Nooseneck 18k - Post-Christmas Fun

I managed to convince my cousin's husband, who's a trail runner by nature, to come down to the Nooseneck 18k on Friday. He was recovering from a recent 50-miler, and initially thought the race was on Saturday, but he still gave it a go... as a recovery run. For those that don't know the course, here's a Map of it that someone created. It starts and finishes across the street from the Tavern on the Hill. For a suggested donation of $10, it's a really fun race for those that consider 11.2 miles to be fun. Thanks to Mike Tammaro and the Narragansett Running Association for putting on yet another fun runner-centric race. Looking forward to nest year's 10th anniversary.

The first mile is pretty much downhill all the way. I went out in 5:45, which was probably a bit too fast, but it was mostly gravity doing the work. By the time I settled into a 6:10 pace after mile 2, I got passed by a group of about six runners who were moving slightly under 6:00. I recognized a few faces from other races in RI, and I knew I couldn't hang, so I settled in with the first female and another guy. I could see race-winner, Matt Pelletier, for about 3 miles, then he disappeared on his way to a course record: 59:39. We kept the pace until we hit the hill on the fire road at Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge at mile 5. That mile is pretty tough as you go up the slightly washed out dirt road. After that, it was rolling hills with a general upward trend, keeping about a 6:30 pace. I passed the female leader and other guy at the 10 mile marker and just kept pushing the pace to the finish. I pretty much left it all on the road, as I didn't feel I had anything left in the tank when I crossed the finish line.

The worst part was that M, my cousin, and her son were cheering me on at a parked car about 100 yards from the finish. I mistook that as the finish line and checked up, only to realize I still had another 100 to sprint. Darn it. Anyway, I ended up taking 2:34 off of last year's time, and I was really happy about that.

This was my goal race for getting back into shape this fall. Now, I'm kind of taking a week to let my quads and a tweaked hip flexor (thanks to the downhills in this race) rebound. I might run a few slower, shorter runs to keep up general fitness and social contacts, but nothing too challenging until the New Year.

IT Band Syndrome (Article)

Level Renner has an article up by Ian Nurse, a Boston runner and licensed chiropractor. ARTICLE HERE

Having been through my own IT band syndrome issue in the beginning of this year, I was eager to read through the article to see if it matched with my experience. And, it did. The symptoms presented as described in the article. I, being as stupid/stubborn as I normally am, kept running through the pain hoping it would go away. I found that the faster I ran, the better it felt, but it soon got to the point where I couldn't run fast enough to keep the pain at bay. I was totally unaware of the warning signs of IT band syndrome. I guess I did enough damage to lose a good three months while trying to clear up the symptoms and build a program to keep it from happening again.

The first step in my healing process was to get an MRI. Fortunately, with my insurance this was covered 100% with a Dr's order. Great. The MRI indicated severe inflammation of the right IT band. My left one was acting up, too, but the Dr. felt that analysis of the right side would be enough to figure out what was going on with the left.

The next step was to get some physical therapy going with the folks at MedStar Harbor Hospital Sports Medicine. I highly recommend them for rehab and training. I got on a treadmill with video, and when I saw the results, I cringed. I had always wondered why I looked so awkward anytime I saw a photo of myself from a race. Now I knew why. As the PT put it, "You run like a wounded T-Rex." It was awful. My feet crossed over, like running on a tightrope. My arms stayed inside my body, shoulders curled in, and no heel kick. From seeing this, I can say that I think I probably had a combination of Nurse's causes 1, 3, and 4 that contributed to my IT band syndrome.

The rehab focused on three things: 1) strengthening glutes, hip flexors, and quads, 2) flexibility work, and 3) a complete change of running form. Running on the Alter-G definitely helped with #3, but the other two foci were down to the great work of my PTs. They worked out a bunch of strengthening exercises and flexibility stretches to help with everything. Gradually I worked up to where I got out to do 2 mi per day on the road, no more than 10 mi per week. It felt great. Hips underneath, arms swinging at the side, head up, chest out, and my key thought was to give each foot its own lane. Much like cars on the highway.

This article comes at a great time for me. I have been holding steady at just under 40 mi per week, but have wanted to start increasing slowly. This was just the reminder I needed as I start to bump mileage up. No more than 10% per week, of course. I need to especially focus on getting the strength exercises back in my routine because I have let them slip. I also need to keep up with the flexibility, too. I tend to stiffen up more with higher mileage, and it will be a battle to keep everything loose. This injury also reminded me how interconnected all the parts of the body are in running. It's not just about legs. It's arms, abs, lungs, head, ankles, etc... When one gets out of alignment, other things can go south, especially over higher mileage.

That's all. Just wanted to mention a good article to read so that you can stay ahead of IT band syndrome by knowings its symptoms and root causes.

Holiday Lights Run in South Philly

Last Thursday, I headed up to Philly to partake in the Holiday Lights Run, joint venture between the Fishtown Beer Runners and the South Philly Striders.

It was a rather short run at about 3.5 miles, but it took you through a few sections of South Philly that are noted for their light displays. There were the Smedley and South Colorado Loops and 13th Street light displays that were most memorable. All in all, it was a fun time that benefited Philabundance... thankfully we only had to run about a mile to the start of the run carrying canned goods.

S. 13th Street - linked from Passyunk Post

We chose not to head to the Sardine Bar, which was where the run was supposed to finish, just because of the sheer volume of people. Instead, we headed to the SPTR for a few beers and some grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup.

Omar wasn't a myth. #thewire

25yr old Omar McGee charged with the July 4th murder of Matthew Drake at 3200 Chelsea Terrace. #BPDDETECTIVES pic.twitter.com/0qjAhY1Nfm

— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) December 10, 2014

Trail running and responsibility Part II - Also Hunting and Responsibility

As someone who is active in both running and shooting sports, I find it especially disturbing when the two combine in a tragic way. I typically love the idea of combining trail running and shooting, a la summer biathlon. But, combining trail running and hunting can be a dangerous mix.

Yesterday, in Cape Cod, a hunter shot a jogger. Link to Article in Cape Cod Times. According to the article, it may be the case that the hunter fired twice on the jogger. I would say that both parties are lucky that the jogger did not die (especially the jogger). Also, according to the article, the jogger was wearing a white shirt. One might think that white shirt would set oneself apart from a wild animal, but apparently not. There are three points that came to mind when reading this article:

1) It is the hunter's responsibility to identify the target as a legal species to hunt. It is also the hunter's responsibility to understand the trajectory of the projectile and to be sure of his firing line, both in front of and beyond the target. In this case, the jogger had his dog with him, which could easily be mistaken, in fading light, for a deer. Perhaps, the hunter fired at the dog, and hit the jogger. Either way, this shooting is entirely on the hunter. I have heard stories of hunters so anxious to get a deer, that they fire on noise, or brush movement, rather than on a positively identified deer. It is a scary fact that this happens.

2) I always try to wear orange when running (or even hiking) in areas where hunting is permitted. A large field of orange is your best bet for being identified as a human. I'll make sure that my top layer is blaze orange during hunting season.

3) I think it is up to the users of the trails in parks/forests/managed areas to know the hunting season. It's something I definitely pay attention to when I am heading out in the fall and winter. I don't necessarily want to 100% rely upon points 1 and 2 above to keep me safe.

I was in a situation where a ranger with DNR in MD advised me that "You will encounter hunters." when she saw that I was about to go running in one of the State Parks. I asked her if she was telling me not to run (I was wear blaze orange jacket and hat), and she responded, "I'm not saying that. I'm saying you will encounter hunters." Her emphasis on the situation spooked me enough that I went to a county park where hunting was prohibited.

I have also been in a situation where I was running in a state park in which hunting is expressly forbidden, and signs are posted at the boundaries. As I came off the trail, I observed a hunter hauling a tree stand and bow into the park off the side of the road. When I got back to my office I called the police and informed them of what I saw. When I left my office and passed by the location where the hunter had been, I saw the cops talking to the man, and all of his equipment was on the side of the road. I'm not sure what was happening, but it sure seemed like this was the case of hunter with no clue (or no regard) for the laws that were in place to protect the many park users who run and bike there.

Bottom line: stay safe, and take every precaution to protect yourself.

Trail running and responsibility

This weekend, I organized a trail run in Patapsco State Park that had two options, 6 miles and 8 miles in length. I did through a Meetup group that I normally run with. Out of the 10 people who came to the group run, only three had run trails before. I didn't think it was that big of a deal, because it would be a good introduction to trail running: half paved road, half rock/root/hilly trails. It was a misty rainy day, but the temperature was great for the run.

We all decided to run back to the cars together. We were making an effort to look after the slower runners, with the goal of losing no one. One woman, with GPS phone/maps, said she would just walk the last mile, and that she was OK. We told her we would wait for her at the cars. Well, after 20 minutes, she was a no-show. A couple of us went out to the trail and started running in reverse to find her. No luck. Her sister, who had also run with us, called and texted her, but it just went straight to voicemail with no response. After 20 minutes of looking, we got a little more nervous. We ended up leaving without her, and her sister was calling the ranger station to get help. I felt bad leaving, but I had M sitting in my parking lot waiting for me.

An hour later, I got a text from the sister that they had found her. She got lost walking, and she had no signal. After this experience, it will probably be the last trail run that I host. The worry about a lost runner, particularly a young woman with a dead phone, was definitely not worth any of the benefit that I got out of the run. I felt personally responsible for her safety and well-being, even though she is an adult who was capable of making her own decisions. I'll continue to run trails, but I won't head out as an organizer again.

Love the Nooseneck 18k...

Nooseneck 18k Blurb in Level Renner. Fun race to run on the day after Christmas. Last year, I took my mom to the race. She stayed inside the Tavern on the Hill at the bar due to the cold and snow. She had as much fun sitting there as I did running it. She said she learned more about hunting turkeys than she ever thought she would in her life from some of the folks at the bar. She also learned how to play Keno. It's also where I discovered Two Roads Brewing, which went well with some very good clam cakes and chowder, post-race.

Turkey Buster 5k

After a wonderful Thanksgiving Day holiday with M's Aunt and Uncle in Jersey, we decided to run the Marlton Lakes Turkey (Buster) Trot 5k this past Saturday. She had been training hard for a PR in the 5k, and she figured that the flat central Jersey landscape was the best bet for a fast 5k. We got there at about 8:30, and the temperature was 28 F, which for me is a good temperature, for her, a little cold. There were only 37 runner; I think the cold kept some people away. According to the race director, the course was marked with "chalk arrows" and "cones with arrows". There was no leading bike or car, and the roads were open.

When the bullhorn went off, I went out front and kept going. At the half-mile mark I was about a bit ahead of the second place runner, at about 5:30 pace. As I neared 0.8 miles, a Cadillac pulled out of driveway right in front of me. I swung to the left side of the road and just kept going. Unfortunately, that move made me miss the faint chalk arrows indicating a right turn. It wasn't until I got to a tee in the road about a block and half up, that I realized something was wrong. No arrows or cones. I heard someone yell, and looked back to see the other runners turning right where the Caddy pulled out. I managed to catch up to the lead and get ahead again, but any hopes of my PR were dashed.

Not so for M. She ran a great race at 7:02 pace, with a shoe that came untied in the first mile. Her 21:49 was a PR by at least a minute, and she won the women's race. Two fantastic races for her this weekend. It's great when someone trains hard, and it pays off.

2014 Face to Face Germantwon Turkey Trot - 5 Miler

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. And, I have a lot for which to be thankful. One particular item to be thankful for is the fact that I have been going about seven months without a significant running injury. There have been nagging little things, like my ankle/heel, but I have been able to get through them given the low-ish weekly mileage of 40 or so. This was my first ever Turkey Trot in which I have participated. I have done Trot-Off-Your-Turkey races before, but never one on the day itself. We chose to run the Face to Face Germantown 5 Mile Turkey Trot, which was basically an out-and-back race on the Forbidden Drive in the Wissahickon. It was written up in Runner's World this past year as a must-run Turkey Trot: Article.

The Forbidden Drive Trail had just received quite a bit of rain the day before... no snow, though. So it was a muddy track, but relatively benign given the road nature of the "trail." The course was slightly downhill on the way out, and, of course, slightly uphill on the way back. My first mile was 5:42, driven by the "steepest" downhill and a bit of start-line adrenaline. Second mile was 5:57, at which point I had latched onto a "buddy" for the rest of the race. He and I seemed to have a similar cadence and pacing, and we also seemed to intuit which way the other was going when passing and maneuvering around puddles. The next three miles were at 6:06, 6:09, and 6:10. The last mile was tough for me. I tried to kick with 0.5 miles left, but I was fighting a bit of a cramp, and the fact that I got about 3 hours of sleep the night before. I got a bit of a boost when someone came up behind, and I was able to hold him off to the line. My "buddy" got me by a second. Overall 9th place, and a good start to the day.

The best thing for the race, was that my girlfriend won her age group. We didn't even think it was a possibility and left early from the race to beat traffic out of the parking lot. Turns out this morning, M won her group. Awesome job for her. She ran her quickest 5-miler ever, I believe. So happy for her.

Special thanks to Nolan Painting who handed out gloves to runners and, most importantly, gave me a bag to put my jacket in while I stashed it under their table.

A good week of runs.

This last week saw a number of good runs go in the book. Tuesday was a very cold 10.5-miler, but it was a lot of fun. Wednesday was a 4-miler at 6:30 pace that preceded Bikram yoga. The run was great, yoga was a disaster. I think the run knocked my electrolytes down, and I quickly wilted in the heat of the studio. Despite drinking some electrolytes during the class, my sweat was hardly salty at the end of the session. I haven't been that wet without being underwater before in my life. By Thursday, things had returned to a physiological norm, and I did a nice 6.25-mile trail run with @strausskevin in Patapsco State Park. Beautiful setting and great conversation all the way around. Learned some new trails.

Friday, was another 6 miles done at lunch during a day spent working at home. Finally, Saturday was another trail run in the Wissahickon; about 6.25 miles.

I learned that if I am going to be doing more than one trail run per week, I really need to spend some money and get a pair of trail shoes. I normally run in New Balance's 890 v3, which I have been buying on eBay since they switched to the v4. I haven't yet wanted to find out if the v4 works for me since I know the v3 does. But, they are way to flexible, especially in the toebox area of the sole for trails. Several times, I hit a rock or a root and my I could just feel it in the sesamoid area. I lost two months to a sesamoid injury a couple of years back, and I don't want a similar one. Gotta get on that.

Wind chill

Follow up to the First Gloved Run post... Last night was the first pants run. It was about 29 F, with winds at 20 mph, gusting to 35 in B'more. So, I put on some tights (under my shorts), and donned a lycra cap. Went out and ended up doing about 10.5 with the RG3 group. The run mostly hugs the Inner Harbor. And, when you came around certain corners or buildings on the harbor, that wind smacked you in the face. The toughest part for me was that we move a little slower than I would like in that group.. 9:00 to 8:30 to keep it social. So, I had a tough time keeping warm. I seemed to be warmer on my run down to the group at a 7:00 pace.

We finished the run at Social Pub and Pie for their phenomenal deals on pizza and beer. Where else can I get a pint of Heavy Seas Great'ER Pumpkin for $3.21 plus tax? After a half-priced Greek salad (those are discounted, too) and two pints, my friend Matt and I were faced with the choice of a 1.5 mile walk/cab/Uber home. We chose the walk, which quickly became the post beer shuffle and eventually the allout jog trying to stay warm. Neither of us thought to bring anything resembling a jacket for the post run cold. That was tough, as legs had stiffened and temperature had dropped. The wind was unabated, still. But, all in all a good run.

Tonight will most likely involve a 4-miler followed by some Bikram yoga.

First gloved run last week.

I am so happy that winter weather is upon us. I much enjoy running in 35-degree weather versus 75. Last Thursday was the first gloved run of the year. It was 37 F when I went out at 6:15 am for a 10-miler. I met up with the UA Run Club about 2 miles in, and I did 6 miles with them. Then another 2 miles back home. It was nice to not be drenched in sweat and to feel the cool air against my face. I am hopeful this cold snap signals that winter-like weather will remain.

Had a really nice trail run on Sunday with some runners in Philly that I know from having run various Ragnars and other races. We put in about 10k on the trails of the Wissahickon. I can't believe that when I lived in Philly, I never once visited the Wissahickon. I just didn't know about it. It's a great resource though, especially on the colder days when it is not as heavily traveled. The below photo is of a "big damn leaf" that I found all over the forests there during a hike in late October. Apparently from the umbrella magnolia. These are the largest non-tropical leaves I have ever seen. Holy cow. This time around they weren't so yellow, just gray and dead.

This week, I have a scheduled half-day off from work on Thursday. So, I'll be running some trails in Patapsco State Park. Should be the nicest day of the week.

First 5k Win this Past Weekend

A moment of narcissistic indulgence. I got my first 5k win of my life (really the first win at any distance). It felt pretty good. And, I completely realize that this win was due more to the field than to my own abilities. It was a small 5k trail run, called the Turtle Trek. This was my third time running the event in the four years the race has been around. It is about 67% on trails at Marshy Point Nature Center, and it goes to benefit the Katie and Wil Brady Foundation. In the past, it has supported the construction of Katie and Wil's Trail, and now they are working to link the trails at Marshy Point with those of nearby Gunpowder State Park... a worthy goal, indeed.

At the gun, we were led out by a guy on a mountain bike who was going to ride at the head through all the trails. After the first quarter mile, I looked around and there was no one anywhere near me... This actually unnerved me because I had never been in that situation before. I knew were moving about 5:30 pace or so, which for me, is flying. We did a lap of the parking lot and then ducked onto the trail. I actually talked to the biker for a few sentences just to calm my nerves. At a hairpin turnaround, I saw that I had about 20 seconds on second place, and just continued to push. My first mile, according to the watch was 6:03. From then, I just focused on avoiding rocks, roots, and tree trunks. I had to keep my feet and hips shifting to stay balanced and weave on some of the trails. The surface was basically fallen leaves, hiding all the rocks. My finishing time was 19:05, which was 20 seconds faster than I had run this course two years ago. So, I was happy to have improved on that time. The next runner was the female winner at 22:01, and I saw her as doubled back on some of the trail to find my girlfriend, M. I got a nice Under Armour sweatshirt out of it. M finished third female and had a good time running.

Alright, now that I got that self-indulgence over with, I'll thank all of the volunteers and sponsors that put on that race. It really is a good cause, and they all worked very hard. They have a fun run for the kids, and lots of door prizes afterwards. I spoke with the woman who ran the event, and thanked her for holding a true trail 5k because it is different from all the other 5ks that everyone else has. Next year, I hope to get a few more people to run it, as they really deserve a larger field, and one that can kick my butt.

Also... trying to convince my self I don't have a stress fracture of the right fibula. Of course, any time there is pain in one of my legs, my mind goes straight to the worst. A few days off now. I might try a slower trail run on Saturday.

Things I love to hear in a conference call.. Part 1

"You say you can do better testing than others, but we don't care about that. We want the product to conform to the standards of today. Just show that your current tests and our product meet the standards."

Same phone call...

"You can stop sending us business developers, we don't care about that. We need to work with your regulatory and quality people."

Garmin Forerunner 10 - Watch Band Issue

I have had the Garmin Forerunner 10 for about nine months now. For three of those months, it sat unused due to my IT band injury and the lack of running while rehabbing it. So, after six months of normal use, the watch band came apart. Up to that point, I had been very happy with the watch. I looked at the construction of it, and it is composed of a rubber watch band over-molded on a plastic anchor. Now, this is basically what I expected to find. What I didn't expect to find was that the anchors have no lands or barb-like geometry that would properly hold the overmold in place. The plastic is smooth, and they were basically relying upon the adhesion force between two flat surfaces to hold the band together. There were no physical barriers to separation: picture the barb on a fishhook holding the hook in the fish's mouth. As a materials engineer with a manufacturing background, I find this to just be a poor design. From a quick scan of the web, it appears that plenty of other users have had this issue.

In all fairness, Garmin offered to waive the normal $20 (plus shipping) replacement cost of the band. Awfully nice of them. I asked the woman on the phone if she knew if they had changed the design. She stated that she didn't think they had changed it, and basically acknowledged that they have had issues with this. I imagine I might have to make the same phone call in another few months.

The part of this watch's design that really bugged me was the band lugs. As you might be able to see in the photo, the lugs are designed so as to preclude the use of an aftermarket band. They are too narrow in the middle to allow an aftermarket band to be placed around/under the pins that hold the band in place. I work in medical devices, and in that field it is a matter of safety and liability that you might design something with proprietary fittings. After all, if a medical device fails, it could cost someone their life, which in turn can cost a manufacturer its reputation and business. In the case of a sports watch, there is no real reason to preclude aftermarket bands, particularly when your band is ultimately designed to fail under normal use conditions.

If it weren't for those two design flaws, I probably wouldn't even post this. The watch performs well as a GPS watch. I find it to be within +/- 5% of my runs, tighter than that on most. I love the auto-pause feature. It's just the band... Sometimes, the simplest part of the product is the easiest one to botch.

/Rant

EDIT: I should add that the customer service rep was extraordinarily helpful in the phone call. I have yet to receive notice that my order has shipped, but barring a disaster on that front, the Garmin folks seem to handle CS quite well.

EDIT II: I also realize that there is any easy way to fix this issue by wrapping a wire through the original rubber band and securing it with some twists. Adding a heat shrink wrap over the top of the wrapped wire would help any snags on clothing or skin.

South Foster Volunteer Fire Company 5k and 10k

I have to say, that this was a fun run. It's one the small, which I enjoyed. However, for the sake of the Fire Department, I hope it grows in the coming years. They have a lot going for them. First, the course was beautiful. Some rolling hills on paved and gravel roads through the autumn woods. It's a really nice setting. Second, the people that run it are really friendly. Third, it's cheap ($22). Fourth, the long sleeve t-shirt was pretty cool (would wear in public). Fifth, with your entry fee you get a chili lunch... and they have veggie chili for those of us that are off meat. I strongly suggest that people try to run either the 5k or 10k next year.

I was very happy with my results in the race. The first mile was mostly a straight line, either flat or down hill: 5:45. Whenever you have a combo 5k/10k race, you can never be quite sure if you're chasing 5k or 10k runners. Thankfully, the split in the field came at 0.5 miles. The second mile began with the Swamp Meadow Covered Bridge (honestly, I hardly remember it), but I do remember that a gentle hill followed the bridge. Second mile: 6:39 due to the hill. The next three miles were some rollers through the back roads along pretty woods. Those miles were all about 6:15 give or take. In the middle of the sixth mile, I got a side stitch (forgot to take on extra potassium before the run), which prevented me from breathing right. I actually got a little dizzy and overheated. Took off my shirt, which I never do, and gutted out the last half mile. Overall time was 38:53, which was a PR for me. I have never been below 40 in the 10k. Now, I'll set my sights on 38:30 at some point.

About to start stretching the mileage

I think I now have the confidence in my IT band that I can start stretching my mileage a bit. I have been hovering at 30 - 33 miles per week for a month and a half, now. I definitely won't go beyond the 10% per week (or per long run).

I'm starting to feel good about the upcoming season. This weekend will be my first 10k in over a year, The South Foster Volunteer Fire Company 10k. It sounds like a fun race. That part of RI will hopefully still have some fall colors, and we get to run over the only covered bridge on public roads in the state, The Swamp Meadow Bridge. Of course, the bridge was built in 1994, as a replica of an early 19th-century bridge. It was built by volunteers from locally-sourced logs.

After the run, I plan on taking my mom and dad, who will hopefully be there as spectators, to Jerimoth Hill, the highest point in RI. At 812 feet, it's not exactly all that impressive, but as a native RI-er, I have never been there. No school field trips, or anything like that. So, I am taking this opportunity to do it now.

Guilt over not running

Interesting post on Will Run for Ice Cream about the guilt that she experienced due to the failure to complete a scheduled training run. I sometimes feel those same feelings when I miss a run, particularly if I miss it because of other decisions made the night before (The TUD = The totally unnecessary drink). But, I found that while injured, I really missed running and the fun that it brought to my life.

I have actually become more of a social runner than I used to be pre-injury. I think that I took running for granted, and started to view it as a chore: "Gotta get my miles in today so that I can run that marathon in March..." I was running solo, training solely with a goal in mind. I would pass up the running groups that I usually went with, or I would run ahead of of everyone else to get the miles in at an arbitrarily assigned pace. Now I run with the group, keeping a conversation. Granted, I go out for a few miles at a typical training pace for me before meeting the group, but then I slow it down to the group pace for the rest of my run. We talk, we laugh, and it's a good feeling when someone who was struggling to keep up says, "I've never run 5 miles in 8:30 pace before." If I were running up ahead at my usual pace, they may never have tried to keep up, and wouldn't have PR'ed their 5 mile training run. I got more joy out of that than I would have gotten out of running 7:00's for whole run.

I too, have been questioning whether I want to run a marathon in the future. I was caught up in the pack mentality with my marathon-focused running group. I signed up because, after a TUD, I felt compelled that it was something I "needed" to do. But, I truly love the half marathon distance. I think that I may focus on that the rest of the year. What's more, with my new joy for running, a refined technique, and the social atmosphere... I think my times are going to come down this winter. And, I often wonder how many more years I have where that will be true.

Post Ragnar Thoughts

It has been quite a bit of time since last writing to this blog. In that time, I have steadily built mileage and pace. I recently ran in the Ragnar Relay DC, as runner #3 on a team with friends from Baltimore and Philly. It was a blast. During my first leg, I ascended 1200 feet of elevation gain, most of that over 3 miles. Then descended 1000 feet, which quite honestly was the worst of the two elevation changes. I just hate that pounding on the quads and knees. I'll go uphill all day long. I had a goal of 7:30 pace for the entire run (7.8 miles), and I hit that with room to spare; going over in 7:05 pace. I was happy with that. My other two legs were both well under 7:00, at 4.8 and 3.2 miles in distance.

More importantly, the Ragnar Relay series is not just about times and mileage. It's about building a team bond, and I have become good friends with past teammates after meeting them for a first time at Ragnar. Heck, that's how I met my girlfriend. My favorite moment from our team was on Leg 5, with Kevin running. I was driving the van, and it was a twisty up hill run. The road was just a dusty fire road, and with all of the vans driving up and down it, I don't know how the runner were breathing. We screwed up reading the map, and missed a great spot to meet him with water. We got about halfway down the hill, and realized we should have met him with water given the hill, heat, and dust. So, I hopped out of the van with a crossing-guard flag and water bottle, fought the dust, and humped up a mile up the hill. I got to the top right as did Kevin, only to hear him say, "No thanks, I'm good." It was pretty comical. So, we had a great run down the hill together to the finish. I had just met Kevin two weeks earlier, as he was the emergency fill-in twelfth runner. It was a great opportunity to get to know him a bit better. The new Ragnar motto is "Connect, Conquer, Celebrate", and that's what it's about.

When our team needed that twelfth runner due to an injury, I posted on one of my local running group websites. Someone wrote, I'd rather just run a half marathon than do all that. He obviously didn't understand it, and probably wouldn't until he did one. In fact, I'm not sure most people would understand it until they ran the Ragnar.

Of course, there are plenty of people who run and just don't get it at all. The most annoying thing is to hear someone bitching and moaning about not getting a good sleep, or how miserable it is to run at 3:30 am, or how bad the porta potties are. Talk about first-world problems... I heard so many people stepping out of vans whining about how bad the free coffee is, and how they just can't run without good coffee. "Why don't they get Starbucks to sponsor it?" Sometimes, I think they should change their motto to "Wake Up, Shut up, and Run!" but perhaps I'll save that for the van decorations next time.

Feeling yesterday's run, today

This morning, my plan was to do a "nice" 4-miler, hopefully at 7:30 pace as kind of a recovery from the "fast" 6-miler yesterday. I managed that, in fact it was 4.75 miles at 7:23. But, I felt pretty crappy throughout. My right ankle has been bothering me. Back in PT, the therapist said, "Wow, your ankles are really inflexible, let's work on those." I never really had ankle problems before, but my right ankle is now stiffer than ever since they worked on it. Damn it. It's always something. It took about a mile to loosen it up. I actually considered turning around after 0.25 miles because it was hurting.

My decision for tomorrow is whether to do the Pirate 5k in Havre de Grace, prior to heading up to NJ, or to run with the Pacemakers before the drive to Jersey. Oh decisions.

First time running the Thursday morning "Under Armour" run

At 6:00 am today, I went to the Under Armour Brandhouse in Harbor East. This is a run that a friend, Cory, has put together for a fairly quick pace... around 7:00 min/mile for 6 miles. Most of the other folks... OK the three others today, run there from their respective homes, and run back. I chose to bike down, because running there would have resulted in an overall distance of 10 miles. A little too far to travel for my current fitness level, and the last thing I want to do is push my distance too far , too fast and get laid up again with another injury.

The run goes from the store at Harbor East, along the harbor and some streets (Key Hwy) to the Under Armour HQ, and back again. As advertised, we kept a 7:00 min pace, although I think we started a little quicker than that. It felt good to stretch my legs like that. My last few runs have been slower dur to slower company and that puking incident. It was soupy out there with the humidity. I was soaked about a mile in. The bike ride home actually let me get some real air movement, and helped dry me off and cool me down. Cheers.

First time I have ever puked to start a run

Last night was my usual Tuesday pizza and beer run. It was 93 degrees at the start, and I left my apartment a tad late. So I pushed it to run 7:00's down to the meetup location. This was after drinking a cup of coffee and eating a large spoonful of marinated mushrooms (wonderful pre-run nutrition). My stomach was feeling a little weird for those two miles to the meetup spot, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.

We waited about 5 minutes for the last person to show up and headed off for a 5-miler around the harbor. About five steps into it, I let out what I thought would be a small burp... Nope... it was that cup full of coffee and some mushrooms. Thankfully I was right next to a trash can at the time, and managed to hold it till I got over the can. A couple of swishes of water, spit, repeat. Off I went. Of course I was fighting stomach cramps after that, and basically kept it in the 8:30 range for the rest of the run. Felt OK at the end.

Then, on the walk to the pizza joint, we saw quite the storm heading towards us. We ended up sprinting the last three blocks. The wind was so strong that all of the street debris was smacking us in the face. It took a good five minutes of constant blinking in the pizza place to get the stuff out of my eyes.

Last week, I was at 15.6 miles for the week, which doesn't sound like a lot. But, since the IT band flared up, this is the most I have run in one week. This past week, I was able to stay up in Philly with a good friend, and I got to travel the streets of South Philly for a few miles on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Running from Passyunk down Broad to the stadiums and back up. It was the first time running in South Philly, and it was an interesting view of that part of the city.

Last night was the first disgusting run of the year. IT was 83 F and humid when I went out at 6:30. I only did 4 miles, at 7:10 pace, but it felt like I did twice as much. It's the heat, and the humidity, damn it. I can't stand summer for running, and it's not even that hot yet.

Supposedly, I have a video gait analysis scheduled for this coming Wednesday. We'll have to see if I have really improved my form as much as I think I have, or if I have over corrected and am now doing something equally as awful.

So F'ing Foggy

This morning, my run was spent breathing the thick air on the streets of B'more. It was so foggy, I couldn't see the skyline from my bedroom window. It was a cool 65 F. I did a total of 3 miles, down to the Science Center and back. I stopped to take a photo of the USS Constellation and World Trade Center in the fog.

I am slowly getting my legs back under me. Foam rolling before and after the run is proving to be key. I am at about 12 miles per week, increasing by 10% each week.

Two days in a row for the first time...

Yesterday marked the first time I had run two days in a row after the IT band issues came to a head in late January. I put in 2.5 miles on Monday at 7:21 pace, and then I did 4.1 miles last night at 7:00 pace. I felt good after both runs, although I was approaching the end of my endurance limits after the 4-miler. I could feel my form slipping a bit and my stomach was starting to burn. Last night was also the first run in 80+ degree weather. The first part in the city was warm, and I had to dodge crowds around Camden Yards... someone forgot the Tigers were in town. After going through Fed Hill, and getting to the harbor, it was much cooler. Although the last half mile was dead into a stiff headwind. That really tired me out. The Duclaw Sweet Baby Jesus after my run never tasted so good.

I just have to resist the urge to push past the 10% increase per week. It's going to be tough, but I don't want to end up back at square one with another injury.

Progress is being made

I have been given the go ahead to start increasing my mileage by the standard 10% per week. I am still keeping myself to every other day running to allow things to heal. I am thinking that the key to managing this will be foam rolling both before and after a run.

This past weekend, I managed to get a nice 4.5-miler in at Heinz Wildlife Refuge up in Philly on Saturday. A really flat, gravel trail around the wetlands. It was great, because of my running partners that day, E and D. D is actually a German Shorthaired Pointer, who really seemed to be rather lackadaisical about the 8:23 pace we set. I could tell he was capable of more. Sunday, we got up to watch the elites at the 8-mile marker in the Broad Street Run. They were cruising at about 4:45 pace. It was educational to watch their forms as they went by. I would love to have that springy, shock-absorber look to my stride. After some coffee and a pastry, we watched the sweaty masses roll by somewhere between 8:30 and 11:00 paces. Still fun to watch that many people... most of whom were having fun, too.

Last night's run was a 2.7-miler at what I felt was 5k pace. That turned out to be about 6:30 in the shape I'm in. Not, too bad. I tried to meet up with the RG3 Tuesday pizza and beer run, but missed them at the finish. I checked out our usual places, but it appears that they may have gone home after the run rather than partaking of food and booze. Too bad. Maybe next week.

Camden Yards this morning

One o the best things about Camden Yards is that they open the gates on Eutaw St. at 7 AM, so if you can run down there and through the stadium (or at least by a lot of the concessions) in the morning. It's usually pretty quiet, too.

I think I have personally seen Big Papi put four homers onto Eutaw Street. However, I wasn't here for this particular shot:

I know there's a few Troy O'Leary's out there, and a Carl Everett about four feet from Papi's marker.

So, it was two-miles this morning with no issues. Just focusing on form, which is becoming more natural. Arms swinging by my side, hips underneath me, and each foot in its own lane. Alignment and balance. I hope this works. My next jaunt will be the Newport 10-Miler. I will most likely start the race with my sister, run the first mile with her. Then I'll peel off the course and walk it out to either the 7 or 6-mile marker. I'll hopefully not have to wait too long to see her. Then I'll run the last three or four miles in with her. It'll be fun, and hopefully it'll be dry.

Walt Wit

Missed last night's PT appointment because I got stuck in a car with my boss and two others driving back from a meeting in Malvern, PA. The only saving grace was that we stopped at Wegman's on the way home, and I managed to buy a sixer of Philadelphia Brewing Company's Walt Wit. I was hoping that they would have the Kenzinger, but to no avail. Walt Wit is a close second to my taste buds.

Got up this morning and ran two miles; down through Camden Yards and back up again. This time, I figured I would try foam rolling before running to make sure that my IT band was as loose as possible before straining it. It seems to have worked. I didn't feel any twinges. I also rolled after the run for good measure. I guess the real test will be when I wake up tomorrow. Last weekend, it was the waking up on Sunday that revealed a bit of pain in my knees, which felt decent immediately after the run. PT tomorrow: 7:30 am.

Some Thoughts on Boston 2014

First, it was great to see an American, Meb Keflezighi, win it this year.

Second, it was great to see a 38-year-old win it this year. (Guess how old I am???)

Third, it was great to see Brendan Doyle's tribute to his dad, Booby Doyle, with the Johnson & Wales Athletic Club singlet and striped shorts. Link is HERE

Some knee issues again

This past Saturday, I ran 3.3 miles in Hampden. I felt OK for the first mile, but in the second one, I felt a little bit of weird sensation in my left knee of all places. It was the same type of issue I felt in the right knee when dealing with the IT band. Well, upon waking Sunday morning, I had a bit of pain across the anteriolateral part of the knee... uh oh. It was a little twinge, and exactly like I used to feel in December when all these issues started. I am debating a run today, just 2 miles, to see if I can repeat the issue... sounds like a stupid thing, but as an engineer, the first step is often seeing if you can repeat the problem. Or, I may just do some exercises and wait until I see the PT on Tuesday.

Beautiful Run this Morning

I headed out at 6:15 to catch sunrise over the inner harbor. It was a nice 39 F when I went out. Light gloves, long sleeve, and the New Balance 980s. Felt a little bit of pain in my right knee that was apparently totally unrelated to the IT band based on how it felt. It went away after about 0.25 miles. Ran down to the pier next to Little Havana and watched the sun come up with the Domino Sugar factory to the right. Nice. Got about 4 miles total in, maybe a little less. That's probably a bit more than my PT would like, but oh well. It felt OK.

I really can't wait to start stretching out the mileage and just being out for longer periods of time.

Out to 3 miles

Had a good three-miler on Saturday morning. Took a friend down around the stadium and then briefly out to the harbor and back up Charles St to Koffee Therapy for a post-run iced coffee... black no sugar. Didn't feel anything with my knee during the run, but then I was distracted with conversation. However, while doing lunges later that night, I could feel some snapping across the tibial tray of my right knee, which has been where I have consistently felt the pulling on other runs. Still have a weird feeling there this morning. I am going to hold off until tomorrow on running so that I can run with RG3 that night.

In other news, it was great to see PC have its first true home track meet this past weekend. How that program has manged to draw great runners and thrive without facilities is a testament to the coaches there. They have had some great runners while schlepping about, trying to find time on other local tracks. Great news for them: PC Gets a Track

This time 2.4 miles

I purposely stretched my run a bit, out to 2.4 miles this morning. I can still feel the pulling of the IT band as it passes over some of the protrusions of bone. No pain, but it is concerning. It is taking all I have to not push further on distance at this point. I was able to carry a 7:20 pace quite comfortably.

It was a beautiful morning though. About 42 degrees, and the sun had just come up. Nice start to the day. I am looking forward to running this weekend. Might try to take a 3-miler on Saturday, going by some of the House of Cards sites in B'more proper. Apparently, the Underwoods' home is about a mile from me, as is Zoe's apartment.

Ditto.

Another two-miler, same route. No pain, just some pulling sensations. So, status-quo. It is amazing how quickly the fitness level can disappear. I've been doing some very short bike rides (10 min) to keep up fitness and get around. The shitty weather this winter made it harder to keep that up, and the elliptical was bothersome to the knee.

First day back on the road

Wednesday was the first day back out on the road. I never did get the video gait re-analysis, but the PT cleared me for about six to eight miles per week, running every other day, nothing over three miles. I did two miles in the morning yesterday. It was a great temperature for it because I didn't really get warmed up. I felt some slight pulls across the front of my knee, but no pain. I ran straight down Eutaw, then around and through Camden Yards on Eutaw, which was open. It was a nice easy pace, no watch.

The toughest thing was focusing on several form aspects at once: Keeping my hips level and under me, keeping each foot in its own lane, keeping my stride under me rather than reaching out too far, and keeping my arms swinging evenly and out to the side rather than across my body. I couldn't even enjoy the scenery... OK the litter around Lexington Market and such... it was just a constant checking of form in my mind. I know it will eventually become second nature. The T-Rex will soon be extinct.

"All You Deliver"
Jose Gonzalez

On the verge of ruin
You'll see it all clear
How steep the fall is
How long the way back is
On the verge of success
It's all white and fluffy
Horizons are blurred
By the time you reach your goal
Tongues will be twisted
To the point where you'll lose track of your soul
Distorted pictures is all you deliver

Dammit

Still at least a week away from running on the road. I have been feeling some pulling and/or snapping across the front right of my knee. PT doesn't want to chance that going away. On the plus side, the power went out tonight during my session, so no sweating in the Alter G. Next up is a reevaluation of my gait on Thursday. To see if the Alter G has helped at all.

Frustration is setting in

In my fourth week of PT, and the frustration with not being cleared to run on the streets is down right nasty. I am up to 3 miles at 75% weight on the Alter G, but I hate that thing. Especially when the only shorts that were left at the end of the day were a pair of smalls. I think my voice went up an octave after the 3-miler that day.

I walked about four miles yesterday to try to meet my Tuesday night group at our usual pizza spot. Turns out that it was the first Tuesday in a year when no one felt like going out after the run. I had no way of knowing that until I got to place and no one was there. I checked two other bars nearby, to no avail. I posted a message on the site, and someone replied with the bail out info. Darn. At least I got the walking in.

I still feel something in the area of the IT band... not pain, but something.

PT Continuing

PT continues to progress. Last night involved the addition of some new exercises to strengthen the muscles that stabilize the leg during landing. I was actually amazed that there was such a significant difference between my left leg (my leaping leg) and my right leg. I did 3 miles on the Alter G treadmill. I was at 75% weight and pacing at 7:03, with a cadence of 172 spm. In the last 1/10 mile, I could swear I felt something in my knee. Not pain, just something. Mentioned it to the PT, but I didn't feel it during any of the exercises, so maybe it was nothing.

Supposedly 2 weeks out from real road running at low mileage.

The first week of PT

Just finished my first week of physical therapy for the IT band issue that I have. It is not nearly as painful as I thought it would be... so far. I imagine that it will ramp up in intensity as I build some more strength around the hip/glute area of the legs. So far, the worst experience has been running on the Alter G treadmill. I was trying to explain it to some co-workers. Basically, you wear rubber shorts, zip into a bubble, which inflates with air and lifts you by said shorts. It felt OK for about the first 2 minutes, then the air in the bubble got Arizona hot and the compression on the boys was getting to be too much. I was working at 70% weight. I could definitely focus on stride more than on a regular treadmill. I tried hard to keep each foot in its own lane, avoiding the crossover hip whip that I was doing previously. I also focused on a balanced arm swing, without the the floppy T-rex form that I normally use. By the time it ended, I was happy to get out of the thing. The woman before had run 30 minutes in it, which I could not have endured. Perhaps her lack of external genitals aided in her ability to last that long.

Actually during the very first session, which included a stride analysis, I spent 7 minutes on the regular treadmill with no pain. I took that as a good sign for the start of treatment.

Headed to home away from home

Philadelphia, that's my home away from home (Pawtucket). Love to get up there as often as possible. Were it not for a convoluted life story over the past seven years, I'd probably still be living there. Now, it is going to be bittersweet, because I would normally head up there to run with the Melon Monsters (ex-Biohazard Quarantine). But, with the knee injury, that won't be happening. It's a shame. I would love to run the Wissahickon or even on the streets of Philly. Would have been a lot of fun, but that will come. Just have to be patient, which is tough. Damn.

PT Appointment Scheduled

Got my PT appointment scheduled at the running clinic within the Union Harbor Hospital facility. Looking forward to it, because I am going nuts without being able to run. I have already put on about 5 lbs, and have been suffering from Netflix fatigue at night. I tried the eucalyptical, but that did not go well, nor did the bike. Both caused pain in the knee within the first two minutes. On another positive note, the last two days have been the first two without pain while walking to and from work. I am taking that as a good sign, but I am scared as crap to run on it and re-inflame the IT band. I am seriously hoping that within a month, this again becomes my running blog.

Ortho results are in... IT band gets the square for the win. The MRI showed severe inflammation and fluid around the IT band. So, that is good news, right? No tears: structurally it looks "perfect". However, therapy will start with manual "freeing up" of the IT band... translation: pain. Can't wait.

Winter has always been my favorite season. Funny that I'm saying that as someone who loves golf as much as I do. But, really, for running, you can't beat winter. And, running is where I can leave it all behind... even the stress of a bad round of golf. So, when I can't run, I have discovered that winter sucks. I'd love to be out there, even if I were that chick who busted ass on that news report about running in the snow.

Hopefully things will start to turn around for me soon.

Ortho Appointment Tomorrow

Tomorrow is my appointment with the orthopaedist. The knee pain has just been too much to bear while running. I don't want my first marathon to be the last one, so I have decided to pull out of the Lower Potomac River Marathon. I still have the goal of being ready for the Newport 10 Miler to run with my sister.

Sprigs and Health.

Just an update on a product that I have been using recently. It's the Sprigs Banjees Wrist Wallet in black mesh. Now, I have some slightly Schlecked out arms, for you cycling fans out there.

So, I don't wear mine on the wrist, rather I pull it up to my elbow. Usually, I will wear it right at the elbow, so that my ID, key card, and credit card sit at the medial bend in the elbow. It is so comfortable there that I hardly notice it while running. I have even carried a phone, iPhone 3GS - no case, and it has been comfortable. Occasionally, if I am feeling particularly Schlecky, I can even pull it up over my elbow and wear it on the upper arm. It's light weight, unobtrusive, and functional. Just thought I would share.

Tonight, I am hitting the elliptical just to see how the knee will respond. I am scheduled to do 21 this Saturday, if I am following the marathon training that the Pacemakers have set out. Ugh, not sure I could make it that far, but we'll see. I am trying to be optimistic.

I keep thinking about the Lower Potomac River Marathon as a goal race for which I want to be healthy. Not sure I can do that, and even more so, I want to be healthy for the Newport 10 Miler up in RI. I told my sister I would run it if she did. It's her goal race after two kids, a knee scope, and a new house. She doesn't know it, but my plan is to pace her home at whatever her goal time is, and to mule her water and gels. I'm looking forward to it, and I would be more disappointed in missing that opportunity than any other run this year.

Pressures in college...

Was just reading about this sad story about a college track student who committed suicide due to stresses she put upon herself over grades and her performance on the track: Link.

Penn is my alma mater, at least for grad school, and as a teaching assistant, I saw some of those pressures in the kids there. One poor freshman came to me in tears because she was on track to get a B+ in an intro course. She was so nervous that it would ruin her chances at med school and that her father would berate her. I was really taken aback by this. She was deserving of a B+ based on her performance, and she never came to review sessions or office hours, until the final. I felt badly for her, especially about the fact that she felt she would sorely disappoint her father with a B+. I tried to be of some support with, "Look, if the worst thing that happens during your four years here is that you get a B+ in this class, you'll have no problem getting into med school." I really wanted to give her some perspective on it. She ended up getting a solid B+ because that was what her performance level warranted. I had no say in the final grade, it was up to the professor. I just hoped that her parents would be supportive of it as well. But, if she got that worked up over an intro class, God bless her when/if she did go to med school.

It's a shame that kids feel these extreme pressures. It's a shame that some parents put these pressures on kids. It appears that the girl in the story had a loving, supportive family, and she was lucky for that. They tried, and my hear goes out to her family, especially because they tried. Kids, thrust into a new university environment, particularly those that excelled in high school, are so vulnerable to self-imposed pressure. It's also a shame that her running, which I am sure she enjoyed in high school, seems to have also contributed to those stresses. I hope this story does open some parents' eyes to another kid with these problems, and that they are able to help their child through it.

Troubling Knee Troubles

This past Saturday saw a Pacemaker's run from Panera up on York Rd. down to the Harbor and back up to Panera. 14 miles. As I told one of my running mates, "It was really only the last 12 miles that were painful." My knee has gotten to the point where running is painfully unenjoyable. It is the extension of the right knee, as my foot reaches out for the ground, that causes the pain. I found myself running rather stiff-legged to avoid flexing the knee past 45 degrees. Not ideal by any means. The really odd thing is that it hurts less the fast I go. It also hurts less when I run on a left-to-right camber (think right side of the road). The pain is on the lateral side, just below the patella up to the pivot of the knee. It seems to be lower than most people who experience IT band syndrome, but that doesn't necessarily rule it out. According to the video on this Runner's World page the pain that sits lower than the IT band could be a lateral meniscus tear. However, I haven't had any swelling whatsoever, and from what I have read this is a typical symptom of a meniscal tear.

Taking a week off to see if that helps.

50+

This has been my first ever rolling week with 50+ miles. Took yesterday off, and boy did I need that. I haven't been sleeping well, and that wasn't helping the recovery from those 50+ miles.

Tonight's run was an extended harbor run (8.2 mi), I took it past my normal turnaround and went on to Canton; even with Starsuck's on Boston. Damnedest thing is that my knee was really bugging me tonight, after the night off. I had to stop twice, flex it back, and massage the lateral side of the patella and tibia. Really frustrating. It felt a bit better if I picked up the pace and concentrated on flicking my foot out front as my stride was extending. This seemed to force my knee to go completely straight and feel looser on the footfall. Oh well, I'll debate a day off tomorrow prior to Saturday's longer group run.

Two runs in a row now, when standing on the north side of the bldgs and some open sky above, the Garmin Performance 10 has found its location w/in 30 sec. Not too bad.

Blowing Off Dinner with the Boss.

Guess what I did last night... the harbor run. 7.82 miles of blah.

Tonight I was a bit more adventurous. First, I blew off a work dinner where I was supposed to be meeting our sales team. I just couldn't stomach another moment of work intruding on my life, so I said fuck it. I threw on my Newtons, and I just headed out at 5:30 to meet the RG3 group. I put in 4 miles before meeting them and ended up doing another 7.8 with them.

At first I was going to try to make this a social run (8:00 min pace), but I saw four guys take off from the start at about 7:30 pace. I then watched as no one was talking to one another in that group, and it started to string out. So, I took off to try to bring it together with some friendly chatter. Only, one guy just thrust forward and kept pushing so I hung with him. I figured if I could sit behind his right shoulder, I might get him to slow down a bit and let the others catch up. He just kept going at 7:40's or so. He was new to the group, only gave one word answers, and didn't know his way around the waterfront.

I stuck with him long enough to guide him out for 30 minutes, and then get him back to the main harbor area. However, I knew that my bag of warmer clothes was sitting in the Brit's car, and that the others in the group were probably waiting for us, as we had ventured further than the rest of the group. I turned in two miles at or below 6:00 and caught the Brit as he was heading to the pizza place. I got my bag and went out to locate the new guy.

Turns out he was in shock at how fast he had gone. He typically runs 9:00's, and he laughed when I told him he was doing 7:40's and I was trying to get him to slow down. He seemed happy with it, but I wish the group had stayed together for some conversation. Anyway, Pub Dog pizza and about 2.5 beers later I was ready to go home.

A text message, voicemail, and email from my boss wondering where I was. Like I said, fuck it.

Running with James Taylor

I thought yesterday was going to be an off-day, after the 18-miler on Saturday. But, a guy I know (James Taylor), posted about doing a 9-miler from Patterson Park over to Fed Hill and back. Well, I didn't want to drive over to Patterson to run, so I just said I'd meet him along the way. It worked out nicely. I met James Taylor along Aliceanna, I did an about face, and the two of us continued along the Harbor, over to Fed Hill, up Fort, and went our separate ways when we hit Pratt again. The great thing about running with James is that he likes an 8:30 pace (7.5 miles total), which was nice for a recovery run for me.

The best part about the run is that my knees are not bothering me as of 9:00 am, the day after the run. A good sign.

Almost forgot, it took the Garmin about 1 mile to find a signal. I waited for two minutes before my run for it to acquire a signal, but to no avail. So I started.

18-miler (Almost)

Yesterday's 18-mile run (actually 17.8 miles according to Map My Run) went off in the mist and fog from McHenry Row at 7:00 am. It was my first run using the Garmin Performance 10 watch. I went with that watch because I wanted something that was affordable, simple, and allowed internet upload. First impressions are mixed right now. I have never used a GPS watch before, and I was unfamiliar with how long it might take to acquire the satellites, but it took 1.5 miles before it locked on. Maybe moving while trying to acquire a signal is non-ideal, but the group was leaving and I had no choice. Interesting thing was that my running partner for the first 5 miles also was new to the Performance 10. His watch experienced a similar length of time to acquire a signal. Guess I just need to start the watch sooner. Also, it seemed to cut some big corners that may have caused me to be about 0.3 miles short or so. Need more time with the watch.

Temperature was nice, but I went out without water. Whoops. Didn't realize that it wasn't going to be a bowtie run, where we loop through the start-finish point multiple times. The route sheet sent us out 9 miles before turning back towards the finish. I stopped at Dunkin' to hit the bathroom and buy a bottle of water. Thankfully I had found a few bucks in my pocket that must have been hanging around from the last time I wore those shorts. Hopefully my knee and right achilles will be OK after this run. Both were nagging me by the end of the run.

Always run with ID

Here's a story about a runner who collapsed without ID.Link I'm not saying ID would have saved his life, but you never know when it could.

Folks, always run with ID. I use the Road ID system, but even a business card will work (although they can get kind of soggy).

Just flipping through Level Renner, and came across this photo by Chris Spinney:

It's a great finish line shot. Love the lean in. I hope I am pounding out 5:10s in 20 years. Here's the full post: Link

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines." - Emerson

Ah, the Inner Harbor route. The above quote was suggested to me by a running mate of mine a few weeks back when I complained how I always run that route. My old standby. I run it way too often. It's only real redeeming quality is the finish going up Charles St. into Mt. Vernon. Other than that, it is a security blanket. 7.82 miles of comfort. Passing the occasional tourist (many more in summer, for sure) and nodding to the occasional runner. It's a B'more cliche.

At least on Monday I ran a slight variation on the Inner Harbor route that went up Fells Rd for about a quarter mile before finding the promenade again. That was on a 10k jaunt, as I was trying to make it back in time for the AU v. FSU game. If any Auburn fan tells you that they expected more than 7-4 from this team at the beginning of the year, they are lying to you (except for that dude that bought that ticket in Vegas... he's legit). I also realize that it took three small miracles to make it this far. It was a great year despite the loss. There's something that Auburn alumni will say, even after a loss like that... "It's great to be an Auburn Tiger!" That's all I can say. I can't wait for next year, too.

Just got back from a 21-miler this morning. It was 16 F when we kicked off at 7:00 am. The great thing about running with the Baltimore Pacemakers is that there is no shortage of "idiots" like myself who will run regardless of the weather. I would say we had at least 20 people there. The other great thing about running with this group is that those same "idiots", who braved the slop and ice this morning, are really cool people with whom you can have some good conversations while running or having coffee after the run. That's what really keeps me coming back each time.

This run literally spanned Baltimore. All sorts of footing issues. But, I learned about a product called Yaktrax which one of the guys used to great effectiveness in the ice and snow. May have to check them out.

I think I am going to take a hot bath, something I haven't done in years. Hopefully my tub is clean.

Last night's run involved blowing winds, biting snow, and a bit of fun. 8 miles on the Inner Harbor. Had to wear my old New Balance 603 hikers in order to have some traction, the Newtons were not cutting it. I made it about a block in Newtons before deciding that was a path towards personal injury.

While the run was a constant battle of keeping my lenses clear enough so that I would not stumble into the harbor, I did have some fun along the way. I crossed paths with six other runners, although I was the only idiot in shorts. Also got to see the Baltimore Under Armour store promoting Auburn as they go for a BCS Championship. War Eagle.

Back to the Hustle

I saw American Hustle last night. I might be the only person with whom I have spoken that really did not like it. Yes, Christian Bale was good in his role as Irv, but the rest of it just seemed like an over-the-top ripoff of a Guy Ritchie film. Anyway... I am back at blogging. I need an outlet to document my bitching and moaning as well as my running. Sometimes, I'll even bitch and moan about running. I miss it, but I just haven't had time.

2013 was a hot and cold year for me. I graduated beyond the 10k for the half-marathon distance. Ran two of those in the first half of the year. Got injured in June during the Ellicott City 10k, and I was probably running my best ever at that point. Damn sesamoiditis cost me all of July and August. Came back to knock off two of my "Races to do" list: The Nittany Valley Half Marathon and the Nooseneck 18k.

Both were hilly, with long sustained downhills that had me swearing. I can go uphill all day long, but gravity is a bitch, and she kills my quads and flexors. But, overall, despite a niggling knee tweak from the Blue Hills up in Canton, MA, I feel like I'm in decent shape. I am currently training for the Lower Potomac Marathon.

Cheers.