Goldilocks – a Runner’s PatRun (patron) saint

Running a kilometer nonstop for the first time can provide you with your first Runner’s High. Running that kilometer progressively faster can keep you going or you can increase the distance you can cover continuously to 2 kms, 3kms or more. Even though you don’t consider yourself a competitive runner (and most runners probably do not compete), you might want to pick a goal for yourself and then train to reach it from “tabula rasa” to mastering it. Unfortunately, while in the process of achieving the goal which could at times be overambitious, many runners succumb to injuries which sometimes force them into periods of lessened training. This could be due to:

- peer pressure

- not able to body sense and understand the needs of your body or 

- simply excitement

There are times when we must modify activities to recover for good times to come. Philosophers and physiologists might argue over whether these periods of injury and recovery represent low and high points in our lives. Sometimes we need “a rest” and “illness” or “injury” forces this upon us. This represents change - change is not necessarily all bad and we should embrace it. However, while we embrace the change, it need not necessarily be accepted by many runners and this spirals them down. All day they look at their peers running and they feel gloomy that they can’t. 

 Goldilocks is a runner’s PatRun (patron) Saint. All runners should keep the “miss” in mind while running or exercising. In fact, all readers can apply this in anything that they do. You don’t want to overdo, you don’t want to underdo. You want to do just right. Every time you are overstressing or under stressing, remember the PatRun saint Goldilocks J.

 After stressful workouts, surrounding yourself with friends in a relaxed environment can help shift the body into rest mode and aid recovery. Spending time with others not only shifts our nervous system out of fight or flight mode but also works at a hormonal level. In addition to that, the top 3 performance enhancing supplements in the market are:

     - 8 hours of sleep

b- - real food and 

-   - water 

Rest is essential if you want to maximize your potential as a runner. It need not necessarily mean sitting on the couch and doing nothing. It could mean reading, sleeping or engaging yourself in activities that interest you. When you rest, your tired muscles recuperate and builds strength. If you over train by doing too much, you not only risk injury but also will be unable to train successfully because of accumulated fatigue. That said, one of the best performance enhancers is sleep which many people don't get enough of. Don't miss out on your natural hormonal boost by missing out on sleep! Most importantly, be kind to yourself and think Goldilocks.

 Runners often run past the scenery too fast to see it. Sometimes we all need to slow down and in effect, smell the flowers. The slower you run, the more scenery you absorb.

 At the end of the day, you do want to feel “runderful” following the process, don’t you?

 P.S – Runderful (adj) – the feeling you have after you finish your run.