Midweek Mashup
Greetings! I hope everyone is having a great week. Here are a few things that are making my life a little more interesting right now. Podcast #1 Jason Fitzgerald’s Strength Running podcast with Tim DiFrancesco was excellent. I love his podcasts, but to be honest sometimes he starts to sound like a broken record. How many different ways are there to say that if you’re a runner, you should be doing strength training? Or if this expert does have something different to say, you end up confused (wait! should I be doing kettlebells? Plyometrics? Do I need a strength coach???) I’m so glad I listened to this one though- it was a very clear and comprehensive explanation of strength training for runners. DiFrancesco explains what runners need, how to get started and also some diagnostic tests to do on yourself. He has a GREAT plan for starting plyometrics so you don’t get hurt. This episode was so good, I’m going to listen to it twice. Podcast #2 Again- Jason Fitzgerald. He interviews Dean Karnazes in this episode. I loved the part where Dean said that he’s never been injured (WHAT.) Jason asked Dean what he attributes this to, and Dean gives credit to genetics. He said he just naturally has good alignment, and has always naturally run with a midfoot strike, forward lean and high cadence. As he said, “The best thing a long distance runner can do is to choose your parents well.” I get frustrated with people whose message is something like “I run 200 mile races, and if I can do it, anyone can!” I don’t like to use anything as an excuse, including age, including genetics, but there’s a point where you have to consider these things. I agree wholeheartedly that we’re all capable of much more than we imagine, and I’m all for pushing limits. But not everything is possible for everyone. The hopeful part of this message is that if we improve our form as much as we can, it should make a difference. I’ve been working on it! And by the way, I’m not complaining here- I’m well aware that I’ve won the genetics lottery in countless ways. People are struggling with much harder things than a little plantar fasciitis. Books! Books! Books! Ah, I get so happy when I leave the library with an armful of books. I just finished Writers and Lovers by Lily King, which I loved, and I’m waiting for a library hold to come in. To tide me over, I went to the library and just browsed, and this is what I came home with: I’ve read interesting reviews of The Night Swim and Mexican Gothic, and I picked up the Nick Hornby because I’ve read some of his other books and enjoyed them. I don’t know what to read first- I want to read them all at once! Actually, I’m not sure if I’ll like Mexican Gothic. I can’t tell if it’s a mystery, or more in the horror genre? I like mysteries, but not horror- and it’s not because it scares me. I just find it kind of silly. If anyone has read it, let me know! Anyone have any good books to recommend? Have you read any of these? Have you listened to either of these podcasts?