Fitness Keeps Me Well and Sane

Present Day-54yrs Old

I know it's not a cure-all, but I truly believe that fitness and good eating habits go a long way in
ensuring good health, physically and mentally. Recently, I've been dealing with an Achilles issue that's kept me from running. So glad to have the fitness classes I lead to keep me challenged and motivated while out from running. My early morning boot camps at the studio and two corporate tabata group fitness classes I lead at the Volvo Group North America Headquarters keep me fit and focused. I'm probably about 20 years older than many of the participants in these groups and this grandpa is making them huff and puff and sweat hard...me too! It's been so awesome to see members of these groups get stronger and more confident.

Even in my 20s and 30's I was always in pretty good health, but I realized the true importance of good health about 19 years ago. By 2001, I had run numerous 5K and 10K races and had already completed two full marathons. Then in 2001 when at my 3rd marathon (Chicago), I got sick (as in the night before the race sick). I could not stop using the bathroom. I ended up flying back home and not running the following day. I was depressed and sick as a dog. I went to my family doc and he just thought I had acid reflux. Acid reflux!! My mom had ulcerative colitis and my symptoms seemed awfully similar to her's. I shared my family history with my doc, but he didn't seem to take it seriously. It got so bad, I requested to see another doctor in the practice, and she did a test in the office and immediately said, she thought I had ulcerative colitis. She sent me to a gastroenterologist to confirm her diagnosis. I did indeed have Ulcerative Colitis. UC is one of two Inflammatory Bowl Diseases. The other is Chron's. UC affects the large intestine. Chron's can affect any part of the digestive tract.

Me (38yrs old) at the 2003
Country Music Marathon

It was a rough few moths following the diagnosis. Tried several different medications. Some blew me up like a balloon. Others seemed not to have much effect at all. In 2002 I began having severe pain and they were not sure what was causing it. I ended up in the ER. They sent me home with strong pain meds, but I ended up back in the hospital soon after. Probably too much info, but they discovered I had a fissure in my rectum. I had to have surgery to remove it and kind of reconstruct things. It was a pretty long recovery, but I did well.

I realized in recovery that I needed a goal to keep me from wallowing in my situation and to help me focus on getting better. So, what else would you do....decide to train for a marathon, right? (Keep in mind this was well before RunnerDude). My surgery was in early summer of 2002. Later that summer I began walking to get my strength back. Then slowly added in running. That fall, I focused on getting my strength, stamina, and endurance back. That December, I began training for the 2003 Country Music Marathon in Nashville. I completed the race in 4:10:00 and felt strong. It felt great to accomplish that goal. From then on I ran about one marathon each year for several years in a row.  During this time, working with my doctor, I found a medicine (Colozal) that really worked for me. It worked kind of like a topical medication. I had to take like 6-8 huge capsules a day. They were time-released and would open when they reached the large intestine and coat the walls of the intestine which helped reduce and stop inflammation an ulcers in the large intestine.

In December of 2005, I had a stress fracture in my heel that put me out of running for 4 months. Instead of going stir crazy, I decided to join a gym (remember this was pre-RunnerDude). It was this initial gym membership that I really began to learn the importance of full-body fitness. I also began to pay more attention to my diet and eating healthier. By the fall of 2007 I had set my PRs in the 5K (19:58), Half Marathon (1:30:42) and Marathon (3:42:00). That marathon was Chicago. I had to return and conquer it. 2007 was the year of the big heat wave at Chicago. They actually closed the race at 4hrs. Because of my time, I made it to the finish, but with heat exhaustion. I was on cue to qualify for Boston at mile 18, then the wheels fell off. I was severely dehydrated. But a PR was a PR and that race was really more about redemption for having to miss the race back in 2001.

Around 2008 -2009, my gastroenterologist shared how pleased he was with my progress in managing my UC. I had not had a flare-up in a long while. He thought it was time to wean off the medicine. I did. It's now 2019 and I've not been on medicine for UC since. I've completed 15 marathons, 1 ultra marathon and too many 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons to count.  I contribute my remission to my focus on exercise and healthy eating. Yes, I still eat crap sometimes, but in general I'm pretty good about what I put in my body. I'm not quite a vegetarian, but I eat very little meat. When I do, it's lean turkey, chicken, or fish. I eat lots of fiber from fruits, veggies, and whole grains. I'm probably 95% bread. LOL!  I'm a big believer in moderation and accountability when it comes to eating and exercise.  Today, occasionally, I'll have a mild UC flare-up, but nothing like in the early 2000's and today's flares seem to be more stress related. Hence the need for the mental and stress-relief benefits of fitness.

So, if you're not running or working out, give it a try. It will greatly improve your quality of life. I'm a testament to that for sure.

The Scoop on Poop

If you’re like me and my running buddies, we’ve had conversations about just about everything under the sun while on the run, but for some reason, poop rarely makes the list. Everyone wants to ask, but often don’t. Maybe it’s looked at as a sign of weakness, because it’s something we feel we can’t control. Or maybe it’s because of our 5th-grade nature to make fun of poop…example just recently when the football player pooped his pants during a play making national news.

Well, I don’t’ think much is going to change regarding the humor around poop. It will always be the butt of jokes (no pun intended…well maybe, LOL!). So that’s why I’m writing this post on poop. Yes, there will always be those times where out of the blue, you have a gut attack on a run, and you have no idea where it came from or why? You suffer through the run miserable. But there are some things that can be done to lessen the frequency of poop attacks on the run as well as how to better deal with them when they do occur.

I’m somewhat of an expert on this issue. You see, I have ulcerative colitis-an autoimmune disease which affects the gut. I was diagnosed with UC about 15 years ago. Luckily I’ve been able to keep it pretty much in remission, although what’s normal for me probably isn’t normal for a non UC person. Four bathroom visits In a day is the “new normal” for me. That’s good! A person in the midst of a UC flare can go 15+ times a day. Even though my “remission” keeps things pretty tame, I’ve had to learn how to adapt my running accordingly. Below are a few tips that will help anyone dealing with poop issues on the run:

Happens to the Best of Us: I truly think people don’t talk about this topic or seek help, because it makes us look like we are weak, have no control. Well my best advice for that is “get over it.” Even elite runners have bouts with the dreaded poop attack on a run. Paula Radcliffe had to pull off the course in 2005 to take a dump right there in front of everyone. Finishing with a little lighter load, she went on to win the race. I’ll never forget years ago watching the NYC marathon with one of my favorite marathoners, 9-time NYC winner Greta Weiss. She had diarrhea and was running with toilet paper. Of course the press gave her no mercy and had a camera on her the entire race. Even so, she prevailed and won the race. Uta Pippig, the 1996 Women’s winner of the Boston Marathon won that race with cramps and diarrhea. Even Greensboro claim to tennis fame, John Isner had to take a bathroom break during the marathon match in 2010 with Nicolas Mahut. So, you are not alone. Everybody poops.

Food for Thought: A little advance planning with your eating can be a big help in deterring poop attacks. I’m all about a high fiber diet including whole grains, fruits, and veggies. However, these awesome foods are not very run friendly, particularly long-runs. The day before a really long run or an endurance race or event, cut way back on the complex carbs and high fiber foods. You need to stock your body with glycogen which is the fuel you’ll be using on the run, but the day before, eat simple carbs (regular pasta, white bread, white rice, etc.). Yes…you have my permission to each simple carbs the day before a long run. BUT……these simple carbs should not be laden with a lot of fat. High fiber and fatty foods take longer to digest. So, even if you cut back to only simple carbs the day before a long run or race, if all you ate were Dunkin Donuts, all that fat may still be churning in your gut the next day on the run. A churning gut is not what you want on a long run. So, eat the day before. Eat plenty, but keep it simple and low in fat.

Clear the Gut: Reducing bulk is a great way to prevent bathroom issues on the run. Clearing out the pipes before the run is another good method. Having a routine before a long run and/or race is your best bet. Train your body to go to the bathroom after eating your pre-run meal. It can be done. I’ve found that having coffee with my pre-run meal helps. Caffeine causes peristalsis which is what triggers your brain to know it needs to go to the bathroom. Also, I think the warmth of the coffee moves things along. This may mean getting up earlier to eat, drink, and poop. Those few less minutes of sleep are worth it. A friend of mine that has UC has discovered that drinking a glass of Metamucil before going to bed ensures that he’s able to clear his gut before his run. This may not work for everyone, but for him it helps ensure that he’s “empty” for the run. Note: Do not try this the night before a race, if you’ve never tried it before!!!

Back to That Caffeine Thing: Caffeine is a great energy booster. Seems like just about everything now has added caffeine, even many of sports gels. Problem is that the same caffeine that produces an energy boost, can start peristalsis…what tells your brain you need to poop. So, if you’re prone to poop attacks on the run, ask yourself if they tend to happen shortly after taking a gel? If so, and your gels contain caffeine, try using a non-caffeinated gel and see if you get the same result.

Watch the Sugar-Free Foods: Sugar-free sounds good. Lower carbs means lower sugar and high-sugar foods can sometimes upset the GI tract. BUT...many sugar-free foods contain sorbitol which is known to cause diarrhea. Many sugar-free chewing gums and sugar-free hard candy contains sorbitol. So, check the label.

Stay Hydrated: You greatly increase your chance of GI distress when you sweat out 4% of your body weight on a run.  That's about 5lbs in a 125lb runner and about 6lbs for a 150lb runner. Six pounds sounds like a lot, but you can easily lose that much fluid on a long run. So, go into your long runs and races well hydrated by drinking water throughout the day before the run. Don't drink to excess, however. Then on the run, be sure to replace fluids by drinking water/sports drink throughout the run.

Stick to Your Routine: Sometimes I think I may appear unsocial when it comes to group race trips because I tend not to partake in the group house sharing. I usually get my own hotel room. Reason? Well, I need to know that I can stick to my race morning routine. I need to know that the bathroom will be free. I need to not be worried that my morning blasts will be heard by all. I need to be relaxed and in my normal routine. Nothing will break your confidence more going into a race than thinking, dang I should have gone to the potty one more time.

Wipes to the Rescue: I’ve had runners tell me many different things they’ve used to clean themselves when surprised by a poop attack during a run with no bathroom available. Everything from socks, to race bibs, to leaves. Be careful with using the natural fauna, the one runner I know that thought using nearby leaves was a good idea soon had a bigger issue…poison ivy. OUCH! If you’re prone to bathroom issues and you’re running an unfamiliar route or if you just want to be on the safe side in a race or long run, try packing some wipes. Take 5 or 6 personal wipes and place them in a Ziploc baggie. Press all the air out, then seal the bag. Fold the bag up and put it in a pocket in your shorts, the little pocket on many hydration belts or handheld water bottles, or just pin it to the inside or outside of your shorts.

Acclimation Baby!:  Runner's trots is common among beginning runners. Why? Well increased exercise or just increasing your activity level beyond what your body is used to can cause an overactive GI. Hang in there, your body will adapt. Marathon trainers often experience a similar thing at the onset of their training. Even though they are used to running and have a normally high activity level, when they increase it with added speed workouts and long runs, the body can say , Whoaa!! The body will adapt once if figures out you're going to keep doing this.

“Poop-ouflage”: Prone to bathroom issues? Wear black! May not help with the physical symptoms you’re experiencing, but it will help keep the masses from knowing (at least visually) if you’ve had an accident.

Plot out the Potties: If you’re running city greenways and /or parks, scope out where the public restrooms are located and then plot your running route so that they fall strategically within your route. Even if you don’t need them for a bathroom break, it’s good to know one is along the route just in case. I discovered one such public facility at a ball park along one of our greenways that’s in a perfect location. I can easily run about 7 miles to this location and then do two different out-n-backs from the same facility making for a great 20-mile run. I can use the bathroom if need be as well as refill my water bottle (there’s a water fountain here as well) several times. For race time, find out where the port-o-potties will be located along the race course. If the information is not provided on the race website, email the race director. They should be able to provide you with this information.

Runner of the Week: Dean

Just recently I received an email from Dean Akers who's an active duty chaplain at Ft. Bragg, NC. He had read my article in Guideposts. He too is a runner and has ulcerative colitis. Dean was diagnosed with UC around the same time I was. Dean shared how he had recently gotten back into running after three years of not being able to run due to some ankle surgeries. He ran his first marathon in Iraq last year and has kept running since getting home in October. He runs about 30 miles a week. I've met many people with UC, but very few that run, so I had to contact, Dean and see if he'd share his story. Read on to find out more about Dean and his running.

I was one of the fastest kids in my high school but that was sprinting. I was never a distance runner. Even when I entered The Citadel I never ran further than two miles. I only ran two miles because I had to as an Army ROTC student at The Citadel. It stayed this way for a LONG time until I entered Active Duty in 2005 as an Army chaplain.

Shortly after beginning my active duty career I twisted my ankle on a road march. (A road march is simply speed walking with a 50 pound backpack.) I continued to run my normal two miles but now I was in pain after running about a mile. I continued to tough it out because that is what we do as soldiers. Finally, I went to have it checked out and of course I had done more damage to my ankle. I had surgery and was told that I no longer would run the 2 miles for the Army’s Physical Fitness Test. I began to bike and still did some shorter distances running.

In 2008, I entered a special residency as a chaplain at Brooke Army Medical Center. My ankle was still giving me problems so I went once again to have it checked. And again, I underwent surgery on my ankle. This time a piece of bone the size of a dime was taken out. It had been “floating” in there. The damage this time was that I had little splinters all over now. I was told by my physical therapist “that if it was his ankle he'd never run on it again.”

I deployed to Iraq in October 2009 as a chaplain with a Combat Support Hospital. I weighed 180 pounds. While in Iraq, I began to biking. I built up to 14 miles on a stationary bike. Then I began to use the elliptical. I built up to 12 miles on the elliptical and then I began to get brave and I once again started running. While I was traveling checking on soldiers, I visited with an old friend, my physical therapist. I told him that I had begun running again. He and I went on a three mile run!

Running once again had become my passion. I heard about the Air Force Half and Full Marathon at deployed locations and thought it would be neat to run a Half Marathon. I even put together a God Squad running group together to help me stay accountable. As I began training, a couple of the soldiers talked me into training for the full instead of the half. In September 2009 I ran my first marathon in Baghdad, Iraq.

This was a HUGH accomplishment for me not only because of my ankle but also because diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) in 2002. I finished my marathon but I had some issues along the way. I am blessed that I had a running partner that understood my issues and ran the whole race with me. He is an Ultra-marathoner and it meant the world to me that he did not worry about his time but ensuring that I finished. I did some 4 hours, 20 minutes, and 56 seconds later.

No matter where you are in your running…you can succeed. I am thankful to God for allowing me the opportunity to complete my first marathon and continuing to run since returning home. I am still running 25-35 miles a week. There are days, unfortunately, that I do not get as far as I plan due to my UC but then there are days that I go further.