Doing the Running Thing

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

• By rejean
• 13 February, 2013
• 9 Comments

Here’s a typical day during training camp. I’m very lucky to be here at Yaya, and don’t have to worry about anything other than training.

I get up at 6am, start getting ready for my first run of the day…drink some eload, stretch(AIS),  and do some activation exercises. Between 6:30-7 I head out for my run, usually 1h15-1h45, 2h+ on Sundays. It’s surprisingly cool at this time and have to wear thighs and a long sleeve, similar to our Canadian spring/fall.

I’m back at Yaya around 8:30, stretch some more and use the roller/massage ball for 20mins, shower, and head over for breakfast. I usually have a vegetable omelette, 3 pancakes, 2 toast, and mango juice.

I’m back in my room around 10:00, and it’s nap time until noon. Some say sleeping can be an issues when you first go at altitude, but it haven’t been a problem for me.

I then slowly make my way to the restaurant at 12:30 for lunch. Usually I’ll have a soup, stir fry/ steak/ grilled chicken/ or the very odd Ethiopian dish, a fruit salad, and a coffee or Machihato.

Back in my room at 1:30-2, I’ll read(I Just Ran, Percy Willians’s biography right now), write, check my emails, and do karate! Ok…no karate.

By 4:00 I start getting ready for my second run, I do some more stretching and activation exercises, and head out at 4:30 for about an hour.

After my run I do an hour of strength work, massage, and stretching.

At 7pm the work is done and it’s dinner time. I’ll probably have a soup, pizza, beer, and a fruit salad. Don’t worry it’s not Pizza Pizza or Pizza Hut type pizza. They make their own wood stove pizza, and is probably the healthiest pie I’ve ever had…and still taste great. I’m usually back in my room around 8:00, if  I feel crazy I might hang out until 9pm.

I’ll do a bit more reading, writing, checking emails, and karate.

Lights are out between 9-10pm.

My nutrition changed a lot since I’ve been here. I only have Ethiopian dishes the odd time, but mostly I eat a lot of grains(bread, rice, pasta). Before coming here I was on the paleo/primal diet for the last 8 months or so, which means no grains. I can’t say I’ve felt much difference, other than being a little bloatted the very odd time, but it hasn’t affected my runs.

On Sunday’s I usually go downtown in Addis, to the Jupiter hotel lounge to use their internet, have a coffee,  and get something to eat. It’s nice to get out of the training atmosphere and have a change of scenery even for only 2-3 hours a week.

Like you’ll see in the follow photo’s, I’m not “roughing in out”!

A combo of a few Ethiopian dishes, fir fir(shredded injera with spices), tibs, an egg, and injera around it which comes with most Ethiopian meal.