Took the day off today. February 29. I may make this a tradition. Of course that would mean only one day off every four years. Anyway it was nice to sleep in just a little. Sleep is an important part of staying healthy. While each of us need differing amounts of sleep, most doctors and researchers would recommend at least eight hours a night for people over 25. I try to get something close to eight hours most days. It also best to try and keep regular hours. Going to bed and getting up close to the same time each day. Your body will appreciate it. Also watching a tv screen or computer screen right before going to bed makes it more difficult to sleep. Studies have confirmed this. Now you can even buy special glasses to wear if you must use a computer right before bed.
As to running I will soon be training for a 10K. Myself and four colleagues in the field of international education will be running the relay at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. So tomorrow it's back to the treadmill. My last run was seven days ago. I've been trying to rest my ankle so it will heal completely. The last couple of weeks I have run just once a week. Still I have discomfort in my right ankle when I run and occasionally when I drive. Hopefully eight days between runs will be sufficient. I believe rest is important in the healing process. But the marathon is eight weeks from Sunday. And with runs of about 2.2 to 2.4 miles each time out the last several weeks, I'm going to have to start running more often and for greater distances. Lord willing tomorrow I will run without any pain and then next week I can gradually increase the frequency and distance for my runs. Gradual increase is key. So probably runs will only be about 2.5 miles for the first week. Then with a 15% increase each week I should be running 5 to 6 miles by the week before OKC. Of course what is important is the weekly total not the daily amount.
Peace out and happy trails..
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
New Year, fresh start , new shoes?
Finally the last week or so I have been able to run with no noticeable discomfort in my lower right leg. Woo hoo. Anyway running every other day or so on the treadmills. 20 minutes. A little over 2 miles each time. So far so good.
I've had a couple of people ask me about shoes, so I thought this would be a good topic to start with this year. There are hundreds if not thousands of choices available in running shoes. Running shoes as an industry did not truly begin until the late 1960s. In 1971 when Bill Bowerman poured liquid urethane into his wife's waffle iron, Nike, had it's first self designed shoe, the Waffle Trainer. The shoe industry has exploded since then. Chris McDougal in his 2009 book, Born To Run, asserts that running shoes are the cause of most running injuries. He presents some pretty convincing statistics to back up his claim, as well as some interesting discussion of the Tarahumara Indians. Obviously men have not always run with running shoes. Yet with all the "advancement" in running shoes there has not been a subsequent decline in running injuries.
Today you can find a plethora of shoes, many with lots of cushioning and a thick sole, and most with a heel noticeably higher than the forefoot. Of course when wearing shoes with a thick heel you tend to land your foot on your heel. Interestingly enough when you run with bare feet you tend to land more on your forefoot. Doesn't take too long to realize that maybe striking with your heel first, in a thick heeled running shoe is not natural and maybe it's not the best way to run.
As you can see my thoughts tend to run toward less and not more in terms of shoes, and less of a heel toe drop. What is a heel to toe drop you ask? It's the difference in height between the heel of the shoe and the forefoot of the shoe. Traditionally running shoes have a 12 to 15 mm heel to toe differential. Over the last year or two there has been a trend toward a lesser heel to toe drop. Many new shoes that are considered minimalist have a heel to toe drop of 4mm to 11mm. And the zero drop shoes have 0 to 4mm as their heel to toe drop. I've been doing most of my runs since last summer in a pair of Brooks Mach 11s. They are considered to be spike less cross country shoes. Also may be referred to as racing flats. Very low heel to forefoot drop, about 4mm or so. Got them about a year and half ago. Very inexpensive, but comfortable . Runblogger has a review of them. Unfortunately these have been phased out some time back. Now Brooks has the Mach 13. I'd expect the 14 will be out before too long.
My other shoes I sometimes run in are the Saucony Grid Type A4. Super light weight - a mere 6.3 oz. 13mm heel, 9 mm forefoot. So just a 4mm drop. I ran the Route 66 marathon in these this past November. The A4 is considered to be a racing flat. I am a little unsure if I want to run my next marathon in these or to go with something with just a tad bit more padding. Did a few 18 to 20 milers in them last fall without issue. Anyway, changing from a heel strike style of running to a forefoot style of running is not usually you do overnight. The transition should be more gradual. Different muscles are being used and those muscles need time to adapt and get stronger. The Saucony Kinvara has been a pretty popular shoe. A bit more padding so it sits a little bit higher but still a pretty minimal heel drop. I believe it's a good choice for those looking to transition to more of a mid foot/ forefoot heel strike style of running.
At the end of the spectrum for minimalist shoes, are the Vibram Five fingers. Similar to toe socks in appearance. Very light weight and very thin. They fit like gloves. I have a pair of Vibram Fivefingers Bikalas. I've done a few short runs in them. Nothing over 2 and half miles. You can definitely feel the road in these. Not sure if I want to do any significant distance in these. Maybe when my recovery is farther along I may take these out again. Again it is important to transition to running in this type of shoe. One's feet and ankles need time to adjust and to get stronger. The VFF's are closest thing to running barefoot.
Sic'em Bears!
I've had a couple of people ask me about shoes, so I thought this would be a good topic to start with this year. There are hundreds if not thousands of choices available in running shoes. Running shoes as an industry did not truly begin until the late 1960s. In 1971 when Bill Bowerman poured liquid urethane into his wife's waffle iron, Nike, had it's first self designed shoe, the Waffle Trainer. The shoe industry has exploded since then. Chris McDougal in his 2009 book, Born To Run, asserts that running shoes are the cause of most running injuries. He presents some pretty convincing statistics to back up his claim, as well as some interesting discussion of the Tarahumara Indians. Obviously men have not always run with running shoes. Yet with all the "advancement" in running shoes there has not been a subsequent decline in running injuries.
Today you can find a plethora of shoes, many with lots of cushioning and a thick sole, and most with a heel noticeably higher than the forefoot. Of course when wearing shoes with a thick heel you tend to land your foot on your heel. Interestingly enough when you run with bare feet you tend to land more on your forefoot. Doesn't take too long to realize that maybe striking with your heel first, in a thick heeled running shoe is not natural and maybe it's not the best way to run.
As you can see my thoughts tend to run toward less and not more in terms of shoes, and less of a heel toe drop. What is a heel to toe drop you ask? It's the difference in height between the heel of the shoe and the forefoot of the shoe. Traditionally running shoes have a 12 to 15 mm heel to toe differential. Over the last year or two there has been a trend toward a lesser heel to toe drop. Many new shoes that are considered minimalist have a heel to toe drop of 4mm to 11mm. And the zero drop shoes have 0 to 4mm as their heel to toe drop. I've been doing most of my runs since last summer in a pair of Brooks Mach 11s. They are considered to be spike less cross country shoes. Also may be referred to as racing flats. Very low heel to forefoot drop, about 4mm or so. Got them about a year and half ago. Very inexpensive, but comfortable . Runblogger has a review of them. Unfortunately these have been phased out some time back. Now Brooks has the Mach 13. I'd expect the 14 will be out before too long.
My other shoes I sometimes run in are the Saucony Grid Type A4. Super light weight - a mere 6.3 oz. 13mm heel, 9 mm forefoot. So just a 4mm drop. I ran the Route 66 marathon in these this past November. The A4 is considered to be a racing flat. I am a little unsure if I want to run my next marathon in these or to go with something with just a tad bit more padding. Did a few 18 to 20 milers in them last fall without issue. Anyway, changing from a heel strike style of running to a forefoot style of running is not usually you do overnight. The transition should be more gradual. Different muscles are being used and those muscles need time to adapt and get stronger. The Saucony Kinvara has been a pretty popular shoe. A bit more padding so it sits a little bit higher but still a pretty minimal heel drop. I believe it's a good choice for those looking to transition to more of a mid foot/ forefoot heel strike style of running.
At the end of the spectrum for minimalist shoes, are the Vibram Five fingers. Similar to toe socks in appearance. Very light weight and very thin. They fit like gloves. I have a pair of Vibram Fivefingers Bikalas. I've done a few short runs in them. Nothing over 2 and half miles. You can definitely feel the road in these. Not sure if I want to do any significant distance in these. Maybe when my recovery is farther along I may take these out again. Again it is important to transition to running in this type of shoe. One's feet and ankles need time to adjust and to get stronger. The VFF's are closest thing to running barefoot.
Sic'em Bears!
Friday, December 16, 2011
bummed
Sorry for not posting in a few days. I had some sort of virus and was sick for three days. Yuck. Finally got back to the treadmill at the Wellness Center today, with 22 minutes programmed on the treadmill, 0.5 incline, starting out at about 6.5 mph then quickly upping it to 7mph. Unfortunately this crazy leg of mine started giving me a little discomfort and finally I called it quits with 4 minutes remaining. Not sure if the time laying up at home sick had anything to do with it. Felt a little bit of the discomfort here just watching a movie. Now having some serious doubts about OKC. Don't think this is my iliotibial band. Had issues with that once before and I think this is different. The iliotibial band attaches just below the knee on the outside of the lower leg. This pain is in the same general area so it does make me wonder, but having had that issue before I don't remember it feeling quite like this.
My thought earlier today was this: if I can recover enough to be able to run 5 miles, outside, by January 2nd, then I believe I can train to the level I want, in time for the OKC marathon on April 29. I really like to have 16 weeks to train. A marathon is not something you want to tackle without being fully prepared. And with a goal of 3 hours 30 minutes I especially want to be prepared. If I'm not healthy by January 2, then I have to rethink my marathon plans. Maybe look into a late Spring/ early Summer marathon. Maybe Swan Lake in South Dakota, June 10 or Marathon to Marathon in Iowa, June 9. Definitely not interested in the Andy Payne held at Lake Overholser on Memorial Day. Way too hot and steamy that time of year here in Oklahoma. 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit is about ideal for a marathon. I've found www.marathonguide.com is the best place to look up marathons. Sort by date or by geography.
Peace and Grace....
My thought earlier today was this: if I can recover enough to be able to run 5 miles, outside, by January 2nd, then I believe I can train to the level I want, in time for the OKC marathon on April 29. I really like to have 16 weeks to train. A marathon is not something you want to tackle without being fully prepared. And with a goal of 3 hours 30 minutes I especially want to be prepared. If I'm not healthy by January 2, then I have to rethink my marathon plans. Maybe look into a late Spring/ early Summer marathon. Maybe Swan Lake in South Dakota, June 10 or Marathon to Marathon in Iowa, June 9. Definitely not interested in the Andy Payne held at Lake Overholser on Memorial Day. Way too hot and steamy that time of year here in Oklahoma. 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit is about ideal for a marathon. I've found www.marathonguide.com is the best place to look up marathons. Sort by date or by geography.
Peace and Grace....
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Steppin' out
Woo hoo! Finally, a little running with no pain. Yesterday, Day 19 since the marathon, I ran 2.36 miles in 21:30. Ran on the treadmills at UCO. This morning, after coffee at Panera Bread with my running pals, Mark and Brent, I ran again on the treadmills: 2.63 in 22:30. So far so good. Rest day tomorrow then back to the Wellness Center again next week. Baby steps. Think I will just do two days running, followed by one day off as the schedule for the next week with gradually increasing mileage. No more than 3 miles at a time. After that if the weather is decent I might try a bit of road running. Lord willing, by the first of the year, I'll be up to running 4 and 5 miles at a time during the week and doing 8 or 9 easy miles on Saturdays with my doctor buddies.
Rest is often the best cure for an injury. The body needs time to heal. Stretching is helpful as a preventive measure. Increases range of motion. Always important to warm up before stretching. Strength training also plays an important role in helping to prevent injury. Not talking heavy weights though. Calisthenics are a good way to go. Pushups, pullups, crunches, lunges are useful for increasing strength. I rarely have back pain, even with many hours a day in front of a computer, and I believe this is due to a routine of doing pushups, pullups and other core strengthening exercises.
Well tonight in another first for the Baylor Nation, Robert Griffin III will be almost certainly receiving the Heisman trophy. Another milestone in a great year for Baylor sports. Sic'em Bears!
Rest is often the best cure for an injury. The body needs time to heal. Stretching is helpful as a preventive measure. Increases range of motion. Always important to warm up before stretching. Strength training also plays an important role in helping to prevent injury. Not talking heavy weights though. Calisthenics are a good way to go. Pushups, pullups, crunches, lunges are useful for increasing strength. I rarely have back pain, even with many hours a day in front of a computer, and I believe this is due to a routine of doing pushups, pullups and other core strengthening exercises.
Well tonight in another first for the Baylor Nation, Robert Griffin III will be almost certainly receiving the Heisman trophy. Another milestone in a great year for Baylor sports. Sic'em Bears!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Can't get much better
Baylor Bear are running strong! Nine wins! Back to back victories over the longhorns! RGIII is going to the Heisman Trophy Ceremony in NYC! Basketball keeps on rolling with the men victorious over Northwestern and the women over Minnesota!
Wish I could say the same for myself. 15 days since Route 66 in Tulsa. A little cross training tomorrow with abs and core work. Perhaps again on Thursday. Then maybe a short two mile jog on the treadmill for Friday. Sure hope that is the recipe for success.
Peace and Grace to you all!
Wish I could say the same for myself. 15 days since Route 66 in Tulsa. A little cross training tomorrow with abs and core work. Perhaps again on Thursday. Then maybe a short two mile jog on the treadmill for Friday. Sure hope that is the recipe for success.
Peace and Grace to you all!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
injured...
Went to the Wellness Center today to run a little on the treadmills. Got dressed and went upstairs to the cardio machines, wearing my 2011 Route 66 marathon finisher shirt, a pair of grey running shorts and my Brooks Mach 11s. Set the timer for 31 minutes and an incline of 0.5. Belt started it's slow pace and I quickly moved it up to 6.9 mph. Running went fine for the first half mile or so, then had a few little minor discomforts, but nothing that worried me much. Then as I approached two miles my right leg started hurting. Didn't go away and only got worse. Ending up quitting after 19 minutes. Covered 2.31 miles. The pain seemed reminiscent of how I felt in the months after the 2009 Route 66. So I am not going to sign up for the OKC marathon this week. Price goes up $15 tomorrow. But I would rather wait a few weeks till I know I am healthy and pay the extra money, than to sign up now and later find out that I need more time to heal. Now the trick is staying in shape without running. May have to try the elliptical or maybe just walk with a really steep incline. Hopefully a week from now I can give running another try.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Great time to be a bear
Sic'em Bears! Such a great time to be a Baylor fan. Football team has eight wins and is ranked in the top 20 going into the season finale with Texas. The Men's basketball team is ranked 7th in the country. The Women's basketball team is ranked number 1!
Ok, now that I've discussed the Bears it's time to talk about running. I redid my marathon training schedule. Going into the Tulsa marathon I was hoping that my training was sufficient. Now knowing I came up just a little short I decided that I needed to tweak my schedule. Actually I contemplated just blowing it up and trying something radically different. The schedule I used for Tulsa was based on Hal Higdon's Intermediate II plan.http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/MaraIntermediate2.html I shifted it so Sunday became Saturday and changed the mileage just slightly to fit my neighborhood routes. Also made room for a 5k run at UCO. Below is a week nine of a twenty one week schedule. Mondays and Wednesdays peaked at 5 miles while Tuesday and Fridays went up to 10 miles. The long run on Saturday went up to 20 with 12 miles on the Saturday following the 20 miler. Now I'm going to bump up the Monday/ Wednesday miles and leave the other days as before. Also upping the second and third 20 miler to 21 miles. (The Hal Higdon schedule has three twenty miles run it.) Just seemed at Tulsa I ran pretty much right on schedule for the first 20 miles. So I think if I train with runs over 20 miles I won't struggle as much when covering the last 6.2 in the marathon itself. We'll see. Maybe later this week I get back to running. It's been 10 days since my marathon. Think it's about time to do an easy 2 mile run in the neighborhood or 3 miles on the treadmill at UCO.
Ok, now that I've discussed the Bears it's time to talk about running. I redid my marathon training schedule. Going into the Tulsa marathon I was hoping that my training was sufficient. Now knowing I came up just a little short I decided that I needed to tweak my schedule. Actually I contemplated just blowing it up and trying something radically different. The schedule I used for Tulsa was based on Hal Higdon's Intermediate II plan.http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/MaraIntermediate2.html I shifted it so Sunday became Saturday and changed the mileage just slightly to fit my neighborhood routes. Also made room for a 5k run at UCO. Below is a week nine of a twenty one week schedule. Mondays and Wednesdays peaked at 5 miles while Tuesday and Fridays went up to 10 miles. The long run on Saturday went up to 20 with 12 miles on the Saturday following the 20 miler. Now I'm going to bump up the Monday/ Wednesday miles and leave the other days as before. Also upping the second and third 20 miler to 21 miles. (The Hal Higdon schedule has three twenty miles run it.) Just seemed at Tulsa I ran pretty much right on schedule for the first 20 miles. So I think if I train with runs over 20 miles I won't struggle as much when covering the last 6.2 in the marathon itself. We'll see. Maybe later this week I get back to running. It's been 10 days since my marathon. Think it's about time to do an easy 2 mile run in the neighborhood or 3 miles on the treadmill at UCO.
| week | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | |
| rest | 5 m run | 8 m run | 5 m run | cross | 8 m pace | 14 | ||
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