Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Hard to resist trying the Resistance Runners

I don't yet know about the shoes but the packaging was impressive
After regretting my run on Tuesday morning and realizing that I needed some rest, I decided to forgo my planned elliptical session today. I'm glad that I did because I've been dealing with slight pain stemming from either my upper hamstring or my glutes. I don't think I'm hurting it when I exercise but it will heal better with an occasional break from those activities.

The only regret I have today is that I'm going to have to wait to test my newest running technology:  Skecher's Resistance Runners. Despite my earlier post where I poked some fun at gimmicky running shoes including these, Skecher's still offered to send me a pair to test. I'm used to companies that understand runners and running shoes but Skecher's seems to still be on the learning curve. When they asked for my shoe size I told them 10.5, D width. I soon received a call saying that they don't make them in a wide sizes so would I want to go up to an 11? I straightened her out on the fact that D is standard width but I wished I had chosen size 11's after I tried them on last night.

The shoes arrived yesterday in a huge box that was quite impressive. Cool materials, fancy overlays and lots of marketing hype about the benefits of the shoes. I don't know if this what you get if you purchase them retail or whether this is special packing for journalists who test their products. It was very different from the boxes you get from Brooks and Saucony that are made for easy recycling. The shoes aren't as silly to look at as I thought they'd be. I can certainly wear them in daylight hours but I won't be using them in a race. That is, unless they make me an 8 minute/mile runner. My initial impression was that they are snug for their size, especially at the toe box, and that the purposely unstable mid-sole is interesting. Interesting good or bad is yet to be determined. I'm traveling today through tomorrow so I won't have the chance to run with these shoes until Friday. I'll admit to being more curious about these shoes than I'd imagined I'd be.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Which friend do you want to be?

Today's run (street): 2.6 miles

I know a person who runs about 40 minutes every few days. The time is arbitrary because he doesn't wear a watch. He thinks that he runs about four miles each time he goes out but he's not really sure. My friend has little idea of his pace but guesses he runs around 10 minutes per mile. I know another person who cycles through a weekly regimen of training: intervals on the track, tempo runs, strides, Fartleks and distance runs. He knows his paces for all these activities. He usually hits his desired numbers. These two people enjoy running, but the way they engage is very different.

I'm somewhere in the middle in terms of activity and expectations. I do care about my distance and pace but I don't devote much time to the core training activities that help make one faster or better prepared for tough conditions. I view my running satisfaction against two criteria -- performance and experience. Performance is defined for me very specifically: a pace as far below 9:00 per mile as possible or covering a challenging distance. Experience is much more arbitrary. That's defined by how I feel. Some runs are relatively slow but feel great. That's a successful experience. Other runs hit the mark on performance but the price paid is pain and/or injury. Not so successful. As a recreational runner I look for equilibrium between these two criteria. When that balance is reached I am a happy runner.

Today I was not a happy runner. I took my usual rest day on Monday and by last night I was feeling ready to run. We had kinetic storms overnight with wind, thunder and lightning and I feared I'd be stuck on the treadmill today. It was slightly rainy when I got up at 3:45 and I decided to go for it. From my first few steps off my driveway I could tell that I would have trouble on this run. I couldn't generate the leg turnover I needed to get to my desired speed and I felt a bit tired. I hoped that initial fatigue would give way to a boost of energy after a few minutes and while things did improve, it wasn't by much. I ended up running for 25 minutes and only covering 2.6 miles in total. Sub-par performance against my expectations and a fairly miserable experience in the process. On one hand I did go out under rainy skies and did my workout long before most of the world was thinking about waking. If I was friend #2 I'd be furious about my poor performance. If I was friend #1 I'd probably think "That wasn't as much fun as usual, maybe next time I'll feel better." I think friend #1 makes the better point.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Kinvaras as a daily trainer?

These cool Kinvaras are becoming my everyday shoe
The transition to fall weather makes me happy. Although it will take some time to adjust my running gear so that I don't go out under-dressed like yesterday, I still welcome the change. This morning the temperature where I live is 51 degrees, perfect for a run but quite chilly when standing on the train platform. I always wish for this weather when enduring the heat of summer or the frigid cold in January. I'll enjoy it as long as I can.

I wore my Saucony Kinvaras during yesterday's run and I've started to really appreciate them. Lightweight but not insubstantial, they are minimally constructed but still reasonably supportive. The Kinvara is a neutral shoe and I thought I'd have trouble with it because I pronate when I run. I've had some 8+ mile runs with them without experiencing any problems with my knees or legs and that brings me to question the idea of stability shoe engineering. I suspect that because the drop off between heel and forefoot of the Kinvara is only 4mm, compared to 12mm, (common for standard trainers) the shoe facilitates a more natural mid-foot landing. This would logically neutralize the effects of pronation. I continue to rotate through my other pairs and still consider my Brooks GTS 10's my everyday shoe, but the Kinvaras are forcing me to rethink that these days. If I do move primarily to the Kinvaras I'll need to consider their durability and the thermal properties of the barely-there uppers compared with the Brooks' more substantial build. After all, it's getting colder out there these days.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Finally, a cold morning run. Wish I dressed for it...

The ducks were out at Caleb Smith this morning
Yesterday's run (street): 4 miles at 9:08
Today's run (street): 7.4 miles at 9:28

I waited until about noon on Saturday to run, mostly due to my reluctance to work up a sweat in the morning without the option of showering afterward. I spent the last 36 minutes strapped to my doctor's HRM in order to capture Saturday's workout. It was a pleasure to finish the run and end my 24 hours with this unit that was attached to me by four electrodes. I was still a little tired from Friday's stress test when I hit the road and though I managed a decent pace I felt like I was running in low gear the whole time. It felt as though I had a tether attached to me that prevented me to maintaining my desired cadence. My goal was to go out for a quick three miles but I ended up covering four. Upon returning home, I happily detached the electrodes and packed the HRM for return to the lab.

This morning I left early for my week's long run. My neighborhood boundaries limit my options for running real distances, after that I need to cross some traffic to prevent repeating the same roads. It was a chilly 38 degrees at 7:00 AM, far colder than I'd planned for the way I'd dressed. I did wear my best long compression pants but I didn't bring gloves nor a long sleeved shirt. I regretted my lapse when, after two miles, my hands were still semi-numb. Besides all that my run was pleasant, starting with a loop through my main neighborhood before heading into neighborhood #2 for a few miles. I stayed conscious of my pacing and tried to keep in the low 9:00 range. Despite the cooler temps my overall pace shows that I lost about ten seconds on each split. Although the numbers don't show it, I still felt like I ran better today than yesterday.

After a greatly appreciated (post run) hot shower we headed over to Caleb Smith State Park for a late morning hike. It's a really nice preserve with well marked trails. Every time I go there it reminds me of how much I'd like to actually run there. My wife, daughter and son did do some running while we were there but I chose to hike. I don't like running in jeans and my legs were fairly shot from the morning's seven miles. Despite missing my usual Friday run I still managed to get some good miles this weekend. The cold weather is definitely to my liking. I just need to be smarter about how I dress for it.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Doctor's orders: more stress


Yesterday's workout (Stress test): 4 hours

Having a top ranked physician as your doctor has its pluses and minuses. On one hand you know that you are getting the best care that medical insurance can buy, but it also means that you are monitored closely and forced to take tests to confirm that everything remains normal. I'm not fanatical about my health but me and my family meet annually or (semi-annually) with our doctors and dentists just to confirm all is well. Yesterday, as a follow up to August's physical, I went through a stress test that involved a number of activities. The process is time consuming and not particularly difficult but in the end it is exhausting.

Soon after my arrival I was injected with Thallium 201, a trace agent for monitoring blood flow through the imaging process. No big deal except for the idea of having a radioisotope coursing through your veins and arteries. The half-life is 73 hours so I won't be boarding any airplanes this week. I was assured a number of times that it's extremely safe. I guess I have to take their word on that. The first activity was a full body scan on a flat imaging bed that required keeping absolutely still for about 15 minutes. Running has taught me much about patience while enduring discomfort so that was a piece of cake, despite the need to hold my arms far forward and holding my head at an unnatural angle. After that I was hooked up to a bunch of electrodes and put on a treadmill that increased in speed and tilt angle over a 20 minute period. Being a runner helped me there, though I'll admit that the apex of speed and elevation became challenging. Still, I never reached the point where I was sweating profusely.  Halfway through the process I was re-injected with Thallium while I was in motion. That was a little weird.

The next part of the test was another round of imaging that seemed longer and even less comfortable. I was then brought into another room for a sonogram of both carotid arteries. During the treadmill and sonogram testing I was asked why I was being tested because my results looked fine. That was good to hear. The final step was to be fitted with a heart monitor with four electrodes that would record cardio-activity for 24 hours. I'll get to take that off at noon and I'm looking forward to that. I can't shower until it's off so I didn't run this morning. I'm deciding whether to run with it just prior to removal or to wait until I take it off. I'd be interested to know how my heart rate varies when monitored by a more sophisticated instrument that the Garmin's HRM but I doubt the doctor will show me the raw data. However, they might share the highlights. The best part of having completed the stress test is that, unlike yesterday morning, I'm now allowed to drink coffee. I missed that a lot yesterday. I far prefer it to Thallium 201.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Will this brand Thriv?

Thriv's Path Crew running shirt

Yesterday's run (Central Park): 3.1 miles
Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

It's no secret that I like running gear and that I'm interested in technologies that help a runner achieve their best performance. I appreciate the innovations that come from the big running shoe companies so long as they provide benefits and aren't just selling marketing hype. When I see something new I pay attention, especially when it represents innovation. Over the weekend we stopped into Sports Authority to find a gym bag for my daughter and I noticed they had a new line of running clothes under the brand name Thriv. The Thriv shirts, apparently made in India, were very appealing. They were soft like cotton and colorful, but not garish. The labels claimed great wicking capabilities through their combination of organic cotton and bamboo and the prices were competitive. I bought a red "Path Crew" jersey in size large (no medium choice) because this particular model was discounted to $20.

I wore my new Thriv shirt on my run in Central Park with JQ yesterday. It was dry and cool, with some sun, and we followed our standard three mile route while enjoying the park and maintaining our usual, lively discussion. The shirt was very comfortable and the fit was generous. I would have preferred it to be a size smaller but it was fine for a workout of this type. Since we were running a couple of minutes per mile slower than my usual training pace I didn't generate my normal level of perspiration but I did sweat some and the shirt wicked it fine. However, the Path Crew didn't do a good job of evaporating moisture compared with my experiences wearing the Nike Sphere and Brooks Rev T jerseys. I'd put Thriv in the middle of my running shirt collection in terms of effectiveness, better than the C9's and REC Tech's but not at the level of the ATAYNE, Adidas, Nike and Brooks shirts. For $20 it's a decent addition to my athletic-wear collection. Still, I'll probably stick with the brands that provide both innovation and performance, even if it costs me more.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Relays and races

Last Sunday's Newsday carried a story about a team of runners that participated in the annual Ocean to Sound Relay that's held each year on Long Island. The course is 50 miles in length, starts at Jones Beach State Park and ends at the Sound in Oyster Bay. Each leg of the race is between 5-7 miles. I ran my last long training run for Cow Harbor at Bethpage State Park the same day of this year's race and encountered numerous relay runners who were coming through at that time. It reminded me that my experience running with a relay team in happened almost a year ago. It was the Cape Cod Marathon Relay in Falmouth, MA and our intrepid team of four (actually three as one member had contracted H1N1 virus) covered the 26.2 mile course. It was the longest distance I'd ever run in a day, 9 miles, with AG leading the charge by running 11 miles straight through. It was a great weekend and a very fun experience and I hope to participate in another relay of that type someday. I'm considering fielding a team for next year's Ocean to Sound race. It might be a great training exercise for the 2011 Cow Harbor race that's run the following weekend.

In the spirit of running two races on consecutive weekends, Dave and I are looking to run a 10K in Babylon on November 14 (Run for the Warriors) and then race in the Turkey Trot in Long Beach the following Sunday. It's really great to have a race on the calendar because it gives you something to train for. I love the whole race experience, the nervous energy before the start, the race itself and the great feeling of completeing another test of one's capabilities at the finish. I don't always like how I've performed but I've never finished a race and felt my time would have been better spent doing anything else. I'm planning another midday run in Central Park today. I'm hoping that the weather holds and that the rain that's been predicted doesn't show up at noon.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Inspiration from the Cross Country Kid

Today's run (treadmill): 2.3 miles at 9:15

I had every excuse not to run this morning but somehow I managed to get it done. I'd gone to bed late, didn't sleep well and had trouble getting moving when I woke up. I really considered resting, knowing that taking two days off in a row would yield some benefits. I'd covered about 13 trail miles over the weekend and didn't feel compelled to run just for the mileage. I then thought about my daughter who on Monday, despite the cold and rainy weather, ran in her first cross country meet. She did great and covered that 1.5 mile course faster than her usual pace. Her team has another meet on Thursday and on top of the rigorous schedule of classes, assignments and tests that make up a middle-schooler's daily activities, I thought "If she can do that, I can do this."

I quickly dressed and headed outside, only to see the rain coming down, lightly but steadily. I returned to the guest room and fired up the treadmill. It's been months since I've used this machine (May 19, actually), though my wife runs on it daily. I had a problem with a slipping belt the last time I used the treadmill and I was a little gun-shy about getting on it today. The Sole technician has serviced the machine since then and after a few minutes running at speed I was happy to pronounce it stable. I've often complained about the tedium of treadmill running and nothing has changed to make me feel differently. I got started with a moderate pace and steadily increased my speed until I was running a little under 9 minutes per mile near the end. There's something about the moving tread that semi-terrifies me and a 9 minute treadmill pace sometimes feels closer to an 8 minute street pace. I know people who say they can run faster on the treadmill. Not me, give me the road or the trail for that.

Tomorrow JQ and I will return to the park for our weekly lunchtime excursion. I'm looking forward to that and I hope that the weather will have cleared by then. I'm taking a stress test on Friday because it's been a few years since I'd done that. Although part of the testing involves a treadmill, I'll be pleased to do it this time. Things have changed a lot since the last time.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Reflections on my first race

My daughter has her first cross country meet today. She's a bit apprehensive about it. I understand that completely, recalling how I was both excited and nervous about my first race. It was the Marcie Mazzola Memorial, a 4 miler held on April 19, 2009. Although I had read a lot about racing prior to the event I didn't know how things would look or feel when I was a participant. How soon before the start does one line up? Is the front of the line reserved for the fastest runners? Do you talk to other racers while waiting for the gun? What if I finish last?

I remember being confounded by the water station. How do you drink water while you're running? Should I even take water for a short race that's happening on a cool spring morning? I was confused by the others on the road with me, some flying by and others well off to the side, practically walking. I do remember thinking, "Should I be passing people so early in the race?"

By the time I'd reached the other side of Main Street I had figured out most of my questions. The large hill that one encounters soon after the start of this race had taken a lot out of me and I was concerned that I'd have enough energy for a big finish. Even though I came upon another hill at the end I managed to push hard enough to finish with a decent time. I had my first experience crossing the line and seeing my family cheering at the side. I must have liked that because I've run ten more races since then. My daughter will experience the same anxiety that I did, followed by the exhilaration that comes from finishing a race. I said to her the same thing I've said to many others, "You only have one first race. Pay attention to every detail."

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Kinvaras perform on the trail

Today's run (Belmont Lake): 6.7 miles at 9:46

Belmont Lake out n' back
It has been an all-trail running weekend. Yesterday I ran at Stillwell Woods in the morning and returned with the family in the afternoon for a little kite flying and some low key trail runs. This morning I went to Belmont Lake, home of the Dirty Sock 10K race, for the pleasure of running its well groomed trails in the cool high 50's weather.

I wanted to cover some distance today but I just couldn't face another run through the surrounding neighborhoods. I decided to return to Babylon to run the out and back course that includes a trip around Belmont Lake and also follows the south end of a large pond. My intention was to run the Dirty Sock course but to start at the trail head instead of going 100 yards further into the woods where the race begins. I've run this course half a dozen times and I'm now familiar with many of its features. I still get a little disoriented when the trail splits but I managed to stay on course for most of my run. I wore my Kinvaras because I was curious to see how they performed on a non-paved surface. Adventure Girl ran a tough 13.1 mile trail race in her Kinvaras and spoke highly of their performance so I thought, "What the heck." Today's course is mostly dirt with gravel, sand and a small amount of paved road. I knew by the time I crossed under the Rt. 27 overpass that the Kinvaras would provide enough support for this course and I reached the lake with no issues of traction or stability.

There were a lot of dog walkers, a few runners and some cyclists along my path. When I reached the lake I heard music and saw tents and booths being erected for a fair that was associated with walk-a-thon that was also going on. As I circled the lake I was tortured by the extremely loud music coming from the fair. What made it worse was that the song they were playing. "Uptown Girl" by Billy Joel, is one of my top five most hated songs, ever. I actually felt relieved when I heard the next song starting. Soon enough I was on my way south, past the lake, and back onto the path I'd followed earlier. I felt great although did I begin to tire a little around mile 4. I soon perked up and made sure I stayed on the Dirty Sock return route, especially when my path would split. Along the way I cut farther east to make sure I didn't miss the perpendicular left that takes runners along the southern end of the pond. It was here where I thought I'd gone off course because I didn't recognize the right that takes Dirty Sock racers on the path to the finish line. I ended up retracing my route along the pond and rejoining the original trail, finishing where I started, after covering 6.7 miles of trails.

I've always enjoyed running this course although the two times that I ran the Dirty Sock race I was overwhelmed by the heat, humidity and a dearth of electrolytes. When not bombing down the path at speed for almost an hour it's a really relaxing experience. It's also a great place to run with a buddy. I'm pleased with my distance running this weekend and thrilled to have had two days of great local trail running. Now I won't feel so bad about returning to the neighborhood next week.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Cool running at Stillwell Woods

Today's run (Stillwell Woods): 1 hour (approx. 6.2 miles)

After all the rain and humidity that we experienced last week, this morning's temperatures had finally dropped into the low 60's. I headed out to Stillwell Woods for the first time in almost a month with a plan to run for an hour. An article in the current issue of Runner's World made the point that trail running is more about the time you run than your actual distance and pace. With all the different conditions that a runner can encounter over a period of an hour -- like stepping around or over obstructions or getting up a steep rise covered with scree or sand -- the range of speed can be broad. I just wanted to run in the woods and enjoy the cool air while getting some distance in.

There were many mountain bikers getting ready to head to the trails as I started out and not long after I made my way to the primary trail I was overtaken by two bikers who came up fast. At least they had the courtesy of warning me that they were approaching. Most mountain bikers will do that. The ones that don't seem to be the reckless type, making the it even more dangerous because you're not expecting them and they don't seem to anticipate anything that may be in their path. I encountered a few downed branches along my travels and ran into some prickly plants and hanging vines. You take the bad with the good, especially when it's all good.

I saw lots of animals, most notably a rabbit the size of raccoon that was planted in the middle of the trail. It hopped away heavily when I got close and I thought it was a sitting target for any predator that may lurk within the woods. I took a rarely used trail off my last loop and wondered where it would take me. It started as a fairly established single track but as I went on the dirt gave way to low grass and it became hard to distinguish between the trail and the woods. This trail terminated at a fence so I quickly turned and headed back to the trail that fed it. I covered about 6 miles according to the Garmin. I'm not sure  of the distance because I had my HH Trail Lizards that are not currently matched with the Garmin foot pod. It could have totaled 6.3 miles or even 5.9. I don't really care either way, today was about the experience, and not the metrics, of the run.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Torrential rains are just fine AFTER I run

Today's run (street): 2.45 miles at 9:07

My wait at the train station, all eight minutes of it, began with a little rain and a moderate breeze. By the time the train came the winds had picked up measurably and the light rain turned into a downpour. Or should I say "sidepour" with the wind coming in horizontally. This resulted in half my clothes getting soaked while the other half remained dry. It was far different from when I went out this morning to run. Last night I'd set my expectations low for an outdoor morning workout and thought positively about how I might play with the elevations on the treadmill and also see how my Kinvaras performed indoors. In truth I despise treadmill running and secretly hoped for a weather miracle that would keep the rain away from western Long Island.

I heard no rain against the skylight when I got up and decided that it was worth trying an outside run. The winds coming in from the south were strong but there was nothing coming down. I set a route that would keep me fairly close to home in the event that the skies opened up in the middle of my run. The air was very humid so the winds provided a nice respite when they did hit. And they hit hard. I came around one corner into a headwind that nearly carried off my hat and headlamp. I managed to grab them in time but I soon took them off and carried them after another big wind swept through. Knowing that I might need to cut the run short if it rained I pushed the speed a little and tried to stay in the high 8 minute range as much as I could. I didn't break 9:00 but I liked that I was close. I was fortunate that the rain held off, allowing me to complete a decent weekday morning run.

The predictions of weekend temperatures in the low '60's have changed to 70's and that will be fine with me if the air dries out. Going out early will also mean that I'm running during the coolest part of the day. I'm still thinking long run or trail run for Saturday. My daughter wants to run as well so I may go out twice that day. It will be interesting to see how well I do keeping up with the Cross Country Kid.
 

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