Sometimes the best solution is the simple solution

Many of us were taught about nutrition by using the food pyramid. We were told what we should eat, and in what proportions. Growing up, it was never confusing to me, and I never heard anyone say they didn't understand the message. Yet somewhere along the way, it was decided by people much smarter than this ordinary person that the food pyramid was too confusing, and we should come up with a new way to present nutrition. Having 6 groups with graphics that resembled actual food was contributing to the obesity problem.

So the government came up with a color-coded pyramid aimed at ending the confusion. It also focuses on gradual change, instead of making the case that we are what we eat, so if you eat Pringles, you are a Pringle. I will admit that the new pyramid using colors wouldn't work well when I grew up, since touching a color on the pyramid would only provide me the tactile experience of touching something. Today we have interactivity, and as a result, kids can click the colors on the pyramid, and learn a lot of information, while avoiding that rare thing called exercise. For the young people reading this blog, go ahead and touch the colors of the new pyramid on your screen to experience what happened when I touched colored graphics as a kid. There's not a lot going on there, now is there?

What challenge were they trying to address by coming up with a new pyramid? Did people really look at pictures of corn, and wonder what they were supposed to eat? How about bread? It must have been confusing for someone, otherwise we wouldn't have the new, less confusing rainbow pyramid with stick figure on stairs. It almost resembles Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. If you don't see the resemblance, try closing one eye and squinting at the screen. Maybe if we overlay the three pyramids, and apply a swirl pattern, we will end up with an even less complicated representation of our dietary needs, and we will then know that Self Esteem and chicken are at the same relative level on the pyramid.

I'm just an ordinary average guy, and I find that the simple solutions are usually the best. When I was faced with the prospect of having to take a statin to control my cholesterol levels, I asked what my options were. I was told by my doctor that diet and exercise didn't work for many people, but I could try this. While taking the statin. So I thought about my health, and realized that I was about to start taking a medicine that would make me feel like crap, so I could eat foods that weren't good for me, and would damage my health anyway. I realized that if I didn't eat the stuff that wasn't good for me, I wouldn't need to take the medicine. So I made drastic changes in my life, and as a result I lost about 20 pounds, and no longer have high blood pressure, high triglycerides, or high cholesterol. I didn't take the statins. It has always been the simple solutions that resonated with me. More proof that I am ordinary. 

As my contribution to help clarify the nutrition issue, I developed my own food pyramid. It is black and white, all text, no graphics, no interactivity, no lawyerly warnings, and no encouragement to help you slowly down the path to nutritional change. It is simple, effective, and must be implemented immediately upon reading. After developing the pyramid and reading it one time, I lost weight, and feel great (it rhymes, maybe I need an audio overlay for the pyramid). I am sharing this with you so you can take advantage of this limited time, free offer. In turn, please share this pyramd with your family and friends, it may help them cut through the confusion of trying to figure out how to interpret what a picture of vegetables means in terms of healthy eating. Here are some bonus tips for reading this far: If it is natural, eat it. If it is processed by any large food producer, don't eat it, don't own it, don't serve it.

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Bike commuting - all you need is a bike!

I'm back to my bike commute now that the snow has melted, and am loving it. I was thinking about how much has changed since I started what was an occasional bike commute several years ago. My commute from Pomona, NY to Woodcliff Lake, NJ had some scary stretches, and I'd stop riding once the school buses took to the roads. Since our move to Oradell, NJ, I have been bike commuting much more frequently. The ride is primarily suburban, with a few small downtowns to keep it interesting.

When I first started my 24 mile round-trip bike commute from Pomona, I rode my Trek 4300 "hard tail" mountain bike (no suspension front or back), with knobby tires. After a couple of rides, I replaced the knobbies with a smooth and skinny tire. This decreased noise and resistance, and my ride speed increased.

In 2009, I purchased a Surly Long Haul Trucker, which is made for fully loaded touring. I began to commute more frequently, and my ride time decreased due to the better riding position, and more efficient geometry. It's long wheel base and steel frame smoothed out the bumps in the road. 

I would ride to the gym near work, where my employer pays for memberships, and shower. This would add a level of logistics to my ride that sometimes left me in a bad way. Once I forgot my business casual shoes, and ended up having to wear my SPD riding shoes at work. Not many people noticed. I'd also forget little things like deodorant, or a t-shirt. And yes, sometimes I'd forget the underwear. I'd shower at the gym, and my body would still be sweating when I arrived at the office in my business casual clothes. I'd then hang my ride clothes on clips stuck to my cubicle wall under my desk. Needless to say, this was not always good for air quality.

When we moved to Oradell, my commute changed to a 17 mile round trip. So I decided to try something new. I shopped for an urban bike, which would provide a more upright riding position, allowing me to see and be seen better. I had also been reading about cycling chic, which is basically riding in Dutch style. My honey and I did a bike trip there years ago, and no one rides dressed as Lance Armstrong. They all ride in their regular street clothes. The common consensus is that drivers are more tolerant of a bike rider who is headed to work on their bike than they are of a racer out slowing traffic. I would agree based on my experience. 

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After a bunch of research, I was having a hard time finding the right bike. I stopped at many bike shops, and the common recommendation was to purchase a tri-cross bike, which has the geometry of a road bike, but the components of a mountain bike. I wasn't impressed with the answers I received, all of which were focused on the bikes that were in stock. My honey ended up finding the perfect solution - a Gary Fisher Simple City 8. I will write a review of the bike as a separate post (as well as one about the death of local bicycle shop customer service), so I won't get into too much detail here. But it was perfect for what I wanted. It had an internal 8-speed hub with a chain guard, drum brakes on the rear, internally routed cables, a big basket in the front for my stuff, classic good looks, and an upright ride. 

I now have around 800 miles on the bike, and it is my primary ride. I use it for my bike commute, for heading to town for a haircut, to the library, post office, and to get warm croissants or bagels on weekends. When I bike commute, I ride to work in my business casual clothes, which are now all wash and wear. I roll up my shirt and place it in the top of one of my panniers. I carry my lunch, and often my computer. I have lights mounted, and lots of reflective tape. 

I love to bike. I experience everything around me much differently on the bike than I do in a car. A car propels you from one place to another, with all of the distractions of home. You can listen to music, talk on the phone, and do many things that keep you from noticing what is around you. The bike allows you to hear, see, and smell your environment. It provides you the opportunity to say hello to pedestrians, and other riders. It keeps your mind focused, and provides a nice low impact workout, which is right in the fat burning zone.

With rising fuel costs, and increased interest in fighting obesity, I am seeing more people riding their bikes during commuting hours. I often get asked by colleagues what they need to do to ride to work. I tell them to get out their bike, make sure it is working, and just ride in. People who live farther away can do a bi-modal  commute, where they park the car less than 10 miles from work, and pedal the last distance. No matter what happens at work, they will have a bike ride to remember from the day. 

Here are some resources to help you get started bike commuting:

League of American Bicyclists is an advocacy organization that has a Smart Cycling program, which provides education for road users, as well as certification for cycling instructors. 

Bike to Work is a Web site that was recently launched, and it contains great information related to bike commuting.

People for Bikes is an advocacy group which provides tools and communications around making bicyclists voices heard in our policy makers' offices. 

Bicycle laws vary by state, so I am linking NJ laws. The basic premise is the same from state to state. 

Bike Commuters Blog contains lots of inspiration for us bike commuters.

There are also some links on the right to assist you, and the Twitter feed on the right shows bike commute posts. I'll write more specific posts about bike commuting as time passes, but if you have any specific questions, please ask in the comments below.

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The difference between an event and a lifestyle

Most people who know me, know I served 23 years in the reserves. I served 19 of those years in the National Guard, and my last 4 in the Army Reserve. When I joined the National Guard, physical fitness tests were a joke. I was in a mechanized infantry battalion, serving in the battalion operations section. Most years the physical fitness test was conducted at a desk.

A senior NCO would pull out the Army Physical Fitness Test score card, and have me fill out the personal information. He'd then ask how fast I run, and I'd say "real fast". We'd negotiate the time, and he'd fill in the information for my 2 mile run. We'd then negotiate the push-ups and sit-ups, with the card finally completed and turned in. The only time I broke a sweat was when the air conditioner broke.

View Army Physical Fitness Test and over 3,000,000 other topics on Qwiki.

Then things started to change. The Army standards were slowly enforced, and the physical fitness test cycle followed the Regular Army's twice a year schedule. The Army also instituted regulations where a test could only be administered by someone who had already passed the test. It became real obvious that staying in shape was very important if you wanted to continue to serve. But there was still some of the "good old boy" shirking of the rules happening, but not nearly to the scale as it was in the past.

Then Iraq invaded Kuwait, and there were huge call ups of reserves. At the mobilization sites, units were losing up to half of their numbers due to physical condition and weight issues. Suddenly the idea that compromising fitness standards to keep unit rosters full, left the units unable to perform their war time mission. And overnight, the standards changed. It was a great time to be a junior NCO, because promotions suddenly became available as the unfit were sent out of the service.

Up until this time, most people I served with treated the annual (and then semi-annual) physical fitness test and weigh-in as an event. The lifestyle the lived was sedentary, and fitness was not a thing to think about. They would mark their calendars, and a month before the test, they'd have one dessert after a meal instead of three, and dig their sneakers out of the garage and shuffle around the block a few times. After the first few days, they were generally crippled over, and feeling the pain. Even after several weeks of occasional preparation and dieting, many would still fear failing the test, so they'd get a "profile". This medical form kept them from having to take the test for a specific period of time. These were usually for some undiagnosable ache or pain, and would provide the person with a few more months to pretend they were getting ready for the test. The event caused dread. It was something to train for, and then they could stop exercising again for 5 months.

A small percentage of the soldiers would live a fitness lifestyle. A fitness lifestyle is one where decisions around diet, and time to exercise are worked into the person's life. Approaching fitness as a lifestyle turned the physical fitness test from being a dreaded event, to just another opportunity to exercise. As a person who lived a fitness lifestyle, I could determine how much effort I exerted for the test, and knew that I could put in minimal effort and still pass the test. Sometimes I did this in protest, maybe doing 41 push-ups when the minimum was 40, or I'd jog slowly and cross the line with time to spare. They wouldn't call it "the minimum", if it wasn't good enough. Striving for mediocrity.

On transferring to the Reserves in 2000, I was asked by my new Sergeant Major if I would be able to pass the physical fitness test at the next drill (a month later), so I could help administer the test for the rest of the unit. I chuckled, and said I could pass it right then, in my battle dress uniform, with the combat boots on. He asked if I had been training, and I said that I lived the lifestyle, so the event was just recording the workout for that day. We became instant friends, and much to his disappointment, he was no longer the fastest NCO in our unit.

Much of life is like this. We know what we should be doing to have a great quality of life, yet we postpone doing the necessary stuff until it resembles a wall we must climb. Transitioning from inaction to action can appear to be insurmountable. We dread the pain. Yet we know that once we get over the initial pain, we will find the happiness that is found in the lifestyle. This applies to many aspects of life. Inaction is self perpetuating.

Is being healthy a lifestyle for you, or are you still waiting for that one event to motivate you? Be the lifestyle. This journey called life is not a dress rehearsal.

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Friday afternoon blog round-up

There are two posts today, so don't miss the Decisions that should make themselves, a post about taking back my life from the four-pronged instrument of destruction, and how your life will benefit by making some simple choices.

Originally, I was planning on doing a weekly round up of this blog, highlighting additional information about previous blog posts. I figured it'd be a way to come up with content at least once a week that I didn't have to think too hard about. But so far, I haven't run out of topics. I have about 15 blogs in process at any given time, and finish them when the topic interests me. I then publish the post, and use Hootsuite to set a schedule for pushing out the promotional posts to Facebook and Twitter. Some of the blogs I also push to LinkedIn. I schedule the release to coincide with the times of day that seem to get the most readers.

I started the blog just for fun. I have opinions and wanted to share them. As I began to write, I realized that I could write on a broad range of topics, and focus on solutions. My intentions for 2011 changed the direction I was taking this blog, and so far am satisfied with the feedback and traffic this site generates.

Business topics
LinkedIn has been a surprisingly good source of traffic, especially business related topics such as the post on performance management. If you are interested in republishing this blog as an article or on another blog, please contact me. I won't charge anything, but would like the professional development units this will generate for meI will eventually submit it for a magazine or two, but have too many other items on my plate right now. I am still noodling on how to increase the value of comments for feedback, which in my opinion is the greatest challenge, and weakest link in the performance management process. Look for a future post on this topic. I have been intrigued by a service named Rypple, where a person can get Twitter-like feedback anonymously from colleagues. We are all on the human journey, and if you aren't working to continuously improve, you are just using oxygen.

Life Planning
In regards to the blog titled Luck would have it, Wired Magazine has a great article about how the scratch off lottery tickets aren't as much about luck, as identifiable patterns. Organized crime (not our government, they already take their share of the money) have identified how to beat the patterns, and use this knowledge to launder money.

Health and Fitness
I was surprised to see how quickly the page views increased on When we sweat diet soda, we should drink diet soda. It is now my second most read blog after only a few days online, trailing Economics - the dismal science, my post about my experience with Junior Achievement. If you are inclined to be part of the solution in our educational system, you should consider volunteering to assist this awesome program.

Resources
Water Wars is still drawing readers, many people love a good conspiracy story, especially ones where governments and corporations collude to take away our rights. This post has a shelf-life, and keeps the traffic coming.

Food (actually, food ignorance) is still a topic I want to dig deeper into. The rising food prices across the globe are driven by many factors, and there are some solutions we must implement to ensure each of us can weather any issues that come up.

My tongue-in-cheek post about DADT generated a very large and fast spike of readers, then dropped to obscurity.

If you are interested in a follow up of a blog, or my brain droppings on a specific topic, please feel free to comment and I will do my best to meet your request. 

The balance between pleasure and pain

Balance is so important in life. I'm not referring to unfortunate accidents where people fall from buildings, although this balance is important (as you can see by the CDC data to the right). I am referring to the balance needed to maintain a healthy and satisfying life.

Pain has a place in our life. As a youngster, we learned that sticking our hand on the hot stove top hurts. From that point forward, we didn't stick our hand on a hot stove. Sometimes learning about heat related pain comes later in life, like the time I used a wet pot holder to take a tray of cookies out of the oven. My honey was saying "don't use tha..." which was interrupted by my "AAGGHHH!!" as the steam burn ripped through my fingers. She applied some ice, and explained how steam is created.

Another pain we experience is when our body sends signals to us that something is wrong with it. This can be related to some incident, such as hitting our thumb with a hammer, banging our elbow on the door frame, or stubbing a toe on the dining room table leg. I offer up these examples from experience, no gratitude on your part is required. I will guess that you have examples to add to this list.

Some of this pain is enough to send us to the medicine cabinet, looking for the Ibuprofen, or in some extreme cases, the left over bottle of Codeine from the last time we had a real pain and the doctor prescribed something for it. If this fails, we call the doctor, and make an appointment.

This is a logical and normal way to deal with pain, and we hope this doesn't happen to us. There's another kind of pain that few people are willing to endure. It is the pain of growing, the pain of learning, and the pain of self-improvement. I also offer these from experience, no gratitude on your part is required.

It may be hard to think of pain as something we learn from. A common quote I hear from people who exercise, is "no pain, no gain". I prefer the quote "ignore pain, no brain". For the past 30 years, I have been forced to endure pain as the cost of membership in first the Army National Guard, and then the Army Reserve. For a short period after retiring in 2004, I avoided the pain, and the cost was high.

It is easy to come up with reasons to avoid the pain of exercise. I have a name for the alter ego who often fights me - "the excusinator". His sole purpose in my life is to stay in my mind, and look at the temperature, precipitation, Internet, fireplace, as well as any slight discomforts in my body. He then uses these to tell me a story that will keep me from getting off of the couch, hunt out my Vibram Five Fingers, and put in some miles. He also tries to hide my yoga mat, make my bicycles (fleet) look like medieval torture machines, and reminds me of the food that is at my disposal in our fridge.

Exercise hurts, and can be dangerous. At least that is what our excusinators tell us. Last year while bike commuting, a person pulled up next to me at a red light (I was making a left from the left lane - a novel concept), and he was going straight in the right lane. He said to me "that's dangerous, be careful". I replied "it's not as dangerous as not getting exercise, and the stress of sitting in a car in traffic". He paused for a moment, and then agreed with me.

I see many people who avoid pain by seeking pleasure. Their pleasure is in watching endless hours of television, eating junk food, and staying up late robbing their body of rest while doing this. The things they think bring them pleasure, actually bring them weight problems, family relationship issues, and the pain associated with these problems.

This past week, the American Heart Association asked us all to be aware of heart disease. Yet what is heart disease? It is a symptom of a laundry list of behavior-related health problems. Overeating, a sedentary lifestyle, Crackberry induced stress, and an insane level of distractions all add up to a health crisis. The American Heart Association lists 7 things to do decrease your likelihood of getting heart disease. But I have condensed these into two: be mindful of what goes in your body, and exercise.

After retiring from the Army Reserve in 2004, I stopped exercising, and threw myself into the pleasure side of life. I gained about 30 pounds, my asthma came back with a vengeance, my knees hurt, and I was not happy looking in the mirror. I expressed my concern to my honey one day, and she said "why don't you pretend you are a Soldier for the rest of your life?". So I did that. I resolved to be able to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test any day of the week. I realized it had to be a lifestyle, not a scheduled event.

Exercise hurts. But not nearly as much as the many issues you will face if you don't exercise. My first few exercise attempts were painful, and I had "the excusinator" running in full force. It was a rocky start, and I still occasionally have short periods where I succumb to life's temptations, and don't exercise. But I come back to it, and each time I come back to it I realize more how within 30 seconds of starting to exercise, my brain gives me some nice dopamine, and other natural chemicals that reward us for doing something good for us.

I used to run to see how fast I could get, and was disappointed when I wasn't improving. Then last year I started to just run for fun, and not let my running time matter. In a 5k last year, I tried running with a smile on my face. I set a personal record. Two weeks later I ran with the smile on again, and a funny thing happened. I beat my previous personal record.

I learned something from smiling while I ran. We will never be the best we can be at something until we truly enjoy it. It is in the enjoyment of an activity that we subconsciously apply the energy necessary to excel. So when I run, I never run at a pace that hurts, nor do I ride my bike at a pace that hurts. This doesn't mean that I hold back, it just means that I give my energy to the task at hand, but respect my body in the process. Ignore pain, no brain.

When on the mat doing yoga, I often feel pain. It can be a prolonged downward dog, or some difficult twist that causes the ligaments and tendons to implore the excusinator to petition me for release. But we learn what is a real pain, and what is a pain caused by our inner voice, and we settle into the pose, putting the excusinator on notice that it isn't allowed to control the body. As we teach ourselves this control of the inner voice, we experience the pleasure at the edge of pain. The sweet pleasure our body experiences as we return to a recovery position rewards us for the pain. And each time we practice, we recalibrate the limits of our body as well as our minds. The recalibration of our minds is where our growth comes from.

Life is all about our free will, and the choices we make. Are your choices creating a better life for you, or are they setting you up for the pain that has no reward of pleasure? 

Bike commute for The Declaration of Independence

For most of my life I've identified myself as a conservative. As a conservative, I thought it was my duty to actively fight environmentalists, and ignore any data that supported their theories. Over time I have learned that I have a lot in common with environmentalists, but I am still a cynic when it comes to their data. In fact, I am a cynic of most data.

Over the last several years of seeing the political pageantry of our "two party" system, I moved from a conservative mindset to a libertarian mindset. I believe in very limited government, and the rights of individuals to keep the fruits of their labor, free from government control, and with our individual rights intact.

So I am always surprised when I come across people who see me bike commuting, and immediately believe I am a liberal trying to save the planet. I was also surprised to see a conservative write a guest blog about how to talk to a conservative about bicycling for the "Commute by Bike" blog, written by a conservative bike advocate. He makes some very good points, but I don't like the stereotyping of bike riders, especially not utility riders like me.

There are many types of bike riders, and many reasons to ride. I am a utility rider. When I ride, I am embodying "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" as our founding fathers outlined in The Declaration of Independence. What can be more liberty-minded than riding a bike? I get around on my own power, using common property - the roads, save lots of money and resources, and at the same time pay less tax by not consuming gasoline, decreasing how much of my money goes to OPEC dictatorships.

Riding has had a significant impact on my life. I dropped 25 pounds, 60 cholesterol points, 90 triglyceride points, and high blood pressure. My bike commute is much happier than when I have to take the car, and with all the benefits, my happiness only increases. I'd argue that there are more libertarians riding bikes than most would believe.

During my bike commute, I am sometimes forced to deal with ignorant morons in cars (no, I haven't seen Rush Limbaugh behind me on the road, he lives in Florida, and advocates running cyclists over with an SUV). They get behind me and blast their horns, waving at me to get out of the road. I try to smile and wave, pretending they are my neighbor. This sometimes gets the driver more irate. I hold my lane, and they eventually pass, telling me I am number one by using their middle finger to wave at me.

Cars don't have a "right" to the road. Rights are conferred by our Creator, and can't be trampled on by government or other individuals. Driving is a privilege, not a right, and this is why we must get a license, and our driving privilege can be revoked. Our right to walk or ride a bike can't be taken away, unless we are incarcerated for a crime. I will argue that freedom of mobility is a right. I am free to go about my business or pursuit of happiness without this right being taken away. The car driver has a right to mobility, but their right ends where it impacts my right to safety and security while I am mobile.

So ride your bike to satisfy The Declaration of Independence. The more of us that ride, the safer it is for all of us.

Nice day for a bike commute

One of my goals back in June when we moved, was to bike commute twice as much as I drive. I was doing well in attaining this goal until about a month ago. That's when my honey started a job with the same company I work for. I decided that I'd carpool with her for the first two weeks, and see how it goes from there.

It is hard to rationalize a bike commute when there's already a car leaving your driveway that's going to the same location. So I decided to start mixing some running into my cardio routine, and bike commute when my honey had after work stuff to do. This new approach has worked sort of okay, with my taking the bike about once a week or so.

Today my honey has her department holiday party and dinner, so I decided to ride in. I woke up to a thin white blanket of snow on the ground, and decided to not make a decision until I got closer to my cut-ff time. I had my morning coffee while painting the utility room floor in our basement, and then decided to ride. The last time I rode I left my snivel gear organized and accessible, so suiting up was pretty easy.

There are lots of people who bike commute and blog. They all generate lists of what you should do to keep warm, but I am pragmatic about this. Having lived in Alaska for a couple of years, trained by the Alaska Army National Guard (5/297) to survive in cold weather, the cold doesn't scare me. My honey and I have also cross country skied in very cold weather, and have some great gear for cold weather outdoor activities.

The idea is to find the happy balance between sweating and hypothermia. Either of these can potentially kill you. Anyone who is married knows that "comfortable temperature" is a subjective term. Men lay on top of the blankets sweating, as their wives are under 6 blankets, shivering, and asking if we can see our breath. In my office, some men wear long underwear to keep warm, and others set up fans under the desks to keep cool. So any specific recommendations on how to regulate your temperature between freezing and sweating, is fairly useless to anyone else.

With the above in mind, this is how I regulate my temperature. The key is layers, and strategically placed breathable materials. I always commute in my business casual slacks and shoes and belt that match. I don't want all of the extra logistics required if I have two sets of clothes. I roll up my shirt and t-shirt and carry in my panniers, along with my lunch. Today the temperate was around 20 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind gusts to 20 miles per hour. This combined with 15 - 20 riding top riding speeds, really pushes the wind chill factor. But wind chill only matters for exposed areas.

Starting with my base of slacks and shoes, I wear Boot Gloves (see picture on right) over my shoes. I picked these up for $10 at  a ski swap, and they work great to block the wind and keep the road salt off my shoes. They are made for snow shoeing, and other outdoor activities, and have two Velcro straps and no bottoms on them. Today I wore lightweight long underwear under my slacks, but won't wear them on the ride home. I wear a Terramar long sleeve shirt against my skin. This layer is to get the sweat off of my skin, and disperse it to evaporate. These are very inexpensive at my favorite outdoor store - Campmor. On top of the Terramar, I wear a fleece vest to hold warm air. My final layer on top is my US Army Physical Fitness jacket. It is not breathable, but it does have venting in the armpits and pockets to keep the humid air moving. It is also authorized by the US Army to wear as an individual item.

My hands are protected by Swix Split Mitts. They have three finger tubes, which allow my pointer and middle fingers to snuggle to stay warm, and the pinky and ring finger to do the same. The thumb, being opposable, is left to fend for itself. These work great, but limit the practicality of flipping off bad drivers -which is a bad thing to do anyway. I wear a tight cap under my helmet, and 180 ear warmers on top of that.

The key to making all this work is to make sure that I open and vent before I get warm, and vary my effort as a way to control my internal thermostat. Once I get warm, it is too late, and I end up wet and cold.

I am still seeing bike riders during my commute, and hope that more drivers will take up this transportation mode. Each person who rides a bike has an exponentially positive impact on congestion relief on our roads. Drivers should be thanking us for riding. Here's a great story from NPR: Switching Gears: More Commuters Bike To Work : NPR.

Vibram Five Fingers can mess up a workout plan

On Monday mornings I prepare food for the week for myself and my honey. She does all the main course preparation, and I peel and portion the vegetables for the week. So I missed out on my run. Peeling carrots and cutting them and celery, putting together yogurt containers, boiling eggs.. oh shoot - left them on the stove, thus the hunger pains today - takes time. I skipped my run, but when our departure time approached, I quickly jammed a bunch of running gear in a backpack, and ran to the car.

My honey dropped me at the curb of my building, and at lunch I started to walk to the gym, with intentions of running outside. As I walked, the wind chill was pretty cold, and I decided that saving face - literally - would be the best option. So at the gym I quickly put on my running gear, and headed to a dreadmill. 

I decided a fat burning speed would be best, since it is what I needed today, and it would disguise my foot strike noise. I run in Vibram Five Finger KSOs, and although they are easier on your feet, running on a dreadmill is pretty noisy compared to the sound of an expensive sneaker with lots of unnecessary padding. With limited time, I set my mind to 20 minutes of running, and planned to go back to my locker, pick up my facility key, and go to the exercise room afterward for some quick and painful exercises. I planned on grunting and huffing loudly as I exercised, so others would know I was feeling the effects of my strenuous efforts. Isn't that what we are supposed to do in a gym?

At the 20 minute mark, I was at 2 miles, which is a bit off of my PR of 6:45 per mile, but the little fat I have was suffering miserably. I headed into the locker room, and saw a guy I know from work. He commented "hey, interesting shoes".  This comment got heads to turn, and after about 15 minutes of discussing the benefits I found from running in them, my clock was out of time, and I realized I would be off to the showers after the conversation was done. I think I converted about 5 people from the shoe mafia to a better way to run. 

I was surprised that none of the people I spoke to had heard of the book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougal. The following is my short review of the book:


Humans are born to run. The big shoe mafia has brainwashed us into thinking that the more expensive the shoe, the better for our feet. Wrong. Data shows that the more expensive the shoe, the more injuries we incur.

This book is so engaging, and full of data that is woven around the Tarahumara tribe in the Sierra Madres. At the last page, I didn't know the book had ended.

I read the book back in February, and in April I bought a pair of KSOs. Actually, my honey got the book from the library, and as soon as she finished it, I read it. It took me another 2 months to purchase a pair of VFFs. The first few times I ran in them, my calf muscles ached. But within a few weeks, the pain was gone, and I found running 5 miles to feel natural, without the post run discomfort I'd often experience in my knees and hips.

Over the summer I ran in a 5k. My normal untrained time is around 7:45 a mile, and I was completely taken by surprise to be smiling and having fun as I passed the first mile at 6:30. I thought it was a mistake, so I looked at my watch, which confirmed my time. I finished with a per mile pace of 6:50, a personal record.

Two weeks later I ran another 5k, and this time I just ran for fun. And running with a smile in VFFs rewarded me with a 6:45 per mile finish. Last week I ran a 5 miler, and came in at under 7 minutes per mile.

Like most things in life, we are unable to excel at something until we start having fun. So I am not sure if my renewed speed is from the smile on my face, or the Vibram Five Fingers. All I know is that I am running faster than I have since I was a teenager.