Book Review: "Run for Life" by Roy M. Wallack

I picked up "Run for Life" by Roy M. Wallack on Amazon.com two weeks ago.  I love this book!

I've been devouring this book section by section.  Wallack's advice has been helpful from the day I picked up "Run for Life".

I received it on a Friday just before my first 10K run.  Right off the bat I incorporated a few of Wallack's suggestions - to shorten my stride, avoid heel striking and increase the number of strides I take when I want to move faster - for the 10K that following Sunday.  The result was a very solid run (not necessarily faster but certainly very steady) with very little soreness afterwards!  In fact, I finished faster than in my one other 10K run (a week earlier during my training) and felt a lot less tightness and soreness in my knees and quads during and after the run.

The various chapter-length interviews of runners of all ages and backgrounds (all successful runners) interspersed between more technical chapters makes for learning opportunities through the experiences of others.  It's also inspirational and motivational to read about the incredible success stories of famous and not-so-famous runners.

It's reassuring that I am already doing some of the things Wallack strongly suggests in "Run for Life" such as strength-training to supplement the weekly running.  I've been doing strength training right from this last get-go** which began in February 2010 and I felt it helped me avoid injuries.  Reading about the benefits of strength training made me that much more dedicated to the strength-training component of my workouts.

One thing I ignored and even avoided before reading "Run for Life" is cross-training on a bike or an eliptical runner.  Wallack is a strong advocate of adding a few days of cross-training with other aerobic exercises like biking and even swimming.  I'm not taking up swimming yet because I don't have ready access to a lap pool.  I am, however, adding the stationary bike and the eliptical machine into my workouts on days when I want to get an aerobic workout but want to rest my legs from the impact of running.

Wallack doesn't write this book as an expert but as a runner himself who knows a lot about running from talking and working with expert runners.  This is good because his suggestions and prescriptions can be tailored to my own needs more readily since the advice is distilled and explained in a manner that is relevant to an amateur/beginner runner like me.

Also helpful is some contrarian points of view that Wallack includes in the book.  I've read a chapter on why distance running is not good (everything else I've read in the book is about longer distances).  This chapter talks about a point of view that suggests that strength training and sprints are the way to go.

Wallack neither accepts nor rejects this point of view.  Instead, he does a pretty good job of gleaning lessons from this point of view and explains the benefits of incorporating some of these techniques in order to improve one's distance running.

I feel comfortable relying on Wallack's advice in "Run for Life" because I've received some independent validation of several of his recommendations.  When I talk to my runner friends (folks who've been running for years and who regularly participate/compete in a range of races from 5Ks to marathons) and tell them about ideas or techniques or tips, they often nod and say things like "yeah, that's what I do" or "sure, I've heard of that before".

After my 10K a few weeks ago I was telling a friend at work about my experience and about the techniques I tried to adopt during that run (shorter strides, mid-foot striking, etc).  He said yeah, that's all good and that's how he does it but he jokingly said he didn't need a book to tell him that.

Odd as it may sound, that is actually a ringing endorsement for "Run for Life".  I told my friend that none of these tips were things I would have come up with in the short term.  Sure, over time I may have picked up on these techniques, but I'm 40 years old and my body is pretty badly beaten up and run down by my lack of proper fitness over the last 12 to 15 years and I don't have the strength or the sturdiness to use my body as a laboratory to experiment and learn.  Instead, I want to shorten the learning curve and adopt running forms and training tips that have been tested over time by others.

I expect to use "Run for Life" by Roy M. Wallack as a guide and a "how-to" book as I develop my own running capacity.  I see myself going back to this book for advice and inspiration for quite some time.  I'm definitely hooked on running and I want to do what I can to improve my running life longevity.  Essentially that is what Wallack's book sets out to do.

I'm glad I picked this book up.

Title:                    "Run for Life"
Author:                 Roy M. Wallack
Publisher:             Skyhorse Publishing
Copyright:            2009
ISBN:                   978-1-60239-344-8

"Race against Hate" 10K in Evanston, IL - Another milestone

A colleague at work sent around an intra-office email 10 days ago asking for volunteers to run with him in a 10K.  It was the 2010 Ricky Byrdsong Memorial "Race Against Hate" in Evanston, IL on Sunday, June 20, 2010.

Just a few days before the email I completed a 1 hour run and covered about 5.70 miles.  A 10K is 6.2 miles (that's just another one half mile more than what I just ran) and I felt reasonably confident that I could do it.

A friend of mine had been encouraging me to step up my distance from 5K to 10K for several weeks already and I had read something on a running website that suggested that signing up for a race is good motivation for stepping up the training for it.  I knew the value of this latter bit of advice as it is why I've been signing up for 5K races in the first place.

The confluence of these "signs" convinced me that it was indeed time to go for a 10K race.

I signed up for the race and then this past Monday after work I mapped out 6.2 miles in my neighborhood and late at night I set out to run a trial 10K.  I finished it in 1 hour and 14 minutes, and my thighs, knees and shins were fairly sore afterwards.  But the slow pace and soreness notwithstanding, I proved to myself that I can run 6.2 miles.

The rest of this week I didn't run.  I got a lot of advice from other runs that I should save my legs this week.  I decided to heed this advice (a few people said I should run but I opted not to).  I lieu of running I cross-trained on a stationary bike 2 times this week and to do a light weight training workout.  On Friday night I did run around a fair amount with my kids.  We raced to the park and then did sprint races on the basketball court.  These were my only workouts leading up to today's 10K race.

This morning I got up at 5am and showered, got dressed and had a protein drink.  I took a large cup of hot black coffee with me in the car and ate a banana along the the way.  I arrived at my colleague's house in Evanston at 6:40am.  He already picked up our race materials so we put on our racing bibs and walked over to Long Field which was the staging ground for the run.

We arrived at Long Field at about 7:05am.  We stretched, got some free sports drinks from the sponsors and then stretched out as we waited for the 7:30m start.  I told my colleague that I run slow and that he should have no worries about running ahead in the run.

At 7:30am the race was underway.  It was a nice course that took us along the lakefront.  In fact, the lakefront was visible for most of our run.

It was cool out this morning and partly sunny (by the end of the race it was overcast and it started to drizzle on my walk back to the car).  At one point in the race we could see the downtown Chicago skyline as we ran.

The race organizers made sure to mark each mile.  This was a great help.  I don't know if this is how all 10K races are organized but I liked it.  It helped me maintain my pace and it allowed me to focus on the smaller goals of each mile.

Running next to the lakefront was nice but the paths were narrow and there were a lot of runners.  Many of us were novice runners and slow runners.  Some were inconsiderate runners as well.  What really bothered me were the couples and the groups who ran shoulder to shoulder and blocked the path.  I and others had to detour from the paved path onto the damp and muddy grass to pass these groups.  It wasn't a big deal but it did create a distraction.

I ran the race without any music.  I found that running without music is actually more enjoyable than running with music.  I can look around, I can think about things and I can motivate myself as  I run.  I think I will start running without my ipod (this doesn't apply to the treadmill - running without music on the treadmill would be too boring).

The last three quarters of a mile was a straight-away.  The finish line was visible and this helped keep me running steady.  Because I ran so slowly, but this time in the race I was sharing the road with the 5K fun walk folks.  In fact the bulk of the folks on the road were walkers and I had to zigzag around them to the finish line.

I ran hard through the finish line.  I felt good as I finished the race.  My colleague had moved ahead right at the outset and was waiting for me at the finish line.

I feel blessed to be healthy enough to run as much as I am.  I love the feeling I get during and after I run. Running has been a great way to lose weight and improve my cardiovascular system.

I've signed up for one more 5K for the summer.  It's The Chicago Volunteer Legal Services' "Race Judicata" on July 22nd.  I'm not sure when I'll run another 10K this summer.  I'll definitely try to add miles to my long runs beyond the 6.2 miles that I'm able to do now.

The next big goal I'm focusing on (there may be some smaller goals in between of course) is a half-marathon during Thanksgiving weekend.  That's 13.1 miles on at the end of November.  I've got about 5 months to add another 7 miles.  I feel very confident that I can do it.

Hydro-static weight testing done today

I had an appointment with the University of Illinois at Chicago Human Performance Lab today.  I was scheduled to have a hydro-static weight test performed.  This is a sophisticated means of measuring a person weight in terms of lean mass versus fat.

I can tell that I've made a lot of progress in my journey to become more fit over the past 4 months.  I've had to get new clothes.  I can run longer, faster and farther today then I could at the beginning of February.  I am lifting considerably heavier weights during my strength training sessions.  Oh, and the scale shows me to be 40 lbs lighter today than at the beginning of February.

All of these benchmarks or milestones are valuable, but I felt I needed some thing more to help me stay motivated and to break through to a higher level of fitness.  Even after losing 40 lbs I know just by using the "eye balls" test that I have a lot more weight that needs to be shed.  But how much?

According to various web-based body-mass-index calculators I should weigh between 122 to 164 lbs.  I struggled to understand how this was possible.  I know my body, and while I'm not suggesting I'm muscle-bound, I know that I would be emaciated at 164 lbs (and probably near death at 122 lbs).  But most people hear that and think I'm just engaging in delusional thinking.

I knew I wasn't deluding myself.  I've been very honest about myself these past 4+ months.  I'm not talking myself into complacency when it comes to eating and exercising.  That's why I decided that I need to get a handle on what my ideal weight should be.

Thus the UIC Human Performance Lab.  For $45 I was able to have a hydro-static weight test performed with a detailed report presented afterwards.  Hydro-static weight testing is described as follows:

The most accurate body composition test that uses underwater weighing to determine anatomical mass. The error percentage of this test is 1-2 percent.

For more information on this procedure click here.

After work today I walked the 1 mile from my downtown office to the UIC campus and the Human Performance Lab.  The folks at the HP Lab were very friendly and efficient.  We got in, discussed the procedure, got underway, reviewed the results and I was able to walk to the train station and get home just a bit later than usual!

About the test itself - it was a bit harder than I had thought.  I assumed that it was just a fancy water-displacement measurement and that all I'd have to do is get into a small pool, sit for a while and let a fancy computer do some calculations.

I did have to sit in a pool.  A water displacement measurement was a part of the test.  It was more complicated and more physically demanding than what I had imagined.  The pool has a frame inside of it which I sat on.  I guess it is like a scale of sorts.  Over the course of several minutes (I'm guessing about 15) I had to exhale and then submerge my head (face first) into the water, exhale some more until no water bubbles were present and then wait about an additional 4 seconds.  I wasn't allowed to come up for air until the technician/trainer told me (I could hear him while my head was under water).

The first time I tried it I pulled up way too early.  Over the next 6 rounds I was able to do it right and my trainer was able to get a good and reliable reading (that's his characterization).  I was ready to continue doing this but he said he had enough reliable measurements to run the analysis.  I was winded.  It felt like I was intentionally drowning myself.  Not exactly a pleasant feeling.

The night before when I told my wife that I was undergoing this test she kind of scoffed at the idea.  I told her that I thought the computer estimates (based on height and weight only) were too high - most online test show that my % body fat was over 32%.

My wife told me to pull up my shirt.  I did.  She looked at my midsection and then looked up and said - the computer sounds about accurate.

Well my dear, you were wrong.  The hydro-static weight test shows that my percentage body fat is 23.6%.  Hah!  That's over 9% less!

The test showed that my fat-free mass (in lbs) is 162 and that the fat mass (in lbs) is 50.  My first thought was that 50 lbs of fat is still a lot!

But it turns out that about 2% to 5% body fat is essential and that for my age a body fat percentage between 10 and 14% is consider excellent.  If I lose another 25 lbs and get down to 185 lbs then my body fat percentage will be 13.5 %!  I can do that!

I'm only 25 lbs away from a very healthy body fat percentage!  This is incredible news for me.  Given that strength training and high levels of lean protein have been a part of my regimen over the past 4+ months (and because my strength as measured by the weights I'm able to lift has gone up dramatically) I am confident that my weight loss thus far has been mainly water and then fat (not muscle).  So, as long as I keep up this regimen I can be down to an ideal weight within the next 2.5 months!

This is precisely why I had the hydro-static weight test done.  I wanted a solid assessment of my weight and the amount of fat still stored in my body.  I have that information now and with it I'm able to set meaningful goals for the next phase of my fitness journey!

I plan to go back to the UIC Human Performance Lab in late September for another hydro-static weight test to track my progress.  It's definitely worth the $45 I invested.

I just ran 6.2 miles this evening!

This is about the farthest I've ever run - 6.2 miles!  I'm very excited.

It was hard to do.  The beginning and the end are the toughest parts of my run (regardless of the distance).  I want to start out faster but I'm very nervous about injuring myself and getting sidelined from my cardio workouts.  Also, I just feel stiff as I start the run and starting slowly helps me get loosened up.

The end of the run is really hard on me.  Physically, with about 1.5 miles to go I began to feel a little (very slight but real) tingling pain in my left knee.  My left shin also started to hurt ever so slightly and my lower back started tightening up.  The physical pain is made worse by my wandering and worrying mind.  I start to worry about the pain.  Should I stop I wonder to myself.  No!  I tell myself to toughen up and finish the run.  And I do.

I've agreed to participate in a 10K this coming Sunday.  Aye Caramba!  What the heck was I thinking?  At least now I know that I can cover the distance - 6.2 miles.  Between Tuesday and Sunday morning I need to train in a way that helps me to be strong and rested for the 10K.  Hopefully I'll get some feedback from friends.  The good news for me is that I will not have to cover this distance again until Sunday!

My weight is down but not nearly as much as I had hoped by this time (mid-June).  I'm going to keep going with the healthy eating and the steady workouts.  I may be plateauing a bit but that shouldn't last forever.

Things are going well so far!

A Great Memorial Day Weekend for Fitness!

Last weekend was Memorial Day Weekend and it was a great time for fitness!

I ran in 2 5K runs, one on Saturday and the other on Monday.  In between, on Sunday, I went out for a 60 minute run outside.  It is great to finally be at a  point where I can actually get out and run regularly!

The Saturday run was "Miles for the Military".  It was a charity run for "Heart of a Veteran Foundation" and was sponsored by the South Barrington Park District and the Arboretum of South Barrington.  I completed the race in 31 minutes 55 seconds.  That was a 4 second improvement for the Bright Hope 5K just a week or two earlier!

On Sunday I ran the 33rd Annual Elgin Valley Fox Trot 5K.  I ran with one of my nephews.  I ran very slow.  My time was 35 minutes.  I don't think I ran hard enough.  There was too much gas left in the tank afterwards (also, I ran about 5 miles on Sunday and I'm sure I was a bit more tired than I would have liked).

There was a lot of eating over the Memorial Day Weekend but thanks to the increased physical activity I was able to keep the weight steady through the weekend!

Oh, and speaking of weight, I'm at 218 lbs as of today (6/5/10).  When I started working out at the end of January 2010 I was at 245 to 250 lbs.  It feels great to lighter!  I feel better.  I definitely feel like I have more energy.

Still, there is a ways to go.  I want to get down to 175 lbs.  Originally I was shooting for the beginning of August.  Now I'm not so sure I can swing it.  That's 40 lbs in 2 months and that is probably pushing it just a bit too hard.  I do think I can make that weight but mid-September though so that will be my goal.

Just to put all of this into perspective, here's what I looked like just before I started working out this year:

Maybe it's a bit hard to tell because I have a huge Bears jersey on, but trust me, I've trimmed down quite a bit!