Drugs scare me. Almost physically. As a kid, I remember hearing about Len Bias, picked 2nd overall in the 1986 NBA draft. He died two days later after cocaine stopped his heart. I don't know if it was his death, or another celebrity OD that did it to me, but I've never been intrigued to ingest, inhale, inject or snort any substance that has a side effect of DEATH. But that doesn't mean I've never been addicted to other "drugs."
I love Twitter. It's is an amazing application that helps bring people of like minds, interests, whatever together. It's a virtual community that keeps me in touch with friends all across the country (and world if I chose) and has introduced me to some new friends, some of which I've actually met face to face. But it has the potential to do just as much damage as good when abused.
I originally signed on in March 2009 after hearing a co-worker talk about it. I ignored it for a few months and then began using it originally to contribute for work. But I started to use it more and more as a social site, keeping in touch with some friends, sharing jokes or the odd musing of the day. I soon found other people that shared my interests, most notably running and food. When I finally upgraded to a smartphone, the addiction grew. I probably checked in at least 10 times an hour, afraid I'd miss something important (read funny). Most of my conversations centered around running, food or just being a smart ass. But some didn't. And that's where the real addiction began. I used it to escape reality instead of face it. I'm not a morally-challenged person. I can tell the difference between right and wrong. Sometimes I'm just very slow at making the right decision, usually for selfish reasons. But that's where I'm at now. I've never had a huge number of people I follow but in the last few days have whittled it down to just over 100 people, restaurants or other companies. And here is how it breaks down: 54 people I've actually met, 34 places/companies and 15 people I haven't met (I would like to meet those 15, but Conan O'Brien or hurdler Lolo Jones, that probably won't happen). So after today, I'm taking a break from Twitter. Maybe for good, I really can't say. I've enjoyed conversations I've had and some of the people I've met, especially my fellow runners and foodies. And for those 54 that I have met, it doesn't mean the end of our conversations. Most of you know how to reach me and are free to if you want to talk or laugh (or groan) at my dry wit. But it's something that I need to do.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Deja Vu
So, I didn't think when I titled my previous entry "Embracing Pain," that it would prove to be a bit prophetic. Last week after my Saturday 6-mile run, I felt a little sore, like I had strained my right adductor. Hoping for the best, on Sunday, I got dressed and ready for my 10-mile run and tested my leg. I lasted maybe 10 steps. Ouch. Fortunately I was able to see my doc just a few days later and because the pain was different from last November, he suggested physical therapy and then an MRI in a few weeks if the pain persisted. Well, I didn't want to wait two weeks to learn it was worse, so we got the MRI.
Side note: I went to the doc on Wednesday morning, scheduled the MRI for Thursday morning and a follow-up for Thursday afternoon. The MRI lab called Wednesday evening asking to reschedule the MRI because my insurance had not yet "pre-authorized" the procedure. If they don't authorize it, I pay for it all out of pocket. I called my insurance Thursday morning to see what the hold-up was and found out that the "pre-authorization" is actually done by another company contracted by my insurance. So another phone call gave me no new information, except that a decision hadn't been made. I didn't wait and I'm glad I didn't.
I have a stress fracture in my right pelvis, almost in the exact same spot as the stress fracture in my left pelvis last November. Hope the decision makers think it was necessary now. I'm definitely not speechless. Frustrated. More than I've ever been. Feel a little betrayed by my body but know that it's not its fault. So now I need to take 6 weeks off. I can ride the stationary bike in a couple of weeks but doc said if I get in a pool to swim, I need to keep my feet together, so no aqua jogging.
Long story short, I have a flight to Chicago that I may or may not use. The marathon is out. They drew blood to check for vitamin D deficiency. In six weeks, I'm going to undergo a bio-mechanical assessment to see if I'm doing something horribly wrong that's adding extra stress to my body. Even debating changing my flight to Charlottesville, Virginia to go to UVA's Center for Endurance Sport and paying to get the 3D gait analysis assessment. I really want to figure this out. I don't run 100 miles a week, not even half that most weeks. I take multivitamins and eat relatively healthy. I just don't understand. Extremely disappointed.
I just want to run.
Side note: I went to the doc on Wednesday morning, scheduled the MRI for Thursday morning and a follow-up for Thursday afternoon. The MRI lab called Wednesday evening asking to reschedule the MRI because my insurance had not yet "pre-authorized" the procedure. If they don't authorize it, I pay for it all out of pocket. I called my insurance Thursday morning to see what the hold-up was and found out that the "pre-authorization" is actually done by another company contracted by my insurance. So another phone call gave me no new information, except that a decision hadn't been made. I didn't wait and I'm glad I didn't.
I have a stress fracture in my right pelvis, almost in the exact same spot as the stress fracture in my left pelvis last November. Hope the decision makers think it was necessary now. I'm definitely not speechless. Frustrated. More than I've ever been. Feel a little betrayed by my body but know that it's not its fault. So now I need to take 6 weeks off. I can ride the stationary bike in a couple of weeks but doc said if I get in a pool to swim, I need to keep my feet together, so no aqua jogging.
Long story short, I have a flight to Chicago that I may or may not use. The marathon is out. They drew blood to check for vitamin D deficiency. In six weeks, I'm going to undergo a bio-mechanical assessment to see if I'm doing something horribly wrong that's adding extra stress to my body. Even debating changing my flight to Charlottesville, Virginia to go to UVA's Center for Endurance Sport and paying to get the 3D gait analysis assessment. I really want to figure this out. I don't run 100 miles a week, not even half that most weeks. I take multivitamins and eat relatively healthy. I just don't understand. Extremely disappointed.
I just want to run.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Embracing Pain
The only way to run faster in a race is to run faster in training. Sounds simple enough. The hard part is actually doing it.
Well, I'm sure as hell going to try.
One of the fastest marathon runners ever, Moses Mosop (who also happened to be running in his FIRST marathon), will join the field at the Chicago Marathon this October 9th. He ran the Boston Marathon in 2:03:06 and LOST by four seconds. That's an average pace of just under 4:42 per mile. I can do that. For a lap. Now if I can just do it for 103 more laps, I can quit my day job.
Yes, I know, I need to be realistic. And I am. I know I can do it for a lap and I have no delusions of running that fast beyond that distance. But I do have delusions of running faster than the 3:18:26 (don't believe the results page which says I ran a 3:17:49. It credited me with time because it assumed I got held up by the train that accidentally crossed soon after the start. I did not.) I ran at the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll marathon last year. And like I said, the only way to get faster is to run faster.
I'm in the third week of my marathon training and this is the first week that has a marathon pace run. Six miles at my goal pace. I'm actually getting a little nervous about it. For one, am I picking too fast of a pace? Can I gut it up if I start falling behind? I can't imagine what Mosop or even Geoffrey Mutai, who beat him in Boston, were feeling in their chest as they continued along that superhuman pace like a well-built machine, mercilessly and tirelessly chewing up the pavement as every muscle was pushed to its brink. Sometimes I think I know what that feels like. But I really believe I have no idea and over the next few weeks I hope to find out.
Keep on runnin'
Well, I'm sure as hell going to try.
One of the fastest marathon runners ever, Moses Mosop (who also happened to be running in his FIRST marathon), will join the field at the Chicago Marathon this October 9th. He ran the Boston Marathon in 2:03:06 and LOST by four seconds. That's an average pace of just under 4:42 per mile. I can do that. For a lap. Now if I can just do it for 103 more laps, I can quit my day job.
Yes, I know, I need to be realistic. And I am. I know I can do it for a lap and I have no delusions of running that fast beyond that distance. But I do have delusions of running faster than the 3:18:26 (don't believe the results page which says I ran a 3:17:49. It credited me with time because it assumed I got held up by the train that accidentally crossed soon after the start. I did not.) I ran at the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll marathon last year. And like I said, the only way to get faster is to run faster.
I'm in the third week of my marathon training and this is the first week that has a marathon pace run. Six miles at my goal pace. I'm actually getting a little nervous about it. For one, am I picking too fast of a pace? Can I gut it up if I start falling behind? I can't imagine what Mosop or even Geoffrey Mutai, who beat him in Boston, were feeling in their chest as they continued along that superhuman pace like a well-built machine, mercilessly and tirelessly chewing up the pavement as every muscle was pushed to its brink. Sometimes I think I know what that feels like. But I really believe I have no idea and over the next few weeks I hope to find out.
Keep on runnin'
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Boston 2013 Via Chicago. I hope.
So it's not that I'm lazy. I mean I can run 40+ miles a week. But blogging for some reason just always seems to be a chore. I don't want it too. I feel like I can contribute.
It's been three months since my last entry. Last week I officially began training for the Chicago Marathon, which is Oct. 9. I'm trying a new plan, the Hansons-Brooks plan. It's 18 weeks and has some pretty intense days. One of the biggest differences from traditional marathon plans is the lack of a 20-mile run. The longest run I'll have with the plan is 16 miles. You can read about their reasoning here. But basically, the plan trains you to run the LAST 16 miles of the race, not the first. It is a bit more intense than the plan I used for my first marathon last November. The long runs are shorter but they're meant to be run at 45-60 seconds slower than marathon goal pace. That alone should be a challenge. I also like that there's always a speed day and a tempo day every week. Speed days are the most fun for me because it really tests my limits and there's just something about running on a track.
So I'm going to make a better effort to update you all during my training because it is a new plan and maybe it's one that you might think about using for future races. I've read a lot of reviews on the plan and many people say they've PR'd using it. But since this is only my second marathon, I would like to think that I will set a personal best as well. This year I have a few goals just like I did for my first race.
Goal 1: Don't stop. Last year my first goal was to finish, which I did, but I stopped at least three times to stretch and because I felt tired. My goal is to push through that fatigue much better than before.
Goal 2: Run faster. I ran a 3:18 in San Antonio and yes, I was happy with that time and it helped me achieve one of my goals which was to run under 3:20, but I had a third and more difficult goal of running 3:10 which would have qualified me for Boston. The last three miles kept me from that goal.
Goal 3: Qualify for Boston with room to spare. Last year the registration closed after eight hours and because of the ridiculous number of people who could actually reach their age-bracket time, the Boston Athletic Association has changed the registration process. I'm out for the 2012 marathon because registration begins a month before the Chicago Marathon. Runners who are 20 minutes below their Boston qualifying (BQ) time get to register for the first few days, then it's people who are 10 minutes below the BQ, then it opens to everyone who's BQed. And to make it tougher, BQ times for the 2013 marathon are dropping by 5 minutes across the board. So I need to run a 3:05:59 or faster. Would I be happy with a 3:05? Of course! But I don't know if that would allow me to get in.
Maybe I put too much pressure on myself. I do enjoy running and don't always pay attention to my pace. But I also love to challenge myself. So here begins what amounts to what I hope is a 23-month journey.
Keep on runnin'!
It's been three months since my last entry. Last week I officially began training for the Chicago Marathon, which is Oct. 9. I'm trying a new plan, the Hansons-Brooks plan. It's 18 weeks and has some pretty intense days. One of the biggest differences from traditional marathon plans is the lack of a 20-mile run. The longest run I'll have with the plan is 16 miles. You can read about their reasoning here. But basically, the plan trains you to run the LAST 16 miles of the race, not the first. It is a bit more intense than the plan I used for my first marathon last November. The long runs are shorter but they're meant to be run at 45-60 seconds slower than marathon goal pace. That alone should be a challenge. I also like that there's always a speed day and a tempo day every week. Speed days are the most fun for me because it really tests my limits and there's just something about running on a track.
So I'm going to make a better effort to update you all during my training because it is a new plan and maybe it's one that you might think about using for future races. I've read a lot of reviews on the plan and many people say they've PR'd using it. But since this is only my second marathon, I would like to think that I will set a personal best as well. This year I have a few goals just like I did for my first race.
Goal 1: Don't stop. Last year my first goal was to finish, which I did, but I stopped at least three times to stretch and because I felt tired. My goal is to push through that fatigue much better than before.
Goal 2: Run faster. I ran a 3:18 in San Antonio and yes, I was happy with that time and it helped me achieve one of my goals which was to run under 3:20, but I had a third and more difficult goal of running 3:10 which would have qualified me for Boston. The last three miles kept me from that goal.
Goal 3: Qualify for Boston with room to spare. Last year the registration closed after eight hours and because of the ridiculous number of people who could actually reach their age-bracket time, the Boston Athletic Association has changed the registration process. I'm out for the 2012 marathon because registration begins a month before the Chicago Marathon. Runners who are 20 minutes below their Boston qualifying (BQ) time get to register for the first few days, then it's people who are 10 minutes below the BQ, then it opens to everyone who's BQed. And to make it tougher, BQ times for the 2013 marathon are dropping by 5 minutes across the board. So I need to run a 3:05:59 or faster. Would I be happy with a 3:05? Of course! But I don't know if that would allow me to get in.
Maybe I put too much pressure on myself. I do enjoy running and don't always pay attention to my pace. But I also love to challenge myself. So here begins what amounts to what I hope is a 23-month journey.
Keep on runnin'!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Spinning My Wheels
So week 1 of the return to running is officially in the books. My doctor said to take it slow, first a week on the stationary bike. And I can tell you hearing those words, the only one that stuck in my brain was "stationary." Trust me, I've made several attempts to ride those things and almost every time ended with me giving up after a few minutes. But the more high-tech ones at my gym may have saved me.
They have Espresso Fitness programs which have video screens to simulate about 30 different course, complete with scenery and other riders. But the part I really enjoyed was the feeling that when I went up a "hill," I was actually going up one. The tension increased and I had to work the gears to achieve maximum effort and propulsion. I wore my heart rate monitor and was pleasantly surprised to see it jump over 150 beats per minute. It's literally been months since that's happened. I was so excited after each workout. I knew I was finally getting back to where I want to be. On the road running.
And to tell you the truth, it made me think about saving up for a bike. I mean, I will have to get one for a triathlon, won't I?
This week, it's the elliptical. We'll see how that goes!
Keep on runnin'!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
A Long Road to Get Back on the Road
Woo hoo! Well, maybe more like woo. Had my check-up with my orthopedist this week. After resting my hip for two months, he's given me the green light to SLOWLY return to physical activity. A week on the stationary bike, followed by a week on the elliptical, then a week of walking and jogging on the treadmill, THEN I can attempt to run on the road. Of course, that's the best case scenario. Any pain in the hip and I'm back on the IR!
I'm not too disappointed and trying to stay positive because I'm really anxious to get back to running. A friend of mine suggested aqua jogging and even my doc said I can start that right away too. But I've never done it and don't know anyone who has, so a little help here? Thanks!
I do have to work on strengthening my hip and leg muscles a lot more as well so that will be something new. But I'm feeling good about it all as well as continuing to slowly work in Bikram yoga into my routine. Well, if you have any advice, words of wisdom or encouragement, I would love to hear it!
Keep on runnin'!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
A New Addiction
So it's been over two months since I've been able to run after getting diagnosed with a stress fracture in my lower left hip. Yes, it sucks and blows at the same time. I was told by my doctor that I cannot do any kind of activity for at least 12 weeks, aside from yoga and Pilates. I finally gave in and cashed in a Groupon I bought months ago for Bikram Yoga. It's 26 postures in 90-minutes in a room that's 105 degrees with 40% humidity.
I'm hooked.
I was very skeptical at first, not because I don't believe in the benefits of yoga, but I hate hot weather. And I'm not flexible at all. I knew I needed something a bit more challenging to help with my flexibility and I really believe I found it. My first visit was a bit tough. I showed up early like they suggested but ended up talking to the instructor outside so long that I wasn't able to get a spot in the back of the room like she suggested. I ended up in the middle which didn't hurt me as much as not making sure I could see myself completely in the front mirrors. No, I'm not that vain, but it helps to see yourself to make sure you're doing the poses correctly.
One day I'll get there!
The first couple of poses were okay but right away I could see how unyielding my body was. I wasn't embarrassed but encouraged that I had a long way to go and this could help get me there. The heat didn't really bother me until about 20 minutes in (that's a guess to the time, there were no clocks and I didn't have a watch) and I had to lie down a few times after feeling a little light-headed. I think it was a combination of the newness as well as not eating at all that morning for a 9:30 class. The website suggests not eating for 2-3 hours before class. However for my second class, I did eat some oatmeal about 90 minutes before and made it through the entire class. It's a matter of personal preference and what your body can handle.
The poses are a progression, each one getting you ready for the next one. I took a look at some of the poses and really thought a few of those images were the work of a Photoshop wizard. But sure enough, there were some pretty hard-core students (yogis) in there that were pretty amazing.
When I walked out of that first class, I can't tell you how relaxed and calm I felt. The combination of poses and breathing really seemed to have a positive effect on me. I was already looking forward to the second class which felt just as great. The recent icy weather knocked out my last attempt at a class but I'm ready to go as often as I can. It feels like running to me now. Not that I'm giving up running, in fact, the opposite. I expect this to help keep me even healthier to run even better in the future. Yes, I was a skeptic, but I am now a believer. Try it out. I'm sure you'll love it!
Keep on runnin'!
I'm hooked.
I was very skeptical at first, not because I don't believe in the benefits of yoga, but I hate hot weather. And I'm not flexible at all. I knew I needed something a bit more challenging to help with my flexibility and I really believe I found it. My first visit was a bit tough. I showed up early like they suggested but ended up talking to the instructor outside so long that I wasn't able to get a spot in the back of the room like she suggested. I ended up in the middle which didn't hurt me as much as not making sure I could see myself completely in the front mirrors. No, I'm not that vain, but it helps to see yourself to make sure you're doing the poses correctly.
One day I'll get there!
The first couple of poses were okay but right away I could see how unyielding my body was. I wasn't embarrassed but encouraged that I had a long way to go and this could help get me there. The heat didn't really bother me until about 20 minutes in (that's a guess to the time, there were no clocks and I didn't have a watch) and I had to lie down a few times after feeling a little light-headed. I think it was a combination of the newness as well as not eating at all that morning for a 9:30 class. The website suggests not eating for 2-3 hours before class. However for my second class, I did eat some oatmeal about 90 minutes before and made it through the entire class. It's a matter of personal preference and what your body can handle.
The poses are a progression, each one getting you ready for the next one. I took a look at some of the poses and really thought a few of those images were the work of a Photoshop wizard. But sure enough, there were some pretty hard-core students (yogis) in there that were pretty amazing.
When I walked out of that first class, I can't tell you how relaxed and calm I felt. The combination of poses and breathing really seemed to have a positive effect on me. I was already looking forward to the second class which felt just as great. The recent icy weather knocked out my last attempt at a class but I'm ready to go as often as I can. It feels like running to me now. Not that I'm giving up running, in fact, the opposite. I expect this to help keep me even healthier to run even better in the future. Yes, I was a skeptic, but I am now a believer. Try it out. I'm sure you'll love it!
Keep on runnin'!
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