I used to run but...

Okay, I talk about running a lot. It's a great subject for casual conversation, especially with people you don't know well. While it might be dangerous to discuss politics or religion with acquaintances, mentioning that you run usually evokes the following responses:

1. I run too. What pace/distances do you run?

2. I run a couple of times a week. That's often followed by "but it's been a while since I've actually run."

3. Oh, I can't run. It's so boring.

4. I used to run but...

- My knees couldn't take it.
- I don't have time anymore.
- I realized I hated it.
- I wasn't any good at it.
- It was too much of a commitment
- I couldn't stay motivated.
- Now I swim, bike, weight train, etc.

Every once in a while mentioning running will spark enough interest to get people to try it. More than one person has told me they've taken up running (curiously it's often via the treadmill) after I've mentioned what I do. I still get "You've lost weight, how did you do that?" from people whom I haven't seen for a while. People love to talk about fitness and diet and they like hearing how small changes in both can make a real difference.

I don't try to convince people to run and I try to avoid the fanatic zealotry that often comes from those who find great satisfaction from athletic activities. Like I said before, it's best to avoid conversations about religion.

Hold the pace, improve your race

I heard from my friend and running advisor, CK, after I'd posted about last Sunday's 8K race. He was convinced that my stamina issue was related to the pace I'd maintained over the first three miles. My initial reaction was to debate this because I'd maintained the same pace pretty successfully in both my 4 miler in April and my 5K in May. But I think he was right. I know I can run a 5K at 8:33 and a 4 mile race at 8:50. Add another mile to that and I finished last Sunday's 8K with a 9:00 pace. So clearly my performance degrades with each mile after the first three.

I was only passed by one or two people in the 5K and that happened in the final 400 meters to the finish line. I was passed by a lot more people in the final mile of the 4-mile race and in miles 4 and 5 of the 8K. I experienced more than one "Where did they come from?" moment in reaction to hearing fast footsteps behind me as we moved toward the end of the race..

CK said that holding back on your pace is an effective race strategy, especially for a 5 mile distance. Perhaps, instead of 8:25,  if I'd maintained closer to an 8:50 to 9 minute pace through the first three miles I'd have had enough in reserve to pass instead of being passed. It's worth testing that theory. This weekend I'm planning to try one of my long runs starting at a moderate pace and then start increasing my speed as I get closer to the end.

I may find that this helps or that I'm simply losing significant energy after 4 or 4 miles due to a need to improve my level of conditioning. But when accomplished runners like CK give me advice, I listen.

4:00 AM float

The skies were clear at 3:55 AM as I rose this morning, sleepy but excited to run outdoors. Every day I have the same reaction to the alarm: surprise that it's time to get up and incredulity that I'll be running in less than 10 minutes. When I run on the treadmill, or use the elliptical, the bright lights of the guestroom prepare me for athletic activity. Once I'm on those machines I'm fully engaged. It might as well be 4:00 in the afternoon at that point. Going from the darkness of the house to the darkness outside is a different story.

When I exited my house this morning equipped with headlamp and reflective vest I was struck by the way my neighborhood looked. There was a light mist, not quite fog, and palpable quiet. The darkness was peaceful and the streets looked inviting. As I made my way up the road the action of running felt effortless. It was almost as if I was still in bed while my body was outside doing this run.

My plan was to run about 2 miles to allow me to stay on schedule. I tried to maintain a brisk pace as I remembered my previous 4:00 AM run when the darkness made me think I was running faster than my actual speed. I monitored my time and distance on the Garmin and the Petzl Tikka Plus headlamp did a great job illuminating the watch and everything in my path. I tried to pick up the pace even more on my last stretch and when I finished the run I saw that I had covered 2.16 miles in a little less than 20 minutes. The Garmin showed this as a 9:17 overall pace which seemed a bit slow. I Gmapped it and confirmed that distance so the illusion of speed continues.

Like the first time, the experience of running this early was extremely satisfying and fun. I didn't encounter a single car or person this time. I wouldn't say the run was effortless but the cool air and light breezes felt great and counteracted the moisture in the air. The run was more like a float, part of that was due to not being fully awake by the time I hit the street. It sure beats the treadmill as a start of day activity. I can't wait to do it again.

Petzl postponement

I awoke this morning to the sounds of pounding rain and thunder. The room was illuminated by flashes of lightning and I knew there would be no outdoor workout today. I grabbed my morning cup and fired up the treadmill instead of heading outside with my new headlamp and reflective vest. My prior experience running at 4:00 AM was really nice and I had high hopes of doing that today. I visited Paragon in Union Square at lunch time yesterday and bought an AG- approved Petzl Tikka Plus headlamp and Nathan reflective vest. Last night I tried it all on for size and went to bed anticipating a peaceful circuit through the streets of my neighborhood. That will need to wait until tomorrow.

After Sunday's 8K race I decided to take a rest day to recover from that run. I knew, no matter what, that I would run today. My relationship with the treadmill has deteriorated - I don't like it and it doesn't like me. The display usually quits about a mile into a run so I depend on my Garmin for performance and timing data. I started at a comfortable pace and thought about maintaining that rate throughout the duration of the run. I wanted to cover at least two miles in my limited time so I pushed the speed slider further to the right and went with that. It was very hot in the guest room but that didn't bother me as much as I would have expected. In fact I enjoyed the run and finished with an overall pace of 8:57.

I'm really hoping for clear skies tomorrow morning. I much prefer the cool morning air and the quiet of dawn to the percussive noise from the treadmill. But I have to admit that the treadmill came through for me today: day one of training for my next race.

Mid year goals check

After yesterday's race I started thinking about my progress this year and how I have done against my running goals. In business it is common to set goals early in the year that become irrelevant by years end. Sometimes new objectives surface months later. In terms of running I'm pleased that the goals I set in late December remain valid. I suppose I could add a couple related to specific conditioning needs but those are really on the tactical side. Here's my mid year report card:

1. Participate in at least four local races.

As of yesterday I am 3/4 through this goal. I'm hoping to participate in a Summer Series run in July and I have targeted a few fall races including a local Thanksgiving race in my town.

Score: Ahead of pace

I have run 6 miles (actually, due to a Garmin calibration error it was 5.95 miles) but I haven't made 6.2. I was going to run the Great Cow Harbor 10K later this year but I have a schedule conflict. After yesterday I realize I'm not ready to be competitive at that distance so I'll likely hit that goal this month in a training run.

Score: On track

3. Run three miles under 8:40/mile.

I ran the LI Marathon 5K at 8:33 and have beaten 8:40 a few times on longer runs since then.

Score: Completed

4. Incorporate one rest day into my weekly training schedule.

I didn't take too many rest days until my first race in April when I forced myself to take a couple before that event. I've been taking them most weeks since then and I've also incorporated a light elliptical workout once a week.

Score: On track

The only goal I would add for 2009 is to run at least 20 miles per week. I've averaged 19.2 miles since the beginning of May so this is possible. I plan to do more outdoor early morning runs which will push my daily average higher than I've been attaining on the treadmill.

The race is run: 8K - 53 yards = 9:00/mi

I'm happy to report that this morning I completed my third race in as many months. The race distance was 8K (53 yards short of 5 miles) and it really pushed the limits of my stamina. I've regularly run 5 or more miles over the last six months but usually at a comfortable (non-competitive) pace. I did well through most of the race but I did find myself questioning this whole running thing at one point. I'll get to that further below.

Now that I've experienced racing a few times I know better what to expect. I arrived early to ensure a good parking spot and to allow enough time between check in and the start of the race. Despite my concerns about the planning (online registration was not enabled until the week of the race) the event was well organized and check in was orderly and efficient. I got my number, timing chip and t-shirt and got myself set up. I was alone so I stowed the non-essential items in my car and then did some stretching and warm up exercises. There were a number of people doing warm up runs but with the sun and the 65+ degree heat a warm up did not seem necessary. Most participants belonged to running clubs and there were many of those. Each club seemed to establish a base camp where they stood around and talked as we waited for the start. I was one of the odd men (and women) out but I chatted with a few people. I even showed another runner how to attach his timing chip and that made me realize that I'm no longer a complete newbie.

We began lining up about ten minutes prior to the start. I stayed on the sidelines where there was some shade as the sun was already bearing down at 9:05 AM. When I did get into place I was behind 30 or 40 other runners. Once the starting horn sounded we were off and, with the crowd ahead, it took me at least 15 seconds to pass the starting line. My plan was to start fast so I had to maneuver around some slower runners to get a clear area for running. I was pleased with my pace and very happy when I passed the display at mile 1 which showed 8:25. The course was balanced between hills and downhill stretches. I'd guess that overall it was balanced neutral to downhill. There were no killer hills but there were a few stretches where I had to put my head down and just push on for a distance. I was still tracking below 9:00/mi after mile 2 and, like the 5K in May, the time between miles two and three seemed to go very fast. I must have started to lose speed after the third mile because I had managed to hold off from being passed until then. I even passed a number of other runners after the second mile but as I headed toward mile four I got passed by at least five runners. I tried to maintain some speed on the downhill sections but I wasn't feeling all that strong and started "borrowing" those stretches for recovery from the hill segments.

The last mile was the hardest and I seriously felt like I couldn't maintain my pace too much longer. It felt a lot more like suffering than fun at that point. There were many people cheering as I got close to the finish and all the volunteers who were passing out water along the route were very gracious and encouraging. I felt slightly more energized once I saw the green field ahead that told me the finish line was close. Once I reached the grass I gave it everything I had and sprinted the final few hundred feet and noted that I had finished at 44:42 which meant that I beat 9:00 per mile.

Except I didn't...

When I looked at the posted results near the finish line I was disappointed to see that I ran a 9:00 overall pace and it hit me that the 8K course was 53 yards shy of 5 miles! I started thinking about the crowded start and the fact that I probably would have beaten 9:00 if my starting position was closer to the line. But that's an excuse, if I'd maintained the same pace for the last mile that I'd run for the first 4 I would have made my goal. It was my conditioning that prevented that and now I know that I have to train better for longer distances. I can only be grateful that it wasn't a 10K!

Despite not beating 9:00/mi I'm happy that I came as close as I did. The post race experience was a blur. I remember having a banana, an orange slice and a bottle of water and I tried to keep moving to allow my heart rate to drop slowly. I was happy with the race I ran but I know where I need to improve. I've emerged a little more. So what's next?

13 hours to the start

As I edge closer to 9:15 AM on Sunday I'm thinking a lot about tomorrow's race. Although this is the 32nd running of the New Hyde Park 8K there is very little information about it online. I haven't found any course maps or even a course description. One source, an experienced LI runner with whom I interact on the Runner's World Loop, described the course as fairly flat. He's not able to do the run himself because he has an EMT service obligation. Based on what he's said I'm assuming that it will be a fast course.

Unlike the other two races I've recently run, there is no pre-race day check-in so I'll be heading over early for that. I'm hoping the event is well organized and they get everyone checked in efficiently. I'm planning to run this race without my wife and kids attending and I'll need to time my check-in so that I get my t-shirt and/or goody bag back to my car in time to line up for the start. I've selected my race gear and I'm feeling about as ready as I can be. I'm wearing my Brooks GTS 9's that I bought the day after my last race and they have felt great. I'm hoping that I have good energy tomorrow morning. Five miles may be a standard length for my weekend runs but I haven't yet competed at that distance.

My race strategy will be to go out fairly fast for the first mile but to conserve enough to get me through the next four. AG taught me that I should use downhills to push speed and I've done that on my last few runs with good success. I'm worried how I'll feel around mile 3 but that will depend mostly on the course and the heat. I'm concerned that I won't be able to maintain my targeted pace over 5 miles. I'll soon know if my training strategy has worked.

I'm hoping that I get good rest tonight. We spent today doing family things and the closest thing to athletics was helping my daughter learn to skateboard. I took a rest day on Thursday and felt very strong on my Friday morning run. I'm betting that today's rest will help but it's still the longest distance I've had to cover in a race.  I'll let you know how it went!

Rest, rain, rest, run!

I had high hopes for a pre-work day run in Central Park this morning. I'm trying to optimize my readiness for my race on Sunday and I took yesterday as a rest day. I planned on a final training run today before resting again tomorrow. We had rainy weather this morning and while I actually enjoy running in the rain I didn't think it would be nice to spend the rest of the business day looking like a wet dog.

As I headed into the office I was disappointed to see the rain was coming down lightly but steady. I figured that I'd have to put off my morning run until later in the day. I made my way over to AG's office and she was already dressed for running. I tried to convince her to run later but she pointed to her calendar which showed meetings throughout the day. She said she was going to run with or without me so I gave in and changed into my running gear. It was rainy as we ran up town to Central Park but the air felt nice and cool. We started our timed run on the south end of the park and did one circuit around the lower loop which measured 1.76 miles. We ran at a fairly fast pace (8:30 overall) and I was happy that I was holding my own with AG - at least most of the time. Lately I've inhibited the pace when we've run but I think running in cool weather in the morning, for less than 2 miles, really helped. With our slower paced run from our office to the park we covered a total of 2.5 miles and it was a great final run before Sunday's 8K.

My concern that I'd look spent and soaked for the rest of the day was unfounded and I was very happy that AG shamed encouraged me into running despite the wet weather. I wish I could run in those same conditions on Sunday but the reports are saying 65 and partly cloudy. Come to think of it, that's not too bad either.

Pre-race rest

I'm still a racing newbie and while I have competed a couple of times in the last two months I'm not convinced that I have figured out the best strategy for optimizing my readiness prior to race day. I'd decided to take two rest days before my 4 mile race in April. The idea was to aid my recovery from the harder than normal training program I had been following. I ran a good race that day and despite a few killer hills I kept my overall pace at 8:50 per mile. The second race, in May, was a 5K on a flatter course and I decided to push my training a little more and my rest a little less. I only took one rest day the day before and ended up averaging 8:33 which pleased me to no end.

This Sunday's race is my longest yet, 8K/5 miles on an unknown course. I have not had too many sub 9:00 runs at distances greater than 4 miles so I'm not really sure how I'll do. My goal for the 4 miler was to break 9:00 and I did. My goal for the 5K was to break 8:40 and I did. My goal for Sunday is to do better than 9:07 which seems to be the best pace I've attained for 5+ miles in the last couple of months. If I can beat 9:00 I'll be happier still.

I'm enjoying a rest today although I could easily have run a couple of miles. I woke up with little leg and knee soreness (icing and compression helped that) and thought one more day of rest can't hurt. Saturday will also be a rest day if you consider back to back appointments at the eye doctor and dentist restful. Then it's race day. I'm hoping for the best.

A penultimate pre race run

I took the day off today and sneaked in a longer than normal week day run. I'm in taper mode and wanted to get one more 3+ mile run under my belt before Sunday's 8K. Like other times when I've run during the work week morning I was cautious about sharing the road with cars and school buses and I stayed on the sidewalks more than I normally do. Sidewalk running has its own risks, especially when you encounter buckled or broken sections. But compared to a steady stream of cars making their way to the local school and landscaper's trucks maneuvering through the streets it's a better way to go.

I gave myself a quarter mile to work out the leg stiffness that remains on my right side and then focused on keeping my pace steady and brisk. I felt good and the weather was cooperative so I expected that I'd end up pacing below 9:00 minutes overall. I was a little time pressed and needed to return home within 35 minutes of departure so I knew I'd probably run less than 4 miles. I purposely kept the Garmin in time mode rather than pace or distance. I wanted to see how I would run if I concentrated on speed without knowing how much distance I'd covered or what speed I was running. As I came upon the last segment of my route I tried to run faster, lengthening my stride and quickening my cadence. I finished and saw that I'd covered 3.6 miles at 8:54/mile. I was happy that I broke 9:00 but I'm still wondering why I'm not in the 8:30 range at this point. Oh well, I plan one more run on Friday and perhaps I can again push the speed and get ready for a faster pace on Sunday.

I will soon announce a new section/site related to the Emerging Runner that focuses on running technology: Runner's Tech Review. The first review will cover the Moji knee icing wrap which I am wearing as I write this. AG field tested it with her team during her recent Patch Sprint mountain race. I am also starting to work with the QStarz GPS Sports Recorder and will report on that soon.

Stay tuned for lots of new stuff on emergingrunner.com including "Running Gone Wild" and, every week, "Sedentary Man."

BMW's look evil at 4:00 AM

Last week I borrowed a reflective vest, headlamp and tail light from Adventure Girl so I could try an early morning run outside. I'll admit that I was somewhat intimidated by the idea of running alone in what is the middle of the night to most people. I got up this morning and put on my running gear, taking some extra time as I figured out the right way to wear the vest and resizing the head lamp so that it fit around my big head. The last task was to attach the blinking red LED to the back making me visible from all directions. That done, I made my way out to the driveway for a few minutes of stretching before hitting the road.

As I turned off my street onto the road past the middle school I was surprised to see how well lit my neighborhood is at 4:05 AM. I felt really good as I ran, it was almost effortless and the temperature, dry, low 40's, was perfect. I also appreciated that there was no sun bearing down on me contributing to body heat.

As I exited the middle school grounds I was actually startled by the reflected light of a parked BMW whose Xenon headlights glowed malevolently in response to the blue LED from the head lamp. It looked like an eerie blue Jack-O-Lantern. I ended up seeing a number of other cars that reflected this way during the run. My goal was to duplicate the 2 mile circuit that I ran on Sunday and it went by quickly. Or so it seemed. As I ran the final leg up the service road that feeds into my neighborhood I upped my speed hoping to finish with an impressive overall pace. I finished the 2.04 mile run (the Garmin is spot on accurate now) averaging 9:20/mile. Clearly running in the dark alters your perception of speed because I would have sworn that I was tracking at a 9:00 or below pace.

In the end it didn't matter. It was one of the best morning runs I've had and I felt completely safe. I only encountered a car delivering the NY Times to homes and one truck during my route. Otherwise it was quiet and peaceful, just me, some scary car faces and lots of lawn sprinkler activity. I'll definitely invest in my own night running gear. It's a great alternative to the treadmill and it can be a good way to beat the summer heat for my daily runs.

8K's a week

It's getting down to the final days leading up to my 8K race on June 7. It's hard to believe that it's already June 1st. You wouldn't know it this morning with temperatures in the 40's in the suburbs east of NYC. It's too early to count on the long range forcast for next Sunday but the race starts at 9:15 AM and I'm hoping the humidity will be relatively low at that point.

I've decided to taper my workouts this week, starting yesterday with a shorter (but faster) 2+ mile run. I covered the distance at an 8:50 pace which compares to the 9:07 average I ran in May. Knowing that it would be short I kept up my speed throughout the run and benchmarked distance from the Garmin against known waypoints on my route. I saw that the Garmin was undercounting my progress so I ignored the readout and just followed the route I'd Gmapped prior to the run. In all, the Garmin was off by 5% and I manually adjusted the watch so it should be accurate now. I followed my run with some time in the pool where I did kicking exercises that, combined with the cold water, helped my quad soreness.

This morning I did 22 minutes on the elliptical as a weekend recovery workout (totaled 12.5 miles between Friday and Sunday). Tomorrow I plan to do a weekday run outdoors using the vest and head lamp I borrowed from AG. I'm taking off Wednesday so I hope to do my last long run before the race and follow that with a rest day on Thursday. Friday morning I hope to do a relatively short city run with AG to finish the taper and rest on Saturday.