Running with an Ankle.....Brace

Folks, it is week nine of the marathon training and things are getting crazy. I was sick and/or on Spring Break for most of March, which really messed up the running schedule. This week will be the first week in which I ran every mile prescribed since week 4, which was back in February. Aside from the time off due to the flu, I'm in pretty good shape.

  Thank ankle is still bothering me, often invoking a running stance akin to Quasimodo. Yesterday I took action and purchased a simple ($15 was as simple as they got) ankle brace, and that served me very well today. Not only was my ankle not as sore during the run, I feel I'm recovering better from the run itself. I always told myself that I would stop running if it required wearing a brace every time I run, so we'll see how recovery goes. I'll try a run next week without it. If I'm still in pain I'll see a doctor. My guess is that the ankle pain is some sort of tendonitis, but I have no way of knowing. Some of you may recall my self-diagnosis of a stress fracture, only to find out that it was shin splints. Ooops.

  Sunday was an awesome run. I ran with Forest and we covered the better part of Madison. Starting with the charity runners in a parking lot across the street from my in-laws, we ran the first 4 miles with them and then we lost them, or they lost us, either way we couldn't see them any more. The route took us around lake Monona, which is huge and quite picturesque. We could see the lake for most of the run and keeping it on our left were able to find our way back to the starting line. 

During a short out and back segment that we through in to make sure we had enough miles, Forest offered the option of returning the way we had already traveled or heading the rest of the way around the lake.  I take full responsibility for the fact that I chose to finish the lap around the lake, and that that is where we ran into all the hills. Forest was cursing my name, but I have to say I felt more in my element. Running the hills my legs opened up and I suddenly found it difficult to slow down so that he could keep up. All in all a great feeling. Especially since it was a good indication that I will kick his ASS in May.

  Yesterday, 2 miles. Uneventful, treadmill, blah, blah, blah.

  Today: 7 miles. Speedwork today! I did 5 miles on a track (plus one mile there and back) and maintained the prescribed 9:22 pace. I was surprised and encouraged that I was able to keep up the pace. The ankle brace held up, and I would guess that the slowing down that did happen in the end was entirely dehydration.

  Sunday: Sixpack turns 37, and he must run 18 miles. This is my favorite run of all of them. I'll leave the house and make my way to the Golden Gate Bridge, I'll run across it and back, then follow the path back to downtown and catch the bus home. I love running Golden Gate Bridge. It really gives me a sense of accomplishment!!!

Overall:

Miles: 25

Average pace: 9:45

Impression: Back On Track And Looking To Kick Forest's Proverbial Behind On My Way To The Beer Tent! (BOTALTKFPBOMWTTBT!)

Snow, Dial-up and Sixteen Miles

I'll keep this brief. I've been in Wisconsin for the past 10 days (I'm flying home today) and it has been nothing short of crazy. It has snowed no fewer than 3 inches while I was here, and they got 6" the night before I arrived. Wisconsin in March, you gotta love it.

Also, I've been way out of touch because my parents have dial-up, it's no wonder Forest never has anything to say. If it took me 20 minutes to write an e-mail I wouldn't be blogging often either.

Finally, Forest and I went for a 16 mile run yesterday. I  think it ended at closer to 15.6, but who's counting. It was a beautiful run. We circled Madison's lake Monona. It was a bit chilly, and a little hilly in the second half, but I feel great today and look forward to next week's 18 miles.

More later,

Sixpack

Practicing running for brats

>
Well on Saturday I went down to Rockford (Ill) to run with Kojak. (Scooter is having motivation problems, I think he's got to much on his plate and is burning out. I told him I thought he should drop to the half or the quarter. He still reads the posts just doesn't want to post because of the trouble, let's all let him know we've all been there and help give him the drive to keep going.)Back to the run, I got down to Rockford about 6:30 A.M. and had to get Kojak out of bed. In all fairness she had to Waite for me the last time we ran. We stretched and left on the run at 7:30, it was a nice morning for a 14 mile run. It was cloudy but warm,27 degrees. The course was mostly flat but we did endure a few hills but we made them. I have had a sinus problem like most of the rest of the drunk runners and I felt like a mucous factory, thank god for the farmers blow. Something I need to teach Kojak or she needs to carry a hankie. The first mile or so I wasn't sure how things were going to go but we settled into a comfortable pace and just rolled on. Kojak was a real trooper, she had to skip last weeks long run so this was her first run over 10 miles. I was impressed, she kept the whining down to a minimum and just pushed through. I'm not sure what she had to complain about though because all she was carrying was herself. I was the one carrying the nutrition and water, I felt like her pack mule. She continually complained about how terrible my choice nutrition tasted. She didn't want to take them so I had to take her by the head, stuff them in her mouth, hold her mouth shut and rub her throat until she swallowed. A little trick I learned growing up on a farm giving pills to stubborn animals. I swear she wasted more energy fighting the nutrition than she did running. We ran out 8 miles and then headed back, the reason for this was I didn't want to run up the enormous hills at the end of the run. Although it did make for a long two mile walk back to the house. Angel started to have a rough time starting at mile ten, she said she was hurting and exhausted. We stopped at mile 11 to stretch and see if that would help her.At mile 12 she was yelling at me because I would run ahead and then run back to her to give her some words of encouragement. She kept complaining about her leg but didn't want to stop. She was a real trooper, she put up with me and finished her first 14 mile run. We made our 2 mile walk back to the house where I made Kojak take an ice bath to help reduce the inflammation that would happen in her legs. I think she thought I was crazy but when she saw the difference in the way I moved around after mine she decided it was a good idea.When we were finished with all of our post run stuff Kojak's husband Kevin took the brats I had brought with off the grill for the final leg of the training. I have to say a brat is a great way to finish a run. When we finished eating we went to a running store and got her a new and properly fit pair of shoes. I think this week I'll have trouble keeping up with her because as we all know new shoes make you FAAAAAAAAAAST!!!!!


Mileage 22.8

average pace 11:08

over all impression: I'm not sure if that snail is getting faster or if I just feel like I am but he's always right with me. I guess I need to do more ice dance cross training. I know I'm fast just look at lexi's hair blow back!

P.S. Scooter we've all had to deal with Sybal. You want to run and she keeps telling you you can't. She tells you to just give up and walk home. When she says stop running you tell ehr screw you this is what I want and you are not the boss of me you psychotic bitch get off my back and leave me alone.
But Scooter don't do this outside while you are running people will think your nuts and call the cops and then we will all have to go to court and explain to them about how we all have a little Sybal in us. Well if they don't believe us at least you'll have company in the Loony Bin!!

8 Down--How many more to go?

My posts always seem to be sister-guilt related, but sometimes I just need a reminder to post...(That and the fact that I can't read the blog at work anymore as our IT dept has caught on to the "drunk" part of the blog name and blocked me.)

I've gotten back on the trail/treadmill after February's nasty sinus business and finally did my 8 miles today. It wasn't as hard as I was expecting, although I did get the evil side-stitch at about mile 6.5 but I was able to keep moving and thankfully it went away. I also got my first passing car "shout-out". I don't know what they said, but it was mile 7.5 and I know it wasn't because I was looking all cute...

Thanks to some over-the-phone coaching from Ginifer and Dr. PP over the weekend, I managed to go farther and my average pace was a minute faster than my previous long runs (14:00--slower than a speeding bullet but faster than my speedwalking mother). Even mile 4, which is always uphill most of the way and against the wind, was faster than usual. Sorry, girls, it was still a little chilly for me to try to the birthday running skirt but I'll give it a try-out at the Y on Tuesday.

I'm soooooo looking forward the massage I have scheduled for my day off tomorrow. :)

Born To Run 14 miles to the Taxi

It was a long run, but I was encouraged when I turned on my iPod and--on shuffle--it immediately began playing "Born to Run." I knew it was going to be a good day.  The route was one of my favorites, over the hill to Golden Gate Park, out to the Golden Gate Bridge, through Chrissy Field then over the hill to Pier 39, along the Embarcadero to the Ferry Building and then up Market until I reached 14.

  All in all a very good run. I had some issues right after completing mile 1. As near as I can tell, there is something my IT Band doesn't like about climbing hills at the beginning of a run and then immediately heading back down them. I was in so much pain for a little stretch there that I thought I was going to have to walk home. Instead I did some of those magic Deetschei stretches and I was good as new. I was still not 100% stable, but I decided to at least complete 4 miles, which would at least get me to a bus stop.  When I reached 4 miles I felt fine so I pushed on.

  There were a few stops/rests in the route. Potty break at mile 4, and again at mile 9, stretching at miles 1 and 11. I think that's it. I'm not so worried about such breaks as the end result is still 14 miles. After all, I've read advice that if it is too hot and humid for 14 miles straight you should break it up into 2 or 3 mile segments taking breaks to cool off and rehydrate.

  When I had finished 14 miles I took the bus home. Just as I was boarding the bus the song "Taxi" by Jawoll came on. I tell you, my iPod knew exactly what I was up to yesterday!

Yesterday's numbers:

Miles: 14

Time: 2:22:34

Pace: 10:10/mile

Catcalls: 1 (at 11.5 miles)

Cheered on because I crashed the course of a race in progress: 3 times

Overall Impression: Currently Walking With a Knee But Otherwise Not Too Sore Considering. (CWWAKBONTSC!)

Beer, Pancakes, Beer, Pizza. Rinse and Repeat!

I'd like to open by answering one of Dr. PP's questions in her last post:

It is the kind of soreness reminiscent of doing 100 leg presses with 50 lb. weights or lots of uphill sprinting. I don't quite know to what I should attribute this. Suggestions?

Answer: "Dude, 18 and 20 are really horrible. No, seriously."

Now that that is taken care of, I can get down to business. I've been battling more bugs than a housewife at a Lady Bug Picnic and I'm getting downright frustrated. Heartened, but frustrated. After the flu that lasted for 2 weeks, I still haven't fully cleared my sinuses which puts me at almost 3 weeks. Since Monday I've had what I'm quite certain is a DrunkRunner Inducted Stomachache. There are other potential explanations, but I'm pretty sure that marshmallows and pumpkin pancakes thrown into a stomach that is still struggling to digest last night's round of beers is not a good thing. To follow that then with another 12 pack and several slices "Meat Special" pizza, you have the eating/drinking habits of just one of the days of the DrunkRunner reunion.

  In spite of my ill health, I have been able to run a little bit. My two miles yesterday were wonderful! Unremarkable in time, speed or energy, but phenomenal in that I was back out on the road. I attempted to follow that today with 7 miles of speed work. At mile 2.5 my stomachache reared it's ugly head. I decided to pack it in when my attempt to run through it increased the pain. Therefore, I sit here now writing not having run the full 7 I was supposed to do.

  In light of this months events, I'm happy to have run 5.5 miles this week, and will try to do another 3 tomorrow to catch up. Then it is rest on Saturday, in hopes of surviving the 14 scheduled for Sunday.

Drink on DrunkRunners, and keep us posted! Where are you all at?  Scooter? Kojac? What Up???

"Dude, 18 and 20 are really horrible. No, seriously."

To be fair, I had been warned that 18 miles was nothing like 16 miles, but I simply couldn't fathom two miles making that big of a difference. Well, touché (or "tushy" as I like to pronounce it) veteran Drunkmarathoners, you are wise beyond your years.

While no running, but PLENTY of drinking, took place during the reunion of the 3 founding DrunkRunners, I felt properly chastised by my body when I returned to Texas and ran my 18 miler. One word: OOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUCCCCCCHHHHH! Funnily enough, what hurts the most in the days following that fateful run are not my knees, ankles, or calves; instead, my quads are absolutely killing me today. I suppose you could say that I am now running with quads. It is the kind of soreness reminiscent of doing 100 leg presses with 50 lb. weights or lots of uphill sprinting. I don't quite know to what I should attribute this. Suggestions?

I won't bore you with the details of my 18.29 miles (2:56:31). Needless to say, I got the job done. I need to slow my pace, because I am currently running a minute faster than pace (if you don't take into account stopping to drink, etc.). I think part of my soreness might be due to pace. I guess I will find out on Sunday when I have to run my longest training distance: 20 miles. And yes, Sixpack and Deetschei, I will take you at your word: 20 is gonna suck.

Here are some photos from our Drunkrunner Meeting of the Minds:

I know these pictures look like Sixpack and Deetschei saying, "If you take one more picture, I swear I will....." But when I look at it, I like to think they are saying, "Put down that camera and pick up that glass of wine, sista! We got some drinkin' to do!"


Stats:
# of Miles Run in Berkeley: 0

# of DrunkRunner-Approved Beverages Consumed: If I could count 'em, I wasn't drinkin' enough of 'em.

The whiner is still whining

Two weeks ago I woke up to do a 10 mile run and decided to postpone it due to rain and a mild hangover. When I awoke 2 hours later I had the flu. I don't know what happened in those two hours, but it was FUBAR! Now, two weeks and two days later, I'm still clearing out my lungs and sinuses. I put on 5 pounds and I'm sure I've lost a little fitness. I've also developed a little bit of an acid issue. I don't know how it starts or how it ends, but I've had it before. Just imagine a stomach ache that increases and encourages you to eat. Then you eat, and instead of getting better it gets worse. Needless to say, until I'm over it it will help me lose those 5 pounds.  :-)

Whining is now complete. I'm scheduled for 2 miles tomorrow and will do them! It's going to be nice getting back on the road, which we didn't do this weekend because Dr. PP was hungover and DJ was sick. I, on the other hand was the epitome of fitness and sobriety!

Never group run with your family!

If you do your sure to find out how much they like you. Saturday morning started out bad, I over slept. When I awoke I called Scotty and Not such angel Angel to let them know to take off with out me, they insisted they would waite, so I jumped in my truck and drove the 55 minute down to flat land to meet them. We took off and at first things were good, then Angel started to pull away ( I haven't been doing all my running, actually I've been really shorting myself so I'm out of shape) and I was pulling away from Scotty. Like a good group runner I slowed to make sure Scotty or Scooter was OK. Angel well she never looked back. Scooter was warn out so I gave him some magical sport beans and my magic water and set off to catch Angel. I had her in my sight but could never catch her. Did I mention I was in a strange place and wasn't sure of the route, well I wasn't. I had a car pull out in front of me and in that time I lost sight of Angel, I had an Idea of where to go and thought if I headed back towards a road I was just on I would find Scooter. Sure nice thought, I went to a road I had passed because I remembered Scooter and the Devil talking about the hill on it we had to climb. After a few miles I noticed a subdivision that looked familiar so I turned on it and kept running, did I mention we were supposed to be running 9 miles. I found out that the subdivision roads and houses were put in by a blind man. The roads were every where and all the houses look alike. I ran in the subdivision for about 45 min. before I found Scooters house again and I wasn't sure it was his because my truck was not in front of it.
I was going down to run with loved ones we were to do 9 and then I was going to go home and run my last 3 to get my 12 in, as it turns out I got my 12+ in and Scooter and not such an Angel got a good laugh.

Miles 12

Time about 135 min.

Pace I had a good conversation with a very cold and slow moving snail.

Prison Break Mania!

I've been out of commission this week with the flu, but thought I would check in here. I hate having the flu. All I can think of between episodes of Prison Break (9 yesterday alone) is how I'm not running.

  Here's how it happened. Saturday night we went to a birthday party. When I say we I mean Steve, Don and Don's drunken alter-ego Heinrich went to the party. Sunday morning it was raining and I was tired having only had 6 hours of sleep when my alarm went off. So, I hit snooze and went back to bed. Unbeknownst to me my body was already working on getting sick. When I finally got out of bed at 8:30 I was sick. Sore throat, tired, congested, you name it. It only got worse.  It is now Thursday and I'm pretty sure I am still running a fever although I'm here at work to teach my class this afternoon. I try to stay at the front of the room so no one get's breathed on. Not an easy task given my teaching style/method.

  So, I'm hoping, but not entirely optimistic that I will be back out there Sunday running at least 5.

Stats:

Runs: 0

Mileage: -20 miles

Prison Rape Death Count: 33 in 19 episodes. That's 1.7 per episode. And those are the one's I can verify. I think there were at least 3 more. These are the things I do when I'm sick. :-)

16 Down, 10.2 to Go

Hey You Drunkrunners!

Howzit goin'? I hope that the road has been treating you better than Scooter! My knees ache for you.

Speaking of roads, knees, and aches... I have a NPB (isn't that the fancy acronym you enthusiasts use?). Sunday marked the completion of my longest run to date: 16 miles. To make things easier, my dearest hubby agreed to be my waterboy and to accompany me on bicycle for the first ten miles. It was a warm, late-February Texas day, not the ideal conditions for a long run, but better than -30 wind chill and icy roads! So who am I to complain? I won't say it was easy, because it wasn't, but I got the job done. The attack of the chafing shorts made an early assault on my thighs around mile 9, which meant a stop at the house at mile 12 in order to reapply the nectar of the running gods (aka, Body Glide). I finished the run in 2:42:09 (a 10.07 pace). Still faster than my training pace, but that is fine, since I am not adhering to my speed work.

The excellent news, besides the fact that I actually finished the run without dying, is that running with an ankle, calf, shin, and knee might soon be a distant memory. After a trip to my (not-so-local) running store and forking over a load cash, I have brand new kicks. Honestly, going into it I was almost 100% certain I would come out with a pair of Brooks. I even told the salesgirl that. But, surprisingly, I fell in love with a pair of Nike. Who knew? I can only liken running in them to running on tasty blue-colored cotton candy clouds - and no, my shoes are not pink. The only slight drawback to these comfy little prancers are that they don't give back as much as my old pair of shoes. But hey, I needed to slow down anyway, right? In other running-apparel news, I thought I would show the DrunkRunners just how serious I was about my review of the running skirt. I submit exhibit A into evidence (note that I managed to work the new kicks into the pic too! how very efficient of me) :

Exhibit A*

It just arrived in the mail today (as an early birthday present) and I can't wait to wear it tomorrow for my 5 miler.

Sooo, back to running. This week is my recovery week. Hubby and I ran a 6-miler together yesterday evening. Slow pace, good conversation. Just what I needed after Sunday's death march. This weekend I will run another 6-miler with Ginifer followed by tasty steak fajitas and margaritas. Yuuuuuum. All in a week's work, dear Drunkrunners (do we also have Drunkreaders?)

That is my story for the week and I am stickin' to it.


* I swear that is really a picture of me wearing the skirt. I know my face isn't in the picture, but I am unmistakable by the "sausages" attached to my feet! And before you ask, that is the dog's crate behind me.

some KNEEded relief

After a day and a half off I dared run again yesterday. I did a 3 miler on the treadmill. It felt really good!! No knee pain no side stitch just some sweat. Good Stuff!! I believe the knee prblem I have been experienceing is in my LCL and is being irritated by running outside on the uneven snowy surfaces here in the midwest. I see the doctor Friday to verify this, but with the research I have done and the results from inside running seem to point to this. I am going to keep running thru the week til I see the doc and see how it goes.

Bad knee blues!

Week 7:
I ran 8 miles with Kojac today. I love running with a partner!! I find it very motivating! We ran our 7 miler together last week as well. The 7 miler was not so bad. It was a bit icy in spots but we worked through it.We had to stop 1 time to for a few seconds only to get me thru a side stitch the rest of the run was nonstop. YEAH us! We both thought that we were gonna die by the end but alas we prevailed to run again! My mid week run run SUCKED!! I was scheduled for 6 miles but had to surrender after a mere 3. I had no energy that day, no motivation and my legs were not cooperating at all. So yesterday I was not looking forward to. We found a new trail right around the corner from my house. It is a serene woodsy run(hear the birds chirping in the background?) overall the run was great.
However!! around half way i stared to get a pain in the outside of my knee. I had the same pain last week and kept running. it hurt at the end but was not debilitating. So, 5 miles in and the knee kicks in, I keep going and going. Right around 71/2 in I go to check my ipod and sometime around 7 miles I hit a button trying to switch songs and turned off my nike+. I paused in the trail for a second to see if I could get it to resume(which didnt happen by the way) and my knee locked up in that 30 seconds. I could not bend it to walk it let alnoe run. After a few hobbles I got it to bend enough that I could run like quasimodo. I had my left leg locked in a semi-bent position and ran with my right leg while swing my left leg from the hip. What a sight. I am glad we were in the woods so only the squirrels could laugh! I had to wear a compression brace the rest of the day. I could bend the knee until late in the evening.
Any ideas on what could be causing this. It does not happen on my shorter runs. I am going to consult my doc this week, But I cannot keep running if this is going to continue to happen. I am getting into alot of phsycal training at the fire station and cannot be slowed by a running injury. any such injury will knock me out of training until next January when the next class starts and we are half way thru.

You Just Can't Take the Hate Outta the Girl

Disclaimer: The political opinions expressed in this blog posting do not reflect those of my fellow DrunkRunners.

In true Haterella fashion, I managed to hate on Ron Paul today during my six mile run in the L.J. This brush with not such greatness occurred not once, no no, dear friends, but twice in a six mile span. Actually, I almost feel kinda bad for muttering something catty under my lack of breath as I ran past him, given that he is, for all intents and purposes, out of the elections. However, if it redeems me at all and makes me less of a hater in your eyes, I don't think my sarcastic comment was even audible due to the fact that I had to breathe through my gills because of the 99% humidity.

It was a bit surreal to run past multiple 4ft x 5ft signs in support of Ron Paul as Ron Paul walking past them. I wondered if that was some kind of ego trip for him. Hmmm. Something to ponder. He didn't look cheerful (which again, made me feel kinda bad for him). Then I thought, shouldn't he be out kissing babies or inciting anarchy? Sorry, I have become biased due to too many run-ins with rabid LaRouche supporters on the UCB campus. I hope I haven't alienated any of you dear fellow DrunkRunners or any of our readers.

As for the run, it sucked. I did the tempo run and stayed on/faster than pace, but it didn't feel like an invigorating run. Maybe the hate was weighin' me down...

"We are Family, I got all my Sistas with me..."

Glad to hear that ROWC and her nose are out there running (couldn't resist). I am also indebted to Ginifer for volunteering to ride her bike and keep me company on my 12 miler. It is amazing how fast time passes when you have someone to chat with and to keep you on pace! Unfortunately, Ginifer was not available yesterday for my 14 miler (the dreaded run that sidelined me with "a body" for three weeks the last time I ran it). The extra weight of 2 lbs. of water on your waist doesn't sound like a lot, but it can be enough to temporarily f*ck with your head and your normal stride/gait. It took me about 7 miles to really forget it was there (and by then, I had already consumed half of it)! Needless to say, having a water-girl (or boy) is a priceless thing. Hats off and glasses raised to you Tessa, for all those runs you accompanied Deetschei on your bicycle - I just hope you had a really well-padded seat. I realized after the 12 with Gin that more than 2 hours on a bike probably isn't too comfortable for the untrained bum!

Anywho, nothing clever to say about the last two weeks of training. I have been doing them and staying on pace. At the moment, I am not running with anything (which sounds like I have joined the NakedRunners instead of the DrunkRunners) too serious: just your usual aches and pains. A trip to FleetFeet in Houston next weekend for a proper shoe fitting should clear up those issues.

I do have one quick question for you tried and true marathon alumni. Regarding a comment by Deetschei, I believe in response to one of Scooter's posts, that speed work wasn't of the utmost importance, if one wasn't looking to break a particular record and if one was simply looking to finish the marathon the first time out; does this mean that I can skip speed work? And by "skip" what I really mean is can I put in the miles and do them at a faster pace than my long runs, but slower than the sprint speeds? I am concerned that my body (read: knees and ankles) are already being pushed to the limit right now with the long runs and last week's speed work seemed impossible. (E.g., last week's speed work called for 7 mi. (3 x 8.30 pace). Instead, I ran all 7 x 9.16 pace). Is this going to adversely affect me when it comes to marathon time? As long as I am staying on pace (or slightly faster than pace) for my long runs, should I be concerned about speed work? Thanks for any advice you all might have - and by thanks, I mean, I really hope you tell me that I don't have to do the dreaded, evil, torturous speed work ;)

(Not) Running with a ....

After unprecendented phone calls and emails from both Dr. Pavement Pounder and Ginifer in the same week (birthdays and holidays notwithstanding) to determine how training is going, I figured I might as well sign on and come clean. While my ailment isn't nearly as severe as other Drunkrunner brethren, it has been pretty damn hard to work up the will to exercise with a fever and a nose that requires a box of tissues to be permanently attached. Is there a patented Drunkrunner cure for this type of thing? :)

Ahhh, winter in Oklahoma--it can be 65 degrees and sunny one day (that was a terrific five mile run by the way) and 18 degrees and snowing two days later. Needless to say that I've been sidelined for the last week and a half. Luckily, I built an extra week into my training plan before the OKC Marathon. (I wish I could say it was thoughtful planning on my part, but I think I just counted wrong....)

Ankle Sprain

I probably should not have written about injuries without first checking the jinx potential of such an act. It turns out that I jinxed myself good. With an electrified jinxinator...On evidently the jinxiest day of my life.

As we were walking back to London Bridge last night (YES from a pub, NO I was not drunk. Okay maybe a little.) I managed to step onto a miniature manhole cover and twist my ankle. It was a completely random occurrence in which my foot found, among of all the surfaces in London, the one place where it most definitely did not belong at that given moment. It's unlucky and I'm still confused because I'm not even entirely sure what the function of this mini-manhole could be; do they have Smurf labor in the city that nobody told me about? Maybe it was put there just to trip me? By some evil pranskter? Called Tripolore?

Regardless, like all life-altering traumas ;), it all happened so quickly. I rolled over my foot and then pulled myself back up in a milisecond, but it was enough for me to realize instantly that I would not be finishing my twenty miles this week. Or maybe next week. Which puts a serious cramp in my goal for a thousand miles this year in only the second week of February. Bummer. I am officially out with an ankle.

Since I'm in the infirmary, and can not write about my current running affairs, I'll post a couple of pictures that pay tribute to two things: First is Sixpack's dogged determination to run the fire trails. Most people probably could not fathom why he keeps going to these steep and treacherous paths. Those of us who have experienced Brokeback Mountain first hand, however, know how hard it is to quit them. Which brings me to the second item, which is the passing of our old friend Ennis Del Mar. In honor of these two things are a couple of pics from Karneval in which we found ourselves dressing up as cowboys and getting drunk. And running. And repeating the cycle. Indeed, I managed to still run 15 miles in spite of the madness, and would have kept pace for an eighty mile month if this week wasn't ruined. So I was very pleased I could misbehave and stay disciplined all at the same time. Which really must be want drunkrunning is all about, right?





Way to go, everybody who is running right now. Keep up the great work! ;)

Running With....

That just about sums it up. This week I am running with...... Running with a left ankle, running with a lower back, running with a right leg. Pretty soon I’ll be running with an ego and/or psyche. Whichever comes first.

1. The ankle. This is the unaccounted for. Previous to the last few weeks I have never had issues with an ankle unless I fell and almost broke one. Now, I’m having pain in my heel right below where the shoe comes up to. Anyone ever had this? Advice?
2. The back. Simply put, it’s killing me. Riding back from wine tasting in Sonoma on Sunday (yeah, I know: Rough Life) I was unable to sit up in the car because my back hurt so bad. Mind you, I was already living up to the DrunkRunner Creed. I had put the seat in recline and turn the heated seats on high (see previous parenthetical note). When I got home I eventually fell asleep, but only after some serious painkillers.
3. The right leg. This is the big one, and I’ve got some good news. You may recall I have been struggling with this strange ass leg pain since last June. June 9 to be exact. I’ve had shooting pains down my right leg that come and go, occasional pain across the upper span of my gluteus maximi (sounds like a bridge) and just all around discomfort from this since day. Several months of physical therapy brought some improvement. Then I saw a specialist who recommended anti-inflammatory meds. No improvement. Then he prescribed Acupuncture. Overall there has been no improvement. So finally I will be going in for the MRI I was hoping he would prescribe months ago. It’s scheduled for Friday and I will let y’all know the results as soon as I have them. I’m not sure what the game plan is after that. Doc mentioned shots and/or surgery. I will take the idea of surgery very seriously. I’ve read many times that back surgery doesn’t always fix what was wrong, and of course, recovery is long. We’ll see. No matter what happens, I’m hoping that I’m on the road to recovery. I’ve been dealing with chronic back pain of a different sort since I was diagnosed with scoliosis in 7^th grade. That I can deal with, because I’ve done it for so long. Leg pain on the other hand? I’m not ready for that. To put it simply, I’m not of the belief that things like this come along and they are just part of life forever. I have reconciled with the back pain, because I have tried everything to fix it. This leg will be fixed, cod salmon!!!!!

 

The good news that should be apparent through all of this quetsching is that I am still running. Sunday I ran 8 miles in Golden Gate Park with my friend David. It was almost like having the DrunkRunners right there with me. We ran, we laughed, we talked about Brokeback Mountain. It was just like the old days. This was the first time in quite sometime that I have been able to run with a partner. That is the problems with training for marathons. It’s not as if there are hundreds of other people in the neighborhood that are also training. You can’t just say, “Hey Dude, wanna go out for a quick 20 miles?” Knowmsayin?

Today, after seeing the doc I went for 4 miles on the Fire Trails. This run is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It’s a great one. It’s uphill all the way and a great workout. My favorite aspect though, is that I know that if I can maintain the pace I’m supposed to going uphill then the downhill portion becomes a no-brainer. Not bad, eh? Today’s 4 was accomplished in a 9:38 pace—my training goal was set at 11:12. I think It’s time to adjust those numbers.

            Doing great! Just thought it was time to check in. I’ll post over the weekend to update tests, running and my progress.

 

Drink on, DrunkRunners! Drink on!

Please advise

What in the world id that annoying pain I get in my right side under my lower ribs? It usually "attacks" about mile 2 and lasts a good 5-10 minutes. Then it goes away.

A Running Skort, You Say? The Confessions of a Reformed Skort Skeptic

I know what you are thinking. I thought it too. Why in the world would you need to run in a skirt? Ridiculous and just a little impractical! I have never felt some undeniable urge or need to look particularly girly while running. The only person I had ever seen running in a skirt was a bottle blond with a fake tan,* which only served to reinforce my prejudice against such running attire. Well, dear female readers (and male readers who might find the idea of a running skirt appealing), I have come to the realization that running skirts are not simply about appearance! I recant any unkind remarks I might have uttered under my breath about women who wear skirts to run. I have been converted.

Me likey the running skirt, and let me tell you why. It feels like you are running in your birthday suit (minus the embarrASSment of people seeing your naked bum bouncing down the road).

Ginifer loaned me one of her recently purchased Skirt Sports "Gym Girl" skirts to try out.
She boasted about the comfortable waistband that gave the impression that there was no waistband. I was still highly skeptical. For those who didn't know, but might care, running skirts tend to be a combination of compression short with a skirt overlay. This particular skirt is made with mesh compression shorts - never fear, the mesh is thick enough that if the wind were to blow your skirt up a bit, you wouldn't feel like you had just flashed the entire neighborhood. They are sewn together and depending on the brand, can either be amazing or look dumpy and ride up while running. The skirt mentioned above belongs to the former category.**

I have been a Nike Tempo Track Short kinda girl for the last 1-2 years. Lately, I have been highly displeased with the amount of "creep"*** that I have endured while running. The compression shorts prevent the "creep" and chafing that occurs with regular shorts while the skirt hides the compression shorts.

Now, I have tested only this one brand of skirt, so I can't speak to all running skirts out there (although I tried on a few the other day and could immediately "see" why the TRIKS - skirt spelled backwards- Gym Girl was more expensive. Sometimes the old adage is really true: you get what you pay for.

To all those skirt runners out there, I apologize for hastily dismissing your decision to run in a skirt for superficial purposes. I see now that there are comfort benefits to running in a skirt and I might just run the OKC marathon in one! And, not to brag, but I looked awfully cute in that running skirt! ;)

* Oh, by the way, this is the pot calling the kettle black. Yes, I used to be a blond and I used to be tan. I never said I wasn't just a tiny bit vain!
** A word of caution: if you sweat a lot, like me, go for a darker color like black to avoid any unsightly sweat stains that might be misconstrued to resemble Fergie's pee-pant debacle.
*** Something akin to my inner thighs eating my shorts but not to be confused with camel toe!!!!

An affair with mother Nature!

Well, here I am... Just in from my final run of week 4. What a week it was!!
Monday = 3 miles 45deg. not so bad.
Wednesday = 4 miles -7 deg. finished but must admit I wasn't lovin it by the end. I never knew you could run with frostbite on your lungs. I believe my testicles even popped back out sometime last night from "hibernation"
Saturday = 5 miles 26 deg. I finished at an 11:38 pace. overall not a bad day. I did have to stop for a breather a couple times. I kept them short. But with that being the longest I have ever run in my life I am satisfied. i now have a goal to beat for my next 5 miler on Weds. fewer stops at same pace.
My hip is coming along slowly. I believe it finished only a minute or two behind me today!! I did give it a shot of IcyHot before I ventured out. Semmed to do the job.
I am finding myself in limbo (would rather be finding myself in Cancun) regarding the marathon. I just dont know if I have 26 miles in me. I may be setting my sites too high. i can't decide if I should stay focused on a possible 26 or back down to 13 which I feel I can hit. I dont really want to pull back until i break that 10 mile marker. I hear after that it is all down hill.

Gotta run.. I would really appreciate any input on the whole limbo issue.

P.S. Love the Olsen twins reference Sixpack. I bust up everytime I think about it!!

The 50-Mile Month and the Attack of Pooperella and Mr. PP

It's been an exciting week. Earlier this month I made a resolution on Nike+ to run two marathons this year. As part of that resolution I was asked to set a goal for the month, which I did. That goal was 50 miles.  I didn't think it was even realistic, and then I took a look at where I stood last Saturday. 23 miles later and I reached my goal with 3 miles to spare!!!!! I'm totally psyched and feel like I've finally got some momentum going.

  This was the first 50 mile month I have run since completing the marathon LAST January, which has me feeling pretty good. Interestingly I logged a 57-mile December in 2006, after only getting my iPod on Christmas Eve. Yes, that is 57 miles in 7 days. It's been a long time since those days. I'm hoping to one day see them again.

  All three of my runs this week magically kept me out of the rain. It rained every day I ran, but I managed to get out and back before it all started. Not bad, not bad. Tuesday was 7 miles and it was a nice run. I was to do them in a 9:56 pace, and I managed to do that despite a massive attack of the Pooperellas and Mr. PP. At mile 4 I was considering looking for a bush, and when at 6 miles I finally got to Deetschei's favorite Berkeley port-o-pottie I was able to get Mr. PP off my back, but sanitary conditions precluded Pooperella. That would have to wait until I got back to the gym. I now know what Dr. PP would often go through. This was the only run I ever considered giving up due to bodily functions. Discomfort would be the best description of it.

  Thursday it was back to the Berkeley Fire Trails for a 9-mile run. Again, that's 4.5 miles uphill and then 4.5 miles down. It was intense to say the least. I still haven't reached the top of the Fire Trails since the now infamous JW Run. Perhaps I will find it at 10 or even 11 miles. I'm not sure. Either way, I must say there are few day-to-day running accomplishments that compare with the knowledge that at the top of that incredibly long hill, it's all downhill from there. I felt like Jack, as I hollered "I'm King of the World!" (Psyche!!!! I didn't make a Brokeback Mountain reference.)

  All in all a great week and more than I had expected this early in the game.  My times are good, my distances are better and I'm feeling pretty good. I'm still running with a Hip Flexor, but that is also getting better.

Week in Review:

Miles: 24

Overall time: 4:01:15

Average Pace: 10:03

Overall Impression: Marathon, I Thought I Could Quit You, But I Can't! (MITICQYBIC!)

Drunkrunner Approved Food

Nearest and Dearest Drunkrunners and Drunkrunner Fans,

I wanted to share this absolutely freakin' fabulous meal with you. Ben, my personal chef, um... I mean my husband, prepared this brilliant savory pie (Deetschei, you will appreciate this), based on a recipe from Jamie Oliver (formerly known as the "Naked Chef").

Drum role please....... it is the Guinness and Steak Pie. Now, alone the fact that it contains Guinness OBVIOUSLY makes it an approved Drunkrunner food. Don't even get me started about the sharp cheddar (preferably Wisconsin, duh!) and the puff pastry crust. Not to mention, I can personally attest that there are no adverse affects of consuming this dish the night before a long run (in fact, I credit it with my fast, time-bending, blinding speed) ;) I would have to say it registers a green (low risk of vomiting and cramping) on the food threat advisory system.

Voila!

I won't post the recipe here, but if you are interested, let me know and I will pass it along to you. It is so pretty. Too bad it is all in my belly! BWA HA HA HA! (And has probably worked its way to my hips and thighs) :(

The McClard Family Bratfest

Forest hasn't had a chance to enlighten you all, but the Drunkrunner evangelical movement is taking hold. Through Forest's hard missionary work recruits for Bratfest are increasing daily.

So far, all members of the greater McClard Clan, entrants are:

Forest, myself, Sandi F. Patti and of course MamaSchu (for those that are counting, and know the count, that's the entire ensemble of Backman Siblings), Sandi's daughter Jillian, our cousin Scooter, our cousin from another mother Angel, and our cousin from yet another mother Robin and her son Dexter. There may be more that I just can't remember right now. All of the above mentioned will be tackling races from the 1/4 marathon, to the 1/2 marathon, and a few full marathons. For most of them Bratfest will be the longest race they have ever run. I believe the only exceptions to that are Forest, Angel and myself who have all run marathons, although I can't recall if Angel has or not, but that's not important right now. These family members are all from the McClard side of the family, a scottish clan well versed in drinking and adversity. All in all, perfect candidates for a marathon.

There are now two things to look forward to.

1.  If I've said it once, I'll say it a thousand times: BRATFEST.
   
2. Ray, Scooter's step-dad, will be waiting at the mile 24 marker with a cold bottle of New Glarus Brewing Co. Beer. Yes, you read that right, Beer at mile 24. Trust me, once you've made it that far, your body is too starved for energy to notice the alcohol.

Over the coming weeks I hope more McClards will join in, so welcome them all when we hear from them. And thanks Forest for the amazing recruiting efforts!

I'm back

Please keep the theme from Rocky playing as I announce my return from retirement.
It has a been a long struggle both with age (aches and pain) and just not enough time and or energy ( Anatomy and physiology kicked my ass and brain). But Boys and girls Friends and DOCTORS I'm BACK!!!!! (lower theme music in head while I tell you the story).
Since the Madison Marathon I've been thru a few trials both physical and mental (yes I've gotten professional help for both, thanks for your concern). The back is feeling good and they repaired my rotator cuff Jan 3rd. The Pt has given me the OK to start back running, but I have to start slow so I don't end up with tendinitis. (please switch music to "Eye Of The Tiger") I have set up a revised training plan, I will be a bit behind but will catch up. I've been running the chickens on the tread mill and built a bigger chase pen. This year speed training will be a blast. When I cross the finish line for my second marathon I can proudly yell "YOHHH Adrian I did it".
I would like to extend an invitation to all to join us in Madison. We will again start at the Capitol and end at "The Worlds Largest Brat Fest" Oh and they have beer as well. I'll keep this short, just wanted to let you all know Forest has entered the race.

P.S. I have had and will have limited access to the www but will keep posting and supporting my fellow drunk runners.

In Honor of Kenya

In honor of the Kenyan Method, I decided it was okay to meet some friends at the pub Saturday night, knowing full well I had to run ten miles on Sunday. I drank anywhere from 4-7 pints before stumbling home on the last train, resolving to run at 8 AM. Around 1PM I finally laced up and rolled down the stairs. It wasn't pretty.

Thankfully, I knew going into my run that my A game wasn't an option, so I took it easy and just focused on grinding through it. My main objective was to avoid some of the steeper slopes in Greenwich Park, and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a way I could get to the second half of the park, which is on a high plateau, without resorting to either donkeys or being pulled on baskets attached to long ropes. Ultimately, I settled on a path that diverged before my normal run, which skirts the outside wall. I figured it would approach the hill more gradually than the usual route, which runs directly at the incline.

Against all logics of topography and probably physics, I somehow messed it up completely and ran up an entirely different hill before being deposited at the base of the very incline I was hoping to avoid, rendering my hangover-addled plan a complete failure and my hangover-addled body a complete wreck. Hills and beers simply don't seem to mix. Which must be why bars are generally built on flat terrain.

I ditched my usual hill strategy and got up to the upper area with a strategic combination of bitching, hating, and moaning that I learned on the fire trails. After that, the run was solid (endorphines + downhill) if uneventful, and I just rolled home and logged the time (around 9:20) without any further event.

Since I was tapering in the first week of January, I will end up about four miles short of my monthly goal in my attempt to run 1000 miles this year. But I feel pretty confident I can make that up in February, because um, it's a longer month (?). This week will be twenty two miles if the pints don't have anything to say about it. Next week, being German Karneval, promises to offer all kinds of challenges in balancing alcohol intake and running. I might be forced to attempt that elusive goal of actually drinking while running, something that Forrest perfected in the last miles of his marathon. I am, however, always up for a challenge.

refreshing run in a Cailfornia freeze!!

AHHHHHH!! Today I had my first run of week 4. I was able to venture outside today into a wonderful 45 deg afternoon (I understand that that is freezing in Cali). It was what I believe to be my best run to date! 3.2 miles @ 11:34. It felt good, I felt like I could have easily gone 5 today, but I didnt want to break training. Forest has become my mr Myagi(sp.) a little 80s flashback.
Week 3 was a little harsh. I began to develop a "hip" early on . I still was able to log 10.5 but it was tough. My right hip was giving me some pain and I can still feel it just not as much. I am trying to not over do it, I have been taking a boot camp class at the local Y on M,W,F in the morning before I head in to the office. The class is a really good cardio/core workout. I took forests guidance and today started to scale back my excertion in the class as to not further my "hip" I will see how it goes over the next few runs then re-evaluate the class. My fireman training class has begun to get into the more physical aspect. But that is just making me sleep better at night.
I will update after my 5 miler and let you know how the hip is comin along.

Running with a Hip Flexor and a Back!

Neither my hip flexor nor my lower back are "injured" per se, but both are little tight and painful. I've begun some extra stretching in an attempt to alleviate some of it. My hip flexor actually hasn't been the same for a few months now, but I tend to forget that because it only really hurts when I go up an extremely steep hill, like say the fire trails.

  My run on Sunday, 8 miles, was mostly uneventful. It was long, that's for sure. It took me 8 miles through the city and was quite beautiful. I managed to sneak it in between rain storms, which was nice.

  It was a 14 mile week, and has me on track to start the intense training next Monday, which, Drunkrunners, marks 16 weeks until the Madison Marathon, or as I prefer to call it "The Longest I've Ever Run to Get a Bratwurst!"

Overall impression:

Total miles: 14

Time: 2:27:02

Average pace: 10:30/mile

Overall Impression: Slow and Steady Wins The Race. I'll Work On Speed Soon! (SASWTR.IWOSS!)

Quelle Surprise!

So, I think I have discovered one factor causing me to "have an ankle and a calf." During my last few runs, I had developed a sore spot on the top of my foot where the tongue of my shoe and the knotted shoelace rested. On a whim yesterday, during my 10 mile run, I decided to loosen the laces. Quelle surprise! The calf and ankle pain almost vanished entirely. Now, that is not to say that my calves weren't still tight, but I certainly wasn't getting the same shooting pains I had previously been experiencing. It seems like such a little thing, but it can have such an unbelievable affect on how you run. I simply assumed that I should lace my shoes snuggly and tightly to increase stability and avert any potential ankle injuries. Hmmmm. Apparently they were just a little too snug and tight.

Anywho, since I last posted, I have logged 27 miles (incl. last week's 9-miler and the aforementioned 10-miler). My speed work and tempo runs are going really well, which unfortunately means that I have not been sticking to my New Year's resolution to slow things down. I simply find it - and this is going to sound wrong - easier to run faster. I would love to talk about momentum, velocity, acceleration, and forces acting on objects, etc., but I skipped Physics in high school. Simply put, it is all psychological with me. When I catch myself running faster than my scheduled pace and I think about slowing it down, my next immediate thought is: "If I slow it down, what if I keep slowing down and then I am running slower than my scheduled pace and have to push to try to speed back up. BLAH BLAH BLAH." It sounds absolutely stupid, I know, but these are the thoughts that go through my mind over a 90-minute period of time. I blame it on my competitive nature. In my head I am competing with myself and my previous paces and the idea that I can always do better and go faster. This is where a running partner would come in extremely handy, somebody to help keep me on pace and get me out of my head!

Speaking of being in my head, it also dawned on me around mile 5.5, that I couldn't remember the last time I was plagued by side stitches - something I used to struggle with and which could wreck even the shortest run! Of course, after coming to that realization, I promptly began worrying that I had just jinxed myself and that suddenly I would become the victim of a paralyzing side stitch. Tragedy, however, was averted.

Besides all the mind games I am playing with myself, I am feeling really good. This week will be my recovery week (5-5-5). The week after next I will be challenging myself to run the furthest I have ever run (a 16-miler) and it will only go up from there. But, I am feeling optimistic, now that I have that whole shoe lace business sorted out! Let's hope that is the end of the ankle and calf!


Week's Stats:
Distance: 18
Avg. Pace: 9.06
# of Rabid Dogs Chased By: 1
Overall Impression: Mental Note To Self, Need To Start Carrying Mace To Ward Off Wild-Eyed Dogs (MNTSNTSCMTWOED)

Hey! Where is Forrest by the way? How is your recovery going?

WWJWD?

I headed to the gym today on a blustery cold, for California, day with the task of running 6 miles. When I say cold we're talking somewhere below freezing. In fact, the weather channel registers the current temp as 47, but with a note that it "feels like 40", thus substantiating my claim that it is well below freezing out there.

  As I dressed in the running clothes I had brought to school on Monday and neglected to use until today I contemplated who actually packed those clothes. Somebody, and I'm not pointing fingers here, somebody thought it would be a good idea to run in a sleeveless shirt and shorts. As I changed I contemplated logging those 6 miles on the treadmill. Once I had stretched I found that all of the treadmills were full, which means I wouldn't be able to comfortably, i.e. guilt-free, be able to occupy a treadmill for in excess of an hour while others waited to complete there requisite 30 minute workouts. So, I asked myself "What Would JW Do?"

Answer: He would run the Berkeley Fire Trails. So I did.

3.25 miles uphill, one complete right foot submersion in a puddle, and a path that felt like a slip and slide.  Then turn around and do it all again. My favorite part of the fire trail run these days is getting to run past the tree sitters. I don't know why this brings me joy, but to see a bunch of nut bag vegans protesting the removal of 15 trees that were planted within the 20th century, BY the University, while acres of forest are being removed in South America in order to produce beef, just instills in me a feeling of irony that is not easily surpassed.

  Overall a great run. Sloppy, muddy and cold, but you get used to the cold. I did get a few stares when I was nearly finished and was actually walking in my sleeveless shirt among the parkas, scarves, and hats on campus.

Kenyan Marathoner Killed

Here's another reason to worry about what's happening in Kenya. The very people who inspired our patented drinking/running method are dying.

http://www.kpho.com/news/15105634/detail.html

Catching Up

I don’t know how many of you read the “The Sports Guy”, but I’m guessing its not many. The reason I bring it up is because about two years ago he began poking endless amounts of fun at sportscaster Al Michaels for excising the word “injured” from his injury reports. Michaels would say things like, “Tom Brady is out with an abdomen”, and this forced the viewer to derive that the abdomen was not healthy. If the player played on with the injury, then Michaels would presumably say, “Iverson is playing with an elbow.” The humorous bit is, naturally, that of course he is playing with an elbow. They all are. Two of them, in fact. (Interestingly, Al Michaels has never mentioned that Manu Ginobli has played basketball for years with no testicles.)
Anyway, in the spirit of all this, I want to remark that I am currently “running with a leg”. It is an injured leg, to be sure, but I like the look of a sentence that implies I am somehow doing all of this pogo-style.
The leg isn’t too bad, really. I just have a perpetually tight hamstring that is slowing me down and making me crawl up and down the stairs that separate our bedroom from everything else in our apartment. Classic post-race fatigue. I’m capping the miles and slowing the pace, and I’ll let you know in a week how it goes. In the meantime, we have a lot of catching up to do, and quite a few photos to dump.
My last month of half-marathon training took place in America, where I mostly had to re-learn how to dodge SUVs. This is similar to dodging buses in London, but at the same time quite different. You see, they come from a different side. It doesn’t sound like rocket science, but it’s a miracle I’m still alive. Partially because I’m not a rocket scientist.
Most of my running was in Phoenix, which is a place in which I’ve never really enjoyed running. There’s too much suburbia, and not enough burbia. However, my parents recently moved into a new house even further from the airport than before and as a result, I did most of my running in some very high quality desert.



No smog, no commotion, just me and the medicine men. I even had a fight to the death with coyotes, and saw a scorpion. Well, the coyotes ran away from me as soon as I got close enough for them to smell me, and the scorpion was hiding under the beer cooler in a decidedly non-running moment. But you get the idea. It was different, and I enjoyed the temporary shake up.

During training and pre-race preparations, I scored all kinds of running loot for Christmas, which can basically be summed up by the twin phrases “running tights/unitard thing” and “new shoes”.



For some reason, the sleeves on my new running outfit are long, and have a hole through which I can extend my thumbs. I do not understand this at all, because although I now have warm knuckles, I have a disconcertingly cold thumb.



I can’t even ignore the thumb-hole. I have to use it, because it is there. The shoes, meanwhile, are New Balance. I switched from Brooks because the sales lady implied that to not do so would be boring. Listening to her weak sales pitch might make me the stupidest consumer alive. I like New Balance, but I loved my Brooks and will immediately switch back after I dutifully kill these with miles. They are just not the same.
Anyway, after about twenty total miles on a treadmill in Chicago, I returned to Phoenix and ran my last “big run” before the halfer, which was supposed to be 12, but ended up being longer than 13 because the treadmill screwed up my Nike Plus for all eternity. I am convinced of this. (Pre-treadmill: near metronome-like accuracy. Post-treadmill: drunken weatherman-like accuracy. This is proof enough for me.) The run was smooth, but not fast, and pretty much set me up well for the half-marathon that was (interestingly) fast, but not smooth.



The actual race itself was a bit of a blur. There were bands at every milepost, and a lot of junior high cheerleaders. I mostly listened to “Car Talk” and tried to hover around 8:20 miles. I think my best mile was around 7:54, and my worst mile was around 8:56. I suppose if you put those two together, then you will arrive somewhere near 8:20. At the end they gave us medals, popsicles, and silly foil capes so we could pretend we were superheroes.



I then tried to find my family among the 34,000 participants. Luckily, they found me right as (this was weird) an impromptu dogfight broke out when a pit bull attacked a Labrador. Needless to say, that part was fucking nuts and I failed my first test as a superhero by running away.
Okay, that brings us up to date, and I again beg forgiveness for my lack of posts over the holiday. There is something about the blogosphere that is so unappealing when bowl games are on ☺. Right now, I’m in maintenance mode, which means logging twenty-mile weeks until I decide whether I want to run another half-marathon in March. And then, I will sit down at a small table in a dark room and seriously discuss running a marathon in either Berlin or Cologne with Sixpack. I’ll keep you posted.

2 in the bag

Well, here I am.. Week 2 is now history!! The week went well, I am adhering to the program religiously and I am still feeling great(and i'm still alive) 4 months ago I never would have imagined running for anything with the exception of another double cheeseburger or beer!! Know I am on the run 3 times a week have had no fast food or beer since mid September and unbelievably have never felt better!!
My only complaint is that it is only mid Jan. and it is colder than @!#% outside!! I am so ready to hit the outside and get off of the treadmill.
Week 3 will be a challenge but I am up for it.

Post #300!!!!!!

Yes, it's true, this is the 300th post on Drunk Runners!

Congratulations for all those miles, all that kvetsching, and all those typos!

Now, down to business. It's been a pretty good week here, although, I'm feeling a little sluggish. The week started well with a 6-miler, and a couple workouts then Friday happened. For those not in the know, which I think is all of you. I was diagnosed with a Schatzki Ring in November. It's kind of like a knot in your muscle, but instead of tightening your shoulder it can cause obstructions in the esophagus, see my November 21, 2007 post for further details. I've spent the last two months working through the insurance hoops, flaming hoops, and all other obstacles placed in my way, so that I could go in yesterday to have the Ring fixed.

  Well, my precious, in order to fix it they had to go back in with an endoscope and then blow up a balloon to expand my throat until the knot broke and "relaxed" the muscle again. Although I never complain about anesthetic, the recovery can be a bit taxing. I was groggy all day yesterday and am still not feeling 100% today. I will, thus, go for my run tomorrow. 8 miles! Can I do it? Yes, I do believe I can and will!  I'll keep you posted.  In the meantime, I'm feeling really good, and can swallow anything, thanks for asking.

Run-Schmun

Can't I just sit on the couch pounding a bag of potato chips and guzzling a 2-liter of Dr. Pepper in order to train for the marathon? I think my dear friend "Smells" had it absolutely freakin' right when she gave me her take on exercise. (For those of you who don't know Smells, she was not only my drinking buddy back at Berkeley but she was also my workout buddy.) One day, while punishing ourselves on the Precor Elliptical machines at the RSF - machines we waited probably a good 45 minutes for and fought tooth and nail to get by glaring at the skinny 18 year olds who were talking on their cell phones while "working out," but I'm not bitter - Smells noted that the higher powers that be should have given us "hot bods" in our youth with a sort of "repayment plan." You get the great, in-shape body up front and then have to workout to keep it. If Smells were running for the office of said higher power, she would totally get my vote. What a brilliant motivation to stay in shape and to stick to your training plan!

Wait, how did I get on this topic? Oh right, the weather it total crap today and I was running the risk of getting behind in my training plan. However, a quick trip to the local sporting goods store for a pair of running tights (yes, it is true! I bought a pair and I don't look half as good in them as Sixpack does!!!!) and a new longsleeve shirt to motivate me to get out in the cold drizzle to do my 5 miles. Mission accomplished. It wasn't as bad as I had imagined and I feel good to have it out of the way so that I can start thinking about my 9-miler on Sunday.

Like ROWC, last week's training flew by without a hitch. I think the three weeks off over the holidays gave me "fresh legs" because I am running faster than I was before the break. However, I am still sticking to my plan of "slow and steady." I was scheduled to run last week's 8-miler at a 10:39ish pace and managed to slow myself down to a 10 min. pace. I think that if I can focus on slowing down, I will minimize my risk for injury before the marathon.

Anywho, I hope that everyone is having a good week. For those of you with access to indoor treadmills, I envy you! Keep up the running and posting. Scooter, how are things going and are the miles getting any easier? Ginifer, how is your training? ROWC, post a pic of those big ol' honkin' new shoes of yours when you get them. Sixpack, when do we get the promised Speedo pics? And Deetschei, what about the photo of your running suit???

Hitting My Stride, I Think....

So I know it's only week 2 in my training, but I can already tell a difference. Thanks to a little field trip out of the gym and onto the road this weekend with Dr. Pavement Pounder I found a good pace (faster than a brisk walk) and was able to do the whole run today without stopping. It was only 2 miles, but trust me--that was a personal accomplishment.

I followed some other very good advice and made a beeline to the Fleet Feet store in my area last week. I have to say, for a beginning runner, it was a terrific experience. The salesman had a lot of good suggestions and with the aid of a video camera, a treadmill and a skeleton's foot (for illustration purposes only--no voodoo involved) got me into a great fitting pair of shoes. Unfortunately, with my freakishly large feet, they had to special order them, so it will be another few days before I actually get to wear them.

P.F. Changs 1/2 Marathon Result

Hey All!
Well, it's nice to see so many new faces and so many great posts after my holiday hiatus. I'm just checking in to give my result, then running off to pack since I fly home very early tomorrow.

Total Time: 1:49:15

All in all it was a good run, but I had one bad mile that cost me a personal best. Basically, I got blisters for the first time, then cramped from gu, and then my knee went wonky...all at the same time. So I ended up with a 8:59 mile between 11 and 12. I recovered in the end, and still finished very strong with a 8:11 final mile. I'm not complaining one iota-- It was a great run and a LOT of fun.

Keep up the great work everybody! I look forward to getting to know some of you over the next year :)

I Love You, Lance Armstrong!

Another week of running is over. Yes, it's true. It's the second week of training and things are going very well, I do have to say.  First, I scaled the leg workout way back this week, and saved my energies and soreness for the run. So far I think it's going to work. I'll add a few pounds to the leg workout next week and see how that goes.

The run today, because I blogged about run one earlier this week, went really, really well. It was the usual Glen Park Monster, which entails a two mile run to the bottom of the hill (Yeah, take that Midwest flatlanders! It's two miles just to get to the bottom.) and then three miles up the hill, a mile running in circles at the top and then another mile home. It's a great run, and a very fun one. The best news? SUN! We saw the sun today for the first time in over a week, making it a beautiful run. So beautiful, in fact, that I almost took my shirt off, but it was a little chilly. Outdoor temp when I left for the run was 59 degrees. Not bad, not bad.

  Today is what running is all about. A beautiful day, some time outside in a great city and a good workout. Things feel good and I'm moving on. And when it was all over Lance Armstrong came on my iPod and congratulated me for running my longest run yet! I love hearing from Lance. Strangely it really does motivate me. Not because I have some delusion that Lance really does care, but the knowing that when I hear him I've pushed myself even further just gets me pumped.

As an aside, I read an interesting article by Kristen Armstrong (the ex-wife) in Runners World and I thought I would share it here.  It's entitled: Pretty Strong and  it just pulled at my heartstrings in it's honesty, it's motivation, and the way she works so hard to set a good example for her kids.  Enjoy.

Zusammenfassung der Woche:

Distance: 13 miles

Total time: 2:00:28

Average Pace: 9:15

Overall Impression: 

Factual Error

This comment came in yesterday in response to my post "New Year, New Marathon....New Tattoo (?)":

" The race staff is pleased that you "joined the bandwagon for the Madison Marathon." We would like to clarify one thing in your post...the race was stopped due to extreme weather conditions (90 degree heat and high humidity) but thankfully everyone was fine (ie no deaths to report)!

Glad you enjoy finishing at the World's Largest Brat Festival. We have some great things planned for 2008 and hope your readers will join us!

Madison Marathon Staff"

1. My apologies to the Madison Marathon Staff for insinuating there was a death at their race. To be honest, I couldn't recall exactly when I posted and was too lazy to look it up. Here's to no deaths in Madison, but a moment of silence for the fallen in London, the Olympic Trials, Chicago and others during the last year.
2. Readers? I didn't even know we had readers. Is the phenomenon growing? Am I becoming the leader of a cult? It's exciting to know that more people read this thing than just those of us kvetsching about our running. Does this mean others have heard of our Kenyan theory? Is that something we want getting out?

It's a family affair...

OK, so with a little bit of arm-twisting, here I am (that would be Kay, sister #2 to Dr. Pavement Pounder). My lovely sisters put a little of the G. family guilt-trip on me and I now find myself, very much used to a few miles on the elliptical machine at the Y every week, training for the OKC half-marathon.



I started today with a training plan (definitely the beginner one) from the Runner's World website DPP recommended. I think I need to tweak the pace a little bit--my "easy run" pace was more of a brisk walk. I'm wondering about the treadmill though...once you get off the treadmill, does the sensation of moving faster than you actually are disappear after awhile? It's a little unnerving....

That's a Good Boy!!!

I wanted to post today and tell of my winning the battle with that demon that Forest refers to as Sybil. I would call mine Heinrich, but he's much nicer than the voice I was battling with during my run today. For argument's sake, why don't we call him Jason Whitt. So, I've got my fancy "new" iPod on (it's an old model that was replaced under warranty right before Christmas) and I'm going for a treadmill run at the RSF. Past experience tells me that the Nike+ doesn't measure well when using a treadmill. Something about the strange gait on a treadmill throws off the rhythm or something, ask Deetschei, he's the one always using words like coefficient.

  Today, however, the measure was WAY off. I was on one treadmill and it told me I had run more than a mile when the mill itself hadn't yet registered .88 miles. Then my favorite machine came open so I thought I would switch to it. There things got worse. While running at a treadmill described pace of 9:20/mile, my iPod was clocking in at 7:30. As I said, WAY OFF!  As I'm approaching 6 miles (today's goal) on my iPod the treadmill reads only 4. Then the voice begins!!!! "If I keep the iPod running, then the distance will show that I ran over 7 miles when I only ran 6. So, I'll have to shut off the iPod."

"If I shut off the iPod then I can just meet the distance halfway, and run only 1 of the 2 miles I still have left to run." 

"If I shut off the iPod no one will ever know that I didn't really run the full 6 miles."

So I shut off the iPod. Then continued to run and run and run, until Jason Whitt had been struck down, and I had run the full 6 miles according to the treadmill. So, Nike+ thinks I ran 6 miles incredibly fast, but I know in my heart of hearts that Jason Whitt can't always talk me into not finishing a workout, and that I am going to beat this thing!!!

Rock on all you marathoners, half marathoners and Ben's that refuse to blog!!!!

A World of Marathons!

Who knew? Out of curiosity, I was checking out the course map for this weekend's Houston marathon. Interestingly, the banner at the top of the website had photos advertising various "adventure" marathon's around the world including The Great Tibetan Marathon, The Great Wall (of China) Marathon, and The Polar Circle Marathon. Sounds absolutely fascinating and grueling! Definitely something to consider AFTER running my first marathon at/below sea level! :)

Speaking of which, today marks the first "official" day of training for the OKC Marathon. I ran a short 4.5 miler last week, as I believe I mentioned in a previous post, just to make sure the ol' machine was still working. Which, I am pleased to report, it is.

I hope that, over the next 16 weeks, you will also be hearing from my sisters as they log their training miles for their first race ever and their first time to run at distance. Ben has already stated that he will NOT be posting as he trains for the half-marathon. I leave that up to him to explain. So, it appears that the OKC Marathon will be a family affair. I only wish that I had my tried-and-true drunkrunner buddies along for the ride.

More to post at the end of this week!

Deetschei, how is the final week of training going for the AZ half-marathon? Be sure to give us a report!!!

Weightlifting Pitfalls

I'm checking in for the week although there's isn't much to post about.

I ran 5 miles on Thursday, and it went well. Average pace of about 9:40, not bad, not bad. Then lifted on Friday. Saturday and today I was way too sore to do any running, so had to lay off.

This brings me to the point that I need to seriously re-evaluate my weightlifting during the week. I'm overworking my legs so much on the workouts that I'm unable to follow up the running the next day. So this week I will scale back to step one and see what that does for me. I'll be doing the whole workout, but without weights this week. Just the body. Maybe that is enough. I'll let you know. In the meantime, I'm happy to have run 5 miles and begun training for the race.

Keep up the great work!!!!!

Week in review:

Distance: 5.06 miles

Time: 48:59

Pace: 9:40

Overall Impression: Will Cutting Back Leg Workouts Jeopardize My Buns Of Steel? (WCBLWJMBOS?)

Fluid Tips

Scooter asked for some assistance on hydrating techniques for runs, so this is a good time to go back through them for the gang. If you have any tips or hints that don't get covered here, please feel free to post them.

1. Hydration is extremely important for runs over 6 miles. My experience tells me that before six miles it's not a big deal. I mean, I've run a few 6 milers still drunk from the night before (at least that's how it felt) and was just fine without fluids.
   
2. That said, regardless of the run length, I like to have a glass or two of water before hitting the trail. With a drink or two before the run, its possible to extend that non-hydration rule mentioned above to runs of even 7 or 8 miles. If I recall correctly my hydration is more conservative than other contributors here, but it is in the end an individual sport.
   
3. When it comes time to take water with you on the run, I highly recommend Gu. They have a product called Gu20 that makes a great hydrating drink. There are, of course, many others on the market, Gatorade, etc. Mix your own and carry with you. Gu also has Gels, Espresso Love and Vanilla being my favorites. These provide more electrolytes and some caffeine to keep you going on that 20 mile run. I generally use Gels on any run over 7 miles, and use liquids on any run over 6 miles.
4. Hydration belts: mine is a Fuel Belt. Again, pick the one that's best for you, but don't be afraid to spend the money. The Fuel Belt is so much better than thinking you can carry the water bottle in your hand for 14 miles. Don't even kid yourself. Find something that will strap it to your body so you can forget about it until you need it. My only complaint about the Fuel Belt is that tying a shirt around your waist becomes impossible. It throws off the tension and becomes very awkward, and if I tuck the shirt in my shorts then they start to fall down, but enough about my shorts. Do some research and find the one that is best for you.
5. On the topic of Gels and Drink mixes, you'll need to discover for yourself how much you need. It's best to be over prepared than to find yourself begging for water, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and a smile, in a New Berlin gas station on a 90 degree day (Not that that has EVER happened to me.) Race day, is also a day not to mess around. In my two races I've found I needed way more fluids to complete 26 miles than I had needed to complete 20. There is an equation there that I don't understand.

That's the long and the short about hydration from my end. We did complete some 12 mile runs without fluids back in the day, but at least my performance suffered because of it. Stay hydrated even when you are not running. If you don't have clear pee by noon, consider taking in more water.  Right, PP?

T.G.I.F. Thank god I finished

I just finished my first mile & a half. sweating hard but feeling grrrreat!! If only spring would get here. Midwest winters are the best for running.

New Year, New Marathon....New Tattoo(?)

Yes, it's a new year!

A quick look at Nike+ tells me I ran roughly 300 miles last year. I can recall at least 15 miles that were undocumented, giving me a total of 315 for the year. OH! I almost forgot that I didn't have my iPod chip with me for the marathon, that puts last years total at 341.2 miles (just shy of 1 mile per day). Not bad.

The year in review:
I started off with a bang running the Carlsbad Marathon which I blogged about. It was amazing, and put me through another loop. I spent 5 months in physical therapy. In fact, I've spent so much time in PT over the past 18 months that I almost cried when my therapist quit. He was great, and his replacement was not quite my cup of tea.
By June I had begun training for a marathon again, the Nike Women's--I think. I went for a ten mile run in Milwaukee (actually ran all the way to New Berlin and back.) and came back feeling great. The next day I had a back ache that lasted for months and eventually worked to my feet. Of last year's 341.2 miles only 88 of those came after that run to New Berlin. Acupuncture is the next attempted cure. I'll keep y'all posted.
In the meantime I'm feeling much better and would say I'm 98% recovered, but won't give up treating this until it is 100%.

In September Steve and I started Body for Life, before we were mowed down by the Mack Truck that is the holiday season, I had lost 15 pounds, and 2% bodyfat, Steve had lost 30 pounds. Now the holidays are over and the results weren't too bad. I stepped on the scale yesterday, and I had only gained 2 pounds, but had converted several pounds of muscle into gingerbread cookies and beer and spritz cookies and wine and a gingerbread house and beer. You get the picture. The diet started again yesterday and I've never felt better. We are both amazed at how good it feels to eat this way. I would honestly continue to do it even if I didn't lose weight. It's great. So, look for bigger changes, and yes, some more pics as soon as I've decided I'm in good enough shape to be seen in public. 

The coming year:
2008 promises to be awesome!! I've joined the bandwagon for the Madison Marathon (the fact that someone died there two years ago will not deter me!). The best part of the Madtown Marathon? The fact that the finish line is also BRATFEST, of course!  Will there also be a new tattoo at the Madison Marathon? It's hard to say, but it's a definite possibility. I won't bore you all here with ideas, but will definitely post a pic if/when it happens.

  This will hopefully be followed by a summer of happy running in preparation for the Berlin Marathon. It's early enough to begin planning for it, any takers?

The Dr's Year in Review

After reading Deetschei's accomplishments and after briefly glancing at my own distance for the year, I was a bit disappointed that I hadn't managed to put in more miles. But then I took a look at my distance for 2006 and cheered up a bit. I increased my distance for the year by more than 100 miles (over 200 depending on the accuracy of last year's calculations).

I didn't meet the goal of running a marathon, but I have signed-up for the OKC marathon in 2008, and I begin training next week. In addition, following Sixpack's example, I got my sisters running this year and have gotten them to agree to run the OKC half-marathon. While my times were significantly slower this year than last - due to my training for the Houston marathon - I achieved a personal first by completing a 14 mile run. It almost broke me, but I did it. I also learned that training for a marathon in 12 weeks isn't "smart training." My fastest mile this year was 7:31 on a 3.5 mi. run. My fastest average time was 7:53 on a 5.5 mi. run.

All in all, I think that 2008 holds lots of promise in terms of new personal firsts and bests. I want to thank everybody, especially Deetschei and Sixpack, for their advice and words of encouragement this year. We might be scattered to the four corners, but we're still running!

JUST STOPPING IN TO SAY HELLO

Hello All,
I am new to the blog. My Name is Scott (a.k.a Scooter from here on out). I have been a "walker" for the past 3 months. I started walking to lose weight and became addicted. I used to run with Forrest years ago and had to stop due to recurring knee injury. The walking has paid off well (50 lbs in 3 months) But as I have hit yet another plateau in my quest for the all american body not to mention the pressure from Forrest and the encouragement from Sixpack Chopra i have decided to kick it up a notch and begin to train for the Madison marathon in May. This will be a task for me. I am the father of 2, little league coach for 2 teams, and I star Fireman training school in 1 week. All this said I am scheduled with the program from runners world to begin full on training on Moday, Jan. 7. I have been running a mile a day this week and will begin searching for local 5k runs in the near future. Thank you for your time and thanks for the invite Sixpack!

Year in Review

First, I can’t believe that an entire year of drinking and running has passed again. I remember writing this entry last year in Cologne while lying in bed and wondering whether I would be able to run much in 2007. I believe I had compiled 600 something miles over the course of 2006 before sitting down in a post-marathon funk that lasted until late December. As a result, I had to run two-a-days through most of January in order to get back in shape.
I was not only able to run in 2007, but January gave me a solid base that carried me through the entire year. Although I didn’t run another marathon in 2007, I was able to maintain a consistently high level that saw me hit a variety of new goals. During my speedy Spring, I ran my fastest mile probably ever (6:59) and also hit a personal best for the 5K (21:50).
After my legs nearly fell off, I decided to withdraw speedwork and focus entirely on more base building. That culminated in two consecutive months with more than 100 miles. I ultimately ran over two hundred miles more than I did in the previous year (835) with an average pace of around 8:52 per mile.

So I got that going for me, which is nice.

This next year will hopefully build upon the last. I am running a half marathon in one week, and am in discussions with my coaching staff (Tessa) about potentially running another marathon, perhaps in Hamburg (Spring) or Cologne (Fall). I’m still not sure I want to go back to that distance yet, though. The one goal I have set that I am excited about is to run 1,000 miles in 2008. If I can manage 20 miles a week for the entire year, then its in the bag. That’s all.

So, I know there were a lot of accomplishments on this blog last year. I can think of at least two marathons and a lot of Texan ass-kickings. I’d love to hear your thoughts about 2007 and what you are looking forward to in 2008.