It’s OK to walk

My 30-minute walk today was rather enlightening. It helped me realize how walking can play an important role in my training… even for ultramarathon training.

5 minutes of foam

5 minutes every morning with the foam roller. It might hurt at first, but it will pay dividends down the road.

A forgotten cardio exercise: The punching bag

I’ve been looking for a good way to get some cardio in without using my legs. Enter: The punching bag. Here are 8 ideas on how to get a great workout with a punching bag.

And a bonus 9th idea that is guaranteed to make you laugh.

Don’t fight the hammy…

Reminder: If you’re hamstring even hints at the fact that you shouldn’t run today, don’t argue with it. The hamstring ALWAYS wins.

Injuries without pain are the most frustrating

The most frustrating part about my hamstring injury is the fact that it doesn’t hurt. You might consider this a good thing, but I don’t. I don’t care about the pain. All I care about is being able to run again. I just wish I could recognize when that might be.

Volunteer for a race when injured

I know it sucks to be injured. And you probably don’t want to watch hundreds of people doing the thing you love, but are unable to do because of your injury. But you owe it to your sport. And more importantly, you owe it to your fellow athletes who I’m sure have volunteered (and maybe even saved your ass a few times) for races that you have run.

Here’s a recap of my volunteer experience for the Rockett’s Landing Tri in Richmond, VA.

A letter to my injured hamstring

Dear Hamstring. First off, let me start by saying I’m not mad. For years, you have continued to be amazing, and this past June, you failed… no… I failed you for the first time. I’ve been nothing but selfish, and for that, I apologize. Let’s start over and get it right this time.

Soreness vs. Pain

A few thoughts that surfaced after my recent DNF at Old Dominion. I quit because I experienced what I believed to be pain in my hamstring. I got to thinking about the difference between pain & soreness.

2010 Old Dominion 100 – Race Report

I set out to run 100 miles… and I didn’t even come close. This race marked my first ever DNF. I under-estimated the course & over-estimated my ability. I got completely dominated today. It was a humbling experience, and I gained an enormous about of respect for all the finishers.