This week, I've felt as though I have not been running as well as the last few weeks, however this may be a subjective thing - I have had some slow runs, and some 'hard' runs, but overall my average times are down (slightly) on previous weeks. Not that I aim to run fast! I'm just such a numbers girl that I can't help making the comparisons; if the numbers are there, I'll look at them: not always a good thing, methinks.
Anyway, these feelings have brought nutrition back to the forefront of my mind - a good thing: being vegetarian, I have to keep that protein intake before and after runs up.
I've also started experimenting with breathing during running. If I'm having a 'hard' run, it's because my muscles are groaning, not because I run out of puff. I did an 11km run yesterday and, just for fun, did something different with my breathing during the ninth kilometre. I breathe in time with my feet (musician - can't help it) and generally by that stage of a run am breathing "two in, two out". After changing to "four in, four out" I noticed my muscles relaxing and stride length increasing. We're not talking heroic improvements here, but anything which helps, right?
Am taking part in a 10km race tomorrow. Well, for me it won't be a "race": speed's not the name of the game; I'm doing it because I haven't taken part in anything like this since I was a kid, and I don't want my first run with a bunch of other people to be my first half marathon in October!
I'm curious to see how running as part of a crowd affects me, as I'm usually a lone loper ... it'll be interesting.
How interesting! My daughter has just done her longest run (9km) and is interested in techniques like this.Her husband finds running more of a chore. He's vego so interested in what you say about that.
ReplyDeleteMe - still plodding about the place.
Glenys
The breathing thing I just tried out and it seemed to work - so will keep mucking around with that! The experts seem to say you 'should' eat protein 1-2 hours before a long run and within 30 minutes afterwards. I generally (i.e. when I'm doing the right thing!) use eggs for this - or sometimes yoghurt, or milk. I'm probably not doing my cholesterol any good eating eggs so regularly, but it's never tested high, I'm not too bothered about it. Plodding is good!!!!! It's all good.
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