April 28th, 2011 by PeterWehrwein in Health Tips
1 Comment »
Recently, about 27,000 runners began the annual 26-mile, 385-yard (42.195 kilometers) mass run from suburban Hopkinton to Boston.
But if past marathons in Boston and elsewhere are any indication, perhaps up to 40% of these optimistic and determined souls will slam into a sudden sensation of overwhelming, can’t-do-this fatigue several miles (typically about five) before they get a chance to experience the glory of crossing the finish line.
It’s called “hitting the wall.”
Getting through, around, or over hitting the wall is part of the mystique of marathon running, although there’s a physiological explanation that’s not all that mysterious: when runners hit the wall, their bodies have run out of the carbohydrates needed to sustain intense physical activities like long-distance running.
Benjamin I. Rapoport believes many runners could avoid hitting the wall if they put a few key facts about themselves and their target marathon time into the online calculator he created, which can be found at www.endurancecalculator.com. The calculator will tell them how many extra calories they should get from pasta, rice, or other high-carbohydrate food or drink before (and in some cases, during) running a marathon. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Harvard Health Blog*
May 2nd, 2010 by Happy Hospitalist in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Opinion, True Stories
No Comments »
Kids are like dogs — you can train them until they’re too old to train. Then they’re going to do whatever they want.
The key to getting kids to exercise is to make it fun for them. But they aren’t going to exercise if it isn’t made a part of their normal routine. It’s up to adults to train them.
Mrs. Happy and I had the joyous opportunity of inviting our 10-year-old niece to her first-ever running event. She had never ever run in a race before. We did the two-mile race and she loved it. And amazingly, she finished without stopping — not even once.
Our nation is raising a nation of fat and lazy kids because we’re lazy adults. We drive everywhere. We sit at our desks. We get food on the run. We watch a lot of television. We surf the Net a bunch. And we have stopped moving. We have literally stopped moving. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist*
January 9th, 2010 by Happy Hospitalist in Better Health Network, True Stories
1 Comment »
Another year is done and my running log for 2009 is complete. For two years now I’ve kept track of my jogging/running/walking that I perform in my leisure time. In 2008 I completed just over 600 miles of leisure time exercise. The great thing about running is that it’s free. Minus the cost of shoes and socks and a few pairs of shorts, anyone can do it. You don’t need a GPS watch to get the job done. You don’t need a gym. All you need are your two front feet and a little inspiration and motivation.
The Biggest Loser lost over 55% of his weight, or 239 pounds and how did he do it? He kept moving. There is no secret to weight loss and fitness. Watch how much you eat. Make smart choices about how you choose to live your life and make it happen. If you have no expectations, you’ll meet them every time. This show is proof positive that even the super obese can lose remarkable amounts of weight with diet and exercise.
Running has become a part of my life. Without exercise, I often feel like my day is not complete. Seeking exercise is a state of mind that happens once you experience the benefits of feeling fit. Here is my running log for 2009: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist Blog*
