This afternoon I went to the gym over my lunch break for an easy ride on the recumbent bike. Today is supposed to be a Rest day but I am enjoying the book I am currently reading and wanted to sneak in a few pages over lunch. Hitting the gym and slowly peddling away on the recumbent bike is a nice way to accomplish this.
Anyway, as I jump one of the three recumbent bikes I notice the guy on one of the other bikes. To my amusement, he isn’t peddling, he doesn’t even have his feet on the peddles. He’s watching a soccer game on the TV and he’s just using the bike as a chair!
He looks like a guy who could use a few sessions with an exercise machine and my initial thought is, “Come on, dude. You’re here watching the game, why not put your feet in the peddles and burn a few calories while you’re at it! You are in a gym – MOVE! Do something for goodness sake!”
Is this not the epitome of laziness? Did I not just witness the real life version of that picture of the guy sitting in the Lazy Boy walking his dog on a treadmill? What is wrong with people?
The whole time I’m whirling away on the bike, multi-tasking right next time him, he’s just sitting there. At one point, he fiddled with the seat adjuster and I thought maybe he was going to actually start using the bike as it was intended instead of as a seat. I was ready to change my opinion of this man. I was ready to swell with pride at him taking steps toward better health. However, disappointment set back in when he just moved the seat further back to get more comfortable.
Then I had another thought; I felt guilty. I don’t know this guy. He could have been up at 5 this morning, earlier than me out running or walking or hitting the gym. Maybe this guy races all the time in the area and is constantly coming in ahead of me. What if this is one of the guys who speeds past me on the trail, zooming past on his bike as he commutes to work under his power?
I don’t know this guy or his life. I’ve already judged him and I feel guilty. Anyway, he leaves before I finish my time on the bike and I’m left wondering; is he the lazy schlub I cast him as or am I guilty of misjudging him?
It has led me to wonder what people will think about me when I go out to happy hour tonight and stuff my face with burgers while drinking a beer. I’ll see people out for their after-work run and wonder if they run past shaking their head at all these lazy people eating and drinking in bars, leading unhealthy lifestyles. Are they feeling as self-righteous as I did next to the guy in the gym? How awful!
Judge not, lest ye be judged….Indeed!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Still Reveling in Yesterday’s Run
I’m finally feeling like my old self this week, in terms of running. I’m running pain-free and my legs no longer feel like they have anchors tied to them. One of the ideas on recovering from races is that a runner should take expect to “take off” a day for each mile raced and in this case, almost an entire month after a marathon. Generally, this doesn’t mean no running of any kind for 26 days but rather, no speedwork or hard running of any kind. For this marathon, it proved absolutely true.
Yesterday morning, just as the sun was coming up, finally felt like I was ready to get to running and I set out for a hilly four mile run. I wanted to get in some quality running and really attack the hills, give ‘em no mercy. Boy, it felt great! I pounded up each hill, big or small, which made me feel like I was gliding along the flat sections.
I love how the hills get my heart pounding; “push push push” I repeat internally as my legs start to tire but I’m so close to the top. I can see it. Eyes on the prize. Just a little further. Just a little harder. Come on, you can do it! Get to the top.
And then I’m there. I’ve made it to the top of the hill. My breathing is heavy, my heart is pumping in overdrive, my legs are achy and I close my eyes for a moment and let out a sigh of relief. “Whew! I did it!,” I say to myself as I slow my pace.
The best hills are ones that flatten out on the top and don’t dump me immediately in to a downhill. I have time to bring my running back to a steady, sane pace – legs, heart, breathing all settling back down. There is a sense of relief and accomplishment that helps me relax in to recovery.
Only to do it again on the next hill – attack, relax, repeat.
Yesterday’s hill run was one of those runs I was disappointed to end. I wanted those four miles to keep going. I needed just one more hill and then I’d be ready to quit but knowing full well that one more hill would only make me crave another and then another. It was a great run.
Daily Dozen:
Slept in – Rest Day!
Possible some light bike work @ lunch hour
Yesterday morning, just as the sun was coming up, finally felt like I was ready to get to running and I set out for a hilly four mile run. I wanted to get in some quality running and really attack the hills, give ‘em no mercy. Boy, it felt great! I pounded up each hill, big or small, which made me feel like I was gliding along the flat sections.
I love how the hills get my heart pounding; “push push push” I repeat internally as my legs start to tire but I’m so close to the top. I can see it. Eyes on the prize. Just a little further. Just a little harder. Come on, you can do it! Get to the top.
And then I’m there. I’ve made it to the top of the hill. My breathing is heavy, my heart is pumping in overdrive, my legs are achy and I close my eyes for a moment and let out a sigh of relief. “Whew! I did it!,” I say to myself as I slow my pace.
The best hills are ones that flatten out on the top and don’t dump me immediately in to a downhill. I have time to bring my running back to a steady, sane pace – legs, heart, breathing all settling back down. There is a sense of relief and accomplishment that helps me relax in to recovery.
Only to do it again on the next hill – attack, relax, repeat.
Yesterday’s hill run was one of those runs I was disappointed to end. I wanted those four miles to keep going. I needed just one more hill and then I’d be ready to quit but knowing full well that one more hill would only make me crave another and then another. It was a great run.
Daily Dozen:
Slept in – Rest Day!
Possible some light bike work @ lunch hour
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Peer Pressure
This coming Saturday, two friends of mine will be toeing the line for their first marathon. They have been training the past 6 months with Team in Training (TNT) for the Mayor’s Marathon in Anchorage, AK (and raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society along the way).
It has been so much fun to watch them go through the training process and I can’t help but feel a tremendous amount of pride at the progress they’ve made. Six months ago neither one would have dreamed of running a marathon and now here they are, running their first marathon, talking about running other races, including triathlons. It has been rewarding for me to be a part of this process even if it was just as a cheerleader.
I will also admit to a fair amount of both jealousy and nostalgia at running a marathon for the first times. I’ve already had my experience facing the unknown and made it out the other side a better person. That is where they are; poised to make a leap off a big cliff, hoping to land safely at a bottom they can’t even fathom. It is an experience like no other.
This past Monday evening I spent time with them as they decorated their TNT race singlets with their names and messages to those special people for whom they were dedicating the race. They were anxious and nervous and full of questions. However, they were also full of enthusiasm but not just for the race ahead of them.
Their enthusiasm for their own abilities was, in a word, infectious. High on the idea that they are capable of accomplishing so much more than they had previously dreamed, they have decided their next goal will be a sprint triathlon. Normally, this would be a wonderful goal to shoot for but they’ve gotten it in their heads that they’ll do it only a month after their marathon!
They poked and prodded (although I will admit they didn’t have to poke or prod nearly as hard as they should’ve had to) and eventually I caved. That’s right; I may have agreed to try a sprint triathlon in only a month’s time. Eek! I did agree on the condition that one of them teach me to swim (she’s was a swimmer in high school and college and continues to swim for exercise).
I totally caved! Who in their right mind who go in to a triathlon completely untrained…not even under-trained but UNtrained? Someone who bows to the intense enthusiasm (read: peer pressure) of her friends, that’s who.
(The good news: I looked up the tri they wanted to do at the end of July and it looks like registration is full….saved by online registration, whew!)
Daily Dozen:
Slept in – today is a recovery day! Yay!
It has been so much fun to watch them go through the training process and I can’t help but feel a tremendous amount of pride at the progress they’ve made. Six months ago neither one would have dreamed of running a marathon and now here they are, running their first marathon, talking about running other races, including triathlons. It has been rewarding for me to be a part of this process even if it was just as a cheerleader.
I will also admit to a fair amount of both jealousy and nostalgia at running a marathon for the first times. I’ve already had my experience facing the unknown and made it out the other side a better person. That is where they are; poised to make a leap off a big cliff, hoping to land safely at a bottom they can’t even fathom. It is an experience like no other.
This past Monday evening I spent time with them as they decorated their TNT race singlets with their names and messages to those special people for whom they were dedicating the race. They were anxious and nervous and full of questions. However, they were also full of enthusiasm but not just for the race ahead of them.
Their enthusiasm for their own abilities was, in a word, infectious. High on the idea that they are capable of accomplishing so much more than they had previously dreamed, they have decided their next goal will be a sprint triathlon. Normally, this would be a wonderful goal to shoot for but they’ve gotten it in their heads that they’ll do it only a month after their marathon!
They poked and prodded (although I will admit they didn’t have to poke or prod nearly as hard as they should’ve had to) and eventually I caved. That’s right; I may have agreed to try a sprint triathlon in only a month’s time. Eek! I did agree on the condition that one of them teach me to swim (she’s was a swimmer in high school and college and continues to swim for exercise).
I totally caved! Who in their right mind who go in to a triathlon completely untrained…not even under-trained but UNtrained? Someone who bows to the intense enthusiasm (read: peer pressure) of her friends, that’s who.
(The good news: I looked up the tri they wanted to do at the end of July and it looks like registration is full….saved by online registration, whew!)
Daily Dozen:
Slept in – today is a recovery day! Yay!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Hike with Mike - C&O Towpath
One of things I love about my relationship with my husband is that we've been able to cultivate a shared interest in the outdoors - camping, kayaking and best of all, hiking. These may have been things we'd done before we were in a relationship but our collective interest and abilities have grown because of one anthor's individual interests.
We've seen so many wonderful things - animals, mountains, beaches, waterfalls, ruins, museums - as a result of our outdoor exploration. Perhaps more importantly, we've discovered so much more about each other. Many of my favorite conversations with Mike, some of great importance, some not of importance and others that were just plain silly, have taken place while hiking.
Even hikes that don't turn out as planned, as this weekend's did not, are special to me.
We headed out late Sunday morning for the C&O Towpath and the Billy Goat Trail (A). This approximate 1.75 trail is full of fun rock scrambling and beautiful views of the Potomac River. It is one of Mike's favorites but had been months since we'd been to the trail.
However, Sunday's hike was not meant to be. As we walked along the towpath to the one end of the trail we noticed that there were quite a few more people enjoying the towpath than we were used to seeing; however, we chalked it up the rainy weather all week and the gorgeous clear weather of the weekend. Besides the towpath and trail are always more crowded than we prefer.
Then we found why the towpath was a little more crowded than usual - the Billy Goat Trail (A) was closed due to flooding. Major bummer!!
However, we decided to continue north on the towpath past the trail since neither of us had ever bothered to see what was further along the path.
The C&O Towpath follows the C&O Canal (both "C&O"'s stand for Chesapeake and Ohio) is now part of the National Park System and has been converted to a popular path for bikers, joggers and tourists.
Just past the other end of the Billy Goat Trail (A) we found the Great Falls scenic overlook on Olmstead Island. This is the best spot to enjoy the rapids at Great Falls (better than the Virginia side, I'll be honest) because you walk above several rapids as you take the quarter-mile boardwalk to the overlook. With all of the rain last week, the river was very high and the rapids we saw were loud and fast. It was a very awesome experience to be standing just above the rushing water.
I regretted forgetting my camera on this trip.
Once back on the towpath we continued north for another half mile or so until we got the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center. This Visitor Center was once a thriving busines along the canal and now offers information, a small exhibit about the canal at its pinnacle and boat rides on the canal.
We poked around for a bit and then headed back. We took a detour on trail on the other side of canal back to our starting point in order to avoid some of the sun and crowds.
It was a fun hike and even though we didn't get to hike the trail we intended on hiking that morning, we discovered some new spots. It was a good day!
We've seen so many wonderful things - animals, mountains, beaches, waterfalls, ruins, museums - as a result of our outdoor exploration. Perhaps more importantly, we've discovered so much more about each other. Many of my favorite conversations with Mike, some of great importance, some not of importance and others that were just plain silly, have taken place while hiking.
Even hikes that don't turn out as planned, as this weekend's did not, are special to me.
We headed out late Sunday morning for the C&O Towpath and the Billy Goat Trail (A). This approximate 1.75 trail is full of fun rock scrambling and beautiful views of the Potomac River. It is one of Mike's favorites but had been months since we'd been to the trail.
However, Sunday's hike was not meant to be. As we walked along the towpath to the one end of the trail we noticed that there were quite a few more people enjoying the towpath than we were used to seeing; however, we chalked it up the rainy weather all week and the gorgeous clear weather of the weekend. Besides the towpath and trail are always more crowded than we prefer.
Then we found why the towpath was a little more crowded than usual - the Billy Goat Trail (A) was closed due to flooding. Major bummer!!
However, we decided to continue north on the towpath past the trail since neither of us had ever bothered to see what was further along the path.
The C&O Towpath follows the C&O Canal (both "C&O"'s stand for Chesapeake and Ohio) is now part of the National Park System and has been converted to a popular path for bikers, joggers and tourists.
Just past the other end of the Billy Goat Trail (A) we found the Great Falls scenic overlook on Olmstead Island. This is the best spot to enjoy the rapids at Great Falls (better than the Virginia side, I'll be honest) because you walk above several rapids as you take the quarter-mile boardwalk to the overlook. With all of the rain last week, the river was very high and the rapids we saw were loud and fast. It was a very awesome experience to be standing just above the rushing water.
I regretted forgetting my camera on this trip.
Once back on the towpath we continued north for another half mile or so until we got the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center. This Visitor Center was once a thriving busines along the canal and now offers information, a small exhibit about the canal at its pinnacle and boat rides on the canal.
We poked around for a bit and then headed back. We took a detour on trail on the other side of canal back to our starting point in order to avoid some of the sun and crowds.
It was a fun hike and even though we didn't get to hike the trail we intended on hiking that morning, we discovered some new spots. It was a good day!
A Tale of Two Runners
Runner A has just completed a third marathon, besting her previous personal record by 15 minutes. However, Runner A has run very little in the two weeks following the marathon and has no plans to run a step for at least another week (if not longer). She has been enjoying the sleeping-in aspect of no longer running in the morning before work and getting in a good amount of strength training during her lunch break at work. Runner A isn't sure when she'll start training for another marathon.
In contrast, Runner B is nursing a slight injury and can't wait to jump right back in to running. In fact, she found a training plan that looks fun and has been eyeing fall marathons. Runner B cannot wait to get out of the gym workouts she's been stuck doing and back out into the early morning calm of empty roads and paths. Happy and proud in the fact that she accomplishes things on a daily basis earlier than most people are awake.
I am both runners (obviously). Yes, I have gone on record saying I would (gladly) be taking a break from training and just taking my running as it came to me. No pressures, no plans. Yes, I was on several websites this morning drooling over marathons, reading reviews and day dreaming about getting my marathon PR closer to 4 hours.
How easily I am persuaded to change my running plans? I can't help it! I know how much fun I've had training for and running races and when I see one that looks like fun I want to be a part of it. I don't see it as a bad thing. I'm excitable! I'm enthusiastic!
These are the good things about Runner B. However, I know I could learn from Runner A. After all, there is such a thing as burn out. If I want to continue my ambitions of being a lifelong runner, a runner who runs through pregnancy, kids, middle-age, old-age, I've got to recognize that in order to run forever I've got to pace myself.
While I sit the next week out, I'll have to see about bringing Runner A and B together and finding out how to make the two compromise.
Today's Daily Dozen:
Strenght Training (BROCC) @ lunch hour
In contrast, Runner B is nursing a slight injury and can't wait to jump right back in to running. In fact, she found a training plan that looks fun and has been eyeing fall marathons. Runner B cannot wait to get out of the gym workouts she's been stuck doing and back out into the early morning calm of empty roads and paths. Happy and proud in the fact that she accomplishes things on a daily basis earlier than most people are awake.
I am both runners (obviously). Yes, I have gone on record saying I would (gladly) be taking a break from training and just taking my running as it came to me. No pressures, no plans. Yes, I was on several websites this morning drooling over marathons, reading reviews and day dreaming about getting my marathon PR closer to 4 hours.
How easily I am persuaded to change my running plans? I can't help it! I know how much fun I've had training for and running races and when I see one that looks like fun I want to be a part of it. I don't see it as a bad thing. I'm excitable! I'm enthusiastic!
These are the good things about Runner B. However, I know I could learn from Runner A. After all, there is such a thing as burn out. If I want to continue my ambitions of being a lifelong runner, a runner who runs through pregnancy, kids, middle-age, old-age, I've got to recognize that in order to run forever I've got to pace myself.
While I sit the next week out, I'll have to see about bringing Runner A and B together and finding out how to make the two compromise.
Today's Daily Dozen:
Strenght Training (BROCC) @ lunch hour
Friday, June 5, 2009
Tennis Ball Miracle
I continue to recover from the marathon. All of the soreness and muscle pain has been gone for a week now but I am still having some stiffness and pain in my hip/butt/lower back (left side). I have self-diagnosed myself with piriformis syndrome, basically I pulled a muscle in my butt and that has aggravated my lower back and hip. This makes it occassionally painful during walking and running when my left leg makes the swing from front to back and also certain twisting/bending positions will tweak the area.
Rest is the only true cure. The muscle just needs the opportunity heal itself. However, I have been doing deep-tissue massage (read: sitting on a tennis ball) and it has allowed me to walk without pain for the past several hours. Ta-da!
I've also tried to stretch thoroughly with special attention on the area and I think that is helping as well.
My goal and hope is to be back to running by Monday.
In the mean time, I've been enjoying the hours and hours of sleep I've been getting in each night. I've been sleeping consistently over 8 hours, sometimes even over 9 hours, since the marathon. It's been wonderful! Sleep is the secret weapon toward recovery.
I don't understand how other runners can jump right in to their running schedule after a marathon. I cherish this downtime. It feels good. It makes me crave running. Also, I know my body needs the break!
And so, until Monday I raise my glass and salute my lazy side (and the stray tennis ball I found in the back of the hall closet - you're a miracle worker).
Rest is the only true cure. The muscle just needs the opportunity heal itself. However, I have been doing deep-tissue massage (read: sitting on a tennis ball) and it has allowed me to walk without pain for the past several hours. Ta-da!
I've also tried to stretch thoroughly with special attention on the area and I think that is helping as well.
My goal and hope is to be back to running by Monday.
In the mean time, I've been enjoying the hours and hours of sleep I've been getting in each night. I've been sleeping consistently over 8 hours, sometimes even over 9 hours, since the marathon. It's been wonderful! Sleep is the secret weapon toward recovery.
I don't understand how other runners can jump right in to their running schedule after a marathon. I cherish this downtime. It feels good. It makes me crave running. Also, I know my body needs the break!
And so, until Monday I raise my glass and salute my lazy side (and the stray tennis ball I found in the back of the hall closet - you're a miracle worker).
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