Sunday, January 25, 2009

Strange occurrence after running - Raynaud's Syndrome?

This afternoon I met Dan for a trail run at Rock Bridge. We ran 9 miles together and I ran 9 alone. I really felt like I was running smoothly today and had good energy. I dressed as warm as yesterday wearing 2 layers of pants, 2 shirts, jacket, warm hat, and gloves. I did wear the lighter gloves and hands felt plenty warm even though it was 19F.

Driving home, I noticed the tip of my index finger and middle finger on the left hand were feeling a little tingly and numb. I thought this was strange since my hands felt warm during the run. I just assumed maybe a pinched nerve or maybe I was grasping the steering wheel too tightly. I stopped for gas and still noticed the fingers felt tingly. I am thinking maybe they got cold and I didn't realize it. I wasn't worried since I figured I'm in the warm car and they will be fine.

I get into the house and then notice the index and middle finger are turning completely white. At this point I am really freaked out and don't know what is going on. I pace around the kitchen moving my arm around. I think my fingers are going to die and fall off. Then I run some warm water over them. This goes on for several minutes and then they begin to get some reddish color back like the rest of my fingers. None of this was painful. I am confused since I remember if my hands get really cold and I rewarm them it kind of hurts. After the color returned though they still felt really cold but looked and felt about normal as the feeling gradually returned.

I search Google for frost bite and it didn't seem to fit the symptoms so I searched for running fingers numb white. I find this has happened to others so I start to feel a little better. It really sounds like Raynaud's Syndrome to me. I had not heard of this before, but I think that is what happened. At least I know what to expect if it happens again and maybe can do some things to prevent. Also, I now know what to do during an attack and without knowing I did some things right when it happened.

Here are a couple of the web pages I found that pretty much described what happened:

Cold Hands Warm Heart

Running to Win Forum

Symptoms and Prevention

Sunday, January 11, 2009

2009 Walt Disney World Marathon

Hugh, Dan, and I traveled to Orlando on Friday to run the Walt Disney World Marathon on Sunday. We arrived late on Friday, ate IHOP and went to bed. On Saturday we did a lot of carb-loading and resting since we had to get up at 3 am Eastern time which was like getting up at 2 am Missouri time.

We left about 3:30 am and didn't have any problems with traffic. Arrived about 4 am and stood in line for bathrooms hoping that we could go, but I think due to the early time it was difficult. There was a guy right behind us in line wearing a USMC shirt with a nametag of Chris, and wearing a hat. I asked if he was Chris from the Joy of Running Group since he said that was what he would be wearing. Pretty amazing that he picked that line out of the 100s of port-a-potties and the thousands of people. He called Bill (slow twin) from the group that we met in Minneapolis for dinner and he came over to say hi. Then we headed to the start line which had plenty more bathrooms and shorter lines. We waited there around an hour before starting trying to use the bathrooms and I finally had success 2 times cutting it close since we were starting in 15 minutes. Dan said he was giving up and moved up to the 3:10 area. Hugh started somewhere behind the 3:30 pacers. When I came back the last time I moved up as close to the front as I could get through people and waited.

National anthem, wheel chair runners, fire works and we were off running. My body felt really good before the marathon so I was hoping that wasn't a bad sign. I had set my Garmin for a 6:51 pace to get me in at 2:59:28 giving me a little cushion to get under 3. Felt like my pace was fast and erratic at times, but turned out it was really even at each mile. Ran the first 4 miles trying to establish a pace and then met up with a guy named Brian that asked if I wanted to pace with him. When he found out I was from Columbia he mentioned he was running the Heart of America this year staying with 2 friends from Mizzou. He was trying to qualify for Boston with a 3:10 or better and had also ran a couple 50 miles. I enjoyed talking with him and we paced for 3 miles until he said he was stopping to loosen his tight shoe and said to go ahead. I kept looking back for him and did not see him again. I found out after the marathon he is a friend of Andrew and Allison Cox (Hugh's former coworker).

The first hour or so of the course was dark although some areas were lighted and some were not. Disney characters along the course trying to amuse us. Some parts were fun to run through and some were kind of boring where there was nothing. I continued pacing on my own and the miles kept going by a little ahead of goal pace. At mile 14 I caught up to a small group of about 6 guys that looked like they were running about the pace I should be running. They said they were trying to keep between 6:45 – 6:50 pace so I ran with them for 3 miles and then their group started to break up. I pulled ahead with a guy from their group. Also, had a guy with an Army shirt I was using for pace too that kept going back and forth.

I had run the first 13.1 in my mind as a race and then was sort of running the next 6.9 to get to 20 as a race. I was still feeling good at 20 so kept pushing on with the pace. I was running alone and couldn’t see many in front of me and right before mile 24 I start seeing people. I feel like I am running a faster pace and begin passing runners, counting them off to pass the time. I end up passing 10 of them by mile 25 and then see no one ahead of me until about 25.5 mi gaining on a guy but not catching him. Never bonked or hit the wall. Felt quads a little in the last half mile. At times in the last 6 miles I felt like I was the only one running since no one was around me. It was kind of strange and almost didn’t feel real. Crowds of people all cheering for me since no one else was around. Our names were on the number so they could yell out names as we went by.

I finished in 2:58:12, 66th out of 14,940. Placed 9th of 1374 in 40 – 44 age group. Once I got through the food line, waited for Dan to come in and then Hugh. I wasn’t sure whether to go for a sub-3 or just run to enjoy, but my competitive nature made me go for it even though I really had my doubts I could do it on this flat course. The flat Chicago course I ran poorly in 2006 mostly due to cold and spasms had me thinking that I couldn’t run fast on a flat course. I am very happy with my even splits and ran the last half 12 seconds faster than the first. Missed a PR by 25 seconds.

M1 – 6:57…….M14 – 6:43
M2 – 6:42…….M15 – 6:41
M3 – 6:45…….M16 – 6:51
M4 – 6:46…….M17 – 6:48
M5 – 6:47…….M18 – 6:47
M6 – 6:47…….M19 – 6:43
M7 – 6:45…….M20 – 6:46
M8 – 6:49…….M21 – 6:48
M9 – 6:47…….M22 – 6:45
M10 – 6:47…..M23 – 6:51
M11 – 6:43….M24 – 6:44
M12 – 6:45….M25 – 6:46
M13 – 6:45….M26 – 6:45
………………0.35 – 6:20 pace

Clock Time2:58:19
Chip Time2:58:12
Overall Place66 /14940
Gender Place61/7801
Division Place9/1374
5 Mile 34:08
10 Mile 1:08:07
Half Split1:29:12
20 Mile 2:15:58

I'm really bad at describing this course but this blog does a good job:
Disney Marathon Tour

Friday, January 02, 2009

2008 Running and Racing Year in Review

Goals accomplished this year (I had 6 goals for this year and accomplished my top 4):

1. Sub - 3 hour marathon
2. Ran fewer 5Ks. I ran one less 5K than last year
3. Ran more trail races and more on trails
4. Enjoyed running and racing

I did not meet my goals to become a better swimmer and do a triathlon. I had a lot of other great accomplishments but they were not goals.

Total Miles:
2008 – 3014
2007 – 2572
2006 – 1937
2005 – 2090
2004 - ~1000

Marathons:
2008 - (4) Boston Marathon (BQ & PR), Laughing Out Loud Marathon, Heart of America Marathon (BQ), Twin Cities Marathon (BQ)
2007 - (5) Laughing Out Load, Berryman (First Trail Marathon - placed
4th), Heart of America (BQ), Baltimore Marathon (BQ), Bass Pro
Marathon
2006 - (3) Flying Pig (BQ), Heart of America (BQ, Chicago (BQ)
2005 - (3) Mad City, Heart of America (BQ), Portland (BQ)
2004 - (1) Heart of America

Ultramarathons:
2008 – (4)3 Days of Syllamo 50K, 3 Days of Syllamo 50 mi, Berryman 50 mi, Rock Creek Trail 50K
2007 - (1) Hocking Hills Indian Run 60K


Number of each type of races:
50 mi – 2
50K - 2
Marathon – 4
Half Marathon - 1
20K - 3
10 mi - 1
10K - 2
5 mi - 1
8K - 1
4 mi - 1
5K - 10

Total running miles run in 28 races: 385 miles (last year 30 races – 295 mi)

States I ran marathons and ultras in 2008 (5): AR, KS, MA, MN, MO
All states I have run marathons and ultras (9): AR, IL, KS, MA, MD, MN, OH, OR, WI

2008 PRs in 5K, 5 mi, 10K, 10 mi, marathon, 50K, 50 mi
2007 PRs in 5K, 4 mi, 8K, 5 mi, 10K, 10 mi
2006 PRs in 20K, Half Marathon, and Marathon

Goals for 2009:
1. Continue to enjoy running and racing

I am making it easy this year and having only 1 running goal. Too much other going on in life right now. I would like to sell house and settle in a new home this year closer to where I work. Also, would like to focus on work so that our expansion goes smoothly.

Marathons and ultras planned for 2009:
January - Disney
February - Maybe Pyscho Wyco 50K
March - 3 days of Sylammo
April - Boston Marathon
May - Berryman Trail 50 miler
June - No plans
July - No plans
August - No plans
September - Heart of America Marathon
October – Rock Creek Trail 50K
November - No plans
December - No plans

Thursday, January 01, 2009

2008 First Night 5K

We barely made it to the race on time to run a half mile warm up since we had about 10 minutes to the start. Temperature of 31 F is a little cooler than I like for a 5K. I ran once around the block with Hugh before heading to the start line. I started at the front behind Nicole M. and ran a good pace up the hill before 6th street so barely noticed it. Right away though I could tell I was not quite warmed up since the cold air was hard to breathe.

Tony R. easily passed me at the beginning and seemed to be running a good race ahead of me where he should be so I didn’t try to stay with him. Jacquie was ahead and I passed her and figured we were about the same pace. At the turn around I thought I counted I was in about 15th place. I could hear Jacquie behind me on the way back but she never passed me.

In about the last 3/4 mile or so John H. catches up to me. I decide to just stay with him and we cross the finish together. I motioned for him to get in line ahead of me since it really didn't matter and this race was just for fun. I really didn't feel like pushing it since the race felt more like a warm up for me. I guess I am now used to the usual 3 mile warm up for a 5K and I think that would have helped with the breathing.

Considering I didn't really push it, my time of 19:01 is decent for this course. Placed 15th overall and 2nd in age group and John took first. No awards though since this is a non competitive race.

Hopefully, I will be able to make myself taper enough to run Disney. My temptation is to go out and run a lot of trail miles training for 3 Days of Syllamo when I should be tapering. I am guessing that I going to place 3rd in the Serial Competition beating out Bill S. by one point. This race helped him catch up a little to me but didn't count in my top 10 for the competition. The other 2 guys behind me easily passed me up since this was their 10th race. I think Dan will place 5th and Hugh 6th.

After the race, my mileage for the year ended at 3014.5 miles. Last year ended at 2572 miles which is about what Hugh ran this year. I won't be trying to hit a certain amount of miles next year. Really, I have no goals other than to continue staying healthy and enjoying running and running races.