Here's my current line-up for 2014. Exact dates, registration, eligibility and participation are subject to change. I will write reviews and hopefully post pictures to accompany them as I go along. Happy running!
Mar 15: Shamrock Shuffle Half, Harmony PA (13.1 miles) - DNS (left calf / leg strain)
Mar 29: Just A Short Run 30K @ North Park (3+ laps, 18.6 miles) - DNF mile 3.6 (left calf)
Apr 12: Glacier Ridge Ultra 50K @ Moraine State Park (31 miles) - DNS (left calf)
Apr 19: Pittsburgh Wild Half Trail Race @ Boyce Park (13.1 miles) - DNF mile 4.5, 54 mins (overexertion)
May 4: Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon (26.2 miles) - DNF mile 14, 2:35 (left knee bursitis)
Jun 1: Dash For Cash 30K - Freeport, PA (18 miles) - DNR couldn't get off work
Jun 14: Laurel Highlands Ultra 50K - Ohiopyle PA (31 miles) - DNF mile 12, 3:30 (overexertion / illness)
Jun 21: Rachel Carson Trail Challenge (34 miles), Harrison Hills - North Park - DNF mile 12, 3:30 (illness)
Jul 12: Hills and Thrills 30K, Freeport, PA (18 miles) - DNR couldn't get off work
Aug 10: Two-Face Road/Trail 20K, North Park (12.4 miles) - DNR coudn't get off work
Aug 23: Baker Trail Ultra Challenge - Marienville - Brookville PA (50 miles) - DNF mile 23, 6:45 (poor strategy / out of gas)
Sep 14: Erie Marathon at Presque Isle (26.2 miles) - DNR registration full
Sep 22: GAP Trestles Marathon - Meyersdale, PA (26.2 miles) - FINISHED! 5:19
Sep 27: Akron Marathon (26.2 miles) - FINISHED! 4:48 (PR)
Oct 11: Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs 100K - Titusville, PA (62 miles) - DNF - FIRST 50K COMPLETED! 8:18
Oct 19: Buffalo Creek Half Marathon - Sarver, PA (13.1 miles) - DNR declined
Nov 1: Marathon On The Mountain - Seven Springs, PA (26.2 miles) - DNR
Nov 1: Marshall Mangler 50K - North Park (31 miles) - DNR
Nov 9: EQT Ten Miler, Pittsburgh PA (10 miles) - FINISHED! 1:35
Nov 27: Penton Memorial CC Turkey Trot 10K, Elyria, OH (6.2 miles) - FINISHED! 1:08
Dec 6: Snowflake Shuffle 5K, Homestead PA (3.1 miles) - FINISHED 26:07
Monday, December 1, 2014
Thursday, May 15, 2014
A Long, Hard Year, So Far....
Health: 90%
Conditioning: 80%
Running: POOP (see 2014 race schedule post for details)
Scratch that on the title. A TERRIBLE year, for and because of running. And terrible bad luck. I've suffered a continuous stream of injuries since I started distance running - everything from slips, trips, strains, sprains, (fractures?), overuse, overtraining, you name it. I continue to learn many lessons about quality, quantity, and walking *extremely* fine lines between productive and destructive. I once considered myself nearly indestructible. But running brings out the best and worst in us, and is an oddly addictive and repetitive cycle of building yourself up and tearing yourself down again. And with each new learning experience, I seem to come back better and stronger than I was before (at least for the very short periods in between injuries :P )
And now for my Ghastly Injury Timeline:
2013, May - Jul: Outer knee bursitis from bike riding only
2013, Aug - Oct: Sprain / possible fracture of left midfoot (slipped while dumping compost)
2013, Sep - Oct: Second metatarsal overload syndrome (byproduct of sprain + running)
2013, Oct - Dec: Left outer quad spasms, compounding...
2013, Oct - Feb '14: Left ITBFS (iliotibial band friction syndrome) - came from nowhere
2013, Dec - May '14: Calf imbalances, micro-trauma, and stiffness (2 miles barefoot on treadmill), resulting in:
2014, Feb - May: Right inner soleus rupture (P90X3 jumping and trail running on ice)
2014, Mar - May: Left mid-upper calf injury / complex leg strain (icy steep trails), aiding in the cause of:
2014, May: Left runner's knee and pes anserine bursitis (below the knee, mile 10 Pittsburgh Marathon)
Currently, all injuries are almost history. The runner's knee is down to a minimum and the calf injuries are to the point where I can actually jog up and down stairs and do a full squat for the first time in three months.
As you could imagine, all of these injuries have resulted in an uneven gait while trying to train around and through them. And in almost all attempts, left or right upper quad / flexor spasms have occurred while running with an uneven gait.
Because of all this crap, I haven't been able to actually run more than 10 miles sine February 11. My road pace was just beginning to drop under 10 min/mile when my right soleus took a crap. And that was a month before my first scheduled race (Shamrock Shuffle half). By the time the first race came, I'd sustained the left leg strain and could barely walk. I've not finished a single race this season. Even now, with no running since Pittsburgh on 5/4, the right calf has needed at least several hours of massage per week to keep it loose as it continues to regain its spring. The left leg / calf is also just starting to regain spring. As you can imagine, spring and plantiflexion are the two main aids in speed / shock absorption as you run. Without these ingredients, I've not been able to run faster than a 10:40 / 13:00 pace in a road / trail race scenario.
I should be able to resume light runs in the next few days as I continue to heal up and feel better. I'm now waking up with no pain or stiffness of any kind in the morning, which I hadn't been able to do in almost a full year. I've not taken an NSAID in over a week.
Mind you, this post is just a snapshot of my training through all the injuries I've suffered. If I'd actually posted in the last three months, they'd probably read a lot like this.
SO, the main lessons I've learned here are that being injured all the time is:
1. Expensive (blown race registrations)
2. Time Consuming (limited mobility, wasted productivity and training time)
3. Demoralizing (lots of time spent angry and eating junkfood)
I have a shit ton of work ahead of me before Laurel Highlands 50K and Rachel Carson Trail Challenge next month. And I don't even care how far I'm able to run in training. My main pre-race goal is to go into it FRESH. And lastly, FINISH. I have races planned later in the year but will not register for any of them until I FINISH SOMETHING. Hopefully I can toss out the history, and June will be the benchmark for this year. Period.
Conditioning: 80%
Running: POOP (see 2014 race schedule post for details)
Scratch that on the title. A TERRIBLE year, for and because of running. And terrible bad luck. I've suffered a continuous stream of injuries since I started distance running - everything from slips, trips, strains, sprains, (fractures?), overuse, overtraining, you name it. I continue to learn many lessons about quality, quantity, and walking *extremely* fine lines between productive and destructive. I once considered myself nearly indestructible. But running brings out the best and worst in us, and is an oddly addictive and repetitive cycle of building yourself up and tearing yourself down again. And with each new learning experience, I seem to come back better and stronger than I was before (at least for the very short periods in between injuries :P )
And now for my Ghastly Injury Timeline:
2013, May - Jul: Outer knee bursitis from bike riding only
2013, Aug - Oct: Sprain / possible fracture of left midfoot (slipped while dumping compost)
2013, Sep - Oct: Second metatarsal overload syndrome (byproduct of sprain + running)
2013, Oct - Dec: Left outer quad spasms, compounding...
2013, Oct - Feb '14: Left ITBFS (iliotibial band friction syndrome) - came from nowhere
2013, Dec - May '14: Calf imbalances, micro-trauma, and stiffness (2 miles barefoot on treadmill), resulting in:
2014, Feb - May: Right inner soleus rupture (P90X3 jumping and trail running on ice)
2014, Mar - May: Left mid-upper calf injury / complex leg strain (icy steep trails), aiding in the cause of:
2014, May: Left runner's knee and pes anserine bursitis (below the knee, mile 10 Pittsburgh Marathon)
Currently, all injuries are almost history. The runner's knee is down to a minimum and the calf injuries are to the point where I can actually jog up and down stairs and do a full squat for the first time in three months.
As you could imagine, all of these injuries have resulted in an uneven gait while trying to train around and through them. And in almost all attempts, left or right upper quad / flexor spasms have occurred while running with an uneven gait.
Because of all this crap, I haven't been able to actually run more than 10 miles sine February 11. My road pace was just beginning to drop under 10 min/mile when my right soleus took a crap. And that was a month before my first scheduled race (Shamrock Shuffle half). By the time the first race came, I'd sustained the left leg strain and could barely walk. I've not finished a single race this season. Even now, with no running since Pittsburgh on 5/4, the right calf has needed at least several hours of massage per week to keep it loose as it continues to regain its spring. The left leg / calf is also just starting to regain spring. As you can imagine, spring and plantiflexion are the two main aids in speed / shock absorption as you run. Without these ingredients, I've not been able to run faster than a 10:40 / 13:00 pace in a road / trail race scenario.
I should be able to resume light runs in the next few days as I continue to heal up and feel better. I'm now waking up with no pain or stiffness of any kind in the morning, which I hadn't been able to do in almost a full year. I've not taken an NSAID in over a week.
Mind you, this post is just a snapshot of my training through all the injuries I've suffered. If I'd actually posted in the last three months, they'd probably read a lot like this.
SO, the main lessons I've learned here are that being injured all the time is:
1. Expensive (blown race registrations)
2. Time Consuming (limited mobility, wasted productivity and training time)
3. Demoralizing (lots of time spent angry and eating junkfood)
I have a shit ton of work ahead of me before Laurel Highlands 50K and Rachel Carson Trail Challenge next month. And I don't even care how far I'm able to run in training. My main pre-race goal is to go into it FRESH. And lastly, FINISH. I have races planned later in the year but will not register for any of them until I FINISH SOMETHING. Hopefully I can toss out the history, and June will be the benchmark for this year. Period.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Training Updates: times, performance, and learning
Health meter: 95%
Split Times - 9:30 on the road!
This past Sunday, I braved cold and rainy conditions and hit the North Park 5-mile road loop around the lake for my first real push of the season. Going in, I'd just completed my first week of P90X3 - which was a big success, as I enjoyed it and felt a lot stronger. As I started, I was quick and strong with good form. At mile 9 or so, I began to get hindered by knots in my calves and right hip flexor that had been bothering me for at least a few months. The one in my left calf was even beginning to cause plantar fasciitis. Despite hitting that wall, I made it 12 miles in 1:50. My best overall performance to date.
For two days after the run, I laid off activities in lieu of heavy massaging, foam rolling, and block icing all the knotted areas. As of this report, I feel good as new and ready to continue training unimpeded. I will contine to focus on these areas until there are no more traces of knots.
After my tax refund comes in, I'm getting my first Garmin watch, so I have more accurate information about my runs to learn from and keep track of during and after activity.
Boyce Park - 28 miles of single track!
Last week, I started both training and familiarizing myself with the Boyce Park trail network in the Plum area. The soccer field access point is only 12 minutes from my house! Because of the locality, this will be the primary place for me to train off-road. The roads aren't too busy and the trails offer plenty of cardio as they're plenty slopey. I'm starting with the eastern half of the park (which is bisected by Pierson Run Road). And the course I'm training on is that of the Pittsburgh Wild Half Trail Race. The eastern half contains the first 10K of the 22K course. I will begin to conquer the western half of the park toward the end of ski season, as the trail traverses all of the slopes laterally from east to west. The race at Boyce is on April 19, 2014. Over 200 people will participate in the three different race lengths offered.
I will do most of my long trail runs at Boyce throughout the season in preparation for longer and more difficult events.
Split Times - 9:30 on the road!
This past Sunday, I braved cold and rainy conditions and hit the North Park 5-mile road loop around the lake for my first real push of the season. Going in, I'd just completed my first week of P90X3 - which was a big success, as I enjoyed it and felt a lot stronger. As I started, I was quick and strong with good form. At mile 9 or so, I began to get hindered by knots in my calves and right hip flexor that had been bothering me for at least a few months. The one in my left calf was even beginning to cause plantar fasciitis. Despite hitting that wall, I made it 12 miles in 1:50. My best overall performance to date.
For two days after the run, I laid off activities in lieu of heavy massaging, foam rolling, and block icing all the knotted areas. As of this report, I feel good as new and ready to continue training unimpeded. I will contine to focus on these areas until there are no more traces of knots.
After my tax refund comes in, I'm getting my first Garmin watch, so I have more accurate information about my runs to learn from and keep track of during and after activity.
Boyce Park - 28 miles of single track!
Last week, I started both training and familiarizing myself with the Boyce Park trail network in the Plum area. The soccer field access point is only 12 minutes from my house! Because of the locality, this will be the primary place for me to train off-road. The roads aren't too busy and the trails offer plenty of cardio as they're plenty slopey. I'm starting with the eastern half of the park (which is bisected by Pierson Run Road). And the course I'm training on is that of the Pittsburgh Wild Half Trail Race. The eastern half contains the first 10K of the 22K course. I will begin to conquer the western half of the park toward the end of ski season, as the trail traverses all of the slopes laterally from east to west. The race at Boyce is on April 19, 2014. Over 200 people will participate in the three different race lengths offered.
I will do most of my long trail runs at Boyce throughout the season in preparation for longer and more difficult events.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Training Updates: P90X3, New Shoes, Hip Running Form, etc.
This past week I started Tony Horton's P90X3 training program. So far I'm impressed with my ability to do the exercises within my current abilities. Well, minus pull/chin-ups... Any surprise my lower body is where I excel from? So, I've ordered a bar for my basement floor joists, and some crossfit bands to add and decrease resistance as I slowly step up to eventually unassisted maneuvers. They should be here for week two. :)
After the Yoga section I did an "easy" 5K on the treadmill in 27 minutes, which is ultimately my target road marathon pace. My goal ultramarathon/trail pace is 2-3 minutes per mile longer to accommodate for stuff like hills, heat, and exhaustion. It will all come down to how many miles I can log and how I hold up in the heat. The strength training will be here to "make it easier" to keep going with less energy expenditure.
While on the mill, during walking, and any other running, I've now begun to work on hip form. This means driving them forward with each stride. This should mean an easier time on all three grade types, with lighter impacts and less wasted energy.
Also this week I've added two new pairs of shoes into my rotation. I decided to get two with minimal drops, as I need some more mid-foot support to at minimum allow for some more speed.
The trail shoes are the Saucony Xodus 4's, which have the great features of Gore-Tex and a Vibram tread. I'm so tickled with these, as they're fairly light for how rugged, they have a shoelace tuck pocket on the tongue, and the heel tread is wider than the shoe so that it prevents stuff like ankle rolling (which I'm prone to). The Salomons will still serve their purpose on flatter, muddy courses, but for hills and speed, the Sauconys are my best bet. One thing I'll need to do to the Salomons is reduce the drop, probably by sanding or whittling the back lugs. The 10+mm is just too severe for my knees, I'm afraid.
My new road shoes are just your basic Asics GT2000. These have a bit more of a drop than my Nimbus 14's and are less bulky overall. I think my feet will be happier and I will hopefully go a bit faster. I do thank my 14's for helping to strengthen my feet, as they're neutral.
That's it for now! I'll be upping the running mileage to 15, hopefully Sunday morning weather permitting. See ya.
After the Yoga section I did an "easy" 5K on the treadmill in 27 minutes, which is ultimately my target road marathon pace. My goal ultramarathon/trail pace is 2-3 minutes per mile longer to accommodate for stuff like hills, heat, and exhaustion. It will all come down to how many miles I can log and how I hold up in the heat. The strength training will be here to "make it easier" to keep going with less energy expenditure.
While on the mill, during walking, and any other running, I've now begun to work on hip form. This means driving them forward with each stride. This should mean an easier time on all three grade types, with lighter impacts and less wasted energy.
Also this week I've added two new pairs of shoes into my rotation. I decided to get two with minimal drops, as I need some more mid-foot support to at minimum allow for some more speed.
The trail shoes are the Saucony Xodus 4's, which have the great features of Gore-Tex and a Vibram tread. I'm so tickled with these, as they're fairly light for how rugged, they have a shoelace tuck pocket on the tongue, and the heel tread is wider than the shoe so that it prevents stuff like ankle rolling (which I'm prone to). The Salomons will still serve their purpose on flatter, muddy courses, but for hills and speed, the Sauconys are my best bet. One thing I'll need to do to the Salomons is reduce the drop, probably by sanding or whittling the back lugs. The 10+mm is just too severe for my knees, I'm afraid.
My new road shoes are just your basic Asics GT2000. These have a bit more of a drop than my Nimbus 14's and are less bulky overall. I think my feet will be happier and I will hopefully go a bit faster. I do thank my 14's for helping to strengthen my feet, as they're neutral.
That's it for now! I'll be upping the running mileage to 15, hopefully Sunday morning weather permitting. See ya.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Training Run - Bison Ridge, South Park, PA... and updates...
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| Yes, that's ice all over my head. From sweat! |
This fine morning it was -7 degrees out. I dressed very adequately, layering two socks (regular runners and light wool), CEP calf sleeves, tights, hunter's long johns, nylon pants, three tech shirts, a dickey, a zip-up hoodie, a windbreaker, tight-fitting jersey gloves, a UA skull cap and a double lined yellow hat. Shoes were Salomon Speedcross 3. I carried my phone in a small Fuel Belt underneath the outer two layers.
So I ended up doing five miles in about an hour. It was slow going in the snow, and I had to stop a few times to clear the ice off my glasses because I couldn't see. Otherwise, my body was fairly happy except for my left IT which acted up more and more, through the little slips and twists of snow impacts. That said, my footing was pretty good because Bison Ridge is a rather technical and unsteady course. There are a few stretches of somewhat flat and runnable terrain, all of which I did just that on. I intended to do 15 miles (two laps) but after an hour's time my knee was in some pain, and had simply built up too much ice on my head and body. All this having been said, it was a very fun experience and I can't wait to do it again (with contacts, ski mask, and goggles)!
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Me Too! I Have Shingles. (Plus Health/Injury Updates)
Mid January 2014. Overall health: 90%
First, rewind the tape to 1995. I get chicken pox at the ripe age of 13! Not only do I miss a week of school (my last days missed until I graduated high school), but I get large, excruciating, rooted lesions absolutely everywhere including (but not limited to) my eyes, the roof of my mouth, and on genitals. I'm left scarred for life as I have a great many pock scars.
Since about 2011, I've been battling what I'm sure are shingles outbreaks, even since before I'd started any longer or more intense exercise. The original outbreak area was always the upper left buttock near the spine. The aches would come, then the blisters and burning, then subsidence. During the thick of it, my entire left leg would be on FIRE, with periodic numbness traveling all the way into my heel. Sometimes, the rash would make it over toward my hip area, which was somewhat worse.
Now let's fast-forward to 2013. During the first part of the year, only a couple of outbreaks in the same area. Nothing to write home about. In August I sprain or fracture my left mid-foot while accidentally sliding down a short hill behind my house. It takes me two months to train that out. Sept 15 I run my first 15-miler with a stiff and swollen foot. Into mid-October I battle second metatarsal overload syndrome while my foot finishes healing. On Halloween, I try to run my first 18+ miler and am struck down with quad tendinitis abruptly at mile 3. A week later, I start getting IT band friction and still can't run more than 3 miles without starting to lock up. November 10, it's Marshall Marathon time. Both injuries all but stop me by mile 13 and I'm forced to spend the last 8+ miles walking. I finish with a 12:17 mile. Now that's tough!
During the final couple months of 2013 I spend most of my time foam rolling, doing light strength training, and running very short distances. After more intense rubbing of my left quad area, low and behold, more lesions appeared. The culprit!!
Now it's 2014, and I'm currently left with what feels like shin tendinitis below where the other two injuries were. The whole area remains stiff, with my knee and shin cracking and popping from the muscle/tissue stiffness and tension. Some days my entire left leg still feels like it's on fire. Some days I'm tired. Some days I can run and keep loose. Others I wake up and the tendinitis is so painful and stiff that I can't run even though I feel good otherwise. And when out running, my left shin gets so stiff that it causes my knee to lock up, at which point I need to stop, stretch, and massage for a minute. My left quad still has spasms under where the lesions are, although they're much less debilitating than a month ago. And during week two, I even had a two-blister outbreak to the right of my c-6 vertebra by my neck. And now I'm battling numbness that travels into my right hand.
Ultimately, I know that I will overcome shingles, because I'm becoming stronger and healthier with diet, exercise, and stress reduction. Even if I need meds to combat flare-ups I will concede. And this is because I don't want to permanently damage my nerves to the point of being held back from my two loves of running and cycling.
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