It's the third weekend in January. Usually about the time that New Year's Resolutions drift away like leaves blowing in the wind, never to return. For example, my very resolute resolution about really I should cut back on the Christmas chocolate was going very well, until 11.00 on 1st January (in my defence, I was running a race). So that was that. The cutting back on buying coffee went even less well, lasting until 07.00 on 1st January (although, again making excuses, that's becuase the car broke, and I ended up cycling, getting a train, and running to the race, which I thought justified buying caffeine, right?).
Other people also seen to have fallen off the band wagon. The gym is a lot quieter already, which is good, as I got my favourite spot back in yoga class, the one furthest away from the aircon (you try doing the balancing one legged Tree Pose while being buffeted by gale force aircon).
But one resolution has followed the opposite pattern. I started off not doing it, then the opportunity has presented itself to start.
I've been thinking about wanting to combine my job with my love for running for a while. I'm a dietitian at work, so people are often asking me about what they should eat and drink to prepare to run, to run, and to recover. To be honest, I don't know. My work is with people who have to have nutrition and hydration via feeding tubes, so it's quite different to sports nutrition.... I've read things (but there is so much, and it changes all the time, it's difficult to know what's accurate) and tried things (many many things, mostly unsuccessfully), but I still feel even after years of running, that I'm baisically still winging it. I'd love to know more. And be able to help others as well.
So there are certain courses you can do, after which you will be registered as able to give this advice. I've never been able to do one, as it means going back to uni to do a masters, and I work full time so I can't, plus it's far too expensive. But last year, I saw that Leeds Beckett Uni have a new course, for people already with a dietitics degree, that is shorter and mostly distance learning, with lectures and practical classes over only four weekends. So it seemed maybe a possibility....
But I almost talked myself out of it, mostly due to how badly I was managing my stress and mood the second half of last year. Plus, I am a disaster career wise, always changing directions (much like when navigating at night, in fact, that's pretty much how I feel during most of life, now I think if it)...I can't do that again, I thought. Plus, it probably won't work out, and it will be a waste if time, I'll fail, and everyone (especially me) will tell me they told me so, and I was stupid to think I could try. And, I'd have to go back to Leeds, and I promised myself when I left uni there, that I'd never go back.
Fortunately, I wrote it down, much like that, and realised that this train of thought was not exactly logical, and certainly not based on any certain facts (apart from the Leeds bit). So I tried very hard to push away my thoughts of failure (to float around like leaves in the wind, with the new years resolutions) and in the end I applied. So it was all very last minute and I found out only a week and a half or so ago that I had a place, and on Thursday I got on a train to Leeds (having sworn I would never go back) and spent the train journey worrying about what I had done.
But worrying was a waste of energy, as it was such a good weekend. It's hard learning things again, especially for 9 or 10 hours each day, but it's so fascinating, and I absolutely love it, so I don't care. I love the part of my job that means that everyday I get to think about how the body works, and how nutrition and hydration affects this, and now I can't wait to learn about that with sports (especially running, of course) too!
I think I do have a lot to learn. We did some experiments on ourselves, and we checked our blood glucose levels, and mine was 3.7, so I was technically having a hypo, just from sitting in a classroom all afternoon having not eaten for the 5 hours since lunch. I wonder what it does on a 100 miler? And how can I manage it, what, when, how much should I eat? What about before? And after? Intensity, duration, type of exercise, timing in training...why does it matter? I can't believe I've had all these opportunities to try things on myself in a logical fashion, and I just haven't! I have barely any records of what I eat and drink in relation to running, I just make it up as I go along! This is disgraceful! I am inspired and motivated to change this!
I was sad to be missing running this weekend. After my hypo, I ate a flapjack, some nuts, some grapes and a cup of tea. Then I felt like maybe I'd overshot the refuelling a bit, and needed to do some exercise. So I did a 5 mile run on Saturday night, which in hindsight, wasn't the best time to go out running in the student area of Leeds, the day after the students had finished their exams. I thought it would be nice to run to Kirkstall Abbey, which of course it would have been, except it was dark. So basically, I ran to an abbey I couldn't see, and then coming back down the Otely Road I overtook a bunch of about 20 guys who all started shouting at me (in a very northern way, "eh up!"), and screaming with laughter (I hadn't realised I was so funny to watch running). Then one tried to chase me, but tripped over his drunken feet before he could really get going, which was a shame really, as I'd have enjoyed beating Drunk Man in front of all his mates. I was planning to go out again early this morning, but I just couldn't face it. It was pitch black, and I imagined Drunk Man was probably on his way back up the Otley Road by now....
