OK, with the Half Marathon officially less than two months away, the time has come to step it up.

This week I increased my two weekday runs to closer to 50 minutes, and this Saturday morning I shall attempt my longest run yet: 1.5 hours minimum. Eeek!

Over the years I have realised that, with running long distances, I reach a point where it’s only mental. Physically I’m tired, but I can go on - it’s my head that encourages me to give up more often than not. On Saturday (tomorrow - eek again!) I will need to think of some ways to motivate myself throughout the entire run to make sure I stay focused.

The other thing I’m slightly concerned about is that I’m going to New Zealand for two weeks snowboarding on Monday, which means I won’t be running for 2 weeks. This could be a good thing as it will give my body a bit of a break, but no doubt the running will be affected when I get back - and no doubt I’ll be thrashed about a bit on the slopes and may come back battered and bruised.

The good news is I finally bought new shoes! $170 later, I found myself with a pair of Asics Gels which, apparently, are the ONLY shoe recommended by Sports Medicine Australia. They are really comfortable and I already notice the difference. I can safely say that investing in a decent pair of shoes is a necessity.

So, tonight will be early to bed, minimum if not no alcohol and an early dinner. I will report back with the results - wish me luck!

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Takecaredownthere.org won the 2009 award for best health website in the Webbys. The Webbys are awards for top websites in terms of aesthetics, usability, design, functionality and more. To quote the award-givers themselves:

With nearly 70 categories, Website entries make up the majority of Webby Awards Winners, Nominees and Honorees. Some are beautiful to look at and interact with. Others are a testament to usability and functionality. And a handful excel across the board. To be selected among the best is an incredible achievement worthy of praise — and perhaps a little bragging.

Take Care Down There is a fantastic site with simple, fun, educational videos aimed at teens and young adults. It has a fresh design with bright colours but there’s not a lot going on so it’s easy on the eye too.

These tools are great for helping young people to learn about awkward issues like STDs and it’s refreshing to see that a website doesn’t have to be complex to be effective.

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Social media today alerted me to a great blog post on website boing boing critiquing a pharmaceuical ad.

The ad features actress Brooke Shields and advertises Latisse, an FDA (The US Food & Drug Administration) approved treatment to help the  disturbing condition in which - wait for it - sufferers must deal with having ‘not enough eyelashes’.

Hmm, perhaps we are we taking things a little too far when thin eyelashes are promoted as a medical condition that we’re encouraged to treat.

The boundaries between the cosmetic and health/medical industries are already fuzzy and this ad is another example of the ways in which these boundaries could be pushed and shaped in the years to come, as marketing and advertising tactics change.

The blog post counts 5 ways the ad seeks to misinform and manipulate the unwitting consumer and is well worth a read. Here’s a sample:

I’m so inured to pharmaceutical advertising, it took my husband to point this one out to me: this Latisse spot may appear to be just another by-the-numbers pharma spot, but in fact it’s the greatest bad pharma spot ever. Let’s count the ways:

1) ”The first and only approved FDA treatment for inadequate and not enough lashes,” “also known as hypotrichosis.”
Hypotrichosis has all the makings of a fake illness: enough of a medical basis to sound real (it’s a condition of “no hair growth”) and yet vague enough to invite creative interpretation. In December, the same month the FDA approved Latisse, someone at Allergan–the company that makes the drug–repeatedly tried to alter the Wikipedia entryof hypotrichosis to include eyelash hypotrichosis. Fortunately, Wikipedia moderators caught the changes and removed them (here and here).

You can view the blog post and the advertisement here.

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The outgoing president of Diabetes Australia recently said that Australians need to be coerced into living healthier lives through incentive programs and greater access to medical care.

He said Australia is fighting a ‘losing battle’ against diabetes and that healthy Australians and their workplaces should be rewarded with tax incentives.

Are we really that weak and lacking in willpower that we need rewards for living healthily and - I was about to write ‘normally’ but I suppose healthy living isn’t the norm anymore, is it?

It’s apparent that we are.

In a perfect world, education and media campaigns would show the detrimental effects of overeating, smoking and excessive drinking. People would then understand the harm they are doing to their bodies, and, would hopefully stop doing it. This works to an extent, but clearly not enough.

The government has dabbled with the idea of raising taxes for junk food and cigarettes.  Offputting, yes, but people have spoken out blatantly saying that they would still be happy to pay $20 for a packet of cigarettes, so again, the efficacy of this would perhaps be limited.

The bottom line, though, is that the burden of preventable disease on hospitals and the economy is simply out of control.

And so, the inevitable argument has arrived: tax breaks for healthy living.

The fact that incentives are being considered as the next step in managing preventable disease highlights a disappointing aspect of human nature; that is, that we privileged humans want to be rewarded for ‘doing the right thing’.

A recent article in The Age suggested government-funded running to help curb obesity and depression. Again proving the point that this may work because it’s free and therefore is more appealing and achievable. 

I shudder to think what those less fortunate around the world who don’t even have enough food to eat would think of this concept and indeed us as a nation.

‘Son, did you know that in Australia, people get money from their government to eat fruits and exercise?’ the father told his son as he picked fruit from a nearby bush.

‘Wow,’ the son said, glancing back at the 6km track leading to their village. ‘They must be really sad. Those poor people.’

When it comes to maintaining good health, the rewards are simple: feeling and looking great, both on the inside and out, and living a rich, fulfilled life as a result. There is no substitute for that, monetary or otherwise.

I think we need to take a good long hard look at ourselves and consider the chance we have. We need to stop thinking that it is too hard to live a healthy life, and too easy to get the right care if something goes wrong - because it may not be. 

Here’s a thought: incentives for healthy living? Well, what about punishments for unhealthy living? I suppose the punishment will become evident if we ever reach the point whereby treatments need to be prioritised in terms of care because our system simply can’t cope - preventable diseases may be fairly low down on the list.

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I’ve been thinking, one of the hardest things about running regularly or training is the interruptions to regular routines. By this I don’t mean interruptions in a negative sense at all - quite the contrary actually. 

For example, last weekend I had a friend staying. While I probably could have continued to run with her here (and she wouldn’t have minded, I’m sure) I felt rude doing so. Which meant I skipped my longer run. And so various feelings of guilt have arrived.

I could have just gone for my longer run one night this week, but for some reason my routine is entrenched now, and I don’t feel like I can or want to break it. So, I am trying to go for slightly longer shorter runs this week to make up for it.

Riveting stuff, this post, but I think as runners we are constantly dealing with interruptions and the best way to get back on track (pun intended) so that our routines don’t suffer too much as a result.

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - oranges are one of the most nutritious fruits we have!

We already know that oranges are successful maintaining healthy-looking skin and helping to protect against illness because of their rich vitamin C content. Results of a recent study now point to the benefits of oranges in maintaining heart health.

An antioxidant in oranges, hesperidin, is said to improve blood vessel function, therefore helping to lower the risk of heart disease.

An article from Web MD about the study explains:

Hesperidin is a plant-based compound called a flavonoid. (Grapes, red wine, green and black teas, and chocolate also contain flavonoids.) A growing body of evidence suggests that flavonoids can improve the health of the delicate cells that line blood vessels. The way these cells work is referred to as “endothelial function.” Problems with these cells can lead to the development of clogged arteries, a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.

Drinking 500 milliliters of orange juice each day for one month was enough to prove lower blood pressure and improve gene expression profiles related to cardiovascular disease.

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In the world of health and medicine, we learn about new health benefits and trends through studies, trials and research. Here’s some of what’s been making news in study stuff this month:

Tinted lenses help headaches and learning problems: Researchers say tinted lenses could help as may as 50 percent of people suffering from reading and learning difficulties and migraines.

Partners help cognitive decline: People living with a partner at around 50 years old were less likely than single, separated, or widowed people to show cognitive impairment later in life at ages 65-79.

Attractiveness key to sperm quality: A study found males can alter the efficacy and speed of their sperm based on how attractive they find their partner.

It’s adults who are the cause for concern: Australians are getting bigger, but new evidence reveals that adults, not children, are causing greater concern.

Internet-based therapy helps insomniacs: Nine weeks of internet-based sleep therapy showed promising results for insomniacs.

Genes linked to moles raise risk of developing melanoma: A recent study pointed to specific genes that double the risk for developing melanoma.

Regular sex boosts quality: Daily sex improves the sperm quality and is recommended for couples who are trying to get pregnant.

For more study stuff, visit Real Natural’s Study Stuff

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Alcohol here in Salvador can be bought just about anywhere: in the supermarket; on the street; at the beach; in bars (in bottles by the litre if you so desire); in restaurants etc.  I like to think of myself as spontaneous and willing to try (just about) anything, and when the opportunity presents itself for me to experiment with a new kind of drink, I will usually not shy away from the challenge. On various occasions I have had to bear the consequences of this eagerness to be open minded. 

Here are a few popular drinks which can easily be found here in Salvador…click here to read the rest of this entry

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Running musings.

When is a runner a Runner? How fit and apt and able do we need to be to bestow the almighty title upon ourselves?

I call myself a Runner because I run a few times a week regularly. I call myself a Snowboarder because I go snowboarding most winters. But I don’t call myself a surfer because I only try to surf a few times each summer and can barely stand up when I do. I swim in the pool and at the beach during summer but I wouldn’t call myself a Swimmer. 

When I have been a member of gyms in the past I would call myself a Gym-goer. (OK, I probably would say ‘I go to the Gym’ rather than use the term ‘Gym-goer’ but there would be a capital G for Gym in my mind when I’m saying it, so as to emphasise that I’m serious rather than amateur. You get the gist.)

Since there are no professional standards to measure ourselves by, are we even able to call ourselves Runners? Or does one need to be a professional athlete to have that title? 

I ran in the Body & Soul Bridge Run in Sydney a couple of times over the past few years and noted the mention of ’serious’ runners in various marketing and training materials. What counts as ’serious’? Sometimes when I run I am far from serious - in fact, I am thinking about what to cook for dinner, why the person in front of me is wearing shorts that are too tight/loose, worrying about my own shorts that are too tight/loose, running fast away from people who are trying to overtake me and then slowing down so that they are trying to overtake me again, then running fast away again for my own stupid amusement. Clearly I am not serious all the time.

I distinctly remember being overtaken in the Body & Soul Bridge Run last year by a guy powering ahead wearing a fake wig and tutu. 

I run a few times a week, so if someone who ran once a fortnight - or less, even - called themselves a Runner, I would probably scoff on the inside. Is that fair?

The other thing is, speed, frequency and duration. If someone runs twice a week but runs faster than me, who runs three times a week, are they more of a Runner, or am I? If someone runs four times a week but runs less duration than me, who is the better Runner? 

I suppose, at the end of the day, and thinking about the Blackmores Half Marathon, what really matters is who crosses that finish line first. Maybe after that I’ll get some answers to my questions. 

If you’re interested in running, visit my Half Marathon Training Diary.

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The beginning.

Yes, that’s right. I am going to be running the Blackmores Half Marathon on September 20, and I thought it would be fun to keep a diary of my training exploits - the pain, the injury and the frustration. Oh, and the enjoyment and fun of course - I’m hoping that there will be some of that somewhere along the way!

I decided I would start the diary when I  ’officially’ start training, but I keep putting that actual date off. Since I only have 2 months until the Big Day, I suppose I should really start getting serious NOW. So, step 1 of training: start a diary. Nothing to do with running itself, but they say (whoever ‘they’ are) that running a marathon/half marathon is all about mental preparation. 

Background
I’m a runner at the moment, so I won’t exactly be starting from scratch. Running is the only form of exercise I do, actually. And I love it. OK, well, I really enjoy it. Some mornings I don’t mind it, and when it’s cold and raining outside and 6am and my bed is nice and warm I loathe it. But usually I love it.

I run approximately 3 times a week. Twice I run for 35-45 mins, which is 5-6km, and the other time I try and do one long run of about 11km. I’m hoping to build up to run at least 18km before the Half so I can pretty much know what to expect. That’s the plan, anyway.

I’m also going to be doing the Pub 2 Pub run in August which is about 13-14km. The plan is to begin in Dee Why, which is where I live, run to Newport, finish at the Arms with a cold beer and then pass out on the L90 bus back home to Dee Why.

My fiance also plans to run the Half, but he doesn’t run at all at the moment. He does go surfing most days so he’s pretty fit. I took him on a run with me yesterday and he did really well, so who knows - he may even (and probably will) run a better time than me, who is supposed to be an actual ‘runner’. Pressure is on…

Targets
The winner last year ran the half marathon in 1 hour 6 minutes. Erm…insane!

I’m hoping to keep my first attempt under 2 hours 15 minutes. I have no idea if that’s achievable but all I know is that the cut-off time is 2 hours 45 minutes so I’d better finish it before then or else hang my head in shame.

Fundraising
I am thinking about a suitable needy charity to donate my entry fee to. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Blackmores Half Marathon - Links

Previous year’s results and photos

Street by street directions

Cut off and redirection points

Half Marathon Tools

Map My Run

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