Race report: 2011 Cow Harbor 10K

Hooray, I beat my predicted finish time!

Today's run (Great Cow Harbor 10K): 6.2 miles - 9:13 pace

The 34st running of the Great Cow Harbor 10K was a great experience and I was thrilled to have beaten last year's time by three minutes and 43 seconds. But as great as it was to improve on finish time, the story of the day (for me) was running the race feeling strong the entire way through. This experience, unlike last year when I was tunnel-visioned toward just finishing, allowed me the opportunity to take in the details that make this such a great race.

Cow Harbor actually started for me last night with numbers pick-up, when I did the long drive to the Laurel Avenue school where the race begins. I arrived earlier than last year and found parking right away. As I walked the grounds of the school and went in to pick up my race bib, I was reminded again of the scale of this event. I had predicted a finish time of 57:30 and was surprised to see that I was assigned an 8000 series number that meant I would be starting in the 9th Wave.

Last year my number was in the 11000 series and I started in the 12th Wave. I worried that I had overestimated my performance potential but I figured, at worst, that my Wave mates would leave me in the dust. Happily, that wasn't the case.

I headed to Northport this morning at about 6:30 AM and arrived at Northport HS at 7:00. I took one of the shuttle buses that delivers runners close to the starting area. I decided not to carry a bag (although they do have UPS trucks that transport gear from the start to the finish area) so I left my extra layers, smartphone and towel in my car. I made my way indoors because the temperature, helpfully cool during the race, was a little too chilly for standing around.

Many others had the same thought and as I looked around I noticed many very fit looking runners with race numbers starting with 9, 10, 11 and on. Again I worried that I'd planned incorrectly. I chatted with a few other runners to pass the time and around 8:20 I made my way to the Wave area. I ran into Paul and Beth who were standing nearby, getting ready to move into position. Paul reminded me to subtract nine minutes from the quoted split times, which was a good thing to know. We bade each other good luck and I'm guessing that they both did well today.

I saw Brian a few rows ahead of me but I couldn't get his attention. I thought I'd catch up to Brian on Scudder Avenue but he took off faster than I was willing to run. I held my speed in check for the first mile, resisting the temptation to fly down the mostly downhill section. My split on mile 1 was 8:53 - brisk but not too fast. Last year I was feeling draggy almost from the start but this morning I felt like a V-8 with a tank full of gas. I prepared myself for the rise near the end of Woodbine and the big hill on James Street.

I was stunned by how quickly we'd passed through the cheering crowds by the harbor even though the running pack had yet to thin out in a noticeable way. I paced myself behind four giant bananas who were having a great time running the race, and before I knew it, I was taking my first steps onto Widow Hill. I knew from last year to be wary of hill walkers who stay in the middle of the road and obstruct those who are running. I didn't love the uphill effort but I felt far stronger through that span than I did last year.

At the top of the hill I focused on my breathing and used the more level roadway to recover my aerobic rhythm. It took a few minutes, but soon I was back in race mode. I passed mile three feeling remarkably good. I remembered that at the three mile point last year I was desperate for water and feeling very weak from the heat and humidity. The dry, cool weather helped greatly today and I'd brought a hand bottle with a mix of G2 and water to ensure ready hydration.

Near mile 4 the course goes steadily uphill along Waterside Drive. I moved along well, focusing on form, breathing and stride and I still felt strong through mile 5. Shortly after this split we turned toward Main Street and sped up Pumpernickel Hill which, on balance, is far less intimidating than the James Street monster. The top of this hill signals the beginning of the end and the start of a mostly downhill stretch leading to the finish line.

Usually at this point in a race (certainly the case at last year's Cow Harbor) I'm in survival mode, just holding on until the end. When I began the descent towards the finish I said to myself, "All it takes is all you got" and called upon whatever I had left. I came through the finish in 57:12 feeling great about the race I'd run.

I'm really pleased that this year I've achieved PB times on the NHP 8K, the Dirty Sock 10K and, today, the Great Cow Harbor 10K. The weather certainly helped, but I feel really good about my margin of improvement. I ran into Brian at the post-race festival and he was happy to have made it through another Cow Harbor race.

This a great race and spectator event, and with so many elite runners on the course, it feels special to participate. The race volunteers are universally kind and patient and the organizers don't miss a trick. I guess after 34 years they've figured out how to make it all work. Can't wait to do it next year.

Countdown to Cow Harbor

Hills are larger than they appear

It's almost time for the Great Cow Harbor 10K, a 6.2 mile race that can feel a lot longer than that. Besides regularly tackling the hilly sections at Bethpage over the last six weeks, I probably haven't done enough to prepare for James Street, AKA, "Widow Hill." That hill, and the long time spent going uphill on Waterside Drive, make this a challenging event. The saving grace may be that temperatures are predicted to be in the low 50's at start time, with the humidity percentage in the 50-60% range. That contrasts to last year when the heat and humidity were so high that seven people were taken away by ambulance due to dehydration issues.

Tonight I need to go to Northport to pick up my race bib. The race volunteers do a great job handling the 5,000+ registrants, but it's a nightmare to find a place to park and it's tough getting through downtown Northport on a Friday night. I look forward to seeing some of the elite and semi-elite runners who participate in this high profile race. Deena Kastor will be racing on the same course as me!

I'll file a full report tomorrow after the race. It's less than 24 hours from the start. I hope I'm ready.

Now it's all about Cow Harbor

Sunday's run (street): 3.4 miles

I knew I'd get out for a run yesterday, it just took me a little longer than usual to get going. At around 10:00 AM, my wife ordered me out before half the day was gone. I complied and headed upstairs to change.

The weather was cool when I started and though it was sunny, I stayed dry and comfortable for the first couple of miles. I had run for over an hour on Saturday so I took it easy and focused on my form and stride. I thought about my vertical alignment and lifting my knees instead of worrying about my pace. The route that I chose was a variation from my usual morning run with almost a mile added to the end.

 I wore my Brooks Adrenalines to help protect my Achilles tendon that has been feeling sore of late. Even though it was mid-morning, the streets were quiet and I wondered if people were staying home because of 9/11. I thought about that as I was passing the neighborhood elementary school, where half a dozen soccer games were being played at the same time. I guess that's where everyone was.

No need for crew length running socks this year

It was a good run and the right distance to start my taper for Cow Harbor on Saturday. It's going to be a full and busy week in the office, capped off by a Friday night drive to Northport to pick up my race number. This year I'll be better prepared for the crowds and the lack of parking. I see that the race organizers have changed from old style tracking units to bib tags. At least I won't have to worry about the chip band cutting into my ankle like last year.

Bethpage base run better than expected

Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 6.7 miles

With Cow Harbor happening next week, I knew I needed to put in a few more base miles before I begin my training taper. Last year I spent a lot of time focusing on the Cow Harbor route and the strategy to run it. I even did a trial run of the course to understand firsthand the challenges of James Street, Waterside Drive and Pumpernickel Hill.

I haven't done too much thinking about it this year and I'm guessing that's okay. I know from last year that I should take the first mile slow despite the temptation to sprint along Scudder Avenue's downhill sections. Better to reserve energy for the end of Bayview Ave. and James Street's "Widow Hill." I'm really hoping that the weather will be cooler than last year, when the heat and humidity sent half a dozen people to the hospital. Even so, I know I'll reach a point during that race when I'm questioning why I'm doing it. All it takes is all you got.

I went over to the bike path at Bethpage State Park this morning. It's my favorite place for runs on pavement that are longer than four or five miles. The theme of today's run was time, not speed. I didn't care how fast I ran, I just wanted to run at least an hour to help reinforce my conditioning. Bethpage isn't quite as challenging as Cow Harbor in terms of elevation changes, but it's rolling. The bike trail has two hilly sections that can be tough to get over and the worst of it is at the end.

I brought along my hand bottle that I filled with Gatorade G2 and the air was so cool that I didn't take my first sip until I was past the 2 mile mark. Although my perceived effort was fairly low I was maintaining a better pace than normal for this type of run. I was actually annoyed when I looked at my Garmin at the three mile mark to see I was pacing around 9:10 per mile because I wanted to do this run closer to 9:50.

There were many runners and cyclists on the path. I noticed more running groups than usual and I wondered if the Ocean to Sound Relay was happening today (I checked later and saw that it will be held on the 25th). I changed direction after a number of runners coming from the other side had passed by. I feared getting swallowed up by them and preferred to draft in their wake. Nothing surprised me more than when I started passing them, first a few single runners and then entire groups. I was simply maintaining my pace. Interestingly, I wasn't passed by a single runner all day.

By mile five I was beginning to tire but I wasn't losing much speed. I continued to drink the G2 and almost finished it just before I took on the long hill that comes at the end. I didn't take the hill fast but I did maintain a steady rhythm as I ascended. I really appreciated the final 50 meters that is all downhill.

Most women ask for roses

I got to my car and was able to sit down immediately because I had placed an AllSport SeatShield covering on my car's seat. I got a couple of these water/sweat proof covers after my wife (rightfully) complained that towels on the seats don't do a good enough job. She gets mad when I occasionally take her car to runs and her seats end up moist from sweat. These covers, at about $20 apiece, seemed expensive when I realized that they're made of material that's similar to recyclable shopping bags. But the covers fit very well over the seats and kept them dry. If that result makes my wife happy then it's worth every penny!

My fastest 5K ever*

Today's run (track): 1 mile warm-up, 8 x 200, 1 mile cool down

I knew I needed to get in some speed work so I headed to the local HS track this morning. When I arrived I noticed that the adjacent lot was almost full and saw that the high school team was playing a pre-season game against another town. There were people up in the stands and standing alongside the track that circles the football field. There were also people walking around the track, seemingly oblivious to the action taking place a few feet away.

I started my workout with a brisk mile warm-up that I completed in 8:13. That wasn't bad for a cold start. I followed that with eight 200 meter intervals, with one minute recovery periods, and averaged 6:54 for that mile. I finished my workout with a 1.1 mile cool down run that I did in 8:52. I ended up averaging 8:01 for the 3.1 miles (24:39).

*This can't really be counted as my fastest 5K because it wasn't a continuous run. Knowing that you can stop after 200 meters, or even after a mile, helps keep you moving fast. However, I will say that every second on that track was focused on performance. At the end, I was satisfied that I was doing my best to prepare for the Cow Harbor race.

Lonely runner in the city

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Today is my last "Summer Friday" in the office and I slightly regret not planning a run in Central Park. This would have been the day to do it, with moderate temperatures and partially cloudy skies. Unlike the last two summers, I've barely hit the city venues on Fridays. Instead I've opted to do my morning running in my neighborhood. Some of that is due to the high mid-day heat we've had this summer, but really it's because most of my running partners are no longer in the city. I still enjoy running alone in NYC, but I didn't feel like it today.

This morning I went out and followed my usual route, all the time thinking about the effort it will take to meet my predicted finish time for Cow Harbor. I covered the first mile at a moderate pace but picked up my speed to the point where I was running in the high eight-minute range by the time I finished. I know going directly from sleeping to running affects my performance so I was happy where I ended up.

As long as hurricane Irene waits until Saturday afternoon to come through the NY area, I should be good to go for a long morning run tomorrow. With only three weekends left to train for Cow Harbor's challenging and rolling 6.2 mile course, I need to reinforce my base and work on those hills.

Here comes the Great Cow Harbor 10K

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Well, it's official. I'm signed up for this year's Cow Harbor race in Northport, NY. Dirty Sock is probably a more difficult race, with the high heat, oppressive humidity and variable surfaces. But with its scale and national attention, Cow Harbor looms larger. Cow Harbor is an interesting race and a fascinating experience. The course has a number of "features" that need to be understood, like the James Street hill that rises steeply over a 1K distance including a section that rises over 100 feet in less .2 of a mile.

I read yesterday that your first run after a hard race should be slow and easy to allow your muscles to repair. I took that to heart this morning and went out at a comfortable pace. It seemed to take forever to complete my route, but it only took two minutes longer than normal. With the temperature at 65 degrees, I was hardly sweating by the end. Despite that, I felt it was a beneficial workout. This weekend I'm looking to put in some long miles and spend some time on the hills. Cow Harbor is coming and I plan to be ready.

Literally in a fog

The train platform is shrouded by darkness and fog this morning. For some, that is a depressing combination. Of course I'm thinking, "Great running conditions!" I didn't run this morning because I plan to go for a park run at lunchtime with JQ. However, I always appreciate the surreal experience of a foggy run in the 4:00 AM quiet. I'm glad it's only fog and not rain today. I'm fortunate that my running over the last few days has coincided with breaks in the weather. Reports for this weekend call for temperatures in the low 60's that will be perfect for a long run on Saturday. By now you're probably thinking, "Is this a blog entry or a weather report?" Now let's go to the national map!

DailyMile friend Run DMC told me I could watch a replay of my Cow Harbor finish on one of the interactive cable stations. I'd forgotten to DVR the race so I thought my dramatic mid-pack finish would be gone forever. We found the part where I came through and it was fun to see me in my banana yellow running shirt making my way down Main Street and crossing the line amongst a crowd of others. Not quite as dramatic as the Trafeh-Braun photo finish that had happened many minutes prior.

I'm still thinking about resting tomorrow but I'll see how I feel after today's run. I want to go for some distance runs, 9 or 10 miles during the weekend. The only problem is finding the time to do a run that will likely take 80-90 minutes plus prep, drive and recovery time. Perhaps I'll do a long trail run instead. It's been a while since I've ventured further into Stillwell's more challenging terrain. 62 degrees, dry and broad tree cover makes that an inviting proposition.

Cow Harbor 2010 race experience

Here's an excellent video that captures the 2010 Cow Harbor 10K race. The focus is on the elites but you can see the course and experience the James Street Hill.

Race report: Great Cow Harbor 2010

Seconds after crossing the line (in yellow)

 Yesterday's run (Great Cow Harbor 10K): 1:00:56.6 (9:49 pace)

The 2010 Great Cow Harbor 10K has been run and it was truly a new race experience for me. I'll admit that I was disappointed with my performance when I saw that I missed my target finish time by over four minutes, but a day later I'm okay with it. I was surprised to see that an hour had passed before I crossed the finish line and I'm not sure that I fully understand why. Yes, it was hot. But it was hot for the many runners who finished before me. I did still beat over 2,100 other runners, not including the DNF's,  leading to yet another mid-pack finish. It was still an incredible experience and I wouldn't change a thing about how I ran the race. So like I said, I'm okay with it.

T-Shirt pickup at registration

 The experience started Friday night. After a long day at work I headed to Northport to pick up my race number and timing chip. Heading there at the height of rush hour was a challenge and as I made my way through downtown Northport I began to understand the scale of this race. Cars and people everywhere. At the Laurel Avenue School the scene was a madhouse. A thousand cars looking for parking spaces. People everywhere. I found a spot near Main Street and hiked up the hill to the school. Once I was in the building I was very impressed by the organization and the kind patience of the many volunteers. There were many people and it was fun to spot a few of the elite runners among the crowd. After pickup I headed outside behind a small group of young men and women who were in from other parts of the country. They were single number folks -- those that started in the first wave and probably finished before I got to Widow Hill. They all seemed like nice people. One woman asked "Is Cow Harbor an actual town?" It sure was this weekend!

The innovative staggered start

Team Emerging Runner headed to the parking lot at Northport HS at 6:15 AM on Saturday morning. My kids were sleepy but great sports about giving up a weekend morning. My wife (and team manager) had everything organized and on track as usual. We boarded a bus that took us to Laurel Ave. where the race would start. It was early but the crowd was building and the excitement was tangible. The long bank of Porta-Potties was well used and the runners organized themselves into lines. This race is masterfully produced, every detail considered and managed. Along the way we ran into some of our kid's teachers from their old elementary school. Two of them were racing for the first time. We also ran into Dave and chatted with other runners we'd met that day. I headed to my designated corral (the race has a staggered start to accommodate the thousands of runners) and BJS found me. He was his usual smiling self, happy and excited to be running Cow Harbor once again.

Looking good on Laurel Avenue

The staged start was interesting. Each group held a separating rope across the front of the line and we were moved up after each report from the starting gun. Once we reached the line a person in a cow costume challenged us to make noise for the "Moo Meter" and soon we were off and running. Despite my two days of rest my legs felt heavy within the first few minutes and I hoped it would pass as I adjusted to my pace. Following the strategy I'd read, I held back on the mile 1 downhills to reserve energy for the hill on James Street. When we reached Woodbine there were hundreds of people standing along route yelling and moo-ing. The runners were still clumped together so I had to be careful not to jostle people too much or step on people in front of me. My timing chip on my ankle was beginning to dig into my skin and that plagued me the entire race. I ended up with big cut at the strap line. Once we turned onto James Street I went into hill climbing mode, keeping a steady pace and passing many other runners and loads of people who chose to walk "Widow Hill." I didn't love the work but I was proud how well I came through it. I thought the worst part had passed. I was wrong.

My Garmin, which seemed accurately calibrated the last time I ran with my Kinvaras (I wore them for the race) was wildly off compared to the mile markers. I knew from my elapsed time that I was running about a 9:20 pace at the 3 mile mark but I'd hoped to make up some time on mile 4. That didn't happen, I actually lost time struggling up the long incline on Waterside Ave. There was a point where the heat was becoming intolerable, my ankle was throbbing and I was stuck next to three women running side by side chatting loudly about their kid's orthodontists. I couldn't stand it so I used every ounce of energy to put some distance between us. At four miles my energy level was nearly empty and I gobbled my gel in an attempt to restore my glycogen level. It didn't provide the boost I'd hoped and I took water as well but felt really depleted as I rounded the corner of Main Street and attacked "Pumpernickel Hill."

Crossing the finish line (yellow blob center right)

 Along the way I passed more walkers but I also got passed by numerous other runners as we reached the final mile that is mostly downhill. I had hoped that the last part of the course would allow me to surge but it merely kept me in motion. I could see the finish line, like a mirage, way ahead, and I couldn't believe how long it took to get closer. The crowd was deep as I made my way to the finish line chute and I crossed the line well after my hoped-for 57 minutes. I immediately saw Team Emerging Runner along the sidelines and then saw a few people I knew who had finished around the same time as I. We walked to the waterfront area where there were thousands of runners going around the many tables and booths that were handing out energy drinks, juice, coconut water, carb snacks, protein bars and freshly baked cookies. After taking it all in we boarded the bus back to the High School and soon we were on our way back home.

The rest of the day was extremely busy. We had a family event that required some car travel and the long day and evening was exhausting for us. It was a great day though and we all slept well last night. I got a note from BJS who ran a few minutes off his goal time but still finished under an hour. I'm planning to do a recovery run some time this morning. It's much cooler than yesterday and probably much less humid. I wish I'd finished closer to my goal time but that's not the way it worked out on Saturday. I still think I trained well and I'll continue to focus on distance even though I don't have a race on the October schedule. I'm not giving up on achieving a decent time on a 10K. Perhaps with the cooler fall weather that can happen.

Deconstructing the Cow Harbor course



Moo-ve along runners!

I'm done with my taper and now on my second day of rest from running. This is my standard methodology when preparing for a race. I assume that a marginal day of recovery is more beneficial than a marginal day of conditioning. Anyway, that's the plan. Since I'm not running today I feel especially energetic. It's psychological of course. At least I think so. It would be disappointing to reach my peak on the day before a big race.

I've reread BJS's notes on his practice runs along with an article from a local newspaper that broke down the race mile by mile. Cow Harbor seems like a series of mini races aggregated into a 10K distance. Mile one is more downhill than up - a trap for those who look to bank time early by ripping through the streets at maximum speed. Mile 2 is the infamous Widow Hill where those who came out too fast quickly regret that decision. Mile 3 is for recovery and I need to be careful not to push too hard knowing the worst hill is behind me. Mile 4 provides an opportunity to gain time lost early on the hill and mile 5 is more challenging because it's a slight incline along Waterside Ave. that can wear you down by the end. Mile 6 has another hill but compared to earlier, it's more about annoyance than intimidation. After the hill it's a toboggan run to Main Street and then the finish line. This last part is where I hope to have enough left in the tank to keep my goal time on track.

I'm planning to do my race number pickup tonight to save a little time tomorrow morning. I'm excited for this race and looking forward to the experience. I'll need to set up the DVR tonight so I can watch myself cross the finish line on the News 12 broadcast. See you at the finish!

Great expectations - Estimated finish times for Cow Harbor

The Cow Harbor website has a link to a list of registered participants that includes projected finish times. There are over 5,500 people on this list so the range of estimates is very broad. I noticed that a dozen or so runners have listed projections in the 27 minute range. This struck me as pure hubris as the current course record is 28:22, set by Ryan Hall in 2006. I recognized some names among these confident racers from Running Times and Runner's World and it looks like I'll have some competition on Saturday! I am sure that the elite runners submitted these record breaking times so they would be included in the first wave to go at the start. If I ran in the 5 minute mile range I'd do the same. Anything to get out ahead of people (like me) who are likely to be around mid-course at the 27 minute mark. I'm enjoying the lead up to the Cow Harbor race. I like the strategy, the excitement and the fact that so many people I know are planning to participate. It feels like a big deal and it's probably the biggest race that I will run unless I move up to a half marathon distance.

Yesterday my daughter ran with her cross country team on a training route through Stillwell Woods. She enjoyed the experience and I'm really hoping that she develops an affinity for trail running. It would be great to have her company when I run there on those early weekend mornings. A recovery trail run with the Cross Country Kid this Sunday would be a perfect post-race workout.

Training is over -- bring on Cow Harbor!

Yesterday's run (Central Park): 3.2 miles at 11:36
Today's run (street): 2.5 miles at 8:57

Yesterday I headed to Central Park with JQ for a refreshing run around the lower and upper loops below the reservoir. The plan was to take it slow and we did. It was a nice change to my normal CP runs where I start fast and hit the hills aggressively. JQ runs intermittently and is looking to increase his frequency. He's no newbie, despite this being more work for him than for me he had no trouble conversing throughout our 3+ mile excursion. Coming at the end of some of the hardest training that I've done prior to a race, yesterday felt somewhat like play. Great conversation and midday exercise without too much sweat made for a pleasant afternoon in the office.

This morning I returned to the street for my last run prior to Saturday's race. I wore the Kinvaras that I'm favoring right now and sped along the streets of the neighborhood at a brisk pace (for 4 AM). If I had any real hills in the neighborhood I'd have attacked them hard so I targeted roads with inclines as much as possible. I'm fairly tuned for the race at this point but, in retrospect, I may have benefited by running the race course more than once in practice. I'm not sure another practice would have made a big difference except to gain confidence by summitting the James Street hill more than once. I don't know how I'll do on the 25th but, no matter what, I've done my best to prepare for what's to come.

Decisions, decisions

My dashboard display read 50 degrees this morning as I drove to the train station. The weather reports are predicting temperatures in the low 70's around noon today, great conditions for a lunchtime run. My Cow Harbor training cycle is near its end and I think I'm in good shape for next Saturday's race. It's too early to tell what the weekend weather will bring but the reports right now seem promising. I won't count on that. I remember being promised a "beautiful Sunday" the day of the Dirty Sock Run in August. It didn't turn out too beautiful with the heat and high humidity and rain coming down near the end. No matter, the Dirty Sock was still a great event.

With the highly changeable conditions of early fall weather it's hard to know what gear will work best on race day. I'll go with one of my short sleeved wicking shirts and racing shorts but I'm not sure which shirt and shorts to bring. Historically my race day clothes have been chosen by Team Emerging Runner, usually for their color and design more than for their performance attributes. I'm biased toward lighter weight stuff for Saturday and I have some ideas about what may work best.

I'm still on the fence about which running shoes I'll wear. The Brooks GTS 10's always deliver but they aren't as light as some of my other pairs. I've raced in the Saucony Grid Tangent 4's once (NHP 8K) and had a fine experience with them. I'm wearing them on today's Central Park run to help me decide if I should call on them again. I'm also considering the Kinvaras that I wore on Sunday when I did interval training. The Kinvaras are great, lightweight and comfortable, but they don't have any stability correction. I need to decide if that's important for a run barely over 6 miles. The last time I ran with them was on the third long run over a three day weekend. I developed some heel soreness in the last two miles so I'm slightly sensitive to the lessor cushioning they provide.

Finally, there's all the other stuff: My hat (probably my Jackrabbit model), my gel (the Orange Mandarin GU) and water bottle -- Amphipod, an 8 oz Poland Spring bottle or just rely on the water station? I won't decide  any of this now. That's what Friday night is for.

Why race if you're not gonna win?

Well this is it -- race week. Five days to the start of the Great Cow Harbor 10K. I don't know what it is about this race that fascinates me but I've thought a lot about it since I signed up in August. Racing is a curious thing. Unless you are very fast, the chances of placing overall, or even in your age group, is statistically very low. So if it's not about winning, why do we race? The easy answer is because it's inexpensive fun. You register for a event and you have weeks to enjoy the anticipation. It's all upside until you reach that inevitable part of a race where you are pushing to your limits and questioning your decision to enter in the first place. No matter what, once you cross the finish line everything is fine and the pain is forgotten. Bananas and bagels never tasted so good, water was never so refreshing. Even Gatorade is palatable. I'm sure there are aspects of racing that tie into our natural instinct to compete, although most recreational runners are really competing with themselves. I honestly hope BJS and Dave do great even if that means beating my own time. I'm not just saying that because it's likely that they will.

I was going to do a hard run with a friend at lunchtime but my schedule won't allow it. I'll need to defer that to October. It's just as well on this taper week that I don't push as hard as I normally might. Saturday and Sunday were both great and different workouts. I guess I'll take a page from the quote of the week and savor the rest. My friend FS ran the 18 mile pre-marathon tuneup yesterday in Central Park. She was remarkably unfazed when I saw her this morning. Three times around the park means three times over the Harlem Hills. No matter what I've put myself through of late it won't touch that effort. I'm looking forward to my run tomorrow with JQ. The weather should be cooler than today with less wind. I think we'll keep the pace moderate but the hills on the lower and upper loops will keep it interesting. Today I'll just enjoy my rest.

The taper begins

I went to bed last night feeling ambivalent about running this morning. Though I usually run on Fridays I thought that resting prior to the weekend might be a better way to prepare for some long runs. Over the past few weekends I've driven up my distance running and I'm feeling stronger at the 6+ mile mark than I have in a long time. Last Sunday's run in Northport helped me understand my limits and after running the Great Cow Harbor course (supplemented by BJS's notes) I think I'm mentally prepared for the race.

My plan for this weekend, as I begin my taper, is to reinforce my stamina so I can sustain my goal pace throughout the 10K. Besides compiling lots of quality miles I'm going to need to do hill repeats. There aren't too many hills in my area that can stand in as training resources for the James Street challenge but I have some ideas. It may be worth paying the entrance fee at Bethpage State Park to run the hilly bike trail. That trail is long enough to allow me an 8+ mile out-and-back run that culminates with a large hill right before the exit to the trail head. I always dread that hill, especially because it often comes after an hour of running in the heat. This weekend I will embrace the hill knowing that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Or in this case, a ton of prevention for a megaton of cure.

Cow Harbor 10K -- it's about the experience

On September 25th there will be 5,300 people in Northport, NY, lining up for the Great Cow Harbor 10K race. To date, besides the Cape Cod marathon relay, the biggest fields I've run against have been measured in the hundreds. Cow Harbor has a staggered start to keep things manageable but with that amount of people, all crammed together, I'm wondering how long it will be before the runners in my corral spread out enough for me to run at my planned pace. I imagine that the hill on James Street serves as a natural filter point to hold off the crowds but I could be wrong. Friends who participate in NYRR events in Central Park tell me how the sheer density of bodies often disrupts a well paced run.

The huge field of runners also negates any hope of an age category placement. I've placed second in my category in a total field of 300, but statistically, I have no chance of doing that in Cow Harbor. Last year there were almost 300 runners in my age group and the winner ran a sub-6:00 minute pace. My best hope is to finish within the top 50% of the pack. I don't mean to imply that I'm already giving up or that I'm in any way negative about this race. It's really the opposite. I'm in awe of the scale and thrilled to be.part of it. I love that truly elite runners will be pounding the same pavement as me on that day and will similarly dread the challenge of Widow Hill. My leg muscles are a bit sore this morning and that's telling me that hill practice will be on my training menu next weekend. All the same, I'm looking forward to revisiting the Great Cow Harbor course, surrounded by thousands of others who feel the same way about this event.

The Great Cow Harbor practice event

Cow Harbor 10K challengers (left to right), Ocha, BJS, me, Dave

Today's run (street): 6.41 miles at 9:23 (per Garmin)

Some runs are so tough that from the moment you start all you can think about is finishing. Other runs are just the opposite -- you'd run forever save for the practical need to meet the day's schedule. Today was much more of the latter. I can't remember the last time I've enjoyed a challenging workout as much as today's Great Cow Harbor 10K practice run.

BJS, Dave and I met near the dock in Northport and BJS drove us to the starting point of the race on Laurel Avenue. We began by running south on Laurel at a decent clip. The first mile has a small hill but is predominantly flat to downhill, and by the time we reached the end of Main Street we were moving along nicely. It was at that point where we ran into Ocha who was also doing a practice run for the race and he joined our merry band as we made our way up Bayview Avenue that led to James Street (aka, "Widow Hill"). There's a famous runner's quote that if a hill has a name it's probably a pretty big hill. I'd say this one certainly deserves a name and we made slow but steady progress toward the top. The hill crests and then serves up an extra steep portion before flattening at the 2.5 mile mark. I didn't think that was the biggest hill on the course because I'd thought Widow Hill came later than that. When BJS, who played pace master and course guide for our group said we'd completed the worst part I didn't believe him.

At around the three mile mark I ran with Ocha who had never raced a 10K and claimed to only run 6 miles a week. If that's the case I'd like to see what he'd be like running 20. He led the way during our practice run, including the end when we scaled the final hill challenge, ("Pumpernickel Hill") and then finished the last mile's mostly downhill path. BJS and Ocha both showed some good speed and I watched them grow increasingly smaller as they headed for our endpoint. I came in about thirty seconds behind them with Dave following me closely. We then walked over to the dock area where Ocha ran into a couple of runners he knew and we asked them to take the above photo. It was a great day for running and there were many others out on the road this morning. I was very happy to run with BJS, Dave and Ocha and learn the course. I'm better prepared for what lies ahead two weekends from today, Widow Hill notwithstanding.

MOO(ve) over! I'm running the Cow Harbor 10K!

I missed the Great Cow Harbor 10K race last year because it conflicted with a family trip. I was eager to sign up for the 2010 version but discovered that we have a family event on the same day. Those things happen and though I was disappointed I understood the reasons. On Saturday we got the official invitation in the mail and my wife brought it over to me and said "We don't need to be there until 4:00 PM. You can run Cow Harbor." I wasted no time getting signed up and registered.

I've run nine races since returning to running in 2008. Most of these races have been of modest size, typically 200-600 participants. I did run with a relay team at last October's Cape Cod marathon which numbered almost two thousand runners but it still didn't seem all that big. Cow Harbor is big and it's also a RRCA Championship race so it attracts elite runners from all over the world. The field is big, over 5,000 participants, that I'm certain will feel like a huge crowd while I run through the quaint harbor side town of Northport in September.

Speaking of big races, I got a report from Adventure Girl that the Haulin' Aspen half marathon trail race in Bend, OR was a fantastic event. Her descriptions sounded grueling but she called it fun. Look for a full recounting in an upcoming Running Gone Wild post. Although I am excited about Cow Harbor, my sights are set on my next race: the Dirty Sock 10K that is scheduled for Sunday, August 22nd. I plan to stay with my focus on speed during this week's training runs and to begin introducing more hill training on weekends. The Dirty Sock course is relatively hill free but the Cow Harbor course will clearly present some elevation challenges.

The Cow Harbor 10K - great event, bad timing

I did my first run since Sunday's trail race this morning covering 3.7 miles at about a 9:20 pace. I'm not surprised that my pace was as slow as it was since I covered the first two miles at a moderate pace and sped up as I went. According to my Garmin I was tracking below 9:00/mile for the last mile or so. I was more tired than I'd expected to be after a day off from running but I did do a hike yesterday that involved some steep hills. Today was definitely a maintenance run, nothing remarkable to report.

I'll admit that I do miss my iPhone and although I still haven't had more than a couple experiences with the GPS tracking apps that reported within the range of acceptable accuracy. I did like the maps they create and the built in compass and iPod functionality on one of them. My desktop support person from work promised me that I'd see a replacement for my failed iPod from FEDEX either today or tomorrow so I'll live with limited tools until then.

I've identified my next race: a 4 mile run that's part of the Long Island Road Runner's Club (LIRRC) that will take place in Eisenhower Park on September 13. The LIRRC holds these informal races often and registration is day of race only. The cost is less than $10 and it seems like a good basic event. A 9:00 AM start makes it easier in terms of travel but it could be hot. I'll need to miss the Great Cow Harbor 10K because of a schedule conflict. I've heard more from Brian, who reads this blog, about the Cow Harbor 10K. He told me that The Northport Running Club holds a number of practice runs every Wed. night at 6:00 PM and those who are interested should check the website for information. Brian also sent the Training Assistance Program Weekly Progression Table (above). Clicking on the picture will produce a larger view. 

I'm glad to have a new upcoming run to help me focus my training. More to come in October and November.