What is the fastest marine mammal?

The 2012 Summer Olympics are less than 10 days away and with this comes lots of intense swimming competitions (among other events). This got me wondering, if I lined up various species of marine mammals which one would be taking home the gold? Check out the average top speeds of 10 species in the graph below. (Now time to get the image of an orca wearing a Speedo out of my mind.)

Resources:

1. http://www.speedofanimals.com/water
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porpoise
3. http://marinebio.org/oceans/marine-mammals.asp

Running Advice for Overweight Runners

Get active, stay safe, and build your fitness over time

Man and woman running outside

Runners, despite what may be advertised, come in all shapes and sizes. If you’re overweight, running is a great option that can help you improve your health, get in shape, boost your confidence, and achieve a healthy weight.

That said, getting started with running may be a bit more challenging if you are overweight due to the fact that extra body fat can make you get winded more easily than those who are leaner.1

Try not to get discouraged by this and see it as just one hurdle to overcome in a journey toward better health. Here’s some advice on how overweight runners can safely start a healthy running habit and reap all the great benefits of running.

How to Start Running When You’re Overweight

Set yourself up for success by making sure that you are medically cleared to start running and that you have the proper shoes to support your body once you begin.

  • Check with your doctor
  • Get proper footwear
  • Start small
  • Switch to run/walks
  • Add strength training
  • Believe in yourself

Check With Your Doctor

This is an important step for anyone who’s new to running, but especially if you’re overweight. Share your running plan and goals with your doctor, and have him/her assess your plan and any potential health issues. Talk about any pre-existing conditions or previous injuries that might have an impact on being able to start a regular running program. Visit timesunion.com.

Your doctor may also recommend that you do an exercise stress test on a treadmill to rule out any cardiovascular issues. If he or she deems it’s not quite safe for you to start now, talk about what milestones you need to reach before you can.

Get the Right Shoes

Wearing the wrong running shoes for your feet and running style can lead to injuries and general discomfort while running. If you’re overweight, the extra weight and pressure on your joints can make you even more vulnerable to injuries, so it’s crucial that you get the right running shoes for you.

Go to a running specialty store, where trained salespeople can do a running gait analysis and recommend the best choices for your running gait, foot, and body type. You may need shoes with extra cushioning, good arch support, or some other special feature.

You should replace your shoes every 300 to 500 miles, although this can vary depending on how you run, your weight, and the type of terrain you cover. Heavier runners typically need to replace their shoes more often.

How to Build Up to Running

Even if you have no plans of eventually running a marathon, remember that your fitness journey is a proverbial one nevertheless.

Start Small

Trying to do too much too soon may lead to injury and burnout. If you’ve been inactive for at least a few months or longer, you should start by walking.

You can begin walking on a treadmill, outside, or even in a pool. Start with just 5 or 10 minutes if that’s all you can manage. Consistency is key, so try to walk a little bit each day. Just get your body used to the activity and work up to a continuous forward motion for 30 minutes before you start to add some running.

Switch to a Run/Walk Strategy

Once you’ve built up your fitness through walking, you can get started with run/walk, which is an excellent strategy to safely and comfortably build your running endurance.

  1. Start your run/walk session by warming up with a 10-minute brisk walk to get your heart rate up and blood flowing to the working muscles.
  2. Next, run easy for 1 minute and then walk for 2 minutes. The walk should be an active rest, not a complete break. Don’t walk casually—do it with a purpose, like a power walk, to make sure you’re getting a good cardio workout.
  3. Repeat this cycle for 15 to 20 minutes, and then finish with a 5-minute walk as a cool down.

As your 1-minute run intervals become easier, you can increase the number of your run intervals and decrease the length of your walk intervals.

While some people try to get to the point where they can run continuously without walk breaks, others decide to stick with run/walk as a long-term strategy, using intervals such as run 3 minutes/walk 1 minute or run 2 minutes/walk 30 seconds.

Taking It to the Next Level

Once you’ve built up your endurance with run/walks, you should continue to challenge yourself by increasing your effort or distance during your runs. This will help boost your calorie-burning efforts, improve your fitness even more, and help prevent you from getting bored with your routine.

You can start adding speed by warming up for a mile and then running at a faster pace (breathing heavy, but still in control) for a minute and then recovering at an easy pace for a minute. Continue with this pattern for two miles, then cool down for 5 to 10 minutes.

When that gets too easy, you could always increase the time of your speed intervals or do hill repeats instead.

Add Some Strength Training

If you’re not already doing some strength training, try to incorporate at least one or two sessions in your weekly routine. Not only will you burn more calories while you’re doing these exercises, but your increased lean muscle mass will improve your running performance.2 You’ll be able to run faster and longer, and pump up your calorie burn when running.

Strength training also helps prevent running injuries, so you’ll be able to maintain your commitment to exercise by staying injury-free. You don’t need to belong to a gym or have special equipment to strength train.

Ways to Stay Motivated

Sticking with your running plan and achieving your goals may, at times, feel difficult. Do what works best for you when it comes to keeping your motivation up.

That might include strategies such as:

  • Rewarding yourself
  • Running with a buddy
  • Setting specific goals3
  • Tracking your progress3

Ignore the Naysayers

Unfortunately, there are people everywhere who can take issue with just about anything, which may make you feel self-conscious.

While you may not have the speed or distance of other runners (yet), those who enjoy the sport tend to appreciate anyone else who does too. And if you’re worried about what non-runners think, just remind yourself of how hard you’re working and that they’re missing out on all the benefits of running that you’re reaping.

Why we need Alternative B adopted for NPR-A

Almost 30 years ago, Congress stated that the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska (NPR-A) was an, “exceptional natural, fish, wildlife, scenic, cultural and historical values that warrant protection”. Situated not far from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the NPR-A is now under a lot of scrutiny. As the largest federal land management unit in the nation (23 million acres, almost the size of Indiana!) the Bureau of Land Management has proposed 4 alternatives for its future.

The only one suitable for the habitat Congress hailed as exceptional 30 years ago, would be Alternative B.  Dr. Steve Zack, conservation scientist, for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) – North America Program:

WCS is very encouraged to see in the planning process for western Arctic Alaska an alternative that will mean significant wildlife conservation through protection of key areas. The Bureau of Land Management`s plan for the largest public landscape in the United States, the National-Petroleum Reserve – Alaska, includes four alternatives, one of which is Alternative B. Alternative B sets aside from development the most important part of the world`s largest Arctic wetland, located around Teshekpuk Lake, and provides protection of the large landscapes across which hundreds of thousands of caribou migrate, including the Utukok Uplands region. We strongly feel that Alternative B, which categorizes areas critical for wildlife as unavailable for oil and gas leasing, balances energy development and wildlife protection in a landscape rich in both resources.

Polar bears, walruses, belugas, caribou, wolves, grizzly bears, and waterbirds all rely on the diverse habitat of the NPR-A to survive. Furthermore, for thousands of years there have been native communities living along the reserve. Please request to Secretary Salazar that these communities not be developed in order to maintain this sustainable lifestyle.

For some amazing images of the Utukok River Uplands (an area within the NPR-A) spend some time on this website. I think I’m ready to move after looking at these!