Because coffee!

Coffee is like a dream that you wake up from feeling as if something amazing actually happened. Every morning I drag myself out of bed and the first thing that comes to mind is coffee. I count down the minutes until I can taste the first caffeine loaded sip hit my mouth. It empowers me and gives me hope that the rest of my day is going to be awesome. Why is coffee so good? Let me break it down for you.

First, coffee is an abundant source of energy that can be found almost anywhere. You can simply walk or drive to your local gas station, grocery store, book store, coffee house, restaurant, friend's house, street vendor for a delicious cup of java.

Second, it is the best bang for your buck. I know, I know. Starbucks continues to raise prices every year. However, as long as you steer clear of the ridiculous quadruple pump, soy latte's that do not count in my book you can get an amazing cup of coffee from some exotic place in the world and enjoy the complex flavors that a straight cup of joe will bring to your world. Just like bourbon, beer, and wine - drink it straight up no chaser. Trust me it is worth it.

Third, coffee makes breakfast that much better. I have yet to have anything for breakfast that coffee does not enhance. You want a danish? Coffee goes with that. Pancakes you say? Coffee is the perfect complement. How about eggs over easy with some turkey sausage? Yep, coffee will make it sing. Seriously, go try any breakfast dish with a coffee and I think you will agree with me.

Fourth, coffee is a great conversation stimulant. Some of us don't really need much help. However, if you want to enhance your conversation with your good friend about the latest internet happenings, coffee is going to be your best legal option. I do have to warn you to not over do the caffeinated portion of your convo or you will make it a very one sided discussion. Nobody likes a blabber mouth.

Fifth, and this is mainly for my runner friends, coffee makes run even better. Running is amazing and stimulates your mind and body. However, having some coffee before a run will really energize you and get your body moving. Dont over do it here either and do make sure you give yourself some time for a bathroom break prior to heading out.

Sixth, coffee can be enjoyed morning noon or night. It doesn't matter. Most people prefer it in the morning, but it is great for that late afternoon lull. You know the one around 3 PM everyday when your mind starts to wander and you want to just lay your head on your keyboard and snooze. I generally prefer a nice espresso at this time of the day, but any coffee type will be of assistance to you. If you love the taste of coffee and want to enjoy a nice post dinner cafe, then do it decaffeinated. All of the great taste without staying up all night.

There you have it. Undeniable proof of coffee's amazing-ness. Many places around this great country are giving away coffee today as homage to coffee's superiority over all other beverages. Go out and enjoy yourself some java today.

Running is healthy, maybe?

Like many people I know, I started running as a way to get healthier. I also wanted to feel better. I began my journey in earnest as an obese 39 year old who desperately needed to get in shape. My driver was my son more than my own personal feelings on the subject. I wanted to be a good dad and in order to keep up with a growing young boy, I felt like I needed to shed some pounds. So I began running. Mind you this was probably the 3rd or 4th time in my life that I had tried to run. i would start, keep it going for a time, then find reasons to let it go. Perhaps I just needed the right motivation. So this time I set some goals - concrete and attainable goals that turned into a 10 mile race, several half-marathons, and eventually a full marathon. I have never looked back and running is now as much part of my life as any other activity that I enjoy.

As part of my journey to become a more committed runner I have done a lot of research on the effects of running on my body. Not surprisingly it seems that not everyone thinks running is all that good for you. I mean there are always naysayers for every topic you can imagine, from coffee to video games, sides are always formed and opinions abundant. I first ran into opposition concerning long distance running with my doctor. He advised me while getting a physical prior to my first marathon that he was sure that running marathons reduced the life span of those individuals. This alarmed me initially as I was about to run my first marathon and again I was doing it to be healthier. Perhaps live a little longer. He pointed me to some research articles to see for myself. The funny thing is that when I started digging, I found evidence on both sides of the fence. The one consideration that seemed to trump all the others was that that running long distances does not lead to shorter life spans in and of itself. A proper assessment of the individual needs to be accounted for when determining how much running is healthy.

So lets start with the basis for the bad. In 2012 there was an editorial published in the British journal Heart. It was co-authored by a cardiologist who claimed in the editorial that, "excessive running may thicken the heart tissue, causing fibrosis or scarring, and this may lead to atrial fibrillation or irregular heartbeat. Prolonged exercise may also lead to "oxidative stress," a buildup of free radicals that may bind with cholesterol to create plaque in your arteries." This all sounds pretty bad to me. The hypothesis here is that unless done in moderation running can be a negative health factor. The immediate question that is raised by this assertion is how can this possibly apply to everyone? People have different bio-metric elements that are not being considered in this kind of study. It seems like a no-brainer that levels of good vs bad cholesterol, history of heart diseases, blood pressure, etc. must be taken into account when determining the impact of any exercise on the body. This would apply to short term or long term studies. No such considerations were made in this case.

Fortunately, the scientific community has continued to study the effects of endurance running over the long term. In 2014 a report was published by Duk-chul Lee on the wonderful health effects that running has on the human body. That study found that even modest amounts of running can lead to a 30 percent drop in all-cause mortality risk and an average increase of three years in lifespan and that persistent runners had the most significant benefits, with 29 percent and 50 percent lower risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, compared with never-runners. All of that sounds good! Well at the time of the study the authors cautioned that they need to do more research to determine if there is an upper limit to the positive benefits of running.

Fast forward to 2016. The same authors of the 2014 study held a symposium titled "Optimal Dose of Running for Health: Is More Better or Worse?" There were two studies conducted as part of this symposium. Lee (yes that Lee from the prior study) concluded that more is not worse, but it may not be better either. However, in the study conducted by Paul Williams, there is evidence that runners averaging 40+ miles per week (pretty serious) were 26% less likely to to develop coronary heart disease. This certainly seems good on its face. The main difference between the two studies is purely based on number of runners studied. Williams research followed over 156,000 runners; a far larger sample size than Lee's study.

So here are some interesting effects that were seen from these studies. Runners can have up to 50% larger hearts. That is more muscle to pump blood to those working muscles. I have certainly felt the impact of this. Since my running has ventured into the 20 to 30 mile per week range I have noticed increased muscle mass and decreased recovery times from run to run. Endurance runners also tend to have more abundant capillaries to assist with circulation. I no longer am prone to some of the lower extremity circulation issues I was dealing with before taking on running more seriously. So I can attest to this fact. Also, runners resting heart rates are lower which means less stress on the heart even while resting. I don't know about you, but I like what I am reading here.

Obviously, we all must make sure to listen to our bodies. There is little question that running can have significant impacts on your body. This is especially true for the feet, ankles, knees and hips. It is important that you get sufficient rest to let your body heal, especially after hard workouts. Wearing the proper shoes and paying attention to weather conditions is a must. Runners must hydrate and make sure they are getting proper nutrition, especially when running longer distances. Ignore these tips at the risk of turning something helpful and positive into something else entirely. Just like most things in life, there is a right and wrong way to run healthy. I recommend checking with your physician before starting a running regiment as you need to at least be aware of the risks associated with your body.

That being said, when you look at the overall health benefits of running at any distance, it seems like a no-brainer. Running should be something that every able-bodied person should at least attempt. Above and beyond all the wonderful health benefits of running is the psychological benefits. I have little doubt that my self-confidence and self-awareness have been enhanced due to running. Just go for a run and you will see what I am talking about. Physically you may be tired, but your mind and attitude will be on the up and up. In fact, I love to run when I am tired or depressed. It is the best way to inject energy and better thoughts into my world.  For the love of the run, I am better!

Here are some good links to articles about the positive relationship between running (specifically endurance running) and good health. Go check it out for yourself.

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Big Wheel(s) Keep on Turning

Well I bought a bike. A real bike. So I guess its official. I am going to begin training for a triathlon. The idea for this came up when I started running with the Pacers Running Group a few weeks back. They do this cool running event called Joggers and Lagers at Port City Brewing Company in Alexandria VA. Side note: If you have not been, do make it a point to stop by. They feature a bunch of craft beers that are delicious. Over the course of these three weeks I met some folks that have completed several triathlons of various lengths and types (who knew there were different types!!!). I must look like a complete sucker to them, because now I have a $1000 bike and am looking at lap times at the local aquatic center to start swimming. What is wrong with ME?! Its actually very cool.

Back to the bike. I am pretty darn pumped about the new bike. Over the last year or so I have been riding a Mongoose mountain bike. It was a gift from some special folks (THANK YOU Big Dave and Nancy!) and it served its purpose for a while. However, it was heavy and not well situated for the type of riding I want to do. My new two wheeled ride is a Specialized Allez Sport 2017. Look at it! Its made out of space components brought back directly from Mars. At least it feels that way.

I tested it out today after picking it up from my local bike shop Spokes etc. and got a good work out in on Shirlington Hill on the way to and from the gym. Just the very fact I didn't die on the way down was promising. My feelings about the purchase were equally reinforced by being able to bike up the hill by using the proper gear ratio. Up to this point I had to walk my mountain bike up the hill and feel like a complete failure in the process. So not only does this help me physically, but also its a big boost to my self-esteem.

So the truth is I don't know much about bikes. I mean I know they have two wheels and brakes and pedals. I also know it's painful to ride long distances on a bike that is not designed for such activities. Let's hope that this bike purchase will get me into a strategic endurance exercise that will not only get me ready for a triathlon, but also help me with my running. Since I plan to run a marathon next year it would be ideal if I could plan for a triathlon a month out as a good training race. Just thinking out loud at this point, but it certainly would make for some variety in training. Variety is the spice of life or so they say. Based on my first marathon training experience, I need to do more cross training or I will likely suffer the same fate with injuries. I wish to avoid that fate at all costs.

A note about owning a competitive bike. It's expensive. I had no idea there was so much freaking equipment that was necessary to ride a bike. Seeing as I am not Donald Drumph, I will have to be incremental about buying things. I already have a good helmet and water bottle. However, I have zero cycling clothing paraphernalia. I need some diapers to alleviate the butt soreness. Can't they figure out how to make those seats more comfortable???

I will continue to update my post here as I ride more. If any of you have any suggestions for starting from scratch on a road bike in the hopes to get to 50 miles at some point, please do post some thoughts in the comments.

Update #1 - First ride planned for Sept 8 to Gravelly Point. More to follow.

Update #2 - First ride completed. It was muggy. Very glad I went in the morning as highs were expected around 100 with the heat index. I was on the commuter trail so I had to battle a bunch of stressed out riders this morning. A little crowded, but not too bad. I enjoyed the ride. I went out to 6.3 miles just past Gravelly Point and then came back through Shirlington. I was not fast, but felt like I didn't max exert either. My legs felt really good. The bike handled well. I am still getting the feel for the gears and knowing when to shift. Work in progress. I need to also learn the hand signals for turning. I get the feeling that could be important at some point. I finished my ride going up Shirlington Hill. I was slow and methodical. The legs were screaming and I was definitely huffing. Hopefully with more ride time, that will get easier. The key here is that I enjoyed it and look forward to my next ride.