Loving LSD

So its been ahwile since my last post...almost 2 months. AT that point I thought I was back...thought I was almost over the injury and back to a strong finish to the 2008 running season. I WAS WRONG.

Shortly after my last post, I went to see the Sports Doc. He confirmed that I did have Achilles Tendonitis and gave me some remedies...surprisingly he did not say to take time off. He said running easy every other day would be fine. I took m own advice and took the two weeks off anyway. It killed me mentally but I got through it.

So, late September/ealry October, I began my journey into the world of LSD. Long-Slow-Distance. For the past month I have done nothing but run...long and slow. Gradually increasing my mileage, staying away from speed and hills. Just long and slow. The mileage has ticked up and now, I am in my last week of recovery...and almost 50 miles.

The pace has been nice, and while there is a litlle tenderness in the lower leg, it has been manageable. So, from here all I can do is stretch and ice, and deal with the day to day...

Still got my eye on the 5K in December...

Fall running and coming back...

So what is it I notice about this time of year? Well let me tell you, its getting harder to wake up...yes, I cannot get out of bed in the morning. When I look at the clock and its 5:00 am and still dark outside, I just shake my head and go back to sleep for another hour or so...its tough to get moving these days. The long days of summer and 5:00 am sunrises are gone, at least for now, and the seasons are changing. I"ll be the first to admit that fall here in the Bay Area is nothing special...it still gets pretty hot, and the trees are good until December...maybe we'll get an occasional rain. This is unlike the rest of the country. Take Colorado for example...signs of autumn come as early as the third week of August when the aspens begin to turn. By November, it can be downright cold. Other places experience warms days and cool nights, sometimes brisk fresh days, and vibrant colors as the trees all begin to lose their leaves.

I'll take fall though...even here in Nor Cal. This time of year signals change....football, back to school, holidays around the corner, and the close of another solid race season!

What I like best about this time of year can be summed up in today's run. I left the house about 6:15 and the sun was just coming up...the air was cool and crisp after a 95 degree day yesterday...it felt great. I only did 5 miles, but I could have run forever! Too bad I have work...but the mortgage needs to be paid!

So now, for the "coming back" part. I think I am just about done with this achilles thing. I have given it solid rest and the most recent runs its felt okay. I can't push it 100% yet but I am almost there. I need to run or I will literally go nuts! Its nice sometimes though...to slow down and go easy. Today was perfect...me, the dog, and the hope that we get may more good autumn days! I'll take some rain too!

The Old Achilles

Many, its funny how injuries can just sneak up on you. Here I am running strong, then all of the sudden...

WHAM!

...this damn achilles gets sore, and continues to bother me.

Its not full blown to where I can't run, but its there...lingering, sneaking up on me just when I think its done.

RICE

Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation

All I can do right now to keep sane!

Racing at Altitude

So this past Saturday my wife Liz and I traveled back to Colorado to run the Georgetown to Idaho Springs ½ Marathon. 13.1 miles at 8,500 feet above seal level. This was the first ½ marathon we ever did, back in 2000. At that time we lived in Denver and, although we were much slower, we were used to running at high elevations.

I went into this race a little worried about the elevation. After all, I have been doing all of my running within a few hundred feet of sea level. I was certain, however, that all of my training…50 + miles a week, would help me and get me through without a problem. I was also thinking that the altitude drop over the 13.1 miles, would be on my side. The race drops a total of 1,000 feet over the entire course, which is significant. I was banking on the fact that the downhill portions would allow me to press harder and ultimately come in with a new PR. I was wrong!

My strategy was to take the first two miles a little slower than normal. This would allow me to acclimate and “breathe easier” through the flat portion of the course, while letting me make up this time on the downhills. Well, after I hit mile 2, I was sucking wind like I would in a 5K. I was running 7:20s and could tell this would be one hell of a challenge. By mile 4, I needed to walk through the water station, but I had picked up the pace a little. There was still a chance I could pull this one off….maybe. Soon, I told myself that it was nice to be back in Colorado and that a 13.1 mile “up tempo” training run, would not be a bad alternative. I was completely zapped of any energy I had, and the breathing never got any easier.

Altitude sickness was setting in…I felt nauseous and had a headache by mile 7…I was done. The downhill portions, only beat me up more…it was not the race I had hoped for.

I still crossed the finish line at a respectable time…and was just glad this was all over. It was an experience I won’t forget and a lesson I will carry with me for a long time. As a serious runner, I cannot take anything for granted, and must respect the nature of a course, elevation, distance, etc. There is always the chance for a bad race. I can accept one every once in a while. I am probably my own worst critic, so I take it all with a grain of salt. If I came back to do this again, the thin air may or may not affect me. From what I have read, it can get you one day, and you might be fine the next…it varies.

For now, I am taking a few days off to rest the Achilles and deal with some recovery issues…then I am gunning for a PR at the Primo’s ½ in October!

My headache persisted until 5:00 pm. Four Advil and a Monster Energy drink helped is subside so I could at least enjoy some margaritas at Dixon’s.

Mental Barriers

Running is a physical sport, there is no debate about that. It takes almost every muscle and every body part to be engaged so that the body can propel itself forward. Several factors play into how fast we run, these are: VO2 Max, Running efficiency, etc. These too are all related to the physical acts of running. Sweat, heavy breathing, pain...all come as part of the activity. So does exhiliration, increased energy levels, and stamina, and these too are all physcial.

So what about the mental aspects of running? Many people who are not involved in the sport think that running is boring, and not mentally engaging. However, I argue to the contrary. For me today, the mental part of the sport is what I believe is holding me back and hindering my progress at this point. There are times, on ling runs or recovery runs where I can let go and just zone out, but when it comes to reaching my goals, the mental aspect of it is a huge weight on my shoulders. These barriers are purely mental as the following example will show:

19:00 5k

40:00 10K

1:30:00 1/2 (which I have hit)

3:10:00 Full


All of these are times I am capable of reaching. I know that in the case of the 1/2. Broken down, these numbers become a little more daunting. For example, the 1/2 marathon now equates to a sub 7:00 minute pace, the 10K becomes a sub 6:30 pace, and so on.

So can you see where I am going? Mentally, the barrier between the 7:00 pace and 6:50 pace seems like a lot. I am no longer running in that comfort zone. This goes for any pace at any distance. Now, I know I cannot simply go from a 6:20 5K pace to a 6:00 minute pace based on mental toughness, but I do know that 6:20 to 6:10 is achievable. Then I can take on the challenge of 6:00. I am talking about the little steps here. Breaking into the sub 7 or sub 6:30 zone...If I can get through it mentally, the physical pain and discomforts, should not be an issue...then the positive physical side of it should take over.

It seems like a "chicken and the egg" thing. What do I need first, the mental or physical? I would clearly say the physical...the ability to go out and run. From there, the mental barriers can be tackled and broken down accordingly. For me, I fall back to my training...and remember, you race the way you train.

Sub 3:10 still haunts me...I have come within a minute. I know now, this is purely mental.

Colorado

Man, I miss this place...really, its the ultimate when it comes to offerings that any state has. Weather, activities, people, lifetstyle...I can go on and on. The time I spent living there was probably the best time of my life, and it was the best decision I ever made. Do I regret moving back to California? Hell no! That was the second best decision I ever made. But taking the leap to move out of the comfort zone, to a brand new place at age 26...was huge. I was able to get away from a lot at that point in my life...and free up a lot of burden that weighed on my shoulders. I found out more about myself in that time, than I have in my entire life life combined. This past week out there brought a ton of memories and was a huge refresher to my current outlook on life.

Yeah, California is great. You cannot beat the weather here, no matter what anyone has to say. Its unique in many ways, but the California that once was the envy of everybody everywhere else, has long been gone. The politics of the state have brought it down to a fraction of its former greatness...and I can do nothing about that. So, I set my eyes on Colorado and know I will be back there someday.

A few of this weeks highlights...


Running at 6,000 feet.

River Rafting down the Arkansas River, Class 4 rapids...loving every second of it.

See pic:



Dinner at Cafe Prague in Morrison...right by Red Rocks.

Dinner at The Fort.

Running more at 6,000 feet.

Dinner and beers at the Buck Snort Saloon.

Running again at 6,000 feet!

Like I said...I miss that place. The diversity of the landscape, the lifestyle, and the hour and and half drive to the slopes! I'll be back in a few weeks for the Georgetown to Idaho Springs 1/2 Marathon...can't wait for that and Dixon's margaritas afterwards!

Ice Baths and the Middle East!

So one of my favorite things to do after a long run is the ICE BATH. Believe me, its not easy but it does the trick for those tired legs that you know are going to be sore in the upcoming days. A good ice bath, and you can be back running strong in no time.
My process is as follows:

Fill up tub, a little less than 1/2 way, cold water.
Get in tub, shorts on, long sleeve shirt on, and a towel around my shoulders and neck.
If its winter and I am already cold, then I turn up the heat and put on a fleece beanie.
Next step, get in tub, dump in a bag or two of ice and start the clock.
Oh, can't forget big hot cup of coffee (the caffeine helps the recovery too)
10 to 15 minutes is all I can take...usually I try to read the paper or do something to distract myself.

After that, all done and almost as good as new!!!

We have often called the ice bath the poor man's massage...it works wonders and can prevent long term injury. Let's all get behind the global cooling movement!



So this brings me to my next point...GLOBAL WARMING! I don't know how it all ties together but this week we have had 101, 107, 105, and tomorrow will be a cool 104. Temps right now for us should be in the upper 80's with low 60s at night. This heat just makes everyone miserable. You want my real opinion? I think heat is the cause to all of the world's problems. I mean look at it...Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel. These people live in god forsaken places where it is hot all of the time. And I do mean ALL of the time. No AC, deodorant, beer, etc and the end result is you want to freaking kill someone. On top of all that they don't shave and their women are wrapped from head to toe. I would hate my neighbor too if that were the case. Mix in some Old Spice, Pabst Blue Ribbon, a Hooters, and some Gillette product and you have paradise. Add some freon as a bonus and you would have peace in an instant!

It all must really be getting to my head! Its tough to do any quality running these days.