You may (or may not) have noticed I haven’t posted about running in quite awhile. In fact, I haven’t written a single word about running since May 19th.

Why is that, you may ask? (Look, I know you’re probably not really asking, but it’s, you know – a literary device – and it makes me feel better to pretend). Sadly, the answer is simply that there really hasn’t been much running this summer.

Which means any hopes I had of a marathon in the fall have been out the window for some time now. It’s taken awhile to come to grips with that – as a newbie runner, you tend to lock on to goals pretty quickly and easily (or at least I do, anyway). This may or may not be why I haven’t mentioned it in awhile.

I still love running. I’m still going to run a marathon. But as it turned out, I underestimated the seriousness of my PFPS injury that I got from running a half-marathon back in May. It made it pretty much impossible for me to top three miles without limping around in pain for a couple days afterward. I can do short runs okay, but I have to stay away from hills and, if I am to increase my mileage at all, I have to do it in tiny (read: agonizingly slow) fractions.

Also, the DC area in the summer is obscenely hot and nasty. I’m not sure how I could have trained through July/August even had I been in perfect health. It is brutal out there.

So I look forward to the fall, cooler weather, and a return to more mileage. In the meantime I’ve kept up with cross-training, and have been doing as many miles as possible on a treadmill to build up my joints. Perhaps I will consider another half-marathon before the year is out, but I’m reluctant to fast-track any training the way I did before as I’m sure I’ll wind up in the same place again. I haven’t run in any races all summer and I miss that. At the very least, I will tackle a 5k or two, maybe an 8k or 10k. No solid plans at the moment though.

While I’m on the topic, I did want to make a mention – as I did on my facebook page yesterday – that Mark Bittman has started a running blog on the Runner’s World site. I have high hopes for this as one of the things that interests me about running is how to build the perfect diet to support the habit. You don’t need a subscription or membership or anything like that to check it out.. but there’s not too much there just yet though.

Have you been keeping up with any new, exciting physical activities this summer? Or a favorite thing that you’ve always done? What got you outside this summer?

I’m not going to lie, it has been seriously difficult getting back into a regular running schedule after the epic half marathon race that I ran a few weeks ago now.

The left knee injury turned out to be a little worse than I had initially thought. It took me two weeks before I was walking completely normal again, so I figured I better do a little research into exactly what I had done wrong. I’m no doctor (I just play one on TV), but it looks like Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome – PFPS. The patello is your kneecap, and patellofemoral pain is an overuse injury caused by a mistracking patello in your femur or thighbone. This image here sort of explains it.

Basically – overuse (not enough training), and increasing mileage too quickly. Which is what I had thought to begin with, but now that I know it’s actually a “syndrome,” I suppose I should take it a little more seriously, huh?

Not running for two weeks and change has had a bit of a bizarre effect. I’ve read articles and such about serious athletes being injured, and how difficult it is for them to go through rehabbing the injury when all they want to do is just keep up with their sport. Honestly, I can’t say I ever felt much pity at the aspect of them missing out on the exercise. Oh boo flippin hoo, you’ve been running 100 miles a week, and now you’re upset that you have to sit on a couch for a month? World’s tiniest fiddle.

But I’m starting to get the picture now. Even only running for a little over 6 months now, and averaging just about 25-30 miles per week on my good weeks, it has become a pretty significant part of my life. Not just running, but exercise in general. Without it, I start going a little crazy. I get testy. The fact that my left wrist is still in a brace has prevented me from doing anything significant really with upper body exercise, cause my left arm is withering away and the last thing I want to do is beef up my right in the mean time. Yeah that would just be.. weird. So I haven’t been to the gym, and I hadn’t been running, and I think it was all starting to turn me into a bit of an asshole.

You really don’t realize how much you’re getting out of something until it’s taken away.

Stop the presses! Yeah, I know, this is headline news nobody has ever heard before.

So this past weekend we had some really beautiful weather and I was literally dying to get out for a run. I figured I’d keep it pretty easy and light, no concern for going long distances or at any particular speed. Amanda and I chose the Burke Lake Loop for the run, another one of my favorite spots, as it’s always very pretty and the loop is about 4.5 miles – long enough to get a substantial run in but not so long I’d be pushing myself.

Burke Lake is a Virginia State Park about 10 minutes away from home. It’s really beautiful there.

The trail weaves back and forth between spots along the lake shore…

…as well as further into the woods.

A good place for thoughts.

And stuff.

Turns out 4.5 miles actually was pushing myself. Not good. I only got about 3 miles around before my knee started troubling me again. It’s looking like I’m going to have to take things pretty slowly this Summer to build back up again, especially with hopes of a marathon in the Fall.

It was great getting out there and stretching my bones a bit, though. I needed that.

So it’s done. It’s Monday and my body both feels better and yet in more pain than it has in a long, long time.

Yesterday, Amanda and I ran the Alexandria Running Festival half marathon race. 13.1 miles on this course in Alexandria, VA.

This was the first time we had ever run that far, and only the second time running in an official race. We completed it in a little over 2 and a half hours, but time really wasn’t our concern. We just wanted to finish.

We went to pick up our race packets and bib numbers on Saturday at the race hotel in Alexandria. They had a little expo thing going on there but we really just came and went.

We tried to take Saturday as easy as possible but I still wound up re-hanging the screen door on my deck, doing a decent bit of gardening, and some other various chores. I’m not really good at doing nothing. We got everything ready for the race the evening before and it was next to impossible trying to fall asleep.

The night before the race, I made a pasta carbonara with ramps and asparagus using a recipe from Eddie’s Culinary Studio. It came out most excellent.

The morning of the race started at about 5:30am. We got up and had breakfast – Amanda had a bagel with cream cheese while I had Greek yogurt and almonds, bagel, and an orange. On the way to the race I suggested that she also have an apple for some more carbs and quick energy, which she did. Unfortunately, right after she ate it her heartburn kicked in. The acid from the apple was too much – it’s rare for me to ever have heartburn so I don’t usually think of something like an apple as something to be wary of – but for her it’s a whole different world. She tends to be really sensitive to anything that might cause any sort of heartburn to flare up.

We started the race towards the back of the pack because we had been waiting in the port-a-john line until right before the gun (7am). They only had 5 for about 500 people. Not good planning. In fact, to call this event a ‘festival’ was really a bit of a stretch. More on that later.

Having judged by the course map, it looked like the race would be a loop – out and back. As we were running, we realized we were halfway through that course way faster than we expected, and it started to dawn on us that it wasn’t just out and back – it was out and back and out and back. So you basically just ran a quarter marathon twice. Kind of annoying. It probably would’ve been nicer if it was just longer but oh well. The part of it that went on a trail and through the parks was pretty nice.

So we ran and ran and ran and struggled and struggled. We went without music/headphones and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. Having someone to talk to helped a lot. We had decided that we would run the race together, even if it meant either of us had to slow down here or there for the other one to deal. There were a few moments of walking but for the most part they were brief. There was a bathroom stop somewhere around the 9th or 10th mile. By the end of the race, Amanda had gotten sick 3 times and my nips were bleeding from the chafing. 13.1 miles is many things, but sexy is not one of them.

My left knee starting aching around mile 8 and it got to the point where I really couldn’t walk because it would seize up and I knew I had to keep running until the end and just suffer it then. It was a pain I was familiar with – and a result of too much mileage too fast. We really hadn’t gotten to train sufficiently for this race – only having run more than 10 miles about 3 times. Amanda, though, was hardcore. When she got sick around mile 12 (most likely due in no insignificant part to the apple I had so thoughtlessly suggested), she just did her thing and then she kept right on running… moving faster afterward than I think she had for the whole rest of the race.

There was a huge hill at the end of the course, and coming up and over it to reach the finish line was an amazing feeling. My parents met us there and cheered us on as we crossed the line, and then we collapsed on the grass. We tried to have some conversation and talk about the experience but I was having some trouble forming coherent sentences at that point. I’m still not sure I have all my thoughts together about the whole thing, but I do know that – even if it wasn’t our best run ever – it was really fun and really enjoyable.

After the race I went off in search of some ice or a bandage for my knee, and neither the race staff nor the medic staff on hand could provide me with either. And the medic staff were too busy chatting with their friends and basically doing fuck-all to help me out. Honestly, I’ve only run two races, but this one seemed really low budget and poorly organized. This was no ‘festival,’ it was a couple small rain tents and one guy with a microphone. I’m not sure what I expected, but this wasn’t it. I doubt we’d ever run this particular race again – neither the course nor the event seemed like anything worth coming back to.

This was really a minor thing though, all in all. It’s not like we would have had the energy to stick around and party at a festival anyway. Still, it was hard not to notice.

13.1 miles… a half marathon. Vomiting, bloody nipples. Glory (sort of). Neither of us have run for longer than a year yet, and still after an event like this it’s hard to feel that you haven’t crossed into a new territory of running. Am I a seasoned runner now? Maybe not so much just yet. But this was certainly a level up.

So I’ve done a 5 mile race. I’ve done a half marathon. It’s time to take a few weeks off, but my ultimate goal here is to run a marathon in the Fall, so in another week or two I will be out there again running 10+ miles regularly on the weekend. And I’m looking forward to it.

Just as soon as I get a chance to recover.

I’m primarily talking about pain. Or more specifically, I’m talking about putting yourself through suffering for the purpose of challenging yourself to overcome it. To me, this is what running is all about. The endorphins are great, the adrenaline is great, but what really keeps me coming back time and time again is the sense of accomplishment I get from putting my body through a struggle – both physically as well as mentally – and coming out alive on the other side. And every time I reach that other side, I am a better person for it in some way, however small it may be.

Life is all about these challenges, whether you get them through running or otherwise. People constantly challenge themselves through physical struggles, in their personal relationships, in honing their talents. Without such challenge, suffering, and conquest there is little left to life. Once you have given up on making yourself a better person, what’s left? I don’t ever want to know the answer.

Of course I realize running isn’t for everyone, and I believe people have their own individual methods for attaining what I get through running – however conscious of it (or not) they may be. There are many paths to get to the places that I talk about, but at the same time I know that other runners will likely understand me best here.

I recently finished a book by one of my favorite fiction authors of all time, Haruki Murakami. It’s a book called What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, and it’s basically a bunch of ramblings about what running means to him and what being a novelist means to him. He talks at length about the challenges and the pains of being a runner and I found much common ground between what he said and what I felt, and indeed what I imagine most runners feel about what they do.

One of my favorite passages in this book was about a runner’s thoughts as he is running. I often wondered, before really becoming a runner, what I would think about all that time out there running. Murakami puts it best:

I run in a void. Or maybe I should put it the other way: I run in order to acquire a void. But as you might expect, an occasional thought will slip into this void. People’s minds can’t be a complete blank. Human beings’ emotions are not strong or consistent enough to sustain a vacuum. What I mean is, the kinds of thoughts and ideas that invade my emotions as I run remain subordinate to that void. Lacking content, they are just random thoughts that gather around that central void.

The thoughts that occur to me while I’m running are like clouds in the sky. Clouds of all different sizes. They come and they go, while the sky remains the same as always. The clouds are mere guests in the sky that pass away and vanish, leaving behind the sky. The sky both exists and doesn’t exist. It has substance and at the same time it doesn’t. And we merely accept that vast expanse and drink it in.

This is my meditation; this is my runner’s high.

And the great thing of it is, I really don’t know what I’m thinking about. I have no IDEA. I have thoughts, sure. I think about nearly everything, actually. And nothing at all. The meditative mind seeks to clear itself of all thoughts, and yet with running you don’t really clear your mind.. you simply let the thoughts come and go as they please. Occasionally you focus on your body. Occasionally you notice as things pass you by. Occasionally you get the “eight hundred five eight eight, two three hundred… EMPIIIRRE!!” jingle stuck in your head for four goddamn miles. But in general, it is what it is. And that’s one of the things that’s so beautiful about it.

So right now I am challenging myself with two things when it comes to running. I am running a half marathon in just over a week, at the Alexandria Running Festival, with my wife. It will be my first. And I am attempting to run long distances without any headphones to accompany me. My mileage currently hovers between 9-11 miles (a half marathon is 13.1 miles), so I think I’m in good shape there. As for the lack of music, I thought it would be much more difficult than it is. I’m actually quite enjoying going out without the music – you see and experience a lot more that way. This past weekend, I ran 10 miles with Amanda, neither of us with headphones. We spent the whole time talking, and 10 miles just flew by. It was pretty awesome, actually. I’m lucky to have a wife who does these things with me.

You may have figured out by now that, as a blogger (i.e. “over-sharer”), I like to share the things I love with anyone who might be interested enough to spend some time with me. To this end, I want you to join me on one of my weekday training runs on one of my favorite trails.

So lace up and let’s get going. I’m not trying to stand around here all day.

I do most of my weekday running during lunch when I can sneak away from the office. Later in the year, when I plan to train for a marathon, I’ll have to supplement that with morning and/or evening running, but for now this is sufficient. When I first leave my office I’m in Arlington, VA, which is a pretty hectic and crowded city area at lunch time. I spend a lot of time dodging people on the sidewalks and avoiding cars. I run down a pretty large hill, and head towards the Key Bridge.

Running down through Rosslyn (a division of Arlington), I pass a landmark that never fails to amuse me.

Yeah, that right there is a gas station in a church. A gas station IN a church. I guess I have to admit though, if gasoline isn’t the one true American religion, then I don’t know what is. Worship at the altars of Chevron, my fellow Americans.

As I leave Rosslyn, the Key Bridge takes me over the Potomac River and into DC.

The crowd has thinned out by this point, but there are still many runners, bikers, and suits walking to and fro. There is a great view in both directions from this bridge, especially at this time of year when everything is so green and alive again.

The view from the bridge facing south shows me the Georgetown Waterfront on the left, and just peeking out on the right side of the frame there is the Washington Monument. I’m usually reminded at this point in my run that the DC area is actually kind of pretty, so long as you know where and when to look.

After I cross the bridge, I descend onto the C&O Canal tow path. This path is nearly 185 miles long and goes all the way up to Cumberland, MD, in the western panhandle. It’s quite a tow path, as tow paths go.

By the time I get down to the tow path, there are only just a few occasional runners and bikers, and me. Here, there is some escape. I am not in VA anymore, and even though I’m within the boundaries of DC, DC itself is just some vague idea to me by this point. I have run about 2 miles by now, and have hit a stride.

Another great thing about running is that it gets you outside. When you run regularly, you become much more in tune with the seasons, as every little change is something noticeable when you’re spending hours out there running. Many people in this area feel that Spring lasts but a week here, and while it’s undeniable that the season is fleeting, mostly this is a symptom of people just not getting out there to enjoy it. By the time you realize Spring has arrived and you plan to spend some time outside, it’s already passed you by. With running, I don’t need to make any plans. I just keep on doing what I’m doing.

And there’s wildlife, too. Some days I run streets, but I really love to run trails and be out in more natural surroundings.

On this particular run, I hadn’t been on the C&O trail more than a mile before I was greeted by a mama duck and her family.

Not a half mile later, a giant egret flew past.

Kind of hard to see against the stone wall, but very beautiful and regal as it flew by.

And shortly thereafter, I came upon a snake lounging in the sun in the middle of the tow path. He quickly and graciously moved out of my way and into the brush. Thankfully my wife was not with me, as she has a serious phobia of these slithering reptiles. So much so that I have only linked my picture of it rather than displaying it here prominently. You’re welcome, baby.

At about 4 miles from the office, I hit my turnaround point – Fletcher’s Cove. Fletcher’s is a great little spot, where you can rent bikes for the path, canoes for the canal, or row boats for the Potomac. I have great memories of coming here as a very young child, and spending afternoons canoeing with my parents and brothers. I have some other memories of this place as well, of skipping class in high school and heading out on a rowboat with a friend or two. And I have memories of taking Amanda here on a date just a few years back now.

Sometimes it’s a great thing to have grown up where you live. I never thought I’d be happy living in the same place my whole life, but as I get older I find that I’m not minding it all that much. It’s nice to see your memories still alive all around you wherever you go.

Turning around, the view coming back is obviously pretty similar to going out.

2 miles or so back on the path and I’m almost back to the Key Bridge.

I used to hide out and drink here from time to time before I was of age, then go play in Georgetown. Due to construction changes and trees and such, it used to be a bit more secluded. Or maybe I just thought it was because I was young and foolish.

Back in VA. Large buildings. Busy people. Stay with me, I’m almost done… only about a mile to go left.

This hill is a motherfucker. Every single time.

The last few blocks, I run past a bunch of fast food restaurants and people eating there outside on the sidewalk. At first when that greasy smell hits me I am drawn to it compulsively…

…but just a moment later it’s replaced with another thought, inevitably, as I draw stares running past. That thought? SUCKERS. They have no idea what they’re missing.

Awesome run. I hit 8 miles this time. This is an accomplishment, and it feels great. I can return to my desk fully renewed.

Let’s do this again sometime.

What are your favorite challenges? What do you do to make yourself a better person?

Let’s talk FITNESS.

I ran my first ever official race this morning. It was an 8:30am gun out in Ashburn, VA for a charity 8k/5m race for the Children’s Hospital of VA. I ran the race with my wife Amanda, and friends Kristen and Sarah. Other than the fact that I had to get up at 6am to get there in time, it was great. The weather was cold but beautiful and clear. I ran it in 46 minutes and some change.

I’m pretty much a total noob when it comes to running, having started just last November. But I love it. The race atmosphere was exhilarating, with parents and kids waving and cheering from their houses throughout the whole course. Plus it was really motivating just to be running with such a large group of people.. there is so much more mental distraction that it makes 5 miles just fly by.

My goals right now are to run a half marathon in the Spring (that’s 13.1 miles), and a full marathon in the Fall (26.2 miles). I still have a long way to go, but I’m convinced by the way I’ve seen myself improve that anyone can do it if they just take their time training and know what they’re doing. Don’t ever rush yourself. I think with 6-7 months to go, I’ll be able to hit the big 26. So basically, this post is the first of many.

Back to food a moment. Yeah, I eat a lot, it’s kind of what I do. I love eating. I’m convinced abstinence and denial are not the way to health when it comes to diet. But I think that staying active is a great way to accommodate that. I’ve read about the topic at length, and it’s led me to incorporate some basic foundational guidelines about diet and exercise, so when I share my experiences with either I’ll do my best to share what I’ve learned.

For instance, this morning I had honey flax almond cereal in plain Greek yogurt – I chose the cereal because it’s high in carbs, and used the yogurt instead of milk to up my protein intake. When it comes to tweaking your diet for exercise, an important and easy thing to remember is carbs before your workout, protein after. The carbs will supply your energy for the exercise, and you’ll likely burn all those calories up in your workout – the protein after will help your muscles repair and rebuild. After the race I had chocolate milk (protein) and string cheese (protein). Bearing this in mind, when I post calorie tables I’ll be including the macronutrient breakdowns (fat/protein/carbs) by percentage.

It was truly a shame that I didn’t have my camera on me at the race, because we all got a visit from the mastermind behind my FAVORITE restaurant – Ronald McDonald. He gave us a pep talk. And he was there as we crossed the finish line. Fortunately, he wasn’t there handing out chicken nuggets. He was there supporting the children’s hospital charity. So I guess.. there’s nothing wrong with what Ronald McDonald was doing? This challenges my entire belief system.