The First 100 Pounds (61 - 70)

Damnit, Jim, I'm a poet not a doctor.

If you want to start from the beginning, you can do so here. Here are 61 – 70:

61. I MAKE AVOIDING INJURY MY MAIN PRIORITY

If I get hurt, I need to stop. And if I need to stop, I might not start again. Everything I have done—everything, since day 1—I have done with an eye on keeping myself injury-free. I do not need an excuse to stop, and this was especially true at the beginning. If it's really not about punishing myself and it really IS about getting healthy, then I can take a day when I need a day, or back off on a workout so that I don't get hurt. If I'm pushing through the pain or making myself run on a day when I know I shouldn't, then I'm no longer doing this for my health, clearly. And while I might not know for sure the reasons why people who injure themselves to the point of being sidelined do so, I'd be willing to bet that a good number of them have traded punishing themselves with food for punishing themselves with exercise.

62. I STUDY

I read a lot about running. I read terribly-written (really—they're very, very bad, and it saddens me that someone gets paid to write them) articles on active.com. I read Runner's World, which I enjoy quite a bit. I read better-written books about running. I started with a book for beginner runners, and I've read several since then—one for women runners, one on half- and full-marathons. Learning is how I deal with the world. It makes me feel prepared. I felt like I knew what I was getting into when I started running, because I'd read about it. When I started to feel nauseated towards the end of my long runs, I recognized that I probably needed fuel. Oh, I thought. This is what they were talking about. I didn't realize I was running far enough to need that. And I started putting a little Gatorade into my water for my long runs. I recognized it because I'd read about it—and I could have been wrong, but at least I wasn't wondering what the hell was going on. The reading I've done gives me a place to start trying to treat whatever problem I develop, be it nausea or pain or lack of focus, and I can usually fix the problem on the first try.

63. I ICE AT THE FIRST SIGN OF PAIN

That's right—I ice preventively. If I wake up in the morning with a stiff knee, I put an ice pack on it while I drink my first cup of coffee. If one of my tendons feels a little tender, I ice it. I don't wait. And it's worked like a charm for me. Which is good because:

64. I AVOID PAINKILLERS

It's not that I'm anti-painkillers. My mom was a nurse. I have various over-the-counter painkillers, and I know which one works best for me in different situations. But I don't use them after a run, and I sure as hell don't use them before a run. Pain is my body's way of letting me know something is wrong—why would I want to ignore that? If my workouts are causing me pain (besides the occasional muscle soreness), there's a problem that painkillers probably aren't going to solve. And covering it up could make the damage worse.

65. I FEED MY MUSCLES AFTER A WORKOUT

For me, that usually means low fat plain organic yogurt with applesauce and cinnamon—eight ounces after a long or hard workout, closer to five after a shorter/easier workout. Eating a combination of protein and carbs in the first 30 minutes after working out helps get those nutrients to my muscles faster, I'm told, and so I do it. I have no idea if it's bullshit science or not. When I started fueling after my workout, I experienced less muscle soreness, so I do it. The yogurt and applesauce combination works for me because I don't really want to eat anything at all right away. It's easy to stomach. By the time I've cooled down and showered, I'm ready for some real food. Other runners eat other things, like recovery shakes or smoothies or peanut butter on toast. I tried yogurt and applesauce early on and it worked for me, so I stuck with it. If I get bored, I'll try something else.

66. I GET ENOUGH SLEEP

And I’m unapologetic about naps. I don't know when we decided as a culture that busyness was our end-all and be-all. I'm a poet. I recognize the need for vast quantities of down time—I can't write if I'm keeping myself busy that way. When I am busy, when I'm making excuses for things that HAVE to get done, it's often because I'm feeling particularly uncomfortable in my own skin. I need sleep to function well. I need it to write, to work, and to work out. Forget the rules of thumb about how much sleep people need—you need what you need, period. I know that I'm happier, and my life runs better, if I get between seven and eight hours of sleep. I can run on less, and do, sometimes for weeks at a time. But everything is better for me if I get those seven hours. Your mileage may vary, but I'd venture to say that you know if you're getting enough or not. And that you're probably not. Or maybe you are—what the hell do I know?

67. I TAKE A LITTLE FUEL ON LONG RUNS

I've learned that if it's under 70 degrees, I can run on water until mile 8. Somewhere during the 8^th mile, though, I'm going to get nauseated. I've never gotten sick (knock on wood), but I've had some lovely long runs turn unpleasant quickly. I tried a bunch of different fuel to see what would work for me, and found that my body tolerates Gatorade the best—I mix it in a low concentration (less than 25% Gatorade, the rest water) and I'm good to go. If I'm going over ten miles, I eat one of those 100-calorie granola bars somewhere between mile 5 and mile 8 (in pieces, not all at once). I've also learned that if it's much warmer than 70, I'd better grab the Gatorade for any run that's six miles or longer.

68. I STRETCH (BUT NOT ENOUGH).

Yoga helps, although I've fallen out of my practice over the past few weeks (I think I need some new DVDs—the routine was getting a little, um, routine). I just know that I feel better if I stretch than if I don't. When I'm done with a run, it's tempting to just be done, and I really really really don't want to spend another five or ten minutes stretching, but I make myself do it if I can, and I'm happy when I do. I'm even happier the next day.

69. I TURN MY MIND INWARD

Yoga helps me forget about ridiculous stuff—even when I start out with my brain reeling, by the time I'm done, I've found some calm. It helps me tune out the static from outside and inside.  Running can be the same. If I'm really troubled, sometimes I can't focus at all, but it's fabulous for clearing out the cobwebs and day-to-day ridiculousness.

70. I PUT MY FEET UP

There is nothing wrong with relaxing. Do it more, and don't apologize for it. As a poet, putting my feet up is easy—I can do it while I'm working. But sometimes Jed and I make an appointment to spend a morning eating waffles and watching cartoons. It's awesome. I recommend it. Put on your PJs and come on over. We make really good waffles.