Runner's High

So there's this thing called the runner's high, which is described as:

"Another widely publicized effect of endorphin production is the so-called "runner's high", which is said to occur when strenuous exercise takes a person over a threshold that activates endorphin production. Endorphins are released during long, continuous workouts, when the level of intensity is between moderate and high, and breathing is difficult. This also corresponds with the time that muscles use up their stored glycogen and begin functioning with only oxygen...In recent years, the connection between the "Runner's High" phenomenon and endorphins has been severed completely. A study in 2004 by Georgia Tech found that Runner's High was likely triggered by a release of another naturally produced body chemical, the endocannabinoid anandamide. Anandamide is similar to the active chemical THC in Marijuana. The body produces this chemical to deal with prolonged stress and pain from strenuous exercise, similar to the original theory attached to endorphins."
(Thanks Wikipedia!)

Anyway, I think this weekend may have been my first runner's high! Now, let me clarify, I don't, by any stretch of the imagination, mean to imply that I was euphoric about what I was doing. I can admit, however, that somewhere between miles 8 and 10 I started feeling like I wasn't going to die, but could actually make it to the end without fear of losing my legs. This, to me, was an incredibly proud moment. I was running, and not hating life, and felt that I was setting a good example for my runmates who were struggling with the distance. I ran 14 miles and for about half of it, I felt really good about my running. Of course, it should only follow that my first running injury develop this weekend as well. After coming home to a drawn bath and two bags of ice waiting patiently for me to pour onto my muscles (ps: I have the best boyfriend on the face of the earth), I iced and showerd and then passed out for a 2 hour nap. This course of events led me to learn that passing out after a long run is just about the worst idea ever. I fell asleep without drinking a boatload of water, and without stretching after driving the 45 minutes back from the run site in Golden Gate Park. As a result, I was SO stiff when I woke up and felt SO nauseated from dehydration. I was miserable. And, to top it all off, when I took Bradley for a walk midday I noticed a VERY sharp pain in the outer sole of my right foot. Still the pain exists. It's not a constant pain, but it is a sharp piercing pain when I put weight on that part of my foot (this condition is still plaguing me). I spent the rest of the day (from 1pm onward) in bed drinking water and unable to move. Saturday was more of the same, although my nausea had subsided. So I stayed in bed most of the day nursing the aches with wine and tivo.

Now I'm at work, foot wrapped in an ace bandage, and ready to go home and lay down some more. The worst part about running all those miles? It just takes SO much out of you!

But, all things aside, I'm really proud of myself for doing this and for running more than I ever thought possible.

To Hill With It

So, as I continue on this path of step-training, our coach saw it fit to really kick our butts this weekend. You see, at miles 14 and 26 we (the East Bay training group) go to San Francisco in order to train with our counterparts there. This coming weekend is our 14 miler in San Francisco, and as such Coach Eve (our coach) told us we needed to prepare for their conditions. What does this mean you might ask? Hills. Apparently the course in Golden Gate Park is full of hills sporadically strewn through the high mileages we have to endure. As if running 14 miles wasn't bad enough, now we have to run 14 miles with HILLS. So, as preparation, during out 6 mile recovery run this weekend we ran one hill 4 times. There is a hill near Golden Gate Fields (the horse racetrack) and we proceeded to run up and down each side of the hill 4 times. That plus the 1.5 miles it took to run there and back amounted to our 6 miles for the day. One word can classify what I think about running hills - HELL.

So, this weekend is 14 miles. I've started running twice a week on my lunch breaks at work. I figure now that we're really getting up there in mileage I need to pull my own weight and make sure I am doing the maintenance runs to their full capacity. It's nice running on my lunch break because 1) I hate having an hour to sit around and do nothing, 2) it's always cool down by my office because it's near the SF bay so I don't sweat as much when I'm running, 3) there's a locker room in my office!, and 4) It provides me with opportunities to explain to people why I'm running.

OK, work time. Wish me luck for 14!

The Step-Master

This past weekend was my most difficult, and by that I mean physically trying, run yet. 12 miles brought me close to my braking point, but I made it through with the support of my teammates. This past Sunday also marked the first time that I have ever taken an ice bath...

My mom and little brother were in the San Jose area for the waterpolo Junior Olympics, where my brother's team was competing. I spent Saturday there with them, ran Sunday morning, and intended to go back and spend the rest of Sunday with my family. Well, after running 12 miles I didn't feel like I'd be able to make it up the stairs to my front door! When I finally got home I ran a very cold bath and asked Adam to run to the corner store and pick up a bag of ice. Yup, that's right, I took and ICE BATH. Can you ever imagine an instance when an ICE BATH would feel good? No? Well, start training for a marathon and you'll see the appeal. So, I sat in the tub of cold water and ice for a few minutes, and my muscles began to ease. After 5 minutes I got up to take a regular shower and readjust my body temperature to normal. I was relatively mobile and normal the remainder of the day! It was amazing.

Now ice baths will be a regular occurrence after my longer runs. But, it'll be at least 2 weeks before another long run. After running 12 miles the pace of our training changes. We go from gradually increasing our mileage every week to a sort of step-system. For instance, this past week I ran 12 miles, next week I will run 6, the week after 14, and the week after that 7. This step-system is meant to help us build our endurance (on the longer runs) and our strength (on the shorter runs). I think it'll be a bit of a mental shock to have such drastic jumps in mileage from week to week, but oh well. I'm not going to start second guessing the system.

So, 6 miles this week, 14 miles next week.