Some Like It Hot

Here's a pic without too much of my normal 'crazy eye.'

What an incredible week. It was hot enough to cook an egg on the sidewalk. Well...maybe if you brought along a griddle. But it was pretty seriously warm for this time of year - Jan. 5. The temp in Lawrence butted its head up against 67 deg F. Not being one to take the thermometer at its word, I popped out for a knee-shortened run on the roads near my house (since the surgery, I have really tried to keep the road running to a bare minimum). And speaking of bare minimum, all I had on were socks, shoes, running shorts and a tee. I did my old stand-by 3.1 gravel and pavement run averaging just above 8 min / mi. I began to sweat profusely within the first 3/4 mi. It was surreal and exhilarating at the same time. I know a lot of other people who subscribe to this (or just give it a read) were also out on the 5th marveling at the stunning weather and debating just how bad global warming really might be if what we were experiencing was one of its results.

I'll come back to running in a paragraph or two. I wanted to touch again on swimming. Wow, is it a sport that I look forward to doing on a daily basis. I hit the pool while it is still dark outside, swim somewhere between a half k and a k (depending on how I feel), and then run later in the day. Sometimes I switch the order. Swimming is such a compliment to running. I find that even after longish runs, I don't mind diving into the pool to do laps. The manner in which the muscles are used is so different, that fatigue does not become an issue...usually.

For the past month or two, I've been sitting around wondering how people can just go on slow auto-pilot and swim lap after lap in the pool with no let up and no apparent fatigue. On Thursday (yes the same day it hit a billion degrees outside), I went to the pool early and started to swim. I thought I'd try to go as slowly and smoothly as I could possibly go, focus on my breathing and form, and not worry about anything else. And with that, everything started to click. I finished the first few laps with much more in the tank than normal, and then continued on. I've been able to replicate it the past several days, and can see how the fusion of the components, about which my coach spoke, would come together, just as they do in running. Swimming is just a bit less forgiving on issues of proper form than is running. So now I can write that I have had one of those rare AHA moments in another sport. I love when they occur.

OK, back to running... So Saturday rolled around, and Eric 'Banjo Hawk' Henry and I decided to pop out and join the other hawks for the Sat. a.m. run. It was cold, and I mean really cold at the start. I thought it was cold at Land's End as well. But if we kept moving, the temp stayed bearable. There was little to no wind and plenty of sunshine to accompany the 8 of us (+ dog) on the run. My Garmin frapped out at the 6 mile mark. Gary 'Story Hawk' Henry (no relation to Banjo Hawk other than they are both human beings) had listed the run at 9.75 mi. Eric's GPS had it at just about 11. I had always thought it to be in the 9-10 range, but need to take my Garmin out again and confirm. There are wonderful, new, seriously easy-to-read mile markers on the trails. They are a very welcome addition to Clinton North Shore running. If you haven't been out there recently, you will be pleasantly surprised (well maybe not after reading this) when you encounter them.

Below is a pic taken by Gary Henry of the Sat. 1-7-12 run



You can follow Gary's Blog at http://ultrastory.com/Blog1

2011 + Reviews

2011 introduced changes and challenges to my life. In April, after facing an increasingly problematic situation at work, I left my job of 17 years, and (with my friend and co-worker, Marisa) went to create a national sales network and distribution channels for a new company with some great products. Working for a start-up is not an easy chore to undertake. And, I will confess, it has been the single most difficult position I have ever held.

But coupled with the trials of a new company come the rewards. The first of the rewards was that I suddenly (over night, actually) had a new group of friends. The company is small enough that we all got to know each other very well, very quickly. And our new co-workers turned out to be a smart, interesting, and supportive group of people. It was a truly refreshing change. The second reward is, what I would refer to as, 'the house-painting' reward. That is: with a new company, you can actually see your achievements and feel a sense of accomplishment and progress as a new store chain or distributor adds your line, or a magazine or blogger gives you a great review. Since April, Marisa and I, along with a stunningly smart and dedicated small team (trust me, I'm the stupidest person in the room on many occasions), have been able to get our products placed in stores stretching from Florida to Washington State, and New York to California. Have the rewards offset all of the day to day stress? I'll tell you next year. (Hey I've got to have a bit of a cliff-hanger or no one would ever read this;-)

Running was alternately awesome and disturbing. 2011 was the first year that I decided to enter no races. It was a decision with which I struggled as I thought several times about doing 50k races in the region. I felt, and still do feel every now and then, the urge to have an official ultra under my belt, rather than simply having the satisfaction of knowing that I had done one on my own. I upped my mileage as the year progressed. By late Summer and continuing into the Fall, I had the distance capability to run a marathon any day I had the urge.

But there was a growing issue that was building in my knees. Too much tennis and raquetball had quickened the pace of some cartilage issues in my right knee. I took care of increasing pain with a series of hyaluronic acid shots in the afflicted joint. But as the year passed, my doctors recommended a micro-fracture procedure that would include a 3 month recovery time. Very reluctantly, I agreed to the procedure for late November. I figured that I would take the Winter off.

When the day of the surgery arrived, I was incredibly unhappy and stressed. I honestly could not imagine my life without running. But when I awoke after surgery and was informed that it had gone better than expected, and that my recovery time would be 3 weeks rather than 3 months, I was ecstatic. Don't misunderstand, the recovery process really sucked. I think I had underestimated just how much it would suck. The running road to recovery, once the knee had strengthened was baby steps. 2 miles, then 3, then 5 - all spread out over a few weeks. My quads had evaporated, and my hamstrings were seriously taxed. The after effects of the initial runs felt like those awful growing pains I had in my legs as a kid. The never-ending dull ache that simply couldn't be addressed sufficiently. But, I'm happy to report, a month and a week after surgery, I was back up to 8.5 miles with no strain at all. I still can't knock out miles at full speed without feeling a bit of pressure on the knee. But distance doesn't seem to be a limiting factor anymore.

About the time I was getting mentally prepared for the operation, I hired a swim coach to get my form under control. I figured that while I was off of running (for 3 months, I thought), I might as well learn to swim well. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. In the past month I have fallen in love with the sport. I am no Mark Spitz (wow, does that date me), but I am getting better at form and increasing distance. Swimming will never usurp running, but will rather, compliment it.

Running highlights for me in 2011 included helping out at a couple of races. Eric Henry and I got up at 3 a.m. one day and were clearing crazy scary spider webs off of the trails by 4 a.m. ahead of the inaugural Hawk 100 race. The eerie nature of the Clinton North Shore trails in pitch blackness is something you just have to experience, because any description I'd give wouldn't convey the surreal vibe that envelops you in that place and time. The second race that I assisted was the Heartland 100. The race took 20 hours out of my day (including travel time), and was a lot of hard work. But the joy of being in the middle of the Flint Hills superseded all other emotions. It was windy,with intermittent rain, but stark and beautiful. During a lull in runners coming through our station, another Trail Hawk and I took off on a 5 mile run that was one of the great runs of the year. It was truly big sky country. I loved it.

Other memorable runs of the year:

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL - daily runs to the beach (and a spectacular beach it was).

Running with Scott Jurek in Anaheim and Brendan Brazier in Baltimore - a nice fringe benefit of being in the natural products industry.

Tucson, AZ - 7 and 10 mile runs along a dry riverbed. Deserts are my favorite places to be.

LA, CA - Always my top run - Hollywood Hills to Griffith Park Observatory and back. A run that cannot be beaten - mainly wilderness in the heart of LA.

Lawrence, KS - A run that began as a 5 miler along a pretty country road near my home, but with an exuberant burst of energy expanded to 18 miles, and included the SLT trail and Bunker Hill at Clinton before all was said and done.

Olathe, KS - Colleen's Sweaty Ass Run - I decided at the very last minute that I would drive over and run for a spell (as they say). I think it was 12 miles later before I thought I ought to head home in order to beat the weekend bar crowds driving home on K-10 between Lawrence and KC. Great run in the country.

River Trails, Lawrence, KS - Chris Ford and I ran the trails on a snowy day. It was stupid and shockingly brutal, because the snow came up to our knees in places. Once the run was complete it was great. Until then, it sucked. Just kidding, we had an awesome time confronting the challenges that the conditions presented.

Clinton, KS - Woodbridge - Honestly, the 8.5 miles we did on the (new-to-me) trails there yesterday were a relief. They provided ample evidence of my return to form since surgery. The trails are also alternately smooth and technical.

Total Mileage for 2011 - @ 1,150 mi

In other news

2011 was the year I rediscovered Albert Camus. For months I could not stop reading works by, or about him. He replaced Hemingway as my favorite writer. I wrote a lot about him in previous blogs, so I'll forego additional comments here.

The top book on running for me was Once a Runner. It is a classic. I'm reading the sequel, Again to Carthage, now.

Other top reads: As God Commands - a brilliant novel by Niccolo Ammaniti - translated from Italian. Just Kids - Patti Smith's book about her life with RObert Mapplethorpe (I might've had this on last year's list as well - it was a Christmas present). I read a lot of other books, and almost included The Taqwacores, but nothing else really jumped out at me, quite honestly.

Movies and TV

Breaking Bad - nothing beats this crazy, spectacular series.
Bold Native - interesting movie.
Win Win - an odd and sweet movie about a wrestler and his coach.

Most listened to song of 2011

Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend - I know, I know. Trust me, I know....

I'm going to think about these abbreviated lists a bit more, and maybe have additional posts later.

Conclusion

Overall, 2011 was not a great year. I felt way too much stress, and was unhappy for large chunks of it. I don't feel right going into all of the complex feelings and machinations that brought it all about. However, as noted in this blog, there were some tremendous bright spots. My friends and family all are well. I'm happy to be mobile and once again creating new personal goals for intellectual and athletic growth.

My plans for 2012 are to run and swim more; do a few 50K-type runs with friends; go back to Europe or South/Central America; drink a bit less; and try to be a more 'present' and compassionate person. I want it all to lead, eventually, to a life that is driven by a greater sense of purpose, and much less by money (and the baggage that accompanies that type of life).

Ciao for now.
Al

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas. At least I find it to be a merry Christmas. My plan today is to write this blog, have some coffee, and then pick up my buddy, Eric, and head to the River Trails for a run. After that, who knows; perhaps lunch with parents or friends, dinner with parents or friends (although, in all honesty, I'd rather make both meals at home and just visit/hang out with parents and friends). That sounds odd, but I am tired of overeating and chewing things I generally eschew. I like my own fare.

So, since my last posting, my recovery has gone swimmingly. I've been able to do quite a bit of running on the track and on trails. For the time-being I am deleting road running from my repertoire. It is too hard on the knees. What is nice, is that I'm able to knock out daily 5-8 mi runs on the trails (on the track I get too bored after three to continue). Yesterday, for instance, I blew of the Hawks' early start (7:30 a.m.) for a more modest 9 a.m. run. I was pulling into the lot at Clinton North Shore as Gary "Story Hawk" Henry was pulling out. I endured a brief bout of ribbing for not going early, but promised to run with the Hawks again soon. I then took off at my normal pace, with a beet and berry juice mixture in my bottle and buds in my ears, for a wonderfully exhilarating, peaceful run.

Later in the day, for the second day in a row, I hit the pool to knock out some laps. I am really starting to like swimming. Well let's actually be a bit more honest about that. I seem to get bursts of endorphin-releases when I swim. The physical exertion is so much more dramatic (at least for me, a non-swimmer), that the rewards kick in sooner. Right now my 20-40 minute workouts follow a routine that begins with a few laps using the super short Zoomer Gold fins, followed by pulling a few laps using a leg buoy and hand cups, followed by straight American Crawl, followed by kicking across with a board, then repeat the process. The workout isolates the different movements, then puts them together. It also works my knee, and then give it a rest. It is actually a lot of work and a lot of fun.

My coach wants me to do a triathlon, but I'm not sure that will be a course I want to follow. As with running, I like doing sports simply to do them. I understand it for others, but I don't feel the need to compete. I don't need a goal off in the distance (although I do sometimes put one out there). I suppose that my next organized event will be Colleen's. Depending on the weather, I'd like to get in at least 12 mi (and I know I've said that before). For her Summer run, I'd like to hit 10 laps, and have my ultra-distance for the year - no timing chip, no number, no medal - just the personal satisfaction of knowing that I did it.

Again, I know that a lot of people who read this - particularly those who email me rather than post a comment - like to run a lot of organized races. I really don't want anyone to think I'm disparaging that, because I'm not. For me, racing puts too much pressure on running that I would do for fun anyway. That is why I don't like to do them.

Finally, just to show that I do have a bit of Christmas spirit.... Last night, a couple of friends and I spent a couple of hours driving to a couple of those over the top light and music show houses, and sitting in line with a bunch of other cars in order to watch the show. It actually was a lot of fun. On house near Dad Perry Park, in particular, had an awesome show. I'm glad there are people who will blow thousands of dollars to set something like that up - seriously I am. It turns the holiday a bit Fellini-esque. And we could all use a bit more absurdity in our lives.

Next week - resolutions and lists.

Ciao.

Another Week In A Not-So-Dreary Winter

In my never-ending quest to return to knee normalcy, I was able to do a whole lot of not-too-impactful workouts this week. I spent 10-25 min each on the Gazelle, the Nordic Track, and the bike trainer. That, with additional leg-lifts, weight training, and sit-ups allowed for the deterioration in my legs to dissipate and begin to actually reverse course. The workouts culminated with a 2.5 mi run on the FSHS rubberized track yesterday. I had planned to kind of run/walk a couple of miles at a 10-11 min/mi pace. After the first mile, though, I realized that I was rebounding pretty quickly. There was little if any pain, and I was shuffling through a 9 min/mi pace. And it is a different style of running. I was trying to run lightly. It involved less of my usual, let's-crush-this-distance pounding, and more of the Joan Benoit marathon speed shuffle (you can see her on old videos). It really seemed to fit my running style. I ended the run because I felt that I should, not because I felt that I had to do so.

Today, if all goes according to plan, I'm going to knock out a 3 miler on the Riverfront Trails with Rebecca (my running buddy Eric's spouse, who's also a runner and a monster swimmer) and another friend, Kit. Rebecca promised to go slowly. I hope to have a careful, tentative run. The trails should test the side to side motion a bit. I still plan to have the knee ready for 9-12 miles of Colleen's run on the 13th. I'm hoping to be in LA and Malibu the first weekend in January. While I won't be undertaking the brutal Griffith Park Observatory Run (my favorite run I've ever done so far), I do hope to do some beach runs in Malibu, and more of the trails (and less of the hairpin turn road runs) in Griffith.

I have said it in at least one past post, but I feel I should say it again. I would highly recommend the movie, Welcome. It follows the story of a 17 year old Kurdish boy who arrives in Calais, France after covering a couple of thousand miles alone on foot. He has suffered many hardships to get as far as he has. His goal is to get across the Channel so that he can be with his girlfriend. The film watches his struggles with day-to-day living and planning. The film, of course, is really just showing a microcosm of the the larger issue of displaced people and their treatment by governments and private citizens around the world. But the allegorical nature of the movie, doesn't detract from the intimate portrait of the main characters as they build trust and find a common humanity. Again, highly recommended.

Next week I hope to list some of my favorite films, books, songs, and miscellaneous events that I encountered in the previous year.

Quick update - nice 4.57mi run on the trails this a.m. It felt so good that I kept going. Still feels fin 7 hrs later.

Again to Carthage

So after knocking out 'the greatest novel about running ever written,' Once a Runner, last week while flat on my back following knee surgery, I loaded my Kindle with Mr. Parker's follow-up tome, Again to Carthage. I'm only 4 chapters in. But the story, so far, just doesn't quite live up to the magic contained in the first novel. Again to Carthage just feels darker and heavier than I was expecting. I'll have a full book report, I hope next week. I'm going through a couple of others as well, including the Erskine Caldwell classic, Tobacco Road. It is odd, but I never read two or more books at once unless one of them is on the Kindle. I try to support my local library more and more, but Again to Carthage wasn't in the catalog, so I pulled it in from the ether.

My knee continues to improve. I've done more Nordic and Gazelle workouts, mixed with biking and various leg lifts and saunas. It feels a little tired by the end of the day, but has no swelling or, what I would describe as, real pain.

For the coming week I plan to hit Unbreakable in KC on Wednesday evening. By Friday I hope to be out on the track doing some tentative first laps on the soft rubberized surface. I hope to be fully recovered and cranking out the miles by Colleen's Frozen Ass Run on Jan 13.

See you at the movies.

Late Week Update - won't have you in stitches

So, next Wednesday night, the ultra-marathon movie, Unbreakable, is going to be shown in KC. I'm planning to pop in to see it. It took some effort by members of the Trail Hawks to bring the film to the area. The trailer for the flick looks awesome. If anyone wants more info on this one-night booking (in a real theater), let me know and I'll shoot you a link.

I did my first workout in 9 days last night. My knee is hugely recovered - which seems almost miraculously early. I had the stitches removed yesterday, and questioned the doctor and nurse about what I could do. The answer was take it slowly, but biking, and no impact machines (Nordic Trac and Gazelle, in my case) are fine. So I knocked out 10 minutes on the Gazelle and NT followed by a bunch of crunches and knees strengthening exercises off of a sheet that had been provided. The result was no pain at all. I'm doing the same this morning.

On Monday I'll get to move to the rubberized track next to my house. The plan will be to lightly jog/walk 1-2 miles a day for the following week and then move up to 5k by the following week. The doctor said that popping back up to my more normal 10-15k distances shouldn't take more than a few weeks.

I will say that taking a bit more than a week off leads to insanely fast muscle deterioration in the quads. It also leads to 3-5lbs of weight gain. Shocking how many calories one burns through running.

More later...

No Kneed to Worry

Hola Todos. I apologize in arrears for the particularly smarmy title to this post. Today is day 5 since having surgery. The most discomfort I can report is a backache from sleeping too much on my back with my knee up on a support pillow. Last night I finally started to roll over on my side with a pillow between my knees and the ice machine's water cable still attached. It was not the most comfortable slumber I've ever experienced, but it was a definite improvement.

It seems crazy to write this, but in 4-5 days I'll start hitting the pool again in order to get my swim on. Then in about 16 days I'll begin to get my run on again. My plan for that is to hit the Free State track and run 1-2 miles every other day for the first week - icing after each run. Once I make sure that there is no ongoing problem, it is on to bigger and better runs. I'm hoping to get through this without much loss in strength and distance at all. But I won't push the issue as I rebuild. I do plan to get hyaluronic acid shots in both knees in January, which should allow for even more pain-free running.

As I've lain around the house this past week, I have fought off the staggering potential for onset of ennui. I actually don't know just how I did that. I really haven't done much other than work and read while lounging on the couch. I had been concerned that a dearth of endorphins would cause my mood to plummet. However, perhaps the pain from the surgery itself provided for the release of the endorphins. I really took no pain killers (ibuprofen). So I may simply be the beneficiary of unintended (good) consequences.

In the 'baby steps' category, I got behind the wheel yesterday and drove. No issue. I also have walked a bit without the assistance of crutches. And, other than experiencing some pretty messed up dreams - including one where I was forced to hit a man of small stature who's name was Mr. Pouty-Sissy (he must've been British), and another where friends came over to my house and destroyed the floors and kitchen (but in the construction/destruction's aftermath, I did find a second 'butler's staircase') - I have had no untoward after effects from the surgery.

As a footnote to this paragraph, I have been checking dreams out on interpretation sites. Hitting the small man can be interpreted to mean that I feel powerless (small man), and am trying to take some pro-active steps to regain control of some aspect of my life - surgery leads to loss of running... The house dream has much more to do with order being interrupted. Also attributable to surgery. Anyway, the dreams differ from my usual fare of unicorns, rainbows, ponies, and clouds, so I thought I'd report them.

Until next Sunday (or until something interesting occurs)... Have a great week. And don't get lost on the trails (you know who you are).