I’m wasted and I can’t find my way home

Due to traveling to Portland and more so to a lack of organization on my part, I was unable to get any training today. I’m not too concerned as I have the opportunity to let my massage take hold and my leg has one more day to be good so I can have four productive days with good footing.

Today’s theme is inspired by Steve Winwood and Blind Faith. I think this suits the situation that Nike dealt with over the last two years in addressing its shortcomings with its core running products. Somehow the Swoosh got high on its global domination success and couldn’t find its soul – the serious runner.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post I’m meeting along with five other running shops and people with Nike responsible for getting the Swoosh on track with our running specialty businesses. Two years ago Nike was going nowhere fast while the rest of the running market was going full speed. Its not that Nike wasn’t a successful business, it just wasn’t successful with specialty running shops. It was sad to see as Nike was created with our customers in mind. In the beginning Phil Knight and others were selling Nikes out of the back of vans at track meets.

When Nike became a global brand selling golf balls and yoga mats it lost sight of the specific needs of its original customers – runners that take their running and shoes serious. Even while it was selling millions of Shox shoes at the big box sporting goods Nike was deluded in thinking they were servicing real runners. On a trip to the Nike Campus two years ago I had one of our customer service reps refer to the Shox as “evil” because Nike was trumpeting Shox sales success, while the CSR knew that real runners hated how that shoe felt and performed.

Fortunately, the message was heard as Nike saw its specialty market decline while other smaller brands grew and grew. I had other competing brand account reps remark that they couldn’t understand why Nike didn’t “get it”. They also knew that if Nike set its mind to it they had the resources to be relevant again. Nike dedicated individuals to resurrect the Bowerman line as a specialty running line that had a mission of fit and consistency.

As someone who grew up with Nike as my first running shoes in high school (Waffle Trainer and LDV) and college (Daybreak and Tailwind) I was glad to see the change. Some of us wanted Nike to be relevant again because it was such an important company in advancing the sport 30 years ago. It wasn’t so much nostalgia as the sport and industry needs strong companies helping to promote the sport. Snappy ads are great but if the product sucks, who cares. Fortunately, the product is once again very good. Now the Swoosh needs to prove it can stay focused on keeping its heritage running customer.

For now the Swoosh is back or at least at Skinny Raven. I think it’s great for everyone, even those who don’t wear Nikes. Nike has the ability that other brands don’t have because of its size to promote the sport in a bigger way and bring more attention and runners to the sport. Being at the Olympic Trials this summer in Eugene was one example of how Nike’s presence elevated the event to a level that all benefitted from. It was an amazing week of competition that had an electric feel everywhere you were in Eugene. I can’t wait for the 2012 trials that will be in Eugene again. You should make plans to go too.

Swimming around in a plastic bag

The day I had been dreading finally came - I went to the pool and swam 500 yards. As I said yesterday I was going to make an effort to swim that far once a week to have a distance listed in the club challenge listings. Fortunately, it went better than I had hoped for and with very little water sucked in.

Of course it's not too hard to keep water out when you swim with your head up like a golden retriever looking for a ball in the water. I actually thought I would have to stop and rest for a spell halfway through but figured I would just get it over with and plug along. What I lack in technique, strength and speed I compensated for with stubbornness and stupidity - all necessary skills if you want to be an ultra marathoner, which I do NOT want to become.

Well, me don't swim too tough

so me don't go in the water too deep. Bob Marley

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After having dinner last week with my friend Jason, who recently finished his first Ironman, he related about his first 500 yard timed effort. He said it killed him to do 15 minutes with no technique or training. I also finished in 15 minutes so I feel good about my first attempt, especially considering I held my breath the entire time. With goggles and better turns I'll be down to 14 minutes in no time. I'll be scary fast if I master a flip turn. By the way, the photo is of Micheal Phelps not me. I can see how one would be confused.

The highlight of the training day was not actual exercise, but my massage. Wanting to be ready to run when I go to Portland tomorrow I checked in with my main guy, Paul, who has put me together countless times. I am a major proponent of consistent massage therapy, especially as one gets older. Without the therapy I've invested in over the years I shudder to think what a black hole of shrunken muscles I would have become. Of course, the best massage is the one you get before you really need it. I hope to be on the proactive schedule rather than the reactive one I've been on lately.

Time to get packed and ready to head down to Portland and visit with the lads from Nike. Always an experience to go to the Nike Campus which I refer to as runner Disneyland. I'll have some fun posts from the house that Phil and Bill built.

Everyone I know says I'm a fool

Today was an opportune day to not run and cross train. For one reason the hamstring bicep was still a bit tender and I really want to run in Portland later this week. Secondly, it was the first day of the National Challenge Competition (NCC) for triathlon clubs.

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Now I have no intention of doing a triathlon, I just want some incentive to cross train. I will more likely cross dress before doing a triathlon but I'll stop short of saying never lest I'm held to that statement. In any case I joined the club so I could be counted in the team totals for the next three months. I joined late last year and could only do one month and enjoyed the extra motivation it gave me to go the extra mile to two with my training.

My main cross train mode is elliptical trainer as I feel it gives the closest training effect to running. It requires you to stand up, balance and maintain the same cadence you would while running. I set the grade at about 6-7 so I can get enough resistance without sitting back as it's important to keep your hips up and forward like running. Resistance for easy run effort is whatever allows me to keep the RPM's at 160 give or take a few.

I add 2-3 pound hand weights to help get the heart rate up 6-8 BPM without losing cadence or having the arms feel flamed out. I don't hold on to the side rails or use the moving handles. For one reason it eliminates the balance aspect of the effort and as I mentioned in an earlier post, running is a balance activity. Another is if you use the moving handles you are moving your arms in a non-running motion. The goal is specificity so you can get the arm workout by holding light hand weights and keep your natural arm movement. The other benefit is you gain some specific strength that will help later in races when the legs begin to go.

I try to get my HR at the same level as if I were easy running, which is 140 BPM plus or minus 5-10 beats. I also did the stationary bike today to score that in my NCC totals. I struggled to get my HR over 110 because I haven't biked since last winter. I lack the specific training to get it higher without my legs going into shock. It will get better with time, but the difference between standing on an elliptical and sitting on a bike is significant.

Now the scary aspect of joining the team competition is that in the spirit of the event I have a goal of swimming one mile per month. I'm not required to swim as some people only bike or run for their training totals. But I figure, what the heck, why not put in a 1/4 mile of swimming each week? I have no doubt that my first post after swimming will be very interesting!

I never did mind about the little things

Today's small victory was achieved the second I set one foot out the door on today's run. We have almost a foot of snow from the past 24 hours and it was still coming down. While staying inside and just doing treadmill would have been easier, I tried to keep myself warm with the idea I was somehow tougher for going into the elements.

I'm reminded of today's title as I slogged along through the neighborhoods trying to find the best path of packed snow. Bridget Fonda used that line with a smile in Point of No Return when confronted with a decision that was do or die. Today required full winter "clobber" as my pal Keith would say. I even needed my run glasses to keep the snow from feeling like little pins hitting my eyes.

Although I feel a little tougher for the effort, it only got me about four miles before I came back in for a few miles on the treadmill. I could have handled more but my hamstring began to get a bit tender from the uneven running so I didn't want to have a relapse again. After reading Keith's blog and giving him advice on listening to his body I couldn't very well beat myself up. I'll be off running for a few days but that doesn't mean I can't become a better runner. Fortunately, I have so many areas to improve I could probably take a week off and be better.

For my first steady week in almost two months I made positive progress and am closer to the goal than last week. I start December where I had hoped to be and with a trip to Portland in mid-week I will get a nice break from winter and some good runs as well. Boston is so far away that I'll focus on having continued good days that will hopefully turn into weeks and months.

Keep working towards your goal and you will always be closer to your goal today than you were yesterday . Lucy MacDonald

Where it's so white as snow

Today was one of those days where you make the right choice of when to run. I chose early this morning instead of later in the day and was given mostly packed snow and calm conditions. If I had waited until the end of the day I would have run through 8-10 inches of snow. For that, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snow get credit for today's title.

Because I chose wisely this morning it was a fairly uneventful day for training. I met up with John Wirum for our usual Saturday run and we pumped out a nice steady 7-miler. I'm hopeful  I can keep John doing more runs with me as that will go a long way towards helping him prepare for Boston. Now is a good time to catch me as I'm not going too far or fast for him. I think he runs much better than he gives himself credit for when we train. I'm predicting great things for him at Boston this spring.

Legs felt good today and I could have run another 3 miles but I'm satisfied with what I got. I can feel the bit of pop in my stride that means I'm somewhat light on my feet, especially through the loose snow. I've been focusing more on my ankle strength and flexibility by doing the balance disc in our shop and on the Bosu ball at the club. I believe the ankle is hugely important towards helping with balance, flexibility and explosiveness.

I remember reading Lasse Viren's coach commenting on ankle power when I was a sophomore in college and it has stuck with me since. Most runners don't think of running as a balance activity but you are always on one leg at a time. Good balance takes the stress off the muscles that go up the leg. Explosiveness in the ankle also allows one to pop off the ground more quickly, thus spending more time in the air and less on the ground. Notice how the Kenyans seem to always be off the ground when running?

There are many ways to work on developing spring in your ankles, but the simplest is just jumping. As I get stronger I'll be adding more plyometric work to my routine. But a very easy way is jump rope as a warm up and focus on being light on your feet. However, if you get tired - stop. You want to train yourself to always be light and loose. Getting tired and slower will help you develop those skills better. I already know how to run slow, so I stop when I feel my form slipping.

Keep it light and loose

Slowly breaking through the daylight

Today was my first cross country ski in almost two years. The last time I skied was December of '06. I've had the best intentions of adding more skiing to my training but seem to have missed out for a variety of reasons each winter. Either the snow wasn't there when I could ski or it was too damn cold or I was so deep into my run training I didn't want to ski right before I left town for a race.

Cross country skiing is great if you live in a small country.

None of those reasons/excuses were available today and I knew yesterday's run/race would leave me a little sore. It was nice to be on the boards again gliding around the trails at Kincaid Park. Having nice weather and adequate snow was a big plus. I was surprised that my balance and technique were there for me. Strength and ski endurance were another story. It became pretty evident that while I do have arms, they were as hollow as a drinking straw. Yes, I have some work to do to regain some semblance of ski strength.

For the first day, however, it was all good and leaves me motivated for more. As I skied I kept reminding myself that one of my best summers of road running came after a good winter of skiing and a few long ski races of 25-30 kilometers. I set two road PR's for 5K and 10K the summer after winning the 25K at the Tour of Anchorage. I just need to find a way to get my skis waxed occasionally as I gave up most of my ski prep tools after I stopped coaching in 2000. One of the things I don't miss about skiing is the damn equipment and driving out to the trails. Once you're there its fine, but the process is more time intensive than running.

A good training day that kept me from beating my delicate legs and out of the damn gym. I look forward to more opportunities like this.

I created a seperate page for my training each day with specifics so I don't clutter this spot up with details. Click on the upper right or here.

I just keep rolling, rolling

One of the best things about Thanksgiving are the Turkey Trot races. I've run the local race almost every year whether fit or fat, fast or slow or warm or frick'in freezing (-25 below in '94). The obvious advantage is creating more space for dinner but also getting your ass out the door on a day it would be easy to sleep in and camp in front of the TV watching football.

Today was a good day as I fall between the above two levels and the weather was also similar. Last year I was in good form and managed to outkick the 2nd place finisher at the state XC meet. This year I had no illusions of greatness, just run strong, steady and feel good before, during and after the race. Mission accomplished. Things went better than expected as I timed 19:05 for the 5K. Splits were 6:26/6:24/6:15 for 1.05 mile loops. I tried to run like I had to go 4 laps instead of 3 and if I hadn't picked up slightly on the last lap I could have done it.

More than anything it was the feel of having good rhythm and no pain. I was 10th at the start and each lap passed one person ending up 6th and just 45 seconds out of first. I was probably 30+ seconds out after one lap so I was running as well at the end as anyone. Running a bit harder and finishing a place or two higher would not have yielded any more benefit and likely done more damage. Where I place or how fast I run in the Turkey Trot will have no bearing on my results when it matters next year. Having a small personal victory will, however. I'll take it and put in a little pile I'm starting and see how high and far I can build it before next spring.

If you are looking for some good Thanksgiving advice I can think of none better than from this Olympic marathon gold medalist. Joanie is one amazing individual and ran 2:49 at the Olympic Trials this past spring at age 51. She just loves to run and challenge herself. I had a chance to talk with her two weeks ago when I was in Dallas. Such a gracious and inspiring individual.

If you feel like eating, eat. Let your body tell you what it wants. - Joan Benoit Samuelson

Eat on