Run DMZ

I read a lot of studies in my line of work, and every once in awhile something's published that makes me stand up and take notice. This week it's a piece in Scientific American that looked at more than 150 other studies to conclude that "jogging" and cycling while angry or stressed actually makes you feel worse, not better. The researchers cite the physiological responses that show elevated, rather than reduced, aggression in people after rigorous or repetitive exercise.  "Some activities people use to manage their anger amp up arousal and increase anger and aggression levels. Jogging, a popular stress-relief activity, actually increased anger in the studies we looked at. The repetitive nature of jogging may induce feelings of monotony and frustration, potentially exacerbating anger rather than alleviating it," researchers wrote. Reading further, the meta-analysis essentially contradicts what we've long been told: Take out your anger through physical ac...

  I don’t remember the last time I tried to sit cross legged on the floor in what we the un-woke once called Indian style. It’s painful because I have very tight hip flexors. I even hate doing yoga on account of how we all start with legs tucked under. My quads don’t cooperate and my feet cramp – even with two blocks under my butt.   I shuffle when I run due to too-taut hamstrings, and wobble during walks thanks to arthritic hips. This is what happens when long-time runners give short shrift to stretching. I’m not light. I’m not lithe. And I’m certainly not limber.   With that as the setup, allow me to introduce my word for 2022: Stretch. I need the daily reminder as I near a milestone birthday and, well, feel my true age. That makes this year’s word as practical as it is multi-purpose and metaphorical.   Kids, jobs, school, pups, grandkids and a geriatric pit bull with bladder issues have all robbed me of the requisite warmup-exercise-cooldown ritual. I’ve long stri...

A report in today's Time online talks of a study showing yoga can improve mental illnesses, particularly those with mild depression and sleep problems, where another piece in the New York Times shows a link between poor sleep and poor memory. There are a lot of different forms of yoga, and part of its current popularity comes from yoga being marketed now as a fitness regime rather than a different way of life. That distinction helped yoga replace P.E. classes in a local school district's elementary school. It's a controversial decision because some parents saw yoga as a type of spirituality in conflict with their own children's religious values, rather than just another way to stretch, tone and burn calories. But the school board wants to see if it gets more children to be active, and if it really does work on such psychiatric disorders as ADHD, then maybe it's worth it. But those who've stuck with a yoga practice know that if done correctly, there's a...

Maybe you've already read this , or maybe you haven't, but the yoga industry is in an uproar because of a New York Times Magazine article - an excerpt of a forthcoming book - that warns yoga can be bad for you under certain conditions (be sure to read the part about Bikram). Actually, it warns that some people are actually hurt more than helped by the practice and explains in detail why. A lot of runners and triathletes incorporate yoga into their training as a way to stay flexible and reverse some of the muscle and tendon tightening that running and cycling promote (especially if you are bad about post-run stretching). Pilates, which incorporates a lot of yoga into a mat session, is a different animal. Pilates' focus is on strengthening your core; yoga's more about strengthening your soul. Most Pilates sessions start with instructions; yoga begins with intentions. You incorporate medicine balls, BOSU balls, these funky wheels and other equipment into Pilates to make i...

Normally when we meet every 18 months or so, my girlfriends and I find a road or trail race to anchor the trip. Afterall, when we first met about 18 years ago in North Carolina, our dedication to fitness is what brought us together. But with one of us heading into knee surgery as soon as we returned and another having just healed from injury (and not me for a change!), a 10k or even a 5k wasn’t an option this round. But hiking was, and we universally agreed while sitting poolside the morning after our sip ‘n’ cycle tour to head over to Skofield Park outside Santa Barbara city limits and climb Rattlesnake Canyon. It's near the Los Padres National Forest and well worth the trip, especially if you luck out and head up while the marine layer still hangs low. Heading out. We'd cross this same stream at several points upland. My guess is the stream picks up intensity in the winter and spring months. The first portion of the 3.5 mile round trip is mostly dirt with a canopy of alder...

I will be volunteering at a master's track meet next Saturday, but I hope some of you moms and daughters will instead be at Ocean Air Community Park in Carmel Valley for a fitness fair hosted by GoTRIbal. Caleb K., who I know from DailyMile.com and who is a pretty phenomenal triathlete, wrote a nice piece on the event in the San Diego Examiner. GoTRIbal is a network of women who promote - primarily through example - triathlons and running. Its Chief Ambassador is Kona Queen Chrissie Wellington . San Diego is home to the largest "tribe" in the nation, which is no surprise given every other person here seems to be training for a triathlon right now. Here's some more information on GoTRIbal in the Park on Saturday . It runs 8 a.m. to noon and includes: An hour-long yoga session "Get Your Booty Strong" Bootcamp 2k fun run/walk Mother-daughter activities A cycle-run for the wee little ones Food Raffle giveaways You can also learn more about GoTRIbal on its Web s...

On Thursday, I did a 5k DailyMile.com challenge as my second speed workout for the week. Granted, there were no crowds on my course, but there also was no support. I ended up averaging 8:54 minutes per mile, which is a substantial improvement since I returned to running about three months ago. Of course, with a newfound focus on speed and an unusually hectic work schedule, there's little time for an important element in any runner's regime: stretching. I was reminded of this during today's yoga class. It's a small enough group now that we sit in a circle, workshop style. The entire session was devoted to stretching the hamstrings, IT band and inner thighs and improving balance. No one would dispute I was the worse in the class. Nothing stayed straight and, in balance exercises, nothing stayed still - except my grimace when the teacher wasn't looking. So, in honor of my morning, I share with you The 10 Best Yoga Poses for Runners, courtesy of iYogaLife.com: iYogaLife...

Our yoga instructor always begins by reminding us to mentally announce our intention for the class. It could be to use the hour to work on a physical issue, like flexibility or balance, or work through an emotional one, such as a strained relationship. What’s important is that the hour and the poses are purposeful. If you wish to be competitive, your training should have a similar mental strategy. Before you step onto the track or the trail or the sidewalk or street, you should know exactly what you want your body to do and then work with it to get there by the end of the session. For instance, if you want to run faster, then you must train faster. You must set aside one or two days, with at least one rest/recovery day in between, and focus exclusively on running as quickly and efficiently as possible. This means you mentally must be in the moment, concentrating on your posture, your breathing, your leg turnover and your arms to perfect that economy of movement. Do not instead try to d...

They poop. A lot. Their waste all-too-quickly turns aquarium water to an unsoothing color and clogs the filter, which means when you clean their tank, you also must pull apart every single piece of that filtration system to scrub as well. It takes a lot of work and a lot of time, and as cute and otherwise low-maintenace as they may be, you sometimes can't help but call their original owner in Davis to remind her that you did not sign up for this. There may also be extra agitation if the call is made on your way to Petco to replace the aquarium you cracked when you fell carrying it on a slick floor, possibly pulling a hamstring muscle in the process. It's hard to tell if the pain is from the fall or from yesterday's yoga flow class that focused on the hamstrings and hip flexors. And here you are, on a rare Sunday that isn't spent in an all-day Web design class and that is expected to be sunny and 75 degrees at its peak, debating between staying warm and eating homemade ...

I love Saturday mornings again. I had all of my errands - including washing my car - done before 8:30 a.m., when I arrived at a former gym to warm up on the rowing machine before starting a beginner's yoga class. I know I'd mentioned taking yoga classes before, but this was the first time in more than (gulp!) three years that I actually did it. I was thrilled when I found out the instructor was the same one I enjoyed when I took Yoga for Runners . This class, which had several true newbies, was perfectly paced. We focused first on breathing techniques ("breath of fire" being my favorite) and then launched into your standard beginner's poses, such as mountain , child's pose , downward dog , and triangle . Best of all, I didn't need a single correction from the instructor. I did, however, need a block for assistance on occasion. But as one of the oldest in the class, and also one of the injured, I felt it wise to 'fess up early that I'm in over my h...