As a runner, I know all too well the importance of recovery for my performance. One of the tools I use to aid in my recovery is an ice bath, also known as cold water immersion.
From a physical standpoint, I've found that the benefits of an ice bath include reducing inflammation, soreness, and muscle damage, as well as improving recovery time and performance. The cold water causes constriction of blood vessels, which reduces blood flow to muscles and decreases inflammation. I've especially noticed the benefits after intense exercise or a 100km race. The cold temperature numbs pain receptors, providing temporary pain relief while reducing muscle damage, and eliminating that involuntary intense twitching of my legs at night.
But the benefits of ice baths go beyond just the physical. I've also found that they have a big impact on my mind, improving my focus, concentration, and overall mental clarity, leaving me feeling more relaxed and less anxious. I think this is because the cold water stimulates the release of endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers and mood elevators.
After a month-long break, and deep cleaning my ice bath, I jumped back in today with a 12-minute session at 5.6 degrees. And let me tell you, the love is definitely back.

This morning I gave in to the targeted endorsement by my favourite podcasters and subscribed to Athletic Greens, a supplement which promises to work wonders for my gut and to boost my energy levels. 
Only time will tell if it lives up to the hype, but what I do know is that I am constantly looking for ways to experiment and change my daily rituals to optimize my mental and physical well-being in 2023

In time, I'll dive deeper (i.e. geek out!) into the specifics and look for performance differentiators, but for now, I'm targeting a few areas simultaneously with simple changes to create a baseline:

• Improving sleep quality to feel rested by eliminating alcohol, screens at night, and going to bed early.
• Stable energy levels throughout the day by changing my nutrition and paying attention to my hydration.
• Building physical strength for longevity by planning my running and cross-training daily.
• Time management for better productivity by scheduling my days, weeks, months, and year and reviewing.
• Clarity of mind to become a better human being by meditating and journaling.

In running, achievements are the result of small improvements compounded daily through training and routines. Since I opened up to the opportunity to adopt the same approach to change and improve my life outside of running, I feel empowered by the prospect.

In my training plans and weekly schedule, I always make sure to include what I like to call "absorption" runs.
I believe the term was coined by Steve Moneghetti, and it refers to 30-45-minute runs at a very low intensity pace, so that the body has an opportunity to absorb the benefits of the hard workouts done previously.

Now, I know these runs have traditionally been called "recovery" runs, but I like to think that Steve's rewording highlights their value in a training program, rather than dismissing them as filler between workouts.
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So here's to the "absorption" runs, and let's give those "recovery" runs a run for their money! Of course, the big catch here is that you still need to put in the hard workouts to have something to absorb.

We all have the same 24 hours in a day, but it can feel like there's never enough time to get everything done, especially when it comes to getting a good night's sleep. I'm no exception to this, and I know that I often waste precious minutes here and there, which add up over the course of a day. And, with that, I waste attention and brainpower that could be better spent elsewhere.

This year, I'm determined to experiment, change, and optimize my time management. Firstly, I need to get an insight into where I spend my time. I plan to keep track of my day, the different activities I engage in, the time I spend, and put a value and priority against each. Then, I'll need to review the list with an objective eye, to eliminate, minimize, or optimize the activity, with the primary intent of freeing up time or reallocating it to activities that bring me more value.
As I was on my run this morning, I started the process of logging my time, reflecting on the last week, and gained a few insights. I'm excited about the prospect of optimizing my life and I'll be sharing my progress and the first week of tracking. Let's see how it goes!

I love immersing myself in the act of running. The sound of nature, the feel of my feet hitting the ground, and my breathing, it's all so calming and grounding. And, of course, the thoughts that come up during a run are integral part of the experience and worth paying attention to. I don't need any external entertainment or distractions, I want to stay connected to the present moment.

For the most part, I don't use headphones on my runs and try to keep things as light as possible. But, when I do use headphones, on longer road running or track outings, I listen to podcasts. Music can be too much of a distraction for me, I get too caught up in the beat and end up pushing myself harder than I should.

These days, I tend to gravitate towards non-running podcasts or audiobooks to keep me entertained and distract me, ideally while learning something new. Lex Fridman's podcast is by far my favorite, I think it might be because I have a bit of a "geek" inside of me and I connect with his engineering mind. Or maybe it's because he has conversations with so many different people from different backgrounds and walks of life, so I'm constantly learning and discovering.
One of my recent discoveries through Lex's podcast is Chamath Palihapitiya. His name and face were familiar to me, but I had never looked into his story or what he has accomplished until I listened to Lex's episode #338. What a fascinating story and intelligent human being he is!
So, with high expectations, I've now subscribed to Chamath's All-in podcast too. Looks like I'll be hitting the road for more runs soon!