Category: Running

Injuries....grrrr...

8/29/2018

No my actual golf cart. My knee felt like this though.

Getting injured sucks. Especially when it is something totally avoidable. The day after the Pitman Freedom Four Miler, I was playing golf with a good friend and badly hurt my knee.
I haven't run since July 4th. I dropped out of the running community mentally, and it is killing me. I'm told five more weeks of rest and strengthening, but I am not sure I can take it.
How do you deal with injuries? Do you do other activities? Follow doctor's orders?
I. am. going. crazy.

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Mean=average

7/12/2017

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In hanging out with some running friends last night at the Last Minute Lace Up, they just recently discovered the true meaning behind MEAN GUY running.

You see, I’m not an angry runner. I’m not a disgruntled runner. I’m an average runner. You know, average. The mean. Similar to the median. The middle of the road. That’s me. And that what MEAN GUY running is all about!

Not many people can run sub six/seven/eight minute miles for races. I embraced my average running ability and try to share the love as best I can!

The running challenges reflect this!. Not only do the top runners win $50/$75 gift cards to a running store of their choice, the average (sometimes median) runner does too! You read that right. Two winners, up to $150 each challenge is on the table.

Each running challenge uses milage, number of runs, and other fun (to me) math to help all runners stay motivated no matter what the running conditions. Runners simply log mileage through the website and MGr does the rest. Here is a link to the current challenge.

The next challenge, Strikeout, will begin mid-August. For this challenge, if you miss three days in a row of running, you’re out. The top runner and average runner left still in at the end will win! Stay tuned if interested for Strikeout!

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Day 187

7/5/2017

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Who isn’t busy?

“How have you’ve been?”

“Busy.”

This year I chose to become very busy.

In January, I decided to start streak through the month and run every day. It was the annual MEAN GUY running Beat the Streak running challenge. Once I had successfully completed the month, a friend and MGr member mentioned he planned to streak through the entire year.

With my full time job, wife and two kids, final semester of completing graduate school, and operating MEAN GUY running, I decided I would do the same. I would run (at least one mile) every day in 2017.

Instead of finding the time to run, I made the time to run. It became part of my day. I woke up 45 minutes earlier than usual. I went to bed a half hour later than planned. I stayed at work an extra 20 minutes to run on the treadmill. Whatever it took, and now takes, it happens.

Fortunately, I have been relatively healthy the first 187 days of my streak. (If you do the math, today, July 5th is the 186th day of the year, but I actually started on December 31st). I have had a few head colds and achy body parts, but nothing that has screamed not to run.

Instead of finding time, make the time. I am in no way saying run every day for a year like stupid me. But no more excuses. I made them for too long.
Although I have been in charge of (whatever that means) a running club/group for almost seven years, I have been a very MEAN (average) runner. I still am. I am happy to be in the middle of the pack. It’s boring up front alone!

I have run more miles this year already than any other full year since I started running in 2010. Make the commitment. Keep it. Running challenges are a great way to stay motivated and be held responsible! Check them out here.

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iRUN

8/17/2015

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I run has changed to iRun the past few years.

There are still a few “natural” runners that just leave the house with their shoes and clothes. But those old schoolers are rare.

Garmins, fitbits and Beats, oh my. How did we run without them and survive?

Within the past year, I’ve stopped listening to music while running for a few different reasons.

It’s much safer on the country roads to be completely aware of my surroundings. I am completely one with all of my thoughts. It is my time away from everything where my mind can just be.

I hear from many people that they don’t think they could go without some tunes. How do I do it? Don’t I go crazy?

Well, I did at first, just like I did when I first starting running in general. You get used to it and love it.

Next comes the watches and heart rate monitors. I do wear a Garmin watch, as I need to know how far and fast I’m going. But that’s me. I need to know more than just the time I ran. I want to know how far, my current pace, and how far ahead of my virtual partner I am. (Recently, he has been way in front.)

I haven’t used a heart rate monitor (yet). Have you?

No watch? How about a health tracker (FitBit, Withings, Nike Fuelband, etc)? What’s the perk with these thingys?

I got one for Christmas and only two months in, I couldn’t survive without it. It does track mileage, just as the Garmin does, but it also acts as a pedometer, calorie counter, elevation guide, heart rate monitor (bpm) and tracks my sleep. Oh yeah, and a watch.

The sleep tracker is the coolest part. With a swipe of a finger, you signal you are hitting the sack. When you wake up, another finger swipe. The device does the rest. It tracks when you fall asleep, wake up throughout the night, your light sleep and your heavy sleep periods.

Being a father of two youngins that have yet to master the art of sleeping, my sleep charts are a tad unordinary.

I wear both my Garmin watch and health tracker while running. I do not have a hook up for a heart monitor, but the health tracker does help with checking my heart rate.

How about a running belt? Wear one of those?

I do not, but I know they are an easier way to carry keys, phone, water bottles, snacks and more while on a (usually long) run. Now a lot of these come with an LED light for night running too.

And of course, there are running apps. Runkeeper, Map My Run, Couch to 5k (C25K), Nike +, Runtastic, Strava, and many, many more.

Being a numbers person, I love all of them, as they keep track of just about everything you could possibly ever want.

Are you an iRunner? What do you NEED to run?

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Injuries....grrrr...

Mean=average

Day 187

iRUN

By Eric

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