Time flies when you're having fun...

My first few years of running were spent chasing down races and events because I was having fun, and that is what I was supposed to do, right? I recently realized that I have more fun running on my own, or carefully selecting specific events that have more meaning. In addition, I have been doing a lot of cross training, mostly at UFC Gym and Purenergy Studio. Most recently, I discovered the online world of Zwift and I have been putting a lot of miles on my bike without even leaving my garage!

Here are a few race reports from 2016 that I wanted to share:

I finally had the pleasure of running a trail race that I have had my eyes on for a few years--the Radnor Hunt Steeplechase. The course for this race is mostly grass fields, with a few gravel driveway crossings here and there, but the fun part is that there are horse jumps throughout the course, and a few water pits thrown in for the fun of it. I was able to run the race barefoot and had no problems. I would probably consider this race and course to be one of the most barefoot-friendly courses I have ever run. I also found out later that I was not the only barefoot runner there! The other barefoot runner must have been ahead of me because a few of the volunteers made mention of the other runner to me as I passed them. I had not trained for speed, so I was really just running this race for fun. It was a blast hopping and vaulting over the horse jumps, and the water pits were interesting--turns out they are gravel lined. This race benefits a charity called Students Run Philly Style and I think about half of the participants in the race were from this group. It was so much fun watching them have a good time, and it was also fun cheering them on after I finished. At the end of this race, there was a beer garden sponsored by Victory, one of my favorite local breweries. I was able to enjoy a post-run beer and taco and then continue on with my day.

In August, I ran Zane's Run, which I have participated in almost every year since I found out about it (I only missed one year because I was traveling at the time.) I have a personal connection to this race, as the person who puts on this race was in my high school class. The race is an event to raise money for SMA awareness and to help support families affected by SMA. The course used to be at a local elementary school and I used to ride my bike to the race start (they also used to have a 5-mile option which I preferred), but now it is at the district middle school which is a bit further away so I have to drive to the start (and they got rid of the 5-mile option when they moved the race here.) The organizers of this run, and the people who come to cheer others on are so nice and it is just such a positive atmosphere, which makes for a very fun race. The course is nothing fancy--a dash down the high school driveway, a connector path to a development, and then it follows a few neighborhood streets, finally making a U-turn to allow runners to return the very same way they came from. It is a somewhat fast course, but there are some hills in the development that add a little challenge for the return. I set my 5K PR on this course, and I have run it barefoot in the past (my 5K PR was set while running barefoot on this course!) I mostly enjoy this race for the people and the atmosphere--not necessarily the course.

Finally, my third and final race of the year was the Winterthur Run Inspired 10K. This run was held at the Winterthur property in Delaware, and it was beautiful. The race was in October and was very scenic. The race benefited a charity called Operation Warm, providing brand-new coats to children in need. I still prefer trail races, but every once in a while, there is a paved run that catches my attention and this one did just that. They have a video of the course on the web site and that video was what sold me. Of course, I also registered early and got a good discount on the race and that never hurts either. Run Inspired is going to be making a donation to Operation Warm for every entrant of this race, so I have already made a difference for someone in need. I was able to run this race barefoot as well, and thankfully the pavement was smooth enough everywhere except for close to the start/finish line. Again, I was not here to set a PR, but to enjoy the scenery and support a charity.

Here is an update on my past injuries and shoe preferences:

I spent most of 2015 trying to figure out how to deal with silly problems like Achilles tendinitis. I went through a phase in early 2016 where I was trying out padded shoes to attempt to combat the pain. I figured out that while they helped the symptoms for a period of time, the extra padding was causing other problems and those problems started to aggravate my Achilles again, especially when running trails, so those shoes are now pretty much retired already (although I will still use the Asics Gel Nimbus for longer road runs.) I finally found a better solution in 2016 while working with a mayofacial release therapist--she helped me find a few specific stretches to counter a leg length imbalance. Whenever I notice the pain starting to reoccur, I start doing these stretches again and find noticeable relief pretty quickly. My acupuncture therapist made the recommendation about the mayofascial release.

Right now, my favorite shoes for running are my huaraches made by Xero Shoes. I am still throwing in a few barefoot miles here and there for the fun of it (although not so much now that it is Winter.) It took me a long time to tweak my huaraches for comfort, but the time was well spent. I modified my Amuri Cloud's by replacing the rubber heel strap cover with the updated nylon straps. These straps feel so much more comfortable and provide the support that locks my foot in place and prevents any front and back sliding that I was experiencing. I also took the time to personalize the laces while I was doing this so I finally have the red color that I always wanted. These huaraches are my go-to shoe for road running and light trail use. They do not have a lot of protection for rugged trails, but that does not always stop me from using them. I did pick up the latest Xero Amuri Z-Trail model for more rugged trail runs, but I have been having problems with them rubbing uncomfortably. They eventually broke, and I exchanged them for another pair of Amuri Cloud's. When the trails get rugged, I usually just increase my cadence and I seem to do just fine with the huaraches. My go-to shoes for the trails are still my Inov-8 Trailroc's (the 235's work great for short trail runs, and 245's for longer and more rugged trails.)

Looking ahead

The holidays came and went, I blinked, and then it's February? January was a month of catch-up; cleaning the house and taking it easy with my recovery. Just having fun. Work has been non-stop for several quarters now. Running is one of my escapes from work. I can turn my mind off and just get outside and enjoy the fresh air. I started experiencing knee pain back in November, and I am pretty sure I now know the cause. I just did too much too soon. I looked back at my training and realized I did a long run one week, nothing the following week, and then I ran my personal Turkey Trot half-marathon. That's a pretty big jump. I don't remember why I did not run that week but it was probably due to my work schedule. After my 13.1, I started taking it easy... really easy. Runs back down in the 1 to 2 mile range as I experimented with my knee pain to see how much I could handle. I eventually made the decision to see a doctor about the pain and he took an x-ray and basically said it was overuse, and I agreed. He saw no need for an MRI or any further diagnostics (thankfully.) I continued my recovery, bumping up my mileage very slowly through January and I am finally able to run 5K's on a regular basis again. I did a 5 mile run last week after work, and although my pace was slow, I felt great. Right now, the only pain I am experiencing is some tightness in my achilles, so I am back to stretching. Before and during my runs, and when I remember, afterwards. I remember back to my first injury--tendonitis in my left foot (arch) and stretching got my through that. I'll get through this, too.

Up until last week, I had no race plans for 2012. I have a few ideas that I am tossing around, including going back to run the Tyler Arboretum 10K. I had such a great time there last year, and I thought the course was a great challenge. I know I could do better than last year, but will I be ready to push myself in just 8 weeks? I do have interest in another Ragnar Relay, but I do not want to repeat Pennsylvania again. I am thinking Colorado. My coach (PRS Fit) is putting a team or two together, and it would be pretty cool to run with others that he coaches, and it would be great to meet him in person. When I suggested the idea of running this to my wife, I was not immediately shot down as I expected, so this remains on the table. There are a few 5K's I will definitely run this year, including Bournelyf and Zane's Run, but otherwise, my schedule is still wide open. My wife planted an interesting seed as well, but this one's going to have to wait until 2013. I am actually considering my first marathon... Sedona in February 2013. We have been to Sedona so many times that it feels like a second home. I do not know why I never thought to look for a marathon out there, or any destination for that matter, but I would love to run my first marathon in Red Rock Country. The best part about it is that even if I decide I am not ready for a full marathon, Sedona offers a half, a 10K and a 5K, so I would have options.

2011 Year In Review

I had a great 2011. I ran over 500 miles, and recorded 1255 miles to dailymile. To me, that's awesome. It shows that I am dedicated to keeping fit and I have been able to do that because I am keeping my workouts fun. I ran my first 10K, first 10 mile (Broad Street), and first half-marathon (not official) this year. I also dealt with plantar fasciitis and knee troubles, but I continue on. My plantar fasciitis is under control, even though it is not gone. My knee pains are also under control and improving. As usual, I got way too much running gear for Christmas, although it was mostly clothing. When I tried to sort through it with a new closet organizer, I realized it was not all going to fit. I do not need anything else for a long, long time. My dailymile Secret Santa sent me a New Balance shoe pocket, which is awesome. It even fits on my Vibram FiveFingers. I am trying really hard to resist buying any new shoes, but I do have my eyes on the New Balance Zero's due out in the Spring. Last year, at this time, I was doing the PRS Fit Global 5K/10K training plan, but this year, I plan to keep things more casual and simply stay active on my own, especially as I continue to allow my knees to recover from whatever was affecting them. I look forward to keeping things fun in 2012. Happy New Year!

1611 miles

According to my dailymile logs, I've run, biked, walked, hiked and otherwise locomoted under my own body power a total of 1611 miles in the last 18 months. Wow! To make it more interesting, 1109 of those miles have been in 2011. That's an average of just about 100 miles/month. I want to stop myself from keeping the stats when I exercise because sometimes I get carried away with the details, but I cannot help it as they are part of the fun for me. Watching my progress over the months as I went from doing next to nothing to making sure I am exercising at least a few times a week, and even training for runs and rides where I am exercising almost every day of the week, has been part of the journey that is keeping me interested in doing what I am doing. I was not new to running, but it had been 15-16 years since I ran track in high school. I was not new to biking, as I've owned a bike of some sort since I was a kid. In high school, I would regularly go out for 10 mile rides like it was nothing. Looking back on my last 18 months, I am just really amazed. Seeing statistics like this will definitely continue to keep me motivated. Sites like dailymile are not just entertainment for me. It is real motivation and real progress. I am very thankful for the ability to do this. I look forward to bringing those numbers up, even if it is just one mile at a time.

Ragnar Relay PA Race Report

My last goal race for the year is over already. It think I experienced a lot more anxiety about this race than I really needed to. It turned out that this event was just plain fun, although there was definitely more to it than that. Time to grab a cup of your favorite beverage and put your feet up. This is going to be a long one.


The Ragnar Relay is a team event, where teams of anywhere from 4 to 12 rotate running between 3 and 10 miles for a total of 36 legs that add up to somewhere around 200 miles. In our case, we had 10 runners on our team and the PA route is 202 total miles. My official legs were 8.3 very hard miles, 4.8 hard miles and 3.6 easy miles.

It all started on Thursday night. I had every intention of getting to sleep early knowing that my opportunities for sleep over the next two days would be minimal or non-existent. My body was not quite in agreement, and I made it to "sleep" around midnight. Fast forward, or a small skip ahead, to 2AM and my alarm goes off. Time to get up and grab my stuff and head to Phoenixville to meet my teammates. We hit the road by about 3:30AM and made it to the start by 4:30AM, just a few minutes ahead of our scheduled 4:45AM safety briefing. We made a pit stop at the Sunoco APlus across the street for last minute snacks and drinks, then proceeded to our safety briefing, where we learned all of the stuff to prevent us from getting hurt and lost. We were even warned about a few legs where directional markers may be stolen (college campus, night, etc.) Go figure, one of those legs we were warned about was one I was running. More about that later.

As a great way to start things off, two of our runners, including the runner who would start for us were late and did not make it to the safety briefing. We met them immediately afterwards, gave them a crash course on the safety information and then realized it was past our start time and so we took Ethel back and we got things started... 5 minutes late! Now, it was time to drive to the next exchange and make sure she would be okay since she was continuing on to the second leg as well. Okay, easy enough. But wait, now it's my turn. We head down the street to exchange 2 where I begin dressing and gearing up for my run. A quick bathroom stop and soon enough, I am off.

My run started at the Strasburg Mennonite Church in Strasburg, PA and basically went due East down 741, past the Strasburg Railroad and directly through buggy country. The scenery along here is very nice on foot, but very boring by car. Since this was my first leg, and my most difficult, I was slightly nervous, but also very excited because I knew I was getting the tough stuff out of the way. The first 6 miles of this run were flawless and I saw myself running paces I never expected to see (7:00-8:00/mile). But, then I made the turn onto Wolfrock Rd and things got pretty ugly. I was facing a steep uphill. And it did not stop. The last 2.3 miles were straight up. I was chased by buggies twice on this leg, both on this road. That was a new experience...! It was here that I got my first taste of the support that other teams gave each other. I passed several vans parked on the side of the road and had other teams cheering me on! I did have to do some walk/runs on this stretch, but I noticed my walking was faster than my jogging due to the grade of the hill. There was another obstacle that kept appearing on this leg as well--horse droppings. I guess there was a warning about this somewhere in the race bible, but it was a real obstacle and required some interesting maneuvers frequently to avoid the messes. I made it to the Calvery Monumment Bible Church Play Field, passed on the baton (a slap bracelet) and got my first opportunity to rest. I would not have to run again for 8 1/2 hours. Ran this in my more supportive Mizuno's, but that was the last I would wear them during this race... I used my new New Balance Minimus Road's for the remaining legs.

I needed to cool down after that run, but we also had to get moving on to the next exchange to drop off our our next runner. This exchange was at the Twin Brooke Winery in Gap, PA. Looked like a beautiful place, but we did not have time to stick around. Next runner in, next runner out, moving on. Off to the Brass Eagle Inn on Route 30 where our next runner made a fun comment after tagging the exchange and continuing back on the course (running a double). Off to the Salisbury Township Community Park, and we were now at our first major exchange. A major exchange typically has a lot more amenities, as this is where vans trade duties. We got to meet the rest of our team here (most of van 2 were from the DC area.) One of the gems of this exchange was that they gave a shoofly pie to each team. I ripped into it once I found who picked it up but noone else seemed interested.

Next up, Exchange 12 at the Allegheny Lutheran Church. Here, we would pull out our sleeping bags and attempt to sleep in the open fields. We managed to get about an hour or two of sleep, but everyone was restless so we talked, walked around, cheered other runners on, and tried our best to kill time. They sold island noodles with chicken here, which I promptly devoured. A few hours went by, and we were expecting our runner from the other van to come through and someone to find us so we would know to move on to the next exchange since they had a runner taking the next leg. This was our first major mistake of the relay. Due to a miscommunication, we found out that they came and went and were already at Exchange 13, with the runner, so our relay was delayed by about 30 minutes until we go there (the Cumru Township Municipal Building) and let our runner out. This was a pretty cool leg as the route took you straight through the municipal building where all of the heavy machinery is parked, including tractors, plows, trucks, etc. Off to the Reading Public Library/Museum for our next dropoff/pickup, and the start of my next leg.

This leg would be a night leg, so I had full reflective gear and my Petzl headlamp at the ready. The last runner came on a trail and I got to run this trail for about 50 feet, but then this leg turned urban in a hurry. I was immediately in the middle of the city of Reading and my goal was to get to the other side. I kept going straight since I did not see any signs and just as I was about to give up and question whether I had already missed a turn sign, I found one and made the first turn. We were warned about this leg during the safety briefing that the signs were likely to be stolen, and unfortunately for me, it looks like one was either stolen or moved just before I got there. After going a while, I made a few more turns but then ended up on a long stretch for what seemed like too long. I must have missed a turn and ended up at a dead end. I spent a few minutes getting my cell phone out and trying to type on my touch screen phone with my numb fingers, and eventually was able to reach someone else on my team who was able to direct me back to the route. I only added a quarter mile of distance, but I was running on the wrong street for about a half-mile. Ah, well. I did have someone tell me I was running the wrong way, but since this area felt like a ghetto, I did not trust anyone. I also had a lot of kids running with me at several points, and that made it feel like a scene from Forrest Gump. Just like the last leg I ran, this leg also ended with a steep hill, this one only lasting for 1 1/2 miles. It was starting to get dark at this point, which made things more interesting as the sidewalk came and went at many points on this last stretch and we were running with traffic now (not that there was much traffic on this road.) I finally got to the top of the hill, enjoyed a brief downhill stretch, and then I realized there was one more hill. Made it up with no problems, and made the turn into the Reading Liederkranz Brewery and passed the baton again. I was actually feeling good. Not sure how or why, but I was not exhausted. My legs were not tired. I felt like I could run a few more miles, but I would not run again for 10 hours, or so I thought.

We made our way to the next exchange at the top of a nearby hill (named Mt. Penn, which was a big challenge for the runners on the course), where there was a fire tower and we were also very close to the Pagoda, which the runners passed on their route. From here, our next stop was Colonial Electric Supply, which was right next to the Reading Phillies stadium. It was at this exchange that we got our first and only safety warning. Our runner came in without her flashlight on, even though she had it on her. No big deal. We made the exchange and then set our next runner off (Stacey). At this point, it was just Ed and myself, and we knew this was a long leg, so we made sure to drive ahead so we could meet up with Stacey and make sure she was okay.

We caught up with her at the half-way point and noticed that she was having some trouble with her knee (we were now on SR-183, just before the construction zone), right before turning off the main road onto an area that would be dark and hilly. I made a last minute decision to gear up quickly and hit the road with her to support and make sure she made it safely. Pacers are allowed on legs that ran during the night hours (5:30PM-6:30AM), but we never talked about anyone running with a pacer in our discussions before the race. I was still dressed from my run so all I had to do was fill my water bottle, grab my headlamp and I was out the door in a minute. No time to mentally prepare or have second thoughts. Not only was it dark on this stretch, it was hilly. Stacey's knee was really not doing good, so she had to walk any time we went uphill or downhill, but she was a trooper and kept going as best she could. I know she appreciated the mental assist, but I also felt better knowing that someone was there to help her if she got into more pain. Since she ended up walking so much, it was also good for the rest of the team to know that someone was with her. I felt great again after this run, although we were going at a much slower pace, it was still another 5 more miles after I had already run 13.07 miles earlier in the day. We finished this leg at the Bern Reformed United Church of Christ in Leesburg, PA where there was plenty of food and free hot drinks. It was at this exchange that we got the sad news that the Phillies had lost their game and ended the season. Bummer. Now, we had our next opportunity to figure out whether to try for more sleep, so we made the decision to get a few snacks and move on to Exchange 24 (there was an indoor auditorium there.)

Upon arriving at Exchange 24 (the Orwigsburg Memorial Building), we found the auditorum and spread our sleeping bags and caught a few more z's. We woke up a few hours later after Stacey got a call from the other van, and packed up and moved on to the next exchange as the other van would take care of the next leg from here. Lesson learned from exchange 12, no mistake this time! We met everyone at Exchange 25, better known as heaven (Christ Church Mckeansburg). We were met with an insane spread of food, a bonfire, and the cleanest, most pleasant port-a-potties we had seen so far. The church group here was so pleasant to talk to, and they took such good care of us that we did not want to leave. Unfortunately, we made our exchange and picked up our runner and had to move on. My last leg was up next.


This was my final leg of the relay, and it started from a field on the side of the road along SR-895 in New Ringgold, PA. So exciting. This exchange was also unmanned, which made it even more exciting. The start time for this leg was 5:09AM, so it was VERY cold (around 40F). Night gear on, and soon enough I was off. I selected my runner position because I wanted the hard stuff out of the way early, and therefore this was a very easy run for me. It was all down hill! Well, almost. There 233 feet of elevation loss and 99 feet of elevation gain, for a net of -134 feet. I was able to put cruise control on and fly. I saw a 6:05/minute pace on my Garmin at one point and was very surprised. I was still feeling great, and then my shoe came untied. Remember I said it was cold? My fingers were numb so fixing this was a fun challenge, but I eventually got it tied up and was back on my way, but I had lost momentum and my pace had slowed down a bit now. I only had 3/4 mile to go, and was able to push on. I opened up into a full out sprint at the end and came in to the exchange at the Pratt Family Restaurant in Andreas, PA at a 5:14/minute pace for the last 1/8 mile. Sweet! I felt good for about 10 seconds and then realized I was in pain. I had pushed too hard, but I was done. My last leg. I walked it off for about 20 minutes and realized I did no damage and started to feel better. I was able to change out of my wet running clothes for the first time in 21 1/2 hours, into dry clothing and felt even better.

Our next stop was the East Penn Elementary School where I took the opportunity to drink my first coffee since earlier in the week, and enjoy a donut while daylight began to appear. Guilty pleasures, but they were well deserved. We made our exchange and moved on to the Mahoning Township Offices and Police Department. The drive between these exchanges was beautiful, as we were now much further north. We saw some trees here that were starting to change colors, and just some nice stretches of open country road that seemed like they would be pleasant for the runners, if it weren't for the hills. Hopefully the scenery provided enough of a distraction for the runners. At this point, we made our way to the last major exchange (Lehighton High School) and met our other teammates from the second van. We took advantage of an excellent breakfast, picked up some baked goods, and just relaxed while we waited for our last runner from our van to make the exchange. The students at this school had plenty of fundraisers going on and they were very good about marketing these to the runners. They were offering massages, showers, baked goods, and even a dark gymnasium for sleeping. Nothing was expensive and their hospitality was welcoming. At this point, it was time to make the trek to the finish.

The finish area was at the Inn at Pocono Manor, in Mount Pocono. There were bright orange tents everywhere again, very similar to the starting area, and a lot of flat ground to give everyone the opportunity to spread out and relax. While waiting for our teammates in the other van, we took advantage of a free 10 minute massage, free assisted stretching, free food and a free beer. I perused the gear tent and walked away with just a 16 oz glass. I wanted a lot more, but I resisted the urges. After a while, we got the call that our runner was approaching, so we all gathered about 100 yards before the finish line, waited for our runner, and then crossed the finish line as a team. We got a sweet medal (with a built-in bottle opener), a decal for our cars, and a reusable tote bag. It was time for a few team pictures in front of the sponsor vehicle, and then reality hit, it was over. We had made it 202 miles in 34 hours, 39 minutes and 42 seconds, and we did it with 9 1/2 runners (our team captain, Chuck, injured himself during his first leg so others had to take over for his other legs). Not too bad. I was still standing, and still feeling good. Everyone else on the team seemed to be feeling good as well, including Stacey and her knee.

As I already mentioned, I had never met any of my team prior to starting this race, but we were definitely friends at this point. It was tough to say goodbye, especially to the runners in the other van, of whom were all from the Washington, DC area (a few of them had recently run the Ragnar Relay in DC.) The runners in my van were all local, so I will definitely be seeing them again. I had a blast. I am already thinking about doing another one (but it will need to be someplace more scenic such as Key West, Colorado, Las Vegas, Del Sol, or the Napa Valley.) Next time, I hope to be able to rent a van, and no matter what we do, we need to decorate the vehicles. We did not decorate our van this time, but we did get smart and got ourselves a driver. That was so helpful as it allowed us to concentrate on our running. It was hard enough to get through the rest of the logistics.

Now that this event is over, I have no more goal races for the year. I may run a Turkey Trot around Thanksgiving but I am not registered yet. I may wait until the last minute to decide on that. I have been getting out for a few runs a week since Ragnar, but it is nice to just get out and run for pleasure instead of running with a purpose. I am thinking about volunteering for the Philadelphia Marathon/Half-Marathon in November, since it is full. I had thought about doing this last year, but those plans never worked out. I have no immediate plans to start scheduling anything for next year. I do know that I want to run a half marathon at some point, but I want to run a fun one--either a trail half or at least one some place scenic.

If you have any suggestions for races or events that I should consider, I am definitely open to your suggestions!

30 days

Walk. Workout. Workout. Run. Run. Attempt at Phillies game. Spin. Yoga. Run. Run. Bike. Run. Hike. Workout. Run. Run. Walk. Run. Eat a lot. Workout. Yoga. Run. Get older (birthday). Mountain Bike. Actual Phillies game. Run. Gain 8 pounds. Eat a lot more. Walk. Run. Lose 6 pounds. Workout. Get poked. Buy new shoes.

Yep, that's my last month in a nutshell. I think. Probably forgot something. I'm older now.