Not 60 or sunny

It was quite a bit cooler today that it has been. It rained yesterday and that brought lousy weather with it. None the less, hitting the pavement was a necessity. I am not really too fond of the rain, so I passed on yesterday's run, but in hindsight, I would have preferred it to todays wind.

On top of the weather, I was running around at the same time the President was in town. His wife is an advocate of fitness and keeping active. I would have loved to get a chance to talk to her about the restricted use of our sidewalks. Alas, no such chance. Maybe next time, but I doubt it.

Not only did I not get a chance to interact with Michelle Obama, I had to put up with the traffic tie-ups of him riding around town.

A good note of his trip to Scranton, however, was that for some reason he stopped at the house of my pseudo brother-in-law's neighbor, and he and and his family got to meet the president. That was pretty cool for them and they made the local news. Pat and his family are all fairly active and they none of looked bad on camera. How would you fair? Perhaps it is time to get active.

Be active, company may be coming

60 and sunny

The weather was great yesterday for a run, and it is nice again today. Good for gettting out and pounding the sidewalks. I figure all of the "crazies" are at the mall or Walmart. I just tried to be careful and pay more attention to traffic than I usually do. I can be arrogant, but I am not suicidal. This is about me being active until I die, and while I did tie my shoes today, I am not choosing to die this particular day. I did a fairly quick 4 miles, enjoying the sun and the fresh air, knowing that all too soon it will be cold and windy and miserable. I will still run when it is miserable out, but I enjoy it more on days like today.

Stay active, Be Good, Santa is watching

"Pie please"

It is Thanksgiving's weekend, a time for eating and partying. It is just the beginning of the overeating season. In the next 6 weeks we will enjoy pies and Christmas cookies, nut rolls and pastries. We can choose to gorge ourselves and then lay around (like our "pudder" here) or we can watch everything we eat and not enjoy the tastier aspects of this season, or we can still enjoy the flavors of the season (in moderation) and exercise a little more.

We all have busy lives, and are just a bit busier during this time of year. However, we can still enjoy all that life has to offer, and still find some time a few days a week to get some blood pumping.

Running, riding a bike or even just walking makes that pie taste a little sweeter. A few push-ups or sit-ups will make it a little easier to resist that additional cookie. Somehow, it just works out that way. So enjoy the season, and enjoy the comraderie of friends and family. Eat the cookies, and then burn off most of the calories. Enjoy life, but beware of  looking like this cat.

Be Active, Be Happy, Taste Life

Giving Thanks

We all have our own little things to be thankful for. I have 3 healthy kids (adults), a good pseudo step son, a couple of ex-wives that never had me arrested or killed. I also have a beautiful woman in my life that most times I get along fine with. I  have sisters and the memory of a brother and nieces and nephews that range in age from 23 to almost 50 years old. I am in fair shape for a guy that has put himself through the stuff that I've done (I have put myself through some rigorous demands).

I could try to remember the good times that I had watching television, or playing board games (I've done those things too). But I choose to remember the times that I was active, or at least watched activity. I remember watching my daughter play soccer, my boys play football, and all of us doing karate. I am thankful for those memories. I remember running while my kids rode bicycles along with me. I am also thankful for the memory of a nephew today.

There is a 10 mile race in Berwick, which is a town about 45 minutes from here. Every Thanksgiving they have the "Race for the Diamonds." I did that race once. It happened around 1980, maybe '81. My nephew who was about 12 at the time had started running and wanted to run it with me. So we did.  Needless to say, neither of us won, but we both finished. That was his 1st race. He went on to run many more races. A few years ago, my nephew, Bobby John (no one but family called him that, I'm sure), exited an aircraft for a fun day of skydiving. His parachute deployed, then malfunctioned. I know I could be thankful for the dinner we shared, or the pie, but I'm thankful for that run, and the sweat we both shed on that Thanksgiving Day so long ago.

Be Active, make memories

My high horse: food wise

I know that this blog is about fitness. It is about being active. A little about eating right, and a lot about moving. Nonetheless, I am watching Chopped. It is a show where 4 different chefs compete making 3 courses of a meal, and after each course, one chef is "chopped" or thrown off the show. The chef that is left at the end of the show gets $10,000. Tonight's episode is featuring 4 school cafeteria cooks. One of the judges is the White House chef. He explains that 1 in 4 American children is going to bed hungry.

I am NOT against the international need for charity. I am NOT against giving to Haiti or Darfur. All that said, I think way too often we give to these foreign causes while here at home, our own children need help.

By all means give where you can, when you can. Just don't forget that charity is needed here also. In the meantime, be active and be fit so you can live long enough, to give enough, to make a difference.

Be active, have fun, stay "hungry"

Fast twitch

There are two basic types of skeletal muscle. This is the kind of muscle that is responsible for body movement. I am not talking about voluntary versus involuntary or striated versus cardiac muscles. I am only talking about voluntary skeletal muscle. The muscles that you know as quadraceps or hamstrings. You know them as your biceps and calves.

There are slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscles. Slow twitch muscle are pretty much slow, long endurance muscles. Marathon runners would have more slow twitch mucles. Fast twitch muscles are explosive but tire quickly. Basketball players and football running backs have more of these.

Everyone has some of each. Most people will just naturally have more of one than the other. However, you can increase the type you want by working at specific exercises. If you want more slow twitch muscles, because you want to keep moving for a long time, work on longer, slower workouts. Running 3 plus miles would work for that. If you want more explosive muscles, because you play volleyball or do karate, you can develope these also. One exercise type would be plyometrics. Jumping jacks are a form of plyometrics. Think about anything short term that requires quick movement. Another way to work on fast twtich muscles is sprinting up steps.

You have a combination of both muscle types, and you need both types. Depending on your sport of choice though, you can work on the mucle type you desire. You want to be fit enough to be active and play as you mature, but sometimes you also want to win.

Step up to fitness

Lights part 2

I know my blog is not that popular. I am fairly sure that the Mayor and City Council do NOT read my blog, though they should. None the less, I ran yesterday at Nay Aug Park and wrote about lights being left on during the day. I blogged about that run this morning. Then I went for a run at Nay Aug Park a few hours later, and the lights were all off.

Should I take credit? Probably not. Is the pen mightier than the sword? Maybe. None the less, the lights were off today. The run wasn't bad either. There were a lot of people there enjoying the weather. Some were walking their dogs and a group was playing football. 

I was running. I had my gloves and my baseball cap on. I had a good sweat going by the end of a few miles. It felt pretty good. I have not been running as much as I should have lately.  I did run today, and that is a good thing.

Be active, be happy

Prepping for Santa

It is almost the holidays. Thanksgiving is next week. Every year Nay Aug Park decorates for the holidays. They put up light deplays throughout the park and many people drive through at night and make a small donation. It is actually pretty nice.

It is more festive to run through the park this time of year. The downside: I really am not a big complainer, but I can never understand why they leave many of the lights on during the day. Not all of them, just some. They are wasting energy, wasting resources, and wasting tax payer money.

I know I took a picture of this flag, and certainly if only this was lit, I would not complain. We need a little more patriotism in our lives. However, Rudolf and others are lit, but not all of the lights. Basically, it is just wasteful laziness.

I encourage everyone to come and see the lights, and make a good donation. Scranton needs the money to help offset bureaucratic stupidity.

Be active, be happy

Fizzle in the drizzle

Yesterday was a bit muggy for a November day. It was not hot, but it was pretty warm. There was also an on-and-off drizzle. I ran in town. I was just in that kind of mood. It was about 60 degrees when I left my house. I ran into town then towards Greenridge Street. Along this particular route is when I come into contact with the highest number of people parked on the sidewalk. It may not be professional, but as I run in front of a business that has illegally parked cars on their sidewalks, I always flip them off. Occasionally, someone will come out to see what my problem is, and I am always happy to tell them. They never seem to care. I am sure if they started getting ticketed, they would care more, but that is up to the city of Scranton.

Whenever I see a cop on patrol, I stop them to complain. Sometimes the officer says he will take care of it. The next time I go that way though, the problem still exists. For a city that is "distressed" and laying off police officers and firemen, you would think that they would care more about raising revenue. You would think, I guess you would be wrong.

Some day I will get mad enough to sue the city. It is not about the money, just the attention needed to correct a very fixable problem. I guess until that happens, I'm left to gripe, so I will.

Be active,,,, be vocal....

A nice rainy day run

You can  not tell from this picture, but there was a pretty steady drizzle to an outright rain on yesterday's run. I went to Nay Aug Park again, partly because of the rain, and partly because of the earlier sunset. I was in the mood for a longer run, and there I can just keep going, and still always be within a 1/2 mile or so of my van.

I was pleasently surprised to see that many of the trees still had leaves on them. Running through the woods is nice. Running through the woods with brightly colored trees is better. I have read that people that relax when they exercise burn more calories and reduce their blood pressure further. You do your body and your mind better not only when you "move," but also when you "stop to smell the roses."

I suggest that you do move: walk, run, crawl, what ever. I also suggest you stop and look at the world from time to time. Sometimes there is something worth seeing.

Be active, and sometimes stop...

Standard time

Yesterday I ran early. Wednesday is one of my early days at school. Even though I started running about 3 O'clock or so, by the time I finished and walked a few blocks to cool-down, the sun was quickly disappearing behind the buildings.

If I don't start by 3:30, then I end up running in the dark this time of year. I certainly do not mind the dark. Over the years I have put a lot of miles under my feet in the dark. However, even in town, some of the roads are a little dark, and I do not trust every driver that comes my way. Heading down the road in the dark is kind of soothing and relaxing in its own way, encountering cars, not so much.

I will be looking forward to daylight savings time until it gets here. In the mean time, I can run a few days a week, or walk, or ride my stationary bike. Or I could find some other way to entertain myself.

Be active, be happy

School: a pain in the heiner

A long time ago, I exited an aircraft at about "oh dark thirty." That is military talk for the middle of the night. Before I stood up, my back had a compression fracture (or two, or three). Now when my professors conspire against me and I have to spend several hours in a chair, my sciatic nerve and lower back hurt a bit. I have a whole week's  worth of studying to do this weekend.

To combat this pain, I had to get some blood coursing through my appendages. I went for a run. It is a kind of busy weekend, having to study for a couple of tests, and doing an ad campaign.

Initially, I was a little stiff and my running was tight, however, after a 1/2 mile or so, I began to loosen up and my running became more natural and relaxed. By the time I got back to the house and stretched I was 100% (actually my 100% is only about 75% of normal: "it's not the age it's the mileage").

So a little run, a little stretch, and a little blog, then back to studying. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

By the way, that is me in the picture. It isn't from from my army days, it is from about 2 years ago. Denise, my daughter, wanted to jump for her birthday, and she knew I would do it with her. So we did.

      Does this suit make me look fat?

Be active: a strong mind in a strong body...

 

Feelin' testy

e The weather was nice today. It was almost 60 degrees. The snow from the weekend is long gone. I took my GRE this morning, and needed a good run to defrag. Not that this blog is about anything but enjoying life, and being fit enough to do so, I suggest that anyone that plans on taking the GRE (or any other standardized test) study for it.

So, I opted to run. Since the weather was nice I chose to run in town. I ran into town past a few schools and past the courthouse. At the courthouse they have various verteran monuments, including a wall with the names of local men and women that have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms. Every time I run through town I get aggrevated by the parking, but today I tried to push that aside and just "chill." It didn't work, and I ended up stopping a police car to vent about cars on the sidewalk at a car dealership. Then I proceded on my run.

The run felt good. I got the exercise and the distraction that I needed. I highly recommend this type of diversion to anyone that needs to relax, and unwind.

Be active, this is a test!