Running is an Antidote for Depression

Last week was kind of a downer week for me with a total of 41 miles and no long runs. I was a bit sore after my Bulldog 25K run on August 22nd but felt recovered by the 25th.  My goal was to run long on a weekend morning. But with temperatures soaring into the 100s and with smoke from the Station Fire in Angeles National Forest being felt in Ventura County, I just couldn't muster up more than a 5 mile run on the gym treadmill.

Wildfires depress me, especially when I'm training for a marathon.  Extreme heat ain't real fun either.  And I really HATE running on treadmills...though I did happen to start my Saturday treadmill run while the late Senator Ted Kennedy's funeral was on TV...it was sad yet uplifting watching the closed caption eulogies...making this particular treadmill run one of my more memorable ones.

Sunday was also hot, and I was tired, just plain tired and cranky. The kids were getting on my nerves. I drove to the gym for another dreadful, slow 5 miler treadmill run. I can't seem to run more than 45 minutes on a treadmill.  Feels like torture to me.

So we're into Monday now and I'm even more tired, sick of the heat, don't like the smoke, kind of just generally bummed out about this huge fire, how 2 firefighters died on duty yesterday, how I grew up in the La Crescenta area near the fire and generally speaking I'd like to just go back to bed!  What else? The stock market was down today, the house is a mess, the grass is turning brown, the water bill is sky high, Tootsie Roll stuck in the carpet...the depression list grows on.  Oh, and I didn't run this morning as I normally do.

So tonight, for the first time since Friday, I ran outside, on the roads.  I felt like a 95 year old slug.  My legs were wooden.  I ran slowly, like I did on the treadmill. It was still 80 degrees outside at 7 pm. But as I ran and all these negative, pessimistic thoughts buzzed through my head, it dawned on me...I've been there before.

I've come back from injuries, tiredness, heatwaves, soreness, family emergencies, natural disasters, acts of war.  This was not the first time I felt slow, sluggish, depressed, burnt out, bummed out, lacking control over the world around me.

And the obvious dawned on me.  What I CAN control is what goes through my mind.  I CAN acknowledge how I feel and REFOCUS the negatives into POSITIVES. And I can realize that life is cyclical, with highs and lows, and that my training and mental outlook will gyrate this way too.

So at 7:45 pm tonight, at the end of the run, my mental state had reshuffled. I still felt like turd with legs.  I was hot, still irritated at my lack of energy. But near the end of this 35 minute run tonight my mindset had changed. Focus on the positive. And remember...these negative feelings are only temporary. I'll be back! (Maybe even tomorrow!)

Run More, Think Less, Eat Chicken Nuggets??

Before I move on to today's topic, how about an update on my training. I ran a total of 50 miles last week on the final road to recovery from the latest in this aging runner's string of injuries. 15.5 of those miles were the Bulldog 25K trail run in Calabasas on Saturday.  Otherwise, darn it, my left big toe once again is sore, probably from the jarring 4,000 feet of downhills on the Bulldog course.  I'll get over it!

For those of you keeping up with this blog, you probably know that while I like to train hard, I don't take training too seriously. What that means is, I don't like to get too caught up in precise training schedules, measuring and writing down every aspect of my runs, watching everything I eat, etc.  Doing so take some of the enjoyment of running and competing away from me. But that's just me.

Or maybe it ain't just me...

Dinner of Champions: Dinosaur Shaped Chicken NuggetsI laughed when I read about the superhuman Usain Bolt's pre-world record shattering 100 meter race meal of chicken nuggets.  I also grinned when I read how nonchalant he is before each race...smiling, joking around, having fun.  But when that gun goes off, he's a lightning "Bolt."

Then I read an article in the August 19th Wall Street Journal about 31 year old Kara Goucher, a top American marathoner who competed in the 5000 and 10000 meters at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. I LOVE the quote "Ms. Goucher has taken all the tactics generated by U.S. running experts...the charts, the mileage recommendations and high-tech motion-sensing computer readouts - and stuffed them in a dumpster."

After decades of "highly structured training" telling runners "how many miles to run on how many days and how quickly to do it" U.S. runners were becoming less and less competitive.

On the other hand, Kenyan and Ethiopian runners shot up the ranks through an aggressive "run first, ask questions later" style.

Goucher takes this approach she "focuses on running hard and fast for as long as it seems right" according to her coach, 3-time New York Marathon winner Alberto Salazar. 

The article also quotes Olympic Marathon Bronze Medalist (and former Agoura High School standout) Deena Kastor "For so long, people...were focused on figuring out the exact science behind setting records. But there is no exact science."

So fellow runners, ponder and weigh the need for precision and analysis in your training versus the simplicity of just GETTING OUT THERE and running!  Listen to your body. If you are feeling good, run hard! Have a plan, but have some flexibility. It may well just pay off as you train for your next race!

Listen to Your Body...And Do What Feel's Right

So today was a comeback of sorts for me.  I ran the Bulldog 25K in Malibu Creek State Park, Calabasas. 

Well, technically I didn't run the Bulldog 25K "race" today.  But I did run the Bulldog 25K. Huh? I was signed up for the 2-loop Bulldog 50K but called it a day after the first loop.  And am very happy about it.

If you've been reading this blog, you may recall that my last long run of 20 miles took place on 7/26, then I took a week's vacation, but 5 days after returning threw out my back in a big way. The last several weeks I've visited a local chiropractor 6 time and, finally, after repeated treatment, am finally past my latest injury.  In the meantime, my training over the last 4 weeks has been light and my fitness level dropped.

So while a month ago I fully intended to run the full Bulldog 50K as a training run for the Santa Barbara Marathon in December, today I was THRILLED just to be able to get out there and run!

Years ago, before my life was overtaken by rugrats, I won the Bulldog 30K (now the 25K) 2 times in 3 years and was 4th the other year running with injury. The nice folks organizing the race sent me a complimentary entry this year.  I figured, what the heck, let's try the 50K.

My training was not geared towards this 50K as some of my runner friends, especially the trail runners, avidly pointed out. The Bulldog 25K is a challenging (some might say BRUTAL), run that starts at Malibu Creek State Park off Las Virgenes and has a net elevation climb of 4,000 feet. There are 2 4-mile climbs up Bulldog Mountain (elevation 2,528 feet)! The 50K is double the net elevation gain...and pain!

Given the fact that I hadn't run longer than 6 miles over the last 4 weeks and I'm coming off an injury, it really didn't make sense to run the 50K, which at 31 miles is nearly 5 miles longer than the marathon distance...heck, I've never run over 26.2 miles.

But, I figured I could nail down 15.5 miles, even on the brutally hilly course. My goal was to start the race I see how I felt. It took the 2 climbs to the top of Bulldog Mountain for me to realize that I didn't have 50K in my today...and if I tried, I'd probably injure myself.

So I pulled off my number after 25K with a time of 2 hours, 12 minutes. The time was a little slow for me as I walked up many of the steep hills (as do many others). The race volunteers looked shocked at my departure as I wasn't hobbling in pain or anything.  And I'm pretty sure I was in the top 3 to 5, after having battled a bit with the lead woman in the race who was like a billy goat swallowing up the steep uphills! But I'm happy to be back and to get a good 15 miler in!

If you are looking for a challenge, check out the Bulldog races. They are well organized, the volunteers are very good and they have their act together! The Bulldog 50K has been run since 1992 and is one of the few "ultra" (i.e race longer than the traditional 26.2 mile marathon length) runs near Ventura County.

The 50K starts at 6:30 a.m., which generally means you have to wake up at 5 a.m. to start preparing, drive there, register, etc. I'm not real good about waking up at 5 a.m., but I got there at 6 a.m. and the parking lot was packed with several hundred people.  One might expect to see a cast of crazy offbeat characters willing to put there bodies through this 31 mile fire road early on an August morning. But not at all...in fact, these people were very mainstream looking for a challenge.

Time for some ice...and maybe a beer.

I've Recovered From Every Injury I've Ever Had

I managed to run 38 miles with a back brace on last week. These miles were slower than normal but I was happy to be able to train through my injury.  Most of my runs were 6 miles.  No long runs.  My last long run of 20 miles was over 3 weeks ago.

My training peaked over the last half of July and after vacation week and 2 weeks of battling injuries I'm finally feeling like my body is ready to get back into training.  I've seen a chiropractor 4 times since last week and have appointments set for tomorrow and Friday.

There has been a knife-like sore spot in my lower left back. Over the last week I've been waking up with less pain but within an hour of sitting down at the desk the pain comes back. Then I go back to the chiro, get adjusted, and the pain goes away again. He says that it is basically my body's stubborn way of putting up a fight.

As frustrating as this pain has been, I keep in mind that I have recovered from every single injury I've had over the last 17 years of running.  I'll guestimate at least 100 injuries over the years. Gotta keep that in mind!  Ya may feel down and out, but think about everything you've overcome in the past.

With that positive energy in mind, I continue onwards. Yet another "challenge" on the road to the marathon.

While shopping at the new Trader Joe's in Newbury Park the other day, I bumped into one of my runner friends who just happens to be one of the top 50+ runners in Southern California. Coincidentally he also was the recipient of a lower back problem, though in his case it is his entire lower back. We compared back support braces (his was better) and he indicated he cannot even run.  But good ole Dave had just finished an hour long run in the pool, running with foam pool noodles under his arms. Talk about dedication!

On a different note, on Saturday, with my 2 young boys in tow, I visited Future Track Running Center in Agoura before lunch.  It had been awhile since I last visited the store and I was impressed by the well organized array of shoes, clothing, equipment and other must have products.  I know it is possible to find shoes cheaper on the Internet, but its much nicer physically going into a local store, trying on several shoes, feeling their weight, talking to the helpful staff (and they are definitely knowledgeable...I learned some new things) and got instant gratification. Not to mention, they put up with my 3 and 6 year olds running around the store, wreaking havoc.  Patronize your local running shoe store! It is your civic duty as a runner!  Future Track has a very nice supply of running fluid packs, including my favorite Nathan Waistpak, and all types of running energy gels.

One Week Back From Weak Back

Or so I thought.  It was one week ago that a back spasm during a mid-run pit stop put the latest damper on my training for this December's Inaugural Santa Barbara Marathon.

After visiting the chiropractor on Monday and feeling a bit better on Tuesday, I was optimistic that by now, I'd be past this ailment.  But the pain has been there, better some days, worse others (like today). Why, why, why? 

Well for starters, it is hard to predict how quickly our bodies respond to treatment and recover from injuries.  I'm often shocked the morning after a new problem that magically goes away. But then there's often these nagging problems that take their time going away.

Life happens...I've got 2 young boys and boy their very rambunctious nature they have a tendency to ram into me, pummel me and pretend I'm a jungle gym. I love it! But it takes a toll on my body...especially after a 20 mile run.

So...I'm continuing the treatment, taking the running slow and easy...but still running with back brace...and am determined to get well soon as I'm past due for another 20 miler!

I've got another 3 1/2 months until the marathon, so I'll be fine.  That really equates to about 2 1/2 months of potential hard training as the final 3 to 4 weeks will be my taper.  I'll have to cross my fingers though...at my current rate I'm on track for a 4 MONTH taper!

Running While Being Stabbed in the Back

Well, that's what it felt like these past 3 days. I wrote about my latest encounter with pain last Friday as my back gave out halfway into a 45 minute run.  To alleviate the pain I walked around the office with a black weight lifting belt around my lower back.  I also bought an ice pack and tried Advil.  At the end of the day...no change in the pain.  So I figured, wait it out...that seems to work for a lot of my injuries.

That night I took a hot jacuzzi bath, did some yoga-like stretches and popped more Advil. Woke up Saturday morning with the knife-like sensation still firmly emblazoned in my lower left back.

This was all a bummer for me. I came back from vacation the week before, dead set on doing another 20 miler this weekend.  I have my longest ever run, a hilly, trail 50K (31 miles) on the calendar for August 22nd. One friend says there's no way I can finish this run without doing a hilly long run. But on Saturday morning, I was in no shape to run, let alone walk.

But for the sake of doing something, I strapped on the weight belt as tight as it would go and ran a painfully slow 2.7 mile loop.  The pain was pretty sharp the first half of the run as I went slightly downhill. It was not quite as bad while running uphill and as the Advil seemed to kick in. Later that day the kids and I went to a pool party.  My back limited my movement but it felt good moving around in the pool...until I made a wrong turn and...AGGHHH!!

Sunday was more of the same. My wife told me I was an idiot for running while so sore.  I disagree. I was just stoopid.  I should have just lied down on the couch with an ice pack.

So the weekly tally for last week was still 34 miles, even with the injury through the weekend.  Chalk it up as another "down" week after my 25 miles on the cruise ship.

It had been several years since I visited a chiropractor, but today, after another sore and slow morning (another 2.7 mile loop but this time without the weight belt...and it hurt), I did so.  His immediate matter-of-fact comment was "you have a back spasm." So after several procedures and a heat pack, I left the office walking with much less pain.

Tonight the pain is still there but I feel like I'll be "back" on track in a few days. And oh goodie, I bought a different back support that isn't as bulky as the weight belt.  Hopefully I'll be able to get a 5 miler in tomorrow morning!

So what are the lessons learned from all this? Learn to read your body. Some pain you can "run through" (I'll call that "good" pain) and other pain you best deal with ASAP!  I pretty much knew this was of the latter variety but I was stubborn and probably prolonged the injury by running the next day.  Oh, well!

Two Steps Forward, One Step, Ugh, My Aching Back!

This week of running was not so bad after last week's vacation week. Well, not until this morning at least. I was halfway into a 45 minute run this morning when I stopped by a restroom in Sycamore Canyon near the Chumash Center. Without getting into too much detail, I was intrigued by the fact that there were three tiny frogs literally about the size of Oreo cookies camped out underneath the uh, toilet seat. (Yes, I know, too much information.)

On occasion I've seen little froggies back in that area, assumedly looking for water after all the ponds dry up in early Summer. What better place to find water then, uh, the men's toilet bowl. But this is the first time in my life I've seen 3 froggies camped out on a toilet.

I'm an animal lover so I didn't want to hurt the little guys (or gals, though I'd hope that the females were hanging out in the women's room). For a brief moment I thought, wow, would that be cool to bring them home for my little ones. But given their choice of accommodations, I decided not to handle the little hoppers.

So as I'm bent over checking out the cute little guys, I felt the equivalent of an electric shock on the left side of my lower back and yelped out in pain. As the frogs began dispersing from this sudden display of distress, I hovered half bent over the toilet, unable to move or stand up straight. The frogs thought I was some whacko or something. I shuffled out the door and attempted to stretch. I immediately gave up the idea of running back home, as I could barely walk.

Long story short, I hobbled back home and have been taking Advil, using an ice pack, sitting in a hot bath, etc. I get these back problems every now and then and have learned to attack the problem right away. I couldn't bend down to put my shoes and socks on, so I had to find a crouching/semi-fetal position to get them on.

At work I walked around with a weight belt to provide lower back support. My coworkers have seen me like this before and one commented on how I walked like Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx) of Sanford & Son:

Yep, that's pretty much how I looked all day, except worse. So now I'm not sure if I'll be able to do a long run (let alone any run) this weekend as I was planning. And I'm just 2 weeks away from the Bulldog Ultra 50K Trail Run, the longest planned training run of my life. Time for a quick recovery and a little luck (in fact, I've read that in Japan, frogs are considered good luck).

Set the Training Bar Low While on Vacation

Last week I took a break from hard training.  While on a 7-day family cruise to the Mexican Carribean, I managed 25 miles of easy running.  This Royal Carribean ship had a running track that was a fifth of a mile long as well as a gym stocked with plenty of treadmills.  So all of my miles came while at sea.  This was a needed break after last Sunday's 20 miler and prior weekly totals of 47, 50, 51, 57 and 57 miles.

Many of my runner friends, particularly the marathoners, are obsessive about their training.  I put myself in that same boat.  We have a hard time backing off the mileage, even when we know it's GOOD for the training to RECOVER!

In fact, I take a look at my weekly totals above and my brain still murmurs..."hey, you were SO CLOSE to reaching 60 miles in one week" and "how am I gonna 'get back' into hard training again?"

But after 16 years of running, 24 marathons, tens of thousands of miles, hundreds of races, injuries, setbacks as well as fun, accomplishments and excitement, I've learned.  Set the bar low while on vacation.

I told myself, my goal is to run a minimum of 20 minutes each day.  Anything over that total is icing on the cake.  It didn't matter how fast or slow I ran those 20 minutes.  They could be on a treadmill or running circles on the deck of the ship. Or even little circles around the dessert bar.

So on Day 1 when I ran only 25 minutes, I felt GOOD about it!  I set the bar so low that it would be easy to exceed my training expectations. 

I could have taken the entire week of like more sane people who completely relax and enjoy their vacations.  But that would be way too mentally damaging for me. Not to mention, staying physically fit on a cruise offering 24/7 food enabled me to EAT my fair share!

Also helping my case was my 5 solid prior weeks of training and 2 solid 19-20 milers.  I had "miles in the bank" so taking it down a notch for a week was no big deal.

So go ahead! Take that vacation, enjoy it and then get back into training with renewed vigor!