Org-Fitness Today!

Mission Possible - Badwater and Don Fallis

I like to write about something a bit lighter on Friday's and today I want to let you know about a friend of mine, Don Fallis.

As many of you know, I like to run. It's one of my passions. OK, some might say an obsession. :-) For the last five years, I have been actively involved with the HURT (Hawaiian Ultra Running Team) running group. Don was one of the first people I met in HURT and in his welcoming and accepting manner, took me under his wings, to learn about ultra running.

Now Don has always been pretty humble in achievements and life in general. However I want to let you know about something he is undertaking. Don has been accepted as an entrant into the Badwater Ultramarathon. This is no ordinary ultra. Don has finished other 100 mile runs, however I think they have all been on trails. The Badwater Ultramarathon is a 135 mile road race run from Badwater in Death Valley up to the Portals on Mt. Whitney in July.  Will it be hot?? That's an understatement!

You can read more about Don and his adventure at his site, here.

I'll conclude with this: Don is 65 years old and is running this as a way to build awareness for keeping active and not letting age stop you. Did I mention he is a Type II diabetic? Go check out his site.

Fitness and ROI

I was reading over at SportsGeezer, another blog, about how fitness pays off for employers. According to some new research (and granted we're not talking extremely scientific research), exercising during the day makes employees more productive. Click here for SportGeezer's post.

That's great news for all us folks who already know the benefits of exercise. Now all we need to do is get senior managers to buy into this.

Fitness and Fun!

There is an article in today's Honolulu Advertiser that is titled, Fitness is a 5-part Exercise. The article defines these five components as flexibility, muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance, muscle endurance, and body composition.

This is a good way to think about our overall workouts and fitness since they are all interrelated. It is so easy to get stuck into just doing one thing--running, swimming, or weights at the gym. Since I spend a lot of my time out on the trails and road running, I like to throw in some strength or resistance training as well.

Lose Five Pounds in Two Days??

As many of you know, I like to run. I post the following with this disclaimer: Don't try this diet without the proper training.

This post has more to do with extremes: read with caution, act with even more caution. Dean Karnazes, ultra runner and author (Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner), was recently quoted describing this diet:

Lose five pounds in two days, the Dean Karnazes way

1. Eat eight PowerBars; one large pizza; four bananas; two grilled chicken sandwiches; one large bag of Doritos; one cheesecake; five large chocolate chip cookies; two cinnamon buns; four peanut butter and honey sandwiches; three large beef burritos; one bag of pretzels; one Thai chicken wrap; one ice cream sandwich; two servings of macaroni and cheese; one chocolate eclair; three doughnuts; three bags of trail mix; three bags of french fries; one bag of chocolate espresso beans.

2. Drink one Slurpee; two smoothies; one large chocolate malt; 30 bottles Pedialyte.

3. Run 200 miles in 46 hours, 17 minutes.

Total calories consumed: 27,934

Total calories burned: 44,000

Total weight loss: 16,066 calories or roughly five pounds

Here's a link to a recent article on Dean as he tours the country promoting his book.

I would not expect Dean to see his eating habits as a serious way to lose weight and neither would I expect you to take it that way.

Losing weight means eating healthier, exercising more, and making wise choices.

So eat the apple for a snack and get out there and do something--walk, run, ride, swim or paddle.

Protect Your Skin Or Else

After what seems like another very wet winter here in Hawaii, the weather seems to be shifting to more of a summer pattern over the last week or so. It is definitely warmer and the trade winds are blowing.

This is a reminder for all of us to protect our skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation. I visited my dermatologist recently and had a small lesion removed. Basically the doctor told me I need to always wear 30+spf suncreen (I knew that already) and I have to see him every six months.

It's tough to stay inside all the time when we live in such a beautiful location with so many outdoor activities. I guess I'll be investing in lots of suncreen and also some of that spf protective clothing. At my doctor's office, they have lots of posters on the wall showing the alternative and it's not pretty. Skin cancer is nothing to mess with and it is occuring more frequently then ever. See you on the beach--I'll be the one all covered up!

Steve Case, AOL Founder, Invests in Health and Wellness Industry

According to both online and print editions (3/31/05) of BusinessWeek, AOL founder (and Hawaii born), Steve Case, is investing up to $500 million of his estimated $825 million net worth in the health and wellness industry.

The article states Case became interested in the industry after his brother, Daniel Case III, died from brain cancer. Essentially Case experienced how complex and confusing the health care industry is from the experience he had in a hospital while taking his brother in for a weekly blood test.

Revolution is the name of the private holding company that will fund investments in health care, wellness, and resorts.

For more on Revolution, click here for the BusinessWeek article.