Monday, June 8, 2009

Ice, Ice Baby


This is not my car. I repeat, NOT my car. Just a car I saw walking through a parking lot in Victoria recently on the way to ice my legs in the ocean. I had to take a picture of it because, well. . . I have never seen a vehicle so Hello Kitty-ed out before. In case you can't tell, those are Hello Kitty seat and seatbelt covers; there were also multiple themed stuffed animals in the back seat (not pictured). Talk about dedication.


My friend Lisa and I spent a few minutes laughing at this poor car owner's expense. We then jumped in our car and headed to the ocean where we bundled our top halves up in weirdly fashioned towel burqas, like so:



and edged ourselves into a freezing cold ocean to ice our legs so that people on shore could laugh at OUR expense. We were the ONLY ones crazy enough to go near the water, since the temps were hovering somewhere around the low 50s. Talk about dedication. At least the views were good.


Ice baths have become a fixture of my training these days. As someone who is extremely cold adverse, I'd much rather hit the hot tub than the ice bath or cold ocean. Unfortunately, the science is too good to ignore. Exposure to the cold first reduces inflammation, thereby limiting tissue damage. After the cold is removed, there is an increase blood flow which serves to both warm up the tissue and remove the "junk" that accumulates from cellular breakdown by more quickly moving it into the lymph system.


If that's too confusing, just remember 10-20 minutes of torture equals fresh(er) legs for the morning workout. Happy icing!

4 comments:

  1. Ha! I'm glad I'm not the only person who takes pictures of 1) car with random things in them 2)cars that take up multi parking places places. It kind of makes you wonder what that person's house looks like...a Hello Kitty kingdom :)

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  2. Funny posting considering on my way home from our track workout this morning I stopped off at 7-11. No, not for coffee. For ice! A huge bag of it! (Is it just me, or has ice become ridiculously expensive??) Then into the bath tub I went.
    Awesome workout this morning! Thanks for setting the pace!

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  3. I hope your training is going good. I didnt get to wish you good luck in your race after Ultimate Camp. I hope your foot is getting better. Did you finish watching the DHW final, it is a great one!!
    Nice photo on the bike ride.

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  4. How'd the Canada 1/2 IM go? Great to pedal with you in the bay area! Let me know when you're back up to ride & descend more!

    -David

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