Miles for Music 20k, Piscataway, NJ 3/22/15

Photo by Elaine Acosta, working the Aid Station. 

Today was a tough. I have not raced in a long time, mostly because I have not been feeling well.  I have been overwhelmed with fatigue, my motivation for high mileage training has been low, and I have gained weight.  I have a few medical issues to monitor that could be the cause.  Or this can simply be a product of being extra busy, a little more stressed while trying to get a lot of thing done and maybe even due to being a little older.  It is hard to tell.

Specifically, I have an autoimmune disorder that is a direct result of my cancer treatment that comes and goes when I get run down. I also had half my thyroid removed several years ago, due to a benign tumor there.  Even though the other half picked up the extra work, I feel like, periodically, my metabolism gets shaken up a bit once in a while.  In addition, once my mileage dropped, I stopped taking in supplemental protein, thinking I did not need it.  After scrutinizing my diet, I am sure I have been pretty low on protein for some time now.  I think this contributed to my sense of extreme fatigue.  I have also added the pursuit of a new Master's Degree in Kinesiology/Sports Psychology to my Bucket List. Currently I am only in the process of trying met the prerequisites to simply APPLY to the program.  I may not get accepted but at this point I need to try. Trying to get extra work done has been a source of stress for me (but this is good stress).

The most recent thing I did was to take care of the easiest thing to change: The Protein.  I am not sure if the dietary changes I made, alone, is all it took to help me feel better.  Yet, since adding more protein for just over a week, my ability and desire to train increased significantly and my fatigue has diminished.  So now I am excited to build mileage and get back to racing. 

I need to race.  It is a huge part of who I am.  Miles for Music was the first USA-TF NJ Team Race of the season. I try my best to get to every team race I can make. A few days before the race I got a little confused and thought this year this was going to be a Master's Team race only. With a sense that my performance really would not matter as much, the pressure was off. I set my personal goal to be easily achievable. I decided that all I needed to do to consider this race a success is "Show Up and Finish It." Time would be irrelevant.

As I sat in my car, getting my gear organized, Anthony and Rich pulled up next to me. Anthony clarified that today was, in fact, an Open Team race as well.  Oh boy!  Well, as much as I hate to let others down, there was really not much I could do to change my ability to run any faster than I was planning to run.  I am not trained to run fast right now.  Nothing I have done over the last few months suggested I should be able to run an amazing race today.  Being heavier than usual (I need to drop about 7 lbs to get back to my best racing weight) only adds to the slow down.  I also had planned to race in my trainers (Brooks Launch 2) rather than racing flats, which does make a difference for me.  The last race I ran was the Key West Half in mid-January.  There was no way I could expect to run faster than I did then. I even commented to Rich, that if I do end up running a faster pace than my Key West pace, I will quit coaching immediately because nothing would make any sense to me.

The weather this year was the worst it has ever been since I started racing this race.  I have raced in worse, but for this day and this race, it was colder and much much windier than it ever has been.  Often I wear shorts at Miles for Music. But this year I started in Capris, Calf Sleeves, Long Sleeve Tech Shirt, T-Shirt, Neck buff, hat, and my mittens.  The wind was horrible.  During our warm up, I felt like my arms were simply too cold whenever the bitter wind whipped by.  I contemplated getting my warm up jacket out of the gear check truck. But in the sun and calm air it was actually quite nice. While we warmed up, we hit these little "Patches of Happiness" along the course which helped me feel better. :)

Did I mention the wind? The wind was very bad the entire morning. During our cool down walk to our cars after the race, one of the large canvas canopies was lifted off the ground and tumbled towards the oncoming runners… Only to be completely stopped in its tracks by a fearless Aid Station Volunteer who threw himself inside the rolling canopy, bracing himself against it to stop it from rolling over others. This guys was impressive. I was sure it was going to knock him over, but he wasn't having it!  The other Aid Station Volunteers all quickly took control of the canopy. Good Job guys!

After a 2 mile warm up and a few peppy strides, we lined up in the giant puddle that unfortunately took up residence at the starting line.  There were only about two puddles on the course and the biggest one was covering the entire starting area, except for the first two rows.  I ended up lining up right at the line, behind Rich and Jim O.  At one point almost in unison,  Rich and  I said "I don't belong up here!" but I wasn't moving back to stand in the water. Other people did not seems to be bothered the puddle, but I did.

The weather:  It was supposed to be in the mid-30s but with the wind it was predicted to "feel like" 27 by race time, according to the weather report online when I left the house.

The course is 2.5 laps around Johnson Park. It is only has a slight mild roll to it, only noticeable on the way out to the first lap, which we do 3 times AND which also happened to be into the wind. Otherwise the course is generally a flat and fast course.

Gun Goes Off!

In consideration of my last half being run at 7:29 pace, and the fact that I did not expect to run faster than that time today, I knew I had no business running much faster than 7:20-7:30 for the first mile. It is easy to get swept away in the crowd, but after about 3 tenths I reigned myself despite actually feeling good.  M1 - 7:20

Despite the headwind, I was feeling stronger than I expected. This is surprising since I can remember the last time I was able to run a single mile at sub-8 pace.  I wanted to try to hold 7:20-7:30 for as long as I could. We headed uphill, into the wind, and toward a turn around that would bring some relief. M2 -7:25

Starting M3, I still feel good and I am bit surprised. At this point we are headed downwind with a decline in our favor.  I enjoy this natural assist. M3 - 7:19

We eventually reach the bottom of the first loop and run loop causing us to head back towards the starting line, back into the wind. This is where the course is hardest. It will be about 2.5 miles until we can get out of the headwind and we have to do this a second time.  Things are starting to feel harder for me, but I try to hold on to that 7:20-7:30 pace.  I just don't feel beat down, but rather more like I have no leg speed to tap into. M4 - 7:23

The wind is taking its toll on me and I am not looking forward to the long inclined route to the next turn-around. I try to find comfort in the idea that I only will need to do it one more time after this second time up to the turn. I slow down to conserve some energy instead of fighting the wind. M5-7:47

The wind was nasty, but I was not suffering since I adjusted my pace.  Once we hit the 10k turnaround, I felt liberated. M6-7:44

Those last 2.5 miles really took a lot out of me.  I needed to take some time to regroup and just tried to relax. I was only half way done and I was not interested in a death march home. We had to repeat that long stretch into the wind and I wanted to feel confident I could do it.  My legs were heavy and running out of steam.  I decided here that I should take my gel. It may not help but one gel couldn't hurt much either.  I was trying very hard to run a smart race. M7-7:39

The gel seemed to help.  So did the descent and the tail wind.  I was starting to move faster than some of those around me. Trying to pick off people is very motivating. It helps me focus less on how badly I feel and gives me something external to distract me. M8 - 7:25

Unfortunately, just as I was feeling good, we hit the turn around loop at the bottom of the course. Once again we faced 2.5 miles of headwind before our next reprieve. I reminded myself that this would be the last time I would have to fight this fight so I just tried to stay focused.  M9 - 7:27 

Initially I thought if i could I would to try to pick up my pace with 5k,  but at 9.3 miles the wind was at its worst ad the course was this most inclined.  I just felt like it was smarter to try to wait it out than blow up at mile 10 of a 12.4 mile race.  I was still moving well compared to those around me, so I decided to sit back and wait for the turn around in about 2 miles.  M10 -7:50

Photo by Jessica Ramos

I can't say I was suffering because I really wasn't at all. I was just running out of steam. I had no pep.  Carrying extra weight was noticeable. Running into the wind was beating me down.  I was having trouble with fast turnover, and I felt like I was running as fast as my legs could carry me. Nothing was torturous and I was still having fun!  I just wanted to get to turn around and get out of the wind. M11 -7:55

Finally! We hit the turn around and I was ready to pick up the pace on the way in.  Once out of the wind I felt much better. I was quite happy with my overall pace so far, despite those last two miles. I did not mind running slower for 10 and 11 because I felt I had a little left to give on the way home. I felt more in control of myself and my pace and this made me happy.  I wanted to finish strong, as fast as my tired legs could move me. M12 - 7:23. 

With just about half mile to go, I attempted to open my stride and find a little more speed. I was able to open it up and move faster than I had at the start of the race. It felt good to find some turnover. Last .48 3:29 (7:15 pace)

I am so very happy to finish as fast as I did. This is not my fastest or best performance, but by setting realistic goals, leaving the ego behind and doing my best for the day, I had a great experience.  I started out by using my last race's race pace as a guide and this helped me maintain control over myself today. I am very happy with my pacing and my overall experience today.  I needed to get back out there.

Now I know how much work I need to do to run my best in the months to come.  Some improvement will come as my training volume increases. Some will come from nutrition improvements. Some will come from extra rest. Some will come as stress reduces. Some will come as I lose a few pounds.  With so many areas to work on, I do not see a set of problems, but rather I see a lot of potential for myself.  I am truly excited to get back to work! 

Stats:
Distance: 20k (12.4 Miles)
Time: 1:34:14 (7:35 pace)

Common Mistakes New Runners Make, Part 2 - Frequency

I am so very excited to share that I am now a contributing writer for RunJersey.com. Each month I will be sharing a writing on this website about something running-related. My first write up is a 4 part series that discusses the four most common mistakes I see new runners make. 

Here is link to the Second Part of that series. http://runjersey.com/from-the-coaches-eye-common-mistakes-new-runners-make-part-2/ The first part can be found here: http://runjersey.com/from-the-coachs-eye-common-mistakes-new-runners-make/

I will post links each new part as it is published on RunJersey.com

Thank you for taking a look and sharing your thoughts! 

Shannon

How To Use Waking Heart Rate To Achieve Adequate Recovery

Here is a copy of my most recent article submitted to the Clifton Road Runners Monthly Newsletter!

If you reside in New Jersey and would like to become a member of Clifton Road Runners, please visit this website for more information about how you can join my team: 

http://www.cliftonroadrunners.com 

How To Use Your Waking Heart Rate To Achieve Adequate Recovery

by Shannon McGinn, RRCA Running Coach

March 2015

Adequate recovery is essential to any effective training plan. Training breaks us down. It is during recovery that we grow stronger and faster, not during training. The only way our bodies can adapt to the work we do during training is to have time to heal. Rest can be a complete day off or it can be a very low intensity activity. Failing to rest sabotages training, making us weaker instead of stronger. Accordingly, training hard before adequate recovery has been achieved is a big mistake that can lead to a variety of negative results, including mental burn out, illness, and injury.

How Heart Rate Relates to Recovery:

Often we fail to realize we need more rest and instead push too hard. Motivation to do a great job blinds us to our need to work less, not more. The good news is our heart rate can give us a clear measurable physiological clue, before almost any other sign, that we need rest. This will often happen even before our bodies feel overwhelmed from hard work, before we become mentally burnt out, and before we suffer an injury related to overuse.

The concept is simple. When we are working hard our heart rate elevates. It takes time for our heart rate to return to normal or settle in at a lower rate due to our fitness gains. When we are not recovering well, our heart rate will remain in an elevated state for an extended period of time. Recovery of the heart rate may take very little time after light activity, but it can take over 24 hours after long-duration aerobic exercise or extremely hard workouts. This is why we should not train hard every single day. Assuming there are no other injuries to manage and the athlete is otherwise healthy, then heart rate is a good guide to use to assess readiness for hard training.    

When to Track Heart Rate:
To effectively use heart rate to monitor recovery, we need to track it at the proper time.  There are a lot of variables that impact daily “resting” heart rate. Things like hydration status, sodium consumption, a stressful phone call, etc, all can impact resting heart rate. Consequently, taking your resting heart rate at any random time throughout the day is not a reliably consistent measure of the state of your being.

However, it has been found that Sleeping Heart Rate is much more consistent and a more accurate measure of resting heart rate. After all, when are we more rested than when we are asleep! Some people do have heart rate monitors they can wear all night and review data in the morning. Most of us do not. This makes taking your pulse while sleeping very hard to do. Fortunately, the next best thing to Sleeping Heart Rate is Waking Heart Rate.  

To take your Waking Heart Rate, you must remember to take your pulse immediately upon waking. Most people have trouble remembering to do this first thing in the morning. If you do this as often as possible during the week or two prior to beginning a hard training cycle, you will have good sense of what your baseline Waking Heart Rate is. As training begins in ernest, take periodic measurements to confirm your heart rate is recovering to your baseline as your training builds. Make an effort to measure your heart rate the morning after every very hard workout and again the following morning, after a day of rest, to learn your recovery pattern. When your resting heart rate is elevated by 5-10 or more beats per minute, this is a clear measurable signal that you absolutely need more rest and not more hard work. This is where the training schedule needs to be adjusted to accommodate your body’s needs.  

How to Track Waking Heart Rate:

I found it challenging to remember to take my pulse first thing upon waking. Often I got up to get my coffee and then realize it was too late to take my pulse. When I did remember to do it, I found it difficult to attempt to take my pulse in the dark.  Watching seconds pass on my watch, while counting beats at a different pace, while holding my wrist or neck, while also trying to somehow illuminate the light on my watch was practically impossible. 

To make my life easier, I purchased a pulse oximeter. This is a small non-invasive device that clips on the fingertip. It uses red and infrared light to measure oxygen saturation in the blood. It also measures pulse. I keep it on my night table, next to my alarm clock. When I wake up, I hit snooze, and then clip the pulse oximeter to my finger.  I return to my semi-conscious restful state, or completely fall back to sleep, and let the little machine do its thing.  A few minutes later, usually when my snooze alarm sounds, I look at the digital display and get my waking pulse. The hardest thing to do is to remember to just do this before standing up.

This is the Pulse Oximeter that I bought myself. It works fine. Do some research because there may be better options out there. http://www.amazon.com/Octivetech-OT-99-Sports-Oximeter-Sage/dp/B007SPCNDC/ref=pd_sim_hpc_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=18AZNTA6VRHJM7Y4ZJED

Adequate recovery is essential to any effective training plan. Learning how to use your waking heart rate to measure your recovery is a great way to understand whether or not you are getting enough rest. 

______________________________________________________________________

Shannon McGinn is an RRCA Certified Distance Running Coach and the owner of Creating Momentum, LLC.  She is a life-long runner, becoming more involved in racing after surviving cancer.  She considers herself a marathon and ultramarathon specialist, earning several USATF National Championship top 10 or better placements in the 50k and 50M distances. She has not missed a day of running since December 2011. Please feel free to send any questions about this article to shanmcginn@gmail.com.

I am now a Contributing Writer for RunJersey.com!

I am so very excited to share that I am now a contributing writer for RunJersey.com.

Each month I will be sharing a writing on this website about something running-related.

My first write up is a 4 part series that discusses the four most common mistakes I see new runners make.



Here is link to the first part of that series. http://runjersey.com/from-the-coachs-eye-common-mistakes-new-runners-make/

I will post links each new part as it is published on RunJersey.com

Thank you for reading!

Enzo and Piper, Flying to Florida, and the Key West Half Marathon, Key West FL. 1/18/15

Martin, Piper, Me, Enzo, and Sidney

It has been some time since I have posted a race report.  This race report has been sitting in my draft folder for a long time.  Life does get hectic sometimes.

Recently I have been focused on a few exciting projects that have been taking up much of my time.  I decided I need to invest more into the things I love to do so I have been finding new opportunities to challenge my skills and reach for the stars. :)  I have started some new writing endeavors.  I began laying the foundation for some exciting new educational pursuits.

But the main source of my distraction for the past few months has been Piper, our new canine addition. We adopted her in November.  Adopting a dog should not have been such an overwhelming ordeal, but we had a few special issues to work through.

Piper in the foreground, Enzo in the background

Our first dog, Enzo can be very aggressive towards other dogs. He was acting slightly more civil prior to adopting Piper, so we thought we had a chance at having a second dog.  This was also the only time Sid would be home for an extended time period to help me manage two dogs, so if we wanted a second dog, we needed to do it now.

Enzo was clearly not ready.  He was much more aggressive for much longer than I expected he would be towards her.  I knew he would be bad at first but when he met Cezanne (my friend Liz's dog), he barked for 10 minutes (I timed it) and then starting to relax.  His vehement hatred of Piper lasted for almost two months. During this time, prevent attacks was our main job.

Piper came to us as a dog without a history. We picked her out a photo album of dogs scheduled to be euthanized within the next week.  The description said she was 20lbs. That was a big part of why I chose her. She seemed to fit what we were looking for since we have a small house.

 First, it did not take us long to realize that Piper was 20 lbs because she was starved (she is now over 35 lbs now).  And clearly she was NEVER EVER anyone's dog.  She did not like people. She was very fear aggressive towards people. She was an aggressive resource guarder.

I had never been more afraid of a dog in my lifetime than I was of Piper and she was living in our spare bedroom!  I had even found people (Jessica and Derek) to adopt her when they were able to.  I gave them a list of all the things she did that scared me so they would understand her needs and they could be safe. We had plans to send Piper to a foster (Cristi's) to minimize the danger in our home until the the new owners could take Piper.  But after a lot of tears, we called off the re-homing, and continued to work with Piper and Enzo, hoping we could get through this. Oh boy, did we had our hands full.  We had a wild animal in our house.  She would growl at me if I walked by her room while she was gated.  Snap at me if I tried to pet her.  Clipping her leash to her collar for walks scared both her and me at first.  Feeding her was tense.  Giving her a toy resulted in her getting possessive and aggressive.  She pitched a fit when I put a towel over her crate, growling and flailing about until I took the blanket off the crate and she wasnt even in the crate at the time!

She wanted to be nice and she had a very sweet side to her, but then she would do something reactive and dangerous with little obvious provocation.  At one point Sidney said to me, "She is really making it very hard for us to like her"… but we did like her and we just hoped life could be safe and calm again.

Martin and Piper became fast friends :)

We baby-gated our entire house and this kept everyone safe. Piper slept in her own room gated safely at night, after a week of being crated at night in the gated room.

Sid and Enzo moved into the finished basement. At one point, Sid planned to take Enzo and stay with my parents, but we knew that would just delay progress.

Piper and I lived upstairs. I tried to spend time in the same room as her as long as she seemed comfortable. I did not try to touch her,  but often if I moved to fast, she would do something that scared me (lunge, or growl, or bob and weave).  Food was trust building, but she wold sometime snap the air while we were feeding her.  She wanted us to put it down and leave.

I slept next to her crate on a love seat for a few nights. She wasnt thrilled with that.   Once she seemed ok with me there,  I decided to let her sleep out of her crate if she wanted.  I opened the door and then I was sure that first night that she was going to bite my face off while I slept… so I did not sleep at all. (But instead, she curled up on my chest and she slept on top of me and that night was a big turning point in our relationship).  

Sid and I texted each other to talk or to plan when the dogs were being moved around the house to avoid accidental confrontation. Enzo was clearly angry with me.  He refused to acknowledge me for over an month!

Early on we started doing very regimented training sessions several times per day, where we used classical and operant conditioning to help move desensitization along. All positive reward based. Controlled and timed walks around the neighborhood, then around the yard, into the house and then we sat for 5-10 minutes before separating the dogs.  Sid and I being a team helped tremendously.

Enzo loves to fly… Piper was not thrilled on her 1st flight

It took a long time to see progress since Piper had heart worms and she was on exercise restriction for the first 3 weeks she was with us.  She was pent up and frazzled. She would hump things in her room.  She knew nothing about houses but she could not leave and this made her crazy.  TVs and typing and toilets flushing scared her.  The heat coming from the ducts scared her.  I scared her.  Sid scared her. Her reflection scared her.  Enzo hated her.  She was scared of him. She did not know any words. She did not know we wanted her to know words.  She did not know how to ask us to do things for her. She had no idea that we would actually response to her if she asked us for something.  She was hard to teach anything because she was quick to snap when she was scared, frustrated or possessive and she was all those things all the time for the first week.  But we were all very patient with her and she started to trust us.

Sidney and I had this trip to Key West scheduled long before we knew we would have Piper in our lives.  This race, many years ago, was the first half marathon I ever ran.  It was 3 weeks after my last round of cancer treatment.  My husband (boyfriend then) ran side-by-side with me.  By the end of that race, I felt more like a survivor that I had felt during my entire battle with cancer.  That was January 2007.  Since then, each year we have returned to the race.

This trip marked Enzo's 4th visit to Key West since he became our dog.  We found Enzo under a bridge on 1/1/2011 homeless, very sick, and very broken.  He had night terrors and can be difficult when he is on the defense.

Piper was going to stay with my parents while we traveled to Key West with Enzo.  But spontaneously, after a few runs at the park together, Enzo had begun openly accepting Piper. (He stopped trying to attack her).  One week before our trip, we decided that we wanted to bring her along.

Apparently we are really bad at decision making. :) Enzo and Piper had not yet been left together unsupervised. We were not sure what we were getting ourselves into.  I purchased a travel baby gate and we planned to figure things out along the way.  We hoped to crate her in the plane, but later discovered the crate did not fit in the Cessna.  We were prepared to rent two separate hotel rooms if we had to.  I had tried to upgrade our hotel rooms to suites but none were available the week prior. I found a two room apartment for rent for the first night, so we started with that. 

We didn't need to separate them once on neutral territory :)

Key West is special to us because my husband is a commercially licensed pilot.  Since he is not yet officially employed as a fully time commercial pilot, each year we use this trip from New Jersey to Key West as a way for him to log some cross-country flight time.  The trip takes much much longer than a commercial flight but we can bring anything we want, including our dogs. This year, we also planned to travel with Martin. He planned to meet us in Florida, run the race with us, and then join us for the flight back home to NJ.

The Race:

First time they were loose together in a car!

Last year, I was much better prepared for the race, in the best shape of my life as far as half marathons go. This year, life was more complicated. We spent more then 2 months 100% focused on helping Piper become a member of our family.  Dog Training dogs replaced Run Training during the 60 days before this race.  As a result, the race made me incredibly nervous.  But really most people don't seem to come to Key West to run fast.  

One of the most interesting additions to this year's race were the Drones! This is the first time I experience drones on the course.  At one point, at maybe mile 2, a drone was hovering low above the runners and I could not help but think…"I wonder if getting knocked out by a drone would be a good excuse to DNF a half?"  LOL.  But I am just under 5'2" so I knew I was in this race for the duration! 

I settled in to what I felt was a comfortable pace and I was happy to see that I ran M1 in 7:12.  Oh boy if I could hold that pace would I be happy!

Actually I knew I would be thrilled if I was able to run anything under 8 minutes per mile.  I have learned a long time ago, that running really fast while well trained hurts a lot less than showing up untrained and trying to run faster than you are prepared for.  There is nothing worst than a death march and I know better that to make myself suffer like that. 

I tried to find a pace that was not going to lead to a blow up on the way back and if I was smart then maybe I could actually negative split this thing, even if I ran much slower than last year. M2 7:17

This year's course took us thought the downtown more than last years and I felt like there was more turns this year as we took the scenic route. M3 7:22

As we ran along the water, the sun was rising, the humid was high and I felt like I was starting to feel the lack of training.  I decided I needed to slow down.  I was running with a guy named John at this point and we were both sharing how woefully under prepared we were, despite us both being in fantastic shape in the fall.  He was talking about the pace being a little too fast.  I was hoping he would stay with me because the talking made me worry less about how the later miles that would pummel me. M4 7:29  

I could not ignore the fading pace. I had told John that I was really hoping for a tale wind on the way back. He laughed at my wishful thinking and I promised him it would happen.  I devised some scientific explanation about how the sun will warm up the water and by the time we hit the turn around we will have a nice wind created to blow us briskly back to the finish.  John noted that we were actually getting a head wind now.  He was right.  There was a head wind.  I told him, "See, I told you there would be a wind… it would be a tale wind except we are late! We need to hurry up!" LOL.  M5 7:29

John decided to let me go on with out him and I thanked him for the company.  I only had about 1.5 miles to go until the way back.  The slower 7:30 pace helped me feel like I was not falling apart. I hoped to have something to dig into on the way home. I decided to slow a little more just to make my life easier.  I knew it was going to be a fight on the way back so I tried to give myself a "rest" mile as if there is such a thing. M6 7:40

I started counting ladies on the way in way back and discovered I was 15th. There were some ladies in sight so I decided to try to focus on a strong second half. M7 7:21

I managed to pass one lady early in Mile 7 so that moved me to 14th, but then a woman passed both of us, crap.  I tried to go with her but the humidity was too much and my tired legs were screaming "If you want to be able to finish this, you need to slow down!" M8 7:13

There were several more ladies in sight so rather than try to chase the woman who passed me, I instead focused on the ladies I felt I could catch. I settled back down in my pace and managed to move up to 13th. M9 7:29

The course routed us over the pier this year and although it was a nice scenic touch, I personally was not a fan of running on the pier.  I felt like it was windy out there and I hate wind.  I did like that I was able to see that there were no ladies in range to catch me on the way in but I had a chance to move up a few position if I could stay solid during the last 5k. M10 7:35

As I passed two more women and had my count at 11, the last woman I passed was encouraging and cheered me on. I had done the same for her early on at the 10k turn around.  It was nice to get it back later in the race.  Once I passed her, there was simply no one chasing me and no ladies in sight for me to catch.  I was in a pocket of space and fighting humidity.  It was starting to get really hard. M11 7:34 

I felt the fade coming and the course was not helpful the final few miles contained a lot of turns and once my legs were heavy, it was hard to maintain my pace on the turns. I admit that I often looked back. I did not want to be caught, but I also did not feel I had the desire to run much faster that I was at that time.  I kept telling myself I was going save it for the final mile! LOL  M12 7:40

I actually did pick up the pace at the start of Mile 13, but the final part of the course continue more turns than any other mile.  It made this mile feel harder than I had hoped it would.  With no one on my heels and the humidity killing me I just settling in and enjoyed the finish. M13 7:43

The final stretch was nice with a large shoot lined with cheering fans.  It was so nice to see the end in sight!  

I have to say that although this was not my best performance by far, I am truly happy with how this turned out.  I faded.  I struggled.  I suffered. But I should. I did not train for this and it would completely wrong to expect to do any better than I did out there.  I was simply glad to be in a respectable time without any issues. 

I waited for Sidney who always runs just about a 1:50, almost every single year with no training at all.   As I saw him finish, the first thing he said to me before anything else is "Ok, we are coming back next year!" which is what he always says when he is done with the race. And then, right on cue, I say the next line in our yearly dialogue "And next year we are going to actually train for it!" Then we laugh and we laugh…. because we know it won't happen.  :)

We waited for Martin, who had some drama during his race… him stopping to massage a cramp at mile 11 cause the police to call an ambulance and then we started to proceed they refused to let him go, telling him to wait to be assessed by the Ambulance staff.  When 30 minutes passes and the ambulance never arrived, he was allowed to finishing his race.  This created one of most disappointing race experiences I have ever seen him have.  Martin is 70 years old and in consideration of his age, he is one the most amazing runners I know.  I wanted him to take home an age group award and he would have easily had he not been stopped.  I did write to the race director and Barbara promised to make things right for Martin. Her generosity helped to make the experience not feel do disappointing.  I hope Martin joins us again next year… Maybe next year we can all actually train for it! :)

After Key West we stayed two more day before Martin, Sidney, Enzo, Piper and me all loaded into a Cessna and took a long leisurely flight up the East Coast, getting stranded in Myrtle Beach due to bad weather for only one extra day.  

By the end of the trip Enzo and Piper no longer needed to kept separate even if we went to work.  The baby gates were removed (except the one to her bedroom).  After a week traveling together I can truly say Piper and Enzo are now family and they truly each other's best friend.   They wrestle and play non-stop.  They share bones.  They take things right from each other's mouths without any fighting, it is just what the do.  Peace is restored and Enzo's life is better for having Piper in it. Piper get to have a life now that she is with us.   Life is good.

Stats:
Time: 1:38:14 (7:29 pace)
11th Female
2nd AG

How I Beat Plantar Fasciitis

Here is a copy of my most recent article submitted to the Clifton Road Runners Monthly Newsletter!

If you reside in New Jersey and would like to become a member of Clifton Road Runners, please visit this website for more information about how you can join my team: 

http://www.cliftonroadrunners.com 

How I Beat Plantar Fasciitis
Shannon McGinn, RRCA Certified Running Coach
February 2015
 
Until a few years ago, I had suffered from debilitating Plantar Fasciitis, on and off, for most of my running life. I started running for a team way back when I was 9 years old, so this has been quite the battle. I visited many podiatrists. I tried various treatments. Nothing seemed to help. Once I understood the function of the plantar fascia, the common causes of Plantar Fasciitis, and difference between treatment and prevention, I was then able to treat it successfully as well as prevent its return.  

What is Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is connective tissue that supports the arch of the foot.  Plantar Fasciitis (PF) occurs when there is damage to this tissue. PF is terribly debilitating because once the fascia is damaged, it is very difficult to heal. We use our feet daily, consequently re-injuring the fascia daily. Usually, that very first painful step out of bed tends to undo all the healing that took place over the course of the sleeping hours. 

A Common Big Mistake: Confusing Prevention for Treatment 
The biggest mistake I believe people make is turning to preventative measures when treatment is needed. Prevention of PF involves keeping the fascia flexible. Stretching or using a ball to rolling out the fascia will achieve this goal. Low drop shoes are another way to keep the plantar fascia, the achilles tendon, and the calf pliable and healthy.  

However, Treatment involves the opposite actions. Immobility and stabilization of the foot will allow the fascia to heal. Elevating the heel will help relieve tension. Stretching a torn fascia or using shoes that aggravate the area results in re-tearing the tissue day after day. Prevention used during the acute stage of an injury acts only to prolong recovery. 

Finding Peer Reviewed Evidenced-Based Treatment Methods
I am not a doctor. I am a coach. I advise all of my runners to see a doctor if they are experiencing pain, especially pain that does not improve or worsens. This is no exception. If you have health insurance, some of the products discussed below may be even be covered by your insurance. However, many people prefer to turn to home treatment first. 

There is lot of information and misinformation about treating PF.  I utilized the Cochrane Reviews to identify the most reliable studies about effective treatments. The Cochrane Library contains a database of peer-reviewed medical studies that are analyzed, ranked by quality, and summarized. The Cochrane Library is considered to be a key resource in evidence-based medicine.

Accordingly (and not surprisingly), the most reliable research concludes that PF is very difficult to treat and often spontaneously resolves without clear explanation.  As a result, many people report the last thing they tried was their miracle cure. This leads to crazy suggestions like soaking feet in apple cider (which is a real suggestion, but does not have any merit.) 

The Methods I Used to Successfully Treat and Prevent PF
Below are some proven methods to help manage plantar fasciitis. I used all the methods I will discuss below. I found relief from each of them. 

(1) Try to immobilize the fascia allowing the damage to heal.
Taping. If you selected just one thing to do, it needs to be Low Dye Taping for Plantar Fasciitis. This is a specific method of taping the arch with a criss-crossed pattern that wraps around the heel. The tape creates a stable external structural support for the foot, giving the fascia a little vacation from its job and allows it to heal.  See the video link to understand how this is done.

Do NOT tape only when running. We use our plantar fascia with every step we take. Keep your foot taped for 24 hours per day until the pain is gone. I recommend taping before bedtime, so the foot is stabilized and ready for that first step out of bed in the morning. Taping at night, before a morning run, allows the tape to adhere securely before running.  Taping directly before a race or run may result in tape shifting and a negative experience. 

Taping takes practice. You will go through a lot of tape to get it right. A properly taped foot should feel very comfortable with imperceptible tape if you are not in motion and/or off your feet. When your walk on a properly taped foot, you should feel the tape snug up a bit as your foot rolls though a step.  This snugging up prevents the fascia from stretching too far and re-injuring itself. If you feel like the tape is pinching, then the tape is too tight. 

Do NOT use KT Tape or Rock tape. Those tapes are entirely too stretchy and provide insufficient support.  Save your money and use cheap sports tape that has no give at all.  It will be wrinkly.  Do you best to minimize wrinkles as much as possible. 

This link shows the method I used. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z2XlqsuQSY.  I was been able to tape effectively with much less tape than what is used in this video.  I used two long strips to make the X, as seen in the video. I then used three short strips to support the arch area.  I did not need to use the anchoring strips.  I found that with clean dry feet, the tape adhered very well, especially if I taped many hours prior to running (like the night before) to give the adhesive time to warm up and adhere its best. 

Once the pain subsides, I recommend tapering down the slowly taping over time.  Start by taping only when running. If you remain pain free, then tape only for long runs and races. If still feeling pain free, then tape only for races.  And finally try no taping at all. Increase frequency of taping to as much as needed to eliminate or minimize PF pain if it returns.


(2) Elongate the fascia during the healing process to minimize re-tearing.
When off your feet, the foot wants to relax. The fascia shortens without any pressure on it to hold it taunt. When we sleep, the fascia heals in this shortened position. Then we wake up, step out of bed and rapidly elongate the fascia. This tears away the early stages of healing that occurred overnight.  Day after day, this cycle continues and PF becomes a nightmare. 

“The Strassburg Sock” is the second best tool I discovered.  http://store.thesock.com/TSSOS/Shop/THESOCK.html The Sock works by pulling the toes up to keep the fascia stretched out. The tears of the fascia heal with the fascia in the elongated position. This means when you stand up, first thing in the morning, you are less likely to re-tear it.  The company recommends sleeping in it the socks. I found that impossible due to discomfort.  Instead, I would wear them to bed for a long as possible and pull them off when I felt they were disrupting my sleep. I set them next to the bed so that first thing in the morning, I could put them back on. This  allowed me to use the mechanism of these sock to passively stretch the fascia in a way that did not rapidly elongate and re-tear the tissue. These socks were not a cure but resulted in 85% relief for me in 1-3 nights. Because the sock passively stretch my fascia, I now use them as prevention, by periodically wearing them even when my plantar fascias feels fine.  

There are other devices on the market that aim to elongate the fascia while we sleep. Some report these devices are more comfortable to sleep in than The Socks.  Here is one example http://www.amazon.com/Curad-ORT28410KITD-Plantar-Fasciitis-Kit/dp/B00HG6L4VU/ref=sr_1_7?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1422367201&sr=1-7&keywords=extreme+night+splint

(3) Elevate the heel to reduce strain while PF heals.  
One main cause of PF is tight calves and achilles tendons, which pull on the fascia until it tears under the strain. There is a unfortunate trend in running shoes where LOW DROP is becoming the norm.  Low drop shoes put more stress and strain on the calves and achilles. Despite rave reviews, angry plantar fascias do not like low drop shoes. To reduce the strain while the PF heals, we need to elevate the heel not drop them down. (Low drop shoes have a place as a preventative tool, but are not effective as treatment).

There are several ways to elevate the heel. Choosing a running shoe with higher drop will help a lot. (I have about 5 different types of shoes with various drops in my rotation just to help keep my feet healthy.) Others get fitted for custom orthotics, but this takes weeks. Some purchase over the counter inserts from the pharmacy that target PF. I find that heel cups are the least expensive way to take the pressure off the fascia. Buy these from your pharmacy.  They are worth it and will keep you heel elevated protecting your fascia from fully extending and tearing and re-tearing. Once the PF is healed, the heel cups or the inserts will not longer be needed. 

(4) Passively Stretch the Calves and Achilles
“The Boot” or Night Splints are a great tool to treat the cause of the PF which is often attributed to tight calves and tight achilles pulling on the fascia. The Boots may seem similar but they do a different thing than “The Sock”.  The Sock passively stretch and hold the fascia in the elongated position. The Boots passively stretch the calves and achilles. I found that wearing the Boots to stretch for 30 minutes at a time a few nights per week was enough stretching for me to notice a difference. I use the Boot now as prevention, by occassionally wearing the boot to keep my calves and achilles flexible, especially when I am in the midst of a training cycle and my investment in my training is great.  

(5) Preventing your first step out of bed from ruining the healing that occurred over night.
By gently massaging your feet in the morning prior to stepping out of bed, you will be warming up the tissue and gently making it more pliable before stepping out of bed. Stepping onto a soft surface helps as well. I used a pillow or a folded towel. This will help to prevent re-tearing of the tissue upon the first step. Do this daily as you work towards being pain free.  Once the PF is healed, you should continue to make massaging the fascia a regularly practice.  Some people also find it very helpful to roll their feet over a tennis ball a few nights per week or in the morning before they stand up.

(6) Pain and inflammation management
Often people recommend using a frozen water bottle to treat PF.  A frozen water bottle is a good thing to keep on hand, but it is not going to heal PF.  Icing is helpful after a run, or after you have done something that has irritated or damaged the fascia. Just like with any other injury RICE is the first line of treatment. But, once damage is done, ice does not speed healing.  Ice is an effective way to manage pain and possibly minimize or reduce inflammation.  A water bottle is nicely shaped to allow you to roll your arch over the bottle, getting the cold ice exactly where the pain is. 

(7) Preventing PF from returning
Once you have use the above methods to get your PF under control your job is to be aggressively pro-active to prevent its return. There is no “Wait and See” with PF.  

One of the best preventative things you can do is stretching. People tend to stretch in an attempt to speed healing. The body does not work that way.  Aggressively stretching a torn fascia does not allow tears to heal.  However once the PF is resolved, then stretching is preventative and should include the achilles and calves as well.  Use the Strassburg socks periodically.  Use the Boot as as well.  Roll the arches out over tennis balls.  Now is the time to return to those Low Drop shoes.  But as soon as you notice the very first signs of soreness warning that PF is on its way, immediately resume taping 24 hours per day until that pain is gone.

Plantar Fasciitis is a heart breaking condition that is so very hard to treat. I hope that these tips here will help many find relief.

_____________________________________________________________________

Shannon McGinn is an RRCA Certified Distance Running Coach and the owner of Creating Momentum, LLC.  She is a life-long runner, becoming more involved in racing after surviving cancer.  She considers herself a marathon and ultramarathon specialist, earning several USATF National Championship top 10 or better placements in the 50k and 50M distances. She has not missed a day of running since December 2011.

Plyometrics (e.g. Jumping Rope) as Cross-Training, especially for Downhill Races

If you reside in New Jersey and would like to become a member of Clifton Road Runners, please visit this website for more information on how to join: http://www.cliftonroadrunners.com 

Here is a copy of my most recent article submitted to Clifton Road Runners Monthly Newsletter!

Plyometrics (e.g. Jumping Rope) as Cross-Training, especially for Downhill Races

Shannon McGinn

Distance Running Coach 

Plyometrics, also known as "jump training" or "plyos", are exercises based on having muscle exert maximum force in as short of a time as possible with the goal of increasing both speed and power. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plyometrics). Plyometrics are a powerful addition to running programs, especially programs focused on helping runners develop explosive speed. We see sprinters using these techniques regularly. 

Benefits of Plyometrics.

Plyometrics help the muscles “produce more power by training the muscles to contract more quickly and forcefully from an actively pre-stretched position”. They can contribute to improved performance at distances of 10k and under. Studies have found that in recreational runners, plyometrics have helped to improve running economy in those who train and race at paces between 7:30-10:00. Studies with elites shows that plyometrics had its greatest impact on paces 5:20 or under. It seems elites already have figured out how to move efficiently at paces between 5:30-7:30 minute per mile. Since most of us here are not elite, any improvement to running economy is going to help us run better, even at longer distances. (See http://running.competitor.com/2014/02/training/the-benefits-of-plyometrics-for-runners_65392/2)

Dangers of Plyometrics.

Although the studies have shown that plyometrics can help make a runner more efficient, it is also true that simply running more mileage can improve running economy and efficiency with a much lower risk of injury.  (See http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/29/finding-your-ideal-running-form/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0) 

Plyometrics are explosive exercises. People have a tendency to take things to the extreme.  Extremely explosive activity can contribute to muscle strains and tears. Plyometrics involve a lot of jumping up, down, and over things and the clumsy jumper (like me) can end up with injuries related to missteps during the jumping or landing. This is not what we need during marathon training. Accordingly, plyometrics done in intense ways can carry a very high injury risk.   

Jumping Rope for Better Form 

One of the safest and effective forms of plyometrics is Jumping Rope.  Jumping rope is practically impossible to do with poor technique, therefore it is an ideal training tool. The intensity can be regulated and matched to ability and comfort level. If you slouch, use poor timing, etc, the rope catches and the exercise stops. Perform the jumping and timing at the appropriate pace and you will reap benefits of better posture, strengthening of the musculoskeletal system, improved explosive power in the legs, and improved cardiovascular system. Jumping rope is also travel friendly, doesn’t require a partner, and if done inside, eliminates variables related to weather.

Jumping rope can be done in a variety of ways. It can be performed by springing up from the calves two feet at a time, or by lifting the knees one at a time allowing more or less engagement of various muscle groups. Because jumping rope can be done one leg at time, it can allow us to work one side of the body more than the other, which can be used to correct imbalances. Running cannot isolate one side of the body in this way. 

The Rule of Specificity says distance running is most improved by doing more distance running. However, this does not mean that other activities do not have value when added in a way that does take away from the time dedicated to distance running or recovering from distance running.  “Although jumping rope may not seem sport specific, it is extremely posture specific. It improves the ability to maintain a long spine and actually has far less impact than sprinting or jogging.” http://performance.nd.edu/strength-conditioning/recommended-reading/self-limiting-exercise-jumping-rope/

The Rule of Specificity

Anyone who has spent time picking my brain about my training methodology knows that I define myself as a “Specificisist” (I am sure that is not a real word). I am firm believer in the Rule of Specificity, which proposes that to get better any activity, one needs to do that activity as much as possible. If you want to be a better writer, then write more. If you want to be a better actor, then act more.  If you want to be a runner, then cross train more ... Wait, that isn’t right! :) If you want to be a better runner, then run more.  Run as much as safely possible. 

I know that people have jobs, families, and obligations and very limited amount of time per day to train. This is both due to time constraints as well as physical constraints (we get tired or injured if we train too much). When faced with 6-10 hour of time to train per week (the average amount of time I see most people can carve out for training weekly), I fill that time with “Run Training” first. The second thing I add is Recovery time (with Rest days and General Maintenance paced running). I never cut back run time or recovery time in order to add cross training because I don’t believe cross training is better than running or resting from hard running. Running is the most specific thing we can do to become better runners and resting from running is what we need to allow fitness gains to manifest. Cross-Training instead of recovering from Run Training is needed is a mistake.

But there are some exception. I do feel that cross training is more valuable than running, when a runner has trouble maxing out their training time with Run Training due to current or past injury history.  Even if a runner can carve out the time, once a runner has maxed out there ability to run injury free, then the balance of training time can be filled with Cross Training and Rest/Recovery. It make no sense to run anyone into the ground.  

Jumping as Preparation for Downhill Racing.

I also feel there is value to cross training when race day specifics can not be duplicated.  In the case that we find ourselves preparing for DOWNHILL races (i.e. Steamtown, Run for the Red, even Mohawk Hudson, etc), we first want to get out to hills and train on them. We want to run up and downhill as much as possible. The second best thing we can do to prepare for downhill running is to do plyometrics.  When time or location makes it impossible to get the amount of downhill run training needed to best prepare for a downhill race, then it is time to add in jumping rope.  

Getting Started - Measuring the Rope.

“First, measure the jump rope. Stand on the rope with the left foot in the center of the body directly under the body and pull the handles of the rope up to your armpits. The handles should just graze the inside of the top of the armpits and go no higher than the top of your shoulders. Adjust the rope accordingly.

A novice should purchase a beaded rope that can be adjusted. The extra weight of the beaded rope provides more feedback for beginners. As proficiency with jumping rope increases, move to a lighter rope, which forces improvements in technique and allows the rope to be turned with greater speed.” http://performance.nd.edu/strength-conditioning/recommended-reading/self-limiting-exercise-jumping-rope/

Where to Jump Rope

“Any surface that will not damage the rope and is free of obstacles is adequate as long as it is flat and fairly hard. Wooden floors, tile floors, asphalt surfaces, and concrete surfaces have all been used. Asphalt and concrete are rough on the texture of the rope and will break down the rope at a quicker rate. Another solution is to cut a small piece of plywood, 3 or 4 feet square, and lay it over grass that has been closely mowed. The grass will hold the board slightly above the ground, providing a forgiving surface while still allowing the rope to turn,without catching on grass or other obstacles. This is a great alternative for the athlete on turf who wants to cross-train at practice.”

The Routine:

I have included a 10 minute YouTube Jumping Rope interval routine to follow.  I think this is a great place to start as it shows a variety of different ways to jump rope and it also breaks up 10 minutes of jumping into smaller manageable sets. I recommend doing this 2-3 x per week either immediately after any workout, whenever you have time to fit this in, or as a second workout of the day, ideally after you have completed your run for the day. 

Where this video advises stretching out the body in between sets, I recommend you instead march in place or pace between sets. Stretching can be traumatic enough to push tired muscle over the edge into a strain or tear.  I do not advise stretching in the middle of workouts unless you are suffering from a long term chronic issue. Here is the routine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NIvRAaOdlQ

Have fun!

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plyometrics

http://running.competitor.com/2014/02/training/the-benefits-of-plyometrics-for-runners_65392/2

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/29/finding-your-ideal-running-form/?php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

http://performance.nd.edu/strength-conditioning/recommended-reading/self-limiting-exercise-jumping-rope/

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Shannon McGinn is an RRCA Certified Distance Running Coach and the owner of Creating Momentum, LLC.  She is a life-long runner, becoming more involved in racing after surviving cancer.  She considers herself a marathon and ultramarathon specialist, earning several USATF National Championship top 10 or better placements in the 50k and 50M distances. She has not missed a day of running since December 2011.  

Ashenfelter 8k, Glen Ridge NJ, 11/27/14

I wasn't sure if I even would be able to attend this race. I knew I actually did not want to. I have a lot of things going on at home that have shifted my focus from running. What? Yes, it is true.  Right now, I still run every day, but running high mileage is not happening.

On October 27, Sidney and I decided to pulled a dog, we named her Piper, from a list of shelter dogs scheduled to be euthanized within the next week or so. She was the first dog on the list that had no donations pledged to help with her rescue costs meaning she was more likely to not be rescued. We knew Enzo has a real problem with dogs he meets in parks, but he had become much more relaxed (for him) around some dogs familiar to him.  We thought we had a chance to save a new pup and give her a good life.  I had been encouraged by many people who claim to have experience with dogs. I was told that dogs treat dogs that are part of the family differently than dogs that are not part of the family. I was told that it often starts of challenging but then the dogs find a way to be ok. I was told Enzo needs time around a dogs daily to come around and this can work.  Sid is planning to home often for weeks and this was the only time we would have with almost 24 hour supervision so this was the time to try to get a second dog.

The last month has been one of the most stressful experiences of my life and I have been through some very stressful experiences.  Enzo is not accepting of her inside the house.  He will tolerate her on a walk.  Inside the house he is not happy and will get snappy with her. The constant tension in our home is oppressive. We have dedicated any time we can spare from other things to work the dogs together and separately or rotate the dogs so that neither is isolated too long.  Not only was Enzo completely unreceptive to a new housemate, it turned out that Piper initially was unfriendly and aggressive, at times, towards people. Piper spent her first 5 days, in her bedroom, trying to be curious about us, but then growling and sometimes snapping at us for doing things like offering her food or toys, for touching her, trying to clip the leash on her to walk her, for looking at her, for talking to her.  Enzo would go crazy if he caught a glimpse of her through the gate, lunging and barking relentlessly and trying to get at her. He was not redirectable. So I had one dog that wanted to bite me whenever I looked at her… and another dog that wanted bite her just for being present.  This is hard.

It took 5 days of simply sitting in the same room as Piper, waiting for her to come to me when she was ready. Piper was terrified of any sounds related to daily life. Typing on my phone or computer scared her, the heat being blowing from the vents scared her.  Showers, toilets flushing, the dishwasher, opening doors, etc… all scared her.  Enzo looked sick and withdrawn.  He spent little time with me choosing to retreat to the basement or stay outside. He was louder and more obnoxious at the park when we did run with him.  When together, Sid and I split up and I spent more time with Piper, trying to teach her a language to use, and basic manners for living inside a house.  Sid kept Enzo company and made sure he felt loved.  For the first 5 days, I was so incredibly stressed I lost 5 lbs.  But then she turn a corner and suddenly realized that we were good people and she was safe with us. Now I have no fear at all that she will snap at me and she is no longer nervous around people at all. I can take food from her mouth if I need to, pick her up, handle her, train her, play with her, nap with her… She is a great dog.

Today it has been over 3 weeks since we picked up Piper on 11/14 after she was pulled and boarded at a Vet's where she was spayed and treated for other conditions like heart worms. Enzo and Piper still cannot be in the same room.  I am not actually sure it is possible for Enzo to accept her more than this ever. We are still trying to help them along with very systematic methods of behavior modification (classical, operant, counter conditioning, systematic desensitization, etc… we have pheromone diffusers in the house, we allow them together until Enzo can't deal with it.  The time is getting long that they are together.  We are now up to 30 minutes, on leashes, in the house, which a huge improvement from where they started.  However, this is not going to work long term.  We are speaking with Vets, Trainers, etc, to get expert advice on whether this is ever likely to work.  We were told to give this more time.  At some point we will have to realize that Piper and Enzo will be better off NOT living together unless Enzo proves otherwise.  This is the most heartbreaking situation I have experience. No one in our house is happy, except the dogs when they are not together. There is nothing to suggest that this is going to get any better right now.  Many people are rooting for Piper and Enzo to get along and work it out.  The reality here is that we are going to have to decide how long we live in this situation.  My heart is broken.

I showed up at the A8k only because I needed to the race to improve my USA-TF Grand Prix score card.  To have a chance to move up in the standing I needed to better one of my Category II 700 pt scores.  The person who I was in most direct competition with was Aya.  Aya has had the most amazing year.  I have been watching her results on Facebook and in person at races. Week after week she has been getting faster and faster.  I have had a great set of races myself this year but I have not raced as much as Aya. She was getting faster and I was getting distracted and distressed. I really wasn't sure whether I could hold her off any more.

The fact that I have hardly been training really made feel very insecure. I felt exhausted and run down. I had lost weight and it was likely muscle and hydration.  I was not eating well.  So of the three things that all athletes need to do to optimize performance (eat well, sleep well, and train well), I was doing None well. I was really worried that this 8k would be one of the worst runs I have had in a long time.

I left the house later than I should. I drove around way too long to find parking. I collected my bib and T-shirt. I left the shirt on they gym floor with my Clifton Team's stuff, used the bathroom, and lined up. I didn't have a chance to warm up and I didn't really care.

I just wanted this to be over so I could rush home and then go to work.  It was Thanksgiving and even thought I didn't HAVE to work, I try to go in because not many people can get there.  I am a therapist on an inpatient psychiatric unit when I am not coaching, training, or racing.  Usually the patients who are in a psych hospital on a major holiday are the most in need of attention. It did not surprise me to find that during normal visiting hours 0 visitors were present.  The patients were actually happy to see me, which is not always the case.

I line up where it seems like I would be close to the start, but this is a large race and many people filed in in front of me. It took about 10 seconds for me to cross the starting line.  The first mile was crowded and I felt like I was often stuck behind groups of people.  I do my best to get a good start. M 6:41

During the second mile, Jim O. is just a bit behind me. I catch a glimpse of Aya creeping up on me in my peripheral.  Jim, being a lover of the sport, my teammate, and the person who encouraged me to attend this race by reminding that I needed this race to have a shot to move up the standings, notices Aya making a move.  I hear him say something like "On Your Left, Shannon" and Aya was right there.  I like Aya. As she cruises up next to me, we can still see her husband and I tell her… "Ok, we have 3 miles to catch Karl. I think we can do it." I really hoped we could push each other to do just that.  Karl had different plans.  M2 6:46

As we hit a descent, I decide I need to push a little to see if I can pull away from Aya. I feel like I am already fighting way too hard at this point, but I have to keep trying until I can't lift my legs. Everything hurts.  I can actually feel a side-stitch, something I have not felt in years.  I get a little distance on Aya and all I need to do is hold it… for the next few miles.  LOL!   I try to not look back to see where she is, but for the remainder of the race she was my only concern.  I could hear her breathing behind me the entire way so I knew she was always right there on my heels.  M3 6:45

For the next two miles, in my mind, no one else was there in the race with us. I love races like this. I know the course. I have it run this race many times. There was a hill coming up about 4.5 miles after the gradual incline from 3.5 to 4.5. I settled in during mile this section so that I could finish stronger.  I was over dressed so during this mile I threw my gloves and my top layer T-shirt on the ground next to a sign so I could remember where they fell.  M4 6:50

I was able to get up that final hill and dig for a small kick on the way in.  I was working as hard as I could to stay steady.  I was suffering more than I have suffered in a race in along time. I knew all of this was related to my falling off training while I try to bring peace back to my home.  I could hear Aya reeling me in and I was very aware of what I needed to do to hold my position. A nearby runner decides to take me under his wing. I appreciate his encouragement, but I really didn't need to run the last .3 miles with someone telling me I needed to try harder.  I utter between breaths, "You go on ahead... don't worry about me...  I'm ok," but he just kept next to me, telling me to try harder.  I had already felt a twinge in my calf and was concerned I might pull something if I forced a kick I had not prepared my body to sustain. I was running as fast as I felt I could sustain safely.  I tried to focus on listening for Aya and doing what I needed to do to hold off her.  Last. 97  6:35.

I finish. I thank that guy who did attempt to help me and then allowed me to cross the line before him.  I turned around and saw Aya right behind me. 2 seconds behind me.  I truly felt like Aya and I were a great team out there. We really ran our butts off!  I tell her, next year, we need to work together to run even faster than we can run trying to race each other! :)  She pointed out that next year we will actually be in different age groups so we wouldn't even need to be racing head to head any more!

As I went to pick up my shirt and gloves, a little girl, maybe 5 or 6 years old, her father and her dog were walking by.  She asked me "Are you finished running?" I said, "Oh, Yes I am!"  She asked, "How far did you run today?" I said "Oh boy… Today I ran too far!"  She then asked, "If you had to run Too Far today, how do you know when you are done?"

I laughed and told her she was a very smart girl.  I explained "Well, I felt like I was done running at  mile 4, but I still had more to run until I got to the finish line where I could stop." Then, I asked her "Did you run today too?"  She laughed and said "Oh No Way!"  I told her she should run the One Mile next year.  He father looked at me like I was crazy.  She then shared that that she was really really excited to get home because a lot of people were coming over to have turkey at her house.  I told her to have a great day. I then walked across the street to see the results, hurried to get home to check on the Sidney and the dogs and then I rushed off to work.

Stats: 
Time: 33:46
Place 18th Female