My writing has been less than average this summer but if you can read to the end (no skipping ahead) you will discover (one of) the excuses I have for not writing consistently. But first–let me tell you what I did last weekend!
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Today is National Running Day. I love running! As a matter of fact, it is probably my most favorite activity. I celebrated today with a beautiful trail run with my friend Julie. I wish I could have ran with all of you today, but that just wasn’t the case, so instead I’ll tell you a story. A story about running.
My last weekend in South Africa, I went to the Cederberg Mountains with some friends. We stayed in a lovely cottage with rope swings in the yard, orange groves all around, and a delightful waterfall about a kilometer down the trail. We did a lot of eating, reading, and lazyiness. However, I did manage to squeeze in a few runs.
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Wow! Did I drop the ball or what? I had intentions of writing while in Cape Town but unfortunately, I just couldn’t seem to plant myself in front of the computer and get ‘er done! I am a little overwhelmed at the task of writing about the whirl wind of exciting events in the past month. I’ll try to stick to my running activities and what I learned through them.
I was pleased to quickly recover from my jet lag upon arriving in Cape Town. The morning after arriving, Emily and I headed out for a lovely hilly run on one of my old routes. It was sunny and warm and it felt so good to move our bodies after our long journey. I think my body is getting better at traveling—no sickness, no insane jet lag, just exhaustion that can easily be treated with sleep and healthy foods.
The week leading up to the Two Oceans ultra-marathon was packed full of excitement—day trips around the Cape, reuniting with friends, and meetings to discuss my project. We kicked off the race weekend with registration on Thursday and then the International Friendship Run on Friday morning.
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Photo by Steve Bisig--SteveBisig.com
It was a strange week. After I got hit with that cold, I thought I would have to reschedule my 4:20 long run for the next weekend and keep it real with an easy 15 miler this weekend. But the tables turned, I was feeling better and really wanted to get my last super long run done so I can start a nice little taper for 2Oceans.
I made the descision yesterday afternoon. It usually takes me a little longer than 15 hours to prepare myself mentally for a run of that length but I think having less time to think about it might have actually been a good thing. Here’s how I prepared and executed, both physically and mentally:
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Wow! Its been a while since my last post and I feel like a little piece of me is missing. It hit me hard on Friday when I was subbing in a 4th grade classroom that was straight up gangsta’ and I thought, “HOLY SMOKES! I would so rather be writing right now!” I was instructed to hit the emergency panic button if there were any fights or a kid “bolted”. I hit it about 5 times during the day! I was feeling sort of horrible, like I have no classroom management skills but as it turns out, this was a day just like any other day in that class! The poor teacher, bless her heart, is at her end.
Anyway, its been busier than normal since I started subbing to complement the income I’m making from tutoring. I’m squeezing my runs and workouts in and preparing meals in record time so I still have time to sleep and play with the people I moved all the way back across the world to be near!
Meanwhile, February is FLYING by and March begins next week and then its the home stretch to South Africa and 2Oceans! Speaking of which, I came down with a little chest cold this week and I’m super paranoid about where it may go (last time I got a chest cold in Korea it spiraled out of control into several months of bronchitis, lots of missed runs, and a marathon that nearly killed me. I am bound and determined to not let it happen this time!
This morning, I was supposed to do a 15 miler. I woke up after 12 hours of sleep (recovering from my day worrying about getting shanked by 10 year olds +a cold) and was feeling less than wonderful. I looked outside and saw a the trees blowin’ and thought, “I will certainly drop dead if I run outside today.” Yes, a little dramatic but I have horrible flash backs to a run I did in Korea that ushered in the months of sickness, the last mile I walked and was coughing so hard I thought my lungs would come up–all the Koreans put on their masks when I passed (talk about embarrassing).
I subjected Josh to my self-talk, reassuring myself I was making the right choice–”I have the endurance, I’m fit now, right? All I need to do is stay healthy and maintain my current fitness and I’ll be hundreds (South African for kick ass) at 2Oceans, right? I shouldn’t subject my body to too much stress when I’m not feeling good, right? I can always hop on the treadmill at my parents this afternoon if I’m feeling up to it, right” Notice how I ended every sentence with “right?” looking for reassurance.
Not only do we share a love for running but also for drinking red wine out of funny Korean cups...and taking breaks with nature.
A while later I got a text from my friend Emily. She started running last spring and will be traveling to South Africa with me and running the half marathon at 2Oceans. Her text said, “13!” It was her longest run yet, and the the distance she will be racing in South Africa in April. Her text not only filled me with joy for her (I LOVE when the people I love fall in love with running–that’s a lot of love), but it also inspired me. It gave me the little bit of added energy I needed to get on the treadmill and get an easy 90 minute jaunt in. I wore shorts and a tank top and pretended that the sun coming through the window was actually warm while I listened to Michael Jackson rock, “I’m bad, I’m bad, I know I’m really bad…” and told myself over and over how much of a bad ass I am.
MJ (not me, the other MJ) taught me something last week on my long run. He taught me that its just as important to believe you’re a bad ass as it is to be humble. Equal parts of both will take you where ya want to go. I even caught myself giving myself the “You’re a bad ass” talk on the way to my first day of subbing in a high school math class. I’m telling you, it totally works.
I know I’ve been taking a few bunny trails today, but what I’m trying to say is: 1) Know when to rest and be okay with changing your training plans, and 2)Believe in yourself. Have the humility to say, “Dang, this is hard…” but the confidence to say, “but that’s what makes me such a bad ass because I’m going for it (whatever “it” may be–it could be a nap)”.
Many people dread hills when it comes to running–up is hard and down is painful. But they don’t have to be! In the last few years I’ve learned that I actually perform better on a hilly course than a flat one and that I prefer some curvature in my runs. For one, I often pass people going up hills that that’s always fun (hehe) but I also know that once I reach the top, I get to recover on the downhill, brining my heart rate back down and “resetting” my engine.
Here are some of the practices I use to get me up those hills:
Use you arms! We often forget that running is not just about our legs! That’s way too much pressure for any one set of limbs to handle. Give your arms a call and let them work. Pump them harder while at the same time engaging your core. You should instantly feel some of the strain coming off your legs.
Relax everything from the hips down. This one isn’t always easy but you’ve got to get friendly with your brain and ask so sweetly for it to send a message to your lower half to relax. Visualize (without closing your eyes, Crazy) that your hips, legs, and feet are all just hanging there, following your upper body up the hill.
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A few years ago I was introduced to the foam roller. Since getting a professional sports massage every day isn’t really an option for me, the foam roller has become the next best thing. I use it all over but mostly on my tight legs after I run.
Foam rolling is basically a way to give yourself a deep massage. It can by used on almost any muscle in your body and does WONDERS for soft-tissue related pain. You may have heard the term myofascial release in regards to foam rolling. Basically, when your muscles withstand any kind of trauma, inflammatory responses, and/or surgery (I’d say that fits into trauma, eh?), you get some myo-fascial restriction in that muscle. Facia, is the soft tissue component of the connective tissue and provides support and protection for the body. When its irritated, it becomes restricted and painful.
You don’t have to have some crazy accident to do damage, every day stresses and general exercise can be a form of trauma and can definitely cause inflammatory responses in your muscles. With the restricted myofascial comes soreness, pain, restricted range of motion. Using the roam roller, while sometimes slightly intense (DON’T FORGET TO BREATE!), alleviates pain and increases range of motion by applying direct force until the area of restiction releases.
Try it, it feels so dang good afterwards. Also remember that eating an anti-inflammatory diet (think plants!) will help with inflammation!
Happy Rolling!
My long runs are getting long which means they are also getting a little more uncomfortable, both mentally and physically. Physical is pretty obvious. Today I ran for 3 hours and 42 minutes (12 extra minutes due to getting a tad turned around on the trails) and around 2.5 hours I usually start to feel discomfort in my feet, my leg muscles start to talk to me (not angry yet, just a little annoyed), and I start feeling a little chaffed. The mental games start about 30 minutes later–”What the? Melissa, why are you spending your Saturday doing this?” ”How will you ever finish a 54 km race if you’re already falling apart 3 hours in?” ”You’re not as tough as you use to be…”
I was pulling myself up a long steady hill, 5.5 miles from home, feeling a little pissed off at myself for feeling worse than I believed I should, and my thought of the day came. “Its supposed to be uncomfortable, Melissa. If it wasn’t uncomfortable, it wouldn’t be worth it. Embrace it and push into it.”
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“The mind works as hard as the body does during exercise. It knows its roll during these lonely interludes–to inspire, analyze, and fantasize.
–Bart Yasso
In India, when I’d share my love for running marathons and ultras, I didn’t get the same response as I often get in the west (“What’s wrong with you…”). Most people got it. They understood it wasn’t just about training my body but equally, or possibly even more than equally, about training my mind. They understood that its a form of meditation or prayer. For many Indians, the spiritual world holds heavy significance. Meditation and prayer are part of every day life to a degree that many of us in the west could stand to learn from. Next time your out for a run/walk/cycle let your mind inspire, analyze, and fantasize– you’ll be amazed by what you find.
I’ve had a few people ask me what I eat before I run/workout. The answer varies quite a bit depending on the type of exercise and duration. In his book, Thrive (I know, I know, I talk about it all the time), Brendan Brazier says that the food we eat right before a workout is less important than the food we ate following out last workout. When we refuel properly after a workout, our body will have energy stored and ready to rock for the next one.
That being said, it can be really helpful to have a pre-run snack to top up energy levels. I usually run in the morning because its just a great way to start my day and I find I have the most energy in A.M. I usually have a little snack before I head out the door, just to get me going and to keep hunger at bay until breakfast.
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