Running Around Illinois: Rolling Meadows

March 16, 2024

Lucky Dog 5K

Rolling Meadows (Cook County)

Chip Time: 26:19

This was the first time I’d ever found myself racing with dogs. Like, actual dogs. Dogs who were pretty darn keen about racing. Also dogs who were not keen about racing. I interviewed some of the competing dogs and will share highlights of those interviews along the way here.

Before that, though, I think it is important to inform you all that… there is actually a gently rolling meadow in Rolling Meadows.

If you’re not familiar with Chicagoland geography, Rolling Meadows is a seemingly absurdly named place, part of the general flatland of northwestern Cook County, nestled in with the likes of Schaumburg and Elk Grove and Arlington Heights. There are plenty of other candidates, including the nearby Hoffman Estates, for the most odiously named suburbs, but it turns out, there’s just enough truth to justify the name.

The race took place in Busse Woods, though it turns out, part of Busse Woods is a meadow called Ned Meadow, and when you stand there, you can actually see the very gentle rolls of the terrain.

This was astonishing to discover, friends.

META-SPIEL: Hey, how’d you like the race?

Labrador Retriever: What?

META-SPIEL: You know, you just ran this here race, how’d you like it?

Labrador Retriever: Huh?

META-SPIEL: I’ll bet you’re pretty worn out.

Labrador Retriever: Uh.

META-SPIEL: OK cool, see you later.

It was a cool morning, and it was windy. I wound up getting an XL t-shirt, and actually wore it over my running jacket, which was in turn over a technical shirt. It was arguably a little too much by the end of the race, but at the beginning, it was absolutely necessary, because the race started with a headwind gusting at over 20mph.

I think there were a couple of hundred human runners and walkers, and I’d guess about 50-60 canine companions. Some of the dogs did not really seem like they were likely candidates for running a 5K.

The combination of the headwind, the narrow path, and the presence of all the dogs and their leashes were good reasons for a relatively slow start. This is something I’ve been working on in races, not burning myself out by starting way too fast.

We ran into through a broad clearing into the wind, and eventually got into a wooded area, where the wind was quieter. We reached a point on the path and turned around, but we didn’t get the tailwind boost to offset the headwind, as the gusting had died down. Perhaps because I started slower, perhaps because my feel for distance was off, I didn’t really need a relative break until after the turnaround.

There were dogs who were ahead of me in the race, but I don’t think I ever got passed by a dog that I didn’t pass back. My chip time of 26:19 was a bit slower than the Manhattan race, but given how the race started, I thought it was pretty good.

META-SPIEL: How’d you do?

Beagle: Treat?

META-SPIEL: Mmmm, no, I don’t have a treat.

Beagle: TREAT?

META-SPIEL: [looking around nervously] Maybe over there?

Beagle: Poop?

META-SPIEL: Poop?

Beagle: [distracted] Hmm? Hmm?

META-SPIEL: Good luck with whatever you’re doing!

Beagle: Treat?

I had completely forgotten to take a useful picture involving a dog and at the last minute I turned around and took a picture and I got all kinds of people in bad poses and so, look, here’s a dog that almost proves something:

Yeah, I mean, that’s like, the worst photo I’ve ever included in one of these things, isn’t it?

Over the first quarter of the year, I’ve tried to do a lot of things to improve my time, which requires improving stamina, but also more than that.

My dad got me a book {book title} a while ago and I finally read it, and it’s very good. It’s more geared toward people building up to marathons, but there’s a lot of helpful things I’ve picked up from it, including a couple of new stretches, and some lessons about things to do and not do in training. Among the lessons:

• Don’t try to set personal time records in training; be willing to run slower for longer, to focus on stamina.

• Static stretches before running don’t necessarily help; getting the body warmed up does, so do more dynamic stretching and things like jumping jacks first.

• Try to run slowly for a bit before ramping up. On the treadmill, this means the first two minutes are usually a fast walk and then a slower jog, instead of launching right into a run.

I also saw a podiatrist earlier this year because of the calf and ankle tightness I’ve been so unable to shake. She gave me a lot of things, like a prescription for an NSAID called Meloxicam, and a boot I can wear to get a little stretch in the Achilles. But I think the two most important changes I made were to get different everyday shoes, and to start wearing the slippers I’ve had for a long time but haven’t been wearing.

My everyday shoes are now Hoka Bondi 8s and I also got high arch support inserts. At first it was a little awkward, but they’ve been working really well for me. My running shoes are still the Saucony Triumph 13s I’ve had for a little while, and my guess is I’ll need to replace them in a few months.

At first the calf pain transitioned into mostly heel pain, and this is where I think the slippers have made a notable difference. That little bit of absorption in the heels, I think, did more than the Meloxicam or the boot. For the longest time I wasn’t wearing the slippers because I had it in my mind that they weren’t the most comfortable, and I’m not sure what on earth I was thinking.

All of that has been great for addressing pain and fatigue, but that’s not where performance improvement has come from. That has mostly been a side effect of simply running more:

• January: 31 miles (all treadmill)

• February: 43.4 miles (mostly treadmill, with one race)

• March: 29.1 miles (two races, a little outside)

• April: 32.1 miles (got outside, but didn’t get a race in)

While I make a point of getting to the gym, I often make it there only for 30 minutes or so, and if I run in a relatively short window, I don’t really have time for much of anything else. So there’s been some tradeoff: more running, less upper body work. That tradeoff has been good for racing, but the balance has been difficult as I’ve had an extended series of shoulder flareups. Still, it so happens that running actually tends to help with shoulder pain, since I have to keep the arms pumping the whole time.

My trajectory is such that, on a decent day with an easy enough course, I have a realistic chance of breaking 25 minutes some time this year. This is even though I probably weigh 20 pounds more than I did the last time I broke 25 minutes. And this is happening with my knees feeling good overall, and with my calves and ankles and heels holding in there.

All that said: this stuff takes real time, and although it can improve energy, it can also just be completely exhausting. Interestingly I think that it’s made it so that at night I feel more like reading than writing.

META-SPIEL: How was the race?

Dachshund: Awww geez, man. Awww geez. How was the race? Awww geez.

META-SPIEL: You were one of the smaller racers out there. How do you feel?

Dachshund: How do I feel? Cripes. Awww geez. I don’t know, man. How do I feel? Awww geez.

META-SPIEL: How about those rolling meadows?

Dachshund: Wow. I mean. Wow. Geez. How about those rolling meadows? Wow. I mean. You sure? Really? Those rolling meadows. Gosh, I don’t know. Awww geez.

META-SPIEL: I think you need a treat.

Dachshund: Awww geez. Treat?

I managed to lose track of this entry for a couple weeks, and over that time, I haven’t logged what I’d hoped. I’ve missed out on a couple races, I got sick last weekend and it kind of wiped me out from running for a few days… I’m reminded of something my gym teacher explained in high school. He said it takes six weeks to get in shape but only two weeks to lose it. Maybe that was precise! Maybe that was close enough! That I remember it being said might mean I learned more in gym than any other class that year…

Point is, I’ve been working pretty hard to attain and maintain and retain and sustain and even when you get into a good groove and feel like you’re on the right track, it’s easy to fall off.

But I think I’m good! Our annual district race is coming up this weekend though and I’m actually daring to think I could get to 25 minutes. I’ve broken that time on the treadmill recently and conditions might be ideal, high 50s and partly cloudy. If I feel good early on I’ll go for it. And if not, well, awww geez.