Stefan's Insights

This is just a quick post to provide a link to the pictures: Click here for pictures (use runners / runners) . And I will post more  impressions, stories and experiences soon !

Image by super-structure via Flickr This Sunday all the getting up early on a Saturday, all the running and sweating is reaching its ultimate destination – the full 26.2 mile MAUI MARATHON. Find all information about it here . I am ready for it. I am not running training runs this week to give my body a rest. I am preparing my running stuff, gels, shot blocks, salt packs, etc. etc... This is also a great opportunity for everyone to support me in my efforts by donating to the AIDS Foundation Chicago ! < Click here > Wish me luck and no sunburn :-) ! Thank you !!!

Image by Michael248 via Flickr First of all – Chief O’Neills is a great place to have a party ! Thank you all at Chief’s for your help and support ! Given that there is a lot of things going on at work, I struggled to get to my own party on time :-). I just made it to the official start at 7pm – being greeted by my working colleagues who already were there enjoying themselves LOL. I checked in with the owner, the event coordinator and the staff to make sure everything is ready to go, set up my door table to give out the little ticket stubs in return for a donation. The staff had put a little round glass vase on the table – which turned out to become the donation container :-). I laid out the drawing block and the different color markers I bought, to allow people to draw and doodle about this event or about running in general. The band came and set themselves up on the little stage in the room I had available for this event. This room was perfect.. it was in the middle o...

I couldn't run with my regular running group this Saturday, but caught up Sunday morning with my 23 miler. Started at 31st street (which is the 6mile marker), ran down to the 1 mile marked (end of lake shore drive), back up north to North avenue beach (12mile marker) and back to 31st street, where I added just another 1/2 mile south and back to complete the total of 23 miles. For all you runners, I ran the first 12 miles on a 4:2 interval, and 11 miles on 2:2. No shin splint pain (new running style!), no blisters (double-lined socks), legs a little sore. Lessons learned - dont forget salt packs (important after 15miles), and !!! put sun lotion not only on face and arms, but also on the BACK of your legs (i ran 11 miles straight north) - got sunburned on the backside of my knees LOL ! Now I am back on my running schedule and am looking forward to run with my group again.. Thank you to all of you who provided donations so far - your support is highly appreciated and makes the effort ...

Image by kenkilfedder via Flickr 20 Miles – This Saturday morning I ran with my running group at 7am to do our step-down run with 8 miles at our typical 11:30min. pace on a 4:1 interval. This means that we tried to run each mile within 11:30-12minute pace and switch between 4 minutes or running and 1 minute of walking continiously during the length of this 8 mile run. Well, for me today was special. I had dealt with Shin Splint issues over the last couple of week, but by changing my running style, I was successful to get rid of it. Basically, my running is now similar to that of a cross-country skier. So after the first 8 miles (1:34 hour later), I stocked up with water again and within 10 minutes continued to head out again, continuing for 6 miles at a 3:1 schedule and finished the last 6 on a 2:2 schedule. Yes, it was hot – around 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Yes, it was loooooooong, but really not that bad. Appropriate hydration was really important. I am back !

Image via Wikipedia As I now know (learning by experience LOL), there are quite a few runners that eventually deal with ' shin splint ', a condition that causes pain on the front of your lower legs, in short because you are training too hard. I had bummed up my midweek mileage from 4-5 to 8 miles every other day and after the second week experienced this weird kind of pinch/pain, in this area that i didnt know i have muscles at :-). so now i had to give it a couple of days rest.. missed my 20miler weekend run (sorry running group, i really missed running with you!), but am recovering very well, trying to get back on track within the next week or so. my advise - dont force it, listen to your body, inform yourself and learn. this is not only for the short-term, but for the long-term and improvement of your health and your life-style, not just a short-term win. i told a friend about my marathon preparation and the shin splint issue, and he told me about CHi running. Now i am check...

Last Saturday, 5:30am – I am looking out the window and rain, thunder and lightning are making a clear statement about the weather conditions. I am getting prepared for the long run today anyway – 17 Miles. Like the one in California that every tourist drives along with their card.. except I will be running it step by step this morning. So I am mixing gatorade power in my 4 water bottles. I have a bowl of cereal, so my body has something to burn. I pack a backpack with additional bandaids, cremes, and stuff to change. Running hat, running cloth, switching the running interval on the watch, check, check, check. I know it will be tough towards the end of the run. My running group and me ran the 14 miler two weeks ago, but I also upped my mileage during the week. My advise to everybody running this distance the first time – be as well prepared as you can, then think of something that keeps your mind busy. In my case it is the constant time and pace checking since I am the runnin...