Why I love to run

Someone once asked me why I get up and run 6 days a week. They just could not understand why someone would want to go out and run let alone at 5:30 am. They could not fathom what could entice me to go out in the rain, snow, cold, heat, or humidity. They figured it could only be one of two things – 1) trying to stay fit and lose weight or 2) simple insanity. As I listened to their questions and thoughts, I realized I really don’t have a simple answer as to why I do it. But, if forced to sum it up in a sentence, I would say that I just love to run. That begs the follow up question…why?

When I started running so many years ago, I did it to get back into shape. Like most people I started to run so that I could reap the benefits that running provided. I knew that running reduced the risk of stroke and heart attacks by strengthening the heart. It also helps lower blood pressure by keeping your arteries elastic. Running also helps to raise your HDL (the good cholesterol) levels and reduces the risk of blood clots. Your lung capacity improves greatly. Running can actually boost your immune system by creating a higher concentration of white blood cells that fight disease. Finally, you can burn an average of 100 calories for every mile you run. All great benefits gained through running. But, not something that would make you love the sport.

It was after several years of running regularly that I began feeling the need to run. I craved the endorphins that would pour through my body after a good run. When I would finish a particularly hard run, I would always feel exhilarated. I was truly experiencing the “runner’s high”. I also found that when I was particularly stressed at work, running provided a release for me. My morning runs gave me the time to think through problems as I ran and come up with solutions without interruption. I found that I was generally much happier on days when I would get in my runs.

It wasn’t until I started training for marathons that I truly began to love running. It became more of a passion at that point. I think the change came when I realized that my time out on the road was my way of actively meditating. I always heard about the benefits of meditation. But, those who know me well know that I have never been able to sit still long enough to be able to meditate in the traditional sense. It wasn’t until I realized that the rhythm of my footsteps and my breathing while out on the road produced a meditative state. When I reached that state, I truly could concentrate and contemplate at the same time. This is not something that I have a chance to do at any other time due to the distractions of my every day life.

When I am out on my runs, I spend time focusing on my breathing. I want to start to feel my feet strike the ground. I want to feel all of the muscles of my legs working. As I continue along, I find that I can feel every breath and heart beat. I concentrate on the world around me and try to take in all of the sights and sounds around me. Once I am centered in that place, I can finally begin to concentrate on those random thoughts that pop into my head. Some of them I dismiss immediately. Others I concentrate on as they can help me live in that moment in time. I am not thinking about the past few days and stress that occurred. I try not to think about what lies out there in the days ahead. I want to be centered and lose the stress of work, family and life in general. When I find that place inside myself (and it doesn’t happen on every run), I can then use my time on the road as my quiet time. It is during these minutes that I think about my life and evaluate what is important to me.

At the end of my run as I do my stretching routine, I slowly come out of the peaceful state I have achieved. I feel very calm and ready to take on any challenge that comes my way. I have found that I benefit from these running meditations. I find that I am more confident and have increased concentration skills and reduced stress level. The inner stillness gives me a feeling of greater emotional equilibrium. Of course this means that I am generally happier and calmer after my runs. My running therefore provides me not only significant health benefits but emotional benefits as well.

Here are my training totals:
June 6 – 10.50 miles (1:37:01, 9:14 pace)
June 7 – 6.10 miles (55:10, 9:02 pace
June 8 – 4.50 miles (38:45, 8:37 pace)
June 10 – 6.10 miles (48:50, 8:00 pace) – Tempo Run
June 11 – 6.20 miles (55:36, 8:58 pace)
June 12 – 10.00 miles (1:28:54 8:53 pace)
June 14 – 6.10 miles (55:51, 9:10 pace) --NOLA
June 15 – 3.10 miles (24:34, 7:56 pace) -- Speedwork, NOLA
June 17 – 6.10 miles (52:07, 8:33 pace)
June 18 – 6.20 miles (57:27, 9:16 pace)
June 19 – 10.10 miles (1:35:02, 9:24 pace)
June 20 – 10.20 miles (1:35:46, 9:23 pace)
June 21 – 6.20 miles (55:29, 9:05 pace)
June 22 – 3.50 miles (27:05, 7:43 pace) -- Speedwork

Total Miles: 94.90 miles
2010 YTD Miles: 823.70 miles

Calf Attack!

I had a very long trip home from Alaska. I had to take a flight from Juneau through Seattle and San Francisco which had me landing in Boston at 8:00 am on Saturday. I knew I was going to be attending my son’s District Championship Track Meet in Fitchburg when I got home. This meant that I would not be able to get out on the road for my normal Saturday long run. I figured that I would forgo that run and go out for a 10 miler on Sunday.

I woke up well rested on Sunday morning and decided to head out to one of my favorite loop routes. It has some nice rolling hills and keeps me out of the heavy trafficked areas of Westborough and Hopkinton. It was a beautiful morning for a run. I put in my headphones, turned on one of my favorite NPR podcasts and headed out. I was feeling great for the first 4 miles. Then I started to feel some cramping in my left calf muscle. I decided to turn around and start back home. The pain wasn’t too bad. Next, the right calf started to cramp up as well. The next thing I knew (at the 5 mile mark) was that I was in such pain from the cramping that I had to stop. The worst part was that I had a little over a mile to walk back home. I wasn’t sure if I could make it and I had not brought my cell phone with me to call my wife to come and pick me up.

I started the walk of shame with major pain in my calves. People driving by could see that I was limping and in pain. I tried not to look at them as they passed. I just wanted to get home, stretch and then ice them down. I did finally make it home and knew my calves were finished for the rest of the weekend. I would take Monday off and try to run on Tuesday if I felt up to it. I decided to look up what could have caused such severe cramps. After some research, I decided it was caused by two things – dehydration and poor nutrition. My lack of hydration and nutrition were caused by my week on the road. I never seem to get enough water when I travel and I am always off my diet when traveling, try as I might to stay on it.

Most people say that dehydration is linked to calf cramps. But, I could not find any clear correlation. It is mostly anecdotal evidence. As I read further, there were several articles that say improper hydration does correlate to muscle cramping as evidenced by the fact that many runners experience leg cramps during the night. As you know, you dehydrate quite a bit as you sleep. This is why I always drink about 4 - 6 ounces of water before I head out. I have not made a habit of drinking much water after dinner as it causes me to have to get up some time during the night to relieve myself thus disrupting my sleep.

When thinking about nutrition, runners all know that the biggest minerals we need in our diet to perform well are sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. There is clear evidence that if you are lacking in any of these nutrients, you will be prone to calf cramps. Like dehydration, leg cramps at night could be caused by the lack of nourishment we are getting while we sleep. I have noticed that I get minor cramps sometimes and that they tend to go away when I eat bananas which are good sources of potassium. One of my favorite pre-marathon foods is a banana and ½ peanut butter and honey sandwich. I have never cramped up during a marathon.

So exertion, dehydration and poor nutrition are all linked to muscle and calf cramps. Muscle and calf cramps are not something that you have to accept when you are out on the road. There are things we can do to avoid them. One of the key preventions is to complete a thorough warm up before heading out. A good warm up will stretch the cold muscles and increase the blood flow through your calves. This way your muscles are warm and pliable before putting the strain of running on them. But, don't forget the equally as important warm down. This should allow you to avoid your muscles tightening after a good work-out and have them recover quickly.

As I have discussed in previous entries, we must hydrate or die. Well, hydration is equally important in helping you avoid muscle cramps of all kinds. I have noticed that as the weather has been heating up, I have needed to drink more water while I am out on my runs. I sweat profusely and know that this is my body's natural cooling process. If I do not replace the water I am losing through sweat during my runs, I will not be able keep my calf cramps at bay. I am convinced that this current bout of cramps is caused mostly by dehydration and lack of potassium in my blood stream.

I noticed in my research that there is some controversy about whether or not lack of potassium causes muscle fatigue and cramping. But, from what I have read, the evidence for potassium deficiency being a cause of muscle cramping is more prevalent than the evidence against it. Besides, I had not been eating my normal healthy diet the past few weeks and suddenly I experience these severe muscle cramps. Coincidence...I don't think so.

Potassium is a mineral that works with sodium to balance the fluids and electrolyte levels in our body. Since steady fluid levels help to regulate your heartbeat and prevent muscles from cramping, potassium is of particular importance to runners. According to nutrition experts, you should be taking in 3,500 milligrams of potassium to meet your daily needs. But, high mileage runners should be taking in closer to 4,700 milligrams of potassium to prevent any type of fatigue or cramping. To help increase the potassium in my bloodstream I typically eat bananas, avocadoes and cantaloupe. But, according to Runner's World, if you don't like these foods, they suggest trying any of the following as they all have more than 225 milligrams of the mineral per half-cup serving: apricots, honeydew, kiwi, lima beans, milk, oranges, prunes, spinach, tomatoes, meats, poultry, or fish.

This week I made a conscious effort to drink more water and to eat foods rich in potassium. I did notice that my calf cramps did seem to ease up each day. Unfortunately, there is still a lingering tightness and soreness when I run. I am going to have to keep up my regimen and hope that my lower legs get back to normal. I am also planning to go and have a deep tissue massage which should also help.

Here are my training totals:
May 30 – 6.00 miles (57:39, 9:40 pace)
June 1 – 4.50 miles (37:39, 8:22 pace) – Tempo Run
June 2 – 6.20 miles (52:25, 8:27 pace)
June 3 – 6.00 miles (51:02, 8:20 pace) – Tempo Run
June 4 – 6.20 miles (55:38, 8:58pace)
June 5 – 10.30 miles (1:34:16, 9:09 pace)

Total Miles: 39.20 miles
2010 YTD Miles: 728.80 miles