10/4

Today's Plan: weights and yoga
My father would be so proud, I actually watched the weather and planned around it. He said it was because he was a farmer, but personally I think he was just addicted to the weather. Dad watched it on the news morning, noon, and night. As soon as the weather man was announced, the refrain "weather!" would echo through the house so we would all know we better be quiet so he could hear. And if anyone else wanted to know it, they better get in there! It became a family joke.
Once the Internet was connected, he had the weather emailed to him from the local channel 6 three times a day. He still watched the news for it. Then LL Bean came out with the weather stations that were wireless so a piece outside told the computer inside what it was doing outside. He used all three methods.  When we cleaned out his office, he had notebooks full of previous years weather trends that effected the farming. Still, I think it was more for him than the farm. He was always disappointed that I was more fond of the "look out the window" way of knowing the weather. But today I knew it was going to be a rainy gray day, and planned accordingly. Weights in the morning and yoga in the afternoon.
I do feel the need to say that I am not going to the gym to do the weight lifting nor do I have any machines. I started doing weights for my upper body. I knew between riding and running my legs were just fine.  I figured I'd better work on the other half too. The magazine I am reviewing had an entertaining article about runner's bodies. The author, Rachel Toor, said she had a boyfriend who once told her she had the body of a T.Rex: big honking legs, tiny good for nothing upper body. She realized he was right when she tried to show 2 10-yr olds how to do a proper cartwheel and her arms were not strong enough.
Yoga does help with arm strength, planks and table poses certainly use my own body weight against me. But a strong core is important in both running and riding. Keeping your shoulders back and relaxed as you swing your arms rhythmically for the length of your run means having a strong back and arms. Plus, I just like to be balanced. And one never knows when one might have to do a cartwheel!
Article quoted from 9/14 issue of Running Times