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.

* Bleep * You, Mother Nature

 June 24 - July 21, 2013            Total Mileage: 65.3 miles

 



 

 

 

 

Seriously, this is what I am up against.  And the lows on the bottom of the slide....BS.  When I left for work in Tuesday it was 89 degrees at 5:15 a.m.  Yes, it is a dry heat...but so is an oven. 

 

It makes it insanely difficult to stay hydrated and even with a full camelbak, I have to be careful to conserve water on the longer runs. 

 

I took a week off while in the bay for my brother's wedding (Congrats Greg and Lei!), but since it was a taper week I'm not all that broken up about it.  Truth be told my legs needed the rest.

 

I've had three 9 mile runs in the last few weeks but I am finding it hard to stay loose, keep a good pace and not completely bonk out in the later stages.  I know that I have to ease into the long runs but I still find it hard to judge pace as I go.  There are times I check my watch and immediately have to dial it back.

 

I have two weeks to go until the Giants Half and I am not feeling confident about beating last years time.  I am weighing in a few lbs. heavier than last time, and things just aren't clicking the way that I had hoped. 

 

I'll check in here before and after the race.  Until next time - may the wind be at your back and the sun upon your face.



Good eats?

June 3 - June 23:   39.6 miles

Starting to get the mileage back and had my first "long" run this past week.  9 miles.  Now in a few weeks 9 miles is going to be a mid week workout but it is worth noting.  I have been working on pacing for the last few weeks as well and while I have dropped a few seconds off my normal pace, I feel that it is going to keep me from crashing towards the end of long runs.  There is nothing more frustrating than having a good pace going and having it fall off drastically with two miles to go. 

I just finished reading "Born to Run" a few days ago (I may have been the only runner never to read it) and it was phenomenal.  I understand that there are parts that may be exaggerated, but as a minimalist runner, that is starting to dabble with running on trails, I could not put it down.  I highly recommend it. 

During the book it talks about the benefits of Chia seeds (yep, the same seeds that we usually stick to the side of a terracotta pot) and a few recipes to get the ball rolling.  So far I have made Iskiate (which is essentially water, chia seeds, lemon juice and agave nectar.  As the chia seeds break down the water gets a gel like texture to it but its not all that bad) and pinole (a chia seed / corn meal mixture).  Not sure if I am feeling the effects or not, but I bet that they are better for you than an energy gel / bar.

Again, not all that much to report, just trying to keep my legs underneath me and run injury free...

Back at it...again

April 15 – June 2         Total Mileage:  76.41

Wow it has been a long time since I have checked in.  I purposefully did not do a week by week breakdown of mileage as there were multiple weeks that I missed.  Life found a way to get super hectic and between traveling for work and tendonitis in my popliteus (that would be a tendon in the back of the knee that I did not know existed until it felt like someone jammed an ice pick into it) I have missed more than my fair share of runs.  However it’s time to find a way to get serious again.  I’ve done well for the last two weeks and am starting to get locked in as the SF Giants Half will be here before I know it.  I also went ahead and signed up for the Folsom Breakout Half.  Greg signed up too, which will be fun - although if he chooses to run with me I will keep him from setting any sort of PR (that guy is a Manimal).

I am on the fence about CIM. Based on last years sign ups I have until late July before slots are filled.  I am hoping that I’ll have a 10 mile run under my belt by them to assess how my knee will hold up (I do not want to repeat last year).

Most of my workouts have just been around town. Now that the weather has gotten nice (although it is supposed to be 106 this weekend) the kids have been hopping in the stroller and going with me.  They weigh more than last year (although that can be said about me too) and I can definitely tell when I am going up or down hill on the trail. 

Greg, Justin, Chris and I were up in Tahoe for the weekend and we decided to hike the 5

Lakes Trail up near Alpine Meadows.  Since I do not own any hiking boots, and the weather was going to be in the 70’s, I hiked in the next best thing: my old trusty KSO Treks.  The initial mile or so was stabby rock, but once we hit the top the trail was not too bad.  We hiked approximately 6 miles out and back.  Plenty of people stopped me along the way asking me about my shoes, and were shocked that I would be out there in them.  I’m glad that I had them on during the descent as it was really easy to get extra grip with my toes.  I can tell in my quads and shins that there was a lot of downhill (close to a 1000 ft change in elevation) pounding though.  It was totally worth it. 

Back Into Action

March 25 – March 31               Total Miles:  12.2

April 1 – April 7                          Total Miles:  14

April 8 – April 14                        Total Miles:  14

Not a whole lot to report here

I’m three weeks back and I can say that it  was like I never left.  Aside from the new addition of some knee tenderness, the pain in the shin is back, and the balls of my feet are hurting since I am rebuilding the toughness (er…callouses of steel) that comes with running minimal. 

I’m on the fence about a half marathon in Folsom in October since I don’t know how my knee will hold up.  That coupled with a tight time of 2:45 to finish (which should be more than enough, but you never know) has me comcerned.  I calendared out my running schedule through CIM and I would actually be running less that weekend by doing the half marathon.  I have a feeling that I will sign up since Johnny Cash is in the race logo (and how cool would that be if it was on the medal too). 

Gluten free has not been as bad as I had anticipated.  Aside from eating the Salsa at Freeebirds (if it is freshly made, how do you all put preservatives in it?) I’ve done pretty good.  Most restruants provide a few options and I have found a good Quinona pasta (I have to be able to eat spaghetti).  I have tried two different gluten free pizza crusts (best thing I can say is they are not terrible).  My friend (who’s wife has ciliacs disease) pointed me in the direction of a decent hot dog bun though.  The issue is that going gluten free is expensive.  A six pack of hot dog buns runs you over $6, a medium size bag of gluten free pretzels is roughly $6 too, and a small pizza can hit you for $14-$18.  Ouch.  I guess it means I'll eat less - a lot less.

I’ll probably check in every month or so until we get close to race time and things pick up again.

The Long and Winding Road... (getting back to it)

February 25 – March 3, 2013      Total Miles: 15.2

March 4 – March 24, 2013          Total Miles: 0.00

It’s been a while.  Yep, you are reading that right.  0.00 miles for the last 3 weeks.  After my run on March 2 my ankle hurt.  I did not really think anything of it.  It was tender on the 3^rd and 4^th and I had to travel to Denver on business that week.  It really started bothering me on the plane, and when I got to the hotel to see what was going on, this what was what I saw.  

Well, there's your problem.....

No clue what I did.  It was a little swollen fir the first day or so, but apparently my foot did not agree with the plane flight.  Oddly enough it went away as quickly as it came on.  Within a few days of landing back in Sac, everything was fine. 

Then like everyone at somepoint, I let one (or more than one truth be told) of the Top 10 excuses derail me for the last few weeks.  For those of you not familiar with the top 10, here they are. 

• Feeling lazy                                             Single Parenthood
• Not enough time                                       Emotional Tragedy       
• Kids draining your energy                          Serious Injury
• Food addiction                                         Waiting Until tomorrow
• Emotional Eating                                     Just Not Caring

Well, I have decided that it is time to get back to it.  I pulled out the huge desk sized calendar and started mapping out training plans for both the SF Giants Race and if I can stay healthy CIM (I really want another crack at that course).  The new journey begins next week…with an added twist.

My boss (who is a competitive bike rider) has challenged me to go gluten free for awhile.  He has done it over the past month or so and says that it is the cure for what ails you.  Now before everyone wants to give me a hard time, hold on a sec.  I am the first to admit that removing all gluten will be next to impossible for me.  This is going to be about cutting back.  Although, since my family is out of town next week I am planning to see if I can go cold turkey for a few days. 

Vibrams – Check,   Gluten Free – Check ,  now I just need to start wearing Patchouli cologne and shop at Whole Foods full time and I will be an official Portlander (sorry Portland – it was too easy not to take it)

I also want to have a moment of silence for my Garmin FR70.  It had been there since the beginning and ever since going into the water with me during CIM it had never been the same.  It finally died this week and even new batteries could not save it.  It’s memory will be survived by its replacement, a Gamrin 210.  (This means that I have now joined the world of GPS technology.  No more relying on just the foot pod. Woo Hoo!)

It’s good to post something again.  It makes me remember why I started this thing in the first place.

To quote Mike McDaniel, “May the Rocky Roads before you be nothing but ice cream.” 

Here’s to hoping that is the case…

Motivation...what's that?

February 11-17, 2013             Total Miles: 12.2

February 18-24, 2013             Total Miles: 12.2

I am not sure what is causing this, but I am suffering from a severe lack of motivation.  I made it through two full weeks of runs, but I have really struggled to get out there.  After 3 pretty good sessions the first week, I decided to hit the trail for my first outdoor run in a long time.  The fact that it was 65 degrees outside in February (which is why property costs so dang much) didn’t hurt things either.  I made it through two miles and my right hip started to hurt.  By 2.5 miles I was in a pretty good amount of pain.  I hobbled back to the house and tried to figure things out.  I decided that it was the knee brace that was causing me to change my gait and that I would make a change to a smaller, less intrusive brace ad hope for the best.

I had a decent cold this past week which made breathing tough.  We had a cold snap so running outside was pretty much out of the question (unless I wanted to don cold gear, and I did not).  I made it through all 4 runs with a smaller brace but I am concerned as to whether or not it will help as the runs get longer. 

I signed up for the SF Giants Half again this year and so far that is the only race on the books. I am hoping that I can find my motivation soon and get serious about training again. 

Over before I start?

January 7 – January 13, 2013            Total Mileage:  21.71

I am still fighting nagging knee pain and it seems like nothing makes it better.  Rest, ice, elevation, compression…nothing seems to do the trick.  It’s not overly painful per se, just painful enough to be annoying.  All the doctor could tell me to do is get a brace for it (thanks doc, did I really have to come in for that?)  Hooray (sarcasm) a new brace!  As you can see in the photo, I am now ¾ man and ¼ braces.  I may as well be wearing running tights.  Nothing like a bulky knee brace to make things difficult.  It feels like I have to shorten my stride on my right side, which throws everything out of whack.  Hopefully I’ll figure out how to adjust.

I was in Portland this week for a meeting (one day) so I had the opportunity to get a run in while in Oregon.  I had hoped to go through a run downtown again but much like when I was in Denver last year, we had snow.  Since I was ill prepared for running in snowy conditions at 28 degrees, hotel gym it was.  Not the best treadmill in the world but it got the job done.  I was not able to hit Voodoo this time around (could not find anyone to go with me), but did eat over at the Kennedy School.  If you are ever in Portland you have to check this place out.

I’m probably going to hold mileage pretty constant for the next week or so, 1) to get my base back, and 2) to see if I can find a stride that will take pressure of my knees.  Here’s to hoping.

January 14 – January 20, 2013          Total Mileage:   13.2

January 21 – January 27, 2013          Total Mileage:   13.2

January 28 – February 10, 2013        Total Mileage:    0.00

Well, as you can see, hoping did not get me much.  After getting through a painful 2 weeks I decided to shut it down for a while.  I was trying to use the excuse of work (I’ve been working 5 to 5 most days) to make myself feel better, but I realized it was just denial.  My knee was swollen, and I needed to give it a rest.  So that is where I am right now.  I’ve put training on hold and want to be sure that I am healthy enough to run The Giant Race again (they have moved it up a few months this year).  I was hoping to get a full or at least a half in this summer, but even that looks like it will need to be shelved.  All in all I need to focus on the fact that I need to stay healthy because I want a second crack at CIM.

On a side note, props to Justin and Keri running a 10k on Super Bowl Sunday.  I was too busy watching my beloved 49ers lose (well that and eating a copious amount of food)

Back to Basics

December 31, 2012 - January 6, 2013

Total Mileage – 15.5

Not running in nearly a month was driving me crazy.  It’s funny how something that I used to see as a necessary evil is now something that I look forward to doing most days.  I got a run in on 12/31 (much like last year since I did not want to call this a New Year’s resolution).  If I can stay healthy, I want to shoot for 2 marathons and least one half marathon. 

I can say that taking a month off from running can wreak havoc on your weight (especially water weight).  As odd as it sounds, the easiest way to lose water weight is to drink more water.  My issue was that without running, I had no desire to drink the 100-120 oz that I had become accustomed to drinking.  Needless to say I have added additional weight.  Thankfully I’m not back to my starting point of last year, but I’m closer to it than I am to my weight before the marathon.

I have decided to take this go ‘round really serious (who am I kidding…I‘ll live with a little more serious).  I recently joined myfitnesspal.com to track food intake, exercise, caloric burn, etc.  I’ve been doing it for about 2 weeks now and have found it to be very user friendly and an easy way to keep track of the basics (calories in / calories out)

I can also say that getting back into the swing of things leads to soreness, and lots of it.  Oddly enough, it is a good pain. I almost missed not being sore all the time (note, I said almost).  Thankfully I now have a Y roller (thank you Aunt Cathy).  The Y roller hurts so good.  Tons of pain while using it, but when you are done, you feel so much better. 

My pseudo younger brother Justin (canuckaphobia.wordpress.com) is looking to get a half marathon in this year, and my brother Greg is milling around the idea running a full.  Either they figure that I was not so crazy after all, or are just as crazy as I am.  I think that it may be a little of both. 

Here’s to rebuilding my base mileage again, and here’s hoping to an injury free 2013.