Stress Fracture

Well, my running days are on hold.  I've had some pain in my shin for a few weeks now, but kept running because I didn't want to accept that something may be wrong.  However, I've finally had to accept that fact that most likely I have a tibial stress fracture.  I'm still a month from my insurance kicking in, so I've not seen a doctor.  However, its fairly obvious at this point that its what the issue is...all the symptoms are there.

So much for Cactus Rose.  Most likely so much for a PR at the Houston Marathon.  And I'm not even sure I'll be able to get the proper training in for Rocky Raccoon.

Changes to Ironman World Championship Qualifying & Lottery

Read about them here.

If you don't want to read the synopsis or listen to the podcast that is linked, here are the highlights:

if you’ve raced 12 or more Ironman branded triathlons (full 140.6 distance only), then you’ll get automatic qualification – coming out of the existing lottery pool.  However, since some folks have raced quite a few more, then they’ll be sorting them by total number of races entered.  Thus, just because you’ve raced 12, doesn’t mean you have an automatic entry into Kona in 2012.

For the remaining lottery slots, they’ll be introducing waiting system, based on waiting list. Going back six years, each time you entered – adds a ticket to the lottery.  

Essentially, what this does is give an AQ to people who've done a lot of IM-branded events, but its still limited to the number of lottery spots available.  Just because you've done 12 IMs, doesn't mean you are getting in.  There are athletes on both sides of the argument, some love it, some hate it.

From a business perspective it's genius.  There are scores of "weekend warriors" out there that go get their M-dot at a WTC event and then transition over to other 140.6 events to save some money because they know they'll never qualify for Kona.  Now these people will be pouring their money into IM events looking to gain that Kona spot.  Not only that, but it makes the remaining lottery spots that much more coveted.  They'll still be raking in the money from lottery registrations.  The "waiting list" works to ensure people will continually sign up for the lottery to get extra tickets.  And lastly, they just created more demand for their events.  The magic number is 12.  People are going to be targeting their twelfth race. At the current IM registration price, that $7860 that WTC can count on from a lot of folks.

I know a lot of people complain about WTC.  Say what you want about them, but they have some really smart folks working for them.  They are staying a step ahead of the competition.  With the HITS Tri Series starting and Rev3 expanding, this is a brilliant move to keep athletes coming back to the IM races.

Even as someone who is a purist and thinks you should have to qualify for Kona (and Boston) to participate, this new rule has me at least pondering the idea.

Perspective

Take a look at this list:

1:01:49 - 13.1 miles
29:15 - 10K

14:37 - 5K
4:43 - 1 mile
2:20 - 800m
1:10 - 400m

How far down the list do you have to go before you can run one of the listed time/distance?  If trained, I could run a 2:20 800m, but it would be hard.  I know a handful of people that can run a sub-4:43 mile.  I even know a handful of people who can run a 14:37 5K (I use to work with and around a bunch of former collegiate runners).  I know a few people who can pull off that 10K time.  I even know one person who can run that half marathon time, but he's Ethiopian.  The every day runner may not know anyone who can hit any of those times.  Maybe they have a "fast" friend who can run the 400 or the 800, but to most people those times are not even close to conceivable.

What all those times have in common is that they are all the same pace--4:43/mile.  That's the pace that Patrick Makau ran for 26.2 miles a couple weeks ago at Berlin when he set the new world record.

My (running) Life in Medals: Mt. Washington Road Race

"There's only one hill," the race director says.  Its true, but its not funny.  I'd hiked Mt. Washington a couple times in the summer of 2005, but I'd never really seen the auto road other than crossing it on the way to the summit.  A co-worker and I decided to throw our names into the lottery for the race, and then promptly forgot about the race.

One day I checked my email and had a note from my coach.  He had forwarded me an email from someone looking to carpool up to New Hampshire for the race.  At first, I was confused.  Then I remembered I'd put my name in the lottery.  When I checked the website, both my co-worker and I had won spots in the race, but were never notified by the race that we'd been accepted.

On race day my plan was simple: run as far as possible before walking, and then minimize walking.  There was a very short flat section before the road headed skyward.  As the incline grew, I shortened my stride and leaned into the mountain.  After mile or so, we headed into a fog.  The road changed from pavement to dirt several times as the miles continued into the clouds.  False flats felt like a heavenly break from the relentless uphill fight against gravity.

Sometime late in the race, I experienced one of the single coolest moments of my running life.  I'd been running through thick fog (clouds) for several miles when all of a sudden, I came through the upper boundary of the clouds into the sunlight.  As I looked out, I could clouds for at least a hundred miles in every direction.  Only one other mountain protruded through the sea of cotton.  It was a gorgeous sunny day above the clouds, but only us racers got to enjoy it.

The race finished with a ridiculous 23% incline.  I "ran" up the final incline and through the finish, finally allowing my screaming leg muscles to rest after 7.6 miles of uphill running.  When I got back to NYC that evening, I grabbed my bike and rode to Prospect Park to join up with City Coach for the last 65 miles of the No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn Century Ride.

My (running) Life in Medals - 5K River Relay

This race signified the first race that Katie and I took part in after our move to Austin.  It also marked the first time Katie and I had run a relay race together.  Neither of us were in great shape nor were we acclimated to the intense Texas heat.  However, we were still able to take 2nd place in the relay in 100-degree heat.  We were even highlighted in the local paper.

Review: Saucony Cortana

In my search for a new road shoe, I came across the Saucony Cortana.  I tried on just about every shoe at Rogue to try and find something I liked.  Its been a long time since I've had the freedom to choose any shoe I wanted (I was tied to Nike for several years due to work), so I went back and tried on some old favorites like the Glycerin and the Cumulus.  Now that I've put a lot of miles on the Cortanas, I feel like I can give an informed review.

This is the minimalist shoe for someone who doesn't want a minimalist shoe.  Sounds weird?  Let me explain.  These shoes only have a 4 mm heal-to-toe drop, but they have the feel of a trainer with some serious cushioning.  This shoe has a very soft ride, especially in the forefoot.  Its essentially a high-end, cushioned trainer that still promotes a more efficient stride (midfoot/forefoot striking).  Think about the comfort of an Asics Nimbus combined with the minimalist feature of a NB Minimus.

The Cortana has the classic Saucony last.  Think of a "V."  Its a little more narrow at the heel with a nice, roomy forefoot.  If you have narrow feet, there's a good chance your foot is going to slide around up front.  The upper is pretty breathable, which keeps your feet cool, especially if you live in Texas like I do.

There are a couple things I don't really like about the shoe.  I can definitely feel some extra friction under the ball of my foot, but that seems to be pretty common with the minimalist shoes I've tried out.  The price is another big negative.  At an MSRP of $145, it makes me think twice about purchasing this shoe every couple months during high mileage training.

If you use the Nike+ sensor or just want to store something small, each shoe has a pocket in the tongue, so that's a positive.  A completely useless, but kind of cool, feature is the logo on the tongue.  If you ever collected baseball cards, you'll remember Sportflics.  The logo has that same "motion," alternating between "Saucony" and "Cortana"

My conclusion:  Its a nice, soft ride that might be worth checking out of the price point was lower.  At $145, I can't justify this shoe being my regular trainer, especially when you can get a similar shoe like the Kinvara for about $90.  Another issue for me is the slow transition into a minimalist shoe.  I've been running into a lot of nagging injuries because of the minimalist shoes, and I'm a midfoot striker already.  I don't have the time or desire to make a full-time switch, especially since I've been mostly injury-free in regular shoes.  If you are already in a minimalist shoe and you are looking for more cushioning, it might be worth a look, assuming you've got a decent chunk of extra cash laying around.

My (running) Life in Medals - 2011 Ironman Texas

When I heard the rumors that Ironman Texas was going to happen, I thought to myself, "I couldn't pass up inaugural Texas race."  I was still living in NYC, so I knew training for a May Ironman would be difficult with the New York winter.  When the race became a reality, I posted a link on Facebook that announced the race. My family mistook that as my announcement that I had registered.  Their excitement pretty much sealed it for me.  I registered a week later while in vacation in Wisconsin.

Fast forward a year and my life had changed quite a bit.  I had moved to Dallas for work, which was great for training.  However, I had spent five months apart from my girlfriend and had my entire social life ripped away from me due to the move.  I was losing my job and planning my move to Austin.  My girlfriend was about to uproot her life in NYC and join me in Austin--the unemployed couple.

I had logged a lot of training miles and felt pretty good, although I had missed a few long rides and I was worried about the 2.4 mile swim with no wet suit.  Race day arrived and I felt pretty calm.  As I entered the water, I felt confident and at peace.  However, as soon as the gun went off, my heart rate skyrocketed and I could breathe.  The anxiety was hitting me just like it did a year and a half before at IMAZ.  After twenty minutes of over-expending energy, I settled down and set about completing the swim.  My swim time was slower than my previous Ironman time, but I was just happy to get out of the water.

Once on my bike, I hammered my way through the 112 miles, feeling amazing during the entire ride.  I had no back issues, keeping me in aero position for 95%+ of the ride.  I averaged just short of 21.5 mph and have visions of coming of the bike and running my way to a new PR.  However, after my first loop of the course, the heat and humidity took its toll.  I started to slow and then my intestines decided to knot themselves into a painful ball in my stomach, leaving me in intense pain for miles.  The end result was a marathon that was over an hour and a half longer than I had anticipated.

The race didn't go as I'd hoped, but allowed me to once again prove to myself that I can persevere.  It also left the door open for another IM attempt, knowing I still have unfinished business.

Ultra Advice: Choosing a Trail Shoe

If you are running an ultra, you are most likely going to be hitting trails.  While there are plenty of ultras out there that use roads, the majority take you off-road and onto uneven surfaces.  Choosing a trail shoe is a little different than choosing your regular trainer.  It's not difficult, but there are a few things to be aware of.

You've already (hopefully) been fitted for running shoes, so you know if you wear a neutral or stability shoe.  However, you may notice that a lot of trail shoes don't have a medial post to correct over-pronation.  This is due to the theory that in trail running, your foot rarely hits the ground the same way.  This eliminates a lot of the repetitive motion/stress that causes many of the common running injuries.  Also, the softer surface helps lessen the stress and impact on the body.  You will find some trail shoes with medial posts like some of the Salomon shoes.  So you are probably now wondering, "Do I need stability in my trail shoes or not?"  Unfortunately, the only way to know is to test it out.

Don't be fooled by "trail" shoes like the Adrenaline ASR, Trail Pegasus, and Adidas Response Trail.  These aren't really true trail shoes.  Essentially a company will take a shoe they already manufacture and slap a little extra rubber on the bottom, rearrange the tread pattern, change the color, and call it a trail shoe.  What you really jus bought is a heavier version of the original shoe.  Sure there are some marginal benefits of increased traction, but overall they aren't much better on trails than their lighter counterpart.

The type of surface you run on or plan to run on plays a big role in what type of trail shoe you run in.  A lot of people's idea of a trail doesn't require a technical shoe.  There are many crushed granite, smooth dirt, rails to trails, and similar surfaces out there that people all trails.  While there's nothing wrong with these types of trail, a mostly smooth surface doesn't really require a trail shoe.  If you run on this type of trail and have no desire to get into some nasty single-track, then just wear your normal trainer.  You'll get them a little dirty, but they'll perform wonderfully.

If your race and/or training will cause you to encounter rocky surfaces, you'll want to find a shoe with a rock plate (or shield) to protect the bottom of your feet.  Shoes like the Brooks Cascadia and the NB MT101, while very different shoes, both have a nice rock plate built into the outsole.  You'll notice a significant difference with a rock plate or shield on a very rocky trail. Without the added protection, its not uncommon to see bruising on the bottom of the feet.

Another factor to to take into account is whether or not your race have any water crossings.  If so, you'll want a shoe that will drain water easily.  You'll want to find a shoe that drains water quickly, not a shoe that keeps water out.  Gor-tex shoes are built to keep moisture out of your shoe, which initially sounds good but has a couple drawbacks.  One is that the shoes won't breathe, so you're feet will sweat a lot more.  The bigger issue is that if you are doing a race with water more than ankle deep, water is getting in your shoe.  Once the water is in, Gor-tex won't allow it to drain very quickly.  Water in your shoes can cause blisters and adds weight to the shoe.

Here are a few other considerations to look for in a trail shoe.  I personally like the shoe to have some sort of reinforced toe.  The toe guard really helps when you eventually stub your toe on a rock or root.  It happens, especially when you are fatigued.  I also like a shoe that has some lateral protection.  You don't typically encounter into sticks/rocks poking the side of your foot too often, but it does happen.  When it does, having a little extra protection pays off.  Lastly, you'll need to figure out what balance you seek in the design of the upper of the shoe.  A nice breathable mesh goes a long way to keeping your feet cool and comfortable during a race, but that same open mesh will allow a lot more dirt and sand into the shoe.

While I mentioned a few trail shoes in this post, this point was not to recommend any shoe to you.  I was merely pointing out features and things to be aware of while shopping for a trail shoe.  You'll need to read up on shoes to see what matches the type of trail/ultra running you'll be doing, and then go to a running store to start trying on shoes.