Here’s my little brother Matt’s last week of training. For those of you who are new to this tragic mess I call SR, I’m being incredibly generous and giving my 26 year old brother 10 weeks to train for the May 1st Eugene Marathon.
Never mind that he hasn’t ran in 8 years and spent those years keeping Camel and Marlboro’s stocks at record highs. details.
My little brother is a pretty funny bugger when you get to know him. This is what he emailed me:
Ok here we go as follows,
Monday: four minute mile
Tuesday: ran the London marathon in 2:12
Wednesday: ran with the bulls in Spain.
So I had a tough week.
“All seriousness aside, I’ll give you what you really want. So Saturday before this week was the Shamrock 15k race, and I was a little sore and tired, so I sorta took this week easier.”
MONDAY: ran 5.11 miles/42:35 8:20 pace
“Ran around Lake Padden twice. I tried to run at an 8:30 pace, so I did it a little bit faster than expected.”
TUESAY: REST
WEDNESDAY: Ran 6.9 miles/1:01:08 8:51 pace 4349 feet in elevation gain(!!)
“I was driving near my house looking for a place to run and came upon a nature reserve that I didn’t even know was there. I decided to run my seven miles there, even though I didn’t know anything about this place. Sort of a mistake.
This place had the most serious hills, and the downhills were switchbacks so you couldn’t go fast, then in places it got super narrow. It would be a good place to walk, but not run.
I felt like I was running six minute miles the way I was huffing and puffing. One hill alone was over a thousand feet in elevation. It was some hard running, but I didn’t know otherwise I wouldn’t have run there.”
THURSDAY: Ran 4.0 miles/36:40 9:09 pace
“Ran with Marlie so it was an easy run for me. It was hard for her, but I know she likes me to run with her so that’s why I did.”
FRIDAY: Ran 15.52 miles/2:12:40 8:40 pace
“I switched my long run from Saturday to today.
Around the ten mile mark, my legs started getting really sore every time I had to stop at streetlights, and my ankle was giving me a little bit of grief. This is the longest I’ve ever ran before so booya to that.”
(Will someone please tell him to eat a burger or 400??!)
SATURDAY: REST (They drove from Oregon to Phoenix on these days)
SUNDAY: REST
“I rested the past two days, and even today (Monday) I went on a run and had to cut it short because my ankle is hurting. I might have to take it a little easy this week, i don’t know. I’m icing it, but it still is hurting.
Anyhow, for this week I felt like I didn’t really run all that hard or that much mileage. I know I ran according to plan, for the most part, but it just kinda felt like an off week.”
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Has anyone else experienced ankle pain? I told Matt he HAS to go get some new shoes fitted for his specific needs.
Also, he hasn’t taken in any water or calories on any of his runs even his 15+ miler, but I just gave him a bunch of gels, drink mixes, etc. to try out.
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***Thanks for all the suggestions on face masks; now I need to go buy a couple new ones and try them out especially the one that will cure janky face.
***The winner of the G2V water bottle is # 292 Amy! Amy, please email me your info porfaplease.
Remember if you use the code SQUIRES you can get free shipping.
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{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
Running “runs” in the family! Dang–you tow make it seem so easy! Well done Mattman! And, Marlie looks adorable!
Practice your fueling pre-Eugene!! Listen to your Skinny Sis!
I hope his ankle gets better ASAP! That would suck if the pain gets in the way of his training.
And I concur about the 5 burgers!
I LOVE that you always show the same picture on your Matman updates. He definitely needs to get new shoes ASAP! My baby brother was running on shoes that were 9 years old and was wondering why he had shin splints. Seriously? Seriously. They’re ridonk.
Try You Tubing “ankle strengthening” and “calf strengthening”. I got a load of cool exercises to do even whilst sitting at my desk at work. I’m a marathon rookie too (4 weeks to go) and I got ankle and shin pain, especially after long runs and/or hill work. I agree about the shoes and also icing every single day has totally helped me.
When will you be choosing a winner for the CEP socks?
i already did, sorry my friend.
matman’s ankle pain could be from his shoes. i experience the same sort of thing. like, ankle/shin pain. it’s totally ridic man. i started running ‘barefoot’. bought myself a pair of vibram five-fingers as well as a pair of the new balance minimus trails – makes a HUGE difference with reducing running injuries for me …. but running ‘barefoot’ is a lot more comfortable on softer surfaces such as trails …. which could have a lot to do with why i get injured less as well!
wow. that was a long sentence. anywho… hope that helps…. mat should try out the barefoot running thing anyways. midfoot – forefoot strike really helps with reducing injuries in general. when you have a 23mm heel drop (average to standard running shoes) it pretty much forces you to have a pretty hard heel-strike, unless you’re just that dang good – which i KNOW you both are …. in standard runners i have to conciously force myself to stike with my mid-foot, and toe-strike is damn near impossible.
ok. i am done rambling off now …. yikes! don’t hate me
awesome blog! don’t stop!
I’ve had loads of ankle problems in the past! Stress fracture, peroneal tendonitis. I’ve avoided injuries to that area (knock on wood) the past few years, mainly just by making sure to stretch/foam roll my calves, which would get really tight and screw up the ankles. I hope his gets better soon!
Holy cow you are both so super speedy! No ankle pain for me, I’ve always had knee/IT band pain now and then.
I love that he is willing to go on slower runs with Marlie. I haven’t made Ryan run at my pace with me yet. I’m sure it’d be similar to fast walking to him. GREAT JOB Matt! Hope your ankle gets better soon!
It is so awesome your brother is doing this! I just convinced my brother to run a half with me…and like your bro, he needs to eat about 800 burgers and will probably still kick my butt come race day even though he barely even runs as of right now.
Ugh, my ankle is in pain at this very moment.
I don’t know what I did. But maybe I need better shoes.
I haven’t gotten new running shoes, and the shoes I have are over a year old (with maybe 25 miles on them).
even with low mileage, shoes will start breaking down even sitting on the shelf not to mention the cushioning whereever it might be becomes hard and increases pain and risk of injury.
Ankle and all, your brother is amazing! Going from nothing to 15 miles is a lot to wrap your head around mentally. Shoot, I can’t wait to see his marathon! Once he starts fueling he is going to be even faster!
I had tendonitis in my ankle when I did the Nashville Marathon last year. It hurt so bad. I got some custom orthotics and that really helped. To get through the race it might be one of those tape the crap out of it and hope for the best.
I’m so impressed at how quickly he’s achieving these mileages! I’d definitely get him some new, well fitted shoes. I bet that’s 99% of the problem. Can he bike for a few days to give his ankle a rest? That will probably help too. Way to go MATMAN!
Great Job Matt!! Listen to your sis and her fellow readers/bloggers and please have your gait analyzed. It’s actually a very interesting process. It was something I put off for a long time and wish I didn’t. Since I’ve been wearing the proper shoe…no more aches, hamstring issues, blisters, lost toe-nails…etc.!! It’s really worth it. ORTHOTICS not so much but, the RIGHT SHOE…so worth it!!
Your brother is a beast! It’s prolly just a wnoky ankle thing, it will go away
Your bro is so cute when he talks about running with Marlie, what a gentleman!
By the way I just started a blog and you were one of my major inspirations. Thanks for being awesome!
I experienced some chronic ankle pain a few years ago…totally bizarre and I never could figure it out. It would get so bad that I’d have to stop and “limp” home. I would ice and rest and it gradually went away. I ended up attributing it to my gait being off after having a baby and gaining weight and all that jazz. Not at all helpful since I’m pretty sure Matty hasn’t given birth recently…. :p
yay for Matt doing good! Sorry about his ankle, good running sneakers are a must!
Marley is adorable, love the pic of her sticking her tongue out in the back, lol!
Question, is Matt still smoke free?!!
Early last week, I had pretty bad knee pain that was traveling down to my ankle. I iced it, took some ibuprofen and took two days off. All is well now. I was kind of hoping it was my shoes so I could buy a new pair. They usually help. Take him to a pro running store so they can make sure he is getting the right arch support. Hope his race goes well!
New shoes do the body good matti!
My husband started having ankle pain when training for the CIM last year. He has the same build as your bro. He described it as searing and like someone was stabbing him in the ankle, between his inside ankle bone and the tendon that comes up when you flex the front of your calf. Sooo he got fitted for a new pair of Brooks, wrapped his ankle and iced it everytime he ran. Normally he runs in Nike lunars or his Nike frees but anything over 9-10 miles he puts the Brooks on.
So prebaby and pre-myhusbandworksamillionhoursaweek when I had time to run, I fixed my ankle pain with good shoes and a few chiropractic adjustments. I way overpronated and it made all the difference!
Ooh, hope that ankle gets better! Great job to Matt anyway though!!! I just got a new pair of running shoes because I’d worn out the soles in my old ones…starting to cause some serious problems no lies!
Matt needs to get his gait analyzed and get new sneakers! I have a problem with my right ankle/shin and I thought it was because I needed new sneaks. After I bought the sneakers best for me, the pain kept returning. My doctor told me it was because I was overworking my body. Running too much and not enough cross training. So maybe Matt needs to add some cross-training in his life. Good luck!!
New shoes all the way. My toes have been killing me when I run and I know it’s time to ditch the toe torturers and get some comfy newbies that make me feel like I am running on air.
Also, to strengthen the ankle, and I’ve been doing this and seeing improvement, stand with right shoulder toward the wall, close your eyes, lift left leg up, bend right knee slightly, and place right finger tips lightly on wall. You’ll be amazed at the challenge you feel, my ankle was soooo wobbly at first, but has improved.
I also forgot to mention, hold for 30 seconds!
Holy crap, is Eugene only 5 weeks away!?!
People have definitely conquered a marathon with less than a 16 miler under there belt, so that 15+ run is awesome. He’s definitely gonna be able to finish, and no matter what that’s pretty astounding for zero to 26.2 in 10 weeks
Was his 7 miler on trails? If he’s used to running on pavement, then does 7 miles on trails, it’s a completely different terrain — I bet that’s what caused his ankle to get weird (since on trails, your feet don’t always land the same way).
Best recipe for it? Rest and ice! Even if he takes a week off at this point might be better, then blowing his whole training off because he didn’t give his ankle enough rest (he’ll be able to pick it back up right where he left off). Wrapping up with an ace bandage should help as well.
I love that Matt runs with Marlie. It’s funny, when I used to run with my husband before we got married, he had to run slower to run with me. Now it’s the opposite. Matt better watch out!
I actually have some ankle pain lately (after switching from inside to outside running). I went to the chiro and she did some stim (I actually went this morning) and it feels phenomenal now. Don’t know if that helps.
My left ankle has had a light sprain for years. It won’t go away. I just run with it. I would suggest that Matt trade running faster for running longer and slower. At least on this first marathon.
Also there seems to be a new format today. The site looks very different on my iPad
my running partner in crime has lots of ankle issues, which we finally discovered are based onher gait…NEW fitted shoes are a must to have and keep up. but I also recommend that he run some during all his runs without any music(if not already) and pay close attention to his foot falls….also paying close attention to where they are falling….MRPIC- has this weird thing that she does when she is fatiqued mostly and she actually throws hips out funny…which lands her not squarely on her foot, slightly rolling her ankle and making it hurt..she is also naturally born ethiopian skinny like him, so maybe the burgers are great idea too!
I had an ankle situation following my first half marathon, that knocked me out of training for about 10 days. Icing, resting, and stretching seemed to do it.
Oh. And NEW SHOES.