Is it more expensive to eat healthy?

According to Men's Health magazine, over the past two years, the cost of vegetables, meat, fruit, and other high-nutrition, low-calorie foods has increased by an average of 19.5 percent. But the price of junk foods have actually decreased slightly, by 1.8 percent.

Researchers recently estimated the cost of a diet based on high-calorie foods versus one based on healthy, low-calorie foods. You could eat the high-calorie diet for $3.52 a day. The low-cal diet? Hide your wallet - cost $36.32 per day!

That dollar figure looks pretty bad on the surface, but think about what else is effected by what you eat. The long-term costs of bad eating habits can make that look cheap.

Here's just a few of the ways that being overweight can effect your wallet:

- More expensive life insurance premiums
- More expensive health insurance premiums
- Lower pay - I'm not making this up
- More expensive clothes
- More visits to the doctor (obese people tend to spend 42% more than fit people on medical costs)
- Prescription drugs
- Travel (most airlines now charge obese passengers for two seats)

Overweight people are 25 percent more likely to be hospitalized for heart disease than slim people. Their hospital stays are 16 percent longer. Their risk of high blood pressure is 44 percent higher; the risk of developing kidney cancer is 42 percent higher; the risk of high cholesterol, 33 percent higher. And those numbers only get worse if you’re obese.

Bottom line is that while eating healthy will cost you more at the grocery, the return on investment is something that you need to keep in mind. Plus, everyone knows that the benefits to eating healthy far outweigh the additional cost.

TODAY'S WORKOUT:
45 minutes of weights (back, biceps, abs)
Swam 864 yards (0.49 miles) in 16:48 (34:13/mile pace)

Fartlek run

Instead of my typical "Tuesday Intervals", I decided to mix it up and do a Fartlek run on the indoor track at the gym.

Here's the workout:

10 minute warm-up run (8:30/mile pace)
10 minutes of drills (butt-kickers, shuffles and grape-vines)

40 minutes of fartlek running - picking up the speed for one lap, every third lap

10 minute cool-down - jogging a few laps, walking a few laps, then stretching

I didn't time my miles during the fartlek running, but based on some of my lap times, I was running around 7:45 - 8:00 miles.

It was a good workout, went by faster than I thought it would. Total workout was 1 hour and 10 minutes, and I covered around 6.5 to 7 miles.

Treadmill vs. Outdoors

Up until my last minor injury (shin splints), I would routinely run on a treadmill at the gym for at least one of my running workouts each week. It was mainly for convenience, but I could also keep close tabs on my pace and pass the time while watching SportsCenter.

Once I got shin splints, I started wondering if the treadmill had anything to do with the throbbing that was coming from my lower leg every time I finished running. After looking on the internet, fully expecting to find out how bad treadmills were for your joints, bones and muscles...turns out that the main cause of the shin splints was worn-out shoes. It was still enough to keep me off of the machine ever since.

So what are the real differences between running on a treadmill and running outside?
There is a slight decrease in energy expenditure when running on a treadmill because of the lack of wind resistance and because the treadmill belt does propel you along. To make a treadmill workout closer to outdoor exercise, I've always heard that you have to raise the treadmill incline to 1%.

I have no scientific proof to back this up, but in my experience, you will be much more prepared for the demands on your muscles and joints on race day if you run outdoors during training. Can you practice running downhill on a treadmill? How about turning, or running around obstacles? Nope. It's just straight, flat running. Boo! Plus, it's beautiful outside...God created this world for us to enjoy...so go enjoy it!

Something else to keep in mind when running outdoors is the surface that you are running on. Sometimes it's necessary to run on sidewalks, but avoid it if at all possible. Asphalt is by far the better choice. It's 10 times "softer" than concrete, and that makes a big difference in energy dissipation and shock absorption. If most of your running is on concrete, I would put that at or near the top of the list of suspects for recurring injuries. You would be much better off running on grass or dirt alongside the concrete, if you have that option and don't mind having grass-stained shoes!

TODAY'S WORKOUT:
50 minutes of spin (around 17 miles)
45 minutes of weights (chest, triceps, abs)

Hills

Ran these same hills again this morning. As a bonus, it actually felt like fall this morning. It was around 56 degrees, but it felt cooler than that after the miserable heat this past Thursday morning. I'm excited about more mornings like this!

Time was 23:44 on the way out (7:49/mile)
Time was 23:29 on the way back (7:45/mile)

Total time for the 6.05 miles was 47:13 (7:47/mile pace) - this is only 2 seconds off my time for this same route earlier this month. So I'd say that's pretty consistent.

Happy 35th Birthday...

to Triathlon! It all started back in 1974, in Mission Bay, California. The idea was conceived by Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan. In 1973 Jack competed in the second annual "Dave Pain Birthday Biathlon". Which consisted of a 4.5 mile run followed by what was billed as a quarter-mile swim (the actual distance was between 200 and 300 yards). Jack loved the race and wanted to do more of them...but there wasn't any other events like this, so he started to plan one.

He conceived a run-swim biathlon with equal emphasis on the two disciplines, and several alternate legs. The initial run could be done in racing shoes, but subsequent running legs would have to be barefoot on a suitable surface (grass or sand). The Fiesta Island area of Mission Bay, where the Dave Palin race had been staged, was almost perfect. He designed a course, then called Bill Stock, the San Diego Track Club Calendar Chairman, and told him of his plans. He said he would put it on the calendar, but the rest was up to Jack.

As an afterthought, he suggested that Jack call Don Shanahan, who also had some strange event in mind. Bill wanted them to combine their ideas so there wouldn't be too many "weird" races on the schedule. Jack called Don and he told him that he wanted to include a biking leg. Jack wasn't too thrilled with the suggestion, having never cycled competitively (he didn't even own a bike). But what the hell, he thought, let's go for it. Theye decided to call the event the "Mission Bay Triathlon".

Here's the ad that ran in the track club newsletter:

The First Annual Mission Bay Triathlon, a race consisting of segments of running, bicycle riding, and swimming, will start at the causeway to Fiesta Island at 5:45 P.M. September 25. The event will consist of 6 miles of running (longest continuous stretch, 2.8 miles), 5 miles of bicycle riding (all at once), and 500 yards of swimming (longest continuous stretch, 250 yards). Approximately 2 miles of running will be barefoot on grass and sand. Each participant must bring his own bicycle. Awards will be presented to the first five finishers. For further details contact Don Shanahan (488-4571) or Jack Johnstone (461-4514).

I find it funny that they had to include the part about bringing your own bike. I also find it interesting that they didn't do just the three "legs" that are now common. They ran, swam, biked, ran, then swam again. This seems a lot harder than the way it's done now. The first Mission Bay Triathlon was competed in by 46 athletes and won by Bill Phillips with a time of 55 minutes and 44 seconds. Jack Johnston came in 6th, with a time of 1 hour, 2 minutes, and 18 seconds.


Picture is of Don Shanahan directing runners during the first ever "triathlon".

TODAY'S WORKOUT:
4 mile recovery run
30:23 (7:35/mile pace)

Well...that was not fun

My post yesterday talked about how excited I was that we were officially starting Fall. Well, let me assure you, it didn't feel like Fall this morning! When I got started around 6am, it was sprinkling rain and it felt like a sauna. Temperature was in the low 70's, but the humidity had to be over 90%. It was the definition of "sticky". My shirt and shorts were literally dripping with sweat by the time I finished. I contemplated doing my run on the treadmill, but after looking at the radar, I decided to take my chances and run outside. Plan was to run 8 laps of the road around the mall - yes, I'm getting bored with this too!

I was tired before I even ran my first step and knew early into the run that it was going to be a tough one. My legs started to get heavy after 2 laps. I was drenched in sweat and my shoes were wet after running through all the puddles. I kind of sound like a cry baby, huh?

I've run out of steam on my last few long morning runs, so I brought along a gel pack and popped it during lap 4. It didn't help. In hindsight, my bigger problem was fluids. I drank some water before I started, but running almost 10 miles in the humidity without a drop of water is a recipe for disaster. I've put down close to 80 oz. of water since I got to work, and 5 hours after I finished running...I still haven't peed! I guess I need to stick a water bottle along the route somewhere.

Here's my slip times:
Lap 1 - 9:31 (7:51/mile)
Lap 2 - 9:53 (8:10)
Lap 3 - 9:54 (8:10)
Lap 4 - 10:23 (8:34)
Lap 5 - 10:20 (8:32)
Lap 6 - 10:31 (8:41)
Lap 7 - 10:37 (8:46)
Lap 8 - 10:17 (8:29)

Totals: 9.68 miles in 1:21:28 (8:24/mile pace)

Hopefully this isn't a precursor to my race in 3-1/2 weeks. I only have two more long runs planned before then, let's hope they work out better than this one did!

Autumn has begun!

Autumn officially arrived at 5:18pm yesterday, so that makes today the first full days of fall! I'm really excited to welcome fall in this year. Summer will always hold a special place in my heart, but the heat and grass cutting keep it from getting the title of "Luke's favorite Season".

I like fall the best for several reasons. The weather, football, leaves turning and Halloween. I love fall for all these reasons, but also because I'm a runner. If you are a runner, I'm sure you will agree...Autumn is the perfect season. That early morning run in the crisp, cool air is the best. Get me out on the road early in the morning with a temperature around 45 degrees and the sun reflecting off of all the colorful foliage - I'll run all days long!

Speaking of early morning runs...when does the freakin' time change back? I hate running in the dark! This 7:30 sunrise just isn't working for me!

TODAY'S WORKOUT:
45 minutes of weights (back, biceps, abs)
Swam 864 yards (0.49 miles) in 17:13 (35:04/mile pace)