Day 108: Your Comments

Usually I respond to people's comments on Monday, but given the passing of the great Jack LaLanne, I had to move my comments day to today. 

First, let me congratulate Denise on 25 days without Coke.  What an accomplishment.  I am sure you are getting over some of the pain, but remember that the temptation will come back every once in a while, just don't give in!

Same goes to Paul, who is about a week or so in now.  You got through that first weekend, so it is all downhill from here.  (Okay, that isn't true at all, it is still an uphill battle, but getting through the weekend is not a small feat!)

I also wanted to thank Scootergirl for her nice comment this week, as well as everyone else that encouraged me to keep working hard despite the tough few weeks I have been having.  Honestly, I did not really believe in "plateauing," but I guess I do now.

Anyway, my last comment goes to the ever ominous "Anonymous," who wrote me this week encouraging me to keep at it despite the difficulties.  Specifically, Anonymous said, "You will feel 10x worse than now if you revert to old habits and gain the weight back. Have you thought about upping your cardio intensity (ie, fartleks, or running faster)?"  I completely agree with this sentiment, and intend to follow through with the suggestion.  However, does anyone know what a fartlek is?

Well, I did not a few days ago, but do now.  For your information, a fartlek has nothing to do with flatulence, and everything to do with the Swedes.  Apparently, the running/conditioning system was developed by a guy named Gosta Holmer in the late 1930s when the Swedish cross country team got sick and tired of losing to the Finnish cross country team in competitions (nothing like a little Nordic rivalry to get the blood flowing).  It is said that in addition to winning the bronze medal at the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games, development of the fartlek was Gosta Holmer's greatest achievement.  

I have to be honest, if every time you googled my name and a word like "fartlek" came up, I would be a little disappointed in myself.  But, take a look at this picture of Gosta, as it is evidence of a proud Swede who loved his national cross country team so much, he was willing to make a sacrifice so significant, his name and fartlek will forever be bonded together.

Anyway, back to the fartlek.  A fartlek, as described by Wikipedia (which as we all know is never wrong), is a running routine that follows this general format:

• Start with an easy run for 5 to 10 minutes (warm-up)
• Increase to a steady, hard speed for 1 to 1.5 miles
• Slow down for about 5 minutes or rapid walking
• Increase to easy running interspersed with sprints of about 200 feet
• Easy running with three or four "quick steps" periodically (quick steps are simulating suddenly speeding up to avoid being passed by someone else)
• Increase to full speed uphill for about 1 to 1.5 miles
• Slow to a fast pace for about 1 minute

Let me thank Anonymous again for the suggestion to try out fartleks, but I must decline.  To be honest, it sounds like a great workout and something I would like to try, but just too much to think about while also exerting myself physically.  I would have to stop every few minutes to figure out whether I was supposed to be running or walking, whether I should be timing myself or measuring distance or finding a hill or carrying a one to make sure the numerous mathematical calculations I would have to keep track of are being computed correctly.  I have to say, when the Swedes work out, they take a holistic approach:  mind and body, my friends, mind and body.