Ups and Downs

Run up the hill, then down the hill. 

Repeat.

Up the hill, down the hill. 

Repeat.

Uphill. Downhill.

Breathe! Finish and cool down by running a bit further.

Tuesday morning group training and the form of punishment being inflicted has been varied, just to keep the regime interesting. Around 30 dedicated athletes gather in the cool-ish pre-dawn prepared to undertake whatever instructions they are given by the Guru. Today, it is a set of running up and down a hill six times (three up, three down). Total of about 9kms for the morning.

      

Already I know a few fellow runners joining in the activity, and some new faces are starting to get familiar. Conversation revolves around predictable running-related topics: Blisters. Sore muscles. Physio appointments. Breathing technique. What’s the next event you’re running in?

Is it worth it when the alarm goes off in the cold and dark? Getting out and pushing hard? Certainly I get satisfaction out of reaching the recommended 10,000 daily steps before even starting work. And if there happens to be some cake around at morning tea time, I don’t mind indulging, with a clean conscience!

Like many athletes, especially runners, I have devices and apps to tell me about my performance. Time. Distance. Maps. Heart rate. For the first time today, I used a new app (new to me) that all the cool kids are talking about…Strava. In addition to all the features listed above, it links up with anyone else using the app in the same place at the same time. Whether I’m ‘friends’ with them or not, their details come up on my screen any mine on theirs. In some ways it’s cool, yet in others I find it a little disturbing in terms of privacy. I guess the old saying ‘if you don’t like it, don’t use it’ applies. Will try it for a while and see how I like it.

Running makes you smarter (True!)

While many claim that runners are crazy, and I can’t deny it, at least there seems to be research evidence at least they aren’t stupid. According to research on The Conversation, the physical benefits of running can actually make you smarter.

Here’s an excerpt explaining why:

While intense exercise will create brain cells, they are basically stem cells waiting to be put to use. Exercise doesn’t create new knowledge; rather, it gives you the mental equivalent of a sharpened pencil and clean sheet of paper. It prepares you for learning, but you have to actively do some learning yourself, too. Integrating exercise into your working or studying day would seem like a sensible option, if this particular benefit is of interest to you.

Well, I haven’t heard any evidence to say it’s not good for you, unless you go to extremes and injure yourself, so I’ll keep getting out of bed and putting one foot in front of another.