Mother Nature's Cruel Games

It seems as if winter is really sticking it to me. The last two Friday night snowfalls have limited my long runs to the great indoors. I can typically stick out the cold weather but it is the snow/ice on the sidewalks that makes me nervous. All I need is one wrong step and I risk falling and facing an injury. 

The first 14 mile run came up two weeks ago. There was not a significant snowfall but I did not trust the sidewalks. My wife and I headed to the Downtown YMCA (Milwaukee) to stomp out the miles on the 1/6^th mile track. 84 laps later, my run was over. That track is great for five miles, maybe even eight, but 14 miles just might be too much. 

Last Friday, the forecast did not lie and we had an annoying evening snowfall. The idea of running 96 laps (16 miles) at the Y did not sit well. For the first time, I coughed up the $4 and ran at the Pettit National Ice Center. 

58 laps were mentally easier than 96.  The Pettit has a 433 meter two lane track that circles two ice rinks which is circled by a nice track for speed skaters.  The building is cold but it beats ice and wind any day. I was fine in shorts and my long sleeved 2011 Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon technical shirt. 

I was not fine with the lack of track etiquette.  My wife and I started running at about 6:30am. As time passed, the track was rocking. The track should be treated like driving; look before you merge and switch lanes. Another issue was runners and walkers rounding the track three wide. A two lane track does not allow that luxury.

It is however a luxury to have that sort of facility less that 15 minutes from my house and a life saver for spring marathon training. I am a very lucky runner. We’ll see what sort of luck I have this Saturday as I venture out for 18 miles. Pettit or pavement bound? We’ll see what Friday night brings. 

Happy Running

Running Again

As promised, this is guest blog two of two written by my friend Kat Fehr. This post is a great inspiration for all runners; especially beginners or those coming back to the sport. Enjoy! 

Hi everyone! I'm excited to be doing a guest blog post here on The Clydesdale Challenge. A little info about me: I'm a quilter, sewist, photographer and a runner. I also love to read and spend time with my husband and our two dogs. Oh and I can't forget my love of ATVing! You can follow me on twitter at @calicocalidsgns or visit me at my blog: http://calicocalidesigns.blogspot.com 

Running Again - by Kat Fehr     
When I was a teenager I used to run to reduce stress. I never measured how long or far I ran; I just ran. I stopped running in college but picked it up again in my mid-twenties to reduce stress. At that time I was running approximately two to three miles a day. At some point, life got busy and I just stopped running.

Now in my mid-thirties, I've started running again. This time I'm running for fun. Yes you read that right; fun. I love the feeling I get after completing a run. I love the energy I have for the rest of the day. I love it when I complete a run where my pace was perfect for the full duration of the run and I did not struggle at all. Running makes me feel good.

But here's the thing; I'm only running 1.6 miles a day. I'm working my way up to three miles with a goal of participating in my very first 5K this summer. This time around I have a good friend who runs marathons.  It's because of her that I've gotten back into running. She reminded me how great it feels to run and introduced me to a professional running store where I was actually fitted for sneakers that work best for my stride. I had no idea such a place even existed. She's been encouraging and always give me tips/advice when I ask.

Even with this good friend at my side, I still sometimes feel less than adequate when I think about/talk to other runners. Most people in the running world are always training for their next marathon. I don't ever see myself running 26.2 miles. In fact, I don't think I even want to do a half marathon.  I don't fit into the long distance running world. For me, three to four miles seems like the perfect goal. 

Recently while visiting the local running store, my friend and the clerk were talking about training for an upcoming race. I stood by quietly. The clerk looked at me and asked how my training was going. Was I participating too? I laughed and said, "No. I only run 1.6 miles a day right now. I'm working up to a 5K." She gave me great big smile and said, "That's great!! I better see you at a bunch of 5K's this summer!" My friend added, "Lots of people don't even run. At least you are running."

That one conversation filled me with encouragement. I don't have to do marathons or half marathons. I don't need to be a long distance runner to "fit in.” I can be a short distance runner and participate only in 5K races but still be part of this great running world. 

If you are new to running, remember that. There is a place for everyone out there on the trails, tracks and in the races.  Distance does not matter; all that matters is that you are running. If you are a seasoned runner, then try to encourage someone new to the sport. You never know who might start running because of your smiles and happy comments.  

Running from regret

Running means different things to different people. I’ve decided to feature a few guest blogs that feature two runners with different goals from mine (Boston Marathon). 

The first guest blog was written by my lovely wife, Rachel Huntington. We live in the same household and have run every race together but our goals and reasons to run are different. 

Running from regret 

It is my belief that most people live with some sort of regret. Maybe it is the one who got away or a wrong career choice. For me, my biggest regret is not joining the cross country team in high school. 

Perhaps it is because I grew up in a household that lacked encouragement. It is my belief that young kids need an extra push and support to do activities that seem intimidating at first.  Mix that with a dash of no confidence and I’ve baked up an excuse. However, I do personally take responsibility for the choices that I have made in my life. 

Throughout the years I would run here and there outside. Once I got to college, I joined the campus workout facility and would pepper running into my workouts. A friend in college even encouraged me to do my first 5k; The Putnam Love Run at UW-Eau Claire. My goal was not to finish last. There were still seven people that finished behind me so I felt good. I still sport that tee shirt!

College graduation led to the real world. I put on over 25 pounds after graduation. There came a day where I had to make a change. With the help of Weight Watchers, a supportive husband and a running routine, I lost 50 pounds and was making my way through various 5k races around the Milwaukee area. 

I remember running my first Sausage 5k Race at Miller Park. After the first mile I thought, this is so dumb. Why am I doing this to myself? My answer came at the finish line. I quickly became addicted to that feeling of accomplishment which would lead to bigger and better things ahead. 

Bigger and better things did come out of all those races. As of today, I’ve completed four marathons, eight half marathons and multiple handfuls of 5, 8, 10 and 15ks. 

I am confident enough to know that I have endurance. In the past few years, I’ve asked a lot from my body and it has been pretty good to me. One thing I lack though is speed.  

Some of blame can be laid on my IT band pain which was the reason my husband posted an IT band stretch tutorial on this blog. That did put a wrench in my running because I worried that pushing too hard would lead to a more serious injury. I did not want to end up side lined from running even if that meant finishing a race dead last.  

A less serious man once said, “If you ain’t first, you last.” Anyone who finishes a run is a winner in my book. However, I forget this when I compare myself to faster runners. 

I am on a local running team with many talented runners. Being a part of this team is great because other runners’ stories inspire me. There are parents who fit running into their crazy schedules and others who log more miles than I can comprehend. 

The best part about this team is that it is open to all runners. It almost makes me feel as if I am a part of that cross country team that I avoided in high school. Sometimes I get frustrated because I am one of the slowest runners on the team. However, I have a great network of support and encouragement that keeps me running. 

The natural running craze

What is with all the hype about natural running? Over the past year or so I have continually heard more people talking about how they are converting over to natural running. While I do give them props for trying something new, I am not persuaded enough to switch over. Many have tried to convince me that it is better for me than my Asics. They act like it’s the cool new thing and everyone is doing it. That mentality didn’t work for me as a kid and is not working for me now. I need a stronger argument.  

I do understand that for some people this can be a good change because they may not have practiced the best running form before and it was affecting their body in negative ways. Many times poor running form is the leading cause of injury in runners. In my case, I have an efficient and strong form that allows me to avoid putting excess stress on my body when running. 

Next is the issue of support with the natural running shoes. Usually they provide very little or no support. Many of the articles that I have read noted that most injuries are caused by shoes that provide the runner too much support. What is happening is people are running with bad form and the extra support is absorbing the excess force that is exerted due to poor form. As a distance runner, that extra support is what allows me to continue running marathons. There is no way I would ever be able to complete 26.2 miles wearing a pair of natural shoes.

So for all those natural runners out there; I respect your desire to change but you can keep your minimalist shoes. I’ll stick to my trusty old Asics to get me through another successful marathon. Below I attached a funny little clip on natural running. 

Until next time, keep enjoying that mild late summer weather because winter will be here before you know it.

The Mile Challenge!

Last night I competed in the first track meet of my life. I ran in the “Wisco Mile,” held at Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, WI. I was one of 24 runners who competed in the Co-Ed Community Mile and finished 9th overall with a time of 5:45:46. 

My first time performance made me very happy and I definitely look forward to running the mile again next year.

It’s not so much the heat as it is the gosh darn humidity!

Saturday morning was my first real encounter with the dreaded humidity. I awoke early to get a good breakfast in before I headed out for my regular Saturday morning long run. I knew it was going to be a warm day so I figured 8am would be early enough to squeeze in a long run. However to my dismay, the humidity was already pretty bad when I woke up at 6am. I ate my normal breakfast and drank 32 oz of water before I left for my run. That is a lot for me to drink before a run but I knew that I would need every extra ounce of water.

Before I headed out the door, I made sure to grab my water belt and a bottle filled with ice and water. I also mapped out a 10.5-mile route that I knew would provide me with decent shade along the way. The route also gave me options to shorten the run if I was struggling too much due to the heat. I learned my lesson running on hot days with little shade last June. On that particular day, I left the house around 9:30am, which was my first mistake. Then of course the route I ran had minimal shade and little options to shorten the run if the heat was getting to be too much. Needless to say on that day, I ended up fainting in my house after the run due to a mild case of heat stroke.

Since the heat stroke incident, I always make a point to get up early on mornings that I plan to take a long run. I also try my best to hydrate well the night before and the morning prior to running. A bottle of water or my Camelbak always accompanies me on a warmer long run. It is also important to wear a good sunscreen made for outdoor exercise.

My run started out pretty rough. I struggled to get a good rhythm going because I was so focused on how tough of a time I had breathing. Finally about three miles into the run, I found my rhythm. My pace picked up but then I hit a stretch that was in the wide open with little shade from the sun. The next two miles in the open really took it out of me and I knew I was going to have trouble making it the entire 10.5 miles. I continued pushing myself until I hit mile eight and realized that if I didn’t cut my run short, I was going to end up passing out again like last year due to heat stroke. Ten minutes later after completing a total of 9.2 miles, I arrived home feeling pretty exhausted but not anywhere near as bad as last year.

Now I have my first real hot and humid run out of the way. It’s time to prepare for tomorrow and my next humid morning run. Until next time, keep running and stay safe in this humid weather that is upon us. Water and electrolytes are your friends.

IT Band Stretches and Strengthening Exercises

Here are a few good exercises to add to your workout routine. Click the link above.