States I've gone running in - updated!

Create Your Own Visited States Map

After my short visit to Boulder earlier this week, I got to cross Colorado off my list of states in which I've gone running. It was a short 4 mile easy run around town and parts of the campus. It's actually surprising that it took me so long to mark Colorado, but apparently I haven't visit since before 2011 (other than connecting through DIA).

Hawaii running!

I am guessing that for many people, the image of a December vacation in Hawaii consists of lounging by the pool or on the beach. Or going to a luau. I did go to a luau on our recent winter break trip there, but you can guess what I did a lot of ... that's right, running!

We spent one night on the Big Island to go check out Volcanoes National Park. This is what one of the vents looked like at night:

Glowing steam from a volcano!

The photo doesn't come anywhere close to doing it justice due to the limitations of my smartphone camera and night-time lighting conditions. Unfortunately, as cool as it would have been to have gone running in the national park, it was way too dark at night to do so safely, and the next morning was pretty busy with hiking short trails.

Resisting the cult of the new

About a year and a half ago, my wife gave me a Garmin Forerunner 220 for my birthday. Before that, I had just relied on Runkeeper on my smartphone (which necessitated getting a new smartphone when my Galaxy Nexus's GPS started to become erratic and unreliable). Once I experienced the advantages of a GPS watch -- much faster GPS lock, more accurate tracking -- I was sold. I've been super-satisfied with the 220.

Today, I took my dad to Road Runner Sports to look at GPS watches. For his purposes, Runkeeper would be perfectly adequate, but he doesn't want to run with a phone. We looked at the Forerunner 25, 230, and 235, and then I came home to do some research -- i.e., reading DC Rainmaker's reviews. It didn't take long to determine that the 25 would be the most cost-effective option for my dad. (He mostly runs laps at a non-standard track at the local elementary school.) I don't think he would use the fancier features on the 230/235.

However, as I read DC Rainmaker's review of those higher-end watches, I started thinking, hey, those sound like pretty cool features.... I use my Galaxy S5's step counting app, but it would be nice not to be tethered constantly to it, which the 230 or 235 would allow with their activity trackers. (That recent study about cellphones and cancer seems pretty questionable, as this column argues, but it wouldn't hurt to be cautious.) And the 235 has a heart rate monitor based on the wrist pulse, meaning no need for an uncomfortable chest strap.

I began to toy with the idea of offering my 220 to my dad (clearing all the settings, of course), and then getting a 235 for myself.

"Hey, wasn't that a present from Mommy?" my pre-teen son asked.

"Um, yeah," I answered sheepishly.

My wife was non-plussed. (She's so awesome!) "Go ahead and get it if you like," she said.

I got maybe 75 percent of the way toward pulling the trigger by ordering from Amazon, but I read some more reviews/comparisons. The third post in this thread from Let's Run included the following suggestion:

The GPS function of the 230 and 235 are both spot on, so tracking your run is fine. between the two I would get the 230. Less S*** to fail on you. better yet, save money, buy a Forerunner 220 (best running watch by Garmin currently in my opinion)

That threw some cold water on my idea. I did some more reading and it seems that the optical reader in the 235 is pretty new technology, and hence good but not great at picking up the HR. It would make more sense to wait for Garmin to work out all the kinks before adopting it.

The thrill of getting something new faded, and I told my dad that I thought the Forerunner 25 was the best choice for him. If/when my 220 dies, I'll upgrade, but until then, I'll stick with old reliable.

Discretion, valor, patience, and running

I first experienced Achilles tendonitis at the very beginning of 2014, after running a double race on a Saturday morning consisting of a 1 mile run followed by a 5K about half an hour later. I spent the weekend limping because both ankles felt very sore. On Sunday evening, I discovered that massaging the Achilles tendon area increased the short-term pain but provided some relief after I stopped.

Thanks to Dr. Google, I was able to get a sense of what had happened. I stopped running for several days, relying on the stationary rower and stationary cycle. On the first run I tried when I felt like I could handle it, I was heel striking for the first 1/2 mile or so. In retrospect, I got back to running too soon, because I failed the pinch test. However, I was able to run without pain, or at most, a few moments of soreness that would fade during the run. It wasn't until May or June that I could pass the pinch test, so I guess I'd say that my running didn't aggravate the injury, but it did retard the healing process.

From the summer of 2014 to May 2015, I had a largely injury-free block. And then in May, I ran a race that I refer to as "the world's longest 10K." Due to a miscommunication caused by race staff, we were misdirected about a quarter of a mile after the start of the race, and some of us had run 1 1/2 miles or more before being told we were off-course. I ended up running 9.5 miles that day. Although I stopped running at my 10K pace early on, I felt a recurrence of the dreaded Achilles pain afterward.

The tendonitis waxed and waned over the next several months. It was never debilitating enough that I couldn't run, but there were also few mornings that were entirely free from initial stiffness and aches. During the typical run, there might be anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes of low-level achiness, and sometimes after running, the response to the pinch test would be more pain than before; other times, not.

It wasn't really getting worse, but improvement was marginal and slow. I decreased my weekly mileage slightly (well that was also in part because of some recurring family travel I had to do over the summer), going from my target of 150 miles/month to just under 130 miles/month for June-October. On October 31, I ran a double 5K race - first time as a regular 5K for speed, and then a second time through going through the optional obstacle stations. That aggravated my Achilles tendon, so November's total was just 88 miles.

As of now, my last run was a 10K race on Thanksgiving morning. Since then, I've rowed a ton on my Concept2, and my Achilles has been feeling steadily better. No morning stiffness or ache. It still feels a bit tender when I do the pinch test, so I'm exercising some more patience - better to take one more day off than necessary, than to get back to running one day too early. I don't know if I would be able to handle all this not-running if it weren't for that Concept2, though.

When a runner gets a hold of a carving pumpkin....

I wanted to get a picture with the carved cutouts glowing from the candle within, but I forgot to turn my flash off. When I tried it again with the flash off, my smartphone crashed....

How to preserve your cash and stay fit in Las Vegas

I haven't been to Las Vegas in about a dozen years, so I don't know if this suggestion will actually work, but back when I was living in Southern California (i.e., before kids), my wife used to go to Sin City once or twice a year.

I was never that much into gambling; mostly, we enjoyed the different themes of the big-named casinos, and of course the sumptuous buffets. When I did gamble, I was pretty disciplined about it. I looked for the cheapest Blackjack table I could find (usually $5 minimums) - or occasionally Pai Gow Poker. I changed $40 into chips, and then I bet the minimum every hand. I played standard, non-counting strategy.*

* I doubled-down on 11s always, 10s mostly, and occasionally 9s, depending on what the dealer was showing. I split Aces and 8s. I hit on hands under 11, and stayed on 13-16 if the dealer was showing a 2-6; otherwise, I hit until I got to 17 or higher.

The discipline part was this: if I lost the $40, I would leave the table and head back to the hotel room to read or watch TV until the next meal. In addition, if I doubled the $40, I would also leave the table. This limited my daily losses to a maximum of $120. It also capped my maximum winnings, but I didn't go to Las Vegas to make money.

Anyway, we're in no rush to introduce our kids to Vegas, but it occurred to me that my previous approach would work quite well with the addition of running as one of the activities in between gambling sessions. This would probably call for a lot of treadmill miles, though, since it's so hot most of the year in Vegas, and the sidewalks along the Strip are bound to packed with tourists (I guess off-strip running is possible during the winter). The biggest downside I can see is that the desire to go running might lead to reckless gambling, just to reach $0 or $80 ....

Just a typical late summer day at a Pacific Northwest beach town

It's not Hawaii, of course, but here's a typical late summer day at a Pacific Northwest beach town. Our summers are to die for. It's just the other 8-9 months of gray, drizzly weather that you have to put up with. Of course, some of us like that kind of weather too. I did an easy 10K (for fun, not a race) on this trip, with most of it on a paved path along the beach.

My Vancouver running diary

Vancouver, B.C., is my favorite city outside the United States, and is near the top of my list of North American cities too. That's not at all surprising, considering that Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland are all fairly similar in culture, climate, and geography.

With my brother having moved to Vancouver recently, we decided to visit him for a week. The last time I was in Vancouver was 2010, which was before I started running, so I was looking forward to getting in some miles in a "new" location.

Fitness for the exercise junkie stuck during an airport layover

Back in the days before I got into shape, whenever I found myself waiting for an airplane flight - and traveling alone - I would find a seat, preferably with a power outlet nearby, and either read a book, do some writing on my laptop, or play computer games.

Nowadays, I use the time to boost my step count for the day. During my layover in Salt Lake City yesterday, I deplaned in Gate B, walked to end of Gate C, back to the connecting hallway, all the way to the end of Gate D, then back to the hallway, to the end of Gate E, and back. I went back and forth along Gate C so often that I was surprised when the Delta credit card guy kept trying to get my attention. I'm not sure if he realized that the same guy kept declining interest with the same explanation: "No thanks, I've got enough plastic."

Walking was better than nothing, although it was a bit of a pain to lug around my "carry-on" bag, which contained my laptop, power supply, and other stuff I didn't leave in my checked bag. During my pacing, I noticed that one of the airport vendors offered massages. For $65, you can get a 30 minute full body massage.

That got me thinking: someone should start an airport business that offers treadmills, free weights, and maybe stationary bikes, along with a quick shower facility. You can't really go running in the airport, because (1) TSA probably wouldn't like it, (2) it's too crowded in spots, (3) you can't run effectively with your carry-ons, and (4) you can't leave your carry-ons in a fixed place. With a treadmill, though, you could just leave your bags to the side where you can keep an eye on them.

I don't imagine there would be a big audience for this service, but I think there would an intense and dedicated one. Obviously, it would work best in the "hub" airports where more people have layovers for connecting flights.

Why the marathon is not for me

"Are you training for a marathon?"

I get asked that question a lot by people who find out that I like to run. It's a totally understandable question, given the prominence that the marathon has assumed as the presumptive "event" for recreational runners. And yet, I have pretty much zero interest in running one. To be sure, I say that with absolutely no intention of downplaying the accomplishment of those who train for and run (or try to run) one. If that's what gets someone motivated to run, that's great. It's just not for me.

San Diego running

Boy, there sure are a lot of runners in San Diego! I just got back from a few days down there, and it seemed like there were runners in the morning, mid-day, early evening, and even night time.

We arrived on Sunday and were staying right near Balboa Park, near the Hillcrest Area. The place we were staying at had a small gym on the top floor, with reasonable hours (closing time at 10 p.m.). However, due to the need to do some grocery shopping so that we'd have breakfast the next morning, I wasn't free to go running that night until 9:40 or so. I asked the front desk how stringent they were about the hours, and the clerk said they locked down the elevator at 10 p.m. (I discovered later that you can take the stairs there, and I don't think they were all that strict. Oh well.)

This is, of course, San Diego, which has about the best weather imaginable in the continental United States, so I headed outdoors. I think much of San Diego is pretty safe, but when you aren't familiar with a location, nighttime can often bring a sense of unease. I headed over toward the part of Hillcrest that was still happening at night - restaurants, night clubs, and strip clubs. I got in a decent 4 miles at an easy pace before calling it a night.

Me, on the deck of an aircraft carrier

I should have gotten up early the next day (Monday) to go running, but hey, I was on vacation, so I slept in. During the day, we toured the U.S.S. Midway museum. I've been on a decommissioned battleship before (the U.S.S. Missouri), but never an aircraft carrier, so this was a pretty neat experience. I did find myself wondering, "if the seas were calm, did any sailors go running laps on the flattop deck?" Of course, when the ship was on active duty, there were no fences along the edges, so perhaps lap running was not recommended.

We weren't staying near the San Diego harbor, which was too bad, because it looked like it was an awesome place to go running. In the picture below, you can see the Midway to the right, the parking lot for the Fish Market to the left, and in the center (in the distance), the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan.

San Diego Harbor at sunset (photo by me)

That night, I headed up to the gym and ran 9 miles on the treadmill before the gym closed. Rather, I stopped when I thought the gym would close, but I think I could've stayed longer. Anyway, why didn't I run outside? Mostly because I wanted to watch some "24" .... (darn TV addiction)

We went to the San Diego Zoo the next day. As I mentioned, we were staying near Balboa Park, but the zoo entrance was way on the other side of the park, and some of the extended family members would've had trouble walking there and back, so we drove.

Ah, the life of a panda bear....

Do lions mind being in a cage, if they're fed constantly?

I seem to be obsessed about running, because I was thinking that the zoo would be a great place for a 5K race. A bit hilly, to be sure, but with wide walkways. Then my wife pointed out that it would be incredibly disruptive to the animals ....

According to the pedometer app on my smartphone, we had walked about 4 miles at the zoo. That was a pretty good warm-up, but it certainly didn't satisfy my running addiction. With some free time available to me in the late afternoon, I went running through Balboa Park, including back to the zoo! One of the main attractions to the route was going across the Cabrillo Bridge - grassy park on one side, and lots of museums on the other side:

The Cabrillo Bridge connecting the two sides of Balboa Park

This too ended up being a relatively short run, just 4 miles, because of the need to have enough time to clean up before dinner.

It was appealing enough that the next morning, I ran through the park again. Now, it turns out that the primary landing path for airplanes headed to the San Diego airport goes right over the southwestern edge of Balboa Park. I happened to be in that part of the park when a jet roared overhead on its descent. I should've taken a picture!

I got in 5 miles at a cruising pace by circumscribing the park, and topped off the trip with a short workout in the gym that night (the last one).

Ah, San Diego. Neither Los Angeles nor San Francisco/Berkeley hold much appeal to me these days, but San Diego still does; if only California weren't so expensive....

40-something doesn't seem so old now ...

Vertical Run, which was published 20 years ago, is a terrific thriller, kind of like "Die Hard" with a protagonist trapped in an office building with a bunch of trained killers, but with a much different plot and mystery. I first read it when it was a selection of the Book of the Month Club in 1995; it was one of three thrillers I chose as the opening selection, along with David Baldacci's Absolute Power and a third one that I don't recall now.

Anyway, I just re-read Vertical Run, and it was as much of a thrill-ride as I remember, so I highly recommend it to anyone who likes fast-paced, kinetic action books.

But what struck me on the re-read was how back in 1995, I had thought smugly that, at age 47, the main character (David Elliot) seemed kind of old to be doing all kinds of action-packed running and fighting. 47 seemed so far away ...

Fast forward to now, when I'm ... 47. It doesn't seem old at all. Obviously, I don't have the Special Forces background that David Elliot did, which you can imagine comes in handy in the novel, but in terms of running around and doing physical stuff, I'm better now than I was 20 years ago. I suppose this shouldn't be surprising, with recent research reinforcing the life benefits of vigorous exercise. But it's also a good reminder to me about trying to avoid the smugness of being younger now than whatever age I'm going to be down the road.

My most lingering running injury, a year later

Photo courtesy of Wholefoot.com

About a year ago, during a 5K race on a cold January morning, I injured both of my Achilles tendons. I managed to finish the race, but it was a subpar time for me, mostly because I had run the 1 mile race just 30 minutes earlier. (It was a double race.) I'm guessing that the cold and fast pace combined to push things over the edge.

At first, I didn't realize I was injured. I thought it was just the kind of DOMS you sometimes get after a hard workout. Unlike the DOMS soreness, however, this didn't go recede the next day. When we went out to brunch with friends, I found that I was limping.

That evening, I discovered that spending a lot of time rubbing at the painful tender spots helped to a degree, but that there were still two spots - one on each ankle - that hurt just to touch.

Like the stereotypical runner, I went ahead with self-diagnosis and treatment. It wasn't too hard to figure out that I had some form of Achilles tendinitis, and that eccentric stretching/calf raises are a commonly recommended course of physical therapy.

In looking over my running log from last year, I see that did not run at all for six days, and then I went for a 5+ mile run on the treadmill.* Apparently that was not a good idea, because I did not run again for five days.

* This was the run when I learned for certain that I do not heel strike, because for the first half mile or so, the Achilles tendons were pretty rigid, forcing me to heel strike - and it felt quite weird.

After that, my Achilles tendons were still sore, but not while running, so I went ahead and resumed something vaguely normal, although it was more than three weeks since the initial injury before I got up to 9 miles, and 10+ miles wouldn't come until late February.

Not surprisingly, total mileage for January and February were well below my usual monthly totals, and it wasn't until April that I got back to the 150 mile mark.

In retrospect, I would have had a faster recovery if I had taken more time off from running, rather than resuming when I was able to. I don't think I aggravated my injuries, but it's highly likely that I slowed the healing process. In fact, while I was able to run several races from March onward, I didn't feel completely pain-free until halfway through the year. Until then, even if the tendons didn't bother me, I could easily pinpoint the injured spots by squeezing.

I would like to think that the next time something like this happens, I will accept a longer period of non-running in exchange for a faster recovery. Now that I have my own rowing machine, perhaps that will be easier to do. For now, though, I am reveling in feeling 100 percent and hoping to set some PRs this year!

Southern California running

I grew up in Southern California but haven't lived there in a long time. The traffic, smog, and high cost of living have pretty much killed any interest I might have in moving back, but it is a nice place to visit, especially in colder months.

No, this is not a big lake. That's Catalina Island in the distance.

One of the weird tricks that your mind plays on you is how a temperature that would seem warm in a cooler location (say, the Pacific Northwest) ends up feeling cold when you're in a place that you expect to be warm. On my recent winter break trip to Southern California, it wasn't cold by any stretch - daytime temps in the 60s and nighttime in the 50s! - but there were a few nights when I layered up in a longsleeve T-shirt and a light sweatshirt.

It is just a mind trick, though, and once I started running, whether day or night, it quickly felt comfortable. And aside from Hawaii, it's hard to beat Southern California winters and scenery.

Crystal Cove State Park

Can you believe it costs $15 per car to park in the lot for this park? Fortunately, I was able to run into the park and avoid paying any entrance fee. (I did wonder if there would be one for pedestrians, but there was not.)

A steep path down to the beach

Yeah, I ran down to the beach. But I didn't go on the sand; instead, I turned around and headed back up. I don't much like getting sand in my shoes, and while I could've stopped to take my shoes off, then I would've had to carry them.

Odd enough, this was the only day time outside run that I managed during the entire week. Family vacation time plays havoc with my running schedule! I did have one other outside run at night, after I determined that it was (relatively) safe enough. Not for fear of being attacked, just not being hit by a car. There weren't a lot of street lights around the area I was staying. I did somewhat foolishly extent that night-time run along a dark stretch of Pacific Coast Highway, but there was a sidewalk at least.

Anyway, I'm back in the Pacific Northwest now, and have my first race of the new year under my belt already. Quite a different experience: sub-40 degree weather and damp air add up to cold weather running gear.