Phedippidations

Fdip345: Henry David Thoreau: Walking

Let's go for a walk.

Fdip344: Nullius in Verba

Today’s episode is an addendum to my last episode, number 343 “Dr. George Sheehan: Beginning”.  Although not a prerequisite to listening to this, Alot of what I’m going to say about running flows directly from what Dr. Sheehan had to say about taking to the road and lacing up our shoes.

Fdip343: Dr. George Sheehan: Beginning

If I'd thought about it I never would've done it I guess I would've let it slide If I'd-a paid attention to what others were thinkin' The heart inside me would've died But I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity Someone had to reach for the risin' star I guess it was up to me   I met somebody face to face and I had to remove my hat She's everything I need and love but I can't be swayed by that It frightens me, the awful truth of how sweet life can be But she ain't a-g...

Fdip342: Bobby Byrnes Pub

My favorite pub and poet.

Fdip341: Therapīa Key

Fdip340: OSIRIS-REx and the BIG Question

Fdip339: ‘Merican Alarmist

Part 3 of a 3 part series about Global Warming.

Fdip338: Picking the Cherries

Part 2 of a 3 part series on Global Climate Change.

Fdip337: One Point Four Degrees

This is part 1 of a 3 part series on the topic of Global Warming.

Fdip336: The Ouroboros of Anhedonia

Anhedonia is a symptom of depression...and it's a pretty rotten symptom, but like most things in this life, it can be overcome.  If you ever find yourself suffering from a loss of passion: don’t give up.  Talk to your doctor and get help. It’s never to late to live your life to the top.

Fdip335: Running the Crossroads

A run through downtown Indianapolis.

Fdip334: The Cheesy Poof Problem

Here’s the problem with almost all of the processed foods that are available to us today: They’re convenient, easy to prepare if preparation is even necessary, they’re easily accessible, inexpensive, and uber-laden with multiple forms of sugar, salt and fat.  Today’s highly processed foods are easy to get calories from without alot of chewing…most processed food melts in your mouth and proceed without delay down your gullet. I'm not telling you what to eat, I'm just saying to think about it.....

Fdip333: A Measure of Health - Part Two

This is the second of a two part episode. Listen.   Back in February of 2015, on episode 324 of Phedippidations, I revealed to you the measure of my health, listing the vital clinical statistics of my internal and external physical and mental condition including: how active I was, how well I slept, how good my mood was, how much energy I had, and: “the overall quality of my life experience”.   I told you back then, that we’d revisit this personal health information in September…but due to a s...

Fdip332: The Pursuit

Fdip331: The Miracles

We celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the United States this time each year, so this episode is dedicated to the concept of being thankful.

Fdip330: Thus Spake Zarathustra

And now it’s October: we’re more than 80% through the end of the year "getting back to where we once belonged”, and for me…I’ve come upon a bit of a road block.   To best understand this road block, we have to talk about the philosophy of Nietzsche…and I know, I know…I said I wasn’t going to talk about philosophy on Phedippidations…but there’s just no other way, and I promise you that this is related to running.   In order to understand the nature of this “road block”, we have to spend some t...

Fdip329: Ten Years a Man of Constant Podcasting

I’m humbled.  What can I say?  I’m totally humbled here, reeling in fact from the kind words from so many friends and fellow runners, people whom I admire a great deal.   I’ll be honest with you…I’ve always been honest with you (for better or worse) …I’m not someone who thinks very highly of myself…and so, what you’re about to hear are some really special people saying some very incredible things about..well…me.   I’m not sure that I deserve the kindness, but you must…I beg you, you MUST unde...

Fdip328: The Mojo au Groton

It was a perfect day for a run in New England.  Presented by the Squannacook River Runners, this is the 24th running of the Groton Road Race.   Being a runner feels different for me now. The universe is undergoing entropy…and I’m a part of that universe. I can’t go home again, but I can get back to where I once belonged…even if, when I get there…I’m not the same runner I used to be.  That’s okay, that’s a good thing.   These people, this race, that feeling of being a participant in something ...

Fdip327: Exploratory Running

Most runners could go out, right now and run a few miles under the morning sun.  We often do so without considering the power of the act. We take for granted the incredible advantage this gives us as situations arise which requires it.  We forget that running can sometimes be a means to an end and that aside from it’s impressive list of benefits, running and self ambulation gives us the means to explore.   Training is important and I’m not suggesting that we abandon our training…I’m just putt...

Fdip326: The Ten Percent Rule

“The Young Man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions” wrote Oliver Wendell Holmes.   Coaches, Experts, Friends and Fellow Runners all seem to agree that “slowly and carefully ramping up your mileage” is a reasonable approach for our training. Just as the mighty oak begins it’s life as a weak and tiny acorn, my return to the road has to be rooted a slow and cautious increase in miles and duration. A tree isn’t ruled by a ten percent growth rate. I’m not trying to convince you t...

Fdip325: Running New England

This is a transformative journey that we’re taking together, so it might help you to understand the context of this journey if you could understood a bit more about where I’ll be running.   In better understanding the mindset of the host and location of this podcast, you’ll better understand how your own terroir, or sense of place, affects your own journey.     You live where you do for reasons beyond mere choice or accident.  Maybe you’re there because of work, or family, or because you like...

Fdip324: A Measure of Health Part One

This is part one of a two part episode.  I’ll publish the second part at the end of the year.   In the last episode of Phedippidations I talked about getting back to a metaphysical place where I once belonged: a "home" where I was once happy and healthy.  For lack of a better term I called this a “transformative journey” and said that I wasn’t doing this to specifically lose weight or get healthier, but to regain that passion I once had for this sport and to feel like a member of the running ...

Fdip323: Getting Back to Where You Once Belonged

I “once belonged” to a community of fellow runners. I understand that many of you and this association have always considered me to be a member of the “run local, think global” team, but I haven’t felt that way for some time. That’s my problem, and it’s okay, that’s going to change.   I “once belonged” out on twelve mile long run around my town, through the hills of an Old New England farm trail, past the birthplace of the “Angel of the American Civil War Battlefield”, Clara Barton, past St. ...

Fdip322: Running Across the Frozen White Wasteland

Episode twenty-three of Phedippidations, which was published on December 18th, Anno domini 2005 was titled “Cold Weather Running”.     I guess you could consider this a bit of an update to that recording.  While some of the information I covered back then was useful, I think I my have missed some Key (West) points that should be made more clear...and furthermore, I think that the way that show was produced...specifically …WHERE it was recorded, could be improved upon.   Thus I can think of no...

Fdip321: The Quantified Self

We live in the age of the selfie and self promotion.  Social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and even Podcasts: allow us to share so much of our lives, and we…in posting such content assume that there’s someone out there who cares…or maybe we just hope they do.   For better or worse, we’ve become a society of exhibitionists, sometimes even boastful of our situation and accomplishments.  I disagree with the Christian view that pride is one of the so called “seven deadly sins” ...

Fdip320: Teleological Wishes and Anthropic Misses

Something to contemplate on your long, slow run today: The Teleological argument in support of the existence of God says “that the universe is ordered towards some end or purpose, that it was created by an intelligent being in order to accomplish some purpose.” FACT: We live in a 13.7 Billion year old universe that will end in a “Heat Death” 100 Trillion years from now. The Scottish philosopher David Hume didn’t think much of the “Teleological Wish”…he wrote that:  “A very small part of this ...

Fdip319: What Does the Fox Say?

On the Fox News website a few weeks ago, Dr. Jennifer Landa, wrote an article “How Endurance Running Can Damage Your Health”. Dr. Landa is an excellent physician.  She’s the Chief Medical Officer of BodyLogicMD, a franchise of doctors specializing in bioidentical hormone therapy.    In this episode of Phedippidations, I’m going to refute Dr. Landa’s arguments by applying a healthy dose of skepticism to her craftily…and well worded arguments.  But unlike my usual vitriolic attacks pointing out...

Fdip318: Intervals From The Past

I have this “other podcast”, that I call Intervals…and unlike the portmanteau title of Phedippidations…the title “Intervals” is a bit of a double entendre.  Whereas  Phedippidations usually has a theme to each episode…Intervals is themeless.  I “make it up as I go along”, and it has been a sort of “stream of consciousness” podcast that I put out there…because, why not?   Today we’ll go back to the year of our (Time) Lord 2010.  It was a good year; as years go.  Since then, so much has changed...

Fdip317: Wine for Newbies

Today, on Phedippidations I’m going to teach you three things, and I mean REALLY teach you…you can’t flunk this course, and if you already know something (or a lot of things) about wine, then consider this a refresher.  Our syllabus is as follows:   In the first chapter I’ll tell you how to taste wine, nothing fancy: just the basics…and I know you probably think this is intuitive, but tasting wine takes practice, as we’ll discuss.   In the second chapter, I’ll tell you three important wine te...

Fdip316: A Puppy Named Eva

The thing about human beings that strikes me as both wonderful and fascinating: is our capacity for change.  If you asked me ten years ago would I ever “own” a dog, I’d have laughed at the notion.   Today, the reality is that I do not “own” Eva…she owns me…or better put, we own and love each other.   Eva Jones is many things: but most of all, most importantly of all: she is, to me: an example of the good animal I could be.     She is a perfect example of love and joy…and she’ll always be that...

Chesuncook Lake with the Dudes

  Five dudes drove to Biff-Country in the summer of 2002.  They saw moose, canoed, swam, and slept in tents.  They ate beans, Dick’s Famous Chicken, pop-corn, jerky, mango, and Reece’s Cups.  They skipped rocks, climbed on rocks, jumped off of rocks into a lake, watched stars, the moon, and the Northern Lights, and read Harry Potter around campfires.  Then they drove home.  It was all in the Biff-Country, and it was awesome.  This is their story.

Fdip315: The Joy of Baseball

When you elevate something that is not important and dedicate some passion to it, you are living your life to the top.  I don’t care what it is: running, playing the guitar, tasting wine, watching a TV show about a mad man in a blue police box flying through space and time, cooking, eating, even podcasting.   I am, and have been since I was a small child, a fan of the Boston Red Sox.  The game is one of my passions.     The purpose of this episode; if there was a purpose, was to demonstrate t...

Fdip314: Paleo Running

Today I want to talk about this trend for living like our “Old Stone Age” ancestors. What does recent science say about the benefits of minimalist running and the paleo-diet?  Are these practices something that we, as runners, should adopt?  Can “Paleo Running” and a “Paleo Diet” help us to live better, healthier lives?   Agriculture was a life changing advancement for early hominids.  It allowed us to spend more time together, in ever growing groups, to develop a civilization that would expa...

Fdip313: Really Wanting It

In the course of our discussion today, we’re going to talk about many things: determination, dedication, will power, and wanting it.  What I will not be able to do, is convince you to meet your goal.  It wouldn’t matter if I made the most perfect, passionate, logical argument as to why you should train for and run a road race or marathon, why you should climb the tallest mountain, swim the widest ocean, win the most prestigious award or even drop 40 pounds.   I might make you feel guilty for ...

Fdip312: The Sad Delusion of Chad Stafko

This is my response to an article published in the November 12th edition of the “Wall Street Journal” titled “OK, You’re a Runner. Get Over It” by Chad Stafko…and while I’ll try to keep it civil, I can’t promise I won’t lean over the line of anger.  What I can promise, both you and Stafko is that I won’t make a single logical fallacy with anything I’ll have to say.  The burden of proof in the matter of Stafko vs. Fellow Runners is most completely with Chad: my place here is to merely point ou...

Fdip311: A Run on Cayo Hueso

I’m here with my family and friends…at place we consider to be the happiest place on earth. This is Key West. Why this is our happy place is the focus of this episode, and before you get the wrong idea: this show wasn’t sponsored by the Key West Travel Bureau…I understand that many of you have your own personal paradise’s…but this is mine. I’ve only been here once before, about a year ago, in March of 2012, for only three days. Long time listeners to Phedippidations might remember episode 28...

Fdip310: Dr. George Sheehan: Meditating

I see the act of running as a pathway to a special state of consciousness that allows us to "expose and undo our hidden fears and hopes", to "befriend who we are are". Doctor George Sheehan knew alot about this...but you have to really listen carefully to what he's actually saying in order to understand. I'm about to read from you one of the most controversial, in my opinion anyway, chapters of his now classic book "Running and Being - The Total Experience" published by Second Wind II LLC. ...

Fdip309: The Paradox of Pronation

While faith is, by definition, unwavering; scientific understanding often and sometimes frequently changes, as new observations about our universe are uncovered and demonstrated. Conventional wisdom, those faith sourced ideas that are so greatly accepted that they go unquestioned, is an  oxymoron...that is, a conjoining contradictory term.  In the case of running shoes and pronation we have long accepted the idea that: neutral or cushioned shoes are helpful for those with high arches,  stab...

Fdip308: Made a Town if it be Needful

Oxford Massachusetts is typical quaint New England Village, in the Heart of Central Massachusetts that remains, after 300 years, a quaint country town with a long American history.   The Europeans settlers from France and England were not the first to live here; but since it’s founding the town has managed to maintain both it’s charm and terroir; a less known gem in the commonwealth of Massachusetts and a place that I call home. Last month, on July 31st, Massachusetts state representatives ...

Fdip307: The Ghost of Phedippidations Rises

With this episode I’m off and running on my 9th year of podcasting.  Did I think that I’d still be at it after all this time?  To be honest I didn’t really think about it...I just kept on producing the shows.  Clearly, this isn’t the same Phedippidations that it was back in 2005...alot has changed with the writing, recording, production, sound quality, processing, sound effects, music sounders and beds...not to mention the changes in the life of the host.  We homo sapiens are funny when it co...

Fdip306: Walker Versus Runner

Over the years, I have spoken to you about all of the many benifits as to why running is good for you.  I’ve talked about the physical, psychological and even the spiritual benefits of this sport...but  I’ve also tried to get across this point: that running is just one of the ways to improve your health, increase your level of happiness and extend the duration of your life.  I’ve told you that “Runners are special” but I’ve always been quick to admit that I’m not saying we’re better than  no...

Fdip305: Running Words from the Last Decade

It was on April 19th, in the year of our Lord 2000, that I first registered the domain name of SteveRunner.com. It wasn’t my idea.  It was that of a good friend of mine, Jim, who I had attended the University of Lowell with in the early 1980’s, and worked with for over 20 years.   It was on that 19th day of April, 13 years ago that he suggested I reserve a domain name for my running blog.  I had been posting my running related essays on a website hosted at CompuServe, but the only way you ...

Fdip304: Cinco Loco Boston

We wish you could have been here.   The Cinco Loco was a never to be duplicared in the history of the universe event; a run with a unique group of good people who came together to share their time; to be there for a friend who had lost his precious child, to be there at the finish line of an event that hatred tried to ruin; to celebrate the friendships that we had made on line, through podcasts and the social media tubes of the Interwebs...and to enjoy a victory cupcake, in person, together....

Fdip303: Boston Heartbreak

My name is Steve, I’m from Boston, and I am Boston Strong.   There’s a certain amount of pride that I have, in saying that.  But the truth is, we’re all from Boston.  Boston...is more than just a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...for runners like you and I, it’s a idea...it’s a place where dreams come true.   The course from the Hopkinton Bandstand to Boylston Street is more than just a paved roadway...it’s a course.  Wherever you’re hearing me right now, that course is connected ...

Jacob's Waves

Thousands of candles  can be lighted  from a single candle,  and the life of the candle  will not be shortened.  The Buddah The world is a better place for the life of a young man by the name of Jacob Tinkoff.   If you haven’t heard, it breaks my heart to tell you of this worlds loss of my friend Adam Tinkoff’s son, Jacob.   No parent should have to endure such tragedy alone.  So now you know, and now together, we mourn. Jacob, or Jake to his friends,  was a good, kind and sweet young ma...

Fdip302: As Fast as We Can

How fast can the fastest human being run?  We know that Usain Bolt of Jamacia ran at a top speed of  27.78 miles per hour (44.72 km/h) between the 60 to 80 meter segment of the 100 meter sprint in 1.61 seconds on August 16th, 2009 at the Berlin World Championships.   But what I want to know, is how fast could the fastest human being ever really run.  I’m not talking about Usain...the guy is amazing...but we are human beings, and we have evolved with this particular physicolgy.  What would it...

Fdip301: Unwrinkling the Runners Soul

If you’re a new runner, or know someone who is...or even if you are a runner who has packed away your running shoes because you’re in some kind of a slump, or gave up running due to reasonable health reasons...I’m here to tell you that you are not alone. You’re not the first runner to quit, and you won’t be the last.   I know, because I’ve been there...and todays epsiode of Phedippidations is a shout of encouragement...it’s my attempt to say to you that even if you’ve hung up your shoes: yo...

Fdip300: A New Hope

I’ve had alot of time to think about how I’d conclude, this: my 300th episode...and I guess it makes sense for me to briefly comment on something I said in episode 1: When I talked about the horrible feeling of dropping the ball and losing the 1977 championship baseball game of the Weymouth Farm League for my team, The Red Barons. The essay I wrote and read was my way of explaining why, after that crushing loss, I sought to involve myself only in sports that celebrated individual achievement....

Fdip299: An Honor to Run With You

The next episode of Phedippidations is a celebration of this podcast and the community of which it is a part...we’re celebrating not because of anything I've ever recorded, presented or produced...but because you stepped up and said you would participate...that you’d jam some ear buds in your head and at least go for a run with me....whether you've been listening since episode one or if this is your first; the honor to run with you is mine. Thank you for that honor, for being a friend and a f...

Fdip298: The Problem with NSAIDs

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs are a class of medicine used to reduce fever and treat acute or chronic conditions where pain and inflammation are present.  They are used, generally for the relief of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthropathies, gout, menstrual pain, headaches, post operative pain, and fever. Side effects include: myocardial infarction, stroke, erectile dysfunction, nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, gastric ulceration, diarrhea, acute renal failure, tubul...