Ice, Ice, Baby.

Aid your leg recovery with an ice bath.

After a long run, like my 10-miler today, a nice hot shower sounds good.  But if you want to help your muscles recover faster try an ice bath instead.  Apparently cold therapy, known as  Cryotheraphy, constricts blood vessels which reduces swelling and tissue breakdown.  Truthfully I only do the ice bath occasionally after long runs but I know my legs feel better later in the day on days I do.  Today I cheated and ran a bag of ice up and down my legs.  It definitely was not the same but it seemed better than nothing. All I know is it was cold and my legs feel fine and strong sitting here hours later.   

Book review: “Running & Being: The Total Experience” by Dr. George Sheehan

If you consider yourself a “real runner” you have probably heard of the 1978 classic “Running & Being” by George Sheehan.  For decades it has been considered the book that helped launch the popular running movement.  Unfortunately, I must admit I had never read it.  I’ve heard of it and meant to read it, but never did.  So when it was mentioned in a recent Runner’s World article I decided I had to visit my local library.  I found they had the updated 20th Anniversary version titled “Running & Being: The Total Experience” which includes an updated forward.  If by chance you have not read it, let me warn you.  It isn’t exactly a “How To” book.  Yes, there are tips and suggestions but it is mostly philosophical. Sheehan appears to be an expert on the great philosophers and ancient thinkers and he quotes them often.  If you enjoy the mental benefits of running (don’t we all?) then this book helps validate that feeling and tries to explain that connection.  If for some reason you are just running for the physical health benefits then, frankly, you may find this book a bit boring or too “deep”.  It can make you think if you want but it takes some work. I read it mostly at a surface level without taking lots of time to ponder or debate his point of view and I enjoyed it at that level.  It was interesting to thnk about the community of distance runners and how we are different (which we are). This book makes that point abundantly clear.  It did make me want to keep “Running & Being”.

The Hardest but Best Run of the Season (so far).

Ten miles in the mid-day sun.  That was tough, and great. Normally I’m an early morning runner even on Saturdays but this Saturday morning I was heading to a tailgate (Fire Up Chips!) so I couldn’t get my run in.  Then Sunday morning is church and Bible Class so it was after 11:00AM before I was ready to run.  And by then it was sunny and getting HOT.  I strapped on my water bottle belt (first time of the season) and headed out.  Slow and steady was my plan as I headed up Main Street through Royal Oak and into Clawson.  The water sure came in handy as I hit the five mile mark in my route and headed back home.  While sweating like crazy doing a cool-down walk I was thinking that was the hardest run I’ve done all season but also probably the best.  A great sense of accomplishment.

Watching The World Wake Up

One of the things I enjoy about an early morning run is watching the rest of the world wake up.  It’s especially interesting on Saturdays.  This Saturday I was out the door before 8:00AM for an 8 mile run.  As I ran through downtown Royal Oak it was evident that much of the world sleeps in on Saturdays.  Yes, there were a few people in each of the coffee shops, a handful of cars at Holiday Market on the south end of town and also at Hollywood Market on the north end.  But other than that, not much action.  A few other runners and walkers but very light traffic and closed retail stores.  It felt good to know that I was doing something few other people would do – getting a great workout early on a Saturday.

Familiar Strangers

I’ve been running at approximately the same time in the morning for several years now.  Most mornings I pass many of the same people as they run or walk their dogs.  We acknowledge each other with a head nod, or a hand wave or for some a “Good Morning”.  I’m not sure how people decide who to nod to, who to wave to and who to speak to.  But for some reason it appears that once you put the other person into one of those categories it’s rare that they move to another level.  Meaning the guy in the ball cap that runs toward me most mornings has always been a head nod and never a wave.  The guy quickly walking his two schnowzers gets a “Good Morning” every time.  The walking lady gets a “Good Morning” plus a wave.  There are many others and each has a pre-determined acknowledgement.  You may think it’s a progression, that people move from nod to wave to greeting.  But that does not appear to be the case.  Test this theory as you run and let me know what you find.