Running for a Better Life

I guess I better get this blog going now that T2EA Marathon training has officially begun. I will also be swimming/biking and running the Chicago Triathlon, but I'll write more about that in a later blog.

First, I'd like to share something very personal with you. Not too long ago, my 55 yr old uncle, Dr. David Yanase, passed his physical with a clean bill of health. Then just a couple weekends ago, he was feeling tired and decided to go for a run as he often did. Unfortunately, he didn't return home from that run. While running, he suffered a heart attack and died. The autopsy indicated he had 100% blockage in his artery. There were no indications that he had any heart problems. 

For me, this is further reinforcement that when it's your time to go it's your time to go and there's nothing you can do to stop it. With this in mind, I've thought about why it is so important to me to train for a marathon and the triathlon. I train for fitness, not because I care about prolonging my life, but because I want to be able to live every day to the fullest with the most energy, comfort and strength possible.

In addition, no matter what your beliefs are about life after death, the fact is, we are all here for a limited time. This is why I try and do/see/experience as much as possible. I don't want to be laid up in a nursing home thinking about the things I wish I had done, or places I wish I had seen but can't anymore. I also don't want to lay there thinking wishing I had done more to make life more enjoyable, or better for other people. But, one thing I hadn't really thought about, was the thing my uncle did best. He made sure that every person in his life knew his love for them. He left nothing unsaid.

So while I was pushing myself to run my timed 3 miler a little faster on Saturday, I thought about my uncle. I don't know how far he planned to run, or how fast he ran, or even his route, but I know he died running. Note to self: don't think of sad things while running. Getting choked up, doesn't help your breathing. So I quickly dismissed these thoughts, and instead thought of how this was the beginning of my journey towards improving my fitness for all the reasons I listed above. 

I checked my blog from last year and found out I completed the 3 mile run with about a 13:00 min pace. This year, I finished with a little less than a 12:00 min pace. I'm still not breaking any land speed records, but Hot Damn! I'm proud of myself. So, I'll keep on running, biking and swimming.... and I think it's time to cut back on the french fries and save my arteries.

Shamrock Shuffle 2010

For those of you who were lucky enough to be in Chicago last week, the weather was outstanding. Weather like that is the reason Chicagoans put up with the brutally cold winter.

Friday afternoon as I walked down Navy Pier to pick-up my race packet, I had to remove my fleece because it was so warm that I was actually beginning to sweat. So, it seemed to be a practical joke when I received the 'Yellow Alert' from the race officials about the weather. But sure enough, Saturday it snowed and by race time the temps were hanging out in the low 30s. Unbelievable.

Luckily, the Shamrock Shuffle was run with nearly 25,000 of my closest friends. This meant that despite the chilly walk to the start, that there was enough body heat in the start corral to keep us warm. And by the time 9:20 rolled around I was warmed up and ready to run.

Much of the race was run on parts of the Chicago Marathon course, and turned out to be a great way to preview the route. Running the streets of Chicago turned out to be a lot different than running the mostly smooth and flat lakefront path. Never before had I noticed the steepness of the bridges. And the ability to see the roughed up patches of pavement from a runners viewpoint definitely provided a different perspective on how challenging this course may turn out to be.

Surviving potholes and dodging puddles I managed to careen myself up the last bridge to the finish line. Once again, I didn't break any speed records, but I did finish almost exactly on my training pace of 13:45 min/mile. As it turns out, 8k is just enough beyond 5k that I had no interest in attempting to run it straight through. So I stuck with my standard 3:1 run:walk ratio and just enjoyed the day.

And enjoy I did. After finding my way out of the giant crowd of finishers, I jumped on the train and headed straight for my favorite Bloody Mary establishment. Rocks in Lakeview. Now that's a good start to Spring.

Drip drip drop

Rain. Rain. Rain. Interspersed with short periods of sunshine. Followed by rain. That pretty much sums up the weather in Chicago over the past couple weeks. 

Last Tuesday was a short period of sunshine so I decided to go for a run with a couple of friends. I was a little weary when they suggested 45 minutes instead of the 30 that I've been running during the week. But I agreed. As we ran I realized a couple things about marathon training. Around 2.5 miles (3o min) I was ready to hurl. *Don't run after overstuffing yourself for dinner. I was tired at this point, but we kept going. We ran up one street and down another. Along busy streets and then down a nice quiet tree-lined street. BAM! I fell flat on my face. *When you're body is still exhausted from the long run, don't push it. And pick up your feet when you're running on the sidewalk. It's not quite as smooth and forgiving as the lakefront path. About an hour and 4.25 miles later we finished. Too long for a weekday run.

Thursday was another day marked by cold, wind and rain. I really wished I had some sort of rain jacket for running. Not to stay dry as much as to stay warm. Either way, I still had to run and running in the rain is actually somewhat meditative. Or so I thought. 

All of this was in preparation for our longest run yet. 12 miles. When we started, it was a little cool with a light breeze. A good day for running. Our course was 3 miles north to the Buckingham Fountain then 6 miles south and 3 miles north again to the start point. It was an easy first 6 miles. At the halfway point we all stopped for a potty break before continuing on south. That's when it began. The rain. At first it was a cool steady rain, but it didn't stop. It just got colder and heavier. As we got closer to the lake the winds picked up and it was miserable. Running in the rain is not always somewhat meditative!

After a nice hot shower at home, brunch and a nap, I awoke to that short period of sunshine. I got dressed, grabbed a beer and walked down the street to enjoy a fantastic evening at the Midsommerfest. 

Now it's time to put on the running clothes and start all over again. 

Piecing it all together

Last week, I was busy packing in preparation for my move and only managed to run once during the week. This left me feeling very nervous about the upcoming 8 mile run. It turned out the nerves were for nothing, because it was a rather uneventful run. 

I think I mentioned before that my entire group (14 min) defected to other groups. I migrated to the 13:30 group and everyone else joined the 14:30 group. Now seems like a good time to introduce my pace group - Ryan Hall. I like to think of us as one happy patchwork quilt - connected by a common goal.

Amanda - pace group leader, and my close friend. She leads the pack, sets the pace and keeps track of our run:walk intervals. Raising her hand, she gives us the final 5 second count of each interval. Choosing not to do this, once, led to an overwhelming uproar among the group. This past run, she also provided energy bean/block samples for the group. 

"Speedy" - veteran H.S. sprinter. She likes to get in a comfortable stride with Amanda at the front of the group and then they're off! Thankfully, she wears a florescent pink jacket that can be seen a mile away, so we always know where to find her. 

"Cheeks" - runs with Cameron during the week, (4-6 miles x 3 times!) She's also a proud mother of a 13 yr old boy and can be identified by her prominent cheeks. 

"Legs" - the lone male of our group. He's all legs. Running along side him, I literally take 2 steps for every one of his. Unfortunately, knee pain has been slowing him down. 

"Dreads" - she's still running in long baggy lightweight cargo pants... and possibly Birkenstocks. She was the first to take the plunge into cutting off the sleeves of the AIDS Marathon training shirt. Unfortunately, she's also being plagued by knee pain. 

Neesha - proud mother of a 3 yr old boy, she doesn't talk much, but appears to effortlessly keep plodding along. 

Kathy - our oldest pace group member. She's in her 50s and works for the Lutheran Church. We spent a lot of time talking this past week about a book I'm reading, and landscape architecture.

Me - the designated driver. I keep track of our time for each mile and make sure we stay at a conversational pace by keeping the conversation going... because I have the Gift of Gab. I also make sure nobody gets lost at the back of the pack and yell when our fearless leader gets going just a little too fast. 

So far, we've kept our group together on every run. Sometimes we run a little slower than pace, but most importantly we're covering the distance. And finishing as a unit. 

To Market. To Market

Missing a group run is not something I'd like to make a habit. But Saturday, I had a few perceived obstacles. First, our run site was changed to the North side. I thought this was because Bike the Drive was that day. In turn, I told my running partner, Amanda, that Lakeshore Drive would be closed that morning for the event and it would be difficult for her to make it to the run site. So, when my alarm went off at 6 am, and I knew Amanda wasn't on her way to meet me for the run, I promptly rolled over and went back to sleep. 

A short while later, I decided to check USATF and figure out what a 7 mile loop through Lincoln Park would entail. It was then that I remembered the Green City Market was open! "Maybe I won't run at all today," I thought, "Maybe I'll just walk down to the market instead!" 

"But no," I thought, "I need to run at least 30/45 minutes this morning so I'm don't lose progress." And that's when the answer came to me. I would run south for 30/45 minutes and then walk the rest of the way to the Green City Market, shop a little, then walk home. 

After a few relapses back into bed I finally made it out the door and began my run. 

Usually, I turn around after 15 minutes to complete a 30 minute loop, but this time I kept running. Past the harbor, past the blue wave playground, under Lakeshore drive and past the driving range. There were so many people out running along the path, and I kept running past places I have been, but along a path I'd never travelled. 

48 minutes later, I arrived at the Green City Market, ready for an energy boost. I was immediately energized by the people and activities going on around me... and a sample of maple syrup. Making my way through the patchouli soaked strollers, I tasted my way around the market. however, it wasn't long before I decided it was time to run home. 

And I did. I couldn't hide my smile as I approached Belmont Harbor, knowing that I was close to completing a 7 mile run. Alone. Under my own power and will. An accomplishment that 2 hours earlier I didn't think was possible.

7 miles in 96 minutes, with the knowledge that I can run the Maui Marathon. What an amazing Spring day in Chicago!

Swinging High

I feel like I either have nothing to say here, or too much. When it rains... it pours. 

First I want to tell you what I'm doing during the week to keep building my fitness level. Right now I work at a garden center. This means that I squat, bend and lift trays of plants while walking/standing on concrete for at least 8 hours. If it's cold I catch the bus to/from work. Catching the bus entails a 10 min walk each way. When it's nice out I bike to work - about 3 times per week. It takes about 20 minutes of continuous peddling on my mountain bike (not made for urban commuting) to cover the 3.5 miles each way. 

In addition to this cross-training I also run twice per week for 30/45 minutes. My friend Sara is training to run the Chicago Triathlon, so we've been trying to run together at least once a week. I never thought I'd consider running as a way to catch up with friends, but it's nice. In fact, I've never enjoyed running with anyone before. But I'm a talker, and having someone there to talk to keeps me from embarrassing myself by singing cadences.

Secondly, let's talk foot/heel pain. I've been icing my heels and taking Alieve for the past couple of nights after work. After a little bit of online research, I think I've narrowed the condition down to Retrocalcaneal Bursitis. (Really, between the pharmacist and the internet, who needs a doctor?) Basically, the bursa where the achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone is inflamed.

Although it's painful when I'm standing, walking and even resting, the pain wasn't evident at all when I was running. Thank goodness! Based on this evaluation I decided it was time to replace my old Merrells that took me across Europe in 2004. I am now wearing a comfy pair of Keens. If my toes were longer I'd cross them hoping that this works, because rest... is not an option.

Lastly, this morning I got up early to run. It was cold, windy and rainy. I tried to walk for 5 minutes as a warm-up, but after 2 minutes decided I was cooling down instead, so began my 3:1 run:walk. The first part of the run I mostly thought about the cold, the wind, the rain and how long I was running, and where/when I should turn around. Then I turned around and began running with the wind at my back. All of a sudden I noticed the sailboats rocking back and forth in the harbor and thought about owning one of my own someday. Next I saw the crabapple trees in bloom and wondered about the invasiveness of the species. A little further along the path I jogged past the boat park (I'll post a picture someday) and wondered... would swinging be a beneficial cross-training exercise? 

When all was said and done, I covered about 2.5 miles in 32 minutes. You can see most of my route on USATF America's Running Routes (of course the beginning and end have been omitted for privacy.) Training for this on the lakefront in Chicago is truly amazing!

If the Jeans Fit

Wednesday morning I pulled on the pair of jeans I bought for work about 3 weeks ago. After buttoning them up, I realized that I could literally fit 2 hands comfortably in the waist band. So then I tried on the second pair that I bought the same day to see if they fit the same. They did. Then I decided I would try on the pair of jeans that's been sitting on my shelf for the past 6 months, in hopes that I would someday fit into them again. I thought it would be interesting to see how close I was to fitting into them comfortably again. To my surprise, they fit! 

I was in such disbelief that I went on and tried on every pair of pants in my wardrobe. I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Sure enough, a lot of pants and shorts fit much better than they did last summer!

To celebrate I went down the street and had a steak and egg skillet. Yummm! For my East Coast fans who may have never heard of a skillet, it's a plate of hashbrowns topped with melted cheese, topped with cut steak and green peppers, topped with 2 eggs over easy and a large dollop of guacamole. It probably isn't the healthiest meal, but if the jeans fit, why not celebrate?!?

Hares to the Right

Well, the weather finally broke and I've been able to run outside. I'm supposed to be running 2 times a week on my own for 30-45 min. It's nice to be outside now. First of all, it's a little more interesting than the treadmill, and secondly it's a little less time consuming than going to the gym. 

Monday was my first outside run (in between rain showers) along the lakefront path. I've been noticing that during the first couple sets my legs ache a little, but if I push past it they feel fine after a couple minutes. I'm hoping this stays true for the longer distances. On this day, I tried a 3:2 run:walk ratio for 30 minutes. It was fine, but I still had so much energy left at the end that I decided to do some plyometrics for the last couple sets. 

Wednesday I went out for another lakefront path run. This time I switched to the 3:1 run:walk ratio to make it a little more challenging. It worked. I didn't have a lot of energy left at the end, but after 32 min, I did decide to keep running until I got tired, so I ran for an additional 5 minutes. 

So far I'm one of the slowest people running on the lakefront. That means I get passed often, by runners on the right and bikers on the left. But I keep plugging along, remembering that "Slow and steady wins the race." - I think there's a mathematical model that disproves this fable however. 

RE: Comments

- Check out the comment that someone left on the Elvis post... I like it. 

- Thanks everyone for your supportive comments. I really appreciate all t

he kind words. 

- Ashley asked if I have changed what I am putting into my body now that I'm training. Honestly, I haven't been very good about my nutrition and that is a slow work in progress. I love bacon and blue cheese burgers. They make me happy. I also haven't been great about eating breakfast, but I bought a box of cereal last week and that has helped tremendously. I don't smoke cigarettes, so that's never been a problem. And due to my lack of employment, who I hang out with and where I hang out has changed, so I don't drink beer as much during the week. But, that's just happenstance. 

- Please keep the comments coming and I will try and respond to any questions you may have. 

Salvation

I went and got fitted for my new running shoes. Depending on who I've talked to, they should last me anywhere from 350-600 miles. The lady at the running store said these should last me through my marathon. I hope so, because they weren't cheap!

The fitting process:

I went in and they measured both of my feet and told me I should wear a size 7. That was a big surprise to me. I've been buying size 8-8.5 for the past few years and after a while the 8's begin to feel a little small. Anyway, she said I should go up to a size 8 because I'm running long distances (this is supposed to reduce the chances of black toe nails...yummm!) So, she sized me and then had me walk across the room and then stand on one foot like a flamingo. The results were that I'm a pronator. Who knew? 

After she decided what type/size shoe I needed I was presented with 4 brands and I tried one brand on each foot. It was like being at the eye doctor. I would tell her which one fit better or worse, until we went through all 4 pairs. The result was the Adidas AdiSTAR Salvation. 

The Salvation seems like the perfectly named shoe for me right now. In a lot of ways, that's what this run is for me. It's physical salvation for my body after years of neglect. It's mental salvation for my sanity by providing stability and focus in a time when I have no idea which path my life will take in the next few months. And, it's salvation for those people that will benefit from my fundraising efforts. Of course, I'm not talking about eternal salvation. You can't find that in a sneaker... Jesus wore sandals. 

Blue Hawaii

This weekend I attended the official kick-off event. They put a lei around our necks, gave us each a yellow jersey and a training book, and told us all that we are doing a great thing. I'm pretty sure I also heard them whispering, "Suckers!" 

All I need now is a Hawaiian shirt and I am ready for the beautiful island of Maui! 5 more months of training is probably also in store. 

In the meantime, here are a few fun Maui facts, courtesy of our collective intelligence hosted by Wikipedia:

• Maui is also called the "Valley Isle" for the large fertile isthmus that I will be running across.
• King Kamehameha I (the first King of Hawaii) conquered Maui in 1790 during the bloody Battle of Kepaniwai.
  
• Missionaries from New England began to arrive in 1823 and clothed the natives and banned them from dancing the hula.
• Sugar cane cultivation once used 80% of the island's fresh water supply that was rerouted from streams through a network of tunnels and ditches hand-dug by Chinese laborers. 

Spring In My Step?

As it turns out, I cannot spend the rest of my life on unemployment checks. Therefore, I started a new job at a nearby garden center. It's a nice, low-stress job that affords me a lot of time outside and extra physical activity. Unfortunately, this also means that I have less free time to wander the town and I actually have to schedule my training schedule. Ridiculous, I know. 

This week I'm lucky enough to have Tuesday and Thursday off. So my goal is to get up early enough to run before the 11am yoga class at the gym. I haven't been doing a great job of stretching and hopefully this will give me some new ideas for some nice relaxing stretches. I haven't been to a class in a while, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Right now it's 39 deg and raining, but I'm feeling confident that Springtime really is around the corner and I'll be outside running soon enough.