I still have some pain in the shins today, so I opted for another running-rest day. I might get some
help from a world class marathoner though (more of that possibly to follow up in the future). In the mean time, I went to the gym for a bike and swim this morning and
while working out I came to a perplexing thought...
Yesterday was my rest day. When I hopped on the bike for a short 10 mile ride, I felt fresh. My legs were able to push through the higher intensity moments with greater ease and I didn't have to battle thoughts of easing off. I think most people would expect that response the day after resting. I then jumped in the pool and immediately felt less in shape than last time. My stroke wasn't as strong, I was fatiguing quicker, and I had to pay more attention to my technique in order to keep it in line. This effect I also know has been constant over 9 years of competitive swimming; after our day off on Sunday, Monday's practice was always the biggest struggle of the week.
Does anyone else notice a disconnect there?
Why when I take a single rest day does my cycling and running feel stronger and smoother while my swimming seems to take a hit? Does this mean that cycling and running require shorter time periods for tapering or is it simply that the "fitness" portion of each is different enough to have that separate an effect? Any thoughts?
As a change up in my schedule today,
I went to a yoga class this evening after work. I've only been to a hand full of classes, but I've always liked it. I'm a fan of getting being and feeling strong in a wide range of motion. They recently switched up the yoga class schedule at my gym, so I decided to give it a try.
We sat down and the instructor seemed to know a number of people in the class, which seems typical for all the classes I've been to myself. His name is
John (or Jon, however he spells it). Since he knows there a few new people in the room
he opens the class by informing us that he is an intense instructor (
I like this guy already!). Tonight he deemed the class a "demo" because it was a new time slot, so we changed around a lot doing a few poses of all the genres instead of focusing on just one, but he says that the classes are normally more intense (what he means is it is not as much focused on stretching and relaxation, but stretching and muscle work). I can't do a balance pose if my life depended on it, but I seem to be generally flexible and good with holding other poses because John came over to me twice asking if I could do something "a bit more advanced." Apparently I'm a "natural" (again, NOT including balancing). I liked the class and I was happy to hear that his Sunday morning class is his more intense since that fits much better with my schedule. So from now until I say differently, Sunday morning is reserved for Yoga!
Tonight's food piece is...
Chalupas! These come as a secondary link to
A Runner's Fuel's
quesadilla post. Remember the craving I had for quesadillas?, and how I forgot the chicken? This time I made the chicken with taco seasoning as well as rice and combined it with fresh green pepper, fresh mushrooms, and muenster cheese on flat bread delivered straight from NYC itself (no joke, my roommate buys "stocks" for us when he goes down to the city). All together, they made some very good chalupas!
There was plenty left over today for lunch and there's even more left for another round tomorrow.
I've become a big fan of having lots of leftovers. With as much as I eat and my self-packed schedule, it's easier to cook a LOT all at one time and have leftovers for those rushed meals throughout the week.
Today's Workout
1. 10 mile bike ride (30 min on Random, level 15)
SWIMMING
1. 500 warm up (free, back, breast)
2. 10 x 50s free on 0:50 - pacing
3. 10 x 50s drill down (catch up), swim back free on 0:55
4. 5 x 1,2,3 with 5s rest and 30s rest between sets - maintain pace of initial 25 (this really pushes you to test how long you can hold a pace and later, how to pick out a distance pace from the start)
5. 500 Cool down (free, back, breast)
TOTAL = 2750 yrds (1.56 miles)
EVENING
1. Yoga (1 hour class)
Questions:
1. How do you feel after a day of rest? More fit, less fit, or no real change?
It seems to be different depending on the sport for me.
2. Have you done yoga before? If so, are you a fan or not? If not, is there any reason you haven't?
I tried yoga for the first time last fall when a fellow student offered a free class and then I've taken free classes through my various gyms. I love yoga, but I'll do it at home before I go pay for a separate class.
3. What is your take on leftovers?
I know some people can't stand having leftovers. Some people (me!) live on them. Where do you fall?
Stay fit. Stay healthy.
