Running Pain Free

Well it has been a few months now since my leg started to bother me. It started one day while swimming. It then progressed into a problem while running. This put me behind in all the training I had wanted to do to get ready for a full season of Duathlons and Runs. Now I did manage to compete in most of the events that I had hoped to, but with a lack of training I was probably not at my best. I am happy to say that all of my training from before the knee/leg issues must have been good as my results were still pretty darn good.

Anyway, I eventually found a good doctor (Dr Jason Gray) who specializes in sports medicine (he is a Chiropractor) and specifically ART (Active Release Technique). We assessed that my issue was a very tight group of muscles in my hamstrings and calf on my left leg. This in turn led to my ankle turning funny and causing knee pain.

Now not being a patient guy I began to wonder if this was going to work after a few treatments. My knee would still pain after a run, and be very tight at other times. But I kept the treatments up as well as the stretching and strength exercises. Now about a month and a half after I started seeing Dr Gray, I can say that i am running pain free. Things aren’t 100% in my left leg, but they are much better and without the tightness and pain I was having.

Today I managed a 7K run in some nasty humidity with an average pace of 5min per K (I started out a bit faster but faded near the end). I am happy with that as it is fairly close to where I left off when I was last training. This is now a good place to get some base mileage back into my legs and then work on getting some speed (and endurance) back.

It certainly is nice to know a little more about the mechanics of running now, and with my new stretching regime, I anticipate years more of pain free running (well sore muscles after a good hard run are okay).

Spinachers Ride the Heartland Tour

The Heartland Tour made its Halifax stop this past Saturday (July 10th). So the Spinachers Team had to show up and take part. Donning our impressive jerseys we split into 2 groups depending on our ride choice. A 27.5km ride to Purcell's Cove or the mammoth 96km ride from the Halifax Commons to Peggy's Cove. My wife joined in with those opting for the Purcell's Cove ride, partly as 96kms was a crazy distance for her, but also so she could sleep in a bit longer. I opted to join in the longer ride that began at 8am (ish).

We started as a group and headed to the Roundabout to begin our ride. A police escort out of town made life rather easy. Being near the lead I decided to stretch the legs a bit and zoom up the Bay Rd hill leading to the start of the Peggy's Cove Loop. That felt nice and I gave myself an imaginary Polka Dot jersey for my effort (also that was probably the biggest hill on the ride). As a group David's son Jeff and I decided to go for a breakaway lead, the rest of the team (David, Ross and Fred) all kept to the main peleton (or long string of riders as it were). Eventually Jeff and I were riding alone, having dropped our rivals (sure this was a friendly ride, sure) during some rollers. Actually dropping those other riders with us was a mistake as I thought I was supposed to be hammering through those hills. Luckily for me Jeff is a darn strong rider.

Eventually the 2 of us arrived at Peggy's Cove and proceeded to wait for the rest of the Tour riders. Perhaps that was too long of a wait in retrospect, we were there for over 30 minutes in the cold damp fog and occasional drizzle. But we had some food and drink and eventually took off as other riders were starting to leave to head back to Halifax.

I stuck to Jeff on the way back, jumping from one slow group of riders to the next until we met with a good strong lead pack. We hammered with them for quite awhile, eventually though my lack of mileage this year started to catch up. As I dropped from the lead of the pace line I couldn't quite stick to the last rider int he group and fell off, though I was still amazed that I continued riding at 37kph until I eventually caught them as they stopped to let some other riders catch on. My goodness, they were going fast as a group.

At this point as riders took off again we all pretty much fell into smaller groups or single riders as our legs were at various degrees of ouchiness. Mine in particular were running very low on steam. I lost Jeff pretty quickly as he sped away. I kept my speed up but would occasionally be passed by a few riders here or there until I eventually made it back into town and could have a proper rest and some good food provided to us for free. That was nice, especially the crepes and chocolate milk.

Including my ride to the commons to start the event, I logged 107 kms that day. That was nice. I managed a pace of 30.6kph on avg, which included a very slow meander through town to start, so overall I was pretty happy, and really only a few minutes behind the first group to finish.

I was sad that my cadence really dropped near the end and my average was 82. I really hopped to be able to keep that higher, but again my lack of riding any real distance this year hit me hard near the end.

All in all a really great ride, with a lot of Tri NS members taking part, which was great to see.

Hopefully this ride continues next year and grows in size. And a big congrats to my wife for her solo epic adventure to Purcell's Cove. I look forward to longer rides with her int he near future as well.

Bedford 5K 2010

Well, I was waiting to post about this race hoping that some photos of the even might pop up. But alas, nothing so far. I know they exist as I chatted with Trevor Allen the photographer and saw some great shots. But people get busy and I decided not to wait any longer.

Anyway this was the Bedford 5K to raise money for Lung Cancer research hosted by my friend Jean St.Amand. It is a great event and my second year attending. I had contemplated not going due to my knee and this being a short fast race, but in the end it being for charity, the weather being nice and me wanting to defend my 7th place finish from last year won out.

I arrived rather early as I had not yet registered and didn't want to wain in any sort of line. After registering I decided to walk the course as last year I had no clue where I was going and missed a corner (though I penalized myself for doing so by letting the people behind me pass rather easily). The course was the same and was nice and flat. For once, I actually planned a strategy as well, while I sat and waited for the race to start.

At the line I took off with a few people and true to form I started at the pace of the leaders. I hung in there for a bit (most of the first kilometer) and then knee pain kicked in. Ouch that hurt. So I pulled back to a better pace and a few people passed me by. I let them go and continued on, think to myself that it was only 5K and it would all be over very soon.

I found that by the 3K mark I was still on the heels of a few people that had passed me. So I picked up my pace a bit. And the next thing I knew I passed a couple of people. I then drafted in behind a few more fast people and managed to sneak by them as well.

With no one else in front of me (at least people I could see) I know had to fight to keep my placing. I ran the absolute straightest line I could, as corners and knee pain always meet. I got through the final corner without looking back and saw the finish line ahead. So I picked up the pace again, not wishing to get passed and not knowing where anyone else was. I cruised through the finish line in a  time of 20:26.That was good enough for another 7th place, though almost 40 seconds slower than last years time. Still I was happy. And hot. i think one reason I was a bit slower was the sheer humidity of the day. The air was truly thick. Last year was misty and cool, a lovely running day.

Anyway, no races for a bit. the leg/knee issue is being worked on and I hope to be back to full strength soon.At least I can ride my bike to work for now to keep my cardio up.

Greenwood Duathlon 2010

Well another Sunday another race. This time down to the Valley and the Greenwood military base for a duathlon 5k, 20k, 5k(there was of course a triathlon happening but who wants to get wet on such a nice day). Yes, it was a nice day, perhaps too nice. Great hot sun and little wind. Hearkens back the nice day we had for the Bluenose 10K (yeah I guess it was a marathon as well).

Well the drive to the race was fun. Up a 5am to get ready, almost 2 hour drive, and finally arrival. My knee was already stiff from sitting that long. But I had some time to move around, stretch and warm up (a good reason to arrive early).

Well race time was finally upon us. I knew only 2 other racers, Kurt and Alan, both of whom are much better runners than I am. The other I had no clue about. So my plan was stick with Kurt and Alan as long as possible and go from there. Okay, so that is my usual plan, stick to the leader as long as possible and then fade to a comfortable pace.

So the race started and we quickly got up to speed. I stuck with Kurt for probably the first 1.5K, with Alan already taking off. I then settled into a slightly slower pace (one my knee was comfortable with) and continued on for the rest of the first 5K. Heading into the first transition I was comfortably in third, ahead of fourth by close to 2 minutes with a 22:32 run. A quick switch to bike shoes and helmet I was off to the bike portion. This was a great ride for speed, with the only turns being at the ends of the laps (3 in total). The course itself had a slight curve that didn't amount to much and only a slight "hill" barely worth mentioning. Also practically no wind. Nice. I finished the 20K ride in 37:46 which also included both transitions. My bike computer showed an average speed of 34.2 kph which was nice with those slow turns at the end of each lap and an impressive 56.03 kph top speed (also nice with no hills or wind). With both transitions added (and I took my time stumbling with my helmet) my avg pace on the bike drops to around 32 kph, but I was happy.

Heading into run 2 I had a sizable lead over fourth (almost 14 minutes). But take nothing for granted I say and who knows Alan or Kurt could have faltered for some reason. So push on I did. The knee was achy to start out and I was baking hot at this point. At the run turn around the kind volunteer pointed out the gel pack I dropped during the first run. Thanks. I plodded along and finally the finish line came up. I zipped across as fast as I could in typical Ian fashion (don't get in my way when the finish line is in sight) and finished in 1:24:23, 7 minutes behind Kurt in second and 8 behind Alan in first. I was happy,and since I have had absolutely no run training this year due to my bad leg/knee that really looks great for the future when this issue is finally sorted out.

So I ended up in third place overall and first in age group 30-39 (same as last year, though no Mike Milloy to fight against this year).

Okay the field was small compared to the Du it for Shelter event and the Cyclesmith Du (and inevitability for the Riverport race in the Fall) but it was a great fight and I feel quite happy in what I achieved. One of my goals was an age group win for the year and another was a top three result. So heck, lets get that done in one race.

Now time for a rest.

Big thanks to the volunteers and TNS officials at the race for the help and words of encouragement and to Sarah Wood for standing on the corner of the run and cheering us all on. That always helps.

Cyclesmith Duathlon 2010

Well another weekend another Duathlon. This time the venerable Cyclesmith Du held at Lawrencetown Beach. I must say it was looking like shades of last week, at least weather wise. Buckets of rain, cool temps and fog were all being forecast, not to mention heavy wind. Yipee! Of course unlike last weekend, the weather took a turn for the good. The rain stopped before the race started, the fog lifted enough to make the course visible enough and the wind died down. Wow. The pavement even dried up.

So there I was, once again hoping my knee would survive the onslaught of what is the most grueling Duathlon in Nova Scotia. A 5K road run to start with a decent hill, followed by a 34K bike ride on rolling roads (with a few mini climbs) and finally a 6K trail run. But I was prepared with my new Brooks Dyads which I had fitted the day before at Aerobics First. Yeah, I know, never wear a new pair of shoes right before the big race. But alas, my "new" shoes I bought before Christmas were actually far too small for me and probably a good reason my knee went wonky in the first place. So I figured better go with shoes the right size rather than the devil I knew.

The "go" was sounded and off we went. I hung the the lead group for the first 1.5K then started to ease my pace to something slightly more comfortable. In the end I finished the first 5K in 20:43 for a 4:09 pace. I was pretty darn happy with that seeing as it was 3 minutes faster than last year. Then on to the bike.

As usual my bike goal is to ride as hard and darn fast as possible, kill the legs and go for broke. I know, there is still one more run, but the run is my weak point so I like to make up my time here. With my new Devinci CX I managed a great time of 1:00:53 for an average pace of 33.5 km per hour (the 15th fastest time and on a non-time trial bike and including T1). I came barreling into Transition 2 very excited and well away from most of the riders behind me (all of whom were much faster runners).

A quick switch to my new Dyads and off I went. Now normally at this point my legs turn to jelly, thick knotted jelly. But darn if they didn't hold together for that first kilometer. Wow. I kept my pace easy but my stride long, as this seems to be best for my knee. Well, eventually 3K in to the run a few people started to catch up to me. I couldn't risk pushing my pace but kept going as best I could. Eventually the finish line was in sight and one last runner was catching me. I heard yells and cheering, alas not so much for me but for the runners on my heels (at least the yells I could hear). I picked up my pace to keep the other runner (happened to end up being Heather Doucette) at my side, then with a few hundred meters of race left I sprinted with all my might (see above photo) and took 20th place by 4 seconds. My final 6K run time was 31:43 for a 5:18 pace (including T2).

Now I am nursing my worn and tired knee but pretty darn happy. Last year I was 42nd, this year 20th and with little to no practice. And my running is actually not bad but I can't wait to see how much better it can become. Now one more Du this Spring before a big rest and the final one, the Riverport Du in October. So next up, the Greenwood Du. But first, time for a rest.

Duin' the Double Duty at the Navy Tri

Well this past weekend for me saw the next in the Duathlon series of races come up. this was the second of the year and my 3rd actual sporting event. Of course as I have mentioned numerous times my IT Band is going through some ITBFS (look it up, I swear it is real). This leads to a pain in my knee, generally just during running (and then for a day afterwards). But enough of that, I competed and did my best with what I had, so that`s that.

The day for me started at 5 AM. I had to get up, get dressed, eat and hit the road for a 7AM start time (this event was at Shearwater Airforce Base in Dartmouth, NS), and ideally you show up 1 hr before your event. I was there on time, but the weather was not cooperating for a smooth 7AM start time and we didn`t end up getting off until 730 AM. Still that was fine. It was starting to rain and the fog was thick. How thick? We'll I was about to find out.

We headed out on mass at the start (well all 14 of us in the Duathlon - most were doing the Triathlons also running that day). The first leg was a 3K run, mostly flat with a decent little hill at the midpoint of each lap (we did 2 laps). I manged to run this in 11:40 for a 3:54 pace which I was happy with landing me in 7th at the time. I switched to my bike and headed out for the 20km ride.

Well what a ride. The ground was soaked with huge puddles (not great for speed) and the ride up to the runway was quite technical. Then it was into the fog. It was so thick for us that to find the runway I had to ride from yellow cone to yellow cone, which were spaced maybe 10 feet apart at most? Then 4 laps on the runway and back down. I managed to catch the 6th place runner and put some real distance on him before the final run, which I figured I would need to make up for what I assumed might be a slowish final run). My time computer tells me I road at a 33.3 kph avg for little over 20km and kept my cadence at 91 avg. Thanks computer. The official results include the transition time from bike to running (which means a shoe change of course) and have me posted as 5th in speed overall with a total time of 36:52 and an avg pace of 32.5kph. Again, I'm pretty happy with this.

The final run started with a slow transition (resulting in a slower run time overall). This was mostly do to my inability to feel my fingers from the cold and wet and be able to put on my running shoes easily, but I managed and took off, for the 8th fastest final run time on the same 3K course for a 13:37 time and a 4:33 pace. But my cycling had put me in position to hold easily onto 6th place and finish in a time of 1:02:07.

I haven't been able to train all year for my events due to my leg/knee issue, so I am really happy to be able to be able to put up those numbers. I look forward to seeing what I can do with some proper training. And thanks to a chiropractor who was attending the race, hopefully this issue will be able to be taken care of sooner rather than later. I am looking forward to getting some rehab started.

But that brings me to "Duin' the Double." I finished the race strong but soaked and hungry. I had a bite from the snack table, then got changed into dry clothes and a rain coat and headed out to relieve one of the course workers so he could go and get ready to race. Yes, good old Ian decided to volunteer to stand in the rain and fog and show cyclists the right way to turn as they headed to the runway. I got soaked I must say, and paced the entire time to keep my legs from getting too stiff. But you know what, volunteering that these events is a good thing when possible. It makes it easy for the athletes to get their job done and helps keep the costs to run these things reasonable. And that means as an athlete I pay far less up front for most events. I like that and therefore am willing to stand around in the cold and wet for a few hours to help out. But I did get a great bagged lunch to keep me full and plenty to drink (though the bag did not weather the storm).

Bluenose 10K

Well I just completed the Bluenose 10K run yesterday. It was a sunny and warm (some might say hot) day, which is of course atypical for the Bluenose. But it was fun to be running. My leg and knee were still having issues so I didn't kill myself try to get to some exciting new goal. Instead I ran with my buddy Mike and we set a great pace (he was holding back as he has a big race next weekend). We perhaps started back a bit far in the opening pack, but made loads of passing maneuvers early on (and late on as well). We partook of the lovely water being offered at all but the last station (seriously why would you stop for a drink with less than a 1K to go?). In the end I managed a pace of 4:51 for a time of 48:35, almost 10 seconds faster than last years healthy Ian.

While I am annoyed that my leg and knee prevented me from finding my maximum at this event, I am excited that I have the potential to do so much better and I know that in the future I will.

I now have 3 consecutive weekends of events coming up, Duathlons. The run is much shorter and the bike doesn't hurt my leg and knee too much. Then I will be taking a good long break from running to make sure I can get good and healed. More massage therapy is in order as well as potentially some physio. We'll see.

Congrats to all the other runners out there this weekend. It was an awesome turnout for Halifax and spectacular weather.

Thanks to Mike for the company. And thanks to Ian McGrath for not catching us while he pace bunnied the 10k to a 55min finish.