Ten Miles Got Me Over a Mental Barrier.

Today was a turning point for me mentally.  Ten miles.  It is a big number.  Mentally, I feel as if when you say you can run ten miles that people have to give you a little bit of credit related to what you are doing.  I mean ten miles is more than the average runners who I know run on a daily basis --- some of them have never even run that far, and they are tried and true runners.  Maybe that is why I had such butterflies (in my stomach) about the run today?

I was supposed to run a 5K today, but made the decision with Liberdy that it was more productive for me to get in the ten mile training run today.  I started the day off at the office early (yes, I know it is Sunday) but left to get this in.  Physically, I felt great.  I had taken the last two days off and was relatively well rested in light of everything that I have going on.  My hydration was good.  I had black rice for both dinner last night and lunch today.  If you haven't tried it yet, I recommend it.  I just read about it in one of the myriad of health/fitness/running magazines that I now get and it rocks.  Because hydration has been an issue, I started using Gatorade Prime last week before the 9 mile run.  Maybe it is all mental, but it seems to work --- so I am going to continue to go with it.

Today was mental more than anything, so I knew that I needed a little extra motivation.  I wore red socks, to block out the maize and blue.  I even wore the "Michigan Sucks" t-shirt; technically it complies with the bet --- it does say Michigan!  I know that it wasn't much, but it just made me feel a little bit stronger mentally.  I knew the last quarter to half mile was going to be the most difficult (and likely most painful).  The other night, there was a song that got me through that last bit.  Ironically, it was "Hail to the Victors" --- because I knew the faster that I ran, the faster I would be done, and I wouldn't have to listen to that silly song anymore.  It worked like a charm today because I finished the last quarter mile in 2 minutes --- after running 9.75 miles.



My red socks.  Badger spirit carried me through today.




I was soaking wet, but so extremely happy.



I ran the first 5 miles straight through, without even stopping for a sip of water.  I felt amazing.  The second 5 miles I would run 10 minutes, and walk 2 minutes.  I didn't necessarily have to initially, but felt like I would burn out if I didn't do so.  Moreover, my achilles tendons were feeling good and I didn't want to ruin a good thing.  I finished 10 miles, stretched thoroughly at the gym, and walked home --- with a smile on my face the entire time.  

I'm still in shock, in a good way.  Ten miles isn't a short distance.  Lakeside Mall isn't even ten miles from my house --- it is only seven miles and I hate going that far.    The half marathon is, literally, one month from today.  In fact, I will be done with the half marathon (God willing) at this time in a month.  I'm not going to be the first one to finish, but I'm sure as hell not going to be the last (unless there are a lot of really fast Canadians running this thing).  I really think this is a moment that I am going to remember for a long time.  Ten miles is big.  Plus, I am a little sore but in general I feel good.  My feet don't seem to have any issues ---- which is a cue for me to again praise Adidas and the amazing products that Adidas makes.  My doctors are helping me (and I am listening to them).  Liberdy, despite having a baby less than a week ago, is still checking in and giving me advice, motivation, etc.  No one can take this away from me.  I accomplished something big today.

So yes, I do have to go back to the office and work.  But now I'm not nearly as bitter about having to work all weekend, miss Jazz Fest, etc. because I was able to have a little bit of fun this weekend.  Did I really just say that.....my fun this weekend was running!

Ten miles.  Check.  Eleven miles is going to be tough next weekend.

Addendum Post Pavement/5K --- I Profess My Love For Adidas

I want to profess my admiration for Adidas  http://www.adidas.com/.  It is not a brand of running shoes and/or running clothes that many running stores carry.  They need to start.  The shoes are amazing.  I have NEVER been more happy with a pair of running shoes.  The socks kick ass as well, more so than Nike, Asics, or any other brand that I've tried.  The clothing is top notch as well.  It wicks better than the other brands I've tried and actually fits well.  I am now an Adidas devotee. 

I encourage you to give Adidas a try.  Love the shoes so much that I bought another pair to rotate with.

I'm Walking (or Flying) to New Orleans

It's 6:15 a.m. and I have to be in the lobby in an hour to meet my colleagues and go to the airport.  Flying back to New Orleans --- back to the heat, humidity, and the office.  I'll be back in Chicago next Saturday for the Shamrock Shuffle, but a week in New Orleans will do me good.

I ran 6.5 miles yesterday.  It was raining and cold, so it was on a treadmill.  It was hard and my achilles started to "scream" around 5k -- but I walked for 2 minutes and then started again.  My goal was to run 7 miles, but it hurt and I bargained with myself as I was running.  I was exhausted afterwards.  I spent about 30 total minutes stretching and then iced.  I popped ibuprofen at dinner and again before bed.  I don't want to jinx myself but I actually feel fine today.  The true test will be tomorrow at the LSU Med School 5k in Audubon Park. 

I'm still VERY happy with the Adidas shoes.  I highly recommend them. 

All in all, great trip to Chicago.  Good work wise.  Ate at amazing restaurants (as an aside, go to The Girl and the Goat http://www.girlandthegoat.com/  if you are in Chicago).  Was able to run again.  Nervous about the Shamrock Shuffle next weekend in Chicago, but I will finish it even if it isn't pretty.

Fingers Crossed, But I Think I'm Back.

I started reading a great book yesterday called "A Clydesdale's Tale: or How a Big Guy Trained For and Ran the Vermont 100" by Steve Latour.  It is a bit tongue and cheek, but got me motivated and even more excited to start running today.  There was a quote that really struck a chord with me.

"Innate potential is a wonderful thing, but it is not necessary for achievement.  Sure, to be a world champion takes potential, desire, and effort, but to improve oneself greatly does not require potential.  All it requires is a basic ability to function combined with desire and effort.  That is the secret."

The book is the writer's story.  He is a man that you would never think is a runner.  He is a man that had never run before and was obese.  Yet he did it, despite how he looked to others and despite how people thought a runner has to look --- he is a runner.  In the book he defines "runner" as:

"If you actually give a care whether someone calls you a jogger or a runner, then you are a runner.  Everything else is secondary.  To wit, if while going for an easy two miles you are greatly out of breath and taking in oxygen in a manner like unto a wildfire that sucks away the very living air around it for miles, while you are sweating like the leaky faucets of a thousand correction facilities, as you are shaking all over in your limbs as if the monkeys of all the jungles of Africa were swinging over you, and if you are maintaining a steady 20 minute per mile pace all the while, and then you feel insulted that someone says 'Hey! Get a load of that jogger!', then you are a runner.  Don't let anyone tell you different, for anything they say is as the braying of donkeys and the barking of dogs."

I left my house in New Orleans this morning at 4:15 a.m.  The storms were terrible last night with flooding, power outages, and hail the size of golf balls.  I didn't really sleep because I was afraid --- in light of the power going out --- that I would oversleep, not pick up my colleague en route to the airport, and miss the 6 a.m. flight to Chicago.  I made the flight, even though the storm started up again as I was leaving my house, and "napped" during the flight to Chicago.  We landed at O'Hare at roughly 8 a.m.  I wore my running clothes on the plane figuring we would get to the hotel so early that my room wouldn't be ready and I would go straight to the gym.

The car picked us up and it took us about an hour to get to the hotel with traffic.  Our rooms were ready (and I even got a suite), but even though they were, I literally dropped off my bag, put on a pair of shorts, and went straight to the gym.  I was able to run again today, and I was excited.  The hotel has recently been gutted and the gym is a part of the spa at the hotel; this was actually the perfect setting.  I spent a decent amount of time stretching, and then started on the treadmill.  I went in thinking that I wasn't going to go too far today as I didn't want to overdo it, and also that I was going to listen to my body and if the pain was unbearable that I was going to stop.  (I also took 600 mg of ibuprofen before I started.)  At roughly 3 miles in I started to feel some pain in my right achilles --- so 5k it was today.  My pace was 11:18 per mile.  Not stellar, but also not terrible considering everything.  I had absolutely no pain in my left foot --- which was huge.  I cooled down and spent some time stretching --- including stretching in the steam room.  The steam room was a perfect place to stretch because the heat was great for my muscles.  I felt absolutely amazing when I left the gym.

Here is where it gets kind of funny --- as I left the gym/spa I asked the woman at the desk if she had any bags that I could put some ice in so that I could ice my achilles.  She said that she would have housekeeping bring it up to my room.  I got to my room and the front desk called about the ice --- asking if I wanted bags to put ice in or the single use ice packs.  I said, if they wouldn't mind, I would like both as I could use the single use packs later in the day.  Not 5 minutes later two men came to my door, with all of the ice on a silver platter.  There was some confusion, as one of the men wanted to ask me some question about how I had hurt myself in the gym that morning.  As soon as I explained that the injury was longstanding and that I just needed ice they breathed a sigh of relief (and left me a little "care package" of single use ice packs for the next few days).

So, I iced my achilles --- with a spectacular view of the City in the process.  I took some more ibuprofen later in the day and put on some compression socks (to wear under my boots) as a bit of an insurance policy.  I don't want to jinx anything --- but I feel pretty good right now.

I listened to my doctor, as I previously reported, and bought the Adidas shoes I wrote about the other day.  So far, so good.  Truly, they were the best shoes I have ever run in.  I am going to wait another day or so before I buy another pair --- but I am pleased.  When I got them the other day I was so excited at the thought of being able to run that I could barely contain myself.

Fingers crossed.  So far, so good.  Hoping that on Friday I will be able to run the actual course of next week's Shamrock Shuffle. 

Is it Wednesday Yet?

My feet and achilles tendons are so frozen that I can't feel them.  Twice today I have have submerged them --- for twenty minutes at a time --- in an ice bath.  Despite that, I am in a great mood and actually feel like I am on the road to recovery.  I can't start running again until later this week, but I spent 60 minutes on the Cybex Arc Trainer ( http://www.cybexintl.com/products/cardio/750%20A/intro.aspx )today.  I didn't do it at the level I would have before I hurt myself, but it still felt good to sweat.  I followed that with 1,000 sit ups.  Five hundred "typical" crunches and five hundred oblique crunches.  Tomorrow night I start back with Liberdy.

Kind of funny that I can start running again while I am in Chicago for work this week.  I am going to try to run the actual Shamrock Shuffle route while I am there.  Next Sunday I signed up for a 5k in New Orleans to get me running outside.

My doctor, who we have established is a runner, said that if I was in the market for shoes that I should think about trying the Adidas adiSTAR Ride 3 ( http://www.shopadidas.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4477648&cp=2039726.2039728.2020250&cid=U44214&shopGroup=R ).  I did my research, and it seems they might be a good fit for me.  To go along with the whole "starting anew" mentality when I can start running again on Wednesday, I ordered a pair (unfortunately, Varsity Sports doesn't carry Adidas).  They will be here by Tuesday so I will be able to try them out in Chicago.  Anyone out there ever run in Adidas shoes before?

As ironic as this might sound, the NCAA Basketball tournament has given me a new sense of life in terms of my running.  In reality, four teams that very few people thought had a chance have made it to the Final Four next weekend.  If you can tell me that you honestly picked either Butler and/or VCU as a Final Four team then I will be shocked and amazed.  No one saw it coming.  They aren't teams you would expect to be there because they don't necessarily fit the mold or what the you imagine when you imagine a basketball team going to the Final Four.  (OK, I am still a bit pissed at Butler for beating my beloved Badgers, but let's face it, the Badgers didn't come to play last week.) 

I'm starting to think of myself along the lines of Butler and VCU.  Both of those teams believed that they could do it despite what everyone told them.  It didn't matter that every sports writer in America told them they weren't good enough or didn't look like an elite basketball team.  They believed in themselves and what they were capable of.  OK, I get it.  I don't look like a runner (yet).  I am slower than most runner.  My achilles tendons are shorter than most peoples.  Who cares?  I don't.

When I was in high school there was a Nike add.  I don't remember all of it, but in essence it was about someone telling you that you would never be able to do something and then you proved them wrong by doing it.  The add ended with the words, "they will tell you no, and you will tell them yes."  On Wednesday my running starts anew.  People may tell me no, but I will tell them yes. 

Until Wednesday in Chicago.