In the beginning, is it essential to note what stimulates these writings. For it is only when one feels utterly compelled to write, or to reflect, that the writing is most honest. Witness this occasion.

I wasn’t initially going to write today. Albeit, I ran a route that last year had me gagging, begging for a greater aerobic threshold, and a nice curb to sit down on, and vomit my inside upon the asphalt.

I returned to this paved pavilion this afternoon, accompanied by one runner who unbeknownst to him has made leaps in a very short period of time. It has captured his imagination, and therefore his potential is infinite.

This time, the course was somewhat more forgiving. Aside from reaching 8 beats short of my maximal oxygen uptake, and easily dropping tens of ounces of fluids on a 35 degree day, the route was more manageable than at this time last year.

There comes a time after a hard run, wherein the body instinctively begins to repair itself, and lactic acid slowly is released and accumulated in the muscles. This lead-laden feeling effectively begins and usually concludes 20 minutes after vigorous exercise.

About 10 minutes following this arduous 8 miles, several other running fellows offered to come for a run with them. After about the first 2 minutes, I began to internally pray: “Dearly beloved, are you listening?”

So the sun went down, the cars went faster, and the legs grew heavier. I began to question my sanity. Was I insane, or just overjoyed? Up to the top of the biggest hill I know of, and back down. Stopping for another 2 minutes, to facilitate lactic acid’s molten path to my muscles. Faith and misery kept me moving.

So I just ran back home. Drank Gatorade, and more Gatorade. I wasn’t going to sit down and write tonight. But the complete depletion and inherent discomfort which I endured and exist therein, has further defined me.

There is a moment after very, very hard runs, when you endure it with someone else, a sense of mutual assurance and trust is established.

I dont know what causes it, but it is inherent in vigirous effort, and it happened today, and I feel no shame.

It has become something of a ritual – A run which transcends, or at least shatters the existing mold of the training run. It isn’t that cliché which they call a “high”, rather, it is more of a new found adventure, or resurgence of the love of sport.
In the last few years in this city here, it happens either in the mid winter or early spring. Certainly before Boston.

My first run with the Boston team here, was my sophomore year, 2005, when I encountered a gargantuan hill called hickory, which still makes me smile when I run it, for its entirety (.5 miles up)
It was a snowy day, and I can recall the conversation, as well as the company. I returned and I felt like I had been re-born.
Last year, it was either one of two run: One wherein I sprinted a workout with a good friend who was running late for an appointment, for about seven miles, the other where I worked much harder than I ought to have as I was a distance runner running a spring steady state with veteran XC runners. 8 miles of hills.
Earlier this year I experienced a similar run, of 11 miles as the sun set over my favorite trail to run on.
Today, I feel I met the run which re-defined much of my training, and paralleled with the fall trail run of this year.

I ran a route with my Coach, and some fellow runners which I had never run. We quite literally scaled a “rock”, to which we could see the entire city, and even beyond.
I then departed shortly thereafter, running through rush hour traffic on the busy city streets, jumping snow-banks like my mother always warned against.
Albeit, I am sore, though feel quite relieved to find this new challenge.

More importantly, I re-acquaint myself with my surroundings, as if someone has removed all of my existing tenacity and aggression; Devoid me of my preconceptions and mislead notions. I meet with old acquanitances, as well as new ones whom I have missed That is the coincidence of the grand adventure.

At times, I cannot sleep when I relish in these memories. As if I cannot escape my own contentment.

Witness my insomnia.

Abolishing The Plan

There are moments in my life, where I feel the necessity to raze all expectations, destroy all time windows, and ignore any degree of wisdom. It is within these actions that I find myself.
Yesterday’s long run was quite fun, and I felt great. 20 Miles, in trails of snow and on road combined for a truly magical experience, and a formidable challenge.
Last evening I was up quite late, enjoying the company of good company and friends (as there surely is a difference between the two), to which rendered be less than 4 hours of sleep before I headed to Harvard for a track meet.
The more I ran around the Stadium, the better I felt, both internally and externally.
I have been assigned by my coach as a training partner of sorts, for one who has little base.
Let it begin.

So Hollow

Someone once told me, that rarely does one remember all of the runs they take, but they almost certainly remember all the ones they did not.

The city of Manchester today was a winter wonderland. We had a de factor “snow day”. Even the means of notification have changed since my last one-day vacation: WBZ1030 to a personal e-mail.
Since my most previous post, I have cured many of the ailments which besieged me. Calf cramps are drastically reduced, ITB has been liberated via foam roller, etc.
My right adductor remains the culprit.

Running the majority of my long runs on soft, unpacked snow is not expediting the healing process. Moreover, it has twisted my muscles and tendons in directions they openly dislike.
Last Sunday was 15 miles, half trail and half road. Monday was an easy 6, though note – my first consecutive training run after a long run in several months. Tuesday was bitterly cold, and delayed onset muscle soreness became present. Discomfort in my calves and adductor in 9 degree weather made me come back to the treadmill after 3 miles, to finish a collective 6 miler.

Today there was a scheduled “power-run”, on the flat areas of campus. Elliptical this AM, and elliptical this PM. No run.
I am sincerely trying to mitigate this adductor issue, and ideally by Saturday’s long run. I’ve also, under the advisement of my physician, begun taking magnesium supplements, as it is presumed I have a deficiency in my meatless diet.

Missing opportunities in running is analogous to a boy's little league career; It is like the rookie baseball player in little league, who missed the first two practices and game of the season, and shows up to the second game, in his pristine and immaculate uniform, as his brethren display the wounds and sacrifice of a battle already fought. It makes him hollow.

I may or may not recall that I missed this run, but I recall a run I did two years ago, in a similar storm, at the same location.

And I haven’t forgotten that.

I have not been ill, for a long period of time. It has been one of the ancillary benefits of endurance sport. Despite my submersion in the metaphorical sea of cough and cold, my immune system stays strong, and rarely deviates. In short, I cannot recall the last time I was ill, in the en masse sense of the word.
Antithetically speaking, that my body is refusing to become bullet proof. The armor that seemed once to clad my body, has degenerated into a conondum . I could climb, tempo, hill, and kick my legs into submission, and every morning I would wake up free of noticeable pain. This year, it has been a boiling stream of hot, molten lava, which seems to flood my arteries and veins, after each workout.
I ran Disney after 5 consecutive days off. The race was hard, but entirely pain free. Those who understand the essence of 26.2 miles, a distance which the human body is neither designed to complete nor structured to endure, can appreciate the conditions therein.
I neglected, rather – I failed, to rest adequately after it. My left anterior calf began to seize, which in turn made my illiotibial band flare. So I took 4 days of active rest. The pain went away, and I’ve balanced using my new orthotics for a few days. After 3 days in the newly refurbished, hard orthotics, my right adductor began to ache, and twitch, and made me walk with a limp…again. Thus I removed the orthotics, to find great relief in less that 24 hours. Bonus.
So I am running about 4 days a week now. On the off days, I am executing cross training. In sum, I am impeded by the following issues:

i. Left ITB aggravated. Remedial Action: Foam rolling, ibuprofen, compressing when possible .

ii. Right anterior ankle, presuming minor tendonitis of the tibialis anterior. This occurred yesterday after a 19 miler on very soft, mushy, hard to climb snow. Icing this and compressing for first 48 hours.

iii. A nagging left calf cramp that seizes when I run uphill, particularly in soft conditions. Considering a deep tissue massage, as I have not had one since post-Disney.

iv. A right adductor, that does not hurt when running, but certainly gnaws at my collective courage everyday. Letting this govern my mind over my body. Arguably the most tedious of issues.

Most recently, I have switched shoe allegiances: Mizuno Wave Elixirs to Asics Gel Nimbus, a worthy and strong shoe. I have given up many things this year in regard to training. Two a day runs, running spontaneously at a friends bequest, and running to free my mind.

For whatver it is worth, for whichever reason I continue to endure, I am certain of the following: I withold a tempered will. And I must have, as the ancients said, an appetite for desire over the love of ease.
I know that I cannot be moved by clinging to a present that is already dying.
I will take sober satisfaction in my acknolwedgement that despite the set backs, the maladies, and the ill fated decisions we make, I will arrive at a single, humble conclusion.

I have given up many things for my running. None of which, was a sacrifice.

Day 2: Asics Gel Nimbus

I have concluded, that my adductor dysfunction is attributable to my orthotics. Thus, I have removed them. Immediately this morning I felt relief when walking. So much so, that tripping on a block of ice, made me run afterwards to regain balance, and producing no pain.
I decided to try the new shoes without the orthotics, on the treadmill.
Right shin a bit painful for first 10 minutes. Reaching the six minute chore took what seemed like eternity. The virtue of the treadmill, is analogous to what the late Dr. George Sheehan stated:

The first 30 minutes of a run is for my body;
The last 30 minutes are for my soul.

I had never run longer than 50 minutes on a treadmill before today. Today I ran for a full hour. A new milestone.
That earlier shin pain dissipated soon after 10 minutes had passed. I tested myself, craking the elevation to an unforseeable degree of "12", while maintaining a 7:15 pace.
Maximum heart rate achieved at 194 beats per minute.
The data is as follows:

Holy mother this was hard. At split 3, incline set to 12, pace at 7:00 for approx. 2 minutes. Thought I was going to pass out :-) :-) Stiff afterwards, but adductor pain null.
Total Time: 1:02:23
Average Heart Rate: 158
Split 1: Warm-Up: 40:46
Average HR: 155
Split 2: 95% Intensity: 4:47
Average HR: 179
Split 3: Recovery: 3:57
Average HR: 162
Split 4: 70% Intensity 12:51
Average HR: 159
*Note: Unsure why I did this after the peak.
Note: NO ORTHOTICS DURING THIS RUN, WHILE IN NEUTRAL SHOE.
Workout was as follows: Note 400mg Ibuprofen 1.5 hours prior.



Thank you.