Ran into my neighbor Russ up at the end of the driveway when I was picking up my paper (which had been delivered as always by Monica Romweber). Russ was training for a 40-mile race in the Uwharries sometime in the not too distant future, his first race at that length. The conversation quickly descended into the fast- (sprinter) vs. slow- (endurance) twitch distinction, I always see myself as more of a fast-twitch person. Then Russ reminded me that he too used to be a fast-twitch person. He used to be a fixed wheel bike track sprinter back in his youth, national if not world-class. "It's a mindset thing" he said.
I am loth to let go of my fast-twitch mindset. I still love being able to jump, over the tennis net for instance, and I love the thrill of running flat out after a ball. But I also appreciate some of the joys of the things that slow-twitch activities (long bike rides, hikes or runs) allow me to do. They let me go places I wouldn't otherwise go, and at a very different pace and in a very different physiological state than one has in a car, so I see the world differently, which has its own advantages.
But ultimately I think it is hard for me to go all the way over to a slow-twitch athletic gestalt because so much of the rest of my life is ultra long view. Financial planning, raising children, being in the community, etc. Shit, this here blog fits into the long view box. Even my diet is of necessity trending in that direction, as I dial back more and more short-term food thrills (meat, fried food, sugar, salt). I need to preserve a few treats/escapes, which right now for me is pretty much tennis and TV, particularly sitcoms. At least I think I do.
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