2011 in review and 2012 goals (revisited...)

Coming in to 2011 I had a couple main goals:

1: Run 1000 miles.  How did I do?  Well, I started the year hurt (37 miles combined in Jan and Feb) and ended the year hurt (12 miles so far for Nov and Dec).  I am at 859 for the year and may only end up with a couple higher than that.

2: Break my 5k PR.  My 5k PR was 22:23.  I did three 5k race this year and...set a new PR at EACH OF THEM!  I went from 21:03 to 20:39 and finally (3 days later) 19:16!!  I placed in my AG in each of these races

3: Complete the Blues Cruise 50k.  And I did!  It was supposed to be my first 50k, but I actually hit 50k (actually 35 total) a month before in the Labor Pains 12 Hour Endurance Trail Run.

So, those were my goals and, barring injury, I would have gotten them all!

In terms of races, I ended up doing 13 of them (my lucky number!  I did, after all, turn 13 on Friday the 13th...).  10 of the races were competitive (the Tough Mudder is not a race, and the  Merril Mud Run and the Hershey Half were run at the pace of my wife (Mud Run) and my good friend (Hershey).  So, of those other 10 races, I medalled in 7 of them including a 3rd overall in a 6k trail run in March.  The three others I didn't were the 12 hour endurance run, the Blues Cruise 50k and the Charlie Horse 1/2 Marathon (trail- my second ever 1/2).  In those races, I beat my distance goal for the 12 Hour run, I beat my time goal for both the 1/2 and the 50k!

Over all, I think I had a great year in running (even with the injuries).

So, what's on tap for 2012?

My race list is here: 2012 Races.  You can take off Chilly Cheeks in January, I am not going to push the injury to complete a race.

My 2012 goals? They were originally posted a while back (September?  Really?).  Here they are:
1. Break 19 in a 5k (yeah, I like to hurt)
2. Complete a 50 mile ultra
3. Complete a 10 mile race in under 1:30; 1:25; 1:20 (3 separate goals...I'll work at them 1@ a time)
4. Complete a 15 mile run with an average pace of under 10 minutes per mile (2:30 or less)

 As you can see, #4 is already crossed off.  I did a 9:42 pace for 20 miles a few days after writing these goals.  #1 is crossed off as well because I don't care if I do that or not.  My goals are distance goals and my speed goals are for longer distances as well.  I did hit 1:30 for a 10 mile training run so I know that is possible for a race.  I just need to find a 10 mile race.  Oh wait, I did!!  The Capital 10 Miler in Harrisburg as well as the Oley Valley Classic 10 Miler

I didn't put any over all running distance goals for the year.  I have a 50 miler on my schedule (Tussey Mountainback) and would like to hit 40+ at Labor Pains in September.  I figure they're about 2 months apart, so I would be recovered by then for Tussey.

I've been reading other running bloggers goals and reviews and it seems that many had good years and have lots in store for 2012!  Feel free to link yours in the comments!!

I know what we're going to do today!

Well, actually, I didn't know what I was going to do today at PT, or at least I thought I knew what I was going to do today at PT: strengthening and stretching of my abductor muscle and the surrounding areas followed by some hard elliptical time.  I got through most of my PT stuff and hit the elliptical earlier than usual.  My PT came over and asked if I had run yet (since my last appointment two days ago when he said I could run this weekend).  I said, "No, I'm being good, taking my time and waiting til the weekend."  He responded with, "Would you like to try the treadmill today?"  YES!!  So, I got through the rest of the PT exercises and it was time for The Treadmill.  I haven't run on one since college (so, that'd be '93) and I hate the Dreadmill which is why I don't own or use one BUT I was going to RUN!!!  So, I was figuring it would be walk 1/4, run 1, walk 1/4 to take it easy.  As he's showing me how to use it he says "Just don't run more than 3 miles (3 MILES??? YIPPEEEE!!!) and if it starts to hurt, stop right away".  Woohoo!  So, I did 3.2 (yes, it was more than he said...) but, 3 were at 10 minutes per mile with a short warm-up and a longer walking cool down (I figured I was very warmed up already with the hour and fifty minutes of exercises including 15 on the elliptical).  AND??? NO PAIN!!!!  I was so freaking pumped about that!  We did talk after about how running on the road is very different, but that the TM run was a good sign.  The next test will be this weekend on the road!!

PS, sorry if you don't know the Phineas and Ferb reference in the title.  It is one of my all time favorite shows that my kids watch (The Backyardigans was pretty awesome...). 

PT and running

I've been missing from the blog world- not commenting a lot and not posting much.  I've also been missing from Dailymile and an on-line running group.  I've been doing my PT regularly and also been doing the elliptical at the PT office.  Since I'm off this week, I'm heading in for three visits.  Today I finally popped the question: When do you thin kI can start running again?  Answer: This weekend. What?  Partay!!! The PT did ask another as well and he agreed that this weekend is just fine to test things out.  He also said it doesn't mean go out and run 10 miles (I know, PT).  I said my plan was to kinda start over with my running.  I'd do the walk .25, run 1, walk .25 and ice, ice, ice...along with PT stuff.  Of course if any pain starts, I am stopping my run right away. 

I hope all of you have been having a wonderful holiday no matter what you celebrate.

A new member of our family

We've been talking about getting a cat for the past week or so and we finally decided to get one.  So, my wife went to check out some cats at PetCo through an awesome shelter called One By One.  My wife really liked one of them, but it made her eyes water and itch.  So, we looked at some cats on a site and saw a gorgeous black Siamese cat named Burton.  So, we drove out to PetSmart to see him, but he wasn't there :(  Turns out that he had 8 teeth removed the day before.  We did check out a couple other cats, but they were totally not right for us.  So, after e-mailing with Kathy from One By One, we were able to see Burton last night.  I have to tell you, the love was instant!  He is a very friendly cat and we took him home last night.  After we set up his litter, food and water, we let him out of the carrier he was in and he spent the next hour wandering the first floor of our house (we were only letting him in small area one day at a time).  After that, he hopped up on the couch and laid in my lap for a while.  He was also giving kisses to everyone, too.  Later that night after the kids went to bed (reluctantly), he slept in my wife's lap for about 2 hours.  We've officially had him for 1 day now, but he acts like he's been here his entire life!

A little background on him- he was found by a family over an hour from here, but they could not keep him despite how much they loved him.  They had him for about a week after finding him near there house.  He followed them around outside for a couple days before they took him in.  However, their dogs did not like him.  Sad for them, but lucky for us.  This family paid for all his vet bills- shots, check-up, etc before bringing him to One By One (the only shelter around that guaranteed they would not kill him- they won't kill ANY cat- they have over 140 in various foster homes and stores).  Anyway, no one has any idea how old he is, but we're all guessing around 7-9 years old.  He is definitely a lover!  He loves sitting in laps, rubbing against us and giving kisses (rubbing his face against yours).  We are so in love with him!  Adoption seems to suit us well :)

 He's kinda hard to see in the picture on the right, but that was after about an hour of him being home :)  He's on my lap as I type.  He'll stand on the couch next to me staring until I move the laptop so he can sit.  Yeah, I guess that makes me pussy whipped (like I wasn't already).

Keeping the pounds off...

...or making sure they don't pile on.  One way or the other, this is a struggle for many people.  Here are some tips that have helped me get them off and keep them off over the past few years:

1. Don't eat more than you burn!  It is almost as simple as that.  We all have a basal metabolic rate- how many calories our body burns on a daily basis to help sustain us.  This varies depending on normal daily activities.
2. High fiber in the morning can help you feel fuller for longer.  Fiber has multiple functions that can help with weight loss.  Fiber has been shown to slow the absorption rate of calories and also takes longer to digest which can make you feel fuller for longer.  A high fiber snack when feeling really hungry can also help reduce the number of calories that you consume if you tend to snack a lot.
3. Exercise!  This is one of the greatest weapons against obesity!  Get out and do something!  Run, bike, walk, PLAY!  Get out at least a few days a week for at least 30 minutes at a time.  Exercise will help increase your metabolism and burn calories!
4. Figure out when your "bad eating" time is.  Mine was, and at times still is, later at night.  I find myself "bored" or actually getting hungry again if I stay up too late.  When I lost weight, I made sure I got in to bed very early and I would read, which was relaxing and would help me fall asleep. 

These are just a few of the things that helped me lose 60 pounds in 10 months a few years back.  I'm not promising it will work for you, but I hope it helps.  Another tip that really helped me was to cut down my sugar intake significantly!  I cut it out about 98%.  I do eat muffins (only homemade with 1/2 the sugar), biscotti (same sugar content- 1/2) and put a tablespoon of sugar in my coffee.  But I cut out all other deserts, soda, candy, etc.  This, for me, was the key.  I was addicted to sugar!  Cutting out the sugar, I believe, helped me increase my energy level by a huge amount! 

Do any of you have any tips to share?
Do you want some help?  I'd be more than happy to!!

Looking for the right cat!

Well, we finally decided it's the right time for us to get a cat.  My wife went to PetSmart because they have have cats up for adoption there from One By One.  She had one or two in mind to hold and see if they would be right for us.  Unfortunately the one she really wanted ended up giving her an allergic reaction.  The others that she held were short hairs and she was fine with them.  But, they were much younger and friskier; we're looking for an older cat, not a kitten- and one that is good with kids.

So, today we went to PetCo in hopes of finding one particular one that we saw on the One By One web site.  When we got there, we were disappointed that this one particular cat (gorgeous, 5 or 6, listed as great with kids and a lap cat) was not there.  However, there were a couple others that we tried to hold.  One was a 10 year old and the other was 1.  The 10 year old was hesitant to be touched at first, but eventually let us pet her and she seemed to like it.  But, when I tried to pick her up, she growled, meowed and hissed at me- not for us.  The other we tried to interact with a 1 year old the same way, but the did not like being held at all.  We were told that "box" cats can be like that (cats that are left on their doorstep taped up in boxes) and that they tend to be friendlier after they have been home for a while...but we didn't want to take that chance on a cat that we were unsure about. 

We did find out that the cat we wanted to see was not in because he had dental surgery to remove 7 or 8 teeth and that we can come see it next weekend.  This particular one seems to be perfect for us on paper (but so did the Phillies and we now how that ended), but we're trying to not get our hopes up about this one.  We've already named him, too...Kona (after the coffee and the home for one of my most favorite endurance events).

Have you ever adopted a pet?  It'll be nice to have a cat if it'll help with our biannual mouse issues...

PT Day two and some Elliptical!

Today's PT session was another good one!  The people at IMG PT are amazing!  I was there for an hour and forty five minutes and the time just flew!  Also?  I spent the last 10 minutes on the elliptical trainer (just over a mile done) and my abductor felt great!  Overall, I was able to get through all of the exercises (including some more new ones) without any bad pain (all good pain, here!).  I didn't ask the question I most wanted to ask, and I'm going to wait until the end of next week (I have appointments next Mon and Weds): "When can I run?" 

Have a great run, all!

PT TIME (not to be confused with Party Time

So, I had my first session at the PT yesterday.  It seemed to go well.  He said I have a partial tear of my abductor muscle in my left leg.  He noticed that my left pelvis is slightly twisted forward and I don't have the same range of motion in my left knee as my right.  Between the two, it puts extra pressure on the muscles between my pelvis and knee and that's what caused the tear.  After about 10 minutes of stretching he looked at it again and *voila!* the pelvis was fine!  So, pretty much, if I had been stretching before runs (I would always slow run to warm-up) it probably would not have happened.  So, I plan on walking 1/4 before each run and then stretching lightly before the actual run itself.

I also did my first session of at home exercises as well!  Tomorrow is my next appointment.  I get to try out the elliptical trainer to see how my abductor will hold up.  I'm also going to ask about light bike riding as well.  Of course that'll mean I'd have to put my bike back together.  Well, it has been sitting on the floor of the basement, nice and clean, in several different pieces (I took it apart, cleaned it, and never put it back together...). 

So, I have begun my journey back to running!

Oh yeah, he didn't sound to optimistic about a 50k in May.  I would have a long way to go to get back to that point and I don't want to rush this.  I'm ok with that, though!  My two main focuses for this year are pacing Jay (at Let's Run Homey) at Leadville in August and then the Tussey Mountainback 50 Miler in October.

Enjoy your runs!!

OMG I am DROOLING over these!!

I am so excited!  I have been WAITING for these shoes!  They are the new model of the New Balance MT101's.  They'll be coming out in January and I CAN'T WAIT!  AND?!?!?  They are available in WIDE

 

There's also this color, but I like the black better...

 

So, I'll be ordering these as soon as January starts!  Yes, I am a running geek and I will probably force myself to stay up til midnight on New Year's so I can order them as soon as they are ready.  GET YOUR GEEK ON, BABY!

Thanks Running Warehouse for the photo!

Group Runs

Do any of you do group runs?  I have yet to do one.  I have a few different options, too, for groups to run with.  The local running club (Pagoda Pacers) has a couple runs a week whether it be their official run or one or two other members organizing runs as well.  There's also runs from my local running store as well, A Running Start.  I think they have two per week, but I'm not sure.

What are the benefits (outside of social aspects- I'm very quiet around people I don't know, some may even say anti-social)?

Do you think group runs help with your training?

Other than racing, and my friend Russ, I have not run with anyone else on a regular basis.  This may have to do with my running later at night and my preference to get out onto the trails when I feel like getting off my butt in the afternoon or heading out before the sun has fully risen. 

One of the reasons I love running so much is that it gives me that alone time that I crave.  In the morning outside of getting myself ready for work, I am also helping the kiddies get ready for school and, a few days a week, making my wife's lunch as well.  Then, it's kids and people all day (I teach 2nd grade), the a commute home with several hundred of my closest friends playing NASCAR on a four lane highway.  After that, it's spending time with my kids, dinner, cleaning the kitchen, herding kids to bed, then next thing you know, it's 8:30 and I still need to get out for my run.  By that time, I am dying to get out there!  Often I won't get out for as much as I would like since I have to get up at 5:30-6 (depending on how often I hit the snooze) and the workout plus shower tends to keep me up a bit longer plus the need to refuel and any work to do at home to make sure things are ready for the next day.  Plus, I do love to read some blogs and some FB as well as any other book I might be reading.

That brings me to the weekends.  By the weekend, I really want a few hours one day a weekend to get out and hit the trails.  I don't care what the conditions are (well, except for when my favorite trail system was under 8 feet of water earlier in the fall), I want time to get out and get a bunch of miles in.  Sometimes this requires me to get up at 5:30 so I can get out and back before my wife has a photoshoot or even have to wait until later in the day for a babysitter (aka Grandparents)if my wife is gone all day or for the weekend.  For some of my really long runs I've needed the kids to sleepover so I can get up early for a 16+ mile run or for a race.  Either way, I need those hours alone.  And I need those hours to run. 

This thinking out loud may have already answered my question about group runs.  They may not be for me.  Maybe I will once in a while, but not weekly, like when I was cycling.  If I see a fellow runner on the trails, it's usually in passing (opposite directions, they passing me or vice versa) and tagging along for a while with each other is not really an option. 

Well, thanks for reading my brain, even if it does wander a bit...I have to go clean the kitchen (it is MY kitchen after all).

Wide minimalist style shoes?

Alright, apparently I have wide feet.   And, apparently, I can't find a decently priced minimalist style shoe that is wide enough for my feet.  The only pair I've had success with are the La Sportiva Crosslites.  Ooh, I also have New Balance Minimus trail in 11.5, wide, but I don't run long miles in them.  I have not felt any constriction problem nor had any blow outs in either them. 

I've tried running in the New Balance MT 101's and loved them, but blew out the insteps on both pairs during a trail half marathon.  They didn't have a lot of miles on them either.   The Saucony Kinvaras were not wide enough either as I started to rip out of the sides as well.  I actually had gotten both of these as my first foray away from "normal" running shoes and really had never had a decent pair of running shoes before.  I thought they fit fine, but the blow outs and rips proved otherwise.  I am currently running on the road (La Sportivas are trail) in Brooks Green Silence.  They are not side enough either BUT, the soft cloth mesh top allows for the bit of extra expansion I need.  However, I did start to blow out of the side of one of the shoes around mile 200 (I ended up with about 280 on them).  I also tried running in Innov-8 shoes.  The first pair were not wide enough (felt great in the store and on a few runs...but started noticing more as I ran longer in them...).  I tried their widest pair, but a seam on the inside rubbed my foot wrong and gave hot spots very quickly (they actually took these back after I ran in them which was awesome of them). 

So, my question is, do you know of any minimalist style shoes that do not cost a million dollars?  I'd love for the NB 110's (next generation of 101's) to be in wide.  I'd also love for the Pure series from Brooks to be wide enough for me, but I haven't tried them, yet...

Thanks for any help!!!

Need an April race??

Need an early season race?  Want to spin those wheels?  Looking for a long run and want to do it along a beautiful course?  How about the Capital 10 Miler in Harrisburg, PA!  The race is set for April 1, 2012 and benefits Open Stage of Harrisburg & Capital Area School for the Arts.  Last year was the first year and it was a success!  The winner finished in 53:47 and the winning female finished in 1:08:04...so it's a bit of a fast race (well that sounded dumb- of course it's a fast race...).  Take a look at the pictures here as well- it looks like a gorgeous run!!  Also, it starts on an island!  How many island starts are you going to get (well, unless you live in Hawaii)?

Back from the doctors!

Nothing torn, ripped or shredded.  Turns out it's an abductor muscle strain.  PT was closed today, so I'll talk to them tomorrow to get set up with them.  He seemed to think it would be a few weeks plus home exercises to strengthen the area (yeah, strengthening exercises really are a weakness of mine...) and that should be it!  I'm glad I finally went in as I never would have thought of doing strengthening stuff on my own.

So, wonder when it'll be ok for me to run again...

Dr Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow is my doctor appointment.  I think I'm regretting making it with my family dr instead of an orthopedist.  I've been happy with them in the past with other injuries (last years foot and knee surgery and dislocated collarbone in the 90's).  We'll see!

Anyone out there have any thoughts?  A month ago I felt a slight pop and had sharp pain which prohibited me from running any further.  I was going at an easy pace and was 1.5 miles in (not far for me at all).  I took off two weeks with heat and some ice.  I ran twice after two weeks a few days apart.  The second time I was just about done my run when the pain came back.  I walked the last block to my house and did another two weeks of ice and heat.  Then, I got in two runs a few days apart- 1/4 walk, 1 run, 1/4 walk.  Then, a couple days after that, I did 1/4 walk 1.25 run and got to 1.2 before the pain came back.  I walked the rest.  The pain seems to be around the center of my gracilis muscle (groin area).  I have full range of motion and there has never been any bruising or swelling that I could detect.  I'm thinking it's a pull that needs more time, but I figured a month would have been good by now.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for reading!  I'll let you know what my dr says!

I'm hooked...and some reading

Well, with all this down time, I've gotten hoked on Zynga Poker on Facebook.  I'm not sure how it got started, but I love playing it.  I guess this is my outlet for my competitive nature!

Also, I finished Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger.  Overall, I felt that is was a good book and had some great advice.  I did skim the sections on training plans as they don't really apply to me.  If you're looking to speed up your marathon time, or BQ, then this book could be of some help!

I also read The Long Run by Mishka Shubaly.  This was a short, but excellent book.  It's the story of a drug addict and how he turned to running to help with his drug addiction.  If you're looking for a quick read and a book that has a (maybe) different look at how people get into running than you, then pick it up!

I just started reading Relentless Forward Progress by Byron Powell.  This is a beginners book on running ultras.  I'm only about 1/5th of the way through it, but I love it.  There is all sorts of advice throughout the story from not only the author but other ultra marathoners as well.  If you're looking to run long, this is a must buy!

Have a good long run/ race day!!

Friday's run was a fail...

I used the heating pad to warm up my groin and then headed out.  I did my 1/4 mile walk and then started my run.  I was going to run 1.3 and then walk 1/4 to finish it off.  I got to about 1.2 and a dull pain started to creep in.  Nothing major, so I kept going for the last bit.  Well, I cut it a tad short (maybe .02) because the pain got worse.  I hobbled home in pain and frustrated- after all it's been over a freaking month since I've been able to run.  I called my Dr on Friday and have an appointment for Tuesday to get it checked out.  The pain has not gone away either.  It's not constant, but it hurts if I'm sitting or if I'm kneeling- or just about anything that puts pressure on the area, it hurts.  Not the sharp pain that it started out as a month ago, but enough to piss me off.  So, I'm shut down again.  It's really fucking frustrating.  I'm hoping to find some answers on Tuesday.  I still think it's just a pull that I aggravated again.  I've read that a rip would have swelling and possibly bruising, neither of which I have.  I still have full range of motion as well.

On the plus side, my kids and I watched my wife and her BFF run the Run Santa Run in West Reading this morning and I'm proud to say the my wife PR'd!!  It was a cold morning, but the kids and I enjoyed clapping for everyone as they came across the finish line (not many people were out, which stunk).  Congrats Jane!!

You know what

Yesterday's post was the stupidest one I've ever done.  I even thought about deleting it, but decided to keep it as a reminder to never do that again.

First of all, I do this blog mostly for myself.  Typing out my thoughts helps me think.  I used to write them out (I had kept a regular journal- not a diary, journal- since middle school) but now type them out on the computer.  That's what this blog is about- to help me gather my thoughts about my running and about my diet.

Secondly, what that fuck am I doing with following along with what other blogger do?  I hadn't had a post in a while, so I thought "Hey, why not do a Wordless Wednesday, the other bloggers do it".  Since when have I ever done what other people do or thought I should do?  It's not like I'm a black sheep type or anything; I do care a great deal about family, friends and other people.  But, last night I thought for a few seconds- "Who wants to hear me talk about my plans for running?".  Fuck that.  You know, I really don't curse out loud- I've been teaching elementary school for a dozen years and before that I worked as a counselor with children and have my own as well, so I've really tempered myself (when anyone else is around any way).  Who wants to hear about it?  I DO! 

So, tonight I'm going to do the heating pad on my groin to warm up the damaged/healing area and head out.  My plan on the road?  1/4 mile walk, 1.25 mile run (.25 longer than the last two) and 1/4 mile cool down.  Then it's on to 100 ups, both minor and major and then 2x1:00 minute planks.  I'm hoping to get 45 seconds on each side as well after that, but we'll see.

I have been doing the 100ups and planks for 4 straight days.  I'm hoping to get to 30 straight days.  I joined up with #PlankADay on twitter and also #100up on twitter/ Facebook as well.

I also joined up with a 100 mile challenge on Daily Mile for the month of December.  I know I'm injured and I won't make it, but I just wanted to.  Why?  Because...

That's where this fucker belongs!  I won't do what I've always done!  If I've always done what I know I should do, I'd probably be a 145 pounds and 6% body fat.  I'd like to eventually get competetive in my age group from half marys (trail) to 50k's someday (maybe I'll have to run until 90 to get there :) ).  Of course times aren't always the most important thing, the effort is, the enjoyment of the journey is.  But, I want my journey to be full effort in every area of life and enjoying the journey every step of the way.

That's what this blog is about.