New "Work" Shoes!

YAY!!!! A new pair of shoes for work!!

So this is a running blog right? You must be asking yourself - why is this idiot posting about his work shoes?  Well, let me answer this brilliant question you have!  My new work shoes?  

[caption id="attachment_445" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="My new "work" shoes!"][/caption]

Vibram Five Finger Treks!

I thought that I would try going full-time in VFF's, as a Podiatry site mentioned that if you were after the "supposed" health benefits - wouldn't you want to wear minimalist shoes all the time?  This tied in with the fact that my every day dress-shoes caused me knee and hip pain made it sound like a really good idea.   PLUS it should have the added benefit of decreasing any calf-pain while running since my calves will always be "Extended" by not being in any shoes with a raised heel. (see? it applies to running!)  I am wearing them with the Injinji socks today (and I still find the socks to be annoying.  Hopefully I will "get used" to them soon.)

On a running note, last night was a nice 4.5 mile run.  I am looking forward to starting my 18-week marathon training plan next week!

Post-Surgery Recovery update... And how it isn't going to affect my running!

So, as you probably recall, I had an inguinal hernia repair done on Jan. 6th.  Well, it has never totally stopped hurting following the surgery - but was far better, with a much lower pain level.  When I had stopped running to let my calf heal - it got progressively more painful.  The pain went both up and down my side from the hernia making it painful to sit/walk/do anything.  So, I finally called the Doctor and made an appointment.  the interesting discovery was that once I started running again, the pain got less. 

[caption id="attachment_441" align="alignright" width="260" caption="This is NOT my doctor."][/caption]

Yesterday I went and saw Dr. Brennan, the doc that performed the surgery. I explained what was going on, and where it hurt and how it got better when I was running. He had me repeat it, as it was the opposite of what is "normal" for pain like that.  He did reassure me (After checking) that I did NOT have a recurrence of my hernia.  Some ideas he had were that he may have put a stitch to near to a nerve, or something along those lines.

The Doctor also said as far as options to see what is going on, that MRIs and other "looking" types of medical tools aren't very good at finding hernias, or issues.  The real focus (in his eyes) were that I needed to ask myself - is this affecting my quality of life enough that I would want him to cut me open again, and see what was going on. (no.)  He did not seem worried however, and saw no reason I shouldn't keep running.  This was a good thing, as the likelihood of my stopping was quite low regardless.

So, after the quickest doctor's visit of my life - I was out the door.  On the way home I got a call - they decided to do an ultrasound next week, just to "make sure."

I know this entry isn't directly running-related, but as it affects MY running - I thought it worth posting!

Injinji Performance Toe Sock Review

Good Morning out there!  Today is an interesting post - but then aren't all product reviews interesting? I love to try new things!  Today you get to hear about my first run in my Injinji Performance Mini-crew Toe Socks!

One of the things I have been asked over and over in wearing my Vibram Five Fingers, is "Doesn't having things between your toes drive you nuts?"  Well, with the VFFs alone? No.  The Injinji socks are a bit thicker than the VFFs and I DEFINITELY feel them compared to just the VFFs.  This was to be expected, though it annoyed me as I walked around in them.    I was not going to let this get me down, as running in something is very different from just wearing them. The VFFs were very noticeable when I first started wearing them, but now I don't notice them.

2011 YMCA Corporate Challenge Race Report

So, most "race reports" I have seen on people's blogs are marathons or triathlons.  unfortunately, I am not up to those esteemed races as this point in life!  BUT I did do a 5k, followed by a 1 mile leg of a relay.  Lets see how those went.

[caption id="attachment_429" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="I can not possibly say enough good things about KT Tape!"][/caption]

It really started out at lunch time - when I stopped by home to grab my KT Tape.  Since my lovely wife was there, and she pre-taped my formerly injured calf for me.  Now fast forward to after work, I picked up my kids and headed over to the college that it was being held at.  I was a bit nervous about it as I haven't been running for the last 4 weeks due to injury, but Bryce and Elspeth (my son and daughter) did a fantastic job of keeping me from getting nervous! 

Quick Run!

As I am doing my first race today, last night was just a quick easy two miles.  The problem is the QUICK part.  I ran it one mile an hour faster than I normally go running.  Today, my two miles has made me a little bit sore, but my left calf is tight.  It's amazing how poor I am at doing the "Right thing" when I try to prepare for things properly!  I suppose the problem is that it was the perfect weather to run.. It was warm, but not HOT.  It was a little humid, but not anything abnormal. 

Tonight?  It's the "YMCA Corporate Challenge" over at Broome. I am doing the 5k race, and then will be doing the "Team Relay" that is a mile for each person.  I have had several people ask me how quickly I plan on doing the 5k - and I have no idea.  Last year I ran around 25 minutes, but that was pre-surgery and pre numerous injuries.  I will let you know how it feels!

Rest Days...errr.. Cross Training.

Good Morning! I have been thinking about rest days. As runners, we hate them and often skip them if we can. I posted on Facebook once that I had run two days, and that I felt guilty taking a rest day. One of my running facebook-friends quickly responded with "Studies have shown that if you are running it right, you can go six days a week." <-- I think that sums up most runner's mentality perfect. We run because we love running, and want to do as much of it as we can.

The counter to my running-friend's comment however, is the comments from physical therapists and sports doctors on how we are over-training. I was reading a sport's podiatrist's website that was discussing the foot-issues they have seen whose primary problem is that they don't believe in rest days!  On  Active.com, there is an article on how to improve your running - #4 is "Take a Break" .  My largest "injury-free" period this year has been when I was running two days, and resting for one.  The marathon training program I am going to be using has 2 rest days a week (still higher than that 6 days straight).

So, with all this "Resting" in the plan, how can I as a runner keep from going crazy?  CROSSTRAINING!!!!  I don't have a bicycle at this point, so that form of cross training is out.  I do like to lift on my non-running days. IT gives me the sense of having done something, while still giving my legs a chance to recuperate from whatever cruelty I have inflicted on them. It also has the added benefit of being #8 on Active.com's list - giving me the idea that I am even doing something right!

First "race" of the year.

This thursday, I am running in the YMCA Corporate Challenge at Broome Community College.  I will be running in the relay (3 legs, 1 mile each) and the 5k.  When I first came up with the idea of the agency I work for competing in it - It seemed like such a great idea.  With my surgery-site causing me pain and my recent lack of running due to my calf strain - this should be a rather interesting run. 

I ran this weekend, and (as usual) it felt GREAT to be out there, the VFF's moving as light as can be.  I'm back down to ~6 mph, but I am moving with one foot in front of the other - that makes me happy.  I am headed back for a follow-up with my Doctor regarding the hernia repair surgery.  The nurse agreed that increasing pain 5 months afterwards was probably not what should be happening.  But I Digress.

The running, followed by getting injured - has somewhat hurt my motivation.  When I walk out the door, I wonder what pain is going to start-up, or if I am doing something "stupid" without realizing it.  I am hoping that the 5k will help encourage me again. I need to get that "fire burning" and with 138 days to go, the timing would be good.  I should be starting the beginners marathon training plan by Hal Higdon at 126 days.  (For the math unfriendly, that is 12 days from now).

I suspect my time is going to be miserable, but I am looking forward to my first race in VFFs.  As long as I beat my non-runner co-workers, I'll consider it a "success."

3 miles with some small hills.

As my last post discussed, I have been looking at how to run hills.  Going up them hasn't been a problem, as that doesn't change too much between minimalist shoes and traditional running shoes.  But downhill... Well, that's been a whole new can of worms.  I went for a nice run last evening.   Due to my recent injury rate, I am no longer worrying about how fast I run.  My new focus is on trying to run injury-free, instead of trying to run faster/further.  I think that this may help me to be running MORE, and enjoy it more at the same time.

So last night I headed out with the plan of doing 3-4 miles, depending on how my hip felt (I had inguinal hernia repair in January, and

Downers (Now I am referring to hills)

About a month ago, I pulled my left calf muscle while doing a long hill run.  I hit the top of the mile or so long hill, looked around to enjoy the scenery and headed back down.  As I started down the long, steep hill it suddenly occurred to me -

[caption id="attachment_405" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Obviously, the runner pictured here is not me. Heck, I don't even know the person!"][/caption]

I don't know how to run down hill in Vibram Five Fingers.

A quick google on my phone let me know that you needed to move your feet fast, and control your speed by leaning. I made it down the hill, ran a ways longer and felt that *SNAP* feeling in my calf that you can read about - if you google "runners calf strain."  

Enough back ground, now the neat part.  As I obviously wanted to learn HOW to run downhill in the VFFs in a way that didn't end with me calling my wife to come get me, I did what we "computer geeks" do - and started googling online.  Believe it or not, I couldn't find any good information.  I found conflicting information on stand up straight, or lean forward/back.  This made me decide to go to everyone's favorite resource:

Downers. (I'm not referring to hills)

So, I had a real bummer of a day the other day.  The sort that sets a trend for the next few and there is nothing you can do about it.  The memory of the day replays in my head like a bad sit-com, or like watching the Cable Guy.  Just a horrible time, but there is no pause, stop or fast forward.

What makes this note-worthy is that I couldn't "run it off."  This is usually my "Cure-all" or how to fix bad moods, drop anger, run through disappointment, etc..  What was a first, was I was in such a foul mood that there was no getting up and running. I could only focus on how long I COULDN'T run.. How fast I WASN'T. 

Expectations, whether they be based in running or in other aspects of life - can often be a way of shooting ourselves in the foot. I have goals that I am working toward, and "Expect" to reach.  But these are things that I actively work toward, understand what could lead toward failure and try to plan to avoid those items.  But "expectations" are different from goals.  Goals we know the risk of failure, while expectations are like goals but with out that part.  Simply assumptions that things "will" go a certain way.  Maybe its the expectation that running a certain race won't be a problem, yet we dont' consider heat levels, or adjusting to minimalist shoes.  When we fail at goals, we can be disappointed, but usually it's not a huge surprise, and alternate plans are in place.

With an expectation, that failure may never have entered my mind.  With the failure of some thing that was simply expected to happen - the shock send me reeling and can floor me.  Herein lies the flaw. Nothing is certain.  There is a movement of some runners to "run smiley"  -  Failed expectations can really hurt that.

Today?  Today I will get back out there and run with a huge smile on my face. The time/distance won't matter. I am just going to have fun and enjoy the road going by and my five fingers flying... And will get back on this road with life itself. When someone asks me how I am doing - I will again be "Outstanding" -- because it is the choice I make.

Not my usual sort of post, I know. I haven't even  gone back and editted the phrasing or quality of the sentences.. It is what it is.  Its more of a stop in the road to turn around and get back to where I need to be!

Re-learning running in my late 30s.

Note:  I am excited! Yesterday I had the second most page views ever for my blog!  The only time I topped it was back in march - when I let people know I had a blog, and everyone checked it out - simply from curiosity on what I would write!  Now I just have to figure out how to get more commenters!  Thank you for reading!

So, I have started reading a wide assortment of blogs online.  From "Caution: Redhead Running" (the adventures of a currently injured runner, but her past stories of running are quite good) to "The Running Laminator" - a Dr. that explains some of the medical aspects to running, yet still does stupid things like running two marathons in one weekend (to be fair he pushes himself and documents things quite well - very good reading.) and just started reading "Silly Girl Running" tonight.  The problem I am finding, is most blogging runners seem to be younger, in their twenties.  Unfortunately, I have not had the privilege of retaining my age of the last decade of life, immortality has escaped me.  I and am now in the latter half of my mid thirties.  It makes a difference.

I am finding that I don't recover as well as I did in my lower twenties, and nor does my body forgive me as quickly for deciding to go out and do something stupid.  This is slowly coming home for me - and I am trying to do less stupid things.  This has been a partial success thus far, as I seem to be substituting one stupid thing for another. (ie: only running a mile to give my calf a chance to recover, but stupidly doing it fast and barefoot.)  I seem to have some issues with the "common sense" department when it comes to figuring out what is acceptable and what is not the brightest of ideas.  This is becoming a bigger problem as more time goes by, as the "penalty" for being wrong - it hurts more, and a causes more down time.

[caption id="attachment_394" align="alignleft" width="202" caption="I think this guy passed me in my last 5k.."][/caption]

I am hoping to trip across a treasure trove of mid to late 30 runners, trying to relearn how to run.  I have found some, but it seems to primarily be barefoot runners.  Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against that, but it is not going to be my primary focus.  I have also found blogs for runners in their 50s, but their obstacles are different from those that I have been encountering thus far. Anyone have any good sources of running blogs of mid to late 30's runners and the issues we face as we discover we aren't as young as we used to be?

oh.. And if they happened to discuss recovering from injuries and running a marathon 5 months later - that would be bonus..

 

Happy Feet! or "I love my Vibrams!"

[caption id="attachment_388" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Bryce Ran from the green dot, up through Rec. Park and back - The Blue Dot is where we stopped and stretched."][/caption]

So, Last night's run was a nice mile run with my son.  I am very proud of him - he can do 1 mile (in 2 legs of .5 miles each with a side stretch in the middle) in 13:42!  We enjoyed ourselves, did a full stretch at his 1/2 mile side-stretch.  It was a nice distance for a warm-up, and great preparation to help avoid more muscle strains!  We then headed back home, and he headed in while I kept going.

I picked up the speed a bit for my solo run and ran another two miles.  It felt sooooooo good.  My feet were happy as could be, and the whole run was a blast.   I ran faster than the previous day, and enjoyed it so much more!  I have a little bit of soreness on my right foot, where the muscles haven't been

being used for the last 3 weeks.  My physical therapist showed me a way to use the a can that you roll back and forth with your foot to massage the bottom of the foot.  Its an exercise they use to treat planar fascitis, but seems to work well to massage the arch of the foot as well. Its one of the exercises I have been doing in physical therapy to help strengthen my other foot/calf muscles.  You just put the can/ball under the foot like in the picture to the left - and roll it forward and back.  Luckily, its not a very complex exercise, so I can manage it!

 I am going to go back out in my Asics soon - as I don't thinkit is fair to judge them based on my first run after being off for 3 weeks.

Decisions on Vibram Five Fingers - The Cure for all that ails you? or a plan for injury?

 So, I went for a run last night in my Asics, after only using my Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs) as my primary running shoe for a while.  I found the run in general less enjoyable, especially the shoes. It seems that I really enjoy the range of motion granted by the VFFs, as well as the added ground feel that comes with the thinner soles.  In my reading however, I have found that there may be one major issue with using VFFs as my only running shoe.

[caption id="attachment_376" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Keith Olbermann's Foot on the David Letterman show."][/caption]

It seems they may cause stress fractures.   Keith Olbermann appeared on the David Letterman shoe wearing a "boot" due to a stress fracture in the VFFs.  There is an ongoing discussion on a podiatry forum I found online.  In regards to stress fractures and VFFs, the podiatrists were not the least bit surprised that people were reporting injuries from running in the VFFs.  Though to be fair on this one, they sounded as bad as the "church of the barefoot runner" folk do when talking about it.  They are hostile, non-helpful to people who might have inquiries about them - and just plain mean at times.  They actually search the internet (like my google search earlier) looking for people reporting foot breaks in VFFs, and then they mock them. So I take them with a grain of salt, just as I do the "VFFs/barefoot running will cure all your problems!"  Plus, add in the fact that if VFFs really do cure alot of foot problems - it will seriously cut in to a Podiatrists' bottom-line.

First five mile run, post calf-strain

[caption id="attachment_371" align="alignright" width="220" caption="Look! A Healthy Non-Complaining Calf!"][/caption]

So I headed out on a slow run to see how my calf held up.  I decided to run in my Asics rather than the VFFs, with a goal of stressing my calf out as little as possible.  I did run with a forefoot/midfoot strike rather than a heel strike. The good news?  The calf held up just fine - no complaints from it at all!  I did stretch after a half mile warm up, as well as half way through the run.  It didn't feel bad, but thought it was a good preventative measure.  I also stretched that good, health calf when I got home.

The run itself?  Honestly, it wasn't all that enjoyable.  It seems my cardio abilities have faded in the last three weeks, though I know that will return quickly.  I also started off behind a cigar smoking man walking down the side-walk - its amazing how long THAT smell stays with you!  Took me half a block to figure out what the smell was!

Anyway, back to my whining.  So the run wasn't as enjoyable as many of them have been.  I ran in my Asics, and the feeling of my foot hitting the ground simply isn't as enjoyable.  I know that those in the "church of the barefoot runner" (read that name on a Podiatry Forum) refer to shoes as "foot-coffins" and I really felt that way today.  To quote "Barefoot Kenbob" - it was like singing with earplugs in.   I suspect I was also dehydrated, didnt' sleep well, etc.. etc...  Lots of things came together to make this a really not-fun run.  I even walked at several portions of the last two miles, figuring better to hurt myself when I wasn't "feeling-it."  I am hoping that anyone that knows me passed me while I was running, not walking.

Still despite not feeling like the best run in the world, I am still glad I went.  I knew starting back into running after 3 weeks off (well, 2 weeks, plus 1 running day, and a week before that) wasn't going to be easy on the lungs and legs - but I really expected more "fun."  Think I will pull the Vibrams on for tomorrows run. Its simply more fun.

Learning more about barefoot running or Blisters are far better than pulled muscles!

So, its friday - always a good day for countless reasons!  Today, despite my graphic pictures posted yesterday, I am able to walk pain-free.  The quick recovery from blisters sure beats the weeks of recovery required for a calf strain!  After managing to do some pretty good damage to my feet this week, I wanted to figure out how I could do to prevent recurrance of the same pain.  My wife had a very simple solution - stop running.  This was followed up with other helpful suggestions of "stop running barefoot" and "don't be such an idiot."  I decided to keep looking elsewhere for ideas.

One of the things I had looked for in the past

Barefoot Running - Day 2!

Last night was looking to be a pretty busy night, and to be honest - if I had been physically up to running the distances I SHOULD be running, I wouldn't have even tried to work it in.  I was going to a Binghamton Mets baseball game that was sponsored by my wife's workplace (we were handing out free bags.)  I knew I wasn't up to 5 miles or so, but I decided I had plenty of time for a quick mile.  I had really enjoyed the mile I ran barefoot with my son the previous day, so I thought another barefoot mile would be perfect! (as a side note - this also had the added bonus of my VFF Bikila's not being all sweaty and gross, letting me wear those to the game.)

Running Again!

[caption id="attachment_349" align="alignleft" width="174" caption="Its not often you get to use a picture of a hurt calf multiple times..."][/caption]

So, I have not been allowed to run, due to my strained calf muscle - my physical therapist thought it would be wise to actually let it heal.  The only running one time in three weeks (which ended with my calf muscle being unhappy again).  Well, it hasn't "hurt" in over a week, although it has still felt tight.  So yesterday I asked my physical therapist if I could go and run - he told me I should wait until my doctor gave me the o.k. 

Well, since I wasn't seeing a doctor (he just gave me a reference to they physical therapist) - I figure it must mean I was good to go!  So I figured I would head out for a small run of a 1/2 mile to a full mile - which of course means that I was going to do a mile.  So I picked up my son after PT, we got hair cuts (less weight to carry around you know!) and then headed out for a run!  The only question ahead of time - was how I was going to limit myself to one

[caption id="attachment_348" align="alignright" width="300" caption="well.. it wasn't raining when my son and I went. and we weren't on a track. And we ran slower than this guy probably did. But other than that it was JUST like that!"][/caption]

mile and stay there (you runners that read this understand.)   Well, my son and I went out and ran it barefoot!  I figured it was a good way to work on my form, as well as making sure I didn't over-do it.

It felt great.