Saturday, February 27, 2010

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Feb 27th Run (Week 6, Run 70)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Feb 27th Run (Week 6, Run 70)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

Man, a half marathon is as long as it sounds! If you look at the track at the link above, you'll see it came out to 11.84, or something like that, miles. I had a GPS error. I looked down at my wrist and noticed that somehow the stop button got pressed. So, there is a bit of time & mileage that didn't get counted. I know it ran fine all the way out, so it was on the way back, around 8.9 miles... not exactly sure how long it was stopped though. I know I ran out 6.5 miles, so it should've come to 13ish miles total.

Worn my new shoes today.  Unfortunately, it looks like I may have to buy a new set of quick laces.  Quick laces are this bungee cord material with one of those plastic squeeze lock things to hold it tight.  It allows the shoe to be tight to the foot, but expand as your feet swell with the pounding of the pavement.  I wore the regular laces today and had to stop a couple times to retie my shoes.

I wore out my first pair of Under Armour compression shorts.  The material, I guess from the friction & constant washings, has began to pile.  It's no longer smooth, which caused some chafing today... not fun!

All that after working the overnight shift!

In case ya'll want a beautiful area to go walk through, the town of Steinalben is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!  It kept me pushing forward to see what else I'd get to discover!  Will definately have to go walk though this area & just take my time to enjoy the scenery one day as the weather gets better.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Feb 25th Run (Week 6, Run 69)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Feb 25th Run (Week 6, Run 69)

Click the link above for my run from this morning.

I think I learned a few things on my run this morning:

- I think you can run too slow. I was running and my pace was way down, and my knee started hurting. I picked the pace up & the pain subsided. Weird, huh?

- I think I need a new pair of shoes. The outside edge of my left foot started hurting about mile 7. I checked when I got home & sure enough, the cushion on the sole has worn WAY down... like dangerously worn in my opinion. Wonder if this is what has been causing my knee pains.

- I think 8 miles for my second day back on the road was a little too ambitious. I had to walk a couple times, which really didn't bother me. My pace was still way slow, which I fully expect to last at least a little while longer while I strengthen up my legs from that dreaded elliptical machine.

All in all, not a bad day of running though!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Dwindling Time

45 days, 14 hours, 57 minutes, 45 seconds. My marathon experience is almost upon me!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Feb 24th Run (Week 10, Run 68)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Feb 24th Run (Week 10, Run 68)

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

Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you, The Great Thaw!

Man, it was nice to get back out on the roads today. I have decided, I DISPISE the elliptical though. While I admit, it kept me in some kind of running shape, even doing hill repeats on the machine, I managed to lose 7 minutes off my goal pace. Got to kick it in to high gear now and get that time back for the big race... 9 more weeks of training to go until I suit up and jog my chunky body through the streets of Paris.

My route was pretty much all clear of ice, except for 2 spots. 1 is right around the bridge area where I turn right before entering Linden and is about 25-50 feet of mostly patchy ice. The other is on my uphill climb as I round the corner from the bridge. This one is the one that worries me. It's on a pretty steep incline and it's a pure sheet of ice, probably 7"-10" thick... may take awhile for that one to thaw. It's about 100', so the entire uphill portion. At least it's not the downhill portion of that hill too. That'd be treacherous.

I feel a little tingle in myright knee, the one I suspected I have Illiotibial Band Syndrome in, but there is no pain. Hopefully the time on the elliptical actually helped in that aspect. We'll see tomorrow when I run my 8 miler. That'll be out & around the church in Horbach & back. Hopefully this weekend I can go out with the camera and take pictures of my route out to 10 miles & back, so ya'll can see what I see. No such luck on the Paris one though... but hey, ya'll can always come for a visit and we'll head out there and you can see it first hand! LOL!

Enjoy!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

A Special Day

I just wanted to let everyone know that today is World Cancer Day... Take time to do something for those you know who are battling this beast, beat their cancers, or something for the families of those who've lost loved ones to this horrible disease!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Tuneage A.K.A. My Personal Marathon Soundtrack

Let me tell you, if there is one hurdle that is the hardest to cross, it's the mental barrier that comes along with knowing you are about to run 10, 15, 20+ miles.  People do things to help ease their minds, but some marathon organizers are all about removing extrernal helpers.

Case in point, in October of 2009, 2 people were disqualified from the Lakefront Marathon in Wisconsin due to iPod usage (or alleged usage), one of them being the fastest female finisher.  You can read the full story by clicking HERE.  While I get the fact that professional runners shouldn't be allowed to use iPods or other devices to help overcome the mental challenge, people, like myself and millions of others, are just out trying to prove something to ourselves, raise money for a charity, or just get in better shape.  I do not see the foul in taking the people's money for a road race, then hanging a DNF (Did Not Finish) tag by their name at the end of the race because some bystander or some company hired to take photos during the race find out that a casual runner used an iPod during their run.

The kicker is when you apply to run a marathon, most of the time you are categorized by your time, if you have an established PR (Personal Record).  These times are used to place you in the starting grids.  Obviously, they want people who are world-class athletes & runners in the front.  These people usually win big bucks every year by finishing races in the top positions & bonuses if they beat a marathons current record.  In a lot of cases, such as the Disney Marathon, to be placed in one of these forwards starting positions, you have to send in certified proof that you can run that fast, by way of a certificate of finish from a recognized, official prior marathon.  These people are professionals at punding pavement.  The people in the back of these gaggles of hundreds to tens of thousands of people are amatures... like me.  I just want to finish!  Who cares how, as long as it's on my own two feet and I pass through every check point required of me.  My final complaint is most marathons actually have bands set up across the course & the music can be heard across the entire route, so what's the big deal if I want MY style of music?

I guess I am willing to get a DNF if I decide to run in a marathon that doesn't allow iPods.  I have to have mine to run.  IT'S REQUIRED!  I wonder if I can get a doctor's note stating that I must have my iPod?  I need the music.  I have to have the constant thumping of some bass in my ears.  Basically, I want a wave of music hitting me while I run.  While the picture is not exactly what I had in mind, you get my drift!  (Such a great piece of art by the way!)  Go check out the artist's website HERE.  But, not just any music will do.  In fact, here's what is on my iPod that I run to now:

- AC/DC – Thunderstruck - Good song to get me pumped
- Barenaked Ladies – One Week - Reminds me of hanging with my brother while home on leave
- Beastie Boys – Intergalactic
- Beastie Boys – Sabotage - First song I ever timed myself running to to keep a pace
- Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – You & Me & the Bottle Make 3 - Reminds me of my 21st B-day in - Vegas with some of the coolest guys ever!
- Black Eyed Peas – Pump It
- Britney Spears – Toxic – Armand Van Helden Remix edit - Reminds me of my wife... she says all BS's songs sound the same, and she is absolutely right!  This mix just has a great beat.
- Bush – Everything Zen - Helps me stride out a tough hill... seems to always hit when I need it
- Cake – The Distance - Come on... I'm running 26 miles here!
- Casting Crowns - Between the Alter & the Door - These Christian songs are scattered through to boost my spiritual energy,
- Casting Crowns - The Voice of Truth
- Chumbawamba – Tubthumping - Reminds me of my first military unit Christmas party!
- Coldplay - Speed of Sound - This was at the top of the charts when my daughter was born!
- Darius Rucker - All I Want (You to leave me is alone) - I'm a Hootie fan, his country music is good!
- Fall Out Boy – Dance, Dance - Reminds me of the music I listened to to help cut weight in Korea.
- Fall Out Boy - Thanks for the mmrs
- Family Force 5 - Kuntry Gentleman - Another Christain group that ROCKS YOUR FACE OFF!
- Fatboy Slim-The Rockafeller Skank
- Garbage – Only Happy When It Rains - Reminds me of hanging out with Steve in Idaho.
- Good Charlotte – lifestyles of the rich and famous
- Green Day – welcome to paradise (live) - Reminds me of college at PRCC.
- Green Day – American Idiot
- Guns ‘n Roses – It’s so easy - Reminds me of hanging with my cousins in Oak Grove WAYYY back in the day!
- Guns ‘n Roses – Welcome to the Jungle
- Guns ‘n Roses – You Could Be Mine
- Gwen Stefani – Hollaback Girl
- Harvey Danger – Flagpole Sitta - Another memory of being home on leave.
- Hawk Nelson - The Show - Another Christain hit!
- Kool & The Gang – Jungle Boogie
- Linkin Park – Faint
- Maroon 5 – Harder to Breathe
- Moby – James Bond Theme (Moby’s re-version)
- My Chemical Romance — I’m not okay (i promise)-rtb - Another remnant of my days in Korea.
- Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit - Reminds me of living at home with my mom & brother.
- OutKast – Hey Ya! - My wife loved this song!  Really reminds me of California.
- Survivor – Eye of the Tiger - Do I really need to expalin this one?
- Talking Heads – Burning Down The House
- The Killers – Mr Brightside - Reminds me of driving in my 1500 Daytona in Ocean Springs.
- The Killers – Somebody Told Me (Mylo Remix)
- The Offspring – Get a Job - Reminds me of my buddy Rob A.
- The White Stripes – Thinking About My Doorbell

There are a ton more songs on there.  Most of them have some trigger to a good memory to me.  One thing I read was that when you are hitting the mental wall in a marathon, DO NOT think about anything negative.  The fact that you are tired, that your legs feel like lead weights, that your muscles feel like fire ants are making a home in them, NOTHING NEGATIVE!  Hopefully these songs will trigger the memories I need to push through.  I recently found a set of CD's called MTV Mash Volumes 1-14.  They take several songs and DJ Mix them into tracks.  For example, in Volume 1, they mix Grease - You're the One That I Want with Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg's - The Next Episode.  Yeah, odd pairing, but makes for some awesome running tracks.  While not all of them are great for running, I think about 95% are useable.  The crazy mix up of songs keeps you guessing too.

I currently run with a First Generation iPod Touch.  Yeah, I know... it is bulky.  I may downsize, but for now, it's what I have& don't want to spend the money, or the time uploading more songs to it for that matter.  My biggest drawbacks about this iPod are pretty obvious.  It's size, a little bigger than a deck of playing cards; it's weight, about as much as a roll of quarters; it's cost, too much; and it's delicateness (if that's a word), I really have to make an effort to keep this thing safe.  The iPod performs well, I just have to be stupid crazy about protecting it. I'd hate for that thing to get wet on a rainy day run. I have found some tricks to help though.  If you are going to do any type of athletic type thing with this device, I want to caution you to buy another one.  I didn't buy this one with the purpose of using it while I ran.  I got an amazing deal on it in the Youngsan Electronics Market in Seoul while stationed in South Korea.  It was as much as a normal mp3 player when I got mine, plus, it was an insurance claim, so it's not like I paid for it... okay, I did through premiums... let me live my dreams guys!

I carry my iPod in a Belkin Arm Band.  This think is nice!  It's biggest feature is that it's adjustable, so if you have monster Hulk Hogan guns, o big fatty arms like mine were, it'll fit.  And when I say fit, not only does it not slide due to the texturing on the inside of the elastic arm band, it just down right feels good.  It's almost like a neoprene material... who knows, maybe it is.  Nonetheless, it fits like a dream.  While the picture isn't exactly like mine, it's a close enough representation.  Mine has a case for the iPod that is not made onto the band like the one in the picture.  I like the fact that I can remove my iPod from my arm if need be, without having to pull the armband off.  Additionally, the little headphone keeper is handy, though not as great as I though it'd be.  The bonus of this is there is 3M relfective material on the armband to help increase your visibility to drivers on night or early morning runs.  This armband IS NOT water proof!  I can't stress this enough!  That's why I like being able to remove the iPod.  Get it out of the heavy rain.  Why just heavy rain?

I put my iPod in a trusty Ziploc baggy!  I put it in so the baggy opening is at the bottom of the iPod.  This helps keep water from running down into the baggy.  It may get the baggy wet, but hopefully it will not get into the iPod itself.  To help with this, I usually put a twist or two on the baggy and fold it back over on top of itself.  With the baggy over the iPod, pulled tight across the front, I can still control the devise with the touch screen inputs.  Pretty handy.  I also turn the armband so the iPod is under my arm when the rain starts.  This adds one more layer of protection to my gear.

To get my tunes to my ears, not just any old head phone will do.  I need the soft earbuds cause wearing hard earbuds for 5 hours will probably make for a bloody mess, but I also have a condition to take into account.
"Hello, my name is Chris & I have SECS."
SECS, or Sweaty Ear Canal Syndrome, is what I have called my condition.  It's never a real condition until it has a name & an acronym!  Basically, I'm considered a cllydesdale runner... yeah, like the big old beefy Budweiser beer horses.  So, naturally, I sweat a lot... a lot doesn't even do it justice.  I sweat EVERYWHERE.  Hence, SECS... just like it sounds, I have sweaty ear canals.  It's not that my ear canals themselves sweat.  What happens is I sweat so much from my head, it fills my ears, seeping past my earbuds and will pool in my canals.  I know it's gross, but I never said my blog would be all perfume & roses!  This running blog is a gritty man thing!

I had to search for some special earbuds to run with.  I needed something that was going to stand up to the constant bombardment by my sweat.  What I found was a set of JVC Bi-Metals.  They sound great, JVC is known for their audio quality, and they are sealed for waterproofing.  Not to mention, they have interchangeable soft earbud pieces for comfort on a 26 mile run.  I wansn't looking for this feature, but these earbuds actually fit over the ear.  The cord wraps over the ear to support the weight of the earbud to take preassure off the opening of the ear canal.  I will probably have to put some Body Glide on the tops of my ears, just to make sure there will be no chaffing.  I haven't experienced any yet, but 26 miles is a different animal!

Now, go load up some tunes, lace up your running shoes & as my boy Jack Black says, melt your face off!

Poor Posting

Hey ya'll!  Sorry for the lengthy delay in posting.  If I can't show ya'll my runs, there is relaly no point in posting that I ran on the elliptical!  Kind of boring!  Well, here's what has happened since I have been away:

I hurt my back on Jan 16th Run, which I posted about.  I actually ran outside that day.

I was laid up from the 16th till the 26th letting my back heal.  I began easing back into the elliptical to test my back & by ITBS issue.  I am beginning to pick back up the durration of my elliptical runs.

Bonus was I found some awesome DJ mixes (MTV Mash-ups Vol 1-14) that I am loading up on to my iPod to run to!  LOL!  I found running on the elliptical is less monotonous if I slap on some TV shows.  I have been replaying episodes of Glee & Friday Night Lights... yeah, odd pairing I know, but it gets me through!