DIET PAGE
The best policy in my opinion is the old adage of if you leave it on the table and two days later it is spoiled then it is good for. But reality is as follows. We all have different constitutions.
I feel like crap after a Big Mac and fries so i stay away from that kind of food. I feel great after my breakfast which is a salad which consist of fresh broccoli and carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, hot chilies, beets, onions and any other fresh veggie i can find at my local market. Then i add any of my favorite salad dressings. This is my breakfast and it works for me but many think i am nuts.
Every time i eat a lot of fruit i feel the sugar highs in a bad way so i nibble only from time to time. But a chocolate bar before my weight workout and i feel great.
Rule of thumb is we are runners are taking care of ourselves and we have little weight problems because of our hobby so we need to find a diet that’s right for us.
I love pasta but can only eat it at certain times of day. If i eat oatmeal for breakfast i am shot as i feel like i my stomach has cement in it.But that same oatmeal as a night time dessert with a little fruit added and i feel great. Find out what works for you and perfect it. Tell us about your diet.
So when you first wake up and dread the thought of your early morning run or get home from work stressed and tired and the thought of the run makes you hate running. Or the first ten minutes of your run creates a venue where you say to yourself that reading or watching TV is a heck of a lot more fun then this physical torture, just remember that you benefit in every way by sticking with your discipline of trotting along and getting rid of the tension and reaping the health benefits of your daily running.
What are your experiences?
WEIGHT TRAINING
Most runners i know do not like the gym as we are loners by nature.
Running is a sport where we run right from our house door step to where ever and back. So no need for a partner or team mates like tennis or basketball or softball. Most of us understand that running alone as a activity will not strengthen our upper body and so in essence we are in great shape for the muscle we use while running bu out of shape with a whole set of other muscle groups.
So we runners mostly hate the gym but want to maintain a base of strength in other muscle parts. So whats good. I like dumbbells and push-ups. I personally sit on a chair and watch some tube to get rid of the boredom and pain and spend ten to fifteen minutes a day with some curls and reverse curls followed by a set of push-ups. I become very creative on the curls to hit a wide range of the muscle groups in that area.So whats your routine. The forum is now open. And remember many of us seniors have the bodies of twenty year old kids.
VICES AND RUNNING
When i first started the planning for this site i did not want it to be stereotypical. I get tired of the same information over and over on health and diet. We all know whole foods are great in general and everything else a matter of opinion. I think for example Vitamins are a big forest. Years ago when healthy foods like special margarine’s were advocated i knew they were fake food and always told folks to stay away and the experts have since agreed. Now having said above, i want to give you my very uncharacteristic views on vices.
I have a friend of mine who is a world class senior runner. He at 64 years of age still runs under 3 hour marathons. He when in his late fifties ran 2 hours and forty minutes and change in the London Marathon. Yet he smokes three to four cigarettes a day. Another friend of mine ran in the 1968 Marathon in the Olympic games in Mexico City and he can pound the booze when in a party environment. Many runners have this over indulgence personality like their running.
We runners feel that a good run with negate the effect of vices. I love to drink. I think for some of us it goes with the territory. We feel after taking good care of ourselves by our exercise routine we can abuse ourselves and get away with it.
So let’s get down to it.A nice run and a hot shower and three to four beers.love it.Runners i know love the reward. Or a weekend party of over indulgence. I say running does help the negative the effects of drinking and maybe even a few cigarettes a day. I believe runners who enjoy smoking might be heavy smokers if not for running as they know it’s bad for them, but still enjoy a smoke or two each day.
So i am not advocating vices but do believe that running helps to wart off the negative effects. So if you love to drink like i do, then nothing better after a big party night on Saturday night, and next day feeling the effects, and then a morning run and presto after the run i feel nothing from my Saturday nights evening abuse. Enough said, so i now want to open the floor to your opinions.
VICKS MAPLE RUB −− GETTING OUT THE DOOR
Getting out the door is the hardest part of the run for most.
A lot of my running is done after 2 cups of coffee after dragging myself out of bed. I am not one of those of happy go lucky morning types. Over the years i have developed personal techniques to make it from the bed to my coffee to out the door to start my run. Vick’s has been part the equation. I smear it on my knees and neck and back and lower back and it has the effects of bringing these old bones alive. Then i smear it on my fore-head and the sides of my neck and wow i am alive. So what is your technique to get you going?
YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
I believe if one is conscious of some basic laws of nature that running can increase the immune system to wart off illness.
With proper rest and a decent diet combined and respecting the law of nature, i have not been ill to the point of 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 physiologically and mentally.
Then there are antibiotics. I have not take even 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 doctors advise. But i believe they can break down over time ones immune system.
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 Flem as you can. Shorten your runs. Be a little more conscious about diet and use your instincts about your work and daily activity. And relax when you can as you need to slow down. As many doctors say,that 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 your immune system will strengthen and will be able to combat off major illness and not have full blown colds or flu’s.
So we all have different methods,so what is yours?
RUNNING IN VARIETIES OF WEATHER
Running in the outdoors requires one to adjust to the elements. Some love the hot summer weather or some the beauty of Fall and Spring and others the freezing cold of winter envigirates one to run farther and faster.
Run in hot weather requires precaution especially as a senior runner to make sure one takes care of proper hydration. Best to stick to morning and early evening rather then the hottest part of the day for most. I am not a lover of hot weather running although a nice run in the early morning or early evening is quite nice to get the sweat rolling. For me just need to pick the right times of the day as i prefer cooler weather.
I do not think i have meet a person that does not love to run in the Fall or Spring.Nothing more needs to be said.
Winter can be brutal. I love it. The colder the better within reason. One problem is serious runners do not hydrate enough being one sweats less in cold weather, but never the less the water is leaving your body.Do not forget to drink and dress properly for cold weather if needed. Many dress more heavily then needed in cold weather and later in the run and peel clothing layers as they get further into their runs.
Lastly is running in extreme weather, as a rain storms, or snow storms and different kinds of nasty weather. I love it as it makes me feel special. While people are all nested in during a snow storm i love a nice long early evening run and then the aftermath of a hot shower and a good couple of brandies while sitting at the fireplace.
I have run during hurricanes and Asian typhoons and the worst conditions one can imagine and love it. So how about you?
