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TODAY, AUGUST 10, 2018 IS NATIONAL S'MORES DAY!!! WHAT CONJURES UP MEMORIES OF VACATION camping more than the idea of making and eating s’mores? Maybe roasting hot dogs. Regardless of how and where you are spending your time off, and whether or not you have children with you, there are recipes to accommodate your situation in this piece by Michelle Profis in Country Living magazine. “24 S’mores Recipes You Can Make All year Long.”
I especially would like to try the Mini S’mores Tartlet (#1) S’more Bite (#2), S’more Dip (#4), and S’more Cups (#19). If you are walking, running, hiking, swimming, or biking for fun in the early morning during vacation, the S’more Stuffed French Toast (#13) would be a perfect post-effort breakfast treat! If you would like to impress family or friends with offhand knowledge of the history of this campfire staple, check out a story in nationalgeographic.com. It says the s’more has a “long yet vague history” that “dates back at least to 1927 when a recipe for the more formally designated ‘some mores’ appeared in Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.” The article goes way back, delving into the invention of marshmallows from a swamp plant root that produced a sticky white sap. According to a quoted reference the candied root was cut into chunks that served as early cough drops in the Middle Ages. After learning more It seems the French can be thanked for the beginnings of the modern marshmallow. Gather all the modern ingredients today, and enjoy a s’more or s’more-dessert-variation…vacation is the perfect opportunity. RUN & MOVE & VACATION HAPPY! NOTE: To make a great campfire s’more, the chocolate must melt. Sometimes the heat of a toasted marshmallow is not sufficient to melt the chocolate pieces. Because of this, we now wrap our graham cracker + chocolate piece + marshmallow 'sandwiches' in aluminum foil and put it on the grill or in the oven to heat briefly to obtain the best outcome. It has seemed to be a matter of temperature. Lately, over the past few years, I think it has become a matter of ingredients. The Hershey’s brand milk chocolate bar we use seems to be thinner, yet getting more brittle and ‘un-meltable’, causing the switch to Hershey’s brand ‘Kisses’ in our s’mores. Even they seem not to melt as easily. The mouth-feel and taste of the bars'/kisses suggests the amount of paraffin wax may have increased. The internet gossips on the topic agree, and one person’s attempt to obtain information from the company was not helpful. Ingredient listing by Hershey does not include paraffin, but there is no doubt it is used in making in their bars and candies. I have tried using Reese’s Peanut Butter cups (also made by Hershey) but this is not a classic combination. Please add your insight and suggestions in this topic to help us make a better original campfire s’more. http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g2006/smores-dessert-recipes/?slide=1 https://www.nationalgeographic.com/people-and-culture/food/the-plate/2015/08/14/the-gooey-story-of-smores/
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EARNED RUNS 2018 VACATION WEDNESDAY. LET’S ALL GO TO THE MOVIES. TWO YEARS ago, Earned Runs featured science fiction movies as a fun option for Vacation Science Friday (August 12, 2016) activities. There were several lists of SciFi films judged by various review sites to be the BEST over the decades, starting on some lists in the 1930’s. If movies that push the limits of science understanding appeal to you check out the VACATION WEEK 2016 post.vacation-sci-fi-friday.html
In 2017 Earned Runs (August 9, 2017 post) suggested that Wednesday, clearly falling midweek and not occupying a potential weekend date slot, is a great day to see a classic kid flick that even adults can enjoy. There are a number of lists with a delightful title that goes something like, “movies to watch before you turn… (fill in the age) 12, 13, 14.” These lists seem to be an improvement on the “bucket list” versions that focus on what to do before life’s end. Check out the discussion last year if films aimed to please children seems like a good bet for your vacation. This year let’s explore the possibility of a DRIVE-IN Movie experience! Since the best drive-in experiences rely on clear nights, best to use WEDNESDAY to check out the forecast and what's being shown to plan a movie treat. Travelandleisure.com has a list of the “Best Drive in Theaters in America”, which can be of help if one is nearby. Midwestliving.com highlights those still operating in the middle of the country. Mentalfloss.com published an article in 2016 with an interactive map locating every active drive-in in America. The yellow stars mark the spots where the open drive-ins can be found! Best of all, is the “Drive-ins” updated, searchable site. I entered my zip code and found 6 theaters within 100 miles of my home. Clicking on the link of each listing took me to a fact page about the theater that had a link to the theater’s website. All 6 near me in west Michigan were operational. I found first run movies at these theaters including one showing movie double features on 4 screens! We may not wait until vacation to enjoy a drive-in movie. It’s kind of a “stay-cation” thing that could be fun in the middle of any week in which the weather cooperates. My childhood memories include playground fun until sunset. Then my siblings plus a friend or two and I would rush to the concession stand to get popcorn just as the movie started. I recall seeing the silhouette of the swings-set against the indigo of the darkening sky on a crystal-clear night. Can’t wait. RUN & MOVE & VACATION HAPPY! http://drive-ins.com/theaters?status_op=open&zipcode=49422 https://www.travelandleisure.com/culture-design/tv-movies/best-drive-in-theaters-in-america http://www.bengies.com/Home.php http://www.midwestliving.com/travel/around-the-region/last-screens-standing-a-night-at-the-drive/ https://sunsetdriveinsouthwestmi.com http://www.capridrive-in.com http://mentalfloss.com/article/74017/interactive-map-shows-you-every-active-drive-america http://drive-ins.com PERFECT FOR READING! ON VACATION, MONDAYS SHOULD BE LAZY, and not get you “down” like rainy days do, as the song by the Carpenters tells us. It’s the first real non-weekend day of a holiday.
The entire week of fun lies ahead, so anxiety about getting back to the daily grind should be at it’s lowest, especially if you are true to the spirit of vacation and not checking devices for daily grind-related mail or messages. If you wish to get lost in a great book and read it from start to finish during your break, Monday is a perfect day to start. According to NationalDayCalendar.com Thursday August 9 is Book Lover day…you’ll be all set to love a book! Perhaps you planned ahead and picked out a book specifically for this time. If not, find one left by a previous guest in the summer place you are staying, order one online that can be delivered instantly and read on a device. Or, perhaps there's a neighborhood book exchange or free library nearby in which to acquire one. If you have never ‘listened’ to a book, give it a try. Download an audio book that you can play in the car to entertain everyone as you drive to a vacation destination. Or, listen while walking to the best vantage point for the sun to rise or set, hiking, or another activity. If it seems there’s never enough time to enjoy a good book, perhaps there’s time to hear one. Choose from new running books, classic running books, or an entire world of non-running books (see links to lists below); enjoy reading on the beach, in a cabin, or on your own sofa, patio, or porch. There are some recent fitness and classic running books, and an entire world of non-running/fitness-related books you can enjoy on the beach, in a cabin, or on your own patio or porch. The “PBS Great American Read” series is a reading initiative hosted by TV personality Meredith Viera, which allows anyone to log in and vote for their favorite among 100 best-loved novels that were previously selected through a national survey. The overall #1 Winner will be announced on the PBS series finale on October 23, 2018. The list can be helpful for selecting a great read that others have identified as a good bet. There are so many lists of “to-read” books that an entire vacation could be spent reading these summaries and reviews. Best to pick one without expending too much effort that’s handy, a friend lends you, or is available free at the public library or a community lending effort. Then enjoy. RUN & MOVE & VACATION HAPPY! https://nationaldaycalendar.com/ https://www.thebanner.org/mixed-media/2018/05/the-great-american-read https://www.pbs.org/the-great-american-read/home/ https://www.verywellfit.com/best-fitness-books-4160984 “25 Greatest Running Books Of All Time” from Competitor.com http://running.competitor.com/2015/10/lists/the-25-greatest-running-books-of-all-time_138463 GoodReads Listopia: “Books that Everyone Should Read At Least Once” http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/264.Books_That_Everyone_Should_Read_At_Least_Once#656 “33 Of the Best Books for Men” GQ Magazine 2016 http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/gallery/best-books-for-men WEEK 11 RUN-WALK-BIKE ACROSS AMERICA: marks the start of Earned Runs 2018 Vacation Week August 5-12! Enjoy the week's posts that will be geared more toward vacation fun than fitness. We hope to arrive back from our time off refreshed and energized to make the most of the remainder of August.
WEEK 11 Segment 27: Ferry from Milwaukee WI to Holland MI Segment 28: Holland MI to Coldwater MI Segment 29: Coldwater MI to Bowling Green OH WEEK 11 BEGINS WITH A HIGH-SPEED ferry ride across Lake Michigan, from the terminal in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to one in Muskegon, Michigan. The trip takes 2.5 hours and allows travelers on their way into “Pure Michigan” (its advertising campaign) to avoid Chicago area traffic around the southern end of Lake Michigan. Upon arriving on the eastern shore of the ‘Big Lake’, Michigander-speak that distinguishes this Great Lake from the many small recreational lakes in the western part of the Mitten, you will be at the far edge of the Eastern Time zone. The sun sets just before 9pm here in early August, and twilight extends the length of camping and picnicking trip days at State Park beaches even further. From Muskegon MI, you will travel through blueberry country as you move south to Holland, MI; the nearby fields will be in the height of production for the year. This charming college and vacation town, which boasts a Dutch heritage and spring Tulip Festival, hugs Lake Macatawa and its channel to the Lake. Humble, quaint, and stately cottages are built into graceful tree-covered sand dunes at the shoreline. As the route continues in a southeast direction, it passes through farmland and around inland lakes. The most productive fruit, vegetable, and landscape plant growing areas are in this western region of the state because of the climate- moderating effect of Lake Michigan, which acts to extend the growing season longer than in inland areas. The state is third in the nation in apple growing and is a leading grower of blueberries, cherries, peaches, grapes, and other fruit. You will skirt this area and travel through farmland where dairy, livestock, and corn are also of agricultural importance. On the way to Coldwater MI you’ll travel through the city that gave its name to Kalamazoo College, home of the Boys Junior National Tennis Championships since 1943. “Nats at the ‘Zoo” is one of the most important events for 16-18 year olds in the US, held in early August. At the end of the week, from Goldwater the route heads to another college town, Bowling Green, Ohio, briefly running through the very tip of northeast Indiana, also a Midwest apple growing area. RUN & MOVE & VACATION HAPPY! TODAY IS THE OFFICIAL START OF EARNED RUNS 2018 VACATION WEEK. The blog is taking a break from fitness-related topics. We're not going to be worried about meeting challenges or staying on schedule. The point is to NOT have a routine, but to enjoy activities that we ordinarily don't make a priority, but that help us relax and appreciate life.
Of course not everyone has vacation this very week. But these posts can be a source of vacation week activity ideas if your's is still to come. SCIENCE SATURDAY INSTEAD OF FRIDAY: MUSEUMS, AQUARIUMS, PLANETARIUMS. This post was written last year for Friday. But, looking back, Saturday seems to be the better day for this activity; it usually marks either the beginning or the end of a typical vacation period. For 'stay-cationers' Saturday might kick-off a week in which you remain at home nights but seek day-time adventures. If traveling away, check-in time at hotels is usually late in the afternoon; luggage can be checked with the hotel bell service, but the range of potential activities might be restricted until you get settled in a room. If at the end of vacation, by Saturday the return home might have already been accomplished to avoid weekend traffic. There’s the need to unpack and recover a bit, as well as prepare for the upcoming non-vacation week. Regardless of whether you're home or still away at vacation's end, perhaps the previous days were spent mostly outdoors, and a break from full-on physical activity would be a welcome change. Yes, Saturday might be busier than weekdays at these institutions, but being surrounded by other happy visitors can add to the excitement and fun of a tour. Strolling through empty halls on less hectic days could be dull and kind of lonely. Let’s start with museums. They’re not only about science. They can be about art, history, and sports too. Have you lived in or near a city with a museum, maybe even a famous museum, but never visited? Or toured with your elementary or middle-school classmates more than a decade ago? Aquariums and planetariums fall into the same category of these often-neglected entertainment venues. Yes, entertainment! Today’s institutions are likely to have hands-on exhibits and moving parts that educate and provide a fun experience for adults as well as children. Taking a break or eating on site can also be a treat, as sometimes specialty foods are offered that relate to the institutions theme. If you've traveled far for vacation, there is sure to be a museum nearby, even if small. Local museums may focus on an important regional industry, like petroleum and oil (Texas), autos (Michigan), flight (Washington), motorcycles (Iowa), iron (Michigan), shipbuilding (Maine, Mississippi, Massachusetts, California), to name a few. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is likely the most well known, but there’s one in Baltimore too. Washington DC likely has the greatest concentration of places to visit, especially related to government activities. Nearby Baltimore area has a fantastic National Cryptologic Museum adjacent to the grounds of the National Security Agency headquarters at Fort George G. Meade, one of the most interesting, in my opinion. The end of summer vacation is perfect for slowing down and enjoying what doesn’t make it into hectic everyday schedules. Consider spending a few hours in buildings that are designed to awe and inspire! RUN & MOVE & VACATION HAPPY! NOTE: Check your step counter. Getting to and from the destination and viewing exhibits will require being on your feet for hours, and represent a walking workout. Tight calves can be stretched on a step (standing on the balls of your feet on the edge of a step, drop one heel down and hold for 30 seconds; epeat on the other foot.) http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-museums-in-america-ranked-2016-8/#25-diabeacon-1 https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Museums-cTop-g191 http://petroleummuseum.org/contact/about-the-museum/ http://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/about-us/ http://www.museumofflight.org http://www.michigan.org/property/michigan-iron-industry-museum http://penobscotmarinemuseum.org/pbho-1/ships-shipbuilding/ships-shipbuilding-introduction http://www.thebmi.org https://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic-heritage/museum/ http://www.msichicago.org “HOW LONG WILL MY HIP OR KNEE JOINT REPLACEMENT LAST?” is the question Harvard Health M.D. blogger Dr. Howard Schmerling attempts to answer. It depends, he says, on your age at the time of surgery and how much you demand of the replacement afterward.
“During my training in the 1980’s and 1990’s” he says, “the teaching was that up to 90% or more of hip or knee replacements would last at least 10-15 years.” However, the combination of patient pre-habilitation before surgery, which involves shedding extra pounds and exercising, the use of better materials and surgical/anesthesia techniques, and improved post-surgical rehabilitation, might lead to even better numbers. Hopefully replacement joints might last the rest of life, he surmised, in some patients. But “population based life-time risk data for implant revision” of replacement joints beyond 10-15 years hadn’t been examined. Until recently, stated researchers who undertook this task. Schmerling references the April 2017 study published in the British medical journal, Lancet, that provided the needed updated information about revision surgery, in UK patients that had undergone total hip replacement or total knee replacement. The abstract of the article included this summary (the full article is available free):
The upshot is that doctors may recommend that patients put off joint replacement as long as possible, dealing with pain and less function, to help them get the most longevity from such surgery. Why worry about the need for future revision at the time of the first surgery? Schmerling reminds readers that any major surgery carries a risk. He indicates there’s no guarantee surgery will be successful, and that it won’t lead to infection or loosening. And that “’revision surgery’ is more technically difficult, recovery can take longer, and success rates may be lower than the first operations”. What he doesn’t address is the older age of the patient at the time of the second operation, 10, 15, or 30 years after the first. Physically, and possibly mentally too, a revision is likely to be more difficult for the person undergoing the operation the second or even third time. The referenced scientific article’s authors interpreted their findings, saying “our evidence challenges the increasing trend for more total hip replacements and total knee replacements to be done in the younger patient group”. They recommended, “these data should be offered to patients as part of the shared decision making process.” Athletes might wish to pay close attention to the results of this study, even if not living in the United Kingdom. Additional data from other countries may reveal population differences. Perhaps outcomes are better elsewhere in the world. But the hope that a new joint will allow resumption of sport activity at levels similar or above that ‘enjoyed’ during the time damage was incurred, without need for a future operation, seems unwarranted to Earned Runs. I have special interest in this report. Having learned in the past year I have mild to moderate osteoarthritis in my knees that has led to intermittent knee and calf pain, and then time off from running plus rehab work, I fear the eventual need for replacement surgery. I want to preserve ‘natural’ knee function and avoid invasive procedures. After 40+ years of only running, the chance to train for and participate in a few more 5k, 10k , or even half marathon races holds relatively little appeal for me, when compared with the opportunity to continue to walk, golf, bike, paddleboard, and generally exercise on my own healthy legs. I’ve heard people in their 50s at the gym say they were rehabbing after hip replacement to prepare for an upcoming half marathon. Maybe word of this report will force a revision of their aspirations and expectations. There are so many alternate forms of exercise and sport to enjoy that there isn’t need to stick with one that resulted in joint replacement. And there’s the possibility that if surgery is put off by some younger-age patients contemplating it, pre-habilitation will lead to sufficient improvement that replacement can be delayed until lifelong benefit from only one operation can be expected. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-long-will-my-hip-or-knee-replacement-last-2018071914272 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28209371 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5522532/ CALORIES BURNED DOING SOMETHING FUN FOR 30 MINUTES. THIS SEEMS TO BE HARVARD HEALTH PUBLISHING WEEK. THREE of the posts you will see come from this source. I started getting the newsletter last year, but only recently have the topics related to exercise. Previous posts have covered prostate health, skin wrinkle and cancer prevention, fear of falling in seniors, etc. This particular post about the number of calories burned in different exercises AT THREE DIFFERENT BODYWEIGHTS was released in 2004 and updated in mid-March 2017.
As thoughts turn to summer vacation, the calorie-burn from performing vacation-style activities seemed a good topic. If doubtful about taking on a thrilling new-for-you sport activity, maybe the tally for 30 minutes will inspire joining in the fun with family and friends. The previous post informed us that trying new physical challenges could be good for improving cognition. So, here’s a list of challenges that might appeal to your sense of summer vacation fun and lead to brain training. Calories Burned in 30-minutes by: 125 lb. person 155 lb. person 185 lb. person Billiards 75 95 111 Bowling 90 112 133 Frisbee 90 112 133 Water volleyball 90 112 133 Hang gliding 105 130 155 Archery, no –hunting 105 130 155 Horseback riding 120 148 178 Kayaking 150 186 222 Snorkeling 150 186 222 White-water rafting 150 186 222 Disco-dancing 165 205 244 Golf, carrying clubs 165 205 244 Water skiing 180 223 266 Cross country hiking 180 223 266 Scuba or skin diving 210 260 311 Beach volleyball 240 298 355 Rock climbing: ascending 330 409 488 Check out the full article for the entire list, that includes household and outdoor chores and other more routine aerobic exercises. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/calories-burned-in-30-minutes-of-leisure-and-routine-activities |
BRIDGE TO PHYSICAL SELF
Running, walking, and fitness activities enable us to experience our physical selves in a world mostly accessed through use of fingers on a mobile device. AuthorEARNED RUNS is edited and authored by me, runner and founder. In 1978 I began participating in 10K road races before 5Ks were common. I've been a dietitian, practiced and taught clinical pathology, and been involved with research that utilized pathology. I am fascinated with understanding the origins of disease as well as health and longevity. Archives
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