3.5 miles :) finally...

Tuesday evening FINALLY a run on the waterfront ! While my lungs did not cooperate, my legs felt good :) No toe issues, no shin issues, no hip issue (little achy, but I think it's muscle) and overall I had a smile ! Wahoooo ! I did follow Dr. R's orders and do a run 4 walk 1 routine. (and yes, my lungs still died.. more on that below).

YUM !! anything with lime and cilantro makes for a sunny day :

Cilantro-Lime VinaigretteNutritional Info (Per serving):Calories: 53, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 59mg, Dietary Fiber: 0g, Total Fat: 6g, Carbs: 1g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Protein: 0g

Ingredients

1 cup(s) cilantro

1/2 cup(s) oil, olive, extra virgin

1/4 cup(s) lime juice

1/4 cup(s) orange juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper, black

1 pinch garlic

Preparation

Puree cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, salt, pepper and garlic in a blender or food processor until smooth

So, as an extra special super star volunteer on Saturday for the RnR, I was fortunate enough to see the elites / really fast peeps finish. Most of the guys had shirts on with Hansons Brooks on the front. Well what the heck is that ? I'm a Brooks fan, but what's up the the Hansons part. So I JFGI'd (check out Urban Dictionary if you don't know what JFGI is) and found out that it's a group of post collegiate runners that have Olympic potential. Brooks has 3 houses that they live and train in (in Minnesota... that'll make you run fast in the winter) and basically tries to make them the best. Interesting. And some of the runners have a blog... and funny thing, one of the guys happened to blog about lungs vs legs.... check it out and this can pertain to not just running, but all forms of activity, weight training, cycling, swimming etc. (and for future reference, I've never had "dead legs"... I think that explains alot !!) :

When medical professionals study the body, they break it down into systems. The skeletal system, the nervous system, and so on. When runners talk about there bodies, we usually are referring to either our musculoskeletal system or our cardiopulmonary system. Musculoskeletal (LEGS) include our muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues in-between. Cardiopulmonary (LUNGS) include our heart, lungs, veins, arteries, and the blood and it’s components.

Beginner runners or runners coming off of an injury seem to run out of breath quickly. They will say, “I just can’t catch my breath” or “I need to work on my breathing.” More advanced runners complain of dead legs, “My legs feel like lead today.” Most experience runners can give you a breakdown of their fitness at the current moment. “Well, I’m pretty fit right now, just no speed in the legs.” Or, “My legs feel good, but I just don’t have my base fitness right now.”

Needless to say, running trains both systems. Therefore, I pose the following quiznoids:

Do both systems develop at the same rate? Do both systems fatigue at the same rate? Is one system remaining undertrained/ held hostage by the other system? Does running fatigue the legs before the lungs? Can the legs be fatigued, but the lungs be good to go? Can the legs hold up to a 6-hour run? Can the lungs? Would the lungs benefit from a 6-hour run? Which system recovers quicker? Can you train the lungs and rest the legs? If so, how? If you can train you lungs while waiting for you legs to recover, why not do it? Do your lungs know the difference between running and cycling? Cycling and swimming?

If your training program only utilizes one mode of cardiopulmonary stimulus, you are assuming that mode of exercise stresses both systems exactly equally. If you admit that the two systems adapt and respond differently to the same stimulus, and you continue to train using one mode, you admit to leaving money on the table? Why leave money on the table?