David Holt is the editor of OPTIMYZ. An explorer who tends to question the status quo, he likes to stay active, and is keen to play the whole piano, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. He sees a "health divide," where some people make this a primary value and others are happy with a burger and fries.

Holt is an experienced writer and journalist who has also worked in engineering and business consulting; he has also worked at sea and in the woods.

When the weather is good he would rather be kayaking, cycling, or cross-country skiing, as the bumper stickers say. He also relishes time at the fitness club.

A Natural Life

Running for life

By David Holt

Date posted: May 25, 2012

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The OptiMYz Live Health Expo at the GoodLife Toronto Marathon in May was a blast.

I interviewed our amazing speakers, including Bill Rodgers, who won Boston four times and probably more than anyone helped this demanding sport into the mainstream. He still runs seven days a week, though he admits he shouldn’t.

 

He spoke on “how to run for a lifetime,” based on, as he says, many little things. He recommends the system of run 10 minutes, then walk for one; run off the roads and on the trails; learn your natural pace by running on a measured track, start easy to have energy left over, watch out for the heat; and fuel up on electrolytes.

 

Be cautious in training and races to keep injury free, he says. Still, if you have a chance to do well by your standards, go for it.

 

Katherine Switzer was the first women to run Boston, when it was a men’s only race. She was tackled by an official at the start, broke away and finished the race. She also promoted the marathon as an Olympic sport.

 

Freddie Williams was a leading middle distance runner of colour who grew up in South Africa, where he was expelled from college for training with whites at their request. He moved to the US and later Canada, where he was captain of our 1992 Olympic track team.

 

Freddie spoke of how his parents put so much emphasis on education and how hard it was for them when he was expelled. His wife has recovered from cancer, which he attributes in part to drinking ionized Kangen water.

 

One thing for sure about all our speakers: Even when they stopped competing, they never lost their focus or sense of life purpose.