Monday, November 7, 2011

First day back

It's been 3 weeks since my last run.  I think that's probably the longest I've gone between runs in over a year.  After the Bay State half marathon I came down with a nasty cold that hung around for 3 weeks.  It's still hanging around but I can deal with the symptoms now.  I've gone to the gym a few times to ride the bike but it's not the same thing. Whether it's running, biking, or hiking, there's something transformative about traveling distance under your own power that you simply don't get from stationary exercise.

So this morning I put on the tights and long sleeve shirt, hat, gloves, and MP3 player, and off I went in the standard time driven sunshine with a cough drop in my mouth and a song in my ear.  At 6:30 I could see my breath even though the day promised to warm up to the 60's. My legs weren't tight, that was a good sign, and I loped off at a steady pace.  Lord, I really had missed this, taking the turn before Harvard Yard and heading for the river.  There were a lot of crew boats on the water this morning, taking advantage of the nice weather and sunlight.  I decided to limit myself to a 3.5 mile route, no point pushing things too hard.  I turned at the Western Ave bridge instead of going on to River St and headed for home.

Not a bad day run; certainly not a record setter but it felt comfortable.  I've gotten out of my stretching routine in the past couple of weeks, and I've definitely put on a few pounds so it's time to get back to a routine.  It's also approaching winter so I want to set up a cross training program that gets me on the bike, out skiing, and even in a pool somewhere so I can prepare for a triathlon in 2012.

And so it goes.  It's good to be back, I missed it here.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Bay State Half Marathon - 10/16/2011

 So, race day came along and it was time to run.  My sister came up for the weekend, and Monica was in her usual race photographer mode. A bunch of friends who signed up weren't able to run due to injuries, and I was almost in the same boat with constant leg cramps that left me unable to do any long training runs in the past six weeks.  I felt somewhat unprepared, and was worried about how my legs were feeling in the hours before the race.  My goals were:
  1. Don't get hurt
  2. Try to maintain a 10:00 pace
  3. No walking
  4. Enjoy myself
 The alarm went off at 5:00 and I assembled my gear for the day.  I had my belt with two Gu packets and a Clif bar, one small bottle of Gatorade, plus my phone in case I dropped during the race and needed to connect with Sue and Monica. It was a shorts and t-shirt day, perfect running weather. I had my oatmeal for breakfast and ate a banana, and grabbed water and a bagel for the drive up. We headed north right on schedule at 5:45, arriving at the parking garage in Lowell at 6:30.  By 6:45 I was in the Tsongas Arena stretching and keeping an eye on the bathroom line. Sue and Monica headed out to find a Dunkin' Donuts, which, being Massachusetts, wasn't hard.




 While stretching I spotted Adam, who unfortunately wasn't feeling well. His friend was recovering from being hit by a car one week before this, his first marathon. And Miriam wasn't able to train due to injuries for this race so the whole world was suffering along with me.  I continued by stretching, started warming up a bit, and got in line for the bathroom again.  Monica and Sue came back with their bagels and tea, much happier.  At 7:45 the masses started out to the start line, which was right in front of the arena.  I wandered into the corral and started getting my brain around the task at hand.  I was relaxed, and spent some time observing all the runners around me.  It was pretty easy to spot the first time runners, the old hands, and folks like me who were wondering if they could complete the distance. The weather was perfect for the race; cool but sunny and little wind.

 We all stood silently for the national anthem and then moved forward for the starting count down. 3, 2, 1, and we were off, although it took a good solid minute to reach the start line.  I had a plan and tried to keep to it, slow and steady pace.  Compared to last year I was much further back in the corral so I wasn't passed by as many people in the first mile. Monica was easy to spot in her bright orange jacked at the first bridge so I made sure I was on the correct side of the road and clear of other runners so they would have an unobstructed shot.  I'll do anything for a good photo.  The course is a double loop, and the first part is for both the half and full marathoners so there are lots of runners.  I grabbed some water at the first aid station and took in the hill at the first major bridge crossing.  After that we said goodbye to the marathoners (showoffs) and reached the far end of the loop where we cross the river and start back towards home.

 I was feeling OK, not perfect but OK.  At one point I felt a little tightening up in my right calf so I slowed the pace a bit and shifted my stride, and it seemed to go away.  You can run on the dirt path along side  the road here and I did, taking advantage of the softer surface.  I walked briefly at the next two water stops, mainly so I wouldn't spill Gatorade all over myself.  I saw Sue and Monica again on the opposite side of the bridge around mile 5 and hit the downhill back to the end of the first loop.  Unlike last year, we weren't finishing at the baseball stadium so there weren't any crowds there.  Back past the starting line and on to loop #2 and I ate my first Gu.  I began feeling a bit more comfortable here, just 6 miles to go.  Monica and Sue were there again at the bridge and I knew that the next time I saw them I'd be almost done.  Miles 8-11 were fine; no pain and some nice conversations with other runners about donuts and the weather.  My pace had slowed a bit, I was running 10:15 but this is where my cramping occurred in the past and I was very leery of pushing the pace.  After seeing my cheering squad at the last bridge pass I decided it was time to eat my second Gu and pick up the pace a bit.

 But, there really wasn't anything in the tank.  I went a little faster, but not much. This is where I could definitely feel the lack of training; my legs were on cruise control and nothing was going to make them feel good.  Past the stadium and now I was smelling the finish line.  Unfortunately with the new layout of the course you can't see the finish line until the last 100 yards. I like seeing the finish line.  Not much of a sprint for me and I got passed by a few people who still had something in the tank, but I didn't really care. Monica and Sue were at the finish line too (how did they get there ahead of me?) but this time Monica didn't run onto the course. I must have looked great in my mylar blanket because a volunteer walked with me from the finish line until she handed me off to Monica.  I felt fine, but needed food and drink.  Ah, chicken noodle soup and salty chips tasted great and we sat for a bit while I ate and stretched.  Then I checked my time (2:11:03, my slowest half marathon of the three I've run) and we headed for the car.

 It was an interesting race for me.  I've been injured for a while, unable to make any long runs and always suspicious of my own body to fail.  It was in my thoughts the entire run this day, constantly checking on my legs and seeing if they were going to turn on me.  But the stretching, the pace, and the hydration all worked well for me. As I head into winter I will cut back on some of the running and try for a more balanced routine with cross training to give my legs a break.  The 1/2 marathon distance is a good one for me, and one that I can do better at with some more targeted training.  Perhaps in the spring, it'll be time again.  In the meantime it's working out my winter training routine and skiing.


Thursday, September 29, 2011

You put your left calf in, you pull your left calf out

You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around...

So I changed my registration from the full Bay State Marathon on Oct 16th to the half marathon.  Three weeks ago during my long run I had more intense pain in my left calf at around mile 9 of a planned 14-miler.  I felt it coming on, I knew what was about to hit, and it happened anyway.  The three mile walk home gave me plenty of time to mull over what my future held.  The decision to drop out of the marathon was an easy one; six weeks was not enough time to recover from this and I hadn't done any runs longer than 13 miles.  I elected to change my registration to the half since I figured with some rest, stretching, and massage I could get through 13 miles even if I had to walk.

The more interesting questions centered around my relationship with distance running.  This has been a nagging injury that first showed up in the final training for Boston.  Perhaps I did something to myself that hasn't yet healed, or is my body simply not build for this type of punishment? I really don't know the answers to these questions, and they have a big impact on my training and race plans for next year.  This winter is going to be devoted to skiing, but I would like to plan for at least one big race next year. I'm actually thinking about a 50K trail run which I think would be easier on my legs, and I like the idea of walking up steep hills.  I haven't had a successful long run in a few months which makes it hard to put a lot of confidence in my planning.

I like running.  I like feeling of getting in a good workout on a summer day.  I like getting into a solid rhythm and watching the miles fly by.  I like the community, the camaraderie, the comisery.  I want to be part of it but I'm coming to grips with the pain and suffering that goes along with it. When I'm training fairly hard I can feel my legs going up every flight of stairs.  Is this normal?  And is it what I want?

One thing that is clear to me is that I'm more comfortable and get more enjoyment when I do more cross training.  Biking, swimming (triathlons?), rowing, hiking; these all need to be part of my regular routine.  If I can add biking to work some days in the summer, or an after work headlamp fueled ski tour mid-winter I think my week will have more balance.

And that's what it's all about.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Diary of a Crappy Run

Perhaps the day a tropical storm is scheduled to arrive isn't the best day for a long run.  It's pretty darn hot out here, and the humidity is awful.  I hope my two water bottles will be enough.  I probably shouldn't have waited until 9:45 to get out here; an earlier start would have been much better.  Oh well, too late to worry about that.  Since tomorrow will be worse I'd best get going.  Hrmm, the legs aren't feeling very good. But they never feel good when I start out, once I warm up they'll get a little better.  Even though I'm just getting back at training after my injury, doing a 13 miler today shouldn't be that big a deal, right?  I did 11 last week and although it wasn't a great run I survived.  Just two more miles shouldn't cause any problems.  At the river and headed inbound.  The legs should be loose by now, but they're still feeling sluggish. This could be a painful run.

Let's take the little path around Magazine Beach.  I think this is it, nope, that's just the parking lot.  How about this path?  Well, there's where I want to be over there, I'll just cut across.  OK, that wasn't worth it.  Past the BU bridge, at least there's a water fountain coming up.  Just a short break for water, and since I'm stopped I'll stretch the legs a bit.  That didn't feel better, but I'm sure it helped. On towards the Mass Ave bridge, gee it's pretty hot out here today.  The dirt path by the river feels good, too bad it doesn't go the whole way around Esplanade.  Approaching Mass Ave, if I slow down just a little I'll miss the light and get to rest for a bit.  Perfect, that means I get 90 seconds of rest and it doesn't look like I'm being a sloth. What?! The walk signal already?  OK, keep moving.  Longfellow or Museum of Science?  Suck it up, do the distance, MoS it is. Why am I getting passed by everyone? And especially by these tiny women who are running twice as fast as me?  Ah, the turn at the Museum, things should get better soon.

OK, how far is it to the water fountain in front of Community Boating?  I'm dying here, this is much hotter than I counted on and my Gatorade tastes like hot tea.  Finally! Stop the watch because this is going to be a few minutes.  Water, Gu, stretching; all needed.  I'll walk back and forth so it doesn't look like I'm about to collapse.  Why is everyone else still running?  At least one or two should be stopping for water.  Bastards.  I can at least make it to then next water fountain, get moving. I love this area and I wish I were feeling better today.  Lots and lots of people getting in their workouts before the storm.  I hate them all.

Ah, this feels a little better.  Wait, no it doesn't.  It still sucks. On the Esplanade at least, there's a small breeze from the river.  Yikes, I need another break because my legs are screaming.  I'll stop here in the shade, at least I made it past another bridge.  It's not that far to the next water fountain, get moving you lazy bum. Good, there's a dirt path here that should help.  Look, up ahead, it's a water fountain.  Why is there a line of runners waiting for water?  Finally someone else is showing the effects of the weather.  Lots of sweaty people, all fitter and faster than me, but sweat is the universal equalizer.  Gatorade and Gu are gone, but all this water will do the trick, I should be fine from here.

This stretch has always seemed too long.  Under the BU bridge and past the MIT students cleaning up the river bank, pardon me for not saying "thanks" but I don't think my voice would be audible right now.  OK, lets settle into a pace and try to reclaim this run.  Thank god the light is against me and I have to stop.  Why are things spinning?  Yikes, I'm getting dizzy!  OK that's it, cutting the run short right now.  Passing out isn't an option.  Stop the watch, I'll just stand here a bit.  I'll just lean on this light post.  I'll just sit on this support.  Drink your water you idiot!  Let's check my fancy heart rate monitory, hrmm, 135.  When it gets down to 110 I'll start again.  135.  134.  134.  135. That's not right.  Deep breaths, relax, calm down.  127. Better.  125. 120.  OK, we're headed in the right direction, finally. 119, getting closer. 115, 112, 112, 112.  That's close enough, right?

What's the shortest way home?  Cross the Charles here or take the foot bridge?  More dirt if I take the foot bridge.  Not bad, slow the pace way down. Stairs up the bridge, ooh, that doesn't feel good.  Let's walk across the bridge.  Let's walk to the stop light. I could cross as there's no traffic but I'm going to be good and wait for the walk light. Running again, to the one hill.  Ouch, a slight calf cramp, we'll walk up that sucker as well.  Home isn't that far away now, I can feel it. Nice easy pace, I must look like hell. Take it one block at a time. Try to concentrate on the sidewalk right in front of you.  Ooh, better obey the traffic light and wait for the walk sign.  Just a few tenths left, I'm not taking the usual detour to add a little distance.  This is close enough, I can see my house from here. I need to cool down, I can still feel my heart racing.  Just walk, keep walking.  God this run sucked.  What's wrong with me?  I don't see how I'm going to do a marathon in 8 weeks! 10.75 miles, at least I did 10+.  How many times did I stop?  Doesn't matter, the run is over and we're on to recovery mode.  Lord knows I need it.

Monday, August 15, 2011

The Simple Life

Running appeals to me on a number of levels.  It can be solitary or communal, depending on my mood or available running partners.  Although it is somewhat weather dependent you can run in pretty much any conditions provided you are willing to suffer a bit, and after all what is exercise but organized suffering? You can run anywhere from city streets to mountain trails to a hotel treadmill on a business trip.  It requires nothing but a pair of running shoes and some comfortable clothing; you don't have to put the bike in the car, or drive to the mountains, or find a place to store your rowing shell.

When I started running I had a pair of shoes, some shorts and cotton t-shirts, and my one piece of specialty gear - a pair of white cotton gloves for cold weather.  Packing my bag to run at lunchtime was simple and quick. I was living Thoreau's maxim - "Simplify, simplify."  I decided to get a new pair of running shoes and got fitted properly and had my gait analyzed but that just meant a new pair of shoes to replace the old ones.  The next big purchase was my Garmin GPS watch (with heart monitor) that tracks my every move and presents me with reams of information for study and analysis.  A small MP3 player was needed for the long training runs. Then I got some gels to eat while running; not really gear but something else keep track of and pack.  My exercise shorts really weren't the best for running so I got new ones, plus some running tights for the cold weather.  Since I was at the New Balance factory store I picked up a new top and a running jacket for rain and bad weather.  At this point I was often running after dark so I found a reflective vest with a matching blinking light for visibility.  My dark running jacket wasn't enough so I found a bright orange one with reflective patches.

Then I suffered my first real injury, a bout of ITB tendinitis that left me unable to run for a few weeks.  That lead to getting The Stick and a foam roller for stretching and massaging my sore and stiff muscles and tendons.  Somewhere in here I got a belt for long runs so I could carry water, some food, and my cell phone.  My collection of shirts grew until I had a weight for each possible temperature range, plus several from my races.  During my training for Boston I added monthly professional massages to work out the kinks and help stave off injury. Special trail shoes for trail running, plus a pair of Dirty Girl gaiters for the proper look.  Recently I've had a problem with my calf so I bought a special calf stretching aid that gets used several times a day.  Last weekend I bought an IKEA cabinet to store all of this gear in my guest room, although to be fair it also holds hiking, biking, and skiing clothing as well.

Two nights ago after my long run I finished stretching and was headed over to the kitchen when I stubbed my toe on the calf stretching device.  I wonder if there are protective toe socks that would have saved me from this?  My once simple activity now has lots of gear and packing and choices.  I do love the gear (I'm a gear hound, I admit it) but I sometimes want to head out wearing any old pair of shoes and a cotton t-shirt with nothing but the sun to keep track of the time.

But I'm scheduling a massage session for next week and I need to pick up a new pair of shoes.  I wonder what color the t-shirt is for the Bay State?


UPDATE - 8/22/2011
How could I forget my compression socks?!  They have been on my legs for pretty much every run in the past 3 months and I'm not sure how much they help prevent injury and recovery but they look wicked cool. At least that's what I keep telling myself.



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Working through injury


Again.

Three weeks ago during a morning run I felt some pain in my right calf but it wasn't bad enough to make me stop.  The next morning I called off my run a short way into it and decided that it wasn't worth getting hurt right before my week long hiking vacation (NH, Baxter, Acadia) so I decided to rest for a few days. I figured it was the heat.  For the hiking I wore my compression sleeve on my calves which seemed to do the trick.  We had a bunch of great hikes including a nice long loop over the Knife Edge to Baxter and Hamlin Peaks.  We were tired at the end of the day, but my legs were OK.

Skip ahead to the Tuesday after the vacation when I went out for my first run in two weeks.  About one half mile into an easy run at my sister's house in NY I felt a familiar pain in my right calf and pulled up to a stop. I can't tell you how frustrating that was.  My plan was to go into the long run part of my marathon training right after the vacation but this was putting my race in October in jeopardy.  Even a full, quick recovery might not be enough to get the miles down in time.

So, the first thing I did (after moping) was to schedule a massage with my guy, but that wouldn't happen until the following Monday.  After I got back from NY I went for a bike ride after work to make sure that I could still exercise at all.  That ride was difficult because of the all runners I was passing and wishing I were with them.  Still, it was good to be out and active.  I ran into Jackie who was doing the regular Thursday night Charles River run and we chatted a bit and I felt a little better about my recovery plan.  On Saturday Monica and I went for a ride on the Mountain Bike Loop in the Fells which went really well.  I need a better mountain bike. :)  That will have to wait.

Monday comes and after work I have my massage with Nolan.  Boy, that hurt a lot but I think it really did a good job.  He worked on my calves for nearly 30 minutes with painful instruments of destruction and I had a bit of a hard time walking right after but I could tell it was good for me. We talked about the injury and he suggested I get something to stretch our my calves and use it many times a day. After false starts at two stores I found what I was looking for at City Sports. I'm now using it 5-10 times a day, every time I get up from my desk I try to stretch for a minute.

This morning (Wed) I went for my first real run in 3 weeks.  I stretched a bit before heading out and ran at a slow steady pace.  There was no pain, but when I got hurt there wasn't any pain until all of a sudden there was.  I crossed the Charles, taking the steps on the footbridge gingerly to avoid any unnecessary strain. At two miles I stopped and stretched again, no point being silly about this.  The final mile back to the house I could feel a little tightness so I slowed the pace (how could I go any slower?) and finished pain free.

Now it's a routine of ice, stretching, compression, and rest.  I'll try a run again on Friday, then a longer one on Sunday.  Perhaps the marathon isn't a lost cause yet.  If I can run a 12-14 miler in the next few weeks then I'll feel much better about mid-October.  Until then I'll just take it one day at a time, and try to work against my normal instincts and not overdo things.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Starting the Week right

Monday mornings set the tone for the week, but I guess that goes without saying.  For my workout schedule, if I don't get a run in on Monday morning the whole week feels a bit off kilter. I always fear falling behind my goal of running or exercising 5 times per week.  Missing the Monday workout means I'm behind the eight ball and can only miss one other day all week!  That's too daunting and makes it easier to rationalize that I can write off this week and concentrate on next.

But if I get my early morning run on Monday then I get to work with the feeling that I'm already ahead of the curve.  I don't need to rush home and try to get a run in before dark, or break up my day with a lunchtime visit to the fitness center for a boring treadmill session.  The little pains I feel climbing the stairs to the 3rd floor each morning remind me that I've already accomplished something today, this week, this year.

From a fitness standpoint it's probably not a huge thing.  I often hike both days of the weekend, so I'm already getting a good amount of exercise.  Sunday is really the first day of the week according to my software tracking but that's not they way my lazy self rationalizes it. I've found that I can't give my self a sliver of justification to avoid exercise.  The best Monday mornings are: wake up, put on running gear that I set out the night before, put on the MP3 player to some loud fast music, and be out the door less than 10 minutes after the alarm goes off.

After that, the rest of the week is up to me.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Bangalore mornings

The hotel pool at 5:00 AM
I recently went on a business trip to Bangalore India and in my small carry-on case that I brought for the week I allocated enough space for my running gear.  Last time I was here I made it a point to get to the gym and run a few mornings but that hotel gym had much better A/C.  In this one I started sweating the moment I stepped on the treadmill.  But a run is a run, so I came down at 5:00 AM on Tuesday and Thursday for my morning session, accompanied by my MP3 player and Indian music videos on the TV.

I was fighting jet lag for most of the week so getting up at 5:00 wasn't a big problem.  The run seemed to anchor the day, getting me off on the right foot (pardon the pun) and helping me adjust.  The only problem was that the steady diet of authentic Indian food was giving me a slightly upset stomach that made running slightly uncomfortable but wasn't enough to stop me.

Another kind of running
The first day I had a bit of trouble translating from metric to English units and set the treadmill at a breakneck speed that nearly killed me before I figured out what I had done.  On the second day I ran I was preoccupied with Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals which started at 5:30 AM Bangalore time.  I wanted to rush back to my room and check online to see how things were progressing because none of the approximately 40 24-hour news and sports stations had ever heard of ice hockey.  I guess it turned out OK. :)

I'd love to find a way to run outside on future trips to Bangalore but I'm just not sure that's going to be possible. Running on the roads would be insanely risky, plus the air pollution from the traffic would make it difficult to have a good run.  Maybe I'll take some trips out of town next time and explore some areas where an outside run would be feasible.  But for now, it's the hotel gym and Bollywood movies.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Morning run - June 1st

My alarm goes off at 6:00 and I hear the radio announcer start the headlines at the top of the hour.  The cool breeze blows across my body and I remember that I wanted to run before work today.  Up, put on the new running shorts, find a pair of socks and track down the calf compression sleeves.  Why didn't I lay out my shoes the night before?  Grab a bite to eat, drink a little left over iced tea from last night, put the earbuds on (Tide is High by Blondie) and start down the stairs.  It's cool and refreshing as I put the watch into training mode, stretch the legs a bit, and take off at a slow pace onto Magnus St.

My first steps are slow and uneven, pretty common for my morning runs.  I should stretch more before running but the first mile acts as my warm up.  Past The Biscuit as the first patrons of the day head in for their morning coffee.  Past the stacks of dry ice containers at Acme Ice, waiting to be unloaded.  Savenor's isn't open yet, and the papers sit on the stoop in front of the convenience store.  I begin to settle into a rhythm as I see one or two other runners headed opposite me.  Construction workers carrying their lunches in coolers are arriving at the Fogg Museum, traffic is light but there's steady flow in and out of the Dunkin' Donuts.  At a mile I'm now running comfortably, still cool but I can feel the heat building.

I stop at Memorial Drive waiting for traffic to clear and see many more runners and bikers traveling up and down the river.  The light changes and I'm across, running on dirt now as I spy a single shell in the water headed upstream.  It looks like Robyn, who paced me in the marathon, and I decide to have her pace me again.  I accelerate and find a new gear in an effort to keep up with the boat cutting through the still water with efficient strokes.  Is it really Robyn?  I don't know but she managed to pace me again regardless.  I turn across the Lars Andersen bridge and head downstream, leaving the shell behind

There are fewer runners on the Boston side of the river and more bikers.  My steady footfalls propel me past the Weeks foot bridge, the Western Ave bridge and I turn at River St.  I pass a few of the runners I saw earlier on heading in the opposite direction, everyone looping in their own orbits.  Crossing back to the side streets I glance at my watch, checking my pace and thinking about the 1.5 miles remaining.  Up Dewolfe and Bow streets, stepping on my lucky manhole cover before climbing my one hill, thinking to myself that Stairway to Heaven is an awful running song.  As I turn on Kirkland I spot a woman ahead of me wearing a shirt from my first half-marathon in June 2010. My pace is a bit faster and I reel her in by the time we cross Beacon St.  As I turn to home I see a small table out on the curb with a "free" sign that would fit in my hallway.  I loop back, adding an extra .2 miles to my run and stop the watch as I reach the table.

As I carry my new possession back to the house I can feel the heat catch up to me.  It's going to be another hot day but I've completed my first task.  The rest of the day will include this sense of accomplishment and some well earned satisfaction.  Maybe tomorrow I can start a half hour earlier?

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Long run without training goal

Went out for a 10 miler along the Charles yesterday.  It was the first long run since the marathon and it was interesting running without a specific goal in mind.  I remembered pointedly when I did my first 10 mile run and it was such an important milestone for me.  This was just a workout, but in some ways it is equally significant. I was running because I'm a runner, not because of an upcoming race or event. It feels good to be out there for a solid workout at a fair pace because it is part of my life.  I was wearing one of my Boston Marathon shirts and I saw a woman with one as well; we exchanged a knowing glance and my pace picked up a bit.  There were plenty of runners on the path around the Charles and I felt more a part of them than ever.

As I got to the Mass Ave bridge I knew it wasn't going to be 10 miles so I went on to the Longfellow and revisited the site of my first lunchtime runs at ChoiceStream.  By then I had settled into my run rhythm and I could let my mind drift as I passed and was passed by other runners.  I rolled up my long sleeves and dug a little deeper for the last 3-4 miles, wanting to get some speed work.  The route is so familiar that I don't really have to thing, in contrast to the trail run I did with Mats last weekend where I was constantly looking at the terrain.

Monica summed it up for me - I'm training for a goal, but I just don't know what it is yet.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Tuckerman Ravine as a recovery day

Arriving at the Bowl

Marathon season is over!  Time to get back to skiing while there's still snow. I'd been putting aside skiing for a while, only getting a few days in the last month before the marathon. This was my first chance to take advantage of good weather for anything but running.  I had a little apprehension, wondering if my legs were recovered enough for this but there was no time like the present to find out. Monica and I stayed up in Gorham, NH so we could get an early start for Saturday which promised to be a nice weather day. After an early morning breakfast at McDonalds we pulled into Pinkham right around 7:00 which was still early enough to get a spot on the right side of the main lot.  By 7:20 I was in my telemark boots with skis on my back; Monica was on alpine gear so she was carrying skis and boots and wearing hiking boots. There was less snow down low than I'd hoped for so I ended up attaching my skis to the pack for the first 1/3 of the trail before switching to skinning until we reached Hojos, which took around 1:25.  That was the fastest I'd ever made it up there with skis on so maybe there's something to all this running for getting into shape after all.  Along the way we encountered some rain which turned to snow, but there was clearly the promise of a bluebird day.
Monica on Tuckerman Ravine Trail

  Just a short break there as we wanted to beat the crowds and we climbed up to the Bowl, arriving by 9:15 or so. Left Gully was our objective so we headed up to some rocks below the Chute and started our change over.  There were some folks up in the Bowl but not that many, only a few people we skiing already.  The Crevasse below the Lip was nasty looking and I was amazed at the people climbing below and through the area. We spent some time rearranging packs and leaving unneeded gear before headed up the still empty boot ladder.  There were only a few folks above us, maybe a dozen at most.  The climb was as usual, steady, slow, and enjoyable.  Just below the top out was quite steep; we were using our hands in the foot holds above us.  By the time we reached the top there was nothing but sunshine; a completely blue bird day!  We watched a few folks who had arrived before us drop in while we rested and hydrated.  Eventually the top was clear so we put our skis on and got ready.  Monica skied the run without stopping so I have no pics of her.  I took my time with a few stops along the way.  Conditions were prime; soft corn on top of a pretty firm base.  The first couple of turns are on very steep terrain, requiring some jump turns and careful balance.  It's a stark contrast from running and hiking, which is basically putting one foot in front of the other.  I have to say I was enjoying the thrill.

The steep part of the Left Gully boot ladder
I met up with Monica at the bottom of the run and we marveled at how many people were now streaming into the Bowl.  The TRT looked like the line for Space Mountain and maybe it was.  We picked up our gear and dropped a bit lower so we could eat lunch out of the wind.  By then the boot ladders were filling up for Left Gully, Chute, and Right Gully.  Very few folks were attempting the Lip or Lobster Claw.  After lunch we headed down to Hillman's Highway which promised some great skiing and fewer people.  Ran into Marta on the hike down to Hojos (Little Headwall was not an option) who confirmed our decision.  Stopped only for a few seconds at Hojos before heading up to Hillman's - this would be my first run ever there.  Ran into a work buddy coming down after his run, small world.  At the base of Hillman's we stopped for a bit to rest, and to enjoy the relative solitude compared to the Bowl. We again reorganized our packs for the climb and started up.  The climb was further than either of us really expected, but there wasn't a huge amount of traffic on the boot ladder so it was OK when we wanted to rest. It reminded me a bit of a long run when you think you should be seeing the finish line but instead see a few extra miles of road spread out in front of you.  Turning around isn't an option but the top doesn't seem to get much closer.  Eventually we topped out in the beautiful sun and took a well deserved rest.  We both knew this was our last run so we enjoyed the beautiful weather.  It was so much more quiet here in Hillman’s.  We had taken the right fork, although the left fork also looked quite good.  Enough waiting around, time to ski!
Monica ripping it up on Hillman's
Hillman’s was also skiing fantastically, a little heavy up top but nothing to mess you up.  It is a nice long run, more enjoyable than Left Gully but without that pucker factor up top that is so alluring.  As I stopped to take photos of Monica I heard my name from the boot ladder, and chatted with Greg a friend from NET.  He was on his 4th run of the day (Hillmans, Duchesse, Dodges, and Hillmans) so I tipped my hat to the energy of youth and kept going.  We had a great time on the run, but the moguls at the bottom finished me off.  That was all I had in me that day.  Ran into Marcia and Rich (Harvard caretaker) at the bottom of the run and caught up a bit.  We drank more water, ate more chocolate, and started down.You could carefully pick a line down from Hillmans to the Sherby, and then cruise pretty well until the rope about halfway down.  Some folks took skis off at the two muddy patches but I did some careful grass skiing and kept them on until the rope.  Big crowd there taking off skis, very festive atmosphere.  The TRT was much softer than in the morning as we descended, first on snow and then dirt/rock for the last ½ mile.  A beer in the parking lot was extremely welcome, lots of tired bodies and smiles all around.  We finished around 4:45 under beautiful sunshine and minimal wind.  Couldn’t ask for a better way to end April.
 

It felt great to have a day back on skis after missing so many days this winter.  Going to Tucks is a lot of work but well worth it, sort of like running the marathon. There are times on the way up the boot ladder that you wonder if all this work is going to pay off in the end it always does.  It's hard to say if I'll ever run another spring marathon like Boston.  Training in the winter is just so difficult and it requires me to give up something that I also love.  I'm looking at a fall marathon right now, perhaps running one with my brother which would be a lot of fun.  In the meantime I'm recovering the best way I can.







Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Shipping up to Boston

The worst part of running the Boston Marathon for my first marathon is now I have a an inkling of an idea that I could run faster. I had leg cramps for the last 10 miles which made me walk a minute each mile, so I know that if I managed to get that under control and do a bit more speed work I could get my time down.  It's a lot like golf, where one perfect shot builds up the hope that you could actually do this well at some point.  At the finish line I didn't want to even contemplate another marathon but now, almost a week later, it doesn't seem like such a bad idea.  My brain is trying to kill me.


The weather forecast for Patriot's Day was wonderful; sunny and not too warm, with a tailwind predicted for much of the course. I really couldn't ask for a better day; in my mind I had been picturing sweltering hot days or sleet and freezing rain.  As is par for the course, I didn't sleep much the night before the race, but was feeling as good as could be expected when Monica dropped me off at CRI at 6:45 AM.  There, I met up with Robyn and the other CRI runners who were taking the van to Hopkinton.  Although she had qualified for the race, Robyn hadn't had the chance to train as well this year and her longest run was only 16 miles.  Her stated plan was to run to BC then exit the course and pick up her van at CRI, but until then run with me as a pacer and coach.  I was pretty confident that if she made it to BC with me she'd finish the race, but I didn't say anything.

We rode out to Hopkinton and an animated conversation about our expectations.  Three of the folks in the van had run Boston before so they knew what to expect at the Athlete's Village.  Two of us were newbies and were pretty excited about the whole experience.  The van dropped us off about 1.5 miles from the village and we walked along the road in the chilly wind.  Choosing to wear the heavy sweats and bring the wind jacket was fortuitous; it was cold.  Once in the village we did the only sensible thing to do - line up for the porta-johns.  We spent the 2+ hours sitting on the grass, trying to stay warm, and periodically going to the porta-johns.

Around 10:20 AM we in the third wave had dropped off their bags in the buses and we were all moving out towards the starting corrals. Robyn had grabbed a discarded Cornell sweatshirt to wear to the start line and I had my Dartmouth t-shirt on - I felt very collegiate.  Two folks in our group were in corral 9, the last one, so we all decided to start there instead of our assigned corrals.  Robyn wasn't even in our wave - she qualified for Wave 2.  As we approached 10:40 the crowd slowly moved forward.  The atmosphere was light, but there was certainly an undercurrent of tension.  Most of the people that far back either hadn't run a marathon ever or hadn't run Boston.  Expectations seemed low, but uncertainty was high.  Just after 10:40 the lead runners started and it took us 4-5 minutes to reach the starting line.  We broke into a trot and then started running at our target pace.  The marathon was on!

Robyn and I settle in side-by-side, with periodic arcs around and between slower runners, or as we parted to let faster runners by.  We quickly lost sight of Clai and Anne, leaving just us two.  I checked my pace to make sure I wasn't going out too fast on the downhills and was happy to see that we were keeping to the 9:30 target.  Except for the very first drop, the downhills aren't drastic so it's easy to start out too fast.  It was amusing to see runners headed off into the woods in the first mile or two to take a leak even though I figured I'd be doing the same eventually.  It took two miles or so before it really dawned on me that I was running the marathon.  Woo hoo!

The first water stop was at mile 3, and Robyn said she's get water for me - just keep running.  We did that for the first 10 or 12 miles but after that I just got my own water/Gatorade.  She was doing a fantastic job keeping me focused on pace and not getting overwhelmed.  Having someone there to chat with, point out the costumes or the interesting spectators made the time go by quicker.  I remember the woman with the sign that read "Drunk (again)" who most certainly was.  The Eiffel Tower replica was impressive.  We had settled in with people who were all running about the same pace, so we'd see them on and off for the next 4 hours. There was a guy in front of us for most of the race who must have had "Dave" on his shirt as people were cheering "DAVE!" a lot.  My Dartmouth shirt got a lot of "Go Dartmouth" and "Yay Big Green" along the way, to Robyn's amazement.

As we approached Wellseley College just past mile 12 I could hear the Scream Tunnel, and it lived up to its reputation.  A half-mile of screaming college co-eds eager to kiss anyone going by with a bib number is quite the sight.  I chose not to engage them but I enjoyed the Dartmouth cheers and reading some of the imaginative signs.  Soon after that was halfway point and I realized that I wasn't going to have a great performance.  I could feel the beginning of some cramping in my calves but didn't want to stop and stretch as long as I could keep up the pace, now around 10:00.  I spotted a co-worker in the crowd, the first familiar face I'd seen on the course, and that buoyed my spirits.

All along the way, Robyn was the best running companion a first time marathoner could ask for.  Even though I'd run the course, she knew it far better, kept and eye on the clock, and distracted me when it was clear I was hurting.  After hitting Mile 16 I said I needed to walk for a minute while taking my water to give my calves a rest.  That would pretty much be the pattern for the rest of the race, sometimes I'd walk for 30 seconds, other times for up to 2 minutes.  Robyn was always there keeping an eye on the clock and supporting me when I started running again.  She had a great look on her face that seemed to say "I know you feel that you need a break right now, but it'll all feel better once you finish.  Now get moving!"  At least that's how I interpreted it.


At mile 17, just before the hills, I grabbed some Gu from the tables set up on the route and they helped a bit.  Just before the firestation I spotted Jeff in the crowd by his house and he took some nice photos of me and Robyn and ran with us for a short bit.  Just as we made the turn onto Comm Ave we passed a troop of soldiers with full packs and we pretended all the cheering was for us.  The turn at the fire station is a major milestone; it signals the start of the hills.  I'd run these hills a dozen times but never with my legs feeling quite like this.  Running in the main street instead of the carriage way was new, but the hills remain the same.  At one point I needed to stop and stretch my calves, this was my only true stopped point on the marathon.  All other times I kept moving.  Soon after that I was passed by a guy running in a business suit.



Getting to the top of the hills at BC felt great, and the downhill stretch was good for my calves.  It was not so great for my quads but they're big, they can take it.  Robyn chose this point to tell me that this was the longest in terms of time she had ever run.  That's a motivator for you. We turned at Coolidge Corner and cruised up Beacon.  Robyn pointed out the Pru which is essentially the finish line - it really didn't look that far away.  Amazingly I saw a few friends in the crowds, or more accurately they saw me and got my attention.  On we went past Washington Square, the Citgo sign was almost close enough to touch.  I was looking for Monica and Bob and Geri now, somewhere along the left side of the course.  But I made it all the way to St Mary's without seeing them and thought for a second that I had missed them somehow.  But just before the bridge over the Pike there they were!  I got a hug and a kiss for my troubles, and was now ready for the final stretch.  (Oh, the Red Sox won!) Past the Citgo sign, onto Comm Ave, under the overpass and looking for Hereford.


As we made the turn onto Hereford Robyn went into full coaching mode.  "See that?  It's Boylston, the last turn on the course.  Now, two more stop lights and the finish line.  Just look at the finish line and it'll be over soon!"  I listened to the cheering crowds as well but Robyn's voice was much more motivating.  I managed to spot Bobby who was working a detail near the finish line but that was all the energy I had.  100 more feet.  50 feet.  I'm there; hands up and look at the camera!  Can I stop running now?


We slowed down and stopped.  That felt good.  My feet were swollen and hurting but no sharp pains.  My calves were still cramping but I could walk no problem.  My quads had started to hurt a bit but they're just babies; suck it up.  Other than that I felt pretty good.  We got our water, Gatorade, then our medals, mylar blanket and food bag.  I ate the salty stuff, drank as many fluids as I could, and kept walking slowly.  Robyn called her husband and arranged to meet at the Mass Ave bridge for a ride home; she was planning on just walking back to Cambridge but I thought this was a better deal.  We hugged and said goodbye; I'll always remember and try to repay the gift she gave me that day.  I think chocolate might be a good down payment.


The walk to the meeting area was slow and painful, my feet were quite swollen.  Soon after arriving there Monica arrived, out of breath from running all the way to the finish through the crowds.  She had my Crocs which felt SO GOOD on my feet.  I changed into my sweats and put on a jacket (making sure that medal was on the outside) and started a slow shuffle to the Park St T stop.  After my experience at Disney in January, I admit it was extremely gratifying to walk through the Common with a Boston Marathon medal around my neck and exchange knowing looks with other finishers and accept the congratulations from others.  It was just now beginning to sink in that I'd run a marathon.

The walk from Harvard Square to my house went surprisingly easy, and while not skipping along I had some life in my legs.  The next day I was pretty sore and spent most of it around the house but by Friday I was able to go for a run again. Except for the cramping and sore feet (and I'll probably lose a toenail) I thoroughly enjoyed my first marathon.  I think that by using the word "first" I'm acknowledging that I will be running another one someday, maybe even this fall.  I spoke to my brother and we're making tentative plans to run a fall marathon together this year.  I know I have it in myself to run faster, and more importantly to me, run better.

I think I've answered the question.  I'm a runner.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Right on Hereford, Left on Boylston

Two weeks from the time I’m writing these words I’ll be running the 2011 Boston Marathon.  Guessing at my pace, I’ll be somewhere around mile 10 I hope, cruising through Natick among the throngs, keeping my ears open for the Scream Tunnel.  Two weeks ago I ran the longest of the long runs, 21 miles from the start line to Boston College just past Heartbreak Hill.  This past Saturday I wanted to run the remaining part of the course, most of which I’d never run.  I started at CRI on a steadily warming morning and headed up the hill to BC.  At the junction with the marathon course I saw other runners who were part of the training runs set up by running clubs and volunteer groups, but I was solo that day.  Not to worry, as the weather was great and I had enough water and fuel.

I followed the course up to the Reservoir and then turned onto Beacon Street which I’d never run before.  The scene is very familiar since I’d driven it many times but it’s quite a bit different on the sidewalk.  Groups of runners headed out passed by, each of them going over their race prep in their heads, or at least that’s what I imagined them doing.  I saw lots of landmarks that I knew in other contexts but they were comforting to see.  As I approached Coolidge Corner I remembered watching the marathon there may years ago.  I looked up casually and spotted the Citgo Sign, an important sighting for any marathoner.  I’d never quite seen it like that before.



Onward, inbound, with the Mass Pike in sight and then past, and the turn on Comm Ave.  I know this area very well from Red Sox games but it looks different without thousands of baseball fans on game day.  Seeing it on Marathon Monday should add more layers to my image of the area.  For some reason I thought it was much further from here to the end of the course, but it’s really only a mile or so.  I started looking at street signs and all of a sudden there was Hereford!  But I didn’t turn right, I am saving that for the race.  Instead I went a few blocks further and turned there, looping back on Boylston past the finish line, past Hereford again, and looped back onto the course the opposite direction.

The rest of the run was anti-climactic after completing the trek to the finish line, but I enjoyed running the opposite direction on Beacon.  I took off my wind shell and rolled up my sleeves in the warm spring sun as I climbed back to BC, then dropped down to the river.  I even had enough in the tank for some speed work for a mile or two, which felt good.  At the boathouse I did one lap to make sure I hit 13.1 miles – 2:07, not bad for my last training run.

Now I get to taper for real.  A few easy runs each week, my last one scheduled for next Wednesday. At this point I almost want to get it over with but I'll work to enjoy every minute between now and the race.  I'm looking forward to not having a long run each weekend and catching up on my spring skiing.  But I know I'll miss it, hopefully by Fall.  At the marathon Expo I'll be keeping my eye out for a nice fall marathon to sign up for.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Welcome to Hopkinton

As we drove past the sign reading "Welcome to Hopkinton" it occurred to me that we'd been driving in the van for a long time.  We started at CRI and were about to be dropped off for a 21 mile run along the course to Boston College just past the top of Heartbreak Hill.  This was going to be my longest training run for Boston, my longest run ever, actually.  I'd done 18 two weeks earlier so I felt ready, but just four weeks ago I had to walk back from a run because my ACL had seized up. There were nine runners, five who had run Boston before and four of us who'd never been to the start of the marathon.We got dropped off at 8:00, grabbed a Gu or two, used the porta-potty one more time and without even thinking about it we were running on the course at 8:15.

Because it was just under 30 degrees I was wearing wind pants and my jacket plus hat and gloves. The first 6 miles are generally downhill and I started out faster than I should have.  I was running with two women from our group and we fell into a pretty good routine. We didn't stop at the first water stop but did so at the second one where we began to separate.  Heather and Jen ran slightly faster and I hung back a bit and ran at at my target pace.  The middle miles passed under my feet easily, and I stopped briefly at each of the water stations, grabbing a handful of M&M's or Swedish Fish.

There were lots of images along the way that stuck in my mind.  The "Entering Framingham" and "Natick" signs, passing Bacon Street which seemed like a taunt at the time, the two vans of screaming women that drove along the course, crossing 128, making the turn at the fire station and heading up the hills. There were a few people that I kept seeing the whole way; I'd pass them and they'd pass me, not sure who finished first. At mile 17 I caught up to Heather and Jen, who decided to walk at 16.5.  Heather was coming back from an ankle injury and Jen walked with her for a mile and then resumed running.  She ended up finishing just a little bit behind me so she must have run the last 4 miles pretty well.

At the fire station I was entering familiar territory - I'd run this stretch of the course many times so I knew what was ahead.  There are three main hills and the first one went by moderately quickly.  On the second hill I started feeling a little cramping in my calves, something I have dealt with in the past and probably should have stopped to stretch but I knew the end was in sight. So I changed my stride a bit to help my calves and started up Heartbreak Hill.  If it wasn't for the cramping it would have been no problem, but it wasn't bad.  I crested the hill and someone said that the finish line was only a few 100 yards ahead.  I saw a crowd of folks and a line painted on the road.  Some people cheered, a kid handed me some St Patrick's Day beads, I hit the stop button on the watch and stopped running for the first time in three and a half hours.

I felt surprisingly good after the run, no knee pain, legs and hips alright, and just a bit of cramping in the calves.  I'll work on my hydration and start my taper which should help.  I've got the hard work out of the way and I'm feeling strong enough to make it the starting line in good shape.  The run this weekend left me feeling sore, but confident for Patriot's Day weekend.  I felt good enough at mile 21 that with a little stretching I could have run another 5 miles.

Right on Hereford, left on Boylston, here I come!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

One Month to go

This past Sunday I ran 13.1 miles along the Charles River and it was an "easy" long run.  I've got two more long runs before the marathon; 21 miles this weekend on the marathon course (Hopkinton to BC) and then another 13-14 the following weekend.  The weekend before the marathon is a short run (6-8 miles) and then taper until the big day.  It's getting closer, and I'm getting a little anxious about not doing anything new or different that would risk injury.  The legs are feeling pretty good and I want them to stay that way for another three weeks.

The run this weekend is a dry run for the marathon - I'm going to be using the same clothes, socks, shoes, etc.  The forecast is for temps in the 30's and sunny, hopefully the race day will be a little warmer than that.  But there's no rain (or snow) in the forecast so that's a plus.  This weekend is the time when all the fund raising (Plug! Plug!) groups stage a supported run along the route.  I've never seen the start of the course so it will be great getting some experience on the downhill at the start.  Runners say that the downhill is the hard part, so it's important to me to know what to expect.

I'm trying not to look past Patriot's Day.  I have all sorts of plans for the spring and summer but I'll just have to wait and see how I feel after the race.  I may never want to do one of these again or I may sign up for a fall marathon.  Let's get one finished before I worry about that.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Light at the End of the Tunnel?

I'm basking in the glow of an 18.5 mile run yesterday. I'm also sitting with an ice pack on my left knee as a preventive measure, but otherwise feeling pretty good.  I took a full week off after the last long run, skied up to Tuckerman Ravine the following Saturday, then did a few easy runs last week.  They were treadmill sessions, 3.1 and 4.3 miles, and my knee felt pretty good.  I've started using an ITB compression wrap that seems to help alleviate the pain and inflammation.

This past weekend was the NATO Telefest at Mad River Glen, an event I've attended for the past 10 years or so that I wasn't prepared to miss.  We skied all day on Saturday and I drove home Sunday morning, getting home by noon and starting my run at 1:00 PM. It was pretty warm, but there were some cold breezes so I ended up with more clothing than I needed.  I chose to run along the Charles River on the bike path, parking the car on the Cambridge side and looping up around the Beacon St bridge.  That would be close to 15 miles, and depending on how I felt I would add another loop.  At around 2 miles I felt a little discomfort, not quite pain, from my left knee and I was worried that this would be another disappointing run.

But nothing else happened. Headwinds along the Boston side of the river were a pain, but I made it through to the Harvard bridges, then Elliot St, then Arsenal St, still feeling pretty good.  As I crossed the river at Beacon I was feeling pretty positive, thinking that 20 miles wasn't out of the question.  The next stretch was a bit taxing, as it seemed to take forever to hit 10 miles according to my watch, then the rest of the mileage ticked by slowly.  I was keeping a steady pace, just over 10 minute miles, and my MP3 player was helping me ignore the time.  Running on dirt was also a big help, and I'm sure my knees are thanking me for that today.

At the Elliot St bridge I did some quick calculations and figured I'd be around 14 when I got back to my car.  Since I wanted to run further than that I had a few options but decided to just continue the loop and then run a second, smaller loop to add mileage as needed.  I could feel that I needed more fluids at this point and was cursing the fact that my belt only carries two bottles, not four.  Food wasn't a problem but liquid certain was beginning to affect me.  At the car I decided to keep running rather than stop for the Gatorade I had stashed in there, reasoning that the last two times I had problems with my ITB it was after a stop.  Up til now I hadn't stopped at all on the run, just a few jogging in place moments at traffic lights.

So, the second loop started and I passed by the Science Museum again, then along the windy Boston side of the Esplanade.  There were times I just put my head down and watched the path in front of my feet just rolling by.  Slowly.  I knew the pace had slowed down but it really didn't matter to me; I was still running 10:35s and that was fine.  Across the Mass Ave bridge (go Smoots!) and looping back towards my car as my watch ticked to 18 miles!  Woo hoo!  I had broken yet another barrier that I'd placed in front of myself. At this point I was out of water and I felt my calves beginning to cramp up a little.  Rather than push on to 20 miles I decided to loop across Memorial Drive and shoot for 18.5 to finish.  That would be a success for me.

At the car I stopped for the first time in 3 hours, waiting for my knee to lock up in pain.  But nothing happened, it still was a bit tender but no real pain.  A very positive sign.  I got the Gatorade from the car and spent a little time stretching, then drove home.  Getting out of my car at home I experienced some real cramping of my thigh, to the point where I couldn't walk or even shuffle, I just had to stand and stretch in place until the pain subsided.  At home I drank lots more, ate some, and stretched for 20 minutes.  Then I sat in an ice bath for 5 of the most painful minutes I've ever experienced.

Today I'm feeling pretty good, muscles and joints mostly fine, with a little tenderness in the ITB. I've been applying ice and taking some Ibuprofen to keep the pain and any swelling down, so far so good.  Not sure when the next run is coming up, tomorrow or the next day, but I'm actually looking forward to the 20 miler in two weeks.  If that's not success, I don't know what is.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Frustration and hope

It's March 2nd and I'm suffering through another bout of ITB tendinitis after a painful run last weekend. I felt fine for the first 3-4 miles of the run, then a little pain in my knee.  I slowed down due to the pain and it didn't really bother me so I didn't think much of it.  I was alone at the third water stop (at 7.5 miles) and I stopped to stretch a bit and as soon as I started running again I felt a strong and familiar pain in my left knee; the ITB tendinitis was back.  This was similar to the previous week when I had a similar pain after stopping briefly to stretch at 15 miles into the run.  I was preparing myself for the push to an 18 mile day and now I was stuck 7.5 miles from my car.

A car pulled up and a fellow asked if I was hurt (I was) and wanted a lift back to my car.  I almost took it but I knew that Heather and Errol were still out on the route and I didn't want to disappear.  I told him I was OK and started walking back to see if things would loosen up.  Heather caught up soon and we exchanged phone numbers so I could call if needed.  Since my walk might be long I popped into a Dunkin' Donuts for a hot cocoa and kept walking.  Errol caught up with me and we chatted a bit then he took off.  The walk to the fire station at the corner of Washington St and Comm Ave went slowly and a little painfully, but at times my knee felt OK.

On Comm Ave I started doing a walk/run combo, eventually running up to 15 minutes at a time with a 5 minute walk in between.  The uphills were the easiest, I ran all three major hills up to BC.  The downhill was much more difficult and painful, and I ended up walking most of the way down Lake Street before running the last half mile to CRI where I met up with Errol and Heather.  My knee wasn't screaming in pain, but I could certainly feel the familiar sensation of an inflamed ITB.

At home I stretched and used my foam roller, which didn't offer any immediate relief but at least made me feel like I was doing something.  My brother suggested a cold water soak, and I lasted all of about 1 minute in the tub.  Maybe the water was too cold, maybe I'm a wimp. Either way, it was certainly invigorating.  I kept ice on the knee for much of the afternoon, took some vitamin I, and rested.

So, here I am, 7 weeks from the marathon and I haven't run more than 16 miles.  I'm disappointed, frustrated, but still hopeful.  I know that rest is the most important thing for me, not pushing myself through painful miles that will leave me limping and useless.  I will be adjusting my pace and trying to avoid stopping during long runs, which seems to be a trigger.  The foam roller is my friend, and I just picked up an ITB compression band which I'll try out on shorter runs.  Walking eventually allowed the knee to loosen up and I was able to run on it, at least for some distance after the problem showed up.  I know that if it happens during the marathon I have options besides just stopping, and that makes me feel positive.  I also know that I'm fit enough to make it 26 miles if I have no relapse of the injury.  So, I have my work cut out for me and that is to arrive at the starting line uninjured and in the right state of mind.  After that, who knows what will happen but I'm going to be at the start line no matter what.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

February Grinds On

I'm beginning to comprehend the reality of marathon training for Boston when you live here in the snowy northeast.  What used to be relaxing, shorts and t-shirt mornings along the Charles River are now bundled up and uncomfortable runs while fighting headwinds, icy streets, and dwindling light.  Where I used to be able to just throw on some shorts and a t-shirt I know have to find all my cold weather gear, check the forecast, and sometimes ramble though knee high snow to reach the cleared street on the other side of my work parking lot.

Once out there running things aren't so different, but they're different enough.  Some days the old magic is back, but the weeks of pounding are starting to take their toll. My legs hurt a good chunk of the week after my long runs; either from tender IT bands or cramps in my calves.  As my weekly mileage numbers climb and the long runs get longer I can sense that the body has limits.  There are plenty of folks with higher limits than mine, but it'll take me a long time to build up to those levels, if they ever happen. There's running gear scattered all over the house, and the sand and salt from my running shoes is making a mess of the floor near my front door.

This is not to say that I'm not getting enjoyment from the training.  I've run longer than I've ever gone in my life and the feeling of accomplishment with each long run is palpable. Running on the weekends on the marathon route allows me to feel part of a community of runners who all know about the first two paragraphs I've just written.  They get it, and they're still out there on Comm Ave avoiding slush puddles and dealing with headwinds.  I also got to buy a lot of new gear, which is always fun.

So we head to the end of February and I am juggling long runs with the few remaining skiing weekends I can have before my training schedule pretty much makes them impossible.  But by then the weather should be warmer and the taper will be within striking distance. The marathon itself is too abstract right now, the training is concrete.  But for now training is one foot in front of the other, which is what's going to get me through the marathon as well.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Snowy Night Run

Yesterday was a snow day, 6"-8" on the ground with the storm winding down by 7:00 PM.  I worked from home all day, being productive but feeling some cabin fever as the day wore on.  Plus, with another storm forecast for the next day I was going to be without workout for two days straight.  This was on top of not doing a long run over the weekend because I was teaching backcountry skiing for the AMC in NH.  At 8:30 PM I headed out to do some shoveling, my housemates had already done a great first pass so I was just widening the sidewalk and clearing off my car.

Well, it wasn't that bad outside.  The snow had stopped, the temps were moderate, and the streets were in decent shape.  A strange thought occurred to me; Why not go for a run?  So I finished my shoveling and headed back inside to get dressed.  Bright orange jacket, reflective vest, flashing lights on my back and arms, headlamp, reflective patches on pants, jacket, and gloves, trail running shoes; I was ready.  I started out on the road but switched to the sidewalk once I made it over to Cambridge.  They were mostly cleared but I had to pick my way a bit carefully, especially at street crossings.

I ran my usual 4 mile loop, out to Harvard Square, to the river, on the bike path to JFK, cross the river at the River Street bridge, and back home.  Going through Harvard Square was eerie, only a few people out and giving me odd stares. I was watching for cars carefully as I don't think they were expecting me.  Crossing Memorial Drive was uneventful except for clearing the snowbank and I was on the bike path.  It was in adequate shape, but I was glad for the trail shoes.  At the first bridge I worked around the sidewalk plow and got some good pavement for a bit, but it was slippery going up the slope of the bridge.

On the Boston side of the river I was the only one around.  It's surprisingly bright when the city is covered with snow and all the lights are on. I had no problem with visibility, unlike some morning runs in the dark. I stepped aside for the sidewalk plow and then dropped into his wake, just like I've done on the highway during a bad storm.  I don't think he was amused having me behind him with my headlamp but he had other concerns.  I figured if this stretch was OK, the final stretch to River St would be fine; alas, it was still filled with 4" of slush and snow, making for a high stepping gait that wasn't very fast.

On the way back up the Cambridge side there were cross country ski tracks along side the path.  At one point they went over a bench that was buried in the snow.  I made a poor choice at the last bridge and stayed on the river side of Memorial Drive, which wasn't cleared of snow and had to run 1/4 of a mile in 6" of snow and spray from the snowplows.  I was cursing myself the whole way, hoping that I wouldn't twist an ankle or do something stupid.  And I couldn't cross the road without wading through 5' snowbanks.  Oh well. At the intersection I was back on real snow and headed for home.  There was one interesting scene where a car had parked on a street that was supposed to be clear for the plows and two very large plows where waiting for a woman to move.  The lead plow was only inches from her bumper encouraging her to get moving.  No one looked happy.

Back to Kirkland and nearly home.  I had to pass a group on a narrow sidewalk with a "On your left" but they seemed confused by this. Passing Beacon St and then turning towards my house.  A few neighbors were out late shoveling and gave me a friendly but wary wave as I climbed my stairs and headed back to the warmth.

It was a great run, if not fast or far.  I would never have gone for a run like this if I hadn't been training for the marathon, but I don't see why that should limit me.  Getting daily exercise is now part of my regular schedule, no matter how it happens.  Certainly in summer it'll be easier, but I like not being limited by weather or time.  It's really just a state of mind, the human body can do most anything with the right clothing and attitude.


Please consider helping out my marathon fund raising for G-Row by clicking on the link on the upper left of this page.  I'm 1/3 of the way to my goal and looking forward to being able to concentrate only on the training part.  Thank you to everyone who has donated so far.

Monday, January 24, 2011

On beyond 13

Today's run has been in the works for a long time.  After being sidelined by my ITB injury I ran a 12 mile run the first week back.  This week has been some running and a full day of telemark skiing on Saturday but I really wanted to start pushing my distance.  The forecast was for a very cold day, temps in the single digits, but the weathermen seemed to moderate and by the time I parked on Comm Ave it was nearly 20 with some solid sunshine.  Maria arrived just after 11:00 and we quickly got ready and headed out.

My goal was 14; Maria was looking for anything over 13. We started along the marathon route, over Heartbreak Hill and down towards the fire station.  Because of all the snow we didn't want to continue on the normal route so we stayed on the carriageway along Comm Ave until it ran out at 5 miles total.  There, we turned around and headed back up the hills.  Maria had an easy stride, deceptively racking up the miles and keeping our pace up around 9:30.  As we hit the hills I asked to back the pace off a bit as I was feeling yesterday's skiing and the hills.  We climbed Heartbreak Hill and got to our cars just past 10 miles.  Maria stopped briefly to get some Bloks out of her car, I continued inbound hoping to run 2 more miles and then back.

I'd never run this part of Comm Ave, and rarely driven it.  Without a carriageway I ran on the sidewalk which made it hard to keep up a good rhythm. Maria caught up to me as I waited for a traffic light and we ran along a bit before another carriageway opened up, but of course it had more hills.  She turned around just at 11.5 miles at the base of a big hill, I ran on up another hill and decided to turn around just before 12 miles to avoid a steep descent past Kindred Hospital.  The run back to the car was slow and a little painful, I was now running 11 minute miles and I could feel a little cramping in my calves. But I distinctly remember the point when my watch clicked over to 13.2 miles; it was an important point in my running career.  I figured I'd be a little short of 14 and sure enough my watch read 13.6 so I had to go a little further.  Unfortunately, the first few tenths after that is uphill and I tacked on a little extra to be sure.  Total distance, 14.16 miles.

My legs were quite sore when I finished, and the calves were still a little crampy.  I drank more water and had another Gu, but I was feeling it pretty badly.  I tried to stretch but it was tough on the sidewalk in front of the Dunkin' Donuts to really get into it so I hopped (staggered) in the car and headed for CRI where I turned in my official 2011 Boston Marathon entry form.

So I've now run past 13.1 miles.  Running another 12 after what I did seems like a pretty tall order, but that's why I'm doing all this training.  I definitely feel like I'm entering new territory now, as the longer runs start adding up.  Next weekend I'm teaching backcountry skiing for the AMC so I won't have a chance for a long run, the following weekend will have to make up for it.

Please consider contributing to my fund raising campaign for the G-Row program; giving athletic and academic assistance to girls in the Boston public school system. There's a link in the upper left of this page, please consider a contribution. And thank you to all of you who've already contributed; I appreciate your help.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Working through injury

It's been a while since I wrote here, mainly because I was forced to take off two weeks from running due to a painful bit of ITB tendinitis.  After a 10 mile run on 12/24 I felt some serious pain on the side of my right knee.  I'd experienced this before and knew what it was, my Iliotibial Band, a tendon that runs from the hip to the knee, was inflamed. The best thing to do is rest, and that meant no skiing or running for a few weeks.  At first, I could barely walk without pain, and going down stairs was agony.  I alternated ice for the pain and heat to promote healing, but rest time is the best cure.

Almost exactly two weeks after the pain started I was scheduled to run the Disney half marathon in Orlando.  I really wanted to run this race, going through the parks would be great and the finisher's medal was really nice (Donald Duck). I tried a brief run the day before I was going to fly down to Orlando but it was clear that I would be in a lot of pain if I ran, probably setting back the rest of my training by several weeks. It just wasn't worth it.

We went to Orlando anyway, my brother was running the marathon on Sunday and I wanted to be there to support him.  It was great seeing the whole family, but walking around the park and seeing all the runners still wearing their medals was almost as painful as the knee. I couldn't even wear the shirt and try to blend in because it would be misrepresentation or bearing false witness or something.  That was the low point of the weekend, but I cheered myself up by thinking bad thoughts about all those who ran.

While at the Expo, Monica bought me The Stick to speed my recovery and help prevent a recurrence.  All I know so far is that it's painful, so that's got to be good, right?  Actually, it does seem to help a lot, and combined with ice, stretching, the foam roller, and ibuprofen I've been able to run this past week, even a 12 miler on the marathon course this Saturday.  I'm still working on a full recovery, but I'm back running again and that makes all the difference in the world.