Today was the first sub-freezing run for me this year. I had a couple of layers on, running tights, gloves and a hat. It didn't feel like I was sweating that much but when I got back home, I was just DRENCHED. The tights felt alright. They're still a bit of an acquired taste but they also add a bit of extra support around my knee which has been feeling kinda wonky lately.
The cold air actually feels great when running since I tend to get warmed up pretty quick and the extra heat that I'm giving off makes a bit difficult to run in when it's warmer. I suppose I ought to move back to Canada if I want to have more cold days than warm! :)
Today was also my last run day before my 5K on Thursday at the Chesterfield Turkey Trot near St. Louis, MO. We knew awhile back we were going to be in St. Louis for Thanksgiving and I was going to miss out on similar events going on in the DFW area, so I went searching for any similar turkey trots going on in St. Louis. There weren't that many, but the one in Chesterfield isn't too far away and it's early enough that it's not going to disrupt any Thanksgiving activities.
So I have my running gear packed for a couple of runs while away. I'm doing one less run for the week so that I can accommodate a 5K event and a long run on Saturday. It ought to be significantly colder in St. Louis than in Dallas so I'm anticipating that's going to work to my benefit.
The 5K will be my last event before the culmination of the past year of running: The Dallas White Rock Half Marathon in mid-December. I'm weary of doing too much during the 5K and pushing too hard for the event because I don't want to injure myself before the half-marathon. After next week, I'll be tapering, so it's going to be difficult for me to keep my runs under control as well....I'm just way too competitive for my own good sometimes.
My temporary running buddy
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Sunday, November 23, 2008
Today was not an average running day. It was about endurance and camaraderie.
Today I ran the longest distance I had ever run - 10 miles. For me, it was significant because it was my peak distance before I start tapering for my half-marathon in 3 weeks time. I knew I could do the distance but until I actually walked the walk, it was still a limitation in my own mind that my body had to break past.
My mind was already playing tricks on me. It was already telling me that 10 miles was a long way to go and it wasn't worth the discomfort that would ensue. Plus the constant 10 mph head wind didn't help and was not really motivating. I was trying to push and power through it but I kept worrying about how slow I was going.
Once I got to mile 3, I felt better. I stopped worrying about my pace and tried to find a comfortable rhythm that I could flow into and maintain.
It wasn't until mile 4 that I turned the corner (literally) and the head wind was no longer a problem. I was able to really focus on the running.
Everything was feeling great and I got to mile 7. I see this dog run towards me. It was probably about a year old or so...not a huge dog, but he had potential. He ran up to me and started jumping up on me, not in any type of attack mode, but as if he was really excited. Having a couple of dogs, I feel comfortable around dogs and can sense if a dog is trying to play vs. being scared and trying to be defensive. I definitely sensed the former with this dog.
I gave him a bit of attention and then started walking away. He started to follow me. The more I walked, the more he followed. I tried to run into a nearby parking lot to see if there were any cars that he might have jumped out of, or if someone was looking for him. After about 5 mins., I could tell I wasn't going to find his owner (assuming he had an owner). So I decided that I would finish the rest of my run (3 miles) and figure out what to do, assuming he was going to continue to follow me.
So off I went, with new-found, 4-legged running buddy on my heels. He kept up pretty good. He hung close to me, every once in a while my back foot would clip him. Having him run with me distracted me from thinking about the 3 miles and the hills that accompanied them.
When my iPod told me I had completed my 10 miles, I called up my wife. "Uh honey, I have a dog following me. I don't think he wants me for dinner, but he won't stop following me!" It was the weirdest problem to have. A stray that actually knew how to heel. My own dogs can't go out without a leash. They're just too out of control. This dog was on his best behaviour. Now I would have absolutely *LOVED* to take this dog in but a few things prevented that.
1. I have 2 dogs already with no more room.
2. We have a baby on the way in February and we don't need the added stress.
3. This dog was at least part pit bull. While I think pit bulls get a bad rap for their ferocity, they're bred for that trait so it's a genetic thing that no amount of socialization nor training will ever completely override.
So I asked my wife to call up the Animal Control. No luck -- they're not open on Sundays. I asked her to call up Petsmart because they usually have dog and cat adoptions on the weekends through local shelters. I was hoping that someone there could take the dog in.
While Christine was on the phone, I remembered that there was a fire station nearby. I was hoping they could provide some direction since they're an emergency service who might be able to have better luck with other local services or maybe have an idea of who I could contact.
So we walked over to the fire station and two firemen answered the door. I explained that this dog had been following me for the past 3 miles. It's not like he was attacking me...and it seemed like an odd problem to have...a dog that was a great running buddy and stayed with me. They seemed to get a kick out of that. While we were talking, the dog sat perfectly still, taped right to my leg. He was REALLY on his best behaviour, probably unsure of who these people were. He seemed content to stay with me and was almost protective of me. He didn't try to attack the firemen or anything, but he seemed to have bonded with me at some level. Anyway, they helped me out by taking in the dog and keeping him in their bay until animal control could come and pick him up. I walked into the bay knowing that the dog would follow me. One of the firemen distracted him with lots of attention and I quietly walked away out the side door.
I felt alright about leaving the dog in good hands, and I hope his owner finds him or he finds a good home.
Anyway, here's a picture of him:
I found him in this area:
View Larger Map
If you recognize this dog and he lives in this area, contact Animal Services of Arlington.
Today I ran the longest distance I had ever run - 10 miles. For me, it was significant because it was my peak distance before I start tapering for my half-marathon in 3 weeks time. I knew I could do the distance but until I actually walked the walk, it was still a limitation in my own mind that my body had to break past.
My mind was already playing tricks on me. It was already telling me that 10 miles was a long way to go and it wasn't worth the discomfort that would ensue. Plus the constant 10 mph head wind didn't help and was not really motivating. I was trying to push and power through it but I kept worrying about how slow I was going.
Once I got to mile 3, I felt better. I stopped worrying about my pace and tried to find a comfortable rhythm that I could flow into and maintain.
It wasn't until mile 4 that I turned the corner (literally) and the head wind was no longer a problem. I was able to really focus on the running.
Everything was feeling great and I got to mile 7. I see this dog run towards me. It was probably about a year old or so...not a huge dog, but he had potential. He ran up to me and started jumping up on me, not in any type of attack mode, but as if he was really excited. Having a couple of dogs, I feel comfortable around dogs and can sense if a dog is trying to play vs. being scared and trying to be defensive. I definitely sensed the former with this dog.
I gave him a bit of attention and then started walking away. He started to follow me. The more I walked, the more he followed. I tried to run into a nearby parking lot to see if there were any cars that he might have jumped out of, or if someone was looking for him. After about 5 mins., I could tell I wasn't going to find his owner (assuming he had an owner). So I decided that I would finish the rest of my run (3 miles) and figure out what to do, assuming he was going to continue to follow me.
So off I went, with new-found, 4-legged running buddy on my heels. He kept up pretty good. He hung close to me, every once in a while my back foot would clip him. Having him run with me distracted me from thinking about the 3 miles and the hills that accompanied them.
When my iPod told me I had completed my 10 miles, I called up my wife. "Uh honey, I have a dog following me. I don't think he wants me for dinner, but he won't stop following me!" It was the weirdest problem to have. A stray that actually knew how to heel. My own dogs can't go out without a leash. They're just too out of control. This dog was on his best behaviour. Now I would have absolutely *LOVED* to take this dog in but a few things prevented that.
1. I have 2 dogs already with no more room.
2. We have a baby on the way in February and we don't need the added stress.
3. This dog was at least part pit bull. While I think pit bulls get a bad rap for their ferocity, they're bred for that trait so it's a genetic thing that no amount of socialization nor training will ever completely override.
So I asked my wife to call up the Animal Control. No luck -- they're not open on Sundays. I asked her to call up Petsmart because they usually have dog and cat adoptions on the weekends through local shelters. I was hoping that someone there could take the dog in.
While Christine was on the phone, I remembered that there was a fire station nearby. I was hoping they could provide some direction since they're an emergency service who might be able to have better luck with other local services or maybe have an idea of who I could contact.
So we walked over to the fire station and two firemen answered the door. I explained that this dog had been following me for the past 3 miles. It's not like he was attacking me...and it seemed like an odd problem to have...a dog that was a great running buddy and stayed with me. They seemed to get a kick out of that. While we were talking, the dog sat perfectly still, taped right to my leg. He was REALLY on his best behaviour, probably unsure of who these people were. He seemed content to stay with me and was almost protective of me. He didn't try to attack the firemen or anything, but he seemed to have bonded with me at some level. Anyway, they helped me out by taking in the dog and keeping him in their bay until animal control could come and pick him up. I walked into the bay knowing that the dog would follow me. One of the firemen distracted him with lots of attention and I quietly walked away out the side door.
I felt alright about leaving the dog in good hands, and I hope his owner finds him or he finds a good home.
Anyway, here's a picture of him:
I found him in this area:
View Larger Map
If you recognize this dog and he lives in this area, contact Animal Services of Arlington.
The Why
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Friday, November 21, 2008
Running is one of those activities where there is no team. Now that may sound selfish, but it's true. Running is not a team sport like baseball, football, or even cycling. It's about you and the road ahead and what you can accomplish with that time.
Whatever the reasons we all run for, we do it for ourselves. We might be running for someone in a 10K, a marathon or a Race For The Cure, but it's each of us who has to do the mileage. Other people might provide inspiration, but it's our bodies that we push and punish, sometimes to the limit.
We might be doing it to get back in shape, to lose weight, to change our lives. They're our own reasons.
Running allows us to accomplish things that we wouldn't be able to accomplish at work, where we're working for someone else, or within our respective families. It's our chance to pursue personal goals, push ourselves for no other reasons other than personal improvement, and to surpass limits that we may not have thought possible.
Now, I'm not an anti-social person, and I don't think runners are that way either. We appreciate the alone time, to think, to get away to recover that time we devote to other things. We aren't running away. We're running towards something that only we can define. Running can define us, and we define our running.
Whatever the reasons we all run for, we do it for ourselves. We might be running for someone in a 10K, a marathon or a Race For The Cure, but it's each of us who has to do the mileage. Other people might provide inspiration, but it's our bodies that we push and punish, sometimes to the limit.
We might be doing it to get back in shape, to lose weight, to change our lives. They're our own reasons.
Running allows us to accomplish things that we wouldn't be able to accomplish at work, where we're working for someone else, or within our respective families. It's our chance to pursue personal goals, push ourselves for no other reasons other than personal improvement, and to surpass limits that we may not have thought possible.
Now, I'm not an anti-social person, and I don't think runners are that way either. We appreciate the alone time, to think, to get away to recover that time we devote to other things. We aren't running away. We're running towards something that only we can define. Running can define us, and we define our running.
Holy Cramp!
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Thursday, November 20, 2008
Oh cramp.
Well, it was close to a leg cramp yesterday. My training using the Pose Method uses more of my calf muscles than I had used them before...so either I'm not using the Pose Method correctly or I just need to work out my calves more.
I was supposed to run 12 min intervals with 100 second breaks in between, which I did, but not without great difficulty. My calves were tight that morning and it was quite chilly but not cold enough to pull on the running tights. I did ample stretching and loosened up as much as I could and I started out on my run. By the time I had completed my 2nd interval, I had contemplated calling my wife to come pick me up because my left calf was just REALLY sore. It felt like a cantaloupe in my leg!
It became one of those moments where you either decide to call it quits for the day or you tough it out. I don't usually quote Lance Armstrong that often, and this may be a paraphrase, but it summed up what I was thinking: "Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." I had stopped in the middle of runs before and regretted doing it.
This time I toughed it out the remaining intervals and I'm glad I did. By the time the 4th interval came around (albeit at a slower pace), the soreness had either worked itself out, or I couldn't feel it any longer.
Well, it was close to a leg cramp yesterday. My training using the Pose Method uses more of my calf muscles than I had used them before...so either I'm not using the Pose Method correctly or I just need to work out my calves more.
I was supposed to run 12 min intervals with 100 second breaks in between, which I did, but not without great difficulty. My calves were tight that morning and it was quite chilly but not cold enough to pull on the running tights. I did ample stretching and loosened up as much as I could and I started out on my run. By the time I had completed my 2nd interval, I had contemplated calling my wife to come pick me up because my left calf was just REALLY sore. It felt like a cantaloupe in my leg!
It became one of those moments where you either decide to call it quits for the day or you tough it out. I don't usually quote Lance Armstrong that often, and this may be a paraphrase, but it summed up what I was thinking: "Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." I had stopped in the middle of runs before and regretted doing it.
This time I toughed it out the remaining intervals and I'm glad I did. By the time the 4th interval came around (albeit at a slower pace), the soreness had either worked itself out, or I couldn't feel it any longer.
The Gear
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Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Running is like any other sport or activity. People have their preferences of particular equipment. Tennis players use specific size racquet heads and string tightness. Hockey players have their preferred sticks and skates. Baseball players favor specific brands of bats, and so on.
With runners, it mostly comes down to the shoes. Like the above examples, runners chose what works for them and what feels right. That being said, I'm not endorsing one brand over and other because one is actually better than the other, but I'm just letting everyone know what has worked for me for specific reasons, and for not-so-specific reasons.
First of all, the shoes. My very first pair of shoes made for running were the New Balance 1223's. I picked New Balance because I had always heard good things about them, and my wife liked New Balance. One day we went to the New Balance Store to pick up a pair of new shoes for her and I ended up getting a pair for myself. The salesperson recommended the 1223's because of my over-pronation and the 1223's were highly-recommended stability shoes. Having never really worn running shoes, they felt odd because I had always bought athletic shoes that were comfy, almost to the point of tight-fitting. Buying running shoes are a completely different matter since your feet tend to expand 1/2 size or more while running.
The 1223's were great until I could feel them start going away. I started getting heel pain after runs and it had been about 8 months since I had bought them, even though I didn't put a ton of mileage on them.
I decided awhile back that when the time came to buy new shoes, I would go to a running store to see what other brands and models were out there. I went to Luke's Locker Room in Fort Worth for my shoe search. I had been there a few times to buy other running accessories and their staff was always very knowledgeable when it came to providing great advice. After analyzing the tread wear on my 1223's, the salesperson had me try on a pair of the updated New Balance 1224's (the successor to my existing 1223's), a pair of ASICS Gel Kayano 14's and a pair of Mizunos (I don't remember the model).
The 1224's felt different than the 1223's. I couldn't pinpoint what the difference was, but it felt maybe a bit bulkier. I tried the Gel Kayanos and they felt pretty good. They were bulkier than the 1223's but they felt more comfortable than my New Balance ever did. The Mizunos didn't feel right at all so I took home the ASICS shoes. They've been great shoes so far and my legs have felt better on my rest days since I started wearing the ASICS.
I have no preference for clothing. It's pretty much anything that wicks moisture and anything that isn't too short. Since we're getting into the colder months, I've been wearing a long-sleeve Nike shirt which also wicks moisture, on top of a regular technical T-shirt. It hasn't felt too much warmer wearing two shirts so I'm probably going to invest in another long sleeve shirt so I'm not constantly washing my existing one.
Again since we are in the colder months, I've started wearing gloves, and sometimes wearing gloves when it isn't that cold. I'm not sure what it is, but I'd rather wear gloves than not wearing gloves when there's even a hint of cold weather. I've also started wearing a wool or synthetic wool toque/beanie/cap. Typically in the warmer months I don't wear hats or headbands or visors as I tend to expel a lot of heat through my head.
The last item I've acquired recently is a pair of running tights. I haven't had a chance to wear them yet since it hasn't dropped to a temperature where I thought I would need them. My cut-off point would be 5 degrees Celsius...any colder than that and they're going on! I'm confident that it's going to get that cold sooner or later. I have a 5K in St. Louis on Thanksgiving Day and I'm confident it's going to be cold enough to wear them during that run, but I'd like to give them a trial run before that event. More than likely I'm also going to wear them for my half marathon in December as well.
Lastly, I'm pretty much a poster boy of the Nikeplus system. I have an iPod Nano, the Nikeplus add-ons, the armband, and the Nikeplus wristband as well. I whole-heartedly endorse this system since you don't have to invest a lot of money ($60 for the wristband and an MP3 player if you want music) to get access to a lot of running stats and training tools on the Nike+ website. It's not as accurate as a Garmin or a GPS-based system, but it works for me. The combination of music and training prompts is great motivation and incentive for me.
Like I said, probably with the exception of the Nikeplus system, I'm not endorsing one brand over the other and they will work great for everyone. Each shoe brand fits differently and use slightly different materials and design so they are bound to be different for everyone. People perspire at different points and have different activity thresholds that cause them to perspire more. Some people don't mind cold...others are really sensitive to it. So go out and try out different things and see what works for you.
With runners, it mostly comes down to the shoes. Like the above examples, runners chose what works for them and what feels right. That being said, I'm not endorsing one brand over and other because one is actually better than the other, but I'm just letting everyone know what has worked for me for specific reasons, and for not-so-specific reasons.
First of all, the shoes. My very first pair of shoes made for running were the New Balance 1223's. I picked New Balance because I had always heard good things about them, and my wife liked New Balance. One day we went to the New Balance Store to pick up a pair of new shoes for her and I ended up getting a pair for myself. The salesperson recommended the 1223's because of my over-pronation and the 1223's were highly-recommended stability shoes. Having never really worn running shoes, they felt odd because I had always bought athletic shoes that were comfy, almost to the point of tight-fitting. Buying running shoes are a completely different matter since your feet tend to expand 1/2 size or more while running.
The 1223's were great until I could feel them start going away. I started getting heel pain after runs and it had been about 8 months since I had bought them, even though I didn't put a ton of mileage on them.
I decided awhile back that when the time came to buy new shoes, I would go to a running store to see what other brands and models were out there. I went to Luke's Locker Room in Fort Worth for my shoe search. I had been there a few times to buy other running accessories and their staff was always very knowledgeable when it came to providing great advice. After analyzing the tread wear on my 1223's, the salesperson had me try on a pair of the updated New Balance 1224's (the successor to my existing 1223's), a pair of ASICS Gel Kayano 14's and a pair of Mizunos (I don't remember the model).
The 1224's felt different than the 1223's. I couldn't pinpoint what the difference was, but it felt maybe a bit bulkier. I tried the Gel Kayanos and they felt pretty good. They were bulkier than the 1223's but they felt more comfortable than my New Balance ever did. The Mizunos didn't feel right at all so I took home the ASICS shoes. They've been great shoes so far and my legs have felt better on my rest days since I started wearing the ASICS.
I have no preference for clothing. It's pretty much anything that wicks moisture and anything that isn't too short. Since we're getting into the colder months, I've been wearing a long-sleeve Nike shirt which also wicks moisture, on top of a regular technical T-shirt. It hasn't felt too much warmer wearing two shirts so I'm probably going to invest in another long sleeve shirt so I'm not constantly washing my existing one.
Again since we are in the colder months, I've started wearing gloves, and sometimes wearing gloves when it isn't that cold. I'm not sure what it is, but I'd rather wear gloves than not wearing gloves when there's even a hint of cold weather. I've also started wearing a wool or synthetic wool toque/beanie/cap. Typically in the warmer months I don't wear hats or headbands or visors as I tend to expel a lot of heat through my head.
The last item I've acquired recently is a pair of running tights. I haven't had a chance to wear them yet since it hasn't dropped to a temperature where I thought I would need them. My cut-off point would be 5 degrees Celsius...any colder than that and they're going on! I'm confident that it's going to get that cold sooner or later. I have a 5K in St. Louis on Thanksgiving Day and I'm confident it's going to be cold enough to wear them during that run, but I'd like to give them a trial run before that event. More than likely I'm also going to wear them for my half marathon in December as well.
Lastly, I'm pretty much a poster boy of the Nikeplus system. I have an iPod Nano, the Nikeplus add-ons, the armband, and the Nikeplus wristband as well. I whole-heartedly endorse this system since you don't have to invest a lot of money ($60 for the wristband and an MP3 player if you want music) to get access to a lot of running stats and training tools on the Nike+ website. It's not as accurate as a Garmin or a GPS-based system, but it works for me. The combination of music and training prompts is great motivation and incentive for me.
Like I said, probably with the exception of the Nikeplus system, I'm not endorsing one brand over the other and they will work great for everyone. Each shoe brand fits differently and use slightly different materials and design so they are bound to be different for everyone. People perspire at different points and have different activity thresholds that cause them to perspire more. Some people don't mind cold...others are really sensitive to it. So go out and try out different things and see what works for you.
First big run after knee pain
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Monday, November 17, 2008
I had my first long run (6 miles) trying to do my best using the Pose Method and it went better than expected.
First, I went at a pace that was a bit faster than expected (overall 10:39/mile pace) and I went 7 miles instead of 6, mainly because I made a wrong turn and got a wee bit lost during my run.
Running with the Pose Method certainly helped me focus on form, posture and positioning during the run and take my mind off of the distance and the running itself. The miles just fell away before I knew it.
It was one of those gorgeous days for running - it was sunny, but cool enough where I didn't have to worry about over-heating. There was also a slight breeze that just made everything perfect.
I was worried about doing 6 miles as I had hurt my knee doing 8 miles last week, which I think was brought on by my running form deteriorating in the last 2 miles. When I hit the last mile, my arch in my right foot starting feeling really sore but it wasn't bad enough to make me stop. During my cool down, I could still feel my sore arch and I was still concerned about my knee.
I texted my wife to get a couple of ice packs ready and after my shower I iced down my knee and my arch hoping to avoid prolonged soreness. Thankfully, after a couple of hours with the ice packs, everything felt great again so now I'm aware of how my body reacts to icing down.
Tomorrow I start getting back to my regularly-scheduled training runs for a half marathon in 4 weeks' time.
First, I went at a pace that was a bit faster than expected (overall 10:39/mile pace) and I went 7 miles instead of 6, mainly because I made a wrong turn and got a wee bit lost during my run.
Running with the Pose Method certainly helped me focus on form, posture and positioning during the run and take my mind off of the distance and the running itself. The miles just fell away before I knew it.
It was one of those gorgeous days for running - it was sunny, but cool enough where I didn't have to worry about over-heating. There was also a slight breeze that just made everything perfect.
I was worried about doing 6 miles as I had hurt my knee doing 8 miles last week, which I think was brought on by my running form deteriorating in the last 2 miles. When I hit the last mile, my arch in my right foot starting feeling really sore but it wasn't bad enough to make me stop. During my cool down, I could still feel my sore arch and I was still concerned about my knee.
I texted my wife to get a couple of ice packs ready and after my shower I iced down my knee and my arch hoping to avoid prolonged soreness. Thankfully, after a couple of hours with the ice packs, everything felt great again so now I'm aware of how my body reacts to icing down.
Tomorrow I start getting back to my regularly-scheduled training runs for a half marathon in 4 weeks' time.
(Re-)Learning How To Run
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Friday, November 14, 2008
Today was my first run after taking the majority of the week off to rest up my knee due to Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, aka Runner's Knee.
It was meant to be a relatively quick jog at an easy pace, but it turned into a faster job than anticipated. It was pretty much at my medium pace over 5 kms. I guess I was just too excited about running after the injury.
I've also been reading The Pose Method book which promotes some common-sense approaches to running but describes them in a way that makes it easy to practice. I had quickly skimmed through the book and went through the basic drills so I was eager to try the method out.
Anyway, it was a good run and the Pose Method seemed to be fairly effective. I used muscles to run using the Pose Method that I wouldn't have typically used so the run was a different experience altogether.
The plan now is to
It was meant to be a relatively quick jog at an easy pace, but it turned into a faster job than anticipated. It was pretty much at my medium pace over 5 kms. I guess I was just too excited about running after the injury.
I've also been reading The Pose Method book which promotes some common-sense approaches to running but describes them in a way that makes it easy to practice. I had quickly skimmed through the book and went through the basic drills so I was eager to try the method out.
Anyway, it was a good run and the Pose Method seemed to be fairly effective. I used muscles to run using the Pose Method that I wouldn't have typically used so the run was a different experience altogether.
The plan now is to
Injury Report
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Monday, November 10, 2008
So I had a long run as part of my half-marathon training, I did an 8-mile long run on yesterday. Everything felt pretty good. I had run 8 miles before but it felt better this time around.
It was an 8-mile run with 3 breaks spread out during the run, so I scheduled breaks at mile 3, 5 and 7. After the last walking break, I started up on my run and I could feel pain in my left knee. Eventually it went away and then I developed a blister in my arch on my right foot around the 7.5 mile mark but it was manageable.
I treated the blister and proceeded to have an early lunch. I had a can of Coke in my hand as I walked into the kitchen and it slipped and landed edge first on the top of my foot. It actually left a cut on the top of my foot and a nice swollen bruise on the top of my right foot.
My left knee is still sore this morning. A bit of self-diagnosis from the internets indicated I have Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, or runner's knee. Self-treatment would be to stop running, ice, elevation, NSAIDs, and strengthening the quadriceps muscle in that leg.
So it looks like I'm on the shelf for 5-7 days. Yay.
It was an 8-mile run with 3 breaks spread out during the run, so I scheduled breaks at mile 3, 5 and 7. After the last walking break, I started up on my run and I could feel pain in my left knee. Eventually it went away and then I developed a blister in my arch on my right foot around the 7.5 mile mark but it was manageable.
I treated the blister and proceeded to have an early lunch. I had a can of Coke in my hand as I walked into the kitchen and it slipped and landed edge first on the top of my foot. It actually left a cut on the top of my foot and a nice swollen bruise on the top of my right foot.
My left knee is still sore this morning. A bit of self-diagnosis from the internets indicated I have Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, or runner's knee. Self-treatment would be to stop running, ice, elevation, NSAIDs, and strengthening the quadriceps muscle in that leg.
So it looks like I'm on the shelf for 5-7 days. Yay.
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My first attempt at running this past year didn't last very long. I can't remember what my goal was...it was something like running a mile. As with most first-timers, I started like a flash, and then the pavement caught up to me. I had to take a break just short of the 1 mile mark and subsequently 2 more rests before the 2 mile mark.
I started doing a beginner's running program that started off with walking, walking and more walking. Obviously I was itching to run, but I wanted to follow the program to make sure I was going about everything in the right way. I also start personal training sessions at 24 Hour Fitness with a trainer who has had running experience.
Fast-forward 5 months, and I'm running my first 5K. I'm as nervous as all heck but I made it with my fastest 5K. 2 months later and another 5K with another PR for that distance.
Then, it all goes to pot. We go on vacation and that disrupts my training. I stop training as the getting up at 5am to go running becomes a chore. For about 2 months I stop running. I start up again in September and it feels like I'm starting all over again.
I decide that I need goals to keep myself running. I register for a half-marathon in December. It's quite ambitious, but it has motivated me to stay with my training program and get my butt off the couch.
Fast-forward to now, I run my first 5K since June and I end up with the exact time as my first 5K. Quite symbolic that I indeed am starting all over again with running.
I started doing a beginner's running program that started off with walking, walking and more walking. Obviously I was itching to run, but I wanted to follow the program to make sure I was going about everything in the right way. I also start personal training sessions at 24 Hour Fitness with a trainer who has had running experience.
Fast-forward 5 months, and I'm running my first 5K. I'm as nervous as all heck but I made it with my fastest 5K. 2 months later and another 5K with another PR for that distance.
Then, it all goes to pot. We go on vacation and that disrupts my training. I stop training as the getting up at 5am to go running becomes a chore. For about 2 months I stop running. I start up again in September and it feels like I'm starting all over again.
I decide that I need goals to keep myself running. I register for a half-marathon in December. It's quite ambitious, but it has motivated me to stay with my training program and get my butt off the couch.
Fast-forward to now, I run my first 5K since June and I end up with the exact time as my first 5K. Quite symbolic that I indeed am starting all over again with running.
In the beginning...
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Sunday, November 9, 2008
So this is actually my 2nd attempt at blogging about running. In general, I find it difficult to commit time to blogging regularly. But I figure, committing time to running takes more time than posting.
Why run?
Firstly, I'm pretty much built for running. My frame is slight, I'm fairly lean.
Second, it doesn't require a lot of equipment. No helmets, bats, sticks, padding, skates, clips or what-not. Just a pair of shoes.
Third, why not?
I got into running because of one person -- my wife. After many years of both being couch potatoes and sedentary, she decided to get in shape. It all started with exercise. She lost weight, which made it easier to exercise, which helped her lose more weight, etc. etc. I saw all the great benefits. She was active and lively, and she looked AWESOME! :) I wanted in on part of that magic.
Then more incentive...the Nike+ iPod kit. What an awesome way to track all the stats from runs and an objective way to track progress. Me being a numbers guy, it was the perfect fit.
I realize now that the numbers are just numbers, and numbers don't always tell the whole story. They don't tell what you're feeling, how hard or easy the runs are, things that numbers can't describe.
All for now, more later.
Why run?
Firstly, I'm pretty much built for running. My frame is slight, I'm fairly lean.
Second, it doesn't require a lot of equipment. No helmets, bats, sticks, padding, skates, clips or what-not. Just a pair of shoes.
Third, why not?
I got into running because of one person -- my wife. After many years of both being couch potatoes and sedentary, she decided to get in shape. It all started with exercise. She lost weight, which made it easier to exercise, which helped her lose more weight, etc. etc. I saw all the great benefits. She was active and lively, and she looked AWESOME! :) I wanted in on part of that magic.
Then more incentive...the Nike+ iPod kit. What an awesome way to track all the stats from runs and an objective way to track progress. Me being a numbers guy, it was the perfect fit.
I realize now that the numbers are just numbers, and numbers don't always tell the whole story. They don't tell what you're feeling, how hard or easy the runs are, things that numbers can't describe.
All for now, more later.
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