"Exercise Withdrawal Causes Moodiness"
"A study from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, in Bethesda, Maryland, found that exercisers felt tired, irritable, sad, and self-critical after two weeks of forced inactivity. Those with the highest fitness levels had the biggest drop in mood. Source: Psychosomatic Medicine" - August Runners World
Ohhhh. So I just need to run again.
Okay, I can do that!
Heading out on Saturday to run with Kiera; should be fun. I'm also starting back up with Paki a couple mornings a week on the River Path. And today, I discovered a new trail running buddy! Not sure if she's okay being identified on my blog, so I'll just refer to her as JD. She's training for a road marathon, but wants to run trails for fitness gains. She's my speed and likes to run moderate to long trail runs. We have a tentative schedule of Saturday mornings on the River Path come fall (to be the first day of my back-to-backs once I get going in my training cycle), and Wednesday morning - get this - trail runs! I've only run on the River Path during the week, because I didn't think I'd have enough time to drive all the way out to a trailhead and then get a decent run in before work. But I think we've got it worked out. I think that'll be very neat - to run out on trails before work. So cool.
Got to check another food off my "to-be-eaten" list :) Last night we had fun at Applebees. Great Fat Tire beer to start, followed by a fanTAStic Cowboy Burger (Michelle, you might want to skip this part - my carniverous glorification of the burger) - it's a giant beef hamburger smothered in two cheeses, bacon, fried onion peels and BBQ sauce. Oh my word. I dipped my french fried in full-fat ranch dressing, and finished dinner with 3/4 of a maple butter blondie - it's a blonde brownie with ice cream and maple butter poured on top. Bliss.
Still waiting for all this food to show up on the scale. It's not there yet. I think it's cause I'm losing muscle and gaining fat - creating a wash on the scale number. I don't want to a slave to the scale, so I'm only weighing myself about twice a week. Mostly, I'm keeping an eye on how my clothes are fitting. Mostly they are okay, and I'm back to wearing my normal outfits (which were too small while I was swollen from the surgery). So that's good. And the most important thing I'm keeping in mind is that I'm about to unleash training for a 50-miler. If I gain five or even 10 pounds right now, I'm not very concerned. Running 50+ miles a week will erase all that and more, I'm sure. On my last two training cycles, I let myself eat however much I want (although it was all low-fat, due to my gallbladder) - and I still lost weight (about 3 to 4 pounds) both times. So I'm not worried about the weight gain (or lack thereof). I'm more intrigued by it.
I felt the best today by far. I feel like I'm starting to get my "spark" back. My energy. My desire. My willingness. My choice. My thoughts. Me. I feel like I'm coming back.
Comments
A mid-week trail run sounds so luxurious! Yay for the spark.
: )
Posted by: Sarah | August 3, 2006 06:59 PM
Spark is what it is all about! Carry on!!!
Posted by: Sarah Elaine | August 3, 2006 07:10 PM
Go for it!! You can do it!
Posted by: Denise "Firefly" | August 3, 2006 07:50 PM
Yay! Good food (even if it involved meat), a new running buddy, extra time on the trails AND the spark! It's all coming together and you are on your way. Good, good, good.
Posted by: backofpack | August 3, 2006 08:06 PM
I read about that study too, in RW, but I totally didn't need anyone to tell me that! As soon as you're forced to stop running, for any reason, you just know it's true. With that in mind, I'm so glad you are finally getting back into running! Yay for spark! Looking forward to your 50-miler training - that should be hard-core :)
Posted by: Liv | August 3, 2006 10:04 PM
Perhaps the study was right. The spark returning could be because you are exercising again?.?
Posted by: jkrunning | August 4, 2006 03:52 AM
Wow, you are sparkling all the way over here on the East Coast even! A new running buddy, midweek trail runs, some gross meat concoction that I only glossed over! Could it get any better?
Sometimes it feels like there are just breakthrough moments, when your world just starts to fit after it hasn't for awhile. Could this be one of them?
Posted by: Renee | August 4, 2006 05:39 AM
Hello sparky, glad to read that you're enjoying your food without guilt - though all that fat would turn me off, I think (but not for weight reasons).
When are you going to start training for the 50-miler?
Posted by: Thomas | August 4, 2006 06:55 AM
You're a better person than I am - GUILT is always working on me when it comes to food! I totally agree with the quote.
Thanks for your comments. You were absolutely right on target - parents do bear so much of the responsibility and my omission was not putting the responsibility on the parents to try and get control of some of these things and focus on their kids instead of themselves. Thanks for your thoughts.
Posted by: D | August 4, 2006 07:00 AM
No wonder I've been a butthead to be around lately!! I just thought I was going through a two week male PMS thing!!
Maybe I should go run that 50k this Sunday!
Posted by: Brad | August 4, 2006 09:35 AM
It's so great to see you so excited about life and getting out to run. And you mention only checking the scale twice in a week - you're so occupied with life and a love of yourself, that you aren't needing to be pre-occupied with your weight. That's a big deal.
Posted by: Ginger Breadman | August 4, 2006 09:36 AM
I thought you ran with ME on Saturday mornings! Dis!! I make you scones and this is the thanks I get??
(I feel so used.)
Posted by: Kiera | August 4, 2006 02:08 PM
Welcome back!
Posted by: Rafael | August 4, 2006 02:37 PM
Angie ... Great to see you running again. I can't imagine not running for as long as you were down.
Posted by: Phil | August 4, 2006 06:40 PM
Trail runs before work are great- I wish I was able to do them more often!
Great to see you are back in action!
Posted by: Jennifer | August 5, 2006 03:38 AM
Running buddies are the best! Mine has been running with me twice a week for years now. Hope you're new pal is as reliable and fun as mine. And trail running before work is treat. You'll love it! Congrats, Angie, on the healthy new you. Body and soul.
Posted by: Ami | August 5, 2006 04:01 AM
oops. make that "your" new pal... it's early. i'm tired. and cranky. (not to mention anal)haven't had my run yet today. :)
Posted by: A | August 5, 2006 04:03 AM
I'm so glad you are feeling back to yourself! yaya.
Posted by: Susan | August 5, 2006 04:44 AM
"...after two weeks..." - I feel that way after two days!
Glad you feeling like yourself again - pretty soon you'll be flying up and down the trails faster and better than before :-)
Posted by: Jack | August 6, 2006 08:25 AM
Here is my links,
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Posted by: louise | July 10, 2007 11:59 PM