All in all, just another brick in the wall

Howdy all. I feel I have missed my training this week as indeed I have! Tuesday and Thursday I shirked the responsibility to put left in front of right and then reverse. I promise that I did not forget to train, I just trained differently! Yesterday was high altitude training with an art auction at the top of the Calgary Tower. Who knew high altitude workouts could be so culturally significant?

If you want to dance with dirt tonight a few of us are meeting at 530 pm for a Weaselhead trail trot. We are meeting at the 37 Street parking lot just south of the Grey Eagles Casino. Let me know if you are coming so I can watch for you!

As for tomorrow and our Saturday run, I need to stay close to home so we will do the selfish start from Mallard Point in Fish Creek Park. This is the far east end of Canyon Meadows Drive. Sorry Ally and Jodi, but I promise you will enjoy the route. See you at 8 am with at most 28 km (Christine's need) or as short as a 10 km loop.

I was chatting via email with another Jody who is starting to discover the fatigue of longer training trots. She is walking-running-jogging the Lausanne Marathon. These hot days and longer training distances can really challenge our bodies as we are unused to the strain of endurance. Remember that these long training days are practice for the eventual day of the event. These days will NOT all be perfect as we are trying to figure out what does work and what challenges us to try again.

Experimentation with training tools is important to figuring out how/why/when/what etc. will propel you to your eventual finish line. My lovely bride Joy (happy sixth anniversary this Sunday) has been struggling with a bum ankle ever since I broke her in Budapest and London. She has been trying many different ways to fix the problem. What is the final solution? We are still searching for the answer. The great thing is many of our friends are helping her find the way to the finish line with support, encouragement, and sweat equity! Power to the group that sticks together.



Some days you need your friends to get you up that hill!

I thought I would close out with a little 'You know you are' from a few years ago. I don't recall who should get the credit but it is certainly not me! Enjoy the thoughts and see what relates to you.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A RUNNER...

* when the drive to the race is longer than the race itself
* when you keep your family updated on how far you are from your destination by saying "There's only a half-marathon (10k, 5k, etc) until Grandma's house," and everyone knows how far that is.
* when you run to your gate at the airport even though you aren't late and you aren't wearing running shoes
* when you pack a separate bag for your running clothes
* when your idea of sightseeing involves visiting the local running store and finding the best places for hill repeats and long runs
* when you get off an 18 hour flight and go for your long run because a) you need to stretch your legs, b) you want to see the city/country, and c) you have a scheduled run
* when you realize that all the traveling you did in the last year revolved around races
* when, on trips, you find it entertaining to see how fast you can convert speeds and distances from miles to kilometers and vice versa
* you avoid travelling to places where you won't be able to run
* when you get back from vacation and the first thing you tell people about is how the running was
* when you fly with your running clothes and shoes in your carry-on bag

NUTRITION

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A RUNNER...

* when all your friends think you eat too healthy
* when you not only eat gels, but you know the best flavors for every brand
* when you consider pasta to be a food group
* when the sports drinks are in front of the soda, beer, and juice in your fridge
* when you know the name of all the checkers at your local health food store
* when you have two eggs, two pieces of toast, a slice of cheese, a glass of juice, and a yogurt for breakfast and are still hungry by 11 AM
* when you drink your least favorite kind of sports drink because you know it is what they will be handing out at water stops for your next race and you want your body to be accustomed to it
* when pasta is the only food you'll eat two nights before a race

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A RUNNER...

* when you've run, showered, and eaten breakfast before your family/roommates even wake up
* your family knows that you will run on Thanksgiving and Christmas (or other holidays you celebrate) now matter what
* your friends no longer look at you like you're nuts, because they know it for sure
* when you forget birthdays and anniversaries, even major holidays, but never the date of your next race
* when you have to make a real effort to remember to talk to your (non-running) family and friends about something other than running
* you register for a race during your honeymoon even though your new spouse is not a runner (and he's not surprised or angry)
* when your boss tells you to go run because you're having a bad day at work
* when your family plans vacations based on where your next marathon will be
* when your non-running family and friends know the differences between feet that are neutral, over-pronating, and supinating
* when you run so much that your family has a separate laundry basket for your running clothes
* when people stop asking you if you are going to run today, but rather ask you when
* when your friends buy sports drinks for their party so you'll have something to drink, since they know you have a run/race the next day
* when you tell your realtor that you want a house in an area with good schools and a nice area to run
* when you tell people you ran a 10k and you are shocked that people think that is a long run
* your spouse and kids (and maybe even friends) know your PRs at different distances
* when you call 4 miles an easy day
* when your friends know that if you don't answer your phone, you're probably running
* when you try to convince people to run a 5k because it's "only" 3 miles
* when you pass on going out with your friends on Friday night because you have to get up early and run
* when you no longer have to explain to your friends why cotton isn't the best choice for running attire
* when an exciting date for you is going with your spouse to drive your 20 mile route for the next morning and plant sports drinks along the way
* when you come back after a 1 hour run and your spouse says 'That was fast. I didn't expect you back so soon.'
* when your friends think they need to practice more before they can run with you
* when you smirk at people who tell you that you run too much or are crazy for enjoying a run
* when your spouse begs you to go for a run because you are in a bad mood

INJURIES

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A RUNNER...

* when you know how to pronounce (correctly) Plantar Fasciitis
* when you have a favorite ice pack
* when your massage therapist knows your race schedule
* your room smells like a nursing home because of all the analgesic you use
* when a pool is started to bet on when your next toenail will fall off
* when you run even though you are sick
* when you put more time and work into taping parts of your body than to your tax return
* when you laugh about chafing
* when you go through a box of Band-Aids without getting a single cut
* when it hurts worse to take a shower than it does to keep running
* when you find yourself standing in front of the mirror trying to see if you have a leg length discrepancy
* when you know the names and remedies for every possible injury from bursitis to shin splints
* when you could teach a class about biomechanics and the different kinds of shoes people need
* when you are the only person in town who knows what quinine is used for besides treating malaria
* when your physical therapist or massage therapist is on speed dial
* when your rolling pin is kept near your bed instead of in the kitchen

CLOTHES

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A RUNNER...

* when you refuse to wash your running shoes because the dirt is a badge of honor
* when every T-shirt you own has a race name and sponsors listed on it
* when your socks come in two categories: running socks and others
* when you go from having a drawer for your running clothes to having an entire bureau for running clothes
* when you have tons of race shirts but can't find a work shirt for the life of you
* when you balk at the cost of everyday shoes and then spend $75-$100 on a pair of running shoes and think you're getting a fabulous deal
* when you refuse to buy running shorts with a seam longer than 2 inches
* when you think a black Timex Ironman watch goes with black tie dress
* when you are constantly washing running clothes but have to go through piles of clothes on the floor to find work clothes each morning
* you can shop at MEC and your local running store for hours, but can't stand 5 minutes anywhere else
* when you spend $12 on socks that help you avoid blisters
* when you have more shoes than your girlfriend or girl friends (as the case may be)
* when you have to explain to everyone why you can't run in the T-shirts you get at races

That's about the size of it! I think I relate to most of it, how about you???

A Fueled by Fine wine Race Report

Woo Hoo! Now that is an event that could keep John and Joy going forever. Wine for Joy (John drinks beer so whine for me) and non-stop undulations for John (Joy whine's when hills are added), so a perfect mix for a perfect day in Dundee.

As you might know, Dave, Christine, her Chiropractor Ernie, his wife Lana, and the two of us trotted down to Portland Oregon for the third annual Fueled by Fine Wine Half Marathon. We came, we whined on wine, and we conquered! Not quite as big as the Medoc Marathon, but get there before it grows!

Don't ask, I couldn't flip...but this could also be from me keeled over out of breath!

Before I get into the race details, I thought I would share some weekend trot info. I had mentioned in an earlier blog about perhaps trying out Upper Kananaskis Lake loop. It is a moderate 16 km loop with some rocks, small undulations, but apparently a no go warning from the trail gods:

As of July 11th there was a 20-metre wide section of the Upper Kananaskis Lake Circuit under about 1 metre of running water where Hidden Lake drains into Upper Kananaskis Lake. Use of that section of trail is not recommended.

Heck, it is only 1 metre deep, I know, I am getting soft in my old age. But I know you all don't want to pressure me to conquer a fear of swimming so we will have to try it another weekend this summer.

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So instead of a Kananaskis adventure I think I will keep it local-ish. The weather looks great so perhaps a trot in the Bragg Creek area for those interested? Who is in??? Let's meet at the Tim Hortons at West Hills Shopping area for an 8 am carpool and drive out to Bragg Creek. For those wishing to drive out that way on there own you can meet us in the parking lot of the main mall (next to the burned out gas station) for approx. 845 am. We will confirm the route and distances based on the participants who wish to come. I will try to ensure walk options for those who wish to hike. Let me know!

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As you will see in some of the next few photos this event was not for those that find Prince's Island a chore to walk. There were many ups, downs, canted slopes and bump filled grassy lanes. But all this could not even make us feel defeated as the pure spectacle of the vineyards, the winery buildings, the flowers, and all things that make Oregon a beautiful state (did I mention NO sales tax!!!) I like to travel for my major events and this is one that Joy and me have said we would definitely do again. Yes the 1000ft of elevation gain on trails was hard, but those that joined me on the Prairie View Trail a few weeks ago did more - and survived. Even if you are not a wine drinker (I prefer beer as above), the event was enjoyable for the non-drinker. I see this becoming a huge destination event as things progress.

So here are a few photos for you to sample the Fueled by Fine Wine Half. enjoy the Blackberry view of 21.1 km.



The start. Race shirt up close and a downhill start...but an uphill finish!

 

My motivation!



Two miles up and then you lose it all. I think Joy lost it on me here...

 

It's only those first few minutes that can suck...

Notice the up, up and away? We felt like superhero's!

If you read the small print you will understand the first 8 miles of the event. Each sign had a different descriptor.



Joy gladly found a downhill to try out her new running legs.



Yes, 13 of 13.1 is Breathless!

 

and finally a rose between two thorns. Thanks Dave!

 So, are you in next year???
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The summer doldrums have hit and the attendance is down. Too hot!  On vacation!  Hung over from Stampede! We all have the excuses to skip out on the middle of training and take a break. But why are you not there???

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We all have suffered from some sort of injury over our training cycle and need to protect ourselves from further injury.  You try to make an appointment with your Chiropractor or Physiotherapist but can’t get in until next week.  What do you do?  For some of us we decide to suck it up buttercup and keep going.  While the finish line is still there we most likely have made the destination less achievable.  We need to think of ways to protect our body and lessen the damage we have created. 

We should first look at why we are feeling injured.  Is it preventable?  I know staying in bed is a good way of staying injury free (depending on the bed wink-wink) but we have joined our fellow athletes to get exercise and train for a goal.  How can we stop the pain while still maintaining our goal?  A day off can help, and should be applied if you are feeling beat up.  What else can we do to shorten the pain and lengthen the gain of training with the group?

Do you all know the old acronym R.I.C.E.?  It is rest, ice, compression and elevation.  These are a simple and usually effective thought process to relieve body stress from our training.  The simple process lessens the inflammation that we face on our long training days.  While having a hot shower/bath may feel better, the effect on recovery is better with cold.  Try turning the garden hose on the legs and feet for about 2 minutes after exercise.  Then hop up to the shower and have your hot steam.  Your recovery should be reasonably better. If you make it out to Bragg Creek I will be tossing my feet in the mountain water!

Anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce the swelling, but they do not help the cause of the swelling.  Drugs are purely a mask of the underlying problems.  If you continue to use them they can create some body effects that may be worse than the original condition.  Use these drugs as sparingly as possible. 

A good stretching routine will help the body the best for long term training, and hopefully prevent injuries from starting which would be the preferable solution.  When I found my best performance was after a month of concentrated stretching with my college coach.  A short warming trot followed by a few minutes of stretching warmed our bodies to the point that there was little resistance to the rigours that our training created.  We do a short walk before we run, but some go further by stretching while we discuss the evening’s topic.  If you are feeling tight during training try a good stretching routine before we head out.  We have provided a number of stretching tools to get you ready before we go out.  I found a great site for stretching that we can do at home to prevent some of our most common pains.  Check out http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/126.shtml for some good illustrations to work the head-to-toe athlete. Yep, stretching advice from a non-stretching dude... 

We talk about different injuries that some of us face.  If we get to that point that further help is needed that the home cannot provide you need to take that step.  Ask your training friends if they have an injury specialist that they trust.  They can start you in the right direction to find your solution.  When you do see this person, remember to tell them everything and ask questions!  They will give you better results! 

We are only touching on the whole injury thing as there is no perfect solution for all that ails (or ales?) us.  We need to use common sense sprinkled with a dose of listening to the body.  Mix in some preventative maintenance and you will have the cake of healthy training.  I like to have cake and eat it too!!!

John 

If you are looking for another group to help with training, check out http://www.calgaryoutdoorclub.com/. They have many group activity options.   

Interested in some Medoc information as Fueled by Fine Wine has you peaked?http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2006/0213/137.html

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and finally a joke from our friend Char.

And God promised men
that good and obedient wives would be found in all corners of the world.

Then He made the earth round....and laughed and laughed and laughed...

Have a great day...John

 

Can a good tie improve your foot?

Well Hello and Happy Thursday! It is a wonderful and sunny Sneak a peek day. I have the pleasure of starting my Stampede today as we form up the Corporate Floats. I have been a volunteer with the parade since the 80's, now in my 23rd year, and this year got promoted (still no wage increase for volunteers) to the Corp. Float portfolio. I look forward to the flowers, the people, and of course all the horse poop that comes with the Greatest Show on Earth. Giddy up!

Jen, Peter, Jamie, Carolyn, Tamara, and me enjoying the falls

It has been a hard days night of activity these last few days. We had a great group trot in Fish Creek last Saturday, Joy and me met the penguins for the first time Sunday, Monday six of us conquered the mountain above Barrier Lake, Tuesday Joy again beat me up with TRX, and finally last night Jamie, Paula, Christine, and me Danced with Dirt once again on the west end of Fish Creek. Jamie unfortunately disturbed a horse fly and was bit on the arm. Apparently that wasn't enough for the bugger (pun intended) as I have a welt on my leg to prove its' hunger for more flesh. I hope it dies from gluttony!

The view from the top of Barrier Lookout. Thanks Jamie for the pics!

So this week there will be many distractions to prevent our group from grouping. Tonight I may not be around due to the parade prep. We shall see though...Saturday there will be many distractions to our usual paths so lets head to the NW and run from Edworthy Park, Shaganappi Trail side. We can either run downtown to have a pancake breakfast at the turn or avoid it all together and head further NW and do a loop of B&G or Bow Crescent. Do you know what B&G is short for??? See you there at 8 am.

The following week Christine, Dave, Joy, and I will be off to Portland to enjoy the Fueled by Fine Wine Half Marathon. Dave is bummed as the wine will not be flowing freely at the 7 am start time. Joy will take care of it though...she is a trooper! Since I will not be around the second weekend of Stampede we will default to Eau Claire and a usual 8 am trot. We are back the following Wednesday so no Tuesday TRX or trot for me. Lauren and the Tech Shop gang will take good care of you though.

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Jen shared with me a local story that relates to barefoot running. While I firmly believe that it has benefits in the longer term for stability and durability of our feet, a friend has produced some interesting research on the subject. I am interested in his thoughts as he helps to create many of the shoes that we wear today. Not sure if there is a conflict with a shoe researcher discounting barefoot ideas, but none the less I trust his findings, if only because he shares the fascination with a good tie...

Dr. Reed Ferber in Avenue Magazine. Beautiful!

 "fMRI research: #barefoot running doesn't result in greater activation of foot intrinsic muscles vs. running shod. - Dr Reed Ferber, U of C Running Injury Clinic"

https://owa5.sait.ca/owa/redir.aspx?C=a3d558cf609b4755b270db1f11651eff&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.abstractsonline.com%2fplan%2fViewAbstract.aspx%3fmID%3d2851%26sKey%3d643b7344-b983-455a-94e5-14272b38fa68%26cKey%3d44dc2815-86d4-473f-b826-71b4fb5b7fc9%26mKey%3d%257BFCDB1C1C-280A-4DF1-95F8-2DAA9AB6A8BE%257D

Can my brain do pushups? (from June 29th)

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Ignore this post if you like...remember the phantom Christmas post received two weeks ago? Well, this was what I had sent. The darned SAIT IS issues caused it. That is my belief...so I am just adding this to the blog a couple of weeks late... Why does life get so busy? I was working with a donor this week on updating their endowment to SAIT. Of course when I pull up their original agreement it was TYPEWRITTEN. How many of you remember the typewriter? Yes, our fiscal year end is two weeks away and caused me to miss my weekly connection to all those sane enough to insanely trot for hours at a time... Speaking insanely, let's meet for some hi jinx on Nose Hill/ Creek  this Saturday. I hear there may be some thunder and lightning so it could be very interesting...Let's meet at the Huntington Hills Community Centre (78 Ave & Centre Street North) and weather depending (last time was snow!) we will choose the route accordingly. See you there at 8 am. ----- So as some of you know Wednesdays I have been cheating on you all and getting dirty on the trails with Jen. She sent me a link to the six reasons why you should join us. I am trying to find time in my busy schedule to head out to Kananakis and do the Barrier Lake Lookout hike/run/crawl. Normally I would hike with the group, but I am in need of selfishness and want to run! This could be a ~10 -14 km hike, a ~ 14 - 25 km trot up and down the mountain then to Kananaskis Lodge...I get tired just thinking about it! Dang, once again images are not working on this SAIT Computer. Imagine a photo of Barrier Lake with a route map for hiking. Beautiful isn't it??? ----- So I have been reading some articles about endurance training and the possible implications. Some say intense training over long periods can produce injury and damage the organs. Others say positive effects are the result. Who to believe? I have always stated that you should listen to your body and let it be your guide. I still push and stretch my training to some extremes. So does our friend Ally (another Ironman???). For my wife she enjoys a more subtle training regimen of short intensity followed by fine wine. I think she is the smart one... So an article for you...This would suggest I am the smart one, or is that smart-mouth? An interesting article from April and bodymindmotion.com Push your brain by pushing your body By Lenny Bernstein I do some of my best writing on the run. I mean literally. When the words won't come, when the syntax doesn't feel right, when I just can't figure out what angle to take on a column, I'll often go for a good, hard run. View Only Top Items in This Story And usually it works. With the sweat pouring and lungs working overtime, the mental fog lifts. I make connections I hadn't seen earlier. How to be clear becomes, well, a little more clear. If you work out routinely, I bet you've had the same experience. Three researchers I interviewed for this story say they have achieved it regularly, on a treadmill, on outdoor runs and on a bicycle, respectively. A couple of studies seem to confirm it. The tantalizing question for those of us in middle age and beyond (I am 52) is whether this short-term cognitive benefit can be replicated over the long haul. Can exercise help keep our minds sharp? And if so, can it help delay or prevent the truly terrifying mental deterioration of dementia, most commonly seen as Alzheimer's disease? Researchers studying both animals and humans increasingly say the answer is yes. Because the science of this mind-body connection is only about 15 years old, there are many caveats and a wide range of opinion on how effective exercise is. At one end of the continuum are people such as John J. Ratey, a Harvard University psychiatrist who synthesized volumes of research for his intriguing 2008 book "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain." Ratey says flatly that there is overwhelming evidence that exercise produces large cognitive gains and helps fight dementia. "Look, the studies are very clear," he said when I called him. "Even if you're in middle age, and you begin to exercise three to four times a week, at fairly moderate rates . . . adding some weights in there . . . you're going to push back cognitive decline by anywhere from 10 to 15 years." In his book, Ratey notes research that MRI scans of the brains of sedentary people who suddenly improve their fitness show increased volume in the hippocampus and frontal and temporal lobes, regions of the brain associated with cognitive functioning. The hippocampus in particular is associated with memory and learning. "The major implication is that exercise not only keeps the brain from rotting, but it also reverses the cell deterioration associated with aging," Ratey wrote. However, a panel of experts convened by the National Institutes of Health for a "State of the Science" conference last month on preventing Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline was much more cautious. Looking at reducing the risk of "cognitive decline in older adults," it wrote: "Preliminary evidence suggests a beneficial association of physical activity and a range of leisure activities (e.g., club membership, religious services, painting, gardening) with the preservation of cognitive function." A few small studies showed that "increased physical activity may help maintain or improve cognitive function in normal adults," the panel wrote. There are no good randomized studies that evaluated the effects of physical activity on delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease, the panel concluded. I asked Mark Mattson, chief of the Laboratory of Neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging, for help in making some overall sense of this. Mattson's best guess is that sedentary, out-of-shape people who take up exercise may indeed see a significant improvement in their cognitive abilities. People who already are fit probably won't see much gain, he said. "If you're overeating [and] not getting enough exercise, getting enough exercise is going to be good for your brain, just like it's good for your heart," he said. Henriette van Praag, an investigator at the National Institute on Aging who studies the same questions through research on mice, was willing to go a little further. "The normal, healthy person likely will benefit from exercise cognitively," she said. In a 2009 study, van Praag described how she took sedentary mice that were three-quarters of the way through their normal two-year life spans and put them on a training regimen, allowing them to run on an exercise wheel for at least a mile per night for a month. The result was "significant improvement in learning and memory," she said. When she trained mice to find a safe platform in a tank of murky water, a standard test of learning ability, "aged runners" caught on after a short teaching period, she said. Sedentary mice "never found it at all." The neuroscience of all this is complex. Researchers have shown that exercise helps produce a protein called "brain-derived neurotrophic factor," which "improves the function of neurons, encourages their growth, and strengthens and protects them against the natural process of cell death," according to Ratey's book. Working out also may improve blood flow in the brain, as it does in other parts of the body. It may even delay accumulation in the brain of plaque associated with Alzheimer's disease. With the incidence of Alzheimer's expected to triple or quadruple over the next 40 years, Mattson says, we need to fund research into all these areas much more heavily or face the huge public health costs of caring for as many as 20 million patients who generally live for 10 years after diagnosis and can require long-term, labor-intensive care. And while the volume of that research grows, the safest course of action for both body and mind appears to be to keep our weight down, follow a regular course of moderate to intense exercise, and stick with it. The MisFits column runs every Thursday in The Post's Local Living section. -----

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