18 miles

Finally made the run last night – in the rain. I originally scheduled it for last Sunday but the weather forecast was a bit discouraging, 95 and humid, as a result I’d thought I’d err on the side of caution. As it turned out the temp was actually around 85 and I would have made the run except that I wasn’t prepared mentally.
The run itself started out well, except for the rain and the fact that the pullover I used wasn’t at all waterproof (oops). The first 6 miles went fairly well but after about 8 I was starting to drag a bit and after 10 my knees were hurting. I must admit that there were many times that I was challenged to cut the run short or just walk the remainder but I persevered by putting it down as a test of will (of course it helped that walking actually made my knees hurt more and I just wanted to get out of the rain and running was faster).I used a 4 minute run 1 minute walk interval and only lost ½ pound over the run due to good hydration.

Joe Callahan

Last week I lost a good friend, Joe Callahan. I first met Joe 2 years ago when a trainer friend sent him over to me because of some arm pain he was having. After that first meeting I got to know him better and talked and trained with him at Cardinal fitness many times over the past two years. I regularly scheduled my workouts (when I could) to coincide with the times he was in the gym – he was great to talk to and I always learned something new whenever I saw him. He had a way of getting the most out of you in the gym.

Joe trained a number of other guys at the gym and as a testament to his knowledge and coaching you can see him coaching Devon McCord at the APA meet this spring when Devon set a new Illinois state Deadlift record.


Joe was always an inspiration to me with his dedication to training and his approach to life.

Joseph J. Callahan
July 31, 1944 - July 30, 2007

Starting a Running Program

So far I'm currently on track with my milage for the marathon - I'm set to run 18 miles this Sunday (hope it stays cool that day).

For those of you who aren't currently running but would like to start I've put together a general outline on getting started as well as some links to helpfull sources on how to start running.

If you aren’t currently engaged in some form of exercise get yourself checked out to be certain that it is safe for you to exercise (see your family doctor or Chiropractor).

Get a good pair of running shoes, I posted a basic guide to choosing running shoes on July 2nd.

• If you have not run for a long time it is best to start out with walking.
  Start with a time you can walk without trouble, whether it is 5 or 30 minutes (if 30 minutes is easy then you’ll want to progress to adding in some actual running).
• Walk 5 days a week, if you are able to.
• When you add in running start with running about 1 minute followed by a 4 minute walk.
• Start easy and work your way up.

A few good programs for beginner runners are listed below

http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/beginners.html

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-261--9397-0,00.html

http://www.trainingpeaks.com/hal/#HalHigdon

I personally find it motivating to have a goal for training, in the case of running a race. My goal is usually to beat or meet previous times or in the case of the marathon to actually complete the race.

If you are currently in good health a good goal is the Plainfield, Harvest 5k Run/Walk: http://www.plainfieldharvest5k.com/helix/index.php

New Personal Record

Prior to this year my personal best for distance running was 12.4 miles when I was in high school. Two weeks ago I beat that with a 14 mile run and this Sunday I was set for 16 miles. I made it – 16 miles – and I actually beat my time for 14 miles that I ran 2 weeks ago. Sunday was perfect weather for running and the run itself was very comfortable even though I had some knee pain the last 5-6 miles. Hydration was very good, my pre run weight was 164 and so was my post run weight (a first for me on a long run). I continue to use Gatorade on the long runs (I spike it with extra sodium and potassium to match Gatorade Endurance Formula – I can never seem to find it on sale).

Sunday morning and afternoon I was a bit worried due to feeling a little nauseous but I think now I was just worried over the run since my 14 miler 2 weeks ago was excessively hard. That Sunday (7/8) began very hot and I had to wait until about 7:30 at night for it to cool off a little so I could start my run. In addition to the heat I made one tactical mistake on Saturday (7/7) that led to that Sundays run being so difficult – I spent about 3 ½ hours digging and moving dirt in my backyard in the middle of the afternoon which used up a lot of energy and I also ended up with a sunburn (yes I did use sunscreen) which also sapped my body of a lot of energy. Even though I ran extra slow that Sunday it ended up being very difficult. I am happy to report that I made none of the mistakes that I made on my 14 miler and as a result felt great running 16 miles this weekend.

As my runs are getting longer it is becoming harder and harder to find courses that are long enough and safe to run on (we seem to have a lack of paths in Plainfield as well as lighted roads that are safe for running after dark). If anyone knows of any longer courses please email me at meehantp@netzero.net and I’ll post them on this Blog.

Choosing the right shoe

Choosing the proper shoe for you is important whether you are a seasoned runner or just starting out (if you are just starting a running program your first step should be choosing the right shoe for you).

Overuse injuries are the most common injuries for runners to suffer. A well fitted shoe will help you maintain alignment in you foot, ankle and leg and as a result will help you decrease your chance of injury to your feet, ankles, knees, hips and even your low back.

Your best bet for getting the correct shoe is to go to the Naperville Running Company (or similar store specializing in running shoes), they have knowledge of the shoes available, what features they have as well as being able to analyze what you need so they can match you with the right shoe. Before going out to get fitted for a pair of running shoes I suggest you read this article: http://www.vpshoes.com/bestrunningshoe.htm

If you aren’t able to get to a specialized running store you can use the link below as a starting point for selecting the right shoe. Be sure to try on many different shoes to ensure comfortable and well-fitted shoe.

http://runnersresource.com/articles/shoeselection.htm
Provides a list of shoes based on your arch and body size.

Below are some general tips on choosing the right shoe as well as caring for your shoes once you have them.

• Try on shoes near the end of the day or at least after a lot of walking or better after a run (your feet are larger at the end of the day due to you’re being on them awhile).
• Running shoes should feel good when you first wear them, they don’t need to be broken in.
• Wear your running shoes only for running; if you want to wear running shoes during the day buy a different pair to walk around in.
• Unlace your shoes to take them off; don’t kick them off with your other foot (damages the heel counter).
• Replace your shoes at least every 600 miles (or 6 months), if the soles of your shoes are starting to break down then you are well overdue for new shoes.
• Washing your shoes in the washing machine can break them down faster so don’t do it, same thing goes for drying them in the clothes dryer (let them air dry if they get wet).

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/2005/0105/aspund.htm
Technical article on making a shoe prescription based on numerous factors. This article provides you with information to determine out what features you need in a shoe but doesn’t provide you with shoe names. Some of the links in this article are blind due to the age of the article.

New Shoes

I’m very satisfied with my training for the past week – I was able to get everything in plus a little more (started up training some boxing again). My Sunday run was a bit short, 5 miles instead of 6, but at a faster pace (about 10:40 miles). If anyone else is following Galloway’s training program you might be wondering why I didn’t run 14 miles this past weekend. Well, aggravating my foot a few weeks ago forced me to change the program for a few weeks and as a result I’ll be running 14 miles next weekend (soon to be my personal record).

Due to my foot (Morton’s Neuroma in right foot) I decided to go for it and get some better shoes. Before my Sunday run I headed over to downtown Naperville to the Naperville Running Company, the best store in this area for running shoes and attire. I knew I’d be paying a bit more for shoes but I also knew that they would be better shoes and more specific for my feet and my unique problems. The clerk who helped me asked about the kind of training I was doing as well as the problems I was having and how long I was having them. He then proceeded to look at my current shoes for wear patterns. From this information he picked out about 5 different shoes to have me try on and walk around the store to determine which fit best and gave the best support. All and all I was probably there for about 30 minutes but the shoes I left with felt considerably better with last nights run (even with the faster than usual pace).

I will post some helpful hints on choosing your own running shoes Tuesday or Wednesday this week.

Hydration

Staying hydrated

If you want your runs to be more enjoyable (easier) and perform at your best you will need to stay hydrated. A loss of just 5% of your body weight in sweat is enough to significantly decrease your performance (that works out to 7.5 lbs for a 150 pound person). Even a loss of 2% (4lbs for a 150 pound person) can result in a reduction in your performance, as well as placing greater stress on your heart. In addition, all of us remember the Gatorade advertisements stating that thirst is a poor guide for hydration

Maintaining hydration is especially important when engaging in long duration endurance exercise (greater than an hour) or even moderately long exercise (greater than half an hour) in hot weather.

The first step in staying hydrated during exercise is to stay hydrated during the rest of the day. As a minimum you should be drinking a half-gallon of water (or at least total fluid – not counting alcohol) over the course of the day. If needed, you can flavor water with sugar free drink mixes or mix juice half and half with water. Drinking flavored water has repeatedly been found to increase fluid intake (most of us can down a glass of juice or other beverage faster and with greater ease than the same volume of plain water). Chilling the water you drink also helps increase consumption, especially on hot days.

It is actually better to drink small amounts over the whole day instead of drinking all your water in just a few sittings – this is because too much water at once just results in more of it being lost in urination.

I make it a practice to keep 32oz refillable bottles of water in my refrigerator at home and the office. Anything larger than that becomes warm before I can drink the whole thing (some people I know use 16 or 8 oz bottles).

Hydration during the long runs:

Prior to your run

• When to eat – any meal should be eaten at least 2 hours before your long run, to soon before your run and you could end up with cramps or nausea or worse vomiting. What you eat is something you’ll have to experiment with, as a general rule eat something light and easy to digest. – you will want to experiment with what you can eat before your runs to find out what you can tolerate.


• About 2 hours before your run drink 17oz of water or sports drink.
  Weigh your self and record it!

During your run

• Aim for about 8 ounces every 20 minutes. You may need to adjust this depending on weight lost during previous runs as well as your opportunity to drink during your run (most of us don’t have access to drinks every 20 minutes). Personally I place 32ounce bottles every 2-3 miles along my course. I go back later to pick up the empty bottles (I try and go by the naturalist adage “Take only pictures and leave only footprints” – in this case meaning don’t leave your garbage behind).
  


• On runs longer than one hour you need to pay attention to electrolytes and carbohydrate.
  


• Sports drink guidelines:
  Max of 15g of carbohydrates per 8 ounces
  70mg Sodium per 8 ounces

After your run

• Weigh yourself and compare to pre run weight.


• If you have maintained hydration you should weigh the same, if you weigh less after a long run you didn’t drink enough to keep up with fluid loss. To replace fluid loss you will need to drink 23 ounces of water for each pound lost (eat some salty snacks with the water or consume a sports drink with sodium).

If you want more detailed information on hydration during exercise I encourage you to follow the links below:

American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand: Exercise and Fluid Replacement
http://www.acsm-msse.org/pt/pt-core/template-journal/msse/media/0196.htm

National Athletic Trainers Position Statement: Fluid Replacement for Athletes
http://www.nata.org/statements/position/fluidreplacement.pdf

Gatorade Sports Science Institute
http://www.gssiweb.com/