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.

Orange you glad these shirts are so cheap?

As often happens on Saturdays, the Emerging Runner family found themselves at the mall. It's always a tactical effort - go to a few targeted stores, locate what's needed and get out as soon as possible. Often my wife will head to the children's section to find items for the kids so I wander over to the men's area to see what they carry in terms of athletic wear. We were at Target and I was looking for pool shirts made with the type of fabric that doesn't disintegrate and bleach out from chlorine after three or so wearings. They didn't have those, only shorts, but they did have some nice shirts from their Champion G9 line. This stuff is very well priced and nicely designed. While the quality doesn't match the higher end stuff from companies like Brooks and Sugoui it's an excellent choice for daily training. I prefer to do my daily runs with lower end gear because it's cheap to replace when it gets worn out with multiple washings. I try not to wear my "premium"shirts (Zoot, Nike Sphere, Adidas adiSTAR) except to race or when heat conditions require a superior wicking shirt.

I didn't buy any of the Champion G9 shirts but on a whim I checked out Old Navy's RECTECH performance shirts that were currently on sale. I often worry that when I run in the neighborhood or on the trails that I could get mowed down by an inattentive driver or mountain biker. Most of my day to day running clothes are either black or white so when I saw short sleeved RECTECH shirts for $5 apiece I bought two, one pumpkin orange and the other mustard yellow. These wicking shirts seem nicely made and contain some stretchable material. Not bad for $5! I wore my orange shirt today over my other two layers (33 degrees at 8:30 AM) as I headed out for my morning run. The route I chose took me to neighborhood #2 which required a short segment running along a one way service road where people often speed. I was happy to have my orange shirt serving as a beacon to drivers. All the same I ran as close to the snow line as possible for the minute I was on that connecting road.

I had a decent run overall, half in neighborhood #2 and the other half in my main neighborhood, totaling 4.7 miles. I'm still feeling some of the effects from my Thursday core exercises which means I need to do them more often. Although Monday is usually a rest day I plan to do the Lolo core routine to help strengthen some key muscles. I'm going to need all the help I can get if Sunday's race turns about to be a hilly run in the snow.

ATAYNE(ing) running success and social responsibility

This week I received a couple of running shirts from a company called ATAYNE (pronounced attain) and I am very excited about it. The shirts are truly beautiful, well made and cleverly designed. What I like most about these shirts is that they are made from 100% recycled materials and function as high performance athletic gear. We'll be giving these products a thorough test and will report our findings on Runner's Tech Review when we do. In the meantime think about giving a socially responsible shirt to your favorite runner this holiday season.

I needed a little more than great gear to get me through my run this morning. I did an elliptical workout on Thursday and this morning I awoke to 18 degree weather and a headache courtesy of last night's work holiday party. Now don't get me wrong, it isn't like I had a lot to drink. I didn't. It's just that nowadays, if I drink anything I pay for it the next day. I love Chimay Blue but it will be a while until I have another. Even with the cold and the ache I hit the road at 4:00 and covered 2.25 miles at a comfortable pace. Today's run was necessary to reinforce that neither cold nor (self created) discomfort are excuses to skip a run. I'm hoping to put some longer miles on the road or trails this weekend. I also need to complete and post my 2010 goals. New Years is only 2 weeks away!

A good impression of compression

A few years ago I was walking with a colleague from work on a very cold winter's day. She was wearing a skirt and tights and seemed comfortable with the below ten degree temperatures while was freezing in my suit and long wool coat. I asked her how she seemed so comfortable and she told me that her tights kept her legs very warm. She said the tight fit seemed to insulate better than pants. I was skeptical at the time but after some experience with compression running pants I have to admit there's a big difference in the amount of heat you retain. I also feel much more energized when running in these pants (I have three pairs now) and I believe my 8:19 pace during Saturday's race was helped out, somewhat, by the compression technology and warmth.

This morning it was 34 degrees outside so I dressed in layers, a long sleeved compression top, long sleeved tech top and short sleeved tech top plus reflective vest and my Brooks hat. Below I wore my new Nike compression pants and a pair of crew length Timberland athletic socks and it was perfect for the morning conditions. I headed north from my house up a slightly inclined road and was hit head-on by what I'm guessing was a 5-10 MPH wind. I was happy with my choice of clothes and I stepped it up a bit to try to warm up faster. Overall I covered 2.5 miles at around 9:10 per mile. Not exactly PR numbers but at 4:00 AM on a chilly morning I'll call it a great run.

Cold and snag season

Although I should be used to it by now I'm still surprised to see TV commercials promoting Christmas shopping this early in the season. This week I'm starting to see a lot of them and it's only a few days since Halloween. I was still waking up to the expectation of heat and humidity on my run as recently as mid-October. Suddenly it's the holiday season and the morning temperatures are reinforcing that point, certainly with today's run. I've started to add layers to my usual outfit of running shorts and short sleeved jersey and I'm thinking that I still could use a thermal top for when things get really cold in January. The Champion tight running pants that are/were bargain-priced at Target are a good weight for now but I will need to switch to my Nike compression pants when the temperature drops. There are always regular running pants but I don't like using them until the weather gets really cold.

I had a couple of snags this morning, one literal, before and after my run. When I put on my reflective vest I saw that the plastic clip on one side had broken off so I had no easy way to connect the front and back. I ended up wedging an adjacent plastic piece into the receptor but that fix didn't hold for long. I stepped out and realized that the 37 degree temperature was misleading because there were some strong winds kicking up leaves and providing a chill that made it feel much colder than it was. I took off anyway and hoped I'd warm up quickly from running. The wind dislodged the clip on my vest so it became unstable and flew in front of my face each time I got a direct gust of cold air. I said to myself that today was about getting through the workout and I ended up covering 2.4 miles in a little over 22 minutes. Like my two other early morning runs this week I felt sluggish most of the way through. I wonder if I'm not well enough rested to do these runs this week.

When I returned home, I slipped through the garage into the den and one of my new ASICS gloves got snagged in the door of the mud room. I had to struggle to detach my hand from my glove in time to disarm the security alarm before the 120 decibel klaxons went off waking my family and the neighbors. Fortunately the delay provided enough time for me to do that. The last thing I needed was a discussion with the police who'd have been dispatched by our alarm company if the alarm actually did go off. I still need to figure out how to fix my vest for next week and I'll know to be very careful with my glove the next time I come back in from a run.

New running gear cures all ills

Yesterday I took a rest day from both running and posting. This has been a tough week for my company and I think it caught up to me on Wednesday both physically and psychologically. I felt exhausted when I woke up and I thought that there would be little to gain from running. My workday was busy and I considered writing a post over lunch but instead I decided to head over to City Sports to look for a couple of needed items. It was exactly what I needed to break out of my week's malaise. My morning runs used to be a perfect respite to the hot summer weather. I could count on cooler temperatures and, of course, no sun at 4 AM. Now it's darn chilly in the morning and while I have the gear to keep me comfortable there are a few things that could improve.

When I got to City Sports I noticed that they had really nice cold gear from ASICS, Brooks, Mizuno, Adidas and others. I'm always tempted by this stuff but I know that my less compelling but functionally competent cold gear would carry me through another season. What I really needed were a mid weight hat that would cover my ears but not affect the position of my glasses when I run. I found a Brooks Vapor 2 racing cap for a very good price and I was pleased to accomplish at least one task. Along the way I found a pair of ASICS Winter Run Hybrid gloves marked down to less than $10 (from $28) so I was happy about that. I spend a little more time looking at running shoes and saw they had some of the new ASICS models. They also had some excellent bargains on shoes in their clearance section. As much as I'd have liked to buy a pair of $140 shoes for 35% off it wasn't the right choice for me. I returned to the office happy with my purchases and felt better overall.

This morning I used the new hat and gloves on my run but they certainly didn't help my performance. It may be that I am fighting a cold or just over tired but through the entire run I felt like I had a tether holding me back. I couldn't generate much speed and I ended up covering 2.4 miles at a mid 9:00 pace. All the same I did get back out today and despite my sluggish run I liked the way the new cold gear performed.

The running clothes make the man

There's something very motivating to me about running gear. Walking through the running sections at City Sports, Paragon and even Target sparks a desire to buy something and then immediately go running. Those who know me understand how much I usually dislike clothes shopping. Every weekend my wife suggests that I go get some "clothes that fit me." I almost never do because I find it tedious. But if she suggested that I go spend the day looking for running gear I'd be out the door in an instant.

Last night I placed my morning running gear on the bed in the guestroom. Just seeing it this morning generated excitement and anticipation of a run. There's something about putting it all together: the running shorts, HRM, Garmin watch, jersey, socks, shoes, vest, hat, headlamp and tail light makes it seem purposeful. I recall having the same feeling getting ready before a hockey game or karate class.

The whole process of preparing for my 4:00 AM run is becoming more efficient. I still get a thrill watching my garage door rise up slowly to show the early morning scene of mist highlighted by house lights, everything quiet save for the sound of a few sprinkler systems and an occasional bird chirping. I usually do some quick warm-up exercises to minimize the initial pain and stiffness I'm still feeling from my right leg. Then, with a push of a button on the Garmin, I get a jolt of excitement and start to run.

I'll admit that these early morning runs feel easier that those I do later in the day. It may be the cool air or the fact that I'm not fully awake but it feels almost like I'm riding rather than running. That may be a reason why my pace times have been a bit slow since I started this routine. Today I tried to keep my pace brisk and I felt as though I was moving fast through the run and especially near the end when I poured it on. I was surprised to see the Garmin report that I'd run 9:12 for 2.4 miles. I was convinced that I was running at least 8:50 and even faster on the last half mile. Well 9:12 is certainly better than yesterday's 9:40 pace so I'm heading in the right direction. The only thing better than putting on the gear is taking it off after a good run and celebrating with a cup of coffee while the world is still asleep.

The trail shoe conspiracy

Of all the running gear that I own my least understood (and probably most important) items are my running shoes. I started my return to running with a pair of New Balance cross trainers and soon discovered that they were clearly the wrong tools for the job. I started researching running shoes and was quickly intimidated by the many options I had in choosing a shoe.

There were shoes for people who were (regrettably dubbed) pronators and supinators. There were also shoes for neutral runners, front foot strikers and for other types of runners who possessed other seemingly important afflictions. I had purchased the Nike+ Sportsband to track my performance so I decided to look for Nike+ shoes that would allow me to properly place the RF chip below the sole instead of atop my foot as I did in my New Balance shoe. My salesperson at the shoe store recommended Nike Turbulence 13's because they had good cushioning. As a new runner she thought I would want a more comfortable fit. It was a good recommendation and I've never had a problem with them.

I hadn't thought about running shoes for months until I started becoming interested in off road running. As much as I like the track it does get tedious running in circles. I'm beginning to outgrow my neighborhood in terms of the distances I can cover without doubling back on any streets so it would be nice to have another option. I looked at trail shoes online and in places like Sports Authority and figured on paying about $50-$60 for a pair. Given the mix of choices I had seen for this type of shoe I decided to pay a visit to a local running store to get the scoop on the best trail shoes for my type of running.

My salesperson was a young guy who was clearly a serious runner. I told him that I run on the road but I wanted to try running trails as well. He asked me what type of trails I planned to run on and I told him I wanted to start with actual running trails as opposed to paths in the woods. He surprised me by saying that I didn't need trail shoes unless I planned on running in fairly rough terrain. He showed me some shoes from various manufacturers and while the shoes were different the thing they had in common was the price. Every shoe he had was over $100 and I asked him why their shoes were so expensive compared to the ones I had seen at Sports Authority. He said they only carried top lines but he also said that trail shoes with Gore-Tex were priced higher than other shoes because of the additional Gore-Tex licensing costs. He said that in many cases the manufacturer’s own water protection and breathability systems were better than Gore-Tex but people wanted - and paid for - the higher priced brand.

I decided not to buy any shoes because I still wasn't sure what I really needed. I know now that I can use my Turbulence 13's on trails but I don't want them to get too dirty or beat up. I'll take a look at the more modestly priced shoes at the sporting goods stores to see what they offer - or don't - in terms of weather protection. So I'll add trail shoes to my list of other running gear, like a GPS watch, that I want but don't necessarily need. I'd rather pay more to get a good shoe but I don't want to buy more shoe than I need.

12 degrees of difficulty

On Sunday morning I was a little shocked to see the thermometer reading 12 degrees but decided that nothing was going to stop me from running outside. I took off feeling okay but soon regretted the cold as my face and hands (despite gloves) began to hurt. I considered turning back to get my running balaclava but instead decided to just press on. I figured that I'd warm up within five minutes so I put my head down and changed my direction to minimize the amount of wind I was facing.

Normally I'll begin sweating before reaching the 1 1/2 mile mile mark but I was still freezing at that point in the run. Those great Merino wool socks and my running leggings were keeping my lower half toasty but it was pretty cold above the waist despite my three long sleeve jerseys and a light running jacket. As I ran I came up with a wish list of cold running gear (e.g., running mittens) that I'd wished I had brought along.

My body temperature mercifully equalized a few minutes after mile two and I was quite comfortable for the remaining part of the run. The wicking properties of the base layer were keeping me dry and relatively warm. I thought about how I could have dressed differently to avoid the first 20 minutes of discomfort but I also wondered if the things that kept me warm the first half of the run would work against me once I had warmed up. I've read that you're supposed to dress in removable layers on really cold days but I'm puzzled as to what to do with this stuff when you no longer need it.

As the work week starts I'll be back to the treadmill for my morning workouts. I had two great runs this weekend and I'll miss the road until Saturday but I know I won't miss the cold.

Trail running - the Emerging Runner's next frontier?

I was looking at a magazine called Trail Runner which focuses on running in more rugged terrain. AG, one of the Emerging Runner advisers, had told me about a good running trail near where I live and I was looking for information about running trails in the area. There was another running trail, about three miles south of my town, listed in the magazine's directory of races as well. I'm going to try the Muttontown Mystery Trail because it's very convenient to my home. My wife and kids like hiking so perhaps I can mix a run with a hike. The only downside to trail running is that the shoe requirement is different and I don't have trail shoes. Yet.

Today is the last day off from holiday break. Although it hasn't even been two full weeks I feel like I've been away for a month. I had a great time with my family and many great opportunities to run under many different conditions. I'm very pleased with the progress that I've made. After yesterday's difficult run I was concerned that today's would be hard but I got an early start and ran 3.2 miles through the neighborhood. I felt great from the first step and although it was over ten degrees colder than last night there was little wind. I wasn't going for speed and my pace reflected that but I really enjoyed the experience. Tomorrow will be a return to 4:00 AM running and shorter distances until the weekend. I plan to map my distance progress to see what adjustments are necessary for proper conditioning for the 4 mile race.

Caution: icy roads ahead

I had a great run this morning despite the fact that the neighborhood roads still have patches of ice. There was snow and ice on less trafficked areas, like the Middle School, where I often begin my runs. I was careful to navigate around those hazards and I also encountered ice patches around the lower ends of some hilly streets.

Today's run was about 3.2 miles which I did at an average pace of 9:49. I thought that was good since I needed to slow down a lot when the roads were bad. I bought some running leggings last week that are very comfortable and perfect for temperatures in the 20's and 30's. The down side is that I have no place to put an ID or my phone (I usually keep them in the back pocket of my running sweats). The other thing about the leggings is that they are form fitting and you get the sensation that you aren't wearing pants. I actually checked the first time I used them last week to make sure I hadn't forgotten to fully dress.

I've definitely stepped up my average distance per run but it's mostly due to having more time on vacation. I really want to extend my morning runs between Monday and Friday that are constrained by my schedule. I can probably start slightly earlier by preparing more the night before. Even five minutes gained would make a difference.

I'm dreaming of a dry Christmas

The Emerging Runner is off for the year end holiday break. Normally I look forward to time off as an opportunity to run outdoors for longer distances since I'm not constrained by my morning routine with the pressure to leave by 6:00 AM to make my train. While I loved all the snow that fell over the weekend, the temperature hasn't risen enough to melt the ice on the roads. Consequently I'll need to do today's run on the treadmill followed by some elliptical work. The temperature is supposed to rise to 47 degrees by afternoon but we'll have a house full of people by then. I'm hoping conditions change enough over the next 24 hours that I can run on the track on Thursday morning. A friend gave me some really good crew length running socks yesterday and I want to use them outdoors because they are nicely cushioned.

A pretty good (but freezing) run

This morning was pretty cold but I decided that I would brave the weather and run outside. Instead of my usual weekend neighborhood run I decided to go to the track. I tried to anticipate how cold it would be and wore three long sleeve running jerseys under a lightweight running jacket and lined running pants. I also brought my fleece hat and gloves.

As I drove toward the school I had to move into the center of the road to avoid hitting two runners who decided to run side by side up a very busy street in the same direction as the traffic. I couldn't believe those guys and I hope they didn't get hit.

When I got to the track I saw a couple of people running. They were bundled up much more than me, both were wearing hoods and hats that covered most of their faces. The other runners seemed miserable and I figured that they overdressed and were paying for it or they were just pushing too hard. I began my run feeling really good. The sun had come up and it didn't feel cold at all. As I came around the second curve the wind hit me straight on. It was painfully cold and difficult to maintain speed. I realized then why those other runners dressed that way. Note to self: Buy a running balaclava.

I toughed it out and ran 13 laps, the equivalent of 3.25 miles. My Nike+ Sportband was off by quite a bit (32%) and reported that I ran 4.84 miles (see above) which calculated to a pace of 6:58/mile. Not quite. With the wind I was pleased with my true pace, calculated by MapMyRun at 10:24. I felt I could have pushed it another mile but the wind was picking up and I really didn't like how my face was feeling. I may return with my son later, hopefully it will warm up by early afternoon. In the meantime I will try to recalibrate the Sportband. It's been very accurate against the treadmill speed and distance but on an actual track, not so much. Maybe I do need a GPS watch.

Running gear

According to runningusa.org there are about 8 to 16 million "frequent" runners in the US. It's a huge market for clothes and other gear. The Running USA website has some interesting statistics about the demographics of runners and what they buy. That said, I wonder why it's so hard to find a place that sells crew length running socks. I can't be the only one that wants them. On the subject of running clothing, a member of the Emerging Runner advisory board told me today about an interesting website: steepandcheap.com. It's an auction style site run by Backcountry.com, an outdoor clothing manufacturer. Every 20 minutes they put up an item that you can purchase at a substantial discount but only during the period the item is active. Looks addictive.