The Long Run

From Bike Tech Review: "Mitochondria are the energy factories of working muscle cells. Basically, the higher the mitochondrial density a muscle cell has the more power it can generate over time. Mitochondrial markers do not appear to increase under low intensity conditions very quickly. They appear to only increase when the rate of energy demand over time in an individual muscle fiber outstrips the cellular mitochondrion’s ability to provide it. The maximum stimulus for mitochondrial development as a whole appears to exist at the edge of aerobic power production or 20MP (as suggested by Dudley, 1982 and subsequently Terjung, 1995). When you ride hard enough for long enough such that the muscle fiber overload is nearly maximized, it appears that the biochemical environment is primed for mitochondrial growth – and this is a good thing. Lower powered efforts predominantly only use muscle fiber profiles which have already mostly adapted to this stimulus in prior training. These muscle fiber-profiles are already equipped and respond much slower since as a whole, the biochemical stimulus for mitochondrial growth is minimal – one just isn’t going hard enough to be very productive."

Aging (American and Canadian English) is the accumulation of changes in an organism or object over time.

I am going to summarize all of the above for you, not because I have vast experience as a translator, but because your time is precious and we need to put the message of the translations into immediate effect. Like yesterday.

Mitochiondria are cells in your muscles that respond favorably to hard work. The Lab Coats think they may even be responsible for slowing (or reversing) the aging process. In order to stimulate them you must make it hurt. Applies to both running and cycling. Capiche?

I know, it's a love/hate thing. Because going to MAX is painful.

Which is today's apropos segue into the RCVman metaphor for the day. (Brought to you by Taco Bell):

Much as Ralph Waldo Emerson opined: "Do what you are afraid to do," 'round here we say:

LOVE WHAT YOU HATE.

Go hard, often. recover, repeat. Learn to embrace the pain. You will thank me in the long run (because you will still be running).

Pix: The high road to Mt. Shasta. Eagle Harbor, gateway to the seven seas. Mitochondria don't care if you hike, bike, or paddle.