Made it through my 12 mile run. Kept it slow and ended up averaging 12:30 min/miles. I was quite happy that my foot held up through the whole run, only a little tingling in my toe but no actual pain. From now on I’ll be breaking my record for longest run (my longest run ever was 12.4 miles for a 20k race back in high school).
Training for the week was pretty much as I scheduled it, with the exception of Thursday and Friday. Thursday I worked out with some competitive Powerlifter’s I know – an hour and a half on Bench Press. I made it through the workout but knew I wouldn’t be running that day. Friday I ran for 30 minutes in the morning after a shorter Deadlift workout. By Friday afternoon I was really feeling the after effects of the Bench Press workout – extreme soreness in my left pec muscle. By Friday night I noticed that my left pec wasn’t only sore but it was swollen – so I began icing it about once an hour along with applying DMSO to the area. I was a bit worried that my pec soreness might interfere with my run on Sunday since any movement seemed to increase the pain. By Sunday afternoon the swelling was down a bit and the pain was less and it didn’t interfere with my run and the run seemed to actually help it.
A short note on hydration (I’ll post a more complete guide on Tuesday or Wednesday this week) – prior to my run I weighed myself, 167.5lbs. To prepare for this run I placed frozen bottles of Gatorade at strategic spots along the course. After my run I weighed myself again and I was down to 166.5lbs, despite having consumed close to a half gallon of Gatorade during my run (1/2 gallon = 4 lbs). You can see even with a relatively cool night fluid loses were pretty high. For every pound of weight lost from sweat you should consume about 23 ounces of water. I advise anyone performing long runs to always weight them self before and after to determine if you are in water deficit.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Foot pain
It’s been a few weeks since I last posted. Training has been progressing fairly well though I have encountered a few snags. My long runs have been great and I’ve progressed to a 4:1 (jog:walk) interval. The area that I’ve had some snags is my runs during the week – some I’ve missed and others have been over short.
Run for this past Sunday was supposed to be 12 miles but had to cut it short due to my Morton’s Neuroma in my right foot acting up. I have had this neuroma for about 8 years now, it’s only painful when it gets irritated and inflamed and then it can feel like I’m constantly stepping on a sharp rock. I had it treated last summer with injections aimed at killing that section of the nerve but found out in December that it had grown back, up until this Sunday I hadn’t had a trouble with it since it flared up in December. This Sunday morning I went to the pet store with my daughter to buy some pet food. While I was at the store I turned to reach for something with my foot planted on the ground and suddenly it felt like some one had stabbed me in my right foot. As soon as a got home I began icing my foot, and iced it 2 times before I went out for my run, scheduled to be 12 miles. I played it smart and only did a short run followed by more icing. As of today my foot feels about back to normal so we’ll see how it feels after tonight’s run. Now I only need to take care of it until the marathon.
For some basic information on Morton’s Neuroma: http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_mortons_sma.htm
Since my last post I have switched to a low carb diet during the week (under 60g carbs/day), I do eat carbs on Sunday to help out with the demands of the long run. This has resulted in my losing 8 pounds. I have remained vigilant about my hydration and have continued to drink a minimum of half a gallon of water every day.
To prevent me from missing any training this week I’m posting my plan for the week:
Mon –
Kettlebells
3 sets of 10 swings followed by 10 sumo squats
1 min rest
3 sets of 5 Getup situps per side followed by 20 Russian twists 1 minute rest after each set
1 ladder of 1-3 reps clean and press followed by 5 high pulls to snatch on each side
20 minute walk
Tues – 30 minute jog
Wed –
Kettlebells
3 sets of 10 swings followed by 10 sumo squats
1 min rest
3 sets of 5 Getup situps per side followed by 20 Russian twists 1 minute rest after each set
2 ladder of 1-3 reps clean and press each ladder followed by 5 high pulls to snatch on each side (1 minute rest after each circuit)
20 minute walk
Thu – 30 minute jog
Fri –
Kettlebells
3 sets of 10 swings followed by 10 sumo squats
1 min rest
3 sets of 5 Getup situps per side followed by 20 Russian twists 1 minute rest after each set
3 ladders of 1-3 reps clean and press each ladder followed by 5 high pulls to snatch on each side (1 minute rest after each circuit)
20 minute walk
Sat – Rest
Sun – 12 mile run using 4:1 ratio
Run for this past Sunday was supposed to be 12 miles but had to cut it short due to my Morton’s Neuroma in my right foot acting up. I have had this neuroma for about 8 years now, it’s only painful when it gets irritated and inflamed and then it can feel like I’m constantly stepping on a sharp rock. I had it treated last summer with injections aimed at killing that section of the nerve but found out in December that it had grown back, up until this Sunday I hadn’t had a trouble with it since it flared up in December. This Sunday morning I went to the pet store with my daughter to buy some pet food. While I was at the store I turned to reach for something with my foot planted on the ground and suddenly it felt like some one had stabbed me in my right foot. As soon as a got home I began icing my foot, and iced it 2 times before I went out for my run, scheduled to be 12 miles. I played it smart and only did a short run followed by more icing. As of today my foot feels about back to normal so we’ll see how it feels after tonight’s run. Now I only need to take care of it until the marathon.
For some basic information on Morton’s Neuroma: http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_mortons_sma.htm
Since my last post I have switched to a low carb diet during the week (under 60g carbs/day), I do eat carbs on Sunday to help out with the demands of the long run. This has resulted in my losing 8 pounds. I have remained vigilant about my hydration and have continued to drink a minimum of half a gallon of water every day.
To prevent me from missing any training this week I’m posting my plan for the week:
Mon –
Kettlebells
3 sets of 10 swings followed by 10 sumo squats
1 min rest
3 sets of 5 Getup situps per side followed by 20 Russian twists 1 minute rest after each set
1 ladder of 1-3 reps clean and press followed by 5 high pulls to snatch on each side
20 minute walk
Tues – 30 minute jog
Wed –
Kettlebells
3 sets of 10 swings followed by 10 sumo squats
1 min rest
3 sets of 5 Getup situps per side followed by 20 Russian twists 1 minute rest after each set
2 ladder of 1-3 reps clean and press each ladder followed by 5 high pulls to snatch on each side (1 minute rest after each circuit)
20 minute walk
Thu – 30 minute jog
Fri –
Kettlebells
3 sets of 10 swings followed by 10 sumo squats
1 min rest
3 sets of 5 Getup situps per side followed by 20 Russian twists 1 minute rest after each set
3 ladders of 1-3 reps clean and press each ladder followed by 5 high pulls to snatch on each side (1 minute rest after each circuit)
20 minute walk
Sat – Rest
Sun – 12 mile run using 4:1 ratio
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
A very cold run
Last Sunday was an easy 3 miles so I don’t have much to report on that one (it was sort of a vacation from my long runs). This past Sunday was my 8 miler, now we’re talking real distance. I started out with my 3:30/1:00 jog/walk but had some trouble due to the weather. The distance and the run itself actually seemed fairly easy; it was the cold and wind that was difficult to deal with.
Before I went out Sunday I checked the weather and sunset time (the temperature has been dropping significantly here around sunset) to be sure I’d dress appropriately. Well, I miscalculated badly and suffered for it. I went out at 5:45 in shorts and a short sleeve shirt, after placing frozen water bottles at the 2, 4 and 6 mile marks. The run began well, even though I was a little cool I thought as soon as I got warmed up I’d be fine. At the 2 mile mark I was still cool with the sun behind a cloud and the wind picking up. By the time I made it home my fingers were very stiff from the cold and when I looked at the temp I saw it was 55 degrees (by far my most unpleasant run this year).
A good tip is to always have bring an extra cover up if you have any doubts about the weather (I didn’t and I paid for it).
Before I went out Sunday I checked the weather and sunset time (the temperature has been dropping significantly here around sunset) to be sure I’d dress appropriately. Well, I miscalculated badly and suffered for it. I went out at 5:45 in shorts and a short sleeve shirt, after placing frozen water bottles at the 2, 4 and 6 mile marks. The run began well, even though I was a little cool I thought as soon as I got warmed up I’d be fine. At the 2 mile mark I was still cool with the sun behind a cloud and the wind picking up. By the time I made it home my fingers were very stiff from the cold and when I looked at the temp I saw it was 55 degrees (by far my most unpleasant run this year).
A good tip is to always have bring an extra cover up if you have any doubts about the weather (I didn’t and I paid for it).
Monday, May 7, 2007
Keep it slow when you go long
I made it through my 7 miler on Sunday in great shape (3:30/1:00 jog/walk ratio) and actually felt better than I did for my 5 miler 2 weeks ago. This time I actually followed Galloway’s advice to run slow – something that can be very hard for me to do. I am always tempted to get the long runs done quick, an hour pushing it seems easier than trudging it out for an hour and a half. In addition, I feel competitive when I run – whenever I see other people running ahead of me I want to “reel them in” and get past them. This time I fought these feelings and had a more enjoyable run and felt great today (compared to the heavy fatigue I felt on Monday two weeks ago).
Returning to the subject of hydration and electrolytes – I am continuing to research this issue to gain more complete understanding of it before I make recommendations. At this point I will say maintaining hydration on a daily basis is a must and the bare minimum for fluid intake is 64 ounces a day (half gallon). Personally, I accomplish this by filling a half gallon pitcher in the morning and placing it in the refrigerator. I make it a goal to finish half the pitcher by the time I finish lunch. In addition to this I also take 500mg magnesium in the morning and have substituted using table salt in cooking with using salt substitute (potassium chloride). My rational behind these steps is that magnesium deficiency is the most common mineral deficiency in the US and potassium is frequently deficient in endurance athletes. I hope this helps until I complete my review of the research literature.
Returning to the subject of hydration and electrolytes – I am continuing to research this issue to gain more complete understanding of it before I make recommendations. At this point I will say maintaining hydration on a daily basis is a must and the bare minimum for fluid intake is 64 ounces a day (half gallon). Personally, I accomplish this by filling a half gallon pitcher in the morning and placing it in the refrigerator. I make it a goal to finish half the pitcher by the time I finish lunch. In addition to this I also take 500mg magnesium in the morning and have substituted using table salt in cooking with using salt substitute (potassium chloride). My rational behind these steps is that magnesium deficiency is the most common mineral deficiency in the US and potassium is frequently deficient in endurance athletes. I hope this helps until I complete my review of the research literature.
Upcoming posts:
- How to start running
- Buying shoes
- Kettlebell training
- And – Hydration and electrolytes (of course)
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Calf cramps
I’m a little late getting this posted – actually had it written yesterday but forgot to post it.
Training over this past week has gone extremely well, especially considering that my daughter had her tonsils taken out in the middle of the week (I have to thank my wife for letting me take the time to get my runs in). This next long run will be a real test for me (7-8 miles next Sunday).
I had the importance of hydration and electrolytes reinforced yesterday morning when I was woken up by a severe cramp in my calf. Muscle cramps are a common complaint with running, especially during warmer weather, and can even occur while you are running. To avoid this very painful problem you need to maintain hydration and electrolyte balance.
I’ll post the recommended electrolyte and fluid replacement levels by the end of this week.
Training over this past week has gone extremely well, especially considering that my daughter had her tonsils taken out in the middle of the week (I have to thank my wife for letting me take the time to get my runs in). This next long run will be a real test for me (7-8 miles next Sunday).
I had the importance of hydration and electrolytes reinforced yesterday morning when I was woken up by a severe cramp in my calf. Muscle cramps are a common complaint with running, especially during warmer weather, and can even occur while you are running. To avoid this very painful problem you need to maintain hydration and electrolyte balance.
I’ll post the recommended electrolyte and fluid replacement levels by the end of this week.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Registration now closed for Chicago Marathon
All the spots are now taken for the Chicago Marathon – at the beginning of last week there were 4,000 left and by the end of the week 0.
Made it through my 5 miler last night feeling good (used a 3:30 to 1:00 run walk interval). It looks like it might actually stay warm from now on which should mean no more long runs on the treadmill. A little note on running gear – on my 4 mile run I made the error of wearing regular running shorts and had my first experience of extreme chaffing on my thighs. As a result of that experience I advise anyone doing longer runs, especially in the warmer weather, to wear lycra shorts or running tights since they cut down on the friction and can save you lost training time.
Since it is getting warmer out (finally) we all need to pay attention to hydration and sun exposure and I’ll be posting information on these areas in upcoming weeks.
Made it through my 5 miler last night feeling good (used a 3:30 to 1:00 run walk interval). It looks like it might actually stay warm from now on which should mean no more long runs on the treadmill. A little note on running gear – on my 4 mile run I made the error of wearing regular running shorts and had my first experience of extreme chaffing on my thighs. As a result of that experience I advise anyone doing longer runs, especially in the warmer weather, to wear lycra shorts or running tights since they cut down on the friction and can save you lost training time.
Since it is getting warmer out (finally) we all need to pay attention to hydration and sun exposure and I’ll be posting information on these areas in upcoming weeks.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Training starts for real
I began this month by starting over at week one of training, since I began a month early. Even though I’ve been determined to not miss a day I was forced to miss the 4th through the 7th due to a low back strain. Since then I’ve been very diligent about my training even though much of it has been on the treadmill. This Sunday I’ll be back to long runs, another 5-6 miles, so I really hope that it’ll be warm out (that’s just to long to be running on a treadmill).
From now on I will be posting every Sunday or Monday night.
From now on I will be posting every Sunday or Monday night.
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