Lee Chimerakis is a retired Palm Beach, Florida, resident who had a successful Wall Street career in finance. A running enthusiast, Lee Chimerakis participates in a leadership program that provides opportunities to teen runners in his local community. One essential aspect of running is proper nutrition, which can include moderate supplementation.
According to a recently released International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) guide, whole foods are the most important source of fuel for running, including fiber- and carb-rich vegetables and grains. When it comes to supplements, caffeine is recommended, as are nitrates, which are naturally found in beetroot and leafy greens. Drinking beetroot juice is a way to access the benefits of concentrated nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide when available oxygen is low. This in turn enhances metabolic and vascular processes.
Another important supplement is the antioxidant beta-alanine, which is found naturally in meat, fish, and poultry. It helps to delay fatigue resulting from the limits of the body’s anaerobic metabolism. This is particularly important in 400-meter through 1,500-meter running events, where maximum effort is exerted over a sustained period. The IAAF also says bicarbonate and creatine have been shown to improve runners’ performance. However, athletes are cautioned to focus on good training and nutrition first, before considering supplements.
Lee Chimerakis recently concluded a more than three-decade career in finance as a senior vice president of a major global investment firm. Since retiring, Lee Chimerakis enjoys staying physically fit through strength training and cycling, among other outdoor interests.
Stretching prior to a physical workout is often a sound idea. That said, some physical activities are better met with a post-workout stretch, such as cycling. Stretching prior to a long ride can be unnecessary, as cycling consists of repetitive, limited range motion, meaning the rider’s legs are never fully extended or completely flexed. Furthermore, cycling is one of the few physical activities that involve only concentric muscle contractions and no eccentric contractions. Stretching before such a workout, particularly when the muscles are cold, can do more harm than good.
Beyond a few basic dynamic stretches ahead of a ride, most stretches should be performed after a cycling workout. Static stretches can help return muscles to their normal length and increase length in shortened muscles. Areas of focus should include quads, hip flexors, hamstrings, and the lower back. Riders are advised to hold each stretch for approximately 20 seconds.
Lee Chimerakis recently concluded his successful career as a senior portfolio manager and global sports director for a global private investment firm. Now retired, Lee Chimerakis enjoys staying active by golfing at courses throughout the Palm Beach Gardens, Florida area.
Florida is home to some of the nation’s top rated golf courses. According to Golf Digest, Seminole Golf Club at Juno Beach ranks as the state’s best overall course, as well as the No. 12 course in the United States. Initially developed by Donald Ross in 1929, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw recently updated the bunkers and roughs. Built within a rectangular development site, Seminole provides golfers with a unique challenge in the form of wind directions that change from one hole to the next. Seminole, one of America’s most exclusive clubs, has already been tapped to host the 2021 Walker Cup.
The Tournament Players Club (TPC) at Sawgrass, Florida’s No. 2 rated course, was developed by Pete Dye in 1980 with a unique mission of challenging the world’s best golfers with various forms of target golf, as well as greens guarded by Dye’s “grenade attack architecture,” which consists of various bumps and hollows. The 17th hole at Sawgrass is one of the most famous in all of golf, with an island green made even more difficult by windy coastal conditions. Sawgrass ranked No. 49 in the country for the 2017-2018 season.
Other highly rated courses in Florida include Calusa Pines Golf Club, No. 83 in America, and both the red and blue courses at Streamsong.
Lee Chimerakis is the former senior vice president of a private Wall Street investment firm. Now retired, Lee Chimerakis keeps fit with strength training exercises.
It is never too late to start strength training. Medical research shows that strength and resistance training help seniors build muscle mass, increase bone density, improve balance and coordination, and reduce symptoms of chronic conditions such as back pain and arthritis. Strength training reduces the chance of falls and improves cognitive functions.
Seniors who want to include strength training into their workouts should begin with body weight exercises such as leg squats, lunges, step ups, push ups, and sit ups. When they are comfortable performing these exercises, they can add weights incrementally into their routines.
When exercising, seniors should focus on full ranges of motion and being gentle on their joints. They should exercise two or three days a week with rest days between.
