2009, what a fun year

It's December 31st and like many other people I've taken the day to think, ponder and reflect back on what was the year 2009. Call it cliche, but I'm going to take a moment and look back.

I always feel bad for the month of January because it seems that people forget so easily what happens in this month. I mean, Christmas just ends, then New Years, and the next thing you know it's March. However, January 2009 was different. I distinctly remember where I was when President Obama was sworn in and regardless of your political affiliation I bet you remember where you were as well. I was in the basement at Volunteer Ministry Center (a homeless service provider) at their old location on the corner of Gay St. and Jackson Ave. in downtown Knoxville. I watched on a fuzzy TV screen along with some other coworkers and several individuals who were presently homeless. It was a special moment and one that I will not soon forget.

2009 was a fun year. I feel very fortunate to be able to type that last sentence and actually mean it. The year was marked with several highlights: At the end of March, I climbed the tallest mountain in the lower 48 (Mt. Whitney); In May, Rachel graduated from the University of Tennessee and received her doctorate degree in Audiology, I spent the summer (2 months) in Calgary, AB where I did lots of sight seeing with my host family from Belgium; And I started this running thing.

I remember that I started running when I got home from Calgary, which was back in mid-July. I've surprised myself by actually continuing to run. I not usually one for New Year's resolutions, but I think for 2010 my resolution will be to stick with my training schedule and finish the Marathon without any catastrophes. I believe my run today was an indication of good things to come.

After I ran 4 miles today, my knee felt better than it has in the past couple of weeks. Today's weather was like what I imagine the Puget Sound to be like. Misty, cold (not too cold), and the overpowering smell of earth. It was a cleansing run. I hope this run propels me into 2010. Well, have fantastic New Year. And for 2010, put your Good Foot Forward.

All I want for Christmas is spandex

Rachel and I had a great Christmas back in Arkansas. I have to admit my running schedule did not go as planned (i.e. I did not attempt my long run of 14 miles on Saturday). Although, this is not a bad thing, since my right knee is giving me some problems. I thought that by taking a break it might help my knee-situation. We shall see for this week.

Back to Christmas. Like I was saying, we had a great Christmas and I got lots of cool running thingy's. I thought I could use this post to show you what I got for Christmas. A show-and-tell of sorts.

The Stick. This guy is pretty neat and it comes at a good time given the current situation with my knee. It acts sort of like a deep tissue massage. I've only used it on my legs, but it can be used for almost any part of your body.

Brooks Vapor Dry 2 Running gloves. I've owned a lot of gloves in my life, but these gloves have really impressed me. Brooks knows what runners want in a glove: warm breathable materials with places on the index finger and thumb to wipe away snot. Another cool feature is the magnets that keep the gloves together so you don't lose them in the big glove box.


Asics Performance 2-N-1 short. I have not had a chance to use this short, since it is intended to be worn in warmer weather. They fit great and feel great.

Asics Men's compression short 7". This spandex blows my old pair out of the water. Although I've only completed one run with these, it is amazing how warm and comfortable they are. I especially like how the leg comes down a bit further than other pairs of spandex I've owned in the past, because it keeps my thigh muscles a bit more stabilized.

Amphipod's Full Tilt Veloicity water carrier. This will be a life saver on the long runs. I have been thinking for a while what will I do for water on my longer runs. Well, that was my problem. I was just thinking and not doing anything about my lack of H2O. So I've been running waterless. Not any more with this handy-dandy device. Tested it out yesterday on a 3 mile run and it works great. Very little bounce and very easy to access.


I would like to thank everyone who has supported me in this endeavor. I never expected any of these gifts and I am very grateful for them. They will undoubtedly help me with my training. Again, I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas and I hope you have a great New Year. Running is a great New Year's resolution. I'm just sayin'.

A Sensitive Topic

The topic that I'm about to write about has been on my mind since I started this blog. However, I haven't been able to figure out how exactly to write about such a topic. I mean, it's gross. Yet everyone who has been (or is) a runner knows exactly what I'm talking about, so it shouldn't be that big of a deal to write about it because these are the pains every runner goes through and experiences. The topic I'm delicately trying to describe is chaffing. Yes, raw nipples and monkey-butt. These have often been the headliners of running horror stories.

Don't worry, there will not be any photos for this post. I think our minds can paint a clear enough picture as it is. So what exactly causes chaffing? About.Com's Christine Luff has this to say,"Chafing is caused by repeated motion -- specifically, skin rubbing against loose fabric or other skin. Chafing most often occurs around the bra line (women), nipples (men), inner thighs, and under the arms. Moisture, either from sweat or rain, can worsen chafing. It can also be caused by a poorly fitted bra." I had always known about this problem but I never experienced it until I started running 5 or more miles at a single time. And if you don't take proper precautions it can ruin a run and be quite serious. If it gets to the point where blood is present on your nipples or inner thighs, no matter what the quantity, it's serious.

I don't remember the exact date when it first hit me, but I have since taken it upon myself to do some preventative measures where I'll be less likely to become the victim of raw nipples and monkey-butt. Step one is to use some personal lubricant, like Vaseline or petroleum jelly, I personally use Bag Balm, and apply it to the sensitive regions of your body. Step two, Band-Aids. Specifically, two of them on your chest. These little guys act as a force field. I forgot to use them on a 8 mile run and that will be the last time I ever forget. In addition, spandex shorts are always a good idea, but they're not full proof. I've also tried a variety of t-shirts to wear without any luck.

So there you have it. If you were to type "runner chaffing" into a search engine, you'll find a plethora of other helpful materials.

Week 5 Training

Here it comes and there it goes:

Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: off
Saturday: 12 miles
Sunday: off

Long over due

On Tuesday December 8th, 2009 I officially completed my second to last semester of graduate school. I took the liberty of taking a week long siesta. Thus, I also neglected this blog, but I knew it was only a matter of time before that happened. "I'm back on the wagon," as they say. Much has happened since my last post, so I thought I would break down my runs. I know this isn't creative but I hope it will get me, and those of you that follow, back on track and up to speed in the wacky world of Chad's Marathon Training.

By far my biggest highlight of week 3 came on Saturday December 6th when it snowed. Saturday was my long run day of 10 miles. 10 miles was the furthest I have ever ran continuously, so I was apprehensive and excited about the challenge all at the same time. That morning when I woke up the trees were covered with big fluffy wet snow, the kind that can stick to anything. This was the type of snow that it would stick to anything but pavement or blacktop, because the ground temperature isn't cold enough. So my paths were free of any snow except on the occasional bridge that crossed a stream. So many memories were evoked as I was running. One of those memories was playing hockey back in Minnesota on the frozen pond behind my house. The snow continued for most of my run, except for the last 2 miles. This run was a big confidence booster because afterwards my mind and body felt great.


Week 4 was also marked by interesting weather patterns. Early in the week there were highs of 60 degrees and as the week progressed the temperature plummeted to a low of 20 degrees. I didn't update the blog in time to show you my training schedule so here it is

Week 4 Training Schedule
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: off
Friday: off
Saturday: 12 miles
Sunday: off

The run on Wednesday and Saturday are worth mentioning. Wednesday's run was interesting because Knoxville experienced 40 mph plus winds (I think this was also the same time that a major storm system swept across the Midwest). The winds were brutal. My route kept me mostly in the downtown area and when I would pass alley-ways in between buildings the gusts would cause me to stagger. When I arrived back on campus, with less than a mile to go, I had to run under very old oak trees. I could hear the branches cracking and popping. I pictured myself in Harrison Ford's shoes in the movie Indian Jones and the Last Crusade where he navigates the final obstacles to reach the cup of life. Nonetheless, I made it home safely.


If I was apprehensive about running 10 miles, I was even more jarred with the thought of running 12 miles in temperatures hovering around 25 degrees. Before my fellow Minnesotans comment about that last statement, let me just say that after living in the South for nearly 5 years one becomes accustomed to things, temperature being one of those things. So, this run was my longest and coldest so far. During the first 2-3 miles I felt really stiff and tight. By mile 7 I could feel my right big toe becoming hot (indication of a blister). The sensation wasn't great enough to cause me to stop, it was just irritating. I finished in about 1hr 45min. Despite me thinking my body can handle whatever I throw at it, this run taught me that there is still a lot of training that I need to do.


OK we're up to speed. Again, sorry I haven't been posting that much.