Ever had the feeling that you've run too far? That's how I felt today after completing the Clumber 10k in a slow 50 minutes. I suppose I shouldn't have expected any better as I got badly injured in July, and it has been a slow process coming back.
Building back up from gentle jog/walking to running steadily for over an hour. I have been running 4 days a week, and doing weight training 3 times a week. The weight training has slipped a bit in recent weeks, but I have to get back into that.
After today I won't run fast for a week. In fact I could do with taking a few days off all together, but I probably won't do that.
I have found some great alternative exercises in the last few months -- including using the elliptical trainer and rowing machine. I think I will have to use the elliptical trainer more this week so that I recover better before pushing myself too far running again. I'll keep you posted.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Mountain Walking in Spain
We've just returned from a week away in Spain. Our most notable days were spent in the mountains near Benidorm guided by a friendly walking company called, Walks Plus
If it hadn't been for our 4 days of walking I might have gone crazy, and drunk myself into a stupor-- which is why most British holiday makers go there!
Our final day was spent on the mountain, Puig Campana, which is 1410 metres. We walked around the top, not going to the summit. This was still tricky walking terrain especially the descent on the "mosserabic" trail.
Our thanks go to Vanessa and Neil Simpson, and their guides for a fantastic holiday.
If it hadn't been for our 4 days of walking I might have gone crazy, and drunk myself into a stupor-- which is why most British holiday makers go there!
Our final day was spent on the mountain, Puig Campana, which is 1410 metres. We walked around the top, not going to the summit. This was still tricky walking terrain especially the descent on the "mosserabic" trail.
Our thanks go to Vanessa and Neil Simpson, and their guides for a fantastic holiday.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Six Simple Ways to Jumpstart Your Energy In the Afternoon
It’s 11:00 in the morning and your energy is waning. Minutes seem to tick by like hours and your mind feels foggy. You’ve still got six more hours to look alert and act productive, so how do you get through the afternoon without falling asleep, or yawning so much your boss thinks you're bored? Follow these six simple tips!
1. If your job involves sitting at a desk all day or staring at a computer screen, take five minutes to stand up or lean back, close your eyes and stretch, especially in your shoulder and leg areas. Being seated all the time can make your whole body feel stiff and sleepy. Stretching regularly helps limber up your body and gets the blood flowing again.
2. Avoid the tempting lure of caffeine or sugar-laden foods such as coffee, tea or chocolate. Caffeine may perk up your energy levels temporarily, but it also leaves you feeling sluggish after the effect has worn off. Instead, choose whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables to give your body the fuel it really needs! Eating healthier will boost your mood, elevate your alertness and make you feel better all day long.
3. Along with healthier foods, take a quick 10-15 minute walk during your lunch break. Just a few minutes will give you a burst of energy that refreshes you and makes you feel more alert – while burning off your lunch calories in the process!
4. Sometimes, afternoon slumps can be your body’s way of telling you that it needs something. You may be feeling tired if your blood sugar is low (which happens especially after the effect of those caffeine and high sugar foods has worn off!). Packing a low calorie snack like graham crackers, granola, fruit or vegetable slices can give your body a boost and keep you from feeling hungry in the late afternoon and caving in to the urge to devour the entire contents of the vending machine after work!
5. Drowsiness is often a sign of dehydration. Drinking more water throughout the day not only helps keep you awake, but also keeps you from feeling those hunger pangs that inevitably creep up in mid-morning. Taking a large sports bottle that you can drink from throughout the day is a great way to get your recommended eight glasses a day as well!
6. If afternoon fatigue is a recurring problem, it may be a side effect of medications you are taking. Allergy pills are well known culprits, as are some blood pressure and anxiety/depression medicines. Don’t try to circumvent these effects with caffeine, otherwise you’ll overload your body with stimulants while it’s already trying to deal with drowsiness, and you’ll feel mentally and physically exhausted. Instead, try a short 15-20 minute catnap. You’ll be surprised how refreshed you’ll feel when you wake up! (Don’t try this at work though – not unless your boss approves!)
If you follow these tips on a regular basis, you’ll not only stay awake at work, but you’ll also feel better physically and mentally, sleep better at night, and wake up rejuvenated and re-energized the next morning. By maintaining your energy better throughout the day you will also perform better in any sports you pursue-- be it running or football.
1. If your job involves sitting at a desk all day or staring at a computer screen, take five minutes to stand up or lean back, close your eyes and stretch, especially in your shoulder and leg areas. Being seated all the time can make your whole body feel stiff and sleepy. Stretching regularly helps limber up your body and gets the blood flowing again.
2. Avoid the tempting lure of caffeine or sugar-laden foods such as coffee, tea or chocolate. Caffeine may perk up your energy levels temporarily, but it also leaves you feeling sluggish after the effect has worn off. Instead, choose whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables to give your body the fuel it really needs! Eating healthier will boost your mood, elevate your alertness and make you feel better all day long.
3. Along with healthier foods, take a quick 10-15 minute walk during your lunch break. Just a few minutes will give you a burst of energy that refreshes you and makes you feel more alert – while burning off your lunch calories in the process!
4. Sometimes, afternoon slumps can be your body’s way of telling you that it needs something. You may be feeling tired if your blood sugar is low (which happens especially after the effect of those caffeine and high sugar foods has worn off!). Packing a low calorie snack like graham crackers, granola, fruit or vegetable slices can give your body a boost and keep you from feeling hungry in the late afternoon and caving in to the urge to devour the entire contents of the vending machine after work!
5. Drowsiness is often a sign of dehydration. Drinking more water throughout the day not only helps keep you awake, but also keeps you from feeling those hunger pangs that inevitably creep up in mid-morning. Taking a large sports bottle that you can drink from throughout the day is a great way to get your recommended eight glasses a day as well!
6. If afternoon fatigue is a recurring problem, it may be a side effect of medications you are taking. Allergy pills are well known culprits, as are some blood pressure and anxiety/depression medicines. Don’t try to circumvent these effects with caffeine, otherwise you’ll overload your body with stimulants while it’s already trying to deal with drowsiness, and you’ll feel mentally and physically exhausted. Instead, try a short 15-20 minute catnap. You’ll be surprised how refreshed you’ll feel when you wake up! (Don’t try this at work though – not unless your boss approves!)
If you follow these tips on a regular basis, you’ll not only stay awake at work, but you’ll also feel better physically and mentally, sleep better at night, and wake up rejuvenated and re-energized the next morning. By maintaining your energy better throughout the day you will also perform better in any sports you pursue-- be it running or football.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Getting over a running injury
In the last month I've had to contend with a running "injury". It's not painful, and it doesn't seem to be getting any worse. It got me worried for a couple of weeks though.
Looking back I was probably trying to do too much running too soon. My mind was back in 1993, and I thought the more running I did, I could get my body back into the shape it was in then. Not thinking adequately of rest days, and giving myself to adjust to the training.
Anyway, I went for a long run with a few people from the running club on a Tuesday evening. In the dark on pavements and roads. We were out for about 80 minutes with some fast efforts thrown in. I was shattered at the end, but most of the others were as well. Anyway, next morning in the shower I noticed a small swelling on my right leg near my ankle.
This has caused me to back off from the running over the last few weeks, and generally only run every other day. That is until the Christmas holiday. Since Xmas day I've run pretty much every day. The leg seems better, and I want to make the most of the time off work.
When I read the first volume of Ron Hill's autobiography I notice he often ran with worse injuries and in pain, so I'm not doing that badly!
Looking back I was probably trying to do too much running too soon. My mind was back in 1993, and I thought the more running I did, I could get my body back into the shape it was in then. Not thinking adequately of rest days, and giving myself to adjust to the training.
Anyway, I went for a long run with a few people from the running club on a Tuesday evening. In the dark on pavements and roads. We were out for about 80 minutes with some fast efforts thrown in. I was shattered at the end, but most of the others were as well. Anyway, next morning in the shower I noticed a small swelling on my right leg near my ankle.
This has caused me to back off from the running over the last few weeks, and generally only run every other day. That is until the Christmas holiday. Since Xmas day I've run pretty much every day. The leg seems better, and I want to make the most of the time off work.
When I read the first volume of Ron Hill's autobiography I notice he often ran with worse injuries and in pain, so I'm not doing that badly!
Sunday, November 20, 2005
This Week's Running
Yes, weeks just race by, don't they? Days fly past, hours sometimes drag, so as time passes we have to have some fun. And when they let me out of work I've been getting back into running again.
At this time of year it gets dark really early, so it's good to run with other people. A few years ago I was a member of the Sheffield Athletic Club, so I decided that if I wanted to be a good runner again I'd need to start running with them again.
On Tuesday and Thursday nights we do a quality session-- faster running, and since you're in a group you don't mind the fact that it's dark. If you were on your own you might not even get out. Of course it's different running at the weekend because you can get out in the daylight.
For info: yesterday I ran for 1 hour 13 minutes, today I did 56 mins a bit faster than yesterday. Thursday, it was 5 x 400 metres; Tuesday just under 30 minutes of faster running.
At this time of year it gets dark really early, so it's good to run with other people. A few years ago I was a member of the Sheffield Athletic Club, so I decided that if I wanted to be a good runner again I'd need to start running with them again.
On Tuesday and Thursday nights we do a quality session-- faster running, and since you're in a group you don't mind the fact that it's dark. If you were on your own you might not even get out. Of course it's different running at the weekend because you can get out in the daylight.
For info: yesterday I ran for 1 hour 13 minutes, today I did 56 mins a bit faster than yesterday. Thursday, it was 5 x 400 metres; Tuesday just under 30 minutes of faster running.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
