The Real Olympics

Barb	2
Caroline	2
Charlie	2
Chris W.	2
Christine/DQ	2
Cindy	2
Dave D	2
Ellie	2
Irene	2
Jenny	2
John B	2
John O'Neill	2
Kaffee	2
Kathleen	2
Leslie	2
Lisa	2
Margaret	2
Mary	2
Mary Blythe	2
Paige	2
Prancey	2
Reba	2
Roxanna	2
Susie Mac	2
Amy	1
Alan	1
Charles	1
Dave B	1
Eileen	1
Glamour	1
Harriott	1
Jen Jen	1
John Mears	1
John S	1
Jonathan	1
Mary M.	1
Matt	1
Reid	1
Sally	1
Steef	1

Human Spirit

• The New Yorker
• Reporting & Essays
• The Sporting Scene
• Alberto Salazar and the art of exhaustion. by Malcolm Gladwell

For the first half of the nineteen-eighties, the greatest distance runner in the world was Alberto Salazar. Great distance runners are graceful: they float, landing lightly on their toes and snapping their calves back so that their heels almost touch the tops of their hamstrings. Salazar shuffled like an old man. Salazar’s greatness lay in his desire. Describes the 1978 Falmouth Road Race in which Salazar almost died from his effort to win. Four years of spectacular athletic achievement followed. Then, in 1994, after an absence of almost a decade, Salazar returned to competitive running, to compete in the Comrades ultramarathon, in South Africa. Salazar had never run an ultramarathon. He trained in the cool of Portland, not the swelter of southern Africa. He decided that he wanted to average a six-minute-and-fifteen-second mile. He won, of course. For most of us, slack—the gap between what is possible, under conditions of absolute effort, and actual performance—is unavoidable. We all want to try our hardest, every time. But we can’t.

Salazar could have had a longer career had he pushed himself less. A moderate Salazar never would have come so close to death at Falmouth. But it was the miracle of Falmouth that freed Salazar to run with such abandon. (“I no longer doubted my toughness.”) A moderate Salazar might have run happily and successfully into his thirties. But a moderate Salazar might never have won the New York City Marathon three times. “The pain of running is like the pain of drowning,” Salazar said. “A kind of weariness sets in and you lose the will to fight. What I could do is simply push myself through that exhaustion.”

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/07/30/120730fa_fact_gladwell#ixzz2287zCYma

Lineage

A million years ago, a Track Star who ran at Notre Dame named Bill Squires put together a running club. The Greater Boston Track club at the height of its marathon success, included marathoners Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and Greg Meyer. Americans ruled the World in road racing.

Bill Squires aka "The Wack"

Kirk Pfrangle ran for Greater Boston Track Club. One day after watching a high school indoor track meet, Kirk invited an awkward but very talented runner to join the "Big Boys" in a workout. That Kid was Alberto Salazar.

Kirk

Albero aka "the rookie"

In 1981, Alberto famously predicted on Friday night that he would break the world record in the NY City marathon, then did it on Sunday. Another million years later, he volunteered his expertise to a young soccer player he thought might become a decent runner.

Former youth soccer player Galen Rupp will represent the USA in London in the 5K and the 10k.

Kirk Pfrangle was a high school Track coach in Georgia. He also developed runners on a traveling team named Athlete's Foot Juniors. Many State and a few National Champions emerged. His influence at the elite level of competition is still recognized today.

The techniques, discipline, and rituals that have been handed down over the years are employed every day at Peachtree Road Boot Camp.

Cindy	26
Lisa	26
Mary	25
John B	24
Jonathan	24
Caroline	23
Christine/DQ	23
Elizabeth	23
Amy	22
Paige	22
Barb	21
Chris W.	20
Kaffee	19
Prancey	18
Reba	18
Harriott	17
Margaret	17
Molly	17
Caroline Mc	16
Jen Jen	16
John S	16
Charles	15
Jimmy F	15
Barbara	14
Irene	14
John G.	14
Sally	14
Susie C	14
Wendy	14
Dave B	13
Maggie	13
Frank	12
John O'Neill	12
Michael G.	11
Jennifer/Jeff	9
Michael S.	9
Fred Glass	8
Steef	8
Tim	8
Karyn	6
Reid	6
Ellie	5
Glamour	5
Liz	5
Mary Blythe	5
Alan	4
Matt	4

but for the Grace of God

Homelessness is widely misunderstood. The common politically incorrect term of a homeless person is BUMB. The negative connotation associated with this misconception is that these folks will not engage in a solution that improves their circumstances. It is possible that the misconception about homelessness is most prevalent among the actual folks suffering from homelessness. It is possible that perfectly capable, useful and talented folks get paralyzed by chemical imbalances in their brains.

PROBLEM

Serotonin is popularly thought to be a contributor to feelings of well-being and happiness. Benefits include the regulation of mood, appetite, and sleep. Serotonin also has some cognitive functions, including memory and learning. Many folks suffer from lower levels of serotonin production. For some, research suggest that alcohol stimulates the serotonin activity in the brain enhancing the effect of alcohol. The first line of evidence implicating serotonin in the development of alcohol abuse was the discovery of a relationship between alcoholism and the levels of serotonin metabolites in the urine and CSF of human alcoholics. For example, the concentrations of the first serotonin degradation product, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, were lower in the CSF of alcoholics than in nonalcoholics of the same age and general health status, an observation suggesting that alcoholics may have reduced serotonin levels in the brain.

Lacking production of other neurotransmitters can also have negative effects. If you are low in epinephrine (adrenaline), your energy may be low. If you are low in dopamine, your pleasure response may be deadened.

SOLUTION

We have all experienced a rise in serotonin at some point.  It is that satisfied feeling we have after a long run, or a large plate of pasta.  It is also that feeling of comfort we get from spending time with close friends, and/or family.  Serotonin can become depleted with chronic stress or anxiety, starvation or a low carbohydrate diet, and inactivity, leaving you feeling depressed, irritable, moody, and exhausted.  Conversely, serotonin is strongly elevated after a long run, or workout, even at moderate intensity levels.

Epinephrine can become depleted with chronic stress or anxiety, leaving you feeling worn out, exhausted, mentally drained, and often depressed. Epinephrine is temporarily elevated when we exercise at very high intensity levels.

Dopamine is the neurochemical that is responsible for sleeping and waking cycles.  While we may not recognize when dopamine is correctly balanced, we certainly know when our sleeping and waking cycles have been disrupted. Dopamine stores can become depleted with chronic stress, or anxiety, and intense trauma, starvation or low carbohydrate diets.  Dopamine can also be affected by serotonin levels, becoming depleted when serotonin is depleted.  Likewise, dopamine levels can be elevated by elevating the serotonin level.  Therefore, performing long duration exercise at moderate intensity can elevate dopamine levels.

Endorphins are the neurochemicals that act as the body’s “natural painkillers”.  Endorphins are responsible for the decrease in physical pain with exercise.  Many runners will attest to the fact that chronic pains seem less noticeable during, and immediately after a run.  Endorphins are also responsible for the ability to disregard, or perhaps not even notice pain, when engaged in a physical activity.  This is why we can run, or play without noticing blisters on our feet, until after the run, or game.  Endorphins can allow us to perform activities that would otherwise be stopped by pain.  Endorphins are also partly responsible for the “runners high” that is often reported by devout runners.  The endorphin response to exercise increases with frequency of the exercise.  Interestingly, substance and alcohol abuse can deplete the endorphin response to exercise.  However, all people, regardless of history, will experience a rise in endorphin levels with exercise of any kind. 

When we are in good shape and working out every day, running well and enjoying the company of good friends, we feel like we can tackle anything life throws our way.

2nd Running Boom

We are products of the first boom. The first boom started in the 70s after Frank Shorter won the Gold. He captured the imagination of runners throughout the country and worldwide when he won the 1972 Olympic marathon, finishing more than two minutes ahead of his closest competitor.

We draw from the experience of Shorter's generation. While basic training is our primary discipline, we run old school.

This next generation wants to be entertained and inspired in their running. Massive benefits for worthy causes, obstacle course running, trail running, silly costume and funky gimmicks are bringing new runners in droves. This is a beautiful thing. They are finding running as the ultimate expression of self discovery, community and recreation/entertainment. Folks are choosing to forego the $50 bar tab on Friday night for a $25 road race Saturday morning. And to be sure, the pretty ladies are leading the shift.

From Ryan Lamppa, Running USACOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - (July 15, 2012) - A review of the surveys and reports on the Running Industry 2011 reinforce the Second Running Boom record road race numbers that Running USA has reported over the past decade-plus.

Cindy	24
Lisa	24
Mary	23
Christine/DQ	22
John B	22
Jonathan	22
Paige	22
Amy	21
Caroline	21
Barb	19
Elizabeth	19
Kaffee	19
Chris W.	18
Prancey	16
Reba	16
Harriott	15
Margaret	15
Molly	15
Caroline Mc	14
Irene	14
Jen Jen	14
Jimmy F	14
John S	14
Wendy	14
Barbara	13
Charles	13
Dave B	13
John G.	13
Sally	13
Susie C	13
Maggie	12
Michael G.	11
Frank	10
John O'Neill	10
Jennifer/Jeff	9
Michael S.	9
Fred Glass	8
Tim	8
Steef	7
Karyn	6
Reid	6

Week 5

M- Beltline - 3.5 miles
T - Church Run 4 miles
W - Crazy 8s - 5 miles
Th - Flash Mob North - 3.5 miles
Fri - High Museum - 4.5 miles
_____________________________
20.5 miles (not including warm up)

Cindy	23
Lisa	23
Mary	23
Paige	22
Christine/DQ	21
Jonathan	21
Caroline	20
John B	20
Elizabeth	19
Kaffee	19
Amy	18
Barb	18
Chris W.	17
Molly	15
Prancey	15
Reba	15
Harriott	14
Irene	14
John S	14
Margaret	14
Wendy	14
Barbara	13
Caroline Mc	13
Charles	13
Jen Jen	13
Jimmy F	13
John G.	13
Susie C	13
Dave B	12
Maggie	12
Sally	12
Michael G.	11
Frank	9
Jennifer/Jeff	9
John O'Neill	9
Michael S.	9
Fred Glass	8
Tim	8
Karyn	6
Reid	6
Steef	6