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.)

I spoke too soon

After my perfect training week, I managed to get sick. I guess I spoke too soon about my training going well. I almost did not want to post about the week, but I wanted to share my training because it worked out so well, so I wrote it anyway.

Monday. Rest. Allergy shot.

Tuesday. Trail run/endurance. I spent 2 hours on the trails of the Pennypack Wilderness and enjoyed exploring several new trails, and sloshing through 6 inches deep puddles and mud. I took a nice fall at one point, and brought home mud stained clothing as a souvenir. I wore my Altra Instinct's because I was hoping for smoother trail, and they did not work so well in the mud. Lesson learned.

Wednesday. Massage. I was long overdue for this. My last massage was in December. This has been one of my secret weapons of feeling good. I have been trying to get a good massage about once a month. The massage is whole body, but I always ask for a little extra attention on my legs and I can really feel a difference afterwards.

Thursday. Trail run/speed work. I met my wife at a local park for this run and started out at the same time that she started a walk with a friend. I set off towards Valley Forge and found some of my favorite trails. I kicked off my shoes for a mile and a half of this run and that's when I focused on my speedwork. After returning to my shoes, I caught up with my wife and walked back to the car. Total time was about 45 minutes.

Friday. Sick.

Saturday. Sick.

Sunday. Sick.

I am just 2 1/2 weeks from my first race of the year, so I still have time to get some good training in before a taper. I want to make sure I do not build up too fast after being sick, too. My planned speed work for this week is going to be pushed to the weekend and I may adjust my schedule slightly to accommodate this. I never really write up a formal training plan anyway. I just set good intentions and make things happen with the time I have available any given day. This usually works out well for me. I have done formal training in the past and while I saw results from that, I still see good results this way, too.

Run, ride, yoga, repeat

Back in October, I had an opportunity to visit Estes Park and Boulder, Colorado, and I met with my online running coach while I was there. We worked on some form drills, and he took me on some great runs in and around the Rocky Mountain National Park (about 20 miles total.) My wife was with me, but she is not a runner, so she was attending the Yoga Journal Conference at the YMCA. I found out that one of the sessions on the last day was with the YogaSlackers, so I made a last minute decision to sign up for the workshop. I learned several new techniques with the slackline and had a great time there.

Since that trip, I have been making sure to practice my form on most of my training runs. I am not training for anything in particular right now, but I am trying to make sure I keep my fitness level over the winter because I am thinking about running a 30K trail race in July. I have been doing power yoga at least once every two weeks (sometimes as often as once every week), and I have started mixing cycling back into my routine. Over the last few weeks, I have also been experimenting with my barefoot running again, even with the colder weather. I have been braving the trails for short distances, even in the snow and cold mud, and I have been feeling great. One one of my runs, I managed a little more than a third of a mile, barefoot in the snow, temperatures around 30F. More recently, I did just under 4 miles on the trails, completely barefoot while it was 45F outside. I am being very careful with this experimentation, making sure to carry shoes with me, just in case I start to feel uncomfortable.

My plans right now are to continue running 3 days a week (with some barefoot running on one of those days when the weather cooperates, a structured workout of some kind on another, and a free run on the third day), cycling 2 days a week in the indoor trainer (one short and easy, and the other longer for endurance training), and power yoga 1 day a week. This seems to be a perfect recipe for me for both strength and cardio, so I am going to stick with it.

I also wanted to share one gadget that I got for Christmas this year that I think everyone will find to be fun. It's called a Fitbit One, and it keeps track of your steps and stairs taken throughout the day. It's been fun to see my steps after longer runs, and it definitely helps keep me motivated to keep moving, even when I am not running.

Take care, have fun, and keep running!

I run because it is fun

When I started running last year, I started because I was having fun. I had just picked up a pair of Vibram FiveFinger (VFF) KSO shoes so I could do some barefoot hiking while keeping my feet protected from the ground. I liked the idea of hiking more naturally and I have hiked barefoot in the past. These new KSO's seemed to be the perfect match for me. I did a lot of hiking at first, including 20+ miles in Sedona, AZ. Shortly after I started hiking with the VFF's, I started reading about people running with them. I thought the idea was worth entertaining, and so I eventually gave it a try by adding a few minutes of jogging every once in a while to my early hikes. I quickly realized that I was having fun. I finally rediscovered an activity that would keep me active and help increase my fitness. Prior to 2010, the last time I did any running was back in 1994, my senior year in high school, when I ran Winter Track and Spring Track.

I am motivated to do something when there is a fun factor, and although the walks and hikes, and occasional bike rides that I had been doing over the last few years were fun in their own way, I found that I was having more fun by running. I could put in more miles over the same amount of time, and get more out of that shorter time. The VFF's also made me feel like I was youthful again, because they were so light, so I felt like I had a lot more energy. I found myself having fun on the trails hopping over fallen trees, skipping across rock fields, and jumping off larger trees and ledges that I may have gone around before.

In recent weeks, I had to remind myself about the fun factor as my workouts were becoming more routine and borderline boring. I was frequently stuck indoors on the treadmill or indoor bike due to wet or cold weather.When I would go outside, I would have to wear a lot more layers, and limit my time. I still had fun because I knew I was doing something challenging to myself, but the cold, rain and snow kept discouraging me. This month, as the weather is finally starting to warm up, I have been able to get out and do more of what I enjoy the most--trail running. Earlier this week, I took a fun run on the Horseshoe Trail near my home. This was a fun run for many reasons. I was running a trail that I had only hiked in the past. It felt new to me while running it. I had fun again with some of the trees that had fallen across the trail, including a few that I was able to jump. I felt like I was doing parkour (or freerunning) at times, and I probably was. It felt good and I want more of it. I look forward to the warmer weather, and to my upcoming running events. I look forward to more FUN!