My running buddy's race day nightmare

Today's run (street): 5.25 miles

Two years ago I was near the end of my recovery from a serious bout of pneumonia. It was so severe that I was forced to spend a week in the hospital. This was an awful experience, but it could have been far worse. I'm still thankful to my friends, family and work colleagues who supported me through that long ordeal. As sick as I was, I never felt it was a life and death situation. Now let me tell you about my friend Dave.

Through this blog, I have connected with a number of great people, some of whom I've been fortunate enough to meet for a run or two. Dave and I both live on Long Island and we've got together to run a number of times. Dave is a strong runner, with an enviable ability to increase his speed as he went along on longer runs. In races, Dave would usually cross the finish line a couple of minutes before I did. But on long runs at Bethpage, our conversation helped us settle into a mutually agreeable pace.

The last time I saw Dave was at the Dirty Sock 10K last August. We both did well on that challenging course through the woods. Afterward, we talked about doing a Cow Harbor practice run in a few weeks, but we didn't get around to doing that. In fact I hadn't heard from Dave until I got a note from him this weekend. He wrote to tell me that he'd suffered a heart attack during a ten mile race last weekend.

I was completely shocked by this news. This is a guy who runs and bikes and lives a very active life. But on this race day morning, Dave discovered that he had an undetected blockage that brought him down at mile six. In those situations, the severity of the problem may not be obvious. There's only a small window of time to recognize the difference between electrolyte depletion and a life-threatening event. Thankfully Dave had the presence of mind to flag down a race volunteer and request an EMT.

Even after the EMT's arrived, Dave's troubles continued. He endured quite a bit as they worked on him in the ambulance before arriving at the closest hospital, where the ER doctors struggled to stabilize his condition. They smartly sent him to a another hospital that was better equipped to handle the situation. It was there that they discovered the blockages and got his vitals back to normal. Amazingly, he was released after a couple of days.

I'm thrilled that Dave came through this so well and he's taking steps to correct his issues. He's a strong, fit guy and I know he'll get through this fine. I can only imagine how fast he's going to be when his heart is back to full working order. Even if that's the case, I'm sure Dave will graciously run at my pace when we return to Bethpage for another long run.

Where angels fear to treadmill

Today's run (treadmill intervals): 30 minutes

When two unpleasant things, like sodium and chloride, are combined, the resulting substance can be quite palatable (like salt). More often, combining two disagreeable things will just amplify their unpleasantness. One great example is running intervals on the treadmill.

My plan for this morning was to head out early to the local track to run 4 x 400's and 100 meter sprints. I ended up sleeping to 6:45 AM, which set my schedule back an hour, so I changed my plans to run 200 meter intervals at the adjacent middle school. Due to circumstances, my time got too tight to do even that, so I elected to do my speed work on the treadmill.

Honestly, I don't always find the treadmill disagreeable, but I far prefer to run outside. Intervals on the treadmill spook me because the faster the machine goes, the more concern I have for my safety.  When the Sole is cranking over 8 MPH, it provides a scary display of motion and power. A 7:30 pace on the road feels very mild by comparison. The whole time I'm running fast on the treadmill my primary concern is a misstep that will cause me to fly off the machine.

Since I don't really trust the recorded distance on the Sole's display, I went by time for my fast running. I started off with three minutes of easy running and then hit the 8 MPH button, holding on for dear life. I'm sure there are many people, some who read this blog, that might look at 8 MPH as brisk, but not especially fast. I guess it's all relative, because that first 3 minute cycle was a heart racing experience.

I switched between 3 minute cycles of 8 MPH (truth be told, I dialed back to 7.5 MPH after completing the second interval) separated by two minute recovery cycles. The first three recovery periods were done at 4 MPH, and the rest were at 6 MPH. I ended up running a total of 30 minutes and I stepped off the treadmill thinking:

• OMG I'm exhausted
• I need electrolytes
• I wish I was already in the shower
• I need to be ready to leave the house in 30 minutes and all I want is a nap

When I came out of the shower I was still sweating, and I knew I accomplished my goal of getting an effective speed workout completed today. I'll go out for a very easy run tomorrow and start my taper for next Saturday's race. Now that enough time has passed, I'm already forgetting how hard today's workout felt. Like sodium and chloride, treadmill intervals do yield some benefits when they're combined, but it's hard to appreciate that at the time.

Except for the numbers, it felt like a race

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Maybe I spoke too soon regarding Punxsutawney Phil. He saw his shadow on Thursday and, this morning, I stepped out to unexpectedly chilly temperatures. While I stood waiting for a GPS signal, I was reminded of the minutes before the start of a winter race. I shivered and hopped, knowing that the discomforting cold would give way to warmth after a few minutes of hard running.

I'd under-dressed for my run because the local TV station displayed the temperature at 31 degrees. With steady winds, it felt much colder. My run stated in the direction of the wind (north) and the only thing that got me through the first section was the knowledge that the road would soon curve west. Even then it was still cold, so I pushed my pace a bit to generate some heat. I didn't start to feel comfortable until I'd passed my first mile.

Since I'd started the run at a brisk pace, I did my best to maintain it. I'd hoped to average close to 9:00/mile or even below. Incorporating plenty of arm swing, I thought my cadence might improve, but I wasn't able to generate the speed I was hoping for. I'm fairly certain that running at 4:00 AM, just minutes after waking up, limits my performance capabilities. But I have had a few early morning runs in the mid-8 minute range so faster times are possible.

I ran my route today 1:07 faster than on Wednesday, which gave me a half minute improvement on my pace. Although I didn't break 9:00 (or 9:10 for that matter), I was happy with my results. Still, for a run that felt at the start like a race, the numbers fell a little short.

Punxsutawney Phil and me, we're not so different

You're so predictable

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

Happy Groundhog Day. With the mild winter we're having, I don't really care if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow today. Thinking about Groundhog Day this morning, I realized that my daily workout routine is much like the theme of the Bill Murray movie. Each action I take, from taking my vitamins, selecting a cup, pouring coffee and grabbing an energy bar, plays out exactly the same as the day before. And at the same time of the day too. If I'm pouring coffee at 3:50, something's wrong. It should only be 3:49 by that point.

I could look at this routine, that continues as I head back upstairs to prepare for my run, as quotidian or banal. Instead, I find it comforting to move along from step to step, without having to think at that early hour. Somehow, I find myself standing in front of my house a few minutes before 4:00 AM, Garmin switched on, ready to run. If I thought about it much beforehand, I'd probably go back to bed.

Today, my routine was mostly the same, but since I chose the elliptical it was also a little bit different. I appreciated that difference because, while routine can drive consistency, a little change is also welcomed.

Embrace the hobgoblin

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Last Sunday I took a look at my running history on Garmin Connect. This dataset goes back to February '09, when I got my first Forerunner watch, the FR50. Although my modern running history starts a few months before that, the 750 recorded runs represent a statistically significant performance database. I ran a report of all my street runs and discovered that the pace and distances I ran in January 2012 are almost exactly the same as my all-time average.

I was happy to know this because it shows that my pace hasn't degraded in the three-plus years since I returned to running. A deeper look at the numbers confirmed that my paces in early 2009 were similar to today's, so this average isn't merely 1.5 early years of fast running, followed by 1.5 years of slowness.

This morning I had a slow start to my run, owing to my chronic pain above my right heel that may or may not be my Achilles tendon. The burning I feel when I start off tends to go away once I've warmed up a bit. The pain isn't bad. It's just that it's always there at the start.  Due to this, my first mile was slow -- over 10 minutes -- but I picked up the pace and finished with a time only 40 seconds longer than yesterday's.

Today's run and Sunday's performance review both reinforced the fact that, most of the time, I run about the same, regardless of what I think at the time. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "...consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." That may be true, but I think consistency, when it comes to running, is a great way to validate your efforts.

For now, it's all about my need for speed

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

This coming weekend I'll take a break from distance training in order to focus on speed. The City of Long Beach Snowflake Race takes place on the 11th and I'm hoping to do some interval training this weekend to prepare. Long Beach is always a great venue for a race because it's primarily flat. If the weather cooperates this year, a good portion of the run will be on the boardwalk.

This morning I managed to get myself outside despite the cold and had a decent run. My dawdling put me a few minutes behind, but fortunately my Garmin acquired its signal in record time. This gave me back a minute or so in terms of my morning schedule. I probably benefited from a tailwind over my first half mile but I didn't appreciate it until I turned and hit the headwinds. Fortunately, I had worn enough layers to stay comfortable despite the wind chill.

I was happy with my running performance through January and I'm hoping to turn in a credible time in Long Beach 4 miler. Still, I need to put in the work to activate those fast twitch fibers. So it's back to the track on Saturday for some fun 400's.

Committing to the distance(s)

It was a good weekend for running. Two colleagues who always check in with me on their weekend running both reported great experiences. I had a decent long-ish run on Saturday and an invigorating trail run yesterday, on a course best described as nature's roller coaster. This morning I was pleased to hear that my friend and colleague FS achieved a PR for a 10K race on Saturday. She wasn't even trying to do that. It was the zen of the run.

My goal for this month was to exceed 70 running miles. After tomorrow's run I'll probably come in just at 69. I averaged 73 running miles per month in 2011, plus three miles per week on the elliptical machine. I think I made a critical mistake by under-training on distance in the three months preceding my half marathon. My training mileage peaked in March at 74 and plummeted to below 60 in April. No wonder I struggled in the last miles of that race in early May.

For the first time ever, I'm going to write out a training plan that will help ensure that I cover the distances I need to get my base up where it needs to be. It's nice to head out the door with no plannned distance. I can cut it short anytime I feel like it. But if I go out knowing that I can't come home until I've reached seven miles, I'll make sure I do just that.

Trailview to Stillwell had its ups and downs

What goes up must come down (and then up, then down, etc.)

Today's run (Trailview State Park): 3.5 miles

After sixteen years living within minutes of Trailview State Park, I finally made it over for a visit this morning. Trailview is actually a series of connected trails that run along a strip that starts just above Bethpage State Park and goes north almost 8 miles to Cold Spring Harbor. The trail is interrupted at points where roads (some major) intersect the route.

The section of Trailview that I ran started adjacent to Jericho Turnpike in Woodbury and it connects to Stillwell Woods at the separation of Syosset-Woodbury road. The section I ran wasn't very long but it provided quite a workout. I wanted more of a challenge than I get from my usual Stillwell loop and I sure found it on the Trailview path.

After parking in the lot next to the trail head, I chose one of two paths that run north. The trails are only wide enough for a single runner or mountain biker, but two people could walk side by side in a pinch. In fact I encountered a few walkers on my way back and we all managed to make room as we crossed paths.

The trails quickly transitioned from flat to rolling, to the point where it seemed like I was either running up or bombing down a steep hill. I did fairly well on the rises and was surprised that I didn't experience major lactic acid burn as I ascended the hills. It was the sharp drops that bothered me most, because the terrain was uneven and full of baseball-sized rocks. I was concerned about taking a tumble a few times.

The trail ended at Syosset-Woodbury Road after dropping about 40 feet to street level. I continued across the road and encountered two runners coming out of the woods. I asked them if that was the access point for Stillwell and they said yes. Almost immediately after that, I encountered two mountain bikers. The first one said, "One more behind!" and the other politely thanked me for giving way for him to pass.

I only ran about a quarter mile towards Stillwell before turning back. I'd encountered a split in the path and I didn't want to get lost in Stillwell while my car was parked over a mile away at the Trailview lot. I knew that all the downhills I ran on the way over would come back to me as challenging uphills, but I looked forward to the challenge.

It seemed as though I covered the return in half the time it took to get to Stilwell. I'm guessing it was because I knew by then what lay in front of me. I wasn't quite at my targeted distance when I reached my starting point so I ran a little longer down the other trail. It was only 3.5 miles but it was a lot of work, not unlike last weekend when I ran through thick snow.

It was a good weekend of running and I was pleased to get back on the trail after being away for a few weeks. It's less than two weeks before my next race. I guess I'll need to focus on speed this week and next weekend.

Avoiding a lockout, I hit the streets

Today's run (street): 5.7 miles

Energy booster

I wanted to run at Bethpage this morning but I was concerned that I'd be locked out, like the last time I went there. I understand if the current budget requires closing the park in winter, but I did buy an Empire Passport to get year round access. What really bugs me is that the website says the park is open every day of the year. Perhaps it is, and I just happened to come on a weekend when it was closed. Would it be too much to ask to have accurate information on the NY Parks website?

Not wishing to drive over to Bethpage only to be greeted with a locked gate, I headed out the door intending to cover about six miles around my neighborhood. There's absolutely nothing wrong with my neighborhood and I'm fortunate to have a safe, contained network of streets to run any time. It can be a little boring to look at the same houses and cars day after day, but it's still better than doing my mileage on the treadmill.

I really didn't feel motivated prior to my run. My wife and daughter both needed to give me pep talks to get me out the door. Once on my way, I felt good, and I credit the square of Ghirardelli Chocolate (72% cocoa) I had right before I started for my early energy. The only way I can put together six miles in my neighborhood without duplicating too many roads is to first go north and south, then east and west and repeat that on the other side.

I dressed well for my run, neither too hot nor cold in the 37 degree weather. My energy level remained high and while I didn't exactly push the pace throughout my run, I did at the end. My route fell short of six miles but it was close enough for me. With another clear day to run on Sunday, I'm hoping to go for distance again tomorrow. Perhaps a long a long run on Stillwell's rolling trails is in order. Certainly no boring houses or cars on that route.

In treadmill I trust. Or do I?

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

This is the key

A rainy morning kept me inside today so I did yet another treadmill run. I'm curious to know how close the readout on the treadmill's display matches my actual progress and performance. I replaced the treadmill's console a few months ago but wasn't able to run the calibration sequence when I installed it. Every time I run on the machine I question the accuracy of its recorded distance and speed.

I've often felt that running on this treadmill (a Sole F63) and our prior Pro-Form unit felt harder at a given speed than when running on the road. A 9:00 pace on the Sole feels like about 8:50 on pavement. It may be that the treadmill forces a shorter stride and higher cadence that feels more challenging. I would think that the treadmill would feel easier and street running because there's no wind resistance. Plus, you don't experience hills unless you select an incline.

I still have my foot pod that links to my Garmin and I could probably answer my accuracy questions by comparing the Garmin performance with the Sole's on the same run. Before I do that, I need to replace the foot pod battery and do some calibration runs outside in order to establish an accurate baseline. The other issue is that the foot pod won't attach easily to my Hattori's so I'll need to run in a different shoe. I guess I can make excuses why it will be hard to test or I can just go ahead and try it.

Despite how it sounds, brown fat is a runner's friend

Yesterday's workout (treadmill): 25 minutes
Today's workout (elliptical): 26 minutes

I've never understood why it's so hard to use fat as an energy source. Everyone knows that people burn calories at a specific rate and that most of what isn't used gets stored as fat. Unfortunately, this fat isn't (metaphorically) shelved and ready for use as soon as our bodies need a boost. It requires a lot of physical change to access these stores. An article in the Tuesday NY Times talks about brown fat, which our bodies can efficiently access and burn.

The article makes a number of points, including the interesting fact that when a person is cold, their body will convert our excess white fat to brown fat. The more brown fat we have, the more fuel we have to burn at the ready. It's funny, but I've bundled up less on my commute since I read that article. Just think, next time you are standing in the miserable cold, you can take solace in the fact that you are converting your unhealthy fat into a performance enhancing form.

My wife's anti-wimp technique

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

The rain and warm temperatures have washed away most of this weekend's snow, so I headed out for a neighborhood run this morning. The treadmill, which I have long demonized, has recently become my lazy choice for a morning workout. And why not? It's ready to go when you are. A quick change into running  shoes, shorts and shirt (shirt optional), and I can go from sleeping to running in a third of the time it takes me to go outdoors.

Why did I run outside today? Because my wife made me. Last night I told her that I was planning an indoor run and she said "The rain is gone and it's going to be almost 50 degrees tomorrow morning. You really like to run outside, so why aren't you?" I couldn't tell her that I've become a wimp who prefers the easy, controlled experience of treadmill running. Or that I've been seduced by the extra time afforded by not putting on outside gear and messing with satellite acquisition.

Out I went this morning, and I had a great run. I appreciated my ability to vary speed, cadence and stride on a whim and the ever changing scenes of my neighborhood. The winds were strong and they seemed to come from multiple directions. I ran very well, but only beat my usual pace by 20 seconds per mile. It was probably due to so many headwinds. The important thing was that, due to my wife's prompting, I had a much  better experience than I would have on the treadmill. Maybe I should listen to her more often.