Buffalo Run

The 36th annual Buffalo Run is only 2 weeks away.  The 5 mile race put on my the Lincoln Track Club is run through Lincoln's Pioneers Park.

Here is the link for race information and registration:
http://www.lincolnrun.org/races/buffalo

#19--Bismarck Marathon

Bismarck, ND

September 19, 2009

4:11:27

This was an early fall marathon.  I really wanted to do Fargo, but Bismarck fit better into my schedule.  It was a Saturday marathon, which I really like.  Saturday marathons keep Sunday open to rest or travel, and I never have to miss any work on Monday.  In this case, I was able to fly up on Friday after work, run on Saturday, catch a late flight home, and have a day at home to rest before going back to work. 

This was a small marathon in a small town.  There was no expo.  Packet pick up was at the mall.  I asked the volunteers at the packet pick up where I could get some pasta the night before.  I remember having a very nice, cheap pasta dinner at the one local Italian place.

The race was fairly unremarkable.  The day was sunny with perfect temperatures.  A lot of the race was run on county roads outside town.  The roads were not closed to car traffic.  This was very annoying.  Not only did you have to watch out for cars and breath exhaust, but it forced you to run on the very side of the road, which over a long course puts you at risk for foot, ankle, knee, and hip issues.  I was on a sub 4 hr pace until the last 9 miles.  My pace slowed by about a minute per mile.  By the end of the race, the front of my foot and ankle was very sore, and I actually ran with a limp the last mile or so.

I finished the race in 4:11:27.  I was a little disappointed in my time, but as always, just glad to finish.  I cleaned up at the hotel, took the shuttle to the airport, and just made my flight home.

My foot hurt for several days.  It was in the area of the navicular bone.  Navicular stress fractures are very bad, so I was worried.  I ended up having an MRI of my foot later that week to evaluate it.  I was relieved that the scan was negative. It ended up just being tendonitis.

After a brief rest, training resumed for the next marathon.  Kind of the story of my life!

An Early Fall

Ask any runner and he or she will probably tell you that fall is their favorite time of year to run.  Well, for the last week or so we have seen unseasonably cool weather that reminds one of those crisp, cool fall mornings that runners love.

Despite being on call this weekend, I have been able to sneak away for a 6 mile run yesterday afternoon and a 4 mile jog with my oldest son in the baby jogger.  What a great way to start the day!

I am tapering for the next marathon in Tupelo, Mississippi.  The half marathon last weekend in Vancouver was a great warm up for the fall marathon season.

Carbo Load Like a Kenyan

Nice story on the typical Kenyan paleo diet.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/08/12/158568459/on-the-road-to-olympic-gold-kenyan-marathoners-fuel-up-on-carbs

Olympic Upset

Ugandan marathoner Stephen Kiprotich entered the Men's Marathon in the London Olympics as a relative unknown.  He outran a loaded field to win the gold medal in the final day of the 2012 olympics.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-33747_162-57491623/stephen-kiprotich-wins-mens-olympic-marathon-ugandas-first-medal-of-london-games/

Half the Distance, All the Fun

This weekend I ran the inaugural SeaWheeze Lululemon 1/2 Marathon in Vancouver, British Columbia.  The half is an unusual distance for me.  This was only the third half marathon that I have run.

The race was put on by Lululemon, a company that makes high end (over-priced) mostly women's athletic gear.  The retailer is based in Vancouver and the race was meant to highlight their products.  The expo wasn't so much an expo as a Black Friday of sorts where the company debuted a bunch of their new stuff.  It was an absolute mad house.  It was far too commercial for my taste.  Nobody seemed to care about the actual race.  The important thing was to look good, I guess.

The actual race was very good.  There were a little more than 7,000 runners.  I was one of about 1,000 men running the race.  I have full marathon coming up in a few weeks, so I needed to do my long 20 mile run this weekend.  Before the race, I went for an easy 7 mile jog and met the rest of my travel party at the starting line.  The course took you through various parts of Vancouver, which is an absolutely gorgeous city.  I wanted to run in under 2 hours and met my goal, clocking a 1:56:26.  The half is a great summer race to judge your training, fitness, and pace for the fall marathon season.  I am right on track.

Although I didn't make it to the post-race brunch, those who did said it was the best they had ever seen at a race, with crispy waffles, quiche, and fresh fruit.

My wife ran the race, too.  She loved it and is seen in this picture which appears on the company website (pink shirt, hands up!)

Greatest Olympian?

With Michael Phelps now owning the record for most career medals of any Olympic athlete, there is a debate about who is the greatest Olympian of all time.  For me, the greatest Olympian might be Emil Zatopek.  In 1952, the Czech distance runner won gold medals in the 5000 meters, 10000 meters, and the Marathon.  The favorite marathon runners set a blistering pace, sure that the Czech middle distance runner would fade.   Zatopek, who had never trained for or run the marathon before, asked the leaders if the pace was too fast.  When the leader replied that the pace was too slow,  Zatopek charged ahead and never looked back, winning his third gold medal of the '52 games.  The historic triple was an olympic first, and one that is likely to never be repeated.

Running Tips

Common Mistakes and Successful Remedies
Running injuries can usually be traced to a few common pitfalls—muscle imbalances/weakness, over-training, poor form, and inappropriate footwear. Training errors are also to blame—repetitive course, repetitive speed, repetitive distance, letting others set the pace, letting others set the distance, and lazy nutrition and hydration practices.
Successful training "do's" include following your training schedule, building up your miles gradually, focusing on pacing for your event, listening to your body, hydrating and eating for performance, getting the right shoes, and stretching. Strength training is also important to incorporate in your weekly routine. All of these "do's" will keep you running pain-free and improve your performance.


Going the Distance:
-Run with a friend or a running group to keep you motivated as your distance increases. Most important for the summer months, fuel up with electrolytes every 45 to 75 minutes of continuous running to help keep your body going.

-As you build mileage, remember that you're now burning more calories than you were early in your training. Keep your caloric intake up by eating snacks throughout the day, and plan your evening meals wisely.

-Don't underestimate the heat! Protect your skin with waterproof sunblock, and wear light-colored clothes and a hat to keep you cool. Avoid the midday hours when the sun is at its highest and the temperature is warmest. Run either early in the morning or early in the evening to avoid the heat and UV exposure.

-Make sure to warm up your muscles by starting your runs with a very gentle jog or some walking. You're more likely to get injured without a proper warm-up. After you run, stretch your major leg muscles: hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, and calves.

Source: New York Road Runner's weekly email, Hospital for Special Surgery

A Nation in Motion

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has created a website where patient's share their individual stories about how orthopaedic care has impacted their lives.

The website is called, "A Nation in Motion."  I've included a link.  Take a look at some of the amazing stories.  You might have your own story to tell.

http://anationinmotion.org/