Althouse: "Anyway, when I am out there running, I am such a Dude, I can't help loving myself just a little bit."

January 10, 2014

"Anyway, when I am out there running, I am such a Dude, I can't help loving myself just a little bit."

"A I feel strong, sure-footed, erect, graceful, alert and confident. When I burst into the kitchen, I tell my boyfriend, 'I'm magic! I'm monstrous! I'm a cougar (in the old-fashioned sense)!' But for the rest of the day, I am a doddery old lady. I walk with uncertainty. Steps cause me anxiety. A grocery store parking lot fills me with dread. It's so far to walk! It makes me dizzy. I have to hold onto my boyfriend's arm because I feel as if I could fall down at any moment. It reminds me of people who can sing, but when they try to speak, they have a terrible stutter."

The second-most-favored comment on a NYT piece titled "Is Jogging Bad for Older People?" (The first-most-favored comment objects to the definition of "old" as "over 45.")

27 comments:

Anonymous said...: I have it on VERY good authority that the woman who posted that comment is hairless.

Peter; 1/10/14, 10:59 AM
MadisonMan said...: The first-most-favored comment objects to the definition of "old" as "over 45."

But that shows reading comprehension problems.

It just says older than 45. It doesn't say that > 45 is old -- just older, and that can hardly be argued as false.; 1/10/14, 11:04 AM
Larry J said...: I ran a lot when I was in the military. I don't run at all today. I'm convinced that running causes brain damage and nothing I see from long distance runners convinces me otherwise.; 1/10/14, 11:11 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "It just says older than 45. It doesn't say that > 45 is old -- just older, and that can hardly be argued as false."

The commenter kept the original locution and objected to classifying those over 45 as "older people." I'm to blame for the rewrite. I don't think the issue is whether anything is true or false, but the way of grouping and thinking about people. Seems to me that "older" is a nice way to say it, but the real question is why are we thinking about this group in one big piece. Maybe those under 55 should be looked at one way and those over 60 or so another way. As for people over 75, running just seems too dangerous.

And I say this as someone who is about to turn 63 and who, just recently, felt down while walking for no apparent reason. I mean I just tripped over nothing.

That said, I've gone skiing about 5 times this season and have yet to fall, even on days when it was very icy.; 1/10/14, 11:19 AM
Timeforchange said...: Is that skiing downhill or cross country?; 1/10/14, 11:26 AM
Wince said...: ...when I am out there running, I am such a Dude, I can't help loving myself just a little bit. I feel strong, sure-footed, erect.."

Run With An Erection

He wears an earring in his left ear

The gerbils all run from him in fear

He goes to Provincetown to dance as king and queen to every male

His Calvin Kline cut to the bone make sure that he don't go home alone

He spends his winters in key west

He thinks the blue boy mag is the best

All the boys in Frisco Bay they say Gay Oh Gay Oh Gay Oh Hey Oh

Walk with an erection; 1/10/14, 11:31 AM
kjbe said...: I'm in my early 50's and have been running most of my adult life. What I'm finding, is that as I'm aging, I've need to to a lot more injury prevention - cross training for age-related weaknesses that are getting exposed and more recovery (stretching and foam rolling) work. It's a lot more time consuming than it used to be - I can definitely see why swimming and biking have become more popular for the older set.; 1/10/14, 11:33 AM
dbp said...: I have been running pretty consistently for a bit over a decade so I am certainly not anti-runner, but I have to take issue with their conclusions. (1,571 miles in 2013)

They found that runners have less incidence of knee and hip problems. Maybe it is because when you get a knee or hip problem you stop running because it hurts too much!; 1/10/14, 11:45 AM
PB said...: Jogging is bad for most people as they don't know how to run properly. They destroy their feet, knees and hips. They would get just as much benefit from walking and so far less damage.

The modern athletic shoe encourages bad form, landing on your heel instead of the balls of your feet, something you would never do if you ran barefoot, which is the proper way to run.; 1/10/14, 12:01 PM
kjbe said...: dbp - I'm wondering (and this is anecdotal) - maybe it's a flexibility issue (with the knees and hips) as we get older. In keeping the muscles and tendons around the knees and hip girdle strong, yet pliable you can avoid a lot of pain and discomfort as the body compensates and adjusts to keep you moving - causing further injury.; 1/10/14, 12:08 PM
Joe said...: I ran in track in high school, but never liked running/jogging as exercise. Some years ago, when I decided it was time to be better fit, I went to a gym. I discovered that I still don't like running/jogging, but did enjoy weight training and either walking or, preferably, using a stationary bicycle.

(I love swimming, and swim a few laps most days in the summer, but find swimming lots of laps to be excessively exhausting.); 1/10/14, 12:27 PM
Ann Althouse said...: I've never gone downhill skiing. Around here, the main thing is cross-country, and it's probably all I should do.; 1/10/14, 12:38 PM
Michael said...: I am 68 and have run consistently for 45 years. I run three to five miles three to six times a week, mostly outside but sometimes on a treadmill. I am careful to buy new shoes every six months and am not tempted by stupid fads like barefoot running. I have never once found that running three miles is easy, have never once been flooded with endorphins or whatever they are, and have had to force myself to take the first steps on every single run I have ever taken. That said, there is no better feeling than having finished. I have very low blood pressure and am able to keep my weight somewhat under control with this regimen. I have run a few marathons and will probably do a couple more before I am retired. The discipline of this sport is very attractive to me.; 1/10/14, 12:53 PM
dbp said...: mrs e,

A few years back, I had a real bout of injury (hip and knee and lower Achilles tendon)--I had run three marathons in about 12 months and probably overdid. I took to barefoot running and all the injuries are gone. I am not fanatical about it though--only a bit over 1/3 of my miles are barefoot. I got going with it by using those glove-like Vibrams shoes. This allows you to learn the gait without tearing all the skin off your soles.; 1/10/14, 1:33 PM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: I was an avid runner but by the age of 39, had almost completely worn away the cartilage in my left knee. I switched to karate, which is lower impact, excellent exercise, and far more interesting.; 1/10/14, 2:22 PM
kjbe said...: dbp - I've never,ever had knee problems until last fall and had to quit marathon training 4 weeks before the race (knee and I/S joint - I'm thinking they were related). I've rested and am working my way back. I'm considering getting neutral shoes for my next pair. My stride is midsole, so it shouldn't be too much of an adjustment.; 1/10/14, 3:01 PM
gadfly said...: I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee, clouds in my coffee and... she's so vain, she probably thinks the NYT jogger piece is about her, don't she?; 1/10/14, 3:04 PM
PB said...: Wisconsin downhill skiing is kind of like appetizer skiing - just a taste of the real thing. But it's good for beginners.; 1/10/14, 4:13 PM
Anthony said...: 51 here and I don't run much any more cuz my knees don't like it. I pump iron and have for 25ish years now and am buffer than ever. That said, I still love to run so I kind of get what she's saying. It's just so.....primal.; 1/10/14, 4:15 PM
Wince said...: LOL. I thought the piece was written by a gay guy.; 1/10/14, 4:20 PM
jono39 said...: I never ran a hundred yards before I was 66. I was in pretty good shape, an avid kayaker and scuba diver. I have now run nine marathons and dozens of shorter races including a bunch of halts which is my preferred distance. First three years had no idea what I was doing, had a lot of injuries, minor. Now I have finally been introduced to my whole body. Recommend it. Walking, real walking is excellent too; 1/10/14, 5:29 PM
Carol said...: I think it helps to be kinda small and compact, built right for running in the first place. Ideally someone who naturally did well in track in high school.

I'm just not built right, and my knee doc said pleeze don't run. He's got plenty of running addicts who have all these awful chronic problems.. gross stuff, but they CAN'T STOP, they JUST CAN'T STOP RUNNING.

I think the running fetish is kinda sick when it's obviously causing problems.; 1/10/14, 6:58 PM
Michael said...: Carol. Lots of bad knees out there. People are hauling around too much weight. The ortho guys have a goldmine in the obesity surge.

You are probably built just right for running but have tried to go too far or too fast starting out. Good shoes. Slow going. You might like ti. I would encourage you to try. Your ortho guy is not a runner.; 1/10/14, 7:24 PM
MayBee said...: I've never liked running. I like spinning and yoga. Yoga has helped me get my balance back.; 1/11/14, 2:52 AM
David Davenport said...: That said, there is no better feeling than having finished.

True for a lot of workouts: the good part is... when it's over!

In regard to knees and orthopedic surgery: a number of studies indicate that a lot of acl and meniscus is not needed. The docs like to do it 'cuz insurance pays and pays handsomely for such surgery.

See:

Common Knee Surgery Does Very Little for Some, Study Suggests ...

www.nytimes.com/.../common-knee-surgery-does-ve

Dec 25, 2013 - A new study suggests that thousands of people with a torn meniscus may be undergoing ... Search All NYTimes.com ... Common Knee Surgery Does Very Little for Some, Study Suggests. By PAM ... in the United States, performed, the study said, about 700,000 times a year at an estimated cost of $4 billion.; 1/11/14, 12:05 PM
ken in tx said...: When I was in the Air Force, we were told to make our feet land on our toes when running. This made no sense to me then and no sense to me now. If you stick your foot out in front of you when you are running, you are going to land on your heel. If you point your foot out in the most outlandish fairy prance step, a man may land on the flat of his foot, but he will still not land on the ball of his foot or toes. People who claim to be able to do this, have different DNA from me, or they are lying.; 1/11/14, 4:10 PM
David Davenport said...: They would get just as much benefit from walking ..

No, walking is not intense enough to get much cardiovascular benefit.; 1/11/14, 10:56 PM