Good advice at any age

Now that the Olympics is almost here, I've been seeing quite a few articles pop up in the media focusing on the larger percentage of "older" athletes competing this year.. those in their 40's and above (and even some in their 60's). For example, the Beijing Olympics-themed blog of the NYTimes posted a nice (and short) blog entry on the subject:

The Starting Line: At the Olympics, Age Is Just a Number
By Jeff Z. Klein
July 14, 2008, 2:22 pm

One quote that stuck out for me came from Dr. Michael Joyner of the Mayo Clinic; he explained why so many older athletes are doing so well at the Olympic level:

The message that these people tell us, whether it's Gordie Howe, George Foreman, Dara Torres or any of these people, is that if people become obsessed with what they can't do as they age, well then they won't do it. These individuals are more interested with what they can do.

Of course, the Olympics, in many respects is still a "young person's game" and these 40+ athletes mentioned in the article make up a small percentage of the overall field, but, still, the take-away from this article is clear.. focusing more on what you can do (versus what you *think* you can't, physically or otherwise) is pretty good advice at any age..

You never knew me to be a runner

These days, I dedicate a lot of time to climbing and cycling (when I'm not doing some silly hike in the desert).. but if you knew me back in the day, you'd know that I used to be 110%-and-then-some about running (even doing the mile and steeplechase in college - poorly, I might add; haha).

But injuries, on-and-off since those college days, have kept me from doing any significant mileage/training in years; I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I need to keep it low-key if I want to maintain injury-free(-ish) legs, and, ultimately, maintain some sanity through (other) sport/activity. ;) That said, I do get out for a run every once in a while..

In fact, while visiting my brother this past weekend, I taped up my slightly sore right foot (the usual; it's an area that has given me trouble in the past) and ran my first race in a looong time - the Wissahickon 10k Trail Classic - in a great park just north of Philadelphia. It was some good bonding time, I think. ;)

Oh man, but even as I was treating the endeavor as a running "event" in my head (vs. a "race"), it was more physically demanding that you might think - with 90+ degree weather, and tons of offroad hills, it was a HOT and HUMID event to say the least; it was a buttkicker. On a side note.. for non-runners, you might think my mental designation of this being an "event" versus a "race" is just a matter of semantics, but, well, I'll just say that it's *not* and that, admittedly, it's an ego-thing that signals a difference in both intention-of-effort and expectation-for-outcome (i.e. it lowers them).

In any case, I think the wicked conditions helped me in the overall placing (34th out of 400-some) insofar that I'm not in particularly good running shape and therefore couldn't blaze a fast 10k on the roads, but the madhills and heat took their effect on everyone.. but I think they affected me less so. Physically, the hills gave a chance for some of my, um, beefy biking muscles to help out; and, mentally, my lack of specific goals let me just run and not worry about how the heat was lowering my time.. as it might with others worried about maintaining their usual pace.

Yeah, it was a good time overall (even if my thighs are still madsore today). And if you had any doubt to the quality of the event, let me say that one of the post-race foods was boxes and boxes of local pizza (in addition to the more-typical bananas and oranges and stuff). I'm glad I was in a place - mentally and physically - to enjoy 'dem slices!

It was time for a diet

Now I know I've always said I try to limit the amount of "gear" I have around, but every once in awhile I feel the pull of possibility and excitement through consumerism. haha. Yeah, so I upgraded a key piece of my racing bike today - the first time since I bought it mid-2006 - and I'm psyched to take it for a spin tomorrow to really give it a go.

You see, Performance Bike is having a sale (aren't they always?) on components and I couldn't resist the double-digit discount on some of their high-end offerings. So, I said to myself, why not go big and replace my crankset?

I replaced my crankset.

For some reason, the Performance Bike website doesn't show the discount for the model that I bought - the SRAM Force HCT Crankset w/ GXP Team Bottom Bracket - but when all was said and done (including a 10% SF Bike Coalition discount) it was 35% off the original price at the store downtown.. which still ends up being of lot of money, but, well, I'm amortizing the cost in my head from 2006 onwards. My corporate accountant would be proud.

And how can you put a price on shaving half a pound off your ride? ;) See you on the road!

Green pass turned to orange pass

I think I get to sit at the "big table" at my climbing gym now.

Earlier tonight - after a good day of watching Tour de California action and drinking Russian River brews in Santa Rosa - I *ahem* drove (the rental car from our daytime adventures) over to Mission Cliffs and took their lead climbing test; a friend was gracious enough to meet up with me and be my partner (since the test is two parts: first, you lead climb a gym-rated 10b route while your partner belays you, and then you do the belaying for your partner). I passed on my first try, which, um, rocks!

For those of you not familiar withclimbing terminology, "lead climbing" is when, as a climber, you bring your rope up with you and clip it into anchor points for safety along the way (vs. the more beginner friendly toproping, where the rope is pre-set at a big anchor point at the top of the climb). Check out a few nice, clear, stick-figure diagrams of what I'm talking about at this site.

If you really want to get into the details, lead climbing is further split up into two main sub-categories: "sport climbing" and "traditional climbing" (aka "trad"). The first implies that the aforementioned anchor points are already set into the climbing wall; this is what would be offered at an indoor gym (as well as a few well-known outdoor spots). Trad is more complicated, requiring that you bring up these anchors - more generally known as "protection" - and set them into the rock as you go up.

Passing the lead test at Mission Cliffs basically allows me to do the sport climbing routes in any of the Touchstone climbing gyms here in the Bay Area. And while I definitely need lots more practice, it's also a small indicator that I have an idea of what I am doing; I got some positive feedback from the staff at the gym.

It's like a whole new area of the gym is opened up to me now - physically and mentally. haha. For whatever reason, even though I've improved my toprope climbing a lot over the past couple of months - completing a few 5.12's even (again, gym ratings!) - I was always under the impression that you don't really get the full respect of the gym regulars unless you can do some lead climbing. But I know that idea was *mostly* in my head. ;)

Still, I'm psyched about having veritable free reign of everything in the gym! So now that I got a few more skillz under my belt - sport climbing represent - the only things that will hold me back are my fitness or lack of determination (or injuries) And I like having that sort of control; control that was enabled and engaged when I traded in my old green toprope belay card tonight for a brand new orange one (for lead belay). I should have done it a long time ago..

C'est la vie and all of that

I guess it's back to the swimming pool for me.

Man, I'll just say one more "what the fuck?" - I've been saying it a lot the past 24 hours - to the fact that I'm limping around the house today, icepack wrapped around my left foot. I even had to break a date at the climbing gym this morning. And, as, you can imagine, that's totally not cool, given my recent on-the-rock advances.. both physically and mentally; and I'm not interested in losing any hard-fought ground.

But, c'est la vie and all of that.

My consolation package comes in the form of the First Season DVDs of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (borrowed yesterday from the library), more time to self-study a half-semester of Russian before Russian 2B starts in January, and more time to finish a couple mix CDs that I started a while back.. oh, and, I guess, like work or something.

But, again, the one thing I'm trying to keep in mind is "c'est la vie and all of that". Still, it's a good thing I'm stocked up on quality beer.. and ingredients for making winter-inspired muffins; those will be delicious, and welcome, distractions of the highest order. And the framed Egon Schiele print, revived from storage and recently-hung in the living room - by the request of my roommate - will excite an altogether different set of senses.

One the bike, more variables = less control

Most bicycles are made for a single rider. And given the fragility of personal balance - on the bike, I mean - I fully appreciate this fact. More parts on a bike means more that can break; and if one of those "parts" is another person, well, then your variables of control just went up exponentially.

more variables = less control

But, on occasion - on the right occasion - I'll submit myself to the whims of the night and ride in just this way: 2 people, 1 bike. While I'm still not a huge fan of the tandem bicycle, riding a regular bike with another person is kinda charming for me, (if, admittedly, a little uncomfortable). haha.

You see, there is a prerequisite for silliness to even try this feat, given the aforementioned stability problems inherent in the operation. And you can do it in a couple of ways, depending on how your bike is set up (ex. if you have a rack) as well as how the bodies of the two people line up. My usual mode is to have someone sit on my bike seat while I stand and pedal (and, if I'm lucky - or forceful, maybe get a little of my tailbone on the nose of the seat).

Yeah, it's hard work.. and I don't want to be riding for miles and miles like that, but, still, there is something about the arrangement that seems so simple and pure in attitude (and, therefore, appealing); again, it must be the silliness thing. All that said, it's still not gonna happen *too* often, given that when I'm hanging with someone else and I'm on a bike, the other person usually has a bike too.

Well, that is, unless I get some sweet pegs for my citybike. Who doesn't want to ride on some pegs?

The shoes make the man

They say the shoes make the man. And, for me at least, I'd have to agree.

You see, I picked up a new pair of running shoes - Nike Air Structure Triax 10 - a few weeks ago, and got myself back into the groove of running injury-free(ish); I'm back running 2-4 days a week now.. for maybe 3-5 miles at a time. In fact, my weekly total broke into double digits for the first time in years last week (which seems sort of pathetic to write, given that I've approached triple digits before - a lifetime ago). Still, my expectations have been reset and there's no where to go but up.

And shit-if-it-don't-feel-good. (It do.)

Well, I could stand to be a bit stronger, of course, but I'm enjoying the consistency. Just a touch of the running in a given day changes my whole attitude and outlook; I even enjoy the anticipation of a run I've planned for later. It's like whatever else I did (or didn't do) that day is all good.. because "at least I went for a run". Sounds like the old cliché about running being a drug and all that rings a little true here; forget your worries and just breathe in the contentment! For reals.

When I mentioned to a friend that I started running again, she asked, "What made you start?" To that I replied, "The better question is, 'What has been stopping me?'" In other words, I would run every day if I could! But I've had a string of injuries over the years which have held me back a bit.. and make for a whine-session I have no interest in recounting now; I'm at peace with respect to where I'm at (sport-wise).

As I mentioned, expectations have been reset; I still love to breathe, and I do it as often as possible. See you on the road!

UPDATE: On the walk over to the pool this afternoon, I remembered that I was also running regularly last winter, but didn't keep any formal training records; still, I'm sure I was getting in some weekly millage approaching 20 or 25. Man, that seems a long time ago..

The topless option is available

You know why I like climbing at Mission Cliffs?

Because it is a gym where I can take my shirt off. haha. Or, at least, I can wear a wifebeater to workout in and not get a second look. Well, that is, unless I wore this wifebeater (although this is San Francisco, and, as a young, white - and hipster-ish - male, I could maybe work the irony angle to the maxxx). haha.

Still, even though it's (mostly) all good, it's a little intimidating (sort of) and I hesitate to do it too often because there's plenty of folks there that are totally ripped (and, I guess, something to aspire to, if I could drink a little less beer.. yeah right!). haha. It'd be one thing if I was climbing insane routes or something.. then you can get away with anything. While I'm getting better, I'm not that good (yet) to have free reign of the gym, fashion-wise.

On that note, even though it is generally cool, there are certain unwritten rules to be able to take your shirt off and it not be *too* garish an act (i.e. to not look a little like a bit of a tool). haha. I've discussed this before with a climbing partner or two and the general consensus is that you need to at least be doing 11c's to be having your shirt off while top roping. If you are leading, you can drop it down to 10d's or something. Bouldering, let's say V4/V5 is the lowest we can go. I tried to posit that there should be some allowance for temperature, like for every 5 degrees above 75, you can drop the minimum rating by one. But at least one climbing partner nixed that idea; what a hardass. haha.

So where does that leave us in the debate? I mean, no one is *really* counting, but, well, I'm sure some of the regulars are.. if only subconsciously. And, I guess, it's lucky that I happen to be climbing at the aforementioned levels - for top-roping anyway - so, again (I guess) I can get away with it. Still, in my own topless-man-algebra (who knew there was such a mathematics?), I make sure that there are less than a certain amount of people in the gym before it's all good (with me). Yeah, so many variables. Or, rather, too much thought towards the topic.. haha.

In any case, it ends up being sorta rare that I actually take my shirt off; my mode lately has been in sleeveless shirts (including a new black one I picked up at Crossroads this past week). Still, the option is available, and that is something I can appreciate. ;)

Runner's World online: you done outdid yourself!

Runner's World added a free training log to their set of online tools not too long ago. Simply create an account on the site and you'll be able to plan, record, and track workouts from any computer. The interface does not limit you to running workouts; you can add biking workouts, strength training, and even general "health notes". As you add more and more entries, you'll be able to create custom graphs of distance, time, pace, heart rate, temperature, run quality, or weight over any time period you choose. There are a few other cool features as well, but one of the neatest is an integrated GUI for recording routes via Google maps (ex. your favorite running or cycling route).

The direct url is (http://traininglog.runnersworld.com), but I'm not sure if you need to be registered with the site first to be able to access it. If this link doesn't work, simply go to the Runner's World main page and you'll see a "Training Log" link in the top menu.

Whenever I'm "training" for something (ex. a running, biking, or swimming race), I do find it very helpful to keep a record of my workouts. And, further, if I can plan them in advance, I'm even better off; it helps my motivation just to mark which days I'm looking to run (or climb or whatever) in the calendar, even if I don't have all the details (mileage, pace, etc.) in mind ahead of time.

In short, start using the training log and you may find yourself in better shape just as the San Francisco "summer" is upon us. And if you're looking for a place to begin (spiritually or athletically speaking), Runner's World online also has a great set of articles for folks just starting out (check the "Beginners", "Training", or "Motivation" links), including specific workout schedules to get you to your first 5k, half-marathon or longer. Any other questions? Just ask me.. ;)

An act that blossoms two days a week

At first, the act crossed my mind as a practical matter; I would tie it tight.. but not too tight. You see, my hair is getting longer and longer by the day, and now intersects the plane of my eyes; my hair has arrived at a crossroads of fashion and inconvenience (I know, I know: a common affliction for the fairer sex). The white and tastefully-bepatterned fabric would keep the situation manageable and, therefore, on the side of the former, for now (I think).

In short, the carefullyish-folded bandanna just felt right; I bought it in Japan for god's sake.

It's been awhile since I've wore a bandanna seriously (well, as seriously as it gets, pre-Red-Queen), but I'd like you all to think back to high school: we could probably dig up some pictures that would make us *all* guilty of some swish transgression (cultural or otherwise). And here, while I wear a new - and particular - object (pressed first to my forehead, and, as part of the practical process, drawn around to the back), it is one that echoes the past and, furthermore, it echoes another version of me. The bandanna connects me to a former self; and, I like it.

You see, I am running.

And running.
And running.
And running.
And, well, it's an act that blossoms two days a week (for now).
And, well, I won't say no (to two days a week; there are worse punishments).

Again, the object and the acts (of folding) (and running) connect me to the past; these acts connect the present to a former life. And it feels right. So, regardless of the fashion-sense (or lack thereof) - I shampooed and conditioned today; I shaved - I will take the fabulously limp fabric and fold it upon itself four times (¡no más!); it must end up a certain width before it becomes accessible to my intention and appropriate for my purposes. The (my) hair and the (my) sweat never reach gravity's final destination; physics be damned. In the meantime, I'll keep running.

And running.
And running.
And running.
And, well, it's an act that blossoms two days a week (for now).
And, well, I won't say no (to two days a week; there are worse punishments).