Essentrics and Espresso

This weekend was a very sportive weekend. Sunday was my long distance run day, which meant 15K. And I found it tough. It was hot. The sun was burning. And I had muscle ache. Why? Because Saturday I went to the Essentrics and Espresso event of Lululemon NL.

Essentrics. I had never heard of it, which turned out to be as expected as it is quite new to the Netherlands. What got me interested was the fact that I had joined in events organised by Lululemon before and enjoyed myself. But also because this specific event also promised me espresso at the Espressofabriek, a specialty coffee bar. As I live in the far East of Amsterdam, I can always use a good excuse to get on my bike for half an hour to go to the Westside for some coffee. And what is a better excuse than free exercise in the sun with a friend (I got Nydia to go with me) with a cup of coffee afterwards? 

Essentrics was developed in Canada by ex ballet dancer Miranda Esmonde-White and her daughter. After her ballet career Miranda developed chronic back problems. Together with physical therapists and chiropracters combined with her background in ballet, she developed Classical Stretch and Essentrics, which got rid of her back problems all together. 

Not only is it good for you back, there is also a lot of focus on arm strength, core, and legs and ankles. Especially the legs and ankles are a very welcome focus for me, as I stand a little lopsided and the muscles in my legs are too short, meaning it is easier for me to get injuries, especially on long distance runs when my body gets tired. 

So what did I think? I have to say, I thought it was a real workout. I got burnt in a array of ways. By the sun, because I forgot to put some SPF on my body. And musclewise, in my arms, chest, core and upper leg muscles. Plus, extra points for the gracious ballet-esque movements. After an hour of trembling muscles, the lesson was done and the entire group plonked down onto the benches of the Espressofabriek and enjoyed an other hour in the sun, before we all got up to get to the rest of our Saturday.

I did get to really stretch and strengthen my problem areas (ankles, knee and hips) and although my body was a little sore, during my long distance run the following day I did not experience the same overstretched muscle sensation I usually experience in my calf and knee area. So I will definitely be trying some Essentrics again. 

To be continued...

Do you want to try Essentrics as well? For the Netherlands check out their website. It also lists the places Essentrics is given. Also they have a youtube channel with instruction videos.

Oops, I did it again

When someone googles me they find a youtube film with me making latte art, my twitter and linkedin account, a few pieces I have written, and my end results of the half marathon of Amsterdam 2013 and Dam tot Damloop 2012.

And all that on the first page. Up until the fourth page a lot of relevant links can be found. It sums me up pretty well. Although I do get somewhat insecure that everyone can see how fast, or slow, I was during my first half marathon. Well...I was not really very slow. It took me a good 2 hours and 14 minutes to finish 21+km. Which is not that bad. But it is above 2 hours and 6 minutes, which is how long I wished it had taken me.

I am not really very ambitious in my running speed, I take more pride in the fact that I was able to run that distance at all. It was my first ever half marathon and I was nervous running it. However, the reason the finishing time stings a little is the fact that I injured my knee at the 17km point. Resulting in a very, very slow last 4 km. And it took me a good 3 to 5 months to heal, with little to no running. When the pain finally went away, I was literally back at 3km max, and peeved.

marathon-photos.com

I went to a Physical Therapist, started doing yoga and started to slowly add on some km to my weekly runs. Once I hit 10km I bought myself a fancy watch to celebrate. A lot of people do not like running with a watch, as the run starts to be all about your pace or heart rate, instead of running and letting go. But I love it, because it frees me. I input the km I want to run, shut off my mind, and my watch reminds me when I am half way. As a result I know when to take what turn and I do not have to constantly think about what route I want to run.

marathon-photos.com

I bought the new TomTom watch, which has an integrated heart rate monitor, so no belts needed, but I really do not use the hrm. Mostly, because I do not really understand how to yet. I do try to look at it every once in a while, just to start to understand my heart rate at different speeds. I seem to find a heart rate of 170 the most comfortable for running. This seems a bit high, which is another reason I really do not understand the heart rate system yet. Although my heart rate in rest is also higher than average (according to TomTom) at an average 87. 

marathon-photos.com

Anyway, after that mumbling detour, yesterday was my first 14km run in about a year's time. It was hot, there was a lot of humidity, I did not bring enough water, and it was awesome. My knees felt fine (still a bit afraid of the possible pain), I was not out of breath, and I made it. 14 km. Back on track.
I am however still very, very, very slow at 6:30 minutes per km. Which I believe, I am sorry, maybe I am a little more ambitious than I want myself to believe, really has to drop back down to under 6 minutes.

For the extra motivation to get out the door three times a week to make this happen (unfortunately Cameron's legs as inspiration alone is not doing it for me), I bought myself a starting place for the 2014 Amsterdam Half Marathon. Yes, I will have to run 21km... again... Now here's hoping this time I will not take longer than 2:14 hours.

In the meantime, my shoes travel with me to Barcelona, my yoga class will never again be skipped, I will be planking my ass off (and will be doing other strengthening exercises as well), and will keep drinking coffee before and after my run. 

Willpower and Discipline

Whoooooop, made it! (9041)

Why we need to muster up willpower to go do what we want to do

Discipline...we all need it. Sometimes it is easy to find and sometimes it is very, very, very hard. Many people use the word for when we need to do something we really do not want to do, but do rigorously anyway. Like making the bed every morning, or, working out.

And it is this somewhat negative connotation that often results in a lack of discipline. Because who wants to do something that they really honestly rather would not?

We could also try to see discipline as habits waiting to happen. If you can muster enough willpower to get yourself to make your bed every morning, eventually it will become a discipline or a habit that does not cost you any energy at all...basically all we need to do is find the willpower to do something we want to start (or stop) doing habitually over and over again, until it has become just that: a discipline. 

For me, and I think for all of us, powering up sheer will to do something is easier when you experience immediate results. Because we, human as we are, like to see that any extra effort we take has effect, or is useful. Discipline in making a good cup of coffee is easy (like always grinding fresh in stead of buying pre ground, always rinsing your paper filters, always cleaning your equipment to perfection, and so on). We bother with the extra work and time, because the difference in taste is experienced in every cup you consume.

It is much harder to find the willpower to, for example, make your bed every morning, because other than having a sense of happiness when going back to it at night, the benefits are much harder to detect. 

It is also harder to find willpower to do something that takes a lot of work, than something that really is not any trouble. It's easier to find the willpower to rinse your morning breakfast bowl, than to find the willpower to exercise every day. At least, it is for me, being (as the Dutch it put so cleverly) rather lazy than tired. 

I had a bad run in with this laziness, lack of willpower exercise thing last weekend, while running the circuit of Zandvoort. A 12K event that runs over the race track, the beach and the town of Zandvoort. Finally being back at a 12K distance, albeit very, very slow, I really looked forward to it. However, there I was, at the last 800 metres, ready  for a final sprint, and a little pang went off in my knee. As every scolding bad word rushed through me, I was mainly extremely angry with myself. Why did I stop doing my exercises prescribed by my physical therapist, AKA God?

I will tell you why. Because my knee stopped hurting! And so I stopped doing the exercises, because exercises suck. Okay, you feel amazing and energised afterwards. But, most of you will agree, having to start is horrible and also for the heavy duty exercises this horribleness continues during the exercise...So when my knee felt better I dropped the leg lifting, squatting and planking like a ton of bricks (made of led, or something else very heavy that makes it even easier to drop than regular bricks).

And so, I will jump back on my exercise regime, not only going out for a run, but also getting back to interval training, yoga and the heavy duty physical therapist work out. And every time the willpower threatens to escape me, I will remember Zandvoort (and Gisele Bunchen or Cameron Diaz of course) and get up and go...I hope. At least, until the need for willpower has transformed into something of a discipline or habit.

Why your physical therapist is a God...

Other possible titles:

- Yeah, I can run again

- Okay, here goes...a running blog...

- A Pang of Pain

- Defying Schoorl's Dunes

- ... I got a ... towel?

On the 20th of October 2013 life was great. Beautiful. Healthy. Sportive. Why? I was fit and able to run my first halve marathon. In my own city. Amsterdam. Excitement!

Too bad that life turned horrible (okay, not horrible, but as the Dutch would say: "Fun; would be something different". And although that makes no sense in English, I think you catch my drift). Why? I ran and ran, and contrary to what I was afraid of, it went great. I had energy and stamina galore.

Until the last few kilometres...my knee started to hurt with every step.

One week later, the pain was gone. So I started running again, but within half a kilometre, there it was, an aching, tanging, prickling pain just behind my knee.

At this point in the blog, all runners will know, I had a runner's knee. Great...

I found a physical therapist near my home in the east of Amsterdam, and I'll spare you the details of the first two visits, as it not only involved deep tissue massages, but also very, very long and sharp (which is a good thing, I guess) needles sticking into the back of my knee, resulting in internally shaking muscles. The most bizarre thing I ever felt, because actually your leg is not moving at all. Its just lying there, still as a...well, still as a not moving leg. But it feels like you are kicking in circles.

Now, why would that make your physical therapist God? Because, she made me walk again! For a few weeks I was completely immobile, limping with pain within 2 minutes of running. Then after following the physio's directions religiously and praising her to others evangelically, I was able to walk! I was able to run!

And yesterday I competed again, in a 10K run through Schoorl, in the Dutch dunes. Going up and down, without any issues, at a steady 10K per hour speed. It was raining. It was muddy. There were Highland cattle, and it was beautiful. I finally got that runner's high back, enjoying the view, enjoying the wind. The new shoes, green and purple triumphs, together with 'God' and her exercises brought me to triumph (or at least, let me finish within the hour and enough stamina to sprint the last K)!

Putting the towel to good use

Unfortunately, I have to say, the triumphant high quickly deteriorated into a little shrivelled balloon, also known as the token of the run. Namely, a small, blue ... towel ... A towel...

I would have gotten over not getting a medallion. But, really, I wanted a medallion. I got a towel. Not a T-shirt, not a sweatband, not a strange plastic bangle you see everywhere now a days, not a pen... ... a towel...maybe I can use it as a porta filter basket cleaning towel...(you do know that in Dutch this would be just one word: filterdragerbakjeschoonmaakdoek).

Luckily, my experience on the train ride home, brought the fun back. Sitting in the corner, looking out of the window, we stopped at a station half way. This little old lady, well let us call her little, she was quite large, walked in. She hovered around, to let a few people pass. Then hovered a little more, and then, with a thump, sat right down in my lap...After a: "Whooooooo", on my part, and a: "What the..." on her part, she excused herself as she hadn't seen me and sat down somewhere else, with the entire population of the train not being able to stop roaring with laughter until the next stop...One man cried.

The 'Elfstudio-Omfiets-Disloyalty' Yoga Card

Any self respecting Barista in Amsterdam, and really even beyond that border, will know what it is: 'de  Koffie omfietskaart'. Or for the non Dutchies, a disloyalty card asking you to use your very hipster fixie to cycle out of your comfort zone, and into parts of Amsterdam you might not visit that often, to try a nice cup of coffee in one of the independent specialty coffeehouses around the city.

I have to say, I am not that disloyal, resulting in missing stamps and no free coffee for yours truly. However I do love the idea and do try to hit all new coffeehouses at least once. A disloyalty card gives you the opportunity to try something new, and, usually, in the end getting a reward. What more could you want for?

This is why, when I saw an 'omfietskaart' for yoga studios in Amsterdam I jumped for the opportunity. As I have had problems with my knee, or rather, the muscle tissue behind my knee, I have been unable to run. Looking for a new activity, that would also help stretch and strengthen my problem area, I ended up with the idea to start trying yoga. But when living in Amsterdam, with a place to do 100 different types of yoga on every corner, I felt a little like a coffee newb during a first visit to Starbucks; overwhelmed...

The 'Elfstudiotocht', a pun on the Dutch nature ice skating event 'de Elfstedentocht', an initiative of the Lululemon Showroom, gives everyone the opportunity to try different studios for only 5 Euros a pop. If you collect all 11 stamps from all participating 11 studios you get a surprise gift.

The only catch? The time limit, you have to finish by 31st of January. Sooooo, together with a friend I made a schedule for the first three weeks of January. Yes, three weeks, not four, as travel plans clouded the last week, we are cramming all 11 studios in 21 days, instead of 31. And now, I am almost half way over the finish line, trying different studios, trainers en types of yoga. My knee feels a lot better, and I am even slowly building up my running. The muscles in my armpits ache from the downward facing dog. And I am on the hunt for my own yoga mat, as using the ones available in the studios is starting to gross me out a little.

Do you want to join the challenge? You can get your 'Elfstudiotocht-Omfiets-Disloyalty' card in one of the participating locations. And check the Lululemon Facebook post for more info. Tomorrow I am sweating and flowing at Yagoy, see you there?