Something keeps pushing me on.

I've always had these dreams of running effortlessly; on winged feet, cool wind rushing over face & hair, across serene countryside & beautiful beaches... and each time i'll wake up to that euphoric yet unsatisfied feeling one gets from dreaming the impossible dream (much like the fantasy of having hugh jackman aka wolverine, my fav hunk of all time, totally at my beck & call lol).

Probably my inner self expressing a need to escape the humdrum of everyday living, the 'mundane'ness of a dull 'scheduled' existence... a sure fire recipe for getting into a rut. Dunno. But what i do know is, without any conscious effort on my part, running has somehow become an important part of my life right now. lol, the timing isnt too great i know, especially since i'm over forty and have to deal with creaky joints and such, but surpringly it has also given me much pleasure & satisfaction (ohh and not to mention the more than occasional pain lol).

August to august.... it has now been a year of consistently jogging & running my saggy butt off lol. and i honestly dont know what it is thats pushing me on. its soooo easy to just skip it and get on with my reading instead, settle down on my comfy sofa, put my feet up and have all sorts of imaginable tidbits & long cool drinks at my disposal. tapiiiiii..... i have found that nothing really beats that 'all sweat out, kinda pooped but great to be alive' feeling one gets by exerting oneself to a point just beyond one's comfort level.

Try it. after the initial inertia, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I also need to review my diet & eating habits if i'm going to do this the right way. i'm starting to get tired much faster now that i'm building up to 8 km. i cant continue being too calorie conscious because i'm now expending quite a lot of energy. what i need to do is to pack in enough to generate the required energy level.... both in the correct amount and the correct choice of food. Ooohh its going to feel quite sinful not to be minding too much about what i'm eating. i've been doing battles with this voracious appetite for as long as i can remember lol

Basic NUTRITION facts for Runners (and wannabes like me lol)

.. 2000 or more calories spread over the day in accordance with when we need energy
.. Give in to nutritious cravings, but tough out the need for a donut.
.. Try to have a 50% carb, 20% protien, 30% fat ratio.
.. 10 servings of grains per day
.. 7 of fruit
.. 4 of vegetables
.. 5-6 oz of lean meat or 2-3 servings of soy
.. 3 servings of lowfat milk products
.. 2-3 servings per week of a fatty fish (or uncooked flaxseed oil) to get your omega-3 fats
.. Low fat is just as bad as high fat
.. Water, water, water and more water
.. No soda.

in addition,

When?
If you think of your energy needs on an hourly basis instead of a daily basis, you may realize that your eating your biggest meal and then doing nothing, whereas you hardly eat at all before your runs. This isn’t a useful way to eat. You should eat a bigger breakfast and lunch and a smaller dinner, as well as snacks at the right time. For instance, if you plan to go to work, run, then come home and relax. You would want to eat a nice hardy breakfast to get you started, have a medium sized lunch and then have an energy-packed snack about ½ hour before your run. Then you can have a smaller dinner to help your after-run recovery. So, think about when you need the energy and plan your meals and snacks accordingly.

How Often?
If you run daily, you can expect to need to eat about every 3-5 hours. Even if you don’t run daily, 5 hours is an acceptable amount of time between meals/snacks. It’s important that you avoid long periods without eating to avoid wide swings in your blood sugar levels, which aren’t good for your body or your running. If you commit to eating every 3-4 hours and plan ahead to have healthy foods when you need them, it is much easier to make the commitment to eat healthier and stay away from the vending machine. Remember, skipping meals or skimping on calories does not support the goal of training with adequately fueled muscles.

How Much?
As a runner, our bodies need more fuel, thus more food, than the average sedentary person. It is a good assumption that if you are running 15 or more miles per week, you should not be consuming less than 2000 calories per day, even if you are trying to lose weight. (Remember, when you eat them during the day is important too.) If you running 25 miles per week you should average closer to 2500 calories a day.

Basic HYDRATION facts for Runners

Hydration is usually left out of nutrition, but it shouldn’t be. Being well hydrated is a must for runners. 60-70% of our bodies are made of water. And, during exercise, our body produces more heat, thus causing sweat to cool us down. When we sweat out our water supply, we must consume more water to keep our core temperature down.

Water has also been proven to aid in weight loss. It helps you feel full while eating less, quenches thirst without adding calories, and allows your body to function at its top capability. 70% of our muscles are made of water. Being hydrated helps give muscles that toned, muscular look so many people desire. Metabolism is a chemical process that requires water,which means if you are dehydrated you will not be burning calories as efficiently, whether you are sleeping or running. Water is equally important for your skin. Being hydrated will help your skin look (and be) healthy.

If you run for 60 min or less, water alone should be fine to keep you hydrated. If you run for more than an hour at a time, you’ll need to replenish electrolyte as well. (Sports drinks and energy gels usually have enough electrolytes to keep you covered.) Doing this will improve your performance by delaying dehydration and maintaining a high blood-sugar level during exercise. It also lowers the risk of catching a cold by boosting your immune system.

So when choosing beverages, remember these things:
.. Water is almost always your best option.
.. Tea (noncaffienated and unsweetened) and juice (juice not cocktail drinks) are good alternatives, though, when you just need something else. Sports drinks are also good for your body, especially during and after runs.
.. Coffee and alcohol don’t need to be nixed completely but be taken in very small amounts. 2 cups of coffee a day isn’t going to help your body at all. Neither will two beers.
.. As far as bad options, that you really should stay away from, soda is at the top of the list. While you probably aren’t going to drop dead from drinking a Pepsi, it is doing nothing for you and, under normal circumstances, is more harmful for your body than any of the other drinks listed here.

Well, i dunno how long i'll be able to keep doing this but i'm hoping to put in another couple of years before the old knee & ankle start protesting loud enough to finally be heard lol. in the meantime, this runner wannabe will continue slogging her merry old way. no doubt much much slower than the rest of the pack but i would like to think, steady enough not to be an embarrassment ;)

Oh shoot.... today's haze is the worse to hit shah alam yet. nasib baik its gym time at maksak today. really terrible terrible haze... boleh terhidu bau asapnya. those poor kids at school. hope the teachers have more sense than to keep them outside.

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** Treadmill Log **

Time: 45 mins
Incline: 1
Speed: 7 - 8
Distance: 5.4 km
Calories burned: 360 kj