Monday Mind-Dump

Just the few things that have been on my mind this week...

• My old running partner moved back into town on Friday. I helped him move into his house, then we went for a run together on Saturday afternoon. Reminiscing, he and I ran our first race together back in 1990 at Grandma's Marathon...yeah, it's been a while.
  
  
• I learned this past week from ING that I've been accepted to run in the 2008 NYC Marathon!
  
  
• Feeling good about my training lately. I've been consistently upping my mileage weekly in anticipation of the warmer weather that is slowly beginning to show around here. Decided to throw in a couple days of weight training during the week to help with weight reduction and muscle toning. Just gotta shake this slight cold that is trying to keep me down...
  
  
• My son's 3-year old bam-bam league begins practice this week! My wife and I are trying to get him ready so we bought him his first baseball glove, which he seems to be using mainly to hide his face in and hit his sister in the head with. We've been practicing catching whiffleballs in the living room...he's getting fairly good. And so begins the lifetime career of professional ball player...
  
  
• Oh man, almost forgot...church softball league practice starts this week. Where is my glove?!?
  
  
• Just talked this past week with a few guys I typically race together with and we've decide to put together another adventure racing team for the IA Summer Games. I have to admit, it was a blast participating in the race last year, and though we may not obtain the same results (3rd in our category), I can tell you we will have fun trying our hardest. Let's just hope it's not held again on the hottest day of the year...argggg.
  
  
• I'm planning to sit in on our Wednesday night church youth group session this week to see if I can help Jon out a little...I am really looking forward to it, should be an awesome time.
  
  
• Went with some friends to go see Run, Fatboy, Run this weekend. Though it may not have been everyone's cup of tea (ahem, a little English humour), we did laugh so hard a couple of times that it was quite hard to catch our breaths. Didn't anyone else out there like this movie??
  
  
• A bit anxious...I'm meeting with a friend later this week to discuss my possible interest in co-directing a popular race in our area. It would be an exciting opportunity...
  
  
• Getting ready to travel for a work conference in New York early this next month. It'll be my first time to the Big Apple...though I'm not sure what I'll find when I get there, I am excited because it will be a chance to get a look at the city I'll be running through come this November...

Our Commitment To Running

Lam posted these on his blog. They gave me a good chuckle, so I thought I'd share with you. Thanks, Lam!

"Run, Fat Boy, Run"

Okay, I'll admit. The title alone made me sit up straight in the theater a few weeks ago and take keen notice. I mean, why wouldn't any movie preview with the word "run" in it's title not entice the typical runner? But, of course, from what we could immediately tell, this wasn't going to be the typical runner movie. Still, I made it a point to see it last night.

"Run, Fat Boy, Run" is a movie about Dennis, a commitment-phobe who leaves his pregnant bride at the altar literally running down the street to get away. We cut to five years later and he's still running, but this time running after shoplifters as a low level security guard for a women's clothing store. He still pines for his ex and longs to be more of a hero to his son, but that is increasingly difficult as she has taken up with Whit (Hank Azaria) ... a well-to-do, muscular, all too perfect suitor who runs marathons. “Why would you want to do a thing like that?” is Dennis' reaction to that last bit.

Already consumed with remorse and now faced with losing Libby for good, Dennis has to prove something to her, to himself and to that wiener. It's something about responsibility and finishing things. And what better way to prove to Libby that he can get his life together - than by running in the local London marathon - the same race Libby's new beau is training for. But his noble ambitions to run 26.2 miles are obviously offset by his drawbacks ... such as, he smokes, he drinks, he’s out of shape, he’s lazy, he’s immature, etc. Predictably, a spirit of competition begins between Dennis and Whit, and soon enough, Dennis is attempting to beat Whit at his own game: running. What follows is a slapstick plot filled with training montages and the shopworn story of a schlub trying to fix his life by proving himself in a sporting event ... in this case, the marathon.

In spite of the wacky physical humor found in the training scenes and the cliche English comedy as Dennis stumbles through mile upon mile of the marathon trying to right the wrongs he once set, I felt it was extremely likable and a touch heartwarming by film's end.

You're likely wondering how such a lark of a movie, which hasn't seen many favorable reviews as yet, could possibly provide any meaningful metaphors for life. I suppose much of its impact comes from its images of Dennis running and its conviction that there’s a difference between running toward something and running away. It goes to show us that to achieve takes determination, takes drive. Moreover, it shows us that there is a lot of truth to getting your life together through the use of running. That the pain and fatigue you endure is worth the eventual goal.

More than likely, I'm just like other runners who like to watch movies about things I enjoy doing. Besides, it's hard to pass up a movie about a runner. And tiny running shorts on a dude are the comedy gift that keeps on giving.

Running High

The NY Times came out with an interesting article this past Thursday. It discusses the notion that exercise, particularly running, can induce a sort of euphoria, or "runner's high". Personally, I didn't need a study to confirm this for me, but after years of trying to explain myself to non-runners, it's nice to have some evidence-based data to back me up.

So, finally, the real reason why we feverously sign up for every road race we can find, buying the latest running clothes and sporting the newest in treadmills!

Supposidly, a German study, reported in the journal Cerebral Cortex, found that running creates a flood of endorphins which are associated with mood changes. These chemicals are the brain’s naturally occurring opiates. During intense exercise, their release have the ability to change an athlete’s mood. Typically occuring 60-90 minutes of steady exercise, runners find themselves in a mental state of relaxation partnered with a mild pain cessation.

Further yet, recently a British research team reported early findings suggesting that moderate exercise also increases the PEA levels for most people. PEA, or phenylethylamine, is another brain chemical that improves a person's mood. They argue that this increase causes the rapturous mood. And because depressed people tend to have low PEA levels, the researchers say there now is an explanation of why exercise has a natural antidepressant action. Apparently, even moderate exercise raises levels of this brain chemical that can drastically improve a person's mood.

Either way, here's another reason to do long distance training. Not only might it make you happy but it can give you a nice buzz, man.

Just R.I.C.E. It

Okay, so I'm a day late and mile short. I had already intended on blogging today about how to treat running injuries when I noticed Runners Lounge opened up the topic for discussion yesterday. Ain't it funny how great minds think alike? Anyhow, below is my take on it...enjoy.

Running is obviously good for your health, but it does raise your risk for sprained joints and strained muscles, not to mention other injuries. With springtime getting us out the door more often these days, it's imperative we use caution when stretching those winter muscles to their limits. But injuries do happen. And taking proper care of an injury in the first day or two after occurance can really reduce the time you're sidelined by it. If this does happen to you, just R.I.C.E. it!

What's R.I.C.E.? This stands for: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Let's break it down...

• Rest: Resting is important immediately after injury for two reasons. First, rest is vital to protect the injured muscle, tendon, ligament or other tissue from further injury. Second, your body needs to rest so it has the energy it needs to heal itself most effectively.
  
  
• Ice: Use ice bags, cold packs or even a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a thin towel to provide cold to the injured area. Cold can provide short-term pain relief. It also limits swelling by reducing blood flow to the injured area. Keep in mind, though, that you should never leave ice on an injury for more than 15-20 minutes at a time. Longer exposure can damage your skin. The best rule is to apply cold compresses for 15 minutes and then leave them off for at least 20 minutes. (Read How long to leave ice on an injury).
  
  
• Compression: Compression limits swelling, which slows down healing. Some people notice pain relief from compression as well. An easy way to compress the area of the injury is to wrap an ACE bandage over it. If you feel throbbing, or if the wrap just feels too tight, remove the bandage and re-wrap the area so the bandage is a little looser.
  
  
• Elevation: Elevating an injury reduces swelling. It's most effective when the injured area is raised above the level of the heart. For example, if you injure an ankle, try lying on your bed with your foot propped on one or two pillows.

A reminder that nonprescription anti-inflammatory drugs (known as NSAIDs), including Ibuprofen, Advil or Aleve, may also help relieve your pain and swelling. But just be sure you don't give aspirin to anyone younger than age 20, due to the risks with Reye's syndrome.

After a day or two of the R.I.C.E. method, many sprains or strains will typically begin to heal. When your soreness and pain are gone, begin stretching and strengthening exercises slowly, then gradually increase these exercises until you are back to normal regimen.

Remember: If you don't see relief from your pain or swelling after 48 hours, be smart and make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible. It's better to live and run another day, I always say. Now, get out there and hit the trails!

"Run For Your Life"

For those of you NYC runners out there, a much-anticipated documentary film Run For Your Life will be premiering at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival in New York this Sunday, April 27th at 3:30pm EST.

Mentioned as the remarkable story of how one man ran for his life and inspired millions to do the same, the film centers on Fred Lebow. This is the man who founded the five-borough New York City Marathon which, in many people's opinion, is possibly the greatest marathon event ever put together. Widely considered one of the most influential and unlikely American icons, Lebow fled his orthodox home in war-torn Europe and found his calling when he brought together a ragtag group of runners for the first NYC Marathon in Central Park. In 1976, Lebow took the race through all five boroughs, bringing a divided city together and sparking a worldwide fitness boom. Lebow lived for the NYC Marathon yet only ran the five borough race once, in a race against the odds. He passed away in 1994 at the age of 62.

An added bonus, the film also includes the last known interview with Ted Corbitt, an Olympian and pioneering African-American runner who founded what would become the New York Road Runners Club (NYRR). Known as the “Jackie Robinson of running,” Corbitt died while the film was being made, on December 12, 2007.

Directed by Judd Erlich, this inspirational tribute shows how one man's imagination, determination, and love for running created one of the world's most popular sporting events.

If you are looking for a preview of this soon-to-be runner classic, check it out below.

Some Exciting News!

Alright, I have some exciting news to share with everyone. I learned something completely amazing today that I've been waiting months hoping to find out. Do you see that picture above? That's the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York City. What's so exciting about that, you ask? Well, that's where I'll be this fall ... when I AM OFFICIALLY RUNNING THE NEW YORK MARATHON!!!

Yep, I learned this great news this morning. I've been told I am officially being accepted as a sponsored runner for the 2008 ING NYC Marathon to be held November 2. Through the tireless efforts of a friend of mine who works at ING, what began as a relatively unobtainable stretch goal for 2008 has, unbelieveably, become a reality. (Thanks for all your help, Tina!! And thank you ING for making a dream of mine come true!)

Honestly, I suppose I can say it is to me one of the most exciting moments of my racing career. If everything works out, this will become a very special 20th marathon for me. I just cannot believe I will be racing with 38,000 other runners through the streets of New York in just a little over seven months time ... that is an incredible thought to imagine. Especially since I've never been to New York before in my life, nor have I raced outside of the Midwest region ever. Talk about setting some firsts for my life this year.

It's so exciting, I have goose-pimples ... and my goose-pimples have their own goose-pimples! Someone pinch me ... but wait, if this isn't true, could you please NOT wake me up? Just let me continue my slumber with this wonderful dream I'm in, thank you very much.

Though I've been steadily ramping up my spring training already, I see I have a lot of planning yet to do. Guess I'd better cue up "Eye Of The Tiger" on my iPod for tomorrow's run ... I have some serious running to do.

"Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today ... I want to be a part of it ... New York, New York ... "

Monday Mind-Dump

I thought I'd take a page from a good friend of mine and begin providing space to ponder over the few things that have crossed both my mind and path in the past couple of weeks.

• Started the book "Wild At Heart" by John Eldridge. It's a really great read.
  
  
• Signed up for church softball this weekend. I don't even own a glove. Do I have to wear those baseball pants?
  
  
• Taught my daughter to ride her bike without training wheels. The smile from ear to ear, combined with the look of utter terror as I let go, is a moment I'll always cherish.
  
  
• Spring is just around the corner. Be patient, Mike.
  
  
• Finally figured out how to record video from my digital video recorder to my laptop so I can make DVD home movies. I'm sure my 2-year old son could have shown me in half the time.
  
  
• Reminder to self: do not attempt to be Mr. Fix-it the night before volunteering as bike support for the local marathon. Not only will the shift cable break, but I will likely misalign the entire derailleur in the process.
  
  
• Another reminder to self: pick up a souvenir worth it's weight in gold for my friend who helped me into the NYC marathon.
  
  
• Go watch this video. (Or you'll get injured, injured real bad...)
  
  
• Hid 258 eggs for Easter at my mother-in-laws house this weekend; only found 257. Doh.
  
  
• I am reminded of just how special my wife is when she came home from our church women's retreat and gave me a hand-written note telling me how much she loves me...I am truely blessed.

Sorry for the absence this past little while...just kept busy with work and traveling. I'm back now. Missed you guys.

Stay On Your Feet

Running is an excellent form of exercise, yet subjects the body to considerable stress by placing extraordinary demands on an athlete's entire body. Each time your foot hits the ground, for example, it generates forces equivalent to at least three times your body's weight. Therefore, it is fairly important to do everything possible to protect your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and lower back vertebrae.

Below are considered the five most common chronic runner-related injuries, with tips for each to help you stay on your feet.

CHRONDROMALACIA (Runner's Knee)
Self-Diagnosis: Sharp pain underneath your kneecap.
Cause: A weak inner-thigh muscle makes the kneecap grind on cartilage.
Treatment: Gentle hamstring and calf stretches.
Recovery: Typically between four to six weeks.
Preventatives: Stretching of the quadriceps, hamstring, iliotibial band (ITB) and gluteal muscles.

ACHILLES TENDINITIS
Self-Diagnosis: Tightness in the Achilles tendon.
Cause: Speed work or shoes with too much cushioning.
Treatment: Buy a firm shoe and a quarter-inch heel lift to insert under the insole. Stop stretching for two weeks.
Recovery: Typically between six to eight weeks.
Preventatives: Stretching of the gastrocnemius (keep knee straight) and soleus (keep knee bent) muscles.

SHINSPLINTS
Self-Diagnosis: Sharp pain near the shinbone.
Cause: Overstriding while running down long hills.
Treatment: Stretch your calf muscles, shorten your stride, and avoid downhills.
Recovery: Typically between two to four weeks.
Preventatives: Stretching of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.

PLANTAR FASCIITIS
Self-Diagnosis: Pain in the heel when you first stand up.
Cause: Overpronation and floppy shoes.
Treatment: Reduce mileage by 50 percent and switch to a firm shoe with a midsole that doesn't bend.
Recovery: Typically between six to eight weeks.
Preventatives: Stretching of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.

ILIOTIBIAL BAND SYNDROME (ITB)
Self-Diagnosis: Pain and inflammation on the outside of the knee.
Cause: Anything that causes the leg to bend inwards, incorrect or worn shoes, excessive hill running, running on cambered surfaces, overtraining.
Treatment: Reduce or cease training load and intensity. Properly stretch the ITB. Return to running gradually.
Recovery: Between three to six weeks.
Preventatives: Stretching of the ITB, quadriceps, hamstring, and gluteal muscles.

Overall, running injuries can actually be quite common. However, they can easily be reduced by following proper stretching technique and conditioning, wearing the appropriate footwear, and constantly staying aware of your running environment. As well, be sure to start your runs by being warm and limber - muscles are more pliable when warm. And try alternating activities to avoid overusing particular muscles.

Most of all, listen to your aches. Remember: when in doubt,
just under do it.

Ten Golden Rules

Alberto Salazar is one of the greats. He knows a thing or two about this sport called running. A former world-record holder in the marathon, and three-time winner of the NYC event, Salazar has learned many of his lessons the hard way. The famously competitive runner's body broke down at age 27, as a result of years of superhuman, 150-mile training weeks. In fact, he was once read his last rites after crossing a finish line with a 108-degree fever. Let's just say he'd be an interesting training partner.

Just this past summer, he survived a near-fatal heart attack. Now, fully recovered, the 49-year-old coach of Nike's Oregon Project is pairing cutting-edge technology with meticulous workouts to shape the most promising crop of American running hopefuls in a generation. This is a man who has almost given his life to the sport on multiple occasions.

Fortunately, he's lived to share a few pieces of essential wisdom ... his Ten Golden Rules of Running:

BE CONSISTENT - Find a training plan that you can stick to long-term. If you can run four days a week, every week, you are going to get 90 percent of the benefits of training seven days a week.

TAKE RECOVERY DAYS SERIOUSLY - The day after a tough workout, the most you want to do is jog lightly or do some form of cross-training, like cycling. You need a recovery day after a hard day. No exceptions.

INCREASE MILEAGE GRADUALLY - Do not increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent every month. No matter how good you feel, be very gradual. You won't know until it's too late that you're overdoing it.

STAY ON THE TRAIL - Pavement damages joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. The more you can run on grass, wood chips, or dirt, the better off you are.

RUN FASTER - It's hard to race faster than you train. However fast you want to run a race, you've got to do some shorter intervals (aka: speed work) at least that fast.

STRENGTHEN YOUR WHOLE BODY - Good runners condition their whole bodies. The arms drive the legs. Keep your upper body and core toned with a lot of push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and back raises (don't forget that the back is part of the core).

WEAR THE RIGHT SHOES - The second-most-common cause of injuries, next to running too much on hard surfaces, is foot pronation and shoe instability. The more you run, the more support your foot needs.

PERFECT YOUR FORM - Every motion your body makes should propel you directly forward. If your arms are crossing or you are overstriding, you're losing force. Your posture should be straight, and your striding foot should land directly underneath you.

EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY - If you don't have enough knowledge behind what you're doing, you're not going to run well or you're going to injure yourself. With the Internet, GPS phones, advanced heart-rate monitors, and even your iPod, you now can be coached individually, even while you run. Use the knowledge and tools that are out there.

And, perhaps, my most favorite:

TACKLE DOUBT HEAD-ON - At some point you're going to push yourself harder, you're going to enter into a gray area that can be painful, and you're going to doubt yourself. Push through it. Never think you are mentally weak.

Topher Dared Me

Although we were never in the same class together, or same school for that matter, I decided I'd take up Topher/Ted's high school yearbook picture challenge. Check me out below:

Carlton High School, Class of 1987:

Husband and father of two (me with my son below), circa 2008:

Obviously, age gracefully has left me with the same look of sophisticated charm as my high school years. As you can easily tell from the photo above, I have also successfully passed along these admirable traits on to my handsome son. (And while we're at it, would you like to buy a nice box of rocks?)

Alright already, enjoy the laugh. I now happily extend this challenge to those of you readers who equally feel unembarrassed. Feel free to leave a comment with a link to your photo.

Changing Perception

"Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results." - Anon

It's interesting how easily human perception can change. One moment you're focused on a singular point of view, and the next you feel you have completely opened your eyes anew. I find it an all too familiar component to the art of marathoning. Mental attitude is crucial for marathon running, and if you can cope with the stress of hitting the wall, you are more likely to endure the race and run to your full potential. Sure, you may be very fit, but if you are not psychologically prepared you may find the race overwhelming. The key to success seems to be linked to your expectation of performance or perception of outcome.

I've just come back from short, enjoyable vacation with my wife in southern Texas. We spent the past week with her grandparents who live in the South Padre Island region, leaving our two younger children to have a delightful time in the care of my parents. The weather was unbelievably beautiful, consistently subjecting us to sunny days and 85° temps with frequent warm southern winds that gently rocked the palm trees overhead. Each day was filled with some new experience or excursion, like leisurely walks along the coastal beach picking up multitudes of shells, wandering through endless outdoor food markets filled with the aromatic smells of fresh fruit and appetizing local specialties, an interesting exploration over the border into Mexico to learn the art of bartering in order to pick up a few genuine souvenirs, and enjoying tasty, authentic Mexican fried ice cream with my dreamy wife.

Up until lately, it seems my life has really felt like I've been running a marathon in all ways. Everything pulling me one way or another .. feeling my endurance getting low and my mental attitude slacking. Even my training has taken a bit of a drastic dive. And with each Midwestern storm the snow seemed to pile everything higher and higher.

I guess, in a way, to say this trip was relaxing is a bit of an understatement.

In Psalms 28:7, it says, "the Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped...my heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. " So, God, I just wanted to give you thanks for changing my perception ... I needed that!