Over Use? Really?

A good running weekend (I ran Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings) ended on a bit of a sour note yesterday as the weird tweak I felt just below my right kneecap slowly got more and more noticeable until it was a definite injury of some sort last night. I iced it and took some painkillers and dreaded waking up this morning, when I knew it'd be stiff as a board. I had already planned for today to be a rest day, so not a big deal on that front.

And sure enough, I limped out of bed and to the shower this morning. I walked to work and sat down at my desk and about 20 minutes later my knee was screaming. I went straight across the street to CVS and bought a reusable ice pack, ace bandage and ibuprofen, all of which seemed to help as the day went on. I also kept my leg relatively straight, which also seemed to help. Tonight it tightened up again but I've been icing it and popped some more ibuprofen.

I think I just strained a tendon that connects the kneecap to the femur, but I could be wrong. It isn't an incredible amount of pain, but I am skeptical if I'll be able to run tomorrow morning for my usual 2 miler. Game time decision. And the only thing I can think is that I just went too far too fast on Sunday. I only ran 4.5 miles, but it must have been too much for my whatever-is-hurting to take. Lesson learned: whatever mileage progression I think is appropriate, is too quick so slow it down.

It could be worse, though. It doesn't seem to be something potentially more serious like ITBS (which usually occurs on the outside of the knee), or a critical tendon like the ACL (honestly, it would have been impossible for me to hurt that considering how slowly I was running). Could always be worse so if I feel comfortable with the knee tomorrow, I'll run. If not, I'll just do my usual core workout and give it another 24 hours.

Crafting a Race Calendar

Getting back to running means (for me, at least), setting some goals for the coming months by choosing some races to run. Unfortunately, while my mind remembers how awesome it feels to work towards a large goal like a half marathon, my body is far away from being able to successfully (and safely) achieve such a goal. So, the Baltimore Half is probably out for this year, which is a bummer. But, the 5K that accompanies the Running Festival is well within my grasp. In fact, all the races I'll run through the fall will likely be 5K's since I know I'll be able to run them with some speed, which will make them more enjoyable. Then once the winter arrives (I don't even want to think about dark cold mornings right now), I will look to do the Celtic Solstice 5-miler, which is always a solid race. So, here are the races I'm thinking about right now.

September 11: Run to Remember 5K (run through downtown Baltimore to support charities associated with emergency response workers in Baltimore City).

September 20: Tunnel Run 5K (Never heard of this until this year but it's a race through the Ft. McHenry Tunnel that passes under the entrance to the Inner Harbor. Cool idea.)

October 10: Baltimore Running Festival 5K (Third year in a row for me running some part of the festival)

October 18 (maybe): Home Run 10K/5K in Rockville, MD (this is our first anniversary so maybe I can talk Annie into doing this in the morning...we'll see though!)

November 26: 100th Annual Cincinnati Thanksgiving Day 10K (we're going to be in Ohio for Thanksgiving this year so this would be a great way to burn some calories before my favorite holiday of the year!)

December: Celtic Solstice 5-miler (the end of the '09 racing season and a wonderful race all around...although bitter cold!)

So there it is, the preliminary racing schedule. With any luck, I'll be in good enough shape by December to crush the Celtic Solstice and start a half marathon training program in January...but that's many months away. Right now, I'm concentrating on getting up to go run the North Central Railroad Trail tomorrow morning!

A Beautious Day In the Neighborly Hood

I think that would be how Mr. Rogers would type out one of the lines from his opening number. Mr. Rogers brings back good memories for me of a simpler time. A time before I was forced at socio-educational gunpoint to begin my journey into responsible adulthood. Before I'd have to wake up early to go to kindergarten and learn my ABCs, followed by elementary school where I was forced to memorize multiplication tables (surprisingly my teachers were right...they DID come in handy), on to the downright awful three years of middle school that I have mostly blocked from my memory (I have yet to meet anyone who enjoyed being in 7th grade), followed by my first introduction to writing multi-page essays and reading non-fiction books with the objective of actually retaining their contents in prep school before becoming a legal adult at 18.

But yes, as a pre-schooler watching my daily does of Mr. Rogers, followed closely by 3-2-1 Contact, Mr. Wizard and Square One, I was always happy to see Mr. Rogers' house. It was totally awesome, what with the fish tank and working stop light (I pined for a working stop light in my own room for years...OK, honestly I still do) and easy access to the Land of Make Believe. And it was always sunny and warm but not so hot that Mr. Rogers couldn't wear one of those cardigans. I always tried to guess which color he'd choose today, based on the colors he'd worn the days before (an analyst from the beginning, sadly).

But this morning, and each morning this week has been what I imagine 6:00 AM in Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood must be like every single day: 60 degrees, low humidity, slight breeze, no clouds, quiet and fresh. I tried to get to bed earlier last night and was partly successful. Instead of getting to sleep at 11:30 or later (disastrous for my running prospects the next morning), I was fast asleep at 11:00. I slept so deeply that I woke up thinking it was Saturday...literally. I was really sad to realize that it was in fact, just Friday and I had to go to work. When you're watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, the only reason the day of the week matters is because he only comes on during the week and not on the weekend. Weekends would be, of course, for morning (but not too early!) cartoons. Obvi.

Anyway, I got out the door relatively on time after hitting snooze once and got my 2 miles in in great fashion. I don't know if it's a placebo effect or whether my body truly does remember what it's like to run, but each run I feel better and can run for longer. After this week, I'm going to tack on another mile to my run and gradually step up over the next month to really concentrate on building a base. My long runs will start this weekend at a very not-long 4-5 miles, but you have to restart somewhere and 10 miles or more is not in the cards yet.

This weekend is the last full weekend before Annie comes back from Arkansas, where she's been singing since late May, so I need to make the most of it. Tomorrow I'll do another 2 miler with my slowly evolving core workout afterward. Sunday I'm going to drive up to the Northern Central Rail Trail for a change of scenery to do 5 miles. Weather should continue to be mostly Mr. Rogers, although some humidity will return. Can't be perfect all the time, right?

Now, I need to return to my mountain of work and play Make Believe that I'm actually interested in doing it rather than going home and watching Mr. Rogers...which I would totally do if I could. Maybe he'll wear green today...although I have no prior history on which to base my call.

Pulling a Lazarus

After more than what, six months, I've finally gotten things in my life (professional life, I should say) in order enough to get back on the road. The last time I posted on my blog, I was still about six months from taking the CFA exam and my job was still very much in question. Well, I took the CFA back in early June and am waiting for the results, which will come at the end of July. I don't really know if I passed or failed (the pass rate for Level I is about 30%) but I can't worry about that at this point. If I pass, great...I'll start studying for Level II in September. If I fail, it'll stink but I'll definitely pass next year.

On the job front, with the markets doing much better and our own fortunes much rosier than they were back in February and March, I feel much better about my job for now. To be sure, the last 9 months has taught me not to take employment for granted, which I think my entire generation has learned the hard way now. But I count myself incredibly lucky by any stretch, as more than one running blogger I follow is still looking for a new job or worried about their current job.

Anyway, with my job schedule largely under control (I no longer have to be at work at 7AM, which frees up that early morning for running), and the CFA at bay for a few months at least, I'm determined to not only get back to running, but to really get myself back in shape. I'm definitely out of shape and softer than I was six months ago, and I want to get that fat off and my times down for the fall.

I have no illusions, though. Six months away from running takes its toll and I'm comfortable with the fact that I need to essentially start from scratch in terms of speed, distance and length of runs. Right now, I have a nice and easy 2 mile route mapped out that I intend to follow until it's truly an easy run. Right now, that's not the case, but that's OK.

I also intend to take advantage of the gym at my office. For $25 a month I get a well-equipped gym that I should really start using for cross training after work a few days a week. We move to our new digs in September, so I'm hoping that our new gym in the building will be bigger and better...and still absurdly cheap compared to the Maryland Athletic Club across the street!

So, my goal would be to run my third annual Baltimore Running Festival race, but I don't know if the half is in the cards. Granted, I have just over 90 days between now and then so who knows how things will proceed. At the very least, I'll be in good condition for the 5K and can maybe find some longer races during the fall with the hope of running the Flying Pig half or Frederick next spring...who knows. But at least I'm gotten back out there and I already feel so much better than I have for many months.

Wow...2 Months Without a Post

Yeah, so it's been a long two months without a post, but to be honest, I have fallen off the wagon with running if for no other reason than everything else has been taking up more time than I'd like. I've moved into a different position at work, which is great for my career goals, but has been wreaking havoc with free time. It's been impossible to find time enough to run, although I realize there's always time in the day if you make time. However, making time in addition to 10-11 hour days at the office with another 4 hours on the weekend thrown in can be tough. The cold weather has not helped, as running in the winter is something you have to will yourself to do, and that's even when you're in the habit of running, which I was not and still am not. So, I just set running aside for a while. I'll have that much more work to do to regain my fitness, but that's OK. 

Annie and I did run the Turkey Trot back on Thanksgiving and it went well, despite both of us being undertrained for it. I think I'll get back to running regularly once it starts to warm up again and I can get some motivation to step outside in the cold morning. 

So, not to worry, as things are fine, just very busy and I have yet to really find enough time to dedicate to running, much less the motivation to run in the dead of winter. Perhaps Spring will inspire me when it arrives in March...maybe I'll get back to it before then, who knows. This blog isn't going away, although it might just be in stasis for a few more weeks as I organize myself enough to get a few miles in 3 or 4 days a week. 

Armistice Day

Today I FINALLY got back out running after two weeks of struggles. Annie has to be at work at 6 AM and lately she's been getting scared walking by herself in the morning. That's understandable since there's not many people out at that hour and Baltimore is a forbidding city in the dark. I've also been worrying about her too, so I've started getting up with her and either walking her to work or driving her down there, depending on how we feel. It takes a weight off both our minds that she's safe, but it means I can no longer run in the morning. Which actually is OK because I have had zero success in motivating myself to wake up and run in the mornings. I just can't be bothered for some reason even though I go to bed fully intending to wake up and run.

But I have found a solution. There is a gym at my office that employees can join for $25 per month, which is a steal. It's fully equipped with treadmills, weights, and locker rooms with showers. So, I joined last week and am going to start running midday. I can go down to the gym, change and head outside to run when it's warmer and lighter. I can then come back and shower before going back to work. And I have lots more motivation in the afternoon than I do in the morning. For now, it's a good solution.

Unfortunately, my lack of running means I'm going to have to not run Richmond on Saturday, but honestly there's no way I could complete 13 miles at this point. I've let my fitness erode too much and would risk injury if I tried to push 13 miles out of my body. So, there's always next year, but it's a nice $70 penalty for laziness, to be sure. My next race is the Green Valley North Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day, which I will be ready for, I believe. Annie may still run that with me, we'll see.

In closing, here in the U.S. today is Veterans Day, where we celebrate the memories of those who have given so much, and some who have given it all, for our country and our freedom. It's no small statement to say that there is no higher sacrifice to make for one's country than one's life. Even those veterans who came back from war in 1918, 1945, 1953, during the years of the Vietnam War, 1991 and today gave some piece of themselves, great or small, for the greater good. For that reason, every day should be Veterans Day.

In Europe, November 11th has an even deeper meaning. While Veterans Day in the U.S. is a celebration of Veterans, it's a day of remembrance in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and across the Continent. It's difficult to equate Armistice Day in Britain or France with an American holiday. If we held a day of remembrance on April 9, the day marking the end of the Civil War, it might be the same. 600,000 Americans died in the Civil War and the country was fundamentally changed forever. 700,000 Britons and 1.4 million Frenchmen died in World War I, effectively sealing Europe's fate for the rest of the 20th century. Another 1.2-1.5 million Germans died in the war. It's almost impossible to visit a town in France or England today and not find a monument with the names of the town's war dead from the Great War somewhere. To this day, most people in Britain purchase red poppy pins that they wear in the weeks leading up to Armistice Day. The proceeds go to help today's British veterans and it's a national sign that they haven't forgotten the enormous sacrifice that generation made.

Every major war can be told through some form of communication. The Revolutonary War was told through letters and diaries of soldier and Founding Father alike; the Napoleonic Wars were told in huge historical texts compiled over many years; the Civil War was the first war to be photographed; World War II and the Korean War were caught on black and white film; Vietnam was fought in living color; the Gulf Wars were fought on live television. World War I is unique in my mind in that much of its horror and sadness and nobility is told through poetry. I've never been a fan of poetry, although I certainly appreciate the insight and talent it requires. But some of my favorite prose comes from poets who fought on the front lines in France and, in some cases, who died there.

I would suggest finding and reading The Penguin Book of First World War Poetry (Revised) to get a flavor. It's possibly some of the best war writing you'll ever read, if for no other reason than it conveys the sadness of the Great War better than any book ever will. My favorite poem of the WWI poems, and possibly one of my favorite poems period, is The Soldier, by Rupert Brooke. Check it out:

The Soldier

If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

Upside down week!

After an insane week that saw me run but twice, I'm hoping that not only will I be able to start running more often, but that I can get back to more regular posting. Just a quick summary:

We got back from the honeymoon on Saturday night and I was back at work on Monday without any problems. Monday passed without incident and I arrived at the office on Tuesday thinking that maybe life would calm down now that the wedding and everything was over. Halloween was coming up and my biggest concern was how I was going to get a costume together in three days that didn't require me to dress up and look rediculous at work on Friday AND that would not require any monetary investment on my part.

At 11 on Tuesday morning my company announced that they would be laying off about 1/3 of the total workforce due to the market conditions and declining business, which effectively threw my week out the window. They also said that the final decisions would be announced Thursday morning, which essentially meant that very little work woudl be done until then as people worried about their jobs. Annie and I spent the next three days worrying and planning for the chance that I would be unemployed by Thursday afternoon. Thankfully, my job was spared, although my team of analysts was cut in half, which may cause many more problems in the long-run for the three of us left. But at least I'll get my salary for the immediate future.

So, by Friday night, we were both exhausted and blew off the Halloween parties we had been invited to in favor of chilling. Saturday I spent on the couch relaxing and today I plan on watching some football, getting some errands done and generally gearing up for the new week.

As far as running goes, my renewed committment to training was interrupted mid-week. I got another short run in yesterday morning, which was fine, however, I'm not confident that I will be ready to run a half marathon in two weeks seeing as how I have yet to run a long run since Baltimore back on the 11th. It would suck to miss Richmond, but in the end, I don't want to drive down there and end up injuring myself or being as rundown as I was after Baltimore due to severe undertraining. We'll see, but that may be $70 I just never get to enjoy. The next race would be the Green Valley North Turkey Trot 5 Miler on Thanksgiving Day, which Annie wants to run as well. I think that might be a more realistic goal given that I have lost yet another week to the stresses of life.

At any rate, tomorrow I will get out for an easy run in the morning to re-start my efforts. Hopefully, this week will FINALLY be one without some major clusterf*ck getting in the way.