Training for Life: New Year, New Practice, New Goals and Tactics

Happy New Year! Last week I visited the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden (above). This week, I open my practice at Structural Elements. I am in the process of becoming certified to provide Functional Movement System screening. I'm continuing to improve my own mobility and looking forward to helping others do the same. I've got a spring marathon on the books and plans for a summer olympic triathlon. Looking forward to a great 2024!

Quote of the month:

"In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts."

• Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance

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What I'm reading:

How Not to Age, by Michael Greger

From the author of How Not to Die and How Not to Diet (neither of which I have read), comes this sweeping tome on anti-aging through diet. Spoiler alert: his answer, for all three topics -- whole-food, plant-based diet. I don't advocate any single best diet, for myself or my patients. I believe bio-individuality should be given strong weight. However I do think there are certain universal principles to healthy eating, which include whole food and plant-centered eating. I'm picking up a lot of tidbits from this book. He chose such a broad, ambitious subject that he had to offload the references to an online-only format and condense a bunch of the topics to videos. At first I thought the video move was annoying, but he gives bottom-line, summary statements on the video topics, so I don't mind missing some of the research review in what is already a research-heavy book. He goes through tons of non-human studies, which is not so practical or exciting, but he is always careful to make the distinction. He includes a lot of epidemiological studies that show associations (e.g. eating or drinking this or that is associated with longer life). Although he admits that association does not prove causation, there is A LOT of association-making, so just be sure to temper your enthusiasm while reading.

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What I'm measuring:

Time spent meditating (lead measure) and blood pressure (lag measure)

After my surgery, I was in so much pain. I found it unsurprising that my blood pressure was elevated the following week. By the second week it was back to normal. Three weeks after surgery, however, I noted with alarm another elevation, with systolic readings in the 130s.

Systolic blood pressure by week:

There are many ways to address blood pressure without medication, but the one I decided to focus on this month was meditation. Using a meditation app, I decided to track meditation time as my lead measure (something I have control over) and see if it can improve my blood pressure (something I can't directly control). I noticed that my meditation (just like my vitamin D) had fallen off at the end of the summer. My blood pressure has already returned to normal. And I'll have to measure both metrics more often to see if there's correlation, but I'm optimistic.

Minutes spent meditating by month:

How I'm training:

On Christmas week, I started the 16-week Run Less, Run Faster marathon training program. I used it in 2022 with success and am going back to the well for its 3-run-per-week regime.

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I do two days per week of Peloton Strength for Runners, as part of their 18 week marathon program. (I don't do the Peloton runs, just the resistance days.) I'm on a 5-pound lifting limit due to my clavicle fracture, so I do upper and lower extremity blood flow restriction during the session.

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For cross training I ride stationary bike two days a week in zone 2, building the aerobic base for the running work. I simplify the 5/6 zone model into three: easy (zones 1 and 2), medium (zones 3 and 4) and hard (zones 5 and 6). I rate these by rate of perceived effort as well as whether I can maintain nasal breathing. (If I can nasal breathe, it's an easy zone 1 or 2). For simplicity's sake, I take my time spent on sprint intervals and multiply times 10 to get my zone 2 target dose.

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Also, on December 26, I started my now-annual alcohol fast, slated to last at least the 112 days leading up to the Boston Marathon. This is my third consecutive year with an alcohol fast and fourth of the last five years. I did 30 days in April 2020, six weeks in 2022 after getting COVID in the run-up to the Philly Marathon, 10 weeks in 2023 in the run-up to the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, and will do 16 weeks in 2024. Dry January (and dry birthday, dry ski season, dry anniversary, etc.), here we come!

What I'm listening to:

Annihilate (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), by Metro Boomin, Swae Lee, Lil Wayne and Offset.

It's not often that all three of my kids agree on something besides pizza. Even less often can I listen to an un-edited Lil Wayne song in my kids' presence with a clear conscience. The animated Spider-Verse movies and their accompanying soundtracks, however, hold unique appeal. The motivational nature of the sequel soundtrack's opening track earned it a rare spot on my pre-workout playlist and my son so incessantly plays it that it will likely soon earn a banned status in our house. In the meantime, I will enjoy the fact that I can put on a single album filled with hip hop and drive in peace even with three typically strong critics in the back.

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Only way to go is go the distance

Nothing can shake me now

Nothing can break me down

Tell the whole town, we popping now

Nothing can shake me now

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Upcoming events: ?

January 28, 2024 - Run Your Ice Off 5K.? The Run Your Ice Off 5k is one of the final events of IceFest, the largest community event in Chambersburg. Beginning right through the middle of the festival down Main Street, the Run Your Ice Off 5k is a refreshing way to end the 4 day festival.

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March 16, 2024 - Chambersburg Half Marathon. The Chambersburg Half Marathon is held in memory of Robert Eyer, Sr. (1926-2001), who died while running. Bob was an avid, competitve runner and was a member of the Chambersburg Road Runners Club. The Chambersburg Half Marathon was his favorite race and is a good tune-up for the Boston Marathon.

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April 15, 2024 - The 128th Boston Marathon. Targeted as my marquis event of the year.

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July 28, 2024 - Fort Ritchie Triathlon. Last year I did this as my first ever triathlon. This year I'll look to get another rep on this course.

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