Random, plus maybe I'm technically not vegetarian anymore

An uneventful few running days, hence no posting. Just putting in the workouts and continuing to be nervous about upcoming races. Ran the same ones last year and just hope I can beat those times…even if it’s just by three seconds!

This coming weekend is a nice 9.2km cross-country race in Strausberg. 11 October a superspeedy, flat 10k in Berlin, and 18 October is a half-marathon! My training has been haphazard. Not irregular, just not planmässig. Apparently I’m not good at following plans. I was doing a Pfitz HM plan, but I’m always seeing new workouts mentioned on the Forums or in different running books that I decide to try out, thus deviating from poor Pete and his failproof, well-thought-out, scientifically based training program. Anyway, I’ve been hitting faster paces, especially on tempo runs, than this time last year; hoping this means I’m actually more fit, and not that I’m just running too fast on those runs because I’m an idiot who can’t pace herself.

As for actual runs: Had a lovely long run last Sunday. Nothing spectacular, just 22 easy kilometres to and around the Plänterwald and back. Felt very smooth and relaxed, with consistent pace (5:30/km) and no particular joint/digestive/mental issues. Did some lovely kilometre intervals in the damp, windy park yesterday (4:16-4:21/km). It was dark by the last repeat, and I learned that the park is neither well-let nor unscary after dark. It’s still full of people, but you don’t see them til the last minute, and without being able to see landmarks along the path it’s hard to tell whether you’re coming up on the drug dealers (who always hang out in the same places, and pretty much ignore everyone…they’re not scary, but I’m pretty sure that if I were attacked by some madman/men, the drug dealers would not help.) Also, the paths are strewn with twigs and chestnuts, so footing is treacherous. Treadmill season is upon us. Sigh.

While I’m randomly rambling, can I express my newfound love for/appreciation of chocolate milk? I’ve been using it as a “recovery drink” after hard workouts, blending together cocoa powder and half a litre of lowfat, organic, local milk (delicious, btw! No comparison with supermarket milk. I get local milk delivered every week.) I used to only treat myself to chocolate milk after races, but it’s nice to look forward to something while you’re gasping through kilometre repeats – and I swear it really does help. Not that I’m in any shape to do another speed session the next day, but I have far less of that early morning stiffness the day after a hard workout, and my muscles just generally feel…how can I express it…smoother during a recovery run.

On a final dietary note, any vegetarians out there, please feel free to give advice. I’ve recently had some odd symptoms, a sort of clenching/adrenaline feeling in my chest and stomach area like when you’re really anxious, only without the accompanying higher pulse rate/breathing rate or any stress/anxiety thoughts whatsoever. It comes on randomly, while I’m filling out bureaucratic forms, or sleeping, or riding my bike to work. Weird, and extremely unpleasant: it feels anxious, but I’m *not* anxious! But of course I then start wondering wtf is going on: Is my subconscious really anxious and trying to tell me something? Am I anxious, but suddenly lacking the short-term memory to know it? AGH!

Yesterday I reached my limit for pretending the issue was going to go away if I ignored it, as it plagued me throughout the work day. After talking to my boss about it (he’s a medical professor) he ruled out anxiety attacks and thyroid problems – two of the most common reasons for such symptoms, it seems - and said the source of the problem is most likely some mineral deficiency born of a vegetarian diet. One could figure this out by weighing and writing down every single thing you eat for a week, and then entering it into software that will tell you which nutrients were lacking. We have this software here, so it would just be a matter of me being a) less lazy, and b) able to weigh almond butter and other gooey substances…In any case, his recommendation was to start eating oily fish a few times a week and eat some red meat (blurgh) occasionally. I’m not überhappy about this development, but I can see that with higher training intensity and mileage, my body may be asking for more than what my vegetarian diet can give it. And frankly, this clenching-stomach-anxiety thing is so unpleasant, I’m willing to try eating meat if it will help. It’s not hard to find ethically raised meat around here (my main issue with eating meat has to do with the way it is produced); just a matter of learning to stomach it again.

Running and Yoga and Burritos

Timely, this: Just poking around on Runner's Lounge (I don't post there - too much social networking going on already! - but was in need of even more running-based distraction) and their Thursday Question is about running and yoga: "Tell us about your experience with yoga as it relates to running." I recently started up again with Ashtanga yoga after a two-year absence, and I'm loving it! It makes me stronger and more flexible, and the pain-endurance aspect has to be good for my mental strength. Of course, the real reason I do it is the relaxation at the end: stretching out full-length on the mat, warmed by a blanket, just concentrating on breathing in and out...You just feel so good afterwards. "Calm and centered" isn't a state of being which I naturally fall into, so I doubt the novelty will ever wear off.

So Wednesday is now Yoga Day; that's the led "basic" class. After work I do an easy 6-km loop around the Tiergarten, then head to yoga. One minor drawback is the ensuing 30-minute bike ride back to Kreuzberg in a state of advanced hunger (class is over at 9:30 p.m.). Fortunately, there's a burrito place on the way! Black beans, cheese, and salsa to the rescue!