The Earthly Pleasures of NASA’s Main Man

Ask Dan Goldin, NASA’s administrator, if he loved space even when he was a kid and he says: “Yeah, oh, I’ve always wondered about space from the time I was 5 or 6 years old and really conscious of the stars.”

Mention Zachary, his 3-year-old grandson: “Ah, I’ll tell you. When we were in Malibu we ran, we went swimming, we went climbing trees.”

Bring up exercise to Goldin, 56, a Bush appointee and Clinton retainee, who was vice president and general manager of the TRW Space & Technology Group in Redondo Beach before he was picked to run NASA: “You know, when I lived in Manhattan Beach I used to get up before dawn, get on my bike and ride out to Malibu. I rode 170 miles a week. I was in fabulous shape.”

Question: The workout changes when you move to the East Coast, doesn’t it?

A: When I have intense physical exercise on a constant basis--not interrupted like here in Washington--I am able to control my diet a lot better. Many times when I’m on the treadmill, my wife will come down with the phone. And let me tell you that talking on the phone interrupts the interaction of mind and body so I don’t feel as good when I’m done.

Q: Tell me what you do and then I want to hear more about the interaction.

A: I walk downstairs to the treadmill in the basement and work out generally for a half-hour to 45 minutes multiple times a week. I do some of my dreaming, my creative work when I’m on the treadmill.

I also have two 5-pound weights that I use. I do crunches, two sets of 50, but I don’t have a crunch machine. I do it the old-fashioned way. I also do push-ups, two or three sets of 25 depending on how I feel in the morning.

Q: What time do you get up?

A: About 5.

Q: When does your workday start?

A: At 5, and it ends I would say about 9:30 at night.

Q: You don’t have a life, Mr. Goldin.

A: I have an unbelievable job.

Q: I don’t know how you withstand the tension.

A: No, you don’t understand. I never would have said this while I was out in California--I just didn’t understand--but it is really a privilege to serve the president. I have a chance to impact the future of this country, and that is more than enough to help me withstand all the pressures of the job.

Q: You were talking about being creative, dreaming, on the treadmill.

A: A lot of times I just think about how to approach problems, how to approach people. By the way, no radios when I’m exercising, especially outdoors, because when I’m not connected up, my mind relaxes. If I hook myself into civilization, it doesn’t allow my mind to dream.

Just as an example, when we were trying to develop the origins program to understand if life is unique--life of any form, low single-cell or not carbon-based--or not unique to planet Earth--I spent a lot of time reading and thinking with no external stimulation.

Q: What do you read?

A: Lately I’ve been reading about the West. I used to systematically pick an author and read everything he or she wrote. I am very systematic how I approach life. I need to be a little looser.

Q: You feel creative on the treadmill. What about stress?

A: Intense physical exercise is not just good for the body. It’s unbelievable for relieving stress and that in my mind, with this job, is more compelling than being physically fit. It calms me, and I’m proud that I have never had a confrontation where I’ve gotten emotional with members of Congress or the administration.

Other exercises that I like: I’m an avid skier and I also like backpacking. See, I don’t like spectator sports. I never did. To ski, swim, backpack, ride my bike, those are the things that give me unbelievable pleasure, more pleasure than eating.

Q: You indicated that diet is an issue.

A: It is an issue because I can’t always plan when I’m going to eat. When I’m home I’m very careful. I avoid fatty foods. I have grains, fruits and vegetables. But then I have so many breakfasts and lunches and dinners and people put this food down in front of me, and I have a very hard time with it.

Q: Especially when you’re a guest.

A: In someone’s country or embassy or business, I don’t like to be rude. And people want you to feel good, they’re really wonderful, so you have to be a member of the clean plate club. So my weight fluctuates a bit. It could come down another 15.

Guest Workout runs Wednesdays in Life & Style.