Yet another fall racing option

Once upon the time, in what seems like a lifetime ago (but was only about 18 months back), I was in the abyss of my broken-foot-imposed-non-stop-pool-running-saga.  And I had an interesting conversation with my non-running primary care doctor about my future athletic endeavors during that time.  Specifically, she suggested that I should just stick to pool-running instead of land running even after my foot healed, since they were more or less the same, I clearly enjoyed the pool-running, and it was less risk of injury than land running.

I worked very hard to explain to her exactly WHY this wouldn't work for me.  One of the points that I came up with was simply noting that I run so that I can compete, not simply to stay healthy or attractive, and there are no pool-running competitions.  If you want to race, you gotta run on land.

Great point, with one problem.  I was apparently wrong.

Introducing the first ever "Underwater Marathon" (as well as some shorter distances).

[hat tip to RunnersWorld for bringing to my attention]

Anyhoo, it's being held on September 9 in Pennsylvania, and isn't sold out yet.  You've got your choice of  5K, 10K, or half marathon distances, as well as the full marathon distance.  All run on underwater treadmills

The race is lacking in some of the traditional amenities -- no mention of a certified course, no pace teams, no water stops, no posted elevation map.  Heck, I don't see medals or t-shirts...  On the plus side, I'm pretty sure it's about impossible to cut the course for this race.  And hydration shouldn't be an issue.

So there you are.  There are water-running races.  I stand corrected (in chest-high water).   This one doesn't fit in my schedule well this year, so I'll have to skip (in truth, the entry fees are also a bit pricy for me, especially since they're not giving out t-shirts).  But if anyone runs it, please let me know.

Pool-running etiquette

Believe it or not, there is such a thing.

It doesn't seem like there should be. After all, how hard can it be?  It's not like you're sharing a track and jostling for lane 1.  Thing is, you're actually in close proximity to others for an extended period of time, doing something that's pretty tedious and potentially miserable.  If everyone adheres to certain rules, it's just a bit more pleasant.  Ergo:

• If you're sharing a lane, try not to be more than 2 across, unless it's a very wide lane or your group has the lane to yourselves.
• If you're running with a buddy, you're going to be chit chatting face to face for a while.  Brush your teeth!  Mouthwash! (fortunately, I've never had this issue with any of my pool-running buddies).
• If you have a large group of people, it works better to circle than to go back and forth -- the latter ends up turning into a slow motion aqua version of the "red rover" game.
• Know your audience, seriously.  Don't discuss your sex life with total strangers.
• If you get there early, don't take your buddy's favorite pool-running belt.  We tend to be pretty possessive about that stuff.
• When your friend is trying to gather the courage to get into the pool, splashing water at her (or him) does NOT help.
• If you are a swimmer, do NOT "buzz" the pool-runners, or swim under them.
• If you are a splashy swimmer, try to give the pool-runners extra clearance.  Believe it or not, many of us were hoping to keep our hair dry.
• Despite all of the above, seriously, don't get too wound up in it.  It's just pool-running.

Any others?

Stuff that is NOT useful for pool-running

Due to this being nominally a pool-running blog, I have quite a few posts dedicated to things that are useful for pool-running.  However, there are quite a few things out there that are NOT necessary, IMHO.

• Waterproof earphones  As I've noted previously, a waterproofed iPod is fantastic for pool-running.  It may just be your best friend.  But there's no need to waste $30+ on waterproof headphones for pool-running.  I've tried both waterproof headphones and ultracheap normal headphones.  The sound quality is the same in both (mediocre), and the waterproof headphones have not lasted any longer.  Save your money.
• Water shoes  Every once in a while, I'll speak to someone who will recommend water shoes for pool-running.  They've never been able to explain exactly how the shoes help, other than keeping your feet from being abraded when they make contact with the pool floor.   Since you're in deep water, the time your bare feet spend touching the concrete is limited to pool entry/exit, plus crossing the deck.  No need here.
• Water ankle weights  The theory here is that by using these weights, you increase the resistance against your feet and up the intensity of your workout.  Makes sense in a way.  Except for the fact that pool-running tends to overemphasize the hip flexors and underemphasize the glutes, as opposed to land running.  And weights are just going to amplify that discrepancy, making your pool-running less like land-running.  Skip the weights, and just move your legs faster to increase intensity.
• Water barbells  These are essentially dumbbells made of foam; by holding them in your hands to float, you increase the intensity of your workout, and also work on upper body strength.  Some people are big fans of them, because they increase intensity and make pool-running a full body workout.  The latter point is exactly my issue with these.  I want my pool-running to mimic land running as much as possible -- if I want increased intensity and upper body strength, I'll just swim instead.  Additionally, I think there's a risk that these encourage overuse of the upper body while running.  One of the things I'm always trying to work on is keeping my upper body as relaxed as possible while running; these dumbbells strike me as counterproductive and promoting bad running form.  (I'll note that many people disagree with me here.)
• Wall timer or watch  In all fairness, it's really easier to do interval workouts when you have access to something that shows time to the second.  And I LOVE my Garmin 310xt.  But a timer isn't essential.  If you don't have one, simply structure your interval workout by distance instead -- i.e. 20 laps is a tempo, or an interval is one and a half laps, with the recovery being the remaining half lap.  It really works quite well, as long as you take care not to "cheat" and cover the distance too quickly by doggie-paddling instead of pool-running.
• Noodles  Noodles are big with the aqua aerobics crowd.  I don't really see how a pool-runner would ever need such, though.  Of course, they are quite useful during the swim portion of a triathlon, so don't discount them for that purpose...

Bag lady's waterproof iPod

Previously, I posted instructions for a "poor woman's waterproof iPod" -- it's a way to waterproof your iPod when you don't have a nice waterproof case.

But, what to do when you forget both your waterproof case and your back-up plan of plastic baggie and swim cap?

Easy.  You somehow acquire a plastic shopping bag or similar (my gym has rolls of them; you could also grab one from any convenience store, or even raid a nearby dumpster), wrap your iPod in it, and then tuck the wadded bag into your hair bun, wrapping the excess plastic around your bun.

(if you pick the dumpster option, it might be worth a bit extra digging to see if anyone tossed out an iPod as well)

Obviously, this doesn't work that well if you don't have long hair to begin with.

Yup.  Bag lady waterproof iPod (wrapping the headphone cord around your bun works very well).

You're welcome.

Pro-tip: for additional yuks, make sure to walk back home through your urban neighborhood with the plastic shopping bag still in place. 

Everybody pool-runs

Even Usain Bolt.

Pool-running for recovery

When I was starting to return to running, I frequently did "mixed runs" -- start running on land, then swap into a bathing suit and finish out the miles by pool-running.  And even after I started phasing track workouts back in, I would do my warm-up and workout outside, but the cool-down in the pool (conveniently adjacent to the track).

The purpose behind this practice was simply to be careful with the stress I placed on my healing foot, by transitioning gradually from pool to land.  But along the way I noted a key side benefit.

I was NEVER sore after a track workout if I followed it with a pool run.  Never.

Ditto for races.  And also for upper body strength-training.  I could do eccentric weight work to failure, and yet the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) would be minimal or non-existent.  Again, IF I hopped in the pool right afterwards.

So, I've kept the pool-running as part of my routine even as I've returned to full mileage.  Essentially, I make sure to do 20 minutes of easy pool-running after any hard workout or race -- ideally as soon as possible.  And the benefits persist. 

Here's why I think it works.

a) Cold water.  No, it's not as cold as the ideal temperature for an ice bath (supposedly between 54-60 degrees), but apparently it's still cold enough to do the job.

b) Pressure.  It's well known that immersion in water results in significant hydrostatic pressure against the body, resulting in a lowered heart rate due to the higher stroke volume that results from the pressure.  In plainspeak: more pressure against your circulatory system means that more blood flows with each beat of the heart, so your heart has to beat less often to move the same amount of fluid.  This, BTW, is the same theory underlying the use of compression gear during performance.

Now, while the jury's out on the benefits of compression gear while racing, there's a bit more consensus on the benefit of compression for recovery.  Additionally, compression is one of the four components of the "RICE" treatment for recent injury (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). 

So, connecting the dots, it makes sense to me that the pressure exerted on the body when immersed in water would have a similar recovery effect to that produced by compression gear.

c) Movement.  In my humble non-educated opinion, this is what truly separates pool-running from an ice bath.  When taking an ice bath, you're most likely seated in your bathtub, meaning your hip flexors (and to a lesser extent, your quads) are in a shortened position.  If you have tight hip flexors, as I do, this is an issue.  By taking an ice bath while seated, I chill those muscles while they are shortened.  In doing so, I undo some of the good work I've put into lengthening those babies and correcting my lordosis/anterior pelvic tilt.   But when pool-running, I'm working my legs through their full range of motion, keeping those hip flexors lengthened (and also encouraging blood flow throughout my legs in the process). Much better, I think.

d) More appealing.  This one can't be discounted.  It's much easier to get into a pool for 20 minutes post race than to make up an ice bath.  And the best recovery techniques are the ones you actually use.



So...how do you do it?  Well, it's pretty easy.  Drive over to the pool after your race or workout, don your bathing suit (showering off the sweat and grime, please), and then hop in.  

Once in, I use my normal pool-running form, alternating between cycling and bounding.  The key differences are 1) that I really focus on full range of motion, rather than firing muscles, and 2) that I make sure to keep the effort very easy (I recommend using a belt even if you usually don't).  The key thing to remember is that this is not a workout, but recovery.

Sequel: Yet another 7 WTF/Duh!/Huh? Moments/Observations About Pool Running.

(previous in the series: 7 WTF/Duh!Huh? Moments/Observations About Pool-running and  7 More WTF/Duh!/Huh? Moments/Observations About Pool-running)

1. Swimmers are to pool-runners as bikers are to land-runners.
2. There are few things as annoying to the dedicated pool-runner as a cross-current.
3. The pool-running belt that won't stay tight is one of the few things more annoying than a cross-current.
4. You will make some very good friends pool-running.  And you'll be shocked when you finally meet them on land, and realize that you are in fact very different heights.
5. Key reason that pool-running is better than land-running -- nobody ever suggests that you carry your blackberry or cellphone with you while pool-running.
6. If someone hits on you while you're pool-running, it's frustratingly hard to get away.  You really are trapped.
7. Yes, it is possible to chafe while pool-running.  And bodyglide is much much less effective in the pool.
   

What not to wear

One of the problems with pool-running is that you go through suits quite quickly, necessitating the purchase of new. And it's surprisingly hard to find a suit that works for pool-running. Here's a few examples of suits I've noted while on-line shopping that I have declined to purchase for pool-running.

This is a good one for reminding you not to use your arms too much

Just in case you have trouble recalling where the belt goes

For the woman who has everything,
including a pair of "flotation devices" permanently implanted.

Doubles as a diaper

Comes with its own fabric rudder on the
 shoulder, in case you like running in circles.

Next

I've read of people tying themselves to a pool ladder
so they can run in place -- that must be what the rings are for.

I'm a sugar daddy, a breast job, and a lobotomy
away from being able to pull this off.

So, you may ask -- what is an example of attractive and appropriate pool-running attire? What gives me the right to snark?

Well, here you go.

Feel the hotness, be the hotness

Um, yeah. Maybe I should be a tad bit less judgmental.

Link Fu

There's a surprising amount of stuff out there regarding pool-running and injury recovery.  What the heck, why not compile it here, in case it's ever helpful to others...

Pool-running form

• RunDash's posts on pool-running (including her video)
• Brianmac.uk's page on aqua-jogging form
• Ben Greenfield's post on pool-running form and workouts
• Shameless self-promotion 1: my own post on pool-running form

Pool-running workouts

• Pfitzinger's pool-running schedule
• Ben Greenfield's post on pool-running form and workouts
• Shameless self-promotion 2: my posts on structuring workouts in the pool, doing pool-running tempos, and why I don't do intervals everyday.

Does it work?

• Dean Herbert: "Is Aquajogging any Good for 'real' runners", plus a general post on pool-running
• Ultrarunner testimonials about pool-running

See?  Even the elites pool-run!

• Julie Threlkeld's piece on Khalid Khanouchi, including a description of a pool-running workout with him.
• Alisa Harvey's article on pool-running.
• Kate O'Neil: "The Pleasures of Pool Running"
• Lauren Fleshman on pool-running

More to come here, this is just a starter.

Pool-running, how not to do it.

Some of you may already have seen this story (complete with video).  Man runs through Kansas naked, then jumps into pool and hangs out there (presumably aquajogging) until he is arrested.

There are several problems that I can note here, as lessons to others. 

First of all, while it does work well to do your outside run first, and then your pool-run, it really is most polite to shower between the two if you've broken any sort of sweat.  Jumping straight into the pool is gross.

Second of all, I've learned from experience that pool-running doesn't work well with large groups of children -- one tends to end up disrupting their games, and their splashing can be disruptive to one's focus.  Separate lanes really are best.

Additionally, if you're going to pool-run, you do need to maintain some focus in order to derive benefits; it's really very easy to slack off and simply go through the motions in the water, without any effort.  I'm admittedly reading between the lines here, but my sense is that this guy was really hanging out in the pool, rather than expending any actual effort, and so I'm sure he wasn't reaping the benefits that he could have.

Finally, barefoot running is de rigueur in the pool; wearing your running shoes in the pool is really just a horrible faux pas, worse even than failing to shower.

So yes, there's a lot to learn here.  I do think being arrested by the police was overkill though -- none of the points above are really crimes.  Hopefully this guy hasn't been turned off from pool-running by this experience; pool-running really is a more-the-merrier type thing.

Pool reviews (mostly Washington DC specific)

Using just one pool for pool-running is not unlike running the same route each run.  As I've noted before, one of the tricks to pool-running consistently is to swap between different pools - this is especially key if you're doing high volume in the pool, which I define as more than about 8 hours a week.

I'm pretty fortunate, in that I've got a wide selection of pools in the DC area to pick from.  I've described them below (plus one extra).


Pool: Woodrow Wilson Aquatic Center

Location:  4551 Fort Drive NW, Tenleytown, DC (right by the Red Line metro stop, and across the street from Whole Foods)
Hours: 6 am - 9 pm on weekdays, 9 am to 5 pm on weekends
Cost: Free for DC residents, $7 for others.
Pool-running area: Wide lane, 50m long, set aside for pool-running and "leisure swimming".
Equipment: yes - Kiefer aqua jogging belts, and plenty of them.
Other notes: 

I start with the pool-running promised land.  The Wilson pool has a 50m lane set aside for pool-running and "leisure swimming" (and the life-guards do pull people who don't comply).  It takes me approximately 10 minutes to complete one loop, meaning that Wilson is a great place to do a long pool run.  The facility also has a wading pool and a whirlpool, as well as a suit spinner in the women's locker room.  It's a fantastic place.

I will caution that there have apparently been issues with theft at this facility in the past; if you don't have a lock for your locker, you should bring your stuff with you to the deck.  Keep in mind that they will NOT let you in if you don't have your drivers license or other photo ID.  Absolutely no exceptions.

Another nice feature is the digital timers (two of them) marking down minutes and seconds - great for those doing interval workouts without a watch.  Another plus is the super friendly guards and fellow inhabitants, who will sometimes cheer you on as you do your hard workouts.  The one caveat is that sometimes the wading pool is closed, in which case the kiddies are relegated to the pool-running lane, creating a manageable level of chaos and confusion.

For those of you combining pool-running and land-running, there is a track adjacent to the pool (be warned, it is not 400m.  I'm guessing it's 320m, but can't be sure).

Parking is doable, but can be tight.  Be aware that on weekdays there is no parking on Nebraska Avenue, reducing the # of available spaces by about 35.

Pool: Rumsey Aquatic Center
Location:  635 North Carolina Avenue SE, Capitol Hill, DC (right by Eastern Market)

Hours: Weekdays are from 6:30 am to 10 am (9 am on T/Th), noon to 5 pm, and 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm; on Saturday it's open from 1 pm - 5 pm; Sundays are 10 am to 5 pm.
Cost: Free for DC residents, $7 for non-residents.
Pool-running area: They've set aside an area for aqua-exercise that is essentially three 20 yard lanes combined.
Equipment: Belts provided -- they only have medium and large sizes; as a petite female, the medium size is just barely small enough.
Other notes:

Nice enough, though it's seen better days (the fact that they have to buzz you in through a security gate is a nice reminder that you are in the Nation's Capital).  The locker room is pretty run down, and the lockers are coin operated.  I've always brought my equipment to the deck.  Make sure you bring a picture ID, or they won't let you in (they also make you sign in on a paper log).  The lifeguards tend to be very aggressive about enforcing the rules regarding no street shoes on the deck. 

Temperature is sometimes an issue here -- this past winter the deck was fairly cold (below 60 degrees air temp).  On the other hand, the pool is consistently very warm, perhaps a concession to the large elderly population here.  Unlike other pools, this one has a radio continually playing (generally R&B or adult contemporary).

There are exercise balls strewn along the deck, if you want to get some core exercises in following your pool-run.

It's Capitol Hill, so parking can be challenging.  Arriving at 6:30-7:30 on weekday mornings, I've never failed to grab a street parking space, but sometimes I've grabbed the last one.

Pool:  Marie Reed
Location:  Hidden!  This is in Adams Morgan, with the address being 2200 Champlain St, NW.  It's pretty hard to find if you don't know where to look, though.  To get there, I suggest that you start at the intersection of 18th and U Streets and Florida Avenue, NW.  Walk north along Florida Avenue, and then bear left onto Champlain Street (continuing to walk on the edge of the softball field).  The pool entrance is to your left just as you're walking under a building breezeway.  It's helpfully marked by a small stenciled sign: "pool".   The door is often shut; you may need to pull on it hard to open. 
Hours:  Very limited.  6 am - 9 am on weekday mornings and 3 pm to 8 pm on weekday evenings (until 9 pm on Tuesday and Friday).  Closed on weekends.
Cost:  Technically free for DC residents, $7 for others.  But I've never seen anyone charged.
Pool-running area: Reserved 25m lane, and the guards do enforce it.
Equipment:  They provide the same belts as Rumsey, and again only in medium and large sizes.
Other notes: 

The secret pool -- I know people who have lived in the neighborhood for years, and have no idea it's there.  It's nice enough for a small pool, and I love having it nearby.

The locker rooms (at least the female one) have seen better days -- the floors lack drains, the lockers are from the 1970s, and there is a single community shower.  Bathrooms often times lack handsoap. Those with injuries should be warned that the locker rooms are only accessible by steep slippery stairs that are treacherous even when uninjured.  Most people leave their stuff (including bicycles) on the narrow deck.

Unlike other DC pools where IDs are stringently checked, Marie Reed relies on an honor system, where residents sign in on a paper log by the entrance. 

They tend to keep the pool water temperatures pretty toasty here -- pleasant for getting in, but definitely uncomfortable when doing hard workouts.

No timers whatsoever here (well there is one, but it's broken and has been for as long as I've been using the pool).  If you're going to do intervals, bring a timer; there is a clock, but it's analog and tiny -- sufficient to let you know whether it's 6:30 or 6:35, but not whether it's 6:30 or 6:31.

As for parking, this is Adams Morgan.  If you come at 6 or 6:30, you should be able to find something; at all other times, just plan on using a nearby paid lot ($10 or so).  It's about a 12 minute walk from the Dupont Circle metro.

Pool: Washington-Lee Swimming Pool
Location: 1300 North Quincy Street, Arlington, VA (Ballston).  About a 10 minute walk from the Ballston metro.
Hours: Weekdays are 5:30 am to 9:30 am, 11:30 am to 2 pm, and 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm (8:30 pm on Fridays).  Saturdays are 6 am to 7 pm; Sundays are 12 pm to 6 pm.
Cost: $5 for residents of Arlington, VA; $7 for others.
Pool-running area:  Depends -- No area is explicitly reserved.  Usually we're relegated to the diving well, which is roughly 12m square.  At certain times, the well is reserved; usually the lifeguards take pity and give us a lane in that case.
Equipment: Plenty of belts of various sizes.  Some are in better shape than others.
Other notes:

On paper, it doesn't look so great.  But very friendly and accomodating lifeguards, plus the high probability of finding another recovering runner to chat with, make this a favorite.  The well is where people generally pool-run, but sometimes we're kicked out for other activities (from 8:30 am - 10:30 am on Saturday for aqua aerobics; and after 2:30 pm on Sunday for synchronized swimming.  The guards are very nice, however, and really bend over backwards to find us a place.

The locker room is nice, if a bit chilly (you need to bring your own lock).  Many people leave their possessions in an unlocked locker without issue, though I do not.   The pool itself ranges significantly in temperature; some days it's quite chilly, other days it's toasty.

Unlike DC pools, this pool has a reserved parking lot, though it does fill at peak hours.

Conveniently, this pool is right next to the Washington-Lee track, which is one of the nicest and most popular tracks in the DC area..  I always bring my bathing suit with me when I go to track practice so that I can hop in for 20 minutes post-workout (or alternately, sub in a pool workout for a land one, per coach's orders).



Pool: Spring Hill RECenter pool
Location:1239 Spring Hill Road, McLain, VA (just off of the Dulles Toll Road).
Hours: Weekdays are 6:30 am to 9:30 pm (8 pm on Friday).  Weekends are 9 am to 6 pm.
Cost: $7.40 for Fairfax County residents; $9.90 for others (no idea why the weird pricing).
Pool-running area: Nothing explicit, but I've never had a problem grabbing a 25 yard lane the two times I was there, which were Thanksgiving Day and New Years Day.
Equipment:  Three belts total; you probably want to bring your own.
Other notes:

I don't use this one regularly, but it has been my fallback during major holidays -- it was open on both Thanksgiving and New Years day, when all others were closed.  It's nice enough, though the pool was quite cold both days.  The locker room is nice and a match to many private gyms.


Parking was easy and the pool near empty on the days I used it, both of which are likely due to the days I visited.

The admission price also grants you access to the decent gym facility on site.

Pool: Doral-Arrowwood Resort pool 
Location: The Doral-Arrowwood Resort, Rye, NY (near the NY/CT border)

Hours: Weekdays are 5:30 am to 9:30 pm; Saturday is 7 am to 9:30 pm, Sunday is 7 am to 9 pm

Cost: The resort's pretty costly, something like $200 a night (I stayed there for a work retreat)
Pool-running area: The whole pool (a weird trapezoid that's roughly 25 yards by 15 yards)

Equipment:  Yup, they got belts.

Other notes:

I note this pool for one reason only: 

Yup - pool running classes.  Truly a resort that's on the cutting edge

Combining pool-running and running

As is probably obvious from this blog, I'm a huge fan of combining pool-running and land-running in one workout.  I have been since I first started coming back from injury. 

At first, when I was doing "baby runs" of 30 seconds to 5 minutes, I essentially just tacked on the baby run to the front end of my pool-run.  As my land-running volume slowly increased, I would cut back the pool-running some, to keep the same volume, but still do both together in a single session.  First land-running, then pool-running, with the proportion of land-running gradually increasing over time (I'd start and end my run at the pool entrance, having left my stuff in the lockerroom before hand).

I kept doing this when I first started hitting the track.  On my very first tempo workout, which was scheduled to be 2-3x3200m, I did the first 2 mile interval on the track, then hopped in the pool to crank out the equivalent of the other two.  And even after I was up to full workouts on the track, in the name of caution I would skip the cool-down jog on land, and instead do it in the pool.

I've since gotten back to doing full track workouts, including cool-down jog.  However, I've kept the habit of hopping in the pool for some pool-running immediately after (it helps that my pool and the track are immediately adjacent to each other).  20 minutes of easy pool-running functions very much like an ice bath -- the cold water plus the pressure plus working my legs through their range of motion does wonderful things for recovery.

Of course, combining land-running and pool-running in one session does require a bit of planning.  Here's some tips:

• What to wear?  Actually, this isn't as obvious as it first sounds.  As a woman, in cold temperatures I found that I was actually able to run in my bathing suit, covered with running jacket and running tights, with no chafing issues for runs of up to an hour (and I chafe at almost everything).  The two drawbacks were a) the obvious panty line (which didn't bug me at all) and b) the fact that my bathing suit generated a great deal of static and interfered with my heart rate monitor.  One plus was that it can be very hard to put on a bathing suit with hands cold from being outside -- wearing the suit under evaded this issue.
  
  I wouldn't try this in the summer, though.  Bathing suits aren't really designed to handle large amounts of sweat, and it would seem to me that you would drastically shorten their lifespan by exposing them to that.  In the summer, I wear normal running clothes, and then change.
  
  I have not tried running in a tri suit, though I imagine that might work wonderfully (I haven't because they're damn expensive and silly looking to boot).
• Which one first?  IMHO, it's better to run first, then pool-run.   For one thing, if you're returning from an injury or are injury prone, then you need to be taking every precaution to avoid reinjury.  My practice is always to do the activity that is riskiest when I'm fresh, since tired muscles are more likely to lead to form breakdown and increased risk of injury.  Thus, running (higher risk) always precedes pool-running (lower risk).  Furthermore, in the winter, running post pool-run means that you're outside with damp hair -- not good.  And in the summer, it's incredibly refreshing to hop in the pool after a hot run outside.
• Showering?  Let's be honest, though all pools have signs requiring that you shower before entry, how many of us actually comply?  I'll confess that I do NOT shower when I'm hitting the pool first thing in the morning, or after a day of inactivity.  And heck, if I've just come from a short run in cool temperatures, I don't generally shower either.  However, my rule is that if I've broken a sweat, or alternately have dirt encrusted on me (i.e. from running on the towpath), then I shower pre-entry.  To skip the shower is unfair to the other people in the pool.
• Pre-planning.  It's pretty obvious that you wear your running clothes, and bring a bathing suit and a towel.  What is less obvious, until you've done this once or twice, is that you also want to bring a second change of clothes, including clean socks and even shoes.  It's one thing to drive home in sweaty running clothes post-run, and quite another to have to get out of the pool and change BACK into those sweaty running clothes.

One final note: it feels VERY odd to jump into the pool post run.  The motions of pool-running and land-running are just different enough that it will take 2-3 minutes, at a minimum, to get a feel for the pool-running motion.  This is normal and to be expected.

Anecdote

The setting: Capitol Hill in DC.  Late November, 2010.

At 7:30 am, the local senior citizens are out in full force at the Rumsey Aquatic Center.  I look around, struck by the fact that my life's essentially resolved down to a scene from the sequel to Cocoon, though I'm not even 40.   Yup, we've even got a Wilford Brimley look-alike.

Some of them are wearing belts and bobbing slowly around, while others are stationary with their backs to the pool edge, an odd, unfocused-but-blissful look on their faces.   I am a bit confused by their expressions.  I'd be perturbed if it weren't for the fact that I can see see their hands above the water, gripping the wall on each side behind them.  After a moment, I realize that they are doing a variant of hanging leg lifts, using the water for assistance.   Completely G-rated, nothing to note here.  Mystery solved, I return to focusing on firing my glutes as I cycle my legs.

Another guy about my age enters the pool.  I glance at him, idly debating whether he looks like Steve Guttenberg, to complete my Cocoon experience.  He doesn't; in fact he's utterly non-descript.  He does some water exercises for about 20 minutes, then departs.  Again, it's just me and them, living la vida aqua rehab.

A minute later, Jessica Tandy's twin, a sweet looking delicate woman, frantically waves me over.  I oblige, moving as fast as I can given that I'm pool-running.  She mutters something at me that I can't understand, and so I ask her to repeat after I remove my headphones.

"That guy."

"Huh?"  I am nothing if not verbally expressive.

"That guy, did you see him?"

"Um yeah, I guess.  What about him?"  I'm very confused.

"You were checking him out?"

"Um... no."  Trademark eloquence on display, here.

"You should have."  She nods authoritatively.  "He had GREAT guns."  She beckons me close, and whispers, in a way that transmits across the entire pool...

"I'd like to do him.  You should go after him.  I'm sure you'd want to do him too.  I can tell by the way you looked at him."

The ambient conversational noise of the pool reduces to just the slapping of tiny waves, as all denizens stare at us. 

Then Wilford Brimley, to the left, gives me a gentle smile and an eye roll.  I grin back at him, put my headphones on, and continue on with my work.

It is what it is

Running is a game of numbers.  We monitor times and paces, often doing calculations while literally on the run (I can run 400m in 1:41 and know near instantly that I'm at 6:44 pace). Many of us also track heart rates, temperatures, wind speeds, humidity, elevation changes, and many other factors, logging them fanatically, and returning to review them regularly, anxiously, so as to answer the unanswerable - exactly how fast am I?

When injured, we attempt to convert our cross-training to running.  How many miles on the bike equal a mile of running?  How many miles of running equal a mile of swimming?   I have a complex formula (on the right) that I use to convert my pool-running into "real running."  However, I ultimately know the truth.  Pool-running ain't land-running, but its own form of exertion.

Put another way, Pete Pfitzinger was once asked what type of run a 2 hour bike ride was worth.  His response?

"It is what it is -- a two hour bike ride."


Yet still we do conversions -- 10 minutes of pool-running equals a mile of land-running.  It's a fiction that gives a metric, and runners are all about metrics and logs and fictions that enable us to get through hard days.

We do similar for races and workouts, trying to deduce equivalencies wherever possible with calculations of the effect on times and paces of different factors, including:

1. age and gender grading;
2. body weight;
3. heat, elevation changes, and wind-speed; and
4. a plethora of tables, ostensibly for training, that allow one to assess a racing performance at one distance between another.

But at the end of it all, as much as we'd like to think differently, the time we run stands on its own.  If you run a 40:30 10K on a steep uphill course in a headwind, you've run a very very good race.  But you haven't broken 40 for the 10K until you've broken 40 for the 10K.   And you haven't qualified for Boston until you've run the appropriate time over the appropriate length course, no matter what your 10K time is.  It seems obvious, but we so quickly gloss over this truth, lost in the glow of our math.

***

The men's World Record for the marathon distance stands at 2:03:59; yet this past Monday two men ran 2:03:02 and 2:03:06 at the Boston Marathon, a difficult but net downhill course that happened to have a significant tailwind that day.  The 2:03:02 is NOT a world record -- the Boston course is ineligible since it is a) net downhill and b) point to point (meaning that you can take advantage of a significant tailwind on the right day without battling the corresponding headwind).

In the days since then, there's been a ton of debate on what those times would be worth on a flat course, or without the substantial wind.  There's been discussion on how much assistance the wind gave the elites that ran without crowds to block the wind from them, versus the masses.

I believe that the math is meaningless.  It is what it is -- a 2 hour (and 3 minutes and 2 seconds) run over a course of slightly longer than 26 miles.   It stands alone as a magical, surreal accomplishment.  To try to convert it to another time/place/wind erodes the wonder - the attempt reduces the achievement to a matter of numbers, rather than something so much more.

And in the end, running is about more than the numbers, as much as we sometimes let those numbers define us.  At least it should be.

However, this Saturday, I'll be pool-running for 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 2 seconds.  Not because that's equal to any sort of run outside.  Just because.

Training by stones and pebbles

The start to my racing career is pretty simple.  I ran the Lawyers Have Heart 10K in 2007.  Had to walk.  Then I decided to run a 5K a month later because I could probably finish that without walking.  Ran the Cure Autism Now 5K.  Walked twice.

Then I decided to buy a ton of books and do some researching, all with the goal of learning how to train (so I could run a race without walking).   And a few things jumped out to me.  For one thing, people who train for marathons frequently experience great performances at shorter distances, post marathon.  Another was that higher mileage generally correlated with better performances.

From my previous history riding horses competitively, I understood that athletic success required consistent training day in and day out, over months and years.  This understanding, when combined with what I read in Lydiard, Pfitzinger, Jack Daniels, and others, indicated that running once or twice a day each day, for high mileage (most at a very easy pace), was the way to advance.  No individual workout needed to be that spectacular; what mattered was the consistency over time.

And it worked quite well for a while (consistent PRs).  Until it didn't (consistent injury).

***

Thing is, so many of us (especially those of us who maintain detailed training logs) end up seeing our training as an empty glass that needs to be filled each week.  And so you check off your miles, and your yoga classes, and your supplemental weight-training, so that each week you can report back that the glass has been filled with the sand of your training.

The training log becomes a bucket list.  And bucket lists are silly things that make people run just one race (usually a marathon) and then shift their focus to learning how to skydive (so they can do that once too). 

(A visit to the Great Wall of China fits in there somewhere too).

And eventually, if you're not careful, the training log shifts from documenting your training to driving it.

***

Since my injury, I've come to understand that while there is still a bit of a "bucket list" aspect to training, not all categories are equal.  You need to train, and you need to work hard, and you need to do it consistently.  But you also need to do it intelligently, with the focus being on the overall goal, not the weekly report.  A drive to fill the glass no matter what leads to poor performance.

While my training log is still a glass, I'm no longer filling it with sand, but rather with larger stones and smaller pebbles.  In a non-racing week, the largest stones are my key workouts.  Tempo, interval, long run.  Those are my A priorities -- the workouts that MUST fit in my glass.

My other land-run, my pool-runs, weight training, and yoga -- these are all smaller stones, of various shapes and sizes.   I fit in as many as I can, where and if I can, but only if they don't prevent me from nailing the workouts.  If I'm feeling a bit tired, or a bit of a muscle strain, I skip in favor of recovery, to make sure that I  get to do the workouts, and maximize my shot of doing them well.  Sometimes it really is better to skip yoga to go to bed early.

It's a similar reasoning process for my overall season.  Races are the larger rocks, and so I do the best workouts that I can (best doesn't necessarily mean hardest) that do not interfere with my races.   And on an even larger scale, I view my overall racing future as the largest rock of all, avoiding races and training cycles that might interfere.

This is a surprisingly hard mindset to achieve. I understand (as my coach has emphasized to me) that mileage does not necessarily equal fitness, and that running fitness is the ultimate goal.  Still, it takes a lot of self-confidence and poise NOT to rely on the totals in one's training log as a reflection of one's work ethic; to focus on the ultimate end, rather than the weekly report. 

Pool-running has assisted with the transition to this mindset.  I assign "miles" to my pool-runs, though I know there's no such thing.  The "miles" are by duration, with no difference between "easy" and "recovery."  This fiction makes it possible to recover AND have a pretty training log, by keeping the effort very easy when that's what needed, or by making me more willing to sub in pool-running for land when I feel an injury coming on.

Thus, the pool-running becomes a bit of a crutch -- hopefully one that I'll eventually be able to do without.  I'm not quite there yet.   But working towards it. 

Sequel: 7 More WTF/Duh!/Huh? Moments/Observations About Pool Running.

A follow-up to my previous post.

1. The overweight butterfly swimmer is the natural enemy of the dedicated pool-runner.
2. It's pretty easy to distinguish between pool-runners and aqua-aerobics aficionados.   The latter wear a blissful, at peace expression, and are regularly heard to comment: "this is such great exercise!"  The former possess a haunted, driven look, and are perpetually muttering "this isn't enough - I'm losing so much fitness!"
3. One benefit of pool-running for those who are high mileage -- bathing suits are cheaper than running shoes, and last longer.
4. To the mother I encountered at the pool a few months back: if you insist on bringing your 4-5 year old son into the ladies locker room (despite the nice collection of large family changing rooms), do not get pissed off at me when I casually strip my bathing suit off in front of his widening eyes.
5. No matter how cold the water is, I assure you it will feel fine within 90 seconds of getting in.  So, grit your teeth and do it -- you're going to be at the pool long enough anyway without wasting another 5 minutes.
6. I've decided that the debate about belt versus belt-less pool-running is the equivalent of the barefoot running debate on land.   In the modified words of Malmo -- "just pool-run, baby."
7. Sure conversational ice-breaker in the pool when you see a fellow pool-runner -- "So, what are you in here for?"
   

My new favorite race photo.

Credit to Capital Running Company for the original photo, movingdogward for the photoshop job, and RunDash for the resizing.

On the Belt

One of the biggest debates in pool-running (and we debate a lot -- what else can you do with all that time in the water?) is whether an aqua-jogging belt is useful or not, and how relevant the belt is to the effort expended.  It's almost the equivalent of the barefoot running debate.

My conclusion, after thinking about this way too much, is "it depends."

[I'm referring to my thoughts about the belt and pool-running.  I have strong thoughts about barefoot running as well, but will keep those to myself for now, save the observation that I think barefoot is the best choice when running in the pool]

***

Not all pool-runners are alike.  You can broadly split us into the categories of "sinker" or "floater," with many pool-runners occupying a place somewhere in the middle between the two extremes.  I have a few friends who are floaters, bobbing effortlessly in the water sans belt.  On the other hand, I am a sinker, who quickly falls below the surface even with my belt on if I stop "running" and attempt to float.   It's a bit extreme, to the point where I have to hang onto the side of the pool if I'm going to adjust my hair, etc, since my chin sinks below the water as soon as my effort level drops.   Those disclosures stating that the belt is "not a life saving device"? Written for those like me (lawyers who sink).
 
It's comforting to know that I would have been found innocent had I been accused of witchcraft in historic times, but the badge of innocence is apparently a puffy belt around the abdomen.

My observation is that whether one sinks or floats seems NOT to be correlated to one's body shape or one's running ability (or to one's relative innocence on the stage of life).  The one common factor that I have noted among those who pool-run successfully without the belt is a competitive swimming background -- it's nearly universal to those who can pool-run belt-free. Perhaps this is due to a greater comfort level in the water, or an intuitive understanding of how to move efficiently.  Or maybe those who are more buoyant in the water naturally gravitate towards swimming.

Of course, my comment above begs the question: what does it mean to "pool-run successfully"?   IMHO, it's being able to preserve your land-running fitness while pool-running.  And so, the key question then becomes: does the belt help or hurt when trying to preserve running fitness?

The answer, again (IMHO) is "it depends."

***

I've come to the conclusion that, for most people, pool-running without a belt is a sufficient but not necessary condition for a good workout.   It's sufficient, in that beltless pool-running forces one to maintain a certain minimum level of effort in the pool, rather than drift off as can be so easy at times.   But it's not essential -- a bit of continual mental prompting can result in the same effort level.

And on the extreme, true floaters may have to continually spur themselves to keep the effort up, even without the belt.


However, there is a big caveat for those of us who are true sinkers.  In my case, attempting to pool-run without the belt is simultaneously comical and futile.  I am completely unable to maintain my head above water at any effort level without losing my pool-running form and swapping to the doggie-paddle.    At this point, I'm not really pool-running anymore.  I'm using my arms way too much and also hunching my shoulders -- both are bad running habits that I also indulge in on land, and I'm loathe to reinforce them in the water.   The heart rate may be up, but the activity is no longer as running-specific.

So, I choose to wear the belt.  On easy days I am continually mentally prompting myself to keep the effort upbeat; on harder days the belt frees me from concerns about sinking, so I can push the workout to a high intensity while still taking care to mimic running form closely (and I can practice holding a very high effort while keeping my shoulders relaxed, which is a good habit to bring back onto land).


***

As I overthink this more, I'm thinking that there really is an acid test for whether one should run with a belt, and it's not all that much different from the sink-or-swim test applied to witches of yore.

Go into the pool with a belt on.  Go absolutely motionless, and see if you sink, and how far.

If you quickly sink completely below the surface, as I do, then my sympathies -- you're a sinker.   My humble suggestion is that you wear the belt for all your pool-runs, both easy/recovery runs and hard efforts, so you can focus on form and effort without being distracted by drowning concerns.

If, on the other hand, you can maintain your chin above water with no or minimal effort while wearing a belt, then the temptation is stronger to slack off when wearing the belt -- it may make sense to go without the belt for some or all of your runs, so as to keep up the effort.  But, make sure you're not mistaking doggie-paddling for pool-running -- a friend who is a good runner, a former swimmer, and a beltless aquajogger has noted that doggie-paddling is the error she most often sees in those who try to run without the belt.

And if you're one of those special ones who floats motionless without the belt, then congratulations -- you'll never have to fight with others over the pile of belts at one corner of the pool deck.   But do remember that your natural flotation means that you have to be every bit as vigilant about not slacking off as the rest of us, even though you're beltless.

If you're a floater, go ahead and gloat a bit. You unquestionably look cooler than I, and many will presume that you're getting a better workout.   But several months of pool-running with the belt have demonstrated to me that I can keep my fitness up with the belt, so I'm not that competitive about the belt anymore (though still a bit jealous).  And, the belt gives me a place for my waterproof iPod, so there.

Pool-running for the non-injured - pluses and minuses

So, with my first race this past weekend, I consider myself to have graduated from "recovering injured runner" to "out of practice/trying to improve runner."

*knock on wood*

I'm still doing a lot of pool-running, though.  Whereas before I trained off of fairly high mileage (70-90 MPW), now I'm only at 30 miles per week on land, with the balance of my mileage in the water.  And I never would have believed it before, but it seems to be working.

I have noted many benefits to using pool-running as a cross-training for the non-injured runner.  So, what the heck, why not list them here (along with some minuses).

• Post-race recovery. The biggest benefit that I've noted has been in my recovery from workouts.  It's really amazing, but an easy pool-run of at least 30 minutes seems to work better for post-workout/race recovery than anything else I've ever tried (including massage, ice bath, shake-out run, or any of the above together).   I think it's due to the combination of a) the coolness of the water; b) the pressure of the water forcing circulation; and c) the gentle active stretching that comes from moving your legs through their full range of motion in the water.
  It's really uncanny.  I've found that it works well for weight-training as well -- I can do a heavy weight-training session, and eliminate almost all muscle soreness by hopping in the pool within a few hours post-weights.  And easy pool-running sessions immediately after a track workout mean fresh legs the next morning.  It's absolutely amazing, and I don't say that often.
  
• Recovery "runs".   One of the tried and true tenets of competitive running is to keep your hard days hard, and your easy days easy.  Put another way, your workouts are your prime focus, and everything else is recovery from those.  Extra mileage helps, but only if it doesn't detract from your workouts.
  Thing is, when running those extra miles, it's hard to keep them slow enough to truly recover.  Sometimes it's ego -- you don't want to log actually running as slow as your body needs; other times it's that you're in a hurry, and trying to fit in x number of miles and still finish in time to prep for a conference call.
  Pool-running makes it very easy to keep your easy days easy.  There's no pace to log, so you feel more free to lower the intensity to what feels right.  And since you do pool-running by time rather than distance, there's really no way to hurry it up, and so no urge to push the pace.
  Though I can honestly say I've always tried to keep my easy days easy, it's a lot easier to do so when subbing pool-running for land.
  
• Injury avoidance.  Obviously, subbing pool-running for recovery runs reduces your chances of aggravating a nascent injury incurred during your previous workout.  But, there's another, more subtle benefit.  The more you pool-run and begin to trust that it works, the more willing you become to hop into the pool at the first sign of injury, rather than toughing out runs so that you don't get behind in your training.  And that's very good for reducing the risk of setbacks.
  
• Increased volume.  Due to the lack of impact, you can also sustain a much higher workload in the pool than you can on land.  This is crucial for people like me, who a) benefit from a high volume of low intensity work, but b) don't seem to be able to handle the impact associated with that volume.  If I could build up to and handle 100MPW without injury, I think that would be best for me.  But I don't believe I can (based on past experience) and the pool-running works wonderfully as a second best option.
  
• Appreciation of what you have.  Once you've spent a ton of time stuck in the pool, every run outside seems like a gift, not a chore.   I've never found it so easy to step out of the door in 20 degree weather or harsh winds.  Track workouts are treats, especially since pool-running workouts, if done correctly, hurt worse and for longer than anything you do on land.
  And, you really can't justify skipping a run due to rain when your alternative is pool-running.  You're going to be just as soaked either way!
  
• Non-running benefits.  Get a waterproof iPod or similar, and the hours of pool-running give you an opportunity to catch up on your favorite podcasts (I choose not to run outside with an iPod due to safety concerns, so I can't use long solo runs this way).  
  Benefit #2 is the substantial reduction in shoe expenses that accompanies the reduction in land mileage (though this may be countered by the need to purchase new bathing suits, plus pool fees).  
  There's also a cosmetic benefit.  I've suffered from bad acne nearly my entire life, and this is the first time that my facial skin has been consistently, beautifully clear.  The fact that I no longer need my Retin-A is huge (and a cost saving that more than offsets any new bathing suit).

There are, of course, a few minuses.

• Tedium.  Yes, you're running more or less in place.  Yes, you're seeing the same walls for hours.  There are a few ways to address this though, and it also gets easier the more you do it.
  
• Lack of mental toughness.  While pool-running workouts do hurt MORE than land-running workouts, they also hurt in a slightly different way.  Your lungs burn more on land even with the lowered effort, and the legs hurt differently.  Your first tempo or track workout or race will be an unaccustomed shock, and you need to be prepared for that.
  
• Lack of physical toughness.  Running is a high-impact sport, and there's no getting around that.   Pool-running does nothing to prepare your bones and tendons for handling impact, and the difference is miserably clear when you first return to land-running.  As a corollary, pool-running clearly does very little to encourage bone-strengthening, since it is non-impact -- this is a concern to those of us with bone density issues.
  I also can tell my lack of land-mileage at the end of tempos and races -- when I fatigue, my legs lose their strength and my form disintegrates much quicker than before, when I held a much higher mileage.  I suspect that long progressive runs are key to addressing this.
  
• Pacing.   Quite simply, my ability to accurate gauge my pace when running (which I used to be so proud of) has gone to heck.  I attribute this to several things:
• When you're running in place, your inner GPS atrophies. You never have the opportunity to practice pacing when pool-running, and so you lose your feel for how effort translates to distance travelled. 
• Using pool-running for your recovery means that your legs are deceptively fresh for your running days.  In past days my legs were continually tired from high mileage, and thus functioned as a natural regulator.  Now, my legs feel bouncy and zippy, and continually tempt me.
• As mentioned above, pool-running workouts are done at a much harder effort than land, in order to get the same benefit.  When one first returns to track workouts, it's very hard to remember to tone back the effort level appropriately.  Thus, you go out too hard, trying to hit a level of effort that is no longer necessary.

On the whole, I have to say that the benefits outweigh the minuses, which can be compensated for.  It's a huge tool to use in one's training, and I view my discovery of the benefits of pool-running for a competitive runner to have been part of the silver-lining to my broken foot.

The obligatory pool-running tracklist post

[well, not really]

From time to time, people post lists of "great running songs", "good tempo songs", etc.  I've always been reluctant to do so, as I think music is very individual.

Assemblage 23's "I am the Rain" spoke to me deeply in the early days of my injury/pool-running saga, as I processed my frustrations with myself and my failed training.  But I'm guessing this track doesn't mean much to my pool-running buddies, or to anyone glancing at this blog.  And likewise, when others post tracklists to their blogs, most times it's meaningless to me -- just words on a page, not the compilation of feelings and emotions that they are to the original poster.

Music is very personal and individual.  What motivates me is noise to you.

That being said, there are a few tracks that come up on my iPod's shuffle function from time to time while pool-running that seem worthy of note.

• The track that makes you certain your iPod is mocking you: Pretty much any track that references water, rain, oceans, drowning, etc... -- you never realize how many of them there are until you're pool running with your iPod on shuffle.   Rotersand's "By The Waters" does send me for a loop ("meet you by the waters/ To dance beneath the waves...")
• Most surreally appropriate track: Pink Floyd - "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2" (best played while the high school kids walk to the end of the diving board and jump, one by one).
• Most discordant track when using a pool in Arlington, VA: NWA - "Straight Outta Compton"
• The track that the artist never envisioned you pool-running to, but probably wouldn't care: The Sex Pistols - "Anarchy in the UK"
  
• The track that the artist never envisioned you pool-running to, and probably would be highly mortified: The Cruxshadows - "Marilyn My Bitterness"
• The track that works remarkably well for pool-running: Dirty Vegas - "Days Go By"
• The track that does NOT work at all for pool-running: Nine Inch Nails - "The Perfect Drug" (29/8 time signature and sections with a BPM of 269)
• The track that you think at first will work for pool-running, but really REALLY doesn't: Moby - "Thousand"
• The track that you probably don't want to start mouthing the lyrics to: Lords of Acid - "I Must Increase My Bust" (or anything by LOA)
• The track that inspires you to push onward: The Shamen - "Move Any Mountain"
• The track that you skip to, simply because it's so long that you should be done with your pool-run before it ends: Underworld - "Born Slippy (long)" (or anything by Rush)