Wright Socks: Running II -- Second and Third Runs

I was really disappointed after my first run in the Wright Socks, Running II. However, after washing them a couple of times, I think they're going to be a regular part of my sock rotation. They're still a bit large and I don't know if they'll work for a long run, but they are comfortable.

Friday morning, I got in my first run since moving back to Nairobi, Kenya. Jet lag has really hit me hard and I haven't felt like running any of the other days (we arrived Tuesday night). But Friday, I wore the Running II socks for a 4-miler. Frankly, my feet felt as good on that run as on any in a long time and I think the Wright Socks were a part of that. Of course, it's also possible that I was distracted by the fact that breathing at 5700' above sea level was a little tough!

I would still buy the socks in a size L rather than XL, but I would now recommend the Wright Socks: Running II as a good choice.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Kill Devil Hill -- Wright Brothers Memorials

I'm spending the week on the No. Carolina coast (Kill Devil Hills, Outer Banks) with my wife, our 2 adult kids, and our daughter-in-law. It's been relaxing and a great chance for us to all be together before Linda and I head back overseas and Stephen and Anna head back to Boston for their 2nd year of graduate school -- our daughter will continue in her current job in Richmond.

The weather has been cool and the wind pretty strong for the last couple of days so we haven't spent a lot of time on the beach. Actually, the red flags were out today, warning people to stay out of the water. So, we went to the Wright Brothers Memorial -- the site of the first powered, manned, heavier-than-air, sustained airplane flight.

I was pretty impressed -- not so much by the exhibits, etc. but by how quickly air flight developed. Unpowered, manned glider flight was still fairly new in 1900 when the Wright brothers decided to give it a try. The technology was way underdeveloped, to the point that Wilbur and Orville were ready to call it quits after their first attempts -- it was too dangerous. But, something turned things around for them and over the next year, the Wright brothers actually developed much of the control technology that is still used in the modern aviation. Another year later, they had built their own, aluminum block engine and perfected their propellers and flew 4 successful flights within a period of about 2 hours on 17 December 1903. They would have flown more, but a strong gust of wind flipped the plane and basically broke it. From that point, technology developed at an almost inconceivable rate -- the first trans-continental flight (across the US) took place only 8 years later.

After the presentation, we wandered out onto the grounds. It was amazing to see the difference in the distances covered between the first 3 flights and the 4th flights:

1st flight -- about 120'
2nd flight -- about 175'
3rd flight -- about 200'
4th flight -- about 852'

Then we went up to the monument. Being the beach, the 90' high Kill Devil Hill gives one a pretty good panoramic view of the area. The picture is a stitched composite of 9 pictures that I took.

A fun afternoon!

Running here has been interesting. I don't really like running a perfectly flat course. While hills are not necessarily fun, they do provide some variety. Plus, the wind is interesting. The wind was the primary reason the Wright brothers chose Kill Devil Hill as their testing ground. The 10-25 mph winds do make it a challenge. If you're interested, here are my routes:

5.48 miles
6.11 miles
5.14 miles

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Healthy (?) Eating at KFC

Cutting back on carbs and going high-fat and high-protein? Well, here's KFC to the rescue -- that is, if you live in Nebraska and Rhode Islad:



Whew! Not for me. Give me smart carbs (low glycemic), something low in saturated fat (maybe some good ole omega-3's), baked or broiled chicken, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and I'm a happy camper. Haven't had KFC in a very long time and the Double Down does NOT tempt me to change that.

Why, or why, is running so difficult these days? Since dealing with a hamstring strain in mid-April, my times have just gone to pot. Pre-hamstring trouble, 5-8 miles at a pace of 8:15 mpm was pretty easy. Now, 8:30 seems hard. This morning, for instance, I did 6.1 miles at 8:55 mpm and was just dragging. I don't know if it's just a plateau or what. Maybe it's the 10 pounds I could stand to lose? (Another great reason to stay away from the Double Down.)

Run well, y'all,
Bob

TIART: Fuel for the Long Run

Runners Lounge is hosting its normal Take It and Run Thursday today. The topic is fuel for the long run. If I'm running 10+ miles, here's what I usually do:

* about 1 hour prior to running, I eat half of a whole grain bagel, toasted and either plain or a bit of peanut butter. I also eat a banana

* about 15 minutes before running, I eat a Gu (I love the Chocolate Outrage) and drink 10-15 ounces of water

* every couple of miles while running, I drink Gatoraid

* at about mile 6-6.5, I eat another Gu

Why? Because it helps me get to the end. Even so, in the heat and humidity of this summer, I still feel pretty wiped out at the end, but I don't tolerate heat well at all (my running group has put me in an elite category of one of the top 3 perspirers in the group).

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Wright Socks: Running II -- First Run

A few weeks ago, Wright Socks gave away 2 pair of socks to everyone who posted about running socks in the Runner's Lounge. I posted and my socks came in on Monday. I eagerly opened the package -- I have used Wright socks before and really like them. First thing, though, I was disappointed that they sent the size based on my running shoe size and NOT the size I specifically told them I wear. Wright Socks is the only brand that I've seen that recommends an XL for men's size 12 shoes -- I always buy L. Well, OK, I thought, I'll give them a try. Maybe I've been using the wrong size.

Tuesday morning, I pulled them on and they felt great except ... they were too big. If I pulled them snug, the heel portion was over my Achilles tendon. If I put the elasticized band over my arch, even at the back of the arch, there was too much sock under my foot. I decided to hit a happy medium between the two positions and give them a try, heading out for a 6 miler.

I like the feel of the socks. They have a bit of cushioning and they are 2-layer. However, it wasn't long before I realized that my feet were sliding around in the sock because of the XL size. By the end of the run, I had hot spots on my feet -- no blisters but not perfect comfort.

To be fair, I have always found that Wright Socks work best for me starting with the second run -- not the first. So, they are washed and waiting for me to use them again. I won't try them on my long run but for my next 5-6 miler, probably on Saturday.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

It's Not All the Same

While I've never tried to hide my most deeply held convictions on this blog, neither have I tried to regularly use it as a forum for discussing those beliefs. But, I read a blog post by Dr. Al Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, that touched those convictions in a positive way and felt the need to post about it.

Up front, let me acknowledge that there are all kinds of examples of individuals, groups, and movements that claim to represent biblical Christianity that are an embarrassment to the name of Jesus because of what they propound. There are many, even within the group with which I'm intimately identified, who hold biblical beliefs but who express those in ways that are unChristlike. I am also sure that there have been times -- probably more than I care to acknowledge -- when I have fallen into one or the other of those camps. None of that is a surprise to me because there is no perfect person, not even the most saintly of Christians. While I would plead with people to judge Christianity based on Jesus alone, it is natural that Christianity is judged by the words, actions, and attitudes of (less-than-perfect) professed followers of Jesus.

One of the most foundational tenets of Christianity is Jesus' claim to exclusivity found in John 14:6 -- Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. In many ways, that single statement -- two short sentences -- sums up the entire message of the Bible. It is the motivator behind the desire of Christians to share the good news (gospel) of Jesus with their friends and neighbors and people around the world. We hold that statement as immutable, absolute truth. Or do we?

In his blog today, Dr. Mohler says that maybe there are many who are changing. The fact that many people are changing and perhaps moving away from that doesn't change the truthfulness of that foundational belief. Absolute truth is not dependent on the whims of a majority vote -- it just is, even if no one accepts it as truth.

Here's what Dr. Mohler had to say: Are We a Nation of Hindus?

Shared via AddThis

Run (and live) well, y'all,
Bob
(1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

magicJack -- It Really Seems to Work

(DISCLAIMER: At least as far as I know, I get no kickback or benefit from mentioning this.) As we're preparing to move back overseas, my wife and I have talked about how to best stay in touch with family and friends in the US. E-mail is our primary method and I don't really see that changing -- I can write at my convenience and they can read and respond at theirs. Blogging and Tweeting are fine but they are best for primarily one-way communication or very short updates. iChat/Skype instant messaging works but that can be tedious for anything in-depth.

Skype voice works but is cheapest for computer-to-computer calling. We've used Vonage VOIP as our primary phone for the last 4 years -- they advertise as being $24.99 per month but taxes and fees run that up to $30+ per month -- still better than most landline or cell phone services because all US/Canada calls and now calls to landlines in about 60 other countries are included, unlimited, in the plan.

But, the best option seems to be magicJack. You purchase the USB dongle for $20* and for $19.95 per year, you can make and receive unlimited calls to/from any phone in the US and Canada for no extra charge (yes, that's $19.95 per year). You do have to have a good internet connection. Since most of the people we would talk to are in the US, this works well for us (assuming that our internet connection in Kenya is good enough).

The one downside we thought we would have to deal with was having to have a phone attached to our computer. But, we only have to have the fairly small USB dongle and we can use a headset or even the built in microphone and speakers in our computers. And, one dongle (i.e., one account) can be used on multiple computers so whoever wants to talk, plugs the dongle into their computer at no extra charge.

If you're looking for an inexpensive way to make US/Canada long distance calls, you might give it a try.

Run (and talk) well, y'all,
Bob

*You purchase the dongle for $39.95 but that includes the cost of the dongle and the first year's service. magicJack is offering a free 30-day trial but it's cheaper to go to CVS pharmacy or Radio Shack or another supplier and purchase the magicJack and pay state sales tax than to pay the shipping that magicJack charges.

Hills **ARE** My Friends

I can't find the blog now but earlier this week, I read a running blog in which the writer talked about running a race and how her positive attitude about hills really helped her push through and to have a good race. She contrasted her attitude and results to that of a fellow runner who hit the last hill in the marathon and let the hill defeat her.

Yesterday, I needed to run a slightly shorter loop (@5 miles) and, since I hate running the same route 2 runs in a row, decided to run a route that included a couple of really nasty hills, back-to-back -- here's the elevation chart -- the nasty hills are between mile 3 and 4:


I had run these hills only once before and dreaded them from the moment I set out. I remembered the blog post and began to talk to myself about running them with a positive attitude. Then, just before I got to the first of those hills, I passed a guy who was walking. I greeted him and he commented about how good the slightly cooler weather felt. I said something like, Yes, it feels great but I'm not sure how I'll feel after these hills.

He said, It will be worth it after you finish. What a great statement! Between the blog inspiration and the wise words of a walking stranger, I conquered the hills and they weren't nearly as tough as I had mentally made them out to be.

Lesson learned (maybe): A positive attitude about challenges can make them easier.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

An Eternal Perspective

The Ringmaster writes about life and running on her blog, Mile By Mile. Her blog is always a good read. On Friday, she talked about her frustrations with tapering before a race and with not being able to run as she recovered from a non-running injury. Then she talked about her husband's gracious acceptance of his inability to do something he dearly loves. Her reflection on that really resonated with me:

I’m reminded that God’s grace is not about me! When I’m benched, when I’m disciplined, when I’m taught something about character and grace and endurance–not in sport but in life and faith–it’s about something much bigger than me.

And in the end, I pray I always remember, while I want to be a great runner, I want to be a great Christ follower more than that.

While I want to get a medal at my next race, my true goal is to earn a crown that will never tarnish.

And while I would love to hear the crowds roaring as I come to the finish in–dare I hope it–1:48–more than that, I want to hear the quiet voice of my Lord saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

God, give me an eternal perspective–yes, even on my knees!

As much as I love to run, if there every comes a time, either temporarily or permanently, when I cannot do that, I want to remember that there is something much more important. I want to keep my eyes focused on the right one (Hebrews 12:2)

Thanks, Karina, for the reminder.

Run well -- and run the race of life well -- y'all,
Bob

Canicular Weather

The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day for today, 18 August, is quite appropriate for those of us who are trying to run and train in this canicular weather. Hydrate well, every day:

canicular \kuh-NIK-yuh-ler\ adjective: of or relating to the dog days (the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere)

Example sentence: During the canicular heat of August, many of the town's residents venture to the local swimming hole in search of a way to stay cool.

Did you know? The Latin word "canicula," meaning "small dog," is the diminutive form of "canis," source of the English word "canine." "Canicula" is also the Latin name for Sirius, the star that represents the hound of Orion in the constellation named for that hunter from Roman and Greek mythology. Because the first visible rising of Sirius occurs during the summer, the hot sultry days that occur from early July to early September came to be associated with the Dog Star. The Greeks called this time of year "hemerai kynades," which the Romans translated into Latin as "dies caniculares," or as we know them in English, "the dog days."

Run (and hydrate) well, y'all,
Bob

Geriatric Chick Flick

Since returning to the US for a temporary assignment in 2005 (we're headed back overseas in about 3 weeks), my wife and I (and our daughter, when she's at our house) have enjoyed having digital cable TV. It gives us lots of choices and more flexibility than standard TV, though I'm not sure we actually took enough advantage of those benefits enough to justify the cost. Frankly, we ended up watching a rather narrow range of programming. Probably the most watched channel, though, is the Food Network. They have the best reality TV (The Next Food Network Star, Bobby Flay's Throwdown, Chopped -- is Chopped a FN show?) and there's usually nothing offensive. I like the dry humour and the great information of Alton Brown. So, food has become a prime interest in our house -- well, eating food has always been a prime interest.

So, when the movie Julie & Julia began to be promoted, my wife and daughter were certainly interested. OK, I must confess, so was I -- intrigued by the idea of the movie. Saturday, we went to see the movie. I've blogged about that being my first senior citizen discount.

Well, we walk into the theater and I immediately realize that I've paid to see a geriatric chick flick. First of all, I think there were 2 other men in the whole theater and they were slouched down in their seats like they were trying to avoid the possibility that another man would actually see them. (I think all 3 of us temporarily lost our mancards on Saturday. How long until we get them back? Maybe we have to do something ultra-manly like ... well, I'll let your imagination -- PG-rated, of course -- finish that thought.) So, obviously, this is a chick flick of major proportions.

Now remember, I got a Senior Citizen discount to get into the afternoon movie, so I'm not young anymore. But, I tell you, my wife, our daughter, and I were the youngest in the whole place. Hmmm. I'm now wondering if I'm going to like this movie -- I'm thinking I made a bad mistake.

It was weird. The audience actually laughed at the funny, quirky parts of the movie. And, there were parts of the movie that were really funny, but the laughter was unusual -- I think the humour really connected with the female audience. The profanity was totally unnecessary -- why do we (that's a collective we) think that it's so cool to use obscene, profane, vulgar language? It's so totally unnecessary -- and that bothered me. The smoking by Julia and her contemporaries was pretty shocking -- very realistic for the '50's and '60's but after finally being able to enjoy eating in a restaurant without having to inhale cigarette smoke (well, except in Virginia), it was surprising to see.


If you can't stand to watch the Food Network, then you probably won't like the movie, Julie & Julia. But if you like cooking and can ignore or tolerate the profanity, it is a pretty good movie and has some funny segments. Meryl Streep did a remarkable job portraying Julia Childs. She is good!

I've encouraged my wife to adapt the idea -- cook through all the recipes that have accumulated in her recipe card boxes and blog about them. We'll see. She's a great cook so it would be fun for me.

Oh, running -- I intensely dislike running in temperatures above 69°, especially when the humidity is above about 75%. My running has been hard for the past 2 months. I ran 6+ miles this morning and, if the scales at my mother-in-law's were correct, I lost 5.4 pounds during my run.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Senior Discounts -- Senior Running

It's been a while since I last posted -- I've been running, just not posting. Life has interfered.

A couple of weeks ago, I was running with a group training for a half marathon. We had a 14-miler scheduled (SIDE-NOTE: I don't think God designed me for summer running!) and I ended up by myself at about mile 11.5. One of our group was not running that day but was hitting various spots on the route encouraging folks. At mile 11.5, he was jogging the course in reverse and passed me. He asked how I felt -- my response, Like I'm 55 (which I am).

Actually, I've felt 55 on most of my runs over the last couple of months. I don't know what gives but almost every run is a struggle even though I'm running slower than ever. Some days it's like I'm starting all over again.

In some places, being 55 years old makes me eligible for Senior discounts. Now, that bothers some people, but not me. If someone wants to give me a discount for being 55 or for being mostly bald or for being left-handed or for having big feet, that's all right with me. I figure a discount is a discount.

That being said, in the 3 months since I turned 55, I've never actually been in a place to get a Senior Discount until today. My wife, our daughter, and I went to see Julie & Julia (maybe I'll blog about that some other time) and I saw that they offered a $1 Senior Discount for those over 55. Voila! So I asked for 2 adult and 1 senior ticket. Well, that didn't compute with the cashier (my wife understood why, I don't but that may be because I'm a Senior) and she gave me 2 Senior tickets. I was signing the credit card receipt and knew the price was less than I expected but I wasn't really paying attention (another senior moment) but my wife was (she's not a Senior). So, we pointed out that we wanted 3 tickets, not 2 and she sold us another one -- a Student Ticket rather than a full adult (the cashier was definitely NOT a Senior, so either Senior Momentitis is contagious or I was suffering from something else). By that time, there was a line behind us so we just took the tickets and went in to watch the movie.

My first time to use a Senior Discount and things get messed up! Go figure?!

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Who Do You Run For?

Normally, I would say that I run for myself. Lance made me think:



Run well, y'all,
Bob

Good News -- Gait Analysis Results

This is a bit long. Maybe this will be helpful to someone else.

No pain this week. I've run 26+ miles so far this week, with 7-9 planned for tomorrow, at about 8:30 mpm and have had NO pain.

Yesterday, I returned to the Sports Medicine Doc for a gait analysis so that she could see if there was something I was doing that caused my hamstring problem. It was interesting. The Physical Therapist had me warm up on the treadmill -- she said about 15 minutes. They needed to turn the AC down! It was hot in the office and it didn't take me long at all to break a serious sweat. After about 12 minutes, the PT came back and used a digital camera to video me from 5-6 different angles while I was running at a 10 mpm pace (I could have gone a long time at that pace). Then I sat down with the Doc.

It was interesting and revealing:

1. I let my arms cross in front of my body causing my hips to twist. Not only does that waste energy but it throws my stride off. I know that you're supposed to swing your arms straight and thought I did pretty well with that but the video showed clearly that I don't. It's possible (my theory) that this was exaggerated by being on a treadmill but after having her point it out, I know I do it.

2. I run in what she described as a modeling runway style. My right foot -- and, to a lesser extent, my left foot -- crosses over and lands in front of my left rather than to the right and front. It's like I'm running on the line on the road. This puts extra strain on my leg muscles.

3. My alignment (head, torso, hips, legs) is good through most of my stride -- basically a straight line. The exception is just after foot strike when I bend slightly at the hips. Again, extra stress on the leg muscles.

4. My foot strike and stride length were almost perfect with my foot landing under the center of my body and my lower leg perpendicular to the ground. I know that I've shortened my stride length (i.e., not stretching as far in front) since injuring my hamstring because the farther in front I stretched, the more I could feel the strain on my hamstring. She speculates that if she had seen me run 6 weeks ago, that she would be correcting that.

5. I overpronate -- that's no surprise but it does put extra stress on my feet and joints.

6. I tend to push off with my big toe rather than all toes. Since injuring my hamstring, I have noticed that when I consciously push off (and I end up using all of my toes to do that), there is less strain on my hamstring.

She gave me the video clips so that I could review what I'm doing. She's also given me a series of exercises to do to both strengthen certain muscles and to retrain my muscles to run correctly. These roughly correlate to the items above:

1. HANDS LOW: Practice swinging my arms straight, forearms and hands at waist height, emphasizing the backward swing to get my elbows well behind my body, **and** keeping my hips straight. This will be difficult because of a bad habit I've acquired.

2a. WHITE LINE DRILL: She wants me to follow a line on the road, making sure that I plant my feet on either side of the line rather than on the line.

2b. RUN SIDEWAYS: Run sideways to the left, crossing my right leg in front of my left, for about 50m. Repeat to the right, crossing my left leg in front of my right, for 50m. Repeat. This strengthens the hip abductors (outside of thigh at hip).

3. LUNGE STRETCH: Do a lunge, abdomen in a crunch position (basically tucking my abs), and leaning my upper body back to stretch and strengthen the hip adductors (inside front and inside muscles of the thigh).

4a. STRIDE: Concentrate on landing correctly -- keeping my stride length shorter (for now) and increase my stride rate, approaching 180 steps per minute. She thinks this is the main thing that will keep my hamstrings healthy.

4b. RUN BAREFOOT OR IN SOCKED FEET: 50m x 4 repeats on the pavement. This conditions my body for a proper footstrike. Basically, she said I will land correctly when barefoot because I'll break my heel if I strike too far in front and land on my heel!

5. FOOT FLIPS: When sitting, keep my knees together and rotate my feet outward to the outside edge of my feet. When standing, rotate my feet outward to stand on the outside edge of my feet. Advanced version is to stand on one foot and rotate my foot outward. More advanced is to stand on one foot on a pillow and rotate my foot outward. The purpose is to strengthen the muscles that control my pronation so that I pronate less.

6. PUSH OFF: Concentrate on pushing off with all of my toes rather than doing so with my big toe.

There is one thing I can't control. When I asked her why my hamstrings suddenly decided to go bad when I didn't change anything (that I know of) and had been running for almost 6 years. Her comment, with a grin: Your muscles have never been 55 years old before. She also commented about my ability to the foot flips: Most (ahem ... cough) middle-aged men who over-pronate can't do those. Basically, I'm old!

She also suggested that I consider cutting back on my running and add in some cross-training. But, when I explained that I'm about to move overseas to a place where biking or using an elliptical would be difficult (Kenya), she didn't push it. (Besides, I really like to run.)

I'm encouraged.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

No (Hamstring) Pain, All Gain

6.8 miles at a pace of 8:28 mpm this morning. It even included some fartleks. No hamstring pain or even tightness -- none, nada, hakuna -- first time in about 3 weeks! Overall pace is still off from my normal daily runs but I'm really trying not to push it.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Encountering the World of Islam

There is a fascination in the US with Islam. I think it is rooted in a number of issues: the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Israel, the events of 9/11, the war on terror, the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, events in Iran, etc. And, for many Americans, Islam is different and unknown and that intrigues us.

The beginning of the following video clip puts a personal face on Islam -- it helps one understand that the concerns of Muslims in the US are very similar to those of all other Americans. The video is produced from a Christian evangelistic perspective -- I don't apologize for that but do want to be upfront about what you will see -- I'm not trying to come in through the back door on anyone. :) Nor am I promoting this particular organization (though I do think they have some excellent resources for Christians who want to understand Islam and know how to minister to Muslims and to share Jesus with them).



If you're interested in learning more, the book, Encountering the World of Islam, is described here -- and available for purchase. (DISCLAIMER: I am in no way connected with this organization nor will I profit from you visiting the site or buying the book.)

On the running front. My post from yesterday grew out of frustration and a bit of fear about what might happen today when I ran. But, though today's run was very hard for some reason, my hamstrings felt as good as or better than any time in the last 3 weeks. I ran 6.4 miles at a pace of 8:30 mpm -- still slower than normal and with a shortened stride. Maybe I've turned the corner but I won't hold my breath as I've thought that before.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

This Makes No Sense!

No, I'm not referring to the insanity of an economy that is dependent on people spending more and more and more each year! My hamstring is the issue.

OK, last week but one I go to the doc on Tuesday and hadn't run in 3 days. On Wednesday, I take it slow and do 3+ with no trouble. Gradually increase speed (not intentionally, it just happens) and distance until that Saturday, I ran a total of almost 9 in 3 segments (.6, 5, 3.3) at an average pace of 9:53.

Sunday, I flew to Denver and didn't run that day. Monday, I ran 6.7 miles at 8:12 mpm with no pain -- well, OK, I was sucking wind at 5400' above sea level but I didn't even know I was going that fast. Tuesday, I head out and the hamstring was a wee bit tight but I'm fine through 3.8 miles at 8:38 mpm. I turned a corner and my hamstring grabbed me hard! Why? I have no idea. Wednesday, I tested it but 2-3 steps was all it took to let me know that running would be a bad idea so I walked at a very moderate pace for about 6 blocks. Thursday, I ran 4.2 miles at 9:04 with only moderate discomfort. Friday, 4.2 miles at 9:00 with only slight discomfort. Saturday, a total of 8.5 miles (3 segments of .6, 6.2, and 1.7 miles) at 8:52 with very little discomfort. Today, 6 miles at 8:37 and felt really good. What will tomorrow hold?

I cannot figure out what I'm doing or not doing to irritate my hamstring -- that's what makes no sense.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Running In the Shadow of Rockies

What a beautiful place to run! I'm in Denver for a meeting of our Trustees and for the confirmation of employment of new folks headed to Africa (7 units to Sub-Saharan Africa). This is the view out of my 6th floor room -- snow-covered Rockie Mountains behind the city of Denver. God is an artist.

We're at just over 5300' above sea level but it's like a plateau. Elevation changes on my route this morning were no more than 46' -- it was basically flat. That was a surprise. Perfect morning for running with the temperature at 6:00 sitting right at 52° and the humidity at 58%. When I finished, it was 58° and 48% humidity. So very pleasant. The sun was bright, painfully so at times. Not far from our hotel, Denver has put in really nice pathways that are, for the most part, well away from the roads -- some are wide concrete paths, others are hard-packed dirt with very small gravel. I put in 6.7 miles in 55:04 -- my best pace (8:12.8 mpm) in 2 weeks since pulling my hamstring. Here's my route (I added a bit at the end -- to the end of the block and back into the hotel parking lot to get to 6.7 mi.).

The hamstring is doing fine. It's still tight; pain is more low-level soreness now (roughly 1.5/10). Heading to meetings now.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Hamstring Report

Just got home from the doctor, Dr. Teresa Stadler, and the news is not too bad.

I have a very small tear in the middle hamstring muscle (semitendinosus -- shaded blue in the graphic to the left) -- it should heal fine. She's said NO stretching, period. No NSAID's (ibuprofen, Advil, etc.). Eccentric exercises to strengthen the right hamstring. There's already some minor atrophy after only 12 days -- I apparently have favored my right leg when I have run over those days. I go back for recheck, gait analysis, and massage therapy in 2 weeks. I can run up to the point of awareness, so will be limited to less than 5K and probably, at first, to 2-2.5 miles easy.

Cool thing: the gait analysis may show some weirdness in my gait that she suspects may be causing the problem. If so and if I will do the work to correct it, not only should I prevent hamstring trouble in the future but she said I may be able to knock 15 seconds off my mile time. I laughed and said maybe I could reach my goal of a <45:00 10K -- she said that was her goal this year.

The other problem I am having is tenderness just in front of and adjacent to my inside right ankle. The doctor said the ankle and hamstring are not related. She pretty well ruled out a stress fracture. First, with a stress fracture I should have definitely not been able to run and that's caused me no pain, at all, when running. Second, as long as I've been running, an ankle stress fracture would be unusual. Most conclusively, rubbing across the tendon caused more discomfort than rubbing along the bone. I have a topical anti-inflammatory for the tendon and have to march on my heels with my toes pointed up while I brush my teeth -- in other words, 2-3 times per day for 1-2 minutes each time. If it doesn't clear up, she'll image it to be absolutely certain it's not a stress fracture.

So, maybe a short, easy run in the morning is possible after all.

Run well and pain-free, y'all,
Bob

Best Excuse Not to Run in the Morning...

...and the funniest comment I've read on a blog in awhile.

From Vanilla, at Half Fast:

Lately I’ve been getting to the office a lot earlier (so much for banker’s hours) and I frequently work from an office that is much farther from my house which means that if I wanted to get in a short [morning] run at my lumbering pace I’d need to wake up somewhere around 4am and as I’m sure you’re all painfully aware there is no such thing as 4am. So essentially it’s not even physically possible for me to run in the mornings anymore.

I'm still going to do my runs in the early mornings -- well, whenever my hamstring will let me run -- but if I even need a good excuse, thanks, Vanilla, for providing the perfect excuse!

As for me, I'm pretty frustrated. When I got up yesterday, my hamstring felt great. I headed out to go meet my group -- I do my warm-up in the .62 miles from the house to our meeting place -- and it felt a little sore but no problems. We headed out at an easy pace and no problems. But, we hit a flat spot and all of a sudden I had problems. It actually stopped me for a few seconds. I was able to complete 6.7 miles at an 8:30 mpm pace but was hurting from about mile 2.25 or so. I'm calling the doctor tomorrow. :(

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Destined to Run? Just Not for Speed

It must have been fate that I would wind up loving to run. This is what was happening in the world of running the day I was born:



Unfortunately, it was not fate that I would be as fast as Roger Bannister -- or have the mental stamina that he had.

Disappointing day for me with running. My hamstring felt good when I got up. So, out the door (56° -- YES!). But, after a mile or so, the tightness was back. I ended up running 5.25 miles. This is the strangest thing. It doesn't hurt when walking. It hurts more going uphill than down or on flats. It actually hurts most as my leg straightens just before heel strike. And, the pain is in the upper hamstring. It makes me wonder if I have a tight piriformis muscle that is causing my hamstring (specifically, the semimembranosus muscle). Back to the ice and NSAID's and rest. :(

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Hamstring Soreness

Well, after a 3 day hiatus in my running, I headed out this morning to see what the hamstring would do. I had hoped it would be OK and I could do 7+ miles. Well, the hamstring wasn't perfect but the traffic kept me from doing 7+. I couldn't believe it -- it was so heavy that I couldn't cross the road. Of course, I had slept in a bit and didn't leave until 7:15 so I was fighting going to work traffic.

My hamstring was sore, especially on uphill segments. But, it didn't seize up on me like last week. I guess it's overuse but really don't know what precipitated it. I'll see what it feels like in the morning. For now, I'm off to ice it.

Ended up doing 6.16 at a 8:07 mpm pace. Visiting my mother-in-law while we speak at a couple of Columbia, SC churches. So, I had a change of scenery.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Bum-MER!

After yesterday's run, my right hamstring was a little sore. Got up this morning -- hamstring felt better and it was 53° (way better than the 60°+ of the last several days), so I headed out to see what might happen. I chose a route that kept me within a mile and a half of home for the first 3 miles in case my hamstring acted up but also gave me the option of going 7+ if everything was OK.

Mile 1: no problem, in fact most of the soreness went away.

Mile 2: no problem

Mile 3: no problem until the 2.6 mile point. I was going up a slight hill (not the first one) and all of a sudden -- BAM! -- I got spiced by Emeril!



Oh, wait, no, I was running, not watching Food Network. ...all of a sudden -- BAM! -- my hamstring started seizing up. I tried slowing down but it did no good. So, I stopped and gently stretched my hamstring. It eased off and I tried running gently -- after just a few strides, it seized up again. Walked a bit and tried again. It's odd -- I could run a few strides and then swinging my right leg forward would be painful. Walking, on the other hand, cause only very mild soreness.

So, I walked the rest of the 1 mile home (OK, a few jogging strides here and there).

I am bummed but I'm going to lay off running for a couple of days. If my leg feels OK Saturday morning, I may try a couple of miles (yeah, I know, I should just forget it ... until at least Sunday). Seriously, I am bummed. Looks like my early mornings (and evenings) will be spent with ice on my hamstring.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Exercise and Don't Sit

So, maybe this is one reason I'm having trouble losing the extra 10+/- pounds I'm carrying. The study, reported on Runner's World's web site, doesn't mention weight, just mortality but ...

It's Not Enough To Exercise; You Need To Stop Sitting Too

We first mentioned the new science of inactivity physiology just a month or two ago. Now a major research center has produced a study giving a strong boost to inactivity physiology. They did this by studying mortality rates among more than 17,000 Canadians for an average of 12 years. The results showed a linear relationship between sitting time and mortality rates. This was true for exercisers as well as non-exercisers. Conclusion: "In addition to the promotion of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and a healthy weight, physicians should discourage sitting for extended periods." Source: Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise. More

I think I need to get up and walk around more often when I'm in the office!

I hadn't planned to run today -- I usually take Sunday off after a long Saturday run. But, I woke up early and thought, Why not? So, I left planning to do 4.7 -- basically an out-and-back. But, at the halfway point, I thought, Wait, I'm not training for anything, I have some time, and Linda (my wife) is unlikely to need to find me. Let's do something different and unplanned. So, I turned right where I had planned to turn left. Ended up doing 5.7 miles. I really had intended to take it easy at about 8:30-8:45 mpm. But, when I figured out my pace, it was 8:09. Maybe I'm still reaping the benfits of running last week at 5500' above sea level.

Run well, y'all -- and sit less,
Bob

Who Turned Up the Heat!?

Summer -- go away ... NOW! Aihhh! This morning summer descended. OK, I realize that 67° is tolerable ... when you've had the chance to acclimate and when it wasn't 48° two days ago and 40° yesterday. Drew and I headed out at 6:00am to do 13.1. We wimped out and cut just under 2 miles out. I ended up doing 11.4 miles at an 8:36 mpm pace. It was tough but doable but I oh, so prefer 35°-55° for running.

This weekend, our church is celebrating its 20th anniversary. They decided to do a Gayton Gives Back event and do community service from 9-12. So, I finished my run, took a (relatively) quick shower, wolfed down breakfast and then pulled wire grass out of flower beds at an assisted living center for about 2.5 hours. Then, home for lunch and out to cut our yard full of weeds grass. Now I'm drinking a mug of chai, reading blogs, talking with my wife and daughter, and watching the Food Network. Heading back to the church in about 30 minutes for a BBQ dinner.

I think I'll sleep well tonight!

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Good Idea: Hotel Safe

This may be old hat in South Africa and in Europe, but I thought it
was a really good idea. It's always a dilemma to decide what to do
with valuables in hotels in Africa. While the vast majority of hotel
staff members are hard working, honest folks, theft from rooms is a
real problem. And, it's a real pain to decide what to do with things
like a camera, laptop, and other items when you go eat or to the pool/
beach or wherever.

Well, this is the solution offered by the Birchwood Hotel in
Johannesburg, South Africa -- they turned their walk-in closets into
safes. There is a steel gate with an electronic lock on each closet.
You key in your own 4-digit code, close the door, and kumbe, your
stuff is locked up. I wouldn't mind having a closet designed like this
in the house where we will live in Kenya when we move back overseas in
September.

I ran 4.65 miles in Jo'burg this morning in 38:31. Wow -- what a
difference running at 5500' -- who stole the oxygen?

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Suspicious Footlocker

I've had baggage checked before but have never seen one labelled
"SUSPECT". This was on my footlocker (trunk) when I arrived in
Johannesburg. I wonder what about this particular piece of luggage led
to this status being assigned. It was put on in Richmond within about
30 minutes of my checking in for my NWA flight. Everything was still
inside -- as far as I could tell -- though my shirts were a little
more wrinkled for the experience. I'm glad someone is looking out for
and checking suspicious baggage.

Run (and fly) well, y'all,
Bob

Running in Johannesburg

Arrived in Johannesburg early Sunday night -- 9:05 pm -- after an easy flight from Amsterdam. The KLM flight was less than half full so I had the whole window section (15A-C) to myself. It was still economy class but I had a bit of room to stretch out and got some decent naps -- I rarely sleep more than about 30 minutes at a time on an international flight but got a couple of 2-hour naps along the way.

Lots of renovations at the Jo'burg airport since I was last here a year ago. We had to walk forever from the gate to Customs and then baggage claim. My bags were slow coming out (maybe that's bag lag) but both got here with no damage and nothing missing (that I can tell).

A colleague met me outside of customs. That was a pleasant surprise as I was expecting to have to catch the hotel shuttle. Thanks, Wade! He had even bought me a couple of bananas, an apple, and some muffins. Friends are a blessing.

After unpacking and showering, I hit the sack. Up just before 7 and on the road at 7:15. It didn't take long to start feeling the 5500' altitude. Being used to running in Short Pump at what, 240', I was huffing pretty heavily. Still, I managed 4.6 miles in 37:37. Today, Easter Monday, is a holiday in South Africa so traffic was very light, even at around 8:00 when I finished. The rest of the week will be a bit different and I'll have to keep an eye on traffic. I do have to remember to look in opposite directions. You drive on the left here -- run on the right -- and that takes some getting used to.

If you're interested, here's the route I ran: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2722258

Run well, y'all,

Bob

Running and Trans-Atlantic Flying

Well, OK, the title would be more accurately stated, Running **Then**.... This will be a first for me. It seemed like a great idea earlier in the week. I ran 6.8 miles this morning before heading to the airport for about 26 hours of international travel. My thinking was that it would be good to be active (and, maybe, tired) before flying. We'll see.

While we were running this morning, I began to question my sanity for running almost 13 yesterday and then doing almost 7 this morning. My legs were definitely not happy. We had planned to go out slow but ... those with Garmins kept saying, "We're at sub-8's". We ended up averaging something like 8:17 mpm. One of those mornings when being with a group was a good motivator to keep going.

I'm hoping to get some higher altitude runs in during the next week. Johannesburg sits at about 5700' above sea level. Should be fun.

True meaning of Easter: Matthew 28:1-20

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Things You Don't Say to Your Wife

This has nothing to do with either running or Easter (although, if you do say these things, the ability to run fast and faaaaaar would be very useful), but it's hilarious (thanks to Yoni Freedhoff at the blog, Weighty Matters):



Running? This morning I did a Good Friday 12.8 miles in 1:48:07. It was hard, but, then, 12.8 miles is a long way.

Reflect on the meaning of Good Friday: Matthew 26:17-27:66

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Grass or Roads?

The question as to whether running on grass or trails is easier on one's joints than running on hard surfaces (i.e., roads) has perplexed me. On the one hand, it seems to make some intuitive sense that the softer surface of grass or trails would absorb some of the stress of the pounding. On the other hand, it would also seem to be only a very slight advantage and any advantage might well be offset by the greater stress on those same joints caused by running on a less stable (more uneven) surface.

Well, an Australian study that will published in Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise and that has been reported in Runner's World's Peak Performance and on PubMed, indicates that there may not be any significant difference in the actual effects of running on grass or roads. Inflammation and chemical indicators of stress were higher after running than before running and were higher after high-intensity workouts than after lower-intensity workouts. However, there were no differences between doing the same workout on grass or on a bitumen (asphalt or tarmac) road surface.

Since road surfaces are much more convenient to me for running it's nice to know that I'm probably not doing any additional damage to my knees and other joints by taking the more convenient route. I do enjoy running on trails because of the change and the scenery.

I'm planning a long (12 mile) run tomorrow morning. If the rain holds off or isn't too bad, I'll do another 4-6 miles on Saturday morning before heading to the airport to fly to South Africa. While in South Africa, I hope to get in at least a few higher altitude (5700') runs.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

The message of Easter: He is not here; he has risen just as he said. (Matthew 28:6)

More Speed

In the 2 major marathons this past Sunday, Paris and Rotterdam, Africans took 28 of the top 40 spots (top 10 for men and women in each race) -- 19 by Kenyans, 8 by Ethiopians, and 1 by a Moroccan. That's a pretty impressive day and speaks to the dominance of distance running by African runners.

Pretty impressive times, too -- 4 men under 2:06 and 10 men under 2:07. A 2:07 marathon is a pace of 4:50.84 minutes per mile! Gives us something to shoot for (yeah, right)! Running Without Limits speculated that these may have been the fastest marathons ever. Could be -- in the top 40 spots, there were 22 personal best times, including 6 debut marathons.

Paris Marathon, 5 April 2009

MEN (7 of top 10 from Kenya, 2 from Ethiopia, 1 from Morocco) -- 8 personal best times, including one debut marathon:

1. Vincent Kipruto Limo (KEN) 2:05:47 (PB)
2. Bado Worku (ETH) 2:06:15 (debut)
3. David Kemboi Kiyeng (KEN) 2:06:26 (PB)
4. Yemane Adhane (ETH) 2:06:30 (PB)
5. Rachid Kisri (MAR) 2:06:48 (PB)
6. David Mandago Kipkorir (KEN) 2:06:53 (PB)
7. Jonathan Kosgei Kipkorir (KEN) 2:07:31 (PB)
8. Shadrack Kipchumba Kiplagat (KEN) 2:08:11
9. John Kipkorir Komen (KEN) 2:08:12
10. Daniel Too Kiprugut (KEN) 2:08:38 (PB)

WOMEN (5 of to 10 from Ethiopia, 2 from Kenya) -- 6 personal best times, including 3 debut marathons:

1. Atsede Bayisa (ETH) 2:24:42(PB)
2. Aselefech Mergia (ETH) 2:25:02 (debut)
3. Christelle Dauney (FRA) 2:25:43 (NR)
4. Ashu Kasim (ETH) 2:25:49 (debut)
5. Julia Mombi Muraga (KEN) 2:29:10
6. Worknesh Tola (ETH) 2:29:19
7. Leah Malot (KEN) 2:30:29 (PB)
8. Maria McCambridge (IRL) 2:35:29 (PB)
9. Azalech Masresha (ETH) 2:35:56 (debut)
10. Maja Neuenschwander (SUI) 2:36:48 (PB)

Rotterdam Marathon, 5 April 2009

MEN (9 of top 10 from Kenya, 1 from Ethiopia) -- 7 personal best times, including 2 debut marathons; 3 runners beat the previous course record:

1. Duncan Kibet, Ken 2:04:27 PB, course record old 2.05.49 William Kipsang 2008)
2. James Kwambai, Ken 2:04:27 PB (correct)
3. Abel Kirui, Ken 2:05:04 PB
4. Patrick Makau, Ken 2:06:14 PB debut
5. Jackson Kipkoech, Ken 2:08:54
6. Alfred Kering, Ken 2:09:19 PB
7. Mesfin Ademasu, Eth 2:09:32 PB
8. Robert Kipcumba, Ken 2:09:54 PB debut
9. Richard Limo, Ken 2:10:09
10. Mariko Kipchumba, Ken 2:12:17

WOMEN (1 of the top 10 from Kenya) -- 1 personal best time:

1. Nailya Yulamanova, Rus 2:26:30 PB
2. Lydia Cheromei, Ken 2:28:09
3. Adriana Pirtea, Rou 2:36:36
4. Sue Harrison, GBr 2:37:27
5. Viktoria Ryazantseva, Rus 2:40:33
6. Luzia Schmid, Sui 2:52:14
7. Marta Esteban Poveda Esp 2:53:48
8. Minna Kainlauri, Fin 2:56:01
9. Katja Merlin, Bel 2:58:10
10. Birgit Kraemer, Ned 2:59:42

Run well, y'all,
Bob

This is Fast! (Updated)

Rotterdam Marathon -- and, no, this is not a 4-armed or 3-legged Kenyan! Kibet and Kwambai finished one-two and were recorded with the same finishing time. If I'm right about the names, two other Kenyans finished 3rd and 4th: Kirui at 2:05:04 (fastest 3rd place finish) and Makau at 2:06:14 (2nd fastest debut marathon). (Update: I was right. See the next post for details.)

Ryan Hall has his work cut out for him!

Run well, y'all (and remember that fast is relative),
Bob

Now That's What I'm Talking About!

The run, that is!

The endorphins and anandamides really kicked in today during our group run. Well, OK, that's probably not true because most studies that have found evidence for the phenomenon of a runner's high have said that it occurs after 80-90 minutes of running at a moderately hard pace -- faster than an easy run, but slower than race pace. But whatever it was this morning was definitely good. It was some combination of weather (42°, 40% humidity), faster-than-normal pace (average of 7:59 mpm), good conversation, running just for fun and not training for anything in particular, etc. We got to 3 miles and I just couldn't believe we had gone that far and that the time had passed so quickly -- I was sure that someone had plotted the route wrong and that there was no way we were going to have done 5 miles by the end. We missed a turn on a very familiar route. One of our group didn't even know we had made another turn. I, at least, felt like I could keep on running forever.

It's days like today that remind me why I love to run.

Today: 6.2 miles in 49:52 (7:59 mpm).

Run well, y'all,
Bob

I Got to Run

I had planned to run yesterday morning before going to church, but the call of an extra hour of sleep was just too strong. No problem -- I'll run Monday. Then, later, I looked at the weather forecast -- calling for not just rain but major thunderstorms for Monday morning. Now, I'll run in the rain if necessary but I'm somewhat averse to having lighting bolts flying around my head. The same-same weather report said it would be down to about 65° by early evening so I decided I would get my run in around 6pm. But, when 6pm rolled around, it was still up around 70° and I'm not ready for hot running, yet (actually, I'm never really ready for it). Maybe it will just be raining Monday morning.

Monday morning comes and ... no rain, no lightning, no nothing ... 61° and 64% humidity. So, I got my run in. It wasn't really fun this morning -- 5.36 miles in 45:00 -- but I was out there.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Ashland Railroad Run (10K) -- Updated

The Ashland Railroad Run (10K) is one of those local, small, well-run races that is just a lot of fun. They capped entries this year at 750 but I think ended up with about 600 people -- and that may have included the 5K runners and walkers, too. I got the 600 figure from one of the police officers who were on the course -- he was talking on his walkie-talkie with someone else about how many were registered. The course is basically flat with just enough gentle hills to provide some downhill segments when you most need them. Of course that means there are uphill segments, too. Good volunteer support.

I only have one complaint and then there was one quirk: there were not enough porta-johns for pre-race needs. They only had 2 plus a men's, a women's, and a kids' restroom in the building where we collected packets. They needed at least 2 more porta-johns at the start.

The quirk came at about mile 4. The last half of the course is a long out-and-back. We started that segment running on the right side of the road with those who had made the turn-around running on their right (our left). But, about halfway on the out segment (or back segment, depending on your perspective), everybody switched sides. So, we had to cross the line of faster runners as we headed out -- crossed the slower runners as we came back in. Besides that, it felt odd to race on the left side of the road, even though that's the side I normally run on for everyday runs. I didn't see any collisions and it didn't seem to interfere with anybody's running -- it was just odd.

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine had expressed a desire to do a 10K in less than 50:00, so I offered to run with him to push him a bit. Now, I'm among the worst in the world when it comes to knowing how fast I'm running and setting a pace. Once I get settled into the second mile or so, my pace will be pretty even but I never know what that pace will be. But, I figured if I settled into a hard-comfortable run, we would be able to hit about 8:00 mpm.

We'll see what the official results show (it's not chip-timed nor were there wave starts), but according to my watch, we finished in 49:58.95. UPDATE: Official results have been posted and they show we finished in exactly 50:00. Here are the splits:

1.0 x 8:13.44
1.0 x 7:47.45
1.0 x 8:02.97
1.0 x 8:01.47
1.0 x 8:08.68
1.0 x 8:26.82
0.2 x 1:18.12

On a side note: last week, in the last 2 miles of the Ukrop's 10K, I was tired -- out of gas. That struck me as odd because, while 10K is not an easy distance to race, it's a common distance for me. Reflecting on that this week and thinking about today's race, I realized that I probably felt out of gas because, well, I was out of gas. I had waked up at 5:30 and my wave started at 8:33. Before running, I had only eaten 1/2 of a medium-sized bagel. So, perhaps, I had literally run out of fuel.

This morning, I decided to try something different. I got up at the same time but ate a whole toasted bagel and a banana. Then, about 20 minutes before we started, I ate a Gu (my favourite, Chocolate Outrage). Between fueling better and running a bit more slowly, I felt great though most of the race and at the end. In fact, it is very tempting to go run another 6 miles. But, I think I'll bask in the enjoyment of having met our goal (or, at least coming really close) and feeling good. And, actually, I have to go cut our crop of weeds -- my wife says that should count for a long run!

Run well, y'all,
Bob

TIART -- Ode to My Running Shoes

I'm running the Ashland (VA) 10K Railroad Run this weekend. Should be fun -- relatively flat course, limited to 750 runners/walkers, and I'm running with my pastor who wants to break 50:00 and set a PR. It's called the Railroad Run because most of the race is run next to the tracks that run through town -- last year at least 2 trains went through while we were running.

Read the longer post/review here. The Runners Lounge's Take It and Run Thursday topic is our running shoes -- why do we like them, describing them using the same number of words as the dollars we used to buy them -- that gives me 71.95 words, plus shipping.

Etonic Jepara SC -- they were relatively inexpensive online; they have great cushioning in both the heel and the forefoot; unlike every other brand I've tried (Brooks and New Balance), I can get 700 miles out of a single pair; and they fit, even my wide feet.

The updated version for 2008, Jepara 2 SC, are not as well cushioned and they are narrower in the toe box. Bring back the old ones!

Seventy-two words.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Perceived Effort

I decided to run the Ashland Railroad Run 10K this coming Saturday. Last year's race was my 10K PR (45:29). But, I'm not shooting for my PR this year but running with a friend to help him set a PR. We're going to aim for a sub-50. So, this morning, I wanted to see if I could do a tempo run at about 7:45-7:50 to see if I could get the rhythm.

Warm-up mile was pretty normal. Then I picked it up to what I thought was about 7:45. It felt hard, though -- I assumed it was because I had done the Ukrop's 10K only 3 days ago and my legs were still tired. I hit the end of the mile and hit the lap button -- only 8:00! That was really discouraging, not because of the time but because it felt like 7:30. So, I did what any smart runner would do and slowed down.

The second fast mile didn't feel any easier even though I figured it was about 8:15. In fact, it felt harder. Hit the lap button -- 7:50!

So, naturally, I slowed down even more. Yeah, right. That mile actually felt better but, go figure, that mile was 7:14.

Lesson learned: perceived effort is a poor predictor of actual pace.

Second lesson learned: determining actual pace on an unmarked route and checking pace at 1 mile intervals is not highly effective. A Garmin or Pulsar are almost essential -- but that's an expensive solution.

Third lesson learned -- or, maybe just a rhetorical question: How in the world am I going to be of any help to my friend on Saturday if I can't judge pace any better than I did today? (Of course, maybe today my internal pace-o-meter was just out of whack.)

TEMPO SPLITS:
1.00 x 8:53.96
1.00 x 8:00.07
1.00 x 7:50.31
1.00 x 7:14.62
1.26 x 10:14.44 (8:07.65 mpm pace)

Run well, y'all,
Bob

2009 Ukrop's 10K

It's done. I ran with 32,600+ of my closest friends today. This is a big race and the goal is to continue to see it grow. Whew! But, this is a well run race and Runner's World listed it as a must run in their March issue.

The elites took off at 8:30 -- I don't know who was here this year. Wave A took off at 8:31. I ran in wave B at 8:33 -- we were actually a couple of minutes early according to my watch. The temperature at start was 46° with a bit of a breeze out of the west. Heavy cloud cover but no rain. Just about perfect conditions for running.

My goal was to break 45:00 but really thought that 46:30 was more realistic. I finished in 46:46.59 (my watch -- official results will be out later today). Splits were:

1.0 x 7:27.21
1.0 x 7:25.97
1.0 x 7:25.46
1.0 x 7:22.35
1.0 x 7:44.00
1.0 x 7:49.16
0.2 x 1:32.44

So, I'm reasonably pleased. Interesting that I came so close to what I thought I was really capable of this year. The 6th mile was really tough. My body kept screaming, "WALK!" but I just wasn't willing to give in and kept looking for that 6 mile marker.

After I finished, I grabbed a bottle of water, a bottle of Poweraide, a bagel, and a banana. The bagel was way too dry and dense to eat then so one bite was it. The banana went down much better. Then I hit the Porta-Johns and headed back to the start to try to catch my wife and daughter (Linda and Stacey) before their wave started. Downed a Gu on the way and finished about 3/4 of the water.

Linda and Stacey had had to look for a parking place, so they had gotten to their wave group about 10 seconds before I got there. I jumped the barrier and waited to run again with them. We completed in 1:24:57. The first mile was in 11:35.85 -- the fastest mile they've run. You go, ladies! It was fun running as a family, at least 60% of our family (Stephen and Anna, you need to run a race with us).

All in all, a good day!

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Running Fast Feels Good -- Final Tempo Run

Fast is a relative term, but whether fast is 5:00 mpm or 12:00 mpm, it actually feels good just to occasionally let loose and run fast over a distance. Today was my last tempo run before the Ukrop's 10K on Saturday. Another person from our running group ran with me -- it was good to have company -- thanks, Drew. It was hard but just felt good -- especially when I finished (LOL). I actually ran negative splits:

1.26 mi x 11:22  (warm up)

1.00 mi x 07:21

1.00 mi x 07:17

1.00 mi x 06:58

1.74 mi x 13:03  (cool down)

The third fast mile (6:58) was a real shocker when I hit the lap button on my watch. I really thought I had slowed down and I had to run in place for a few seconds at an intersection to wait for a car to pass.

If you haven't tried speed work, give it a shot -- whatever is fast for you.

Run well, y'all,

Bob

Too Busy to Pray?

OK, I must confess, that I didn't think about this while running this morning. Of course, it hadn't been posted when I ran this morning. :)

This takes the cake. Check out this post on the Dallas Morning News' blog site: Too Busy to Pray?


The point of prayer is not that you ritualistically say your prayers every day. Nor is it the specific words that you pray. It is the relationship that is fostered between the individual and God; it is the submission of oneself to the Creator of the Universe; it is the acknowledgment of total dependency on the Sustainer of Life; it is the recognition of the need for the Author of Salvation. Paying someone else to do that for you doesn't cut it and certainly paying for a computer to do that for you won't gain you any grace. I don't think God would be impressed.

Taper week before the Ukrop's 10K. I ran 4.5 pretty easy miles (8:45 mpm or so) this morning. A short tempo run tomorrow morning. A couple more easy 4-milers on Wednesday and Thursday. Then we'll see what this old body can do on Saturday. I'll race with my wave and then loop back to the beginning to run/walk the course with my wife and daughter. Should be fun.

Run and pray well, y'all,
Bob

Next to Last Tempo Run

Could this have been the last cold day of the season? At 6:40 AM it
was 26° and 70% humidity. I plan to do a shorter tempo run on Tuesday
or Wednesday -- the race is Saturday (Ukrop's Monument Ave 10K). So,
this was the next to last tempo run:

1 x 8:43 -- warm-up
1 x 7:29
1 x 7:22
1 x 7:14
1 x 8:06
1.1 x 9:43 -- cool down

I'm pretty pleased. I've downgraded my expectations for the race.
While I'd love to break 45:00 and set a PR -- and I'm not giving up on
the hope -- I suspect my time will be closer to 47:00. We'll see.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Worse Than Raintree

I thought I would help you all feel better the next time you run hills (Short Pump Posse, think "Raintree" -- it could be worse). This was about mile 5.5 to 6.7 of my 12-miler on Wednesday morning, Greenville, SC (a total climb of 115-120 feet -- and, yes, I know, there are even worse hills than this): Map of the climb

This is looking back at the first 0.1 mile of the climb -- the cars at the bottom are at the beginning of the hill:

Elevation:

Run well, y'all,
Bob

12 to Start the Day

12 miles this morning at an 8:42.5 mpm pace. Tons of hills in
Greenville, SC, and lots of traffic between 6:30 and 8:30. Here's the
route:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1268543

Off now to a Trustee meeting and confirmation of new employees. God is
blessing -- 7 families for Africa!

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Good Morning for a Run

We were traveling from Virginia to South Carolina today, so I got up
earlier enough to get a run in before driving 7 hours. I was a bit
apprehensive because the weather report called for rain all day long.
But, I hit the sweet spot -- out the door at about 6:40 and did 8.2
miles at a 7:59 mpm pace (Sweet!). Nary a drop of rain until after I
finished -- but it rained almost the whole trip.

Instead of taking our usual route (I-95 to I-85), we headed west on
360 and then took 29 down to Greensboro (not exact directions -- don't
try to follow those). It was great. We did the trip in 6 hours 37
minutes and the best I've ever done on the interstate highways was
about 6 hours 30 minutes and the other route was a whole lot more
interesting.

I'm in Greenville, SC for the next 5 days. That means running some
pretty nasty hills.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Last Treadmill Run ... Maybe

The weather prediction was for rain and wintry mix this morning. Sure enough, when I got up at 5 AM, it was raining. Too cold for running in the rain so I headed to the YMCA. We're ending our membership in anticipation of moving back overseas in the late summer -- plus, we almost never use the Y anymore. So, this was probably my last treadmill run for awhile. That's no great loss except for days like today when I want/need to run but am not willing to do so outside -- and it has to be nasty for that to happen.

I was bummed when I left the Y, though, because it was snowing. I would have loved to run in the snow! But, even if I had known it was really going to snow, I could not have waited. I ran 4.55 miles and did some treadmill fartleks, bumping the speed up to 8mph several times -- the variety makes the treadmill less tedious.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

TIART -- Only in Running ...

Runner's Lounge's every-Thursday readers' forum, Take It and Run Thursday, is about things that are acceptable in the sport of running that might not be acceptable in normal life -- interesting and peculiar things that running brings into one's life. I'm looking forward to checking out all the entries but thought I'd add mine first so I can't be accused of plagerism. I call mine acceptable unacceptables:

Acceptable unacceptable #1: Going out in public with bed head. Under no other circumstances, except an emergency, would I consider going out in public without taking a shower. But I'll almost always head out to run without that morning ritual and, depending on the weather, might not even wear a hat. Of course, at 5:15 AM, it's pretty hard for anyone to see anyway.

Acceptable unacceptable #2: (OK this one may gross out some of you, but, well, today's TIART is all about lowered standards when running.) Wiping your nose on your bare hands, gloves, or shirt tail/sleeve. It's gotta be done.

Acceptable unacceptable #3: Amy suggested you easily pay $100+ for a pair of shoes you may wear a few months as an example. I haven't, yet, paid $100+ for a pair of running shoes but do pay $60-$90 for a pair of shoes that I'll wear 5-7 months. But, I also put 500-700 miles on each pair of shoes -- something I certainly do not do with most of my street shoes. I suspect I actually get more miles per $ out of my running shoes.

Acceptable unacceptable #4: Going outside in nasty weather -- 5°F, snow and ice, rain. Not only going outside and running but enjoying doing so.

Acceptable unacceptable #5: Closely kin to #4, wearing shorts in 30° weather.

Acceptable unacceptable #6: Paying for the privilege of exerting oneself to the point of exhaustion -- race fees.

Ain't running fun?

Run well, y'all -- and be a little crazy,
Bob

?Bankruptcy? -- Transparency in Life and Government

[WARNING: Rant on]Now, I recognize that there are nuances of the law that the average person does not and cannot understand. Sometimes (most of the time?) I think lawmakers and courts do that on purpose so that they have job security. I'm one of those average people. But, this article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch this morning, caught my eye:

Filing: Peanut Corp. has $4.8 million in debts, $11.4 million in assets

The infamous Peanut Corporation of America has filed for bankruptcy. According to the article, the Peanut Corp. of America has $11.4 million in assets and only $4.8 million in debts. That seems clear and straight-forward -- PCA has more assets than debts, in fact, right at 2.5 times as much in assets as debts.

Then, I looked up the definition of bankruptcy. The Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary lists this as one of the meanings: utter failure or impoverishment. That also seems clear and straight-forward -- bankruptcy means you have nothing, you can't pay your debts.

What I fail to understand -- in my simple, straight-forward way of looking at the world -- is how PCA can file for bankruptcy.

First of all, the evidence seems to point to PCA suffering from a bankruptcy (i.e. utter failure) in ethics (along with the regulatory agency that was supposed to keep a check on cleanliness) in its production of peanut food products. Now, that hasn't gone to trial, yet, so they have not been proven guilty...yet.

Second, how can they file for bankruptcy and thus, again in my simplistic view of things, avoid the responsibility to pay some of their debts? They sell the assets and pay their debts. Sure, the company would cease to exist, its investors would lose their money, and management would be out of jobs -- of course, those are the very ones who had the social and ethical responsibility to ensure that PCA produced a safe product. Workers (you didn't really think I would overlook them) would lose their jobs and many people had to deal with salmonella but they should be reasonably compensated from assets that remain after debts are paid. Granted, the $6.6 million of assets remaining after debts are paid won't go far, but it should be used to help those who are most hurt by PCA's (investors and management) irresponsibility.

What would America be like if our leaders used simple, common-sense language -- i.e., meant what they said? What would America be like if our laws were simple and easy to understand? What would America be like if Americans just did the right things? I could go for that! [RELAX: Rant off]

Sort of reminds me of the Sprint Nextel commercials on how things would be if firefighters were in charge:



Run, live, and rule well, y'all,
Bob

PS -- I realize that if anyone actually reads this, there's a good chance you'll disagree with me or, maybe even more likely, you'll know much more about the intricacies of the law than I do. Feel free to comment.

A Hint of Spring

What a change! Tuesday morning, with all the snow on the ground, the temperature was 9°F and never got above freezing. This morning, it was 50° when I headed out for a long run and 58° when I finished -- it's now 74°. What a change. Temps in the 50's are great for running. The problem is that the temperature will only rise over the next several months. (I don't like hot weather!)

The run was really tough this morning. It was a route that had defeated me 2 weeks ago. I finished the whole 12.99 miles (8:28 mpm pace) but did end up walking 3-4 times. I think a lack of sleep is probably to blame. I didn't sleep really well all week and we had a living room full of middle school girls last night -- we hosted the group for our church's weekend youth retreat. They were well-behaved but we didn't get to bed early.

The Ukrop's 10K is in 3 weeks. I'll be ready but I don't know if I'll hit my goal of <45:00.

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour tonight. DST begins at 2 AM Sunday morning.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

DST and Negative Days

Daylight Savings Time begins Saturday night -- OK, technically, Sunday morning. Don't forget to set your clock forward before heading to bed Saturday night (10:00 becomes 11:00) or you'll be late for church Sunday morning.

Some have lamented the fact that DST means it will be dark for early morning runs for a few more weeks. Personally, that suits me. When it's dark, I can't actually see how slow I'm running and can pretend that I'm cruising.

Runners talk about negative splits. Well, the last few days, I've had negative days. Starting Monday, my runs each day got progressively faster:

Mon - 5.1 mi @ 8:25 mpm
Tue - 6.5 mi @ 8:21 mpm
Wed - 6.4 mi @ 8:13 mpm
Thu - 5.3 mi @ 8:07 mpm

Saturday, I'm planning on 12 miles and there's almost no chance whatsoever that this trend will continue! Should be short-sleeve weather.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Snow Run

I woke up early this morning. I don't know if it was internal excitement about the snow or too much water to drink for supper. Though I would have enjoyed another couple of hours of sleep, I'm glad I woke up because the outside world was beautiful. I estimated about 7" of snow and it was still coming down. I thought about running but decided to wait and see. While it wasn't really dark because of all the reflected light, I just wasn't sure how well I could see -- or, more importantly, how well I could be seen.

By the time I actually went outside to measure, we actually had 9.5" of snow -- I think it's the most snow I've seen in my life (almost 55 years). And, by 9:00, I had decided to see if I could run. I have an old pair of Brooks Adrenaline ASR (somewhat winterized) and decided to wear those to keep my feet a bit drier than my Etonics would do. I also had no idea how close to normal speed I could run, so told my wife not to worry unless I wasn't back by 11:00. Despite slipping and sliding in places and at times feeling like I was going forward only 1' for 2' worth of effort, it was a good run -- 5.1 miles at a 5:24 (I don't know where "5:24" came from -- maybe it was sliding down the hills!) 8:24 mpm pace. Just guessing, but it felt like it was somewhere between 10-20% more difficult than running in dry weather. The picture was taken across the street from our house after I ran -- the whole run looked like that. One guy, who was shoveling his drive, commented that he hoped I had my spikes on!

What fun!

Run well (and safely and dry), y'all,
Bob

Extraordinary Relationships

Today, this is more like Random Thoughts While Not Running. Since about 3:00 yesterday afternoon (Sunday), we've had 7"+ of snow accumulation and it's still coming down. Part of me would love to go for a run but I think my shoes would be full of snow. On the other hand, it's the kind of snow that sticks together really good so I might just have a 7" build-up of snow on the bottom of my shoes! Either way ... who knows, maybe later.

Our Bible study group started a study of Mark yesterday. Mark is everyman's  gospel (generic language, not intended to be gender exclusive -- everyman just rolls off the tongue more smoothly than every person) ... the Reader's Digest gospel. Even though Mark starts when Jesus is an adult -- he leaves out the birth narratives and any mention of Jesus' childhood -- I think it's a great place to start reading the Bible because it moves and doesn't get into a lot of theological discussion. Mark presents Jesus as he lived.

Next Sunday, our group is going to look at Mark 2. So, this morning, I read through that chapter again and was struck by verses 13-17, particularly verse 15:

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. (New International Version) [Bob's comment: Note that the NIV puts sinners in quotes -- the context leads me to believe that these dinner guests were sinners in the eyes of the religious establishment. All of us are sinners by God's standards.]

The Message, a modern interpretation, states it this way:

Later Jesus and his disciples were at home having supper with a collection of disreputable guests. Unlikely as it seems, more than a few of them had become followers.

I was struck by how different that particular dinner party was than many Christian dinner parties I've attended or [gulp] we've hosted. I'm currently reading the book, unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters by David Kinnaman of Barna Research, so I'm perhaps more attuned to this than normal. Why did many follow Jesus? I think the NIV translation means many people of all sorts followed Jesus, not just the good folks like Peter, James, John and crowd (though, a really good argument could be made that few of them would have been considered good folks by the religious establishment -- we've sainted them since the first century). I think they followed Jesus because he truly cared about them and he showed it. Jesus never backed away from calling people to stop sinning (see John 8:1-11, particularly Jesus' statement to the woman in verse 11) but he always loved them and was always willing to spend time with them.

What's the point? Those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus have not done a good job of really loving all people. We either tend to be exclusive in our friendships -- spending most of our time and energy on people who are like us -- or we tend to at least appear to make friendships with people just because of a desire to convert rather than because we're motivated by love. I want to challenge believers (myself included) to be like Jesus.

Run (and live) well, y'all,

Bob

A Big Hole

If you came across this in the middle of the road or sidewalk on your run, would it freak you out or what? Interesting time lapse photography:



I stole got this brilliant video from Vanilla at the Half-Fast blog. More 3D street art pictures at Edgar Mueller - 3D Street Art

Run well, y'all,
Bob