Yin and Yang

HOT

MaRUNland

Tonight’s chilly, wet and windy 20-mile bike ride was the yang to yesterday’s workout yin.

Yesterday it was 64 degrees outside at noon--cool! I couldn’t wait to get out there and knock out another 4-mile run. After months of running on cold, gray, dreary days, spring weather had finally arrived! With some pep in my step, I threw open my windows, turned on the ceiling fans and hit the pavement, but, as it turns out, it wasn’t cool at all . . . it was HOT!

Welcome to spring in Maryland, a beautiful state that is host to all four seasons of the year, but where the long-awaited spring weather is often served up with a heaping side dish of humidity.

Apparently, my outdoor thermostat was indicating 64 degrees as the temperature in the shade. When I got back from my run--panting, sweating and flushed a shade of deep purple-red-- I checked the actual weather and learned that the temperature was sunny and 81 degrees with light winds and 55% humidity.

Not particularly hot considering the sauna of a Maryland summer that inevitably lies ahead, but for the first warm-weather run of the season after shedding winter’s protective layers, I’ve decided it felt more like Hot-lanta outside yesterday than Maryland.

After the run, the coolness of my basement gym was a welcome retreat. During a 30-minute lifting session, I did sets that worked various muscle groups to fatigue. It must have been effective as I could barely lift my arms to wash my hair last night and I was still feeling it today as I hit the pool for a swim. The first 200 was like lifting lead beams instead of arms, but, ultimately, swimming loosened things up a bit and I felt much better afterward. Lesson learned: you’re never too sore to work out! The oxygen-rich blood flow to the muscles actually aids muscle repair and recovery.

Here is today’s swim workout:

Swim Workout #4 (2000 yards)

Warm Up (200):

200 Free, easy

First Set (750): Pyramid

25 Fly

50 Back

75 Breast

100 Free

125 choice

Repeat, descending (starting with 125 again)

Second Set (850)

150 Free (Easy)

2 x 50, V-scull down, streamline kick back (push up/pull ups/dips every wall)

300 Pull

6 x 50 Kick (Hard free down, easy breast back)

Cool Down (200)

200 easy, choice

Quick & healthy food tip:

Healthy Homemade “Fries”

Got potatoes? Slice them into fry-size slices and toss with olive oil. For white potatoes, add sea salt, pepper and other seasonings of your choice (we add Old Bay sometimes). For sweet potatoes, toss with cinnamon and/or nutmeg. Place on foil-lined baking sheets (sprayed with cooking spray/oil) and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally. My girls love these; they were recently overheard saying, “Mom’s potato fries are the best—they’re even better than McDonalds!”

Also, for those interested in nutrition info on the Power Oatmeal:

500 calories, 54 g carbs, 13 g protein