The Beard Lives...Plus, An Unrelated Itch

Yes, friends (i.e. the one or two people who still read this), my inner Anton is still surfacing, in the form of an ever-growing beard.

I'm still holding out hope that running speed goes hand-in-hand with a big, unruly beard. Perhaps the grayness of mine (along with many other issues) signals the unlikelihood of that becoming a reality.

Which brings me to the unrelated itch. No, the beard hasn't itched for several weeks now. But I am, finally, getting the itch to run again. Or to at least incorporate running into my training program.

In past years on this blog, I've done an end-of-year rundown on my various training numbers. I failed to do that on this neglected blog for 2014. Honestly, there's not much to report that would be any interest in relation to running.

I ran a total of 75 miles in 27 runs in 2014. My longest run was 5 miles. Sad, I know. I did walk 516 miles, so I at least got some aerobic exercise. I spent the majority of 2014 trying to get stronger, mostly at the deadlift. Did I succeed? Sort of. Yes, I set a PR in both the deadlift and the bench press (and, come to think of it, the squat), but while those numbers may be good for a middle-aged distance runner, they were pretty weak when it comes to the powerlifting world...even for weekend warrior amateurs.

No matter how far in the rear view mirror my last run was, no matter how much my various joints protest or my muscles twinge, I will always be a runner. After 32 years of doing it, it's too much a part of me now. Will I ever be fast or be able to run mega mileage? Probably not. Does that matter? Not as much as it used to.

Not being a New Year's Resolution guy, I prefer to set goals (semantics, I know). I still haven't decided on all of them yet, but I have three mileage goals for outdoor aerobic activities. I want to at least:

Run 500 miles
Walk/hike 500 miles (want to do a LOT more hiking this year)
Cycle 500 miles

Those are minimums, but that's 1500 miles for 2015...and I like that sort of OCD symmetry.

They're pretty modest goals, really, but I know that balance is the key for me in order to not push too hard and end up injured, as usual.

Getting back to running is going to be a challenge. I'm at least 15 lbs. over my preferred running weight, and my cardio conditioning is non-existent. I'm also currently sick, so climbing the stairs in my house is a workout. I have yet to run a step in 2015, but as soon as I shake this illness, I'm going to start again. The cycling might have to wait a bit, as I'm pretty wimpy when it comes to riding in the freezing (and sub-freezing) weather.

One thing that should motivate me is a 10k coming up in April that my oldest daughter wants to run. I was going to run the 5k, but I decided to commit to running the 10k with her. Where I used to push her in races a few years ago, I'll be happy to keep up with her, if that's even possible.

As for dropping some weight, I've begun that process by getting sick ;-)
Actually, I've started cutting way back on sugar and watching my portions. That, plus increasing my exercise should start the process.

That Old Balance Thing Again

To me, it seems that a pendulum is most effective when swinging through the middle position. In the below diagrams, that position is called the "equilibrium" position, and it's noted that "velocity is maximum."

Sorry to get all physics class on you, but my possibly poorly illustrated point is that extremes, when it comes to physical activity, are often the least effective when it comes to balanced physical fitness. I'm saying this anecdotally, of course.

I have a tendency to take extreme approaches to exercise. When I decide I'm going to run, I go all-in. When I want to become strong, same thing, that becomes the narrow focus. And yet I know that, for me, these approaches almost always lead to burnout and/or injury. I know this sounds very anti-goal oriented...which I'm not, by any means...but this is a lesson that has been very hard for me to learn and incorporate in my approach to fitness. There are some amateur athletes, even in my age group (late 40's) who seem to be able to defy the odds and push to the limit for extended periods. I'm not one of them.

For someone so interested in physical fitness, I'm pretty fragile. If you've followed this blog over the years, you'll know that I've experienced just about every common running injury out there. And, when I've shut down the running and picked up the heavy weights, I seem to eventually pull or strain something.

With that said, I have achieved goals. I ran and completed my first (and so far, only) marathon in May of 2010. During one of my injured periods, I met a fellow runner's challenge of getting six-pack abs. I've achieved a set of 20 overhand pull-ups, deadlifted 320 lbs., bench pressed 222 lbs, etc. Not that any of these are impressive, but they're goals I've met, despite my fragility.

There are still physical goals I have yet to achieve. I believe we all must have them, and they must be personal. Doing something just because someone else has done it or is doing it isn't a reason to shoot for something. If your goal is to do 10 perfect pushups, that's no less important or significant than someone trying to run a sub-3 hour marathon.

However, as I get older and my focus gradually shifts from attempting impressive physical feats to being as fit and healthy as I can be, my approach needs to change. I'm still in the process of figuring out exactly what that means. I know it will involve doing a little of everything, rather than "all running" or "all weight lifting," or any other unbalanced approach I'm good at taking. That approach, unfortunately, isn't terribly inspiring when it comes to achieving goals.

Getting personal, there are a few things I do want to achieve in the near future. I'd like to get a lean waistline again. In my effort to build strength this year, I've become sloppy with my diet and have put on a belly that I can no longer accept (I've already started eliminating processed sugars. Again.) I'd also like to be able to do several pull-ups once again. I do miss running, too, but I know I'll probably never be able to run like I once did. Even while running a slow 2 miles with the dog today, there were frustrating aches and pains. On the flip side, my efforts to increase my deadlift have led to a lower back that has been "out" for the last few days. Alas, I don't think I'm meant to be a powerlifter (which is likely an understatement.) I still may attempt to enter a deadlift-only meet with my daughter in January, but that will be dictated 100% by my back. And whether or not I think I can lift more than most of the women at the meet.

So, to hopefully wrap up a rambling post, I need to figure out a way to stay motivated and inspired, while approaching exercise and fitness in a much more balanced way. The goal of "being in shape and not injured" sounds great, but it's far too amorphous. I've considered having weekly quotas, such as a certain number of pushups, pull-ups, miles run or ridden, weight lifted, etc., but I haven't really fleshed that out yet.

In any event, more balance (which I believe was my "key word" back in 2011 on this very blog) and less specificity will have to be a major part of my approach going forward.

Looking Back/Looking Ahead, or What The Heck Happened to 2013?

Well, it's hard to believe how quickly 2013 flew by. I guess it's time for the obligatory "year-in-review" and "what's ahead" post.

So...here we go!

First, I'll post last year's numbers. While some fitness-related numbers were satisfactory, my endurance numbers were sad.

• Running Miles: 400
• Races: 2 (both 10k's)
• Walking/Hiking Miles: 255
• Cycling Miles (outdoors): 268
• Cycling Miles (trainer): 141
• Pushups (as part of a Facebook challenge): 20,700 (PR)
• Bench Press max: 220 lbs (PR)

I track several other exercise numbers, but I won't bore you (or myself) with them.

So, what happened to the "Resurrected Runner" in 2013? He once again fell victim to his fragile body and unwise training. The end of 2012 and start of 2013 looked promising. I was once again putting in 30-mile weeks. I ran within 4 seconds of my 5k PR in December of 2012. Encouraged by that, I made the mistake of hitting the track in February of 2013 for a far more intense speed workout than I had business doing. I managed to strain a hamstring during a couple of all-out 200m repeats. Instead of backing off, I continued to train on it and, in fact, raced a 10k. Shortly after that, the hamstring forced me to shut down all running. I was in the process of selling my house and moving my family across the state, so I suppose the timing was okay (although the timing for getting injured is never truly "okay".)

I ran a few times during the summer, with some hamstring discomfort. I refocused my efforts in September and October, eclipsing 20 miles in 3 straight weeks, but after an ill-advised 8-mile run that had my hamstring in painful, tight spasms, the writing was on the wall.

I switched to cycling in the late summer/early fall, but failed to ride nearly as much as I should have (I hope to join a local cycling club in 2014).

Weight training became my focus a few times, but as always, pushing too hard/too soon led to a few pulls of lower back muscles. Currently, I'm working on a modified weight training program that will hopefully spare my injury-prone body parts. Translation: I'm doing pinky curls.

So, as of today, I'm a good 15-18 lbs. above what I consider my "race weight." I'm not alarmed at this point, since I'm confident that I can shed that within a couple of focused months of training. Assuming I can put together a couple of focused months of training.

What will that training look like in 2014? I'm still not entirely sure.

Here are my goals (which I'm honestly figuring out as I type this):

• Reach 10,000 career running miles (currently 208 shy)
• Cycle at least 1,000 miles (outdoors)
• Complete first "century" bike ride
• 25,000 pushups (again, a Facebook group challenge)
• Walk/hike 500 miles (not all at once)
• Bench Press PR

These are relatively humble goals. I hesitate to get too ambitious at this point. You'll notice I didn't really list a running mileage goal, other than to hit a milestone for lifetime mileage. I'll plan on testing the waters a few times and take what I can get. Although I've considered "retiring" as a runner this year, my wife reminds me that running is in my blood (having run competitively, on and off, since 1979). I'm sure I'll be back. However, as I get closer to age 50, my focus is shifting more toward being consistent and healthy rather than seeing just how much and/or how fast I can run. The starting and stopping of my training has become very frustrating. If I can even become a consistent recreational runner (I won't say the "j" word), I'll take it.

Many of my online running friends have been very successful in their training and racing in 2013, which still inspires me. Keep on keeping on, my friends, and much success to all of you in 2014!

Numbers

As you probably know, I'm a numbers guy. I keep close tabs on mileage, times, body weight, waist measurements, resting heart rate, shoe mileage, Mariners losses...the list goes on.

Yesterday, I "celebrated" my 46th birthday by completing 4,646 pushups in the month of February. I'm currently involved in two online challenges to do 20,000 pushups in 2013. At 7,446, I'm far ahead of pace. I'll be slowing that pace since I was unable to devote much energy to other resistance exercises last month.

Another interesting number I nearly missed was passing the 3,000 mile mark for mileage run since my return to running in 2009. That includes nearly two years of down time due to an injury, so that number should be significantly higher. Still, I'm grateful for any mileage I'm able to run.

There are a couple more mileage milestones coming up that I'll share in the coming months.

The next number I want to address is my soft 5k PR, which I hope to take down in three weeks. I'm dealing with a hamstring issue (and a frustrating respiratory problem that won't go away), so we'll see how it goes.

Until then, Run Happy!

Ye Olde Myle Tyme Tryle

After running a non-satisfying 10k race on January 12th (Nookachamps, in Mount Vernon, WA), I decided to write myself a 6-week mini training cycle, in preparation for my next scheduled race; the Smelt 10k, in La Conner, WA on February 23rd. The first three weeks was my base period, building up to just over 34 miles (last week), then backing off on the mileage in favor of some added speed work the final three weeks.

This week is the first speed week, meaning—in this case—track time.

I hadn't run on a track since August 4th, when I ran a slow 3 miles with my sister, before throwing in a 2:58 800m for good measure. About a week before that, I ran a mile time trial on a different track in 6:26. Since then, though, it's been mostly roads (and, recently, my favorite hilly dirt & gravel trail once again.)

I woke up yesterday to a very blustery morning. No rain, but the wind was gusty, and I wasn't sure I wanted to try to run a fast time in those conditions. Fortunately, the wind died down considerably, so I ventured to the track.

After running two clockwise warmup miles on the track, I changed shoes (from my Brooks Defyance 3's into my Brooks Pure Cadence), shed my warmup jacket and long-sleeve tech shirt and stood ready to test the watch in just my shoes, shorts, visor, tank top and gloves. A bit chilly, but streamlined and unencumbered.

I've been running well lately, but haven't done any real speedwork, so my expectations were rather vague. My dream goal was to break 6 minutes, but I knew I wasn't ready for that. I thought that maybe I could go 6:0-something, but even that was wishful thinking. Realistically, I thought I'd have a shot at 6:15.

There was a bit of a tailwind on the back stretch, meaning I'd have to finish each lap running into a headwind. I intended to run my 400m splits as evenly as possible. I crossed the line for the first time in 1:32, which felt hard but relatively sustainable. Lap two came in at 1:35, for a 3:07 half. Doing the math in my head, I knew I'd have to finish strong to even break 6:15. Lap three also came in at 1:35, but I knew I had a little left in the tank. Not much, but I figured I could kick the final 100m to maybe run even 800m splits.

Not having run fast recently, a full-out sprint to the finish felt awkward, but I managed to close out the final lap in 1:28, for a 3:04 second half and a final time of 6:11. Not my dream time, but still 15 seconds faster than last summer's mile time trial, so I'll take it.

After walking a quick 400m, I added 2x800m at 5k race pace...or that's what I intended. I clocked 3:17 and 3:15, both a bit quick. I closed out the session with a clockwise cooldown mile, for five miles total on the track.

The day after, I'm a bit sore in a couple of areas (calves, hip flexors and upper glutes), but otherwise I feel fine.

I fully intend to break 6 minutes in the mile before this year is over.

I've always loved running on the track. I enjoy the roads and trails, of course, but there's something about the track that gets my competitive juices flowing. The variables are minimized (aside from the wind), and it's you against the clock...or other opponents. Boring? I can see how some runners would think so, but being a numbers geek, the track suits me as well as other venues. Maybe it's also the nostalgia factor that appeals to me.

And since I've made this public already, I might as well post it here. At nearly 46 years of age, I still apparently don't have the maturity to leave my high school 5:01 mile in the past. I'm going to take a shot at the stars to see if I can hit the moon (or, tilt at one big windmill, if you will.) One of my goals is to run a sub-5 minute mile by the age of 50. That gives me four years. If I can train consistently and without injury (those are HUGE "if's"), then I believe I can do it. Even if things go perfectly, it'll be incredibly difficult. I do have a couple of things in my favor, though, that I didn't have as a high school runner. I'm physically stronger now, and I know quite a bit more about training, nutrition and recovery. If I fail to reach the goal, I won't be disappointed, but I'm going to give it a full effort. I won't devote the entire four years to doing track intervals, but I'll gradually build a (hopefully) huge base and create "seasons" for myself, during which I'll focus more on speed. It should be fun! If I stay healthy, and even if I fail to reach the goal, I'll be a much faster, fitter runner.

As always, I'll post the incredibly exciting updates right here.

Run happy, my friends!

A Look Back, A Look Ahead

A LOOK BACK

As far as running goes, 2011 was a struggle for me. A good part of the year involved no running at all. Even when I was able to begin some short runs, I'd bump against the wall frequently, still experiencing residual pain from my heel/Achilles injury, along with some "new" injuries (i.e. old injuries coming back for a visit), like my knee. Rehabbing from my injury has been an amazingly long-term process. It's hard to believe it started in the middle of 2010 — a year and a half ago!

At the beginning of 2011, I posted that the year was going to be about balance. Did I achieve that goal? Partially. I always struggle with not going all-in when I have a desire to improve on something. Keeping many balls in the air is a challenge for me. Even though I was only running 3 times per week later in the year, that became my focus. Consequently, my strength training took a back seat. I even lost my desire to hit the pool, and my training on the bike trainer lacked passion (although...can ANYONE be passionate about riding on the trainer?)

Here's a look at the numbers:

MILES
Running - 247
Cycling - 130
Bike Trainer - 145
Swimming - 14 (23,900 yds)
Walking - 102
Schwinn Airdyne - 336

Total cardio hours - 119

Races run - 4 (3 with daughter, 1 solo 5k)

STRENGTH TRAINING
Pushups - 3768 (max:  53)
Pullups - 4500 (max: 18)
Situps - 4022 (max: 40)
Dips - 3227 (max: 38)

Deadlift lbs. - 187,273 (max: 313 lbs.)
Bench Press lbs. - 193,479 (max: 205 lbs.)

I did manage to reach the goal of achieving 6-pack abs early in the year, but as you can see, my mileage was pretty paltry. My weight also fluctuated a lot. I dieted down to 145 lbs. during the abs project. Then, hit the weights (and food) hard and bulked up to 173 within a matter of weeks. As the running returned, the weight started dropping off and I ended the year at about 160 lbs.

A LOOK AHEAD

I was fortunate enough (and surprised) to be invited back as a Brooks I.D. member in 2012. This will be my third year with them. I'll be shamelessly displaying their running gear at the many races I plan on running this year.

Races, you ask? Yes, even with my limited ability to train, I do have a fairly modest goal in mind. I'd like to break my 5k PR. Since I never ran a road 5k at my peak as a runner (in high school), my PR is rather soft (21:15). If I can manage to build enough of a base and — most importantly for a 5k — speed...then I'll take a shot at it. I'll have to average better than 6:51 per mile in order to do so. Even if I can do no more running than my current 3 runs per week, I should be able to achieve this, assuming I can keep the injuries at bay. As 2010 and 2011 showed, that's a BIG if. I'll be basing my training on a modified FIRST program.

The cross-training on the bike and in the pool will continue, as will the weight training. I plan on resuming my weekly swim very soon. I still plan on participating in a sprint triathlon sometime this year. 

I hesitate to set any numerical goals for 2012, as this injury menace just won't completely go away. Like I mentioned above, I'd like to break my 5k PR. I'd also like to run at least one 5k race per month. 

Even though I currently can't run at the same level as many of my running colleagues, you all inspire me. I wish you all a very successful and happy new year. May you run effortlessly and joyfully.

(Wow, that really sounded cheesy. Did I just write that?)

1000

Today, I FINALLY hit 1000 miles running this year. I say finally for two reasons:

1. Because of my heel injury, I arrived at this mark about a month later than expected.
2. The closest I ever came to this mark was in 1984, when I logged 983 running miles.

Even though it's just a number, I've been itching to surpass it for 26 years. Injuries notwithstanding, I should finish the year somewhere between 1600 and 1800 miles. For someone who thought he'd never run again before last year, I'm thrilled to have that opportunity.

To reach this mark today, I ran 12 miles at a very slow pace (9:37/mi), keeping my heart rate under 135 bpm. I'm now in full-blown ultra mode (without the hills...see previous posts re: how the hills KILL my heel), and am trying to re-build my aerobic base and teach my body to burn more fat than glycogen. That will involve lots of long, slow running. That's not always an easy task, and after today's run, I was pretty tired and sore (partially from the race I ran on Saturday). I'm taking my training one day at a time right now, due to how my heel feels. Ironically, yesterday and today, the heel felt better than it has in a long time - even after a half marathon!

So I suppose I should celebrate the 1000 mark in some small way tonight. I'm thinking a cold Widmer Hefeweisen. Mmmm....

Goals

We've often heard that it's more valuable to look ahead rather than dwell on the past. That's a very valid sentiment, but looking back - for the right reasons - can be helpful.

With my continuing struggle with this heel injury (which has made a roaring comeback after my 2-hour hilly trail run last Monday, after seeming to be on the mend), I decided to venture back into my training logs, specifically to a period when I was training and running more effectively. That period was basically November of 2009 through about April of this year. It's funny that at the time, I didn't really think I was running and racing all that well. I definitely wasn't disappointed with how things were going, but hindsight will often shed new light on things.

What did I learn? What was working? I don't know if there are any specifics I could list, but it seems that running frequency wasn't a problem…and by that, I mean running TOO frequently wasn't an issue. Last December, I had a modest streak of 19 days in a row of running. While the idea of a streak just for the sake of statistics doesn't interest me much now, some of the notes I had written next to some of the entries late in the streak do interest me. More than once I noted that my legs were actually feeling stronger. And the few times I pushed the pace, I wasn't disappointed. I think one of the keys was keeping the effort during the majority of the runs very easy.

This "hindsight insight" got me thinking about giving this a try again…maybe when the heel quiets down. I'd like to see if I can slowly condition my body better to react to running as more of a normal function (the old "the body becomes its function"...I may sound pretty wacky here, I know). As a "masters runner", I've read about cutting back on volume, and I understand the reasons…but given my experience last December (and even into early spring), I just wonder if I can do it. I would like to incorporate more heart-rate training; both teaching my body to run faster at a lower heart rate (while burning more fat than glycogen), and teaching it to race more effectively while maintaining a higher heart rate. I know that lately, ANY running has felt difficult…and not necessarily due to the heel injury. I just don't feel like my fitness is anywhere near where it was a few months ago.

So, given the assumption that I can run basically daily and gradually re-condition my body to it, how does that mesh with my running goals? Well…I'm not entirely sure of my goals at this point, which is one reason I'd like to try the above. Why? Since I have a desire to run a wide variety of distances, I'd like to have a very solid, ongoing base. At any given moment, in a perfect world, I'd like to be about a month away from a fast 5k, 10k or half marathon, and no more than 3 months from a full marathon (and possibly longer?) To me, this would mean a maintenance level that includes a bit of fast running and a relatively long run (10-15 mi) each week. I don't know yet if this is practical, and if my body could continue with a high-frequency base level without going stale or getting injured.

If this heel ever heals, I might be just the fool to give it a try*.


* then again, these may just be the musings of a frustrated, hobbled mad man.

Saturday Morning Long Run

This week's long run was shorter than last week's: 8 miles. Time was 1:06:47 (8:21/mile pace). I felt a little fatigued during this run. I didn't sleep well last night, and I think Thursday's speed session took more out of me than I expected. Still, I managed to log the miles today without any injuries or problems. Money in the bank, I guess.
Next week, I think I'll skip the speedwork and focus on an even longer run of either 11 or 12 miles. I feel the need to work more on my endurance at this point in my half marathon training. I'll likely do a hilly run early in the week, plus a couple of easy runs, then the long run on Friday.
Enjoy your weekend and run strong!

Rest Day

Well, I do feel a bit better this morning, but I can tell I definitely need a rest day. After spending several days out of town, not sleeping especially well and running a hilly course 3 times in 4 days, my body is sending me a message. After dinner last night, I laid on the couch to read and rest and quickly fell into a deep sleep. I ended up going to bed at 9pm. My throat isn't sore like it was last night, so I'm hoping it was just fatigue and not a cold. That soreness in my tendon behind my left knee is still there, so there's another reason to rest. Like I hinted at a few posts ago, the boost in running mileage after doing more cycling than running might take a more gradual effort on my part, given the injuries I've dealt with in the past.

If I feel up to it tomorrow, I'll do some sort of tempo/speed/fartlek workout, then maybe take Friday off, then do my long run on Saturday.

Weigh-In Day

Once again, it's time to bore folks with my weekly weigh-in stats (and changes from last week). I do this more for my own "journaling" than anything else.

Weight: 146.2 (-1.0)
Waist: 30.5" (-.2")
Bodyfat%: 9.7 (-.4%)
Resting HR: 42 bpm (+2 bpm)

I'm currently at my lowest weight of the year. The blinking red "warning" light hasn't yet come on, but I need to watch it. Don't want to go much (if any) lower. Body fat is the lowest ever. I wanted to get under 10% and finally did it. It might be a challenge to keep my weight up, since I haven't even begun running decent weekly mileage, nor the string of bi-weekly long runs leading up to the half. Don't want to just stuff a bunch of junk down my pie-hole, so remembering to eat mini-meals between regular meals will be important.

I'm heading out a bit later for my first bike ride since the race. This one will be an easy cross-training ride of around 16 miles. It'll be nice to ride easy for a change!

Today's spin, and goals

Just wrapped up a 60 minute spin on the trainer. I can tell my body is becoming more efficient in transporting oxygen. It's taking less and less effort to do the same workouts. I'm still a little intimidated by the hill training that's to come, but I'll climb that hill when I get to it (boo).

As an aside, I've been thinking about what I want to accomplish as a runner, assuming my (relatively) old body holds up. I mentioned before that my best time in the mile was 5:01, back in 1985 when I was a senior in high school. It torqued me off to miss a sub-5 mile by two seconds, and to be honest, it still bugs me a little (not that I'm losing sleep over it). I've been wondering if I want to take a stab at that mark again. Could I break 5 at my age, with the proper training? Probably. Should I attempt it? I don't know. With my history of injuries, I might be asking for trouble. I don't want to become obsessed with physical goals and tear myself up trying to achieve them...yet goals are what keep me (and most others) going. I'd also like to run a marathon...and do a century ride...and probably a few more things that escape me right now. I think the best approach is to have some long-term goals that are pretty daunting, but have several "mini-goals" that are more achievable, on the way to those larger goals...and try to keep everything in perspective. Should I never run a sub-5 mile, or even a marathon due to injuries, I need to be able to live with it. But I'll be doing whatever I can to keep my body strong and uninjured as I pursue them.