Wednesday & Thursday

So, yesterday, Wednesday was a cross training day. I didn't end up going to karate so I just worked out at home. I have one of those exercise balls and a pair of weights so I did about 40 minutes with those. Then I watched too much tv. (Random aside: I just discovered Design Star - its rather entertaining though not something I'd watch every episode of).

This morning was the track run. When the alarm went off at 5am, I really didn't want to get up. But somehow I did. Since we haven't had a chance to go grocery shopping this week, I didn't have anything to eat in the house before the run. So instead, I decided to try one of the Hammer Gels. What is a Gel you might ask? (At least, that's what I was asking when people kept talking about them at the Marathon University!) A gel is concentrated carbs, amino-acids, and such that is easily digested so that endurance athletes can sustain their activity. I am not sure I would go so far as to call myself an endurance athlete, but we are supposed to find what we want to use during our race and test it all out. I have decided to try the Hammer brand because they don't use high fructose cord syrups, sugars, etc. They are all-natural, organic type things. They have a whole line - gels, bars, and electrolyte powders. Apparently, you are supposed to drink the electrolyte during the race, and do a gel about halfway through with water (never mixing the gel & electrolyte stuff - not sure why but everyone says not too. Kind of like not crossing the streams). So far, I like the Hammer bars - they are like Larabars - date paste, almonds, fruits, etc. The gel was kind of ... well gel-like. Which was ok for the first mouthful but there were about 3 mouthfuls. Yuck. I guess one method is to squeeze the gel into a small container and add water so that it becomes more liquid. I think I will have to try that because the consistency just didn't work for me.

Anyway, back to the training this morning. For the past two weeks, we've been doing circuit drills - run one lap, then do core strengthening exercises. This morning we did hills. Which meant we ran up and down streets near the track - the Fall team (my team) did 3 laps which was approximately 1.5 miles of up and down. For my own notes this is how we are supposed to do hills - going up you watch the ground (don't look up the hill!) and you run with the balls of your feet; going down let the heels take the brunt so it is the big muscles along the backs of your legs that are working the hardest.

Running on the balls of you feet up a half mile steep hill is hard. And your calves burn. A lot. But I felt good after it and I did all three laps without stopping. Which I am pretty proud of. Coach Al was timing us - it took me 16 minutes, 3 seconds to do the 1.5 miles of hills. That is slower than a 10.5 minute mile but the course won't be all hills either.

Looking forward to resting tomorrow. My left knee isn't hurting much anymore (taping is working very well) but now my left foot hurts along the arch. I think its a conspiracy. A leftist conspiracy even! (Which is totally something my mom would have said/written).