Equipment and injuries

When I set out on this journey it was a means to an end, I hated running.  However, the more I ran the more I began to love what I was doing, and even excited to do it the next day.  I thought, as probably many beginners think. It's running, get a pair of tennis shoes some weather appropriate clothing and run. How wrong I was.  Sure technically all you need to run is shoes and clothing, but if you are going to succeed and enjoy yourself you need good equipment.  Now I consider everything from shoes to compression tights.  If you spend your hard earned dough on one thing I would say get fitted for shoes specific to your running from a store that specializes in running. If you run trails get trail shoes, if you run on the road get shoes for that.  This might seem like a waste of time or money when you could very easily just pick up "running" shoes any where and for much less than those designed specifically for running.  I speak from experience when I say I wish I would have taken the time and spent a few extra dollars on good shoes specific to my needs. I have encountered untold injuries, and many set-backs due that can be directly attributed to my poor choice in shoe. Even the shoes that I thought would solve some of the issues I was having ultimately ended up giving me the most major injury I have had to date. Since I have switched shoes my injury issues have begun to fade, my runs seem smoother, and I have more of a desire to go longer or push for that faster pace. I never thought that it made that much difference.

The same goes for clothing, sure pants and shorts are pretty much what they are.  The things you may have to pair with them can make a huge difference in the way you perform. One such example is my choice to purchase a good pair of compression tights for my winter/cold weather runs. The tights made such a difference from both a warmth and performance perspective that I am currently looking into purchasing more. The same goes for technical shirts, socks, gloves, head gear, and run tracking equipment. You don't have to go out and get the most expensive items, but springing for that pair of pants that is wind and water resistant for running on those cold fall and winter mornings is definitely worth cost. Many times after purchasing an item I may have been wanting  for a while, but compromised on a lesser product because of cost I find myself wondering why I hadn't just purchased the product I wanted in the first place. I hope that I will be able to help you by sharing reviews, and my experiences with you.

I have reviews planned for many products  and plenty of new product that I would like to try as I work to achieve my goals. Since I feel that I have a pretty steep learning curve it should be both entertaining and informative.

Week of April 23

April 24 - light run

It was warm and the hamstring is still acting up.  I managed to get a fairly productive run in.

4.44mi./37:39 /8:31 pace

April 26 - Light run

Up earlier than usual to start my new training program. Trying to get longer runs in on my regular run days. Today was a good start. Tomorrow is a short day in my minimal shoes.  Hamstring started off stiff and sensitive, but evened out by the end.

4.45mi/38:34/ 8:40 pace

April 27 - minimal shoe training run

I think these shoes make me faster. Or maybe it is because I know that I am not going more than a mile so I push a little more. Whatever it is I know that I like it and it can continue this way. Started to thunder storm right after I finished, glad it held off.

.80mi/ 6:13/ 7:45 avg pace

April 28 -  Speed work/ interval light and easy

I really didn't want to go run this morning, but I pulled myself out of bed early enough to run a couple of miles. It was super windy and only 53F which made it feel pretty cold. On a good note my hamstring  felt pretty good with minimal pain or tightness. I must be on the mend.

2.25mi/ 19:21/ 8:37  pace

April 29 - minimal shoe training run

Good solid effort. Went a little further today. Wanted to do 1mi, but miscalculated my route a little bit. Even though it was cold and windy I still managed a faster time then when I went out last in these shoes.

.94mi/ 6:54/ 7:19  pace

April 30 -  Just a run

Today's run felt better right out or the gate. First, there was no hamstring pain. Second, I was slightly more rested than the rest of the runs this week.  It was good enough for a 5K PR time. Not at my goal yet, but not to shabby for a few weeks of injury. Looking to be able to better this next week.

3.14mi/ 25:38/ 8:11 pace

Weeks total:

16.0 mi/8:10 avg. pace

I can fuel without food!?

The first time I heard about energy gels and other type of fuels I thought, "What? I can get fuel for my run with out eating food?" The whole idea of an energy gel was new to me. Well, pretty much anything that had to do with endurance sport nutrition and fueling my body for work was new to me. Just think of it, I could consume something called a gel and I wouldn't have to eat food and risk getting sick or cramps during my run.  That is GREAT!

Although, I was a bit leery of the taste and texture of such a product. I set out to acquire a few samples and see if these things were for me. The first product I came across was from a company called GU.

I first came across this company when I was signing up for the marathon I will be running this fall. Although there are many companies that produce gels this was the first that I was able to find locally. So I stopped by our local sporting goods big box store and picked up a couple of flavors. Chocolate Outrage, Vanilla Bean,  and Lemon Sublime just to start off. I chose these because they had no added or very little caffeine as I have difficulty with some forms of caffeine when taken on an empty stomach.  I would try eventually try all of the GU flavors even those with double caffeine with the exception of Orange and plain, neither of these flavors appeal to me. Also I have found that the caffeinated flavors not only agreed with me, but  work the best for providing me with the fuel I need plus the added benefit of better focus, especially on the long runs. Of these I prefer the Jet Blackberry which has 2x caffeine.  Now from what I had read you were to eat the whole thing at once about 15 minutes before your activity to give your body time to start using the new energy supply.

My first flavor was to be chocolate, so with a good squeeze down the hatch it went , the whole packet. It tasted great, just like chocolate frosting, and with the same consistency. I almost gagged, and had no way to relive my reflexes as I was not going to spit it out. At around 1.25 per packet it is a bit pricey to waste, but definitely worth the cost.   Not that I could have if I wanted to, nobody told me it was going to be this sticky.  I was stuck, I could do nothing but swallow and consume water en mass to try and wash it down. Lesson learned: when they state "to be consumed at one time," it is not meant to be the whole thing at one time.

With that unfortunate learning experience behind me, I must say I noticed an improvement in both my focus and progression of  my morning runs.  Now not all of the improvement in my running came just because I started to fuel with the gels in the morning and during my long runs. Most of the improvement came from my dedication, hard work , and desire to reach my personal goals. The gels are just a tool that I find have helped me in making those goals happen a little bit faster.  By not having to worry about what I am going to make to eat or if my body is going to enter starvation mode and keep me from burning the fat I need to lose my weight, I can focus just on the running.

New Shoes

After determining that my most recent string of injuries was due primarily to my shoes off I went to get fitted.  After being assessed for what shoes would fit me best for what I was looking for. After trying on several different styles, types, and brands I ended up deciding on two pairs. One for everyday training and longer races, and one that was a bit more minimal as I am thinking of transitioning into a more natural fore foot running style.  For my basic trainer I went with the Mizuno Precision Wave 11, and for my minimal I went with the Brooks Green Silence. I have noticed a fair amount of improvement in my pain and I have only done a few runs in each. I will have to do formal reviews of the shoes once I get 50 or 60 miles on them.  My other minimal shoe, which I will be getting for trail running unless I find something better will be the NB minimus. Getting new shoes has renewed my excitement and love of running. I can't wait to give up the reviews for these on here. Hopefully it will only be a couple of weeks before I get enough time in them to give a fair review.

Injury this and injury that.

Being a fat man who was transitioning into a runner has brought all kinds of pain to me and plenty of reasons to quit.  However, the sheer thought of quitting was never an option.  Up till now I had always been a quitter and had never followed through on any path that I has chosen.  This was different, I was motivated, to for once not be a failure. That my friends was enough, that and the fact that I thought every problem could be solved by more running.

I started out with the usual basic everyday pain like shin splints and muscle soreness from using things in ways my body forgot they could be used for. The shins were the worst and I had to deal with them on a daily basis for a good portion of my training until I got some half ways decent shoes to run in then they slowly dispersed. Next came the calves and knees, then a few rolled ankles, along with reoccurring hip issues, debilitating back spasms, and overuse injuries. Sure the pain hurt, but the run felt better. So did watching the numbers on my get smaller.  Since mid January this year I had been dealing with some more crazy knee issues, and then about two weeks before I was to participate in my first ever race, a 10K, which I will be posting a report of shortly. I had the great misfortune of incurring a hamstring injury or so I thought. I also thought that I was on the mend from said injury, but three days before the it came back, and hard. I rested and massaged, stretched and rested again but to no avail. The day before the race i was feeling pretty good and decided to have light run to get everything moving and any last minute issues dealt with, and after a half mile in it came back. I had to walk back home. The reason I bring this up is because all of the issues had one thing in common. They were being caused by my shoes, and I had no clue. I thought that the shoes I had been wearing  were of good enough quality to be running in, but they were in now way doing what they were supposed to be doing, they had let me down and I was in peril of not racing.  As much as this sucks I am glad that I saved my old shoes because it didn't hurt so much to run in them even with the injury and I would ultimately be able to race. This is just a short excerpt of the pain and injury that I have endured on my journey to be a runner, marathoner, ultrarunner. I felt that I needed a little bit of hardship, and since I now always look forward it is hard to remember the pain. I just didn't want there to be all sunshine and rainbows, and no rain because this has very rough at times.

Hoover Hustle 10K

On April 17 2011, one day before my 35th birthday I ran in my first race. The race was the Hoover Hustle 10K/5K, located in Westerville, Ohio. It had been cold, rainy, and windy the day before this race and the morning of looked like it would be no better.  The temperature was to be in the 40's during the race which is no problem, I am good with the cold. The problem was that I would be running with a hamstring/ ITB injury and a pair of shoes with 400+ miles on them.  I was hoping to do this race in 50:00 or less, but now I would be happy to just finish. The race was to start at 9:00 so I arrived at a little after 8A.M. since there was no check in time and I didn't want to miss any action. I was just early and ended up waiting for the start time to arrive. In a way I am glad I was early, I got to see my competitors arrive, the event staff as they work, and the sun trying to make its way out for the race. The whole time I'm trying to control my nerves repeating my "it's nothing more than a morning jog." That seemed to work until it was time to line up, then the it all hit me.  As I was waiting in the corral I got a glimpse of my wife and kids on the side strip looking for me in the crowd, my wife was snapping a few pictures. Then the starting horn sounded and I had no more nerves just focus. It was time to run, and finish this race.  I started out slow and a little overwhelmed as I tried to find my way through the crowd. Having never competed like this before I had no idea as what was the right way to move past or around those in my way.  It didn't take long to get into my normal rhythm and try and take in everything of my first competitive outing.  It was windy, but at least the sun was shining making the wind feel not quite so cold. I did my best to keep an even pace that was slightly faster than normal but not so much that I would not be able to finish or risk making the injury worse.  My training and race plan seemed to be working, and I was enjoying every second of it.  As I rounded the 4mi marker I started to turn the speed up  realizing I wasn't in any danger of not finishing getting closer to the pace I wanted to do the whole race with. For the last tenth or so I managed to pull out a full sprint as some body in the cheering section yell good form 206 (my bib number) just pushed me the last little bit over the finish line. I finished at 52:59 which was good enough for me to grab 68/300. All in all I feel pretty good about my performance in my first race.  Considering I was running injured, and with different equipment missing my goal time by 2:59 is totally amazing to me. It feels great to have this under my belt, bring on the rest.

Just When is it Too Cold to Run in the Morning?

The answer to that question as you can see from the picture it never was.  This was also a question that I asked myself frequently as I live in Ohio and the winters can be and most often are cold. I started asking myself this sometime mid to late November as the mornings started dipping into the thirties.  Luckily we hadn't had any snow... yet. It was on the way, and I would have to deal with that when it came around. I decided after a run that was down near 25F that I would have to figure out an alternative to running outdoors. That is when my sister sent me a link to an article about winter running. After reading I realized that with a different approach, and some new gear I would be able to run well into the winter without having to think about a change of venue for my runs. I can remember one such run where after I finished I posted to my Runkeeper account with this comment: "Did I really just run in 12 degree weather? What was I thinking. Good run though.", and that wasn't the coldest day that I ran on, it was just the first really cold day. In case you are wondering, the coldest day that I went out on was 4F on my thermometer on the porch, but Accuweather said it was -6F with the real feel of -12 or -14.  After a while you get use to the cold and learn to embrace it.  I wouldn't trade my winter running for anything now.  It is always quite, very few cars, and great time to reflect and focus on what steps are needed to improve or what may be the next step along the voyage.

OH NO IT SNOWED, it was just a matter of time what was I going to do now.  Run, of course, that however was easier said than done. With that first light dusting  I found that running on snow covered streets wasn't too bad but what about when they are covered with ice, slush and inches of winter. That would be where a very handy piece of outdoor shoe equipment would come into play, Yak-Trax. They are like snow chains for your shoes, giving added traction without affecting your running stride. I couldn't have done some of my winter runs with out them. I am sure you are all thinking it couldn't have gotten that cold, or you must have cut your running down. Absolutely not, I maintained six days a week and mileage of  15 - 20 miles a week. Although, not all of them were fun such as my run Thanksgiving weekend. On one run it was around 45F and raining so hard I could barely see due to all the water. I was drenched and cut short on my run. I felt ripped off because it had been so short, and as soon as I got back inside and sort of dry it stopped raining. So I went out and did it again. Fun times. This however is nothing like running during and after snowy conditions. Snow presents a whole different set of issues, such as kamikaze snowflakes, limited visibility due to large dense flakes, and quickly icing conditions from vicious ice snow. Snow is a master of illusion this way, it wants you to believe that it is pretty and harmless to lull you into thinking thoughts like "it is so pretty" and "this will be a beautiful clean run".  For the most part that would be true, if you weren't going to be running in it. Because, all of a sudden out of nowhere a snowflake dive bombs your eye, then another, and another until your eyes are watering so bad you can barely keep them open and are afraid you will be blind by the end of your run. More than once I found myself being pelted on my face by stinging little ice pellets or running near blindness because of falling flakes. This is not meant to discourage anyone from running in the snow I loved every venture out feeling blessed that I could, and didn't wimp out and stay in bed.

The Military and me.

As I stated in my first post I had aspirations of joining the military. I did all of the motions and went through all of the processing to join. Some are probably wondering how this could have  any effect on shaping my path as a runner.  Well, as you may know the military has this process called basic training, and during this training you are required to exercise as well as learn how to become a soldier. At some point in the process you are required to pass three physical fitness tests.  The three are predetermined by your age and include a specific amount and allotted time.  You must be able to pass tests in sit ups, push ups, and running before you can graduate and move on to your schooling. I understood that I needed to do this and seeing how the military was my main motivation for losing weight and becoming physically fit it stands to reason that this would shape my training.  As I mentioned previously, I thought that I would be required to run one mile in 13:00 minutes so or less so I started out with that as may goal to achieve. With my three to five days of running I steadily worked toward the goal and achieved my goal sometime late June or mid July. By this time I had lost a considerable amount of weight and felt I was where I needed to be to complete my application process and enter into service. As I was meeting with the recruiter I was expounding my accomplishments and and that I felt I was ready. The recruiter then informed me that I needed to lose more weight and had to run two miles in around 17:00 minutes. Needless to say I was crushed, and slightly depressed. All of the work that I had done wasn't enough, and my best wasn't near enough. At this time I was doing a little bit over two miles per workout but it was split between walking and running with varying percentages of run. Even though I very seldom ran less than 50% of my morning outing I needed to do better. So I now had a new goal to achieve. After much training and bumping my running days up to a full on six days a week this goal was met and exceeded. By now I have been running through the summer and into the fall during all types of weather letting nothing stand in my way all the while going through the steps to gain entrance to the military. At some point during this process I came to the realization that there was a very real chance that I wasn't going to be able to join or that something would prevent me from joining.  My fears were starting to surface, what was I going to do I was going to fail. Would I become lazy and gain all of the weight back I had to do something. Well the answer came from a U.S. Army tweet. It was mid November and the weather was becoming cold, and I was starting to ponder what to for my exercise during the winter and how cold was too cold to run in. The answer was in that tweet about running in the winter, it was an article written by and ultrarunner and I had my answer. I wanted to become and ultrarunner!  To put this chapter to bed I eventually went to MEPS and made it through the exams all I had to do was sign the papers. I chose not to sign, and I am glad to have a new path in my life. Had it not been for the hurry up and wait philosophy I may not be on the path to my first marathon and ultra later this year.

Enter the Runkeeper, a review sort of.

By the end of May I was in need of some sort of tracking and management for the activities I had made into a daily routine. By now I was doing two routines a day one in the morning starting around 5:30 and one in the evening. My morning routine consisted of a run of sorts usually around a mile with half of it being a walk, and the evening was usually a walk with the family and a light routine of stretching, push ups and sit ups. This would be when I got introduced to Runkeeper.com and the app for my phone. I was turned on to it by my sister who was using it for her running as she was training to do a leg of a marathon relay. I checked it out, loaded it up and haven't looked back. This training aid has been invaluable to me as a way to manage my runs, source of motivation, and entertainment during the early part of my training. The app uses the phones GPS unit to track  the route, distance, speed, and pace of  your activities. Activities include running, walking, cycling, kayaking, and others as long as you are moving so the GPS can calculate distance. The app also automatically link to the Runkeeper website where you can edit your activities, track your progress, participate in races, and now even sign up for fitness classes to enhance your training. This tool has been great to keep me going in a positive direction during training by being a source of motivation and a way to push my self  well beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I will have to do a proper review of runkeeper later on, but for now this is being mentioned as I may make reference to it though out my posts.

Hello I'm Andrew... and I'm a runner.

It wasn't always this way. (see picture to the right)

Actually, up until about a year ago it never was this way. I was always one of those people who thought that people who ran were crazy, and the ones who did races like 10K's and marathons were even crazier. I first started to run because I wanted to realize a dream of mine. That dream was to join the military, and being 250 pounds wasn't going to get me there. I had to do something and just losing the weight wasn't going to be enough. I was going to have to be able to run, and be able to run a mile in a specified amount of time or so I thought. In reality I would need to run two miles in under 17:42. So I set out to lose weight and make the initial 1 mile running goal. The weight goal was to be 205 pounds or less. In mid May of last year this quest began, and by the end of May I was logging my exercise time and food intake with apps on my iPhone, tweeting and updating my Facebook status with the latest great accomplishment in my exercise routine. I think my first post went something like this: ran .2 miles walked .3 miles I think I am going to die.
Upon my return to the house I was thinking there is no way I will ever be able to run a mile straight. Feeling beat up and exhausted I retired to the shower to nurse my pain and wash away the feeling of failure. My goal was to run to the end of the street and back and I didn't even make it half way before I felt like I was going to puke. I would figure out later that what I had actually ran in total that day was closer to .15 miles than it was to the .5 I thought I had run.
So my transformation into a runner began, and continued in such a fashion until I could actually make it to the end of the street and part of the way back. Each venture out was just as painful and in some more so than the one before. All the while I was continuing to do lifting routines and post the feeble results online. What a joy it must have been for others to be reading my perceived great accomplishment of the day.