IMPACTful THOUGHTS:
Hello Reader,
Have you been feeling over-JOYED lately?
It's not uncommon for the topic of joy to come up on a daily basis - in conversation, on television (I'm not talking about the host from the View), and many different books, podcasts and printed publications.
Why all the joy??
Joy has been found to have a positive impact on mental and physical health. This includes: resilience and coping, improved cognitive function, lower stress and inflammation, and boosted immune system.
How are we doing in the United States right now with our mental and physical health??
Perhaps we need a reminder from 1976:
Since the first "running boom" began in the early 1970's, this was one of the first books to connect mental benefits with running. Dr. Kostrubala discussed how running was connected to psychological and spiritual well-being, along with reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress.
Here's a great story - the author did not title his book. "I was not at all pleased. I did not see what I was writing about as 'joy'. Besides, what did 'joy' really mean? To me, it sounded like The Joy of Cooking, or worse, The Joy of Sex." - Thaddeus Kostrubala, MD
It turns out that there were two publishers that had a "prolonged liquid lunch" and were discussing the title of the book, which had yet to be named. By the end of the meeing, one of them blurted out, "The Joy of Running!"
And here we are.
Joy is different than happiness - the latter is fleeting, and the former is associated with connection, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose/meaning.
Hmm - if those are the benefits, maybe it's not such a bad thing to be "Over-JOYed".
Keep moving forward my friends, one step at a time.
Coach Nicole
WANT A "QUICKIE"?
That word makes me laugh, and so did the description when I Googled "quickie":
noun
- 1.a rapidly consumed alcoholic drink.
- 2.a brief act or instance of having sex.
adjective
- done or made quickly."a quickie divorce"
How about:
jumpstartrunning
- high value/low duration movement
This is one of my favorite movements that help with strength, balance, and mobility. Less than 2 minutes, and you feel it. I dare you to try it - the resistance band isn't necessary, but your effort IS!
MASTERS TIP: GET YOUR SKIN CHECKED
If you are a masters runner/athlete/human, it means you are age 35 or above.
You have spent some quality time on this earth, and likely you have spent a fair amount of time in the sun - especially if you are a runner.
Next month, I will be 51, and prior to this week, I have never had an "official" skin screening/check by a dermatologist. Last fall, I noticed a spot on my arm that changed colors, felt like a bump, seemed to "bleed" periodically and wasn't going away.
"You and I are going to be friends." That was one of many things my new dermatologist told me. Another thing she told me: "Probable carcinoma, but we'll have to send it to the lab."
I had a feeling that wasn't good, and when she said the word "carcinoma", it really hit me differently. All those years of running outside, using baby oil to lay in the sun as a teenager, and rarely using sunscreen now seemed like poor choices despite my mother/doctors advising against it.
"Nicole, biopsy results from your recent dermatology visit with me showed: Squamous cell carcinoma in situ, which is a low-risk, localized skin cancer. This was already removed with the biopsy (margins were free) so no further treatment is needed."
I was lucky. She could have come back and said it was melanoma, which is an aggressive form of skin cancer. This has certainly caught my attention, and I want to tell ALL of you to go get your skin checked whether or not you have a suspicious spot! Hit reply and let me know if you just reached out to make your appointment, or if you want to share your story! Here's a quick video explaining more:
TREADMILL TUESDAY
This week, I talked about American running legend, Frank Shorter.
I didn't quite have ALL the information while on the treadmill (see below), but it is VERY important that you watch this video - ESPECIALLY at 3:30 mark. There is a HILARIOUS photo, and you won't be sorry you watched!
After I did some proper homework, (which was fascinating!) here is "Part 1" of the Frank Shorter connection to Boulder:
- He ran collegiately for Yale, and graduated in 1969
- Most people don't know about his horrific childhood and one of the reasons Frank got into running - to run away from his father: https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a21753998/frank-shorters-story/
- His parents eventually moved to New Mexico, and the summer before his senior year at Yale, he lived and trained in NM. When he ran his senior year, he noticed the benefits of altitude training (7000-9000 ft) and it was by "accident"!
- He lasted 3 months at medical school in New Mexico and dropped out around 1970 because he couldn't maintain his running schedule with med school.
- While he was in NM skiing, he met his first wife, Louise, who was a student at CU Boulder. They married in the summer of 1970.
- When Frank first went to visit her, he loved using the indoor track at CU Boulder. At 5500 ft, he said it was the only track at elevation in the country (at that time) and he used it as part of his training for the Olympics.
- He also went down to FL to train (he had a training group there and he liked the warm weather) and enrolled in law school!
- Once he got his law degree, he and Louise moved to Boulder permanently in 1974.
Stay tuned for part 2 next time!
A LITTLE SHOT OF JOY:
Who finds joy in getting the oil changed for their car??
Me neither. However, this week I found a little joy in the waiting room at Jiffy Lube:
For some reason, there was a 6-week old puppy in the lobby (later learned it belonged to someone who works there). The puppy went right over to this little girl, who was immediately smitten.
She asked her mother if she could pick up the dog, and the mother obliged, noting their dog at home was more than fifty pounds - unable to be lifted by the little girl.
It reminded me of the moment in the Lion King when Simba was raised - although not quite a Hollywood moment at Jiffy Lube, it was still pretty cute.
Making sure we are present to stop and experience moments like these can actually be good for brain health: it can trigger neurotransmitters such as oxytocin, dopamine and endorphins. This, in turn, leads to a sense of well-being and happiness.
Who knew that getting my oil changed would be good for my brain???
Pay attention out there gang - you never know when you will observe something that can improve your brain health and produce a smile!
If you (or someone you know) are interested in learning more about JSR Coaching/Injury or Performance Consult - hit reply, and we'll have a chat!
Let me know if you have any questions or requests for topics in these emails. Thank you so much for reading, and forward to your running friends as well!
Have a question or a topic request?
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