The Running Streak Ends

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

Not with a bang but a whimper.

(The Hollow Men, T.S. Eliot, 1925)

Tonight at midnight it will be official...my running streak will be over.  I have made it 95 days running each day for a minimum continuous distance of 1 mile.  Unfortunately, testing out my maximum heart rate a couple of weeks ago was a bad choice.  My calf has not gotten better, in fact, this weekend's 1-mile runs were pathetic.  I have renewed respect for those "streak runners" that have gone a full year, or two, or 10, 20, or even 30 years.  I admire them.  Frankly, I'm a bit jealous.  Oh well.  It wasn't in the cards for me.

My streak served me well...and it wasn't the streak that caused my injury--it was stupidity.  Why did I decide to test out my max heart rate?  Why would I run at under 5:30 minute/mile pace when I had no short, fast races in my future?  Arrogance?  Stupidity?  Whatever it was, I'm "healed" of that hubris now.  Injuries humble you.  I didn't even take my running streak into triple digits...it ends at 95.  You'd think the running gods would let me reach 100 days before smacking me down.  Hey, at least it got me through the winter.  It motivated me to run when I didn't want to get out in the dark, the cold, the snow, the ice, the wind.  Spring is almost here, so the streak served its purpose of getting me to run all winter.  Now I need to heal up quickly and be ready for warmer spring weather.  Continuing to force my body through the pain serves no purpose except feeding my ego.  Time to train intelligently.

What did I learn through the last 95 days?  First, I learned that I CAN RUN EVERY DAY.  I don't need a rest day.  It's important to cycle easy days with harder efforts, but it's certainly feasible to run each day.  To be safe, it may be wise to take one day off each week--it'll consolidate gains and allow your body and mind to get ready for the next training push.  I also learned that I need something to motivate me. In the past I would quickly skip runs when I'd rather stay in bed in the morning or eat after work.  Goals motivate and guide your decisions.  Without goals, you stagnate.

Over the last 3 months I've also learned new running routes around my house.  When I didn't really want to go out and run, I'd force myself out the door with no plan and just run.  I'd circle the block, explore the neighborhood, and link up with old familiar routes.  I also re-discovered the local junior high track.  It's only a quarter mile from my front door, yet I rarely went there in the past.  When it was late in the evening, dark and cold, I would promise myself that I would just jog to the track, do 4 loops, and walk home. How hard is that?  Those old cinder tracks are interesting.  They sure turn into mud when the snow melts and rain comes. I hope to do some speed sessions there later this spring and summer.

What was bad about this running streak?  Not much.  Sure, it has delayed my calf from healing...but I believe I'll recover soon now that I'm resting.  The main negative about this streak has been the subtle pressure that it has exerted on me.  Until now, I didn't realize how it's been a yoke around my neck.  I suppose pressure can be motivating, but this streak has slowly transformed into unnecessary and unhealthy pressure.  I feel liberated now that I'm stopping.  I have a fresh spring in my step...with a calf limp!

So this is the way the streak ends.  This is the way it ends.  Not with a major injury, but a nagging pain.  I'm whimpering up and down the halls at work. I'll be back. Thanks go out to Thomas Stearns Eliot...his poem captured my thoughts and feelings quite well.

Does the Running Streak Stop at 93?

I just got back from the gym where I did 2 miles on the treadmill. Just over 1 mile running sandwiched with a 1/2 mile walk on both sides of the run. I almost didn't make it 1 mile. My left calf was very tight and painful. If the calf is the same or worse tomorrow, I won't make it another day. The streak may end at 93 days of continuous running. This is particularly disappointing since yesterday was my best run of the week. I only did 3 miles, but it felt good. The calf was slightly tight, but OK. I was proud of myself that I didn't extend the run to 4 or 5 miles...or pick up the pace. I ran a steady 9:00 minute/mile. BUT IT FELT GOOD ENOUGH THAT I WANTED TO RUN FASTER AND LONGER.  Not today.  I hope things settle down tomorrow. If the calf doesn't improve soon, I won't be doing the Land Between the Lakes trail marathon in 2 weeks.

For now, the running streak is alive at 93 days.  But it's on life support.

UPDATE 1:  I am limping around at the office this morning.  This isn't good.
UPDATE 2:  Still hurting over lunch.  This is bad.
UPDATE 3:  Son of a...it still hurts tonight. 

Should I Stop Running?

A few people have suggested I take a few days off from running to let my calf heal.  Reasonable advice.  I appreciate the concern for my long-term running health.  If I wasn't trying to keep my running streak alive, I'd lytake a week off and then resume easy running when my calf was feeling better.  That's not what I'm doing.

Tom Osler's "Serious Runner's Handbook" is a nice classic book from the 1970's (published 1978).  It's organized through a series of common questions that runners ask. 

Question #104:
When an injury does occur, should I stop running?

Osler's answer:
In nearly all cases, racing should be terminated, but mild running and walking should continue.  Most running injuries heal far faster if the runner can stay on his feet with gentle activity than if the runner stops training completely.  Frequently, I have seen runners cease training for several months due to injury.  When they start training gain, they frequently rediscover the injury in the very same state as when they stopped running months ago. The body seems to neglect repairing itself when we tell it that it no longer has to work.  Mild short runs and walks increase the circulation to the injury, and remind the body that there is work to be done and healing is required.

My interpretation = Stop racing and serious training, but keep running easy every day.  That's what I'm doing.  Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday have all been easy 2-3 mile runs on flat terrain (treadmill, track, or flat roads).  I'll keep going easy until I feel satisfied the calf is better.  I have already seen improvement over the last few days.  Today it feels much better than this weekend. Almost no pain. Just tight and sore.

In addition to Tom Osler's advice, I enjoy thinking about Ernst VanAaken's words of wisdom:

"Run slowly, run daily, drink moderately, and don't eat like a pig." 

You gotta love that guy!  I may regret my decision to stroke my "running streak ego" and keep going while not at 100%.  Time will tell. Again, thanks for the well-wishes.  

Calf Injured?

My left knee has bothered me ever since the 28 mile Riddle Run at the end of January.  There was a lot of pain during the second half of that run, but with frequent walk breaks in the last 8-12 miles, I managed to finish feeling OK. The next few days it was painful, but manageable as it steadily felt a bit better each day.  After about 2 weeks, it was not really hurting, just felt a bit "off."  I guess 28 miles on uneven snowy and icy trails will do that to you...especially when you haven't done long runs in a couple of months.  Live and learn.

Once the knee was feeling better, I decided to test out my maximum heart rate on the treadmill.  I managed to push my heart to 191 beats per minute! Not too bad.  My whole body felt pretty darn tired after that test.  My left knee was a bit more achy than usual and my feet and calves were sore from the fast running and pounding.  I don't think my running form was perfect at top speed.  I was limping around the rest of the day...mostly sore feet and calves.  My knee may have hurt too, but it was overshadowed by the new foot and calf pains.  I don't think it was the wisest thing to test out my maximum heart rate this early in the season.  Live and learn.

Over the next few days, the balls of my feet recovered quickly, but my left calf still felt tight and sore.  I took it easy all week leading up to the Kennekuk 28-mile Fat Ass run this past weekend.  Lots of short, easy runs.  My left calf never got worse, but it didn't get much better either.  When it came time for the Fat Ass on the Lake Mingo trail, I knew I wouldn't do the whole thing.  I figured 2 loops (about 14 miles) would be good.  The trail was mostly clear of snow and ice except for a few areas.  Still, the ground was fairly hard and uneven for the first early loop.  I was done after just 7.1 miles.  The slope of the trail, with constant ups and downs, twists and turns, beat my calf up.  After a few beers the calf felt much better, but the damage was already  done.  Later in the day it was tighter and more sore than usual.  I must have strained a muscle during the previous week's maximum heart rate test and aggravated it during the Lake Mingo trail run. My wife has been massaging the calf--it feels good for a couple of hours, then the soreness returns.  I'll run easy each day this week and see how things turn out.  No running "around the world" with Tony Mangan this week.

Hopefully the calf will be fine by March 12 and the Land Between the Lakes race.

Make Today Precious

I was reading Zen Habits and saw this quote from the Dalai Lama:

Everyday, think as you wake up, ‘today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can.’

What are you doing today to benefit others?  How is today going to be precious?

Tony Mangan is running.  Like he did yesterday and will do tomorrow.  And the next day.  He's running around the world.  Will it make the world a better place?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  He is raising funds to fight depression and that's a good thing.  And he'll meet a lot of new people and share stories.  He'll give of himself...and he'll get good karma from others.  Maybe the world will be a little better while he is running. 

World Jog site

Fundraising Web Page

Why not do something good today?  Jog with Tony.  Donate a euro to his cause. Or go for a run by yourself and make yourself better.  Have kind thoughts.

World Jog Coming to Illinois!

Tony Mangan, an Irish ultrarunner, is jogging around the world...and he'll be in east-central Illinois this weekend (and next week).  You can track his progress, get more information, and see why he's doing this adventure on the "World Jog" web site. He is scheduled to be in Danville, IL on Saturday, then he'll head west toward Champaign, Farmer City, and Heyworth.  I hope to run with him next week (Monday? Tuesday?) when he is cruising from Champaign toward Farmer City.  Heck, that distance is only about 23-26 miles...I could do the whole stretch!

What is Tony's overall plan?  He states "My world jog starts with the Dublin City Marathon on 25th October and continues to Dunquin (Co. Kerry), Newfoundland in Canada, USA, Mexico, South America, New Zealand, Australia, South-East Asia and China before returning home via Europe. 5 continents, over 40,000km, 3 years, 1 runner."  He is raising funds for "Aware" which is a charity trying to defeat depression.  Tony's fundraising site for Aware is here.  Consider donating to this great cause, maybe running with Tony, or putting him up for a night if you live on his route.  Looks like Kennekuk Road Runners and Second Wind Running Club have members supporting him through Danville to Farmer City...but he's got a long way to go and needs fellow runners to help him out.

Maximum Running Heart Rate

Why not celebrate Valentine's Day by determining your maximum heart rate?  I've been running consistently over the last few weeks, but at erratic paces and distances.  Sometimes I run an easy pace on the treadmill, other times I crank the incline and go hard.  At other times I'm doing a tempo paced run, followed the next day by whatever feels right.  I realize that mixing things up is actually a good plan...hard/easy, short/long, fast/slow...it's all part of a good training plan.  Unfortunately, I don't base my decisions on any true pace-based or effort-paced program.  This weekend, I decided to "take it up a notch" by finding my maximum heart rate that could then by utilized for an effort-based program.

After making sure I wasn't alone at the gym, and heart paddles were readily available in case I fainted, I started my quest for my maximum heart rate while running.  I ran easy for about 3 miles, then started to up the pace until I felt I was going pretty fast and steady...then I steadily cranked the treadmill setting as high as I could handle.  I made it to a pace of about 5:30 minutes per mile.  Heart rate peaked at 188.  After a couple minutes of walking to get my breath back and clear some lactic acid, I quickly cranked the treadmill again and made it to 5:20 pace...and my heart rate peaked at 191.  With another rest and fast paced session it may have gone a bit higher.  I may try several fast hill repeats when the weather warms up.  For now, I'm using that 191 number as my maximum heart rate.  My resting rate in the morning varies from 50-56.  For now, I'm using 55 as by baseline resting rate.

Most comprehensive effort-based programs use the Karvonen heart rate formula for target ranges.  A quick overview of heart rates and different formulas can be found at Wikipedia.  The Karvonen formula uses your heart rate reserve (Max - Resting) to determine percentages. You multiply the HR reserve by the percentage you want, then add the resting HR back to get your target HR.  For instance:

70% = (MaxHR - RestHR) * .70 + Rest HR

Every few months, it might be worthwhile to re-assess your max and resting rates and re-calculate your target zones.  Your max won't change much, but your resting rate will vary from day to day and week to week based on stresses in your life--training, racing, work, family, etc.  Generally, a lower resting rate signifies good health and aerobic fitness.  Many experts suggest you check your morning HR almost every day to help guide your training and recovery.  If your resting rate is elevated, then take it easy or take the day off.  That's a good strategy, but rather intrusive.  Who wants to check their morning pulse all the time?  Once you have a baseline resting rate, you have your target HR zones and can easily follow them without major modifications.  The cool thing about having effort-based zones, is that if you are tired or under stress, your HR will be higher and thus you will need to run slower to keep within your zones.  The heart rate monitor forces you to adjust paces based on ACTUAL heart rate...which AUTOMATICALLY forces you to hold back when you aren't feeling well and forces you to pick it up when things are going great.  It's like having a full-time running coach with real-time data to make decisions! 

Of course, having your maximum heart rate and resting heart rate is only the first step.  You now need target heart rate zones for training.  Many good sources for this step.  My favorites are:

John Parker, Jr:
"Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot"
Roy Benson:
"Coach Benson's Secret Workouts: Coachly Wisdon for Runners About Effort-Based Training"
Keith Livingston:
"Healthy Intelligent Training:  The Proven Principles of Arthur Lydiard"

The books above are listed in order from easiest to most complex.  The Parker book is definitely the easiest and most straight-forward of the three.  I'm using it right now to get started and continue good, basic aerobic training.  Later this spring or summer, I'll shift to a more structured and detailed scheme from Benson or Livingston.  If you want to follow a heart rate based program, but don't care for it to be based on your resting and maximum heart rates (but rather on age), I suggest the following two books:

Phil Maffetone--"Training for Endurance"
Stu Mittleman--"Slow Burn: Burn Fat Faster by Exercising Slower"

These are two excellent guides.  While they don't utilize maximum or resting rates, they seem to work well for most people. Maffetone has several other books that I own and enjoy.  You can find them in "My Library" link (also on side of blog).

WARNING: If you attempt to find your maximum heart rate, you should be in good health and have exercised regularly without complications.  It will stress your heart!  That's the point.  If you race regularly, one way to find your maximum HR is to wear a heart rate monitor and really push it for the last 400m-800m of a 5K race.  Whatever you record as a peak is likely very close to your maximum.  After warming up, running several very fast 400m loops of a track works too.  As would several short and very fast hill repeats.

Recommended Shoe List

The Running Clinic has a nice list of recommended shoes...that protect the feet, but don't interfere with their natural movement.  In addition to suggested shoes, they have shoes to avoid.  Here is their introduction to the lists:

A perfect shoe is one that should protect the skin from lacerations and cold, while minimizing the interface between the foot and the ground. The better the shoe is at replicating a bare foot situation, the greater its neurophysiological response: an essential protective mechanism in the human body. In other words, the less the shoe interferes with the foot's natural mechanism, the more the foot will solidify and the greater it will perform to attenuate the forces of impact brought on by racing dynamics. Moreover, the majority of stability and absorption technology are redundant; they are without scientific basis and are especially ineffective in reducing the impact on the skeleton, natural pronation and the incidence of injuries!

Pretty reasonable rationale.  Here is their web site with recommended shoes:

The Running Clinic Shoe List

For the shoes I own, their ratings seem on target.  Check 'em out.

Van Aaken Running Quote

"Run slowly, run daily, drink moderately, and don't eat like a pig."
-Ernst van Aaken

Ernst van Aaken was a great German running coach who was advocating aerobic running way back in the 1940s.  He was way ahead of his time. Too bad he is currently glossed over in favor of Lydiard, Bowerman, Henderson, and other proponents of long aerobic distance training. The quote comes from one of my favorite running books: Van Aaken Method: Finding the Endurance to Run Faster and Live Healthier. You can find used copies of the book at several book stores on the web.  It's worth a read.

I suppose my running streak thing fits in nicely with van Aaken's philosophy.  We should run every single day, keeping it easy.  He stresses that our heart rate should remain below 150.  The guy even lets us drink (German beer?).  Just don't eat like a pig!  Pretty common sense approach.  Run a lot, eat a little.  We often ignore this advice.  Obviously, there is more to fast racing than simply running easy every day.  The book delves deeply into training approaches, but the foundation is always lots of easy miles.  There is a chart that lists the daily miles one should run for each race distance.  It ranges from 6km per day for a 5K runner to 40km PER DAY for a marathon runner!  He does allow walking breaks, but it's still serious mileage.  What are you waiting for?  Get out and run...make it an easy run...maybe even with some walking...follow it up with a beer...but don't load up on too many calories.

365 Marathons in 365 Days

If this guy (Stefaan Engels) can run 365 marathons in 365 days, I should be able to keep my humble running streak going the rest of this year.  My shortest run is slightly over 1 mile and my longest will be 100 miles (hopefully).  Engels is 49 years old.  Pretty impressive!  Check out this story:

Engels runs 365th marathon of year

Seems like this fellow may have already achieved this same feat...but not been recognized as a world record attempt. I'm only on day #76 of my running streak, but these guys have inspired me to keep going.  One step at a time, one day at a time.

FiveFinger Shoes on NBC's Parks and Recreation

These darn minimalist shoes are catching on in the mainstream media.  This past week the Vibram FiveFingers were seen on NBC's Parks & Recreation with Rob Lowe stating that "The human foot is the ultimate technology."  Is that a cool quote or what?  Check out this 45-second clip on YouTube (make sure you watch the last few seconds too):

Rocky Raccoon 100 Miler Odds

Karl Meltzer, the speedgoat, has posted odds of winning the Rocky Raccoon 100 mile race today.  Karl will likely be among the top 5, but I doubt he'll win (he places himself 6th).  My money is on Anton Krupicka, but I'm rooting for Zach Gingerich--a good old Illinois boy. Go Zach!  In addition to Krupicka, Meltzer, and Gingerich, we also have Jurek, Koerner, and a host of other possible winners. On this fairly flat and fast trail course, this should be an intense race.

This was my first 100 mile run back in 2004.  I learned a lot about "running" 100 miles during that race...finished in 29 hours and it was a major struggle!  I hope to go back next year and run a sub-24 hour.  These top male and female runners will be scorching the course.  Men should run sub-14 and the women sub-16.  That is very fast for a 100 mile trail run.  Check out Karl's odds for the top 11 men and top 4 women:

Karl's "Rocky Raccoon Odds" post (January 31, 2011)

I'll post the results when it's over. The race limit is 30 hours, but the winners will finish this evening. UPDATE: Ian Sharman wins RR100 in a new course record time of 12:44:33!  That turns out to be a 7:38 minute per mile pace for 100 trail miles. Anton Krupicka finished second in 13:18:52.  Hal Koerner ran well for third place in a time of 13:26:19. Liza Howard was first female in 15:33:09 (5th overall).

Ultra Runner vs Iron Man Video

Funny video of an ultrarunner and ironman discussing their respective sports.  Especially enjoyable with the British accents.  I guess all of us endurance athletes are a bit odd. Still, I prefer the ultrarunner.



Of course, the ultrarunner "wins" the argument!  Have I told you I'm an ultra runner and not a cyclist or swimmer?  Who wants their ass to be constantly pounded?