Don't try this at home

Yesterday morning I attended the Amazon press event where they unveiled their newest Kindle reader. Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, demonstrated the device and he talked about how people use the Kindle. He said that people can use it while on the treadmill and I tried unsuccessfully to think of a scenrio where that would not end badly. I don't know about anyone else but when I'm on the treadmill there is very little opportunity to focus on reading. Besides that, I'm guessing that the percussive force from running would likely vibrate a device right off the holder. Every time I run indoors the clock across the room turns, moves or falls off the bedside table.

The writer, Stephen King, followed Bezos on stage and he also talked about reading with the Kindle on the treadmill. Maybe it works for walkers. I'm going to try an experiment this weekend to try to read the NY Times or Fortune magazine on my Kindle while I run. If it works I'll gladly retract my skepticism.

In tomorrow's Sedentary Man

In tomorrow's column the Sedentary Man teaches us two different choices we can make regarding massage. Personally I don't think either choice is particularly appealing. Sedentary Man is teaching us so much I'm considering changing his website to a .edu. Read the current column here.

One good thing leads to another

There are a number of good things that I attribute directly to running. Besides the obvious (better health, strength and stamina) and the things that go with that (weight regulation, improved physique) there are a few other things that I'm enjoying:

• Increased patience. There's something about distance running (even the distances that I run) that help set internal expectations for tedious events. I know that when I'm at the beginning third or quarter of a run I sometimes get annoyed by what I have left to go. This is especially true for treadmill running where the constants are usually time and blank wall space. More and more I am able to reach a zone where I can make use of the tedium by thinking about things with few distractions. This is a huge breakthrough for me and evidence that I've nudged up a bit from beginner to intermediate. Previously I was too distracted by the suffering to do much thinking but, as conditioning improves, I have more time to enjoy my runs. The concepts of bearing up through other tedious things in life (commuting, long meetings, checkout lines) apply here as well. My wife and kids may disagree but I think I am much more patient than I was 6 months ago.
• Broadened interests. First there was running but that led to running technologies and a greater interest in nutrition. I'm also looking forward to trail running (I know, just do it and stop writing about how I plan to do it!). I'm also thinking a lot more about integrating karate into my workouts and I'll probably go back to roller blading once it warms up and the streets are clear of snow and dirt. There are many more things than that but, possibly most important of all, it gives me something to write about.
• Energy. Let's just say I'm much more willing to do activities on the weekends than I used to...

Running and activity also enhances engagement with people in a way that I have not experienced in a long time. I work with many smart, dynamic people and I've discovered many of them run, cycle or do multiple sports. This website allows me to engage with people across the country and the world through an area of common interest. My wife has always been an active person and my activity now compliments hers. She even did some running this weekend although it's not her sport. Since the kids are getting into running it would be great if all four of us could run together. Running and general activity have enhanced every aspect of my life. What took me so long to come back to it?

Beating expectations

It was much warmer today than yesterday so I had no issues with the cold. The wind from the west was strong and the combination of wind plus hills plus 42 degree heat made for a rigorous run. Yesterday I Gmapped my run only to discover that my Sportband was off by 2% and I had actually run almost 4.5 miles, achieving a 9:13 average pace. I Gmapped today's run and saw that it was off by almost 3% of the actual distance. I'm pleased that I exceeded my weekend goal of 8 miles in two runs. I may go to the track later with my daughter who wants to run again. I have not been to the track since discovering it covered by ice and snow but the warmer weather should have cleared that by now.

After discovering that the Sportband was not only refusing to upload any runs to the Nike+ site and was increasingly off calibration I decided to buy a Garmin 50 with HRM and foot pod. The Garmin 50 does not use GPS, the foot pod works in a similar way that the Nike+ system works using RFID. I've had readers tell me that the Garmin 50 works pretty well and I've read similar observations on websites. The reason I didn't get a GPS enabled watch is that the Garmin 305 is just too bulky and the 405 (which is a great running watch) costs $400 including the HRM and foot pod.

So until I get the 50 I'll use the Sportband to record elapsed time and distance and adjust for the Sportband’s inaccuracy. I hope to have the Garmin by next weekend. The only issue with the Garmin is that the software does not work on a Mac so I'll need to use my wife's laptop that runs Vista (ugh) or our upstairs XP machine. No matter, I'm excited about this decision and I will report on my experience soon enough.

Half of 200%

I had high hopes for Spring-like running this morning but the warmer temperatures won't reach us until later. I watched the thermometer widget on my iMac while I waited for the sun to rise. It was 17 degrees at 5:00 AM and, annoyingly, 16 degrees at 6:00. I left at 7:00 dressed for cold but, as always, I forgot to properly protect my face. No matter, I figured my body temperature would fix that soon. It all worked out and I felt great throughout the entire run. I only finished when I did because we're on a tight schedule today.

I had about ten minutes to go near the end of the run and reached a point where I would finish at almost exactly 4 miles by heading straight home or I could take a detour and add another half mile. Despite really feeling the effort at this point I took the harder path and ultimately finished 4.4 miles at a 9:25 pace. My goal for this weekend is 8 miles so I accomplished 50% of that and more than 100% for today. I'm not sure why the run went so well, perhaps it was getting some good rest overnight. I really hope I can repeat this tomorrow.

When doing less is doing more

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My son has had a tough week. Last Saturday he injured his big toe and he has been slowly recovering since then. He's also been feeling under the weather and is staying home from school today. Many kids stay home from school when they're sick but my son always plows through. He's in 4th grade but, up until today, he hasn't missed a single day of school. He won a perfect attendance award at the end of 1st grade and never looked back. I respect him for his dedication but I admire him more for deciding that his well being is more important than an award.

I wasn't feeling great yesterday and left for home a little early in hopes of getting some rest. I went to bed fully prepared to take a real rest day today; no running, elliptical or any other kind of workout. I have not done that since mid September which was the last time I remember feeling ill. I rose at my regular time and felt a bit weak. I got some coffee and planned to go back upstairs and watch the news rather than run.

Of course I didn't do that. Instead I decided that I'd run an easy mile just to get my heart rate up. Once I started I didn't want to stop and ran my regular distance. I even tried a speed technique that was suggested by one of my more experienced runner friends..

It might seem like a noble thing to press on when you're feeling ill but there are situations when pushing can make things worse. I'm feeling okay but not great after that hard workout. Running instead of resting could have backfired and put me out for the entire day. I think I can learn a lesson from my 9 year old son who understands that taking care of yourself is more important than an award or a goal.

Driving to run

Yesterday afternoon I escaped from my mid-town office for a meeting that took place in a semi-rural New Jersey town about 50 minutes from Manhattan. As we got closer to our destination I noticed a few parks where people could run or bike. A colleague who came with me pointed out one place that is supposed to have great running trails. I really wanted to take a detour and explore that more. I then started wondering whether it ever makes sense to get in your car and drive an hour to run recreationally. It just doesn't seem very green.

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Most of my runs start and end in front of my own house. MapMyRun tells users how much gas they save based upon the miles they run. I do occasionally drive two miles to the local high school track because the roads in between are too heavily trafficked for safe running. But that's as far as it goes in terms of my driving to run.

There are many beautiful parks within 20 minutes of my house and we also have beaches with boardwalks that would provide a great view and a forgiving running surface. Maybe an hour is out of scope but 15 minutes is not. I really need to get some trail shoes and start exploring, beginning with the most local options. After all it's supposed to hit 70 degrees by Sunday.

Is it too early to think about Thanksgiving?

As I'd expected, yesterday's snowstorm delayed my train commute home. There was a lot of snow on my car when I got to the station and I had to climb in through the passenger side because the driver's side door was frozen shut. You might think that all this would get me down but I was too excited by an email from my wife telling me that our town is planning to hold its first annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day.

I haven't been able to confirm details but I did see it listed on the town's Chamber of Commerce website. The site didn't list the distance or whether they will offer multiple races but I'm hoping there will be a 10K because that distance would align with my 2009 running goals. If it's anything more than 6.2 miles I don't know if I could be ready in time. Right now I'm focusing on getting through my upcoming 4 mile race. I know I can handle that distance but anything over that is fairly intimidating at this point.

Unless it's a half marathon or more (highly doubtful since my town isn't that big!) I'm going to enter the Turkey Trot. After all, what fun would running be without a big challenge once in a while?

Running to distractions

Were you to ask any group of runners the main reason why they run I'll bet most would say they do it because they just love running. Fair enough, there is much to be said for the experience. Among other things, there is the changing landscape, fresh air and the feeling that you are doing something challenging that also benefits your health. So what's not to love?

As I padded downstairs at 4:01 AM this morning to get my pre-run coffee it occurred to me that there are things about running that are not so easy to love. Like waking up every day at 4:00 and running by 4:10. Like enduring freezing cold winds, muscle pulls or hot humid conditions in the name of reaching your distance goals. I think most runners are okay with the idea of suffering. Somehow it plays into the love thing but I'm not a psychologist so I can't defend that theory. I'm discovering that my main source of suffering, fatigue, has begun to give way to a more insidious issue: tedium.

Running on the treadmill this morning yielded two emotional responses. The first was "Wow, this feels great, I wish I could run for another half hour." The second response came near the end of my allotted run time "OMG, I can't run in place while I stare at the furniture in the room for another minute." It's not just the treadmill either. This weekend, as I ran through my neighborhood without any fatigue and conditioning issues to distract me, I began to wish for something new to look at besides cars and houses.

This may be a reason why I'm thinking so much lately about trail running. It would be great to look at a changing landscape that actually is a landscape. I wonder if anyone sells systems that simulate outdoor running by projecting trails on the wall that move at the pace that you run. That may be overkill. I also keep thinking about spring when I can do my early weekday runs outdoors, providing there's enough light to see and be seen. That would be better than staring at a cabinet.

In tomorrow's Sedentary Man

In tomorrow's column Sedentary Man shares the experience of his recent visit to a Big and Tall shop. Among other things, he discovers you can buy cologne for the exceptionally sized. In the meantime, check out this weeks column.

Running resolutions at the 8% mark

Today is Groundhog Day which means little except that January has come and gone. Given that it's February 2nd, we are already 8.7% through the year. I thought I would take a look at my progress against my 2009 running goals to see how I've done.

1. Participate in at least four local races.
Not achieved but that's okay. I'm training for two upcoming races in early spring and (barring injury) I'm expecting to beat this goal by year's end.

2. Run a complete 10K course (individually or in a race). This is achievable but probably not until the second half of the year. I'm averaging about 3.25 miles for my longer runs and my best distance so far this year has been 4.4 miles. I haven't been pushing too hard to regularly reach 4 miles but that needs to happen soon. Running 6.2 miles isn't crazy when I consider that I've already run 70% of that distance. But I just couldn't do it today.

3. Run three miles under 8:40/mile.
I think this one will be tough. I'm told by experienced runners that simply running in a race helps your pace. I guess it's the adrenalin rush or keeping up with the other runners. An 8:40 5K pace would be great but I'd be pleased with 8:59.

4. Incorporate one rest day into my weekly training schedule.
I have not taken any rest days but I am incorporating two non-running days into the week. On Mondays and Thursdays I do about 25 minutes on the elliptical machine in the morning. Not exactly rest but I don't consider elliptical work equal to running in terms of effort.

I'm also doing core a few days a week and will be integrating more upper body work into my routines. I'm also thinking about adding some of the forms from my old Uechi-ryu training. I haven't done much with that since I achieved shodan rank.

Those are the breaks

The freezing cold temperatures had given way to a much more bearable 32 degrees this morning and I had hoped to resume running with my 9 year old son today. The snow and bone chilling cold had forced him to take a hiatus for the last three weekends and he had mentioned that he really wanted to run. Unfortunately the poor guy had an accident while cleaning up the dishes yesterday when a plate fell on his big toe. This required a trip to the emergency pediatrician's office last night and no activity of any kind prescribed for the next five days. So much for us running together this weekend.

I headed out alone this morning and didn't check the temperature before I left. I quickly regretted all my layers when I realized that it was almost twice as warm as Saturday's 18 degrees. Instead of hating the wind I began wishing for more of it. Today's run was less taxing than Saturday's and I ran about 4 miles. I still felt a bit sluggish and my pace reflected it; 12/sec per mile slower than yesterday.

When I tried to sync my Sportband with the Nike+ site I got the same "No runs to upload" message that I got the day before. Fortunately the device still records events accurately so I can manually capture the data and input it into MapMyRun. There is a way to manually create an XML message with the run data that can be uploaded to the Nike+ site. I'm debating whether I want to take the trouble do something that won't reflect the real time performance of my workout. After all, that's whole the point of the Nike+ system.

I should be frustrated and angry that the Sportband has failed me in so many ways but I'm taking a glass-half-full perspective. Now I'll get to buy and play with a new technology that will give me even more features than my Sportband. Despite the fact that I've had the Sportband (make that three Sportbands) over the last five months and have recorded hundreds of runs, I will get my entire investment back and this will help fund my new purchase. I only wish I could make my son's toe problem go away so easily.