Mimic the Best

Time: 39:36
Distance: 5.3 miles
Weight: 145.4

Welcome to Jordan's Journey to Fitness & Weight Loss: A Blog on Running, Eating Healthy and Accomplishing Dreams.

How lame would that be!?

I did run today. I am trying to eat healthy. And, if the accomplishments come... good.

Meagan and I hit the Short Loop this morning after emptying the rental car, loading the storage unit, returning the rental car, mailing items and visiting Greenapple Sports & Wellness. It was a somewhat busy morning that had us leaving the house around 10 am. I have started running in a lightweight jacket not because I want to sweat or lose extra pounds (though I need to lose some), but because of heat training. I figure I might as well start preparing for the hot summer months now by running in long sleeves.

Also, a few months back I was chatting with Leo Kormanik (has recently run 65:20 at the Houston Half and 66:53 to win the Georgia Publix Half Marathon) about why African runners always run in pants and jackets. He is just finishing up his final few months of school at Life School of Chiropractic and has a very scientific approach to training. Leo said he found a little bit of research on how "heat training" increases blood volume and muscle oxygenation. He used the example of how Americans and Europeans can often compete at the world level in cross-country but usually get their doors blown off on the track. His belief was that Americans/Europeans (white people) train through hot summers, increase their blood volume and have successful fall/winter cross country campaigns. However, training through the cold winter months leaves them at a disadvantage when it comes to racing on the track in the late spring and summer. It might be a bit of a stretch, but I can see points for the position.

How about some pictures from the World Cross-Country Championships that took place over the weekend in Punta Umbria, Spain:

American junior girls? dressed to run in the warm weather. (photo taken from Michael Scott's FB page)

Lisa Koll, Shalane Flanagan, Ben True (in back) dressed a little like their competitors.

Team Kenya dressed as if it were about to snow minus the gloves.

Which group of athletes is your money on? What do they know that we don't?

Team USA ran okay as a whole, but did exceptionally well in the senior women's race. Shalane Flanagan (ex-UNC runner) finished third overall and helped lead the team to the bronze medal. The results were:

Junior Girls: Ethiopia - 1st (17), Kenya - 2nd (19), Japan - 3rd (75), USA - 7th (145)
Junior Boys: Kenya - 1st (20), Ethiopia - 2nd (24), Uganda - 3rd (50), USA - 8th (153)
Senior Women: Kenya - 1st (15), Ethiopia - 2nd (29), USA - 3rd (57), Bahrain - 4th (87)
Senior Men: Kenya - 1st (14), Ethiopia - 2nd (38), Uganda - 3rd (49), USA - 10th (199)