35, 5, and 2

nkrichards wrote:Careful...shoes that need tweaking to fit well and feel comfortable make me very nervous...

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:

nkrichards wrote:Careful...shoes that need tweaking to fit well and feel comfortable make me very nervous...

+1

Thank y'all for your concern.  Believe me that I'm not going to take any unnecessary chances on this pair.  I'm trying to do the easiest stuff before I try on a pair of the EE width.  It would be a week before I can get by the shoe store to try on a pair of EE's.  Tomorrow I have a 15 mile run to attempt.

I haven't noticed any problems on cushioning and I haven't noticed any 'drop' on the heel strike because of its 'minimal' architecture. 

*30*

This morning's BK level was reduced to 1.3, from 2.1.  I over did it on beef, yesterday.  This morning, I also had zero quad pain.

15 miles will be the furthest distance in probably a month or so.  With all this rain, behind it is a cool front that's supposed to drop the morning temperature to around 55 degrees, but I'll take 60 degrees.

ounce wrote:BK level slipped a tenth to 0.3, this morning.  I had a few extra veggies and more cow than in past days.  I figure since I'm not running as I was in past weeks, I don't need as much protein.  Which in the reverse means the extra protein is being turned to sugar (it's what a body does when it doesn't need any more protein) and, therefore, my blood ketone level drops.

I've also been enjoying some sirloin tip roast (cooked to 130 degrees) that was cooked on Sunday.  Pretty durn tasty.

Separately, I've been reading more of "The Great Cholesterol Myth" book and read something that was extremely interesting to me and I believe would benefit y'all and other runners about the supplement CoQ10.  I will quote the book later, but as a person ages, the body produces less CoQ10.  Aside from CoQ10 levels going down as a result of taking statins, CoQ10 is involved in the process of ATP and mitochondria.

And we all know that ATP is the diesel fuel for our muscles plus mitochondria is involved in building muscle fibers.  Soooooo, if our CoQ10 doesn't get replenished, then repairing muscle fibers takes longer because there's not as much CoQ10.  The authors didn't make the connection of how CoQ10 affects athletes, but I am.  So, stay tuned for that quote.  Their recommended dosage is 100mg, twice a day.  However, I'm cool with studies showing a different outcome and I haven't researched it fully.

So, here's the quote from the book on CoQ10 from page 127 and 128.  I am going to skip the part that ATP plays in fueling our bodies:
"Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like substance found througout the body and made in every cell.  Among the many important thigs it does, CoQ10 helps create energy from fuel (food) in the human body, just as a spark plug creates energy from fuel (gasoline) in a car.

Bottom line: CoQ10 has the ability to increase the body's production of the energy molecule ATP, and this is a very good thing indeed.

Just as a gasoline engine can't work without spark plugs, the human body can't work without CoQ10.  It's an essential component of the mitochondria, which is command central for the production of cellular energy (ATP).  A CoQ10 deficiency affects your heart as profoundly as a calcium deficiency would affect your bones.  [I am bolding the following] We create less of it as we age, making it all the more important to supplement with CoQ10 as we grow older.

We recommend at least 100 mg twice a day."


For us as runners, I believe anything easy that can keep our ability to make mitochondria from falling off as we age merits our attention and decision on its validity.

I'm with Nancy and Michele on the shoe concerns. If they don't fit right of the box, they're probably not going to work for you.

Have you tried Altras? (Website)

When I tried the shoes on in the store, they fit great.  Hand in glove.  But I also needed to insert the full-length arch support into the shoe, upon arrival at home.  I removed the original insoles.  Luckily, the orthotic I trimmed for the Vomeros was a 97% perfect fit in the Kinvaras.  Which should say something for the similarity of two different brands and objectives on the foot bed. 

The orthotic took up some room and I trimmed it to make it fit better.  And it did, but the 4th and pinky toes on both feet were touching where they weren't before.

So, I can't just take a pair out of the box and go with them.  Plus, I'm completely changing objective and design of shoes, too.  So, there's a learning curve there for me.  I'm getting there.  Aside from stretching the Flexfilm, the Kinvaras don't need breaking in.

The move from the Vomero to the Kinvara has been like moving from a Silverado to a Corvette.  I can fit in the seat, but there's less headroom and shoulder room.  It's not uncomfortable, but I just have to get the right feel.

I fixed the shoes.  I unlaced them, then stuck my foot in the shoe, then re-laced them.  It worked!  I ran 15 miles on them this morning and was even able to move my toes around some during the run.  Even the pinky toes have their own spaces now.

This morning, my Blood Ketone level was 2.0, an increase from 1.3 and smack dab in the middle of the Nutritional Ketosis range of 1.0-3.0.  It's been a good week for BK levels.  Usually, my food plan includes about 3 tablespoons of coconut oil during the day.  This week, I forgot to bring it with my lunch and it hasn't had an effect on the numbers. 

Breakfast has usually been creamed (1/2 cup heavy whipping cream) sauteed yellow squash or spaghetti squash.  I also added some asparagus spears, too.  Lunch this week has been to eat one-fourth of a batch of <8 eggs, 8 tablespoons of milk, 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms, a chopped medium onion, and one pound of sausage>.  Dinner has been a repeat of breakfast, but with the other vegetable option, and a couple of strips of bacon.

Last night, I had the same, but I prefaced it with a bag of microwave heavy butter popcorn, just 5 grams of carbs.  I was curious how it was going to affect the BK, this morning.  Guess I don't have to worry about that.  I've had no chocolate this week.

Next week's lunch will be meat loaf made with 2 pounds of grass-fed 85/15 ground beef with onions, mushrooms, an egg and some worchestershire (sp?) sauce and some asparagus spears.

This morning's breakfast (following the run) was a departure from the usual.  It was 10 ounces of broiled salmon fillet on a bed of 1 bunch of sauteed spinach in 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream.  It needed some bacon drippings.

The salmon followed a 15 mile run in my Kinvaras.  It was a beautiful morning with a slivered moon, no wind, 53 degrees with the same dewpoint temperature.  So many stars were twinkling.  My HR strap was giving me some funky readings, so I guess it's time for a new battery.

I'll post the splits later and the HR won't be accurate, but during the latter miles I believe it showing me 73-75% was pretty accurate in the latter miles. 

14.7 miles, 3:06:58, 12:43 pace, max HR 161 bpm, 1st and 2nd half pace was the same. 

1. 13:01, 128 bpm
   
2. 12:40, 140 bpm
   
3. 12:45
   
4. 12:45, 135 bpm
   
5. 12:42, 135 bpm
   
6. 12:40, 140 bpm
   
7. 12:27, 137 bpm
   
8. 12:39
   
9. 12:42
   
10. 12:50, 145 bpm
    
11. 12:38, 146 bpm
    
12. 12:46, 148 bpm
    
13. 12:37, 148 bpm
    
14. 12:54, 151 bpm
    
15. 12:35 pace, 154 bpm
    

My right calf barked when, at 7.5 miles, I did a U-turn and pushed off the turn with my right calf.  It wasn't the usual running motion and the lateral side of my right calf was shocked and communicated its displeasure.  The discomfort remained for the rest of the run and slowly spread in a straight line towards the middle of the right calf muscle by the end of the run.  I'm glad I wasn't going 20 miles.  PT, this morning, gave it some electrical therapy to show it who's boss!  The left calf was unremarkable.

I was VERY pleased with the run because two weeks ago, I had to stop at 6 miles because of both calves crying like little babies.

The Kinvaras did quite well and I didn't notice a real stride difference between the Vomeros and the Kinvaras, which the PT (this PT person was a marathoner only) said that it seems I'm adapting to the Kinvaras quite well, now that I have pinky toe room.  I did have a little quad pain around mile 5 on both quads, but it abated by mile 6.  It is believed that's part of the body's realization and adjustment to the Kinvaras because the Vomeros were so cushy. 

Should the Kinvaras last fewer miles due to not as much padding?

I ended October at a weight of 184 pounds, down 3 pounds from the end of September.  Since starting on this LC/HF eating method, I lost 20 pounds from Memorial Day to July 4th and another 6 pounds from July 4th to Halloween or 4 months.  A couple of the pounds lost in October could be from the last week of October when I think I lost a lot of water weight from the body's belief that we're out of the Summer heat.  I think November would be a forecast of 1-2 pounds below present levels.

I have a physical next Thursday.  I get to befuddle the doctor again on LC/HF. 

There will be a quiz on what's been stated on this post.  Study hard!  Thanks for stopping by and Michele...kick some Indy ass.

My BK level was 0.6, this morning, down from 2.0.

No residual stiffness or pain from yesterday's 15 mile run.  Looking forward to getting that hour back on the time switchback, tonight.

Oh, so I had an idea while wearing the Kinvaras around, today.  How much wider is the sole of the Vomeros at the forefoot and the heel, at its widest point, than the Kinvaras.

And the winner is?  The Kinvaras by about a 1/4" in both spots.  I was surprised.

wk 13 of 22

BK level was 0.3, today.

I have been wearing my Kinvara's all day on Saturday and today at the request of the PT to get them stretched and used to them.  This afternoon, I gave them the rest of the day off.  I put on the 300 mile Vomeros.  And talk about noticing a difference.  My left foot dropped more than the Kinvaras and dropped medially to boot.  Those Vomeros have been permanently retired and will be donated to Goodwill, the next time I go there.

ounce wrote:BK level was 0.3, today.

I have been wearing my Kinvara's all day on Saturday and today at the request of the PT to get them stretched and used to them.  This afternoon, I gave them the rest of the day off.  I put on the 300 mile Vomeros.  And talk about noticing a difference.  My left foot dropped more than the Kinvaras and dropped medially to boot.  Those Vomeros have been permanently retired and will be donated to Goodwill, the next time I go there.

Wise choice. With 300 miles on them, they may need to just go to a recycling service.

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:BK level was 0.3, today.

I have been wearing my Kinvara's all day on Saturday and today at the request of the PT to get them stretched and used to them.  This afternoon, I gave them the rest of the day off.  I put on the 300 mile Vomeros.  And talk about noticing a difference.  My left foot dropped more than the Kinvaras and dropped medially to boot.  Those Vomeros have been permanently retired and will be donated to Goodwill, the next time I go there.

Wise choice. With 300 miles on them, they may need to just go to a recycling service.

I shall let Goodwill flip a coin on that one.

*30*

BK level was 0.4, this morning.  It was 55 degrees with a dewpoint of 52 that greeted me as I walked out for a 7 mile run in the dark inside the Kinvara.

As an aside, I wondered what in the hell is a "Kinvara".  So I searched in Al Gore's invention for a definition.  It turns out that Kinvara is a seaport village in the south of County Galway, Ireland.  Population 1,160.  Who knew?

I will update the splits later, but I had a good run this morning.  I warmed up for a mile, then ran a little faster.  I believe my heart has returned to the efficiency it had back on October 18 (too much calf pain), as I was knocking out mid-12's at <70% with nary a pain to notice in the calves.  My structure is still getting acclimated to less cushinoning as I would get little niggles either during a run or some tiredness after the run in an appendage.  At least, that's what the PT is telling me.

6.66 miles, 1:23:something, 12:28 pace, 1st half pace 12:41, 2nd half pace 12:15.

The pace is coming back and I am thrilled about that.  Wednesday, I have a 12 mile run and Saturday, I have a 24 mile run, which is my longest distance in this training cycle.  The weather on Saturday is to have morning lows in the 40's.  I would be very happy with a sub-12 pace...and 12:59 counts.  Yesterday (Sunday), the high temperature was 69 degrees, which is the coolest since May 3. 

Next race is a 25K on November 24, a Sunday, downtown.  Maybe I'll be well enough to race it.

This morning's BK level was 1.7, up from yesterday's 0.4. 

There was a 5 mile interval run on the schedule.  So I drove up to Memorial Park in order to have a consistent surface on which to run faster.  However, the 'biorythms' were off track and I could never get in the groove.  I hadn't been getting enough sleep since Thursday night and I think it has caught up with me.

The temperature was 69 degrees, this morning.

Yep, never heard of Kinvara, either.  Interesting little fun tidbits.  
I've heard that if they can't actually use the running shoes to be worn in, they make kids' playground bottoms out of them.  Or tracks.  So, no matter where in shoe purgatory yours end up, they'll be doing some good in their next life.

Yay about the faster paces! keep it up!

Penelope wrote:Yep, never heard of Kinvara, either.  Interesting little fun tidbits.  
I've heard that if they can't actually use the running shoes to be worn in, they make kids' playground bottoms out of them.  Or tracks.  So, no matter where in shoe purgatory yours end up, they'll be doing some good in their next life.

Yay about the faster paces! keep it up!

You know, it's those interesting little fun tidbits that gives value to the money you're paying for such the quality-starved blog that I write.     Thanks for coming by and commenting, Kathy!

Seems like my faster paces come around once a week.  And I'll hope that mine will come on Saturday for my 24 mile long run.  I also have to map out the run because I've never run 24 as a long run.

*30*
My BK level returned to 0.4, this morning.  I'll tighten down my eating a bit.  Sometimes, it gets out of whack when I consume a little too much protein (yesterday's was BBQ ribs).

This morning, I ran 12 miles without any issues.  I decided to let the legs set the pace and both of them only wanted to go in a 13:47 or so pace.  I couldn't fuss too much, considering I was going to test them on Saturday morning.  The temperature was 70 degrees with 100% humidity.

We have a, what we used to call, "Blue Norther" coming through, this afternoon.  A Blue Norther is a cold front that blows through dropping temperatures 20 or more degrees and produces crystal blue skies plus north winds of 20+ mph.  Tomorrow's high is supposed to be 68.  Saturday morning's low is supposed to be around 52 with a light East breeze.

Hopefully, however I draw my route, I won't run in to any races, but it is possible.

Did the usual stretching exercises at PT this morning and the therapist that runs gave me a high five for saying I was going to run 24 on Saturday.  He must think that my calves are ready for it, after 3 weeks of PT.

No running tomorrow or Friday, but I do have PT in the morning.  I also have my annual physical tomorrow morning.  I have a massage schedule for Saturday around noon.

Y'all have a good day.

I've missed reading your blog while I was away for my race.  Good to hear your calves are recovering and the shoes are working well.  I have to be careful when I read your blog in the future...it often makes me hungry.  

I'm enjoying "The Great Cholesterol Myth".  I'm not very far into it yet but it sure seems to make sense.  Not sure I'm going quite as far as you are with your diet but cutting down significantly on sugar intake and worrying a lot less about fats sounds reasonable and doable.

Thank you kindly for your thoughts.  What's sad to me is that until institutions like the American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, big time medical schools and cardiologists change their minds about cholesterol, carbs and saturated fat, nothing will change.

As far as diet, if people would swap grains and sugar for vegetables (and corn is not a vegetable), inflammation in the body would reduce, weight would be lost, diabetes would reduce and people would be in better health.  And that's without taking one step of exercise.

*30*

It was 47 degrees, this morning, with a north wind of 20.  I had to get my car inspected, so I drove it up to the gas station and left it for them to inspect, then ran the 2 miles back home.  And it WAS very chilly. 

My BK level this morning was 0.4, which is the same as yesterday.  I had a business review meeting yesterday afternoon and afterwards, some of us went to a pizza joint to celebrate the end of a 3 week process.  It was NY pizza and I had a big spinach salad and one slice of thin pepperoni pizza.  That was my first slice of pizza since February.  So, I was sweating the BK level.

Houston chilly that  is.  I need to get a copy of that book as well, Doug.  I had to take a "wellness" survey for my health insurance and I only scored a "93" because my total cholesterol is 246 - of course, it does not take into effect the fact that my HDL is 152 and my LDL is 86 and my TRiGs are 65.  My husband who takes statins and is 30 lbs overweight scored a "96" because his cholesterol is under 200.  What a load of bull!!!!!!

Glad to hear the calves are getting better and the new shoes are working.  In spite of the biomechanical issues, I think your old shoes had a lot to play into you calf issues.  That is why I only get 200 miles out of some pairs.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Houston chilly that  is.  I need to get a copy of that book as well, Doug.  I had to take a "wellness" survey for my health insurance and I only scored a "93" because my total cholesterol is 246 - of course, it does not take into effect the fact that my HDL is 152 and my LDL is 86 and my TRiGs are 65.  My husband who takes statins and is 30 lbs overweight scored a "96" because his cholesterol is under 200.  What a load of bull!!!!!!

Glad to hear the calves are getting better and the new shoes are working.  In spite of the biomechanical issues, I think your old shoes had a lot to play into you calf issues.  That is why I only get 200 miles out of some pairs.

Oh, I think you're right about the shoes.  And looking at the wear pattern on the new shoes, I already see more wear on the inside left part of the left shoe heel than on the same area on the right shoe.

Sucks about your 'wellness survey'.  Part of the survey is to identify people with "Metabolic Syndrome"
[url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/metabolic syndrome/DS00522]http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/metabolic%20syndrome/DS00522[/url] and get them to change their ways.

Since your hubby is on statins, I would make sure he's taking a supplement called "CoQ10".  The book recommends 100mg 2x/day.  Statins lower the body's ability to make CoQ10.  If you want to scroll up to the 2nd post on this page, you can see why runners of our age group need to start taking it, not to mention those on statins.

I would also ask your doctor to order a high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) blood test on your husband, just to get a baseline of the chances for heart trouble, unless he already has a diagnosis of heart trouble. 
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/c-reactive-protein-crp
A special type of CRP test, the high-sensitivity CRP test (hs-CRP), may be done to find out if you have an increased chance of having a sudden heart problem, such as a heart attack. Inflammation can damage the inner lining of the arteries and make having a heart attack more likely. But the connection between high CRP levels and heart attack risk is not very well-understood.

If the doc won't order it, you can get it for about $80 at any walk-in lab test facility in Cleveland. "Any lab test now" www.anylabtestnow.com is what is in Houston.  No fasting needed.

I got one done today because I didn't think the doctor would order it, since I don't present any heart trouble issues.  AT today's physical, I did get him to order the equivalent of a VAP test to measure the LDL particles, since I told him that my LDL would probably be around 130 and that's above his threshold for concern.  Funny thing though, they didn't have the VAP test in their database to write a script for it.  So, they had to get their IT people to add it into the database for the script.  He didn't even know what a VAP test was.

He was all happy as could be about my calves getting better and said it's a 'pleasure' to do a physical on me because he usually tells people to lose weight and eat less bad foods, and they never do it, but I have.  And I got my Tetanus booster today.  Boy, my arm is a little sore.

I am so looking forward to Saturday's run.  Two days of rest and I'll be itching to go.

Thanks, Doug.  I need to look into the CoQ 10 myself.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Thanks, Doug.  I need to look into the CoQ 10 myself.

That CoQ10 ain't cheap.   

*30*

BK level was 0.2, this morning.  I'll hit the fat a little harder today to spike it for in the morning.  If the level is below 1.0, it will be interesting to note how it affects the run in the morning, if at all.  Temps should be around 52 degrees, when I start, and maybe down to 49 or 50 by 6:30 a.m.  I should be finished with it around 8 a.m.

Got some CoQ 10 to try - hope it helps.  I could post my picture here, Doug, but I'll spare you.  It is on the Taper Madness post - not sure why you couldn't see it.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Got some CoQ 10 to try - hope it helps.  I could post my picture here, Doug, but I'll spare you.  It is on the Taper Madness post - not sure why you couldn't see it.

I guess I'm just not.

I received the report on the hs C-RP (high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein) blood test from yesterday.  My number was 1.38, and the report says 1.0 - 3.0 is considered average.

I was expecting a lower number, but that's fine.  My other lab results from yesterday done by the doctor will probably be released to me tomorrow, when the doctor catches up on his folders.

My Blood Ketone level was 1.0, this morning, which was an increase from yesterday's 0.2.  1.0 is the low range of being in Nutritional Ketosis, which is 1.0 - 3.0.  This was accomplished by modulating the protein input.

The morning temperature was 57 degrees with a dewpoint of 42 and a light easterly breeze, but random.  I actually did some stretching, before the run!  Did some up and down dogs, leg swings and some squats.  24 miles was on the schedule.  This would be the longest non-race distance to date.  My objectives were to run it fast, no pain in my calves and not to get hurt.  Wednesday, I ran 12 miles and the past two days were rest days.

I picked 24 because 20 just wasn't long enough for my head and my body to understand what is expected of them on a marathon.  I accomplished all of my objectives.  I bled some time for the last 5 miles, however, had I been in a race for a marathon, I would have PR'd.

24 miles, 5:06:56, 12:47 pace, 150 avg HR (75%), max HR 168 during mile 19, 1st half pace 12:35, 2nd half pace 12:59.

1. 12:45, 132 bpm
   
2. 12:47, 141 bpm
   
3. 12:24, 141 bpm
   
4. 12:23, 143 bpm
   
5. 12:23, 144 bpm
   
6. 12:34, 144 bpm
   
7. 12:34, 143 bpm
   
8. 12:19, 143 bpm
   
9. 12:31, 144 bpm
   
10. 12:48, 145 bpm
    
11. 12:53, 144 bpm
    
12. 12:39, 149 bpm
    
13. 12:42, 151 bom
    
14. 12:28, 156 bpm
    
15. 12:30, 156 bpm
    
16. 12:17, 161 bpm
    
17. 13:09, 159 bpm
    
18. 12:36, 159 bpm
    
19. 12:33, 163 bpm
    
20. 13:08, 160 bpm
    
21. 13:09, 159 bpm
    
22. 13:28, 158 bpm
    
23. 13:54, 155 bpm
    
24. 13:48, 155 bpm
    

The course was varied as to terrain, which doesn't mean it's hilly like Mark or Michele's, but it wasn't flat.  I didn't want flat.  I wanted a test.

My right calf was 'noticed' about mile 9 for many miles, but never ached.  I really didn't start aching until mile 22, when my left ankle (where the foot meets the leg) started aching, as it was tired.  The lateral thigh muscles (abductors?) were whining, but not as much as the left ankle.

I was trying to run the first half at 142 bpm, but in order to run the 2nd half at the same pace, my HR had to get up about 10-20 bpm.  I was fine with this because it tests my body and might even push the LT out a bit.  Mark's link on the HADD method said I shouldn't push HR past HR Max - 20 bpm (180 or 90%).  I couldn't get near 180, today.  That bummed me out a little bit.

I was also bummed that I couldn't hold sub-13 paces throughout.  Don't get me wrong, I am very pleased with the run.  The first 20 miles were a hoot.  That first 13 mile pace I noticed at mile 20 occurred when my HR dipped below 160.  Here I was thinking that my heart was getting more efficient.  Silly me, I didn't even notice I was slowing.

With each passing mile in the 12's, I was giddy.  I've never been this fast for this long.  I ate no breakfast before the run and I had two slices of bacon as a snack.  I didn't even need that.  I only drank water and not a whole lot, thanks to the weather.

I have a 25K race on November 24. 

But I would like to ask y'all regarding the race whether I should race it (trying for sub-12 pace) or just work on my pace being a little faster and getting more comfortable at that pace?  My marathon pace goal is 12 minutes.  Silly goal?

So, week 12 of 22 ends on a fantastic note.  Now, off to the shower, then the farmers market, then a massage at 11:45.  Thanks for reading this.

Nice run!  I can't imagine eating bacon during a run but it does sound a lot better than the GU I ingest.   
Enjoy the much deserved massage.

Hey, Nancy, thanks!  In shorter long runs, I ate it once and it didn't do anything for me or my body.  So, I tried it on a much longer run, today's, and it didn't do anything for me again.  So, I won't be using it in the marathon.

Run looks good, Doug -don't beat yourself up as that was 24 miles faster than you thought and without taper.