Oh wait! Hold on. That's doesn't seem right. Ah, ok. Wrong 50/50. My bad. Ok, onto running...
This is the second part of Friday 50/50, where I will be going over a few more items that I picked out from Dean Kartnazes' book 50/50 (stories, athletic pointers, thoughts, etc). If you missed Friday 50/50 Part I, check it out HERE. If you've caught yourself up, then be my guest and continue on...1. John's Half Marathon
I thought I'd start off Friday with a funny story. Throughout the book, Dean talks about various people he met and talked to during his runs. You have roughly 4 hours, why not chat, right? Well, during the first marathon Dean met a kid named John. John is a twelve years old and his mother drove him over to the race in hopes that he'd be able to meet Dean who has been a huge inspiration. (HINT: You get the idea real quick that Dean L-O-V-E-S inspirational stories) John is running the one-loop half marathon and holds pace quite well with Dean. As most early runners, John looks great early on, but fades. Dean and Topher (remember him from last week's Wedding Stunt story?) urge him on and he gets all the way to 100 feet short of the finish. The boy stops, bends over, and vomits. Dean of course stops and asks if he's ok. John graciously says "I'll walk to the finish. You go ahead." As Dean and Topher continue on leaving poor John to finish his half marathon, Dean can't help but wonders whether he and Topher had just committed some form of child abuse.
I couldn't help but laugh HARD at that.
After the race, Dean got to sign John's book and asked if he had finished the race. John replied "piece of cake!" Dean comments "If you're truly born to run, erupting within sight of the finish line can be a likely to hook you on the sport as winning the race." This reminds me a LOT of my first half marathon, minus Dean and collapsing instead of throwing up.
2. Ice Baths
Throughout the 50 marathons, Dean was unable to make use of ice baths. However, Dean states that he regularly uses and highly recommends ice baths to soak your legs for ten minutes after a marathon or similar type of race. The ice water (just like a cold pack) reduces inflammation and muscle pain. I personally have never done an ice bath, but I have heard that the key is to run the cool water first, get in, and THEN add the ice; otherwise it's quite the shock to your skin.
3. Addictive Tendencies
In the second marathon, Dean met Brad. During their conversation, Dean found out that Brad had only picked up running a year ago after he had quit drinking. Dean gives credit to Lily Tomline for this quote in addressing Brad's situation - "Exercise is for people who can't handle drugs and alcohol." Drugs and alcohol can create addictive tendencies, but so can exercise and if you had to choose one thing to be addicted to, why not make it a healthy choice?
I know a lot of people who quit unhealthy habits/addictions (smoking, drinking, drugs, etc.) do so by picking up a sort of "replacement" habit/addiction. I know smokers very often become gum chewers, drinkers become attached to social groups, and so on. But for drugs, which very often are addictive due to the type of high you get from them, why not exchange it for a natural high, runner's high? I applaud Brad and anyone else with a similar story a million times over. Way to be healthy!!
4. The Sin of Knowing Better
"The desire to keep running until the task is completed or goal achieved is so great that is overrides our better knowledge and our self-protective faculties." I read this the first time and thought 'yeah, that's a good way to describe me.' haha As Dean states, this is something every runner is familiar with. In the first couple marathons, Dean ends up with a blister and keeps from addressing it until too late; a mistake an elite ultramarathoner should never be making, right? But we all do it. I push myself too hard and far too fast. I'm sure you've done something yourself. I know TMB uses a phrase something akin to "Runner first. Logical thinker second." It's a tough thing to compromise, not only with others but with yourself.
Once Dean told one of his crewmates about the blister (days after it had developed), the guy had a quick fix and Dean never felt it again for the rest of the trip. So the moral - "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
Questions
1. Do you have a race story similar to John's? I hit mile 11 of my first half marathon and knew I was going to collapse at the finish line - as soon as I stopped running, I did. Not enough training and bad nutrition choices.
2. Have you ever used an Ice Bath? Thoughts?
3. Have you ever noticed signs of being addicted to something?
I get grouchy on rest days very easily.
4. What is your sin of knowing better?
I run on shin splints all too often.
Did you fall behind this week?
Are there blogs you haven't been able to read yet?
Have no fear! Have no fear!
My Week in Review will soon be here.
Look for it tomorrow.
Stay fit. Stay healthy.
Disclaimer: In the case that this is at all necessary, I have received nothing in exchange for posting these reviews on Dean Karnazes and Matt Fitzgeral’s book 50/50 and am not in search of any compensation. All the views portrayed herein are posted of my own desire, are strictly mine and have no connection to the authors, publisher, or related individuals/organizations discussed. However, if Dean would like to come by to run with me, I would graciously accept. Just sayin’!
5 comments:
Yes. I fell sorely behind this past week and I look forward to your review. Awesomeness.
i used to take ice baths ALL THE TIME when I ran x-country and track. We had a huge trough like tub, about 4 feet deep with a bench to sit on and foot bench to rest our legs. Coach would fill it to the brim, the water would hit you right at your waist which sucked because the rest would be filled with ICE. We would sit in there for about 10 min and literally have to be pulled out and held upright until we thawed out. I know it helps a lot. I have done it a few times in my adult life but buying ice bags and dragging them inside after a long run or marathon is annoying. if i lived in the mountains of Colorado I would simply sit in the river full of melting snow water...simple.
i used to be a smoker. I know. Sick and gross and terrible. I know I have an addictive personality and you are so right, most addicts kick one habit just to replace it with another. And we (runners and race competitors) should be careful about our addiction because we can do too much.
as usual, great post!!
I still say a cold river is a straight flush to the three of a kind that is an ice bath - but maybe I'm just spoiled!
1. I thought I was going to die after finishing my first 10K race. It was hot and I thought I was going to puke. The guy next to me did. I remember telling my boyfriend at the time that I never wanted to do another race again. I'm glad I decided to keep running. :)
2. I hate ice baths because they are so unbearably cold, but nothing else helps your legs recover quickly. I usually fill a bathtub partway with cold water, then add a couple trays of ice cubes.
3. I'm definitely addicted to running. I get antsy if I have to take time off due to injury, and often try to run through the pain. Perhaps that's why I get injured so frequently.
4. See #3.
1. I may or may not have puked after my first race ever (sprinting uphill at the end in crazy heat) :-/
2. I have always said that an ice bath would be my hell on Earth. I HATE being cold!!! But I may try it after a particularly tough race to see how it goes.
3. I am definitely addicted to running! I get headaches if I have to take two rest days back to back due to an injury, and I get very antsy and frustrated when I can't run. Something I should work on...
4. Sin of knowing better? Totally giving in to my above mentioned frustrations and running anyway. "Rest days are for the birds" said the soon to be injured girl.
Great post! I love the disclaimer at the end. :)
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