As Dirty Harry famously said in the movie Magnum Force, “A man has got to know his limitations.”  Sadly, I reached mine about five weeks ago.  I did not run the 2010 Houston Marathon, but my pride will recover.

Back in December, I set a personal distance record, running 30-kilometers (18.6 miles) in just under four hours.   When I finished I was so sore, I spent the rest of the weekend with a heating pad attached to some part of my body; my knees, hips, lower back, etc.  I haven’t run since. 

I have long said that it is important to know the difference between pain and injury, and I am concerned if I push myself much further, I will seriously hurt myself.  Along the way, I have put up with blackened toes, pulled muscles, blisters, chafing, and a variety of other minor maladies.  But now it’s time to declare victory and go home.  As many of you know from my previous blog, I used to carry a significant amount of excess weight, and I often wondered whether I had done long term damage to my body during that time.   I did not achieve my goal, but there aren’t that many people in the world who can run 18 miles, so I am content.

In the coming days, I will continue to run, but will confine my efforts to 10-kilometer races and the occasional half-marathon.  Congratulations to all of you who raced!

The Director of the Chevron Houston Marathon joined the KTRH Morning News to talk about the completion of another successful year.  To listen to the interview with Steve Karpas, Click Here. 

People often assume that the hard part of training for a marathon is the physical exertion of running so far.  Until last weekend, I believed the hardest part of the training was the commitment of time – not effort.  Much like the kids’ joke, “How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.”

But I am rethinking things after last weekend.  Running that distance took considerable effort, and I spent the remainder of Saturday placing the heating pad alternately on my knees and lower back (and watching college football – GOOO Georgia Bulldogs!).

----------------

  ONE STEP FURTHER:   

Is it any wonder few people actually enjoy running?  Think about all those coaches who used to punish us with gassers and laps every time we missed a block, fouled out of a game, or had some other mental lapse on the field of play.  Exercise guru Dan Riley with the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute takes a look at “running as punishment.”  Click Here

-----------------

 

At this point, anything less than three miles doesn’t even count as a workout. But it wasn’t that long ago that the very idea of running was a big obstacle.  Back in the early 90’s, I was challenged by some of my bar customers to run the Peachtree Road Race; it is a 10K (6.2-mile) run through Atlanta, held annually on July 4^th.  On my first day training for the race I ran a quarter-mile; And. Thought. I. Was. Going. To. Die!  The next day was a little better; so was the next; and the next.  In a span of about six weeks, I was able to run the full six miles!  The rest, as they say, is history.

The point here is simply this; don’t get discouraged.  Once you set the goal for yourself – whether it is running a marathon or getting a college degree – the trick is investing the time and effort into achieving that goal.  In hindsight, that mountainous mental obstacle you were trying to overcome will appear more like a molehill.

It’s not exactly a “One small step for man…” moment, but each of my long runs takes me into unchartered territory these days.  Now that the training has surpassed the half-marathon distance, each week is a new personal record.  Last week, I was scheduled for 14 miles – my longest run ever – but I misjudged the distance and ran 15.5.  Needless to say, I was really dragging that last mile or so.

That raises another point; why is it that some days I feel like I can run till dark, while on other days I can’t wait to get off the trail?  Several weeks ago we did 13 miles, and I finished with so much energy I lowered my overall time by 30-seconds per mile.  The next week we “only” ran nine, and it took every ounce of energy just to get back to the car!  What gives?

Much of it has to do with diet.  Several months ago, I was talking with a friend at the Astros game; he’s a veteran of many marathons, so I value his opinion.  He reiterated much of the information provided by Roberta Anding, the registered dietician at the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute.  Runners have to start building their stores of carbohydrates and water several days before a big run – not just the night before.  We also need to replenish those depleted nutrients after the big run, so he even recommended a healthy post-run pasta dinner!

Motivation is not always the easiest thing to come by.  I stumbled onto this article a few weeks ago, and I hope you can pick up as many tips as I did!  CLICK HERE

In case you haven’t heard, three people died in a 16-minute span while running Sunday’s Detroit Free Press/Flagstar half-marathon. 

There is the occasional death during road races around the country, but three in a single race is nothing short of astounding.  Investigators must be puzzled, given the victims’ range of age and running experience.

Thursday will mark 100-days till race day!  The coaches at KatyFIT pushed us a little harder last Saturday; instead of running the scheduled 13-miles, they made us run 13.1, so we have officially completed half the marathon distance.

It may be October, but someone forgot to tell Mother Nature; the heat index hit triple-digits earlier this week, so it has been difficult to find the motivation to run.  I’m taking my beef to my friends at The Weather Channel!  By this time of year, I was hoping to cut back on using the treadmill, and get some fresh air. 

Sometimes it is not wise to be so enthusiastic.  Last week, I was doing some speed training on the elliptical machine at the gym.  Normally I prefer doing those runs outside, but it was thundering that day.  So, I played it safe and trained indoors.

And then I overdid it.

Over the past few weeks, speed training has involved repeated intervals of fast and slow running; 30-seconds at a near sprint, followed by 30-seconds of walking.  The overall effect will lower your running times.   After only three weeks of speed work, I’ve noticed my training times have already dropped significantly.  During our 12-mile run, I managed to maintain a 12-minute mile; that’s 30-seconds off my intended marathon pace.  But I digress…

Last week, I did 14 repetitions of the “30x30” – and pulled a calf muscle.  It wasn’t serious, but I missed Saturday’s long run.  That brings me to this week’s point; know the difference between pain and injury; I also refer to them as ‘good hurt’ and ‘bad hurt’.

Pain is not the enemy; I think it is often a reminder that I worked hard the previous day.  A little muscle soreness should be expected; it’s a sign of progress.

Injuries, on the other hand, should be rested. Pain in the joints or bones is not good.  If it persists, consult a medical professional. 

After a few days rest, I’m back on track.  We’re running 13 miles Saturday, so we’re halfway home!

PUMP UP SONG OF THE WEEK:  I had to take a break from training this week, because I felt all used up.  That’s a lousy segue into a cool song from Bill Withers

This is the picture I used to audition for The Bachelor; I’m still waiting for their call.

Now I own most of that stuff.

In hindsight, it’s a surprise I didn’t seriously hurt myself.  Now, I run with a group of motivated and knowledgeable people, and learn something new every week.  For example, that goofy looking light on my cap came in handy during last Saturday’s 12-mile run:  the first four were in the dark!  The bicyclists hit the trails just after dawn, and a mirror can help you avoid a nasty collision; the same is true for all that reflective tape.  I won’t wear short-shorts or tank tops, because after losing nearly 200 pounds, my body looks like a melting ice cream sundae!  I need the extra fabric to avoid chafing.  And I’ll save the backpacks for hiking. 

Water belts can be a life-saver on a long run.  Even though we’re in the early days of fall (it officially starts today!), hydration is still an issue on these warmer days.  You can’t store up all the liquid you need the day before a long workout.  It’s an ongoing process, so there’s no quick fix.

Looking back, it wasn’t a very good run.  First, I don’t like crowds; not that I’m phobic or anything, but I prefer to have a little elbow room regardless of whether I’m running or sitting in a restaurant. I like my space. 

Let me add it was no one’s fault; to rephrase an old adage, Stuff Happens.  Several groups were running the same path Saturday and we all converged on the same spot at the same time; a single-lane bridge over the spillway where Terry Hershey Park connects with George Bush Park.  Suddenly 40-odd people were trying to work their way through a bottleneck while trying to maintain their individual paces. 

There was another surprise at the gazebo (aka, the finish line); several groups had set up display tables in the area.  This is not unusual for the sponsors of Katy FIT; various retailers, shoe companies, organizers for charity races, etc.  But this time, the food vendors were there for another group (I managed to get away with a free bottle of water; sorry!).  Again, it was no one’s fault; I am not laying blame.  It is a public park, so we all share!  On any given week, Katy FIT is several hundred strong; now add a couple hundred more people and it starts getting crowded.  I mentally threw up my hands, and decided to bypass the stretch.  Big mistake.

 

According to recent articles in Runner’s World Magazine, stretching is not only mandatory, but it can help rehabilitate injuries and improve range of motion.  It is also important to stretch both before and after the workout.  Experts suggest warming the muscles up with a quick, 10-minute run before stretching.  Don’t overdo it; that can also lead to injury.  Every runner should develop a regular, well-balanced stretching routine.

I know what you’re thinking.
I can see it in your eyes as you drive past me. 

For those of you without a window in your office, it was a little damp yesterday, but a few dedicated souls braved the weather during the midday at Memorial Park to get in a few miles.  The basic rule of thumb is if it’s not thundering, it’s safe to run.

True confession time:  I’m a day behind on my training schedule this week, and I couldn’t afford to miss another run because Mother Nature decided not to cooperate.  It was a nice cool day, and I needed to do a “speed” run, which is hard to do on a treadmill because the pace changes rapidly.  Besides, I like running in the rain.  As I said in a previous article, there is a special sense of accomplishment that comes from training in the rain, because other runners – even the hardcore set – decided to stay home.  I guess that answers the “idiot” question from above!