Running Plan

The idea is to get back to running more and walking less.  Three weeks ago I saw a very good therapist who specializes in running - in fact she is also a runner, and a fine one.  She gave me a schedule for ramping up that was appropriate for an injured runner, probably someone younger than me and not taking cancer meds.  I protested that it ramped up pretty fast, and she suggested that I use the same schedule but a third as fast.

Today we talked about it more and I understand it better.  This is the plan:

• Each session begins with stretches and then 2-5 minutes of brisk walking. 
• After that, each session (walk/run) is 30 minutes, including six repetitions of walking & running, 5 minutes apiece, comprised of 4 minutes of walking and 1 of running.
• After three sessions at this pattern, the running portion increases by ½ minute for the next three, the increases continuing until the total running time reaches 30 minutes per session. 
• Sessions must always be separated by at least one day off, i.e. never walk/run two days in a row. 
• Once a week or so, sessions should be separated by two days off. 
• Additional walking during a session is allowed. 
• After the running time reaches 30 minutes, it may be increased by 10% per week.

The 30-minute goal should take seven or eight weeks.  I'm in no hurry.  Running speed is not important yet; I'll be happy to do 10- or 11-minute miles.

Since I last saw the therapist, I've been walking about 40 minutes per session and, most recently, finishing with a run of about 2 minutes, including a short sprint.  I have clear instructions now to avoid sprinting until the running time reaches 30 minutes, to avoid injury. I do love to sprint, but don't want to get hurt, so I'll probably follow that advice too.  Mostly.

We also discussed and tried some of the stretches and and resistance exercises that she had recommended three weeks ago.  More about those in the next post.

New Training Plan

Thursday, Nov 15, 2016:

Not complete yet, but working on it.  I saw the physical therapist last Friday and got a lot of information.  I agree with a lot of it, but not with all.  In particular, the therapist gave me a sort of one size fits all rehab sheet, meant for an injured runner, titled "Return-to-Running Program."  It features a walk/run schedule of 30 minutes three times per week, and escalates from mostly walking to a full 30-minute run in four weeks.  After that, one would increase the running time by 10% per week.

It doesn't fit me, though, because I haven't run for 30 minutes straight in a very long time, years actually. I would get injured ramping up so quickly.  I've tried it before, and did get injured.  Hamstrings, Achilles', hip flexors, knees, all have happened and will happen again if I push too hard.

The therapist did give me the option of going slower, so I will do that and try to ramp up slowly enough to avoid injury.  I do believe in the time-honored 10% per week rule, but how does that apply to a 30- or 45-minute walk/run when I am now almost exclusively walking?  Start at 10% running / 90% walking, as the rehab sheet suggests?  Then 20% / 80% the next week?  No, that's way too fast.  11% / 89% the second week?  That's a 10% increase from the first week, more or less, but way too slow - I'd never get to 100% running.  So I have to figure that out and make some decisions, but I don't have to do it right now because I can go at least a week at the 10% level.  In fact, this week I've been doing the 0% level, just walking, no running.

That feels good, but won't get me anywhere.  I'm reading a book about this - more in the next post.

Today we went to the YMCA, where I walked pretty fast for three miles and wore my heart rate monitor.  The highest rate I saw  during the walk was 108.  During the walk I could always talk (e.g. recite the Pledge of Allegiance) without difficulty, a measure of aerobic performance, and was always walking at least five footfalls per full breath, another measure.  Why might that matter?  More in the next post.

Splits: 13:43, 13:39, 13:20, total 40:42

Tuesday, Dec 13:

YMCA Walking.  Maximum observed HR 122.  A mile is 13 laps on the YMCA track.  I did run the last lap of the third mile.

Splits: 14:14, 14:45, 14:23, total 43:22

Friday, dec 8, 2016:

Mall walking.  Just a nice walk with my gals, a little less than two miles.

Trying Something Different Today

I put on my ancient heart rate monitor and tried to keep my heart rate between 100 & 105 for a four-mile walk. Because of time constraints I couldn't quite go four, but I noticed that I had to slow down a bit from the first mile through the third to keep the heart rate in that bracket.

I saw my sports doctor today about several topics.  One of those was the best approach to regaining my speed.  For several years  I have really only been able to train for the next marathon a few weeks away, being very careful not to get injured.  I have lost a lot of speed, and I want to get it back.  He referred me to a therapist who, hopefully, can set me on a path toward that objective.  Now I have an appointment with that therapist, and I know that she is a runner herself and good at what she does.  I expect to work.

Splits: 13:51, 14:07, 14:37, 6:58, total 49:33.

Oops I Fell

Saturday, November 26, 2016:

I have fallen exactly twice in my 15-year running career.  Both times with my running buddies and both times on ice.  Could there be a lesson here?  I got up and nothing hurt, so walked some more, probably about three miles in all.

Later I discovered a bruise on my left kneecap and a bit of skin torn off.  No big deal - should heal in a few days.  Doc saw it today and agrees - kneecap is structurally OK.

Philadelphia Marathon Review

November 20, 2016

My 100th marathon since my diagnosis of myeloma in 2003.  It's a major milestone.  I finished in 6:47:17, fifth of six in my 75-79 age group.

Waiting for the start

That finish was about 15 minutes behind my goal time, but if the Philly Marathon was the big story on Sunday, the weather was a close second.  Temps in the 40's with winds of 20 to 30 mph, gusting to 50, made everyone's marathon take longer.  The wind doesn't help a runner much when it's coming from behind, but it sure can make a flat road feel like a steep hill when running toward it.  No fault of the race organizers, of course.  In fact Saturday, the day before the race, would have been perfect for the marathon and was indeed perfect for the half marathon.

My Race:

A Drexel Univ Frat House!

Apart for some grumbling about the wind, I really had no problems.  This time I didn't carry water, and there were plenty of aid stations.  I took six Clif Shot gels with caffeine - those do give me a boost.  I also took about as many salt tablets and one capsule of magnesium taurate to ward off cramps, which never appeared.  I wore a visor and ear band up top, three technical (running) shirts and a wind jacket, good warm mitts, and both tights and pants below.


I think the tights were overkill - I could have done with just the pants, but not sure, because my hips and thighs got a little cold anyway, and I think that reduces the efficiency of those muscles.  Four layers above were plenty too - in the last six miles, going with the wind, I tossed one of the running shirts and was just fine.

"Please Touch Museum"
from the back

The Philadelphia Marathon:

They don't get much better than this.  All of the roads that we ran on were fully closed to vehicle traffic - the only thing we needed to worry about was being hit by a police vehicle, of which there were plenty and going plenty fast, I thought.  Again, not something that's really in the control of the race committee, and who am I to question how the police do their job of keeping us safe?

Finishing

Organization was excellent, from the online registration process to the Expo (nice big one), and the race itself.  Aid stations were winding down as I went by at my glacial pace, but there was always water and Gatorade to be had, with gels at two places, maybe more.  Even in that cold, blustery weather, the volunteers were all smiles, and the police at the corners too.  They like their marathon, and it shows.

We passed lots of famous buildings and landmarks.  One of my favorites was the children's "Please Touch Museum," housed in a National Historic Landmark built in 1876 for the Centennial Exhibition celebrating the country’s 100th birthday.  I passed this beautiful building on both sides.  Philly is an historic city with a lot of character - I wish we'd had more time to explore.

I would do this marathon again in a heartbeat, even with the same weather.

Other Stuff:

• I took a dozen photos along the way - that might account for part of the longer than expected finish time. 
• A nice 79-year-old guy from Canada was running his 227th marathon.  He is originally from Manitoba, and says that he has run every single different Manitoba marathon, of which there are 28.  BTW 28 is the same in English and Metric. 
• A young woman sitting on her porch wearing a warm-looking Santa Claus costume was smiling and holding on tight to her cat.  For a moment I wished I was doing something like that.
• For a while I kept up with a running juggler, because the wind was messing up his act.  Don't know if he finished. 

  

  Finished

• At the finish a very smiley woman was one of the people hanging medals on the runners' necks.  She said that she had read about me in the Philadelphia Inquirer and, seeing my medal, was disappointed not to be the one to present me with it.  So I took it off and she put it on me again.  We were both very pleased.
• Toward the end I passed a woman running with a mostly-full clear plastic pitcher. Big one. I asked if it was iced tea or beer.  She sniffed it, and replied "beer."  Apparently she had stopped where someone was handing out free beer, and they asked if she wanted a glass or a pitcher.  So here she was, running down the road offering it to anyone with a need.  I declined.
• Two friends, Roy and Jackie, met me before the race.  Inspiring.  Both are lots faster than me, so we didn't run together.
• Two other friends came to Philly too, but somehow we never connected.  Big city, big race.

Sarah shooting Ardis
shooting Don's finisher
medal.with more photo-
graphers in background

I run as part of a campaign called eRaceCancer, speaking out for: (1) Myeloma awareness; (2) More innovative, targeted medications for myeloma and other life-threatening diseases; and (3) Hope & inspiration for anyone needing either..  See HERE .

Splits: 41:46 (3 mi), 14:55, 13:51, 14:14, 14:43, 18:50 (major nature break), 14:38, 15:16, 14:45, 17:29 (nature break), 15:12, 14:48, 14:54, 15:53, 15:58, 32:45 (2 mi), 15:18, 16:39, 15:50, 15:28, 54:22 (3.2 mi), total 6:47:21.  Website results showed 6:47:26 - What's 5 seconds among friends.  Average pace 15:32.

Still Running

Sunday, Nov 13, 2016:

Four miles at the YMCA, slightly up tempo.  We go to the Y quite a bit when the weather gets cold.  I speed-walked the first two miles at a 13-minute pace, then ran one lap (13 laps per mile) in mile 3, and four laps in the last mile.  Overall pace 12:33.  Ready for Philly!

Splits:  12:59, 12:59, 12:38, 11:36, total 50:12.

Thursday, Nov 10:

Easy walk outdoors, two miles in 36:22.

Tuesday, Nov 8:

Three miles at the YMCA.  I forgot my watch, so used the clock on the wall instead.  This actually works pretty well, just not accurate to the split second.  I mostly walked at a 13-minute pace, then ran the very last lap.  Overall pace 12:52.

Splits: 13:00, 13:00, 12:35, total 38:35.

Monday, Nov 7:

Four miles at the YMCA,  Pace 13:36.  Splits: 13:35, 13:41, 13:40, 13:29, total 54:25.

How to Cure a Cold

They say there's no cure.  And "they" may be right, but there are a lot of things that we can do.

Heard from doctors fairly recently (but note: I am not a doctor):

• Gargle with warm salt water to sooth the throat.
• Use a neti pot (nasal irrigation) to clear sinuses.
• Claritin (Loratadine) and Claritin-D (Loratadine with pseudoephedrine) to reduce symptoms.

Other common-sense & folk treatments:

• Keep extra warm, particularly the chest.  Especially avoid chills.
• Lots of sleep - morning and afternoon naps if possible.  In my opinion this is the best possible thing to do.
• Chicken soup with lots of salt and pepper.  Maybe other hot, salty, peppery soups with onion, sage, and thyme.
• Zinc lozenges.
• Vitamin C.  We mix Vitamin C powder in some organic pomegranate juice.  Yum.
• Aromatic (menthol, camphor, ...) rub on the chest for extra heat and a nice smell.  I clip a towel around my neck too.
• Hydrate plenty.  Alas, alcohol probably doesn't count.
• "Feed a cold (and starve a fever)."  To keep the immune system strong, but junk food won't help.
• A key point:  Don't let up until the symptoms are all gone.  A chest cold will take advantage of a chill to start all over in the sinuses, or vice-versa.

Bottom line:  The old joke - Do all of these things and the cold might be gone in as little as a week.  Otherwise it might take as long as seven days.

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