Sitting at the top of the bell

Running with the fast pack yesterday was bittersweet. On one hand I was thrilled to be maintaining a pace that was almost two minutes faster than my recent training runs. My elation was mitigated by the steady flow of runners catching up and passing me throughout the race. As I ran I thought about how these people were able to glide by me so easily while I was running fairly hard. I wondered how many I would find walking along side of the road during the last miles of the race. That was the case at both the Dirty Sock and Cow Harbor 10K's. As it turned out, there were few people to pass, even at the end of yesterday's race. It was a fit bunch of runners on the boardwalk.

Race results typically group in a bell shaped curve with a small segment of the fastest and slowest runners on each tail. With one exception, where I placed second in my age category, I've usually been the person sitting near the top of the bell. I'm actually fine with that because I'm only racing myself. When I came over the line I was happy to know I'd likely PR'd but also hopeful that Dave, who finished well in front of me, also had a better time than last week (he did). I think the strategy of running easy and long with some tempo runs in the mix is the best approach to date. My pace at the halfway point in yesterday's race was 8:36 but I lost 2 minutes on the second 5K. If I can maintain my speed across an entire 10K I'll have a chance of achieving another PR at that distance. No matter what, I'll still be at the top of the bell, but happily I enjoy the view from there.

Race report: Long Beach Turkey Trot

West facing view on the boardwalk. Finish line in the distance

Today's run (Long Beach Turkey Trot): 6.2 miles at 55:10 (8:53 pace)

I ran my second 10K in as many weeks this morning in a race that provided a fast field and inspiring views. I was happy with last week's performance and wasn't looking for a PR this morning but I managed to run a personal best for the second straight week. I arrived fairly early and was fortunate to find a parking spot very close to the registration area. That came in handy as I made a few trips back to my car to help me keep warm before the start. It was definitely cold but the wind was milder than I'd expected.

Chilly competitors gathering prior to race time

I met up with Dave on the boardwalk and he suggested that we make our way to the front to get a good position for the start. There were no starting line mats so no time adjustments would be made for those who started in the back. It was good that Dave thought of that and we took off quickly heading east along the boardwalk, moving at rapid pace. It wasn't until after the race when Dave pointed out that we started near the front that I realized why I felt so slow with so many people charging past me in the first few minutes. Dave got out ahead and I tracked him for a couple of miles before I lost sight of his orange hat. I wasn't looking at my Garmin so when it chirped for one mile I was surprised and then floored to see I'd covered it at an 8:05 pace. The energy of the front of the pack runners had carried me quickly to that point but I knew that pace was not sustainable for five more miles.

I forced myself to slow down a little and was passed by speedy runners who could more easily maintain eight minute per mile paces. The course, that started along the ocean, moved north and west until we turned east along Park Ave.,  the main road through Long Beach. The miles passed quickly and before long we'd turned north on Magnolia on our way to Bay Drive that provided more views of the water. Once we reached Washington Boulevard I knew, happily, that there was less distance to run than what we'd already covered. At the four mile mark the split clock showed 34:40 and I knew I was tracking well under 9:00 per mile. As usual, the last 2.2 miles was the toughest and I kept fighting the urge to ease off the throttle. I was still getting passed more than I was passing people but I was determined to preserve my potential PR time.

Dave on right, post race. I swear we didn't plan the matching outfits

I was glad when I saw runners turning left onto a road that I knew would take us back to the boardwalk. Once I made it to the boardwalk I turned east and quickly passed the mile 5 marker. The race official was calling times that were still in the high 40:00 range and I felt I had a chance to beat last week's time. It seemed to take forever to run the final 1.2 miles and when I saw the finish line I felt the same as I did at Cow Harbor: "So close but so far." When I got to the final hundred yards I picked up the pace and came over the line running hard. I met up with Dave who also had a good race. His time was in the 53 minute range, beating his Hope for Warrior's time from last week as well. Dave was soon joined by his wife and daughters who were quite proud of their dad.

Taking a moment to enjoy the ocean view after the race

I stuck around for the awards but it started feeling too cold, even with the hooded running jacket I'd brought to wear post-race. They posted the results and I checked my time before heading home. Another mid pack finish but at least I ended up in the top half. I'm not sure how much more I can improve my 10K time but I like the direction that it's going. Well, two November races done and one to go next Thursday. That Turkey Trot will be extra fun because I'll have my family with me on the course, not just at the finish line.

19 hours to the Turkey Trot

Today's workout (core): 20 minutes

I heard from Dave that tomorrow's 10K start has been moved up to 9:00 AM. That alters my race day schedule but I should be okay.  I'm a little concerned about how to prepare for the cold weather. I'm hoping to park close enough to be able to stow my extra layers shortly before the start of the race. My friend KWL occasionally plays golf on the Lido course that's located near the race route. He said it gets very windy when he plays so that could be something to deal with.  It's funny how quickly my concerns on race day go from worrying about high heat and humidity in September to managing against the chill in November. The difference is that many a comfortably warm start has ended with a miserably hot finish. I'll take a cold start leading to a cooler running experience any day.

This morning I ran through the Lolo core routine that I followed last weekend. I'm considering a slow and easy run a little later this afternoon. Or I may just call it a taper and do some dynamic stretches in the morning. I'm happy to be racing again tomorrow, but with last week's 10K I don't feel the pleasantly nervous edge I sometimes get prior to a race. I'm not expecting to beat last Sunday's time but I plan to try. I'm looking forward to another new experience, especially at an ocean-side venue. I need to sort out what I'll wear besides the compression sleeves and the Kinvaras. 19 hours to go to Turkey Trot #1!

It's Turkey Trot season

It's hard to believe that it's almost time for Thanksgiving. The year has gone by quickly and I blame that somewhat on missing most of January recovering from a severe bout of pneumonia. Despite that setback I've run six races this year that, with my race last Sunday, matched last year's total. This Sunday I'll be running the Long Beach 10K Turkey Trot. Some of this race takes place along a boardwalk that runs parallel to the beach. I love running on wooden boardwalks with views of the water so this sounds like an interesting course. The weather prediction for Sunday calls for morning temperatures in the high 30's. The race doesn't start until 9:30 AM so I'm betting things will warm up a little by then. It could be cold near the water but I don't care about that. My biggest concern about Sunday is finding decent parking.

After this weekend's 10K I'll look forward to a Thanksgiving day Turkey Trot at Nissequoge River State Park. It's a 5K and I'm running it with my family. I'm not sure how much running and how much walking will get done in this race but when the gun sounds I know we'll all be running! Friends Adventure Girl and FS will both be running the Prospect Park five miler on Thanksgiving day and my friend CK will be running in the Rockland county 5 mile Turkey Trot for probably the 20th time. Last year I ran the Bridie Goldstein/MercyFirst 5K during Thanksgiving week where set my 5K PR. I won't be challenging that time on the 25th, but with my family all with me I'll still have many reasons to be thankful.

Two years of Emerging Runner

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

I ended my training week with an elliptical workout this morning. I knew the day ahead would be challenging so it was nice to start things off with a good sweat. I'm never sure how 25 minutes on the elliptical stacks up to running for the same amount of time. There are days when I feel like running is harder and other days when the elliptical feels like the better workout. I won't run tomorrow and I'll miss that but I will do a core workout.

Today is the second anniversary of The Emerging Runner and I had planned to relaunch the site this week with some new features and graphics. I haven't had the bandwidth to finish all that so it will have to wait until the weekend. It's been a great two years and 720 posts later I'm even more excited about running and blogging than I was on November 18, 2008, the date of my first post. More to come!

Treadmill taper run

Today's run (treadmill): 2.4 miles

The twin furies of wind and rain forced me to stay inside this morning. I didn't mind too much. It's been months since I've run indoors and I was almost looking forward to a change of pace. One thing I did like was the reduction in time between waking and running. This is usually 10-15 minutes for outside runs because of all the extra safety gear and complexities of getting out the door. This morning it was simply shorts, shirt, socks, shoes, run.

Every time I use it, I say the same thing. I really dislike the treadmill. It scares me and it's hard. I don't like my running surface dictating my speed and if I stumble I know I'll find myself unceremoniously swept off the tread. But we bought our treadmill for a reason and that reason includes always having the option to run, even on miserable days like today.

I started slowly because the treadmill felt fast, even at a moderate speed. Each quarter mile I increased my speed by .1 MPH so that by the time I'd finished my run I was pacing in the low 9:00 range. Although my overall pace averaged in the mid 9's it felt like a hard workout. I only ran about 23 minutes in total and I enjoyed the extra time finishing my coffee while watching the local news. I wore my Brooks on today's run and didn't love them as much as I had prior to my using the Kinvara's. I'm planning to run with the Saucony's on Sunday for the 10K. After all, they're my PR shoes at that distance. Tomorrow I'll stay indoors again for a final intensity workout on the elliptical. I've never run two races on consecutive weekends before. I'm curious to see how that goes.

First run since Sunday's race

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

My first run after a race is usually tough, even if it's done at a short distance. I often have more energy on the day after I race than I do after skipping a day. That was true this morning. I set out at 4:00 AM before the rain had really started. The local news station reported temperatures in the 40's but I saw vapor illuminated by my headlamp as I breathed. There was a trickle of rain when I began and that increased in intensity by my finish, but it didn't start coming down hard until after I'd stepped inside. My legs felt a little stiff throughout the run but I was able to pick up some speed after the first mile.

I'm trying to decide what I will do for runs throughout this week. My strategy to rest two days prior to last Sunday's race seemed to pay off. I'll probably run again on Wednesday and finish my mini-taper with an elliptical session on Thursday. After that I'll do some low impact workouts on Friday and Saturday. The core workout I did last Saturday may have helped my run on Sunday. I'll try to repeat that this week.

A good race for many reasons

I always enjoy the day after a race because it gives me a break from running and a chance to think about the day before. One of my 2010 running goals was to PR in a race and I accomplished that yesterday. I am pleased with achieving that goal and I give due credit to the following:

• Flat course
• Perfect weather
• Sufficient rest
• Prior focus on building up my base
• No injuries
• Compression gear
• Prior 10K's run on trails or on a very hilly course (Cow Harbor)
• Positive attitude throughout the run

I was happy to average 9:05 per mile, a pace I hadn't matched since September. I would have liked to break 9:00 but I'll take what I got. You always want to leave something for a future PR. As well as I did compared with my last 10K, I still finished mid-pack. I think that due to the conditions many people had a good race day on Sunday. Next weekend I'll have a chance to challenge my 10K PR at the Long Beach Turkey Trot. I'm not focused on another PR though. If I can enjoy next Sunday's race as much as I did yesterday, that's more than enough for me.

Hope for Warriors 10K race report

Shot of the runners at the 10K start

Today's race (Hope for the Warriors): 6.2 miles at 56:23 (9:05 pace) UPDATED

Heading over to the start

I ran a good race today but I can't tell you how good because the race organizers haven't yet posted the results (see above update). Apparently there were some problems with the system used by Finish Line Road Race Technicians who managed that aspect of the race. This event was larger and grander than I'd expected and during the the pre-race ceremonies they said that over 2,000 people were participating. The crowd had grown large by the time acknowledgments were given to the men and women who serve in the military and to the families that support them. There were many active soldiers on hand and many of them participated in the races. This event had three race distances: 1 mile, 5K and 10K. At 9:30 AM, instructions were given to head to our respective starting lines and I met up with Dave as we waited for the gun to sound. Given the size of the crowd it looked like it took me 1:23 just to reach the starting line so I'm hoping they'll list net times in the results.

Dave went out ahead of me and I'm thinking he finished a couple of minutes faster that I did. The first mile was crowded because the 5K starters were sent ahead of us and there were lots of people walking abreast forcing runners to weave in and out to get a clear path. By the first mile things opened up as the walkers faded to the back and the 5K runners split off to the left to continue their race on different roads. I wore my compression pants and compression calf sleeves and though I did get a little warm in the legs it didn't affect my performance. Actually, I think it helped because I maintained a good level of energy throughout the run. Much of that is due to my recent focus on longer distances that are helping me build a better base. The weather must also be credited, it was sunny, dry and cool. Really perfect conditions for a race.

Seconds from the finish

I passed a lot of runners even on the 5th and 6th mile. By the time I reached Sunrise Highway I was looking forward to seeing my wife, my kids and the finish line but through the run I never had a "This is too hard" moment. When we came off the ramp onto route 27 one of the policemen yelled "You're almost there, the finish line is under the big flag!" In the distance I could see the flag and I reserved my final kick until I came into target range. Unfortunately there were two huge flags and the one I thought was the finish was actually positioned where I stood at the start. I did my best to keep my brisk stride knowing I had about a minute and a half more running time to get to the real finish. Very soon I saw my family along the side and I high fived them right before I crossed the line.

Me and Dave post-race

The display at the finish was off to the side so I didn't see my time when I'd actually crossed the line.  I'm a little nervous that the race organizers will say they lost the results. I hope that's not the case but either way I know I PR'd for 10K and that's great. It was a fun and inspiring event with soldiers carrying flags, field packs, and in one case, a dummy soldier on his shoulder. Next year I hope they provide more than five Porto-potties, far too few for the huge number of participants. Overall, it was great time and gratifying to participate in an event that benefits so many deserving soldiers. I'll post my finish time once results are posted.

Core values preparing for Sunday's 10K

Today's workout (hand weights and core): 20 minutes

I wasn't ready to fully rest this morning so I did a light upper body workout with weights and then completed a cycle of the "Lolo Jones" core exercises. These exercises were featured in an article I'd saved from Runner's World in 2009. It's a fast workout but I usually feel good after I do it. I looked at the Run for the Warriors course this morning and saw that it's a big rectangle with lots of straightaways. I understand that it's a relatively flat course and that will be a relief compared with the hilly terrain of the Cow Harbor race in Northport.

The temperatures should be in the mid to high 50's at 9:30 AM when the race is scheduled to start. I think I have my gear selected: Nike compression pants, Zensah calf sleeves, Brooks Rev-T jersey and my Saucony Kinvaras. Five months ago I would probably have chosen the Grid Tangents or the Brooks GTS 10's but I've really come to appreciate the performance of Kinveras as both a training and race day shoe. According to Dave who has previously run this race (and will be running it again this year), tomorrow's event will be inspiring as it honors veterans from all wars and features many veteran's groups. We are big supporters of those who provide service to the country and are glad to participate in an event that generates so many donations for veterans.

Spandex as an energy source

Zensah product shot

Yesterday's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

I've completed my training for Sunday's race and now my challenge is holding back on activity until that event. I considered running this morning because I'm not convinced that two day's rest provides any measurable advantage over just resting the day before. Still, I decided to stick with the taper plan. I've spent the last two weeks focusing on low intensity running and I don't think I've broken 9:10 on any run since mid-October. What I have done since September's Cow Harbor race is increase my base and I'm hoping that will make a difference this weekend.

Yesterday I returned to City Sports and bought a pair of Zensah calf/shin sleeves. This compression stuff isn't cheap but compared with other brands like Zoot and CEP, the Zensah gear was more affordable. But $40 for stretchy leg warmers isn't exactly what I'd call a bargain. These compression sleeves, made with spandex and nylon, are far more than that and I wore them for about five hours yesterday. I made my decision to buy the Zensah sleeves after talking to the sales person who was surprisingly knowledgeable about these products and their benefits, although she kept pronouncing lactic acid as "lasic acid." I was tempted to buy full compression socks because  the foot wrap apparently helps flush lactic (or lasic) acid from the tendons in the foot. The cost just seemed too high and I tend to like the socks that I already own.

Last night, after I'd taken off the calf sleeves, my legs felt restless, or energetic, depending on how you look at it. I plan to wear these sleeves under my Nike compression pants during the race. I know the unwritten rule is never to race with gear that you haven't previously used but I'm willing to take the chance. Restless or energetic legs are far better than the alternative.

Progression through compression

It was almost a year ago that my wife surprised me with a gift of a long sleeved Nike Fit jersey and Nike compression pants. I was due to race the MercyFirst 5K and she thought I'd appreciate having some new gear. I ran my fastest ever race pace wearing that outfit and it made me curious about the connection between compression and performance.

Last Saturday Dave and I did a long run on the Bethpage bike trail and he wore CW-X compression pants along with compression socks of the same brand. I looked online to see whether compression and performance are correlated and saw that there are studies that support that theory. The real benefit seems to be on the recovery side because compression aids blood flow and channels built up lactic acid. I know that when I run with my compression gear I feel more energetic. I went to City Sports to see what they had for socks and was surprised to see a range of socks and calf sleeves costing between $30-$60. I didn't buy anything but I'll admit that I'm curious to try them. Perhaps I'll head back today or check out Paragon's selection at lunchtime. Except for the price there seems to be more upside than downside to using this technology.

Race taper: winding down before winding up

Yesterday's run (Central Park): 3.15 miles
Today's run (Street): 2.5 miles

My experiment with more moderate paces on a taper week continued this morning with a run that toggled between an easy and a mildly challenging pace. My intention was to do the whole run slow to allow for continued muscle recovery but a little voice kept prompting me to pick up the pace for short distances. It ultimately turned out to be a tempo run but my tempo that was closer to andantino than allegro.

Yesterday I ran with JQ at lunchtime in Central Park. Conditions were ideal, sunny and cool with occasional breezes. We did our usual loop and covered a range of topics as we made our way around. We came by the location of the NYC Marathon finish and I saw that they still hadn't broken down the spectator stands or cleared out a lot of the signage. Both today's and yesterday's runs felt good and I'm hoping that this strategy won't soften me up too much to be competitive on Sunday. It's been a while since I've done a run with any intensity. I'll know this weekend how well this method works.

New taper strategy - easy runs

In recent weeks I've heard a lot about how volume training can be more important than speed work. People I know advocate running longer distances 2-3 minutes slower than race pace. I've started adding more length to my weekend runs because I have more available time on those days. With this change, my weekly average has exceeded 20 miles since August. I only have enough time to run about 2.5 miles during my weekday 4:00 AM workouts so almost 2/3 of my distance is achieved over the weekend. I try to get in 8+ mile runs whenever possible. An article in the current issue of Trailrunner Magazine says that "Runners often perform workouts at speeds that are too fast to obtain the desired result." They advocate slow running saying "Remember that it is the volume of aerobic running, not the speed, that represents major stimulus for adaptation."

I know I enjoy a run more when I am able to hold a conversation or observe the sights, sounds and smells of fall running without constantly peeking at my Garmin to ensure that my pace is on track. I'm planning a lunchtime run with JQ today. The timing is perfect because we'll run at a comfortable pace that will work for my taper. In the past I've focused on more intense running for the workouts leading to a weekend race. I'm going the other way this week and hoping that these easy runs will provide a race day benefit that's greater than what I get from speed workouts.

Running your own race

Watching the NYC Marathon yesterday got me thinking about the 10K I'll be running next Sunday. Many of those marathoners who went out in the later waves probably hadn't reached the 5K mark by the time the women and men's winners had crossed the finish line. To the outside world, the race ended with the elites but for the 45,000 others on the course the race ended hours later. When you're pounding away for position among the crowded field the only race that matters is the one you're in. Every race provides an opportunity for success: completion, a PR or just participating in the experience provides a great reason to do it. I can't wait to hear from FS on her experience.

I'm not sure how I'll do next Sunday. The 10K distance has never yielded great times for me in competition. My hope is to come in under an hour and, ideally, pace below 9:20. I'll probably finish my taper with runs on Tuesday and Wednesday at very easy paces and I'll complete my pre-race activity on Thursday with an elliptical session. I plan to run the best race I can without concern for those who cross the line in half the time it takes me to finish.

Running: street, trail and marathon

Today's run: 5 miles (street) plus 1 mile (Stillwell Woods)

It was all about running today. NBC's coverage of the NYC Marathon started at 6 AM and we watched just about all of it. I was very pleased that Shalane Flanagan took second place in the woman's race and that she also won the US Marathon championship. She's a great competitor and she ran a great race. The men's race was disappointing with Haile Gebrselassie dropping out around mile 16 and Meb Keflezighi, Dathan Ritzenhein, Tim Nelson and Jorge Torres all missing podium spots although Keflezighi and Ritzenhein both finished in the top ten. It was fun to spend the morning following the race. The athlete tracking service that allowed you to follow friends along the race failed so I couldn't keep current with marathoners FS and James. I did manage to see FS through the 5K checkpoint and James through 10K before the system went down.

Before the start of the race I went out for 5 easy miles. It was 37 degrees and sunny at 8:00 AM and I couldn't have asked for better conditions. I purposely started slowly and picked up the pace after one mile. I toggled between brisk and easy paces throughout the run and I was close to home when I reached the 4 mile mark. Instead of heading to my house I decided to extend the run and added a mile to make it a tidy 5. After lunch we headed for Stillwell Woods and me and my daughter ran a loop on the dirt trail around the big field. We encountered a couple of dogs running off leash that made my daughter very uncomfortable. I strongly suggested to the dog's owner that he leash the dogs or at least teach them to stay away from people they don't know. He apologized and in truth his dogs were only playing but it's not right to assume everyone has a comfort with dogs. Hopefully he'll consider more training.

It's been a great weekend. The extra hour from Daylight Savings Time certainly helped make today a full day.

8 miles at Bethpage, NYC Marathon Expo visit

Fun time at the NYC Marathon Expo

Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 8.34 miles

After two days off from running I returned to Bethpage State Park today for a morning run with Dave. I had battled a cold over the last couple of weeks but I did run a number of times while I went through it.  I chose to rest on Thursday and Friday to prevent a relapse. We met at the start of the bike trail and noted the chill. I wore my Champion pants that offer slight compression and my Thriv short sleeve running shirt. I wasn't comfortable as we began but I knew it wouldn't take long until I warmed up. We both wore gloves because it's hard to keep them warm even as your body heats up from the run.

We adopted a comfortable pace, neither brisk nor slow, and moved along the route feeling good. The fall air is a runner's gift and we both appreciated it. We reached the 4 mile mark before we realized we'd covered any significant ground and continued over the Southern State to Linden Street where we turned around for the run back. At around the 6 mile mark Dave started getting stronger and I started feeling the effects of the run. That's the difference between us in terms of base. About .75 miles before the end Dave went for the hard finish and I set my mind on getting past the hill at the end. I ran hard considering my level of energy and I came in about half a minute after Dave. It was great to run for the first time since Wednesday and we covered over 8 miles in the process. Next week we'll both compete in the Run for Warriors 10K.

New Balance Minimus

Philip Hahm, Puma Faas designer

Yesterday I made my way to Jacob Javitts Center to experience this year's NYC Marathon Expo. It's a running geek's dream, the hall is HUGE as is the variety of vendors. After checking out the Brooks, NB, Mizuno, Adidas, Saucony, Newton and Paragon booths (plus the ASICS booth that is not much smaller than our local Target store) I sampled PowerBar, GU, Odawalla, Gatorade and other energy snacks. I stopped by Puma and spoke with Philip Hahm, the designer of the new Faas 500 running shoe. Interesting design, but it seemed more for a heel striker than mid-foot running. At the NB booth they showed a prototype of their new Minimus, a version created with Vibram (maker of the 5 Fingers sock-shoes). I like the Vibram concept but dislike the look of the separated toes. The Minimus looks like the perfect alternative.

Bart Yasso (l), Matt Long (r)

Grete Waitz (center in blue)

Sarah Stanley speaks

Untramarathoner Josh Cox

At the Runner's World booth I met Bart Yasso, Chief Running Officer for the magazine and author of the book "My Life on the Run." I read that book this summer and found it a good read. I also met Matt Long, author of "The Long Run", a book about his experience recovering from a near fatal accident (he was hit by a bus while riding his bike in NYC) and came back to run the marathon. I listened to ultramarathoner Josh Cox speak and also heard ultrarunner Sarah Stanley talk about her mission to educate kids on living a healthy life. Just before I returned to the office I met Grete Waitz, 9 time winner of the NY Marathon and silver medalist in the 1984 Olympics. It's a big bang for the buck -- free shuttle buses between mid-town to the Expo, free admission, lots of cool stuff to see and sample. I only wish I was part of the crowd that's there to run in the big event on Sunday. I probably won't ever get there, but at least I can get to the Expo.

Weekend running: Bethpage, NY Marathon and time travel

I decided to skip yesterday and today's workouts to give myself a chance to further recover from my cold. I learned from my bout with pneumonia that running, instead of resting, can be a bad trade off. I originally planned a run with JQ for lunchtime but he needs to attend a meeting. I could run alone but it's probably better for me to rest. I've suffered a painful sinus condition over the last couple of days and thankfully I'm feeling much better this morning.

I'm planning to meet Dave tomorrow at Bethpage for a long run, probably seven or eight miles. I haven't done a run over six miles since Brian and I reran the Cow Harbor course a couple of weeks ago so it will be good to catch up on my miles. After this weekend I'm racing the next two (11/14 & 11/21 -- both 10K) and I'm running a 5K on Thanksgiving with my wife and kids. Another good reason to take today to rest.

If the timing works I'll head downtown around noon to the Jacob Javitts Center to visit the NY Marathon expo. My friend FS is running it for (I think) the third time and I'm excited for her. She and her husband are great competitors and they do many NYRR races. They also run marathons and half's in different parts of the country along with the occasional 100 mile bike run. I'll be cheering for her on Sunday. Also notable this weekend is a special run that Adventure Girl is leading at Yale. She's taking her Harriers running group out at 1:45 AM on a long run with the goal of returning to their starting point before they even left! Note that daylight savings time starts at 2:00 AM : )

Running hot and cold

Yesterday's run (street): 2.4 miles
Today's run (street): 2.7 miles

Both my morning runs this week reminded me that winter isn't too far off. I've gone from wearing short sleeves and running shorts to compression pants, layers and gloves. It's still fairly mild compared to late December conditions but the chilly dry mornings are back. I experienced some throat burn yesterday, the effect of breathing hard through my mouth. This weather tends to exacerbate sinus congestion and I'm dealing with the end of a cold, so nose breathing isn't too easy right now.

Yesterday I ran with my Skecher's Resistance Runners. As I ran it occurred to me why I like them. The instability of the shoe mimics the feel of a bumpy trail surface and the suspension bridge between the mid-sole and out-sole absorbs and dissipates shock as if running on dirt. I'm not saying that the SRRs replace the trail experience in any other way. I'm not even sure I'd consider them legitimate running shoes at this point. However, I have been positively surprised with my running experience so far.

Today I set out with temperatures near the freezing mark but stayed warm throughout the run due to the way I'd dressed. If I ran another 15 minutes I would have got very hot. During yesterday's run my Garmin foot pod's battery quit so I replaced it last night. The calibration was slightly off so after mapping today's route on Gmaps I was happy to see that my pace was better than what the Garmin showed.

I saw this article in the NY Times this morning about barefoot running. Most of these articles say the same thing and this one does too. The most interesting point was the question -- if you run barefoot in a race, where do you put the timing chip?

I stand corrected

Today's run (street) 2.4 miles

Yesterday I wrote how fitness and performance levels tend to decline in middle age. I believed that to be true and, absent proper training, it probably is true. Out of curiosity I looked back on my running history on Garmin Connect and compared my performance (street runs only) between April 1 and October 31 to the same period last year. Some things surprised me. It was almost uncanny that the number of runs, year over year, were virtually identical: 119 in 2009 and 118 in 2010. However, it was the differences that caused my surprise.

Gains for the period 4/1 to 10/31 (2009 vs. 2010)

• 12.4% more distance overall, average distance per run was up 12.5%.
• Cumulative running time was 9% overall, average run was 9% longer.
• Average pace was 4.6% faster.
• Average cadence was 3.6% greater.
• Median distance per run was up 11.5%

The only thing that declined year over year was average heart rate, dropping 1.4% this year. I use the HRM intermittently so that one comparison isn't statistically valid.

So despite what I'd read I have seen some real improvement. Emerging Runner friend and contributor James suggested that I focus more on building a base with comfortably paced runs and using that conditioning to improve my speed. James is an accomplished and dedicated runner who structures his training well. I've already started doing what he's suggesting by focusing more on distance and less on performance. In addition, almost weekly, I'm running with a friend in the city where we pace minutes slower than my current goal rate. This weekend Dave and I are planning an LSD run in preparation of our first (of two) 10K's that we're running this month. If running slow and comfortably will help me on race day I'm all for that.

Extra work just to stay the same

I recently read an article stating that men past the age of 40 will lose muscle mass even if their rate of activity and exercise remains constant. The trick to maintain a specified base level is to increase the amount of effort incrementally over time. Working more just to keep from losing what I already have is not an appealing thought. I love to run and this activity helps me maintain a healthy body and mind. However, I do wonder why my paces seem to average closer to mid 9's rather than low 9's over the last year. It was a hot summer and I know that factored into my performance. I figured as the weather cooled off my run times would begin to improve. Prior to the Dirty Sock 10K I was focusing on faster paces over short distances and was regularly nailing mid to high 8's on runs below 5 miles. More recently, I've focused on longer distances (6+ miles) for my weekend runs and when I do that I find that I'm back in the 9:30-9:50 range.

The last week isn't representative of my potential because I've been fighting a bad cold. The previous weekend, when I reran the Cow Harbor 10K course, I was only able to manage a 9:33 pace for the 6.2 miles under ideal conditions. I'll agree that regularly meeting last year's numbers will require some extra work. It may be time to re-engineer my training and add more strength and speed work. Or maybe I'll just run longer and hope for the best.

Loopy and leafy run

Today's loopy course

Today's run: 5.75 miles

After two days off from running I headed out again this morning. My cold improved enough that I got through last night without waking everyone with my cough. Soon after our weekend guests departed I prepared for my run, dressing in a long sleeved top and compression pants. It was in the high 40's but with strong breezes so I wanted a little extra protection from the cold.  I wore my Kinvaras because I wanted to reinforce a mid-foot stride and the low and flat Kinvaras help me do that. I knew full well that I wasn't going to perform as well as I do at full strength so my strategy was to cover 5 to 6 miles to get back into the rhythm of running.

I started with a north to south loop in my neighborhood after which I cut east all the way to a local business park that has some decent hills. I traveled one time around the park and headed into neighborhood #3 where I ran the outside road until I reached the outlet to Woodbury Road. I followed Woodbury Road all the way past a local pumpkin farm and then headed back in the same direction. I always enjoy running Woodbury Road, not for the view which is predominantly commercial buildings, but for the fact that the sidewalks are usually covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves. It reminds me of trail running and the crunching underfoot is a seasonal treat. That section did slow me down but I wasn't viewing this as a performance run. I can't say that my experience was completely unaffected by my cold but it wasn't an issue save for an occasional cough.

I finished up after covering 5.75 miles and I was pleased with the changes of course and scenery compared to my usual neighborhood excursions. I'm glad to complete a low mileage week with a decent length run. Better still, my cold seems to be retreating despite today's workout.

Resting easy

I chose not to run yesterday to help my recovery from this cold. There are few things I dislike more than a hacking cough but that's been my experience since Thursday. Yesterday my wife and I went on a brisk hour walk in the neighborhood and I wore the SRRs which seem to contribute well to the workout. I'm becoming less skeptical as I use them. I think less is more when it comes to running shoes but as a training tool they seem to be helping me strengthen my upper hamstrings and glutes.

My mother and her friend are our weekend guests and we're planning to head out for a hike after lunch. If I can't run then at least I can get some activity in. Tomorrow, if it's clear that I've begun to recover well, I plan to go out for a 5 or 6 mile run. If not I'll continue my rest. It's the longest I've gone between runs while not tapering for a race. Another day of rest will probably benefit me more than running right now.

Anniversary day run and 700th post

Today's run (street): 3.55 miles

Today is my anniversary so I took a vacation day and spent some great time with my wife. It's also the 700th post on this blog. I wanted to get a few extra miles in this morning because I skipped Tuesday's workout. With a little more time to run I had more opportunity to cover distance than I usually do on during the work week. This morning's run was very tough. It felt harder than an 8 miler in the July heat. I'm hoping that my experience had something to do with this cold that continues to plague me. I want to avoid the need to call this blog the Emerging Complainer so I'll just say that my legs felt like lead and my form felt unbalanced over the entire run.

I wore my Brooks GTS 10's because I wanted a little extra cushioning since everything that can hurt was hurting prior to hitting the road. It was a strange sensation when I ran. I felt that my stride action was numb and that my glutes on the right side (where I usually have an issue) felt extremely weak. I always vow to resume my core workouts when I experience these feelings but I haven't been good about doing that. I don't exactly why I'm having so many sluggish runs these days. You'd think the fact that I run most days would contribute more to continuous improvement. I know things will snap back into place once I get rid of this cold. Despite the difficulty of today's run I beat yesterday's pace handily so I know I can move along if I need to.  I'm not sure what I'll do tomorrow for an activity because I am home on Friday and that will provide time for a longer workout. I'm hoping for less pain and more gain. I'll be happy with less pain (I couldn't resist one last complaint).