Rant: Running pet peeves from a 100* week

It has be hot and humid around here lately, and I am in a bit of surley mood. I just finished Chad Austin's article on "Running Lessons Learned" in the July/August issue of RunMinnesota and it prompted me to write about a few things I see while running:

1) Drop the rollerblades and run. I keep seeing people on rollerblades clogging the bike paths. STOP! Rollerblade is an inefficient exercise, if you want physical exercise: run! Running is significantly more efficient and is much more beneficial. And don't tell me about running = injuries! Most girls I see are 40% or less of my weight; the joint impact of you running is minimal. You are in much more risk of injury going down narrow bike trails on rollerblades with no helmet or wristguards. Get fitted for a good pair of shoes, switch to running, and your injury risk will go down significantly! And you will be less of a risk to me as you zoom around me and avoid the bikes. . .

2) Get off the sidewalks! Repeat after me: cement and joint/foot health are mutually exclusive! The sidewalk is significantly harder than a tar/asphalt road surface. If you are worried about traffic, find the running trails. I get in my car and drive a mile to a parking lot next to the greenway so I can run on an asphalt trail with no cars. Better yet, run dirt trails or in the grass alongside the asphalt trail. Saves on the shoes and the legs.

3) Dress for the weather! It is over 90*, high humidity, and I see people in black pants with a sweatshirt tied around their waist. Most of us don't have a perfect body. Please don't kill yourself trying to get there! Black absorbs light, white reflects it. Light is heat. You burn the same calories running a mile regardless of how much clothing you wear. All you are doing by adding layers is losing water; not helping with permanent weight loss. You are also raising your heart rate, increasing the chance you get a running injury, lowering the effectiveness of your workout for burning fat, and de-hydrating yourself. The last is key. People do die from overheating. I am overweight; I am a blob. Take it from me; when you run in 30 layers of black, people don't think your thin. In fact, they probably imagine that you are larger than you are. It is not worth risking your health to try to cover everything. You are out there to make a better you, not worry about people looking at the old you. The fact is, 95% of us out there are too busy worrying about our own running and how we look to even notice you. . . Wear something sensible and focus on safe and effective work-outs.

4) "I (state your name) swear to never wear cotton while working out again!" Now, don't we all feel better? Cotton gets wet, chafes, becomes clammy, and sucks for working out in. "Wicking" fabrics are much better for working out. Now, you don't have to spend huge amounts of $$$$ for wicking fabrics. Get one or two "nice" shirts (Under Armor, Nike, New Balance, Sporthill, etc.) for races and special days. The go to a good sporting goods store or Target and purchase Champion's "value line." It has many names including "C9" at Target, but it always says "Duo-Dry" on the labels and tags. You should be able to find sales, clearance, etc so you get 2 shirts for $20. This is less than you pay for one cotton tee a Abercrombie & Fitch, and will be worlds better. Consider getting the special detergent for performance fabrics, wash them separately, never machine dry, and they will last for a long time and your body will thank you many many many times over. . .

5) No water stops! I realize there are hundreds of problems from vandalism to ground freezing, but would it be too much to ask for at least one water source on the bike/running trails in this town? They stretch for as long as 5 miles at a stretch with no water source. Am I asking too much?

6) Shorter dog leashes. Don't get me wrong, I love dogs. But shorten their leashes so they don't trip people. Most people really try, but there are still a couple of dogs every run that force me with tired legs to try to hurdle, skip, or avoid their leashes.

7) Still don't have a mantra. . . ;)

8) I have a pain right below my left knee (tender spot about 1.5" below my kneecap). It popped up after a recent long run. Wish I knew what it was, and what it means. Hope it goes away by tomorrow. . .

Well, I am out of rants and feel better! :) When you see some plump guy out running starring into space, he's not a dirty old man leering at you; he's just thinking about how he is going to blog it. . .

First Running Anniversary

"Running has given me the courage to start, the determination to keep trying, and the childlike spirit to have fun along the way. Run often and run long, but never outrun your joy of running."

Julie Isphording, winner of the 1990 Los Angeles Marathon

I have reached the end of my first year of running. Overall, it has been amazing, and I have closet full of technical clothing and worn out shoes to prove it!!!

Highlights:

Completed Fargo Marathon (first marathon and PR)

Completed Earth Day Half-Marathon (first half-marathon and PR)

Completed one 10K (first and PR)

Completed one 8K (first and PR)

Completed five 5K (#1 through #5; lowered my PR in each

approx. 775 total miles

Volunteered at two 5K races

Lowered my blood pressure

Improved my diet

Improved my overall health

Improved my attitude and peace of mind. . .

The last one is probably the most important. I have taken to heart the saying: it's not adding years to your life, it is adding life to your years. . .


Still in Progress:

Weight Loss (lost about 100# from my high point, but behind where I want to be -- diet/food selection is still not perfect :)

Consistent training (too many nagging injury or health problems have kept me from my weekly training schedule

Paige running with me

Cooper running

Still no mantra

Need better motivation plan

Goals for next year:

Complete second marathon (Outerbanks, Nov 2007)

Complete third marathon (Grandma's 2008)

Complete 2 to 5 half-marathons (Fishook 8/2007, Beardsley 9/2007, Sheyenne Valley 9/2007), Winter Carnival, 1/2008, Earth Day (4/2008)

Weight loss below to below 180#

Tri??????

Running update

The definite "high" of my first year running was completing the Fargo Marathon. The definite low has been running since then. My mileage is down due to a couple of reasons:

Allergy and hive problems on my feet and ankles have caused raw and broken skin that I was not able to run on.

Sore quads. I experienced "micro-tears" in my quad muscles during the marathon. That was actually the sorest part of my body after the race. It was also surprising because I had zero quad pain/problems in training. Since then, I have had quad pain in my legs after every run. I broke out the CWX shorts yesterday and had my first pain-free run since before the marathon!

I also have a bit of post marathon frustration / blues. I had a longer lay-off after the marathon than I wanted due to the hives. Then I was frustrated by my inability to run distances and paces I ran in training leading up to the marathon. It left me feeling frustrated after a run; no satisfaction or runner's high. That lowered my motivation. I was also concerned about the quad pain and worried that pushing it would make it worse and lead to further loss of running. The net result is I have lost both conditioning and mental satisfaction from my training schedule.

Today is 17 weeks to my fall marathon. I am adjusting the first couple of weeks of training schedule to fit my lowered base. I am also focusing on motivation and prepping myself for the long haul. I have a long way to go, but I am confident I have the right attitude and plan to deal with it.

As I type this, I am looking out the window and wishing I was out running RIGHT NOW! Gotta go. . .

Is jogging/running right-wing?

This is amazing:

President Sarkozy has fallen foul of intellectuals and critics who see his passion for jogging as un-French, right-wing and even a ploy to brainwash his citizens.

Here is more critique:

Renaud Longuèvre, a coach of champion athletes, told L’Equipe magazine that Mr Sarkozy bends too far forward, his stride is off, his arms dangle and his feet hit the ground the wrong way. The coach advised the President to get his feet checked, strengthen his abdominal and posterior muscles and “check your diet because it seems you are carrying a slight excess in weight”.

Link

Tough crowd!

At least he doesn't seem to have a relay baton or similar device up his posterior like his critics seem to have. . .

Concern about Saucony changes

The old adage is that everything changes. On the heels of running my first Marathon in Saucony Pro Grid Triumph 4's (the yellow and black ones), I find two pieces of news that concern me:

1) Stride Rite, the parent company, was purchased by Payless Shoes.

As I read the reports, the plan is to keep the premium shoe brands separate from the retail operations. It sounds like a diversification move rather than an attempt to leverage savings by using the brand reputation to drive low-end sales in the existing sales channel. Hopefully that means continued production of high end running shoes.

2) The "neutral high-cushion" shoe that I run in is getting boring! Fall colors are white and blue; nothing super flashy. . .

3) The "neutral high-cushion" shoe is not one of the models getting "winterized." The Pro Grid Triump 4's have GREAT ventilation. Great for summer, that is. They are COLD in the winter. I heard rumors that some models in the fall will have less "breathable" (read more wind-proof) outers. But not the models I run in. Another winter of heavy wool sox and cold toes!

I have attempted to run in both Nike and Addidas. I had problems with both shoes and will stick with my Saucony as long as I can. I have 3 active pair and two retired pair in my closet, and I will need to add a pair or two in July for the fall season.

A Few posts from other blogs

Here are a few posts from other blogs I am reading:

Chad Austin called me:

"Marc may be one of the year’s most inspirational stories."

I am humbled, but also wondering if Chad's wife could check his temperature. . . There are lots of people that have overcome more than me. I just show what is possible to give lazy guys less excuses. . . ;)

I am also reading Eric. I found his blog when he commented on my Marathon post. We shared a serious complaint with the cold wind on 25th Ave S at Fargo. We both ran our first marathon last Saturday. But from here, the stories differ. Eric started at the front between Dick Beardsley and Andrew Carlson. He also finished second overall. Good job Eric; I hope to actually meet you face to face and shake you hand sometime.

Here is his reports:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

I have Scheels Run Club tomorrow night and I am going to take a lesson from Chad and interview some of our runners for postings. Look forward to them in the next week.

Gotta run. . .

Goals Update

I posted my 2007 goals here! Now let's check status:

1) Target Weight 164#

Not going great. I have "plateau'ed a bit and I was 20 pounds over goal when I started the Fargo Marathon. Still need work here. Attacking this with a new plan from Nancy Clark to eat two lunches and cut back on evening calories.

2) Finish Fargo Marathon

Done 5:46:36

3) Finish Outerbanks Marathon

Registered for 11/11/2007 race.

4) Finish Beardsley Half-Marathon

"Intent of goal" was to run a half-marathon. Ran Earth Day Half-Marathon on 4/21/2007. Running Beardsley on 9/8/2007. Also running 2-4 other half-marathons this year.

5) Run 29:59 5K

Lowered PR twice in two races this year (from 34:57 to 34:40 and 33:11) I think success here is possible, but it will depend on #1 and #8!

6) Scout Twin Cities Marathon

Schedule conflicts means it probably will not happen.

7) Scout Grandma's Marathon

Schedule conflicts means it probably will not happen.

8) Add track/speed work in 3rd Quarter.

Depends on #1, but looking at starting in July.

9) Stock up on some really cool "Pre" t-shirts

Have one, need two more.

10) Help Cooper run 5 kids races.

Ran one on 4/14/07. He was not able to run at Fargo Marathon because I was too tired after Marathon to stick around or help him with running.

11) Help Paige run a 5K

Paige has talked about an "in-line skate" marathon, and also about running, but has not started a training program yet. . .

Scheels Fargo Marathon -- Full report

Saturday, May 19th, 2007 was the Scheels Fargo Marathon. I was registered to run; it was my FIRST marathon. My main goal was to FINISH; my stretch goal was to finish in under 6 hours.

Weather: Blessing here! Five days before race, the forecast was for Sunny and 81*. Race start was in the low 50's* with a cold north wind and overcast. It stayed that way until after the race. It rained hard the night before and I had my first allergy free run in over a month! Could have done with a bit less wind, but at least I had plenty of chance to “train” for that. :)

Start: I was in the rear of the pack. That meant two problems: the north wind was hitting me in the back of my legs and I heard nothing from the starting line. Missed the anthem, prayer, instructions, and actual starting gun. . . I just moved when the pack did.

By the time the pack started moving, I had stopped stressing about how I was going to get through 26.2 miles. I also stopped stressing about lack of a mantra. My main thought was: “It's COLD!”

½ mile: Finally warming up. Turned out of the wind, feeling great, and short sleeves and shorts were the right uniform for today.

2 miles: Need to unfog these sunglasses! Too humid for me after the rain.

3 miles: Ran by a bike shop. They had signs out that I will have to paraphrase. Basically, the message was: You're looking strong, but a long way to go. When your knees hurt, consider riding a bike next time. It took all my self control to not give them the “bird.” Instead, I made a mental note to put my bike up on E-Bay and sell it.

4 miles: Some guy was holding up a “Go Pre” sign. Gave him a big thumbs-up! Still no mantra. . . .

5-6 miles: Ran by a house playing Springsteen. “Born to Run” just makes me run faster! Then there was a house with a block party. There must have been 300 people on the block and some guy had a bullhorn: “We still have 125 Breakfast Burritos; who's hungry?” I also saw my cousin, Eric, for the first time and it was great to see him.

10 miles: WIND. Turned north into the wind on a 4 lane street with no trees. It was only about a ¼ mile, but I was chilled and not happy.

11 miles: Met by the “Windahl Support Team” for the first time. My wife (Paige), son (Cooper), and parents (Ron & Gloria) were all dressed in matching tee-shirts cheering me on.

12 miles: I was “Gumping!” Someone was blasting “Running on Empty” and again it picked me up. It made me feel like I could run across the country. Still no mantra. .. (Mom & Dad: This is a reference to "Forest Gump"; it is the song that plays while Forest runs across the country a couple of times. . . )

13 miles: Right hip starts hurting and I am worried this will prevent me from finishing. I was approaching the Scheels Aid station and they had a bunch of signs with facts and quotes to read and take your mind off running. I had a brief moment of panic when I worried that it would be like so much at Scheels with a test at the end, and I could not remember what animal could lick it's own eyeballs. (its the giraffe for those of you that don't know how to google it. . .)

Made it to the actual aid station, high fived my coworkers and friends, picked up my resupply of Sharkey's, and continued on with new energy from all the support.

15-20 miles: Chip and GPS say I ran it, wish I could remember it. I do remember giving a long-time family friend (Bev) a hug and I called her by a last name that has not been accurate in 30 years. I also vaguely remember running through the Concordia College campus. I was a bit disappointed that it was not full of girls like Welsly is during the Boston Marathon, but then again, I did not have any energy to react anyway. There was also an orchestra somewhere in there; nice kids. And I met a couple from Thief River falls; she was running her first marathon. I looked for them at the finish, but never found them again. Saw the guy with the "Go Pre!" sign again. Still no mantra. . .

Mile 20: Saw my family and cousin Eric again! More energy!

Mile 21: Working on inventing a time machine so I can go back and kill Phillipides at the 21 mile point and not have to run the last 5.2. If he is going to die anyway, why not help him, and myself, along a bit. I am almost through the equation that will prove Einstein wrong and make the time machine possible when I catch the smell of a brat on a grill. Now I can't remember it. . .

Mile 22: Made a mental note to cancel the E-bay listing of the bike, and instead use its wheels for a temporary wheelchair. Notice a “fat Elvis” in a jump suit singing on a Karaoke machine. It occurs to me that the songs he is signing are ONLY known by my son as from “Lilo & Stitch”. Huge generation gap here. . .

Mile 23: Lonely. Runners are fairly thin and I have few near me. I ask a cop if they know who stole the Fargodome, because I was sure it was supposed to be on that corner. He laughed. I was able, at times, to find a comfortable stride where I could run with zero pain and feel good. Unfortunately, I could stay in that place for longer than a block. Then I had two to three blocks of painful shuffling. I was worried that I over-tapered due to my allergy problems. I did not notice it in endurance, but I did notice it in my feet. The course had to be changed due to flooding, and 4 miles of asphalt bike trail were replaced by concrete streets. I trained on softer surfaces, and by this point my feet were VERY sore. I have not had blister problems since I started running, but the balls of my feet and at least 3-4 of the toes felt like they had blisters now.

Mile 24: Saw family again. Cooper yelled: “Go daddy go! Only two more miles!” Wish I could bottle that feeling for tough days and away races.

Mile 25: Parrot station. I was a bit disappointed. I had built this up so big in my head, but it did not live up to expectations. They were not playing my favorite Buffet song, they were out of beads, and despite the signs, I got neither a Margarita nor a cheeseburger. It was not the paradise I was looking forward to, but it gave me enough to know I could finish. About a block later, I bent over to set my cup down on the curb and almost didn't finish. Huge protests from the back and leg muscles. Dropped it and continued on. Consider and reject "fins to the left; fins to the right" as a mantra. . .

Mile 26.2: Home! Entered into the Fargodome stadium. Family and friends cheering. Great comments from the announcer. Crossed the line and emotions were huge. The last two times I remember feeling like that was when Cooper was born and Paige and I were married.

I don't know that I can ever completely explain to friends and family how much their support, encouragement, hugs, and congratulations meant to me, but it was beyond my wildest expectations. It felt awesome.

I met both goals, finishing in 5:46:36. I lost more than 90 pounds to get to the starting line, I now know that if I lose an additional 80, I can run faster times. I am excited to continue my progress!

Went home and soaked my legs in ice water and then took a long shower. Dressed and went out to eat with my family and my parents. Cooper fell asleep at supper; it was a long day for him also!

Day after, I walked about 2 miles. Quads and feet are sore; calves never complained. The race was well run, the crowds were great, the support was fantastic. I am looking forward to my next marathon.

Finished!!! 5:46:36

I finished my first marathon yesterday, the Scheels Fargo Marathon in 5:46:36.

Here is my results page.

Full report to come. . . Going to shower and do some walking to stretch out my legs first!

Earth Day Half-Marathon Splits

I was very happy with these:

Mile Split

1 11:07
2 11:02
3 11:23
4 11:05
5 11:35 (Shot blocks)
6 11:16
7 12:46 (bathroom break and BIG hill)
8 11:06
9 11:24
10 12:44 (Stomach cramps)
11 12:11
12 11:09 (Pouring rain)
13 11:28 (Pouring rain)
.1 10:18 pace

For a first half-marathon (and race #7 or 8 total), I was very happy with my pacing.

Marathon Questions: How Long for longest run

I am doing a short series of posts on questions I frequently hear at run club and seminars about training. Let me preface this by saying that I am training for my first marathon; I don't have a vast font of experience to draw from. I am not an expert, but I am someone with a good memory, research skills, and I read a lot. (see here for a discussion of whether anyone should listen to me. . .)

The most common question is: how long should my longest training run be for a marathon.

It is the great fear of first-timers:

"I was dying at the end of 20 miles; how will I make it to 26.2?"

"Shouldn't I run longer?"

The answer is 20 miles. Now, I spent most of last fall thinking this could not be right. But it is!

I started by reading looking at EVERY book in my library and the local bookstore on running (Barnes & Noble, Fargo ND). I was AMAZED to find that no training plan for beginners had a run longer than 20 miles. Higdon, Galloway, Runner's World, even Beardsley had 20 miles! Why???

Well, the reason is pretty easy to understand, once you think it through. The human body has enough glycogen for 20 miles. When you run out of glycogen, you "hit the wall." The fact is, I can run the day after a half-marathon; but every expert says plan on 4 to 12 days of no running after a marathon. Imagine having that in the middle of your training! Your chance of injury goes up significantly when you are out of glycogen. Even runners that finish a marathon "injury free", have micro tears of their muscles.

How about advanced runners? There is MANY different opinions here, but there are common notes. Most advanced plans I reviewed stop at 20 miles (Dick Beardsley's from the Grandma's Marathon site has one 24 mile run). The rest increase the number of 20 milers (Higdon has one for beginners, two for intermediate, and three for advanced). Also, most programs build by running parts of the long runs at tempo pace, increasing weekly mileage, etc.

That is the second part of the answer. More weekly mileage. If I was to summarize the books I have read, it would be:

1) Longest run 20 miles. Anything more and the risk of injury outweighs the benefits.

2) The final 6.2 miles are trained for by your weekly miles and base endurance.

Marathon Questions: Galloway run/walk

I was at a recent seminar where a question came from the audience about Jeff Galloway's RUN-WALK method. The session was on marathon training, but the facilitator had not read the books and was not familiar with Jeff's methods.

I also heard a veteran runner during a half-marathon tell a young new runner: "never walk during a race, if you have to run slowly, but never walk. It throws off your rhythm and makes your legs hurt worse." Well, I saw the veteran runner again near the finish, but did not see the younger runner and I wonder if that runner finished.

Jeff's main book is ranked 26,639 on Amazon and in its second edition. He also has other books. Jeff is an Olympic qualifier and has run over 116 marathons. He has trained over 150,000 runners. He is a frequent contributor to "Runner's World." His website bio is here.


OK, so what's up with RUN-WALK? While, the best way to began to understand it is go here and read what Jeff says. Then, buy the book!

Let me explain it for you:

1) Walk breaks help break the race down into shorter segments. At the end of two miles, I don't have 24.2 to go, I have one mile until next walk break. . .

2) Walk breaks HELP your leg muscles. As you run and become fatigued, your stride shortens. Walk breaks use the muscles differently! By walking with a long, purposeful stride, I actually stretch the muscles back out and can run farther.

3) Walk breaks help with cardiovascular recovery.

How do I use walk breaks:

1) I follow Hal Higdon's advice and walk through aid stations. Lets me stretch my legs, get my heart rate down, and drink without spilling most on my shirt/shoes.

2) I use walk breaks when increasing mileage. I have inserted walk breaks into my long runs EVERY time I have jumped mileage above 12 miles. Once my body can handle the distance, I reduce or cut the walk breaks.

3) I used it to get from the couch to running when I first started out.

There are a lot of proponent's of the WALK-RUN method. As I hinted, Hal Higdon uses for aid stations during long races. John Bingham uses for everything. But what really matters is how it works for you. Does it make you run farther and faster? Then do it and stop worrying what other people say. . . ;)

Marathon Questions: What Pace?

What pace should I run at?

This is a question I hear all the time. I have also heard variations based on heart-rate monitors ("What heart-rate should I run at?")

It is my contention that most inexperienced marathoners I have met are running their training runs too fast! The person who asked about heart rate monitors was older than I am and running a a pace that was at least 25 beats/minute faster than I run.

What is the right speed? On a heart rate monitor, it is 65 to 75% of your max heart rate. In the real world, it is "conversation pace." Run slow enough so you can have a normal conversation with your running partner; run fast enough so you cannot sing along with your iPod.

We are in a world that teaches: "it's not any good if it doesn't hurt/burn. . ." Well, the fact is, that is wrong. When you are running to "finish", you should be in the conversation zone 100% of the time. When you are running for "time", you still should be in the conversation zone 60 to 85% of the time (coaches vary here). The great thing about North Dakota/Minnesota winters is you have to wear so many clothes, it is hard to run above conversation pace. That lays on a good endurance foundation of LSD (long-slow distance).

Why not go faster?

1) Doesn't burn fat! See here for a full citation of sources and evidence.

2) Increases chances of injury. This is the main point. Running too fast for EVERY run doesn't improve your endurance, only increases the chances you won't make it through your training plan.

The key is "slow" is not slow; it is slow for you. Figure it out and adjust as your endurance improves.

1) Wear a heart rate monitor and run at 60 to 75% of your max heart rate.

2) Use Greg McMillan's running pace calculator and find your optimum pace. See my previous blog here for a discussion.

Now, I freely admit that there is a lot of controversy over LSD ("long slow distance makes long slow runners" -- Arthur Lydiard) But that is for world class athletes and competitive runners. I can tell you my results confirm the consensus, as I understand it. I have built my base (nothing to approaching first marathon) with no major injury. I continue to improve my 5K and 10K times. I am pleased with my results.


Other reads:

Joe Henderson

Peak Performance online
Mike Ricci
Run&Fit News

or simply google it! I got about 1,230,000 hits for "long" "slow" "distance" "running"

McMillan Running Calculators

When I first took up running, I found the McMillan Running Calculators. I think they are a great tool for plugging in running times and getting recommendations for pacing for workouts(endurance and stamina). It also maps out "equivalent performance" by projecting your times over other distances. The author has the following explanation and warnings:

When I say "Equivalent Performance", I mean what would be an equivalent race time at one race distance based on your recent race time at another distance. For example, if you run 31:24 for 10K, you might wonder what you could run for a 5K or for the marathon or for a 30K or 15K. Using my Running Calculator, you'll now know. Of course, I must say that these are "estimates" of what you can run. Actual results will vary depending on the course, the weather, if it's your day or not and a myriad of other factors. However, I think you'll find that within a small variation, these estimates are accurate. (Do keep in mind that a 5K runner is unlikely to run the equivalent time in the marathon off of 5K training. The runner would obviously need to train for the marathon to accomplish this equivalent time.)

Anyway, besides HIGHLY recommending this site to anyone that has questions about pacing, training paces, etc., I had something interesting happen this morning. I found a PDF on my laptop that I had created (via printing) on 3/17 after I set my PR in a 5k (from the hotel in Minneapolis). I never actually opened it, read it, or printed it when I got home. I decided to look at what it "projected" for last weekend's half-marathon. The darn thing was wrong: it predicted 2:33:23 and I ran 2:33:05. It was closer than I was, by about 7 minutes!!!! Amazing.

Now, it is predicting a 5:22:51 for my full marathon. I will say clearly up front that given the impact of my health problems on training, my weight, and the open questions of in-race nutrition to avoid hitting the wall early, I don't think I will be as close on that number. But it does give me hope for sub-5 hour marathons in the future. Stay tuned!

Marathon Training: Week 14

Week of 4/16

Mon 4.12mi
Wed >1mi*
Thur ~2mi*
Sat 14mi -- PR in Earth Day Half-Marathon at 2:33:05

WTD 20.22mi


*I purchased a new pair of shoes on the advice of our Adidas rep. I am sure they are fine shoes, but they are definitely not for me! On Wednesday, I had SORE legs and did not even finish a mile. I chalked it up to sore legs from the long run, all the extra walking I did during my business trip (~10 miles/day from Sunday through Tuesday), and spending 4 hours in planes on Tuesday night with little sleep. Thursday, I had the same problems. At the one mile mark, both shins, my right ankle, and left knee throbbed! I turned around and mostly walked/jogged back in. . . I paid close attention to my stride and realized I was supinating in these shoes. My "Shoe Guy" gave me the "I told you so look" and got me a second pair of the Saucony that I run in. Ran the half on Saturday with no shin, ankle, or knee pain (although I did have a lot of anxiety about it. . .) Rule 1: Always listen to your "Shoe Guy". Find a good one and then shut up; the good one's know best!

Marathon Training: Week 13

Week of 4/9:

Wed 6mi
Thur 5.3mi
Fri 20.96mi
Sun 6.19mi

WTD 38.51

Felt good, Weather is finally warming up!

Marathon Training: Week 11

Week of 3/26:

21.19 Miles

Cold and rain and wet.

16 Miles for long run; couple of days with no one to watch Cooper or 30's and rain.

Marathon Training: Week 10

Week of 3/19

23.95 miles

Earth Day Half-Marathon

I ran the Earth Day Half-Marathon (13.1miles) in St. Cloud, MN today. My goal was sub 2:40 and to use it as a training run for the Fargo Marathon.

Woke up at 5am for a 9am race start. Started with some whole-wheat bagels and bananas. Watched the weather channel and saw the temps were already 60*, so I pinned my race number on a short-sleeve top and laid out my shorts. Then read/dozed until it was time to get to the race.

Got to race and I was very nervous. Warmed up some and also paced and tried to visualize. Then moved out to the course for the start. About 5 minutes before the start, the rain started and the temp started falling. It was a cold first half-mile, but then the rain stopped and we ran on.

The course had some great views and had lots of places where it doubled back on itself. This let the slower pack see the front runners. Of course, most of the view (along the river) that looked great in 75* sun on Friday when I drove the course, was now lost in overcast, wind, and clouds.

Course management, volunteers, and crowd support were all great. Made the first 9 to 10 miles fly by.

I worked on walking through rest stops and getting a good drink of gatoraide swallowed rather than on my shoes. Worked well for the first few stops. At mile 9.5, the "mix" was pretty thick. Within a quarter-mile, I had stomach cramps that forced me to slow to a walk. I walked about 0.10 of a mile, had four large burps, and I was back running. I switched to water from that point forward, but had trouble at the last two stops swallowing the water; I really could not get any down.

I also had trouble with my "Shot Blocks". They are easy to chew at my easy pace, but running at race pace made them hard to chew, swallow, and breathe at the same time. So, I am going to rethink that a bit. . .

Around mile 12, it started pouring rain again, with thunder. I kicked it up a gear and started reeling in other runners in an effort to get to the finish before I froze.

I finished strong at 2:33:05 and felt good. I did get a massage, but the legs felt surprisingly good. I had to drive 175 miles home, and then my son wanted to go to a bookstore and out for supper. Legs had some soreness, but I was walking fine and made it home fine. I am tired now, and confident I will sleep well.

Shoes were great and I had none of the leg pain that I had earlier in the week (more on that to come; suffice it to say, new shoes were not stopping supination and I had very sore ankles, knees, and shins after only a mile. . .)

Now, I am looking forward to a twenty mile run next weekend and then the Fargo Marathon.

Long Run

I had my first 20mile run for marathon training scheduled for this weekend (also first 20 ever!) Due to business travel, I moved it to Friday afternoon.

What went wrong:

Didn't carry enough liquid or have enough drink stops planned.

Wore my ipod on my hip and its case rubbed a raw spot on my side.

Screwed up my calculations and ended 20 miles about a mile from home.

Pace was about 6:11 marathon. I had hoped to be about 20 minutes faster, but finish is my primary goal.

What went right:

Food! I carried 4 packs of "Shot Blocks." I was able to intake them without problems and they really helped. I am a big guy, and I was starting to hit the wall at mile 16 on my long runs before this. I pushed that back 4+ miles. I was still pretty much drained of glycogen at the end of 21 miles, but 4 packs of shot blocks really helped. I will carry 4 at the start of the marathon and pick up 4 more from a co-worker that is volunteering at the mile 13 rest stop.

Support. My wife and son met me around mile 18. I handed off my hydration belt, topped up with gatoraide, picked up my reflective gear for the last two miles, and got some much needed encouragement.

Powder. I only needed one pit stop today due to a better eating and hydration plan before the run. I purchased a small travel size of Gold Bond powder and used that at the rest stop. No "monkey butt" or chafing; no discomfort at all! Also, no bladder discomfort. It comes down to being smart and planning. It is clear that if the training schedule says "4 miles", I can basically tie the shoes on and go! But high mileage requires a plan and extra steps.

Shoe tying! I was given a hard time by a friend because I had to stop in the first 1K of a recent 5k to retie my shoes. I have a high instep (my foot is "thick" from top to bottom and not side to side. I am constantly fighting a battle to find a point where the shoe is snug on my foot but isn't cutting off circulation. I can't wear Nike running shoes for this reason. This was the first long run where I tied them right before the start and they never came loose the entire run!

26.2 in 35 days!!!! (5 weeks and 2 hours from when I type this!) 7 days from now, I toe the line for my first half-marathon race, and 14 days from now, I have my second 20miler. My plans are to run that at 8am on Saturday to simulate race prep.

Doubts and new confidence

At mile 16 yesterday, I honestly was convinced there is no way I will ever get to 26.2 miles. My legs were killing me. This morning was a huge surprise; my legs felt great! I will log 4 or 5 miles tonight and I am felling no after-effects of the long run. Maybe I can do this marathon thing after all. . . :)

Half-marathons are easy; full is impossible.

Ok, maybe that is too much, but it is how I felt today. I am starting to get into long mileage for my upcoming marathon; today I ran 16 miles. At 13.1 miles, I felt great; at 15 miles, I felt like the legs were falling off.

Few notes:

1) I need a better nutrition strategy for runs. I did not eat enough DURING the run, what I ate did not sit well, and I what I ended up eating post-run made me sick. . .

2) I need a portable powder solution. Spent about a mile of the run figuring out how to word this and have no idea. . . So let me just say this: There are things about long runs that runners who never run over 5-6 miles have to deal with. I need pit-stops, the pit stop removes much of the powder I put in for chafing, and I got "monkey butt." I need an "in-run" replacement system for use with pit stops. . .

3) I need to continue the work on motivation. There is a great article in the recent "Runner's World" that I started with yesterday. I need to work on building up a resource of memorized quotes and images that I can pull from in the late miles of a run and race to keep my mind focused on something OTHER than how my legs are feeling.

Hopefully, more thoughts will come to me after a nap. . .

Carpe Viam!

Hydration

I apologize for lack of time to post a full report on Noake's book, but everything comes down to one word: hydration. Poor hydration management and an empty bladder are the cause of my problems (Exercise hematura and kidney stones). I purchased a belt with four small water bottles and asked a friend to help keep me on task for hydration. I did an 8mile and a 12mile this weekend and felt much better! (lots of worrying, but no actual pain or problems).

More to come when I have time.

Carpe Viam!

Spring is here

Running in shorts and shirts again instead of pants and shells. Nice to be able to "feel the breeze" instead of "fear the windchill." Nice to be able to feel my toes without them encased in heavy sox. Of course, there is rain, fog, mud, and water puddles to deal with, but I just remind myself it is not 100*, sun, humidity, snow drifts, ice, etc. ;)

Carpe Viam!

Exercise Hematuria update

Taking two quick minutes at lunch to post this! I just got my copy of Tim Noakes, Lore of Running off UPS from Amazon. Starting on page 879, there is three pages on Exercise Hematuria. I just skimmed them, but will be digging later tonight after my run. I will post more then.

Also, there is a section on Kidney stones and how runners are at a significant increased risk (one study of NY Marathon runners said as much as 5x normal population). Interesting, given that this is the other health problem I have been dealing with. . .

Exercise Hematuria

I have done some research and I am feeling better. I have been having blood in my urine intermittently for a couple of months. (see here and here). Saturday after my race, I started having problems again and throughout Sunday (visible clots of blood in my urine).

In February, I had a full work-up by a Urologist including ultrasound and Cystoscopy. Nothing was found.

After this weekend, I have done some more web research. The first piece of news is that my problem is probably urethral and not renal. A renal cause, including cancer or kidney disease would present with dispersed blood and not a clot. The clots definitely indicate blood entering late in the process.

I also had a full body massage on Saturday after the race and I had no specific pain in my lower back or flank area that would indicate renal disease or damage. This is consistent with the other incidents in December and January. The doctors poked and prodded, but there were no tender areas.

I then discovered the term: "exercise hematuria." Dr. Andy Bosch writes:

The most common reason for haematuria is a result of impact of the walls of the bladder while running. Repeated many times over a prolonged period such as during a marathon, each of these minor impacts causes more severe damage until eventually there is sufficient trauma to cause bleeding. The damage sustained to the bladder walls can be viewed through an instrument called a cystoscope, which is how the nature of the "injury" was first determined and which has also been used to show that healing occurs within a couple of days. [link]

Dr. Tim Noakes discusses this in his book: Lore of Running. He calls it common in runners that don't drink enough.

Now, both my GP and Urologist had mentioned running could cause bleeding, but gave me a clear impression that it was marathon distance or beyond necessary to cause those problems. I found a case study by Froukje L. Ubels, Gabe G. van Essen, Paul E. de Jong and Coen A. Stegeman of Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands. In their review of extant literature they note:

Macroscopic haematuria was found mainly in long-distance runners (>10 km) and appears usually to be asymptomatic. It is usually most pronounced in the first urine voiding after exercise, normalizes often within 72 h after running and seems to be independent of the exercise intensity [1,3,5]. Link

Robert Campbell in "American Family Physician" (1996) refers to it as "10,000-meter hematuria":

Hematuria in athletes has been known by several other names, including "sports hematuria," "stress hematuria," "bongo drum hematuria," "athletic pseudonephritis" and "10,000-meter hematuria."(2) The condition was first reported in 1700, although it may have been recognized as early as the first century A.D.(5) [link]

I realize that my Saturday run, for example, was at the low end of this range (11K total), and not the marathon or more that my doctors are used to seeing with this condition. My wife Paige added a key point: I am a "clydesdale" (runner over 220#) and carry a lot of weight still in the front of my intestinal area. I have also lost significant weight in the last 9 months and the remaining skin and fat in that area are less firm than at my high weight point. This would cause extra pressure and bounce on my lower intestinal region including the bladder. I guess that most of the studies on exercise hematuria do not take into account my weight, and I had healed sufficiently before my February cystoscope that no irritation was found in the walls of my bladder.

So what does this mean? The symptoms (dehydration, emptying bladder before run, distances of 10K or more, symptoms that go away in 48 to 72 hours, etc.) are consistent with what I experience.

The good news is there is no need for serious concern. Dr. Bosch concludes:

If testing reveals no apparent cause, then future episodes can be ignored. Generally, however, a runner need not be too perturbed if they pass a bloody urine after a marathon.

Treatment includes drinking more fluids and not "emptying" my bladder right before a race. Dr Bosch writes:

Since the damage is due to impact of the bladder walls, the chance of developing haematuria is greatest when running with an empty bladder. Therefore, if you develop haematuria, avoid urinating immediately before the start of a marathon and see if that helps. The presence of some urine in the bladder will help prevent the bladder walls from making contact with each other.

Dr Ubels, et al agree:

We concluded it was postrenal, exercise-related macroscopic haematuria and found no reason for further urological examinations. We advised her to not completely empty the bladder prior to exercise. She restarted running and haematuria did not reappear.

So I will recover from this in a day or so, and then I will address changes in future habits to minimize the problems. I will also bounce a copy of this off my GP and other doctor types before I completely relax. But not before I put a few miles on tonight!

Carpe Viam.

Edit: I almost forgot. I also found two web references that ibuprofen acts a blood thinner and can contribute to gross hematuria. That is also consistent with this weekend's event.

Marathon Training: Week 9

Week of 3/12/97

Planned: 36

Actual: 10.62 miles


Tues 3.13m Tempo
Thurs Cooper and I both Sick
Sat 7.49 including a PR in a 5K
Sun Long drive, sore legs, and re-occurance of blood in the urine.


The blood is beginning to annoy me. Major problems, including cancer, have been dismissed. I am now trying to match it to running, vitamin use, other diet issues, and any other thing in my life that can explain this. It scares me and it is cutting into my training time.

I have changed today's rest day to a run and I will do yesterday's 14 miles either tonight or tomorrow night. . .

Marathon Training: Week 8

Week of 3/5/07

Planned: 33miles

Actual: 27.65miles

Tues 4
Thur 7.13
Sat 4.19
Sun 12.33

Legs felt great and LD run was fantastic. Feeling better about the training.

Marathon Training: Week 7

Week of 2/26/07

Plan 31miles

Actual 15.15 miles


Again, more snow and blizzards. Also passed a kidney stone and did not feel like running after the plows finally got the roads clean. . .

Marathon Training: Week 6

Plan: 31miles

Actual 8.04miles

Snow, snow and more snow. Roads were closed, schools were closed, plows were not out and it was too deep to run.

Marathon to date: 105.65 miles

Marathon Training: Week 5

Week of 2/12/2007

Plan: 30miles

Actual: 13.28 miles

Saturday, I ran a PR in the 5K on a very hilly course. Sunday, I could barely walk and I scratched the 12mile run. I also had sore legs midweek, after starting the week on the treadmill.

Irish for a Day 5K -- T shirt

The Race T-shirt is VERY nice. It is a white, SS Asics Technical fabric with a Celtic knot design in green on the front. Paige is trying to "claim it". I told her that she could have one if she ran the race next year. Her response to that, and a comment or two she made at the Spa leave me hopes that she will start running also. I would love to be able to share this pursuit with her!

Irish for a Day 5K -- Full Report

Start -- Crowd was much larger than I anticipated; guess I did not think things through very well. I was well towards the back and no chance to hear any instructions. All of a sudden, people started moving and I guessed we had started. It took me two minutes to reach the starting line (walking). I walked more than I ran in the first quarter mile. An older gentleman said it was like the first five miles of the Chicago marathon. I replied that its not the first five miles that count. At this point, I gave up all hope of a PR.

Middle -- Got to the one mile mark and some "young-in" next to me complained that he thought we were a lot farther than "only 1 mile. . . " I was felling pretty good. I was still dodging around "walkers" and letting the frustration of their lining up in front of me get to me, but I was also relaxing and running smooth and within myself. In hindsight, this was the first of my few races I did not go out too quick so maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

There was a group of three ladies running near me; seemed to be in their forties. The one in the middle could not stop talking. I spent the next 1.5 miles changing speed in an effort (failed) to get far enough away that I could not hear her. . .

Two mile mark -- Realized that I would PR and if I speed up, could turn in a time I would be proud of. . . Poured it on and pounded up the hills towards the finish. I also turned more inside myself and stopped pay attention to anyone around me.

Finish -- I felt like I had a bit left in the tank, but I was happy when I crossed the line that I had run a good race and lowered my PR by almost a minute and a half. Felt good. Started looking for my wife Paige and I could not find her. Walked a block down the hill to where I had last seen her; no Paige. Walked back up towards the finish line and finally found her. She had missed me when I crossed the line! I am beginning to get concerned for the Fargo Marathon that I may collapse at the line and she will miss it. . . ;)

Post race -- got a cup of water, and then walked back to the car with Paige. She climbed inside to read, I changed one shirt and headed out on a cool-down run that was a second lap around the lake, with a slight detour to the porta-potties in the first 1/2 mile. I had put my iPod on and started my "5K playlist". It starts with Springsteen's "Born to Run" and picks up tempo from there. The first 1 to 2 miles of the cool-down was at too fast a pace (music plus muscle memory). My legs felt a little sore before I started the cool down and I didn't want a pace that fast. Oh well, I did slow down, although I could feel tired legs at the end of the 3.32 mile run.

Then back to the car and back to the hotel for a shower. We grabbed a light meal and were off to the spa for a "couples-massage." I explained that I had run hard in the morning and my therapist spent extra time on my legs. The "hot-towel" foot wrap was fantastic and I felt great when I left.

Today, I am a bit sore in the shins, but I think the massage really helped with any after effects of the run.

Footnote: I really liked the facilities in Minneapolis. The routes around the lake were well measured and, based on the traffic during my cool-down run, well used. It was a nice community feeling and a place I would enjoy working out at again.

Carpe Viam!

Irish for a Day 5K

Finished the Irish for a Day 5K with a new PR! I dropped my time 1:25 to 33:11! More to come.

Running Free

I just finished a 5K Tempo run. Weather was around 40 with little wind and the running route was dry. I ran in two top layers, pants, and my Nike Free shoes. No hat, gloves both off and on, and felt great. Thanks to Daylight savings, I ran with my sunglasses on.

The Nike Free's were a great change of pace. Still too cold to run barefoot, but they were a welcome relief from heavy socks, shoes, ice cleats, etc. I had a long run on Sunday and a rest day yesterday, so today was a change of pace. The tempo run at 1.5 to 2 mins/mile faster than my LSD pace with the light shoes felt great.

I am overweight, and therefore run in a cushioning shoe. My stride is actually pretty good, so I don't need motion control for pronation. The Free is basically a glorified rubber sandal. It is designed to provide light protection while giving the feeling of running barefoot. I am not going to run huge miles in the shoe, but my "lack of stride problems" allows me to run in them once in a while for a change of pace. Tonight they felt great!

Tomorrow it is back to the normal trainers; I have a 7 mile run on the training plan schedule. Then a light day on Thursday, off on Friday, 5K race plus 4 miles on Saturday, and top it off with 14 miles on Sunday. Hopefully the weather stays good.

Carpe Viam!

Terrorism threatens World Cross Country Championships

NAIROBI, Kenya -- The U.S. Embassy said Tuesday it has been alerted to a possible "terrorist attack" against this month's world cross-country championships in Kenya.

The embassy released a statement saying the threat was coming from "alleged extremist elements" and that the races "may be the target of an unspecified terrorist attack." Last month, the U.S. Embassy issued another strong warning to Americans considering a visit to Kenya, saying violent crime was increasing and that Kenyan authorities have limited capacity to prevent it.

"The U.S. Embassy is also aware of public statements by leaders of Kenya's Coastal Muslim community threatening to disrupt, through unspecified means, the World Cross Country Championship if the government of Kenya does not satisfy various demands," the latest statement said.

The IAAF World Cross Country Championships are scheduled for March 24 in the coastal city of Mombasa. Athletes from 66 countries are expected to compete in the races, which are being held in Kenya for the first time.

link

Kenya has contributed so much to the running world in the last 30 years. Now, acts like this threaten to keep US and Western athletes, fans, and media away. It is sad that these athletes are denied a chance to compete on the world stage with a "home-field" crowd.

Snow and pain

We finally had a true blizzard and snowfall. Thursday night I had to cancel my run because of the snowfall; Friday they canceled most schools in the area. I was still planning on a full weekend.

Saturday morning I woke up in pain in my lower right back that got worse (much worse!). I ended up waking up Paige and she was on the phone with a 24 hour nurse through our hospital and I was pacing, shifting positions, and trying to find someway to make it better. About three hours later, in the span of about 10 minutes, it stopped hurting. It went from about a 7 on the 1-10 pain scale to a 2.

I had discomfort the rest of the day and some and I did pass a kidney stone around 4pm. But I did not feel much like running. The one good thing that came out of this is my wife has thought for 17 years that I am a "pain wimp." She no longer thinks that after she watched me cope with this; I am again "Mr. Macho Tough Guy!!"


I did get in around 5 miles last night, but it was COLD! The wind had shifted to the north, and although it had been in the mid 30's earlier into the day, it had now dropped into the teens with a 20+mph north wind. I was under-dressed and uncomfortable for most of the run.

Forecast is for single digits today, but mid 30's by midweek. So hopefully, I can get back on track.

Kilt anyone?

On the track, on the court or kicking back on a Saturday with a beer in hand, the Spartan is the ultimate in UK comfort. Built for manly exertions, the Spartan has more style than you've got energy.
Detailed Description

American made breathable nylon with contrasting side stripes and waistband.

Pants suck. And so do shorts. The Spartan Utilikilt is built to take all the sweat, aggression and action you can give it. Half kilt, half boxing shorts (with some basketball styling thrown in), if the Spartan isn't the most comfortable, breathable, most active thing you've ever worn, then you must be dead below the waist.

* The Spartan is the only Utilikilt to feature an elastic waistband, keeping it tight and in place as you show off your basketball moves or shove down "just one more" cheeseburger.
* The Spartan's Marsupial Pouch pocket keeps your keys and wallet comfortably below your boys as you sweat to the eighties. The pouch is one big pocket, easily accessed from either side and built to hold more cargo than you'd expect.
* Leg Striping on both sides of the Spartan adds to its sporty feel.


Link

I need to get a pair of these and then find a highland games 5K race!!!! ;)

Sore Legs and friends at work

I have sore legs still from my hilly 5k PR on Saturday; my shins are killing me!

Anyway, I was talking to some guys at work and they were giving me a bad time about running. There was also a comment on my "per mile" speed and the fact that I finished well back in the pack. Then I came across this quite by Lynn David Newton:

Given that running is a lifestyle choice, for most of us one that is pursued at least in part for health reasons, in most cases it's better to keep doing it slowly than to stop doing it entirely. The numbers we produce relative to *someone else's* effort are
unimportant.

--
Lynn David Newton

Thanks Lynn for putting it in perspective. Great quote that will be added to my "motivation" wall.

Eel Pout Out 5K Run

I got up yesterday morning, packed the car, and headed for Walker for the Eel Pout Out 5k Run. I was out the door by 6:20 and on the interstate by 6:40. I was tired! I got home from the UND hockey game around midnight. Paige was waiting for me with my Valentine's day gift (a large print by a Russian Artist; VERY nice!). So I only had about 4 hours of sleep when I dragged myself out the door with my duffle bags.

It was a nice morning drive to Walker. No deer or other events to report, just a nice sunrise and lots of beautiful land. Arrived at the race, registered, collected tee-shirt, and returned to the car for 30 minutes of quiet thought before I switched coats and started pacing, then a warm-up, and finally time to get to the line. I realized that I cannot hear the instructions from the back of the pack. So I slipped into the spectator area, made my way to the front, listened to the instructions, and then raced to the back of the pack before the start.

Started my watch about 2-4 seconds after the official start when I crossed the line (this will be important later). First block was up-hill, then we turned and started downhill. Most of the first 3/4 mile was downhill towards the lake. Great starting pace! First mile was around 10:00, even with a 20 second stop to re-tie a shoe. But my mind was screaming two things: "too fast!" and "remember, it is a circular course; you will have to climb back up to finish!"

In the center of town, we turned on the main street and begin to parallel the lake. about two blocks down was the town park and we ran by the Eel Pout Festival main encampment on the shore with all the ice houses out on the lake. We ended up paralleling the shore for about a mile. There was an aid station near the end of the shore run. Then we turned around, crossed the highway, and started back towards town. This was the toughest leg. We were running along the side of the highway. The shoulder was asphalt, but it was covered with dried salt, sand, and debris from the snow clearing of the highway. There was also oncoming traffic, and the entire 1/2 mile was slightly uphill. There had been a small "pack" at the rear, including a couple of runners that were doing the run/walk, passing me on the run and then being passed during the walks. But after the aid station, I was not passed again, and during this stretch, I opened up a large lead on those behind me. Legs were tired, but I continued on. Even though I went out too fast, I probably had the best stamina of the penguins. I was able to push on at an 11:00 minute per mile pace when others were slowing and struggling more. And I was able to will myself forward also, when others were giving into fatigue. I still have lots of work before my May marathon, but my conditioning is showing and I am pleased with this "level check" on my progress.

We got back to town, and turned off the highway. The next two blocks were along a "service road". Basically, it was a snow packed gravel road uphill. Then we were back on regular city streets, but it was still uphill and they were snowy/slushy. This was my slowest quarter mile splits of the race.

I got to the last block in front of the school with the finish line at the end. My watch beeped 34:00. I was thinking that my PR in a 5k (on a FLAT Fargo course) was 34:20 and I knew I was not going to break it. I gave what I had, crossed the line, took my "number-slip" (no popsicle sticks here) and stopped my watch at 34:40. I glanced back, but the next closest runner was not yet in sight. I grabbed a drink and started walking to get cool down my legs and go go turn in my slip.

Now the interesting part. I figure there was 2-5 seconds different between my watch and "official time." (4-7 seconds short at the start and 2-3 seconds long at the end; I started when I crossed the start line and didn't stop immediately on finish). But my "official" time was 32:30?

Official Results:

Finished 102 of 109 (8 of 9 in age group) at 32:30.

Other Observations:

Overall winner was 18:29. This is at least two minutes slower than the average finishing time for the "summer" 5K's I ran in Fargo in 2006. At least part of that difference is due to cold, footing, and hills. That factors in to make me feel even better about my PR.

Age group winner was 22:05.


Aftermath:

I changed clothes, clapped for all the winners, grabbed an extra gatoraide for Cooper, and headed for the car. When I was on the highway towards Grand Forks to get Cooper, I opened up my briefcase and got my running book out. Turns out my 5K PR was 34:57 and I beat it by 17 seconds (or 2:27 if I believe the official clock).

I spent the trip out there and back listening to Neal Bascomb's book "The Perfect Mile" on my iPod. It was an interesting listen and I will devote an entire post to the book after I finish it!

I drove to Grand Forks, picked up Cooper at his cousin's house, and drove home. Cooper slept all the way home; I dozed for a couple of hours after arriving home and we were both in bed before Paige got home from work.

Legs are sore today, but I am happy with my results.

Run Club and Eel Pout Out Run

Scheels Run Club last night: I did a bit over 6 miles. I was happy with my pace and the legs felt good. It was a bit windy and colder than I planned for; I wish I would have had my UnderArmor Fleece as my mid layer rather than the Nike Duo-Dry pullover I was wearing. I was a bit cold on some of the "up-wind" legs and felt tightness in my thighs and back. I wa)s frost covered when I finished.

Unexpected change of plans for the weekend. Cooper is going to Grandma and Grandpa's tonight while I go watch UND hockey. That means I am going to get up early and go run the Eel Pout Out in Walker. I was thinking I would have to skip it, but things fell in place.

It will be a bit hectic; 160 miles round trip to Grand Forks for hockey tonight; home around 11:30pm. 120 miles to Walker (need to leave home around 6:30am). Run the race. Then about 150 miles to Grand Forks to get Cooper and 80 miles home. (total of 350 miles tomorrow; 510 for the two days).

The MDRA annual lists it as a 5mile race, but the website says 5K. I guess I will show up and follow the pack and maybe run the course twice if it is too short for my training plan. :)

Marathon Training: Week 4

Plan 26miles,

Actual 20.78miles

Tues 3.59
Wed No run due to medical procedures (schedule 5miles)
Thurs 4.08
Sat 4.08
Sunday 9.04 (scheduled 10miles)

Sunday showed the toll that weather, doctor's visits, and poor eating have had on my training. My legs were dead, and I walked the last 3/4 mile in. . .

Better here than in a race; now I know I need to focus on my training and get back on path. I am also going to do more Galloway walk/run on my long runs and watch my early pace to allow me to cover the plan distances.

Run long and taper!

Health scare

After much debate, I decided to write about this. I think the main reason is that "men don't talk about things like this. . ." Mothers and daughters have discussion about OB-GYN visits, but my knowledge came mostly from the movie "Fletch" ("using the whole hand, doc?")

Saturday, December 16th, I noticed blood in my urine. I had a red "clot-like" glob (for lack of a better term) and a dark brown color. Searches of WebMD and Mayo Clinic said seek doctor ASAP. Many of the searches listed cancer (prostate, bladder, kidney) as a possibility. I went into the doctor on Sunday and tests confirmed there was blood in the urine. I was given antibiotics for a possible bladder infection (rare in men) and told that the urine sample would be cultured and it would take 3 days for results.

Within a couple of days, I was back to feeling normal and stopped worrying about it. Then, in mid-January, the blood was back. I scheduled an appointment with my regular doctor. It was a few days until I could get in and by the time I got there, my urine test was negative for blood. I had no pain in my kidneys, bladder, or groin area. Because I was over 35 and did not have family medical history due to my adoption, the doctor decided to order more tests. An ultrasound and a Urologist consult were scheduled.

The ultrasound found some "shadows" on my left kidney, but the operators would not say anything. So it was a long week's wait for the appointment to review the results with the Urologist.

The Urologist reviewed the ultrasound with me. The "shadows" were two small kidney stones that were much too small to worry about or need to treat. The kidney's looked good.

The doc then performed a Cystoscopy:

Cystoscopy is a test that allows your doctor to look at the interior lining of the bladder and the urethra. The cystoscope is a thin, lighted viewing instrument that is inserted into the urethra and advanced into the bladder.

WebMd Link

Liquid is injected into the bladder and then the scope is moved around to view the bladder. The good news: my bladder looked great and kidney function was normal. The bad news; it was very discomforting and the effects lasted for about 12 hours (discomfort, trouble urinating, pain while urinating, etc.).

I then had an examination of my testes and a rectal digital exam of my prostrate. Turns out, the prostrate is the one thing down there you do like to be told is "very small." Everything was normal and good.

The doc thinks I had a small kidney stone with a sharp edge that scratched the urethea while being passed. I had no discomfort from the stone directly, no stones in my bladder, and no need for worry. I was told to follow up with my regular doc and sent on my way.

Felt great to get a clear bill of health. Oh yeah, on all the visits they also took my blood pressure and I was told that was looking good also. It has dropped quite a bit since I started running from the top edge of normal into a good range.

So I am cleared again for the marathon. Just need some warm days so I can train easier. Last night, I ran 4 miles in -5* with windchill again! With all the layers, it feels more like a waddle than a run. . .

Motivation

I run with music about 50% of the time, the other half I spend sorting out my thoughts. I have learned two things about motivation:

1) I need to focus on something. When I have been focused on an upcoming race, I run the miles. When I don't have a race upcoming (most of December), my motivation to get out and run is much lower. When racing, I am usually struggling to beat the time cutoffs and not finish last. But the motivation of working towards something keeps me running.

2) Outdoor running is better for motivation. I do loops or out-and-backs. Some days, around mile one or two, my legs feel dead. If I am two miles from the car (and training for a race), it is easier to keep going. And, by the finish I usually feel better. But on a treadmill, it is too easy to hit pause/stop and get off.

Saturday is a great example of this. When I run on treadmills, I feel discomfort in my legs and knees. It is boring! But most importantly, it is also hard to stay motivated.

Finally, I am a klutz. The fact is, I can let my mind wander on a running path without problems. But on a treadmill, letting my mind wander is sure recipe for a fall! I have stepped off the side and/or fallen of the back of a treadmill. . . Sometimes, letting my mind wander is a tool to purge myself of de-motivating thoughts. I cannot do this on a treadmill but am learning how to do this in outside running (see this post where I talk about changing focus to stride to get my mind off cold and discomfort!)

Eating poorly

I need to do a better job of watching what I am eating. My fiber and carbs are down; my protein is up. I definitely felt it in my legs on Saturday. I MUST get more rice, pasta, and whole wheat in my diet. I ran much better when I was doing that, and weight loss was better. So that is my focus for this week!

Marathon Training: Week 3

Plan was for 23 miles, actual was about 13 miles. Two huge problems; sore shoulder/back and Cold! It was too cold to run outside (run club was canceled again; windchills below -20*; air temp between -4 and -21* for the last 5 days) and I hate treadmills. Saturday was planned for six, but I only got in two miles. Dead legs and tired of running on treadmill. I postponed Sunday's six miles until today; but I think they will have to be on a treadmill anyway. Good news is I should be outside tomorrow and it will be in the +20*'s for this weekend!

Here is the poor numbers:

Wed 5.12miles
Fri 6miles
Sat 2miles

Total 13.12 miles

Total 3 weeks 63.55miles

Cold!!!!

I did five miles in the cold last night. Temp was -2 with about a 12mph wind. Around 3.25 miles, I was miserable. My back is still sore and falling on the ice Sunday night has not helped any. . . Legs were cold and knees were starting to protest a bit. . . Then an interesting thing happened. I focused on my stride; pictured myself running free and efficient. I wish I could say I kept it up for the remaining 1.75 miles, but my focus is not that good. But I did keep it up for extended periods of time and during those periods, nothing hurt, nothing was cold, I felt great. Each footfall was wonderful.

Tonight's forecast: 3* with 20mph wind. This weekend is treadmill time, with the highs below zero.

Marathon Training: Week 2

Tuesday 4.09m
Wednesday 5.12m
Thursday 4.07m
Saturday 3.5m
Sunday 8.2m

Week 24.97

Saturday was on the treadmill.

Sunday was outdoors. It was 7* with wind and snow. I was fine with the temp, but the snow made it a bit slippery (fell once). Then I forgot my extra key at home and locked myself out of the car. I had to add a loop back home to pick up the extra key. Ended up about 0.8miles below goal, but still feel good with week.

Marathon Training: Week 1

Total Miles 25:46

Tues 4miles
Wed 5.25miles
Thurs 4 miles
Sat 4.07 miles
Sun 8.14 miles

Sun was an out and back run; last four miles were 6 minutes faster than the first four.

Overall, back is sore, but I feel good. I am confident that my slow month of running in December did not dig too deep a hole and I am ready for the 18week marathon plan.

6 Months Running

Just finished my first 6 months running:

431.58 miles

102 hours, 25 minutes, 32 seconds total

69,323 calories

Races:

4 x 5k
1 x 10k
1 x 8k


I have gone from barely able to run one minute without needing to walk to the ability to run 10-12 miles without a walk break. My resting heart rate, blood pressure and weight have all improved. I am about 1/3 of the way to where I want to be but I am enjoying the journey.

Cancelled Run Club????

Got home yesterday and stretched out my back. Then got bundled up and headed off to Running Club. Layered pretty good because the temp was below zero with a windchill advisory (-25* or so. . .). There was a sign up that said "cancelled due to WindChill!" I ran about 0.1 mile but realized that my eyes were getting too cold due to the wind; I think I could have handled it if I had goggles or something. . .

Anyway, I went home, took off the layers, grabbed shorts and a short sleeve tee and headed back to the office to run on the treadmill in the gym at work. Got my 4 miles in, but the legs this morning remind me that "treadmill miles" are not like "real miles." Also, the boredom factor of the treadmill is a real pain.

This morning, it is -13* actual with a -35* windchill, so I will be doing the treadmill for the next couple of days. . .

Sore back

I have a sore spot in my upper back. It is below my shoulder blades about 1/3 of the way down from neckline to waist. It hurts and prevents me from sitting for longer than about 10 minutes at a time. It also is impacting my sleep. Last night, I skipped a 4 mile run to avoid aggravating it. My frustration level is rising; I hate feeling bad and I hate not being able to train.

I know it will work itself out in about 5 to 12 days, but my frustration level at the discomfort is huge. My biggest frustration is its impact on focus and enjoyment. It dominates my thinking rather than focusing on the task at hand and enjoying what I am doing, including running.

Cold?

My four-year-old son Cooper asked this morning: "Why is it so cold?"

I replied: "Its still winter and it's only 17*; it will get colder."

Although Cooper does not understand why, we have been spoiled by a warmer than average winter. That's about to change. The fifteen day outlook calls for ten days with lows below zero with six of those days looking like windchills below -20*(two below -30*). It is time to dig out the windbriefs and the warmer clothing; we are moving into a normal winter just in time for the beginning of the spring marathon training season. The National Weather service lists our 90 day forecast as "Above normal", but that doesn't mean we still don't have some cold coming.

I need to think through everything from socks to hats and make sure I am prepared.

This weekend looks cold!!!!

Mileage up; weight down

Just finished a "bounce-back" week where I returned to higher mileage after a couple of weeks of holiday slacking. . .

Dropped 10 pounds this week, as my body returned to fat burning. Felt like I ate like a pig today, but it was all vegi's, salad, high fiber, etc. and I dropped weight. Feeling good!

Ice running

Ran tonight with ice on the ground for the first time. I admit that I have been a bit chicken. I am normally a klutz that is challenged by walking on ice. I also have a deep fear of falling and injuring myself. So the rain and snow we got on Saturday drove me to the treadmill. But that sucks also! Time to try the new no-slip thingies with the spikes on the bottom that fit over my shoes. Wunderbar!!! Felt like I was running normal with no slips at all. Even better, the greenway was "plowed", giving me a fairly level, albeit, ice covered surface. But it is better than dodging cars on the ice covered roads and it was a peaceful workout. In fact, I only saw one other runner out (at 9:00 to 10:00 pm in the 5* windchill!!!)

Looking forward to another late run tomorrow night.

New Year

It is a new year and I have a confession to make. I let my milelage slip some over the holidays. I was sick for a couple of days, weather was a bit yucky, I traveled, I had childcare issues, I ate poorly, and I was lazy. I start my eighteen week marathon program on 1/15. So it is time for some adjustment. I sat down tonight with my calendar, pencil, and eraser and adjusted my plan for the next 60 days. I knocked some miles off the first 3-6 weeks of training and I mapped out the next two weeks to get start moving my mileage base back up to where it was last month before I started being lazy.

I am comfortable with my changes and think they are definitely attainable.

20 weeks to 26.2!