Run DMZ

Between a party last night, an overdue freelance assignment, a new part-time job that starts Monday, today's all-day Web design class and tonight's usher duty at The Old Globe, I didn't have time to work out. Again. That's OK, these crazybusy days help keep me from jumping ahead of the doctor's rehab schedule. So does the dull pain that still periodically pops up in my afflicted achilles tendon. Today marked three months since my last run. Another month or so and I can try to run on a treadmill and work my way up to dirt, asphalt and, finally, concrete. Next to cracking my hip and ankle a few years ago in a marathon, this is the longest I've gone without running in 20 years. And you know what? I'm fine with it. I guess we do mature as we age.

I suppose I had the same reaction the first time I went to a marathon expo, but I spent this afternoon surrounded by triathletes in Mission Bay and just felt a wee bit out of place. The swim stuff was intimidating, the bikes cost more than my kids’ college tuitions and the running representation was minimal. Plus, what’s up with all the guys who shave their heads?! I wasn’t the only one daunted. In one clinic the speaker looked at all the fit folks and said, “I’m a little intimidated that you might make me swim or something.” That talk was about optimal power, led by Dr. Allen Lim , the director of training for Team RadioShack (Lance Armstrong’s latest cycling team). Most people use heart rate or sweat rate to measure intensity. But you can somewhat accurately measure your power by continually ranking your exertion from a scale of 1 to 10 and multiplying that number by time/duration. This way you don’t have to rely on a Garmin to tell you if you're running race pace; you’ll feel it...

Last night I was reading a book about a popular plus-size model, which includes a chapter on eating disorders and fat bias and several times quotes a UC Davis nutritionist. My daughter had mentioned earlier that she was excited about her nutrition class, a favorite on campus. So I asked her the name of the professor. It wasn't the same woman, but it turns out my daughter's learning sports nutrition from none other than Liz Applegate , who should be a familiar name to anyone who's been an avid or even casual reader of Runner's World . She's had a column in the magazine for many, many years. Meantime, I'm learning about what the Mayo Clinic calls "normal weight obesity." It's a term for thin people who are still "fat." Conversely, there are plenty of heavier people who actually are healthier because they don't carry as much fat. It also includes both scientific and anectodal evidence that just because you lose weight doesn't mean y...

After a week of wet misery, everyone was out today for some fresh air and Vitamin D. I spent Sunday morning strolling along Shelter Island (photo above) and one of my favorite neighborhoods in Point Loma just beyond there. It has a secret beach that only the locals seem to know about; it also has some of the most unique homes and gardens. I walk through Roseville whenever I babysit a little tyke who lives nearby. He always saves the rare screech of displeasure for Shelter Island. I think he knows this place is special to me, which makes it special to him too. A lot of people run through Roseville but don't really notice it because it's one of the first areas beyond the Rosecrans National Cemetery that they (literally) descend upon in the America's Finest City Half Marathon . Most people by then are wondering if they missed the first water station, given it's August and it's usually hot. Alas, you have to run 4 miles (almost a third of the way into the course) before...

When I used to interview hackers for a living, I would go home and do the equivalent of showering after talking to a mass murderer or rapist: I'd immediately change all my passwords. An article in the New York Times about poor password protection should alarm anyone who values their privacy or money -- especially if you use Facebook and MySpace since a company apparently unknowingly gave up the goods on 32 million users. The data were analyzed by good guys to find out what passwords people used. Sadly, they are the same ones used 15 years ago. Simple Passwords Remain Popular, Despite Risk of Hacking In the article, one of the industry's best-known hackers explains why we keep using poor passwords: information overload. He recommends that you maintain at least two passwords in your head. One can be semi-easy for stuff you don't necessary care to protect; the other should be difficult and used for anything involving online banking or e-commerce. The standard is to create an a...