Better Living Through Chemistry

Abebi Bikila never took a pill from a bottle labeled with the disclaimer “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.”  He ran, he drank goat’s milk, he rested, he ran.  The rest of us need some help.  By the way, did anyone test the goat for steroids?

This week I had my annual appointment with my ENT doctor for a check up on my bionic ear.  One of the forms I was handed asked what medications I was taking.  There was barely enough room on the form.

Here’s what I take and why:

Vitamin C – for injury prevention, recovery and so I don’t get scurvy.  It is one of the body's most important anti-oxidants.

Vitamin D – to enhance my immune and thyroid function and for strong teeth and bones.

Fish Oil – it contains Essential Fatty Acids which reduce inflammation and the risk of pain from injury and also to promote a shiny coat.

L-Glutamine - This helps my muscles recover from hard exercise.  Protein builds your body, and amino acids build protein.  This is the most abundant amino acid in your body.

Glucosamine / Chondroitin – which helps prevent the destruction of cartilage that is the hallmark of osteoarthritis.  It helps keep my joints lubed up.

Multi-vitamin – just to be redundant and because I like having yellow pee.

Proventil – for exercise-induced asthma.

Zyrtec – for the random allergies I have.

Ibuprofen – for aches and pains.

And this is just the legal stuff!

Everything I take can be found in your local apothecary.  All but one (Proventil) can be bought without a prescription. 

It’s all about helping your body recover.  After workouts I have some quality protein like a cup of milk mixed with Ovaltine.  It really should be called Roundtine.  For breakfast I usually have some plant based protein – barley and quinoa.  Throughout the day I drink Powerade to replenish the salts (Potassium, Sodium, Magnesium and calcium) at the cellular level.

On Saturday I ran 17 miles over the hills around my house including the five mile climb from Redstone Park to Mountain Vista High School.  There is no level ¼ mile stretch of road in Highlands Ranch.  It is hard to get psyched up for Sunday’s 20 mile group run at the REZ. 

If I can’t hang with the gang, too bad for me.  Poker sympathy and running sympathy have a lot in common.  So, I try to do as much as I can to recover and be ready for the next workout. 

There is a muddy line between doing things to help keep you in the game, doing things that keep you at the top of your game and doing things that elevate you above your game.  It’s a bit like pornography; hard to describe, but you know it when you see it.  Which side are you on?

Light the Way

My brother John died from a heart attack at the age of 45.  If I could turn back time.  If I could find a way.  I’d tell my brother to take better care of himself; not only for his well being, but for his wife’s and children’s happiness as well.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.  The month of February is dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease and increasing knowledge about prevention.  

At my brother’s funeral I remember thinking how wrong things had worked out.  I always figured we would grow old together.  I am full of regrets over things I should have said – quit smoking, eat less fatty food, get back on a workout routine, keep taking Lipitor.  

Is there someone you know?  You're taking their existence for granted.  You may lose them some day.  Something will take them away.  And they won’t hear the words you long to say.  It is an easy conversation.  Start with “Have you had your cholesterol checked?” 

We are harder on ourselves than we are on those around us.  We endure, but don’t expect others to be as compulsive as we are.  We apologize for our obsessive behavior, but why?  We are reluctant to curse another’s darkness.  

This is a call to light the way.

In other news, today was the February installment of Rocky Mountain Road Runners Trophy Series.  The course was a seven mile semi-figure eight which started and finished at the Platte River Bar & Grille.  I covered the course in 44:19 (~6:20 / mile pace).  

The key to recovery is ingesting quality protein.  So, after my 20 mile run yesterday, my wife grilled a juicy steak from beef our butcher had imported from Spain.  I ate a pound of that and felt like I could have run up Alpe D'Huez.

Bonus

It was a bitter / sweet week in the biome that is Carl’s closet.   We said goodbye to two pairs of running shoes.  It was time for them to go off the great long run in the sky.  I hadn’t run in them in months.  They were taking up room in the jumble of shoes.  More importantly, I believe they were the cause of the odor that seeped out of the closet.  I got a bit nostalgic thinking about the hundreds of miles I'd run in them. 

Also into the trash went about a dozen shoe liners, which I believe are superfluous.  Putting a removable shoe liner in a running shoe is about as silly as asking Carmelo Anthony to throw you the rock.  That man thinks that guard-ing and pass-ing are two cities in China. 

The bonus of the week was today’s 20 mile run.  After Friday’s snow storm I had written off any long run for the week.  Friday’s fitness journal entry was “shoveled show five times.”  Yesterday I ran nine miles on the treadmill while I watched my Syracuse Orangemen put the hurt on the St. John’s Redmen.  It was a colorful game.  Seven of those miles were at 6:40 / mile pace. 

Last night Ken sent an email saying the Cherry Creek Reservoir path and roads were clear.  So, Tom and I met Ken at the middle school parking lot at 8:00.  Half way around the first lap we met up with Scott and Frank, so we had a quorum.   It is so hard to put in the quality and quantity of miles while running solo and I was grateful for the company.

There was one incident, though.  At the beginning of the second lap Ken slipped on some ice and fell.  My innocence was witnessed this time.  Unlike Tim, Ken obviously had paid attention during tumbling time in pre-school.  He executed a nice one somersault with a half twist in the semi-tuck position (degree of difficulty – 1.7).  I’d score it a 5.  Ken bounced up and we were back on pace in moments. 

The consensus is that while the High Line Canal path is a nice place to run; soft surface, no traffic and scenic, the REZ, with its hills and open, windy terrain is a better place to train for the spring races we are targeting. 

Returning to my closet; once the floor was clear, I was able to vacuum.  I replaced my athletic shoes; two by two, just like Noah.  I built a base of flip-flops, huaraches and an old pair of Bata Bikers from the ‘80s.  On top of that I put my flats followed by my trainers and dress sneakers.  Two positive things came out of this undertaking.  One is how nice my closet smells; not exactly spring fresh, but not compost pile either.  The other good thing is I now have room for more running shoes.