AWARENESS+MINDFULNESS. MINIMALIST RUNNING SHOES AND AN ANALOGICAL WAY OF LIFE

Over a week ago, an injury was back to my left thigh-groin. It developed gradually and thus wasn't as painful as the previous time, around May 2012. This time it kept me just 4 days away from running and the recovery is being much faster than then (I go running daily). I decided to give try to some other kind of shoes, remembering what I had read a long time ago about barefoot running and almost-barefoot running (using minimalist shoes). Most of the time I've been using specific running shoes (in fact, more expensive than the previous pair) I've had either an injury or some kind of slight pain (usually on my knees). With the previous shoes it was a bit better, but with them I was prone to fall down. 

What if I try some shoes that allow my feet a better contact with the ground? Why not feeling every step and the ground more? I didn't have in mind to buy some other expensive minimalist shoes and I don't dare to begin running barefoot in almost-winter and in urban circuits (dirty and potentially dangerous ground)....so I went for some not-so old canvas shoes I had at home (5 euros at some summer sales in 2011 or so). It felt good on the first day and I didn't felt a sore leg after the running session, as it was during the recovery using my previous running shores. And that kept being so on the following days. I felt how my feet were behaving differently and I felt working some muscles differently than before (calves). It'll be hard for me to go back into cushioned-padded-technical-specific-and-so-on running shoes, with a thick sole....I feel now running requires a bit more effort (an study proved a higher metabolic effort when running barefoot-minimalist) but it's ok.

It's just my personal case, though...The transition was very easy and now I feel much better...But that might not work for many people, maybe. I recommend to get more information on the topic and get medical advice.

Making things simple, being more aware of the self and everything around...It's quite coherent with the process of becoming more "analogical". It's everyday harder to reach me via cell phone (I often don't bring it with me and it's almost always off but when I have to go to Barcelona or go somewhere by car....even in such cases I could keep it off and just turn it off in case I need it or feel I could need it). I try to sit at a computer just when I need to (check something, writing papers and stuff for university, practising languages, checking and writing emails...). I prefer to feel autonomous and appreciate every moment without interferences. Is it that necessary to be almost 24h connected? Is it that healthy to have to check one's cell phone every few minutes? Does it make much sense to meet somebody and end up each checking and using his or her own smartphone and interrupting the talk (i'm not talking about necessary calls or messages from work which need to be attended)? Isn't it better to focus on the present moment we're living and on the person we're sharing a moment with (and shut down phones but when we're expecting an important call)?

some links about barefoot and minimalist running:
---Biomechanics of Foot Strikes & Applications to Running Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/5BarefootRunning&TrainingTips.html
---Barefoot Ted's Adventures 
http://www.barefootted.com/
---Correr descalzo… ¿es natural o es una locura? http://www.sportraining.es/2012/07/25/articulo-correr-descalzo-es-natural-o-es-una-locura/
---Nacidos para correr descalzos, según y cómo. (I) Orígenes de la Barefoot Manía y las zapatillas minimalistas. http://carrerasdemontana.com/2012/04/11/nacidos-para-correr-descalzos-segun-y-como-pros-contras-y-tecnica-del-barefoot-running/
---Nacidos para correr descalzos (II): Barefoot Running. Argumentos a favor y en contra de zapatillas minimalistas.. http://carrerasdemontana.com/2012/04/13/nacidos-para-correr-descalzos-ii-barefoot-running-argumentos-a-favor-y-en-contra/
---Nacidos para correr descalzos (3): Cómo correr descalzos. Técnica del barefoot y zapatillas minimalistas. http://carrerasdemontana.com/2012/04/24/nacidos-para-correr-descalzos-3-como-correr-descalzos-tecnica-del-barefoot/
---Running barefoot is better, researchers find
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2010/01/27/running-barefoot-is-better-researchers-find/
---Tackling The 10 Myths Of Barefoot Running
http://www.podiatrytoday.com/tackling-10-myths-barefoot-running
---The Barefoot Question 
http://www.runnersworld.com/barefoot-running-minimalism/barefoot-question

Having a good Старт

It was by chance, as usually, that I got to know about the microbus Start (Старт),  manufactured by САРБ, ЛАСЗ and ДАБ from 1964 until 1970. Several years ago I discovered East German cars and Fiat Polski but Soviet cars remained quite unknown for me. I knew the names of some brands (Gaz, Lada, Moskvich...) but didn't look for further information.

There's something attractive about Старт...its odd shape and dimensions, the retro kind of front, the impossibility not to notice it...I'm afraid there must be now just too few still "alive", but fortunately (that's something rather emotional...not rational since old cars are rather polluting) there are still Soviet cars to be seen on the roads and streets, just like there are still Trabis moving around in Germany, Seat 600 in Spain and old Fiat 500 in Italy (just to put some examples of wheeled treasures).The colours of vehicles in those years were also somehow special, not only in the East. Blue, yellow and green back there were very different from those used in cars nowadays. 

references:

wikipedian article (in Russian)

BERNARDINO LOMBAO SUPERSTAR

Quin figura! Quina figura! Ahir, en Bernardino Lombao (província de Lugo, 1938) va tornar a entrar en acció en l'ecosistema televisiu (entrevista al programa "No me lo Quero creer", programa d'humor a Intereconomía). Deixant de banda tot el seu caràcter mediàtic, és un personatge motivador i que diu coses amb seny. Llàstima que molts, segurament, el percebin com un producte-espectacle, sense reflexionar sobre el seus plantejaments sobre la salut. En resum, aquest bon home de les Galícies, subratlla la importància d'una vida sana, alimentació saludable i practicar alguna activitat física amb regularitat (posava èmfasi en apostar per aquest estil de vida a partir dels 40, edat crítica per a l'apoltronament i abandonament a comoditats). Com ell, penso que amb canvis en els hàbits (aliments, rutines, estil de vida) poden allunyar els medicaments....i que un cop es comença amb un medicament, és fàcil acabar amb diversos més (en unes edats més que en d'altres).

Per l'experiència personal, des del canvi al vegetarianisme fa anys, no he tornat a tenir cap grip (hi va haver una infecció pulmonar seriosa però és un altre tema) i des que faig esport amb regularitat, molt millor. L'hivern passat, ni una grip, ni una febre, ni un refredat....i havent estat amb gent amb virus, grips i demés històries. Ni actimel ni netejacervells per l'estil. Massa coses ens fiquen al cap com a suposadament necessàries o socialment bones. 

Tornant a en Lombao, va culminar l'entrevista fent el pi i no li fa faltar una demostració d'altres exercicis. I, com a resum de tot plegat, optimisme i motivació per millorar-se. Sincerament, entraven ganes de posar-se a fer abdominals (i vaig caure en la temptació)

uns enllaços:
trobada digital (diari El Mundo): http://www.elmundo.es/encuentros/invitados/2002/07/486/
article wikipedià: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernardino_Lombao
en acció, vídeo a l'APM: http://www.tv3.cat/videos/4314755/Bernardino-Lombao-un-tipus-que-cau-be

havent trobat MARMITE!

En un capítol de Bizarre Foods que vaig veure per casualitat, es presentava la cuina australiana. Realment interessant per com de desconeguda ens és a la majoria d'individus d'aquestes contrades. Em va cridar l'atenció el VEGEMITE (extracte de llevat) i vaig pensar que podria agradar-me....a més de trobar-ho interessant pel contingut en vitamines B i la manca d'additius innecessaris i demés porqueries que ens fiquen a la majoria d'aliments. Doncs vaig trobar la versió britànica, MARMITE(vaig fer prèviament les indagacions pertinents  sobre el producte i demés)en un supermercat asiàtic (on no només tenen productes asiàtics).

Els llaminers se n'haurien d'abstenir, diria....El gust, poc comparable a res, em va recordar a la pasta per preparar miso, també de gust molt intens, a les antípodes de la dolçor. Fins i tot i ha semblances en el color (marmite-hatcho miso...el mugi miso, shiro miso i d'altres són una altra història en termes cromàtics). Pels vegetarians i vegans pot resultar un aliment benvingut pels nivells de B12 (cianocobalamina), per cert. De moment, amb pa m'ha triomfat...però el MARMITE és susceptible de ser emprat en varietat de receptes...de manera anàloga a com faig amb la pasta per miso (per exemple, afegida a les verdures cuites).

Idees que em venen al cap de bons maridatges amb el "prota" d'aquesta entrada: MARMITE+xampinyons, MARMITE+bolets shiitake, MARMITE+verdures en general (especialment les de gust més suau com ara mongetes tendres),MARMITE+tofu,MARMITE+tempeh....i suposo que, pels no vegetarians, hi hauria una bona opció en la combinació MARMITE+peix (ho dic intuïtivament perquè ja va un bon grapat d'anys que sóc vegetariana).

ACCELERACIÓ...NOW!

Tot i haver estrenat octubre fa res, la setmana passada ja vaig veure com el Nadal (Ferotge Nadal endrapador d'ànimes i de sentit comú...) havia començat a desplegar la seva artilleria llaminera en alguns centres comercials i supermercats. En concret parlo d'un Alcampo, un Carrefour i un Consum. Apa! vinga assortiment de massapans i torrons...La incipient presència de panellets i invents de Halloween sí era més comprensible poder-los començar a albirar en alguns estants i mostradors, però....pardiezzzzzzz!! Que només som a l'octubre i encara voltem amb roba força estiuenca (a.k.a. lluïr cuixa) i duent sandàlies!!

Potser algun dia per Sant Joan es menjarà tortell de Reis, en la tornada a l'escola els primers berenars comptaran amb massapà i torrons....i per Setmana Santa ja tindrem les parades de venda de petards de Sant Joan (pels indecisos i sobre-emocionats-de-la-vida). Amb les rebaixes tèxtils no és llunyana la cosa. Al setembre, havent acabat les rebaixes a l'agost, ja comencen a plantar-li bufandes i roba d'abric als maniquins....mantenint l'aire condicionat als establiments, òbviament. Bé...i m'ensumo que en breu comença el bombardeig d'anuncis de joguines i perfums. Ja ningú s'espera ni tan sols al novembre. Al final ens agafarà alguna galipàndria amb tantes presses...i acabarem més trastocats del que ja estem amb moltes postmodernitats i hiperconnexions.

Desendollar-se

Quin plaer deixar el telèfon mòbil apagat a casa i sortir a fer un volt! Em nego a haver d’estar sempre ubicada, sempre connectada, sempre lligada a un aparell. Bé que es vivia abans sense tanta connexió constant.....tot funcionava i les relacions personals eren potser més saludables i enriquidores, sense pantalles de per mig, sense atencions que es decanten més per missatges o trucades que no pas per l’interlocutor en persona que es té al costat.

LUCES SINGULARES

Suelo ir siguiendo las entrevistas y tertulias del programa Singulars (canal 33), normalmente en sus repeticiones en miércoles y sábados. Las buenas elecciones de los invitados así como el estilo del director y conductor del programa, Jaume Barberà (hace no mucho publicó un libro relacionado con el programa), acaban creando cierta adicción. quizá sea por la esperanza y la sabiduría que arrojan ciertas palabras, ciertos argumentos, ciertas maneras de expresarse. Ya pueden ser temas científicos, filosóficos o relacionados con la economía o la política.

Una de las últimas entrevistas fue al catedrático de filosofía y académico de la RAE Emilio Lledó (Sevilla, 1927). La grandeza de sus sencillas y diáfanas palabras parecía dar cobijo ante el dolor de ver y padecer los tiempos que corren. Hablando desde una gran modestia y humildad iban enlazándose temas trascendentales, mundanos y cotidianos y resultaba bien difícil apartarse de la pantalla. Afortunados somos de que aún quede gente así (el propio Barberà le dio las gracias a Lledó por existir al final de la entrevista) y es esperanzador y valioso que siga habiendo interés en recordar la importancia de la dignidad, la sencillez, el respeto, la educación (en todos sus sentidos) y el conocimiento de tiempos pasados, de grandes personajes y el erigirse como persona autónoma y responsable por encima de ideologías y sectarismos.

web del programa Singulars:
http://www.tv3.cat/singulars

DEFORM OR STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES

After watching a tv documentary about supporters of Franco's dictatorship nowadays, there was some reference to the so called "curas obreros", those priests that got close to the working class and became active defending their rights, opposing the regime and thus, the more official sectors of the pro-Franco Catholic Church. I quite disagree with religious hierarchies and those powerful ones boastful about religious values but who seem to think more about power and structures rather than about the people. I had already heard about that sort of leftist priests several years ago but this time something else came to my mind; what about in left-wing regimes? I thought of the story of Jerzy Popiełuszko, who ended up being a victim of the Polish communist regime, because of his struggle together with workers to defend social and labour rights. We might oppose many aspects of Catholic Church and not even consider ourselves christian (and much less catholic), but the values behind the actions toward a fair society, healthier communities, the protection of rights and better conditions are to be praised. Besides, in my opinion, such postures within the Church are more coherent with the religious message of Christianism. What matters should be the well being of people, as a community, the construction of tight bonds which enable a more peaceful and harmonious society, not those baroque discourses from the hierarchy, formalities and closeness to power. I see several dichotomies here:

• togetherness vs. conflict based on confrontation or emphasizing differences
• bonds beyond identities vs. poisoning identities to divide people,
• comforting people vs. remaining powerful,
• realism and closeness to real lives of communities vs. fictional and distant dimension of formality and power (closeness to the power, politics)
• flexibility vs. dogmatism

What matters should be making the society a better place, not getting better lives for a few by means of the society.

Mariloli-por-favor!

Argh! Encara estic amb el regust d'un gran desacord, barrejat amb  indignació, per unes declaracions de Mariloli-de-Cospedal, dites en el  context de les retallades (no pas amb tisores, sinó amb motoserres) i  ajustaments diversos.

Quina mena d'argument és defensar l'excel.lència de l'educació superior en  base al preu de les taxes universitàries?? Per quina regla de tres, un  encariment dels estudis implicarà una millora de la qualitat? més aviat  restarà igual i el que passarà és que el sistema esdevindrà molt injust.  Quina idea de tenir aquesta dona...que potser si es té un compte corrent més  grassonet un individu serà més eficient com a investigador o tindrà millors  resultats acadèmics? apa!!! i els fills-de-famílies-benestants que entrin a  la universitat i pensin més en festes i ociositats i vagin tirant i repetint  perquè saben que els hi paguen els estudis sense problemes??? on és aquí  l'excel.lència???

El que caldria, per millorar el nivell és racionalitzar les estructures  (nombre d'universitats i estudis oferts) i exigir més des del començament.  Si el primer curs hi ha molts estudiants, tant amb una idea encertada com no  encertada del significat i exigència dels estudis superiors, els qui  realment vulguin seguir i siguin vàlids per a la vida universitària,  seguiran.

Les butxaques no van als exàmens, no fan treballs, no investiguen, no treuen  notes...De veritat...mariloli. Elitisme biaixat, no gràcies. Hem de pensar  en la capacitació i l'exigència, no en les barreres a l'accés.

GRANDÍSSIM PUNSET!

Quin anunci més gran! em fa molta gràcia el final, amb en Punset dient "aaai". Gran personatge....L'he anat seguint en diversos "Redes" i estic llegint 2 llibres seus (fa temps ja en vaig acabar un). A hores ara deu ser el culpable de nombroses addiccions a la divulgació científica i, és clar, al coneixement científic. Gràcies ha l'endinsament en les dimensions punsetianes, vaig llegir "El ladrón de cerebros" d'en Pere Estupinyà. Quina meravella també! Ambdós autors empren un llenguatge proper i alhora rigorós i curós i fan que costi molt deixar el llibre en qüestió en "standby". Aix...Bé, ja m'havien agradat les ciències i sovint, si topava amb un documental sobre ciència em quedava una mica adherida a la pantalla. Des de fa anys també anava seguint el "tres14" i el "quèquicom".

La fotografia és del 5 de novembre de 2011...ja fa temps, ja....feta amb el telèfon mòbil, al caprabo (bé, llavors encara era eroski, crec) de Granollers-polígon El Ramassar.

GHOSTS OF PROCRASTINATION

The word is not really used even though it does exist in Spanish (procrastinación) and it spreads its tentacles over quite a lot of spheres. The worst piece of daily news on the media nowadays is not just the crisis and unemployment rates, but also corruption and a severe lack of values. I’m not talking about religion but values for cohesion as society and to become better human beings who lead a more harmonious and productive life in community. Not some many decades ago effort, endurance, solidarity, sense of community and so many others were very important. When did they start fading away? Why do younger generations see things from another perspective and behave so differently?

Somehow procrastination has settled down and seems reluctant to move. Important things are not no longer seen as important and I believe I’m not the only one who feels that too many people focus on irrelevant things, actions, thoughts and leave those more important matter for later on or for never. The term procrastination is not really known here and in fact, I dare to say, that it’s the normality, some sort of cultural issue. Just remember Larra’s articles and the “vuelva usted mañana “ (come back tomorrow”).

Sense of duty, pleasure of getting things well done, importance of self-improvement, solidarity, effort, perseverance, patience.... Instead of being too passive, idleness and only enjoying the present and immediate future, forgetting about “building” something for the future or behaving thinking ahead it’d be better to work on something which will bring results sooner or later. Better for each individual and thus, for the society.

SELF-FORWARD

The circumstances might not be the best ones (they aren't...but at least now my health is finally much better) but there are always many reasons and impulses to move forward. Even when dreams blur and when what we aim for is not so clear, the key is to keep being active, receptive. Being physically active is also the right tool to have onelself fully balanced and better prepared for the coming times (coming days, coming weeks, coming months and even coming years). Anything positive will be useful, all efforts are useful, even if they don't seem to be fruitful in the short term.

A brand new year is not much more than a brand new month, a brand new week and even a brand new day. Just some mindfulness and awareness, look at oneself and the "beginning-of-something"-effect will help to be able to improve something or many things.

This 2012, in my case, began positively, after quite a bad 2011. Getting up early (very early, in fact) as always, studying, organising things at home, housechores, physical activity, interesting readings, some documentary film....and even setting new goals. I'm already thinking about starting some new undergraduate studies. After many years since I graduated on Political Science, and then did a Postgraduate-Master program (2-year long) on Asia and Pacific, in 2010 I started with Advertising and PR studies (undergraduate). There are not many subjects left to finish and keep as motivated as when I started and keep enjoying all lessons, papers I write, discussions on the net, bibliography I come across and read....And, why not something more? why not going further? As time goes by we're more able to see our strengths and those things we really really like and are suited for. I'm about to enrol on Psychology....I might not be old when I graduate but now is the time to begin and we never know in life. Psychology and advertising (marketin) match pretty well....and both are very compatible as well with some fields within political science.

VALUABLE VALUES

I’m afraid but the economical measures being taken won’t be enough. I believe an important change in values is needed, but it will require quite a long time. Why aren’t effort and self responsibility as well regarded as they used to be? It’s not just that the educational system has been shot and is still seriously injured, but also the kind of mainstream culture we’ve ended up having. There’s something wrong when in popular Spanish TV series the popular and admired characters are those who are just popular (trendy, rich, socially integrated and loved, for example) and those who make efforts to improve themselves or have success in studies or at work are just too often depicted as mean, unpopular, ugly, socially odd...

Individualism plus hedonism...and nothing else. The sense of community and working hard for the society and, at the mean time, making efforts to improve oneself blurred dramatically some time ago. How could we go forwards successfully overcoming this dark situation if we don’t believe a bit more in our abilities, fruitful efforts and reject passivity and that useless and hollow hedonism? Besides, optimism brings more more optimism and it can even materialize in positive real changes.


A person might be unemployed but there’s the possibility to get advantage of all possibilities of technologies, libraries....so as to learn something, continue studying and not just wait until a job appears. Time is too precious just to sit down and passively look. Unfortunate times like that are better spent analysing one’s skills and possibilities and do some kind of productive mood.