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Posts tagged ‘healthy lifestyle’

Apr 14

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My Runner’s Body

“Your body is the only thing you are born with and that you die with. Be kind to it.”

Over the years, my runner’s body has been through a lot of ups and downs. Currently, it’s on the upswing after a long and depressing low. Yesterday I came up with a vision of how I want my runner’s body to be and I’d like to share it with you…

Right now, I’d say my runner’s body is comparable to a five year old car that has been in a few crashes. It still works and gets me from point A to point B, but there is some lingering damage. A few bad parts aren’t too problematic in the short term. But over time, those bad parts lead to a breakdown. I think it’s time to upgrade 🙂 …

I’ve decided I’m working towards having a runner’s body more like a Porsche 911. I want to be a fine tuned running machine, where everything works effortlessly and smoothly. I will treat my runner’s body as I would treat this car… with kindness and care.  I would not drive a Porsche with a flat tire. Therefore, I will not run with an injured hip. I would not put cheap fuel in a Porsche. Therefore I will not feed my body junk. I would not drive 100mph all the time (or maybe ever), which means I will not run fast all the time. Just as I would do preventive maintenance on my car, I will do preventive maintenance on my legs. I want my runner’s body to be as awesome as this car.

Mario use to have a Porsche and whenever I drove it (which wasn’t very often), I remember the feeling of that car being so completely different than my trusty Yaris. It just felt effortless and perfect. And that is how I want my running to be.

Happy Trails & Happy Running,

Tracie

One day I will be like this car :)

One day I will be like this car 🙂

 

Apr 9

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Ankle Flexibility

In keeping with the foot theme from yesterday, I have another question… how flexible are your ankles?

Back when I ran myself to the injured list for 5 1/2 weeks, I went to a sports massage therapist who told me my ankles were very inflexible. I took this quite offensively because I’ve always been proud of my flexibility. But truth be told, I think he was right :).

Ankle flexibility is important, especially for runners. And tight ankles can lead to quite a few aches and pains, including calf injuries. Yup, I’ve had that injury…

Paula Quinene, Livestrong:

Tight joints, including your ankles, make it difficult to maintain correct form while you run. Ankles with a limited range of motion also predispose you to tight calf muscles as they are the major muscles acting on your ankles. This condition can hurt your running performance by causing further injury, rendering you out of commission from your training. Stretches for the muscles acting on your ankles stretch your ankles.

But no need to worry. While you’re working on spreading those toes, you can also improve your ankle flexibility. You can read about wall-and-toes, runner’s calf stretch, tibialis stretch, and lateral stretch here. Or if you’re more interested in a few yoga poses to help your ankles, check out this article. This article also has a few basic ankle stretches.

I love how a sport that can seem so simple, can be so much more complex. When I first started running many years ago, I never though my toes, ankles, back muscles, or hips would play such an important role. I’m glad I’m finally starting to figure it all out (or at least some of it).

Happy Trails and Happy Running,

Tracie

Running Update: Yea, I said I wasn’t going to run today but I did anyway. The thought of being inside on such a beautiful day did not seem appealing. I was feeling fine so I went for an easy 5 1/2 miles. It was around 85 degrees here in NC and I must say, running in the heat isn’t as much fun as running in the cold. Garmin stats are here and I love that I’m making new friends on Garmin Connect! Tomorrow is a functional fitness and strength training day.

Mar 3

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The Handstand

Friday night I saw this video…

 

I immediately insisted that Mario and I start practicing our handstands and back handsprings, despite the fact it was 11:00 pm. It looked like fun and I wanted to do it too.

I'm working on it...

I’m working on it…

Handstands are a common yoga pose. I’ve never been in a yoga class where I actually had to do one (thank goodness), but I’ve always heard there are quite a few benefits. According to this article, here is why we should be doing a few more handstands in our lives:

  • Improved strength
  • Improved balance
  • Improved flexibility
  • Improved circulation
  • Improved digestion
  • Improved metabolic and endocrine system

I started my Sunday morning with a few handstands today. Thankfully, I have a nice wall to keep me from falling over, because I know I could’t do it any other way. Interestingly enough, when I had Mario snap a pic, I was so crooked! I imagine that’s exactly how my body is when I run, except this time I was upside down. I was able to correct it, but it was still enlightening.

Maybe I’ll start all my mornings with a handstand. What better way to wake up?

 

Sunday morning at the Rodriguez household.

Sunday morning at the Rodriguez household.

Happy Trails and Happy Running,

Tracie

Recovery Update: I’m continuing to walk better and with less pain. My goal is to get in two active recovery runs this week, but if I can not, then I will bike. It’s hard to imagine two weeks ago this time I literally could not walk. Time flies!

Jan 8

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Racing Weight

What if I lost a few pounds? How much faster could I run?

I never think of myself as needing to lose a few pounds. Generally speaking, I’m a pretty small person. At work if I don’t wear heels, I am easily mistaken for a student. (Maybe I’ll appreciate this when I’m 40.) But I am curious… what if I could give up my chocolate habit and sweet potato fries just until the marathon in March? How  much faster could I potentially run? According to one of my running books by Bob Glover, my ideal racing weight is 108 lbs. That is 3 lbs less than what I weigh now and for someone who is 5’2, that’s kind of a lot. Read more

Dec 2

Effort

On Wednesday a friend asked me, Will you ever be satisfied with your running times or will you always think you can do better?”  Well that’s a tough question to answer. First, I know I can have a faster half and full marathon time. I’ve just never been able to get to the start line healthy. And second, there will always be the what ifs of the world. What if I had trained a little harder, eaten a little better, or slept a little more? What if I had just tried harder? Read more