Monday, October 19, 2009
Getting Into the Proper Zen-like State of Mind, Day 2
It's all about water and sleep.
I need to be hydrated for the marathon, a lesson that hit home in the Singapore marathon last year when I had trouble running toward the end and felt the first signs of heatstroke as i crossed the finish line. While Sunday promises to be cooler and less humid, I still need to be watered up. Rather than waiting until the day before the race, I'm drinking up now.
Sure, I should be drinking more water every day anyway. I know I don't drink enough, and that's bad for me. My hope is that, as with other fitness and health habits I've picked up in the last year, maybe I'll get into the habit of drinking more water and less coffee during this week and the pattern will continue on.
And sleep...that's key. I need to be well-rested Sunday, and I've learned from some of my training runs that it isn't just the sleep I get the night before that matters. You know how after a few nights of only 5 hours of sleep per night (which is actually a pretty normal week for me) your body often shuts down and says "I'm going to sleep now, and I don't care if you ARE driving a car."? Well, that affects your running too, and I don't need the hassle. Not that I'll fall asleep on the course, but fatigue is a bad thing and I don't need it hitting me at Mile 20. I'll be tired enough as it is.
Speaking of sleep, I need to go to bed soon.
The news of the three runners who died in Sunday's Detroit Marathon is very sobering, but it's not affecting me. I know I'm in good shape; if there's anything wrong with my heart, it's something that's never been detected despite all my physical exams, so I have to assume I'm all good there. I've done this before so I know I can do it without dying. I'll stay hydrated, and I know there's good medical support all along the course, so I'm not freaked out by the horrible events there.
In fact, I'm feeling so good about this weekend's race that today I registered for the 2010 Hong Kong Marathon next February. Now THAT'S optimism!!!!
I need to be hydrated for the marathon, a lesson that hit home in the Singapore marathon last year when I had trouble running toward the end and felt the first signs of heatstroke as i crossed the finish line. While Sunday promises to be cooler and less humid, I still need to be watered up. Rather than waiting until the day before the race, I'm drinking up now.
Sure, I should be drinking more water every day anyway. I know I don't drink enough, and that's bad for me. My hope is that, as with other fitness and health habits I've picked up in the last year, maybe I'll get into the habit of drinking more water and less coffee during this week and the pattern will continue on.
And sleep...that's key. I need to be well-rested Sunday, and I've learned from some of my training runs that it isn't just the sleep I get the night before that matters. You know how after a few nights of only 5 hours of sleep per night (which is actually a pretty normal week for me) your body often shuts down and says "I'm going to sleep now, and I don't care if you ARE driving a car."? Well, that affects your running too, and I don't need the hassle. Not that I'll fall asleep on the course, but fatigue is a bad thing and I don't need it hitting me at Mile 20. I'll be tired enough as it is.
Speaking of sleep, I need to go to bed soon.
The news of the three runners who died in Sunday's Detroit Marathon is very sobering, but it's not affecting me. I know I'm in good shape; if there's anything wrong with my heart, it's something that's never been detected despite all my physical exams, so I have to assume I'm all good there. I've done this before so I know I can do it without dying. I'll stay hydrated, and I know there's good medical support all along the course, so I'm not freaked out by the horrible events there.
In fact, I'm feeling so good about this weekend's race that today I registered for the 2010 Hong Kong Marathon next February. Now THAT'S optimism!!!!
