Embrace The rICE!

   I'm 41 years old and have lived almost exclusively that entire time in upstate NY. During that time I've shivered through hundreds of snowstorms here. Sometimes the Winter season was light and we barely got a dusting. Other times the season was heavy with lots of snow. But typically Wintertime here was a mix of the two extremes. It never seemed all that bad, until this year. 

   If you peruse Facebook you'll find many Bostonians and New Yorkers complaining along the same lines. Everybody in the Northeast has been hit hard this year. I've never had to shovel and snow blow this much of the white stuff before! If I don't have to do either on a particular day, I'm really surprised. My dogs have given up trying to find places to do their business because everywhere the snow is well above their heads. I now wake up an extra 10 minutes early for travel time and don't even bother looking at the forecast anymore. My lower back's taking a beating because of the Goliath snow drifts. 

   Don't worry, this post isn't going to be another bitch session about the weather. It isn't going to be about the positive aspects of Winter running either. Were going to talk about a runner's secret weapon when it comes to injury treatment, ice. 

   When you think about it, using ice as a treatment option for some of our most common injuries is one of the simplest and smartest things to do. Why? The number one reason opting for ice is the best choice when you're injured is because it involves putting absolutely nothing into your body to provide relief. 

   Our culture is so wrapped up with the notion of taking a pill to solve our myriad of problems. Don't get me wrong, I occasionally use ibuprofen and naproxen for my aches and pains. But why do that unless you have to? There's some evidence that long-term use of NSAID's may cause injuries to heal weaker than pre-injury. While they may provide relief, they should be only used for short periods of time.

    There's also some new evidence that some "minor" inflammation is good for you. When a muscle is stressed it breaks down to a certain degree and inflammation occurs. The body senses the inflammation and reinforces the broken down fiber as a result making the new muscle larger and stronger.   

   Another reason that using ice to treat injuries is great is because of it's abundance. Most people in our country have access to a refrigerator with a freezer. Some like me even have access to refrigerators with automatic ice makers. Even if you don't have access to stored ice most supermarkets have large bags of ice for a relatively low price. As a last resort you can even use frozen vegetables! 

   If you don't have access to anything immediately cold there's also instant (one-time use) ice packs. But I think these are wasteful unless they're your only option. I'd rather opt for the reusable ones that you can store in your freezer that contain a freezable gel. They can be used almost indefinitely.  

    Some companies have developed massage balls that can be frozen and then used to massage and ice an injury. They kill two birds with one stone for the time constricted among us. They're cool sounding, but I've had little success using them. 

   Let's look at some basic rules when using ice treatment. First off I would avoid using ice (or any type of pain medication) before training. The main reason is because that if you did you may overuse the sore spot and cause an even more serious injury. Save it for afterwards as a precaution.

   Most experts recommend applying ice longer than 10 minutes because anything less and the cold doesn't penetrate deep enough to the affected muscle, ligament or joint. They also recommend never applying it to exposed skin or you run the risk of frostbite. They suggest a routine of 20 minutes on 20 minutes off. I've experimented with applying it to my exposed skin and for longer than 20 minutes without any negative affects, but do this at your own risk. I'm just inhuman.

   Everyone knows the RICE analogy which stands for Rest Ice Compression Elevation. Most experts recommend using ice within the first 72 hours of injury, but this is more to prevent swelling than any other reason. Obviously if the injury persists you may need to see a doctor. 

   If you're a runner then you've heard of ice baths. I've taken my fair share of them and they're fun in a really sick way that only we can appreciate. Surprisingly there's little evidence that they work to cure "dead" legs or help with injury. But the theory seems sound. I've taken them after long training runs and even a few marathons. Personally they didn't do anything for me other than give me the shivers and convince my wife that I was certifiably nuts. If you opt to try one the procedure is quite simple. Fill a tub with the coldest water you can find, add ice (five to seven of the large store bought bags will fill a regular sized tub) and hop in. After that it's a lot like riding a bull, hold on for as long as you can. I've found that if I do something distracting like reading a book or listening to a podcast while I'm sitting in one that I can last up to 20 minutes. Clothing is allowed unless you want to be a total bad ass.

 
   Right now I'm fighting an ongoing battle with some chronically tight hip and glute muscles. I've found that applying heat with a heating pad before I ice allows for a deeper penetration of the cold. This jives perfectly with the previous 20 minutes on 20 minutes off routine by alternating the two. The heat will loosen the muscle and allow for maximum cold penetration by the ice. 

   If you decide to start using ice for injury treatment I recommend two things. First get a plastic ice bag. Most pharmacies sell them and they're awesome because they have a screw on top. This means that when the ice melts it won't leak all over the place. 

   Second get some compression ice wraps. Basically they're a neoprene type material with a mesh pouch that can hold either a reusable ice bag, one-time use ice bag or Ziploc bag of ice. The wrap can then be wrapped around the injured area and is secured with Velcro. These work great for knees, ankles and feet. Some companies even sell larger ones that can wrap around your back and torso. 

    As usual I'm not a doctor and these suggestions are only my opinion. So if you need real advice on ice treatment talk to a medical professional. 

   Got my feet wet this week with leading physical fitness training for my department's new batch of recruits. So far it's been a blast and I look forward to getting them up to speed so they can pass their final Cooper Standards test in two months. Of course I can't just sit there and do nothing while they're sweating away, so I jump in too. The additional full body workouts kill my upper body and aggravate my ongoing tight right hip. But it was amusing to not be able to lift my arms over my head the next day. 

   The sub zero wind-chills and massive amount of snow on the shoulders of every road has made outside running a pipe-dream until Spring. Although, I did manage to get a mile outside in the record breaking low temperatures earlier in the week for bragging rights and a cool selfie. Until it warms up I'm going to be giving my treadmill much love. Without it I don't think my streak would be continuing. Have officially made it past a month! I hope all of you are getting your miles in safely and warmly wherever you are! If you can't find ice anywhere and you live in the Northeast, just go outside and make snow angles in just your running shorts, that'll work too! As always, let me know if I can help!      

   

    

    

Outrunning The Cold

   Ever since I was a little boy I've always loved the seasons here in upstate NY. You could smell Spring in the rainstorms as they came down. Our world famous Lilac Festival was always a nice way to spend the weekend with my family. Even a guy like me could appreciate the beautiful flowers and enjoy the scents.

   Fishing on Lake Ontario with my dad were some of the best moments of my life during Summer. Except the time that I single-handedly caused him to loose seven of the most gigantic salmon I'd ever seen because every time I tried to net them I knocked their hooks out of their mouths. It was a quiet ride home that night. 

   The smell of leaves burning always reminds me of Fall. Haunted hayrides, tricker-treating with my friends and scary movie marathons were things that I looked forward to all year long. October will always be my favorite month.  Halloween will always been a special time for me. Especially now that I have a family of my own that I can scare half to death once a year!

   Believe it or not I enjoyed the Winter here as well. The holidays were a chance to see my numerous cousins, aunts and uncles. I grew up an only child, so being with all of them made me feel like I had brothers and sisters after all. Snowball fights, sledding and visiting Santa on Magic Mountain in Midtown Plaza Mall were the things everyone enjoyed back then.  I ate enough of my grandma's Christmas cookies to feed an army too.

   As I got older and busier the love of the outdoors during Wintertime lessened. Who wants to be outside where it's cold? I didn't become a runner until much later in life. Even after discovering the love of my own to feet, as soon as the first snowfall happened I resigned myself to the treadmills of whatever gym I was going to at the time.  I was still a dedicated runner, just not outside in the Arctic Circle like conditions!

   It wasn't until about three years ago that I re-discovered my love of being outdoors during wintertime. I was trying to complete my challenge of running 366 days and was determined to not spend all of my time wasting away minute by painful minute on a treadmill. I did a little research, tried some stuff and kicked myself for running so much indoors during the colder months.

   This Winter here in NY and most of the Northeast has seemed particularly brutal. We've had some really good snowfalls and bitterly cold temps. That being said I'm still trying to get myself out there as much as I can. So let's have a discussion about what you can do when the Winter blahs have taken control of your running outdoors. 

   First off lets talk about the dreaded treadmill. If you have access to one during the colder months it can be a lifesaver to your running streak and your waistline. That being said realize that running on a treadmill isn't a substitute for running on a road or trail. I trained exclusively for my first marathon on a treadmill. I suffered through that race, but never paid the price of doing that type of training again. While it is a good replacement that simulates running, it still isn't the same because it slightly changes your running posture. No matter what speed you crank it up to, the motor and belt substitute some of the work that your legs muscles would do when outside. When's the last time that you ran on a road that was completely flat? Never, unless you were on a track. Treadmills just don't account for those random hills and uneven terrain you commonly find along your running routes. Unless you enjoy running through an eye of a hurricane, when you run outside there's always wind resistance. You could always set up a gigantic fan in front of your treadmill at they gym to do this, but you'd look like a weirdo. Please don't look like a running weirdo, you'll do nothing for our sport! Finally lets not forget treadmills are mind-numbingly boring!

   So lots of problems with using treadmills. How to solve some of them? There's little that you can do with regards to the running posture. But you can challenge yourself by running at varying speeds. It won't be the same as sprinting, but if you focus on good form and maintaining that speed you'll reap some benefits for the road. The flatness and wind resistance can be solved simply by varying the incline of the treadmill. Some newer models even have a decline setting to practice descents. While there's some debate about wind resistance and treadmill incline, the typical rule of thumb is 1-1.5% incline is enough to simulate wind resistance. Boredom is easy to fix with some thought. You can vary speed and incline set to a pattern like distance, every other song on your iPod or every other commercial on the TV. Some treadmills have random hill and speed programs, but I prefer to make my own. With a little ingenuity, you can give yourself something challenging to look forward while you run inside. Lastly, sometimes winter weather conditions just make treadmill running safer. I'd rather sweat it out inside then be sidelined with an injury all season. 

   Ok, so we've got the treadmill covered. How do you go about running outside during Winter? Obviously the biggest concern is temperature. But to a degree (pun intended) you can run in much colder weather than you think you can as long as you're dressed sensibly. I regularly run when the temps drop into the teens and occasionally the single digits. If you want a no-brainer solution I suggest looking around the smart phone app stores. There's several apps out there that, after you input some basic data, will use your GPS location to determine your weather conditions to figure out what you should wear for your run. Just keep in mind that things like elevation and amount of sunlight can affect the temperature for a running route. I've played around with several of these and have had good success with them. 

   If you want to do it the old fashioned way and decided for yourself what to wear then there's some basic guidelines. Surprisingly you can get away with wearing very little clothing when it's cold, as long as you keep moving. Wind is a factor, so make sure that you cover exposed skin. Layers are the most basic thing that you can do to keep warm. And yes that means wearing underwear under your tights. It's no joke that with a strong headwind mixed with cold conditions and a little sweat you can develop frostbite on your private parts. Trust me when I say that I panicked the first time this happened to me and that the thaw was more than painful. Know the signs of frostbite. Moisture wicking fabrics are great and many times better than cotton. Cotton will be warmer but when it get's wet it stays wet. Wool is an excellent option especially for feet and it drys fast when wet. I have yet to find a warm pair or gloves that works well when it's really cold. I can usually get away with them, but when the temps drop sub 10 degrees mittens always trump gloves. Believe it or not, the heat of your fingers together provides more warmth than if in gloves. Some shoes and fabrics are windproof like Gor-Tex. These are excellent at keeping the chill of those winds from going right through you. But be aware that they also keep sweat and water inside. Another good thing to keep in mind is that expensive brand name gear may not always be the best. Over years of trial and error I've discovered that it may last longer after use. But I also have some great stuff that I've gotten for half the price at Target of all places. Just remember that if you stop moving you stop generating body heat and you will get colder.  

   Footing is another consideration during Winter running. In my experience you have two options: either buy a product that is adjustable and fits over your shoes that utilizes spikes, screws or metal of some kind or you go old school and put screws into the soles of your shoes. The store bought options work well but don't last forever. I've yet to find a brand that lasts a full season for me. The self screwing (that sounds dirty) works well, is inexpensive and easy to do. Just search for it on YouTube, I even have a tutorial on my page. Very important to make sure you get the right size screw! Neither option is perfect. Ice and packed snow is slippery as hell no matter what you wear. You can try running in tire paths where the pavement is exposed but you need to pay attention and dodge out of the way if you need to. Only crazy people like me regularly do this! If trails are your thing, try snowshoe running. I know they make special running snowshoes. I've haven't tried it yet, but I hear it's challenging because you have to pick your feet way up when you run. 

   The most important thing to think about is safety! Winter running is challenging enough but you need to think about the temperature, humidity and windchill. A temp of 35 degrees is an excellent running opportunity, but throw in some high winds with snow and you could realistically be running in single digits. Remember water freezes at 32 degrees and wind speeds this process. Black ice is dangerous as hell! Short choppy steps and the arms out to your sides a little more than usual may look ridiculous, but it could help you if you fall. Another thing to remember is that drivers suck ass no matter what season it is. Throw in earlier sunset times, slippery roads, low visibility due to blowing snow and high snow drifts, little to no road shoulder due to plowed snow, messy windshields due to slush and you have to wonder why any of us would be out there during Winter. Not to mention plow drivers who don't care, texters and other distractions! Wear reflective clothing, vests and flashers. You may look like a Christmas tree, but at least you'll finish your run alive. 

   Lastly it's important to remember that even if you dress sensibly and take other precautions that when you run in the Winter it's not like running when conditions are ideal. Don't expect to be able to clock your normal mile paces. You may have to slow down to be safe, jump over snow banks and pick up your feet more in some spots. You're typical easy three miler may feel like 10 by the time you're done. Depending on your ability to stand the cold don't expect to go as far on your runs either. There's a reason that there's not many marathons held in the wintertime in colder locations. 

   There's my two cents. I'm not a professional, a doctor or know everything about cold weather running. This is just stuff I've picked up through the years. With everything to consider why does anyone even bother to do it? That's a good question. Of course the treadmill does get boring even with all the tips and tricks. But for me I still do it because it's not as bad as it seems. Once you get the clothing and safety concerns taken care of it can even be enjoyable. The looks you get from other people are priceless. You look crazy bad ass running through a blizzard throwing your middle finger at Jack Frost. It's pure childlike fun to run over or through snow banks. The serenity of running on a deserted Winter trail can clear your mind and make you so peaceful. And there's nothing more special than the quiet of running on Christmas morning. 

   As with anything related to running, it's a mental game out there. Just take some good precautions and be safe. If I see you out there I'll gladly give you a respectful nod as a fellow Winter warrior. Just don't expect me to wink, my eyelashes are probably frozen!              

      

   

  

        

Never Wipe Your Ass With A Squirrel by Jason Robillard

   Last winter when I was seriously considering running my first ultra-marathon my wife got me this book as a Christmas gift. At the time I didn't know a whole heck of a lot about ultras and this book was going to be my introduction to the world of mega mileage distances. 

   As with most of you, things don't always go as planned in my life. So here it is more than a year later and my dreams of running my first ultra never came to be during 2014 due to an injury. I'm always reading something and I never seem to read anything fast, so that's why I'm so late with getting to this book. I haven't given up on knocking back my first 50K race, but it's on hold for the foreseeable future. Since last year I've learned quite a bit about ultras and training for them. I think that I know what they're all about now, but with a title like this one how can you not want to see what this book's about?

   First off let me just say that as the humorous title implies this book was written from the author's casually comical point of view. Last year I found out pretty quickly that most ultra runners are a different breed. After all who runs 30, 50 sometimes 100 mile races for fun other than truly "special" people? The few ultra runners that I've met were laid back, friendly and didn't seem to be as serious about racing as much as they were about having fun while running. Sometimes us road runners can be a little too uptight about that old time clock. Jason Robillard lives up to my ultra stereotype in his book. After reading it I thought to myself that I'd love to meet him someday. If your looking for a serious, no nonsense ultra running guide, this isn't the book for you. Robillard regularly swears and some of his ideas and concepts may seem a little unorthodox to some people. To me though they made complete sense. Maybe I am wacky enough for ultra distances after all?  

   This book was a very quick read. That's not to say that it wasn't good or didn't have any valuable information. Even with a good self developed working knowledge about ultras I still found myself coming away with some useful tips. I've done most of my running on roads versus trails. Most ultras are run on trails and Robillard does an excellent job of covering a wide range of topics associated with running in the wilderness like foot placement on uneven surfaces, weather forecasting, nighttime running and as the name implies, going to the bathroom in the woods. It also of course covered topics associated with running ultra races themselves like how to eat during the race, sleep deprivation training and chaffing. One thing that I loved is that throughout the book he references other ultra runners for their advice in his book and provides internet links for further help on different topics. Finally he offers up some interesting life advice at the end, most of which doesn't apply to running, but was interesting nonetheless. 

   Overall I loved the book. Could I run an ultra without reading it? Yes! But now that I have I'll have even more information to draw upon when I do eventually get to my big race. If you're interested in ultras, trail running and laughing about our sport I'd say give it a read. Purchase it here on Amazon: Never Wipe Your Ass With a Squirrel. It retails for about $9.63 US for the Kindle edition and $12.21 US for the paperback edition. I don't think there's a hardcover edition. 
    Robillard started out as a fellow blogger and that's how he got the interesting name for his book. Here's a link to his blog: Squirrel Wipe Blog.

   Things are steadily moving along for me. I closed out the month of January running a little over 82 miles! This was a huge confidence booster because the two months that I was really laid up from my injury added together don't total this. I'll hoping to be back up to 100 plus months soon! I restarted my streak and to be honest, feels like it never stopped! Going strong on day 12. Love the support I've been getting from the run-net community. It's going to be time to talk about that very soon! Next week I begin leading the physical fitness sessions for my very first sheriff's deputy academy class. Nervous as hell, but the other instructors are solid people who'll give me all the help that I need. Keep you fingers crossed! Bought a new Garmin 220 watch to replace my outdated model. Slowly putting it through it's paces and of course a review will be forthcoming sometime in the future. I hope that you're running is going well! If you need anything as always just give me a shout!