The Warm Up

It takes me about 20 minutes of running before my
stride, breathing and heartbeat are all in synch.
My typical pre-run perfunctory rituals include:
(On regular days – not race days.)

• Lateral shuffle – both sides 40 feet.
• Walking lunges while lifting arms over head.
• Walk for about 5 minutes. (I use to walk for 10 but who has time for that?)
• Run slow for about a mile.

After reading a few articles online about warm-up; I wonder if I’m doing enough?

ZappoMan use a Dynamic warm-up routine which includes:
Heel walking, toe walking (ouch), hurtle stepping, skipping, lunges, strides, and grapevines.(Practice this one at home before you head out on the street.)

Then there’s this British fellow – Mike on YouTube . He walks - runs around first and then stops to work on his shoulders, does some twists, and pelvis circles (I kid you not); Finishing off with squats and kicks.

I really do need to revamp my pre-run routine.

What do you guys do before a regular run?

PS. This book looks excellent!
Runner's World The Runner's Body: How the Latest Exercise Science Can Help You Run Stronger, Longer, and Faster

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Runscapes #10

Lost – The Zen of Running

Somewhere along the road I’ve lost my Zen of running. It was my sanctuary. A motion, a place, a time all my own. Now it feels like a chore. And I mean chore! I’m breathing heavy, my heart rate is up – I just want to stop running and walk!
This greatly saddens me as running was something simple – that I enjoyed.
It’s right up there in my top 3 things life has to offer.

Why the change?

Something wrong with the mechanics? I’ve been waking up with uneasiness that something is physically wrong with me. (The hypochondriac syndrome.). I do have an appt for a full physical soon.
Another life passage? As Gail Sheehy in Passages so honestly said;

” All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another!"

Classic case of burnout? Many days I had to force myself to do the long runs while training for the Half…

Whatever is going on; let’s pray I get over it fast. I miss my relationship with running.

I see John “the penguin” Bingham is working on a plan to get out of a slump – I hope it works for him. Finding the Rhythm

Some mindful suggestions I’ve been considering: [Thanks Donna Cardillo]

• Set intention.
• Ground yourself.
• Create good karma.
• Affirm your path.
• Aspire to new heights.
• Be mindful in everything you do.
• Tap into your life force.

Do you have any ideas? I would appreciate your feedback.
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Running and Memory

I enjoy reading race reports. I’m always impressed by the detail some runners note, including mile by mile verbiage – incredible.
I, for some reason, have to force myself to remember details. (I haven’t been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s yet!) I do have vivid memories of the start and finish line and any fun encounters.
There are a number of factors that can influence our memory of an event:

Factors that Affect Recall (From Wiki on Recollection)

Attention
“…divided attention slows down the process, yet has little to no effect on its accuracy.”
And I thought running with the iPod blasting was replacing my memoires with a confusion of beats.

Motivation
“Any form of motivation…generally leads a person to better recall.”
Some parts of the race I DON’T WANT TO REMEMBER!

Interference
“They (memories) are not moved into long-term memory and are thus lost.”
When did I eat my last pineapple Clif Kid Twisted Fruit Stix?

Context
"In other words, you can recall more when the environments are similar. Deep-sea divers recalled their training more effectively when trained underwater, rather than being trained on land...”
So maybe I should be taking notes along the way. Or better yet, run the course again for a cool down.

State-Dependent Memory
“Stimulants, such as cocaine, amphetamines or caffeine are known to improve recall in humans.”
I’m sure the Runners’ High qualifies as a factor. It makes you feel invincible and erases stuff like that grating pain in your right knee. (Interestingly enough, I discovered one of the side effects of Ambien (my favorite nightcap) is – Anterograde amnesia.)

Gender
“Consistently, females perform better than males on episodic memory tasks…females in general are more likely than males to recall their mistake.”
Most of the lengthy race reports I’ve read are written by female bloggers!

Here’s a few great reports: (M&F)
Happy Runner – The Race for the Cure 5K race report
Steve in a Speedo? - Half Marathon; no, Quarter Marathon; no, 10K; no 10.25K Race Report!
Meg Runs - Ultra Race Report!
Middle-of the-Pack Girl - BAA 5K Race Report

Other related links:
How to Remember Things
Brain Training For Runners:
Marathons are Good and Bad for Memory
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Running in the Footsteps of Legends

The sign at the entrance of Hayward Field was definitely a welcome beacon. After running for 13 miles the warmth and softness of the track felt like I had entered Shangri-La. But the honor - to run in the footsteps of champions was more overwhelming. I waved at myself up on the huge Jumbotron and for a split second understood what it meant to be an Olympic runner... even if I was a handful of seconds over of my 2 hour goal : (

Race Report

Goodie Bag:

• Included a copy of Competitor Magazine, couple of Lara Bars (my favorite) and a card for a FREE Jamba Juice!

Port-O-Potty Chatter:

• “Pee faster – Go Go GO”

Favorite Shirt Quotes:

• B-fine
• Get off the Road
• AAARRRGH!
• The MOTHER of All Relays
• And the most poignant “Blind Runner”

Posters Along the Way:

• Lace Repair
• You can Do It (sexually)
• Republicans to the Right
• 10 lines of - I Love running

What a kewl Medal!

I would like to thank everyone who sent me a tweet or commented here. Your support really means a lot to me!
PS.
Congratulations to the winners of the Eugene Half Marathon.
Female: Sopagna Eap 1:17:38 29yrs
Male: Kirby Davis 1:06:50 25yrs
Average Time for Half Marathon Runners 2:25:31
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