4 posts tagged “ramblings”

Yes, I'm still alive and kickin' :P

I haven't been blogging because I've been in a foul mood lately and did not want to impose that onto my RBF's.  I've just been feeling down, mopey, and in a general state of unrest.  Which I HATE being like since it's so out of character for me.  I've decided to put a moratorium on my bad mood and list some things I've been mulling over because it might help.

The past couple of days I've been trying to pinpoint the reason I've been cranky.  I think it boils down to two factors: eating differently than normal (read: caffeine and sweets) and also UNDERtraining.  Yes, not overtraining, but undertraining.  (I now proclaim this a word.)  I've been keeping my mileage low for fear that I'll cause an injury since my legs were giving me such trouble a while ago.  Lately though, I haven't wanted to run because when I do, it seems like I'm just warming up when it's time to stop.  So, starting tomorrow the mileage will be increasing.  I'll report back to see if this is in fact helping later on.

A little tidbit about me: I am a shy person initially.  Once you get to know me, I'll open up and it'll be hard to shut me up at times.  I've also noticed that this has become worse lately.  So, I need to make some new friends around my age.  The first problem is that I do not know where to start...I know how to talk to people (I'm not socially inept, just shy) but WHERE do I meet people my age?  I don't go clubbing (and even if I did, I don't think I'd end up meeting a BFF there, haha.)   The second problem is I tend to have a few close friends and a lot of acquaintances.  The friends I do have are amazing people but we're all spread out all over the place (different parts of Canada, Europe, USA, China, etc.) so I rarely get to see them.  Time to make some local friends.  As for work, no one is even close to my age.  Any ideas would be welcome.  Yes, I feel extremely dorky stating all this here.

We'll end this on a happy note though ;)  I found out that Telefrancais is on YouTube:

So...there it is.  Pressing the "post" button is unexpectedly hard on this one.

I don't normally stretch before running (I'm too impatient for that!)  I was thinking though that perhaps I should start trying to and see if it made any difference one way or the other since my calves like to be tight a lot.  I do stretch afterwards and usually before bed as well.  Anyway,the RW website had a blurb about a study for USATF trying to figure out how stretching effects runners.  We've all seen the countless articles that say it might injure you more easily or that stretching really does help and even the ones that say it's non-conclusive.

Why do I never stretch beforehand?  Well, it has to do with horses.  Yes, you read that right.  Back in the day (because I'm sooo old ;) haha) I attended a therapy clinic for rehabing horse injuries, helping them cool down after workouts, etc.  (If you're curious they can do assisted stretches.)   Anyway, the instructor said not to have your horse stretch cold due to the microfiber tears that it can cause and a bunch of other details I won't bore you with.  Go ahead and laugh but most of my pre and post workout routine I implemented from how I was taught to ride/observing the horses.  I just had no idea when I was younger that when I picked up running it would translate into my actual workout routine. 

Is your cackling over there done yet?  No, I'll wait....OK, good...while I was filling out the form and reminiscing about this I was secretly hoping to be put into the stretch group so I could see for myself if there was any difference.  Alas, I am in the no stretching group.  Ah well, at least I won't forget to do them.

So now that you all think I'm perhaps more weird than most runners we will switch gears....my fun weekend got indefinitely postponed, blah.  My long run didn't happen Sunday because I slept in.  Ooops.  I did it Monday though and everything went well.  I'm excited to start marathon training again soon!

Now, stop smirking. :P

Yes, I like to make up words.  Now that we have that out of the way here's the plan.  You know, the one I've been moping about for months.  The one where I'm trying to figure out what marathon to run when, where, and what training plan to use.  It's not too exciting but this is what I've come up with for now.

I'll begin training for a Fall 2008 marathon (still undecided) as much as I've been wanting to do the Marathon Des Deux Rives it just conflicts with my schedule for the summer.  I will be using the FIRST programme (bought the book) but have decided that since I've had some issues with the lower legs lately that if I need to change to a half and then do a winter marathon that's ok, too.  Hopefully, they'll be fine and it won't even be a problem.  I just want to play it safe.

In other news, I finally went to an athletic park nearby for the first time, hoping to find a track.  No dice.  There was a skateboard thing, basketball courts, tennis courts, a soccer field, baseball diamond...but no track.  Sigh.  My plan was foiled to do level one mile repeats!  (I didn't feel like going to a local school at the time) so now I know at least.

As I mentioned in a previous post I've had trouble focusing on things lately.  I'm usually one of those people that once they are doing a task they wouldn't notice if a fire was burning down the building or some other major disaster happened until said task was completed.  So it's unsettling and I just can't seem to fix this...my diet's the same, my caffeine consumption is really low as usual, my sleep is adequate, blargh. 

For some reason this has translated into my runs the past few days.  Frankly, that annoys me beyond belief!  I'm tired of my legs feeling like logs/pace all over the place/random limbs aching/just plain being in a "funk."  I'm also on a weird sleep schedule at the moment which probably isn't helpful either.  I rested today instead of going for a long run so perhaps that will be a remedy?  Maybe I'm fighting off bacteria from penetrating my mucous membranes?  Or maybe I just need to relax (easier said than done.)  We shall see.

Now, for less whiny news: I am now looking at different training programmes and trying to decide which one I think will suit me best.  Secondly, I think I will participate in the 9 on the 9th as there aren't many "actual" races going on this time of year.  I am also trying to choose what marathon I want to do next and also sign up for some halves and smaller races to complement the training programme that I have not yet picked.  Haha, if you're having déjà vu it's because I think I also mentioned these things well over a month ago. 

Uhm...let's see...I had something else to ramble about but at the moment it escapes me so I'll end it here.