Gametime Baby

Alright boys and girls, it's official. Team I Vodka Pulled a Hamstring (team name pending) is registered for the Palmetto200. We're young, fresh, spirited, and complete with a wide range of runners. Our skill levels range from your very own recreational clydesdale here, to an ultra-marathoner with loads of experience. Said ultra-marathoner also heads up a non profit organization that will co-sponsoring our team. Feel free to visit Love My Balls to check out what they're all about. I know what you're thinking...whoa, whoa...sponsors? Yeah, this is big time for this weekend warrior. And you'll notice I said "co" sponsor. Yep, Muscle Milk will also be outfitting our squad with the latest in energy and recovery supplements. Ah, yes, did I mention we have a member of the Charleston Bike Co. team on our squad as well? Mad props to my boy Woff for getting the sponsors on board.

So, onto the race. I realize that you could read about it on the website, but I need a reason to fill up space. Basically it's 208 miles from Columbia to James Island, SC. The race is made up of 36 legs to be completed by teams of either 12 or 6 runners. Yes, there are teams with only 6 people. In fact, in 2010, a 6-runner team won the entire thing. Moving on...the legs range from ~3 miles to over 9 miles. You run continuously through the night, beginning on a Friday morning and finishing on Saturday afternoon. From what I can tell, runners can total a low of just under 13 miles to just under 25 for the bravest of the brave. Now, this is where I start thinking...is it easier to run roughly 17 miles continuously...or broken up into 3 legs over 24 hours. I honestly don't know. Part of me once to say continuously because you have so little time for your legs to recover. I have a feeling ice and heating pads will be stocked on our vans. Thoughts?

Needless to say, I'm extremely excited and officially launched my training this past Saturday with a 3 mile run. It was awful to be kind. Shins were really hurting. Quite the contrary tonight, as I pounded out 5 good miles. I'm trying to change my stride to a mid-foot striking motion to cut down on the stress on my shins. It appeared to work tonight. Feeling good people...let's rally here and push for one hellish training session and one race that will certainly be for the books.

Getting Frustrated

So I ran this evening when I got home. My attire was a base layer, quarter zip pullover, shorts, and my compression sleeves. I don't know what the problem was this evening but I experienced the worst pain in my lower legs (specifically the inner portion of the lower shin). I don't know what the trouble was...but a number of things ran through my mind. The cold weather seems like a highly unlikely option. I feel that maybe I run differently when it's dark because I know the sidewalk is kind of screwed up in places. I guess that could alter my stride to the point of being uncomfortable for some muscles. Obviously frustrating.

So, some more info on the Palmetto 200. The race is in April and as far as I can tell, we'll be fielding a well rounded and balanced team. This will be a serious accomplishment for me and a few others, while some members of the team will knock it out of the park without much effort. The race is broken up into 36 legs with varying distances from 3 to 9 miles. I'd say we're looking at roughly 26 hours to finish the race and to me, it looks to be a logistical nightmare. But I'll leave that up to the pros.

I will gladly accept advice on what could be wrong with my legs. Maybe I need to see some type of sports medicine expert. I feel like I've tried a lot of the typical remedies, but I will continue to research new methods of treating shin splints. Keep it real.

Something Better Than Nothing

The new year has brought with it a change in training philosophy. I've been doing circuit workouts at the Y to try to increase my drop in weight. I've been incorporating some explosive exercises with cycling and elliptical training to try and cross train my body. So far, so good.

Some friends of mine have signed up for a race in April, the Palmetto 200. This will be a real test for me and I've interested in how the training and race will turn out. Check it out at Click Here