NatNews

A difficult reality that one must face as he or she gets older is, well, the getting older part. It’s almost as if the second a person turns 30, the body simply decides to start falling apart—everything hurts more, you can pull a muscle in your sleep, recovery from a late night seems to take the entire next day, and you might as well stretch before walking out to the mailbox just to be safe.

The National Institutes of Health recommends that individuals continue to exercise regularly and practice healthy eating habits in order to prevent age-related declines in their physical health. Taking care of one’s body is especially important for runners, particularly as they continue to add more miles to their legs each year. Dallas-area resident J.T. Gordon, who runs with the Pint Striders on Thursday evenings in Dallas, believes that taking care of yourself leads to a better quality of life, both physically and mentally, which is why he makes concerted efforts to ensure that he’s treating his body well.

“I’m definitely more focused and detailed when it comes to training and nutrition,” he said. “My nutrition plan is specifically designed to fuel whatever I’m training for. I strength train a lot more than when I was younger.”

Some runners are still in that “younger” category but already focused on making sure that their bodies receive the care and recovery maintenance they need. Dallas-area resident and Brooks ambassador Carolyn Macduff said she’s started putting mindful practices into place that she knows will help her in the future.

“I’m still in my 20s, but I actually have started to strength train more, take my warmup and cooldown seriously, and take the time to recover after runs,” she said. “I want to start healthy running habits now so that I’ve already got a routine as I age as a runner.”

For Dallas-area resident and White Rock Running Co-op admin Josh Odegard, age is not something about which he thinks too much. He said he makes sure to exercise often, and he has even been told by at least one individual that it is as if he doesn’t age at all. Although he said he still feels like he is 26 years old, one area in which he has noticed a change is his metabolism.

“I used to be able to just not eat for a day, and any fat on my body would be gone the next day," he said. "Now it’s not as easy, so I make sure to stay active with running, soccer, and going to the gym regularly. It’s important for me to do whatever it takes to maintain my Greek God-like physique so that I can continue dating women much younger and much hotter than me.”

Gordon also hopes to continue his habits, which include participating in road races on a regular basis. Each time he toes the line, though, he is not focused on how many years he’s lived.

“The minute I think about my age, it gives me an excuse to not be the very best I can be,” he said. “Once I forgot about age, I started consistently placing top 10 in races.”

Macduff knows that it will become more difficult later in life to accept that the body will not always be what it once was, which is why she will continue to make dynamic stretches and other injury-prevention strategies part of her consistent routine.

“The body you don’t take care of when you’re younger is the body you’re stuck with when you’re older,” she said. “You only get one body, so love it well.”

Manhattan has an estimated population of 1.63 million people, all living in an area of only 23 square miles.

Imagine that you’re at a gathering of some sort, and you’re ready to leave. You glance around and suddenly become aware of how long it would take for you to make it out the door if you said your farewells to all of the people you know. So, rather than doing that, you simply make a swift exit and avoid anyone giving you grief about leaving.

Congratulations, you’ve just completed an Irish goodbye. Also called an Irish exit, this strategy can save an individual ample time, as sometimes one may begin to leave but not make it out of the door until 20 minutes later because he or she has engaged in multiple conversations while making the way around the room trying to bid adieu to as many friends and acquaintances as possible.

Some people find the Irish goodbye to be a completely acceptable practice, while others believe it is poor social etiquette. Dallas resident Sydney Kinder said she is a fan of the Irish goodbye in a public place with a large group, though she does not think it is a good idea if one is at someone’s home in a small group setting.

“I do not like feeling pressure to stay out when I am ready to leave, and most of the time people are judgmental when I let them know that I’m going home,” she said.

Dallas resident Alexis Derrow said she tends to favor using this exit strategy, though hers is somewhat of a modified version.

“I’d say it’s more of an Irish goodbye lite,” she said. “Or a Northern Irish goodbye. I tell one person I’m leaving, and then I bounce. Telling no one is rude; telling one person is plausible deniability that you are at least civilized. If someone is picking up the tab, I always say goodbye to that person.

Similar to Derrow, Dallas-area resident Bill Stier said the Irish goodbye is perfect when he needs to use it, though he doesn’t necessarily leave without letting anyone know.

“I would say I do the half Irish exit,” he said. “I say goodbye to a few people but not all. I usually skip the people who don’t take ‘we’re out of here’ as well.”

Stier also said the only time making such a departure should not be done is when one is out with only one other person.

“Irish exiting is acceptable anytime, as long as you don’t leave someone standing alone,” Stier said. “At times, I wish more people did it because it makes for an easier close for the evening.”

Not everyone can get on board with this tactic, though. Dallas resident Dan Sullivan said he thinks the Irish goodbye is a bit of an insult.

“At a minimum, it’s a passive aggressive way of saying ‘listen, pal, giving you my regards is less important than getting wherever I need to go as soon as possible,’” he said.

But Kinder believes that it’s simply more a matter of personal preference to how one opts to leave certain social situations.

“I think people get offended easily and take things personally, when that’s not the intention,” she said. “Everyone thinks their opinion is valid and correct, and this is true with Irish goodbyes, as well.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

White Rock Running Co-op members and dear NatNews readers celebrate a PR for Julie Lanaux (far right) after Saturday’s Velvet Hammer 5K

Tuesday, May 2: Rangers vs. Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field
Wednesday, May 3: Lil Wayne at House of Blues
Thursday, May 4: Hardhats & Heels for Habitat at Park Place Mercedes
Saturday, May 6: WRRC Saturday run at Taco Joint; National Nurses Day