Ugh. It is supposed to be 93 degrees here when I run this mile at 5:15 pm. It’s already 90. Good thing is, I have nothing to prove to anybody!!
Yay, FallGirl. I’m glad you had a good experience and finished under your goal!
There is an EXCELLENT article in today’s WSJ that most of you will love. It is in the REVIEW section and is called The Greek Hero at the Gym. It’s really good. It talks about the new fitness movement-“an emphasis on working out for performance and a rejection of the increasingly outmoded aesthetic of emaciation.” “When your focus shifts from your reflection in the mirror to how well you function in the world…”
It has some great points and Michael, in particular, will love it. The author says that ours is a culture of deep ambivalence about effort. It says everyone is looking for the “easy way”. There is now a shift towards embracing suffering as intrinsic to meaningful exertion. He mentions that exercise machines are pretty much of a cop-out and take away the “learning” of how to really lift weights and improve your body. My favorite line was about “reading US Weekly while on the elliptical.”
The author is Daniel Kunitz and is adapted from his new book that is called “Lift: Fitness Culture, From Naked Greeks and Acrobats to Jazzercise and Ninja Warriors.”
I hope y’all can find this article online. I feel like it put words to what my issue is with the constant quest for the magic solution. People aren’t willing to put any EFFORT into fitness and wellness. I get defensive about it because I put SO much effort into what I do. Not everyone has to throw up at the finish line, but effort is a good thing. It’s a good thing in ALL areas of life! I like this group that we have here because I see examples every single day of effort.
1st place 60 age group 800 meters. Ohio Games. 2:32 . Two more races to go. Scorcher out here!
Way to go, Ohio! Great time. Good luck in the next two.
Congrats, Ohio! Good luck in the rest of the meet! 800 is TOUGH.
MOfWC, thanks for the summary of the WSJ article. Will hunt it down to read the entire thing.
Yay for you Fallgirl, you must feel great!
Way to go Ohio! Hang in there in that heat!
No exercise for me today other than cleaning and lubing all my bikes and finally servicing my (don’t curse at me) snowblower. Meeting with client at 2:30 for nutrition counseling. Big ride tomorrow.
Interesting that you mention this, MOWC. For me personally, one of the benefits of taking classes or working out w trainers is precisely that - that I CAN’T get away with “reading USNews on the elliptical” or otherwise phoning it in - which I could very easily do!
Great article MOWC. It really did resonate with me. Made me think about last night’s workout - rings, obstacle course, sled pulls. My entire body today is telling me last night pushed my boundaries. Made me think about how my daughter and all her fitness colleagues work out. Compound whole body strength based movements with resistence. I don’t think a single one of them touches a weight machine other than a cable machine for various standing cable exercises that engage arms, legs and core all at once. Other than that, it’s all compound free weights and body weight exercises. With single minded intensity and focus from start to finish.
Finished reading both of the articles mentioned by MOfWC.
The Fitbit cheating one was absolutely hilarious! You gotta have a pretty active puppy though to be able to do serious cheating. I think Romani mentioned that one of her friends put her Fitbit on a pug, and the Fitbit registered something like 200 steps and 20 hours of sleep. 
The article is not behind a paywall, so enjoy:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/want-to-cheat-your-fitbit-try-using-a-puppy-or-a-power-drill-1465487106
Here is the Greek Hero article:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-greek-hero-at-the-gym-1465577901
Thanks for the links, Bunsen. I was in the hard copy, so didn’t link!
I think there is a lot of fear about learning the science behind the right way to strength train- or even run or bike for that matter. It requires a level of commitment and the old “what if I’m terrible at it” voice that dogs all of us at times. And there is fear of breathing hard and sweating. That has to be overcome.
I do use machines with my trainer - leg press, hip abductor/adductor, leg lift, and 2 arm machines (one lifts up, the other to the side). The rest is typically body weight, lunges, squats, some TRx, reverse crunches, some stuff on a Bosu. I do that 3x/week.
MOfWC, I figured that you read a paper copy. I like WSJ, but we canceled all paper papers because it was a hassle to put travel holds etc. I need to sign for the online subscription! Good stuff.
Speaking of huffing and puffing and sweating and questioning yourself… My biggest fear of getting back into running was being judged by random people on the streets and trails. I was overweight and totally out of shape back in 2009. I would go out on the street when everyone was eating dinner and pray that no one would see my slog. Then I remembered my grandfather’s wisdom, “We are not going to christen our kids with these folks” (meaning why should we care about strangers’ opinions?). I also noticed that folks on the trail were very welcoming; even the fastest, most athletic looking ones were waiving hi to the sweaty, huffing, slow me. And the people on the street did not give a runner’s foot about me doing my jogs. 
So the fear dissipated! But before I signed up for my first marathon, I trained enough for 3 or 4 to make sure I can run one.
Well, I’m back from my 10K, which went somewhat better than I’d feared, but not quite as well as I’d hoped–just over 64 minutes. I felt very much “stuck” at my pace, just couldn’t manage to pick up my feet and go any faster. I don’t think I’ve been doing enough long runs. I’m sure it would help to do some intervals, too. However, I did get a thank you from a guy who said he’d chased me the last 0.21 (from the last mile marker to the finish) and “just couldn’t catch me” but I’d pushed him to a PR.
After I finished, though, I was talking to a woman who said “I’ve never done a race before, that was fun! I only started a month ago!” It’s unkind of me, I know, but I really wanted to explode! And she was 56! It’s taken me years to get to where I was ready to run a 10K!
Congrats Fallgirl and dmd!
I’m taking an easy day with walking only. We tried a Peruvian restaurant for lunch and I thought of fireandrain’s trip. The seafood was good, but the highlight and splurge of the meal were the ice creams made from cherimoya and lucuma fruits. Cherimoya had a tropical flavor, kind of like a combination of papaya, pineapple, strawberry and peach; while the lucuma reminded us of butterscotch and maple syrup.
2nd in the 400. Decided against the 1500 . Feeling funky. Will go to another state to qualify in the 1500.
dmd, congrats! As I was saying earlier, 10K is a very tough race - it is a looooong distance sprint. To heck with that woman… I bet she was not telling the whole truth. 
Ohio, big congrats. Smart move on scratching from the 1500! Knowing when to quit is golden (says BB who stepped on the proverbial rake many times and swore that she won’t do it again).
Congrats Ohio!
Dmd- congratulations on the finish. You will get where you want to be.
Ohio- good job in the 400. Glad you have another option for the 1500.
Congrats Ohio and dmd!