David Freeze

By David Freeze

Most runners and even some dedicated walkers don’t like to miss a day of doing so. What happens when we take time off and how fast does it take to lose fitness? Sometimes there is an injury that needs to heal or some otherwise important medical reason to stop for a while. Rarely, there is a certain staleness in training where none of the runs are fun and nothing else has worked.

I had my own concerns about missing time earlier in the year when I had a kidney stone and a resulting blood infection that caused a hospital stay and only minor exercise for a month. I began to research how long we can retain our normal fitness level once we stop.

Turns out that the fitness decline starts to happen within just a few days. Runners World posted an article that said, “It only takes a few days to get out of shape. That’s right. Stop running for just a week, and your maximal aerobic capacity (max VO2), one of the key indicators of performance potential, begins to decrease. Take two to three weeks off, and you’ll add a minute or more to your 5K time. Stroke volume, the amount of blood pumped by the heart per beat, also wanes by 10 percent or more in just three weeks. Even your muscles’ aerobic enzymes (key chemicals that help produce the energy you need to run) fall by 25 percent or more in 21 days.”

And here is their suggestion on how to stay in shape while taking a break not associated with injury or medical condition. Don’t stop training but do it on a limited basis and you won’t lose fitness. Dr. Owen Anderson said, “During your break, run just once a week if you ordinarily train three or four times, or twice a week if you usually work out five to seven times. For each session, complete mile repeats at your 5-K pace (the speed at which you would have run the 5-K before your break started). Divide your customary weekly mileage by 10 to determine how many reps to do. For example, if you ran 30 miles per week before your break, do three 1-mile repeats per workout. The mile repeats will almost completely prevent losses in running capacity. In other words, you’ll get a break without losing fitness.”

After years of running almost daily, I felt like I was starting over after my own period of downtime. We’ve worked too hard to give away so much fitness by choice.

I mentioned meteor showers in a previous article. Look for two more chances to see them, the first being across the sky on the night of Tuesday, Dec. 13, into the early hours of Wednesday, Dec. 14, as the Geminid meteor shower peaks at as many as 100 meteors per hour. A bright moon could limit visibility.

The last possibility is on the longest night of the year, Dec. 21, when the Ursid shower seems to come from the Ursa Minor or the Little Dipper. I will be out looking for both!

Our next running event on Dec. 10 is one of the friendliest events of the year, Santa’s Run for Hunger 5K and Fun Run. The Millbridge Ruritans host Santa annually on this day and all proceeds will benefit Rowan Helping Ministries. Held in conjunction with the Holiday Bigfoot Reunion, camping and “meet and greets” are scheduled with the big furry creatures along Kerr Mill Road. A human bigfoot shoe contest will be held following the race with all runners and volunteers eligible by wearing shoes over size 10 for women and 12 for men. A pancake breakfast will be held following the run/walk and all participants can wear jingle bells, presumably to keep from startling any visiting Bigfoots near the camping area.

Look for more information on this and other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

By David Freeze

This past weekend was another exciting one for Catawba’s freshman phenom Madison Clay, their girls’ cross-country team and Frank Adams IV. I promised an update and there is plenty of good news.

Between the men’s and women’s teams last Saturday, Catawba had five All-Region selections, all finishing in the top 25 individuals.  Coach Jason Bryan said, “That’s the most in school history for us, making a very special day. Both the men and women ran with everything they had.”

The men just missed out by one spot on qualifying for nationals for the second year in a row, but sophomore Oussama Ajala (Gastonia) finished 7th and qualified as an individual. Other All-Region selections were Erick Ramirez (Dobson)(15th) and EJ Threatt (Pageland, SC)(20th).

Bryan continued, “The women had a historic day with Morganton’s Madison Clay becoming the first Southeast Region Champion in school history while leading the women’s team to a national championship birth with a 3rd place finish. Clay claimed SE region runner of the year honors as a freshman. Raina Andrews (Rock Hill, SC) finished 4th with another All-Region selection while Natalie Almond (Oakboro)(26th), Mikayla Jones (Aurora, Ohio)(27th), and Aislynn Reagle (Nashville, Tennessee)(30th) all finished in the top 30 to round out scoring.

The top three teams in the region get an automatic bid and the men’s team just missed out on an at-large bid. The national finals will be held in Seattle, Washington, on Dec. 2.

Madison Clay said, “I’ve been running on and off ever since I was very young, but I didn’t really get into the sport until my high school sophomore year. I had a wonderful coach who made everyone feel important, even if they weren’t overly fast. That really motivated me to keep going.” Clay dropped her 5K time from 29:58 during her sophomore year to 17:38 this year.

She continued, “On average, I usually run around 60 miles a week depending whether it’s a training or recovery week. I used to really enjoy biking and bike workouts, especially when I was injured for a period of time in high school, but I haven’t needed any cross training in a long while. In all honesty, I really just love the training, going outside and being with my teammates. The achievements and awards are more so an added bonus than anything else.”

Clay is much more than a runner and excellent student. She said, “Outside of running, I love music and art. I started playing the violin when I was 5 years old and the piano when I was 6. Then in middle school I picked up trumpet and ended up being in band/marching band all the way up through high school. I even auditioned and made it to the district level for trumpet (not to toot my own horn). To this day, I still love playing all three instruments and it brings me a lot of joy when I learn a new song.”

Frank Adams also loves running and has become a local favorite. He’s been training with a group out of Concord and has continued his improvement while running in the 8 and under USATF 2K division. Adams has won three consecutive races including the state and regional championships. He posted a time of 8:07.80 to win the regional in Greensboro last Sunday and has qualified for a trip to the Nationals in Texas.

Adams said, “This race was a challenge! I was competing against most of the boys I had raced against the last two races, and they were coming for me. I knew I had to go out fast and take the lead in order to win.”

Mom Allison Dupree Adams said, “Frank did a great job with his race plan. He got out to a fast start and made the others run his race. He pushed hard in the cold to get his personal best time in a 2K, equivalent to a 6:30 per mile pace. Frank definitely has the love of running, just like my dad (Ed Dupree), and works hard to achieve his goals.”

Next up for local runners and walkers is the Freeze Your Buns 5K in Spencer on Dec. 3. Look for this and other events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

By David Freeze

What I’m thankful for:

The opportunity to do this column year after year. Life changes and so do perspectives, but we have blessings worth remembering and therefore so much to be thankful for.

Friends, like or unlike ourselves, who often offer different perspectives. Especially young adults who help keep the rest of us young, often while considering their opinions.

Hot hands, wool socks and Vaseline for use on the recent cold morning runs to keep fingers and toes comfortable.

A Bible verse a day, a morning devotion and a long prayer. A good start to the day.

The smells of Pine-sol, Dial soap, freshly mown grass and cured hay, Coppertone and wood smoke.

Books, the source of knowledge, escape and inspiration. A day without reading, a least a few pages for ourselves, is a lost opportunity. My sister Patricia, who passed away in January, collected books, and I’m reading them now.

The Salisbury Post, good for me and good for you. Great people and close friends who work hard to put out the Post in hopes that many of us won’t have to say, “I hadn’t heard about that.”

Our local PDs, FDs and other first responders, I can’t miss thanking them in every one of these columns. Special thanks to Sheriff Auten and Chief Stokes, good men who will be missed.

Falling stars and snowflakes. I get excited every time I see one.

Dreams, adventures and passion! Never stop having them, no matter what your stage in life.

Ex-wives, regardless of how many, always have something good to offer, then and now.

Challenges that we can embrace, We are what we can overcome.

A granddaughter named the Booper, always worth a better day when I see her.

More than 20 great running/walking events in Rowan annually that each benefit our wonderful charities. I hope to see many of you at Salisbury’s Thanksgiving happening, The Forum’s Butterball 5K.

That America is still the best place to be and full of people just like you and me, proven every summer on my bike rides. Hardly a day passes when I don’t meet someone who would make a good neighbor.

All the readers who follow those rides and other things I’m so fortunate to write about.

More places to visit, just like my card says, “I haven’t been everywhere yet, but its on my mind.” Next summer’s trip is already planned, as much as it can be, with the freedom and hopefully the knowledge to adjust on the fly.

Two great daughters, their husbands and the rest of our family.

Veterans like James Deal! He’s a true hero, as are all those who proudly wear the uniforms of our country.

Volunteers, the heart and soul of so many worthwhile activities and community organizations. No greater gift than your time can be offered.

Christmas parades, where everyone is young again with the thrill of the season just ahead. I love a parade and one day I will see the Macy’s parade and the big balloons in person.

And finally, as the old hymn says, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one, see what God has done!”

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

By David Freeze

Last Saturday’s South Atlantic Conference Cross-Country meet was hosted by Catawba College at Salisbury Community Park. Coach Jason Bryan’s men’s and women’s teams had solid finishes with men’s team finishing second on an 8K (4.97 miles) course while the women took third on their 6K (3.7 miles) course. A total of 13 colleges and universities competed.

Catawba’s sizzling freshman Madison Clay topped the women’s field with a time of 21 minutes 58.7 seconds. It was the fastest time ever for the 6K in the Catawba program and Clay was the first conference winner since 1997 since Allison Dupree Adams captured the crown.

Adams said, “It’s awesome to see the rise of track and field and cross country over the last 5-10 years at Catawba. Jason has done an excellent job, especially since the addition of the track and field program has allowed the school to bring more talented recruits into the program. Madison’s hard work paid off with an outstanding win last Saturday!”

Other highlights for the women’s program this year include their highest conference finish since 1998, two runners making the all-freshman team and five all-conference selections. Top five finishers for Catawba included Clay, Mikayla Jones, Raina Andrews, Natalie Almond and Rachel Overby.

Clay, from Morganton’s Patton High School, was named both Freshman and SAC Conference Runner of the Year, a first for the Catawba program.  At 18, Clay knows there are lots of expectations as she continues her cross-country career. She said, “I still find my success hard to believe but I’m honored to represent Catawba as we try to take our team to the next level. It can be stressful but its nice to have goals. I just love running!” Coach Bryan says that Clay smiles constantly, even when she’s passing other competitors on the race course. Clay is an exercise science major and plans to be a registered dietician.

The Catawba men’s team was led by third place finisher Oussama Aiala with his season’s best time of 25:30.06. He was followed by Mooresville native and Freshman of the Year Tanner Smith, Erick Ramierez, EJ Threatt and Brannon Burns.

The men’s second place finish was the highest since 2002. Five all conference selections and two all-freshmen team selections were highlights of the conference meet.

“I am really excited about the group we have here right now,” Coach Bryan said. Both the men’s and women’s teams are dialed in this season and accomplished some great things at the conference meet. This has been building over the past several years and we are having a great team season. Past team members and coaches laid the groundwork for what is happening now, and I am grateful for their hard work. Our goal is to be one of the better collegiate cross country/track programs in the region while making the national level annually. We have a chance to do something special next week at regionals as we try to qualify both teams for nationals.”

Both the men’s and women’s teams will compete in the regionals on Saturday, Nov. 19, at Wingate University.

Next up for local racing is the always popular Butterball 5K Run/Walk at The Forum on Thanksgiving Day. It’s Salisbury’s largest 5K and a wonderful way to burn those calories ahead of a big holiday meal. All proceeds go to Prevent Child Abuse Rowan and participants get a commemorative T-shirt, refreshments and a chance to win awards for top three overall and top three in 13 age groups. Cash prizes total $500. Registration is available at The Forum, at Runsignup.com and by mail after printing a brochure at the SRR website. More information on this and other upcoming events can be found at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

By David Freeze

We are fortunate to have most races back on the calendar for the fall and winter season. Being courteous to other runners, walkers and race organizers is probably the easiest and best thing we can all do to make for the best race day experience possible. Just this past weekend, several occurrences made this topic worth some attention.

Arrive on time to handle all the pre-race participant responsibilities that include parking, bathroom stops and race check-in. Don’t be that person who can’t get these things done to comfortably arrive at the start line on time. Most regular participants plan to arrive an hour early, enough time for a warm-up and to find the start if in a different place from the registration area. This is also the best time to make sure that you have at least some understanding of the course. Maps normally will either be posted online, on the brochure or at the race. If not, ask a race official to explain the course to you. Veteran runners do this all the time and officials are glad to help.

Pay attention to the pre-race and welcome announcements. The pre-race announcements are directed to the participants and include final race directions. Such was the case at last Sunday afternoon’s 5K when about half of the attendees kept talking during those announcements. Six runners got off course because they failed to listen to course directions. Be assured that the pre-race announcements will be as brief as possible.

Don’t crowd and never push other participants at any turns or tight spots on the course. A good rule of thumb is that all runners should be able to see their feet when making the turn and usually that will keep participants from getting tangled up. This is also especially helpful if the course has wet spots or leaves where you might be turning. “Keep your footing, save your race!” is an old adage that applies.

Don’t pass someone in the race finish chute if you didn’t beat them to the finish. One of my worst memories is of a well-known local guy who couldn’t beat two girls running side by side to the finish, but he sure could after he raced past them in the finish chute. Don’t hang over the race staff who are compiling results. Let them work. Again, don’t be that person who isn’t considerate of others.

Be courteous to others at both the refreshment area and at the awards ceremony. After the race is over, generally there will be plenty of food and drink but possibly not if everyone grabs six donuts and a bunch of bananas. Dispose of your trash and don’t leave it for race organizers to clean up.

The awards celebration should be fun for everyone. Make sure to keep your conversations at a reasonable level so that all may hear the winners and post-race announcements. If you feel that any award was given incorrectly, wait until the announcements are complete and your questions will be answered.

Next Saturday’s Clean Water 5K and Kid’s Fun Run will be held at Grace Lutheran Church. If you haven’t participated as a runner or walker, consider this race for your first. There is plenty of parking, it’s not going to be crowded, the event is well organized and cost friendly plus you are almost guaranteed to make some new friends while raising funds for a worthy charity. The “rest of the day feeling” is especially gratifying after challenging yourself physically to start the day, and the shirts and refreshments just add to the fun.

More information about the Clean Water 5K and other upcoming events can be found at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org. 

By David Freeze

At least in my circles, I have heard recently of some long-time local exercisers who are having trouble getting back to their regular exercise after having COVID. While it seems that most have bounced off of it and able to return to normal activities, at least the concept of a slow return to normal is widespread and also getting some national attention.

While most have listed at least a month of poor exercise following COVID, some are lingering much longer with no apparent reason otherwise. Health magazine has reported that long COVID can drastically reduce a person’s capacity for exercise and physical activity. Researchers analyzed 38 different studies on how long COVID affects exercise and their recovery. Findings say that exercise intolerance can steal away up to a decade of exercise ability.

“This roughly translates to the expected decrease in exercise capacity by aging one decade,” lead study author Dr. Matthew Durstenfeld, a cardiologist and clinical researcher in the department of medicine at the University of California. This could look like going from the ability to do light jogging to only being able to do a brisk walk, he added. While this may not be the case for everyone with long COVID, it does show that long COVID’s impact on exercise is varied and can be extreme.

“As this is an average, some people experience no decrease in exercise capacity at all,” Durstenfeld said. “And others experience a really profound decrease in what activities they can do. It’s associated with heart and lung function and is a common symptom of many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes and heart failure.”

Regarding long COVID and exercise intolerance, Durstenfeld and his colleagues looked into the connection after seeing participants of another study — the Long-Term Impact of Infection with Novel Coronavirus study — regularly report that they weren’t able to exercise as much or at the same intensity as they had before having COVID.

“For some, it was going from being an elite cyclist to ‘normal,’ and for others from being able to exercise normally to an inability to do their regular activities,” Durstenfeld said.

Researchers analyzed 38 different studies with a total of 2,160 participants, and ultimately homed in on nine studies including 464 individuals with symptoms of long COVID and 359 without. The studies relied on cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to measure exercise capacity, specifically their peak oxygen consumption (V̇o₂).

Researchers found differences in the peak Vo₂ among people who had symptoms of long COVID more than three months after a bout of COVID, and those who did not. Researchers also said the reduced exercise capability goes beyond just deconditioning, or the physiological changes that come after a period of inactivity. People also experienced dysfunctional breathing, chronotropic incompetence (inability to increase heart rate during exercise) and impaired oxygen uptake and utilization.

As with most information surrounding long COVID, much is still unknown about the condition — including its connection to exercise intolerance. “No single mechanism emerged as to why long COVID contributes to a decrease in exercise capacity,” Durstenfeld said. He and his colleagues concluded that more research needs to be done on the connection, but that exercise intolerance should be considered a potential symptom of long COVID.

If you suspect you are affected, please see your doctor for the latest treatment.

The self-defense training clinic offered by Sidekick Karate and the Salisbury Rowan Runners is filling up. While planned as a result of recent female runner deaths nationwide, the session is open to men as well. The training clinic will be held on Saturday, Nov. 4 at Sidekick Karate from 10 a.m. to noon. Reserve your spot by emailing me at david.freeze@ctc.net . Look for this and other activities at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org .

By David Freeze

The topic of self-defense, especially for women, has become a highly discussed topic with the recent killing of Eliza Fletcher who went out for a 4 a.m. run and did not return. Fletcher was a teacher and mother of two when abducted in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Her body was found later after she was forced into a dark-colored vehicle. At least six female runners and one female golfer playing alone have been killed in recent years.

The dangers women face while simply exercising outside are in the spotlight again and locally the Salisbury Rowan Runners and Sidekick Karate are offering a self-defense seminar and training session on Nov. 5. The event will be held at Sidekick Karate at 520 South Main Street from 10 a.m.-noon. There is no charge and both men and women are welcome. You do not have to be a walker or runner to attend. A limited number of spots are available. Please reserve yours by emailing me at david.freeze@ctc.net

Most runners, at least at one time or another, want to train to get faster. Working to get faster is hard and often painful, but commitment to a good plan is usually successful. Training to get faster almost always pays off relative to the amount of time and effort invested.

I used to read Runner’s World religiously and other related magazines until it seemed they were recycling the same ideas over and over and just titling them differently. It remains my belief that runners in general used to train harder and push themselves more. Yes, it is a different time, but we all want to be good at something and what is better than any benefit to your physical and mental health?

Last week, I ran across what a Navy Seal teaches to his trainees when they must break very fast mile times, particularly when a lot of them are large men. Usually the bigger the body, the harder it is to run fast. Navy Seals have to train for a 1.5-mile time trial clocking of 9 minutes, that’s 6 minutes per mile. Here is what Navy Seal trainer Stew Smith says: This is a workout for conditioned athletes, so dial yours back to something doable and in line with your abilities but keep with the basic plan. I am going to do this once a week.

Warm up with the following — Keep going up the ladder until you reach set 10.

• 1 squat, jog 100 meters
• 2 squats, jog 100 meters
• 3 squats, jog 100 meters

Then repeat the below workout four times:

• Run 400 or 800 meters at goal pace. If you choose, you can do the squats and lunges every other set.
• Squats: 20
• Lunges: 10 per leg
• Stretch as needed but at minimum rest between sets

You could begin with four 400-meter runs and do the squats and lunges every other set. Then work your way up.

After you complete the middle segment, finish the full pyramid that you started with and use it as a way to push a faster run pace for shorter distances. The final section looks like this:

• 10 squats, run 200 meters fast. You aren’t sprinting but running faster than your goal pace.
• 9 squats, run 200 meters
• 8 squats, run 200 meters

Keep going to one squat and a total of 10 x 200-meter runs.

This workout will be most easily accomplished on a track. 100 meters is one quarter of the track, 200 is about half the track and 400 is one complete lap. Of course, the secret to this workout is the squats and lunges. You are waking up leg muscles while stretching them out as well.

Look for this coming weekend’s two races, Saturday’s St. Matthews 5K on Oct. 29 and Sunday’s Spooky Sprint at Salisbury Community Park on Oct. 30 at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

By David Freeze

Most regular exercisers have heard comments from less enthused folks that our knees won’t make it or that we are going to wear out our bodies in some fashion. Usually the people who say this don’t get much exercise but is there some truth to what they say? Can we do too much exercise?

I ran 42 miles on the final day of running across North Carolina and pedaled back-to-back century rides (over 100 miles) on my bike trips several times. Those distances pale when the real athletes who train for exceptional distances run over 100 miles and bike over 250 miles a day in competition. This type of competition requires simulating the effort for many hours in training.

We all know that exercise is good for our health and fitness, and it’s tempting to assume that more is automatically better. But as with so many other good things in life, there comes a point of diminishing returns, and it’s possible to overdo it.

Exactly what constitutes too much physical activity depends on our individual abilities and goals. It is generally accepted that 2.5 to 3 hours a week of moderate exercise gets you the benefits that I talk about each week, such as cardiovascular health, less chance of diabetes and other health risks, along with mental clarity, focus and a sense of well-being. Going past that amount is for purpose and performance and the process gets more complicated.

“When you’re exercising for performance — whether it’s to get stronger in the gym, run a marathon or improve your tennis game — it’s possible to stress your body beyond what it can bounce back from,” said Kristen Dieffenbach, an exercise scientist and director of the Center for Applied Coaching and Sport Sciences at West Virginia University. She says the purpose of training is to induce a so-called training response. We work out, and our body responds by getting fitter, stronger and faster. These improvements don’t happen during the workout itself but occur during the recovery period. That’s when your body repairs the damage brought on by hard exercise, like micro tears in your muscle fibers, and makes adaptations, like increasing the energy-producing mitochondria in your cells.

“As long as your body is able to keep up with this repair work, your workouts will continue to aid your performance,” Dr. Dieffenbach said. But when the stress from your workouts builds up beyond your capacity to recover, you have entered the zone of too much, known in the endurance world as overtraining.

“What makes things tricky is that the line between training hard and overtraining is fuzzy. There’s no formula or number that can tell you what’s too much,” Dr. Dieffenbach said. Instead, what matters is how your body responds to the exercise you’re doing. Dr. Dieffenbach suggested thinking of exercise and the physical and emotional resources it requires as calling upon money in a bank. You have only so much in your budget, and if you try to overspend, you’re going to end up worn down or injured.

During my competitive years, I sometimes had a lingering tiredness, and all workouts became hard for days or even a week at a time. Along with that came trouble sleeping, a higher resting pulse rate and a lingering cold. The body is miraculous but if exercise has to be forced and doesn’t enrich your life, then as hard as it is to admit, it might be time for a break. Experiment with lower intensity workouts, a few days off and cross training. Some extra sleep and time away from the training watch both could help.

Our local Halloween double is just ahead on Oct. 29 and 30 with the St. Matthews and Spooky Sprint 5Ks. Look for these and a busy November schedule as well at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

By David Freeze

I love the fall, including the seasonal beauty, better conditions for running and exercise in general plus all the festivals, ball games and more. Here are some of my thoughts on how to make fall a healthier time.

Don’t spend too much time eating high calorie and high fat comfort foods. We’re just started the final quarter of the year when we all have choices to make about whether we take control of our nutrition. Heading into flu and cold season, eat healthy foods with vitamin C like oranges and grapefruit plus other immunity boosters such as garlic, ginger, spinach and almonds. Take time to dine in at home where you have more control of nutrition instead of fast-food choices.

Take advantage of in-season foods like apples, brussels sprouts, cranberries, cabbage, pears, turnips and pumpkin, one of my favorites. Pumpkin is full of minerals and nutrients, plus vitamin A and beta-carotene. Avoid the canned version which is loaded with sugar and syrups. Try something new at the local produce market, especially something you’ve thought of before but were afraid to try.

Stay on top of your hydration. I am never surprised that once hydration is addressed and made a positive, the body responds with better performance. I’m just like everyone else, I have to work at proper hydration when its cool. Watermelon will likely stay in my fridge as long as I can find it. Make sure your pee is clear and a better body response is a given, not just physically but mentally as well. Better skin comes with better hydration too.

Speaking of skin, make sure to get outside to get your vitamin D that helps the body absorb calcium. Salmon, tuna, eggs and milk will help add vitamin D as does a quality supplement, but what better fun to go for a walk in the cool air and watch the leaves and sounds of nature. A walk improves mood and creativity too, so it’s great for the workplace too.

Watch the sugar intake especially since you will likely be at least somewhat less active. Halloween candy is a big culprit and it’s just ahead so be cautious of keeping extra around the house. Particularly anything with Reese’s Cups in it, my energy on a bike ride becomes a culprit for a few extra pounds at home. And about any football or baseball game on TV means a lot of sitting and the possibility of endless high calorie snacks. Explore healthy choices like fruit and veggies.

Fall is a great time to get your physicals and regular screenings. Maximize your insurance benefits while getting the results ahead of the holidays can provide information on specific areas for needed improvement. The average weight gain of Americans annually is 2-4 pounds, and we are headed into the time of year when it typically occurs.

Keep your normal sleeping patterns if they work well. Too little or too much sleep both can be detrimental as described in last week’s column. If you sleep too little, fall is a great time to add time for quality sleep.

Schedule some time for fall fun and stick to it. Looking forward to Interesting events and even day trips boost mood and joy of life. Set aside time for yourself such as reading, going to a movie, writing, long walks and more. You will be better for others when you take care of yourself.

And finally, get your exercise. If more darkness or cooler temps are a limiting factor, explore what the YMCA and the gyms have to offer. Look for classes that you haven’t tried and beat the rush of the New Year to backtrack on bad holiday choices. Moderate exercise boosts immunity and reduces stress.

The next races on the calendar are the Halloween double, the St. Matthews 5K and the Spooky Sprint 5K. Both have great courses, shirts, awards and refreshments. Look for these and more upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

By David Freeze

Back in 2007, though it feels like yesterday, I got to spend a week in London. It had been a dream for quite a while to run the London Marathon and I finally made it happen. I flew over on an all-night flight to Berlin, then connected to London early on Saturday morning. The marathon was on Sunday, my first tour of the great city. I thought of this memorable adventure often while watching Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on Monday morning.

Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, the Thames River and so many more great sights of London just made for a fabulous week. I rented a room in the YMCA and walked nearly everywhere, interacting with interesting people and had yet another mountaintop experience. A few years afterwards, I taught a seminar at the South Branch of the Rowan County Library on finding your own adventure and I wanted to share some of the key points.

Adventure definition — an exciting or unusual experience, a bold and sometimes risky undertaking, often taking a chance while out of your comfort level. The most important thought related to this definition is that an adventure is something you may have thought about but haven’t done. Maybe your adventure scares you a little, or maybe you just keep putting it off. I’m fortunate to get to talk with people I meet almost daily about having adventures. But finding your own adventure doesn’t have to mean something physically hard and scary.

Why experience adventure? Because adventure is a form of play and nearly always includes some fun. Experiencing an adventure adds joy to life and will almost assuredly provide new perspectives and expand your personal freedoms. Once some boundary is opened, an adventure often breeds thoughts of more of the same. Or better yet, an even higher level of adventure. My first long-distance bike ride was an example of overcoming a boundary, then wanting an even greater achievement. I drove to West Virginia to ride along the Greenbrier River for three days in 2011. After falling off the bike before I rode out of the parking lot and then an exhausting ride in snow and rain, I fell in love with an adventure on two wheels. Totally worn out when driving home, I decided to seek a much longer and challenging cycling adventure. My next ride was 54 days across America.

More good things happen when we seek out adventure. Psychological benefits are numerous. We can supercharge learning and problem-solving plus adventure often stimulates imagination. Adventure also builds self-esteem, sense of well-being, refreshes the mind and body and increases energy. Often, I’m physically whipped at the end of long day, yet a boundless energy from somewhere within pushes me out the door the next morning.

Defining success when seeking and then planning your own personal adventure is easier than you think. Make sure your activity isn’t overwhelming, does match your interests and your available time frame, while meeting physical and financial constraints. Work through why you want to do this and who will go along. Seeking your adventure means getting more information, so getting started means doing your research, contacting experts, having an open mind and a willingness to adjust. Plan for leaving work behind while you seek adventure.

Some ideas from seminar attendees included skydiving, an African safari, visiting London, Paris, Ireland and Scotland, learning to waterski, pilot a plane, backpacking, beekeeping, hiking the John Muir trail in California. It might be as simple as visiting a new town or state, or camping outside on a rainy or chilly night. The possibilities are endless! Start researching and planning now and go find your own adventure!

The best thing to do with life is to live it!

The next race locally is the T-Man’s 5K in Mooresville on Oct. 8. Look for more information on this and other events at  www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.