Run Log

7/11-7/17

2011-07-12T11:01:00.004-04:00

Monday: 9 miles
Tuesday: 9 miles (6:30 pace)
Wednesday: 8 miles

7/4-7/10

2011-07-05T09:38:00.005-04:00

Monday: 7 miles (5K race: 17:37 1st place Master)
Tuesday: 9 miles
Wednesday: 10 miles
Thursday: 9 miles
Friday: 9 miles
Saturday: 10.5 miles
Sunday: 10 miles (Almost 90 degrees. Tough!)

Total: 65 miles

6/27-7/3

2011-06-28T15:25:00.002-04:00

Monday: 9 miles
Tuesday: 9 miles
Wednesday: 9 miles
Thursday: 9 miles
Friday: 6 miles
Saturday: 5 miles
Sunday: 4 miles (race tomorrow)

6/20-6/26

2011-06-20T08:41:00.006-04:00

Monday: AM: 9 miles PM: 4 miles
Tuesday: AM: 8 miles (8 X 400m) PM: 3 miles
Wednesday: 10 miles. Felt like crap.
Thursday: 7 miles
Friday: 5 miles. Race tomorrow.
Saturday: 8 miles. 5K race in 17:55 (took a wrong turn. Thanks, officer).
Sunday: 7 miles

Total: 61 miles

6/13-6/19

2011-06-13T08:56:00.004-04:00

Monday: 8 miles
Tuesday: AM: 8 miles
Wednesday: Off (Just needed a day off)
Thursday: AM: 1 mile (bad headache) PM: 7 miles 50:13
Friday: 9 miles (2.4WU, 4 miles race @ 24:08, 2.5CD)
Saturday: 10 miles 1:13
Sunday: Off

Total: 43 miles
Down week

6/6-6/12

2011-06-06T09:28:00.008-04:00

Monday: 10 miles
Tuesday: AM: 3 miles PM: 8 miles hard (intervals)
Wednesday: 8 miles easy
Thursday: AM: 5 miles PM: 5 miles
Friday: PM: 5 miles. Race tomorrow night.
Saturday: RACE -- 4 miles in 23:10 Brutally hot evening race
Sunday: 13 miles easy

Total: 64 miles

5/30-6/5

2011-06-02T10:48:00.010-04:00

Monday: 9 miles
Tuesday: 10 miles (7X1K @ 3:25)
Wednesday: 11 miles (progression run)
Thursday: AM: 5 miles PM: 5 miles
Friday: AM: 9 miles PM: 3 miles
Saturday: AM: 3 miles PM: 10 miles hard
Sunday: 10.5 miles

Total: 75.5 miles

5/23/-5/29

2011-06-02T10:44:00.002-04:00

Monday: 9 miles
Tuesday: AM: 6 miles PM: 5 miles
Wednesday: AM: 11 miles PM: 3 miles
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: AM: 7 miles PM: 4 miles
Saturday: 10 miles
Sunday: 13 miles

Total: 73 miles

2011-04-18T09:30:00.002-04:00

No races this weekend, but I got a nice 13 mile run in yesterday. Keeping with the not-too-hard but not-too-easy theme that I'm on now, I did it in a little under 1:30, so about 6:55 a mile. Some of the middle miles were 6:30 pace, which was a little too quick.

This morning I logged 9 miles at 7 min pace, but I was feeling the effects of yesterday and running faster than intended.

I'm really enjoying this training, though. I pretty much run how I feel, and don't have to stress about an interval workouts, etc. The proof is in the pudding, and we'll see how the racing goes this summer.

ROCK THE RED!

2011-04-13T09:50:00.003-04:00

If you know me at all, you know I love me some Washington Capitals hockey. Tonight commences the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, with the Caps are welcoming the hated New York Rangers to town. Hopefully the Caps knock them out of the playoffs like they did two years ago!

Go Caps!

2011-04-12T14:51:00.003-04:00

Today marks the first time in 2011 where I've come home from a run drenched in sweat! I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. But hey, I'm glad I don't have to put on 10 different articles of clothing before heading out (shorts, shirt, running pants, jacket, gloves, hat, 2 pairs of socks, etc)...

Today was 8 miles at easy pace (7:00/mile).

Ed Whitlock, 80, runs a 3:25 marathon!

2011-04-11T10:37:00.004-04:00

Canadian racing legend Ed Whitlock, 80 years young, ran the Rotterdam marathon in 3:25 over the weekend. That's 7:50/mile for 26 miles. Jaw-droppingly impressive!

Ed has an extremely unusual training regimen: He runs 3 hours a day, all of it in a cemetery. He covers a one-third-of-a-mile loop on a paved path. He doesn't count laps, stopping when his watch indicates three hours. He said he will not run the roads because drivers "aim" at him. Besides, Whitlock prefers running in circles. "You don't have to face the wind for very long," he said.

Read more about Ed's latest record here: http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/blog/2011/04/ed-whitlock-onto-montreal/

2011-04-11T10:21:00.004-04:00

I'm going to take a break from interval running for a month or so, maybe longer. I think I pushed it too hard the previous few months and I'm paying for it with tired legs. For the time being, I'm going to run 1 hour a day at a moderate pace (6:45-7:15 per mile), with a weekly long run and a tempo run. I've got a lot of road races coming up this summer, and being fried from running intervals too hard is not conducive to a good season.

So, this morning I did just that: 1 hour at a moderate pace. Riveting to write, riveting to read.

I was on-call over the weekend and only got one call, but that one call came at the 2 mile point of my run Sunday. Yes, I have to carry a phone when I'm on-call. I ran back home, changed, drove to work and spent the next few hours fixing a problem. No, I didn't go back to finish my run. I don't enjoy it THAT much!

Race Results: CRC 5K

2011-04-09T13:25:00.005-04:00

At my age I don't win many races, but I managed to snag one today. The CRC 5K is a nice little race put on by some great people at Galilee UMC.

The race itself has a heckuva start: The first quarter mile runs straight up a hill on a very steep grade. I ran neck and neck with Rich V. last year, but he didn't post this year. This time around, I ran the first few minutes with a couple of guys whom I don't know, but they both quickly fell off the pace and I found myself all alone. At the 1 mile marker I turned around and couldn't see anybody, which is a feeling I'm not accustomed to. I ended up chatting with the race director, who was on his bicycle leading the race. Won by about 2 minutes in 17:50. Not a fast time, but for a roller coaster course and running alone I'm satisfied. Plus, it was over 30 seconds faster than I ran it last year.

2011-04-07T16:34:00.005-04:00

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Do not drink 6 year-old Diet Coke. Ever. You're welcome.

Cruised an easy 6 miles this morning as I wind down and get ready for Saturday's race. I just found my 25 year old high school track singlet. It was white at one time, but has yellowed over the years. I'm going to bleach it and if it looks presentable I'll wear it Saturday.

2011-04-06T10:12:00.003-04:00

Just a few days away from my first race of 2011. I'm going to take a different approach to racing this year. Rather than focus all of my training for just a few key races, I plan on doing around 20 races this year. I'm gonna take a 1970's-style race-every-weekend approach, ala Bill Rodgers or Frank Shorter. I'll have to cut back substantially on the number of track workouts, tempo runs, etc. Not that I am complaining. As they say, "racing is the best speedwork."

This morning I cruised 7 miles in 49 minutes.

2011-04-04T11:07:00.004-04:00

*Note to self: Do not consume a "5 Hour Energy Drink" at 9PM EVER AGAIN IN THIS LIFETIME!!! The bottles are little and cute, but they work as advertised. Sometime around 3AM I found the sweet embrace of sleep.

This morning called for intervals: 14X400 at 5K pace. 3 mile warmup, 2 mile cooldown, roughly 9 miles for the day.

2011-04-03T20:42:00.005-04:00

8 miles around Algonkian Park. As I ran near the front gate I saw a line of cars, and guys collecting $10 per car. There were hundreds of cars parked in the lots along the Potomac, with grills already fired up and smelling delicious! And this was at 8AM on a Sunday? Normally, this early on a Sunday the park is empty, save for a few other runners and early golfers. Turns out it was the Persian New Year celebration. We frequent some of the local kabob places, so I know how good their food is.

2011-04-02T12:07:00.001-04:00

Abbreviated long run today as I've got a race next weekend. Logged about 12 miles in an hour and a half. Easy pace, easy weather, easy day. Nice.

2011-04-01T09:14:00.005-04:00

Fun workout this morning! 3 mile warmup, followed by 4 X 2KM (1.25 miles) at 10KM race pace, and 2 mile cooldown. I ran the 2KMs repeats on a hilly loop near my house. To add to this morning's festivities, it was 35 degrees and raining. I should have taken up racquetball or something.

All in all, though, the workout was a success and I felt strong. No idea what kind of times/pace I was running as I have decided to no longer time my intervals. Instead, I'm going to "run by feel." Shorter workouts will be at either 2 mile or 5K race pace, and the longer work will be at 10K or half marathon pace. When I time my workouts I tend to compete with myself, always trying to run faster than the last workout, which leads to fatigue, burnout, and injury.

10 miles for the day.

Study shows running is GOOD for your knees...

2011-03-31T19:51:00.008-04:00

Link: Put Those Shoes On: Running Won't Kill Your Knees

Yet another study supporting the benefits of running to joint health. I can say from personal experience that my knees and ankles hurt for years when I was NOT running. My joints would swell and ache frequently through my 20's and 30's, resulting in diagnosis from arthritis to gout. I resumed running almost three years ago and have had almost no problems since! I'm a living, breathing testimonial to the positive health benefits of running. And NO, I'm not on any pharmaceutical company's payroll...

2011-03-31T18:22:00.002-04:00

Ah, sweet relief today. 4 very easy miles. Was cold, dark, and raining, but hey, it was only 4 miles.

2011-03-30T08:42:00.006-04:00

30 X 100m hills sounds like a fun way to start your day, but I pretty quickly realized it isn't. I ran these on one of the long, slopping greens at Trump National golf course, which is a couple of miles from my house. Fortunately it is still cold and dark this time of year, so the groundskeepers aren't out. That's a good thing because they may have actually caught me this time (unlike the other pre-dawn encounters whereby I evaded capture). This workout wore me out. Warmup and cooldown brought today's total to around 9 miles.

TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2011

90 minutes easy (~11.5 miles). Very easy recovery run. I know I'm getting in good shape now.

Congratulations Keith!

2011-03-28T12:57:00.017-04:00

Keith Bateman, 55, of Sydney, Australia, just dropped a 10K in 31:51 to set a new age-group world record. That's 5:08 a mile, folks, which would probably win your hometown 10K. This goes along with his other world records at 3000 and 5000 meters.

As a younger man, Keith ran sporadically at an admittedly average level. In 2000, at the age of 44, he began running seriously after tipping the scales at 190 lbs. Through proper training, coaching, and nutrition, he has gotten faster EVERY SINGLE YEAR since.

For those of you in your 30's and 40's who are complaining that you're too old, I contend you're only kidding yourself. Lace up your shoes and get out the door! Join a gym and get a trainer. Start walking every night after work. Just do something! There's a tiger inside you somewhere!

Inspired, this morning (in 28 degrees) I logged 4X800m + 4X200m intervals. Warmup and cooldown brought the total to 8 miles.

2011-03-26T12:54:00.007-04:00

I accidentally ran 15 miles this morning. Total time was around 1:47, I think. I intended to run my usual 13.5 mile long run course, but veered off and ran around Algonkian Park and the maintenance trail. Lots of iJoggers out today. I'm trying to shed a few more lbs before my first race of the season (2 more weeks), so the ~1500 calories I burned today will help. Beautiful morning, too.

2011-03-25T08:37:00.005-04:00

This morning was a scheduled long-interval session (3X2 miles at tempo pace). Did the normal 2 mile warmup, then got rolling. I immediately knew I didn't have it today, so I shut it down. Ended up running 8 miles at a steady pace, around 7 minutes/mile. Oh, and it was 29 degrees this morning. Didn't we have a high of 82 a few days ago? What the...?

Yesterday (Thursday) I doubled. Had to be in DC very early, so I chopped my run into 2.
AM: 5 easy
PM: 5 easy
(10 miles for the day)

2011-03-23T12:39:00.004-04:00

"I hope you comes to love distance running as much as I do. There is something magical about its simplicity and beauty."
--Weldon Johnson

After a nice bout of insomnia last night (must've had some caffeine?), I had zero intention on getting up as the alarm rudely sounded at 4:30AM. Fortunately today is an "easy" day, so I managed to drag myself out of bed (after hitting the snooze 3 times), make Thomas' lunch, and hit the road.

Considering yesterday's ball-buster of a workout and abbreviated sleep last night, I managed to log 9 very comfortable miles. I must also admit I'm a pioneer in the art of sleep running. On some of the more isolated stretches of road, I can close my eyes for 10-20 steps and imagine I'm home sleeping. Someday I'll run into a tree.

2011-03-22T15:35:00.002-04:00

Back to the park for another early morning butt kicker. Alarm went off at 0430 hours, grabbed a cup o' Joe and made my son's lunch (one of my few parenting duties). Arrived at the park, did a 3 mile warm up, then the real running commenced. I did another session of 5 X 1200 meters (.75 miles) at 5:20 per mile pace. Cooled down for a couple of miles, home by 0630, out the door to work at 7. This is a freakin' rough way to start the morning, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Total distance today: 9 miles

2011-03-21T09:24:00.003-04:00

Lightning is something which, again, we would rather avoid.

--Richard Branson

I saw the first flashes of lightning far in the distance, northwards over the Maryland side of the Potomac. No problem, I reasoned, I'm going to do a quick 6 and be home before this thing rolls over me.

Just as I reached my turnaround point at the 3 mile marker, the lightning began erupting all around me, bringing with it torrential rains and booming thunder. I don't avoid running due to inclement weather. If that were the case, I would be a hobby-jogger and find an excuse every day to stay in: it's too hot, too cold, too rainy, too snowy, etc. But lightning is a different beast. That stuff will kill you and I avoid it like a mouse avoids the hawk.

Tomorrow, intervals.

2011-03-20T16:55:00.004-04:00

A crazy weekend schedule necessitates that I have a crazy running schedule. My son had a travel soccer tournament, and we had to leave the house by 7AM both Saturday and Sunday. No chance was I getting up at 4AM on a weekend to do a long run. Instead, I decided to forgo the longer run(s) and split them up. I still awoke at 5AM both days, however.

Saturday:
----------
AM: 6 miles easy
PM: 6 miles easy

Sunday:
---------
AM: 6 miles easy
PM: 6 miles easy

Total for the weekend: 24 miles
Total for the week: 65 miles

2011-03-18T10:04:00.009-04:00

There was a big owl convention going on at 5AM in Algonkian Park today. I do a lot of my running out there as it's flat and has few cars. There are no street lights and it meanders through the woods, so it's pitch black in the wee hours of the morning. I'm accustomed to seeing deer, fox, skunks, raccoons, and snakes, but the cacophony of owls was something new. Love is in the air, perhaps?

After running a few warmup miles through the park, I started my tempo run. Plan called for 6 miles at 6:20 pace. I could tell within 30 seconds that it wasn't going to be my day. My legs felt like jello, and I'll bet I could have gone to sleep within 30 seconds had I brought a sleeping bag.

I hit the first mile in 6:25, and started getting a little life in my legs. I ran the next few miles under 6:20 pace, with the last mile in 5:55. Total time was 37:32. Should have felt easier, but I'll take it. I'm happy that I didn't shut it down early like I really wanted to do. With warmup and cooldown logged 10 miles for the day.

2011-03-17T13:11:00.003-04:00

9 very easy miles this morning. Pleasant weather (mid 40's), great for running. Sounds cold, and it is once you first get going, but after 10 minutes it's perfect.

Tomorrow I've got a 6 mile tempo run scheduled. Plan is to hit 6:20/mile -- not too easy, not too hard. You never want to run a workout so hard that it impacts the next few days' training. It should all fit in place perfectly, like a puzzle.

I've got to visit 5 separate client sites today. I wish they'd hurry up and get those personal jet packs commercially available. Would save me a lot of time in traffic.

2011-03-16T09:00:00.008-04:00

"You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'"
--George Bernard Shaw

Got in 8 steady miles this morning. Intended on running 9 but I got a late start. Woke up at 4:30AM following a dream about an ongoing technical problem at work. Inspired by the dream, I fired up my laptop, logged into a client's firewall, and fixed it the problem. This isn't the first time I've fixed an issue via an epiphany. Weird.

I ended up having to really push the last few miles in order to get home, shower, and catch my bus. Was still fatigued from yesterday's 5 X 1200 meter repeats.

I'm back, baby!

2011-03-16T08:38:00.007-04:00

I have returned
9 hundred years I have waited
I have returned
the time is now to rise anew.
--Unleashed

It's been a while since I last rapped at you. Almost 3 years, to be precise. Am I still running? Yes I am, thanks for asking! I promised I was going to stick with it, and I have.

My training has evolved into this: Interval workout on Tuesday, tempo run on Friday, and a long run (~13-15 miles) on the weekend. The other days are just 'easy' runs of 6-10 miles, depending on how much time I have. Total of approximately 65 miles a week. Virtually all running is completed by 6:30AM. THAT is the hard part, amigos.

In my initial posts from 2008 I wrote that I intended to break 34 minutes for 10K. That hasn't happened. My revised goal for the Cascades Firechase 10K 2011 (Memorial Day weekend) is to break 35 minutes and earn a top 3 overall finish.

Another update: I used to suffer a lot from Morton's neuroma. I fixed that by simply loosening my shoes in the forefoot. Voila.

Update

2008-07-24T10:25:00.002-04:00

If anyone cares, here's my progress update:

Yesterday I ran for 52 minutes on the trails in and around Algonkian park. I threw in about a half-dozen strides (sprints) of about 300 meters. Definitely getting faster and stronger every week.

Crickets chirping

2008-06-27T12:01:00.001-04:00

Anybody out there reading this thing? Getting a little lonely in here...

Progress update

2008-06-25T09:30:00.002-04:00

Ran 47:31 this morning, mostly on the dirt trail near Algonkian Park. Not sure exactly how far it was because I took several mini-breaks (walks of about 30 seconds). I guess it was around 5.5 miles. Haven't run this far in years. The Clifton hill was a beast though because it's in the last mile of the run.

Interestingly, my neuromas have not been an issue in several weeks due to my throwing out of several pairs of work-shoes that were too tight in the forefoot area. I'm wearing to work now Oxford shoes with plenty of room up front, which has significantly lessened the pain and tingling of the nerve problem. The neuromas are still present, but they're not causing a problem, even after this morning's long run. I'm scheduled to go to Richmond next Tuesday and get the Cryo procedure done, but I'm going to cancel and hope for the best. I can always go back if the problem persists.

Dear Clifton Point Street Hill,

2008-06-23T11:06:00.007-04:00

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. Is not life a hundred times too short for us to bore ourselves?"
-- Friedrich Nietzsche

I know it's wrong to hate, but I do hate you. You have that third-of-a mile long hill, and it lies near the finish of my now-favorite course. It's so steep that I'm surprised the residents haven't asked for an escalator to be installed. As a matter of fact, I don't even like running down your monster hill when I'm just getting into the run, what with all of the bone-jarring pounding I must endure.

I must admit, though, that you are making me as strong as a bull every time I make it to your summit. I see your hill, shining in the sunlight, as I run emerge from the dark Algonkian Park wooded trail, already exhausted from the previous miles. You challenge me to charge that hill, which I grudgingly do, reaching the top with legs the consistency of jelly. The last half mile then becomes more of a death march than a run.

I'll see you again tomorrow, Clifton Point Street hill.

Man Drops 80lbs on McDonald's Diet

2008-06-21T17:21:00.002-04:00

Interesting story. http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/living/health.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-06-11-0156.html

No, this does not mean you can go out and eat a couple of Big Macs for dinner. According to the article, "He eats mostly salads, wraps and apple dippers without the caramel sauce, and he has the occasional cheeseburger without the bun. He generally eats two meals a day and tries to keep his daily intake at 1,200 to 1,400 calories."

Thank you, Suzanne!

2008-06-20T10:07:00.004-04:00

"So long as little children are allowed to suffer, there is no true love in this world."
--Isodore Duncan

Just wanted to take a moment to publicly thank you for spending 7 years of your life changing cloth diapers for three kids! Obviously this is one of your better memories of having babies. On behalf of all three of your offspring, thank you for this labor (or "labour" for my British readers) of love!

24 on the bus

2008-06-19T09:11:00.003-04:00

Got the box set of every season of 24 for Father's Day. I converted the first few episodes of Season 1 to .mp4, and watched one of them on my commute into DC this morning. No, I wasn't driving, I ride the Loudoun County Commuter bus. Great service--I get into DC in about 40 minutes. Most people sleep on the bus--I like to be entertained. I have an 80GB Zune, which is a wonder-toy: http://www.zunescene.com/80gb-zune/

I'm writing this from the lobby of the National Press building in DC, waiting on a co-worker. We're here for a project.

Great run on Monday--ran only 25 minutes, but it was non-stop. Definite signs of improvement. Will try to do the same tonight, but stretch it to 30 minutes. Interestingly, my feet are doing great. I took out the metatarsal pads, which seemed to make things worse, and I've tied my shoes very loosely in the forefoot. Result: no pain or numbness. Still, I'm going to Richmond because I know that as the miles increase, so will the neuroma issues.

2008-06-17T13:27:00.002-04:00

Ran approx 3 miles last night on a cool, comfortable evening. Ran the whole way, without stopping. Getting stronger every day. I miss the days when I would take 6 months off, then walk out the door and run 6 miles without breaking a sweat. Oh well.

Cryosurgery back in the picture for July 1st.

2008-06-16T14:06:00.004-04:00

Have an appointment scheduled with a Dr. Waskin in Richmond on July 1st. Found him by contacting the manufacturer of the cryosurgery device thingy, who sent me his info.

I asked his assistant if I could get the procedure done that day, rather than my having to make the 2.5 hour trip again, especially since A) I've had every conservative treatment and none worked and B) It's not very invasive--they stick the tiny probe into the top of the foot, freeze the nerve, and only takes 15 minutes per foot and C) Insurance is paying, so they stand to make some cash out of this.

I did find out that this office doesn't use the ultrasound probe to identify where the nerve is. He'll basically poke around with the probe until the electric shock courses through my body and I shout an expletive. Then he'll hit the "freeze" button and I'll go home.

I am not a loser

2008-06-16T10:26:00.005-04:00

...of weight, that is. Since I started training 2 weeks ago, I've lost "only" two pounds. A few years ago, I could easily shed 5 lbs a week without giving it much thought. It definitely gets more difficult to lose weight as you get older.

It looks like I really will have to quit drinking beer. I'm truly sorry, Mr. Beer, for all of your brothers and sisters whom I beheaded and consumed without prejudice.

This is NOT me, by the way...

Well, that stinks

2008-06-13T09:40:00.003-04:00

Found out yesterday that the closest doctor who performs the cryo surgery is in Hampton, VA, about 4 hours away. So that pretty much rules that out. This is the procedure whereby they freeze (and kill) the nerve mass.

So, I scheduled an appointment with a local podiatrist who performs neuroma sclerosis, which consists of injecting an alcohol solution directly in the balls (of my feet, silly!). I will need up to 8 treatments, and I'm not looking forward to it. I hope they have a padded ceiling.

Good run on my now-regular 3 mile course. Feeling stronger every day.

This is what Big Brown has done for me...

2008-06-12T15:14:00.002-04:00

My wife called me this morning and asked me if I spent $1,800 for a UPS shipment on June 1st. Oh s**t. This is nicht bueno. Somebody stole my credit card number, and then kindly gave said number to UPS to ship somebody else's stolen car to some third-world crap hole.

Thank you, Marcela, for actually checking our bank accounts online. I probably would have just continued to pay and pay and pay....

Anyway, cards have been canceled, and hopefully this will be erased.

Oh, and Mr. Thief, I hope your bowels lock!

Did I find the answer to my ills tonight?

2008-06-10T22:01:00.003-04:00

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul.
And sings the tune
Without the words,
and never stops at all

--Emily Dickinson

Went for a 3 mile run tonight at 8PM. It has cooled off significantly from the 98 degree temps of the past three days. It was about 72 degrees when I left the house. I ran the first three miles of my "target" course, the Cascades 10K. I ran the (now) usual 8/2 pattern. Finished in 27:10. Felt pretty good. I did experience some pain (good ol' morton's neuroma) in my right foot as I was finishing.

I looked online tonight for non-surgical treatments for the neuromas. I've had cortisone injections into the nerves before, and they worked great for about 6 weeks, then the pain returned as if nothing ever happened. I do not want surgery as I've read too many examples of "nerve stumps" developing a mad myriad of problems. So, I'll forgo that as well.

I found an article where somebody mentioned "cryosurgery," which basically means they stick a tiny tube into the nerve and freeze it. I found a little better description online: "The procedure is performed under local anestehsia using a tiny incision that does not require stitches. A probe is used to freeze tissue in a 15 minute office procedure. Extreme freezing temperatures produce an anesthetic effect beyond the temporary relief produced by simple cooling. This procedure may be used as a primary treatment but is more commonly used after other conservative treatments have failed. "

I'm going to call Dr. Mark Katz of Alexandria, who performs this potential miracle, tomorrow...

BlackBerrys and running

2008-06-10T14:08:00.004-04:00

"Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end."
--Henry David Thoreau

When I last ran seriously, in the mid 90's, cell phones were huge and BlackBerrys were just fancy pagers. No need to carry them while running. As a network engineer with clients, plus a wife and two kids, the thought of carrying my Curve while running has crossed my mind. What happens if a client's mail server crashes, or one of my kids decides to set the carpet on fire? Well, I guess I'll find all of this out when I get home from the run. Not much I can do if I'm miles away on a trail somewhere.

Pablo's tough run

2008-06-10T10:18:00.001-04:00

You think your run is tough? Check out this email I received today from Pablo:

"Today I ran. Damn it was hot out. My foot hurts. I almost tripped on a squirrel. I had to s**t in the woods with no paper. All in all, a pretty good run.... "

June 9, 2008

2008-06-09T08:59:00.000-04:00

"The race goes not to the swiftest but to he who endureth the most."

That's not actually correct, but there is an element of truth in it. I will not be running today, despite my desire to. I had a decent run yesterday, and I'd love to get back out there today, but the injury bug is always around the corner. In the past I was prone to starting a running program full speed. I would go from a long period of inactivity to 70 miles a week in less than a month. Sometimes I would get injured, other times not, but I can't afford to do that now. I have 49 weeks to go--any lost week would be a setback.

So, I'm going to ease into this thing. Hopefully the Morton's neuromas in my feet stay asleep. Jerks. I hate them.

Today's run

2008-06-08T22:16:00.000-04:00

Today, I ran a "total" of 33:48. I'm on the "8/2" program, whereby I run 8 minutes, then walk for 2. You have to do that when you're in poor condition. Since the 10K course I'm aiming for starts about 200 meters from my house, I plan on running it a lot. This morning, I ran the first mile, then ended up running down a dirt trail headed towards the Potomac River, which lies about a half mile from my house.

I've always had a strong attraction to trail running. Don't know what it is. I think it reminds me of exploring the woods when I was a kid. For a long time one of my favorite runs has been on the trails around Reston's Lake Fairfax. Very hilly, muddy, and a number of stream crossings. The combination of sweat, mud, and occasional blood is a lot of fun, for whatever reason.

Training program

2008-06-08T22:05:00.000-04:00

I found this online somewhere during a Google search. Can't remember the author, but in the 1960's he ran 13+ minutes for 3 miles on only 25 miles a week. He wrote an article with a sample training schedule for 10K runners (which I saved to a Word document, sans author's name):

· Tues: 10 mins warm-up, 10 x 45 secs uphill fast, 10 mins warm-down;
· Thurs: 6-mile run, including 3 x 8 mins fast, 2 mins jog (10k pace);
· Sat: 10 mins warm-up, 2 x 15 mins threshold pace (2 mins recovery);
· Sun: 8-10 mile run, starting slow, finishing faster.
· Total mileage 24-26

Mostly due to my Morton's Neuroma in both feet, which cause my feet to burn terrible after an hour or so of running, I needed to find a low mileage program. This seems to fit perfectly. I've run maybe a total of 100 miles in the last 10 years, and have put on quite a bit of weight. I'm 5'9" and 172 lbs. At my fastest, I was about 145 lbs. I plan on just building up to 25 miles a week "comfortably" for the next 6 months, then switch to the plan above, modified as to how I feel on any given day.

50 weeks to go

2008-06-08T21:58:00.002-04:00

I saw a man chasing the horizon;
Round and round they sped.
I was disturbed at this;
I accosted the man.
"It is futile," I said,
"You can never---"
"You lie," he cried,
And ran on.
--Stephen Crane

I'm a 38 year old former competitive runner (33 minute 10-K a long time ago) looking to give 'er one more go. I haven't run a competitive race in about 13 years. The plan is to run the local road race (Cascades Firechase 10K) in late May of 2009. I need to:

* drop about 25 lbs
* train like a beast
* overcome injuries--gout, knee problems, and Morton's Neuroma (painful swelling of the nerves in the balls of the feet).

Having said that, I want to break 34 minutes, and finish in the top 3 overall, while training only 25-30 miles per week.

Long odds?? Yes. Can I do it?? I don't know. But I'm gonna give it a shot.