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Today’s Run

After a rest-day yesterday (Day 7), tonight marked the beginning of week 2 in my “Return to Running” program. This includes:

• 3 to 5-minute walking warmup
• 4 x 5-minute run / 2-minute walk
• 3 to 5+ minute walking cooldown

It was nice to actually get in more minutes running than walking for the first time since my return from injury. I was a little fatigued since Olivia and I had done an hour of aqua jogging earlier today. However, my legs still felt really good throughout on a perfect evening through the streets of Bellevue. In total I got in 20 minutes of running and 12+ minutes of walking for 3.1-miles completed.

• Miles: 3.1
• Time: 32:29 minutes
• Pace: 10:29
• Shoes: Saucony Kinvara 3 (#8)
• Route: Sawyer Brown, George Patton

Cross-Training

• Aqua Jogging >> 1 hour
• 100 Pushup Routine >> Week 3 / Level 3 / Day 3 – 120 total reps (this hurt)
• Pullups – 14 total reps
• Balance Squats x 25 reps (each leg)
• Calf Raise Squats x 25 reps (2 x 15lb dumbbells)
• Wall Squats – 90 Seconds
• Step-Back Lunges x 15 reps (each leg with 2 x 15lb dumbbells)
• 3-way lunge x 15 reps (each leg)
• Chair Salutation x 2 (30 sec each)
• Toe Roll Iso Lunges x 20 reps (each leg)
• Groucho Walk – 45 seconds
• Hip Hike x 30 reps (each leg)
• Monster Walk with Band 2 x 12 reps (each leg)
• Clamshells with Band 2 x 15 reps (each leg)
• Toe Flexor x 60 reps (each leg)
• Dorsiflex Raises x 75 reps

Beast Mode…ON!

This is a great message to see…

I got an email today from my dear friend, and frequent running partner, Paxton with some insightful analysis of my training log and possible factors that could have lead to my recent stress fractures. A number of members of our running group have accounts on RunningAhead.com, and have access to each other’s logs. Without prompting, Paxton looked through my logs for trends in the data that could provide insight into what threw me into my recent injury cycle. Paxton works in genetics, and is an expert in looking at datasets and graphs. He sent me a couple of annotated graphs from my log such as the one below:

He pointed out several things that were present in the data, but the one that jumped out to me was the fact that tempo and interval mileage accounted for almost 50% of my total mileage for a given week or month, just prior to both of the stress fractures. This is obviously way too high, but was exacerbated by the fact that it was also accompanied by a significant uptick in mileage. This is another example of how I allowed my obsession with Boston to push me over the edge in my training.

A big thanks to Paxton for selflessly spending this time to look at the data and help me out. It means a LOT to me. I will definitely remember this when I put together my full training schedule for NYC. I wish I knew some way to get both Paxton and Nathan into NYC to run with me. Would be great to have the Bellevue Trio in NYC together.

Today’s Run

Today was the final run for week 1 of my “Return to Running” program, which includes:

• 3 to 5-minute walking warmup
• 4 x 4-minute run / 2-minute walk
• 3 to 5+ minute walking cooldown

It was a very pleasant evening for a run with mostly clear skies and temps in the mid 70s. My legs are pretty sore from an intense leg workout last night, so the running segments were very, very easy through the streets of Bellevue. In total I got in 16 minutes of running and 17+ minutes of walking for 2.9-miles completed. Since this was the end of week 1, tomorrow will be a rest day before week 2 begins on Thursday.

• Miles: 2.9
• Time: 33:43 minutes
• Pace: 11:39
• Shoes: Saucony Kinvara 3 (#8)
• Route: Bellevue – Sawyer Brown, Todd Pries, Baugh

Next Step to New York

I already knew that I had guaranteed entry to the 2013 New York City Marathon, but it was still exciting to get this email today as confirmation. Now just have to remember to sign-up tomorrow!

Cross-Training

• Aqua Jogging >> 1 hour with Olivia
• In and Outs x 25 reps
• Seated Bicycle Forward x 25 reps
• Seated Bicycle Backward x 25 reps
• Crunchy Frog x 25 reps
• Wide Leg Sit Ups x 25 reps
• Hip Rock n’ Raise x 25 reps
• Pulse Ups x 11 reps
• Roll-Up / V-Up Combo x 20 reps
• Oblique V-Up Right x 25 reps
• Oblique V-Up Left x 25 reps
• Leg Climb x 24 reps (1 grab)
• Mason Twist x 50 reps

Beast Mode…ON!

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Today’s Run

So, the title of this post might be a slight exaggeration, but I did feel like I had a swarm of gnats in my face for most of today’s run on the Harpeth River Greenway. Yesterday (Day 4) was a rest day, so this was the 4th run from week 1 of my “Return to Running” program, which includes:

• 3 to 5-minute walking warmup
• 4 x 4-minute run / 2-minute walk
• 3 to 5+ minute walking cooldown

It was a beautiful afternoon, with temps in the mid 70s, and my legs felt fantastic. Just like last Friday, I had a hard time keeping may pace from getting too fast during the running segments, but it is so great to be running again! In total I got in 16 minutes of running and 17 minutes of walking for 3.2-miles completed. Tomorrow should be the last day from week 1 of my program before a rest day on Wednesday.

• Miles: 3.2
• Time: 33 minutes
• Pace: 10:21
• Shoes: adidas Energy Boost #1
• Route: Harpeth River Greenway

Cross-Training

• 100 Pushup Routine >> Week 3 / Level 3 / Day 2 – 102 total reps
• Pullups – 13 total reps
• Balance Squats x 25 reps (each leg)
• Calf Raise Squats x 25 reps (2 x 15lb dumbbells)
• Wall Squats – 90 Seconds
• Step-Back Lunges x 15 reps (each leg with 2 x 15lb dumbbells)
• 3-way lunge x 15 reps (each leg)
• Chair Salutation x 2 (30 sec each)
• Toe Roll Iso Lunges x 20 reps (each leg)
• Groucho Walk – 45 seconds
• Hip Hike 2 x 15 reps (each leg)
• Monster Walk with Band 2 x 8 reps (each leg)
• Clamshells with Band x 30 reps (each leg)
• Toe Flexor x 60 reps (each leg)
• Dorsiflex Raises x 75 reps

Beast Mode…ON!

Today’s Run

Since Olivia also has a stress fracture (and is still a ways away from being able to run), the two of us planned to go to the YMCA this morning for some aqua jogging. I decided to head over there about an hour before and get in my run through the streets of Green Hills. This was the third run from week one of my “Return to Running” program, which includes:

• 3 to 5-minute walking warmup
• 4 x 4-minute run / 2-minute walk
• 3 to 5+ minute walking cooldown

This run felt harder than the one yesterday afternoon, but I think most of this was related to the hilly terrain. My legs still felt pretty good, with no pain, which is the most important thing right now. The temps at the start were in the mid 30s, which felt pretty cold after reaching the 80s earlier this week. In total I got in 16 minutes of running and 17 minutes of walking forf 2.9-miles completed. That makes 9.6-miles for the week since tomorrow will be a rest day. Not quite the 50 to 60 I’m used to, but at this point I’ll take it!

Cross-Training

• Elliptical >> 20 minutes – After I finished my run, I went inside the YMCA and jumped on the elliptical until Olivia arrived.
• Aqua Jogging >> 1 hour 20 minutes with Olivia – So much better to do this with Olivia than by myself.
• 100 Pushup Routine >> Week 3 / Level 3 / Day 1 – 85 total reps

Beast Mode…ON!

Today’s Run

My run this evening on the Harpeth River Greenway felt really, really good. Last night I was pretty tired, especially since it came after spending an hour aqua jogging in the pool. Tonight my legs felt fresh, and I had to fight to keep from running too fast. This was the second run from week one of my “Return to Running,” which includes:

• 3 to 5-minute walking warmup
• 4 x 4-minute run / 2-minute walk
• 3 to 5+ minute walking cooldown

I got in 16 minutes of running and 25 minutes of walking for a total of 3.75-miles completed. Tonight also marked my first run in the new Adidas Energy Boost shoes. In an earlier post regarding my planned training changes for 2013, I mentioned that I wanted to run in more cushioned shoes for runs 10 miles or greater. After doing a lot of research, I settled on the Energy Boost. Today I stopped by our local Fleet Feet, and they happened to have my size in stock. The sales guy said that they are selling so fast that they don’t even have any on display in the store.

Anyway, even though this run was MUCH shorter than 10 miles, I decided to have a go in the new shoes. They felt fantastic. Much different than my Kinvara, but still really, really great. I’ll write a full review once I get a few more runs under my belt.

Cross-Training

• 100 Pushup Routine >> Week 3 Push-Up Test – 35 Reps
• Pullups >> 12 Total Reps

Beast Mode…ON!

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It wasn’t much, but it’s a start…

Now that I’ve been released to run by my doctor, tonight marked the beginning of training for the 2013 ING New York City Marathon. Week 1 of the “Return to Running” program provided by my doctor calls for

• 3 to 5-minute walking warmup
• 4 x 4-minute run / 2-minute walk
• 3 to 5+ minute walking cooldown

Not exactly Ironman training, but I’m happy to be back on the road! In total I got in 16 minutes of running and 19 minutes of walking for a total of 2.9-miles completed through the streets of Bellevue.

Cross-Training

Since my running total are going to be quite meager for a while, I’ll still have to lean quite a bit on cross-training to maintain fitness. This afternoon Olivia and I did just over an hour of aqua jogging at the Y. My Favorite!!

Beast Mode…ON!

Just finished with my 4-week follow-up orthopaedic appointment, and it turns out that my left femur injury was a stress reaction instead of a full-blown stress fracture. What this means is that I can start the “Return to Running” program as soon as today instead of waiting an additional 2 to 4 weeks. The program will be painfully conservative, but at least it means I can get back out on the road!

I reviewed my planned training changes with him, and he was very supportive of them, especially the idea of only running 5 days a week. He said that back when he worked with Nike elite runners in California and Oregon, their coaches never had them run more than 5 days per week, even though they were racking up LOTS of mileage. He agreed that adding one additional rest day from impact would greatly reduce my chances of sustaining another stress fracture. He also said that he would be perfectly OK with me running doubles on some days during a week, as long as I still took 2 days off from running per week. He said that these days off from running did not have to be days off from workouts, just from impact activities.

All of this was very encouraging, and he said that training for New York this November should not be a problem at all. To that end, today I hope to start the slow climb back up the mileage mountain with his prescribed “Return to Running” program. It is a 10 week program, as defined below, which I will be doing 5 days per week:

• (Week 1) Run 4 minutes, Walk 2 minutes. Repeat 4 times.

• (Week 2) Run 5 minutes, Walk 2 minutes. Repeat 4 times.

• (Week 3) Run 10 minutes, Walk 1 minute. Repeat 3 times.

• (Week 4) Run 15 minutes, Walk 1 minute. Repeat 3 times.

• (Week 5) Run 20 minutes nonstop.

• (Week 6) Run 25 minutes nonstop.

• (Week 7) Run 30 minutes nonstop.

• (Weeks 8 to 10) Increase nonstop running 5 minutes per week.

• After week 10, increase time/mileage by 10% per week.

In addition to this, I am scheduled for a bone density study next week, and then will follow-up with my doctor in 6-weeks to make sure everything is progressing as planned.

Beast Mode….Back ON!

Big thanks to my buddy Paxton for sharing this….definitely worth reading. Written by ‘Runner’s World’ columnist Peter Sagal who ran in Boston, and was helping to guide a legally blind runner through the course. Pretty compelling:

Article >> Eyewitness to Bravery, Horror by Peter Sagal (RunnersWorld.com)

Today I almost deleted my Facebook account…

I was not an early adopter of Facebook, but these days nobody would question that I have fully embraced social media. This is not only through the use of Facebook, but also Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and even my personal Blog that is connected to these various services. In many ways social media has become an incredible tool for someone with my interests and background.

There are some obvious benefits to this technology, such as the ability to keep up with the lives of friends, former classmates, family members, and those that share my personal hobbies such as running. However, these things are only the tip of the iceberg.

As an active member and Bible class teacher at the Bellevue Church of Christ, social media provides me with an additional avenue of communication for church events, fellowship opportunities, Bible class notes and handouts, and those in need of prayer and encouragement. As a guest preacher and Bible class teacher, I have been blessed to work with a number of churches in Middle Tennessee through the years. Facebook and Twitter have provided me with a great way to stay in touch with my brothers and sisters in those churches, when this would have otherwise been difficult. It has also made it easier to keep up with the efforts of missionaries in other countries, especially those I’ve personally worked with in southern Honduras.

However, for all of the good things about Facebook and social media mentioned above, there are many things that really concern me, especially when coming from Christians. I remember vividly the moment when I found out about the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, 2012. I was overwhelmed with sadness, and all I could think about was the need to pray. Probably the best post I saw on Facebook in response to this unspeakable act was from our preacher, Tom Riley…

Unfortunately, this was not the typical response that I saw from my fellow Christians. Between Facebook and Twitter I would estimate that 7 of every 10 posts coming from Christians were regarding the political implications of the attack, rather than anything concerning the victims, the families, the community, or most importantly….prayer. This shocked me.

Article >> A perfect Marathon day, then the unimaginable

Must-read column from the Boston Globe by Kevin Cullen. A couple of paragraphs below that just broke my heart:

The location and timing of the bombs was sinister beyond belief, done purposely to maximize death and destruction. Among those who watched in horror as a fireball belched out across the sidewalk on Boylston were the parents of the schoolkids murdered in Newtown, Conn. The ­Atlantic reported they were sitting in a VIP section at the finish line, across the street from the explosion.

This is how bad this is. I went out Monday night and bumped into some firefighters I know. They said one of the dead was an 8-year-old boy from Dorchester who had gone out to hug his dad after he crossed the finish line. The dad walked on; the boy went back to the sidewalk to join his mom and his little sister. And then the bomb went off. The boy was killed. His sister’s leg was blown off. His mother was badly injured. That’s just one ­family, one story.

Article >> Attack will test marathon community by Bonnie D. Ford (ESPN.com)

Article >> A Joyful Day in Boston Ends in Shock by Jason Gay (WSJ.com)

Article >> So Close, Yet So Far by Amby Burfoot (RunnersWorld.com)

Article >> A Bomb Is the Opposite of a Marathon by Jeff Edmonds (logicoflongdistance.com)

Another compelling article regarding today’s events from by Ezra Klein, writing for  washingtonpost.com

Article >> If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon

Thought provoking article on RunnersWorld.com from Roger Robinson, husband of Kathrine Switzer, on the future of Marathons in light of what happened in Boston today.

Article >> Boston Bombings: A Loss of Innocence

If you’ve seen any of the videos of the explosion, or the picture above, you’ve probably seen an older runner who crumbles to the ground at the moment of the explosion. Turns out that he was fine other than a scraped knee, and got back up to complete the race, finishing 2nd in his age group. His name is Bill Iffrig, and he is 78-years-old. This was his 45th marathon finish. Remarkable!

You can read more about Bill in this article >> Lake Stevens runner just feet from blast in Boston

Photo >> John Tlumacki, Boston

Tonight I got back to cross-training after my laziness and apathy last week. However, that’s about the only good news that I have to share. The whole time I was on the elliptical, I was watching the continuing coverage of the Boston Marathon explosions on various new outlets. It was also during this time that the first reports came out that one of the 3 dead was an 8-year-old child.

This is just so incredibly sad and unthinkable! How could anybody possibly do something like this? All attacks of this nature are hideous, but somehow this seems closer to me than most others. I guess it is because this happened during a marathon! I’ve participated in 13 marathons over the past 4 years, and would dearly LOVE to run in the Boston Marathon!

Today started out with a mix of emotions anyway. The selfish part of me was a little depressed about having never qualified for Boston, and wondering if I would ever make it there considering the daunting standards for men. Another part of me was excited for all of my friends that would be toeing the line in Hopkinton this morning. I kept tracking all of them online from their start during the late morning until most of them finished in the early afternoon.

When all but two of my friends had finished the race, I saw the initial reports of two explosions. Once the severity of the situation became apparent, a number of us here in Nashville began frantically trying to get any information we could about their condition. Initially we were able to touch base with everyone except for our friends Dan and Vicki, who had not finished the race. Thankfully we heard from them about an hour later, and they are both OK. Vicki later posted the following on her Facebook account:

I’m ok. Heard the explosion but thought it was fireworks. Rounded the corner for the last 400 meters and they stopped the runners. I saw the smoke. My boyfriend got knocked down twice from the explosion and has temporary (we hope) hearing issues now. So thankful I needed to walk when I did or it could’ve been me, too. Horrific!

All of this puts my initial selfish emotions into perspective. I’m thankful that my friends are OK. I’m thankful that I was NOT in Boston today. I will continue to pray for those affected by the explosions today.