Sharpen The Brain for....Focus

Sharpen The Brain for....Focus

91-Year-Old Woman Breaks Marathon Record

by ALAN GREENBLATT

June 02, 2014 1:38 PM ET

Harriette Thompson meets the press at the finish line of the Suja Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon on Sunday

It took Harriette Thompson more than seven hours to run a marathon Sunday in San Diego. But that was awfully good, considering she's 91 and recovering from cancer.

In fact, she beat the previous record for women 90 and up by two hours and 45 minutes. She also became the second-oldest woman to complete a marathon in U.S. history, according to the running site Competitor.com.

She told the Charlotte Observer before the race that the only time she feels her age is after running a marathon.

"Lots of times, I see young girls coming in and limping, hardly able to move," she said, "and I think, 'Well, that's pretty good that I don't feel that bad.' "

Thompson finished Sunday's race in 7 hours, 7 minutes and 42 seconds. It was her 15th marathon in 16 years. She started running the San Diego race at age 76, missing only last year's because of oral cancer.

Thompson has been battling skin cancer recently. She told reporters she had undergone nine radiation treatments in 11 days, the last one coming just a month before the race. She wore bandages and tights to cover wounds left by the treatment.

Thompson runs every year to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Her brother died from lymphoma in February, Runner's World reports.

"Everybody in my family has died of cancer," Thompson told member station WFAE last week. "It's sort of in our genes."

Thompson is a onetime concert pianist. She says the discipline of playing has helped her running and that she sometimes keeps pace during a race by replaying pieces in her mind.

"I usually think of Chopin etudes, the ones that are technically difficult, because usually they're pretty fast, and it stimulates me to go a little faster, and also helps pass the time," she told WFAE.

Thompson runs, takes yoga and stretching classes and exercises on an elliptical machine. In her retirement community, according to the Observer, she's "one of very few residents who [move] at faster than a strolling pace."

She told reporters that if she's alive and able to compete, she'll run the San Diego marathon again next year.

"If I'm still here next year, I think I'll probably be able to train better and be in better shape," Thompson told the Observer. "If I'm able, I'll try again."

On Monday, she was heading back to Charlotte to spend her 67th wedding anniversary with her husband, Sydnor.

 http://n.pr/1ulkeCG

Focus Better With These Simple Tips

Focus Better With These Simple Tips

by Sammy Nickalls 

Do you want to focus better throughout your day?

If so, you’re not alone. It’s common to struggle with keeping alert and concentrated. In such a fast-paced world, it can be hard to focus on the task at hand when you have a million things running through your mind. Being productive can be difficult when your concentration is continuously broken.

However, there are tips you can try to focus better and make yourself the most productive you can be.

Focus Better With These 5 Tips

1. Turn off your phone

Are you really going to be focused on your work if your phone is constantly making noise?

Even if you’re completely concentrated on the task at hand, text notifications and tweets will break that concentration. Turn off or silence your phone when you’re working on a task so you can focus on what’s in front of you—and if you’re really worried about missing something important, allow yourself to have a brief phone break every half hour or so.

2. Figure out your ideal environment

Many people think that being alone in a completely silent room will help everyone focus, but that’s not necessarily true. Maybe that works for some, but you may focus better when you are surrounded by people, or if you have the right music playing.

Silence can be more distracting than loud noise, depending on who you are and how you work. Figure out what environment works best for you.

3. Avoid multitasking

Have a lot of tasks to do? Don’t try to focus on them all at once.

According to one study, the brain can only handle two complex tasks at a time—try to add a third, and performance will deteriorate. You might have a million things on your plate, so it might be tempting to try juggling them all.

Instead, try writing down all of your tasks in one cohesive to-do list, organized by priority—and only focus on one at a time. Besides, crossing something off a list is just so satisfying!

4. Have some coffee—but not too much

Feeling a bit weary? It’s hard to keep focused

on the task at hand if you are falling asleep! Try drinking a bit of coffee for a boost. Just be sure to drink it in moderation; having a whole pot may backfire, but a cup of coffee can give you a little jump start and help you focus better, all while giving you something tasty to sip on.

5. Don’t skip breakfast

       

You might be really busy in the morning, and it might be tempting to skip breakfast—especially if you don’t feel terribly hungry after waking up. However, it will hurt you in the long run.

One study found that skipping breakfast may interfere with cognition. If you want to focus better and be at the top of your game, make sure to eat a hearty breakfast full of fibre & protein.

Find yourself continually running late, which prevents you from eating breakfast? Keep a stash of fruit or nuts in your car, or make some easy on-the-go breakfast the night before.

The Takeaway

When there are a million things to think about, it can be hard to stay concentrated and alert. However, there are simple ways for you to focus better than you have been. By turning off your phone (and allowing yourself phone breaks, if necessary), figuring out your ideal environment, completing one task at a time, having (some) coffee, and eating a hearty breakfast, you can keep your focus razor sharp and be the most productive you can be.

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Sammy Nickalls

http://inspiyr.com/focus-better/