Chris' Blog

The point of this blog has always been bone simple and it's worked pretty well: We wanted a place where I could talk a little about the ongoing struggle to get and stay Younger . And - more important - where you could comment and talk a little about what YOU are doing in the same Sacred Struggle. It is a community...that's what! So chime in.
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EXERCISE AND DEATH: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
Two years ago, my closest friend died of a massive heart attack, after a lovely, 50 mile bike ride, at the age of 67. It was a perfect death but 20 years too soon...and heartbreaking for everyone. You won't see much about this in YNY but people do die, working out. FAR FAR MORE LIVE ARE SAVED BY EXERCISE THAN LOST but it's out there. So watch it.

I was thinking about that this morning. I woke up feeling sensational, here in the Berkshires...went for a row with a friend for an hour. Then, when I got home...in a fit of exuberance...hopped on my bike. Hilary warned me that it was already in the 90's and said it was nuts to go out again. So I went anyway, on a 19 mile spin, in what was eventually 95 degree heat.

I continued to feel great...bullet-proof. But, on the steepest hill on this very familiar route, I felt the strain earlier than usual. It was this funny little signal which I almost ignored. But - uncharacteristically - I backed off...dropped right into the grannie gear (third chain ring) which I rarely use, as a matter of pride. Doing so kept my heart rate under 85% where it usually goes into the 90's. And I did not die.


At the top of that hill, I stopped and checked my recovery rate and it was 15 beats lower than usual (28 instead of 40-someting). Which is wild. The message: my body was feeling strain even if i was feeling bulletproof. In other words, that goofy little message that I almost ignored might have been important. I am not sure of that, but I like the idea. So here's the modest message: if you can't listen to your spouse...at least listen to your body. Can't hurt. CC

HAZARD TURNS 100
Hilary and I went to a wonderful event last night...held appropriately at The Century Association, a fancy club. My much loved legal mentor, S. Hazard Gillespie, turned 100 in front of a crowd of 120 or so...lovely night. He has always been part of the story in the YNY saga (he's mentioned in the book and has done much to inspire it). He is not a kid, obviously, but he is still very much himself.

Old chaps are always being asked the secret of their longevity: I would say that his is a relentless passion. He has always cared like crazy about whatever he was doing. A rare gift for passion. Nice.
THE TIPPING POINT
Off to California next week to give a talk for - and to talk with - senior folk at the world's largest gym chain. Dunno what'll come of it but there does seem to be a bit of a ferment on the subject of The Revolution in Fitness...a growing interest. There sure ought to be, but it does seem to be happening. We'll see. C
THE GYM
I have not been hitting gyms regularly, for a bunch of reasons, but now I am back. And one thing is terribly clear: YOU REALLY DO NEED A REGULAR GYM and you need to USE IT. Doing strength training with a trainer rather than alone is so different. I have been at this a while and know some stuff. But a trainer is just plain different. And better. If he or she is good. Mine (at 24 Hour Fitness in New York) is terrific C
NOTICE OF UPCOMING TALKS
A couple of friends have kindly asked if I would post notice of future talks that are open to the public. I will do so. Sad to say, the five that are coming up this May are all to closed groups....top level employees of a particular company...special clients of particular firms and, in one case, a hotsy-totsy group of CEO's. Other groups are LOOKING for people to come...and pay for the pleasure, like the Marino Center for Integrative Health in Boston, a medical group, which I will post shortly. Chris
FRENZY
Five talks in the next two weeks, all over the country.... Tiring but a joy too. ONe of 'em at the Bath Iron Works, where some major navy ships have been built and are still. Major kick for a lad who was alive and hero-worshipping in World War Ii. AND i get to tour a modern warship...first time since 1944 on the USS Helena in Boston. Oh boy.
CORPORATE WELLNESS...SCHEMING WITH DAVID BLISS
Off this afternoon to play and scheme with David Bliss, a new, close pal I met through the Aspen Weeks. He has now retired and I am trying to get him to do some damn thing with mer. Save the poor old world in this way and that. My forcus: corporate Wellness...a dumbish term for a very important topic. If any of you know anything about the field, holler. C
GREAT PULLING BOAT
A while ago I was in Florida and dropped in on my friend, Bill, at Little River Marine, makers of the lovely Whitelhall skiff (their Heritage model) which I mention in the book.

I mentioned that I was thinking of going into some ocean race with it and asked if I might borrow one of his ultra-lite Heritages. "I'll do better than that," he said. "You sold an awful lot of boats for me, with that book I'd be happy to swap your old, heavy boat for a new carbon fiber one." Uh, okay.

It arrived a little while ago and this weekend I drove up to Wolfeboro, got out to the island (the boatyard had dropped it off out there), borrowed a boat to get out to the island and went for a row. What HEAVEN! It is a wonderful ride...and of course, the best exercise in the world. If you're thinking, ever, about getting yourself a good pulling boat (not a single scull, though Little River makes those too, but a boat that can take a little weather and still has a sliding seat and outriggers) be sure to look at the Little River carbon fiber Heritage. It is superb. And so pretty to look at it makes your eyes ache. Such a nice creature.
THE GREAT SEARCH
Been talking to some terrific doctors and nutritionists in connection with the next work. Went to Canyon Ranch in Lenox yesterday...terrific spot and very serious medical staff headed by a nice guy named Mark Liponis who has written a couple of books. Some more talks to go. Miss Harry like crazy on this project. C
NO ESSY...TOO BAD
So sorry to report that my efforts go get Essy (Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn) to participate in a new book fell through. He is a terrific guy and his Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease is a must read book. But he couldn't, ultimately, bear to share book covers with someone who was not personally going to go his all-plant-based, no olive oil regimen. And I couldn't quite hack that.

His gift...after his initial studies, which are so important and right...is that he is so passionate and so utterly committed to his way. He has fought like a steer for 25 years to promote his view and he isn't going to bend. So, working together was going to be a tough slog. But his work will surely "inform" the nutrition part of any new book.


Essy really is "true north" in this business. Trouble is, the best I am going to do (or recommend for most people) is somewhere around True West. Which is to say, lots more plant based eating but not a full ban on fish or olive oil. Not a TOTAL ban even on meat and dairy. Pleasure counts. And exercise has to do its best to make up the difference. What great docs take that view? Let me know.
NEW COMPUTER WOES
Sorry to have been out of touch so long but I recently switched over from PC to Mac and was completely buffaloed. Slowly getting the hang of it.

Aspen and the new hip a great success, after a scary start. So nice to be able to ski again. Did a new ski video for the site to show the old gentleman doing the double blacks (a bit cautiously) at 75, as at 70. Will get it edited and up in a bit. Harry is training pretty hard to do a Century with me on bikes. Harry is getting scary.
LIFE IN THE BUBBLE...AND THE CINCINATTI REDS
Had great fun last week, giving a talk to the Cincinatti Reds organization...as they start a wellness program. Spoke at the field which - for an old ball fan like me - was a kick. Nice people too.

Back here in "the Bubble" of Aspen, Hilary and I had a typical, wierd afternoon, cross country skiing up to The Bells (mountains). I was tryng to learn to skate ski...much more efficient and faster...and much much harder at first. But stunningly beautiful out.
Saw these things:
1) a guy on ski's slowly pulling a child's sled up the hill. I assumed threre was a kid inside but No....it was full of weights. He was getting in shape. 2) shortly after, Hilary looked up and here were two lunatics, skiing down a steep face, down the back of a mountain. Got bored with the trails, apparently, and were flying down the avalanche-prone back side of some terrifying mountain. It is a bubble out here and people are absoutely nuts about exercise and the outdoors. Makes me feel normal.
SKIING WITH HARRY
So it's another great day in the Rockies, yesterday, and Harry was out...and we skied with a bunch of pals. Such a joy. Harry, sadly, has become a very good skier (I used to be a hair faster but those days are gone forever) but we still ski side-by-side, happily. His brother, Fred, lives out here and is a serious, recreational skier. He led the way all day.


Nice moment: We had gotten seperated a bit and I was going down while Harry was on the lift going up. We had mostly been skiing groomers (at speed) but I found a nice stretch of deep snow in the trees and was happily going down. Harry says he saw (from the chair) this guy with his cap on backwards flying through the trees. His first thought because of the backward cap) was "rebellious kid." Then, he says, he realized it was a "rebellious 75 year old." Nice. Umm...this stuff works. Not perfectly and not all the time, but it works. Makes life sweet.
OLD BOYS LOOKING FOR HEARING AIDS
Here's a nice comic scene for you. Yesterday at Snowmass, I was flying down a double black...pretending to be thirty. It was not a complete success: i had a huge, hard fall - if you're a skier, it was one of the ones where you miss the turn and then fall had into the next big hole. Not nice. I gather my wits and ski down.
THEN I realized that a hearing aid had popped out. So up the hill again and down those hideous bumps. Slowly. So here's this old guy, crawling down the bumps. looking all over. For his little white hearing aid. In the snow. Old boys at play...a variation. no luck, natch. Hell, it's only two grand!!
Life Lesson #409: do not wear your hearing aids when you ski.
BEST DAY IN FOUR YEARS
This is just another of those "it's working" notes. Skied in fresh powder yesterday...flying down serious slopes...in and out of the dear old trees. Felt like a kid. /And my repaired hip didn't even notice. (It noticed inthe middle of the night but not this morning). Hooray. Younger THIS year Chris
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