Fast Food...Literally

If you're as loyal to Runner's World magazine as I am, you've likely received the April 2009 issue and read the "Shrimp Scamper" mini-article, highlighting the amazing four-hour treadmill trek of a very athletic, four-inch shrimp.

Oddly enough, this experiment was conducted in 2006, but it just began receiving significant media attention when the video of the shrimp running on the treadmill was leaked to the World Wide Web. Researchers began by injecting a pathogenic bacterium called Vibrio campbellii into a shrimp with the intent of observing how it influenced the organism's performance. Of course, there was also a healthy control shrimp, which is the star of numerous YouTube videos, running to triumphant tunes like "The Final Countdown." A duct tape backpack was even fashioned to try slowing down the relentless crustacean runner, who kept at it for a great while despite the added weight. It was apparent that the sick shrimp's endurance was significantly reduced in comparison to the healthy shrimp.

From these results, Pacific University scientist David Scholnick concluded that infection impedes on the shrimp's "ability to migrate, find food, and avoid being eaten." The experiment also has a great coorelation to many prominent environmental issues of today and their potential implications.

Human-related activities and agricultural run-off have significantly increased the amount of bacteria found in ocean water, which, as the study illustrated, could decrease the shrimp and other sealife's survival capability. Thus, conservation of water and other resources and general should be a higher priority on everyone's list, for the sake of not only marine life and their habitat but the coming generations of humans as well.

With this in mind as I lathered up my hair with shampoo in the shower, I sped up, shaving about two minutes from my usual shower time. I may have even set a shower PR! I am taking blog space to encourage you fellow runners to take small measures to conserve in a sport where water is generously used (in hydration, showers, and washing dirty running clothes), shoes are frequently thrown out, and gas is often consumed (to/from races and/or trails).

To all skeptics, environmentally-friendly measures do not include the trots you may have left to the soil on a gastrointestinally-upsetting run. Even the slightest bit of energy towards this cause, if exerted by large numbers of runners, would add up into a much more positive result overall.

Although I still have wide room for improvement in my efforts to conserve, continuing to take action towards this cause may just put me on the road to becoming the Usain Bolt of showering. You may not want to "go green," but I encourage you to "go blue" in an attempt, however minute, to better the habitat of our wee shrimp friend and all future generations of runners.

Nametag: "Hi, My Name is Breadcrumb Runner."

Since we are "meeting" for the first time, it seems only appropriate to introduce myself. If it were in reality, all you might have to do is read a hastily-written name tag reading "Hi, my name is so-and-so." However, this is cyberspace. There are none such nametags here, so I thought I would fashion myself one (see title of post). If it were in reality, we also might shake hands nervously and verbally introduce ourselves. Perhaps I'd mention my interest in running, which you may (or may not) reciprocate. Perhaps this common ground would spur conversation. Assuming, reader, you are in fact a fellow runner - whether you be a beginner or pro, run recreationally or competitively - it is here, my anonymous internet running friend, I will begin my lengthy blogging journey and explore the depth of this sport that can be over-looked at face value.

Today I woke up, a day off from classes, in a wonderful mood. Yesterday and the day before I had to run chained to the infamous dreadmill, forced inside by the nasty arctic wrath mother nature thrust upon me. The temperatures, ranging from -6 to -22 degrees Fahrenheit with windchills hitting the -40's, were just not safe to venture outside in. Oddly enough, when I run on the treadmill, I find it actually feels more strenuous than when I run outside. At first I thought perhaps my running mechanics were much more adapted to outside running. However, I did some research, and found that the reason for this greater perceived exertion could be because I always set the treadmill at 1% incline (to "account for the lack of air resistance," as is widely believed). Read this article online: "The 1% Incline Treadmill Myth" It suggests that air resistance is negligible and only factors in at speeds close to sprinting, which might mean running at 1% incline actually makes the treadmill more difficult than outside. Maybe it's not just me!

I also found this in an internet discussion, indicating treadmill running requires more of the muscles and a higher stride frequency for equal distances:

"Reporting in Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, researchers evaluated the kinematics and biomechanics of treadmill running and determined that running on a treadmill increases the muscular demands made on hip flexors and knee extensors. The authors concluded that treadmill running might improve sprint times due to the extra effort of those key muscles. Other studies have shown that the treadmill requires a higher stride frequency because the treadmill pushes the rear leg forward and the advancing leg must plant more quickly. As a result, a faster cadence and shorter stride produces more steps per mile and the cardiovascular demands of running may be higher on a treadmill than outdoors at the same pace."

Although my hardcore, crazy-self might have had trouble resisting the temptation to trudge through the freezing winds, risking frostbite and hypothermia, I pondered this debate as I put one foot in front of the other on a treadmill set at 1% incline (just in case...)

Nevertheless, I had been looking forward to today. "Why?" you might be asking, "What would be so special about today?"

The weatherman was forecasting a high of 12 degrees today, that's what! I was very eager to run outside and bask in the relative "warmth" of midday.

Against the wind, flurries, and balmy 9-degree temperature, I happily adventured into the outdoors. On a favorite, familiar trail of mine, I ran 4.4 fartlek miles (began the first mile @ 6:45/mile avg pace, then transitioning to 6:00/mile avg pace), followed by a 3.7-mile treadmill cool-down. This brings today's total to 8.1 miles and brings to a close my (thankfully) brief, exclusive treadmill streak.

Note: Reader, if you are either a beginner to the sport or are unfamiliar with this word, "fartlek" is a Swedish term meaning "speed play." It is a type of speedwork, not flatulation of any sort. Now that we have cleared that up...yes, I give you permission to giggle childishly once more at the aforementioned word...we can continue.

Given that today was a speedwork day, I had fewer "profound" thoughts. All I told myself was, "GO." Although, perhaps getting outside helped stimulate some brain juices for some interesting ideas for tomorrow's post. Besides, today was merely our orientation.

Stay tuned.