I've been giddy with excitement ever since I got my first two issues of Runners World magazine in the mail on Friday. Since then, I've spent about 3-4 hours at the dining room table pouring over them and taking notes. So far I've been amazed by what I've learned and how they've motivated me.
The first issue focused on hydration. One of the articles was about preventing hyponatremia (low sodium levels due to overhydration) and those who are most are risk:
-Those running in warm climates (check)
-New runers (check)
-Females (check)
-Slow, back of the packers (oooh hell yeah)
Though it's highly unlikely to get it, I suppose (surprise, surprise...) that this still makes me a prime candidate for overguzzling at the water aid stations. And why shouldn't we?! We're pulling up the rear! There's no rush!
In any case, this explains why I was carefully weighing myself before and after my run yesterday. Apparently it's normal (though not ideal) to lose 1-2% of your weight, but that your goal should be to finish your run at the exact same weight (meaning that you adequately replaced all of the fluid you lost). Based on the fact that I jog so slowly and tend to drink about twice as often as most serious runners (every 10 min. versus every 20), I figured I would be as the article suggested- overhydrating if anything. So I was surprised to see after drinking my usual 16 oz. of Gatorade and 16 oz. of water (over a 90+ min. nine-mile run), that I weighed in 2 full pounds lighter after the run.
Interesting. It doesn't mean I'm going to drink more or less for that distance since the amount works for me (it keeps my urine a normal color and doesn't give me any symptoms later in the day of dehydration), but it has given me more confidence about what I'm doing versus my previous uneducated, instinctive approach.
I know this post is boring. Hell, my weekend was boring. The most thrilling moment I had was coming across Roy's box of Peanut Butter Cinnamon Toast Crunch (a word to the wise- AVOID it all costs!!! Save yourselves the two bowls it cost me!!!). But I'm excited, because I learned more reading those two issues than I have in a year of reading Self, Shape and Fitness magazines (which are great, but just aren't geared toward runners). And while I still feel like an imposter (the runs still aren't what I'd like them to be), I'm starting to feel more and more like a runner and believe that they'll come along eventually. The countdown, by the way, is two weeks from today (when I launch the more formal 16-week training program). And I've realized that instead of being scared, I'm actually pretty excited.
3 comments:
J: I thought of you yesterday -- during my long Sunday run, I came across the tail end of the SF Marathon (the folks bringing up the rear) at about their mile 16. There were a few sore-looking, exhausted people, but the vast majority of the hundred or so people I passed (I was running in the opposite direction, I didn't actually pass them) looked like they were okay, determined and going to make it. And, believe it or not, a significant percentage of them were SMILING.
Now, there is no way I'm doing a marathon any time soon, but it was nice to see that even amateurs like us can do it if we choose!
-J
P.S. Sometimes boring is good!
Did it tell you what the symptoms are for over-hydration?
Way to go, Josie. You've come a long way and it's sooooo good to hear you so passionate about running. You truly keep me motivated in my weight loss efforts because you didn't give up on yours and you've gone beyond weight loss with a realistic outlook on maintenance and exercise.
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