The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Running!

Now, we all know what the good is of running, we can list many things, and it can mean different things for different people. Some good things are: getting or staying in shape, private time to do something for myself, a sense of accomplishment, camaraderie with others etc.

The bad of running, I would say, is injuries, something I am getting over right now with my heel pain. Injuries are not fun!

So what is the ugly? CHAFING! If you have never experienced this, you may not understand, but if you have, then I think that you will agree.

Merriam-Webster defines chafing as: to make sore by or as if by rubbing. I have also heard of this referred to as the chub-rub, and though I believe more fit athletes experience chafing also, the chub definitely contributes to the rub (at least in my case)!

Now, though I had heard of chafing, I never experienced it until last fall when my runs started getting longer, around 8 miles. It is very uncomfortable,but what can you do when you feel it starting to form and you are still miles from home? You just keep running and it just keeps getting worse! My chafing happens high up on my legs where my leg joins my buttocks. :-)

So, I would get home, treat the chafing with some bacitrin ointment, and everything would be fine in two day for my next run (shorter, thank goodness ;-).

But chafing affects all that you do for the rest of the day! Walking is just painful if not done carefully!

Many fit athletes (especially men) experience chafing on the nipples from their shirt rubbing, and I have read that becoming a member of the CNS (Chafed Nipple Society) is not really desirable. But, there are ways to prevent chafing. Two well known products on the market are SportShield and Body Glide. I just purchased some Body Glide, it comes in a stick form (like deodorant) and you just rub it on your body wherever you may chafe.

Well, I am 4 - 6 weeks away from long runs, but when I get there, I will blog and let you know if Body Glide is a success, or if I am again walking funny for a day!

Too Much, Too Soon

Well, this is the post I should have written last Wednesday! I decided that even though I still felt a twinge in my foot, that I was ready to start running again. So I went out for a short run of 4 miles. Though I felt fine during the run (I was aware of the twinge in my foot), the plantar fasciitis really bothered me for the rest of the day. Every time I walked, I was just gimping around! Luckily it wasn't as bad as the first time round, and by the next day it was back to a twinge. I realized that I had tried running too soon.

So, my new plan is to not run until I feel no twinge in my foot, probably 2 -3 weeks (I was off running for about 10 days before, but I was doing some quick walking). Instead, I will be going to the 9:00 a.m spin class 4 days per week (that is how often it is offered) and revisit weight training (something I have not been doing but know that I should).

This means that there is no way that I can do the Snake River Half Marathon on March 7, especially since there is a good chance that I will just barely be back into my running by then. It also means, that when it comes to the Spokane marathon, that I will probably have to settle on doing the half instead of the whole 26.2 miles.

This is tough, I want to somehow justify doing the full marathon, but realize that my injury was from a combination of too many miles too soon, and bad shoes. I have new shoes, but if I train too hard to do the full marathon, I may find myself injured again and not doing anything! (Though, to be honest, I am still wondering if I can do the full 26.2 miles if I do a run/walk program!)

Correctly Fitted Running Shoes - What a Surprise!

Well, I finally did it. I went to a specialty running store and got fitted for the running shoes that are best for my feet.

The last time I bought running shoes, I went to Tri-State and bought comfortable shoes, though I had it in mind that I wanted Nike Plus shoes for my Nike Plus system, though I was willing to get other shoes and just use my shoe pouch. But, I did find a pair of Nike Plus shoes that were really comfortable that I bought. They are Nike Plus Air Pegasus. I put about 400 miles on them and knew it was time to get a new pair (evidenced by my heel pain).

We went to Blaine, Washington this past weekend to visit my parents, plus it was my birthday. Before going I searched and discovered a running store in Bellingham, WA called Fairhaven Runners and Walkers. My Mom and I went there on Saturday where I was helped by an extremely friendly clerk named Jeva.

She had me walk back and forth a few times so she could see how I walk. She said that I was a fairly neutral walker with a slight over pronation, which she confirmed with another clerk and the store manager. Total I tried on about 10 pairs of shoes, slowly narrowing them down. Some were obviously not good, others were borderline. I finally got it down to two pairs, and I wore them outside for a short jog. And guess what type of shoe I ended up with?

NIKE+ AIR PEGASUS RUNNING SHOES! The same pair I had purchased previously just based on comfort.

This is highly unusual. I would still definitely recommend going to a specialty running store. If nothing else, I now know that I am in the best shoes for me.

And for the shoes, I would like to say, "Thanks Mom & Dad!"

So close and yet so far ... & Heel Pain - Plantar Fasciitis?

I ran 5 miles yesterday, and felt really good as I pushed to finish it in under 44 minutes. As I listened to my final stats, I was hoping to hear a "Congratulations! You have just completed your fasted 5 miles ever" blip. But it did not happen. I checked my stats, and missed beating my fastest five miles by 3 seconds! I finished in 43 min. 53 sec, and my best time was 43 min. 51 secs! Man, what a bummer! It wouldn't have taken too much to push just a little bit harder, if I had only been aware of the time to beat.

Also, towards the end of my run yesterday, I felt a little pain in my heel. This got worse towards the end of the day, and this morning it feels like plantar fasciitis, which I read can be caused by over pronation. I know that I do have too much movement in my feet while running and that I do over pronate, I think it is time to get new running shoes ;-) and make sure that I get some specially designed for over pronation. I was reading too that some good insoles can also make a difference. Meanwhile, I guess I just need to ice it, take some ibuprofin and take it easy (i.e - minimal - if any- running) for a week or so. :-(

Where's Dad?

I got home last night after picking up Erika, and Jeff was nowhere to be found. None of the kids knew where he was, so William and I went all over the house looking for him. Was he playing hide and seek? Something he may have done when the kids were really little, but now? Not likely! To confirm our bafflement, I even looked in the small front closet and William hollered out the back door. Finally, I told Will, "he must have gone for a walk."

So I went out to the front porch to watch for him and immediately saw a dark figure come jogging down the cul-de-sac. It was Jeff! On a whim, Jeff decided to go out and see how far he could run, and said that he turned around at the point where he figured he could make it back. He had gone a mile! Now, for those of you who do not know Jeff, this is a guy who has not run in years (like 20), and has perpetual feet and back problems. Sometimes just walking is painful.

Now I would like to say I am just total inspiration, but I think it was watching The Biggest Loser. Seeing people in way worse condition, people in pain, just push through it and endure for the hopes of a healthier life, people like Dan.

So, kudos and three huzzahs for Jeff:

HUZZAH! HUZZAH! HUZZAH!
I am proud of you honey!

To end this blog with the words of John "The Penguin" Bingham, "The miracle isn't that I finished, it's that I had the courage to start."

Personal Trainer Watching

Personal Trainer watching is similar to bird watching, but, in my opinion, a bit more entertaining. Like birds, personal trainers tend to flock in small groups of 3 or 4 in the corner of the gym. There they chit-chat and lift weights and just generally look cool.

Then comes a client and one breaks away. She commences to inflict pain upon another human being, walking casually along as the woman is doing walking lunges across the gym while holding a bar over her head. Back and forth, then to a machine, and then back to lunges. And all the while she is charging about $60.00 and hour. That is my kind of job!

Now, I have to admit, that client handled everything fine, is obviously used to working with a personal trainer, and didn't seem in too much pain. About 45 minutes later the same trainer was putting another lady through the same paces, and she was having a tough time: red in the face and struggling to hold up the bar. The P.T's grin was just that much bigger!

In between clients, the trainer returns to her corner with the rest of the flock. Most are there every morning, not only is it their job, but it is there identity. Most are women, some are young, others are thirty something with kids, they are all in great shape. I wished my arms looked so good!

Now, I wasn't just sitting around watching the flock of P.T's, but I was on the balcony doing my 9 mile long run. The balcony overlooks the weight floor, so Personal Trainer watching is a great thing to do for over an hour and a half.

The next morning as I left spin, I saw a lady in her early sixties on a row machine with her trainer. You could tell that lifting weights was a recent endeavor in her life. The personal trainer said "just one more" as she leaned over and helped with the last rep. The client was grinning ear to ear with her new accomplishment! It must be those small moments that make being a personal trainer rewarding.