Building A Better Bumblebee

Mark B wrote:

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Thanks for making me feel bad that I have a fake tree - but I can't grow anything here and I don't like to leave a real tree up when I'm going away the day after Christmas.  JK!

Don't feel bad about an artificial tree, Michele! There's a lot of convenience, and ease of display for quick post-Christmas getaways, or those month-long displays like some folks have.

Besides, do you really want that fresh-cut fir to go zombie some night and devour the sofa in revenge?  

She doesn't own Fluff.

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Thanks for making me feel bad that I have a fake tree - but I can't grow anything here and I don't like to leave a real tree up when I'm going away the day after Christmas.  JK!

Don't feel bad about an artificial tree, Michele! There's a lot of convenience, and ease of display for quick post-Christmas getaways, or those month-long displays like some folks have.

Besides, do you really want that fresh-cut fir to go zombie some night and devour the sofa in revenge?  

She doesn't own Fluff.

Ha! No one owns Fluff. Anymore than someone could own a tornado.


Nope! No reason to worry at all! :gulp:

LOW HR Run: 45 minutes (3.19 miles)

Weather: Mostly cloudy, cool. 48 degrees with a breeze. Gear: Lunas, shorts, T, jacket, hat.

Had a tough time getting motivated to run this morning. I realized why during the run. This new approach (focus on form, low HR technique) is still new to my body. It feels awkward and difficult. But that's good thing, I hear: if everything felt smooth and easy, I wouldn't be changing anything.

I hit my HR target for each mile average, which is good, though it felt a little trickier keeping my HR from spiking from time to time. Just as I felt muscles starting to engage, I'd look down and see my HR had passed 130. Bah! So, I'd slow down, or even walk, until my HR fell back into the mid 120s. One time, I said the heck with it and pushed it, just to see how it felt when I really engaged. I got down to an 8:12 pace, before my HR cracked 140 and I backed off.

All in all, it wasn't the most enjoyable run ever. But that's okay. It's what it takes to improve.

Walked first and last 5 minutes. Average HR for entire run: 121

Mark B wrote:LOW HR Run: 45 minutes (3.19 miles)

Weather: Mostly cloudy, cool. 48 degrees with a breeze. Gear: Lunas, shorts, T, jacket, hat.

Had a tough time getting motivated to run this morning. I realized why during the run. This new approach (focus on form, low HR technique) is still new to my body. It feels awkward and difficult. But that's good thing, I hear: if everything felt smooth and easy, I wouldn't be changing anything.

I hit my HR target for each mile average, which is good, though it felt a little trickier keeping my HR from spiking from time to time. Just as I felt muscles starting to engage, I'd look down and see my HR had passed 130. Bah! So, I'd slow down, or even walk, until my HR fell back into the mid 120s. One time, I said the heck with it and pushed it, just to see how it felt when I really engaged. I got down to an 8:12 pace, before my HR cracked 140 and I backed off.

All in all, it wasn't the most enjoyable run ever. But that's okay. It's what it takes to improve.

Walked first and last 5 minutes. Average HR for entire run: 121

Would you say the legs are bored?

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:LOW HR Run: 45 minutes (3.19 miles)

Weather: Mostly cloudy, cool. 48 degrees with a breeze. Gear: Lunas, shorts, T, jacket, hat.

Had a tough time getting motivated to run this morning. I realized why during the run. This new approach (focus on form, low HR technique) is still new to my body. It feels awkward and difficult. But that's good thing, I hear: if everything felt smooth and easy, I wouldn't be changing anything.

I hit my HR target for each mile average, which is good, though it felt a little trickier keeping my HR from spiking from time to time. Just as I felt muscles starting to engage, I'd look down and see my HR had passed 130. Bah! So, I'd slow down, or even walk, until my HR fell back into the mid 120s. One time, I said the heck with it and pushed it, just to see how it felt when I really engaged. I got down to an 8:12 pace, before my HR cracked 140 and I backed off.

All in all, it wasn't the most enjoyable run ever. But that's okay. It's what it takes to improve.

Walked first and last 5 minutes. Average HR for entire run: 121

Would you say the legs are bored?

No, I don't think so. Rather, I think they're confused and irritated to be asked to operate in a fundamentally different way than they have for most of my life. They'll adapt, but they're not happy about it yet.

Barefoot Run: 5.3 miles

Weather: Cloudy, moist but with only a few raindrops. 54 degrees. Gear: Bare feet, shorts, T, jacket, hat. Fuel: Just coffee.

Out for a "sole"stice run this morning along the Salmon Creek Greenway, and I decided to do it barefoot. Even though I'd be starting off in the dark. Nothing like a challenge, right?

The bike path through the greenway is asphalt of varying degrees of repair. Some is nice and smooth, but parts are quite rough. It proved easier to run on than walk, because I suppose the balls of my feet are more accustomed to it than my heels. We trolled along at my low HR target, walking when my HR would jump up. I managed to keep the average HR below my target for all but one mile, and at my target for that one mile. So not bad.



Going in the dark wasn't really an issue. It forced me to keep relaxed so my foot could respond to whatever surface it was touching. I was pretty sensitive to the rougher surfaces to start with, but my feet got accustomed to it as I kept going. I briefly picked up a thorn in my foot at one point, but I felt it after one step and was able to pull it out without any problem. It barely broke the skin.


After the run, top side of feet.


And the bottom side, before and after being toweled off.

This was my longest barefoot run in quite some time. The soles of my feet feel pretty stimulated at the moment, and I have a weird dark mark on one heel that looks suspiciously like a blister, which is kind of puzzling. Guess we'll see if it reabsorbs.

Walked first and last 5 minutes. Average HR for entire run: 124

---

I compared this run with last week's run on the same route, in sandals. I was a bit faster for the first several miles, but my pace fell off more in the last couple of miles this morning compared with last week. I guess I can attribute that to tenderized tootsies.

Gratz on staying away from toe-stubbing objects!

ounce wrote:Gratz on staying away from toe-stubbing objects!

Thanks, Ounce!

One thing not *quite* in the photos above did trip me up, so to speak: I developed a quarter-sized blister under several layers of thick skin, smack-dab in the middle of my heel. Now, I'm not exactly sure how this happened, but it left me limping around all day yesterday until I gave in and stabbed it before I went to bed. It drained a good amount of pink fluid and feels much better today.

I'll spare you the photos.

I'm guessing that the moisture from the pavement softened the skin on my heel, which must have taken some lateral forces when I was walking while barefoot in the warmup, cool-down and to get my HR down. The forces must have caused enough tension to break apart the layers in there?

Interestingly enough, the ball of my foot, and my toes, which were exposed to the same amount of water and were put to use a LOT more, with much greater force than the heel while running, are completely fine.

First time it's happened in 445 miles of barefoot running, so hopefully I can figure out how to prevent it from happening again.

---

Speaking of water-softened items, we got a good luck under our shingles today when the roofer came to deal with our leak.



This first photo shows how water had crept under the shingles and began running under them. That's due to debris build-up, which creates avenues for water to seep under the shingles. It then reaches the roofing staples, rusts them and then seeps into the wood below, making something that looks a lot like...



This. Obviously, the wood needed to be replaced. It was soft, rotted and moldy. Pretty nasty looking.



That area looked much better simply by cutting out and replacing the water-damaged OSB. He put in plywood instead, which is fine. On top of that, he put in a water-and-ice barrier (the roof originally just had standard roofing felt, aka, tar paper) that will provide a better seal and protect the wood even if water somehow seeps under the shingles.



And the finished product! It took the guy about 3 hours to do the job. The singles are the same type and color as the ones originally installed on the house. It'll take a while for the colors to match, since the rest of them have a layer of algae on them, thanks to being on the north-facing side of the house.

So, the lesson to be learned here is to watch out for areas of debris building up below downspouts when the downspout from the top floor drains on the roof of the first floor. There apparently isn't much you can do to prevent problems (it's kind of a design flaw), and it doesn't always happen, but it's worth a try to keep the joints between the shingles clear.

Gosh. Maybe I should have posted the photo of my blister... more clicks for the gore!


(Okay, so it's not THAT gory. But it was rather uncomfortable, and was deep and difficult to drain.)

Oh well. It's been a non running week so far. Partly due to different schedules making it difficult to get outside and run, but also because of my barefoot mishap last weekend. I guess I'll need to use the sandals when I extend a run in very wet conditions, especially when it's on rough pavement.  Live and learn, right?

Christmas was low-key, with no guests or social obligations. The cats enjoyed smacking plastic ornaments off the tree, and the tree (which was a seedling given to me when I finished my first Portland Marathon) managed to survive the experience. We've got it in the garage now so it can adapt to cooler temperatures before we put it out in the backyard.

I forgot to not visit your blog while snacking. Yikes. Thanks. 

Julie wrote:I forgot to not visit your blog while snacking. Yikes. Thanks. 

Oops! Sorry about that.

Hope to get out and run tomorrow morning, and figure out how to get some more activity next week. I had to ease up a bit this so my heel would heal up, but I ended up easing up completely... and now I feel like a slug. Looking forward to getting back into more of a routine soon.

Nice heel.  That DOES look deep.  And strange location, too...

Maybe hill repeats will solve the problem of non-activity?  Plus build strength.  Now just to keep your HR low enough...

Mike MacLellan wrote:Nice heel.  That DOES look deep.  And strange location, too...

Maybe hill repeats will solve the problem of non-activity?  Plus build strength.  Now just to keep your HR low enough...

Hey Mike. My best guess on the heel was that it was caused when I was walking barefoot with wet feet on rough pavement. That's about where I come down while walking, so it'd be likely to be exposed to the shear stress that could separate layers of tissue. I don't think it would have happened if my feet had been dry, so it seems this was a good lesson for me. I wore sandals and socks this morning -- when it was much wetter -- and I didn't have any problem. Godo to know!

I could use some strength (and probably some VOMax) work at some point, but I think I just need to get my butt out there and run for now. The extra-low HR approach is s-l-o-w but easier to achieve than I thought it'd be, though it's a lot to ask of your training partner to chug along at a greatly reduced pace in order to hit this goal. That pace is getting steadily faster, though, so that leads me to believe it was a good idea. Thanks for suggesting it.

LOW HR Run: 5.39 miles

Weather: Cold and rainy, with some clearing. 41 degrees. Gear: Lunas w/socks, tights, T, pullover, jacket, hat, gloves. Fuel: Coffee and granola bar before.

It's been a week since my last run, thanks to that heel blister and other obligations (and laziness), so I felt pretty rusty when I started off with my training partner on the greenway bike path near my house. I had a devil of a time keeping my HR at my new target, and we had to walk a number of times when my HR spiked (I hit 139 at one point before walking. Oops!). I was surprised when I got home and saw my average HR for each mile was actually at or below my target every mile.

I was, in fact, a bit faster at each mile this morning than I was last week. That surprised me.

It was cold and rainy, so I was glad for my wool toe socks. I've been underdressing lately, and the memory of being chilled is demotivating when you're looking out the window deciding to go outside this time of year. I've decided to err on the side of overdressing to see if I can overcome my aversion to hypothermia. I can always unzip or shed layers. This morning, it worked fine. I came home clammy, with skin cold to the touch despite being under three layers, but my core was still comfortable.



It was a good confidence builder. I can keep to sandals and such even in bad weather. It rained for the first half of the run and part of the second, but the skies started to clear up just as we were wrapping it up. Made for a nice view.



Walked first and last 5 minutes (and lots of bits inbetween). Average HR for entire run: 124

Mark B wrote:Gosh. Maybe I should have posted the photo of my blister... more clicks for the gore!


(Okay, so it's not THAT gory. But it was rather uncomfortable, and was deep and difficult to drain.)
 Live and learn, right?

I can't believe my eyes.  You really did type it.  Are your feet going to be able to sustain you?  They OBVIOUSLY need more toughening.  I give you.....

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:Gosh. Maybe I should have posted the photo of my blister... more clicks for the gore!


(Okay, so it's not THAT gory. But it was rather uncomfortable, and was deep and difficult to drain.)
 Live and learn, right?

I can't believe my eyes.  You really did type it.  Are your feet going to be able to sustain you?  They OBVIOUSLY need more toughening.  I give you.....

OooOOOooo!!




Great suggestion, Ounce! Those nails would pop a blister likity-split!

Barefoot Run: 30 minutes (1.89 miles)

Weather: Clear, cool with a cold breeze. 43. Gear: Bare feet, pants, T, pullover, hat.

Out for what I'd hoped would be a recovery style barefoot run with Alita this afternoon. It's been a while since she's done any running, any my super-slow low HR runs seemed like a good reintroduction for her. We went out for some laps around the block. It was cool and getting colder -- we're at the beginning of a cold snap that should get temps down well into the 20s -- so my feet never really warmed up.

I also had a rougher time keeping my heart rate in line. Part of that was discomfort from the damp, cold pavement, and maybe the rest was the lingering effects of yesterday's run, and maybe even the fact that this was the latest in the afternoon that I've run in quite some time.

Alita had some lateral knee pain after about 20 minutes, so cutting it off at 30 was definitely the right idea.

Walked first and last 5 minutes. Average HR for entire run: 117

How long does it usually take to warm up the tootsies when it's between 45-55 degrees?

Plus, is it true that the family that runs together, hurts together?

ounce wrote:How long does it usually take to warm up the tootsies when it's between 45-55 degrees?

Plus, is it true that the family that runs together, hurts together?

44-55 isn't too bad, though it's easier if I overdress slightly on the top. It takes maybe a mile for things to get comfortable, depending on whether the pavement is wet. As the temps get into the low 40s and upper 30s (or colder), I'll be in my sandals more. The cold is a big distraction when I'm trying to get my HR in the right spot.

As for hurting together, well... yes. Turns out Alita's pain was more in her quad than her knee, but it still hurt.

Walk: 2.2 miles

Weather: Sunny, bright, cold and windy. 33 degrees, wind chill to 20 (26 mph gusts); Gear: Vivobarefoot work shoes

A gorgeous sunny and cold day, so I just had to go out for a lunchtime walk. Glad I had GoreTex for the top, because the bottom was just a pair of Dockers. Brr!

Your blog is always...interesting...

Good to see the roof is repaired and the heel blister is on the mend. Nice to see Alita joining you. We're COLD over here but at least the wind died down a bit today. I don't imagine your weather is much better.

nkrichards wrote:Your blog is always...interesting...

Good to see the roof is repaired and the heel blister is on the mend.  Nice to see Alita joining you.  We're COLD over here but at least the wind died down a bit today.  I don't imagine your weather is much better.

Hi, Nancy! Yes, the craziness of 2014 is rolling along right to the end. But all's well that ends well, right?

It dipped into the teens, barely, but that wind was pretty biting before it died down. The crazy thing is, my old neighborhood in Southern California got an inch of snow overnight. Crazy!

Walk: 2.3 miles

Weather: Clear and cold, but not so windy. 36 degrees. Gear: Vivobarefoot

Another cold but beautiful morning, so it wasn't too difficult to force myself out of the office and take a walk. I'm still getting used to walking distances in this ultra-miminalist work shoes (which I love), but I'm sure my body will get the hang of it before long.


It was a few degrees warmer than yesterday, but more importantly, the wind had died down significantly. It was still a subfreezing wind chill, but 31 is balmy compared with 20 yesterday.

Still, it was a gorgeous way to wind up the year.



(Note: I finished up the year with 542.9 miles. Not so many, but considering the curveballs 2014 threw, not so bad, either.)

Wow, what a beautiful place to run! Except for the temps....

Mark, what is this white stuff all over the foothills, and how do I make it stop?!  Craziness.  

That's a nice river path.

Here's to 2015 being a little more predictable for you and your family.