Great run today. I was able to average around 9 minutes/mile for 10 miles. The temperature today was really cool (38°F-44°F). I realize now that many of my issues with running lately were due to my heat intolerance. Today's run was 2 minutes/mile faster than my St.George Marathon pace and felt much easier.
When the weather is cold, I run great! I don't have to wear all the cold weather gear because my body generates so much heat. Everyone else I saw running today was dressed in long running pants, long sleeves, and gloves. Because of my issue with excess heat generation, I only needed shorts and short sleeves in 38 degrees. I sure received some strange looks!
I had been battling injuries since my initital stress fractures in 2009. Every time I would eventually increase my mileage (at the recommended amount of no more than 10%/week), I would end up with another stress fracture or soft tissue injury. It was absolutely frustrating. I almost didn't run the St. George Marathon because I had missed 8 weeks of running due to another stress fracture after the Estes Park Half in June.
During the 8 week layoff from running, I started triathlon training. My swimming skills were really poor but have improved greatly. I can now swim a mile without stopping. For those that don't swim, swimming a mile is much, much harder than running a mile. I compare swimming a mile to running about 6 miles. The swimming has actually helped my running. It improved my ankle flexibility and also stretched out some of my core muscles that have been chronically shortened from sitting all day. The "kicking from the hips" has also helped my hip flexor issues. I never dreamed swimming would help my running. Even if I never do a triathlon, I will continue to swim. As soon as the 8 weeks was over, I started slowly running again. I have to admit - running is still my favorite sport! I can't explain it - it just makes my happy in a way that cycling and swimming can't.
I started a functional strength training program at Goddard Orthopedics and Sports Therapy that really seems to be helping my core muscles support my body during running. I realize now that I wasn't working out my core enough with the standard crunches.
I'm currently running 3 times a week (two 8 mile tempo runs, and one long run from 10-16 miles), cycling 2 times a week, and swimming 1-2 times a week. That's all I currently have time for since I do the workouts before work or on weekends.
I have been intending to update this blog for months, but never had the time. I decided to use today's blog to provide a synopsis of the last several months. Since I last wrote, I have done the following races. I had 10 vacation days accumulated so I used those in combination with weekends to be able to do these races.
Ran the Eisenhower Marathon in Eisenhower, KS on April 9th.
The conditions were tough - very hot with no shade. I'm heat intolerant, so I was just glad to finish. It was my slowest time ever. I finished and get to add another state to my list, as well as another medal to my collection.
Ran the Shiprock Half Marathon in New Mexico in early May. It was a whirlwhind trip. I left very early one morning, arrived that evening just in time to pick up my packet, ran the race the next day and drove home afterwards.
It was high altitude and warmed up signicantly by the second half of the race. I don't know if it was the altitude or the warmer temp at the end, but I was not feeling good by the end of the race.
Ran along the beach in Galveston Bay in mid May during a business trip. I ran in the mornings before meetings started. Running on packed sand with waves washing up on the beach was a wonderful experience! But the morning lows were around 80 degrees with 90% humidity.
Ran the Estes Park Half Marathon in early June.
This was in conjunction with a wonderful vacation in Colorado. I was able to run in the Rocky Mountains at an altitude of 10,000 to 12,000 feet prior to the race. The race itself had some stunning views! I enjoyed every minute of it. The temperatures were cool and if I had been acclimated to the altitude, I think I could have run really well. My time was respectable but not yet at my former level.
- Ran the St. George Marathon October 1.
I had a really poor performance in this race. The temperature at the end was 85°F. My heat intolerance made it impossible for me to run well. I almost had a heatstroke during this race. I really have to think about whether to continue my quest to run a marathon in every state - the warm weather races will be very hard on me. I don't mind difficult races, but I don't want to die of a heatstroke. Today's run (less than a month later) averaged 2 minutes/mile faster than this race. The reason: The temperature today was over 40 degrees cooler. I will just have to accept that I cannot run in the heat. I have a thyroid disorder that causes my muscles to generate twice as much heat as the average person while running. I take medication for my thyroid but it doesn't prevent my muscles from being so metabolically overactive (generating too much heat) during exercise. I haven't had good luck with my last two marathon choices. The Eisenhower Marathon in April had a heat wave (when the weather was nice and cool the year before). The St. George Marathon conditions were even warmer. I was able to add two more states to my list of marathons, but both marathons were really hard on me healthwise. My core temperature was at a dangerous level in the St. George Marathon. One of the volunteers grabbed me and helped me walk after I crossed the finish line. I probably should have gone to the hospital, but we've had way too many unreimbursed medical expenses this year. On a happier note, we were able to see the Grand Canyon for the first time on the trip to Utah.
Thought for the Day:
"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes."
~ Chuck Swindoll
