Tuesday, December 29, 2009

2010 Resolutions

Since my right calf is still not healed, I'll post my resolutions for 2010.

1. Eat better, more healthful food (healthy food is food that isn't sick) in my daily diet. This really means eating a regular healthful breakfast and eating more frequently with smaller portions. And not eating after 7pm.
2. I would also like to switch from coffee to green tea and other teas. No more coffee.
3. Include a genuine warm-up, cool-down, and post run stretch session into each run.
4. Run on a plan. This means utilizing several different run types each week: long, tempo, interval, and speed, etc.. Also, at least one run per week will be a natural run with no electronic gizmos, no time, speed, distance, route plan --just run for fun. Strict adherence to 10% rule!
5. Build in cross-training including bike spinning.
6. Find and develop a running partner/group.
7. Volunteer at a race (at least one).
8. Health permitting, complete a marathon.
9. Health permitting, complete a stride and ride or similar biathlon event.
10. Continue to blog and be thankful for followers.

11. Spend more time with this guy.
12. That should do it. Any more and I'll wind up knitting my own clothes or something.

I took this past week off to try to let the calf rest. Went out this morning and it cramped up after one mile then I had to limp home. Two weeks ago I was slamming 6 and 7 milers. Not happy. Home-spun therapy continues. Anyone have experience with calf compression sleeves? I doubt it will be ready for RnR AZ. C'est la vie.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

What Now??

The right calf again. Went for 6 miles this evening and the right gastrocnemus or possibly the soleus blew up at mile 3 so I got a 3 mile run and a 3 mile limp in. Not fun.

Doing RICE and my little electroshock gadget I got from a chiropractor a few years ago. It runs on a 9 volt battery and sends a pulse of electricity to two electrodes every few seconds.

You can set the intensity, and I go pretty high. I like to watch the muscle involuntarily contract, and it I think it helps.

Not sure what this does for PF Chang.

Major bummer.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Orange Juice

I'd like to invite all my followers (6 of you now!) and their friends to come over and take away some of the best juicing oranges ever. We have a tree that produces a huge crop every year. These are perfectly ripe right now through February. These oranges are guaranteed to improve your running, and keep away winter colds.


They are difficult to peel and have lots of seeds, so they aren't much fun to eat, but the juice is unbelievable. You can pick up a cheap juicer at about any store these days. We got ours at Ace Hardware a few years ago.

If you have family visiting or friends coming into town,  or just want to juice for your Phoenix family, send me an email (jgeyer66 at cox dot net). We live very close to 32nd street and Indian School. I'm off of work for the next couple of weeks, and we are being attacked by family from back East and Colorado, so I'll pretty much be staying put.

We usually end up giving bags of these away. Trust me, we have plenty. Take care followers!

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Tri Berry and Beyond!

I tried the Tri Berry Gu. (Wow, if I had tried the tri during a Triathlon, it would have been a triple homogram.) It was really good and had the desired effect, but here is the strange thing. The gu is clear. I expected a red color. Are all gu's clear? Then I thought, why would they add coloring, your eating it literally on the run. And then I thought, "You lame-ass, is this the best you can think of for a blog entry?"

I just finished a hella week at the factory and I'm pretty burned. I need a day or two of R&R then I will be creative again. I did get two 6+ milers in at fast tempos (around 9 and negative) for both.

My spouse went to Runners Den this week to buy socks and an ITB strap -she has the ITBS now and has it pretty bad. she is out now running 10m with her running partner. Hope all is well!

I'm still partial to the vanilla bean, but have yet to taste the chocolate and coffee flavors. I anticipate gastronomical joy, but in the end, it is what the runner prefers during a race and I feel less guilty with a  citrusy flavor like lemon.

I will purchase Roctaine this weekend and give updated reports. I bet you can't wait!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Vanilla Bean Gu and the Improved ITB

Been rolling on foam and wearing a band and hoping for the best. The right ITB seems to be settling down. Now my wife has it in the left leg. Got 6.5 miles yesterday

--felt great but had to walk a few times for traffic. I'm stuck here for running in the Biltmore Arcadia locale, and you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a long stream of cars headed somewhere. But I got my HR up and was pain free for the ITB. Gonna try raising the mileage, especially on weekends. I want to try getting to 25 miles per week by RNR AZ 1/2 Marathon, then build from there for San Diego. Thanks for all the comments and I now have 5 followers (woo hooo to my followers!!) You guys are cool! I added a counter and a top commenter box to the blog.

Now that you have read my running drivel, I'll tell you about some of the best Gu available. Vanilla bean is  capital Y Yummy! Love it and will definitely keep some on hand along with the lemon flavor which is my all time favorite. I want to try the Roctain next. I also love the Clif Shot Block lemon lime. I had 1/2 a Vanilla Bean packet at mile two yesterday and the other 1/2 at mile 4. I ran negative splits except for traffic stops, and ran the last .62 at almost under 9. That's nice and fast for me, especially at the end of 6 miles. Was it the Gu or was it me?

Take care followers!!!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

C1R0 Flu

After PR'ing in the Fiesta Bowl 1/2 last weekend I was struck with C1R0, the so-called 'runner's flu'. This malady affects mediocre runners all over America this time of year. Especially runners who are East coast football fans and from 2-couch households. C1R0 runners often justify and attempt to mask their symptoms by working in the yard, hanging Christmas lights, and exclaiming 'naptime!' several times during the weekend.


Couch 1 Runner 0 is a serious flu and should not be ignored. Seek running websites immediately and cast a blog out there. Other remedies include purchasing running gear and watching a Pre video. In extreme cases, C1R0 afflictees are ordered to review their BMI and undergo a lengthy visual self-scan in a well lit mirrored bathroom.


If you, or someone you know, is ignoring the symptoms of C1R0, seek help immediately. Go for a walk in your running clothes, go for a ten minute run, call a running partner and set an appointment, eat a salad, volunteer at a race -any race. You are not alone. Get help.

Monday, December 7, 2009

2009 Fiesta Bowl 1/2 Marathon


That's me on the right after finishing in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl 1/2 marathon. My goal was to finish strong and under 2:30. Made it in 2:20 and some change and am supremely happy about it all. I ran the whole way with Lauren (in the middle) and got to meet fellow blogger Rio. Both are really nice, and both are terrific runners. Lauren stayed with me the whole way and was the only reason I was able to run in the last 1/2 mile.
The race started out really positive -lots of 5K'ers and 1/2'ies hanging out and enjoying the cold Phoenix air. It was around 35 degrees at the start and stayed pretty cool throughout the race. The gun went off at 7:30 and we took off shortly thereafter. We kept a moderate pace in the first couple of miles and ran through our scheduled walk breaks. I didn't say anything, but my ITB started to call out at mile 4 and I was wondering if I would be able to finish the race. I decided to do the medically appropriate thing and ignore the pain. It worked and I kept going.
At around mile 5 or so, I decided to eat my pre-purchased lemon gu gel. Yummy. It was really good and a far cry from the Vanilla Gingerbread they were handing out for free --I refused to even try that flavor. Discarded el cheapo gloves and tied my jacket around my waist. We were in stride and making good time. We ran along side two of Lauren's friends for a while and chatted. At mile 7 we met up with my wife and two year old. They both were yelling for me and took some photos. Thanks family! Love you both!!


Was feeling good at this point and this was helped by a fairly long downhill stretch. Got to Hayden road and tuned south for 2nd half feeling good.
As we worked our way through the second half, my legs began to wobble a bit, but I wasn't worried. Sometime around mile ten, I grabbed a Vanilla Gingerbread gu but swore that I wouldn't eat it unless forced by race officials. Thinking 'only 5K to go', I tried to up the pace a bit to check Lauren's reaction, but quickly learned that I didn't have any increase left and a quick check to the ole Garmin told me that I was losing pace and was now at about 10:30......and fading!! We got into some turns and underpass swoops and then were in the final mile. I could feel my left hammy starting to cramp and stopped a few times to try to stretch. I even took a few bites of the Vanilla Gingerbread gu and thought that my finish photo would be me barfing right on the Chronotrack while my left leg cramp-twisted backwards over my head. I was head down running at this point and Lauren had to remind me twice to lift my head so she wouldn't have to listen to my wheezing/gasping. Seeing the balloons of the finish line lifted my spirits, but as you can see from the photo, I was not doing so good.


Look at how happy Lauren is and look at me. But my wife and HJG were waiting for me and were yelling when they took this photo which made me feel good. I finished (20 minutes faster than last year's PF Chang 1/2 marathon!!), went off to stretch and feel pretty good today. My second 1/2 marathon!! A little crampy in the left ham, and quads are a bit sore, but I will run tomorrow. I love running in the rain. Besides, I have another 1/2 coming up in Jan and a full in June. Thanks for reading. I'd love it if you would follow my blog and give me feedback.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Checklist

Here we go. I will again be running 13.1 miles tomorrow morning. I've tried to convince myself that it's just a training run, but I'm in the mode no matter what I try to do. I'll be running with 'When I get a little run run run' Lauren, and we will keep each other in check. My family is going to try to meet us at mile 6 or 7 and again at the finish. Here's my stuff for tomorrow:

  • ITB strap
  • Asics Cummulus 11, and lucky race socks
  • RRS Shorts
  • Sweatpants to wear on the ride over -supposed to be 35 degrees at start.
  • Long sleeve t, and short sleeve t over top
  • gloves - $1 el cheapos from Walmart, could discard if needed
  • warm skully and cooler skully to change into after mile two'ish. Running hat to wear over top
  • Garmin FR 305 and HR strap
  • nip bandaids and glide
  • gu -more for free on the course
  • in case inhaler
I'll have 1/2 bagel with PB and some coffee in am. I'm pretty damn excited. More after the race.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Uuuhhhhhhhh Half??

A half marathon this coming weekend. Right. The Fiesta Bowl 1/2 marathon is Sunday and I've been avoiding the reality, but my training really is going well compared to last year. In Jan., I ran the PF Chang 1/2 in 2:39, and had never run further than a 5K. This year, I've put in lots of miles, and I've had some long runs this past month and am getting faster.

But this was 3.93 (who stops at 3.93 without going at least 4?? I do, that's who. I was at my house and I always use the driveway as the finish chute. Crap. About 20 more strides... wimp.) Anyway, I'm going out Sunday to run the 13.1 as a training run. I really need to do my normal long run training plan of .9/.1 at about 10:00 and keep myself from getting injured. The itbs is feeling much better thanks to the foam roller and a knee strap.

Hope to meet up and run with a few bloggers, and my family will be at the 1/2 way mark and finish line to cheer. Let's see what a 1/2 is like after some training.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Fingers crossed, foam roller working?

Ran this evening after biking home from work. Is that a brick? I was worried about my right ITB, but it held up pretty good. I did get some pain, but ran anyway and clocked my PB for 5K. Finally made it under 30 minutes and felt like I could keep going. Had negative splits all the way and even ran sub 8 for the last 10th. But I had to get back home. Very happy with this run and with the foam roller.
I'll bike/commute again tomorrow, and hopefully get a run in with my wife and HJG in the BOB, and then its off to Colorado for T'giving. I hope to run while up there so I can log something different on the Garmin 305. We will be in Aurora. Have a wonderful and safe holiday with your families and run fast!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

ITBS of course!

Got the ole' ITBS blues. Right knee killing me on today's 5 miler. I'm doing almost everything wrong in training. 7 day stretch between runs. Trying for long and fast without building up, running through the pain, etc...


You'll recognize this as my urban cityboy Asics commercial route, but a minute faster than last time because I followed my trusty .9/.1 interval (thanks Lauren). Cardio is great --feel like I could run a lot faster and longer, but knee just wasn't in the mood. During the last mile it felt like I had a knife sticking in my knee. The internet gives advice for ITBS in two categories: relief and remedy, with lots of product thrown in. I will try ice and ibuprofen and slow build up. On to breakfast and building a train set for my two year old who will play Godzilla

and destroy the only supply route leading into his room --but what he doesn't know is that his rampage will awaken other normally dormant creatures resting in the center of the Earth which will lead to a full-scale battle. Here we go again...........

Just got back from Sports Authority with a foam roller. Pain that hurts so good and feels like fire and is the very thing I need to help my condition and I'm glad I'm doing it but it huuuurrrrttts!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Early taper week

I took my taper week this past week in prep for the 1/2 in Dec and again in Jan (--that is sarcasm). Didn't run or bike once. Working too hard at the factory. HJG's b-day was today --#2-- and so this day is out of the question for working out. Plan to run the Camelback 5 miler tomorrow again and get back into the groove this week. Dec. 6 is the Fiesta Bowl 1/2. I want to finish in under 2:30 and think I can if I get busy even though it's a 'training run'. Maybe I gathered some more readers this past week thanks to RunLaur, but nobody is an actual follower. Looking back on my posts I can see why. Must develop life!!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

First Tri bike

I have modified my Trek Navigator 300 to serve as my first Tri training bike. I raised the seat (geometry is our friend) and adjusted the child seat rack(reality is reality). Wanted to save weight by removing reflectors, but the scant few ounces probably won't make a difference at this point in training.
Shimano C101 and SRAM X-7 (big improvements over the X-6), Tektro stoppers, RST steel front forks (completely shot to shit), and Bontragger Hardcase fatties touching the revolving blue marble.
My plan is to commute to work (almost 2 miles each way) and get my bike muscles going, and also ride on weekends with HJG in tow. Got my Shimano clip pedals, and the tension is just right. Need to get a seat pack going with replacement tube. Will continue to run as planned today, 10 miles and I'll update the post later. Swim?? Too cold. It's a start.....
Any road bike sponsors out there???? Giant? Trek, Specialized, Cervelo? I'm ready to work something out.

Today's run. Happy I got ten miles in, but ITB is sore:

Saturday, November 14, 2009

The Power of Suggestion

I like to study and know about things before I risk the experience. I have been reading online about the NYC Marathon and now I have the bug. My wife and I watched Meb, and now I think I want to run this race. I have no aspiration for Boston, Chicago, and some of the other top races, but NYC has my attention. It's about $185 to register and all the cost of getting and staying there, but I have in-laws in New York and I can't get it out of my head. So, on to San Diego.


(Ooops, hit the quote button) This marathon is on June 6, 2010 which happens to be my 44th b-day (born on 6-6-66). I'd like that race to be my first full marathon and if I am successful in getting my weekly base up, I'll be able to do it. I just want to finish, but I would also like to finish in less than 5 hours and still feel alive at the finish line. I have two 1/2 M's coming up this winter and will try to keep up the weekly routine while slowly increasing the mileage.

I am also bike-commuting to work now and will keep that up as much as possible in hopes of being ready to start road biking next fall and eventually the Tri stuff...... right? Hmm.




Finally got a follower. Thanks Maria! (wife).

Will run long tomorrow --the plan is for ten miles at a 10:30 pace.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

ooooof!

Wanted to run today since it is a holiday and I'm posing as a runner. Went out at the hottest time of day and  picked the busiest Phoenix afternoon roads to run on. I wanted to run out in the open water so I chose the Camelback road from 20th street to 32nd street thing and make it a tempo run. Lot's of construction, lots of cars, lots of people offering to call the paramedics for me. But I got in 5 miles and at a decent pace. My HR went high right away which alarmed me so I tried to slow down then got messed up on pace. Never fell into a rhythm pace-wise but the Garmin results show a smoother workout than it felt. Here is the Trailrunner data:



I've been reading a lot of Tri blogs and wondering if I can ever get to that level. Just wondering......

Monday, November 9, 2009

Couch to Marathon 5 Day Plan

This plan will take you from your couch to running a full 26.2 mile marathon in only 5 days. Like most people, you have thought of running at some point in your life, but have procrastinated (like almost all people out there). Now you are a __ year old wreck with nothing left to show from your former high school wrestling physique. Are you ready for a change? Even if the answer is a resounding no, at least I made you think. And if you had a thought, it could grow to an small action, which, my friend, can lead you to finishing a marathon race in just 5 days from now. Nothing in life is easy, and this plan is no exception, but you will be pleased with the results and the sense of accomplishment at finishing a marathon! Follow the plan below and join the club:

Day one: go out in the morning at an easy pace walking then transition to a slow jog when you feel comfortable. Continue this for two hours. Return home and apply ice to your entire body below your waist for 3 to 4 hours. Eat 2 Advil every 2 hours and rest. Later that day, run an additional 5 miles to 'stay in the zone'. Do not eat. Instead, drink plenty of fluids and go to sleep.

Day Two: Continue as day one, but add 1/2 hour to your morning 'run'. Your running form may feel a bit unorthodox at this point, but don't worry, you will be striding like a champ in no time at all! Continue to apply ice (even during the run if needed) and continue the Advil regimen, increasing to 3 every 4 hours. Eat food today and drink plenty of fluids. Afternoon run should be about 8-10 miles two times. You may be feeling 'sore' by this time. Stretching and relaxing after your run will help. If you are experiencing cardiac discomfort or abdominal cramping, drink water and consult a physician as this is most likely a normal reaction for your body type. Take an evening light jog of 3 miles or so to cool down and prepare your body and mind for a restful sleep.

Day Three: This is a no food day, but you should drink plenty of fluids, especially before your morning run (22 miles) Take your morning run at a faster pace -you will probably be somewhere in the 8-9 min/mile pace by now and working though the cramps and other body ailments that are normal in such an abbreviated running plan. Are you icing?? Ice all the time now -your body needs it! Eat Advil at the same rate and frequency as Day Two. You want to prep yourself physically for the final push before your taper day. Afternoon run is an interval workout. This might sound tough, but you need this increase and variety in training. Keep thinking, "26.2!! 26.2!! 26.2!!" For the afternoon intervals: run 1 mile at race pace then 5 minutes at a much slower 9 minutes/mile resting pace, continue for 90 minutes. Cycle through three of these interval plans this afternoon. Need I say ice?? Also, I tricked you at the beginning of this day. Eat dinner. Eat a bean and cheese burrito and drink a Heineken. No, that was a dream you just had. This is not an 'eating day'. You'll eat plenty tomorrow during your taper. Take a light evening jog of 8 miles at a 9:30 pace. Ice, brothers and sisters, ice!!

Day Four: Taper day!! Eat breakfast, eat some Advil (all you want at this point) and ice your bad-ass self !! We want our bodies to recover for tomorrows big event, so we need to taper. You will have a short morning run of 12 miles at a moderate 8 min/mile pace. Follow this with some easy easy easy speedwork on a local track. Do 8 400 meter runs increasing each until you are at a full sprint for the final 400. You will need to ice a lot after this which is very normal. For the Advil, ask yourself if you are feeling any pain in the region of your liver. If yes, continue to consume in like dosages as yesterday. If not, increase dosage until you feel a slight to medium level of discomfort coming from your abdomen (also possibly blurry vision and other melodramatic symptoms) --that's the Advil working! Rest this afternoon and carb load. Eat about a pound of pasta with cheese and drink 3 Diet Vanilla Cherry Dr. Peppers. Tonight, watch a running video on You Tube. You are ready.

Day 5: Race Day. It's here! The day you have been waiting for. Do not go out too fast and spoil your later miles. Take in the scenery and stick to your plan; the idea is to be competitive while having fun. Life is short and you have trained hard for this. Be sure to forgo the goo, gel, and other sugary traps that newcomers to this sport fall into. You need water, and lots of it. And did you think you were done with the Advil? Brother, you're just starting! Eat 2 at each mile and you should be fine. Continue to ice your lower body and don't waste mental energy staring at someone else's butt. Keep your eyes on the road about thirty yards ahead of you and soon you will see the 'one more mile' marker. Since you have never felt the thrill of finishing one of these beauties, you are in for a treat. As you cross the finish line, grab onto the nearest person and give a big kissy right on the lips. All finishers are entitled to this ritual. Get away fast and make your way over to the food and freebie lines. Wear your medal and space blanket into the med tent and let them pamper you back into the land of upright walkers. Hope this plan helped you, and hope to see you out there on the road to 26.2!!

I'd love to hear how you are doing. Send me emails and/or comments on this blog.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Lazy= not so lazy

Didn't think much would happen today fitness-wise. Was rueing not signing up for the NewTimes 10K, but thought I'd get  run in anyway. Didn't know what would happen after having 4 days off and the last run was lame. Ended up going 8 and had  pretty good time. Legs and feet are sore in a good way, not an injured way. I wanted to post an example of the Trailrunner app so here it is:
Nice satellite maps, and you can choose your map source, including Google Earth.

Now compared to GTC for the same workout (don't be looking at my lame splits and 'call 911' heartrates!)....


Gives you an idea. Referring to the top TR photo, the blue route is the selected route from today. The white 'ghost' routes are prior runs. TR has a nifty download option that will import all your saved GTC workouts into TR. I also keep a log on Runners World. Garmin's Training Center would be ok if it included better maps and if it let us analyze data at selected points, and if it let us aggregate workouts together for analysis. If anyone has other feedback about Trailrunner, please let me know. Glad to be off the couch, though ironically that's just where I am right now.

Grasshopper Bridge

Here I am at the end of the Grasshopper Bridge 5K with Maria (wife) on my right and her running buddy Eve on my left, and, of course, Harrison on hip. This little dude sat up in his running stroller through the whole race. I kept waiting for him to settle but he was loving the scenery. Time for race was 30 minutes flat. The grass portion, along with the stroller, took me down.

I regress...

Not such a great week for running. I ran long on Sat last weekend with SRC then went until Tuesday afternoon when I ran a little over 4 miles on the Biltmore canal. But I had to walk a few times and was having a hard time keeping steady pace.  I wanted to run at about 10 and have 4 neg splits but was all over the place. I did satisfy my techie side by downloading Trailrunner for Mac. This is the Mac friendly Sportstracks. Until Sporttracks is available for Mac I will be using this 'free' software. They want $35 as a donation and if I end up loving it as much as I think I will., I will shell out. But come on Sporttracks!! You have a legion of Mac Garmin 305'ers who are waiting. Here is an ok Garmin 305 site for getting the most out of your Garmin, though I have gotten the most out of it by reading blogs.

I also need to send out  suggested Blog. DC Rainmaker is an ANIMAL!! Reading his blog makes me want to train 24 hours a day. He has great 'how to' guides, product reviews, and interesting insights into everything from turtles to traveling with your multi-gazillion dollar bike. Check out DC Rainmaker.

Also a nice local blog from someone who I have run with. runlaur is a cool blog for tracking a damn good runner who is getting better everyday. She has defected from SRC, but there is a chance that we will reconnect on future runs/races such as the Fiesta Bowl 1/2 in December (you have to eat a bag of Tostidos chips at mile 6).

I'll do anything to avoid the 'comeback' run. Have not run since Tuesday. I'll even post a blog. My wife is out running right now and I'll go later today and probably be reinspired, or maybe re-injure my left calf. I have a recurring left calf problem and I swear it's psychological! If I think about my calf during a run, it starts to act out. I'll post a follow up later today. Someone is allowing their dog to shit in my yard! Do they not see this big window??!?? Gotta go......

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Been a while

I've been running off and on, mostly on for the past year and am gearing up for the Fiesta Bowl 1/2 Marathon followed by the PF Chang 1/2 marathon. A goal is to run the San Deigo full marathon on June 6 next summer which is my 44th birthday. I've been running with Scottsdale Running Company group runs but now our pace leader is jumping ship to go work for Runners Den. I guess it'll be me and my Garmin for a while. These posts of mine are so lame but I'll try to do better.

Post-Run Recovery Fuel:
Half of one red onion, small portion of left over red pepper, olive oil, 2 fennel and cheese chicken sausages, 3 eggs, tortillas. Heat olive oil in saute pan, add sliced onion and sliced red pepper. Saute for ten minutes or so until veggies are a bit cooked. Add sliced sausage and cook together until sausage is hot (it's pre-cooked), add eggs and scramble adding random spices and condiments from your spouse's collection. Turn off heat. Flame tortillas over stovetop flame flipping frequently with tongs until toasty and hot. Wrap egg/sausage mixture in tortillas and enjoy! Drink recommendation: water, chocolate milk.