Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Acel Sport Compression Sock review
I admit. I am a small sock guy. I am out on the roads or trails in ankle socks. If I could get away with barefoot I would, but that has leg to blisters and nasty feet. I have however, for the past 12 months or so, used compression calf sleeves post workout on hard days for recovery and have found them useful. So when Acel Sport reached out to me through Instagram, I said sure, would love to try their compression socks.
Full disclosure, Acel Sport provided a sample free of charge, but did not require a review, positive or negative. As always, I will try to keep the review balanced.
My workout this morning was a 45 minute treadmill run, with some steady state work as well as max effort repeats. I don't love the treadmill, but I am travelling this week and Edmonton is pretty snowy and cold, which I don't mind, but my light packing left me little room for more than some shorts and Hokas (Clifton 3 - review coming soon!). I took the opportunity to give the socks a test drive.
Fit - socks are sized based on shoe size and calf circumference. I found that they fit snuggly, felt generally comfortable, with no real tight spots. My feet and calves felt supported and overall great. Length was fine, sitting just below the knee.
Ride/feel in action - Once I got moving, I didn't notice anything different, positive or negative. Having said that, post activity, my calves felt less tight than usual for a workout with this pacing/effort. Perhaps it was the socks? My only complaint is that I found them very hot, especially in my shoes/the foot portion. Like really hot. I would be concerned in a long ultra in the summer months, or if they got wet.
Price/overall impression: Obviously these were free, however their pricing on their website is pretty reasonable for compression wear. I would use these again, however I would likely use these for recovery. I could consider a calf sleeve only as I could pair these with socks that I have found to work for long efforts.
I would encourage you to check them out!
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Shoe Review - HOKA ONE ONE Bondi
After running a number of miles in the Tracer (see review here), I started falling in love with Hokas. So I decided to go and get their maximal shoe, the Bondi, at the other end of the spectrum.
The Bondi is described by Hoka as " is the most cushioned shoe in the HOKA ONE ONE line. It delivers a smooth, cushioned ride that is revered for its balance and simplicity with a full-EVA midsole and early stage Meta-Rocker for a guided ride. " I would agree. Its all about the cushioning with this one.
Sizing: I found the shoe true to size. Many reviews and complaints about the Bondi, and overall Hoka brand in general has been that the shoes are somewhat narrow, especially in the forefoot. I did not find this to be the case. I actually found the forefoot roomy and spacious. These shoes are super comfortable when you slide into them. They have good structure, and just feel great on my feet.
Ride: All about the cushion. I have run shorter runs (8-15miles) and longer runs (25miles+) in these. They are a great recovery shoe as they give you feet and joints some respite from the road grind. The cushion is soft, but not marshmallowy, there is still some snap/responsiveness. These shoes, due to the large stack height of eva are stiff, in that there is little flexibility in the shoe, but they have compensated for this with their meta-rocker technology (essentially the shoe is built on a last allows for a natural transition through mid-foot and forefoot, and even heel to toe-off). I found the first couple runs took a little getting used to as I am used to a move flexible shoe, but now after running more than 150km in them I don't mind the lack of flexibility and find it a nice comfortable ride. My only minor complaints are that the shoe is hot - it doesn't breathe very well (I have had the opportunity to look at the new Bondi model, and other Hoka models and they have changed their upper material to something more breathable). This is ok for now, we are in the midst of a cold spell with -10C temps, but could be an issue in the warmer months. Also, I did find the shoe less comfortable at the end of the very long run (40+km). The shoe is heavier than I am used to, though I have done some steady state and speed workouts with it, but on the long run I did find a little more leg fatigue than usual. I wonder if it is because you end up working a little harder to counter the plush cushioning.
Wear and Tear: Like the tracers, after 150+km, these look brand new. Very little wear on the outsole, cushioning is still intact, very plush, and no wearmarks or issues on the upper. Will be interested to see how long they last. I suspect they are pretty bomb proof given the beefy EVA,
Price: I picked these up on sale...I suspect you'll get great value for them as they will last a long time. They currently sell for $100-150 as this model is in the midst of an upgrade to #5.
I would recommend these or suggest you certainly visit your local specialty running store to try a pair on. I imagine you will find them amazingly comfortable. These have been a great addition to the shoe pile and a go to for me on recovery days, or days when I want to give my feet a little extra comfort.
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Shoe review - Hoka Tracers
I ran a lot of
miles kilometers in 2016. 5900+ to be less exact. In early December, after looking around for a new shoe to try out, I landed on Hoka One One as a brand that came recommended by many ultra distance and trail runners as they were extremely comfortable and forgiving in long efforts. Given my high mileage, I thought I would see what the fuss was about.
I decided on the Tracer model, which is less “Hoka-ish” than many of their models, given their less maximal cushioning (Hoka’s are known for their extreme amounts of cushioning, sometimes looking platform shoe esqe). Having now put more than 150km in the model, I am happy to share what I have learned.
The Tracer model bills itself as “a lightweight training shoe with superb racing potential“. Indeed, the weight of the shoe comes in around 7 – 7.5 ounces which is the weightier end of a racing flat. With a 4mm heel to toe offset (heel drop) (I have seen reviews saying they are anywhere from 2-5mm, but we will go with 4), this shoe favours more efficient runners.
Sizing: I found the shoe true to size. I wear a size 10 in all running shoes, and this was no exception. Some reviews have suggested a slim/narrow forefoot, but I did not find that to be the case. I put the shoes on and they felt great. Like a nice slipper. Unbelievably great. I was excited to run in them (still am!). I can notice some pressure on my baby toe, but the shoe is flexible and I have had no chafing or blistering issues, even with running in rain, freezing rain and snow with them, at extreme distances.
Ride: Different from other Hoka’s (I now have a couple of pairs as a recent convert) these are not super cushioned. Having said that, compared to some of my other past shoes in the 7ounce/racing flat range, these are exceptional in terms of cushion. But the shoe is super responsive, snappy, fast. These shoes get me up on my mid-foot/forefoot and moving quickly. I have used them for a few tempo runs with good success. While for some, these may not favour long distances, I did run a 25mile/40km effort with them, in the rain, with some up-tempo work and had no issues with soreness or unusual fatigue the next day (not more than usual!) I could see using these for a marathon, or certainly a 1/2marathon as an alternative for those worried about the support of a racing flat.
Wear and Tear: After 150+km, these look brand new. Very little wear on the outsole, cushioning is still intact and no wearmarks or issues on the upper. Will be interested to see how long they last.
Price: I find shoes getting more expensive. at ~$150, there are less expensive models on the market, as well as more expensive ones. So far, given the wear/tear, I feel like I am getting good value for the price.
I would recommend these shoes to someone seeking a fast, lightweight shoe to go fast in, but also provide enough support (in fact, disproportionate support, meaning more, than the weight of the shoe). Also, a good alternative for people looking for something to race in, almost at any distance up to and including the marathon.
Monday, September 26, 2016
Run Ajax 1/2 Marathon and Kids 1km Race Review!
Fresh off the heals of yesterdays (Sept 25, 2016) race, on a beautiful day for running, 12 degrees, sunny and little wind. Let's go through this systematically.
Kids 1km.
The kids (12 and under) 1km was super exciting. First off, kids registered for free, and because of the following items, it sold out. Free T-Shirt (My 8-year-old daughter felt like she was a real runner (her words)) as well as bib number and chip-timed. The race was quick for most, but lots of fun with lots of the crowd cheering and many adults running with their kids. All of the kids received a pretty nice finishing medal as well (as well as post-race snacks and pizza). Just for this even alone, the day is absolutely worth it.
Adults Next:
The registration/bib pick-up process was easy. Great, long sleeve technical shirts by New Balance (who was a sponsor) as well as the usual other goodies that go along with a race.
Race Day
The Half Marathon lined up at 9am. It was a very casual field, especially after the kids ran 4 and 5 minute kms a short while before. Pace bunnies were provided, for 1:30, 1:140, 1:50, 2:00 and 2:10 I believe. This is a nice addition for those running their first or striving for a breakthrough time. From what I saw on the course, all were on pace, if not slightly under which would allow for a slight positive split.
The race started with no issues, heading into a very slight incline. A couple of cyclists lead the way. On a personal note, I had shifted gears over the summer moving from Marathon distance events to training for an ultra, having completed a 50km training run 7 days prior to the race, was unsure of how the race would go. Regardless, I found myself near the front, and holding a solid pace. The course is a butterfly shaped out an back that took us down Hardwood (police blocked off a very safe course)to the lake and then along the Ajax waterfront for the majority (17km?) of the run. There were several water and electrolyte stations along the course with lots of volunteers manning those stations as well as in between, at every turn and cross over point. All of the volunteers were enthusiastic with lots of cheering, words of encouragement and reporting on placing. There was a slight headwind from the 5km to 14km mark but it was a beautiful day with great views of the lake. The course was mostly flat with some very modest rolling hills (my Garmin said I climbed a whole 88 feet through the entire race). The last 2km was a gut check with another 500m modest hill to the final kilometer, then a modest downhill to the finish. Lots of encouragement from the 5km walkers that were finishing as well as around the start/finish area.
Once completed, finishers were given a nice, well detailed, sturdy medal and an assortment of food, bananas, juice, water, pizza, and other snacks. There were plenty of massage tables that were filled for most of the rest of the morning.
The prizing was also great. $500/$300/$100 to the top 3 overall male/female 1/2 marathoners. I missed the podium coming 4th, but won my age group and was given a nice gift certificate to one of my favourite places, Running Free.
Overall this is a must do on the calendar. I will be back. Super well organized, lots of great features, a super fast course (I ran a 1:19:18, 28 seconds off my PR from 15 years ago - I guess ultra training agrees with me), and fun for the family. I almost forgot to mention, free photos from the race, based on your bib number, including the kids 1km!
I should note that I was provided free entry into this event (through the Team Running Free Lottery). When this is the case, I try to provide areas of improvement etc, but there is no need, this event is fantastic. Everything about this is great, and these sentiments were shared by many running friends, social media friends and people I met on the day.
Thanks for a great day!
Friday, April 22, 2016
2016 Boston Marathon review including insider tips and tricks
Monday April 18, 2016 was the culmination of almost 2 years of hard work. I will take a few moments to describe the qualifying process for those interested including the application process, race morning with some hints and suggestions, and the race itself. Probably the last part will be less detailed, as there are lots of great reports on what to expect on the course etc. Let's get started.
Qualifying Process
In order to qualify for Boston, you need to run a marathon in the prior year to Boston, with the qualifying window being qualifying times must be run on or after Saturday, September 19, 2015 for the 2017 Boston Marathon (to take place April 17, 2017).
2017 BOSTON MARATHON QUALIFYING STANDARDS
Effective September 19, 2015. All standards below are based on official submitted net time.
| AGE GROUP | MEN | WOMEN |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 3hrs 05min 00sec | 3hrs 35min 00sec |
| 35-39 | 3hrs 10min 00sec | 3hrs 40min 00sec |
| 40-44 | 3hrs 15min 00sec | 3hrs 45min 00sec |
| 45-49 | 3hrs 25min 00sec | 3hrs 55min 00sec |
| 50-54 | 3hrs 30min 00sec | 4hrs 00min 00sec |
| 55-59 | 3hrs 40min 00sec | 4hrs 10min 00sec |
| 60-64 | 3hrs 55min 00sec | 4hrs 25min 00sec |
| 65-69 | 4hrs 10min 00sec | 4hrs 40min 00sec |
| 70-74 | 4hrs 25min 00sec | 4hrs 55min 00sec |
| 75-79 | 4hrs 40min 00sec | 5hrs 10min 00sec |
| 80 and over | 4hrs 55min 00sec | 5hrs 25min 00sec |
HOWEVER, running a qualifying time does not grant you guaranteed access. Let me explain. First of all, the race must be on a Boston sanctioned course. Because this could happen. Second, when the BAA opens the application window (usually Sept/Oct) all those that qualified, and interested in running, apply and pay their fee. However, the number of entries is capped, somewhere around 25,000 runners (usually 3-5000 spots are reserved for those that raise $5000 or more for BAA sanctioned charity). Because the race is capped, the fastest runners (outside of the elites) are accepted first. BAA has a computerized system that then adjusts the actual qualifying standard based on the number of available slots and the times of the remaining applicants. So for the 2016 Boston Marathon, to gain entry, you had to actually run 2:28mins faster than your standard, regardless of age group. For example, my age group (age on race day) is 35-39, so my actual qualifying time had to be better than 3hrs 07min 32sec. If you were 3:07:33, sorry, no prize for close. Nevertheless the qualifying process can be stressful if you are close to the standard, certainly within 5 mins. I would expect this will increase and eventually the qualifying times will be adjusted downward, meaning it will continue to be tougher to gain entry.
If you do get in, book your hotel early. These fill up quickly, and the pricing can get ludicrous. There are some marathon travel groups that have pre-negotiated rates which are helpful. Also, consider your travel plans well in advance. Flights can get booked, though driving is always an option (Boston is about 8-9 hours from the GTA).
Pre-Race
When you arrive in Boston, you need to attend the marathon convention to pick up your bib. There are strict rules around this but the BAA is a well-oiled machine and does a fantastic job of communicating the process, starting in about January and continuing up to race weekend.
On the morning of race day, because the race starts 26.2 miles from downtown, and because of tight security, runners are required to take a bus to the start line. From here on out, everything is based on your Bib number, which is graded based on your qualifying time. You have a colour coded bib, which tells you which wave and corral you start in (Boston has 4 non elite waves, each with 8 or 9 corrals, roughly 7500 people in each wave). Race times start at 10am, and waves go every 30 minutes, meaning actual start times can vary between 10am and 12pm. All runners meet in Boston Common (Boston's version of central park) to board a bus, which starts to leave at 6am. You are given a window to board the bus, (for example, I was in Wave 1, corral 7, and I had to board between 6 and 6:30 am). You arrive in the start area (a highschool) and remain there for 2-3 hours awaiting the start. Which is where the tips and tricks come in (This was a big unknown for me, and contributed to some race day anxiety, so hopefully it helps some of you to avoid this):
- Because of security, you check your post race bag before you board the bus, meaning you don't have it. You are allowed a large zip-lock type bag that will contain any gels, and other pre-race stuff. There is a fluid restriction as to the amount you are allowed, again this is all communicated well. Don't fret, there is plenty to eat and drink at the start area.
- Race morning whether can be unpredictable, and certainly being mid-April, is much colder while you wait around than when you start the race. Bring clothes than you can leave at the start area (they donate to homeless). Old clothes, visit a thrift store etc. is key here. This should include hats, gloves etc.
- It can be wet, even on a nice day. The grass is wet in the field you stay in. Some great ideas I saw were towels, blow-up pool lounge chairs, garbage bags, a painter's plastic zip-up coverall, painter's booties (to keep your shoes dry), cardboard to sit on, etc. Get creative. While you are at it, try to find some higher ground and a dry spot under a tent or otherwise.
- There is lots of food. Bagels, bananas, water, gatorade, cliff products. Make sure you have tried these before, and certainly be aware of race timing.
- Port-a-potties. There are literally hundreds. Don't confuse that for enough. Line-ups started to become pretty bad for them around 8:30, taking sometimes 30mins to wait your turn. This is important, because you actually get called to the starting corral about 45 minutes before the start time. Timing is key. There are port-a-potties on the way to the start line, however they appeared exceptionally crowded as well. I also suggest bringing an extra roll of TP from your hotel. I had heard that in previous years they ran out, and while this wasn't an issue for my wave, I suspect those with later start times may have had issues.
- They announce and call your wave, you walk a short distance to a small parking lot (say 200m). and wait. This is not the start area. You then follow the crowd as it starts moving towards the start area, which is about 1-1.5KM away from the staging area. There will be crowds gathering to cheer you on as you walk towards the start, which I thought was pretty neat.
- The start area is congested. Here are two pics, the first of the starting corral(wave 1, corral 7), the second of the staging area
When the gun goes, you begin. To walk. Shuffle. Then finally run. It took me about 3.5mins to reach the start line, based on my bib, there were about 6000 people in front of me.
Start to 5KM
I found this the most frustrating part of the race. Crowds were cheering which was great, but you more or less have to go the pace of the wave, and finding space to run so as to not clip people was tough. I saw 2 runners at one point find some space on an open curb side, only to crash into a mailbox, likely hurting themselves and ending their day. Be careful. The first 5KM are downhill, so watch your pace. I ended up running pretty even splits through that section, once it started to open up after the first mile or so. By about 5km, there was mostly ample room to run, though it didn't really open up until about the 15km mark.
5km - 25k
This section was largely flat, a lot of downhill sections and a few minor uphill sections. Aid stations were on both sides of the road with gatorade first then water. The aid area could become congested, so there is a dance to get in, get your water and get out. Make sure you drink. Race day this year was 15-19 degrees C at the start, depending on who you believe. The key for me was keeping on top of fluids. Interspersed at random areas were locals, handing out oranges, water, lemonade, twizzlers, pretzels, and even beer. The crowds were insane. Loud, cheering, encouraging, including the infamous Wellesley Scream tunnel. Signs everywhere, of encouragement and also humorous. TIP: If you want extra encouragement, write your name on your shirt, arm or otherwise. The crowd will yell your name, often and loud.
25-35k
This section is known as the Newton hills. For the last 25km, you were running downhill. Now run uphill, culminating with Heartbreak hill. I found the uphills to be a nice change of pace and effort, as well as using different muscle groups. I did a ton of hill training, so I tackled these well, however you do have a noticeable pace difference. My pace slowed through this section by about 10-15seconds per mile (sorry, I pace in miles, not KM). Once again, the crowds are super encouraging. It was around this section that we started to feel the effects of a severe 15-20km/hr headwind. I started to get a bit cold, and it did impact pace.
35-42.2km
This section is again net downhill. As you start to approach the city, the crowds get even more exciting, which I didn't think was possible. I had a rough patch around 38km, where there is a tiny uphill section, that felt like everest to me. The wind was bad here, which didn't help, though I was mostly able to maintain my pace. The best part of this section is a right turn onto Mass Ave, a gradual climb, then a left onto Boylston for the last 800m. I saw my wife here, she had been waiting since the start and getting updates through a mobile feed( BAA coverage for supporters is amazing). Stopped and gave her a surprise kiss, which wasn't planned, but felt like the right thing to do given all the support through crazy training going back 2 years before to qualifying races, early mornings, double run days, long run weekends etc. And I was pumped. Boylston, is absolutely nuts, a slight downhill where you can see the finish line approaching. It felt like an eternity and also felt like the time flew by. All the pain and suffering in my quads evaporated for that last stretch. You cross the line, are given a medal, a warming blanket, water, drinks food, and tons of encouragement. What a great event.
Final thoughts:
The city is incredible - it is hugely supportive of the race, people congratulating you the day after, if you are wearing your BAA jacket, runners everywhere congratulating and on and on. People were super friendly, volunteers were unbelievable, and the race is extremely well-organized. Would I return - absolutely. I did re-qualify, with plenty of space to space for any adjustment (I get an extra 5 minutes as I turn 40 5 days after the 2016 Boston, and more or less PR'd for this period of my life). Whether it is next year or another, will depend on logistics and organization as the event is expensive when you factor travel and hotels.
What was your experience? Please do not hesitate to ask questions, I will do my best to answer.
Finish time: 2:58:55, about a 2min positive split for the second half, which I was super happy with given the hills and headwind.
Friday, March 18, 2016
March 18th training update
eh, life gets busy?
I had hoped to start updating this more frequently, but as you can see, that hasn't happened. Regardless, here is what I have been up to.
Training for Boston has been mostly great. I had hoped to run a 1/2 in February, but I was scared of injuries in the cold and held off for last minute decisions only to have some of those races slip by due to other commitments (mainly driving kids to dance, rinse, repeat).
I have had a number of solid weeks in Jan and Feb of 80+ miles (check it here). What has been really working has been lots of effort at goal race pace (really anything below 6:50/mi gets me under 3hrs). I have been feeling pretty strong at 6:25-6:35/mi which should translate into a decent time, well below future BQ times (hooray for turning 40 in April and getting an extra 5 mins!). I had a minor set back last week after getting a cold (thanks to my kids) and forcing myself to take a few days off (a younger me would have pushed and suffered for it, yay for learning!). This morning I was happy to do another 10+ mile run with 4 miles at my goal pace (see above).
I have been focussing on getting in decent mileage with a good long run of at least 18 miles, so far peaking at 23 miles, and in all of those long runs have been doing multiple miles, either as repeats, or as finishing efforts over 4-10miles at race pace. I am feeling really confident in my pacing which is something I didn't have at last year's Boston qualifier. All of my long runs have had 700+ft of elevation gain, with rollers and late hills that mimic and exceed Boston, so again, feeling confident, though still worried about blowing quads on the early downhills. Will focus on staying within my pace.
Nutrition has been mostly on point, save for when I was sick (we also did a little getaway with the girls to Niagara for a couple of days which didn't help, there are very few vegetarian options and most of them are junk food. And fudge). I have been eating simply, mostly clean, lots of rice, fruit, lentils which I can eat for an eternity. I am not quite at my race weight, but down a fair bit from my BQ which totally helps.
Injuries and legs have been mostly fine. A few niggles here and there, some hip tightness but mostly manageable. I am still having what most would describe as plantar faciaitis (sp?) which has been chronic going back to my post BQ. It feels less like PF and more like almost a pinched nerve as I get a burning sensation at times while just resting. I had a flare up where it was more painful than usual after some high volume/intensity weeks, but dialing it back and focussing on stretching, rolling my calves and achilles has helped immensely. I actually think it has something to do with some nagging achilles issues in my right foot going back a couple of years when I did some big volumes in lower drop shoes. Never again. Sticking to 10mm+ of drop, and seems to work. Hence the rolling of my calves with a softball/baseball and a stick thing. It seems I have knotty calves which then pull and mess up my achilles which messes up my heel etc). Anyways, it has been mostly manageable, I am not super worried and am thankful for my super high pain tolerance. Racing flats in Boston will likely aggravate it, but a week off after should help. I am hopeful to run Whitby again towards the end of May, I have unfinished business after my blow up there last year, where after leading for the first 30k, I dropped off and positive split the last half by almost 15 minutes. I feel in much better shape and even with 5 weeks between Boston and it, feel like I should be able to crush it. Time will tell.
That's it for now. Hope to transition to at least weekly updates here.
I had hoped to start updating this more frequently, but as you can see, that hasn't happened. Regardless, here is what I have been up to.
Training for Boston has been mostly great. I had hoped to run a 1/2 in February, but I was scared of injuries in the cold and held off for last minute decisions only to have some of those races slip by due to other commitments (mainly driving kids to dance, rinse, repeat).
I have had a number of solid weeks in Jan and Feb of 80+ miles (check it here). What has been really working has been lots of effort at goal race pace (really anything below 6:50/mi gets me under 3hrs). I have been feeling pretty strong at 6:25-6:35/mi which should translate into a decent time, well below future BQ times (hooray for turning 40 in April and getting an extra 5 mins!). I had a minor set back last week after getting a cold (thanks to my kids) and forcing myself to take a few days off (a younger me would have pushed and suffered for it, yay for learning!). This morning I was happy to do another 10+ mile run with 4 miles at my goal pace (see above).
I have been focussing on getting in decent mileage with a good long run of at least 18 miles, so far peaking at 23 miles, and in all of those long runs have been doing multiple miles, either as repeats, or as finishing efforts over 4-10miles at race pace. I am feeling really confident in my pacing which is something I didn't have at last year's Boston qualifier. All of my long runs have had 700+ft of elevation gain, with rollers and late hills that mimic and exceed Boston, so again, feeling confident, though still worried about blowing quads on the early downhills. Will focus on staying within my pace.
Nutrition has been mostly on point, save for when I was sick (we also did a little getaway with the girls to Niagara for a couple of days which didn't help, there are very few vegetarian options and most of them are junk food. And fudge). I have been eating simply, mostly clean, lots of rice, fruit, lentils which I can eat for an eternity. I am not quite at my race weight, but down a fair bit from my BQ which totally helps.
Injuries and legs have been mostly fine. A few niggles here and there, some hip tightness but mostly manageable. I am still having what most would describe as plantar faciaitis (sp?) which has been chronic going back to my post BQ. It feels less like PF and more like almost a pinched nerve as I get a burning sensation at times while just resting. I had a flare up where it was more painful than usual after some high volume/intensity weeks, but dialing it back and focussing on stretching, rolling my calves and achilles has helped immensely. I actually think it has something to do with some nagging achilles issues in my right foot going back a couple of years when I did some big volumes in lower drop shoes. Never again. Sticking to 10mm+ of drop, and seems to work. Hence the rolling of my calves with a softball/baseball and a stick thing. It seems I have knotty calves which then pull and mess up my achilles which messes up my heel etc). Anyways, it has been mostly manageable, I am not super worried and am thankful for my super high pain tolerance. Racing flats in Boston will likely aggravate it, but a week off after should help. I am hopeful to run Whitby again towards the end of May, I have unfinished business after my blow up there last year, where after leading for the first 30k, I dropped off and positive split the last half by almost 15 minutes. I feel in much better shape and even with 5 weeks between Boston and it, feel like I should be able to crush it. Time will tell.
That's it for now. Hope to transition to at least weekly updates here.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Shoe Review - Adidas Supernova Glide Boost 7
I have had these shoes about 2 months now, and put on easily 250+ miles. My review is as follows:
I have long been a fan of Adidas, in particular their Supernova line of shoes. These shoes tend to be great workhorses, lasting for many many miles, with plush cushioning. They have vastly improved over the years, as I remember one early pair, around 1999-2000, had terrible wear, the sole pretty much disintegrated. Not any more.
I have now put more than 250 miles on this current pair, with a previous pair (the glide 6) still having a bit of oomph even though I have kicked the crap out of it after north of 600 miles in the fall.
What I like about the shoe:
- The upper - It is roomy, has a gusseted tongue, which allows for good fit and proper maintaining of tightness throughout shorter and long runs. Welded overlays and an inner and outer material give it some heft to stand up to the elements. This may have some downside in the hot summer.
- The outsole - Made of continental rubber, the outsole continues to last, only now starting to show some wear, but nothing concerning. Has pretty good grip in the wet as well.
- Responsive ride - while some of the plush cushioning has been replaced by the more responsive boost technology, i think it is pretty well balanced. I have been able to get up to and past marathon pace during long runs, (around 6:30/mile), and it has held up pretty well.
What I dislike:
- Weight - at 10.7 ounces, it is a bit heavy for my liking, but this said, the responsiveness does allow for a good transition to a tempo/racing shoe when the time is right. Put on the racing shoes after these, and you feel like you are flying.
- Moisture control - Having run in the rain a few times, these get pretty wet and heavy, offering little in the way of drainage.
Other details:
Drop - 9mm
Weight - 10.7ounces
Price - $160CDN ( though they often go on sale, currently around $100 which is good value for the long last)
These will continue to be a go to for me. Having run in almost every brand, Adidas have consistently provided me with the least injury time, and hence continue to be one of my frequent shoes. Probably this has to do with the last, stack height and cushioning being the most suitable for my stride and strike, but it continues to make sense for me.
Sunday, January 24, 2016
2016 News and Goals
Its been a while since I have sat down and pounded the keys. A quick recap:
2014 - Suffered through a pretty bad bout of achilles tendonitis, which led to me DNS my first ultramarathon (50mi).
2014 - 2015 - Fall through winter, put in a great training block which had me shift focus in 2015 - seeking a BQ for my 40th birthday (turn forty 5 days after the 2016 Boston Marathon). I ran the 2015 Whitby International Marathon, finishing in 3:05:28, good enough for 2nd overall and 1st in my AG. This was a BQ, though I had to wait to make sure I made the cut-off (I did, cutoff was 2:28 under qualifying times). Off to Boston for 2016. I recovered well, though had a niggle of plantar Faciaitis which developed into a more chronic nerve impingement. I took a few weeks off in the summer, then got back at it.
I ran the Angus Glen 1/2 Marathon in November, a fairly hilly course. I led from the start, and won overall in 1:21:10. I felt great the entire race, except for some persistent foot pain from 8k onwards (see above).
I have been training since, averaging about 60miles/week with some peaks in the 80-85mile range. I will gradually start to pick that up ahead of Boston. My goal for Boston is sub-3 hours, and so far, my last long training run - 19 miles, I ran at an overall 3:02 pace, with the final 10 miles at 2:55 pace. And felt great. Maybe I am peaking early, but things are ticking.
I also got selected to be a member of Team Running Free. Excited to be a part of the group, it is a great store I have shopped at often over the last few years, and a ton growing up through my highschool and university days.
Which brings us to goals:
1) Sub 3 hrs at Boston. I have run under 3 hours in 2 of the 4 marathons I have run. No sweat.
2) PMA - Positive Mental Attitude. Pain is Pain, stay positive in running and life.
3) Try to run 3 marathons. Boston, perhaps repeat Whitby, recovery pending (5 weeks after Boston) and something in the fall.
4) Run more events. I am hoping to run at least 10-12 events this year. Will see.
5) Volunteer at a race (or two).
6) Get out on a regular basis with the run group at Running Free, maybe others.
PMA!
2014 - Suffered through a pretty bad bout of achilles tendonitis, which led to me DNS my first ultramarathon (50mi).
2014 - 2015 - Fall through winter, put in a great training block which had me shift focus in 2015 - seeking a BQ for my 40th birthday (turn forty 5 days after the 2016 Boston Marathon). I ran the 2015 Whitby International Marathon, finishing in 3:05:28, good enough for 2nd overall and 1st in my AG. This was a BQ, though I had to wait to make sure I made the cut-off (I did, cutoff was 2:28 under qualifying times). Off to Boston for 2016. I recovered well, though had a niggle of plantar Faciaitis which developed into a more chronic nerve impingement. I took a few weeks off in the summer, then got back at it.
I ran the Angus Glen 1/2 Marathon in November, a fairly hilly course. I led from the start, and won overall in 1:21:10. I felt great the entire race, except for some persistent foot pain from 8k onwards (see above).
I have been training since, averaging about 60miles/week with some peaks in the 80-85mile range. I will gradually start to pick that up ahead of Boston. My goal for Boston is sub-3 hours, and so far, my last long training run - 19 miles, I ran at an overall 3:02 pace, with the final 10 miles at 2:55 pace. And felt great. Maybe I am peaking early, but things are ticking.
I also got selected to be a member of Team Running Free. Excited to be a part of the group, it is a great store I have shopped at often over the last few years, and a ton growing up through my highschool and university days.
Which brings us to goals:
1) Sub 3 hrs at Boston. I have run under 3 hours in 2 of the 4 marathons I have run. No sweat.
2) PMA - Positive Mental Attitude. Pain is Pain, stay positive in running and life.
3) Try to run 3 marathons. Boston, perhaps repeat Whitby, recovery pending (5 weeks after Boston) and something in the fall.
4) Run more events. I am hoping to run at least 10-12 events this year. Will see.
5) Volunteer at a race (or two).
6) Get out on a regular basis with the run group at Running Free, maybe others.
PMA!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Training Update
9/11 - Did Leg weights (Squats, bulgarians, deadlifts after leg curl and extension warm ups as well as core). Then I took to the bike and pounded through 16.48miles in 52 minutes. Legs felt fine throughout, and glad to see my fitness is maintaining if not improving (my speeds and wattage is increasing with decreasing perceived effort)
9/12 - Long bike ride - 28 miles in just under an hour and a half. My speed was 0.5mph faster on average than the previous day. Legs felt smoked afterwords, probably a build up from the leg work out yesterday - esp. glutes/hams
9/13 - Back workout (pull-ups, rows, plus biceps and core) followed by a 1 hour 20.50mile ride on the stationary bike. A full 1 mph faster on average than on 9/12.
9/14, 9/15 - Took 2 rest days, legs were feeling a bit tired after a week of 105.35 miles, albeit on the bike. I continued to do my leg exercises (stretches, stair lifts) with minimal discomfort. Was feeling good enough to run by 9/15 but thought better of it. I am planning on 1 more week of strict bike, and look to do a short run on the weekend followed by a mix of run/bike the following week assuming my achilles twinge is gone. From there I will slowly ramp up the running.
9/16 - Started with Chest, Shoulders and Triceps, followed by a 16.2 mile ride in 48:33 (20.05mph). Felt good. By the end of the day my abs were stiff as I had added a bit of weight to my leg lifts and decline curls.
9/17 - Long ride this morning of 30.64 miles in 1:33:02 (19.76mph) which was faster than my previous long rides with little change on perceived effort. A sign I am getting stronger.
Last night I also finished Relentless Forward Progress (which I will review at some point this week).
I also breezed through Brendan Brazier's Thrive, which I picked up from the library (I was disappointed after much build up, will also review),
and next up are What I talk about when I talk about Running, also from the Library,
and Killian Jornet's book (very excited to read this).
I have also been watching a ton of Sage Canaday's videos and reading his blog, which you can find here. (sagecanaday.com)
9/12 - Long bike ride - 28 miles in just under an hour and a half. My speed was 0.5mph faster on average than the previous day. Legs felt smoked afterwords, probably a build up from the leg work out yesterday - esp. glutes/hams
9/13 - Back workout (pull-ups, rows, plus biceps and core) followed by a 1 hour 20.50mile ride on the stationary bike. A full 1 mph faster on average than on 9/12.
9/14, 9/15 - Took 2 rest days, legs were feeling a bit tired after a week of 105.35 miles, albeit on the bike. I continued to do my leg exercises (stretches, stair lifts) with minimal discomfort. Was feeling good enough to run by 9/15 but thought better of it. I am planning on 1 more week of strict bike, and look to do a short run on the weekend followed by a mix of run/bike the following week assuming my achilles twinge is gone. From there I will slowly ramp up the running.
9/16 - Started with Chest, Shoulders and Triceps, followed by a 16.2 mile ride in 48:33 (20.05mph). Felt good. By the end of the day my abs were stiff as I had added a bit of weight to my leg lifts and decline curls.
9/17 - Long ride this morning of 30.64 miles in 1:33:02 (19.76mph) which was faster than my previous long rides with little change on perceived effort. A sign I am getting stronger.
Last night I also finished Relentless Forward Progress (which I will review at some point this week).
I also breezed through Brendan Brazier's Thrive, which I picked up from the library (I was disappointed after much build up, will also review),
and next up are What I talk about when I talk about Running, also from the Library,
and Killian Jornet's book (very excited to read this).
I have also been watching a ton of Sage Canaday's videos and reading his blog, which you can find here. (sagecanaday.com)
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Mentally Tough - Cod Liver Oil Workouts
Today, I rode the stationary for 1 hour 25 minutes, resulting in a 26ish mile ride. During these rides, I have mainly been listening to podcasts, my favorites being Rich Roll and Talk Ultra. Regardless, I still find these rides difficult mentally and particularly boring. I would much rather put in a 2 hour run, with nothing but the sounds of traffic and nature to get me through it. As I have shared, I expect to be on that stupid bike for another 2-3 weeks at least and so I have taken the view point that these are part of the process of mentally toughening myself up for the 7-8 hours that I will be running during the 50-miler I am planning on debuting in Spring 2014.
I used to have a track/cross country coach back in the day that summarized these as "Cod Liver Oil workouts". He gave me this expression one fine November afternoon back in the day. Ok, so it was far from fine. It was one of those days where there was a cold drizzle, in between bouts of rain, that soaked your clothes (this was before moisture wicking, though gortex was available, but was expensive) on a typically southern Ontario November day of somewhere between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius. It was the kind of cold that you could feel constantly, that was almost numbing, and for a few hours afterwords, you had difficulty getting warm. No amount of warm drinks, sweats and blankets would help on the drive home.
On this particular workout, he had us doing hill repeats. As if the cold wasn't enough, we were included to run up a 10-20% hill about 600-800m in length. Over and Over. The only plus was this was on a sidewalk rather than grass, so our feet remained soaked, not drenched/water logged. About a third of the way through, upon reaching the top, the coach shouted something about a "Cod Liver Oil Workout". On the next repeat I asked him what this meant. He explained that when he was a little boy, everyday in the fall and winter, his mother made him take his cod liver oil, that it tasted disgusting. His point was that even though it tasted bad, it was meant to make you stronger, just like the hill repeats in the cold rain.
This is the view point that I am taking with these stupid stationary bike rides while I am injured. Suck it up, because looking back, everything will seem glorious when compared to these darn workouts.
I used to have a track/cross country coach back in the day that summarized these as "Cod Liver Oil workouts". He gave me this expression one fine November afternoon back in the day. Ok, so it was far from fine. It was one of those days where there was a cold drizzle, in between bouts of rain, that soaked your clothes (this was before moisture wicking, though gortex was available, but was expensive) on a typically southern Ontario November day of somewhere between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius. It was the kind of cold that you could feel constantly, that was almost numbing, and for a few hours afterwords, you had difficulty getting warm. No amount of warm drinks, sweats and blankets would help on the drive home.
On this particular workout, he had us doing hill repeats. As if the cold wasn't enough, we were included to run up a 10-20% hill about 600-800m in length. Over and Over. The only plus was this was on a sidewalk rather than grass, so our feet remained soaked, not drenched/water logged. About a third of the way through, upon reaching the top, the coach shouted something about a "Cod Liver Oil Workout". On the next repeat I asked him what this meant. He explained that when he was a little boy, everyday in the fall and winter, his mother made him take his cod liver oil, that it tasted disgusting. His point was that even though it tasted bad, it was meant to make you stronger, just like the hill repeats in the cold rain.
This is the view point that I am taking with these stupid stationary bike rides while I am injured. Suck it up, because looking back, everything will seem glorious when compared to these darn workouts.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Lesson Learned
Well, the run yesterday was evidently a poor idea, even though it felt fine for much of it, if not great. Today the feeling is back, not pain per say, but some soreness. Back to rest and no running, probably at least 2 if not 4 weeks now, with my stretching and strengthening exercises. Bummer.
Today's workout was a push upper body (chest, shoulders, triceps) along with some core work. That was followed by a 40 minute stationary bike ride pushing me through a little over 12.5 miles. All in all felt fine. Stretched, strengthening exercises and ice afterwords.
Diet and nutrition is on track, with my continued gradually leaning up to get me ready for next spring. Energy levels remain high. I will get into this a bit more as we go, but I moved to a 100% plant-based diet about 2 months ago, with the 4-6 months before that being probably 80-90% plant based. Haven't looked back. I am not a fan of the Vegan label, but people ask, and certainly I am on that trajectory.
Happy Trails.
Today's workout was a push upper body (chest, shoulders, triceps) along with some core work. That was followed by a 40 minute stationary bike ride pushing me through a little over 12.5 miles. All in all felt fine. Stretched, strengthening exercises and ice afterwords.
Diet and nutrition is on track, with my continued gradually leaning up to get me ready for next spring. Energy levels remain high. I will get into this a bit more as we go, but I moved to a 100% plant-based diet about 2 months ago, with the 4-6 months before that being probably 80-90% plant based. Haven't looked back. I am not a fan of the Vegan label, but people ask, and certainly I am on that trajectory.
Happy Trails.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Easy 5 miler
Beautiful day today, start of fall is evident but 20ish degrees and sunny and the trail was calling. I think my running shoes were whispering to me. So I gave in. I took an easy 5 miles with an average 8:40pace which is slower than my typical sub 7:50 pace, depending on the run type. I headed down the trail across the road which takes me down through so me switchbacks to the lake. I did an out an back which had me huffing up the switchbacks on the return. I then took the last mile through some soft single track. Great to get out, could feel my leg at times, but not really pain or aching. Icing my leg now, but felt great to be out on the trail.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Tendonitis Improving
Returned from physio today, following a full treatment including acupuncture. Physio was impressed with my rapid healing, gave me some additional strengthening exercises. I am optimistic that I will be able to run in 7-10 days, as long as I continue on the same trajectory. Early morning today was a pull workout (back, traps, biceps) with some core work, then an 18 mile stationary bike ride that took ~55mins. Felt a small amount of fatigue in my quads at the beginning of the ride, but things went better after that. Legs were likely recovering from the 28.40 mile ride yesterday that took 90 mins, plus the leg weights day from Wednesday. Nevertheless, I feel like I am maintaining my fitness, but itching to get off the bike and onto a run.
Picked up a couple of books from Amazon, namely Relentless Forward Progress, as well as Kilian Jornet's book, Run or Die.
I will do a review once I have finished them both, but excited to get into them. Also, I was looking at Stridebox - figured it could help keep me motivated through the pending cold months.
That's it for today. Happy trails.
Picked up a couple of books from Amazon, namely Relentless Forward Progress, as well as Kilian Jornet's book, Run or Die.
I will do a review once I have finished them both, but excited to get into them. Also, I was looking at Stridebox - figured it could help keep me motivated through the pending cold months.
That's it for today. Happy trails.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
3 Ways to Avoid a Running Injury
Training update:
Achilles continues to heal well, virtually no pain/sensation this morning with first steps. Headed to the gym to do a leg workout - Squats, Bulgarian Squats and Straight Legged Deadlifts followed by a 60ish minute ride on the stationary bike for ~19 miles. Legs felt fine through the squats, with a little bit of sensation in my achilles. Treatment continues with heat, stretching and ice as well as a follow-up physio/acupuncture treatment on Friday. Plan is another week off of running, pending that appointment and hopefully back the week following. If Friday goes well, I will start to get excited.
3 Ways to Avoid a Running Injury
These are all from personal experience as I have thought long and hard over what I have done to aggravate my leg, with no prior history of this type of injury.
1) Increase your mileage too quickly: Apparently a no-brainer, but in my case I went from 50ish miles to 80 in virtually a week with Week 3 at the sustained mileage being when issues started up. Probably a better increase would have been 10ish% which would be 5-10 miles per week.
2) Too much hill work, too quickly: At the same time I increased my hill running to incorporate 800-1000m of vertical climb daily from a typical 200-300m vertical climb. Plus I through in some hill repeats for good measure. While this type of work is generally less strenuous than speed work, the incline of the hills likely caused additional stress/stretching of my calf/achilles. Yes, I win the prize for intelligence.
3) Change your stride/shoes: Probably a better approach would be to phase each of these in over a 4-6 week cycle. My life is about extremes, so why should running be different. I changed shoes to a very lightweight and comfortable pair that had a drop of 4mm instead of my usual 8mm. While this has improved my efficiency and mechanics, in addition to the drills and focussed approach I was taking, it also stressed my calves. Which strained my achilles.
Hopefully the average runner can learn from my stupidity. Though I will likely repeat this again, I am certainly more aware of the smaller causation type relationships to my training approach. I will try to do better. I will try to do better. I will try to do better....
Achilles continues to heal well, virtually no pain/sensation this morning with first steps. Headed to the gym to do a leg workout - Squats, Bulgarian Squats and Straight Legged Deadlifts followed by a 60ish minute ride on the stationary bike for ~19 miles. Legs felt fine through the squats, with a little bit of sensation in my achilles. Treatment continues with heat, stretching and ice as well as a follow-up physio/acupuncture treatment on Friday. Plan is another week off of running, pending that appointment and hopefully back the week following. If Friday goes well, I will start to get excited.
3 Ways to Avoid a Running Injury
These are all from personal experience as I have thought long and hard over what I have done to aggravate my leg, with no prior history of this type of injury.
1) Increase your mileage too quickly: Apparently a no-brainer, but in my case I went from 50ish miles to 80 in virtually a week with Week 3 at the sustained mileage being when issues started up. Probably a better increase would have been 10ish% which would be 5-10 miles per week.
2) Too much hill work, too quickly: At the same time I increased my hill running to incorporate 800-1000m of vertical climb daily from a typical 200-300m vertical climb. Plus I through in some hill repeats for good measure. While this type of work is generally less strenuous than speed work, the incline of the hills likely caused additional stress/stretching of my calf/achilles. Yes, I win the prize for intelligence.
3) Change your stride/shoes: Probably a better approach would be to phase each of these in over a 4-6 week cycle. My life is about extremes, so why should running be different. I changed shoes to a very lightweight and comfortable pair that had a drop of 4mm instead of my usual 8mm. While this has improved my efficiency and mechanics, in addition to the drills and focussed approach I was taking, it also stressed my calves. Which strained my achilles.
Hopefully the average runner can learn from my stupidity. Though I will likely repeat this again, I am certainly more aware of the smaller causation type relationships to my training approach. I will try to do better. I will try to do better. I will try to do better....
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Cycling - Blech
Woke up today prepared to do my normal Monday push workout (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Core) because of the holiday yesterday, followed by a 45 minute cycle, but had to change plans when the opening shift at the gym was a no-show. I left to go to a different gym and therefore only had time for a 40 minute cycle.
I chose a hill workout today, and banged through 13.3 miles in 42 minutes. Legs felt fine throughout and had my HR north of 150 for a little while at the end of the workout. Still can't get used to a saddle, can't wait to get back on the road (how many times can I say this?).
Rehab is still going fine, swelling is significantly decreased, and will plan on one more physio/acupuncture treatment, which should take me through the weekend and hopefully I can do a bit of easy running next week or the week following.
The point of today's post is, how do people ride the stationary bike for so long? Mentally I find it very tough, even to get through 40 minutes. There is a built in TV in the usual gym I go to, but I find that bland (especially at 4:30am). I have taken to listening to podcasts (Talk Ultra is currently on good rotation (http://www.marathontalk.com/archive/talk_ultra.php). I find this helps, but doesn't compare to my usual blissed out joy when I am outside running a 10 or 20 miler. I hope that this helps me battle through the tough parts in the mid-late stages of an ultra distance race, but beyond that I don't see a purpose.
Any tips people have with getting through indoor workouts? I know it is a bit early for this, but winter is around the corner, and while I prefer to keep things outside, inevitably there will be a day that requires a treadmill session that I absolutely dread.
I chose a hill workout today, and banged through 13.3 miles in 42 minutes. Legs felt fine throughout and had my HR north of 150 for a little while at the end of the workout. Still can't get used to a saddle, can't wait to get back on the road (how many times can I say this?).
Rehab is still going fine, swelling is significantly decreased, and will plan on one more physio/acupuncture treatment, which should take me through the weekend and hopefully I can do a bit of easy running next week or the week following.
The point of today's post is, how do people ride the stationary bike for so long? Mentally I find it very tough, even to get through 40 minutes. There is a built in TV in the usual gym I go to, but I find that bland (especially at 4:30am). I have taken to listening to podcasts (Talk Ultra is currently on good rotation (http://www.marathontalk.com/archive/talk_ultra.php). I find this helps, but doesn't compare to my usual blissed out joy when I am outside running a 10 or 20 miler. I hope that this helps me battle through the tough parts in the mid-late stages of an ultra distance race, but beyond that I don't see a purpose.
Any tips people have with getting through indoor workouts? I know it is a bit early for this, but winter is around the corner, and while I prefer to keep things outside, inevitably there will be a day that requires a treadmill session that I absolutely dread.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Rehab Update
Cycled for 45 mins yesterday clocking ~15 miles, at a fairly decent clip. Didn't have my heart rate monitor on but the pace felt like a Zone 2 effort as I was pumping out 103+ revs/min with ~150 watt output. Achilles felt fine after words.
Today I can feel it a little bit more than over the past few days. Still continuing with heat, stretching and ice 3 times a day. Walked around a bit with the family this morning before the rain came, and felt fine. Plan for this week is 4-5 cycling sessions with 3 at 45ish mins and one at 75ish mins. I will also try to get another physio/acupuncture treatment in this week, but it is pretty expensive. I am hopeful that I will be back on the road in another 1-2 weeks. I am trying to maintain my fitness that I had begun to build up. Still a long way from where I want to be, but no real planned races until a 50k in April and a 50mi in May as part of the Ontario Ultra Series (http://www.ouser.org/index.html) which will be my first official foray into ultra distance races. I am itching to get out and get on some trails to build up my trail experience, which has been severely lacking, more out of access than desire (closest trails of any decent length are 15-30 mins away from our house).
Nutrition is still going well. I transitioned to 100%ish plant based diet about six weeks ago and I have had good positive effects (I will share more detail on this as we go). Suffice it to say that I feel more energy, long runs had been great and I am slimming out a bit which is just great for the spring racing season.
Happy trails, stay tuned for more.
Today I can feel it a little bit more than over the past few days. Still continuing with heat, stretching and ice 3 times a day. Walked around a bit with the family this morning before the rain came, and felt fine. Plan for this week is 4-5 cycling sessions with 3 at 45ish mins and one at 75ish mins. I will also try to get another physio/acupuncture treatment in this week, but it is pretty expensive. I am hopeful that I will be back on the road in another 1-2 weeks. I am trying to maintain my fitness that I had begun to build up. Still a long way from where I want to be, but no real planned races until a 50k in April and a 50mi in May as part of the Ontario Ultra Series (http://www.ouser.org/index.html) which will be my first official foray into ultra distance races. I am itching to get out and get on some trails to build up my trail experience, which has been severely lacking, more out of access than desire (closest trails of any decent length are 15-30 mins away from our house).
Nutrition is still going well. I transitioned to 100%ish plant based diet about six weeks ago and I have had good positive effects (I will share more detail on this as we go). Suffice it to say that I feel more energy, long runs had been great and I am slimming out a bit which is just great for the spring racing season.
Happy trails, stay tuned for more.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Injured - Achilles Tendonitis
Following a few great weeks of running post vacation, I am sitting out with a bum achilles. Last week I ran a couple of days, longest was about 8 miles, but in pain for much of it. I have been cycling at the gym two days a week, but Friday decided to visit a physio and get this thing checked out. Nothing was working, not foam rolling, self massage, stretching or any other witchcraft.
The Physiotherapist confirmed achilles tendonitis on my right achilles with some fairly substantial medial swelling. Cause was a very tight and knotty calf muscle. She treated me with a combination of sonar, ultrasound, laser and acupuncture. The acupuncture involved some rapid insertion on my calf to work out the knot (effectively popping the balloon so to speak) then leaving the needles in place all over my calf and foot. Worked very well, and the twinge was mostly gone.
The plan now is for heat, stretching and ice three times a day. It is day three and I am noticing improvement. Basically no running in the short term, though I will try to keep my fitness up with cycling on the stationary. I will likely take another physio treatment next week to continue the healing process. I am hopeful I can return to moderate running in 1-2 weeks so that I can continue to build my endurance base.
Emotionally I am itching to get out there. Prior to the injury was running 70-80 miles a week, pacing was great and I was feeling strong most days. The base was coming along for next spring's ultra season (my first) and I was hopeful for a fall tune-up at a 10 mile + distance. In all likelihood I will have to forego this and focus instead on continuing to build my base as well as get some experience doing more trail running.
I will share more here as we go through it. I plan on at least weekly or greater updates including diet, my background, some learnings, and just sharing my renewed love of the sport and push to ultra distance events.
Off to do my daily physio.
The Physiotherapist confirmed achilles tendonitis on my right achilles with some fairly substantial medial swelling. Cause was a very tight and knotty calf muscle. She treated me with a combination of sonar, ultrasound, laser and acupuncture. The acupuncture involved some rapid insertion on my calf to work out the knot (effectively popping the balloon so to speak) then leaving the needles in place all over my calf and foot. Worked very well, and the twinge was mostly gone.
The plan now is for heat, stretching and ice three times a day. It is day three and I am noticing improvement. Basically no running in the short term, though I will try to keep my fitness up with cycling on the stationary. I will likely take another physio treatment next week to continue the healing process. I am hopeful I can return to moderate running in 1-2 weeks so that I can continue to build my endurance base.
Emotionally I am itching to get out there. Prior to the injury was running 70-80 miles a week, pacing was great and I was feeling strong most days. The base was coming along for next spring's ultra season (my first) and I was hopeful for a fall tune-up at a 10 mile + distance. In all likelihood I will have to forego this and focus instead on continuing to build my base as well as get some experience doing more trail running.
I will share more here as we go through it. I plan on at least weekly or greater updates including diet, my background, some learnings, and just sharing my renewed love of the sport and push to ultra distance events.
Off to do my daily physio.
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