Fractured Stress

Well it's been a while, hasn't it?

Let's just say things haven't gone that great since my first marathon.  Two weeks after logging 26.2, I went out for a run.  After six miles, I started feeling a pain I'd never felt before in the back of my left leg.  I figured it was a strange muscle that I've never pulled before.  Save the jokes.  After running for about a mile, the pain grew bad enough to the point where I had to stop.  I then hobbled home.  That afternoon, I could barely put any weight on my left leg.  I had to lay on my bed to put my pants on.  Fortunately, work that evening did not involve a lot of walking.  But I needed to push myself off every time I got up from sitting.  The next day it felt a lot better but I still couldn't put my full weight on my left leg.  I gave it a week but it only got a little better.  I was finally able to see my doctor the following week, 2 weeks and a day after the injury.  He wanted to get a bone scan to rule out a stress fracture.

I drank the dye and went back to get my bone scan the next day.  After the scan, the tech asked me, "Do you run a lot of hurdles?"  Great.  Looking at the scan pretty much confirmed what the tech had assumed.  All the dye went straight to the spot that hurt, the pubis of my pelvis. 

The next day, I took the bone scan image to my doctor and got some of the worst news a runner could get:  STRESS FRACTURE. 

The treatment?  Do nothing.  Literally.  For at least 8 weeks from the date of the diagnosis, not the injury.  Definitely no running but also no elliptical, no stationary bike, no swimming, nothing.  The shearing forces from all those movements would put too much stress on the area and delay the healing process. He did say yoga and pilates were okay.

So for the last nine weeks, I've done nothing.  And it has sucked.  And it has been difficult.  Especially when I know friends that went to Orlando to run the Disney World marathon six weeks after they ran with me in San Antonio.  Or seeing anyone running.  Add some personal issues in there and these past two months have easily been the toughest I remember going through. 

On Friday, I finally got off my Wahmbulance and tried out Bikram yoga.  I knew it'd be tough but had to do something.  The room wasn't so bad in the beginning but the sweat came like rain soon enough.  I hate hot weather but enjoyed it.  For starters, I'm not flexible at all and know that I need something like that.  When it was over, I was happy to get the Hell out of there but also excited about going back.  Seeing the way some of the veterans were able to move gave me hope.  It's not going to replace running but it will help me get through this waiting.  And I know I'll be better for it physically and mentally. 

Curbed Enthusiasm

No one's harder on myself than myself.  I have a problem with overanalyzing.  It's a curse really.  From the moment I crossed the finish line Sunday morning, my mind began replaying the 30,500+ steps I took along the way of my first marathon.  It's what I do.  I know I should have just sat back and enjoyed my accomplishment and part of me regrets that.  So I will try to do that a bit as I describe my first experience with the marathon.

Passing 3 miles at St. Mary's & McCullough

     My morning started at 4:59 a.m. when I woke up wide-eyed, 31 minutes before my scheduled wake-up call.  I tried to fall back to sleep but gave in to some early morning nerves and went to the hotel lobby for a quick breakfast of two slices of peanut butter toast.  I decided to stay in a hotel that was close to the start since I knew I wouldn't get out of work until close to midnight and wanted to maximize my sleep, which turned out to be about five hours.  As I sat there eating breakfast, it was very interesting seeing all the different attire of all the runners.  After breakfast, I went back and started suiting up.  Fortunately I had my outfit laid out the night before so that didn't take too long.  The walk to the starting area took about 10  minutes and I was so relieved that the only traffic I had to fight that morning was the people on the streets.  After a quick trip to the bathroom, I started to make my way to the start area and began my usual pre-run routine of stretching and ran a few strides to warm up as best I could before walking into Corral #2. 

     I wasn't as nervous as I thought I'd be in my corral waiting for the prayer, national anthem and the starting horn.  I think I used up all my nerves in what was a very emotionally draining week.  As I said last week, self-doubt is a huge weakness.  Sometimes you want to take the advice from friends, but sometimes you still think you know better.  When the horn sounded, I knew this was it.  I didn't see the elite runners take off but I ran through the starting line 75 seconds after them, already nearly a quarter-mile behind.  That first mile was all about fighting traffic to find open space as well as warming up before trying to hit my goal pace.  My GPS was a bit off of the actual course, thanks to my weaving around the other runners but I hit my first mile in 7:33, right where I wanted to be.  Feeling good, I picked up the pace through the halfway point at 1:32:09, which had me dreaming of a sub-3:10 marathon, easily qualifying me for the Boston Marathon.

    Then I got to "The Wall," essentially the point where all your glycogen (or main source of fuel) is gone and your body starts relying more on any fat you have.  The transition can be quite tough.  My 20th mile dropped to 8:00, my slowest since my first mile.  Feeling exhausted, I stopped and stretched my calf muscles and hamstrings.  I plodded along for a couple more miles, even getting one more sub-8 mile before the tightness really began setting in.  My last three miles averaged 9:40.  

Approaching the Finish Line!

     As I hit the 26-mile mark, I knew I had less than a quarter-mile to go but a nice steep incline to the finish line.  I looked at my watch and saw my initial goal of 3:20 within reach and I ran as hard as I could up that hill and to the finish line, every face a blur, every noise melting into one.  I didn't even hear my wife screaming my name as I ran by.  Approaching the finish line, I held up both hands like pistols and for the briefest of moments, celebrated my run.

Crossing the line in under 3:20

     The walk through the finish area was disoriented and slow.  It was filled with a few marathoners and many half-marathoners who were finishing as well.  I grabbed a water and a banana and did my best to make my way to the exit.  I couldn't find my wife and was unable to use my phone to let her know where I was.  Cell reception was a huge problem race day.  I went back to the finish line to see if I could seen any friends cross the line around the 3:30 mark but missed any if they did.  A few minutes later I saw my wife and she could see it in my face.  "It's okay to cry," she told me.  I have to admit, I almost did.  It wasn't that euphoric feeling people kept telling me about.  It was frustration and disappointment coming together.  I know, I'm crazy.  I just ran a 3:18 in my first marathon.  I should have been looking for a cold beer and celebrating.  That's how I am and I'll never change.  When a woman at the race asked me about my GPS, I showed her some of the functions and immediately noticed that my steps per minutes were about 20 lower than normal.  So I know I was overstriding, which may have played a role in my tight hamstrings and calf muscles.  One more thing I plan to work on. 

Not too tired to smile.

     Today, reading all the congratulatory Facebook posts, I've appreciated what I accomplished much more than I did yesterday.  I couldn't even take a nap before work after the race because my mind would not shut off.  But the best part, is that knowing whether I qualified for Boston or not, I knew I'd get to do it all over again.  I'm officially a marathon runner now. 

As Nervous As Ever

     Man, I cannot believe the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Marathon is only 3 weeks away!  So this week I attempted a 23-mile run and all it did was make me even more nervous about race day.  Just after 17 miles I decided to try to finish strong and ramped up to my goal pace.  I got in just about two miles before a very small muscle on my right hip felt like it was going to explode.  I ended up trodding through a few more miles before stopping.  This soreness, inflammation is really driving me crazy. 

     Maybe I'm just a wimp.  I recently read a NY Times column about the mental toughness of competitive runners and their ability to push through pain.  That really didn't help.   I appreciate all my friends that are marathon veterans telling me not to worry, that adrenaline will carry me through the last 6 miles.  Is that what you noticed the first time you ran one?  Did you share the same fear that I have, that maybe I didn't do enough?

     I'm usually a fairly confident person but I have to admit this it the most nervous I've felt this far ahead of any athletic endeavor I've pursued.  I think I'm really gonna need a short run the day before to shake out any jitters.  Hope to see you at the finish line!

      Keep on runnin'!

Fitness is not a 26.2 mile journey. MUCH Longer.

     Four years ago this month, I ran my first race beyond a 5k.  It was the Twin Cities 10-mile run in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  I remember it was a great cold October morning.  By the time I arrived at the Metrodome for the start, the temperature was just above 40 degrees.  I didn't layer, knowing I'd warm up from running, and wore just shorts and a regular running shirt.  No hat, gloves, sleeves, nothing else except my Polar chest strap and watch.  My goal was an 8:30/mile pace with a secondary goal of finishing under 85 minutes, just a tad faster.  I was way in the back of the pack at the start and still chilly after a very brief warm-up, still a greenhorn to the running world, having only seriously attempting to take up the sport a few months prior.  Throughout the race I kept a constant eye on my heart rate which seemed to hold steady at 180.  But I didn't feel like I was maxing out, so I decided (yes, probably against better judgment) to hold my pace as long as I could.  I ended up crossing the finish line in 1:20:35 (faster if I hadn't taken that ONE restroom break!), euphoric that not only did I shatter both goals but nearly averaged eight minutes a mile, an unheard of pace for me at the time.  

     Fast forward to October 2010, warming up for a track workout on a similarly cool day in San Antonio.  My workout began with a 2-mile warm-up run.  As I jogged around the track, three older women were walking around it together.  One of them yelled as I approached, "You make it look so easy!"

     I replied, "Well it sure isn't!"

As I continued to run, I checked my Garmin for my pace and heart rate.  My pace was 7:40 and my heart rate was just over 150.  I had to smile a little.  Four years ago, that pace may have literally killed me.  Now, it's a warm-up for a planned track workout of six 800-meter runs as close to 3:00 as possible.  

     I know my pace is far from world class, or even city class.  And I haven't run non-stop consistently over the last four years, because I may have been able to get even faster.  But if you told me four years ago that I'd be training for a sub-7 pace in 2010, I may have looked at you with optimistic excitement but thinking you're a bit crazy.  I understand not everybody starts running to see how fast they can go.  A lot of people do it just to get in a little better shape.  But whatever type of runner you are, I hope you take away from this blog entry that you just have to stick with it.  

     

     There really is no quick fix.  No magic pill to get you in better shape without putting in the hard work.  But it is such a gratifying feeling, not only to know that you've stuck with it, but that you know you're reaping the rewards.  Who knows?  I may have reached my peak already.  I don't think I have, so I'm going to continue pushing.  But I'm not going to try to run 5-minute miles tomorrow.  It's a long, slow progression.  One that I've finally learned to appreciate.  

Keep on runnin!

Sweet Redemption

     For the last few weeks I really thought my body was trying to tell me that a marathon was just not in my life plans.  I suffered from fatigue, injury and then illness all over a three week span.  Fatigue turned a 20-miler into a 13 as did illness.  An injury on a cut-back week was a little easier to live with but over the last month I really started to question my ability to pull off the training for a marathon, particularly the 20-mile run.  

     

     I know what you're thinking, why am I trying to run 20 miles more than once?  Well, I have to admit I was originally concerned when I took a closer look at my training plan and saw not one but FOUR 20+ mile runs maxing out to 23.  Having never done more than 14, it seemed a bit of a stretch.  But I'm what you'd call a stubborn SOB at times.  If I have a plan, I want to stick to it.  Training for the marathon has taught me the need to be a lot more flexible when it comes to training.  

     So this past weekend, after getting home late from work on Saturday, I decided not to set an alarm and let my body get the rest it needed.  I woke up a little before 8, feeling good, and ate a small breakfast of oatmeal and a banana.  Around 9:30 I got ready to get head out for my 3rd attempt at the 20-mile run.  Before I left, my lovely wife gave me a hug and said she was giving me all her extra energy to help.  That may have did the trick.  A bigger fear than lack of energy for myself was a depleted Garmin.  Realizing I hadn't charged it overnight gave me the fear that it'd die somewhere along my run, leaving me with no alternative to chart my mileage as I chose to run an improv route, which I though would keep me a bit more interested and less likely to give in to fatigue or pain, since I'd have to run back anyway (yes, I brought my phone as an emergency, but getting tired was not a reason to allow myself to call the wife to bring the cavalry).  

     My run was going great until I reached what I thought was going to be a good halfway point and realized that I was about 5 miles short.  So I did what I planned to do and invented a new route for myself, going in the opposite direction of my house.  When I hit 10 miles I definitely felt like I could go another 10, especially with the gorgeous cool weather that was keeping my heart rate in great shape.  

     I ended up needed about 2.5 miles by the time I got back to my neighborhood and those were easily the toughest miles of my run.  But as I approached my house for that last stretch and saw my Garmin click over from 19.99 to 20.00, a sense of accomplishment as well as relief washed over me.  I know I still have another 6 to go for the real deal.  But finally getting in that long run really renewed my spirit and has me excited again about the next six weeks of training.  I know it's hard not to quit but the alternative is sure worth it.  

     Keep on runnin'!

Training Highs and Lows

     Oh man, training for a marathon has really tested me.  Over the last few days I had a horrible hill workout, fell 11 miles short on my long run, redeemed myself on my next hill workout, only to feel a twinge in my leg that kept me from running for four days, which felt like an eternity to me.  

     How do you handle those days?  For me, I think it's karma because I just had my annual physical and was pretty happy that my resting heart rate was as low as 38 during my ECG.  The first words out of my doctor's mouth when he came into the exam room was, "Are you running a lot?"  I have to admit that it was a HUGE ego boost to see that a lot of my hard work has paid off.  Then, a few days later, I was kicking butt on my hill workout and was cruising through my last cool-down mile when I felt something I haven't felt in a long time.  A strained muscle.  I quickly slowed down and started walking, then changed and went to work.  It didn't really bother me the rest of the day so I didn't think much about it.  But the next day I started to attempt an easy recovery run and got through about 1/2 a mile before I knew something was not right.  

     Rest is really a foreign concept to me.  I don't mean sleep and naps.  I mean days without running.  This last week really put me to the test.  The 1/2 mile experiment was on a Thursday, so I iced my leg, took Friday off and iced it again.  Saturday I tested it again and got about a 1/3 of a mile before I realized this was not going to just go away.  In hindsight, it couldn't have happened on a better week.  This past week of training was a cut-back week with a long run of 13 miles on Sunday (which I missed).  And my training schedule has shifted a bit, with Mondays being my new off-day, so I got an extra day of rest.  Also, I really mean just rest from running.  On Thursday, Friday and Sunday, I still rode the stationary bike or used the elliptical machine to keep my blood pumping.  But that was almost as unpleasant to me as not being able to run.  I'm not much of a cross-trainer.

     The real test came this Tuesday, with five easy miles.  I started out slow, about three minutes slower than my usual pace.  By the last mile, I was running closer to my easy pace and felt fine.  As happy as I was to finish, I was still a little nervous about how I'd feel the rest of the day.  Fortunately, I felt great and the next day I got through a solid tempo run without any pain followed by a easy recovery day on Thursday.  

     Now, I feel like the worst is behind me but I'm still probably going to adjust my plan just a bit.  I am supposed to run 20 miles this Sunday.  But since I missed my 13-miler last week as well as falling 11 miles short on my 18-miler two weeks ago, 18 is the goal and anything over that is gravy.  I can tell you one thing, I'm not setting an alarm.  This time I'll be well-rested.  

8 Miles of Hell

     Wow.  Blogging is a LOT tougher than running.  At least for me.  Sorry for the long delay between posts!

     Alright, SA RnR runners, just about 9 1/2 weeks to go!  How's your training going?!  This week I had an 8-mile hill workout for Tuesday and knew it was going to be an inside affair because of the rain and that fact that my 19-month old doesn't go to daycare.  So I tried to find a good hill workout for the treadmill and found a few from an old Running Times article.  I chose the pyramid workout, maybe because it had the word "fun" in the description.  Yeah, I'm gonna disagree with that.  

     Considering I've NEVER run at higher than a 6% incline on the treadmill, a person with more common sense (or less of a death wish), would have adjusted accordingly.  Not me.  Somehow I think I have an innate desire to learn things the hard way and to suffer as much as possible before the lesson is complete.  My warm-up mile was fine.  The first set was pretty tough and I think I looked away from the clock for about 5 seconds.  Again, I thought I'd be tough and shoot for the 2-minute recovery jogs.  When the second set came along, the life flashbacks began.  By the time I hit 7%, I was appreciating the fact that I have a living will.  

     So, yeah, that didn't last too long.  I stopped and took a break for about 5 minutes and realized that I'd barely covered two miles.  I made some major adjustments to the routine and cranked out the full 8 miles, feeling like much less of a tough runner but pleased that I finished.  

     I guess my advice, once again, is to take it easy when trying something new.  I know I can run eight miles.  But maybe not at 7% or 8% incline.  Maybe one day.  What kind of hill workouts do you do on the treadmill?  

Keep on runnin!