Why bad runs don't really matter

The long unwinding road

Both Saturday's relay and Sunday's half marathon "Week 1" training runs were disappointing for me. The good news is that it really doesn't matter. Running is one of those things in life that can lift your spirits or temporarily disappoint you. But as long as you aren't suffering a running injury as a result, there's really no excuse for feeling badly about one or two bad experiences.

That's why I'm looking forward to getting out tomorrow. I rested yesterday and took an additional recovery day today. It's still winter-y cold outside, but at least it's sunny and the snow is gone. The Hal Higdon Intermediate Half plan says that I should run 3 miles, plus strength training, on Wednesday. However, the Emerging Runner Training Plan™ says that I should run 80% of the prior weekend's longest run on Wednesdays. So that's what I'm doing. I do appreciate Hal's attempt to add more diversity to the training schedule, so I may add in a small amount weight or core training.

I gave myself a break on speed training today, but I will resume that next Tuesday. Without weekday access to the track, I can either do treadmill intervals inside, or run 400's along a road that's adjacent to my street. That long road has a slight grade when running south to north, but SIOR says that shouldn't matter. I'll need to figure out how to manage recovery periods if I choose the street route because I'll need to start each repeat at either the beginning or end of the road.

Steep road to the Brooklyn Half

Scene of the crime

Today's run (Bethpage Bike Trail): 5.25 miles

Have you ever had one of those long runs that felt so effortless that it seemed you could run all day? If that's the case, I am extremely envious, because today's kick-off to my Brooklyn half marathon training was the opposite of that. The one positive that came out of today's workout was that I planned to run five and I did it. However, the experience itself was not good and it raised some questions about my fitness.

I had every reason to think today's run would go well. Yesterday's race was only a two mile leg. Although it was a tough two, it wasn't an endurance challenge. I wasn't pleased with my lack of stamina that caused me to slow considerably a couple of times, but my Garmin showed I'd averaged under 9:00 for a good part of the time. I figured an easy run on the paved Bethpage trail would be a nice recovery.

It was much colder this morning compared to yesterday's race conditions. The temperature display in my car showed 28° and it was breezy outside. I had dressed for the cold, but the wind made it feel far more uncomfortable. But that was an irritant, not an obstacle. I felt fine for the first few minutes and it helped that my route went downhill for much of the first mile. By the time I reached the wooded section, just east of the park drive, I started feeling an energy debt. I made my way up some short but somewhat steep sections and realized this was not going to go well.

I often hit a wall around 30 minutes into a run, but I can usually manage through that. Today that wall came at the 10 minute mark and it never went away. Even at a 10+ minute pace, I felt weighted down. I think I'm starting to react to tree pollen that was released with the spring-like weather we had earlier this week. It may just be that all the indoor training on the treadmill at easy paces has softened me up for cold weather endurance running.

The tough running continued and I considered truncating today's distance to 4 miles. I decided to stick to the script and adjusted my speed to maintain forward motion. I wasn't happy to be running so slow, but I reminded myself that this was supposed to be a recovery run and I'd committed to this schedule. All the indoor training and the lack of real elevation on my neighborhood roads were working against me. The hills really took a toll on me today.

One down, nine to go

But this is why we train, right? I remember going from middle distance to double digit mileage the last time I did half marathon training. In a way it was tougher to get through a hilly six miles those first weeks than to double that distance after many weeks of base runs.  Next weekend I go for six. I'm thinking about resting Monday and Tuesday and then going for another four or five miles on Wednesday. Perhaps I'll run 80% of my previous weekend's distance on each mid-week run. I may use Tuesdays for weekly speed work. But not this week. At this point I need a couple of days of rest.

Race Report: 2014 GLIRC Runner's Edge Trail Relay

First leg off and running (TPP is third from left)

Today's run (GLIRC Bethpage 2x3 Trail Relay) 2 mile leg (Team finish time 56:05)

The weather finally cooperated enough to allow GLIRC to run the Runner's Edge Relay this morning. This race was originally scheduled for February, but the unrelenting snow had made the trails at Bethpage State Park unrunnable. A little rain and a few days of 40 degree temperatures cleared out most of the snow, although there were still a number of icy and muddy sections along the path.

As the name implies, this race is a team effort with each member running one 2 mile leg. I haven't been running well this year, but I did a few speed oriented treadmill runs earlier in the week and figured two miles wouldn't be much to worry about. I was wrong about that. Today's two miles didn't feel endless, but I had much more difficulty that I'd expected. It was too late to help my teammates, but I discovered a large gap in my conditioning that I hope to address as I begin my half marathon training.

Runsketeers pre-race

Our team was called the Runsketeers, consisting of me and friends the Petite Pacer (TPP) and She Is Out Running (SIOR). SIOR had little prior trail experience, but she's lightning on the road. She qualified for Boston this year and almost always wins or places in her age group. TPP is also very fast (she has racked up her share of podium spots) and takes performance training very seriously. Then there's me. I used to be competitive in my age group and I've done a lot of trail running. These days I struggle to break 28 minutes in a 5K.

With that lineup, we decided to have TPP run the first leg, me the second and have SIOR bring it home. The idea was that TPP would put us in a competitive position, I would do my best to hold that and SIOR's speed would help gain back minutes and position. We didn't really discuss it, but that was my reasoning.

TPP has been feeling under the weather this week and is still fighting a fever. She's a tough competitor but decided to run despite feeling sub-optimal. Our backup plan was either to have Mrs. ER run TPP's leg or have me or SIOR run two legs. We ended up with the original lineup intact. SIOR's marathon schedule had her running 10 miles this morning prior to the race. She anchored our team after doing that long run on the hilly Bethpage bike trail. These women are amazing.

Me and Mrs. ER after number pickup

Team ER arrived at Bethpage around 9:00 AM and I collected our bibs and t-shirts. SIOR and TPP arrived about 20 minutes later. It was nice bringing together my running friends and my family. Our talking kept our minds off the fact that it was very cold and we didn't have any place to keep warm. There didn't seem to be that many participants, but the crowd grew as we got closer to start time.

We headed over to the starting area a little before 10:00 AM and the race began on time. Each leg started on the open field and led to a path into the woods that eventually connected to the main trail. TPP and the others disappeared into the distance and I was still thinking this would be relatively easy as races go.

First hand-off, from TPP

It wasn't that long before we spotted TPP exiting out of the woods from the opposite side and soon enough we slapped hands and I took off for the second leg. I made the mistake of starting too fast and I paid for that later in the run. The trail conditions were (at best) wet and stable, and (at worse) muddy, icy, snowy, sandy and slippery. There were plenty of race volunteers along the course to keep us on track and warn us of trail dangers. I was disappointed to feel overtaxed midway through the leg and I slowed considerably when running in areas of deep mud and sand. Bethpage doesn't have hills like Stillwell, but this course did have its uphill challenges.

SIOR ready to fly

Seconds after the hand-off

I was not in great shape by the time I reached the field. My family described my "sprint" to the relay hand-off as "slow motion." SIOR took off quickly and gained back some minutes. We all gathered near the finish line chute and saw her come through after covering her leg in about 16 minutes. There are no results posted, but her effort undoubtedly helped our race position.

SIOR brings it in

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMERGING RUNNER JR.

The reward for our hard work was found at the food table where they served muffins and cupcakes as big as softballs. They also offered hot chocolate and noodle soup that was described by my wife and kids as "fantastic." I had a great time although I am disappointed with the way I ran. I'm determined to get back to my prior level and I have a training plan that I think will help. My Runsketeer teammates both put in impressive runs and I'm honored to be part of that group.

I may return to Bethpage tomorrow to do my first Half training run. It's just five miles, but today was only two and that was no picnic.

Wisdom of the (running) crowd

 

Today's run (treadmill): 3.2 miles

I found it interesting that three knowledgeable runners (Carla, Karl and SIOR) have all recommended a mid-week long run as part of a half marathon training plan. I generally run shorter distances in the middle of the week. My excuse has always been a lack of time. But people with schedules busier than mine seem to get them done. Here are strategies I heard this week that I will take to heart for my training:

Carla: "The key for me ended up being doing at least two 15+ milers. and another 7-10 mile run during the week. Plus a 10k, 15k, and 10 mile race, and progression runs in the buildup phase. In effect, more overall mileage. And more of it at hoped-for race pace."

Karl: "It's all about stamina and endurance. Speed is largely innate. The stamina (tempo and progression runs) and endurance (long and easy runs) workouts allow us to maintain whatever speed that we have over longer period of times."

SIOR: "I would run speed work on Tuesdays, a longish run on Wednesday (7-9 miles), and easy runs on Thursdays and Saturdays. Then when all is said and done, I would sign up for a fall marathon." [Editor's note: SIOR is a troublemaker who knows I will never run a full marathon.]

Right now, seven mile mid-week runs are a challenge, but once I get my base closer to double digits it could be managed. If I'm going to go out for four miles anyway, what's another half hour? And now that I'm comfortable with using the treadmill for speed work, I won't have the excuse that I can't run weekday intervals due to restricted access to the track.

Today's workout was another treadmill run. I had planned to run slowly in deference to yesterday's speed session, but I ended up doing a more intense workout. I hope that by resting on Friday, I'll be properly recovered for Saturday's relay. I keep telling myself that it's only a two mile leg, but going all-out for 17 minutes (if I'm lucky) will seem like a very long time.

Again with the treadmill repeats

Today's run (treadmill repeats): 3.1 miles 
(10 x 340m plus 1 mile warm up/cool down)

I'd like to thank everyone who commented on my post and sent me emails regarding my Brooklyn Half training plan. The consensus is that my weekly long run schedule is fairly solid and that speed work should integrated throughout the training cycle. I'm anxious to return to Bethpage and excited to be able to begin this training, with the additional six miles of paved bike trail that was completed last year. If I chose to do it, I could run an entire half marathon distance from my house to the Massapequa Preserve along that trail. But somebody would need to pick me up at the end! 13 miles is one thing, 26 is quite another.

My friends FS and SIOR both pointed out the Hal Higdon training plan and I found it realistic, accessible and very close to mine in terms of weekly long run schedule. Following months of complacency, I'm getting excited about performance again. After Monday's speed session, I opted for a moderate elliptical session on Tuesday. This morning it was back to speed work with another set of repeats done with a little less intensity.

Like Monday, I started with a half mile warm up before moving to intervals. I wanted to go a little longer on each repeat, so I bumped up the distance from 220 to 340 meters and set the speed about 3% lower than on Monday. I also capped  it at 10 repeats, although it worked out to almost the same distance. I finished again with a half mile cool down.

I'm not sure if this late stage speed work is going to translate into better performance on Saturday, but I hoping for the best. It's supposed to be very cold on Thursday, so I may have to do tomorrow's run on the treadmill. I would prefer to run outdoors, ideally on trail, so I could simulate trail race conditions.

Half Marathon training, your opinion is requested!

 

Today's workout (elliptical): 40 minutes

According to Athlinks, I've run thirteen 10K's, eleven 5K's, four 4 milers, four 8K's, two half marathons and a 5 mile race. There are a couple of other races that Athlinks doesn't list, but for the most part, that's my racing history. 10K is my favorite race distance because it requires both speed and stamina. Unlike 5K's that allow me to go all-out because I know that it will be over inside of 30 minutes, 10K's require a much more strategic approach.

10K, or 6.2 miles is also a friendly distance. Even if I've slacked off on my base training runs (likely), I can generally get through a 10K without much race specific training. In those cases, I don't come close to PR'ing, but I can manage through the distance. Half marathons are a different story. There's something about double digit distance running that requires me to really focus on my training. The toughest run I ever had was my first half marathon. It was so bad, a race volunteer offered to call a doctor as I crossed the line.

That experience taught me a lesson about being prepared. I'd thought I'd be okay running my usual 6 miles or so on Sundays, then upping that distance to eight and nine miles the two weekends before the half. It didn't help that I'd also acquired a knee problem at that time, but I blame my poor race performance on my failure to plan.

My Plan

I fared much better the next time. I realized that building a proper base was the key, so I dutifully headed to Bethpage every weekend and ran increasingly longer distances. I ended up improving my time by 15 minutes the second time I ran a half. The chart above shows the Sunday long run distance plan I created and followed. I updated the schedule to coincide with this year's dates leading up to the Brooklyn Half.

NYRR "Moderate" Plan

NYRR's does a good job sending updates about the Brooklyn Half to people who are registered for the race. The last email redirected me to their site where they'd posted three free half marathon training plans. The categories are Conservative, Moderate and Advanced. I'm not apt to follow a plan that prescribes training through the week, but I was interested in the weekly long run distances. I created a second schedule around the Moderate guide to compare it with my current plan (see above).

I did well the last time by increasing my long run distance about a mile a week, topping out at 12 miles the weekend before the race. The NYRR plan steps up and down, with a decided taper near the end. I assume NYRR knows a lot more than I do about this stuff, so there must be a reason for reducing the long run distances near the end. I'm reluctant to change from what worked for me last time, but maybe I should consider following the Moderate plan.

I will take advice on this, so please share your opinion.

Treadmill 220's, surprisingly fun

220m intervals with 70 second recovery jog

Today's run (treadmill intervals): 3.2 miles (16 x 220m, 1 mile warm up/cool down)

Although you wouldn't know it by looking at my Garmin data from my weekend runs, I have turned my attention back to performance running. It isn't without irony that, despite my now-clear neighborhood streets, I did my first speed workout this year on the treadmill. My preference would have been to do this on the track, but I was reluctant to risk being hauled off by security for trespassing at the high school.

I normally take Mondays as my rest days but I really needed to focus on my readiness. If the weather holds, I'll be racing on Saturday with the Runsketeers. I didn't intend to take as much time as I ended up needing for today's workout, but it was good that I did. My plan was to start with a half mile warm up at about 9:30 a mile and then run 12 x 100m before finishing with a mile cool down. I discovered that running intervals on a treadmill can be difficult. This is because the machine lacks the hard start/stop precision of the track. I had to account for the time it took the treadmill to get up to full speed each time.

As a result, I decided to run 220m repeats instead of 100's. I'm not confident of the accuracy of the speed displayed on the treadmill, but I set it 25% faster than what I usually run on the machine. I averaged 67 seconds for the 220's (about an 8:10 pace), after factoring in the starting lag.

I started and ended today's session with regular running. I bumped up the speed on the cool down to take advantage of the fact that 6.5 MPH feels a lot easier after pushing close to 8 MPH for twenty minutes. I was surprised that my heart rate averaged only 81% of max overall. Perhaps 67 seconds isn't enough time to go up from 64% (heart rate during recovery cycle). I'm sure that if I was doing 400's at that pace I'd be in the red zone by the end of each repeat.

Treadmill intervals were more fun than I expected and I hope this was a good way of reactivating my speed. I may do another speed session on Wednesday before my mini taper. Running fast is fun. I wish I could remember that more often.

Retroactive run

Old faithful - Brooks Adrenalin 10's

Today's run (street): 4.5 miles

This morning I was looking at the the spring shoe guide in the March issue of Runners World. I've always liked running shoes because they are technically designed and they look cool. Most runners view a new pair of trainers as a reason to get excited about a run, which is why so many new pairs are sold every year.

As I looked at the 2014 models, two trends occurred to me. One was that most manufacturers have moved away from minimal models but are still maintaining the concept of "low drop." This means that the height difference between the heel and forefoot is typically less than 10." The other trend is toward super-cushioned running shoes. Models like the Hoka One One have huge out-soles that resemble the old running shoes from the '80's and '90's.

 

I was an early adopter of minimal running shoes, beginning with the first Kinvaras, followed by the Grid Tangents, Hattoris,  and the Brooks Pure Drifts. Before that, I used to run in conventional shoes, my favorite being the Brooks Adrenalins. The Adrenalins are built to last. I got over 700 running miles out of my GTS-9's before I switched them to being weekend casual shoes. I had a similar experience with the 10's. In fact I still wear those every weekend.

After looking at the shoe guide, I wondered what it would be like to take the 10's out for a run after treating them as sneakers for the last three years. I love my Saucony Virratas, but I felt like a change today and figured the nicely cushioned Brooks would provide a good break. I laced up the 10's and they felt as good as ever. From the first steps off the driveway, I knew that they'd be fine, despite having over 1,000 miles on them.

I haven't run outdoors too often this year, so I'm re-acclimating to pavement. The purpose of today's run was to nudge my comfort beyond the 3 mile base that I'd defaulted to over the past two months. The shoes felt fine, but there is a difference between the 11.1 ounce Adrenalins and the 6.5 ounce Virratas. I don't know if that extra weight slowed me down compared to yesterday, but something did.

Forgetting that for the moment, I did appreciate the well cushioned feel of the classic Adrenalins. I wondered if there is a happy medium between the two types of shoes. Apparently some of the 2014 models are leaning in that direction. New materials that perform better than EVA are being used, resulting in softer cushioning and lighter weight.

I'm not sure if I'll include the Adrenalins in my primary shoe rotation, although I see no harm in using them for long easy runs. I'm remembering the foot issues I had when training for the half marathon in 2012, when I'd do 9-12 mile runs on the Bethpage bike trail every weekend. That might be a good way to build up my long base without going through that painful stage again. I also wonder if training in those heavy shoes would give me a performance boost when I return to the lighter Virratas.

Road running reunion

On the road again

Today's run (street!): 4.2 miles

Spring must finally be coming. I looked in the backyard and could actually see parts of our deck that weren't completely covered in snow. It was 41° this morning when I prepared to run in my neighborhood for the first time since January 12. This winter's snowfall has not been good for outdoor running. In the nine and a half weeks since New Year's, I've only run outside seven times, including today.

Spring is on deck

Running indoors is mostly about fitness while outside running widens the experience to include far more stimuli. The smell of a backyard barbecue in summer or new construction on a house a few blocks over can positively distract from the rigors of the run. Not to mention the great sensory overload you can get from trail running. I was excited to be able to run outside today, but I'll admit to being a little nervous about breaking from the comfort of my normal routine.

It was an easy transition to my neighborhood streets and I felt stronger than I expected as I came up on my first mile. Unlike many who perceive the treadmill as an easier workout than running on the road, I have the opposite view. I suspect my treadmill speed is actually faster than what is shown on the display. I fell into a comfortable pace today and every once in a while it would occur to me to add a little speed. At one point I was overtaken by another neighborhood runner, but that didn't bother me too much.

I ended up averaging a little under ten minutes per mile. Not good compared to my normal outdoor pace, but far better than the speed I struggled to maintain when I ran with my friends at Eisenhower Park a couple of weeks ago. My cold is gone, but some chest and sinus congestion still remains.

I want to go out and do another easy run tomorrow and try to push the distance a little more. I may put that off until Monday and take advantage of having access to the high school track on Sunday. Last time I tried the track it was covered with snow. I hope today's thaw helped to clear it. If it looks like my backyard deck I'll head back to my local streets.

Feeling the run, but not the runner

Thursday's city walking

Today's run (treadmill): 3.25 miles

My schedule on Wednesday and Thursday prevented me from running, although I did cover close to seven miles on foot yesterday. I've managed to get free of my cold, but I still feel like I need to build back some fitness. I've read that taking a week off from running (as I just did) should not affect your your level of conditioning. That's probably true, although I'm finding it harder going when I push to my anaerobic threshold. I really need to do some speed work.

This was a busy morning and I was down to business by 6:30 AM. Around 10:00 AM I took a break and got on the treadmill for my first run since Tuesday. Knowing that I'm not back to 100% in terms of fitness, I opted for just a slightly faster speed than the last treadmill session. I managed to hold that pace without difficulty and, after a time, began to increase speed every quarter mile. By the end I was fairly tired, but not exhausted.

My activity record over the first two months of 2014 looks very similar to prior years. The big difference is where I did my workouts. All the treadmill running that I've done this year has created a level of detachment that I never get when I'm running primarily on the road or on trails. Yes, I'm maintaining (more or less) the same weekly mileage, but I don't feel much like a runner these days.

Unless we get some unexpected snowfall overnight, I plan to return to the road tomorrow. This will be my first neighborhood run in over a month. I really feel the need to reconnect to running. My interest in racing is at an all time low. With the Bethpage relay, Marcie Mazzola 5K and the Brooklyn Marathon on the schedule, it's important that I get back on track. And back to the track.

Return to a real workout

 

Today's run (treadmill): 3.25 miles

Colds are funny. No matter their severity, they all seem to follow the adage, "Three days coming, three days staying, three days leaving." An impending cold signals the start of an uncomfortable week. Bad decisions are often made (certainly by me) about how far to push myself after the first symptoms appear. I questioned whether it was wise to run 6.7 miles two Sundays ago, when it was clear that I had started a cold. But if that had an effect on this cold's duration, it was a minor one.

Aside from some residual stuffiness, this cold has pretty much passed. I decided to ease back into running during the "leaving" phase, with extremely easy workouts. This morning I felt close to full strength and went back to my usual routine. I'll admit that I picked a program on the lower end of the performance scale, but it was a legitimate workout.

My concern was that resuming a normal training pace too soon would tire me out before I could finish the run. I had a moment around the first quarter mile when I wondered whether I'd taken on too much too soon. Happily, that didn't last long. Although the rest of the run felt long, it was completely manageable. My other concession to recovery was forgoing the anaerobic sprint I usually do for the last quarter or eighth of a mile.

The best thing about today's workout was knowing that I'm ready to train again. I'll take it fairly easy over the next week and hopefully see some pavement this weekend.

Missing an experience that I used to call mundane

Miss you

Today's run (treadmill): 35 minutes

After so many days away from running, it was hard to justify taking my usual rest day today. This hiatus was necessary to get me through the past week. One thing I've learned is that running while ill is a zero sum game. Benefits gained through a hard workout may be canceled out by the strain put on a weakened body.

Before I could consider a run this morning, I needed to consider the driveway. A foot or more of snow had been predicted over the weekend, but that number was lowered to 2"-4" for our area. We ended up with barely an inch. I didn't want to leave it to freeze into a sheet of ice (supposed to get into the single digits tonight), so I went out early and shoveled. My level of required effort compared to Saturday's ice-moving exercise was fairly low.

I had a number of items on today's schedule, so I carved out 35 minutes for a treadmill workout that was similar to yesterday's, except I set the incline to 2% today. This was not intended to be a difficult workout (see first paragraph). It was more about moving, getting my heart rate going and preparing for what I hope will be a higher performance run tomorrow.

After I'd completed my workout, I drove to the bank to deposit a check. I inspected my local roads and thought about how I'd often complain about the mundanities of neighborhood running. I looked up and down these long strips of open pavement and wished I could return to them. There's still too much ice and snow to do that now, but soon it will all melt away. At least that's how it's supposed to work.

Back to the run, six days later

 

Today's run (treadmill): 3.1 miles

I had high hopes for my 2014 running the morning of January 1st. I'd finished out 2013's racing season with a credible performance in the Hot Chocolate 5K and (unlike recent years) I'd come through the holidays with neither a cold nor the flu. Me and my running buddies met at Eisenhower Park on New Year's morning to do our first running event of the year, The LIRR Hangover Run. We had fun that day and I felt great afterward. I looked forward to winter running and a return to my old form.

Although my running year got off to a great start, it quickly stalled. The snow rarely stopped and the temperatures rarely rose high enough to melt it off. My choices were to compromise safety and run on narrow icy roads, or stay indoors and use the treadmill. Safety prevailed and, as of today, I've only run outdoors four times in the past two months.

This morning I did my first run in a week. It was a treadmill workout done at a very moderate pace. I believe that this was the first full week (since recovering from pneumonia in early 2010) where I didn't record a single mile of running. What I had wasn't the flu, but it sapped my strength and I knew that pushing myself would not be healthy.

I made the mistake of chipping down the icebergs at the end of my driveway on Saturday so I'd have some room to put the new snow we're supposed to get this week. That 40 minute exercise would have normally counted as a bonus cross training session, but yesterday it felt like I'd logged a long hard run.

I had a great night's sleep and this morning I felt closer to full strength. I exercised caution on the treadmill and dismissed any thoughts about performance. Today's goal was to start the process of recovering any fitness that I may have lost during my downtime. Even at my easy pace, I felt a burn in my throat that I used to get in my early days of running.

I further reduced my speed after each mile. It seemed like the right move since my goal was simply to get through a moderate aerobic workout, not to maintain a challenging heart rate. I'm clearly still recovering, so I'm not sure of my true level of fitness. What I do know is that I'm nowhere near the level of race readiness that I'd expected on New Year's morning. I'll forgo my Monday rest day and, perhaps, take another step forward tomorrow.

Listening to my body, finally

 

My cold started on Saturday morning, leading to a terrible treadmill run later in the day. In the past, my position was to always run through a cold, but rest with a fever. This was clearly a cold, so I was surprised to have such a difficult time getting through my workout. I felt okay on Sunday morning when I joined the Runsketeers at Eisenhower Park, but the fatigue soon returned and I had trouble maintaining our very easy pace.

In retrospect, I'm happy to know that it was just a cold that was affecting my stamina and not something more serious. I took my usual rest day on Monday and, by Tuesday, it was clear that a run would do me more harm than good. However, I did cover five miles walking in the city that day. By Tuesday night I was officially exhausted. I spent much of Wednesday trying to rest and recover.

I'm still dealing with a full blown head and chest cold, so running is out of the question for now. I'm feeling a slight improvement today and I'm hoping that continues. I doubt I'll run tomorrow, so this may turn out to be my lowest mileage week in over a year. That's fine, since I run 5-6 days a week, it's probably good to take a long rest every once in a while. It took a bad cold to make me stop, but maybe all this rest will do me some good.

Runsketeer run in Eisenhower Park

Well at least I can drink coffee as fast as them

Today's run (Eisenhower Park): 6.7 miles

It took a lot of late night planning to choose today's running venue, but it paid off for the Runsketeers this morning. With Bethpage's trails still "out of operation" and the Runner's Edge Fun Run taking place on public roads, we decided to meet at Eisenhower Park. SIOR qualified for Boston and has been following a training program that required her to cover 14 miles today. She ran 7 miles around her local roads and then met me and TPP at the park to run seven more.

I've been dealing with the beginnings of a cold that has sapped a lot of my energy. Yesterday's run on the treadmill was very difficult and I wasn't confident that I could run the miles that my Runska-buddies were planning. I was also concerned about maintaining a pace that wouldn't bore them silly. Their support got me through the distance (I hadn't run more than five miles on pavement this year). As usual, they were extremely gracious about accommodating my pace.

I don't know why my stamina and performance have been so poor the last couple of months. I suspect it's due to my lack of focus and boredom from running on the treadmill. SIOR runs faster on the treadmill to get through her workout faster. I run slower so I can be more easily distracted by the TV. In less snowy times, when I'd run outside every day, it was easier for me to add speed into a run. I would also add chunks of distance by spontaneously choosing different roads to follow. I know I can easily add speed and distance when on the treadmill, but I don't.

All around the park today

Graphic courtesy of The Petite Pacer

Our route today went all around, due to construction being done to build ice rinks in the park. I lagged behind my buddies by a few feet much of the time, but they worked to adjust their speed to keep me within talking distance. There was one point when we followed the same route that we ran on the New Year's Hangover Run. This allowed me to rest a minute while my friends followed the end of the loop and met me on the other side. So in terms of total distance, I probably ended up covering fifth of a mile less than my running partners.

With the exception of a few parts on the path that required careful stepping (and a short walk) over icy snow, Eisenhower's trails were fairly clear. I didn't think I would be able to go more than four miles early on the run, but the fun of being with my little group made the distance fully manageable.

Despite another snowstorm predicted early tomorrow morning and the return to Polar Vortex temperatures, I am hopeful that this snow will soon be gone and I can get outside and resume performance-focused training. I'd like to be able to keep up better with the Runsketeers so I participate more in the conversations during the run.

The good news is that it takes no effort to sit in Starbucks and recount the experience after the run. We were all time constrained today, but we made the best of it. It was so great to see my friends and spend time doing something we all love to do. I almost ran seven miles today after weeks of treadmill 5K's. I couldn't have done that without the Runsketeers.

Zapped and tired

Zapped again

Today's run (treadmill): 45 minutes

I woke up feeling tired with a scratchy throat this morning. Morning is when my energy level peaks, but even with two cups of coffee, I felt fatigued. It was "near-end-of-vacation-pancake-day" so I had to participate. I added a cup of decaf to my coffee intake and figured the extra carbs from the pancakes would help fuel my run. If that was the case, it was a short term benefit.

My treadmill workout did not go very well. I knew I'd have trouble maintaining Friday's pace, so I started at a speed that I thought I could sustain for 40 minutes. Although the temperature has risen throughout the week, the humidity has remained low. About three minutes into the run, my hand brushed the treadmill's HRM grip. This caused a spark that wiped out the display but I didn't notice it for another minute. I reset the treadmill without knowing how far I'd actually gone.

The next ten minutes went okay, but I soon felt tired. I usually wouldn't stop a run due to fatigue, but today I made an exception. I gave myself a minute to recover before restarting the machine and dialed down the speed a half a MPH. I was able to manage through for another 30 minutes, though I don't know if it was wise to continue.

I'm hoping my strength will return so I'll be on my game tomorrow. I keep expecting a cold to come, but so far it's mostly just fatigue and an irritated throat.

Tuning up for an outside run

Foggy view from the treadmill

Today's run (treadmill): 3.3 miles

This has been a great week with the kids being off from school. I've had to work on projects, but I've also had a good amount of family time. My business in the city yesterday produced the need to do lots of work today. I didn't get to run on Thursday, but I covered a few miles on foot. I'm loving those gel insoles.

I'd hoped that this morning would provide an opportunity for me to finally get outdoors and run. However, the snow hasn't melted much and there was a thick fog that was produced by a rapid change in temperature. Both of these things made street running too dangerous, so it was back on the treadmill. I no longer curse my fate as I look outside at the still-icy roads. I know I'm fortunate to have the option to run indoors.

I'm planning to run with my Runsketeer buddies on Sunday, so I tried to up my game in terms of speed. I've been extremely complacent in terms of performance and I shocked my body a little by doing a progressive speed run. This treadmill regimen has taken me out of race shape so I hope I'm able to keep up with the "twin turbos" this weekend. I usually do better on the road than on the treadmill in terms of pace, but the last time I ran on pavement, my legs did not like it at all.

Missing my houses and cars

 

Today's run (treadmill): 3.25 miles

The biggest difference between today's and yesterday's workouts was the timing. I got to it early and my energy level and mental engagement were much improved. Even though I set my speed faster than on Tuesday, I felt far more comfortable. There's always an element of tedium on the treadmill, but today it was bearable.

A good run that follows a bad one helps us keep our perspective. The sameness of the treadmill experience, with the unchanging view out the window, can easily sap motivation. But physically, your body doesn't know the difference. I'm ready to return to my neighborhood roads where the scenery is constantly changing. As far as that scenery goes, it's just houses and cars. But those houses and cars are all different in their own way.

Wishing for a DVR for running

 

Today's run (treadmill): 3.25 miles

The kids are off from school this week and that can effect the rhythm of my day. I usually see the kids off to school each morning before heading outside (or upstairs) for my run. My timing is often very tight, leaving me just enough time to work out (and shower) before my first business call. When the kids stay home, my schedule tends to slip.

This morning brought distractions, including shoveling a few inches of fresh snow. I lost my running slot and had to start my work day without my usual post run rush. Worse, my missed workout made me feel guilty all morning. I decided then to switch around a couple of calls so I could take a mid afternoon break and do a treadmill run.

I prefer to run in the morning because my body responds better to activity before noon. A mid afternoon run wasn't ideal, especially since I'd had lunch only a couple of hours before. The run was okay, but tedious. I found myself wishing that I could fast forward through it like a DVR. I did get my run in, even though it extended my workday another hour. The temperature rose above freezing for most of the day today and they are predicting rain for tomorrow. An outside run by Friday is a possibility. Can't wait for that.

Run, interrupted

Reset, you bet

Today's run (treadmill): 4.5 miles

My son is hosting a competition with his buddies today and our basement is filled with the loud noises and trash talking that you'd expect from a bunch of 9th grade boys. Due to this, our morning schedule was compressed and I strongly considered skipping today's run. Yesterday's snowfall put four additional inches on top of Thursday's accumulation and I shoveled a lot of wet, heavy snow on Saturday. By the time I finished, it was after 10:00 PM.

I mentioned to my wife that I was considering taking a rest day. She suggested that I do an alternative workout, either a walk or an easy run on the treadmill. With that in mind, I got myself situated. I set the speed a little lower than yesterday's and let it go. Things went well, but I felt the tread slip about halfway through the run and then stop. I checked that my safety cord was still in place and there was no power drop. It seemed like the treadmill console had just spontaneously reset.

This reset wiped my distance off the console's display, as well as my elapsed time. I hadn't been looking at my distance when the machine stopped, but I had an approximate idea where it was. Based on the speed I was running, and the time captured on my Garmin, I was able to back into the number. I restarted the treadmill and kept going until I reached a calculated 4.5 miles. From there, I reduced my speed to a fast walking pace and increased the incline to 2% for a half mile cool down.

It was a good decision to run easy today rather than put off my workout until tomorrow. With two days in the city this week that interrupted my workout schedule, I would have fallen very short on mileage. No more snow today, so my upper body is finally getting some rest. Do I dare hope to get an outdoor run in next week? More snow is expected on Tuesday, so I'm thinking that's not likely.

Forget running shoes, this is what I want

On my wish list

Today's run (treadmill): 4.5 miles

Hey guess what, it's snowing again! I really don't mind all the snow this season, since I no longer need to commute every day on the Long Island Railroad. What I don't like are the limited options I have for running these days. The treadmill is a handy choice, but even with the TV or music on, I find running in place to be tough on the mind.

Last week I was in industry meetings and I had a chance to catch up with my friend (and occasional running partner) KWL. We were talking about how the weather has affected our training and we agreed that snowshoes would be a handy thing to have. I've considered buying them in previous years, but the cost seemed high for the use I'd get out of them.

Now that we're into the last months of winter, I've noticed prices are dropping. But the lowest cost I've seen for adult snowshoes is still over $100 a pair. If I was confident that we'd see similar levels of snow in 2015 I'd certainly consider the investment. KWL, who is a master craftsman, suggested that we build our own. Easy for him to say.

This looks like a lot of trouble

Without snowshoes to get me outside, I wound up on the treadmill again today. It was a fine workout and I went as long I could with the time I had. The light snow coming down right now shouldn't amount to much, compared to everything we've seen this week. My kids go out in the snow at every opportunity. Even without snowshoes, they always seem to have a great time. Maybe that's a workout I should consider.

A Valentine's running treat

I heart insoles

Today's run (treadmill): 3.5 miles

Happy Valentine's Day. This is a nice holiday because it's providing a nice diversion from all the cold, ice and snow we're having. I got some shoveling in today so I can check the cross training box once again. I also ran on the treadmill this morning and can check the running while un-stimulated box. But I did give my feet a Valentine.

A few weeks ago I bought two pairs of gel insoles for my shoes, so my feet wouldn't end up blistered and sore after a walking around NYC all day. They do a good job compared to regular insoles and I've felt much better after covering five or more miles on city streets. My Saucony Kinvaras have about 700 miles on them and they have served as my treadmill shoes for the last 200. The Kinvara 3's have held up very well, but I think the mid-soles have lost a lot of their support. I decided to try the other pair of insoles for today's run and was pleasantly surprised with the results.

I was concerned that the gels would be too mushy, but they turned out to be very supportive. My Kinvaras suddenly felt more like my old Adrenalins which provided a nice combination of cushioning and response. The biggest benefit came from lower fatigue in my calves and less strain underfoot. The tedium of the treadmill was somewhat mitigated by this additional comfort. Why hadn't I tried this before?

Time for a snow bank withdrawal

Today's weather took a turn for the better and the temperatures finally rose above 32°, allowing some snow to melt. There's still plenty left and the snowbanks along my driveway remain about 4' high. I had hoped this would be enough to clear the roads for weekend running, but today's melt hardly made a dent. Temperatures have dropped again and we're expecting about three more inches tomorrow. So more treadmilling this weekend. At least my feet will be happy.

Hey, remember me?

Hence, the treadmill

Today's run (treadmill): 3.25 miles

It's been a few days since I last posted due to both a lack of time and subject matter. It's Thursday and my grand total for the week is three and a quarter miles. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent in the city. Those days started early and went late and I didn't have an opportunity to work out. I covered plenty on miles on foot, so that counts for something, right? Most of that walking was done at a brisk pace due to the face-freezing temperatures that were caused by head-on winds.

But I write about my running, and not my walking (generally), so I didn't have much to post. I suppose I could have written about my meetings, but this blog isn't The Emerging Business Guy. I've felt weirdly out of the running loop, especially since the Runsketeers were due to dominate on Saturday's trail relay and there were probably things to discuss. We learned that the race was canceled due to the two feet of wet snow that's being dumped on us right now.

I have to admit that I'm partially relieved that this race has been postponed until March. I have not trained well for the Bethpage relay that requires full tilt running for two miles. All the treadmill running that I've been doing has taken away whatever edge I had. My treadmill sessions haven't been as performance oriented as an equivalent run on the road. My experience on Sunday, running on pavement for only the fourth time in 2014(!), revealed a conditioning gap caused by a lack of road time.

Today's run was on the treadmill, due to the foot-plus of snow already we've received. I'd shoveled in the morning and I suspect that explains the lack of focus I had on my run. I ran at my normal speed but I felt detached and unconnected the whole time. On the plus side, I got in my first run after three days off, but I'm definitely not in the zone. I'll blame it on the weather and look forward to the clear roads and warmer temperatures that will eventually come. Unless we've just begun a new Ice Age...

Snowed out at the track, but not at the park

Track was snow go

Today's run (street): 4 miles

I ended up wimping out of the GLIRC run today. I debated whether to head over and see the condition of that route (it would have been a five minute drive), but finally decided to pursue a different workout. I haven't focused much on my speed lately and the Bethpage trail relay is next week. A track workout would be ideal so (after much preparation and stalling) I made my way to the high school track.

I was hoping the track would be clear, but when I arrived I saw that it was covered by at least three inches of snow. It would have been perfect conditions for Yaktrax or snowshoes. I was dressed for a cold outdoor run and didn't want to return home to the treadmill so I thought about my other options. First was the paved area at Stillwell that was right across the street. I knew that I could run a .6 mile loop there. Similarly, I thought about running the half mile route around the driveway loops at the middle school in my neighborhood.

Neither choice appealed to me, so I started to head toward the GLIRC office. I figured that I could park around there and pick up the northern end of the bike trail where the Clubhouse runs start. On my way there, I swung through the local business park and saw that it had clear roads and sparse traffic. I pulled into one of the lots and started a run going clockwise around the loop.

I had put on a lot of layers and immediately noticed how it restricted my stride. The 1.2 mile loop rises and falls with the clockwise direction, providing about 40 feet of elevation gain within a .4 mile section. I usually run it that way, rather than going in the opposite direction where that elevation stretches across 3/4 of a mile.

After so many treadmill runs in the past few weeks, I found the pavement a little jarring. I thought about my blogger buddy SIOR who goes out for runs in the double digits a few times a week (20 miles yesterday!) while I struggled to get my road legs back. Soon enough, the snow will leave us and I'll begin my base training runs for the half marathon that will culminate with 12+ mile runs.

At 2.8 miles I needed to stop at an intersection where a few cars were taking a left toward Jericho Turnpike. I hit stop on the Garmin while the cars went by and (apparently) did not properly restart it. About five minutes later, I heard a beep and saw that the Garmin was shutting down to preserve battery. I restarted the watch and tried to estimate how much further I'd need to run to cover four miles.

Round and round the park

I figured that a side route towards the Route 135 underpass would gain me the distance I'd need to make four miles. I would have aimed for more distance, but my right knee was feeling slightly sore. I finished up fast, with my best pace of the run on the last quarter mile. I knew it was the right time to stop when I reached the lot where I parked. I Gmapped my route when I got home and confirmed my distance.

I only covered about eight miles over the weekend, despite my goal of doing ten. That was fine because my legs got a good workout, especially today. I do need to dial up the speed to help prepare for next weekend. With snow falling tonight, that will probably have to happen on the treadmill.