100 year old Fauja Singh, a Londoner, ran the Scotiabank Toronto Marathon today becoming the oldest person on the planet ever to complete the marathon distance. In addition, last Thursday he broke world age group records in 8 different distances ranging from 100 metres to 5000 metres. Through his running he aims to raise money for local charities. He started competing as a runner at age 89.
If this doesn't get you, and us, motivated to get out there, nothing will.
Congratulations Mr. Singh.
Looking together in the same direction.
Sea otters hold hands while they sleep so they don't drift apart.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
When God made time, He made enough of it. (Celtic Saying)
The above quote was more tea-bag wisdom. It made me smile. I hope it gets your weekend off to a good start and that you have time to get in all the fun you can.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Staying active is critical.
We were fortunate enough to attend the Colorado Chorale concert last Sunday: "Music of the Bard, Choral of Settings Shakespeare." It was fantastic! If you would like to hear Shakespeare beautifully sung to music, you can go to YouTube and search "Colorado Chorale by feychaner." It will be worth your time. Our daughter Kate is a proud member of the Chorale.
"Alas for those that never sing
But die with all their music in them!"
Oliver Wendell Holmes
I am perusing the book: "Barefoot Running Step by Step" by Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton and Roy M. Wallack. I have gotten lax on working on my barefoot form. We had snow and cold last weekend, but Indian summer's beautiful warmth has been with us this week. I have gone out a couple of times for a half mile of barefooting practice....this may be my last chance before winter arrives. The main reminders I have gotten from this book include:
1) Use a fast cadence, preferably 180 times per minute. Quick short steps reduce impact.
2) Relax. Bend your knees. Our knees, hips, and ankles are our primary springs. Don't have straight rigid legs.
3) Keep posture erect with body parts stacked vertically.
4) Land on the balls of the feet first, then heels or toes. The foot should land directly underneath the body, not way out in front.
5) The head and upper body should not be bobbing. Let the spring of the legs do all the work. Upper body is quiet.
6) Don't do too much too soon.
7) If it hurts, you aren't doing it right.
Last night we went to the speed-work running group. We jogged to warm up, did 15 minutes of speed-work, then jogged to cool down. Yesterday, a short hill was added to every repeat. It is amazing how hard it is to power up even a tiny hill.
A study done at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's Jebsen Center of Exercise in Medicine showed that activity is far more important than age. How much exercise you do and at what intensity are more important than duration. Interval training is a quick way to increase overall fitness. Staying active is critical. A fit 50 year old is far better off than a sedentary 20 year-old. 50 can be the new 20. Therefore, in my opinion, 60 is the new 30.
"Alas for those that never sing
But die with all their music in them!"
Oliver Wendell Holmes
I am perusing the book: "Barefoot Running Step by Step" by Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton and Roy M. Wallack. I have gotten lax on working on my barefoot form. We had snow and cold last weekend, but Indian summer's beautiful warmth has been with us this week. I have gone out a couple of times for a half mile of barefooting practice....this may be my last chance before winter arrives. The main reminders I have gotten from this book include:
1) Use a fast cadence, preferably 180 times per minute. Quick short steps reduce impact.
2) Relax. Bend your knees. Our knees, hips, and ankles are our primary springs. Don't have straight rigid legs.
3) Keep posture erect with body parts stacked vertically.
4) Land on the balls of the feet first, then heels or toes. The foot should land directly underneath the body, not way out in front.
5) The head and upper body should not be bobbing. Let the spring of the legs do all the work. Upper body is quiet.
6) Don't do too much too soon.
7) If it hurts, you aren't doing it right.
Last night we went to the speed-work running group. We jogged to warm up, did 15 minutes of speed-work, then jogged to cool down. Yesterday, a short hill was added to every repeat. It is amazing how hard it is to power up even a tiny hill.
A study done at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's Jebsen Center of Exercise in Medicine showed that activity is far more important than age. How much exercise you do and at what intensity are more important than duration. Interval training is a quick way to increase overall fitness. Staying active is critical. A fit 50 year old is far better off than a sedentary 20 year-old. 50 can be the new 20. Therefore, in my opinion, 60 is the new 30.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Mirror mirror on the wall
"I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being." Hafiz of Persia
My Mom is 81 years young. She is now, and always has been, the prettiest, most vivacious, and most energetic woman I know. She confided to me this past weekend, though, that she can hardly stand to look in the mirror any more as she always sees her Aunt Emma looking back.
Now, even if that were true, it wouldn't be a bad thing. My Great Aunt Emma was a singular, strong and funny woman who lived to be in her mid-90s. She was a character with a contagious laugh that, once heard, could never be forgotten. According to Winston Churchill, "Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong." She was strong, and tall, so the tree metaphor works for me.
Here is a recent picture of my Mom so you can all see the beauty reflected there. Mom, you are not Aunt Emma. You are beautiful and I hope that the next time you walk by a mirror, you recognize the astonishing light of your own being.
My Mom is 81 years young. She is now, and always has been, the prettiest, most vivacious, and most energetic woman I know. She confided to me this past weekend, though, that she can hardly stand to look in the mirror any more as she always sees her Aunt Emma looking back.
Now, even if that were true, it wouldn't be a bad thing. My Great Aunt Emma was a singular, strong and funny woman who lived to be in her mid-90s. She was a character with a contagious laugh that, once heard, could never be forgotten. According to Winston Churchill, "Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong." She was strong, and tall, so the tree metaphor works for me.
Here is a recent picture of my Mom so you can all see the beauty reflected there. Mom, you are not Aunt Emma. You are beautiful and I hope that the next time you walk by a mirror, you recognize the astonishing light of your own being.
 |
| Mom, my nephew Sam, and Dad |
Friday, October 7, 2011
You're never to old to become younger. (Mae West)
The above bit of wisdom was just conveyed to me by the label on my green tea bag....proof that the universe is always floating serendipitous answers our way if we just pay attention.
Dean went to the Wednesday eve. running group with me this week for the first time for a speed workout. He agrees that it was a blast and, in the long-run, will be very helpful. However, macho man that he is, it bothers him a lot that we are by far and away the slowest ones there; never-mind that we are just starting out again, that he was ill for the past year, and that we have at least 2 decades in age, if not 3 or 4, on everyone else there.
It doesn't bother me. I'm a turtle and I'm proud. The turtle is my totem because, in animal symbolism, it represents patience, longevity, wisdom, protection, stability, creation, strength, endurance, and innocence. The turtle is considered to be the wisest of souls in the animal kingdom. We would all do well to adopt this wisdom and travel at our own pace.
Longevity, endurance, and wisdom are good things. Great things. Mae was right. We're never to old to become younger. To learn. To grow.
And I never compare myself with the other runners there. I compare myself with all the 60 year olds in the world who are not toeing up to the line, who do not have skin in the game, who say "I can't do that." We are faster than them all.
Addendum: That's not to say that I am not human. I have been known to silently mouth "I reeeeaaaly hate you" to the receding back of a fast walker who has passed me as I struggle to jog up a hill. But that person isn't so special: I can walk faster than I can jog, too! For now.
Dean went to the Wednesday eve. running group with me this week for the first time for a speed workout. He agrees that it was a blast and, in the long-run, will be very helpful. However, macho man that he is, it bothers him a lot that we are by far and away the slowest ones there; never-mind that we are just starting out again, that he was ill for the past year, and that we have at least 2 decades in age, if not 3 or 4, on everyone else there.
It doesn't bother me. I'm a turtle and I'm proud. The turtle is my totem because, in animal symbolism, it represents patience, longevity, wisdom, protection, stability, creation, strength, endurance, and innocence. The turtle is considered to be the wisest of souls in the animal kingdom. We would all do well to adopt this wisdom and travel at our own pace.
Longevity, endurance, and wisdom are good things. Great things. Mae was right. We're never to old to become younger. To learn. To grow.
And I never compare myself with the other runners there. I compare myself with all the 60 year olds in the world who are not toeing up to the line, who do not have skin in the game, who say "I can't do that." We are faster than them all.
Addendum: That's not to say that I am not human. I have been known to silently mouth "I reeeeaaaly hate you" to the receding back of a fast walker who has passed me as I struggle to jog up a hill. But that person isn't so special: I can walk faster than I can jog, too! For now.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
"I want to put a ding in the universe." Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs died yesterday after battling pancreatic cancer since 2004. He was a brilliant, creative man. Many called him a genius. RIP Steve Jobs. If you have 15 minutes, you can listen to the commencement speech he gave at Stanford in 2005 here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." Steve Jobs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." Steve Jobs.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
I just lost 1 hour of my life span.
Did you read the headlines regarding the Australian research that showed that for each hour of television watched after age 25, you shorten your life by 22 minutes? I shortened my life by 1 hour last week alone, and probably will again this week. At this rate I will cut short 3 weeks of my life span over just the next ten years. I assume watching movies is as bad. I guess this means T.V./movie viewing is a good time to start exercising: doing yoga, stretching, etc. It will make it hard to follow those subtitles on foreign films, though! I wonder if anyone has done research on reading books and life span, or computer use.
I just completed 1 month of plank-a-days. Yay for me. It is getting easier. Eleven months to go.
See http://www.fudiet.com/plank-a-day-revolution to get started.
Our community has started the "100 pushups" program. I read about it in our local paper.
It is a 6 week training program to increase your ability to do pushups. There is an initial test you take. Based on your results, they offer training programs for three times a week pushup workouts. It is free, should only take 30 minutes a week of your time, and you don't have to leave home. I think it is a great idea. I admit that I can't actually do a regular pushup as of yet, so maybe I will try this later on. Meanwhile I will stick to doing the modified version.
See http://www.hundredpushups.com/ to get going.
I just completed 1 month of plank-a-days. Yay for me. It is getting easier. Eleven months to go.
See http://www.fudiet.com/plank-a-day-revolution to get started.
Our community has started the "100 pushups" program. I read about it in our local paper.
It is a 6 week training program to increase your ability to do pushups. There is an initial test you take. Based on your results, they offer training programs for three times a week pushup workouts. It is free, should only take 30 minutes a week of your time, and you don't have to leave home. I think it is a great idea. I admit that I can't actually do a regular pushup as of yet, so maybe I will try this later on. Meanwhile I will stick to doing the modified version.
See http://www.hundredpushups.com/ to get going.
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