This is a post about socks.
Yes, socks.
I never paid a lot of attention to my running socks. I have picked up a few pairs of special socks at running stores or race expos over time and they always suited me fine. They have a bit of compression through the arch and are made of a cotton-like moisture-wicking material. But to be perfectly honest I didn’t notice much of a difference between these special running socks and regular cotton athletic socks.
However, I recently received a few pairs of iRun Hybrid-Compression socks and I love them, so much that I won’t run in anything else.
The iRun socks are made of a smooth material and feature a compression arch that results in a very comfortable, snug fit. But I love them because they are lighter-weight than my other running socks and are excellent at controlling moisture. On long humid runs, my old running socks would get soaked through with sweat, even though they are made of a supposed moisture-wicking material (I’ll give my old socks the benefit of the doubt here as I sweat a lot). But these iRun socks with their lighter material do a better job keeping my feet (reasonably) dry.
So when I run in them, I actually notice my iRun socks. They are simply lighter, drier, and more comfortable than anything I’ve run in before.
2012 Mid-Year Review
With my 2012 spring racing season in the books, now is a good time for a mid-year review.
I declared 2012 to be my personal “Year of the Run.” Instead of picking one or two “big” races to plan my year around, I instead loaded up my schedule with races – quantity over quality, if you will.
So far in 2012 I’ve ran seven races: four half-marathons, two 10-mile races, and a 10k.
The good: I set PR’s in the half-marathon and 10k distances.
The bad: the half-marathon PR came in my first race of the year back in January, and both PR’s were in distances I had not run in over a year.
Last fall I ran 5k, 5-mile, 15k and 10-mile races and all were PRs. Comparing those times to the ones I logged this spring, I was faster last fall.
So the question is: why?
A few things stand out:
- This past February I was knocked out with the worst flu I’ve had in several years. I was completely laid low for several days, and didn’t regain full strength for about three weeks. It threw my training schedule off, and I had a couple subpar races while not completely recovered.
- I was in better shape last fall. I spent most of last summer cycling with my wife as she trained for her triathlons. We’d go out for 50, 60, 80-mile long weekend rides, that certainly improved my fitness. I was also about 5 pounds lighter.
- Finally, I made some tactical race errors, specifically I started out too fast. In a couple of races I got a few miles in, realized I was running way too-fast, and had to back off considerably. In another race, I tried to make a push a few miles out, only to run out of gas short of the finish line.
I’m still in the downtime after the spring racing season before training begins for the fall. One of the challenges will be to learn from the lessons of the spring and make appropriate changes to my training program. More to come!
Training vs Running
My spring racing season finished up with the Soldier Field 10 Mile a few weeks ago. I have one race on my calendar in late July and then nothing again until September. So I’m no longer training, and now when I go out for a run, I’m just running. It’s a subtle difference but an important one.
When I’m training, my runs have a purpose: the long run to build up endurance, the weekday easy run to recover and log mileage, and the speed work to (hopefully) get faster. But without a race on the near-term horizon, my runs are just to run. There’s no “agenda” to the run, and I can just go by how I feel – some days I’ll go long, some days fast, some days just out for 30 minutes to stretch the legs. There’s no success or failure to any of these runs as there is no goal.
I believe in training and having a plan and seeing every workout as a chance to improve race performance. But training can be grueling. There’s an element of stress that is added when having a purpose or goal for each run. And that stress is as much mental as it is physical, and I believe that long-term mental stress can be detrimental, making it that much more difficult to get into the get into the mind-set that’s required for a successful run or race.
So for now, I’m enjoying the break from training. I’m still running, and still and enjoying it, but I’m also re-charging my mental batteries so I’ll be ready to train for the fall race season.
2012 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon
Yesterday my wife Julie finished her first Escape from Alcatraz triathlon in San Francisco. Considered by many to be the most challenging triathlon in the world, the event features a 1.5-mile swim in the 55 degree water of the San Francisco Bay, followed by an 18-mile bike through the hilly streets of San Francisco, and ending with an 8-mile run to Baker Beach and back that features a 300-step climb up the infamous sand ladder.
I know that training for an endurance running event is difficult, but having to establish the required fitness to complete not only the run, but also the swim and the bike makes triathlon training that much more challenging. To make matters even more difficult, flat-as-pancake Chicago doesn’t provide the hills encountered in the Alcatraz course, and winter makes open-water swimming and outdoor cycling almost impossible. Julie logged dozens of hours in the pool, on the bike compu-trainer, and running the stairs in the local forest preserve to get ready for the Alcatraz challenge.
I am unbelievably proud of her for finishing the race, but even more-so for putting in all the time to training over the past six months.
It was a gorgeous day in San Francisco, and it was a thrill watching the race. I started at the swim finish, watching the athletes come ashore after the cold swim from Alcatraz. The biggest obstacle for the swim wasn’t the cold water, but the current. At the pre-race course overview, swimmers were cautioned to swim to shore (south) first and let the current take them west to the beach. Unfortunately some didn’t heed this advice and as they swam straight towards the swim finish, they were carried out towards the Golden Gate bridge. Thankfully, the race had a number of kayaks, jet skis, and boats in the water to prevent anyone from drifting out to sea, but it was estimated that several participants swam up to an extra half mile by misjudging the current. I can’t imagine how frustrating that must have been for those swimmers knowing they still had the bike and run ahead of them.
After the swim I headed to the main transition area where I could see the athletes head out and back on their bikes and again on their run. It’s always fun to be at the finish of an endurance race watching the exhausted elation as athletes cross the finish line.
Shortly before Julie finished, a runner came across on two prosthetic legs. When Julie and I were out in San Fran in February we walked the beach part of the run course and the sand ladder that is so daunting. As you can imagine, running on beach sand is tough and climbing the sand stairs is even more difficult. I cannot fathom what it must take to run through the sand and climb the 300-step sand ladder on prosthetics. Watching her cross the finish line was an amazing, inspiring sight.
After all my races this spring, it was fun to be a spectator for a change and awesome to cheer on Julie for her big race. A day later she’s still on cloud nine, and I couldn’t be happier for her. And if I had to guess, I’d say there’s a good chance we’ll be back again next year.
Embarcadero Promenade Run to AT&T Park
I’m writing this from San Francisco, where we are on vacation. It’s a gorgeous day here, perfect running weather: temperature in the mid sixties, abundant sunshine, and an easy breeze. After a long flight and exploring the city all day, I took the opportunity to stretch my legs and get out for an early evening run.
We’re staying down by Fisherman’s Wharf close to San Francisco Bay. I set out for the waterfront and headed east at the Embarcadero Promenade, the public walkway that runs the length of all the piers along the bay. It was an amazing run.
Running by the lakefront in Chicago is awesome – it’s one of the reasons we chose to live where we do – but as my normal route, it’s become routine. I have covered that trail so often that I mentally “check out ” without consciously being aware of it. So it was a different experience running in a new city along an unfamiliar route. Additionally the area down by the piers is a tourist hotspot and on a Friday afternoon it was teeming with vacationers and street-performers, along with a steady stream of runners, bikers and skateboarders. All of that resulted in the most present run I’ve had in a long time. I made my way along at a comfortable pace, taking it all in, rarely checking my watch. It was wonderful.
The waterfront walkway follows San Francisco Bay south where it eventually meets up with AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. The park would be a good turn around point, so I planned to run until the path meets the stadium before turning around. If you’re at all familiar with AT&T Park, you know that it is right on the bay and sluggers launch home-runs over the right field fence that splash into the water. Much to my surprise, the walkway continues behind the park and is directly at field level. This Giants are hosting the Texas Rangers tonight, and from the path I could look through the open gates and see the field. So here I was out on my run, along the beautiful San Francisco Bay watching the Texas Rangers warming up right field. It was amazing.
A great run, and hopefully a start to a great vacation!
Happy National Running Day!
Did you know today was National Running Day? Honestly, I didn’t until I checked my email this morning and found a few special National Running Day offers in my inbox.
When I woke up this morning, my legs were a little fatigued so I was planning on taking today off. But it is an absolutely gorgeous day here in Chicago: bright sunshine, a perfect 65 degrees, and a light breeze. It would be a crime NOT to run today. So I went out for a great forty minute run by the lake. It was a perfect way to celebrate National Running Day (even if I didn’t know it at the time)!
If you head over to Competitor.com’s National Running Day site and log your run today, they have some special offers and discounts available.
To celebrate the Rock ‘N’ Roll marathon series is offering $20 of the entry in almost all of their races. If you were on the fence about signing up for one of their events, consider this a sign. Sign up now!
Using Multiple Pairs of Running Shoes
If your feet are going to be logging some serious mileage, having the right pair of running shoes is a must. However, good running shoes aren’t cheap, so it makes sense to attempt to get the most mileage out of each pair as possible. One way I do that is to have multiple pairs of running shoes in use at once.
I have two pairs of my main running shoes for my regular runs. When I break in a new pair of shoes I’ll use them exclusively for treadmill running. My treadmill runs are shorter in duration and I find it easier to break in shoes over the course of several shorter runs. I’ll then designate my old treadmill shoes to outdoor running (and racing). By this time, they are well broken-in and feel great on my feet, perfect for races or long runs.
Having two pairs of shoes ensures that they get a chance to rest between runs. Shoes endure a significant amount of pounding over the course of a run: an average runner will log approximately 4800 steps on each foot during an hour-long run. Alternating between two pairs of running shoes gives each pair at least a day off between runs and allows the cushioning material to recover fulling before the next run. Additionally, if I go for a rainy day run or endure a sweaty run on a hot day, I know I’ve got a second pair ready to go and can let the wet pair dry thoroughly, again prolonging their running life.
When a pair of shoes has reached the end of its normal running life (usually at the end of the year), I’ll relegate the pair for trail running. In the winter and spring I run through the trails of the Cook County Forrest Preserve just south of Chicago. Trail running is excellent: the terrain is rolling and varied, the scenery is gorgeous, and the fresh air can’t be beat. However it’s not uncommon to encounter ice, snow, mud, puddles and horse manure on the multi-use trails, making these runs hard on shoes. So I get some extra miles of my oldest pair by sacrificing them for trail running.
USA Track and Field Gear
At the Green Bay Half Marathon Expo a few weeks ago, there was a booth selling official USA Track and Field gear. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the shirt I wanted in my size, but they gave me a coupon for free shipping from their online store (www.usatf.org/store). So I ordered it online and it came yesterday.
I love it.
Almost all my running tops are dry-fit shirts that came in the “goodie bag” from races. But it’s nice to have something other than a race shirt to run in. And what’s better than going out for a run wearing a shirt with “USA Track & Field” on the back? Especially in an Olympic year! And let’s be honest here: this is the only way I’m ever going to get to wear USA Olympic team gear. So while I won’t be settling into the starting blocks in London (or even watching from the stands in London), I can show my support for Team USA all summer on my lakefront runs.
I was surprised at the amount of items available in the USATF’s store. There’s a lot of apparel here, and most of it is very cool. Some of the items are a bit on the expensive side, but there is a lot of options on sale/clearance. The USATF online store is definitely worth checking out if you are looking for some unique running gear and a chance to support Team USA!
USA! USA! USA!
Born To Run
There are few “sure things” in running. Marathon or spirit? Treadmill or trail? With music or without? All great, debatable questions. However, I want to recommend one “sure thing” I am certain every runner will enjoy: the book “Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen ” by Christopher McDougall.
The book follows the author to the remote Copper Canyon of Mexico in search of the famed endurance runners of the Tarahumara Indian tribe. It’s an epic adventure as an eclectic group of distance runners make the journey to find the Tarahumaras and compete in a grueling endurance race across unforgiving Mexican terrain. In addition, McDougall takes a step back and looks at the history of human running visiting everyone from anthropologists to bio-mechanic specialists to learn how we were born to run.
The book has become popular with proponents of barefoot running for its focus on getting back to the basics of running, but thankfully avoids a strong dogmatic tone. McDougall simply presents the case that humans have been running (and running well) for thousands of years before the first running shoe arrived on the scene. And maybe in this time when 70% of all runners are afflicted by some running-related injury, taking a long hard look at how we run might not be a bad idea.
This is one of my favorite books of all time.
McDougall is an excellent storyteller and his material here is so rich with remarkable characters and exotic locations it is hard at times to believe this isn’t a work of fiction. “Born to Run” is simply an immensely enjoyable read, regardless if you ever laced up a pair of running shoes or not. But if you spend any time running, I guarantee that you will thoroughly enjoy “Born to Run.” Pick up a copy this summer and enjoy it poolside after logging your long run.
2012 Soldier Field 10 Mile
Saturday I ran the Soldier Field 10 Mile here in Chicago for the first time. This was the 9th annual running of the race and it has become the popular start of the summer running season, with all 18,000 entries sold out this year. As I wrote the other day, Soldier Field is a 5 minute walk from our place, so I was excited for the chance to run a race on my “home” turf.
The race started at 7am, and I took advantage of being so close by sleeping in until 6 and then grabbing some yogurt before heading over to the start. We made the short walk over to the start just outside the stadium and I was in my corral by 6:40am. The moments before the start of the race are always an interesting time. My preference is to show up to a race as close to the start as possible and then just start running. If I get there too early, I find myself standing around anxiously waiting for the start. But the logistics of these bigger races usually require racers to line up in their corrals early so the start can go off smoothly.
The Soldier Field 10 made good use of the pre-race time. Not lost on the event organizers was the fact that the race was taking place on Memorial Day weekend at Soldier Field (“Dedicated to the Men and Women of the Armed Services”). The pre-race festivities featured several tributes to active military members (including some running in the race) and veterans, and included a moment of silence, a playing of “taps”, presentation by the color guard and of course the singing of the national anthem. It was very well done, and put the holiday weekend and race into perspective.
The race employed a wave start to eliminate the crowding of runners along the course. I was in corral 2 and started with the horn 5 minutes after 7am. The course began just outside of Soldier Field, heading south under McCormick Place and then on to Lake Shore Drive. Just before mile 5, the course made a sharp turn on to the lake front running path racing north for the final 5 miles back to Soldier Field. I started off at a pretty aggressive pace, but realized that I needed to back off a bit and save some the 2nd half. The issue of the day was the strong wind coming out of the northeast. Heading south for the first half the wind was great, but at the turn we met the wind head-on and it wasn’t fun.
(Last week in Green Bay it was the heat, this week the wind. If you’re wondering if I’m going to have a weather excuse for every race I run this year, the answer is yes).
We suffered through the headwind and made it back along the lake front before heading into Soldier Field. One of the selling points of the race is the opportunity to “Finish on the 50”. Just after hitting the 9.5 mile mark, the course turned into the underground entrance to the stadium, wound under the stands, before heading out of the tunnel on to the field for a short sprint to the finish at the 50 yard line. It was pretty cool. They projected the finish on the stadium video boards and announced the names of the finishers over the PA system as they crossed the finish line. Fans were allowed into the stadium and cheered from the lower bowl.
Recalling it all now, a few days later, it’s a bit fuzzy. I remember various parts like coming out of the tunnel on to the field, but overall I was in that last mile zone where I was just pushing as hard as I could to get to the finish. I came in just over an hour and twenty minutes, a little slower that i had hoped, but not surprising giving the windy conditions of the day. I grabbed a water on the field before exiting out of the stadium.
Overall, this was a great race. The race organizers do an excellent job given the number of participants and the volunteers were great. I really like the 10 mile distance and the course was flat and fast (aside from the wind). As long as I’m in Chicago, I’ll likely keep running the Soldier Field 10 Mile.