Sick or Allergies?

I've been feeling crappy the last 4-5 days.  I even took 2 full days off from running...but it didn't help.  I still feel tired, lethargic, and "not quite right" in the head and lungs.  Friends might say I'm never quite right in the head...but I'm talking about being sort of stuffed up and congested.  Not a full-blown cold...just "not quite right."  I took an Alavert this morning and will continue to do so the rest of this week.  If it's allergies that are bugging me, I should feel better after a day or two.  If it's something more, then I'll probably have full symptoms in a day or two.  Or maybe my body will fight it off and I'll be fine by mid-week.  I skipped the 5-hour trail run with the Kennekuk Road Runners this past weekend...and that was a good choice.  That tough Clear Pond trail would have killed me!  I'm planning on consistent, easy runs this whole week.  Nothing too long, nothing too fast.  I did 3 miles on the treadmill this morning...and I felt rather lousy.  Hope the allergy medication helps.  I'd like to get in a few long runs in the next 4-6 weeks.  Howl at the Moon 8-Hour race is less than 7 weeks away.  Easy 5 mile runs aren't going to get me ready to run for 8 hours in the summer heat and humidity! 

Numbers Don't Lie

Numbers don't lie.
People lie.
People also use numbers to deceive.

I'm tracking lots of running numbers now that I have my new Garmin GPS watch with heart rate monitor. It's neat having time, distance, elevation, heart rate, and pace/speed all automatically tracked, stored and easily loaded to the computer.  Did you know my heart rate goes up when elevation goes up?  And my pace goes down at the same time!  Pretty insightful, eh?  I need more data before I get any useful information that might guide my training.  The best part of the new watch is that it does all of this stuff automatically...and downloads to my computer right when I connect the USB cable...then uploads to several web sites with one click of a button.  It's quite a change going from logging nothing to logging everything...but it takes almost no extra time thanks to the watch interface with the computer.

While I track all of these numbers, hopefully I won't lie...to myself, fellow runners, or my blog readers.  It was interesting to see my numbers from yesterday's run.  I felt kinda crappy.  After loading my run data, it turns out my heart rate was higher than normal and my pace was slower than usual.  That's a bad combination...especially when the weather was OK (cool morning).  Something was definitely going on to cause these poor numbers.  I was probably tired from a trip to Chicago on Tuesday--lots of driving, poor eating, and I didn't drink enough fluids.  I skipped running on Tuesday, yet still felt tired and dehydrated on Wednesday...and it showed in how I felt and what numbers were on my watch.  I suppose that's some validation for heart rate training.  With more consistent data, I should start to see useable trends.  How many hard days per week can I tolerate?  How hard can those days be?  Do I tolerate tempo runs better than interval workouts?  How many easy miles can I run before becoming truly fatigued?  What happens when I take a day completely off?  These are all good training questions...but I need data to answer them honestly.  Numbers don't lie.

Dailymile Web Running Site

I've been on dailymile for less than a week, but I like it quite a bit!  It's a free web site for tracking your running (and cycling, walking, hiking, weight lifting, etc).  In addition to very easy run logging features, you also have the ability to upload Nike+, Garmin, and iPhone or Android running data with one click.  And it has a social element that allows you to find running "friends" and form "groups" that you can then follow and compare yourself to on various weekly statistics (total miles run, longest run, comments, motivations, etc).  It's a nice site to log your runs and then compare yourself to others (across the full site or among your friends)--great way to motivate yourself and maybe inspire others. 

Any of you blog readers on dailymile?  If so, find me and friend me! My dailymile account:

http://www.dailymile.com/people/Chris71/

For those that want nothing to do with dailymile, you can still follow my training on this blog since I added the dailymile widget that automatically posts my most recent run to this blog on the sidebar.  Yeah, I realize that following my training isn't exactly the highlight of your day, but it actually helps ME run more often, farther, and faster.  It's that public accountability thing.  Also, dailymile makes it incredibly easy to post your workout to Facebook or Twitter.

Since I'm so new to dailymile, if you have advice on how to use it, please let me know.  Thanks.

Test Run on 6-19-2011

It's been a long time since I did a test run on the treadmill.  I used to do these every week or two, but my last one was back in December.  Here's that post (12-27-2010).  Today I did my standard warm-up, 3 miles at 8:00 pace, then a cool down.  I measure my heart rate during that 3-mile test run and hope that it gets lower when running the same pace.  Here are basic stats for today's run:

3 miles @ 8:00 pace
Heart Rate Avg = 135
Heart Rate Peak = 144

These numbers will serve as my "new baseline" to judge the effectiveness of my summer training.

In the past I also tracked resting HR, weight, and recovery HR (how quickly my heart rate drops).  I don't care about my weight.  Recovery HR is a good measure of fitness, but it depends on me doing the same thing right after a run (walk at the same pace, jog lightly, stop completely, etc).  I want more latitude in my training.  Once the 3-mile test run is done, I can track that as a "lap" completed and then do whatever I want.  I do plan on recording my waking resting HR, but I didn't do it today.  A low resting HR is a good sign of fitness and a rising resting rate is an indicator of over training or illness. 

My New Best Friend

My new best friend is pictured at the left. We might not be friends forever, but it's sure been a great first 12 hours!  Two runs tracked, saved, mapped, and analyzed...and I'm ready for more!  In case you don't recognize my friend, he's a Garmin Forerunner 305.  In addition to tracking distance, time, speed, and elevation...it also has a heart rate monitor so I can automatically synthesize heart rate data with the other variables.  With free software, I can download the GPS data onto my computer and plot the entire workout onto various maps (including Google Earth), integrate time-distance-elevation-heart rate profiles, and upload to DailyMile (or other workout tracking sites).  Pretty nifty.  I've already switched from not tracking anything (even daily miles) to tracking EVERYTHING...then downloading, then uploading, then analyzing, then mapping...then smiling...then thinking about my next run.  This should inspire me to run more double-days and really pile on the total miles...and I'll have to start running faster too...it's now all tracked! 

Keep the Faith

We all need to have faith.  Same goes for running and racing.  We need to believe in SOMETHING.  We need to believe that our training is making us better runners.  We need to believe those long runs are making a difference.  We need to have faith in our weekly speed sessions.  Increasing our total mileage makes a difference?  We need to believe it does!  It's easy to lose faith.  Lose that sense of belief in what we are doing.  With running, we basically need to commit to a plan (some training plans are better than others, but SOMETHING is better than NOTHING).  We can't give up faith too quickly.  Keep at it and you'll likely improve.  I quickly give up and switch to whatever I happened to read last night.  The old program was probably just fine, but this new one has more promise...or so we think.  Screw that!  Pick a plan, stick to it, and have faith it will work.

I'm finally learning this lesson...for now.  More days running seems to be making me a better runner.  More weekly miles seems to be making me stronger.  A touch of speed seems to be making me faster.  Last week in the heat I was ready to give up...those 3 running days per week plans looked pretty darn good!  Whatever training plan you research and commit to...needs time to work.  HAVE FAITH.  Give it time.  Nothing worthwhile comes easily.  It takes time and effort to see results.

"Keep the Faith"...courtesy of Bon Jovi:



Bon Jovi has some great running tunes...and this one has great lyrics too.  For everyone out there about to get frustrated with your current training, keep the faith.  Stick to it.

Malmo Training Update

I posted my "Summer of Malmo" training plan on May 27.  You can read that original post, and the follow-up explanation on May 29, or just read this quick summary.

Summer of Malmo training boils down to two concepts:

1. Run more miles every week (lots of double-days)
2. Add weekly speed sessions (tempo and track)

For both 1 and 2 above, keep yourself under control.  Don't run too fast on your daily runs and don't push too hard in your speed workouts. A touch of speed is all you need...the key is adding more miles to your weekly training. How many miles are enough?  That's for you to figure out!  Run more than you do now.  Run even more next week. Double-days allow you to pile on more miles.  Keeping the speed sessions "disciplined" allows you to recover and run the next day. You can likely run more than you think. I'm not that special, but I still managed to run 303 miles in one week about 3 years ago. I didn't get injured. I couldn't repeat that week after week, but it was a good test to see what I could do when I set my mind on nothing but running.

I normally run about 25-35 miles per week...and this summer I'm trying to steadily increase that number...maybe I'll plateau at 50-55 miles/week, maybe 70-75 miles...maybe more.  I'm already feeling stronger after just 3 weeks of this commitment.  I haven't done the regular doubles like I had hoped, but I'm consistently running and tossing in tempo runs and track workouts (more tempo than track). I'm feeling stronger.  And I have a secret weapon arriving next week...stay tuned.  I'm about to "take it up a notch."

Your Day Without Shoes

This Saturday, June 11, is "Your Day Without Shoes."  Give it a go and see how you like it.  Not ready for 100% bare feet?  Then try flip flops for your non-adventurous time and go bare when you feel comfortable.  Flip flops slide right off and you'll be bare within 10 seconds!  Don't go barefoot for me...it's YOUR day without shoes.  Enjoy.

While I'm mentioning this day without shoes, it reminds me that "barefoot running" is just that...done with bare feet.  No minimalist running shoe can create or simulate barefoot style running.  Not FiveFinger shoes, not Merrell's "barefoot collection" of shoes, not New Balance's "Minimus" line, not sandals.  Barefoot running is...running with bare feet!  Don't get me wrong, I love my minimalist shoes (and they certainly serve a purpose), but I don't say I'm running barefoot when I have shoes on my feet.  Your bare feet are the best coaches you'll ever find.  They won't allow you to run too much too soon.  They won't allow you to over stride and heel strike.  And they are cheap!  Hire your personal soles today to be the heart and soul of your training.  That was too much.  Sorry.  Still, enjoy the day. 

Built to Run Barefoot?

The New York Times had a wellness blog post yesterday (June 8) titled "Are We Built to Run Barefoot?"  It was a cursory look at barefoot vs shod running and related research on running injuries.  As usual, the posted comments are just as interesting, if not more so, than the post itself.  Here is the single best of the bunch...

Barefoot Ken Bob replies on June 8, 2011...
(If you like his post, check out his outstanding barefoot running book.)

Barefoot running is not simply running, except without the shoes!

I recommend starting out on gravel, or a rough surface to help resist the temptation of; 1) pushing any part of the foot into the ground hard (heel or fore-foot), 2) skidding, twisting, or grinding your feet into the ground, 3) going too far, too soon (before you have learned to run gently, efficiently, and gracefully)

Do NOT try to learn barefoot running in minimalist footwear!

Invariably the reports I have seen and heard of people getting stressinjuries from "barefoot" running, were NOT even BAREfooted, but rather the were running minimalist ("barefoot") footwear, or occasionally barefooters avoiding challenging terrain, like gravel or rough asphalt. 

DO NOT confuse barefoot running with running in "barefoot" shoes - they are as different as night and day, blindfolded and clear-sighted, senseless and sensible.

We were blessed with sensitive soles for the same reason we don't like to hold our hand in the fire for long. It hurts to do stupid things. Bad running technique hurts in bare feet, especially on gravel or rough surfaces. Pain is a warning that if we continue holding our hand in the fire, it will cause serious damage!

On rough surfaces, we learn to run gently in much shorter time, because it hurts to run badly in barefoot, especially on rough terrain. That's why I encourage people not to avoid rough surfaces, but embrace them, to see them as educating. Running barefoot on gravel trails was my graduate school.

One reason people want minimalist footwear is because it hurts to run barefoot badly, and because adults don't like to change the way we run. After all, that will take time, patience, learning, and change...

Adults all-too-often will accept injury in the future, in order to continue running badly - in a way that would hurt if we were barefoot (or without pain-killers), rather than taking the time to figure out how to run more gently, with less pain.

Which is why I also encourage people to become more like children. Do NOT commit yourself to X number of miles, or X number of minutes. Instead, try having fun, playing, experimenting, and listening to your bare soles. They really do want us to LEARN to run and walk more gently, and with less injury. 

Children take a few steps, and fall down, and are excited that they took a few steps. Children aren't wondering when they'll be able to run their next marathon!

So be more child-like, curious, interested in learning, without worrying so much about how far you'll be able to run today, or tomorrow, and before you know it, you may be able to run further, faster, and more often than you ever could with shoes!

That has been my experience, and the experience of hundreds, perhaps thousands of others barefoot runners I've been in contact with since creating the original Running Barefoot website in 1997.

What Lieberman, Davis, and others are discovering in research, barefoot runners have known for as long as we can remember.

Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton
co-author: Barefoot Running Step by Step
founder: The Barefoot Running website (since 1997)

Train, Then Register, Then Race

That darn CRUD 8-Hour trail race really has me rethinking my standard training and racing protocol.  CRUD did not go well, and I've had a few bad races in the past year.  It's too easy for me to sign up well in advance for a race, hoping I'll be motivated to train hard, then expect a good race.  So what usually happens?  I register for a race, train rather lackadaisically, and have a bad race.  Rinse and repeat.  Things need to change.  I'm tired of poor racing.  My new philosophy (which goes well with my new "Summer of Malmo" training plan), is to TRAIN FIRST, then register, then race.  Why register for a race if I'm not ready for it?  Sure, I may miss out on a few races that close early, but in general, I can run most local races by registering only a few weeks in advance.  And if I actually get in good shape soon, then I can register for whatever I want!

I am instituting this new "train, register, race" sequence right now.  No more registering for a race unless I am fit when I register.  No anticipating being fit come race day.  I do have one race that gets "grandfathered" in--that's the Howl at the Moon 8-Hour run on August 13.  If Howl wasn't one of my favorite races, I'd skip it.  Guess that means I need to train hard for the next 2.5 months.  If I train well, then race Howl, I should be in a perfect position to register for several fall ultramarathons.  I'd like to run the new Evergreen 50K on September 18, Farmdale 33 miler on October 8, and the McNotAgain 30 miler on October 29.  I may sneak in a few 5Ks too.  We shall see!

For now, my training is going OK.  This "Summer of Malmo" thing has kept me honest.  I have run everyday over the last 2 weeks, and tried to toss in a couple doubles each week.  The summer heat and humidity is taking its toll on me, but I'm not giving in yet.  In the ongoing struggle of "man vs trail" or "man vs nature"--I'm still coming out on top.  If I can hold on for another couple of weeks, I should be heat acclimated.  Kinda sucks running a hot 10-12 miler and being zonked for the rest of the day. That's what summer is all about in the Midwest.  It's 92 degrees today.  95 degrees tomorrow.  97 degrees Wednesday.  Crazy. 

Happy National Running Day!

Today, June 1 2011, is National Running Day. Never heard of it?  Come on, get with the times...here's the scoop:

"National Running Day, held annually on the first Wednesday in June, is a day when runners everywhere declare their passion for running. Wherever we are and whomever we’re with, we run—fast or slow, alone or with others, all over town or just around the block. It is a coast-to-coast celebration of a sport and activity that’s simple, inexpensive, and fun. It’s the perfect way for longtime runners to reaffirm their love of running and for beginners to kick off a lifetime and life-changing commitment."

Have a great run. Have a great day. I run, therefore I am!

If you need a little extra motivation, check out my blog post from yesterday about a shrimp running on a treadmill to the song "Eye of the Tiger."

PS:  It's also National Barefoot Week (June 1-7) and National Go Barefoot Day (June 1).  See Soles4Souls.