Dorkcycle versus Dorkcycle

Several months ago, you may remember me making fun of Dean Karnazes for promoting the "Elliptigo"  a goofy-looking elliptical bike.  For people who want to workout outdoors, but don't want run and don't want to bike.

Then last while perusing the Air Mall catalog (who doesn't love the Air Mall catalog?) on the way home from Florida, I spotted an ad for the StreetStrider; "The first elliptical machine on wheels."

Of course you realize what this means:  There is enough demand for these for there to be multiple companies offering this goofy-looking product! I've never seen one in action, but I stand by my statement that you are just as well off with a bicycle as one of these.

And in case you're wondering, the StreetStrider can be set up for indoor use.

An dorkcycle by any other name is still goofy.

"My Run" Premiers in Theaters March 31

In 1996, Terry Hitchcock ran 75 marathons in 75 consecutive days from his home in St. Paul, Minnesota to the 26th Olympiad in Atlanta, Georgia.  Being overweight and with high blood pressure, he wasn't your typical "ultramarathon man."

In My Run Hitchcock overcomes "freezing rain, unbearable heat, chest pains and bone fractures" to finish his race and call attention to the plight of children raised by single parents.  A widower, Hitchcock had lost his wife to breast cancer and had to raise his son on his own.

A portion of the proceeds from this one-night event will benefit the LIVESTRONG Foundation.  You can find theater and ticket information from Fathom Events.

I Love Transition Shoes

Unless your familiar with the barefoot running movement, you're probably a bit confused by the above statement.  And if you are familiar you are probably equally confused, but for an entirely different reason.

When I first posted about taking up barefoot running, I explained that my strategy was to run a small percentage of my miles barefoot and also gradually reduce the amount of shoe I was wearing.  That is, I would run in shoes with less and less cushioning, less and less support and more and more flexibility.

Last Spring I bought three pairs of shoes to aid me in this goal:  the Brooks Mach 11 spikeless cross-country flats, the Brooks Green Silence and the Nike Free 5.0. In October I purchased a pair of New Balance MT101 trail shoes.  The idea was that I would gradually use less and less shoe, mixing in something like the Soft Star RunAmoc or VivoBarefoot Evo and eventually do most of my running in such models, mixing in some barefoot to help my form.

But something happened.  First was my failed experiment with the RunAmoc.  It just didn't work for me.  So I stuck with the "transition" shoes through the winter.  The most minimal are the spikeless cross-country flats, but really I do my fewest miles with those because of the fit.  I've put more miles (517 and counting) on my Green Silences than any other shoe I've ever owned.  And second place are my Nike Frees (378).  I've had some minor injuries - mostly tendonitis in my toes that I can run through, but nothing that's sidelined me for very long.

What I'm getting at is that I haven't found any reason to give up the shoes I have.  I'm healthy and faster than ever.  I like that I don't have to worry about where my foot is landing with every step and ending up having to scrape a smashed apple (or worse) off my bare foot or step on an oddly shaped rock or acorn and being brought to tears.  They make it easy to have a midfoot landing and keep good form.

One of my cues to ditch an old pair of shoes had been achy knees.  I don't really have that problem with the shoes I use now thanks to cross-training and better form.  So now instead of about 250 miles, I'm getting 500+ (although those Nike Frees are looking a little worn).

And I just plain run faster in transition shoes.  I guess that's the bottom line.  Not having to worry about landing "just wrong" in a shoe with less protection allows me to focus more on pace, form and how I'm feeling.  So I'm not going to fix what's not broken.  I do need a little more room in the toebox than the Green Silence affords, so once they finally give out I'll likely replace them with the New Balance Minimus Road or another transition shoe.  At this point I don't see the need in going full-time minimal, and definitely not full-time barefoot.

New Balance REVlite Videos

I'm a pretty big fan of New Balance - I like what they've done with the MT101 and am eyeing up the Minimus Road as my next road shoe of choice.  They recently released a series of videos to go along with the release of it's new REVlite 890 shoe.  The shoe is 1.6 ounces lighter than the Nike Lunarglide 2 (in men's size 9.5), so the videos all show the difference that 1.6 ounces make.






Okay, I get those two - but this third I need explained to me:



How is that equivalent?  I mean, we're talking weight and distance.  I don't get how 1.6 ounces adds up to a bowling ball over 27 meters.  A bowling ball is 160 times heavier than 1.6 ounces (16 lbs. times 16 ounces per pound divided by 1.6)...so that's 5.93 ounces per meter...maybe I should have taken physics in high school instead of slacking off my senior year.

Faster than Your Average Bear

Actually, he's probably slower than your average bear (depending on the distance), but he is faster than the average runner.

Photo courtesy of Karhu.

The Karhu Bear was in Atlanta yesterday to clock a 20:02 at the Run Wild 5K and finish tenth.  The nine runners who beat the Bear won a pair of Karhu shoes and an "I beat the bear" t-shirt.

Karhu means "bear" in Finnish and while the brand is relatively new to the American market, the company dates back to the 1916 and has a long tradition of being the brand of choice for Finnish track and field athletes. The brand has been worn by Olympic Medalists and a Boston Marathon winner (1972).

The "Beat the Bear" promotion began in Los Angeles at the Karhu 5K - an event at the 13.1 Marathon in Los Angeles.  The Bear has also been to Miami Beach and now Atlanta.  20:02 isn't a crazy fast 5K time - I'm a little surprised he was only beat by nine out of 768 runners.  I mean come on, he's wearing a bear suit!

So if you're doing a big 5K and keep a 6:27 pace for 3.1 miles, watch for the Karhu Bear - you might get a chance to score some free shoes!

Running Resources

Here's another something I'll be putting in the sidebar.  Sometimes I get questions about getting started (or re-started) in running, and for the most part unless you're a beginner, I usually don't have answers for you.  And even if you're a beginner, there's a good chance I don't have the best answer for you, but I can still point you in the right direction.

I'll be updating this regularly, so check back regularly.

Beginners:
Jeff Galloway's Site.  See also his books Galloway's Book on Running and Running: Getting Started

Runner's World  Need something?  You'll probably find it here.

Competitive/Marathons:
Hal Higdon  Training from the 5K to the marathon.

Competitor.com Tips, tricks and training ideas.

Running Times  It's like Runner's World, but without the phrases "New Year New You!" or "Your First (or Fastest) 5K!" (also without forums).


Ultra Running:
Kevin Sayers' Ultrnr web site:  Want to run ultras?  Go here first!

Stan Jenson's Run 100s:  Go long.  Real long.

IrunFar.com  Bryon Powell's blog with the latest news, interviews and gear reviews.  See also Bryon's book, Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons.

UltraMarathonRunning.com - Training resources for your next Ultra Marathon

Minimalist/Barefoot Running:
Barefoot Running University Jason Robillard's blog

Runner's World Barefoot Forum

Running and Rambling - not necessarily a how-to but Donald posts frequently about minimalist running and minimalist shoes that are out there.
 

Books:
Marathon: You Can Do It! by Jeff Galloway

Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner by Dean Karnazes

Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance by Matt Fitzgerald

RUN: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel by Matt Fitzgerald

Daniels' Running Formula - 2nd Edition  by Jack Daniels, PhD

Magazines:
Outside 

Running Times

Trail Runner

Chambersburgh Half Marathon Race Report

My main reaction after this year's Chambersburg Half Marathon is that I forgot how relentless this course really is.  It's not like there are especially long or steep climbs (well, a couple steep climbs) but the course is a constant up and down that really wears on you.

This year I got to the race in plenty of time to get my bib, use the facilities and warm up at the park across the street from the Chambersburg Area Middle School.  The weather turned out be dry, but a little windy and the temperature was right on my tights/shorts borderline, so I ran the race in tights since this year I'm erring on the side of having my legs too warm since it seems my knees don't like being exposed to the cold and will respond with constant aches.

The race started slightly late, and my internal clock must have factored that in because even with wearing the Garmin as my race watch, I managed to finish the first mile in 7:04.  I edged off the pace some and mile 2 was closer to goal pace (7:51) and I had just about gotten back on schedule with finishing the third mile in 8:26.  (In case you're wondering I'm referencing the "auto lap" feature on my watch - I had it set up to record a lap with every mile so I'd have these splits).

The fourth mile was mostly downhill and the fifth mostly flat (with some gradual uphill at the end).  The sixth mile was probably the most representative of the race as a whole with several short hills - a couple being especially steep.  The sixth and seventh miles were each timed at 7:56 - giving me hope that I would likely beat my 1:45:09 PR from Hands-On House last fall.

By the end of my seventh mile, I had averaged a 7:51 pace and still had an uphill eighth mile, a flat ninth and uphill tenth mile to go - as well as the regular ups and downs of the final 5K.

Mile eight was brutal.  Uphill and into a headwind.  8:28.

My ninth mile came and went in 8:18.  This should have been a fast, flat mile but the headwind obviously slowed me some - and I was paying the piper for that fast first mile.  As I approached the tenth mile marker the wheels came off.  The marker was at the top of hill and I just couldn't put any more into that climb, so I walked some to try and regroup.  8:34.

The eleventh mile was similarly slow.  In started off downhill and bottomed out at an aid station where I walked and sipped a cup of water.  Then as I headed up the next hill I took another walk break.  When I reached the mile marker I started calculating my needs to PR.  A tenth of a mile past the eleventh mile marker, I could see the back of the sign indicating the end of the second mile (the course was a lollipop and the first and last 3.5 miles were on the same roads) at this point my time was 1:28:57.  If I could average 8:01 for the last two miles, I would come in sub-1:45.

This is where having a watch came in handy.  At the Harrisburg Marathon, when I wasn't wearing a watch when the wheels came off, they stayed off.  I had no idea what I needed to break four hours, so I couldn't suck it up and push myself to get the time I needed.  This time I knew what I needed and I knew that the "training to suffer" with 40-minute tempo runs and 800-meter intervals where about to payoff.

Mile 12 was over in 7:54.  Just an eight-minute mile left and a cruise for the last .1 to the finish.  Mile 13 -7:45.  The finish clock had just turned to 1:44 when I spotted it and I crossed the line in 1:44:34.  That put me 35 seconds below my PR and 11:40 less than my time at this race last year!  (in sideways rain).

It was hardly my best run race - I wish I had paced myself better early on, that could have gained me a few more seconds at the race's end.  I almost wish I had another half planned for this fall to see if I could push my time even lower.  But the next race is the Pittsburgh Marathon, and I'll be running that one relatively conservatively.  I baited myself into self-destructing in November, and I'll do no such thing this May.  8:45-9:00 pace throughout and finish under 4:00 that's the goal.

Florida 2011 and Chambersburg Half Marathon Preview

With this Saturday being my fourth running of the Chambersburg Half Marathon I'm just going to point you to last year's post and tell you what I think about my chances in 2011.

This year they are expecting considerably less rain (that all came today), but there's still a 30% chance that I'll get wet on the course from something other than perspiration.  But conditions will be considerably better than last year's race and even though it will be a little on the cold side (with some showers possible) I feel like I've got a shot at a PR.

After the Hands-On House Half Marthon, I felt like I pretty much left everything out on the course.  I could have maybe shaved some seconds off with running better tangents or pacing myself a little bit better, but for the most part that was a near-perfect race.  The course at Chambersburg is comparable to the Hands-On House course in that it is pretty hilly with a couple of significant climbs.

So let's assume I'm faster than I was in October.  I'm planning to shoot for 1:42, but will be more than satisfied with sub 1:45, and even under 1:50 would be swell.  The plan is to start out at a 7:45-8:00 pace, which will put me under 1:45 pace without really risking a total blowup.

On the less sweaty and painful side of things, I just got back from Florida with my girls.  Beth's parents have begun a tradition of escaping the snows of Northwestern Pennsylvania for Bradenton Florida for the month of march, and we've begun a tradition of joining them for a long weekend there.

Here's a three-sentence summary of the trip:

 We saw alligators.

We went swimming.

I ate a pancake as big as my head. (Three, actually - 1 1/2 on Tuesday and 1 1/2 on Wednesday.  The fourth went to waste.)

Product Review: Myoplex Lite Nutrition Bars

Lately, I've worked myself into a bit of rut in my daily snacking.  Mostly it's consisted of a rotation of a few versions of Clif Bars (original, Mojo and Crunch) and Kashi granola bars.  Mix in some pistachios and/or a banana now and then and that's about it.  It's kept me away from the vending machine in the lunchroom (for the most part - I will admit to occasional Frito snacking), but it was getting a little boring.

Enter the mailman.  He delivered a box of Myoplex Lite Nutriton Bars from EAS Sports Nutrition.  I was asked by EAS to give these a try, and even though I'm a little skeptical of the classic body-builder protein bar genre, these are a little different, so I decided to give them a try.

I brought one (peanut caramel crisp) to work with me the next day and that afternoon I bit in.  And I was surprised.  It was declious!  I mean, it still had a little of that protein-bar texture, but not like you get in some of those 35-grams of protein body builders bars.  It's actually probably pretty comparable to Snickers Marathon bar in flavor and the overall texture could be compared to a Clif Mojo bar or Kashi chewy granola bar (not the crunchy type).

The Nutrition Label on these are pretty similar to other energy bars like Clif or PowerBar, except the Myoplex Lite Bar has more protein (15g versus 10g for a regular Clif Bar and 8g for a PowerBar Performance Bar), and less sugar (13g versus 17-24g for Clif - depending on flavor - and 25g for PowerBar Performance).  Fat grams are comparable.  This also means that the Myoplex Lite Nutrition Bar has fewer calories - 190 versus 250 and 230.

There are a couple downsides to the Myoplex Lite Nutrition Bar.  The first is that unlike Clif, the Myoplex Lite Nutrition Bars are not made from all natural ingredients.  On the list of ingredients is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.  Personally, I'm to the point where I'm not sure what to believe about HFCS, and the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil was far enough down the list to not be a big concern, but if you are someone who is really particular about those things, this bar might not be for you.  Personally, I feel that natural ingredients are important, but if you're other option is a candy bar, the Myoplex Lite bar is by far the better choice.

Another downside is price.  They typically retail for about $2.50 a bar.  You can get a Clif Bar (with more sugar, less protein, more calories and all natural ingredients) for usually less than $2, some places just $1.  But if you're someone looking to trim off a few calories and cut back the sugar, the Myoplex Lite Bar would be a good (and delicious!) choice and may be worth the a little extra for something with less sugar but still a great taste.

Breakthrough!

Quick note:  Donald over at Running and Rambling has details on how you can win entry to the Big Sur International Marathon along with airfare and accomodations.  I don't have the vacation time to do it if I win, so I'm one less entry you're up against.  Click here for the scoop.

Since last summer, I've seen several breakthroughs in my training - I've had five consecutive PR's (the first being a 5K that was over 45 seconds faster than my previous best, and the last being a 5K over 45 seconds faster than that).  And I think I have a few more to go this year.  (My next test is the Chambersburg Half Marathon on March 12.)

Before this year I had felt like I was plateauing - I was improving, but improving slowly.  And many of my time improvements were more an improvement in race strategy (even pacing, proper hydration) than fitness gains.  I had even lamented on this blog how it seemed that I should be faster.

Last Spring I started making some changes in my training, and by summer I was seeing results.  There are five things that I've done that I believe contributed to this breakthrough:

1. Strength Training: For the first time I've been very consistent about lifting weights and core conditioning.  I don't have any kind of formula that uses "running specific" muscles, I just try to mix it up, using workouts that work well together.  The main thing is that I try to work everything, from my shoulders to calves, my biceps to my abs and I change about 1/3 of my workout every week, so that every three weeks I'm doing something completely new.

2. Barefoot and Minimalist Running: There's nothing in barefoot running in and of itself that will make you faster. In fact after about a year of barefoot and minimalist running I'm certain that I run much faster with shoes than barefoot.  But barefoot running will teach you good form.  It will help give you a mid- or forefoot strike and teach you to land a little lighter.  By taking all the "corrective" features out of my shoes (I've switched from the Asics Gel Nimbus 12 to the Brooks Green Silence and New Balance MT101) I run more naturally and keep that "barefoot form" without having to worry about what I'm stepping in or on out on the road.


3. Consistent Training:  Since September of 2009 I've only had three lay-offs lasting more than five days, and only one lasting more than seven (May 2010).  This I think is due in part to numbers 1 and 2.  Good form and weight training have kept my muscles balance and protected them from injury.  Although, I'd have to say that the grace of God has gone a long way as well.

4. More Mileage:  In September I started regularly hitting 30+ miles per week.  In October I set a PR of 143 miles for the month.  I broke that PR with 144 in January and then again with 157 in February.  This also goes along with the other three, being healthy and consistent have given me the opportunity to get more miles in which has given me an aerobic boost.

5. Low Mileage in 2009:  The combination of a foot injury and Adele's birth cut my mileage severely in 2009.  I hardly ran at all in June and July, and started back slowly in August and didn't reach 20 miles per week until late winter 2010 (in preparation for the Chambersburg Half).  I think this time off gave me a chance to rest tired and strained muscles and gave me the opportunity to come back stronger in 2010.  I'm now planning a "Sabattical" year every five to seven years that will cut back my running for an entire year to give my body to recharge and come back stronger in the following years.  So you should see a lot less activity from me in 2016.

A sixth thing I could mention, but isn't really specific to this year, is experience.  I've heard it said that aerobic fitness is slow to develop and slow to fade.  And in the same way I've seen my weight drop, then plateau, then drop again my speed and endurance will improve and plateau, improve and plateau without having to make changes in my training.

Now I'm making one more change in my training:  a commitment to speed work.  I've already hit the track for 800 meter repeats and did a Jack Daniels-style 40 minute tempo (at a 7:40 pace) and I'm planning some hill repeats before Pittsburgh and a workout called "non-stop strides" to prepare for some short, fast summer races (especially the Harrisburg Mile).  Hopefully this will take this breakthrough to another level.