Thursday, November 26, 2015
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Saturday, November 7, 2015
We're Going Streaking!
When you first start out a career in law enforcement you quickly realize that it's a profession like no other. You wear a snazzy uniform which will turn the ugliest individual into an Adonis or Aphrodite, you deal with extremely bad people who sometimes want to kill you & your work hours are never guaranteed to be the same from day to day. Sometimes situations arise that are entirely out of your control that require you to go to work on your day off, punch the time clock a little earlier than usual & stay way past when your shift normally ends. Sometimes it can be helpful. Overtime's always a good thing around Christmas time. But other times it can be a downright pain in the ass when you have plans outside of work. Right from the beginning in the academy you're told to expect this as a fact of your professional life. You're never really off duty.
I've been at this now for long time. It's been an amazing career so far & I hope that the remaining 9 years are as much fun as the first 15 were. Being a Type-A individual who views fitness as a priority I've managed to make time for my workouts even with this crazy work schedule. Early on in my career there were some occasions when I just didn't fit all my stuff into a 24 hour day. But now that I'm on the day shift & have a little seniority under my duty belt, those instances haven't come up in a long, long time. Which is a really good thing now that I'm a running streaker. The Running God of Streaking demands that you run at least a mile a day to keep the streak up & running (pun intended). So that's what you do 24/7, 365.
About 25 years ago the county that I work started putting large classes of sheriff deputies through the academy. Flash forward to now & many of them are retiring. Which is a bad thing because now my work shift is running short on a daily basis. The stars aligned just right about a week ago & I was sent out on an emergency hospital detail with a bad guy. I don't typically mind these type of details because it's a refreshing change of pace. It didn't hurt that it was my final day of work before starting a 7 day vacation either. I could stay a little past my shift & take one for the home team.
Along with the day shift, the evening & midnight shifts are also running short on staff. So that meant that this particular detail was most likely going to last past my normal quitting time of 3PM. The hospital was extremely busy too & because the bad guy didn't have any immediate medical issues, we weren't going anywhere anytime soon.
After a few hours went by I called the 3rd platoon Sgt.'s to see when they were going to be able to send my relief. Unfortunately they weren't going to be able to relieve me at all, possibly not until 1st platoon came in. That's when it hit me & the panic ensued. By my calculation if I was relieved shortly after 11PM by 1st platoon, then drove back to the jail, turned in all of my duty gear, changed & then drove home I may not be able to make it before 12PM!
I typically get up for work around 5AM to make roll call. Because of such an early wake up call there's no way that I could fit my training in before I head in for the day. With the mileage & cross-training that I do I'd have to wake up around 2AM to get all of it done. I'm dedicated, but that's just too damn early to do anything! That means that my training always happens after I get out of work. That day I didn't train before work like usual. Now I was faced with having to possibly end my running streak at 279 days right then & there!
The world of streak running may be a little crazy for the average person, even for the typical runner. But there are two rules that are set in stone: 1. You have to run at least a mile every calendar day 2. The mile has to be run on a track, road, trail or treadmill. My assignment presented some unique problems with getting this done. I was in uniform & when police start running around people tend to get a little nervous. I had a partner, but I wasn't supposed to leave him to go run somewhere. I was wearing a ton of equipment, didn't have my GPS watch & didn't have any spare running clothes. I was however wearing my FitBit activity tracker. Theoretically I could use it to track my steps up to a mile. I thought about running in place in the hospital bathroom. I'm not sure though if running in place even counted? I thought about going outside & running around our unmarked police car or maybe even the hospital.
All of this may seem completely ridiculous when you think about it. But streakers aren't normal people. My first streak lasted up to 609 days. I only stopped because my back injury almost made me feint from the pain when I tried running on the final day. Up until that point I was never in a position that cut it so close like this. With my 2nd streak I wanted to nail 610 days & beyond. It's only a simple number. But it takes on a life of it's own after a while & can be something incredibly inspiring. I didn't want to end it so early in the ballgame.
Fortunately after a little while longer the bad guy's medical tests came back negative for any severe injuries. Now all we needed was for him to be evaluated by the hospital's mental health doctor to get released. Unfortunately though, past experience dealing with these types of details has shown me that this doesn't usually happen very quickly. Add to that the fact that the hospital can't release an actively suicidal patient without emergency mental health treatment meant it wasn't looking to good for day 279.
It was time to make something happen. I wandered around the emergency department until I found our doctor. I used the handsomest cop uniform wearing look I could muster & explained what procedures our department would put into place to ensure that our bad guy wouldn't harm himself after release, mainly by placing him on a one-on-one suicide watch.
Not sure if it was my overwhelming charm or the department's safety procedures, but an hour later I was trotting along on a windy, moonlit night loving every step of an easy 3 mile run. I'd easily made the 12PM cut off time with almost 4 hours to spare.
Day 280 has come & gone. The 2nd streak remains intact with no end in sight. Just the way I like it. But I've taken some precautions to help make the next streaking emergency a little easier. My truck now has backpack with an extra pair of old running shoes, running clothes & a watch. Hopefully the next time I'm in a jam they'll come in handy. Running truly is a gift & streaking has shown me that the excuses regular runners use why they can't run are just convenient lies they tell themselves to make themselves feel better about skipping a workout. There isn't a type of weather, time of day, medical condition (unless I'm unconscious) or location that'll keep me from getting my miles in. In fact many of those awful rainy, cold days getting lost on unfamiliar running routes while being sicker than a dog are the ones that I'll remember the most fondly.
So, the next time you see a sheriff's deputy running laps around a hospital emergency department screaming "The zombies are coming!" don't be too concerned. He's just having a little fun & getting his mile in before midnight!
Along with the day shift, the evening & midnight shifts are also running short on staff. So that meant that this particular detail was most likely going to last past my normal quitting time of 3PM. The hospital was extremely busy too & because the bad guy didn't have any immediate medical issues, we weren't going anywhere anytime soon.
After a few hours went by I called the 3rd platoon Sgt.'s to see when they were going to be able to send my relief. Unfortunately they weren't going to be able to relieve me at all, possibly not until 1st platoon came in. That's when it hit me & the panic ensued. By my calculation if I was relieved shortly after 11PM by 1st platoon, then drove back to the jail, turned in all of my duty gear, changed & then drove home I may not be able to make it before 12PM!
I typically get up for work around 5AM to make roll call. Because of such an early wake up call there's no way that I could fit my training in before I head in for the day. With the mileage & cross-training that I do I'd have to wake up around 2AM to get all of it done. I'm dedicated, but that's just too damn early to do anything! That means that my training always happens after I get out of work. That day I didn't train before work like usual. Now I was faced with having to possibly end my running streak at 279 days right then & there!
The world of streak running may be a little crazy for the average person, even for the typical runner. But there are two rules that are set in stone: 1. You have to run at least a mile every calendar day 2. The mile has to be run on a track, road, trail or treadmill. My assignment presented some unique problems with getting this done. I was in uniform & when police start running around people tend to get a little nervous. I had a partner, but I wasn't supposed to leave him to go run somewhere. I was wearing a ton of equipment, didn't have my GPS watch & didn't have any spare running clothes. I was however wearing my FitBit activity tracker. Theoretically I could use it to track my steps up to a mile. I thought about running in place in the hospital bathroom. I'm not sure though if running in place even counted? I thought about going outside & running around our unmarked police car or maybe even the hospital.
All of this may seem completely ridiculous when you think about it. But streakers aren't normal people. My first streak lasted up to 609 days. I only stopped because my back injury almost made me feint from the pain when I tried running on the final day. Up until that point I was never in a position that cut it so close like this. With my 2nd streak I wanted to nail 610 days & beyond. It's only a simple number. But it takes on a life of it's own after a while & can be something incredibly inspiring. I didn't want to end it so early in the ballgame.
Fortunately after a little while longer the bad guy's medical tests came back negative for any severe injuries. Now all we needed was for him to be evaluated by the hospital's mental health doctor to get released. Unfortunately though, past experience dealing with these types of details has shown me that this doesn't usually happen very quickly. Add to that the fact that the hospital can't release an actively suicidal patient without emergency mental health treatment meant it wasn't looking to good for day 279.
It was time to make something happen. I wandered around the emergency department until I found our doctor. I used the handsomest cop uniform wearing look I could muster & explained what procedures our department would put into place to ensure that our bad guy wouldn't harm himself after release, mainly by placing him on a one-on-one suicide watch.
Not sure if it was my overwhelming charm or the department's safety procedures, but an hour later I was trotting along on a windy, moonlit night loving every step of an easy 3 mile run. I'd easily made the 12PM cut off time with almost 4 hours to spare.
Day 280 has come & gone. The 2nd streak remains intact with no end in sight. Just the way I like it. But I've taken some precautions to help make the next streaking emergency a little easier. My truck now has backpack with an extra pair of old running shoes, running clothes & a watch. Hopefully the next time I'm in a jam they'll come in handy. Running truly is a gift & streaking has shown me that the excuses regular runners use why they can't run are just convenient lies they tell themselves to make themselves feel better about skipping a workout. There isn't a type of weather, time of day, medical condition (unless I'm unconscious) or location that'll keep me from getting my miles in. In fact many of those awful rainy, cold days getting lost on unfamiliar running routes while being sicker than a dog are the ones that I'll remember the most fondly.
So, the next time you see a sheriff's deputy running laps around a hospital emergency department screaming "The zombies are coming!" don't be too concerned. He's just having a little fun & getting his mile in before midnight!
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Friday, October 30, 2015
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Winter Running
Well, there's no denying it now. The leaves have almost fully turned & the weather is definitely getting much colder. The dog days of summer are long gone. Just yesterday the first snow flakes of the season begin to fall during my long run. Winter is coming!
One of the the best things about living in upstate NY are the seasons. But they're also one of the worst things too. But that entirely depends on your perspective. Before I started my 1st running streak as soon as the first snowfall of the season came down I took all of my running indoors to my local gym and the treadmill. I was a firm believer that winter running was much too dangerous because of ice. Besides, who wants to run when it's that freaking cold out? For many winters I was content to log hundreds of miles while watching CNN or the occasional attractive female runner in front of me. The girls always take the front row of treadmills, the men always the back row. It's nice to have a little extra incentive!
After I started streak running though, I made a concerted effort to get outside more during wintertime. I made some mistakes & had some brutally cold experiences. I never knew that part of my body could get frostbite! The realization of what happened began to dawn on me as I started to thaw out in a hot shower. Several nervous minutes later I was in the clear. But it was a close enough call that from that moment on I decided that I'd always wear underwear underneath my running tights. Whew!
Along with those cold first few lessons I discovered that wintertime running wasn't as bad as it seems. Unlike the summertime, during winter there's hardly anyone's outside & there's a peacefulness to the neighborhood. There's less traffic to deal with too. Although you need to be extra vigilant because the drivers on the road have even more challenges seeing you during snowstorms. After running all summer the landscape can get a little monotonous. But during winter the landscape changes completely & everything just looks cleaner.
One of my favorite winter runs was during a late day blizzard. Nobody had any right to be out there, visibility was at an all time zero. But I wanted to be out there. So to make sure a snow plow didn't run me over I took my run to the trails that afternoon. Even though it was a short three miles, I earned each step because the snow was about 5 inches deep. There I was huffing & puffing along when I happened to look up as I broke through a clearing on the trail. The scene was like something out of a picture book. Not a soul out there. Pristine white everywhere & the peacefulness of the silence was something that I'll never forget!
As I continue on with my 2nd running streak I'm planning on getting some wintertime running in the books again. Here's a little list of helpful tips if you're considering giving it a try:
1. Wear layers that can be peeled off. Learning how to dress for winter running can be tricky. Throw in some moderate winds & that one confuses the situation. You don't want to sweat too much because that can freeze & make you even colder. Extra layers trap heat. Mittens are warmer than gloves. It's always a good idea to wear a cap because you can loose almost half of your body heat through your head..
2. Wear highly visible clothing & lights. Drivers are usually distracted nowadays. Reduced visibility & an earlier sunset increase the danger when out there. By wearing both you can greatly increase your safety.
3. Consider wearing a trail shoe, store bought shoe traction aids or even installing screws into the soles of your running shoes. If you check out my YouTube page I have a video that I posted years ago on how to do this. The screws work very well on ice, don't damage the shoe & can even be removed in the summer. There's some shoes out there that are waterproof & have Gor-Tex lining. I have a pair of them that I strictly use during winter. I keep the screws in them all year.
4. More important than the summertime, tell someone where you're going running & when you'll be back. Carry a cellphone! I know some runners don't like carrying them. But I've been on some winter runs where the weather turned quickly from "What a beautiful winter day." to "Oh shit, I can't see or feel my fingers!" I've had to be rescued about three times. You know if I call for a pick up, that it's cold out there!
5. This should be a no brainier, use some common sense. Winter running may seem nonsensical to most people. But it's quite doable. Just be careful about the temperature. You can run in below zero conditions. I have many times. Just ensure that you cover every piece of exposed skin. Facemasks work really well.
6. On a final note, try to remember that a speed workout probably won't be possible on ice and that your paces may have to be adjusted too. Any ice is dangerous. but black ice doesn't even give you a fighting chance because you can't see it.
Give winter running a try. It's beautiful and the looks that you'll get from stunned motorists are priceless. Every now & then I get a thumbs up. You just gotta love some people's determination!
One of my favorite winter runs was during a late day blizzard. Nobody had any right to be out there, visibility was at an all time zero. But I wanted to be out there. So to make sure a snow plow didn't run me over I took my run to the trails that afternoon. Even though it was a short three miles, I earned each step because the snow was about 5 inches deep. There I was huffing & puffing along when I happened to look up as I broke through a clearing on the trail. The scene was like something out of a picture book. Not a soul out there. Pristine white everywhere & the peacefulness of the silence was something that I'll never forget!
As I continue on with my 2nd running streak I'm planning on getting some wintertime running in the books again. Here's a little list of helpful tips if you're considering giving it a try:
1. Wear layers that can be peeled off. Learning how to dress for winter running can be tricky. Throw in some moderate winds & that one confuses the situation. You don't want to sweat too much because that can freeze & make you even colder. Extra layers trap heat. Mittens are warmer than gloves. It's always a good idea to wear a cap because you can loose almost half of your body heat through your head..
2. Wear highly visible clothing & lights. Drivers are usually distracted nowadays. Reduced visibility & an earlier sunset increase the danger when out there. By wearing both you can greatly increase your safety.
3. Consider wearing a trail shoe, store bought shoe traction aids or even installing screws into the soles of your running shoes. If you check out my YouTube page I have a video that I posted years ago on how to do this. The screws work very well on ice, don't damage the shoe & can even be removed in the summer. There's some shoes out there that are waterproof & have Gor-Tex lining. I have a pair of them that I strictly use during winter. I keep the screws in them all year.
4. More important than the summertime, tell someone where you're going running & when you'll be back. Carry a cellphone! I know some runners don't like carrying them. But I've been on some winter runs where the weather turned quickly from "What a beautiful winter day." to "Oh shit, I can't see or feel my fingers!" I've had to be rescued about three times. You know if I call for a pick up, that it's cold out there!
5. This should be a no brainier, use some common sense. Winter running may seem nonsensical to most people. But it's quite doable. Just be careful about the temperature. You can run in below zero conditions. I have many times. Just ensure that you cover every piece of exposed skin. Facemasks work really well.
6. On a final note, try to remember that a speed workout probably won't be possible on ice and that your paces may have to be adjusted too. Any ice is dangerous. but black ice doesn't even give you a fighting chance because you can't see it.
Give winter running a try. It's beautiful and the looks that you'll get from stunned motorists are priceless. Every now & then I get a thumbs up. You just gotta love some people's determination!
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Friday, October 9, 2015
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Read A Book, Just Not While Running
I've always been an avid reader since I was a little boy. I loved reading science fiction back then and still do today. Used to get some funny looks from my classmates reading things like Battlefield Earth, 2001 and I, Robot when I was still in grade school. Kids my age didn't read stuff like that, it was for grownups. But I didn't care. Those books were classics man, classics!
As I grew into an adult I discovered things like The Complete Sherlock Holmes collection, Tom Clancy, Frankenstein and Dracula. I'm a huge Star Wars fan and there's several hundred books telling the story of what happened after Return of the Jedi. Awesome stuff and too bad that the new movies aren't going to follow them at all.
I wasn't really into reading anything else, unless it was for college. But I gave in a little in when I started running in 2002. I got subscriptions to Runner's World and Running Times. I was new to the sport and through both of those great magazines I learned a lot of great information. I found out how to treat my shinsplints, discovered what a running podcast was and read about some talented runners all over the world. I eventually stopped getting both of those though. I think they're very good sources of information. But over time I think that they've gotten a little too general with their training approach. Besides, you can research everything to death online now.
About three years ago I decided that I wanted to change up some of the cross-training that I was doing at the time. I wanted something new and different. I asked some of my running and triathlete friends if they had any ideas and someone suggested picking up Racing Weight by Matt Fitzgerald. I did and I was really happy that I did. I lost a large amount of weight, trained my ass off using some of Matt's cross-training guides and broke four hours for the first time in a marathon! It was a magical year. I remember easing way back after the race, not following his advice as much and started eating like the little fat kid that's inside of me. I started to get nervous around Christmas because I was continuing to loose weight. Even with the more relaxed diet and decrease in mileage. It was a physical testament to how good I trained under someone who knew their stuff!
If you read my blog and or watch my video podcast then you know that along with my other favorites, I now include books about running in my rotation. I love the non-fiction running books because I'm a detail oriented type of guy and I can get lost in all training plans and details. There's some amazingly well written books out there by some of our nation's best runners too that'll take your breath away. I like the fiction running books because I think that as runners we have a unique talent to get lost in ourselves out there on the roads and trails that nobody else has. That ability allows those of us who write well to pen some incredibly inspiring stories. All of us have struggles, triumphs and dreams. It's nice to read that we're not alone in this really long ass race called our life.
Next time your in a bookstore or browsing online take a peek at the many books out there that are running related. You'll be surprised at what you can find and there's something out there for everybody. So nowadays my nightstand has a stack of books as tall as my lamp! I've got enough books to read to keep me occupied until next year. And I even bought another damn one today. Matt's new one in fact about mind over matter as it applies to running. We're definitely aiming for the stars now my friends. So getting my head wrapped around those goals would be a really, really good thing! Lots of running, lots of training! Now if I could just find some time to read...
As I grew into an adult I discovered things like The Complete Sherlock Holmes collection, Tom Clancy, Frankenstein and Dracula. I'm a huge Star Wars fan and there's several hundred books telling the story of what happened after Return of the Jedi. Awesome stuff and too bad that the new movies aren't going to follow them at all.
I wasn't really into reading anything else, unless it was for college. But I gave in a little in when I started running in 2002. I got subscriptions to Runner's World and Running Times. I was new to the sport and through both of those great magazines I learned a lot of great information. I found out how to treat my shinsplints, discovered what a running podcast was and read about some talented runners all over the world. I eventually stopped getting both of those though. I think they're very good sources of information. But over time I think that they've gotten a little too general with their training approach. Besides, you can research everything to death online now.
About three years ago I decided that I wanted to change up some of the cross-training that I was doing at the time. I wanted something new and different. I asked some of my running and triathlete friends if they had any ideas and someone suggested picking up Racing Weight by Matt Fitzgerald. I did and I was really happy that I did. I lost a large amount of weight, trained my ass off using some of Matt's cross-training guides and broke four hours for the first time in a marathon! It was a magical year. I remember easing way back after the race, not following his advice as much and started eating like the little fat kid that's inside of me. I started to get nervous around Christmas because I was continuing to loose weight. Even with the more relaxed diet and decrease in mileage. It was a physical testament to how good I trained under someone who knew their stuff!
If you read my blog and or watch my video podcast then you know that along with my other favorites, I now include books about running in my rotation. I love the non-fiction running books because I'm a detail oriented type of guy and I can get lost in all training plans and details. There's some amazingly well written books out there by some of our nation's best runners too that'll take your breath away. I like the fiction running books because I think that as runners we have a unique talent to get lost in ourselves out there on the roads and trails that nobody else has. That ability allows those of us who write well to pen some incredibly inspiring stories. All of us have struggles, triumphs and dreams. It's nice to read that we're not alone in this really long ass race called our life.
Next time your in a bookstore or browsing online take a peek at the many books out there that are running related. You'll be surprised at what you can find and there's something out there for everybody. So nowadays my nightstand has a stack of books as tall as my lamp! I've got enough books to read to keep me occupied until next year. And I even bought another damn one today. Matt's new one in fact about mind over matter as it applies to running. We're definitely aiming for the stars now my friends. So getting my head wrapped around those goals would be a really, really good thing! Lots of running, lots of training! Now if I could just find some time to read...
Saturday, October 3, 2015
The Challenge Of Being Uncomfortable
I'm not exactly sure where it comes from? But I remember that it started way back when I was a little boy. I just didn't wake up one day with this restlessness inside me. It grew over time and thankfully I discovered running along the way somewhere in there. Running is an excellent outlet for this particular brand of crazy. You can go running anywhere there's a road or trail and that satisfies my wandering. You can obsess about your speed, your cadence, your mile splits, your distance along with many other numbers and stats, that satisfies my restlessness.
If you really want to drive yourself even more crazy you can start running races too. All the non-runners don't see a point in running them even when we know that we probably won't win it, or even take first in our age group. But when I line up on that start line I could care less who's on either side of me. I'm more interested in beating that defeatist asshole that lives inside me whispering that I should give up even before I start. I've always been really hard on myself. I'm not really like that with my friends and family. So I don't know why I am with myself. More than one person has told me that they'd hate to be with such a slave driver behind the wheel.
But that narcissistic prick has gotten me to run some really fast races. It's those previous versions of myself that I'm interested in beating. Over 13 years I've run over 70 different races and broken tons of my own personal records along the way. Take that you inner asshole! But there were years when that didn't happen. As I look back now I realize that those mediocre years weren't due to decline. I think that the belief that after a certain number of years running runners stop setting PR's and begin to decline is absolute bullshit! But I do think that I got a little complacent and too comfortable. To those non-runners it sounds ridiculous that running a marathon can be comfortable. But if you run enough of them, you do get good at them. Good enough that you don't really have to put a lot of effort into your training. Some years I did the training, ran the race, got my medal and that was that. I was still calming that restlessness, but only barely.
The shift happened when I decided to do the 366 Project. That initial crazy goal to try to run a mile a day for 366 consecutive days was just crazy enough to scare the shit out of me. I'd never run that much and to make it even harder I still planned on doing my "comfortable" marathon at the end of the year too! I ran, I discovered, I endured. I knocked the initial Project out of the stinkin park! I even nailed another marathon PR that year! The end of that 366th day marked the discovery of an absolute truth for me, you can only do epic shit when your outside of your comfort zone.
The following year I ran even further outside that comfort zone and decided to train for two 50K's (a distance that I've never done before), continue the running streak and I had a deferment for the Rochester Marathon that I had to use or loose, so I planned on that too! Then the shitty back injury brought the whole shebang to a grinding halt. The streak ended at 609 days and I had to drop out of all my races. To say that I was disappointed is an understatement. My injury wasn't due to running too much or setting unrealistic goals. It was just bad luck and my stubbornness to rip apart a 10 foot garden circle all by myself.
Now that my comeback race in Rochester has been run I feel like I'm back again. I didn't meet my personal goal. But I've never felt stronger, restarted my running streak, developed an incredible friendship with my Coach and learned that I need to be nicer to my back when pretending to be a one man landscape crew! Have a couple more shorter races on the books for the rest of the year and we're gonna make a damn good run at breaking some really old PR's.
But what about next year? What scary as shit goals can I dream up? I think that I'd really like to take another crack at kicking that hometown marathon's ass, that's for sure! No ultra-distance races, though. 50K, you and me have a big score to settle! But not right now. Since I'm feeling so good and being driven by a Coach who really knows me and her stuff instead of my inner asshole, I thought why not some more challenging racing? Hey, remember my sponsor G & G Fitness? They wanted to help me race next year and they've come through in a huge way! In a matter of minutes and a few mouse clicks I filled up next year's race calendar just like that! 2016's scariness will now include the following:
- Continue the 610 Project-Streaking has become part of who I am. It's not going anywhere and I'm not settling until I reach day 610!
- Four Season's Challenge-Three half-marathons, one in the Winter, Spring and Summer followed by the Rochester Marathon in the Fall. This will be the most number of 13.1's that I've ever run in a year followed by a 26.2! Lot's of training all year long and the best part is that I'll be running for G & G on their team, G & G-REV! They covered the ENTIRE race fee! They're just awesome and you'll definitely be hearing more about them!
So it's going to be scary. It's going to hurt a little and challenge me like I've never been before. There won't be any more "easy" things in my near future and that's OK. From where I'm standing, that comfort zone thingy looks way too boring!
- Run a Boston Qualifying Time-Now this one may take more than next year to complete. I may never complete this one. I'm going to have to get faster than I've ever been before and shed more than a half-hour off my marathon PR. But Coach Judy is my secret weapon!
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Friday, September 25, 2015
Hansons Marathon Method By Luke Humphrey
I think that much of what we know today about distance running is as wide encompassing as it is confusing. Ever since the initial running boom of the 70's runners all over this country have been figuring out what works and what doesn't work over the course of thousands of miles. It's on this base of knowledge that many new runners build their running foundations.
Some of the information is really good. Like that if you don't take chaffing seriously, you will after trying to shower without screaming after both your nipples have been rubbed raw after a 20 mile long run. Or that yes, running shoes don't really last forever regardless of how good their flashy colors still look on your feet. Or that it's a really great idea to pay attention to the forecast before you head out on your long runs. Nothing's more terrifying than to be out on an open country road pushing the little love of your life who's going to carry on the family name in a metal running stroller and see thunder clouds quickly rolling in on either side of you. Speed work with lightning, indeed!
Some of the information is really bad too. Like the 10% rule. Most runners believe that adding more than 10% in weekly mileage is a guaranteed recipe for disaster and injury. It isn't. There's absolutely no scientific proof whatsoever that you can't add more. Like that ice baths are one of the best ways to help you recover from having "dead" legs. I've done it and so have many of my friends. All it does is make you cold and miserable for like two straight days. Like that cross-training with weights, heavy weights especially, will make runners bulk up and therefore much slower. That one there actually is solid scientific proof that heavy weight lifting can benefit runners immensely without making them look like the Hulk.
When I first started my journey down the road to run my first marathon I turned to one of the most trusted vaults of running related knowledge out there, Runner's World. I looked up training plans for the marathon distance and over the course of 16 weeks or so I ran every mile just like the plan told me to. I ran my first marathon, had an awful race and swore that I'd never run another. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Runner's World. It's an excellent resource! My race went badly, like most first marathons do, because I was inexperienced and had made some rookie mistakes. Not because I was under trained.
My main point is that the standard marathon training plan is just that, standard. The only problem with that is that there's no runner that I know who is "standard". What works for me, may or may not work for you. I think that standard plans like you can find in places like Runner's World are an excellent guide. But just that, a guide.
I didn't always think like this. Even though I said never again, I was a glutton for punishment and have run another 11 marathons since my first. A large majority of them I trained using the standard marathon training plans out there. Then in 2012 I became extremely interested in what the Hansons Brooks Distance Project was doing with regards to marathon training. And that's exactly what this book is about. It's written by Luke Humphrey who works as a Coach closely with Keith and Kevin Hanson who founded the Distance Project in the late 70's. Their work and methods have produced some of the finest American distance runners on the planet who've finished with the top elites at Boston and been sent to the Olympics to represent the red, white and blue.
The main philosophy of their version of the marathon training plan rests on the teaching of famed running coach Arthur Lydiard. The guy is credited with starting the running boom! The main approach of the plan is "cumulative fatigue" which occurs after repetitive training that doesn't allow for full recovery between training days. Along with this fatigue their plan highly emphasizes more moderate, more intense mid-week runs and a shorter long run for the weekend. They believe the 20 mile or longer long run of most standard plans isn't need. Mainly because by the time a runner using their plan gets to their maximum 16 mile long run it simulates the last 16 miles of a marathon race due to the more moderate mid-week workouts.
Now, it's of course a tad more complex than that, you'll have to read the book to get the entire philosophy. But I will tell you that I've used their plan to break four hours in two of my marathons. The training is challenging and by the end of the week your long runs do feels like the end stages of your race. It just kicks your ass all week long! We are sadists in our own special way! If you're interested I highly suggest you check out their website here to look at their plans: http://www.hansons-running.com. I took the information off the website when I used their plan. So the book isn't necessary. But it is more in-depth.
On a side note, if you would've asked me if the Hansons method was the only way to marathon train three years ago I would've vigorously nodded yes until my head fell off my shoulders. But after the injury of last summer and being trained this season by Coach Judy Mick, I'm not so sure. We didn't do anything resembling this method and while I didn't crack four hours like I wanted to, I did run my fourth fastest marathon. Sigh, the woman is insane and I still hate 20 mile or longer training runs like I did way back when! I think that the important thing I took away from this book in addition to my experience is that one running shoe doesn't fit every runner. Try different training approaches, get a coach to give you personally tailored training according to your running goals and if you're a guy streak running outside in the North-East part of the country during wintertime, wear some extra padding in the nether region. Believe me, you can get frostbite down there!
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Spectacular Streakers & Their Amazing Stories Compiled By Judy Mick
So it's been a little while since I've blogged here. Part of it was because of ZENVEDA where I was trying to put out a daily video podcast. I did it and I now have a much bigger appreciation for all of those hardcore video bloggers out there. You guys and gals put out some amazing work. I managed to streamline my own production process down to about 20 minutes. But it was still really challenging to get something out daily.
Part of it was that certain aspects of my personal life are going to "hell in a hand basket" right now. I'm not going to go into any details here. But I've never been one to sugar coat my blog or video podcast. It's just not what life is or who I am. I've got issues and challenges like everyone else and they are a bit overwhelming right now. Some of you have picked up on what's going on and I can't tell you how much I appreciate those of you who've reached out to offer support! Truly a great running community.
Part of it also was that my marathon training was ramping up for the final big push and then down for the dreaded taper. I'm going to write a race review in the near future. I managed to finish the race. But fell well short of my time goal. Just happy to finish this one.
When I first started streaking about three years ago I met fellow streaker Judy Mick. She's known as the Streaking Runner and for good reason. She's been running at least a mile a day for 30 years! Just incredible. As we got to know each other and talked running shop I discovered she's not only a running coach and streaker, but a writer as well. At the time she was asking for submissions from her fellow streakers to tell their stories about how they got into streaking for an upcoming book she was writing. I was too self-conscious to submit my own streaking story by myself. But after some prodding from the Coach I agreed.
I finally got around to reading the book and it's more of an awe inspiring collection of greatness than a story. And I'm not just saying that because my streaking story is on pages 9-19. Living a busy life means sometimes seeing things only from your perspective. From that view point you can assume that everyone else running out there is having sunny, 60 degree, wind at their back days where they easily knock off 10 miles without breaking a sweat. Sometimes you forget that everyone has their own uniquely challenging story and incredibly powerful reasons why they run. This book tells 18 of those stories. I came away from reading the last one, where Judy tells her own story, with a greater appreciation of the various struggles all runners go through to get where they're going. It's challenging enough to be a runner, add to that trying to run a mile non-stop everyday to be a streaker as well, and you have what defines us as the incredible human beings that we are! It also reminded me of how terribly I wrote those first few days of blogging and how special my own story is.
That first streak has come and gone due to that dreaded back injury. I vividly remember how hard it was to let that go. I was on the verge of passing out that final time I tried to limp through a mile on my treadmill. But 609 days was well beyond my original 366 day goal. So, I'll take it as a win. Sitting here a year later 243 days into my second streak I'm reminded how fickle life and running can be. Last year I thought I would never walk, run or work again. But here I am doing all those things and living my life like I used to. Sometimes all it takes is a little reminder that each of us have hills to overcome. Some are bigger than others, but they're still hard to run up regardless their size. Check out the book if you're interested in running and streaking. The stories are motivational, inspiring and like the title implies, spectacular.
If you're interested in hiring a gifted coach, learning more about Coach Judy and buying this and some of her other books check her out here: Run Happy Coaching!
If you're interested in hiring a gifted coach, learning more about Coach Judy and buying this and some of her other books check her out here: Run Happy Coaching!
As I wade through this current mess that is my life, I'm reminded that I'm still here and I'm not done yet! Thanks Coach for including me in your book and for keeping me afloat.
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Monday, August 31, 2015
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Sunday, August 2, 2015
Back To Square Run-Episode 1 "The Sandman Returns"
When I first started this blog I intended to jump-start an accompanying video podcast, also known as a vlog, too. But things got busy in my life, like they do for everyone, and the blog was all I could manage to put out for the longest time. I really enjoyed making video projects for my previous running blogs and even went out and purchased some expensive video recording equipment. All of which have been steadily collecting dust in my office.
Recently, my good friend Zen Runner came up with this great idea to challenge his friends to create a daily vlog or audio podcast for the entire month of August. I've yet to dip my feet into the podcasting world. But I'm a sucker for taking up challenges from friends and know a thing or two about vloging.
So it's time to dust off the video equipment, download iMove on the iPhone and re-launch myself into the world of video podcasting. The show will appropriately be titled Back To Square Run. Through it I will introduce you to who I am, where I'm running to all the dang time and where I'd like to eventually wind up. Most of the topics will revolve around running, but nothing's off the table! I promise though, no nudity, violence or hateful concepts. There will be lots of humor, interesting discussions on fitness, running, running product and race reviews and maybe even a little sadness (because some days, not every run is great).
As the month of August draws to a close I will also be closing in on a year of recovery from my back injury. It was an event like no other in my life that caused everything to come to a grinding halt, question who I was and challenged me more than any marathon I've ever run. It's been a long journey and I couldn't think of a better way to share what I've discovered through this crazy time. Sometimes being an endurance athlete means more than just running everyday or finishing a couple of marathons a year, it means enduring when faced with ugly things in your life.
But I'm getting a little ahead of myself here. I've got a whole month of videos to talk about that stuff! So, lets just start from the beginning.
Who am I? Well, I'm me of course...
BACK TO SQUARE RUN-EPISODE 1
THE SANDMAN RETURNS...
If you're more interested in creating some content of your own, please visit ZENVEDA# and join the rest of us for the month of August! Zen Runner has such great ideas!
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
The Art Of Talking To Yourself
There's many different skills that can help you as a runner. I've managed to develop some really good ones. Some bad ones too, but we'll save those for some other time.
One skill that I've picked up is the habit of early, adequate hydration. Every morning when wake up I immediately slam 24 ounces of plan water. Throughout the rest of the day I typically shoot for drinking at least another three of those. This keeps me well hydrated through my day and when I'm out running. It was challenging when I first started trying to drink that much water so quickly. But I've been routinely doing this for so long now that I don't get bloated anymore. Every time I go to the bathroom and see clear pee I think to myself, BINGO I'm hydrated like like a MF!
Another good skill that I've developed is learning how to shuffle through my iPod's running playlist through whatever running belt I happen to be wearing without looking. It can be downright aggravating to have to stop, open your running pouch, pull out your iPod, shuffle to a different song and then put it back. Being able cut all of that nonsense out of the equation makes for fewer, if any stops and allows me to call on some quick motivation to surge up those damn endless hill that my coach loves to torture me with every other week.
Out of all of the skills I've learned, one of the best is learning to talk to myself. Many people write off the benefits of positive self-talk as hogwash. But the rewards are tangible. It's well known that running is a physical as well as mental sport. I couldn't agree more. Depending how I'm feeling mentally can greatly affect how my run goes. If I'm feeling great, it's like I'm flying down those roads like the Flash himself. If I'm feeling like garbage, it's a battle to just get out the front door.
I'm just like everyone else. I've got lots of things to shuffle in my day to day life. The list of responsibilities goes on and on. Because I have to be to work so early in the morning, knocking out my daily run right when I wake up just isn't a possibility. That means my run won't happen until the late afternoon when I'm done with work. By this time of day I'm pretty much exhausted. But it's my only time fit in any type of workout. So it gets done then. There's solid evidence that a runner's perceived exhaustion level is just that, perceived. Positive self-talk can help you combat the fatigue that you think you're feeling. I've come to realize that how I feel isn't a good gauge of what my body can do. Even now there's running days where I'm pleasantly surprised that I was able to run like I wanted to through my workout, despite feeling tired.
If you're a runner then you're most likely a "Type-A" personality. I fit the definition of "Type-A" person to a T! This mindset has allowed me to accomplish some fairly amazing stuff in my life and with my running. But that inner voice can sometimes be a demon that points out my worst faults and grinds me into the ground when I least need or expect it. By using positive self-talk I can deflect some of that negative thinking. They say that you yourself are your worst critic and that statement rings true for me. I can use positive self-talk to emphasize the things that I'm doing right and build on those, instead of destroying all of my hard work by beating myself up.
One technique that many elite runners practice is self-visualization and positive self-talk is an aspect of this practice. If you can mentally visualize yourself overcoming that hill, running at that desired mile pace, finishing that distance and use positive self-talk to further assist those images then you're already ahead of the game. I've been doing this for a long time and it truly works. In my experiences distance running using this technique to break down the longer runs into smaller, more manageable bits allows me to focus on the immediate physical work at hand. If I started out each marathon visualizing and telling myself that it was 26.2 miles long, then I'd get tired just thinking about such a long distance!
So next time your out there on your run try saying something nice to yourself. It may just help you run a little better and the strange looks you'll get from people are priceless!
As the summer closes in on the month of August, I just wanted to remind everyone that this bog was never supposed to be a stand alone project. Yes, in fact there was supposed to also be a video podcast linked to it. But, as we all know, my life can get in the way of doing anything recreational. Enough is enough! My good friend Zen Runner is sponsoring an exciting challenge for the month of August. He's calling it ZENVEDA and the idea is simple, podcast or post a video everyday for the entire month. I couldn't think of a better way to get the video podcast off the ground! I'm not sure if the blog will have many post for the month, but I'm dedicating myself to putting out an episode each day! So starting in August be on the lookout for my tired, but smiling face!
If you're a runner then you're most likely a "Type-A" personality. I fit the definition of "Type-A" person to a T! This mindset has allowed me to accomplish some fairly amazing stuff in my life and with my running. But that inner voice can sometimes be a demon that points out my worst faults and grinds me into the ground when I least need or expect it. By using positive self-talk I can deflect some of that negative thinking. They say that you yourself are your worst critic and that statement rings true for me. I can use positive self-talk to emphasize the things that I'm doing right and build on those, instead of destroying all of my hard work by beating myself up.
One technique that many elite runners practice is self-visualization and positive self-talk is an aspect of this practice. If you can mentally visualize yourself overcoming that hill, running at that desired mile pace, finishing that distance and use positive self-talk to further assist those images then you're already ahead of the game. I've been doing this for a long time and it truly works. In my experiences distance running using this technique to break down the longer runs into smaller, more manageable bits allows me to focus on the immediate physical work at hand. If I started out each marathon visualizing and telling myself that it was 26.2 miles long, then I'd get tired just thinking about such a long distance!
So next time your out there on your run try saying something nice to yourself. It may just help you run a little better and the strange looks you'll get from people are priceless!
As the summer closes in on the month of August, I just wanted to remind everyone that this bog was never supposed to be a stand alone project. Yes, in fact there was supposed to also be a video podcast linked to it. But, as we all know, my life can get in the way of doing anything recreational. Enough is enough! My good friend Zen Runner is sponsoring an exciting challenge for the month of August. He's calling it ZENVEDA and the idea is simple, podcast or post a video everyday for the entire month. I couldn't think of a better way to get the video podcast off the ground! I'm not sure if the blog will have many post for the month, but I'm dedicating myself to putting out an episode each day! So starting in August be on the lookout for my tired, but smiling face!
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
New Shoes, New Attitude
I've always been the type of person who chooses to remember the past more fondly than I probably should. Most times this isn't a wasted effort because I'm the type of friend that you can call at 3 AM for help & I'll be there in 15. Loyalty isn't lost on some people. I'm not perfect and I'm smart enough to realize that nobody else is either. There's times when people are going to be disappointing. Those special moments may not always live up to your expectations. But ultimately it's the positive things that I seek to remember.
Sometimes though embracing the past isn't such a good thing. Running is a prime example of this for me. Yes, I have been what I consider a successful runner. No, I haven't won any Olympic races. The professional running community will most likely never hold the nickname of "Sandman" up there with the same reverence as "Pre". But I've ran quite a bit, seen a lot of cool things, met a ton of fine people and raced my ass off.
I've always been a highly motivated runner who sought out what worked and when I found with it, I stuck with it. Now this is where the trouble starts. When you first start running it's OK to rely on the things that work best for you. You've gotta build the groundwork. As the miles go by along with the years you most likely will change physically, but you may still be thinking like the old you.
Take my back injury for example. I never thought that I would be the type of person to get that kind of injury. I was healthy. I exercised like a rock-star. Nonetheless it hit me hard and put the biggest brake on my running, personal and professional life. It wasn't fun by any means. But looking back I can now say that it was a good thing. It helped me realize that I'm not the same person that I was 13 years ago. Somewhere along all of those miles I changed.
Change for a runner and guy like me can be a really scary thing. Even the positive ones can sometimes terrify the shit out of you. So, I think that I built up a super sturdy wall and blocked all of those new things out running and living just like I always had. It worked really well up until when you have a lot of time on your hands and nothing to take your mind off all that stuff bouncing around between your ears.
No matter how fast I wished my back would heal so that I could get back out there my recovery was and still is painstakingly slow. I used to think that when people with these types of injuries described the recovery process like being a toddler learning to walk again that it sounded ridiculous. Well, now that I've enjoyed it myself, I can say that analogy is spot on. It really was like starting over again. Only this time I wasn't a new runner. I had 12 years of experience and over 25,000 miles under my belt. After some initial attempts at re-starting it became clearly evident that what used to apply wasn't going to work anymore. Luckily I just happened to be friends with the amazing Coach Judy Mick. I doesn't sound like being a guinea pig is all that great idea. But it's one of the best decisions that I've ever made!
On December 2, 2002 I started officially recording my runs. One of the best pieces of advice that I got from a veteran runner was to go to a running store and get fitted for the right pair of shoes. One of the first things that you learn when running is that just as varied as we are as individuals, are shoes should be too. What may work for me may not work for you with regards to running shoes. Price and flashy colors aren't always good indicators that a pair of running shoes is right for you. I can still remember going to one of our local running stores and going through my first shoe fitting. Looking back I was 12 pounds heavier and while not a complete couch potato, fitness wasn't something I embraced a whole heck of a lot. The store employee fitted me into a Brooks Beast size 10.5. Since then I've owned 28 different pairs. It really is a great shoe designed for heavier runners. It's what I like to call the Cadillac of the Brooks line. It costs about a million dollars a pair. But it's so sturdy that it'll give you maximum cushion, superior motion control and may even deflect bullets in emergencies.
After a lot of work over the winter and spring I'm finally back to being able to comfortably run some distance. I even managed to get some really good races under my belt and the running streak is restarted. Most of this is due to Coach Judy's guidance. Yes, I've done some things the same as I have in the past. But only after bouncing them off of her. We've tweaked stuff here and there. I think that it's been a learning experience for both of us. I'm just glad that she put up with my complaining when we first started!
So with all of this new change in mind I decided to take a leap and registered for my first marathon in two years. About three weeks ago Coach Judy started me on her marathon training plan. It's nothing like I'm used to. I now realize that I was running a lot of junk mileage back when I was self-trained. Much shorter runs (right now) coupled with some hills and speed-work are the name of the game.
As I hone in on my birthday in late August I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a little nervous. Shortly after that I'll mark one year since I got the back thing. Just in time before my comeback marathon. Most days are good. Some a little more challenging than others. What the future holds is sometimes terrifying.
But re-inventing yourself is never an easy thing. I'm not saying that you should forget the past and charge blindly into the future. What I'm saying is that I've failed more times than I can remember. It's OK to restart if you have to. Every day is an opportunity to judge what you learned making your mistakes against what works. It's also important to realize that what may work now, may not always work in the future.
So when those terrible things happen that knock you on the ground, dust yourself off, explore some new things, keep taking those big leaps of faith and try on a new pair of shoes. Hope is powerful thing. I may never be the runner that I once was. I may never be the same person. But I'll be trying my hardest wearing my first new pair of shoes in 13 years. Somewhere along those miles I out ran who I used to be and to realize that feels good. I'm someone new, someone different and it's time for a new way of looking at things. Smile, laugh and have a great run! I'll see you out there!
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