I've been an avid runner for the last 17 months, running over 2,600 miles, but have consistently battled one problem--CHAFING OF MY CHEST. This is not something I would typically write about (TURN OFF), but I believe many runners go through this so I thought I would share a funny story and a fix to the problem.
I tried using sports tape, vaseline, tight fitting and loose fitting clothes, band-aids, etc... Sports tape would get wet, fall off, or rip my chest hair out (EEWWW), vaseline would stain shirts (double EEWWW), clothes just don't work loose or tight, and band-aids didn't stand up to the sweat. I also had a funny incident where I forgot to take the white sports tape off and started cutting my lawn with my shirt off. I noticed and wondered how many neighbors saw that one (OMG). My wife and kids got such a laugh out of that one and so did I at my own expense and self humiliation!
One day I was putting New-Skin® Liquid Bandage http://www.prestigebrands.com/new-skin.htm on a cut and thought this might just be the ticket. My wife coined a marketing name that New-Skin® could use for runners...Tender Buds...I just about fell off my chair with laughter...Anyway, thought you would enjoy this bit of self humiliation and potential cure for chafing chest. Nexcare No-Sting Liquid Bandage Spray, .61 oz.
Here is a bit of Office humor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzwf8O4ZCKk
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Eat, Run, Drink ... Fuel Yourself
How do you fuel yourself before, during, and after runs? For me, it depends on when I run and the type of run--race versus training. For my weekday training regimen, I typically run at dusk. For this, I typically eat a bowl of cheerios with banana, and a yogurt with water for breakfast around 6AM. Then I eat my mid-morning snack of banana/clementine or fruit bar with coffee around 9AM. For lunch I typically eat a hearty salad with protein and a low fat yogurt or a 6 inch turkey sub with honey oat bread around 12:30PM. This provides me with the right balance of fuel to start my work out and keeps my calorie count down. I usually run between 5-10 miles during my training runs. During the run, I always bring a bottle of water, but never eat. Post training, I usually eat a flat bread turkey sandwich within 15 minutes of my run followed up by a soup for dinner or light wholewheat pasta, Frank Perdue grilled chicken on salad or whatever else I can conjure up. On the weekend, I usually train mid-morning. I never really carb it up the night before UNLESS ITs BEER TIME, but always try to eat what I call a Fruit Frapishay (sliced up fruit, covered with Yogurt and Grapenuts) 1 hour prior to workout. 15 minutes after workout, I will eat a light lunch (sandwich with soup). This seems to keep my calorie count down and get me on the mend quicker.
Prior to races, the night before, I'll carb up. I will eat whole wheat pasta with a light ground beef with sauce and will drink at least 64 ounces of water. For morning races, I need my Fruit Frapishay which keeps my stomach settled for those pre race nerves. I also like to drink coffee before races to rev myself up. During run, I'm not a big fan of food, but if necessary, on longer runs, I'll stick with banana's or whatever they hand out. Post run fuel, I typically have bananas, granola bars and drink Gatorade and water 15 minutes post run to avoid cramping. Water is my main beverage pre, during, and post. This has worked pretty well for me except for 20+ miles....STILL NEED TO FIGURE OUT THAT ONE!!!! What works for you?
Prior to races, the night before, I'll carb up. I will eat whole wheat pasta with a light ground beef with sauce and will drink at least 64 ounces of water. For morning races, I need my Fruit Frapishay which keeps my stomach settled for those pre race nerves. I also like to drink coffee before races to rev myself up. During run, I'm not a big fan of food, but if necessary, on longer runs, I'll stick with banana's or whatever they hand out. Post run fuel, I typically have bananas, granola bars and drink Gatorade and water 15 minutes post run to avoid cramping. Water is my main beverage pre, during, and post. This has worked pretty well for me except for 20+ miles....STILL NEED TO FIGURE OUT THAT ONE!!!! What works for you?
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Run with Foot Pain or No Gain
Over the last two years I've run through a variety injuries, the most common being pain related to my feet. I have had pain in my arch which had similar symptoms to Plantar Fasciitis. I also have had problems with the top of my foot near my metatarsals. In addition, I have broken or seriously damaged my big toe on both feet at least three times. Here are some tricks that help me run through this pain, but as you know, each of us have a different threshold and tolerance for pain, so be careful and don't risk injury if you don't need to. Use common sense and before trying any of these techniques always see your doctor first.
Lets start with that oh so sensitive area--the arch. When I first started running distances of 5 miles or more, I would have pain in and along my arch line. After trying a number of different remedies, I determined the pain was caused by switching shoes. When arch support changes from shoe to shoe this tends to cause pain in your arch. I have always been the type to run through this, but this pain was so severe, I needed to counteract it somehow. I found taping the arch provided the extra support needed to get through my runs and overtime the pain would disappear. The following link was very successful for me (consult your doctor first). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy1ZEJ-kKTg&NR=1 The down side was that the tape when wet would start pealing back around mile 3 or 4. The key for me was wearing tight socks. Tight socks seem to hold the tape in place a bit better. The second technique I found that seems to work is going with a shoe 1/2 to 1 size larger and to obtain shoe inserts with extra arch support. I prefer Gel inserts because it provides padding as well as the arch support needed. It also molds around your foot for extra support. Below is a link that provides helpful information in more detail. http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/news/watch/v6503955NrdCBRm7
Now lets get into those painful metatarsal injuries. I have found that running shoes without appropriate tongue padding bruises the top of my foot and provides for painful metatarsals. To get around this, I prefer to wear thin socks to give me extra room. I also buy shoes with extra padding and finally I use shoelace locks which give me a consistent tightness of the lace. I have found that shoes that are too tight cause these problems. These techniques work for me and might work for you. More can be found on shoelace clips here http://www.helium.com/items/1653719-products-to-keep-shoelaces-tied
Finally, have you ever been running and catch your shoe on your full down stride on the edge of an uneven sidewalk and jam or break your big toe. I do this two or three times a year and end up with a broken or badly bruised toe. My toe turned purple and looked like a ripened plum. These are several toe injuries you can get from this type of violent collision. The last two times this happened, I've been able to run through this pain, but this injury seems to be the most painful. For more links associated to these types of injuries try this link http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=12154&PageNum=&CategoryID The best remedy is to see your doctor and get plenty of rest. If you are a hard charger, make sure you have sturdy shoes to get through it. Also make sure you ice and heat, and ice and heat. Buddy taping your toes also helps provide additional stability, but going to your doctor is the best approach. For more info on buddy taping see http://www.ehow.com/how_2302444_tape-broken-toe.html.
Lets start with that oh so sensitive area--the arch. When I first started running distances of 5 miles or more, I would have pain in and along my arch line. After trying a number of different remedies, I determined the pain was caused by switching shoes. When arch support changes from shoe to shoe this tends to cause pain in your arch. I have always been the type to run through this, but this pain was so severe, I needed to counteract it somehow. I found taping the arch provided the extra support needed to get through my runs and overtime the pain would disappear. The following link was very successful for me (consult your doctor first). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy1ZEJ-kKTg&NR=1 The down side was that the tape when wet would start pealing back around mile 3 or 4. The key for me was wearing tight socks. Tight socks seem to hold the tape in place a bit better. The second technique I found that seems to work is going with a shoe 1/2 to 1 size larger and to obtain shoe inserts with extra arch support. I prefer Gel inserts because it provides padding as well as the arch support needed. It also molds around your foot for extra support. Below is a link that provides helpful information in more detail. http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/news/watch/v6503955NrdCBRm7
Now lets get into those painful metatarsal injuries. I have found that running shoes without appropriate tongue padding bruises the top of my foot and provides for painful metatarsals. To get around this, I prefer to wear thin socks to give me extra room. I also buy shoes with extra padding and finally I use shoelace locks which give me a consistent tightness of the lace. I have found that shoes that are too tight cause these problems. These techniques work for me and might work for you. More can be found on shoelace clips here http://www.helium.com/items/1653719-products-to-keep-shoelaces-tied
Finally, have you ever been running and catch your shoe on your full down stride on the edge of an uneven sidewalk and jam or break your big toe. I do this two or three times a year and end up with a broken or badly bruised toe. My toe turned purple and looked like a ripened plum. These are several toe injuries you can get from this type of violent collision. The last two times this happened, I've been able to run through this pain, but this injury seems to be the most painful. For more links associated to these types of injuries try this link http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=12154&PageNum=&CategoryID The best remedy is to see your doctor and get plenty of rest. If you are a hard charger, make sure you have sturdy shoes to get through it. Also make sure you ice and heat, and ice and heat. Buddy taping your toes also helps provide additional stability, but going to your doctor is the best approach. For more info on buddy taping see http://www.ehow.com/how_2302444_tape-broken-toe.html.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Run to Lose and to Rid the Blues!
In June of 09, I weighed 215 lbs and had high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and didn't feel good about appearance, so I decided to try to do something about it. I thought I was already running about 4 miles a day, but boy was I wrong. I was eating whatever I wanted and I had a 38 to 40 inch waist. Those damn chips! I knew I had to change my habits or else! I heard through a friend about the NIKE+ product Nike + iPod Sport Kit - White, ONE SIZE that would enable you to track your training, so I decided to give that a shot along with a significantly different diet. The first time I used NIKE+, I started with my standard run only to find out I was running about 2.5 miles and at over 9 minutes a mile. This was the start of a significant change in my life...
On July 2nd, I started a training and diet program. My goal for training was to increase my runs to 5 miles and not worry about anything except getting through it. It took about 6 months to get my runs up to 5 miles. I usually ran 5 days a week, but at some points would go 10 days in a row. My times were coming down to around 8:30 minute mile and my weight came down to about 195. I would log my miles diligently with NIKE+ and enter an occasional challenge here and there for motivational purposes. Tiger Woods Microsoft Xbox 360 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 The Masters - PGATOUR12 would whisper in my ear...Congratulations, this is your furthest run yet! During this time, my dieting became pretty strict. I didn't count calories, but just tried to eat right. Typically, I ate fruits, cheerios, and yogurt for breakfast; salads, soups, and flat bread turkey sandwich for lunch; and soups, salad with chicken, and whole wheat anything for dinner. I only drank water, milk, and coffee on a regular basis. I also only drank light beer or red wine for dinner. If I ate poorly the night before, I would train extra hard the next day to balance it out.
During the spring of 2010, I entered a few races and increased my mileage per week and maintained my diet. I also entered the NIKE+ Human Race and my first half marathon for motivation purposes. During the spring, my weight came down to around 180, my waist size came down to 32 and I was feeling pretty good about myself. I dropped my times down to around a 8:10 minute mile. At that point, my NIKE+ system start to intermittently have problems (including Tiger ;), so I decided to give a Garmin GPS GARMIN Forerunner 210 GPS Enabled Watch with Heart Rate Monitor Bundle Pack, Black - Non watch a try. Garmin actually maps your route and provides you details on mile splits and elevation. This proved to be just what the doctor ordered.
In June 2010, I registered for my first 20 miler to be run in late September, so I started training relatively hard. At this point, I did back off my diet by adding the occasional pizza, steak, burger, and, YES, THOSE DAMN CHIPS to add the extra fuel necessary to compensate for the extra miles. During this period, I would alternate runs every other week. The first week, I would run one 10 miler, four 5+ milers, and one 13+ miler. The second week, I would run one 10 miler, and five 5+ milers. During the period, my weight stayed about 180-183 and one month before the race, I got a pretty bad sinus infection and couldn't maintain my program. I managed to get in four to five days of work, but at much lower mileage. The last three weeks before the race, I tried to ratchet up my program and at the end of September, I successfully ran my first 20 miler at an average pace of 7:50 minutes a mile. This was a great spirit lifter, but also I wasn't prepared for the after effects or the toll it would take on my body. I started running two days after the race, but with much wear and tear. I didn't know that you should back off for about a week or two before getting back into the mix.
Since October, I've been running six days a week averaging just over 30 miles a week with times consistently at or below an 8 minute mile. I have kept a fairly consistent diet, but have not been as strict (CHIPS). My weight fluctuates from 182 to 185 and I am somewhere around between a 32-34 inch waist. Now I'm ready for the next stage and have decided to sign up for a 10 miler in April to get it going. My goal for 2011 is to improve my time, lose a few more pounds, and to start dieting and training for my first Marathon in October 2011! MCM or Bust!
On July 2nd, I started a training and diet program. My goal for training was to increase my runs to 5 miles and not worry about anything except getting through it. It took about 6 months to get my runs up to 5 miles. I usually ran 5 days a week, but at some points would go 10 days in a row. My times were coming down to around 8:30 minute mile and my weight came down to about 195. I would log my miles diligently with NIKE+ and enter an occasional challenge here and there for motivational purposes. Tiger Woods Microsoft Xbox 360 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 The Masters - PGATOUR12 would whisper in my ear...Congratulations, this is your furthest run yet! During this time, my dieting became pretty strict. I didn't count calories, but just tried to eat right. Typically, I ate fruits, cheerios, and yogurt for breakfast; salads, soups, and flat bread turkey sandwich for lunch; and soups, salad with chicken, and whole wheat anything for dinner. I only drank water, milk, and coffee on a regular basis. I also only drank light beer or red wine for dinner. If I ate poorly the night before, I would train extra hard the next day to balance it out.
During the spring of 2010, I entered a few races and increased my mileage per week and maintained my diet. I also entered the NIKE+ Human Race and my first half marathon for motivation purposes. During the spring, my weight came down to around 180, my waist size came down to 32 and I was feeling pretty good about myself. I dropped my times down to around a 8:10 minute mile. At that point, my NIKE+ system start to intermittently have problems (including Tiger ;), so I decided to give a Garmin GPS GARMIN Forerunner 210 GPS Enabled Watch with Heart Rate Monitor Bundle Pack, Black - Non watch a try. Garmin actually maps your route and provides you details on mile splits and elevation. This proved to be just what the doctor ordered.
In June 2010, I registered for my first 20 miler to be run in late September, so I started training relatively hard. At this point, I did back off my diet by adding the occasional pizza, steak, burger, and, YES, THOSE DAMN CHIPS to add the extra fuel necessary to compensate for the extra miles. During this period, I would alternate runs every other week. The first week, I would run one 10 miler, four 5+ milers, and one 13+ miler. The second week, I would run one 10 miler, and five 5+ milers. During the period, my weight stayed about 180-183 and one month before the race, I got a pretty bad sinus infection and couldn't maintain my program. I managed to get in four to five days of work, but at much lower mileage. The last three weeks before the race, I tried to ratchet up my program and at the end of September, I successfully ran my first 20 miler at an average pace of 7:50 minutes a mile. This was a great spirit lifter, but also I wasn't prepared for the after effects or the toll it would take on my body. I started running two days after the race, but with much wear and tear. I didn't know that you should back off for about a week or two before getting back into the mix.
Since October, I've been running six days a week averaging just over 30 miles a week with times consistently at or below an 8 minute mile. I have kept a fairly consistent diet, but have not been as strict (CHIPS). My weight fluctuates from 182 to 185 and I am somewhere around between a 32-34 inch waist. Now I'm ready for the next stage and have decided to sign up for a 10 miler in April to get it going. My goal for 2011 is to improve my time, lose a few more pounds, and to start dieting and training for my first Marathon in October 2011! MCM or Bust!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
What to Do, What to Wear....Winter Running is Here!
Are you hot or cold blooded? I believe you should dress based how you adapt to the weather as you run. You should always layer up. I am one of those people that always have cold feet, hands, and ears. As I run, all my extremities heat up. I prefer cold gear by Under Armour http://www.cabelas.com/mens-heavyweight-tops-performance-underwear-armour-metal-8482-coldgear-mock-t-neck.shtml?type=product&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleBaseUSA&WT.z_mc_id1=751274&rid=40&mr:trackingCode=FE979052-F5D2-DF11-82EF-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA and dry fit loose fitting running tight by Nike http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?cp=USNS_KW_0611081618&ref=http://store.nike.com/&l=shop,search,c-1+100701/pn-1/sl-dri%20FIT#l=shop,pdp,ctr-inline/cid-1/pid-364672/pgid-364674. I also like to wear a cotton 'T' over my cold gear so as the cold gear wicks, I still am protected from the elements.
Some other apparel to consider are running socks, head protection, gloves, and shoes. I believe cold gear socks such as North Face http://compare.ebay.com/like/150417156588?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&rvr_id=200969826856&crlp=1_263602_309572&UA=%3F*I7&GUID=a5f3302012d0a0aad5421fd2ff5f11dc&itemid=150417156588&ff4=263602_309572 are over-rated. The material makes my feet sweat twice as much, then get cold during the run as air blows through the top of shoe. I prefer thick cotton socks. In terms of head protection, I use a balaclava by Spider http://www.ski-n-stuff.com/product-info.php?pid9795.html. It serves two purposes. For 15 degrees Fahrenheit (F) and below, I use it as advertised with a Nike dry fit http://www.amazon.com/Nike-lightweight-running-ponytail-opening/dp/B003V5GH7Gor Under Armour http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/mens/accessories/headwear/cold-weather/pid1208912-Men-s-Arctic-Beanie-II/1208912-407 beanie. For temps above 15 degrees F, I double up the neck piece of the balaclava and use it as a head band. It works great and fits snugly over ears. In terms of glove choice, I prefer cotton gloves by Adidas http://www.footlocker.com/catalog/productdetail/model_nbr--149031/sku--5134600&SID=8732&inceptor=1&cm_mmc=SEO-_-Feeds-_-Froogle-_-null over the dry fit. As with cold gear socks, dry fit gloves make my hand sweat and then run cold while running. For shoes, I prefer a neutral, sturdy shoe such as Nike+ LunarGlide http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?cp=USNS_KW_0611081618&l=shop,search,searchList-lunarglide&ef_id=eWFNONCAAgAAwrw:20110121002353:s#l=shop,search,searchList-lunarglide or Brooks Ghost 3 http://www.holabirdsports.com/cgi-bin/search?Submit.x=0&Submit.y=0&productname=brooks+ghost+shoes&gclid=COq14smEyqYCFUmo4Aodv3FVJA. This keeps your feet from getting injured on those hard winter surfaces. I hope this helps those that keep it going during those dark cold winter months.
Some other apparel to consider are running socks, head protection, gloves, and shoes. I believe cold gear socks such as North Face http://compare.ebay.com/like/150417156588?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&rvr_id=200969826856&crlp=1_263602_309572&UA=%3F*I7&GUID=a5f3302012d0a0aad5421fd2ff5f11dc&itemid=150417156588&ff4=263602_309572 are over-rated. The material makes my feet sweat twice as much, then get cold during the run as air blows through the top of shoe. I prefer thick cotton socks. In terms of head protection, I use a balaclava by Spider http://www.ski-n-stuff.com/product-info.php?pid9795.html. It serves two purposes. For 15 degrees Fahrenheit (F) and below, I use it as advertised with a Nike dry fit http://www.amazon.com/Nike-lightweight-running-ponytail-opening/dp/B003V5GH7Gor Under Armour http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/mens/accessories/headwear/cold-weather/pid1208912-Men-s-Arctic-Beanie-II/1208912-407 beanie. For temps above 15 degrees F, I double up the neck piece of the balaclava and use it as a head band. It works great and fits snugly over ears. In terms of glove choice, I prefer cotton gloves by Adidas http://www.footlocker.com/catalog/productdetail/model_nbr--149031/sku--5134600&SID=8732&inceptor=1&cm_mmc=SEO-_-Feeds-_-Froogle-_-null over the dry fit. As with cold gear socks, dry fit gloves make my hand sweat and then run cold while running. For shoes, I prefer a neutral, sturdy shoe such as Nike+ LunarGlide http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?cp=USNS_KW_0611081618&l=shop,search,searchList-lunarglide&ef_id=eWFNONCAAgAAwrw:20110121002353:s#l=shop,search,searchList-lunarglide or Brooks Ghost 3 http://www.holabirdsports.com/cgi-bin/search?Submit.x=0&Submit.y=0&productname=brooks+ghost+shoes&gclid=COq14smEyqYCFUmo4Aodv3FVJA. This keeps your feet from getting injured on those hard winter surfaces. I hope this helps those that keep it going during those dark cold winter months.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Clips or Tie?
Have you ever thought there was an easier way to deal with shoes than lacing them up? Are you sick of your laces coming undone. I use clips. Some may think its laziness, but I believe its convenient. Here is how it works...Laces slide through slot of clip, adjust the fit, tie off ends permanently in a square knot, and cut off excess lace. Next time you run, just slide on your shoes and go. There are several styles for shoes. I prefer sqeezums. These can be found on
http://www.squeezums.com/?gclid=CLa47tPXvKYCFdtx5Qod2VvVIA. Another innovative style, Yankz, can be found on http://www.amazon.com/Yankz-Laces-Black-Clips/dp/B001KW8IOW.
For a full list of different options, please try http://walking.about.com/od/shoecare/tp/lacelock.htm
If you are old school and want to stick to the traditional tie, you can either use the bunny ears method or Runners World suggests five ways to tie your shoes. Please see link http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267--12334-0,00.html
So whether its clips or tie, don't make that an excuse to not get out there and run!
http://www.squeezums.com/?gclid=CLa47tPXvKYCFdtx5Qod2VvVIA. Another innovative style, Yankz, can be found on http://www.amazon.com/Yankz-Laces-Black-Clips/dp/B001KW8IOW.
For a full list of different options, please try http://walking.about.com/od/shoecare/tp/lacelock.htm
If you are old school and want to stick to the traditional tie, you can either use the bunny ears method or Runners World suggests five ways to tie your shoes. Please see link http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267--12334-0,00.html
So whether its clips or tie, don't make that an excuse to not get out there and run!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
MJRunner 2010 Running Stats
Its nice to finish another year of training. My goal this year was to clear 1,500 miles...Feel free to check out 2010 stats below.
MJRunner 2010 Mileage
MJRunner 2010 Mileage
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
