Running Through Hamstring Problem and Trying Out Skechers Running Shoes

When my running is "off" I tend to have less to write about; hence the month long break between postings here. My right hamstring became problematic at a local 5K race on April 13th and I've been running through the issue for the last five weeks.

If this were a sharp pain I would take some time off, but since the issue is more of a general, dull, soreness, I opt to continue running. But I generally get away with about an hour of running. But the good news is that it feels a little less sore as the days pass by.

For years my kids take me to the local Skechers store at The Oaks Mall. I've purchased a few pairs of casual wear shoes in there and like their shoes, but never ventured into their "GoRun" running shoes. Well recently I gave it a try. And I like them!

These GoRun shoes only weigh about 7 ounces but actually feel reasonably cushioned to me. I was shocked at how comfortable and light they felt the first time I actually ran in them. I've worn these on trails and roads and they feel perfectly fine on both. And they look different than other running shoes.

Skechers GOrun ride offers extra cushioning for elevated comfort and support on every run. Shop now!

2013 Boston Marathon Results for Ventura County and Adjacent Area Finishers

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of the today's cowardly Boston Marathon bomb attacks along with their families and the entire city of Boston. It was really a challenge trying to get anything done this afternoon as the news reports rolled in.

I've run two Boston Marathons, had to cancel my third Boston Marathon last year and having passed on the opportunity to run this year's race, this attack was particularly troubling for me. We are all in mourning and in shock. But let's take a brief moment out of all the chaos to recognize those from our local community who completed the 2013 Boston Marathon.

I noticed that Jack Redmond of Camarillo finished just seconds before the first explosion. This Ventura County Star article talks about the aftermath and the stories of some local runners. The article notes some runners were diverted as a result of the blast and thus were unable to cross the finish line. Stacy Stapleton of Camarillo falls into this category. Contact us if you are aware of other locals who were unable to finish due to the attacks.

Benjamin Atkins, Westlake Village, 2:48:15

Jay Loppnow, Camarillo, 3:00:51

Scott Hambly, Thousand Oaks, 3:02:51

Bobby Scott, Ventura, 3:07:56

Christopher Eldridge, Malibu, 3:08:00

Daniel Greider, Ventura, 3:12:08

Rob Hennick, Moorpark, 3:12:11

Jason Griffith, Thousand Oaks, 3:13:34

Glenn Fout, Ojai, 3:20:05

Rafael Gonzales, Camarillo, 3:21:36

Leanne Mohr, Camarillo, 3:23:14

April Lecroy, Ventura, 3:25:54

Jeff Hager, Camarillo, 3:26:24

Jenny Loppnow, Camarillo, 3:29:38

Becky McClintock, Calabasas, 3:29:54

Janice Hyllengren, Moorpark, 3:31:01

Lauren Matzuka, Oak Park, 3:31:15

Mallory Ham, Simi Valley, 3:32:31

Randy Miller, Newbury Park, 3:32:52

Karen Faulhaber, Thousand Oaks, 3:33:26

Lane Desborough, Thousand Oaks, 3:33:30

Rachael Parent, Moorpark, 3:35:02

Amada Garcia, Thousand Oaks, 3:36:55

Julie Ungerleider, Camarillo, 3:37:23

David Moore, Moorpark, 3:39:16

John Wheeler, Simi Valley, 3:39:40

Wendy Raymond, Westlake Village, 3:41:23

Christine Powell, Thousand Oaks, 3:42:35

Sara Jones, Moorpark, 3:43:19

Kirk Waldron, Westlake Village, 3:43:29

Jackie Jones, Newbury Park, 3:45:13

Lisa Mcclellan, Simi Valley, 3:45:52

Steve Arce, Malibu, 3:46:00

Melissa Hernandez, Oxnard, 3:46:00

Rosa Cameron, Oxnard, 3:46:34

Nicholas Duca, Simi Valley, 3:48:10 (Nicholas is 70 years old and finished 6th overall in his division!)

Stacy Galer, Westlake Village, 3:49:57

Susan Duenas, Thousand Oaks, 3:53:15

Laureen Friedman, Oxnard, 3:54:54

Timothy Giller, Simi Valley, 3:55:03

Amy Kupic, Newbury Park, 4:06:43

Jack Redmond, Camarillo, 4:08:10

Lisa Jones, Thousand Oaks, 4:21:07

Dave Czerwonka, Thousand Oaks, 4:22:12

Another 5K Race...at Least I'm Consistent at the 35th Annual Camarillo Kiwanis 5K

Today I ran my first race in about 6 weeks, the 35th Annual Camarillo Kiwanis 5K/10K. According to race organizers, this is the oldest race in Ventura County.

This is one of the most low key, mellow races you'll find. With only 134 total participants in the combined races, parking is not an issue. This year the race took place at a new venue, Pleasant Valley Fields. The course circles around the park onto the Calleguas Bike Path, where most of the running takes place for both races.

I felt fit a week ago but my hamstrings have been sore from sitting too much I think. Maybe I need to sit on ice bags or something. This morning my right hammie was a little sore and stiff before the race and stretching didn't do me any good. But the race started at 7:30am, I was paid for, so I was gonna run, sore buttock or no sore buttock.

First mile was 5:42 behind a youngster who was wall ahead of me. But I knew I would not be able to maintain that pace as my right hamstring at that point had an even more distinct pain. So I plugged onward for an 18:18 5K, good for 2nd overall. It was a disappointment for me because when I signed up I felt I could regain my sub 18 5K time today based on my recent training. But it just wasn't to be today. I believe a day or two off will help me more than anything.

Kudos to the Camarillo Kiwanis for running a nice local event while maintaining registration fees at only $25, including t-shirt and post-race eats. $25 5K races are a dying breed. $30, $35, $40 and even more is what I'm seeing out there. So for that fact alone, do consider the 36th Annual Camarillo Kiwanis 5K/10K in 2014! Visit kiwanisclubofcamarillo.com for updates. The Kiwanis uses all net proceeds from the race for local scholarships. A worthy cause.

Results From 28th Annual Great Race of Agoura Hills on March 23, 2013

The 28th Annual Great Race of Agoura Hills, one of the largest and longest-running (no pun intended) local running events in the Conejo Valley as well as Greater Los Angeles area, took place on Saturday, March 23rd. I was not able to make this year's race due to kid commitments but it certainly was a nice morning. Let's take a look at the top finishers in the various races that day.

Here are the stats and some of the top placing runners in this year's event:

• Deena Kastor 5K: 1,456 finishers (652 male, 804 female) (1,409 finishers in 2012)
• Old Agoura 10K: 1,319 finishers (493 male, 826 female) (1,639 finishers in 2012)
• Pacific Half Marathon: 441 finishers (203 male, 238 female) (549 finishers in 2012)
• Cheseboro Half Marathon: 913 finishers (478 male, 435 female) (1,034 finishers in 2012)
• Kids' One Mile: 381 finishers (205 male, 176 female) (443 finishers in 2012)

In total, there were 4,510 finishers in the five races, down about 11% from 2012.

Here are the 5 finishers from each race! Visit www.greatraceofagoura.com for more details.

Cheseboro Half Marathon (Men):

1. CAMERON ZIMMERMANN 1:22:41
2. SHAI BIRMAHER 1:23:03
3. MYLES COCKBURN 1:23:40
4. KEVIN BUELL 1:24:19
5. JAMES DAVY 1:25:55

Cheseboro Half Marathon (Women)

1. ELAINE WOODWARD 1:31:13
2. JENNIFER TODD 1:31:40
3. ERIN WHARTON 1:35:28
4. CHRISTINA LIGHTFOOT 1:35:37
5. ANISSA FAULKNER 1:35:43

Pacific Half Marathon (Men)

1. JEFFREY JACKSON 1:13:01
2. TYLER TOCKSTEIN 1:14:09
3. CAMDEN MCALISTER 1:16:32
4. MARCUS GEORGE 1:20:43
5. PAUL COONEY 1:26:29

Pacific Half Marathon (Women)

1. JESSICA DOUGLAS 1:28:49
2. RACHAEL PARENT 1:35:07 (Rachael was 4th last year in 1:39:51 - nice improvement!)
3. MARA STEGEMANN 1:35:35
4. GINA JOHNSON 1:36:07 (Gina was 3rd last year in 1:37:50)
5. LAUREN PHILLIPS 1:36:31

Old Agoura 10K (Men)

1. ISIDORE HERRERA 30:46
2. SERGIO REYES 31:17 (Sergio was also 2nd last year in 29:49)
3. EULOGIO RODRIGUEZ 32:09
4. JUSTIN PATANANAN 33:28
5. TEERTH PATEL 35:58

Old Agoura 10K (Women)

1. LIZ CAMY-BLACKWELL 36:46 (Blackwell also won last year in 36:14)
2. JENN BETANCOURT 41:42
3. JENNIFER SUNAHARA 43:59
4. GABRIELLE BRADLEY 44:47
5. SANDRA SCHWARTZ 46:16

Deena Kastor 5K (Men)

1. ZACK SCHWARTZ 15:14
2. DYLAN MAJERUS 16:51
3. JEFF WELLS 17:43
4. RUSTY SNOW 17:45
5. GARY BARBER 18:09

Deena Kastor 5K (Women)

1. ANDREA MCLARTY 17:12
2. CAROL MONTGOMERY 17:38
3. CINDY ABRAMI 18:06
4. OLIVIA GHAUSSY 19:22
5. SARAH SHULZE 19:38 (Sarah is in the 11-12 age group! Way to go, Sarah!)

Kids 1 Mile (Boys)

1. MICHAEL BARBER 5:46
2. GRIFFIN ARCHER 5:59
3. MATTHEW SPEER 6:04
4. ARMAND ASLANIAN 6:12
5. JACK MILLSPAUGH 6:19

Kids 1 Mile (Girls)

1. CELESTE SCHREIFELS 6:20
2. TATIANA BANI 6:40
3. JENNA FORSTON 6:40
4. TAYLOR NITZSCHE 6:43
5. NATALIE NITZSCHE 6:46

You definitely need to sign up in advance for these races if at all possible, preferably by mid-December, as pricing gets pretty high as the race approaches. For example, the Old Agoura 10K is $35, already a bit on the high side, rises as high as $45 a month prior to the race. As great as this race is, that's a bit too much in my opinion. Another popular local race, the Calabasas Classic, charges $25 for the 10K up until just a few weeks prior to the event.

The half marathons are also great but if you procrastinate like me you end up paying $95 to $100, which, frankly, I won't pay for a half marathon. Just too much. The price this year was $70 prior to December 16, 2012, which is a fair price, albeit $20 higher than it was just five years ago. Hope to make it back out there next year!

Los Angeles Marathon "Stadium to the Sea" Course - Is It Faster Than Previous Course?

It was a lot of fun watching the LA Marathon last Sunday. Having run my PR on the LA course "back in the day" and other solid times in the late 1990s, I was kind of curious about how fast the newer "Stadium to the Sea" course was compared to previous courses that started and finished in downtown Los Angeles.

"Stadium to the Sea" saw its first running in 2010, brought about by new owner, Frank McCourt. McCourt, widely villified as Dodgers owner, only to reap a record price for the team last year, was seen after the race with LA Mayor Anthony Villaraigoza having fun congratulating the winners of the race.

I considered signing up for the race as a last minute fun run but it was sold out. Not too many years ago you could sign up last minute for the LA Marathon, but it has gained popularity, as has marathoning in general, leaving last minute signups more of a challenge.

Did about 17 miles back here since they wouldn't sell me a last minute entry to the Los Angeles Marathon. Score a win for me!

So, about this course...is it faster than previous "loop" courses?

For the "average" runner, and by average I mean the average time for all finishers, the aggregate time for the first 3 years of the course (2013 results still not available in a manageable format) was 5:18. This compares to an aggregate average time over the previous 10 years, on various loop courses, of 5:33. (Thanks to MarathonGuide.com, my favorite website for marathon information, for this data.) This would indicate the new course is faster overall, which makes sense as the course now has a net elevation drop of 430 feet.

Something that more "competitive" running types sometimes do is compare how their time on a course would have placed them in other years. While many factors are at play in making year over year comparisons, such as weather, course conditions, the competition, it is just one of those things that we like to do.

My PR marathon time was on the 1997 LA Marathon loop course, where my 2:35 got me 35th place. That same time on average would have garnered an average place of 23 to 24 over the last 14 years, as well as over the last 4 years of Stadium to Sea. I guess when I ran the race, there was simply more competition. Last Sunday, a 2:35 would have garnered 22nd. While I'm nowhere near that kind of time today, it would be fun to go back and give the Stadium to Sea course a try. Bottom line however, is that for whatever reason, the times for non-elite age runner top 100 placer times appear to have slowed over the years.

Let's get back to the aggregate numbers. The average aggregate recent times in the LA Marathon, while 15 minutes faster than on previous LA courses, are still significantly slower than other large races. For example, the previous 5-year average times at New York (excluding the cancelled 2012 race due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy) and Chicago were 4:26 and 4:37, respectively. Those are dramatically faster than the average times in Los Angeles.

Why is this? Well, I'm guessing but I suspect that we have more marathon "walkers" and fundraisers in LA that bring the average up. Also, each year the wonderful Students Run LA charity brings 3,000 at-risk teens to the marathon, including nearly 3,200 in 2013. Nearly 100% of the SRLA high school seniors graduate high school and go on to attend to attend college. I don't know the average time for SRLA runners but I suspect it does bring down overall aggregate times to a degree.

But let's digress again. how about the overall winning times at the LA Marathon? They have definitely dropped. Prior to the Stadium to the Sea route, the average Downtown LA Loop course from 1996 to 2009 was 2:11:48. Stadium to the Sea has run for 4 years now, including the unbelievable 2:06:05 course record first-time marathon performance in 2 inches of torrential rain by Markos Geneti of Ethiopia in 2011 has been 2:09:27. Three of the four Stadium to the Sea events have been sub 2:10.

So definitely, the course has made progress, though we're still not at the level of other major U.S. courses. The average winning time at Chicago over the last six years was 2:06:39. The average winning time in New York over that period (excluding 2012) was 2:08:04. Still solidly ahead of LA...but in this case, I suspect it is because they payday at those races is substantially higher than at LA.

OK, enough of this analysis paralysis. Let's get running!

Interval Training on the Roads as an Alternative to the Track

There's no arguing that if you're looking to improve your speed, doing intervals on the track will help. A standard 400 meter track makes it easy to run any distance in repetitive format. I prefer simple workouts like 400s at 5K or faster pace with a 200 or 400 meter jog in between.

But I don't like running on the track for various reasons. It is always challenging finding/making the time to get over to the track when it is open. Running in circles isn't particularly fun for me. And I tend to get injured on the track.

As an alternative, a few weeks ago I started to do a little stealh interval work on a local road. Starting out with only 4 repetitions from one point to another on a slightly downhill surface, I'll jog back to the start, a noticeable crack in the pavement. The finish is a sign adjacent to the road. Nothing fancy. I don't even know the exact distance (though I'd estimate it is about 450 meters).

I feel fitter already, having done this routine just once a week. I'm up to repetitions. This upcoming week will test my commitment with the Daylight Saving time change...one less hour of sleep this week!

So think about mixing it up in your own routine a bit. You'll definitely notice a difference.

First 5K Race in Over Four Months Was Not a Disappointment

The last time I ran a 5K was the Jason's Race 5K on October 14th of last year, over 4 months and a week ago. My time in that race was 18:18 for the win.

Starting line photo courtesy of the Camarillo Family YMCA www.ciymca.org/camarilloAs of Thursday of this past week I had no plans to do another 5K, but a friend of mine asked me if I would be stopping by the Camarillo Family YMCA 5K down at Pleasant Valley Fields. He said he may be there. Well a few hours later I thought, what the heck, and signed up.

This morning I arrived at the race with my 9 year old son, who decided he would make a go of the 5K himself. So my little buddy was with me, but my friend who prompted me to sign up for the race was nowhere to be found.

There were about 200 runners and it was a very casual little race that took us on an out and back course mainly through Pleasant Valley Fields and a couple streets. There was a section of the course on dirt near the west end of the park that I was not real fond of running on but it was a relatively short section.

The race started very typically. About a dozen youngster ranging from 10 to 20 by my estimate took off like it was a sprint. It took about 1/4 mile at most to slip by the group and I found myself behind one last guy who I was unable to rein in. This young man, 30 years my junior, was the ultimate winner of the race. Nice job!

My place in the race did not change from that point on. The first mile was 5:38, which felt fine and translates into a 17:28 pace, but I couldn't maintain that pace.

There was a pain in my chest as I seem to have an allergic reaction to chimney smoke that constricts my lungs. With all the cold weather we've been having, my breathing has been impacted people burning wood in their fireplaces. Just one of those frustrating things that I can't do much about other than to steer clear of neighborhoods known from personal experience are smoke pits. In any case, 2 hours post-race and my chest killing me!

That one annoyance aside, I ended up finishing in 18:16, suprisingly 2 seconds faster than the 5K 4 months ago! Now if I actually start training for a 5K, maybe I can get down below 18 minutes again...

My son ran his very first full 5K race in 24:27, sub-8 minute pace. He was hampered by side cramps and walked sections of the race...I think this kid has the potential to run me into the ground in a few years.

Now, time for a beer.

Ran Over Two Hours Yesterday Without Carrying Water...Don't Try This at Home

Yesterday morning I was up at 6:30 a.m. and decided to take my camera with me for an adventure run. It was still kind of cool out so I decided to down a bottle of water before the run thinking I would be out no more than an hour and a half. I don't like carrying water if I don't have to, especially when I'm holding a camera.

I decided to head down Sycamore Canyon and see where the Blue Canyon Trail would take me. Usually when I run down Sycamore Canyon I do a straight shot down to the beach. I don't get out enough to the great trails in the Boney Mountain State Wilderness area in Pt Mugu State Park and I'd never run the Blue Canyon Trail, part of the Backbone Trail, all the way through.

Blue Canyon Trail entry point adjacent to Danielson Multi-Use AreaTo get to the Blue Canyon Trail, you run the entire paved section of Big Sycamore Canyon Road to the Danielson Multi-Use Area in Malibu. Instead of heading down to PCH, you veer left. You can't miss it. It's where there's a house. I've always assumed a park ranger lives in that house but don't know for sure.

Danielson Multi-Use Area includes picnic tables and plenty of shade.About .8 mile takes you to a juncture where you can veer left up the Old Boney Trail, which gets you to the Danielson Monument. I continued

Juncture of Blue Canyon Trail/Backbone Trail with Old Boney TrailMoving on, you are treated to outstanding canyon views and views of the Tri Peaks above.

Another mile of twists and turns through single track trails gets you the Chamberlain Trail junction, which is also part of the Backbone Trail system.

This trail is tantalizing with its panoramic views to the ocean, the Oxnard Plain and Conejo Valley.

The Chamberlain Trail takes you up to the highest peaks in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Tri Peaks including Boney Peak and Sandstone Peak (the other one I don't know the name of), but alas, I had no water and was over an hour into my run...and my mouth was getting a bit dry.

So sadly, I turned around and headed back to civilization. There was not a soul to be found on these trails other than me. What a great place to run and explore. Total elapsed time of my waterless run was 2 hours, excluding the 5 minutes of stops to snap photos.

On a side note, I ran into a couple friends as I approached the Blue Canyon Trail trailhead. These deer were very large. I slowed to a halt but they weren't up to the task of smiling and saying "cheese" to me.

Highlights and Lowlights of 2012 and My Cumulative Lifetime Mileage Update

Since my training is directionless right now as I have no particular race plans set for 2013, why not talk about my 2012.

Last year had the makings for a comeback year after a 2011 that was lacking a marathon performance due to encountering a detached retina. But a follow-up procedure in early February 2012 led to what is probably my most consecutive days without running in 20 years...39 days.

Thirty-nine consecutive days off can do a number to one's fitness level, so I made sure not to go back at the running too quickly. It took me nearly 4 weeks to get back to an 8 mile run, and about 2 months to achieve my first double digit run.

Even with all those days off and slow but steady comeback, I managed to run 1,885 miles in 2012, taking me to a cumulative lifetime odometer reading of 48,800 miles. Might be time to change my transmission fluid and air filters. Although 1,885 is my lowest annual total since 2006, when I ran 1,789 miles and zero marathons, I was pleased to achieve it.

While my only marathon of the year was one of my lousiest ever, at least I had an "excuse" of a left calf issue that impacted my training in the final weeks pre-marathon. My training had been pretty decent prior to that.

Nice little highlight was a decent showing in a low-key local 5K race in Camarillo.I was pleased to run a 1:23:51 half marathon a month prior to the full marathon, and a decent 5K a month prior to that. Having not raced much over the last several years, I underestimated the impact of that half marathon on my body and decided to go long a week later. Big mistake. My body needed a recovery weekend. My calf strain halfway into a 20 miler led to another personal record in 2012...most miles walking/limping on a long run. Lousy!

So let's see what 2013 has in store. I'm keeping my expectations low for the time being!

New Year, Training, The Flu and The Camarillo Marathon

After some low key time over the holidays, I had a couple decent weekends of running in the new year. Unfortunately, it is 2 steps forward, 1 step back for me as I enter my 4th day of battling/recovering from a nasty flu. Sadly, the day I planned to get my flu shot the CVS store was out. Four days later it was back, but I got busy and didn't make it over there. A week passes by and I planned NEXT DAY to get my vaccination, but somehow I got nailed by it. I believe the culprit was at work. Arrghh.

The 3rd Camarillo Marathon took place on Sunday, January 6th. The Camarillo Marathon is currently the only marathon that is run entirely within Ventura County. The inaugural Camarillo Marathon in October 2010 had some serious shortcomings but over the last several years the race director seems determined to fix the issues.

This year the race was changed to a flat, 2 loop course, which makes logistics a lot easier for things like porta-potties, water stops, etc. According to Athlinks.com, there were only 94 finishers at this year's race, including 64 men and 30 women. That's about as small as they get. But the winning time of 2:40 by 42 year old Van McCarty was pretty impressive, especially considering he is a master's runner running completely alone, his nearest competitor 13 minutes behind at the finish. This was no fluke for Van, having won the much larger San Luis Obispo Marathon last April in 2:38.

Back to Camarillo, there were also 203 finishers in the half marathon and 72 in the 5K. The 96 marathon finishers oddly was exactly the same number that finished the 2012 event, although the average finishing time dropped from 4:44 to 4:27. That's a step in the right direction.

The 4th Annual Camarillo Marathon is planned for January 5, 2014. www.camarillomarathon.com