How hard can it be?

So I ran 20.12 miles on Sunday.  I figure if I can run 20 I should be good for 26.2.  After all it's only another 6... how hard can it be?  ;>)  M

Almost Cacked

Tough workout on the hills today; almost cacked several times.  I last ran hills on August 6. Here's a comparison between the two sessions:

August 6/ August 21:    Distance 5.6 miles/ 6.4 miles, Av. Pace 9:28 mm/ 10:18 mm, Av. Heart 146 bpm/ 155 bpm, Max Heart 169 bpm/ 179 bpm.

What gives?  Normally my heart recovers to about 145 bpm on the down side and max's out at about 170 bpm on the upside.  I've been running the same hills for several years so I knew something was amiss today.  I felt horrible.  It was all I could do not to walk it in and call it a day.  I had to walk several times just to bring the heart down to a semi-comfortable level and came in on a wing and a prayer.  Yuck!  What happened?

Here's my theory... in three part harmony:

1)  The heat, humidity and wind were intense.  I purposely chose the hottest part of the day to run hills to acclimatize myself to the heat (I hear Minneapolis can be brutally hot in October).  Maybe this wasn't so smart after all.  Running downhill full force into the wind didn't help elevate the spirits.

2) Coming off nine days of forced rest didn't help matter either.  I think I lost some endurance (how quickly it goes... scary).

3)  We celebrated our 25th last night with a very nice bottle of wine from Vancouver Island.  One fishbowl of wine... good, two fishbowls... bad.  Hmm, maybe this was the biggest factor.

Oh well, tomorrow's another day.

Later, M

A little cross training...

Jen and I just returned from a sea-kayaking, eco-tour off the coast of Tofino, Vancouver Island.  We did the same trip last year and enjoyed it so much that we decided to return for a second (and longer) tour this year.  Last year's trip rang in my 50th birthday and this year's tour was a celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary. (We're thinking of returning next year to celebrate our dog Annie's 10 birthday... hey, in dog years that's 70! That's a big deal eh?!)  The trip is organized by 5 star chef/ wilderness kayak guide, James Bray.  His company is called Blue Planet and he specializes in gourmet meals complete with amazing British Columbia wines, organic vegetables, fresh sea-food all prepared and served in a remote wilderness setting. The paddling is not too serious, but some experience is a huge advantage.  The other day we hiked into a gorgeous deserted beach on the Pacific side of Vargas Island where I managed a 2 k run. Running barefoot, on the shore line of a foggy deserted beach, with the tide lapping over your toes is as about as close to heaven as one can possibly be on this planet.  This particular trip was 4 days and based out of a old lodge on Vargas Island (about an hour's paddle from Tofino).   There were 11 guests on the tour and we hit it off like nobody's business.   If you appreciate good wine, amazing 5 star food 3x/ day, and eco-tourism from a kayak view, I would highly recommend Blue Planet.  Tell James that Mike and Jen sent you!

After 9 days rest I completed a slow 3.6 mile run this morning in the blistering heat.  It felt good. The calf has healed (touch wood) and now I have to concentrate on putting in the miles... the endless miles.  I figure the best strategy is to just write those 9 days of rest off to recovery and re-energizing the bod... doctor's orders.  I'm now back on schedule and I'm still aiming for a 4 hour marathon on October 5.  So far so good.  One day at a time and all that stuff.  Later,  Mike

... one more picture for the road.... me and Jen, day 2.

and another reason...

Why I run... reason # 4.  

Upon finishing my first marathon I received a congratulatory letter from my niece, Miranda.  The letter included a quote from a book Miranda had recently completed.  It read "He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it."  (Clarence Budington Kelland). At the time I was moved by the elegance of the words and the simplicity of the message.

Through modeling positive behaviour we effect positive change in those close to our hearts. Only the misguided and foolish will attempt to demand or coerce change; it must come from within for it to truly blossom.  Parents and teachers understand this concept all too well. We model the change we want to see in our children and we set non-negotiable tenets... and then we hope and pray they will follow. Modeling is a significant impetus for positive change and yet it is so simple, subtle, almost undetected, barely a blip on the radar, and yet modeling has the potential to create powerful and life-long consequences.  The most challenging students in our schools are often the children without positive role models.  These are the kids that are gang affiliated, the rebels, the car jackers, the dealers.  These kids are the product of their environment and -9 times out of 10- they're environment lacks a positive adult role model.  They are lost at sea.  Sometimes all that separates them from the police is a dedicated coach, a sympathetic counsellor, or a teacher willing to go an extra mile; someone to model a positive alternative to the road they're on. Sometimes we can save them, often we can't.

My son Max is the product of our modeling.  He has become his own person and yet his foundation was laid years and years ago through the process of modeling.   Max is traveling and working in Japan since early January.  He left as our boy and will return in a few short weeks as a man. He's now ready for university and is better prepared to negotiate life obstacles.  I think we did OK. 

I run to model positive behaviour to my family, my friends, and my students.

Down For The Count

Between rotations of ice and heat I've been reading up on the calf muscles. Why am I doing this? I'll get to that later, first the lesson. Seems like the calf is actually two muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus.  The gastrocnemius is the big muscle and the soleus is a much smaller muscle located lower down the leg and under the gastrocnemius.  Both the gastrocnemius and solius are attached to the Achillis tendon.  A strained calf occurs when either the gastrocnemius or soleus is pulled from the Achillis tendon.  When it happens you know it!  You'll feel a sudden burst of intense pain in your calf (think baseball bat to the back of the leg) and you'll hear or feel a "pop" sound.  You're dead in your tracks... 60 to zero in a nano-second.  And the pain... more on that later.

There are three grades of injury: 

• Grade 1: stretched muscles causing micro tears, full recovery up to two weeks.
• Grade 2: partial tearing of muscles, full recovery up to 8 weeks.
• Grade 3: complete tearing or rupture of muscle, full recovery 3 - 4 months, possible surgery.

I joined Naomi, Bernice, Onkar, Sandra, and Lorie this morning at 7 AM for a comfortable 10 mile run.  Everything was dandy until about mile 6 when I felt a tiny twinge in my right calf which I didn't exactly ignore, but in retrospect I should have pulled out then and there.   I remember thinking "hmmm, what was that... oh well, it's gone now" and plodding on.  At about mile 9 we met up with Terry, Mone, Shelley, Scott, Murray, Annette, Debbie and a whole host of others. Lots of cheerful howdees and high fives... everyone in top form, feeling good, happy to be alive.  At mile 9.26 (I looked at my gps just before it happened), cruising comfortably along side Sandra, thinking of coffee at Starbucks when suddenly my right calf exploded.  I'm not sure if I heard a pop, but I sure felt it pop.  The pain was excruciating; it stopped me dead.  It felt like a bone was poking out the side of my leg... yup, that intense.  I told the others not to stop, keep going,  I'll be ok... on the outside I think I managed a half-smile, but wow, the inside was screaming bloody murder.  I stretched lightly and took a few steps.  The pain jolted up my leg.  Stopped and stretched a little more and took a few more steps.  The pain was focussed on a knot in my lower gastrocnemius which I managed to massage, stretch, and walk-off until it was bearable to walk without intense pain... just the plain old garden variety pain.  The walking seemed to help a lot so by the time I met the others at the ten mile mark it was feeling ok as long as I stepped gingerly.  After coffee I scooted home and used the shower wand to alternate between heat and cold.  I've been alternating between ice and heat for about an hour lying on the couch.  It's feeling a lot better, but still very stiff and painful when I walk.  Guess my 18 mile Sunday run will have to wait a while.

From the descriptors it feels like I have a grade 1 calf injury... up to 2 weeks recuperation.  The good news is the swelling has subsided and there is no bruising.  It sounds like the only sure cure is lots of ice, heat, light stretching, and REST (yuck, I don't do 'rest' very well). Yes, this will definitely impact my training, to what extent I'm not sure.  The sub-4 hour goal is looking like a long shot.  Oh well, aside from a bruised ego, I'm alive and well... no complaints.            :>(  M

Deb Leads

Another great run this morning (must be the company).  Scott, Ted, John, Rod, Mike, David and Deb.  Thank you Deb for taking lead and setting pace.  We ran to the Fort Whye Centre through the forest, return, clocking in at precisely 10 miles with a comfortable 9:54 pace.  With lots of laughs and Ted singing Johnny Cash tunes, it was a blissful little jaunt through the forest.

Regular readers of this blog know that I'm compiling my top ten reasons for running, one per week for ten weeks... boring, yes, but it gives me something to think about on those long solo runs.  Reason number three has to do with the people with whom I choose to spend my recreation time, that'd be my running and cycling buddies.  Several years ago I was on my third Habitat For Humanity Cycle of Hope.  The Cycle of Hope rides are two week, thousand mile bike rides through the back roads of USA.  Living in tight quarters (i.e. sleeping in church basements, school gymnasiums, once even in a brand new hospital not yet open to the public -they put us on the psyche ward... I kid you not!) you tend to get to know each other very well.  At the start of the Denver ride we took turns introducing ourselves to the group of 50 riders and 12 support staff.  I remember one rider standing up and saying something to the effect of "I'm here because I can't imagine anything finer than to hang out with a group of winners for two weeks."  Some of us heard "whiners" which isn't too far from the truth, so good laughs were had by all.  The point is, at least to a certain extent, we are defined by the people with whom we associate.  We can hang with winners, hang with people who exude positive energy and supportive energy or not.  By in large, it's choice.  I can honestly say I've never met a runner  I haven't liked; regardless of their size, shape, or speed, they are good people with goals, dreams, and aspirations... winners.  Runners are focussed, driven, and measure achievement not by the number of finish lines they cross, but in the journey. I like to run because it provides me the opportunity to hang out with winners, plain and simple.

The picture above shows myself and Diane at the completion of our first "Century Day" (100 miles in one day)... I never thought I could do it, but since this initial achievement, I have accomplished several Century Days.... it's the cycling equivalent to a marathon and could not have been achieved without the help of the winners with whom I ride. 

Ted's Word of the Day: Viscous: adjective; having thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid; having a high viscosity; e.g. Scott's breakfast had a viscous appeal.  ;>)  M

Great run this morning!  Met up with Bernice, Gwen, Ted, and Onkar at 7 AM.  It's nice to be running with people again; the ipod can take you only so far before you go a little nuts (many say I'm there already, especially the wif).  Bernice, Ted, and Onkar pulled out at about 10.5 miles while Gwen and I continued on for another mile or so.  It was pretty muggy but a cool breeze and light rain provided some relief for the last few miles.  We met up with the Corydon/Wentworth Crew just as they were finishing up their run and we all went to Second Cup... err, make that Starbucks for a good chat.  It was nice seeing Annette who's been nursing an injury for the last little while.  Looks like she's back in good form.   Also good to see Mone, my very first pace leader when I took the plunge into running many years back.  A tip of the hat to you, Mone; thanks for getting me off to a good start.  Bernice is looking amazingly strong; between running, cycling, and kayaking she's good for the cover of Runners World.  I bumped into Mario last Wednesday on the hills, where else?  He's training for the Victoria Marathon on October 12 and, like me, is chasing the elusive sub-4 hour.  He's so there!  I'm so not!  I'll be joining Scott, Gwen, and Debbie tomorrow at 8:30 AM for a slow-ish 9 miler if anyone's interested.  Also, this just in from Shelley.... a number of runners have booked into the Ramada Inn for Fargo 2009.  If you're interested in running Fargo this is the hotel to stay at... glad I'm not the manager!. Bye for now.  Y'all come back now.  M

Heroes Among Us

Most of you will recall Chris Kacsmar's (centre) brush with death last February, but for those of you reading this from afar I'll summarize the incident.  Chris and his pals Chico Martineau (right) and Ali Roy (left) were well into a friendly game of indoor soccer when Chris suddenly reeled forward onto his face.  The other players thought he was feigning to be hurt to slow down the play.  Seconds ticked by and Chris lay motionless. Within moments his pal Ali realized this was no joke.  He knelt down next to Chris and rolled him over.  What he saw caused alarm; Chris' breathing was erratic, his face twisted, and his eyes were "somewhere else."  The doctors later determined that something terribly wrong caused the electrical patterns of Chris' heart to stop cold.  For all intents and purposes, Chris was dead.  Ali yelled for help and he and Chico immediately started performing CPR.  Someone called 911 and a staff person appeared with an automatic external defibrillator which was immediately put to work. Between the quick thinking of Ali and Chico, and the defibrillator, Chris' heart re-started and his breathing returned.  Chris was rushed to the hospital where the doctors kept him in a medically induced coma for 24 hours while they put him through a battery of tests.  Chris, an otherwise healthy and active 52 year old, says "It was just one of those freak things.  They don't know if it'll happen again. I have a built-in defibrillator now." Ali Roy and Chico Martineau received a Red Cross Award this week for their heroic efforts in saving their friend's life.  

The running community supported the family during Chris' convalescence by providing meals, baby sitting, and lending support and comfort where needed.  We came together in a big way and I like to think we made a tiny difference to the family during this remarkably difficult time. Like all communities we supported our own, even if we didn't know them personally.  We didn't need to voice our thoughts... it could have been anyone of us, fate chose Chris.

What can we take from this experience?  For me I think of family and friends.  I think of the preciousness of life and I think of the the thin thread from which we all dangle precariously.  I think of how lucky I am to have good health, numerous friends, and supportive family.  I think of the quality of my life past and present.  I think of my friend Jim who, at age 49, died from cardiac arrest... sadly, there were no heroes around.  I think of Ali and Chico and the shy heroes that walk among us and perform extraordinary courageous acts when called upon.

Most of all I think of Chris and Shelley and how they survived this ordeal with such dignity and love.  They accepted our acts of kindness with gratitude understanding full well that they were for us just as much as for them.  

I've never met Chico and Ali.  Perhaps I will one day and if I do, I'll tell them they're heroes. 

To my pal Jim... I think of you every day.

Euphoria

A huge thanks to my running group, Debbie, Nazir, Manny, David, Dinu, John, Dianah, Rod, and Jacques for their generous gift and gathering yesterday evening at Stellas.  The Merlot looks stunning and the gift certificate to my favourite store, although way too rich, will be used with much appreciation.  I truly don’t know what I did to deserve such kindness   If you only knew how much my knees were knocking on the days leading up to the marathon or how little I actually know about running.    I am the one indebted to you; I am the recipient of your friendship and your wisdom.  As Nazir wrote “we met as strangers and leave as friends”.  Thank you all.

 Ran a 16 miler today.  I’m off to the lake this weekend so I snuck in a long run to avoid the huge guilt trip on Sunday.  It was on the warm side, but I found lots of shade and the breeze was cooling.  I ran out of water at about mile 9 and couldn’t find a place to refill for a couple of miles and became a touch dehydrated.  No serious consequences, just a little unpleasant for a bit. A huge bowl of fresh fruit, a tall glass of high-end juice, and a granola bar fixed me up fine.  I must be getting good at estimating distance because my driveway was precisely mile 16.  Running solo again provides me lots of opportunity to get lost in thought.

 Speaking of which,  I gave some more thought to why I run… reason #2, the euphoric affect.   It doesn’t happen often, certainly not every run, not even every other run.  It happens at most once or twice a month, usually when I'm running solo.   No amount of trying will coax it along, it come naturally or not at all.  It creeps up on me and I’ve only recently learned to read the telltale symptoms that it’s about to happen.  I become aware of my form and my posture.  I think of the puppet string that Stanton talks about.. you know, run like there's an imaginary puppet string running out of the top of your head.  I push my chest out and run tall.  My legs, my arms, my hips, my entire body becomes synchronized and efficient like a machine.  There is no wasted energy; my entire body works together and it feels very good.  My awareness of the motion becomes heightened.  I focus on a spot way in the distance.  My motion feels fluid; it is fluid.  I begin to zone out, not completely -THAT would be crazy- and I let my body take over. I feel strong, even omnipotent like I could run forever in perfect harmony. Sometimes, not always, near the end, I’ll feel a rush starting at the base of my brain which then slowly travels down my spine.  The whole episode lasts about a minute, maybe a minute-and-a-half if I’m lucky.   It’s an entirely blissful feeling, one to savor.  I wouldn’t say I’m addicted to it, but I sure do look forward to it! Perhaps you’ve been there, or perhaps I’m crazy.  Either way, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 

No, I do not mix hallucinogens in my Gator-Aid! :>)

Thanks for tuning in... back next week.  Cheers to the c/w crew. 

 

Top 10 Reasons Why I Run.

I had a good run this morning, 14.5 miles at a smooth clip.  The temps were moderate and the skies clear.  I purposely set the Garmin to show heart rate and distance only.  I wasn't at all interested in pace.  I adjusted my speed to keep the heart at a consistent 150 - 155 range and it felt good and natural.  During the walks the heart dropped to about 125 - 135 bpm and that felt good too! Lost in my thoughts and grooving to the tunes.  Yup indeed, it was a good day to be alive.

In my mind I composed two letters, one to a former student who fell by some bad times but is recently starting to find his place in this old world.  He's a good lad and has a promising future. He's at a stage where he just needs a couple of life lines to keep him afloat, but he'll be ok.  The second, and far more challenging, was to a close family member who also has fallen on bad times.  This person has made some choices that have profoundly impacted my life.  As children we were best of friends and now we've grown apart.  I finished the letter to my student and sent it off; that was the easy one.  The other one, the more challenging one, will take more thought.  So, where’s this going? 

I’ve read many running blogs and I’ve talked to many runners.  The conversation invariably turns to why we run.  Aside from the obvious, to get healthy, why do we run?  I suppose there’s several trillions reasons out there and they’re all respectable and intelligent. Today I didn’t set our to compose the letters, I didn’t even think of these two people until I was well into the run.  Their faces simply popped into my mind… zap, there they were, front and centre.  I believe this happens because when we run we clear our minds of all the clutter, all the chatter, all the garbage.  We become focused on out heart, our lungs, our legs, and our minds.  The daily happenings, the shopping lists, the kids, work, deadlines blur.  Our minds clear and what's important rolls by like a video in slow motion (now, if I only had a rewind).

Over there on the right hand sidebar I’ve added a “Top 10 List of Why I Run”.  Not one to rush, I will add one additional reason every week for 10 weeks.  I need to do some serious thinking about this and serious thinking takes some time.  

Why do you run?