MapMyRun

Quite often, I have to guess-timate my running distance by either calculating the pace and what I feel is right or driving the course. Ideally I would like to have a GPS, but unfortunately my disposable income for such toys is lacking these days. Mapymyrun is a great tool that I have found that gives a closer estimate of the course distance. Using GoogleMaps' data and interface, you can map your run by using the satellite overlay of the map to figure out precisely where you ran. Below is a long run I did this morning. Not as long as I should be doing right now, with a few weeks to my marathon, but still okay, I suppose.

Injuries: The Bane of Running

So I made the mistake of running a 10-miler the week after I finished my March marathon. About halfway through the run (at sub-marathon pace) I felt a twinge of pain just below the inside of my right ankle.

As most runners do, I diagnosed myself using the Internet. The sports podiatrist confirmed my suspicion: posterior tibial tendinitis. She gave me the standard prescription of ice, ibuprofen, and no running for four weeks.

Having run 4-6 days per week for the past 8 months, I knew it would be difficult to follow the doctor's orders. It's been two weeks since the injury, and I can tell it's still there. I don't think the four games of racquetball I played with my roommate yesterday helped either. With only four months to go before the Nova Scotia Marathon, forcing myself to rest is a difficult proposition.

The first week after the injury I cross-trained on a stationary bike. Last week I had the flu, so that made things easy. This week the weather will warm, tempting me to leave my house for the abundant running trails in D.C.

As runners, dealing with injuries is probably the most frustrating part of our sport. The mind is ready to run but the body is not. Cross-training quickly becomes a bore, and frustration sets in as you realize your running fitness is deteriorating. Many runners, myself included, take the risk of returning to their training regimens early. This typically exacerbates the injury and opens the door to longer-term orthopedic problems.

That being said, I'm probably going to ignore my own advice and enjoy the weather this week. If it hurts too much, I'll stop. If it feels OK, I'll keep going. That's about all I can do.

You can't always look cool when you run

Despite my best efforts, I never actually look cool when I run. Take this photo from the 2008 Shamrock marathon, for example. This is what I like to call my ninja costume, which includes black mittens and a hat when it's really cold out.

My roommates think I'm crazy for leaving the house dressed like this when it's below freezing and the wind is howling. I enjoy the comments I get from random people on the street -- everything from the classic "run, Forrest, run!" to not-so-veiled references to Yao Ming, the basketball player for the Houston Rockets.

Running requires a minimum level of unabashedness. People will always think you're crazy for voluntarily running in all weather conditions, up to 26.2 miles at a time. (I leave ultra-marathons to the truly insane.) I think that's part of the joy of running. Being the "crazy runner guy/girl" in your social circles confers a certain cachet. And running in a pack of crazy people just for fun (i.e., a road race) is about as good as it gets.

So the next time you hesitate to look stupid while running, remember this blog post and take heart in knowing you're not the only one out there.

playlist

I'm still sidelined with a bad cough, sinus stuff, and now a pulled lat muscle from coughing (I kid you not). So, I'm posting about what I *would* run with if I were indeed running. I make no apologies for my bizarre taste in pop music.

In no particular order:

1. "Wannabe" - Spice Girls
2. "My Humps" - Black Eyed Peas
3. "Outrageous (Junkie XL remix)" - Britney Spears
4. "Ready to Go" - Republica
5. "Bebot" - Black Eyed Peas
6. "The Distance" - Cake
7. "Getcha Head in the Game" - High School Musical
8. "Thriller" - Michael Jackson
9. "Instant Pleasure" - Rufus Wainwright
10. "Stronger" - Kanye West
11. "Sharp Dressed Man" - ZZ Top
12. "Panama" - Van Halen
13. "The Jump Off" - Lil Kim
14. "Rumors" - Lindsay Lohan
15. "The Way I Are" - Timbaland