This past Saturday I went out for a long run as part of my regular training schedule as an ultra-runner. Most weekends I head to a trail system and head out for 3 or 4 hours. The idea is not to seriously run hard for that time period, but rather to cover some good mileage while staying aerobic.
Living in Arizona, this often means getting up early and trying to cover some ground before the sun comes out and bakes me too thoroughly.
This weekend, though, was an entirely different story! I headed out to the trails, and OH MY was it incredible cool and cloudy day.
I know that may sound strange – being excited about a cooler and cloudier day, especially in March – but here in the valley of forever sunshine, it’s rare that we get cool temperatures and thick clouds in the sky.
What’s even rarer is when those clouds stick around for the entire day! And that’s what happened yesterday.
I took off with a big loop in mind. The plan was that, if I wasn’t feeling it, then I’d make it into an out and back, simply turning around when I felt that was wise turning point.
However, if I was feeling good and confident, then I’d make the whole loop.
Well, yesterday, I did make the loop! A big 20 mile loop with many serious climbs. And, it was so magical out and I was feeling so strong, that I kept looping. Not the full 20 mile loop a second time, but smaller loops closer to the trailhead.
20 miles, then another 3, then another 2, and finally, a last mile to take me to the full 26.2!
A full marathon – the 4th (I believe) in my life. One that came with 5,000 feet of elevation gain and half an incredible day out on the trails on a remarkable rainy day.
The decision to go for the full 26.2 was one that I kept checking in with myself about over and over again. After all, this was just a training run for some longer races later this year, and there was no way I was compromising my health in the name of some arbitrary goal.
Still, the goal sounded fun, so I decided that, if all kept going well, I’d hit the 26.2 mark. The most important thing, though, was to keep tuning into how my body was feeling:
How were my legs feeling? Was there any pain signaling a potential injury? Nope, just the normal achy legs and a possible blister pain. That’s no problem.
How was I feeling, energetically? Was my body functioning well to keep me moving, or were there any signs of serious sluggishness that should not be ignored? Nope, some fluctuations in energy levels, but nothing that a bit of glucose didn’t fix!
How was my gut feeling? I’ve always dealt with stomach issues (a trait I inherited), and it’s one that does not go well with eating and running. So, I stay as mindful as possible about what I’m eating and how my stomach and intestines are reacting. Gut was feeling good as it ever is, so no problem there.
As the signs all kept pointing to good, I kept moving, enjoying one hell of a day.
Then it was over, I drove home, and it was time to focus on refueling.
And that’s where today’s blog post on nourishing your body begins.
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