The Emerging altruistic philanthropher

Running prohibited

Today's run (treadmill): 45 minutes

I get a lot of junk emails (don't we all?) that I usually ignore or delete. If you ever sign up for something online and don't forget to opt out of marketing, you're going to see some unwelcome emails. Worse, those companies sell your address to other companies, forcing you to unsubscribe to mail lists you never joined in the first place.

I don't know what I did to get on the railstotrails.org list, but they sure send a lot of emails. And guess what, it worked. I am now a member of the Rails to Trails Conservancy. The reason I took the bait was a series of emails that had subject lines like, "Your trails at risk...like Bethpage Bikeway" and contained dire warnings like, "Next year, our elected officials could slash funding for great walking and biking trails!" Those awful, irresponsible elected officials! How could I stand by and watch them do this to my beloved path!? So I made a donation.

As a result, I am now the proud owner of a Rails to Trails membership card that, as far as I can tell, allows me to make more donations to the Rails to Trails Conservancy and buy Rails to Trails Conservancy merchandise. Along with this card, I received an electric blue winter cap and my first copy of rails to trails magazine that seems to suggest that these paths are only for cyclists. Seriously, every story is about biking.

My wife looked at the hat and said two things. 1. "Bad color." 2. "Are you really going to wear that?" Of course I am! The cap may be vividly ugly, but it's also visible. If I ever get to run outside the house again before spring, I plan to wear it.

This morning I'd hoped to do a neighborhood run but the streets had too much ice. I made a query on the GLIRC Facebook page to see if anyone knew the condition of the Bethpage trail. Perhaps I should have emailed Rails to Trails since they seem to know so much about about the Bethpage path. I probably would have received a response like, "Dear Mr. ER, please let us know what type of bike you ride and we'll let you know if trail conditions support it..."

I received some helpful responses from GLIRC members that I don't know personally and some unhelpful responses from GLIRC members I do know. Those members, SIOR and TPP, were going to SUNY Old Westbury at noon. My schedule didn't allow me to join them. I hope they had fun running that freezing, hilly course.

I kept inside for my workout today, running about 45 minutes on the treadmill. The machine is ridiculously loud, but it seems to have moved past its tortured screeching metal phase. It sounds more like a wooden roller coaster now. You can think of it as the least fun ride at Adventureland.

My run was fine and, although I had some sciatic pain over the first half, things eventually settled down. Happily, the soreness did not return after my run. In keeping with my one fitness resolution for 2015 (that I'd stop completely ignoring my upper body) I did ten push ups when I got off the treadmill.

One of the GLIRC posters said that the wooded trails at Bethpage are in good shape so I may head there tomorrow and do a trail run. The mountain bikers should be able to spot me before they run me over because I'll be wearing my new hat.

Race Report: 2014 GLIRC Runner's Edge Trail Relay

First leg off and running (TPP is third from left)

Today's run (GLIRC Bethpage 2x3 Trail Relay) 2 mile leg (Team finish time 56:05)

The weather finally cooperated enough to allow GLIRC to run the Runner's Edge Relay this morning. This race was originally scheduled for February, but the unrelenting snow had made the trails at Bethpage State Park unrunnable. A little rain and a few days of 40 degree temperatures cleared out most of the snow, although there were still a number of icy and muddy sections along the path.

As the name implies, this race is a team effort with each member running one 2 mile leg. I haven't been running well this year, but I did a few speed oriented treadmill runs earlier in the week and figured two miles wouldn't be much to worry about. I was wrong about that. Today's two miles didn't feel endless, but I had much more difficulty that I'd expected. It was too late to help my teammates, but I discovered a large gap in my conditioning that I hope to address as I begin my half marathon training.

Runsketeers pre-race

Our team was called the Runsketeers, consisting of me and friends the Petite Pacer (TPP) and She Is Out Running (SIOR). SIOR had little prior trail experience, but she's lightning on the road. She qualified for Boston this year and almost always wins or places in her age group. TPP is also very fast (she has racked up her share of podium spots) and takes performance training very seriously. Then there's me. I used to be competitive in my age group and I've done a lot of trail running. These days I struggle to break 28 minutes in a 5K.

With that lineup, we decided to have TPP run the first leg, me the second and have SIOR bring it home. The idea was that TPP would put us in a competitive position, I would do my best to hold that and SIOR's speed would help gain back minutes and position. We didn't really discuss it, but that was my reasoning.

TPP has been feeling under the weather this week and is still fighting a fever. She's a tough competitor but decided to run despite feeling sub-optimal. Our backup plan was either to have Mrs. ER run TPP's leg or have me or SIOR run two legs. We ended up with the original lineup intact. SIOR's marathon schedule had her running 10 miles this morning prior to the race. She anchored our team after doing that long run on the hilly Bethpage bike trail. These women are amazing.

Me and Mrs. ER after number pickup

Team ER arrived at Bethpage around 9:00 AM and I collected our bibs and t-shirts. SIOR and TPP arrived about 20 minutes later. It was nice bringing together my running friends and my family. Our talking kept our minds off the fact that it was very cold and we didn't have any place to keep warm. There didn't seem to be that many participants, but the crowd grew as we got closer to start time.

We headed over to the starting area a little before 10:00 AM and the race began on time. Each leg started on the open field and led to a path into the woods that eventually connected to the main trail. TPP and the others disappeared into the distance and I was still thinking this would be relatively easy as races go.

First hand-off, from TPP

It wasn't that long before we spotted TPP exiting out of the woods from the opposite side and soon enough we slapped hands and I took off for the second leg. I made the mistake of starting too fast and I paid for that later in the run. The trail conditions were (at best) wet and stable, and (at worse) muddy, icy, snowy, sandy and slippery. There were plenty of race volunteers along the course to keep us on track and warn us of trail dangers. I was disappointed to feel overtaxed midway through the leg and I slowed considerably when running in areas of deep mud and sand. Bethpage doesn't have hills like Stillwell, but this course did have its uphill challenges.

SIOR ready to fly

Seconds after the hand-off

I was not in great shape by the time I reached the field. My family described my "sprint" to the relay hand-off as "slow motion." SIOR took off quickly and gained back some minutes. We all gathered near the finish line chute and saw her come through after covering her leg in about 16 minutes. There are no results posted, but her effort undoubtedly helped our race position.

SIOR brings it in

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMERGING RUNNER JR.

The reward for our hard work was found at the food table where they served muffins and cupcakes as big as softballs. They also offered hot chocolate and noodle soup that was described by my wife and kids as "fantastic." I had a great time although I am disappointed with the way I ran. I'm determined to get back to my prior level and I have a training plan that I think will help. My Runsketeer teammates both put in impressive runs and I'm honored to be part of that group.

I may return to Bethpage tomorrow to do my first Half training run. It's just five miles, but today was only two and that was no picnic.

Snowed out at the track, but not at the park

Track was snow go

Today's run (street): 4 miles

I ended up wimping out of the GLIRC run today. I debated whether to head over and see the condition of that route (it would have been a five minute drive), but finally decided to pursue a different workout. I haven't focused much on my speed lately and the Bethpage trail relay is next week. A track workout would be ideal so (after much preparation and stalling) I made my way to the high school track.

I was hoping the track would be clear, but when I arrived I saw that it was covered by at least three inches of snow. It would have been perfect conditions for Yaktrax or snowshoes. I was dressed for a cold outdoor run and didn't want to return home to the treadmill so I thought about my other options. First was the paved area at Stillwell that was right across the street. I knew that I could run a .6 mile loop there. Similarly, I thought about running the half mile route around the driveway loops at the middle school in my neighborhood.

Neither choice appealed to me, so I started to head toward the GLIRC office. I figured that I could park around there and pick up the northern end of the bike trail where the Clubhouse runs start. On my way there, I swung through the local business park and saw that it had clear roads and sparse traffic. I pulled into one of the lots and started a run going clockwise around the loop.

I had put on a lot of layers and immediately noticed how it restricted my stride. The 1.2 mile loop rises and falls with the clockwise direction, providing about 40 feet of elevation gain within a .4 mile section. I usually run it that way, rather than going in the opposite direction where that elevation stretches across 3/4 of a mile.

After so many treadmill runs in the past few weeks, I found the pavement a little jarring. I thought about my blogger buddy SIOR who goes out for runs in the double digits a few times a week (20 miles yesterday!) while I struggled to get my road legs back. Soon enough, the snow will leave us and I'll begin my base training runs for the half marathon that will culminate with 12+ mile runs.

At 2.8 miles I needed to stop at an intersection where a few cars were taking a left toward Jericho Turnpike. I hit stop on the Garmin while the cars went by and (apparently) did not properly restart it. About five minutes later, I heard a beep and saw that the Garmin was shutting down to preserve battery. I restarted the watch and tried to estimate how much further I'd need to run to cover four miles.

Round and round the park

I figured that a side route towards the Route 135 underpass would gain me the distance I'd need to make four miles. I would have aimed for more distance, but my right knee was feeling slightly sore. I finished up fast, with my best pace of the run on the last quarter mile. I knew it was the right time to stop when I reached the lot where I parked. I Gmapped my route when I got home and confirmed my distance.

I only covered about eight miles over the weekend, despite my goal of doing ten. That was fine because my legs got a good workout, especially today. I do need to dial up the speed to help prepare for next weekend. With snow falling tonight, that will probably have to happen on the treadmill.

Snowbound and demotivated (but still running)

Our snowman is happy, but I'm tired of the treadmill

Yesterday's run (treadmill): 3.25 miles
Today's run (treadmill): 4.3 miles

I've been off the grid since yesterday morning, so I didn't end up posting on Friday. It was a busy day, but I was able to work in a treadmill run in the morning. As much as I would have liked to run outside, the snow has been a barrier. I'd briefly considered running around the clear and relatively safe driveway loops at the nearby middle school, but I determined that would be trading one boring situation for a another.

This morning my motivation meter was very low. The thought of another indoor run was disheartening. I considered doing some type of cross training, but my options were few. On a day like today, having access to a gym would be great. I got on the treadmill and told myself that I'd mix up the workout, either by switching up the program, or folding in an elliptical session.

I ended up staying with the treadmill because I became distracted by Olympics coverage. I made it past four miles, but tedium prevailed and I couldn't convince myself to go a full five. I was happy that I did the run, but I felt guilty for not doing more. I'm debating whether I should do an additional workout on the elliptical. The only problem with that is the need to go through the whole showering process again when I finish.

I saw in Footnotes magazine that GLIRC is doing another Clubhouse run tomorrow, although it's not listed on the events calendar. I check the date again. I don't know if the bike trail I ran with TPP and SIOR during the last GLIRC run are clear of snow and ice. If they aren't, I'm not too sure that I want to risk a slip. But it would be nice to run outside. I'll see how adventurous I feel in the morning.

The freezing rain workout

 

Today's run (treadmill): 3.1 miles

Yesterday morning did not work out for a run. The overnight snowfall was saturated with freezing rain and my schedule was too tight to allow time for both shoveling and doing a workout. I was due to give a webinar later in the morning, preceded by some planning calls. Weather conditions were so bad they closed the schools and I figured that was due to the ice covered roads.

We only received a few inches of snow so I thought I could easily push it off the driveway. That was a bad assumption. The weight of this snow made it hard to move it more than a couple of feet. A full shovel's worth of the stuff probably weighed over 30 pounds. I figured out a way to clear the drive and walk, but it took me three times as long as it did during the last snowfall. After about 40 minutes, my wife was able to join me and that cut the time considerably. No run yesterday, but I did get a good upper arm workout.

The still icy roads made the treadmill my only option this morning. I could have also used the elliptical, but I wanted to run. I had an early call scheduled, so I set the speed slightly faster than my comfort level. If everything went according to plan, I'd be able to finish, shower and still have a few minutes before the start of the call. I ended up cutting it close, but I made it. I was very tired by the end.

I'm in there!

Earlier this week I received my first copy of Footnotes, the Greater Long Island Running Club's (GLIRC) official magazine. That, added to my recently received GLIRC 2014 calendar, made me feel like a real member. It was interesting to see that there are group activities listed in the magazine that don't seem to be on the website (if they are they're hard to find). Looking further, I saw that I was mentioned as a new member. Yay!

Call me mister social

All for one, one for all, gluten-free! 

Today's run (treadmill): 3.25 miles

Groucho Marx once said, "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member." Perhaps that's been my policy as well, because I haven't been a member of any social group since Economics Club in college. After five years of talking about running clubs, I finally took the plunge this week and joined the Greater Long Island Running Club (also known as GLIRC).

My running buddies and race teammates SIOR and TPP are far more social than me and both are GLIRC members. They get a lot of value out of the club and have encouraged me to sign up. Every interaction I've had with GLIRC members has been positive and the Clubhouse Run that they held in mid-December (open to non-members) was great. I finally ran out of excuses and joined. I'm already benefiting from my new membership by getting a reduced entry fee in an upcoming race.

Our relay team, the Runsketeers, will be competing in the Runner's Edge 2x3 trail relay, held at Bethpage State Park on February 15th. I am the most experienced trail runner, but by far the slowest. TPP is quick and nimble and did really well in the Rob's Run Cross Country race back in December. SIOR is seriously fast and can probably do her entire leg as a sprint. I plan to put it all out there that day. It's Bethpage and it's trails, so what's not to love?

Oh pavement, how I've missed you

Nice to run again on terra firma

Today's run (street): 4.85 miles

Motivation was low this morning, even though weather conditions had greatly improved since yesterday. With temperatures in the low 40's and not a cloud in the sky, I should have been excited about the prospect of running outside for the first time in eleven days. My wife was on the treadmill and I thought for a moment how easy it would be to just throw on some shorts and hop on after she'd finished. But I was not going to let myself succumb to Treadmill Stockholm Syndrome, prompted by six straight runs on the machine.

According to weather reports, the relatively mild temperatures we saw this morning were countered by 20-25 MPH winds. That brought the wind chill into the low 30's. In deference to that, I wore a long sleeved shirt with a short sleeve layer on top and a pair of lightweight track pants. I also wore an over-the-ears hat that provided good protection when the wind hit at certain angles.

I mapped my route in my head, thinking it would get me to at least 4.5 miles, which was my target. Some people have told me they have trouble transitioning from treadmill to road after numerous indoor workouts. I didn't have any such problems today. In fact, my stride felt far better on the road than it had on the treadmill.

Early on, I saw a guy running towards me on the same side of the street and I was tempted to give him the, "it's safer to run against traffic" suggestion. I'd seen him running in the neighborhood for years, and figured that he's probably set in his ways. The last time I suggested the safer choice to a runner, she yelled back that she's been running that way for many years, that the neighborhood is very safe for runners and basically I should mind my own business. So for the most part, that's what I do now.

I didn't burn up the road in terms of speed but I did throw in some surges. TPP had suggested a technique for opening up my stride by launching off my trailing foot while keeping my legs under me. It seemed to translate into a faster pace. I focused on running that way over the last mile and saw a 40 second per mile improvement.

I could have easily gone the additional .15 and made it a full 5 miles but I decided to end the run when I reached my street. I felt good and my heart rate averaged 83% of max overall, finishing up at around 87%. That was almost exactly what I'd been averaging on my prior runs on the treadmill. I have a work-intensive day planned for tomorrow so I doubt I'll run. Mondays are usually my rest days, so no guilt. It was nice to be back on the road today. I definitely missed it. I will start adding a little more speed this week as I prepare for the GLIRC 2x3 trail relay in Bethpage on February 15th.

Seven miles of fun on the GLIRC Clubhouse Run

Group shot just before the start

Photo courtesy of SIOR and GLIRC

Today's run (GLIRC Clubhouse run): 7.4 miles

Well the snow came a little earlier than expected, but it didn't interfere with today's club run in the least. I arrived at the Greater Long Island Running Club (GLIRC) office just before 8:00 AM this morning and saw that I was almost late to the party. My friends TPP and SIOR were there among the assemblage of colorfully dressed participants. After some quick hellos and a group picture, we were all off and running.

The three of us followed the group and headed out of the business park onto the bike trail. It's a hilly section from that point to the turn onto Washington Ave. Although I had good energy at the start, I worried about how I'd be feeling after many more miles. SIOR and TPP are both speedy runners, but they maintained a pace that I could sustain with some effort.

We chatted with other runners as we made our way south and came under the LIE overpass at Washington Ave. We crossed the road and found ourselves on a wooded trail that roughly parallels the bike trail. The snow had covered the sidewalk that led to the paved path, so it was confusing where to go. A little diversion into the woods was unexpected and appreciated at different levels by the three of us. The ice and roots on the path made the going treacherous.

We came out at Old Country Rd and continued on the paved path that rose for a while and proved a little challenging for me. Unlike the last time we ran together, today was more of a workout (though not much of a challenge to my friends). I found it hard to maintain a conversation at times, but we did have our moments. We took the run past Old Bethpage Rd and as far south as Haypath. As we drew close, many of the returning runners warned us of black ice further down.

I struggled to keep up with my friends who were gracious about waiting for me to catch up from time to time. They were probably running one or two minutes slower than their normal training pace, except for periods where they opened the throttle for a few minutes. I was challenged but I didn't reach the point where I felt I was over matched or wished the run was done.

When we turned north from Washington Ave I knew we were close, but I also knew the toughest hills were coming. I took on the first hill with a pace slightly better than a fast walk. SIOR had no trouble burning up that hill as well as the ones that followed. TPP stopped to walk and I stopped with her. She will occasionally do that for 30 second periods and it's a good strategy. I probably delayed her a little, but once we saw SIOR at the top of a hill we returned to running form.

TPP and SIOR took on the remainder of the hills at a brisk pace and I followed. We reached Sunnyside Boulevard and made our way back to GLIRC HQ where they hosted an amazing spread of post race goodies. After indulging in some high carb treats, TPP, SIOR and I headed over to Starbucks for coffee and conversation. Given the greater effort on today's run that made it less conversation-friendly, we still had a lot to catch up on.

Post run - (from left), SIOR, ER, TPP

Photo courtesy of SIOR

It was a really fun time and it's the perfect way for me to do group running. The next adventure for "The Three Musketeers" will be the LIRRC Hangover Run at Eisenhower Park at 9:30 AM. It's a timed five mile run that goes around a one mile route. No bibs, tracking chips, or winners. In this event, everyone's a winner. I'm looking forward to this event as I do every year and it will be more special because my friends will be joining me.

Race report: 2013 Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor's Run

Seconds after crossing the line

photo courtesy of The Petite Pacer

Today's run (Town of Oyster Bay 5K): 3.1 miles - 28:39

This morning I ran the Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor's Run for the third time and had a great time. My performance was puzzling because I thought I'd do better than I did. I had an RPR (reverse PR - just made that up), having run my slowest ever 5K. Aside from that, it was great. I met The Petite Pacer for the first time in person and she was every bit as personable and charming as she is on her blog.

The morning started out well. I arrived a few minutes before 8:00 AM and parked at the high school. It's a fairly short walk the hill up to the Community Center where they do registration and hand out race numbers and sweatshirts (hoodies this year!). I gave them my name, but it wasn't on the list. After being referred to some GLIRC volunteers, I realized I'd never actually signed up. Not too smart of me. The GLIRC people were incredibly nice and gave me a race number after I'd filled in a registration slip. They didn't even ask for money, but I had the cash on me and insisted they take it.

After pinning my race bib, I ran into The Petite Pacer. We headed toward the starting line that's located about a quarter mile away on South Street. TPP suggested doing some strides so we ran a few hundred meters and returned to the starting area a couple of minutes before 9:00 AM. Our position was at the front and I mentioned that we should probably move back to keep from getting run over by the 6 minute milers.

The race started, but I found it hard to move in the crowd. I regretted suggesting that we move back before. TPP broke away and I saw her farther ahead before losing sight of her as we turned on Berry Hill Rd. I could not get past the clumps of runners ahead of me and I think it lengthened my first mile time quite a bit. According to my Garmin, I ran the first mile at 9:35 and came through mile 2 around 19:18. I did the last 1.1 miles in 8:21.

I thought I was in better shape for this race and didn't struggle on the long hill, so I was puzzled by my time. The hill gets steeper after the first mile and I remember feeling the increased burden. Still, I felt like I was maintaining a decent stride. I obviously made up a lot of time on the mostly downhill second half and passed a lot of people along that pretty tree-lined road. The peacefulness was broken only by a runner behind me who was singing loudly and off key to the music on his iPod.

All hope of finishing under 27:50 (which would put me below a 9 minute pace) was dashed when I saw the 3 mile clock. I pushed as hard as I could and crossed the line at 28:39. TPP was already there, having finished a few minutes before me. She videoed my crossing the line which was an unexpected surprise. I'll return the favor the next time I finish before her, which will probably be never.

Post race recovery with TPP

TPP and I got our time slips and I saw my official pace - 9:13. It was far slower than I expected to run this race. Last year I averaged 8:22 per mile. I have not had a good year in terms of race times but I still have a few more races on the schedule to improve my standings.

More important than my time was the great experience I had with the kind volunteers who helped me get registered and the opportunity to spend some time with The Petite Pacer. Tomorrow I'll get out and go as far and fast as I feel like running. That's the best part of a Saturday race. You have a bonus day to do another weekend run.

Membership has its privileges (and issues)

Last week I received a mailing from my old company, inviting me to join their alumni association. This offer was packaged like a wedding invitation, with a tasteful note along with the requisite response card. The value proposition was tempting, but I chose to decline, just as I have each time I've received solicitations from my high school and college alumni groups.

I mention this because I've recently thought about joining GLIRC, the local running club in Long Island that boasts a membership in the thousands. I usually enjoy running with other people, but I also find solo runs very fulfilling. But just like alumni groups, I can never bring myself to sign up.

I first wrote about joining a running club four years ago. At that time (and ever since) I've dismissed the idea. I wrote that, while I liked to run with others, it was, "mostly because [they've been] discreet events: assemble, run, depart. No barbecues, fund raisers, meetings, bylaws or committees. I'm not saying these things aren't great, they're just not for me."

It may be worth re-thinking running clubs now that I have a little more discretionary time. Perhaps there's an option to just do meetup runs, with no further obligation to participate in club activities. In that case, I might be tempted. Especially if they send me a nicely worded invitation in the mail.