Back on the frozen roads

Today's run (street) 2.5 miles

I gave a lecture to some NYU students last night and I didn't get home until late. I'd considered going into the office a little later this morning but decided to stay with my normal train schedule. When I got up to run today I was still tired and I had to talk myself into going outside. The conditions weren't too inviting with temperatures around 20 degrees. Colder than that when the wind blew. I put on my winter gear and headed outside hoping to get my body temperature up before the deep freeze penetrated all my layers.

Considering my tired state and the cold conditions, my run went smoothly. I wasn't looking to cover a lot of ground but this weekend's activities will limit my options for longer runs. I needed to get some distance in as I hadn't run on the road since Saturday. My only workouts since Saturday's 10 mile run were a treadmill run and an elliptical session. I was happy that I wore my warmest hat but its bulk made the headlamp strap very tight on my head. I figured I could bear it for a couple of miles. My ASICS glove/mittens performed like champs and kept my hands warm the entire time I ran. I had hoped to maintain a brisker pace than 9:30 but that's what I ended up running. The important thing is that it seemed faster. The weather will get a little warmer tomorrow so I'll look forward to that run and forgo some layers in the process. It was nice to be out on the roads again after five days away.

Why I skipped my workout

I work for a company that virtually shuts down between Christmas and New Year's day. Business still goes on during that time but many people take "Dark Week" for vacation. I've always liked taking that time off, with little going on in the office I can detach fully from work and relax with my family. As it happens, I frequently end up battling a cold - or worse - during that period. I've contracted the flu more than once during the holiday week and last year was the worst ever: severe pneumonia requiring a week's stay in the hospital.

Since that experience I've become more concerned when I begin to feel out of sorts. Last year, during the break, I went from feeling well to going into a zombie-like state in a period of 24 hours. It didn't help that this happened on New Year's day when a visit to my doctor was impractical. Waiting until after the weekend to see my doctor was a terrible decision but a lesson learned. All this is leading up to my rationale for skipping today's run. I felt okay but was a little more tired than usual when I got up. I had laid out clothes for a treadmill run but I decided to forgo exercise and take the extra time to rest. I have a long and busy day today and I thought (and still think) it was the right way to go. It should warm up slightly from now through the weekend so I'll feel better about running outside on those days. Nine days until I start my end-of year vacation. I'm doing what I can to avoid a repeat of  last year's experience.

Given a choice, I'll take the elliptical

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

The weather has not been ideal for outdoor activities. On Sunday I ran indoors because of the pouring rain and high winds. Last night they were predicting morning temperatures in the teens so I laid out indoor workout clothes. I figured that I'd decide whether to run on the treadmill or use the elliptical when I got up. When I went down for my coffee this morning I opened the shade and saw that the neighborhood was blanketed in snow. Good call on an indoor workout last night.

Not surprisingly, I chose the elliptical this morning instead of the treadmill. Sunday's 30 minutes of unhappiness made it an easy decision. The session went by in a flash and I couldn't believe it when I looked at the display and saw I'd passed the 20 minute mark. I stepped it up for the last five minutes and finished hot, sweaty and satisfied that I worked as hard as I would have on the treadmill. It's supposed to be frigid through tomorrow morning so if the roads are icy on Wednesday I guess I'll need to face the treadmill once again. Fingers crossed for a heat wave.

The day after cure

This morning my calves and hamstrings were feeling far better than I'd expected. Usually after a 10K race or a long distance run I feel pronounced soreness in my legs on the second day after the activity. I did a couple of things that may have helped the situation. First, I wore my calf compression sleeves all afternoon after my 10 mile run. Studies that prove better performance using compression gear are inconclusive but there is strong evidence that compression will help recovery. The second thing I did to help my recovery was to run a short distance the next day, at a moderate pace. I usually rest the day after my week's longest run or after a race. Running three miles yesterday may have proven therapeutic by gently re-engaging my calves, hamstrings and quads. I was glad for the opportunity to rest this morning and pleased that I wasn't wasn't dealing with muscle pain or stiffness like I'd expected. I guess a little prevention does yield some cure.

The power of negative thinking

Today's run (treadmill): 3 miles

The rain was coming down hard while I debated whether to run or rest today. I put in a good workout on Saturday and could have legitimately skipped today's workout, especially with the weather we were having. I figured the rain and strong winds would continue throughout the day and before lunch I'd made up my mind to run three miles on the treadmill. I figured it would be easy to cover a few slow miles, less than a third of the distance that I'd run the day before.

There's something about the treadmill that brings out the worst in me as a runner. I had the TV on with an NFL pre-game show, figuring the action might provide some distraction from the tedious process of running about 30 minutes while going nowhere. Almost from the start, the activity felt difficult. I  had a bad attitude about the process and as I grew warmer my mood grew worse. At the 20 minute mark I was self-negotiating a shorter span but once I was within the last mile of my distance goal I sped up the belt and got it done. I ended up running about 28 minutes and disliked every one.

Later in the afternoon I went out for an errand and the skies had cleared. The wind was gone and the temperature was a balmy 54 degrees. I would have loved to do my recovery run under those conditions but my running was done for the day. I was pleased that I got in a hard workout and could now relax for the rest of the day. My dislike of the treadmill drove me to run faster than I would have had I done my run outdoors. I guess thinking negatively can sometimes yield positive results.

Double digit run - a new personal distance record

Today's run (Bethpage State Park) 10.2 miles

The weather has been freezing this week and Sunday is supposed to be rainy. Although it's a busy Saturday I wanted to make sure that I took advantage of today's weather to get in some base-building distance. I briefly considered lots of loops around the neighborhood before heading to Bethpage State Park to run the bike trail. I've been wanting to break my distance record for a contiguous run (8.5 miles) and most miles in a day (9).  Bethpage was a better place to try that.

It was a chilly 29 degrees at 8:00 AM when I started my run and I was tempted to run at a faster pace than I'd planned.  I intended to run down to the Massapequa Preserve to a spot that I'd measured on Google Earth to be five miles from the trail start at Bethpage. That would allow me to complete an out-and-back total of ten miles. Once I'd passed the first mile I had warmed up enough to be comfortable. I kept my pace moderate to reserve enough energy for the final miles of this rolling course. The first four miles came fairly quickly and before I knew it I was crossing over the Southern State where the Massapequa Preserve starts. I ran that part of the trail until my Garmin chirped 5 miles and I reversed direction for the second half of my run.

There were many runners on the path this morning, lots of high school cross country runners in bunches. I noticed that the quarter mile markings on the path didn't align to my Garmin and after two or three comparisons I realized that my foot pod was off by .08 each mile. Over 10 miles that added up to about .8 miles so I knew I'd need to make that distance up at the end if I wanted to claim a true 10. By mile eight I was really feeling the workout. I had no doubt of the outcome but I was dreading the big hill at the end. I got up the hill in better shape than I'd expected and I finished the run with a few long loops around the lot that brought me confidently past the 10 mile mark. Just for good measure (pardon the pun) I ran until the Garmin read 11 miles, but I'm considering today's distance to officially total 10.2 miles.

A full day for both mind and body

I was wiped out after that run but today's schedule had little downtime. My wife, kids and I spent the middle of the day at the Cold Spring Harbor DNA Learning Center where we attended a class on the sense of smell. My son attended camp there this summer and we all had a great time. I'm thinking I'll sleep well tonight. So now that I'm in double digits for my personal distance record, maybe a half marathon isn't such an aspirational goal.

That runner vs. jogger thing

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

This morning Mark Remy posted a piece on Runner's World about how media covers runners as crime victims or crime discoverers. The key point he makes is that newspapers usually refer to these recreational runners as "joggers" and this insults many runners. Before I stopped posting my daily blog on Runner's World last spring I would occasionally write pieces that I knew would generate lots of comments. The two subjects that I could count on for reaction were treadmill running (love it/hate it) and the terms "jogger" vs. "runner."

I'll admit that I prefer not to be called a jogger. The term seems to diminish the athleticism of the sport. When people call runners "joggers" I assume it's because they know little about running. For me the term jogger evokes a mental picture of an overweight, velour suited, slow moving person wearing tennis shoes and carrying a latte. It's a true cliche and if I wasn't so biased I might concede that it's far better to be that jogger than a person who sits on the sofa all day. Still, I don't want to be that jogger and I don't want anyone to think I'm that jogger.

One of  those commenting on Remy's article suggested that a 9:00 pace is the demarcation point between running and jogging. If that's the case, it appears that I often jog without realizing it. It's just a word but it does seem to generate reaction. Next time I'm attacking the rocky slopes and vertical drops at Stillwell Woods at a 9:50 pace I'll take solace in the fact that it's really just jogging.

23 degrees in the shade

Suddenly it's freezing and at 4:00 AM it's really really freezing. I anticipated those conditions last night and selected the following for this morning's run:

- Wool running socks
- Compression sleeves (ankle to knee)
- Light weight compression shorts
- Mid-weight compression pants
- Long sleeve running shirt
- Short sleeve running shirt
- Winter weight half zip
- Heavy polypropylene running hat
- Running mittens

It may seem like overkill but when I switched on the local news they were reporting temperatures in the low 20's, not counting wind chill. I briefly considered the treadmill but decided that I'd rather have a freezing run than a tedious workout. I set out at an easier pace than yesterday but my many layers allowed me to warm up relatively quickly. Like yesterday, I was pleased with my form and mechanics and I increased my pace as I moved through the run. Between a slower start and a faster finish I averaged 9:16. Much better than the 9:30-9:45 malaise I'd been experiencing over the last few weeks, but after yesterday's 8:44 run I suffered for the difference. I'm still happy with the way I ran and my recent 10K's have convinced me that I can run at slower paces on training runs and still perform well on race day. I have no races on the calendar for the remainder of the year so, for now, I'm going to focus on running for fun, regardless of performance..

Brisk weather, brisker run

Today's run (street) 2.7 miles

Earlier this week I traded Turkey Trot experiences with my friend CK. He runs the same Thanksgiving day five mile race every year and tries to beat the neighborhood "kids" who are now in their 20's. CK ran that hilly course in 8:20 this year, slower than he'd hoped. I was happy to tell him that I PR'd on the 10K distance and paced under 9:00 per mile. CK said wanted to break eight minutes on his race and I started thinking about what it would have taken for me to do that at Long Beach. For a 10K race (6.2 miles), using my 55:10 time as a benchmark, I would have had to run every mile one minute faster than I did to hit 7:59. Given the difficulty in achieving 8:53 overall, that's a significant challenge. Perhaps breaking 8:40 would be a better target.

This morning I went out with no plans to run fast but when I hit the street everything was working for me. Almost everything, actually, the winds were stiff coming from the north and though I'd dressed for cold the chill and force were a factor. Still, I felt strong and my energy level was greater than it had been in a while. I didn't pay attention to my speed even as I passed the first mile. It wasn't until I passed mile two so quickly that I realized I was pacing far better than usual. I continued to run hard until I reached home and checked the Garmin's readout. Gmaps confirmed the pace: 8:44 per mile. This was the fastest run I've done in a long time. In fact I'll need to look at Garmin Connect to see how long it's been since I've averaged that pace. I don't know how I'll do tomorrow but today I feel good about my abilty to run in the 8:00 range.

Back on the X1

Today's workout (elliptical): 26 minutes

Despite my bravado about running in the coldest weather I couldn't face the below 20 degree wind chills this morning. It's been at least two weeks since my last elliptical session so I decided to defy convention and use the machine on a scheduled running day. I always go into these sessions thinking I'm due for an easier workout than I'd experienced with an equivalently timed run. By the end I felt like the elliptical matches or even surpasses any run that I do at a moderate pace. The elliptical was a nice change from running and I appreciated a few moments when I listened to music while I worked out, free of any ear buds and free to close my eyes without disastrous results. I'll brave the cold tomorrow for a run and gear up accordingly. I'm hopeful that it will be less windy on Wednesday. Today the elliptical provided just the right workout, all things considered.

Seven the hard way at Stillwell

Today's run (Stillwell Woods) 7.2 miles

Due to tight schedules around yesterday's party I had to keep my run fairly short. Today I considered a trip to Bethpage to attempt a long run on the bike trail. The temperature was in the low 20's with the wind chill so I decided instead to head to Stillwell Woods. I figured that the woods would cut the wind and provide better running conditions than Bethpage. Plus Stillwell is closer and I get in for free.

I parked close to Southwoods Road, purposely locating my car as far from the trail head as I could. I figured I'd add some extra distance by running the quarter mile road along the way to the woods. I felt strong winds at my back and looked forward to warming up further as I ran. I followed my usual loops through Stillwell. After two years I know some trails well enough to run with confidence. That's what I thought anyway. I was moving along, feeling good, and after four miles I varied my route and cut through the southern part of the woods that led me back to the main trail. At that point I was feeling like I'd mastered the geography of Stillwell and despite choosing paths that had many gradual inclines I felt strong. I decided to run for a couple more miles and restarted my usual loop, but at the six mile point I found my way into unfamiliar territory. With only the sun to guide me I followed trails that I thought would bring me back to my starting point.

It may have been the slight anxiety that comes from being lost or the fact that I encountered some steeper rises but I began to feel tired and frustrated by the lack of directional context. Maintaining my sun-based navigation method I eventually came to a path that I recognized and I followed it west until I reached the playing fields at Stillwell.  From there I ran straight across in a beeline to my car. The freezing winds hitting me head-on were brutal and that last quarter mile seemed to take a very long time. I quickly got into my car and downed an electrolyte drink, sweating and freezing at the same time. I was happy to have covered over 7 miles today, bringing my weekend total to almost 12. I guess I'll have to wait another day to run 10. Seven in the woods was plenty hard today.

First run, then party

Today's run (mixed surfaces): 4.25 miles

It had been a very busy work week and it seemed to take a long time for the weekend to arrive. Today is also a busy day and it's going to get busier. We're hosting our annual holiday party that will start in the early afternoon. Final preparations are going on although most things are done. Happily, my wife doesn't leave too much for the last minute.  I took the opportunity to go out for a four mile run around the neighborhood this morning before I prepared for the day. I began by heading north and following the perimeter road that runs west. A good part of that road is downhill but most of the benefit that's gained through gravity was countered by stiff wins blowing east. After about a mile I headed south along another busy road whose sidewalks are covered with layers of dried leaves. I normally enjoy running on this type of surface because it's softer than pavement but the depth of leaves made the terrain unstable and I was concerned about slipping. I ran slowly and carefully through this stretch.

I turned into the neighborhood at the south end and began to follow most of my usual roads. At the 20 minute mark I looked at the Garmin and saw that I was running at about 9:55 per mile. I figured out later that the calibration on the foot-pod was off and I was actually running faster but my reaction was to pick up my speed for the second two miles. I ended up with an overall pace of 9:40.  I thought that was okay considering my slow start and the slower speed I maintained when running on the leafy sections. Today's run felt good and I know I could have gone on for a lot longer but I'm on a schedule today. Pretty soon our guests will be arriving.  If all stays on plan I'll get out for a true long run on Sunday.

What's behind a default running pace?

Today's run (street) 2.5 miles

Paces are a funny thing. I often find it difficult to gauge my speed as I run. There's a default pace that I maintain when I'm not thinking about performance. That's usually my starting point for taking it up a notch in a tempo run or slowing down to conserve energy on a longer run. I'm still not sure why my stride and cadence always seem to lock in around 9:30 per mile. Why not 9:00 or 8:30? When I run I sometimes imagine that I'm in a race with other runners. I do this because in races my pace usually drops into the 8:00 range. The theory is good but the practice is usually unsuccessful. Just imagining competition doesn't seem to help my performance. I'm sure there's much more to it than simply having others (real or imagined) by your side.

This morning I took off on a very cold morning with no regard to my speed. When my Garmin chirped at the first mile I looked at the watch to see that I'd paced it at 10:06. This was a surprise and even a shock because I'd felt like I was moving faster than that. I picked things up and by the 1.5 mile mark I was running closer to 9:40 per mile. Still not fast but definitely faster. I wasn't thinking about my speed but I was concentrating on where my feet were landing. My average cadence has increased about 3% since last year which I thought should yield faster paces overall.

I think my focus on mid-foot landing might actually be preventing progress on speed because, while my steps per minute may have increased, my stride length has probably decreased. I'm okay with that because as I build my base I'm expecting to continue increasing cadence to the point where my speed does increase. Since I can rarely tell how fast I'm actually running I should probably look more often at my watch to see how I'm performing. I've always resisted that because I don't like the pressure to maintain a specific speed. I guess I need to decide what's most important.

The important thing is that I ran

Today's run (street): 2.35 miles

One interesting thing about running at 4:00 AM is how the workout connects to the day ahead. The run itself can determine what type of day I'll have. A particularly good performance or a positive experience can carry far into the day. Regardless of how I've run, whenever I return to my driveway I always think "If nothing else, at least I accomplished this today." My wife shares the same perspective about her daily treadmill runs. Besides the convenience of getting it out of the way early, morning runs provide a great platform for managing whatever comes later in the day.

This morning's run was not remarkable in any way although it felt tougher than some. My energy band is highest before noon but at 4:00 AM it's sometimes a case of the spirit being willing but the flesh remaining weak. After the transition to aerobic breathing I got into rhythm but it wasn't one of my stronger efforts. The local weather report said 39 degrees but it felt colder, even with two layers of running shirts. I tracked a somewhat random course and made it back to the house close to schedule despite starting a couple of minutes later than planned. I'm glad to get that run in since I decided to take a day off from running (and blogging) on Wednesday. The weekend is almost here. I may try again to achieve a distance record on one of those days.

Some new perspective on performance goals

Today's run (street): 2.75 miles

I've been thinking about my running focus for 2011 and my goals for next year. I'd like to increase the length of my runs and also work on tactical performance. In terms of distance, I've been averaging between 6 and 7 miles for my weekly "long" runs and in the last month I've done some runs exceeding 8 miles. Lately my weekend distances have been closer to six miles due to my running 10K's twice in November. My hope is to soon cover more distance than that - 9 or 10 miles - as often as I can. The toughest part of that is finding the time to run for 90+ minutes and to find interesting routes that provide enough distance.

In terms of tactical performance, I've thought about the way I've trained over the last month, with easy runs at easy paces preparing for races where I go all-out. It seems to be working. My average training runs have been on the middle and high side of 9:00 per miles but I've managed 9:05 and 8:53 respectively on my recent 10K's. I'd like to continue the easy runs (like this morning's steady run at 9:30/mile) but in place of races (I'm not sure if I'll compete again this year) I might try some "Run as fast as you can for two miles" workouts. Rather than suffering the complexities of speed drills I'm thinking this might accomplish the mission of recruiting fast twitch muscles along with the slow. I'm going to make it a goal to run two miles under 8:00 per mile. That seems like a challenging but viable goal. Right now I'm not sure I can break 8:00 for one mile although my experience at the Long Beach 10K tells me I'm close.

Minimalist running shoes, one year later

Mizuno Wave Universe 3

Around this time last year I was reading about two models of running shoes from Brooks that were due to hit stores in early spring of 2010. These shoes, the Brooks Green Silence and the Adrenalin GTS 10, were interesting to me for different reasons. The Green Silence was the first of many shoes since marketed as "minimally constructed", a niche that was created (or helped along) through the popularity of Christopher McDougall's book "Born to Run." I was intrigued by the concept of running in the mid-foot style and Brooks played up the small difference between the heel and forefoot height of this shoe. The flatter plane facilitates front, rather than heel striking. Brooks also played up the Green Silence's environmental friendliness through its heavy use of recycled materials, soy based dyes and water based adhesives. I was hooked and counted the days until the Green Silence shipped to stores.

Brooks Green Silence

Besides the Green Silence I was also interested in the GTS 10, the successor to the GTS 9's that I had worn and appreciated for their comfort and durability. When I visited Jackrabbit Sports to try the Green Silence I was dissuaded by the salesperson who said they lacked the structure I needed. I was then steered first to the Brooks Ravennas (that I didn't like) and then to the GTS 10's (that I bought). All was well with the GTS 10's until Saucony sent me a pair of Kinvaras. I started off running shorter distances (5 miles or less) with these shoes but slowly worked up to longer length runs. I expected to have soreness due to less cushioning and lack of stability control. However, I've never had a problem with these shoes and they are now my go-to trainers and racing shoes.



NB Minimus



Brooks has just launched the GTS 11's that are supposed to be even better than the 10's but, surprisingly, I'm not that interested. The higher heel of conventionally constructed shoes don't feel as good as they did prior to my running in the Kinvaras. I think that when my Saucony's wear out I'll either replace them with another pair, try the Green Silence or go super minimal with the Mizuno Wave Universe (3.8 oz. per shoe). Saucony just announced the Mirage, sort of a Kinvara for people who need stability and New Balance will soon have the Minimus based on the Vibram Five Fingers. So many choices now. I like this type of problem.



The Saucony Kinvara - my go-to shoe



Six good miles and one hurting shin

Today's run (street): 6.07 miles

Every time I have a bad run I fear that I'll never run well again. After yesterday's difficult time at Stillwell Woods I questioned whether it would make better sense to take two days off and resume my training on Tuesday. I've been away from the office for three days and while I've run each day I haven't really covered much distance. I wanted to reach 20 miles this week so I planned to go out for 5 miles that would get me to that number. It was 29 degrees on Long Island so I wore a light short sleeved running shirt under a Columbia long sleeve jersey and together they provided a perfect combination of warmth and wicking for that temperature. I followed a different set of roads than I normally do and before I knew it I had covered 2.5 miles and was feeling good. However, I began to notice some pain in my left shin. This may be a shin splint - I'm happy to say I've never experienced one before - but the pain was not intense and I didn't feel like I was doing any damage if I continued to run.

I shaped my route so that I would return to my house after 5 miles but I felt strong and continued on, following an extra loop that put my total at 6 miles. I'm icing my shin in hopes of heading off further troubles. I'm puzzled as to why I would develop this problem this week but you never know how these things start. I'll be watching this injury closely and perhaps take an extra day of rest this week. For now I'm pleased with my run today, especially after yesterday's bad experience.

Tough connexin at Stillwell Woods

Electrolytes delivered painfully

Today's run (Stillwell Woods): 3 miles

I was on the fence about running this morning. It's been busy week between Thanksgiving related activities and seeing friends. I'd run every day since Tuesday including Thursday's 5K. I talked all morning about whether I should go for a trail run or take a rest day. After lunch I was still talking about it and my exasperated wife finally said "Oh, just get into your running clothes and go for a run!" I had received a sample package of Sport Connexin electrolyte capsules in the mail this morning that I'd agreed to try.  I took three before my run, per the directions, and headed over Stillwell Woods.

I'll start by saying that I had a bad run and I'm not sure why. It could have been due to over training this week, running after a big lunch, the electrolyte supplement or a combination of all three. I followed my usual route into the main woods and quickly came upon markings for tomorrow's Rob's Run, a 5K XC race that is held there each November. I've already raced three times this month, including two Turkey Trots, so I decided to forgo Rob's Run even though it happens so close to home. As I made my way along the course I felt far more tired at the one mile mark than I thought I should. My legs felt heavy and the supplements, that contain calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, and sodium, were backing up on me and providing a burning sensation in my throat and nose that reminded me of the effects from a highly carbonated beverage. Not pleasant. It may have been because two ingredients (potassium and sodium) are supplied as bicarbonates that may have reacted to stomach acids. No matter what I'm not going to use them again before a run.

By the time I reached the two mile mark I decided to continue only one more mile before calling it a workout. I'm still planning a long distance run tomorrow and I didn't want to push myself when I felt below par today. I may have been better off skipping today's run but you never know how things will go until you try. Hoping for a better experience tomorrow...

Over the river (East and Nissequogue) and through the neighborhood

Wednesday run (Brooklyn Bridge/lower Manhattan): 4.25 miles
Thursday's run (Nissequogue River Turkey Trot): 3.1 miles
Today's run (street): 4.5 miles

I took a holiday from blogging yesterday but I've had some interesting running experiences since my last post. Wednesday was a half day in the office and at noon AG and I headed downtown to City Hall Plaza and over to the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge where we crossed over to Brooklyn and back. It's always an interesting and slightly frustrating experience to run that route with so many people strolling along the side of the path reserved for two way pedestrian traffic. It can be tempting to cross the white line over to the bike path but that should be done with multiple checks to ensure no bikes are coming in either direction.

We stopped halfway across on our return to look at the views. Looking south we could see the Verrazano Narrows Bridge where the NYC marathon starts and then leads up the Brooklyn Bridge where we stood. On the other side we viewed the Manhattan skyline that I used to see from different angles; south when I lived on 31st street and later from 74st street with my wife, where we could see west to the Hudson. AG and I resumed our run after crossing back to Manhattan and we covered Chinatown and some of Little Italy until we came to our destination - 6th street - where we stopped into an Indian restaurant for lunch. It was a great kickoff to the Thanksgiving day break. Yesterday AG ran the Prospect Park 5 mile Turkey Trot with our friend FS and her husband. AG then went on to run the route two more times!

Yesterday morning was a big day for Team Emerging Runner. We headed to Nissequogue River State Park where we ran in the 5K Turkey Trot as a family. It was very chilly while we waited for the race to start but we'd dressed well. It was the first race for my wife and my son and the first non-cross country event for my daughter. Everyone was excited as we lined up with a field that was almost 800 people deep. When the horn sounded we trotted along with the pack for a quarter mile before things opened up enough to go a little faster. We all stayed together for the first kilometer and then my daughter and I edged ahead while my wife and son followed at their pace. Shortly before the 2 mile mark we came to a water station where we stopped to wait for the others and then resumed our run together.

My daughter and I were more in running mode than my wife and son so we put a little distance between them and had almost reached the finish line when we stopped to wait for our teammates. We had agreed that we'd all cross the finish line together and I was proud of my daughter who could have beaten 40 minutes but chose to wait for her mother and brother. Once they joined us we all came over the finish line together. My wife realized that her daily treadmill runs have prepared her well for outdoor running and now she knows she can cover that distance running on pavement. 3 miles was a new distance running record for my daughter and for my son who kept moving, both walking and running, until the end. Once we came home and showered we headed over to my in-laws for Thanksgiving dinner. It was a long but fun day.

This morning I decided to cover 4-5 miles at an easy pace, faster than yesterday but not as briskly as AG and I ran at times. It was raining slightly so I wore my ASICS lightweight rain jacket that was perfect for the conditions. The air was cold enough that I remained comfortable through the entire 4.5 miles. I followed a course that took me up and down lots of short roads and through one of my standard routes that I use on my 4;00 AM runs. I feel great and I'm hoping to get an 8 to 10 mile run in before the end of the long weekend. Yesterday I wore the Skecher Resistance Runners during the race and I remain positive about them as training shoe. I would never wear them if I was trying for speed. In fact the reason I wore them was to slow me down. I went back to the Kivaras today. Between the Skechers, my compression sleeves and the core exercises, my leg strength and flexibility has improved. That's good, especially if I attempt a personal distance record this week.

Asynchronous holiday week

This week has felt a little out of sync. It may be that many people are out of the office for Thanksgiving and the year end storm has temporarily hit a lull. I appreciate having some time to catch up on business but I know the storm will return in full force on Monday. Still, people are on edge, like the woman who blasted me with her horn this morning because I had the audacity to stop at a red light before turning right. Chill people!

I'm planning to run with Adventure Girl for the first time since we ran in Central Park back in May. She's running the Prospect Park Turkey Trot and is also considering extending that run to achieve a personal distance record. I've just come off two weekends of 10K races and I have an easy-paced 5K tomorrow morning. With all that, AG and I are not planning anything long or rigorous today. I'm pleased with where I am with my running right now. I did my best running last year in November and December only to crash hard after contracting pneumonia at the end of December. I'm going to try extra hard to avoid the flu or other seasonal viruses that always seem to attack me around New Year's. It would be great to be able to build on my current progress rather than lose conditioning through weeks of recovery. Maybe the healthiest thing I can do over Thanksgiving break is get a flu shot.

Six weeks to complete my 2010 running goals

It's almost the end of November and less than 6 weeks left in 2010 so I thought I'd see how I was doing against my running goals. Hopefully, anything I haven't achieved can be done in the time remaining. 

1. Fully transition to mid/front foot running style.
I'm not sure if I have actually done this because it's hard to know exactly where your foot falls when you run. I must have adapted my style to some degree since I'm running primarily in the neutral Kinvaras without any problems. Landing mid foot would be a good explanation for that.

2. Raise at least $200 for charitable causes by donating $5 per race mile.
I'll be updating the donation widget at the end of this week. As of the Hope for Warriors 10K I surpassed $200 and last Sunday's 10K plus this Thursday's 5K will add $47 more.

3. PR in a race - preferably in a longer distance than 5K.
PR'd at 10K over two consecutive weeks. Better than I'd hoped for.

4. Run trails at three or more NY state parks that I have yet to visit.
Muttontown only so far. I need to actually run, not hike Caleb Smith. That still leaves a third.

5. Run a continuous 10 mile route under 9:30/mile.
This is actually two goals - distance and pace. I'm going to focus on the distance and even if I don't achieve the pace goal I'll consider it completed.

6. Participate in at least 5 races.
Completed seven already this year.

7. Finish the year as excited about running as I am right now.
Hopefully nothing will change in the next six weeks!

I'm looking to do a long run over the Thanksgiving break targeting 9+ miles. If I cover 10 it's another goal completed. If I don't do it this week I still have five more weekends to reach that milestone.

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!