Running up the Empire State Building

November has been unseasonably warm thus far which has been great as it has allowed me to continue going outdoors for workouts. I've gone out for a few more runs, and yesterday It was a little windier so I decided to do a stair run. I hadn't really ran stairs--a lot of stairs--since high school wrestling. I don't know what possessed me to do it, apart from the fact that I wanted to get a workout similar to running, but I didn't want to use a treadmill or run in the wind. I found a 26 step staircase near a little hill I usually take down to the lake which juts right down next to a bridge and a hill, making it quite secluded from the wind. I just started running up and down, not knowing how long it would be before I got tired. I ended up going 100 laps on the stairs in about 36 minutes for a total of 5200 stairs if you count up and down. I was pretty surprised by how long I was able to go without getting tired. My cardio was fine for the stairs, but my calves really took a beating. I wore my Vibram FF shoes, which meant I was essentially running on the balls of my feet the hole time. Since Vibrams tend to be harder on the calves even during normal running, I think I was more prepared for the stairs, and stairs might be a good way to strengthen the feet to run longer normal runs using Vibrams or bare feet. Today my calves are extremely sore, an experience I haven't had in quite a while; even the day after the marathon they weren't nearly this bad.

I later found out online that they do an annual event running up the Empire State building which has around 1500 stairs. While it definitely helped switching off between going up and then down the steps, running up the ES building doesn't sound too bad now!

Shifting Gears

Its about a month since the Twin Cities Marathon and the weather hasn't changed much since then. It was 50 degrees today with light wind, which allowed for a nice 7 mile run in my Vibrams. I hadn't run too well since the race, but today I went 58:59 which is the fastest time since my toe injury, so I was happy about that. I've only run about 5 times since the marathon, since the weather has been very rainy this month and often too cold to get outside. Instead I started focusing a little bit on my neglected upper body muscles; ever since I sprained my wrist back in kickball I haven't been able to do much upper body work, but it is finally healed enough so that I can do push ups and pull ups again. My upper body muscles are definitely not what they once were, but since my weight is quite low at the moment (around 177) I can still do 50 push ups and 15 pull ups. My bench press has suffered the most, but I don't plan on lifting heavy as it is too counterproductive for distance running. I have also been doing 5 min rounds on a heavybag with 16 oz gloves which has been a decent way to get some cardio without running on the dreaded treadmill.

The Quest Continues

The weather conditions of the 2009 Twin Cities Marathon turned out to be just about perfect. The race started at around 46 degrees with a little sun. I decided to wear only my short sleeved shirt since it was a bit warmer than I expected. We got to the starting area about 25 minutes early, which was probably a bit too early, although standing around in the starting corral packed in like sardines keeps you pretty warm. I started the race near the 4:00 pace group, and was feeling really good, which was a blessing considering my toe had been bothering me just the day before. I was keeping a sub 9 minute mile pace for the first 7 miles, and was at 1:29 something at the ten mile mark. I saw my brother and a friend at around mile 7 and handed off some gloves and my headband because I was getting a bit too hot. I was still feeling pretty strong at this point, so I pushed ahead for my 2 hour half marathon time. I made the half way mark at 1:58:30 or so. I knew I had put myself in a position to reach 4 hours at that point, but I was starting to get a bit tired from going out so fast. My pace slowed up quite a bit, and by around mile 15 or 16 the four hour pace group caught up with me. I begin to realize I wasn't really "tired" (my heart and lungs were not working too hard at all) but that the muscles and tendons being used to absorb shock and maintain the new stride I was using for my sandals/Vibrams were being stressed more than they had been before. 13 miles was the furthest I'd run in anything other than running shoes. I realized pretty quickly that there was no way I was going to make four hours, because I simply couldn't push hard anymore without the support of real running shoes taking the place of my natural shock absorbers--my feet and ankles weren't in good enough shape to handle a 26.2 mile sandal run yet, at least not at a 4 hour pace. I quickly went from race mode to survival mode; my main fear was that my toe pain would flare up and prevent me from finishing and but my toe felt fine, so I was happy.

Once I got to mile 20 I decided to run/walk the rest and forget about my time because I didn't want to risk injuring my ankles or anything too much because it felt like something might cramp or snap at any moment. I feel like if I could have slipped on some real running shoes I would have been able to start running off at a nice pace, albeit risking more toe trouble. I actually started getting colder toward the end because my heart and lungs weren't working very hard. I ended up finishing in 4:45 or so. My girlfriend finished about 5 minutes after me and my friend who was running for the first time got 4:33. I wasn't really disappointed with the way things turned out, because I know that I couldn't have run much faster without risking pointless strain. I also know that without my toe problems I would have made four hours. Back in May I was running very well and had I been able to train fully and been comfortable in my running shoes throughout, I would have just gotten better. This whole summer of training and the marathon has been a good learning experience. I need to improve my foot and ankle strength to hopefully run in my Vibrams for longer runs, or a similar minimal shoe. I suppose I could also consider using a more neutral running shoe but I want to explore the whole barefoot/minimalist running thing a bit more. I do feel like shifting away from running shoes could ultimately be a good choice in the long term. It could stand to save a lot of money, (I honestly think I could put 5000 miles on my Teva sandals before they fell apart) and could result in a more economical stride that will yield faster times in the long run, once I get more used to it. If anything, the race has made me more motivated to get my feet and ankles in shape and see If I can start running faster with my Vibrams (or barefoot,) and run the 4 hour race I know I can run. Hitting 1:58:30 for my first half in heavishy sandals shows me that there is definitely potential for fast running without running shoes, especially at middle or long distances. I got several comments from other racers and spectators about my sandals, I can't imagine how many people would comment on the Vibrams.

The medals they gave out this year were pretty nice, but the shirts were not the best. The material and color were are great, but the design wasn't as cool as the last couple years. Here's a pic:

(Ignore the cat leg)

The medal from this year is in the middle, last year's medal is on the left and the 2007 medal is on the right.

As crazy as it sounds, I almost feel like going out for a run today. My quads and hamstrings are only feeling mild soreness, because after I slowed my pace to ease the strain on my feet and ankles, they weren't working too hard. Mainly the tendons on the fronts of my ankles feel very sore, and my hips and knees are sore because after my form broke down I started to rely on them too much to help absorb shock. I'm hoping this whole sandal/Vibram running thing doesn't end up creating its own problems, because I've had ankle problems on and off my whole life (knock on wood) but it has served me well for the past few months and allowed me to finish the marathon this year free of toe pain.

I suppose, this means my quest to run a four hour marathon is still on... I don't really want to have to wait a whole year for another shot. But then again it might take that long to convert myself into a true vibram/barefoot guy (or convince myself that bare footing is not for me). I might consider running grandma's marathon up in Duluth next summer if I stay in shape.

Let's Do This

It's time! The 2009 Twin Cities Marathon starts at 8:00am central time tomorrow morning. I picked up all my race materials today at the River Center in St. Paul with my GF and a buddy of mine who is also running the race. The fitness expo is great for last minute running gear, gels and all the free samples! I started carbo loading early, which was good because I didn't eat enough for lunch. Each year the race packets have a little gift with the Twin Cities Marathon Logo on it; my first year they were crappy throw away cotton gloves, last year it was a an ear warmer/headband of decent quality, and this year we got tech socks. I was pretty stoked because I always like to try new socks and they look like pretty good quality. Here's a pic:



After picking up my racing packet I realized I didn't plan on how to attach my racing chip to my sandals. They are using new chips this year that didn't come with little plastic ties because they aren't being collected afterward--you are supposed to thread your laces through them. I found out I can easily secure it simply by closing the velcro on my sandal straps over a flexible clipping mechanism on the back of the chip. Just another advantage of sandals! Weather is looking like low to mid 40's for the start of the race and about 50 by the end, with mostly cloudy skies and low chance of rain. It's a little colder than I'd like, but no rain is a huge plus. I'm not sure yet weather I'm going to start out in short sleeves or wear a long sleeve over my short sleeves and hand my long sleeve shirt off during the race. After 3 miles or so I'm pretty sure I'll want to shed long sleeves. I'll be wearing gloves, shorts, a hat and my ear warmers from last year. I find that if you cover your head/ears, hands, and torso you retain a lot of your heat. My legs can easily stay warm in sub 40 degrees, and my feet felt almost hot when I ran in 45 degrees and spitting rain yesterday thanks to my Darn Tough Vermont socks, so I should be set on that front.

I'm going to go out gunning for 4 hours. My plan is to make the first half in right around 2, to put myself in a position where I could make it and then see how my body responds. I know I can finish barring a major onset of toe pain or some other injury. I actually had some toe soreness today which is a bit worrisome, but I think I'll feel better in the morning.

I got to bed now to get up bright and early. Next post will be post race!

Vibrams

I went out for a 7 mile run in my Vibram Five Finger KSOs yesterday. The furthest I'd ran in them before was abut 5.5 miles, which left a spot on my right foot raw. I decided to pick up some Iniji running toe socks to wear inside the Vibrams to cut down on rubbing and provide some more warmth so that I can use them until it gets Minnesota cold. The shoes felt very snug with the socks inside them, but I was used to them feeling overly snug since my feet and ankles were swollen up for a week or so after my illness. They actually felt a bit less snug! At any rate, here are my observations about how running with the KSOs differ from my Teva sandals, (and other heavy training shoes) :

-My stride changed a little, even though I'm trying to use the same midfoot stride regardless of shoe
-I noticed more rubbing between me legs, which hadn't been a problem for me recently (a result of changed stride)
-I felt very light on my feet
-I felt like my heart and lungs didn't have to work as hard to achieve the same time
-I felt like I didn't sweat as much as normal
-My upper leg muscles (quads and hamstrings) felt like they were not working hard
-The tendons in may ankles and feet felt more strained than normal
-Both ankles felt a little sore at some point during the run
-Several lower leg muscles were being worked much harder than normal, especially the one immediately to the outside of the tibia (shin bone), which I'm assuming is the tibialis anterior and fairly meaty one on the outside of my lower leg which is probably the peroneus longus. (this is based on a quick online search) These muscles are involved with stabilizing the ankle and balance and work opposite one another in turning the ankle over one way or the other so it makes sense that they would both be tired together.
-My "calf" muscles were not especially tired. People seem to refer to any muscle in the lower leg as the calf muscle, but there are something on the order of 12 muscles in the lower leg, the "calf muscle" is actually two muslces, the gastrocnemius and soleus, large muscles at the back of the lower leg that help with plantarflexion--making the angle of the ankle to the shin greater than 90 degrees, aka pushing off with the toes or going up on the tip toes.


Overall the run felt very good, except that my toe was being stressed a little more than it would have been in my sandals. I don't think my muscles and tendons would have been up for running much more than 10 miles in them yet, but If they were in better shape, I felt like I could have kept pace for a really long time. From my knees up the run felt effortless.

10 Day Forecast

It's about 10 days until the 2009 Twin Cities Marathon now, meaning long shot weather forecasts are starting to roll in. I don't know about other marathon runners, but I'm a bit obsessive about checking forecasts before the race since my other two were: 1 Unseasonably Hot and sunny (low-mid 80's for october) and 2 fairly cool and rainy. It would be ideal for me if it were low 60's and completely overcast; the forecasts so far range from 39 degree lows to 65 degree highs with a decent change of rain showers... it's looking like another #2 year. My main concern with the weather is if rain comes when it is very cool, like the mid 40's which is quite possible. This will force me to wear a lot more clothes which will likely slow me down a lot. My other big quandary is what to wear on my feet for the race. My old running shoes with the holes in the insoles began bothering my toe a bit after a couple of 11 milers the past few weekends. Last weekend I ran about 11 miles on Saturday but decided to stop because of soreness in the toe; the next day I went out again and did 13 miles in my teva sandals with socks. It seems a bit crazy but I'm leaning toward tevas with socks for the race, even though they are much thicker and heavier than I'd like, they seem good for my toe. The problem is, if I'm wearing sandals with socks, cold rain would mean soggy feet in a couple of minutes, although they would dry fast if the rain stopped.

As for my four hour time goal, its looking pretty bleak. Between changing my running stride and feeling unable to push off too hard from my toes, my top speed has dropped considerably and I don't feel like I can kick and put in a sub 8 minute mile to fininsh off if I had to. I'm going to have to just go for a steady pace from start to finish to protect my injury and see what happens. I think I can beat my time from last year (4:35), and hopefully beat 10 minute miles (4:20) but 4 flat will take a tremendous effort for me having had too little time to get used to my altered stride and to find a pair of shoes that works better. I wish I had had time to train up my calves and feet so that I could run in my Vibrams; maybe next year. I might go shoe shopping this weekend and take a 10-13 miler in a pair of new kicks to see if I can find a light weight flat that will work.

With 10 days left before the race, I only have time for 3 or 4 more training runs. Its nice to know there's not much left, but in my case, it would be nice to have more time. Apparently the sickness I had that kept me down for a week and a half was probably swine flu. My mom had the same thing (I think I got her sick) and her doctor said it was probably H1N1, since there's no other bad viruses going around right now. I'm feeling pretty much 100% better now though, so its full steam ahead. I ran about seven miles in 1:02:32 and 1:04:14 my last two runs. This is probably 3-6 minutes slower than I was going before I got hurt back in May. On the other hand, I'm not feeling quite as tired at the end, because I'm not pushing so hard or kicking for the last mile. In a marathon things might even out; If I can run as fast as my 1:02:32 time for the whole race, I can make 4 hours. Just do decently fast training run four times back to back... That's not so bad!

I'll probably make another post or two before race day, and definitely the night or morning after the race.

Crunch Time

Training over the last couple weeks hasn't exactly gone as planned. I ended up getting a couple 7 mile runs in without my toe injury coming back in full force, which was a heartening sign. I tried to run with short strides and a high cadence. I also ran with holes cut in my insoles around the large big toe joint on the bottom of my foot to take pressure off of it. It seems to have worked. Just when I was feeling like I might be able to get on course to get a few long runs in before the marathon, I got sick. I just woke up one day and had a mild headache, that turned into a pounding headache the next day. I attribuited it to allergies, but the next day I had a fever that continued for almost a week. The fever has finally disappeared in the last couple days and I feel pretty much normal, but I missed a good week of activity of any kind. I'm also not sure if I'm 100% in the health department yet, since flu/colds which I'm assuming this is tend to linger for a while. At any rate, I hope to start get some workouts in this weekend, and maybe try a half or longer next weekend. There's only 3 weeks left before the race, so I don't have much time to work up to it now. It seems like the race will be a huge struggle this time around, but for some reason, I'm feeling optimistic.

In other news I received my Vibram Five Finger shoes in the mail last week, and they seem pretty fun, although I haven't gotten to use them much yet. I also read the book "Born to Run," last weekend, It was definitely worth the read. Its nice to read a running book where the writer isn't a super runner that makes you feel like a total newbie--he might be surrounded by super runners half the time, but he writes from the perspective of an average Joe runner. I liked it a lot better than the other running books I've read: "Ultramarathonman," and "Once a Runner."