marathon

Q: Are black toenails just a part of marathon living?

| cheriarmour

I have gotten this question at least once a week from readers and customers combined.

For some unholy reason, folks have been washed into thinking that black toenails, or toenails that fall off are just a part of life when you’re running a marathon.  Or a half.  Or in some freaky cases, every time you do a long run.

So let’s put this thing in reverse.  When is it normal for your toenails to fall off?  The first answer is never.  Second, if you’ve ever slammed your toe in a door, or had it run over by some sort of vehicle before, usually the toenail that takes the biggest impact will turn black and eventually fall off.  It sounds hideous because it actually is.

So why would it make any sense that this should happen when you’re running long distances?

If you’re running in a shoe that’s too small, and a LOT of you are unwittingly doing just that, you may feel fine for a 3, 4, or even 5 mile run.  But do much more than that, and your feet, which will naturally swell as you pound them for miles and miles (increased blood flow to that extremity), will cause the toenail of the longest toe to start hitting the end of that shoe.  It sometimes will start as a toenail just getting a little sore.  And in a longer run situation, say a half-marathon, the toenail, which has repeatedly been slammed into the end of the shoe, will sometimes turn black, and fall off.  I’ve seen it happen to more than one toe, as well.

Bottom line, a lot of you are wearing shoes that are too small, and running around and thinking that it’s normal for your feet to have no breathing room.

The solution?  Next time you’re in for a shoe fitting, or next time you’re in a store with a Brannock device, (one of the foot measurey things), measure your foot.  That is your dress shoe size.  So for driving shoes, heels, wedges, and flats, you may wear that size because you’re not going to run a marathon in a pair of leopard ballet flats.  Then go up a half to a full size for your running shoes.  The way to measure if you’ve done it right?  Strap those running shoes on, and sitting in a chair, firmly tap your heels on the ground.  Then, stand up, bend over, and SHAKE DAT THANG.  Nope, kidding.  Bend over, and feel how much space there is between your longest toe and the end of your shoe.  You should have a thumb to half a thumbs width, and you should be able to easily curl your toes over with no difficulty.  Finally, don’t be dumb and get a shoe that’s like 8 sizes too huge here.  If you’re sloshing all over, the shoe is too large, and you need to reel it in.

So the final answer?  It is not normal for you to be getting sore black toenails after a long run or a race, and if you are, it’s time to reevaluate what the heck you’re wearing on your feet.

 

 

OMG.

Image | | cheriarmour

OMG.

We are running the Shamrock Marathon in 18 days.

It seemed sort of far away since it’s in March but it’s almost here! Kinda calm, kinda freakin out.

Q: You’re running a marathon….so why don’t you ever run 26.2 miles in your training?

| cheriarmour

I feel like I’ve been asked this question about a bazillion times since I started this marathon training thing.  I may have even wondered it myself prior to buckling down and doing the training.

But the training involves me running about 4 times a week, one long run, and then 3 others.  The long runs never go over 20 miles, and I just did my 20-miler last week.  And folks seem beyond puzzled.  So we chatted about it at work.  I did my research.  And I bring to you the answer.

I don’t really know.  That’s just what the training told me to do so I did it.

Landreth
Chilly day here in Raleigh! This is the Asics Landreth. Great shoe, right? Well it’s SO great that they’ve decided to discontinue it. ::side eye:: As far as a shoe family, it fits right in with the Brooks Ghost, the Saucony Ride, the Nike Pegasus, and the Adidas Glide as far as feel/shape/the fact that’ it’s neutral. And it’s yellow!

Sike.  So you can search high and low for marathon training programs.  Generally, most will be something like mine.  Some of the more advanced programs, for folks who may be more experienced and more elite may call for you to do maybe two 20-milers in the course of training.  But I’d be surprised if you could find a legitimate training program that would tell you to run over 22 miles.  Here’s why.  For one, there’s no training for 26.2 miles quite like a marathon.  Second, and this is coming from pretty seasoned pros, 20 miles is all well and good.  Much more than that for a simple training run, and you are shredding your body and legs.  And your body will need a long long time to recover from that.  So the deal is, if you’re training along with me for a marathon, follow your training program.  And though it may feel counter intuitive once you begin to taper (OMG, my mileage is decreasing?!), there’s a method to the madness.  On race day, you’re supposed to be rested, refreshed, and raring to go.  And the only way you do that is to get your super long runs out of the way about a month out, and then starting to let your body rest, heal, and hydrate for the big day.  How do you prepare for childbirth?  How do you prepare for your wedding day?  You get ready.  Read the books, do your training, and you talk to people who’ve done it.  Now I hope you guys can deal with the crazy as taper madness begins to descend on my household!

Take your cigs and get off the dang sidewalk!

| cheriarmour

I’m not one of those people who think that all cigarette smokers should burn in hell for all eternity.  Like all of us, they too have a weakness, and nicotine is a bad mamma jamma to escape from.  However.  Let me complain about some of you cigarette smokers for a second.  (Not all of yous, most are very lovely folks).

I actually feel bad when I see you guys huddled next to a freezing cold building.  I’m sure that sucks.  But I appreciate you abiding by the law and going to the designated area so I don’t have to breathe it in.  How-friggin-ever.  There are a few of you that I need to talk to.

Those of you who huddle in large masses in front of the coffee shops with your judgey eyes and your cigs, creating a Hiroshima-sized mushroom of smoke.  Those of you who walk down the middle, the middle, the MIDDLE of the sidewalk and ::Kim Richards puff:: puff away and only turn to blow smoke right in my face, after trailing it into my lungs for a quarter of a mile.  And finally, the guy who was jogging down Blount Street today with a Black & Mild  whilst trying to holla as I wrapped up my run.  Please get it together.  Get. It. Together.

I don’t judge you for smoking.  I understand.  You smoke, and I would spend my last $3 on nail polish if it came down to it.  We all have our things.  But please respect the fact that some of us are not interested in sharing your smoke.  If you’re smoking on the sidewalk, have some decency and cig it down by your thigh so at least I know you have some respect for the other people using the shared space.  If you’re smoking outside of a building, move away from the door so that folks inside the establishment aren’t all, “EW what is that smell!”.  And finally.  Finally. Finally.  If you’re in a place where people are running.  Running by themselves, running with their dogs, or most of all, running with their kids (stroller), just nix the cig until you get to a good spot where you won’t be harming anyone.

20 Miles Today

Image | | cheriarmour

20 Miles Today

Never in a hundred million years would I think that I would be running around in the cold for 20 miles. But I did it. At 6am it was me, Kathy Griffin’s autobiography (which literally had me falling over laughing at one point), some fairly caffeine-free nutrition, and a meet up toward the end for a few miles with my work bud, Jenny. And I did it! And I don’t feel like dying. I’d say all-around, 20 was a success. Now bring on the taper-madness! (PS I had a Roctane left over at the end, so that’s going to be my lucky gel from now on.)

Running revelation.

| cheriarmour

The weather turned absolutely gorgeous today in North Carolina.  When I pushed off this morning just after 11, it was nearing 60 degrees, so I popped on a tank, some Norts (if you’ve been following along, you know what Norts are), and hit the road for a naked, headphone-free run.

Mid-run I realized something.  I didn’t do a gut check before I left.  And I haven’t done a gut check in forever.  What is the gut check, you ask? The gut check is the practice of lifting up your shirt, checking your gut region, and analyzing it from each angle while lamenting everything you’ve eaten/every day you haven’t worked out for the past week.  Usually it’s followed by some pretty self-deprecating thoughts, swearing off all junk, and trolling celebrity gossip websites for bikini pictures of Mila Kunis.

I also realized that Target has some of their bikinis out and I’m not freaking out. And I came to this – exercise makes you feel so good about yourself, there’s really no need for the pre-summer freakout, or the New Years Resolution/Spring Break workout fest, followed by a crash.  I remember (especially being an undergraduate student with a little tummy pudge), feeling awful about my body.  Freaking out when it came to bathing suit time, feeling fiercely jealous of girls who actually worked out with great bodies, and not really knowing what to do to make the changes I wanted to see in my body and in my confidence.

Going from being mean to myself to caring about myself and actually being confident didn’t happen overnight, but I’ll say this.  I’m perfectly aware I’m not a supermodel, and that a career as Naomi Campbell may not be in the cards for me.  However, the more/harder I work out, the less worried I get wrapped up in what I look like.  I’m doing the best I can, my body is looking pretty fierce, so there’s no need to freak out or complain.

So if you’re one of those ladies (or gentlemen) constantly finding yourself doing the gut check, asking your significant other if you’re fat, or comparing yourself to weekly bikini pics in InTouch Weekly, chill out!  Commit yourself to an enjoyable regimen, and the self-destructive comments and humor will seem a silly little thing you did in the past!

Marathon training is turning me into an nutjob.

| cheriarmour

Don’t get me wrong, marathon training certainly has its perks.  It’s forcing me to eat a little healthier, go to bed earlier, and to be more regimented and disciplined, which is spilling over into my real life.  Plus, people seem to be, overall, pretty positive about the adventure I’m taking with this marathon, and have been wishing me luck both left and right.  I’ve been far better about budgeting, cleaning, and crosstraining, but its also served to take my inner nutjob and magnify it by 1000.  I’ve never run a marathon, but is this normal?  It can’t be, right?  The following are examples of how training for this marathon is turning me into a nut.

1.  I’m constantly hungry.  In my regular life, Cheri + hungry is a terrible combination.  When my blood sugar plummets, so does everyone’s fun, and all I can do is fantasize about slapping or saying really mean things to those around me.  Because of this, I’ve adopted the concept of second lunch.  I split my lunch in half, and eat second lunch around 3 or 4.  That way, my blood sugar is never too low, and no ones life is in danger when I become too hungry to be around.

2. Toward the end of my long runs, I’ve literally started talking myself through the final like tenth of a mile or so.  I’ve been “WOOING” as well.  Additionally, I actually did a victory dance after yesterday’s seventeen. I stopped when I realized it could be viewed as insane by passers-by.  As I entered my apartment, I kept dancing until I felt that it was time to stretch.

3.  I’m a little more anxious than usual.  And that’s not cool at all.  What am I anxious about?  Oh snap, time for another indentation, this one gets its own sublist.

  • My hair is looking a little jankier than usual.  Which is cool, I wear it natural.  But I’m running SO much, I haven’t had as much free time to twist it.  What if people think I look awful and unkempt?
  • I fainted in class two Saturdays ago due to a nasty cold I caught.  Now I am frightened that I will faint again (possibly during the marathon) and it is scaring the heck out of me.  Also, I don’t want to be fainting girl.  I just do not want to be known as sickly girl who faints all over the place!
  •  That my family/coworkers are sick and tired of hearing about this marathon.  Am I talking about it too much?
  • That I will lose a finger when my fingers get all Raynaudsey and I will be down a digit or two.
  • That I won’t be able to finish the marathon, and I will be thrown into the marathon paddy wagon and bring shame to my family.
  • And finally, that I’m doing my training all wrong.

Lucky for me, I work with a boatload of folks who have done this already, and my dear buddy Jerry directed me to this website which sort of eased my mind.

mcmillan running

You guys heard of this?  McMillan Running Calculator dohickey?

pace calculator

As I was thisclose to having a full-blown marathon-related meltdown at work, Jerry directed me to this site.  You put your 1/2 Marathon time in, and it calculates from that a reasonable estimate of where your pace should be, and where you should be as for as your miles times and such.  Jerry and Co. looked it over and remarked that I was right where I should be!  ::sigh:: Okay.

I recognize that my marathon-related fears are unreasonable and relatively non-issue-like.  And it certainly doesn’t help that I probably haven’t slept a full night since I graduated in 2011 (that’s another story for another day, lemme tell you what).  Taking that into consideration, I am going to do like they used to tell us in the early mornings during Residence Life training and choose my attitude.  Tomorrow, I’m going to choose to view this stuff as insane and unreasonable as it is, and not allow these ridiculous thoughts to creep in and sabatoge my marathon.  I certainly didn’t invest all this time, money, and effort, to let my fear that I haven’t packed enough for lunch, for example, ruin the great weekend we’re gonna have in Virginia Beach in a little over a month!

The key to 17 miles…

| cheriarmour

I didn’t bother posting yesterday…we celebrated our national holiday, the Beyonce Bowl, and you guys couldn’t care less what I have to say. But how dang good was that halftime show? Let me say that if the power had gone out during the halftime set, I may currently be hospitalized. Onto the good stuff!

I ran my long run yesterday, 17 miles.

I was kinda nervous since 16 didn’t feel so hot. But I think it was partially because I didn’t bring my Camelbak with me, and dehydrated muscles perform like a car with just a teensy bit of gas left. Also, I think 16 is the point where, if my blood sugar isn’t quite where it’s supposed to be, my body is like ::side-eye:: “Nope, Cherisse, not gonna happen today”.

But I started early, took a few Powerbar Gels and some Clif Shot Blocks with me, and settled in for a long ride. So the key to the 17-miler is…

17

–Katy Perry Pandora
-Pull out all the advice people have given you. Yoga Kerri told me just settle in and understand you’re going to be at it for a long time. While some folks may be snug as a bug, you’re going to be freezing your tush off, eating caffeinated gummy snacks. Embrace it.
-Pre-run compression (pictured above from the night before) is where it’s at for me! Compression isn’t just for post-surgery folks, runners have jumped on the bandwagon. Calf cramps, ugly swelling, and hopefully clots, in some cases, are banished with these guys. They don’t just look cool, they actually have a function!
-A whole lotta sweat. All that dark on my shirt? 17 miles worth of sweat. Which means a whole lotta water. Seriously, don’t skimp on the water. You will feel like garbage and that ain’t cute.
–Essie, “Go Overboard”.

Next week is 18 in my marathon training, and I feel a little better about it since 17 went so well. I seriously did a little victory dance there on the side of Glenwood as I finished. Workin’ on my moves for next week!!

I hope feet don’t gross you out…

| cheriarmour

But feet are sort of important when you’re running.  And pedicures should be part of everyone’s marathon training.

Weird things can happen to your feet when you’re training.  Warts (ick, from the gym!) Blisters.  Callouses. The dreaded bunion (and women are like 70% more likely to develop a bunion than men are…so unfair, right?).

So long story short, it’s super important to care for your feet.  Getting a shoe fitting at a legit store (not a big-box sporting goods place) is invaluable.  And I wouldn’t necessarily trust those sites where they tell you to enter your info in and they generate a shoe.  You need to have someone fit you, and it’s important to try things on, to let a trained staff member evaluate whether you’re in the right shoe, and take it from there.

In addition (and read no further if feet make you gag, okay?)….

OPI

If you’re training for something, whatever it may be, treat yourself to a pedi.  You can ask them to leave the callouses you think you’ll need, but it’s nice after a long run to have someone else rub your feet.  (And check out this color!  Ain’t bad, right?)