Three quarters of an ounce

One minute he was there, the next he was gone. Nothing had visibly changed but the body laying before me was no longer my father. The Bible says that at some point in time, God breathed into man the breath of life. In the eons of time that have followed that singular event, we have not been able to truly grasp what that really means. Is sentient life simply the interesting byproduct of chemical processes and the physical nature of matter or something else, something ethereal, intangible, inhabiting the body but distinct from it? This question has occupied thoughtful men for centuries. Modern science and medicine have been unable to provide an answer.

In 1907 Dr. Duncan MacDougall, of Haverhill, Massachussets did an interesting experiment in which he placed terminal patients on a bed set on a very precisely calibrated scale. When the first patient expired, he noted that the body suddenly became lighter by ¾’s of an ounce. He postulated that this was the weight of the human soul. Unfortunately, other investigators and he himself in later experiments failed to corroborate these results.

Be that as it may, something changes when you die and that body you once occupied becomes an empty shell. Very odd. Despite the unavoidable deterioration over time the human body, when occupied by a living being, is a remarkable piece of biological machinery. While an elephant may be stronger, a cheetah faster, and a monkey more agile, no other animal combines the total package of physical capabilities of human beings. Our combination of speed, agility, dexterity, and endurance are unique in a single species.

Who wouldn’t love to own a high performance, limited edition sports car like a Lamborghini? What we often don’t realize is that we are that sports car. Talk about high performance- our bodies make even the most exotic sports car seem pathetically simple and mundane. Try taking any sports car engine and revving it repeatedly, week after week, month after month, and year after year.  It will undoubtedly require extensive, and frequent, maintenance by experts, and, despite that, it will probably break down and/or wear out in a few short years. Try  mistreating it; filling it with contaminated gas, putting in dirty oil, etc. and it will break down in short order. The human body requires only a very modest amount of care and maintenance, which anybody can do. If physically stressed it actually becomes stronger. Although the aging process cannot be forever postponed, it can be pushed back further and further by physical activity. Don’t take my word on this. There are studies galore that support this position.

I cannot understand someone who owns a Lamborghini and does not, now and again, want to just take it somewhere, such as a track or empty stretch of highway, and open it up. What a waste not to. I feel the same way about my body. The analogies abound. We have to fuel both with high quality fuel. The engine/muscles must be properly tuned. Good quality tires/shoes are a must. The difference is that every mile driven wears the Lamborghini down whereas, up to a point, pushing the human body makes it stronger, faster, more flexible, or any combination of these. Who wouldn't want to see what their body can do?

In swimming, running, or cycling, with practice it is possible to turn inward and monitor all the systems involved in propelling you forward, making adjustments as necessary. Breathing, heart rate, perceived effort, muscle fatigue, and more can be adjusted on the fly to either conserve energy or push the pace. It is a fascinating exercise just once to do something and observe, truly observe, your body in action. Watching other athletes can be inspirational. Observe an elite sprinter at top speed and you have the sense that they are practically flying. Their feet barely touch the ground and the forward motion seems effortless. They appear to be but moments away from reaching taking off speed and simply leaving the ground behind. It is beautiful. The same with a bicycle peloton. It is truly an organic marvel as riders spin up to 30+ mph for hours at a time. Watching it from the air, you feel as though you are seeing a King Kong-size unicellular organism undulating across the countryside. Watch an Olympic swimmer moving through the water and you cannot help but feel that they are being pulled by an invisible ski boat to go that fast.

I suggest that to experience sheer joy, get your body tuned up and take it out for a spin now and again. You may never wish for a Lamborghini again!

This week's training summary, Thanksgiving notwithstanding: 

Running- 

        Monday: 5.45 mi @ 8:46 min/mi pace

       Tuesday-Wednesday: rest

       Thursday: 8.18 mi @ 9:26 min/mi pace

       Friday:  4.17 mi @ 10:54 min/mi pace

       Saturday:  4.25 @ 10:53 min/mi pace 

       Sunday:  6.85 @ 10:13 min/mi pace

Total for the week: 28.9 miles