Montauk tapering to the end

Montauk: The End

Yesterday's run (treadmill): 4 miles

Montauk is a beautiful and relaxing place, especially during the off season that is devoid of both crowds and intense sunlight. The East End has a vibrant running culture and I struck up a conversation last night with a local woman who'd noticed my LI Marathon running hat. She has run the LI Half a number of times and will again participate on May 6. We noticed lots of runners along the Montauk Highway and other local roads. I just wish these people would run against traffic!

With the gorgeous surroundings and long straight roads, it would have been fun to do a run by the ocean. But the weather was raw at 7:30 AM, with cold winds and threatening skies. I opted for the fitness center that had a nice selection of high quality Life Fitness machines. I hopped on a treadmill and set the speed to 6.6 MPH to start. The solid platform and wide tread encouraged me to pick up the pace and, by the 5 minute mark, I was up over 7 MPH. I felt great and decided to extend my run from 3 to 4 miles.

About halfway through my workout, two guys came in and got on elliptical machines. They didn't seem to familiar with the concept and I was amused to watch them struggle with the motion and controls. I would have helped, but it wasn't a practical option. Before long, I had reached half my planned distance.

I continued to increase my speed and finished the last couple of minutes in a sprint. The machine had a "cool down" button that dropped the speed in increments. It was a strong effort, not that far off from race pace, and a perfect way to finish my taper. I'm feeling ready for Sunday's race.

Getting high (up) in the Hamptons

Later that morning we headed to the Montauk Lighthouse and climbed the 137 steps up and down. It was a nice bonus workout and a wonderful view from the top.

Inclined to train with a treadmill taper

Sunny skies at the end of LI

Today's run (treadmill): 3.1 miles

We left for our trip today, but I got in a treadmill workout this morning. I debated the type of run I'd do, first thinking I'd focus on speed, but then realizing I'd pushed pretty hard yesterday. I ended up splitting the workout between an incline segment and a progressive speed run.

Sunday's 5K course begins with a hill challenge so I set the machine to a 6% incline and ran that for the first mile. I brought that down and upped the speed every couple of minutes and finished my run at a high 8:00 pace. Between the incline and the speed progression, I was pretty worn out by the end. I was pleased with the workout, one more to go before Sunday.

We're enjoying the early season sun in Montauk and I'm trying to figure out how I'll finish my taper. If there's a route by the water, I'm there.

Hate tapering, huh? Liar!

Today's workout (treadmill): 25 minutes

This morning's treadmill workout was my last run prior to Saturday's race. The end of my taper. There was a column in a recent TrailRunner magazine where the writer complained about his two week taper leading up to running the Hardrock 100. I've seen plenty of quotes, and even a Runner's World survey, where people expressed distaste for the period of reduced mileage leading to a pre-race rest period.

Here's what I think about it: they're lying. It's like what my wife and I call brag-plaining ("It's so hard for us with little Timmy because of all the homework from his AP honors classes, plus his travel soccer team, advanced violin classes and immersive Mandarin courses on the weekends."). I think many runners can't admit that they like the indulgence of rest, even though they do.

Sure, I like to run, but taking a few days off without suffering the usual feelings of guilt feels earned. I'm looking forward to getting up tomorrow and sipping coffee without giving a thought to running gear, my reflective vest or the weather.

Listen to your body, not your sleepy head

Today's workout (elliptical): 23 minutes

It was down to the wire whether I would do a workout this morning. I'm not sure why, but I've been feeling very tired over the past two days.When I woke up at my usual time, I felt justified to return to bed. Somehow, I ended up on the elliptical machine as planned. Listening to your body is a good way to decide these things.

It wasn't guilt that got me there today. It was the practical need to complete this week's training so I could feel good about taking two days rest prior to Sunday's race. If I'd felt weak or dizzy I would have skipped the workout, but I had no such excuse this morning. Today's elliptical session was light, but worthwhile. A core workout on Saturday is all that's left and then I'm good to go on Sunday.

Next run: the Oyster Bay 5K

Today's run (treadmill): 2.6 miles

After hearing reports of rain throughout the night and into the morning, I prepared for an indoor workout today. It was damp but not raining when I got up, but I still stayed with my plan. While I was having my coffee, I decided I'd use the treadmill rather than the elliptical. I wanted to end my taper with a run.
Today was about reinforcing my conditioning and then resting until Saturday morning. I'll probably run through my 15 minute set of core exercises tomorrow morning but that will be it in terms of working out. The weather for Saturday is supposed to be clear and cold so I need to decide what gear I'll wear for the race.

The 5K kicks off the annual Town of Oyster Bay Festival that features many events and live entertainment. I'll be curious to see if that means big crowds at our 9:00 AM start. I hoping I'll be able to park close to the registration area. Every race brings new experiences and I'm looking forward to that.

Tough end to my taper

Today's run (street) 2.25 miles

I had planned today's run, my last before Cow Harbor, to be an easy workout that affirmed my readiness for the race on Saturday. I wore my Brooks GTS-10's to protect my Achilles and looked forward to a pleasant run. It didn't quite go as planned.

I double checked that the Garmin was recording properly as I took my first steps toward the road. No problems there. Instead of my expected slow but rolling gait, my stride felt off balance and I experienced some pain in my left shin. My legs felt heavy and my energy level was half of what it was yesterday. I considered stopping and returning home but decided to tough it out. My plan was to run slow and that wasn't going to change.

I'm not sure why I was feeling off today, but it was both physical and mental. I've had a busy week in the office and that continues today, so perhaps it's fatigue as much as anything else. I made it through my run though I changed the route and covered less distance than usual. I felt the workout after all and I'm hoping that whatever afflicted me this morning will be gone by Saturday morning.

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.

Achilles scare

8K race = 4.97 miles

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

With this morning's run I ended my taper for Sunday's New Hyde Park 8K. This race, that I'll be running for the third time, represents an interesting challenge. In 2009 and 2010 I finished with exactly the same clock time despite running two very different races. The 2009 race was extremely difficult for me because I went out hard from the start and paid for it later. Last year I went out at a moderate pace and tried to maintain a steady speed throughout the run. In the end it worked out the same although it was far more enjoyable to run steady than to almost flame out at the 35 minute mark as I did in 2009.

I decided to follow my typical route this morning and my run was fine but, at the start, I had a slight feeling of soreness from my Achilles. This made me concerned that I was not quite ready for daily runs in the Hattori's. I kept my pace moderate and hoped that when the tendon warmed up the pain would disappear and that's pretty much what happened. I have no residual soreness as a result and it could have simply been one of those early morning aches and pains I get due to my sleep position.

Now it's time to rest. I'm always tempted to run after I've finished my taper and I'll miss my lunchtime run in Central Park tomorrow. I may indulge in an easy bike ride on Saturday but I won't push it any further than that. I'd like to beat my previous time for this race but I may not be able to do that. I'll be satisfied with my time no matter what, as long as I did the best that I could.

Taper week run

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Since I'm tapering this week I decided to forgo my usual post-weekend rest day. Although I did get out for a bike ride yesterday, I was disappointed that my planned run was cut short due to the weather. Between Friday and Sunday I'd ran a total of 13 miles, two of them as speed drills. It was mostly quality miles and it provided me an opportunity to get used to the Hattori's that I plan to wear during next Sunday's 8K.

The big mistake I'd made prior to my half marathon was over-training the week before my race taper. To prepare for that distance I'd done two 8+ mile training runs, some rigorous cross training sessions and a number of other miles. I ended up with a sore knee or IT band (still don't know which it is) that plagued me through the half. Until recently, the soreness was still making some of my runs difficult.



A Hattori's best friend

 Today's run was my typical weekday workout, 2.5 miles. I'm very pleased with the Hattori's so far, having done two 5+ milers in them. I think I'll be fine in them for Sunday's race. Yesterday I bought a pair of Wigwam Ironman triathlete socks (thin, seamless, wicking, stretchy) that work better with the Hattori's snug fit than standard running socks. I'm hoping that the rain holds off tomorrow morning when I go out for my penultimate taper run.

Planning my long weekend race training

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

I went back out to the streets this morning after two days of rest. Although the temperature got into the low 80's yesterday and similar weather is predicted for today, I was happily surprised by how cool it felt when I stepped outside. It took almost a minute for the Garmin to lock onto a GPS signal so I used that time to do a few dynamic stretches.

The two day's rest definitely helped me at the start. Instead of the early discomfort from transitioning between anaerobic and aerobic running, I was good to go from the start. I followed my basic route and threw in some speedy sections throughout the run. My knee felt fine but I did experience some sharp shin pain a couple of minutes into my run. That went away and didn't return so I'm not going to worry about it.

I'm beginning to think about my (long) weekend's running and what might be the best workouts to close my training prior to my taper for the 8K. Right now I'm thinking one long run, one speed session and one shorter, but faster, run. Maybe I'll hit the trails with the bike as well. Lots to look forward to and hoping for good weather.

The value of a single workout

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

What is the value of a single workout? Can one exercise session make a difference? As I wait for Sunday, holding off from my daily runs to protect my knee, I'm thinking about the marginal value of a workout. Whether I ran Mon-Wed this week as planned or rested (as I did), it's unclear which choice would have prepared me best for my race.

My knee is still sore but the pain is abstract. It doesn't hurt to put pressure on my leg but there's enough soreness to remind me that recent damage was done. Earlier in the week I ran through some core exercises to keep active even if I couldn't run. Those sessions were useful but they didn't provide the same satisfaction that I get after a hard workout.

This morning I decided that I'd waited long enough. I spent 25 minutes on the elliptical using one of the lowest resistance settings but I worked up a good sweat and reinforced my aerobic conditioning. Today's session probably did little in terms of helping my fitness but psychologically it was a highly effective workout.

Resting is as hard as running

Tapering for this race has been tough. My knee is still exhibiting some soreness but I know I still have 3+ days of recovery prior to the half marathon. I wanted to get in one more run before Sunday but decided that protecting my injury is a far better strategy. I know that I shouldn't lose much conditioning after holding off from running for eight consecutive days but I'm struggling with the idea that I might. This lack of aerobic exercise is making me grouchy. I suppose it's better to have a negative response to rest than to embrace the sedentary lifestyle.

Taper plan & knee pain

Ice me!

I know I've pushed a little harder than normal over the past week, including two 8+ mile training runs, but I was surprised to wake up with a sore knee this morning. I'm not even sure if it's my knee or the muscles surrounding it, but it's clear that after ten days of runs and workouts I need to take a day to recover.

As predicted, the rain is coming down hard this morning. I'm actually happy about that. Nothing to tempt me to step out for a few miles. Rest is both prescribed and necessary. I'm using the Active Wrap cold packs to ice my knee and the areas directly above and below it. I'm not sure whether to run tomorrow (if the weather gets better) or if I should give my legs another day of rest.

I'm being more conservative about this taper than usual. Right now I'm thinking that I'll hold off this weekend and do easy runs on Monday and Wednesday, with a tempo run on Tuesday. I'll then rest on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and limit my activities on those days to walking or core work. I'm hoping that additional rest days will pay off. Eight days to go and counting...

Finally, I'm excited that my running buddy Brian will be joining me at the LI Half Marathon. He ran it last year and carried a video camera, documenting what turned out to be a difficult race. I'm thinking he'll have a better time of it this year. I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep up with Brian and another friend, TC, who just ran the Hook Half Marathon in under two hours.

An unscheduled skip and an unexpected run

Today's run (treadmill) 2.45 miles

I'm not sure why, but whenever I work from home I never seem to find the time to fit in a workout. The snowy weather has interfered with my commute this year and, as a result, I've had to work from my home a couple of times. Yesterday was one of those times and it was ice, not snow, that kept me home. I made it to the train station extra early but the cancellations and delays sent me back home. I thought I'd have a chance for a lunchtime treadmill run but I ended up too busy to fit it in.

I expected to finish my race training on Wednesday but since I skipped it I used this morning to end my taper. I usually like two days rest prior to a race but one will do in a pinch. I took it easy and started off at a very easy pace. A run two days before a race is not going to help my conditioning but it might keep me tuned and flexible. As I ran I increased my speed in small amounts and finished the last few minutes at a 7 mph pace. The products of a good workout are a heavy sweat and the endorphin buzz that follows, both of which were attained today. I am happy with the way my training has gone and I feel good for Saturday. With snow, rain or a "wintry mix" on the way it could be a challenging race. Running the boardwalk, with views of the water sound good to me. I'll deal with the weather stuff when I have to.

A good taper run (despite a sore toe)

Today's run (treadmill): 2.5 miles

With less than a week before Saturday's race I'm thinking a lot about expectations. This will be my first race in 2011 and like last year's first race, snow may be a factor. The course this weekend is probably similar to last November's Long Beach Turkey Trot that was held in the same town. That was a 10K (6.2 mile) race with 1/3 of the course run along the boardwalk. The Snowflake run is a shorter distance and I'm unsure how they will map out the route. I'm hoping that it includes plenty of boardwalk because the wooden surface is preferable to pavement and the ocean views provide a nice counterpoint to the hard effort of racing. I don't know how fast I'll go or if I have a chance at a 4 mile PR. We'll see.

I would have liked to skip this morning's run and just drink coffee and watch the news under a warm blanket. I managed to change my mindset and get on the treadmill before I rethought my decision. There isn't that much to talk about when describing a treadmill run but today's was easier than Sunday's. I am still dealing with a friction burn on my small toe that I don't want to aggravate any further. I switched from my Brooks to my Saucony Grid Tangents hoping that the different fit would minimize the contact. That helped. My toe is still sore but I wrapped it in a bandage that I wet with Castile soap infused with peppermint and it's coming around. Despite the foot issue my run today was excellent. I was strong throughout the workout and never once did I look wistfully at the clock and wish that time would pass more quickly.

I'm hoping that I can carry that energy into the weekend. I'm planning to run again tomorrow and then complete my taper with light cross-training or rest on Thursday and Friday. Along the way I may get a bonus upper body workout if the ice storm we're expecting amounts to anything.

First run since Sunday's race

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

My first run after a race is usually tough, even if it's done at a short distance. I often have more energy on the day after I race than I do after skipping a day. That was true this morning. I set out at 4:00 AM before the rain had really started. The local news station reported temperatures in the 40's but I saw vapor illuminated by my headlamp as I breathed. There was a trickle of rain when I began and that increased in intensity by my finish, but it didn't start coming down hard until after I'd stepped inside. My legs felt a little stiff throughout the run but I was able to pick up some speed after the first mile.

I'm trying to decide what I will do for runs throughout this week. My strategy to rest two days prior to last Sunday's race seemed to pay off. I'll probably run again on Wednesday and finish my mini-taper with an elliptical session on Thursday. After that I'll do some low impact workouts on Friday and Saturday. The core workout I did last Saturday may have helped my run on Sunday. I'll try to repeat that this week.

Race taper: winding down before winding up

Yesterday's run (Central Park): 3.15 miles
Today's run (Street): 2.5 miles

My experiment with more moderate paces on a taper week continued this morning with a run that toggled between an easy and a mildly challenging pace. My intention was to do the whole run slow to allow for continued muscle recovery but a little voice kept prompting me to pick up the pace for short distances. It ultimately turned out to be a tempo run but my tempo that was closer to andantino than allegro.

Yesterday I ran with JQ at lunchtime in Central Park. Conditions were ideal, sunny and cool with occasional breezes. We did our usual loop and covered a range of topics as we made our way around. We came by the location of the NYC Marathon finish and I saw that they still hadn't broken down the spectator stands or cleared out a lot of the signage. Both today's and yesterday's runs felt good and I'm hoping that this strategy won't soften me up too much to be competitive on Sunday. It's been a while since I've done a run with any intensity. I'll know this weekend how well this method works.

New taper strategy - easy runs

In recent weeks I've heard a lot about how volume training can be more important than speed work. People I know advocate running longer distances 2-3 minutes slower than race pace. I've started adding more length to my weekend runs because I have more available time on those days. With this change, my weekly average has exceeded 20 miles since August. I only have enough time to run about 2.5 miles during my weekday 4:00 AM workouts so almost 2/3 of my distance is achieved over the weekend. I try to get in 8+ mile runs whenever possible. An article in the current issue of Trailrunner Magazine says that "Runners often perform workouts at speeds that are too fast to obtain the desired result." They advocate slow running saying "Remember that it is the volume of aerobic running, not the speed, that represents major stimulus for adaptation."

I know I enjoy a run more when I am able to hold a conversation or observe the sights, sounds and smells of fall running without constantly peeking at my Garmin to ensure that my pace is on track. I'm planning a lunchtime run with JQ today. The timing is perfect because we'll run at a comfortable pace that will work for my taper. In the past I've focused on more intense running for the workouts leading to a weekend race. I'm going the other way this week and hoping that these easy runs will provide a race day benefit that's greater than what I get from speed workouts.

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.

Wrong turn at Stillwell

Yesterday's run (Stillwell Woods): 5.17 miles at 9:29

I had a tough time getting going on Thursday despite going to bed relatively early and sleeping past 6:00 AM. I realize now that it was related to a combination of a sinus condition and an issue with my glasses. At the time it was a mystery as to why I was so darn tired. It was hard to get moving and it took me two hours to finally get out for my run at Stillwell Woods. My plan was to follow the relatively flat eastern loop within the woods running it three times to get some mileage in before I rest until race day. If all had gone according to plan I would have totaled 6 miles at a fairly brisk pace before declaring the end of my taper. Things didn't go according to plan.

I was still feeling a little sluggish when I set off on the trail but the canopy shielded me well from the sun and the breezes channeled through the trees were cool and invigorating. The trails at Stillwell are not well marked and I'm often thrown off course. After my first loop I made a slight mistake that put me on a shorter trail back to my starting point. No harm done but it did disrupt my three loop plan. Once back on track I continued to follow the planned path but for some reason I chose the wrong trail at around mile four and the trail led to a low lying area surrounded by four steep paths. This forced me to go up one of these trails that are angled at 40 degrees or more. I picked the one that I thought would put me back towards my intended route and I managed to get up despite the fact that I was running in my Brooks GTS 9's. This hill climb took a lot out of me and once I reached the top I re-oriented myself and ran another mile back to the trail head. That last mile was at 10:16 and frankly I was surprised I broke 11:00 by the way I felt.

I was exhausted and dizzy at the end and probably overdid it on the run. I'm hoping that despite that rough experience I gained some marginal conditioning that will help me on race day.  I'll know soon enough. In the meantime I'll rest and recover and hopefully peak at 8:00 on Sunday.