New Jersey - The Asthma State?

Here in New Jersey, Asthma became front page news with the hospitilization of Gov. Chris Christie for the breathing condition on July 28th.
According to the N.J. Dept. of Health and Senior Services, New Jersey has the highest rates of Asthma in the country, affecting 7% of all adults (about 511,000) and 9% of children (around 188,000). Nationally, about one in 12 people have asthma.
Asthma basically cuts off the body's oxygen intake, and can be triggered by many factors, including enviornment, allergies, and exercise. New Jersey's humid summers, cold winters, pollution, and pollen are the theories why the rate is higher here.
Asthma actually begins as a protective reaction for the lungs against irritants. The muscles in the lungs contract, swell, and form mucous. But as it becomes excessive, the airways becomes narrower and blocks breathing.
With chronic asthma, muscle tissue in the lungs become thicker, exasperating the problem. The sufferer has shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. The chest also tightens. Asthma accounts for about 500,000 hospitilizations every year in America, and over 3500 deaths.
Overweight people have a greater tendency to develop asthma, because of more inflammation in their lungs. Exercise can help open up the breathing passages, but it is recommended to always have an inhaler handy.

Freedom Tour 2011

While I enjoy competing, sometimes athletic events can be fun to attend as a spectator, as well. I had one such experience on July 24th, as I attended the annual Freedom Tour Bike Races in Stirling (N.J.).
I went to cheer on a friend, Dave Miller, as he competed in the two-lap (2.5 mile) Fireman's Race, which benefited the Burn Center at St. Barnabas Hospital. The race attracted over 125 firefighters, from as far away as Wilkes Barre, Pa.
Each firefighter had to compete in full gear, which weighs approximately 40 lbs. The race is short, which means it's pretty much an all-out sprint for the top competitors. Dave is a big guy, about 6-3 and 240, and without much fat. He also rides regularly, so he is in good biking shape.
While most of the firefighters did it for fun (there was even a two-man tandem), about a dozen, including Dave, were serious about the race.
As they came around on the first 1.2 mile loop, he was with a pack somewhere in the top six, riding along side two other racers.
By the time they came in for the second, and final, lap, Dave broke away from the other two, and finished a very respectable fourth.
There was also a pro race after, and various age-group races that preceded the Fireman's event. It was well-attended by local residents, and it was just a great small-town, summertime feel.
I found myself wishing I was out there, but enjoying the day as a "fan" as well. My racing bike got destroyed when it fell in back of my car while pulling out of the garage a few years ago. Now, I've been content in tooling around on my "hybrid" with my son, and leisurely partaking in the MS 25-mile bike tour every year. This certainly stoked my interest, though!

Millburn Presidents Cup 2011

One of my annual traditions is the Millburn President's Cup 5-K, held at night on the third Monday in June every year. It's grown into one of the largest races in the state, and always gets a real competitive field.
In addition, I grew up in the neighboring town of Springfield, nad always see people I grew up with. I also am a loyal patron of The Sneaker Factory, sponsor of the event,and usually get a little extra adrenaline with the big (1500-plus) crowd and night-time atmosphere. My son has run it the past few years as well, but had to pass it up this time, due to an eighth-grade graduation party.
My goal (as stated in my previous blog), was to get back in the 19-minute range, after a 20:17 finish in the Bob Beckert Run on June 6th. My parents, brother, and niece came down to cheer me on in this one, and my mind-set was positive going into it.
I lined up right in-between the six-minute and seven-minute pace signs, which, considering I wanted to run about 6:25 per mile, was proper. Once there, hundreds of runners, some considerably older than me, and many in thier pre-teens, squeezed in front of me. There were also corporate teams huddled there, with the entrants truly spanning the gamut of age and conditioning. I knew I'd have to fight through the crowd.
Sure enough, I weaved and elbowed my way through the start, with one man, easily in his 70's (with a pace to match) yelling as I squeezed past him in the mass of humanity. I didn't have the time or inclination to answer, but thought: "why did you start near the front of the race, then!"
As the participants weaved onto Millburn Ave., I finally was able to get (in NASCAR parlance) "clean air." I felt good, and told myself that no one will pass me, and I will try to pick off runners one at a time.
The first mile was a a somewhat disappointing 6:30, but my body felt fresh, with the chaos at the start perhaps saving some "fuel" (one more NASCAR referance)in my body. I trucked up the incline through Millburn center, able to keep with my "game plan."
I was happy with my two-mile split of 12:50, meaning my second mile was a 6:20, and I was still relatively fresh. I knew breaking 20 was feasible, if I kept my concentration and my form.
Millburn is a two-loop race, with the finish line about a 1/4 mile past the start. The first year I ran, I didn't realize that, timed my sprint a little early, and was really sucking wind as the finishing clock was not in sight!
By now, I'm familiar with it, and put on a "controlled" sprint at the end as I was pretty confident my goal was at hand. Sure enough,I crossed the line in 19:50 (heart rate at finish: 172), good for 115th overall. I'm used to winning my age-group now in most local races, but in this one, I wasn't even in the top three!
That's okay, though. I got the time I was looking for, my heart-rate was high enough to indicate I gave a total effort, and knowing there's that many good runners at my (late middle-aged) point of life will give me further motivation to keep up my training. Onward and upward!

Bob Beckert Run 2011

One of my traditional races every year is the Bob Beckert Memorial 5-K at Watchung Hills High School, held on the first Sunday of June. It attracts between 200-300 local runners, including many kids on the Watchung Hills track and cross-country teams. Im a hot weather runner, and the temperature normally is in the high 70's to low 80's.
It's somewhat old-school, with no visible mile-markers or splits, so it's up to you to go out and "git r' done!"
This year, I couldn't run for the ten days preceding the race, as I was recovering from cataract surgery. Luckily, I was able to do the bike and elliptical, so I didn't feel I lost too much conditioning. Plus, I was in a good mood when the doctor told me everything was healing fine, and I could resume "normal" activity.
Coming off a half-marathon the previous month, I knew I would have to push the pace harder in a short race, and I feel I did, staying within sight of the lead pack most of the way. I passed a few of the high school kids, and no one overtook me, always a good sign that you are not "rigging." My focus was good, and no problems with legs, stomach, or any other areas.
I've done the race enough times to divide it into sections, and coming up the final long stretch on Mountain Ave., I was confident I was in the low to mid 19-minute range.
The race ends with a 1/4-mile steep incline up the high school parking lot. About halfway up, I heard the race announcer reading off "19:45, 19:46..." I knew I couldn't break 20 minutes at this point, but still took the hill hard and finished in 20:12, seventh overall and first in my (50-59 age-group). I took my heart rate about 20 seconds after finishing, and it read 167, so I knew I ran as hard as I could on this particular day.
No complaints, and it felt very appreciative that I was able to run so quickly after surgery. I'll get back in the "19:OO's" soon enough.

Long Branch Half-Marathon

Each Spring, I enter a Half-Marathon, to gauge my fitness level at a long-distance race, and give me a training goal through the doldrums of winter. This year, I returned to one of my favorite courses, the Long Branch half-Marathon, held on May 1st.
Because of the weather, most of my training for this race is on the treadmill, and I did plenty of "pace work" at 7 minute miles, my goal for this race. I also did quite a bit of speedwork at 6 t0 6:30-minute paces for mile repeats, and a few 10-mile runs.
I felt mentally and physically ready, and the day came up sunny and warm, just the way I like. I felt fine warming up, and definitely felt capable of a 1:30 to 1:31 effort.
Prudently, I mixed in with a "pace leader" and group aiming for a 1:30 finish. Our first mile felt comfortably hard, and we passed the clock in 6:35, much faster than we planned.
We slowed to seven-minute pace at that point, and frankly, it felt like walking! Still, I stayed disciplined, traded leads with others, and remained at that pace.
At around the five-mile mark, a guy who looked at least my 52 years of age blazed by us. Feeling great, my competitiveness and stupidity then got the best of me.
I left my group behind and tried to stick with the older runner, figuring we were probably battling for first-place in our 50-59 age-group. He surged ahead of me about a mile later, and now I was on my own.
I managed seven-minute pace for the next few miles, but without the ease I felt amongst the group. Plus, the half-marathoners were beginning to mix with back-of-the packers of the accompanying Jersey Shore Marathon, which started 30 minutes earlier.
Instead of open road, now we were dodging between large groups of walkers and joggers, which seemed to destroy my mental concentration.
At around nine miles, my right hip and hamstring began to tighten up as well, and now it just became a case of survival, with the rapid early pace clearly taking a toll on my body. The group I left behind five miles back now passed me.
The last three miles were into a strong headwind, and no matter how I tried to mentally battle through, I couldn't muster up anything better than a limping 7:30 pace. At that moment,I couldn't run a second faster, and vowed not beat myself up over a lack of perceived effort.
It mercifully ended with me crossing the line in 1:33.07 (7:03 pace), fourth in my age-group (out of 241) and 91st overall in a field of close to 7000.
I shouldn't be bummed, and really am not. You can't fault yourself for going for it when you feel good, although I always tell others to just worry about your pace and not about anyone else. In my enthusiasm and hubris, I broke my own cardinal rule.
Oh, the older guy who passed me and tooik me off my game-plan? He's actually 60 and won his age-group in 1:29 and change. Tremendous, and I'll see you next year!

Sports Specialization

It's been my observation that children growing up today are either too active, or too sedentary. My kids have always been involved in travel soccer, and it's pretty much a year-round commitment of pre-season training in the summer, a fall schedule of games and practices, winter conditioning, and a spring schedule of more games and practices. I have no complaints-my daughter went onto a nice high school career with it-and I feel that soccer involves all the physiological aspects of fitness you look for in kids - speed training, endurance, balance, and agility.

My children also got a taste of distance-running by entering several 5-K races, and my son always does the MS 25-mile "Coast To Coast" Bike Tour every year. I think it's important that kids get a taste of different sports, to see where their interests and abilities lie, and for variety alone. The American Academy of Pediatrics agrees, issuing a recent policy statement regarding intensive training and sports specialization in young people. It concluded that children should be encouraged to participate in a variety of activities, and not specialize in just one.
The AAP (and I) feels that much of the specialization is at the behest of parents who are under mostly false illusiions about gaining a college scholarship or professional career for their kid. Or, breaking it down to another level, they just want an edge against the other kids (and parents) they are competiing against, either literally, or in their own minds. The statement said that kids who sample many activities and specialize after puberty are more consistent performers, have fewer injuries, and have less of a "burn-out" factor with the sport.

Nutrition was another concern of the report. It was important that kids take in enough calories, and particularly a sufficient amount of iron and calcium, to support their growth and development. Female athletes are particularly at risk in this area, especially with delay or stoppinjg of their menstrual cycle. This can lead to increased risk of stress fractures in the near- term, and osteoporosis in the long-term. Emotionally, danger points cited were increased stress (which may be internal or external,and missed social or educational experiences due to the heavy load of practices, individual training, travel, and games.

The conclusion was logical: don't push kids into sports, don't let them play through injuries, and let them form their own interests. This can be advice on sports or many other things: don't live your life through your kids!

Strokes in Young People

New research shows that Strokes, the potentially fatal heart disease caused by lack of oxygen to the brain, is rising amongst young people and dropping with seniors.

A comprehensive report was released on the subject by the American Stroke Association last month, comparing hospitilizations for strokes in 1994 and 1995 to 2006 and 2007.

The sharpest increase was amongst men, ages 15 to 34 - which rose a whopping 51%. Women in this age group rose 17%. The theory is that the obesity epidemic in America is re-shaping the assumed age burden of the disease.

Statiistically, older Americans are still more likely to suffer from strokes (300 stroke cases amongst 10,000 hospitilizations in 2006-07). For males, 15-34, that number was 15 stroke cases per 10,000 hospitilizations. For women that age, it was just four strokes per 10,000 hospitilizations.

For middle-aged (35-44) males, the statistics rose 47 percent in the last decade, and 36% for women of the same age group.

The good news: for men 65 and older, strokes dropped by 25 % in the testing period. For women, it was an even more encouraging 29%. Doctors feel that is because of better care of risk factors, like high blood pressure. Overall, strokes dropped from the third most likely cause of death to the fourth, which is attributed to better after-care and prevention methods amongst the elderly.

But the rise in young people is still worrisome to doctors. The main culprits amongst young people were the aforementioned high blood pressure and obesity, as well as smoking, alcohol abuse, and diabetes.

One somewhat controversial note was the parallel between diet soda and strokes. Those who drank diet soda every day had a 48% higher risk of stroke or heart attack than those who drank no soda. This could be related to the sodium in diet drinks or lther lifestyle issues. I would theorize that those who drink no soda at all probably have a more disciplined diet all the way around than soda drinkers, and also are more likely to engage in other preventative measures like steady exercise.

As for me, I exercise every day and still enjoy a Diet Coke with a burger or plate of pasta when I eat out. If I were to consume more than two a day, just like alcohol, I would sense that it would not be a healthy lifestyle choice.

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