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The Great Treadmill Debate

January saw a drastic change in training as I discovered the drive that had been missing. It's really funny how the thought of dying a horrible death in front of onlookers at a race can do that.

I finished the month with double the miles of the last two months combined, plus 13 days at the YMCA. The result is an increase in speed, 4 pounds lost in the last two weeks and clothes that are not nearly as tight. Even on the coldest days I ran outside which brings me to the point of this blog: Outside running or a treadmill during inclement weather.

This debate has been hashed out by runners that are MUCH more accomplished than I across books,

magazines, on the internet and at every race I have ever run. The two camps are firmly entrenched and both are steadfast in their opinions. They actively try to look for weaknesses in the others troops and try to convert them at any chance. There is a third camp, the non racing runners. These are the ones that go to the gym and run on treadmills or around a track or trail to work on cardio health and or weight loss but have no desire to run a race. They are every bit as fast and talented as any other runners but I think many are blissfully unaware of the war being waged around them.

Often the outsiders wear that title like a badge of honor; they look down at the treadmillers like they are somewhat less of a runner. Some of their usual statements include things like "I have never found a race inside", "You need to train on the surface you are going to run on" and my personal favorite one "There are these things called weather and hills you might want to try." This group has even renamed the machine they hate, the DREADMILL.

The treadmillers tend to look at the outsiders with a mix of pity and amusement. Their favorite things to say are "It's much safer to run inside than in the rain or snow", "Why would I run in zero degree weather when I'm training for a June race" or "You do realize there is something called frostbite don't you?" They do run outside, just when the weather is cooperating. They do run hills and again, most are better runners than me.

I have a completely different take on this old argument. I run outside because I can't run on the treadmill, I'm not good enough. Here is the rather embarrassing true story of my last attempt:

My dad had a treadmill that (no matter what he says) was collecting dust when I decided to start training. He reluctantly agreed to let me "barrow" it so I set it up between my dining room and living room where I could walk or run while watching TV. As anyone who has ever tried to run with me can attest, I am absolutely terrible at running at any one pace, I'm all over the place. When I would increase the speed on the treadmill to be able to run I would have to hold on to the rails or pay close attention to stay on the tread. Then it happened. I was watching TV and found myself straying a little farther back than I should be so I increased my pace. The next thing I knew I stepped on the plastic in front of the tread which launched me directly into the front of the machine. Before I could grab anything my feet were in the air and my back was on the treadmill and I was flying backwards. My head hit the baseboard at the same time my feet hit the window which thankfully didn't break. The emergency stop cable had fallen off of me so the treadmill was still running, trying it's best to light my shoulder on fire as I tried to decide if I was still alive. Needless to say the treadmill is once again collecting dust at dad's house and I have yet to be brave enough to try again.

This means that I am an outsider, not because I am braver than the treadmillers, because they are braver than me. I am very interested in hearing what others think of this debate so feel free to post your comments.

The Kingsport Y

When I started losing weight I did it almost exclusively through first diet and then walking and running. I toyed with the idea of working out and even visited a couple of the places but nothing really seemed worth what the price was to me.

I really hadn't thought about it again until I found myself wanting to jump start things to start the new year and a friend posted that she had just joined the Y. I decided to go by and ask for a tour and figured I might as well give it a shot. After a couple of weeks there I can say that I really like it, so of course I figured it was time to blog about it. 

The facility:

The entry: The YMCA and the Kingsport Aquatic Center are housed in the same place and since the Y membership includes KAC membership I will talk about them as one. The parking area is big and I have yet to find it full. The building itself is new and very nice: it is handicap friendly throughout. Upon entering there is a nice lobby with seating and a desk that is always staffed with very polite and knowledgeable people. To the right is the entrance for those who are KAC members only, the left for YMCA members. There is a turn stall area where you must swipe to pass beyond the lobby which puts you into the area I call the back lobby. That's where you find a childcare area, the basketball court, more seating, water fountains, stairs and an elevator, offices and the locker rooms. 

The Locker Rooms - I have to start by saying that I can only comment on the men's locker room and suppose that the ladies is the same. The locker rooms are clean, well maintained and new. The lockers are a little on the small side but my biggest problem is the lack of room in each cubicle of lockers. At best maybe two people can access a locker in each cubicle at a time. During peak time I have had to wait in line to get to the locker my stuff is in and this seems to be the biggest complaint I have heard from members. Beyond the locker area, the bathroom and shower areas are also very clean and well maintained with the showers offering a double curtain area that provides ample privacy.

Group Activities - The activities are the biggest surprise for me. I have been to other gyms that offer classes and usually you have to sign up for a class or program and pay a little extra for each. These classes were most often in the evenings with one or two a day. At the Y there are classes starting in the early morning and lasting throughout the day until late in the evening and all are included with membership. With three rooms they actually run multiple classes at once and there is such a variety they have something for everyone. If you were to bring a couple of meals you could literally go from one class to the next and stay busy from 5:30 in the morning until 8 or 9 at night. So far I have only done one but was very impressed with how the instructor was able to adapt the course to work for different skill levels all at once. She was also very understanding when a friend and I needed extra help.

Cardio Equipment- Once you go upstairs you find a wide array of cardio equipment surrounding the work out areas. They have various cycles, steppers, treadmills and rowers to cover almost every need. I have yet to find a time when there was not a machine of some type available for use. By far the best collection of these I have seen.

Machine Weights - There is a workout area dedicated to machines, there are three rows of them to work out almost any body part with the safety of a cable weights. This area always has at least one trainer who is more than happy to explain the proper use of any machine there. They also have multiple areas with wipes so that you can clean the machine when you are through. The one problem I have found if you are like me and want to move quickly from one to the next is sometimes there is a log jam as others want to stay on the machine between sets and relax for 5 to 10 minutes. If you can skip that one and move to the next, it will usually clear up in a bit.

Free Weights- There is also a large free weight area with a variety of safety racks for most any lift and is also staffed with a trainer. I must admit that unlike in my younger days when I was all about the free weights, I have only ventured into them a couple of times so far as I want to mainly work core and cardio right now.

The Aquatic Center - The far side of the locker rooms leads to KAC. They have three different areas indoors with a smaller pool that has a handicap ramp in it that is mainly used for classes and open swim areas, a kiddie pool with a corkscrew slide and an Olympic pool that is usually divided and used for lap swimming. I have found that after a good run and workout, nothing finishes the day like floating around the pool for a while. I have noticed many families seem to take advantage of this chance to relax in the warm water as the winter blows outside and I can not wait to experience the outdoor pools and lazy river.

The other stuff - There are several other benefits to the Y. They offer day care and have rehab in house, have children's and senior programs, an indoor basketball court. During the summer they also have week long day camps for different age groups. Unlike other gyms I have already had two free meetings with a Wellness Coach and have another scheduled. This touch alone is worth gold to someone like me who is looking for an edge. They are also getting ready to expand the facility to offer even more room to get healthy.

Overall my first two weeks at the Y have been more than I could have hoped for: I have been able to work out in a clean, friendly environment 5 to 6 times a week at times that work best for me and have yet to find anyone who was unfriendly or rude in anyway. The only other knock I have on the place is that for such a running and biking friendly city, there are no connecting places to do either from the Y without using the shoulder of a major road. If anyone reads this blog with knowledge of who to talk to and the pull to get it done, I think that the construction around Eastman could easily incorporate a biking/running/walking trail just to the west of route 126. This could pass between the Toy F. Reid Center and the V. O. Dobbins Center and connect to Main Street and then at the Scott Adams Skate Park it could connect to the Greenbelt. This would be a great addition to the Greenbelt and would join it to the YMCA to allow for more people to enjoy both.  

The Next Chapter

Monday morning when I got off work it was cold and raining hard. I had rain gear with me but couldn't bring myself to run. I wondered around town and then I remembered that Beatrice had recently posted about joining the YMCA, so I decided to check it out.

The place is pretty nice. The equipment is top notch and they have multiple indoor pools, group class rooms and a basketball court. A trainer meet with me and we reviewed my goals, then he came up with a work out program just for me that is loaded on the computer so I can access it at any time from anywhere including several places there. The curious thing missing is a place to run, indoor or outdoor.

I have worked out there twice now and each time followed that with a run. My runs have been somewhat shorter and slower than they otherwise would be but I hope that this is a step in the right direction. If I can improve my overall fitness level then this should eventually lead to longer, faster running. I have another appointment with a trainer next week and hopefully I can figure out a schedule to balance out running and lifting to get the most out of both.

Today I plan to just run and possibly get up early enough to go workout before work in the morning to see how that goes. Regardless if this is a temporary thing or permanent I feel it is the right way to start getting rid of the fat I gained over the holidays.

                                Standby for further on this new experiment.  

Week 1 2015

As I said, I hope to post regular progress reports on this site. January first; by tradition the first is a day of reflection and trying to make changes in ones' life. As I detailed earlier the reflection I saw was of a back slider, someone who had become lazy. Phase two of the tradition is making changes to change the course you are taking. For me this involved a re-dedication to a healthy lifestyle.

I am happy to tell you that the year has started off very well. On the first I joined my friends James,
Jay and Dawn on a beautiful 8 1/2 mile mountain hike. While not technically a run, it was a great day spent with friends. It served to restore my soul and provide some much needed movement. This was followed by our first group run of the year 2 days later, a couple of solo runs and this morning I was blessed with the coldest run in almost a year, 3 degrees with a steady wind.

In all the first week had 28 plus miles of movement. That is almost as much as I have recorded for the entire month of November and ahead of last year's first week. Thank you to the PPP for the inspiration. You guys are AWESOME.

2014 Year Ending/2015 Goals

As I have written on the other pages, 2014 was a year of many highs and lows. The Year started awesome and if I could have kept up that pace I have no idea where I might have ended up. The official totals per my Garmin 610 watch are:

"Progress Summary Report for jdhubbmed"

 Count:,187 Activities
 Distance:,844.69 mi
 Time:,167:19:47 h:m:s
 Elevation Gain:,"75,425 ft"
 Avg Speed:,5.0 mph
 Avg HR:,153 bpm
 Avg Run Cadence:,87 spm
 Avg Bike Cadence:,--
 Calories:,"125,600 C"

 

While I am very proud of the sum of the totals I have pleaded to myself and everyone else to do better and be more consistent in 2015. A brief summary of those are to maintain my weight better, to help, encourage and support others,  to set PRs in all the distances and to run 1,000 miles. 

In addition to those I hope to post more progress reports this year and that this will add a degree of accountability.  

The Pavement Pounders

We were a strange group to say the least. The only things we had in common were we wanted to be in better shape, at some point in our life we had lived in one of the most rural areas of Virginia and we all sort of knew someone else that was here. Oh, and we were explaining to the nice police officers what we were all doing in a bank parking lot on a Sunday afternoon. It was week three of our accidental group.

When I first started trying to run I needed someone to push me to move but as I progressed I “out grew” that. I started running by myself more and more and came to enjoy it. I rightfully told myself that with my unusual work schedule and time demands it would be nearly impossible to run with someone. Helpful people would tell me about group runs but I always thought why would I want to run with a group? That just seemed like a pathway to being embarrassed by far superior runners who would not understand my perspective. My first year of running was the occasional short run with a coworker or friend, one 8K and one 10K followed by a winter of doing nothing.

My second year was on a similar path until I got the invite that changed everything. A friend from high school had started running about the same time that I did but we had only recently found out what the other was doing. We had started talking and done a couple of races together. This morning she had sent me an invite to come run with another classmate who had just moved back. Our first run was a 5K course in our hometown where none of us lived anymore. Afterwards we took pictures and posted on Facebook that we had just had the inaugural run of The Pennington Pavement Pounders.

By the third weekend there were enough of us to attract the attention of the police AND the local newspaper. To my surprise I liked running with my group of misfits and started to look forward to our weekend meetings. Some of us were walkers, some runners, some were young, some old,  some wanted to win race bling, others wanted to finish a 5K, two were thinking about a half marathon and still others wanted to be able to lose a few pounds. It made no sense that we were working out together but somehow we meshed.

Then winter hit, the harshest in years. Our group splintered and between the holidays, snow and cold it seemed it was over. The meetings became sporadic and there were a couple of times that only two or three showed up. I really missed my friends.

Through the joys of social media we somehow continued to talk and now we seem to be emerging from hibernation. We have (thankfully) decided to move from the bank parking lot to the fairgrounds and collected more people in our “cult”. I sometimes think if anyone tries to play tennis, bike, walk or run anywhere close to us they get sucked in! If you happen to find yourself in Lee County on a weekend day and see an odd assortment of people around the fairgrounds or running and crawling through town stop and join us, you will be glad that you did. 

Getting Ready!

The last 2 weeks have been hectic and incredible at the same time. In that time at work the Spring race at Bristol has come and gone as well as multiple PALS and CPR classes and away from work I have seen The Johnson City Symphony for the first time (wow, they are really, really good). And then there is the running...

With the help and support of my great friends and the inspiration from Lilyan and her family this has been the best two weeks of training ever. Not only did I manage to get the 15 mile run in the other day, it was followed up this past week by the fastest 10K of the year! Yesterday morning started with another good long run of over 10 miles paced yet again by various members of the PPP. I can not overstate how important it is for me to have those people helping me, I would highly suggest that anyone close by join us or start or find a group close to wherever you are.

Next it was on to Kevin's place for his interesting idea of cross training. Most of us think of that as biking, swimming or a little weight lifting but I think he had recently watched Rocky IV and decided to get creative. After a hike straight up the mountain we spent the afternoon clearing brush and trees for a food plot. Swinging an axe and machete for the afternoon and then making brush piles might just be the best core workout I've done in years. Kevin you are a genius.

12 more days until The Oak Barrel Half Marathon and it finally feels like I'm getting ready. The payoff for all
the freezing cold days in the rain and snow is almost here, every day there is less doubt and more anticipation. Lynchburg, here we come!

What a Day!!

Today started off ordinary enough but turned into one of those days when everything just fell into place

perfectly. In exactly 21 days I have my first half marathon coming up and I had yet to make that run that was just a little farther than the race will be. Late last year I had, on a completely flat track in Leeman Fields, ran exactly 13.1 miles one time but I barely made it and by the end I was almost crawling. Last weekend I had attempted to again do 13.1 miles but it just wasn't to be and at 11.4 miles I cramped so bad I had to call it a day.

Yesterday I promised Lilyan, my almost 5 year old coach, that I would give her a long run today. I was meeting my running group, The PPP ( Pennington Pavement Pounders), at the same flat course I had ran the last 13.1 on but I decided to go a little early to start on my own. I started off going way too fast, a pace I could not hope to keep for a 5 K let alone any longer and after a brisk 1/2 mile I finally settled down. Then I thought since I was all alone anyway I might as well run through town until others show up, so I did. Of course running in town meant that I was giving up the flat for hills but I really didn't care.

I decided to try not to pay attention to my Garmin or phone and just stay at a comfortable pace where I was neither killing myself or loafing but just running. At some point I entered that zone that all runners strive to find although I seldom do. I wasn't worrying about times or problems or the upcoming race or breathing, and suddenly I realized I was almost 7 miles in. I returned to Leeman Fields and found two others had arrived. I went to my car and grabbed some water and orange slices and they were talking about really pushing themselves to see how fast they could do a 5K in and as I told them I would check on them later and headed back out on my own. While I didn't quite make it to the zone again I still found the miles clicking off and when I returned at 11 miles they fell in with me.

As much as sometimes it's good to run alone, for me it seems that especially later in a run a little company is what's needed to keep you going. At around 12 miles I told them I was going to try for 15 instead of sticking with the 13.1 and to their credit they told me they would help. The great people of the PPP paced me and kept me company and even convinced me to sprint to the end, we even had a meal before we left. It was good to relax with J2, Cindy, Lori, Jay, Terra, Leah and her husband, Kevin and my dad who had dropped by after such a rewarding run.

When I left home this morning to run, I was truly worried about the Oak Barrel 1/2 Marathon, could I really run 13.1 miles in three weeks or ever? After today I'm starting to think that maybe I should find another one to do in late summer or early fall and who knows, there might be a full in the future?

The Double Run Day

Today I did a first for me. Although in the past I have done an individual run and a group run on the same day, today I did another kind of double, I ran twice in the same day with others. Both runs were nearly identical distances and both were great in completely different ways.

A coworker who had recently started running again on a treadmill asked if we could run together after work. It was his first outside run in several months and he said we would probably have to walk parts of it. I told him we would just do his pace and when he needed to walk we would walk, we would just do what he felt he could do. Within the first 100 yards he was commenting on the difference between actual running and a treadmill but he started out brisker than I expected, I even warned him that he didn't want to burn out.

In the end we did a good four mile run and our pace was much better than I expected. He never had to walk and afterward was absolutely stoked that he had done it. It was great helping and encouraging a friend who wanted to get “back in the game” and he is already talking about doing the Crazy 8’s race now which is 3K farther than any race he has done. Even though I had originally planned on a longer run I felt good about the workout and it was worth it to do less. Plus I know that I now have another runner who will be pushing me in the future to be better and stronger.

On the way home I got an invite from Wally, who I had only ran with once to run with a group of his friends this evening. After pondering for a while I decided that it would be a good day to do a double run and went to meet them. As they showed up they were all very nice but I began to get the feeling that I was about to get my butt handed to me. Wally told me the course, which was a 5K, in case we got separated and then confirmed my fears saying that their goal pace was about 3 minutes a mile faster than mine.

At the start I managed to stay close enough to the pack for the first half a mile that cars passing could understand we were all in the same rough group. By one mile they were pulling away from me and by two miles I could only see two of them in the distance; two hills later they were gone. I was thinking they had invited me in and EVERYONE had left me in their dust. At the pace they were going they would be gone before I got back, maybe someone would be nice enough to wait for me or come looking for me. ( Joking, I know Wally wouldn't leave me stranded alone) With .5 miles to go someone was running towards me, encouraging me, then I passed close to the parking spot going towards the last turn and they shouted and clapped. As I came down the back road towards the group, they were all there, all clapping and encouraging me. Afterwards they all told me how good I had done and started planning their next few runs. After a few minutes I realized they were including me in on their plans, I didn't have to run as fast as them, just show up and try. Now there is a whole other gang of people to work out with. Thank you Wally! 

I started the day encouraging and ended being encouraged, the sport of running had come full circle in one day. That’s what running is all about: finding new friends, connecting with old ones, pushing and being pushed, helping and being helped. Maybe next time I should go for a triple?

Restoring Spirits

Sunday (2/23/14) was one of the prettiest of the year so far and my friend Joie decided that it would be a perfect time to stretch our legs and our endurance at the Guest River Gorge. After the punishment I experienced at Camp Tom Howard three days before I wasn't sure if I could do this or not. My spirit seemed close to broken.

If you have never experienced the Gorge or read about it here or other places let me give you a quick overview. It is absolutely beautiful, a converted rail line that runs 5 plus miles following the river from Coeburn to the merger with the Clinch River near Dungannon. The trail plunges around 1500 feet which means the return is a 1500 foot climb.

We started by agreeing that we should take it slow and steady so we would have the energy to run out. We also made sure to take ample water and tried a new idea, instead of energy gels or chews we took peeled oranges in a zip lock bag. Despite our best intentions we found ourselves lost in the day and the descent and maintaining a brisker than intended pace. When we reached the bottom we paused long enough to take a picture, eat some orange and then out we started.

The last time I ran the gorge I was alone and found it to be almost overwhelming. The climb was constant and excruciating and I honestly had moments that I doubted if I would make it. This time was entirely different! Having a great friend who also happens to be fairly evenly matched with you in ability and enthusiasm is an unbelievable blessing. We were able to work together to help and encourage each other during the return trip and not only made it out; we were smiling at the end. The oranges seemed to do great, natural sugar and sweetness with vitamins and potassium. 

2/20/14

Today I found yet another place that seemed to be uphill in every direction, Camp Tom Howard Road along South Holston Lake to Little Oak Camp Ground. It is full of steep climbs and drops and it kicked my butt! I was feeling good on the run out despite the climbs and really thought I had it. I felt the wall around 8 miles but kept pushing, at 9.4 miles I hit it and around mile 10 the wall decided to jump up and down on me. I recovered enough to finish at a limping jog but this route humbled me. I ended up running for 10 of the 11 miles, walking for 1 mile and yes when the wall came down on me I puked once. There was 3,168 feet of climbing which means exactly .6 miles of vertical climb and decent! I think I will have to try this place again in a week or so and see if I can get the better of it. I know this is only going to make me stronger with the Oak Barrel Half Marathon fast approaching.