Waiting for the Marcie, once again

Last year's Marcie 5K, just before the big hill

My vacation is drawing to a close and the last item on my list is tomorrow's Marcie Mazzola Memorial Foundation 5K. It will be the my first race since February's Snowflake 4 miler. Given the extremely mild winter, it might have been nice to run a race in March. On the other hand, I've been able to use the time to train for the upcoming LI Half Marathon.

Prior to this week, most of the runs I've been doing have been more LSD than PDQ. The surprising result has been that long slow running has provided enhanced stamina that is helping my speed. After months of morning runs where breaking a 9:00 pace was a rarity, I've done it three times in the past week.

How will this affect my performance at tomorrow's race? I'm hoping that some hard running this week, followed by two days rest, will translate into a good run. The Marcie Mazzola 5K is a nice race and this will be the fourth time I run it (my first year the distance was 4 miles). The community feel, and the fact that it was my first race, makes it a sentimental favorite with Team Emerging Runner.

Hopefully the rain will have moved out by the 8:30 AM start and we'll have clear conditions for the race. Not much to do at this point but think about my strategy, gear, nutrition, hydration and shoes. All good distractions. Race report tomorrow.

Montauk tapering to the end

Montauk: The End

Yesterday's run (treadmill): 4 miles

Montauk is a beautiful and relaxing place, especially during the off season that is devoid of both crowds and intense sunlight. The East End has a vibrant running culture and I struck up a conversation last night with a local woman who'd noticed my LI Marathon running hat. She has run the LI Half a number of times and will again participate on May 6. We noticed lots of runners along the Montauk Highway and other local roads. I just wish these people would run against traffic!

With the gorgeous surroundings and long straight roads, it would have been fun to do a run by the ocean. But the weather was raw at 7:30 AM, with cold winds and threatening skies. I opted for the fitness center that had a nice selection of high quality Life Fitness machines. I hopped on a treadmill and set the speed to 6.6 MPH to start. The solid platform and wide tread encouraged me to pick up the pace and, by the 5 minute mark, I was up over 7 MPH. I felt great and decided to extend my run from 3 to 4 miles.

About halfway through my workout, two guys came in and got on elliptical machines. They didn't seem to familiar with the concept and I was amused to watch them struggle with the motion and controls. I would have helped, but it wasn't a practical option. Before long, I had reached half my planned distance.

I continued to increase my speed and finished the last couple of minutes in a sprint. The machine had a "cool down" button that dropped the speed in increments. It was a strong effort, not that far off from race pace, and a perfect way to finish my taper. I'm feeling ready for Sunday's race.

Getting high (up) in the Hamptons

Later that morning we headed to the Montauk Lighthouse and climbed the 137 steps up and down. It was a nice bonus workout and a wonderful view from the top.

Inclined to train with a treadmill taper

Sunny skies at the end of LI

Today's run (treadmill): 3.1 miles

We left for our trip today, but I got in a treadmill workout this morning. I debated the type of run I'd do, first thinking I'd focus on speed, but then realizing I'd pushed pretty hard yesterday. I ended up splitting the workout between an incline segment and a progressive speed run.

Sunday's 5K course begins with a hill challenge so I set the machine to a 6% incline and ran that for the first mile. I brought that down and upped the speed every couple of minutes and finished my run at a high 8:00 pace. Between the incline and the speed progression, I was pretty worn out by the end. I was pleased with the workout, one more to go before Sunday.

We're enjoying the early season sun in Montauk and I'm trying to figure out how I'll finish my taper. If there's a route by the water, I'm there.

My speed is back, and just in time

Today's run (street): 3.2 miles

After weeks of focus on distance, I've turned my attention more towards speed. Yesterday's weight exercises were a good first step that provided direct benefits this morning. I decided to run in my Hattori's today. Between the colder weather and testing out new shoes, I haven't been wearing the Hattori's much and I've missed them. When I set out for today's run, I once again appreciated their simplicity and fit

Sorry Meb, they're nice, but not for me

We had stopped by Famous Footwear yesterday morning to get my son some new shoes and I took the opportunity to try on a pair of Skechers Go Run's. I've been intrigued by these shoes since Meb Keflezighi committed to them and the good reviews from both Running Times and Runner's World. I don't really consider Skechers a serious brand for running shoes, but this model seemed different.

My impression of the Go Run's was primarily positive except for a raised part of the mid-sole that helps facilitate a mid-foot strike. I appreciated the spirit but not the execution. For some who are looking to transition to a more minimal shoe, the Go Run may be a nice option.

The Hattori's inspired me to move and I came through the first mile at around 8:50. I maintained that pace through the second mile and then shifted into race mode until the end. I finished the 5K+ run with an overall pace of 8:32. Throughout my run, I used rapid arm motion to regulate my leg turnover and that produced my fastest training run so far this year.

Today's run reinforced my training plan and I feel good about my preparation going into Sunday's race. A little more speed and some end-of-week rest should get me there.

Upper body ignorance is no longer bliss

Getting pumped

Today's workout (light upper body): 25 minutes

Mondays are typically my rest day and I had no intention of running this morning. I felt some energy and that inspired me to try a little upper body work. I've read many articles about the benefits of strength training, not only to improve running performance, but also for the way it helps maintain bone density. Many runners ignore their upper body thinking that it's all about their legs. But there has to be a reason why Usain Bolt has arms that would make most gym rats envious.

In terms of upper body development, I'm about as far opposite to Mr. Bolt as one can get. I'm not without muscle or (surprisingly) definition, but I have much room for improvement. That improvement did not come today, but it was a start. Instead of counting reps, I selected something distracting on the TV and did bicep curls with alternating arms (8 lb. each arm) for 10 minutes. I followed that with 10 minutes of reverse curls and finished with some isometric exercises.

It wasn't a lot of weight and my workout was hardly difficult, but I did break a sweat. After ignoring my arms and wrists for so long, I wasn't about to injure myself by over-training. If I can do this workout once a week, I'll bet I'll see some results, after a while. I know that arm speed relates directly to cadence, and if stronger arms will lead to more steps per minute, sign me up.

We'll be in Montauk for a few days and I'm hoping to get some runs in near the water. Fast running with an ocean view. Sounds good to me.

Recovery + speed, a good combination

Today's run (street): 3.7 miles

My biggest motivation to get outside the next day after a tough workout is that I know I'm in for an easy run. The word I use is recovery, although I'm not sure that's how other runners may define that term. For me, it's liberation from the stopwatch, an opportunity to proceed at a comfortable pace, so I can focus on the sights and sounds of my surroundings.

A funny thing about these recovery runs is that I often introduce a little speed play into the mix. The relaxation eventually becomes an energizing force. Today's run was like that. I dressed with more layers than I'd have chosen for a performance run and set off for a trip around the neighborhood. I took it easy and followed a different route than normal, running around the nearby middle school where a boisterous game of adult flag football was being played.

When I changed direction for the first time, I was hit by some fairly strong headwinds and was doubly glad I had dressed on the warmer side. Today is Easter so the streets were quiet, and I enjoyed the lack of cars on the road. There weren't many people outside either, so I had the sunny streets all to myself.

By the time I reached three miles, I was ready to turn to home and I followed a route that had a long, but moderate, incline. Once I cleared that section, I poured on the speed and completed the last half mile at a pace 20 seconds faster than my overall average. That last burst of speed put my time within the range of a training, rather than a slow recovery, run.

I finished the weekend after logging almost 15 miles (25 for the week) and added yet another mile to my longest run (so far) this year. I may do some intervals tomorrow, even though I usually take Monday as a rest day. I'll need to wrap up my taper for Sunday's 5K by Friday. Right now I'm in great shape for long runs, but I'm not sure my 5K speed is ready to tap.

Eleven miles at Bethpage, without fuel nor water

Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 11.2 miles

I had plans to run with my buddy Dave today, but he had a scheduling issue and needed to postpone. The plan was for Dave to accompany me on his bike while I ran. Last February, I wrote a post about Dave's racing nightmare when he suffered a heart attack during a 10 mile race. Since then he has responded well and has been cleared for runs in the 2-3 mile range. It shows that even if you suffer a heart attack, being otherwise fit will certainly accelerate your recovery.

The temperature was in the high 30's when I went out at at 8:30 AM, and I'd purposely under dressed knowing I'd be generating heat over my long run. I wasn't that uncomfortable, even at the beginning, and by mile two I was glad to be in running shorts.

I wore the Spiras thinking they would minimize the possibility of foot problems, but I detected the slight pain in my left foot that I'd assumed was specific to the Kinvara 3's. After a few miles the pain decreased and I thought I had it licked. Turned out it wasn't so simple. By the end my feet were very uncomfortable.

The only nutrition I took for the entirety of my run was a GU gel that I had prior to the start. I took along a GU Roctane for refueling later in the run, but I didn't feel as though I needed it. I also brought a water bottle but didn't take a sip during the run. I wasn't being macho by denying myself nutrition and hydration, I just wanted to test whether I needed it. Did my body use fat as an energy source after glycogen depletion?

After many weeks running the Bethpage bike trail, I've become familiar enough with the route that I know how far I've gone without looking at my Garmin. I also separate the course into stages, based on landmarks. That helps me psychologically, especially as I increase my distance each week. Today I ventured within a mile of the bottom of the trail, located in Massapequa Preserve. I may end up doing an end to end run next time.

On my way back I was happily surprised that my energy level never fell too far and when it dropped a little, I quickly rebounded. I saw many runners, walkers and cyclists today and one sap who was walking along the trail, smoking a cigarette. Why do something healthy like that and smoke?

I did experience a drop in energy with about 2 miles to go. I knew I was facing the toughest part of the route and resigned myself to the work. Running the penultimate hill was easier than I thought it would be, but the final hill was a bear. Still, I finished 11.2 miles feeling in better shape than I did when I ran 9 miles a few weeks ago.

I'm on vacation this week and next weekend is the Marcie Mazzola 5K (on Sunday). Due to that, I'll skip my base run as I taper. From now until then, speed will be my focus. I'm curious to see if all this base building will help me push the pace over a decidedly shorter distance.

The declining accuracy of my Garmin FR210

I'd add 3% just to be safe

Today's run (street): 2.53 miles (Gmaps measured)

I'm not sure why, but my Garmin FR 210 has been under-performing lately. It was especially bad this morning. I generally run the same route every day at 4:00 AM and, after careful measurement, I know that the distance is exactly 2.53 miles. The Garmin's margin of error is generally -3%, which means that it under-counts to that degree fairly consistently. Since it is consistant, I accept that variance and correct for it in my pace calculation.

It's no mystery why this happens. Looking at my run captured in Garmin Connect, I can see that the watch will vectorize corners and straighten out curves. This is due to the capture time between GPS signals (approximately one sample per second). If the signal was captured continuously, the course would be displayed accurately, with no corners cut, etc. When it's cloudy, the signal can get interrupted. When that happens, the watch interpolates the distance between signals as a straight line. Enough of those and your accuracy really suffers.

Lately my FR210 has been under-reporting by about 5% and this morning it came in at -7%. It was cloudy, but clear enough to see some stars. My run could only be described as slow, and with the under-counted distance, my watch recorded my pace as glacial. Correcting for the true distance, it was still the slowest 4:00 AM run in memory.

I'm puzzled as to why my Garmin's GPS has become less accurate of late. Perhaps it's just going through a bad spell. The GPS accuracy tends to be better when I run a mostly straight course like at Bethpage. I'll see how it does tomorrow.

Tedium reducing treadmill technique

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

As unlikely as it sounds, I was looking forward to doing a run on the treadmill this morning. I usually break up my training week with an elliptical session on Thursday's, but our machine is down. Our treadmill, that had been down for the last nine days, was put back into service yesterday. At least we have one indoor option as we wait for the repair person to get the elliptical working again.

With a new motor and tread replacement, the treadmill felt like a brand new unit. While this model (Sole F63) isn't whisper quiet, the sound level was noticeably better than the last time I'd run on it. I'm assuming the repair person performed a calibration because I felt that my perceived effort matched the speed that was displayed.

I followed my usual treadmill routine, starting at a moderate pace and increasing the speed every couple of minutes. Speeding up the pace actually made it a better experience because it broke down the activity into two minute periods. Focusing on the intervals between speed increases helped reduce the tedium of the experience. The time went by quickly and before I knew it, I was done. As much as I liked today's workout, I'm planning to go back outside for tomorrow's run.

Of all my running shoes, these were the best

GTS-10: like chicken soup for the sole

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

My feet have been bothering me lately and I'm not sure what to do about it. My wife suggested that my tendency to switch shoes, rather than sticking to one pair, may be causing the issues. She may be right. The question is which pair to use? I've struggled to find my perfect running shoe and I haven't been too successful. But is the act of trying different models undermining the process?

I've tried a lot of shoes in the three-plus years since I've been running. Most were fine, some awful and a few great. But the great shoes also had their flaws. My two pair of Brooks Adrenaline's have never disappointed (I retired the GTS-9's after 700 miles, still using the GTS-10's), but they are old school in design, with a high platform and ramp angle. I run with the GTS-10's for recovery or if I detect a knee problem. A few runs in them seems to correct any issue.

The original Kinvaras were my second great model. They felt like the perfect shoe from the first time I tried them on and maintained that feel, almost to the end. But something happened and my last few runs resulted in knee pain that coincided with last year's Half Marathon. I'm hoping the new Kinvara 3's are sufficiently improved to ward that off after I've covered a few hundred miles in them.

Surprisingly, the best shoes, day in and day out, have been my Saucony Hattori's, a shoe so minimal it lacks a mid sole. But they are incredibly runnable, comfortable and responsive. The downside is that the uppers are ripping after 300 miles. I can still wear them, but time is running out. My second pair of Hattori's, that should feel and perform identically, don't fit correctly on my left foot and I've given up on them after 67 miles. It makes me wary of getting a replacement pair for my good Hattori's.

Right now I'm really pleased with the Spira Stingers, but I am experiencing this foot pain. I really don't think it's coming from these shoes and I'll run with them exclusively until Sunday. If my foot problems improve, I'll credit the Spiras. If they don't, I'll do a few runs in the GTS-10's and hope for a quick recovery.

This passport will get you places

Oh the places you'll go...

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Over the weekend I purchased my 2012 Empire Passport that allows me entry into any one of dozens of state parks in New York. I was looking at the pamphlet that was attached to my receipt and read the listing of places on Long Island that honor this pass. Besides some of my favorite venues, like Bethpage and Belmont Lake State Parks, there are arboretums and botanical preserves like the nearby Planting Fields. At $65 per season, it's a bargain. I'll get my money's worth just from my visits to Bethpage, so everything else is a bonus.

It's been a while since I've done any trail running, but I'm on vacation next weekend and will take the opportunity to do some off road training. This morning I did my usual run after taking my weekly rest day on Monday. It was 35 degrees outside at 4 AM and that motivated me to move along briskly. Even with a slow start, I ended up pacing a bit faster than normal. The Kinvaras performed well, but I still felt slight pressure under my left foot. I'll try them again on Wednesday and see if there's any improvement.

Stingers, Kinvaras or Hattori's? A hard choice to make

Hard to argue with success

I'm less than two weeks away from running my fourth consecutive Marcie Mazzola race.  The first time I ran it was in 2009 when the distance was 4 miles. The course was shortened the next year to 5K to increase the number of participants. What didn't change was the big hill on Woodhull Road that makes up a good part of the first mile. After three races along that course, I'm actually looking forward to the hill challenge this year.

Once runners get past the big hill, the course reverts to a net negative elevation, providing some great opportunities to let loose on the downhills. I'm on the fence about which running shoes I'll use for this race, but I'm thinking it may be between my latest two pairs: the Spira Stinger XLT's and the Saucony Kinvara 3's.

I've done my last two long runs in the Spiras and they have performed exceedingly well. I was prepared to dismiss them as a gimmick when offered the opportunity to test them on Runner's Tech Review and I'm glad I stayed open minded. Make no mistake about this shoe - it's lightweight, comfortable, supportive and responsive.

The Kinvara 3's are also very nice. I loved my original Kinvaras but found the Kinvara 2's less appealing each time I tried them on. To be fair, I never ran in them, so I don't really know how they'd have performed. I do know that the Kinvara 3's feel more like the original and, with their 4mm ramp angle, suit my preference for a lower platform. I have had noticeable irritation in one foot when running in these shoes, but I suspect it's as much a foot issue as it is a shoe problem.

It's hard to determine which of these shoes would serve me better for a fast 5K. Perhaps I'll simply opt for door #3 and run with the venerable Hattori's. These shoes, despite over 300 miles on their thin soles, still deliver one of the best running experiences I've ever encountered.

Base training has its benefits and so does peppermint oil

Today's run (street): 4.8 miles

Happy feet guaranteed

One of the benefits of base training is that it redefines the scale of a challenging run. For instance, over the winter the average distance of my weekend runs dropped to about 3.75 miles. That meant that any run greater than four miles was an envelope pusher. It didn't mean that I couldn't run 6 miles or more, but it would have felt like a lot of work to do that.

My training plan has me covering one extra mile on my long weekend runs each week. I'm building up to a final base run of 12+ miles prior to the half marathon. Yesterday I ran 10 miles and today I covered 4.8. I went out with the intention of running between 3 and 4 but it felt so easy (I wasn't really pushing the pace) that I extended my route to almost five miles.

While these longer Saturday runs are making my Sunday recovery workouts feel easier, my feet have begun to protest. It's been a long while since I covered the equivalent of a half marathon over the period of a weekend. I've done just that over the past three weeks. Foot soaks with peppermint oil soap have helped a lot. I recommend it to anyone.

I'm feeling more prepared for the Half than I was last year. Eleven miles is on the schedule for next Saturday. Hope it doesn't rain again.

A cold and soggy 10 on the Bethpage bike trail

Rainy day run on the Bethpage bike trail

Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 10.1 miles

It's been a cold, dark, overcast and rainy Saturday. Not exactly ideal conditions for a long training run. I could have waited until later in the day, when it's supposed to clear up, but I just wanted to get it done. I've experienced some tiredness and a scratchy throat over the last couple of days but I refused to give into a cold. I figured that if I was going to ignore my symptoms, I'd might as well ignore the weather.

 My plan was to go out for ten miles and I accomplished that. It was raining when I arrived at Bethpage and fairly cold (38°). I dressed in a long sleeved jersey, but decided to forgo a rain jacket to minimize the chance of overheating. That was a good decision even though it was chilly at the start. Admission to the park starts again this weekend, so I opted to buy an Empire Passport rather than pay $8 every time I go to Bethpage. Plus I can use it at any other NY State park.

I filled my bottle with a Nuun electrolyte tab and brought along a GU gel to take at the halfway point when I sometimes start to fade. I wore the Spira Stinger XLT's and they felt good, but I noticed some irritation on the bottom of my left foot. I had blamed this pain on the new Kinvaras but now I'm convinced it's a problem with my foot.

My base training must be working because I felt good throughout most of my run. Taking the gel at 5 miles certainly helped, and it wasn't until I reached the end when I began to tire. A pack of young women from my town's high school were also on the trail and they passed me like I was standing still. Of course they hadn't covered the distance I'd run at that point. As if I could have kept up with them under any circumstance!

The last two big hills were tough and I was really glad to get past them. I covered my 10 miles as planned and I'm happy with my training progress. The rain left me soaked and my socks were soggy but I didn't let it interfere with today's goal. Tomorrow is a recovery day and I'm taking Monday off so I may skip my rest day and get in another workout. With two weeks until my next race, I guess I should start thinking about speed as well as distance.

The lessons that taught me commitment

Back in 2008, when I returned to running, I needed to view it with absolute commitment. 15 years prior to then, I was running regularly with a friend who was very passionate about the sport. At that time, my running was a novelty. I didn't really embrace it as a lifestyle. When my friend left NYC for a few weeks on business, I found every reason not to go out for my daily run. When she returned, I told her I was no longer a runner.

Like anything that's beneficial (but hard) full commitment is the key. But commitment is a slippery slope and my earlier efforts as a runner failed because I did not commit to the required discipline. I carried the lessons I learned from that earlier experience through my first weeks as a re-engaged runner:

• Run at your own pace, not other's
• Run only on clear roads or trails, it's far better than dodging pedestrians or traffic
• Cover only the distances you can handle
• Use the right gear, wear the right shoes
• Benchmark your progress
• In for a penny, in for a pound

It took me months to finally take one rest day every week, because I feared the slippery slope. After three and a half years of serious commitment, I know that every day I rest is merely a temporary respite from the work I'll be doing the next day. I'm currently experiencing some symptoms of a cold that has dragged me down a little. I chose to rest today instead of doing my morning run. Tomorrow I'll go out for 10 miles. Why? Because I'm committed.

The elliptical is damaged and the treadmill is down

Crack(ed) pipe on the X1 elliptical

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes
I had great expectations for years of problem-free workouts when we took delivery of our Sole F63 treadmill two years ago. Our Pro-Form L18 treadmill had served us well for 13 years despite the daily pounding it received. The Sole is good unit, with a powerful motor, generous tread area, and some nice features. We did have some problems with belt slip, early on, and we needed to replace the console, but those issues got resolved under warranty.

With the impressive long term performance of the Pro-Form machine, I expected the Sole to do just as well. However, a few weeks ago, my wife and I noticed that the sound from the motor had become especially loud. A visit from the repairman revealed a number of problems with the unit, and he ordered replacement parts. The parts are still covered under warrenty, but not the labor. You can't have everything.

As we wait for the repair person to return next week, our only indoor option is to use the elliptical machine. This machine, a BH Fitness X1, has been a solid performer, despite some initial problems at the beginning. It was expensive, relative to other units in its class, but its build quality is better than what you might find at Dick's Sporting Goods.

As it happened, the elliptical machine has also joined the disabled list, having cracked one of the struts that connects the pedal assembly to the dynamic arm assembly. I've been able to restore functionality by tightly wrapping the pipe-end with duct tape, but the torque from the crack has cantered the foot bed a couple of degrees to the left. It's not that bad and the unit is still usable. We worried that the slight shift would lead to leg or knee issues, but neither my wife nor I have experienced anything like that.

Our treadmill repair person is an independent contractor and I'm hoping that he might be able to replace the elliptical's pedal assembly after repairing the treadmill. I guess these units wear out, I'm just surprised how little time it takes before that happens.

Hitting the streets with my Road ID



Sample Road ID wristband

 Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Earlier this week I received my Road ID, a light wrist strap with a faceplate engraved with my name, address, contacts, blood type and other information. I had mentioned to my colleague, FS, that I run with an ID card tucked into my SPIbelt, but she strongly suggested that I wear something on my wrist or on my shoe. Her point was that EMT's will look for ID in those places first in an emergency. I thought that made great sense and finally ordered the bracelet. It took a discount offered through Active.com to get the process started, but  I did it!

The Road ID works well because it doesn't violate one of the the most important Emerging Runner commandments for gear, "Thou shalt not distract or irritate me on my run." It's an inexpensive item and should be standard gear for anyone who runs outside of their home.

Speaking of irritants and distractions, I gave the Kinvara 3's another chance this morning and the feel underfoot was better, but not perfect. As I ran along, it felt better, and this makes me think it's my foot, not the shoe. I'm still dealing with soreness from the long runs that I've been doing on weekends.

 I didn't have a lot of energy today and so I wasn't surprised to see that the Gamin had clocked me at 25 minutes for my 2.53 mile loop. I tried to move along but I just couldn't generate much speed. I did finish with an overall pace in the high 9:00's, so it wasn't all that bad. Tomorrow I'll go out again in the Spiras as a point of comparison with the Kinvaras for both speed and comfort.

Kinvara 3 discomfort - is it me or the shoe?

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Quit pokin' my plantar!

Winter returned to the New York area overnight and I stepped outside this morning into 30° temperatures. I wore the new Kinvara 3's to see how they'd feel after my feet had an opportunity to recover from a weekend of long running. I expected the new shoes to perform in a similar way to my original Kinvaras, and they did, but I also experienced some discomfort underfoot. Much to my chagrin, the mid-sole was poking noticeably against the sock liner on the lateral plantar fascia (top left side) of my foot.

I've had a similar issue with my second pair of Hattori's that cut in on the medial side, prompting me to retire them after only 70 miles. My other pair of Hattori's fits me perfectly after 300 miles of running. The problem with the Kinvaras could be more related to me than the shoes, and I'm hoping it isn't a design or fit problem. I went up 1/2 size on the Kinvaras because the Mirages feel slightly too snug in the toe-box, and I expected the same from the K3's.

Perhaps that sizing up created a vertical alignment issue that resulted in this issue. I'll run with the Kinvara 3's again tomorrow and, if the problem continues, I'll switch back to the Spiras for a few days. I really do like the Kinvara's design and by the end they did feel more comfortable. I just know that if the issue continues I'll probably end up passing them over for other, more comfortable, options.

Seeking out a wrap and a baffle

Clammy and sloshy hydration

I went over to City Sports at lunch today because my CS Insider dollars expire at the end of the week I didn't want to lose them. I had hoped to find a new hand bottle to use on my long runs, because my Amphipod Hydroform unit is falling short in too many ways. Although it has a hand strap, there's no insulation between this bottle and my hand. The heat from my hand quickly transfers to the bottle and melts the ice inside. Soon after that, my hand heats up the remaining liquid.

Besides this heat issue, I don't really like the feeling of the cold bottle against the palm of my hand when I run. It's uncomfortable, and the condensation makes the bottle feel clammy. As the bottle empties, the water sloshes around inside. This becomes annoying over a long run.

City Sports didn't have a large selection of handheld bottles today, so I pretty much struck out. If a bottle exists that has an insulating wrapper and a baffle inside (that prevents sloshing) I'm ready to buy. I ended up spending my Insider dollars on Nuun electrolyte tabs along with some GU Roctane gels. I have the necessary contents, I just need a better bottle to put them in.

First run: Saucony Kinvara 3's - a great update to a favorite shoe

Today's run (street): 4.5 miles

After yesterday's long run, I was prepared for an easy workout this morning. I'd wanted to try the new Kinvara 3's for the first time on the treadmill, but the machine is currently down, waiting for parts. Plan B was to run outside, but the weather report wasn't encouraging. I determined that an early run would allow me to dodge the rain that was predicted to fall by mid-morning.

The temperature was 49 degrees when I hit the road in the new Sauconys  at 7:30 AM. The fit was superb and these shoes reminded me of the feel of the original Kinvaras. I've been having trouble with soreness at the bottom of my feet as a result of stepping up my long runs in recent weeks. This is not plantar fasciitis, just old fashioned pavement-pounding swelling.

Compared to the Spiras, the Kinvara 3's feel more agile. I suppose this has to do with the lower platform and flatter (4mm) drop. Like the Kinvara 1's, the 3's move well with the foot, and they do help facilitate a mid-foot landing. The Kinvaras felt so good that I changed my run plan from slow and easy, to comfortably peppy.

I fully enjoyed the run, following a different route than usual, and appreciating the cool, cloudy conditions. At one point I crossed paths with another runner and ran behind him for a few minutes. I was concerned that I would overtake him at his current pace. I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable, so I ducked into a side road that looped back around and opened up more room behind him. 

I finished the run feeling pretty good considering the distance I'd covered on Saturday. The Kinvaras performed well and it's going to be interesting to compare them to the Spiras in the coming weeks. Still, my feet were feeling mighty sore, so I indulged in a foot soak using my wife's foot spa unit. This device provides inferred heat, water jets and vibration. I added Dr. Bronner's Magic Castile Peppermint soap to the water, and it has kept my feet feeling great, long after my soak was over.

I'm pleased to have covered over 13 miles this weekend. I'm hoping that the weather will clear by Tuesday morning when I go out once again. I'm expecting the treadmill to be operational by the end of the week. Fingers crossed for good conditions until then.

Building character on the Bethpage trail

Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 9.1 miles

Today is supposed to be the better weather day this weekend, so I headed to Bethpage this morning for my long base run. It was tough week in the office, and I addressed my sleep debt by getting eight full hours last night. I hoped the extra rest would carry me through what would be my longest run (so far) this year.

Although I have a brand new pair of Saucony Kinvara 3's sitting in a box, I decided to do today's run with the Spiras. I didn't want to discover any fit problems with the Kinvaras that I'd need to endure throughout the bulk of my run. Still, I was concerned that I'd have a recurrence of chafing at the back, along the Achilles, that I'd experienced last weekend.

Bethpage's lot had many more cars than usual, probably because it was the first weekend of Spring. I also arrived an hour later than I usually do, owing to my later wake-up time this morning. As I made my way through the initial hills, I saw numerous runners along the way, most of them heading north to the start of the bike trail. The Syosset Cross Country boys team were running hill repeats on the big hill and it reminded me of when I did that last year to prepare for the town of Oyster Bay Supervisor's 5K.

There must have been forty high school age runners on the path today, I kept seeing them coming from the other direction at different points in my run. They all looked strong and fast and I was glad they weren't going my way because it would have been humiliating to be passed dozens of times. Surprisingly, I was only passed a couple of times today.

I knew I was in for a better experience than last Saturday's because I still felt plenty strong at the Southern State crossover that led into the Massapequa Preserve. I came up behind a couple of runners that I hoped would pace me a little, but I ended up passing them because they were running a little too slow. I U-turned after covering four and a half miles and prepared for the second half of my run.

I had no issues with the back of my heel today but I did have some chafing problems with my small toe on my right foot. It got fairly uncomfortable, but I didn't stop because I knew there wasn't any quick fix for it. As much as I like the Spira's I'm noticing some small fit issues that come out on longer runs.

Despite the foot issue, I felt very strong throughout the run. It seemed to take little time to get to the seven mile mark today. I didn't take any anything for an energy boost and only sipped on a little water late in the run. At Bethpage, the last two miles is what I call the "character-building" phase of the run. There are some smaller rises and some steep short sections, with a few downhills to balance it out. But, inevitably, the last hill awaits. There's no escape.

Despite arriving at the 8.5 mile point, I still had good energy as I made my way uphill and I even passed another runner on that section. The best part of the bike trail is the short, steep downhill that leads to the parking lot. I embraced it fully today and carried my run an additional tenth mile back to my car.

So despite missing a couple of morning runs this week, I feel on track for my Half Marathon training. Next weekend I may need to do my long run on Sunday so I can get in some speed work on Saturday. Before the LI Half is the Marcie Mazzola 5K. I'm hoping that a good base and some fast twitch activation will yield a decent time for that race.

My mystery running shoes have arrived

Fresh out of the box

A long day and late night on Thursday translated into another ad hoc rest day this morning. I had the best of intentions but, after getting less than 4 hours sleep, I felt I needed more rest. I intended to elliptical but the advantages of skipping that workout outweighed the disadvantages. It's been a pretty poor week for running, but with this week's schedule, I knew I'd miss a few days.

On the plus side, my mystery shoes arrived last night. I was too tired to even try them on when I got home but I will tonight. They're the new Kinvara 3's that I've been anticipating for a very long time. I loved the original Kinvaras but didn't really like the 2's. I'm hoping the third time's the charm. My one minute assessment is that the K3 seems to be built more like the Mirage than the original Kinvara model. That may be okay. I went up 1/2 size and hopefully that will provide enough room in the toe-box to make for a perfect fit.

Hard work and quick shoes yield a fast 4 AM run

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

I'm in off-site meetings all day today and tomorrow. It's been a long day that will continue through the evening. It starts again early on Friday, and I'm trying to figure out whether I'll have the energy to work out tomorrow morning after getting (at best) four hour's sleep. In my college days I'd attend classes all day, stay out past 1:00 AM and be fully alert for class at 8:00 AM the next morning. I sure don't bounce back the same anymore.

I was glad that I went for my run this morning. I followed my plan to run hard and it yielded very good results. In fact, it was my first 4:00 AM run this year where I averaged under 9:00 a mile. Conditions were ideal, cool but not cold. I wore running shorts and a long sleeved top and that worked really well. I had good energy from my first steps off my driveway until I returned, less than 23 minutes later.

If not for yesterday's mid-9:00 pace, I would have given full credit to the Spira XLT's. I pushed a lot harder than I did on Wednesday, and that probably explained my much improved performance. But getting under 9:00 was a big improvement so I'll say it was the combination of hard work and fast shoes. I'm pretty sure I'll be running in the Spira's for April's Marcie Mazzola 5k.

Speed takes effort, it's that simple

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

The UPS truck mocked me as I drove into my driveway last night. The UPS driver usually does his deliveries in my neighborhood around the same time that I get home from work. I watched as he carried what looked like a shoebox-sized container, but he dropped it at a neighbor's house. Saucony is supposedly looking into what's happened to my pre-launch Kinvara 3's. I'm thinking I may never get them.

As much as I've anticipated the Saucony's, I'm still appreciating the Spira Stinger XLT's. I skipped yesterday's run, but went out this morning. Again I found the XLT's to be comfortable and responsive. I moved well during my run and, while my PE was relatively low, I felt like my pace was brisk. When I came to the end of my run I looked at my Garmin, only to see that I'd covered my route more than a minute slower than expected. So much for getting that bonus 15 seconds per mile from the XLT's.

I think the lesson I reinforced today is that, at my level, speed should feel hard. If I don't push it, I shouldn't expect to put up good numbers. Due to some scheduling issues this week, I'm swapping my Thursday elliptical session with a run tomorrow morning. I'll put in more effort and see whether that makes a difference. Perhaps the 15 second bonus only happens on harder runs.