Author: siegmuna

Summary 11/12-19

On By siegmunaIn Barefoot, fitness, Hours, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Life, Random, road running, Running, SummaryLeave a comment
This past week has been the least productive of the year as far as running is concerned, logging a Whopping 7.3 miles for a little over 1 hour of total running time (3.2 and 4.1, 26:44 and 34:25 respectively). My left foot has been bothering me for weeks, and this week I decided that any illusions of ultra-marathons in the next 6-8 weeks being run well is out of the question, so I figured it would be best to rest my foot, and try to let it recover so I can start feeling healthy, and get back into the shape I’ve been yearning for. Taking 5 consecutive days off was rather troublesome however, I think that after a while, you identify yourself so much by what you do, that when you’re not doing it, you begin to lose some of that association, living in the past to a sense. My foot is still not 100% but it’s runnable, and today’s 6 miler made me feel like a real runner again (and the first time I’ve gone shirtless in weeks). On the bright side, the lack of running allowed me to really hone in on my practicing, as well as do some research for upcoming job openings, one of which is in Utah… which has great mountain running, so… we’ll see!
Since there’s not much running to talk about, here’s some great music, by one of my favorite song-writers right now:

Weekly Update 11/6-12

On By siegmunaIn Awesome, Cold, Falling, hashers, Hours, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Life, Merrell, Random, Running, shoes, Summary, trail running, ViewsLeave a comment
Sunday 11/6
7.03 miles 59:20 Ran around the local hills on the road, nice to get out and see the area on foot.
Monday
AM 4.85 miles 46:23 Often when I don’t have a lot of time to run on a particular day, and want to get on trail, I’ll run the paths for the power lines local to my house. They’re surprisingly technical, covered in medium sized rocks that challenge my running technique, and the paths right by my house essentially go straight up, and down hill. I did however, take a rather hard fall tripping over an embarrassingly small obstacle, which resulted in my knee being sore for a few days, and my foot still being sore today.
PM 1 mile 10:54 slow, almost barefoot(vibram) mile to shake out the stiffness from the mornings fall
Tues 0 Knee and Foot very sore
Wed 0 Foot very sore, limping noticeably (still!)
Thurs 4.85 46:45 Ran the same power line trail as Monday, foot still feels awkward landing on technical downhills
Fri 6.2 miles 1:40
Ran to High Point with Brian mostly through Appalachian Trail, we decided beforehand to take it rather easy, and split the difference between running and hiking, particularly with regard to my sore foot, I’m not sure how much we ran, and how much we hiked (i figure 1/3 hiking 2/3 running). As a runner, we spend a lot of time training in solitude, and it’s nice to have the chance to be social again, especially since my rehearsal schedule has prevented me from our usual Thursday runs with the Highlands Hashers.
Sat 0
Came down with head cold, probably for the better to keep me off the trail, as my foot is still substantially sore, and negotiating rocks/roots isn’t the best game plan to recover.
Totals:  23.93 miles, 4:25 Looking forward to my foot healing some, and getting myself back into the 60’s 70’s/wk

Here are some photos from High Point, Brian and I both decided to wear hydration packs, a deviation from my usual “bring nothing” M.O. With the mercurial weather predicted for the day, it seemed prudent to bring a couple of extra layers, especially knowing that our pace would vary, and that it wasn’t terrain that either of us were intimately familiar with. So, while I prefer nothing more than a handheld water bottle (and boy did the sloshing of the bladder annoy me) sometimes, bringing more is the best plan

Wavering Fitness

On By siegmunaIn fitness, hashers, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Life, Random, RunningLeave a comment
The past few weeks have been relatively unproductive running-wise for me for a combination of reasons, increased academic workload, necessary recover time from the marathon (still trying to get my body used to running these distances with some regularity) and now, a handful of hopefully benign discomforts resulting form some missteps/falls on the trails in recent days. One of my favorite “slogging it out” daily short runs involves running on the truck paths for power lines throughout my hometown, while these trails are not the most inspiring, they’re often very rugged, and don’t require me to drive from my house, but rather simply run a few minutes, and find myself engaged in technical trail running. the downside of these trails, besides the obvious proximity to power lines (a constant reminder of the human impact on our environment) is that these trails are more subject to having garbage on them. This week while running one of these trails, i caught my foot on a circular piece of wire, causing me to take a digger at full speed onto some rocks, which has caused some lingering soreness in my foot/knee, and subsequently has cost me some mileage.
So as I concern myself with my low mileage, and the resulting effects on my fitness level, I’m going out with fellow hasher Brian on a destination hike/run through High Point to try to jumpstart my training, and get another good social adventure in (a great change of pace from my usual solitary runs).

Winter Running

On By siegmunaIn Barefoot, Cold, Falling, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Merrell, Random, Running, shoes, Snow, trail running, Views, Winter2 Comments
If you read any of the running blogs from the Mountain time zone, you’re well aware that they’re already beginning to experience the joys, and perils of winter running, and here on the East Coast, as a result of an unprecedented October snow storm, we have as well.

Many of my friends, both casual runners, and non-runners often ask me how I maintain mileage over the course of the winter, especially as a trail runner, and since last weekend I remembered just how awesome winter runs can be, as well as the oft forgotten downsides of running in sub-freezing temperatures.
So, since many runners I know tend to reduce their mileage, or go towards the treadmill during the winter, I figure I’d try to explain as best as I could, how I maintain my mileage through season. First, attire, everyone has a different approach to cold-weather running, and much like my summer runs, I try to keep things very simple. A pair of tights (yes tights) lightweight baselayer, and a running wind breaker seem to be the most I wear during winter months. A lightweight pair of gloves, and a hat also are helpful. Many runners tend to overdress for cold weather, and end up actually being too warm. The downside of dressing as I do, is that you WILL be cold for the first few miles, the purpose is comfort in the long run, not in the first few miles.

Now, winter runs have their upsides and downsides, the most obvious downside being the negotiation of temperature/wind, hence the windbreaker and other attire mentioned above. The other, less obvious downsides are the shrinking roads as a result of snow (they get so much thinner!) which of course, makes avoiding cars much more of a problem (run trails). Trails however, get faster it seems, especially in the snow, which seems to fill in the changes in terrain, making for fast downhills, and less worry regarding rock avoidance with the extra cushioning. There is, of course, a lack of traction. I’ve found that on normal circumstances, I fall every ~300 miles or so when running technical trails, usually as a result of some mud, wet rocks, or a concentration lapse. On snowy trails, I fall roughly 1.5 times for every 10 miles, this obviously is a result of poor traction, and i expect the ratio to go down as the season progresses, and I get used to it. 
So why run in Winter? Well, here:

Trail Head
Tights and my Merrell Mix Masters
Snowy Bridge on Columbia trail

Blurry Picture, Deer in Snowstorm

Trail heading up Schooley’s Mountain

Long Valley

My Head

Post Marathon Recovery

On By siegmunaIn http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Life, Races, road running, Running, SummaryLeave a comment
Embarrassingly, my mileage has taken a rather awful turn since I ran the Atlantic City Marathon nearly 3 weeks ago. I recall running a 50k in August, and suffering a similar recover-oriented fate, where a combination of latent soreness, glycogen depletion, and varying certainty regarding my fitness/performance caused me to lag for a few weeks until I felt fully recovered. This run was no different, I attempted a 10 miler about 6 days afterwards, and had the worst bonk I can recall, although my overall time was reasonable. I’ve taken 7 of the past 21 days off, having broken my “streak” the tapering week before the race. Some of these days were schedule oriented (as in, no time to run) and some were a combination of fatigue/laziness, but overall, I’ve got to attribute it to lack of motivation/laziness, which isn’t always a bad thing, and since I have time to let my body rest some, It’s probably advantageous in the long term to do so. Here, however, are the stats:
Miles Oct 17-Nov 5: 51.3
Hourage: 8hrs 9min
This week I’m planning to get back on the horse proper to start preparing for a 50k in January, and a possible 50 miler in Feb, so High mileage, and lots of trails in the near future!

Summary 9/25-10/16

On By siegmunaIn Hours, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Running, shoes, SummaryLeave a comment
Okay, loooong mileage summary here, hoping to get more scheduled with this soon, but for now, a brief listing will have to do.
9/25 AM 1 mile, barefoot, 9:47
9/26 AM 10 miles, Mt Allamuchy 1:34:10 (PR)
9/27 AM 10 miles, Mt Allamuchy 1:52:42 (recover run)
9/28 PM 1 mile, 9:50 (barefoot)
9/29 PM 20.2 miles 2:44:39
9/30 PM 1 mile, 9:42 (barefoot)
10/1 PM 1 mile 8:23
10/2 PM 1 mile 10:23
10/3 PM 1.31 13:06
10/4 PM 1 9:57
10/5 PM 1 9:13
10/6 PM 5 44:07
10/7 AM 9.66, Mt. Allamuchy 1:57
10/8 PM 1 8:29
10/9 PM 1 9:43
10/11 PM 1 9:08
10/13 PM 5 38:48
10/15 AM 1 8:29
10/16 AM 26.2 3:27:16(Atlantic City Marathon race report soon)
This fundamentally covers my last long run, and major taper going into the AC marathon, in the final week leading up to the marathon, a few super-long music days caused me to inadvertently break my streak, which is a little upsetting, but I’m okay with it, I’ve been running strong since May, without any major injuries, and very much looking forward to some upcoming autumnal runs through the mountains, especially once this lingering soreness from the race disappears, and I can resume my rhythm of a summit tag a day.

Also, all of the single miles mentioned above are done barefoot, in the literal sense, typically slowly for recovery, or form-work.

What makes a good shoe?

On By siegmunaIn Barefoot, gore-tex, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Merrell, Races, reviews, road running, Running, shoe modification, shoesLeave a comment
Today I received two pairs of running shoes from the Merrell company. As some of you may know, Merrell tends to do things a little bit differently, and strongly encourages the average Joe hiker/runner to test their beta models, and provide them with honest feedback, which I think is awesome, this system helped produce the Trail Glove (review coming soon) and checking out the shoes I got today, I can see that they’ve really got their heads in the right place as far as providing sustainable running shoes for (barefoot) form-oriented mountain runners.
I mentioned in a previous post that my rule as far as running shoes and reviewing them is concerned, is that I require ~100 miles on a pair of shoes before I think I can give an honest assessment of their value, and I plan on sticking to this, it helps that I (when not tapering) run relatively high mileage, so testing a pair of shoes rarely takes more than 2 weeks in my rotation, with perhaps a few extra days to re-compare them to favorites in my pile.
Now for the nitty gritty, there are certain things that I require in order to consider a shoe for racing/every day running usage.
1. MINIMAL Heel-Toe drop, Yes, minimal, a zero drop is preferable, but to be honest if it’s only a few millimeters, it doesn’t effect my gait, and thus becomes a non-issue (greater than 4 mm seems to get annoying, and often will be ghetto zero-dropped by me, over a beer or 3, with a bread knife)
2.Reasonable amount of protection. Depending on the ruggedness of a trail, (or road) the amount of protection necessary can vary (imho). Jason Robillard talks about the same conundrum here. Basically I want enough protection that my feet don’t hurt after a long run/race, but not so much that I can’t feel the ground beneath me, and end up making stupid mistakes resulting in ankle twists, falls, etc etc etc. This is a fine line to walk, and every runner/running shoe is different.
3. Water Drainage. A trail shoe especially MUST drain water well. I cannot tell you how many times in a single run I end up with my foot submerged in water, this water must exist my shoe, and the shoe must dry quickly, this is not negotiable. I do not believe in gore-tex running shoes, I understand the principle, but in my experience, I often find myself in water above the top of the shoe, which results in a gore-tex shoe/boot being filled up with water, and turning into a bucket attached to my foot, not ideal.
4. Traction. A good shoe should track well. There is a fine line between good traction and durability, which is why I insist on 100 miles before i announce my review. Softer rubber holds onto rock better, but also wears much more quickly, the opposite is true of harder rubber. Lugging must be wide enough to shed mud easily, and not turn my trail runner into a mud-caked flat, but also close enough to hold well in less than ideal terrain. Vibram typically makes a good sole… they are not the only reasonable sole out there though, and often I am surprised by what a sole looks like, and how well/not well it performs.
5. Lightweight. The heavier the shoe, the heavier the shoe, you figure it out.
6. Breathable upper. Also self-explanatory. The upper should also keep the foot securely in the shoe,and not blow out too easily (100 miles!)
7. Flexible heel. Allows for natural foot motion
8. Wide toe box. Allows toes to splay, keeps foot motion natural, helps body absorb shock better, leading to less injuries etc etc etc.

That’s pretty much it, I’ve got some reviews queued up, as many of my shoes are beyond the 100 mile mark, as well as some training updates to post soon.

In Favor of Short-Shorts

On By siegmunaIn Awesome, fitness, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Races, Random, Running, ShortsLeave a comment
Now that summer is over, and it’s becoming more necessary to start wearing clothes, I thought I’d try my best to justify my summer attire, or lack thereof. Enter the split shorts. A lot of people find it strange that I would prefer to wear the shortest shorts available to runners, so allow me to explain it.
1. It’s hot outside, so why would I wear more than I need to, more clothes = more sweat, more sweat = more water to carry = slower runs…. you do the math.
2. Freedom of movement. The way that split shorts are cut allows the most freedom of movement I’ve experienced.
3. Better support. Even though longer shorts always come with a bloomer, or some similar support system, the support in split shorts in my experience, is always better. This may be because of the increased potential for a wardrobe malfunction, but regardless, it’s nice to have.
4. It makes a statement. As a runner, I think I need to embrace the good, the bad, and the ugly of being a runner, this includes embracing the style, and the aesthetic. Track athletes, marathoners, and a handful of ultra-runners embrace the short-short, and it’s one of the ways I like to embrace the aesthetic of being a runner.
Plus, these guys seem to dig them:
Scott Jurek

Killian Jornet

Anton Krupicka

Jesse Scott

Weeky Summary 9/18-24

On By siegmunaIn Clarinet, Running, SummaryLeave a comment
Sunday 9/18
AM: 10 Miles through Allamuchy Mountain State Park with Gene,  1:53:01, 1:01 spent practicing

Monday 9/19
AM: 11.1 miles, Columbia Trail and a double summit of Schooley’s Mtn. 1:48:28, :54 spent practicing (rehearsal day)

Tuesday 9/20
1:51 spent practicing, PM 1 mile barefoot 0:9:25

Wednesday 9/21
AM: 10 miles through Allamuchy, 1:33:45, AM, 2 hours practice, PM  00:48:00

Thursday 9/22
AM: 10 miles, Allamuchy, 1:44:00, PM 1, 2 miles barefoot, 00:20:48, PM 2, Broken Shin Loop (road) 5 Miles 00:41:43, 1:32 spent practicing

Friday 9/23
4:14 miles, 00:38:06 the final 3 with Jason Robillard, done barefoot. 1:42 practicing

Total miles: 64.24, Total Time: 9:10:11, Practiced 9:48:13

Which makes for a relatively light week musically, and medium distance running week. Not bad for still adjusting into a new schedule, and finally having my ankle feel solid after 3 weeks of running with discomfort from a gnarly twist. 

Barefoot Running

On By siegmunaIn Barefoot, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, RunningLeave a comment

Today I had the extreme pleasure of meeting, running, and attending a clinic with Jason Robillard. He’s a font of knowledge about barefoot running, an experienced ultra-runner, and all-around cool guy.

We ran an eyelash over 3 miles through the rain in bare feet, talked about running, races, and some future plans, and how we both agree, short-shorts are the way to go. He then gave a clinic at Ramsey Outdoor, which was a great information session about barefoot/minimalist running, including a q&a session, and some demonstrations. For anyone who doesn’t know Jason, his blog is fantastic, and is a great resource for anyone wanting to run barefoot, or in minimalist shoes, and if you have the chance to attend one of his clinics, you should definitely do so!