Oscar P Should Have to Choose

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Oscar Pistorius of South Africa is a 4-time Paralympic Champion in sprinting events.  Oscar is a double leg amputee who has developed into nearly a world class 400 meter runner with a PR of just over 45 seconds.  Last year, Oscar made it to the semi-finals at the world track and field championships in Daegu.  The debate has risen about whether his prosthetic legs aid him in running faster.  I'm no physicist so I'm not going to try and tell you whether his legs do or don't make him faster. (I do think his prosthetics help him, he doesn't look as fast as other 400m runners of his caliber but of course I can't prove it) My stance on this topic is that Oscar needs to chose between the Olympics and the Paralympics.  If he is as good as an able bodied human at track then he shouldn't compete in the Paralympics.  And if his prosthetics do help him then he shouldn't be able to compete in the Olympics.  He is clearly different than his competitors at the Olympics and Paralympics.  It is a confusing situation.  What do you think?

It's Been Awhile.... Runner's High

Occasionally I stumble upon a random blog and it hasn't been posted on for years.  Other times it hadn't been then it randomly was posted on once again before another long hiatus.  For me, two days is a long time.  For avid readers of the blog you may remember that it was my New Year's resolution to blog every day and run every day of 2012.  I have run every day but I missed two days in a row of blogging.  One of the reasons that I missed two days is because I have been busy running.  I have also been busy with other exciting developments which I may share with you all soon.

Anyway, I wanted to touch upon a fabled event: The Runner's High.  Scientifically, it is defined as your body releasing endorphins.  I don't want to get too deep into that because as much as running is science there is just as much that is unexplicable, often defying reason.  There are also so many conflicting reasonable arguments.  I prefer to think of running in social science setting more than the actual physical science.  Today I ran in the morning.  5 miles with Mr. Benjamin J. Ailts and then added on a few more afterwards.  I had a busy day before heading off to practice where I ran with Brian W. Brochman.  Both of those runs I felt pretty average.  I had a big weekend of running.  Saturday was a 2x20 minute tempo session on the track and Sunday was a long run of 20 miles.  You may find it to be against common knowledge that running more will increase your energy but sometimes I find it's true.  After 15 miles in 2 runs today I wanted to do more after I ate and digested my food.  It was a craving deep inside that won't be extinguished tonight.  I would run but I have a 6:30 AM practice followed by what is probably going to be an intensive workout in the evening.  I am going to fall asleep craving a run, not the ice cream that I usually crave.  Running, it's a strange thing.