How Much To Run, Streaking & No Not Naked!

   This whole blogging thing for me started when I decided to do one of either the coolest or dumbest things in my running career, depending how you look at it, I became a streaker. When most people think of "streaking" they have visions of a crazed soccer fan running around a field completely naked being madly chased by the police. But in the running world it means something entirely different. According to the USRSA (United States Running Streak Association) a "running streak" is defined as:

 "running at least one mile (1.61 kilometers) within each calendar day. Running may occur on either the roads, a track, over hill and dale, or on a treadmill." 

    Originally I just planned on keeping the streak alive for a year and a day, 366 days total. As the sun rose on the 367th day I found myself hooked and I continued on for another 243 days until sidelined by an injury. I can honestly tell you that I would've kept on going if I never became injured. The streak took on a life of it's own and by the end I felt like a horse jockey just trying to hang on. I wasn't steering, but I was definitely enjoying the ride.  I met some truly amazing people, found out how incredibly patient my family could be and learned so much about myself. And to answer your question, no, the injury had nothing to do with the streak.

   This post isn't about me announcing a return to streaking. Although don't count me out just yet! The itch is still there. Putting aside the crazy ones who decide to run everyday, today I want to discuss a often talked about topic of how much a runner should run. 

   There's solid medical evidence that in order to reap benefits from a running program a person needs to do it at least twice a week. Unless you're a sponsored athlete who has the luxury of being paid for scheduled exercise periods, most of us have to figure out how running's going to fit into our daily life. There's many things to consider here. What's your ultimate goal? Do you want to run a 5K or just shed some extra pounds? What's you current health like? Running is as simple as putting one foot in front of the other, but what about existing health risks or conditions? What's your prior experience running? Did you run track in high school or cross-country? What's your current lifestyle like? No matter how fast you can clock a mile, it still takes time to run a 20 mile training run. Do you have enough daily time for training? What's your family situation like? Your spouse and kids may not be running out there with you, but how much you run will affect them. Can you spare a little time away from your other responsibilities? When I first started running I worked a normal 40 hour a week, M-F job and didn't have a family of my own yet. Lots of free time to play with. I had a goal to run my first 5K road race, but other than in high school gym class, didn't have any formal running training. It was the perfect time for me to begin this journey and I consumed everything related to running. There's probably so many more things to consider that I haven't mentioned. And you thought running was a solo sport?

   Once you get all of the initial details sorted out you can figure out a training frequency that works for you. Most amateur runners train six to seven days a week. Just like there's good evidence that running twice a week is good for you, there's also medical evidence that shows that as your running volume increases (your miles) so will your opportunity to get injured. So when I say most runners train all week, it's not all straight running days. The days that aren't running days are days where cross-training doing an activity other than running happens. Some weight train, swim or cycle. Cross-training will make you a stronger runner who most likely will spend less time at the doctor's office. When I first started running it was a part of my weightlifting program and I only ran three times a week. As I fell in love with running the frequency increased to five time a week and stayed there for many years. I remember trying to throw in a sixth day and how hard that was. It took me a very long time to get used to a training schedule with just one day off.

   After deciding on how much time you have and how often you're going to train the next thing to figure out is a training plan. There's training plans out there for every distance you could think think of with maybe the exception of the ultra distances. That being said, I think it's important to to keep in mind two philosophies: you either read and become educated on everything running or you hire a coach. Like I said earlier, I became a self-educated runner. It was an amazing experience doing it that way, but also a painful one. I made mistakes, got injuries and learned from them. After this recent injury I decided to put my fate in someone who actually knows what the hell they're doing and got my first running coach. When getting a coach make sure you check out their credentials and that you're both on the same page. It can be a rewarding experience for both of you when done right. It's been a wonderful experience for me so far. My coach has been super encouraging during what's been my longest time off my feet from an injury keeping me positive. She's been a sounding board when I complain or want to talk running "shop". I must admit that it's been nice not having to figure out my recovery plan by myself and to trust where she's taking me. 


   Other than what I've said the best advice to all of you who want to start running is to get out there, have fun, enjoy your first races because you'll never run your first 5K ever again and talk to more experienced runners. Most of us who've been around a block or two enjoy talking about running and would love to help someone just starting out.


   Things have been busy as 2015 gets up and running. My coach is running me through my paces and I've got my sights set on the Rochester Marathon this year. I'm slowly building my speed and back up to where I was, but taking more of a cautious approach than I would if I was doing it on my own. It's a painstakingly slow process. My rear right hip continues to ache and cause me to slightly lean to the left. The hip muscles CONFOUND me! But my speed is increasing nonetheless. I've also switched to trying to get more of my runs outside on the roads when the winter weather cooperates. I'll be leading a new academy class through their PT program and we don't run on treadmills. Gotta at least look like I know what I'm doing! I've taken the dog out a couple of times on the trails. He thinks he's a husky, but it's nice to see him smile as we navigate the frozen twists and turns. Even the screwed GTX shoes can't seem to cope with the icy footing. I've received my first Stridebox and so far I'm impressed. I'm going to hold my review until I've gotten a few more to compare. I hope all of you are doing well, running strong and have something you've set your own sights on. Have a great day and let me know if I can help!

PS: Ok, ok. I lied. Today I decided that there's just no waiting until the right moment to do some things. That moment won't ever come. There'll always be aches, pains, fatigue, time-crunches, places to be and a million other reasons not to. Good lord help me and those blinded enough to call me a husband, father, son and friend, the streak has begun again...

Making Your Steps Count

   It's well known my love for technology. Much to my family's irritation my trusty iPhone never leaves my side. Contained within my laptop are irreplaceable pieces of my past like pictures of my son's first runs with me and my running log dating back to 2002. My iPod plays the music that's sped me through two sub four hour marathons. My Garmin running watch has scratches all over it, much of the writing has rubbed off, it looks like it's been through a war. I've said it before, but out of all of my beloved technological devices my FitBit is the one of the ones that I cherish the most. 

   I've owned my FitBit One for about three years now. This particular version isn't one of the wristband models. It's the clip on "One" model and now that I'm used to wearing it, it's become almost like an extension of myself. Don't get me wrong, it took what seemed like forever until I didn't accidentally leave it somewhere like on a locker room bench at my gym. Or I've forgotten to take it off my running shorts before I threw them in the washer. Thank God the company has outstanding customer service and sent me a replacement free of charge. I've even lost it at places like my chiropractor's office where it got wedged in his adjustment table. 

   

   In my career of law enforcement they train us how to spot if someone is wearing a concealed handgun beneath their clothing. Many times a bad guy will unconsciously put their hand on the spot on their body where the weapon is hidden to make sure it's still there. Policemen at my local gas station are always eyeing me up when I'm just making sure my FitBit's still there! I hope I haven't jinxed myself. Haven't misplaced it since last summer!

   I've discussed what FitBit products do previously so I'm not going to go into great depth here. But I'll mention what it does in case you're unfamiliar with these types of devices. FitBit and their devices started the trend of wearable fitness trackers. Their devices act like pedometers on steroids tracking data like steps taken, floors climbed, miles traveled, calories burned and can also rate the quality of your sleep. Some of their newer models even track heart rate and display a caller id when linked with your smart phone. When using their smartphone app you can also enter your daily meals to track calories eaten. After creating a free account with their online website all of this data is displayed in easy to read graphs and charts. They even have a social aspect where you can compete with your friends.

   Being a distance runner who's a techie my FitBit was the perfect companion to analyze everything I did into my day whether it included actively training or taking the dog for a walk and put it into an easily understandable fitness snapshot. It helped me discover some things that I could improve, helped me to loose some excess weight and made some of the more mundane aspects of training fun and interesting again. All of that being said, when you run 30 or more miles every week, have a running streak and cross-train in the gym twice a week you don't have to be too worried about your weight or health. I was already doing the work and I got pretty used to being at the top of FitBit's leader boards easily surpassing most of my friends on any given day.

   As the saying goes, you don't know what you've got until it's gone. After being sidelined with my back injury I had to take almost three months off from any sort of serious training. It was depressing to see all of my stats drop to almost nothing. But I continued to wear my FitBit for the simple reason that I felt awkward without it. Most days though I just couldn't bring myself to look at any of the data. Being out of work and not active made the days sometimes drag endlessly on. Right before beginning running again I was at my lowest point and I don't know why, but I took a look at my fitness information for the entire time that I was laid up. Surprisingly I found that I wasn't as inactive as I thought I was during those seemingly endless weeks. I was active and I began to use my FitBit as a way to grade my progress as I got back on my feet with regards to running. Something that I once thought of as a toy became a powerful inspirational tool to help me through those painful first weeks. 

   I'm happy to say that the running program continues to improve on a weekly basis. I'm still not back to the type of condition that I once was. But with a little more patience and time I'll be back on the top of those dang leader boards. If you're injured or need a kick in the butt consider getting one of these handy little tools. I guarantee you'll love their products and their customer service is the best I've ever seen in a company. It won't do the work for you, but it'll sure make everything a little more fun! If you're interested let me know and I can point you in the right direction. Hope everyone's having a great week! 

   

Happy New Year & Running Ransom Rd. by Calib Daniloff

   So I finally got a second or two of free time this holiday season to catch up on some running related reading that my wife got me last Christmas. I typically like to read fiction that's totally unrelated to running. But a few years ago I picked up a little book called Born to Run by Chris Mcdougall. It was a done deal after reading the book that is credited with single-handedly starting the minimalist running boom. I was quickly hooked reading books related to one of my biggest passions. 

  

   My latest read was Running Ransom Road by Calib Daniloff. It's a blistering account of the author's journey of self-discovery from childhood, to alcoholic, drug user and then finally to long distance runner.

   Throughout the book Daniloff's account jumps back and forth from memories of his early childhood growing up in Washington DC, Massachusetts and Russia. I couldn't imagine the turmoil of moving to such a once "closed" country while going through his tumultuous teenage years. He does a good job of expressing how foreign and isolated he felt living there. It's during this time that he first begins experimenting with drugs and alcohol. 

   As you can imagine, his isolation during those years don't serve him very well when he moves back to the US. He finds it hard to fit in his American schools and eventually gravitates towards heavier drug and alcohol abuse. From my own experiences in a career of law enforcement I know first hand the tragedy and sadness that can accompany such addictions. He gives heartbreaking accounts of the crazy things that he did while high and drunk, and the people that he hurt along the way. It's amazing that his family even talks to him.  

   But the book isn't about addiction. But about how Daniloff digs himself out of that dark world through running. The life of a recovering addict is a life of repentance and healing. He discovers the powerful addiction of running and embraces a good habit for once in his life. I've read before that many recovering addicts love running because of this very reason. 

   Daniloff decides to jump headfirst into the world of running and goes on a whirlwind tour of running seven different races, including five marathons in just a little more than a year. He strategically picks these races in places where he suffered through his various addictions. I like this guys style! The descriptions of the races were a little bare. But he draws you in by recalling flashbacks to a time before he was running and instead, suffering in those very places. 

   At first I didn't really like this book. The flashes back and forth between the past and present were at times, confusing and irritating because they broke up the flow of the story. I did eventually get used to Daniloff's writing style though. I didn't like all of the recalling of all of the terrible things he either did or suffered through. I did however come to respect his relentless journey to set things right with those he hurt and right past wrongs. You gotta love a guy who's humble enough to admit he was wrong so many times and make up for it. 

   I've heard some people say that people who run are only running to "run" away from something in their personal life. I've always hated that description. We're not a bunch of cowards avoiding uncomfortable things that arise in life. But there's truth in us using running to deal with the difficult things in our lives. Through my years running I used it to deal with anxiety, work stress, fear, sadness and rage. It always has a way of bleeding off the negative stuff leaving me a much happier man than when I started. I feel pity on the people who don't have that as a tool in their lives to combat things like that. Daniloff alludes to this throughout the entire book.

   It was a quick read and as I finished the book I found myself revising my initial dislike of the book. I appreciated his honesty about his troubled past. Just from writing this blog I know how terrifying it can be to reveal sensitive things about your life. I couldn't imagine doing that through a published book. I loved his quest. Many of us should strive to do this in our own lives. It's a cause worth championing. Overall I'd say give it a read!

   As the New Year begins I find myself a changed man. Last year started out with such an incredible amount of momentum. I completed my 366 Project, decided to continue it further and chose a new challenge, to run my first 50K. I had to end the Project at 609 days and never got the chance at my first ultra marathon. I couldn't walk, was out of work for a very long time and felt like a complete failure. I was promoting all the wonderful things that I've gotten from physical fitness and running, but I couldn't run one step. 

   I'm glad 2014's over. Now that it's 2015 I don't feel like a failure anymore. It's easy to tote something when everything's "running" smoothly. But throughout my running career I've always had challenges and injures to overcome. It's part of running. Hell, it's part of life. So as this year begins I smile. NOT because I'm going to run 366 days or my first ultra. But because I'm still here, running my challenges down. My discs have gone back in, I've got the best running coach and I'm starting to run at speeds that make me feel like a superhero. It's not perfect, but I've already proved some people wrong. Why not do it a little more? 

   Don't pay attention to the doubters, or listen to your negative self. Believe in the impossible and if you fail, dust yourself off and start back at Square Run! Happy New Year my friends!