Thought I'd start a thread about fitness-related issues. I'm a runner, but not because of any particular passion for running. I do it to get in shape for a backpacking trip I take each fall.
I have finally been running long enough that I thought it was time to get a new pair of running shoes. While I was trying them on, I saw a display of running socks. I thought, seriously? I have never though, "Gee, my life would be better if I had more cushioning socks." Am I missing out, though?
I will soon be moving closer to campus, about 2 miles from my office. Right now, what I do is drive in, work out, and shower at a fitness center where I'm a member. After I move, it will be theoretically possible to run or walk to my office. Thing is, the closest place to shower is far enough from my office to defeat the purpose. I know people ride their bike to work. What do you do so that you're not sweaty all day?
Quote from: pgher on July 08, 2019, 08:00:15 AM
Thought I'd start a thread about fitness-related issues. I'm a runner, but not because of any particular passion for running. I do it to get in shape for a backpacking trip I take each fall.
I have finally been running long enough that I thought it was time to get a new pair of running shoes. While I was trying them on, I saw a display of running socks. I thought, seriously? I have never though, "Gee, my life would be better if I had more cushioning socks." Am I missing out, though?
I will soon be moving closer to campus, about 2 miles from my office. Right now, what I do is drive in, work out, and shower at a fitness center where I'm a member. After I move, it will be theoretically possible to run or walk to my office. Thing is, the closest place to shower is far enough from my office to defeat the purpose. I know people ride their bike to work. What do you do so that you're not sweaty all day?
I have a 7 mile bike ride in. I shower in the morning. By the time I get to work I am typically pretty damp.
We don't have free showering facilities in my buidling. But, we do have a large unisex bathroom with forty locks on it (well, several layers of "oops, sorry" avoidance).
When it's especially bad I just bring a fresh set of clothes and towel off w/out a shower and call it a day. The air conditioning takes care of the rest.
If you have your own office with a locked door, you can do the same in your office. I used to do that at my old place. I was paranoid, though, and kept my body in front of the door (it opened inward) on the infinitesimal chance that somebody with a key decided to barge right in.
I refuse to pay hundreds of dollars a year for a membership to the facilities here so I can take a shower. It used to be free for faculty, back in the stone age or thereabouts.
If you do a brisk walk to campus, it would be about 40 minutes each way. That's a bit long, but you would not have to be perspiring much unless it is hot. I'd do it if it is a pleasant walk, or can be made so by choosing the route. It can also be a good way to keep fit. I can imagine doing it with a loaded pack if I were preparing for a backpacking trip. If you like listening to audiobooks or podcasts, it can also be a great part of the day.
I'd probably take something with me that would help me freshen up. Wipes or some kind of spray.
Re the socks: I think the inserts in your shoes would make a great deal more difference.
Over time I have replaced all of my "dress socks" with Vitalsox. Not because of the claimed athletic performance benefits of the mild compression, but because they have a bit of cushion at the heel and forefoot, are comfy when running, and they dry very quickly after washing -- so excellent for travel. They are warm in the winter and wick moisture so I don't get soggy feet on hot days (my campus is not fully air conditioned).
I have obtained similar benefits by dispensing with cotton underwear and using Ex Officio Give-N-Go boxer briefs.
A large microfiber cloth might be handy for wiping down after walking/running to campus -- you can rinse it in a sink and it will be dry by the time you need it the next day.
Some of our newer academic buildings have shower facilities. I stopped paying membership for our campus recreation center because a fitness studio opened up near my neighborhood and offers classes I like every day rather than one hour per week. I have found that being active has strongly benefitted my physical and mental health. Keep it up!
Quote from: pgher on July 08, 2019, 08:00:15 AM
Thought I'd start a thread about fitness-related issues. I'm a runner, but not because of any particular passion for running. I do it to get in shape for a backpacking trip I take each fall.
I have finally been running long enough that I thought it was time to get a new pair of running shoes. While I was trying them on, I saw a display of running socks. I thought, seriously? I have never though, "Gee, my life would be better if I had more cushioning socks." Am I missing out, though?
I will soon be moving closer to campus, about 2 miles from my office. Right now, what I do is drive in, work out, and shower at a fitness center where I'm a member. After I move, it will be theoretically possible to run or walk to my office. Thing is, the closest place to shower is far enough from my office to defeat the purpose. I know people ride their bike to work. What do you do so that you're not sweaty all day?
I have running socks - they have a looped synthetic inner and are lovely to wear. My feet definitely appreciate the extra cushioning, particularly at points that are likely to rub. The only time I have had blisters recently was when I forgot to take them with me on a weekend away and ran a parkrun in a pair of old cotton athletics socks.
To ensure I am not sweaty all day if I cycle into the office I:
(i) cycle in my cycling gear and carry clothes or have clothes in the office that I can change into;
(ii) have a towel and baby wipes in my office and use them to clean up;
(ii) use the showers in the university gym if I have been for a run during the day. I occasionally use the showers after a very warm ride into the office, but such days are rare in the frozen north of the UK.
We are due to move to a new building in 3 - 4 years, and it has showers designed in as part of an initiative to persuade people to move from commuting by car to more active forms of travel.
Thanks everyone! Maybe I will get some decent socks sometime. I'm looking forward to being able to walk/run to work. Maybe not on days that I teach or have important meetings (with, say, the dean). These are all good suggestions.
Quote from: darkstarrynight on July 08, 2019, 07:17:22 PM
I have found that being active has strongly benefitted my physical and mental health. Keep it up!
Absolutely! One nice thing about my annual trip is that it provides motivation to do what is good for me.
I'm trying to shake an extra few pounds, so it's weightwatchers.com for food tracking. Lost 4 pounds so far. 3 more to get back to what I call "fighting weight." 9 to get to some magic number that I've had in my head forever, after which I will achieve all personal, professional and financial goals or something.
My gym is around the corner from my office so I have been going in at lunch for classes. I do have to take a shower and reapply the "war paint" so it does make for a long lunch period. I do HIIT, barre, and vinyasa yoga classes.
I used to swim but developed tendonitis/bursitis in my shoulder so avoid it now. PT helped some but not much.
For many years, I exercised every day and was in pretty decent shape, but I stopped when I moved a couple years ago and had a lot of new patterns in life to work around. Now I'm back at it, thanks to spouse's heart attack a few months ago. He does a good amount of (indoor) rowing and some weights, and I do lots of exercise videos (don't have a treadmill anymore and don't like running outside). Some martial arts, dance, HIIT and tabata, weights. I am also fortunate to have the flexibility of working remotely, so although I have some timezone issues to deal with and meetings, I can try to fit in exercise when it works during the day. Now that spouse is done cardiac rehab and off disability and back to work full time, it is more difficult for him, but we are keeping up with it. We're both hesitant about him doing shorter, more intense workouts until some more time has passed, but he feels much better. Between our new much heart healthier diet and the exercise, we've both dropped some pounds! Hopefully our hearts are stronger, too. We're making use of a bunch of different fitness apps which, together, seem to be giving a good picture of progress, so that's motivating.
It can be challenging to try to freshen up on campus. I also wish I had good sock advice. I do have a couple pairs of special socks that are supposed to wick away moisture, etc., but I haven't found any to be too helpful in that regard.
Get to the pool at six a.m., done [1 km] and showered and dressed by 7:15, and on campus by 7:35. Slump for the rest of the day. Well, no need to be on campus right now, but that's the plan* for the fall; for the summer, just "slump, post."
I begin to wonder (with my 75th B-day not that far off [call me "Mid-Septua!"]) how much more effort I should invest into leaving a fit corpse? There must be a point, short of an ICU or hospice, where one says, "Well, I think I'll just stay in bed this morning."
Sorry, folks, but I can envision an "It's not worth it anymore" coming to the fore.
And, basically, swimming is so boring. And then you reek of chlorine for hours.
* as an "adjunct, emeritus"
Quote from: Juvenal on July 09, 2019, 01:15:37 PM
Get to the pool at six a.m., done [1 km] and showered and dressed by 7:15, and on campus by 7:35. Slump for the rest of the day. Well, no need to be on campus right now, but that's the plan* for the fall; for the summer, just "slump, post."
I begin to wonder (with my 75th B-day not that far off [call me "Mid-Septua!"]) how much more effort I should invest into leaving a fit corpse? There must be a point, short of an ICU or hospice, where one says, "Well, I think I'll just stay in bed this morning."
Sorry, folks, but I can envision an "It's not worth it anymore" coming to the fore.
And, basically, swimming is so boring. And then you reek of chlorine for hours.
* as an "adjunct, emeritus"
I do quite often imagine my final years being the ones where I at last indulge in a lot of the drugs that I have abstained from. Especially if I am in some kind of residential living, or I'm in a wheelchair. There's even evidence for the beneficial effects of hallucinogens for people facing their deaths.
But it is hard to see a point at which some kind of fitness training isn't useful, even if it is just chair yoga. Having seen relatives lose the ability to walk easily, to breathe easily, and to put on their own clothes, I know that I want to maintain those abilities for as long as I can.
Whew, such a cheerful lot you are!
I just finished 2.5 hrs of folk dancing outdoors, downtown.
It was fun!
M.
Well, today my outdoor fitness routine officially came to an end for the summer. Monday, I ran outside and ended up coming home at lunchtime because I was so drained. Yesterday, it was allegedly cooler, so I tried again at a slower pace. Today, again cooler, but I still just couldn't do it. To the treadmill, I suppose.
Quote from: Juvenal on July 09, 2019, 01:15:37 PM
Sorry, folks, but I can envision an "It's not worth it anymore" coming to the fore.
My dad is 85 and lives in Florida. He golfs every day, and still walks the course. He said that when you're young, working out means you improve. At some point, age catches up and working out means you stay the same. At his age, working out means you decline more slowly. But he keeps at it. He's still the most fit octogenarian I know!
I go to our university gym because i like to include weight training and there is a shower. We get a discounted rate, so it is cheaper than any local fitness place and has pretty good facilities. In the past I used to work out a lot, but with work, kids, etc, I completely fell of the wagon and am just getting back to it after years of innactivity. I should go more frequently, but anything is better than nothing so I do what I can and don't sweat it.
I have also not had a parking pass for years and park off campus and walk instead (about 15 minutes). This gives me a little more physical activity (not much I know) and parking passes here are expensive, so it more than offsets the cost of the gym membership.
Quote from: pgher on July 09, 2019, 06:12:54 AM
Thanks everyone! Maybe I will get some decent socks sometime. I'm looking forward to being able to walk/run to work. Maybe not on days that I teach or have important meetings (with, say, the dean). These are all good suggestions.
Quote from: darkstarrynight on July 08, 2019, 07:17:22 PM
I have found that being active has strongly benefitted my physical and mental health. Keep it up!
Absolutely! One nice thing about my annual trip is that it provides motivation to do what is good for me.
MODS: Please delete if not appropriate.
I have discovered BOMBAS socks. I work out with a trainer and she was wearing them. I bought ONE pair, as they are pricey and fell in love...with socks!! (Guess I gotta get a life!!) I use them for workouts, walking the track, with my Keen walking shoes. They are heavy where they need to be and have arch support (or something). Now have several pairs.
After a lifetime of managing to avoid almost all exercise (other than walking to my car), I started taking twice-weekly classes a few years ago as a way of encouraging my (somewhat older) spouse to go to the classes. (Then in his early 70s, he was so out of shape that he was unable to get up off the floor without assistance. One flight of stairs left him huffing.) We both found ourselves feeling better, so we continued on and even started two other classes. (The gym is only a few blocks from our house, due to the fact that we live on a small island.)
Fast forward two years. I suffered a spinal-cord injury requiring three emergency surgeries (each six to nine hours long) within two weeks and a very long rehabilitation period, with intense physical therapy (and some occupational therapy). I recovered extraordinarily quickly and well, and my neurosurgeon and physical therapists are certain (as am I) that one reason is that I was reasonably fit (if overweight) at the time of the injury, I worked hard during rehabilitation (doing my PT exercises at the gym the three or four days a week on the days I didn't have formal PT), and I continue to work out. For the months following my discharge from PT, I went to the gym for one to three hours four or five times a week. At this point (a year after the end of PT), I do much less--sometimes just the four classes a week, or now--while I'm in MyState instead of the island in Somewhere Warm)--maybe two or three times a week for one to three hours, depending on my schedule.
My PT told me upon discharge that the five-year outcome is much, much better for people who continue to move and get exercise, versus those (which used to include me) who live as couch/chair potatoes. Moreover, like downer, I watched my grandparents and then my parents decline and lose the ability to do ordinary activities (get out of a chair unassisted) even in their fifties and sixties, let alone later in life. I don't want to be them. And, having faced the prospect of spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I find motivation and even joy in the fact that I CAN do the exercises. I'm grateful.
And, perhaps most motivating of all, I get immediate gratification--no matter how awful I feel when I get to the gym, I always start feeling better after just 15 minutes or so, as my body begins to loosen up. I do rely on medication, but the movements help to mitigate the pain and definitely increases the range of motion that I seem to lose overnight in my sleep. By the time I've finished even an hour-long workout, I'm good to go and feel like I can conquer the world.
Well, six weeks from today, I'll be in a truck headed for the mountains. I'm more ready than I've ever been, although I'm still probably not ready enough. I just finished 30 minutes going up and down stairs with a 55 lb. backpack. I don't exactly feel like I'm going to die, but I sure feel drained!
My dad was visiting recently. Once upon a time, he was a marathon runner. He said that in both his personal experience and the advice he's read, the training effect kicks in around 30 minutes. Running for 15-20 minutes can maintain fitness, sorta, but you won't really see improvements unless you're regularly doing 30 minutes. So I tried, and so far he's right. (He's so much smarter now than when I was 17.) After just a couple weeks, I'm able to maintain a much faster pace.
My dad is currently 85 years old and still plays golf daily. He walks the course instead of driving a cart. Like you say, InfoPri, aging goes much better if you keep active.
I recently made the decision to stop doing fitness activities which I hate but which I do because I feel I should -- For me, this includes the elliptical and running on the treadmill. Instead, I've started swimming laps, doing zumba and doing aqua zumba -- all of which still feel incredibly self indulgent to me. I used to not let myself do these activities because they were less rigorous than the old treadmill. Swimming instead felt like cheating. Strangely enough, I've found that you actually voluntarily exercise a lot more if you don't do things that you hate. I never understood people who said that going for a run was a 'treat', but for me swimming laps in a pool for an hour does feel like a treat, particularly if it's an outdoor pool on a lovely evening. Hoping I can keep this up! I am now finding myself doing things like working out on weekends as well as during the week, working out on vacation, etc.
Quote from: Kron3007 on July 11, 2019, 06:46:12 AM
I go to our university gym because i like to include weight training and there is a shower. We get a discounted rate, so it is cheaper than any local fitness place and has pretty good facilities. In the past I used to work out a lot, but with work, kids, etc, I completely fell of the wagon and am just getting back to it after years of innactivity. I should go more frequently, but anything is better than nothing so I do what I can and don't sweat it.
I have also not had a parking pass for years and park off campus and walk instead (about 15 minutes). This gives me a little more physical activity (not much I know) and parking passes here are expensive, so it more than offsets the cost of the gym membership.
Same here regarding university gym. The only downside is that I get frustrated with all of the students - too many of them use it as a place to socialize and I hate waiting for a machine because someone decides they needed to text for 10 minutes between sets.
I'm a runner, and I've been thinking of starting run-commuting on days that I don't have to look fancy. I find that with a ShowerPill body wipe (like a mega-sized baby wipe that smells pretty good, I think), new deodorant, and a change of clothes, I'm pretty much presentable. My hair can get a bit wacky, but whatever. We'll see if it happens. It's way to hot where I live to consider for a couple more months.
As for the sock question, which opened the thread, I found that my toes were a lot happier and blisters my less if I wore the injinji toe socks. So I wear them for all running that I do and wear my older running socks for walking the dog and casual activity.
Quote from: Volhiker78 on August 01, 2019, 09:18:31 AM
Quote from: Kron3007 on July 11, 2019, 06:46:12 AM
I go to our university gym because i like to include weight training and there is a shower. We get a discounted rate, so it is cheaper than any local fitness place and has pretty good facilities. In the past I used to work out a lot, but with work, kids, etc, I completely fell of the wagon and am just getting back to it after years of innactivity. I should go more frequently, but anything is better than nothing so I do what I can and don't sweat it.
I have also not had a parking pass for years and park off campus and walk instead (about 15 minutes). This gives me a little more physical activity (not much I know) and parking passes here are expensive, so it more than offsets the cost of the gym membership.
Same here regarding university gym. The only downside is that I get frustrated with all of the students - too many of them use it as a place to socialize and I hate waiting for a machine because someone decides they needed to text for 10 minutes between sets.
I've just started gymming this summer. My university's gym has a really good selection of classes that I've been sampling, which I can do now that I have a semester of sabbatical and don't have to fit things in between classes. My plan is that I'll get really good at knowing what they offer and what I like, so that come spring I'll be a pro at slipping in and out in a flash.
I've never belonged to a gym before, and so far it's still new and fun, and making me hurt in good ways. But I suspect that after a few weeks I'll start getting bored, so I want to learn how to do things on my own well enough that I can start pairing a workout with audio books or podcasts or something to entertain myself.
I like to swim before classes. At the pool at 6. Swim, shower, and at work before 8. I love to get the exercise out of the way and do feel like I am in a better mood when I do. But the pool is closing after Labor Day. I am now looking for a different exercise plan, and that is making me quite frustrated as swimming was working so well.
I do morning yoga classes on the days I don't teach at 8am (class at 6:30 or 7:00, at work by 9ish). These days, I'm also walking to the office, which takes about 20 minutes each way. Both do wonders for my state of mind, especially back to back.
Quote from: wellfleet on August 07, 2019, 03:09:36 PM
I do morning yoga classes on the days I don't teach at 8am (class at 6:30 or 7:00, at work by 9ish). These days, I'm also walking to the office, which takes about 20 minutes each way. Both do wonders for my state of mind, especially back to back.
Yes. I love what it does for my state of mind. It is essential for my sanity and that of my family!
It's been three weeks now. When will I stop being perpetually sore?
Quote from: ergative on August 22, 2019, 08:14:08 AM
It's been three weeks now. When will I stop being perpetually sore?
Yes but also remember to stretch.
<Wanders off to go do some stretching now>
Quote from: ergative on August 22, 2019, 08:14:08 AM
It's been three weeks now. When will I stop being perpetually sore?
When you start incorporating stretching, such as yoga, into your fitness routine.
Also there is "good sore" which is a general stiffness that you feel over a whole muscle. Stretching will help that.
Then "injury sore" which is sharp pain and very localized. Avoid any activity that exacerbates this and maybe see a doctor/PT if it doesn't get better.