Sweating while standing still

I decided to try yoga. It was always something that I thought about doing but it fell by the wayside with running and weights.

I can't believe how much I sweat while remaining still. Terms like, "downward dog" are permanently ensconced in my mind. The session was an hour long it was a long hour. Beads of sweat were flowing uncontrollably. I honestly felt that I sweat more here that in my running sessions. We moved from one pose to the next without pause. I didn't even have time to wipe my sweat. I could see beads rolling off my forehead on to the mat.

I was fortunate that I was not the only guy there. My motivation for attending (contrarry to what the guys said at work) was not girls but to develop my coordination, balance and strength of my core. The ultimate goal to to minimize the risk of injury and increase my flexibility to further my running.

However, I am surprised that for my first time I was able to complete the moves (okay, at least I thought I did) in time to be able to keep up with the class without landing on my butt. I was fortunate that my triathlete buddy told me to focus on breathing and not trying to tough it out.

What I was really proud of was that I was able to hold movements without too much difficulty. However I do need to work on my flexibility. I can't wait to go back Sunday morning.

Food for Fitness

The road to recovery is one that poses its own set of challenges. Remaining motivated is by far the biggest challenge. Given that the volume and intensity of the training has been drastically reduced, the question of how to remain motivated in the face of adversity is constant.

The pent up energy and frustration from not running is can only be partially burnt off through weight training. How best to channel the remaining energy in a productive manner? I noticed that I started to eat more than I should which began to concern me. Given the reduced volume and intensity, I did not want to lose my figure (yep, I'm shaped like a squash). I am not used to eating smaller portions (my famous yogurt and banana) but I find that I just don't have the intensity that I am used to.

Such a dilemma, if I eat less, I have less energy to train. It I eat more, then I get round and pudgy. How do I strike the proper balance?

A triathlete buddy of mine introduced to me to a book entitled, "Food for Fitness" written by Chris Carmichael. Chris is Lance Armstrong's nuitrionist. I purchased the book upon his recommendation ($38 ow...) and what I'm hoping to achieve from this book is to know what type of foods to eat prior, during and immediately afterward. I find that it's not only a question of eating smaller amounts more frequently for weight management but also knowing when to consume more in order to maximise the returns from a workout. There have been too many times that a workout was cut short because of lethargy as result of poor eating.

I hoping to be able to adopt a structure that I can apply with rigor in order to increase my endurance. Unfortunately, I don't have a nutrionist so this will be the closest I get. If he's good enough for Lance, he should definitely be good enough for me.

Let's cross our fingers and hope this book was not a waste of money.

Running blues

It's been a while since I've blogged. It's not for lack of trying. This is the umpteenth time I've sat in front of the screen and flailed away at the keyboard only to find myself clicking on the, "X" on the top right hand corner instead of, "submit"

The road to recovery has not been without its share of pitfalls. Physio has proven to be invaluable. However, I find it hard if not impossible to temper the urge to run the way I used to. The road to recovery is a long and arduous one. It seems that for every two steps forward, I'm taking 1 back.

As I log on to the site, I can now fully appreciate how far I have come as I wax nostalgic and reread previous blogs. Those blogs were, for the longest period of time, banal and even came across as a chore but now, I read each post with a gusto, never seen before.

I read it for affirmation. It's hard to believe for anyone who meets me now, that I am/was a runner. I read these posts as if they belonged to someone else and find myself incredulous when I look at my shoebox of run bibs from all those runs from once upon a yesteryear.

To exercabate matters, I find myself falling behind as my running cohorts have entered the next phase of training. Base training is over for now and interval training is the new focus.

Finally to add insult to injury, the current pair of runners that I am wearing have long since expired and as I wear them reluctantly to run, I realise that this is self defeating as it hinders my recovery. "Replace them" would be the simplest solution. I agree but I have a problem. I currently have two pairs of runners on order but they are on back order until mid-December at earliest.

Such is my plight. Such a confluence of sad factors. "Try not to think about it" would be a good suggestion. True but when I'm aqua running in a pool going round and round in friggin' circles, would can not but help remember past glory.

In every life a little rain must fall. I've been out in the rain for way too long.
Hope the sun comes out soon.