Sunshine On My Shoulders

We really weren't there for the race.  Sure, I am a bit of a running and racing fanatic, who seems to find himself at a running event most weekends.  But this was not really about running to me.  My wife and I went to the March on Melanoma over the weekend to support our friend, Dina Bair and her cause. 

Dina is a a great journalist, mother, athlete and friend.  She is also a cancer survivor.  So when she invited my wife and I to run the race Sunday morning, we agreed without hesitation.  It was a nice little race along the lakefront path beginning near Montrose Harbor.  They had about 250 runners.  Dina invited a couple other media friends as well, and we posed for a picture.  From left to right are myself and my wife, Dina, Anthony Ponce, and Amy Jacobson. 

 

It was a fun gathering.  So much fun, in fact, that I was in the back talking with a few people when the starting gun sounded.  So I took off with really no objective other than to get a brisk workout in, and finish in time to get my camera and take pictures of some of the other finishers.

I barely managed the second goal.  But I did quickly get in position to snap pictures of my wife before she crossed the line.  A short time later Amy came charging in.  I missed Anthony because he cruised in well ahead of me at about 18:30.  He's planning on running the Chicago marathon in October, and I'm excited to see how well he should run then.

After the race, however, was the most important part of the morning.  The organizers spoke a little about the reason we were all there.  And Dina gave an emotional talk about her own experience with cancer.  She is now cancer free, but feels the 'survivor's guilt' that is common among those who have seen and experienced up close this terrible disease that destroys so many lives.

I admit it.  I often set bad examples.  My wife is always reminding me to put sunscreen on the kids before they go out.  Sometimes I remember.  I almost never use it myself.  Fortunately, despite that, my skin apparently is healthy.  The only reason I know that is because I saw a doctor for a free screening in a tent they had set up after the race.  I have been lucky, but there is no assurance that my luck will continue.

I spend a lot of time outside, and am exposed to the sun, especially when running.  I have never worn sunscreen on a run, but after reading some of the advice from my friend, Dr. Brooke Jackson, I realize I've been taking some pretty serious risks.  Brooke is an athlete herself, as well as a dermatologist.  Below is some advice from her.

Dr. Brooke Jackson, Dermatologist and Founder of The Skin Wellness Center of Chicago (www.skinwellnesscenter.org), has several tips to protect skin when running. She is an avid runner and will be completing her ninth marathon this year’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon in October.

 

“Most runner’s train their bodies for race day but one thing they often overlook is preparing their skin,” said Dr. Brooke Jackson of the Skin Wellness Center of Chicago.  “By running outdoors your skin is vulnerable to the elements.”

 

Here are a few summer sun safety tips to think about before heading out on your training runs:

 

· Time of runs:

o     Run in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the sun at its peak.

 

· Remove makeup before running and wash your face as soon as possible upon completion of workout:

o     Minimize bacterial overload and acne breakouts by using a gentle cleanser (such as Cetaphil, Cerave, Olay) after workouts.

o     Medicated and harsh cleaners can be too irritating if pores are open after a workout.

o     Hold any acne medications or anti-aging products a day or two before to minimize sun sensitivity.

 

· Wear a Hat:

o     Visors do not protect the top of your scalp, so a better choice would be a hat made with sun-wicking, breathable material such as Dry-Fit.

o     This shields the face and prevents damage to hair, especially color treated hair.

 

· Wear Sunblock:

o     Sun protection is the best way to prevent premature aging.

o     For runners- apply sunblock from cheeks down to avoid it getting into eyes and stinging.

o     Use a minimum of SPF 45 and re-apply after 90 minutes.  SPF protects against UVB, but you also need certain ingredients in your sunblock to protect against UVA, so look for: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, mexoryl, helioplex.

o     Use water or alcohol-based sunblock for working out to avoid clogging pores (For example, Coppertone Sport Block is ideal) and use a spray sunblock, since runners will be sweating. 

o     Don’t forget your lips, back of legs, scalp and back of neck!

 

 

· Use sunblock, not sunscreen

o     Sunscreen is like the screen in your windows, allowing penetration of some rays, about 89% filter.   

o     Sunblock is more protective. It often has physical blockers like titanium dioxide and will filter out about 97% of UV rays.giving maximum protection against the sun at an early age.  We know that sunburns and large amounts of sun exposure at a young age (prior to age 18) is a HUGE risk for skin cancer later in life.

 

· Wear sunglasses:

o     Sunglasses are critical since runners have an increased risk of cataracts.

o     Be sure to choose sunglasses that are polarized to minimize glare and choose lenses that filter out greater than 95% of the sun's rays.  This should be listed on the peel-off label you toss after purchase. So be sure to check before purchasing the sunglasses.

   

 

· Wear breathable fabrics to work out in – including your top, bottom and socks:

o     Wick materials sweat from the body and helps minimize breakouts.

o     And a t-shirt has an SPF of 8, so it’s better than nothing.   Solumbra and Coolibar both make nice sun-protective clothing lines: (www.solumbra.com,www.coolibar.com)

 

 

· Darker skin needs a high SPF too!

o     There is a skin cancer risk factor for everyone under the sun. Dr. Jackson often sees sun damage done to patients with darker pigmented since people with darker complexions believe they do not need sun protection. 

o     While melanoma is more common in Caucasians, it is deadlier in African-Americans and Hispanics because it’s more likely to go undetected and often diagnosed in its late stages of the disease. (Bob Marley died of melanoma.)

o     Patients with darker complexion skin also suffer from other conditions such as high blood pressure, lupus that require medications that make the skin more sun sensitive.

 

 

For more information or details, please visit the Skin Wellness Center of Chicago at www.skinwellnesscenter.org.

Thanks Brooke.  I'll see you on the roads.......

 

 

Aches and Pains

Maybe it's sympathy pain.  I laughed to myself when our coach warned of aches and pains the day after our game, but he was right.  I actually took a day off from running Sunday. That would normally mean I should feel rested and ready to run Monday.  Not so fast   One of the reasons I had no time to run was because I played in a vintage baseball game Sunday afternoon.  That's also probably why Monday morning I woke up stiff and sore.  Coincidently, I'm standing next to teammate Dr. John Jevitz in the picture.  I felt like I could have used his help.

But I was one of the lucky ones.  The sympathy pain was for the three guys on our team who all pulled up lame running to first base with hamstring injuries.  That's right, all three had the same injury in the same situation.  All are good athletes, but I couldn't help but thinking that our bodies often don't cooperate with what our mind remembers we used to be able to do.  I guess that includes sprinting to first base.

I couldn't help but remember the recent story I read in Running Times Magazine, about how many of us older runners really need more work on our core fitness, because we don't generally do as much other sports or activities as we used to when we were younger.  That's why we tend to suffer running injuries, because there is too much strain on the feet, quads, and hamstrings, without as much help from our core muscles in the middle (hips, abs, and butts to name a few).

Regardless, baseball is one of my favorite sports to watch.  You can't beat sitting out in the sun on a summer day taking in a game.  But, I haven't played organized baseball since Little League.  And, that was, um, a long time ago.  Sure I've played some softball as an adult, but even that has been years ago now. 

But, hey, I'm in pretty good shape.  I run marathons.  I've been doing speed work on the track.  Should be no problem right?  Well, maybe a little problem.

First, a little about the game.  This was vintage base ball (with the two words separated like they were in the 1870's).  The rules are quite a bit different from the modern game.  Let me give you a couple highlights.  First, the game is played with a ball about the size of a regular baseball, but a little softer.  And that's good, because we don't wear mitts.  You catch it barehanded.  There is no sliding or over-running first base.  A fly ball caught on one bounce is still an out. and the infielders must position themselves within one step of the base they are playing (except shortstop).   

We were blessed with lots of support from the community and our families.  My kids spent most of the time at the nearby pool, but they were there in spirit.   The team we were playing is part of the vintage base ball league, and they tour the area playing games.  Here is a link to the Chicago Salmons website.   http://www.chicagosalmon.org/ .  Our team, known as the Elmhurst All-Stars included a few younger guys, who tried to cover for the rest of us, um, more experienced players.   And all we had were a couple practices leading up to the one game we intended to play.

The first practice I was able to make was the day before the game Saturday morning, and about an hour after finishing my weekly long run.  By the time it was over I could barely make a fist because my hands were so swollen from catching the ball barehanded.  

Then came the game, and that included a lot more 'explosive' type running.  You know, like getting a good jump on fly ball in the outfield, or legging out a hit to first base.  And that, I'm pretty sure is why my Monday morning run was slow and uncomfortable.

But the game did provide a chance for me to meet a bunch of great teammates, which is something you just don't get to do often in a sport like running.  And one of my teammates happens to be a great masters runner.  Charlie Kern won the World master's 1500 meter title a year ago.  He missed practice Saturday because he was in New York for a 4 mile road race.  Not only did he win the masters competition in that race, but he flew back that night and was in uniform ready to go Sunday.  And he played a solid game.

Most of the team, in fact, played solid base ball, aside from the injuries.  Unfortunately, it was not quite enough to win the game, but at least we had fun, and the injuries can all be treated with ice.  Meantime, I had great time, and managed to survive without major embarrassment.  But I did get a reminder that I need a little more cross-training!  

Now back to running.  The summer racing season is just heating up.  And not just because of the 90 degree temperatures.  The Rock-n-Roll half marathon is just two weeks away.

See you on the roads.....

 

Tri it

I woke up at 5:30 in the morning, nervous that I would be late for the race.  I quickly showered, then woke my two oldest kids, got them dressed and in the car.  Then we were off for the hour drive to Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.  We made it on time, only to find that where we had to park was still nearly a mile and a half from the start.  And since there was no way they were gonna walk that far quickly, I had to push the girls in the stroller. 

This was a lot of work, but fortunately, I wasn't there to run.  We were all spectators, ready to watch my wife and their mother compete in something I've never attempted.  This was her first triathlon. 

Christine decided a few months ago that one of her goals for this year would be to finish a triathlon.  She has been working out like a fiend for nearly a year, and is in really good shape, but the triathlon was to be a way to quantify her conditioning.  It would put a tangible accomplishment to all the time she was spending in the gym. 

She is always making allowances for my running schedule, and it was nice for me to be able to return the favor as she followed a strict training schedule leading up to the race.  And, despite her fitness, it was a challenge.

Christine has run a couple of marathons, and she has gotten to be a stronger runner over the last year or so.  But cycling was relatively foreign territory.  She has a bike, but there was no air in the tires as of a couple months ago.  And swimming.  Well, let's just say she could keep herself from drowning, but not much else.

So she had a lot of work to do in the pool, and very little time to do it.  She also borrowed a racing bike from a friend, and managed to ride it once before the race.  So her preparation was lacking, but she made up for it with enthusiasm.

Our friend and neighbor Megan Winton decided to do the race with Christine.  It was her first triathlon also, but she was a competitive swimmer in school, and is also a pretty strong runner.  The race they chose seemed perfect.  The Trek Women's Triathlon series race in Wisconsin was on a nice course, and the spirit of sisterhood seemed to take precedence over fierce competition.

But as she waited for her wave to begin the race, Christine says she was tempted to bail out because of her fear of the swim across the lake.  It was a sprint triathlon, which means the swim was a half mile, the bike 12 miles and the run a 5k.  The last two seem relatively easy, but even for an average swimmer like me, a half mile across a lake seems long.

And it proved to be a challenge for Christine.  She took about 21 minutes to complete the swim, which ranked in the bottom ten percent of all the swimmers, and was more than 8 minutes behind Megan.  But she survived, and was smiling when she emerged and ran through the transition area to her bike.

And then she started to get comfortable.  Despite having little chance to get used to the bike, she discovered how much quicker a racing bike is than the hybrid bike she has at home.  She told me she got used to the bike about halfway through the race and started to let it fly.  She managed to make up most of the eight minutes she lost to Megan on the swim, because Megan was not on a racing bike.  They were less than a minute apart in the transition area as they started to run.  Christine's bike ride ranked her in the top 15% for that segment of the race.

I was most curious to see the running segment, because that's what I'm most familiar with.  I was wondering how Christine would run after finishing the swim and bike.  A week earlier, she and I ran a race in Elmhurst called the 4 on the 3rd.  She was disappointed in that race, finishing with a pace of 8:43/mile.  I mention that because it makes her 5k run in the triathlon all the more impressive.  She ran 25 minutes, or about 8:30 pace for the 3.1 miles in this race, despite the fatigue factor from the other two race segments.  She ranked 188th overall for this segment of the race, and she even caught Megan. 

They both had huge smiles on their faces after crossing the finish line. They both finished in the top 20 percent overall, and perhaps more importantly, set a great example for their kids.  I know our daughters were excited to wear their mom's medal after the race.
On the drive home, they were already planning on their strategy for next year's triathlon.  Christine vows to work on her swimming, and Megan vows to get a new bike.  And I vow to be back as a spectator.  I never knew how much fun it could be!

See you on the roads....
 
 

 

Track Fan

I planned it as a big weekend family trip.  The only problem is the only one in my family who was excited about spending a weekend in Des Moines watching track and field, was me.  So, I ended up solo.  But they missed out.  It was really an incredible experience.

I wasn't completely solo.  I was with a couple thousand other track fans like me, all of us feeling blessed to see the country's greatest athletes up close at the national championships.  The USATF outdoor championships chose Des Moines, and Drake University to host the 2010 event several years ago.  And as a Drake Alum, I marked it on my calendar, and waited.  I checked on tickets months ago, and kept expecting a sell-out.  Surprisingly though, the stadium was only about a third full.

Neverthless, It was worth the wait.  A lot of people might not relish the idea of spending all weekend at a track watching atheletes go around an oval, leap over hurdles, jump, vault and throw.  For me, it was a little corner of heaven.  I've never been to the Olympics, or even a national championships track and field meet before, but I've always watched them on television, dreaming of being there.

Several of my college teammates were on hand as well, including Henry Hamilton, and Sterling Martin, who still holds the Drake school record for 800 meters.  We watched in amazement as the best runners in the U.S. rounded the track we used to practice on.

Drake is used to hosting big track meets, being home to the Drake Relays every year.  As a result, the stadium records are pretty impressive.  Michael Johnson, for instance, holds the 200m and 400m records there.  Those records stood, but many others were obliterated over the weekend, as the prospect of a national championship inspired some great performances.

I was especially excited to watch some of the distance and middle distance events.  Seeing Bernard Lagat win the 5000 meters with a great kick was a lot of fun.  The 1500 meters was also a great race with a tight pack for the first 1400.  Then Lopez Lamong came up with a great kick to pull away from Leo Manzano and win. 

But all of that it was just a warm-up for the 800 meter final on Sunday afternoon.  That's when I got to see one of the most exciting runners in the country perform his magic.  As a former (mediocre) 800 meter runner, I've always followed that event closely.  I've watched Nick Symmonds career explode from some of his first races after college, when he burst on the scene with the most amazing kick I've ever seen.  He had a somewhat dissappointing Olympics in Beijing, failing to make the final, but he is back in top form this season.

Symmonds was solidly in last place as they crossed the 400 meter mark.  He started to move up over the next 200 meters but was still in about 4th place as they entered the final turn.  Then he found another gear as he turned on his blazing 100 meter final kick, and made everyone else look like they were standing still. This was the third straight national championship in the 800 for the 26 year old Symmonds. I took the picture above with a little camera from my seat which was just behind where the professional photographers were lined up on the track. 

My friend Henry was busy snapping some incredible pictures with his professional grade camera.  And he captured one of the best shots I've seen of the best moment of the entire meet.  This picture on the right is of Lolo Jones crossing the line as she won the 100 meter hurdles.  Lolo is the sweetheart of U.S. track and field, but is especially revered in her hometown of Des Moines. 

Jones has had a star-crossed career.  Growing up in Des Moines, she survived a difficult childhood.  At one point she lived in the basement of a church, and later lived with a series of host families while she finished high school.    She was the favorite for gold in the Beijing Olympics, but tragically hit one of the final hurdles in the Olympics, tripped, and finished 7th.  She also failed to win her event at the Drake Relays this year.  But she made up for it at the National Championships.  It was a thrilling event, and it revealed me as the geeky track fan that I am.

Here is a link to a short YouTube video of the race from the infield. Look closely after she is interviewed when she throws her sunglasses into the crowd.  Yup, that's yours truly grabbing them.  They will soon be sitting in a trophy case at my house. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-D09cpX9pc  Yes, I even got an autograph afterward.  Now I have to explain to my family and many of my friends who she is!  And I have to tell my wife that, no, she can't wear the sunglasses on her next run!

Anyway, after spending all weekend watching the meet in person, I came home and watched the network coverage of it all over again (on DVR).  Yes, I am a track geek.  And I am ok with the fact that I cannot relate to running anywhere near as fast as any of the athletes I watched.  But it was inspiring.

See you on the roads....