Reasons Not To Exercise

Reasons not to exercise?

I'm not usually talking against working out. And I'm not going to start. However, this piece from the EverymanTRI.com makes some arguments against fitness . . . in a playful way.

Check it out . . . some great information about the benefits of adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Variety In Your Workouts

Vincent Morris has an interesting way to determine what exercise he will do each day.

Inspired by his days of playing Dungeons and Dragons, he rolls a 20-sided die with 20different exercises labeled on it to determine what form of workout he will do each day.

According to recent article by Jen Murphy in the Wall Street Journal, Morris says it forces him to have variety in his routine and makes the die "the bad guy."

He leads a life of fairly sedentary work in his role as communications director for the Senate Commerce Committee.

Using this form of fitness activity selection forces him to have variety in his routine and do things he enjoys.

Purchasing A Bike

As we get closer to fall, you might be looking for some deals on a new bike.

It's a good time to look for a new bike as retailers are trying to get rid of old inventory to make room for the new.

Many dealers ar doing just that -- offering deals. So take advantage of that by taking a look at what's out there on the shelf.

Take a look at these tips from the Triathlon Training Notes blog for some pointers on how you can take advantage of a deal when you make your next bike purchase.

Just What You Wanted - Hill Repeat Workouts

Hills make you stronger.

I don't run hills as often and enthusiastically as I used to, but I still do them. They make you run stronger on a flat surface and help your core muscles.

Here are three hill-repeat workouts you can incorporate into your training from triathlete.com. Check them out - they are not for the faint-hearted.

If You Skip The Gym

We all lead busy lives, so missing a day's work at the gym I suspect is not an uncommon occurrence.

A post on the That's Fit blog offers some ideas for a quick workout you can do without the tools you generally seek at the gym.

Try these exercises, particularly if you're looking for some lower body and core fitness.

Building Mental Toughness

Successful participation in an endurance event requires as much mental training as physical training.

Ask anyone who's competed in marathons and they will confirm this advice. Additionally, today's winning athletes are beginning to understand that overcoming obstacles they face is simply a matter of adjusting their attitudes.

Creating a "mental strategy" with your training plan is important - do you have a mantra, like-minded training partners and other mental aids to help you in this process? Check out this post from the Frayed Laces blog and learn more about strategies you can use to help you develop your mental toughness.

A recent article in Newsweek also poses the benefits of honing your mental game in fitness endeavors.

Can't Decide On A Race

It's less than five weeks until the Des Moines Marathon.

I guess I'd better get my act together and decide if I'm going to run this race. Don't kid yourself . . . I'm not going to do the marathon, but the half-marathon is a definite possibility. I have certainly put enough miles in.

Have you ever faced the dilemma as to whether or not you think you should participate in an event or not? Quite honestly, there isn't any reason for me to turn down this race. I'm feeling good following my main goal of the year -- completion of the Hy-Vee Triathlon.

My feeling is if you can't find a good reason not to do an event, then why not?

Post your comments. I'm interested to know the decision making process people use to determine whether or not to do an event.

Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage

Have you had trouble with nagging sore muscles and joints?

If you are an endurance athlete and you haven't ever had trouble with this issue - that's great. The truth is that most of us like to "push our limits" and injuries often result from these types of symptoms.

Believe it or not, I have had trouble with flareups of tendinitis in my left knee over the past 10 years. It started after I ran the Chicago Marathon in 2001. The problem recurs every so often when I overindulge in training activities.

It's not fun and I imagine others suffer from similar issues. I've recently experimented with deep tissue massage treatments as a way to address this problem and have found it very helpful.

You might look into deep tissue massage as a way to treat this type of pain. Here's a post from Michelle Bery on e-zinearticles.com that will give you a little more detail about what's involved with deep tissue massage treatments.

Raising Healthy Kids

If you're like me, making sure your kids are healthy is a constant challenge.

In our house, we're constantly trying to make sure our children are engaging in appropriate training activities and eating habits. We run the range in our house of sometimes not eating enough to eating too much. We're not often challenged for a lack of activity - and that's critical. My first bit of advice to anyone trying to support children's health would be, "Keep them active!"

We have been lucky in that our children have always been active. And that really is important to keeping your children healthy.

Check out these other tips from the Dietblog. There are some great suggestions here for keeping those children on the proper health track.

When It's Coolest To Run

I hear people contemplate when it's the coolest time of day to run fairly often.

This post from Christine Luff at www.about.com spells things out pretty well. Morning is the best because the pavement and sidewalks aren't radiating the heat of the day. While darkness can make people feel less than comfortable, running just after sunrise is still a cool time of day to run.

Personally, I find the early morning hours the best time to run. There's less traffic, it's quiet and cool. Plus, you have the benefit of feeling a sense of accomplishment getting your morning run behind you early in the day.

Check out this post to learn more about the pros and cons of running at various times of the day.

Is "Pre-Cooling" Effective?

Is "pre-cooling" your body prior to a hot endurance event worthwhile?

The answer probably varies, but take a look at this article from www.active.com about Olympic athletes who used "ice vests" to cool their core body temperatures prior to competing.

Take a look and see if this could be effective for you.