A Bean's Tale of Running

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Bethlehem/Scranton, PA, United States
Hi. You may be wondering why the weird title? It may even be the reason you’re at all giving interest to this blog in he first place. Well...I'm not gonna tell you why it’s called this, yet! I'm a Senior Exercise Science student with a final goal of a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. I use to be a swimmer but then became a college student and ate and slept. To my dismay the freshmen 15 had mauled me. So, due to my two unstoppable friends I began to run...actually it was more of an attempt to move on land when I knew the only grace I ever had was in water. I ran my first 5 miler the Bethlehem Christmas City Classic 2008. And, I did another first the Steel Man Triathlon 2009 at Lake Nockamixon. I've now started a running blog which I have no clue how to really manage just like my running. I am now training..I think, I hope for my first Half Marathon and olympic distnace tri. So, join me as I learn how the heck to write a running blog and how to run.

WARNING:

For all you grammar savvy folks out there be forewarned. This is a blog that is created from the mind of a most enthusiastic endurance athlete..at least I like to think myself one. I live to laugh and I hope I'll bring you a smile. So, please enjoy this, on the side, fun blog about swimming, biking, running, college, and life.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Day 14, 15, 16 and 17: I'm baaaach...with some awesome prosthetic stuff

WHAT IS THIS! READER! HELLO! Thank goodness, I thought I lost you for a second there. Where am I you ask? Why dear reader I am at the University of Delaware and having scoops of fun! Scoops???? haha yes! i went to Yogurt City yesterday and it was a party and a half in my mouth! I had some delicious fro-yo that was red velvet and cake batter flavored with kiwi, strawberries, graham cracker crumbs, and yogurt bites. Did I just make you explode with food jealousy? 
Heck yes!
What else is new? I've been slaving away the past week trying to work out my research paper....what is my research paper on? READERS! I love your interest! So, my paper is a comparison between different length leg prosthetics and the physiological effect of sprint running. I am  not sure if you, my readers, have come across the current debates about amputees competing in the Olympics. The argument is that the new carbon running prosthetics give an advantage to the amputee because they contain the ability to store mechanical energy and give the runner an extra boost of speed, almost like a bionic man. There have been a couple studies relating different kinds of prosthetics and walking economics. Some studies addressed the mechanics or prosthetic runners and one even compared trans-tibial amputees to a control of non-amputees but, in this one paper they only had on sprint amputee. My test wants to relate below-knee sprinters, above-knee sprinters, and non-amputees and their conditioning. My theory is that those with amputations create greater amounts of lactic acid, have higher HRmax's and work at a higher HR therefore making them have a higher VO2Max than non-amputees. The outcome though would most likely be equal sprinting results or slightly slower due to the fact the amputee is working against trying internal conditions. 
Like it? My Prof did...woot! So, now I'm compiling my data so that I can write an Intro, Lit. Review and a Methods. The hardest is going to be the methods because I need to actually come up with what devices I need and the proceedure. Once this is together and written I then must create a power point to present it. I'm gonna be so happy with the results. 
Today, I'm going to edit allllll of my vlogs and get those up so that I'm caught up! HAHA yessssssss!
I want to make shorts, but I keep running out of time and doing other things. 
So I'm gonna get down to business!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Day 13: Exercise Fail

Hi Readers. Not to enthusiastic today...because it was one big boring fail. To start the day I woke up at noon and commenced to discover that it had snowed and was raining..gross and double gross. Guess I wasn't taking the bike out. Not to mention I had scheduled a bunch of stuff to get finished today...fail. It is now 9:36 and I am still haven't finished reading some articles. I didn't get started till like 3 then I got two articles read two to go and I made dinner and then watched 4 episodes of pokemon. I plan to get up nice and early tomorrow! 9am at the latest! I'll have neuro studied and finished in no time! Then I need to get more research for my class done and get an outline together. That's gonna be the hardest part. Also, I've had fluid behind my ears for awhile but now I'm just being lazy. I was all tired and fatigued for the past three weeks aka sick for two of those weeks. Now I really need to get my butt in gear and start training. It only takes 2 hours to train and get cleaned up, but I just don't have the heart. With all this work I'm suppose to get done and the fact that I don't give a rats bottom about it doesn't help. Real studying starts again when I get to grad school. I would probably become a ton more positive if I take a ride on the bike.
It's that whole runners high thing. Its actually a release of chemical in your reticular formation of the brain that causes an inhibitory response blocking the awareness of pain, the chemical also gives you that happy WWWOOOHOOO feeling aka the runners high. I need a good kick in the butt...or a day that doesn't look like mother nature threw up. hahaha! I should watch some Iron man clips. Not to mention I feel FAAATTTTTSSSS today oh being a girl with all those hormones that make us all pissy/emotional/sad/self-hateful. I wanna play me some pokemon. How's this. I finish reading these two articles and then play pokemon till my phone dies! Maybe, if I'm really good tomorrow I will give myself a reward of buying pokemon white version!

Oh gosh now that's incentive! What about this..I buy pokemon white but can't play it till I write my Senior Research paper...oh gosh I'm so mean to myself! .... I LOVE IT <3!

Well I better get to work! Catch ya on the flip side! And give yourself some insentive and reward for hard work!

KEEP IT UP!

Cheers,

Bean

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Day 10,11, and 12...and Amazing Theater

I bow my head in shame oh readers. I have failed to supply you with interesting jargon for three days! Lets have a quick recap.

Day 10: HOME WARD HOOOOOO!
Ok, soooo I am home for spring break. I drove home after completing a crazy exam that was 56 questions in 50min..hmmm. Got home and frolicked around with my wonderful B-towners Andrew and Katie. We went to the park :D

Day 11: FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL THEATER COMPANY

They are amazing, fantastic, inspiring, wonderful, colorful, full of life, and a group I will always remember for all of my life. They are led by the inspiring and spirited Ms. Wesco who gives opportunities to kids everyday to have fun and be themselves and make the closest friends. I had the privilege of returning to my alma-mater to see their production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat. This production was so full of energy and fun I was tired by the end of it because I felt like I was dancing and laughing right next to all of those talented kids on stage. It makes me feel so happy, thrilled even, to know that I was once a part of that, and I can't wait till I'm back in the area to give my support and help to such a wonderful organization lead and helped by such wonderful people. Freedom high school theater company you bring joy to so many and let many escape from the real world and experience the fantasy and fun of theater.

Day 12: What?
I'm still contemplating how epic the freedom show was and how wonderful it was to see my best friends Christine and Andrew. I had some pasta and wine as well. It was super yummy.


BEAN OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Day 9: .....I'm losing it

Readers..............
READERS!!!!!!!!!!!!


I've lost it.........
.........
.........
..........    :P

I had the capability to study for 1hour and then failed and edited videos and had lovely friend time. It's all going down hill in the department of school work...probably because tomorrow after my class begins spring break. AAAAAAAAAANNNNNDDD I have an even huger reason to procrastinate...although there was that time I promised God I would study...hmmmmm
crap...I can't lie to that.

STUDY FOR THE BABY JESUS!

I'm sorry Reader! You may have started reading this because you thought it was about exercise?...well not today. Although I did discover from my class today about the importance of proper posture when lifting weights.

MAKE SURE YOU GOT THE POSTURE!

Oh reader..I have not the heart to continue...I am A-D-D-ing hard core. Tomorrow, hopefully, then I will have some willpower to focus.

Cheers,

Bean

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Day 8: The night owl flys....


Reader....its 1am...I have failed you. This post should have been for yesterday. (Hangs head in shame). I got caught up in my Pokemon action and vlog editing....I...*gasp* (DRAMATIC PAUSEEEE!) am sorry.

SOOO! How bout them Yanks???   ...yeah...

Let's talk. Let's talk about procrastination because, you know what, it's killing me. I can barley get my shiz together...and the thing is, I have no negatives coming from my procrastination this semester. It's not like my graders are suffering or anything, heck I'm having more fun than ever. There's just that little over-achieving freshman in my brain stabbing me with a protractor yelling about defeating all the lesser students. Well I just threw a large physio book at that freshman and said "Geeze have a beer and calm down you're stressing me out".
Do you see what I mean readers? It's a downward spiral of doom. There is one thing I guess I can't let slip, its Essentials of Strength training...I got a B on the last test...WHAT! The fact is I have to take a 5 hours certification exam at the end of finals week in Philadelphia...ooooh gosh...which means I better get on reading this book! Also, READERS!!! I must get the study material from NSCA! Great goodness O'Nelly. I should find a job too...I need some money cuz gosh knows I'm making nuttin right now.
Readers..I am quite tired. Sleep is such an important aspect of health and well being and learning. Science is not yet sure about REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and its association with learning. One theory is that when you finally laps into the REM cycle after an hour of sleep and after progressing through stages 1 to 4 your brain is compiling information and doing a memory scan to make sure everything is in order. Fascinating, NO? It's quite remarkable that your cerebral cortex is actually at the same activity level as in a wakeful state. You are of course paralyzed (as to not thrash about in your wild dreams about meeting me and being epic in my awesome shadow...HA! Readers...so silly) and the only movement that your body can accomplish is wobbling your eyes about. (Strange occurrences, yes?). So, with that information about sleeping I myself should get a few REMs in before the waking hours.
OH DO NOT FRET READERS parting is such sweet sorrow, but I will be with you once more in no more than 8hours :), there's the smile I've been looking for...NOW GET TO BED!

CHEERS!

Sleepy Bean
Cartoons Wallpaper: Sleeping Snoopy

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Day 7: What's This, WHAT'S THIS?!?!?!

RE-E-E-E-E-DEARS....What is happening to meeee. I'm so sleepy and my head feels all wobbly wobbly wobbly. Great scott...could it be mono, or maybe a dietary imbalance.
Readers...the sleepy is hard to overcome..but I will...for..YOUUUUU!
So, I guess I need to hop on over to wellness....and get checked out...I think a blood test will be in the mix. (I HATE THOSE THINGS!!!) *shivvveerrrr*


What's that Readers? Stop complaining...oh readers you are a heartless lot aren't you. No no, you are right a positive mindset is key....


RANDOM DEEP CONVERSATION TRANSITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.....zam.

Have you ever thought that your thinking has more power over what you do? Well it does..lets look at a comment I once wrote....


Flute Man: I ♥ the Flute :)..... I just wish I could play it...
THE FANTASTIC BEAN: If you keep saying that you can't play the flute...you will never be able to meet your full potential. What you believe, what you say, is reflected in the final outcome. By keeping a mind set around a goal and thinking "I can do this, I am great, I will improve more and more" you will. Negative thought = negative outcome Positive thought = positive out come. Having your mind around an idea or goal helps guide your actions in the direction of that goal and therefore you find the path to reach that goal.
The Fantastic Bean:  there
Flute Man:  I can always count on you [bean] lol ;)
The Fantastic Bean: You bet your sweet ass you can


There...contemplate that readers. Apply it to your life...and your training. Think positive and the positive will come.


BEAN OUT!


Cheers,


BEAN!
WHY SO CUTE!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Day 6: Tri's, Dyes, and Friendly...mobiles

Shhhhhh reader...I'm stalking this pokemon you will scare it away. *LEAAAP* (OW-SNARL-SCRATCH-GAH!)....Well reader...eeerrrhemmm. It seems that magikarp was just a bit feisty for me. Readers why do you look at me so strangly? WHAT! You think I am too old to be playing with Pokemon? NONSENSE!!!! Don't you get it? No matter how old you are Pokemon is always cool, even the cool kids play Pokemon. Do you also know, that Pokemon BLACK AND WHITE!!!! has just come out. (I wantsss itsssss...my precioussssssssssssssss). Worst part is...I'm now a poor college student..when did that happen???? Oh yeah..I went to Europe. CURSE YOU EXCHANGE RATESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! There are so nice things I want to buy, but really should not.
Lets talk about things I like :D
                          1. I like things that are cheap therefore I...HATE OBOE REEDS!!! They are are complete bane of my existence and I loath them with every molecular piece of my physiology! For two stupid little pieces of wood I payed 25$$$$ what is that crap! I can get a box of sax reeds for 20$..and I get 10! Ok... breath bean...breath...Lets look at the positive. These are the last reeds I will ever have to buy for I am graduating and therefore will probably never play the oboe again...so I think. Then again half of my friends are music majors sooo the likelihood that I will be needed for something or other is a high possibility.
                         2. OMG...triathlons. (Hold one second reader while I have a small love attack) I love these crazy races soooo much. Thing is...its an expensive sport. WHY DO I ALWAYS PICK THE EXPENSIVE ACTIVITIES!!! So, I have a lovely road bike I bought myself and a tri suit I got for my Bday...thing is the tri suit is one piece...and all black...what I really want now is the two piece tri suit that you wear during the bike and run. For the first time I actually have a sports figure I look up too aka  Chrissie Wellington!!!! photo I mean come on! SHE IS SO HAPPY! Also...note her two piece tri outfit...I wantssssssss it. HAHAHA. Thing is the whole shin-digg is about 230$ Oi vay. Also, note her glasses. They are Oakley and are a special for breast cancer....again. AWESOME!..and again wayyyy to much money.
In other news, I need cycling shoes. These shoes come with special petals that you clip the shoe into giving you a power stroke in all directions, way better then the cadge for your shoe. I haven't got the heart to look up the price.
I wouldn't mind some aero bars for my bike..what are they?
ehxuq.jpg
                                                        look at that bike..I"m drooling (guess who's)
              3. I'd like Pokemon white...and a bigger sd card for my vlogs..what? Reader you didn't know about my vlog??? The Runnign Bean DPT VLOG! the name the running bean was taken...fools stealn my name...so I had to add DPT on the end. Well, at least in 3 years I'll really have that title. I also need a bigger card for my phone.

All in all that's a lot of dollores.

Hey...my roomies died their hair black and today they are dying the tips purple...that's gonna be nifty. Also, they were both in the bathroom at the same time washing it out. We have two bathrooms. AND SOO! I REALLY HAD TO PEE! ..but...there was no where to go. That was an agonizing 5 min of my life. HAHA

Friends:
         Lets take a few seconds readers. Let's think about the people we meet in our lives. Let's think about how those people changed us, how they made us better, how they made us think, and how their role was a very important one. Every person you meet makes you grow, even when you hate them at a cellular level. I just want to thank the great cosmos and of course God (don't hate man! I can thank good old Jesus and his rock'n pa God) for guiding my crazy weirdo of a self through this insain time line of a life. I just wanna say thanks for the people I've meet and the friends I've made. I've gotta say, they make the world a pretty damn freak'n awesome place.

Cheers <3,

The Bean

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Day 5: No time No time!!!!!!!!!

         Great scott! READERS! I do not have the time to create and write a witty ditty of a blog for you today, do you know why? BECAUSE WE LOST A DANG HOUR! That hour in which I type these loonacies for you and because of some fool named Franklin I have lost that precious hour. So here we be my wee hearties. I would have told you all about parade day, but I have not the strength. It was a blast and a half, and that's all you need to know (haha). Good times with good friends, on roofs, on porches, in coaches, with a duck, on a truck I do like green eggs and ham I do Sam I am!!!! (I hope that isn't copy right stuff..oh well) This is a shout out to all those crazy ladies and gents who made yesterday one dozy of a day for me!
         Now...on to more serious matters. Clean clothing. I have an inability to wash my clothes in a timely manner. DO YOU KNOW WHAT MY CLOSET LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW?...crazy. I need some clean socks! That's the biggest issue at hand...I need more socks, and the fact that all of my jeans have holes in...well...unmentionable places. DON'T LAUGH IT'S A TRAGEDY! So, I need some pants. If you would like to donate the the "BEAN NEEDS PANTS" fund leave a comment below. OH NO! It's 8:44 and I still need to get certified as a researcher..CRAPS! Offff I GO! I know the brevity of this is sad, but alsa ta ta till tomorrow. Partying i such sweet sorrow..wait that's not right ;)
 holy shit it's so cute!!!!!!
Illustration by: Aaron Zenz (From Chuckling Ducklings By: Aaron Zenz)
CHEERS!

The Bean

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Day 4: Shammmmm ROCK'N! and Walk'n!


....readers...what are you doing..its 6am go the heck back to sleep. (rolls over and snoorz). What? what? oh fine fine I'm up. What is that you say? What did I do last night....haha well well well wouldn't youuuuu like to know.

Alright so last night (what! I'll tell yeah) was SHAMROCK'N EVE!!!! I happen to be a committee member..or was..I mean it already happened. So, now I happen to be located in Scranton my fine readery friend and In Scranton "the party never stops". We happen to have the third largest St. Patrick's day parades...ever (I do believe those numbers are correct). So, In order to prepare for such a festivity clearly we must start partying at 7pm the night before, yes readers, I had a pre-party in the student center, for the pre-party aka shamrock'n eve, to the real part which started this morning..its happening right now. (well kinda but we shall get into that) So! (there are a lot of "so"s today) I had my little committee shin-dig which was slightly awkwardsss due to the fact I'm not really in that group of friends, but there were bag pipers and free beer and wine. After an hour of awkward conversation and standing around we moved to the gym were the real happenings were, lead there, of course, by our lovely mascot Iggy. Once inside we were serenaded by the band The Black Thorns and there was a huge line to get a glass of wine. Young and old mingled as the past 5 years of graduates came back together...also I HAVE A PIC WITH FATHER P!!!!! Oh joy of joys!
Other then that I was bored out of my mind after an hour and wished only to come back to my cave and play Assassin's creed II..oh goodness...I'm a nerd.

Now readers...it its 7:33am...I was up at 6am in preparations to go to a fellow band members house to have "kegs and eggs" as these local focals call it. Oh readers don't be concerned its a lovely egg and ham hot sandwich and they hand you a shot of Jack Daniels or something of the sort. You still look horror struck dear reader...yes yes I am the running bean but look at it as I do. A holiday is a holiday and one must enjoy themselves and partake in the customs of their location if you never let lose how could you ever truely live? Aye? Aye? How's that for some philosophical know how! Any who... I do realize I have said nothing of running or fitness recently...lets make amends...quickly before I must leave for parade day. (I will have photos for you lovely lot)

FITNESSSSSSSSSS GET YO SHOES ON HOME SLICES!!!!
        
              Fitness...what's in a name...twer it not still walking would it be the same?  Walking vs Running which one's better, which one is king, WHICH ONE KICKS THE OTHERS BUTT HARD CORE!
Now now lets not get ahead of ourselves. I've found that many people have an internal debate on the benefits of walking vs running and most believe that running is the only real exercise and the only "real" way to get cardiovascularly awesome. Let me get to the point, WRONG! Both forms of biomechanical movement have wonderful benefits and one more then the other depending on the individual. If someone has been sedentary their whole life and suddenly is struck with pure need to exercise....do not go and sprint around the block six times...that would be rather unproductive (consult a doc oooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr WALK). Walking is natural, we have billions of little neurons and reflexes firing in our muscles to give us proprioception.
             (What's that you say?) Proprioception is how we know where or limbs and body is in space without looking. Try closing your eyes now reach out and touch your nose...READERS YOU ARE MAGIC HOW DID YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR NOSE WAS! No no haha sorry there will be no owl with a letter today for you my little friend, that was not magic but you taking advantage of proprioception.
             Now, for the sedentary it is wise to take a short walk and slowly work their way up to longer and longer durations. If said sedentary individual really wants to run they should practice walking for a period then taking a short interval of running it can be a short as 1 min to 10 min of walking or 1 min or run to 4 min of walking. It's up to the individual and how they feel.
             Currently active: You want to get fitter and think "I"m gonna run 5miles by the end of all this!" and that is a fantastic goal! Just remember: TAKE IT SLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can not emphasis enough how important it is to progress slowly, in any new activity, practice makes perfect and slow increases stops nasty injuries. Have you ever thought of this though running 5miles...burns the same amount as walking 5miles? Now the caloric burn might have some discrepancies, but lets think about it. You go and run 5miles and finish in 50min, you walk it and finish in 75min. Obviously walking takes longer and running is shorter. Now you can actually walk at a speed to elicit I high cardiovascular response rivaling that of running, with the proper pace. When you run the body is in motion with a higher intensity then walking using a few extra muscles...but its doing this over a short period of time. For walking at a brisk pace (not jogging more at a pace where you have to get somewhere fast but don't wanna run at risk of looking like a crazy person) your doing this activity of a drawn out period of time slowly building the number of calories burned. In the end looking at muscle burn and so on running is like that of an interval training session compared to walking which is a long aerobic workout (now that is just a comparison..clearly running 5miles is not interval training).
                 With all this said, I would first off recommend walking if you, my readers, wish to get out there and move and if you want to lose weight, and if you want to get fitter. Walking is much more low impact then running meaning you will protect yourself from many possible injuries highly associated with running. Really what I am trying to say is don't hate before you try. Walking seems to get a sissy rap from some when really its a kick butt way of doing things. So the bean says get out there and move!!! Walk with a dog, with a child in a cart, with friends, with enemies, with strange creatures (ok maybe not them) anyway go and have a lovely stroll.


SIDE NOTE WARNING THINGY....
Do not walk with weights....the weight on the end of your arms isn't natural and that swinging motion creates a tension on the muscles every time you change the direction of the weights motion. This tension is the force most associated with injury. Anytime a muscle has to cause a sudden stop or start it can lead to major injury (take a pitcher in baseball for instance..major injury shoulder aka rotator cuff from the rapid force they must apply to their arm to wip it and release the ball at the right time).
Second....pulling wagons is fun for the kid...but holding that behind your back for a 30min walk equals possible shoulder weakening and injury leading to a later disslocation. Get a sweet running stroller. Or have the kid come along on a small trike or scooter. I do love scooters.

They let you fly.....WOOOSH!

And that's a friendly reminder from your local bean.

Cheers,

Bean

Friday, March 11, 2011

Day 3: Who's Watching the Watchmen? ...It's me...

Dear Readers,


I write this letter in preparation of what I am about to relate to you. Please understand why I must no longer type...I'm gonna be a super hero and my new super hero butler says I waist to much time on the world wide web...


Sincerely,




The Mighty Bean/Jumping Bean/SUPER
DUPER EPIC BEAN!

    Last night I watched Watchmen....I also happened to make the grave mistake in allowing the boys to put the movie on at midnight or one...I HAVE NO CLUE WHEN for I was actually reading through my Irish History notes (like a good little student). My little readers, DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THIS MOVIE IS! It just kept going! AND GOING! I was so sleepy and there was so much blood and hot nasty "you know what" I was all kinds of uncomfortable. I mean come on...A CHILD WAS EATEN BY DOGS! Was that a spoiler? IT DOESN"T MATTER! There is something very wrong with this movie...it perturbed me. Ok, ok, it wasn't that bad...it was just all kinds of controversial. Also, I shouldn't really be review this movie for the issue at hand is..I didn't finish watching Watchmen (lets see how many times I can say that). Oh come on! You can't blame me. It was 3am! The Bean needs her sleep otherwise how would I save the world.
     Did I cause a sudden instance of confusion and and more confusion in your little soul? Yes, I've decided to become a super hero!!! I have the beginnings of theme song, and no its not the bean beans the magical fruit ditty. (very funny readers) The outfit is a bit difficult to manage being I have to carry around cans of Surfine beans everywhere, those things leave a real dent in the bad guys..haha. For mobility I've tried jumping buildings and speeding past bullets, but it seems a bit better to use my scooter. So, I must be off the distressed call of a young wombat can be heard...or that's my stomach cuz I'm really really hungry right now.  Either way! GOOD DAY READERS! UP UP AND SCOOTER AWAY!


Cheers,


Bean


Followers