End of Week 3: You Can't Fight Physics

Well, that was fun while it lasted. I know that I now have the strength, stamina and flexibility to complete the rest of the training plan, but the little matter of a stiff big toe is bringing everything to a halt. Don't believe me?

A bunion is "an abnormal enlargement of the joint (the first metatarsophalangeal joint, or MTPJ) at the base of the great or big toe (hallux)." It's usually either an inflammation of the bursa around the joint, or bony ridged growth around the ends of the bones meeting at the joint. A dorsal bunion, which forms on the top of the foot, limits upward bending of the big toe. In the running stride, this limits the push-off from the big toe unless the foot or leg does something to overcome it.

There's a saying I remember from structural analysis - stiffness attracts load. If you push on an otherwise flexible wood-frame building that contains one steel column, the steel will take up most of the stress because it cannot be displaced as far as the wood without requiring more force. If all the toes are flexible but the big toe is stiff, the big toe will do a disproportionate amount of work.

The muscle and tendon which plantarflex the hallux come around the inside ankle bone (medial malleolus) like a pulley and attach about three inches up on the posterior medial side of the tibia. This insertion point will get inflamed and painful from all the increased work the big toe has to do, and that's the case with my left foot.

The only way to correct the dorsal bunion is with surgery called an osteotomy, of which there are several types depending on the technique used to cut and shorten the first metatarsal, and named for the surgeons who invented them. There are ways to reduce stress on the hallux, one of which is to simply raise it with padding. This allows the big toe to remain straighter on push-off and moves the push-off point from the toe to the front of the metatarsal. I've had this type of padding before but forgot that it may be of some use.

Time to call the podiatrist and see if he can fix me ASAP.

End of Week 2: Great Weather, Sick Dog, 30 Miles

The heat and humidity have broken. The fog cleared and the sun came out this morning around mile 1.5, but it was dry and breezy. You cannot ask for better summer running weather.

Mac's elbow hot spot has come open (gross!!!) and we are keeping it wrapped and the dog in the Cone of Shame. I expect that he will need surgery this week to have it cleaned and stitched together. Time to return cans and bottles!

I still have some doubts about completing the entire training plan. There is a left medial shinsplint issue that did not respond to an injection of anesthetic three weeks ago and flares up if I'm not careful (running too far in the Asics, running in the new 850's). But I will keep running according to the plan and see if I can get in to the podiatrist again soon. I appreciate that the plan gives me something to shoot for and is designed to build steady improvement. I know I can run the prescribed paces, I did well in the Vestal XX (relative to a flat marathon), and I can already feel the benefit of the increased weekly distance, although I need to get more sleep!

This was the lightest week on the schedule (the schedule I started 2 weeks late) - only 28 miles planned. I count my warm-up and cool-down so all told it was almost 30 miles. Today's 10-mile easy run was good - I had to use forced walk breaks to keep the pace just above 10 minutes/mile. Nine miles helped me warm up for a 7:48 last mile (shh! don't tell the plan!). Week 3 starts including strides in the easy Tuesday runs and adds a marathon goal pace (9:09 MP) segment to the easy Friday run. Long/easy run pace dips just below 10:00/mile.

Mileage update: 29.95 for the week, 52.75 for July, 525.15 YTD.

Day 11: Hot Weather, Sick Dog, and a Time Trial

Today is Day 11 of the 98-day 4:00 marathon training plan. This is an "easy" week, only 28 miles.

I'm home with a dog who licked himself a new... hot spot. Damn near licked his elbow clean off. Now he's a hot dog with a Cone of Shame, some cream, and lots of pills. (Don't worry work people, this is vacation time! Despite the fact that he is a family member, I'm not sure this is eligible for FMLA leave.)

On the training schedule today is a one-mile time trial. This will be done on the treadmill with the heart monitor. Next one's in four weeks so I can check progress. I would like to start charting average HR vs. average pace to get an idea of fitness. Temperature should also be factored in - anyone got any ideas how to chart fitness like this?

Calcium Cures Shinsplints

Last year my GI doctor told me to take 2x600 mg calcium with D twice a day because the acid reducers I'm on (permanently - thanks, 1997 surgery?) can reduce calcium uptake. I didn't have shinsplints when I ran years ago, and I probably pronated just as much then as I do now. In The Lore of Running, Tim Noakes suggests that shin pain can be caused by muscle tension on weak bones due to low blood calcium. Yes, it took some outdated running encyclopedia to save me from three years of pain. How's that for sad?

Running has been going so well, I hurt myself. Don't take that the wrong way - it had nothing to do with my shins. I strained a hip flexor (there are about six of them - take your pick) two weeks ago yesterday and took almost a week off. But yesterday I ran 14 miles!! The training chart above covers through today with the weekly and monthly totals, so I think we're covered for a mileage update. Below is the 14 mile route around Binghamton. Any local runners will know how hard the south side section is east of the University Plaza!


Technical question: Who can tell me how accurate Google Maps is when calculating mileages? I've done routes in ESRI ArcMap and they seem to be about 3.5% longer than GMaps. I'd trust ArcMap for geeky projection accuracy reasons, but I'd like to know for sure.

Medium is the New Long

Remember when 5 miles was a moderate day? Well, 5 is the new long, which I did yesterday on the treadmill at a somewhat speedy 9:22 pace (6.4 mph). Only minor soreness complaints today, enough to let me know what I did, mostly via tight tib. anterior. Oh, TCRC finally did postpone yesterday's 10K and the forecast turned out pretty close (0° F with a windchill of -12).

I'm planning to run the 10K next weekend and 3 easy miles on two other days this week for a total of 13. The mileage is staying low relative to last year, as I think I did too much too early - my long runs were 10+ miles all winter and I got hurt. The current plan is to hit 20 miles/week at the end of March at the Forks XV, then take it easy for a month, then ramp up again before the Vestal XX in June. By then I should be able to tell what plan might get me to a fall marathon. Of course, you'll hear it all right here.

The core/push-ups routine came off the tracks lately, but I'll get back on. Friday was an off day but I managed to do both side planks plus 3x15 push-ups! Yesterday, nothing, but tonight I'll do something.

Mileage update: 12 miles this week, 28.99 for January/YTD.

Two Quickies

Tuesday and today I did 3.5 miles on the treadmill, with a 1 mile w/u, run 2.2 easy and cool down. I'm planning the next few weeks on the schedule - up to 15 miles/week by this time next month, then slowly building back up to 20/week in preparation for early races.

TCRC has a January Freeze 10K series which I was planning on running, but no love so far - for one thing, they have them at 10 am! Who's up that early anyway? Last week I thought they'd use a snow day and cancel due to the 2-3 inches of snow and 15 degree temps, but 78 people showed up to race. Freaks. This week the race time forecast is 0 degrees with a windchill of -12. Only Steve would run in that. For variety, he would also get hit by a car.

I'm also keeping up with the upper body/core stuff, except for today when I managed 2x15 push-ups (oof! good!) but skipped the side planks 'cause I'm full of beer and fries... Yay!

Speaking of beer, and in the interest of full disclosure, I weighed 185 pounds at the beginning of the year. Part of the near-term plan is to lose 2 pounds per month. Right now, it seems I'm on track to lose 3-4/month, but stay tuned.

Catching Up

Four runs in the last week - not too bad. I'm actually trying to go easy and not hurt anything. Besides, next week is my annual Adirondacks trip so there's some hiking to be done in the near future.

Monday 8/25: 4.0 total (treadmill)
Wednesday 8/27: same
Friday 8/29: same
Monday 9/1: 4.75 with 2.08 on the road in 18:26 (8:52 pace)

Mileage update: August 30.12, YTD 561.43 (yay! this beats last year)

Catching Up

I've been running again, every other day, keeping the distances low and doing it on the treadmill - this is so I don't aggravate the tendinitis again. I can still run these short distances at an easy pace of up to 6.6 mph (9:06 pace) and I'm running pick-ups of up to 1/4 mile at 8 mph (7:30 pace), and 1/10 mile at 9 mph (6:40).

• Tuesday, July 8: 3.5
• Thursday, July 10: 4.0
• Saturday, July 12: 4.0
  

I've started a new spreadsheet with every run this year logged with distance, level of difficulty, and surface (road or treadmill), and I'm starting to track pain in my training log. Level of difficulty is 1.0 for a typical easy treadmill run, 1.4 for a tempo/moderate run, up to 2 or more for a race. I'm trying to figure out what causes my injuries - is it high mileage, increasing mileage too quickly, too much road running, or something else? I'm also multiplying miles run by difficulty and a surface factor to see if this "effective mileage" is a good indicator of stress. When I get a good graph together, I'll post something. If you've got any suggestions for this kind of analysis, I'd love to hear them.

Weekly total: 11.5, 37.86 June total, 15.0 July to date, 514.98 YTD. 12 weeks to Wineglass Marathon.

I Am A Beginner Again

I think it's time to restart the program. Rest and PT have made the nagging pain go away, and there may be something in not wearing the orthotics all the time. More on this as things develop.

After the Corporate Challenge on June 19, I ran on the 21st and 23rd, but I was very unhappy with the pain situation. Everything was looking pretty grim, and I was even thinking about switching to the Nike Free or running barefoot. (You should have seen the PT assistant's face when I told him that.)

I didn't run again until yesterday. I did an easy 3.5 miles with a couple of pick-ups, with a 1 mile w/u, 2 miles at up to 6.2 mph, and 0.5 mi c/d. For two weeks, I will try to duplicate this workout every other day and only slightly increase mileage. Maybe nothing over 6-8 miles total. IF everything holds up, I might try 2 days on and one day off for another couple of weeks.

Weakly Recapped

That's what the past couple of weeks have felt like - weak! Thanks to the tendinitis flare-up. On Friday, the foot doctor didn't do much but give me a little lower extremity anatomy lesson and refer me to physical therapy again. You know what they say - third time's the charm! The Dr. said that the pain I'm getting about 4 inches above my left ankle, medially, behind the tibia, is where the flexor hallucis longus muscle above joins the tendon below.

Friday I did 3.0 easy miles on the treadmill, followed by some ice and complaining. The 12 miles for this week is nothing even close to the planned 37 and I'm beginning to worry about losing fitness. The Birthday Challenge is currently out of the question especially since it's right before my wife's 6/3 surgery, and I'd like to be able to walk that week.

Weekly total: 12, 39.26 May to date, 432.81 YTD. 20 weeks to Wineglass Marathon.

Easy Run Day

Two short laps around the neighborhood for 4.16 miles in 35:54 (with an average pace of 8:38 and negative splits, of course). Just a stretch of the legs before tomorrow's 17 miles. I am a little anxious that I won't sleep well, like before my last big run, although I am getting used to the idea that sometimes you can and should train when you're tired.

I wrote the big training plan into my Google spreadsheet today - I can't see doing all the races Glover recommends, but they could be good for race pacing and strategy before my first marathon. Then I will sleep until spring.

Yesterday=Easy Run Day

Dear Intarwebs: I owe you an explanation for yesterday's run and today's lack of run. Yesterday was speed day, so I did 3 mile repeats at a good pace (up to 7.6 mph/7:54). My medial shins/ankles are sore today, but that's probably been aggravated by driving to Rochester and back (360 miles, thank you very much). We met with LG's GI surgeon today who explained her test results from two weeks ago. We are planning for her to have surgery on May 13 - the week I start my new job - and spend 7 to 10 days in the hospital. I anticipate fun times ahead.

And an update on the training schedule. I finally sat down with a calendar and the Basic Competitor's 16-week marathon training plan in The Competitive Runner's Handbook, and filled in 2008 through the end of October - from running 37 miles on my birthday, to racing a hard 20K in June, to my favorite local 5K in August, through the October 5 marathon and a month of recovery. It will probably have to be tweaked, and it is obviously a best-case training plan, where I don't injure myself and can do all the runs. But what freaks me out is the monthly totals - May: 149, June: 156, July: 166, August: 191, September 149 (taper time!). When I ran 112 miles in February, I thought I was Superman. Shortly, the plan will go into the spreadsheet and it will be time to get to work.

Race Predictions, Goals, and the Future

I returned to Runner's World's Training Calculator to see how my 15K race time of 1:15:12 predicted a marathon - it came up with 3:44:55, which is a little better than the 3:49:46 predicted by last year's 24:00 5K PR. This 15K time also predicts a 23:28 5K - which would be pretty sweet. My long-term 5K goal is to beat 20:00, which I think is possible within a couple of years. The Training Calculator needs a 6:00 mile to predict a 19:57 5K - and it would be awesome to race at that level of fitness, a VO₂max of 48-50 (3:11 marathon, anyone?).

If I can keep up with the training plan, peak at 40-45 miles/week before the marathon and work out these nagging leg/foot issues, it looks like these race times are well within reach. It's probably time to tweak the training paces as well so I can stay on track and get a little faster.

Tempo Workout = Easy Run

And if you don't like it, get your own training plan!

Today the weather was great (even hot in the sun) and just begging for a fast neighborhood run. I did 3.55 miles in 28:42 which is an 8:05 pace - not exactly an easy training pace, more like a tempo run. My left leg hurts to run more than a mile or so, and it was tight in front and back - so much that I had to walk for a minute. But it was my workout, dammit! And I can't wait to put my new shoes on tomorrow and bang out a good speed workout.

I've been thinking about training for the 37 Birthday Miles challenge that's now eight weeks out. It would seem that I should try to get in a few two-a-days of moderate distance before the Challenge. For starters, I'd try a couple days of up to an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon/evening, then up to maybe two hours each on a weekend with a nap in between. This would loosely simulate the noon-to-noon split of running, say, 20 then 17 miles within 24 hours, and help me work out the details of hydration, fuel, rest, refueling, supplies, and Sherpa duties.

Awesome Yasso's: 9x800

Total 8.0 miles with 1.0 w/u, 9x800 at 7.6 to 8.0 mph (7:54-7:30 pace) with 400 rests, 0.5 c/d. The last two 800's I did half at 8.0 and half at 8.2 mph (7:19). After looking at a running technique video on YouTube last night, I tried to pick my knees up higher and land at least flat-footed instead of on the heel (I'm still a little too slow to land on the forefoot). I'll see how the quads and hamstrings feel tomorrow. Overall, this workout rated as pleasantly hard. The first couple of intervals seemed very easy, almost like not-breaking-a-sweat easy. But never tell your coach that.

I need to check with Bob Glover's (Competitive Runner's Handbook) 15K training program to see where he peaks with speed work and how much distance he puts in. I feel pretty comfortable so far, and I will probably feel great if I can do 13 miles this weekend. But it's approaching time to put the treadmill away for spring and get outside, both for the weather and for the road running. It's getting warmer, but around here the weather on March 30 can still be pretty nasty.

Easy Run and Race Goal Declaration

4.0 typical easy miles in front of two more Frasier episodes. I kicked up the pace to 9:31-9:22 - slowly bringing the easy run pace down from 9:40 when I can. I do remember when 9:40 felt like 9:20. Still a good stretch of the legs, but when do these short, easy runs turn into junk miles? I guess Jack Daniels would say it's when the same workout no longer has a purpose.

Tomorrow's my last speed workout before the 1-mile race on Saturday - should I stick to the 7x800 that's on the schedule, or try mixing 4x800 with 3x3:40 hills at 5%? Yes, I know it's too close to the race to have any real training benefit.

My goal for the race is 7:40, and I've been doing my 800 repeats at 7:30 on the treadmill. However, last year's 5K PR average pace was 7:46, and I know I ran negative splits. Crazy talk or just needless obsessing? It's OK, you can tell me. Let's keep it at 7:40 and be happy with something close. Anything better will be a nice reward for training hard over the winter.

(Training nerd update: My 5K PR of 24:06+/- indicates a VO2max of 40, which predicts a 7:07 mile. Call the paramedics!)

Easy Run Day

Another 4.0 with 0.5 w/u, 3.25 at 6.2-6.4 mph and 0.25 c/d. I also threw in 3 sprints x 1:00 at 8.0 mph (7:30 pace) and 4 hills x 1:00 at 4% to 6%. It felt great to loosen up and bust out a couple of hard efforts.

The feedback on the Birthday Challenge is great - thanks to everyone who's responded over the last few days and welcome B-Fit B-Day participants. Triathlete Mary has even suggested that I go for the Gold my first time out instead of Silver! Thanks Mary, but maybe next year. I'll be hitting 20 miles for the first time around my birthday and I want to be cautious about increasing my distances too fast.

It can be pretty dull out on the road by yourself, as 99% of my runs have been solo. I'm going to start reaching out to my club, the Triple Cities Runners Club, for running companions who can work with my schedule and training plan. There has to be someone in the neighborhood who likes to run after work! The club put out a call for PR's achieved in 2007 so I reported on my 24:00 5K. They asked for a "Dream PR" and I put 21:00 - this translates to a 3:21:00 marathon vs. my current predicted/goal of 3:49:00. Depending on this year's race goals and performance, maybe 21:00 will go on the calendar for next year.

Birthday Challenge

It's as official as it's going to get: the raceAthlete B-Fit B-Day Challenge is adding a run-only version based partly on my input. You still have to run your age, but they decided to keep the original Gold/Silver/Bronze time limits of one/three/seven days. I have no plans to be an elite endurance runner this year, so I'm picking the Silver Challenge. My birthday's on a Monday, so I will have the weekend to go long; Saturday 5/31 would be my first 20-mile run ever. Then I can go easy on Sunday 6/1 and finish up with 10 or so on 6/2.

I have no races in April or May, so I can run the big 37 and recover/train for either a hard 20K on June 21 or a 10-miler on July 4.

Although my original idea was to run within the same number of hours as birthday miles (for Gold, or double/triple for Silver/Bronze), keep in mind that this is really an endurance challenge and we want Gold to be hard. I think up to about 50 years/miles in a day is about the limit, but it will be interesting to see who takes on the Gold Run-Only Birthday Challenge.

I was member #62; here's my profile: http://bfitbday.ning.com/profile/DaveM

Easy Run Day

4.0 mi by usual 0.5/3.25 easy/0.25 format on treadmill. Feel fine, no complaints.

It was an easy week with light mileage (23.6 total). Next week I ramp it back up to at least 29, with a 12 mile long run. I remember when 15 was a big weekly total, then 20. Now, 20 seems like a cakewalk, and if I only hit 15 I must be sick.

Weekly total: 23.6 miles, 40.45 MTD, 129.34 YTD. 34 weeks to Wineglass Marathon.

Long Run Day

7.9 mi total: 2 x (1.82 to MacArthur Park, once around the track, back home) in 1:18:14 (9:54 pace or 6.06 mph). Felt fine but a little slow at times. Finally got the pedometer working to show pace in mph - it was right on. No sprints/strides/pickups this time. I wanted to focus on keeping a slow, steady pace for the entire run and I think I did well.

I didn't finish it, but the verdict is in on Daniels' Running Formula: I'm returning it today. Based on past race performances, really on my 5K PR of 24:00, I know my VO₂max is around 40. Runner's World uses this value to calculate your training paces; how you use them is up to you, although they do offer very sensible training plans. Daniels just seems a little too hard-core exercise physiology right now - I'm not looking to shave 2 minutes off a 2:30 marathon, I'm just looking to keep fit at my current level and finish my first marathon under 4:00. I'm happy with the results of the plan I'm on, and I can see slow, steady improvements that I will be ready to test in spring/summer races.