There are a few 5ks here and there, but not really any “good” races in the winter months (especially around here in cold Northern Illinois).
The next big race that I am signed up for is the Indianapolis Mini Marathon (a half marathon).
The Indy Mini Marathon was awesome. I WILL run it again next year. My time was 1:37:00 (7:25 pace).
I finished 3rd in my age group. My first medal for a race. That was pretty cool. Still, I started too fast and hurt my pace by the end, hitting the wall at 2 miles. I almost stopped and walked!
I’m glad I didn’t do the 10k. They messed up the course and people ended up running over 8 miles in some cases. The results were a mess. I’m pretty sure, based on my GPS, that the course was about .1 mile too long.
I finished with a time of 21:12 (6:50 pace). My GPS said my pace was 6:39. Of course, this doesn’t account for twists and turns in the way the course is measured.
Most surprising was the fact that I placed 3rd for my age division (m, 30-34).
File: Tellabs/NCO Youth 5K 2007
[NCO Spring Ahead 5K Overall]
[NCO SPring Ahead 5K Divisions]
[DOITSports: NCO Youth Overall Results]
[DOITSports: NCO Youth Age Group Results]
People have asked me how my running is going. Last week I ran just under 30 miles. I did a couple of 8 mile (treadmill) runs at 1 hour, so I can see that I’ll be able to get my pace back before spring. That’s good.
I’m keeping it on the treadmill for now because:
A. I hate running in the cold.
B. I like the shock absorbency of the treadmill since I am still concerned about the stress fracture.
It’s great to run again, although the treadmill is a little boring. Music helps… A lot! I am a little concerned about the accuracy of the treadmill distance/pace readouts. I’ve also started using a heart rate monitor while I run. It’s interesting to see where my HR is at various speeds.
The funny (or not so funny) thing is that my heel/ankle (on the same foot I broke) still hurts a little after a run. It has healed. The fracture is no longer there. And yet there is still at least a little pain. The podiatrist tells me that this is to be expected.
The pain is more of a “sensation” than actual pain, so I suspect there is a little bit of swelling/tendinitis/healing still going on in the area around where the break was. I’ll take it easy until it no longer feels that way. My new running orthotics seem to help big time.
I’ve running on a more neutral pair of shoes right now. The other day, while running at the YMCA on a treadmill in front of the mirror, I was reminded of the “funny” foot strike I have. Hey, we can’t all be like Dean Karnazes. I think I’m going to make a trip to the running store and get back into some shores with a little more support for over-pronation.
Hopefully I’m back to running. I’ve averaged 25+ miles of actual running for the past 3 weeks (also doing elliptical). I’m working on getting my pace back up to something respectable. I did 8 miles at a 7′30″ pace twice this week.
Found this article about returning to running after a stress fracture. I don’t really like what it has to say, since it advices a far more gradual return than I would care to do.
[The Pete Pfitzinger Lab Report: RETURNING TO RUNNING AFTER A STRESS FRACTURE OR OTHER MAJOR INJURY]
I the “Ultramarathon Man” book as a gift this year. It is indeed very inspiring.
The Q&A on Dean Karnazes’ site is pretty cool. Take 10 minutes to listen.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the elliptical machine. In fact, I have a very expensive elliptical machine in my basement that I use very often in the winter and have been using recently because of my stress fracture.
That said, it’s funny how often you see people asking, “Which is a better workout, elliptical or treadmill?”
Running, no doubt about it, is the best aerobic workout there is. Want proof? The next time you’re at the gym compare the people who are running on the treadmills to the people bouncing on the elliptical machines. Who appears to be more fit?
There’s nothing wrong with elliptical machines. They are great. But the fact is you have to workout much longer on an elliptical to get benefits similar to running.
This is interesting: Pictures of what 200 calories looks like.
I get a little tired of hearing the running elitists act as though listening to music while running is something to be ashamed of. Listening to music has been a great motivator on days when I didn’t feel like running. Also, and I have no doubt in my mind about this, music has made many of my runs much, much easier. When I listen to good music I am able to push myself harder.
While injured, I’ve been trying to stay fit on my elliptical machine. It’s boring, to say the least, and typically I watch TV while on it. Last night I decided instead to listen to music. The results were clear: Better workout… More steps… More calories… More endurance… I was able to push myself harder.
I suppose it helps that I love music.
