MY TAKE ON LONGEVITY IN ENDURANCE-SPORTS (Anecdotally-Scientific) Part 2

Ironman 70.3 Philippines 2017: Thankfully, did not walk except between aid-stations

This concludes a two-part series of my tacit experiences and wisdom gleaned from racing in endurance sports for 14 years.

11) Stretch whenever you can, systematically would be best. However, in its absence a sports massage, or self-massage (with a trigger ball or roller) helps in promoting recovery. Learn to knead, jostle, press and pummel sore muscles.
12) Water-based activities like swimming or water-jogging, reduces undue impact from land-based activities like running. Use aquatic activities to release the body from gravity-based sports-induced stress. Also, cross-train by including other activities (swim, ride and run are examples).
13) I never had a major spate of injuries, save for one case of a hairline fracture on my toe (2 months NO running), mild plantar fasciitis, and being hit by a taxi while riding (beyond my control) where I sustained a cheek fracture in 2010. Staying injury-free means being disease-free. Move from dis-ease to ease!
14) Increase your intake of antioxidants, and choose those that suit your body (natural and packaged). Include tonics made from herbal remedies and concoctions. Bone-broth or soups are very useful.
15) Seek the help of physiotherapists, chiropractors, bodycare specialist, nutritionists, massage therapists, and the like - they help remind us to stay mobile, nimble and functional.
16) Include High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions, occasionally. 1-2 such sessions awakes the body to new-found activation and, perhaps, speed. Use strength-based , gym sessions to supplement your development of musculature.
17) Seek a coach to help you with plateaus and form/gait correction. Seek a coach if you wish to be competitive and improve on your personal best (PB) timings.
18) If you are racing, then train to race. You cannot work beyond your trained threshold of intensity.
19) Seek your motivation: If you train with a team, it has its inherent 'push and pull' factors. If you prefer the occasional solitude, then do your long sessions alone. If you are uncomfortable with toxic members, steer away from them. Mix with those who help you achieve your Best Version of Yourself.
20) It is a life-long journey towards personal excellence, so there is still much to learn, educate and glean from personal experience.

MY TAKE ON LONGEVITY IN ENDURANCE-SPORTS (Anecdotally-Scientific)

After being in the endurance game since 2002, I wanted to share my mild wisdom sustaining my performance over 4 competitive age-groups.
1) Have more than 6 hours of sleep each night. Get a comfortable mattress, curtains drawn, and away from electronic devices (if possible).
2) Skip a day of exercise, if you feel like it. It is, after all, an extreme sport. You need not be extreme about life, in general.
3) Nutrition is one of the keys to recovery: Eat sensibly, guided by what is healthy for you.
4) Reduce your intake of refined sugar and refined grains. Whole-foods, relatively-unprocessed, home-cooked, allows control in this option. Pack your home-cooked food to work.
5) You need not live a monastic life: Exercise may be part of your lifestyle, and may not be your only life. Exercise is a form of self-expression.
6) Race occasionally to test yourself, however each race is an intense workout that requires full recovery. Our races validates our hard and consistent training.
7) Focus on good sources of fats: coconut oil, olive oil (EVOO and normal), butter, eggs, and animal fat. Figure this one out on your own as it is very subjective based on beliefs and practice. Reduce the GMO-versions (corn & soya), when possible.
8) Have 'easy' days intersperse 'hard' workout days. Off-Season, focus on Low Heart-Rate, Distance-Training.
9) 80:20 Rule when it comes to eating. Use your intuition and tastebuds as your guides.
10) Check for food allergies. Once identified, reduce or eliminate that food type.
*This was first posted on my Facebook page.*

Perceptions, Plantar Fasciitis, and Prancing Around In Birthday Suits

Just watched ‘The Adventures of Tin Tin’ in 3D. It was quite good, considering the fact that it was fully in digital animation. The characters looked life-like, with more definition and realism than ‘The Polar Express’. Actors Daniel Craig (James Bond in ‘Casino Royale’), Simon Pegg (‘Shawn of The Dead’) and Andy Serkis (of ‘Lord of The Rings’ fame) lent their voices to the key characters.

My friend Vijay described it as ‘stoic’, and he was accurate in his interpretation; it is a 110-minute film that is styled like ‘National Treasure’ with its analytical moments. Director and co-producer Steven Spielberg directed with a similar pace of his earlier ‘Indiana Jones’ trillogy of films. If you were to flesh comic-book characters into actual humans, then there is a certain reality that has to be created. The characters have to be believable, even if the stunts they subject themselves to are sometimes over-the-top. By the way, no stunt-people were injured during the course of this film. 

Is barefoot running unsafe? Does it contribute to specific running-related injuries? Here is a piece by a podiatrist about managing a common type of foot injury. Do you have plantar fasciitis? How are you managing it?

During the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii there is a precursor race called the Underpants Run. Would you go one step further and run naked? Here’s a 5K race done in the buff. By the way, all the best to our Singaporean marathoners Dr Ben Tan, Dr Benny Goh, David Tay, and the Team running at the New York City Marathon today. We wish them all the best!

The Sheer Joy of Helping Others

It is gratifying to raise funds for charity. Whether it is dropping a few dollars into a donation box, or raising a few thousand dollars for a cause – it can be deeply satisfying. Being helpful reflects on your personal values, such as care, consideration, recognition, reliability and trust. Enchant those around you with your helpfulness. En-trance them with your positive energy. Good karma can be spread and distributed for it positively affects and infects others.

1)    Lead in a run clinic.

2)    Submit an online race report.

3)    Share race preparation tips for neophytes.

4)    Correcting a friend’s swim strokes.

5)    Providing corrective feedback on a colleague’s presentation skills.

6)    Coaching a person on how to write an effective and influential e-mail.

7)    Counsel a person through their personal issues.

8)    Pay the deed forward when others help you.

9)    Deca-Ironman Wayne Kurtz offers us his treatment for plantar fasciitis.

When was the last time you really helped somebody? How do you show your willingness to assist another? Do you allow yourself to be taken advantage of?

Go ahead – lend a helping hand!