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Tempo Run Tuesdays & Fueling the Future
Tempo Run Tuesday:
Last week I reintroduced “Tempo Tuesdays” into my weekly running schedule. The morning starts like this: wake up at 4:36am, down a half a cup of coffee with almond milk, lace up the tennies, turn on the Garmin and jog a warm up mile. It’s dark for the first 20 minutes which I love.
Lucky for me, my daddy/pacer/crossing guard rides along on his bike. It seriously helps to have someone out there with me! He rides a few meters ahead, which gives me someone to chase!
My pace for the first 3-mile tempo of the summer was a good starting point. 18:39 for three miles (average 6:13 mile). By end of August I will be in the mid-17’s which will put me in good cross country racing shape :)
As for now, I will take it one Tuesday at a time and keep shaving off a few seconds each week!
BUT waking up at 4:30am and evening gym sessions are wearing me out. Time to listen to the body and give it a little break tomorrow!
Which is perfect timing because I have a very exciting day ahead.
I’M MOVING INTO MY NEW APARTMENT!
Well….I’m moving my stuff in. I have a great full-time job at home for the rest of the summer so the celebration in the new digs will be short-lived. But still……it means picking up keys, buying furniture, setting up my space and getting everything cleaned. Very grown up, no? ;)
My past week has been FULL of grown-up” (i.e. NOT FUN) chores like signing a lease, paying rent, setting up insurance, gas and electricity. Exciting stuff. Very exciting. I would like to eat some skittles for breakfast and relive my youth again now please.
Fueling the Future:
To me, thinking about the future is so……exhilerating. I can’t stop researching graduate schools, Masters programs, sports marketing internships, potential jobs, and new cities like Boise and Charlotte.
Everything in my life through senior year of college was part of a plan. I knew in advance what city I would be in, where I would be living, who I would be living with, what I would be doing, how I would earn money. It had a feeling of safety knowing that I was guaranteed 4 years in college with the support of my parents being a full-time student.
The day I graduate college (10 months and counting!), all of that “safety” goes away. But for some reason I am not scared at all. I am thrilled. Not knowing if I’ll have a job, where I’ll have a job, where I will live. This is the first time in my life when I don’t have a plan to tell me what the future looks like.
At the same time…that just means so many POSSIBILITIES.
A few things are certain:
Wherever I am, I will always be a runner (so the city better be pretty!).
My plan is still to race 1 marathon each year. :)
I will adopt a dog. A new running buddy, roommate, best friend.
My passion for health, fitness, exercise, nutrition, exploring, and enjoying scenic beauties will only grow.
A far-off goal is to become a personal trainer or fitness class instructor as a hobby because I love sharing all of the POSITIVE aspects of working out.
It’s funny because my family watches House Hunters…a lot. I remember going on a recruiting visit to Chico State during senior year of high school. The coach had me stay with some seniors on the cross country team, who had a “pasta party” and meet-n-greet. After everyone left, I made up my bed on the couch and watched a couple hours of House Hunters with my hosts. Scandelous first college experience right? ;)
The show has me excited to do my own search for a home (well, apartment but same difference) and I’m loving the East Coast right now thanks to several amazing posts by Julie at PBFingers.com and Taralynn at Simplytaralynn.com!
I think all of this anxiousness and urgency is natural for such a transitional period in our lives.
From dependent to independent. From student to worker. From a plan to the unknown.
And now I will stop day dreaming about my future, refill my mug with some Vienna Cinnamon brew from Sprout’s and get back to some important projects.
:)
What are you daydreaming about today?
Running on Coffee – Fasted Cardio
When I say “running on coffee” I mean it in the most LITERAL sense.
Within 30 minutes of waking, I drink half a cup of coffee and hop on the treadmill for an early morning run.
Because there is a name for everything in the fitness world, this is called “Fasted Cardio.” A few times a week, I run 5 miles (with the incline set to .5%) before driving home, taking a shower, and eating my first snack of the day.
“Fasted cardio” is exactly what it’s name implies…completing a workout before eating anything after waking up in the morning. Many fitness freaks report that this strategy increases fat burn because there are no immediate glycogen stores to pull energy from.
*Note: calorie burn remains the same; where the calories are sourced from is the idea in question.
Personally, “fat burn” isn’t my mission when I tackle a treadmill sesh before breakfast. I’m just not ready to ingest anything at dark:thirty in the morning. I mean I like my oatmeal, but not at 4:30am.
The truth behind the myth of increased fat burn with fasted cardio is still highly debatable. Many sources support the ability to tap into fat stores quicker. Others say it makes no difference in the big picture. Web search “Fasted Cardio” and the first result argues for the miraculous effect while the second result claims it has no positive enhancements.
Pro & Con list time….
Pros:
- No waiting additional time for food to digest
- No stomach sensitivities that could affect your workout
- Avoid feeling heavy
Cons:
- Sessions longer than an hour could have compromised performace due to lack of quick energy
- Rumbly stomach = annoying
- Ravenous appetite after workout could cancel out any extra fat burn
I can’t say which is better, to eat or not to eat before morning cardio sessions. Fasting for 45 minute runs works for me! I wouldn’t dare attempt a long run with a small snack though. Which works for you?
The Science of Sweating
“Did you have a nice swim?”
Actually I just ran.
“Oh, so you just got out of the shower?”
Nope, this is pure perspiration right here.
“How long were you running???”
Oh you know, 30 minutes.
The amount I sweat looks completely disproportional to the intensity and effort I exert during a run. It seems logical that, after nearly 8 years of running, my body should be well-adapted to cardio activity and sweat less right?
I will be forever envious of fellow female runners who can shake out a pony-tail after a solid treadmill session with nothing more than a slight mist on their hairline. Meanwhile I’m towelling off my soaked face, my hair dripping as I sprint to the shower and avoid chit chat in my sweaty state.
What gives?
I took to the world wide web to answer my eternal question of why the heck do I sweat so much if I am “in shape”?
***I can rule out “hyperhidrosis” or an actual diagnosis of excessive sweating because this only happens during exercise, thank goodness.***
SOME SWEET SWEAT FACTS:
Basic Anatomy:
- The autonomic nervous system controls the sweat function, a natural response to the rise in body temperature.
- Sweat is 99% water, 1% sodium and other compounds (on average). Some people have “saltier” sweat than others.
- The odor accompanying the release of sweat is not the actual sweat itself; it is the bacteria that lives on our skin around the sweat glands that becomes “activated” with the sudden moisture.
Sweat Factors:the amount a person sweats is related to the number of sweat glands, their gender, some genetic factors, source or reason for sweating (stress, spicy food, exercise, etc.) and overall body mass.
Other Interesting findings:
- Several sources report that more cardiovascularly-fit people sweat earlier into their exercise session because their bodies have learned to expect the rise in body temperature and attempt to cool off sooner into the workout.
- Because fat and body mass act as insulators, heavier people require more sweat to bring down their body temperature. This is why larger bodies sweat more.
- A red light for me: “CAFFEINE CAN INCREASE PERSPIRATION.” :(
What it boils down to:
The body contains between 2 and 5 million sweat glands. More glands = more sweat. I.e. Sweat volume is not a sign of fitness.
If you are a light sweater, I’m a jealous jellyfish. If you are a faucet, include extra hydration into your pre and post-workout routine. Drink up, buttercup!
Sweaty Sources:
Sweating Profusely During Exercise: Does It Mean You’re Out of Shape?
http://www.fitsugar.com/Why-Some-People-Sweat-More-Than-Others-145870
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/30/sweat-too-much-normal-sweating-facts_n_4659752.html
