Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Day 43 - Twenty-Minute Run
Contra the ILP's workout advice, I did some aerobic work today, namely, running. I ran competitively for 7 years, in events ranging from the 800m to the 10k (with an occasional 15k to boot, 9.3 miles = happy!), and it has become an old habit, fit for mind-clearing and stress de-knotting. Plus you get to see shit.
Strength workouts may better for you, but all told they can be boring and solipsistic. Running puts you out into the world, navigating social systems and infrastructure, a direct means of ascertaining the "health" of our collective body of maps, roadways, forests, trails, sidewalks, parking lots, and mini-mall facades.
Besides, there are ways around the aerobic drain of the endless slow-jog. For one, Fartleks. These "speed plays" are 1-5 minute bursts of intensity buffeted by the slower jog of your normal running pace. Do a few of these, with 1-3 minute jog lulls in between, and you'll be huffing and puffing and feeling like crazy.
And what does it mean to "speed play" through the urban/semi-urban/rural terrain? How does it affect your understanding of the socius to see it at varying speeds? My feeling is that travel speed through the manifest world can range from the standstill, to the walk, the run, the bike, the drive, and plane (and the rocket, for the truly intrepid). The faster you go, the closer things seem, but the more details blur. Depth becomes span, contemplation becomes action, and back again. A holistic unity of these dynamic perspectives (how's that for vague integral-speak?) seems to be what's needed, a mode of Wandering through the world which shows how contingent our supposed understanding of "space" really is.
And don't even get me started about swimming.
Strength workouts may better for you, but all told they can be boring and solipsistic. Running puts you out into the world, navigating social systems and infrastructure, a direct means of ascertaining the "health" of our collective body of maps, roadways, forests, trails, sidewalks, parking lots, and mini-mall facades.
Besides, there are ways around the aerobic drain of the endless slow-jog. For one, Fartleks. These "speed plays" are 1-5 minute bursts of intensity buffeted by the slower jog of your normal running pace. Do a few of these, with 1-3 minute jog lulls in between, and you'll be huffing and puffing and feeling like crazy.
And what does it mean to "speed play" through the urban/semi-urban/rural terrain? How does it affect your understanding of the socius to see it at varying speeds? My feeling is that travel speed through the manifest world can range from the standstill, to the walk, the run, the bike, the drive, and plane (and the rocket, for the truly intrepid). The faster you go, the closer things seem, but the more details blur. Depth becomes span, contemplation becomes action, and back again. A holistic unity of these dynamic perspectives (how's that for vague integral-speak?) seems to be what's needed, a mode of Wandering through the world which shows how contingent our supposed understanding of "space" really is.
And don't even get me started about swimming.
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What's the deal with the ILP and aerobics? Is it just about running or are "they" saying it that strength training in general is better than aerobics? And does that mean, if you had to do only one or the other? I understand about running and the wear and tear it puts on your body, but aerobics in general seem to be just as essential as strength training. If not, than I'd be interested to see some good research disproving that;)
There is some solid research that shows that traditional cardio may be bad for your heart. Tradional cardio keeps the heart pumping at a steady rate. When a heart attack occurs there is usually a sudden jump in your heart rate. Training at keeping you in a steady rate increases your aerobic capacity but doesn't neccessarily mean it will prevent a heart attack. Interval Training in cardio has shown in studies to be more effectve. See above link.
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