Slow run

Wednesday, November 20, 2013 · Mike Davis

Good morning and thanks for having coffee with me. Well it's hump day and man do I have the post Thanksgiving drag thing going on. This week is going by long that long slow run that seems never ending. I'm hoping that my workout in a few minutes will energize me for the day and give me a needed push! Last night we had our celebration run and social gathering after at the Portsmouth Brewery. About half the half marathon team made it, but we had a great time running through the wind and then sharing some stories after. Always a nice way to finish up a training group, but definitely some sadness in that you won't see many of those runners on a regular basis. Getting together 3 times a week for nearly 4 months and training for such a special goal really lends itself to bond people like no other activity could possibly do. People that were strangers before are now great friends now and running partners have been born. This particular group was a little different in that many of them started out in the early spring together training for the Market Square 10K, then signed on for the inaugural Saunders 10K training and capped it all off with the Seacoast Half Marathon training together. I feel like I have spent most of 2013 with many of these runners! They probably need a break from me at this point, but I really made some great friends! Not sure what I did in my sleep last night, but when I brushed my teeth this morning I noticed in the mirror that I looked like Kramer! I know this much; my coffee is king this morning and without it, getting down to my basement for my strength training would not be possible. Coffee continues to be the topic of many studies and it's value or harm is still questionable. From my readings it would seem that if you keep it to 4 cups per day, there's many benefits as it is somewhat like a fruit with multiple antioxidants, but beyond 4 cups there seems to be some dangers with the excessive caffeine. Also most studies find that non-filtered coffee is not so good in that some carcinogens need to be filtered out. I guess my daughter and husband need to stop using that French press coffee maker they love! I know, I know, studies forever come out on both sides of many things and trying to react one way or another is crazy, however, ignoring what is studied isn't always smart either. I try to read all that I can and dissect the difference between a good study and one that has a goal of promoting a product. Coffee is a universal beverage and understanding its value or harm will probably continue for many years. For now I will enjoy my daily 4 cups, especially this morning one and hopefully they will continue to find that it benefits me in many ways. If not.... Well I have to move my tail to my gym and get it done! Have a great Wednesday! Mike