A run apart

 

Today's run (street): 4.8 miles

I didn't run the Dirty Sock this year and  was fine with that. After hearing about the great experiences (and great times) achieved by my running buddies this morning and watching all the Cow Harbor race coverage on News 12, I feel like I missed out. But after a pleasant, but non-competitively paced run this morning, I know I was right to sit it out.

My initial plan was to go to Bethpage and run there. I thought it might be quiet (in terms of runners) because a good percentage of the Long Island running world would be in Northport. Our morning plans required me to get my run done early so I stayed local to save time. I did most of my miles in the neighborhood directly south of mine just for a change of pace. Unfortunately, it didn't change my pace.

I've continued to work standing up since getting my new desk two weeks ago. I use it during the weekend, at night and when I work from home. I haven't seen any tangible performance benefits from doing this, but I have to believe it's strengthening something. With so much written about sitting being the new smoking, it's a good thing to do. I do believe that my running form has improved and my stride has felt more fluid in the past couple of weeks.

 I had the same great weather that my Cow Harbor friends enjoyed and that kept my run enjoyable. I forgot to wear my HRM so I don't know if I exceeded 80% max range but I suspect I did near the end. Interestingly, I kept most of my splits within 10 seconds of each other, with slight negatives each time. My last mile was 30 seconds better than the first four.

I may do a track workout tomorrow to force myself to deal with speed and the harder work that comes with it. I was on the right path back in March and April when I was following the Hal Higdon Half plan that included weekly speed and tempo runs. A little success may go a long way towards breaking out of my current routine of easy runs.

Cow Harbor regrets and race day tips

Today's run (street): 3.8 miles

I expected to feel ambivalent about skipping Cow Harbor this year but I don't. Racing used to be a big part of my running experience and I typically ran a race every month. This year I've only competed three times - a trail relay, a 5K and a half marathon. The excitement of looking at the race schedule and deciding which race to run has ended, at least for now.

Tomorrow is the Cow Harbor 10K and I know a lot of people that are running it this year. I regret not seeing them and having that shared experience, but I'm happy not to have to drive to Northport HS in the dark, take the shuttle to Laurel Ave and spend an hour trying to keep from freezing before the start. As I write this, I'm remembering the fantastic energy and excitement that pervades that event and that is prompting a little more regret.

For those I know who are running tomorrow, I wish you the best. I won't be joining you, but I'll share my tips from the times that I have run the race:

1. Find a spot inside the school to stay warm until 20 minutes before the start.

2. Resist temptation to fly down Scudder Ave's steep hill for the first mile. Save your energy for what lies directly ahead.

3. Don't underestimate Bayview Ave. It's a steady uphill section with rough and broken pavement leading to...

4. James Street which surprises first time runners who stop in the middle of the road and start walking. If you aren't careful you'll run into someone. Running around these people is like playing Frogger and expends extra energy.

5. Once you get to the top of James St. you still have an incline so you'll need to wait until you get to Ocean Ave before you can really recover.

6. Mile 4 is mostly flat and downhill. You can recover and still maintain target pace.

7. Waterside Ave seems like an endless upward slope, but it does have a couple of spots where it's nearly flat. Take advantage of water stops because if the sun is out, this is where you'll feel it the most.

8. Pumpernickel Hill is a lot shorter than James Street but it's not a trivial challenge at that late point in the race.

9. After the hill it's pretty much downhill until Main Street. This is where you can capitalize on an energy reserve (see point #2).

10. Don't be disheartened when you are on Main Street, see the finish chute, but don't seem to get any closer as you run. I think it's the longest quarter mile I've ever run.

I'm rooting for you all and a special shout out goes to buddies Aimée and Celia. Can't wait to read about your Cow Harbor experiences.

To Cow or not to Cow

 

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles

Running conditions this morning could not have been better, and I am not exaggerating when I say that it felt like autumn. When I stepped out a few minutes before 8:00 AM, it was 60° with very low humidity. I was so comfortable that I didn't break a sweat until after my first mile. With only 25 minutes on the treadmill since last Sunday's six miler, I had been looking forward to getting out and running today.

The route I followed intersected three times with a middle aged man, his college age daughter (I'm guessing), and a dog (definitely a dog). They walked along the right side of the street when they weren't walking right in the middle. I saw a FedEx truck nearly drive over the left curb to avoid hitting them from behind, although they appeared oblivious to the whole thing. I probably should have said something, but I've learned by now that people don't want my safety advice.

Despite my continued frustration with those risk-taking fools, I really enjoyed the run. I thought about performance training, versus plain old running. These days, I'm far more interested in the health aspect of running compared to the idea of competition. I'm sure my decline in speed over the last couple of years is a factor. If I don't focus on pace and just run hard enough to feel like I'm making a good effort, I enjoy the experience a lot more.

Which brings me to Cow Harbor. One one hand, I consider the Great Cow Harbor 10K Long Island's premiere race. Plus, I've never run it with my blogging buddies and I know they're in. On the other hand, I can't commit to that race without also committing to doing some serious training between now and September 20. SIOR said that the entry fee rises to $40 on September 9, so no matter what I decide, I'd better do it before then.

The recovery day that wasn't

Glider launch at Stillwell

Yesterday's recovery day didn't turn out to be all that relaxing, but it was fun. This morning I am feeling a little sore. The soreness came from a few different sources, ranging from residual race effects, an impromptu hike and a much needed upper body workout.

I'd considered doing a shakeout run on Sunday morning to loosen up after a fairly intense Cow Harbor run. Instead, my son and I headed over to Stillwell Woods, so he could get some pictures for a school assignment. His focus was on getting some shots of a rusted Oldsmobile that has served as a landmark on the Trailview path for as long as I've visited the preserve.

While we made our way to the car, we noticed a number of cars parked along the edge of the big field with a group of people with model glider planes. One of the people invited us over to see what they were doing. It was a competition put on by the Eastern Soaring League. These $2,000 planes, with what looked like 8' wingspans, are launched into the air and remotely controlled. The goal is to land them close to a one hundred inch target. It was fun to watch that for a while.

My son doing some technical trail running

Look closely, there's a snake in there

We eventually reached the car and my son got his pictures. We decided to go deeper into the woods and found ourselves in more technical territory where we made our way up some steep rises and down sharply angled cutouts. On our way back we encountered a snake (I may have stepped on it) that was scurrying across the trail. We got some pictures before it disappeared back into the woods.

For all intents and purposes, this is my gym

Later in the day, the family headed to a food pantry in East Northport where we volunteer (via Island Harvest) every few months. It's always a great experience. My wife and kids focus on distributing small items to recipients who come through, while I carry packed boxes to people's cars. It's a lot of up and down steps and a very good upper body workout.

After all that, I needed a recovery day for my "recovery" day. That's fine, I'll focus on business today and resume my run training tomorrow. I may sneak in some core work later, because stretching might help get me back to shape. It was a great weekend and a little Monday soreness actually feels pretty good.

Race report: 2013 Great Cow Harbor 10K

See, some people finished after me!

Today's race (Great Cow Harbor 10K): 6.2 mile - (9:53 pace)

Another Cow Harbor race has come and gone. Just like the three that I'd run prior to today, I'm incredibly impressed by both the effort and the execution. It's a massive undertaking, with many moving parts. Cow Harbor relies on a well organized army of dedicated volunteers at every stage, and they make it one of the greatest races in the country.

The flow of a Cow Harbor morning has a certain familiarity. First you have to find the high school (I often miss that tricky left on Old Pine lane), find a parking spot (easy at 7:00 AM) and get on a shuttle bus. The ride from there to the Laurel Ave school takes me back to junior high (do we have gym today? I hope we don't have to run!). The walk from the bus to the school provides time to evaluate your level of energy and to gauge weather conditions.

Starting line an hour before the race

Every time I've run Cow Harbor, the heat and humidity have been a factor. However, before the start, it can feel chilly. I usually head into the building to maintain warmth and people watch and then go outside to get in line for the Porto's before they stretch as far as the starting corrals. I ran into some friends this morning who were also running the race, although I didn't see everyone I'd hoped to see.

Elite runner registration desk

I found my place in the 9000 section and made small talk with my corral-mates while we waited. After the playing of the national anthem the announcer started the first wave, that consists of elite and semi-elite runners. A minute later the 1000's went, and eight minutes after that, my group was unleashed. I never really know how ready I am until I'm actually on my way. Those first few minutes told me that I might have some problems today.

Scudder Ave is the first main component of the course and everyone talks about the temptation to run it full tilt because it's pretty much down hill. What I always forget is that Scudder starts out with a noticeable uphill, and today it felt difficult just getting past it. Uh, oh. If that was hard, how would I do on Bayview and James?

Once Scudder began to slope down, I felt some rhythm return to my stride. We reached Woodbine and then passed Main Street to big crowds and bagpipers. Bayview is mostly uphill, but mildly so, and I was doing okay, although I definitely wasn't feeling my best. I was amused when a spectator yelled, "You guys look great!" and the runner behind me yelled back, "Thank you for lying!" We all knew what was in store for us in a couple of minutes.

As I rounded the corner onto James Street, I thought about whether I'd like Cow Harbor more if this hill wasn't part of the route. In that moment, I realized that "Widow Hill" was the defining element of the race. Today it defined me as well.

I've prided myself in races past, on my ability to take James Street at a steady pace and make it through, sweating but unscathed. I really struggled this morning and was tempted to walk, but I never had before and I wasn't going to today. I kind of wish that I had, because it took me another half mile before I felt my strength return. I lost at least a minute off my overall race time as I worked back to race pace.

Coming down Ocean near Eatons Neck turn

I was doing okay at three miles and was delighted to see an ex-work colleague at the point where Ocean Ave meets Eaton's Neck Rd. I told her that I'd be coming through around 9:15 but it was closer to 9:05. She yelled, "You're doing better than you predicted!" Sadly, no. I just got the math wrong.

The rest of the race was a puzzlement. While I wasn't feeling my best, I was running credibly and attacking every downhill I could find to make up some time. Waterside Rd, with its long uphill slope, can hit you hard in the later miles of the race. I felt that I was maintaining my targeted cadence and speed and the split announcements made me think I was tracking for a mid-9:00 time or better.

There was no point in the race where I felt overwhelmed by the effort and I remained hopeful that I'd match or exceed last year's time. The last big challenge of the race is Pumpernickel Hill and I found it slightly tougher (and seemingly longer) than in past years, but I got over it and put everything into the remaining distance (about .9 miles). I didn't back off the throttle until I crossed the finish line.

When I looked at my Garmin and saw that it took me 61 minutes to get through the course, I was a bit disappointed. I couldn't understand why I missed my target, especially after the speed, hill and base training I'd done. At the same time, I was thrilled to have completed the race and managed an average pace within the nine minute rage (if just barely).

The thing about racing is that you can do everything to support your success but it all comes down to how you feel on race day. I'll admit that I've been tired this week and, in retrospect, I may have been better off not walking the hilly Bethpage trail for 80 minutes yesterday (although I enjoyed spending that time with my wife). My taper-ending five mile run on Wednesday could also have contributed. Today's shortfall may have had to do with other factors, like not enough sleep. I really wanted to hit 58 minutes.

After the race, Cow Harbor puts on a great finish line festival. It's like Woodstock for sweaty, emaciated people. I skipped all the carb snacks and flavored juice bottles and went right to the banana truck and then over to the Poland Spring truck. The band they hire to play is really good and the crowds, energy, music and harbor view reinforce that you are participating in something special.

I happily avoided the baggage check this year

I may have placed mid-pack, but I was the first one on my bus!

I ran into a few people I know who had also raced, and then headed over to the bus line. The transportation process is well managed and, without a long wait, we were on board. A woman who'd run the race for the first time today sat next to me and we talked about our favorite races on Long Island. Her son won the 2K fun run! I don't know if her husband ran the 10K as well, but I'm guessing he did, because the whole family looked athletic. She was a really nice and funny person and it was a great way to cap off my Cow Harbor day.

My next race will be the Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor's run in October. It's a 5K and the first half is a steady incline while the second half is equally downhill. The challenge doesn't match James Street, but I'll still have to train. In the meantime, I'll be taking a couple of days to recover from Cow Harbor. I hope my friends who ran it had good experiences today. No matter what, it's hard not to have a good time at this race.

Minor taper violation at Bethpage

Today's workout (Bethpage bike trail walk): 4.4 miles

Tapering is harder than you'd think. Not hard in the sense that it takes any effort. It's really the opposite of that. Even someone who embraces downtime (like me) can find it difficult to be completely inactive. After focusing on training for a month, our bodies are tuned for action. At least they should be.

The morning was quiet on the business side, so my wife and I decided to head over to Bethpage State Park for a low impact walk on the bike trail. I figured that level of activity wouldn't significantly violate my taper, and it might just help shake out some built up lactic acid in my leg muscles. The weather was cool and sunny and we went south on the trail as far as the Beach St. exit. We're both brisk walkers, but we kept it at a comfortable pace today.

On the trail back, we talked about the number of cyclist we'd seen who weren't wearing helmets. I noticed the sign above that encouraged the use of helmets with the plea, "Do not lose your head." Good advice.

We'll be heading to the Laurel Ave school in Northport a little later today, so I can pick up my bib number and race bag. My family won't be joining me tomorrow, so I won't have any place to stow my race shirt in the morning. I could do the UPS baggage check but, with 5,700 other runners, the wait for pickup can take a while. It's hard to believe that it's just hours until the start of Cow Harbor. I hope I'm ready.

Last run before the Cow

Today's run (street): 5 miles

Training is over and now it's time to rest. Everyone has their own way of finishing a taper and mine is to put two full days between my last workout and race day. Some people I know don't even take a rest day before a 5K. I learned my lesson a few years ago that running close to race day doesn't yield a benefit. But pushing too much will definitely hurt you.

Today's run was an easy semi-base run done a minute slower than targeted race pace. I had a deadline to meet in the morning and didn't get outside until after 10:00, so I had more warming sun than usual. At that pace, it didn't matter. Aside from running face first into an overhanging branch that looked like it should have easily given way, it was a pleasurable experience. I felt a little guilty for not pushing my speed, but there was no upside to doing that.

I didn't use GPS to track my performance because I didn't want to be conscious of my pace while I ran. I didn't Gmap the route until an hour later and was hard pressed to remember all the streets I covered on my route. I did finally figure it out, and it was interesting to see the distance. I checked my time and saw that I'd met my targeted pace to the exact second.

I got a note that Cow Harbor online registration ends tonight and the site shows that over 5,000 people have already signed up. Participation is capped at 5,600 runners. Between now and 8:30 AM on Saturday, I'll be thinking about this race and its unique challenges, along with the experience of being joined by thousands of runners and tens of thousands of spectators in Northport. I look forward to seeing my friends and I can't wait to cross that finish line once again.

I think, therefore I pace

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles

Okay, now we're talking. After two days off from running, I went out this morning for the first time since the Dirty Sock race. I recognized the need to keep my focus on speed, despite having come off a fairly hard run. It's always a lot easier to do that if you're energized from the start. I was pleased that my legs responded to the challenge.

Everyone has a different default running pace. By that I mean the speed that you'd run if you didn't care about performance. It's probably what people think of as their easy pace. For some, "easy" is 8 minutes a mile. For me, it's much slower than that. When I need to run faster, I know I need to think about running fast. No zoning out and letting my legs carry me along. I've read that running performance is largely mental and my experience supports that.

Today I put priority on cadence and form. I focused on holding a faster pace than my body naturally wished to run. At times, my mind would drift and I'd detect a little deceleration. I dialed back up to "urgent" and tried to reengage my focus. This was not running at 10K race pace, but it was much faster than I've been averaging.

For all that work, I'm still worrying about my readiness to sustain that pace for 6.2 miles in Northport next month. With James Street, Waterside Ave. and Pumpernickel Hill in the mix, I'll have to do a lot more than I did today. But it was a start.

To whom the Cowbell tolls

Pointing out James Street after last year's race

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. After some high mileage training weeks leading up to last weekend's Dirty Sock race, I haven't run a step. Mondays are my usual rest day, which works out great when I race on Sundays. Today started early because I had to get into the city for some morning meetings. I went to bed thinking I might run today, but I slept until 5:15 AM, which didn't give me enough time.

Even without running, I still managed to meet my daily requirement of Fitbit steps. Between my backpack and sports jacket, combined with 81% humidity, I worked up quite a sweat. So it was sort of like a workout, but I really missed the part where I get to shower.

Tomorrow I'll officially start my Cow Harbor training. The good news is that I'll be starting on two days rest. My plan right now is to go out early enough to minimize the heat. If I'm training for this race, I'll need to start pushing the pace right away. As for the hill training, that can wait another day. But not too long, James Street looms large.

Sharing Stillwell with a friend

Tough trails on the northern route

Thursday's run (Stillwell Woods): 3.4 miles

Yesterday brought good news on a few fronts. First, my headache finally went away. Second, I made some good business progress during the day (although it interfered with my ability to generate a Thursday post). And third, I had a great run with my friend Chris at Stillwell Woods.

I'm definitely a morning runner, so the idea of going for a high energy run at 4 PM concerned me. The weather had looked threatening all day and thunderstorms were predicted for later. When Chris arrived, we decided to head to Stillwell rather than Bethpage, because Stillwell is closer and has excellent tree cover. I was glad to be going to Stillwell and happy to show off the trail running paradise that's located five minutes from my house.

Before we headed over to Stillwell, Chris gave me another good piece of news. He's going to be running Cow Harbor this year for the first time. Chris lives in Westchester and does races up there, but he's never raced on LI. I filled him in on the Cow Harbor experience and he's excited. He's not intimidated by the James Street hill either. But I won't be running alongside him that day. Chris runs the NY Marathon faster than 3:30 and will probably finish Cow Harbor ten minutes before I do.

But on the trails I can can keep up with him, at least for a while. We followed my usual route until peeling off onto the "Most Difficult" trail. Chris was amazed to see such tough terrain and said that if he lived here, he'd run Stillwell every day. We stayed on this steeply climbing and dropping trail until I redirected us back to my usual, but less challenging loop.

With Chris pacing, I was able to run faster than I probably would have gone if I was running alone. We did an extended loop and then another smaller loop before we reached the main trail. Just as I was feeling relived to be close to the end, Chris innocently asked, "Do you want to go around again?" I answered, "I'm done, race you to the car!"

Although yesterday was mostly good news, I was disappointed to hear that my friend Mike won't be able to run the Dirty Sock course with me on Saturday because he's been delayed traveling back to LI. I'm debating whether to run it alone, or go over to Bethpage and run the wooded trails there. It's always helpful to practice on the course that you are racing, but I might get some extra hill work done if I go to Bethpage.

Race report: Cow Harbor 2012

Crossing the line (in white, directly right of tree)

Today's run (Great Cow Harbor 10K): 6.2 miles

58:32 (9:26 pace)

Despite concerns about a rain-soaked start to the 35th running of the Cow Harbor 10K, we ended up having near perfect weather for the race. At the start it was overcast, and by the end it was sunny, but temperatures and humidity remained moderate. I didn't achieve a PR or even a PB for the race, but I was happy with my results that fell right in the middle of my prior two Cow Harbor efforts.

Team Emerging Runner arrived at Northport high school about ten minutes before 7:00 AM and we caught one of the shuttle buses that take runners and their crew to the Laurel Avenue school. This school is ground zero for the race and I made my way to numbers pickup before the lines got too long. I saw that I was assigned a 9000 series number, based on my predicted finish time.

The trick to managing 5,000+ runners is to put them into corrals with a staggered start every minute to spread out the field. It works extremely well but you need to do a little math every time they call a mile split, backing out the number of minutes based on your bib number. So if your bib starts with a 4, and the first mile split is called at 11 minutes, you'd subtract 4 minutes to get your pace of 7 minutes per mile. Easy right?

Dave 2.0, on left

We saw a lot of friends while we waited for the race to begin, including Dave who had suffered a heart attack at a race in February. He has recovered impressively well and it looks like he had a great race this morning, beating my time by over a minute. We had a mini reunion with a group of teachers from our kid's elementary school, and I saw my my work colleague Bill, who was running Cow Harbor for the first time. He was concerned about the James Street hill, but he ended up running a great race.

I didn't train intensely for the race this year and my only goal was to finish under an hour (mission accomplished). I was caught by surprise when it came time to release my start group. Due to the number of people in front of me, I thought there was still another flight in front of ours. That worked out well because I didn't experience the countdown jitters that I normally get.

Off to a good start on Laurel Ave.

I took an Accel Gel 2nd Surge twenty minutes before the start, and I felt good coming off the line. I was concerned that I'd have a repeat of the New Hyde Park 8K start, when I found it difficult to keep up with the crowd. Unlike that race, I wasn't fighting a cold, and I moved along well through the up and down (and then mostly downhill) Scudder Avenue. The crowds were out in force to cheer us on.

A little after the first mile, we turned onto Woodbine and ran near the water where the crowds were even larger. Between the noise, the people, and a large group of bagpipers, it felt surreal to be part of the entertainment. We quickly passed Main Street and reached Bayview Ave with a rise that only hints at what's to come 3/4 of a mile later. And by that I mean James Street - AKA, "Widow Hill."

Starting point of the dreaded "Widow Hill"

There are many ways to approach James Street in this race and I watched that play out once again as I began to take on the hill. Some runners attacked it and others chose to walk it. Like I did the previous two times, I accepted the challenge and adopted a steady pace that I felt I could sustain throughout the half mile of steep road.

I refused to look ahead lest I'd be discouraged by the amount of hill that was left to climb. When the road became even steeper I knew I was near the top. When it leveled out I felt great relief, but tried to increase my pace. The post hill section doesn't provide much recovery time as the road rises once again before leading to a lengthy downhill span between the 2.8 and 3.75 mile points.

Just after the 5K mark I spotted a work colleague who told me she'd be standing on the corner of Eaton's Neck Rd. and Ocean Ave. We tried to coordinate last year but I just missed her. It was great to see her and her dog at the halfway point of the race.

I felt remarkably good at that point, with the trauma of Widow Hill behind me and a stretch of downhill road in front of me. I wasn't monitoring my pace, but my heart rate was holding steady in zone 4, as I'd planned. I felt good but I knew I'd soon need to switch gears and take on the long climb up Waterside Ave.

Waterside Ave goes on for over a mile and it's mostly uphill. Some say this section is worse than James Street, but I disagree. Both require patience and an acceptance of the elevation, but Waterside's grade is far more subtle. I kept a pace that made sense and allowed me to stay with the crowd. I began to fatigue around the five mile point but I never had concerns about bonking. I'd filled my gel flask with two Accel Gels with the 4:1 formulation (carbs/protein) and I sampled it through the last few miles.

Pumpernickel Hill isn't as bad as James Street, but it comes near the end, after 1+ miles of fun on Waterside. I was up and over it fairly quickly. As I got to the top, a spectator was screaming, "A 77 year old man just took the hill!, a 77 year old man just took the hill!" over and over. Impressive yes, but enough already. And not in my ear please.

Encouraging message near the end of the race

I always expect the last part of the race to be triumphant, with a predominantly downhill section that leads to Main Street and the finish line. But after everything that comes before that point, it's hard to exploit the opportunity to push hard. It's basically a matter of holding the gains and pouring it on with whatever is left at the end. The finish chutes appear when there's about a fifth of a mile left in the race. Like an oasis, they seem to remain out of reach despite moving relentlessly toward the line.

I crossed the line 58 minutes after I started, though I didn't check the clock when I came through the finish. I saw my wife and kids and that made me happy. They are a great support team. I had to look up my results later, and they closely matched my Garmin's time.

After the race we headed to the crowded waterfront festival where I was able to get Gatorade and a couple of bananas that helped restore my electrolytes. There was a great band playing and lots of booths showing products and services. We ran into Bill and one of my daughter's teachers before getting back on the bus that took us to where we parked the car.

So one more Cow Harbor race is on the books. Mohamed Trafeh won the race today for the fourth time and Alisha Williams was the first woman to finish. I know there are bigger races with many more participants and more features, but on Long Island, (giving due respect to the LI Marathon Festival of Races) nothing quite compares.

Cow Harbor 2012: rain or shine (but please shine!)

Not what I'm hoping to see tomorrow

Today is rest day number two, prior to the Cow Harbor 10K. The weather report for tomorrow is slightly discouraging due to some bad timing. They are saying that both Friday and the weekend will be beautiful, except for some rain that will sweep through between 7:00 and 9:00 AM. If that's accurate, we could be in for a soggy start.

I won't worry about the weather because there's nothing I can do about it. I don't enjoy running in the rain because it can cause some annoying visibility problems for me (glasses). Worse, I really dislike the feel of moisture permeating my socks and sloshing around my running shoes. On the bright side, if it's raining we won't have to deal with the hot baking sun. I hope it doesn't rain, but if it does I'll deal with it.

In terms of my readiness for tomorrow, I don't think I'm at the same level of conditioning as I was a year ago. I looked at Daily Mile and saw that I've only done four runs longer than 6 miles since the beginning of August. Half of those happened in the last two weeks, so it isn't like I've ignored distances altogether. But even with those workouts, my base isn't really optimal for a hard 6.2 mile run.

I'm still debating whether to do numbers pickup later today, or get them tomorrow before the race. I haven't chosen my race day gear but I have my nutrition figured out. I'm excited to be running Cow Harbor once again and I hope conditions are good. I'm also hoping my colleague FS also has a great race this weekend when she runs the Dutchess County Half Marathon.

Red Bull's Cow Harbor sample

One way to moo-ve faster on race day

As a blogger who reviews running related products, I occasionally receive interesting items in the mail. When I came home on Tuesday night, my wife handed me a small cylindrical package and asked if I was expecting something. I looked at the return address and saw it was  from Red Bull North America. I wondered what they sent me and why they sent it.

The package contained a can of Red Bull, accompanied by a printed note that thanked me for being part of the Great Cow Harbor 10K. I thought that was a great marketing idea. It probably cost a lot more to mail these cans than simply include them in race goody bags. However, this certainly got my full attention and it tied the product directly to the race.

Will I use this can of Red Bull on Saturday morning to kick-start my run? Not a chance. I still have trust issues with energy drinks and I would never use a supplement for the first time on race day. Still, I give Red Bull credit for their smart approach to demographic targeting and I appreciate their support and sponsorship of Cow Harbor and other races on Long Island.

Cow Harbor training dissonance

After Bayview, the nightmare begins

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

This morning's run was my last before Saturday's Cow Harbor 10K. As I worked my way through my daily route, I thought about the luxury of waking up tomorrow without the obligation of a run. I pushed myself to a reasonable level, mostly after the first mile, and completed the run close to my normal time. I was happy with the workout but, almost immediately afterward, I started to question whether I've properly trained for the race.

James Street in Northport, otherwise known as "Widow Hill", is Cow Harbor's vindicetis maximus. It's a half mile of steep road that starts close to the two-mile point in the race. In the past two years I've trained on the Cow Harbor course to ready myself for that hill. It's helpful to know at the start of the race that I've run that monster in recent weeks. This year, my training has been less focused. Though I did run some hills over the past few weekends, they pale in comparison to what I'll face on Saturday.

I'm also thinking about my taper. Some might think it's overkill to rest two full days before a 10K. But I like  knowing (even if it's just psychological) that my body is using that downtime to repair and strengthen my leg muscles. I'm debating whether to run through core exercises on Thursday and Friday to give my glutes, quads and hamstrings some extra conditioning. That's an impact free workout that just might make me feel better about my training so far.

For Cow Harbor, it may all come down to this

My running experience this weekend varied greatly, with Saturday's humidity restricting my progress and Sunday's cool, dry conditions providing an energizing atmosphere. I don't have much to say about Saturday except that I knew from the start that it would be a tough run. I covered more distance than the three miles I'd originally targeted, so I was pleased with that small victory. Sometimes you need to give due respect to the heat and try your best, even if you don't run very long.

Yesterday's experience was much different and I knew from the start that I would have a better time on the Bethpage trail. I'm not sure how much credit I should give to the Accel Gel, but both times I've used it I've liked the results. The big hill at Bethpage is no James Street monster, but it's the best I could do as a training resource. It was nice to come up and over the top without feeling like I had nothing left, as I often do when finishing long runs there.

More than once I've had terrible runs on Saturday, followed by a really good run on Sunday. This coming weekend I'm hoping I peak early and feel race ready on the 15th. The two days that I'll rest prior to Saturday may improve my chances, but it doesn't guarantee I'll be at my best. I really hope we have great weather like last year on race day rather than the stifling heat and humidity of the year before. Above all else, weather can make the difference between a good or difficult race experience.

The significance of breaking a 9 minute mile

Cow Harbor aspiration

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

I had two reactions after I finished today's run. The first was the happy acknowledgement that I'd completed three consective runs under 9:00 a mile (8:55, 8:50,  8:57). Not so hard for many, but a big deal for me. The second reaction related to how hard I'd worked to barely break nine minutes today.

I remember reading a post on the Runner's World Loop a few years ago that defined a "runner" as a person who paced below 9:00/mile. This person declared anyone who ran slower than that to be a "jogger." I rejected that assertion, as did many others through their comments. But since then I've always thought about sub-9:00 runs as a validation of my running fitness. A high percentage of my runs fall into jogger territory, so I feel encouraged with this week's performance.

The reason why I've put more attention toward my speed is that Cow Harbor is weeks away and I want to be prepared to run it competitively. My PR pace for a 10K is 8:48 but that race was run on the flat roads and boardwalk of Long Beach. My hope is to beat my PB for Cow Harbor, which means a pace of 9:12 or better. If it wasn't for the James Street hill, I'd be feeling confident about my chances for doing that. As long as I'm beating 9:00 on my training runs, I know I'll have that possibility.

Successful start to Cow Harbor training

Once again, it's about speed

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Nothing forces a runner to pay attention to their performance as much as a race. Once the registration is completed, the clock begins its countdown to the starting gun. A good outcome is never assured, but preparation is always key. With a click of the submit button on Active.com, I've once again committed to training for the Great Cow Harbor race.

Every race I run fits within an easy/hard continuum. On the easy end are 5K's that are run fast but over within a short time. The hardest effort I've experienced over the last couple of years has been the half marathon, mostly due to covering so much distance with race pace urgency. In between are runs between 4 and 6.2 miles, some harder than others.

Of these races, Cow Harbor is the biggest event by far. With over 5,000 runners invading Northport, NY, on a Saturday morning, it's a race experience that stands out above all others. The energy of the morning, as runners gather at the Laurel Avenue school, grows by the minute as participants move into their designated wave sections. The chill in the air gives no clue to the scorching heat we'll experience along the course.

This morning's chilly air gave me the spark to start my run fast and keep the pedal down until I'd finished. Everything clicked and, despite my harder than usual effort, I felt completely comfortable pushing my speed. I ended up finishing my run three minutes faster than I did last Friday. It was the first time I broke 9:00 per mile in months and I can't remember the last time I did it at 4:00 AM.

One run doesn't make me ready for Cow Harbor, but I'm happy with my performance on Day One of training. I have three weeks until I taper and rest and I'm hoping to continue to perform like this. Lots to do before September 15th, but I'm off to a good start.

Committed to Cow Harbor 2012

What made skipping Dirty Sock so easy for me this year was that I put off registering until it was one week before the race. Since I had no financial obligation, I made my decision to stand down without needing to consider that I'd already spent the money. That worked great for this past weekend, and I'm still happy with my decision. Still, I didn't want the same thing to happen next month so I signed up for Cow Harbor this morning.

With so many people running this race, the Cow Harbor organizers ask registrants to list their expected finish time. This is so runners can be placed into appropriate pace groups, called waves, at the start. It makes perfect sense and I always wonder if I'm under or overestimating my performance when I do that. Last year I finished in around 57 minutes and I'm hoping to do as well this year. I've run 10Ks faster than that, but not ones that have a hill as challenging as James Street.

Dirty Sock and Great Cow Harbor are coming...

It's not yet the end of July and I'm already thinking about the two late-summer races that I look forward to each year: the Dirty Sock and the Great Cow Harbor runs. Both races are 10K's but that's where their similarities begin and end.

Dirty Sock is a trail race that begins at a small park close to Southard's Pond. The course takes runners north around Belmont Lake and then back down again. If it's raining, your socks will get dirty, and it has rained two out of three times I've run it. The race is held on the third weekend in August and conditions are usually hot and humid. I like this race a lot, but the last 1.2 miles always seem as long as the first 5.

This morning I got an email from the Cow Harbor race organizers saying that the 2012 event is 8 weeks away. The message was all caps and it carried some amusing urgency, especially this line that I pasted from the email: DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE.  THERE MAY BE NO ROOM FOR YOU! This race is run through and around the town of Northport, NY, and attracts over 5,000 people. The course isn't as tough as Dirty Sock, except for the James Street Hill that looms like a mountain at mile 2.

I'm hoping we'll catch another break in the weather (as we did last year) when conditions on both race days were considerably cooler and drier than the prior year. Speaking of weather, the forecasts are still calling for tomorrow to be the best day of the week. I'm hoping for low humidity when we line up at 6:00. THAT WOULD BE GREAT!

Wearing the seagull proudly

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt

Today's run (street): 3.9 miles

The rain stopped this morning, so I took advantage of the clearing skies and went out for my run. I had no plan except to cover more miles than I normally do on weekdays, when I'm constrained for time. I was feeling slightly sluggish on my first steps out the door -- I think it had more to do with the humidity than my physical condition.

I ran easy for the most part, not minding my pace or even looking at my overall time. There were a few other runners out at the same time and I crossed paths with a young woman who appeared to be struggling with her workout. The weather was taking its toll on everyone. I completed my run feeling like I'd worked harder than my numbers showed. If it's more about perceived effort than actual pace then I did well today.

After my run I went for my six month checkup at the dentist. I was wearing my 2011 Cow Harbor t-shirt and my dentist (who is 8 months pregnant) joked that she'd skipped Cow Harbor this year because she'd gained too much weight. One of my daughter's teachers mentioned last week that he'd ran it on Saturday. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, around here, Cow Harbor is the race to run.