Loathing this makes the treadmill more tolerable

Pretty sure I remember this happening before

Today's run (treadmill): 5.2 miles

Hey, has anyone notice that it snowed? Seriously, the news stations are treating this blizzard like the second coming of Sandy. For most people in the area, it was just a bunch of snow. But I do have sympathy for the thousands who lost their power last night. Sandy happened at the end of October when temperatures were generally in the low 40's. Freezing temps + no power = misery.

I was thrilled to see that we still had our power when I woke up this morning. The roads were covered in deep snow at 5:00 AM. My town supposedly received 18"-24" and I was glad that we'd chosen to let our landscaper plow the driveway, rather that go out in shifts every few hours to shovel. I actually enjoy the whole shoveling experience, but this seemed a more practical way to move that much snow.

The snowplows went to work around 7:00 AM and I decided that the streets were no place to be. I debated between the elliptical and the treadmill and chose the latter. Today's goal was five miles that I would run at a moderate pace. After a string of intense workouts, I wanted to ease up a bit while I still got some miles in. I wasn't running outside, but the view from the window was postcard pretty.

I have trouble hearing the TV when I'm on the treadmill so I usually watch the news. That's because it's more visual with lots of readable information on the screen. But today I just couldn't stand the repeating stories about the storm. Is it really that fascinating for people to hear that snow had fallen? Perhaps so. Instead of the news, I put on one of the commercial-free music channels provided by our cable company.

I started my run listening to really bad music. Most people like songs that connect them to positive experiences. For example, the music that was playing on a first date or during a fun event with friends will provide more meaning. Sometimes those songs are bad, but you love them anyway. The channel I chose was playing that whiny, tuneless rock from the 90's that is usually described as grunge. I dislike it, but I kept listening, because it helped distract my enmity for the treadmill.

It turned out to be a very good workout and I was glad that I picked a run over the elliptical. It looks like street conditions are not going to support safe running for the next few days so I'll remain inside. That being the case, I hope the TV news becomes more interesting. Or the music gets better.

Blizzard conditions outside and hard running inside

Ready or not, here it comes

Today's run (treadmill): 30 minutes

The snow is upon us and, as the local weather guy just said, "You ain't seen nothing yet." The wind is blowing and I'm worried about losing power. Despite all the contingency planning, I have little reason to believe LIPA and National Grid will be up to the task. I'm glad we have a generator that can power a hot plate and heater (plus TV, laptop, phone, and coffee machine) but I'm hoping we won't need to do that.

It wasn't snowing when I was ready to run this morning, but conditions had already turned unpleasant. The wind was building and there was intermittent rain. My wife did her daily treadmill workout and I followed her once she'd finished. Due to the weather, I had no intention of going into the city today. I was able to conduct a lot of business from the comfort of my home office/guest bedroom/fitness room.

I got right into my run, starting at a brisk pace and speeding up further as I got closer to the end. It's true that the more you run faster paces, the easier it is to maintain them. I don't think the treadmill display is close to accurate. A 9:30 pace feels super fast and a 9:00 pace feels like a sprint. Technically, I ran a 9:19 pace, but it felt harder than the 8:45 I ran outdoors a few days ago.

I may do a combination elliptical and treadmill workout tomorrow. If we don't have power, my only option will be the elliptical without display or resistance. I'm hoping that we'll get through this storm free of disruption to both power and running.

Severely concerned about my outdoor running

The quiet of my mid-afternoon train heading out from the city was replaced by the squeal of a dozen cellphones that had just received the same Severe Weather Alert. The message was terse: "Blizzard warning this area. Prepare. Avoid travel. Check media." After Sandy, Long Island does not kid around when it comes to severe weather events.

I decided to take a break this morning after considering either a run or an elliptical session.  I've been pushing myself rather hard of late and I thought a day's rest would be the most beneficial path. I just gave up my monthly LIRR pass in favor of individual tickets. That meant that I'm also forgoing my monthly metro card. So on the days I came into the office this week, I walked from Penn to midtown and back rather than paying for a ride. It's not a substitute for a workout, but it's a couple of miles at a fast walking pace.

I'm hoping the dire warnings about a blizzard are more hype than reality. It's not that I don't like snow, or shoveling. It's actually the opposite on both counts. But large amounts of snow interferes with outside running (How I wish I'd bought snowshoes last year) and it can bring LIPA to its knees. Of course we now have the generator in case we lose our power. Unfortunately I don't have a 15 amp extension cord that will reach the treadmill on the second floor.

Pre-blizzard Sunday run

Today's run (street): 4 miles

It's only beginning

The snow is starting to come down hard after a period of light flakes. This morning I went to the local market to pick up some necessary items and the supermarket was a madhouse. I was glad I made the effort and now the house is well stocked. We may get 18 inches between today and tomorrow but at least I won't need to deal with the Long Island Railroad's inability to deal with snow in the morning. Plus the shoveling will provide some much needed some upper body exercise.

I was re-reading my posts from a year ago trying to determine when my pneumonia manifested itself. The scary thing is that just a couple of days before I was slammed by illness I had run four good miles at Stillwell. Even so, I feel far better today than I felt a year ago, but the fear of another bout with something looms large. At 9:30 AM the skies were gray but no snow was falling. I figured I should get out for a few miles because it could take days before the roads were clear again. I've experimented with some of the gels from KWL's holiday gift basket and learned that one gel and half a glass of water, consumed 30 minutes before a run, seems to provide a positive result.

I chose a route that is different from what I normally run and ended up covering four miles at a moderate overall pace. I felt like I could go forever during the first three miles but I picked up my speed after that point which took my run from nice-and-easy to semi-brisk. I wore the Kinvaras that reminded me again how perfect a minimalist running shoe can feel. By the time I returned home I was accompanied by lightly falling snow. The kids are out back playing in the already accumulated inches and my wife and I will soon do the first of many driveway shovelings between today and tomorrow. Between that and today's run I may end up with a whole body workout.