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Today I decided to administer my own "presidential fitness test" to myself. I say, I'm my own president! Why not? We don't have a legitimate prez in the White House right now anyway. So I timed myself to see how fast I could run a mile, and curiously, my result was 9:11. I'll let you numerologists and conspiracy theorists determine what that means. All I know is that I a.)need improvement but b.)have improved since the beginning of the summer. Oh, I also know that despite all my blathering on here about my realization that girls aren't pushed hard enough in athletics, I don't really do much to alter that. I need to push myself harder. It felt good to run faster than was perfectly comfortable today. Yeah. I even came home and did sit-ups. I can't remember how many sit-ups you had to do either, in the Presidential Fitness test, to get "excellent" or "satisfactory."
My assignment on today's training schedule was "45 minute run." This is how it went:
0:00 - 07:26 Jog slowly from mailbox on the corner (where I had just dropped my latest Netflix return) to the Tufts track
07:27 - 19:30 Jog slow, easy mile around the Tufts track
19:30 -22:10 Run slightly faster lap
**pause. drink water.**
22:11 - 31:21 Run presidentially fit mile
31:22 -33:58 Cool-down lap
**pause. drink more water. talk to random woman asking me if I know about where she can get running pointers. discuss training schedules, interval training, etc.**
33:59 -44:34 Jog home
Don't worry, I'm not going to stop talking about everything else and turn this into a blog about my running. I have way too many other things to babble about.
But I really do want to find all those Presidential Fitness test specifics...
Friday, August 17, 2007
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2 comments:
Check here:
http://presidentschallenge.org/educators/program_details/physical_fitness/qualifying_standards.aspx#
Click on the link for "85th percentile", etc, to get the charts.
The ages only go up to 17, and the requirements may have changed since you did it so very long ago (ha!), but it might give you at least a basic starting point.
Run, Linda, Run, Run for Your Life,
I read Linda’s piece about running before my recent yearly annual exam. I have to say, while I do not look forward to the exam, the information from the doctor is generally perfectly timed for my life… As it was, this time. Those of you who know me, know that I have been struggling with pain radiating from my neck, due to two compressed vertebrae. The pain has slowed me down, sometimes makes it difficult to concentrate or do daily tasks, and has resulted in a decrease in the level of my physical activity. The pain was at bay, for a while, but recently, it is not receding with medication. I have gone to the doctor to seek out relief, perhaps from physical therapy…
The gynecologist takes an updated medical history, and was particularly interested in the compressed vertebrae in my neck: not being able to identify an injury causing the injury, she did not assume it was cumulative wear and tear… She ordered a bone density , although this was not the year it was due. She acknowledged a family history of osteoporosis. She heard about the “slight kyphosis” the nurse practitioner had recently told me about, and decided I need treatment for osteoporosis, although what I need will be based on the results of the test.
During the doctor visit, the gynecologist suggested many helpful hints, including calcium and vitamins, positioning at tasks, support clothing, diet and exercise. I have recently gained weight, but know how to lose weight. I read up on osteoporosis, and discovered weight-bearing exercise, such as walking and running, is recommended.
So, Linda, run for your life, run to your life……
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