2010 was a very successful year of running for me. I set new PR's at 5K, 10K and Half Marathon, transitioned to minimalist running shoes and changing my running form. However, I missed out on running a Marathon due to injury, and want to avoid making the same mistakes again in 2011. So, I am going to keep my running goals simple this year.
1. Run a Marathon.
2. Run a sub 1 hour 40 minute Half Marathon
3. Not gain any weight in 2011: Starting weight 153lb (10st 13lb).
Injury prevented me from running a Marathon in 2010, so the goal of running a Marathon has a number of sub-goals attached to it:
1a. Listen to my body and rest whenever I need to, regardless of my training schedule.
1b. Run the easy miles slowly. I have a tendency to run the easy miles faster than 90 seconds slower than Marathon pace that I should be running them at.
1c. Avoid running too many races. I ran too many hard miles in race conditions in 2010 which I believe contributed to my injuries.
I can't wait for 2011 to arrive and to start my Half Marathon training on New Year's Day!
Friday, December 31, 2010
2010 Goals
As 2010 ends and 2011 begins I thought I'd take a minute to update you on the goals that I set for 2010... As you can see from the results below, I had a good year - completing 4 out of 5 goals.
1. Buy a new, bigger house: Complete!
2. Not gain any weight in 2010: I started the year at 157lbs (11st 3lb) and currently weigh 153lb (10st 13lb).
3. Run a sub 1:45:00 Half Marathon: Complete! I ran 1:41:40 at the Shamrock Half Marathon
4. Run a 5K dressed as a Hot Dog: Complete! I ran the Monster Dash dressed as a Hot Dog.
5. Run a Marathon: After spending most of July and August injured I decided to defer my Marathon until 2011.
Stay tuned for my goals for 2011!
1. Buy a new, bigger house: Complete!
2. Not gain any weight in 2010: I started the year at 157lbs (11st 3lb) and currently weigh 153lb (10st 13lb).
3. Run a sub 1:45:00 Half Marathon: Complete! I ran 1:41:40 at the Shamrock Half Marathon
4. Run a 5K dressed as a Hot Dog: Complete! I ran the Monster Dash dressed as a Hot Dog.
5. Run a Marathon: After spending most of July and August injured I decided to defer my Marathon until 2011.
Stay tuned for my goals for 2011!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Perfect Ten
I recently purchased Bart Yasso's 'My Life On The Run' (which is an excellent read) and came across his 'Perfect 10' training program.
For better or worse, we live our lives by the Gregorian Calendar. We think about time in days, weeks and months and as a result, it is easy to think of training programs in the same way. Most Marathon training programs are 16 weeks in duration and each week starts on a Monday and ends on a Sunday.
Bart believes that 'recovery' is the most important part of a training program, and that it is impossible to get in the required number of strenuous activities, easy activities and rest days in a typical 7-day cycle. He mentions that clinical studies have shown that because running utilizes the same repetitive motions, excessive workout intensity and duration does not allow for proper physiological adaptation. Muscles and tendons fatigue easily, and as a result, injuries occur. "Failure to allow for easy days and rest days between quality workouts is the most common training mistake and leads to injury". So, Bart's Perfect 10 training program has more emphasis on rest and recovery so the quality workouts are more beneficial.
This all makes sense to me. I know that I need to do a tempo run, a speed workout and a long run each week, but that I also should do 'easy' runs or workouts the day after each of these activities. That means I would need to run 6 of every 7 days, giving me only 1 day of rest each week - which historically for me, is a recipe for injury.
So, I think I am going to give Bart's Perfect 10 Half Marathon training program a try, with the Raleigh Rocks Half Marathon as my target. I am by no means set on running the Raleigh Rocks race as I have no idea how my time I am going to have for running once our Baby arrives, but it at least gives me a target and something that I can use to test out this training program.
The program calls for 100 days of training, cycling trough Cycles 1, 2 and 3 three times and then a 10 day taper. With the Raleigh Rocks Half Marathon scheduled for April 10th (which is conveniently day #100 of 2011) , I need to start my training on Saturday January 1st, 2011.
Here are the 10 day cycles:
Cycle 1
-------
1: Tempo Workout (20 minutes)
2: Rest/Cross-Train
3: 5 miles Easy
4: Speedwork (3 x 800)
5: Cross-Train
6: 5 miles Easy
7: 5 miles Easy
8: Long Run (6-8 miles)
9: Rest
10: 5 miles Easy
Cycle 2
-------
1: Tempo Workout (25 minutes)
2: Rest/Cross-Train
3: 5 miles Easy
4: Speedwork (12 x 400)
5: Cross-Train
6: 5 miles Easy
7: 5 miles Easy
8: Long Run (10-12 miles)
9: Rest
10: 5 miles Easy
Cycle 3
-------
1: Tempo Workout (35 minutes)
2: Rest/Cross-Train
3: 5 miles Easy
4: Speedwork (3 x 1600)
5: Cross-Train
6: 5 miles Easy
7: 5 miles Easy
8: Long Run (12-15 miles)
9: Rest
10: 5 miles Easy
Taper:
-------
1: Tempo Workout (20 minutes)
2: Rest/Cross-Train
3: 5 miles Easy
4: Speedwork (3 x 800)
5: Cross-Train
6: 4 miles Easy
7: Rest
8: 3 miles Easy
9: Rest
10: RACE DAY
For better or worse, we live our lives by the Gregorian Calendar. We think about time in days, weeks and months and as a result, it is easy to think of training programs in the same way. Most Marathon training programs are 16 weeks in duration and each week starts on a Monday and ends on a Sunday.
Bart believes that 'recovery' is the most important part of a training program, and that it is impossible to get in the required number of strenuous activities, easy activities and rest days in a typical 7-day cycle. He mentions that clinical studies have shown that because running utilizes the same repetitive motions, excessive workout intensity and duration does not allow for proper physiological adaptation. Muscles and tendons fatigue easily, and as a result, injuries occur. "Failure to allow for easy days and rest days between quality workouts is the most common training mistake and leads to injury". So, Bart's Perfect 10 training program has more emphasis on rest and recovery so the quality workouts are more beneficial.
This all makes sense to me. I know that I need to do a tempo run, a speed workout and a long run each week, but that I also should do 'easy' runs or workouts the day after each of these activities. That means I would need to run 6 of every 7 days, giving me only 1 day of rest each week - which historically for me, is a recipe for injury.
So, I think I am going to give Bart's Perfect 10 Half Marathon training program a try, with the Raleigh Rocks Half Marathon as my target. I am by no means set on running the Raleigh Rocks race as I have no idea how my time I am going to have for running once our Baby arrives, but it at least gives me a target and something that I can use to test out this training program.
The program calls for 100 days of training, cycling trough Cycles 1, 2 and 3 three times and then a 10 day taper. With the Raleigh Rocks Half Marathon scheduled for April 10th (which is conveniently day #100 of 2011) , I need to start my training on Saturday January 1st, 2011.
Here are the 10 day cycles:
Cycle 1
-------
1: Tempo Workout (20 minutes)
2: Rest/Cross-Train
3: 5 miles Easy
4: Speedwork (3 x 800)
5: Cross-Train
6: 5 miles Easy
7: 5 miles Easy
8: Long Run (6-8 miles)
9: Rest
10: 5 miles Easy
Cycle 2
-------
1: Tempo Workout (25 minutes)
2: Rest/Cross-Train
3: 5 miles Easy
4: Speedwork (12 x 400)
5: Cross-Train
6: 5 miles Easy
7: 5 miles Easy
8: Long Run (10-12 miles)
9: Rest
10: 5 miles Easy
Cycle 3
-------
1: Tempo Workout (35 minutes)
2: Rest/Cross-Train
3: 5 miles Easy
4: Speedwork (3 x 1600)
5: Cross-Train
6: 5 miles Easy
7: 5 miles Easy
8: Long Run (12-15 miles)
9: Rest
10: 5 miles Easy
Taper:
-------
1: Tempo Workout (20 minutes)
2: Rest/Cross-Train
3: 5 miles Easy
4: Speedwork (3 x 800)
5: Cross-Train
6: 4 miles Easy
7: Rest
8: 3 miles Easy
9: Rest
10: RACE DAY
Monday, December 6, 2010
Hills, Hills Everywhere!
As I mentioned in my last post about rotating my shoes, I have been trying to slowly increase my mileage without adding difficulty/intensity - I slowed down my pace and wanted to avoid hills, in the hope that I would be able to avoid injury. There is one slight problem with my plan... I am struggling to find running routes from the house that don't have "hills".
Here are the elevation charts from some of my recent "flat" runs.
This run took in Falls River and the new Landfill park
This run included the Greenway, Camp Durant Road, Durant Road and Capital Hills Road.
The flattest run that I can find is the Greenway. However, it is only 1.5 miles long and still has a 100 ft ascent/descent!
These hills will be great for me during my training once I have built up my base fitness and strength, but until then, I know that I need to be extra careful to avoid running on them too much too soon.
Recent Training Runs:
12/6 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:32)
12/5 Saucony (6.00 @ 8:47)
12/3 Saucony (6.00 @ 8:37)
12/2 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:18)
12/1 Saucony (5.00 @ 8:48)
11/29 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:54)
11/28 Saucony (7.25 @ 8:51)
11/27 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:34)
11/25 Saucony (Gobblers 5K @ 6:58)
11/24 Nike Free (3.00 @ 9:15)
Here are the elevation charts from some of my recent "flat" runs.
This run took in Falls River and the new Landfill park
This run included the Greenway, Camp Durant Road, Durant Road and Capital Hills Road.
The flattest run that I can find is the Greenway. However, it is only 1.5 miles long and still has a 100 ft ascent/descent!
These hills will be great for me during my training once I have built up my base fitness and strength, but until then, I know that I need to be extra careful to avoid running on them too much too soon.
Recent Training Runs:
12/6 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:32)
12/5 Saucony (6.00 @ 8:47)
12/3 Saucony (6.00 @ 8:37)
12/2 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:18)
12/1 Saucony (5.00 @ 8:48)
11/29 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:54)
11/28 Saucony (7.25 @ 8:51)
11/27 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:34)
11/25 Saucony (Gobblers 5K @ 6:58)
11/24 Nike Free (3.00 @ 9:15)
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Rotating Shoes
Today's run was my eighth consecutive run without my Orthotics. I have been rotating my Saucony Kinvara's and Nike Free's and focusing on keeping an easy pace (somewhere in the 8:30 - 9:00/mile range) and I haven't had any pain or discomfort.
There are two main variables when it comes to running: distance and intensity (pace/hills), and I have read many, many times (and learned from personal experience) that it is important to only increase one of the variables at a time. So, I dropped my pace to allow my body (legs and feet) to get used to the new shoes while I gradually build up to running 30 miles a week.
I have been rotating my shoes, running in the Saucony's one day and then the Nike Free's the next. This is helping build up my foot and leg strength as my muscles have to work slightly differently each day. I have never rotated shoes before, which I think was a big factor in my injury over the summer. The muscles in my feet were never challenged as I always ran in the same shoes with my molded Orthotic insert and they eventually became lazy and lost their strength.
Another reason to rotate running shoes is that the foam cushioning in the sole can take 36 hours to recover and if it doesn't fully recover before the next run, it breaks down and becomes less effective faster than it typically would. This is less of a factor for me with my Saucony's and Nike's as they don't have much (if any) foam in the soles.
Recent Training Runs:
11/23 Saucony (5.50 miles @ 8:42)
11/22 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:53)
11/21 Saucony (5.50 @ 8:54)
11/20 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:31)
11/19 Saucony (3.00 @ 8:45)
11/18 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:44)
11/17 Saucony (3.00 @ 9:02)
11/15 Nike Free (2.00 @ 9:02)
There are two main variables when it comes to running: distance and intensity (pace/hills), and I have read many, many times (and learned from personal experience) that it is important to only increase one of the variables at a time. So, I dropped my pace to allow my body (legs and feet) to get used to the new shoes while I gradually build up to running 30 miles a week.
I have been rotating my shoes, running in the Saucony's one day and then the Nike Free's the next. This is helping build up my foot and leg strength as my muscles have to work slightly differently each day. I have never rotated shoes before, which I think was a big factor in my injury over the summer. The muscles in my feet were never challenged as I always ran in the same shoes with my molded Orthotic insert and they eventually became lazy and lost their strength.
Another reason to rotate running shoes is that the foam cushioning in the sole can take 36 hours to recover and if it doesn't fully recover before the next run, it breaks down and becomes less effective faster than it typically would. This is less of a factor for me with my Saucony's and Nike's as they don't have much (if any) foam in the soles.
Recent Training Runs:
11/23 Saucony (5.50 miles @ 8:42)
11/22 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:53)
11/21 Saucony (5.50 @ 8:54)
11/20 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:31)
11/19 Saucony (3.00 @ 8:45)
11/18 Nike Free (3.00 @ 8:44)
11/17 Saucony (3.00 @ 9:02)
11/15 Nike Free (2.00 @ 9:02)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
New Shoes
After running short distances in my Nike Free's for a while I came to the conclusion that they would never be my high mileage shoe - they lack the support that I will need to be able to cover 15-20 miles. I found a number of reviews on the Internet from other runners that have tried running longer distances in the Nike Free's and they have all ended up either running in a shoe with slightly more support or going in the other direction and becoming a barefoot runner. Of course, lots of people do use the Nike Free's for short distances, either in recovery runs the day after a long run or for speed work at a track, so I am not removing them from my rotation completely.
With my Nike Free's relegated to short runs, I needed to find a new shoe to replace them as my longer distance shoe. I did a lot of research before deciding which shoes to buy to go along with my Nike Free Run's and decided on the Saucony Kinvara.
The Saucony Kinvara's are best described as a hybrid shoe. They are light weight and have a minimal heel to toe drop (4mm) which helps with a mid-foot strike (as there is less heel in the way) just like a racing flat. However, the shoe still retains some cushioning that is more like a what you would find in a traditional neutral shoe.
If I was to compare the Kinvara's to my Nike Free's and New Balance 759's they'd be lighter (Kinvara: 7.7oz, Nike Free: 8.8oz, New Balance: 11oz) and have a smaller heel to toe drop (Kinvara: 4mm, Nike Free: 8mm, New Balance: >14mm) but they'd be in the middle when considering the amount of support and cushioning that they give my foot (Nike Free has the least support and New Balance the most).
There are some great reviews of the Kinvara's that can be found here and here.
I am hoping that I'll be able to cover longer distances in the Kinvara's than I can safely in the Nike Free's. I plan to gradually increase my mileage in the Kinvara's and use the Nike Free's as a shoe for short recovery runs once or twice a week.
Say "hello" to my new Saucony Kinvara's...
With my Nike Free's relegated to short runs, I needed to find a new shoe to replace them as my longer distance shoe. I did a lot of research before deciding which shoes to buy to go along with my Nike Free Run's and decided on the Saucony Kinvara.
The Saucony Kinvara's are best described as a hybrid shoe. They are light weight and have a minimal heel to toe drop (4mm) which helps with a mid-foot strike (as there is less heel in the way) just like a racing flat. However, the shoe still retains some cushioning that is more like a what you would find in a traditional neutral shoe.
If I was to compare the Kinvara's to my Nike Free's and New Balance 759's they'd be lighter (Kinvara: 7.7oz, Nike Free: 8.8oz, New Balance: 11oz) and have a smaller heel to toe drop (Kinvara: 4mm, Nike Free: 8mm, New Balance: >14mm) but they'd be in the middle when considering the amount of support and cushioning that they give my foot (Nike Free has the least support and New Balance the most).
There are some great reviews of the Kinvara's that can be found here and here.
I am hoping that I'll be able to cover longer distances in the Kinvara's than I can safely in the Nike Free's. I plan to gradually increase my mileage in the Kinvara's and use the Nike Free's as a shoe for short recovery runs once or twice a week.
Say "hello" to my new Saucony Kinvara's...
Friday, November 12, 2010
City of Oaks Marathon (Volunteer)
Last weekend I volunteered as a Course Monitor at the City of Oaks Marathon and Rex Healthcare Half Marathon in Raleigh and had a great time. The City of Oaks is one of only two Marathon's that are held in Raleigh each year, with the other Marathon being the Umstead Marathon which is limited to 200 runners and is held on the trails of Umstead Park.
The City of Oaks course starts on the campus of NC State University, then goes through Downtown Raleigh before making its way out to Umstead Park (where the big hills await) and finally back to NC State. The trails and hills of Umstead Park make the course very challenging indeed and certainly not a course to attempt to set a PR on. The Half Marathon course avoids Umstead Park completely but still has some decent size elevation changes.
On Sunday morning at 6:15am, Elizabeth and I left the house and drove to my position in Downtown Raleigh. We were in position (near the mile 4 marker) at 6:45. I had been asked to monitor a simple intersection where a side road joined the road that the runners would be running on and I didn't expect to see much traffic.
The race was set to begin at 7am so we expected to see the first runners pass just after 7:20. It was a cold (34F, 1C) but dry morning which was probably a few degrees colder than most runners would have liked, so we stayed in the car until just before 7:20, at which time I positioned the car across the road to ensure that no cars could slip past me and out on to the course. I was wrapped up warm with lots of layers and my hat and gloves when the Half Marathon leaders passed just after 7:21am.
The three shown in the photo below took the first three places in the Half Marathon, with the guy in third place here winning $1000 with a time of 1:04:35
The runners began to come thick and fast as the 3300 or so runners in the Half and Full Marathon made their way past the 4 mile point at their own speed. It was nice to be working at a quiet intersection where I was able to provide some encouragement to the runners.
Elizabeth had decided to join me mainly because our friend Shane was running his first Half Marathon and she wanted to provide him with some encouragement as well as snap some photos of him running. Unfortunately, the sun decided to come up over a building on the opposite side of the street just as Shane was passing - and the best we could do was the photo that is shown below!
Elizabeth was disappointed that she hadn't managed to get a good photo, so we decided that we'd try and get to the Mile 12 marker later in the race to take another one. We did snap a photo of the 4:30 Marathon Pace group and their leader with his fancy headgear (which he wore for the entire race!)
When the final runners passed, we were released from our duties and joined our friends who happened to be working the next intersection for some breakfast. We calculated what time we'd expect Shane to be at the Mile 12 marker and attempted to make our way in the car to that point on the course. It became apparently fairly quickly that we wouldn't be able to get to the Mile 12 marker, however, we happened across the runners approaching Mile 11 and figured that we had a 50/50 chance that Shane wouldn't have passed yet. We parked and got in position to take a photo and within 2 minutes Elizabeth spotted Shane and shouted encouragement to him. This time, the sun was behind us, and she managed to get a great photo!
We then headed home so that Elizabeth could get some things done in the Nursery with her friend Allison. Officer Ken called me and asked if I wanted to go down to the finish area with him to see the end of the race and provide some support for Steph' who had been given a course monitor position right near the finish line.
We arrived at the NC State campus just in time to see the 4:15 pace group round the corner with less that half a mile to go. We spent the next 2 hours providing encouragement to the runners as they neared the finish - by this time, they were desperately in need of whatever encouragement we could provide them and we were happy to oblige.
Volunteering is always rewarding, regardless of the distance, but there is something special about seeing a runner complete a Marathon or Half Marathon that they have trained for for months and maybe I'll volunteer again at the City of Oaks Marathon again next year!
Congratulations to Shane on completing his first Half Marathon!
The City of Oaks course starts on the campus of NC State University, then goes through Downtown Raleigh before making its way out to Umstead Park (where the big hills await) and finally back to NC State. The trails and hills of Umstead Park make the course very challenging indeed and certainly not a course to attempt to set a PR on. The Half Marathon course avoids Umstead Park completely but still has some decent size elevation changes.
On Sunday morning at 6:15am, Elizabeth and I left the house and drove to my position in Downtown Raleigh. We were in position (near the mile 4 marker) at 6:45. I had been asked to monitor a simple intersection where a side road joined the road that the runners would be running on and I didn't expect to see much traffic.
The race was set to begin at 7am so we expected to see the first runners pass just after 7:20. It was a cold (34F, 1C) but dry morning which was probably a few degrees colder than most runners would have liked, so we stayed in the car until just before 7:20, at which time I positioned the car across the road to ensure that no cars could slip past me and out on to the course. I was wrapped up warm with lots of layers and my hat and gloves when the Half Marathon leaders passed just after 7:21am.
The three shown in the photo below took the first three places in the Half Marathon, with the guy in third place here winning $1000 with a time of 1:04:35
The runners began to come thick and fast as the 3300 or so runners in the Half and Full Marathon made their way past the 4 mile point at their own speed. It was nice to be working at a quiet intersection where I was able to provide some encouragement to the runners.
Elizabeth had decided to join me mainly because our friend Shane was running his first Half Marathon and she wanted to provide him with some encouragement as well as snap some photos of him running. Unfortunately, the sun decided to come up over a building on the opposite side of the street just as Shane was passing - and the best we could do was the photo that is shown below!
Elizabeth was disappointed that she hadn't managed to get a good photo, so we decided that we'd try and get to the Mile 12 marker later in the race to take another one. We did snap a photo of the 4:30 Marathon Pace group and their leader with his fancy headgear (which he wore for the entire race!)
When the final runners passed, we were released from our duties and joined our friends who happened to be working the next intersection for some breakfast. We calculated what time we'd expect Shane to be at the Mile 12 marker and attempted to make our way in the car to that point on the course. It became apparently fairly quickly that we wouldn't be able to get to the Mile 12 marker, however, we happened across the runners approaching Mile 11 and figured that we had a 50/50 chance that Shane wouldn't have passed yet. We parked and got in position to take a photo and within 2 minutes Elizabeth spotted Shane and shouted encouragement to him. This time, the sun was behind us, and she managed to get a great photo!
We then headed home so that Elizabeth could get some things done in the Nursery with her friend Allison. Officer Ken called me and asked if I wanted to go down to the finish area with him to see the end of the race and provide some support for Steph' who had been given a course monitor position right near the finish line.We arrived at the NC State campus just in time to see the 4:15 pace group round the corner with less that half a mile to go. We spent the next 2 hours providing encouragement to the runners as they neared the finish - by this time, they were desperately in need of whatever encouragement we could provide them and we were happy to oblige.
Volunteering is always rewarding, regardless of the distance, but there is something special about seeing a runner complete a Marathon or Half Marathon that they have trained for for months and maybe I'll volunteer again at the City of Oaks Marathon again next year!
Congratulations to Shane on completing his first Half Marathon!
Monday, November 1, 2010
How fast can a Hot Dog run?
Yesterday afternoon I achieved one of my goals for 2010 by running the Monster Dash 5K dressed as a Hot Dog and I had lots of fun!
Race day was a sunny 73F (22C) with clear blue skies. We arrived at Cameron Village over a hour before the race to see our friends from the running club who were volunteering. We had plenty of time to pose for photos!
Elizabeth found a great shirt for Halloween to cover her baby-bump...
Here we are together before the race. Elizabeth had pinned just above my shoulders and just above my head to keep the hole for my face in the right place.
I warmed up without the Hot Dog outfit and went through my normal pre-run routine. I had decided to wear my Nike Free's, so I wanted to make sure my calves were stretched fully before the race.
A few minutes before the race, I put on the Hot Dog and made my way to the start corral. Although there were lots of runners in costume, there were also a fair number of runners that hadn't dressed up so I stayed well away from the front as I planned to start out slowly. I also noted that there were only a few runners wearing costumes that covered their head - there was a Banana that ran the entire race being chased by a Gorilla and a couple dressed as Ketchup and Mustard bottles, but most runners had decided to keep their heads exposed... I began to wonder if I had made a mistake with a costume that covered my head...
Elizabeth positioned herself on a corner about 250 yards from the Start/Finish line and by the time I passed her on the way out I was already feeling comfortable in the costume. It didn't bounce up and down or even feel all that heavy.
Here are a few photo's that Elizabeth took while I was out on the course...
Mother Goose was in attendance:
Here is the NC State Bobsled team following their 1 mile run.
I started out slowly while I got a feel for running in the Hot Dog outfit and in my Nike Free's which worked out well as the first 450 yards were up hill. By the time we turned on to Oberlin road I felt great and eased my way through the crowd to the outside of the runners (which was quite difficult as I could only see forward!). I received lots of encouragement from other runners and volunteer course monitors as I passed them and I went through the first mile marker in 8:18. I was surprised with that split as I had started out very slowly and I had just been running at what felt like a nice easy pace. I thought to myself "I wonder how fast I can run in this thing?" and decided to see...
There was a nice breeze which was helping keep me cool and I kicked up the pace a couple of notches. I took on some water at the water stop and even tried the pinch and drink method so I didn't have to stop - it worked great as I was able to take on two decent mouthfuls of water without it getting all over me or up my nose!
I picked out runners in costume in the distance and made them my targets. I relaxed my shoulders and enjoyed the challenge of running quickly dressed as a Hot Dog! I passed the second mile marker in 7:30 and soon after that the last costumed runner. I set my sights on a couple of other runners in the distance and glanced at my watch - 2.4 miles down, 0.7 to go. I knew I had plenty of energy left and only two inclines before the long downhill to the finish. I increased my speed a touch and with 0.3 of a mile to go I was on the shoulder of my target runner. I got to the top of the hill, eased past and took off at a full sprint... my watch beeped for a 7:17 third mile and I sprinted all the way in for a finishing time of 23:47 and second in my age group!
I passed Elizabeth with the finish line in sight and she got two great shots of me!
I even appear to have good form from behind in this photo!
Overall I had a great time and I can't wait for next year!
Race day was a sunny 73F (22C) with clear blue skies. We arrived at Cameron Village over a hour before the race to see our friends from the running club who were volunteering. We had plenty of time to pose for photos!
Elizabeth found a great shirt for Halloween to cover her baby-bump...
Here we are together before the race. Elizabeth had pinned just above my shoulders and just above my head to keep the hole for my face in the right place.
I warmed up without the Hot Dog outfit and went through my normal pre-run routine. I had decided to wear my Nike Free's, so I wanted to make sure my calves were stretched fully before the race.
A few minutes before the race, I put on the Hot Dog and made my way to the start corral. Although there were lots of runners in costume, there were also a fair number of runners that hadn't dressed up so I stayed well away from the front as I planned to start out slowly. I also noted that there were only a few runners wearing costumes that covered their head - there was a Banana that ran the entire race being chased by a Gorilla and a couple dressed as Ketchup and Mustard bottles, but most runners had decided to keep their heads exposed... I began to wonder if I had made a mistake with a costume that covered my head...
Elizabeth positioned herself on a corner about 250 yards from the Start/Finish line and by the time I passed her on the way out I was already feeling comfortable in the costume. It didn't bounce up and down or even feel all that heavy.
Here are a few photo's that Elizabeth took while I was out on the course...
Mother Goose was in attendance:
Here is the NC State Bobsled team following their 1 mile run.
I started out slowly while I got a feel for running in the Hot Dog outfit and in my Nike Free's which worked out well as the first 450 yards were up hill. By the time we turned on to Oberlin road I felt great and eased my way through the crowd to the outside of the runners (which was quite difficult as I could only see forward!). I received lots of encouragement from other runners and volunteer course monitors as I passed them and I went through the first mile marker in 8:18. I was surprised with that split as I had started out very slowly and I had just been running at what felt like a nice easy pace. I thought to myself "I wonder how fast I can run in this thing?" and decided to see...
There was a nice breeze which was helping keep me cool and I kicked up the pace a couple of notches. I took on some water at the water stop and even tried the pinch and drink method so I didn't have to stop - it worked great as I was able to take on two decent mouthfuls of water without it getting all over me or up my nose!
I picked out runners in costume in the distance and made them my targets. I relaxed my shoulders and enjoyed the challenge of running quickly dressed as a Hot Dog! I passed the second mile marker in 7:30 and soon after that the last costumed runner. I set my sights on a couple of other runners in the distance and glanced at my watch - 2.4 miles down, 0.7 to go. I knew I had plenty of energy left and only two inclines before the long downhill to the finish. I increased my speed a touch and with 0.3 of a mile to go I was on the shoulder of my target runner. I got to the top of the hill, eased past and took off at a full sprint... my watch beeped for a 7:17 third mile and I sprinted all the way in for a finishing time of 23:47 and second in my age group!
I passed Elizabeth with the finish line in sight and she got two great shots of me!
I even appear to have good form from behind in this photo!
Overall I had a great time and I can't wait for next year!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Nike Free Update
I love running in my Nike Free's. They are so light and very comfortable. I have gradually increased my Nike Free mileage, and although I had one scary moment where I thought I had got injured again, I am running pain free and looking forward to the day that I can say I no longer need Orthotics. The rest of this post is a more detailed log of the last 3 weeks of running while I rotated my New Balances (with Orthotics) and my Nike Free's...
I first ran in my Nike Free's on 10/8 when I ran 1.25 miles, I then ran 1.25 miles (10/10) and 2.00 miles (10/12) and my legs had been feeling great with no reaction from my calves at all. My fourth run was unfortunately a different story all together...
After having no reaction from my first three runs, I decided to see how 2.8 miles (the length of the Greenway out and back) would feel. I also decided to run without the dogs for the first time (I had taken Scout and Molly with me on my previous three Nike Free runs). So, on 10/14 I ran 2.79 miles at 7:53/mile and although my calves felt fine during the run, before I'd even made it the home (3 minute walk) I knew I had done too much because I felt my right calf (the one that has been causing me my problems) tighten up. I did my post-run stretching routine and although the muscle loosened up, I had a dull ache for the rest of the day.
When I woke up the following day, I wasn't sure what to make of the situation as my calf felt fine. Was it my calf simply not being used to running faster and longer in the Nike Free's and aching for a few hours as a result? or had I done some damage? I decided to be cautious as my left calf had felt fine and I took the day off of running.
The next day, both calves felt fine and I set out on a longer run in my New Balances. I stretched and warmed up like I normally do and was cautious during the first mile, but everything felt fine. In fact, I felt great! I took a longer loop around the neighborhood that contained a number of up hill and down hill sections and ran at a tempo pace. I felt fine during the run, but as I began my walk home, my right calf tightened again. My excitement at completing a challenging tempo run was quickly replaced with a feeling that maybe I had hurt myself again after all.
I returned home and stretched, and this time the tightness was replaced by an all to familiar ache - the one that I had felt over the summer. I retrieved my Ace compression sleeve from a draw and strapped it on. I hadn't felt any knee pain, but that typically didn't appear immediately, so I couldn't even take that as a good sign.
The following day (Sunday) I woke up and the ache was still present - not as strong, but it was still there. There was no knee pain, so I pleased about that. I kept the compression sleeve on as much as I could that day, but I was flying to Portland and I didn't want it on while I was in the air.
On Monday the ache was gone. I still wore the compression sleeve as a precaution, but I was happy that the pain had gone away so quickly. Maybe it was just a slight reaction to the extra distance after all!
On Tuesday and Thursday I ran cautiously in my New Balances in Portland (I didn't have room in my bag for my Nike Free's) and my calves felt fine. I had told myself to stop immediately at any sign of tightness or discomfort, but there wasn't any. I flew home on Friday, rested on Saturday and ran a 5 mile tempo run in my New Balances on Sunday with no reaction. It was a relief to get through a tempo run without an calf issues and I gave myself a pat on the back for listening to my body.
I took the calf issues as a warning sign and decided to drop back down to 2 miles for my next Nike Free run and see what reaction I had. I ran 2 miles with the dogs on Monday and my legs felt fine, so I followed that with 5 miles (New Balance), 2.5 miles (Nike Free), 5 miles (New Balance) and 2.75 miles (Nike Free) and my calves feel fine at the moment.
In hindsight, going from 1.25 miles to 2.79 miles in 6 days was much too quick and it is no surprise that my calf was unhappy. Recognizing the signs and taking an 11 day break from running in the Nike Free's (I still wore them for walking every day) seemed to allow the muscle to recover and I completed runs of 2.00, 2.50 and 2.75 miles without issue.
I plan to slowly increase my Nike Free miles and decrease my New Balance miles until I can stop running in the New Balance's all together.
Next week I think I will do this:
Sunday: Monster Dash 5k (Nike Free)
Monday: 4 miles (New Balance)
Tuesday: 3.25 miles (Nike Free)
Wednesday: 4 miles (New Balance)
Thursday: 3.50 miles (Nike Free)
Saturday: 4 miles (New Balance)
Sunday: 3.75 miles (Nike Free)
I first ran in my Nike Free's on 10/8 when I ran 1.25 miles, I then ran 1.25 miles (10/10) and 2.00 miles (10/12) and my legs had been feeling great with no reaction from my calves at all. My fourth run was unfortunately a different story all together...
After having no reaction from my first three runs, I decided to see how 2.8 miles (the length of the Greenway out and back) would feel. I also decided to run without the dogs for the first time (I had taken Scout and Molly with me on my previous three Nike Free runs). So, on 10/14 I ran 2.79 miles at 7:53/mile and although my calves felt fine during the run, before I'd even made it the home (3 minute walk) I knew I had done too much because I felt my right calf (the one that has been causing me my problems) tighten up. I did my post-run stretching routine and although the muscle loosened up, I had a dull ache for the rest of the day.
When I woke up the following day, I wasn't sure what to make of the situation as my calf felt fine. Was it my calf simply not being used to running faster and longer in the Nike Free's and aching for a few hours as a result? or had I done some damage? I decided to be cautious as my left calf had felt fine and I took the day off of running.
The next day, both calves felt fine and I set out on a longer run in my New Balances. I stretched and warmed up like I normally do and was cautious during the first mile, but everything felt fine. In fact, I felt great! I took a longer loop around the neighborhood that contained a number of up hill and down hill sections and ran at a tempo pace. I felt fine during the run, but as I began my walk home, my right calf tightened again. My excitement at completing a challenging tempo run was quickly replaced with a feeling that maybe I had hurt myself again after all.
I returned home and stretched, and this time the tightness was replaced by an all to familiar ache - the one that I had felt over the summer. I retrieved my Ace compression sleeve from a draw and strapped it on. I hadn't felt any knee pain, but that typically didn't appear immediately, so I couldn't even take that as a good sign.
The following day (Sunday) I woke up and the ache was still present - not as strong, but it was still there. There was no knee pain, so I pleased about that. I kept the compression sleeve on as much as I could that day, but I was flying to Portland and I didn't want it on while I was in the air.
On Monday the ache was gone. I still wore the compression sleeve as a precaution, but I was happy that the pain had gone away so quickly. Maybe it was just a slight reaction to the extra distance after all!
On Tuesday and Thursday I ran cautiously in my New Balances in Portland (I didn't have room in my bag for my Nike Free's) and my calves felt fine. I had told myself to stop immediately at any sign of tightness or discomfort, but there wasn't any. I flew home on Friday, rested on Saturday and ran a 5 mile tempo run in my New Balances on Sunday with no reaction. It was a relief to get through a tempo run without an calf issues and I gave myself a pat on the back for listening to my body.
I took the calf issues as a warning sign and decided to drop back down to 2 miles for my next Nike Free run and see what reaction I had. I ran 2 miles with the dogs on Monday and my legs felt fine, so I followed that with 5 miles (New Balance), 2.5 miles (Nike Free), 5 miles (New Balance) and 2.75 miles (Nike Free) and my calves feel fine at the moment.
In hindsight, going from 1.25 miles to 2.79 miles in 6 days was much too quick and it is no surprise that my calf was unhappy. Recognizing the signs and taking an 11 day break from running in the Nike Free's (I still wore them for walking every day) seemed to allow the muscle to recover and I completed runs of 2.00, 2.50 and 2.75 miles without issue.
I plan to slowly increase my Nike Free miles and decrease my New Balance miles until I can stop running in the New Balance's all together.
Next week I think I will do this:
Sunday: Monster Dash 5k (Nike Free)
Monday: 4 miles (New Balance)
Tuesday: 3.25 miles (Nike Free)
Wednesday: 4 miles (New Balance)
Thursday: 3.50 miles (Nike Free)
Saturday: 4 miles (New Balance)
Sunday: 3.75 miles (Nike Free)
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Marine Corps Marathon Thoughts
Well, here we are. It is only 5 days until the 35th Marine Corps Marathon takes place in Washington DC and I wish all of the runners that line up at the start at 8am on Sunday the very best of luck as they take on 26.2 miles. The weather looks like it will be a perfect 50-55 degrees with partly cloudy skies to help them on their individual mental and physical challenge.
I won't lie, I am a little disappointed that I won't be in DC to run my first Marathon. I have had numerous emails and Facebook messages from Team Fisher House and the Marine Corps Marathon about the events that are taking place this weekend and each one is a reminder that I won't be there... Had things gone according to plan, I would be there at the start line with butterflies in my stomach about to run 26.2 miles for the first time. But, things didn't go according to plan, I missed the majority of my training due to injury and I will instead be running a 5K here in Raleigh dressed as a Hot Dog!
In hindsight, things worked out for the best. Elizabeth will be 8 months pregnant on race day and the drive and sitting around all day wouldn't have been very comfortable for her at all... let alone me worrying that she might go in to labor while I am out running!
Running the 36th Marine Corps Marathon in 2011 will be my one and only goal for 2011 and I am looking forward to it!
I won't lie, I am a little disappointed that I won't be in DC to run my first Marathon. I have had numerous emails and Facebook messages from Team Fisher House and the Marine Corps Marathon about the events that are taking place this weekend and each one is a reminder that I won't be there... Had things gone according to plan, I would be there at the start line with butterflies in my stomach about to run 26.2 miles for the first time. But, things didn't go according to plan, I missed the majority of my training due to injury and I will instead be running a 5K here in Raleigh dressed as a Hot Dog!
In hindsight, things worked out for the best. Elizabeth will be 8 months pregnant on race day and the drive and sitting around all day wouldn't have been very comfortable for her at all... let alone me worrying that she might go in to labor while I am out running!
Running the 36th Marine Corps Marathon in 2011 will be my one and only goal for 2011 and I am looking forward to it!
Monster Dash Preview
This weekend I will be running in the Monster Dash 5K dressed as a Hot Dog.
After months (well hours really) of research, I decided on the perfect Hot Dog costume (based simply on how cool it looked) and then searched for a race where it wouldn't be bad taste to participate dressed up. I didn't think it would be a good idea to run races that had a specific cause in the title (Autism, Cancer etc) dressed as a Hot Dog, so I finally settled on the Monster Dash.
This Sunday (October 31st) at 2pm (at Cameron Village), I will be running 5K dressed like this:
It should be fun!
After months (well hours really) of research, I decided on the perfect Hot Dog costume (based simply on how cool it looked) and then searched for a race where it wouldn't be bad taste to participate dressed up. I didn't think it would be a good idea to run races that had a specific cause in the title (Autism, Cancer etc) dressed as a Hot Dog, so I finally settled on the Monster Dash.
This Sunday (October 31st) at 2pm (at Cameron Village), I will be running 5K dressed like this:
It should be fun!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Simply Amazing Finish
Last weekend's Chicago Marathon (10-10-10) had one of the most amazing finishes I have ever seen to a Marathon - and I have finally found a video that shows the tussle between Sammy Wanjiru and Tsegaye Kebede.
I know that 7 minutes is a long time to watch a video on a blog, but it really is worth it. Don't forget, these guys have covered over 25 miles all between 4:30 and 4:50 pace when this video starts and $500,000 is on the line.
I know that 7 minutes is a long time to watch a video on a blog, but it really is worth it. Don't forget, these guys have covered over 25 miles all between 4:30 and 4:50 pace when this video starts and $500,000 is on the line.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Mixing It Up...
As you know, it is my intention to transition to a minimalist running shoe, and back in early September I chose the Nike Free Run's but haven't had the confidence to run in them while I have been gradually increasing my mileage back up following my injury. So, after completing a 4 mile run in my New Balances (with Orthotics) on Thursday, I decided that it was about time that I tried running in my Nike Free's.
On Friday morning, I put on my Nike Free's and attached the collars and leashes to Scout and Molly and we all set out for a brisk 1.25 mile run along the Greenway. While I was running, I found it hard to relax, partly because I was being herded by Molly (who was on her first run with me and liked to get in front of me and then stop) and partly because I was constantly doing internal checks on how my calf, knee and Achilles felt as I really didn't want to hurt myself again. The Nike Free's felt light and comfortable and I finished the run with no pain or discomfort. Overall a good run, and when I got through the rest of the day without any discomfort I felt comfortable declaring my experiment a success. After running a 5K on Saturday, I repeated the 1.25 mile run in my Nike Frees (with Dogs) on Sunday and then increased the distance to 2 miles today.
After completing runs of 4 miles, 1.25 miles, 3.1 miles and 1.25 miles on consecutive days I wanted to do a 5 mile run on Monday morning. A 5 mile run from the old house wouldn't have been a problem and I would have had a few options that wouldn't involve running the same route more than once, however, the new house has less options and the Greenway trail is only 1.5 miles end to end. I really didn't want to run the same piece of the trail three times and I didn't fancy running on the sidewalks or roads, so I decided to try running on the trails in Durant Nature Park. I knew there was a trail called "Border Trail" which goes around the outside of the park, and is approximately 2.2 miles in length, so I thought I'd give it a try.
I haven't ever run on hiking trails and was a little nervous about the exposed tree roots and uneven ground, but it turned out to be a fun change from running on flat surfaces. My Garmin Connect map shows my 5 mile run on the Greenway and the Border Trail but it doesn't really do justice to the trail which was full of twists and turns and ups and downs. For the most part the route was easy to follow as the ground was well worn and packed down and the tree limbs were well pruned. I did make one wrong turn towards the end but realized quickly when I had to duck under a few low tree branches and then lost the packed ground completely. I simply back tracked about 50 yards and found where I had gone wrong.
Obviously, I wasn't running as quickly as I would on the road, but I did wear my heart rate monitor and I was able to keep my heart rate between 150 and 160 for a perfect workout.
It was nice to have something to think about (not getting lost, and where to place my feet) and the time flew by. I doubt I will be able to run the trail if the ground is wet or if we have had significant recent rain as the lake level was only inches from the trail in some areas. Also, I am not sure whether I will be able to find and follow the trail when the leaves fall soon, but when the conditions are right, it will be nice to go and run in the nature park!
On Friday morning, I put on my Nike Free's and attached the collars and leashes to Scout and Molly and we all set out for a brisk 1.25 mile run along the Greenway. While I was running, I found it hard to relax, partly because I was being herded by Molly (who was on her first run with me and liked to get in front of me and then stop) and partly because I was constantly doing internal checks on how my calf, knee and Achilles felt as I really didn't want to hurt myself again. The Nike Free's felt light and comfortable and I finished the run with no pain or discomfort. Overall a good run, and when I got through the rest of the day without any discomfort I felt comfortable declaring my experiment a success. After running a 5K on Saturday, I repeated the 1.25 mile run in my Nike Frees (with Dogs) on Sunday and then increased the distance to 2 miles today.
After completing runs of 4 miles, 1.25 miles, 3.1 miles and 1.25 miles on consecutive days I wanted to do a 5 mile run on Monday morning. A 5 mile run from the old house wouldn't have been a problem and I would have had a few options that wouldn't involve running the same route more than once, however, the new house has less options and the Greenway trail is only 1.5 miles end to end. I really didn't want to run the same piece of the trail three times and I didn't fancy running on the sidewalks or roads, so I decided to try running on the trails in Durant Nature Park. I knew there was a trail called "Border Trail" which goes around the outside of the park, and is approximately 2.2 miles in length, so I thought I'd give it a try.
I haven't ever run on hiking trails and was a little nervous about the exposed tree roots and uneven ground, but it turned out to be a fun change from running on flat surfaces. My Garmin Connect map shows my 5 mile run on the Greenway and the Border Trail but it doesn't really do justice to the trail which was full of twists and turns and ups and downs. For the most part the route was easy to follow as the ground was well worn and packed down and the tree limbs were well pruned. I did make one wrong turn towards the end but realized quickly when I had to duck under a few low tree branches and then lost the packed ground completely. I simply back tracked about 50 yards and found where I had gone wrong.
Obviously, I wasn't running as quickly as I would on the road, but I did wear my heart rate monitor and I was able to keep my heart rate between 150 and 160 for a perfect workout.
It was nice to have something to think about (not getting lost, and where to place my feet) and the time flew by. I doubt I will be able to run the trail if the ground is wet or if we have had significant recent rain as the lake level was only inches from the trail in some areas. Also, I am not sure whether I will be able to find and follow the trail when the leaves fall soon, but when the conditions are right, it will be nice to go and run in the nature park!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Orthotics Update
My return to running has gone well so far. After my first week of runs less than 1.5 miles, I increased to 2 miles (Saturday) and then to runs of 20 minutes (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday). The following week, I decided at the beginning of the week to run the IBM 5K on the Saturday, so I only ran once during the week (3 miles on Wednesday).
I have been careful to stretch before and after my runs and not to over do it with my strengthening exercises on non-running days. I did do one session of "jumping exercises" and my legs were very tired for the next two days so I made sure I didn't do anything else until my legs were back to normal.
I ran the IBM 5K last Saturday in 21:52 which was a nice surprise as I had no idea whether I had lost any speed over the summer - I guess I haven't!
I had plans to run today (Tuesday), but I am currently fighting the flu. I am going to wait until I am 100% before I go for another run as I am in no rush these days.
I have been careful to stretch before and after my runs and not to over do it with my strengthening exercises on non-running days. I did do one session of "jumping exercises" and my legs were very tired for the next two days so I made sure I didn't do anything else until my legs were back to normal.
I ran the IBM 5K last Saturday in 21:52 which was a nice surprise as I had no idea whether I had lost any speed over the summer - I guess I haven't!
I had plans to run today (Tuesday), but I am currently fighting the flu. I am going to wait until I am 100% before I go for another run as I am in no rush these days.
Monday, October 4, 2010
2010 Goals Progress - Third Quarter
As we are now 3/4 of the way through 2010, I thought I would do a progress report on my 2010 goals.
1. Buy a new, bigger house: Complete! We have been in our new house for over two months now and are settled waiting for Baby Mulley to arrive in December
2. Not gain any weight in 2010: I started the year at 157lbs (11st 3lb) and currently weigh 153lb (10st 13lb).
3. Run a sub 1:45:00 Half Marathon: Complete! I ran 1:41:40 at the Shamrock Half Marathon
4. Run a 5K dressed as a Hot Dog: I have purchased my Hot Dog costume (photo to come later this week) and I plan to run in the Monster Dash on October 31st
5. Run a Marathon: After spending most of July and August injured I decided to defer my Marathon until 2011. I am currently back to running 3 miles in each session, which is obviously no where near marathon training distances!
1. Buy a new, bigger house: Complete! We have been in our new house for over two months now and are settled waiting for Baby Mulley to arrive in December
2. Not gain any weight in 2010: I started the year at 157lbs (11st 3lb) and currently weigh 153lb (10st 13lb).
3. Run a sub 1:45:00 Half Marathon: Complete! I ran 1:41:40 at the Shamrock Half Marathon
4. Run a 5K dressed as a Hot Dog: I have purchased my Hot Dog costume (photo to come later this week) and I plan to run in the Monster Dash on October 31st
5. Run a Marathon: After spending most of July and August injured I decided to defer my Marathon until 2011. I am currently back to running 3 miles in each session, which is obviously no where near marathon training distances!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The Magnificent Mile - NC USAT&F Championship
I worked at the "Magnificent Mile - NC USAT&F Championship" in Raleigh on Sunday and got to see some amazing performances up close.
I arrived downtown at 10am and began moving tables, chairs, cones and road barriers in to position. It took about 90 minutes to get everything in position and after a quick snack, we put up some advertising banners for Jeff Witt (husband of Sarah Witt) and connected up the hoses for the water at the finish line.
When the roads closed to traffic at 12:45, we laid out the timing mats, plugged in the inflatable finish arch, marked out the start line and got the finishing chute organized. By 1:20, we were ready to go for the 2pm Men's NC USAT&F Championship race.
We checked that all of the volunteer course monitors had arrived, and unfortunately there were two missing - so I took one of their positions. There is a Clarion hotel in the middle of the course which has entrance and exit ramps on the main road of the course, so I was positioned at the exit ramp to hold traffic while the runners were on the course. The good thing about this was that I was about 300 yards from the finish line, and the runners would pass me in both directions, so I'd get to see the winners up close.
I had been excited to see local sensation Bobby Mack who recently won a USA title and had won the race for the last two years and held the course record of 4:10, and he didn't disappoint! 212 men entered the competitive race, with the USAT&F members fighting for the NC Championship title. As the starter shouted "runner set, go", the runners sprinted away from the start and by the time the lead police car and the runners passed me at about 300 yards, the top 8 or so runners had already built up a slight lead over the rest of the pack with Bobby Mack and team mate John Crews in the top five or so.
I waited patiently for the lead police car to reappear, and when it did, Bobby and John Crews had a decent size lead over Devin Swann. I then watched Bobby ease away from his team mate and pass me at an amazing pace - it is quite something to be passed by a runner that is going at 15mph (or prehaps even faster at that point) - to finish in 4:10 and equal his course record. John finished in second in 4:14 and Devin third in 4:22.
At 2:20, the Women's Championship race began and it was a close affair - only three seconds separating the top four runners with Angelina Blackmon taking the title with a 5:02 run.
The recreational mile, kids 1/4 mile and kids 100 yard races followed.
When all of the races were complete, we set about breaking down everything and cleaning up while the athletes received their prizes. I finally got to my car at 5pm and headed home for a well deserved beer and some food.
The weather was sunny and warm and there were smiles all around. The event had raised over $50,000 before the race had even begun, and was a great success.
I arrived downtown at 10am and began moving tables, chairs, cones and road barriers in to position. It took about 90 minutes to get everything in position and after a quick snack, we put up some advertising banners for Jeff Witt (husband of Sarah Witt) and connected up the hoses for the water at the finish line.
When the roads closed to traffic at 12:45, we laid out the timing mats, plugged in the inflatable finish arch, marked out the start line and got the finishing chute organized. By 1:20, we were ready to go for the 2pm Men's NC USAT&F Championship race.
We checked that all of the volunteer course monitors had arrived, and unfortunately there were two missing - so I took one of their positions. There is a Clarion hotel in the middle of the course which has entrance and exit ramps on the main road of the course, so I was positioned at the exit ramp to hold traffic while the runners were on the course. The good thing about this was that I was about 300 yards from the finish line, and the runners would pass me in both directions, so I'd get to see the winners up close.
I had been excited to see local sensation Bobby Mack who recently won a USA title and had won the race for the last two years and held the course record of 4:10, and he didn't disappoint! 212 men entered the competitive race, with the USAT&F members fighting for the NC Championship title. As the starter shouted "runner set, go", the runners sprinted away from the start and by the time the lead police car and the runners passed me at about 300 yards, the top 8 or so runners had already built up a slight lead over the rest of the pack with Bobby Mack and team mate John Crews in the top five or so.
I waited patiently for the lead police car to reappear, and when it did, Bobby and John Crews had a decent size lead over Devin Swann. I then watched Bobby ease away from his team mate and pass me at an amazing pace - it is quite something to be passed by a runner that is going at 15mph (or prehaps even faster at that point) - to finish in 4:10 and equal his course record. John finished in second in 4:14 and Devin third in 4:22.
At 2:20, the Women's Championship race began and it was a close affair - only three seconds separating the top four runners with Angelina Blackmon taking the title with a 5:02 run.
The recreational mile, kids 1/4 mile and kids 100 yard races followed.
When all of the races were complete, we set about breaking down everything and cleaning up while the athletes received their prizes. I finally got to my car at 5pm and headed home for a well deserved beer and some food.
The weather was sunny and warm and there were smiles all around. The event had raised over $50,000 before the race had even begun, and was a great success.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Orthotics - Week 1
I have had my new custom made orthotics for a week now, so it is probably time for an update on my progress... well, I ran on Friday, Sunday, Tuesday and today (Thursday) and I am still pain free! It is great to be back running again!
I have kept to my plan of doing short runs (1.3 miles, 1.3 miles, 1.3 miles and 1.45 miles) and stretching extensively before and after each run, and so far, it appears to be working. I also added my upper body workout to my run warm up routine.
I did noticed a bruise had appeared on my shin on Saturday evening but it went away after a couple of days and I can only assume that I picked it up whilst volunteering at the 5K on Saturday. Other than that, I haven't had any calf or knee pain and have been able to run, walk and exercise without any discomfort.
All of my runs have been in my New Balances and I have been wearing my Nike Free's for all other outside activities (I am bare-foot when indoors). My orthotics are cushioned and comfortable, however, I have noticed that my foot sits further forward in my shoe, with my toes closer to the end. My toes aren't right up against the end, but they are much closer than they would have been without the orthotic. This seems to suggest that the arch placement in the orthotic is slightly further forward than where the shoe was designed for it to be. This isn't an issue so far, but it is possible that I might need a bigger shoe in future.
On non-running days I have been either cycling or swimming as well as doing my foot strengthening exercises and my core workout.
I am going to increase the length of my run to 2 miles starting on Saturday and see how that goes - hopefully I will be able to get through another 4 runs (every other day) without any issues!
I have kept to my plan of doing short runs (1.3 miles, 1.3 miles, 1.3 miles and 1.45 miles) and stretching extensively before and after each run, and so far, it appears to be working. I also added my upper body workout to my run warm up routine.
I did noticed a bruise had appeared on my shin on Saturday evening but it went away after a couple of days and I can only assume that I picked it up whilst volunteering at the 5K on Saturday. Other than that, I haven't had any calf or knee pain and have been able to run, walk and exercise without any discomfort.
All of my runs have been in my New Balances and I have been wearing my Nike Free's for all other outside activities (I am bare-foot when indoors). My orthotics are cushioned and comfortable, however, I have noticed that my foot sits further forward in my shoe, with my toes closer to the end. My toes aren't right up against the end, but they are much closer than they would have been without the orthotic. This seems to suggest that the arch placement in the orthotic is slightly further forward than where the shoe was designed for it to be. This isn't an issue so far, but it is possible that I might need a bigger shoe in future.
On non-running days I have been either cycling or swimming as well as doing my foot strengthening exercises and my core workout.
I am going to increase the length of my run to 2 miles starting on Saturday and see how that goes - hopefully I will be able to get through another 4 runs (every other day) without any issues!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
A day in the life of a road race course director
Even before becoming a member of the North Carolina Roadrunners Club (NCRC), Elizabeth and I volunteered to help out at races (Run for the Roses and Inside-Out Sports Half Marathon). After the Half Marathon, Elizabeth was asked whether she would be interested in taking some of the volunteer coordinating responsibilities for the club and she agreed to take over as volunteer coordinator for the NCRC races.
At a recent NCRC meeting, I was asked by Mike whether I would be willing to help out at a couple of upcoming races, doing the same kind of job that I had done at the Half Marathon (grunt work of moving heavy things from A to B before and after the race) - I said I'd be happy to help out. Mike has been a course director for many years and had mentioned to me in the past that he'd like to show me the ropes with the idea that I might eventually take some over some of his responsibilities!
The first race (Tunnel to Towers 5K) took place this last weekend in Wake Forest. Although this was not an NCRC race, Mike was acting as race day course director (he had only recently picked up the responsibility) and Aaron was acting as race director. Mike had told me before the race that the roads would remain open throughout the race and that there would be no police support at the intersections to help manage the traffic - he was concerned about this as the course crossed a number of busy intersections and Wake Forest residents are not used to having runners on the roads like the residents of downtown Raleigh (also, most races in Raleigh are on closed roads).
I met Mike at 6am (the race was scheduled to start at 8am) and we collected road barriers and cones, tables, water and trash cans for the two water stops from the Fire House and moved them in to position. We dropped cones along the busiest portion of course to help keep the runners away from moving vehicles, but didn't have anywhere near enough to cover the course. Mike had identified 27 locations on the course where we would require course monitors and we drove around the course and looked at the couple of dangerous intersections that had to biggest chance of runner/vehicle collisions.
We met the volunteer course monitors at 7:25 and found that only 22 had turned up. Mike explained their responsibilities and what to do in the case of an emergency. We then provided them with their reflective orange vests, thanked them for volunteering and sent them out to their locations on the course. We checked with Aaron about whether the missing volunteers had checked in at the registration desk (they hadn't) and managed to pick up one extra volunteer who was looking to help out. We shuffled a couple of volunteers to different locations and determined that we would have to take a location each.
There were two major problem locations on the course:
one where the runners had to cross a working traffic signal at the intersection of two main roads
the other where the runners had to enter a main road on one side, run for 100 yards and then exit on the other side.
A volunteer (who happened to be a fire fighter) took the traffic signal, and Mike and I took the other intersection.
I was positioned at the first intersection that the runners encountered (top of the map), at which point they would turn right and head Mike's intersection that Mike, at which point they would take a left turn. Both sides of the road had sidewalks, but they were uneven and not suited for safe running, so we wanted the runners to stay in the road. I positioned myself at the intersection looking along the road that the runners would be approaching on. I could see runners approaching me from at least 200 yards away, so I had plenty of time to stop traffic as the runners approached the intersection.
As the runners approached, I stopped the traffic on the main road on the side that the runners entered the intersection (traveling top to bottom on the map), I then directed the runners to stay to the right until the got closer to Mike's intersection, at which point he would stop the traffic traveling in the other direction (traveling bottom to top on the map, the didn't have to worry about vehicles traveling top to bottom, as I had already stopped them). This intersection was at 2.6 and 2.7 miles on the race course, and by the time runners and walkers got to this location, they were spread out. I timed the first and last runner/walker and the total elapsed time between them was 55 minutes!
The runners came in bunches, and I was able to allow traffic to pass in the gaps. For the most part, people were understanding and I smiles or nods of the head to my thanks yous as they passed me. It proved difficult to have Mike release and stop the traffic at the times that I wanted (as I could see the approaching runners) and I had to be cautious that I told runners not to attempt to cross the road until the traffic was stopped - this was impossible for the runners that were wearing headphones - but I guess they got the message when they saw the oncoming vehicles.
When the walkers began coming through, Mike suggested that we change our approach and have them use the sidewalks. I stopped traffic in both directions and asked the walkers to cross the road at my location and use the sidewalk to Mike's intersection. This worked smoothly, and I was able to allow the traffic to flow and not have to worry about whether Mike had his side stopped. Of course, this wouldn't have worked for the runners, as we would have been forcing them on to the uneven sidewalk.
When the final walker passed, we drove back along the course picking up cones and water stop equipment and returned to the start/finish line to thank our remaining volunteers.
I learned a lot about course directing on the day of a race on probably one of the more difficult course layouts that I will encounter. The majority of Raleigh road races have roads closed and a Police presence, but it was valuable for me to see what would happen if that wasn't the case!
This weekend I am helping Mike at the Magnificent Mile in downtown Raleigh. This race will be different again as it is only a mile long, will not have a water stop and the roads will be closed for the duration of the race. Last years winner ran a 4:10 mile, so I am looking forward to being able to see that!
At a recent NCRC meeting, I was asked by Mike whether I would be willing to help out at a couple of upcoming races, doing the same kind of job that I had done at the Half Marathon (grunt work of moving heavy things from A to B before and after the race) - I said I'd be happy to help out. Mike has been a course director for many years and had mentioned to me in the past that he'd like to show me the ropes with the idea that I might eventually take some over some of his responsibilities!
The first race (Tunnel to Towers 5K) took place this last weekend in Wake Forest. Although this was not an NCRC race, Mike was acting as race day course director (he had only recently picked up the responsibility) and Aaron was acting as race director. Mike had told me before the race that the roads would remain open throughout the race and that there would be no police support at the intersections to help manage the traffic - he was concerned about this as the course crossed a number of busy intersections and Wake Forest residents are not used to having runners on the roads like the residents of downtown Raleigh (also, most races in Raleigh are on closed roads).
I met Mike at 6am (the race was scheduled to start at 8am) and we collected road barriers and cones, tables, water and trash cans for the two water stops from the Fire House and moved them in to position. We dropped cones along the busiest portion of course to help keep the runners away from moving vehicles, but didn't have anywhere near enough to cover the course. Mike had identified 27 locations on the course where we would require course monitors and we drove around the course and looked at the couple of dangerous intersections that had to biggest chance of runner/vehicle collisions.
We met the volunteer course monitors at 7:25 and found that only 22 had turned up. Mike explained their responsibilities and what to do in the case of an emergency. We then provided them with their reflective orange vests, thanked them for volunteering and sent them out to their locations on the course. We checked with Aaron about whether the missing volunteers had checked in at the registration desk (they hadn't) and managed to pick up one extra volunteer who was looking to help out. We shuffled a couple of volunteers to different locations and determined that we would have to take a location each.
There were two major problem locations on the course:
one where the runners had to cross a working traffic signal at the intersection of two main roads
the other where the runners had to enter a main road on one side, run for 100 yards and then exit on the other side.
A volunteer (who happened to be a fire fighter) took the traffic signal, and Mike and I took the other intersection.
I was positioned at the first intersection that the runners encountered (top of the map), at which point they would turn right and head Mike's intersection that Mike, at which point they would take a left turn. Both sides of the road had sidewalks, but they were uneven and not suited for safe running, so we wanted the runners to stay in the road. I positioned myself at the intersection looking along the road that the runners would be approaching on. I could see runners approaching me from at least 200 yards away, so I had plenty of time to stop traffic as the runners approached the intersection.
As the runners approached, I stopped the traffic on the main road on the side that the runners entered the intersection (traveling top to bottom on the map), I then directed the runners to stay to the right until the got closer to Mike's intersection, at which point he would stop the traffic traveling in the other direction (traveling bottom to top on the map, the didn't have to worry about vehicles traveling top to bottom, as I had already stopped them). This intersection was at 2.6 and 2.7 miles on the race course, and by the time runners and walkers got to this location, they were spread out. I timed the first and last runner/walker and the total elapsed time between them was 55 minutes!
The runners came in bunches, and I was able to allow traffic to pass in the gaps. For the most part, people were understanding and I smiles or nods of the head to my thanks yous as they passed me. It proved difficult to have Mike release and stop the traffic at the times that I wanted (as I could see the approaching runners) and I had to be cautious that I told runners not to attempt to cross the road until the traffic was stopped - this was impossible for the runners that were wearing headphones - but I guess they got the message when they saw the oncoming vehicles.
When the walkers began coming through, Mike suggested that we change our approach and have them use the sidewalks. I stopped traffic in both directions and asked the walkers to cross the road at my location and use the sidewalk to Mike's intersection. This worked smoothly, and I was able to allow the traffic to flow and not have to worry about whether Mike had his side stopped. Of course, this wouldn't have worked for the runners, as we would have been forcing them on to the uneven sidewalk.
When the final walker passed, we drove back along the course picking up cones and water stop equipment and returned to the start/finish line to thank our remaining volunteers.
I learned a lot about course directing on the day of a race on probably one of the more difficult course layouts that I will encounter. The majority of Raleigh road races have roads closed and a Police presence, but it was valuable for me to see what would happen if that wasn't the case!
This weekend I am helping Mike at the Magnificent Mile in downtown Raleigh. This race will be different again as it is only a mile long, will not have a water stop and the roads will be closed for the duration of the race. Last years winner ran a 4:10 mile, so I am looking forward to being able to see that!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
New Orthotics
On Friday morning I went to Carolina Family Practice and Sports Medicine to see Dr Foreman and have my custom orthotics made. The process lasted about an hour from start to finish and went something like this...
I arrived at the Doctors office and was taken to the "orthotics room". The room had a typical examination room bed, a wooden "stand" with a foam base that had the heels and sides of two feet drawn on it and a bench with an industrial style grinder and a toaster oven (with a door) which looked something like this one.
Dr Foreman had asked me to bring my old orthotics and my new running shoes. He had looked at my old orthotics during my previous visit and noted that the wear pattern suggested I could benefit from some additional support along the inside of my foot from the arch to the big toe, so having the orthotic would make the process easier for him.
Dr Foreman arrived and asked what size my shoes were (a US size 9) and he then set about cutting the cushioned material that would make up the top of my orthotics to the right size.
Once the cushioned material was cut to the right size, he warmed it up in the oven and placed both pieces on the foam base of the stand in line with the feet markings and then had me stand on them (it didn't feel hot, just a little warm). This was the same process that I had been through with my other orthotics, so I knew that once the material was warm, it could be molded to fit my feet and when it cooled, it would retain the shape. I stood on the stand for probably 5 minutes and when I stepped off, the cushioned material had been molded to fit my feet.
Dr Foreman then went to his cupboard and pulled out what looked like two molded three-quarter foot length cups, one for a right foot and one for a left foot. These cups came in all different sizes, and Dr Foreman used the molded cushioned material to find the best match for my arch size and position. They look something like the ones shown here.
Dr Foreman then applied a smelly glue to the bottom of the cushioned material and the top of the cup for both feet and then left the room.
About 10 minutes later, Dr Foreman's assistant came in and she then attached the cushioned material to the cups and used the grinder to "make them look pretty".
About another 10 minutes later, Dr Foreman returned and glued a strip of cushioning to the underside of the newly made orthotics (to address the area along the inside of my foot near the big toe) and used the grinder to finish the edges.
With the process of constructing my custom orthotics complete, it was time to put them in my running shoes and try them out. I immediately noticed how much more cushioned the new orthotics were compared to my old ones, and also how my arch was supported (it felt like my foot was being pushed up from under the arch. I did some walking around the office, and was happy to report that I didn't feel any areas of discomfort or rubbing (which isn't a surprise given that the material is a cushioned material instead of a sturdy rubber like I had before).
I kept my running shoes on and left the office to head home, eager to try out my new shoes on the greenway!
Here are some photos of my old Acor Sports orthotics... in this first photo you can see the arch support sticking up from the right side. You can also see that the sides are hard and if you look closely, you can see where I have had to chop pieces off that have been rubbing against my feet and giving me blisters.
The photo below shows the underside of the Acor orthotic. The material is a hard rubber that was molded to my feet in the running store.
The photo below shows the top of the Acor orthotic. You can see that I have worn the upper material down in the heel and along the ball of my foot. This material provided no cushioning at all.
The photo below shows the side view of the Acor orthotic from the inside (arch nearest). It took me months of blisters and chopping to fit this hard rubbery material to my feet properly.
Now, here are some photos of my new orthitics...
This first photo shows the larger arch support. It is higher than the Acor's and starts in the middle of my foot.
The photo below shows how the cushioned material is easy bent. It also shows that the three-quarter cup doesn't bend at all.
The photo below shows the underside view of the new orthotic. You can see the where the cup meets the cushioned material around the ball of the foot area. You can also see the strip of additional support that I now have along the inside of my foot.
The photo below shows the a view of the top side of the new orthotic and the cushioned material.
I took my new orthotics out for a quick 1.25 mile run on Friday and they felt great! Hopefully, I will slowly be able to increase my mileage and pace back up to my pre-injury levels, whilst also working to strengthen my feet and eventually get away from orthotics all together... but I am happy to get back to running with them for now!
I arrived at the Doctors office and was taken to the "orthotics room". The room had a typical examination room bed, a wooden "stand" with a foam base that had the heels and sides of two feet drawn on it and a bench with an industrial style grinder and a toaster oven (with a door) which looked something like this one.
Dr Foreman had asked me to bring my old orthotics and my new running shoes. He had looked at my old orthotics during my previous visit and noted that the wear pattern suggested I could benefit from some additional support along the inside of my foot from the arch to the big toe, so having the orthotic would make the process easier for him.
Dr Foreman arrived and asked what size my shoes were (a US size 9) and he then set about cutting the cushioned material that would make up the top of my orthotics to the right size.
Once the cushioned material was cut to the right size, he warmed it up in the oven and placed both pieces on the foam base of the stand in line with the feet markings and then had me stand on them (it didn't feel hot, just a little warm). This was the same process that I had been through with my other orthotics, so I knew that once the material was warm, it could be molded to fit my feet and when it cooled, it would retain the shape. I stood on the stand for probably 5 minutes and when I stepped off, the cushioned material had been molded to fit my feet.
Dr Foreman then went to his cupboard and pulled out what looked like two molded three-quarter foot length cups, one for a right foot and one for a left foot. These cups came in all different sizes, and Dr Foreman used the molded cushioned material to find the best match for my arch size and position. They look something like the ones shown here.
Dr Foreman then applied a smelly glue to the bottom of the cushioned material and the top of the cup for both feet and then left the room.
About 10 minutes later, Dr Foreman's assistant came in and she then attached the cushioned material to the cups and used the grinder to "make them look pretty".
About another 10 minutes later, Dr Foreman returned and glued a strip of cushioning to the underside of the newly made orthotics (to address the area along the inside of my foot near the big toe) and used the grinder to finish the edges.
With the process of constructing my custom orthotics complete, it was time to put them in my running shoes and try them out. I immediately noticed how much more cushioned the new orthotics were compared to my old ones, and also how my arch was supported (it felt like my foot was being pushed up from under the arch. I did some walking around the office, and was happy to report that I didn't feel any areas of discomfort or rubbing (which isn't a surprise given that the material is a cushioned material instead of a sturdy rubber like I had before).
I kept my running shoes on and left the office to head home, eager to try out my new shoes on the greenway!
Here are some photos of my old Acor Sports orthotics... in this first photo you can see the arch support sticking up from the right side. You can also see that the sides are hard and if you look closely, you can see where I have had to chop pieces off that have been rubbing against my feet and giving me blisters.
The photo below shows the underside of the Acor orthotic. The material is a hard rubber that was molded to my feet in the running store.
The photo below shows the top of the Acor orthotic. You can see that I have worn the upper material down in the heel and along the ball of my foot. This material provided no cushioning at all.
The photo below shows the side view of the Acor orthotic from the inside (arch nearest). It took me months of blisters and chopping to fit this hard rubbery material to my feet properly.
Now, here are some photos of my new orthitics...
This first photo shows the larger arch support. It is higher than the Acor's and starts in the middle of my foot.
The photo below shows how the cushioned material is easy bent. It also shows that the three-quarter cup doesn't bend at all.
The photo below shows the underside view of the new orthotic. You can see the where the cup meets the cushioned material around the ball of the foot area. You can also see the strip of additional support that I now have along the inside of my foot.
The photo below shows the a view of the top side of the new orthotic and the cushioned material.
I took my new orthotics out for a quick 1.25 mile run on Friday and they felt great! Hopefully, I will slowly be able to increase my mileage and pace back up to my pre-injury levels, whilst also working to strengthen my feet and eventually get away from orthotics all together... but I am happy to get back to running with them for now!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Orthotics or no Orthotics?
As you know, I have been struggling with injury for a while and went to the Doctor last week. The Doctor recommended that I get custom fitted Orthotics for my running shoes due to my high arch. There are two schools of thought on running in shoes these days. There is one side that says that runners should take advantage of technology and get shoes that fit their feet as closely as possible to provide support where it is "required". The other side says that as humans, we are designed to be able to run without shoes and managed to run long distances at fast speeds for thousands of years until we started to wear shoes. The fact of the matter is that currently there has been no "real" research done that compares running efficiency and injuries for the same runners running with and without shoes. I feel that by getting custom made Orthotics, I am going to the extreme of using technology to provide support to my feet and I am not sure I want to go down that road...
While at a party over this holiday weekend I spent some time talking with a friend who runs ultra-marathons. She routinely covers over 200 miles a month, and even more when running a race. I explained the injuries that I have been having and the circumstances around them. I agreed with her that I most likely did too much too soon after my Achilles injury. When I explained that I have high arches and will be getting custom Orthotics, she raised her eyebrows and took of her shoes to show me her equally high arches! She feels strongly that Orthotics and shoes with lots of cushioning are simply a band-aid over an underlying problem of poor foot and ankle strength and that she has never come across an ultra-marathoner that wears custom Orthotics or cushioned shoes. She explained that for years she has done karate, and that her foot strength comes from her karate training and by avoiding shoes that provide too much support as they prevent the foot from working in it's natural way. She recommended that I look in to some foot strengthening exercises, spend as much time barefoot as possible and try to get away from running with the Orthotics as quickly as possible, cautioning that it will take significant time to build the foot strength and to very gradually make the change.
Given that I was already apprehensive about going down the custom Orthotics path, I am going to take the advice of my ultra-marathon running friend, and gradually strengthen my feet and move to a more minimalist running shoe.
Foot strengthening exercises were fairly easy to find - this page has the ones that I am now doing towards the bottom the page. The next step was to work out how to spend more time walking (and eventually running) either barefoot or with less shoe. Barefoot simply doesn't interest me, but there are lots of other options!
The current rage is Vibram Five Finger shoes. These are "shoes" in so much as they cover your feet, however, the material is light weight and provides no support at all - it really is just a protective rubber cover for your feet. Running barefoot can be dangerous for a variety of reasons and the Five Fingers provide some protection for the sole of the foot to prevent cuts and abrasions etc. I am not overly keen on these shoes for either walking or running, because, in my opinion they just look weird!
The next best thing are minimalist shoes like the Nike Free Run. The lightweight (7oz - half of the weight of my old Asics Kayanos!) shoes were developed by Nike to give the customer more control over the shoe as opposed to having the shoes control the foot. Like other styles of barefoot running shoes, these shoes are supposed to allow your feet to move more naturally, thereby strengthening the feet and lower body and preventing injuries. The cuts in the outsole of the shoe makes the Nike Frees extremely flexible, allowing your foot to move with similar easy and flexibility as if it were barefoot.
So, I have bought myself a pair of Nike Free Run's, just like the ones shown above.
I am still going to get my custom fitted Orthotics on Friday because I want to get back to running, and my change to a minimalist shoe will be a gradual one over the next few months, but I am excited about making the effort to change my feet and how I run.
I am changing a few things immediately:
1. Stop wearing my current Orthotics every day (I had been wearing my old running shoes with my over the counter Orthotics for walking) and wearing my Nike Free's.
2. I rarely wear shoes indoors, but I am going to make an effort to spend as much time barefoot as possible when I am indoors.
3. I am going to do the exercises shown here every day to strengthen my feet and improve my balance.
After I get my Orthotics this Friday, I want to run for a couple of weeks with them while I build up my foot strength, so running in my Nike Free's will have to wait a few weeks.
While at a party over this holiday weekend I spent some time talking with a friend who runs ultra-marathons. She routinely covers over 200 miles a month, and even more when running a race. I explained the injuries that I have been having and the circumstances around them. I agreed with her that I most likely did too much too soon after my Achilles injury. When I explained that I have high arches and will be getting custom Orthotics, she raised her eyebrows and took of her shoes to show me her equally high arches! She feels strongly that Orthotics and shoes with lots of cushioning are simply a band-aid over an underlying problem of poor foot and ankle strength and that she has never come across an ultra-marathoner that wears custom Orthotics or cushioned shoes. She explained that for years she has done karate, and that her foot strength comes from her karate training and by avoiding shoes that provide too much support as they prevent the foot from working in it's natural way. She recommended that I look in to some foot strengthening exercises, spend as much time barefoot as possible and try to get away from running with the Orthotics as quickly as possible, cautioning that it will take significant time to build the foot strength and to very gradually make the change.
Given that I was already apprehensive about going down the custom Orthotics path, I am going to take the advice of my ultra-marathon running friend, and gradually strengthen my feet and move to a more minimalist running shoe.
Foot strengthening exercises were fairly easy to find - this page has the ones that I am now doing towards the bottom the page. The next step was to work out how to spend more time walking (and eventually running) either barefoot or with less shoe. Barefoot simply doesn't interest me, but there are lots of other options!
The current rage is Vibram Five Finger shoes. These are "shoes" in so much as they cover your feet, however, the material is light weight and provides no support at all - it really is just a protective rubber cover for your feet. Running barefoot can be dangerous for a variety of reasons and the Five Fingers provide some protection for the sole of the foot to prevent cuts and abrasions etc. I am not overly keen on these shoes for either walking or running, because, in my opinion they just look weird!
The next best thing are minimalist shoes like the Nike Free Run. The lightweight (7oz - half of the weight of my old Asics Kayanos!) shoes were developed by Nike to give the customer more control over the shoe as opposed to having the shoes control the foot. Like other styles of barefoot running shoes, these shoes are supposed to allow your feet to move more naturally, thereby strengthening the feet and lower body and preventing injuries. The cuts in the outsole of the shoe makes the Nike Frees extremely flexible, allowing your foot to move with similar easy and flexibility as if it were barefoot.
So, I have bought myself a pair of Nike Free Run's, just like the ones shown above.I am still going to get my custom fitted Orthotics on Friday because I want to get back to running, and my change to a minimalist shoe will be a gradual one over the next few months, but I am excited about making the effort to change my feet and how I run.
I am changing a few things immediately:
1. Stop wearing my current Orthotics every day (I had been wearing my old running shoes with my over the counter Orthotics for walking) and wearing my Nike Free's.
2. I rarely wear shoes indoors, but I am going to make an effort to spend as much time barefoot as possible when I am indoors.
3. I am going to do the exercises shown here every day to strengthen my feet and improve my balance.
After I get my Orthotics this Friday, I want to run for a couple of weeks with them while I build up my foot strength, so running in my Nike Free's will have to wait a few weeks.
Exercising with the family
Last week I posted my Core Workout routine, and I have been doing the routine every couple of days. I typically do my routine in the mornings, however, we had a doctors appointment on Thursday morning (the baby is doing great by the way!) so I didn't have time for my workout and put it off until the evening.
Scout and Molly are much more interested in what I am doing in the evenings (they only care about their breakfast and playing with each other in the mornings!), so when I got down on the floor in the living room to do my exercises, they decided to join me!
The photo below shows Molly laying as close to me as she could and Scout with her head on my chest and her nose digging under my arms trying to find a hand to pet her!
Scout eventually gave up digging for a hand and switched to staring at me!
It was a fun workout and the dogs were as happy as I was when it was over - because I could finally pet them!
Scout and Molly are much more interested in what I am doing in the evenings (they only care about their breakfast and playing with each other in the mornings!), so when I got down on the floor in the living room to do my exercises, they decided to join me!
The photo below shows Molly laying as close to me as she could and Scout with her head on my chest and her nose digging under my arms trying to find a hand to pet her!
Scout eventually gave up digging for a hand and switched to staring at me!
It was a fun workout and the dogs were as happy as I was when it was over - because I could finally pet them!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Visit to the Doctor
I went to see Dr Foreman today at Carolina Family Practice and Sports Medicine to discuss my shin, calf and knee pains that have been preventing me from running. We spent a few minutes discussing the pain, when it started and when it disappears and reappears.
Dr Foreman had me remove my shoes and socks and said "ah, as I expected" with a little smile. He then had me sit on the examination bed and he performed some stability tests on my knee to check for ligament damage and was happy to report that there was none. He gently prodded the area that the pain typically appears in with his fingers and checked some points on my knee and high shin with a metal tool that apparently would have been painful if a stress fracture was present - which wasn't painful at all.
Dr Foreman took a look at my shoes, which happen to be a pair of old running shoes that I now use as day-to-day shoes. He commented that the wear pattern is uniform, suggesting that I have a good running gait. He then explained that as I have an (extremely) high arch and the start of bone build up on the top of my foot, I am prone to stress fractures and knee problems as the result of running and it is only my good running mechanics that have prevented them until now. This is because I lack the normal shock-absorbing characteristics of other runners who have lower aches and because at my age, male runners feet typically lose flexibility anyway. However, this doesn't mean that I shouldn't run again!
Dr Foreman recommended that I get custom orthotics made that are molded to fit my feet perfectly and provide support to my arches. He also recommended that I continue to cross-train, even when I return to running. He mentioned that he treats lots of runners and lots of triathletes, and it is the triathletes that experience fewer injuries as they don't perform the same exercise, with the same stress on the body day after day. I had already planned on continuing to cycle and swim at least once a week anyway, so cross-training shouldn't be a problem.
I am scheduled to take my feet and my running shoes to see Dr Foreman next Friday (Sept 10th) to have my orthotics made - a process that lasts an hour or so. He also said that I should be able to add cycling back in to my routine immediately, but to avoid running until I have the new orthotics in my shoes.
Dr Foreman had me remove my shoes and socks and said "ah, as I expected" with a little smile. He then had me sit on the examination bed and he performed some stability tests on my knee to check for ligament damage and was happy to report that there was none. He gently prodded the area that the pain typically appears in with his fingers and checked some points on my knee and high shin with a metal tool that apparently would have been painful if a stress fracture was present - which wasn't painful at all.
Dr Foreman took a look at my shoes, which happen to be a pair of old running shoes that I now use as day-to-day shoes. He commented that the wear pattern is uniform, suggesting that I have a good running gait. He then explained that as I have an (extremely) high arch and the start of bone build up on the top of my foot, I am prone to stress fractures and knee problems as the result of running and it is only my good running mechanics that have prevented them until now. This is because I lack the normal shock-absorbing characteristics of other runners who have lower aches and because at my age, male runners feet typically lose flexibility anyway. However, this doesn't mean that I shouldn't run again!
Dr Foreman recommended that I get custom orthotics made that are molded to fit my feet perfectly and provide support to my arches. He also recommended that I continue to cross-train, even when I return to running. He mentioned that he treats lots of runners and lots of triathletes, and it is the triathletes that experience fewer injuries as they don't perform the same exercise, with the same stress on the body day after day. I had already planned on continuing to cycle and swim at least once a week anyway, so cross-training shouldn't be a problem.
I am scheduled to take my feet and my running shoes to see Dr Foreman next Friday (Sept 10th) to have my orthotics made - a process that lasts an hour or so. He also said that I should be able to add cycling back in to my routine immediately, but to avoid running until I have the new orthotics in my shoes.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Core Exercises
The core plays a huge part in maintaining good running form and given that I am currently injured, I thought I'd spend a little more time focusing on strengthening my core. There are hundreds of exercise routines available on the interweb and through a process of elimination, I have selected a few exercises that I do regularly.
Plank:
Side Plank:
Bridge:
My typical workout consists of two repetitions of:
Plank (30 secs)
Side Plank right (30 secs)
Plank (30 secs)
Side Plank left (30 secs)
Plank (30 secs)
Push Ups - 20
Bridge - hold 30 secs
Bridge - 10 reps of push up, hold 3 secs, return to ground
Bridge - hold 30 secs
Bridge with right leg extended - hold 30 secs
Bridge - hold 30 secs
Bridge with left leg extended - hold 30 secs
Bridge - hold 30 secs
Plank:
- Lie in a push-up position with your forearms on the ground
- Keep your body in a straight line, your elbows directly below your shoulders, and your abdominals pulled in.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
Side Plank:
- Shift to your side, keeping the elbow directly under your shoulder and both feet on the floor, top foot in front.
- Lift your hips until your body is in a straight line.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
Bridge:
- With your head, shoulders, and both feet on the floor, push up into a bridge position (I fold my arms across my chest to make sure I am not using them to keep me in position)
- Contract your glutes and hold for 30-60 seconds
My typical workout consists of two repetitions of:
Plank (30 secs)
Side Plank right (30 secs)
Plank (30 secs)
Side Plank left (30 secs)
Plank (30 secs)
Push Ups - 20
Bridge - hold 30 secs
Bridge - 10 reps of push up, hold 3 secs, return to ground
Bridge - hold 30 secs
Bridge with right leg extended - hold 30 secs
Bridge - hold 30 secs
Bridge with left leg extended - hold 30 secs
Bridge - hold 30 secs
Monday, August 23, 2010
Injury Update
After nearly four weeks of not running, I decided to take my new running shoes for a short mile run along the greenway on Saturday morning. The run itself was fine and my knee and shin felt good throughout. However, as the day went on, the pain below my knee came back first, followed by the tightness and pain in my soleus muscle. I have to travel this week, but I am going to set up an appointment at the doctor for the following week to find out whether it is the soleus muscle causing the knee pain or whether it is the knee pain causing the soleus pain or whether I have two different injuries.
What is clear is that even with nearly four weeks without running, my soleus muscle certainly hasn't healed. I am going to cut out the cycling this week, and go with swimming and upper body weights only and see what the doctor has to say.
What is clear is that even with nearly four weeks without running, my soleus muscle certainly hasn't healed. I am going to cut out the cycling this week, and go with swimming and upper body weights only and see what the doctor has to say.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Marathon Deferment
Unfortunately it is with great sadness that I have come to the decision to defer my entry in the Marine Corps Marathon until 2011.
There are currently only 74 days until the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon and I haven't run a mile in a long time. My leg problems still haven't gone away completely and there simply isn't enough time to train to be able to complete the marathon in the way that I want to.
I have learn't a lot from this experience - mainly that ignoring even the slightest new niggle or pain isn't a good idea. If I had paid more attention to the pain in my shin and calf and rested, I probably wouldn't be in this situation.
I have a number of different options of what to do this fall instead of the Marine Corps Marathon, but they all are based on a full recovery from this injury that I currently have at the moment.
I'll keep everyone updated on my progress as I recover from injury and get back to running again (hopefully soon)
There are currently only 74 days until the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon and I haven't run a mile in a long time. My leg problems still haven't gone away completely and there simply isn't enough time to train to be able to complete the marathon in the way that I want to.
I have learn't a lot from this experience - mainly that ignoring even the slightest new niggle or pain isn't a good idea. If I had paid more attention to the pain in my shin and calf and rested, I probably wouldn't be in this situation.
I have a number of different options of what to do this fall instead of the Marine Corps Marathon, but they all are based on a full recovery from this injury that I currently have at the moment.
I'll keep everyone updated on my progress as I recover from injury and get back to running again (hopefully soon)
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Injury Update & New Shoes
I haven't run since Monday July 26th. The pain in my shin took 3 days to go away but the pain in my knee took longer. I am currently pain free and I have been to the gym every day this past week doing some combination of weights, cycling, swimming and the elliptical attempting to keep some kind of fitness and strengthen my lower body.
Following a trip to the local running store I have decided to change running shoes from the Asics Kayano 15 to the New Balance 759. While the Kayano's worked great for about a year (I first got them in March 2009), they are a stability shoe and I appear to need less stability now than I did when I first got them (I have lost 15lbs in weight and have changed my running style). I do have a very high arch and the Kayano's haven't been providing enough support for my mid-foot, so the 759's are a neutral-cushioned which are designed for runners with high arches.
Of course, only time (and miles) will tell whether the new shoes make a difference or not. However, given that there are only 12 weeks left before the marathon, I am considering deferring my entry until next year as I simply won't be able to complete the level of training that is required for me to be able to safely tackle the 26.2 miles.
Following a trip to the local running store I have decided to change running shoes from the Asics Kayano 15 to the New Balance 759. While the Kayano's worked great for about a year (I first got them in March 2009), they are a stability shoe and I appear to need less stability now than I did when I first got them (I have lost 15lbs in weight and have changed my running style). I do have a very high arch and the Kayano's haven't been providing enough support for my mid-foot, so the 759's are a neutral-cushioned which are designed for runners with high arches.
Of course, only time (and miles) will tell whether the new shoes make a difference or not. However, given that there are only 12 weeks left before the marathon, I am considering deferring my entry until next year as I simply won't be able to complete the level of training that is required for me to be able to safely tackle the 26.2 miles.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Marathon Training - Week 20
Unfortunately the week of rest didn't do anything for my shin/knee issue. I ran a short tempo run on Monday and the pain immediately returned, which is very frustrating. I attempted to play soccer on Monday night in the hope that running on the grass would help, but that didn't work out either and I ended up playing most of the night in goal.
On Tuesday I went to the gym to start strengthening my leg muscles. During the recovery from my Achilles strain I did a lot of work on my calf muscles and it is since I returned to running following my break that this pain has appeared in my opposite leg. As I mentioned in my previous post, I noticed that I had lost significant strength in my quads and have started to strengthen them at the gym and at home.
I ran 5 miles on Wednesday and Friday and kicked at the pool on Thursday. I wasn't in any shape to be able to run a long run on Sunday and went to the gym to cycle instead.
This pain in my right shin, calf and knee is annoying as I am now less than 100 days away from the marathon and should be running much more each week than I am able to at the moment. Hopefully the strength training will help address the issue!
On Tuesday I went to the gym to start strengthening my leg muscles. During the recovery from my Achilles strain I did a lot of work on my calf muscles and it is since I returned to running following my break that this pain has appeared in my opposite leg. As I mentioned in my previous post, I noticed that I had lost significant strength in my quads and have started to strengthen them at the gym and at home.
I ran 5 miles on Wednesday and Friday and kicked at the pool on Thursday. I wasn't in any shape to be able to run a long run on Sunday and went to the gym to cycle instead.
This pain in my right shin, calf and knee is annoying as I am now less than 100 days away from the marathon and should be running much more each week than I am able to at the moment. Hopefully the strength training will help address the issue!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Surprising Loss of Strength
I haven't been to the gym in so long that I can't remember the last time - it was probably about a year ago. I haven't needed to go to the gym as the weather allows me to run outside year round and I hate treadmills. This means that I haven't done any weight training on weights machines in at least a year, which isn't necessarily a problem as running and exercises at home are normally enough for most runners.
If a runner gradually increases pace, distance or the amount of hills their body can keep up and make the changes necessary to the muscles and bones and keep everything balanced. This sounds great, up until the runner gets injured and as part of the recovery focuses on strengthening one of the muscle groups, which breaks the balance and when the runner returns to running, some muscles are stronger than others and a circle of injury and strengthening certain muscles begins.
Why am I mentioning this? well, since I have returned to running following my Achilles Tendon strain I have been experiencing shin/calf/knee pain on the other (right) leg. My recovery from the Achilles Tendon problem was mainly focused strengthening of my calf muscles which it appears has broken the balance of power between my calves, hamstrings and quads. How do I know this? well, firstly the pain in my shin/calf/knee, but mainly because today I got on the Leg Extension machine in the gym and found that my right quad is much weaker than my left and that together both of my quad muscles are much much weaker than they were 12 months ago. I could barely lift 55lbs (I could lift 70lbs without a problem before) on the machine and my right leg was shaking (which is a sign that it is struggling with the weight) with my left leg performing fine.
I am going to be doing Split Squats at home and using the weight machines at the gym on non-running days to strengthen my quad muscles and hamstrings to at least the level that I can run pain free and let my body re-establish the balance.
If a runner gradually increases pace, distance or the amount of hills their body can keep up and make the changes necessary to the muscles and bones and keep everything balanced. This sounds great, up until the runner gets injured and as part of the recovery focuses on strengthening one of the muscle groups, which breaks the balance and when the runner returns to running, some muscles are stronger than others and a circle of injury and strengthening certain muscles begins.
Why am I mentioning this? well, since I have returned to running following my Achilles Tendon strain I have been experiencing shin/calf/knee pain on the other (right) leg. My recovery from the Achilles Tendon problem was mainly focused strengthening of my calf muscles which it appears has broken the balance of power between my calves, hamstrings and quads. How do I know this? well, firstly the pain in my shin/calf/knee, but mainly because today I got on the Leg Extension machine in the gym and found that my right quad is much weaker than my left and that together both of my quad muscles are much much weaker than they were 12 months ago. I could barely lift 55lbs (I could lift 70lbs without a problem before) on the machine and my right leg was shaking (which is a sign that it is struggling with the weight) with my left leg performing fine.
I am going to be doing Split Squats at home and using the weight machines at the gym on non-running days to strengthen my quad muscles and hamstrings to at least the level that I can run pain free and let my body re-establish the balance.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Marathon Training - Week 19
This week was a recovery week to allow my body to relax and heal after three weeks of full training. I did two kicking sessions and one 45 minute spinning session at the gym. The pain in my right calf has gone, but overall I don't feel any less fatigued than I did at the end of week 18! For now, I am putting that down to the hot temperatures and stress of moving house.
Here is my Week 20 plan:
Monday: Soccer
Tuesday: Spinning 30 minutes
Wednesday: Run 5 miles
Thursday: Spinning 30 minutes
Friday: Run 5 miles
Saturday: Rest/Kicking
Sunday: Run 14 miles
Here is my Week 20 plan:
Monday: Soccer
Tuesday: Spinning 30 minutes
Wednesday: Run 5 miles
Thursday: Spinning 30 minutes
Friday: Run 5 miles
Saturday: Rest/Kicking
Sunday: Run 14 miles
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