An ambiguously positive run

Today's run (street): 2.35 miles

I'm not sure if there's a term for phrases like "not unpleasant" but there should be. I believe that many would call it negative reinforcement but I'd prefer to call it "positive ambiguity." Actually, That was my thought as I ran through the neighborhood this morning under light rain and cool temperatures. I normally avoid running in the rain because, with glasses, it can be difficult to see. Adding to that is the 4:00 AM darkness. I gave no thought to the weather until I stepped outside and saw that the driveway was wet from a light rain. I wore the Skechers Resistance Runners (SRRs) again to maintain variability in my running conditions and I wasn't about to head back upstairs to run with them on the treadmill. The rain was light and, with no breeze, my hat proved sufficient for keeping moisture off my face.

The SRRs are beefy and you notice them when you run. It reminds me of the articles I've read about soldiers who run marathons with a field pack and combat boots. The shoes are clunky and the stride is a little awkward, yet I found myself appreciating them for this purpose. I could feel the shifting pressure on my legs and calves and I noted that my right upper hamstring did not feel as sore as it has of late. That may not be related to the shoes but it's clear that the SRRs do distribute force differently than a standard shoe. Between the rain and the heavy running shoes I might have expected to dislike this morning's run. Instead, I found the cool temperatures and light rain refreshing, as well as the feeling that I was gaining some additional training benefits from the more challenging footwear. I guess "not unpleasant" is a pretty good way of putting it.

Variety is the spice of running

Over the past four days I have experienced a broad selection of running conditions. I rested today, as I usually do on Mondays, and noticed that my legs feel great this morning. I believe that the diversity of my runs contributed to this. It may be worthwhile to continue to keep variability in my training program.

Last Thursday I was in Philadelphia and chose to stay indoors for my workout. I did a short but fast (for me) treadmill run. On Friday I ran in my neighborhood wearing the Skechers Resistance Runners that provided a different road experience with the unstable mid-sole that proved challenging even on a relatively short (3 mile) run. Saturday I ran just short of 5 miles in my Kinvaras that, despite their minimal construction, are beginning to edge out all other running shoes in my collection. Yesterday I was back on the trails and attacking short steep hills over different surfaces.

I don't do as much cross training as I should, mostly just a weekly elliptical session. Perhaps by varying the way I run I can focus on different muscle groups and achieve some benefits that are lost when running on pavement 90% of the time. I'm planning to run two 10K races in November, one week apart, so I need to get into race training mode. It will be interesting to see how diversity and distance training will affect my performance.

Stillwell run with BJS and Bailey

BJS and Bailey. No pets allowed, good thing dogs can't read

Today's run (Stillwell Woods): 5.1 miles

This hasn't been a long mileage weekend but I've had a couple of really nice runs. This morning I met BJS at Stillwell Woods for some trail running and he brought along his usual running partner, Bailey, a black Lab. Technically, you aren't allowed to bring dogs into Stillwell but many people do. To their credit, most people who run their dogs there have trained them well. Over the last couple of years I have had only one problem with an untethered dog at Stillwell. My daughter was walking with me and a few others when a big dog jumped up on her and almost knocked her down. The dog was running with a mountain biker who had not trained this dog well. Besides that, I've run by dozens of untethered dogs that kept close to their owner's side and didn't act threatening in the least.

Bailey is an energetic, gentle dog but BJS decided to keep her on a leash when we ran because he didn't know how she'd do with the other dogs. We made our way into the woods and followed my usual route. About a mile in I decided to lead us east through more challenging trails. BJS and Bailey had no trouble with the conditions that varied between packed dirt, loose rocks and sand. We ended up at the far east end where the trail terminates at a public road. The trails that took us there were a little rough and we needed to retrace them west. One path we followed was as steep as Widow Hill in Northport, but thankfully not as long. I didn't get lost, or I should say, as lost as I usually do. I managed to get us over to the southern trails that eventually lead back to the main path near the trail head. We finished our run with one circuit around the big field and headed to the athletic fields after covering 5.1 miles in about 50 minutes.

I wore my ASICS 1130's instead of trail shoes and they did well on the multiple surfaces at Stillwell. Unfortunately, either my insole or sock was bunching in a way that dug into the bottom of my right foot. It wasn't too painful but it did make me concerned that I was putting too much sharp pressure on my plantar tendon. BJS would have been happy running longer than the five miles we covered but I started to feel concerned that I could be enabling a problem if I continued. I think that was a good decision because my foot feels fine now. It was an enjoyable run that went by quickly, so often the case when you are running with good company.  I think BJS and Bailey both liked the Stillwell experience and I'm sure we'll run there again. We talked about running in Sunken Meadow State Park where many high school XC teams train. I've heard that's a challenging course. Sounds good to me provided that I wear the right shoes.

Off schedule run

Today's run (street): 4.8 miles at 9:21

I had appointments all morning and after that we spent the day celebrating my son's birthday. That threw off my running schedule and I didn't get out until a little after 5:00 PM. I'm definitely a morning runner in terms of energy peak but I've read numerous articles that claim performance is generally better between 4-8 PM. This is supposedly true for everyone, regardless of when they normally train. I was curious about that when I set off in 50 degree weather that was ideal but for the strong breezes coming from the west. I followed a different route than normal, just for the change.

Despite being somewhat tired from the day, I was moving along well and was surprised by how quickly I reached the first mile. I managed to string together enough roads to total 4.8 miles before finishing. Not too many people were out at this hour and those that I did see were walking their dogs. I was happy to have completed a Saturday run but I felt bad that I didn't even cover 5 miles. I could have easily run another quarter mile but when I got close to home I decided to call it a workout. I'm planning a morning run at Stillwell tomorrow and I think I'll aim for the more distance. I may also take on some of the challenging paths that I've avoided the last few times I've run there.

First impression: Skecher's Resistance Runners

Today's run (street): 3 miles at 9:30

I'm working from home today and I thought I'd take a few extra minutes for my morning run. It was dry and clear with no rain in sight so I took the opportunity to wear the Skecher's Resistance Runners (SRRs) for the first time on a run. I walked around with them for about 30 minutes prior to heading out to make sure they felt sufficiently stable. The last thing I need is an injury caused by footwear.  I'll do a full writeup of the shoes on Runner's Tech Review but I'll relate my first impressions below.

When running with shoes of this design it is important to set expectations. The things I'd expect from a conventional running shoe just don't apply. It is as unfair to ask a dog to turn vegetarian as it would be to ask the SSRs to move with the foot like Brooks Adrenalins or Saucouny Kinvaras. The SRRs are designed to purposely introduce unstable movement into the running process. I understood that as I stood in the driveway and felt the gentle rock of the shoes that is caused by the asymmetrical mid-sole. The SRRs are not comfortable but they aren't made to be. They also run a bit narrow and short for their size. It was an odd sensation when I took off on my run. I'm used to the Kinvara's flat, minimal presence and the SSRs made me feel like I was running with half a tennis ball baked into the bottoms. The SSRs are far heavier than the Kinvaras, or any of my other running shoes for that matter. I kept telling myself "It's okay, they're a special training device, think of them that way."

I can't say I enjoyed the ride but I did feel like I was getting a workout. It may have been the design or merely the extra weight but I felt it in my legs. I couldn't tell where my foot was landing but I tried to focus on the mid to front range. I did notice that when I allowed the shoe to heel strike the energy return was pretty good. Too bad I'm trying not to run that way. My pace began to suffer noticeably after the first mile and I'm sure it was due to the extra work the shoes required. I finished after three miles feeling like I'd given my legs a good workout but not feeling like I'd exerted myself too much overall. I can't see ever switching to this shoe as a regular trainer but it may yet provide some training benefit. I'm going to put them in the rotation for a while to see how they feel after a few more workouts. In the meantime, I'm still questioning whether they fall into the category of training resource or gimmick.

Treadmill knows best

Today's run (treadmill): 2.4 miles at 9:01

I've been traveling on business the last two days so I needed to adapt my workout to my location. I attended a conference in Philadelphia and stayed in a hotel located on Market Street, about a half mile from the Schuylkill River. I had hoped to do some picturesque city running but I questioned the safety of the area in the early morning darkness. That left me no choice but to use the hotel's fitness center that was well equipped with treadmills and elliptical machines.

I got down to the center at 5:00 AM and was surprised to see the room empty. It's rare when I find treadmills readily available in these places. I usually need to wait or I just go for a run outdoors. The treadmill immediately frustrated me. I simply wanted to start, get up to speed, and run my time. Unfortunately the treadmill would have none of that. I finally got it started and punched in my speed but the machine had decided it was going to let me run for only 20 minutes. It was a fast 20 and I ran my last six minutes under 8:30 per mile. After 20 minutes the machine kicked into "cool down" mode and I stabbed at the speed button to get back to my pace. After a few minutes it shut down and I gave up. Too bad because I had run well and would have liked to continue.

I'll be happy to return to the road on Friday provided the rain stops. if it doesn't, I'll have my first experience with the Resistance Runners on my guestroom treadmill.

Hard to resist trying the Resistance Runners

I don't yet know about the shoes but the packaging was impressive

After regretting my run on Tuesday morning and realizing that I needed some rest, I decided to forgo my planned elliptical session today. I'm glad that I did because I've been dealing with slight pain stemming from either my upper hamstring or my glutes. I don't think I'm hurting it when I exercise but it will heal better with an occasional break from those activities.

The only regret I have today is that I'm going to have to wait to test my newest running technology:  Skecher's Resistance Runners. Despite my earlier post where I poked some fun at gimmicky running shoes including these, Skecher's still offered to send me a pair to test. I'm used to companies that understand runners and running shoes but Skecher's seems to still be on the learning curve. When they asked for my shoe size I told them 10.5, D width. I soon received a call saying that they don't make them in a wide sizes so would I want to go up to an 11? I straightened her out on the fact that D is standard width but I wished I had chosen size 11's after I tried them on last night.

The shoes arrived yesterday in a huge box that was quite impressive. Cool materials, fancy overlays and lots of marketing hype about the benefits of the shoes. I don't know if this what you get if you purchase them retail or whether this is special packing for journalists who test their products. It was very different from the boxes you get from Brooks and Saucony that are made for easy recycling. The shoes aren't as silly to look at as I thought they'd be. I can certainly wear them in daylight hours but I won't be using them in a race. That is, unless they make me an 8 minute/mile runner. My initial impression was that they are snug for their size, especially at the toe box, and that the purposely unstable mid-sole is interesting. Interesting good or bad is yet to be determined. I'm traveling today through tomorrow so I won't have the chance to run with these shoes until Friday. I'll admit to being more curious about these shoes than I'd imagined I'd be.

Which friend do you want to be?

Today's run (street): 2.6 miles

I know a person who runs about 40 minutes every few days. The time is arbitrary because he doesn't wear a watch. He thinks that he runs about four miles each time he goes out but he's not really sure. My friend has little idea of his pace but guesses he runs around 10 minutes per mile. I know another person who cycles through a weekly regimen of training: intervals on the track, tempo runs, strides, Fartleks and distance runs. He knows his paces for all these activities. He usually hits his desired numbers. These two people enjoy running, but the way they engage is very different.

I'm somewhere in the middle in terms of activity and expectations. I do care about my distance and pace but I don't devote much time to the core training activities that help make one faster or better prepared for tough conditions. I view my running satisfaction against two criteria -- performance and experience. Performance is defined for me very specifically: a pace as far below 9:00 per mile as possible or covering a challenging distance. Experience is much more arbitrary. That's defined by how I feel. Some runs are relatively slow but feel great. That's a successful experience. Other runs hit the mark on performance but the price paid is pain and/or injury. Not so successful. As a recreational runner I look for equilibrium between these two criteria. When that balance is reached I am a happy runner.

Today I was not a happy runner. I took my usual rest day on Monday and by last night I was feeling ready to run. We had kinetic storms overnight with wind, thunder and lightning and I feared I'd be stuck on the treadmill today. It was slightly rainy when I got up at 3:45 and I decided to go for it. From my first few steps off my driveway I could tell that I would have trouble on this run. I couldn't generate the leg turnover I needed to get to my desired speed and I felt a bit tired. I hoped that initial fatigue would give way to a boost of energy after a few minutes and while things did improve, it wasn't by much. I ended up running for 25 minutes and only covering 2.6 miles in total. Sub-par performance against my expectations and a fairly miserable experience in the process. On one hand I did go out under rainy skies and did my workout long before most of the world was thinking about waking. If I was friend #2 I'd be furious about my poor performance. If I was friend #1 I'd probably think "That wasn't as much fun as usual, maybe next time I'll feel better." I think friend #1 makes the better point.

Kinvaras as a daily trainer?

These cool Kinvaras are becoming my everyday shoe

The transition to fall weather makes me happy. Although it will take some time to adjust my running gear so that I don't go out under-dressed like yesterday, I still welcome the change. This morning the temperature where I live is 51 degrees, perfect for a run but quite chilly when standing on the train platform. I always wish for this weather when enduring the heat of summer or the frigid cold in January. I'll enjoy it as long as I can.

I wore my Saucony Kinvaras during yesterday's run and I've started to really appreciate them. Lightweight but not insubstantial, they are minimally constructed but still reasonably supportive. The Kinvara is a neutral shoe and I thought I'd have trouble with it because I pronate when I run. I've had some 8+ mile runs with them without experiencing any problems with my knees or legs and that brings me to question the idea of stability shoe engineering. I suspect that because the drop off between heel and forefoot of the Kinvara is only 4mm, compared to 12mm, (common for standard trainers) the shoe facilitates a more natural mid-foot landing. This would logically neutralize the effects of pronation. I continue to rotate through my other pairs and still consider my Brooks GTS 10's my everyday shoe, but the Kinvaras are forcing me to rethink that these days. If I do move primarily to the Kinvaras I'll need to consider their durability and the thermal properties of the barely-there uppers compared with the Brooks' more substantial build. After all, it's getting colder out there these days.

Finally, a cold morning run. Wish I dressed for it...

The ducks were out at Caleb Smith this morning

Yesterday's run (street): 4 miles at 9:08
Today's run (street): 7.4 miles at 9:28

I waited until about noon on Saturday to run, mostly due to my reluctance to work up a sweat in the morning without the option of showering afterward. I spent the last 36 minutes strapped to my doctor's HRM in order to capture Saturday's workout. It was a pleasure to finish the run and end my 24 hours with this unit that was attached to me by four electrodes. I was still a little tired from Friday's stress test when I hit the road and though I managed a decent pace I felt like I was running in low gear the whole time. It felt as though I had a tether attached to me that prevented me to maintaining my desired cadence. My goal was to go out for a quick three miles but I ended up covering four. Upon returning home, I happily detached the electrodes and packed the HRM for return to the lab.

This morning I left early for my week's long run. My neighborhood boundaries limit my options for running real distances, after that I need to cross some traffic to prevent repeating the same roads. It was a chilly 38 degrees at 7:00 AM, far colder than I'd planned for the way I'd dressed. I did wear my best long compression pants but I didn't bring gloves nor a long sleeved shirt. I regretted my lapse when, after two miles, my hands were still semi-numb. Besides all that my run was pleasant, starting with a loop through my main neighborhood before heading into neighborhood #2 for a few miles. I stayed conscious of my pacing and tried to keep in the low 9:00 range. Despite the cooler temps my overall pace shows that I lost about ten seconds on each split. Although the numbers don't show it, I still felt like I ran better today than yesterday.

After a greatly appreciated (post run) hot shower we headed over to Caleb Smith State Park for a late morning hike. It's a really nice preserve with well marked trails. Every time I go there it reminds me of how much I'd like to actually run there. My wife, daughter and son did do some running while we were there but I chose to hike. I don't like running in jeans and my legs were fairly shot from the morning's seven miles. Despite missing my usual Friday run I still managed to get some good miles this weekend. The cold weather is definitely to my liking. I just need to be smarter about how I dress for it.

Doctor's orders: more stress

Yesterday's workout (Stress test): 4 hours

Having a top ranked physician as your doctor has its pluses and minuses. On one hand you know that you are getting the best care that medical insurance can buy, but it also means that you are monitored closely and forced to take tests to confirm that everything remains normal. I'm not fanatical about my health but me and my family meet annually or (semi-annually) with our doctors and dentists just to confirm all is well. Yesterday, as a follow up to August's physical, I went through a stress test that involved a number of activities. The process is time consuming and not particularly difficult but in the end it is exhausting.

Soon after my arrival I was injected with Thallium 201, a trace agent for monitoring blood flow through the imaging process. No big deal except for the idea of having a radioisotope coursing through your veins and arteries. The half-life is 73 hours so I won't be boarding any airplanes this week. I was assured a number of times that it's extremely safe. I guess I have to take their word on that. The first activity was a full body scan on a flat imaging bed that required keeping absolutely still for about 15 minutes. Running has taught me much about patience while enduring discomfort so that was a piece of cake, despite the need to hold my arms far forward and holding my head at an unnatural angle. After that I was hooked up to a bunch of electrodes and put on a treadmill that increased in speed and tilt angle over a 20 minute period. Being a runner helped me there, though I'll admit that the apex of speed and elevation became challenging. Still, I never reached the point where I was sweating profusely.  Halfway through the process I was re-injected with Thallium while I was in motion. That was a little weird.

The next part of the test was another round of imaging that seemed longer and even less comfortable. I was then brought into another room for a sonogram of both carotid arteries. During the treadmill and sonogram testing I was asked why I was being tested because my results looked fine. That was good to hear. The final step was to be fitted with a heart monitor with four electrodes that would record cardio-activity for 24 hours. I'll get to take that off at noon and I'm looking forward to that. I can't shower until it's off so I didn't run this morning. I'm deciding whether to run with it just prior to removal or to wait until I take it off. I'd be interested to know how my heart rate varies when monitored by a more sophisticated instrument that the Garmin's HRM but I doubt the doctor will show me the raw data. However, they might share the highlights. The best part of having completed the stress test is that, unlike yesterday morning, I'm now allowed to drink coffee. I missed that a lot yesterday. I far prefer it to Thallium 201.

Will this brand Thriv?

Thriv's Path Crew running shirt

Yesterday's run (Central Park): 3.1 miles
Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

It's no secret that I like running gear and that I'm interested in technologies that help a runner achieve their best performance. I appreciate the innovations that come from the big running shoe companies so long as they provide benefits and aren't just selling marketing hype. When I see something new I pay attention, especially when it represents innovation. Over the weekend we stopped into Sports Authority to find a gym bag for my daughter and I noticed they had a new line of running clothes under the brand name Thriv. The Thriv shirts, apparently made in India, were very appealing. They were soft like cotton and colorful, but not garish. The labels claimed great wicking capabilities through their combination of organic cotton and bamboo and the prices were competitive. I bought a red "Path Crew" jersey in size large (no medium choice) because this particular model was discounted to $20.

I wore my new Thriv shirt on my run in Central Park with JQ yesterday. It was dry and cool, with some sun, and we followed our standard three mile route while enjoying the park and maintaining our usual, lively discussion. The shirt was very comfortable and the fit was generous. I would have preferred it to be a size smaller but it was fine for a workout of this type. Since we were running a couple of minutes per mile slower than my usual training pace I didn't generate my normal level of perspiration but I did sweat some and the shirt wicked it fine. However, the Path Crew didn't do a good job of evaporating moisture compared with my experiences wearing the Nike Sphere and Brooks Rev T jerseys. I'd put Thriv in the middle of my running shirt collection in terms of effectiveness, better than the C9's and REC Tech's but not at the level of the ATAYNE, Adidas, Nike and Brooks shirts. For $20 it's a decent addition to my athletic-wear collection. Still, I'll probably stick with the brands that provide both innovation and performance, even if it costs me more.

Relays and races

Last Sunday's Newsday carried a story about a team of runners that participated in the annual Ocean to Sound Relay that's held each year on Long Island. The course is 50 miles in length, starts at Jones Beach State Park and ends at the Sound in Oyster Bay. Each leg of the race is between 5-7 miles. I ran my last long training run for Cow Harbor at Bethpage State Park the same day of this year's race and encountered numerous relay runners who were coming through at that time. It reminded me that my experience running with a relay team in happened almost a year ago. It was the Cape Cod Marathon Relay in Falmouth, MA and our intrepid team of four (actually three as one member had contracted H1N1 virus) covered the 26.2 mile course. It was the longest distance I'd ever run in a day, 9 miles, with AG leading the charge by running 11 miles straight through. It was a great weekend and a very fun experience and I hope to participate in another relay of that type someday. I'm considering fielding a team for next year's Ocean to Sound race. It might be a great training exercise for the 2011 Cow Harbor race that's run the following weekend.

In the spirit of running two races on consecutive weekends, Dave and I are looking to run a 10K in Babylon on November 14 (Run for the Warriors) and then race in the Turkey Trot in Long Beach the following Sunday. It's really great to have a race on the calendar because it gives you something to train for. I love the whole race experience, the nervous energy before the start, the race itself and the great feeling of completeing another test of one's capabilities at the finish. I don't always like how I've performed but I've never finished a race and felt my time would have been better spent doing anything else. I'm planning another midday run in Central Park today. I'm hoping that the weather holds and that the rain that's been predicted doesn't show up at noon.

Inspiration from the Cross Country Kid

Today's run (treadmill): 2.3 miles at 9:15

I had every excuse not to run this morning but somehow I managed to get it done. I'd gone to bed late, didn't sleep well and had trouble getting moving when I woke up. I really considered resting, knowing that taking two days off in a row would yield some benefits. I'd covered about 13 trail miles over the weekend and didn't feel compelled to run just for the mileage. I then thought about my daughter who on Monday, despite the cold and rainy weather, ran in her first cross country meet. She did great and covered that 1.5 mile course faster than her usual pace. Her team has another meet on Thursday and on top of the rigorous schedule of classes, assignments and tests that make up a middle-schooler's daily activities, I thought "If she can do that, I can do this."

I quickly dressed and headed outside, only to see the rain coming down, lightly but steadily. I returned to the guest room and fired up the treadmill. It's been months since I've used this machine (May 19, actually), though my wife runs on it daily. I had a problem with a slipping belt the last time I used the treadmill and I was a little gun-shy about getting on it today. The Sole technician has serviced the machine since then and after a few minutes running at speed I was happy to pronounce it stable. I've often complained about the tedium of treadmill running and nothing has changed to make me feel differently. I got started with a moderate pace and steadily increased my speed until I was running a little under 9 minutes per mile near the end. There's something about the moving tread that semi-terrifies me and a 9 minute treadmill pace sometimes feels closer to an 8 minute street pace. I know people who say they can run faster on the treadmill. Not me, give me the road or the trail for that.

Tomorrow JQ and I will return to the park for our weekly lunchtime excursion. I'm looking forward to that and I hope that the weather will have cleared by then. I'm taking a stress test on Friday because it's been a few years since I'd done that. Although part of the testing involves a treadmill, I'll be pleased to do it this time. Things have changed a lot since the last time.

Reflections on my first race

My daughter has her first cross country meet today. She's a bit apprehensive about it. I understand that completely, recalling how I was both excited and nervous about my first race. It was the Marcie Mazzola Memorial, a 4 miler held on April 19, 2009. Although I had read a lot about racing prior to the event I didn't know how things would look or feel when I was a participant. How soon before the start does one line up? Is the front of the line reserved for the fastest runners? Do you talk to other racers while waiting for the gun? What if I finish last?

I remember being confounded by the water station. How do you drink water while you're running? Should I even take water for a short race that's happening on a cool spring morning? I was confused by the others on the road with me, some flying by and others well off to the side, practically walking. I do remember thinking, "Should I be passing people so early in the race?"

By the time I'd reached the other side of Main Street I had figured out most of my questions. The large hill that one encounters soon after the start of this race had taken a lot out of me and I was concerned that I'd have enough energy for a big finish. Even though I came upon another hill at the end I managed to push hard enough to finish with a decent time. I had my first experience crossing the line and seeing my family cheering at the side. I must have liked that because I've run ten more races since then. My daughter will experience the same anxiety that I did, followed by the exhilaration that comes from finishing a race. I said to her the same thing I've said to many others, "You only have one first race. Pay attention to every detail."

Kinvaras perform on the trail

Today's run (Belmont Lake): 6.7 miles at 9:46

Belmont Lake out n' back

It has been an all-trail running weekend. Yesterday I ran at Stillwell Woods in the morning and returned with the family in the afternoon for a little kite flying and some low key trail runs. This morning I went to Belmont Lake, home of the Dirty Sock 10K race, for the pleasure of running its well groomed trails in the cool high 50's weather.

I wanted to cover some distance today but I just couldn't face another run through the surrounding neighborhoods. I decided to return to Babylon to run the out and back course that includes a trip around Belmont Lake and also follows the south end of a large pond. My intention was to run the Dirty Sock course but to start at the trail head instead of going 100 yards further into the woods where the race begins. I've run this course half a dozen times and I'm now familiar with many of its features. I still get a little disoriented when the trail splits but I managed to stay on course for most of my run. I wore my Kinvaras because I was curious to see how they performed on a non-paved surface. Adventure Girl ran a tough 13.1 mile trail race in her Kinvaras and spoke highly of their performance so I thought, "What the heck." Today's course is mostly dirt with gravel, sand and a small amount of paved road. I knew by the time I crossed under the Rt. 27 overpass that the Kinvaras would provide enough support for this course and I reached the lake with no issues of traction or stability.

There were a lot of dog walkers, a few runners and some cyclists along my path. When I reached the lake I heard music and saw tents and booths being erected for a fair that was associated with walk-a-thon that was also going on. As I circled the lake I was tortured by the extremely loud music coming from the fair. What made it worse was that the song they were playing. "Uptown Girl" by Billy Joel, is one of my top five most hated songs, ever. I actually felt relieved when I heard the next song starting. Soon enough I was on my way south, past the lake, and back onto the path I'd followed earlier. I felt great although did I begin to tire a little around mile 4. I soon perked up and made sure I stayed on the Dirty Sock return route, especially when my path would split. Along the way I cut farther east to make sure I didn't miss the perpendicular left that takes runners along the southern end of the pond. It was here where I thought I'd gone off course because I didn't recognize the right that takes Dirty Sock racers on the path to the finish line. I ended up retracing my route along the pond and rejoining the original trail, finishing where I started, after covering 6.7 miles of trails.

I've always enjoyed running this course although the two times that I ran the Dirty Sock race I was overwhelmed by the heat, humidity and a dearth of electrolytes. When not bombing down the path at speed for almost an hour it's a really relaxing experience. It's also a great place to run with a buddy. I'm pleased with my distance running this weekend and thrilled to have had two days of great local trail running. Now I won't feel so bad about returning to the neighborhood next week.

Cool running at Stillwell Woods

Today's run (Stillwell Woods): 1 hour (approx. 6.2 miles)

After all the rain and humidity that we experienced last week, this morning's temperatures had finally dropped into the low 60's. I headed out to Stillwell Woods for the first time in almost a month with a plan to run for an hour. An article in the current issue of Runner's World made the point that trail running is more about the time you run than your actual distance and pace. With all the different conditions that a runner can encounter over a period of an hour -- like stepping around or over obstructions or getting up a steep rise covered with scree or sand -- the range of speed can be broad. I just wanted to run in the woods and enjoy the cool air while getting some distance in.

There were many mountain bikers getting ready to head to the trails as I started out and not long after I made my way to the primary trail I was overtaken by two bikers who came up fast. At least they had the courtesy of warning me that they were approaching. Most mountain bikers will do that. The ones that don't seem to be the reckless type, making the it even more dangerous because you're not expecting them and they don't seem to anticipate anything that may be in their path. I encountered a few downed branches along my travels and ran into some prickly plants and hanging vines. You take the bad with the good, especially when it's all good.

I saw lots of animals, most notably a rabbit the size of raccoon that was planted in the middle of the trail. It hopped away heavily when I got close and I thought it was a sitting target for any predator that may lurk within the woods. I took a rarely used trail off my last loop and wondered where it would take me. It started as a fairly established single track but as I went on the dirt gave way to low grass and it became hard to distinguish between the trail and the woods. This trail terminated at a fence so I quickly turned and headed back to the trail that fed it. I covered about 6 miles according to the Garmin. I'm not sure  of the distance because I had my HH Trail Lizards that are not currently matched with the Garmin foot pod. It could have totaled 6.3 miles or even 5.9. I don't really care either way, today was about the experience, and not the metrics, of the run.

Torrential rains are just fine AFTER I run

Today's run (street): 2.45 miles at 9:07

My wait at the train station, all eight minutes of it, began with a little rain and a moderate breeze. By the time the train came the winds had picked up measurably and the light rain turned into a downpour. Or should I say "sidepour" with the wind coming in horizontally. This resulted in half my clothes getting soaked while the other half remained dry. It was far different from when I went out this morning to run. Last night I'd set my expectations low for an outdoor morning workout and thought positively about how I might play with the elevations on the treadmill and also see how my Kinvaras performed indoors. In truth I despise treadmill running and secretly hoped for a weather miracle that would keep the rain away from western Long Island.

I heard no rain against the skylight when I got up and decided that it was worth trying an outside run. The winds coming in from the south were strong but there was nothing coming down. I set a route that would keep me fairly close to home in the event that the skies opened up in the middle of my run. The air was very humid so the winds provided a nice respite when they did hit. And they hit hard. I came around one corner into a headwind that nearly carried off my hat and headlamp. I managed to grab them in time but I soon took them off and carried them after another big wind swept through. Knowing that I might need to cut the run short if it rained I pushed the speed a little and tried to stay in the high 8 minute range as much as I could. I didn't break 9:00 but I liked that I was close. I was fortunate that the rain held off, allowing me to complete a decent weekday morning run.

The predictions of weekend temperatures in the low '60's have changed to 70's and that will be fine with me if the air dries out. Going out early will also mean that I'm running during the coolest part of the day. I'm still thinking long run or trail run for Saturday. My daughter wants to run as well so I may go out twice that day. It will be interesting to see how well I do keeping up with the Cross Country Kid.

Moderation has its advantages

Yesterday's run (Central Park): 3.1 miles
Today's workout (elliptical): 24 minutes

I'd considered a run this morning even though I'd gone to bed thinking about taking a rest day today. Yesterday I had my second noonday run with JQ and found it energizing. My Central Park runs, especially those I run alone, tend to be intense. I'm usually pressed for time and have a distance goal in mind. The hills play a part, I try to run them as close to my overall pace as I can. All this adds up to a fairly vigorous workout and I return to the office wet and somewhat spent. It can also feel great but with an afternoon of business activities in front of me I occasionally face an energy crisis. Yesterday's run was exactly what I needed in the middle of a busy day. Between the conversation, the surroundings and the moderate activity itself (I did generate a sweat) I came through the afternoon focused and refreshed. More importantly, I was motivated to do a hard run today.

This morning's driving rain and blowing winds prevented any outdoor opportunities when I got up. I decided to follow my normal routine with an elliptical session rather than messing around with the treadmill. I set the elliptical for medium resistance and maintained a fairly good pace rate, exceeding 2 miles in around 24 minutes. Not my most intense session but like yesterday, energizing. I'm concerned that the rain will continue through tomorrow morning, giving me no option but to do a treadmill run. I'll deal with that then. I'm really thinking trails for Saturday but I'm not decided on venue. My daughter has been running trails at Stillwell and Bethpage with her cross country team. She's starting to really like trail running and we may do a run this weekend in the woods. I couldn't be happier about that.

Literally in a fog

The train platform is shrouded by darkness and fog this morning. For some, that is a depressing combination. Of course I'm thinking, "Great running conditions!" I didn't run this morning because I plan to go for a park run at lunchtime with JQ. However, I always appreciate the surreal experience of a foggy run in the 4:00 AM quiet. I'm glad it's only fog and not rain today. I'm fortunate that my running over the last few days has coincided with breaks in the weather. Reports for this weekend call for temperatures in the low 60's that will be perfect for a long run on Saturday. By now you're probably thinking, "Is this a blog entry or a weather report?" Now let's go to the national map!

DailyMile friend Run DMC told me I could watch a replay of my Cow Harbor finish on one of the interactive cable stations. I'd forgotten to DVR the race so I thought my dramatic mid-pack finish would be gone forever. We found the part where I came through and it was fun to see me in my banana yellow running shirt making my way down Main Street and crossing the line amongst a crowd of others. Not quite as dramatic as the Trafeh-Braun photo finish that had happened many minutes prior.

I'm still thinking about resting tomorrow but I'll see how I feel after today's run. I want to go for some distance runs, 9 or 10 miles during the weekend. The only problem is finding the time to do a run that will likely take 80-90 minutes plus prep, drive and recovery time. Perhaps I'll do a long trail run instead. It's been a while since I've ventured further into Stillwell's more challenging terrain. 62 degrees, dry and broad tree cover makes that an inviting proposition.

Well at least it didn't rain

Today's run (street): 2.4 miles at 9:50

I lucked out this morning because my window of running coincided with a break in the rain. I feared that with all the overnight rain I'd be forced back onto the treadmill. The streets were wet but the skies were clear when I set out at 4:05 AM. Although I work to avoid repetitious activities I do tend to follow the same pattern on my morning runs. I mix in different loops each time I go out but I usually follow the same basic course. I do this for practical reasons. With only about 25 minutes to run, I need to time the activity so that no matter how far I go I've got enough time to return within my designated workout period. More than once I've made the mistake of losing track of the time and have found myself a mile away with only 5 minutes left in my workout window. Only an elite could have pulled that off and I am far from that these days.

I know Saturday was a tough run and my slower than desired pace could be explained somewhat by the conditions. Sunday was a recovery run and I wasn't even thinking about how fast I ran it. Today I hoped to get back on track. I went out with a goal of covering 2.6 to 2.8 miles within my time span and I took a completely different route than usual. My energy level wasn't near where it should have been, but I thought I was moving along well. Without running my measured mile for my first loop I felt out of sync not knowing (without looking at the Garmin) when I'd passed that distance. It seemed to take longer to get there than it should have and I knew that meant I was running slow. My form felt sloppy, and while I had been considering running the South Bay 10K next weekend, I decided that I wasn't up to racing again so soon. Along the way I must have completely zoned out because I found myself in a different place than I expected to be at a certain point and was disappointed that my distance was falling short of my goal. I finished up and tried to understand why today's run was so underwhelming.

Some runs are just like that I guess. I probably need more than one day's rest and I may take Thursday off this week instead of doing my elliptical session. I'm not going to race on Saturday but I'm hoping to cover some distance. I want to run a 10 miler. Perhaps Saturday is the day for doing that.

On the road for recovery

Yesterday's run (street): 3.75 miles at 9:34

The race on Saturday was exhausting due to the heat and extremely high humidity. I learned that seven runners had been taken to the hospital by ambulance for dehydration. I took a brief nap after returning home from the 10K and had probably slept 10 minutes before being awoken by a ringing phone. When I looked at the clock I had a classic moment of panic. It was 11:40 AM and I thought "OMG, I slept through the race!" I guess I really did need that nap.

Sunday morning was a little cooler than Saturday and I was pleased with how my legs felt a day after taking on the big hill on James Street. A few weeks ago, after our practice run, my calves were quite sore the following day. I decided to do a neighborhood recovery run to shake out the built up lactic acid in my leg muscles. I don't know if that's really what a recovery run does but it sounded cool when I read it somewhere. I had no planned route or pace in mind but I wanted to move along faster than I did on Saturday. I wore my Brooks as a favor to my feet and appreciated their support and comfort compared with the Kinvaras from the day before. It was hot but without the intense humidity the weather felt fine at the start. I did my standard first mile measured loop to gauge how well the Garmin was calibrated (almost perfectly). I then went west a bit before reentering the neighborhood from the southern end.

Along the way I was passed by a fit looking guy running along the same service road. The man said good morning as he swiftly passed by and I wondered what pace he was running. I continued straight and he turned right and I thought I detected a stutter step from him as if he were slowing or stopping. I followed the road north and circled around for another half mile when I saw the same guy walking, looking exhausted. When he saw me he started running again but I caught up and passed him saying "We meet again!" before I headed to another part of the neighborhood. Poseur! I finished my run after covering 3.75 miles and I felt good at the end. This morning I woke up to see that my calf muscles were tight and sore and I remembered it's always the second day when you really feel it. That works fine because it's Monday, A.K.A, my rest day.

Cow Harbor 2010 race experience

Here's an excellent video that captures the 2010 Cow Harbor 10K race. The focus is on the elites but you can see the course and experience the James Street Hill.

Race report: Great Cow Harbor 2010

Seconds after crossing the line (in yellow)

 Yesterday's run (Great Cow Harbor 10K): 1:00:56.6 (9:49 pace)

The 2010 Great Cow Harbor 10K has been run and it was truly a new race experience for me. I'll admit that I was disappointed with my performance when I saw that I missed my target finish time by over four minutes, but a day later I'm okay with it. I was surprised to see that an hour had passed before I crossed the finish line and I'm not sure that I fully understand why. Yes, it was hot. But it was hot for the many runners who finished before me. I did still beat over 2,100 other runners, not including the DNF's,  leading to yet another mid-pack finish. It was still an incredible experience and I wouldn't change a thing about how I ran the race. So like I said, I'm okay with it.

T-Shirt pickup at registration

 The experience started Friday night. After a long day at work I headed to Northport to pick up my race number and timing chip. Heading there at the height of rush hour was a challenge and as I made my way through downtown Northport I began to understand the scale of this race. Cars and people everywhere. At the Laurel Avenue School the scene was a madhouse. A thousand cars looking for parking spaces. People everywhere. I found a spot near Main Street and hiked up the hill to the school. Once I was in the building I was very impressed by the organization and the kind patience of the many volunteers. There were many people and it was fun to spot a few of the elite runners among the crowd. After pickup I headed outside behind a small group of young men and women who were in from other parts of the country. They were single number folks -- those that started in the first wave and probably finished before I got to Widow Hill. They all seemed like nice people. One woman asked "Is Cow Harbor an actual town?" It sure was this weekend!

The innovative staggered start

Team Emerging Runner headed to the parking lot at Northport HS at 6:15 AM on Saturday morning. My kids were sleepy but great sports about giving up a weekend morning. My wife (and team manager) had everything organized and on track as usual. We boarded a bus that took us to Laurel Ave. where the race would start. It was early but the crowd was building and the excitement was tangible. The long bank of Porta-Potties was well used and the runners organized themselves into lines. This race is masterfully produced, every detail considered and managed. Along the way we ran into some of our kid's teachers from their old elementary school. Two of them were racing for the first time. We also ran into Dave and chatted with other runners we'd met that day. I headed to my designated corral (the race has a staggered start to accommodate the thousands of runners) and BJS found me. He was his usual smiling self, happy and excited to be running Cow Harbor once again.

Looking good on Laurel Avenue

The staged start was interesting. Each group held a separating rope across the front of the line and we were moved up after each report from the starting gun. Once we reached the line a person in a cow costume challenged us to make noise for the "Moo Meter" and soon we were off and running. Despite my two days of rest my legs felt heavy within the first few minutes and I hoped it would pass as I adjusted to my pace. Following the strategy I'd read, I held back on the mile 1 downhills to reserve energy for the hill on James Street. When we reached Woodbine there were hundreds of people standing along route yelling and moo-ing. The runners were still clumped together so I had to be careful not to jostle people too much or step on people in front of me. My timing chip on my ankle was beginning to dig into my skin and that plagued me the entire race. I ended up with big cut at the strap line. Once we turned onto James Street I went into hill climbing mode, keeping a steady pace and passing many other runners and loads of people who chose to walk "Widow Hill." I didn't love the work but I was proud how well I came through it. I thought the worst part had passed. I was wrong.

My Garmin, which seemed accurately calibrated the last time I ran with my Kinvaras (I wore them for the race) was wildly off compared to the mile markers. I knew from my elapsed time that I was running about a 9:20 pace at the 3 mile mark but I'd hoped to make up some time on mile 4. That didn't happen, I actually lost time struggling up the long incline on Waterside Ave. There was a point where the heat was becoming intolerable, my ankle was throbbing and I was stuck next to three women running side by side chatting loudly about their kid's orthodontists. I couldn't stand it so I used every ounce of energy to put some distance between us. At four miles my energy level was nearly empty and I gobbled my gel in an attempt to restore my glycogen level. It didn't provide the boost I'd hoped and I took water as well but felt really depleted as I rounded the corner of Main Street and attacked "Pumpernickel Hill."

Crossing the finish line (yellow blob center right)

 Along the way I passed more walkers but I also got passed by numerous other runners as we reached the final mile that is mostly downhill. I had hoped that the last part of the course would allow me to surge but it merely kept me in motion. I could see the finish line, like a mirage, way ahead, and I couldn't believe how long it took to get closer. The crowd was deep as I made my way to the finish line chute and I crossed the line well after my hoped-for 57 minutes. I immediately saw Team Emerging Runner along the sidelines and then saw a few people I knew who had finished around the same time as I. We walked to the waterfront area where there were thousands of runners going around the many tables and booths that were handing out energy drinks, juice, coconut water, carb snacks, protein bars and freshly baked cookies. After taking it all in we boarded the bus back to the High School and soon we were on our way back home.

The rest of the day was extremely busy. We had a family event that required some car travel and the long day and evening was exhausting for us. It was a great day though and we all slept well last night. I got a note from BJS who ran a few minutes off his goal time but still finished under an hour. I'm planning to do a recovery run some time this morning. It's much cooler than yesterday and probably much less humid. I wish I'd finished closer to my goal time but that's not the way it worked out on Saturday. I still think I trained well and I'll continue to focus on distance even though I don't have a race on the October schedule. I'm not giving up on achieving a decent time on a 10K. Perhaps with the cooler fall weather that can happen.