I put a serious pounding on my outer right heel, eh?

They have been good shoes and have carried me very far.  Now, though, it is time to make way for the younger generation.  As my old Mizunos go to pastor (yard work) my new, vibrant Mizunos will take center stage and will hopefully carry me hundreds and hundreds of miles more.

As I wipe the tears from my eyes I am reminded of a scripture from the Good book that fits the moment so well:

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing.”
Isaiah 43:18

Out with the old, in with the new…right?  As long as its not me that’s thrown out with the old I’m cool.

That's some serious wear on my old Mizuno's heels, especially the right heel.

Nah, seriously, my old Mizuno’s are great shoes and have served me well (unlike my vff’s which almost ruined my running season this year).  Again, I blame myself and not the vff’s for my long list of injuries these past 9 months that I experimented with vff’s.

But, I liked my old Mizunos so much that I bought the upgrade to them – the Wave Precision 11′s.

There's my new Mizuno: Wave Precision 11. Good looking shoe.

So far, with my new Mizuno’s I’ve covered 24.82 miles in one week.  Hopefully, I’ll squeeze out 600 to 800 miles out of these new Mizunos before retiring them.

My trusty old Mizunos. I will miss running with you my friends but I will see you in the garden

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

09/02/2010

My time for 6.13 miles on 08/31/2010

Today, I ran 6.13 miles at the rails to trails but in the opposite direction – the Western section of the trail.  My time for today’s run was :48:33:65.  Again, I didn’t have much of a running plan.  I just reluctantly went for a run.  Reluctantly, that’s right.  I knew that I should run but I didn’t want to run.  I drove out to the rtt nevertheless and sat in my car for almost ten minutes before saying, “what the heck, just go do it”.  So, I ran.  As I started my run the thought that was with me was, ‘at the one mile mark turn around and head back home’.

My time for my 6/13 miles on 09/01/2010

By the time I hit the one mile mark I wanted another mile.  By the two mile mark, I had found my mojo and just wanted to run.  So, I picked up the pace and ran.  It turned out to be a pleasant run.  I was happy, especially after seeing my time and distance.  I laughed out loud at the coincidence of running the exact distance the day before except in the opposite direction of the rails to trails.  Oh, the temperature this evening at the end of my run was 84 degrees with a nice warm breeze.

This is my twitter running update every two miles. Notice how my pace quickened from 2 to 4 to the 6 mile mark.

Goes to show, some days you have it some days you don’t.  Yesterday, I obviously did not have it.  Today, I did.  The speed demons are beginning to entice me.  So, this week I will begin my speed training.  I’m not much into speed training but I will incorporate it into my running regiment as the race season gets closer and closer.  Now, my speed training is unorthodox.  I don’t do track training.  I just don’t like running at a track.  My speed training consists of a 15 minute warm up at about an 8 1/2 minute pace.  After the 15 minutes I will do two minute bursts of 6 to 6 1/2 minute paces and then slow down 8 1/2 minute pace again for 2 minutes.  I will repeat this for 30 minutes.  So, my total time for speed training will be a 45 minute run, once a week.  I will do that tomorrow (Thursday).  On Friday, I’m pretty sure that I’ll feel like a piece of crap.  This is a hard workout.  Where do I do this type of work out, you ask?  Pretty much anywhere.  Tomorrow, I’ll do this workout at the rails.

• my mapped run on 08/31/2010
• my mapped run on 09/01/2010
• my running log

Wildlife inventory:

• 10 seagulls: 08/31/2010
• 3 seagulls: 09/01/2010
• 3 wasps: 08/31/2010
• 1 wasp: 09/01/2010
• 1 huge banana spider: 08/31/2010
• 1 medium sized banana spider: 09/01/2010
• 2 fiddler crabs: 08/31/2010
• 100,000 fiddler crabs: 09/01/2010
• 1 mocking bird: 08/31/2010
• 1 mocking bird: 09/01/2010
• 1 red-winged black bird: 08/31/2010
• 4 butterflies: 2 yellow winged, 2 orange and speckled winged: 08/31/2010
• 2 domestic dogs: 08/31/2010
• 3 grasshoppers: 08/31/2010
• 1 grasshopper: 09/01/2010
• 1 moth: 09/01/2010
• 3 dragon flies: 09/01/2010
• 1 great egret: 09/01/2010
• 3 doves: 09/01/2010
• 1 very pregnant or very chubby sparrow: 09/01/2010

Yeah, that’s right.  I saw a pregnant sparrow or, a severely overweight sparrow today during my run.  It flew in front of me, across the trail, kind of bobbing up and down.  It looked like it was having a very difficult time staying afloat through the air.  I thought that only humans and dogs and cats were the ones susceptible to obesity.  Man, was I wrong!  This bird was chubby.  Its eaten way too many worms.  Anyway, at least the little chubby sparrow was at the rails to trails trying to burn off some calories unlike some chubby people, dog and cat that I know!  Hint, hint, Gypsy and Texas!  Yeah, my dog, Gypsy and his cat, Texas are a little pudgy.  They should be at the rails to trails with this little chubby sparrow burning off some calories too!  I have to be a little careful in relaying this information to Gypsy, though.  He’s a little sensitive about <whisper> his weight problem.  When you see Gypsy please try not to stare at his big belly and butt.  He’s very self-conscious.

Ok, I stink.  So, I gotta shower.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

That's me after my 6/13 mile run this evening. Peace out, dude.

My left heel was slightly nagging me at the beginning of the run but after about one mile the pain went away.  My long goal for today’s run was 8 miles.  My realistic goal for today was whatever my heel could handle.  So, yes, I was pleased when I reached and passed the 8 mile mark.  It was good.

Afterward, though, is when the pain returned.  After my run I talked with a friend at the rails for about ten minutes, stretched my legs on the beams supporting the boardwalk leading to the rtt and went to Walmart.  As I was leaving Walmart my left heel began to hurt.  I guess the runners high was wearing off.  Btw,  at Walmart I bought two cans of chicken breast in water, two cans of garbanzos, milk duds and gorilla tape.  I’ll explain the gorilla tape thing later (on another blog entry – its about running, I assure you).

As I type this blog entry my left heel is hurting pretty bad.  I’ll try to ice it before going to bed (but no promises).

Mizuno Wave Precision 11 - Great shoes!

So, my new Mizunos performed beautifully!  I’m so happy.  No more vff’s for me (for running, that is).  If you’re interested in these Mizuno wave precision 11 (and live in Savannah) you can get them at Fleet Feet Savannah.

Also, today’s run was my first one with my new ear buds.  My Apple Iphone earbuds, for lack of a better word, suck.  I’ve gone through three Apple earbuds.  The ones that have the volume control on the cable are the worse of all.  After hot, sweaty runs the left earbud stopped working on both sets of earbuds.   And, don’t get me going on the iphone 4.  For all the really cool features it has it is by far the sorriest Apple product I’ve ever purchased.  But, this blog is not about slamming Apple.  Its about running and new Mizunos and new earbuds…Oh, and my bum heel, too.

Great $20.00 earbuds bought at Target

As for the earbuds, I bought a pair of Phillips “Color earhooks” shs4843 and they worked beautifully today!  They were kind of a pain at first to wrap around my ear but after I got how the fit, they went right on.  They sounded great.  I actually had to turn down the volume because they were much louder than my Apple earbuds.  The Phillips earbuds felt so comfortable that I truly forgot that I had them on.  Oh, and what joy that they never slipped out of my ears as other earbuds have!  I paid $19.99 for these Philips earbuds at Target.  I like them.  They worked as I expected them to.

Philips colored earhooks work great

• my mapped run
• my running log

Wildlife Inventory:

• a million or so fiddler crabs
• 2 great egrets
• 2 snowy egrets
• 6 doves
• 2 seagulls
• 3 wasps
• 1 grasshopper

rtt savannah

So, what’s in the works for this coming week?  Tons of work at…work but this blog is not about work.  Depending on how my heel feels I will do several 6 to 8 mile runs during the weekdays that I’m not in the gym.  If and when I’m in the gym lifting weights, I’ll do 30 to 45 minute runs on the treadmill.  When my heel heals completely I’m going to begin incorporating speed training into my regiment.  Race season is almost upon us!

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

08/29/2010

This is a great documentary.  You’ll want to run a marathon afterward.

Enjoy & then run!

peace,

dh

08/28/2010

Happy Gypsy at the vet

Gypsy has been with me for almost two months now.  Yesterday was his very first vet appointment with me.  He got a good report and lots of love from the people working at Crossroads Animal Hospital.

I will say that Gypsy was not too happy about the needle prick to do a heartworm test which came back negative!  Yay!  He quickly became happy again after two, three, four, five treats…

Gypsy is pretty healthy.  His heart beats strongly and he weighs 40 pounds.

Gypsy is such a wonderful, gentle dog.  I’m so fortunate to have him.

Thanks for stopping by.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

08/28/2010

My new Mizunos: Wave Precision II & my cat, Texas

Well, a sunny Friday afternoon rolled around the next day and I just could not wait til Saturday.  So, I ran in them and it was another rough run for me.  My heel hurt while I ran and to make it even more interesting, my stomach began churning, making my intestines feel very uncomfortable.  Twice during my 3.68 mile run (yeah, that was how much I ran, btw) I had to go from running to walking for fear of unleashing fury in my shorts.  It just wasn’t a pleasant run.  Dang, I feel like I’m falling apart!  I know that I’m getting older but dang it!  I’m not that old yet!  I should not be breaking down like this.  If its not some injury below my knees its some stomach/intestinal conflict that threatens to explode violently into my shorts!  What gives?

That’s the life of a runner, I guess.  I don’t know.

What I do know is that I’m tired of all these pesky injuries I’ve had this year.  I’m ready to have a long stretch of injury free running.  That is why I’ve minimized the potential for injury by retiring my vff sprints.  That’s right, you heard right.  I’ve retired my vff’s.  Will I go back to running with vff’s?  I don’t know.  I love vff’s but so many of the injuries I’ve had this year seem to have occurred while running with vff’s.  I know that some people may disagree but this is first year that I have had so many reoccurring injuries and, this is the year that I started running with vff’s.

From the very start of the year I had a calf injury that was attributable to running with vff’s.  Now, to be fair,  I will not say that the vff shoes are the evil culprit of my running injuries.  I am the cause of my running injuries.  From the moment I bought my vff’s I pushed myself hard and injured my calf.  It was my impatience that prolonged the injury.

My transition to vff running should have been slow -both in distance and in pace.  On both accounts, I pushed the envelope (as I always do).  Within a month and a half of running in vff’s I ran a half marathon.  My time was respectable for running with vff’s (1:43:13) but I paid a price in numerous nasty blisters on the bottoms of both my feet.

And, I didn’t stop there.  I kept pushing it and pushing it with my vff’s.  Listed below are the running setbacks I’ve had:

1. Right calf injury – January 2010 – 2 week setback
2. Severely blistered feet – February 2010 – 1 week setback
3. Blistered feet – March 2010 – 1 week setback (discovered mole skins which helped some).
4. Left calf injury – June 2010 – 6 weeks to recover
5. Left heel injury – August 2010 – still trying to recover

That’s a lot of injuries to contend with in an 8 month period.  And, all of those injuries occurred while I was running strongly with vff’s or venturing back into them.  The longest stretches of injury-free running I’ve had these past 8 months has been when I’ve run predominately in my Mizunos (conventional running shoe).  Its pretty black and white.

I’m not going to stop wearing my vff’s nor, will I not purchase another pair but, it will take a lot to get me to run in them again.  I still want to get a pair of vff Bikilas to climb Kilimanjaro with.  I love vff’s, just not for running.

Ok, where to from here?

I’m going to attempt to run again but it will be a short run, probably no more than 4 miles (if that).  My left heel still has a light resonating ache.  Hopefully, today’s run will not give me the runs -like yesterday’s did.

• my running blog
• my mapped run

Wildlife inventory:

• 1 rabbit
• 1 snowy egret
• 4 domestic dogs
• 3 mocking birds
• 1 moth
• 6 dragon flies
• 1 dove
• 1 little baby in a stroller

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

08/28/2010

Reaching the point with my vff's

Gypsy on the trail in Police Memorial Park

Yeah, seriously…My heel is in pretty bad shape.  I tell ya, I’m falling apart.  The machine is definitely breaking down.  This is the year of Running Injury for me.  I have never had so many setbacks in a season…ever.  Its getting very tiring.  It is still too early to write off the rest of the running season and hope for a better one next year.  I just have to keep learning patience and slow it down some.

Maybe, this is the best time for me to slow down on the cardio and focus for a while on the anaerobic.  I don’t know.  Maybe, its time for me to hit the gym hard again and bulk up for the winter and, for next year Spring’s Kilimanjaro trek.  Its just so hard for me to break away from running.  I’m too passionate about it.  Running truly is an important outlet for me.  If go without running for too long I fear I might truly and seriously spontaenously combust.  Yes, its true.  I can already smell the hair on my head burning.  So, if I don’t post another blog again then, you will know that I was engulfed in a ball of liquid hot magma and burned away to smithereens.  I truly hope that doesn’t happen.

The big tree in Police Memorial Park

So anyway, after the gym, I went to Publix and bought some groceries.  After coming home and putting away the groceries I grabbed Gypsy and headed off with him to Daffin Park.  We parked near the corner of Washington and Bee and walked up Kerry Street to Police Memorial Park.  In PMP, there is this beautiful trail that winds through a thick canopy of trees and then goes to a clearing and skirts alongside Truman expressway briefly before disappearing back into the heavy cluster of trees and then exits you onto Bee Road.  The trail itself is perhaps, three quarters of a mile.  When you get on this trail and disappear into the thick tangle of trees you literally feel like you’ve left the city and are now in a jungle near the equator.  The air is thick with moisture and the singing birds do a job well done in smothering out the sounds of cars speeding up and down the Truman parkway.

Truman parkway on the left of Gypsy

I’m going to continue to take it day by day regarding my recovery.  I think I may buy a new pair of running shoes.  My Mizunos are definitely up for retirement.  Will I buy another conventional running shoe or, should I buy Vibram Bikilas?  At this moment, I think I’m going to play it safe and go for the conventional running shoe.  There may be some coincidence that the year that I’ve had the most running injuries is also the year that I ventured to barefoot running via Vibram 5 fingers.  Is there a connection?  I don’t know.  I just want to be able to run again without the annoyance of injury after injury.  I just want to run AGAIN!  Sorry for venting.

I’m going to take a few more days off and try to run on Friday.  I’m going to play it safe.  No more vff running for a while.

Thanks for stopping by.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

08/24/2010

When Gypsy says, pet me, he really means, pet me!

I took this video today during lunch.

Thanks for stopping by.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

08/24/2010

I actually counted 35 deer while running Ft. Pulaski!  That’s the highest number of deer I have ever counted while out there.  I was beginning to think that there were only 22 deer in Pulaski because that was the most I had ever seen there.  Its good to know that there are more.

my 6.51 mile route

I saw the deer in packs through-out the island but at the front of the old fortress I saw sixteen deer on one of several levees that run across the marsh.  Of course, I chose to follow the levee with the 16 deer but what happened next I did not expect at all.  As I ran toward them I expected them to dart off of the levees and head toward the woods (which they did do).  What was amazing though, was that the deer waited until I was just upon them, no more than twenty feet from them, before they took off running.  And, instead of darting quickly into the woods they actually ran alongside me on the edges of the levee and then, they merged to my right where several stopped to gaze at me.  Eventually, they all leaped two or three times and disappeared into the woods.  It was amazing!  The sun was beginning to retire -so, the sky was red, yellow and grey.  And, to make it even more surreal, Cold Play’s “Fix You” was playing on my iphone.  It doesn’t get any more perfect than that.  I actually thanked God for allowing me this perfect and pristine moment.  These are those magical moments that make life so good and perfect.  If you cannot thank God for these special moments then, your heart is just not right.  As I experienced this moment I thought, ‘I will probably never be encompassed in a moment like this.’  It was so special.  Thank you, Lord.

• my mapped run
• my running log

Wildlife inventory:

• 35 deer
• 66 seagulls
• 2 pelicans
• 1 cormorant
• 1 tern
• 4 snowy egrets
• 6 great egrets
• 5 crows
• 1 grasshopper
• 1 wasp
• 6 dragon flies
• 13 doves
• 1 huge cargo ship
• 1 billion fiddler crabs

So, where do I go from here?  What do I do about my left heel?  The throbbing ache is nearing the unbearable for my weak self.  I’m currently icing it.  Do I run on it tomorrow?  If so, how much mileage should I crank out?  Should I run in my vff’s or conventional running shoes?  I ran in my vff’s today and that was painful.  I ran in my mizunos yesterday and that was painful.  So, I think its going to be a toss up on what shoes to run in.

icing my left heel & my black toenail.

I’m just going to take it day by day.  I will continue to ice and stretch it and reduce my mileage but I will not stop running.  There you have it.

Ok, I’m off.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my running blog.  You know, I have to start writing about my upcoming trip to Tanzania.  The trip is on March 6, 2011.  I will be climbing Kilimanjaro.  I’m excited but I don’t know how to prepare for this exercise-wise.  I’ll continue running but there is nothing I can do about the altitude problems I may experience.

First things first.  I’ll make an appointment with my doc in September and begin there.

Ok, until next time.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

08/22/2010

Peace out, dude. And, God bless America

Ever since my last run on August 17th, my heel has been killing me.  I decided to take several days off to recuperate and for the most part, I thought I had.  So, yesterday I went for a 5.77 mile run and dang’it if I didn’t inflame my heel again.  And, to add insult to injury, aside from the annoying heel problem I felt so lethargic during my run.  My legs felt waterlogged heavy.  I felt like total crap.

I wonder if the owner of the flip-flops jumped in? And, whether he was eaten by alligators or a great white shark? We may never know. Its a mystery.

I did try to keep my spirits up as I trudged through this run, though.  I thought about funny movies like “A Fish called Wanda” and “The Other Guys“.  Remembering particular lines from these movies would suddenly have me laughing out loud.  Those two movies are incredibly funny.  Still, though, aside from these momentary light moments remembering lines from funny movies or singing along with Al Green, Linkin Park, Slipknot & Bob Dylan the heat, high humidity and aching heel produced general discomfort that kept bringing  me back to one heartfelt thought -finish this run!

Some of the rtt terrain. Not very vff friendly, I assure you.

Aside from the guy that I saw reel in a stingray just as I started my run I had the whole trail to myself.  Running is a solitary sport and I like that but when I run I generally want to see people and interact with them even if its just saying “hi” or nodding a hello as we pass one another.  Seeing no one beyond the stingray catching dude also did a number at keeping my spirits down as I ran.

If you have kept up some with my running blog you may remember all of my complaining about my right calf, my left calf, my vff-clad blistered feet and now this…

So, what am I going through now?  I think I might have plantar fasciitis.  Yeah, I’ve heard of this a million times and I still cannot pronounce it.  Thankfully, I can at least spell it.

“Who gets plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is most often seen in middle-aged men and women, but can be found in all age groups. Plantar fasciitis is diagnosed with the classic symptoms of pain well localized over the heel area of the bottom of the foot. Often the pain from plantar fasciitis is most severe when you first stand on your feet in the morning. Pain often subsides quite quickly, but then returns after prolonged standing or walking.”

The italicized text above (see plantar fasciitis link) describes precisely what I feel on my left heel.  Two months ago it was my right calf.  Now, its my left heel.  I cannot win for lose, it would seem.

Here’s another segment of the plantar fasciitis article linked above that describes well why we get plantar fasciitis:

“Why did I get plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis occurs because of irritation to the thick ligamentous connective tissue that runs from the heel bone to the ball of the foot. This strong and tight tissue contributes to maintaining the arch of the foot. It is also one of the major transmitters of weight across the foot as you walk or run. Therefore, the stress placed on the this tissue is tremendous.

When a patient has plantar fasciitis, the connective tissue that forms the arch of the foot becomes inflamed (tendonitis) and degenerative (tendinosis)–these abnormalities cause plantar fasciitis and can make normal activities quite painful.”

And, remedy for plantar fasciitis (I wish I could pronounce this as well as I spell it!):

“Rest
Avoiding the precipitating activity; for example, take a few day off jogging or prolonged standing/walking. Just resting usually helps to eliminate the most severe pain, and will allow the inflammation to begin to cool down.”

To help the healing process you can also ice it, shoot it up with cortizone, do gentle stretches and wear shoe inserts.  Rest, ice and gentle stretches is what I’m doing.  I try to stay away from cortizone and shoe inserts.   to me, she inserts  just take up unnecessary space in my shoes.  What can I say, I still believe in less running shoe is better.  So, no inserts for me.

• my mapped run
• my running log

Wildlife inventory:

• 1 stingray
• 1 great egret
• 2 seagulls
• 1 red cardinal: female
• 27 dragon flies
• 2 wasps
• 1000 million fiddler crabs

So, what should I do about this plantar fasciitis?  I will continue to stretch and ice but I gotta get out there and run even if its just a few miles.  I’ve had too many setbacks this running season.  If its not plantar fasciitis its something else I’m going through.  This evening I will run again, -just a little bit, though.  I won’t push it.  I’ll see how it goes.  That’s it for now.

So, before I go I probably should address who Tiffany is.  The short answer is, I don’t know.  Someone expressed their love for “Tiffany” at the entrance of the Rails to Trails and I found it amusing enough to photograph and post.  Ahh, to be in love!  The things we do!

Thanks for stopping by and checking this blog out.

All the best to you and yours.

peace,

dh

08/22/2010