Author: Hip Brother Tom

Wow!  It’s been a minute since I have had time to post.  I wanted to give an update on my latest running pursuits.  After a solid winter of training, I thought the hay was in the barn for my March 15th race – The Chuckanut 50k in Bellingham Washington.  This would be my 2nd running of this event.  In my previous post (last year) after similar training, I toed the line on a beautiful and crisp sunny day to complete the race in 5 hours and 43 minutes.  I ran the race with a bunch of buddies from our local running group – The Spokane Distance Project.  I felt great, but apparently, I missed a section of the hardest and steepest part of the race (The chinscraper) which shaved off some time.  My buddies gave me the nickname of “The Chuckanut Cheater” for rest of the year.   I had to return to the scene of the crime and defend my honor.

Training went well during the winter.  I thought I was ready.  But a wicked cold was knocking people out at my work place and up until race week….I had avoided it.  On the Thursday night prior to race weekend, it found me.  Initially, it started with just a sore throat and a cough, so on Friday, I packed my Nyquil and Dayquil and headed across the state, hoping the cold would remain mild.   I met up with teammates on Friday afternoon and I felt like I was walking on eggshells, just hoping the cold wouldn’t get worse.  The skies were overcast, but the temperature was comfortable, so I was hoping for a good race day, similar to last year, but the cold felt like it was getting worse.   I was coughing more and I could feel the pressure building up in my sinuses.   I counted the minutes before I could take my Nyquil and go to bed.

On race day morning, I woke up to the sound of drizzling rain.  After spending the first half hour clearing my throat and nose without trying to wake up my housemates, I … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

My team (The Spokane Distance Project) and I spent the winter building miles for the Chuckanut 50k trail race that was held on March 16th, 2024.  We put in some good miles to get ready for this event.  This race was especially important to me since my first true 50K trail race last summer (The Broken Goat) was a complete debacle.  Last summer, I spent a lot of time working on remodeling my rental house, and less time putting in the training that was necessary to run a 50k trail race.   Relying on my past racing experience and my competitive nature, I was sure I could “get through” the race without too much trouble.  I got through it all right.  There were 4 major peaks that had to be scaled in the hot summer sun and very few available aid stations.  I spent the 2nd half of the race cramping in different places with every step.  The race cut off time was 11 hours.  I finished in 10 hours 59 minutes and 17 seconds.  It was a team race and there was a lot of fun to be had afterward.  For me, that fun consisted of a half-a-piece of pizza and a half-a-can of beer.  I was a vegetable for the following 3 days.

The Chuckanut 50k was my redemption training.  The course was substantially easier than the broken goat, but I had no idea how I would feel running this race.  My winter training with my team (The Spokane Distance Project) went well.  We were able to set up a training plan that gradually ramped up the mileage throughout the winter to prepare us for the big day.

The Chuckanut trail race fills up quickly when it opens up  for registration, but the team was all in and we all registered within the first 2 hours of registration being opened.  When the race started we we all settled into our positions.  Ben, a premier trail racer in the Pacific NW moved out way ahead of the group.  Following him were Dave, Keith and Jared.  I settled in next with … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

When I received my hip replacement in 2012, I felt that I should stick to shorter runs going forward.  Typically I stuck to half marathons and maybe a few 25K’s.  Ten years later, the mystique of this mountain and a challenge from a friend, inspired me to run my first ultra around Mount St. Helens.  Dubbed, ‘The Bigfoot 40’, the run around this volcano did not disappoint.  I grew up in central Washington State when  Mount St. Helens erupted.  Within a few hours after the May 18th 1980 eruption, our small little town was enveloped in darkness with ash raining down.  The darkness would last for more than 24 hours.  It was crazy.  So to get a chance to experience closely where it all happened, I was super excited.

It also didn’t hurt reading all about fellow HipRunner Dave Whiteside’s ultra running exploits.  He is killing it in the ultra distance scene and the hip is still going strong.  Armed with that motivation, I started training vigorously as soon as I was able.  I spent last year down for the count with multiple consecutive injuries.  First their was the hammy strain right at the sit bone.  It made running an extreme pain in the butt (literally).  Then, last fall while coaching my elementary XC team, I strained my Achilles tendon  which set me back until late February.  When I was finally able to train in earnest, I was way behind the rest my running group who were also training for this event.

In a moment of weakness and maybe after a few too many beers, my buddy Jack challenged me to finish the race in under 16 hours.    I told him, “If i finish in under 16 hours, you need to get me a ‘HipRunner’ belt buckle.  Jack agreed.

So last week we loaded into an RV.  We chose not to camp because #1 We’re old, and #2 Hobos camp.  We left for the mountain a day early to ensure that we would find a good spot in the parking lot close to the starting line.  Jack drove ahead of … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Happy New Year Hip Runner Nation!

It is hard to believe that it has been 10 years since I had to get my hip replaced.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  There was no doubt that I would get back to running.  The inspiration to start this Hip Runner community was just beginning to develop.  At first, I was only going to document my progress so that others would be able to see that getting back to running after having a hip replacement was very possible.  But as the months progressed, I realized 1) that I was a terrible blogger and 2) there were others with inspiring stories who needed to have a voice on this site.  Since then, the site and its membership has grown to over 1700 members.   This community of members is the engine that makes this site run and gives hope to those who are unsure about their running future going into their hip replacements.  I have to offer up a big THANK YOU to all of you for your contributions.

My year of running in 2022 was hit and miss due to a string of injuries and a new job with a startup company that has great promise.  I am currently sitting on my couch as I write this post, icing my Achilles tendon on my right foot.  My goal for 2022 was to try to run every day – even if it was just a mile.  But I injured my Achilles in the fall while coaching my grade school cross country team.   The parks around our school turned off their water fountains as part of the city’s Covid-19 protocols.   To provide hydration to the kids on the team, I decided to push a baby jogger with a 5 gallon jug of water strapped on it.  It worked out great.  But my kids are fast, and trying to keep up with them while pushing this hydration system caused me to tweak my Achilles tendon.  Since then I have tried to cross-train and stay fit while limiting my running.  Yesterday was the first try after … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

January 2022 will be my 10 year anniversary for my new hip.  It still feels new. 🙂   Today was the day I designated for the Joya Virtual 5k.  Joya is a non-profit that my wife serves as the executive director for.  Joya serves medically fragile and developmentally delayed children from ages birth to 3.  I always marvel at the great work that these people do.  It truly is a gift.   They are currently building a new facility for their services because they have outgrown their current location (an old school), and the school district wants it back.  The picture above shows me standing in front of the new site and shows a rendering of what the new place will look like.  I set up a 5k course that starts on the Centennial trail adjacent to the new construction site and takes runners on a 5k loop that goes along the river and through Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane.   My wife and many others used the course to run their vitual 5k’s last week.  Out there this morning, it was just me.  I was as ready as I could be.  In my previous post  I had described a little injury that I have been dealing with for the past several months.  My hammy on my hip replacement side was inflamed right at the sit bone.  I had no strength on that side and it made running difficult.  Thankfully with some PT and strength training, that issue is going away.

I completed my 5K (actually it was a little more that 5k – 3.18 miles) in 23:25.  In past years I would have been very disappointed in that time, but not today.  That time means I am coming back….finally.  It’s been 10 years since I got my hip replacement at 46 years of age.  Seemed young at the time, but I knew it was time.  10 years later, I am still running 5k’s, doing 10 mile training runs with my buddies and playing some occasional hoops (which I did after my run today).  That seems like a lot of boasting, but that … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Hi Everyone!

Thank you for being part of this community.  I love that this site runs by itself without me having to check in and post regularly.  Especially these last 2 years…..

In July of 2019, I got a new job….a startup…..it has been taking up all my time.  Sadly, I have only been able to keep up on accepting new members, liking your posts, and liking your Strava runs.  Posting regularly has been a challenge.  I’m still here though.  The job is fantastic!   I am the director of IT for a contract manufacturer of injectable pharmaceuticals.  I have been spending a lot of my time learning the ins and outs of validating computer systems in federally regulated environments.  It really has taken up a LOT of my time.  So I apologize in advance for not posting as much.

Right now I am dealing with some hammy issues.  My left hammy is having some issues right where it connects to the sit bone on my pelvis.  It makes running a little uncomfortable.  Basically, its a pain in my butt.  So if you’ve been tracking me, you’ll notice my weekly Strava miles have pretty much tanked over the last 3 months.  One thing I have noticed is that I have lost some leg and hip strength during these Covid times and I believe these are major contributors to the issue that I have been having.  But I am in PT and getting regular massages now, so I hope it won’t be long before I am back at it and posting great post-hip reports again.  I am thankful to all of you for keeping up the posts and encouraging each other.  We are a community of hip runners and your involvement has been appreciated.

I have a huge favor to ask all of you.  While HipRunner does not have a true mission statement, it is focused on letting individuals know that running does not need to end after your hip replacement.  This community is here for you to support you and encourage you along your journey back to running.  We all … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Hey Hip Runners!

This Covid thing is so 2019.  I don’t know about you, but I am READY to move on.  Thank GOODNESS for running!  At least we have the ability to get out and do SOMETHING that feels kind of normal.  I haven’t posted in a while because I have been nursing injuries ever since I ran the Bloomsday course on the date that it was originally scheduled to be held in May.

For about a month after Bloomsday I was nursing a hammy straing.    Then I started training with the team for a 23 mile Alpine run near Leavenworth, WA.  The run was along the  Enchantments Trail, a point-to-point trail that guides you through glacier carved granite crags  along crystal blue alpine lakes in the Cascade Mountain Range of Washington State.  To train for elevation, the team spent some time on the trails of Mount Spokane,  a 5880 ft. peak that is just 45 minutes from downtown Spokane.

Favoring my hammy during these training runs, I ended up straining some tendons in my lower left calf.  Initially the strain was tolerable and I was able to get through the run through the Enchantments.  But the injury is still lingering, so I have resigned myself to just getting out regularly and running 5 miles at a very easy pace.  I know that time heals, so I am just taking it easy until the body says I can go again.  I still try to get out and train with the team, but it is obvious that I am not 100%.  In fact, one of my teammates was running behind me the other day and told me that looked like the tin man while I was running.

As far as the hip goes…..all is well.   After 8 years, I still have no issues.  I recently bought a shirt at the local Fleet Feet running store that said “Running Changes Everything”.  It’s true.  During Covid, it has helped me keep my sanity.  Even while I’m injured and have to ease up on my running, I don’t mind looking like a tin man.  … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Hey everyone!

I hope you’re all surviving this crisis that COVID-19 has created.  If there has ever been a need to be able to get out and run, it is now.    It’s been over 8 years since my hip replacement and it is time’s like this that I am thankful that I am still able to get out and run.  One of my annual events that I help to coordinate and take part in is Spokane’s own Lilac Bloomsday race.  For Spokane, it is like the formal introduction of spring to the community.  Everybody, walker and runners alike, gathers together on the first Sunday of may, to run the 12k (7.46 Mile) Bloomsday course and welcome in Spring as a community.  The race hosts around 40,000 people each year…….except this year.  This year the streets were silent and the race was postponed.  We are hoping to host it later in the year (September 20th to be exact).

While the race didn’t happen, some Bloomsday diehards decided to run on raceday anyway.   These diehards included me and a bunch of the guys from my training group (The Spokane Distance Project).  We had all been training through the winter months to run a 50K race on the west side of the state (The Chuckanut 50K trail race in Bellingham, WA).  It would have been my first endeavor into racing a distance longer than a marathon.  When we learned that that race was cancelled due to Coronavirus, we traded out our long slow trail runs for some more up-tempo shorter workouts to prepare for Bloomsday.  We assumed/hoped that Bloomsday would take place.   When we learned that Bloomsday was postponed, we decided to run the course anyways on the day of the planned race.  We chose to go out earlier than the official race start time to avoid any crowds that might have had the same idea. 

It was a blast.  My training paid off and I finally was able to put in a race with race splits that averaged under 7 minutes for the entire length of the course.  … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

You don’t have to be fast.  I just want to bring the HipRunner’s together to run FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A GROUP in Christopher Kelsall’s “Global One-Hour Race”.  Let’s do this people!

Here are the details….

Hey Folks,

The Global One-hour Virtual Race window opens tomorrow, Friday, May 1 and closes Sunday, May 17.  For team name, enter “The Hip Runners”.

Race for 60-minutes (fulfill that unforgiving hour with 60 minutes run) and submit your time via Strava or similar app. Proceeds go to the Mustard Seed Food Bank.

$5 to race. Results published at Athletics Illustrated.

https://athleticsillustrated.com/category/global-60-vrace/… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Hey all of you HipRunners!  By now all of you have experienced the COVID-19 crisis in one way or another.  For me, it has hit close to home placing a friend, my cousin and my cousin’s husband in the hospital. Thankfully, they should all pull through.  The best advice I can give you is advice that you’ve already heard;  adhere to the shelter in place rules and stay 6 feet apart.  But there is something even more important that I need remind all of you Hip Runners.  THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF YOU HIP RUNNERS.  You all have bounced back from extremely serious trauma to the hip.  Many of you are back to running and achieving things that you never thought you could.  It can make you feel INVINCIBLE!!

But you are not….

You are not invincible to this virus.  I am not invincible to the virus.  Protect yourselves for the sake of your families.  Protect yourselves for the sake of Hiprunner Nation.  Protect yourselves for the sake of yourselves!

This leads me to my next plea.  We have two Hip Runners who, on their own, are encouraging others to give back.  Their selfless actions are worthy of attention.  We all can help make a difference by joining their efforts to give back!

1 Hour Virtual Run. Hip brother Christopher Kelsall has encouraged all of us to join a virtual one hour race that will be held between May 1st and May 17th.  The race is sponsored by Athletetics Illustrated.  The proceeds benefit a very good cause.  You can find out more about it in his post at this link.   As for me, I fully intend to take part!

60 Mile Fund Raiser Run.   Hip Brother Dave Whiteside is running 60 Miles to raise funds for feeding Tampa Bay during the Covid-19 crisis.  Florida is flat, so to get elevation, he runs bridges……over and over and over again.  You can learn more about his fundraiser through this link.

Both Christopher and David have been instrumental in building this website and encouraging others who post on this site.  … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

The third annual Hiprunner/Zero Runner® marathon is complete!  Congratulations to Mark Klein who posted the fastest time for 2020.  Thanks to all of you who turned out.  If you are thinking about participating next year…..here is a link to the rules that were used for 2020.  I will be posting a sign up link towards the end of this year.

MARK KLEIN IS THE  2020 HIP RUNNER MAN OF THE YEAR

The 60+ age bracket had some stiff competition but Mark Klein edged out all comers by posting a 3:35 Marathon on the Zero Runner.  Adding in his age handicap, his adjusted marathon time was 3:17.  Well Done Mark.

DAVE DOES 100….FAST!!!

For those of you who don’t track him,  one of our Hip Brothers, Dave Whiteside just completed a 100 miler.   That achievement in itself is an amazing feat.  Even more amazing is that he completed it in under 20 hours.    There are runners in the Ultra Running community (without hip replacements) who have never achieved this mark.  Knowing Dave, we will hear more about it on this site, but it was something that needed to be shared!  WAY TO GO DAVE!

ZERO RUNNER/HIP RUNNER MARATHON – 32 Days away

Hey everyone!  Don’t forget to sign up for the Zero Runner Marathon!  It’s free and its fun.  Runners will have their times handicapped based on their age, and the winners will get some free swag and bragging rights as the Hiprunner of the year for 2020.  On marathon day, choose your training option (Zero Runner, treadmill, outside running) and get your 26.2 miles in.  You can learn more about it and sign up by going to the following link: https://www.hiprunner.com/?page_id=8923.

 … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Happy New Year to all of you Hip Runners!  Set your goals!  Stay optimistic! Keep on running…..

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope 2019 was a great year for all of you.  For me, it was a year to build back some of the speed and strength I lost after my 2018 partial knee replacement.  I am happy to say I am back at it with my first 50K coming up at the end of March.  Training is going well and   I am learning that sometimes it’s not so much about the speed of the workout, but rather about the time on your feet.

Hiprunner/Zero Runner Marathon registration is open…..it’s free!

The third annual Hiprunner/Zero Runner Marathon date has been set.  This race crowns our Hippest Hip Runners for the year.  The marathon is handicapped based on age and when it is over, we will crown our “Hippest” Hip runners for the year.  You can sign up by clicking on the link on the side menu, or go straight to the page from this link.

Keep on training everyone.  Have a safe New Year’s celebration.

Hip Brother Tom

 … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Hey everyone, over the weekend of 11/1, 2019,  I had the opportunity to go down to Los Angeles and join some of my fellow Gonzaga TFXC alumni to cheer on this year’s team at the West Coast Conference Championships.  It was a lot of fun.  GU’s coach Pat Tyson (he was Steve Prefontaine’s college roommate), is building a powerhouse of a program at Gonzaga.

The GU men and women did exceptionally well.  The men finished 3rd behind BYU and Portland.  BYU is currently ranked 2nd in the nation, and Portland is close behind at 12th.  The Gonzaga men’s team finished just 12 points behind Portland.  No team in the history of GUXC has been this good.  The women made major improvements from last year and finished 4th overall.  It is a testament to the program and how much it has grown.  In the late 80’s I ran at Gonzaga.  After I graduated, I coached there for 4 years.  Little did I know what was in store for me on this trip to watch the championships.  Everyone was in on what was about to happen……except me.  3 of my former athletes that I coached hatched a plan at last year’s WCC XC Championships  in Provo Utah.   I was not able to make that trip.  When this year’s meet was over, the team and all of the alumni gathered around and my former athletes told the story.  Mike Myette and Rob Boulds talked about how last year at this time, they had come up with a plan to create a new scholarship endowment.  Mike would match every donation dollar for dollar until they had raised the minimum amount to create the scholarship ($50,000).  Rob would be the vocal leader who would rally the XC Alumni throughout the year to raise the funds.  Another former runner Pat Hill was in on this along with my fellow teammate Eric Thompson.  Other athletes, like Robert Walgren, who weren’t from my era, played pivotal roles as well.  Throughout the year, they worked and poked and prodded to raise the funds and just before this year’s championships, … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Wow!   Spring was busy.  Between coaching track, working on the Bloomsday board holding down a full time job,  and dealing with a sore hamstring, I had little time to maintain a good running base.  And that is probably why this year’s Bloomsday time was a bit slower than my past ones.  Last year I skipped Bloomsday because it was too soon after my partial knee replacement.  So even though I ran slower,  I was happy to be back out on the course again.   I ended up running the 12k course in 53:38.  That put me at an average of 7:11 minutes per mile over the 7.46 mile course.  I told everyone that I wanted to just break 55 minutes this year, but secretly,  I wanted to beat 53.

The training has been hit and miss for the last few months and boy can I tell!  Just a note of encouragement to all of you hiprunners getting back to running after a long recovery hiatus.  Don’t expect to get it all back at once.  There will be days when you are challenged and you question if you’ll ever get back to where you were.  Those initial days will be your make or break days.  During those days, it is imperative that you S-T-A-Y   O-P-T-I-M-I-S-T-I-C!  In time, you’ll get stronger and eventually, you’ll be chasing those old PR’s again.… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

The second annual Hiprunner/Zero Runner® marathon is complete!  Congratulations to 2 time winner Larry Schmidt and first ever female Hiprunner of the year Becky Hainje!  Thanks to all of you who turned out.  If you are thinking about participating next year…..here is a link to the rules that were used for 2019.  I will be posting a sign up link towards the end of this year.

2019 HIP RUNNER MAN OF THE YEAR Larry Schmidt

2019 HIP RUNNER WOMAN OF THE YEAR Becky Hainje

On the men’s side, retaining his crown by a landslide was Hip Runner Larry Schmidt.  Larry is actually double hip with 2 THR’s.  Larry’s age gave him a handicap deduction of 5 seconds per minute spent exercising.  This gave Larry an adjusted marathon time of 2:50 (12 minutes better than last year-WOW!). Larry Schmidt is 2019’s HipRunner Man of the Year.  Way to go Larry. We look forward to seeing if you can go for the Triple Crown in 2020.

On the women’s side newcomer Becky Hainje put in a great performance on her Zero Runner.  Her age also gave her a handicap deduction of 5 seconds per minute spent exercising.  Her adjusted marathon time was 3:12.  Becky Hainje is Hip Runner’s Woman of the year!  She is also the FIRST named Hip Runner Woman of the Year since this is the first year for that category!  Way to go Becky!

We are just days away from the 2nd Annual Zero Runner Marathon. As you can see on the chart above, some runners will use the treadmill, others will run on the road, and some of us will use our ZeroRunners® . This event is handicapped by age, so everyone has a chance. The winner receives a HipRunner “THR Tough” shirt and every participant receives an Octane Fitness™ workout towel. The winner will also be recognized as 2019’s Hip Runner of the year and be recognized in the side menu of this page. I have also modified the handicap system to include a provision for gender. There is still time to sign up and its completely free. All-you-have-to-do-is-run-a-marathon-2-days-from-now. This is where I put in my plug for the Octane Fitness™ ZeroRunner® . The ZeroRunner provides an impact free experience for you to get your runs in. Unlike elliptical machines, this machine is set up with articulating arms to give your legs the full range of a fluid running motion. It is a perfect companion during the recovery period after hip replacement and far beyond. You can find out more about the Zero Runner Marathon and the ZeroRunner by clicking on this link. Good Luck to all of have signed up so far. We will be crowning our winner next week and our current winner Larry Schmidt is back and ready to try to retain his title.… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Alright everyone!  We are just 24 days away from the 2nd Annual Hip Runner/Zero Runner marathon.  This race is handicapped, so regardless of your age, you have a shot to become 2019’s Hip Runner of the Year and your mug will be proudly displayed on the sight for the rest of the year! It doesn’t matter how you get your run in, but it was inspired by Octane Fitness’ Zero Runner which allows you to replicate your natural running motion so you use all the same muscles you do outside, but without the harmful impact.  Learn more about the event at this link: http://hiprunner.com/?page_id=8923.

Who is going to be this year’s HipRunner of the year???? There is still time to sign up!  It’s fun and it’s free!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

On Saturday, I put myself on the starting line for the USATF Cross Country Club Nationals which were held here in Spokane.   Teams from all over the country flew into my hometown to compete.  I wasn’t expecting to place high, but I wanted to represent the SDP (Spokane Distance Project), since it was a local event.   The temp was below freezing hovering in the mid 20’s.  There was no snow on the ground but the ground was frozen so it was going to be fast.    I was hoping to hit each mile of the 10k course averaging just under 7’s.  My hammy which was bothering me all through the month of October and for part of November, was finally healthy.  Still, this was going to be my first real test back from knee surgery.  I had no clue what kind of pace I could hold for a real race.

I couldn’t have been happier.  My gps miles showed as follows:
Mile 1: 6:13, Mile 2: 6:37, Mile 3: 6:29, Mile 4: 6:38, Mile 5: 6:33, Mile 6: 6:38 .4 Mile: 6:29 (6.4 Miles: 40:02).  Nice.  Average Mile Pace 6:31. But wait!  This was a USATF certified 10k course, so my real time was 40:02 over 6.2 miles (not 6.4).  My GPS must have gotten confused by all of the tight turns.  My official mile pace ended up being 6:46/mile.  I’ll take it!  Never mind that I finished waaayyyyyy back in the pack. I…..ran….sub…..7’s.  Even picked off a few runners in the final miles.  The best part is that I am just BEGINNING to get back into racing shape.

I feel like I should schedule a January or February race to keep the fire alive!   Staying optimistic means setting goals.   Hmmm what to do what to do!  Wait!  The Hip Runner/Zero Runner Marathon is coming up on February 9th.  If you haven’t signed up, you should!  It will be motivation for you to train through the winter months.  Find out more by clicking this link.

Lastly, I have to give a big shout out to my running team.  … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)