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!