In his column this week, LL asks the question: Is Mayor Adrian M. Fenty exercising too much? Is he pushing himself so far in his triathlon training that it has begun to affect his judgment and temperament?

In his analysis, LL relied heavily on Dr. Alayne Yates and her 1991 book, Compulsive Exercise and the Eating Disorders: Toward an Integrated Theory of Activity. Yates suggests a pathological basis to overexercises that manifests itself in other aspects of life.

Given, LL is wary of engaging in any armchair diagnoses here, and Fenty is free to take any fitness-related advice doled out by the 225-pound LL with a grain of salt (or sodium-free substitute, as it were). But ask yourself whether you don't think any of these passages from Yates' book hit home:

• "Persons who make an unusually intense commitment to diet or exercise are...generally intelligent, high-achieving individuals from well-to-do families" and are "hard-working, task-oriented, and persistent." Their "achievement orientation, independence, self-control, perfectionism, persistence, and well-developed cognitive strategies can foster significant academic and vocational accomplishments." They are, in fact, "too well geared for success."
• Overexercisers "commit themselves to diet or running in the same manner that they commit themselves to vocational...activities," and truly “disordered” overexercisers become "seclusive, depressed, distrustful, hostile, and egocentric" and "assume a position of embattled autonomy and extreme overactivity."
• They prefer to go it alone professionally. "If they work independently, they will be neither distracted nor corrupted. They seem to be saying, 'If you want something done right, do it yourself.' They strive for perfection and they become irritated at persons who are less committed, less perfectionistic, or more fallible than they are."
• The "obligatory" runner "avoids parties or relationships because they might interfere with his running. Needless to say, life revolves around the run." And their "emotional investment in the activity becomes more intense and significant than the investment in family or work."
• They "plan vacations around running and when they are not running, they ruminate endlessly about time, distance, food, and the proper shoes." They feel "proud of the body and in command of the future." They "seem rather disinterested in maintaining close relationships."
• Compulsive exercise "fosters a state of apparent narcissism," complete with a "lack of empathy, a sense of self-importance, indifference about the feelings of others, and preoccupation with a successful performance." Overexercisers become "more and more egotistical as they become enveloped in a cloud of intermingled plans, lists, and actions."
• The exercise can become a "joyless, rigid pattern of activity which leads to physical, personal, or social damage and which interferes with other more constructive activities" and it "can lead to conflicts with the spouse, constriction of interests, dissatisfaction on the job, and pervasive fatigue."

Bad as all that sounds, when compulsive exercisers are forced to cut back on their exercise schedule, they can "experience severe anxiety, depression, anger, confusion, psychic fragmentation, and a feeling of bloatedness." Best to seek professional help!

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

A couple weeks old, but new to LL: Men's Fitness, noted authority on men's fitness, has included Mayor Adrian M. Fenty in its yearly tally of high-profile specimens of masculinity.

Here's what the mag has to say about Hizzoner, he of the early-morning interval runs and mid-day bike rides around Hains Point:

"I'm training as much as humanly possible," says the leader of the nation's capital. Fenty exercises like a pro athlete—rigorously and regimented—despite having a crazy schedule. "The chance of getting a workout once a day has gone down dramatically," he says. Three times every week, he gets in a long early-morning run and also swims and cycles when he can. Fenty has prioritized public health as well, renovating several city playing fields and starting a youth triathlon camp. He's built it, now he's hoping citizens will come. "I think people have been really responsive," he says.

On the list, Fenty (aka "The Mayor") joins the likes of Hugh Jackman (aka "The Blockbuster"), Clive Owen ("The Leading Man"), Larry Fitzgerald ("The Freak"), Usain Bolt ("The Lightning"), Tim Tebow ("The Champion"), LeBron James ("The One"), and...uh, Richard Branson ("The Fly Guy").

But beware, Mr. Mayor---there may be a Men's Fitness curse at play here: Named fittest of them all was none other than top-ranked tennis Rafael Nadal, who hasn't done so well of late.