As always, I seem to start posting again once the new year rolls in. Hopefully that will once again be the case.

2008 was a year of highs and lows for me running. Basically everything kept getting better up until the 3rd week in August only to run into a steep drop right around the Nike Human Race. Ever since that week I have been doing nothing but trying to get back to a healthy state.

2009 brings new hope. I woke up early on the 2nd for my first run of the year. I felt very good. My legs were strong and for the first time in a while I did not have any short sharp hip pains during my run. I felt so good I even added an extra half mile on to my planned route.

My training will be quite a bit different this year. I am spending a big chunk of time learning the other 2 disciplines of the Triathlon. My swimming is coming along very slow, but I have been pleasently surprised by how much I have enjoyed the biking to this point. I have taken a few RPM classes at the health club and really enjoyed it.

My new routine looks like this:

Monday: Swim

Tuesday: Run

Wednesday: Swim

Thursday: Bike

Friday: Run

Saturday: Swim or Off

Sunday: Long Run

This new routine will keep the miles off my legs but also help me maintain my fitness level. I’m hoping this new schedule should really help me finally fully recover.

I am still racing this year. So far I am signed up for:

Miami 1/2 Marathon

Cary 1/2 Marathon

Shamrock Shuffle 8k

500 Festival Mini-Marathon

Rock & Roll Chicago (Formerly the Distance Classic)

Should be a great year.

I realize I have not been posting much lately. I have been a little busy. I have been going rather hardcore in my new training regiment and my weekends are filled with remodeling. That being said I think it is time to catch up.

Health:

I’m starting to feel better. I have not run too much lately but when I have they have been quality runs. The only pain I feel is where I was injected with cortosone back in September. This has left me a little baffled. I have zero knee pain, zero thigh pain, and my hip is fine outside of the small spot. But the small spot (which I believe is the bursa sac) can really hurt. This weekend I am starting my half marathon training. I have a good six weeks to build up to Miami. I think getting up at 5am with below zero windchills will be a little easier if I focus on the beach and a random drink with an umbrella.

Tri-Update:

I know this is a running blog and many of you don’t like bikers and swimmers, but it’s my blog so I will continue to post about my trails and tribulations in triathon training.

Swim: I thought I was starting to get the swim thing last week. Then I ran into the “experts” on Friday. Normally I try to get to the pool at 5 or shortly after. However last Friday I was a little late and was still in the pool at 5:40 when the “experts” showed up. The experts are the popular kids in the pool. They are the ones who show you what a dork you look like. They do their fancy turns on the wall, wear their refective goggles, and complain that the water is bad.

This encounter made me realize I really suck at swimming and have a VERY long way to go. First off, I don’t even know what bad water is. Bad water in my opinion is the stuff in the kiddie section at the beach. Second, I still struggle to swim 100 without needing a short breather. And third, i didn’t even own goggles until yesterday and they definitely don’t reflect anything.

Biking:

I am a much better biker than swimmer. Today I took my first RPM class. A big thanks goes out to the instructor, who despite being evil in pushing me much harder than a person should be pushed at 5:30 in the morning, was kind enough to notice my bike did not have foot straps and I was too dumb to realize that it should.

For those of you unfamiliar with RPM is is basically using an exercise bike with at seat as hard as rock (I believe it also has small spikes that poke you) to music while a far too chipper person yells at you to stand up and go faster. Your legs burn for about an hour. It’s fun.

So with about 8 months to go I am on course to poorly finish the triathlon, but finish it none the less. My hope is with hours of training I can turn a poor performance into a marginally acceptable performance.

Stay tuned…

Hey Mon!

Just got back from the Bahamas with the fam. We took a ride on the Disney Wonder last week. A great time. And to top things off I have now run a race (and received a certificate) in another country. One of the crew members puts together a VERY Casual 5k (more like a 4.9K) on the Disney private island. After spend the last few weeks running in the fridgid Chicago area a 5k on a tropical island was rather nice.

I am still hurting a little after nearly 2 months of recovery. Around mile 3 I start to feel a little pain where I received my shot back in September. The extremely long road back to recovery continues. On the plus side I have started swimming every other day. I am terrible at it, but hope to eventually get better.

My injury recovery is not going as nicely as I would like. I can run, but back to back days are still difficult. Yesterday I logged 5.7 miles but felt it in the afternoon. I am not experiencing pain but rather tightness. My hip joint need strengthening and unfortunately rest. I am going to have to be an every other day runner for a little while.

Also, I made a big decision. No Marathon in ‘09. Now that I have reached a certain physical level I need to come up with a better way to run. For the past 4 years all I have done is strap on my shoes everyday and go out and run. I have ignored several other important factors. My strength and flexibility have been put on the back burner. If I want to become a good runner these 2 things need to improve or else I am going to spend more time at the doctor than on the road.

To be clear I am in no way giving up on running. I still am planning to do at least 5 half marathons in 09. However, I believe I have found a new way to achieve my goals.

This morning I began a VERY long road to training for the 2009 Chicago Triathlon. I finally heeded my lovely wifes advice and joined her health club so I can relearn how to properly swim. For those runners out there who thing swimmming looks easy, YOU ARE WRONG. It freaking sucks! I was more winded in the pool after 10 minutes than I have been after any race over the past 2 years. The one advantage, no joint pain when you are done.

This morning I swam 14 lengths of the pool. I had frequent stops. I was surprised that I am fairly quick in the pool (compared to the old men there at 5am). The eventual goal is 60 lengths without stopping. It is like learning to run all over again.

I also need to find a bike. My 1989 Schwinn Mountain Bike probably will not cut it. Especially since the pedals slip every 5-10 rotations. So if you have any bike advise please let me know.

I was back out this morning after a month off. I was pain free!! (And a little out of shape)

I can only assume over the past month a large percentage of my following has disappeared. I’m guessing my readership has dropped from 10 to 5. So let’s play a little catch up. What have I been up to? After about a week of wallowing in my marathon failure I picked myself back up. I began the dreaded rest period. And frankly I needed it.

I am not one to give advise. But here is one to take to the bank. If it hurts you are probably injured, and continuing the activity that hurts will make it worse. To my supprise my injury was significantly worse than I thought a month ago. And my failed marathon attempt made it much worse.

Up until late last week, even the most basic exercises could cause a lot of pain. 9 holes of golf made me limp, 4-6 hourse of remodling my house hurt more than running a half marathon. It was the most physically frustrating 4 weeks of my life. Not only was I sore all the time, but I felt broken.

Over the past week I have begun to see progress. I ran for the first time last Thursday. I had one step where my hip caught on me, and I was sore when I was done. However it felt great to be out.

Sunday, I braved my first race. My oldest daughter, who from this point forward I will refer to as 5-Kate, had her biannual Girls on The Run 5K. (BRACE YOURSELF FOR FATHERLY PRIDE) I was lucky enough to be her running buddy. We had an excellent race. As always, 5-Kate impressed me with her performance. She finished 24th out of 146 in her age group, which included girls in high school. Quite an acheivement in my eye. She has quite the running career in front of her. I can’t help but smile when she asks me how old she needs to be to run the next furthest distance. She is a breath of fresh air in an age when most kids need wheels on their shoes to get another bag of chips from the cabinet.

The only downside to Sunday was I pulled my hamstring. This time in my left leg. Monday it was very sore, today it is almost gone. I hope tomorrow morning brings pain free legs and a nice run.

On a side note I received a very cool email from a runner named Andrew. Andrew has had luck 1000 times worse than mine and continues to pick himself up and achieve things I can only hope to someday. His story is inspiring. He has not given me permission to share his story so I will leave it at that.

Please learn from Andrew and drop me a line. I love to hear from readers.

DNF…

That sums up my 2008 marathon. No medal, no excitement, and no payoff for all the training. Unfortunately my body chose to not cooperate yesterday.

Over the past month and a half my minor IT band problem had turned into full blown IT band syndrome. In an attempt to patch the problem my doctor gave me a cortisone shot i the hip. The pain went away for a week or so but came right back. I tried physical therapy for the past week. Each time I went in they would loosen up my leg, but again this was only temporary. Between visits the band would tighten back up.

Because of these problems I started the race yesterday with the knowledge I was going to have to endure quite a bit of discomfort. To the credit of the physical therapists that worked on my leg I was solid for the first 6 miles of the race. I was slightly apprehensive but mostly pain free.

Around mile 7 I started to feel my hip tighten up. On top of my sore hip this was about the time the sun really started to warm things up. Progressively the temperature forecast climbed of the past 10 days. Starting at 48 degrees and no stopping until it hit 82 yesterday.

Over the next 5 miles my hip stayed consistently sore. Definitely not unbearable. I was taking short walking breaks and hitting every aid station. The bigger problem that began to present itself was my calves. Last year, just after the half way point, my calves cramped up because I was dehydrated. It is the only time this has ever happened to me. Until yesterday I had not had any calf soreness all year.

By mile 11 I had a feeling of what was coming. With each step I could feel how tight my calves were. I tried to stretch them out without luck. Just before I hit the 12th mile aid stop my right calf cramped up. These cramps don’t feel like the ones you get if you swim too soon after eating, but rather like you calf muscle is sliced in half.

Fortunately, I was at an aid tent when this happened. I hobbled in and they started working on me. They iced me down and started stretching me out. They were nice enough to try and stretch out my IT band, the nurse that worked on me was not very familiar with this stretch and ended up tweaking my right hamstring in the process. At this point my right leg became useless.

I did get back out on the course after 12 minutes in the tent. I spent a big chunk of of miles 12 and 13 walking and stretching.  But at mile 14 my race ended. Again, I was coming into the aid station and this time both calves cramped at the same time. Again, I was at the aid station and they once again stretched me out and iced my legs. This time for about 20 minutes. A doctor came to see me and recommended that I stop. I got up, walked around, and gave it one last try. I could not bend my right leg more than a very inches at the knee. Every step I took was extremely painful. Finally, I decided I had enough and headed to the dropout bus.

The ride back to the finish line was one of the worst feelings I have had in a very long time. This leads me to #1 on my list of 10 topics. It is a couple of days late but more appropriate today anyway.

#1: Support

Running a marathon (or trying to) is something that cannot be done without support. I have a great deal of support. To a point yesterday I didn’t hold up my end. After I dropped out, clearly not thinking straight, I texted my  Mom to let her know. First of all I sure this threw her rhythm off, and second it probably took quite a bit away from her achievement of finishing.

My sister, who is a doctor, is also very supportive. She proved how hard core a runner can be by finishing with a hole in her leg. And then tried to make me feel better by making it out to not be a big deal.

Then there were my two great kids. They made me a card to make me feel better. Plus my oldest daughter Kate kept trying to get me to look at the bright side. Because, as she will tell you, she is a positive person.

And finally there is my great wife. Not only was she up early for every one of my long runs to be my mobile aid station, but she handled yesterday extremely well. She knew just what to say to make me feel better, and she knew when to just let me be. Having someone who know you that well is an asset that cannot be measured.

My loyal readers may now be asking “Now What?”. Last year, the day after the marathon I made the bold statement that in 2008 I would run my race. I took a week off and started training. This year I am not sure. Step 1 is to get healthy. I love to run, but because of the daily pain I have had to deal with I have stopped looking forward to it. By my doctors orders I need to take a month off. I bought an exercise bike and setup my weight machine to supplement my running. Be assured on November 9th I will be back out running and training again. I just don’t know for what yet.

2 days to go. This morning I woke up and felt like I wanted to vomit. Needless to say I am a little nervous.
That being said today’s topic is not avoiding vomiting. Certain doctors who will remain nameless would prefer this post was about not falling on rebar. Neither of those made my list. Today’s topic is tunes. Back when I first began running there was nothing that wore me out more than the sound of heavy breathing. The silence was deafening. Then I broke down and purchased a cheap but effective MP3 player. What a difference! More than any energy drink or power bar music will get you going. When my battery dies I am lost.
Now that we have determined that music is a key running component (scientifically of couse). We must determine what to listen to. Personally, I have very diverse tases. I listen to oldies, rock, pop, country, showtunes, comedy. Basically the entire spectrum. While I will not bore you, or embarrass myself, with my personal playlists I will offer one piece of sound advice (get it SOUND advise). Don’t worry about your music making you look cool. If your a 6′ 5″ 250lb. 3% body fat guy but you get amped up on Disney music don’t be ashamed. If you’re an intelligent middle aged female who is into opera and jazz but you really get moving listing to gangsta rap then do it. The glorious thing about headphones is your music is only for you.

Today we discuss the uncontrollable nemesis. Unfortunately, it is not possible to make every day the ideal weather day. More than likely if you are training for a fall marathon you will deal with rough conditions.

In the case of the Chicago Marathon you are doing long runs in the August heat. This year I was lucky to have a mild summer. However, in the past it is not unheard of to get up at 4am to beat the heat of 90 degree days.

This year’s weather presented a few new challenges. None more extreme than the weekend of my 20 mile run. The reminants of hurricane Ike moved through Chicago over a Saturday and Sunday. Knowing this I left the entire weekend free so I could squeeze in the run at the most opportune time.

Saturday was shot. It poured non stop all day long. So Sunday was the choice. I woke up at 3:30 to the sound on drizzle. I went down to my computer and saw a small break seemed to be forming and was about an hour out. So I geared up and left the house shortly before 5am. I made it an entire mile before the clouds opened back up. For 18 of the 20 miles it poured.

The rain and heat are my enemys. Cold is not that bad. However, a few times this winter when the wind chills hit -15 or 20 you could hear me complain.

For a certain sister/doctor the reverse is the case. I take you to 6am January 2007, the morning of the PF Changs 1/2 Marathon. My mother was awoken by the following frantic phone call:

Mom: Hello

Dr.J: WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!

Mom: What?

Dr.J: It’s 28 degrees outside!!!!

Personally this was still shorts weather for me. I guess the East Coast softens some people up when they no longer can handle a mild temperature dip.

Let me start by saying I am not a fashion guy. The majority of my clothes come from the clearance rack at Kohl’s. Either that or the are emblazoned with a Cubs or Bears logo. But when it comes to running I definitely have preferences and tastes.

For a Midwesterner there are several apperal decisions that need to be made:

Shoes: The king of the running world. I have learned the hard way that looks are not as important as function. Just because you find a really cool looking pair of shoes does not mean they provide the support you require. Personally I am a New Balance guy. I am partial to them for two reasons. First, the shoes are made in America. Anytime I can avoid foreign goods I will. Second, they are focused on distance running. Unlike Nike it is easy to find the distance the shoes are rated for and what support features the shoes offer. Odds are they have a shoe that is perfert for your running style.

Warm Weather Clothes: This one is easy. Two words sum up my warm weather clothes “Dri Fit”. I love my Nike running clothes. They are the New Balance of the clothing world. They have shirts and shorts specifically designed for distance runners. They are light, comfortable, and breathable. Plus they look good.

Cool Weather Clothes: This is kind of a grey area. Again Nike wins here for me. If the weather is above 45 I just move to long sleeve shirts and shorts.

Cold Weather: Here in Chicago this season seems to last FOREVER. This is where the big dogs come out. Cold Gear. Under Armor has created this incredible light weight layer that somehow keeps you significantly warmer without the bulk. However, that is meerly the base layer. I have several generic fleeces and hoodies for my top layer, and wind pants and sweatpants for the bottom layer. On really cold days I will wear all of the above. At one point last year I was wearing 8 pound of clothes without my shoes.

To sum up #4 as Billy Crystal would say “You’ve got to look good to feel good my friends”. Amen to that.