Finally. It’s outdoor season. No more morning practices (for the most part). No more Armory (for the majority of the week). It sucks that we now have morning practices on Mondays, but whatever. It’s outdoor season!
Outdoor season is great. Indoor is just an annoying precursor to what track is really about. After months of choking on dry air and waking up at 5:00, we get to move outside. I guess outdoor season’s superiority can be summed up by one word: comfort. It’s finally safe to start venturing outside again. It’s warming up, and the sun can be spotted for more than just a couple of minutes at a time. And during this transition from winter to summer, the town is at its prettiest. And the weather is at its best.
Yesterday we ran to the course. It’s been so long since we set foot on the hill at Orchard Downs. As we ran through the Arboretum by Japan House, I was overcome by a massive sense of nostalgia. Some of my fondest running memories were forged there. I was actually happy to be running for the first time in months. The two things I really love about running are the friends and the sights. Being able to see the town in a state of bloom is the best cure for the unavoidable winter funk. Running laps in the Armory really does not instill a sense of wonderment in me.
It might just be the fact that Vitamin D is once again starting to course through my veins but I’m finally pumped to be running again. Aside from the nice weather, the work is so much more rewarding. Doing workouts early in the morning does not feel very beneficial; it feels like you’re trying to punish your body. Workouts on the course actually feel good. You really feel like you are accomplishing something. Competition is also a lot nicer during the outdoor season. Indoor meets consist of being stuck in cramped buildings with way too many people. There’s nowhere to go, and you’re constantly breathing in disgusting, dry air. There is also an annoying monotony to running on a 200 meter track. None of it feels natural. On the other hand, outdoor tracks are great. You can feel the wind as you run, and you are surrounded by sights. You don’t feel caged in.
All in all, I’m so glad outdoor season is starting. Our first outdoor meet is today, and hopefully it’ll be enjoyable. It’s nice to finally be back outside, enjoying the weather.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Routines
Routines: everyone has them. And for the most part, I think they’re helpful, or we at least think they are. I know that I like to do things accordingly to plan; it makes me feel comfortable and confident. This extends to my running. If you’ve read some of my previous posts, you know that I struggle with my nerves a lot. One of the ways I feel more confident is through following these routines that I’ve had for years now. I might sound more than a little OCD, but I know that everyone does this. We all have these little rituals we tend to do, seemingly out of superstition.
A lot of my running routines have to do with racing. I always eat pasta the night before a race. This goes back to when I was convinced that I was “carbo-loading.” I thought that filling myself with carbs would actually help me race well and feel good during races. I have since realized that this is a total misconception, but I still end up eating spaghetti before every race. I think it’s some sort of placebo effect, which can be said of almost everything I do to prepare for a run or race. There is no proof that these rituals are effective or helpful, but they make me feel comfortable and good, so I do them anyways.
This habit of following routines can also be detrimental. There have been numerous occasions where I get thrown off and don’t get to take my time and prepare. This usually causes me to freak out. For example, at track meets, I like to get my spikes on and warm up 30 minutes before my races (which most people see as incredibly early). If I realize that my race is only a couple minutes away, I flip and worry that something tragic will happen because I didn’t do some side slides or leg swings. I panic and during the race I convince myself that I’m feeling bad and that it is due to not completing my warm up. As I said in my previous post, I rely on listening to music before races to get me in the right mindset. I try to get a loud, fast song stuck in my head to race to. If I don’t have a song coursing through my head on the start line, I also get spooked.
I feel that routines like mine are more of a crutch than anything. They help me to feel better and get focused, but they can also mess me up. I wish I could just step on the track and run with confidence, but there’s always nervous energy trying to break loose. While I don’t like my reliance on rituals, I feel that they are the only way to keep my nervousness in check. A habitual routine allows us a sense of comfort and calm, and I feel that as long as we don’t become too reliant on them, they are truly beneficial.
A lot of my running routines have to do with racing. I always eat pasta the night before a race. This goes back to when I was convinced that I was “carbo-loading.” I thought that filling myself with carbs would actually help me race well and feel good during races. I have since realized that this is a total misconception, but I still end up eating spaghetti before every race. I think it’s some sort of placebo effect, which can be said of almost everything I do to prepare for a run or race. There is no proof that these rituals are effective or helpful, but they make me feel comfortable and good, so I do them anyways.
This habit of following routines can also be detrimental. There have been numerous occasions where I get thrown off and don’t get to take my time and prepare. This usually causes me to freak out. For example, at track meets, I like to get my spikes on and warm up 30 minutes before my races (which most people see as incredibly early). If I realize that my race is only a couple minutes away, I flip and worry that something tragic will happen because I didn’t do some side slides or leg swings. I panic and during the race I convince myself that I’m feeling bad and that it is due to not completing my warm up. As I said in my previous post, I rely on listening to music before races to get me in the right mindset. I try to get a loud, fast song stuck in my head to race to. If I don’t have a song coursing through my head on the start line, I also get spooked.
I feel that routines like mine are more of a crutch than anything. They help me to feel better and get focused, but they can also mess me up. I wish I could just step on the track and run with confidence, but there’s always nervous energy trying to break loose. While I don’t like my reliance on rituals, I feel that they are the only way to keep my nervousness in check. A habitual routine allows us a sense of comfort and calm, and I feel that as long as we don’t become too reliant on them, they are truly beneficial.
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