Phil Training

I haven't had a lot of time for blogging recently, which won't always be the case. In the mean time, check out my friend's new blog:

http://philtraining.blogspot.com/

It's new, so not much to look at yet, but will be entertaining, especially for those who like extreme training. Phil trains "for climbing" but he mainly trains for training. We've trained together, on and off, for about 17 years now, and Phil is probably the most diligent person I know when it comes to sticking to a workout program. He's an enigma to most, since his workout is just as, if not more, important than his climbing. This no doubt holds him back when it comes to his climbing resume (but how important is that, really?) but it means that he's very rarely injured and strong as a friggin' ox. As a testament to how hard and precise he trains, not one person has ever completed an entire training cycle trying to keep up with Phil and not been injured.

Phil is the main guy I used to experiment with on diet and training during the early 90s, when no one really knew how to train for climbing. We've got some pretty good stories and I'm sure they'll show up on his blog. So stay tuned.

Photo is of Phil on his route, The Old Pro Skill, Owl Tor, Silly Rock, near Santa Maria, Ca, in 2007. It was originally rated 5.12c but is realistically more like 13b--about standard for the Tor--and is one of the many routes Phils runs laps on as if they were 5.10. I've got plenty of old pics that I'll have to dig up.

One Life To Give

Here is an article on Chuck Feeney, a billionaire who has given almost all of his money away to charity. He doesn't own a house or a car or hang out with "society" types. Inspiring.

http://atlanticphilanthropies.org/news/news/chuck_feeney_interview_in_irish_america

24 Hours of Moab Slideshow

Here's a slideshow of our weekend in Moab. As you might surmise from our attitude, we didn't win. Didn't even come close. We probably, however, won the party. There was at least one martini on the podium that was courtesey of us.

http://www.king-dino.com/moab/index.html

Cheers!

Wall Rats Trailer

This is a re-post because I accidentally approved a comment that I was asked not to publish. Anyway, and an update Wall Rats is now officially a VAS (Video Action Sports) title and should be at a store near you soon. It may also be purchased at vasentertainment.com

Enjoy!

Wall Rats Trailer



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More On Why We Should Stop Being Fat

It's not all about how you look...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly twice as many U.S. adults are obese compared to European, a key factor leading Americans to suffer more often from cancer, diabetes and other chronic ailments, a study released on Tuesday found.

Treatment of these and other chronic diseases adds between $100 billion and $150 billion to the annual health care tab in the United States, according to the report comparing U.S. and European health published online in the journal Health Affairs.

The United States spends significantly more per capita than any European country on health care, about $2 trillion annually, or 16 percent of the gross domestic product. While the big discrepancy has been linked to higher U.S. prices for medical treatment, the report said a sicker population may also be a factor.

"We expected to see differences between disease prevalence in the United States and Europe, but the extent of the differences is surprising," said Ken Thorpe, professor of public health at Emory University and a study co-author. "It is possible that we spend more on health care because we are, indeed, less healthy."

A key factor in many chronic illnesses is obesity and smoking. About 33 percent of Americans are obese, compared with 17 percent in 10 European countries reviewed. More than half of Americans are former or current smokers, compared with about 43 percent in the European sample.

While Americans appeared to be on the whole sicker than adults in other industrialized countries, the study said more aggressive preventive care could help explain the results for some illnesses.

For example, the study found 12.2 percent of Americans are diagnosed with cancer, more than twice that of Europe. But that is likely due in part to more screening here, the study said.