Running

I have never been big on exercise. I get that its good for me, but going to the gym, working out for the sake of working out, I've never been able to do it. And the thing I hate most? running. Oh man, I am so not into it. And I've tried! I've tried treadmills, parks, running with people, alone, with music, podcasts, you name it. None of it makes me hate it less. And the runners high? A myth created by sneakers manufacturers. Despite all of this, about a month ago I decided to give it a try.

Here's what has happened so far:

Day 1: Buy new running shoes on a whim while accompanying Pete to get himself a new pair (Pete is one of those people who like running. He needs new shoes because he wore his out. This is not a problem I have ever experienced). Decide, upon trying on my pretty new shoes to run around the reservoir in Central Park. Only 1.6 miles. No problem. Stop running at about .9 miles. My legs feel okay, but holy cow my lungs are another story! Walk the rest of the way. Lessons learned: Baba O'Reilly (O'Riley? no idea) is not a good running song.

Day 2: Remember how I said my legs didn't feel so bad. On day 2 they feel bad. Apparently stretching the inner thighs is something important. No run today.

Day 3: New playlist, more effective stretching, reservoir here I come. Get to about the same place and experience a rather painful cramp. Pete lets me know that eating before running is another thing to avoid. I am learning so much!

Day 5: New plan. Not making it around the reservoir is not good for my self confidence. I pick a new, shorter, path. Its pretty much exactly a mile. I set out to run it, and I make it! no stops or anything!

Day 10: My new path makes me happy. I can make it a tad longer each time by starting closer to the apartment instead of in the park. I have also discovered that the songs I like to run to are the same as the songs I like for one minute dance parties. With a little bit more AC/DC mixed in.

Day 14: New lesson: 6:30pm is not the best time to run. I think that's when the marathon training groups run. Or something. Whoever they are they are mobbing the water fountains.

Day 21: Going out in the summer makes it really easy to come with excuses not to go running.

Day 23: The park is really pretty. I stretch in grass when I finish and this makes my legs itchy. maybe I should embrace nature a little less.

Day 26: "Since U Been Gone" inspires me to attempt to lengthen my run and finish it running up a hill. Hills are hard.

Day 30: Ready to try the reservoir again. Got my rocking music (although sadly not my iphone headphones which appear to be lost somewhere in the US Mail. boo.) and my positive attitude and I'm ready to go. Get about 1.25mi (I tracked my distance using runningmap.com. great site.) and I stop. Damn. Stupid reservoir straightaway. It messes with my head! I cant believe how little I had left. I walk for a little and then once I'm in the shade again I finish the loop running.


And now we're all caught up. One of these days I am going to do it. So far what I've learned is that I still don't much like running but I do love being in the park and I also like a good challenge. I'll keep you posted. Also, I would love some good running song recommendations. I am getting tired of all of my music!

The stress-relieving powers of brick walls and computer screens

Although it may be an intuitive result, the results of a University of Washington study actually refute a commonly held belief that showing people pictures of the outdoors, on a computer or TV screen in a hospital room, for example, has the same restorative powers as a window with a view of real live nature. It doesn't.
It is no secret that nature is good for people. One study mentioned in the article showed that people who have a view of trees from their window after surgery needed fewer painkillers than those patients with a view of a brick wall. There are a number of possible mechanisms but whatever the cause, the result makes sense. Staring at a brick wall might make you want painkillers even if you haven't been cut open recently.

The UW study took this research to the next logical plain. What about a real view of outside versus a picture of outside? The researchers discovered heart rate dropped back to normal faster in subjects with a real view. Subjects looking at a digital image of the view were comparable to subjects with no view at all.

The results suggest that no matter what plasma screen tv makers say, when it comes to nature, you can't beat the real thing.

And, no, I don't know if the image was in HD or not. Just go outside and get some fresh air already!