A good effort but the clock doesn't lie

Today's run (street): 4.3 miles

I had an early appointment that delayed today's run until mid-morning. The temperature at 10:00 AM was a reasonable 77°, but the sun was making it feel warmer than that. My plan was to go out fast and maintain the speediest pace I could, for as long as I could. I followed a route that would take me up and down the streets that run north of my house, and then head further south to round out the course.

I decided to check my watch at the half mile point to see what the Garmin was displaying for pace. The watch said 8:52, which seemed about right, and I figured that I could maintain that for 40 or 50 minutes. I didn't feel too overheated and I thought I was in for a run that was close to, or below, 9:00 per mile.

As it turned out, I began slowing down after passing the first mile. By the time I reached three miles, I saw that my pace was 30 seconds off my targeted range. It bothered me that my performance did not match the level of effort that I was putting into the run. After downloading the Garmin and correcting for distance errors (the GPS accuracy has been abysmal this week), I saw that I'd run the first mile in nine minutes, but my pace had crept up into the mid-nine range until improving near the end.

The combination of heat and effort prompted me to cap my run at 40 minutes, for an overall pace of 9:23. I was disappointed with that result because I felt I'd pushed harder than normal. I wanted to break nine minutes, but I don't think I did all that badly. I'm planning to go longer (and probably slower) tomorrow. It's okay really. After the past week's running, I know what I'm capable of doing.

The secret to running a faster pace: trying

Pacing well, at least for now

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

It's interesting to see how a little extra effort can result in much better performance. Once again, I beat the 9:00 threshold this morning with a run that took exactly the same time as yesterday's. Running this way is not easy by any definition, but I haven't been going all out as I'd do in a race. On average, I'm probably registering a 3 (out of 5) on the effort meter. This week it's been closer to a 4.5.

It's no miracle that my performance this week has improved about 6% over my average for weekday runs at 4:00 AM. Back in 2009, I would beat 9:00 paces regularly. That was probably due to going out with the expectation that I'd run as fast as I could manage. I also used to monitor my pace as I ran, whereas now I only look at elapsed time on my Garmin.

The pace I ran this morning felt a little harder than it did on prior days, and I wondered if I tried to put too many hard runs together in a row. But even so, it wasn't an all out effort. I recovered quickly after I finished, with no residual effects later. I'm going to work on base tomorrow and probably won't be seeing the same pace that I've been able to achieve this week. I do hope the higher cadence and harder running I've been doing will help me when I run greater distances this weekend.

Ayn Rand as my running coach

All things in life relate to running

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

I sometimes experience good runs that are followed by a mediocre workout. It's almost like a tease. When I think I've made a breakthrough, I'm often disappointed the next time I run. There are many reasons for that, but I'm beginning to believe it all comes down to self determination. As Ayn Rand has put it, "The question isn't 'who is going to let me'; it's 'who is going to stop me'."

While I'm not an "Objectivist", I do agree with the idea that we control our own chances for success. That was my mindset this morning when I took off on my run. I was determined to prove that yesterday's measurable improvement in performance wasn't a random event. Just for a change, I wore the Spira XLT's, and as I moved along the first section of my route, I noticed how similar it felt to yesterday's run.

It's easy to run lazy. The fact that you are running will boost your self esteem regardless of how hard you're pushing the pace. I often fall into that trap, telling myself it's okay that I'm running slowly because it's really all about doing the workout. Instead of pushing myself hard enough to achieve my pace goals, I often default to running at a speed that feels comfortable.

Today I ran my regular route ten seconds faster than yesterday and a full three minutes faster than I usually cover it. That's two in a row. Ayn Rand would be pleased that I rejected the easy path and pushed myself once again to good results. But if she was my running coach, her expectations would go far beyond this level of improvement. For now, stringing two good runs together is defining success for me. Hopefully tomorrow I'll make it three in a row.

Successful start to Cow Harbor training

Once again, it's about speed

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Nothing forces a runner to pay attention to their performance as much as a race. Once the registration is completed, the clock begins its countdown to the starting gun. A good outcome is never assured, but preparation is always key. With a click of the submit button on Active.com, I've once again committed to training for the Great Cow Harbor race.

Every race I run fits within an easy/hard continuum. On the easy end are 5K's that are run fast but over within a short time. The hardest effort I've experienced over the last couple of years has been the half marathon, mostly due to covering so much distance with race pace urgency. In between are runs between 4 and 6.2 miles, some harder than others.

Of these races, Cow Harbor is the biggest event by far. With over 5,000 runners invading Northport, NY, on a Saturday morning, it's a race experience that stands out above all others. The energy of the morning, as runners gather at the Laurel Avenue school, grows by the minute as participants move into their designated wave sections. The chill in the air gives no clue to the scorching heat we'll experience along the course.

This morning's chilly air gave me the spark to start my run fast and keep the pedal down until I'd finished. Everything clicked and, despite my harder than usual effort, I felt completely comfortable pushing my speed. I ended up finishing my run three minutes faster than I did last Friday. It was the first time I broke 9:00 per mile in months and I can't remember the last time I did it at 4:00 AM.

One run doesn't make me ready for Cow Harbor, but I'm happy with my performance on Day One of training. I have three weeks until I taper and rest and I'm hoping to continue to perform like this. Lots to do before September 15th, but I'm off to a good start.

Liquid exhaustion

Yesterday's run (treadmill): 30 minutes
Today's run (street) 5.25 miles

Circuitous route

I was tired on Thursday morning and (no surprise) my run was slow. Yesterday morning I felt the same, so I skipped my morning run altogether. I'm not sure why I lacked energy on these two days but it definitely affected my motivation to run. After a half day in the office I headed home feeling more inclined to work out, so I took the opportunity to fit in a 30 minute treadmill run.

Despite yesterday's brutal heat and high humidity, I remained relatively dry during my indoor run. Credit goes to the big fan we've positioned directly in front of the treadmill. I didn't push my pace but, by the time I reached my planned finish time, I was completely soaked with sweat. I'd placed an icy glass filled with Gatorade G2 on the side table of the bed to drink after I'd completed my run. As they say, I was keeping my eye on the prize.

This morning I took it outside with no planned route, but an intention of running five miles. The dew point was approaching 70 by the time I set off and I tried to keep a sustainable pace that would allow me to cover my planned distance. I hadn't matched my normal pace since Wednesday morning's run. Today was no different but my focus was on distance, not speed.

The hot sun and the moisture in the air wore me down, mile by mile, but I still had enough in the tank to cover 5-plus miles. I'm accustomed to being sweaty after these long runs, but today it looked and felt like I had stepped out of a lake as I walked into the house. Every square inch of skin was wet and my clothing was completely saturated. Although I felt no aerobic strain during the run, I was still breathing heavily five minutes after the finish. It was more exhausting than I realized.

I'm on vacation this coming week and I hope to get a chance to run in Washington DC while we're there. If that's not practical, I may need to settle for the fitness center in the hotel. It's less stimulating to run indoors. But, with this weather, I'll fully appreciate the air conditioned experience.

A reason to appreciate my next good run

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Tuesday's post contained a quote about relishing bad runs so that you'll appreciate the good ones. I had plenty of reason to relish this morning because I ran my route over a minute slower than yesterday. I knew I was in for a disappointing time from the beginning. I may have improved my pace in the second half, but it was fairly pathetic effort.

Every weekday morning I question my expectations for performance. I'm out of bed at 3:45 AM and standing on my driveway ten minutes later. While I'm definitely a morning person and a morning runner, I understand that my body may not respond as well after abruptly waking up  from a sound sleep. Sometimes it does respond and other times, like today, it doesn't.

Today my legs felt leaden and that affected the fluidity of my form. Affected in the sense that I had no form. The residual tiredness, that I usually lose after a few minutes during these runs, remained. On Tuesday and Wednesday I'd pushed myself at certain times and ended up with decent overall paces. I had no appetite for that today and kept both my effort and heart rate low.

In the end, I was disappointed to see how slowly I had run. I was secretly hoping that the Garmin would show (despite my less than vigorous effort) that I'd actually flown through the course. The fact is that you get out what you put into a workout, and I contributed very little. So I'll relish this sub-par experience knowing how much I'll appreciate my next good run. Anyway, that's what I'm telling myself.

Good running follows a tough trail workout

Today's run (street): 3.9 miles

I was surprised to wake up today feeling ready for a run. After yesterday's tough trail run, I expected to feel sore and exhausted this morning. Perhaps it helped that I knew the hardest running of the weekend was already behind me. Either way, I was out of the house before 7:00 AM for a run around the neighborhood.

Lower humidity made a big difference compared to Saturday. The first couple of miles went by quickly and, without yesterday's hills, the run felt easy. I started feeling like I could run forever at that pace, but a glance at my Garmin told me I needed to step it up. I picked up my speed and that's when I started to feel the effort. By the time I finished I felt like I'd done a pretty hard run.

This has not been a typical running week for me. Due to Wednesday night's 5K, I'd rested on Tuesday and Thursday, putting me 5 miles behind where I'd normally be on a Friday. Since then I've covered almost 13 miles, totaling about 17 for the week. With both Dirty Sock and Cow Harbor happening soon, I'll need to work on my base and get my weekly mileage back up to competitive levels.

Are you getting your runner's daily requirement?

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

One thing I learned from Wednesday's race is that I'm not working hard enough during my regular training runs. Over the past four years I've had phases where I've focused on performance and/or distance. That type of running has always paid off during races. Running fast workouts will usually produce decent finish times for 5, 8 and 10K's. The same goes for long base training runs used as preparation for a half marathon.

Some runners that I know enjoy the challenge of running fast. They approach every workout as an opportunity to test their performance. They enjoy the work that it takes and that's why they run.

Me? I like to run fast (or my version of fast), but mostly I like to enjoy the experience of moving along, outside, preferably along a wooded trail. Long slow distance is both a technique and a way to define the way I like to run. LSD is invaluable when doing base training, but it is only part of the runner's daily requirement for race preparation.

If race training was defined like a food label, recommended weekly percentages would probably look something like this:

Speed runs:               15%
Tempo runs:              25%
Hill training:               10%
Base runs:                 25%
Easy/recovery runs:   15%
Cross training/core:   10%

I fall short on everything but easy runs. It's the same thing as eating too many carbs and not enough protein. You just won't perform as well.

This morning I decided that enough was enough so I cranked up the treadmill right away, to a speed that felt similar to my race pace on Wednesday. It wasn't easy, but I was able to sustain it. That was probably because my last two runs were a speed workout and a race. Can I maintain this type of running going forward to the point where I'm getting my recommended doses of speed and hill training? Maybe not all at once, but a little harder training might be doable.

What's depriving me from better running

By the way, today is National Running Day!

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

I usually take two days off after a race to allow my leg muscles to properly recover. It may be due to my mindset about Sunday's 8K that I didn't follow tradition and skip yesterday's run. I felt like my post race plan didn't warrant the usual rest, because it was a C- effort on my part. I initially congratulated myself for toughing it out and finishing with a respectable time, but the experience was disappointing. The only thing that made it special was having my family with me.

Yesterday's run was good, as is typical after a bad run and a day of resting. This morning I opted for a treadmill workout so I could get started and finished more quickly. That left a little more time to rest before starting my day. I ran fine but without much enthusiasm. My only goal was to finish and check the "workout done" box.

Runner's World tweet this morning: "Chronically sleep deprived? It will impact your running. Try for 8 hours/night." I had to laugh because 8 hours is roughly the amount of sleep I get over two nights. I wish I could do an experiment comparing my running performance after I sleep for 8 hours a night for two weeks. I'm certain there would be measurable improvement. If only I had the time to do that.

Psychological struggles on the Bethpage trail

Six down and six up

Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 12 miles

Unless you are an elite runner, or someone who covers 70 training miles a week, 12 miles is a long distance to run. It's 92% of a half marathon and it felt very much like a full marathon this morning. I know a good number of people who run marathons and half marathons, and I am privately amazed by their confident view of these races. To me, a half marathon is an "Event" that takes many weeks of tough training and still guarantees to beat me to a pulp. My friends certainly give their training its due, but they don't seem as intimidated by the challenge.

It was a chilly 34 degrees when I started this morning's run at Bethpage and I decided to start with a lap around the large parking lot before reaching the main trail. I thought that front loading some distance would give me a psychological edge, making my long miles on the trail seem a little shorter. Unfortunately I miscalculated a little and paid for it at the end.

I ran without water because my Amphipod bottle is not usable and my Ultimate Direction bottle had not arrived. I could have run with bottled water but I decided to go without, rather than deal with the need to carry a bottle without a hand grip. I took along a GU gel in case I needed a boost later in my run. I ultimately chose not to take it because I didn't want to consume it without water.

My extra distance at the beginning of my run provided the surprise of reaching the 4 mile point earlier than I expected. My milestone for that distance is a point just south of the Southern State overpass near the Linden Street crossing. Before long, I was running in the Massapequa Preserve where I planned my turnaround after six miles. That was a mistake.

Bethpage is a rolling trail that does a good job of torturing me at certain points in my run. There are some hills to manage during the first few miles, but it isn't until I reach the Southern State overpass where it becomes hard. The section is steep, but not too long, and I get over it fine. The problem is knowing that I'll soon face it coming back, the northbound section being longer, with two difficult inclines.

I like the Massapequa Preserve because the path is macadam, not concrete, and everyone on that section of the trail seems to be friendly and smiling. I cruised along well but I did begin to feel fatigue as I approached the six mile mark. I considered having the GU, but I didn't want to deal with the stickiness without water to wash it down. That won't be the case for the Half where I'll run with water or take GU at a water station.

Once I cleared the Southern State I tried to feel good that I wouldn't have to deal with big hills for a couple of miles. For some reason I began feeling down and was questioning why I was subjecting myself to this long boring run. I knew even then that much of running is psychological and that I needed to get my head straight if I was to cover the next five miles without going insane.

I did recover from that malaise, but my boredom was soon replaced by dread. I was facing the two big hills near the end and wasn't feeling very strong. I again considered taking my gel but decided that I'd almost be finished with my run by the time I felt any effect from it. As I approached the Quaker Meetinghouse Rd. crossing, I seriously considered taking a break. The wooden bench looked tempting but, when I reached it, I just kept going.

The first of the two dreaded hills was easier to handle than I'd expected, though I knew I was running pretty slowly. Another runner passed me and disappeared into the distance and I cringed before looking at my Garmin to check my pace. The last big hill was harder than expected, but I knew once I passed it I'd soon be done.

Wrong!

In my decision to turn around at six miles, I failed to consider that I'd run about half a mile prior to starting on the bike trail. That meant that, by the time I reached the parking lot, I'd only covered 11.5 miles. In order to reach my 12 mile goal I needed to circle the entire lot. While the parking lot is flat, my mind was set to come off the trail and trot over to my car, stop the Garmin and rest. Instead I had to make that last loop, trudging through final half mile as I wistfully viewed my waiting car.

I was beat up pretty badly, but I succeeded in reaching all my training goals for next weekend's race. I will definitely take gels when I fatigue and stop at the water stations or carry my own hydration. Next Sunday will be 1.1 miles more than I covered today. I know it will be hard, but at least the LI Half race course doesn't have Bethpage's hills. That's what I kept telling myself this morning.

Speed takes effort, it's that simple

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

The UPS truck mocked me as I drove into my driveway last night. The UPS driver usually does his deliveries in my neighborhood around the same time that I get home from work. I watched as he carried what looked like a shoebox-sized container, but he dropped it at a neighbor's house. Saucony is supposedly looking into what's happened to my pre-launch Kinvara 3's. I'm thinking I may never get them.

As much as I've anticipated the Saucony's, I'm still appreciating the Spira Stinger XLT's. I skipped yesterday's run, but went out this morning. Again I found the XLT's to be comfortable and responsive. I moved well during my run and, while my PE was relatively low, I felt like my pace was brisk. When I came to the end of my run I looked at my Garmin, only to see that I'd covered my route more than a minute slower than expected. So much for getting that bonus 15 seconds per mile from the XLT's.

I think the lesson I reinforced today is that, at my level, speed should feel hard. If I don't push it, I shouldn't expect to put up good numbers. Due to some scheduling issues this week, I'm swapping my Thursday elliptical session with a run tomorrow morning. I'll put in more effort and see whether that makes a difference. Perhaps the 15 second bonus only happens on harder runs.

Where angels fear to treadmill

Today's run (treadmill intervals): 30 minutes

When two unpleasant things, like sodium and chloride, are combined, the resulting substance can be quite palatable (like salt). More often, combining two disagreeable things will just amplify their unpleasantness. One great example is running intervals on the treadmill.

My plan for this morning was to head out early to the local track to run 4 x 400's and 100 meter sprints. I ended up sleeping to 6:45 AM, which set my schedule back an hour, so I changed my plans to run 200 meter intervals at the adjacent middle school. Due to circumstances, my time got too tight to do even that, so I elected to do my speed work on the treadmill.

Honestly, I don't always find the treadmill disagreeable, but I far prefer to run outside. Intervals on the treadmill spook me because the faster the machine goes, the more concern I have for my safety.  When the Sole is cranking over 8 MPH, it provides a scary display of motion and power. A 7:30 pace on the road feels very mild by comparison. The whole time I'm running fast on the treadmill my primary concern is a misstep that will cause me to fly off the machine.

Since I don't really trust the recorded distance on the Sole's display, I went by time for my fast running. I started off with three minutes of easy running and then hit the 8 MPH button, holding on for dear life. I'm sure there are many people, some who read this blog, that might look at 8 MPH as brisk, but not especially fast. I guess it's all relative, because that first 3 minute cycle was a heart racing experience.

I switched between 3 minute cycles of 8 MPH (truth be told, I dialed back to 7.5 MPH after completing the second interval) separated by two minute recovery cycles. The first three recovery periods were done at 4 MPH, and the rest were at 6 MPH. I ended up running a total of 30 minutes and I stepped off the treadmill thinking:

• OMG I'm exhausted
• I need electrolytes
• I wish I was already in the shower
• I need to be ready to leave the house in 30 minutes and all I want is a nap

When I came out of the shower I was still sweating, and I knew I accomplished my goal of getting an effective speed workout completed today. I'll go out for a very easy run tomorrow and start my taper for next Saturday's race. Now that enough time has passed, I'm already forgetting how hard today's workout felt. Like sodium and chloride, treadmill intervals do yield some benefits when they're combined, but it's hard to appreciate that at the time.

Want to take it easy? Run a little faster.

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

If not for the 50 MPH winds this morning, I would have been happy to get outside for my run. It was 49 degrees (and dropping) at 4:00 AM and I was already on the treadmill. After Sunday's full hour run on this machine, I had no problem returning for another round. I got up to speed quickly and followed my normal practice of increasing speed throughout the run, so that I would finish my run about an 8:30 pace.

A week ago Saturday I went out for a run with the intention of running slowly as a way to facilitate recovery. I feared that I'd finish feeling like the easy effort had made no impact. In reality, I had the opposite experience. Running slowly turned out to be harder than running fast.

I've applied that lesson in every run I've done since then. Perhaps the momentum of an efficient stride helps me move along better. The energy created by faster leg turnover certainly seems to fuel my effort. Of course once I'm running at threshold speed it becomes a whole lot harder. But right now, as counter-intuitive as it seems, working a little harder is making for easier running.

A superstitious run

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Ha! You don't scare me

Happy Friday the 13th! It's easy to laugh at superstitions but we all have them. Personally, I'm fine with it being the 13th because I've had some nice things happen on this date.

That said, I thought my luck had run out a few minutes into this morning's run. Although the news station said the temperatures were in the high 40's it felt chilly when I stepped outside. I could even see vapor when I breathed. That didn't matter because I was dressed for cold. I set out feeling energized and stepped up the pace when I realized I could sustain a harder effort. About a half mile in, I felt some drops of rain that soon became a steady downpour. I strongly considered heading back home to finish on the treadmill.

The winds were also strong and the combination of wind, cold and rain was unpleasant. I decided to press on as long as I could see (with glasses, that can be an issue) and continued to run fairly hard. I was disappointed that the weather might interrupt what was turning out to be a strong run, but after a mile the rain reverted to a drizzle.

I was surprised by how fast I could run without feeling the lactic acid burn that I always associate with a harder effort. Some days, for no reason, a run turns out to be a slog and you do what you must to get through it. Maybe it was the luck of Friday the 13th that helped me today, but I finished as strong as I started, with my fastest overall pace in memory. So much for superstition.

Stacking the deck the wrong way

Karhu Fast 2 - a contributing factor

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles

This morning's temperature was a mild 44°, but the winds from the west made it feel much colder. I decided to run with my new Alpine Design half-zip that I hoped would block wind. I was pleased that it did, although I would have been better off had I just worn a couple of shirt layers. I was sweating profusely by the end of my run.

I'd inadvertently stacked the deck against having a good run by choosing the Karhu Fast 2 running shoes that I'd relegated to elliptical duty a while back. When I did a quick run in the Karhu's the other day they'd felt okay, so I thought I'd give them another try.

Other factors in play were a depleted blood supply (from my doctor's visit yesterday) and a very large, calorie-laden meal at our friends last night. This included a Guinness stout and my system isn't used to alcohol. I've only had the equivalent of five beers in all of 2011.

My route was through the neighborhood and I didn't plan to run it fast. I figured 3+ miles would be an easy workout. By mile I realized it would be difficult to get through the entire run but I was determined to do it. The wind didn't help and I felt hot and very tired. The Karhu's high platform made it difficult to maintain a fluid stride.

By the time I'd finished, I was surprised by my level of exhaustion. I guess if I'd thought about it I would have chosen different gear and charted an even shorter route. But good runs usually follow bad ones, so I'll hope for better experiences throughout the week.

Pushing the pace without really trying

Today's run (street): 4.3 miles

Was today's run hard because I was tired, or because my pace was 20 seconds per mile faster than than it felt? I'm not sure, but today's run, that I planned do do s-l-o-w-l-y, didn't end up that way.

The temperature was in the high 20's when I went out at 7:30 AM. I'd had a decent night's sleep and the chilly air felt good. Yesterday's long elliptical session had me thinking about a recovery run today. I usually dislike the first couple of minutes of every run, until my aerobic breathing kicks in, but this morning I had no such issues.

Since I had no time constraints, I followed a different route than normal that had slightly more uphill roads than usual. My stride felt fluid though my legs felt a little heavy. I planned to cover about five miles but I began to feel a little fatigued after covering just a couple. I thought, perhaps, that the full week of workouts, plus last weekend's race, were catching up to me.

I modified my course and headed back towards home after passing three miles. I picked up my pace as I got closer to the end and reached my driveway after covering 4.3 (Gmaps verified) miles. I must have run harder than I realized to attain a pace in the low 9:00 range, but it probably contributed to my lagging energy.

We have a family get-together later today, and I plan to go out for an early run tomorrow. Christmas morning is a great time to be out, since most people stay around home and the streets are clear. I don't celebrate the holiday, but I do love the peaceful time. 

Hard runs are only fun once you're done

Today's run (treadmill): 2.7 miles

I elected to run indoors again this morning since the rains had moved in last night. I got a jump start on my  morning run because I woke up six minutes early and started on the treadmill at 3:50 AM. That allowed me to get in a hard run and still have time to relax with coffee before heading to the shower.

After yesterday's easy run with a 2% incline, I decided to push the pace today. I never re-calibrated the treadmill after replacing the console, so I don't really trust the treadmill's speed readout. 6.3 MPH on the machine feels more like a 9:00 mile on the road.

I started at 6 MPH and blipped the speed control every couple of minutes until I reached 7 MPH. I stayed with that throughout my 25 minute run. Easy runs feel good while you are doing them, but hard runs feel great when you finish. I chose to defer my enjoyment until after my workout and I'm glad I did. I'm hoping for some decent weather this weekend so I can get in some sorely needed distance runs.

Of treadmills and laziness

Today's run (treadmill - 2% incline): 25 minutes

I never thought that I'd consider myself lazy for getting up at 3:45 AM and running on the treadmill. But that's the way I felt this morning as I followed my indoor routine. There's no doubt that I prefer running outdoors to indoors, and ideally on trails. But the treadmill provides something that is irreplaceable at 4:00 AM -- time savings.

The amount of time it takes me to prepare for an outdoor run in cold weather is almost twice that of a treadmill run. With the additional gear and waiting for my Garmin to acquire a signal, I can easily lose 10 precious minutes. Surprisingly, my unabated hatred for the treadmill has given way to a qualified respect for its versatility. I've come to appreciate the capability to vary speed at the touch of a button and switch elevations on command.

So maybe laziness is the wrong word to describe why I chose the treadmill today instead of an outdoor run. Maybe practicality was the reason. All the same, If there's no rain tomorrow, I'll be back to the streets in the morning.

What it takes

Today's run (treadmill): 2.5 miles

My favorite running quote, attributed to Marc Davis (an Olympic runner) goes "All it takes is all you got." Looking beyond the questionable grammar, I find this quote inspiring. I don't think it means giving all you've got all the time. That's something a jet engine has to do. A person needs balance in their life and most of the time all it takes is what you need. But when you are standing at the starting line, it should be all that you've got. Otherwise, what's the point?

I thought about that quote as I fired up the treadmill this morning. I'd hoped to get outside but the rain changed my mind. Since I don't like the treadmill, I try to incorporate strategies to get me through my runs. One technique is to start slow and blip up my speed every minute until I reach a brisk pace that I maintain until the end. Other times (like yesterday) I start slow and stay that way throughout most of my run.

Today I decided that I had to give it "all I got" because Cow Harbor is two weekends away and I can't waste conditioning time on maintenance miles. I started at around a 9:00 pace that felt far faster and thought there was no way that I could maintain that for the duration. After about eight minutes I began to feel more comfortable with the pace and I increased my speed a couple of times until I reached my targeted distance.

I ended up giving it all I've got today and I finished feeling, hot, soaking and spent. Exactly how I like to feel after I've run a race my way.

Perceived effort high plus "impossible" obstacles

Today's run (street): 4 miles

More ow, than ouch!

I've been fortunate to avoid injuries that prevent my running, but lately I've experienced some painful tweaks in my knee, shin and Achilles tendon. These tweaks are mild and happily intermittent, but they make me wonder what's behind them. I was reading an article on Runblogger (a very nice running site) about Achilles problems and, while I don't think I have "Hagland's structure", I wondered if running in the Hattori's is creating my Achilles issue. I began to think about running in a different shoe.

At the recent Dirty Sock 10K run, Paul mentioned that he trains in heavier cushioned shoes and races in lighter shoes. Right now he's running in Saucony Mirages, a shoe I occasionally use for training and racing. The Mirage is a luxury ride compared to the Hattori's, but it's still low and relatively flat. I decided to dust off my Brooks GTS 10's, a terrific shoe that I'd shelved for running due to their built-up platform.

Chicken soup for the foot

I went out purposely slow on this humid morning and intended to keep it that way. I know that an easy run should follow a hard run and yesterday's speed work was just that. The Brooks felt really good and I cruised along for a couple of miles but picked up the pace after the second mile. By the time I reached 3.25 miles I was feeling a little fatigued. I thought about the idea of running to perceived effort versus a time goal. Over the next quarter mile I perceived plenty of effort as I approached the hilliest part of my route.

When I crested the highest section I took off fast and finished my run breathing hard and sweating heavily. I knew I'd probably pushed too hard and possibly invited further injury. My Achilles felt slightly sore and my right knee felt tender. But overall, I think I'm okay. My perceived effort certainly exceeded my performance metrics, but so what? As long as my injuries got no worse and my training advanced, I feel that I'm going in the right direction.

We're getting close to the end of summer so, today, the Emerging Runner family held our "Impossible Obstacle Course" in the backyard. Due to the effects of hurricane Irene that landed lots of branches and leaves in the pool, we didn't include a swimming portion. The event consisted of activities like soccer ball dribbling, basketball shooting, hockey stick bowling (don't ask), a lacrosse throw and some running.  It was a nice second workout and we all had fun. Best of all, my knee and Achilles felt fine, both during and after.