Christian Lautenschleger

How to run longer distances

June 12th, 2019christian0 Comments

How to run longer distances We start to run longer distances without ever running them before. The first time we run five miles is the first time we’ll run five miles; the first time we run 20 miles will be the first time we run 20 miles. When we start to run we constantly find ourselves in uncharted waters. So, how do we run longer distances without ever running them before? For many reasons, running is a different sport. Unlike some sports, like baseball in which we’ve swung a bat since or cycling in which we’ve ridden bicycles, we haven’t …

2018 Cleveland Marathon: No more fun run marathons!

May 20th, 2018christian0 Comments

“Respect the distance.” Probably the first thing that comes to mind while thinking about today’s marathon. Yeah, I never doubted finishing (although a half may have been better, overall, today), but if I don’t want to race the marathon, I don’t take the training, preparation, or race seriously. No more fun run marathons! For the second year in a row, I got an entry via FMDSA (an Altra ambassador had a cousin running [operating] that charity, and they looked for runners). I probably would never pick the Cleveland Marathon as a goal race because of the time of year (the …

Boston Marathon Race Report: Marathon in cold, windy rain

April 20th, 2018christian1 Comment

“It’s the Superbowl”, my friend, Brendan, succinctly describing the marathon. Normally, the Superbowl would be enough to describe the Boston Marathon, but this year a Boston Marathon race report could more accurately describe it as gutting out 26.2 miles in cold, windy rain. I love running. I have for a long time. I love running more just for the pure enjoyment of running itself, without needing the pleasure of racing or company. It’s my flow. However, I’d have a hard time turning down an opportunity to participate in the biggest event, for the sport that I love. The story of …

2K17 The Land Marathon Race Report: You can’t make a cycle into three weeks

May 21st, 2017christian0 Comments

Well, after a winter of an injury, then injury after trying to come back to soon I finally got a marathon in. Thanks to the generosity of a friend who knew someone looking for FMDSA charity runners, I got an entry for the 2017 Cleveland Marathon, their 40th (I ran Glass City’s 40th last year, and the OBX’s 10th the year prior; mmk). The plan for the race: just wing it. I had two weeks of 66 miles, including one 20 miler, but that doesn’t bring back all of my endurance I lost. I figured the marathon would at least …

Running WIR — February 13-19: Escalante and Feelin’ Good

February 19th, 2017christian0 Comments

week-in-review-2-19 christian lautenschleger

Although I’d say I’m a week or two from running to full strength, I’d definitely getting closer to feeling like myself. I ended up running everyday, with runs more ambitious than I ever would have imagined a few, short weeks ago. Most of the pain from my strain and time off has subsided. I feel like I’ll be near November-fitness come time for the Eisenhower Marathon in April. (Most of these are copy-and-pastes “dailies”, which means they were fresh in my mind when I typed them.) Monday — off work early, too nice to not run! Not-a-fun 4. I originally …

Running Week In Review: 2-6 to 2-12

February 12th, 2017christian0 Comments

running week in review christian lautenschleger

Well, this week I started gaining volume. Although I still have a way to go to my November fitness level, I made strides. My calf is >98% better, with some niggles in my foot and ankle, but nothing to preclude me from running. I’m not ready to add real quality and intensity to my training, but I will continue to add more miles. I added a long run (which used to constitute a middle-long run…), which felt great. By “felt great”, I mean I accomplished it: the last 10K felt worse than that of a marathon. This paragraph was …

Week in Review: a doc, some PT, and recovery

February 5th, 2017christian0 Comments

Apparently, it wasn’t tendinitis, but a calf strain. The miscellaneous pain was caused by the strain, not the injury itself. That’s why doctors say if it still hurts after a few days, go see one! If nothing else, you’ll recover sooner. Lesson learned. Last week I made the decision finally to see a doctor. My injury had gone on long enough and at that point I didn’t think it would recovery on its own. I asked a friend and she immediately had a doctor in mind (in the end, four people recommended that doctor, as he’s the best doctor for …

Is anyone an expert? Do we use that term too liberally?

February 2nd, 2017christian0 Comments

“[An expert is] having, involving, or displaying special skill or knowledge derived from training or experience.” -Expert definition, courtesy of Webster. Who is an expert? Is anyone an expert? The more we learn about something, the more we learn we don’t know. Everything is a lifelong lesson, we can take crash courses and become obsessed with voracious energy, but at what point do we become an expert? Or do we ever really reach that status. The media loves to label people as “experts”, probably because they need to call them something, the lazy way out. An expert generally is someone …

The Injured Runner’s Paradox

February 1st, 2017christian0 Comments

Saying the word “paradox” makes everything sound more intellectual than it really is. The injured runner’s paradox simply states – this I totally made up today – that runners become injured by running, and want to get back to what caused their injury, running, as soon as possible. Only the NFL has a higher rate of injury than running (100% injury rate for the NFL; and I also made up “only the NFL”). Running’s a feeling that everyone receives differently. Some people do it to lose weight. Some people do it for fitness. Some people do it to accomplish something. …

If it hurts for more than a few days, doctor

January 31st, 2017christian0 Comments

Word to the wise, if it hurts for more than a few days, go see a doctor. On one hand running is a hobby, a fun activity. A doctor is for sick people, right? Not for people who have aches and pains from running. I mean, why see a doctor when some rest and at-home physical therapy will do the trick? Maybe. Maybe we know what we have and can recover on our own. Or maybe we have a more serious issue. Or something that is actually different than what you research has shown. Several reasons. Runners love to run. …