October 26, 2008 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
I won’t candy coat anything. It’s getting cold – both inside and outside of the water. But the Lake Monsters are geared up and out in force at Ladder #1…
The air temperature came in at around 55F which was the high point of the day from what I understand. The lake came in at a cool 52F and the absence of any wind made it a veritable sheet of glass. I stepped up the thermo gear to include a neoprene hood and gloves, the latter providing extra protection on my neck which made a world of difference both during and after the swim. However, the 3mm neoprene foot covers didn’t do as good of a job protecting my feet as they had during the warmer temperatures. Next week’s set up will be essentially the same, but I plan to add 7mm neoprene diving shoes and a free diver’s mask. Since the rest of the equipment performed flawlessly, this set up should be quite effective in the sub-50F range.
For such a chilly scenario, though, we had quite a turnout at Ladder #1. Diver Dave and Chris were there along with John Dickinson, who’s in town from Kentucky. We all did the out-and-back to Oak Street Beach without any difficulties, and the water, as mentioned earlier, was completely calm. By the time we were finished, the sun had crested over a cloud bank and warmed things up considerably. At about the same time, the Ochoa brothers made an appearance after their morning run and took turns jumping into the bracing waters in just their running shorts (brrr….)
“Diver Dave” Oliva, Lake Monster #21 and long time Ladder #1 stalwart
John, Lake Monster #22 (Congrats!)
Capturing the sun
October 21, 2008 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed…lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.
- Cicero, c. 55 BC
There is nothing new under the sun…
October 19, 2008 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
After a week of sketchy weather, I am happy to report that we one again lucked out this morning. I arrived at Ladder #1 just after 7:00am and just in time to catch another awe-inspiring sunrise. One second it was just a bright maroon haze on the horizon, and the next moment – full autumn glory. I honestly can’t understand why anyone would want to sleep through this, but they sure do!
I had forgotten to bring my thermometer, but fortunately Diver Dave and Chris had already scoped out the water temperature. It came in at a scorching 57F, which was a veritable heatwave compared to the 44F air temperature. I opted to go with the full wetsuit and thermo shirt along with the booties and neoprene cap, which proved to be the perfect set up for me.
The lake was mildly choppy, but nothing like the last couple of weeks. I had done my mandatory progressive cold shower so the immersion shock was minimal as well. There was no haze whatsoever in the air, so the views looking east towards the rising sun were nothing short of spectacular. I made the beach landing and got a few peculiar looks from some dog walkers all bundled up in winter parkas. I only spent a few moments outside of the water, but I was starting to get a bit chilled. So I did some sprint swimming for a minute or two when I hit the water, and that made the return swim a lot more palatable.
In short, another fantastic morning a Ladder #1. The Ochoas arrived after a training run, and a couple of them braved the water without a wetsuit. With the colder air temperatures, it was a bit shivery for a while, but the thermos of hot coffee and Barbancourt-laced pineapple sure stoked the furnace!
But you just care about the pics 
, so here they are!
Autumn colors
Daybreak
October 17, 2008 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
The Oregon Research Institute recently published a study in Science magazine that seems to provide a link between obesity and what the researchers term a “blunted striatal response” to food intake. In other words, people who overeat do so because of a “compromised signaling” within their brains’ pleasure and reward centers that causes them to derive less enjoyment and fulfillment from calorically-dense foods (which in this study involved chocolate milkshakes).
The scientists go on to explain that the subjects most at risk for obesity in the study possessed a genetic variation known as the Taq1A1 allele, which is becoming more prominent in addiction studies as the presence of this genetic factor appears to lead to “higher reward dependency” due to a lower number of dopamine D2 receptors.
It’s an interesting result, but what I don’t particularly like are the researchers’ conclusions and recommendations:
These results suggest that individuals with hypofunctioning reward circuitry are at increased risk for unhealthy weight gain,” said Stice. “Thus, it is possible that behavioral or pharmacological interventions that correct this reward deficit may help prevent and treat obesity – an avenue we are currently pursuing in our research.
It’s the “pharmacological interventions” part that disturbs me…
The bottom line is that, while this study indicates a potential link between a “compromised reward circuitry” in the brain and an individual’s propensity towards obesity, it doesn’t really explain how this reward circuitry became compromised in the first place. Instead, the conclusions appear to indicate that this is a genetic factor that can be addressed with some sort of “magic pill” such as a lower intensity dopamine agonist (hey, while we’re at it, let’s just prescribe Requip “off label” right now…).
The key is, your “reward circuitry” evolved to its current state as a result of ages of exposure to an environment where calorically-dense food sources were quite scarce. The only real pure sugar source available to our paleolithic ancestors was honey, and these sources were typically defended by hordes of savage bees. Contrast that with our modern society where high-fat, high-sugar foods are readily available in abundant quantities (just check out the snack section of any grocer or convenience store).
So it doesn’t take a “brain scientist” to figure out that constant unnatural bombardment and hyperstimulation of these neural pathways is bound to “short circuit” something sooner or later.
October 13, 2008 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
You hear a lot of the word “panic” in the news these days with regards to the current and ongoing financial crisis. In fact, there’s even some talk about giving it proper noun status (i.e. the Panic of 1873). But we’ll go with the lower case version for now, which Wikipedia defines as “a sudden fear which dominates or replaces thinking and often affects groups of people or animals.”
“or animals”
In other words, panic is so primal that you don’t even have to be human to experience it. And if you are human, the extreme “gut-level” fight-or-flight response that is characteristic of panic can essentially emotionally regress you to the same mental level of a feral mammal. And we’re seeing an awful lot of sudden feral behavior from people who seemed to “have it all together” during these last few years…
The first step in “keeping your head” is to have the courage to accept reality for what it is – not for what you’d like it to be. And our early ancestors were masters at this. The world they lived in (which is pretty much the same one as ours, BTW) was a place of high uncertainty with opportunities and threats materializing randomly from all directions. And the only way to “keep your head” (both literally and figuratively) in this setting would be to keep your senses sharp and stay nimble at all times.
And many of us just simply don’t live this way anymore.
Here’s something to ponder: Just how physically and mentally sharp and nimble can you be if:
- You’re overweight and generally unhealthy
- You eat high quantities of sugar-based foods that dull your senses
- You get less than six hours of sleep each night
- You exhaust yourself at the gym on the treadmill or at a 90-minute spinning class
- You’re jacked up on caffeine throughout the day
- You have a horrific commute
- Your home or office is cluttered and unorganized
- You’re in debt and financially overextended
- Your idea of outdoor recreation involves alcohol and spectator sports
- Your idea of indoor recreation involves alcohol and spectator sports
- You generally feel “stuck” or “in a rut” in several areas of your life
The key here is to recognize that you flourish best when you are lean and mobile – both physically and mentally.
Early man didn’t live in a “McMansion” stocked with a surfeit of comforts and luxuries. And he certainly didn’t park his tookus in front of the “idiot box” when there was a great big awesome and exhilarating world out there to explore. His life was simple and active, and that gave him the physical, mental, and emotional agility to quickly adapt to chaos and uncertainty – and to not “lose his head” during times of danger or opportunity.
Remember – the only thing separating you from a lower mammal is a more advanced frontal cortex. And getting “blindsided” as a result of becoming too comfortable is an excellent way of shutting that down. And when that happens, you’re just another feral mammal…
October 11, 2008 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
The days are certainly getting much shorter…
I arrived at Ladder #1 just shy of 6:30am, and it was essentially still evening. There were a few traces of daybreak on the eastern horizon, but not enough to provide much light to see anything. The water temperature came in at a surprisingly balmy 60F, and I opted to ditch the neoprene cap in favor of the thicker latex swim cap I used during last year’s Golden Gate Bridge Swim – which was almost exactly a year ago.
The immersion shock was minimal, although my feet were quite cold from the get go. This was probably due to the progressive cold shower I took 45 minutes prior to hitting the water. My body was primed to keep all the heat in my core, so having cold extremities was more of a necessary inconvenience.
The swim itself went great, but there were some intense swells at that time of the morning. I opted to remain closer to the wall for the first half of the swim just in case things got too chaotic. But even with all the heavy buffeting and occasional mistimed breathing (read: lungful of lake water), I was able to sense the rhythm of the waves and adjust my swim strokes accordingly. The real key was making a conscious effort not to fight the waves, but to simply relax and work with the forces of nature versus against them (I’m sure there’s a Taoist metaphor here somewhere…).
I made my now traditional landing at Oak Street Beach and took a few moments to check out the newly rising sun. There were a handful of early bird sunrise watchers at the beach, and I chatted briefly with one of them before diving headlong into one of the crashing waves on my way back to Ladder #1. It was still pretty tough going, but at that point I had internalized the lake’s rhythms – which translated to much more efficient swimming.
I clambered up Ladder #1 completely spent, but elated beyond words when I turned around to face a magnificent autumn sunrise. Talk is cheap. Here are the shots…
The beginnings of a day
An impish grin
October 10, 2008 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
Many people – including several friends of mine – will be running in the Chicago Marathon this weekend. While I applaud their discipline and dedication, I can’t help but comment on how detrimental this type of training can be to the human body.
Having braved the marathon back in 2006, I know all too well the adverse effects that can result from heavy, chronic, and high-impact aerobic activity. In fact, the negative health consequences of this type of training are quite well documented. And to add insult to injury (pun intended), the training itself can be a pretty yucky experience.
Way back in 1992, the Journal of Athletic Training published an excellent report highlighting the physical and mental consequences of overtraining, which is something that is quite common in the endurance sports community. I recommend you read the whole thing, but here’s a summary table of some of the physiological and psychological effects you are likely to experience if you end up overtraining:
Physiological
1. Higher resting heart rate
2. Changes in normal blood pressure
3. Delayed return to normal heart rate
4. Elevated basal metabolic rate
5. Elevated body temperature
6. Weight loss/excessive thirst
7. Impeded respiration
8. Subcostal aching
9. Bowel disorders
Psychological
1. Sleep disturbances
2. Loss of self-confidence
3. Drowsiness and apathy
4. Irritability
5. Emotional and motivational imbalance
6. Excessive, prolonged weariness
7. Lack of appetite (anorexia)
8. Fatigue
9. Depression
10. Anxiety
11. Anger/hostility
Sure sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
October 9, 2008 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
Molecular Brain posted the following abstract on the research study, “Atypical evening cortisol profile induces visual recognition memory deficit in healthy human subjects” published this past August:
Background
Diurnal rhythm-mediated endogenous cortisol levels in humans are characterized by a peak in secretion after awakening that declines throughout the day to an evening trough. However, a significant proportion of the population exhibits an atypical cycle of diurnal cortisol due to shift work, jet-lag, aging, and mental illness.
Results
The present study has demonstrated a correlation between elevation of cortisol in the evening and deterioration of visual object recognition memory. However, high evening cortisol levels have no effect on spatial memory.
Conclusion
This study suggests that atypical evening salivary cortisol levels have an important role in the early deterioration of recognition memory. The loss of recognition memory, which is vital for everyday life, is a major symptom of the amnesic syndrome and early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, this study will promote a potential physiologic marker of early deterioration of recognition memory and a possible diagnostic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease
Translation: Cortisol levels that remain high throughout the day and into the evening can result in significant memory deterioration – and this might be a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease.
Getting adequate sleep is one-third of how you keep your overall cortisol levels low. It’s also critical to consume the right types of foods and engage in the right kinds of exercises. However, sleep is a pretty quick and easy “fix” that can get you immediate results.
So be sure to engineer another hour to hour-and-a-half into your sleep schedule over the next couple of days. And remember – if sleep were so “overrated,” there wouldn’t be such catastrophic consequences involved with missing out on it.
October 7, 2008 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
As mammals, human beings come hardwired with neural pathways that developed in response to constant interactions with their immediate environment. These “circuits” are the result of thousands of years of evolution, and they enable all mammals – humans included – to survive and flourish within a highly dynamic setting. Some of the most primal of these circuits involve mammalian aggression, and they roughly fall into three categories:
1. Rage circuits
2. Predation circuits
3. Play circuits
Lower mammals such as dogs and cats have much “cleaner” circuits than humans. In other words, mammals with less advanced brains tend to have much more distinct separations between their aggression circuits than humans do. I’ll illustrate this with a common example.
Let’s say you’re walking your dog in the park and you encounter another dog owner. Suddenly, as you pass each other by, “Fido” and the other dog erupt into a fight that seems to arrive out of nowhere. That’s the rage circuit in action. It’s an immediate, short-burst, but highly intense form of aggression that’s characterized by a highly aroused emotional state. The neural pathway involved is primarily confined to the limbic system, the emotional part of the mammalian brain. It’s difficult to explain exactly what triggered Fido’s rage circuit because there’s nothing “logical” about it. Something just pushed Fido’s “hot buttons” and off he went!
Shortly thereafter, Fido sees a squirrel climbing down a tree onto the grass. He suddenly becomes very quiet and very focused while he begins to slowly approach the unsuspecting rodent. That’s the predation circuit in action. It’s characterized by a low level emotional state that’s accompanied by a premeditated approach to attaining a specific goal (which in this case is a squirrel sandwich). The neural pathway that’s “lit up” here is highly active in Fido’s forebrain, hence the low level of arousal and the highly calculated approach. In layperson’s terms, Fido is exhibiting “cold blooded” aggression that’s highly outcome directed and characterized by more cerebral motivating factors such as territoriality, competition, possession, and accomplishment.
Finally, you decide to entertain Fido a little later on by having him chase and fetch a Frisbee. He’s clearly enjoying himself, but you make sure you place some limits on this activity because sometimes Fido starts playing a bit too rough when he gets all “riled up.” This is the play circuit in action. It’s a form of aggression that’s characterized by a much higher level of emotional arousal with a slight outcome focus – but without all the premeditation and competitive aggression. In short, it’s a spontaneous and high-energy form of aggression that’s not activating a “fight or flight” response.
The key here is to understand that, as mammals, we also come hardwired with these neural circuits.
However, there are some important distinctions between our aggression circuits and those of Fido and his ilk. The most significant factor involves our highly advanced forebrains, which present a peculiar dilemma for us when it comes to managing our aggression circuits. On one hand, we can usually consciously “override” our rage, predation, and play circuits if necessary. However, our more complex brains often prevent us from being able to make clean distinctions between these particular emotional circuits.
In other words, while we humans can often manage and control the levels of intensity of our aggression circuits, it’s much more difficult for us to separate them from each other. And in most people, the predation circuit is constantly “switched on” at a low but chronic level.
This explains why many people come home from work and have trouble “switching off” the levels of arousal and anxiety that have accumulated throughout the day (predation circuit). So they sign up for a yoga class, a triathlon training group, or a volleyball league to get some “balance” in their lives, only to discover that their predation circuit is still activated during these activities.
And the results are fairly predictable. An individual who cannot “lighten up and have fun” (switch on the play circuit) during any of these activities might find himself or herself becoming irritated or impatient with others who aren’t “taking things seriously” (predation circuit). In rare cases, they may even snap at other people for no apparent reason (rage circuit).
Bottom line – learn to switch off your “predation circuit” and switch on your “play circuit” in those areas of your life where tension and competitive aggression are counterproductive (i.e. hobbies, leisure, recreation, relationships, etc.).
In other words, train yourself to lighten up in those areas of your life that warrant more fun and playfulness. Just remember not to get too “riled up,” though, or you might just get a rolled up newspaper across the nose…
October 6, 2008 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
Our first swim of October was a fantastic one. The water temperature held steady at 60F, which was almost scorching compared to the 44F air temperature. I broke out the colder water gear (full body wetsuit, thermo shirt, neoprene swim cap) and didn’t have a problem at all managing the temperatures inside and outside of the lake.
The sun was out in full force by the time I finished my out-and-back. So Mother Nature – along with a thermos of really strong coffee – helped take the edge of off the post-swim afterdrop. All the usual suspects made an appearance, and the “Barbancourt pineapple” was a repeat hit as well. FYI, we’re in the planning stage for a Ladder #1 barbecue some time in November. Stay tuned…
October sunrise
