Running while you're sick

I have been sick since for 5 days now; not throw-up sick but head cold sick. I haven't been able to breath or sleep in days so I've been tired as hell, grumpy, sore, and unmotivated.

HOWEVER- When I did get up to run and put in my miles, I felt sooo much better. I was finally able to breathe!!! I actually thought at one point this week that I should get up out of bed and run through the night in order to breathe again, and in the process of running, I'd get so tired that I would simply pass out when I got back to bed.

Now I'm sure this works for people in different ways, likewise, the amount of running you should do also depends on the individual, but I can run the same lengths with a head cold that I can completely healthy.


This comes from an article in running times from Dr. Cathy Fieseler:

If you feel too ill to work out, don't. If you are running a fever, you should also not work out; this could increase the risk of the infection affecting the heart.

Dr. Randy Eichner recommends the "neck check." If there is no fever and all of the symptoms are above the neck—congestion, sore throat, etc.—then an easy workout would be OK. If symptoms are below the neck—significant cough, muscle aches, etc.—then a day off is in order. Pushing too hard may prolong the course of the illness and increase the potential for complications.

If you pass the neck check and your temperature is normal, you might consider racing, but your performance may not be up to par. Pushing the pace may also cause protracted illness. This can sometimes cause symptoms similar to chronic fatigue syndrome, negatively impacting your training for a prolonged period of time.

To keep from getting sick, start with regular hand washing, eat a well balanced diet, and get plenty of sleep. During the winter, get a flu shot. Supplements may be helpful, but when considering taking any supplement, research it to make sure that significant side effects have not been reported.

Getting your miles in ...no matter what

Head cold - check
Rain - check
High Winds - check

Yesterday I didn't get in the miles I needed for the day and I was bummed. Albeit, I was sick as can be and my body ached so badly I wanted to sleep all day.

Today was a different story...well sort of. I didn't get a wink of sleep last night because I was unable to breathe and today I had zero energy to get up and out the door for my long run for the week. Add the misery of blustery winds and pouring rain and you get NO MOTIVATION. I had to though...2 days would kill me mentally at this point and it's a day like today that will help you mentally more than hurt you.

Not to go too much into it, but it was WET out there today and I had on a 'waterproof' jacket from Columbia that would have done better for me in the car. I WAS DRENCHED and all I could think about is my shopping adventure to find a good running jacket that is actually waterproof. My shoes were more important today and I'm glad I spent good money on the montrails I have because they kept me as dry as a shoe can keep you when you run through puddles for an hour straight.

North Face has a great jacket that I'm thinking of investing in...let me know if you have any other ideas- I'd love to hear them.

Ipod playlists that work

I've been using the same playlist now for almost 2 years...with slight variation, but I find that it works for me and give me sense of commitment and familiarity. Here is the one I use for short to mid-range runs:

Most of these tracks are from 'Essential Selection, Vol.1 - disc 2'

Percussion [Subterranean EP] - Jaya
The Baguio Track - Luzon
The Spirit - Unknown
Free [Extended Vocal Mix] - Mono Culture
Symmetry C [Lange Breakbeat Remix] - Brainchild
Another Day - Jada / Skip Raiders
Flesh [Tilt Mix] - Jan Johnston
Seven Cities - Solar Stone
Viola [Orginal Mix[ - Moogwai
Intro - Jonathan Peters
Let The Sun Shine (JP Remix) - Jonathan Peters
Star 69 (Original Mix) - Fatboy Slim
Deep Progress - Raff & Freddy
Safe From Harm - Seb Fontaine
Children - Robert Miles

The right mix can get you motivated and keep you on pace for your goals.

Running in the wild

I'd like to shift what I do in this blog to something that could potentially be useful to others out there...I know there are a few people who catch the updates to this blog but I'd like to think I can expand my horizons a bit and reach out to even more people. --Not sure how I'll do it, but I'll figure that out.

Friday of last week I was out at Tennessee Valley trailhead to do a quick 4-5 miles in the headlands just after work. It was about 5pm and the rain that we've had subsided for the time being and it was beautiful out there. As I was running up a steep trail, I turned at a switchback and saw a wild animal slip into the dense shrub.  

Stepping Back-- 

I had heard stories about mountain lion attacks in the bay area (none in Marin but still) and all I could think about was telling Brenda how I was going to be attacked by a mountain lion while I was on my way to the trail.  

So I stopped in my place as I saw this animal and realized after a few moments it was likely nothing more than a bobcat that ran back into the shrubs once he heard me come around the corner. In any case, I picked up a sharp-edged rock from the trail to run with as I ran by the location of the bobcat, looking over my shoulder ever few moments for the next 400 meters or so; nothing like becoming a part of the food chain. 

Looking back, I'm glad I  1) Had my cell phone and 2) Told Brenda where I was running. 

There are a couple of problems with this approach....1) There is ZERO signal in the middle of the Marin Headlands; you are basically in the middle of no where 2) You are in the middle of no where and telling Brenda that I was running in Tennessee Valley was not specific enough since the area is so vast. Next time, I'll pick out the trails or tell he the general area I'll be running. 

If you don't know this, you can be tracked by your cell signal to a location if you are ever lost. Obviously telling someone where you are going to be is a very helpful thing if you were ever to get lost or if you found yourself in a situation where you can't go for help on your own. 

Here is a link with mountain lion facts: http://www.mountainlion.org/facts_safety.asp

HEEEE'S BAAAAACK --yes everyone...a year later

So I took a bit of a leave of absence from running over the past year if you can tell by the time between posts. No I didn't simply forget, I simply wasn't running.

I ran a few times but nothing like 2007...but I'm back to tackle my next set of running challenges.

I am going to keep from doing any small races this year so I can work on building my miles for a few ultras this year. With a baby coming around the corner, my time will be limited so I'll have to be smart.

I think the hardest thing getting back into training mode is the eating habits! The motivation to run is going strong but the motivation to find healthy things to eat all day long is simply non-existent. Note to self - EAT LEAN.

I'm in the early stages of my build up but I'll provide interesting stories as they happen....they always do.

North Face Endurance Challenge 53K

Up to the start of the race on December 1st, I had only really run a handful of miles since the marathon. To be honest, I was pretty much tired of running...and my legs were dead. I did do a few hundred miles on my bike, but as far as running is concerned, I did very little.

I was very excited though and felt mentally and physically ready to race. The race started at 7am in the Marin Headlands close to Rodeo Lagoon, so to be there in time, I needed to be up at around 4 to properly prepare food, drink, clothes etc. I couldn't sleep anyway because of the excitement, so getting up was no challenge.

I got to the start line before many other people and was able to find a good parking spot right. This is critical because there is no way I wanted to walk another 1/4 mile or so to get to my car after running a 50k. Lucky me, I had to roll out of my car onto the startline...well almost. The 50 mile race started a couple hours ahead of the 7am 50k start, so those guys were running in the dark and the bitter cold. At 7, it was freezing and everyone was standing around with shorts and t-shirts...only the smart ones were wearing more significant clothes, but I didnt want to carry any un-needed weight.

The start went off at exactly 7am...LET THE FUN AND EXCITEMENT BEGIN!!!

I started off by walking while others went out the gate like it was the running of the bulls in pomplona...forget that. I needed to get my legs warmed up first.

Instead of boring you with the ups and downs with each turn of the course, I'll just say this. The course was very difficult and very technical at times. The people who put on the race did a good job of putting an 800ft hill that goes straight up at the very bottom of a beautiful stretch of trail. Oh..and they did it about 5 times that I can remember mentally, and its something my legs will never forget. Here is an elevation chart to give you an idea of the challenge for the day:



There were sooo many beautful stretches of trail that I will want to do again just to show other people, but man....it was HARD.



At one point, around mile 18, just before we ran a portion of the famous Dipsea trail, I was at an aid station having soda and other non-nutricious food. A guy who was running the 50mile came through with blood on his chest. When one of the guys at the aid station asked if he was ok, he simply (and happily) said "Oh yeah...I popped a nipple" First of all...WHAT!? "I never had that happen before" he said. The guy was so excited that his nipple came off of his chest due to running.

Idiot.

Anyway....Brenda and the baby were to meet me at around 12:30pm at mile 27 and I was already at about 12ish at mile 18. There was NO way I was going to make it another 9 miles in 30 minutes. My mind started to race about them being worried,etc....By the time I made it there, my mind was trashed...my feet were trashed...my legs barely moved. I saw her and broke down in tears. I was in so much pain...it was the hardest thing I had done to this point in my life. And I loved every second of being in that moment. Brenda kept saying how bad she felt for me and that I could get in the car with her if I wanted. She stressed though, that I could do it and finish the race. I only had a few miles to go I thought...and I wasnt about to give up. A DNF after the hell I went through wasnt in the cards on this day I thought.

When I kissed Brenda and told her I'd talk to her later, I ran through the aid station, on my way to the finish line. Brian...a side o wrench for lunch? A guy at the aid station said "We've extended the course a couple of miles." WHAT?!!?! Could he have broken me down more mentally? I thought not. For the next 3 miles....yes...3 miles, we ran up, up, up, up. Then 3 more miles down, down, down....but that was all.

I crossed the line after running 8 hours and 53 minutes with about 7 lanced blisters on my feet and leg cramps.

Training for this kind of run is about being on your feet for a long time...not necessarily about running.

Brenda was great to me for the next 3 days or so...doing absolutely anything for me..including having a party for me at our friends house the night of the race. It was probably not the best idea because my body was in no shape to eat or drink. My stomach was used to gel packs and sport drink ALL day....yuck.

Now, 7 days later, I feel great and ready to do it all over again. Not next week, but sometime soon.

--Valle

San Francisco Marathon

I'll start by saying that I trained from January until the end of July for this race....and a few weeks before the race, I did a 20 miler up some stupid hills..(read my previous post). I hurt my IT band in that one....so bad, that I didnt know if I could go through with the marathon.. If you know me though, there was no way I was going to let that get in my way.

To the story.....

I had to get up at a terribly early time in order to drive to the city so I could park in a decent place close to the start/finish line. I made it to the parking structure at a little before 5am and had my coffee close by just to keep sane. It was very weird to me that there were so few people on the streets when I got there. I certainly almost thought I was in the wrong place!!

The start was almost directly out front of the ferry terminal on the embarcadero in downtown SF. There were soooo many people there! The start was to go off in waves every several minutes and the time you went off was figured out by the amount of time you thought you were going to finish the race. The first wave of runners are considered 'the elite', with running times of less than 2:45:00 ( or something like that) . Given that little bit of information, my slow ass was going to be somewhere near the last wave of runners. I considered this race as more of a training run for the larger 50k that I have in December, but after doing the race, I'll say that they are two completely different styles of runs. I prefer the trail over the road, and I'll explain why here shortly. When I signed up for the race back in January, I set a goal for myself to finish in roughly 4:30:00 or less. Its a very good time to strive for, and I could have had it....

Now, the reason for dirt over pavement? easy. The pavement KILLS your joints, bones, brain, sweat...almost everything. Dirt is much more forgiving, but the experience I have says that the dirt provides much more of other types of challenges; such as HUGE mountains to climb and descend.

My race was going as expected. I was ahead of the 4:30:00 pacer or very close for just over the half way point in the race, which was at about the middle section of the golden gate park. I felt extremely good at that point; enough to have a beer provided by my fellow hashers.

Well that beer could have been the end of me after all because I had to pee. I stopped on the side of the road close to the De Jung museum for a moment and when I turned back to start running again. PAIN...PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN. I don't know how to better say it. I've never felt something like this before, I though. It was like someone stabbed me just below my knee cap. I was in so much pain that I wasn't sure I could even walk, much less run the rest of the damn race. I knew one thing...I was NOT going to quit. I continued to walk it out as people raced passed me at an incredible rate; I could see myself slipping to the very back of the pack if I didnt try to run through the pain.



So I continued a run a few minutes/walk a few minute routine for a long ways, starting at the beginning of the haight. At that point, I so badly wanted to walk into Kezar pub and make all of my aches and pains go away....with a little help from Jim or Jack..or one of those guys.

The race went through the Haight, down through the mission, and eventually ended up down by the ballpark. When you can see the ballpark, you are about 2 miles out. I ran the rest IN PAIN!.

Needless to say, I made it through the finish line. A bit over my goal at 5:04:45, but given my condition, I am happy that I finished the race at all.

After the race, I hobbled my ass to a tent that the organizers had set up that was entirely for massages. There were atleast 65 tables all ready to be used..and boy were they ever. I waited in line for a massage for about 20 minutes before I got 8 minutes of greatness (for free).


It was a great experience; on that I will surely not forget. Filled with excitement and pain (a lot of pain actually), it was a great race.


--Valle