Back to 40 miles per week

With the help of a well known ultra-runner, I'm back to about 40 miles per week. Rest, easing back into running, and lots of exercises to strengthen my IT band have been key to recovery. I've also learned to shorten my stride, increased my cadence, and have improved my posture - all this has served to reduced pressure on my knees (and on the IT band) while running. I also ordered and have been using a PT Band, which basically acts as an ace bandage wrapped about 3 inches above the knee. It stabilizes the IT Band by "attaching" the IT Band a little higher than the knee instead of right at the knee - this has been a savior for long runs.

My average training week now looks as follows:

Mon: Recovery run - 50 to 60 minutes
Tues: 15 min warm up, strides, 15-20 min cool down
Wed: Recovery run - 50 to 60 minutes
Thur: 15 min warm up, 25/30 min tempo, 15-20 min cool down
Fri: Recovery run - 50 to 60 minutes
Sat: Long run - 2 hours
Sun: Off

I use a four week training cycle: 3 weeks each increasing in intensity then one week at lower intensity and with more rest.

Here are a few other things I have learned along the way:

(1) Lactate threshold is usually the pace of a 10 mile or 15km race. This is the pace you should use for the Tempo Runs.

(2) The ideal carbo to water combination is 7 to 8%. To determine how much carbs you should take per hour during a long run (more than 90 minutes) multiply your body weight in kilos (pounds divided by 2.2) by 0.7 on the low end and 1.0 on the high end. Then make sure that this amount of carbs is consumed on a 7 to 8% carbs to milliliters ratio. As an example, 50 grams of carbs should be consumed with 666 milliliters of water (about 22.5 oz). Failure to do this will result in "stomach issues" much as I had during my JFK50. A good article on this subject can be found at: http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0166.htm

(3) Exercises with weights that mimic running are ideal.

(4) The ideal cadence is about 180 strides per minute.

(5) Run tall and straight. No slouching!

(6) Recovery runs are meant to be just that - recovery runs. Never longer than 70 minutes nor faster than a 9 to 10 minute per mile pace.

I'll continue to post as my training schedule advances.

For those of you thinking of running WS100, I recommend the DVD "Running Madness". You can order it from Susan Cohn Schulz, Jalapeno Productions, 129 East 69th Street, 4C, NY, NY 10021. Her email is coulz@aol.com. It's a cool movie about the 2002 WS100.

IT Band Injury: Out For 4 weeks

The orthopedic surgeon's verdict is in: It's the IT Band, and I can't run for four weeks. I am not a cross-trainer (nor a cross-dresser for that matter) but I have no choice now. I've been doing some biking, but since it takes the knee past a 30 degree bend, it hurts the IT band as well. I'm trying a stepper, keeping the vertical movement to only 6 inches or so. By doing this very rapidly, I am able to get a good cardiovascular workout while simultaneously strengthening the quad and calf muscles - two critical muscles for the WS100. Doing lots of stretching, push-ups, sit-ups and weight training as well. I'll use this time period to strengthen all my muscles, and I'll start fresh in 2006. 'til then...

Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run - 2007

Today is Sunday, December 4, 2005, and I just found out that I won one of the two spots raffled for the 2007 Western States Endurance Run. Once a year, in addition to the lottery, the race coordinators sell tickets for the coveted prize - an automatic entry to the race for a qualifying runner. The proceeds go to a great cause - the maintenance and protection of the trails. With such an awesome prize and great use of the proceeds, I treated myself to a bunch of tickets. Today, I learned what, God willing, I will be doing the last week of June in 2007.

Since my 2005 JFK50 run has already qualified me, now all I need to do is train like crazy for 18 months! The problem: my Iliotibial Band (IT Band) is killing me - a gift from my recent JFK50 run. I can only run for a few miles before a sharp pain on the outer side of my right knee instantly freezes my running. The IT Band is a tendon going from the hip, alongside the outer portion of the leg, passing through the side of the knee and turning to connect at the tibia. When inflamed, it can rub at the knee, creating a piercing pain on the side of the knee (much like when you hit your funny bone) that only subsides by stopping immediately. Supposedly, it's one of those injuries that can take months to cure. So I am not taking any chances; I'll be making an appointment tomorrow morning with a sports doctor.

This is the first entry of my blog, which will detail my training and activities leading to the 2007 Western States Endurance Run. Hope it helps someone attempting the same feat after I have completed mine.