Training: Back From Injury and Stronger Than Ever

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I use sport to relate to life.  The analogies are endless, even cliché at times.  But the bottom line is they work.  Sports give us a framework to make sense of other areas of our worlds and provide encouragement when we need it most.

I’ve written lately about my ankle injury as I prepare for Madison Half Marathon and Iowa’s Dam-to-Dam.  Seven weeks out from race day, I tweaked my ankle and had to stay off for almost three weeks.  But now I’ve had two long runs (ten miles each) and I’m feeling stronger each day.  While this situation is far from ideal I cannot be happier with my recovery from injury and recovery of performance.  There are two factors at play here.

Listening to your body

If I wasn’t acutely aware of my body’s warning signs and known limitations, I would have certainly caused more damage than a slightly twisted ankle.  My working knowledge of injuries combined with my perspective of running 13.1 miles on May 29th allowed me to make my adjustments to training (read: stop training) and get my body fixed.

Knowing I’ve been here before

There is a comfort and a learning process with familiarity.  I cannot fully explain how confident I am knowing that I’ve been through this training before so I know exactly what I need to do to get to where I need to be.  I also know how much I can get away with – like I said, this is less than ideal.  But it is what it is.

 

My goals for the year are still in line. My plan is to run the fastest half marathon I’ve ever run by season’s end.  The first hurdle has been this injury.  The next test will be Madison Half Marathon.  And much of my motivation is my decision to run for World Vision.  I invite you to join my story and join my team.

 

Are you training for anything?  How have you managed setbacks that were out of your control?

 

Patience in Training

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I’m up against a wall.  I had a good training program going this spring as Katie and I were getting ready for Madison Marathon on May 29th.  The miles were building on schedule and I went on the record to post some lofty goals.  I’m also running to raise money for World Vision.  Here’s where you can join that team!

But about three weeks ago I suffered a minor injury.  Working in the woods one day I slightly tweaked my ankle.  By slightly I mean I hardly noticed it.  But my ankles are very weak from too many basketball injuries.  When I got home that night I could tell it was more than I’d thought.  I couldn’t run on it.

So I’ve been patiently waiting for recovery.  Knowing the miles required for this race has made it difficult to stay off the ankle and wait.  I could go out tomorrow and run 13.1 but it would be slow and not enjoyable.  I need these miles to have a good race but the ankle was preventing that training.  Patience was essential.  Hurry up…. and wait.

Last week I got out for a couple short runs to test out the ankle.  Things went well, but I could still feel the ankle’s tendency to favor a certain motion.  Still, I knew I had recovered and I knew the limitations of my body.  I decided to join Katie for her 10-mile run on Saturday.  It went better than I expected for not having run for almost 20 days.  Then I’ve been out twice this week and I can already feel myself getting stronger.

It’s absolutely essential to listen to your body and be smart in your training.  It helps you grow more mature as an athlete and it makes the quality of your training better.  And true test of will and skill often arise in the face of adversity.

One of my goals this summer is to run the fastest half marathon I’ve ever run.  That won’t happen at the Madison Half Marathon, but I have a few more opportunities later this year.  Still, I’m running the race and asking team members to join me and donate to World Vision, a world-class organization.  Please consider joining my team.

My Tools for Blogging

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Blogging is easier than you think.  You could start with a free Blogger account or you could post to Posterous like my friend Spence.  You could even “micro-blog” in 140 characters via Twitter.  A blog is simply a “web-log.”  It may be a new mentality for many people but I’d be happy to give you some pointers.  I suppose “that post” should proceed this one, but I’m not ready for that one yet.

If you’re interested in how easy and cheap it is to blog like I do, here’s how I’m set up.  I’m going to tell you about three products: web hosting, blogging software, and a blogging theme.

While I started blogging on Blogger in 2006 (my original post: Welcome), I’ve since upgraded to a self-hosted blog.  I purchased my domain and web hosting for $8.95 through DreamHost.  They were running a promo and an acquaintance from the blogosphere (John Saddington, aka @tentblogger) recommended this company.  I went with it and I am very happy – no complaints.  You can sign up for DreamHost right here.

The next part is FREE!  WordPress is the Cadillac of blogging.  The interface is very easy to use.  And at the same time you can do some pretty advanced things if you want to go there.  WordPress has a bunch of geeks who love to make the product better.  It’s definitely a little cult, but that’s a good thing.  You can download the latest version of WordPress here.  The great thing about self-hosting (back to DreamHost) is that all the good ones offer 0ne-click install of WordPress.  If you need help, let me know.

Lastly, there are plenty of free themes out there, but I’ve chosen to upgrade to Standard Theme.  The guy I mentioned earlier, John Saddington, developed this theme to be very clean and build on industry standards.  That may not mean anything to you, but trust me: this guy makes great stuff, and you’ll love to write and publish material on this software and your blog will look and perform wonderfully!  Interested in Standard Theme?  Click here.

So in review, I purchased my domain and host it at DreamHost, I use WordPress software, and I run it on Standard Theme.  Do you think you’ve got a blog somewhere inside you?  I’d be happy to help you get it off the ground as you introduce yourself to the world.

 

Thoughts on Norah’s Birthday

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To say we had a wonderful weekend for Norah’s birthday and Easter would be an understatement.  Norah’s birthday was a smashing success with the family and friends who came for lunch and an Egg Hunt in the afternoon.  I obviously see Norah every day, so it was fun to see her a little more alert, excited, even interactive throughout the weekend.  The large amount of people didn’t intimidate her.  That’s my girl.

Norah loved her scone at Lazy Jane's

Norah’s birthday weekend started on Friday and conveniently I had a rain day at work, so I was able to go out for breakfast with the family.  Where would Norah want to go on her first birthday?  Lazy Jane’s, of course!!

The real party started Saturday.  Family started arriving at 9am and then we had everyone here by 11:30 for lunch.

  • Grandpa Steve and all of Katie’s siblings were up from Milwaukee.
  • Grandpa Dave and Grandma Margit brought Great Grandma over.
  • Tim and Amy brought Max.
  • Megan and Jeff came over.
  • Matt and Amanda brought Cole and Matt’s “mum,” Lynn.

Jess' cookies were impressive!

Jess made these great cookies for dessert.  Do you think Norah liked them?  She liked the dirt cake, too!

Think she liked it?

After a wonderful lunch we were fighting some kids desperately wanting to take a nap.  But we went ahead with the Egg Hunt, and the kids really had a blast.

 

You can see some of the pictures in the Facebook album.  But for now I’ll say Norah liked

Grant said he'd teach Norah softball this summer.

the eggs she found, and especially like the eggs others brought to honor the birthday girl.

It was an amazing couple of days for Norah’s birthday weekend.  As I mentioned in a previous post, with this being our second child the perspective is a lot different for me.  Whereas I was excited for Sorin’s first birthday I was able to enjoy Norah’s on a

different level and I had a bigger sense of pride for her this weekend.  Being a dad of two kids is such an honor.  I love these parties and events that we put together now.  It’s going to be a great summer.

 

If you’re reading this, you’re most likely involved in our family’s life, and for that we are very grateful.  Norah is healthy and vibrant, full of life.  We thank God for that.  I hope you enjoy the pictures.  Norah had a great weekend.

Family picture at Norah's party

 

Easter: A Portrait fo Christ (by Jeremy Cowart)

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This is a little bit removed from what I normally post on my blog, but I saw this art from Jeremy Cowart and couldn’t help but share it with my readers.  As a Christian, Easter is the most important time of year for me.  We remember how Jesus was crucified but rose again – the hallmark of the Christian faith.

Do you believe the story of Christ?  No other story in the world has impacted more lives.  I hope you enjoy this art by Jeremy Cowart.  The music is done by Derek Webb.  It’s an instrumental piece he put together based on the Lord’s Prayer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AymAZzrqts

Listen to your body

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Using Michael Jordan references is so cliche.  But they work and he’s the greatest, so what are you going to do?  One of MJ’s biggest strengths went unnoticed by the average fan.  In a couple different interviews he talked about how intimately he was in tune with his body.  Of course as a professional athlete you would assume that if your body is making you millions you would obviously take care of it.  But we can think of numerous examples where this just isn’t the case.  And MJ took it to another level.  He knew how lifting weights, cardio training, and time on the court all affected his performance on any given night.  Numerous times he talked about how in tune he was with this body and that his self-awareness (of his Airness) was a key component to his success.

The average athlete like myself has to follow this example.  Your body will tell you things – some will be obvious and some more subtle.  Two days ago I was on a four-mile run that was going really well until mile 3.25.  I felt a tender soreness in my right ankle and I tried to run through it.  I had never felt pain in this area before and it didn’t make sense to me where this was coming from.  Then I thought back to work that day and remembered that I had stepped a little awkwardly over some branches and tweaked something.  I stopped running right away.

Each situation is different.  Other times in similar situations I’ll run through those pains.  But the ankle wasn’t the only part of the equation: over the weekend I had run a fast seven-mile route and now on a fast four-mile run I was having foot problems.  I thought to myself that it’s entirely possible that I’ve over-trained a little and my body can’t take the increased pounding like it used to.  I may be right, I may be wrong; but I’m listening to my body and not taking chances.

Why?  Because this year I’m running for people other than myself.  Specifically I’m running for World Vision and you can join my team! I’m taking this training very seriously.  But whether or not your training for a race or improving your health it is essential that you listen to your body.

365 Days of Norah

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I remember when Sorin turned one and I was so excited.  Today as Norah turns one I am so proud.  It’s a different perspective the second time around.  I can enjoy this more and the emotion is much more satisfying.  My daughter is just a joy to watch.  Katie has worked so hard this first year with Norah and juggling two kids for the first time.  Norah is my little baby, my little angel.  We cuddle together a lot when she wakes up from naps.  She sits on my lap a lot when she plays with her favorite green bouncy ball.  And she loves to climb.  At this rate I’m expecting a heart attack from this girl.  She seems fearless.  What have we done?

Happy birthday, Norah!

Norah turns one today and here’s what’s going to happen.  Before she even wakes up, Sorin will be awake and he’ll be asking, “Where’s Norah?”  We’ll tell him that she’s still sleeping.  When she finally gets up, Sorin will say, “Ohh, hi Nowah!”  Norah will come out and see all the window decorations Katie’s put up – birds and flowers.  Yes, today will be all about Norah.  She wants to go to Lazy Jane’s for breakfast (well, maybe Katie and I helped with that decision).  We’re going to play outside on a blanket, go for a walk, and visit the Children’s Museum.

Happy Birthday Norah!

Who Is Pushing You?

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We all work really hard.  But sometimes we just need that extra source of motivation to take things to the next level.  I’ve done a few things this season to take my training for races to the next level.  I wrote about one of them just last week.  I’m forming a team to support me as I run Madison Half Marathon and the money will go to World Vision.  Here’s where you can join my team.

But sometimes the motivation needs to come in the form of small picture execution.  “How can I do better today?”  I usually train alone so I know that it’s really easy to get in a routine of going through the motions on my runs.  Well over the weekend a friend on Facebook (who is training for Madison full marathon) ran 8 miles in under 64 minutes.  That means he average under 8 minutes per mile, for 8 miles!  I was pretty impressed.  So I tucked that one away and brought it out for my next run.

I’m not fast enough or strong enough to keep up with my friend, and I knew that going into the run.  But his splits (“8 under 8” he called it) were repeating in my head during my entire run.  It helped me stay aggressive.  I ended up running 8:11 minute miles.  And I’m very happy with that.

Do you ever need motivation to take things to the next level?  Do you look for these sources or talk to others about taking things up a notch?  Successful people find ways to challenge the status quo and push the limits.

Join My Team – Running for World Vision

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Last week I announced that I am going to be running races this year for the benefit of others – and I’m asking you to join the team.  I’ve always admired athletes (and celebrities) who take their platform and leverage it for great causes.  I’m not a celebrity, so let’s call me an athlete.  I’ve competed in four half marathons and three full marathons.  That qualifies as an athlete, right?

What I’m asking is for you to consider a donation *of any value* to my training this year.  Actually, the first session will be as I train for Madison Half Marathon on May 29.  Here’s all you have to do:

  1. Decide what you want to pledge
  2. Comment on this blog that you’re joining my team (do not disclose numbers)
  3. Donate to my PayPal account when I email you further instructions OR donate to World Vision and I’ll take your word for it.

Sound like a deal?  Obviously 100% of the money you pledge will go directly to our charitable organization.  None of the money will be used for my training.  I hope this campaign builds some momentum so that it affects my training.  No matter how many people join or how much money we raise, I know my training will benefit knowing that our efforts and our money are going to help children.  One thing I know for sure: children are in need, and World Vision is one of the best organizations helping the cause.  Katie and I each support a child from World Vision – we have for over four years.  This money will be donated as a one-time gift to support the Clean Water Fund.

Thanks for considering joining my team.  If you think someone else you know may be interested in joining, please use the buttons below this post to share the love.  I’m always available for comments or questions.

Shipping Friday

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On Friday I’ll be shipping a new website for H&H Arborists.  It’s been a fairly big project because I’ve worked with two programmers and a photographer.  I’m acting more as an executive producer, but I’m ok with that.  I received the latest copy tonight and I’ve been working on our last round of adjustments for a couple hours.  I’m so excited to go live with this site.Shipping this Friday! You?

Shipping is important for small businesses and creative people.  I ship blog posts about twice a week.  I try to ship interesting things on Twitter (which posts to Facebook, to some people’s dismay).  But what I’ve realized is that successful people need to ship.  Shipping just means putting out quality product.  Some people think it should be perfect.  I think it should be a work in progress.  Of course you always want it to be excellent, but don’t wait for perfect.  Is anyone perfect?  You’ll find a laundry list of failures when you look closely at any “successful” company.

Shipping gets it out the door and into the hands of people to use it.  You can always make adjustments, right?  When Tom sent me this last draft tonight, I learned a ton about things I should have thought through.  So I’ll make some adjustments and ship on Friday as planned.  It will be a huge sense of accomplishment and the learning will continue as I mess with the site more and help it evolve.

Do you ship?  Do you create?  Blogging is a great way to ship.  Twitter is easy because you can grab other people’s important Tweets and retweet.  Do you have a book in you?  You could write the first chapter and I’d help you get it online for the world to see.

Think about what you have to offer and make a plan to ship by next Wednesday.  You thought I’d say Friday, didn’t you.  Ship Wednesday – because you can.