Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
I interact with hundreds of patients each week and get asked a lot of questions. On Fridays I like to share some of the answers I give and hope it has value for you. (Note – since my 100 mile race is this weekend I threw in a few of the most common questions I’ve had about that).
What are my thoughts on the Coronavirus? Several things stand out to me. First, in terms of the virus itself the data shows that it affects those with severely compromised immune systems. That doesn’t make it good, but it makes it like the flu virus in that regard. If it were killing completely healthy people, it would be far more worrisome. Second, whether it’s the flu, coronavirus or something else, your body’s ability to defend itself is the most crucial factor. Therefore, eating well, sleeping enough, consuming healthy nutrients, exercising, managing stress, etc. are always important. When cared for properly, your body’s ability to defend itself is amazing – against the coronavirus and millions of other things as well. Finally, the panic of the coronavirus personally scares me more than the virus itself.
Why would you want to run for 100 miles straight? I really enjoy how these races reset my mind. In daily life we’re concerned about finances, our businesses, the Coronavirus, our kids or any number of a million other things. When I’m out there all I’m thinking about is moving forward, drinking water, eating food, enjoying the scenery and getting to the next aid station. Resetting back to the simplest things gives me a greater enjoyment of my life going forward after the race.
Your race is 30 hours, when do sleep and eat? For the race I will not sleep at all so that I can maintain my pace and finish before the allotted time limit. However, as far as food goes – a 100-mile race is basically an eating contest within a race. I will consume roughly 15,000 calories over the course of the race in order to have enough fuel to keep going. I eat whenever I get to aid stations and between them when necessary.
What are you looking forward to most about the race? After mile 50, my two older sons are going to become my pacers and run some of the remaining mileage with me. Being out there with them gives me strength, motivation and pride. Those moments will last forever in my mind and I get the most excited for them.
A quote I love? “If you can’t fly then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Want more?
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