During an hour-long run Wednesday, I chose not to bring water with me, a choice I rarely make. Also I assumed that the water fountain at the end of the Lakeshore Trail was working (big mistake). In addition, I had taken an herbal decongestant earlier in the day. Between all of that and improperly hydrating with more coffee and tea than H2O, I find myself not only thirsty but madly craving water. My mouth and throat were painfully dry & salivating seemed impossible.
The discomfort began immediately but I falsely and insanely thought it would go away soon. It didn’t. So I began telling myself that the turnaround at Columbiana Rd wasn’t that far and a water fountain awaited me (didn’t know it wasn’t working). Still, as I ran and the parchment further occupied my attention, I intensely scanned every person that I encountered to see if they had a bottle on them. The cyclists whizzed past and made me long for my bike and the water bottle cage which held the magical elixir. The few people with bottles had on headphones which signaled separation and disconnection from the world around them to me, so I kept running. At times, I just focused on the ground in front of me or how I would “never ever!” run without water again. Almost finished, I spotted what looked like a park across the creek and made a mad dash for it when the road detoured towards it. I found a bathroom and took several handfuls of water with great relief then took off for the last 15 minutes.
I am forever scared with that desperate feeling and will seek to avoid it, BUT I also learned that I can move through it, not forever, but within a certain time frame. I can push and succeed but that must always be tempered with rest and recovery. In a recent article in Triathlete Magazine, Shaw provides a remedy or adjustment to the LONG SUNDAY RUN. I know many who choose to run Saturday morning because they are just runners and many triathletes join them so they aren’t slogging out the miles alone, but this change to the LONG RUN can work for all. The successful coaches that were interviewed spoke of “9 days hard, 5 days recovery,” which is foreign to many Type A, push harder sorta folks. But proper rest and timely pushing can lead to greater success and more stable health, than pushing it all the time except when your body forces you to collapse…never good.
How do you train? what model do you follow when it comes to exercising your body? whether you “race” or not, what does your workout week look like? when do you change it up (if you do) & why? How’s that working for you? I’m eager to hear your responses. I know I could use some recovery. How about you?
...Awakened Living... 