BAA 10K weekend

The BAA 10K is this Sunday, June 23rd at 8AM. The race is sold out and registration is closed.

This will be my third time running this race and the 3rd year of the race. This is the only race where I have run the inaugural race and each race since. I’ve run other races several times in a row but this streak is unique and one I hope to keep going for many years.

The BAA has a pre-race clinic Friday and I’m thinking of going to it. I’ve never been to one of these clinics before. On Marathon weekend I always assume these clinics will be mob scenes. When I go out of town for a marathon I usually get there a few hours before the race, not the day before.

There is always more to learn about running. There is always new research coming out, new products to try and sage advice from pros and other seasoned athletes. The clinic sounds like a great opportunity to go and learn something.

• Have you ever gone to a pre-race clinic?
• Have you learned much at these clinics?
• Do you go when ever you can?
• Do you have a racing streak?
• What is your longest single race streak?

The first year I ran this race I went by my self. Last year I went with one friend and hung out with a dozen friends before the race. This year I’m going with a few friends and will probably hang out with dozens of friends.

The weather has been great the past two years and the forecast looks good, so far. We always manage to have a good time and I’m really looking forward to this race.

Run well my friends.

© 2013 anagelin

Alter-G review

Image via CrunchBase

This weekend I tried out the AlterG® Anti-Gravity Treadmill®. This is one of those treadmills that you may have heard about that reduces your body weight and lessons the impact of walking or running on your body.

I went to Fitzgerald Physical Therapy Associates in Woburn, MA and ran on the treadmill for about 20 minutes. I really did not know what to expect or how the machine worked.

How it works

The process begins by putting on a pair of AlterG shorts. These are like a heavy duty pair of compression shorts that you put on over your running shorts. They fit very tightly and have a zippered flap at the waste. You then step into the pressure-controlled chamber and zip the shorts into the enclosure to form an air-tight seal.

The enclosure for the pressure-controlled chamber is height adjustable. Since this was my first go at this, Sean Fitzgerald figured the height that was appropriate for me and locked the chamber into place. At this point I started up the treadmill to 3mph to start walking. Sean explained how the controls worked and I reduced my weight to 80% of normal.

The machine reduces your weight by pressurizing the chamber which then lifts the top of the chamber that you are zippered into. In a few seconds I went from bearing my full weight on my legs to 80% of my weight on my legs. As the chamber filled the compression shorts compressed on me even more and I could feel a slight lift on my body.

Click this link to see a video of how the Alter-G works.

Running in Reduced G mode

At first it felt odd, like I was hanging by my shorts. My center of gravity was now higher and it took me a few minutes to feel balanced. As I adjusted to the higher center of gravity and my reduced weight, I increased the treadmill speed. I started at 6mph and after a few minutes went up to 8mph or a 7:30 minute mile pace. It felt amazing! 7:30 is a fast pace for me but in the Alter-G it felt almost effortless.

As I ran I managed to carry on a conversation the entire time. After a few minutes of running at 8mph the sweat started rolling down my face. Even with a fan blowing on me from the side and the flow of air into the chamber to keep it pressurized, I was still getting hot.

To me, this confirmed that I was still getting a good workout even though I was only putting 80% of my body weight onto my muscles, joints and tendons. My piriformis has been a problem for about a year, but in the machine it did not really bother me.

You know how on some runs you get into a pace that you feel you could run at forever? I think of this as my cruising speed: I’m making good time but I’m not killing myself either. A 7:30 mile pace is not my cruising speed or comfort zone. 7:30 miles is hauling ass for me. With my body weight reduced by 20% I could have run at this pace for a half hour anyway, maybe longer.

It was pretty amazing. I could have gone to as low as 20% of my body weight but only went down to 70% for a few minutes to see how it felt. I probably could have run all day at this pace if I stayed at 70%.

Full G Mode

After about 15 minutes I took the machine back to 0% reduction in my body weight. It was like hitting a steep hill. If I had been on the road my pace would have dropped significantly. As I felt my full body weight on my legs once again the first words that came to mind were “lard ass”. You know how you feel sometimes when it seems like you just can’t make any forward momentum? Like running up a hill, running in water or into a stiff head wind?

I could not believe how heavy I felt. How have I been hauling this lard ass up those hills I thought? Do I really weigh this much? Have I been subjecting my legs to this type of abuse all of these years? I’m 6’ tall and weigh around 180, depending on whose scale I’m on. My BMI is in the normal range. As I went back to 0% reduction in weight I felt like my BMI doubled!

The thought crossed my mind that I’d never want to go back to regular running. My body felt like dead weight weighing me down. What if regular running never felt the same again? Was this a life altering experience?

I immediately realized how beneficial this machine would be for training. All of those training miles put a lot of stress on my legs and hips and this machine would reduce almost all of that. I could train and not have to worry about hurting a knee or hip or straining any of my problem muscles. Training would not be free of effort but training would put less wear and tear on my body and allow me to train harder and avoid injuries.

0-G isn’t free

Running is basically free. With some half descent shorts, shirts, running socks and a good pair of running shoes your expenses are pretty much done. Time in one of these 0-G machines is not free. The machines are very expensive and not something you would buy for your home. Professional sports teams and college programs use them but they probably only have a few.

The Fitzgerald PT web site says that their machine is one of three available in Massachusetts. Sean said the machines are in the $30,000 to $40,000 range, and the Alter-G web site does not have a price list. Fitzgerald offers time on their machine on a fee per minute basis. You can buy blocks of time with larger blocks costing less per minute. They currently have a promo going on that will save you some money, but you should go to their web site if you are interested in pricing.

My conclusion

I thought the machine was amazing. If I had an injury or was recovering from surgery, I would want to have my treatment at their office and use their Alter-G treadmill. While insurance may cover the cost of PT, it does not cover the cost of the 0-G treadmill. But by using the treadmill I would be able to recover faster and that may be worth the price of admission.

While I was at Fitzgerald PT I met Ruben Sanca. He was there using the Alter-G treadmill before me. While I was getting set up to use the treadmill we started talking. He is a patient at Fitzgerald PT and recovering from knee surgery. In addition to his PT sessions, he is using the treadmill to get back into his training program.

Ruben is an Olympic Athlete and at the 2012 London Olympic Games he came in 21^st in the 5000 heats. At the 2012 BAA 10K he was the 3^rd American to finish. In 2011 he won the New Bedford Half Marathon. The guy can run.

As an Olympic Athlete recovering from knee surgery, Ruben is highly motivated to get his training back on track. He felt that incorporating the Alter-G into his recovery program was helping him come back faster than he would have been able to recover otherwise.

I’m not sure if the cost of using the Alter-G fits into my budget. If you are interested you should check the Fitzgerald PT web site and decide if it will fit into your budget. For a professional athlete I think this type of equipment is a no brainer. Professionals of all types pay for training or classes to help them get better at their profession. As a casual runner, I’ll have to think about it a little more.

Destination L – A

That’s Lewiston & Auburn, Maine for the Bands On The Run Half Marathon & 5k.

This is their second year and they expect about 1,000 runners. With 12 bands and musical groups, that’s almost one per mile. Online registration closes on June 21st at 6PM. $50 for the Half, $20 for the 5K.

You can get there from hea’. The road to LA.

Last week I told you about the 5 mile run on Vinalhaven. Lewiston/Auburn is much closer, about 2 and a half hours away if you drive like an old lady. So not only is the notice short, but so is the drive!

Half-Marathon finishers will receive a finishers medal and a sports water bottle. 5K finishers will receive a water bottle. There will be a food and beer tent for all runners.

These races benefit the Museum L-A. The Story of Work and Community in Lewiston-Auburn.

Run well my friends.

© 2013 anagelin

A Father’s love

Earlier this week I reposted a blog about Dick and Rick Hoyt receiving the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPY awards in July. The award is in honor and recognition of their 30 years of running as a team.

Team Hoyt

The Hoyt’s are a high profile team at the Boston Marathon. But Team Hoyt does not just run the Boston Marathon. The list of races that they have been in since 1977 is truly impressive. HERE is the link to their racing accomplishments.  They have run over 1077 events! This includes 247 triathlons including 6 Ironman distances. That is the full on kick-ass event that only top athletes get to compete in.

Their marathon PR time is 2:40:47! How many of us have even come close to that? 5K PR 17:40, 10K PR 35:48. These would be impressive numbers for Dick Hoyt to run on his own. Dick has participated in every event with his son Rick who is disabled. I encourage you to go to their web site and read their story.

The real story of The Hoyt’s

While the athletic accomplishments have been impressive, I have always seen this story as a father’s love for his son. Dick Hoyt may never have been motivated to get off of the couch if his son was a little league player or STEM geek.

Dick was initially motived to run in a 5-mile benefit run for a Lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. He was motivated to help someone else. Dick pushed Rick in his wheel chair the entire 5 miles and they came in next to last. I’m sure Dick was exhausted after that race, and thought he’d never do that again.

That evening Rick told his father,  ”Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” I can only imagine how that made Dick feel. It must have blown his mind and it certainly changed his life and the life of his son. Here was something that he could give his son that made him feel free and alive and just like everyone else.

Besides life, this was probably the greatest gift Dick could give his son: the joy and ecstasy of running and racing. The parent of any child with a disability would be thrilled to find a way to bring joy and excitement to their child’s life. I imagine that it is a struggle to find something that reaches the spirit and soul of their child and brings them the happiness that any parent wants for their child.

Here is the link to TEAM HOYT’s web site. you can read their story and even join TEAM HOYT.

The power of Love

Maybe Dick Hoyt would not be the amazing athlete that he is without the love he has for Rick. Maybe without the goals that they set together they never would have completed six Ironman triathlons.

Love is the most powerful of human emotions.  Humans will do anything in the name of love, in the pursuit of love. And no love is more powerful than a parent’s love for their child. A parent will go through walls and streams of red tape for their child. Nothing is more powerful or sacred than a parent’s love for a child. We all make sacrifices for our children and agonize over every little aspect of their lives. We only want the best for them.

This is a love that cannot be defeated or diminished by the trials of life. This is a love that will move mountains.

Father’s Day is this Sunday. When you think of Team Hoyt, think of a father’s love for his child. And remember that someone loves you that much.

As a father, I love my two daughter’s that much: unconditionally.

Run well my friends.

© 2013 anagelin

Hockomock YMCA Triathlon at Lake Pearl

I received an email about the Hockomock YMCA Triathlon last week. This is a Sprint triathlon which for those of us who are unfamiliar with triathlons means a 1/4 mile SWIM, 9 mile BIKE, and a 3.1 mile RUN.

Hockomock Triathlon July 21st, 2013

Start time: 8:00am EST
Luciano’s Lake Pearl
299 Creek Street
Wrentham, MA

I do know that the Sprint Triathlon is the shortest distance triathlon. If you are new to triathlons this would be a good one to start with. It’s run by the Y, so you know they have a lot of life guards. Just kidding!

The event is on Sunday, July 21st, 2013 and is a USA Triathlon Sanctioned event and is paratriathlon friendly. For USAT members, registration is $75 thru June 30th. The event is limited to 400 athletes.

Follow the link for more details and to register.

I’m not much of a swimmer, but I think I could do one of these. I need to buy a bike and learn how to swim and not just avoid drowning, but I think it could be done. I might have to put one of these on the bucket list.

Seasonal Motivation Disorder

I’ve been reading a lot of other runner’s blog posts over the past few days, and many of us seem to have the running blahs.

I don’t mean to make light of Seasonal Affective Disorder and the depression some people have as the seasons change. It just seems that a lot of people feel that they have lost their mojo and the summer is just beginning.

This is the time of year to be full of energy and enthusiasm for the races on the schedule. It is the time of year to enjoy running without wearing 4 or 5 layers of clothes. If you are like me, your races are scheduled for the next few months. I still have races to add but I have a lot of good races on my calendar all ready.

Much like the other bloggers I have been reading, I’m missing my mojo. My  Joie de jog has run away.  I’m just having a hard time getting my self out the door or down to the gym. I’ve had a cold for two weeks but that just seems like an excuse to me.

I know I have a lot of work to do to get ready for these races. I set a major goal for my self for my fall marathon. I know how this works if I do not put in the work. Somehow I need to get my act together and get my shoes on.

Are you in a running funk? How are you handling this? What has worked for you in the past to get your mojo back? Have you noticed that others also seem to be off their game?

Run well my friends.

© 2013 anagelin

That's Awesome! Hoyts to receive ESPY Award

Reblogged from A Long Way to Boston:

Just heard the good news. Dick and Rick Hoyt will receive the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPYS in July. Locally we're all very familiar with their story, so it will great to see these two revered on a worldwide stage. I had recently heard that the Hoyts were planning on making the 2013 Boston Marathon their last, but I'm hoping (like most) that they'll make another run at it in 2014.

Read more… 52 more words

Everyone has probably all ready seen this, I'm a little behind on things right now. I've always found the Hoytes very inspirational. This award is well deserved.

Smuttynose Will Run for Beer 6K Recap

On June 2nd I ran the Smuttynose Will Run for Beer 6K In Hampton, New Hampshire.

Achtung baby! It’s time for a Smuttynose!

My Garmin report shows that the temperature was 84° with 55% humidity and a real feel of 87°. A total of nine runners from my club made the trip and we all had a good time.

For most of the week I had been dealing with a cold that gave me a nice deep cough. I probably picked something up on my trip to Ottawa the previous weekend. Because of the cold I hadn’t been sleeping well and felt exhausted.  I only managed two training runs in the previous week and wasn’t feeling too strong.

We left Melrose around 8:30 and rolled into Hampton before 9:30. The parking area was a ways from the race area and normally this would be a great way to stretch my legs before the race. This day it felt like I was going to pass out.

The race started at 11AM which for June seems like a reasonable time. As the temp creeped into the mid-80’s, 11AM seemed way too late in the day. It was beginning to feel like July! I was sweating just from walking around and could not get enough to drink.

Number pickup was a breeze. My number was 1000 which we all thought was an awesome number. The bib art work was really cool also. Being that this is the Will Run for Beer Series, the background was the foamy top of a pint of IPA. After we picked up our numbers, made our first stops at the porta-potties and grabbed some Hint waters, we headed back to the car for our final race prep. There were tons of people walking in the opposite direction to pick up their numbers. 1,341 people finished the race.

Near the starting line on Towle Farm Road, we found a side road with some shade. As we stood there someone made their way through the crowd in a silver Audi. About 15 minutes later the race announcer asked if someone can move a car parked about 15 feet in front of the starting line. It was a silver Audi! As he continued to make announcements and caution us about the heat he eventually told us to veer left right after the start of the race so we would not run into the silver Audi!

The race started promptly at 11AM. Towle Farm Road is uphill at this point and the first half mile of the race was more or less on an incline. As my watched chimed at the 1 mile mark I was shocked to see that I ran a 7:57 pace. My lungs weren’t bothering me and I only had to cough a few times.

My friends Gail and Jamie were somewhere in front of me. I eventually caught up to Jamie somewhere around mile two and said, Hi Michelle! I had been calling her Michelle all morning. I’ll blame it on the cold, but I forgot that I’m no good with names.

Towle Farm must have been an unbelievable piece of real estate in its day. We passed a lot of classic New England pastures, wooded areas and farm houses. One farm house looked like it was being turned into someone’s country estate. The work looked amazing! Through a field of 2-3 foot tall alfalfa, I managed to see a herd of cows off in the distance. The field looked and smelled great. A hay field can smell so good sometimes.

The bridge over the Taylor River

We even crossed this covered bridge. As we approached it I thought this was going to be a cool old bridge. It was closed to auto traffic and was only for pedestrians and possibly horses. But as we got closer I could see that it was partially made of cement! Not exactly a classic New England covered bridge, but it was still pretty cool to run this bridge over the Taylor River.

In spite of my illness and the heat I managed to run an 8:30 pace and finished the 6K run with an official time of 31:40. I was so thirsty that I guzzled two bottles of water while waiting for my  friends to finish. When everyone was in we headed for the beer tent and to get food. I picked up two tiny slices of Rustic Crust wood-fired pizza and it was awesome. They actually brought a wood fired oven to the race! I didn’t feel very hungry so I headed right to the beer tent.

They handed me two cups of Smuttynose and I headed for some shade in the huge tent LOCO had set up for us. After I had my beers, Jeff and I headed over to pick up our racing series jackets.

2013 Will Run For Beer Series Jacket

I think they look pretty good. On the way back to the tent we grabbed some more food, but the line was now very long. We hung in there, grabbed some burgers and headed back to the beer tent where the lines were even longer. We decided it wasn’t worth it.

After everyone ate, enjoyed some good food and mingled, the ladies got their race jackets we headed home.

Run well my friends.

© 2013 anagelin

Destination – Vinalhaven Maine

This one is a bit of a ride, both in a car and a ferry.

Vinalhaven is the A in the ocean, east of Rockland, Maine

From the Boston area, Rockland, Maine is about 3.5 hours on a good day. From Rockland you will need to take the Maine State Ferry over to the island of Vinalhaven. Now that is a destination race!

The local EMS and Fire Department sponsor this 3-mile race and 9-mile bike ride on Sunday July 28th. Vinalhaven is a small-town Maine community and they would greatly appreciate your support through this race.

It is a bit of a drive, but if you are going to be in the area and are looking for a race the weekend of July 28th, this is a good one. If you are looking for a race off the beaten path, this is it! The race starts at 9:15 and the race director tells me that the Maine State Ferry Service is waiving the $16.50 fee to bring a bike to the island. So even if you are running, you can bring your bike and ride around the island afterwards.

Can you think of a better place to have a lobster than on an island in the Gulf of Maine? They don’t call it Maine Lobster for nothin’.

Here is the link for race information and transportation details.

Run well my friends.

© 2013 anagelin

National Running Day

Did You Know Today is National Running Day!

National Running Day, held annually on the first Wednesday in June, is a day when runners everywhere declare their passion for running.

Wherever we are and whomever we’re with, we run—fast or slow,

Why not go our for a run today?

alone or with others, all over town or just around the block. It is a coast-to-coast celebration of a sport and activity that’s simple, inexpensive, and fun. It’s the perfect way for longtime runners to reaffirm their love of running and for beginners to kick off a lifetime and life-changing commitment.

Here is the link to runnigday.com.

I encourage everyone to go out and have a run today. Even if this is your first run, go out and give it a try. Don’t  worry about how far or how fast you go. Just go!

Run well my friends!

Andy