Racing Season #2 Final Thoughts (part 2)

Overall, Season 2 went quite well despite starting with the disastrous group run in February.  In retrospect, even that ass kickin' was beneficial since it motivated me to get in shape and avoid further humiliation.  Here are the season highlights:

• It once again took me 3-4 months to work up to 20 miles/week with runs of over 30 minutes. I've now been running 15-20 miles/week since July.  I even ran a couple . . .50 minute runs.  I know, crazy.
• In the Crystal City Twilighter 5k I broke the 19 minute barrier for the first time Dusty Spikes era and shaved 4 minutes off my previous year's time.
• I wrote a blog post last year about how frustrated I was that I wasn't even in Hasher shape. I'm now proud to say that I've run 10 Hash runs since last February including one run with the Manila Hashers when I was in the Philippines in September.
• A couple years ago I expressed how envious I was that Marshall won socks in a road race. It took me far more attempts but 2 weeks ago I was finally able to claim age group honors  in the worst organized 5k in running history (Seriously, multiple articles have been written on how badly this race was organized).
• By far though, the highlight of the past year for me was the formation of the Dusty Spikes Running Club.  It was a sad day when Jesse had to put himself on injured reserve in late July but hopefully the club will reunite soon.

When the spikes are dusty, Winter is a very challenging season and it hasn't been good for me the past couple years.  I fully intend to keep running, but when running isn't priority #1 and you find yourself heavier, older, and injury prone, you never know what's going to happen in the off-season.  Luckily, I still haven't broken 18 in a 5k and I'm more determined than ever to not start from scratch in March.   I moved once again in May.  The Adidas spikes came with me. .  for the 10th time.

Dusty Spikes Forever! 

Racing Season #2 Final Thoughts (part 1)

Saturday's Hot Chocolate 5k will more than likely end my 2nd Dusty Spikes racing season.  I would have preferred to not conclude the season with a race that is considered an "epic failure" but honestly I'm just happy to be running races again after a 9 year hiatus.  I was able to squeeze in 4 races this year:

Crystal City Friday's 5k: 20:40 (I considered this race pre-season)
Twilighter 5k: 18:51 (I'll never know my official time though)
Crystal City Friday's Fall 5k: 18:27
Hot Chocolate 5k:  18:52

If I ever get around to posting a follow-up blog to this I'll provide more commentary on the season. Who knows, maybe I'll even have a sincere thought or include a cliche quote or two. 

Race Report: Worst 5k in History

I got up at 5:20 am on a Saturday to participate in the Hot Chocolate 5k along with 20,000 others.   This is part of a series or chocolate themed races in cities across the U.S.   If I were to go into details on how awful this race was it would be one of those scrolling blogs that no one would read.  Instead, I'll just link to this article written in the DCist yesterday that summarizes what is now being called an "Epic Fail". On to the race report. . .  .

Apparently all the good local runners have a 6th sense for bad races or didn't make it to the start due to 495 traffic (see article).  I ran 18:53 under the name Kevin Kozacek which was good for 3rd overall.  The race was sold out 2 weeks ago so I wasn't planning on running until Friday evening when I found out a friend of a friend would not be able to race. Under the circumstances I was happy with sub-19.  I ran a hard 4 mile run on Tuesday (a Pat designed Dusty Spike workout) so I wasn't complete rested.  Also, this course had two long climbs including the last 1/2 mile which has never been my forte (anyone remember the Penn St. Invitational?)  I would have liked to take a shot at sub-18 but that will probably have to wait until Spring.

I was about to...

I was about to write a post on how Hurricane Irene was no match for my running schedule. I went for a trail run as Irene was hitting Glen Allen this weekend. It felt great. I felt alive. Wind was howling, rain was pelting me at times with walls of stinging water. It didn't matter. I took my shirt off. Tree branches were falling all around me. This was not the act of a normal person. Quite reckless for a father of three small children. However, I made it home unscathed.

I spent the next day picking up leaves in the yard... no run.

Went for a run today, took two steps, and both of my hamstrings simultaneously combusted. I didn't even realize they were sore from yard work until I took those steps...

my spikes got a little dustier today.

Injured reserve

My right calf is officially busted up. I’m officially on the injured reserve for awhile. I’m thinking 2 weeks, maybe. Made it a full year though without getting injured. I think my racing days are over though. That 5K fucked me up and probably jinxed myself by talking shit to Pat Anderson. If I run another 5K I'm jogging that shit...may even walk. Later...

The Best Blog Never Written

Two years ago, while drinking beers at an Irish bar in Arlington called Sine, Jesse told me about an excellent idea for a blog post he had.   It would be about how when we were "serious runners" we kind of looked down on local running clubs but now that we are older, heavier, and injury prone we suddenly find ourselves envious of these groups.  This was over two years ago when I was struggling to get in more than 30 minutes and nursing injuries while Jesse was unable to run more than a week without re-injuring his achilles. To put it more directly, we weren't in shape to join one of the running clubs that we had previously thought we were above.  I remember seeing one of the local DC clubs working out on the track near my old apt. and wondering if I would ever get in shape to do a workout again.   As it turns out running clubs are where the real runners are.  Real runners run because they enjoy running.  

Race Report: Crystal City Twilighter 5k

Jesse, Tourist Mike, and I survived the 5k last night to officially open Dusty Spikes racing season.  Luckily, it cooled down to a chill 98 degrees by race time.  I shocked myself with a PR of 18:46 which was over 4 minutes faster than my performance last year. Tourist Mike, wearing giant trainers, followed in 19:35.  Jesse made a solid 5k debut with a 19:55 which was very impressive being that this time last year I don't think he was in good enough shape to work a  water station. 

This was also the first time I raced in flats which definitely helped. Running more than 6-8 miles a week and being 10 lbs lighter probably also helped (I've been running 15-20 miles per week for over 2 months now). The heat  took its toll on me the last mile and I was left staggering around in a daze for 15 minutes after the race.  I did a 5 minute cooldown run, grabbed a water bottle and decided to hunt down Jesse and Mike.  I found them next to the beer truck of course.  Jesse was halfway through his free beer and was asking Mike if he could have his complementary beer stamp.  

Overall, we had a blast and I can't wait to find another race. 

The Saturday Forecast

Apparently, it's supposed to be 100 degrees on Saturday for the 5k.  If we're lucky it will dip down to a more reasonable 97 degrees by race time.  So much for my attempt at an epic sub-19 5k.  We get a free beer with our race entry which will give me incentive to stay alive. 

Racing Season Kick-off: Crystal City Twilighter 5K

My "racing season" starts on July 23rd with the Crystal City Twilight 5k.  This is the race I ran last year in awful shape in 98 degrees.  Based on the temperatures we've had this Summer, 98 degrees would be an average day. Needless to say,  I'm in much better shape this year and with the flat course I should have a good shot at breaking the 19 minute barrier.  My friend and bitter rival Tourist Mike will also be racing and enters in much better shape than this Spring when he ran in the 19:20s for multiple 5ks on the same course. Last week, Jesse decided to "find out what this racing stuff is all about" as well.  He worked me pretty hard in last week's Dusty Spikes Running Club weekly run so I expect him to be in shape to easily cruise under 19. 

Calf stretch

There was an earlier post, maybe by CJ, about pulling calf muscles in his search to become Caballo Blanco and if anyone knew of effective stretches for the calf. My calf muscles suck, always have, but so far I've been able to run for almost a year without any calf problems. Now i'm sure it's due to many factors, maybe me losing 60 lbs and not being dangerously close to having a massive fucking heart attack...i don't know. Can't figure it all out right now.

I do believe this yoga stretch, called the downward dog, has made a difference. For anyone with calf problems I recommend this stretch. Hold for 30 seconds two times before you run. Remember to breathe.

Downward Dog...great name. Let the comments flow!

Dusty Spikes Running Club

Yesterday, we had our 2nd Dusty Spikes Running Club group run. This running club meets Saturdays, usually around 11:30 am but as late as 2 pm for a 30-40 minute run starting at the Key Bridge. We start off slow, very slow in fact and gradually pick it up until we're close to what might be considered a moderate pace. Afterwards we go to FireWorks for pizza, sangria, and beer. The Dusty Spikes Running Club (DSRC) is pretty much just Jesse and I now but we're hoping Ben Cooke will join us soon to bring our membership numbers up. I also think there's a good chance I'll talk Will Short into joining us afterwards at Fireworks but very unlikely he'd join us for the actual run. If we still only have 2-3 members at this time next year I wouldn't consider it a failure. A failure implies we didn't meet our goals. We don't have goals or a "strategy" at this point. We're simply enjoying the fact that we're able to run 30 minutes without injury and awarding ourselves afterwards.

forefoot striking

here's a good site demonstrating what i was babbling about: http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/5BarefootRunning&TrainingTips.html

Group Running Disaster

A couple weeks ago I met up with Jesse and Tourist Mike for a group Sunday run. This turned out to be a disaster. Tourist Mike took off hard and quickly opened up a gap between himself and Jesse and I. When I run these days I always start off very slow, sometimes even walking the first 5 minutes. I've found this is the only hope I have of getting in over 20 minutes without the knee tendinitis flaring up or my shins locking up. The other reason I run slow is that I'm not in shape to run faster that 8:30 - 9 min pace.

I kept thinking eventually Mike would realize we weren't with him and slow down to run with the group. Instead he kept pulling away leaving Jesse stuck in the middle wondering whether to stay with the slow guy or mix it up with the leader. Competitive instinct took over and he slowly reeled Mike back in. After 15 minutes we rounded the corner to cross the Memorial Bridge and were suddenly running into the wind. I may have started off purposely running slow but at this point I'm sucking air and entering the early stages of rigor mortis. The next 15 minutes was a struggle but I completed my first 30 minute run of the season a couple minutes after Jesse and Mike. Overall, not a good experience and I'll probably be running by myself for the next couple months. If I run with Mike, I will be coming with flats, singlet, and my game face on. There will be no talking and I'll throw in some strategic surges and elbows before launching my kick half-way across the key bridge. He may have "fitness" on his side but he cannot match the irrational competitive fury that is central to the Dusty Spikes spirit.

Forefoot Running

I drank the cool aid - Born to Run changed my life. I'm not a crazy barefooter, but I'm a crazy anti-heel striker! I'm just riffing now because I've had a few drinks. So I went into the forefoot striking "Hard-On!" and I paid the price - four pulled calves and counting. I should have eased into it, but I did not, because running actually felt good again.
Anybody struggling with pulled calves?

I also discovered, when I first changed my form, I was landing too close to my toes. Too far forward on my foot. My foot would actually skip into the ground. After a few YouTube videos, I found out I need to land on the forefoot and almost let my heel 'kiss' the ground. Like Pat used to do to me whenever I was asleep at 750 South High. This technique is awesome and makes running at 35 much easier. That's why I'm drinking whiskey right now.

Born to Run

Generally, people that recommend books are assholes, but you've got to read this book! Incredible story and awesome life changing facts about running. Loved it!