The Boston Marathon is finished... Bunch of Icelanders ran the race, some were fast, others were not so fast but they can all claim participation in the oldest and the most respected marathon in the world... Also Frank, mentioned in a previous post ran, although still recovering from an ultramarathon. Jen improved her Boston time by 11 minutes and Scott Dunlap (see blog links) ran the distance although obviously not pushing for a time. But he runs over 20 races over 42km each season so they can't all be the fastest.
Inspired by this I started my short run recovery... Taking the advice of my friend Ásgeir I decided to run 1.5 km... if the knees would handle that go a bit longer and work my self up... I must work my self up to 21km by the 15th of June when I plan to race the 1/2 Ironman.
So I set out. I felt silly dressing up in my running clothes knowing I would only be going 1.5km. The preperation it self took as long as the run. I tried to run with knee support and that really worked well. I ran downhill for around 750m and then steep uphill for 750m. My knees held up fine. No pain, only a little tingling sensation that worried me for a little bit.
That night I was working a night shift and my knee felt a bit weak, but not in pain. So something is going right. I am using massage (credit to my aunt), omega-3 fish oil, voltaren, knee support... anything that will work, traditional or not.
I didn't time my run or check the pulse (as it was such a short run) but the speed was fine although I can feel that 3 weeks of not running really brings down the stamina... but stamina is easy to build up. 51 days to go!!!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Back from the start
Yep... now it is back to the start...
Run 1.5km if there is no pain for two runs go to 2.0km, no pain... 2.5km etc... until it hurts... I am pretty sure this will work it self out... although I will go to the scan in may and see what the doctor says. But most triathletes injure them selfs at some point or another... and this is just minor...
Last week was good... 4 bike trainings, 3 swim training... (2 in the club, one by my self) and 3 strength trainings... all in all, well balanced.
The Boston marathon is today... How I wish I was there... one day, one day. I posted some of the races I plan to race (in my lifetime) but for some reason the post went down on the page. So it looks like the third or fourth newest post. But you can scroll down and check it out.
Good luck to you Boston runners, and the rest of you... I might be brought back to 1.5km but not for long :)
Run 1.5km if there is no pain for two runs go to 2.0km, no pain... 2.5km etc... until it hurts... I am pretty sure this will work it self out... although I will go to the scan in may and see what the doctor says. But most triathletes injure them selfs at some point or another... and this is just minor...
Last week was good... 4 bike trainings, 3 swim training... (2 in the club, one by my self) and 3 strength trainings... all in all, well balanced.
The Boston marathon is today... How I wish I was there... one day, one day. I posted some of the races I plan to race (in my lifetime) but for some reason the post went down on the page. So it looks like the third or fourth newest post. But you can scroll down and check it out.
Good luck to you Boston runners, and the rest of you... I might be brought back to 1.5km but not for long :)
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
F**K!!!!!
That kind of says it all...
yesterday and today have been the best and my worst days in training... yesterday was the best... I went through my 4 trainings without feeling any discomfort in my knee at all... even soccer went without any pain... and without loosing a game...
Then there is today... I felt a little weird in the knee but no pain... I decided to go out for a short late night run... running just 3.5km and see how it would feel.
I went out steadily feeling each knee bend every step, listening to any sing of pain. But I didn't feel any... so I kept going I was getting into my rythm and just feeling so good running again... then suddenly without warning after 2.5km I felt like a knive was being stabbed into my knee... and for the remaining 1.5km every step felt like having a knive turned inside of my knee... the weird thing is that this was the left knee... the knee that had recovered better and had been painless for longer...
I ended up finishing in 22:47 minutes way too slow... way too painfull... now I sit here with ice on my knee... cursing this incredibly bad design... how can one bodypart be so problematic... and conteplating about the duathlon this weekend... I really want to go...
yesterday and today have been the best and my worst days in training... yesterday was the best... I went through my 4 trainings without feeling any discomfort in my knee at all... even soccer went without any pain... and without loosing a game...
Then there is today... I felt a little weird in the knee but no pain... I decided to go out for a short late night run... running just 3.5km and see how it would feel.
I went out steadily feeling each knee bend every step, listening to any sing of pain. But I didn't feel any... so I kept going I was getting into my rythm and just feeling so good running again... then suddenly without warning after 2.5km I felt like a knive was being stabbed into my knee... and for the remaining 1.5km every step felt like having a knive turned inside of my knee... the weird thing is that this was the left knee... the knee that had recovered better and had been painless for longer...
I ended up finishing in 22:47 minutes way too slow... way too painfull... now I sit here with ice on my knee... cursing this incredibly bad design... how can one bodypart be so problematic... and conteplating about the duathlon this weekend... I really want to go...
Monday, April 14, 2008
The Doctor
Went to a knee specialist today...
Well, after a short explaination and the history of the mess in my knees he asked my to lie down and he poked couple of spots, asked if that or that hurt. All in all around 15 minutes... then he told my they needed x-ray photo and MRI of both knees.
Fair enough, I had expected that. He told me to go downstairs book a time for that and then book another time with him couple of days after they have the results.
I walked out of the doctors office after this short chat. In which he could not tell me anything what was wrong or if it would be save to run again.
Well, fair enough I thought. He will tell me more after I get the pictures. But as I am walking through the reception the receptionist handed me a bill of 150 US dollars!!! 150$ for less than 20 minutes, where he did more or less nothing and didn't tell me anything!!! wow!!!
I walked downstairs to the MRI/x-ray part. They didn't have anything available untill the middle of May so a months wait and... they told me the bill would be around 300$ fantastic!!!!
They better have some answers after I give them 500$!!
Anyways... enough of me irritating my self over a stupid system... my knee actually feels much better so I am going for 4 trainings tonight. Starting with spinning class, going into weights, where I will again take light weights, on to swim trainnig where I plan to take 1500m on time. Then football where I will test my knee.
On a more positive note I got the bike today!! It is a Peugeot racer bike. Almost new, just abot 20 years old. :)
Fell of the first two times trying to get my feet into the pedals... I am so happy about the bike, can't wait taking it out for a rida... the plan is to do that tomorrow.
Also it has a name (has had it for years), it's Pusi derivative of Peugeot :)
Welcome Pusi!
Well, after a short explaination and the history of the mess in my knees he asked my to lie down and he poked couple of spots, asked if that or that hurt. All in all around 15 minutes... then he told my they needed x-ray photo and MRI of both knees.
Fair enough, I had expected that. He told me to go downstairs book a time for that and then book another time with him couple of days after they have the results.
I walked out of the doctors office after this short chat. In which he could not tell me anything what was wrong or if it would be save to run again.
Well, fair enough I thought. He will tell me more after I get the pictures. But as I am walking through the reception the receptionist handed me a bill of 150 US dollars!!! 150$ for less than 20 minutes, where he did more or less nothing and didn't tell me anything!!! wow!!!
I walked downstairs to the MRI/x-ray part. They didn't have anything available untill the middle of May so a months wait and... they told me the bill would be around 300$ fantastic!!!!
They better have some answers after I give them 500$!!
Anyways... enough of me irritating my self over a stupid system... my knee actually feels much better so I am going for 4 trainings tonight. Starting with spinning class, going into weights, where I will again take light weights, on to swim trainnig where I plan to take 1500m on time. Then football where I will test my knee.
On a more positive note I got the bike today!! It is a Peugeot racer bike. Almost new, just abot 20 years old. :)
Fell of the first two times trying to get my feet into the pedals... I am so happy about the bike, can't wait taking it out for a rida... the plan is to do that tomorrow.
Also it has a name (has had it for years), it's Pusi derivative of Peugeot :)
Welcome Pusi!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Races I plan to do
Kiehl’s Badwater Ultramarathon
a 135-mile foot race from the bottom of Death Valley to the Mt. Whitney trailhead 8,360 feet above sea level
If not the toughest footrace in the world, the Badwater Ultra is certainly the hottest. The 135-mile haul goes from 280-feet below sea level in the middle of Death Valley to 8,360 feet at Whitney Portals at the base of Mt. Whitney--in the middle of July. Along the way, runners must deal with rugged highway, passing motorists and stifling temperatures, which climb as high as 130 degrees. The invitation-only race is limited to 75 runners, a field regularly filled with marathoners, triathletes, adventure racers and mountaineers who have proved their mettle elsewhere. Last year saw a 79% finishing rate, which included runner Dean Karnazes, the author of Ultramarathon Man, who not only captured first place with a blistering time of 27:22:48, but then shuffled an extra 11 miles to the top of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the continental U.S.
For more information, visit www.badwaterultra.com
Marathon des Sables
The Marathon Des Sables
Location: Sahara Desert, Morocco
When: April
Started: 1985
Factoid: mid-day temperatures of up to 120°F
Web site: http://xxlplan.ovh.net/~visiolog/uk/indexuk_ovh.shtml
The Dead Sea Ultra Marathon
Dead Sea Ultra Marathon
Location: Amman, Jordan
When: April 15, 2005
Started: 1993
Factoid: Finish line is 400 meters below sea level
Web site: http://www.deadseamarathon.com/
The Everest Marathon
Everest Marathon
Location: Everest Base Camp, Nepal
When: November
Started: 1987
Factoid: Race starts at 17,000 feet
Web site: http://www.everestmarathon.org.uk/
Great Tibetan Marathon
Location: Ladakh, India
When: August
Started: NA
Factoid: The start is at 3,800 meters above sea level and the finish is just 400 meters lower. In contrast, the Everest marathon starts at 5,340 meters and runs downhill.
Web site: www.great-tibetan-marathon.com/
Le Marathon des Chateaux du Medoc
Location: Medoc, France
When: September
Started: 2005
Factoid: The course passes many of the greatest chateaux in Bordeaux, where "runners" are expected to drink wine instead of water and foie gras instead of bananas.
Web site: www.marathondumedoc.com
Boston Marathon
Location: Boston
When: April
Started: 1897
Factoid: Since 1969 the Boston Marathon has always been run on Patriots' Day, the third Monday in April.
Web site: http://www.bostonmarathon.org/
a 135-mile foot race from the bottom of Death Valley to the Mt. Whitney trailhead 8,360 feet above sea level
If not the toughest footrace in the world, the Badwater Ultra is certainly the hottest. The 135-mile haul goes from 280-feet below sea level in the middle of Death Valley to 8,360 feet at Whitney Portals at the base of Mt. Whitney--in the middle of July. Along the way, runners must deal with rugged highway, passing motorists and stifling temperatures, which climb as high as 130 degrees. The invitation-only race is limited to 75 runners, a field regularly filled with marathoners, triathletes, adventure racers and mountaineers who have proved their mettle elsewhere. Last year saw a 79% finishing rate, which included runner Dean Karnazes, the author of Ultramarathon Man, who not only captured first place with a blistering time of 27:22:48, but then shuffled an extra 11 miles to the top of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the continental U.S.
For more information, visit www.badwaterultra.com
Marathon des Sables
The Marathon Des Sables
Location: Sahara Desert, Morocco
When: April
Started: 1985
Factoid: mid-day temperatures of up to 120°F
Web site: http://xxlplan.ovh.net/~visiolog/uk/indexuk_ovh.shtml
The Dead Sea Ultra Marathon
Dead Sea Ultra Marathon
Location: Amman, Jordan
When: April 15, 2005
Started: 1993
Factoid: Finish line is 400 meters below sea level
Web site: http://www.deadseamarathon.com/
The Everest Marathon
Everest Marathon
Location: Everest Base Camp, Nepal
When: November
Started: 1987
Factoid: Race starts at 17,000 feet
Web site: http://www.everestmarathon.org.uk/
Great Tibetan Marathon
Location: Ladakh, India
When: August
Started: NA
Factoid: The start is at 3,800 meters above sea level and the finish is just 400 meters lower. In contrast, the Everest marathon starts at 5,340 meters and runs downhill.
Web site: www.great-tibetan-marathon.com/
Le Marathon des Chateaux du Medoc
Location: Medoc, France
When: September
Started: 2005
Factoid: The course passes many of the greatest chateaux in Bordeaux, where "runners" are expected to drink wine instead of water and foie gras instead of bananas.
Web site: www.marathondumedoc.com
Boston Marathon
Location: Boston
When: April
Started: 1897
Factoid: Since 1969 the Boston Marathon has always been run on Patriots' Day, the third Monday in April.
Web site: http://www.bostonmarathon.org/
65 days to go...
Knees, knees, knees, it's all about the knees... I read somewhere that guys mostly think about one part of their body... well... for runners I guess that would be the knees... at least in my case.
The knee update is that it feels pretty good... no pain... still weak...
Had a 20km indoor bike ride yesterday. My legs felt really good afterwards, kept a 32km/hr average pace so that was fine. Can't wait to start running again! But will try to wait until after I see the knee specialist next Monday.
I put up my race schedule for 2008 on the side bar as well as my times in the races of 2008 so far. Will be fun moving them down as I go through them. Those with sharp attention will see that I have a marathon on the 31st of May and a 1/2 Olympic triathlon on the 1st of June. No, I don't plan to do both. I just can't decide which one to take. Also, I planned to race 16 times this year so with the current plan I can skip three races. I decided to put a bit more races in than I will race due to the fact that I work shifts and due to work I will have to skip some of the races. Although all the big ones I have taken care of already.
My next "big" one. The next big step in my journey into this running/triathlon madness is the 1/2 Ironman. It is scheduled th 15th of June so 65 days to go and I am really looking forward to it. That race is one of the main reasons why I am considering skipping the marathon on the 31st of May. I jsut don't want to risk having weak knees going into the 1/2 Ironman.
Then after the 1/2 Ironman I have 27 days to recover, regroup and taper for the Laugarvegur XTERRA ultra marathon. It is 55km in the mountains. Something I really look forward to. So I want to feel as fresh as I can there. The summer seems to be more or less recovery and tapering. Not much time for regular training. Although I will put in as many km's as possible. Also the smaller races are thought as trainings and I will not taper or need to recover afterwards.
About photos... I have been searching high and low for the cable to connect the camera to my computer, without success. So right now I have a lot of photos from my first marathon but they are stuck in a silver colored metal box.
Also the Boston Marathon is in 10 days I have been reading blogs of people preparing for it... some of which actually travel there this weekend. I get so excited reading about it. For me The Boston Marathon is the same in marathons as Kona is in Ironmans. Maybe I am overstating its importance but that's how I see it and I definetly am going to qualify in 2010, the latest! :)
All the best to those of your running in Boston (or if you have other races coming up)!! enjoy every second but at the same time try to take as few of them as you can!
The knee update is that it feels pretty good... no pain... still weak...
Had a 20km indoor bike ride yesterday. My legs felt really good afterwards, kept a 32km/hr average pace so that was fine. Can't wait to start running again! But will try to wait until after I see the knee specialist next Monday.
I put up my race schedule for 2008 on the side bar as well as my times in the races of 2008 so far. Will be fun moving them down as I go through them. Those with sharp attention will see that I have a marathon on the 31st of May and a 1/2 Olympic triathlon on the 1st of June. No, I don't plan to do both. I just can't decide which one to take. Also, I planned to race 16 times this year so with the current plan I can skip three races. I decided to put a bit more races in than I will race due to the fact that I work shifts and due to work I will have to skip some of the races. Although all the big ones I have taken care of already.
My next "big" one. The next big step in my journey into this running/triathlon madness is the 1/2 Ironman. It is scheduled th 15th of June so 65 days to go and I am really looking forward to it. That race is one of the main reasons why I am considering skipping the marathon on the 31st of May. I jsut don't want to risk having weak knees going into the 1/2 Ironman.
Then after the 1/2 Ironman I have 27 days to recover, regroup and taper for the Laugarvegur XTERRA ultra marathon. It is 55km in the mountains. Something I really look forward to. So I want to feel as fresh as I can there. The summer seems to be more or less recovery and tapering. Not much time for regular training. Although I will put in as many km's as possible. Also the smaller races are thought as trainings and I will not taper or need to recover afterwards.
About photos... I have been searching high and low for the cable to connect the camera to my computer, without success. So right now I have a lot of photos from my first marathon but they are stuck in a silver colored metal box.
Also the Boston Marathon is in 10 days I have been reading blogs of people preparing for it... some of which actually travel there this weekend. I get so excited reading about it. For me The Boston Marathon is the same in marathons as Kona is in Ironmans. Maybe I am overstating its importance but that's how I see it and I definetly am going to qualify in 2010, the latest! :)
All the best to those of your running in Boston (or if you have other races coming up)!! enjoy every second but at the same time try to take as few of them as you can!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Gradual improvements... nahhh... boring
I´ll keep up the habit of writing a knee update in the beginning :) I iced it again tonight... but the whole day I felt ok, sore at most... tonight in trainings it felt great, absoulutely no discomfort. But after training as I cooled down I had a little pain so I decided to ice it again, just for the fun of it.
Well, spinning class was not very noteworthy, except I showed up a bit late... was working till five and the class starts fifteen past, I had to get to my car (parked around 10 minutes walk away from my work), drive through the city (probably town on American scale) :) Which should take around 20-25 minutes in the rush hour. Change into my gear, 5 mintues... so all in all around 35 minutes... I knew I couldn't be 20 minutes late as thats half the class so I rushed through traffic my pulse rising with every slow car or red light so that when I finally jumped on the bike, 12 minutes late I was already at excercise level :)
But the reason I am writing this is not to talk about Icelandic traffic... I have lived and traveled to too many countries so I promise never to complain about our tiny traffic delays. Go to Jakarta and you will experience a real traffic jam :)
The reason why I am writing this blog that I am totally elated with my swim training. I took light weights in the lifting/excercise class so my arms felt relatively fresh. Although it was kind of hard having the lightest weights of everyone in the class. But it sure paid off.
Up till now I have been swimming at around 2:20 sustained pace per 100m. I go faster for 2-300m breaking the 2 minutes. But never been able to do it consistently. And more importantly when I go around the 2 minutes I am really going all out, tiring my self immensly. My legs and arms tired.
Well... not any more!!
I have always been aiming for the 2 minute pace as it will give 30 minutes for the 1500m in a triathlon. I was getting rather worried because I have not been improving my swim times for over 3 months now. But this week I have been reading Total Immersion again. Great book and i totally recommend it. I had read it before, before I started taking the masters swim classes but it hadn't really helped. But this time it really clicked, putting together what my coach has been telling me (I have listened, but not been able to turn it into action) and what the book says I just flew. That, even though I was trying to go slower, I did more or less nothing with my feet that up untill now have been sinking the moment I stop kicking for my life. But by pushing my chest down and swimming "downhill" my legs just popped up and I started gliding through the water.
I also slowed down my armstroke alot, taking fewer, slower and with less effort my strokes. Just focusing on not raising my head as I breath. The first 100 meters were my slowest tonight 2:06 and I wasn't tired at all. So I managed to cut my rest time and for 1.7 or 1.8km (lost count) that is 17-18 trips I kept under 2:00 minutes for 11-12 of them and the others 2:01 and 2:02... just amazing...
I rested and pushed off the banks so it can not be transfered directly to triathlon time but my avarage time of 1:58 would give me 29:30 for the 1500m and now the 1900m in the half Ironman I plan to compete in June doesn't seem scary at all. I'll come out of the water fresh and in the middle of the group... YAY!!!
ps. was reading it over... well... lot of numbers... meaningless to most... but as most of you guys reading are triathletes or runners and I am just so happy, so I decided to post it anyways :)
Well, spinning class was not very noteworthy, except I showed up a bit late... was working till five and the class starts fifteen past, I had to get to my car (parked around 10 minutes walk away from my work), drive through the city (probably town on American scale) :) Which should take around 20-25 minutes in the rush hour. Change into my gear, 5 mintues... so all in all around 35 minutes... I knew I couldn't be 20 minutes late as thats half the class so I rushed through traffic my pulse rising with every slow car or red light so that when I finally jumped on the bike, 12 minutes late I was already at excercise level :)
But the reason I am writing this is not to talk about Icelandic traffic... I have lived and traveled to too many countries so I promise never to complain about our tiny traffic delays. Go to Jakarta and you will experience a real traffic jam :)
The reason why I am writing this blog that I am totally elated with my swim training. I took light weights in the lifting/excercise class so my arms felt relatively fresh. Although it was kind of hard having the lightest weights of everyone in the class. But it sure paid off.
Up till now I have been swimming at around 2:20 sustained pace per 100m. I go faster for 2-300m breaking the 2 minutes. But never been able to do it consistently. And more importantly when I go around the 2 minutes I am really going all out, tiring my self immensly. My legs and arms tired.
Well... not any more!!
I have always been aiming for the 2 minute pace as it will give 30 minutes for the 1500m in a triathlon. I was getting rather worried because I have not been improving my swim times for over 3 months now. But this week I have been reading Total Immersion again. Great book and i totally recommend it. I had read it before, before I started taking the masters swim classes but it hadn't really helped. But this time it really clicked, putting together what my coach has been telling me (I have listened, but not been able to turn it into action) and what the book says I just flew. That, even though I was trying to go slower, I did more or less nothing with my feet that up untill now have been sinking the moment I stop kicking for my life. But by pushing my chest down and swimming "downhill" my legs just popped up and I started gliding through the water.
I also slowed down my armstroke alot, taking fewer, slower and with less effort my strokes. Just focusing on not raising my head as I breath. The first 100 meters were my slowest tonight 2:06 and I wasn't tired at all. So I managed to cut my rest time and for 1.7 or 1.8km (lost count) that is 17-18 trips I kept under 2:00 minutes for 11-12 of them and the others 2:01 and 2:02... just amazing...
I rested and pushed off the banks so it can not be transfered directly to triathlon time but my avarage time of 1:58 would give me 29:30 for the 1500m and now the 1900m in the half Ironman I plan to compete in June doesn't seem scary at all. I'll come out of the water fresh and in the middle of the group... YAY!!!
ps. was reading it over... well... lot of numbers... meaningless to most... but as most of you guys reading are triathletes or runners and I am just so happy, so I decided to post it anyways :)
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