17 Weeks To Marathon

Monday, January 11th 2010: 5 miles @ 10:30/mile pace. My body didn't feel so swell during this run. Lately my focus has been on getting some running done instead of pace. Curse my knees.

Tuesday, January 12th 2010: 20 minutes on exercise bike.

Wednesday, January 13th 2010: 9 miles @ 10:38/mile pace. I wanted to get in one semi-long run before the Painters Half Marathon next week. The run actually went okay, except for one slight problem.....I ate at Arby's about an hour before running.

I'll be the first to admit - this was arguably the finest meal that has ever entered my esophagus. Oh, sweet glory. The roast beef sandwich. The scrumptious curly fries. The heavenly mint shake. It was bliss.

Until I had the pleasure of running 9 miles with a gut-load of trans-fat. The strain to keep roast beef from hurling back onto the sidewalk was a challenge.

Thursday, January 14th 2010: I had an appointment with my sports medicine doctor, Dr. Millward to get my quad checked out. I figured two and a half months of pain was enough to warrant a chat with the MD. He was relatively sure that I'd survive, and said it's likely micro-tears in the muscle. He also confirmed that my knee issues were related to the IT bands.

The IT band is a band of tissue that goes from the hip down to the bottom of the knee. With repeated motions (like running), it can get tight or inflamed and cause pain on the outside of the knees. Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is pretty common with runners. Grrr.

Friday, January 15th 2010: 20 minutes on exercise bike. Fascinating.

Saturday, January 16th 2010: 6.4 miles @ 12:25/mile pace. I took Mel on the Desert Reserve trail which was fun. She decided that she is going to do the Painters Half Marathon next week also. We registered months ago, but she started having foot problems and thought she would be out of the race.

I promised her months ago that I would run it with her, so we'll keep with that plan. I'm guessing we'll do the run/walk method to make sure she doesn't re-aggravate her foot issues.

I can't guarantee how fast we'll run. I can't guarantee that I won't question my sanity for running another half marathon. But I CAN guarantee that I won't eat at Arby's before the race.

I'm In Love

I'm in love. With my wife. And my kids. And this new hand-held water bottle I got for Christmas.

This Nathan bottle holds about 20 ounces, has a comfortable, secure, and adjustable hand strap, and a pouch big enough for a Gu packet or two.

I also have a water belt, which is very comfortable....until you actually start running. Then...the water starts sloshing around, it hurts my hips, and I start to feel like a pack mule.

The hand held bottle, on the other hand, feels like it was formed in the womb with me. I love you my water bottle. And wife. And kids.

18 Weeks To Marathon

I took it easy this week because the outsides of my knees still hurt and my right hamstring may be getting worse instead of better. Grrr. I'm not so much worried about being ready for the Ogden Marathon in May. I'm more worried about the St. George Painter's Half Marathon coming up in two weeks. I'm realistic that I'm not going to be breaking any speed records. My goals for Painter's are 1) Not die, 2) To finish, and 3) Do it with as little pain as possible.

Despite the rest week, I did get a bit of physical activity. It is interesting how the freedom of running sometimes makes my mind wander: Why would anyone ever own a cat? How do they get the raspberry filling inside a Hostess raspberry-filled donut? Holy Moses. I almost sprained my ankle. Hair on toes is pretty gross. Do I smell bacon? Am I there yet? Why does everything that's "bad" taste so darn good? And on a serious note, how long will it take until gray hairs on my head outnumber black hairs?

Wednesday, January 6th 2010: 7.5 miles in 1 hour & 20 minutes. I went back to the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve and ran the same route as last week. (I took the kids back a few days later and got this photo.)


Saturday, January 9th 2010: 30 minutes on exercise bike + hiking around Confluence Park. I took Jackson and my good camera with me this time. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip.

Vibram Five Fingers Review

When reading the book Born To Run, I was completely stunned by the amount of research done on foot and knee injuries.....and how almost all of them can be tied back to our shoes.

If you think about it, that makes sense. When you run with shoes on, you strike the ground with your heel first, then roll the foot forward. On the other hand, when you run barefoot, you strike more toward the ball of your foot and you run lighter. The force of impact is much less.

I combined the overwhelming research in the book with an extensive Google search and found Vibram Five Fingers shoes as the perfect blend between running barefoot, and getting the protection of a running shoe. Do a Google search for reviews on Five Fingers and see for yourself.



So I ended up buying a pair. The KSO (Keep Stuff Out) model is best for running. The sole provides enough coverage to protect your feet from the brutality of running barefoot, but it is flexible and provides no arch or sole support (which is the purpose), so you re-learn how to run lighter and minimize the force of impact on each stride.


I'll be honest with you....I don't love them. Yet. They take a little getting used to. The only issue I have is that the seams feel a little like crumpled newspaper between your toes. But I think that will go away when I break them in more.

And I've tried to heed the advice to start off very slow with them. It takes a little time to get our feet used to running differently. With my frequent injuries and knee pain, I was willing to try something different. And I'm willing to have my feet look slightly strange.

So although I don't love my Five Fingers yet, I like them. And I think I'll love them very soon. I guarantee that after reading Born To Run, you'll be sold too. The reviews and research about decreasing running injuries can't be denied.

19 Weeks To Marathon

Wednesday, December 30th 2009: 4 miles at the track. I decided I'd see how my knees would hold up for speed training. This was my first speed workout at the track in many months. It was cold and snowing so I had the track to myself. I questioned my sanity.

The knees felt fair for the four 800's (twice around the track) that I did faster. My times were 3:34, 3:46, 3:57, and 4:02. It was really strange, but it felt really good to have a few fast bursts where my lungs were burning and my stomach struggled to keep the barf down. I didn't care to make a mess on the track.

Thursday, December 31st 2009: 1st Annual Beat The New Year 5k. Our running buddy Karrie set up a very informal, no-pressure, fun 5k around the neighborhood. It was the most enjoyable 5k I've ever run (stomach was never tempted to hurl Gatorade). We just jogged as a group of friends, and finished up with some donuts and hot chocolate.



Friday, January 1st 2010: 1 hour & 15 minutes of trail running. I decided I was letting my training calendar determine my running instead of how my body was feeling. So I left my watch at home to ensure I was enjoying the scenery instead of focusing on my pace.

I ventured behind our house to Confluence Park. I am truly ashamed to say that in the years we have lived here, I'd never left the pavement to go explore this area less than a mile behind the house.

The views were beautiful and amazing as I scampered along the Virgin River. I cursed myself for not bringing my camera. I promise I'll go back again soon to take some pictures for the site. I realized after a half hour that I had forgotten my mp3 player. I'm SO thankful I forgot.

Saturday, January 2nd 2010: 1 hour & 35 minutes of trail running. I headed out on another nearby trail in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve for my Saturday run. I thought the trails may be easier on my knees.

I can't describe how amazing this run was. The softer surface made my running almost painless. I cruised up hills and down hills and went fast for the whole time. I hadn't spent much time on these trails so I wanted to run everywhere I could and explore. I wanted to see where each trail led.

I again didn't take my watch, camera, or mp3 player. It was so fun to be out on trails by myself with nobody in sight. I went to the bathroom four times --- just because I could. Not being among neighborhoods and traffic was freeing.

On my way home I realized what an enormous difference the softer surface made. I had to run on pavement for the 1/2 mile back home. Going from soft trails to street made my knees hurt almost immediately. I couldn't believe how much more impact I felt with each step.

I will definitely be going back to these two areas, both for picture-taking and running. After being on these trails it makes me wish I never had to run on the road again.