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Back Into Training

9/13/2014

8 Comments

 
Hello everyone! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend. My weekend hasn't been filled with too much training, or too much of anything at all. Oops.. Yesterday turned into a dedicated rest day after some strong Chinese drinks on Friday night. Yuck, haven't had a hangover like that in years hey. If it had been wine induced, I could have used this excellent phrase I heard the other day:
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Clever hey?? Not so clever is drinking a few too many shots of beijiu (Chinese spirit; like their version of vodka). Should just stick to beer, or wine, and I'll be fine.

Anyway, after a full on rest day, copious food and water, and the power of SLEEP, all was fixed this morning and I have finally (it feels) gotten back into the training by going for a slightly longer run: I went for 15km run this morning and it took me exactly 1 hour and 15 minutes. So, not too speedy, but ok for a casual, Sunday morning run.

I have imminent plans to go for a bike ride too. Probably an hour's worth or just under, down by the riverside in the sunshine. Ahhh, feels good to be back! (No drinking for a while for me, going on a bit of a health kick. Just can't take the hangovers anymore it seems!)

Do you suffer hangovers much? What's your favourite thing to drink too much of?
8 Comments

Yoga, Kickboxing and an E-bike

9/8/2014

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Well, that weekend came and went didn't it!? A bit too quickly for my liking, but there you go. Actually, we're kind of still on our weekend, courtesy of the Mid Autumn Festival that is currently being celebrated here in China, so ALL GOOD.

No running over the weekend, but I did do an intense, efficient body weight workout (courtesy of Hasfit) and some cycling around town and through the riverside parks. Feeling unexpectedly sore and stiff today, I think from the Hasfit workout (hadn't done that particular one in a long time).

Something that I did do however, was to sign up for the yoga club, and the kickboxing club!! Very excited about these two activities, just hope I can understand the instructor. Mind you, might be a good way to improve my Chinese, yes? Husband also signed up for the kickboxing club, so watch this space on how we go on this one. Many years ago, back in the day, I used to go to a kickboxing club on a Friday evening, and it was LOADS of sweaty fun. Can't wait.
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In other exciting news (for us anyhow) we bought an e-bike today, so now can cruise freely and easily around town and further afield. Yay! I will not, however, be riding said e-bike, but will happily straddle it and hold on as Husband does the honours (I am a terrible driver so am sure riding an e-bike will not be one of my strengths). Watch this space for e-bike adventure pictures! (Before it gets too cold that is).

Do you practise yoga? Kickboxing? (I can see my running diminishing and diminishing until it's an every now and then thing, perhaps having been replaced by all the fun cross-training! Oh dear...)

8 Comments

And the Winning Prize Goes to.....

8/26/2014

5 Comments

 
... Marion! Congratulations Mani, you were the first to get back to me and correct my temporary blond affliction (sorry other Blonds!) informing me that it is a HERD of horses, not a gallop, nor a huddle, nor even a flock, lol... So, without further ado, here is your virtual prize:
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Embracing something of a wave-particle duality, what's inside is pure possibility at this stage, and can be whatever you imagine it to be! I.e. another mountain bike, some cycling gear, cake etc.... Enjoy!

Now, onto the 'running' bit. No run this morning, but I got back to some strength/weight training. I was shocked to realise that I am down to doing this only about once a week, with the rest of the days taken up by running and cycling as I've recently bought a mountain bike. Why the mountain bike? I hear you ask (well, maybe). We-ell, Husband and I have registered for this event to be held on the beautiful grasslands of Xilingol next July! http://www.genghiskhanmtbadventure.com/ Clicking on this link will take you through to the page for the Genghis Khan Moutain Bike Adventure and Extreme Grasslands Marathon!!!

This is going to be awesome! So excited. Some friends of mine did it this year and highly recommended it, so Husband and I will be competing together, although not the running portion for him due to an old rugby injury (his knee). We will take part in two days of cycling (out of the three available) and I will also do the half marathon. We have opted for the 'long' option, so that means about 60kms on one day and 40kms on the other (the 'short' option was about 20kms each day). So, in between now and then I will be getting in as much training as possible while there is no snow and minus temperatures to contend with. However I still want to pick up my strength training and do more of that, so will be aiming to get a few more sessions in each week. It's all about balance right?

Who else is keen?? Fancy an amazing adventure to the beautiful grasslands of Inner Mongolia AND you get to take part in an awesome challenge too??! This could be your backdrop for a run or cycle next July if you come on over (although we'll probably be dressed in racing gear by then instead):

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5 Comments

Cardio = Fat Gain = WTF??

5/13/2014

3 Comments

 
I read some disturbing news yesterday. Well, it was news to me, perhaps you already know if this? Namely that doing too much cardio can apparently have an adverse effect on your body fat composition and, contrary to my life-long held belief, can actually cause you to gain fat! Specifically abdominal/belly fat. WTF?! I hear you cry (if you’re anything like me). Not fair right?

Yes, it seems that the main culprits behind this fallacy of cardio induced fat gain are as follows: overcompensating for your cardio exercise by taking in too many kilojoules; cortisol (that pesky stress hormone, the same one that rears its ugly head in times of stress but also when smoking and drinking, causing one to noticeably put on belly and visceral fat) being released, from stressing the body I guess; and muscle mass being lost in times of lengthy cardio sessions, thus leading to a less efficient metabolism.

Hmm, but what to do if you’re training for a race? And following a program?

Over the last few months (and despite Husband telling me that it’s all in my head) I have noticed a slight change in my body, and now there is a noticeable small roll of belly fat (don’t worry – I am not about to post a before and after shot) where before there was none. I am not being paranoid here, just stating a fact. So, it’s perhaps due to my having turned 30 a few months back, OR, maybe I am a victim of this unfair fat gain due to lots of running? Still doesn’t seem fair, haha.

I would say that maybe I do overcompensate by eating A LOT after training, so maybe something to keep an eye on. I will be also be picking up a few more strength training sessions throughout the week, like I used to, in order to maintain and increase muscle mass and tone, and thus efficiently burn off this belly fat (I hope).

Subsequently, this morning I did a 30 minutes (ish) strength workout instead of a run, which went as follows: 100x skips (not using a rope, just faux-skipping)

                                                            50 x jump lunges whilst alternating bicep curls (with weights)

                                                            50x punchouts with weights

                                                            50x mountain climbers

                                                            50x shoulder presses with weights

                                                            50x side steps (pretending there is a step in the middle)

 

                                                            80x skips

                                                            40x every other move

 

                                                            60x skips

                                                            30x every other move

 

                                                            40x skips

                                                            20x every other move

 

                                                            20x skips

                                                            10x every other move

 

Then back up the ladder, so back to 40/20, then 60/30, then 80/40, and finally, a very tough, 100/50 again.

 

Felt efficient and effective and I hope this helps to strengthen my legs sufficiently in time for the 50km trail race on 7th June.

 

I hope you all have an awesome Wednesday. Tell me, has anyone else noticed weight gain/change in your body, despite doing lots of exercise? What is your favourite strength workout or cross training workout?

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3 Comments

Bump N' Grind, and Stair Running Like Rocky

5/10/2014

2 Comments

 
Now, I'm not one to usually quote R Kelly (ok, pretty much NEVER quote this guy, but hey-ho..) but the theme of my mornings this weekend, where on both mornings I've told myself that I WILL get up for my long run as scheduled, has been the beginning of his classic, back-in-the-day 'Bump N' Grind', although with the words reversed. Something more like this: "My mind's telling me YES, but my body, my body's telling me NO". Yes, on both occasions I have chosen rest and laying in bed, instead of going for that 35km run. Oops... You know what they say? Listen to your body, right? So, I did. Feels good. I'm sure I'll get more kilometres in next week, but it seems my body needed and loved this week of cross-training, yoga, speedwork, plus a couple of easy runs.

After copious coffees this morning, and perhaps after reading this article online (
http://www.runnersworldonline.com.au/stair-running-can/) I decided to go for a stair running workout, and now, 30 reps of our 7 storey building later, I'm feeling a lot like this guy (although no styling red sweatband for me):

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I remembered to count this morning. So, one rep UP is 119 stairs, so that makes 30 x 119 = 3570 steps going one way, so, up and down = 7140 steps total . GREAT substitute for a run methinks. This is what the article had to say about stair running and the benefits it brings:

"If you borrow one element (besides running) from Rocky Balboa’s training regimen, make it stair-climbing. The plyometric motion strengthens the same muscles as lunges and squats, and taxes your lungs and heart as you power to the top. “Stairs force you to work against gravity, and this helps build two essential needs for runners: strength and power,” says Anne Moore, an exercise physiologist and running coach. You need both, whether you’re kicking to the finish of a 5K or trying to maintain pace during the later kilometres of a marathon. Moore adds that stair-climbing “forces you to utilise muscle stabilisers, like the gluteus medius, that get neglected during regular runs,” because you’re balancing on and activating one leg, briefly, as the other moves to the next step. Strengthen these areas and you’ll reduce your risk of injury.

Finally, stairs are much steeper than most hills: Indoor stairs have a roughly 65 per cent grade, while Sydney’s Heartbreak Hill is less than 10 per cent. That’s why climbing them accelerates your heart rate so rapidly and makes you breathe faster to take in more oxygen. This, in turn, improves your VO2 max – the maximum amount of oxygen you can utilise during intense exercise. “This teaches your body to use that oxygen and convert it to energy quicker,” says Moore. A greater VO2 max means you can run harder and for longer durations. A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that short bouts of stair-climbing five days a week for eight weeks improved VO2 max by 17 per cent among young women.

Weave these stair workouts into your weekly training and watch your performance reach new heights."

2 Comments

Tuesday's Training Update, and Why-oh-Why is it Wednesday Already??

5/6/2014

2 Comments

 
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Oops, forgot to write yesterday. No run yesterday - I swapped it for some yoga in the morning, followed by lots of cycling around in the beautiful sunshine as we explored parts of town we hadn't been to before as our students were having exams all day (= no classes for us). So, more of a cross training day. However, I must get my running legs back today. Namely some stair running. I'm planning on doing the steps of our apartment building, maybe 25 or 30 reps of them (7 story building), and I'll try to count them today, so I get a more accurate description of this run. Later, if the weather is still nice I might also get my easy paced 9.66km that is on the schedule in (after work that is).

That's about it from me here in China. Short but sweet (ish?). Arrghhh, is it really Wednesday already? Can't we pretty please have another Tuesday-exam-day, please Universe?? Oh well. Enjoy your day everyone!


2 Comments

Yoga For Runners

5/1/2014

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Instead of a run this morning, I chose to do some yoga instead. I used to do a back and core routine about twice a week, but wanted to do something new, as it had been a  while since I last did any yoga. After a quick youtube search I settled on this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of2spyCtUkw. Felt soooo good to stretch. It says it's a 20 minutes sequence but as our internet is still having major issues, I think I got to hold each pose that little bit longer while the page loaded again and again, haha, so was about a 30 minute yoga workout for me. Great way to start the day.

My cross training is usually strength or weights, a kickboxing workout, or cycling and walking, but for some reason I always neglect or forget about yoga until I finally DO it again, then I'm like 'how could I have forgotten how good this feels?' Admittedly, yoga on the floor of my apartment here in China brings nowhere near the happiness levels that yoga in Bali with Annie brought, but it's still a good thing to do to mix it up from running. Ahhh, maybe I can just imagine and pretend that I've really been doing yoga this morning in beautiful Canggu and that now Annie and I are waiting for our awesome food-on-a-plate-breakfasts... Oh how I miss this, wish we were back here now:

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Another reason for no run this morning: saving my legs for my long and (hopefully) mountainous run tomorrow morning. Again, hope this sunny, hot weather continues - no rain for tomorrow please China.

Enjoy your Friday people! :)


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Pretty-fuckin-awesome-pyjamas!

12/11/2013

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So, predictably did NOT do any ab / core work yesterday. BUT, I have received some excellent suggestions for doing so, and will be putting these into practise soon, I hope. I did plan on doing some abs at some point in the evening, but then somehow a long puppy-walk, shopping for toasty warm pyjamas to lounge about in (never to sleep in! You crazy pj-wearing-to-bed-folk you), eating too much dabao (takeaway), and lounging in said toasty pyjamas, all took a precedence. Plus, once those padded/quilted/feels like wearing a doona/duvet/quilt (take your pick depending on your cultural preference) babies were on, there was no way they were coming off to do a few minutes of abs. I would post a picture of these amazing pjs, BUT, I am hoping that Husband is going to get a similar, yet a bit more manly, pair today, fingers crossed that the Chinese's large size fits him (we have trouble getting normal 'larger' size clothes here - we don't know where they buy their clothes?! As there are loads of tall men here!). They are quite comedy, and the most unsexy, unattractive things you could imagine (stay tuned for that pic), but are so warm and so comfy. Sadface that I can't wear them to teach in. Although I do see people out in the early morning walking their dogs whilst wearing them, so maybe this would be ok?

Ok, that's enough pyjama talk yes? On with the post. Not much to report running wise today, as it is a cross-training day for me. I did these workouts: http://hasfit.com/workouts/home/advanced-high-intensity/advanced-workout/ (a 30 minute 'Warrior' workout - a mixture of strength, cardio, plyometric, ABS, and mixed martial arts), and http://hasfit.com/workouts/home/cardio-aerobic/cardio-kickboxing/ (30 minute fun kickboxing workout).

So, got some ab work in, BUT will attempt to get some more in this evening, in between some more cleaning (it is a daily battle here - you clean, the next day it's dusty again, grrrrr), organising some things, practising for that postponed speech, and coaching/teaching some students. Poor Husband has come down with a bad ganmao (cold/flu) so plenty of rest, TLC, and hot toddies for him today. Plus PJS! The healing power of toasty warm pjs hey.







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0 Comments

Safety First

11/26/2013

3 Comments

 
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I have never gotten a text from the race organisers before an event before, but yesterday I received this beauty of a precautionary text message, it reads:

"Shanghai International Marathon Organizing Committee: Dear runners, it's five days away from the race. Please make a self-assessment on this rest day. Do u feel well recently? Do u catch a cold or have a fever? Do u keep training regularly? Pls make a final check according to the Eligibility that specifies people unfit to run the race. Caring life is everyone's responsibility."

I am happy to report: yes, no, and YES!  in answer to their caring (worried?) questions.

This is also the only event I've ever entered where you have to have had a proven recent health examination complete with doctor's signatures etc before you can even finalise registering. Has anyone else ever had to get a health certificate before they could participate in a race?

Today is a non-running day. So far I have slept in and lounged around a fair bit, having mentally relegated my cross-training session to after work now, but am hoping it will still happen. Might do a Hasfit workout followed by some yoga and stretching.

Cloudy and cold here today, not a very inspiring Wednesday, hey-ho... As the kind and caring race organisers pointed out yesterday, now only 4 days to go! Bit nervous now...
3 Comments

Hangry??

11/19/2013

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Yesterday's run = 7km easy recovery pace early morning run, followed by about 45 mins yoga (i.e. stretching).

Today = no running. Will be strength training / cross training. Probably do a bit of kick-boxing, as I find that really fun and reminiscent of going to kickboxing classes about 11 years ago (my good friend and I, at 18 ish years old, were somehow in the 9-10 year old class on a Friday evening - they had some serious moves! Was loads of fun. Yes, we did get up to a whole RED belt! be impressed haha....). Will also try to do some body weight training or maybe some moves with some barbells. Who knows...

Something happened the other day. Was weirdly annoyed and angry in general. At everything. And anyone. Then we ate lunch (amazing buffet of different vegetable dishes and rice at the equivalent of a Chinese fast food place) and hey presto = anger gone. So, apparently, when I am hungry, I am a little angry?? I believe this is coined as 'Hangry' hey.

Does anyone else suffer from Hanger? Is this just a female issue, or do any men suffer from it too? My poor, enduring coach/husband, what he has to go through...

Here's to a wonderful Wednesday! Happy running/training/whatever you're up to!

Ps - This is where I am aching to be this morning, beautiful Lembongan Island:
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