force the bad air out

I must condense this into a useable (2 syllable max) mantra so that I will actually remember and use it more often.  Yesterday's run was tough and sometimes I forgot to breathe OUT properly.  In general, my breathing, though less and less constrained, is still sloppy, and I've been noticing this for a few weeks.  I was focusing on inhalation, and then I realized the importance of exhalation.  What's the point of packing in litres of good air without taking the bad out?  I noticed a significant change when I concentrated on squeezing my abs and forcing my diaphragm upward while exhaling.  Wringing out the sponge dry.  It requires more thought than I'm used to devoting towards breathing, though, and so I need a simple mantra, something like squeezout.  LOL.  Some sort of word will push to the front next time I need it.  I've found it kind of pointless to devise good mantras beforehand: the pithy slam that seems so effective at leisure usually becomes glaringly inconsequential in the crucible of lactic acid.

So, this is my new focus: effective exhalation.

Anyway, we ran for about 70 minutes, including the triplet twice.  Yes!  The repeat was an impromptu decision and my energy crashed on the large hill before it the second time, but the triplet itself went very well and on the third peak, I actually felt fatigue lift.  Endorphins!  I didn't have enough juice for the long hill afterward, though, but there is an escape route, another trail that skirts the rise, and I took it.  No shame!   So I guess I'll stick with two repeats for the next few weeks, and then attempt a third. 

Afterward, I did a modified zwow #12--I finally dug out my 10 lb dumbbells (and 10 lb plates too at the same time.  It doesn't rain but it pours) and so I can do the shoulder exercises I need to do.  My right shoulder is the problem, partly due to referred pain, partly because it's overly flexible too and tends to settle into an uncomfortable position during tougher runs.  But if I do side deltoid raises, the problem goes away.  I just looked up what that exercise is called!  I've been doing it for a while (years?) but never knew what it was called!  Maybe adding front raises would be even better.  I'll try next time.  http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/alternating-deltoid-raise#reviews

Today was an easy day, about an hour of easy jogging and walks up all the hills.  A truly easy effort that will hopefully set me up well for a tougher run tomorrow.  We might try a new loop.