James can blog too...

Not to be outdone by Rebecca, here is a copy from my blog.
SoCal Ragnar - Pushing through the pain

April 20th and 21st, 2012, I ran the SoCal Ragnar Relay with my two youngest daughters and some really great friends.  Ragnar Relays are a lot of fun.  Typically, they are 200 miles long and include 12 people and two vans.  Six people in each van leap frog each other three times during the 30 plus hour run through Southern California.  Running is traditionally a lonely sport, but Ragnar has made it into a 200 mile long party on wheels and on your feet.  This was my third Ragnar and my fourth 200 mile relay.  Last year my youngest daughter, Danielle, and I ran the Hood to Coast.  So much fun.  See the following post for a comparison of the SoCal Ragnar and the Hood to Coast Relay.

Rear leg extended too far (crud)-2012 SoCar Ragnar Relay. 

The photo to the left shows me crossing the starting line.  Unfortunately, it also shows I have more work to do on my gait.  My rear foot still extends too far back and creates a lot of inefficiency.  Argh!  The never ending battle for perfection.  Everything else looks good.  Front foot is not extended, body lean is slightly forward.  Arms arms are not flailing. Eyes and head appear to be focused forward.

About four weeks before this race, I ran the Cheseboro Half Marathon in Agoura Hills, CA.  I had a good race--a PR for the course and I had no blisters or injuries leading up to or as a result of the race.  I felt good.  After last year's Ragnar and having major blisters and suffering through achilles issues, I thought I was free of my prior persisting problems.  While my bone bruise on my heel was starting to bother me more, it wasn't anything like the achilles issues I had battled for two years, but ultimately vanquished in February/March.  I had been running a consistent 20 miles per week since February and felt that I was ready.  I was feeling better trained and ready to have a really Ragnar this year.

Unfortunately, a week before the Ragnar my heel really started to bother me.  In fact, more than just the bottom of the heel, now the tendons on both sides and the heel were starting to hurt so badly that I walked with a limp.  The entire race I was in tremendous pain.  On all three of my runs it took a few miles before I felt I could run with decent enough form and completely ignore the pain.  Whether it was due to the tendons becoming warm and more pliable or I pounded the pain into submission, I don't really know.

My wife wonders why I would run 20.5 miles in complete pain.  It's really simple.  If I set a goal to run, I intend to follow through.  Additionally, this would have been the first race I would be able to run with two of my daughters.  The second Ragnar with both of them.  It has been something I have been looking forward to.  Also, I'm so competitive that if I'm going to run, I might as well try to be the fastest too.  No matter how painful it is.  I didn't earn the fastest designation, but I still ran an average 8:30 pace.  Not great, but it was the best I could do and I'm OK with that.  I tied for third on my team.  As a side note, the two other fast guys (Wade and Dave) had pre-Ragnar injuries too and they had no intention of pulling out of the race.  Wade has had foot issues and Dave has had back issues.  Fortunately, they both were fine (as far as I know) for the race.

I sent several texts to my wife during the race:

"We are done with our first legs.  My heel is killing me."

She responded, "Boo for your heel!  Is it going to get worse?  Do you have Advil?  How are the girls?"

Me and my girls.  I love them.  They are smart, tough and beautiful!

My subsequent texts say it all, "I have Advil.  We are having fun.  Once I get through my 10 mile, I'll be ok.  I just have to go to my quiet zone and zone out."  When the race was over, I sent her the following, "I'm done.  Danielle is done.  AMS is ready to do her last run.  Then the van will be done. Blisters minimal.  Winced and ran through the heel pain.  It's mind over pain at Ragnar!"

Last year, I ran my entire 20 miles on extremely blistered feet that got progressively worse with each step.  It was very painful and by the end my foot looked like hamburger meat.  There was so much trauma in my feet that when I cut all of the loose skin off and attempted to clean off my feet before applying gauze and wrap, my toes got stuck in a splayed position.  I was in excruciating pain as they cramped up, but all I could do was laugh, because I couldn't get them to relax.  Even AnneMarie was laughing at my freaked out toes.  I physically had to push them back into place and into a relaxed position.

Here is a great article I recently read from Active.com called 6 Tips to Push Through Pain.  The specific six tips are below with some of my commentary.

1. Remember your strengths (you did the hard work, now it's time to make it worth it)
2. Run with a purpose (i.e., if you are running, you might as well make it worth your while, pain or not)
3. Repeat a mantra (Remember, the little engine that could?  "I think I can, I think I can...")
4. Know it will pass (the scriptures are replete with the phrase, "And it came to pass"
5. Think of the payoff (you'll have stories to tell and you will show your kids that if you can do hard things, so can they)
6. Distract yourself (i.e., go to your happy place)

AnneMarie after her first run.

However, the article also goes on to say you shouldn't ignore the following.  I'll choose to ignore some of these anyway.  Especially, since I have already. :-)

Sharp, sudden foot, shin, or hip pain that worsens as you run

It's possible you have a stress fracture, says Heather Gillespie, M. D., a sports-medicine physician at UCLA. Take time oft from running and make an appointment for an x-ray.

Limping

This could be the result of a muscle or ligament tear. "Any pain that causes you to change your form should make you stop," says Lewis G. Maharam, M. D., medical director of the New York Road Runners.

Chest pain, extreme sweating, breathlessness

These are symptoms of a heart attack, says William Roberts, M. D., medical director of the Twin Cities Marathon. (OK, don't ignore this, unless it's gas!)

High body temperature; dry skin; vomiting

This could be heatstroke, which can be life threatening, says Dr. Gillespie.  (Not a good idea to ignore this either)

Severe stomach pain; diarrhea

These are signs of an intestinal problem called ischemic colitis, which tends to occur during prolonged exercise.  (Whatever!  Just find a port-a-potty! :-0)

Team #1 - Running from Responsibility

Danielle, AnneMarie, Me, Wade, John, Dave, Rebecca

Jen, Tiffany, Nikki, Amy, Tom

Danielle at her second exchange with Nikki.

AnneMarie after her second leg at Lawrence Welk's place.

Me, Danielle, Tom and Amy waiting for AnneMarie to finish.