Last night was the second official workout following our 10-mile training program, and I have words of wisdom to share with you all with regard to what I learned during it.
Don't eat a cheese platter with beer and expect to have a great workout.
I mean, I'd imagine most of you are probably rolling your eyes at me because this seems like common sense. I have to admit, I too thought it was a bad idea as I was getting ready for the run . . . and then shortly into my run . . . and definitely after my run.
My evening began a bit different than usual, I met Brindy and Tino, who you may know from the weekly weigh-ins, at a relatively new restaurant down in the Cobblestone District of Buffalo. This is situated adjacent to the First Niagara Center, home of the Buffalo Sabres. This part of Buffalo is often overlooked for every day use, only really ever popular during sporting events and concerts at the arena. Strikingly uncharacteristic for the three of us, we ventured to the new Lagerhaus 95, a German beer-and-pub-fare kind of place. Overall, the food was pretty good, the price was reasonable, and it was something new.
After dinner I headed home, expecting to work out relatively soon, before it got too late, but that plan didn't really pan out. Instead it quickly became 10:00 p.m. and we still hadn't gone for our run. By 10:30 we finally managed to get all ready to go and got outside. The run was tough. And to top it off, finishing a run after 11:00 p.m. is even worse. Not only were we both tired, a little cranky, and now sore, it was clear that neither of us had had a fun time.
It was an interesting departure from our first run's success on the program, which if you remember I talked about how great it was to have a set schedule. Today, I am not so happy to report on the other side of the double-edged sword. Having a set schedule can really suck, too. We felt like we HAD to go out, no matter what, despite our gastrointestinal displeasure and late start time. Don't get me wrong, we aren't going to abandon the plan. I just wanted to comment on how quickly we experienced both sides to a training program.
The silver lining, I suppose, is that our set schedule did get us our workouts, no matter how unpleasant it was. Looking back on it today I am glad we did end up sticking to the plan. I just know from now on, on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday, I wont be eating a cheese platter with beer again.
Have you ever stuck it out and worked out despite numerous reasons NOT do it? Would you do it again?
I always love to work out when I am sick. Okay, maybe not LOVE, but I feel like it helps. Sometimes I know I shouldn’t do it, not only because it’s hard to breathe, I’m probably infecting the machines (that’s what the disinfectant spray is for, right?!), and sometimes I feel like crap afterward. But I swear it helps me get over the illness faster. The second-to-last time I was sick, I was at the gym for about an hour and a half on a Sunday. I was back to work on Monday, having lost only about three days to the illness. The last time I was sick (two weeks ago), I didn’t work out and I was sick for about six days and used two sick days. I dunno . . . but I’ll keep going to the gym when I feel like I’m on my deathbed.
I agree! I haven’t had a bad/long cold ever since I started working out regularly.
I can always manage to find a million reasons why I don’t have time to work out, but I’ve learned that if I just do it I still have time for other things and I feel better doing them. I’m lucky to have an elliptical in my home so sick or not I force myself on it.
It’s so true! I always feel like if I work out, then I won’t have time for anything else. But it only takes as little as a half hour and then you’re done!
That’s awesome that you have your own elliptical. I want one really badly! I feel like I would use it way more than I would at the gym, since I wouldn’t be able to avoid it if it were right there when I get home.
I had wanted one for years, and finally saved up enough to get one and it is fantastic. I have it next to my bed so I am forced to look at it when I first wake up and when I go to bed at night. Not to mention fi I don’t use it I feel guilty that I spent the money on it for nothing. I’m a single mom so money is always tight and that is a huge motivator.
I followed a program once, and I probably will at some point in the future. I decided it was ok to take a day or two off if my body said so. Burnout is certainly a concern and you wouldn’t want to jeopardize future performance for one poor run. But usually I was tired from working out, maybe it is different if a plate of cheese sidelines you.
Two days in, and the plan is already running your life! Good for you for still getting out there and running. I think you’ve discovered another added benefit of the training schedule…you have to eat more clean during the week otherwise bad things happen during your run. You guys are off to a great start!
Oh my gosh, yes. Pasta was a bad choice last night. We were both suffering, Jon with the cheese, me with spaghetti sauce. Ugh. How does Michael Phelps eat plate after plate of pasta in order to carbo load before races?!
I agree with Mike – I have skipped a day occasionally, but also for sore muscles, not poor diet. When I listened to my body I did much better the next day. I guess you had better stick to pizza with your beer instead of cheese! (See earlier post)
Amy’s right, sticking to a diet is easy when it means you won’t feel horrible on your next run. Also I firmly believe running is the cure to the common cold. Or at least it pumps you full of enough endorphins you stop caring about your sniffles. But yeah, I’ve run hung over, sick, after 4 hours of sleep, tired, cranky, hungry, sunburnt, cold, you name it. And each and every time (okay maybe with one or two exceptions) I always felt better afterwards. But if you’re gonna keep up with the cheese plates, you might want to start planning your route around public bathrooms.