Day 203

Driving the Ironman Lake Placid bike course this afternoon, trying, in vain, to capture a complete 56 as back-up to Sunday's big event, because the forecast of thunder showers, I listened to an interview on NPR about brain power. Specifically on the percentage we actually use. Rumor and myth put it at around 10%.

But NPR did some research and came up with an author, an expert on the subject, and asked him a few probing questions, which is, of course, their style.

To open they asked him how much of HIS brain he used, and, somewhat unexpectedly, he answered. 100%.

It is a biological function, he explained, for any part of the body to try to find a way to be self sustaining and efficient, in the doing of its job. Or jobs. It, simply, does the best that it can and if measured on these terms, that is 100%.

Cool, I thought.

But it is complex, he continued.

I knew that was on deck.

There is a lot more to it than just trying hard.

Here we go.

So when all this dynamic complexity is scientifically measured in more "useful' terns, it is a safe be to estimate that most people, on good days, that end in a Y, sober, healthy, rested, hydrated, comparatively happy and free….

gasp

…probably functionally utilize between 9 and 11%.

A far cry from the 100% we started with.

Must be the aging process.