled many more subjects (~300 each). Both detected a higher incidence of local lesions called plaques in the coronary arteries of veteran endurance athletes, “which can be a hallmark of cardiovascular disease” than in less active individuals. The good news is that the type of plaque found in those with higher level exercise histories appears to be more stable (dense and calcified) than the type found in persons with much lower levels of exercise (loose and fatty). Dense calcified plaques are less likely to rupture, break free of the vessel wall, and block blood flow through the artery, which can result in a myocardial infarction. This, she says, is the thinking of cardiologists. To be clear, the level of lifetime exercise performed by the extreme endurance sport enthusiasts is quite different from that of less active control subjects. In the study from the United Kingdom that included both genders > 40 years of age, athletes had participated in endurance exercise (running or cycling) an average of 31 years. Seventy percent were men and 92% were white. Most (77%) were runners; each had participated in a median of 13 marathons. The remainder were cyclists who had participated in a median of 85 races each. Mean weekly training hours among athletes was 7.7 hours. Controls were healthy individuals who had exercised for ~1.9 hours week (none exercised > 2.5 hours/week). Persons with risk factors for cardiovascular disease were not allowed to participate in either group. In the Netherlands study that only included men (race/ethnicity information not provided), the athletes were identified as having run an average of 4 hours per week for most of their lives. They were compared with men who exercised less than about one hour per week. In NYT blog piece, researchers remind readers that although the amount of moderate physical activity needed to obtain a health benefit is about 150 minutes each week, older endurance athletes will have spent several hours a day in intensive training for years, with many regularly engaged in running marathons or participating in other endurance events. The new findings explained by Reynolds' reporting shows us how much more deeply research might examine the effects of different levels of exercise or lack of exercise on the human body. With more detailed information, we can better understand health risks and benefits at each level, in both men and women and in various ethnic and racial groups. It’s not an easy task, but well worth the effort. RUN HAPPY! https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/well/move/the-toll-of-exercise-on-the-heart-and-why-you-may-not-need-to-worry.html http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2017/05/02/CIRCULATIONAHA.116.026964 http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/136/2/138 AFTER A BREAK Have you taken a 1-4 week holiday from following a training plan that was not related to an injury and want to resume? Do you abandon preparing for a goal race, pick another, and start a new program going forward? Or can you ease back into the original schedule without hurting yourself?
Kristan Dietz has written an article for Competitor.com that approaches the issue by length of time off (1-2 weeks, or 3-4 weeks), and whether the break from activity was partial (easy runs, but no training) or complete (no runs, no training). In “How to Start Running Again After A Short Break in Training”, she engages the help of a collegiate cross-country and track coach. There’s sound advice here that provides runners with justification for changing plans if needed. As Dietz indicates, life happens and there are times when training takes a lower place on our priority list for good reason. This article helps runners develop a safe strategy for going forward when training again becomes possible. RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2017/07/training/short-break-training_166384 POST-RUN STRETCHES. AN ITEM FROM COMPETITOR.COM PROVIDES A VIDEO DEMONSTRATION OF 4 stretches that runners should have little difficulty committing to memory. Which means it will be much easier to perform this injury preventing routine after every session. The moves cover the calves, quads/hip, hamstrings, and butt.
The link to the article/video will be posted on the RESOURCES page of the Earned Runs website. Thanks to author Lindsay Kunkel for presenting this simple set. RUN HAPPY! http://running.competitor.com/2017/07/training/simple-stretches-every-run_161595 REST AND RECOVERY IS MY NEW CHALLENGE This is a tough blog to write. Some end-of-the-day right calf discomfort started just after the 4th of July holiday. I had been going up and down 3 flights of stairs repeatedly for days, in an effort to clean and redecorate a bit at home in advance of visitors’ arrival for the holiday. Then there was a marathon day driving an SUV to and from family across the state to deliver our old furniture to a nephew with a new apartment. After that trip, the evening calf twinge developed into an ache.
Because the discomfort was not brought on by running, I did not recognize it as significant and pretty much tried to ignore it. However, running aggravated the ache and eventually my gait changed. It was time to stop and heal for an extended period. On July 11, I recorded my last streak run of SUMMER CHALLENGE: I. The duration of the 2017 and 2106 streaks were each 112 DAYS. According to my calculations, a streak extending May 29 to September 4 would equal 99 DAYS. Technically, my goal was met, if not emotionally. YAY! I followed the advice regularly given by trainers that I know to be true, to rest a few days when a problem starts. If not resolved, more time is needed. So, I ended SUMMER CHALLENGE I: STREAK RUNNING and converted CHALLENGE II: RUN-WALK ACROSS AMERICA to walking the least number of miles (100:1 mile scale) needed for each segment. I will re-schedule CHALLENGE III: FASTEST 5K for late fall. I’m a bit disappointed (who wouldn’t be), but actually proud that I have the sense to do what is good for my future running ability. Pain relievers and braces/wraps/compression wear can’t fix the imbalance or weakness that underlies the issue, so I boosted strength work and cross training sessions. Most efforts have concentrated on the upper body to spare the lower legs (calf). My arms/shoulders/back area is looking terrific, and this is an unanticipated made-for-summer side benefit. Likely there are a few more weeks of rest remaining for me, then slow advancing of leg workouts to follow. Hopefully the next report will be of a return to easy running. If not, patience is best policy. Fall running is my absolute favorite. With the strength/cross-training I’ll be in good position to enjoy short sessions of higher intensity walking or light jogging. How about you? Has anyone else taken themselves out of challenges and into the rest and recovery mode? Share your stories to help the rest of us. RUN (OR REST AND RECOVER) HAPPY! THE FOUNDERS OF EVERWALK, DIANA NYAD AND BONNIE STOLL, sent an email to those of us who pledged to walk at least 3 times a week in support of their EVERwalk Nation Movement with a treat for readers. The two women shared a book list that include a “lofty” selection, Thoreau’s “Walking”, as well as “A Million Steps” by Kurt Koontz, “Wanderlust” by Rebecca Solnit, “Wild by Cheryl Strayed, and four other offerings for adults and children.
There are books lists for runners, and it seems fitting that walkers should also be encouraged to find motivation, humor, and fictional amusement in reading. hanks Diana and Bonnie! If you have not yet investigated EverWalk and made the pledge, here’s a link to that website. Training is underway for the second epic walk, EverWalk New England, which originates in Boston MA on September 10, 2017 and ends at Cape Elizabeth, ME on September 16. There are a number of ways to join the group. Choose from epic and less-than-epic efforts. See the WALKER RESOURCES page too for more supportive information. Runners, pass this link on to the reading walkers in your lives. RUN AND WALK HAPPY! http://mailchi.mp/everwalk.com/everwalk-summer-reading-list?e=c67e39eb7d http://everwalk.com WEEK 10 RUN-WALK ACROSS AMERICA 2017 STARTS TOMORROW
Segment 24: West Union IA to Boscobel WI Segment 25: Boscobel WI to Madison WI Segment 26: Madison WI to Milwaukee WI WOW! ON THE FIRST DAY OF THIS WEEK’S SEGMENT WE CROSS THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI RIVER. Even virtually it seems like a really big deal. Notice, when leaving Iowa, that both it’s western and eastern borders are formed by rivers, the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, respectively. Iowa is the only state with this distinction. The National Geographic Society website has a student activity for grades 6-8, in which students examine the role of rivers in the settlement of the Americas; if your kids are walking or running this challenge, it might be worth exploring as a learning activity. Moving into Wisconsin the route follows along the Wisconsin River, a tributary of the Mississippi and the longest in the state. Apparently there are bald eagles to be seen along the northern Mississippi River valley, between Minnesota and southern Illinois, but mostly in the months of January and February. The rest of the week runners will travel across Wisconsin to it’s two largest cities. The first stop is Madison, the state’s capital, named after President James Madison, home of the University of Wisconsin, and second largest city. Milwaukee, the largest city is next. According to the TrekTravel.com online itinerary for its bike tour (week 4, day 28), the route to Madison from Boscobel WI takes you through a beautiful ‘unglaciated region” of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, where you experience steep and rolling forested hills, green valleys, and crystal clear trout streams that have dramatically carved limestone bluffs. It says that nearby farms, which use sustainable growing practices, produce organic foods and other treasures like heirloom vegetables and artisanal cheeses likely to be found in Madison restaurants and its farmers market. Part of the company’s admitted enthusiasm for this city is due to the fact that Madison is TrekTravel’s hometown, which explains the wonderful insight into the area's charms. Milwaukee is at the eastern edge of the route through this state and offers up scenes of the Lake Michigan western shoreline and the Brewers’ baseball team stadium, Miller Park. It is the home of iconic Harley-Davidson motorcycles and its landmark-building-housed Museum. There is much to see and enjoy here. Get ready to cross the Big Lake next week! RUN HAPPY! Check out the images on the ACROSS AMERICA IN PHOTOS page. http://nationalgeographic.org/activity/rivers-of-americas/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_River http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/eagle/eagle1.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison,_Wisconsin http://trektravel.com/trip/cross-country-usa-bike-tour/ http://www.harley-davidson.com/content/h-d/en_US/home/museum/visit/visitor-information.html http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/mil/ballpark/ Bring Back The Mile (BBTM) is a movement with a mission to re-instate the Mile as the “premier event in the sport” and boost interest in and coverage by media of the Mile “for those who love the distance as well as the general public.” BBTM website materials make the case for the Mile as a “storied distance”.
Others on the BBTM bandwagon say it’s America’s classic distance. Here in the US all people know what a mile is, and as US runners we measure distances and speeds using this unit rather than meters, they proclaim. BBTM founder Ryan Lamppa, also one of the founders of Running USA, started EVENTPRO, a media and marketing company in 1997. It was EVENTPRO that launched the BBTH movement in 2012. Returning the Mile to the list of high school track and field meet events in place of the1600 meter race is one of the stated purposes of this organization. Once upon a time in America it was THE race, but BBMT says changes in track construction practices in the 1980’s led to the creation of 400 meter rather than 440 yard ovals. Thus, instead of running 4 laps and covering a mile, this number of revolutions on the track now cover 1600 meters, about 9 yards shy of a full mile (1609 yards). Mile races are contested in only a few official HS State Meets. There’s history behind The Mile, and bringing it back might increase interest in track and field as a sport in general. Here’s a quick history quiz to see if you GET the Mile. Fill in the blank: 1. Englishman Roger Bannister was the first human to run a sub-4 minute____. 2. Jim Ryun was the first American high schooler to run a sub-4-minute____. 3. The distance race that fictional character Quentin Cassidy of the novel “Once a Runner” specialized in was the ____. 4. War hero Louis Zamperini whose life was chronicled in the movie “Unbroken” was a US champion who set a national collegiate ____ record in 1938 that held for fifteen years, earning him the nickname "Torrance Tornado". 5. Counter-factual question: from memory, name a famous 1600-meter racer or quote a line from any source that includes “1600 meter”. (1-4. ANSWERS: all "mile") Seems like the SUMMER is ideal for recording-beating outdoor Mile races. Did you know this? According to the website BBMT “July is the month with the most outdoor Mile world records set with 15 (13 men’s and 2 women’s); August is second with 11 (7 men’s and 4 women’s).” It appears that US track fanatics and elites love the lore and magic of the Mile; but, IS THE MILE RACE FOR YOU and other recreational runners? Taking a look at the type of training that could be involved in preparing for a Mile race might help settle the question. Mario Fraioli created an 8-week plan that can be downloaded free from the link in the article. Plan summary:
For health- and shape-conscious runners, training for a mile run seems to be perfect. HIIT sessions predominate, there’s adequate opportunity to cross-train and rest, and time spent pounding the pavement in any one workout is limited. It’s likely that regular runners who want to join the fun of a Mile race will forgo formal training and “just do it” as the Nike ad says. RunningUSA.org REPORTS THAT THE NUMBER OF PATRTICIPANTS IN RACES one mile in distance (“the Mile”) has “continued to rise” with roughly 149,000 crossing the finish line last year. The number of mile events also increased in 2016 (1,530) but did not surpass the record tally established in 2014 (1,800) in the United States. The largest was identified as the New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile with 6,148 finishers. In distant second place with 3,737 finishers is Virginia Beach VA, Yuengling Shamrock Operation Smile Final Mile, part of the Shamrock Marathon event. The remaining 8 are presented in a table in the Running USA article. Because race numbers are still relatively low, registration for these races may not close out months in advance. Spur of the moment sign-ups mean spontaneous fun is still possible. Ryan Wood compiled a list of “7 Must-Do Mile Road Races” in an article for Competitor.com. It includes the NYC 5th Avenue Mile. Also, the Twin Cities Medtronic TC 1 Mile and Grand Blue Mile; both hosted the USATF Mile Championships. The Macklind Mile by Smoothie King in St. Louis MO is a bit quirkier, offering 6 separate races including a Dog Mile, with separate registration for pooches. The Londonderry NH Millennium Mile is run on January 1 morning, a bracing way to kick off a New Year. Destination races on the list are the Hoka One One State Street Mile in Santa Barbara CA, the Boulder CO Pearl Street Mile, and the Encinitas Mile, near San Diego CA. Earned Runs thinks BBTM is on to something good for American running. There’s history, tradition, fun, spontaneity, and manageable training involved in running the Mile as non-professionals. If excitement for this distance builds among recreational runners media coverage of national high school, collegiate and elite events may increase and with it the quality of the competitive field at each level. Like golfers and tennis players, runners could enjoy watching our sport’s heroes as they ascend to the rank of champion. Shaking things up in the running world might be exactly what’s needed to get more people moving and away from electronic devices. Rather than striving to post a video watched by millions we might want to take on 1609 yards, very fast. RUN HAPPY! http://bringbackthemile.com http://www.runningusa.org/mile http://running.competitor.com/2015/09/photos/7-must-do-mile-road-races_135255 http://running.competitor.com/2012/04/training/blueprint-master-the-mile_30069 http://running.competitor.com/2015/09/news/how-a-mile-race-can-help-boost-enthusiasm-in-running_135024 JUST FOR FUN ARTICLE ABOUT THE MILE https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/02/the-unsung-glory-of-the-mile-run/283869/ DEEP DIVE INTO ANTI-AGING RESEARCH In an article for Under Armor’s MyFitnessPal.com blog, “Can You Guess the Best Workout for Anti-Aging?”, author Jodi Helmer begins by reminding readers that inevitably our bodies change with age; “cell function decreases, bones lose density, joints show signs of wear and muscle tissue and strength decrease while body fat increases”. She goes on to provide advice from trainers and to summarize a few of the results of a Mayo Clinic research study, about the effects of different exercise training modes in old and young.
Helmer’s piece is very readable and helpful. If you want to delve much deeper into the science, Earned Runs has provided more information and some interpretation, below, on the details of this study recently published in the journal Cell Metabolism. The publication is “Enhanced Protein Translation Underlies Improved Metabolic and Physical Adaptations to Different Exercise Training Modes in Young and Old” by Matthew M Robinson M.D. and colleagues. In two age groups of men and women, young (18-30 years) and older (65-80 years) this study compared the effects of 12 weeks of training by 3 different exercise modes supervised by an exercise physiologist: 1) Aerobic high intensity interval training (HIIT) (HIIT cycling 3 days/week, > 90% VO2peak + steady walking 2 days/week, 70% VO2peak) 2) Strength resistance training (RT) at high intensity (upper body and lower body, 60 minutes each day, total 4 days/week), 3) Combination training (CT) of aerobic and weight training, both at moderate intensity (12 weeks of NO activity, then 12 weeks with steady cycling 5 days/week, 70% VO2 peak + upper and lower body weight training, 30 minutes each day, 4 days/week) The research involved participants who were NOT regular exercisers prior to entering the study. They were non-smokers and had no metabolic, heart, kidney, or vascular diseases, and were not obese. The number of participants who completed all the requirements of the study was small in each exercise group, from 7-11. Testing was performed at baseline (before) and after the 12-week exercise periods in the HIIT and RT groups; in the CT group, some baseline testing was performed before and after the initial 12-week period of inactivity, and then after the 12-week exercise period. Some test results:
Gene expression change (from muscle biopsy):
That’s a load of information! What is noteworthy about this study, and what do the results mean in terms of the ability of exercise type to counteract the effects of aging? - The number of studied subjects was small. The details of race and ethnicity were not given, but with so few people there’s no guarantee the findings apply to everyone. - Women and men were included. Studies often involve only men or only women. In the older group, all the women were post-menopause. This is the time of life when bone density and muscle mass decline significantly. - Study results show some things we already suspected: --- Strength training performed at higher intensity is best for increasing fat free muscle mass and strength, and for increasing the sensitivity of the body to insulin, which helps prevent diabetes. --- HIIT is best for calorie burning and increasing aerobic capacity, and assists with insulin sensitivity. HIIT doesn’t work as well to make muscle bigger or stronger, but it does work. - Study results revealed some NEW information: --- Exercise training did not seem to reverse all age-related declines in muscle gene expression --- A “universal set” of muscle genes was upregulated (or boosted) by the 3 exercise modes in both age groups and this boost likely contributes to heart and blood vessel health. --- HIIT induced the largest number of muscle gene expression changes in both age groups, but the effect was greatest in the older group and may be specific to older folks. - Potential good news for runners and walkers: the HIIT group had 5 days of workouts that included 2 sessions walking steadily (not intervals) on a treadmill for 45 minutes at 70% effort (VO2peak). It seems that 3 days of HIIT in which the greatest interval effort was cycling 4 minutes at >90%VO2peak followed by 3 minutes of low effort is enough to generate HIIT benefits. Beyond those 3 days, walking at a higher intensity can be enjoyed by who wish to save their legs for running HIIT (speed intervals) or steady brisk walking. - The study authors concluded that “supervised” HIIT seems to be an effective exercise mode to improve aspects of aging that relate to the health of our blood vessels and heart, and to metabolism (diabetes prevention). --- Because the CT exercise mode (combination of moderate intensity aerobic and strength training) did not seem to produce results as good as aerobic HIIT alone, the researchers are indicating that high intensity is more beneficial than lower intensity aerobic exercise. The comment emphasizes that exercise must be performed at this higher intensity level to generate the greatest anti-aging benefit, and that the direction of a trainer may be necessary to sustain interval exercise at this very high level. Whew. This might have been too much science for some, but examining research closely allows us to learn more than what’s in brief media releases. SUMMARY:
RUN HAPPY! http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/can-guess-best-workout-anti-aging http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(17)30099-2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19949277 |
BRIDGE TO PHYSICAL SELF
Running, walking, and fitness activities enable us to experience our physical selves in a world mostly accessed through use of fingers on a mobile device. AuthorEARNED RUNS is edited and authored by me, runner and founder. In 1978 I began participating in 10K road races before 5Ks were common. I've been a dietitian, practiced and taught clinical pathology, and been involved with research that utilized pathology. I am fascinated with understanding the origins of disease as well as health and longevity. Archives
November 2023
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