Finally, an Update!

It has been a while since I wrote a post about my running. I guess with school ending, graduation, moving to California and a million other things I big time slacked off on keeping up. Anyways, I'm back and I will try to keep things a little more up to date.

Since I have been in California I have been training in different ways to try and get ready for my next marathon. I have already signed up for a marathon called "Welcome Back Friends" marathon. A couple guys decided to start organizing marathons on a smaller scale so people could enjoy the run rather than worry about dodging a million people. There will only be 75 runners in total and it is at Long Beach. The hardest part about the marathon is that it is a circular run. We have a 4.37 mile *circle* that we have to run 6 times to complete the marathon. I don't know how hard it is going to be but I look forward to the challenge.

Since I have been in California I have tried different ways to better prepare myself. This includes running to the beach and using hills to better train my lungs, running barefoot in the sand and playing a catch/chase game with the waves, or trail running.

The hill running is self-explanatory but the wave chasing was an idea that I learned from a book that I read. In order to better condition my lungs I run on the beach barefoot and play a game that has me running after the waves when the move out, and running from the waves when the come back in. It basically has me alternating between jogging and sprinting.

I have also started trail running pretty frequently. I have had several people say I should try it because of how big I am, so I did. I won't lie, I really enjoy it. It's fun to travel all over the place and explore. I have thought about maybe looking in to trail running as a more permanent thing, but we'll have to see. The majority of the runs are Ultramarathons. As I said, we'll see in the future :)

Today I decided to take a 16 mile jaunt through Carlsbad in preparation for the marathon. Little did I suspect, the entire run was up and down hills. It seeeeeeriously hurt. I thought it would be straightforward and easy, but it was NOT. Just a word of advice, pay attention to details when you're going for a long run. I didn't plan well with water (ran out after 9 miles), I didn't have anything to eat, and I started the run at 10 am which was stupid (surprise, it got pretty hot!). I always hear about people saying that certain runs were just killer and the only time I feel like that happened was with the marathon and the last 22 miler I ran, but this one OWNED me. I learned some important lessons today, ones that I will not soon forget. Still, It will only make me stronger even if I feel like a big wuss today!

That's about it for me as of now. Just preparation and trying to get stronger. I'll be better and keep things more updated more frequently.

My First Marathon!

Saturday morning was one of the most fulfilling, and most difficult, days of my life. I have always heard that you must be a little crazy to run a marathon, and after Saturday I can fully agree that yes, you have to have a little crazy in you!

My morning started at 4 am. I woke up, got dressed, and drove down to center street in Provo with Cindy to check in (I can't believe how awesome Cindy is to willingly take me at 4 am!). I grabbed my racing chip and the bag of stuff they give you, and brought it back to Cindy to hold for me while I strapped the chip to my shoe. I kissed her good-bye and told her I would see her in a few hours. They then started packing school buses with runners and shuttling them up to South Fork Park in Provo Canyon.

They had about 10 fires going when we got there, and everyone tried to huddle around them to stay warm because it was freezing. The problem is, the more people that arrived the further you ended up from the fire. I had a sweater on but it did little to keep me warm. That is when I noticed that one of the buses was still just sitting on the side of the road and never went back for more runners. I went over to the bus and found out he was just chillin' for anyone who needed a place to stay warm. That was the best 45 min... nice and toasty!

As it drew closer to 7 am everyone started to fill the streets and warm up. We lined up according to the pacer we wanted to follow, and so I took my place between the ~8:12 and ~8:56 guys. The gun wouldn't go off at first so everyone just started to run, then right as I reached the guy with the gun it went off. Close enough right? haha.

The first part of my run was pretty uneventful. I went about 4 miles solo, just trying to find a good pace. I found it a little difficult because I had never run with so many runners and whenever someone passed me I wanted to increase my pace to match them. I held back and thought I was doing okay. I met this guy, I honestly can't remember his name, but he is from Illinois and he is running in every state that he can. After he completes a marathon in a state he tattoos the 2 letter symbol on his calf. He had about 15 already. Anyways, way cool guy that I started chatting with and we actually ran the next 8 miles together.

As we reached the bottom he checked his watch and told me, yeah we've been doing great. We're averaging about a 8:08 mile. I said, "wow, we've been goin' pretty fast". He told me we had hit 8 minute miles a few times on the way down. Just to inform you, I usually train around an 8:35-8:40 mile for long distances, so I was a bit worried that I was going way to fast. As we reached the half way point I knew it was true. I already felt tired, which usually doesn't kick in until around mile 20, and I was only at mile 13! I saw my beautiful wife Cindy, my mom, and my wife's friend Jyssica cheering me on at the half way mark, and their encouragement helped me to keep going. I now understood, though, that pushing too fast at the first was seriously stupid. Little did I really understand that until mile 16. Then my life really started to suck.

I felt the tightness coming at mile 12, but i assumed it was just fatigue from going too fast. Mile 16 is when the cramping started in my thighs. It was terrible. Plain and simple. I had to walk a bit until they loosened up, then I started running again as far as I could go until they relaxed again. This was my process for the next 10 miles. I was really unhappy and the thought of having to run that far with cramping seriously sucked.

Around mile 18 I met a guy with a bad limp, and it surprised me because he was the skinny fast looking guy who would probably be at the front of the pack. Turns out, he had a stress fracture in his foot and couldn't run anymore. I asked him if I could help him in any way and he said, "nope, I just have to invent a new way to run and finish!" My cramping didn't seem quite as significant anymore. I wished him luck and trudged on. If he could push through it then I knew I could.

The run may have been tough, but it was a beautiful run. We took a lot of back roads out to Utah Lake and enjoyed the beautiful 75 degree weather. It was honestly the perfect day for a marathon. I met some more people and even had a chat with a guy about how much we each would kill for a cheeseburger during the run (they had some fruit but the further I went the hungrier I got!). I loved the people running the course. They were from all over the country and just had a love for running and getting their body moving. It made the run more fun and made me realize that the marathon is not just a competition against others, but a competition against yourself. With that in mind, everyone is always cheering you on, even if you are passing them. It made me love running more and helped me understand why running is such a unique sport. I'm glad I made myself a part of it.

The end of the race I came with a flood of relief, pain, and some emotions I really don't understand! At the last mile I had some friends Phil and Kaylee cheering me on with a sign that said "runners are hot!" That seriously made me laugh! They stayed there for an hour and a half waiting for me. Awesome friends :)  I rounded the last bend and headed for my wife, mom, Jyssica, and Malone who were holding a sign that said "You are my hero!" Yes, both signs exaggerate a bit but it lifts the spirits! I finished with a time of ~4:35. I am so happy to have completed such a huge goal in my life. I have never tried to do anything so hard before and honestly I never thought a big guy like me could run 26.2 miles. I loved the experience even though it was so painful and difficult. It has taught me a lot about myself and a lot about the goodness of people. I look forward to my next marathon and hopefully, with better preparation, I can avoid the cramping and get a new PR! THANK YOU everyone that supported me and pushed me through it! Especially thank you to my wife for helping me get to this point and seeing me though it! Love you babe!

 This was me going through at the half-way point

Cindy showing me support to the end!

 I met this guy at the last mile and we talked the rest of the way in. Nice guy

Up the Y, Again, and Cauliflower Soup

I decided to go up the Y again but this time running every other leg of the trail. I thought that this might be a beneficial way to train my body for hills and to change things up a bit to allow for my body to burn calories more efficiently and not grow so accustomed to running. Anyways, it kicked my butt honestly. No preparation for hills before running up a mountain left me a little tired as you can imagine, but it was a great run nonetheless. I wanted to keep going on the trails past the Y, but my old shoes I was wearing decided to leave a nasty blister that ripped open on my heel. I tried running barefoot, which worked for a while, but then the trail turned rocky. I put my shoes back on and headed back home. What a great way to exercise!

I wanted to make something healthy for dinner, and Cindy wanted to to see me make something new, so I decided to try a soup that seemed like it would be both healthy and good. Having been to Zupas a million times, this recipe seemed to be the one to go with. It was pretty easy to make and actually fills you up pretty well. If you want to see the site that I referred to while making it, just go here. http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/09/copy-cat-zupas-wisconsin-cauliflower-soup/

INGREDIENTS

 Print This Recipe

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
• 2.5 lbs cauliflower
• 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
• 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese shredded

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Melt butter and chopped onion together in a large sauce pan and sauté for approximately 10 minutes over medium heat until onion gets golden in color.
2. Add flour and stir to make a roux. Heat while stirring for a couple of minutes.
3. Slowly add half and half along with the milk. Gradually add and stir the entire time. Following the milk, gradually add water and chicken broth and stir constantly.
4. Add chopped cauliflower and heat until boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until cauliflower is tender. This will take approximately 15 minutes.
6. Place contents of sauce pan into blender and blend until smooth. Remove center part of blender cover to allow steam to escape.
7. Return cauliflower mixture to saucepan; heat over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in mustard and cheese until melted and smooth.
8. Serve soup topped with a little cheese for garnish.

My finished product :)

Runner's Best Friend: Peanut Butter Balls!

I found this recipe last week and I have been dying to try it! I am always looking for ways to either kill my sweet tooth or to help me during my runs. I found this pretty simple recipe, which is also healthy, that is for pre- or post-workout. Like I occasionally snag one if I have the munchies and am trying to avoid something with nothing but pure sugar!

Anyways, here is the recipe: (found at http://www.fitsugar.com/Recipe--Bake-Peanut-Butter-Balls-7000880)

No Bake Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed (I tried this and I didn't particularly like it, probably because I love peanut butter and this takes away from that particular taste so I substituted soy milk for it. It tastes better now :)

Directions

1. Combine peanut butter, milk powder, and coconut in a large mixing bowl.
   
2. Stir in oats, ground cinnamon, wheat germ, and apple juice concentrate until thoroughly combined.
   
3. Shape the mixture into 16 one-inch balls.
4. Chill thoroughly before serving, about an hour. Store remaining balls in the refrigerator.

After that work you can end up with a great snack! I ate two before a run today just to see how it would affect me and it was awesome! I didn't even feel it in my stomach! Try it sometime!

This was the result of my hard work!

New Goal: Running the Y

So Cindy and I decided to have an fhe while climbing the Y yesterday, and while going up we talked about Teancum (my favorite BofM guy). Parts of the way I decided to run up and then jog back down to meet her. I thought it would be good exercise and I also thought it would be easy. Turns out preparing for a marathon on normal running does NOT prepare you to run up hills! It honestly kicked my butt! The best part is, I liked it! I can't help but think that it would be so awesome for my progress and preparation for a marathon. I also think it would be so fun to change things up a bit.

When Cindy and I reached the top I noticed a trail that went off to the side of the mountain. So, while Cindy was chillin', I took off down the trail and enjoyed the beautiful mountain. The hills were a little more gradual so it wasn't as killer going up them, so I enjoyed it a lot more and actually saw some bits of nature that I really enjoyed. The trail actually circles around the mountain and I plan on going that direction next week. I hope to start training on the Y trail twice a week to help my lungs with oxygen use and to strengthen my legs and core. I know right now I can't do it all in one continual run, but I would like to build up to it. We saw this guy running the trail and he ran it back to back without stopping. Yeah, that is tough. Hopefully I could pull that off one day. As for now, I'll start with some baby steps and work my way up.

Cindy took a pic while I was coming back

Music and Pacing

As I have continued to run I have tried to find as many ways as I can to improve my form, technique, and pace. What I have found, concerning finding a pace that is suitable for me, is that music is an awesome tool. Often, while running, we tend to tire and lose our breathing and foot patterns that tend to naturally come with running. It is during these times that we can use music to strengthen our resolve and make sure that our running is paced rather than sporadic.

On my previous run I had moments where I felt a bit more tired and it was during those times that I realized that my pace was off and I was just kind of sputtering along. I didn't have any headphones with me so I started singing music in my head that I knew had a good beat to which I could match my footfalls. This may seem a little stupid, but it is amazing how quickly time passes when you have your footing paced and your mind occupied. I ended up running much more quickly and my breathing came much easier as well.

I have heard some people say that music can distract from the run and even endanger you because you are not paying attention to what you are doing. To me, music prevents injury and helps you to better pay attention to body, breathing, and surroundings. We may be listening to the music, technically, but that is not where our attention is really at. Running with music is not the same as sitting at home jamming to tunes. Music while running is just having music in the background giving you a beat to run and breath to. It could possibly distract you, but hopefully those are the hard times when you need the distraction. I recently read an article in Runner's World (http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/running-air-breathing-technique) that talks about the benefit of running with proper rhythm and breathing, and to me music helps you find that rhythm. The article goes on to describe how injury is avoided through proper rhythmic breathing, and to me applying music to this logic only improves our rhythm and helps us avoid injury.

I have started to apply this concept more and more during my runs, and I hope that it will keep my pace regulated and help me avoid injury. Just for fun, I decided to toss down a playlist that I like to run to:

Running Playlist

Too Close

I Stand Alone

Kryptonite

Breath Into Me

Awake and Alive

Bleed it Out (edited)

Blow Me Away

Dance with the Devil

Given Up (edited)

Lose Yourself 

Lying from You

Monster

Whispers in the Dark

My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark

I thought this was good advice for the music and the type of running.

Creaking Knees (The Cure)

Since becoming a runner I have noticed several different changes that have been taking place with my body. I have lost weight, the weight I am retaining is distributing more evenly as muscle, my blood pressure is down, my mood is better, and, best of all, my knees no longer creak.

During my 2 year mission I had a little accident during a competitive game of soccer (it was Brazilians vs Americans so of course I went all out). I ripped some ligaments just above my kneecap which caused some pretty bad swelling for about three weeks. There wasn't really a doctor I dared to see in Brazil so I just lived with it. With time it got better but even after my mission it would sometimes swell and give me problems. After speaking with a doctor after my mission, I knew this would be a problem my entire life. I was still able to run, play sports, etc., but I have always had more problems with it and creaking whenever I would bend over, often times including locking in my knee.

With all of these problems I figured my biggest challenge with being a distance runner would be dealing with my knee and the swelling. Last week, after a couple days of rest, I left my apartment, skipped downstairs, and bent over to tie my shoe before heading to school. As I rose to my feet to keep moving I stopped and thought, "Whoaaaaaaa.." My knee, which had given me so many problems, no longer creaked when I bent over. The swelling, which seemed to annoy me the most, also seemed to have disappeared. It was that moment that I discovered that running is the cure for creaky knees.

Now, I don't mean that jumping off the couch and running 5 miles with no prior preparation is going to save your knees, in fact you'll probably just hurt yourself; but a steady and slow starting routine with consistency just may change your knees as it did mine. On Saturday I ran 22 miles for the first time and ya know what? My knees gave my zero problems. Two days later and my knees still feel great (though I cannot say the same about my thighs!). It has been an incredible change in my life and one I thought worth sharing. Running may be hard, but the benefits always seem to outweigh the difficulties.

Give running a chance, maybe it can help your knees and your body in ways that you never imagined.