So, today I realized that I was a week behind in my training for Spartan Race (http://www.spartanrace.com/) and decided to enter my taper. For the uninitiated, tapering is slowly reducing your workload before an event. The intent is to have built your stamina and strength to their peak of performance and then reducing your workload so that you are fresh and ready for the event. Start to soon and you may start to get out of shape. Start to late and you risk leaving some of your best runs back in training. My run taper started today and I felt pretty good. It was actually kind of odd to run something less than 6 miles. Almost like I was cheating, but that's not what today's topic is.
No, today's topic is playlists. I posted a joke on FB about how I use the music from the below video as my primary motivational music. It was a joke at the time anyway, I actually downloaded the song after that and used it to start off my run and posted one of my strongest first miles.
Anyway, I got into a short discussion with one of my FB friends about how you can't keep using the same songs over and over again, otherwise they lose their motivational properties. I'm a firm believer in this. The right song can get you up a tough hill, it can make you gut out a strong wind or it can make you push through that last mile. However, if you toast your playlist, it loses its efficacy. I have one friend whose playlist is so far gone that he won't even listen to music when he runs, he listens to books on tape (that has to be the most boring shit ever, but that's his cup of tea).
A couple of weeks ago when I was out on a ten mile run I had just the right song come on and it actually motivated me to make my last mile the fastest mile on my run. On the flip side of the coin, I had issues with MP3 player several months ago and my wife was kind enough to lend me her MP3 player. I really appreciated the gesture and there are times where we even have similar tastes in music and I was kind of looking forward to seeing what she uses for her motivation. Maybe I could steal a few of her tunes, but this is when I discovered that different people are motivated by different types of music. When I was half way through that six mile run and Beyonce's "Girls Rule the World" came on, I had had enough of my wife's girl power playlist and turned the MP3 player off.
There's also the alternate school of thought, one that I actually find a lot of merit in as well. The idea of training silently. This is something I do on my night runs from time to time. It's actually very comforting. The dark, the quiet, the only sounds that you hear are those from your breathing, the natural sounds of the night and the rhythm of your feet hitting the pavement. This also gives you an opportunity to work on your breathing and check out the rhythm of your cadence. You can concentrate on your heartbeat and see if you are training at optimal level or if you need to kick it up.
Running silently is what a lot of elite marathon and distance runners do. When was the last time you saw an Olympic runner or a marathon winner wearing their IPod at the finish line? I know that there are even some marathons that will not accept a qualifying time if it was accomplished while wearing a music player.
What's my point? Nothing really. Train how you want to train, use your music, but I would definitely recommend unplugging every now and again to see what it is that you are doing while you are out there hitting the pavement. As always, train hard, have fun, be safe and, for today, think about what's on your playlist.
Well, I guess I'll start this week off by giving big kudos to my wife for finding a coupon for half off the entry fee for the Rogue Runner Race in October (http://www.roguerunnerrace.com/). I've been trying to find another race to do after Spartan Race (http://www.spartanrace.com) because I did not want all the clean eating and training I've been doing to wind up being for just one event (between yoga, weight training and running, I train around 10 times a week). I wanted to do the Tough Mudder (http://toughmudder.com/), but I was concerned about doing a 12 mile obstacle race 2 weeks after Spartan and the $150+ entry fee was kind of steep. I still want to do the Baltimore 1/2 Marathon (http://www.thebaltimoremarathon.com/), but I haven't made my decision yet.
This brings me to my next point. I think I'm starting to peak in my training. I've set 2 new personal records for a 10k in the past two weeks (my new PR for a 10K, 45:09, was set last week in my first run with red). I'm starting to get stronger and break through strength plateaus. It's really cool to break through barriers like this, to test my personal limits and learn different little lessons about my body and training. Unfortunately, my #1 enemy still remains. We're going to get a little gross here, so please be warned. My #1 enemy is runner's trots (http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/How-to-Avoid-Runners-Trots.htm). Runner's trots, for those that don't know, is a form loose stool that primarily affects distance runners. It's estimated to affect anywhere from 20-50% of runners.
Seriously, this is probably something people think is funny or gross or whatever, but it's something I've grown to dread. I've tried to nail the cause down and I've tried a variety of different pre-run routines, but it's something I just can't get a hold on. It's always hit or miss. The best bet for me has been to use immodium, but I don't consider that real fix. I mean, who wants to have to pop an immodium every time they want to go out for a run? Besides, who even knows what kind of long term effects that might have. What is particularly frustrating about this, is that it's ruined some really good runs.
For example, two weeks ago I was setting an awesome 10K pace that was actually much faster than the run I set my PR with. Then, midway through mile three, I started to get that feeling in my gut. At mile 4 it started to bubble up. Mile 5 IT HIT! I can't explain this feeling but it's like having to take the biggest and worst crap in your life. What's worse is that I was 2 miles from the house and there were no restrooms around. Guess what? I've got to waddle/walk/run/scooch those two miles home. My wife calls it "The Walk of Shame." I think it's an appropriate name. The whole way home I beat myself and hate my body for failing me. Not cool.
Ok, I'm sure you guys don't come here to hear about my crap, so we'll move on. This week I learned a new lesson about my running and stride. I was out doing a 10 mile run about two weeks ago and I noticed an ache in the toes on my left foot. I had noticed I was having some sharp pains in my toes during the week. It was not a mild pain either, but a sharp shooting pain. What I realized during that run was that I was clenching my toes, almost to the point of making a fist with my toes, every time my foot struck the ground.
I made a concentrated effort to stop doing it and noticed an immediate difference. I had been having problem with one toe in particular (my kids call it the gross toe) and the pain is nearly gone. I'm finding that my stride is much more comfortable and feels a lot more organic now. I still catch myself doing it, but I think it's only a matter of time until the muscle memory catches up and I fix this problem. It's one of those interesting little things that I thought I would point out.
For those of us that run, we don't often think about every little thing that our body is doing. We get into a rhythm and just kind of let it carry us through the session. Sometimes, it's a good idea to slow down and actually concentrate on what you are doing. You never know what little thing you will learn about your form. Perhaps you might find something to help you correct a nagging little injury or to just make the experience just a little bit more pleasant.
It is with a certain amount of sadness that I write today's blog. I lost a dear friend earlier this week. I knew their time was coming, but I did not want to accept it. It seemed like we had just met and in that short time we had the adventure of a lifetime. I thought we would be friends forever, but alas, time, she is a cruel mistress and she struck the final blow to my friend yesterday. This blog is dedicated to my friend, Blue.
Blue was my first pair of Saucony Kinvara 2's. A little story about how Blue and I met. I did what many runners do when buying a new pair of running shoes. I went to my local running store, did the whole fitting, gait examination, blah, blah, blah. The fine people at VA Runner informed me that my stride and gait was not to dissimilar from Quasimoto. They recommended shoes that looked like they had a monster truck tread on the bottom. I got the shoes home and they were great.
That is, until I tried to run more than five miles in them. If I did anything more than five miles, I got crippling pain in the side of my right knee. I took the shoes back to the store and talked to the salesman. They gave me another gait examination and, after more insults about how I run like Frankenstein, he assured me I had the right shoes. The diagnosis was to strengthen my IT band, stretch and warm up the muscle. Another words, the shoe was fine, but I'm a dumbass.
I tried the whole routine for about a week before I got tired of it. In my opinion there is no reason running should be this hard, nor should it require some extensive pre/post run ritual. You go outside, you run and that should be that. There's also evidence to support the idea that warming up and stretching before running is bullshit, but I digress. I had signed up for Spartan Race and I needed a fix. I was inclined to go after a pair of cross country shoes because I knew Spartan Race would largely be off road and it was my understanding that these shoes would shed water quickly.
It was around this time that my wife had bought a pair of hot pink Kinvara 2's. For those that are unaware, the Kinvaras are Saucony line of barefoot/minimalist running shoe. When my wife showed them to me, I silently thought she was an idiot that was going to wreck her shins, knees, feet, etc, but I was a supportive (but dismissive) husband and kept my thoughts to myself and simply said "Oh wow, those are nice, couldn't you find ones that were pinker." She took her Kinvaras out for a cruise and raved about them. I assumed she was just trying to justify her purchase to herself, and I assumed her breakdown would come in fairly short order.
Another month of agony and knee pain went by for me, while my wife was happy and injury free. (Note: the more people read my blog, the more they will realize that my wife is much more savvy than I). One day while we were walking through the mall we decided to stop at a local discount shoe store. They just so happened to have the men's Kinvara 2s for half price. I was still having knee pain and I still had enough time before Spartan to start my training regimen over and grow accustomed to these shoes. I spotted Blue and picked them up, thinking, if nothing else I could lift weights in them. So, it was with great trepidation that I brought Blue home.
I strapped Blue on for a test drive the next day. It was different. I was still running like Frankenstein, but it was not bothering me like it used to. The knee pain was gone, my shins weren't hurting, and I was running faster. I was happy, but I didn't want to get too excited. I only started off with a mile. I slowly increased my mileage every week and Blue stayed with me. I loved the way Blue gripped the pavement. Slowly, but surely, I was starting to have intimate feelings for Blue and then Blue did something I never expected. I took Blue out off road and we ran through puddles, mud, etc. What I found out was that Blue did not hold water. I thrashed the puddles and put them through as much punishment as I could on that run and Blue just shook it off. It was then and there that I Blue and I's relationship was consummated.
Then I took Blue to Run Amuck, a 3.5 obstacle race. Blue and I kicked ass. We finished in the top 50 overall and I was in the top 10 for my age group. It was my first race in several years and it was there that I fell in love with the sport of mud running/obstacle racing, but it was also the first signs of wear on Blue. You see, Blue did not quite recover from the rigor of Run Amuck and the training I did leading up to it. It was my dream that Blue and I would stand triumphant at the end of Spartan Race, but alas it was not to be.
After Run Amuck, Blue began to give out. Blue was beginning to cause pain in my shins and in my knees. I refused to believe it. Blue and I were going to have our moment, but I began to realize that Blue's time was running short when I looked under Blue's sole saw this.
Blue is the shoe on the right
As you can see. Blue had significant tread damage. Blue was wearing out. Blue was... Dying. I didn't believe it. I wouldn't believe it. My wife urged me several times to switch to Blues replacement, but I wouldn't hear of it. Blue and I wear going to Spartan Race. That was, until yesterday. Blue and I were in the Crossfit room at the gym. We were kicking ass and doing our squats and then I looked down and I saw this:
There's a hole in Blue's toe box.
It was there that I decided that Blue would need to be retired, but I'd remiss if I didn't mention that Blue went out like a champ. Blue and I squatted our 200 lb goal yesterday and Blue's last run was a cool even 10 miles in 1:22:24. Blue's last stretch of that run was a thing of beauty. Blue finished hard with a 7:13 mile. So, it is with great sadness that I ended Blue's career today. Thank you, Blue. You have served me well.
With Blue's departure, we welcome Blue's replacement, Red.
It's nice to meet you, Red. I just want you to know, you have some mighty awesome shoes to replace.
Today's post is one I've wanted to do since I started blogging. It's what I believe is the secret to getting into the best possible shape you can be in. One exercise will make you faster, stronger, leaner, more muscular, more toned, more fit than anything else. I credit this one exercise as being the secret to my breaking through barriers in running, lifting and cardiovsacular conditioning. This one exercise works almost every muscle in your body from your neck down to your feet.
By now, you either know what I'm talking about or you're wondering what this magnificent wonder exercise is. Well, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. The magic exercise is squats. The squat is a fantastic exercise. As soon as you rack the weight, you're working all of the muscles from your hips to your armpits to help you stabilize the weight. You're working your back and shoulder muscles to create a nice firm stable shelf for the weight to sit on. However, it's when you engage the weight... that's where the magic REALLY begins.
When you squat down, you're keeping you're chest upright and you're engaging that core all the way down to help keep that weight nice and stable. You're holding you're breath as you go down to keep that nice firm beautiful core. That motion right there is better than any ab exercise you can do and it's not only getting your abs, but its getting the entire core region, chest, abs, butt, lower back and upper back. Most of all, you're pushing that butt out because it's about to get really good. You see the trip down, that's only half of the magic. The best part is next.
So, you've engaged the weight, and you've pushed your ass out and brought the weight down. So, what's next? Well, put the kiddies to bed and, for those of you with more delicate sensibilities you may want to stop reading, because it's time to fuck. I'm not using that word lightly. You're not making love here. This is not the time to love and caress. It's time to jam it in as hard as you can. I'm not kidding. That butt you pushed out to come down, you're going to take it and slam it as hard as you can forward. Drive through your heels and pushing up and forward with your ass, your core, your upper body as hard as you possibly can. Tell me that same motion doesn't bring back some dirty memories.
Seriously though, this is called hip drive and it's the same motion you use when you have hard sex. This is exactly what you want. Unfortunately, it's not going to make you any better in the bedroom. However, squats and hip drive do a multitude of things for your strength, endurance and power. Hip drive is going to make you more explosive and more powerful. This is where we have to separate the benefits between the boys and the girls.
First, guys, we're stupid. A friend of mine was bragging to me about how strong he was getting and how he had just benched 225 for the first time. I told him, "That's great. How much do you squat?" His answer, as is typical of most meatheads, "Ummm... yeah... I don't really work my legs." If you're one of these guys you're killing your gains. Working your legs releases hormones that are going to help your body grow. Working squats in particular are going to strengthen your core which is where all the strength and stability in your body comes from. The stronger and more stabile your core is, the more weight you can lift. The more weight you can lift, the stronger your body is going to be.
For the girls, I always hear the same thing when I talk about this. I don't want to squat because I don't want my legs to be big and bulky. My answer to that, go watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh5w8_U0Lj0 Go ahead. I'll wait. Ok. Are you back? Good! That's Erin Stern. She's a fitness model champion. Does she have big bulky legs? Is she squatting some pretty serious weight? Building muscle mass is hard as hell. To gain muscle mass you need to eat ungodly amounts of good calories and protein. You're not going to get big bulky legs by squatting with real weight. What you will get? A sleek sexy core, strong sculpted legs and a magnificent ass of steel.
So, now that we're all back together, how does that help everything else? I'm glad you asked. The stronger your core is, the stronger the architecture is for your running. Exercises like squats are going to allow you to stand straighter and better support your frame while you run. Squats are going to make you faster because your legs will be stronger and you will be able to carry more weight for longer periods of time. You will have increased endurance from the outstanding cardio workout you get from doing squats. You'll jump higher, run faster and look better. DO YOUR SQUATS!
My wife and I both suffered through slight injuries over the weekend. Hers was more severe than mine, but neither injury was something to prevent us from training. We are both becoming accustomed to training with hydration packs. Mine had rubbed a small raw spot on my neck and caused some slight chaffing on my back. My wife, on the other hand, had a patch of skin, the size of a half-dollar, rubbed off of the middle of her back. She was smart enough to take off her pack and check the spot and stopped her run shortly thereafter. I could have easily reduced my chaffing by stopping to adjust my straps, but I stubbornly trudged on and kept going. That led me to a couple of conclusions: #1 My wife is obviously a lot smarter than I am and #2 the topic for this week, knowing the difference between injury and soreness.
We all have a tendency to want to push through pain and an instinct that makes us want to keep going regardless of the amount of damage we are doing to ourselves. What many of us have to learn is that pain is the body's natural mechanism for telling you not to do something or that what you're doing is wrong. The other thing we have to learn is the difference between pain and soreness. Pain is actually invaluable in the training process.
For example, shin splints and runner's knee are some of the more common injuries that new runners get when they start on their fitness journey. Unfortunately, many of these new runners seek to "run through the pain" and one of three things happens: they seriously injure themselves, they modify their behavior to correct the pain, or they quit running and think "Awww.... running just isn't for me."
This is where knowing the difference between soreness and injury comes into play. From my understanding, shin splints are actually caused by micro fractures in the bone. This means your shin is literally broken. This, if you haven't guessed, is an injury. The pain you are feeling is not because you worked it too hard, but because you're hurt. Things like this are not going to go away without finding the root of the cause. For shin splints, there are many competing theories. Personally, I think everyone has to find the right combination of shoe and training regimen that works for them. For me, a combination of minimalist shoes, yoga, strength training and not running daily has drastically reduced my pain.
Soreness on the other hand is something that you should welcome. Soreness is a sign that you are working and that you are improving. Soreness lets you know that your muscle fibers are tearing slightly and when they re-build they are re-building stronger and healthier. You can train through soreness and you should actually strive to train through soreness. Training while you are sore actually helps to alleviate the pain. Again, the key is knowing the difference between the two types of pain and knowing if you can train.
Knowing the difference between the two is really requires a certain tacit knowledge. It's difficult to explain. It requires you to know your body intimately and to know when something is wrong. One key indicator of an injury is usually bone or joint pain, but that's not always the case. It's important to come to understand how your body feels as you train and to understand that difference. We all train for our own reasons, but I believe a common goal for all of us is general well being. It's impossible to achieve that goal if you're constantly nursing injuries. Train hard, train smart and have fun.
There was a time in my life where I would not be caught dead without a shirt on in any type of public situation. It was a combination of factors really. I was either too fat, too skinny, too pale or too freckly. It was always something I avoided if at all possible. I knew I would be mortified if someone made a comment or gave me an odd look. It did not even matter what the comments were. I knew they were thinking something cruel in their minds and, to a certain degree, that was even worse. Your imagination always conjures up the worst possible things and I could only imagine what these people would think of me.
Something changed a little over a year ago. I was in my second year of really getting serious about running. I was setting goals and tracking my miles, but I did not really understand the importance of proper gear. I was managing my aches and pains, learning how to pace myself, but damn if I could not figure out why my nipples felt like they were on fire every time I ran (I would later learn cotton + man boobies = chaffed nipples). It's kind of funny in retrospect, but at the time it was agonizing.
Finally, on an awesome 70 degree spring day, I had decided I had enough. I was about 2 miles into what turned into an 8 mile run and I felt like my nipples had been rubbed off my chest with sandpaper somewhere betwen the first and second mile. At the start of mile 3, around the Lincoln Memorial I tore my shirt off. It was incredible. I didn't care. I felt good. I was still jiggly, I was still pale and freckly, but I felt liberated. It just felt natural, like I should have done it years ago. That feeling made up for any stupid remarks or looks that I got (there really weren't any). This paralyzing fear that I had been experiencing for a good portion of my life was completely unfounded.
However, I felt so good that even if all of my worst fears had been realized, it would have been worth it. Everytime I go out now, if it's warm enough, I run bare chested and to a certain degree, I still get that excitement, that rush, the feeling of freedom. I've actually taken it a bit overboard now. I never want to wear shirts anymore, not to run or to walk around the house. Additionally, that jiggle I felt while "running naked" actually helped get me motivated to get into even better shape. Over the last year, I've added definition and amazingly enough, even a little muscle mass. That split second decision to remove my shirt was really a life altering experience.
Now, I'm sure there are those of you that are out there that are going to say, "Oh, I don't know about that, I've just got a little too much love around my midsection" or "Nobody wants to see what I have underneath this" and my answer is, who cares? This the way your body was meant to be and this is the way your body's natural cooling mechanisms are built to function. Forget about "wicking" t-shirts. Sweat cools you down by evaporating from your skin and this function works even better without an artificial layer between you and the elements. I even convinced my wife to shed the layers last night for her run this morning and I think I've made her a believer.
I must caveat this to a certain degree. I am not a woman and I can not fully comprehend the harassment that women experience when they run and I suspect that criticism is likely compounded when women "run naked." With that being said, and I will close with this thought, you are out there exercising, transforming your body and improving your life, but what is the person harassing you doing? They're probably some no-class, mouth-breathing, scumbag, lowlife who is doing nothing to better themselves. Where will they be six months from now and where will you be?
