Author Archives: Bruce

Your Immune System

I believe if one is conscious of some basic laws of nature, then running can increase the immune system to ward off illness.

With proper rest and a decent diet combined with respecting the law of nature, I have not been ill to the point of being bed ridden for over 20 years now. My formula is the following:

When feeling a cold or flu coming on, slow down your running and activity but don’t stop your daily cycle, just slow down. Take it at a slower pace. Most medical doctors agree that resigning oneself to the bed may be the worst thing one can do and there are many reasons, including physiological and mental effects.

Then there are antibiotics. I have not taken one in over twenty years. I am not a medical doctor and if I have a real illness which I understood antibiotics were needed, then for sure I would follow my doctor’s advice. But I believe they can break down one’s immune system over time.

So what to do when you feel a cold or flu coming on? Drink plenty of water. During your run, try to spit out as much phlegm as you can. Shorten your runs. Be a little more conscious about diet and use your instincts about your work and daily activities. And relax when you can as you need to slow down. As many doctors say, the common cold is a necessity because it is the warning signs that your system is breaking down. So accept the warning signs and follow some rules of nature and you will find that your immune system will strengthen and will be able to combat major illness and you can avoid a full blown cold or flu.

So we all have different methods. What is yours?

The Perfect Run

Saturday night is a time to relax with good food, family and friends and some good Vodka, beer and wine. A peaceful sleep knowing no work is scheduled on Sunday.

Sunday runs are the best. I start out at 5am and there are running clubs and regulars in groups that are out on the roads early every Sunday morning. From running in Baguio City for more than 6 years, I’ve come to know almost all these running groups. Sunday is my long easy social running day. I am an above average runner especially for a 55 year old, so I stay to run and talk for maybe 15 to 20 minutes at a time with these various groups. I usually run for two hours or more. Baguio is hilly so an easy run is still a great workout. People on the roads who run in groups have fun! At approx 7:15 AM, I am done and feeling great and i go to my family condo and drink fluids, have a little light weight training and the wonderful hot shower. What a perfect run followed by a nice peaceful family day. So Sundays for me are my perfect runs because the nature of these runs is to have fun. Plus, it makes the rest of my day so relaxing after a long fun run. Enjoy your perfect runs!

The Blow Out

I think most of us have our normal routine which may be a 15 minute run, or a one hour run a day depending on how serious we are, how much time we have, or how much we can physically take. For me, it’s forty five minutes to an hour daily of fairly repetitive runs. I usually try to change my routes and also have many days each month where I have a second run on any given day. If I know I will run a second time, I might cut down on the distance of my first run.

Then there are days of feeling sluggish that might lead to a shorter run by listening to your body. If you are an addicted runner like me, you need to run every day.

So one day one might run slowly and the next day faster and the next day faster with a desire to put in some kind of speed work which are usually referred to as surges.

But then comes the weekend or a weekday where one needs a blowout of a nice time in the country or by the beach, a long relaxing run. For me it’s approximately 2 hours of running at a very comfortable pace, and wow this is my favorite run.

First comes the sense of accomplishment, not to mention an intense runner’s high. Equally as important is these runs are fun. I try never to push it but just to have fun. So I call this a blowout and always try to get one blowout in a week if possible.

Tell us about your experiences!