I've had my Superfeet Green inserts for a whole 5 days now. I've run in them twice for a total of 6 miles. I must say that I love the arch support that they provide, but am still skeptical about the lack of heel cushioning. As I woke up today, I thought about returning them. My heels were achy after yesterday's run. The good news is that the achy feelings were gone by the next day. I was putting the inserts back into the package for return when I noticed the instructions. They said that some discomfort might arise due to the use of the inserts and to give them a couple of weeks. I changed my mind and decided to give them that extra week.
I've had two good runs in the Superfeet inserts--one on a track and one at a park. I'm getting faster with less effort so that's good. I'm about to begin week three of my comeback. I plan on adding a fourth day of running to the week, so we'll see how that feels. There's a 5k run for a local food bank this Saturday that I had signed up for. I'm not in any shape to try and race a 5k at this point, and I don't want to get hurt by pushing too hard. I'm asking myself if I should treat it as a regular run or go all out and let the chips fall where they may? I'm thankful for the dilemma. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow to have her check my heels. I'm not sure if she'll send me for an MRI, or back to the podiatrist, or she might just say," get over it you baby."
I read a book last week called Why We Run by Bernd Heinrich. I liked it, but can't recommend it. The book chronicles the author's running experiences from high school through college and culminates with his attempt to run a 100k ultra in Chicago. I really enjoyed reading about his running experiences. The parts that I didn't find so great dealt with the biology and physiology of animals and insects. Heinrich spends a great deal of the book analyzing how animals and insects are able to achieve speed or endurance.
I watched the Millrose games on Friday and was very happy to see Bernard Lagat win his 8th Wanamaker mile in an effortless 3:56--just amazing. Lagat is 35 years old and still at the top. He trains in Tucson with one of the coaches from my alma mater, The University of Arizona. I've heard that he's a good guy who is known to offer a nod or wave to other runners during his easy runs.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Visiting Tucson's Fleet Feet Store
Tuesday, I went to my local Fleet Feet store for an insert and bought the Superfeet Green model. I really hope this works. I am so tired of trying to find the right shoe/insert/sock combination. I just want to run! I had a great experience at the store. Antonio (the staff member I worked with) was friendly--without being fake--and knowledgeable. I felt as though he was actually listening to me when I told him about my conditions and perceived problems. I was so inspired by the level of customer service that I actually wrote an e-mail to the owner complimenting him and the staff. This is something that I've never done.
The owner actually wrote me back saying that he had spoken to Antonio about my visit. One of my concerns with the Superfeet inserts is that they don't have a metatarsal pad. The met pad is something that I became accustomed to and relied upon. One of the things the store owner said in his e-mail was that they could modify the insert and add a met pad if I found that I still needed it. I was very relieved to read this. One other thing that impressed me was that they said I could bring the insert back for a refund or exchange at any time. This was quite different from the New Balance store where they told me I had one week, and the insert had to be in new or re-sellable condition. I was advised to wear the Superfeet insoles for around an hour a day to slowly break it in. The insert has a plastic cover under the heel, which is very concerning to me as my orthotic had the same thing and caused my plantars bursitis. There seems to be a little more cushioning in the heel of the Superfeet insole than there was in my orthotic--my orthotic had a thin layer of fabric over the hard shell. I wore the insert in my running shoes yesterday for a few hours--I wasn't on my feet the whole time. My left heel--the source of all my current problems--felt a little achy the whole day. I'm assuming that was from the four miles I did the night before. The course was kind of hilly and, as I became tired, my stride opened up on the downhills causing me to heel-strike even more than usual.
Customer service is something that I usually don't pay much attention to. Unless it's really bad, I just assume that that's normal. If it's really bad, I don't say anything, but I never go back. I assume that runners are a little different when it comes to running stores. Runners tend to be very loyal when they find something they like. I've been wanting to try the Injinji socks, but haven't had any problems with my Balegas, so I keep buying more. I guess what I'm saying is that runners are loyal--loyal to brands as well as stores. I would like to know whether this loyal streak applies to other areas of life such as marriage, restaurants we visit, vacation spots, driving routes, or what meals we make at home. I wonder if married runners have lower divorce rates than non-runners? How about the couples where only one of the two are runners and do the stats change if the male is the runner versus the non-runner in the marriage? Sounds like a good thesis paper to me.
In case you were wondering: I have been married for 11.5 years. My wife is not a runner nor an exercise enthusiast. I eat at the same handful of restaurants where I typically order the same things. At home, I pretty much make the same 10 meals every month. Vacations are comprised of three destinations: Disneyland, Vegas, and San Diego. Not having a good sense of direction, I always follow the same route. Thanks to GPS, I have been freed from worry about getting lost, but still follow the same known routes. Some might call me boring, but I say, "I'm loyal." How about you?
In case anyone's interested, the Millrose games are on ESPN 2 on Friday night.
The owner actually wrote me back saying that he had spoken to Antonio about my visit. One of my concerns with the Superfeet inserts is that they don't have a metatarsal pad. The met pad is something that I became accustomed to and relied upon. One of the things the store owner said in his e-mail was that they could modify the insert and add a met pad if I found that I still needed it. I was very relieved to read this. One other thing that impressed me was that they said I could bring the insert back for a refund or exchange at any time. This was quite different from the New Balance store where they told me I had one week, and the insert had to be in new or re-sellable condition. I was advised to wear the Superfeet insoles for around an hour a day to slowly break it in. The insert has a plastic cover under the heel, which is very concerning to me as my orthotic had the same thing and caused my plantars bursitis. There seems to be a little more cushioning in the heel of the Superfeet insole than there was in my orthotic--my orthotic had a thin layer of fabric over the hard shell. I wore the insert in my running shoes yesterday for a few hours--I wasn't on my feet the whole time. My left heel--the source of all my current problems--felt a little achy the whole day. I'm assuming that was from the four miles I did the night before. The course was kind of hilly and, as I became tired, my stride opened up on the downhills causing me to heel-strike even more than usual.
Customer service is something that I usually don't pay much attention to. Unless it's really bad, I just assume that that's normal. If it's really bad, I don't say anything, but I never go back. I assume that runners are a little different when it comes to running stores. Runners tend to be very loyal when they find something they like. I've been wanting to try the Injinji socks, but haven't had any problems with my Balegas, so I keep buying more. I guess what I'm saying is that runners are loyal--loyal to brands as well as stores. I would like to know whether this loyal streak applies to other areas of life such as marriage, restaurants we visit, vacation spots, driving routes, or what meals we make at home. I wonder if married runners have lower divorce rates than non-runners? How about the couples where only one of the two are runners and do the stats change if the male is the runner versus the non-runner in the marriage? Sounds like a good thesis paper to me.
In case you were wondering: I have been married for 11.5 years. My wife is not a runner nor an exercise enthusiast. I eat at the same handful of restaurants where I typically order the same things. At home, I pretty much make the same 10 meals every month. Vacations are comprised of three destinations: Disneyland, Vegas, and San Diego. Not having a good sense of direction, I always follow the same route. Thanks to GPS, I have been freed from worry about getting lost, but still follow the same known routes. Some might call me boring, but I say, "I'm loyal." How about you?
In case anyone's interested, the Millrose games are on ESPN 2 on Friday night.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Movie Night
Last night I watched another movie about running. This one was called Ultramarathon Man: 50 Marathons, 50 States, 50 Days. It's a documentary that follows Dean Karnazes as he runs to raise money and promote awareness about childhood obesity. As the title states, he runs 50 marathons in 50 days in 50 states. I had come across Karnazes' name before in a negative way. I believe the person referred to him as a self promoter or something that carried the same negative connotation. He seemed like a genuine guy to me.
Whatever your feelings for Karnazes, as a runner, I don't see how you could not be inspired by him. I know I was. As the movie went on, I noticed that I was as inspired more by some of the runners who joined him along the way. There was even some comedy in there too. During the marathon in Seattle, one of the runners was trying to be funny for the camera and wasn't watching where he was going. He ended up running into a pole and broke 2 ribs, but he still finished--props to that guy for turning an embarrassing moment into a macho story he can proudly recite. I was really surprised by how many states it was raining in when he did the run. Living in Tucson, you become accustomed to experiencing no real weather other than extreme heat. When I say it was cold outside, I mean it was in the 50's or 60's. Our summer ends in late October to mid November, so when the temps drop to the low 70's, you still see people here wearing light jackets.
One of the things that struck me was the great scenery that we have in America. Every state except one had something beautiful to look at during the run. Wouldn't you know it, that one state happens to be my state--Arizona. Karnazes had just gone from San Francisco to Maui and then to Surprise, Arizona. Surprise is a little northwest of Phoenix. I'm sure that having just come from beautiful Maui didn't help, but there is no denying that Surprise, just like my hometown of Tucson, is downright ugly. It's beautiful if you enjoy looking at dirt and rotting tumbleweeds. It also happened to be 102 degrees when he ran there. It was obvious that he didn't enjoy the heat nor was he inspired by the scenery. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and think it's worth watching.
I'm beginning the second week of my running every other day comeback schedule. Today, I ran 4 miles around a park in a little over 36 minutes. It was a hilly course. Hills used to be the bane of my running existence, but prior to getting hurt, I had been running 8 miles at a 4-6.5% grade on the treadmill. I had embraced hillwork and dare say even conquered it. It'll be a while before I attempt any serious hill work though. The good news from this run was that I increased mileage and had no problems in my feet. I'm planning on making a trip to the Fleet Feet store tomorrow for an insert. I've never been in a Fleet Feet so I'm hoping for magic since I have yet to hear any negative stories about them. Anyway, for now, I'm feeling Michael Buble good.
Whatever your feelings for Karnazes, as a runner, I don't see how you could not be inspired by him. I know I was. As the movie went on, I noticed that I was as inspired more by some of the runners who joined him along the way. There was even some comedy in there too. During the marathon in Seattle, one of the runners was trying to be funny for the camera and wasn't watching where he was going. He ended up running into a pole and broke 2 ribs, but he still finished--props to that guy for turning an embarrassing moment into a macho story he can proudly recite. I was really surprised by how many states it was raining in when he did the run. Living in Tucson, you become accustomed to experiencing no real weather other than extreme heat. When I say it was cold outside, I mean it was in the 50's or 60's. Our summer ends in late October to mid November, so when the temps drop to the low 70's, you still see people here wearing light jackets.
One of the things that struck me was the great scenery that we have in America. Every state except one had something beautiful to look at during the run. Wouldn't you know it, that one state happens to be my state--Arizona. Karnazes had just gone from San Francisco to Maui and then to Surprise, Arizona. Surprise is a little northwest of Phoenix. I'm sure that having just come from beautiful Maui didn't help, but there is no denying that Surprise, just like my hometown of Tucson, is downright ugly. It's beautiful if you enjoy looking at dirt and rotting tumbleweeds. It also happened to be 102 degrees when he ran there. It was obvious that he didn't enjoy the heat nor was he inspired by the scenery. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and think it's worth watching.
I'm beginning the second week of my running every other day comeback schedule. Today, I ran 4 miles around a park in a little over 36 minutes. It was a hilly course. Hills used to be the bane of my running existence, but prior to getting hurt, I had been running 8 miles at a 4-6.5% grade on the treadmill. I had embraced hillwork and dare say even conquered it. It'll be a while before I attempt any serious hill work though. The good news from this run was that I increased mileage and had no problems in my feet. I'm planning on making a trip to the Fleet Feet store tomorrow for an insert. I've never been in a Fleet Feet so I'm hoping for magic since I have yet to hear any negative stories about them. Anyway, for now, I'm feeling Michael Buble good.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Questions Answered
I checked my NB insert (per Rachael's instructions) and found that when I pushed down on the center, it wasn't lying flat against the sole of the shoe, but rather formed a small tent like shape. I returned to the NB store and told them about my displeasure with the product. The associate looked at the insert box and said my problem might be due to the inserts being for a wide shoe--I think they were EE or EEE sized. I wear a regular sized width shoe. It stated the width right on the box, but the 'NB Fit Expert' either didn't notice or sold that one to me because they didn't have the regular width one in stock. I didn't notice because the 'expert' took the insert out of the box and placed them into my shoes for me. I didn't really look at the box until I was putting them back in to return them. I'm planning on going to the Fleet Feet store here in town where I hope to receive a final solution to my insert problem. I would have gone to them earlier, but they are way across town, and since Tucson has such a poorly planned freeway system, it'll take me about 40 minutes to get there if I don't run into traffic.
My stomach problems finally subsided. I rolled out of bed this morning at 11:30. Yes, I can still say it was morning because the clock said AM and not PM. I got dressed, drank some water, stretched and headed out the door. I've been running one day and then resting the next. Today's run was the best of the week. Little to no wind makes a huge difference. Since I returned my inserts yesterday, I had to run in the inserts that came with the shoes. I must admit that they are thicker than the standard ones that ususally come with running shoes, but they didn't have anywhere near the cushioning of the ones I returned. I noticed the difference immediately. I proceeded anyway with the hope that there wouldn't be any problems. I felt great for the first 2 miles. My breathing was good, and the legs didn't feel too heavy. At 2.5 miles, I noticed my toes beginning to go numb in my left foot. I had feared this would happen since I had no metatarsal pad in the shoe. I didn't want to stop without getting 3 miles in. When my left foot was in the air, I clenched my toes as tight as I could in the hopes that the circulation would improve. To my surprise, it worked. I only did it for 10-15 steps, but the numbness went away and didn't return.
When I set out for today's run, I had two questions: 1) Do I still need a metatarsal pad in my shoe? and 2) Do I need a lot of heel cushioning? The answer to #1 is yes, I want the metatasal pad to relieve the stresses to my forefoot. The answer to #2 is no, I don't think I need a whole lot of cushioning in the heel. I felt no pain in the heel then or now and it's been around eight hours since that run. So far so good--fingers are crossed. If I don't feel any pain tomorrow, I may try another short run to see how going back to back feels. I'm still going way too fast and will have to get that under control. I think I should be doing somewhere between a 9 and 10 minute mile for now.
One thing I've been pretty happy about is all the saving on clothing that I've been doing. For the last two months, I've been hitting the clearance racks at the Nike store, Target, and Dicks. I had been getting savings of 50% off before Chrismas. After Christmas, I was seeing sales of another 50-75% off of the already discounted clearance prices. I picked up a lot of running shirts and everyday shirts too. But, all good things come to an end. I now see that the additional percent off is no longer available on the clearance section. The clearance prices are still really good, but it's harder to pay $12.00 for a $20.00 shirt when, a week earlier, it was $4.00. I missed out on some Livestrong T-shirts that I wanted. I don't know why I didn't get them for $4.00. I guess I assumed the super deals would last longer. Anyone else addicted to the clearance racks?
My stomach problems finally subsided. I rolled out of bed this morning at 11:30. Yes, I can still say it was morning because the clock said AM and not PM. I got dressed, drank some water, stretched and headed out the door. I've been running one day and then resting the next. Today's run was the best of the week. Little to no wind makes a huge difference. Since I returned my inserts yesterday, I had to run in the inserts that came with the shoes. I must admit that they are thicker than the standard ones that ususally come with running shoes, but they didn't have anywhere near the cushioning of the ones I returned. I noticed the difference immediately. I proceeded anyway with the hope that there wouldn't be any problems. I felt great for the first 2 miles. My breathing was good, and the legs didn't feel too heavy. At 2.5 miles, I noticed my toes beginning to go numb in my left foot. I had feared this would happen since I had no metatarsal pad in the shoe. I didn't want to stop without getting 3 miles in. When my left foot was in the air, I clenched my toes as tight as I could in the hopes that the circulation would improve. To my surprise, it worked. I only did it for 10-15 steps, but the numbness went away and didn't return.
When I set out for today's run, I had two questions: 1) Do I still need a metatarsal pad in my shoe? and 2) Do I need a lot of heel cushioning? The answer to #1 is yes, I want the metatasal pad to relieve the stresses to my forefoot. The answer to #2 is no, I don't think I need a whole lot of cushioning in the heel. I felt no pain in the heel then or now and it's been around eight hours since that run. So far so good--fingers are crossed. If I don't feel any pain tomorrow, I may try another short run to see how going back to back feels. I'm still going way too fast and will have to get that under control. I think I should be doing somewhere between a 9 and 10 minute mile for now.
One thing I've been pretty happy about is all the saving on clothing that I've been doing. For the last two months, I've been hitting the clearance racks at the Nike store, Target, and Dicks. I had been getting savings of 50% off before Chrismas. After Christmas, I was seeing sales of another 50-75% off of the already discounted clearance prices. I picked up a lot of running shirts and everyday shirts too. But, all good things come to an end. I now see that the additional percent off is no longer available on the clearance section. The clearance prices are still really good, but it's harder to pay $12.00 for a $20.00 shirt when, a week earlier, it was $4.00. I missed out on some Livestrong T-shirts that I wanted. I don't know why I didn't get them for $4.00. I guess I assumed the super deals would last longer. Anyone else addicted to the clearance racks?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
I finished
All day yesterday, my back was sore, but loosened up today. I've never had back issues, so I wasn't really concerned about it. The great concern was how my stomach felt today. I felt like I was on the verge of vomiting from the time I got up to a half hour before I ran. In addition to that feeling, I had a wicked (channeling my inner Boston) case of acid reflux. This wonky feeling could be attributed to my only getting 4 hours of sleep last night--watched the movie "500 Days of Summer" and loved it. Three of my five kids have been sick with a stomach thing in the last few days, so in addition to their undying love, they may have also given me their virus. I don't know and don't care at this point.
The weather in Tucson, like the rest of the country, is not really ideal right now. The temps were nice--60's, but the wind was a steady 30mph with gusts up to 50mph. I forced myself out figuring that I would stay close to home in case I couldn't physically run. I set out through the neighborhood and didn't notice the wind for the first mile and a half. That's when I turned around to return home. The wind smacked me in the face. I dealt with it okay. After 100 yards or so, the wind really picked up and threw dirt into my mouth and eyes. It blew so hard that for a while I was leaning forward and pumping my arms like Usain Bolt, but wasn't going anywhere. It must have looked hilarious from the viewpoint of the cars that were driving by on the road. This was one of those runs that don't feel good, but down the road, you're glad you persevered.
One thing I think I forgot to mention about my new shoes are the laces. They come with shoe laces that have some kind of special name like Sure Lock or something like that. Anyway, they are designed so that they don't come loose, and man oh man do they work as advertised. I'm still not sure about the NB insert. I used some Body Glide on the arch where the shoe rubbed last time, but still felt the rubbing throughout today's run. When I finished running, I noticed that my left arch didn't feel good. I can't describe it, but I'm wondering if the insert needs to be trimmed or is simply too thick for my shoe. Rachael from http://thebeginningrunnersblog.blogspot.com/ gave me some good advice about the inserts. Thank you Rachael. If you're on my blog and haven't been to hers, what are you doing? Her blog is far more interesting than mine.
Today's run was 3.26 miles done in 27:01. It felt bad, but I can already feel my cardio conditioning coming back. There wasn't the same kind of huffing and puffing as the last run even though today's was much more difficult. My stomach still doesn't feel good so I'm going to go now.
The weather in Tucson, like the rest of the country, is not really ideal right now. The temps were nice--60's, but the wind was a steady 30mph with gusts up to 50mph. I forced myself out figuring that I would stay close to home in case I couldn't physically run. I set out through the neighborhood and didn't notice the wind for the first mile and a half. That's when I turned around to return home. The wind smacked me in the face. I dealt with it okay. After 100 yards or so, the wind really picked up and threw dirt into my mouth and eyes. It blew so hard that for a while I was leaning forward and pumping my arms like Usain Bolt, but wasn't going anywhere. It must have looked hilarious from the viewpoint of the cars that were driving by on the road. This was one of those runs that don't feel good, but down the road, you're glad you persevered.
One thing I think I forgot to mention about my new shoes are the laces. They come with shoe laces that have some kind of special name like Sure Lock or something like that. Anyway, they are designed so that they don't come loose, and man oh man do they work as advertised. I'm still not sure about the NB insert. I used some Body Glide on the arch where the shoe rubbed last time, but still felt the rubbing throughout today's run. When I finished running, I noticed that my left arch didn't feel good. I can't describe it, but I'm wondering if the insert needs to be trimmed or is simply too thick for my shoe. Rachael from http://thebeginningrunnersblog.blogspot.com/ gave me some good advice about the inserts. Thank you Rachael. If you're on my blog and haven't been to hers, what are you doing? Her blog is far more interesting than mine.
Today's run was 3.26 miles done in 27:01. It felt bad, but I can already feel my cardio conditioning coming back. There wasn't the same kind of huffing and puffing as the last run even though today's was much more difficult. My stomach still doesn't feel good so I'm going to go now.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Back In The Saddle Again
Here's a quick review of last week's happenings. I finished the steroid treatment--what a nightmare. I realized that there might be some side effects to the steroids, but I was sure unprepared for what occurred. First, I got that rash on my achilles' heels, which then spread to my feet and went as far up as my calf muscle on my right leg. I then got hit by an allergic reaction or a virus that caused my throat to be really tight and dry. By the last day of the steroid use, my throat felt as though I couldn't fit a straw in there. I've been getting better each day since finishing the steroids. It wasn't until Thursday that I began to feel almost normal. In case you didn't know, steroids act as a suppressant to the immune system. I guess I found out what life would be like with a weakened immune system. The lesson learned here is to get the shot if it's ever offered again. In defense of the pills, they did do their job. My heels feel normal again, and I've even been walking with my usual stride--for a long time, I was walking on the ball of my left foot to relieve the pain.
Friday came and the rash had not gotten any better. I couldn't get in to see my doctor, so I ended up at an urgent care. I explained what had happened and it turns out that the steroid treatment causes a blistery rash in a very small minority of people--I was one of the lottery winners. So now I'm using a topical steroid cream to get rid of the rash that was caused by steroids. I was told that it should go away within a week.
I ordered my shoes from RoadRunner sports last Monday evening. They arrived Thursday afternoon. There's something exciting about getting a new pair of running shoes. If you haven't checked out RoadRunner Sports, they are definitely worth a look. They have the daily deal which is one item that is usually priced around 50% off. The Daily Deal features shoes, clothing, and gear. I like to support my local running shop, but they had the NB 1225 shoe that I wanted for $140. I got the same shoes from RoadRunner for $103.54 including tax and shipping. I went to the New Balance store in town and picked up an insert. I got the NB Pressure Relief insert because it was the only one that offered a substantial metatarsal pad. As a benefit, it also features a deep heel cup and it felt really good in the store. The only potential drawback that concerned me was that it took up a lot of room in my shoe. I like a lot of room in my forefoot.
I wasn't quite satisfied with where the rash was yesterday, so I decided to just do a walk. My wife and I went for a 1.5 mile walk @ a pace of 19:00/mile. I didn't feel any after-effects on my heels from walking, but still iced it later. I'm an even greater heel striker when I walk than I am when running. The rash is now about 90% gone, so I prepared for my inaugural run of 2010.
I had been looking forward to getting new shoes and getting back on the roads, but noticed that I was kind of nervous. What if I started running and my heel began hurting again? I haven't run in a month, so how far or how long should I try for? I was really worried, but just like when you fall off of a horse, you have to get right back on. As I put on my running clothes and laced up my shoes, I was worried--just like before my first marathon 17 years ago. Oddly enough, I wasn't really excited. Instead I was lethargic--probably due to not getting enough sleep last night.
I set out around the neighborhood and felt really good for the first 150 yards. After that, I began huffing and puffing like I was doing a sub 7 minute pace. I realized that I was going too fast, so I slowed down and began to settle in. I was waiting to hear the English man's voice telling me that I had completed my first mile. I use CardioTrainer to track my runs and the voice that tells you the distance and pace is that of a proper Englishman. I was thinking to myself that I had to have gone a mile by now when Jeeves (I call the English guy, Jeeves) broke into the music and informed me that I had completed one mile in 10:15. I was shocked. I'm thinking, "what happened to my conditioning? Man, I'm in really bad shape to be breathing this hard while doing 10 minute/mile pace. All I had to do was listen to the song that was playing over my phone--Katy Perry's Waking Up In Vegas. She kept telling me to shut up and do something, so I thought I should shut up and put a smile on my face because that's what I get for doing no cardio training for a month. I fininshed the next 2.25 miles in 18:38 The breathing was still hard, but I felt comfortable the rest of the way.
I wrote in a previous post that I was looking for something to hold my Motorola Droid phone while I ran--it's the same size and weight as an Iphone. I am glad to report that I did find the solution. I bought an Ifitness running belt (ifitnessinc.com). The neoprene mini sport belt solved the problem for me. My phone fit in their very nicely. I put the belt on and didn't notice it the rest of my run--no bouncing or shifting. I didn't even notice that I was still wearing it 30 minutes after my run. In my opinion, the belt is a winner.
The new shoes felt great. The insert made it feel like I was running on air. The only problem is that there was a slight rubbing on the upper arch of my right foot. I'll definitely have to keep an eye on that--perhaps some body glide. I felt much better after the run than before. I still have to be cautious. If I can go a month without the old problems rearing their ugly heads, then I'll probably be out of the woods and can look forward instead of worrying about the past. For now, I am very happy to count myself as a runner again.
Click here to see today's run via CardioTrainer.
Friday came and the rash had not gotten any better. I couldn't get in to see my doctor, so I ended up at an urgent care. I explained what had happened and it turns out that the steroid treatment causes a blistery rash in a very small minority of people--I was one of the lottery winners. So now I'm using a topical steroid cream to get rid of the rash that was caused by steroids. I was told that it should go away within a week.
I ordered my shoes from RoadRunner sports last Monday evening. They arrived Thursday afternoon. There's something exciting about getting a new pair of running shoes. If you haven't checked out RoadRunner Sports, they are definitely worth a look. They have the daily deal which is one item that is usually priced around 50% off. The Daily Deal features shoes, clothing, and gear. I like to support my local running shop, but they had the NB 1225 shoe that I wanted for $140. I got the same shoes from RoadRunner for $103.54 including tax and shipping. I went to the New Balance store in town and picked up an insert. I got the NB Pressure Relief insert because it was the only one that offered a substantial metatarsal pad. As a benefit, it also features a deep heel cup and it felt really good in the store. The only potential drawback that concerned me was that it took up a lot of room in my shoe. I like a lot of room in my forefoot.
I wasn't quite satisfied with where the rash was yesterday, so I decided to just do a walk. My wife and I went for a 1.5 mile walk @ a pace of 19:00/mile. I didn't feel any after-effects on my heels from walking, but still iced it later. I'm an even greater heel striker when I walk than I am when running. The rash is now about 90% gone, so I prepared for my inaugural run of 2010.
I had been looking forward to getting new shoes and getting back on the roads, but noticed that I was kind of nervous. What if I started running and my heel began hurting again? I haven't run in a month, so how far or how long should I try for? I was really worried, but just like when you fall off of a horse, you have to get right back on. As I put on my running clothes and laced up my shoes, I was worried--just like before my first marathon 17 years ago. Oddly enough, I wasn't really excited. Instead I was lethargic--probably due to not getting enough sleep last night.
I set out around the neighborhood and felt really good for the first 150 yards. After that, I began huffing and puffing like I was doing a sub 7 minute pace. I realized that I was going too fast, so I slowed down and began to settle in. I was waiting to hear the English man's voice telling me that I had completed my first mile. I use CardioTrainer to track my runs and the voice that tells you the distance and pace is that of a proper Englishman. I was thinking to myself that I had to have gone a mile by now when Jeeves (I call the English guy, Jeeves) broke into the music and informed me that I had completed one mile in 10:15. I was shocked. I'm thinking, "what happened to my conditioning? Man, I'm in really bad shape to be breathing this hard while doing 10 minute/mile pace. All I had to do was listen to the song that was playing over my phone--Katy Perry's Waking Up In Vegas. She kept telling me to shut up and do something, so I thought I should shut up and put a smile on my face because that's what I get for doing no cardio training for a month. I fininshed the next 2.25 miles in 18:38 The breathing was still hard, but I felt comfortable the rest of the way.
I wrote in a previous post that I was looking for something to hold my Motorola Droid phone while I ran--it's the same size and weight as an Iphone. I am glad to report that I did find the solution. I bought an Ifitness running belt (ifitnessinc.com). The neoprene mini sport belt solved the problem for me. My phone fit in their very nicely. I put the belt on and didn't notice it the rest of my run--no bouncing or shifting. I didn't even notice that I was still wearing it 30 minutes after my run. In my opinion, the belt is a winner.
The new shoes felt great. The insert made it feel like I was running on air. The only problem is that there was a slight rubbing on the upper arch of my right foot. I'll definitely have to keep an eye on that--perhaps some body glide. I felt much better after the run than before. I still have to be cautious. If I can go a month without the old problems rearing their ugly heads, then I'll probably be out of the woods and can look forward instead of worrying about the past. For now, I am very happy to count myself as a runner again.
Click here to see today's run via CardioTrainer.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Great Success (said using best Borat voice)
Well, not being able to bear another night like the one before, I took my RLS pill. I went to bed at 2 am and didn't wake up (other than at 7:30 to yell at my kids to be quiet) until noon. I feel awesome, incredible, like I could carry the world on my shoulders--you get the picture. Thank you all for your well wishes. They must have gone priority mail straight to the sleep fairies ears. The only side affects I am still having from the steroid pills are my itchy achille's heels. It's really weird that both would be red and itchy in the exact same places.
I don't know if I properly stated why I was taking the steroids, so I'll do it now. The bursa sac at the bottom of my left heel had flattened out making it feel like there was no cushioning between my heel and the nerves in the foot. Basically the bursa sac is like a balloon filled with water. You can push on it and, depending on how much force is applied, the water in the balloon will be outwardly displaced causing the latex balloon to stretch. A healthy bursa sac absorbs the forces and then resumes it's proper shape. Apparently mine has flattened out and stayed there. The steroids are supposed to make the sac resume its proper shape, so it can get back to work and I can get back on the road. I will finish the steroid treatment on Tuesday, and re-evaluate where I'm at on Wednesday. So far, the heel feels good. All indications are go for Comeback 1.1 next week.
RLS is difficult to understand if you haven't experienced it, which is why I was glad to see something on Discovery Health, or another of the health channels, that showed a sleep lab just like the one that Rachael described in the comment section of my last post. I thought about going down to a lab, but didn't think I would get any sleep. I'm so sensitive to changes in my sleep conditions that something as simple as a haircut will cause me to lose a night of sleep until I adjust. I sound like a freak, but I really notice the difference in the way my head feels against the pillow after a haircut. If someone changes the position of my pillow--look out--or even worse if I have to buy a new pillow--I know I'm in for a hard day's night.
I'm looking forward to being able to report on some actual running, but still trying to be wise and patient about it.
I don't know if I properly stated why I was taking the steroids, so I'll do it now. The bursa sac at the bottom of my left heel had flattened out making it feel like there was no cushioning between my heel and the nerves in the foot. Basically the bursa sac is like a balloon filled with water. You can push on it and, depending on how much force is applied, the water in the balloon will be outwardly displaced causing the latex balloon to stretch. A healthy bursa sac absorbs the forces and then resumes it's proper shape. Apparently mine has flattened out and stayed there. The steroids are supposed to make the sac resume its proper shape, so it can get back to work and I can get back on the road. I will finish the steroid treatment on Tuesday, and re-evaluate where I'm at on Wednesday. So far, the heel feels good. All indications are go for Comeback 1.1 next week.
RLS is difficult to understand if you haven't experienced it, which is why I was glad to see something on Discovery Health, or another of the health channels, that showed a sleep lab just like the one that Rachael described in the comment section of my last post. I thought about going down to a lab, but didn't think I would get any sleep. I'm so sensitive to changes in my sleep conditions that something as simple as a haircut will cause me to lose a night of sleep until I adjust. I sound like a freak, but I really notice the difference in the way my head feels against the pillow after a haircut. If someone changes the position of my pillow--look out--or even worse if I have to buy a new pillow--I know I'm in for a hard day's night.
I'm looking forward to being able to report on some actual running, but still trying to be wise and patient about it.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Eyes wide shut
I started the steroid regimen yesterday morning before I went to volunteer with the school kids. I didn't notice any differences in my body or mood. I was tired, so I decided to take a nap. It was around 9:45 am. This is when I started noticing things. I was laying there and all of a sudden my arms involuntarily jerked upwards and nearly hit my chin. I repositioned and then my legs started jumping around. I felt like some unseen force had taken control of my body and was sadistically pulling my puppet strings. After 30 to 45 minutes of being out of control, I got up. You might think that an experience like that would have me freaking out, but it's something I've lived with since I was around 11 years old. I have Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). For me, it only affected my legs. It's hard to describe, but it's something akin to the feeling you get hours after a really hard workout. You know the feeling you get when your leg muscles are really tight and need to be stretched out. The problem is that there isn't any amount of stretching that will satisfy the feeling. It only affected me at night when I tried to go to sleep. My legs would jerk involuntarily every few minutes. The feeling in the legs wasn't painful, but rather it was just always there and frustrating. I learned to live on 4-6 hours of sleep per night. The sleep I did get was not a solid, deep, and uninterrupted sleep either. I would wake up several times during those 4 to 6 hours. In the last couple of years, RLS has been identified and there were some drugs that were supposed to treat it. I tried a couple of them with no success. One of them caused my heart to feel like it was constricted--I thought I was having a heart attack. The other one didn't touch my symptoms. Finally, around 3 months ago, my doctor told me about a different drug that had shown success with RLS. It's a drug used to treat Parkinson's disease. I tried it and (ring the bells and praise the lord) it worked. Instead of it taking me between one and two hours to fall asleep (on a good night), I was asleep within 10 to 15 minutes and the legs were normal. I hadn't felt the RLS symptoms in months until yesterday when they returned with a vengeance.
Keep in mind that all of this happened after only one steroid pill. I still had 5 more to take that day. The afternoon was uneventful. I took 3 more of the pills. Later, I noticed that I was getting really irritable. I was using my laptop to read some blogs and the computer was slow and kept freezing. My anger was growing and I came close to smashing it on the ground. I think my shirt started to rip like when David Banner was transforming into the Hulk. I gained control and, fortunately for the laptop, decided to watch a running movie called Running On The Sun.
This documentary chronicles the Badwater 135 mile ultra run that starts in Death Valley in the middle of summer and finishes at Mt.Whitney. I was glued to the individual stories and I noticed that my heart was racing. I wasn't sure if it was from the fear I felt from even thinking about attempting to finish that race, or if it was due to the steroids. One of the things I liked about this race was that the competitors were not the super athletes that have sponsorships and run in the olympics. The competitors were everyday people who loved running and challenging themselves. All but four of the competitors were there just to finish. I don't want to give anything away, but there was a group of Marines at the race that really made me proud--if you watch the movie, you'll know what I mean.
By the time I went to bed, it was around 1 am. Always fearful of mixing drugs, I didn't take my RLS pill. I took the final 2 steroid pills of the day and layed down to sleep. I had to be up at 6:55 am to get the kids to the school bus. Almost immediately, I recognized that old RLS feeling as I heard Simon and Garfunkel in my head (hello darkness my old friend, I've come to talk with you again). If you don't know who Simon and Garfunkel are; Simon is the short guy from the music video who was playing all the instruments while Chevy Chase sang that song, "You can call me AL". I don't have any references for Garfunkel. That's a funny name to say--everybody, as fast as you can, say Garfunkel three times. This night ended up being terrible. I could not get to sleep. Both legs and arms were moving like I was MC Hammer. My heart was racing--at one point I clocked it at roughly 170 beats per minute. I wonder if I could count that as a cardio workout. In addition to all of this, I had acid reflux going on. This is something I've only experienced two or three times in my life. That burning sensation is really weird, and kind of disconcerting. I played the game of watching the clock until 5:25. At that point, I thought, "hey, I can still get a solid hour and a half in if I fall asleep right now"--call me an optimist. That was the last time I looked at the clock before it's alarm woke me. Usually, I'm all over the alarm having turned it off before it's reached the second beep, but not today. I heard the loud beeping and was trying to find it, but there were all these curtains that I couldn't get my hand through to turn it off. We don't have curtains in our house. The alarm must have been going off for a long time because I saw my wife, who sleeps like the dead, sitting up, angrily saying to give her the alarm and she'd turn it off. I got up for the day and didn't feel the least bit tired. Strangely though, both of my achilles' heels have been itchy all day and I have a hive on my right arm. All night long, I kept thinking--you idiot, you should have gotten the shot. So now I sit here dreading going to bed--It's like I live on Elm Street and I know Freddie is waiting for me except I want to fall asleep, but can't--what a nightmare
As far as my goal to get to 500 sit ups a day goes, I just finished # 200 for the day and I still have 2 1/2 more hours left in the day. I know I won't get 500 today, but another two sets of 75 seems reasonable.
Keep in mind that all of this happened after only one steroid pill. I still had 5 more to take that day. The afternoon was uneventful. I took 3 more of the pills. Later, I noticed that I was getting really irritable. I was using my laptop to read some blogs and the computer was slow and kept freezing. My anger was growing and I came close to smashing it on the ground. I think my shirt started to rip like when David Banner was transforming into the Hulk. I gained control and, fortunately for the laptop, decided to watch a running movie called Running On The Sun.
This documentary chronicles the Badwater 135 mile ultra run that starts in Death Valley in the middle of summer and finishes at Mt.Whitney. I was glued to the individual stories and I noticed that my heart was racing. I wasn't sure if it was from the fear I felt from even thinking about attempting to finish that race, or if it was due to the steroids. One of the things I liked about this race was that the competitors were not the super athletes that have sponsorships and run in the olympics. The competitors were everyday people who loved running and challenging themselves. All but four of the competitors were there just to finish. I don't want to give anything away, but there was a group of Marines at the race that really made me proud--if you watch the movie, you'll know what I mean.
By the time I went to bed, it was around 1 am. Always fearful of mixing drugs, I didn't take my RLS pill. I took the final 2 steroid pills of the day and layed down to sleep. I had to be up at 6:55 am to get the kids to the school bus. Almost immediately, I recognized that old RLS feeling as I heard Simon and Garfunkel in my head (hello darkness my old friend, I've come to talk with you again). If you don't know who Simon and Garfunkel are; Simon is the short guy from the music video who was playing all the instruments while Chevy Chase sang that song, "You can call me AL". I don't have any references for Garfunkel. That's a funny name to say--everybody, as fast as you can, say Garfunkel three times. This night ended up being terrible. I could not get to sleep. Both legs and arms were moving like I was MC Hammer. My heart was racing--at one point I clocked it at roughly 170 beats per minute. I wonder if I could count that as a cardio workout. In addition to all of this, I had acid reflux going on. This is something I've only experienced two or three times in my life. That burning sensation is really weird, and kind of disconcerting. I played the game of watching the clock until 5:25. At that point, I thought, "hey, I can still get a solid hour and a half in if I fall asleep right now"--call me an optimist. That was the last time I looked at the clock before it's alarm woke me. Usually, I'm all over the alarm having turned it off before it's reached the second beep, but not today. I heard the loud beeping and was trying to find it, but there were all these curtains that I couldn't get my hand through to turn it off. We don't have curtains in our house. The alarm must have been going off for a long time because I saw my wife, who sleeps like the dead, sitting up, angrily saying to give her the alarm and she'd turn it off. I got up for the day and didn't feel the least bit tired. Strangely though, both of my achilles' heels have been itchy all day and I have a hive on my right arm. All night long, I kept thinking--you idiot, you should have gotten the shot. So now I sit here dreading going to bed--It's like I live on Elm Street and I know Freddie is waiting for me except I want to fall asleep, but can't--what a nightmare
As far as my goal to get to 500 sit ups a day goes, I just finished # 200 for the day and I still have 2 1/2 more hours left in the day. I know I won't get 500 today, but another two sets of 75 seems reasonable.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Trip to the podiatrist
So, I went to see the podiatrist today about my left heel, which still has some kind of sensation that should not be there. I told him that the orthotic he prescribed for me was fine for short runs, but when I ran between 8 and 12 miles, I would feel shooting pains going up the back of my heel. He must be an optimistic person because his response was "hey, great, we've got you able to go 8 to 12 miles, wow." I guess when he saw that I wasn't enthused, he settled down and told me about "how the orthotic process can be a long one, but we'll keep at it and when we eventually get it right, it's right for a long time." He then went over my options: taking the lift on the insert down, a shot in my heel, continued icing, stretching, and rest. Being that I wasn't too keen on keeping the orthotics anyway, I decided that we could try to modify them again. I assured him that I was stretching everyday and had been resting for a solid 2 1/2 weeks now. As for the shot in my heel--NO, not today. He tried to push the shot on me last time I was there also, to which I also turned him down. He then tells me that I could take a series of pills over six days that would do the same thing as the shot--sign me up!
So, away I went to get my orthotics modified again. The orthotics guy, came out into the lobby and asked me what the Dr. wanted him to do--not a good sign. I explained to him and he basically told me that that wasn't possible--at this point I don't really care because I'm now 100% going with the NB insert anyway. He does what he can, and I leave to drop off my prescription. I get to the pharmacy and hand over the prescription. The pharmacist quizically looks at it. She asks me, "Is this a Z-Pack?" I don't know what a Z-Pack is, so I say, (in my best Forrest Gump voice) "The Dr. told me it was a bunch of pills." She looks at me and says in her soup nazi voice, "You come back in two hours". I avoid eye contact and shuffle out. Not wanting to upset the nazi (pharmacist), I don't come back for four hours. I get my prescription home and open it up to see what magic beans it holds? Lo and behold, It's a 6 day steroid program. Immediately, I have visions of playing second base for the Yankees. Jerked back to reality like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, I see that I must take six 4mg tablets for the first day and one less every day after. Perhaps, I should have opted for the shot. It's not that I'm afraid of needles. I've had needles put into my eyes while awake and watching thinking about the old kid's rhyme--something, something, something, stick a needle in my eye. I forget how it goes, but everyone remembers the last part because a needle in the eye was the worst thing imaginable.
I'll start the roids tomorrow morning. I volunteer at my kid's school every Tuesday and Thursday morning for an hour. I help two 2nd grade kids who are struggling to read. I must say that most days I feel a high that is indescribable when I leave the school. It really is fulfilling to teach young kids and see them improve. Anyway, I hope I don't get all roid-raged and go Serena Williams on the kids when they make a mistake. I think I'm going to wait and see how the steroid treatment feels before I start running again. If it works as advertised, Comeback 1.0 (Sorry Lance) is in sight.
So, away I went to get my orthotics modified again. The orthotics guy, came out into the lobby and asked me what the Dr. wanted him to do--not a good sign. I explained to him and he basically told me that that wasn't possible--at this point I don't really care because I'm now 100% going with the NB insert anyway. He does what he can, and I leave to drop off my prescription. I get to the pharmacy and hand over the prescription. The pharmacist quizically looks at it. She asks me, "Is this a Z-Pack?" I don't know what a Z-Pack is, so I say, (in my best Forrest Gump voice) "The Dr. told me it was a bunch of pills." She looks at me and says in her soup nazi voice, "You come back in two hours". I avoid eye contact and shuffle out. Not wanting to upset the nazi (pharmacist), I don't come back for four hours. I get my prescription home and open it up to see what magic beans it holds? Lo and behold, It's a 6 day steroid program. Immediately, I have visions of playing second base for the Yankees. Jerked back to reality like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, I see that I must take six 4mg tablets for the first day and one less every day after. Perhaps, I should have opted for the shot. It's not that I'm afraid of needles. I've had needles put into my eyes while awake and watching thinking about the old kid's rhyme--something, something, something, stick a needle in my eye. I forget how it goes, but everyone remembers the last part because a needle in the eye was the worst thing imaginable.
I'll start the roids tomorrow morning. I volunteer at my kid's school every Tuesday and Thursday morning for an hour. I help two 2nd grade kids who are struggling to read. I must say that most days I feel a high that is indescribable when I leave the school. It really is fulfilling to teach young kids and see them improve. Anyway, I hope I don't get all roid-raged and go Serena Williams on the kids when they make a mistake. I think I'm going to wait and see how the steroid treatment feels before I start running again. If it works as advertised, Comeback 1.0 (Sorry Lance) is in sight.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Reigning in the competitive spirit
There's an article by Elisha Cooper in the February 2010 issue of Runners World that I found to be funny. He discusses how male runners seem to take it personally when they are passed versus female runners who don't seem to mind. Out on the roads, I have no problems if someone passes me, but if someone is ahead of me I find that I will try to increase my pace to catch and pass them. Where this article applies to me is when I'm at the YMCA running on the treadmill. For some reason, if someone gets on the machine next to me, we are going to race whether they participate or not. I've been in the last mile of a hard 8 mile hill workout when a younger guy foolishly toed the starting line (got on the machine next to me) and started running faster than me. I looked at him, and proceeded to increase my pace so that it was noticeably faster than his. I ended up running an extra 3 miles that day before I broke that guy (or he simply finished his workout). Yes, in my mind, we were racing. Perhaps, this mentality led to my not being able to run (I'm no longer saying the word injury--from here on out, it shall be the word that must not be spoken/written). Fortunately or unfortunately for me (depending on how one looks at it), the YMCA that I frequent is predominately visited by seniors--and I don't mean those in high school or college. I won't denigrate those seniors who are there walking because I respect their effort. How difficult must it be to make yourself go to the gym when you are in your 60's and 70's? Too many people make fun of those who work out--saying they're wasting their time or they're only there to be seen, but I think they try to put them down to make themselves feel better because they can't get their own lazy asses off the couch--I understand it's difficult to do much when you've got a remote in one hand and a bag of chips in the other. I seem to have gotten off subject. Recognizing the problem puts one on the path to fixing it. I have to try to be more disciplined when I do my workouts. No more racing and trying to break the spirit of the old lady next to me. I think it was the Penguin who said you have to "run your own race" or in my case "run my own workout". Maybe I need to get some races in to satisfy my competitive spirit--to race against those who know they are in a race. I've planned some 5k's and 10k's for February and March, so we'll see how things go. I made an appointment for Jan. 6 to see my podiatrist. If I get the okay, I'll probably be running again by the weekend.
If you previously checked out this blog, you'll notice that the L.A. Marathon countdown timer has been replaced by the Prescott Whiskey Row Marathon. While I was really looking forward to L.A., there just won't be enough time to get into descent enough shape so that I don't (insert word which must not be spoken/written) myself again.
If you previously checked out this blog, you'll notice that the L.A. Marathon countdown timer has been replaced by the Prescott Whiskey Row Marathon. While I was really looking forward to L.A., there just won't be enough time to get into descent enough shape so that I don't (insert word which must not be spoken/written) myself again.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Goals for 2010
The primary goal for 2010 is to finish a marathon in under 4 hours. The secondary goal is to qualify for Boston. I also want to run a 5k, 10k, and a half marathon. I want to do more core work this year. I am shooting for 500 crunches a day. I was doing 200 crunches a day when I felt good, but have really slacked off, so I'll have to build up to this amount. I also want to take more time to do post-run stretching. Lastly, I want to stay healthy. 2009 was not a good year as far as injuries go, and I don't think I've ever been sick for so many days as I was this year. I attribute the increased sickness to my volunteering at my kid's school. It's hard enough trying to dodge the germs of my own 5 kids, but I added the germs of another 25 2nd grade kids. The increase in germs with hard training, and not enough sleep equals a lot of sick days. While I do have fun in training hard, I need to learn to relax a bit more and not forget that training is not my job. Running/training is something that I don't have to do, but rather something I am fortunate enough to do.
Friday, January 1, 2010
2009 Recap
2009 was a good year overall. Here's just some of the stats. I started running at the beginning of June. It was pretty hot, and I remember struggling to finish 2 and 3 mile runs. It's funny because a mere two months later and I was warming up with one and two miles before the actual running began. I totaled 528 miles for the year. 5.5 weeks of training were lost due to injury. My longest run was 13.1 miles, which I did twice. I did not run any races.
I think I'm getting pretty close to running again. My right heel feels normal. My left heel is around 90% now. Hopefully, I'll be ready to go in another one to two weeks. I have decided to get the New Balance ultra arch support insoles to go with the NB 1225 shoes. I am looking forward to getting these items and really hope that they solve my feet problems. Based on the preliminary re-start to my training program in a couple of weeks, The Sun run 10k is in jeopardy because I would only have around two weeks to get ready for it. I am optimistic...cautiously...for 2010.
I think I'm getting pretty close to running again. My right heel feels normal. My left heel is around 90% now. Hopefully, I'll be ready to go in another one to two weeks. I have decided to get the New Balance ultra arch support insoles to go with the NB 1225 shoes. I am looking forward to getting these items and really hope that they solve my feet problems. Based on the preliminary re-start to my training program in a couple of weeks, The Sun run 10k is in jeopardy because I would only have around two weeks to get ready for it. I am optimistic...cautiously...for 2010.
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