Week 2, Day 4 by kingsolo at Garmin Connect - Details

Let's catch up, shall we.

Week 2

Day 1 - Stretch & strengthen. I got some good deep stretches in. I did push ups & situps, as well as some powerband exercises.

Day 2 - This was an odd day. I was supposed to do a 3 mile run. Instead, my unit has military PT (Physical Training) on Tuesdays. One of the guys ran us through an hour of college football type drills in the base gym, while alternating laps around the gym floor. It hurt a little.

Day 3 - The tightness has really set in from yesterday's workout. Think I actually pulled an oblique. Hurts to bend sideways so badly I want to smack someone! I was awakened at 12:00am by a pretty gnarly sinus headache... yes, I've been battling this stuff for close to 2 weeks now, honestly with no relief in sight! Got home, thinking I was going to run. Instead, relaxed. Headache finally went away around 8:00pm, just in time for bed!

Day 4 - Below is the link from this mornings run. Pretty tough run, especially the long uphill stretch as I was coming back in to Queidersbach. I haven't run that hill in a long time, and I see why. It's probably 1/2 - 3/4 mile stretch that is all a pretty decent incline grade. I powered through it, but my legs were on fire.

Week 2, Day 4 by kingsolo at Garmin Connect - Details

On a side note, I picked up new running shoes yesterday. The BX stopped carrying my Asics Gel Nimbus 11's. They upgraded to the Gel Nimbus 12's. I got them. They look hot like fire, but the verdict is still out on thier runability.

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.

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!

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!

One Step Closer

I went and picked up my running jersey from the post office today.  It looks so sharp... the picture doesn't do it justice.  Key features are 3 larger pockets across the back, they look like they will do fine to throw a few packs of sport beans in.  Additionally, the zipper on the front sips down to about my belly button so if I start to overheat, I can run the race J. Lo style!

Maria is going to help me modify it a little bit. We are going to figure out where to embroidier the names of the people I am running in memory & in honor of.  Any ideas?

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!

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 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!

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!

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.

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!

Be Seen or Be Dead

Inherantly, when you are running the distances that are required for marathon training, you will be running in the dark.  Not to mention, running laps around a 1/4 mile track is not my idea of fun.  I get sick on rides that go around in tight circles!  So, I am looking at the challenge of running in both daylight & darkness, on roads and sidewalks.  These are not my areas.  Well, at least the road is not my area.  That belongs to the cars; therefore, I leave it to them as much as I possibly can.  I have come up with a few simple rules... no, I didn't come up with them all on my own, but if you are going to be street running, you might want to consider these:

- Always run against the flow traffic... you want to see what is coming at you so you can jump out of the way if needed

- Just cause you are on the sidewalk, doesn't mean you're safe... keep your head on a swivel

- Face planting into the mud diving out of the way of a car is better than death... it's bigger than you, so the law of gross tonage applies

- If you wear an iPod, and must wear it while on the road, the traffic side ear bud must come out... you can't avoid what you cannot hear (Just read an article about hybrid cars being the runners silent killer)

- Be seen... if you can do anything to be seen, do it!  This includes waving, wearing bright colors, reflective clothing

- Always tell someone where you are running... leave a note or something describing the route & time expected to return, that way, in case the horrible happens, people know where to find you

- Wear your allergies, name & contact number... the emergency service folks don't know what you do if you are unconscious.  Help them, help you!

That was painless, hopefully.  I want to expound on a couple of these though.

Clothing choice is pivitol when running, not only for body temperature regulation, but for safety.  Here is how I look when I run during the day.  I choose colors that drivers can't help but see.  This is an Under Armour Steeltown Gold long sleeve (sleeves are pulled up right now) shirt.  You can almost HEAR me coming when I wear this thing! 

I will still wave at vehicles, bicycleists, etc when they are coming toward me while I am running.  I want to make sure they see me & avoid me.  It's not the runner who should have to be avoiding a vehicle, it SHOULD be the vehicle avoiding the runner in my opinion.  I do my best about not running on the road, unless I encounter one of the elderly folks walking around our village on the sidewalk.  I will immediately get out of their way... it's not only respectful, it's also for their safety.  I don't want them to try to move out of my way and slip & fall.  I would feel horrible if I caused an elderly person to break a hip or something!

This is how I want to look when I run before daylight.  Yeah, I know, it's not a runner, but I want to look just like this when I run!  My typical kit when I run at night is not much different than what I wear during the day right now.  My hat has reflective material on it.  My shirt & shorts have reflective material on them.  My shoes have reflective material on them.  The biggest change right now, is I wear a 3M reflective safety belt.  This is basically just a reflective strip of plastic that wraps around my waist & velcros.  I really need to order a runners headlight.  I also have seen a flashing red safety light that clips to your back or fastens to your hat band in the back so vehicles approaching from behind see you.  One of the tools I use right now is my iPod. 

I have the iPod touch that I run with.  I downloaded an application for it called iFlashlight.  It was free and just displays a white screen on the iPod.  If I am being approached by a car, I will unlock my iPod and shine the "flashlight" at them.  It seems to get their attention, but it doesn't do much for me by helping me see the uneven German roads!  LOL!

The last one I want to touch on is the identification.  There are several ideas for making sure EMS workers have vital information about you.  I am allergic to penecillin, which is one of the most common antibiotics.  To avoid them giving me this antibiotic, I had a set of dogtags made.  I laced one into my shoe and the other I carry in my iPod armband.  It shows the EMS my name, emergency contact phone number, and allergies.  I found a company in the last copy of Runners World magazine called Road ID.  Click HERE for their website.  This is a nice form factor for an ID band.  They also have one that has a code on it that the EMS workers can access via the Road ID website and get even more info about you.  I think my dogtags work fine though and were only $5.

Of Gu, Glycogen & You

Yeah, yeah, I know, weird title. I will clarify if you just keep reading, and it may actually benefit some of you one day.

I’m a science freak. I loved it all throughout school, and if you put science into a subject that I think is useless & boring, I will get totally into it! I guess that’s why I love the show Good Eats with Alton Brown.  The way he mixes science into cooking keeps me intrigued, even if Maria can’t stand it! I think she’d like the show if Alton Brown wasn’t the star of it, but that’s another story.

Good Eats, for those who have not had the opportunity, nay the honor, of seeing it, not only teaches you how to cook certain foods or dishes, but it mixes in some history of the item, some science about why you should use one pan or the other, or why you should use egg whites as opposed to whole eggs, etc. It’s not just TV shows that draw me in with science though… have you not been following my blog thus far?

This marathon training has really got me looking into the science of the human body. More so than ever before, science is playing a huge role in distance running. Take a look at how shoes have changed. We’ve seen air filled shoes, shoes with pumps, bungee cord strings, round strings, flat strings, gel inserts, lighter shoes, mesh, “hydrophobic” materials, and the list goes on & on. I mean, did you read my blog about a $50 pair of socks! And the technological advancements with GPS’s, heart rate monitors, winter training gear, it’s easy to see that great strides are being made in the sport. Even strides aimed at the insides of our bodies are being made.

Glycogen is a molecule that is made by the liver & muscles from the carbohydrates we take in. It is the fuel for our muscles. The glycogen is stored in the muscles & in the liver, though the glycogen in the muscles is what we are going to be focusing on.

Glycogen is like throwing gasoline on a fire. It burns very rapidly, but pretty efficiently. It’s right there at the muscles, so the muscles use these stores first. Fat, on the other hand, is like throwing wet wood on a fire. The fire will eventually dry the wood, and it will burn, but it takes awhile for it to really get going. For runners, and other active sports, the body will burn the glycogen, then revert to trying to burn fat.

A runner can store about 2000 calories worth of glycogen in their bodies. Depending on the rate of burn, the glycogen stores of said runner will be depleted around 18-20 miles. If you’ve read anything about marathon running before, 18-20 miles is what is known as the wall. This is the point that the runner reaches where it feels like their muscles just cannot go on. This is the body running out of glycogen & reverting to burning fat for energy. For this reason, marathons have used oranges, bananas, candy, sugar cubes, and tons of other items stationed throughout the course, to help the runner replenish glycogen during their run to avoid, or at least minimize, the effects created by a lack of glycogen. Here comes science to the runners rescue!

Several companies over the past few years have introduced energy gels to the market. Two of the more well known are Gu & Powerbar.  These energy gels provide complex carbohydrates that the body can quickly process into more glycogen. They may also contain caffeine, amino acids, electrolytes, or some other bonus supplement. Their proper use is essential during a marathon. With the gels, it’s advised that you take one about an hour before the marathon, and then every 45 minutes during the run. You wash it down with 4-5 ounces of WATER… no sports drinks. Sports drinks can cause delayed gel absorption & stomach upset, which are not good for a marathon. If your muscles don’t get the glycogen they need, the wall will get you. If your stomach is upset… 26.2 miles is a long way to run, but even longer when the porta-potties are spaced 3 miles apart! It’s recommended that you use moderation when mixing sports drinks & energy gels during a workout, long run or marathon. Adequate water intake is also key to help in the transport of the gel through the small intestines where it is absorbed.

I am in the process of trying some of these. I have three items that I will be trying. Gu, Powerbar Gel, and Jelly Belly Sport Beans. Yeah, I know, it’s not an energy gel, but a friend of mine swears by them.  Not to mention, I love me some Jelly Belly’s! I will let you know how the trials go on these items. I have decided to wait until I am running over an hour before I start testing these items to see how they fare on my stomach, which is my major concern.  Oh yeah, & Jelly Belly's are Good Eats!

The Underwear of the Feet

Since I covered the feet in the last gear blog, let's keep in that same general vicinity & talk about socks.  I have learned more about socks in the past few weeks than any person ought to know!

All socks are made, somewhat, alike.  There may be subtle differences in fabric content, individual toes, colors, size, etc.  When most people are told to think of a sock, they think of the plain white tube, 100% cotton or cotton & a small percentage of some other material that helps it keep it's "springyness."  That's what I thought of anyway.  I mean, how hard could it be to throw on a sock & hit the streets, right?  WRONG!

While, yes, you technically can just throw on any sock, one of the fundamental rules of running comes into play... please remember this rule, as you will see it again, SEVERAL times throughout my journey.  Cotton is the enemy of all runners... well, more precisely, cotton & moisture are the enemies.

See, cotton rubs the skin.  That's all fine & good until you add some moisture.  Any moisture will do, sweat, rain, sweat, mud puddle, sweat, spilled water that you were trying to drink while running, sweat... see a trend developing here?  Literally, any moisture will cause the cotton fibers to GRAB your skin, creating friction.  Friction creates blisters, or in other cases, the dreaded chaffing action that most folks from the South know from trying to enjoy a day out and about during the summer humidity.

To keep my feet from looking like a couple of chewed up pieces of meat, I, once again, headed off to my secret shopping spot, the Internet, and took a stroll down the sock isle.  That's when my jaw hit the floor!  A quick search of Amazon.com for X-Sock will reveal this beautiful pair of socks.  These are Swiss "Engineered" socks.  They have every bell & whistle that could be thrown into a sock.  At almost $50 PER PAIR, these are the creame de la creame of socks.  Everything about this sock was designed with the runner in mind.  I may look dumb, but I'm no idiot.  There is only so much that can be done to a sock that hasn't been done before & that isn't offered in your everyday pack of Hanes or Fruit of the Loom.  With Under Armour & Nike, and every other shoe company jumping into the sock business, I refuse to spend $50 on a pair of socks & decided I needed to do some more homework. 

I hit the forums and found a reasonably priced sock that sounded like it was right up my alley... in fact, Amazon.com was offering them at a discount when I ordered them too!  Bonus!  So, I got the Wright Sock Running II Anti Blister Double Layer Sock.  Very nice sock if I must say.  As the name implies, these socks have 2 layers.  An inner layer that is "hydrophobic" - I didn't know socks had the capability of having a mental status such as phobias, but I digress - and an outer layer that helps to regulate the foot's temperature.  Plus, they have some other otions too, but they are a little boring.  I won't bore you with a picture of my ordinary white sock!  LOL!

I will, however, throw up a shot of another sock I am trying out.  So far it is performing okay at my shorter distances.  It's the Nike No-Show Anatomically Correct Running Sock.  Yes, I said anatomically correct.  No, not male/female, but rather left/right.  Each sock has a little L or R on it to make sure you are putting the correct sock on the correct foot.  They are specially made to support the foot, and only the foot they are intended to support.  A Right sock will not line up with the arch of the Left foot to support it.  Odd, yes, but they also offer extra cushon where you need it.  While not double layered to prevent blisters like the Wright Sock, these aren't made out of cotton.  They use Nike's patented Dri-Fit fabric... some type of lycra derivative.  The jury is still out on these for anythng much over 4 miles, but they are cheaper than the Wright Socks & available at the BX here on base, which makes them convienient.

See, who knew there were so many options when it comes to socks!  This is just a drop in the bucket too!  A search of Amazon.com leads to over 4000 results for "running socks" and I am sure 4000 runners will give you 4000 different reasons why the sock they use is better than everyone elses.  It all comes down to what feels good on your feet & what keeps your feet healthy enough to run another day!

It's All About Management of DeFeet

I figured I would hit on one of the biggest problems that first time marathoners don't really take in to account, and it's unfortunate too, as it's the piece of equipment that is REQUIRED to run a marathon... YOUR FEET!  While shoes are not required, to physically run a marathon without feet (or a prostetic foot of some sort) would be impossible. 

When I said I was going to run a marathon, I spread it around at work.  My boss, who is a pretty fit guy, said he ran a marathon and he'd never do it again as his toe nails fell out after the race.  While 26.2 miles is pretty grueling, and your body takes a lot of punishment, I wanted to find out why this happened to him.  Off to the inter-web I went.

As it turns out, he made 2 fatal errors.  He didn't adequately prepare, and he didn't have to correct shoe to run a marathon in.  So, after talking with another runner I work with who has run several half-marathons & is running his first full marathon in 2 weeks in Venice, he suggested, nay, told me, to go get a gait analysis.  I know I hit on this in an earlier blog, but I am going to cover it a bit more in depth now.

He directed me to a running store in downtown Kaiserslautern to get my analysis accomplished.  It was in the basement of a running store, and it consisted of me running on a treadmill, barefooted, at a 5 mile per hour pace for about 3 minutes.  The guy running the analysis was recording my running to check on some vital items:

- Mechanics - is the correct portion of the foot hitting the ground first, are you dragging your feet off the ground or are they leaving the ground cleanly, are my knees rotating, etc

- Pronation - does the foot roll inward or outward while running, and if so, how badly

- Arches - what type of arch does the runner have, high, normal or flat

I'm sure his trained eye was looking for more than this, but these are the things he pointed out to me.  He then asked my shoe size for my everyday shoes.  He said that size was too small & I should be wearing a half size larger shoe... who knew! 

I want to hit on pronation before I move on.  As you can see from the diagram to the left, pronation is how the foot rolls while running, or even walking.  Uncorrected, this can lead to several major issues, including bunions, ankle issues from the stress, tendonitis, heel spurs, as well as several other issues that can cause pain for the rest of ones life.  The articles I have read on pronation suggest that people should get a gait analysis to get the proper shoe, even for day to day wear to avoid foot & leg problems.

The guy performing my analysis brought out 3 different shoes for me to try on.  Each had it's benefits & downfalls.  I respect the fact that the first shoe the man offered me to try was not the most expensive, but yet the best shoe for me!  I am a big guy and he said that this one had the best cushioning to help absorb the excess shock I'd be placing on my feet & legs. 

After trying on all 3 pairs, I settled on the one that felt the best on my foot.  He told me, take them for a jog around the downtown market area.  Cool!  Try before you buy!  I ran in the shoes for about 5-10 minutes to see how they felt.  They really did feel good, so I decided on those.  Unfortunately, in Germany, they use the Euro.  It is a bad exchange rate for us here.  I didn't buy the shoes form the guy, but found them online, for cheaper, and free shipping!  Sorry dude!

I got the Asics Gel Nimbus 11.  My feet have thanked me everyday since I have started wearing them!  I also got a set of quick laces, which are basically thin bungee cords with the little plastic cord lock things from backpacks & jackets.  This will let my shoe expand as my feet swell on longer runs.

Shoes have a life span, which isn't always dependant on how the shoe looks.  One statistic said that around 60% of all people are walking around in "dead shoes."  The average shoes cushioning breaks down at about 300-400 miles.  shoes developed for marathon running, which you can tell by the price, are usually good for about 500 miles.  After that, they may look okay on the outside, but the internal cushioning is gone, offering no protection to the bones & joints, and actually causes more harm than good.

I'm not sure if any of this info will ever be relevant to ya'll but I wanted to share exactly how in depth I am going with this marathon.  If you're gonna do it, do it right!