Shoes....What are these things you speak of?

December 30, 2013 - Jan 5, 2014

Total Mileage - 6.5

We all have to start over sometime.  Mine has just happened to be after a 2 month break due to some bad heel spurs and hairline fractures in my shin. Its humbling (and frustrating) to have to start back at the beginning and realize that the 6.5 miles that I ran this week used to be what I ran in a day.  Hopefully my body will cooperate and I'll be able to get back there again in the future.  I know better than to say soon, because I have a feeling that this is going to be a long rebuilding process.  

I have also made a dramatic shift and, for the first time in a very long time, will be running in shoes.  Which I'll be the first to admit feels like a minor loss in identity.  I also understand that to keep the heel spurs at bay, I needed to make a change.  I'll still incorporate the vibrams into speed work or short runs, but now I'll be donning some serious footwear.

Research is Key

After nearly two months of research I settled on the Hoka One One - Bondi 2.  I had seen a few pairs of them on the road and while I was not overly thrilled with the idea of going back to shoes, these seemed like the cross between minimal and new running tech that I was looking for.  After reading a blog on freakrunner I was sold.  He cut a pair of Hoka's in half to show that they are actually much more minimal in design then they get credit for.  Now I just had to find a pair.

REI - online only

Fleet Feet Roseville - out of stock

Fleet Feet Sacramento - out of stock

Roadrunner Sports Concord - online only (unless I was willing to drive to Campbell - nope)

Fleet Feet Concord - Pairs for Days!

This was my first time in Fleet Feet Concord, and I will definitely be going back.  Its a super small store, but the customer service was fantastic.  Ask for _____, he was a great help.  

Hoka One One - Bondi 2

Compared to Vibrams, these are what I think running on marshmallows would be like.  Even though they look bulky, they are relatively light (coming in under 10 oz.).  My first run was only a mile, but it took the whole run to get used to having something substantial on my feet.  There is a large amount of forefoot padding (I am trying my hardest to keep from heel striking) which is not usually seen in other shoes.  By the end of the week I was working on 2 mile tempo runs.  The pace was considerably slower, and my lungs felt like they were on fire, but that will pass.  My right shin has some pain (thankfully lower then where the fractures were, but I'll be keeping a close eye on it).  I know it's only 6.5 miles total, but so far I'm impressed.

Here's to pounding the pavement once again!

Well, there's your problem...

October 20 - October 24, 2013    
Total Mileage - 4.55 miles

For those of you that check in here from time to time it has been no secret that I have been having pain (and a lot of it) in my right leg.  I chalked it up to tendinitis and shin splints.  Apparently I should have listened to my wife and saw the Dr. a while ago.

During the Johnny Cash half my legs were really bothering me.  I ran a 4 miler the following Tuesday with a little bit of pain (I figured I was just working out some lactic acid) but at the 1.55 mile mark on my Wednesday run (it was supposed to be 8 miles) I stepped down and was pretty sure that I was either going to pass out or throw up.  If it were to be both, I hoped the passing out came second (for obvious reasons). Thankfully it was neither.  I immediately shut it down.

Normally I can shake off pain and muddle through.  This is not an attempt to sound macho.  My pain tolerance just is what it is, and actually in this case appears to have gotten me into some trouble.  The pain did not subside and it was getting hard to place a lot of weight on my right leg.  I went in and had xrays done on both legs as a precaution.  My left leg looked fine.  My right leg however showed two hairline fractures in the shin, and 4 different bone spurs in my foot and ankle.  To top it off, according to my doctor, based on some of the scar tissue and from the really close views, it looked like I had been running on them for months and the breaks had been attempting to heal but I kept it from happening by continuing to run.

Interesting thing is that I have probably had the bone spurs since high school basketball and they had been dormant until I really started putting mileage on.

There is nothing that they can do for my shin, I just need to limit impact for 6-8 weeks, which puts CIM out of the question.  Which unfortunately means that I'll have to wait another full year to try to take down the course that kicked my tail last year.

I probably won't check in again until next year as obviously, there will be no running related posts to talk about.  I'll be back in 2014!

The Johnny Cash Folsom Breakout

October 19, 2013 - 13.1 miles

Ok, the race itself was great - great volunteers, great staff, but it was my worst run ever.

With all of the nagging injuries and issues that I had in the weeks prior, I should have skipped this one.  but I kept telling myself that an opportunity like this one does not come along often.  Greg would be running it too, it was the inaugural race, and it's Johnny Cash themed.  I had survived races before and I would survive this one too.  I kept telling myself that I did not feel good before the Giants Half, but managed to run my best race yet.  I should have listened to my body.

The beginning of the course was the same as CIM and as the bus made it to the top of the Folsom Dam (in my case it should the Folsom Damn) I had this bad feeling that it may be CIM all over again.  Rather than the National Anthem to kick off the race, we had Boy Named Sue.  It was crowded at the gate, but thinned out pretty quickly as we headed down the hill.  That was where I made mistake number 1.  I let Greg's pace begin to dictate my pace.  I pushed it a little harder than I should have (not much, but enough to effect me early) and tried to run a faster pace than I ran in SF.  Not smart.

As we made it down to the bike trail things got really narrow and congested.  There were also a bunch of rolling hills that took their toll on my already sore legs.  But I can say that the sun coming up over the lake was awesome.  It also was the place for the first Johnny Cash music.  There was a guy going up and down the lake blasting Cash.  It was around mile 4.5 where Greg took off on his own.  It did not bother me at all (he is in absolutely ridiculous shape), and truth be told, I was shocked he hung back with me for that long.

As I reached the 10k mark I was about 3 minutes off my pace and was fading pretty quick.  It also housed a ska/punk Cash cover band which almost made me stop and listen for a while.  Mile 7 brought an insane hill full of switchbacks to get back up onto the overpass.  It then led to a steep downhill slope of the same descent on the other side of the overpass to get back down to the lake.  It was about mile 9 where I knew it was over.  I was about 8 minutes off my pace, my calves were tightening and my shin was barking at me.  It was also about that time that I caught a runner that also used to work for me.  She appeared to be having it worse than me, and besides tears, was on the verge of a breakdown.

Being to stubborn (or stupid - its up for debate) to listen to my legs I had convinced myself that I could finish. I also talked Katie in to hanging in there, and we jogged/walked at her pace until we finished.  With each mile things got worse but we managed to finish.  2:48:58.  My worst finish ever, by nearly 20 minutes.

Happy to finish, but not happy with the result.  Shout out to Greg though who still finished in just over 2 hours, even with dragging me for the first 4 miles.

With CIM being the next race up on the block, this was really discouraging.  I don't know if there is enough time left to let the nagging injuries heal and get into a mindset that will allow me to run 26.2.

Post race other than a pain in the shin I was feeling ok.  Greg, Dad, Uncle Dale and I all played golf on Sunday (day after the race) and other than walking downhill I was in good shape.  Still couldn't put multiple shots together to save my life (which means that running in no way effects my golf shot)  : )

Thanks to my family for making the trek to the finish line.  I needed all of the support I could get to get through.

Not good...Not good at all

October 2 - October 17, 2013

Total Miles: 8 miles

Yep, you read that right.  8 miles.  I tweaked my shin a knee and had to shut it down.  It is the same leg that has been bothering me on and off since CIM.  I have tried everything at this point (ice, wrapping, compression, etc) with little to no relief.  I even gave tiger balm a shot.  It seemed to help a little.  I am not entirely sure if it actually was working, or if I was high off the fumes.

I was able to get to get two runs in this week and of course I got the worst blister ever on the instep of my right foot.  I would post a picture, but I feel that I would have to label it "EXTREMELY GRAPHIC".  It is bad, roughly a 2 inch tall by 3 inch wide rectangle.  I found some amazing second skin material at Target and will be going with that tomorrow.

I am not optimistic for tomorrow at all.  I have hardly run in 3 weeks, and have not tested my knees at this point.  Nothing good can come of this.

To top it off, when I went to packet pick up today the following conversation took place.

Check in Guy (CIG) - Are you looking to exchange your shirt for a different size?
Me: Yes, do you have a double XL?
CIG: Sorry, we only go as big as XL.  Generally guys your size don't run long distances.
Me: - - - - Blank Stare
CIG: Good Luck tomorrow....

I get it, I'm not a small guy, but this is twice...

I've had my ceremonial night before the race Mac n Cheese (with gluten free noodles - thank you Noodles and Co).  I've got my bag packed and ready to go.  Now just to pick shoes as thanks to the blister caused by my newest pair of Bikilas, I am going to have to change it up.

At this point, tomorrow is just about survival.  I'll check in again post race with a breakdown.

Just Plugging Along

August 5, 2013 - October 1, 2013

Total Mileage: 76.51 miles

So its been a really long time since my last entry.  Not all that much new to add here.  Just training run after training run prepping for the Folsom Breakout on October 19th.  Since the Giants Half, I have been battling nagging injuries and have had to skip runs here and there in an attempt to take some mileage off and recover, without losing cardio strength.

I ran with Greg for the first time for an 8 mile training run.  Needless to say, the man is an animal and this half marathon should be a walk in the park for him. It was one of those runs where just nothing felt right.  I could not get a good stride going and my breathing was off.  My brother however was taking the opportunity to jump onto and over every electrical box (even those that were 7 feet high).  It was also a little weird running along side someone, as I usually hit the roads alone, but it will be nice to have a little extra motivation to try to keep a quicker pace in a few weeks.

I traveled to Denver for work and got a few runs in there.  It was the week before the flooding there and it was 94 degrees.  Now that does not sound like a lot to those of you that live in Sac, but let me put it in perspective.  That is the same as having it be 94 in Tahoe.  Besides running in super thin air, I felt like I was roughly 9 feet away from the sun.  I was wiped after both 5 mile runs.  On a side note, John Elway opened one of his restaurants in the airport and they had a super bowl trophy on hand.  So in the span of a month I saw both the World Series Trophies and the Super Bowl Trophy.

During my long run last weekend I came down wrong while out on the trail and felt pain shoot up my right ankle, shin, knee, hip and shoulder.  Both my ankle and shin still have some swelling and what is really concerning is that I cannot feel the tips of my right ring and pinky fingers.  My limited amount of medical knowledge tells me that I should not self diagnose and go to the doctor, but I'm going to give it a few more days.

I survived this weeks runs but I have a feeling that I will skip a few runs (much to my dismay) to take some pounding off the legs before Folsom.  Checking the course it seems like it will be predominately trail with rolling hills and a steady incline on the back half (steady, but not steep thankfully).

I can't promise that I will check in again before the race.  Until next time...

The Giant Race 2013 - or - What just happened?

August 4, 2013     Total Mileage: 13.1 miles officially (13.23 miles per the GPS)

I apologize in advance - this may be a long one.

1:00 AM - woke up with that "Do Not Oversleep" feeling.  Amazing how lack of sleep can make you really good at math...If I fall back asleep right now, I can get three and a half more hours.

2:15 AM - Nope, didn't oversleep.  I can get two hours and fifteen minutes if I fall asleep right now.

3:00 AM - Seriously, get some sleep - you have 13.1 miles to run in a few hours.

4:15 AM - Fifteen more minutes....who am I kidding, lets get this going.  Caffeine, check. Gatorade Prime, check, Chocolate Mint Cliff Bar, check (this has become a pre-race food tradition).

5:30 AM - Dad, Renee and I hop in the car and head towards the Bay.  50 degrees, socked in fog, tons of moisture in the air.  In other words -  perfect conditions for running.

5:45 AM - Renee is asleep in the backseat.  The only reason that I mention this, is that this may be the first time I can remember her napping in a vehicle.

6:00 AM - Last year we breezed into the city with no issues.  This year, even with the 5k not starting until later in the day, traffic was a mess.  It was like being in SF Rush Hour.

6:30 AM - Still stuck in traffic, just a few blocks away but we are not moving at all.  I still needed to check in my bag and get stretched.  Much to my chagrin, I hop out of the car and head in on foot.

6:45 AM - Wade through the crowds headed for the starting corrals and make it to the gear check line. The amazingly long gear check line.  Ten minutes later we have not moved.  There is a group of three runners behind me that are starting to freak out.  They are in the elite runner group and they jump off in 5 minutes.  I grab a few stickers, have them write their bib numbers on them and I offer to take their bags.  A few good lucks, thank you's, and fist bumps later, they were off and I was still in line.

7:00 AM - The starting gun has gone off.  By my calculation I have 8 to 10 minutes to get back in line (mind you, that involves crossing back across Lefty O'Doul bridge, past the dugout store and back around the front of the stadium.  I am still standing in line.  Stretching, well that's out (truth be told I hardly ever get a good stretch in pre-run.  I am a post run stretch / foam roller kind of guy).  Finally, I get my bag dropped and head back to my starting corral.

7:10 AM - The walk in the massive crowd to the starting line begins.  My mono headphone bunked out 3 days before the race, so I made the decision to go with the external speaker.  I'll have it just loud enough for me and anyone who's close.  Alright, cross the blue starting mat, hit go on the garmin and get on the road.

The last few weeks of running had been tough and I was not feeling confident at all.  I just kept telling myself that finishing last is better than a DNF (Did not Finish), which in turn is better than a DNR (Did not Run).

Unlike last year, I was not going to throw caution to the wind and go for it.  This was going to require some planning.  I made the decision to go out at a pace between 10:45 and 11:00 min per mile and have a gel at miles 4, 8 and 11.  Last year I struggled at mile 11 and figured that gels would be the nutrition on the run that I would need.

The course was packed through Fisherman's Wharf until we made the turn to head up to Ghiradelli.  I remembered the first two hills of this section from last year.  I forgot the third hill though.  Not a pleasant surprise this early in the race.  Running on my forefeet has made it so uphill is no issue.  I took a page from Lance Armstrong (minus the steroids and blood doping) and made it a goal to pound the hills with reckless abandon and conserve energy on the back side.  Mile 4, passing though the Marina District, time to grab the first gel.   Generally I stop and take these, but no time for that, and I have a pretty comfortable pace going.  I eat on the run, success, first gel down.

Mile 6, headed down through the back end of Crissy Park and Fort Point and the crowd is starting to thin out.  I hit the turn around at the base of the Golden Gate and much like last year want to stop to take a picture, but decide against it.  The best part about hitting mile 6 is that it begins the decomposed granite and gravel trail. It takes some of the pounding off of my knees and gives me a chance to recoup.

Mile 8, time to grab gel number two.  I went with Gu Octane which has caffeine and I hoped that it would kick in by mile 9 - the dreaded Fort Mason hill section.  A nasty little hill that seems to go on forever.  Again, I hit it hard figuring that I could conserve energy on the back end.  What I had forgotten however, is that unlike the long climb to the top, the slope down is crazy steep.  And when you are putting all of the pressure on your forefeet, I was doing all I could to let gravity do the work, but not bail face first.

Barry Bonds' old neighborhood

Mile 10, I start doing the math in my head.  I have an outside shot at 2:20:00.  I had yet to run an 11 min mile, and as long as I kept sub 11's it was possible.

Mile 11, back into the Wharf.  This is where I bonked out last year.  I grabbed a gel, forced it down and hit the last water station.  Mile 11 and mile 12, clicked by.  I could see the stadium and had 3 minutes to get to the finish line.  Time to leave whatever I had left on the road and get to steppin'.  I came through the outfield gate and sprinted to the finish line.  2:19:34.  A new PR. Not bad for a race that I was dreading running a few hours earlier.

Other than a blister on my big toe, and some tight quads I'm feeling good.

This was a great finish for many reasons.  I had a plan for eating on the run and it worked.  I had a plan for pacing and it worked.  I did not have a single mile over 10:49 and my splits per mile were minimal.  I have decided that I am a slow starter - I hate miles 1-3 and know that I need to ease into the long run.  This is a great jumping off point for October in Folsom.  Now its just a matter of staying healthy and training with consistency.

Bling!

Lets get to the starting line...

July 22 - August 3, 2013 - Total Mileage:    27.22 Miles

This time last year I already had a half marathon under my belt and was training toward my second.  Since CIM, I have been struggling with nagging injuries and had to push back any hope of a early spring half marathon until the SF Giants Race.  I finished up a 10 mile in prep and struggled for the last mile and a half.  I was not exactly sure how things were going to go in the half.  It was one of those realizations that if I was struggling with 10 miles, what would 13 look like?

Before I could find out though, I had to jet into the city for packet pick up at AT&T.  Last year I chose mailing, but found that it was a hassle to get my shirt and ceremonial bobble-head (two words not generally used together) after the race.

Luke, my Dad, and I all took BART (not yet striking) into the city on Saturday where it was a balmy 55 degrees.  I was only hoping that Sunday would be exactly like that.  Packet pickup was a breeze but they had run out of my size shirt (we wont talk about the fact that the shirt was pre-ordered...) however it worked out for the best.  I had to go 2 sizes up, but it was way better than going a size to small (I am not Armando Rios - Giants fans you are welcome for the deep reference).  Then we started to tour the small number of vendors that they had in the stadium.  I scored a pair of running glasses which appear to be almost kid proof, but I hope never to test that fact  

While I had told my Dad that the trophies would be on site, I did not tell him that we would be able to get pictures.  Three generations, two trophies, one awesome picture.  

Now they just need to win one for Luke.