So this is my last ever post on this blog. For new stuff be sure to subscribe to my new blog at Ben's Adventure Blog, I just updated it for the last Idaho Epic too so be sure to check it out.
Life here in Colorado is going well. Jennifer and I are really enjoying Denver and all the associated benefits of living in the big city. I was working for a company called Environment Colorado, but it turned out be a much different job than what they had marketed, so I decided to look elsewhere, because I am definately not a canvasser, or a beggar.
Other than that little snag we are loving Colorado! Don't worry Idaho we still love you though too! Peace out every one and we love you!
Ben and Jen
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Hey Idaho....
So I went and did my last epic trip here in Idaho and it was great! I don't have time to write up the whole trip report right now, but look for it on my new blog http://www.bensadventureblog.blogspot.com/, this will document my goings on in Colorado and places abroad from now on.
For now
tell me where these pictures where taken
First person to get back to me gets a prize!
For now
tell me where these pictures where taken First person to get back to me gets a prize!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
The Death of Ben
Mike was sick and tired of Ben during their backpacking trip. Finally he had enough and decided to do something permanent about all the fart jokes.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Student vows to translate as he sees fit
Today in Arabic 101 class; Professor Abdulbaqi patiently explained to his students that when translating Arabic names to English, spelling does not really matter.
"See you can write మహ్మౌద్ as Mahmood, or Mahmud, it does not really matter." He said.
Ben was looking forward to being done with Arabic class, it was every Monday and Wednesday night for three long hours. Three hours in which most minds turn to mush after trying to diagnose a string of egghs and hughs, then turn them into words. It did not matter though, because this was the last Arabic class of the semester; Only the final was left.
When Mustafa mentioned this tid bit of information that might or might not matter on the final, Ben decided he was going to be a bit rebellious.
"I'm going to write it Mahmoud" He said later "I know he said it could be written Mahmud or what ever, but I'm going to write it Mahmoud."
Professor Abdulbaqi's reaction to this bit of grammatical horseplay is not know yet, but Ben predicts "He probably won't care at all."
"See you can write మహ్మౌద్ as Mahmood, or Mahmud, it does not really matter." He said.
Ben was looking forward to being done with Arabic class, it was every Monday and Wednesday night for three long hours. Three hours in which most minds turn to mush after trying to diagnose a string of egghs and hughs, then turn them into words. It did not matter though, because this was the last Arabic class of the semester; Only the final was left.
When Mustafa mentioned this tid bit of information that might or might not matter on the final, Ben decided he was going to be a bit rebellious.
"I'm going to write it Mahmoud" He said later "I know he said it could be written Mahmud or what ever, but I'm going to write it Mahmoud."
Professor Abdulbaqi's reaction to this bit of grammatical horseplay is not know yet, but Ben predicts "He probably won't care at all."
Monday, May 05, 2008
Gas Tax Holiday
The founding fathers setup our political system to essentially protect ourselves from ourselves. This is demonstrated in the electoral system, where the President is not directly elected through the popular vote, but instead is elected by the United States Electoral College. This was designed so because in the infant years of our country the population was rather un-educated; the same concept is evident in how the legislative system is designed to act slowly.
In the past I have argued about how this system should be changed, because Americans have changed. Americans are more educated and more capable of making wise decisions regarding their lives and who governs their country. I have said we should reform the system, do away with the electoral system and base the results of the Presidential election strictly off the popular vote.
Now that I have seen the wide support for the proposed gas tax holiday by John McCain and Hillary Clinton I am re-thinking this opinion. Doing away with the tax is a ridiculous idea and the idea is primarily designed to attract voters to their own prospective camps. I hoped that Americans could see through this obvious ploy and not be swayed by it, I guess I thought too much.
Don't believe me? Think the gas tax holiday is a good idea? Tired of paying too much at the pumps? Well having a gas tax holiday won't make driving any cheaper. The gas tax currently funds road construction and maintenance, as well as traffic enforcement programs on highways. Doing away with those taxes would mean there would be no funds to fix roads and quickly the number of potholes would reach critical mass.
A supporter to the plan might say: "Wait! Clinton's proposal is that the oil companies would start paying the tax themselves so we wouldn't lose the funds for our roads!"
What is there to stop the oil companies to raise from just raising prices and passing the tax back to the consumer at the pumps?
The same person might say: "Well, they could pass legislation stopping the gas companies from raising prices."
Sounds like a good theory; if it worked. Getting that kind of legislation through Congress would be rough. Given the oil companies stranglehold on our elected officials getting them to lower their profits is a dark prospect indeed.
Furthermore if legislation requiring the oil companies to take over payments of the road funds, what kind of enforcement is there to keep them honest? Any enforcement would require additional funds and probably lots of time in the courts.
Don't believe me still? Here is what leading economists have to say:
Robert Shapiro, formerly the undersecretary of commerce in the Clinton administration and the author of "Futurecast." An independent voice with ties to the former first lady, however, did not give the expected results.
"Stated as clearly as I can," he wrote, "it's utterly misguided both environmentally and economically. Environmentally, it does actual harm, since it reduces the price of producing greenhouse gases. And economically it's trivial or worse -- by reducing the price of driving it encourages more of it, thereby increasing demand for gasoline, which inevitably pushes the price back up - the consumer gains nothing, and the oil companies and OPEC collect the extra bucks instead of the government."
"Even the American Trucking Association, the group the Clinton camp says is most favorable to it's idea, offers a tepid thanks but no thanks. From the group's spokesperson:
ATA appreciates the effort and supports the proposals. But we do have concerns that any fuel tax suspension proposal could damage the already ailing Highway Trust Fund. To the extent that McCain and Snowe's proposals use general revenue funds to offset the hit to the trust fund, that concern is addressed. ATA did not ask for this legislation. And we believe it is only a very short term answer that does not do anything to address the longer term issue of rising fuel prices. ATA recognizes that rising fuel costs have a disproportionate impact on small trucking companies where even a small savings can be the difference in their staying in business." (Huffington Post)
Americans, don't be swayed by the golden cow that is being put before you and rationally think about what is going on.
In the past I have argued about how this system should be changed, because Americans have changed. Americans are more educated and more capable of making wise decisions regarding their lives and who governs their country. I have said we should reform the system, do away with the electoral system and base the results of the Presidential election strictly off the popular vote.
Now that I have seen the wide support for the proposed gas tax holiday by John McCain and Hillary Clinton I am re-thinking this opinion. Doing away with the tax is a ridiculous idea and the idea is primarily designed to attract voters to their own prospective camps. I hoped that Americans could see through this obvious ploy and not be swayed by it, I guess I thought too much.
Don't believe me? Think the gas tax holiday is a good idea? Tired of paying too much at the pumps? Well having a gas tax holiday won't make driving any cheaper. The gas tax currently funds road construction and maintenance, as well as traffic enforcement programs on highways. Doing away with those taxes would mean there would be no funds to fix roads and quickly the number of potholes would reach critical mass.
A supporter to the plan might say: "Wait! Clinton's proposal is that the oil companies would start paying the tax themselves so we wouldn't lose the funds for our roads!"
What is there to stop the oil companies to raise from just raising prices and passing the tax back to the consumer at the pumps?
The same person might say: "Well, they could pass legislation stopping the gas companies from raising prices."
Sounds like a good theory; if it worked. Getting that kind of legislation through Congress would be rough. Given the oil companies stranglehold on our elected officials getting them to lower their profits is a dark prospect indeed.
Furthermore if legislation requiring the oil companies to take over payments of the road funds, what kind of enforcement is there to keep them honest? Any enforcement would require additional funds and probably lots of time in the courts.
Don't believe me still? Here is what leading economists have to say:
Robert Shapiro, formerly the undersecretary of commerce in the Clinton administration and the author of "Futurecast." An independent voice with ties to the former first lady, however, did not give the expected results.
"Stated as clearly as I can," he wrote, "it's utterly misguided both environmentally and economically. Environmentally, it does actual harm, since it reduces the price of producing greenhouse gases. And economically it's trivial or worse -- by reducing the price of driving it encourages more of it, thereby increasing demand for gasoline, which inevitably pushes the price back up - the consumer gains nothing, and the oil companies and OPEC collect the extra bucks instead of the government."
"Even the American Trucking Association, the group the Clinton camp says is most favorable to it's idea, offers a tepid thanks but no thanks. From the group's spokesperson:
ATA appreciates the effort and supports the proposals. But we do have concerns that any fuel tax suspension proposal could damage the already ailing Highway Trust Fund. To the extent that McCain and Snowe's proposals use general revenue funds to offset the hit to the trust fund, that concern is addressed. ATA did not ask for this legislation. And we believe it is only a very short term answer that does not do anything to address the longer term issue of rising fuel prices. ATA recognizes that rising fuel costs have a disproportionate impact on small trucking companies where even a small savings can be the difference in their staying in business." (Huffington Post)
Americans, don't be swayed by the golden cow that is being put before you and rationally think about what is going on.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Race for the Cure
The Boise Race for the Cure is Saturday May the 11th. The race starts at 0915 and takes off out of Parkcenter Park, which is convinently right next to our apartment. There are three race catergories to choose from; the 5k Run for the Cure, the 5k Walk for the Cure, and they Sleep in for the Cure (the key to success in this category is get really hammered the night before). I am going to run as hard as my lungs and legs will permit and Jennifer is going to choose a more sedate pace than I. The race fee is 25 dollars and 75% of the fee goes towards cancer research and promoting cancer education. If you have lost someone to breast cancer or know someone who has had it I urge you too come out and support this noble cause; you don't have to even show up since there is a Sleep in Category, so there is no excuse. To register and get more information go to http://race.komenboise.org/site/PageServer?pagename=racedaydetails.
I hope to see you there.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Sawtooth Traverse
So Jennifer and I are moving to Denver in the middle of May and I want to do one last epic in Idaho. The trip will be roughly 40 miles of backpacking through the Sawtooth Range in very early season conditions. Early season conditions because I am thinking of doing the trip starting on the 19th of May, also because as I write this there are about 80 inches of snow on average throughout the central Idaho mountains. Unless there is drastic warm up the majority of that snow will still be there in mid May.
The route:I have come up with two different routes, they basically follow the same path, but one has some added adventure to it.
Option 1 would start out in Grandjean and end up at Petit Lake, passing Sawtooth Lake, Baron Lakes, Cramer Lakes, Toxaway Lake and Alice Lake. If you have Google Earth I can email you a more detailed route description.
Option 2 would follow the same basic path, but would involve some off trail hiking, summiting Baron Peak, Snowyside Peak and El Capitan. These three peaks are fairly untechnical in their climbing and can all be reached via Class Three terrian; though the difficulty is likely to be greater with snow on them. Of course walking on hard snow is much easier than scrambling around on loose talus. Again I can email a more detailed route description of this route too; I couldn't get the Google Earth route player to load onto the blog.
These routes can change as well through peoples preferences and other inputs.
Here is a recommended gear list
So let me know if you want to come and which route you would be up for!
The route:I have come up with two different routes, they basically follow the same path, but one has some added adventure to it.
Option 1 would start out in Grandjean and end up at Petit Lake, passing Sawtooth Lake, Baron Lakes, Cramer Lakes, Toxaway Lake and Alice Lake. If you have Google Earth I can email you a more detailed route description.
Option 2 would follow the same basic path, but would involve some off trail hiking, summiting Baron Peak, Snowyside Peak and El Capitan. These three peaks are fairly untechnical in their climbing and can all be reached via Class Three terrian; though the difficulty is likely to be greater with snow on them. Of course walking on hard snow is much easier than scrambling around on loose talus. Again I can email a more detailed route description of this route too; I couldn't get the Google Earth route player to load onto the blog.
These routes can change as well through peoples preferences and other inputs.
Here is a recommended gear list
So let me know if you want to come and which route you would be up for!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Backcountry Skiing Jones Pass
Mike and I playing around with the camera. Notice the sloppy telemark form!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Acceptance
Hey everybody guess what? I got in to the University of Denver! So that means that Jennifer and myself will be moving to Denver shortly. WoooHooo!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
I made it!
I might be smiling on the outside in this picture, but I was crying on the inside. I was just happy that it was all over and I didn't have to run any more. My leg muscles felt like useless pieces of rubber that had been tied into impossibly complex knots, my feet felt like they had been beaten by a mallet wielded by a sadist, I was drained of energy. Yet my spirits where high and that is what got me through my first 'ultra'; Leon's Fat Ass Recover from the Holidays 50k. The race started at the grand old hour of 7 am via headlamp and I stumbled across the 'finish' at around 3; about 8 hours total. Not too bad for running 30 miles through the snow, if I do say so myself.... Of course I couldn't have done it without all the support and words of encouragement from my friends and family. Especially Jennifer, Bryan, Amie, Della and Kulgogi; who came out braving the elements to cheer me on. I would also like to thank Mother Nature for making a sweet course. Now that I am done and my body is one giant ache I will probably take some time off of running; or any physical activity for that matter. So what should my next race be, know any good ones? Monday, January 21, 2008
T minus 5 days and counting
The day of my big run is getting closer. Next Saturday I will be running the Fat Ass Recover from the Holidays 50k and it will be a crazy race for sure. First the distance is crazy and second there isa ton of snow on the course. Today I ran about half of it plus another 5 miles home and it took me about six hours because of all the snow. For about 7 miles I battled through knee to waist deep snow. I believe I am ready for it though. I have been training hard for 4 months in all kinds of conditions. I've ran through heat, cold, mud, rain, finals, vacations and blizzards with white out conditions. Colds, massive amounts of homework and papers, vacations where I didn't run at all, and hangovers all got in the way of training; but I still pushed through the obstacles to get to where I am today. The run will certainly be a challenge and I will be beat after it is all said and done, but it will be a rewarding, satisfying victory for myself. I'd like to take a moment to thank the people who have supported me so much through out this. First off all my family and friends who have given me words of encouragement (even if it was only astonishment and saying I was crazy), my Dad for getting me interested in long distance running at a young age, Jennifer for putting up with my crap through out the training process and most of all my faithful running companion Kulgogi who always forced me to go running even when I didn't want too. So the race is next Saturday the 26th at 7am. The race starts where the pavement ends on Rocky Canyon Road, snakes throughout the Boise foothills and turns around at the Hard Guy Trailhead on Bogus Basin Road. It then snakes its way back to Rocky Canyon Road to the finish. If you can make it I would love the cheering and as always any words of encouragement. Let me know if you can make it and I'll let you know where to go.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Fairfield in the newspaper!
Thought you'd all get a kick out of an article from the Wood River Journal that highlights our great little town of Fairfield. Enjoy!!!
Epic runs
No I haven't recently been drinking the water in a third world country if that is what your thinking. What I have been doing is some really long distance trail runs in quite inclement weather. Today after my last final (Wooohooo!) I was orginally going to run half the race course; basically run from Bogus Basin road back to my apartment. Instead I decided to do something a bit shorter, because of the time. Plus it was raining and snowing really hard. If you haven't been to Boise lately, we have been getting tons of rain and the mountains are getting dumped on; Bogus got 11 inches yesterday!
So I went to do a 16 kilometer run on the trails around 8th street around 3 or so. I took off out of the parking lot in the midst of a downpour and started up the mountain. After about 20 minutes I was running up alongside the Hulls Gulch creek when I saw something move in the willows about 100 meters ahead of me. At first I thought it was nothing, but then I got a better glimpse of it, or I should say them. What I think where two wolves ran across the trail and up the hill, away from me. I'm pretty sure they were not coyotes, because coyotes are not as big as these, plus coyotes aren't black and grey. I stood there stunned for a second, looked at Kulgogi and put her leash back on. After debating for a minute or so we continued on up the trail. As we ran I saw a bunch of large tracks and compared them against Kulgogi's paw prints. When I got home I looked up some pictures of wolf prints and am now pretty sure these where wolves. After running for a couple more minutes we came upon two other runners who had pretty much the same story as me.
We continued on for and eventually got to the first steep climb. This climb is probably about a mile long and snakes it's way up to the top of a exposed ridge. In the interest of soil erosion I probably shouldn't have ran up this hill, as it was pretty slick, but well I did it any way, so there... In reality it wasn't too bad because the ground was freezing up, still I did do a little sliding at times. We crested the ridge and where immediately hit with the full force of the storm. Wind and sleet knocked me all over the place and the hood of my rain coat plastered to the side of my face. From here it was 5 miles of gently rolling downhill til the finish. We pounded down the trail, hurdling puddles and the occasionaly tumble weed. Getting close to the trailhead we came upon a guy walking in the rain, no rain coat, no hat, just a sweatshirt. Now I don't believe in werewolves or any business like that, but if there is such a thing, this guy certainly fit the sterotype. Crazy beard, crazy hair; he looked like a wolf in human form. It was kinda crazy considering the events of half an hour earlier; maybe it was just because of my earlier sighting that I made the connection, but whatever. Ten more minutes and Kulgogi and I where back at the trailhead, soaked and a bit tired, but that was one hell of a run.
So I went to do a 16 kilometer run on the trails around 8th street around 3 or so. I took off out of the parking lot in the midst of a downpour and started up the mountain. After about 20 minutes I was running up alongside the Hulls Gulch creek when I saw something move in the willows about 100 meters ahead of me. At first I thought it was nothing, but then I got a better glimpse of it, or I should say them. What I think where two wolves ran across the trail and up the hill, away from me. I'm pretty sure they were not coyotes, because coyotes are not as big as these, plus coyotes aren't black and grey. I stood there stunned for a second, looked at Kulgogi and put her leash back on. After debating for a minute or so we continued on up the trail. As we ran I saw a bunch of large tracks and compared them against Kulgogi's paw prints. When I got home I looked up some pictures of wolf prints and am now pretty sure these where wolves. After running for a couple more minutes we came upon two other runners who had pretty much the same story as me.
We continued on for and eventually got to the first steep climb. This climb is probably about a mile long and snakes it's way up to the top of a exposed ridge. In the interest of soil erosion I probably shouldn't have ran up this hill, as it was pretty slick, but well I did it any way, so there... In reality it wasn't too bad because the ground was freezing up, still I did do a little sliding at times. We crested the ridge and where immediately hit with the full force of the storm. Wind and sleet knocked me all over the place and the hood of my rain coat plastered to the side of my face. From here it was 5 miles of gently rolling downhill til the finish. We pounded down the trail, hurdling puddles and the occasionaly tumble weed. Getting close to the trailhead we came upon a guy walking in the rain, no rain coat, no hat, just a sweatshirt. Now I don't believe in werewolves or any business like that, but if there is such a thing, this guy certainly fit the sterotype. Crazy beard, crazy hair; he looked like a wolf in human form. It was kinda crazy considering the events of half an hour earlier; maybe it was just because of my earlier sighting that I made the connection, but whatever. Ten more minutes and Kulgogi and I where back at the trailhead, soaked and a bit tired, but that was one hell of a run.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
YellowStone Cedes to snowmobilers
We gave these people the South and now they want Yellowstone too. Yellowstone National Park recently caved into pressure to allow 540 snowmobiles per day to enter the park this winter. According to Mike Synder of the park service this decision is fully supported by science and is the right choice for the park; well that is the biggest load of bs I've heard today! This guy must work for Bush. The whole reason we have national parks and wilderness areas is for conservation reasons; to preserve the natural beauty of America. Not to disturb the wildlife and pollute the hell out of the place! Economic reasons should not get in the way of the original reasons for the creation of these treasured areas.Monday, November 26, 2007
A new kind of election
So around 4 this morning my cat woke me up and I couldn't fall back asleep. During my futile attempts to return to the land of Nod a great idea drifted into my head. Or at least I think its a good idea, I still haven't completely thought it out yet so bear with me.
So one of the big problems that we have with government right now is the politicians; I won't go into the all specifics of what is wrong with politicans, but many of them are unqualified for the job. With all the controversey surrounding elections and canidates how do we decide who is the best person for the position? Canidates bash each other and the media picks each person apart over the smallest detail. Politicans will say anything to get elected and will generally not hesitate to change their mind once they are elected. How do we stop this? How can we make sure that they person we vote for is the right person?
Well the answer that popped into my head in the wee hours of the morning was a test. Thats right one of the requirements for running for a elected position would be for each canidate to take a test. Everyone running for election, whether it be for the local mayor or the President would take a test that would give us a clearer image of what they are really capable of. The test would not be asking what the capital of Rhode Island is, but more focus on questions of morality, ethics, leadership, economics, finance, international relations, problem solving, the ability to reason, etc. The test would not necessarily be a conventional test on paper, but possibly a collection of events. Emphasis on essay and teamworking exercises. The test it self would help determine if the person has integrity, honesty, strong leadership qualities and knowledge of the world, current events and all the other qualities that are desired in a good leader. Too make people happy each person could take the test twice, because some people need a safety net. After the test the results would be posted for voters to see. Their score on the test would not effect if they would get elected or not, for instance if Hillary scored a 58 and Obama got a 85 they both could still run for office. The test would just giv the people a clearer understanding of what their canidates are really all about.
Any way it came to me this morning and it sounds like a good idea right now, though not a fully developed one. Let me know what you think.
So one of the big problems that we have with government right now is the politicians; I won't go into the all specifics of what is wrong with politicans, but many of them are unqualified for the job. With all the controversey surrounding elections and canidates how do we decide who is the best person for the position? Canidates bash each other and the media picks each person apart over the smallest detail. Politicans will say anything to get elected and will generally not hesitate to change their mind once they are elected. How do we stop this? How can we make sure that they person we vote for is the right person?
Well the answer that popped into my head in the wee hours of the morning was a test. Thats right one of the requirements for running for a elected position would be for each canidate to take a test. Everyone running for election, whether it be for the local mayor or the President would take a test that would give us a clearer image of what they are really capable of. The test would not be asking what the capital of Rhode Island is, but more focus on questions of morality, ethics, leadership, economics, finance, international relations, problem solving, the ability to reason, etc. The test would not necessarily be a conventional test on paper, but possibly a collection of events. Emphasis on essay and teamworking exercises. The test it self would help determine if the person has integrity, honesty, strong leadership qualities and knowledge of the world, current events and all the other qualities that are desired in a good leader. Too make people happy each person could take the test twice, because some people need a safety net. After the test the results would be posted for voters to see. Their score on the test would not effect if they would get elected or not, for instance if Hillary scored a 58 and Obama got a 85 they both could still run for office. The test would just giv the people a clearer understanding of what their canidates are really all about.
Any way it came to me this morning and it sounds like a good idea right now, though not a fully developed one. Let me know what you think.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Do as I say, not as I lobby
(this is a picture of all the electric vehicles GM crushed to cover up their electric car)I read this article this morning in the Wall Street Journal online. It talks about how auto-makers are touting the fact that they are starting to make more fuel efficient cars & trucks and how hydrogen is "just around the corner" (just like it has been for the last 10 years). You know you have seen the ads. Everyone these days wants to sound like they are green and trying to help the environment. The auto-makers would like us to believe they are committed to this, but in truth they are fighting tooth and nail for the exact opposite.
As noted in the Wall Street Journal website, "They're definitely saying one thing to Congress and one thing to consumers," says Phyllis Cuttino, director of the Pew Campaign for Fuel Efficiency, an environmental group lobbying for tougher fuel-efficiency rules. Just last week, an alliance of environmental groups took on Toyota Motor Corp., which often is praised for its gas-electric hybrid technology, in a full-page ad in USA Today for opposing the mileage proposal.
The thing that really gets me upset is that Auto-Companies go around claiming that "it is too strict" and "it would be too hard to make our cars this fuel efficient". Yet almost 100 years ago there were far more electric vehicles on the road than there were gas powered cars. In 1990, GM created a totally electric car called the EV-1 that had ZERO emissions. Yes, ZERO emissions cars are in fact easy for the auto-companies to make. If you haven't already seen it, visit the website and rent the documentary that details the exact timeline and culprits of how this happened. You will be surprised who really is to blame.
We as consumers are really the people to blame though. It is us that really have the power to change this paradigm by demanding that governments enforce stronger restrictions on fuel emissions and perhaps even switch to 100% electric engines by a certain date in the future. Say 2050 or something like that...
What do you think? Do you think that a company like GM with annual PROFITS of over 2 billion dollars is really in such a bad position? Do they really lack the intelligence to switch to an electric car economy?
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Connection between the runner's high and reefer?
I saw this article the other day on the Trail Runner's Blog, a blog by ultra-trail runner Scott Dunlap. Apparently their is a connection between the euphoric feeling that people get while exercising and the effect of tertahyrdocannibol, the active ingredient in marijuana. Any way here is the article.
Understanding the Runner's High
I’m a big fan of the runner’s high. For me, the euphoric feeling is unmistakable (and usually around mile 8), which is why I’ve always been confused by coaches and medical experts saying that the “runner’s high doesn’t exist”. If that’s true, then why are we all as giddy as school girls after our weekly long run? Is it really all in your head, or is there a chemical interaction that can explain it? I did some research on the subject just to make sure I wasn’t crazy and was surprised to find some recent studies that may have found the chemical link.What Is The Experience of The Runner’s High?For those of you unfamiliar with the runner’s high, I would encourage you to seek it out as part of your training. It’s a mental state of relaxation partnered with a mild pain cessation that occurs after 60-90 minutes of steady exercise. I find it truly euphoric, setting me in a state of eternal optimism that can last hours after a run. It’s not exactly a “drunk” effect, although it does make it a bit more difficult to remember to eat/drink/take the next turn (remember – always carry a map!). I would equate it to two Red Bulls and vodka, three ibuprofen, plus a $50 winning Lotto ticket in your pocket. ;oP Definitely not to be confused with bonking (when your glycogen has been depleted due to not keeping up your calorie intake), which is more like a half bottle of Jack Daniels when you have the flu, complete with blacking out to the mantra of “oh God, please kill me now”. I didn’t experience the runner’s high until about 5-6 long runs (unlike bonking, which I hit on day two), so give it some time.The first time you experience the runner’s high, it can be a bit alarming. At first it feels like that mild head rush I associate with going anaerobic, but instead of fading, it builds over the next 5-10 minutes. I feared this "build" the first couple of times, wondering if I my water intake, electrolytes, or calories were out of balance. After realizing it consistently faded away, I convinced myself it was just a “wall” you had to push through when you depleted your initial glycogen levels, since 1200 calories occured in about 90 minutes for me, and I thought that was an average glycogen level for somebody my age.I noticed that when I hit this state, my tempo runs became very even, even though I was spending more time looking around than looking at my watch. Everything had a natural rhythm to it - my footsteps, the sound of the wind running past my ears...even the trees and hills around me seemed to flow together. It was a wonderful meditative state. Before I knew it, I was longing to run 8-10 miles every day to “break on through to the other side” to find that familiar state. Hello, addiction!Science Casts It’s Vote – It’s Like Smoking Pot!For the majority of the last two decades, scientists have struggled with defining the chemical reaction associated with the runner’s high. It was largely believed that the sensation was caused by endorphins, natural opiates in the body that are produced after trauma such as running for long periods of time. Just one problem – endorphins are too large to pass through the blood-brain barrier, making it impossible for this chemical reaction to be the sole cause. But in early 2004, Dr. Daniele Piomelli (UC Irvine) and Dr. Arne Deitrich (University of Beirut and Georgia Institute of Technology, also a marathoner) found another possibility – anandamide, a natural chemical that stimulates the brain in the same way marijuana does.[warning – I am no PhD, so what follows is my dumbed-down version of a ton of great research done by real docs; it probably doesn't help that I've already gone on my long run this morning]Anandamide (conveniently named after the Sanskrit word for “bliss”) is a neurotransmitter produced in our brain that activates the CB(1) receptor, the same chemical receptor that is triggered by tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana. Oddly enough, it was the study of the effects of marijuana that led to the discovery of the CB(1) receptor (thank you, stoners!). But one part was confusing - the body doesn’t create receptors that don’t have natural internal triggers (and marijuana being an external trigger), so there had to be a natural internal trigger somewhere. Thus the search began for the natural chemical that stimulated CB(1), which in turn led to the discovery on anandamide in 1992.Piomelli and Deitrich, looking for the runner’s high connection, performed a study in early 2004 with two dozen college students who ran or bicycled for 40 minutes at 76 percent of their max heart rate, and then had blood samples drawn immediately after exercising. The results showed that both the runners and bicyclists had 80% more anandamide in their blood after exercising, with the greatest increase among the runners. They also reported physical feelings similar to marijuana use, such as relaxation, regulated mood, and increased appetite. Here’s the biggest kicker - tempo running produced the most anandamide of all exercise! Although more studying is required to really nail this down, it is clearly a big breakthrough on understanding the runner’s high.On a side note, it also turns out that chocolate has small amounts of anandamide in it (Dr. Emmanuelle di Tomaso, 1996) as well as the ability to increase serotonin levels, both of which help regulate mood (ie, make you feel good). So, run every day and eat lots of chocolate to feel good? Me like!Side Effects of Anandamide Use?There is some supposition about whether the harmful side effects of THC (short term memory loss, low sperm count, reduced learning capabilities in youth, etc.) are also present in the natural stimulation of CB(1) from anandamide. There hasn’t been a lot of research in this area, so it’s hard to conclude anything definite. Most suggest that the heavy side effects of THC come from the fact that it is an “external agent”, causing the body to overcompensate, and that anandamide (as an internal agent) is more self-regulated. One example that is often cited is when marijuana users get a case of the “stupids” the day after smoking, whereas runners do not - with marijuana, the brain "overcompensates" to rebalance the body, and you have a different chemical effect. Running, you don't.It's worth a bit more elaboration on the "overcompensation" effect, because it has a lot to do with why you feel "high" in the first place. The CB(1) receptor can trigger how your short-term memory works, and adjust it as needed. When the CB(1) receptor is triggered, the brain uses less “memory cache” - meaning you process feedback in little chunks and quickly move onto the next. This is a similar effect to what happens when your body goes into "fight or flight" mode - it adapts to get more data from its surroundings. This is why everything seems so new and exciting when you are “high” with marijuana. The “stupids” that marijuana users feel the next day is the body overcompensating and creating a memory cache large enough to have you staring into space for minutes at a time. The ability to trigger this memory is also one of the reasons both anandamide and THC are being investigated for use in treating Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia.ConclusionSo it looks like we’re not all crazy, and there is a scientific rationale for the runner’s high. Well, a theory anyway. It doesn't say much about that spiritual connection I feel when running through the forest (or a good piece of chocolate for that matter). But it might help explain why I REALLY feel great about 80-90 minutes into my run, and why I want to do it every day.So go run. Eat more cholocate. And the next time you think about dissing that group of stoners smoking out in the park, remember that you have more in common with them than you think. ;o)Isn’t research fun
I’m a big fan of the runner’s high. For me, the euphoric feeling is unmistakable (and usually around mile 8), which is why I’ve always been confused by coaches and medical experts saying that the “runner’s high doesn’t exist”. If that’s true, then why are we all as giddy as school girls after our weekly long run? Is it really all in your head, or is there a chemical interaction that can explain it? I did some research on the subject just to make sure I wasn’t crazy and was surprised to find some recent studies that may have found the chemical link.What Is The Experience of The Runner’s High?For those of you unfamiliar with the runner’s high, I would encourage you to seek it out as part of your training. It’s a mental state of relaxation partnered with a mild pain cessation that occurs after 60-90 minutes of steady exercise. I find it truly euphoric, setting me in a state of eternal optimism that can last hours after a run. It’s not exactly a “drunk” effect, although it does make it a bit more difficult to remember to eat/drink/take the next turn (remember – always carry a map!). I would equate it to two Red Bulls and vodka, three ibuprofen, plus a $50 winning Lotto ticket in your pocket. ;oP Definitely not to be confused with bonking (when your glycogen has been depleted due to not keeping up your calorie intake), which is more like a half bottle of Jack Daniels when you have the flu, complete with blacking out to the mantra of “oh God, please kill me now”. I didn’t experience the runner’s high until about 5-6 long runs (unlike bonking, which I hit on day two), so give it some time.The first time you experience the runner’s high, it can be a bit alarming. At first it feels like that mild head rush I associate with going anaerobic, but instead of fading, it builds over the next 5-10 minutes. I feared this "build" the first couple of times, wondering if I my water intake, electrolytes, or calories were out of balance. After realizing it consistently faded away, I convinced myself it was just a “wall” you had to push through when you depleted your initial glycogen levels, since 1200 calories occured in about 90 minutes for me, and I thought that was an average glycogen level for somebody my age.I noticed that when I hit this state, my tempo runs became very even, even though I was spending more time looking around than looking at my watch. Everything had a natural rhythm to it - my footsteps, the sound of the wind running past my ears...even the trees and hills around me seemed to flow together. It was a wonderful meditative state. Before I knew it, I was longing to run 8-10 miles every day to “break on through to the other side” to find that familiar state. Hello, addiction!Science Casts It’s Vote – It’s Like Smoking Pot!For the majority of the last two decades, scientists have struggled with defining the chemical reaction associated with the runner’s high. It was largely believed that the sensation was caused by endorphins, natural opiates in the body that are produced after trauma such as running for long periods of time. Just one problem – endorphins are too large to pass through the blood-brain barrier, making it impossible for this chemical reaction to be the sole cause. But in early 2004, Dr. Daniele Piomelli (UC Irvine) and Dr. Arne Deitrich (University of Beirut and Georgia Institute of Technology, also a marathoner) found another possibility – anandamide, a natural chemical that stimulates the brain in the same way marijuana does.[warning – I am no PhD, so what follows is my dumbed-down version of a ton of great research done by real docs; it probably doesn't help that I've already gone on my long run this morning]Anandamide (conveniently named after the Sanskrit word for “bliss”) is a neurotransmitter produced in our brain that activates the CB(1) receptor, the same chemical receptor that is triggered by tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana. Oddly enough, it was the study of the effects of marijuana that led to the discovery of the CB(1) receptor (thank you, stoners!). But one part was confusing - the body doesn’t create receptors that don’t have natural internal triggers (and marijuana being an external trigger), so there had to be a natural internal trigger somewhere. Thus the search began for the natural chemical that stimulated CB(1), which in turn led to the discovery on anandamide in 1992.Piomelli and Deitrich, looking for the runner’s high connection, performed a study in early 2004 with two dozen college students who ran or bicycled for 40 minutes at 76 percent of their max heart rate, and then had blood samples drawn immediately after exercising. The results showed that both the runners and bicyclists had 80% more anandamide in their blood after exercising, with the greatest increase among the runners. They also reported physical feelings similar to marijuana use, such as relaxation, regulated mood, and increased appetite. Here’s the biggest kicker - tempo running produced the most anandamide of all exercise! Although more studying is required to really nail this down, it is clearly a big breakthrough on understanding the runner’s high.On a side note, it also turns out that chocolate has small amounts of anandamide in it (Dr. Emmanuelle di Tomaso, 1996) as well as the ability to increase serotonin levels, both of which help regulate mood (ie, make you feel good). So, run every day and eat lots of chocolate to feel good? Me like!Side Effects of Anandamide Use?There is some supposition about whether the harmful side effects of THC (short term memory loss, low sperm count, reduced learning capabilities in youth, etc.) are also present in the natural stimulation of CB(1) from anandamide. There hasn’t been a lot of research in this area, so it’s hard to conclude anything definite. Most suggest that the heavy side effects of THC come from the fact that it is an “external agent”, causing the body to overcompensate, and that anandamide (as an internal agent) is more self-regulated. One example that is often cited is when marijuana users get a case of the “stupids” the day after smoking, whereas runners do not - with marijuana, the brain "overcompensates" to rebalance the body, and you have a different chemical effect. Running, you don't.It's worth a bit more elaboration on the "overcompensation" effect, because it has a lot to do with why you feel "high" in the first place. The CB(1) receptor can trigger how your short-term memory works, and adjust it as needed. When the CB(1) receptor is triggered, the brain uses less “memory cache” - meaning you process feedback in little chunks and quickly move onto the next. This is a similar effect to what happens when your body goes into "fight or flight" mode - it adapts to get more data from its surroundings. This is why everything seems so new and exciting when you are “high” with marijuana. The “stupids” that marijuana users feel the next day is the body overcompensating and creating a memory cache large enough to have you staring into space for minutes at a time. The ability to trigger this memory is also one of the reasons both anandamide and THC are being investigated for use in treating Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia.ConclusionSo it looks like we’re not all crazy, and there is a scientific rationale for the runner’s high. Well, a theory anyway. It doesn't say much about that spiritual connection I feel when running through the forest (or a good piece of chocolate for that matter). But it might help explain why I REALLY feel great about 80-90 minutes into my run, and why I want to do it every day.So go run. Eat more cholocate. And the next time you think about dissing that group of stoners smoking out in the park, remember that you have more in common with them than you think. ;o)Isn’t research fun
Now you understand why I like to run so much?!
All About Idaho Films & Film Festivals!
This month must be the beginning of a good movie season or something because my inbox has been full of stuff about independent movies, film festivals and the like. Just here in Idaho we have some cool stuff going on this month.
Check out the Boise 3rd annual Backcountry Film Festival this Friday, November 16th at 6:30 pm (show starts at 7pm) ath The Egyptian Theatre. You can check out their website for more info on the films being shown. Tickets are $10 at the Egyptian, the Boise Co-op or online at www.winterwildlands .org - Thanks for the info on that one Ben.
If the adrenaline isn't your thing, check out Sun Valley's annual Environmental Film Festival being held in Ketchum on Friday, November 9 at 7 p.m. at the NexStage Theater. Tickets are $15/person or $25/family. Call 726-4333 for more details or check out the article from SunValleyOnline here.
For something a little LESS Idaho (but many parts are about Idaho), check out the offer my friends from 10mph.com are making right now. To help promote their already successful documentary, they are offering the movie for... Well, for.... For anything you want! 10 Dimes, 100 Dimes, or 1000 Dimes. You choose! These guys are really inspiring to me. They decided to ditch their jobs in corporate America and follow their dreams of being independent movie producers. They are so happy they made the choice that they made this handy "Do it yourself guide to making a movie". Watch out Idaho. Now that The Law and I have this guide there just may be a sweet IdahoRocks Documentary in the works..... We'll keep you posted.
Here is a trailer to the 10mph Film.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Marijuana/Hemp Initiatives Pass in Hailey
There are some great things going on in Sun Valley this month. As some of you may already know, the citizens of Hailey just took a bold step in reversing archaic Marijuana & Hemp laws in this country. The citizens voted yes on 3 out of 4 Marijuana/Hemp initiatives on the ballot yesterday. I’ve listed the results below as reported by SunValleyOnline.com so you can see exactly what they voted for and what they didn’t. I think this is an excellent first step and it would only happen in this valley since we literally are an island of Liberal Thinkers among a lake/sea of conservatives here in Idaho.
The debate on whether to legalize Hemp and/or Marijuana is kind of a tricky one with many different facets to the debate. I for one would love to see all of it legalized. However, even more important than legalizing the plant to smoke would be legalizing hemp for industrial purposes. Hemp has so many great benefits for industries such as Bio-Fuels and Healthcare. Hemp has many nutritional benefits that aren't found in many other plants.
So, read the results and then post a comment on the site. What do you think? Should Hemp and/or Marijuana be legalized? Why? Why not?
Here are the results:
Hailey marijuana initiative:
Yes – 573
No - 674
(Should marijuana be legalized, taxed, and regulated like alcohol and tobacco in the City of Hailey?)
Hailey medical marijuana initiative:
Yes – 687
No - 581
(Should doctors be allowed to prescribe medical marijuana to sick and dying patients without fear of arrest or prosecution?)
Hailey hemp initiative:
Yes – 683
No - 565
(Should the City of Hailey support the use and cultivation of industrial hemp by farmers?)
Hailey priority initiative:
Yes – 637
No - 601
(Should use of marijuana by adults in the privacy of their homes be the lowest law enforcement priority of the Hailey Police?)
What an Amazing Day!
Wow! I had a great first day experience at the hospital. Everyone there was so nice and helpful. The surgeon was explaining thing as she was doing them and ways I could be more helpful when the surgeon gets into a difficult area. The surgeon's assistant was very helpful too telling me what they were going to do next and what instruments and suture I would need. My preceptor was a very nice Lady that helped me along but let me do everything that I was able to handle. We did a breast reduction so that is a fairly uncomplicated procedure and a great one to learn on. It was however a long surgery. I went along for the whole thing except about 30-45 mins of it that my preceptor and I went to lunch. I was very nervous at first but after things got on the way I started to calm down and able to see when the surgeon needed something and started to get the hang of the whole procedure. I believe that I did pretty well for my first day. No sterile fields were broken and no one yelled at me. I will however pay attention to lids that have staples on them and check them before I throw them away because there might be a needle in the lid too. All in all it was a great day and I cant wait until next week to do it all over again.
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