Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas to everyone. I have never been so happy to be sleeping on an airbed mattress, as I drove down to Ft. Lauderdale after work yesterday so my family and I could spend Christmas with my parents and extended family. Holiday time is so sweet when you can spend time with your family and friends. I didn't skip out on my workouts this morning as I woke up and got running around 7:30 am, and did 3 x 1 mile intervals around my old neighborhood.


As I finished and came back to my parent's house, my dad was putting on his Garmin watch and getting ready to do his morning jog. He invited me to come, and even though I was pretty beat from doing intervals, I was excited about running with him and chatting about stuff. While running he reported to me that his cholesterol has gone down to 141, from 260 (approx. 10 weeks ago), he has lost 17 pounds in 10 weeks, and it has been primarily due to running 4-5 miles/day, 4 days per week, cutting down portion sizes and eliminating late eating. It was really cool having some father/son time, and just talking about all types of stuff. I must say that I am suffering in my (R) ankle from doing all that running today, as I totaled close to 10 miles this morning. But I couldn't pass up running with my dad, so I'll just deal with it. Tomorrow morning he (my dad) wants to play tennis with my brother and I, and maybe I might have to pass if the ankle is still misbehaving. I guess we'll see. Anyways, Merry Christmas to all, and Happy Birthday Jesus!!

It's Taper Time!!!

Today was the last big training test for our marathon training. 22 miles starting at 5:30 am at the Downtown YMCA with the Blue Sharks. I must say that it didn't get off to a roaring start this morning, as Chris's watch and Ipod weren't charged, d/t something not working properly with his USB ports on his computer. He was not a happy camper. I offered him my watch to use, but he declined (I didn't really want to give it to him anyway, but it was the right thing to do... I know Chris will get a kick out of this when he reads this entry!!!) Anyways from that bad start, everything else went fantastic. I was especially happy for Chris, as he absolutely had his best training run by far, since he started training for the Disney Marathon. Actually at the end of the run (the last 2 miles) he was able to pick up the pace, which I was able to maintain, until the last 1/2 mile, where some switch went on in his brain, and he started flying... he was running the last 1/2 mile under 7:45/mile... at mile 21!!! I couldn't keep up with him. So, good for him....I guess he has better luck not using the watch!!! The first 11 miles of the run was done on Davis Island with the other Blue Shark runners, and was nice. We initially were planning to do the Davis Island loop again, but we decided to go on Bayshore and finish up the final 11 miles. The Bay was very dry and there was a bunch of marsh or something real ugly washed up close to the sidewalk, so it was not the typical beauty of Bayshore Blvd. that we are used to seeing. But the run was very nostalgic, as it brought us back to our first runs...close to 2 years ago now, when we were out of shape, out of breath after the 1/4 mile mark. And when we reached the point where we would usually start running, when we worked at our other clinic, we had already gotten to 14 miles in our run....we both got quiet when we realized it, and I think in Chris's head (and I know it was going on in mine) we gave ourselves a high five and a pat on the back for progressing our health and fitness to where we currently are today. A few seconds later, Chris said, "Would you ever think at that time, that you would be training for a marathon?" I quickly said, "No", and then we started talking and joking about other stuff again. Would you believe that we didn't even use our Ipods...just talking, joking about everything was enough to get us through our run... and it was awesome!!
So now it's taper time. This week was the most amount of miles that I have ever run (approx. 36 miles), and now it is time to cut back on our running and let our muscles and joints recover in preparation for the marathon, which is in 3 weeks!!!
For the most part my body feels good, but it doesn't mean that we don't run at all over the next few weeks. We just have to gradually run less than what we are used to running. I think I will run around 24 miles this upcoming week, and 18-20 during the week before the race. Good stuff!!!! Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend!!! Time to start my Christmas shopping!!! (Typical guy, huh?)

Getting ready for the last big run...

I apologize for not blogging about an injury this week. But yesterday, something interesting happened to Chris's sister-in-law, and it's an injury that I have never seen before, so I'm currently researching a little more on it and I will report on it over the next few days...once I have it all figured it, you'll hear about it.
Okay, so tomorrow is a 22, possibly 23 miler at Davis Island again. I can't believe that I'm excited about running this far... I guess its gonna be great, because its a relatively easy pace so it shouldn't be hard on the body. One of my patients gave me a paper that pretty much sums up what has happened to me since I started running, in particular, when I started to train for the Disney Marathon. So this is what the paper says:
"I used to think they guys who woke up at 6 am to run were nuts. When I started doing that, I decided the guys who ran in the rain were nuts. When I started doing that, I decided the guys who ran marathons were nuts. So here I am getting up at 5 am to train for a marathon and it's raining!!!"
That pretty much sums it up for me... I am here at lunch, blogging about how excited I am to run 22-23 miles tomorrow, waking up at 4 am on a Saturday... are you kidding me? What has my life become? All I know is that I'm laughing as I'm writing this... and so happy about tomorrow. After the run, a nice long shower, and a bunch of food in my mouth, I will post about how it went!!! Bye!!!!!!

Interval Day

If anyone was to question my dedication to training for this race, I think it would have to be laid to rest today. It was extremely difficult to get out of bed this morning, and start running in the cold weather. Considering that I’ve never seen snow, and have only lived in Florida or Jamaica at any point in my life, I would consider having temperatures in the upper 30’s as bitter cold. And that is what it was today…brutal!!! I actually stepped outside, and quickly went back in and got a sweater to put over my long sleeve Underarmour shirt I was wearing. Once I turned on my watch and turned on the Ipod, I was ready to roll…. I forgot about the weather about 2 minutes into the run, and was ready to do some speed work. I ended up running ½ mile intervals, 10 of them, with a 30 second rest break in between each, trying to complete each interval in 3 minutes and 30 seconds. I was able to do that, which made me so happy! This is my last hard week of training, so I want to make it count, and really have everything go extremely well. Once I got back home, I took a shower, got something to eat, and started to work on some end of the quarter stuff for work. Later in the day, I went to Family Care and set up 3 new people on the Therafit Program….people are trying to get their act together for the New Year, which is pretty cool. I guess the most inspiring thing today at their office is that one of my clients had a death in her family this past week (which is terrible), but she still managed to do all of her workouts, and said that her workouts have allowed her to really keep sane through all of the trials that she has been dealing with. Exercising has been her escape. Earlier today, Kerry was commenting on how much more energy I have to do things around the house and help with stuff since I’ve been training for this race. There are so many great reasons to exercise, beside the obvious health benefits. I have a long day of work tomorrow, so I gotta help get the kids ready for bed and get some rest…

P.S. Tomorrow, I will address an injury…I’m just not sure which one yet… I’ve got 3 things that have happened to Disney Message Board folks, and 1 issue at the clinic yesterday that is running related, so I will think about it tonight, and report on one of them tomorrow…. See ya!!!!

Nutritional Advice

For the most part, my training for the Disney Marathon has gone quite well. I really haven't had any injuries that have held me out of training. I have been able to follow my training program nearly to the tee. The only thing that has caused me some concern is the 20 mile run that I did about 1 month ago. I "hit the wall" at about mile 18, and I have never experienced pain in my legs and just an overall awful feeling during running, until that day. As soon as I came home, I started to research on how to avoid "hitting the wall". I have asked fellow runners, triathletes and patients on their advice on how to avoid experiencing that awful feeling. Some have said, "Oh well....deal with it, it's gonna happen anyway you look at it" Some have advised me on using energy gels. But the best advice I have gotten was today from a patient that did some research for me this weekend on nutritional advice for endurance athletes. Some I am going to highlight some of the things that I got from this article about supplements:

SUPPLEMENTS:

Multi-vitamin / multi-nutrient (whole-food supplement) – Mutli-vitamins “plug” in the dietary holes that may exist in your diet. They provided targeted, concentrated nutrients that aid in providing balance to an otherwise good diet. Multi/whole-food supplements provide a more complete array of nutrients by offering more of the benefits that might be derived from a given food if eaten whole; as opposed to targeting some constituent property of the food (ie., wheat = vitamin e, tomatoes = lycopene and vitamin c…etc.)

Solgar, and Nature’s Way both make a great multi-nutrient – and both make a great product generally speaking – with Solgar being regarded as the “Cadillac” of supplements. If you choose to go to a multi-vitamin, the Solgar VM-2000, or Country Life “Max for Men” is a good choice. Take these with food, and break them up over a couple of meals. Don’t take these with your evening meal, as the B vitamin concentration might keep you up.

Multi mineral (Cal-Mag-Pot) – essential minerals / salts needed for sustained energy and to carry out several metabolic processes.

TwinLab and Now make great multi-minerals. Try to get one that is just Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. Most of the other minerals will be delivered in an acceptable dose via your vitamin or normal diet. If you decide to get a broader spectrum mineral, watch out for too much iron (in fact, if you’ve not been diagnosed as anemic, I’d not taken iron at all). Take these with food as they can cause gastrointestinal discomfort (nausea)…and like the vitamin – take this over the course of 2 meals – but not dinner – the potassium might disturb your sleep.


B-100 – B vitamins are responsible for facilitating many different biological processes – they also support the central nervous system and aid in more neural functions than could be listed here.

TwinLab makes B100 supplement named “Stress-B complex.” I would take 1 in the morning while your not competing; then, during pre race training, up it to 1 or 2 in the morning with breakfast and another 1 or 2 with lunch, 10-12 days prior to the race. Always take these with food. If you feel nauseous, either cut the dose in half, or try to eat a little more.

Octacosanol – Essential! Improves the body ability to utilize oxygen – Aids in sustained energy production in muscle tissue – prevents the buildup of lactic acid in muscle - increases the body’s ability to store glucose. Can take weeks to see the beneficial effects, so begin taking as soon as possible.

CoQ10 – CoQ10 provides a tremendous amount of support to cardiac tissue and aids in general heart function, especially during times where there may be a depletion of oxygen (ischemia). High anti-oxidant properties, aid in reducing free-radical damage Brought on through extended periods of exertion. Try to find this blended with Vitamin E – sometimes sold as ToCoQ10. Take 50-100 mg per day – and take with a meal that contains a little fat (margarine, chicken, cheese…).

Turmeric – Strong anti-inflammatory properties, aids in complete digestion, thus making nutrients more available for absorption. Nature’s Way and Gaia produce a really good (herb) product – try to get this “Standardized.” You can take this anywhere from 1 to 3x/day.

Amino Complex (free form and essential) – Your protein drink is probably supplying this. Helps to prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue and aids in the production of new muscle (BCAA). Take as directed, but since your using a protein powder – it you choose to use this, take it mid day, on an empty stomach. [ An “empty stomach” being 45 minutes before, or 2.5 hours after you eat.

L-Glutamine – the most abundant amino acid in the body. May aid in the production and maintenance of lean muscle tissue as well as sustained energy. Take as directed – get this as a loose poiwder - mixing it into a “warm” liquid will help it to break down. You may want to add this to either your protein mix or to your energy/running drink.

Hyaluronic Acid – Joint support. A component of synovial fluid – helps maintain tendons, ligaments and generalized joint function. Also good for the skin. Look for Nature’s Way “Hydra-plenish” – take as directed.

Chromium Picolinate – Chromium is needed for energy. It stabilizes blood sugar by aiding in the metabolization of glucose and aids the body in using those sugars to provide energy to cells via insulin.

Normal dosage is 200 mcg, 1 x day. If you tolerate it, you might want to go to 400 mcg (1, 200mcg tab, BID) about 10 days before the race and then nor another 2-3 days thereafter – then return to 200 mcg. ** If you are diabetic or are borderline diabetic – talk to your doctor first. If you feel light-headed or develop a slight rash after using Chromium – stop using it entirely.


MSM – A derivative of DMSO, it has huge therapeutic benefits in aiding in healing injuries. A VERY strong detoxifier, aids the bodies natural ability to clear the blood and tissues of toxins (including those that occur naturally from exertion). Huge benefits found in joint support and reduction of inflammation in joints.

Recommended dosage is about 1000 mg, BID (2000 mg total). Start at half of this dose for about a week, as it’s detoxifying properties might make you feel “fluish” if toxins are liberated and removed too quickly. If you decide to use this, be consistent with it to get the benefit from it.

Green foods – excellent source of vitamin B – great energy source. Mix with protein drink or add to juice and drink in the morning and/or at lunch – don’t take this too late in the day.

Runnin' with the Sharks

This Saturday, Chris and I decided to do our 11 mile run a little differently than our previous runs. We decided to go to downtown Tampa, and meet a group of runners at the YMCA. They are known as the Blue Sharks. They run every Saturday morning at 5:30 am, start at the YMCA, and work their way into Davis Island. It ends up being a 9-mile loop, but at one part of the run, you can extend it if you so choose. It was our first time doing the run with this group, and there was some very positive things that came out of the run. First of all, the group was huge!! There were 78 people out there running, and from what I heard from other runners, there are sometimes over 100 people that run on a Saturday morning. When we started, it almost felt like a race... with so many people going. I didn't really spark any conversation during the run with anyone, it seems as though I was either too slow for the leading pack of about 20 people or too fast for the other folks. So I was just in the middle, making sure I keep the fast runners in visual sight, so I didn't get lost out there. Unfortunately for Chris, he got lost about a mile into the run (remember it was on Davis Island, which has a lot of turns, and it was very early and dark) in the morning. Anyways, at the 3rd mile, we met up and he was ok for the rest of the run (until the very end, where he got lost again!) The other real nice thing is that the organizers of the group put out water every 2 miles, so it helps simulate hydration during a race. Fantastic idea!!! I'm very happy that I went!! I realized a few things... one is when you stop for water, it gets you out of your flow, so I have to get used to that before the Disney race. I'm so used to bringing a belt with water bottles around it, so I never have to stop. Thank God for the Port o Pottys, because I continue to have stomach issues during my run ever since I came back from my trip. So... all in all it was a good run, and I have decided that the last extremely long run (22 miles) that I have planned next week, will be with the Blue Shark group, so I can continue to get used to the stopping, drinking routine. At the end of the run, I met two people, and we started talking about preparation for marathons. Basically, they were giving me some good advice about how to prepare for the race, as they are veterans in the marathon runs. They gave me some good advice on how to do interval training, which I am going to try this week. As we continued to talk, we realized that I used to treat the husband and niece of one of the people that I was talking to..... what a small world!!! Anyways, I am excited about my week of training ahead of me. It really is my last week to make some improvements, as after this week, I start to taper down in preparation for the big race.

Shin Splints

Ok... here we go... our first educational blog!!!! Many people currently training for a race of some sort have been struggling with shin splints.

Shin splints is a general term used to refer to a painful condition in the shins caused by small tears in the muscles where they connect to the shins. It is often caused by running or jumping, and may be very slow to heal. Shin pain may also be the result of inflammation of connective tissue such as periosteum (periostitis). The pain may be caused by a stress fracture in the bone or some other problem like osteosarcoma. Pain in the lower leg may also be referred from a distant area of the body, such as pressure on the sciatic nerve (sciatica) which lies in the posterior thigh.

Improper pronation of the foot during the footstrike can also cause pain in the muscles which oppose pronation, on the inside or outside of the shin. In proper pronation the foot strikes the ground on the outside of the heel and then rolls toward the inside of the foot approximately 5%. The ideal degree of pronation varies slightly with the individual. It is determined by factors such as the height of the arch (a higher arch has more clearance for pronation than a low arch) and the flexibility of the arch. In over pronation, the foot rolls in too far. The result is that the foot pushes off almost entirely from the big toe, causing excessive strain on the big toe and the outside of the shin. In contrast, under pronation occurs when the foot does not roll enough. This causes the entire weight of the foot strike to concentrate on too small an area on the outside of the foot, which places a corresponding strain on the shin.

Treatment - Form
The long-term remedy for muscle-related pain in the shin is a change in the running style to eliminate the overstriding and heavy heel strike.
Most competitive runners do not strike the ground heel first. Sprinting is performed on the toes, as is middle-distance running. In long-distance running, the footstrike should be flat, though some elite long-distance runners will retain their forefoot strike acquired from years of competing in track-and-field. Look into the book Chi-Running... it is fantastic book which helps all runners with their running form.

Footwear
Stress on the shin muscles can also be somewhat alleviated by footwear and choice of surface. Runners who strike heavily with the heel should look for shoes which provide ample rearfoot cushioning. Such shoes may be referred to as "stability" or "motion control" shoes. The so-called "neutral" shoes for bio-mechanically efficient runners may not have adequate support in the heel, because the runners for whom these shoes are intended do not require it. When their cushioning capability degrades, the shoes should be replaced. The commonly recommended replacement interval for shoes is 300-500 miles. Excessive pronation can be reduced by extra supports under the arch. Running shoes which have a significant supporting bump under the arch are called "motion control" shoes, because they work by limiting the pronating motion. Also shoes with cushion shock features and shoe inserts can help prevent future problems.

Ok... I hope this brings some light to some of your issues

Greg