Don’t ever take your health for granted—do something positive about exercise and nutrition every day One year ago, as I am writing this, I just finished a workout with positive thoughts that I would run until I’m 100.  But as I walked around the living room to recover I became so dizzy that I had to hold on to a chair for several minutes.  I had survived total blockage of the right artery supplying the heart and a resulting heart attack.  But my breathing wasn’t normal and Barb called my cardiologist who ordered more tests.  While waiting for results, my heart failed and my ..read more

I was not a runner prior to 2015,  in 2013 I was hospitalized and was in and out of hospitals for 3 months.  During this time, I’d had a stroke, suffered from renal failure, sepsis and numerous other conditions as a direct result of Ecoli that had developed on and in my kidneys.  When I woke up from the initial coma, my first thought was, “If I had died, I would have never known the difference” and I couldn’t remember anything that had happened.  It wasn’t until I ended up at UCLA the problem was diagnosed and I could begin the long road to recovery.  I had to lea ..read more

After a very slow and challenging recovery from my heart attack and heart failure during April-June, 2021, I was given permission to start running.  I could only run for 3 seconds/walk for 45-60 seconds at first.  With numerous ups and downs I kept running every other day, with gradual increases—doing cross training on the alternate days (see end of this section).  Most of my runs now are about 60 minutes—using a run walk run strategy of run 10 seconds/walk 10 seconds.   Long workouts are done on weekends, about every 14 days. In November my long workouts, every 14 day ..read more

A ruthless dictator watched carefully as a nearby country transitioned from a more authoritarian government to  become a democracy.  Much to the dismay of the tyrant, the new freedoms took hold and triggered unrest and uprisings in the tyrant’s very large dictatorship.  He warned the leaders of the smaller democratic republic to surrender all powers and resources to him.  They refused so he organized a massive military operation and invaded. This is not todays news from Ukraine but the history of how Athens, Greece established the first democracy in 490bce.  Persian K ..read more

Thirty minutes earlier I had received the key to my room in Olympic Village but after a quick glance and change to workout clothes at my dorm room I was on the athlete’s track—just outside Munich Stadium.  As I jogged around the oval and then accelerated down the straightaways with my friend Steve Prefontaine, I tried to wrap my mind around the series of experiences during the past few weeks—which would change my life:  1st international competition, 1st trip to Europe, FIRST OLYMPICS!  It was my “dream come true” and was sinking in now. Ranked 12th in the US goin ..read more

Let’s be honest–winter safety concerns increase when we are forced to exercise in the dark—and many just give up. I’m happy to report that technology has dramatically reduced the risks so we can get our endorphins all winter. Get geared up now and safely maintain the fitness you worked so hard to achieve this summer…   If you like to listen to audio while you exercise – you’ll love AfterShokz! AfterShokz wireless headphones have an open-ear design so that you can enjoy your favorite audio and stay aware of possible hazards like traffic, wildlife, and pedestrians. Additionally, AfterShokz ..read more

With the new year here, many people have updated their fitness and running goals. One of the challenges that many people see when attempting to continue their goals throughout the year is staying motivated. In fact, 80% of people never meet their resolutions. But, why not try something new this year and use the power of a group to stay motivated and reach those running goals! Benefits of Running with a Group: As a team, you can share the challenges, the laughs, the struggles and the exhilaration. No one needs to go through a tough day without being bolstered by the others. As you give su ..read more

FOR WALKERS – “SHUFFLING” TO CONTROL FATIGUE, SORENESS, ACHES Whether you are a walker or use the run/walk method, shuffling can help aid recovery and battle next day soreness. Shuffling is barely moving your feet and legs to let the walking muscles recover. With your feet to the ground, use a short stride with minimal movement. You’re still moving forward, but not having to spend much energy doing so. When you insert 30-60 seconds of shuffling into a regular walk, every 1-5 minutes, your walking muscles relax and rest. This lowers the chance of aches and pains due to the constant use of the ..read more

Running in the heat is something to be taken seriously! There is a lot to keep in mind while you continue to run during the summer months. You cannot run as fast when the temperature rises above 60F/14C. If you slow down 30 seconds a mile for every 5F increase above 60F, you can be the one who is finishing strong and passing other runners at the end. For every second you run too fast during the first half of a race on a hot day, expect to run approximately 10 seconds slower at the end. Whether you are running on race day or simply heading out for a routine run, here are some thing to remember ..read more

So many people want to know how to get faster. It is one of the most frequently asked questions that I get. And, I am going to share the #1 drill to get faster – my cadence drill. This should be done on a non-long run day. It is fine however, to do it as a part of your warm-up before a race or a speed workout. Many runners have also told me that this is a nice way to break up an average run that becomes boring. It is an easy drill that improves the efficiency of running, making running easier. This drill excels in how it helps to pull all of the elements of good running from together at the sa ..read more