Mojo

Turned out to be a pretty fun-filled weekend - more so than I expected it would be due to some catch up I've been playing at the office.  Rob convinced me to head out for a run in RCP with him Saturday morning, and it turned out to be decent.  I was fully prepared to put the brakes on should any issues arise, but things never got out of control and my feet felt pretty good during and after.  35 minutes isn't much, but I'll take it in hopes of maybe stretching that out a bit as Spring approaches.  Spent the remainder of the morning cruising around the tri-county area checking out a couple of local farmer's markets.

In exchange for the run yesterday, I got Rob on board for the Bike Rack's Sunday morning group ride.  We headed out around 8:30 for what ended up being a fairly social ride.  There were definitely some intense moments, and the Falls Rd hill still hurts pretty bad.  The experiment with zero food intake before & during worked out in my favor, and I felt strong during the entire ride.  Last thing I ate was dinner on Saturday evening, so I left the house on Sunday in somewhat of a fasted state.  But not hungry, owing to the supremely satiating dinner the night before (the winter stew I've been dipping into for the past few weeks, which gets a thick layer of congealed fatty goodness on top if left to cool...mmmmm).

Ended up being about 3 hours, so it seems the sugary supplements just aren't necessary for me up to that point.  It felt kind of relieving not taking anything as the rest of the riders sucked on blocks, gels, drinks, whatever other little crutches we're convinced that we all of the sudden need to do what we humans have been doing for thousands upon thousands of years.  Not sure what happens after the three-hour mark, but my guess is that things might begin to deteriorate around 3.5 hrs.  I'll probably be strategic about eating during the ride next weekend, since it'll probably be 5+ hours.  I'm tempted to go without, but not sure it's the proper venue to risk a complete bonk.  So it's not that I'm completely denying that nutrition is important during a long event, but rather that strategy (in both a macro and micro sense, i.e. what & how you eat in the months leading up, and then the hours and minutes during) is key.  One thing I've noticed is that there's a period of about 15 minutes at the outset of any ride or run where my body feels slow and sluggish, like I'm warming up the engine.  But after that it's a steady, controlled burn.  Perhaps this is what many folks come to after doing this sort of thing for a while, and if that's the case, then I chalk it up to my inexperience.  But with all the crap at the checkout counter of your local running store, and the daily emails I get from various reliable sources suggesting I'm naturally lacking the basic tools to thrive, that these performance enhancers are essential, somehow I'm not convinced this is the case.

Got to double dip again yesterday with a hike in RCP before dinner.  Have a crazy week ahead of me, but I'll be looking to check in pretty regularly.

Going Somewhere, Maybe?

Still transitioning here, although I'm not sure where I'm headed.  Not a whole lot of running to report, but I am doing fairly regular hill sprints during my morning walks in Rock Creek.  I'm very excited for the spring and summer when I can get out there earlier and with more sunlight.  Maybe I'll even get back into some real runs.

I've committed to a 50-mile mountain bike race weekend after next (26th) down in Richmond.  No serious training, although I've gotten out for a few group road rides and a couple solo extended commutes on the bike.  Part of the motivation was a 3 hour mountain bike ride I did on New Year's Day - first time I've ever been on one of these goofy two wheelers.  Now I understand.  Wish I could do it more, but I don't have a mountain bike and the closest trails are a drive away.  Beyond the group and extended solo ride, just been my typical morning evening commutes with some intensity injected when I feel like it.

The 50-miler will be an interesting experiment on multiple fronts - given that it'll be the second time I've ever ridden a mountain bike.  It'll also be the first endurance event I've done since the marathon last year, and the first I've ever done since I gave up grains, sugars, and processed foods.  Speaking of diet, I've been eating a TON of fat lately, namely saturated fats such as clarified butter, organ meats (!), coconut oil, and even some cultured whole fat yogurt.  How have I been missing this for so long? 

Otherwise, feeling absolutely full of energy, even under all the work and life stress.  Even been successful at reducing that a bit, and improving my sleep some.  All these things really seem to be compounding, and I'm loving it.

In Tall Buildings

It's been a tiresome week, with a pre-holiday push at work and some late nights that I've had to plan around.  Been playing a ton of music, mostly banjo, with the regular band and also with some other folks around town.  Everyone seems to be holing up for the winter, and left inside with access to instruments I guess the melodies start to flow. 

Running has been regular and I'm just kind of heading out with no specific intentions for each run.  I picked up the intensity a little bit yesterday on a shorter treadmill run, hitting some strides and fast 2:00 pickups.  Felt a little bit awkward.  I've discovered through the recent barefoot running and exercises that my right arch, foot, and supporting musculature are just generally weaker and less stable than the left.  This has led to some discomfort as I work to improve the deficiency there, mostly in the form of tenderness along the outside of the right ankle.  The peroneous tendons run beneath the lateral malleolus and pass through some retinaculi (kind of like pulleys, directing the force through the tendons - see image).  The peroneous longus tendon especially plays a role in supporting the lateral longitudinal arch, and I've learned how to engage that muscle group to raise the arch.  I guess I'm doing this more subconsciously during runs now, and there's just a bit of strain there as the tendons adapt to the increased loads.  All of this is speculation, of course, since everything I've learned about anatomy has been through experimentation and reading.  But one thing for sure is that when I consciously flex the peroneus muscles, I feel less strain on the plantar fascia. I don't have the same plantar issues on the left, and the left arch seems much more supple than the right.  Again, just a theory.  We'll see how it pans out.

Getting back to music, I'll be making a larger effort to up the intensity of my playing and rehearsing through the new year.  We're playing a show on NYE, and it's somewhat of a farewell show, so I'd really like to be well prepared.  I've challenged myself to pickup the banjo every day, even if it's only for a few minutes.  But for now, gotta get back to work.

Someday my baby
When I am a man
And others have taught me
The best that they can

They'll sell me a suit
And cut off my hair
And send me to work in tall buildings
-John Hartford

Deferred

This has tended to be a busy time of year for me, with both holiday and work travel coinciding with an already pretty tight schedule.  Had some great runs out west following Thanksgiving, including one very memorable trek up Squaw Pass Rd to an elevation of about 9200'.  Will be helpful to remember in the future that running uphill requires an eventual run back downhill.  Surprisingly, didn't really beat me up too much.

Since, been grabbing runs between 3 and 10 miles where I can find time.  Feet are feeling stronger but still stiff in the mornings.  Been getting weeks in the 40 mile range and looking to continue that going into the new year.  Diet experiment has been enlightening in many ways and still learning about foods my body does well with (and the opposite extreme, wheat be damned).

Brainstorming ways I can recharge this blog.  More on that next time.

Slugs

Been running, just not been blogging.  I won't make an effort to recap all the details of the past week but I'll note that it included daily runs with a few strength routines mixed in there.  Spent the past weekend in Boston where I was reacquainted with the Charles River paths.  Saturday explored down to MGH and the Museum of Science and Sunday went the opposite direction out to Watertown.  What a great place to run.

So I guess running has been going fairly well, although some issues still haven't completely resolved.  Right heel and left arch are more of a nuisance than anything serious, but after a quicker road run last Thursday the right heel was definitely more sore than it's been in a while.  Felt OK after taking Friday off.  All this seems to boil down to a process of adjustment.  Feedback and fine tuning, rest and growth.  The process of adapting to lighter footwear is a slow one, but one I'm convinced will pay dividends in the long run.  Pun intended.

Tired this morning after a double day of morning weights and a short run yesterday evening.  Couldn't find a rhythm in Rock Creek, and this was probably a combination of mental and physical fatigue (can't seem to get enough sleep lately), the wet and sloppy trails, GI issues (I learned the hard way how long hard-boiled eggs stay fresh), and anxiety about upcoming holiday travel.  Observed a slug belly up in the mud at one point and quickly identified with it.  Some days you feel like a slug, I guess. 

Looking forward to hopping a flight to Colorado tomorrow.  MM's parents have moved into a new house, and should give me plenty of streets to explore in the pre-dawn hours.  But it's a holiday, and I have a stockpile of DNR cards to cash in should I feel so obliged.

Distractions

1:30+ running in Rock Creek this morning.  After 50 min or so of lackluster trail stomping, I took my shoes off for 10 minutes to see if I could find a rhythm.  Not sure how this works, but once I put my shoes back on the final 30 minutes of the run were some of the best I've had in a long time.  It's almost like I had to prompt the muscle memory for lighter footfalls (such as required for running barefoot on a gravel laden dirt trail) and then it stuck around for the rest of the run.  Hips (especially glutes) are very much involved here, and I relished in the sense of coordination and strength that seems to be returning to my stride.  Gym strenght training is helping.  Feet feel great now, with the only complaint being the plantar irritation (it has lingered for the past few months).  But even that felt better once I went barefoot.  Wondering if this will ultimately resolve through these barefoot "moments?"  Also, right shin is almost a forgotten injury.  Good riddance.

My major frustration these days is not finding the time to check in here.  I feel like I've made some huge progress over the past couple of weeks.  It would be nice to divulge some of that and where I think the change has taken root.  In a nutshell, I think it's mostly that I've been allowing myself to do what I want, and heeding the feedback I get from my body.  The new diet has also made a significant impact.  Not stuffing myself full of chocolate and ice cream and cereal and pasta, I'm discovering new tastes I never knew I had.  Put like that, it's a wonder I didn't make this connection sooner.  I guess I'd always suspected that nutrition makes a big difference, just was never willing to look past my fears and insecurities.  Don't we deserve to eat whatever we want when we are working so hard burning calories?  Apparently it's not that simple.  Also, with a lack of training pressure (i.e. upcoming races on the calendar) I guess I'm just not pushing myself as much as I would be otherwise.  Speed does occasionally work its way into my legs, such as the last 15 minutes of today's run.  It's just sporadic, and mostly when I'm not really making an effort.  Which is the best kind of speed.

Also did 1:30 on Saturday, :30 and weights on Sunday, :50 yesterday AM, :30 yesterday PM.  This has been almost exclusively soft surfaces and trails.

This window has sat open for 7 hours, guess I got distracted.

Progressing

Ran around by headlamp for an hour in Rock Creek this morning.  I've wrapped up my runs of late with the feeling that I could do this for hours on end.  Partly due to the relaxed pace I've been running, but also because it's just so much fun.  Mostly ran today although I'm still taking walking breaks periodically just to check in with the leg, which is better by the day.  I'm back to 100% minimal or barefoot, and I find that with a little extra awareness it is entirely doable and in fact ideal (speaking for myself here).  I was headed in this direction this spring but the pressure to train pushed me to exceed my rate of adaptation.  A little mindfulness and a lack of pressure this time around seems to be going a long way.  Form has been critical and I think this is really an individual process.

Yesterday did the following exercises at the gym: machine single leg press, swiss ball leg curl, standing dumbbell calf raises, dumbbell lunges, dumbbell renegade rows, barbell squat, barbell bench press, and five types of range-of-motion hip excersises on the cable machine.  Similar excersises had been prescribed to me in the past for physical therapy, but instead of performing them lying down (e.g. four-way straight leg raises) these involve a lot more specificity in that you have to support yourself on your non-exercising leg.  They are adapted from this book, which is not very good reading but is a great resource for running-specific strength exercises.  It's also got some pretty thorough analyses of various stride patterns.  The whole gym session took two hours, and I'd hope to trim that by 10 or 20 minutes in the future.  The emphasis of all this is general strength and core/hip stabilization.