2014 Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail Half marathon Race Report

It was a good race. Nearly great. No PR but I managed to push things hard enough in the last half that I'm still cramping up a bit. Although, that probably isn't all that good but it's a minor cramp so I'm not too worried about it.

Anyway, on with the extremely long race report. Last night I had a bad dream about my father dying and I was stuck planning his funeral. The worst part was I couldn't wake up and when I did wake up I couldn't think of a different dream to have. So I was stuck for about 2 or 3 hours trying to dream of something else. Eventually, my alarm when off and I took my shower. I got suited up and headed out the door.

Once at the race, I helped direct traffic into the parking lot. It was a soupy mess and only a few people parked in the lot, which was probably good because it helped preserve the lot fairly well. After volunteering for awhile, I made my way to the bathroom, suited up and stripped down to run, then waited for the race to start.

Along the way I saw Ashland Dave, Alice and her husband Shawn, and Donna. I saw a few other familiar faces as well but since I"m horrible with names, I can't really list them.

Anyway, I took some photos of the race start while I waited for my wave to start and talked to my dad. Once most of the waves took off I headed to my section in the last wave. I volunteered as the backup sweep in case the Mule didn't make it but it did make it so I opted to just start in the back and work my way forward. Since we left in waves, the first wave had 14 minutes on me. I wasn't worried about that but it may account for my place in the age group. There was only one other guy in my wave and I know I picked a few off over the last few miles.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The first half of the race was pretty slow going and I repeatedly tried to keep my heart rate down and my pace slow. But it didn't work out so well and I often found myself creeping up. Around Mile 4, the leader was coming back and had a solid 5 to 10 minute lead on anybody behind him. He was totally smoking it out there. Around this time, I had 6 people behind me, two of them were walking. For the next 3 miles I would run a few steps, stop, take a picture of a runner, then repeat. So those miles were slower and I expected that but I was happy it slowed me down.

After the turn around, with 6 miles left, I was able to put the camera away and focus on running. I turned my music on, put my head down, and turned the heat up. I picked off two runners pretty quick but didn't see any for awhile after that. I made it to about 4.5 miles left and saw a glimpse of a shirt ahead of me, maybe half a mile down the trail. I dug a little deeper and pushed a little harder. With about 3 miles left I passed a volunteer checking bibs and he said they had 5 minutes on me. So I continued to push. With 2.5 miles left, I saw not just one or two but a whole group of runners. So I kept pushing. With about 2 miles left I finally caught up to the last runner in the pack, passed him, and kept pushing. Within the next half mile I passed another 4 or 5 runners. The trail was almost clear in front of me and the nearest runner would end up being uncatchable. They'd finish about a minute before me but I still tried.

I was totally gassed by the end and didn't have much of a kick at the end but I was happy with my results. Last year I ran the same race in 3:33 but that was because I was sweep. My two prior results for this race included my PR of 2:23 in 2012 and a time of 2:33 in 2011. So, even though this wasn't my fastest, I feel great about my pace in the second half of the race. Great enough that I'll try to crunch the numbers later.

When I finished, I grabbed some donuts, some fluids, then headed home after stretching a bit.

Weather:
Temps were 30F to 35F at the start but warmed to 55F to 60F by the finish. Sky was clear. No wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Before the run I had a banana and coffee. About 30 to 45 minutes before the race started I had some GenUCAN (lemonade). Right before my wave started, I had an applesauce pouch. Around Mile 6.5 I had another applesauce pouch. Between Mile 6.5 and Mile 9 I had a bottle of Hammer Fizz. Around Mile 10 I had an Accel Gel. During the whole race I had plain water in my hydration pack. Recovery was two donuts, Hammer Recoverite, and about an hour later a lunch of a ham and cheese sandwich, iced tea, and macaroons.

Aches and Pains:
Nothing really hurt until the last few miles when my toenails started to bother me. Guess I really need to trim them closer. The last few miles I also had some tightness in my hamstrings and calves but based on my pace, I'm not surprised. The rest of the day went well but my left hamstring cramped up twice, just a little bit, and my right hip feels tight.

Gear:
Wore my new Lone Peaks (PORKINS), gaiters, T-Star Running shorts/headband/arm sleeves, Buff, short sleeve shirt, and gloves. I also took along my camera, knife, hydration pack, and probably more water than I needed.

Heart Rate:
First few miles were a bit high, then I slowed things down a bit then really burned it up.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 13:08 (AVG HR 139)
Mile 2 - 12:26 (AVG HR 154)
Mile 3 - 12:43 (AVG HR 159)
Mile 4 - 13:02 (AVG HR 161) (average since I forgot to hit split)
Mile 5 - 13:02 (AVG HR 161) (average since I forgot to hit split)
Mile 6 - 14:18 (AVG HR 158)
Mile 7.1 - 16:27 (AVG HR 160) (includes extra tenth of a mile at turnaround point)
Mile 8 - 11:55 (AVG HR 169)
Mile 9 - 12:01 (AVG HR 170)
Mile 10 - 10:32 (AVG HR 172)
Mile 11 - 11:19 (AVG HR 174)
Mile 12 - 11:59 (AVG HR 178)
Mile 13 - 10:59 (AVG HR 180)
Finish - 2:43:56
AVG HR - 164
MAX HR - 194 (how the hell is this possible?!)
MIN HR - 86
RHR - forgot to measure it
Weight - 222.8 (after the race and after hydrating)

Introducing Porkins

had a nice little jaunt this morning to check out the first/last mile of tomorrow's half marathon. Parking lot was a mess of snow and mud but I'm sure today's rain will help clear that up. Thankfully the trail itself was nice and clear. So unless today's high winds bring down a bunch of trees, there shouldn't be any hurdles to jump tomorrow.

I also took my new Lone Peaks out for a run today. I've decided to name them PORKINS. Why? Because I'm on a bit of a Star Wars kick lately with names and the shoes are red. So Porkins was the big guy that crashed into the Death Star and I'm the big guy that tends to crash into the dirt when I run. Porkins' call sign was Red 6 (I'm partial to multiples of 3) and since the shoes are red, the name just seemed to fit. Plus it's a good way to honor his memory along with the rest that lost their lives in the Battle of Yavin.

And that was pretty much it for today's run.

Photos:

Getting my new shoes dirty.

Just a wee bit of snow left in the parking lot.

Weather:
Temps were about 40F. Winds were light. Sky was cloudy.

Fluids and Fuel:
Before the run I had a little coffee and an applesauce pouch. During the run I had a bottle of plain water. Recovery was a latte, three waffles, three bacon, and two eggs.

Aches and Pains:
My left ankle was wonky during the run. Felt like it needed to crack like a stiff neck but it eventually warmed up and felt fine.

Gear:
My new Lone Peaks were great. They felt so nice it was almost like I already broke them in. Maybe Porkins wore them before me. Wore T-Star running shorts, short sleeve shirt, arm sleeves, gloves, and a Buff. Also took my knife and cell phone.

Heart Rate:
Didn't really pay too much attention to my heart rate but I did try to keep it in Zone 2 or lower. Last section was a tad fast but I was feeling good.

Splits:
Opening Leg - 1:59 (AVG HR 122)
Mile 1 - 13:01 (AVG HR 142)
Mile 2 - 12:18 (AVG HR 145)
Closing Leg - 1:16 (AVG HR 166)
Finish - 28:36
AVG HR - 143
MAX HR - 174
MIN HR - 93
RHR - forgot to measure
Weight - forgot to measure

Darth Vader Hater

I would like to introduce my new treadmill, Darth Vader. Since I've taken to naming all my new equipment, I knew I needed to find a fitting name for the new treadmill. Since I occasionally go by TK-42ONE, Darth Vader seemed fitting since I'm a bit of a Vader Hater. I mean, he left all my bros on the Death Star and didn't even care that the Rebels blew them up!

Anyway, Darth Vader it is. Did I mention that this is the first time I've been on a treadmill in, oh, probably 3 or 4 years? I mean, I really, REALLY hate them. But, Darth Vader helped me find my way to the Dark Side by giving me a pretty decent run today.

Now for the boring details! The treadmill was ordered probably 2 weeks ago. It took minutes to process and the order to start rolling but took days to get from Texas to Virginia. Then a good week and a half to get to my house. And the guy they sent to deliver was: 1) one guy 2) one old guy 3) one old guy that was out of breath getting out of the cab 4) one old guy that was out of breath getting out of the cab and had a limp. So guess who provided the muscle? Me. Know how heavy Darth Vader is? Heavy as fuck. Easily 250 to 300 pounds. And he was in a box. Maybe Han Solo got revenge for that whole carbonite thing.

Once I unpacked the bastard, which took some time, I had to start the assembly. Thankfully my wife was able to help because even the little side struts were heavy as shit. I mean, I nearly blew a power converter trying to move the bottom but the support arms needed a load lifter. Not to mention how cumbersome it was to attach the wire, hold the arm, and try not to drop the screws. Really could have used an R2 unit but I somehow found a way. Maybe the Force really was with me.

I had to quit last night because I was making mistakes and tired as hell. So I finished this morning and finally got everything all assembled. It was starting to look like a nice TIE fighter, all black and silver and sleek yet clunky, so I plugged it in. It powered on, I attempted to enter my name, it didn't go so well, so I just started running. And did great for my ten minute warm up.

Then I popped a circuit. Not just any circuit, but the weird little special circuit on the plug next to the sink. Which wasn't the plug I used but is apparently connected to the plug I used. So I lost my miles and time as I reconfigured the extension cord to a different circuit. Then I started my workout. Finished my workout. And everything seemed to be just fine.

Phew! This is almost as long as my After Action Report from Hoth. Anyway, I skipped the freezing temps outside, got my tempo run done, and didn't fall off the treadmill. I guess Darth Vader and I really might have a chance to rule the galaxy.

Photos:
Fair warning, Darth is much bigger in real life.

How do you know Darth Vader and the Dark Side are going to screw you up? The tube of lube.

Vine:
https://vine.co/v/MW3Y7ei91qg

Weather:
Inside temp was 73F. No humidity, no sun, and no wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Before the run I had some coffee. During the run I had plain water. Recovery was coffee, a banana, and oatmeal.

Aches and Pains:
Right knee was a little tweaky but I think it was just getting used to the different stride (trying to land more forefoot) and new surface. Everything else was fine.

Gear:
Wore underwear and shorts. I usually don't wear underwear but I wanted to get my run in quickly so I didn't change into my full workout gear. Was able to run topless. Didn't wear my HRM to avoid the distraction of too many gadgets. Was able to watch some TV on the DVD player (Taxi) and on my Kindle (Star Trek: The Next Generation). Was also able to Vine and check Training Peaks. And, as already mentioned, this was the first go for the new treadmill (a Sole F63 model).

Heart Rate:
Resting heart rate was 65 the first time but came down to 60 a few seconds later. Not sure what it was during the run but I'd guess in the 130 to 150 range.

Treadmill:
Since there's a ton of buttons on Darth Vader, I'm going to start keeping track of them. It's probably all going to be gibberish to most people but I like data so I'm going to track it. I lost the first ten minutes due to blowing a circuit so this is from the rest of the run.
Speed - 4.0
Tempo Speed - 5.0
Recovery Speed - 2.0 to 3.0
Incline - 5

Splits:
Not sure on all the details but I went roughly 2 miles.
RHR - 61
Weight - 222.6

Podcast - Mile 78 - Speedwork

After a bit of a re-introduction to new listeners on the basic formatting of my show, I get into an update as I've moved into the new year. I recap the holidays, the new year, and attempt to do some speed work. I skim over some of the new books I'm reading and get under your skin with my new tattoo. I also touch on my thoughts of getting a new treadmill and bitch about the rocks I have to run over. And then I get into my TV watching habits and lots of spitting. This was also a day or so before I came down with the flu.

Meanwhile, you can listen to the flu-free episode on SoundCloud.

Miles for Coach

I was supposed to do a chest work out today but I knew I probably wouldn't get my run in this weekend so I swapped them around and did my 1 hour recovery run today. Although it turned out to be more of a regular training run instead of a recovery run. Oops. I tried.

First mile or two was easy and in my recovery zone but then I saw some other runners and suddenly I felt the need to run a little faster. So I ended up getting way out of Zone 1 and well into Zone 2 and even got into Zone 3. Damn. Not what I wanted but my body did it despite my brain telling it not to. The funny part is, I saw these guys running, they passed in the opposite direction, then I never saw them again. I expected to see them after I turned around but never did. Instead I saw the young lady sitting in her car texting. Or maybe it was Instagraming.

Anyway, that was it on the run. Did see a truck cross over the trial but he's allowed so I didn't worry about it.

Photo:
The sun was out but barely warmed you up.

Vine:
https://vine.co/v/Ma06XOeHFnA


Weather:
Temps were 30F. Wind was light. Sun was out in full.

Fluids and Fuel:
Before the run I had a little coffee and a serving of GenUCAN (cranberry/raspberry). It didn't taste as good as the chocolate or vanilla. During the run I had plain water. Recovery was more coffee and a yogurt.

Aches and Pains:
None.

Gear:
Wore shorts, pants, shorts, thermal shirt, long sleeve shirt, wind breaker, winter hat, balaclava, neck gaiter, and gloves. Also took along my knife and cell phone.

Heart Rate:
Like I said earlier, I felt comfortable going slow the first mile or two then felt the need to blast it into Zone 2. Tried to keep things in check but my legs just kept moving. My saving grace was my lungs would scream out and I'd stop to walk.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 13:01 (AVG HR 131)
Mile 2 - 13:12 (AVG HR 143)
Mile 3 - 13:48 (AVG HR 147)
Mile 4 - 12:41 (AVG HR 150)
Finish - 52:43
MIN HR - 100
AVG HR - 143
MAX HR - 172
RHR - 60
Weight - 222.2

Mossy Log

Yet another recovery run done and in the books. This one was easier at the start and a bit harder at the finish. Not so much that I couldn't do it or felt slower than normal, the hard part was keeping it in the right heart rate zone. Outside of that, it was an easy run with a podcast playing in the background.

Nothing exciting on the run was seen or heard but sometimes that's good.

Photo:
Just a mossy log on the trail.

Weather:
Temps were 30F with moderate winds so wind chill was a factor but not a big one. Sun was out in the sky.

Fluids and Fuel:
Before the run I had some coffee and a growling stomach from last night's bad food choices. I ate a small coffee cake bar thingy and it helped quell the distress. During the run I had just plain water. Recovery was rather weak with just coffee and yogurt. No real food until lunch.

Aches and Pains:
None really.

Gear:
Wore shorts, pants, shorts, thermal shirt, long sleeve shirt, wind breaker, winter hat, balaclava, neck gaiter, and gloves. Also carried my knife and cell phone.

Heart Rate:
Had an easy time staying in zone for the first mile despite my faster than expected pace. Second mile was a little harder to stay in zone so I just took more walking breaks.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 13:40 (AVG HR 131)
Mile 2 - 14:07 (AVG HR 135)
Finish - 27:48
AVG HR - 133
MIN HR - 82
MAX HR - 163
RHR - 60

Tired Dogs

Just a short recovery run that felt a bit like a breeze and a bit like a slog. I was so happy to get out on the trail and back on my feet until I realized how tired my body was and that I'd much rather have taken a nap. I guess waking up at 0330 to change your son's sheets because he peed the bed will make you a little tired.

Anyway, I managed to get my miles and time in (actually I was a bit over on my time but I was okay with that) and best of all, I didn't puke. My stomach was seriously upset after some poor food choices and it made it known this morning. But, some running, some water, and some applesauce calmed it down enough to finish up the workout.

Photos:
Alligator Swamp was frozen over.

And my shoes were cleaner than my car.

Vine:
https://vine.co/v/MaKpJvguqFO


Weather:
Temps were 25F to 30F. No wind. Sun was out but it was a little hazy.

Fluids and Fuel:
Breakfast was coffee. During the run I had water and applesauce. Recovery was oatmeal and more coffee.

Aches and Pains:
Things started out stiff and sore but after a quarter mile I felt like I was flying (I wasn't) and felt great (that would change). My stomach gurgled but eventually settled. I started to feel pooped after I turned around and was eventually happy that I only ran two miles.

Gear:
Wore shorts, pants, shorts, thermal shirt, short sleeve shirt, wind breaker, winter hat, and neck gaiter. Took my knife but left my heart rate monitor at home.

Heart Rate:
I didn't track it but it felt okay for the first mile. The second mile I felt a little more winded and sluggish until I had a quarter mile left then I felt like running fast. I didn't but I felt good.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 15:04
Mile 2 - 14:13
Finish - 29:18
RHR - 58

2014 ICY-8 Race Report

Let's start this race report with a bit of a backstory. The flu sucks and totally took me out of my normal training schedule. I missed a planned long run of 5 or 6 hours and missed pretty much all of my training for a good week or more. So I'm not too surprised that I didn't meet my primary goal today of 32 hours. Despite missing my goal, I'm still okay with that. Mostly.

I got up this morning at 0500, showered, dressed, and went on my merry way. I had done some prep work last night so I had pretty much everything ready to go. Just grabbed a few bags and I was out the door. I was surprised how easy it was and I'm glad I did it that way. I'll have to remember that for the future.

I made a pit stop at a local store for the bathroom which is pretty normal. However I bought a large bottle of water so I could have something warm to drink as I started and ended up wasting too much time in line checking out. Added to this, I managed to get behind a car going to the race that decided to drive slow. Dangerously slow. I'm talking 35 in a 55 and 25 in a 40. I mean, seriously? The roads were not icy and were completely clear and dry. There was no reason to go that slow and if you wanted to go that slow, you could have at least pulled over to let the ten cars behind you go by at a normal speed.

All of this added up to me getting to the race later than planned. I had enough time to get out of my car, drop my bags, check in, go to the bathroom, pin my bib on, fill up my water bottles, and start the race. I knew I was pressed for time when I had to finish getting dressed during the race brief. That was not my style and I was not happy but I dealt with it and carried on. I had everything I needed for my first loop so I wasn't too worried. Oh, side note, I saw Andy Jones Wilkins (aka AJW) at the check in table. I was going to tell him I knew a famous runner, Biddz , but I don't think he would have gotten the joke.

On my first loop, I went out too fast. My heart rate was too high and the incline right at the start wasn't helping. I did my best to slow down and keep things in the right zone but it was a lost cause. So I did my best and went with the flow. I made it to my halfway point right on time and came back. I finished my first long loop and felt good about things. I was still cold but not as freezing as I was at the start. My heart rate was still too high but the excitement of the start of the race had gone so I was feeling more in the groove.

I cruised into the aid station, dropped some stuff, grabbed some stuff, and was back out running in 20 seconds. I was so happy to make it in and out that fast that it took me a mile to realize I forgot my electrolytes. And thus I doomed myself to missing my goal. I had no backup plan in place for missing this essential item so I did what I could. I again made it to my halfway point on time and made my way back.

After my second long loop I again hit the aid station and I was again still on track with my time. But I was behind on my electrolytes for the last 8 miles so I knew I needed to get some before I left. And I did. But instead of going with my normal go-to Hammer Fizz, I went with Hammer Endurolytes. They worked fine but I don't know how much to take so I winged it based on what Coach said. I took 2 pills at the aid station and another two halfway through my third long loop. It helped but it wasn't enough. By the time I was halfway through my third loop, I was still within my time goal but I had to start walking because the cramps were fierce. Like bad enough to make me stop and stretch. During this third long loop I eventually had to do the math to determine if I had enough time to do a fourth long loop to meet my goal. It quickly became apparent I wouldn't have enough time so I did the math to see if I could do a short loop instead. As I figured it then, I had enough time to do a short loop and have 20 to 30 minutes to spare. I'd later find out my math was wrong.

I came back into the aid station a final time after my third long loop and quickly grabbed my Hammer Fizz. I had to ditch my fuel source and rinse the bottle but it was worth it. The Fizz helped and so did the iced tea I grabbed. I survived the final, short loop and my cramping lessened, though it didn't go away. My last two times in the aid station I spent maybe 2 minutes each time, maybe 3 minutes the last time. So all together, maybe 5 minutes in the aid station for three trips. Pretty good and I'm happy that I was able to save so much time there. Even though I'm not happy about forgetting my electrolytes the first time through.

Anyway, the last half of the third loop and all of the fourth loop were walking. And hobbling. The cramps sucked but I somehow found a way to mentally push through the pain and force myself to continue moving the last 8 or so miles. I think this was a success considering I wanted to quit a few times on that third loop, especially when I knew I wouldn't meet my goal. But I made myself start the fourth loop.

Another failure, beside the flu, the missed training, and the forgotten electrolytes, I also did some bad math. As I mentioned before, my math was good enough to determine a fourth long loop was out. But when I did the math for a short loop, I somehow did something wrong. So when I started my final, short loop, I got to a spot where I knew the mileage and I was suddenly moved from 30 minutes of wiggle room to 10 minutes short. I knew I was averaging 20 minute miles and I knew I had just shy of 5 miles to go. That's 100 minutes (or an hour and 40 minutes). But I only had 90 minutes left to do it in before time ran out. My maths be not so good.

The positive that came out of this was that somehow I found the mental strength to actually run. Not often and not far but I was moving faster than a walk. I think if I hadn't done this I would have had a minute or two cushion time instead of the 7 minutes I finished with. So I'd push myself about 20 paces or so then walk another 20 then run 20, etc. I could only manage it over a mile or two but it helped enough to increase my cushion and reduce my deficit. That was a win for me.

Another win was the complete lack of chafing. I lubed up after my shower and have no blisters or hot spots. Sure, I hurt, but nothing I didn't expect. I'd like to thank BodyGlide for making this possible. And I'd like to thank Smartwool socks, Altra Zero Drop shoes, and TStar by Biddz for making great products that reduced or eliminated any chafing. My toes and taint appreciate it.


Photos:
My shoes after 28+ miles of frozen then thawed mud and horse shit.

The look on my face after said 28+ miles. I'm pooped.

Weather:
Temps were 25F at the start and 50F at the finish. Winds were light. The sun was out. The trail was frozen solid the first two loops and then got muddy when it thawed. This meant the horse tracks and horse shit was frozen the first 4 hours. If you've never run on frozen horse tracks, I don't recommend it. It hurts.

Fluids and Fuel:
Took one serving of GenUCan half an hour before the race. Drank 2 liters of plain water for the first three loops. This is below normal and part of my electrolyte problem. Drank another serving of GenUCan on my second loop. Drank a mouthful of GenUCan on the third loop and ended up dumping the rest. I felt very full and heavy and didn't want anymore. I had one applesauce pouch at the end of the first loop, another at the end of the second loop, two more during the third loop, and one more during the fourth loop. I had two perogies after my second loop and two more after my third loop. On my fourth loop I had a bottle of Hammer Fizz and a bottle of iced tea. I took two Hammer Endurolytes at the end of my second loop and two more halfway through my third loop. Recovery was Hammer Recoverite mixed with water and coffee followed by two more perogies and an iced latte on the way home. Dinner was meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and broccoli.

Aches and Pains:
This is where the fun begins. The bottom of my feet hurt, mostly because of the frozen terrain the first four hours and my shoes didn't have a rock plate in them. I expected this. During my third loop I slipped, caught myself on a tree with my right arm but somehow pulled something in my left arm. It feels okay but not quite normal. My back hurt from wearing the hydration pack but I expected that. My calves, quads, hamstrings, and knees are stiff and sore. Mostly my right side. And my right hip hurts and is weak. I can lift my right leg but not very far.

Gear:
I wore shorts, pants, shorts, thermal shirt, short sleeve shirt, and Buff. I had two Buffs with me the whole time and used them together or one at a time as needed. I wore a vest for the first loop and the last loop. I wore a winter hat for the first two loops then switched to my Buff. I wore two pairs of gloves for the first loop, ditched one pair after my second loop, and grabbed a pair for my fourth loop. I wore my Nathan pack for the first three loops and carried my Amphipod handheld for my last three loops. I also carried my knife the entire race as well as my quaterback arm band.

Heart Rate:
From the start I knew I was way over my planned heart rate zones. The hill at the start didn't help and the excitement of the race got to me for the first loop. By the second loop I had calmed down some but then I began to tank in my third loop and by the fourth loop I was in the right zone but only when walking. I would repeatedly catch myself in the 170s.

Splits:
Loop 1 (8 miles) - 1:47:30 (AVG HR 159)
Loop 2 (8 miles) - 1:57:30 (AVG HR 167)
Loop 3 (8 miles) - 2:28:07 (AVG HR 158)
Loop 4 (4.7 miles) - 1:39:49 (AVG HR 149)
Finish (28.7 miles) - 7:53:17
MIN HR - 74
AVG HR - 158
MAX HR - 181
RHR - unknown

Frozen Ankles

Not quite the run I wanted to do but I did it. Having missed two runs over the weekend I was happy to go out and run but a half hour was just not how long I wanted to run. It did help my back feel a little better though so I guess that was good. And the temps were much nicer than before but still. Guess i should quit complaining.

So let me bitch about my back instead. For some unknown reason I wok up yesterday with a stiff back. It's usually caused by sleeping on it funny so I generally dismissed it. I had a massage yesterday which helped loosen things up but it still felt tight like I needed to crack it. Last night it hurt enough to wake me up because I couldn't get comfortable. But seeing as my bed is so damn soft, I'm not surprised by that either. So after tossing and turning for hours, I went out and laid down on the living room floor. I stretched, rolled, flexed, and generally tried not to make too much noise. Thankfully I missed the giant Lego mess and I eventually fell asleep. For a little bit. But the floor was cold so I went back to bed with an hour left before I needed to get up. After some more tossing and turning, I eventually got a few more winks of sleep before my alarm went off. Still hurts today but it's bearable. For now.

The run was, well, boring as all hell. I swapped the camera memory card, saw giant dog prints in the snow, and that was it. Pretty damn boring. But I didn't slip on the packed snow so I guess I should be happy.

Photo:
Trail conditions were pretty nice this morning.

Vine:
vine.co/v/Mu1F1u0mV5b

Weather:
Temps were a balmy 40F. Winds were light. Sky was mostly cloudy but there was some sun. Ground was covered in what was left of our three inches of snow.

Fluids and Fuel:
Breakfast was coffee. During the run I had a bottle of water. Recovery was oatmeal, yogurt, and more coffee.

Aches and Pains:
My back. Aside from that, my lungs were still on fire from the cold air and from the flu last week.

Gear:
No special gear but gaiters would have helped. My ankles got cold out there. Wore shorts, pants, thermal shirt, long sleeve shirt, vest, winter hat, balaclava, and gloves.

Heart Rate:
Left it at home so I don't know.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 13:48
Mile 2 - 17:19
Finish - 31:07
RHR - 55

Class 6 Felony

What a run. Never knew it until this weekend but wearing a mask in the state of Virginia is a Class 6 Felony. Oops. Hope they decide fix that because I wore two today! Well, one balaclava and a Buff that worked pretty much like a second mask. It was cold as shit out and I'm thinking I'm finally on board with getting a treadmill. But damn are they expensive!

Anyway, I plodded through the fluffy snow with my hands, nose, and toes frozen. They eventually thawed but my face was still damn cold the entire run. Had some wind (and wind chill) to deal with but I survived. Saw a ton of tracks, animal and human, so it was nice to know I wasn't alone out there.

Oh, and this was my first run post-flu.

Photos:
Swamp was pretty frozen.

I was pretty frozen.

Somebody wrote HARRY POTTER in the snow. Along with a few smiley faces.

Weather:
Temps were 16F when I started and warmed to 17F by the end. Winds were light at the start but picked up on the way back to more moderate 15mph to 20mph. Sun was out in full.

Fluids and Fuel:
Pretty much nothing. Had a dentist appointment before my run so I didn't eat breakfast. And I forgot about my spare applesauce in the car so I had no fuel on the run. I did have a bottle of plain water which eventually froze with half a mile to go. Drank most of it before it got to that point but it did make it interesting. Recovery was Hammer Recoverite mixed with water and rice milk.

Aches and Pains:
Chest was on fire from breathing the cold air and from not being able to breathe as well as normal thanks to last week's flu fight. Aside from that and the being cold part, the run was fairly normal. Did have some serious fatigue at the end but that was likely because of the lack of running and lack of fuel.

Gear:
Wore shorts, pants, shorts, thermal shirt, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, wind breaker shell, balaclava, winter hat, Buff, Altra Lone Peak shoes, and SmartWool socks. I also wore two pair of gloves. Thankfully the Buff, socks, and wind breaker saved my ass from freezing to death out there. I also took along my cell phone and knife.

Heart Rate:
Couldn't see it since I was wearing my snowboarding gloves which go way up my arm. But I'm pretty sure it was way too high.

Splits:
Mile 0.8 - 12:23 (AVG HR 142)
Mile 1 - 14:29 (AVG HR 150)
Mile 2 - 21:02 (AVG HR 157) (includes camera work)
Mile 3 - 14:59 (AVG HR 161)
Mile 4 - 14:54 (AVG HR 159)
Mile 0.8 - 12:19 (AVG HR 150)
Finish - 1:30:22
MIN HR - 76
AVG HR - 154
MAX HR - 180
RHR - 58

This Week Flu By

As I sit here recovering from my  bout with the flu, I thought I'd give a timeline of what happened and when.

Wednesday
Training Plan - 1:20 run with surges
Training Completed - 1:07 with surges

After a normal day of work and school, we continued on with our normal routine at night. Dinner, showers, homework, and bedtime. We had one minor outlier with my son William who suddenly had a fever. I say suddenly because we (my wife and I) didn't notice anything out of the ordinary earlier in the day. It wasn't until getting him ready for bed that we knew something was up.

So we took his temp and sure enough, a fever. With that in mind, I planned on taking him to the doctor in the morning. It wouldn't be that big of a deal since I was working late for the week and had already gotten my run in and was feeling okay if I missed my upper body workout the next day.

Thursday
Training Plan - Upper body workout
Training Completed - Nothing

With an even higher fever, it was a trip to the doctor for sure. After dosing him up with meds to bring the fever down some, my son and I headed to the local urgent care center in the morning. We stopped for some breakfast and coffee (for me) and then got checked out (for him). His strep and flu tests came back negative but we got an anti-biotic since one ear looked slightly inflamed. We came home and chilled out. I got some work done but nothing terribly major since I was constantly checking on him.

After having kids for a bit, you start to know them better than they know themselves. So when William didn't want to eat much, still had a fever through the day, and wanted to take naps instead of watching cartoons, I knew things weren't getting better. So it wasn't too much of a surprise that my wife took him to the pediatrician that night to get him checked out again. His flu test came back positive almost immediately so we stopped the anti-biotic and started the Tamiflu.

Friday
Training Plan - 2:15 run
Training Completed - Nothing

Friday was pretty much a repeat of Thursday but with fewer naps, a little more food, and a lower temperature. These were all good signs but he still wasn't fever free so that meant no school. Which meant I was again on nurse duty instead of getting a lot of work done. I was happy to see his fever come down and that he was eating a little more. I wasn't so happy to miss my workout but knew it the right thing to do. Not like I can just leave him home alone watching cartoons.

Another casualty of William getting sick was our planned couple's massage on Saturday. We knew he needed to be fever free for a day before being non-contagious so we knew that would likely come on Saturday. Which meant that my dad didn't really want to expose himself to the flu and we didn't blame him. So with us being out a sitter and still having a sick kid, we rescheduled the massage to a later date.

Saturday
Training Plan - 3:00 run
Training Completed - Nothing

With Friday's run in the toilet, I knew Saturday's would be too. So I asked my coach if I could shift some of the missed running time to Sunday to make up for it. I don't like to "make up" for missed runs because things usually go wrong and it sets the wrong mentality that I can make up for it. Thankfully he's on board with that too but agreed that I could change my Sunday run to 5:00 hours. With that being the plan and with getting approval from my wife, I was good to go with that.

The rest of the day was spent doing our usual errands and chores like getting groceries. William was feeling better and I had no symptoms other than I woke up with a tiny tickle in the back of my throat. That tickle would turn out to be more but I just thought I slept funny and my sinuses drained awkwardly enough to make me cough a bit more than normal. I went to bed Saturday night feeling just fine. Things were going great until about 2200. I took a pill that has a side-effect of giving you a mild headache unless you hydrate a little more than normal. I didn't so I thought the headache was normal.

It wasn't. The headache went away but came back at 2200 ten times worse. I tossed and turned until about 0100 and took my temperature. Yep, I had a fever. So I tossed and turned the rest of the night worrying about missing my run in the morning but feeling pretty certain that I had the flu.

Sunday
Training Plan - 1:30 run 5:00 run
Training Completed - Nothing

Sunday morning I woke up feeling much worse than the night before. I checked again and sure enough, I still had a fever. This along with a massive headache led me to believe I had the flu. I've learned to listen to my body and understand it enough to know when something is wrong and I'm generally right in diagnosing myself. So after suffering through a long morning trying to get my fever down I finally relented and let my wife take me to the same urgent care center I was at Thursday.

My flu test came back negative but I saw the same doctor and when he heard my son tested positive for the flu later in the day he decided I needed to be on Tamiflu too. So instead of aiming for 5 hours of running and about 20 miles on the trail, I ended up spending an extra 5 hours in bed and having somebody drive me 20+ miles to the doctor because I was too woozy to drive myself. I spent the rest of the day and night trying to rest and watch the playoff games.

Monday
Training Plan - Recovery
Training Completed - Sort of recovered

I was happy to see Denver going to the SuperBowl but not so happy to see the 49ers lose. Since the Steelers didn't make I had to pick somebody, right? Anyway, I felt a little better but got almost no sleep. I stayed up late watching a movie and trying to read but ended up with only a few hours of sleep sitting up in the recliner in the living room. Better than nothing but not as good as I needed. The day was spent resting more and making a trip for coffee. I was well enough to drive but still wasn't feeling too wonderful. My fever was down a bit but not where it needed to be.

Tuesday
Training Plan - 1:30 run
Training Completed - Nothing

I slept fairly well last night but woke up feeling exhausted. So even though I have a ton of work to do at work, I knew I needed another day to recover well enough to actually work coherently. So I called in sick with the intent to go back to work Wednesday. The kids have a snow day so it'll be a loud and busy house but I'm sure I can at least squeeze in a nap at some point.

With my son feeling better and on his last day of Tamiflu and with me feeling a little better and halfway through my Tamiflu, I'm hoping, really really hoping, that nobody else in the house gets sick. It sucks. It always sucks but this is worse than my usual man-cold that I get once a year or so. What really sealed the deal for me was the larger than normal headache and the fever. Usually I get more of a sinus headache when I get sinus infections or some bronchitis. This headache was much worse. And I never get a fever. So yes doctor, I'm pretty sure your test was wrong and I do/did have the flu.

Conclusion
I missed nearly eight hours of training and I'm okay with that. Even though I was really looking forward to a long run on Sunday I knew I had a valid reason to miss it. And I must be making progress in my training because I don't even feel bad about it. Maybe it was because I knew I was really sick and maybe it was because I knew I shouldn't feel guilty about it. And even though I had a brief moment of panic that my next race is a short two weeks away and that I probably wouldn't meet my goal, I'm okay with that too. Okay, not entirely okay, but at least 80% to 90% okay with it. Much more okay with it than I would under different circumstances.

Podcast - Mile 77 - Book Review

After a holiday hiatus, I'm back to delivering one of the cheapest, shortest, ultramarathon podcasts out there. So sit back while I regale you with a book review. Or two.

First up, we have The Dakota Cipher by William Dietrich. This historical fiction is about a wanna-be James Bond that works for Napoleon, Thomas Jefferson, and himself. The book was entertaining at times but not very well written. The main character, Ethan Gage, is written in such an over-the-top way that he's hard to see as a real person. Same goes for the name-dropping throughout the novel. Thankfully, one character, Pierre, saves the day.

Second, well, there is no second. I ran out of time to do a second review. But I did manage to screw up my own numbering system. This is actually Mile 77, not the Mile 76 I claim. It's not the first time I've done it but since I don't edit or do any post-production fancy-pants stuff, I just have to live with it. Which is actually harder than it sounds due to my OCD nature.

Anyway, that's it for now. If you're wondering what the surgery is that I'm alluding to in this episode, it's my vasectomy. You can read all about it here. Or you can read the book I reviewed in this episode. Just don't pay too much for it.

My New Mustache

Kinda wimped out a bit on today's run. Felt even more sluggish than I did yesterday. Pretty sure it was because I ate breakfast right before I went to run instead of waiting until I was finished. I'll try to fix that tomorrow.

Anyway, the rest of the run was fairly quiet. Saw only two other people on the trail walking a dog. The rest of the trip was foggy, chilly, and kinda boring.

Photo:
My new balaclava comes with a mustache.

Vine:
https://vine.co/v/hLU7H9AUiPv

Weather:
Temps were about 40F. Sky was overcast. Fog was dense. No wind. Very light rain.

Fluids and Fuel:
Breakfast was one egg, three bacon, two toast, and coffee. During the run I had a bottle of plain water. Recovery was hammer Recoverite.

Aches and Pains:
None.

Gear:
Two pair of shorts, pants, thermal top, long sleeve top, balaclava, and gloves. Also carried my knife and my voice recorder.

Heart Rate:
Managed to keep it within the plan for the first two miles then fell apart on my second surge. Struggled to keep it in the planned zones after that but did manage to actually surge when I needed to.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 12:40 (AVG HR 133)
Mile 2 - 12:39 (AVG HR 139)
Mile 3 - 13:17 (AVG HR 145)
Mile 4 - 13:53 (AVG HR 150)
Mile 5 - 14:56 (AVG HR 149)
Finish - 1:07:26
MIN HR - 80
AVG HR - 143
MAX HR - 171
RHR - 59

D-Mark Line

Despite eating rather poorly yesterday on my rest day and not sleeping very well last night, I somehow managed to have a nice training run. I really wanted to crawl back into bed but I knew if I did I likely wouldn't get out again until lunch time. So I poked along and eventually got ready to run and got my rear out the door.

Once on the trail, I was happy to see that most of the rain was light and stayed away until later in the afternoon. I hoofed it down to my planned turnaround point but decided to push things an extra half mile so I'd have a total of one extra mile on the run. Not that much of a big deal but my real goal was to see what was moving around down the trail. Turns out it was probably just a squirrel.

Along the way, I saw pretty much nothing of interest. Nope, wait, I forgot about the loose dogs. They saw me and ran back into the woods so it was really a non-event for me.

Photo:
This is the D-Mark line. Well, half of it. Kinda hard to see but it's a straight line that's cleared.

Weather:
Temps were about 45F at the start and maybe 50F by the end. Sky was overcast and rain was light. No wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Before the run I had a little coffee. During the run I had a bottle of plain water and an applesauce pouch around the second mile. Recovery was  bacon and cheese sandwich, oatmeal, and a latte.

Aches and Pains:
None really. Felt a little sluggish and winded even though my heart rate was low.

Gear:
Wore two pair of shorts, thermal shirt, short sleeve shirt, gloves, and headband. Carried my knife and that was it.

Heart Rate:
Felt like I was running higher than I actually was. Didn't really get out of Zone 2 until I turned around. Tried to push it the last two miles with an extra focus on the last mile.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 16:49 (AVG HR 127)
Mile 2 - 13:22 (AVG HR 133)
Mile 3 - 13:59 (AVG HR 139)
Mile 4 - 13:17 (AVG HR 143)
Mile 5 - 13:27 (AVG HR 142)
Mile 6 - 12:27 (AVG HR 146)
Mile 7 - 11:45 (AVG HR 152)
Finish - 1:35:08
MIN HR - 100
AVG HR - 140
MAX HR - 168
RHR - 60

DRHT Long Run

It sounds weird but I feel much better after getting in my long run today. I was behind on my mileage and my time for the week and over the last three days I had a total of 6 hours on the plan but only managed to get in an hour and a half. Well short of what I wanted and what I needed. So today I planned on a 4 hour stretch. And I nailed it. So I may be a bit short overall, I feel much better about this week.

So, the run. It started last night with what I can only hope will be a new tradition. As a family, we played two board games. I've become a big fan of Wil Wheaton's Tabletop YouTube channel and the kids have watched a few and enjoyed them. So we got Settlers of Catan Jr. for Christmas this year. And the kids like it. So do I. And my wife even seems to like it. So we played a round of that last night and then broke out Star Wars Monopoly. The kids stayed up late and we all had a good time. So last night I was a bit amped up because of all the fun. Which meant I didn't sleep well. So when I woke up at 0500 instead of 0600 to pee, I decided to just change and start my run an hour early.

So after stashing the new trail cams on the trail, I headed out for my run in the dark. It was colder than expected but my Buffs once again saved my ass from freezing. I meandered down the trail and ran into the sunrise. I piddled with the cameras when I got to them and then headed back to the car. By now the sun was up, I had stashed my headlamp, and I was feeling great. On the way back I got my lights, dropped some trash, took a dump, and kept on going. Once I got back to my car I headed back out in the other direction to get more time and squeaked out two more miles.

Along the way I had the shit scared out of me by a beaver and a turkey. I also saw, well, nobody and nothing the entire time. It wasn't until I was in my last two miles of the run that I saw other people (four people and two dogs). Pretty lonely out there today.


Picture:

Vine:
https://vine.co/v/hLahLJX3T9z

Weather:
Temps started at about 35F and eventually warmed to 40F or 45F by the end. It took an hour or so after sun up to really feel any difference though. And the ground was still semi-frozen even then. Sky was clear and the sun was out. No wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Drank a GenUCAN before the run and nothing else. During the run I had plain water in my hydration pack. I had just under two liters and drank most of it. I also had a bottle of Hammer Fizz at the two hour mark. I ate three applesauce pouches; one at two hours, one at three hours, and one at three and a half hours. I was starving by the end. Recovery was a veggie sub, mozzarella sticks, and a latte.

Aches and Pains:
No real pains to speak of other than a few sharp rocks that I stepped on. My left hamstring was getting tight towards the end but I think that was due to a lack of electrolytes and a lack of fluids.

Gear:
Wore two pair of shorts, gaiters, thermal shirt, long sleeve shirt, short sleeve shirt, two Buffs, and winter gloves. I had my hydration pack and my knife along with my phone.

Heart Rate:
Best success to date with the first two hours barely getting into upper Zone 2. Didn't go into Zone 3 until about 2 and a half hours. Started pushing the pace towards the end and eventually maxed out. No idea what my RHR was this morning though.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 12:50 (AVG HR 135)
Mile 2 - 13:27 (AVG HR 135)
Miles 3 and 4 - 33:52 (AVG HR 136) (includes gun range bypass and pee break)
Mile 5 - 13:50 (AVG HR 135)
Mile 6 - 13:45 (AVG HR 135)
Mile 7 - 16:30 (AVG HR 140) (includes aid station stop)
Mile 8 - 20:08 (AVG HR 127) (includes some dicking around with the trail cameras)
Mile 9 - 14:14 (AVG HR 144)
Mile 10 - 19:40 (AVG HR 137) (includes dropping a log)
Mile 11 - 14:33 (AVG HR 146)
Mile 12 - 16:23 (AVG HR 152) (includes gun range bypass)
Mile 13 - 13:34 (AVG HR 155)
Mile 14 - 15:41 (AVG HR 156)
Mile 15 - 13:31 (AVG HR 155)
Mile 16 - 12:31 (AVG HR 163)
Finish - 4:04:38
MIN HR - 86
AVG HR - 142
MAX HR - 180
RHR - Unknown

Does a Lumberjack Shit in the Woods?

Why of course he does. Where else is he going to take a dump? A real man doesn't need an outhouse.

Thankfully I didn't need to use leaves today because they were frozen. Just like the water drops on the leaves. And the rocks on the trail. And the mud on the trail. I've slipped in mud before but today was the first time I've slipped ON mud. Actually ran through the puddles because they were liquid and I knew I'd at least get some traction. Bizarre stuff this morning. Not including my doodie in the woods.

Let's see, found four shotgun shells this morning just off the trail. At a minimum it was littering, at most it was illegal hunting and trespassing. ::sigh:: Why are some people such idiots?

Anyway, the rest of the run was wet and cold. I shockingly was able to talk myself into running five more miles that I thought I would. I went out for what should have been a two plus hour run and quickly found myself fighting a gurgling belly and a cold rain. So, I ran a mile, turn around, and came back. I was totally planning on bailing out after just two miles but my belly needed some relief before that so I stopped to do my doodie duty. Once I started running again, I felt much better and somehow found myself warmed up enough to continue running. So I did. For another five miles. I was still short of my goal on time but I felt much better when I finished. Quitting after 7 miles is much easier on the soul than quitting after 2 miles. Plus, I was getting soaked and cold and didn't want to risk hypothermia. Today was one of those days where I was skirting the line between Bad Ass and Dumb Ass.

Photo:
After my run.

Vine:
https://vine.co/v/h3D9aOWDK96

Weather:
Temps were 32F during the run. No sun and lots of rain. No wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Breakfast was half a coffee. During the run I had water and an applesauce pouch. Recovery was Hammer Recoverite mixed with some coffee and two slices of toast.

Aches and Pains:
Blister on my right heel didn't hurt at all. Everything else felt fine, just a bit sluggish.

Gear:
Wore shorts, pants, shorts, thermal top, long sleeve shirt, vest, winter hat, and gloves. Within the first half mile I had to put on both of my extra Buffs. Also wore my hydration pack and carried my knife.

Heart Rate:
Kinda gave up on keeping things in Zone 2 after the first few miles. Focused instead on keeping things fast enough to stay warm. Did try to push it a little harder over the last couple of miles.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 11:29 (AVG HR 147)
Mile 2 - 15:36 (AVG HR 152) (includes taking a dump)
Mile 3 - 14:28 (AVG HR 151)
Mile 4 - 14:03 (AVG HR 151) (includes pee break)
Mile 5 - 13:59 (AVG HR 152)
Mile 6 - 12:48 (AVG HR 160)
Mile 7 - 12:18 (AVG HR 161)
Finish - 1:34:44
MIN HR - 87
AVG HR - 153
MAX HR - 180
RHR - 59

The Sad State of Politics in King George, Virginia

Since I'm on a politics rant for today regarding the shunning of Ruby Brabo, why not add another one.Communication. Specifically, the lack of. A neighboring school lost a building in a fire and I had an idea I wanted to share. A possible solution to their problem that our County might be able to help with. So I shared that idea with my local leaders. Since I wasn't sure who was in charge of what, I shared with both the Board of Supervisors and the School Board. That's a total of ten people. Here they are along with their email addresses:

School Board

Dahlgren District - Ken Novell - knovell@kgcs.k12.va.us
James Madison District - Kristin Tolliver - ktolliver@kgcs.k12.va.us
James Monroe District - T. C. Collins - tcollins@kgcs.k12.va.us
Shiloh District - Mike Rose - mrose2@kgcs.k12.va.us
At-Large District - John Davis - jdavis@kgcs.k12.va.us

Board of Supervisors
Dahlgren District -Ruby Brabo - rubyb@co.kinggeorge.state.va.us
James Madison District -Joe Grzeika - jgrzeika@co.kinggeorge.state.va.us
James Monroe District -Jim Howard - jhoward@co.kinggeorge.state.va.us

Shiloh District -Cedell Brooks - cbfh98@verizon.net

At-Large District -Dale Sisson - sisson4kg@msn.com

So like I said, I sent them an email with my idea. All of those that responded were polite and professional about it. But not everyone responded. I got responses from:

• John Davis
• Dale Sisson
• Mike Rose
• Ruby Brabo
• Joe Grzeika

That's five people out of ten. Half of the people I sent a message to responded. To me, this is the primary source of the problem we have within our local government; nobody wants to communicate. I mean, come on people, let's move into the present where the Pony Express is a footrace and not the main communication line with the west coast. Let's move into the present where we hear about news before it's even on the news. Let's move into the present where people have cameras, video recorders, computers, telephones, and navigation systems in their pocket. Let's move into the present where communication is mandatory to move forward.

I fell the lack of communication coming from our leadership is the source of our problem. These old farts sitting on the board never had to talk about what they did in the past. Nobody came to the meetings so they never needed to worry about explaining why they did something. Well guess what, now everyone knows and they know as soon as you do it. So when one individual decides to openly communicate with the very citizens that voted them in, the rest of the group gets nervous and decides to ostracize them. Ever hear of the five monkeys and the banana on a ladder? Welcome to the paradigm of bad politics. Let's stop spraying cold water and work together to get the banana.

How Coke Can Destroy My Mood

When I was younger, my Dad and I would go to a local restaurant for dinner on a fairly regular basis. He would order wing dings and an iced tea and I would order a gyro. When the waitress would ask what I wanted to drink, the conversation would go something like this:

Waitress: What would you like to drink?

Me: A Coke.

Waitress: What kind of Coke?

Me: Mr. Pibb.

In this specific area, we called all soda "Coke" for some reason. Probably the same reason my wife called it "pop" when she grew up in Pittsburgh. So when I talk about Coke here, sometimes I'm referencing "soda" and sometimes the actual product "Coke."

Growing up, Coke wasn't a regular drink at home. That honor went to milk and Kool-Aid. But whenever I went out to eat, I drank a Coke. It was part of what made eating out so special. As I got older and spent more time with my Mom and step-father, I realized I didn't like Pepsi. I liked Pepsi products, but not Pepsi. I don't know why. It was just too sweet I think and Coke had just enough of a nice kick and acidity to make it more appealing. Plus that's what I usually had available to me when I went out to eat in my geographic area.

When I went to college in north-western Pennsylvania, I had to adjust. It was Pepsi territory which meant I had to switch to Dr. Pepper or Mountain Dew to survive eating out. But it wasn't until I went home during a break in classes and saw the dentist that I realized what I was doing. I ended up getting a bit of Mountain Dew Mouth and had my first cavity. As a student with no parents to monitor me, I treated every meal as if it were a meal at a restaurant. So even though my meal plan covered milk, water, juice, or any number of other drinks, I almost always chose soda. After my freshman year, things got worse when there was a small dining hall in my dorm that was essentially a generic McDonalds. This would turn out to be the main source of my addiction for the coming years. It set a precedent that nearly every meal could be, and sometimes should be, accompanied by a soda.

After getting in the habit of drinking 30 to 60 ounces of Mountain Dew a day for years, I graduated college and moved on to adulthood. This meant that my habits changed little over time and were mostly governed by what I could afford. I wasn't on a meal plan that my parents paid for so water was cheaper to drink than Coke. But I still drank Coke. Fast forward a few years and I land a steady job. Coke becomes a part of my diet yet again for nearly every meal. I'd drink one for breakfast to wake up, one at lunch to wash it down, and another in the afternoon to keep going. The pattern of drinking was there, it was just modulating as time passed.

Fast forward another few years and I land an even steadier job with my current employer. Like many tech companies at the time, sodas were 25 cents per can. It was like being back in college again where I could almost, almost drink for free. I'd easily drink two to six cans of Coke a day for years. I was yet again reinforcing my bad habits without knowing it.

At some point in time I got sick with a sinus infection or the flu or bronchitis or something like that. I lost my appetite for a few days and, somehow, stopped drinking Coke for three days straight. I had a small streak started and I had quit cold turkey and best of all, my detox side affects were masked by my illness. So I took the opportunity and ran with it. For the next few years, I quit drinking Coke. Period.

Then ultra marathons entered my life and Coke was a staple at many aid stations. To make sure I wouldn't have a bad stomach during a race, I started drinking again. Not anywhere near the levels I had before but the pleasure of drinking had increased. So the one drink I'd have a month would feel like a week's worth of drinks all at once. Over time I would loosen my own personal restrictions on Coke consumption and a few times I would even train specifically with Coke as part of my drop bags or fluid consumption during training runs and races.

That's quite a lot of backstory on how Coke makes me depressed but I think it's important to put out there. I honestly feel, now, that Coke is addictive and can be detrimental to your life like alcohol or some other drug. However, I also feel that, like everything else out there, a little bit of something is okay. Too much of something isn't. So I try to put Coke and beer in the same category. You can have one, but remember that there will be some consequences if you drink it. With Coke, I'll get depressed. With beer, I can't drive.

That brings us to the depression piece of this post. The whole reason I'm writing this is to talk about the odd mental aspect of drinking Coke. A few years ago I realized that every time I drank a Coke, I felt great for a few hours. I felt refreshed, light on my feet, and maybe a little hyper. But for the next day, or two, or sometimes three, I'd feel down. Depressed. Blue. Sad. Whatever you want to call it, I just wasn't feeling good about anything. I'd be more irritable and grumpy with my family and co-workers. Any little thing would set me off. I wasn't depressed enough to be suicidal but I was depressed enough to struggle getting out of bed in the morning. It felt very much like a hangover but was more mental and less physical.

I have experimented with various types of Coke and nearly every one has the same result. The only exception I've found is Cheerwine. I never drank it when I lived in North Carolina, but tend to pick up a bottle when I feel like drinking soda. And even though I don't drink that much Coke, I can still taste the difference between a glass bottle, plastic bottle, a can, and from the fountain. But none of these various serving styles make a difference. I thought it could have been the corn syrup but the Mexican Coke with plain sugar still impacts me the same way. Even Diet Coke makes me wonky. And I don't think it's the caffeine because I drink coffee and tea and they don't do anything like this.

I know I don't eat as healthy as I could. But I am glad I stopped drinking so much Coke. I may once again wean myself off completely but I still have a six pack in the fridge calling my name. Begging me to get high all over again.

A Day at the Beach

Yup, I ran outside today in the "polar vortex" everyone is talking about. Personally, I don't think it was quite that bad but, I will admit, I did get cold. Apparently I ran with the wind for the first half which meant a strong headwind on the way back. Right when I was getting tired and sweaty and cold. So yeah, I got cold but not dangerously so. Best part of the run was getting a wave from the old lady walking her dog outside. And the funny look on her face as I kept trudging along. And the toys I found next to a Dora book titled "A Day at the Beach." I laughed and laughed.

The rest of the run was pretty uneventful. Although my eyes did freeze together once. And I did spill a little bit of water on my glove and it froze in seconds. Outside of that, it was a pretty typical day on the street.

Photo:
Me and Dora chilled outside for a bit.

Weather:
Temps were 10F to 15F. Winds were moderate making wind chills about -10F. The sun was out and I could feel it in a few spots but not many.

Fluids and Fuel:
Breakfast was two eggs, two vegan sausage patties, two waffles, yogurt, and coffee. During the run I had a bottle of plain water and a bottle of Hammer Fizz. I finished the Fizz and most of the water. Recovery was leftover pork chops and rice.

Aches and Pains:
Had some rubbing on my right heel from my pants zipper but not enough to worry about. Face was cold but again, not enough to worry about. Everything else was fine.

Gear:
Wore shorts, pants, another pair of pants, and another pair of shorts. Wore a thermal top, long sleeve top, and a wind breaker. Wore a winter hat, two pairs of gloves, a neck gaiter, and a balaclava. Didn't take my phone because I was worried it would freeze.

Heart Rate:
Didn't wear my monitor but I'm pretty sure my first two miles were in Zone 2 and the rest were Zone 3.

Splits:
Outbound - 36:43
Inbound - 36:10
Finish - 1:12:53
RHR - 61

Vasectomies and Ultrarunning

As the title suggests, this is going to be a touchy topic. So feel free to leave now. If you continue to read, you'll be graced with graphic descriptions of my own penis and testicles and a few mentions of my sex life. Hopefully I can keep the dick jokes to a minimum though. I would like to keep this as clinical and objective as possible. On a positive note, I won't be showing any pictures. So, with that said, let's move one.

Okay so this is going to be very TMI and graphic and, by the very nature of things, sexual. In the past I have always hesitated to disclose any specifics about my sex life because as far as I'm concerned that is private between my wife and myself. However I have decided to disclose a wee little bit, no pun intended, specifically about how my recent surgery affects me.

Now for those of you that do not know what a vasectomy is, it's where the vasa deferentia is transected, removed, truncated, capped, whatever you wanna call it. It's separated therefore live, active sperm is not introduced into the ejaculate and therefore the man is no longer capable of impregnating the woman. I know that's a whole lot of science and medicine and biology and big fancy words but it's the only way I can do this with a straight face. So anyway, it's not like a dog or cat or something like that where they are neutered. I still have my testicles, they still work, it's just some of the plumbing is no longer connected.

So having said all of that I don't necessarily want to make a big deal out of why I did it or how it will impact my sex life. What I really want to do is get into more of the running-related impact of having a vasectomy and how it will impact my life in that manner. I am NOT comfortable disclosing all the details of my sex life so we'll just leave it at my wife and I do not want to have any more children. After researching all the different alternatives to birth control, this was the most viable option. But before I get to far ahead, let's break things down into three main categories of discussion. First, there's the psychological baggage, then the social stigma, and finally the physical impact.

Psychological Baggage

For some men, many men, I don't think it's a big deal. You go, you get it done, and that's it. But for me it's a whole lot more. I'm not a big fan of doctors, not in the sense that I don't like doctors as much as I don't like going to the doctors. Or hospitals for that matter. And I think part of it stems from my mother and when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. That really scared me away from hospitals. And I've always been afraid of death but for me to go to the doctor even when I'm sick is a big deal. It's just one of those mind sets that I have. So I tend to tell myself "let's give it another day another week and let's see if my body will heal itself." Not always the case obviously but that's kind of where my head is. So going for a vasectomy is a huge deal even though it's like 20 to 30 minutes of outpatient surgery. Along with that there's all the horror stories that I've read and seen pictures of and heard about where things went insanely wrong. That's not something I would suggest that you go out and look up beforehand but I know that there are risks just like driving down the road where anything can happen. Bad things do happen, can happen, will happen but statistically they're not that common so even though I know the numbers were on my side I still was not comfortable going. Along with that there's this philosophy that I have that I want my body to be whole. Almost like the Sikhs who don't believe in cutting their hair.  That's kind of how I feel. I mean, I'll obviously shave and cut my hair but that philosophy of being whole is more what I'm talking about.

Now I'm not saying that I'm not whole as a person but it's that mental aspect of wondering if I will be whole. Yes, there's a part of it that revolves around will I be a man and will I be able to function as a man but while I'm worried about the physical repercussions, I'm less worried about being a man than I am about being whole. Add to this mentality the question of what would happen if we ever did want another child. God forbid something bad happens to our two children, and there's no way having a third could ever replace one, but there's that thought in the back of your mind about how can we make another one if we go through with this? That's a lot of emotional weight to handle when your family lineage is something that's important. We're not exactly royal blood here and there's no lordship at stake, but there is still the family name and traditions to carry on. A big part of that, for me at least, is in the blood line of the family. Not that my adopted family members are any less a part of the family, they just aren't blood relatives. I don't know why that's important, but it is. And I do realize it makes me sound like some crazed Nazi when I say it.

Social Stigma

Very much like mental illness, there's a huge social stigma with vasectomies. HUGE. Part of it is the social stigma of sex and I think every country and culture has their own set of morals when it comes to things related to sex. I get that. But vasectomies seem to bear a bit more burden than other surgeries related to reproductive organs. For example, women who have a hysterectomy don't seem to have as many issues talking about it or dealing with it. At least not from my point of view. But when it comes to a mastectomy, that seems to draw some of the same stigma of a vasectomy. Maybe the social issues are related to more how people define themselves as male or female than anything else. I know it was some of my own problem with this surgery but I think it goes deeper for the culture we live in now.

Yes, biologically, I am defined as a male because of my genitals but I'm also socially defined as a male because of them. And while I'm okay with that, I think there needs to be some responsibility that comes with the power of defining who people are. So just because a woman has her breasts or uterus removed, doesn't mean she's any less of a woman. Same goes for a man. I mean, nobody would think of Lance Armstrong as anything but a man and yet he only has one testicle. Of course he carries his own stigma with drug use, but that's not what we're talking about here.

So while the rich and famous and the news outlets find it okay to talk about a woman braving a double mastectomy to reduce her odds of getting cancer, there isn't a damn thing out there about a dude getting a vasectomy to prevent future pregnancies. And there's barely anything about getting a colonoscopy to prevent prostate cancer. Is it because we, as men, see this kind of stuff as a weakness? Are we so wrapped up in our own machismo that we can't ask for help? I don't know what the answer is but I do know nobody wants to talk about getting their testicular tubes tied.

Physical Impact

This is where we get into the graphic part of the procedure. Even more so than before. So the pre-op part was fairly uneventful. There's a consult that takes place beforehand where you and your spouse can sit down with the doctor and discuss all the ins and outs of what's going to happen. Pretty standard office visit with no real surprises. The doctor should do a basic inspection and give you a good once-over to make sure you're suitable for surgery. They'll also probably give you a sheet that says you agree to this and so does your spouse.

After that comes the surgery visit itself. My doctor gave me some pain meds and an anti-anxiety pill to take before the operation. It helped but I think two beers and two shots would have made me even more numb to the pending procedure. Numb both to the physical trauma and the emotional trauma. Since I was on meds, this meant that I needed a chauffeur to take me to and from the doctor. Thankfully my wife was nice enough to see to this. While she won't admit it, I think in the back of her head she had a bit of perverse delight in seeing me go through this. I guess it was only fair since she's mother to two children.

Okay, the procedure itself took 20 minutes, maybe 30. That's from leaving the waiting room to being done. Once in the room, you strip from the waist down and wait with a piece of paper over you. I say paper because that's what it was. They may have called it a blanket or something else but it was a piece of freaking paper that would have dissolved like cheap toilet paper if it got wet. My feet were cold and I closed my eyes because I had no desire to see what was on the little table of torture.

Finally the nurse comes in and preps the area with Betadine. It's a little cold but not bad. It does smell a little funny and, as I found out later, is a dark liquid that's easily mistaken for blood or iodine. From there, the doctor came in and the pain came. It felt a bit like having your testicles wrapped up in a rubber band while the doctor pricks you with a needle to give you a local anesthetic. I'm not sure if it was a rubber band or a medical clamp or a freaking vise, but it was uncomfortable. From there he begins his poking and prodding. I was grimacing more than he expected so he asked if I could feel pain. I said yes so he gave me more local. At least I'm pretty sure he did since I felt another pinch and then didn't feel much more than pressure and tugging. From that moment through later in the afternoon, I could still feel pain but it was very mild. Not a sharp pain like getting kicked between the legs as much as a steady, dull ache of having a small child stand on your testicles all day. Or like you got karate chopped between the legs yesterday and it still hurts today.

At some point he said something about moving to the other side and I just continued to lay there with my eyes closed. I'd wiggle my toes or clench my hands but I did my best not to jump or jerk. While I wanted to make jokes I was too focused on surviving to come up with anything good. The nurse and doctor did comment on my "I Love Coitus" shirt. I figured it was fitting to wear it on such an occasion because, well, just because. Anyway, I was bearing down as I gave birth to this vasectomy and the doctor eventually says he's just stitching up and then he'll be done.

After that, he said his good-byes and the nurse gave me a little washcloth to clean up some of the Betadine. That's when I realized it looked like iodine. Once I got cleaned up a little with the washcloth from hell that left more lint than it cleaned up, I inspected the damage and asked the nurse about the incision. It was much higher than I expected which I was happy for since it meant I could see it and clean it. I was thinking it would be much lower on the scrotum or even underneath but instead it was more at the intersection of the shaft of the penis and the scrotum. Side note, it was also more off to one side than I expected. At about, let's say, 1 o'clock on the dial (assuming 12 was my toes and 6 was my nose).

After I cleaned up a little, I stood up and began to get dressed. That's when I noticed that the Betadine looked like blood. It took a second but I finally realized that if I had bled that much I would have been covered in it. Once I was dressed, I gingerly made my way back to the waiting room and my wife and we left. Since I skipped breakfast, we grabbed an early lunch and headed home.

The rest of the first day was spent wearing tight shorts, icing the impacted area, and watching Band of Brothers. Things hurt but not too bad. Well, just a tad too bad to just live with it. So I took pain meds on a regular basis and even managed a nap. The next day I made my first mistake. I continued to wear the tight shorts but felt restless and went to town to run errands and do Christmas shopping. Bad idea. I should have stayed on the couch. So by the third day I paid the price and stayed in bed a few extra hours. That seemed to help some but the dull ache is still there. I managed to live without meds until the weekend (about V+4 days) when I took some ibuprofen. That seemed to help with some of the swelling and pain but again, it's still there.

Now that I'm at V+6 days, I'm moving around much better, not icing, and only taking meds when I absolutely need it. My pain varies from 1 to 7 on the scale but it's mostly in direct relation to what I'm doing. Sitting, standing, and some walking is fine. I say some walking because I need to adjust myself for it to feel comfortable. Most of my pain comes from sitting or standing. That's when things move too much for comfort and I need move things around to get them settled. The tight shorts help some but not as much as I'd like. Loose pants help more than tight jeans.

There's also more bruising than I expected. I think if the doctor would have rummaged around anymore, I'd be as black as ebony. The stitches haven't fallen out yet and I've been periodically cleaning the incision with hydrogen peroxide. Those things are annoying because they catch on any sort of fabric in the area. Which means any sudden movements suddenly get your attention. And the swelling has continued to rise and fall for no apparent reason. Some days are better than others. They are incredibly tender and often get treated as if they were eggs being carried around for a high school home economics class. I've even shoved my kids away from my just to avoid any careless bumping.

Speaking of kids, I haven't really told either of them what happened. I had no idea how to broach the topic since neither are really at an age to understand all the reproductive parts of the body and what all the implications are. My daughter, age 9, knows some stuff and understands some stuff but is still very much a kid. My son, age 6, has no clue and, well, I'll just keep it that way for now.

Recovery
While my recovery isn't complete, I would feel remiss for not at least touching on the topic. I am down to almost no pain after about ten days. I've been able to run with no issues beyond my stitches occasionally catch on the fabric of my shorts. They've been doing that since the beginning but I trimmed one of the longer ones and that greatly reduced the number of instances where I was suddenly struck with pain.

Speaking of stitches, the incision is healing quite nicely. It doesn't look super pretty but looks a lot better than it did after a few days. I've been cleaning it with hydrogen peroxide periodically and carefully cleaning it in the shower. I feel no major scaring underneath the skin and the first, gross scab has come off. The much less gross scab is still present but is much smaller.

My bruising has also healed almost completely. It went form a small, almost invisible bruise to a larger bruise to black and blue to black, blue, and red to deep black. I also saw other bruises come and go in other areas that I didn't expect to bruise. Aside from the appearance of an old bruise, there's not nearly as much tenderness as before. I'm not shoving defending the area like Fort Knox any more.

Which brings me to my final point, tenderness in general. From the moment the doctor started, things were pretty sore and tender down there. I didn't want to touch anything. Moving my underwear hurt. Pants hurt. Everything hurt. I would have walked around naked if I thought it would have helped but I knew I'd eventually bump into my thigh and just set off another chain reaction of pain. While I still have moments where there's some residual pain, I'm happy to say that it's mostly gone know. Most of the pain comes from sudden movements, usually involved with standing or sitting. Running doesn't seem to count as I've been able to go short and long distances without any big issues. Maybe a minor readjustment here or there but that's it. It's the smash that usually gets me. Any pressure beyond moderate will make me recoil. That's fairly normal I think but things are more sensitive to touch than before. I guess what I'm saying is, before the vasectomy, I could handle moderate to strong pressure but now have a lower threshold for pain.

Other Reading

- The Effects of Various Types of Birth Control on Runners via Runners Connect - This article is focused mostly on the options of birth control available for women although condoms are mentioned. There are way more options out there than those listed in the article but it's a good place to start with the basics.

- Vasectomy via Jason Lytle's message board - This is more of a very short discussion on vasectomies and their potential impact on prostate cancer. Not really much information here.

- Bizarre Facts About Ultramarathoning via Men's Fitness - One brief mention of famed ultrarunner Marshall Ulrich getting a vasectomy. The comment felt a bit tongue and cheek so I'm not sure if it's true but if it is, he's the only elite ultrarunner that can be confirmed with having one. And then of course there's the questionable source itself.

- A Vasectomy and Riding a Bike...FUN!!! via Running Man Dave's blog - One of the better first-hand accounts of a vasectomy from an ultra runner I've read. Not a lot of details but enough to whet your appetite for more. If you're into that kind of thing.

- Facebook post via UltraRunner Podcast - Not sure if it's visible to everyone but it has a nice long list of fellow ultrarunners with a vasectomy. Best of all, the URP folks are a solid source of information about ultras.