Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 31st Run (Week 15, Run 51)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 31st Run (Week 15, Run 51)

Click the link above for my run from this evening.

Well, I woke up to rain to have to run in today. I drug myself out of the bed & ran anyway. It was shaping up to be an okay run until a hill right around the 6 mile point. I felt a little twinge in my right knee on the upper outside area. From then on, it was kind of painful to run uphill. I decided I'd best not push my luck and walked up the hills. By the end of the run, the pain was constant, so I may have hurt myself today. I stretched good & wasn't pushing the pace too hard. I'm about to start chewing on some Ibuprofen and see if that will help. May have to break the ice pack back out in the morning. I hadn't frozen it back since the last time I used it or I'd take it with me to work tonight.

Oh well... we'll just have to see how it goes!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 29th Run (Week 15, Run 50)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 29th Run (Week 15, Run 50)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

I'm calling it a GPS error, but it was really my fault. I actually only ran 5.27 miles today at around 55 minutes, but during my cool down walk & stretches, I guess I hit the start button on the Garmin again & it counted another .10 mile & 5 minutes worth of time. Wrecked my goal pace count for today, which I can go in and get from the link above, but for my overall tally, it messes up that, as well as the Weekly Data Points. Oh well.

Decent run today, even though it was drizzling the entire time. I guess I stepped in a pile of doggy poo somewhere on the trail too, as I was smelling it the entire run, so on the way back, I decided my shoes could use a washing, so I detoured through a few HUGE puddles. One was like the size of a lake! I decided that on the next semi-decent weather German day, I am going to take the camera out & follow my run route taking pictures. All the way out to the 9 miler turnaround at least. I'll try to do this for my 20 miler too. I know ya'll can see my route on the satellite image at the link above, but seeing from my perspective I think would be kind of cool. Showing off some of the more interesting checkpoints I use I think could pull ya'll into my run experience.

Off to the showers! Later!

Weekly Data Points

Here they are, as miniscule as they are, for the last 2 weeks.

Count: 2 Activities

Distance: 12.84 mi
Avg Distance: 6.42 mi
Time: 02:14:45 h:m:s
Avg Time: 01:07:22 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 1,503 ft
Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Avg HR: 163 bpm
Calories: 2,550 C
Median Distance: 6.42 mi
Max Distance: 7.58 mi
Median Time: 01:07:22 h:m:s
Max Time: 01:19:25 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain: 751 ft
Median Elevation Gain: 751 ft
Max Elevation Gain: 1,206 ft
Elevation Loss: 1,501 ft
Avg Elevation Loss: 751 ft
Median Elevation Loss: 751 ft
Max Elevation Loss: 1,172 ft
Max Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Max Speed: 12.3 mph
Max Avg HR: 167 bpm
Max HR: 179 bpm

Enjoy!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 26th Run (Week 16, Run 49)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 26th Run (Week 16, Run 49)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Yeah, yeah, yeah... I know. Shame on me for not having run more over the past 2 weeks. Yes, I know I still have a marathon to run, and yes, I know that if I don't get my runs in, I won't be able to finish the race. Working mids, the first since I left Korea, really zapped me. I have them again next week, but I think I am getting used to them again. I have to learn to get my runs in, as after the New Year, I will be working a rotating shift schedule... 2 days at 0600-1400, 2 swings at 1400-2200, 2 mids at 2200-0600, then 1 1/2 days off. So, it will be a challenge. Maria asked me the other day, and forgive me but I can't remember the words she used, but the way I took it was her asking me if I had lost focus or motivation toward my goal. I want to assure everyone, NO! In fact, after today, I am MORE focused & motivated! I looked at my wall chart I made and this week was my halfway point!

This 30 week program by Hal Higdon seems like the first half is a gradual build up to a normal 16 week marathon prep program. The next 15 weeks, instead of gradual build up, seems like it makes leaps & bounds to get you up to 20 miles for the longest run of the program. It's a little nerve racking looking at the mileages per week, but I know I have put down 25ish miles in a week, so I should be able to keep up. One of my favorite movie quotes is from Major Payne with one of the 400 Wayans brothers,

"Alright my little patch of brussel sprouts, uproot yourselves and get some
rest... tomorrow, we gonna start the hard stuff!"

Merry Christmas to ya'll!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 16th Run (Week 17, Run 48)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 16th Run (Week 17, Run 48)

Click the link above for my run from yesterday.

Okay... yes, running on ice is one of the hardest things you can do! The trail I run still has ice on a large portion of it. In fact, from Quiedersbach to Linden is still pretty much covered, with only small breaks here & there. I honestly felt like a Looney Toons character during my run as I turned to go up one of the hills on my route. My feet were moving, but my body was pretty much stationary. I was explaining to my wife last night, that it was like a mix of a Reebok Slide & being pulled around a tile floor in socks. Very weird feeling, plus my legs are sore. I guess it used different sections of my muscles to manage the ice running?

That wasn't the strangest part of the run though. Here comes some science content that I can't explain, so if anyone has any explanations, fire them my way. So the trail was pretty much covered in ice. Why is it that in the broad open sections that had no tree cover, the ice was thick & solid, yet the parts that had tree cover, even trees that had already lost all of their leaves for the winter, weren't covered with ice. In fact, there were several parts that didn't have ice, where only 1 or 2 branches of trees overhung the trail and the ice was thawed. It was just very weird to me, and I just can't explain it. I figured the open areas, that got sunlight yesterday, would have been more thawed than the areas that weren't exposed to the sunlight due to the tree cover.

It was a nice run though, a little slower because of the ice, but I managed. My shin didn't hurt at all yesterday, until I ran! 3 days off had me not feeling any pain until I started running again. Not too excited about that. Sounding more & more like it might be shin splints or a micro fracture to my shin bone as opposed to a muscle injury. Guess I'll just keep plugging away.

This will probably be the last run of the week, unless I get one in on Friday, as we are help some friends make Christmas cookies today & going to Nurnburg & Rothenburg to the Christmas Markets on Saturday... all day trip from 0530 til 2300. Woohoo!

Weekly Data Points

For the data-heads like me out there!

Count: 3 Activities
Distance: 20.76 mi
Avg Distance: 6.92 mi
Time: 03:34:48 h:m:s
Avg Time: 01:11:36 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 3,848 ft
Avg Speed: 5.8 mph
Avg HR: 159 bpm
Calories: 4,095 C
Median Distance: 6.40 mi
Max Distance: 9.11 mi
Median Time: 01:05:38 h:m:s
Max Time: 01:37:01 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain: 1,283 ft
Median Elevation Gain: 940 ft
Max Elevation Gain: 1,996 ft
Elevation Loss: 3,930 ft
Avg Elevation Loss: 1,310 ft
Median Elevation Loss: 990 ft
Max Elevation Loss: 2,052 ft
Max Avg Speed: 6.0 mph
Max Speed: 13.7 mph
Max Avg HR: 162 bpm
Max HR: 182 bpm

Enjoy!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 12th Run (Week 18, Run 47)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 12th Run (Week 18, Run 47)

Click the link above for my run from yesterday.

Well, I had snow flurries pretty much my whole run. Nothing stuck, but it was like little ice chunks hitting my face. Everything else was covered, but my face & ears were exposed. It took the better part of the day for me to fully warm back up. Looks like next week is going to be rough as I woke up today to a good bit of snow everywhere!

Shin felt pretty good today. Wish I had the test full 2 days off, but I have my fitness test for the military on Monday afternoon.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 10th Run (Week 18, Day 46)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 10th Run (Week 18, Day 46)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Man, rough run today. It was nasty rainy out! Made for a long run when after the first 3 minutes you are soaked like an abandoned puppy. I made it through though and faster than last weeks mid distance run.

I have decided, to try to help my leg/shin/calf/whatever heal, since I still can't tell if it's the muscle or the bone, I am switching to Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday runs. I will do a short run on Tuesday, a mid distance run on Thrusday and still keep my long run on Saturday. Hopefully, this will help the healing process. It seems to feel pretty good after a day of rest, so maybe with enough days of rest, it will fully heal. I am still doing some home therapy that I will blog about a little later, so I'm praying that these things will help me out!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 8th Run (Week 18, Day 45)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 8th Run (Week 18, Day 45)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

NICE!!! I came in under my goal pace today. 9:55/mile is pretty good. Maybe this is a sign that my shin is getting better. I did kick it up a notch on the last leg when I glanced and saw my time. The last 1/4 mile was ran way fast for what I usually run it in. Admittedly, I do usually save a little in the tank for the last little bit of my runs and push the pace up some, but today, I was pretty much sprinting! LOL!

It was a good run, but rainy. It was a driving mist, that turned in to a slight rain for about a mile, then back to a driving mist. If it was colder by about 10 degrees, I probably would have been running in the snow... I am sooooo ready for that! Okay, maybe not, but it'll be cool for the first few minutes! :)

Weekly Data Points

For the dorks like me out there who dig the statistics of things!

Count: 3 Activities
Distance: 20.61 mi
Avg Distance: 6.87 mi
Time: 03:38:03 h:m:s
Avg Time: 01:12:41 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 4,501 ft
Avg Speed: 5.7 mph
Avg HR: 159 bpm
Calories: 4,087 C
Median Distance: 6.33 mi
Max Distance: 9.02 mi
Median Time: 01:07:19 h:m:s
Max Time: 01:37:17 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain: 1,500 ft
Median Elevation Gain: 1,176 ft
Max Elevation Gain: 2,577 ft
Elevation Loss: 4,691 ft
Avg Elevation Loss: 1,564 ft
Median Elevation Loss: 1,197 ft
Max Elevation Loss: 2,615 ft
Max Avg Speed: 5.9 mph
Max Speed: 12.6 mph
Max Avg HR: 167 bpm
Max HR: 182 bpm

Enjoy!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 5th Run (Week 19, Day 44)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 5th Run (Week 19, Day 44)

Click the link above to see my run from this morning!

Man, long run today! A hair over 9 miles! It was cold & dreary today.

I ran through Horbach to this resturant that Maria & I had found before. It's a biker... as in pedal bike, not motorcycle... resturant in the bottom of this valley just on the other side of Horbach, before the turn to the village of Schopp. I run the sidewalks through Horbach, but I found where the bike trail picks back up, right at the Festplatz (Festival Place) at the foot of the church. It was a good run, but let me tell you, 9 miles will wear you out!

The resturant is in an old farm house, and is also a hotel, or Guesthaus.  Is sits at the bottom of a valley, with a creek and spilt rail fencing that keeps horses in a pasture.  The valley wall on the south side have HUGE rocks justting out of it, of which most are covered with an extremely bright green moss or alge.  It really is something out of a fairy tale!  Will see if I can grab a picture this week!  Ready for my next long run now so I can go see it & bask in it's beauty.

Shin didn't hurt so bad after an extra day of rest that was actually for my hamstring!  LOL!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 2nd Run (Week 19, Day 43)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 2nd Run (Week 19, Day 43)

Click the link above to see my run from this morning.

It was just a run today. Yeah, nothing real amazing about it other than it was my medium run for the week. Got started a little later than normal... guess I need to start waking up earlier! :)

Right hamstring is a little tight today... guess I will be icing that tonight!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 1st Run (Week 19, Day 42)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dec 1st Run (Week 19, Day 42)

Click the link above to view my run from this evening.

Decent run today... a little slower than I wanted due to the still nagging pain in my left shin. I guess I may have to get it looked at before I get in to my longer runs in case I have to rest it for a week. Nonetheless, I am still pusshing through. I had to run after work today... no way am I getting up at 0200 to go run... I'm crazy, not stupid! :) Afterward, I had Greek food with my favorite girls at Vogleweh... another Air Force Base over here, not too far from Queidersbach.

That's about the gist of it today!

Running Down the Right Home Remedy

I have had a few "injuries" since I have started my marathon training.  The reason I say "injuries" is a throw back to playing high school football.  Our coach, Jim Sizemore, the high school coaching legend in the Hattiesburg, MS area, would always ask players who went down if they were "injured" with quotation fingers.  He subscribed to the theory that an injury means you cannot get up or continue to perform.  I agree with that.  It's more of getting hurt.  You can keep going if you are just hurt.  This, my friends, is a running INJURY!

I have been both hurt & injured during my training.  My knee was an injury.  I could barely move, not to mention I could've never run on it after I injured it.  My shin, on the other hand, is a hurt.  I have also had a hurt foot, a hurt knee, and several... SEVERAL... hurt muscles!  When you repeated slam 240ish pounds on to your feet on to pavement, you are bound to hurt something!

For my hurts, I have found some, less than officially licensed means to help.  Let me break them down for you.  You may be surprised what you can use, just around the house, to help some of your hurts.

Large Muscle Soreness - for large muscle groups, like the thighs, calves, & glutes, I use a wooden rolling pin.  This allows for broad even pressure to be placed on the muscle to work out the soreness. 

Arches of Feet - for sore arches, I have resorted to placing a golf ball on the shower mat in my bathroom, and rolling my foot across it for a few minutes.  Do be careful with this though, as too much pressure kind of hurts.

Shins & Feet Aches - I have found that a raquetball feels REAL good on my sore shin and on the tops & sides of my feet.  Even on the balls of my feet.  I will rub the raquetball all over the sore areas of my shins & feet and the grip it gets due to it's texture really feels good & helps massage away the pain for awhile.

Muscle Cramps - you all probably already know this one, but bananas ain't just a song by Gwen Steffani!  The potassium in bananas helps prevent muscle cramps.  It's just plain science!

Tight Shin Muscles - there aren't many stretches you can do for tight shin muscles.  One that I did find is to sit in a rolling desk chair and place your foot back behind you.  Now, with the other foot, slowly pull yourself forward, stretching the shin muscle.  This works & really helps.

General Aches & Pains - there is no substitute for vitamin M as most folks in the military refer to it as.  Motrin, or some form of Ibuprofen, is proof that God loves runners!  800mgs of this wonderous concotion soothes the pain & makes life after your first 5 miler much easier!

These are just a few of the tricks I have found to help keep me on the roads, running & abusing my body more.  They really have helped me stay out of the hospital though, and if I can avoid that place, I am super happy!

Weekly Data Points

For the folks who like to see the numbers!

Count: 3 Activities
Distance: 20.03 mi
Avg Distance: 6.68 mi
Time: 03:28:26 h:m:s
Avg Time: 01:09:28 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 2,812 ft
Avg Speed: 5.8 mph
Avg HR: 157 bpm
Calories: 3,965 C
Median Distance: 6.60 mi
Max Distance: 8.17 mi
Median Time: 01:08:12 h:m:s
Max Time: 01:26:46 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain: 937 ft
Median Elevation Gain: 825 ft
Max Elevation Gain: 1,310 ft
Elevation Loss: 2,790 ft
Avg Elevation Loss: 930 ft
Median Elevation Loss: 807 ft
Max Elevation Loss: 1,353 ft
Max Avg Speed: 5.9 mph
Max Speed: 10.0 mph
Max Avg HR: 162 bpm
Max HR: 174 bpm

Not too shabby for 3 days of running!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 28th Run (Week 20, Day 41)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 28th Run (Week 20, Day 41)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Now, before anyone says anything, yes, I know my run was slow for having the past 2 days off. Happy Thanksgiving to ya'll by the way! :)

I started looking at my running chart I made to track all my run days and such on. As I progress, I will be gaining a mile each week. This morning, I figured I'd test my knee to see if it's the mileage that hurt it last time. As you can see in my GPS tracker above, I ran the same route and got roughly the same distance. My knee feels great so far... it's been about 5 hours since I ran. I ran intentionally slow so if I felt any twinges of pain of unusual snaps or pops, I could stop and try to isolate where it's coming from, plus I don't need to overdo it.  It felt good during... well, except for my left shin is still bothering me, and today, it felt like someone had pulled my right arch so tight it was about to snap. I looked that up and will be trying some home remedy using a golf ball & raquetball... I'll explain in a later blog about home remedies for the runner.

It was cold this morning, but I warmed up quick. It's nice seeing all the Christmas lights & decorations going up little by little. It's actually helping to motivate me to see what's new along my route! I love this time of year!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 25th Run (Week 20, Day 40)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 25th Run (Week 20, Day 40)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Today's run was a pretty good one. Almost had to stop a little short as my distance was getting close to 6.66 miles! LOL! Call me superstitious, but with the problem I had with my knee & my current shin problem, I'm not chancing it! But I was able to make it to my stopping point at 6.60 miles.

Shin was a little better on the pain scale, but nagged me a little longer than on yesterday's run. I'm just working to get to my 2 day break after my long run & I'm going to ice the mess out of it. I may even soak it in an ice bath for 20 minutes to see if that'll help it... not really!

It was nice & the sun was shining today. What a welcome change from either runs before dawn, runs after sunset, or runs through dull gray fog. It was a little foggy, which made me realize something kind of neat.

When I was training for my SCUBA certification, we talked about something called a thermocline. See Allen, some people actually do pay attention in class! :) A thermocline is a point in the water that you can actually see, where the temperature changes. That's what it was like today! I was running through some light fog, that was actually hitting about mid chest level. Then I ran down a hill and I was fully in the fog & it was colder. As I climbed back up the next hill, I felt the warmth go from my head, all the way down to my knees before I went back down into the fog. I've said it many times on here, I'm a science nerd, so seeing something like that on my run made it all worth while!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 24th Run (Week 20, Day 39)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 24th Run (Week 20, Day 39)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Decent run this morning. Shin is still tender. I don't know what's wrong with it... don't want to go see a doctor about it either as he'll probably tell me to stop running and to give up the marathon training. I already have 200ish miles & 36+ hours invested in this training, so I cannot forsee me giving up.

The rain was coming down as an icy, driving drizzle this morning, making me pretty chilly to begin with, but by the turn around point I was shedding the gloves & unzipping the collar of my all-weather outer shirt.

Other than my shin, I felt pretty good though.

Weekly Data Points

For the data-heads!

Count: 4 Activities
Distance: 23.81 mi
Avg Distance: 5.95 mi
Time: 04:03:08 h:m:s
Avg Time: 01:00:47 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 2,693 ft
Avg Speed: 5.9 mph
Avg HR: 161 bpm
Calories: 4,688 C
Median Distance: 5.58 mi
Max Distance: 7.50 mi
Median Time: 00:57:26 h:m:s
Max Time: 01:16:33 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain: 673 ft
Median Elevation Gain: 545 ft
Max Elevation Gain: 1,262 ft
Elevation Loss: 2,864 ft
Avg Elevation Loss: 716 ft
Median Elevation Loss: 595 ft
Max Elevation Loss: 1,255 ft
Max Avg Speed: 6.0 mph
Max Speed: 10.2 mph
Max Avg HR: 165 bpm
Max HR: 187 bpm

Enjoy!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 22nd Run (Week 21, Day 38)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 22nd Run (Week 21, Day 38)

Click the link above fro my run from this evening.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. I ran on Sunday. We went out on K-town with some friends on Saturday after I got off work, so I had to push my long run to Sunday evening.

Was a good run today... 7.5 on the button. My shin is really sore when I start running and after running, but while I am on my run, it feels okay. I don't know what it is, guess I will have to look it up.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 19th Run (Week 21, Day 37)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 19th Run (Week 21, Day 37)

Just a "ho-hum" run today. Nothing exciting about it... a little slow. I guess that's the great thing about training for a marathon... no matter how bad a run is, there are usually several more to try for a good one! LOL!

On a side note, my shin feels a little better after icing it yesterday. Will ice again today and tomorrow before my long run Saturday.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 18th Run (Week 21, Day 36)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 18th Run (Week 21, Day 36)

Click the link above for my run from this morning!

Well, I'm glad it was my mid week run today. Mid week for me is morphing into a slightly longer run. I need it after last night too!

A friend from high school, Kara, was in town TDY to Ramstein for a training class. It's been since graduation in 1995 since I had seen her. I was excited to introduce her to my wife & daughter & just catch up on life events. We decided to hit this resturant in Ramstein Village calle The Big Emma.

The Big Emma is known for their portions! It's reputation was well earned too! I ordered the 1/2 Cheeseburger, and literally, the thing was the size of my head... and if you know me, you know that's pretty large! I ate maybe, MAYBE 1/3 of the burger, & the leftovers FILLED a togo box! It was humongous! I needed this run today to burn those calories! LOL! The snitzels were pretty large too!

Run was okay today... a little slow, but I managed. A little sore in my left shin. Guess I will start icing it with my compression wrap thing. Great invention!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 17th Run (Week 21, Day 35)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 17th Run (Week 21, Day 35)

Click the link above to see my run from this morning!

Okay, so I'm back on the horse! It feels good to be running my normal schedule of runs this week. It's definately been awhile, and I can tell you, once you stop running, everything you have built up goes away, REAL fast! I felt so slow this morning, but I nailed my goal pace, so that made this morning feel pretty good, not to mention I am going to get my truck this morning! It's not new, but new to me... LOL!

Weekly Data Points

Here's this weeks unspectacular data.

Count: 2 Activities
Distance: 10.73 mi
Avg Distance: 5.37 mi
Time: 01:49:17 h:m:s
Avg Time: 00:54:38 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 1,757 ft
Avg Speed: 5.9 mph
Avg HR: 160 bpm
Calories: 2,135 C
Median Distance: 5.37 mi
Max Distance: 6.04 mi
Median Time: 00:54:38 h:m:s
Max Time: 01:01:42 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain: 878 ft
Median Elevation Gain: 878 ft
Max Elevation Gain: 1,235 ft
Elevation Loss: 1,880 ft
Avg Elevation Loss: 940 ft
Median Elevation Loss: 940 ft
Max Elevation Loss: 1,340 ft
Max Avg Speed: 5.9 mph
Max Speed: 11.1 mph
Max Avg HR: 163 bpm
Max HR: 177 bpm

Enjoy!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 14th Run (Week 22, Day 34)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 14th Run (Week 22, Day 34)

LRD of 6 miles. It actually shows 6.04. I forgot to turn off the GPS after the 6 mile point, so it shows .04 of my cooldown walk!

Run went okay... both knees feel a little sore today, but not like last week. Legs are still tight during my runs... need to get them loosened back up. My morning runs next week should help get me fully back in the swing of things. I am back on to the 5-6-5 cycle during the week next week, and probably 7-7.5 on Saturday.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 12th Run (Week 22, Day 33)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 12th Run (Week 22, Day 33)

First run back after the knee issue. It felt okay I guess... my legs are definately yelling at me, trying to figure out why I am punishing them after 5 days of no running.

I kept it shorter than my normal run distance today to make sure my knee would hold up. It seemed to do okay. Back on the run cycle now, off on Friday, back on Saturday for a long run... this week is 6 miles.

Big Day Tomorrow

Well, after a few days of RICE (Rest, Ice, Compress, & Elevate) of my knee... Throw in a handful of Ibuprofen for good measure... And my knee feels 100%. I wa going to run today, but after we got back from The military cemetery at Saint-Avold, France, and grabbed groceries, and it was already pretty late. I will be running tomorrow, then again on Saturday to get back on my schedule.

Thanks for those who sent me warm wishes & prayers.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Oh No!

Well, I went all weekend with just minor soreness after my long run on Saturday.  This morning, at around 4am, I woke up in pain.  My right knee is killing me.  I hope it's just overuse and not a severe injury that will make me stop my training for too long.  I got up and took some Advil and put on a patellar compression wrap and put my cold wrap in the freezer.  Guess it's time to start the RICE cycle.

RICE is an acronym for Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate.  This is the common method of dealing with overuse injuries.  Maybe with a few days of RICE, I'll be back to my old self and running again.  I will keep ya'll updated.

:(

Weekly Data Ponts

Another week of review for all you data-heads out there!

Count: 4 Activities
Distance: 24.64 mi
Avg Distance: 6.16 mi
Time: 04:10:51 h:m:s
Avg Time: 01:02:42 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 5,229 ft
Avg Speed: 5.9 mph
Avg HR: 161 bpm
Calories: 4,904 C
Median Distance: 5.64 mi
Max Distance: 8.22 mi
Median Time: 00:58:27 h:m:s
Max Time: 01:24:27 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain: 1,307 ft
Median Elevation Gain: 1,191 ft
Max Elevation Gain: 2,460 ft
Elevation Loss: 5,314 ft
Avg Elevation Loss: 1,329 ft
Median Elevation Loss: 1,199 ft
Max Elevation Loss: 2,531 ft
Max Avg Speed: 6.2 mph
Max Speed: 12.7 mph
Max Avg HR: 165 bpm
Max HR: 174 bpm

Man, that's alot!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 7th Run (Week 23, Day 32)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 7th Run (Week 23, Day 32)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Today was a special run. I participated in World Run Day, that I blogged about a couple weeks ago. Basically, World Run Day is an event that people can sign up for, and run either by themselves, or in a local group, to help raise money for the charity of your choice. Of course, I donated to Livestrong. I was only slated to run 6 miles for my World Run Day entry, but I wound up running 8.25.  I was planning on doing around 7.5 miles today, but lost track of my mileage as I neared Horbach.  At least I know I am capable of making it that far!  LOL!  Next week is a step back week.  I cannot afford to lose track of my mileage next week.  The step back weeks are designed to let your muscles repair the micro tears you put in them by extending your runs, and to give you body extra time to heal.  It's expecting to run a long istance, so when you run a shorter distance, it seems easier to run longer the next time.  I'll admit, it's been a few weeks since I did a step back week, so this will be a welcome change of pace.  Not to mention, I have swing shifts next week at work, so I need to figure out what time I am going to run... I may just keep it the same though, just to stay in some sort of cycle.

I took Horbach, the next village past Linden, by storm this morning. A whole new batch of people staring at me wondering what this guy is doing, where are those weird sounds coming from, and why is he spraying our village with snot rockets! LOL! I made a loop around their church and back to Queidersbach.  Sorry, I looked extensively through Google, and couldn't find 1 picture of Horbach, Germany.  I did learn that there are 2, 1 is up near the Netherlands, and I did not run to there!

It was pretty chilly this morning when I started running, but my gear kept me warm enough once I started running. I had a head wind on the way out to Horbach, with a driving, misty rain the entire run. It rained pretty much every day this week over here. Made my autumn carpeted running trails a mushy mess!

I can definately tell the difference when I use the Jelly Belly Sport Beans! Man, it's crazy how much 15 jelly beans will feed your muscles. I know, they aren't exactly ordinary jelly beans, but I did read a few forum posts about someone who uses just your plain old jelly life savers. Makes me wonder!

Today was special for another reason. I am 1/4 of the way to Paris right now. That's a huge accomplishment for me. I still have a LONG way to go on the fundraising though, as I don't think I have gotten 1 donation! *sigh*  Hopefully my band of friends will swoop in and save the day!  Most of the folks I know are procrastonators anyway!  Love you guys & gals though!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 5th Run (Week 23, Day 31)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 5th Run (Week 23, Day 31)

Click the link above to see my run from this morning.

Sorry for the late post, but I forgot to publish this blog! LOL! I'm scatter brained sometimes!

Nothing very remarkable about this run, other than I ran it about 12 hours after my last run! I think I felt a little of what "The Wall" feels like! I could literally feel my legs tightening up on every stride. I decided I'd better not run for pace, but run just to log the mileage. I still kept it respectable though!

Ready for 7+ on Saturday!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 4th Run (Wek 23, Day 30)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 4th Run (Wek 23, Day 30)

Click the link above for my run from this evening.

Man, what an eventful run tonight. I saw this break off from the trail on my run on Saturday, so I figured, since I am running with some sunlight, I'd try a new trail today. More on that in a second.

God decided it was time to start cleaning house today. It was some pretty gusty wind all morning here, so it blew a lot of the leaves off the trees during the storms. It was awesome, running with a perfetly laid, autumn colored carpet at my feet.   This picture isn't of the trail I was running on, but it sure is a close approximation, though, the trail that I was running had a much plusher carpet of leaves, no tire tracks, and was 100 times more gorgeous than this picture.  In fact, even if I went to take a picture of the trail tomorrow, I doubt a picture could do it justice.  The experience was amazing!  I do not deserve the blessings God gives me!

So, back to the trail I took today. It looked like it was another of the paved walking/bike trails around here that I normally run on. I get about 1/2 mile down the trial, and it turns in to Mississippi dual rut gavel road. If you don't know what they looks like, here's a good example. The bad thing about this is it collects the water. Since it rained this morning, and the leaves were falling, it made like the leafy, murky camoflauge for the puddles, or should I say lakes. My shoes are now soaked & muddy. That wasn't the worst part about the trail though.

This trail, about 1.5 miles out to where I turned around, was mostly uphill. It wound through the foothills around Queidersbach. If I would have kept running, it would have dropped me out on top of Queidersbach hill that I discussed in one of my earlier blogs. But even still, this wasn't the worst part about the trail.

Around the point where I turned around, there was what could only be described as a Nazi training camp! Big sand pit, plain metal monkey bars, the works. Nothing that really denoted it as a Nazi training camp, but it really looked like the same stuff you see on CNN when they show confiscated videos of Al Queda training camps! LOL! I'm sure it wasn't, but it was just out of no where. There were other runners on this trail, so I am positive it was safe.

I still won't be running this trail again. I'm a pavement pounder, not a root jumper. I prefer running on paved surfaces, no matter how bad they say it is on my knees. I figure, I'm running my marathon on paved road, I might as well put Coach Jim Sizemore's words to use, practice how you want to play boys!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 3rd Run (Week 23, Day 29)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Nov 3rd Run (Week 23, Day 29)

Click the link for my run from tonight.

Great run! Relieved a lot of stress from my day today. It was a little cold, but I warmed up once I started running. It misted rain the entire time, but never really dumped on me, so that was good. My cold weather gear really does what it's supposed to!

Weekly Data Points

For the Data-heads like me out there!

Count: 4 Activities


Distance: 23.75 mi *NOTE* 1/4 mile added due to GPS malfunction

Avg Distance: 5.88 mi

Time: 03:56:47 h:m:s

Avg Time: 00:59:11 h:m:s

Elevation Gain: 2,597 ft

Avg Speed: 6.0 mph

Avg HR: 158 bpm

Calories: 4,409 C

Median Distance: 5.68 mi

Max Distance: 7.00 mi

Median Time: 00:58:07 h:m:s

Max Time: 01:09:55 h:m:s

Avg Elevation Gain: 649 ft

Median Elevation Gain: 647 ft

Max Elevation Gain: 825 ft

Elevation Loss: 2,809 ft

Avg Elevation Loss: 702 ft

Median Elevation Loss: 724 ft

Max Elevation Loss: 837 ft

Max Avg Speed: 6.1 mph

Max Speed: 20.9 mph

Max Avg HR: 161 bpm

Max HR: 175 bpm

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 31st Run (Week 24, Day 28)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 31st Run (Week 24, Day 28)

Click the link above for my run from yesterday.

Yesterday was a challenge. Not for the run, yeah, my legs were tight after the run and stuff being as it was my LRD, but it was a challenge mainly because I had to work. I have to be at work at 0545. Yeah, way to early. That's normally the time I am heading out the door to get running! If I want to run before my day shifts, I figure I need to get up around 0300. Being as I don't usually get in to bed until around 2200, 5 hours of sleep just won't cut it! So, I had to run when I got in from work.

Something about it just zapped my energy. My back & legs were tight while I was running, and I just generally wasn't interested in the run. Oh well, hopefully they will get better as since I have almost gotten my Watch Supervisor rating in the tower here at Ramstein, I'm sure I'll be pulling more of these shifts. I will probably just have to take my gear & run on base like I did before I started training for the marathon. Maybe the change of scenery will do me some good! LOL!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 29th Run (Week 24, Day 27)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 29th Run (Week 24, Day 27)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Well, so far, so good. I sent an email to Garmin Customer Support last night with a link to my run. The guy contacted me pretty quickly with a solution. I had to reset my GPS as it had gotten some bad satellite information that the unit stores to make the connection to the satellites faster. That's what I got from the techno jargon he sent back! LOL! Anyway, seemed to work fine today, so I'll just have to keep an eye on it.

Construction on the running/bike trail that runs along the north side of Quiedersbach is forcing me to alter my route back home. Soon, it will probably force me to have to run on a different trail. I'll probably hit the trail that leads to Gelterswoog Lake (pronounced Gell-ters-voog) in the vicinity of the village of Hohenecken (pronounced Hoe-neck-en), which sounds very dirty! That trail is very hilly, but will be a good change of pace. Pretty straight, but it does cross the main street (Barbarossastrasse) a few time on the way out & again on the way back. I don't really like that, as it's pretty dark & we are entering fog season over here.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 28th Run (Week 24, Day 26)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 28th Run (Week 24, Day 26)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Okay, so I was in total disbelief when I finished my run today. I decided I needed to start doing what I am supposed to be doing & running a longer midweek run. I figured since I had ran over 5 miles yesterday, I would run 6 today, and get on a 5-6-5-Long Run type pattern. I finished my run right at an hour & I know I did around 6.08 miles because it was the same run I did a couple Saturdays ago. To my dismay, my GPS said I ran 5.7ish miles! What, a whole 1/4 mile short? how'd that happen.

I uploaded the data from my device & took a look. The time is correct, 1:00:04. Awesome, so I was either WAY slow today, or right at my goal pace. So, I look at the map. There is a straight line on the way out of Queidersbach, almost all the way to Linden! The GPS dropped signal for some reason. The part that's kind of making me mad about the whole ordeal, the device seemed to just go into a frozen mode for awhile. I doubt my heart rate is right, or the elevation as they don't look like they should from my previous trends. Looks like I'll be forwarding this link to Garmin customer service today! Hope my GPS isn't going out! Grrrrrr!

Back of the Packers

I found an amazing blog tonight that talked about slow runners like me. I know, some of ya'll are probably thinking I am doing pretty well. Yes, I am shooting for a goal pace of 10 minutes per mile during the marathon, but 26.2 miles is a forever long way!

I would love to be able to put up a 10:00/mile pace for 26.2 miles. If I could do that, I would truely be amazed at my progress & know that God gave me wings to fly the marathon! I am realistically shooting for 10:00.mile for maybe the first 13 miles. After that, I expect quite a bit of taper on my per mile pace. The glory of this is, no matter how fast or slow I run the Paris Marathon, there are a couple guarantees:

1 - I just ran my first marathon... I set a personal record.

2 - If ya'll help, WE will have raised a good chunk of change for cancer research

3 - I can cross this off my list of things I want to do before I die

After trying to do a Google search to find out why when I feel slow I am actually running faster & vice versa, I stumbled across this guy's blog. His name is Jason, and he is a definate motivator for me know!

See, Jason was like me. He was fat & felt fat. He did what he had to do to lose the weight. Jason's now a lunatic who runs ultramarathons... distances of more than 26.2 miles. He ran 12 marathons in a year! That blows me away! New goal for me? LOL!

Anywho, I found a blog on his page that talked about "back of the packers" or people who run slow marathons. I will probably be in that category at Paris, so the story piqued my attention. The article was about a debate that these slow runners aren't really running a marathon cause they aren't pushing themselves. I equate this to running a marathon with an iPod.

See, alot of marathons are outlawing iPods, claiming that the mental portion is part of the challenge of the marathon. I say, you are the challenge of the marathon. Whatever you need to get you through the long hours of running, the sore muscles, and the mental challeges you face while preparing & running a marathon is what you should be doing!  A marathon is not a mythical beast to be conquered, but rather a milestone in someone's life.

Check out Jason's blog & really check out the article about the "back of the packers" by clicking HERE.  Show Jason some love while you're there too!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 27th Run (Week 24, Day 25)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 27th Run (Week 24, Day 25)

Click the link above to see my run from this morning.

HALLELUJA! No more cold runs for me! My Under Armour finally came in yesterday! I now mave my ClodGear Tights, Mock Turtle Neck & Hat, got a free pair of gloves to boot! Woo hoo! Today I ran in it. Felt nice. A little warm since it wasn't as cold out as it has been, or maybe it was as cold, I just couldn't tell it! LOL!

Run was pretty good this morning, felt slow, but was faster than I have been in a week! Hmmm... I am seeing a trend here. When I feel slow, I am actually fast. When I feel fast, I am utterly slow. Weird. Anyone out there know why that is? I guess I have new material to look up on The Grid tonight!

Have a good one folks, celebrating the gifts God has given you!

Wanna Join Me?

Running, while mostly a solitary, competitive event, has long been known for joining groups of people together who share the common intrest of running.  Be it for health, raising money, or for out right competition, running has been bringing people together for years.

I am not a competitive runner... anyone who has seen... well, heard me... clomp & clammor out of Queidersbach & back (that's you Luigi!), shooting snot rockets & sweating worse than any celebrity paired to be on stage at the same time as Kanye West!  I guess I fall into the solo category for neccessity right now.  I can't carry on a conversation long while I run as I still huff & puff quite a bit while I run, but I can see me becoming more of a social runner.

Any search of the interweb will probably yield a runners club in or around your city.  If not, there are some that are strictly online, but I think they are more along the lines of the more serious runners, some, like the Marathon Maniacs, actually require you to show proof that you have run several marathons and other criteria.  I'm not there yet, but I will reserve the right to join the Maniacs, based on how I feel after Paris!  LOL!

To keep things new on my trail to Paris, I am signing up for 5k & other events.  My first event is November 9th, 2009.  I will be running a 6 miler (10k) for charity... yes, Livestrong.  The event I will be running is called World Run Day.

World Run Day was founded in 1999 by Long Island Runner Bill McDermott.  World Run Day is intended to promote the sport of running and charitable giving on one special day each year. Starting with just 100 runners worldwide, runners connected and impacted their communities in a positive way. As a result, World Run Day was the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths, nationalities, and benefited their favorite charities. Soon group events formed in different cities such as World Run Day - Philadelphia, World Run Day - London, World Run Day - Sydney, etc. (even "World Run Day - Afghanistan" was celebrated during wartime). The event was designed to allow every runner, whether with a group or running individually, to be a part of the day.  You can find out more about World Run Day & the events in your area, by visiting their website HERE.

While there, sign up to run with me on November 8th, even if we can't run in the same place, at least we can be running for the same event!  If you can't run, why don't you drop on by my Livestrong Donation site & make a donation to help those who are in the race for their life against cancer.  You can find my Donation site below.

Weekly Data Points

For the Data-heads:

Count: 4 Activities

Distance: 20.78 mi
Avg Distance: 5.20 mi
Time: 03:29:23 h:m:s
Avg Time: 00:52:20 h:m:s
Elevation Gain: 2,788 ft
Avg Speed: 6.0 mph
Avg HR: 160 bpm
Calories: 3,956 C
Median Distance: 5.47 mi
Max Distance: 6.33 mi
Median Time: 00:54:39 h:m:s
Max Time: 01:03:26 h:m:s
Avg Elevation Gain: 697 ft
Median Elevation Gain: 699 ft
Max Elevation Gain: 1,134 ft
Elevation Loss: 2,846 ft
Avg Elevation Loss: 712 ft
Median Elevation Loss: 732 ft
Max Elevation Loss: 1,093 ft
Max Avg Speed: 6.0 mph
Max Speed: 11.0 mph
Max Avg HR: 162 bpm
Max HR: 179 bpm

Not bad for a weeks work!  LOL!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 24th Run (Week 25, Day 24)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 24th Run (Week 25, Day 24)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Well, I was shooting for 7 miles today, but my body told me to turn around and start back home. Nothing like a sick kid at home to demotivate you to run... especially when she sleeps in your bed the night before a long run and plants her foot in your neck! Poor little girl is pretty bad off with being sick right now... hopefully it will pass soon.

1 second off my goal pace of 10:00/mile, but I'll take that any day of the week! LOL!

Lets Talk About Nipples

First of all, you should be ashamed of yourself for thinking like that!  This is a runner's blog, not a pornographic website!  Now that the reprimand is out of the way, imagine if you will, you are running and all of a sudden, you feel a burning sensation on your chest in your nipple area.  It progressively worsens and the next time you look down and you see red spots on your shirt.  By the end of your run, you look like this!  It's chafing & that's not my bag baby! 

As I discussed in a previous blog, cotton is the worst material you can run in.  Moisture + cotton = friction.  Friction + skin = chafing!  Not a fun equation, and bloody nipples do not make for a great finish line picture!  Bloody nipples are a real issue in the running world, but it is avoidable.

There are several ways to help prevent the dreaded bloody nipples.  High tech & low tech methods are out there, and hopefully I can shed some light on these for you, but first, a personal story.

Hello, my name is Chris, and I suffered from chronicly chafed nipples.  Not just as a runner, but even before.  My wife used to joke around and say she was going to buy me some "pasties."  These are basically stickers that are made for women when they wear evening wear when they cannot wear bras.  They are supposed to prevent accidental exposure by keeping those areas covered.

I'm sure these would help, but they are about 2" across.  WAY more than I need to cover.  LOL!  So, when I started running heavily in Korea, I had to find something as I would come in from the gym and have the dreaded blood spots on my shirts.  I asked a few friends what I should do... some of them ran track and stuff in high school, so hopefully they would have something for me.  The most I got was to try wrapping an ACE bandage around my chest before I ran every day.  Not really as easy as I'd like.  Yes, I'm lazy!

So, I went to the BX on base to try to figure out what I could do.  I was looking for pasties to be honest, but they didn't have any, but I did find some waterproof tape that I figured I'd try out.  So, basically, what I do everyday before I go on my run is cover each nipple with a small piece of waterproof tape, and it prevents the rubbing by my sweat soaked shirt.  This is probably the lowest tech method you could try.  This works surprisingly well.  What I did learn though, don't just pull the tape off as soon as you get finished!  OUCH!  Wait until you are in the shower & use the heat & from the water to help ease the removal!

Obviously, one of the higher tech methods is the use of Technical Shirts.  These shirts, like Under Armour, are made of moisture wicking material that transports the sweat from your skin, to the exterior of the shirt for rapid evaporation.  In fact, I use the Under Armour Technical Shirt, I prefer the compression gear, and the tape methods together.  I have yet to get bloody nipples after I started this practice.  Under Armour, while not the cheapest, is one of the better brands that I have seen talked about in the forums.  Several companies make "hydrophobic" Technical Shirts, even some that are really cheap & considered generic.  It's all about what works for you as a runner.

The last method I will cover is what I would call a medium tech method.  It's called Body Glide.  Body Glide is a deodorant stick type balm material.  You can put this on your skin before runs and it helps prevent chafing & blisters.  Now, I'm not exactly sure what this stuff is made of, but according to their website, this deodorant type stick is rubbed on before you begin your exercise and it penetrates the skin and and creates an invisible, comfortable barrier against friction and moisture - without clogging pores or trapping perspiration; feels ‘dry’ to the touch.  Check out their website HERE.  I bought a 2 pack as they were on sale on Amazon.com a month or so ago.  I have tried it on a spot on my heel and it prevented a blister from getting any worse.  It was dry to the touch, so I can say that that part is a true statement.  I haven't gotten much past 6 miles on my runs, and I think this is probably what it is designed for, so I will follow-up after I try it. 

I equate this to seeing a movie about Steve Prefontaine, one of the greatest runners in history, where before a run he used a stick of deodorant under his arms, then used the same deodorant stick on his inner thighs.  It was kind of gross when you think about it, but using deodorant is not all that uncommon.  According to Madetorun.com, using deodorant when you are out of whatever type of runner's glide product you are using, is not only acceptable, but encouraged by their staff.  As they put it,

Personally I’d rather my nipples be fresh and non-odorous than chafed and bleeding!

I tend to agree... no matter if it's your first or 100th marathon finish, bloody nipples are no way to celebrate!  By the way, Steve Prefontaine has the most pimp-tastic mustache & sideburns I have EVER seen!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 22nd Run (Week 25, Day 23)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 22nd Run (Week 25, Day 23)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Pretty okay run... a little faster than yesterday, but still off my goal pace... by 3 seconds, so I can't really complain about that! LOL!

If anyone knows someone in Paris, or near the Paris area, I'd like to speak with them. Please let me know!

John Bingham is My Hommie!

You're probably not familiar with John Bingham.  I just met him tonight... well, met is probably the wrong word.  He writes for Runners World magazine, and I just read the best little article I think I have read in a long time!  I had to jump on here & share it!  By the way, meet Mr. Bingham!  --------------->

All of the following is from his article, and I claim NO credit for it's awesomness!

Rising to the Challenge

A Marathon is a test of strength that can take you to new heights

By John Bingham

John Bryant's riveting book "The Marathon Makers" recounts the story of the 1908 London Olympics - the first time the marathon was officially 26 miles, 385 yards - when the race leader, Dorando Pietri, stumbled five times in the stadium and was carried across the finish line.  When I met Bryant last year - where else? - a marathon expo, I asked him why, 100 years after the first 26.2-mile marathon, the distance is so popular with runners of all speeds.

"It has become the great urban Everest," Bryant said.  Like Everest, the marathon stands as a challenge to all who confront it.  The difference, as Bryant points out, is that completing a marathon is both "conceivable & achievable" for all runners.

Conceivable & achievable.  At some point in most of our lives we develop a long list of goals & dreams we'd like to accomplish.  Eventually, those of us with modest talent end up dismissing the vast majority of these aspirations because we realize how improbable they really are.

I've watched hundreds of hours of film about climbing Everest and yet I still can't conceive of doing it myself.  Not that I lack ambition or suffer from a terminal case of low self-esteem.  It's just that I know that my physical & emotional limits would keep me from trying.

But the marathon was different.  Years ago, when I was just starting to run, I met someone who had just finished a marathon.  What surprised me was that they he didn't seem all that different from me.  I though, Well, if he can do it, so can I.

And thanks to all the training programs & running clubs & coaches out there today, plenty of resources can help aspiring marathoners achieve their own goals.  Every year hundreds of thousands of people of all ages, shapes, speeds, and backgrounds make their way over 26.2 miles in races large & small.

The marathon wasn't always such a welcoming event.  In 1908, the myth of Pheidippides, who ran the first marathon in ancient Greece and then promptly dropped dead, still kept men from competing in the race.  Just a generation ago the ignorance of men who organized marathons kept women away.  But then our culture started to gradually change - and running evolved with it.  People of strength & character started breaking down doors of discrimination.  People like Katherine Switzer, who in 1967 became the first woman to finish the Boston Marathon with a bib number, made the marathon both a conceivable & achievable goal for runners everywhere.

And so the marathon has become the great urban Everest that Bryant describes.  It's a challenge that's open to everyone.  Young or old, fast or slow, all you need is the desire to test yourself, to push your limits.  Succeeding ath this challenge - wether it's your first or 50th marathon - can be one of the highest points in your life, a place from which you can look down on all that you've accomplished.

That pont may be at sea level instead of 29,000 feet, but it is a view that cannot be matched.

Waddle on, friends.

I couldn't have said it better myself!  John Bingham just bled awesomness from his pen... or keyboard!  LOL!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 21st Run (Week 25, Day 22)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 21st Run (Week 25, Day 22)

Click the above link for my run from this morning.

DISAPPONTMENT! That's what sums up today! I woke up when the alarm went off, but didn't get out of bed. Instead of snoozing, I shut it off! Grrr! I woke up when I realized I had been in bed for a long time since the alarm went off, and it was 6:51... the time I am usually starting to run. So, needless to say I got a late start.

I decided to fallback on my running a little this morning, which is something I should be doing every 2-3 weeks to let my body recover & build up. Yeah, disappontment here too, as I was well off my 10:00/mile pace.

I guess the good thing is, I still have 25 weeks to get over it!

Hydrate or Die

Oh glorious combination of 1 part hydrogen & 2 parts oxygen!  What is it about this special combination that we cannot live without?

One of the most important aspects of marathon training is hydration. I mean, our bodies are roughly 70% water.  We must constantly replinish this amount.  We get small amounts through the food we eat, but the majority comes from a tap/bottle.  Literally, we must replinish this supply of water in our bodies or we will die.

Dehydration is the result of the bodies loss of water.  The effects of dehydration are noticable with as little as 2% water loss.  a loss of 15% of water is fatal.  When you are running distances, it's extremely important to replinish the water that is lost throughout your run, not just when you are finished.

What complicates this issue is the fact that you can drink too little, or too much during your distance runs.  Hyponatremia ( low blood salt level due to abnormal fluid retention from overdrinking) and dehydration (due to net fluid losses from under drinking) are conditions easily adverted by understanding your individual body needs. I found a little chart today that kind of sums up what one needs to do during their runs, here's what I need:

I am running about 9-10 minutes/mile

So I need to intake approximately 24 oz / hour

Okay, so I know how much I need to take in now.  The big thing is that during my marathon, there will be water/aid stations every 5km... that's 3ish miles for us Americans!  That, I can manage.  The problem comes when I am running the roads during my training.  What I found, was a nice little piece of gear from a company called Nathan Hydration.  This belt holds 40oz of water, or sports drink, and it is equally distributed around your waist.  It also has 2 poskets.  A large pocket for energy gels and a smaller one for money or keys or whatever.  The bottles are a strong, but flimsy plastic that allows for a good squeeze to get the water you need, as fast or as slow as you'd like.

One of the biggest things I am worrying about is taking water on the move during my marathon.  Many of the articles that I have read about drinking while running state that it's not adviseable for beginners.  Mostly due to it being a choking hazard.  What many experts advise is that youwalk through the aid stations while you drink your water.  This will allow you to get all of your hydration, while at the same time, catching your breath.  There is also a safety issue to consider.

In the Rock & Roll San Diego Marathon, there are just over 16,000 runners.  Now, the Paris on the other hand, has around 40,000 places.  This is the view of one of the water stations during the San Diego.  As you can see, the cups are littering the ground.  Wet cups on hard surfaces create pretty treacherous footing.  With a larger portion of the Paris being on cobblestoned streets, I need to make sure I don't turn an ankle, or worse.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 20th Run (Week 25, Day 21)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 20th Run (Week 25, Day 21)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Yep, another cold one, & more capillary response, this time on my stomach... still itching too! Wow!

Run was average today, still in the new moon phase, so several parts of my run, maily the parts through the trees, were very dark, but the open stretches were pretty beautiful with all the stars again. It really helps keep me motivated to see things like this.

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Pictures

Just a quick note to let you all know that I uploaded a few pictures of my father, John Solomon, who is one of the people I am running in memory of.  Thanks to my Aunt Willie, I now have 2 pictures of my father that I, nor my brother, had ever seen before, inicluding one of his Purple Heart Ceremony!  The red hued one we had seen, but I have no idea where my tattered copy of it is at... surely in a box of pictures still packed up downstairs!

If you'd like to see the pictures, it's the post titled "In Memory Part 1".  It's also tagged "Memory".  Or, you can just click HERE!

Data Points

For all you Data-heads out there... if you're like me, you eat this stuff up... here is what my Forerunner says I have done since September 13th, which was zero day of my marathon training:

Sep 13, 2009 - Oct 17, 2009

Count: 21 Activities


Distance: 87.58 mi

Avg Distance: 4.17 mi

Time: 14:20:44 h:m:s

Avg Time: 00:40:59 h:m:s

Elevation Gain: 16,369 ft

Avg Speed: 6.1 mph

Avg HR: 161 bpm

Calories: 17,223 C

Median Distance: 4.26 mi

Max Distance: 6.08 mi

Median Time: 00:41:54 h:m:s

Max Time: 01:00:20 h:m:s

Avg Elevation Gain: 779 ft

Median Elevation Gain: 747 ft

Max Elevation Gain: 1,873 ft

Elevation Loss: 17,489 ft

Avg Elevation Loss: 833 ft

Median Elevation Loss: 790 ft

Max Elevation Loss: 1,881 ft

Max Avg Speed: 6.3 mph

Max Speed: 53.5 mph

Max Avg HR: 168 bpm

Max HR: 182 bpm

Pretty awesome stuff that a fat man is able to do this!  The stat that got me was 17,233 calories burned... okay, yeah, 87.58 miles in 21 run sessions is pretty impressive to me too!  LOL!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 17th Run (Week 26, Day 20)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 17th Run (Week 26, Day 20)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

This was my LRD of the week. I never knew 6 miles was so far! LOL! I hit just under my goal pace of 10:00 per mile. I got 9:55 per mile... as long as I hit my goals! LOL!

The fair is set up in Queidersbach today... was still too early for folks to be out & about when I set out on my run this morning, so no funny looks. I did notice that I pass this man on my Saturday runs. He looks a little like an older version of Luigi from Super Mario Brothers! He always looks at me like he is wondering what I am doing... maybe he's just in shock cause he's never heard 1 person sound like a herd of stampeding buffalo when they run!

Anyway, decent run this morning. Wasn't too cold. My gear kept me comfortable since I got some runners thermal underwear to run in until I can get me some tights!

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Exercise Allergy?!?!

Tuesday was my first real run where it was cold.  Man, why did I choose Germany to begin preparing for a marathon, much less Germany across the winter?  Along with the cold weather comes some extra preparation, clothing and such, but also, a whole other bag of issues that I have to watch out for.

Frost bite/Frost Nip are my primary concern during this portion of my training.  I will, hopefully, be getting some gear soon to help alleviate some of this issue, but I am still concerned about it.  The best defense against these enemies, when you know you have to be out in the weather, is to layer & cover.

You must layer to perserve warmth, but you must choose your layers wisely, as with running in layers, you are prone to overheating.  Overheating could be just as bad, if not worse than frost bite/frost nip.  Overheating & having a heat stroke while miles away from home on a cold, deserted trail at 4am is probably not a recipe for a succcessful life, much less a successful marathon!  I have been reading a lot about layering over the past couple weeks.  Under Armour has a layering system that I have been looking at that will do just fine!

Slips & falls on the ice are my next concern.  I am doing everything I can, even giving up on playing intramural football for my squadron this year, to avoid injuries.  If you know me, you know I love playing football, so this is an amazing thing in itself.  This area of Germany, historically, gets about 15-21 days of snowfall each year.  I'm sure though, after talking to lots of people I work with, we get tons of ice.  Running outside, I am sure I will run into ice patches.  This is going to be new to me.  I'm not real sure how I will handle the ice issue, other than I will just have to see how it goes.  I will definately need to get a headlight for running during the winter, as it will get dark very early here.  From what I have heard, I can expect it to be dark at 5pm during the middle of the winter.  Without a light, I won't be able to see the ice to try to avoid it.

I'm sure by now ya'll are asking yourselves, "Chris, what does this have to do with the title of your blog?"  Here we go.  Tuesday, as I said, was my first real cold weather run.  I got back and got into a luke warm shower, as I normally do.  I knew I was cold, since by the time the water ran from my head, down to my legs, the water was icy on my calves.  I thought it was just that my legs were cold, but I knew my hands were no longer cold, as I was feeling warm on them from the shower head.  I reached down & felt the water that was on the floor of the shower, and it was ice cold too.  That's when I noticed something that kind of startled me.

My thighs had turned bright red and were itching like crazy.  I didn't know what was going on, I just knew it was itching badly.  I thought that maybe I had brushed up against something on the running trail with my hands and was having some sort of allergic reaction.  Then, as abrubtly as the itching came on, it stopped.  The redness was still there though.  I asked a fellow runner I work with, but he had never experienced anything like this.  So, as I always do, off to the net I surfed.

I was searching the Runner's World forums and found this explanation, which I am sure my medical background folks have already figured out:

"The itching is not on the skin, it's inside the actual limbs. There are millions of tiny capillaries and arteries inside our muscles which expand rapidly due to the demand for more blood that is brought on by exercise. When warm, these capillaries remain open allowing maximum blood passage, but when cold they tend to collapse, allowing only minimal blood passage.  The rapid expansion of these vessels from warm water or rapid warming causes adjacent nerves to send impulses back to the brain which are interpreted as an itch. The body actually confuses the brain during cold weather activity as the extremely cold on the skin tricks the brain into thinking the muscles are cold, therefore shrinking the capillary ends to preserve blood warmth.  So, even though the muscles are warm, the skin being cold keeps the capillaries closed"

So, that explained my issue, which, if I remember correctly, was referred to as "capillary response" in the forums.  I did run across a rather interesting bit of information though, and yes, I verified it through medical websites too!

One poster was describing that while going through a class of Epi Pens, a pen type device that delivers medicine to people in anaphylactic shock due to food allergies, bee stings, and various other issues, the instructor brought up the fact that some people can go into anaphylaxis during exercise.  WHAT!?!?!  You can actually be allergic to exercise!  I couldn't believe it!  I'm sure the military would NEVER accept this as an excuse... LOL!  I would usually never add a link to an About.com website, but this just puts it in such layman's terms.  I was able to understand this alot better than the actual medical sites that love to use medical jargon.  Click HERE to read about Exercise Induced Anaphylaxis.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 15th Run (Week 26, Day 19)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Oct 15th Run (Week 26, Day 19)

Click the link above to see my run from this morning.

Not much to say about this morning, other than it was a new moon, so it was VERY dark this morning.

Additionally, it was 23 degrees when I started my run... even though I am in Europe, I mean it was 23 degrees Farenheit, not Celcius! Yes, it was cold. I think the sweat on the bill of my cap had ice chunks on it!

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Getting Armoured Up to Run

I've been talking a lot lately about how the Base Exchange(BX) (our version of a department store that is located on most military installations, also called AAFES) hasn't had what I have needed for my running gear since they opened this new, multi-million dollar store.  When they had 2 stores, they always seemed to have what I needed.  Now that they are down to one store, they have yet to have some gear that I need for my cold weather runs.  So, I guess I will cover a little bit of my gear.

I am an Under Armour kind of guy.  A lot of runners give Under Armour mixed reviews.

I think it's some of the best stuff ever made, but then again, my experience as a runner is limited here.  For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past several years, Under Armour is a brand name for a form fitting, moisture wicking, apparel company.  Their gear was originally designed to be worn under football shoulder pads to help regulate the players body temperature, as shoulder pad don't breathe very well.  The material carries moisture, sweat, from the body, to the outer surface of the garment, allowing for speedy evaporation & body cooling.

Under Armour comes in 3 varieties, Heat Gear, All Season, & Cold Gear.  Pretty simple, Heat Gear for when it's hot, Cold Gear for when it's cold & All Season for the in between times.  You can also choose Compression or Loose.  Compression is designed to be very form fitting.  By very form fitting, I mean you can count someone stretch marks through the stuff if they don't have anything on top of the compression item.  Compression has some extra benefits too.  It helps hold heat to the body to keep the muscles warm, which reduces the chances of muscle pulls & strains.  Additionally, it adds a slight bit of extra support, though not much, to the muscles.

I like Under Armour because they cater to the military.  They have a dedicated line called Under Armour Tactical, that was designed to meet military specs, so we can wear it with our uniforms, even while in the desert war zones.

Currently, I run in Heat Gear Compression shorts & short sleeve shirt.  These work great as a base layer as they can be hand washed and dry over night hanging in my shower... really helps keep the stink down, which I'm sure my wife appreciates!

Over this I wear a pair of Heat Gear Loose Shorts & an All Season Transit 1/4 Zip in Yellow.  It's a nice bright color so cars can see me & it was the only long sleeve they had at the BX!

Finally, I top it all off with the Escape Runners Hat to reduce the heat lost through my scalp & to catch my head sweat!

I will be adding to my kit shortly, with some Cold Gear tights, Cold Gear Compression Mock Turtle Neck & Cold Gear Gloves... maybe even a Cold Gear hat of some sort.  I think I am going to need is since the tempeartures are plummeting over here!