Canadians might ban BPA... Maybe

News on the BPA front again. It looks like the Canadian government has agreed to label the cehemical "toxic", but has not yet agreed to ban it. In an unusual twist, people who make plastic think its safe.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/10/17/bpa-toxic.html

CIBC Run For the Cure Results

Well the race is over... and now I'm taking a week off of running! I did however, make a personal best time for 5Km of 31minutes and 15 seconds!

The race on Sunday was actually quite exciting. There were what we expected to be hundreds of people, but later learned that more than 2600 people attended the race in Kitchener at Bingeman Park alone! We ran into some people we know from the RunningRoom, and also two friends of ours that were part of the Manulife Team. My wife and I did very good times on the full 5K circuit which included hills and trail running. 

It was a good setup for the race. There was a 1Km loop, and there were actually two 5Km loops: one was flat and paved, for those people with strollers or wheelchairs and the other 5Km loop was the hilly, trail run. And the hills were pretty challenging. In fact, the first hill was the worst and was part of all the loops. A friend who has a history of shin splints was already in pain after the first hill which affected the rest of his run. Hopefully I can convince him to take it slower and build up a solid base (like the Running Room program) before getting seriously injured.

I pushed myself pretty hard to make 5K in 31minutes. My goal had been to be under 33, so I met my goal and nicely surpassed it, but I paid for it later. I felt I had a quick recovery time thanks to a strong cardio system, but within an hour of the race I was moving like an old man :) However the next day I was virtually pain-free except for some quad muscles (which could be from extra, new martial arts training the day before) and today, which is when I typically show signs of muscle soreness I feel virtually none.

My wife is already excited for finding the next race. There is a Resolution Run that happens on New Year's Day here in KW, but also on New Year's Eve up in Sudbury where my parents live. So there is a possibility that we arrange our holiday travel in order to make it for a 5K run on New Year's Eve. The great thing about the Resolution Run is the free running jacket! (Well, there is an entry fee but hey, can't complain about the jacket. Except, I just bought a jacket, but this one is cooler.)

We were supposed to attend our goal race which is actually the Okoberfest Run, but that weekend we will be at a friend's wedding in Ingersoll, so we won't be going out for a run the next day :)

Help support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation: I'm running for the Cure!

My wife and I are taking part in this years CBCF Run For the Cure! It happens in a week and a half, and I'd love your support to raise money for breast cancer.

I ran the Run for the Cure in 2006 and did a time just over 37 minutes I believe. I didn't know much about racing, and it was first race ever! And also the first time I had really done any running. The race was difficult, I almost threw up afterwards, I was completely out of breath, and I was in pain for a few days after that. :) It was the goal race at the end of my first "Learn to Run" clinic with the Running Room.

In January of this year I went back to running in a 5K clinic at the Running Room in Waterloo. The clinics there are fantastic, and I highly recommend it as a place to learn about running at all levels, from walking clinics, 5K, 10K, and all the way up to marathon training!

In March I ran the St. Patrick's Day race in Hamilton, starting at the top of hill of the Niagara Escarpment in Hamilton and straight down, ending at Slainte pub where a free pint and a bowl of Irish Stew awaited us. Given that it was the day of one of the worse storms of the season, my time of just over 33 minutes was even more incredible!

In 9 days I will be running in the Run For The Cure again, this time with my wife. We have been taking the 5K clinic at the Running Room together this time... which is going in to its 9th week on Friday! Last Friday we ran a full 5Km and my time was about 34m44 seconds, and that was not at my fastest race pace. This time I have not missed a run yet (running 3 times a week for 25 - 35 minutes each) whereas just before my last race I didn't always make it out 3 times per week.

So I expect I should be able to beat my personal best time on October 5. My goal is to run in under 33 minutes. I have a longer term goal of being able to run 5K in under 30 minutes, but for now I feel I need to continue to build a strong base. They recommend having a full year of running experience before going any further than 5K really. There is plenty of anectodal evidence from our clinic's leaders as well as others, that people who take a 5K clinic once and then move directly to a 10K clinic right after have a higher risk of injury while training for or running 10 kilometers (which is 6.2 miles).

I am also raising donations for this race. Please consider donating to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation through my donation page.

Baby Poison: Bisphenol A - Hazards and Possibilities

Another study has surfaced regarding the possible hazard of a chemical known as Bisphenol A or BPA.

This time, a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows that there is a statistical possibility that BPA is linked to increased rates of heart disease and diabetes.

While the report has gained critics for not being definitive enough, its important to realize that in scientific studies "statistical possibility" of a high enough magnitude is the strongest conclusive evidence that can be found.

It seems to me that while more studies are definitely needed, it seems clear that enough action is being taken to warrant a serious look at what is in your plastics. My wife and I have been staying away from plastic containers that contain BPA for months now. In fact she just sent me this link for a great stainless-steel travel mug that would make a great birthday present :).

While in the US, the FDA has stated that there are no cause for concerns and the European Union also doesn't consider BPA a threat, in April the Canadian government proposed a ban on materials containing BPA making it the first country in the world to do so. Its decision came after study of animal test results (that proved BPA causes diseases in animals) and discussion with experts.

If you're a health nut, you may be one of the people who had bought Nalgene bottles to keep yourself hydrated... it became the hip thing for a while. While the Nalgene site states they believe there is no cause for alarm if using their bottles which contain BPA, they have taken the opportunity to switch to BPA-free materials because of consumer demand.

Also, one of the risks mentioned in the Canadian reports is the boiling of plastic baby bottles, as the high temperature could cause the disease causing chemicals to leach out and into the milk.

Is there a controversy? Of course there is. The makers of the chemicals say its safe, but a growing number of reports say otherwise. I don't like acting primarily on "conspiracy theorist" instincts but I think the evidence in animal trials makes it a wise decision to try and reduce the amount of products in your home that contain Bisphenol-A.

Learn Wisdom: New Lamp On The Path Schedule

I've just received the new schedule of events for LampOnThePath.org and it looks like a good one!

Dekyi-Lee Oldershaw will be teaching a new series of Five Tibetan Yoga classes this September, which is the first time in 2 years! There is a day long intensive for beginners and those who want a refresher on September 20, and I highly recommend it!

Visit the site and see the list of events, and sign up for the schedule.

Olga Korbut at the 1972 Olympics

I just found this by accident today, but I wanted to share it with everyone. Its especially timely given the Beijing Summer Olympics are currently on, but Olga's performance is still stunning even after 38 years!

Just watch this video and see how hard work and training can pay off. How a young girl from Belarus can change people's opinions and almost single-handedly make gymnastics as popular as it is today. At the very least, she opened the doors for many others to follow.

You check out more on Olga Korbut by visiting her website at www.olgakorbut.com.

Thirsty? Free Water! Relationships and Spiritual growth

In my mailbox today I found an interesting article on spiritual growth, and its affect on relationships. I have been a long time believer in the possibility that as you grow, those around you don't necessarily always grow with you. Over time, your circle of friends changes. You make new friends, and those that have stood by you for years (or even decades!) gently fall away. With any luck the breaks are peaceful in nature, or at the very least not heart wrenching. Perhaps they become the kind of friend whom you don't see or contact very often, but when you do its like not much has changed between you!

Basically, we have to learn that even though we are on this incredible, and sometimes scary journey, we can't bring everyone with us. We can't force spirituality down anyone's throat anymore than others try to convert us to any mainstream (or alternative!) religion... or favourite food!

Read more at Empowered Soul by reading Andrea's article on spiritual growth and relationships.

Woo, didn't mean to get too deep there at the end! Let me know what you thought of the post.