On the run...

I have never been a "runner"...in fact, I was always fairly opposed to running because I think that it is too hard on ones body to be good for you. Perhaps that was just an excuse to avoid this hateful exercise. However, when I got roped into my new hobby of Adventure Racing, I quickly realized that I needed to learn how to run. Actually, Ashley (my fellow "Indoor Athlete") basically made me run.

Now, when I say "run", I really mean "jog"...barely above a brisk walk...for about 10 minutes, when I usually lose my mind and drop back down to a brisk walk, then pick up the pace again for another 10 minutes etc. You catch my drift..."running" is sort of like saying "let's go for coffee", when I don't actually drink coffee.

Anyways, I still maintain that running is the most challenging cardio exercise around, because it demands alot of your body. And my struggle with running as a workout centres around food - what you eat before you go for a run (and how much time do you need between eating/running?) is very very key to how well your run will actually go. I mean, I can eat a couple of pieces of pizza and go do the elliptical or to a spinning class 1/2 hour later, no big deal. But before running?!? Forget it...no chance I will be able to run without feeling like I'm going to throw up or pass out!

And its not just food...its the time of day, its how much water you've had prior, its your energy level for the day (hormones!) etc etc. Running, for me, takes sooo much planning. And I still cannot figure out the right formula. Drink lots of water during the day, then stop about an hour before. No big meals at least 2 hours before. Maybe a banana about an hour before (if I'm on good terms with bananas, which is not always the case...).

Last week I had the most amazing run of my short-running career...ran for 4.5 miles without once needing to drop down to a walk (and that took me 55 minutes, which proves that my "run" is not very fast!)...I felt like my legs had a mind of their own, like I could run forever (only stopped because I had to get ready for work!)...for the first time, I was in the runner's "zone" that I had heard friends talk about, and now understand why people run! The magic formula? 5 hour plane ride, during which time I ate lots of junk food (see last post), wakeup at 3:30am in the wrong time zone, toss and turn, eat a granola bar in bed around 5:30am...get out of bed at 6am and head down to the hotel gym...no water...best run of your life. This magic formula is never to be repeated, I'm sure.

Went running again this week, with new-found confidence in my abilities, and could not find "the zone" :( Ate too much before hand? I have no idea...whatever it was, the stars were aligned that one time, and now everytime I run I will attempt to find that feeling again...

Favourite meal of the week:
Toasted English muffin
Fried Egg
Melted Cheese
It's got protein, carbs, dairy...what more do you need?!? well, maybe veggies...a side of broccoli would make this a "meal". This is as close to cooking as I got this week, folks!