When Albert Einstein wrote "The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know" he must have been referring to running. No doubt about it.
Side note: naturally I had to google "Einstein running" and it seemed "Einstein running around a tree" was my suggested string to enter. After all that information, just to be clear, I'm not talking about his "theory"on running around a tree at a speed of 87 kph. That can't be real.
So, another LA Roadrunner season is now well under way and I have actually been running some almost decent weekend mileage. Which is new after my summer of...well, barely any running. Therefore, I am officially emerging from my virtual cave. Of course that doesn't mean I'm about to have a social life or anything because, you see, I excel at putting too much on my proverbial plate.
Anyway, I've learned some pretty valuable things recently.
- Kinesio tapes really, really work BUT not all kinesio tapes are created equal. KT Tape falls off, Muscle Aid sticks for an impressive 4 days of sweaty fun. Yes, I showered (at least 2x/day).
- Some energy gels really don't work for me. I thought I've tried them all and although some brands fared down better than others, I haven't had any strong reactions to such an innocent carb-concoction. That changed during this past Saturday's 11-mile death march. I'm not naming the product, because I know some people love it. I, apparently, vomit. TMI. So, it's not a myth. Some gels really, really don't work for me.
- Daylight savings time can really confuse you. Today, I left for an early evening run - just after 4:30PM. No need to map a route, I was so excited to just discover new places. Apparently, a planned easy run can easily turn into a speed workout in the following perfect storm of circumstances: (1) the sun goes down earlier than it was supposed to, (2) the sidewalk stops for no apparent reason and you find yourself on a main road, (3) there is nothing but thorny bushes by the side of the road and it's dark (4) the only landmark is a dimly-lit and seemingly not-too-popular storage facility. Thankfully, I was wearing some very bright and obnoxious gear so I stuck to the side of the road, escaped with only minor bush whacking injuries and had a pretty good workout.
I can't wait to stumble upon more random experiences. And speaking of random - I'll be running a half marathon in Angkor Wat in less than a month! I'm beyond excited.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Sunday, August 4, 2013
The treadmill experiment
It's actually been a fabulous few weeks, despite the quietness in the running department. I had been planning to ceremonially end my 30-day non-running streak on August 1st, but realized that to really make it 30 days, I'd have to wait till the 2nd. Of course, I respect technicalities.
So, on Friday (8/2), I put on some really bright running gear so in case this treadmill experiment turns into a disaster, I'll at least look happy. I ran ONE mile with mild discomfort (but no real pain), walked a bit and ran a little while longer on an incline. Running uphill made the discomfort go away. Quandary.
Apparently, running uphill is good for me. Yeah, I knew that.
The good news: I held my usual pace, didn't get tired and felt pretty effortless...meaning that my cross-training-only regime is doing something besides leaving my triple-As (abs, arms and a**) constantly sore.
The not-so-good news: I won't be running the Santa Rosa Marathon in 3 weeks. Which means I have an entry into an otherwise sold-out race up for grabs...(contact me if you're interested) Instead, I'll be going to Vegas. It's the natural alternative to a marathon and there are some really nice hotel gyms.
Also, I am going to be smart and get 100% ready for the LA Roadrunner season which starts in just over a month. I will be Pace Leading the same group as in the previous years and I am so freakin' excited to see everyone again. Plus I have some race plans for the rest of the year, which involve at least 1 marathon and a half in Angkor Wat (which is really rad).
Conclusion: I am self-prescribing no more than 2x/week of easy running for the next month, with my continued SPX / power yoga practice 6 days a week. Ironically, my power yoga teacher training and LA Roadrunner season start the same weekend, followed by grad school starting again a few weeks after, which just means I have become a master at overcommitting but that's ok, I like it that way.
So, on Friday (8/2), I put on some really bright running gear so in case this treadmill experiment turns into a disaster, I'll at least look happy. I ran ONE mile with mild discomfort (but no real pain), walked a bit and ran a little while longer on an incline. Running uphill made the discomfort go away. Quandary.
 |
| Mandatory selfie. My shoes were even brighter. |
The good news: I held my usual pace, didn't get tired and felt pretty effortless...meaning that my cross-training-only regime is doing something besides leaving my triple-As (abs, arms and a**) constantly sore.
The not-so-good news: I won't be running the Santa Rosa Marathon in 3 weeks. Which means I have an entry into an otherwise sold-out race up for grabs...(contact me if you're interested) Instead, I'll be going to Vegas. It's the natural alternative to a marathon and there are some really nice hotel gyms.
Also, I am going to be smart and get 100% ready for the LA Roadrunner season which starts in just over a month. I will be Pace Leading the same group as in the previous years and I am so freakin' excited to see everyone again. Plus I have some race plans for the rest of the year, which involve at least 1 marathon and a half in Angkor Wat (which is really rad).
Conclusion: I am self-prescribing no more than 2x/week of easy running for the next month, with my continued SPX / power yoga practice 6 days a week. Ironically, my power yoga teacher training and LA Roadrunner season start the same weekend, followed by grad school starting again a few weeks after, which just means I have become a master at overcommitting but that's ok, I like it that way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)