It’s the last Friday of the month — when Runfessions meets Friday Five 2.0. I’m runfessing that cycling doesn’t suck. What are you runfessing?
It’s the best day of the month! The day when Runfessions and the Friday Five 2.0 coincide. The one day when we get to lay it all out there and runfess our little hearts out. But first let me ask, is it okay to runfess if I haven’t even been running in six weeks? I’m not sure but I’m gonna anyway. I runfess…
Cycling Doesn’t Suck and Other January Runfessions
1. Cycling doesn’t really suck.
I’m sure all you cyclists already know this, and I alluded to it last week, but it turns out cycling doesn’t really suck at all. I’m actually getting pretty good at the whole cycling thing. I still don’t have a road bike or a smooth tire for the back (or aerobars for that matter) but now that I’ve been using my heart rate monitor to track my heart rate I feel like I’ve been getting better results with my workouts. I feel tired and accomplished but not destroyed like I used to after a run. There may be something to this no-impact mode of exercise after all… If you are interested in cycling then there are a few things that you need to get with yourself. You can take a look at ourbeautifulplanet.org for an idea of the things that you need to get. I know it can be dangerous out there on the roads for cyclists, we are on a bike and others are in cars, the chance of me being hurt in a collision is a lot higher! That’s why taking all the necessary precautions is important to me. I do know though, that no matter how safe I am, if someone else makes a slip up I could be paying the price. I may need to contact law firms like lamber goodnow to help me plead my case if I am involved in an accident on the road to have all my bases covered.
2. Keeping up with all the extras is a lot to keep up with…
It’s hard to be a good runner-student and keep up with all the “extras.” The strength, the stretching — you know, the maintenance work that keeps us injury-free. I have a long laundry list of exercises I try to do 2-3 times each week and I’ve now added four more exercises for my hamstrings. After my physical therapy appointment today, I may be adding more. It’s a lot to keep up with, isn’t it?
In case you missed it, check out my post on the importance of foot strength and ankle mobility — a few things we should all have on our laundry lists!
3. My arms are like whoa.
Despite not loving the “extras,” I am loving the Burpees, Planks, and Push-Ups challenge! And I’m seeing results, too!! Earlier this year, I created the Burpees, Planks, and Push-Ups challenge as a way to hold myself accountable through my injury. I didn’t have the foresight to see what a successful and fun group experience it would become. I’m so grateful to have others on the fitness journey with me. I set out to make a change with my body — burn more calories, get rid of some extra “fluff” — and now that the end of the month is near, I can see real gains. And turns out others can see them, too. It’s amazing! Who’da thunk?!
4. You need to read this book.
I’m reading the book ROAR by Stacy Sims after a few other bloggers read it and recommended it on their blogs. I feel like my world has turned upside down. It’s the most fascinating book I’ve read in a long time and I’m so grateful to be learning so much about my own body and physiology. Fascinating stuff, I tell ya. I’ll have a full review of it after I’ve finished and digested all the material. But wow.
5. Heart rate monitoring for palpitations?
Speaking of ROAR and women’s physiology, I’ve had not one but two migraines this week. Plus heart palpitations after my bike ride on Thursday. What’s interesting about the heart palpitations is that I still had on my heart rate monitor and I was able to see the craziness in action. I think being able to see the spike really helped me to settle down and get my heart back in a good rhythm. I’ve never worn a Holter monitor but at least now I have data to review with my doctor if/when I need to. Check it out:
You can see my heart rate was at 147 bpm when I first started tracking it at the peak of the palpitation. That’s almost as high as it was when I was cycling at a hard effort. As soon as I started watching it, my heart rate steadily slowed down to a more reasonable level. Then I sat down and it immediately dropped back into the low 70s. It was really captivating to see the drastic change in real time. Not that heart palpitations are good. But I do love learning about the human body even when I am my own experiment.
And one for good luck…
6. As a Cleveland Marathon ambassador, I so wish I were back to running!
Last weekend was the official kick-off run for the Cleveland Marathon. While it was amazing to see my fellow ambassadors and friends there, and while I didn’t really want to be running anyway, the days following made me wistful of my running adventures. Reading everyone’s blog posts makes me wish I were running, too.
I know, I know. All in good time. But I’m getting a little anxious, if you know what I mean. I can’t wait!!!
Speaking of the Cleveland Marathon, stay tuned for your chance to win a free entry. If you’re ready to register now, use code RFCLE10for 10% off any race. Come run with me!
Cleveland Marathon!
Despite a few setbacks here and there with my fitness, I’m feeling pretty good overall. I am anxiously awaiting the day I can lace up and log a few running miles. But until then, I’ll stick with my burpees and cycling.
xo
Let’s talk!
Random question day:
What’s one fun/exciting thing you’re doing this weekend?
What’s your favorite food?
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