According to epidemiologists at the University of Toronto, COVID thrives in cold weather. Not only does the virus remain infectious in cold temperatures for a long time (one study showed the virus survived for up to 28 days in the cold vs. 6 hours in warm temperatures), but our own bodies’ viral filtration systems such as the mucous membranes inside our noses, dry out in the cold and aren’t able to protect us as well. Together, these factors make venturing outdoors in winter weather a riskier proposition than our (more or less) safe socially-distanced outdoor activities in the summer. It doesn’t matter if you’re running alone: because the COVID virus remains viable in the freezing winter air, the possibility exists that you could become infected from the exhalations of someone who previously passed by, or you could unknowingly exhale virus particles to infect the next person who comes along.
So what is a winter runner to do in these COVID times? Running indoors on the treadmill is one option, provided you own a treadmill and don’t have to venture out to a germ-infested gym, if indeed, gyms are still open in your area. But if you don’t have or don’t want to run on the hamster wheel, is running outside in the cold while wearing a mask an option? This week, I tried out the Adidas Face Covers 3-pack mask, retail $28 (Canadian) online at Adidas.ca. It’s made of 93% recycled polyester, 7% elastane, and is both machine washable and dryable. First, I ran 5K through the trails in the dark (temperature approximately -3C/26.6F), then I ran 18K in the morning (temperature ranged from -10C/14F to -3C/26.6F) on single-track and double-wide trails with a bit of road running thrown in. My rating: 4 out of 5.
Other considerations: I rarely take along water in the winter for shorter runs, so I didn’t have any problems on the 5K trail run, but I definitely needed both water and nutrition on the 18K run, which required removing the mask each time I wanted to drink or suck on a gel. I was left asking, what’s the point of wearing a mask on a long run if I have to keep taking it off? Between that and the fact that, once wet, masks no longer provide protection from exhaling or inhaling droplets, I’m not sure if masks are practical for winter running (or at least for winter long runs). Still, it’s better than running 18+K on the treadmill (oh, the agony of even typing that sentence!) or running outdoors in virus-laden cold air while completely unprotected. We’ll see if I change my mind as the weather gets colder. If the mask freezes to my face I’ll have a somewhat different review. But for temperatures down to -10C, the Adidas Face Cover is a good option.
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After running in Edmonton’s ice and snow for over twenty years, I finally broke down and bought a proper winter running shoe: the Salomon SpikeCross. I’m pretty cheap, and putting slip-on spikes over my regular running shoes served me well for years … or so I thought. This year, having switched in the spring from my beloved New Balance 880’s to Saucony ISO Hurricanes for more ankle stability, I discovered that my slip-on spikes didn’t want to stay on the wider Saucony’s, and my toes were super cold, way colder than they’d ever been in my old New Balances. So last week I took the plunge to winter shoes, and I’ll tell you, I’m never going back.
So far, I’ve worn my new shoes both on trails and pavement, and loved how they performed on both. Yesterday I ran 18K in them on surfaces from packed snow to ice to bare pavement, and they performed well on them all. There are 5 particular things I look for in winter running shoes, and the Salomon SpikeCross scored 4.5 out of 5.
Other considerations: The entire upper is welded and stitch-free, and no parts of the shoe rubbed or caused blisters, even after 18K. The SpikeCross have good cushioning, and are lighter than they appear. The sizing is unisex, which made finding the right size more challenging than usual. I usually wear a women’s size 7.5 running shoe, and I had to go down to a size 6.5 in these, so trying them on in-store was necessary (not so great in these COVID times). The forefoot is also narrow, which suits me fine since I have a fairly narrow foot, but may be an impediment for some people. Lastly, at $230, they definitely aren’t cheap, even with the discount I received for being part of a local running group. But as they say, you get what you pay for, and now that I’ve experienced having exceptionally stable footing and toasty toes, it seems worth the investment for the six months out of the year I have to run in icy, sub-zero temperatures. Winter has hit Edmonton hard and fast this year (because, uh, 2020), so not only is it time for me to start blogging again, but I’ve been handed the perfect topic. We went from 10°C shirtsleeves running weather to -20°C with the windchill in less than a week. Last winter, I wrote about how to acclimatize to the cold weather, but how can runners possibly acclimatize when the thermometer plunges over a cliff in just a matter of days? Here are some hard lessons I learned this week:
GO FOR A TEST RUN. I vastly underdressed for my long run last Sunday. The temperature had just dropped, and, like a clueless but optimistic amnesiac, I’d forgotten what the freezing butt-crack of winter feels like. Not only did I not dress warmly enough, but I’d hidden my winter running gear and accessories really well last spring, so even if I had realized how cold it was going to be, I wouldn’t have had time to find my thick mittens and winter Buff without waking up the whole house. And trust me, waking up my kids and then attempting to immediately ditch them to go on an early-morning run only ends one way: with whining and crying. And sometimes the kids are unhappy, too. After an agonizing 18K of frozen fingers and wind-burned cheeks, I went on a search and rescue mission for my various bits of winter gear. (Note to self: put everything in one place next spring and don’t forget where). But if I’d just gone for a short test run Saturday after the temperature had fallen, I would’ve figured out that my little stretchy gloves and light shell jacket weren’t going to cut it. This week, I went on a 6K run Thursday night wearing some of my winter gear. This test run made me realize that I’d also want to haul out lined running pants for my 21K run this Sunday. I dressed perfectly for the 21K, and the run was pretty great. IT FEELS COLDER THAN IT IS. Once you’ve been exposed to a few weeks of below-freezing temperatures, the cold doesn’t feel quite so bad. But if you’re not yet acclimatized, even a relatively mild temperature of, say -6°C, in October can feel a lot colder than the same temperature would feel in January. Like, a LOT colder. Dress a little more warmly than you think you need to. Don’t be a hero. Heroes are zeroes, and zero is too damn cold. LAYERS ARE OUR FRIENDS. Wear a thin base layer, maybe just a T-shirt, then another layer that’s easy to take off, like a zippered shirt, beneath your jacket. If you’ve overdressed, it’s easy enough to remove the layer(s). And remember, it will feel colder than it is since you haven’t had time to acclimatize, so you may need all those layers, after all! WARM IT UP. My knees and ankles were squawking at me on the Thursday night run because I’d started without a proper warm-up. Not only that, I’d stood around shivering in the cold talking to my running friends for a few minutes first. On this most recent Sunday morning, I did my pre-run yakking while jogging in place, and did some ankle circles and high-knees as well. It worked like a charm to loosen up those c(old) muscles and ligaments. DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOUR ELECTRONICS. Last Sunday, I automatically stashed my phone in the front pocket of my hydration vest like I’d been doing all summer, because my brain doesn’t work especially well in the cold. Turns out, neither does my ancient iPhone. Unsurprisingly, it was a dead brick by the time I finished my run. On Thursday night, I tried putting it into my pocket along with an air-activated hand warmer. Nope. Still way too cold. By the time the 6K were done, my phone battery was down to 1%. This Sunday, I changed tactics and put it in a waistband running belt (I used a Spibelt) beneath my jacket, and my battery did just fine, allowing me to snap some nice photos along the run. It’s less convenient to access than my vest or jacket pocket, but it’s the best way I’ve found to protect my temperamental battery in the cold so far. YOUR WATER AND NUTRITION NEEDS MAY BE DIFFERENT. During the summer, I generally need at least 1L of fluids during runs of 21-42K, since I sweat in the heat like Homer Simpson in a donut shop. But this Sunday I ended up drinking less than 500 mls of water during my 21K run, and I’d brought along way more water than I needed. Next time, I can save myself the extra weight by carrying less. However, I was able to avoid a frozen water bottle by remembering to blow some air back into the tube after each time I took a drink from my soft flask. I ate a Gu Liquid Energy at the 10K turnaround point, which usually is enough to get me through a 21K run in the summer. But I started feeling shaky and light-headed around19K, probably because I was burning more calories to keep my body temperature up. Next time it’s cold, I’ll take my nutrition at the 7K mark, and then take another one at about 14K, and so on, which should enable me to finish my run feeling strong. There you have it. The more you know…cue rainbow-colored comet tail here. Now, if you’d like to know what I’ve been up to this past crazy year, read on. Like everyone else, COVID-19 and the subsequent shutdowns and race cancellations threw me for a loop. I’d been used to running in an organized group on Wednesday and Thursday nights, and on my Sunday long runs. In March, my running group was abruptly cancelled, and so was the marathon running clinic I’d planned to start attending in April. My kids were at home 24/7, I was now not only a mom but an on-line teacher for three different grades, and my hours at work that actually paid were dramatically decreased. During this time, I also lost my father to a short but harsh battle with cancer. So, yeah. 2020. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, ya bastard. However, in the spring I was shockingly injury-free, and wanted to continue training for the marathon distance, even though I no longer had an official marathon to race. Luckily, the weather was nice and outdoor exercise was still permitted in Edmonton, so I was able to run five days a week by myself. I’d worked up into the mid-30 kilometers on my long runs before (literally) running into some of my previous running buddies in June. They invited me to join their informal Sunday morning group runs. Since they weren’t going quite as long as I needed to for my training, I’d run about 10K from my house to meet them, then finish up the rest of my mileage with the group. It was great! Such a treat being out in the world again after being relatively isolated, even for an introvert like me. Another running friend heard about my cancelled marathon and my plan to run the distance by myself, and he very kindly organized a small “socially-distanced” marathon, complete with race bibs, which he and another friend ran with me while his wife manned our water and nutrition station. A few other friends also came out to run the last half with us. It was such a wonderful and caring gesture, and meant so much more to me than any professionally-organized marathon ever could. Both before and after that, I ran a few other virtual races offered online. Another friend was also organizing races of various distances to make up for people’s cancelled races, and some running groups throughout the city never stopped meeting, but made sure to socially distance. It’s amazing how the running community has come together during this time to keep us all physically and mentally healthy, and I feel very fortunate to be part of such a caring sport. Everything was going fine until I ate the pavement. My surroundings were perfect: palm trees with tall fronds blowing gently in the breeze, huge violet and hot pink blossoms perfuming the air with their fresh, floral scent, the air filled with the twitter of happy birds doing whatever it is happy birds do, and the distant crash of waves hitting the beach at the opposite end of the resort. My running companions were perfect, too: my husband, who plays hockey regularly but only runs sporadically; and my 8-year-old daughter, who loves to run but usually only in break-neck, all-out, too-short bursts, and isn’t interested in going more than a kilometer with plodding old Mom. But this morning, our first at the Grand Sirenis Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico, inspired by the blazingly blue sky and the tropical warmth, they’d both come out for a run with me OF THEIR OWN FREE WILLS! My two older children, never inspired by much other than videogames, were still sleeping in our room.
Everything was going fine. Granted, my daughter had slowed to a walk for about the fifth time in ten minutes, complaining of stomach cramps. You’ve gone out too fast, I told her sagely, you’ve got to slow down and control your breathing. Later I’d find out that no, wise old running Mom was wrong, the poor thing was actually in the first throes of Montezuma’s Revenge, but at the time I decided to leave her with my husband and surge on ahead, periodically running back to rejoin them. What I hadn’t counted on in my ecstatic enjoyment of surroundings that A) weren’t covered with snow and ice, and B) weren’t landscaped in mind-dulling shades of white and grey, was that even though the paved trails meandering through the resort weren’t icy, 84% air humidity can still a slippery surface make. I was about 300 metres ahead of my husband and daughter when I came to a bend in the road. Perfect time to run back, I thought, turning in my brand-new Saucony Hurricanes (a two-month-long bout of peroneal tendonitis has forced me to abandon my beloved New Balance 880’s in favor of stability/light motion-control shoes), and though the Hurricanes have proven good for my wonky ankle, I was soon to discover their traction leaves much to be desired. I turned, slipped on the humid pavement, and took a first-class flight on Air Face-Plant. BLAM! Pain. Oh, the pain! “I’m OK!” I hopped to my feet, blood trickling from my left knee, flowing into the scratches and dirt streaked across my sweaty shin. The heels of my hands were scraped, filthy, and inlaid with a delicate smattering of non-precious stones. “I’m OK,” I yelled again, brushing myself off and grinning like an idiot, because the last thing a mother wants is to look like a mere, clumsy, accident-prone mortal in front of her darling daughter. And in front of a few other women on their way to breakfast who were gasping in concern behind me. Yay. Spectators. I limped back to the room, cleaned myself up, slapped on some Band-Aids, and called it a day. Time to dull the pain with a Pina Coloda or ten. It’s now been over a week, I’m back in Canada, my burns are peeling and my tan is fading, but I still have a giant, sore scab on my left knee, a reminder that I should’ve done a bit more to prepare myself for the realities of suddenly running in a hot, humid climate after months of surviving in a cold, dry one. On your upcoming vacation, don’t be like me. Don’t get so caught up in the beauty of your surroundings that you fail to pay attention to what’s going on around you. Cars, golf carts, wild critters, and poor footing can all conspire against you. Here are a few tips to practice sweating safely. Timing is Everything In a tropical climate, temperatures can heat up a lot faster than you think. By 8am that morning, it was already 26°C (79F) and 33°C (91.4F) with the humidity in the Mayan Riviera. That didn’t bother me much, as I’m a heat-seeker, but my husband was already having trouble (that’s why he didn’t mind hanging back with my daughter). Bring a headlamp so you can rise early and run before the sun comes up. If you’re too relaxed (or hung over) to drag yourself out of bed, instead enjoy the beautiful outdoors on your way to your resort’s gym to run safely on the treadmill, or try out the suggestions below. Pre-Chill to Be Chill Elite athletes regularly lower their body temperatures before they exercise, allowing them to exercise longer before they overheat. We recreational athletes can accomplish the same thing by taking a 10-minute cold shower right before going out for a run. Alternatively, if you have a mini-fridge in your hotel room, you can freeze a bandana or hand towel overnight, or wet it with the coldest water available and tie it around your neck for few minutes before you start running. Keep it on while running if it’s not too uncomfortable. This will help you keep your core temperature down even when it’s already hot outside. Water—Not Just for the Pool Drink and drink some more: 8 to 12 ounces of water before you go out, then another 8 ounces every 15 minutes (or 12 ounces if you’re a heavy sweater). If you’re planning on running longer than an hour, drink something containing electrolytes instead. Nuun tablets are great to take along on holiday because they’re small, portable, and can pass easily through security. Remember: don’t drink the tap water even in respectable resorts and hotels at most tropical destinations! Stick to bottled water instead, or you’ll end up with stomach problems like my poor little girl, and the last thing you’ll want to do is run. Listen to Your Heart Heart rate tends to climb more rapidly in the heat, even if your pace is the same or slower than you’d run at home in more moderate temperatures. For every degree the body’s internal temperature rises, the heart beats about 10 beats per minute faster. If you’ve been curious about heart rate training, this is the perfect time to ignore pacing and pay attention to your heart rate monitor. Don’t know what your maximum heart rate is? A rough guide is to subtract your age from 220. For example, I’m 44, so my max heart rate is approximately 220-44=176 beats per minute. Staying at 75% or below of your max heart rate (in my case: 0.75 X 176=132 bpm) will keep you feeling good enough to go scuba diving or hit the swim-up bar later. And, by the way, 44 years old is not old enough to be repeatedly told, “OK, Boomer,” despite what my 13-year-old son thinks. Carbs Are the New Black Your muscles require more energy (glycogen) to perform in hot weather, burning through more carbohydrates during your runs. So load up with a banana and bagel from the breakfast buffet before you go out. But take it easy on the steak and eggs: since your body uses more energy to metabolize proteins, eating a lot of it will actually raise your body temperature. Don’t Be a Hero If you feel dizzy, nauseated, or get a headache or muscle cramps while running in the heat, you may be experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke. I know you’re tough and stubborn (aren’t all runners?) but now is not the time to push through the pain. Get inside or to a cool area (even the shade is better than nothing) as quickly as possible and seek medical attention. Tired of running in a frozen wasteland? Ready for a change of scenery and some greenery? Hop on a plane, get out of this cold, and run safely, amigos! This year, I was unable to run the Edmonton Hypothermic Half Marathon due to an ankle injury (though I did manage to run the 5K—very slowly!), so I’ve invited a guest blogger, Ed Gallagher, to give us his review of the race. I’ve known Ed for a few years since we’ve both been part of the 109 Street Running Room Run Club. He’s a great runner and an all-around friendly, encouraging member of the running community. Before we get into Ed’s race review, here are a few general notes about the race for anyone contemplating running it in the future. The Hypo Half here in Edmonton is split into two separate races: Hypo 1 (this year held on Feb 2), and Hypo 2 (Feb 16). Each race is capped at less than 500 runners, making it a small, fun race where you can easily keep track of your friends. The Hypo Half 1 this year had 460 registered participants. The reason it’s kept so small is because the venue for the post-race brunch is the Highlands Golf Club, which can only hold so many people because of fire regulations. And trust me, you want this brunch! It’s no ‘folding tables in a gym’ or ‘brown bananas and stale bagels at the finish line’ type of deal. It’s a full, hot, lovely golf club brunch, and it’s even licensed so you can have a post-race beer! The brunch one of the best reasons to drag your butt out on a cold, February morning. This year, event proceeds went to the Help Us Help charity, which works with local organizations in Ukraine to send children in Ukrainian orphanages to summer and winter camps, where they get to play sports and participate in cultural events such as Ukrainian Christmas, which many of these children will never otherwise experience. The swag is usually pretty good for this race: this year we received an insulated tumbler and toque with the Hypo Half logo. In the past, race swag has included duffle bags, hats, jackets, and hydration packs. All participants also receive a themed race medal. ED GALLAGHER’S HYPOTHERMIC HALF MARATHON RACE REVIEW About me: I have been a runner for 40 years. I have completed 9 marathons, one ultra-endurance event, 5 half-marathons, and more 10K races than I can easily remember. I enjoy the camaraderie of running with others at the Running Room. My favourite race in recent years was the California International Marathon in December, 2019, in which I acted as a guide for a blind runner who is a friend of mine. When I am not running, I am a lawyer practicing in a small town west of Edmonton. Race day: Sunday, February 2, 2020, had finally arrived. Race Day. I had trained for this in the same Running Room clinic as Kathy. Early October 2019, when we started, seemed like the distant past. In the rearview mirror were 16 weeks of training that saw the transition from fall to a mild start to the winter. Then there was the shock of almost two weeks of intense cold weather (-35C plus a nasty wind-chill) in mid-January. This made training outdoors very difficult and on occasion bordered on dangerous. Then, an unusually warm period followed until just yesterday. Both those weather extremes present challenges in winter races. Cold weather requires additional layers of warm clothing, which can restrict movement and add extra weight. Warm weather brings melting, and footing issues: snow covered roads become rutted and uneven, and old snow when churned up by vehicle traffic can assume the consistency of sand. The day before the race, the weather changed again, turning back to seasonal temperatures. A weather front passed through, with the wind taking above-zero temperatures below the freezing point again, to almost the seasonal average for this time of year: -5C (23F). Some freezing rain marked the occasion. As a result, we faced very icy roads on Race Day. The main event was the half-marathon, commencing at 9:00 am. There was also a 10K event and a 5K run, with start times 30 minutes and one hour, respectively, after the half-marathon started. Most runners gathered at the club house at the Highlands Golf Course, a posh facility on the north side of the North Saskatchewan River (which bisects Edmonton flowing from west to east). Our route was simple enough: head east to loop around a well-to-do residential neighborhood, then back west, passing the Golf Course at about 10K, and then continuing a further kilometre or so, past a small Catholic university, until the turnaround point, making for a short “out and back” to the Golf Course again. Then, do it a second time. I had run this course last year, and knew what to expect. There were no hills as such, but some steady uphill (and on the way back, downhill) grades. My GPS watch tells me now that we climbed a total of 100 m (about 110 yds) throughout the entire race. The main challenge was the footing. The freezing rain, falling temperatures and wind from the day before had combined to create a very icy surface for much of the route. What wasn’t icy was sand-like in texture. Both of these made traction challenging to achieve. I was fortunate to have chosen trail runners with built in spikes, so the problem was reduced for me. There were quite a few runners who had no traction aids, however, and they found the footing treacherous, particularly on corners. I saw a runner take a tumble right in front of me at the western-most turnaround point during my first loop. Luckily, she was unhurt; I helped her up and she was on the way again in seconds. On the other hand, the temperature was perfect at start time: about -6C with a moderate wind from the west that deceased further during the race. As we were running east to begin with, this meant that we had the wind to our backs for the first 5K or so. This allowed us to be warmed up before turning west into the wind. As a result of the forecast, I dressed relatively lightly: unlined track pants, a short sleeved t-shirt, a medium weight running jacket with wind protection up front, a Buff (neck warmer), thick gloves (like Kathy, I have Reynaud’s) and a beanie. I also wore bone conducting headphones to allow me to enjoy some background music but still hear what was going on around me. Overall my clothing choices worked well, although my hands were pretty warm by the end. My main challenge was what to eat during the race. I’m experienced enough and fit enough to go without food or water during a race of this duration, but I wanted to run as I had trained. In training I used to eat small “date bites” (I'm vegan and these are a plant-based, whole food). In early January, however, I got braces (at nearly 58 years of age!) and since then I have been unable to eat the date bites. I don’t like gels (far too sweet for my liking) so I’ve been searching for a new, easily chewable alternative. Regrettably, I didn’t have a good choice for this one. So, I ran without. I never carry water during a race - I rely on the water stations. There was a single water station on the course, but it was located just before the big east loop. So, we all passed it at the beginning and end of the loop, a total of 4 times during the race. Given that it was well below zero, the water was served warm out of the thermos containers - quite pleasant to drink, actually. Like most of my races, the first third of it was spent finding my spot in the pack. Because I will never be in a position to actually win a race, I start well back to allow the really fast runners unimpeded (by me) access to the front of the line. I also start a bit more slowly, taking an extra 30 seconds or so for the first 1.5 or 2K until I hit cruising speed. Along the route there were relatively few volunteers, although the number was consistent with last year. Because it can be potentially very cold, volunteers for this race need to be a hardy breed indeed. In the main, they were positioned at the water station and at key intersections. I thanked all of them as I passed by - I was grateful I was running and could thus stay warm. They didn’t have that option. The next third of the race involved settling into my position and attempting to improve it here and there by cutting corners (in the permissible way). At this stage, I was among a group of runners that did not change much for the rest of the run. One or two who had started too fast dropped back by about 14 or 15K, but they were replaced by a few others who had obviously started behind me in the pack and eventually caught up and left me behind. During this phase, my pace was steady and I was feeling good about how things were looking. The last third of the race was, not surprisingly, the most challenging. By 17K, and with only 4K to go, I knew that I would finish well (ahead of my goal time), but I could also feel my energy waning. I ran beside a young fellow from the University of Alberta triathlon team, and he and I passed the time for a while, which distracted me from thinking too much about how tired I was. Eventually, he moved ahead of me at 19K. This was my low point from an energy perspective. We were on a slight uphill grade and still had to do the “out and back” distance of 1K each way. I found the first of those kilometres pretty tough. But, once I hit the turnaround and knew that we were not much more than 1K away from the finish line, I checked my watch and knew that I would be several minutes ahead of my goal time, even if the wheels fell off. This gave me the last boost that I needed and before long I was at the gate leading to the finish line about 200 metres away. It was fun to have the finishers’ medal placed over my head and neck. Kathy was at the finish line as well, and she took a couple of photos as I crossed the finish line. In one of them, I am checking my watch, the universal pose of the amateur runner coming across the finish line! Overall, the race conditions were as good as could reasonably be expected. Given the choice of an icy surface or extremely cold weather, I prefer the first option and that’s what I was fortunate to face during this race. Races that take place in winter conditions are quite rare, overall, even in Canada. There tends to be only one significant race of this size in most major population centres. It’s not the kind of race in which to expect to get a PR, but I think that every participant gets some bragging rights by completing a distance that is challenging even in moderate conditions, and then topping it all off with cold, snow and ice and wind. Thanks Ed, for the great review. Way to go on achieving your goal time! -Kathy 1/8/2020 0 Comments Attitude is everythingWhen I flipped open the January/February 2020 issue of Canadian Running this past weekend, I was dismayed to see that the editorial was titled, “Winter: The Spinach of Running Seasons.” Now personally, I love spinach, but this poor leafy green isn’t usually invoked to get people all fired up about whatever it’s being compared to. As I read further, my fears were confirmed. The gist of the article was that winter running is a miserable, “bone-chilling” affair requiring “a dose of grit and a dash of insanity,” only slightly mitigated by the benefits of calorie-burning, warding off the winter blues, and being more awake than the rest of your family members upon your return to the blessed (heated) indoors. And this was in a CANADIAN magazine!
Now, I’m no fan of the cold (see here), but while I’m the first one to extol the benefits of winter running (see here, and here), right now I’m recovering from an ankle injury (see here), and I can’t run at all, not indoors or out. So this article got me right in the feels, because I have literally been crying about my inability to run, and I’d love to have the opportunity to freeze my butt off while slogging through the snow, thank you very much, you whiny, entitled Canadian Running editor! I was so mad I couldn’t even read the rest of the magazine. But then I had to take a step back (a figurative step — my ankle is not stepping anywhere) and examine my own attitude. Here I was, mentally berating this man for having a poor attitude, while spewing plenty of whiny entitlement of my own. Pot, meet kettle. I’ve been most upset because this ankle injury crept up on me during the past few weeks (my last run was the Resolution Run 5K on Jan 1st, pictured above), and I’d been stubbornly running sore for a few weeks prior. Now that it’s less than a month to go before the Hypothermic Half Marathon, it’s looking like a real possibility that not only will I not be able to run it, I might not even be able to run down the block. I’ve dredged up all sorts of doomsday scenarios in my head: will I not be able to run the marathon that I’m planning to race this summer? Will I not be able to run even a 5K? Will I never be able to run again? I’ve been injured for only a few weeks. My brain has convinced me that I’m now disabled for life. Now, brain, get a grip. I know how you love to be all glass-half-empty, I know how you love to ruminate on all the worst-cases and could’ve/would’ve/should’ve’s, but you know very well that I am going to run again. Granted, it might not be as soon as you’d like, or as far, or as fast. But if I do my physiotherapy, do my stretches, do the whole Rest Ice Compression Elevation routine, eventually, I will be back out there. And there will always be other races to make up for any that I’ve missed. But, says my brain. But! You’re getting out of shape! You’re missing your running friends! You’ll miss the Hypo Half — you always run the Hypo Half! You’ll miss hanging out with your friends who are running the Hypo Half! You’ll MISS BRUNCH!!! Me: Gah, brain, calm down. Maybe I’ll still be able to run it. Brain: You know that’s a pipe dream. It’s only 3 weeks away and you can barely walk. Me: Shut up, you! Brain: Real mature. Is that the best rebuttal you’ve got? Me: Actually, Ms. Pessimist, that isn’t the best I’ve got. Maybe I can run half of the half. You know, one loop, 10-point-whatever kilometers. I’ll see everyone at the starting line, and hang around the brunch until they’re done. It’ll be fine. Brain: 10K still seems pretty daunting for an ankle that threatens to buckle after walking the kids down the block to school. Me: If I can’t run the race, I can volunteer. Standing outside for hours in the bitter cold sounds way more awful than running in it, but every year, people have done that for me. Maybe it’s my time to give back. I’ll still be a part of the race, I’ll be able to see my buds, and even help them out. Got a problem with that? Brain: Well… I still hope you can run. Me: Me too, buddy. Me too. I should be thanking the gods that I’ve been fortunate enough to run at all: that I’m healthy, more or less able-bodied (a little less than more, these days), that I live in a place that’s safe enough to run and where women are not only permitted to run, but encouraged to, a luxury which definitely doesn’t exist in many corners of the world. I’m lucky enough to have the leisure time to run, and the money to buy fancy winter running shoes and tights and gloves and thermal shirts and pay for race entries. I should be thanking the gods that my worst fear isn’t Where will I get food today? or Will the shelter be full tonight? or Are my children safe? but that it’s only Will my ankle heal in time for a race that really means nothing in the long string of races I’ve run and will run in the future? See? Attitude is everything. I’m not going to candy-coat the truth (though I’ve candy-coated many baked goods, lately): running consistently during the holiday season is hard. Running consistently during the holiday season with an injury is doubly so. If you’ve been following this blog, you know that for the past couple of weeks I’ve been dealing with a sore Achilles tendon. Well, during Week 10 the pain exploded around into the side of my ankle, specifically the peroneal tendon, and I was forced to take a lot more rest days and easy runs than I would’ve liked. For those of you who don’t know what the peroneal tendons are (like me, a couple of weeks ago), they’re two bands of tissue that run behind the outer ankle bone. One of these tendons attaches to the to the outer part of the midfoot (that’s the one I’m feeling pain and stiffness in right now); the other runs beneath the foot and attaches near the inside of the arch. These tendons act together to roll the foot outwards (eversion), assist the calf muscles in flexing the foot, and stabilize the ankle during weight-bearing activities like walking and running. Peroneal tendon injuries aren’t very common, only accounting for 0.6% of all running injuries, so I guess I’ve hit the rare-injury jackpot. Severity can range from just inflammation (tendontitis), to outright tears in one or both tendons, and generally cause pain along the outside of the foot and lower leg. Apparently, peroneal tendonitis can be caused by overuse, having high arches, running at high speeds, performing high intensity interval workouts, and having weak or stiff calf muscles. While I don’t have high arches, I have been running a lot lately, and I’ve gotten significantly faster in the past year than I’ve ever been before. Add that to the uneven, slippery surfaces I’ve been navigating lately, and I guess I was ripe for an injury. Now I’ve been resting, decreasing my mileage and speed, trying to rehab my ankle by stretching, foam rolling (thank you, Caitlin Johnston for the demo a few weeks ago!), performing ankle eversion exercises with an exercise band, and strengthening my calves with calf raises and lowers, weighted Farmer’s Walks, and tracing the alphabet in the air with my foot (a great ankle-loosening exercise even when you’re not injured). When I first started feeling pain, I could barely run 5k without feeling burning and stiffness on the outside of my ankle and foot, but today I ran 13k and I'm feeling fine. I’m still behind in my training, but I think I’m farther along than if I’d done what I used to in my twenties: just gutted it out, becoming further injured in the process. The other variable in this whole mess has been Christmas. Between parties and shopping and baking, getting out for regular runs has been hard, especially while injured. But several of us from the various Running Room stores in the Edmonton area got together to go running on Candy Cane Lane this past Wednesday, and the low mileage and beautiful holiday displays were just what I needed to get my mind off my injury, making me realize how lucky I am to be relatively able-bodied and able to run at all. So Happy Holidays to you all! See you again in the New Year! (And maybe join me on New Year’s Day for the Resolution Run 5k). Week 10 (Dec 8-Dec 14) Training: Training Schedule: Dec 8 Dec 9 Dec 10 Dec 11 Dec 12 Dec 13 Dec 14 14K LSD OFF 4 Tempo 6 Hills 6 Steady OFF 4 Steady What I ran: 11K LSD 5 OFF 6 Hills OFF OFF OFF Week 11 (Dec 15-Dec 21) Training: Training Schedule: Dec 15 Dec 16 Dec 17 Dec 18 Dec 19 Dec 20 Dec 21 16K LSD OFF 5 Tempo 7 Hills 7 Steady OFF 5 Steady What I ran: OFF 5 OFF 5 Slow 5 Slow OFF OFF The week started out frosty: our long slow distance run on Sunday was a balmy -23C (-9F). I’ve found that any time the temperature drops below -15C (5F), my electronics and water start to freeze, especially during long runs. I was able to keep my phone from freezing with a Lei Li Zoomhill thermal phone case bag tucked into my jacket’s inner pocket. I used a Polar Zipstream Insulated Bottle and added a Nuun electrolyte tablet to help keep my water from freezing. It worked, but I’d inadvertently bought the effervescent kind of Nuun tablets, and every time I opened the bottle, fizzy water exploded from the nozzle. Next time I’ll stick to the regular Nuun tabs. I also wore the new toque & heavy fleece Buff that I bought at the Running Room last week. The Black Friday sale was still going on, so I signed up for next spring’s full marathon training clinic at a twenty percent discount. Even wearing all of my cold weather gear and changing into warm dry clothes before driving home, I was chilled through and needed to take a long, hot shower before I could help hubby and the kiddos set up the Christmas tree and decorate the house for the holidays.
On Monday I ran on the t(d)readmill at the Commonwealth Recreation Centre, because my right Achilles tendon was burning after doing speedwork on track last Monday, and I didn’t want to chance it getting worse. The treadmill was pretty boring, but at least I got a run in. Monday was also the last day of the Black Friday sale on City of Edmonton Rec Centre passes, so I bought a 10-visit Multipass for 30% off. Next week I think I’ll get back on the track, but not push the speed so hard. My daughters had their school Christmas concert on Tuesday night. Between that and being busy during the day, I missed my run. Wednesday nights are Hill Nights. Our running group ran 5 X 2:30 minutes up Walterdale Hill. It was still pretty cold, about -15C (5F), but the real problem was the footing. It had snowed all day and running up the snow-clogged sidewalk was like running through deep sand. By the last climb, my legs were burning and I was exhausted. Not my best hill day by far, but on the bright side, maybe this counted as strength training? On Thursday, our Hypothermic Half Marathon training clinic ran 6K around the University area (the footing was a lot better, since most of the sidewalks had finally been shoveled and the snow on the roads was packed down). After running, we had a presentation on foam rolling by Caitlin Johnston, one of the Running Room clinic instructors who’s also a trainer at Crunch Fitness.I often use a foam roller, and credit it with helping to rehab my left IT band injury a couple of years ago. Caitlin showed us how to foam roll each major lower-body muscle group, and had a great tip: find the most painful spot in each muscle, and hold it still on the foam roller while applying pressure (without rolling) for at least 30 seconds. This allows myofascial release better than actually rolling out the area. I enjoyed the foam rolling, but since I’d run hard and gotten sweaty, didn’t have time to change into dry clothes, then sat on the cold floor while foam rolling for half an hour, my Raynaud’s Syndrome flared up with a vengeance. Not only were my hands and feet numb and white, but my entire body felt painfully frozen. I still had to grab a quick supper then drive to St. Albert to go feed my friends’ cats while they're on vacation. By the time I finally got home I was almost paralyzed with cold. I spent the rest of the evening shivering and chattering my teeth in front of the fireplace. Note to self: make the time to change into dry clothes, no matter what! I worked on Friday, then had to stay home to look after my daughters while my husband took our son to his hockey practice. This all added up to no time for a run. I worked all day Saturday, too, and then went straight to the Oil Kings game, where my oldest daughter’s choir was singing Christmas carols. This particular game night was also the Teddy Bear Toss to benefit the Stollery Children’s Hospital, which made the evening run longer, and of course the game went into overtime. We didn’t get home until nearly 11pm, so once again I missed my opportunity to sneak in a run. That’s the Christmas Season for you. Week 9 (Dec 1-Dec 7) Training: Training Schedule: Dec 1 Dec 2 Dec 3 Dec 4 Dec 5 Dec 6 Dec 7 12K LSD OFF 4 Tempo 5 Hills 6 Steady OFF 4 Steady What I ran: 12K LSD 5 OFF 5 Hills 6 Steady OFF OFF A couple of weeks ago, our weekly running clinic had a presentation on strength training for runners given by Syl Lemelin, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CSEP-CEP), and Tactical Strength & Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F), so I guess you can say he’s pretty darn qualified. Here’s what Syl had to say about strength training for recreational runners: What is Strength? According to Syl, most runners don’t really understand what true strength training is or how to do it. His working definition of strength is how much weight can you lift, how much force you can maximally generate, and your ability to control your body in space. For example, if I’m running along, trip on a root, and start falling, do I have the strength to pull myself back or do I just faceplant? And being strong not only helps prevent injury, but allows us to run faster. Heavy Weights/Low Reps So how do we train for strength? Unfortunately, running doesn’t train our legs for strength (I know: I was shocked, too), but for endurance. All of those low weight/high repetition training plans you’ll find in women’s magazines also train for endurance, not strength. Training for strength is not the same as body building, which involves high reps with medium weights to promote muscle hypertrophy (overgrowth). So how the heck are runners supposed to strength train? We don’t want to become big and bulky, but we do want to get faster. This means training for low reps with heavy weights, which teaches our muscles to become more efficient, trains our neuromuscular system to fire all of our muscle fibres at once, and won’t add bulk to our lean, greyhound-like frames (ha ha). How To Choose a weight that you can lift with good form for only 2-5 reps (also known as lifting to failure), and work up to 3 to 6 sets of each exercise, with long rests of 2 minutes in between each set. Perform a series of these full-body, weighted exercises two times per week (Syl recommends decreasing to once weekly when tapering for a race). Proper form is essential, so it’s a good idea to work with a trainer at least the first few times to make sure you’ve got your technique down before you work up to heavier weights. How strong do we need to be? Syl says that a good measure of strength for runners is being able to lift a bar equivalent to your own body weight on your back. The Difference Between Strength Training and Conditioning Body weight exercises don’t train for strength: they just don’t incorporate enough weight for you to perform them to failure within the 2-5 reps required to get stronger. These types of movements are called conditioning exercises, and don’t allow you to make the same sort of strength gains that are associated with faster running. I’ve done clamshells and leg raises to rehab my past IT band injuries, and pushups for my upper body for years, but although they make a great starting point and adjunct to strength training, apparently, I’ve got to step it up. Types of Exercises The best exercises for injury prevention are multi-joint, functional exercises. Functional exercises are those which provide the best transfer to your sport, and for runners, that means choosing exercises that help us develop explosive leg strength. Machine-based exercises, such as leg presses, are not very functional because they only move one joint in one plane, and the machine guides the movement, not your own body. Some exercises that Syl suggests for runners are weighted squats, weighted one-legged squats, weighted lunges, weighted deadlifts, and pushing a weighted sled. Some good upper body exercises to round out your workout are shoulder presses, bent-over rows, and pullups. Winter-Specific Injury Prevention In the winter, we deal with a lot of slippery and uneven surfaces, as well as running encumbered by heavy and/or restrictive clothing. To become stronger and more nimble in order to prevent winter running injuries, Syl recommends adding in the conditioning exercises pictured below to strengthen the lower leg and upper back: Incorporating Strength Training with Running
As a lover of running and a hater of strength training, I’m pretty pumped that I’ll only have to do a few reps of each exercise twice a week, which means I’ll have more time to run. A sample training plan for incorporating my 5 weekly runs with 2 weekly strength training sessions could look like this: Sun: Long Slow Distance Run Monday: Recovery Run Tuesday: Strength Training Full Body Wednesday: Hill Training Thursday: Easy Run Friday: Strength Training Full Body Saturday: Rest Day Now for the hard part. Actually doing it. The weather abruptly turned cold, wet, and windy last week (welcome to Alberta), and our Hypo Half Marathon group began our long slow distance run on Sunday, November 24 with trepidationbecause the forecast was calling for winds gusting up to 80 kph.But we managed to squeak out our 12K right before the wind (and freezing rain!) started up, and enjoyed a post-run coffee at the Remedy Café. Our route was one we’ve run often, especially in the summer: from the Edmonton 109St Running Room store west down Keillor Road, across the Quesnell Bridge and through Buena Vista park, past the Valley Zoo and around the short side of Hawrelak Park, up Emily Murphy Hill (I ran the whole hill without stopping to walk halfway up like I used to last summer, woo hoo!), and back through the University of Alberta campus to 109 Street.
Tackling the Track On Monday evening, as usual, I dropped my girls off at their cultural class in Parkdale, the sketchy area where I’d been assaulted during a run several weeks ago. Last week I ran there again, and though I had switched up my route and thought I’d conquered my fear, I just didn’t feel like running in that area again. Instead, I took my run inside to the track at the nearby Commonwealth Stadium Recreation Centre. I don’t have much experience with indoor tracks, and it was a surprise to me that it was only 250 metres around, since I’m more familiar with standard 400m outdoor tracks. I thought this was pretty small until I was discussing it later with a running buddy who regularly uses the indoor track at his local YMCA, which is only 100m, so I guess I shouldn’t have complained. My goal was to run 5K steady, but I just couldn’t fathom having to run 20 times around the orange blandness of the track without shaking things up a bit, so I ran a 1.5K warm up (6:30min/k), then 5 X 250m speedwork (5:00min/k) with 250m cooldown in between each, then finished the rest of my 5K back at cooldown pace. I loved i! I gotta admit that it was pretty fun charging down the track, passing slower runners and walkers and feeling like a speed demon (which I most definitely am not). On Tuesday, I ran outside again. It was still windy: what would have been an ok -9C (16F) turned into -15C (5F) with the windchill, and the hat I chose didn’t cover much of my forehead. I hadn’t put any Vaseline on my exposed skin, either, and spent most of the run regretting my life choices. I vowed to use a gift card that had been collecting dust in my bedside drawer to buy a better toque. Hills, Goals, and Too Much, Too Fast Wednesdays are Hill nights with the Hypothermic Half Marathon training group. Our clinic instructor, Rick Hurdle, decided that the two minutes we’d been running up hills so far might be a little shy of our recommended 400 metre distance, so he increased the time to two minutes and thirty seconds. This week we ran four times for 2:30 minutes up Walterdale Hill, with walk/slow jog breaks in between on the way back down. On Thursday, our weekly running clinic had a presentation on motivation and goal setting for runners given by KONA competitor Dr. Sarah Latonas. Sarah is originally from Edmonton but works as a medical resident in Calgary these days, so it was a special treat to hear her talk about what goals have worked – and not worked – for her in her distinguished running and Ironman career. She had great and highly entertaining stories about her successes and failures, and how most race results can be turned into a success depending on your goals. The main takeaway I received from her presentation was to have multiple goals for every race, ie. a ‘Perfect Race’ goal: what do you think you could achieve if the weather, your physical fitness, your training, etc all you’re your way; a ‘Good Race’ goal: what do you think you could achieve on a day where everything is fairly average, the weather is ok, you run ok, nothing catastrophic happens, etc;and a ‘Worst Case’ goal: what would you be satisfied to achieve if the weather is crap, you get a cramp, the terrain is more hilly than you’d expected, you’d had a terrible sleep the night before, etc. This type of goal setting is what I’ve been following for the past few years on my own, but I’d couched mine as GOLD/SILVER/BRONZE goals, which I think is pretty much the same thing. After our presentation, we went out for a steady run through campus and back up Saskatchewan Drive. My pace was about 5:55min/k, which is a pretty typical steady run pace for me, but my right Achilles tendon started burning about halfway through, and my legs felt like lead. I think starting speedwork and ramping up the hill training at once is what did me in: a typical ‘trying to do too much, too fast’ mistake that can quickly lead to injury. So I think it’s bye bye to speedwork for now. Next Monday I might try one of the treadmills at Commonwealth instead. Week 8 (Nov 24-Nov 30) Training: Training Schedule: Nov 24 Nov 25 Nov 26 Nov 27 Nov 28 Nov 29 Nov 30 12K LSD OFF 4 Tempo 4 Hills 5 Steady OFF 4 Steady What I ran: 12K LSD 5 X 250m 5 Tempo 4 Hills 5 Steady OFF OFF |
AuthorKathy Istace runs and races in one of the coldest cities on earth. Archives
December 2020
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