My Quarterly Report, Not That I Can Be Described In 3 Months

This has been one of my worst years as a runner. I wasn't able to run the first two months of the year (hip flexor), then I spent another month on the disabled list around August (shin).  In between, I've been trying to get back to a semblance of the runner I was last year.  I think those circumstances (subconsciously) led my posts to be more "public service announcement" in nature (ie. Coaching, Stress Reactions, Food).  Well, lucky you, now you get to read about some of my running exploits which have little to no bearing on your well being.

Periosteal Reaction

A couple posts ago I mentioned my right shin suffered a stress reaction (periosteal reaction).  The doctor told me to stop running for two weeks.  The update on that is, 2 weeks turned into a month.  It was probably prolonged because I kept cross training, but I tried to be careful and now the injury appears to be in my rear view mirror.  If the reaction had turned into a fracture, I would have been sidelined a minimum of 8 weeks.

Five minute mile on the AlterG.

While rehabbing my shin, I employed my coach's AlterG treadmill two to three times per week.  I set my body weight for 70% and I was able to run pain free.  I even did a couple 20 mile long runs on the AlterG.  To try and make up for my lighter weight, I set it for faster speeds than normal and got my heart rate into the Lactate Threshold zone.  I probably paid for half of my coach's mortgage payment that month.

I bring joy to some when
they see me coming.

I bring joy to others when
they see me going.

I've got plenty of dri-fit shirts to run in, but a lot of them are a solid color with no logos or "flair".  I like to express myself a little when I'm out running, and plain shirts just aren't cutting it. I decided awhile ago that I wanted a shirt for my blog, and so it was just a matter of time before I got around to designing a Limited Edition, 2 Slow 4 Boston shirt, and finding a company to make it.  I spent a lot of time trying to get the graphics right for the printer, and I'm pretty happy with the results.

Can I say I ordered shirts in
 three different colors if those
 colors are Black, White, and Grey?
The answer is not black and white.

Club logo used with
permission from me :-)

Last month I was elected President of the local running club sporting about 300 members. Most runners in the area use our club's website for the race calender and race results.  I think when it came time for presidential nominees to step forward, everyone else on the council took two steps back, leaving me unchallenged (and unsuspecting).  I'm tempted to embed a "Hail To The Chief" mp3 in my blog for your listening enjoyment, but I'll spare you, for now. This will probably be one of those jobs with all the responsibilities and none of the power or appreciation to go along with it.

My first marathon since last December, the Wichita Prairie Fire marathon, is now less than 2 weeks away. While dealing with my shin, I was only able to run 53 non-AlterG miles in the month of August. Come September, I felt out of shape. But then I ran a 55 mile week pain free followed by a 58 mile week, including my first non-AlterG-aided 20 mile long run of the year. My latest long run was 18 miles with a pace that equaled my marathon PR. I'm still not in as good of (marathon) shape as last year, but now I have some confidence and potential for a good race.


Surprisingly, I haven't talked about or promoted the Running Blog Database at all since I created it earlier in the year. Now it's time to mention it again. Most of my readers might not even notice it's tab sitting innocuously in 2nd place on my home page, or the big blue logo on my sidebar. Over the Summer I redid the RBD color scheme, and tried to make the layout a little more appealing. Every week another blogger or two adds their blog to the RBD.  It now contains about 749 blogs. Last month the Database page had over 150 views with a lot of those coming from other blogs who displayed the logo in their sidebar and linked to it. Thanks to all my blogging buddies who are helping to send traffic this way. Please check out the RBD if you haven't visited in awhile, make sure your blog is in there and up-to-date, and please consider linking to it on your sidebar if you're looking to add some "flair" (Office Space style) while promoting other Running Blogs to the general community.

I'm Getting Schooled... Part 5 of 5 (Coaching Costs)

The first four parts of my coaching series dealt with services that I had to pay for.  I intentionally left out the payment details until now so that I could sum them all up together.  As I mentioned in Part 1, the potential costs were an issue I had to overcome.  Turns out, hiring a coach was cheaper than I thought it would be, not that I'm done whipping out my checkbook yet.  Here's how my expenditures break down:


Initial Consultation

• Duration - 1 hour
• Cost - $40

Lactate Threshold Test

• Duration - Aprox. 40 minutes
• Cost - $75

Stride Analysis

• Duration - Part of a 1 hour training session
• Cost - $40

AlterG Treadmill

• Duration - 1 hour
• Cost - $20/hour, better rates if multiple sessions are prepaid.

Custom 10k Training Plan

• Duration - 5 week plan
• Cost - $35

Since I didn't have to pay to try the AlterG, the total I've paid for services so far from my coach is $180.00 (including a $10 coupon).  Pretty reasonable wouldn't you say for all the help I've got?


Of course, rates will vary from coach to coach, region to region, and year to year, but I think posting these numbers will be helpful to others who are seriously considering hiring a coach like I did.



Go To:
Part 1 of 5 (My New Coach)
Part 2 of 5 (Lactate Threshold Test)
Part 3 of 5 (AlterG)
Part 4 of 5 (10k Training Plan) 

I'm Getting Schooled... Part 3 of 5 (AlterG)

On May 11th, I had another appointment with Coach Wadsworth.  The main objective this day was to have him give me a stride analysis.  I really won't go into the gory details of it because it went pretty well, and what I'm about to talk about is a lot more interesting.  However, he made the observation that my left foot wasn't kicking back as high as my right, nor did it appear to be going through the full range of motion.  The cause most likely is my left leg is weaker and less flexible than my right, so I will be doing some exercises/plyometrics he prescribed.

The secondary purpose of my session with Nathan was to give his AlterG treadmill a test drive, er run.  I can vividly remember the first time I ever laid eyes on an AlterG.  It was in an issue of Runner's World which I used to have time to read cover to cover before I started blogging.  Now I mainly skim through it.  Anyhow, I thought it was a bad-ass piece of machinery that only Olympians had access to.  They are still pretty rare.

Somebody reading this may have never heard of, or know what an AlterG treadmill is.  Well, you're about to.  AlterG is short for Anti Gravity.  They are made in California with a price tag of $75,000.  They can be used for rehabilitation or performance training.  In some cases, they can just be used for a fun and unique experience.   The purpose of it is to allow you go on a crash diet and become up to 80% lighter than your current body weight while you otherwise use it like a regular treadmill.  It works by pressurizing an almost airtight tent that envelopes the lower part of the mill including you.  The resulting air pressure tries to push you out of the hole in the top thereby making you lighter.  Using the touch screen, it goes up to 18mph with a 0-15% incline.  It will even go 10 mph in reverse.  Other than that, a picture says 1000 words.

My maiden AlterG experience.  I'm actually running a near effortless 10 mph (6 minute mile)
in this photo while at 50% of my body weight.

The AlterG is controlled by a touch screen.  Like an iPod app on steroids.  I think those beverage
holders could easily hold a couple 40 ouncers.

I had it up to 12mph (5:00 pace) while at 40% of my body weight.  I'm sure I could have gone faster, but I wasn't used to the sensation and I felt a little off balance, so I played it safe.  The lighter I got, the more it felt like I was running on my tiptoes.  I wish I was wearing a HR monitor.  I've never tried that pace on a regular treadmill, and not sure I want to.  My PR in the mile is roughly 5:52, and I remember that being a lot more painful.

Aren't you glad you don't have to look at another picture of me.  Here's
a picture of my coach holding the special AlterG shorts I had to squeeze into.
Notice the industrial white zipper that runs around the waist. 

Even though my first run on the AlterG was more for fun and to get a feel for it (and to brag about it on my blog), someday I will probably try to work it into my routine.  Now that I got this experience off my bucket list, it's back to training.  In my next post, I'll go over the custom 10k training plan Coach Wadsworth created just for little old me.


Go To:
Part 1 of 5 (My New Coach)

Part 2 of 5 (Lactate Threshold Test)

Part 4 of 5 (10k Training Plan)

Part 5 of 5 (Coaching Costs)