Science please!!!

It has been quite some time since I have just gone on a rant..and lucky for you I'm feeling it today.  I do appreciate your patience as I have been blogging about my running and all kinds of other fun things, but really, let's get back to what started all of this.  Bull$hit.  Yes, that is what got me started ranting about things, and it is exactly what is bringing me back to you today.

I have had enough (again) of the bull$hit that people are saying, writing, posting and passing on as fact regarding nutrition and health (..and exercise, but we'll leave that for another day). Just because a reputable establishment posts a sign saying something- it does NOT mean it is fact.  I agree with you- it SHOULD be- or they shouldn't post it, unfortunately that is not always what happens.  It goes back to caveat emptor. Let the buyer (or in this case the reader) beware.  Yes, you should beware..and incase you are not let's call a few things out:

Don't eat after 6pm
     You will not die- or turn into a pumpkin -or anything else if you eat after 6pm. Is this 6pm eastern standard time or 6pm in Madrid? What if I woke up at 4:30 pm? What if I workout until 7pm? What if i will be awake until 3am?
Dumb. Period.

Drinking water before taking a shower will reduce your blood pressure
    I don't even know what to say to this as it is probably one of the craziest things I have ever heard.  Yes, staying optimally hydrated is a great idea for many reasons, but drinking a glass of water before you shower?????? I'm not even sure I could make up something like that!
Dumb. Period.

Drinking a glass of water before bed to avoid a stroke 
   Yeeeaaahhhh, what??? There is a study that looks at hypernatremia secondary to another condition POST stroke, but in NO WAY does it say that drinking water would have prevented the stroke.
Nevermind drinking it before bed. Again, I do agree that drinking water is great. But this statement is just plain dumb. Period.

Drives me nuts that statements like these- with no scientific basis- are promoted AND accepted by people.  Yet with reams of science supporting the safety and effectiveness of creatine it is still seen as the devil. *** Banging my head***

Bloomberg give soda the 'POP'

Banning large size, full sugar soda is Mayor Bloomebrg's solution to the obesity epidemic in this country and he is aiming to start his campaign in New York .  His plan is to prohibit restaurants, movie theaters, sports venues and street-carts from selling sugary beverages larger than 16 fluid ounces. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/nyregion/bloomberg-plans-a-ban-on-large-sugared-drinks.html?pagewanted=2&tntemail1=y&emc=tnt

I had to laugh as I read this article.  Not because it was written with any humor, but because I find it hilarious that someone would seriously think this plan of action would do anything to slow or stop the obesity epidemic.  In fact, this country has a history of attempts such as this one intended to stop various other things- alcohol consumption (prohibition followed by drinking age laws), zero tolerance drug policies, gun control and speed limits. We could go on and on with this list, but there is no need.  None of these afore mentioned problems or epidemics were stopped after a law was passed making it illegal.  And it isn't going to work this time either.

Making something illegal seems to be the 'go to' answer for people.  Why? Maybe they aren't smart enough to look at what WOULD actually have an impact on the situation, or maybe they don't really WANT to help solve the problem.  Actually wanting to solve the issue would require action on such a large scale, involving many in the government as well as some of the largest companies in the country.  Making changes on that scale would result in many unhappy billionaires and politicians.  That will never happen.  It is far easier to pass a law to give the appearance you are doing something, all the while keeping your backers happy.  However, removing personal responsibility no matter what the circumstance is never a good plan, never mind the fact that it does not address the problem.  It has zero ability to deliver the intended outcome.   What is the intended outcome here? Slow the drinking of soda? Well, maybe this approach could help a little.  Is the intended outcome to slow or stop the rising obesity rate? Reducing the size of soda bottles does not translate to that.

While obesity is a multi-factorial issue, research demonstrates a connection between insulin and obesity.  The inability to control one's blood sugar and subsequent insulin production can lead to obesity and diabetes.  Can 'foods' containing sugar such as soda have an affect on this? Of course. However,  most people recognize that soda contains sugar.  The most dangerous 'foods' are the ones hiding the fact that they cause just as much of an insult, if not more, than soda.  I would argue that highly processed foods claiming to be sugar free and 'healthy' are far more dangerous than any 32 ounce soda.  Teaching people to look at soda as the cause of obesity will only cause them to fill that 'soda void' with something else equally as offensive. Teach them the truth. It doesn't matter if it is a soda, a candy bar, or a cracker, processed foods have the same effect on blood sugar levels as they do on waistline measurements.  They increase them. Period.

A true runner of steel

I'm sitting in my hotel room, two and a half hours before the start of the Pittsburgh Marathon but my mind is still busy processing the events of my last marathon.  Big Sur was by far 26.2 of the most challenging miles I have traversed, but also the most beautiful.  The pictures you see, and the stories you hear pale in comparison to the actual beauty you experience when you are standing on the edge of the world.  With those thoughts still fresh in my mind, I couldn't help but wonder what Pittsburgh would bring.  The bragging right of this race- upon finishing I can proudly proclaim that I am a "Runner of Steel" and that I have conquered the "City of Bridges".  This would also be the final event in my challenge of running 3 marathons in 20 days.  I set out to find the race start with a smile on my face. Enjoying the ride was my goal.

The sun was shining and the race was off without a hitch.  I found myself admiring the neighborhood restaurants and hangouts and cheering for the crowd support. Yes, they need support too! The miles were moving pretty quickly which I was quite happy about. Not because I wanted the race to end, simply because you can never be sure how your body will feel 7 days after 26.2 miles of wind and hills. We hit the first bridge and I was happily surprised to find that it was relatively flat.  Pre-race talk of bridges immediately brought me back to the Running for the Bay Marathon in Apalachiacola, Florida. Miles and miles of bridges- over the bay- high enough for large boats to maneuver under (read: steep grade). To say I was relieved to cross a bridge that was relatively flat would be a major understatement. Another highlight of the bridges- this is where I first spotted someone dressed as Steve Prefontaine.  Shaggy blonde hair, mustache, tiny running shorts and 1970's striped socks.  Perfect! 

The relief that I felt having crossed five flat bridges faded quickly as we began to climb Forbes Ave. From there on out it was all rolling hills just in different neighborhoods. The temperature was rising.  Thankfully the neighborhood trees provided ample shade over the course. I was using my experience from Boston regarding my hydration- some in the mouth and some on the head. A delicate balance. It seemed to be working. The last three or four tenths of a mile was an up hill climb on a freshly paved road. Ugly. Hot. But I was still smiling. Three marathons in 20 days. Done. I was officially a Runner of Steel!!

 The next morning I gathered my things, stepped out of the hotel and hailed a cab. Time to head home. Small talk in the cab is something I am used to.  Conversation with the driver, a middle aged man speaking in a distinct accent, was no exception.   It started out innocently enough as he asked if I had been in town for the race. I confirmed his suspicions and he began to tell me that he had run a few back in the day.  I didn't think too much of it as he moved on to asking me about all of the ins and outs of how the timing chips and corrals worked. The races he had run had nothing like this. Very interesting I thought. Before I knew it he was telling me that he was forced to run marathons. 

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes" he confirmed.

The distinct accent I was hearing was one of a man from Iraq. He had lived there most of his life. His marathon experience was one of celebration- only not HIS celebration.

Every year a marathon was run on Saddam Hussein's birthday, in his honor.  Athletes were collected from every area with a sports program.  Basketball, boxing, soccer, it didn't matter. A minimum of twenty athletes form each area were collected and forced to run in the celebratory marathon.

I was in shock. It is challenging enough to run a marathon when you train for it, when you want to run it.  I could not imagine being an athlete whose sport requires maximum 20-30 seconds of effort before a rest and then being forced to run 26.2 miles! That is a TRUE runner of steel.

He went on to tell me that growing up in Iraq great athletes were not allowed to play for successful teams in other countries, as is quite common for athletes in other parts of the world.  They were forced to play for their own country. They were threatened before hand that if they did not win, they would be severely punished and thrown in jail for an undetermined amount of time.  I recalled reading stories of the Iraqi soccer team and cruel punishment, but to hear it from someone who lived it was a completely different experience.  

The drama and sadness of our conversation then turned to an update of the sports teams of today.  He told me that since the war, things were getting much better. Athletes were more successful and were allowed to take their talents to the teams of their choice. Freedom meant so much more than just life without a dictator. It meant having the ability to enjoy every aspect of life whenever and wherever. As an Iraqi he was thankful for the war and for the new life it brought to his country.

I was so elated to hear the positive impact of the efforts of the United States and our military forces. Their efforts not only freed a country from a horrible dictator, but also revived the county's pastimes.  People were allowed to take part in sports that they chose and were no longer forced to run marathons to entertain others.  

I am thankful to live in a country where I know people will not only fight to maintain the freedom I have to choose to run marathons or not but also fight for those same freedoms for others.  

Happy Memorial Day and thank you Pittsburgh for this amazing experience!

We arrived in Monterey, California a few days before The Big Sur International Marathon- the capping event of the Boston to Big Sur challenge. We had scheduled our trip this way so we could take in the sights and have a day or two of RnR.  We walked around Cannery Row,  made our way through the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium and enjoyed lunch while the harbor seals barked playfully.  Life was good, and then...somehow in all of our preparing for this trip, we seemed to have missed the part about having to take a bus, at 3:30 am, an hour drive to the start line of the race. Now I KNOW that surely this would not have been a detail that any of us would have missed.  That means getting up at 2:30 am to eat, dress and drive to the bus pick up. WHAAAT???! There are other races famous for this sort of thing- Disney is one of them.  Ok, you may not have to ride in a bus for an hour to get to the start, but the race starts very early in the morning.  Both NY and Boston require a long trip to the start coordinated by either buses or a combination of cab, boat AND bus.  I certainly had ben warned about those instances.  So why had we not heard about this? Hmm, oh well.  There wasn't any other way to make it happen so we just put on our happy faces and did it.

The hour long bus ride was an experience.  We were thankful it was pitch dark outside.  None of us wanted to know how it was possible that Houdini, the driver, was able to maneuver a school bus along the cliffs of Big Sur. We were distracting ourselves with the cool blend of Usher, Michael Jackson and some mariachi bands looped over the PA system.

Arriving at runner's village we were greeted by a few thousand runners and some volunteer's who obviously had a sense of humor. Some were wearing funny hats and outfits and some had placed playful signs on the porta-potty doors.  The humor definitely livened the early morning crowd.

 It was a bit chilly and we were eager to get started.  The forecast called for a great day- in the 60's, sunny, and no wind.  PERFECT!  The first few miles were downhill through a beautiful park in Big Sur. The redwood trees were gorgeous, constantly commanding my gaze.  "Wow, this is gorgeous"...Yes I actually said it out loud. After 5 miles or so we came out of the trees and into the grasslands.  I couldn't decide if I was in another country- like Ireland- or if I was in a commercial. Specifically the commercial for happy cows from California.  There are a few- either about milk or cheese-in either case they talk about happy cows and the fact that they live in California. Yes, indeed they do.  This was breath-taking. Rolling green hills with happy cows that seemed to be smiling.  They were either smiling because they were happy or laughing at the silly humans that were running down the street being chased by...nothing.  Weird.

Just about that time, as I was reveling in the beauty, I felt it. The wind.  Not just a light breeze, but real wind. Things started to get chilly and the fog was closing in on us. I was cursing myself for tossing my gloves, but just kept moving forward.  I tried a few times to draft off some of the taller people in front of me.  It didn't work too well but at least it kept me out of the wind for a step or two.  I did mention that it was a HEAD wind, right? One step at a time I just kept going and then I heard it.  Someone behind me said, "Look, it's the ocean".  I looked down to the left.  I could barely see it through the fog, but it was there.  The ocean crashing against the cliff. "AMAZING", I thought to myself. After a half a mile or so the fog lifted and I could see it- the ocean, it was breath taking. Here we were running along the cliffs of California, with nothing between us and the water except the salt air. I took a deep breath in and smiled.  I couldn't help it.  I must've been smiling from ear to ear, I was so thrilled to be exactly where I was at that exact moment in time.

The views didn't stop. Twenty-six point two miles of the most magnificent views.  Sure there were hills.  In fact, one was 2 miles long (see below).  THAT one also had some of the strongest head winds.

There were hills, fog, headwinds (which we later learned were over 40 MPH),  canted roads and virtually no crowd support. Somehow, through it all I was smiling.  No one was complaining.  Not one person. Runners were stopping, taking pictures of the views all the while smiling and laughing.
The local newspaper renamed the Boston to Big Sur Challenge -Boiling to Brutal. No doubt Boston was hot, and this was by far the toughest course I have run, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. The views were enough to lift us out of our suffering; or at the very least to distract us enough that we failed to notice any longer.

 It was after the race, when we were all reliving our individual experiences that we solved the mystery surrounding the early morning bus ride.  After experiencing the energy and grandeur of the edge of the world  no one could remember the unpleasant moments endured to get there. This happens a lot in life.  We have to endure some not so pleasant things.  Things we would rather avoid, but in the end the payoff is so great, we would gladly do it all again.  No matter what.  This is exactly how it is with The Big Sur International Marathon. If it isn't on your list of things to experience, put it there.  You'll be glad you did.

Ohhh Boston

I have never been registered for a marathon in which I received not one, but three emails urging me NOT to run.  I guess there is a first time for everything.  My first Boston Marathon, the first time it would be near 90 degrees on race day, the first time I received emails urging me to sit out the race, and the first time that the Boston Athletic Association was allowing, actually urging people to defer their Boston Marathon race experience until 2013.

A weather advisory email landed in my inbox Friday, Saturday and Sunday prior to the Marathon. The first  mentioning that if a cold front didn't come though we would be seeing temperatures in the low 80s.  The second urging those who were not "highly fit"or had only trained in a cooler climate to NOT run the race.  The third warned that this year's race would take place in the "red zone" acceptable only for high-level elite athletes. If a person decided to run the race, the B.A.A advised a much slower pace- adding a few minutes per mile to your time- and walking.  Warning signs of heat illness were highlighted: headache, dizziness, confusion, fatigue, nausea, vomiting. Anyone experiencing any of theses signs was told to stop immediately and see medical attention. The Boston Athletic Association was not taking any chances. Their words swirled in my brain

you should adopt the attitude that THIS IS NOT A RACE. It is an experience.

..isn't it always an experience? I had already decided that I was NOT aiming to make any land speed records at this race- just cross the finish line.  Walking or crawling, I was going to get there.

The morning trek to Boston Commons to catch the bus was actually a bit chilly.  Hmm, maybe things would be cooler than anticipated.  The 45 minute drive to Hopkinton gave everyone plenty of time to discuss race plans, prior race experiences, eat some snacks, listen to music, zone out or even nap.  We departed the busses in still cool temperatures making our way down to runner's village where we would wait.

As we waited, the temperatures slowly crept higher.  The warmth felt good, but I knew that standing in the sun would only raise my core temperature and make it more of a challenge to stay 'cool' during the race.  We headed to the shade. What I had anticipated to be a long wait at runner's village went faster than I could imagine.  No sooner were we in the shade when it was time to begin the journey to the start line.  The 3/4 mile walk was topped off with a bit of a run to the starting coral. Standing in the coral, I could feel the energy around me. We were all ready to go, regardless of what Mother Nature had planned.

The first few miles were amazing- all downhill and some the shade AND I was running with Leigh Armstrong West. An incredibly talented athlete and all around wonderful person. We lost each other near one of the first water stops- the crowd was huge and everyone was heeding the warnings to stay hydrated.  Lost in the shuffle I was on my own.  Just me, my thoughts and the sun. Generally speaking that is how it goes.  This race was a bit different.  I had run New York and was expecting large crowds like we had there, but what I experienced was something completely different.

The spectators were prepared for us- not just with their encouraging and amusing signs and cheers, but with their hearts.  They were out there WITH us. Adults and children and everyone in between were lining the streets offering everything from oranges, bananas, ice pops, ice cold wet paper towels, ice, water, hoses to spray us with, squirt guns. Anything and everything they could find or think of to help us make it safely to Boston. One group must have grabbed everything in their kitchen- they had cut up sponges and towels and soaked them in ice water. When I stopped to grab one, they handed me a potholder. I laughed to myself for a split second.  The humor in the situation was fleeting as I was overcome with thanks for their efforts.  I could imagine them at home "Just grab everything you can find, they will need it!" I cooled my face and my neck and handed my potholder back "Thank you SOOOO much" I said with a smile.

 Looking around it dawned on me that I had never run a race where it looked as though everyone had just crawled out of the water.  We were soaked.  You could hear water squishing in people's shoes. I ran through every sprinkler and hose I could but somehow it never seemed like enough. The cool reprieve lasted only for a few short minutes and then the heat returned.  I had goose bumps- my body's feeble attempt to cool me off. I started to get a slight headache.  Weird, I thought, that never happens.  I couldn't decide if I had to go to the bathroom or if I needed to throw up. I coughed and my abdominals cramped. No fun.  I was walking at this point and was trying to keep moving while stretching them out.  I kept thinking to myself: "please don't let anyone see me". I knew that if they did chances were pretty high that they would make me stop until the cramps subsided. After managing to avert that I attempted to start running again. Then the rest of the cramps started. Right calf, left adductor, left calf and then both hamstrings.  I probably looked like I was trying to do some kind of dance.  Gingerly I placed one foot in front of the other and slowly the cramps subsided.  I have no idea where I was in the race, the miles seemed to take forever to pass.  Walk, run, walk, run.  Just keep moving forward.

Somewhere in the last few miles of the course I came up on 2 young boys- maybe 6 or 7 years old.  Each of them had a gallon jug of water that they were offering up.  Just standing there with their little arm outstretched waiting to help.  I ran over and stopped in front of one of them.  He lifted his gallon a bit higher and just dumped it on me.  I have NEVER been so thankful as I was at that moment for little boys and ice cold water.  There is no doubt in my mind, I would NOT have made it to the finish line without him.  I wish I could find that little boy and tell him just how much that helped.  Because of him and his gallon of water I was able to run the last few miles and accomplish my goal- crossing the finish line.

My memories of The Boston Marathon are not of Heartbreak Hill, but more of the heart of the spectators.  When they say Boston is all in..they mean it! 

Put the Easter candy down!!

Sometimes I guess I miss out on things by not sitting in front of the T.V. or reading the newspaper.  Thank goodness for Facebook!

Apparently CBS News ran a story following last weekend's 60 Minutes segment with a tag line stating "New studies support claim that 'sugar is toxic' ". Great timing - a week away from Easter, the biggest candy consuming holiday.  Really cool, dramatic, eye- catching lead, but NOT new. Nope, we've known about the effects sugar has on us, our brain and our bodies for a looooooong time.   Then why is everyone gasping about this? Maybe they forgot about it.  Maybe they didn't want to believe it the first, or second, or third time they heard it.  Maybe they were somehow caught up in the 'fat is toxic' foolishness that is still being passed around.  Who knows. The point is, NOW people are paying attention..at least for a week or so.

Ripples from this segment have turned to 'added sugars' vs 'natural sugars'.  Pushing people to avoid the 'added sugars' and look for more 'natural sugars'.  That is all well and good, but it doesn't tell the whole story, or even the REAL story.  Yes, it is good to look at those things, but for goodness sake, don't stop there.

All carbohydrates are saccharides (sugars).  All carbohydrates must be converted to glucose (by our bodies) to be used for fuel or stored as fat. This means that all carbohydrate foods, even those that are sugar free must be converted to glucose for use or storage. Natural or not, the rate at which this happens affects a whole host of things including cravings, fat storage, insulin production, and other hormonal malfunctions. The faster this conversion takes place- the more it is like swallowing sugar straight. Natural or not.  Dump a large amount of sugar into your body and you will pay the price. Natural or not. You may remember reading about this in one of my earlier posts.   If not, I suggest you go back and read it now. http://adamsadmonitions.blogspot.com/2011/01/breakfast-what-is-yours-doing-to-you.html  The glycemic index/glycemic load of foods and food products cannot be ignored.

What is my point with all of this? The point is that you CANNOT simply eye the Nutrition Facts, scan for grams of sugar and consume.  You CANNOT simply read the ingredient list, scan for 'added sugars' and consume. It is entirely possible to run across food items that will list zero grams of sugar in the Nutrition Facts and will not have any 'added sugars' listed in the ingredients list (rice cakes, cereals, bagels, breads, crackers etc)   This DOES NOT mean they are a wise food choice.  So while looking for added sugar is a great thing to do, you cannot stop there.  You'll have to do a bit more homework.

While I'm at it, I may as well give you this information too. Studies indicate that fructose consumption has been linked to the proliferation of various types of cancer including colon cancer.  Too much fructose, whether from high fructose corn syrup or from fruit is not a great idea. Natural or not. Thank you 60 Minutes for giving sugar the spotlight, but people you cannot stop there.

Put the Easter candy down and do some research.

Remind yourself of your goals

In the words of the great Don Smythe “if you are going to run marathons, you have to decide if you want to run them fast or run a lot of them”.  Those may not be his exact words, but his point is this: you cannot simultaneously run your best time AND run marathon after marathon after marathon.   You need to decide which is more important to you- to run a great time, or to run many marathons.  Don said he decided very early on in his running career what his plan was and he has been very successful- completing his 74^th marathon just a few weeks ago.  His words echoed in my head today as I was out for one of the last few runs before the famed Boston Marathon. 

What did I want? Interesting thought to ponder.  My goals have evolved just as my running has.  When I started back into running my goals were simple- run a half marathon.  That was it.  I checked that off the list pretty quickly and was quite happy about it.  After being talked into running my first marathon my only goal was to survive the experience, to cross the finish line.  That was two and a half years ago and things have changed a bit since then.  With each step I was reminding myself of my current goals:

·      Enjoy Boston

·      Set a new PR

·      Run a marathon (or longer) in each of the 50 states

·      Run a 50 miler for my birthday(I’m sure this number will grow every yearJ )

Looking back over the last seven months recounting the events I have participated in, I kept reminding myself of Don’s words. In October there were the Triple Lakes 40 mile trail race and the Rocks 50 mile Relay exactly six days apart.  In November, the Savannah Rock N Roll Marathon and the St. Augustine half (actually 14 days apart).  In December, the Las Vegas Rock n Roll Marathon and then six days later the Jack’s 50k. January was rather quiet but then February brought with it the 26.2 with Donna Breast Cancer Marathon and seven days later the Five Points of Life Marathon. The goal for March was recovery and the Tobacco Road Marathon wasn’t a go until the last minute.  Seven races Marathon distance or longer in the last 6 months most of which were separated by a week or less and now here we are 8 days out from Boston, the first of the string of 3 in 3 weeks.

Writing it all out this way helps me to see that while I have wanted to hit a new PR I haven’t set myself up with a schedule that will allow me the best opportunity to do so.  I’m not one for giving up on my goals. I’d rather strategize better and see if I can hit them all!

So while three marathons in three weeks may not be the ideal time to aim for a PR, it is the ideal time to enjoy some fantastic runs.  I’ll run what I run and I will have a fabulous time.  As I said before my goal is to FEEL great.  Running the Boston Marathon is a dream come true.  How could it be anything less than fabulous? Besides, I haven’t run a marathon in Massachusetts so that knocks that state off for me.  The Big Sur and the Pittsburgh Marathon also move me toward my 50 states goal, as I haven’t run in either California or Pennsylvania.  After these races I’ll be 9 states in, with a total of 15 races of marathon distance or longer.

No, I’m not giving up on reaching a new PR.  I’m merely shifting my focus to working toward another of my goals.  That is the wonderful thing about having a few different goals.  You think you may have fallen off course until you step back, assess your path and realize that you are, in fact, still on track!!!