Is it better to run alone?

Last weekend I took a trip down to my alma mater to attend an anniversary celebration for my fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha. I planned to go for a run with my best friend during the trip. I’m always hesitant to run with someone else because they may not run at the same pace or they may want to run farther than I’m willing to go that day. I chose to do it because it was RalphJ. We decided take a 10 mile run on Saturday morning. It was a perfect morning for a run, a crisp chill in the air (~40 degrees), mostly sunny, no wind, and great fall colors. There was no excuse for not having a good run!

We started out the run trying to adjust to each others pace. It took me a couple of miles to loosen up and get into a rhythm. As I began to get comfortable we came upon a long winding hill. I couldn’t let Ralph know the hill was kicking my butt. I just powered through it by shortening my stride and relaxing my breathing. I felt great after we got up the hill. At this point we picked up the pace to ~8:15.

I’m not one to talk a lot while running but I felt inclined to keep up a conversation. We reflected on old times, running and other topics. We didn’t talk a lot but the dialog we did have made the run go by more quickly. At mile six I began to get a little tired but I couldn’t let Ralph see this 🙂 I knew it was a rough patch in the run that would pass quickly, and it did. During miles 8-10 we stepped it up to a sub 8:00 pace and it felt great. We were able to finish strong!

For me this was a good run. Ralph pushed me to a faster pace and the discussion relieved the mental monotony. I came to the conclusion that it’s good to run with others but the key is to find someone who is like-minded and at a similar fitness level.

Thanks RalphJ! Good luck in your upcoming half marathon.

I’m Back….

It’s been a while since my last blog post, six months have passed in a blink of an eye. A lot has changed in my world – a new job, a new puppy, and a daughter that’s growing up quickly. All of this change impacted my running this year but I was able to maintain my fitness level and complete the Chicago Marathon a few weeks ago.

I took a different approach in training for the marathon this year. Rather than stressing out to get in maximum mileage on a weekly basis I took a more relaxed approach. I ran four times a week and listened to my body to determine mileage and pace. Sure, I completed two twenty mile training runs but I didn’t follow a stringent program to get there. Well, IT DIDN’T WORK!

I’ve learned a valuable lesson this year, you must push yourself hard to be fully prepared for the marathon. This may not apply to everyone but I believe it works best for me. I don’t know what was going on the day of the marathon but I didn’t have a good race. Simply put it wasn’t a good running day. The most likely conclusion is that my preparation was lacking. (I’ll share the 2011 marathon experience in another blog post.)

The running season is coming to a close and my last race is the Hot Chocolate 15k (9.3 miles) next weekend. This is one of my favorite races because 9 miles is the perfect distance to run a fast pace without being totally exhausted. Also, the weather is usually perfect – 50 degrees and cloudy.

I am back to blogging now so I’ll share my off-season regimen and thoughts on running.

No Plantar Fasciitis

I woke up this morning with little soreness. The stretching and icing last night worked! Although I’m not experiencing a lot of pain the first thing I did was yoga. This helped to loosen my calves, achilles tendon and IT band. I decided to take the day off from running to make sure my foot is fine.

What worked for me to ward off plantar fasciitis? When I felt my plantar fascia tighten I immediately did the following. Granted, it was painful trying to stretch but I took it slow and easy until I felt my foot loosen up.

1. Stretch calves

2. Stretch achilles tendon

3. Stretch IT band

4. Ice and rest

It’s also recommended to take anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen or aspirin but I’m not one for drugs. I prefer to deal with the pain and depend on the ice to relieve the inflammation.

I don’t know if this treatment approach will work for everyone but it’s worth a try. Make sure you see a doctor if the symptoms persist. Treating plantar fasciitis early is key to limiting the impact getting back on the road.

Here’s to happy and healthy running!

A Runner’s Nightmare

Today I received a scare. After my run I experienced excruciating pain in the heel of my left foot. The foot was tight and I felt a strong burning sensation, the onset of plantar fasciitis! My first reaction was to freak out because I battled plantar fasciitis a couple of years ago and it was no fun. It took me six or seven months to shake it.

I’ve been stretching my calves, IT band and hamstrings all evening and my foot is finally starting to loosen up. Now I’m icing it to relieve the inflammation. I’m hoping this does the trick and the foot feels great tomorrow morning.

How did this happen? For me it was a lack of stretching before going on a 9 run in the cold (it was ~40 degrees today). My calves were tight during the run and that contributed to the issue. Lesson learned, I have to be more consistent with my stretching.

Here’s to a pain free morning!

No guilt here…

I have been on a no meat diet (no chicken, fish or anything) during lent. I’m not that religious but I chose to give up meat this year. A no meat diet wasn’t hard for me because I’m not a big meat eater anyway. I have to admit that I did have one indiscretion. I had Orange Chicken at Panda Express one day during lunch. What was strange about it was that I didn’t realize I broke my diet until a couple of days afterwards 🙂  I’m just programmed to eat Orange Chicken at Panda Express.

Anyway, yesterday I could eat meat again. So what was my first meal with meat? HAROLD’S CHICKEN WINGS! 🙂  And no, I didn’t feel guilty at all. I must say that cheap chicken was sooooo good. I’m paying for it this morning but who cares. I’ll run an extra mile today to get rid of those extra calories and lower my cholesterol.

I’m sure they Kenyan runners would eat Harold’s wings if they had the opportunity. Wouldn’t they? 🙂

The Power of Running…

For some reason I keep underestimating the power of running. I had been feeling overwhelmed the last couple of days so yesterday I took a break and went for a run to clear my head. (I hadn’t run in a few days.) After the run I felt like an entirely different person. I was relaxed and was able to focus a lot better. I guess all of the research on running is accurate, it does help to make you more productive.

I don’t know how to explain it but running does have a special power. It helps to clear the mind and cleanse the body. For me it’s like a drug. Where can you get such positive results without any side effects (ok, maybe a few aches and pains) and minimal cost?

I think a lot of people are intimidated by running. They think you have to be the fastest or be able to run a marathon to be considered a runner but this is far from the truth. Just getting out there and running a mile (or whatever your starting distance) is good enough. Getting to know your body and what you are capable of is a great starting point for running. Once you have that benchmark keep building on it. And, don’t forget to make it fun and be consistent.

How do you make it fun? My idea of fun is running my favorite route in the forest preserve at the crack of dawn when no one else is out there. Maybe your idea of fun is running and listening to great music or running with friends. Whatever it is you should use that for motivation to run, and run consistently.

This brings me to my next point. You won’t experience the power of running if you do it once a week, that’s not consistency. At least get out there every other day and do something to push your boundary. You will be amazed by the results!

It’s funny how things work. As I was writing this post I received an e-mail alert and being the multitasking person that I am (not necessarily a good thing) I opened it. The e-mail had a link to an article titled “10 Reasons Running is Good for You“. I guess someone was confirming my idea that running is powerful 🙂

Motivation…

It’s a challenge getting motivated this time of year because the weather fluctuates wildly and getting back into running shape is not easy. Here in Chicago it has been 80 degrees one day and snowing the next. I know, in a couple of months I’ll be whining about the heat and humidity 🙂 In the back of my mind I know I should just suck it up and get out there but the weather can become a convenient excuse.

This year I’m having a bit more of a challenge getting into running shape because of the long time off. One day I may feel terrible and out of shape during a five mile run but then feel great during a seven mile run. I wish I knew why that is. I know all runners go through this period at the beginning of the running season so I’m not too concerned about it. My objective is to keep pushing and work on conditioning, eventually I will get over the hump.

Today I went out for a nine mile run and I must say that I felt better than I expected. The goal was to run a nice and easy 9:15 pace but I actually ran a 9:05. I was happy with the run because the effort I put forward was minimal, it was truly a relaxing run. I’m curious to see how tomorrow’s run will be. Will I feel terrible? Will I feel great? I have no idea at this point in the season.

There are a lot of runners out there beginning to train for a 10K, half marathon or marathon. Hopefully they don’t feel alone when they experience the beginning of the season challenges because it happens to all of us. The key is to find a way to self motivate and get out there on a regular basis and fight to get over the hump. It will begin to get a lot easier in early June when the weather is beautiful. Hard work and perseverance always pays off.

This week I will be trying new minimalist shoes and will share what I learn in future posts. Stay tuned.

Happy running!

Unofficial Running Season Start – Shamrock Shuffle

For me, today’s running of the Shamrock Shuffle is the unofficial start of the running season. It was 85 degrees here in Chicago and needless to say it made the race a bit more interesting. I’ve been running somewhat consistently but I’m by no means in great shape. (I have to lose the 15lbs I gained over the winter.) I simply wasn’t prepared for the heat but it was only an 8K (5 miles) race. So, I just sucked it up and ran.

My goal was to finish in 40 minutes (8 minute/mile pace). As I started the race I was sweating like a pig. I didn’t bring water with me because the race was so short, and was on an island until the first aid station. After fueling up with water and Gatorade at the ~2 mile marker I felt much better. My objective was to run a comfortable pace for the next 2 miles then pick up speed during the last mile. The plan worked out great until the last mile. Most of the last mile was along Michigan avenue in the full sun, no fun.

I finished the race in 42:37 minutes. Not my anticipated finish time but I’ll take it. This serves as motivation to get prepared for running season.

What made this race special was that my wife ran it as well. We didn’t run together (she didn’t want to) but I was thinking of her out there on the course. Was she ok? Was she on pace? Was the heat getting the better of her? After I finished the race I met my mother and daughter at the 4.5 mile marker. This was a prime location on the race route because it was right before the runners ran up the hill to the finish line. We waited there for my wife.

I decided to cheer on the runners while waiting. Encouraging fellow runners and giving high-fives felt better than the run itself. I could see them become energized with simple words of encouragement. I must have given more than 200 high-fives.

When my wife arrived I ran with her to the finish line and gave her words of encouragement as she headed up the hill. She did a great job finishing the race. She should be proud of her accomplishment.

Well, the first race is completed. The next race comes in May with the Soldier Field 10 (10 mile race). My objective now is to build a strong foundation. I will begin blogging regularly to share my running experiences.

Here’s to a great running season for all runners!!

Inspirational…

This year my wife, sister and sister-in-law have decided to run the Chicago Banco Popular Half Marathon. This will be my wife and sister-in-law’s first half marathon, my sister has done several half marathons. It will inspire me to see them train and progress over the summer. I’m sure the journey will be a little challenging but I’m sure they will do a great job.

I will be offering them words of wisdom (the little wisdom that I have) during the year and checking in on them to make sure they are doing well mentally and physically. They are in for a very fulfilling experience.

I’ve recommended a modified training program for them (wife and sister-in-law) since they are new to running. They will be starting slow to prevent injuries.

Base phase (February – April)– Strength training and practicing good running form during short runs (2-4 miles).

1. Start with hatha yoga. This will strengthen your body and improve your flexibility.  Yoga will prevent injury.  You won’t regret it!

2. Start with short runs of 2-4 miles, three times a week during February and build to 5 miles by the end of March. The key is starting with a good running form. A good running form will prevent injuries, make running much easier and increase speed.

3. Light weight training focusing on legs and core.

4. Stretching before and, more importantly, after the run will be critical to maintaining flexibility and recovering from the run.

I will be providing updates periodically and sharing words to inspire them to continue on in their journey. They don’t realize it now but when they cross that finish line it will change their life! They will feel there is nothing that can’t accomplish or endure. In the words of the Penguin: “the miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.”

You go girls! 🙂

Getting back into running…

This is always the challenging time of year. I’m not in the best of shape, the weather is always questionable, and I’m carrying a few extra pounds. When I’m slogging through my run I long for those beautiful spring days when I don’t break a sweat during a ten mile run. I know, I’ll be whining again when I’m running in 90 degree heat during the summer. Ok, whining just comes with the territory.

It felt great to get back out there this week. I’ve run three times and must admit it wasn’t easy. Nonetheless, it’s always great to work up a good sweat and clear the mind. I feel like a new person after a run. For some reason today I replayed the New York Marathon in my mind during the run, and the memories were so vivid. I imagined that I was running under the overpass around mile 7-8 and felt the goose bumps from the cheers of the crowd. Those memories will never fade, so inspirational. That’s why I recommend everyone should experience the thrills and chills of running a marathon, or at least a half-marathon.

I should mention that I ran with my wife this evening. Yes, my wife! I was so proud of her getting out there and starting to run. She did a great job. I look forward to seeing her progress over the summer.