In the wonderful words of Sesame Street, that somehow after all these years, still pops into my head when the weather gets super warm is: "Hace Calor, Si Si Senor, Could fry an egg on the cement it's so caliente! Hace Calor, Si Si Senor, How about this weather it sure is Hot?!" This song was playing over and over in my head while I was running this weekend! While I have been training for the Chicago Marathon, I have not been running nearly as much for training as I have formy last two marathons. I'm taking a new approach, in hopes of staying injury free... we shall see how it goes! Next weekend I have a 10 mile race with my Dad, so I wanted to get in a 10/11 mile run this weekend. Sometimes it is much harder than it looks to actually be able to get out there and run, especially since my parents are in Rhode Island and so I have been watching 5 of my younger siblings. The plan was to get out running at 6am, before my siblings were awake... well surprise, surprise, that didn't happen! Before I knew it, the earliest I could get out was 12:30 in the afternoon! Looking at the rest of the day and what needed to be done, I realized that while it isn't smart to start a 10 mile run at that time of day with a temperature of 95 degrees outside with a heat index of 105, I knew that it was only going to get worse out! So I tied up my laces, put on some sunscreen and started my trek! The run went well for the first mile, I felt like I was running really slowly and when I checked it was an 8:30 pace for my first mile, I immediately paniced and knew that it was too fast for the temperature... sure enough, another mile in and I was dieing! Not only was I melting in the heat, but I didn't bring a water bottle and for some unknown reason decided to try a new route... one without any water fountains! Stupid choice, I know! After another mile or so, my run turned into a run/walk... By the time I got home, I felt so dehydrated and physically drained! I was shocked that being out for only an hour could make me feel so utterly worn out!
So my tips are:
1. DO NOT run when it is that temperature outside without constantly hydrating yourself!
2. If possible be sure to NOT run during the heat of the day!
3. It is important to wear sun screen, but apply the lotion and then wait 30mins before going out to run! I didn't wait and after running for a while, I realized my sweat mixing with the lotion was making my skin look lotion white... not very attractive!
Rocking Out to : Taylor Swift - Our Song
Blog
Monday, July 19, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Wipeout!
In AutoCAD there is a command called Wipeout, where it essentiall wipes out an entire area, like it never existed. It is a pretty neat command because you can easily see what a space would look like without that wall or without that column... not that as an Interior Designer, I would ever get rid of a column, but you know what I'm saying! So this command essential wipes out the work done in that area. I've only used it a few times and I only use it because the plans at work go between A&E and Store Planning, so I can't delete whatever I want to the actual building plan without A&E doing it and sending me a new building plan.
In many ways this command is similar to an accident or a wipeout in everyday life. A few weeks ago, my Dad and I went for a long bike ride and then we were gonna go home and go for a run. He seems to have jumped on the triathlon bandwagon, even if he hasn't signed up for one yet. But that morning at 4am or so a storm rolled through and so it was wet out. While it was done raining and the sky was clear by our 5:30am ride it was still slick. My Dad has been trying to figure out a path from our house to a biking path in Aurora and then to bike up to my grandparents cottage in Wisconsin, approximately 80 miles! So instead of going our usual route we did some back roads, etc. But he had had a stressful week and was exhausted and just didn't have the gas to really book it like we are used to, so after 6 miles or so he was ready to head back home. I had planned on doing over 20 miles and then going running so I wasn't ready to go back with him. Mistake #1... We got to the usual bike path, he went one way and I went the other, but I made sure to tell him that I didn't have my cell phone, yep that was Mistake #2... I'm sure you see where I am going with this... After doing another 6 miles or so, I was ready to head back home, would have put me at exactly 20 miles, with time for a run. So since my Dad wasn't with me I could go my more normal pace abt 20mph. (Disclaimer: Not that he normally slows me down, but he was really exhausted that morning, so our speed was abt 15mph). I was on my way back home and I came around a few curves that I could feel myself slipping a little... You'd think I would have realized that the curves are slick and to slow down...but I didn't! WIPEOUT! One second I was riding my bike and the next second I am sliding on my right side down the pavement! THANK GOD, no one was coming the other direction around the curve...would have ended really bad! So I got up, my legs shaking like crazy, I rammed my elbow into the ground, so naturally its bleeding, my ankle is cut and I can tell that my hip and upper thigh is gonna look pretty bad when I take off my biking shorts (and yes I own a pair of the padded bike shorts, what of it?!). My biggest concern despite the blood trickling down my arm was my new bike! The chain was off, I slid on the right side with the derailer and the tape on my handle bars were all ripped and my gear shifter was no longer sitting straight on my handle bars but curved in at an odd angle... Immediately I begin to think, CRAP what am I gonna do!? So since I had no choice, I fixed the chain and hoped back on it to ride the last 5 miles home... SLOWEST ride of my life! I got home and cleaned myself up, bandaids all over and huge bruises, probably a sprained elbow but I was too stubborn to go get x-rays, much to my parents dismay! I took my bike in for a check-up and they straighten it out and put some new handle bar tape on and it looks good as new...sorta... But I've realized... I respect my bike... before, when first bought it, I was terrified of my bike, I felt like I was going so fast and since its a road bike compared to my Mountain bike, I didn't feel as stable. Now I realize I am terrified of my bike all over again! Sure it hasn't stopped me from going on those weekend rides with my Dad but I certainly am more cautious! Its like my AutoCAD wipeout, I feel like I'm starting from scratch all over again. Atleast now I know where I came from, I guess Im not as afraid as I was before, but I now respect the power of the bike! No slick roads for me again, if I can help it! But I'm so glad that I've gotten back on my bike and not let the injury and fears keep me from riding! It's funny, numerous people asked me what happened and I said I had a bike accident... yeah, everyone thought I was talking about a motorcycle... Nope sorry guys, just my bicycle! LOL!
Moral of the Story: A wipeout, be it in AutoCAD or life, brings you back to square one. It's all a matter of what you do after the wipeout! We can't let fear rule our lives, so we start over, scrape ourselves off the pavement and keep on trucking!
Rocking out to: Hold On by KT Tunstall
In many ways this command is similar to an accident or a wipeout in everyday life. A few weeks ago, my Dad and I went for a long bike ride and then we were gonna go home and go for a run. He seems to have jumped on the triathlon bandwagon, even if he hasn't signed up for one yet. But that morning at 4am or so a storm rolled through and so it was wet out. While it was done raining and the sky was clear by our 5:30am ride it was still slick. My Dad has been trying to figure out a path from our house to a biking path in Aurora and then to bike up to my grandparents cottage in Wisconsin, approximately 80 miles! So instead of going our usual route we did some back roads, etc. But he had had a stressful week and was exhausted and just didn't have the gas to really book it like we are used to, so after 6 miles or so he was ready to head back home. I had planned on doing over 20 miles and then going running so I wasn't ready to go back with him. Mistake #1... We got to the usual bike path, he went one way and I went the other, but I made sure to tell him that I didn't have my cell phone, yep that was Mistake #2... I'm sure you see where I am going with this... After doing another 6 miles or so, I was ready to head back home, would have put me at exactly 20 miles, with time for a run. So since my Dad wasn't with me I could go my more normal pace abt 20mph. (Disclaimer: Not that he normally slows me down, but he was really exhausted that morning, so our speed was abt 15mph). I was on my way back home and I came around a few curves that I could feel myself slipping a little... You'd think I would have realized that the curves are slick and to slow down...but I didn't! WIPEOUT! One second I was riding my bike and the next second I am sliding on my right side down the pavement! THANK GOD, no one was coming the other direction around the curve...would have ended really bad! So I got up, my legs shaking like crazy, I rammed my elbow into the ground, so naturally its bleeding, my ankle is cut and I can tell that my hip and upper thigh is gonna look pretty bad when I take off my biking shorts (and yes I own a pair of the padded bike shorts, what of it?!). My biggest concern despite the blood trickling down my arm was my new bike! The chain was off, I slid on the right side with the derailer and the tape on my handle bars were all ripped and my gear shifter was no longer sitting straight on my handle bars but curved in at an odd angle... Immediately I begin to think, CRAP what am I gonna do!? So since I had no choice, I fixed the chain and hoped back on it to ride the last 5 miles home... SLOWEST ride of my life! I got home and cleaned myself up, bandaids all over and huge bruises, probably a sprained elbow but I was too stubborn to go get x-rays, much to my parents dismay! I took my bike in for a check-up and they straighten it out and put some new handle bar tape on and it looks good as new...sorta... But I've realized... I respect my bike... before, when first bought it, I was terrified of my bike, I felt like I was going so fast and since its a road bike compared to my Mountain bike, I didn't feel as stable. Now I realize I am terrified of my bike all over again! Sure it hasn't stopped me from going on those weekend rides with my Dad but I certainly am more cautious! Its like my AutoCAD wipeout, I feel like I'm starting from scratch all over again. Atleast now I know where I came from, I guess Im not as afraid as I was before, but I now respect the power of the bike! No slick roads for me again, if I can help it! But I'm so glad that I've gotten back on my bike and not let the injury and fears keep me from riding! It's funny, numerous people asked me what happened and I said I had a bike accident... yeah, everyone thought I was talking about a motorcycle... Nope sorry guys, just my bicycle! LOL!
Moral of the Story: A wipeout, be it in AutoCAD or life, brings you back to square one. It's all a matter of what you do after the wipeout! We can't let fear rule our lives, so we start over, scrape ourselves off the pavement and keep on trucking!
Rocking out to: Hold On by KT Tunstall
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Race Day Anxiety
For any runner or triathlete there is a certain amount of anxiety, nervousness, stress and excitement that comes with Race Day! Some people have it more tame than others, but I find it truly amazing how it can affect your race results. You know the feeling, butterflies in your stomach, queasy with moments of shear excitement. We even all know the negative side affects of this nervousness, we can loose sleep resulting in a lack of energy or we can even make ourselves sick. None of which is good for race day and meeting our goals! So what can we do?
Now I've certainly not mastered these tips but have found that they help!
1. DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT go into race day blind! Now what does that mean? It means do a practice race day, down to the time you wake up in the morning, to what you are going to eat, to the exact time you are going to start to run. When you train occasionally like this, race day doesn't feel as daunting!
2. Make sure you get lots of sleep the week before your race. For some people no matter what you do, the excitement and nervousness make it impossible to get a "Perfect" night's sleep, so as long as you are "storing" up sleep and getting a few extra hours the week before and the week of the race you should be fine!
3. If you are prone to getting a queasy stomach because of nerves, eat items that are easier on the stomach to digest, this way your stomach won't feel so helter-skelter!
4. Most importantly: REMEMBER IT IS ABOUT HAVING FUN! For us "amateur" athletes, we aren't training for the Olympics, we aren't training for nationals or some other big sporting event where it can make or break our career. Ultimately it is about us having fun and meeting a personal goal that we have set for ourselves! There is nothing easy about running a marathon and maybe even while you are running you are questioning your sanity, but all in all it is about you finishing and being proud of yourself for what you have achieved!
Today's Lesson: Nerves are OK, just make sure that they don't negatively impact your race day results! There are so many outside factors that we can't control, so let's control what we can!
Rocking Out to: Senor by Dierks Bentley
Now I've certainly not mastered these tips but have found that they help!
1. DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT go into race day blind! Now what does that mean? It means do a practice race day, down to the time you wake up in the morning, to what you are going to eat, to the exact time you are going to start to run. When you train occasionally like this, race day doesn't feel as daunting!
2. Make sure you get lots of sleep the week before your race. For some people no matter what you do, the excitement and nervousness make it impossible to get a "Perfect" night's sleep, so as long as you are "storing" up sleep and getting a few extra hours the week before and the week of the race you should be fine!
3. If you are prone to getting a queasy stomach because of nerves, eat items that are easier on the stomach to digest, this way your stomach won't feel so helter-skelter!
4. Most importantly: REMEMBER IT IS ABOUT HAVING FUN! For us "amateur" athletes, we aren't training for the Olympics, we aren't training for nationals or some other big sporting event where it can make or break our career. Ultimately it is about us having fun and meeting a personal goal that we have set for ourselves! There is nothing easy about running a marathon and maybe even while you are running you are questioning your sanity, but all in all it is about you finishing and being proud of yourself for what you have achieved!
Today's Lesson: Nerves are OK, just make sure that they don't negatively impact your race day results! There are so many outside factors that we can't control, so let's control what we can!
Rocking Out to: Senor by Dierks Bentley
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