27.5

yesterday was my 27.5 birthday. i went to a "sport yoga" class in the evening...and promptly got my butt kicked. i enjoyed the class--it was a good challenge, but afterwards when i was trying to drink a glass of water my arms felt like rubber. i'll be back again next weekend.

life this week is starting off much better. everyone in my house seems to be fighting colds, fevers and the like. friday and saturday nights i was sleeping about 10 hours per night and wanting to take naps in the afternoons. i had clearly started fighting what everyone else had, but i'm feeling much better now...only wishing the weather would change to match my mood! its ridiculously foggy outside at the moment.

i'm now about 3/4 of the way through balance, the book i mentioned last week, and its really got me thinking. while most people associate runner's high with endorphins, i'm starting to wonder if physics has something to do with it too. humans, particularly babies, seem to have an affinity towards rocking--being rocked in a parents arms, being on boats (assuming you're not seasick), cars, etc. the reason is that the motion stimulates your vestibular system--you're inner ear. without getting to into detail, i'm starting to wonder if the rocking motion of running is partly responsible for why diehard runners tell you that running is like meditating. one study mentioned in the book looked at how older people reported feeling more calm, less agitated, etc, if they rocked in a rocking chair. apparently there was a correlation between the calming affect and the amount of time spent rocking. though it sounds silly, i wonder what would happen if you incorporated rocking in a rocking chair into an injured runner's recovery/rehab plan. obviously it would not provide cardiovascular benefit or the endorphin rush, but i wonder if the stimulation of the vestibular system would help alleviate some of the withdrawl, if you will, from the motion while working back up to running. just a thought.

oh, and i finally joined the local trail and ultrarunning group. the first meeting is next week. the guy that's speaking is apparently my age and has been organizing an ultra somewhere in south america and apparently raising money for the local community there. i'll keep you posted...on that and future trail adventures...and maybe i'll buy a rocking chair.