If running wasn't healthy would you still run?

Take your pick

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

My wife mentioned a conversation she'd recently had with our son. They were talking about the motivation for working out. A question they'd pondered was, "If running wasn't healthy, would people still do it?" It's an interesting thought, because most people will tell you that they run for enjoyment. In my opinion, it's much more likely that most people run for the health benefit. Occasionally they'll enjoy  the experience.

Would I run if the benefits weren't clear? That depends on a lot of things. In this scenario, is running harmful or is it health-neutral? If we suddenly learned that running does not contribute to health, I know I'd mothball the treadmill in a second. But, unless it caused harm, I'd probably still run trails. The point is moot, because I've realized big health benefits from running 20 or so miles a week. While I sometimes dislike the work, I always feel great in the end.

There are people on the other end of the spectrum, those who run ultra-long distances or compete in Ironman competitions, who may actually do themselves more harm than good. I wonder if these people accept the risk and choose to run for hours because they love the experience. I suspect that many of these athletes view endurance sports with a distorted lens: if a little running is healthy, a lot of running must be even better. Unfortunately  anorexics tend to look at eating (or not eating) the same way.

I ran on the treadmill this morning and thought about the enjoyment vs. health question. I decided that the only reason I was running (while most people were still sleeping) was to fulfill the commitment I'd made to stay in shape. But this weekend I'll be viewing my running a little differently, with a planned trail run at Caleb Smith State Park. That's my definition of fun and it just happens to be a healthy thing to do.

Staying healthy by not running

Last night I was concerned that the headache and dizziness I suffered from last week was returning. I readied my gear for today's run but prepared to abandon my workout if I wasn't feeling 100% by morning. Last week's strategy to run despite feeling run-down turned out to be a bad gamble. I wasn't going to repeat that today if conditions were the same.

I resisted taking pseudoephedrine when I went to bed because I don't like taking medicine unless I'm really hurting. I figured that if I woke up in the middle of the night feeling awful, I'd reconsider. It turned out that the headache never came, but I still felt weak when I got up. I decided to forgo my run and take the extra time to relax. I think it was the right choice. It's hard to give up a workout, but skipping a run can sometimes be the healthier option.

I have a trust issue and you should too

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

As I've said in a recent post, I don't trust drivers when I'm out on a run. I am constantly flabbergasted by what I see while I'm out on the road. Cars driving 50 MPH in my neighborhood that has a posted speed limit of 30. No one using turn signals or coming to a full stop at stop signs. By believing that drivers will always do the wrong thing, I'm able to manage safely.

Last weekend I was running along a road when I spotted a woman four houses ahead getting into her car. I had a suspicion that she wasn't going to be careful and as I came closer, I saw her backing out quickly without looking. Had I not been hyper aware, she might have hit me - or come close to it. I was up and over the curb before the situation became dangerous. That didn't stop me from screaming, "Hey, did you look before you pulled out?! Do you ever look?!" I could tell she felt bad or was freaked out by my screaming at her. Either way, I'm hoping she won't forget the lesson.

This morning I ran on the treadmill because it was raining slightly and that meant conditions outside would be dark and slippery. Nothing interesting to report about my indoor run, but when I left for the train a little after 6:00 AM, I found myself in the position of being the driver pulling out with a runner passing by. Even though it's dark and quiet at that time, I was careful and looked both ways. The runner was hard to see because he wore dark colors and was running on the right side of the road. He either assumed I'd see him or was planning to thread the needle and run past my car once it cleared the end of the drive.

I saw him after taking a careful second look to my right and hit the brake before backing out. He passed by unscathed. I wanted to yell to him that he's invisible and was taking a risk by running in dark clothes, but I've learned by now that people resent being told these things. The only reason I didn't hit this fool was that I double-checked both sides before I backed out. I don't trust drivers when I run, and I don't trust runners when I drive. Trust must be earned and so far, no one's earning.   

When metrics matter less, the run matters more

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

When you first begin to run, it quickly becomes obvious how much you need to learn. I look back at my early days and realize how many bad decisions I'd made (sprinting without a warm-up,  buying Nike shoes, wearing cotton socks, etc.). Once I understood that wicking clothes were de rigueur and finally learned what "PR" meant, I started to focus more on performance metrics and the technologies to capture data.

As I mentioned above, I first bought Nike running shoes, but it was primarily because I didn't know brands. But I also bought them because they had a storage well under the insole where I could put my Nike+ chip.With the Nike+ chip and Sportband, I was able to capture interesting data about my runs including time, speed and distance. Until the Sportband display corroded (I actually went through three Sportbands, each with a MTBF of 3 months) I was able to see my pace in real time as I ran. It was exciting to monitor my progress.

I switched to Garmins after that, and studiously recorded my metrics. I analyzed my performance and tried to understand why my average pace improved or worsened from month to month. The numbers were important to me. Over the last year, I've noticed that I've stopped checking my pace as often when I run. I watch my distance and monitor my heart rate but the speed that I run doesn't interest me much anymore. I can't say that I've given up on performance (it's always great to see when I'd paced under 9:00) but that's not what's important right now.

I can't help thinking about the recent WSJ article that correlated fast paces to negative health in older athletes. Maybe that's part of it, though my decreased focus on speed (except when racing) has been a long time coming. I ran my usual route today about 15 seconds slower than average, but I was happy because I did the run. It took years to feel that way. I wonder how long it will last.

My first 100K (it's not what you think)

A unique feeling

When I started this blog four years ago, my only goal was to document my experience as a runner. I'd run in the early '90's but never documented my progress and I regretted that. I thought a daily journal might motivate me to get out and run so I'd have something to write about. Although I felt committed to both, I couldn't help wondering whether I'd tire of writing or running and, if so, when.

I noticed that the Emerging Runner site odometer has recently passed 100,000 unique visits. I used to look at hits, pageviews and other metrics and even thought about going beyond the rudimentary SEO that I'd set up for web discovery. After a while I decided to just focus on the content and let the audience build organically. Still, I appreciate every one of those 100K visits.

At some point I'll go through my large collection of posts and select some favorites that I will share. I've found a lot of value from this archive as a gauge of my running progress. But more than that, it's been a great way to capture the daily occurrences of my life (albeit with a running bias) that would normally be lost over time.

My motivation to race is at an all time low

Today's run (street): 5.2 miles

Lately, I've been struggling a little with motivation, but not to the point where it affects my commitment to running. After having two of my favorite races canceled in November, I think my competitive spirit has gone stale. The next race on my schedule is the Ho Ho Ho 5K Holiday Run that takes place in Bethpage. I ran it last year, but I'm considering skipping it this year.

5K's require speed work, but I'm not that interested in doing tempos, fartleks or intervals right now. I recognize the benefits of a hard workout, but I think the moderate training runs I've been doing provide the same value. The idea of of lining up on a cold morning for a race doesn't appeal to me at the moment. I'm thinking that the LIRRC 5 mile Hangover Run on January 1st will be my next organized event.

The Hangover Run appeals to me because it's non-competitive. There's a timer but no timing chips. In fact there's no registration at all. Just show up, run and record you own time. But if I run my fastest time during this event, I will certainly claim it as a PR.

My big issue today was a feeling that I'd be bored on today's run. Yesterday's run around the neighborhood was a bit tedious and I was planning to go out even longer today. I started thinking about running with other people and how much I used to enjoy my workday runs in Central Park with Adventure Girl, JQ and others, or my runs at Bethpage and Belmont Lake with Dave and Brian. It made me reconsider joining a running club.

It turned out I wasn't bored after all today. The lactic acid buildup in my legs was gone and though my performance was average, I felt great throughout the run. I do like running on my own where I can determine my preferred route and speed, but the experience of running with others also has great appeal. Perhaps I'll find a weekend morning meet-up in the area. Running with a group might be a good step towards regaining my racing spirit.

I run in the 2nd best shoe (umm, make that sneaker)

Best sneaker ever? Highly debatable

Today's run (street): 3.75 miles

Prior to this week, I had never heard of The Sneaker Report. But after a few mentions by people I follow on Twitter, I checked out the site. The reason why people have been tweeting about Sneaker Report is because of a post called The 100 Best Running Sneakers of All Time. Any list that ranks people or things will be debated, and I'm sure that's the case here. Their choice for number one is a Nike model from 1995 (Nike Air Max 95) that looks like a cross between a Skechers Resistance Runner and the shoes the Apollo 11 astronauts wore when they walked on the moon.

The original Kinvara, better than the 3

Redemption came with the choice for number two: the Saucony Kinvara 3, that happens to be my preferred running shoe right now. But as much as I like the Kinvara 3, I like the original Kinvara more, because it was groundbreaking and (in my opinion) a little more responsive. The other choices seemed odd to me and many appeared to be selected for the way they look. I shouldn't be surprised since the site refers to running shoes as "sneakers."

After battling pounding headaches and exhaustion earlier in the week, I'm almost back to my old self. I took it easy on the treadmill yesterday in terms of speed but I set the incline at 2% to get my heart rate up a bit. Today I planned an outside run and though the temperature on the local news station showed 41°, I bundled up with extra layers. That turned out to be a good decision because it felt far colder than low 40's, especially when the wind was blowing. My Kinvara 3's did little to insulate from the cold and I'm wondering if I need a winter shoe.

Since I'm not fully back to strength, I decided to keep my distance in the 3 to 4 mile range. I felt fine as I ran but, after a mile, I noticed that my legs were feeling heavy. I was running a high 9:00 pace and my heart rate was low, so I just kept moving. I can't say I enjoyed the workout, but it wasn't like I was suffering. Once I reached three miles I started to follow roads that headed back toward my house.

This has been a week of moderately easy running and I'm fine with that. I'll probably target 5 or more miles tomorrow. I'm certainly not in speed or performance mode these days. After reading the WSJ.com article last Tuesday, I'm not so concerned about performance. At least I'm not this week.

Are male runners more competitive than female runners?

The 4 hour cliff 

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes - 2% grade

If you are a member of Athlinks you may have received an email that shows a graph of 2012 marathon times (above). The graph shows 2012 finish time distribution frequency, and it clearly illustrates that marathon times peak right before the four hour mark (I inserted a blue arrow to highlight that point). Not shown here was another graph that compared times by gender. That graph showed that 58% of men (vs. 42% of women) finished faster that 4:00. One might conclude that men approach these races more competitively than women. The sharp spike between 3:50 and 3:59 times indicates some very tactical planning.

I can't speak to how women view racing, except through anecdotal conversations with female friends who race. I wouldn't say that women are any less competitive, but they may carry a different perspective on their performance goals. Many men (including myself ) simply pick a targeted time and  focus on beating it. Women (more often it seems) will view their finish times as secondary to the experience of running their best. They are no less competitive than men, but they don't seem to be as discouraged if they miss a specific time target.

It would be wrong to say that women don't care about hitting performance targets. That spike on the graph at 4:00 represents a lot of female finishers. But I would say, generally, that woman view and value performance differently than men. One approach is more quantitative and the other is more qualitative. In the end, I wonder who's more satisfied with their results?

Incomplete recovery is better than none

Yesterday's troubles continued through the night, and I got to bed early in hopes on sleeping off my pounding headache. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling no better, so I took some pseudoephedrine and Advil and went back to bed. When I got up, my headache was far less noticeable and the heavy fatigue I'd carried most of Wednesday was gone. Still, I knew better than to try a run. I learned something from yesterday.

Headaches of this type are really debilitating and, when they finally leave, the world feels so much better. But even with that improvement, I wasn't out of the woods. I felt well enough to go into the office but some slight dizziness and a mild headache remained. Sudafed saved the day, but it wasn't a complete victory. Another dose this morning brought further improvement.

I'm not sure what's behind these headaches but the only way to get rid of them seems to be a combination of sleep, NSAIDs, and pseudoephedrine. Missing a day's workout, like I did today, would normally bother me because it will make it harder to reach my weekly goal of 20 miles. But an article from Tuesday's WSJ.com sent to me by FS, says that (for older endurance athletes) it's better to keep weekly mileage below that number. Older endurance athletes that run 7:30 paces or faster that is. So I guess I'm good with my 20.

Debating "You'll never regret a run"

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

I often quote the line, "You'll never regret a run" to make the point that the effort to exercise is always worth it despite how you might feel. Just this morning my wife said the same thing to me about her workout. Ironically enough, I may have found the exception to the rule today, having completed a treadmill run and suffering the consequences of that decision.

It's hard to differentiate between feeling tired because you've just woken up and feeling fatigued for other reasons. This morning I went through my routine of preparing for the treadmill (30° outside temps made that an easy decision). Though I felt groggy, I expected that feeling to pass once I got going. That happened, but soon after I'd cooled down I was ready to return to bed for more sleep.

Since my schedule is tight on weekday mornings, I had to ignore the dizziness and feeling of weakness. I left for the train, hoping that I could get a decent seat and take a nap. The LIRR is running less trains due to Sandy-related issues and the cars get very crowded, but I managed to secure a good spot and slept for 20 minutes.

I'd hoped that would solve the problem but my fatigue continues. Despite some strong coffee and analgesics I'm still hurting. I don't know if running on the treadmill was best thing for me this morning. Had I not done that, I could have taken an extra 30 minutes to rest and avoided the physical impact of running. If I skipped my run, I'm wondering whether I'd be feeling any better. Or would I feel worse due to the guilt of missing a workout? I'm taking solace in the thought that while I may regret today's run, I would definitely have regretted skipping it.

Our BH X1 is a bad houseguest

BH Fitness X1: down for the count?

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

This weekend we had guests who stayed over in our spare bedroom. It's actually a misnomer to characterize this room as a spare because, next to the kitchen and den, it is easily the most utilized room in the house. Besides being the staging area for my morning runs, the guestroom is also where my wife does her daily treadmill workouts and it occasionally serves as my home office.

The guest room is fairly large and, besides having a bed, side table, armoire, wall unit and work table, it also contains a treadmill and an elliptical machine. The elliptical has been dormant, awaiting parts since March. Still, with all that stuff, the workout section of the room can seem a little tight. If we'd known back in March that our BH Fitness X1 was going to be out of commission for seven months (and counting), I'm sure we'd have either moved it to the basement or kicked it to the curb. But it sits there every day, mocking us for naively thinking BH Fitness will some day send us the needed parts.

I really miss using the elliptical and we had high hopes when our local service person (unaffiliated with BH Fitness) informed us that that replacement parts had come in. Unfortunately, once the technician arrived, we learned that they'd sent the wrong parts. I'll try to be diplomatic here and just say that BH Fitness machines are overpriced, seem to wear out quickly and you can't get parts. On the other hand, if you live on Long Island and need your home equipment fixed, I'd certainly recommend Busted Fitness.

We hope to learn soon if the correct elliptical parts will ever come. If the answer is no, we'll have to decide whether to buy a new unit. If we do, I'm not sure what brand to buy or what level of machine to get. With our experience with the X1, I'm thinking the most important question is, "If it breaks, how quickly can it be fixed?"

A different perspective on running ability

Running strata as viewed by a newbie

Over the weekend my son and I were looking at some posts dating back to late 2008. That was around the time when I started to run in a dedicated way. Most of my early posts were about discovery and understanding. One post that my son really liked was an unscientific assessment of running abilities. The above graphic shows the levels that I'd defined at the time to differentiate between newbies like me, compared to long standing runners.

In December of 2008, I put myself between "beginner" and "intermediate", though in retrospect I should have used "advanced beginner" to describe my abilities. At that time, I viewed runners who covered distances between 16 and 24 miles as "established." My 20 mile per week average puts me right in the center of that range. I guess after four years I could claim to be at that level.

But distance (or even speed) aren't really the best way of describing a person who runs. Both of those measurements have as much to do with age and circumstance as they do with experience. Today, I'd characterize it differently and say that anyone who regularly practices the discipline of running (regardless of how fast or how far they go) is a runner. That's all people really need to know.

Coffee powers an out of cycle run

Today's run (street): 4.1 miles

I got out a little late this morning because I wanted to spend some extra time with our house guests. I'm used to early morning workouts and I always anticipate a tougher time when I run outside of my preferred window. It may have been the three big cups of coffee I had throughout the morning, but I felt ready to run when I headed out close to noon.

After yesterday's change of scenery, where I covered some roads north of Jericho Turnpike, I was fine staying closer to home today. My energy level was high and my pace felt fluid, but stiff winds coming from the northwest brought the wind chill down to freezing. Running directly into the wind was uncomfortable, but a slight change in direction brought sudden improvement. I maintained good energy throughout the run, despite getting a late start. Hooray for caffeine.

I had planned to run four miles or 40 minutes, whichever came first. For performance sake, I was hoping it would be the former. I ended up covering a little more than four miles while coming in under forty minutes. This put me at 22 miles for the week, two miles over my weekly target of 20. The time off due to Thanksgiving contributed to a higher mileage week. Still, I need to start focusing on longer distances for my individual runs.

A whole new world to run, right across the street

Today's run (street): 4.25 miles

The holiday week continues with our weekend guests arriving mid-morning. I wanted to get in my run before they got here so I headed out early to try a new route. I got out of the neighborhood today, but I didn't travel too far from home. As I mentioned in a post earlier this week, I'm  reluctant to cross major roads when I run. Doing that on foot is risky, but but it would unlock a number of available routes. For safety's sake, I decided to take a short drive and park on the other side of Route 25 to start my run.

I've run on Jericho Turnpike near my house a number of times, but always on the southern side. Today I ran on the opposite side, allowing me to track north to Jackson and mimic my daily drive to the train station. I often see runners on my way to the train and envy them for running while I head to my commute. I was always curious to experience this road, but after a couple of minutes I turned into a neighborhood and followed a street that wrapped back to Jackson. This road had some rolling hills that I appreciated after running the flat streets of my neighborhood.

I eventually ran past the train station and headed east before turning back for the second half of my run. I enjoyed the change of scenery and the chance to break out of my large, but ultimately contained, neighborhood. I reached my car and made the two minute drive back to my house. This was another nice change from the 15+ minute drive I often make to and from Bethpage.

I'll probably run in the neighborhood tomorrow to save time and get it down before our house guests wake up for breakfast. New venues are always fun, even if they're less than a mile from home.

Shopping-free Black Friday run

Today's run (street): 4.2 miles

I love weeks like this when I get an extra day to run without my usual time constraint. It's the day after Thanksgiving and I would have expected to see other runners on the road, working off yesterday's big dinners. But it was surprisingly quiet at 7:30 AM. Perhaps people were sleeping in, or already out at one of those ubiquitous Black Friday sales at the mall. Good luck to them. You won't find me at a mall until after New Years.

Yesterday's turkey trot was a fun event, but the way I ran it could hardly be considered a workout. Still, there were some big hills and forty minutes of moving faster than walking pace has to count for something. This morning my goal was to cover four miles and to work up a sweat while I did it.

It was 36° when I set out for my run. I'd dressed for slightly lower temperatures and was concerned about overheating. Despite that concern, I remained comfortable throughout the run. Besides a couple of cars and a sanitation truck, I had the roads pretty much to myself. My wife was in the process of making pancakes for the kids when I left. Although I could have easily gone for a couple of extra miles, thoughts of breakfast guided me back home.

My run wasn't particularly fast, but it was in the range of acceptable. It was a pleasant enough experience, but I'd like to run in a place more interesting than my neighborhood this weekend. Bethpage State Park's website is still saying that, besides the tennis facilities and golf courses, the park remains closed. Most alternatives involve a lot more driving and that's about as appealing as a trip to the mall.

Family run at the Nissequogue River Turkey Trot

Scene at the finish line

Today's run (Nissequogue River 5K Turkey Trot): 3.1 miles

It's Thanksgiving and, for the third year in a row, the Emerging Runner family ran in the Nissequogue River State Park Turkey Trot. It's an event that draws a big crowd. With some races canceled due to hurricane Sandy, even more people gathered for the race. Me and my daughter ran the course and my wife and son walked it.

Clearing the path before the Fun Run

After the 1K Fun Run for kids that was led by a guy dressed head to toe in a turkey costume, we all made our way toward the starting line. The race is not very well organized and the start often runs late. Much of that is due to the high number of race day registrants who are still in line at gun time. Today the start was only six minutes late, which was a nice surprise.

The size of the crowd prevents any fast running at the start, but it worked fine for me and my daughter. We fell into an easy pace as we made our way along the first, mostly uphill, mile. It's a different experience running easy during a race instead of pushing for a PR. I enjoyed having my daughter by my side and we were happy to reach the turnaround at the halfway point of the race. We saw my wife and son, who were moving along briskly, on the other side.

The last mile is mostly downhill and we cruised along until we reached the finish line. My wife and son came in about six minutes later and we quickly headed to our car. The exit line from the race gets backed up fast and we needed to get home in time to shower, change and head to our Thanksgiving dinner.

The rest of the day was spent with family and we're all a little beat, but it was great to participate in a race as family. Tomorrow I'll go out for a nice long run and burn off some calories from today's feast.

A chilly run today and a Turkey Trot tomorrow

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Most big holidays start earlier than their date on the calendar because people often day before off to travel. That's certainly the case with Thanksgiving. The LIRR continues to be plagued by ongoing signal problems in the East River tunnels (due to Sandy) so there are less trains, more stops and big crowds. It was a pleasant surprise to board the train this morning and have my choice of seats. And for that I am thankful.

My office will be very quiet today because many of my colleagues are doing this day-before travel. I really do like my co-workers but, without any meetings, I'll be able to make good progress on some projects. We'll close the office early so I'll get a little extra free time as well.

Nissequogue course map

Tomorrow morning Team Emerging Runner will become Race Team Emerging Runner, as we run the Nissequogue 5K Turkey Trot for the third year in a row. We won't really be racing, but it's a race. Last year my daughter and I ran it while my wife and son did it as a run/walk. That's the plan for tomorrow as well. After that will be Thanksgiving with family and then more family arriving over the weekend.

I really didn't want to go out into the cold this morning, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I dressed warmly because I was concerned that the wind might make conditions even more uncomfortable. There was only a mild breeze but the warm layers were still necessary. I started out easy but picked up speed in response to the cold air. Once I get to a certain pace, between steady and brisk, I tend to hold it. I completed my route slightly faster than I normally run it.

The weather for the rest of the week is looking promising and I'm optimistic that I'll exceed my 20 mile average with some longer runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It's been a long time since I've raced, so I'm really running out of habit and not training for anything in particular. I do have a 5K coming up in December but that seems a long way away. For now, it's about running for fun. Tomorrow's event should be just that.

Rejecting rest is easier when you have options

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

This morning was a time of quick compromises. I set out my running clothes last night anticipating a cold morning run. Occasionally, I'll wake up an hour before I need to get up and then struggle to fall back asleep. I usually win that struggle, but the ensuing sleep cycle puts me out until my alarm buzzes. This leaves me groggy and without much energy.

Today I had one of those mornings. My first thought was how much preparation time I'd lost by sleeping to my alarm. I usually wake up ten minutes prior to that and take the opportunity to start earlier. The time it takes to put on layers of clothes, a hat and running shoes (plus my SPIbelt, reflective vest and headlamp) is longer than you'd think. Add to that the wait time needed to acquire a GPS signal, and suddenly I'm up against my time budget.

After waking up this morning, my mind went first to the easy solution: a rest day. Sleep induced logic argued that I'll be off on Thursday and Friday leaving me time to make up the miles with longer runs. I then remembered that on Thursday we're doing the 5K Turkey Trot and I'll be running that at an easy pace with my family. Knowing that I'd lose another hard workout on Thanksgiving, I rejected taking a rest day.

The next best option was to run on the treadmill. Running shorts, shoes and a HR monitor were all I needed and in just a few minutes I was off and running <smile>. I started easy and it took almost ten minutes of speed increases to get my heart rate into my targeted zone. By the end, it felt like a good workout and I managed to salvage about five minutes of additional downtime before my shower. A quick compromise was better than an impromptu rest day. At least it was today.

Something more fulfilling than running

Setting up for the many in need

Last night me and my family spent a few hours helping to provide basic items to families in need. Some of the recipients were facing difficult economic circumstances, while others were still disrupted from the effects of Hurricane Sandy. Our task involved handing out vitamins, baby food and supplies to people. My wife possesses great process and organizational skills and she had me and the kids working seamlessly to serve the many dozens of families that came through our station.

We found out about this volunteering opportunity through Island Harvest, a food bank on Long Island. I was happy to help, but I never expected to feel so good about what I was doing. When you offer things of value to people for free, you'd expect a little greediness. I was amazed by how so many asked only for what they needed, and were so gracious about receiving it.

That experience made me think about how racing and charity are often tied together. Just about every race has some cause attached to it. In some cases, the race is explicitly about the charity, like breast cancer or multiple sclerosis. Other races, like the ING NY Marathon, raise a collective $25 million by allowing teams of charity runners an opportunity to run in the race.

My family has a particular attachment to the Marcie Mazzola Foundation race that is held every April, because it was my first-ever race and it's all about the Foundation. Other races I run are less clear about the causes they serve and some are not tied to a charity at all. I've decided that, in the future, if I run in a race that that has no clear connection to a cause, I'll donate money for every mile I run. But as good as it feels to donate money, I've learned that it's even more gratifying to donate time.

Four years emerging and a trail run to celebrate

Today's run (Stillwell Woods): 4.2 miles

Four years ago today, I published my first post on the Emerging Runner. I had made some unsuccessful attempts to run in the past, but in 2008 I fully committed to running as a lifestyle. I'd also started a few blogs before that time but never managed to keep them going. My hope on that day that I published that post was to break that cycle. After four years, I think I can say that I did.

In the October issue of Runner's World magazine, Captain "Sully" Sullenburger was featured in the section called "I'm a Runner." The interview is short, but interesting. I especially liked this quote, "I'm not a good runner, but I'm better than someone who doesn't do it at all." That statement sums up everything I've written over the last four years.

Over the past four years I gone from being someone who faced every run as a difficult challenge, to a solidly mid-pack race competitor. I was talking to my brother yesterday about my four years as a runner, and how I struggled so hard on my first runs. I remembered hoping for the day when I'd be able to run and think of something besides discomfort and pain. Soon enough, my runs became my best process for thinking through any problem.

If not for Hurricane Sandy, I'd be spending most of this post recapping the Long Beach Turkey Trot that was scheduled for this morning. The hurricane devastated that city and destroyed the boardwalk that is almost half of the 10K course. I love racing in Long Beach for its ocean views and flat, runner friendly roads. I hope the community gets back to normal quickly, not for the runners, but for the sake of the residents. 

High visibility on the trails

Today called for a change from the neighborhood roads that I've run since returning home after our power was restored. Stillwell Woods was the perfect choice and I headed over with a plan to run my favorite two mile loop a couple of times. I'd recently bought a nice, high visibility running shirt at TJ Max for the bargain price of $7.99 and thought Stillwell would be the perfect place to use it.

The mountain bikers were out in force and most shared the trails very well, politely warning me when they were closing in. I'm sure the bright orange shirt helped them see me in plenty of time. I took it easy on the trail and was careful to avoid branches that had fallen on the path from Sandy. It was difficult at times to see the trail because the rising sun was hitting me head-on. I got whacked in the head a couple of times by overhanging branches but my hat protected me from any damage.

It's been a nice fourth anniversary of my running/blogging life so far today. Later on, the Emerging Runner family is heading to East Northport to assist in an effort to get food to elderly and housebound people whose lives were disrupted by Sandy. Next week is Thanksgiving but I am thankful often, especially today when I am able to help myself and help others. The decision I made to run in 2008 has much to do with that.

Autumn running brings front loaders and pumpkin bread

Today's run (street): 5.3 miles

A runner's reward

 I needed to drop off my car for inspection this morning and that delayed my run until 9:00 AM. That was no big deal, but the world is far more awake at 9:00 than at 7:00. People who are awake tend to drive their cars, so the streets were busier than I prefer. Worse, the tree trucks and front loaders were also out in force, attending to the remaining pockets of destruction caused by Sandy.

On weekend runs in the neighborhood, I usually stay fairly free-form in terms of my route. That way I can run distances as they play out: 4, 5, 6 miles or more, depending on where I am when I decide to head for home. Today I pre-mapped the streets I'd follow, because I wanted to cover at least five miles. With a couple of exceptions, my run went fairly well.

The temperature was in the 40's but it still felt cold, probably because there were strong winds blowing from the north. The combination of wind and a slightly rising road made for a tough start. At one point something - a leaf, twig or small acorn - hit me in the face, right above my brow. Fortunately, my glasses had prevented it from hitting my eye.

Along my route I encountered crews of workers that were blocking the road with their trucks and equipment. I saw a few large sanitation trucks that were picking up some remaining debris. I avoided a couple of streets that looked impassible, and stayed on the sidewalk while I managed around a particularly big work operation. I ended up running my distance a little faster than I thought I might. I wasn't concerned about speed, but it was nice to see that I beat my performance expectation.

When I got home, my wife and kids were in the process of preparing their famous pumpkin bread that they bake every year around Thanksgiving, for friends and family. To a ravenous runner, the smell of pumpkin, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon was intoxicating. After a quick shower, I was treated to one of the mini-muffins that were baked from the batter. Recovery food doesn't get any better than this.

Observing transformation on my morning run

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

One day can make a dramatic difference. During my run this morning I saw that most of the downed trees were removed some time yesterday. Some scary looking wires, artfully draped over a busy road for the past two weeks, were back up on their poles. The streets were clear of residual brush, and it looked like we'd never even had a hurricane.

This morning was colder than yesterday, but only by a few degrees. I wore my prized City Sports running pants and a lightweight 1/4 zip top with an short sleeve jersey over it. This combination worked well for the near freezing weather. Had I run longer, or pushed myself harder, I would have felt overheated. I ended up covering my route a minute slower than yesterday, although the effort seemed about the same.

I'm thinking about this weekend's running and I was disappointed to see that the New York State Parks website said that, besides the clubhouse, tennis facilities and golf courses, "Other areas of the park will remain closed until further notice." I need to find an alternative to Bethpage for my long weekend runs. Perhaps I'll head to Stillwell Woods tomorrow to do some trail running. It's been a long time since I've gone off road and I really miss that experience.

Running in Sandy's spooky aftermath

The shadowy world of a 4 AM runner

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Hurricane Sandy is more than two weeks gone but the after effects will remain for a while. People have been saying that it's just too soon for Thanksgiving to be happening. One of my favorite times of the year is the period between mid-October and early December. That's when the leaves turn, the air smells like fall, and Halloween and Thanksgiving kick off the holiday season. Hurricane Sandy interrupted that whole experience. On the other hand, having our power restored and not sitting in gas lines will be top of mind when we give thanks next Thursday.

As I made my way to the top of the first street on my morning run, my headlamp revealed what looked like two cords of wood stacked on the curb in front of a neighbor's house. If I had a wood-burning stove or used our fireplace, this would be a good time to save money on firewood. Running through the neighborhood is a little eerie these days, especially on mornings like this when there's little moonlight. My headlamp and the occasional streetlights played off the huge trees, downed by the storm. In the dark at 4:00 AM, it looks like a scene from "Where the Wild Things Are."

In the days between Sandy and today, we've seen temperatures drop, especially in the early morning. I dressed accordingly and appreciated the extra layers as I made my way around the neighborhood. The cold air definitely helps motivate me to run a little harder and I found myself pacing faster than the day before. The spooky shapes created by the storm were a fun distraction and my run seemed to go by quickly, even though I only beat Wednesday's time by 32 seconds. Sandy overshadowed Halloween this year, but I got it back a little today.

Athlinks bemoans declining race times

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

I had a funny exchange yesterday with Troy Busot, the founder of Athlinks. This website aggregates race results and allows members to compile a rich racing history. Athlinks members can comment on their race experiences and compare their performance to "rivals" (other members who have participated in 2 or more of the same races that you've run).

The reason I contacted Troy was that he'd sent an email that, in a tongue and cheek way, chided runners for what he called, "an alarming decline in U.S. racing performances in distances across the board." He compared average finish times for the most common race distances plus Olympic, Half and Full Ironman Triathlons. He made his point but I noticed that his times for half marathons were exactly the same as for 10K's, an obvious typo:

Average Times for Leading
Race Distances from 2009-2012

Distance	2009	2012	Change	% Change
5K Run	30:30	31:47	+1:17	+4.04%
10K Run	1:01:01	1:02:28	+1:27	+2.34%
Half Mara	1:01:01	1:02:28	+0:18	+0.15%
Marathon*	4:33:18	4:33:13	-0:04	-0.03%
Olympic Tri	2:52:53	2:55:55	+3:02	+1.73%
Half Iron	5:59:43	6:05:49	+6:06	+1.73%
Ironman	12:49:44	13:11:39	+21:54	+2.77%
* Marathon times were the only notable improvement.

Troy quickly fell on his sword after I sent him a note about it and he gave me the correct figures for 2009 and  2012, which were 2:15:16 and 2:16:40 respectively. Troy wrote, "Yep, I have quit the company in typo-shame." I've never run a full marathon but I have run the other distances. In every case (except my first half), I've beaten the average, both for 2009 and 2012. So perhaps I'm not as average as I thought, although my scores would not be so favorable were the comparison more age and gender based.

Speaking of average, my pace this morning was exactly that. The temperature was 35 degrees with a noticeable breeze, and I wore some extra layers anticipating the cold. I stayed comfortable throughout the run and didn't really have a clue how fast I was going until I looked at my heart rate near the end. I saw that I was at 80% of Max. I tried to get it to 85% in the remaining quarter mile, but I didn't quite get there. Even so, my average morning run still gets me around the course 45 seconds per mile faster than the 5K average!