[This post is a few days late and is originally from 11/30/13]
Honestly, it’s November and the temps have been averaging
about 20 degrees below the normal temps here in Ohio. This time last year I was
busting ass on the trails and counting the days till the first snowfall. All
that shit came early this year. There is snow on the ground and my asthma (and
body) is not liking the cold below freezing temps thus far. So, I have been
working on doing yoga several days a week (I am officially a heat yoga junkie)
and working on building my strength with Olympic lifting, barbell conditioning,
and practicing kettlebell sport a couple times a week. I’m still managing the hours in the
day trying to find time for my workouts like I did for my trail running doing
the best I can. My days are often broken up into blocks of time. (We health
insurance brokers are busy this time of year).
For those who don’t know, I picked up my first competition
kettlebell a few years ago and have been hooked ever since. Kettlebell sport
and I, just mesh. The technique is natural to me and I’ve been told by several
coaches that my physique is perfect for the sport. Ok, I’ll take it.
Alas, trail running is still my first love and exertion of
choice when my lungs can handle it (cold temps or not) but kettlebell sport
training taps into my inner strength in a different way. It’s hard to explain
but just know that for 10 minutes (long cycle) or 30+ minutes on the platform (pentathalon)
when juggling a kettlebell around, the focus is in higher demand and you have
to stay on pace more so than running. Kettlebell
sport is a little bit more intense compared to a trail race because you just can't put your ear buds in and ‘disappear’ amongst the masses of other
participants or slow down and speed up when you feel like it. You are front and
center accountable for every rep at a qualifying pace.
Kettlebell sport (girevoy sport) is considered a
strength-endurance or power-endurance sport versus ultrarunning which is
considered an endurance sport [to most]. The ‘to most’ refers to people who don’t
understand hills, long hills. Just know that hills and terrain are no easy feat
no matter how experienced the runner may be. I mean seriously, the transition
between uphill, downhill, obstacles, and uneven terrain is enough to mentally exhaust even
the best of trail athletes.
Ok, this isn't a very big hill but it has tree roots and slippery leaves and stuff.
Just know that you need to continue to challenge yourself in
the off-season. Also know that the hard work you put in during the off-season
will pay off when you see improvements as you hit the trails again in the spring
in the form of better lung conditioning, muscle conditioning, mental focus,
stamina, strength, speed, etc.
A body at rest tends to stay at rest. A body in motion tends
to stay in motion. As adults we have to continue to keep our bodies primed and
moving in the off-season to hit our goals and stay competitive in our ‘game on’
season. Get some.
Happy trails,
~Cat~
