Myrtle Beach Running

Time: 48:00

Distance: ~7 miles

Last night after Let Me Run I finished packing the car and headed off in the direction of Myrtle Beach. Spring Break 2011!!! Woooo!!!

I have family from Ohio staying right on the beach in a Marriott resort living the American dream. I'll be staying with them as it give me a good excuse to explore the Myrtle Beach running and biking scene. To my knowledge there isn't a specialty running store and I'm interested in getting some of my brands placed here.

The run this morning was out and back along Ocean Blvd. I ran as close to the beach as possible without actually having to run on it. I felt decent but a little unmotivated to keep going knowing I was just turning back. I thought about doubling in the evening but we went to Margaritaville instead.

HardGORE Running

Time: 58:35

Distance: ~8 miles

I took Meagan to the airport this morning and noticed that my tire pressure indicator light was on again. I filled up my tires with air over the weekend and the back left tire was definitely low. I ended up having to take my car to Firestone in the Park Road Shopping Center to patch my tire.

I opted to go on a run while I waited for the service to be complete. Running in the rain didn't excite me but I at least was going to be able to really test out some GORE Running Wear waterproof/windproof gear. The jacket definitely performed well and kept me dry for the first half of the run to Inside-Out Sports. On the way back the rain eased up and I found myself picking up the pace through Freedom Park. Another positive, healthy day of running.

Short Morning Loop

Time: 40:11

Distance: ~5.3 miles

Meagan and I ran a short loop this morning through Freedom Park before I dropped her at Caitlin's house. I then drove to Greenville, SC to meet with several accounts.

Let Me Run Begins

Time: 32:03

Distance: ~4 miles

Today was the first practice of the spring Let Me Run session. Melissa Bell, Bob Nixon and I are the trusty running leaders for a group of 14 boys. When I started coaching last year the school only had 8 or 9 kids sign up and program almost didn't happen. It's cool to see the young enthusiasm for the sport and witness how much faster most of the kids have gotten.

Once practice was done I met Meagan along the bike path to catch some extra miles for the day. We ran a bit with one of the Queens University female athletes. When we were done we drove over the Dr. Greenapple's office where he worked on Meagan IT band and my neck. He cracked the shit out of the upper back and neck and I left with a greater range of motion.

Weekly Start

Time: 63:26

Distance: ~8.5 miles

I got in a run this morning with Meagan. I wasn't too sore from the 5k on the track. Don't remember much else.

Week In Review

Time: 418:11

Distance: ~55.9 miles

I am happy to be back running again and putting in smart miles. I have lots of work to do as the 5k as part of the CRC 100 x 5k indicated I'm currently a 16 minute guy. Give me a month and I'll be able to run 32 mins for 10k.

The goal now is to build mileage and harden the legs before competing again. I'll sprinkle in some light workouts or Fartleks in order to keep me away from having to hit specific splits. It's not fun being out of shape, but nice knowing that each day of running brings fitness gains.

1% of the Effort

Time: 61:06
Distance: ~8.6 miles
5k: 16:04.0

W/u: 23:27 for ~3 miles
C/d: 21:35 for ~2.5 miles

Sunday around noon was when I was scheduled to contribute 1% to the Charlotte Running Club's 100 x 5k World Record. I didn't have any time goals as I just wanted to go out an compete to set an honest baseline mark. Usually time trials are used to gauge how the training is going, but for me it was a way to see where my fitness levels currently are after my achilles injury.

You can see by the splits below how the race went. I started off running comfortable 37s which turned into 38s and eventually 39s. At least I didn't drop any 40s. I closed a little faster which means I got lazy the final mile of the race. I'll take it and be able to structure workouts as a 16 minute 5k guy.

Splits (scroll down. Way down):
1:15.1
1:16.6
1:16.0
1:17.2 (5:04.9)
1:17.0
1:17.0
1:17.8
1:19.2 (5:11.0)
1:18.4
1:18.5
1:18.5
1:16.8 (5:12.2)
:36.2

Trying to fake a 5k.

Gloves off as Dr. G looks on.

Handing off to 3 time DII All American...

...who takes the baton like a 3rd grader.

Photos stolen from Facebook. Credit Mark Zuckerberg.

Back for Round Two: 100 x 5k

Time: 37:22
Distance: ~5 miles

I returned to the PDS track this afternoon for more watching and cheering at the Charlotte Running Club's 100 x 5k. The chilly and rainy weather wasn't deterring the club members from setting some fast marks. I just missed seeing Bob Marchenko's 15:53 and heard about Aaron Linz' 15:51 PR. But, I did get to see Alana Hadley run 17:09 to tie her personal best and cheer on Caitlin to a 17:28. I ran on the infield with Caitlin during her warm up and a small group of four cooled down after her performance. I continue to feel good and look forward to running a leg in the relay late in the morning.

100 x 5k World Record Watching

Time: 27:24
Distance: ~3.8 miles

The Charlotte Running Club began the assault on the 100 x 5k World Record this morning at a littler after 6:00 am. Ben Hovis started things off with a 16:04 and his wife, Megan, followed with a 17:48. Meagan and I had been tracking the progress via The Book of Faces all morning.

We headed over to the Providence Day Track to watch and run with a group of club members around 9:00 am. The jog took us through the Landsdowne neighborhood for a couple of miles. Upon returning to the track I did some drills and a couple light strides just to get a feel for a faster pace. My adjusted predicted time is 16:15 which is probably pretty accurate, but I'm going to run hard to set a baseline for my fitness. If there weren't a world record attempt going on, I'd no excuse to run hard and would definitely just ease into my training. Whether I run 15:50 or 16:50 tomorrow, at least I'll know how to tailor the workouts in the weeks afterward.

Run with Ghost

Time: 64:30
Distance: ~9 miles

This week I was finally invited to the Runner's Lunch on Friday. I couldn't not accept the invitation to the Burger Co. and the timing worked out perfectly for my drive home from High Point where I stayed with Jenna Wrieden. I met up with Theoden, Billy, Kevin B., Allen, Mike Moran, Emily Hansen and Deb for some laughs and lunch.

Once we were done Mike a.k.a. Ghost and I headed over to Inside-Out Sports for a run through Dilworth and Freedom Park. It was good to catch up with Mike and hear about his marathon training for Boston. I felt pretty good on only my second run over an hour since being healthy. There is still lots of work to do, but this is the type of run that I need to do more consistently now that I can run pain free.

Off'n Running Again

Time: 38:31
Distance: ~5 miles

I was back at Off'n Running Sports for the second night in a row. Tonight I was speaking to the Greensboro Running Club about how to stay properly hydrated. It helped that they were already done with their run and were drinking wine. Lots of it. Everyone's ears perked up when I explained that Nuun was great for hangovers.

Before the event kicked off I got to head out for a run with Jason K. Smith who has done wonders for the Off'n Running Facebook and Twitter pages. I was hyped a couple of times for my presence which is always kinda cool. We ran through a local park and stuck to the roads and bike path this time. My legs are definitely feeling the mileage for the week which just tells me what I already know. I have a lot of work to do.

Off'n Running Sports

Time: 38:53
Distance: ~4.7 miles

This evening I ran as part of the Off'n Running Sports trail running group. I was in attendance for a trail clinic to talk about Balega socks, BodyGlide, FuelBelt and Nuun. The other reps included Tres from Montrail and Dwight from Inov8 who were showing off their shoes. Once we finished with the mini expo we all headed for a run through the nearby park. Just as we were heading out the door the skies opened for the duration of the run. I was happy to run close to 40 minutes without any pain in my achilles on slippery trails in non-trail specific shoes.

Wet, tired and out of shape.

Billy Shue in the Hood

Time: 66:03
Distance: ~8.5 miles
Weight: 141.4

Billy Shue is dogsitting over by our house so we had to meet up one morning for a run. He had done a track workout the night before and wasn't looking to run that fast. It was perfect considering I'm out of shape and Meagan is nursing a sore IT band. We took him on the 8 mile loop that we run frequently and chatted mostly about running and how the Panthers might be better off if there is a lockout.

I'm glad to report for the third or fourth post in a row that my achilles didn't bother me. Not one bit. I'm not glad to report that we ran over 66 minutes. Maybe I didn't stop it at some point in the run when we paused at an intersection or something. It's been so long since I've needed to use my watch that I have forgotten where some of the buttons are. Gotta fix that with some more running.

Dumb to Double?

Time: 44:46
Distance: ~6 miles

I'm already putting in doubles like a dummy. But, the weather was really nice and I didn't want to sit around Caitlin's house playing with Cicero while Meagan was out for a run. We finished the run back at Red's house so that she could show Meagan some of the IT band exercises that help strengthen the leg.

Three fun facts about this run:
1) I ran in a jacket again. (I'm sure it now smells awful).
2) The achilles didn't hurt. (Yay).
3) I'm terribly out of shape. (Boo).

Mimic the Best

Time: 39:36
Distance: 5.3 miles
Weight: 145.4

Welcome to Jordan's Journey to Fitness & Weight Loss: A Blog on Running, Eating Healthy and Accomplishing Dreams.

How lame would that be!?

I did run today. I am trying to eat healthy. And, if the accomplishments come... good.

Meagan and I hit the Short Loop this morning after emptying the rental car, loading the storage unit, returning the rental car, mailing items and visiting Greenapple Sports & Wellness. It was a somewhat busy morning that had us leaving the house around 10 am. I have started running in a lightweight jacket not because I want to sweat or lose extra pounds (though I need to lose some), but because of heat training. I figure I might as well start preparing for the hot summer months now by running in long sleeves.

Also, a few months back I was chatting with Leo Kormanik (has recently run 65:20 at the Houston Half and 66:53 to win the Georgia Publix Half Marathon) about why African runners always run in pants and jackets. He is just finishing up his final few months of school at Life School of Chiropractic and has a very scientific approach to training. Leo said he found a little bit of research on how "heat training" increases blood volume and muscle oxygenation. He used the example of how Americans and Europeans can often compete at the world level in cross-country but usually get their doors blown off on the track. His belief was that Americans/Europeans (white people) train through hot summers, increase their blood volume and have successful fall/winter cross country campaigns. However, training through the cold winter months leaves them at a disadvantage when it comes to racing on the track in the late spring and summer. It might be a bit of a stretch, but I can see points for the position.

How about some pictures from the World Cross-Country Championships that took place over the weekend in Punta Umbria, Spain:

American junior girls? dressed to run in the warm weather. (photo taken from Michael Scott's FB page)

Lisa Koll, Shalane Flanagan, Ben True (in back) dressed a little like their competitors.

Team Kenya dressed as if it were about to snow minus the gloves.

Which group of athletes is your money on? What do they know that we don't?

Team USA ran okay as a whole, but did exceptionally well in the senior women's race. Shalane Flanagan (ex-UNC runner) finished third overall and helped lead the team to the bronze medal. The results were:

Junior Girls: Ethiopia - 1st (17), Kenya - 2nd (19), Japan - 3rd (75), USA - 7th (145)
Junior Boys: Kenya - 1st (20), Ethiopia - 2nd (24), Uganda - 3rd (50), USA - 8th (153)
Senior Women: Kenya - 1st (15), Ethiopia - 2nd (29), USA - 3rd (57), Bahrain - 4th (87)
Senior Men: Kenya - 1st (14), Ethiopia - 2nd (38), Uganda - 3rd (49), USA - 10th (199)

Back on the Horse...

...only a little lame.

I'm only a little lame because my neck is totally eff'd. On Saturday night I thought it would be a good idea to attempt a backflip in a moon bounce/bounce house. Give me a trampoline and I'll do backflips all day long. I developed my skills as a youngster in the backyards of California. But, I don't have much bounce house experience. In fact, I have none. I got nervous that I was going to hit the roof and come crashing down on my head. Instead, I shorted the jump and came crashing down on my head. It was not one of my finer moments and I'm glad to still be walking.

So this puts me with a 99% healed achilles and a terribly sore neck. I ran 3 miles with Meagan on Monday night along the creek before going to Dr. Greenapple's. I did a little rehab on the lower limb before Dr. G. worked on my neck muscles. It feels like I need to put my head in a vice and dangle from the ceiling in order to allow my spine to relax. Dr. G. definitely loosened me up before leaving his offices and I'll get acupuncture on the achilles later in the week.

Guess Who's Back...

...hopefully.

"I have one speed, one gear..."

...And, it's not "go."

So far 2011 has been a bust. I am still battling achilles issues despite taking pretty good care of the little bastard. I've been grateful to have Dr. Greenapple on my side who has continued to treat my thickened achilles tendon with laser, ART and acupuncture. He's even done a few manipulations to my pelvis in hopes of correcting the cause of the problem. In fact, today I was sent a text (yes, we are on that level) saying he watched a video of me running and found the cause of my problems. It's too bad that he's currently out in Colorado working with the Acupuncture Sports Medicine Apprenticeship Program. Selfishly, I need him here to fix me up. Fortunately, I know he'll return with even better skills to treat me.

All that being said, the achilles is feeling a little bit better. I went on a 5 mile run Tuesday morning with Meagan and when I returned home decided it would be smart to ice with a frozen cup. Not so smart. Despite only icing for 10 minutes, I found everything tightened up making it difficult to walk. On Wednesday I went out to McAlpine with Meagan to hold the watch in her workout. I ran about 15 minutes in the warm up and another 15 minutes on her recoveries. It didn't feel fantastic, but I could jog around without too much discomfort. Instead of an ice cup, I used a big ol' bucket of ice water. After a few moments wincing in pain I was able to calm the inflamed part of my leg. It wasn't uncomfortable to walk afterward so it looks like ice bucket trumps ice cup.

My return to competition isn't really a concern right now. I want to resume training first and go from there. I know that I've lost a fair amount of fitness but I can't worry about that. I'll be on the sideline for most of the races this spring which will only make my training that much more inspired. I'll be glad to join the likes of Paul, Jay, Rocky, John, Aaron, Estéban and others out on the roads soon. I hear this guy named Frank, Nick Frank is trying to make a name for himself in the game of running this year. Word on the street is that he did a tempo run at 5:15 pace. Pretty solid stuff, but it's only a matter of time before he goes on a trail run.