Free Swag from Brooks!! (this is torture i can't run!)

So, as I'm sitting around doing as much as I can (while seated) due to my injury, wishing I could be outside running in this gorgeous weather, I get tortured by a package I get in the mail from Brooks ... a free running kit!

(please note: I have absolutely no financial or other relationship with Dicks Sporting Goods or with Brooks Running.  I am merely a consumer).


I almost forgot about this, but a few weeks ago (before I was sidelined with a femoral neck stress fracture) I purchased a pair of Brooks Pure Flows from Dicks Sporting Goods.  There was an ad for a website for something called Run Happy University .  I suppose I registered and weeks later I get this cool running kit ... full of stuff I can't use because I'm not allowed to run right now.  ARRRRRRRGHHHHH!!!

(btw, looking back at the website, looks like purchase IS required.)

Well, if I can't use it now, let's see what's in it:

1). a welcome letter further promoting this Run Happy University thing.  Haven't explored the website much,
2).  A nice blue tote bag -- I guess to put all this stuff in.
3). a water bottle -- one of those cool reusable, foldable water botts.  16oz.  I have never used one of these, but you can't have too many water bottles.  need a couple for home, one in car, one in bag, etc.  (I'd been reusing poland spring bottles, aquavida bottles, and the like, hehe)
4). an official brooks run happy training log, with some stickers inside to mark "race day," etc.
5). Strawberry GU chomps energy chews.  definitely have to try these (next long run, come on!).  I've been using Clif Bloks myself, which I like.
6). Chocolate Outrage GU energy gel. -- haven't really used gel in runs, I don't like the idea of mess, and so far I like energy bloks.
7). Lemon Lime GU Brew electrolyte drink tablets.  to make your own while running.
8). Body Glide balm -- will save for marathon
9). Body Glide powder -- ditto
oh, here's something I can use now:
10). Perform Pail relieving gel!!

oh, and there's one more thing in the bag ... what's this, no:

11).  a booklet entitled, "A Step by Step guide to running INJURY FREE."
Well, thanks Brooks, maybe I could have used you a couple of weeks ago, before I got injured.  haha.

No, all in all a nice little sample package.  not bad for free.

Walking a few steps now without crutches, but I still need it most of the time.  Will keep updated.

Baby steps

The beauty of many beginner runner programs, most notably the Couch to 5k program, as well as a run-walk program like runDisney's training consultant Jeff Galloway's, is that they start slow and simple, and build up your mileage (or time running) slowly.  Danny Dreyer, of Chi Running, calls this Gradual Progress.  


Baby steps.


This is beautiful.  Take Cool Running's original couch-to-5-k program.  You start with a lot more walking than running.  In fact, on Day 1 you only run (actually jog) for 60 seconds at a time.  60 seconds!  interspersed with longer periods of walking. Then day by day (with ample rest in between), you increase the running time and eventually decrease your walking time until (if all goes well), eight weeks later you are running 30 minutes continuously, or 5k.

This progress has many advantages.  The steps are challenging enough to keep you motivated, and help you celebrate "small victories," and give you a sense of accomplishment each day!  However, they are not so challenging that you give up.  The gradual progress also allows your body to become accustomed to exercise, to become conditioned, to increase physiological thresholds (VO2 max, etc) so that you can "tolerate" harder exercise for longer.

This was a wonderful feeling when, for me, in the the midst of my initial couch to 5k training, I felt I could keep running.  and I did.  even when it was hurting. (and maybe that's why I got a stress fracture).

In any event, today I'm taking my own baby steps...

Yesterday my orthopedic surgeon told me I can start weight-bearing on my injured leg, and start to try to walk.  Next week I should be off crutches.  Then in a couple of weeks I can start non-impact exercises, like the elliptical, then eventually running again!!

Baby steps.


I hope I learned my lesson.  Today I took my first steps without crutches.  I am limping along, one shuffle at a time, but it feels good to not have to ask for help carrying everything, cleaning up, making a meal.  I still need crutches most of the day, but, although I'm still looking ahead to run the Walt Disney World marathon and then the Goofy Challenge, I am so happy today because yesterday I was unable to do this without a huge ordeal:

Change in Hope

When I started running 6 months, I hoped that I would get to a point that I could run 20 minutes continuously. I did. I hoped that I could finish the Manasquan midwinter 2 mile beach run without stopping.  I did.

I hoped, that with the c25k program, that I could run 30 minutes and run a respectable 5k race time.  I did.

I hoped that would feel fit, healthy, and lose 20 pounds with this new, enjoyable habit of running.  I did.

I hoped that my long runs would increase to a 13.1 mile half marathon. I did.

Today, I have a follow up appointment with my doctor, and my hope now is that I will be able to put weight on my leg and walk, and eventually rehab myself to run again, and train again, to a half marathon, then to run the Walt Disney World full marathon, and then the Goofy Challenge. 

I definitely will.

One week.

It has been over one week since my last run.  This is my longest lay off (I think), since I caught the running bug 6 months ago.

Injury, O injury, why must you hurt me so?

I reviewed my running log which I had kept from day 1.  Pretty meticulous at times, stating distance, location, time of day, temperature and conditions, hills, which shoes I wore and if with any inserts, how I felt physically and mentally, if and where there was pain, what technique or form focus I tried, what fuel if any, and self suggestions of what I could try for the next run.

I figured I could go back and analyze it somehow.

Now I'm injured, and reading back I could pinpoint it to the first run I wore my then new Mizunos (which Ive since returned for other reasons), but I'm not going to blame them.

Did I get injured from the classic "toos?"

Too much too soon.  Too fast too far, they say.

Well...in my case it was too stupid.  I ran, it hurt.  I kept running, it hurt more. So what did I do?  I ran even more.

That's what I did one week ago.  And now I'm lying in bed at 8:40am with my leg propped up...(oh yeah, we took a trip down to the ER last night to rule out a DVT.  Good news, no clot).

By this time most weekends I would have gotten my long run in. 

Oh how I miss you long run.  13.1 was the last I saw of you, can't wait to see you again.

Now I worry about deconditioning, I worry about gaining weight, I worry about atrophy.

But stop!

No more worries, stop!  Patience.  Patience will heal this.

Swell! Swelling!

Day #6 of crutches for me.  Big thanks to my wife and family for helping me get around, and just little things that I was taking for granted.  Picking up a pile of paper on floor and walking a few steps to put it in the garbage is an ordeal on crutches.

My calf (same side as femoral neck fracture) has beem swollen the past couple of days.  I figure it's because it has been hanging because of the crutches and no weight bearing, but I don't want to take chances with any deep venous thrombosis, so I just placed a call to my orthopedic surgeon.  Waiting to hear back.

Thank you, Meghan Rabbitt!

On the night that I found out I had a hip stress fracture and that I wouldn't be running for a while, I came upon an article totally by chance, written by Meghan Rabbitt for Runner's World, entitled The Bright Side.

The Bright Side
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7120,s6-241-286--13490-0,00.html

It's about coping with injury when you're sidelined from running, and primarily looking at the upside and learning from the situation.  Absolutely a worthwhile read for any runner, or any athlete for that matter.  Without going into detail (since Meghan Rabbitt has done a brilliant job in the article which you should read), the learning points are: cross training, listening to your body, coming back slowly, and being positive.  Seemingly basic but absolutely important points that unfortunately sometimes takes an injury to learn.

In it, Rabbitt quotes injured runner Allison Lind, who was then training for the NYC Marathon, "Just wait.  You're going to appreciate running so much more."


I love it.  This article could not have come at a better time, and at around midnight after I read it I went ahead and emailed the author Meghan Rabbitt thanking her.  (she responded very nicely, which made my day).

So enough of this.  Today I'm going to feel good.  While on crutches, I've been carrying around this little 5k swag backpack that I got for my last run (and injured myself).  I nixed it and exchanged it for Disney's Castaway Club pack that Disney Cruise Line gives to repeat Cruisers, because it reminds me of Castaway Cay and the awesome time I had on that 5k run.  I put Mickey stickers (the ones they give away to kids in the Walt Disney World parks), on one of my crutches, I put on a tech T-shirt, and will be wearing my Nike Pegasus 28, the shoes that started it all for me.  (I had 1997 version of the Nike Pegasus, got away from running, and when I got back into it 6 months ago, I got the new edition.)

Thank you, Meghan Rabbitt.  I will be appreciating running more!!!

Disney's Castaway Cay 5K run!!

Today is Day Off #2, not for vacation, but because of my injury and crutches.  It's getting old real fast, and it's hitting me that it's real.  I'm selling my Spring Lake 5 mile run entry today, very sad that I can't run it and I looked back at my confirmation from back in February when i got up at 5:45am just to get in before it sold out in hours.

In any event, today I want to talk about one of the most fun events I've run, Disney's Castaway Cay 5k!

There can be a whole blog dedicated to the Disney Cruise Line, and really one could go on and on about every aspect of every ship they have, and the service, and the attention to detail, and the fact that it's the best vacation ever!!  But my favorite part of the Disney Cruise (including the sail away party see above), is, on the Bahamas itineraries, you get to stop at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay!

Castaway Cay is Disney's gorgeous private island in the Bahamas just for Disney Cruise Line guests.  Activities range from doing nothing but lounge around on the beautiful clean beaches and swim in the pristine crystal clear water to bike rides, snorkeling, and ... something I decided to try this time around in April 2012, the Castaway Cay 5k run.

Now, as far as I know, the 5k run is held every time one of the disney ships docks at castaway cay.  overall, it's pretty casual, laid back, and overall fun, but it appears over the years they made it more official.  Here's how ours went:

The Navigator (schedule of the next day's events), showed the 5k starting at 9 or 9:30am I think, and instructed runners (12 and over) to meet at 8:30am at the 687 Lounge, a cool sports bar on the Disney Dream.

There, based on previous online reports of the 5k, I expected 5, maybe 10 other runners.  But it got popular I guess because there were about 30 of us!  Fellow cruiser runners ranged in age from late teens to I would guess 50.  The official navigator had an age minimum of 12.  I also expected more casual runners ... there were definitely casual runners who looked like they wanted to try it out, but I would say 60% or more at least looked like serious runners, with tech shirts, t-shirts from previous races, including marathons and half marathons, running shorts ... and they were stretching and warming up.  But don't get me wrong, the overall atmosphere and mood was casual, and casual runners/walkers would feel very comfortable here.

Cast members Dan and Angela (great job guys) were there registering runners, and distributing bibs! (that's at least one new addition, there were no bibs before as far as I know.)  They brought out a big map of the course route and showed us where we would be running on the island. (more details below).

We were all led out by the cast members through our own gangway (had to bring our key to the world card id thing), and guess who was waiting outside for us but Goofy!!  So we all took an official picture with him and walked down to the start line.  And, as another new addition, there was an official clock there too.

The route:

 Basically, the start line was at the bike rental station:

**

Then we made our way to and down the airstrip, yes, a cool airstrip:

**

**

(According to the Behind the Dream presentation I attended on the ship, before castaway cay became the sanitized private island by disney, it was a popular island for drug running, and this was the airport they used for transport, pretty cool.) ...

Then around a one mile loop to the observation tower:

**

There were both manned an unmanned water stations along the way (some, in classic Disney theming,  disguised like crates:)

**

then we proceeded down the other airstrip and back again around the loop back to the finish line, where we all got a medal saying "winner."

Some running notes:  It was warm and sunny, heading into the 80s, no breeze.  Course was extremely flat, mostly blacktop asphalt.  Most confusing part was this loop that you had to do twice.  There was a cast member at the loop directing you, but you could go either clockwise or counterclockwise, and since not everyone did the same thing, could be confusing.  In any case, it was a lot of fun.  I though that the warmth would bother me, since I had been running in relative cold since November, but really I was just happy that I was running Disney!  I remember looking around and just trying to take it all in, that yes I was in Disney, I was on vacation, and I was running!!

and knowing the beach would be waiting for me at the end.

On this particular cruise (5 nights) we actually had two stops at castaway cay, and yes, we ran two 5ks!!  The second run was my PR at that time, 25:15, unofficial.  (since beat it at the OMC 5k).

Atmosphere: casual, and disney!
organization: not bad, it was casual anyway
swag: the bib, the medal, and in your stateroom they dropped off a certificate! (i don't have a pic of mine). but you had to buy a t shirt if you wanted it.  hey, the run was "free" anyway.
would I run it again?  everyday if I could

here's our official pic with goofy:

**pls note a few photos above are from Google and  were not taken with my camera.  If anyone knows the original source, please let me know so I can credit appropriately, thank you.**