A good day

Yesterday was a very good day. No...I did not run pain  free. In fact I did not run at all. But I cycled for close to 20kms and spent the whole day with runners and those adapting a healthy lifestyle and it was great. Morning I woke up late and biked about 7kms from Jayanagar to Koramangala for a special vegan buffet lunch that had been organised for runners by a runner. I spent hours there with my friend Radha (who has recently turned vegan) and tried everything from almond and cashew milk, to vegan cheese and even had some vegan pizza. Good think I had cycled my way to the lunch cause there is no way I would have worked out those calories otherwise :P

Then I biked another 10k right after lunch to IIM Bangalore where a movie was screened for runners called Unbreakable. It was the story of ultra runners and how they conquer the incredibly difficult Western States 100 where they have to run a 100 miles through a mountain terrain. Watching it I certainly felt a little dumb about complaining about my IT Band problems after only having run 20k! But then it was also terribly inspirtational. I biked home another 5km after that and I was really pooped. Did I mention it had also rained cats and dogs in Bangalore yesterday which meant I was very wet for a lot of the time?

But that said I had a brilliant day. My cardio was taken care of as well as my cross training. I stretched religious and today I went to the gym without complaining and finished the whole routine without any knee pain. Am going to test my leg left on Sunday. Which means more stretching today and tomorrow no matter what. As well as another round of gymming tomorrow. I can't wait for this weekend cause Arsenal plays its first game of the season! And next week I will be jetting off to Hyderabad for the Hyderabad Marathon. So am finishing this week in no pain and plenty of hope. Keep running and stay safe. 

Running costs big bucks!

So here's the thing - the last couple of weeks I have been on a massive spending spree because everything you hear about running before you are a runner is a total lie - it's not the cheapest workout ever. In fact it is very expensive if you want to maintain a running lifestyle!

For one thing, I went on another run in the Kanakpura road and ended up straining my IT band again (this time my left leg fell victim). And since I have never experienced any pain on my left leg, I felt pretty horrible for a couple of days when the knee felt heavy and useless....

So I splurged and bought a foam roller. Yup I finally succumbed to the lure of putting myself through even more pain so I can enjoy a pain free run. Left IT band has been screaming every time I have run a foam roller through it but I have seen loads of improvement in both my legs, so I am going to eschew the horror that is foam rolling yourself when your muscles are tight and just be grateful that I can run at all.

And then I also bought Nike Dri Fit socks which also cost a bomb. I mean a pair costs close to 500 bucks and I had to buy a bunch and I could not find cheaper alternatives to saving my toes as the only place that stocks cheaper Toe socks is Decathalon in Sajjapura road and they are apparently out of stock (total bummer!).

And my final splurge? I bought a cycle! Yup I am not officially an all around health nut. I got a relatively cheap Hercules Roadeo Turner and it's six speed with great balance and I got it all for under 8 grand (it helped that I flirted with a shopkeeper a bit so he gave me free carrier installed plus a free bottle holder...am completely shameless).

My baby is blue and aptly called Bergkamp because it flies!

But that's when I started noticing - you need to keep buying things in order to supplement your running life span. Foam rollers, physio therapy (because let's face it most runners run into injuries no matter what), yoga mats, the right gear and clothing even the right water bottles and belts!

And then I realised that I didn't care. Sure, when I look back to that time when someone told me about how cheap running is compared to a gym (I now go to a gym because you need to add cross training to supplement your running! LOL), I have to chuckle at the absurdity of the statement. That person is perhaps just a morning jogger who does not have to invest in their own health more than keeping themselves fit. But then that feeling I get at the end of a run when I have pushed myself beyond what I thought possible? It's priceless. I cannot explain it. So next time I worry about buying new shoes (which are also expensive), I am just going to remember that I love running at the end of the day.

Maybe this is why runners generally find it hard to talk about anything other than running - they invest so much of themselves in this "hobby" that it becomes part of their identity. And anyone who wakes up at 4.30am in the morning just to run 15 plus kilometres is definitely invested. And that's a great feeling. So keep spending as you get better and keep getting better. Once you run down this path (pun intended), you find yourself completely changed for the better and that's everything.

P.S The Premier League starts August 17th! Adding to my woes is now the fact I have to juggle running with staying up late watching Arsenal matches...on the other hand - yay!!!! Arsenal is back in my world again!