What’s the best way to get the crazy smell out of your running shoes? I made the mistake of washing them THEN putting them in the heated dryer. Heating them to dry brings all of the sweat ever dripped into the shoe to the forefront. So once they come out of the dryer, two things are true:
- They are dry
- They have a super pronounced horrible odor!
While running today, I received a great tip – To mix lemon juice with baking soda and wash the shoes. That’s what you see above, the baking soda/water/lemon juice solution outside drying in the sun on the smelly shoes. Let’s see if this works…
In other happenings, my preparation for the Berlin Marathon is hot & cold affair. Some runs go well, some are a mess.
Exhibit A:
A recent positive Covid test nails shut my suspicions as to why I haven’t had the energy or the “lung power” to run well. I did runs last week in “cooler” Canada, but a look at my results with any sort of scrutiny shows I stopped a few times and didn’t do anything special with the positive weather changes I was given.
This has been a very challenging set of training weeks, I’ve had to look back and take plenty of honest self assessments to see that I haven’t been at my norm for awhile. I struggle to understand what’s happening. As I listen to more people and their experiences with Covid illness and the vaccines, I am closing in on what may be happening.
I received the original one shot Johnson & Johnson covid vaccine in January of 2021.
In February of 2021, I ran the A1A Marathon and had big problems with an accelerated heart rate, vomiting and not being able to perform on a hot day. This shouldn’t have been a problem, as I wasn’t going for a personal record. I was running well within my range of what I’d consider being “in control.” I ran with Kim for 11 or so miles as she finished her half marathon in a fast PR time. The rest of my race, starting at mile 14 was a mixture of puking up any nutrition I had and mixing running with walking for the 12 remaining miles.
In March of 2021, I ran a PR marathon of 3:01 in cooler weather in Pennsylvania.
In October 2021, I ran the “Baby Boston” marathon in humid but cooler than FL conditions. At between 11-12 miles I threw up again, and made the trek consisting of a run/walk all the way to the finish. That effort had me finish in a 3:40 time.
December 2021 saw me as a pace team leader in the Palm Beaches Marathon. I led the 3:55 group and after my last runner peeled off my group at around 14 miles, I was flushed with issues that had my heart accelerated and me struggling in the heat. I finished no where near the goal time.
February of 2022 was the A1A Marathon again. With only a “finish at a good pace without having to stop” goal, my time of 3:25 in warm conditions looked and felt better than the previous races.
I went back to PA in March 2022 but wild weather before the midpoint of the two loop course turned my marathon attempt into a half marathon – no energy or stomach probs in the 13 miles of that cool weather race. Another try at Boston 2022 in April had me running fast again, getting to the halfway point in 1:30 and folding up stomach and energy-wise shortly after mile 14. Yes, this was another “How will I get home from here” mix of running, jogging and walking for a 3:35 time.
I began hearing from some friends that I trust that their training and energy has changed as a result of getting the vaccine(s). Well that would make sense, I’ve never sustained an injury that has kept me from finishing a marathon. Nor have I suffered any lung or heart-related problems. I had a Lifetime brand full arterial screening, that came back good as did my last two annual physicals. I took the original two shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine plus a Moderna mRNA booster shot in the beginning of this year. I didn’t have a noticeable drop off in performance, until the races I’ve mentioned above. The net result since March of 2020 equals – One good one, one average one and four duds since the Covid pandemic hit.
I shouldn’t have to struggle to just *finish* a distance event.
I can also add that at the request of my regular physician, I took shot #1 of 2 Shingles vaccines. Within two weeks of that, I had developed the Shingles rash on the left shoulder & underarm area , right where I had received the shot.
I think I’m possibly good health-wise without the Western pharma solutions!
I have 36 days until the Berlin race. What felt like an ideal opportunity to take advantage of great weather and the world record course is realistically looking more like my Feb 2022 A1A Marathon goal.
Can I just do it competently in a respectable time?
I’d like to say things will clear up and I’ll have all the gusto & motivation to have a great race on September 25th in Germany, but I believe in the training and I know my body. I know when things have gone well, the truth is more impactful to me than a burst of motivation. I’ll give what I can, but I do NOT want to walk home again in Berlin as I did at the last two Boston races!
Post Berlin I will take time off, stay in enough shape to be a pace team leader at Space Coast Half and Palm Beaches Marathon, and recalibrate. My right Achilles tendon could use low or no intensity. Where my left hamstring connects to my glute on that side can enjoy healing time. Most of all, I can slowly rebuild and not have back to back to back marathon trainings plopped on top of whatever my body is trying to recover from.
I’m adjusting my training for the final month for Berlin and will concentrate on promoting health & healing already, I’m not waiting for September 26th to begin the recovery.
-dm
drun4fun 