Iced tea!
There comes a time in every wannabe runner’s life when she must make a choice. A choice between what’s easy and what’s right. A choice between facile escape and the deep plunge. A choice between ‘hey, I’m really not THAT hardcore’ and ‘if it’s good enough for Paula, it’s good enough for me’. A choice between steamy and very, very cold.
As I got out of the car yesterday, I realized the day had come for hard choices. I cooled down and stretched after the 8 mile run, but my muscles were telling me they were less than gratified with the afternoon’s activities. So, I knew what I had to do. Like it or not, it was time to bite the bullet. Gathering up all the mental strength left inside me after a run dogged by hills and a headwind that threatened to wrest the breath from my sails, I walked through the front door, straight up the stairs, and drew myself a booty numbing bath. It was as close to glacial as I could get it, as we have no ice in the house. No ‘hot’ tap allowed.
Don’t I look happy?
At first thought, the ice bath sounds brutal. More pain after grueling physical activity? Those athletes are crazy. But, perhaps they’re not so nuts. When muscles are put to work, they wear and tear. They get inflamed. Jumping into a tub of ice water reduces the inflammation and causes your blood vessels to constrict. The blood drains from your legs, leaving your toes looking very pale under there. After ten minutes, when you break free from the frigid waters and get the circulation going again, fresh blood delivers oxygen that muscle cells need to repair the damaged tissue.
Or, at least this seems to be a popular theory. The ducks still think they’re nuts. They couldn’t even float straight! I may be with the ducks. It’s too early to tell.
Yesterday’s run
Distance: 8.0 miles
Time: 1:19:36
Pace: 9:57 min/mile
Monday, 12th February 2007 at 16:28
How were the rubber ducks for lane discipline? I hope they behaved themselves !!!!!
Sub ten minute miles in february coastal breezes!…good going!!!!