Well, no event planned, a busy riding partner, and rain, so I did not ride this morning. Instead, I was trying to work on some other pending matters. I did quickly check my favorite online news aggregators/link lists and one led me to this NY Times blog entry discussing a study in Finland comparing the health and bodies/minds of identical twins who had grown up in the same household, but whose exercise patterns had diverged significantly in adulthood.
Not surprisingly, the twin who exercised regularly had much better overall health indicators (and more grey matter in the brain even).
Conclusion: Among healthy adult male twins in their mid-30s, a greater level of physical activity is associated with improved glucose homeostasis and modulation of striatum and prefrontal cortex gray matter volume, independent of genetic background. The findings may contribute to later reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and mobility limitation.
Okay, I will at least get off the sofa and onto the Powercranks, or go for a short ride, later today. And, yes, my turn to walk the dog this afternoon.
And yes, I should turn off my Smartphone. This other research result from the journal Computers in Human Behavior:
"Our research provides support for an association between heavy smartphone use and lowered intelligence," said Pennycook. "Whether smartphones actually decrease intelligence is still an open question that requires future research."
As if we did not already know it -- exercise makes us healthier; smartphones make us dumber.
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
23 December 2012
Off Season Rest
With short, cold days, some wet weather, plenty of (domestic Japanese) business travel and work, I have not gotten in many long rides since Jerome and I did an intense Brevet in early October. This has been my "off season", from late October until early January ... with riding to start the new year depending on schedule and weather.
I have at least been working on my bikes and reading a Google-hosted U.S. randonneur discussion board, which has focused over the last few days on a Mayo Clinic study announced in June and published in "Heart" magazine that suggests too much intense exercise over too many months and years, can damage the heart and lead to increased incidence of early death.
A Thanksgiving week Wall Street Journal article sensationalized this, with a headline suggesting runners had "one foot in the grave". (The article is available here ... behind the WSJ paywall.)
One key is to be sure not to exercise at too high an intensity for too long a period. Brevets require very extended effort, but the intensity level is quite low -- and the key to riding a longer Brevet is to know how to continue to make the greatest forward progress with the least effort. Managing intensity levels is very important for proper training. Short bursts of intensity -- intervals, hill climbs -- are crucial. And books such as Younger Next Year (co-written by the doctor younger brother of a former colleague of mine) suggest a big mistake older people make is to avoid intensity altogether. But training at too intense a level for too long a period will certainly grind down an athlete and it seems reasonable that it could damage the heart muscle.
Another key is to be sure to allow adequate recovery time after any kind of extreme event. As much as a month is required for full recovery after a marathon, a longer triathlon, or a weeklong cycling event such as Transalp. A Boulder Colorado newspaper article provides nice balanced report.
So does riding a longer Brevet or randonee damage the heart? I do not know. It probably depends on how one rides the event. If the Brevet can be completed at moderate intensity, without extreme sleep deprivation, and with adequate recovery, then I doubt it is harmful. And riding these or other multi-day events is an acquired skill. The first time I did Tokyo-Itoigawa, I could barely get out up off the floor the next morning. Now it seems like just a regular hard single day. After trying PBP in 2011, I felt as if I had put myself through a brutal punishment. But after subsequent long events, I get through without nearly the degree of suffering, and I recover much more quickly.
If exercise involves extreme intensity and punishment ... and is followed too soon by other similar events, rinse and repeat, then yes, it may not be good for one's health. Is that really a surprise?
I have at least been working on my bikes and reading a Google-hosted U.S. randonneur discussion board, which has focused over the last few days on a Mayo Clinic study announced in June and published in "Heart" magazine that suggests too much intense exercise over too many months and years, can damage the heart and lead to increased incidence of early death.
A Thanksgiving week Wall Street Journal article sensationalized this, with a headline suggesting runners had "one foot in the grave". (The article is available here ... behind the WSJ paywall.)
One key is to be sure not to exercise at too high an intensity for too long a period. Brevets require very extended effort, but the intensity level is quite low -- and the key to riding a longer Brevet is to know how to continue to make the greatest forward progress with the least effort. Managing intensity levels is very important for proper training. Short bursts of intensity -- intervals, hill climbs -- are crucial. And books such as Younger Next Year (co-written by the doctor younger brother of a former colleague of mine) suggest a big mistake older people make is to avoid intensity altogether. But training at too intense a level for too long a period will certainly grind down an athlete and it seems reasonable that it could damage the heart muscle.
Another key is to be sure to allow adequate recovery time after any kind of extreme event. As much as a month is required for full recovery after a marathon, a longer triathlon, or a weeklong cycling event such as Transalp. A Boulder Colorado newspaper article provides nice balanced report.
So does riding a longer Brevet or randonee damage the heart? I do not know. It probably depends on how one rides the event. If the Brevet can be completed at moderate intensity, without extreme sleep deprivation, and with adequate recovery, then I doubt it is harmful. And riding these or other multi-day events is an acquired skill. The first time I did Tokyo-Itoigawa, I could barely get out up off the floor the next morning. Now it seems like just a regular hard single day. After trying PBP in 2011, I felt as if I had put myself through a brutal punishment. But after subsequent long events, I get through without nearly the degree of suffering, and I recover much more quickly.
If exercise involves extreme intensity and punishment ... and is followed too soon by other similar events, rinse and repeat, then yes, it may not be good for one's health. Is that really a surprise?
15 December 2012
Looking forward to the next 20 years
I had the honor of riding the Cascade 1200 and Rocky Mountain 1200 this summer with Ken Bonner, one of the most decorated endurance/Brevet riders around. According to the BC Randonneurs homepage, he has recorded over 178,000 kilometers of lifetime Brevet distance. (The BC Randonneurs have established a separate award that is reserved for riders who record long distances "other than Ken", to make sure others get some kind of recognition and he does not monopolize things.)
More accurately, I should say that I had the honor of riding the first ninety minutes or so of the Cascade 1200 with or near Ken... then did not see him again, as I slowed to a more sustainable pace, bonked on the first day's late afternoon long climb, stopped each night, etc., while Ken just "rode through", then returned home for some grandparent duties.
Likewise I did not see him on the Rocky Mountain 1200, where Ken's group started 6 hours later than mine, and finished 18 hours+ sooner. I think he probably passed at Jasper while I was sleeping.
So I was interested to learn that Ken just celebrated his 70th birthday by doing 70 hours of riding ... another 1600 kms.
Most important, he looks happy!
More accurately, I should say that I had the honor of riding the first ninety minutes or so of the Cascade 1200 with or near Ken... then did not see him again, as I slowed to a more sustainable pace, bonked on the first day's late afternoon long climb, stopped each night, etc., while Ken just "rode through", then returned home for some grandparent duties.
Likewise I did not see him on the Rocky Mountain 1200, where Ken's group started 6 hours later than mine, and finished 18 hours+ sooner. I think he probably passed at Jasper while I was sleeping.
So I was interested to learn that Ken just celebrated his 70th birthday by doing 70 hours of riding ... another 1600 kms.
Most important, he looks happy!
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