I Guess Last Week Was A 'Down' Week

... Since I only ran 5.5 miles. I had two good runs though. The first
run was good last week. On Sunday, my Number 1 Son and I ran to his
Cub Scout meeting (and then we ran back home). On Tuesday, while on
business travel, I ran a bit with a co-worker. That was nice. But that
was it. The rest of then week? Nada.

This week, a little better. Already ran 9 miles, with a long run
coming tomorrow. More news then!

--
Sent from my mobile device

No Half Marathon....

Yesterday, I decided not to pick up my registration for the National (Half) Marathon.  Things were pretty busy at work and at home, plus, last night was busy for Cub Scouts.  Since there was so much going on, plus since this race wasn't one I was really training for, I decided to back out.. So, races this year: 0. :)

I did run at Burke Lake this morning.  I had intended to run 13.5 miles, but ended up running only 9.  However, I ran the first 'lap' in my Vibram shoes, and the second lap in my normal shoes. Boy, quite the contrast.  First of all, I felt every rock on the path, and some are quite large.  I also realized that I paid very close attention to where I was landing my feet in my Vibram shoes because a root or a large rock hurt my feet.  Even the small gravel made an impact, so to speak.  However, my average for the first lap was.. (get this): 8:48.  My body seems to gravitate to this number, as I had two runs last week (6.8 and 12) with the exact same pace.

On the second lap, since I decided way early that it was going to be my last lap, I decided to fartlek, or tempo, or something on the course to shake things up (also helped justify losing a lap). As a result, my pace was an 8:12 for 4.5 miles (after running an initial 4.5 miles).  So I was happy with that.  I wasn't too tired at the end, so that's good as well :)  Just to be complete, mile 3 (or mile 8.5) was a 7:43 mile.

Have a good run!

Grand Unveiling

I know all of you have been as anxious as teenage girls before opening night of a Twilight movie while waiting to see what kind of shoes I purchased (well, as least *I* was).  Well, the wait is over.  Yesterday, in the mail, I received my Vibram Five Fingers KSOs:

I put them on as soon as I got home, tried them out on the treadmill, and think they will do just fine, thank you very much.

They fit pretty much like a sock (with toes).  I originally tried some on at Hudson Trail Outfiitters, and it took me several minutes to get all five toes in the right holes in the shoes (at one point, I had toes in the wrong holes, two toes in the same hole, and every combination you can think of.  At times, I have a very sad existence).  Well, at home, trying on my Five Fingers on for the first time, I had the same issue.

How do they feel? great.  They feel fine walking around, and I like the fact that I can *feel* the ground when I walk.  How do they feel running? Well, good!  Today I ran a total of two miles (I thought it would sound longer if I spelled it out, rather than typing '2') at a 9:43 pace.  I didn't intend to run that slow, I just did.  I'm getting used to landing on my forefoot and I'm taking noticeably shorter strides, so it'll take a while before I can run more than 3-4 miles in them, and I'm sure that I'll be slow in them as well. I remember that when I started running in my Nike Free's, I couldn't do more than 3 or so miles at first.  And running in 3 in those Nike Free shoes felt like running 6 in normal running shoes, due to the extra support your actual legs and feet need to provide in your running (rather than your running shoes).  I'm feeling the same here with the Five Fingers (fans call the Vibram Five Fingers the 'VFF' -- I don't think I'm there yet).  I felt my feet engaging in my run, and landing on my forefoot adds stress to my tendons, but I think that's a good thing (once they build up strength).  As long as I increase my miles very very gradually with these Vibram shoes, I should be okay.  If I took off and ran a 10 miler in these shoes, well, my feet wouldn't feel so great.

The other think I was worried about (well, worried is a strong word, concerned? fretful?) was how to tell others who I am and who to contact after a car knocks me off the road without my handy-dandy Road Id.  I use a Road Id on my normal running shoes, as they attach to my laces.  Well, with the Vibram's, no laces. I then remembered that I embraced the concept of Road Id way before they got all the nifty devices (wrist bands, shoe bands, ankle bands, interactive bands, etc.) and I still have the original 'Fixx' necklace (it looks like a dog tag). The hardest part about the Fixx is remembering to put it on. That's why I got the shoe Id in the first place. (as you all know, the Fixx was named after Jim Fixx, a popular runner and author who helped start the 2nd running revolution in the 1970's).

All of you who run, get a Road Id.  Seriously.  Especially out in this area, there's lots of traffic, and if you run early morning, when drivers are mostly just focusing on getting to work, they may not see you.  If you are unconscious lying on the side of the road, the Road Id will tell the first responders who you are, emergency contact info, as well as any drug allergies you may have.  Oh, and your blood type.  Get it.

Anyway, the great wait is over.  Keep on running!

Comments and Runs

So after my post yesterday saying that gosh, there's *no* way that pain on my bottom of my heel could be plantar fasciitis, one of my friends comment in facebook, that (and I'm paraphrasing here) 'hate to break the news, but *yes* the pain could certainly be plantar fasciitis, geesh' (maybe I added the 'geesh').  Huh.. she's right.  I always thought it was 'old man' pain -- something I got when I woke up and hobbled around the house until it went away.  Now that I think about it, it only happened when I increased my mileage, or increased by speed, or just trained in general :-)

So maybe I have it.  On the other hand, I've had it for a long time (I think).  It only happens after waking up, and after I've been sitting for awhile (mostly after I drive to work on days when I ran that morning).  But it goes away, and in the afternoon or evening, don't even feel it (unless I run then).  I'll have to keep an eye on it (plus, keep up with my stretching, which I'm not very habitual about).

I did run this morning. A nice, easy (9:13 pace), 3 miler wearing my Nike Free's.  Plus, the duct tape helped.  About a year ago, the heel fabric split along a seam.  At first, it didn't really seem to do anything bad.  However, this year, very noticeable now that there's a lot of dirt and sand on the roads due to the snow, every time I wore them I would get a pile of sand inside the shoe with the split seam in the heel.  So, after applying some very sticky duct tape to seal the seam, and voila! no more sand in my shoes.  I have a feeling that the duct tape is a fairly short term fix, but then again, I really don't feel like purchasing another pair of Nike Free's, nor anything made by Nike (click here for why).

Tomorrow, I should run.  Saturday, the National (Half) Marathon.  Metro opens at 5:00 am.. Working backwards to figure out what time I need to wake up to get ready and be at the metro at 5:00 am makes me think that I'll be getting up just as some late night party-goers will just be getting home... oy.

So Here are the Hills....

I realized that my long runs and medium runs lately have been on relatively flat surfaces.  Why do I say that? because today I ran a hilly course, and I could not, for the life of me, get any real speed.  Plus, I was huffing and puffing all the way through.

Today I ran to Fairfax Corner (via Safeway).  I figured I hadn't run that course in awhile and wanted to do 6.  Well, I did it.  But boy, were there some hills involved! I managed to get under a 9 minute mile, but just.  I did an 8:57.  With this amount of effort on a flat course, I would have hit 8:40 or below. (I'm actually wondering if my lofty goal of an 8:48 for the National (Half) Marathon is too lofty, as it is not a flat course...)  Anyway, at the end of the run, I wasn't in pain, although the bottom of my heel as a little sore (I'm not sure that this is plantor fasciitis or not, as the pain is squarely on the bottom on my heel, rather than closer to the arch.  Also, it doesn't seem like my Achilles because, again, it's squarely on the bottom on my heel.  I wonder if it's just sore...) Once I walked around a bit, it was fine.

Plus, at work, I didn't get the sore feeling after sitting for a long time. So that's good.

Tomorrow? not sure.  Hopefully an easy 3.

Rock On, Lenny! (now tell me where that line is from!)

Got it in under the wire

Well, what should have been the first run in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) turned out to be.. well, not so much.  I woke up overnight with a super stomach-ache, and didn't sleep well the rest of night.  There was no way I was going to wake up at 4:30 am to run 6 miles.  Nor at 5:00 am, nor at 6:00 am. When I finally got up, I was dragging a bit, so stayed home to work.

However, around noon, I started perking up...so.... around 5 pm, I went out to do my 6 miles.  Now, with Daylight Savings Time, it gets darker later, so I was able to take advantage of that (so that I am a fan of DST, I'm not.  It should go away. But this is another post...).  Anyway, I ran 6.03 at an 8:40 pace; however, I was huffing and puffing it at 4 miles to do so.  Around that time, I was trucking along pretty well, and sure enough, I was getting very tired.  However, I wanted to keep a good pace, so I pushed on through.  Now, tomorrow, I may feel it, but right now, it was a good run.

Now, I don't get any a lot of comments on my blog page (although I get a few in Facebook), but of the ones, I get, most are in Chinese.  I haven't done much research on this, but I think there's some spammers out there who want you or me to click on their comments, because some of the link you can hit are.. well.. semi-adult in nature.  They aren't too bad but are just... odd...  This is a translation (through Babelfish) of my most recent comment:

Bustles about one day crossed finally, has a look at the article transformation mood, also helps you to add oil oh ~

Yeah, I don't get it either....

Well, the National (Half) Marathon is only days away now.  Just gotta figure out logistics.  I have to pick up my race packet on Friday waaaaay-a-ways in downtown Washington DC.  Plus, I have a Cub Scout event Friday night, so I need to take time off of work... sigh....

And Another Thing...

A couple of points I forgot to mention this morning...

1) I've been following some other blogs, and thought I'd share one post that I thought was hilarious.  This is from the blog: I Am Boring, a.. you guessed it, running blog (among other things).  In this post, Adam laments that he's doing some long runs on a treadmill, but at the gym, it auto-shuts-off at 60 minutes.  So he lists things that should exempt you from the 60-minute time limit -- or, in other words (mine) -- what makes you a longer-distance runner versus a shorter-distance runner:  http://www.theboringrunner.com/2010/03/operation-gyama.html.  I can add to that list as well, as I'm sure all of you can.

2) Did I mention that it was raining this morning? Man, with the 30-mph wind, at times, the rain was pelting me in the face, and it stung.  Reminded me of a Gatorade ad I saw in Runners World once.  Anyway, ouch.  I was soaking wet at the end, and I think I got a 'hot spot' -- where a blister was able to form, on the bottom on my foot, because there was a lot of slipping and sliding in my wet shoes... Poor me :)

More and More Running Posts Here

Since the last post, I have run twice, once for 6.8 miles and once for 12.05 miles, rounding out my week to 28 miles.  

First, the runs.  On Thursday, I intended to run 6 miles, but cross two major roads to get to another neighborhood.  On the way back, I decided to take an alternative to avoid the two roads (seems that early morning rush hour traffic doesn't really pay attention to runners), so that added .8 miles to my run.  My run felt good and did an 8:48 pace.  This morning, I took the same route, but extended it, to run towards the Church we go to.  No need to take an alternative back, as traffic on these roads is significantly less on weekends.  I ran 12.05 miles at an... hmm.. 8:48 pace -- exactly the same pace as Thursday.  That's weird.

I meant to run yesterday -- an easy 4 -- but couldn't rouse myself out of bed early enough.  So, I didn't get my 30 miles in this week (2 miles short).  Next week is the National (Half) Marathon, but considering I haven't really been training for it, I consider it a training run in itself.  Goal?  Hmm... I've been thinking about that (mostly while running).  Let's say: 13.1 miles at an 8:48 pace.  I think I can do that, although if the course if like what it was 2 years ago, its rather hilly in spots.

Well, I decided on what shoes I'm going to get (I know all of you out there are on pins on needles on this).  Well, you are going to have to wait a bit longer, as although I ordered them, they'll take a few days to get here.  Oh, don't worry, I'll have pictures and autographs available when I unveil them. :)

Shoes and Running

Tonight, I managed to squeeze a run in... When I got home, I put on my Nike Free's (more on this below) and tried to run properly (not landing on my heels) for 3.something miles.  Now, I managed to hold about an 8:30 pace, which was totally unexpected, so I was happy about that.  Running more 'barefoot-like' adds more stress to my calves, but less on my bones, so although I need to stretch tonight, my knees and ankles didn't hurt.  Of course, running only 3 helped as well :)

Now, the shoes.... I mentioned before my going back and forth on getting more 'stability' shoes, or motion-control shoes, versus getting shoes that offer little stability.  I will probably end up getting Asics 2100 series shoes, but part of me wants to get the Vibram Five Fingers.  They look rather silly, but they seem to have a following.  For what they do, are are probably really good.  There's several styles available, from the 'classic' -- the first one they made, to others, which include the KSO (Keep Stuff Out) as well as a 'water' one, and one that works better in cold weather.  Now, barefoot running, or at least minimalist running, has gotten a lot of press, by fans, books, and even major running magazines.  I do believe that running shoes, by their very nature, shield the foot -- too well.  I think I read in a book that running shoes are like neck braces.  They work so well that the muscles become weak.  Also, since running shoes weren't invented until 1920 or so, but we've been running (well, 'we' as in humans, not 'we' as in you and me, or at least not me) for much longer than that, our bodies must know something.  Hence, running in shoes that don't offer much stability.  There was even a Harvard study that showed that running barefoot-style (landing on forefoot or midfoot) showed several times less impact than landing on your heel.

So... I might get something less than stability shoes, but since my legs and feet have been in 'neck braces' for years (figuratively, not literally), I shouldn't just jump with both feet (get it?), but need to work my way to it.  Therefore, getting the Asics 2100 series shoes (as one pair of my current shoes has 700 miles on them), and then, maybe something else.. Vibram Five Fingers???

New Route

During my run with My Lovely Wife last week, we found a path that we (or at least I) hadn't seen before.  So, today, I tried it.  Wasn't too long, so ended up running along busy road to make my distance (there *was* a path, so I wasn't running on the road though). Today I ran 6.  This is in my quest to get some mileage in before the National (Half) Marathon on March 20.  If I get a couple runs of 6 miles in, plus a couple runs of 4, plus a long run of 10+ this week, that'll be good.  My legs were pretty tired today though. I ran a pretty good pace (9:01), good considering that I had to stop a couple of times to get my bearings, as this was a new route, and it was quite dark outside.  Will I do that course again? Not sure.  Maybe when it's light out, as I do run along a path for much of the distance and it would be good to be able to see the scenery.

Tomorrow? Let's hope for 4.

Not a Bad Week

29.32 miles.  Not too bad. The last time I hit this mileage was way back at the last week of December, first week of January.  I was trying to hit 900 miles (I think) for the year, so I poured it on at the last part of December. So, over 2 months since I hit this mileage...

Why? well, it seems that I'm signed up for the National (Half) Marathon in a few weeks (March 20 to be exact).  I want to make sure that I can do the distance.  Now, today, I ran 10 miles at a sub-9 pace, I know I can *finish* the race, so that's good.  However, I want to make sure that the distance isn't too much.  I think I'm in good shape, but I'll have next week to get a long run in as well (10? 12? dunno).

So... shoes... I currently run in two pairs of shoes (not at the same time).  Adidas Adistars (700 miles), and New Balance 768 (300 miles).  Now, I love the Adidas, but they are *way* past due for replacements.  The New Balance, I don't love as much, however, they offer less support (which is what I'm looking for), so that's good.  What am I going to replace the Adidas with?  The doctor and physical therapoists all say to replace with motion control / stability shoes, and I understand why, but part of me believes that running in shoes that offer so much stability reduce the need for strong lower leg and foot muscles, which makes me more prone to injury.  The opposite end of this is running barefoot (something I've considered) or running in shoes that offer pretty much zero stability. The Vibram Five Fingers are basically feet coverings that prevent rocks and glass from poking your feet, but that's all the protection they offer.  What to do, what to do.... 

Stay tuned for more on this incredible saga!

Cruizin' Along....

So it's Friday now.. Got 19 miles in the bank.. wow.  Last week I had 9 miles total for the week, and the week before that, 4.55 miles.  Previous week? 23 miles.  So maybe this week will be good.  Scratch that.. this week *is* good!

Ran 3.something last night.  Decided to run to the Cub Scout Leader meeting (hope my apparel and odor wasn't too bad for them!).  Was going to try to complete 4 or 5, but was too tired so just went back home.  This morning (okay, late morning), I ran with My Lovely Wife.  This week at work was pretty tough so I decided to work at home today.  I took a long lunch and run 5 miles with her.  The sun was out, the temps were in the upper 30's (or maybe even lower 40's!) but there was a pretty stiff wind.  Even so, it was a great job.

So far this week, no pain (well, only a little pain in my foot, and maybe the beginnings of plantar fasciitis (had to look up that spelling).  I read on WebMD that I should rest for treat plantar fasciitis. HA.  Never.  Of course, that attitude is what brought me to the physical therapist in the first place.  On the other hand, I have 670 miles in one pair of shoes, and 300 in the other pair, so maybe a new pair of shoes are in order.

Two Whole Runs This Week!

Wow, whatta post title! Two whole Runs! :)  Well, I ran 6 today.  I'm trying to ramp up a little, as apparently, I'm still signed up for the National (Half) Marathon on March 20.  So I suppose I gotta start keep training.  I've run 10 miles a couple weeks ago, so I think I can finish the race.  However, it'd be good to get double-digits again a few times before the race (in 2.5 weeks) so that the length will be comfortable.

I ran in sub-9 again this morning -- 8:44 to be precise.  The speed felt fine, and I was refreshed at the end of the run, so that's good.  It is also helping that I'm not running every day (but should be running every other day).  I still consider that I'm in 'winter training', so I'm not ramping it up (too much), but... with the 1/2 marathon a couple weeks away, I should consider ramping it up a little....

I need to stretch.  After physical therapy, my runs felt great.  Now my lower legs are a little tight and sore.  There's no excuse on this week.  I know that stretching really does help (and there's actual proof) but after the run, I'm busy getting ready for work.  I should try to spend 10 or so minutes stretching, particularly my calves and ankles, so that I don't start with injuries.

I'm also debating on the kind of shoes I should get next -- more support, or less support? Anyone have any thoughts?

Exercise = Danger from Zombies

Okay, a bit of an extrapolation, but you'll see where I'm headed here...  I'm on my into work, I was listening a story on NPR's Morning Edition about how an aging bran is less quick, but more shrewd (story here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124118077). One of the subpoints was that exercise improves memory. In a study, with people working out three days a week, up to an hour at a time, for a 6-month to 1-year period, people who exercised improved both short term and long term memory. 

Specifically, those who trained had a larger hippocampi (see picture!), the brain area key for memory.

I am further extrapolating this (and no, this isn't in the NPR article).  If you have a larger hippocampi, then your brain size overall is larger, right?  If you have a larger brain, that would mean that you would become more attractive to zombies, who, as we all know, want your brains.

So, if you are more fit, zombies want you more.  However, you will also be able to run away from them faster, so it's a win-win situation (well, except for the zombies.  But we want them to lose anyway).

Trying to Find my Pace

Today I ran -- finally.  The last run I did was last Wednesday, and I had to fly all the way to O'Fallon, IL to do it.  I had hopes for last Friday, and then again on the weekend.  But work and life just kept me from it.  Anyway, that's really no excuse....

I ran 4.77 miles at a 9:06 pace.  Most of my miles were sub 9, but there was one mile that still had a lot of ice and snow on it (I'm a so tired of getting snow in my shoes) and really kept me slow.  I had to hop from snow hole to snow hole, and run gingerly on the recently frozen ice where the snow/ice had been melting the day before.   The run felt fine, no pain, but I have this cold that just won't quit.  Normally, 2-4 days is max for a cold.  I"m on day 4 and my cough is still aggravating.  I'm hoping that running will move things along a bit, or least help me clear my head (literally! -- good thing for the Farmer Blow!).

This week? I hope I run regularly :)