Day 4 Training

My legs were so tired today. They have been getting quite the workout, not just the running, but the cycling & stretching as well. I try to run hills (up them) as much as I possibly can, and so one of my regular routes is up Alexander & then onto Gowan. Today really became a mental run; my legs were just so tired that it came down to mind over matter. It was also much warmer out today with the sun shining, so the extra heat made me feel a bit sluggish. Heat slows you down. My schedule only called for 3 miles, but I did an extra .6 just to condition my body to push through the tiredness. I will be running another three miles tomorrow, along with strength training and then a rest on Friday. I may actually decide to cycle on Friday, but I'll wait to see how tired I am by then.
One of the side results that some people experience when putting in a lot of mileage is restless legs/feet in the middle of the night. This is not uncommon and I have a few remedies that work pretty well. About 3:00 a.m. I woke up and my feet were restless. I keep The Stick next to my bed for these occasions.

This gadget is great for many runner's maladies. It is very effective for massaging muscles and preventing the build up of lactic acid. It works great on knots in the neck, shoulder, or back. It usually comes in two lengths; if you are going to get one, go for the longer one, so you can use it on your back as the shorter one doesn't allow you to reach both ends of the handles for a good back massage. When my feet or calves bother me at night, rubbing The Stick back and forth for a few minutes gets the blood flowing and helps to alleviate the problem. Another remedy that I have is using a heat rub, like Icy Hot on the offending appendage. This works too, if you don't mind the smell.

On short runs, when the weather is cool, I don't usually hydrate until after my run. I apparently have some camel genetics, as the heat doesn't dehydrate me too much, and I can run a long time without fluids. I probably shouldn't, but so far I haven't noticed a marked difference between with or without. When it gets a lot hotter then I definitely make sure that I take fluids with me. I prefer to hydrate with Gatorade (low calorie version), if you're sweating, you're losing salt, and salt is a key component of brain function. So, I think the Gatorade does a much better job of replacing what your body is losing. Sometimes I dilute it with water if I'm not putting in a really sweaty workout. If you aren't a big Gatorade fan, then my second choice would be Shot Bloks by Clif.

These are basically solid Gatorade chews, so you want to chase them with water, not another sports drink. They come in several flavors, and you can choose them with caffeine or without. The orange and mountain berry are probably my two favorites. If you are prone to cramping (results of salt loss), Clif makes a margarita version that has extra salt content, which I usually use when its super hot outside; I also take these with me when I cycle. I have probably given these out as aid to other riders/runners more than taking them myself, as I find that a lot of people are not aware of their body's nutritional needs when the weather is 100+ outside. The Bloks are available at Sports Chalet, REI, most cycling/running stores, and you can purchase them on the Internet.

I hope some of these tips help you in your sports activities in the desert.