Category: Running

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The Dreaded Shutdown

“When something bad happens, don’t make it worse.” -Unknown-

For all my faults when it comes to running, and there are many, I’ve always been good at one thing. I can grind. For some reason, I have this uncanny ability to find a gear and then just run and run and run. It’s why I fell in love with ultra-distance running. I didn’t need to be fast to be good at it, I just needed to be able to manage pain and keep moving forward. So, when I heard these dreaded words from my doctor last week, “We’ve got to shut you down for a bit and get this under control.”, it took me some time to process it.

Most of you who follow me know that I have been dealing with swelling and pain in my right foot and especially the big toe for the last six to eight weeks. It would balloon up and get really dark, and I would take a few days off or cut back on distance, and it would get better. My first thought was that it had to be some kind of impact injury from one of the times that I tripped. But when the swelling occurred in both feet, even when I wasn’t running, I knew I had to go see the doctor. This wasn’t something I could run through, and with my hundred-miler just seven weeks away, I needed to put this to bed.

Doctor: “I think you have gout. We’ll start you on meds and take some blood.” Me: “So what’s the next step if my blood comes back and I don’t have gout?” Doctor: “Um, yeah. You have gout.” I have gout. Honestly, I cannot say that I am surprised, some of my family have gout and I lived a life with a lot of alcohol and I was obese for many years. I was running up a tab and the bill came due. It would be easy to be angry, but I’m not. It would be easy to have regrets, but I don’t. I did it to myself and I cannot change the past, so all I can do now is focus on the future and continuing to work on improving myself.

This post isn’t about running with gout or even what you can do regarding training when you are shutdown. I’m sure I’ll have some posts about that in the future. No, this is about getting your head right. I have a herculean task ahead of me and it’s time to simplify things, so instead of paragraphs explaining how I’m processing this, I’m going to give you some bullet points that are quick and to the point. Kind of a Joe’s 101 on how to deal with things when they go south. This may not work for everyone, but it works for me.

  • I have gout. Own it, accept it, be honest with myself and move on.
  • What can I do about it? Work with the doctor, change my diet, ice it every day, and get it under control to the best of our ability.
  • Be realistic. Due to having to miss days and weeks of training, I have readjusted my goals of running a sub 22-hour 100 miler to simply finishing under the cutoff of 30 hours. This is not Western States and I am not trying to set a course record. This is my first 100-mile attempt and finishing is the goal.
  • Don’t be dramatic. Yes, I’ve missed some training, but up until about a week ago, I have run 6,000 miles in the last three years. I probably have some fitness in the tank still!

So, that is my magic formula to getting your mind right when bad stuff happens. Own the problem. Figure out what you can do about it. Be realistic with where you are. Don’t be dramatic, you are in better shape than you think.

For behind the scenes photos and comments on my training and personal life, follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner  Strava: Joe Randene  YouTube: Joe Runner  Facebook: Joe Randene

Questions, comments, feedback? Please leave them in the comments section BELOW and we can have a discussion!

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The Dog Days of Summer

Dog Days

Have you ever had one of those runs where you get about half way through and everything just feels wrong? You’re training for a marathon and after five miles you are just dying, and you start to walk. Then this thought pops in to your head, “If I can’t run five miles, how the hell can I run 26.2 miles?” Maybe you are half way through your training program, or more, and the grind is getting to you. And, it’s probably hella hot and humid for the tenth run in a row. Welcome to the summer swoon.

I thought this would be a good time to discuss this, because I have had this conversation with more than half of my clients recently, and have experienced it myself, like EVERY summer… This could easily turn in to a post about beating the heat, but it’s not. You have all probably read the “get up early”, “run later in the day”, and “hydrate” summer articles a million times. And, if you’re like me, you probably squeeze most runs in when your life allows. So, you will be running in the heat, and it will take a toll on you.

But here’s the good news. If you trust the process, all of your suffering will pay off during your fall racing season or goal race. Despite how mentally challenging it is when you have a difficult short run in the brutal heat, the fact is that your body is adapting. The runs feel harder because they are harder. When you run in the heat, more blood rushes to your skin to assist with cooling and less blood is going through your heart and to your muscles. Your body responds by thickening your blood and increasing your heart rate to get oxygen to the muscles you are using via your blood stream. However, inevitably, your active muscles are getting less oxygen and you get tired faster. THE STRUGGLE IS REAL PEOPLE!

So, what to do? This is going to hurt… Slow down. Even if it means some walk breaks. If it is extremely hot, stop worrying about your splits and do your best to get the work out in based on your perceived effort. And then rest easy that you will be fine come race day. It is so easy to start and play those mind games with yourself that if you struggled with five miles, you’ll never run 26.2 miles. But you will. Most of our country will start to see cooler temps within the next four weeks or so, and suddenly all of that work you did in the heat will pay off big time! Your perceived effort will come way down, and your pace will improve! Long runs won’t seem as difficult and the miles will increase. YOU WILL BE FINE. So, the next time you feel like a run that you should be killing is giving you fits, smile, slow down, and look ahead to September…

Disclaimer time! We do live in litigious times after all. There are risks associated with running in the heat, so please take them in to account. I am not a physician, so please ensure that you work with yours to stay safe. Hydrate, and hydrate often. Monitor your sweat output. If it is hot and you are not sweating, stop. Find a cool place and hydrate slowly. This post is NOT encouraging you to run in the heat, it is simply discussing what we runners go through in the heat and helping people understand that what they are feeling is real and that their training will be impacted. But alas, the summer will pass, and we will be stronger!

For behind the scenes photos and comments on my training and personal life, follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner  Strava: Joe Randene  YouTube: Joe Runner  Facebook: Joe Randene

Questions, comments, feedback? Please leave them in the comments section BELOW and we can have a discussion!

 

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Trail Running vs. Road Running

Road Runner: “Runners of the Religious Watch Wearing Factions, Triathletes, and the Club of Suburban Child Bearing Middle Class. Could be of the Suunto, Garmin, or Polar denominations.”

Trail Runner: “The runners who claim that they went on a “run” where they hiked half of it and climbed over fallen tree logs the other half of the outing. Look up James Varner in the Trailepedia. Didn’t find him? Oh, yeah! He’s still out bushwhacking in the middle of nowhere. I mean “running”.”

Definitions from: http://www.wilddefined.com/2013/10/the-every-persons-guide-to-trail.html

Before we get in to this, let me start by saying that I have nothing but respect for ALL runners. This is just for fun with a little truth thrown in here and there. I started on the roads and will run them in a pinch, but once I was exposed to the beauty of the trails, I never looked back. So, here we go. These are some of the differences between road running and trail running.

Terrain

Basically, the terrain for road runners is asphalt. Period end of story. For trail runners, we get asphalt, dirt, mud, rocks, roots, water, pine needles, logs, wooden bridges, and leaves. I’m sure that I forgot a few too, but you get the picture. Now, the road folk will tell you that at least they don’t fall very often, which is very true. Us trail folk on the other hand, wear our scabs and scars like little badges of bad assdom! And the uneven terrain works all of our muscles and ligaments from many different angles often improving our overall strength in the lower extremities.

Elevation

Most road runners have to go and find a hill to actually do a hill repeat work out and, I will say that there are some courses that are notorious for their hills. But… hills are naturally part of a trail run and in regard to courses with elevation, how about 18,000 feet or climbing and almost 23,000 feet of descent for the Western States 100 Miler?! Umm… yeah.

Distance

When you hear a road-guy say that he’s got 30 on the schedule, it usually means a 30-minute run or workout. When you hear a trail-gal say it, she usually means 30 miles! This is important, keep it in mind the next time your trail running friend asks you along for a “little” run. Now, to be fair to the road peeps, they be fast! I don’t mean a little faster either, I mean smoke. These crazy folks do things like run a mile in six minutes, or less! Who does that? No; trail bums generally slow down due to the terrain and all of the twists and turns in the trail. However, there are a group of young studs out there redefining what is possible in the trail running sport. Jim Walmsley just ran the Western States 100 Miler in 14 hours and 30 minutes! That is an 8 minute and 45 second mile-pace for 100 miles!!!

The Gear

The road running types have some cool shoes, socks, shorts, singlets, sunglasses, lube products, and maybe; maybe, a handheld bottle. Us trail birds have all of that stuff, except the singlet, never, ever, wear a singlet. But, we have awesome stuff like hydration vests where we can literally wear our hydration and carry food. We also usually wear dope ass stuff like trucker hats that say “MACHINE” on them! (Obvious merch plug, click here to purchase!) And while I admit that they have some cool shoes, ours are cooler. They are generally built like lightweight tanks to provide stability, protection, and stain resistance for things like vomit and blood.

Hygiene

The road types probably have the trail types beat here. They usually have nice short hair and a clean-shaven face, they hit the showers after like 26.2 miles, and they usually have more toe nails then we do. For us, hygiene is when you hit a river crossing and decide to submerge your entire body because you know, you still have 47 miles to go and it’s hot. Long hair and longer beards are not just ok, they are encouraged. Besides, the best way to scare a bear is to look and smell, like a bear.

Aid Stations

Not even close here. Marathons normally have water, electrolyte, bananas, gels, and some watermelon; if you’re lucky. And marathoners hit those aid stations and are gone before you know it. Trail rats on the other hand, we take our time in the aid stations. There is so much to choose from! We have all that stuff the marathoners have, but we also have flat coke, pizza, skittles, cookies, soup, baked potatoes, tacos, and anything else that a motivated aid station crew can come up with. We say that we vomit because we have stomach issues from running such long distances, but I concede that it might; MIGHT, be something else.

Vocab

We have a lot of the same vocab, but it usually means very different things, and then there is just some vocab that is trail specific. Sub-5 for road runners means going sub 5 minutes in a mile, for trail runners, it means sub 5 hours for some distance like a 40 miler. A bonk is a bonk, but for road runners the context is usually something like this, “I was crushing that marathon and then I bonked at mile 22 and finished in 3 hours.”. For trail runners, the context is usually something like this, “I bonked like 6 times during that 100 miler and had to drag ass through the pain cave each time until I recovered enough to start running again.”. Then of course there is the plethora of trail lingo such as these gems: trail stoke, shit kit, face plant, vert, buckle owner, buckle party, golden ticket, FKT (Fastest Known Time), technical, buffed single track, pacer, crew, drop bag, etc.

So, there it is! The differences between road running and trail running. Now you know, and like GI Joe said, “Knowing is half the battle.”. I happen to have a little run scheduled, want to join me?

For behind the scenes photos and comments on my training and personal life, follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner  Strava: Joe Randene  YouTube: Joe Runner  Facebook: Joe Randene

Questions, comments, feedback? Please leave them in the comments section BELOW and we can have a discussion!

 

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Back to Back Long Runs

Back to Back

I feel that familiar vibration on my left wrist and hear that gentle chime and sneak a peek at my watch. It flashes two miles. Two miles? How can it be only two miles?! I’m exhausted already and have completely sweat through my clothes. I’ve got 11 miles to go and this is after the 26 miles I ran a day ago. Over the course of the last six months, I’ve run 1100 miles, sweat, bled, vomited and fell. Welcome to training for an ultra in North Carolina.

While the miles pile up, it is truly difficult to simulate the impact of a 100-mile race on your body and your mind. Most of us try to do this with the dreaded back to back long runs. The debate rages within the ultra-community about whether or not the benefit outweighs the risk. One camp feels that pushing your body to exhaustion on consecutive days exposes you, unnecessarily, to injury. The other camp argues that short of running 100 miles, this is the closest you can put yourself to feeling what you will endure during the race. As with most of these types of arguments, the answer, in my opinion, is that only you will know what works for you.

As you can guess from what I’ve written so far, I personally believe that there is a benefit to the back to back long runs. It’s hard for me to say that the increased risk from running 26 miles one day followed by 13 the next is any more than the increase in weekly mileage. Most training plans for a 100 mile ultra will have weekly mileages that reach 55 to 70 miles. This alone can increase the potential for an injury. So, I don’t see the risk outweighing the potential benefits. And what are the potential benefits?

Physically, I think that your body adapts, and gets used to running on tired legs. I’m always amazed how I can start that second run and really not feel strong, but then somehow manage to reach an acceptable pace and complete the run. I also take these runs as an opportunity to train my stomach. I eat and drink just like I would if it were a race. This way, my stomach adapts to digesting while moving, even at mile 35 or 40. And while these benefits are important, I feel that the mental benefits are even greater.

While the physical preparedness for a race of this distance is kind of binary, you either trained enough, or you didn’t, the mental preparedness is anything but. I’ve entered these back-to-back long runs with minor ailments to my groin, toes, calves, and other extremities, and have had to learn to deal with the pain for the duration. Keep in mind, I am not saying injury, I am saying ailment. When I’m injured, I shut it down and heal, but part of being an ultra-runner is running through soreness and pain. And if the first time that you ever have to do it is during a race, you won’t have any experiences to draw from. And, if your running 100 miles, there is a very good chance that you will be managing pain for long periods of time.

Pain isn’t the only thing that you have to deal with either. After long hours of running, your body and mind are absolutely gassed. There seems to be nothing left, and you may still have 12 plus hours to go. That’s a lot of time to be alone with your thoughts and a lot of time to continuously assess your level of exhaustion and pain. This is a time rife for convincing yourself to quit. Doing back to back long runs can help put you in the hurt locker quick enough on that second run, that you are forced to troubleshoot and cope with your thoughts for an extended period of time. Important skills for the ultra-runner.

Despite all of this, you will still never be able to truly replicate the same conditions as the actual race. Improving your skills will improve your chance of success, but until you have been out there, in the dark, in the heat, in the cold, in the rain, and exhausted to the point of hallucination, you just won’t know how you’ll react. There are simply some things that you will just have to deal with when the time comes.

For behind the scenes photos and comments on my training and personal life, follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner  Strava: Joe Randene  YouTube: Joe Runner  Facebook: Joe Randene

Questions, comments, feedback? Please leave them in the comments section BELOW and we can have a discussion!

 

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100 Miler Training Update

This VLOG is an update on training for the Allison Hills 100 Miler, some life stuff, and the OWW Run Against Bullying 5k.

Don’t forget to give it a THUMBS UP!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel: Joe the Runner

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Yes, Your Feet did Change Size and Shape!

Running Shoes

One of the main reasons that I went to work at a running store, is because I knew that the exposure to running coaches and runners would help continue my education in the field of running and make me a better coach and runner myself. So, when something as basic as my own foot shape and size, stumped me, I knew that I still have much to learn.

Here is the scenario. I am training on how to use the Brannock device to manually measure feet. The Brannock, as most people my age know, is that metal contraption that the shoe salesman puts your feet in to get shape and size information to better fit you for a shoe. Well, I am, uh was, am? I don’t know; a size 12 foot. Which meant I was wearing a size 13 running shoe. But, I was starting to get a black toe nail on my left foot’s second toe. Well, when I stood up in the Brannock, my left foot’s second toe was hitting almost a size 13. What? And my right foot was a solid 12.5. Double what?

The thing is, I learned that our feet change shape and size over time. They are not growing per se, but due to things like genetics, your choice in footwear, diabetes, weight gain, and most likely in my case, running, they do change shape and size. Which means, that you should get your feet measured fairly regularly to ensure that you are still wearing the correct shoes.

Still not convinced? This is straight off of: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/shoes-getting-tight-feet-change-size-time/“Over time and through gravity, our feet tend to get longer and wider,” Dr. Rowland says. “That happens after our ligaments and our tendons become a little bit more lax over time.” In addition to getting bigger, your feet can develop deformities such as bunions and hammertoes when you reach middle age, Dr. Rowland says. This can happen when tendons and ligaments in the feet that get tighter or loose depending on the area of the foot in which they’re located. Other factors that determine development of foot deformities include heredity, the types of shoes you wear and whether your footwear fits well.

Now you know, and as G.I. Joe says, “Knowing is half the battle.” The great news here is that like everything else in life, technology has advanced our capabilities greatly in the foot measurement department. Most good running stores have scanners that can scan your feet in about 5 seconds and create a 3-D picture of them, allowing the experts to match your foot shape, size, and movement to the correct shoes. I love the Fit Id that we use at Fleet Feet Sports. If you have a Fleet Feet close by, I suggest you go get a free scan, you may be surprised at what you learn. I was! I am now wearing a size 14 running shoe and loving every step! #bigfootisreal

For behind the scenes photos and comments on my training and personal life, follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner  Strava: Joe Randene  YouTube: Joe Runner

Questions, comments, feedback? Please leave them in the comments section BELOW and we can have a discussion!

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Joe the Runner Interview in Dure Magazine

Dure

This amazing new endurance athlete magazine called Dure, as in endurance sports, just published an interview where we discussed topics ranging from weight loss, ultra running, to the state of the sport, and much more! Click here to read the article in it’s entirety.

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For behind the scenes photos and comments on my training and personal life, follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner  Strava: Joe Randene  YouTube: Joe Runner

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Nobody Does It

Mocko Quote

“Everyone always says follow your dreams and your passion, but nobody does it.” – Chris Mocko

I’ve started to write this post several times and stopped. I’m scared. This is scary stuff. I’m 47, with two kids in college, so I have responsibilities. Look, I am definitely not a rash guy, or what you would call a risk taker, but I am not afraid to do some things differently than most people if I feel it is an opportunity. We have run the numbers several times, and they work. So, I retired early. Not the kind of sitting in a rocking chair, playing bridge, and napping all day retired. No. This is about taking a shot at living my dream life. And where does it start? Working part time in a running store.

I want to build my life around my passion of running and I want to use the platform to raise awareness and money for the issue of bullying. The goal isn’t to make a bunch of money, it’s to make enough, and be really, really happy every day. Between working at the store, coaching, and running my investments, I think we can make it work. And that will leave me with time to train and do the charitable work that I have been wanting to do.

If this sounds crazy, remember, this is MY dream. And as scared as I am, I have been on cloud nine since I handed in my notice and made it official. To be clear, this is not about my unhappiness with my old career. I love the company that I worked for and I will be forever grateful for the people that I worked with and the opportunities that they provided. This is a true case of “It’s me, not you.” I simply do not want to wake up one day, a 65-year-old man, and have regrets. I want to take my shot.

Amazingly, my wife has been my biggest supporter. Or maybe a better way to say it is “OF COURSE, my wife has been my biggest supporter.” She has never let me down, and I couldn’t do this without her. In fact, most of my friends have been overwhelmingly supportive. There have been a few comments made about leaving my “safe job to work at a running store?” But that’s ok. You either get it or you don’t. This is not a choice for everyone.

The rules that society has laid out are pretty clear. Go to college, get married, buy a house, have kids, work until your 63 or so, and then retire when you are probably in the twilight of your life. Well, I did most of that stuff, but I want a little twist at the end. I don’t just want to work, I want to live. I want to live my life in a way that makes a difference, doing what I love with the people I love.

So, what have I been up to in 2018?

  • Ran the Bloody Massacre Relay Marathon with my friends and family
  • Became the “Trail Writer” for Running Junction Magazine
  • Paced a woman to her first successful 100-mile race
  • Partnering with Operation Warm Wishes and running the #owwrunagainstbullying campaign to raise awareness against bullying on Instagram
  • Retired as an executive to work part time at a running store
  • Became an ambassador for Runners High Herbals JOETHERUNNER10 for a 10% discount
  • Ran the Northern Trails Marathon and finished 12th overall, 11th male, and 4th in my age group
  • Started to officially coach people to help them reach their dreams and running goals
  • Training hard for the Devil Dog Ultras 100 Mile Race in December

Where will this all lead? I don’t know… but I am happy, and I feel like I am off to a pretty good start.

I hope that this post and this blog helps! To receive new post notifications, newsletters, and post previews, please SUBSCRIBE!

For behind the scenes photos and comments on my training and personal life, follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner  Strava: Joe Randene  YouTube: Joe Runner

Questions, comments, feedback? Please leave them in the comments section BELOW and we can have a discussion!