Runner Insight

Slogging through Ice Puddles

I just couldn’t stand it anymore…it didn’t matter what the weather was like, I had to get outside and run this past week!  Even though the path I use still had some snow cover and patches of ice in shaded areas, I simply decided that it didn’t matter. If it was too bad, I would just turn around and head back home.

As it turned out, I landed in an ice puddle just as I exited our alley!  Well, I didn’t have to try and avoid puddles any more since my feet were now members of the “Polar Bear Club”. 

It felt so great to be outside again: breathing in the fresh, crisp winter air.  There was one place on the trail that could have been a child’s wading pool…and I managed to run right through the middle of it, splashing freezing cold water onto the front of my running tights.  Luckily, the weather was in the high 30’s to low 40’s.  I just gave a loud yelp and vowed not to hit it again on the way back!

It had been about 10 days since my last outdoor run, and I was more than ready.  The day before I had run on the treadmill for 40 minutes, and because of my limited eyesight and elusive balance, I had to hold onto the treadmill as I ran. This makes running on the treadmill, which is already a tedious task, more trouble than it’s worth. I would rather slog through ice puddles than run on a treadmill any day!

So you don’t have to let a few ice puddles get in the way of having a great run – I certainly didn’t.

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

Popularity: 18% [?]

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Out of all my running stories, this one takes first prize for dumbest move on my part.

I had stopped driving after my diagnosis of Retinitis Pigmentosa, so most nights when I had to go to the hospital to work my graveyard shift, I would get a ride or take a taxi.  One night in late summer about a year after my diagnosis, I decided to run to work.  I wanted to try out a new headlamp I just got, and what a perfect opportunity, since my shift at the hospital didn’t start until 11:00 PM.

There was a workout room connected to the hospital, and I could shower and clean up before my shift, so I put on my running clothes and put my work clothes into a backpack. Giving myself plenty of time to have a quick weightlifting session too, I headed out the door, with headlamp on and started down the long hill where I lived.

So far, so good.  My headlamp seemed to be working well. I was pleased.  It wasn’t until I got on to the busy street that would take me to within a few blocks of the hospital, that I ran into some trouble.  Thinking I was being smart, I got onto the sidewalk. Although the bike path alongside the road was smoother, I was worried about not being seen, as I had no blinkers or flashing lights on me: just the headlamp, which was now starting to feel heavy and clumsy on my head. It kept slipping, and I had to keep re-adjusting it. The sidewalk would be safer from traffic, but it had a lot of uneven spots in it, too.

I was running along, making good time, and naturally I caught one of those uneven spots with my toe, a section of cement sticking up about 3″.  I went down fast and hard, reaching out with my hands to stop myself, hitting my chin on the pavement and catching the full brunt of my body weight with my right elbow.

After a couple of moments of shock and processing, I realized what had happened. I did a body check.  Yep all my teeth were still where they needed to be.  But my arm hurt and I had some nasty road rash on my hands.  And now I had to decide what to do next: I’m about half way there, so do I turn around and head back home?   Or do I continue on running to work?

This story is a little too long to complete in one installment, so please join me on Wednesday to continue the adventure….

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

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After making the commitment to do what it takes to train for and run a marathon, the next thing I had to do was to find a good training program.

As I searched the internet, I found lots of different marathon training programs, but what I was looking for was a straight-forward approach.  I was not interested in building speed; my goal for my first marathon was simply to finish it. That would be an exhilarating accomplishment in and of itself, and one that very few people, sighted or blind, could claim to have done.

After looking at several different programs, I picked the one that I could modify to my work schedule. Most training regimens are set up for the average person who works a 9 to 5 job Monday through Friday, with weekends off.  And because a marathon is usually run on a Sunday, the long training runs are usually scheduled for Sundays.

However, this wouldn’t work for me, as I worked not only the graveyard shift, but I also worked weekends. So a bit of modifying was needed. Here is an example of the marathon training schedule after I modified it to my own work/running schedule.

It took some concentrated effort and juggling to modify the schedule to ensure that I got in all the miles I needed, plus the right amount of time off between long runs.

With that issue resolved, the next thing I needed to do was to find a new pair of running shoes. While attending a local Marathon Training Class, they suggested that runners should buy two pairs of the same running shoes.  Was this some kind of ingenious marketing ploy and sales trick?  No it turned out to be a very smart trick for me. 

Anders, the owner of my local running store, (I would link to it if their website was up, Anders…hint, hint) explained that buying two pairs of the running shoes that I wear, would ensure that I would have them when I needed them. I would train in one pair for the first few months, but then about 6 to 8 weeks before the marathon, I would want to put on the new pair and start to break them in. Then I could put them away about two weeks before the race.  When race day came, I would use that pair that only had four to six weeks of road miles on them. That way I had a relatively fresh pair of shoes for my 26 mile marathon. They would be broke in just enough so as not to cause foot pain, but still have all the support and bounce I need to be able to run a long race. It was excellent advice, and I have used it since for half-marathons I’ve run, as well.

This worked out even better than I could have expected for the marathon, as I found out later from Anders that they were having a hard time getting in the running shoes I liked, plus everyone was buying their running shoes for the race at the last minute. I already had mine, ready and waiting. So on race day I put on what looked like a brand new pair of running shoes, but without the worry of getting sore feet or blisters…

Well, I did get sore feet, but I’m pretty sure it was from running 26.2 miles. 

How ‘bout it?

 -Vision Runner

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