Feels Good

Today was a good day. I ran 4 miles. I headed to the gym, and I ran 4 miles. Why is it after running longer distances does 4 miles seem like nothing. It felt like nothing today. That's a good thing for those who don't know. :-)

This was my first run after the 1/2. I wanted to go 4 miles, and by golly I did it. 49:49 was the time. So how did it feel? Well earlier in the week, my blister from the race broke, so my heel felt a tad tender, but overall I was fine. The gym was pretty empty thanks to the holiday weekend and the Indy 500.

Thoughts during the run? I really did not think of anything. I just focused on what was ahead of my during the run. I wanted to be sure I kept a pretty even pace. I mostly stayed in the 12:30 pace area. The last mile was 13:10. That's ok though.

I want 4 miles to be my pace as I begin my marathon training. I think it is just enough of a run to push, test, and succeed.

Yup - a good run.

Charlie

Recovery Workout

The first run or workout after a race is always a tough one, because you want to do what have been doing, but you know your body is not there yet. I took a cautious approach to yesterday's workout - I cross trained.

My first 10 minutes were on the lateral trainer, a butt kick to start the workout. Then I did some resistance work for about 20 minutes. I did the lat pulldown, seated leg press, and pec work. After that I did about 10 minutes of the elliptical. Finally I walked at a brisk pace for 1/2 a mile.

I worked up a good sweat, and there was no pain in my body. I felt terrific. Now I not only look towards my next run, but also the start of the marathon training.

On to Portland!

Charlie

What Ifs

What ifs are a terrible thing to me. These are the scenarios people play, especially when something life altering happens and the game goes, what if...

There are various versions of this came such as: if only you..., Do you have what would have happened if..., and would coulda shoulda.... I try not to play those games. In the past I have played, "what if I had not spoken to that guy, then I wouldn't have been raped," or "If only I had gone to a different school my life would have been different," and "You should have lost weight sooner."

In my running the big what if is, "What if I hadn't been born with clubbed feet." Would I have run better, faster, stronger? That, and all the others are useless games to me. I have face too much adversity in my life to play them. They wreck your head.

Something I have never written about, and hardly talked about is my hearing. 7-8 years ago I felt a hearing loss in my left ear. It felt like something was closing my hearing, and all I could hear was white noise. I was scared. I scared myself into doing nothing, because I was even more afraid of what may have been.

I think alot of us do that with health issues. We get so scared we don't do what we need to do. Mark has been urging my to get my hearing checked, and today it happened. The results are not good. I have severe hearing loss in my left ear. It is so bad a hearing aid would not do any good.

I was upset by this, but Mark was the one who said, "If only you had gotten this checked sooner..." Mark said nothing wrong, it's just I don't let my head go there. I have dealt with too much in my life to beat myself up over what I could or should have done. Now I deal with life as I know it.

I will speak to a specialist and see what if anything can be done. The audiologist gave me a list of things we could do, and I will read all the material.

My head is going through a lot of things trying to think about what this all means. All the thoughts though are on the future and how to cope. I can't do anything about the past.

Charlie

Geist Half Marathon

Yesterday the sun was bright in the Indiana sky as almost 3,000 runners set off on the Geist Half Marathon. This race runs around the Geist Reservoir in the N.E. Indianapolis area. I was running this with my friend Kris, who I have known since we went to Indiana University. It was her first half marathon.

The course is two things: beautiful and hilly. Beautiful indeed. There are woods, the water, the stately homes. Hilly, oh man there are hills. There is a 933 elevation change on this course. To a guy who has typically run in flat Chicago, and has biomechanical issues, this was a challenge.

There was a challenge of another kind for Kris. At mile 2.5 almost disaster struck. Kris stepped on something. She quickly sat on the side of the road and took her shoe off. She stepped on a nail. Seems there were several on the road. We got a police officer to pull the nail out of the shoe. With her foot ok, we continued.

The first 6 miles of the race was very manageable. It's rolly and gradual. I enjoyed this part of the course. It was also well shaded. Turning at mile 7 the hills really begin. Mile 8 to 9 is the steepest uphill climb. Uphill seems to never end. I power walked those hills. Running was not an option.

Mile 10 to 11 was rolly, and I was walking and running. Mile 11 I smelled something horrible - cigars. There was a group of folks running with beer in hand and cigars in teeth. YUCK! The smell made one woman ill on the course. It just pissed me off. I hate cigar smoke. And really, who smokes and drinks during a half marathon?

I let Kris go at mile 6, and off she went. I was too slow at that point. I had no problem sending her off. I had a problem not being able to use my IPod, due to my sweaty hands.

The latter part of the course was facing the sun. Temps climbed into the 70s. Yes, I was hot. I was also grateful for the wonderful volunteers who provided water and Gatorade. Medical crews were also out with ice cold Gatorade. It was all appreciated.

Mile 11 I felt something on my right heel I had not felt since my very first marathon - a blister. I could feel it burning and growing. I kept going.

Mile 12 and picked it up, and was running a bit more. As I crossed over the water towards the finish line I ran faster. As I got close to the finish line, I heard the crowd chant, "Charlie, Charlie!" Never experienced that before. It was very cool and it pumped me up.

I finished in 3:27. Not a record by any means, but for the hilly nature of the course I'll take it.

I saw Kris at the finish area, and we hugged. I was so proud of her. She finished in 3:03. Very good for a first half.

My thought on the race was it was one of the most beautiful courses I had run, but I would not run it again. The hills were too much

Charlie

So How Am I Feeling?

When I last posted I was hurting. Happy to say I am feeling pretty good. I have had some rest, anti-inflammatories, and ice. Today I cross trained. I think I am ready for the Geist Half on Saturday. I had been nervous about how I was feeling. Now I feel a bit more confident for the race.

Today's cross train was 15 minutes of the lateral trainer, 15 minutes of the elliptical walking towards a 7.0 incline, I did 3 sets of pec flys and 3 sets of leg presses. I felt very good after the workout. More needs to be done between now and October, but this is encouraging to me.

The half marathon will be a good starting point for me. It will give me a baseline for what I need to do this summer, as I head to the marathon in the Fall.

Time to focus on Saturday's race.

Charlie

A Fast Run...Ow!

Yesterday was a speedy run at NIFS. I ran for 45 minutes at a sub 12 minute pace. I felt good.....but.

I wore an old shoe during the day, one with a worn down heel. The result, I hurt my heel near the Achillies. Today I saw a PT. He told me it looked like I have aggravated the Bursa near the Achillies, so I have to take care of it.

I can still run the 1/2, but I may have to take it way easy. For now I take Ibuprofen, ice, and gentle massage the area.

OW it hurts.

Charlie

45 Minutes Closer

A week to go until the Geist Half Marathon. Yesterday I was 45 minutes closer to the race as I went for a good run at NIFS. The goal for the run was to work on holding pace. My first mile was 12:30, the next mile was 12:30, the third mile was 12:20. Overall I ran 3.56 miles, and my average pace was 12:30.

I think keeping pace is more of a mental exercise than a running exercise. The idea I had was to feel comfortable running at a certain pace, and just keep the comfort level going. Once I found the pace, I worked on relaxing. In this case I listened to music with a beat that was easy-ish for me. At that point, I kept telling myself to take it easy, that I had a lot of run to go. I think it worked.

I felt good at the end of the run, like I could have run some more.

Charlie

Re-Learning Balanced Nutrition

In order to get on track with weight issues, it's important to understand nutrition and how we use food. Mark and I met a nutritionist yesterday. We have not liked how we have eaten, or what we have eaten. NIFS offers nutrition counseling to its clients. We took advantage of a free consultation and got a lot of information.

Mark likes Sweet Tea. We learned, for instance that if he switched to unsweetened tea and added Splenda he could lose 15 lbs in a year.

Balance is the key to good nutrition, and portions are the key to weight loss and control. Those are the things we as a society are not good at. Balance is making sure you have the right amount of grains, vegetables, fruit, dairy and protein. For instance - grains. If you have a bagel from a bagel place, the size of that one bagel is equal to 3 pieces of bread.

If balance makes sure you have the right amount of nutrients, then portion is what helps you regulate calories and control weight. I have already mentioned examples like the sweet tea and the bagel. To get a good grasp of what a portion is, really look at labels of packages. If a serving size is 1 cup....know that if you load up your plate, there could be 3 cups of whatever. Meat or poultry should be no larger than a palm sized serving.

These are lessons I knew, but needed reminding.

The nutritionist also said we should be eating every few hours. Breakfast, a couple hours later a light snack, then lunch, snack and dinner. Our metabolisms are built more for this kind of eating and not the 3 squares. Again...I needed reminding on this.

To help us she told us of a website/app called myfitnesspal.com. You enter what you have eaten and how much and it lets you know how many calories you consumed, and where you are towards you caloric goal for the day. It is fascinating.

Nutrition is one part. Exercise is the other. I ran a 2.1 mile recovery run yesterday. Took it slow, and was a bit achy, but very glad I ran.

Charlie

What it Feels Like

I am not sure if I have gone into great detail as to how my body feels after a very long run, like the two hour run I ran yesterday. It isn't pretty. For a reminder, I was born with clubbed feet. I've had tendons removed, bones removed, and have limited range of motion in my right foot.

Sore does not begin to describe it. My ankles, mostly the right ankle becomes extra stiff and very painful. My calves hurt like Hell. Walking is very labored and each step hurts. I used to joke with my friend Marshall in my pre-running days, that it felt more like I was walking on bloody stumps and not feet. To walk up a flight of steps or even just a sidewalk, it takes some effort on my part.

Sitting for a while makes my feet and legs even stiffer. So I have to walk as much as I can for a time, even though it hurts so bad. Understand all this pain begins while I am still running. During a marathon it usually kicks in seriously at mile 15.

Why did it hurt so much after yesterday's 8+ mile run? I have not run that distance in a long time, so my body is no longer used to those longer runs.

Compression socks were my friends today. I can walk better, just a bit sore today.

So why do all this if I know how I will feel. I have to go back to the feeling of accomplishment I feel, and how far I can push my physical limits.

Mark asked me today if I will be really ready for Portland. I have no choice. Once I start on this, there is no turning back.

Charlie

One Long Run

Today the goal was to run for 2 hours. Mission accomplished. I ran on the Monon for a total of 8.4 miles. So how did it feel? Well for the first two hour run since last Fall's 1/2 marathon, it was ok.

The first hour my thought was to make sure I was at an easy pace. I feel I did a good job of that. The trail was full of Mother's Day families walking and biking. I enjoyed seeing everyone out enjoying the day.

The second hour was slower as I thought it would be. One annoying thing - about 1 1/2 hours into the run, my right hip was hurting. I went from a 6 to 1 run to a 4 to 1 run, so I could walk a bit more, and help the hip. I also stopped a bit and stretched my hip a bit.

As I got to the end of the run, I was walking a bit more. I got back to the store, where I left my stuff, and I felt very dehydrated. Not a good feeling. Once I had something to drink though I felt better.

All in all very glad I did this run. Very important for the upcoming 1/2 marathon.

Charlie

A Run, the Doctor and What are You Thinking?

Yesterday I headed off on a 30 minute run. Part of my run was through the Oaklawn Cemetery nearby. Sunrise is a pretty quiet time to run through there. An employee went by, no doubt thinking I was a bit strange for running in there, but I didn't care. I really enjoyed this short run. Overall I ran 2.5 miles. I just appreciated the quiet.

Yesterday also marked a visit to the doctor. I am trying to get my shape and health back. I have some tests coming up, and the doctor advised me to see a nutritionist. Mark and I have an appointment next week. I am also having my hearing checked. I have not really heard much out of my left ear for years, and now I have the insurance to take care of it....I hope.

Ok....this is an old rant, but a good one. Folks, if your 1/2 marathon or full marathon is the next day, and you have needed shoes for a couple of months, it is soooooooooooo wrong to get your race shoe the day before your race. You are not used to the shoe. You could get blisters. You get injured. Any number of things. Happened again today. Oy!

Charlie

The Annoying Kids Cross Train

NIFS is a wonderful gym. One of the things I like about it is that school kids get to visit the gym, learn about it, and workout. Sadly, that is also one of the things I don't like it. Before all of you get all "but kids are obese" on me, let me explain.

This feeling I have comes from a place of pure selfishness. Yes I want kids to be healthy, but I also want to use the gym without kids playing around, barely supervised by their "supervisors." I wanted to run on the track, but kids were running all over the place, with some adult trying to keep them in line - it didn't happen.

So I cross trained. I used something called the Helix Lateral Trainer. It is like an Eliptical for your hips and butt. Well it kicked my butt. I did about 20 minutes all together on it. I also did a fast paced walk on the treadmill, alternating between a 3.5 and a 5.0 incline. Phew....that was a tough 30 minute workout. I felt darned good though.

Maybe it was a good thing those kids were there.

Charlie

1 Hour with Portland on the Mind

Today was a 1 hour run at the gym. In that time I ran 4.8 miles. Pretty good. Actually I was pretty happy with the run. My constant thought during the run was how to prepare for Portland this fall. I know I will need to run more hour runs, and slowly build the longer runs.

I also know I need to throw a 1/2 marathon in the mix - so I registered for a small one in Ohio in August. August 21 I will run the Little Miami 1/2 Marathon in Morrow, OH. So why that one? It's flat, fits into the time table for the marathon in October, and will give me a good sense where I am in training.

What I will hate? Racing in August - ugh! So hot and humid. We will see how it goes.

Charlie

Bud

Yesterday I met Bud. It's not his real name, but that's what friends call him. His real name is Charlie. Since he and I are now friends, I get to call him Bud. Bud is 73 years old, and came into the store to try on some shoes. He was considering the Saucony Mirage and the Asics DS Trainer.

I did what I always do and asked him about his running. Bud is training for his 74th marathon/ultramarathon. I'll let that sink in a bit - 74th and he is 73!

Bud's goal is to always stay one race ahead of his age. He is currently training for an ultra later this summer. For those who don't know, an ultramaraton is for those people who think 26.2 miles is just too short.

I asked how he got started running ultras. 15 years ago he ran the Chicago Marathon, and he didn't want to go back to the hotel after running, so he walked around for a few hours, and wasn't tired. It was then he decided that maybe he could run for longer periods of time. An ultramarathoner was born. Got to appreciate a man who starts running ultras at age 58.

For about an hour he told me stories of when races were more informal affairs - in the pre-chip timed Rock n Roll mega events. He talked about running with his son, and just the pure joy running gives him. He no longer cares about his time, though I bet it sneaks into the back of his mind.

I asked him what his favorite race was. He said there were so many, but he listed a few, and one stuck out to me - Portland Marathon. He ran Portland many years ago, and liked it so much, his next race was in Portland, ME. This way he could do both Portlands.

I told him I am running Portland this year, and he told me he would like to give me a video he took of the race. I told him he didn't have to do that, but that was nice of him to offer. He asked when the race was, and then said he would check in with me after the race to see how I did.

Bud wandered the store a bit marveling and the items we carry. Finally it was time for him to leave. He told me his warm up for the ultra is the Geist Half Marathon, followed by Carmel Marathon a couple weeks later. Of course then there are his long runs.

Bud is 73....God bless him. I hope I am still running at 73. He is now my age inspiration.

Charlie

Royal Wedding Run

Today was the beautiful wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in London. I was up at 4 am to watch, and later in the day I ran what I will call the Royal Wedding Run. I went to Carmel to the Monon Community Center, which sits on the Monon Trail. It's a wonderful facility with a gym, pool, basketball court, wildlife educational facilities.

The trail was active with runners, bikers, skateboarders and walkers. I headed north at a nice easy pace. My goal was to do 20 minutes out, and 20 back. The weather was ideal. Temps were in the low 60s and sunny. I ran to the downtown area. My turn around was just beyond the Palladium, the new performing arts center in Carmel, which if you believe people in the area is the next Carnegie Hall. We'll see. Still it's a lovely building.

At the turnaround point the time was 20:20. I headed back. I have enjoyed running of late, and my dominant thought was - I am a runner again. That is no small feat for me to think. As you know from reading my blog for the last many months, I have not felt like a runner. Today I did. I even thought about how to begin to trim my time more and more. That's the runner I know.

A good run. Next week I have a 2 hour long run planned. That will be a challenge.

Charlie

Running at the Crack of Dawn

Last night Mark promised me that if I woke him up early this morning, he would head to the gym with me. He did it!!!

We got to the gym before the Sun, and a running I did go. The track seemed so easy today, and I ran pretty fast. My first mile was in 11:20. No plodding along for me. I was able to maintain a similar pace for the 30 minute run. I ran 2.62 miles. Phew....I was sweating hard out there.

In my head this morning? Portland. I thought only about Portland, and how badly I want to do well there this fall. Can I do 6 hours....if I work hard at it. Otherwise, I would like to simply PR. Can I do it? I was encouraged my a co-worker that I could.

What say you?

Charlie

Managing Expectations

One of the difficult things about running is comparing yourself to your past runs. We all do it, and overcoming it is hard. I can't compare my running to 2007, which was my big year for running. Yet I do.

I have to remember the following:

I am a few years older.

I am a few pounds heavier.

I'm not running and working out like I was then.

I have to know that my running is what it is - a work in progress. I have to be satisfied with where I am now, because I am not who I was then.

Today I was pleased with my run. I pushed myself to be a bit speedier. I did. My pace was 12:16 a mile. I did 3 miles on the track, and it was a good solid run. My pace is not going to always be the same. I run on different types of courses, and I live in a part of the city which is not flat. So my times will be slower as I go through the rolling roads.

Making peace with where I am is important to me. Fitness comes with time. Improvement comes with time. I also have to know that those improvements will be different as I inch closer to 50.

Good run...and a few weeks until the 1/2 marathon.

Charlie

Running Back in Time

This morning was a particularly challenging run on many levels. From the run standpoint, my friend Kris and I and a couple other ladies ran part of the course of the 1/2 marathon we will be doing in a few weeks. I often talk about the rolly nature of where I run these days near my home.

Today was hilly, and I mean hilly and rolly. Yikes. Physically it was a challenge, but add what was in my head, there were a few challenges going on.

My cousin Nancy died this week. This is a heartbreaking loss for me. As a boy, Nancy was my favorite cousin. In my mind, she was learned traveler, who had studied and traveled in Europe. She was a free spirit as far as I knew what that was back then. To her, I wasn't just Charlie, I was "Chalie Chalie" has she would say from time to time.

She and my mother shared the same name. Both were highly intelligent women. Both traveled. Both went through a period of incredible hardship and suffering. Both were women I looked up to. Now, they are both gone by Cancer.

My best memories of Nancy were when I was pretty young. I don't even want to guess how old I was. I do know I was old enough to go on a trip without my parents to my uncle's farm in Illinois. Nancy came to get me in South Bend, and we went on an adventure - road trip variety.

I remember we chatted all throughout the drive, and at one point I had seen a sign I had seen many times before, advertising a road stop restaurant - like a Stuckey's. Those weren't places my folks normally took us, and I really wanted to see it. I asked, and Nancy said, "Of course we can." Of course??? WOW!!!!

We stopped, and I seem to remember us ordering milk shakes. Probably the best milk shake I ever had. Nancy always had a smile when she was with me, and I remember it big as anything from my being in this cool place having a milk shake, and no parents around.

That visit was great, because I got to have the farm, my uncle and aunt, my grandmother and my cousin Nancy all to myself. The farm was always a fascinating place to me as a kid. I got to see cows up close. I could explore the farm that had been in my mom's family when she was a girl. I also didn't have to share any of this with my parents or my other cousins. This was my trip.

Nancy and I spent a great deal of time talking. I loved to talk to adults as a kid, but this was special, because she would tell me stories of her time in Europe - HEAVEN! At the end of this trip, my parents came down, spend a few days, and the visit was like our usual ones. I was just so glad to have that special visit all on my own - thanks to Nancy.

I thought about this trip, and that special time with her on my run this morning. I tried to block out the heartache I felt when she went through the horrible ordeal with her ex-husband, and how that changed her.

She was also the first member of my extended family I came out to, and she made it clear that to her, I was the same person. I was still "Chalie Chalie." I treasured my relationship with Nancy, and now I feel a certain pain in my heart, and a void in my life.

In the end I hope she wasn't in pain or suffering. I hope in her last few days she also thought about that special trip.

My hope is she is at peace.

Charlie

Running Topics from Boston to Dean to Portland

Lots to talk about in this post so I will get to it.

Today was the 115th Boston Marathon. The men's race saw fastest marathon EVER -2:03:02. Geoffrey Mutal of Kenya ran a brilliant race, even passing the early fast pace Ryan Hall was setting. The women's was a duel at the end between Caroline Kilel of Kenya and Desiree Davila of the U.S.. No American woman has won Boston since 1985, and this one came to the wire. 2 seconds separated the two women.

Yesterday was one of those rare runs, which combines running with heroes and running in a grand place. The setting was the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I got the chance to do a charity run with ultramarathoner - Dean Karnazes. What a thrill to be run with him. To be fair, there were about 70 other people, but still we had a blast going around the 2.5 mile track, usually set aside for Unser's, Foyt's and Andretti's.

Today's run was a 3 miler around the track. My mantra was, "Portland, Portland" I really want to do well at this marathon, and I feel pretty good....for carrying an extra 30-35 pounds. Ugh! Still I am working at it, and feeling good about things.

Charlie

Running with the Crew

Last night I organized a group run of employees from the stores in my company. I thought this would be a great idea to go for a run, since we work for a running store company. I also thought the regular group run night was a good time for all of use to head out.

There were six of us who gathered to join the Run With a Cop program which runs each Thursday out of our store in Carmel. This was the first time folks from the company have done this, and I am happy to report we all had a good time. The run was 40-45 minutes, which in my case was 3.33 miles.

It was a warm night, and it felt it. The running, as it usually is with a group of friends, was slow. You spend a lot of time talking, and not focus on the run itself. I felt tired, mostly because I had done a pretty intense 30-45 minute workout at the gym a few hours earlier. Note to self....no workout before a run.

Overall I was happy with the run.

Today I met a new doctor, so I can work on getting in better shape and health. I went to one a month ago, and was not happy with him. This one I felt good about. I will write more about him later. Just know I felt good with who I found today.

Charlie