Nadiyah's

Presenting Belly Dance, Dance Oriental, Danse de Ventre, Raks el Shargi, Raks el Sharki, Middle Eastern Dance, etc.

 

 

 

Preventive Maintenance

(A blog from marathon training)

by Nadiyah
 
Preventive maintenance isn't a new concept for me, for I have been deeply involved in athletic programs since I was a youngster.  I have learned through the years, the importance of warm-ups, breathing, keeping hydrated, stretches, vitamins and other health supplements, eating healthy, and taking periodic breaks when the body calls for them.  Not following these steps can lead to more soreness than necessary or even injury/illness.  Even so, there are times, such as when I bellydanced while pregnant, that I must recommit my respect for preventive maintenance.  While pregnant, I had to really push the water and periodic breaks to prevent overheating and dizziness.
 

Today, I ran 12 miles and I feel good.  Last weekend, I ran 12 miles and it was all I could do to drive home afterwards.  (This running is part of the marathon training I am doing to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  If I raise enough funds to continue, then I'll continue my training until I reach 26.2 miles in Anchorage, Alaska.)  Normally, my car is parked at the half-way point, so I'd drop a layer of clothing and grab some water.  This routine worked fine until we hit the hills and increased the mileage.  The half-way point was not an option and there was no water for an entire 12 miles.  About 7 miles into the run, my lips dried out and my head began to throb.  Even though a dusting of snow was on the ground, I took a layer off to cool my head.  As my body froze, my head burned...

 

I learned my lesson and purchased a fanny pack that holds a water bottle.  Every five minutes, when I took my one minute walk, I also took a swig of water.  After every three miles, I also consumed a Powerbar PowerGel.  Just by adding the water and extra carbohydrates, my body felt completely different.  I was still running strong in the 12th mile and am confident that I can take on 14 miles next week without a glitch. 

 

So how does this relate to you?  Although the studio, gym, house, etc. offers the essentials of water, bathroom, wind shelter, and so on, it is still important to look ahead and prevent dehydration from occurring.  Sure, the class may be working on isolations, but the muscles still need their water.  In fact, the more you flush your body, the better chance you have of limiting the soreness following a good dance workshop.

Nadiyah © 2005

 

 

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Last revised:  July 30, 2006

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