Hot and soggy but not too sloggy

Mush!

Today's run (street): 4.7 miles

The needle on my motivation meter was firmly in the off position this morning. I watched the  temperature rise as the minutes ticked by. I couldn't decide where to run and no option was particularly appealing. I went upstairs to change into running clothes, hoping I'd find some inspiration through that experience. I didn't want to spend a lot of time on local roads so I headed over to neighborhood #2 for a slight change of scenery.

I'd watched the local weather report before my run and they made a big deal out of the low humidity. LIARS! The temperature was in the low 80's making the soggy atmosphere feel like hot soup. There were many people packing up their SUVs with beachy gear as I ran by. They had the right idea. I compromised on my pace and floated my way south to the other neighborhood.

I followed an extended loop and stayed on the shady side of the street when possible. My easy pace kept it from being a slog but I regretted waiting so long to go out today. I ended up covering more distance than I'd originally planned and it turned out to be a decent workout.

When I looked at the map of my run, I thought (after rotating the map 90°) that it looked like a person driving a dog sled. I may have created a new category of artwork - design by GPS.

Can I adapt to late day workouts?

Evening elliptical

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles

It wasn't much, but I managed to get in a second weekday workout this week. I decided on Tuesday that I would get back to early morning activity, starting with a 4:00 AM elliptical session. Although I'd laid out my workout stuff the night before, I woke up with a sinus headache and didn't want to deal with additional fatigue before a long drive to my office. I passed on the workout.

There's a lot happening at work right now and the energy of the day (along with a well timed hit of nasal spray) put me in much better shape by the end of the workday. I decided to do my elliptical session when I got home, even though I don't particularly like late day workouts. I had scheduled all my hybrid elliptical workouts in the mid-afternoon, so I was somewhat conditioned to the time.

My concern about doing a 6:00 PM workout was that I'd be too wound up at bedtime to fall asleep. That turned out to be a non-issue. In fact I had a great night's sleep. I may aim for after-work runs and elliptical sessions going forward, rather than return to 4:00 AM workouts. I hope I can sustain the late day energy.

I worked from home today and got out during the time between middle school and elementary school drop-offs. It was nice to have relatively empty streets and the 55° temperature, cloudy skies and moderate humidity made for great running conditions. I wore my Spiras and I'm pretty convinced at this point that I run better in more minimal running shoes. I feel guilty having the expensive, well cushioned Saucony Triumphs because I don't feel that I run that well in them.

Today's run was really nice. Besides the good weather, I felt energized and seemed to be running better than usual. I naively expected to finish my run and see numbers that matched my pre-2015 performance. Compared to how I have been running, I did measurably better, with a :40 per mile improvement over last weekend. At the same time, I'm still over a minute per mile slower than I was in early 2014.

I'm thinking about a Bethpage run tomorrow morning and, if I'm up to it, I'll aim to do my longest run in 2015.

Dog day run

When I Googled Dog Days, all I got was pages of this anime

Today's run 4.2 miles

Well, it looks like a dog to me

This morning's run looked more like a dog than a cheek-shooting bi-athlete. I think that's appropriate because today was definitely a dog day. Predictions of rain got me out the door earlier than yesterday. Overall, I had a slightly better experience than Saturday, because the humidity and pollen levels were a touch lower. Still, the difference in comfort between shaded and unshaded sections of the road was huge.

I first thought about running at Bethpage and taking a route that toggled between the paved trail and the dirt side paths that cut through the woods. It came down to convenience and timing and I decided to stay local to get out faster. I'd put on my aging Virratas that would be a good shoe on both pavement and dirt. After I made the decision to stay in the neighborhood I forgot to switch to either the Kayanos or Triumphs - my current trainers.

I mentally mapped a new route and took off, keeping an eye peeled for my teenage daughter who was out practicing her driving. I immediately noticed how much I preferred the Virratas over the newer pairs of running shoes. Although some people I know love their super-cush sneakers, I'm still a fan of minimal models.

Probably due to pre-hyperthermia delusions, I took a wrong turn around the 2.5 mile point and made an ad hoc change that took me outside the neighborhood. It was fine but it forced me to negotiate some really broken sections of concrete. I watched my steps carefully to avoid a face plant. I cut back into the neighborhood at my first opportunity and completed the run by focusing on the tall glass of water that I would drink the moment I got home.

I ended up running close to 13 miles this week. Low by historical standards, but I only ran three times. I have moved out out of my 3 mile rut and next weekend I want to cover at least 5.5 miles on at least one of my runs. How I do in terms of workout over the next four days will depend on my schedule. I'm determined to get at least one workout in before Friday, even if it's on the elliptical.

BMImpossible

Off target

Today's run (street): 3.5 miles

It's always nice to have a three day weekend, because it gives me an extra day to run during the week. If I'm lucky, the weather will cooperate. Unlike yesterday when the rain chased me indoors, today looked sunny and clear. Except for the near freezing temperature, it looked like ideal conditions for a run.

I dressed for cold but didn't put on too many layers this time. I stepped outside and confirmed that my gear matched the weather. I noticed that the driveway, that was covered by a shadow, had a thin coating of ice. When I reached the sunnier road I was happy to find it ice-free. That happiness was short-lived. By the time I reached the half mile point, I was dealing with patches of ice where the sun didn't reach the road.

It wasn't bad enough to stop, but I needed to be careful. I put aside any thoughts of performance and focused on landing on my mid-foot to maximize my stability. I didn't have any close calls like yesterday, but it didn't make for a very pleasant experience. For a fairly short run, it was exhausting.

I've continued to watch my portion sizes and have already lost a few pounds (I believe this is the primary reason women resent men). Based on the advice I recently got from a nutritionist, I did 12 push ups after finishing my run. I considered doing 15, but didn't want to invite upper arm soreness on top of of my diminishing (but still present) sciatica. Fellow running blogger Renee recommended the Matt Fitzgerald site to calculate my ideal racing weight and BMI (see graphic at top). Will I get down to 14.8% body fat? That would be a no.

Slipping and sliding, inside and out

Unstable on every surface

Today's run (street/treadmill): 5.1 miles total [1.5 street, 3.6 treadmill]

Per yesterday's post, I've fallen into a distance rut by keeping every run in 2015 (but one) under 4 miles. Some of that is related to the sciatica I've recently developed and my concern about aggravating its root cause.  Other excuses factors included a very busy period at work and a tight schedule on weekends.

I was determined to cover at least five miles this morning. The early weather reports said that today's rain wouldn't start until after 10:00 AM. I figured that starting at 8:00 AM would mean dry and clear roads. That was true for the first few minutes, but then a light rain starting falling. I was okay with that, but the 35° temperature made the road slippery underfoot.

I tried to tough it out, but the risk of falling increased as the rain fell harder. I decided to head home rather than deal with a dangerous, unstable surface. Disappointing, but a practical move. I immediately headed upstairs and got on the treadmill to complete my workout. The 1.5 miles outside warmed me up enough to start fast. Unfortunately, like the road, the treadmill presented a slippery situation.

Our Sole F63 has a lot of problems and one of them is that the tread belt jerks randomly, especially when the speed is increased. My desire to get through a treadmill run as quickly as possible is limited by this issue. Slipping at race pace can be scary. As a consequence, I keep the speed around 6 MPH and deal with it.

I managed through 3.6 miles on the Sole on top of what I covered during my outside run. I exceeded 5 miles for only the second time since New Year's day. We haven't had nearly as much snow this January as we did last year, so I may catch a break next weekend and put in some mileage. I'm not sure what I'll do tomorrow, but I'll do something.

Snowy, icy Bethpage run

Stretching the definition of "great shape"

Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 3.75 miles

This morning I looked out the window and determined that the roads were too messy for running. With the temperature stuck below zero since last Thursday's snowfall, there was still ice along the curb and snow on the sidewalks. I'd heard a tip that the dirt trails at Bethpage were in "great shape." That got me out early for a run in the park.

It was very cold so I wore numerous layers, more than I needed as it turned out. When I arrived at Bethpage, I encountered a group of runners making their way downhill along the main driveway. Seeing people running off the trail was my first sign that the paths were in pretty bad shape.

The lot was barely plowed but I parked in one of the few open spots. I decided to run up to the north path extension and then cut over onto the dirt paths at the first trail head. There were a surprising number of runners braving the thick coating of icy snow on the paved trail, but no one followed me into the woods when I turned in.

Off the snowy beaten path

From what I was told, I'd expected the paths in the woods to be in better shape than the main trail. In fact, they were a mess, with thick snow along the edges and rutted ice at the center. Neither easy nor safe to run. I followed the route back to the main trail and then headed south on the snowy paved path. My plan was to head back toward the lot and run on the road as that group was doing when I arrived.

No chukkers in the snow

Before I made it all the way there, I noticed that a path leading into the soccer and polo fields was clear. With nothing to lose, I followed it around and saw that it looked clear all the way to the golf course. I'd been chased out of this area in the summer because no running is allowed during the season, but I had little concern about that this morning.

View from the 12th hole

The path continued southeast and I followed it all the way to its termination point on Round Swamp Road. There were a few steep downhills that became noticeable hills on the way back. When I reached the south side of the polo field, I saw that I could continue on the clear path southwest. I stayed on that until I reached a wider snowier road that took me back to the north trail head and ultimately back to the lot.

Looking north from Round Swamp Road

I crossed paths with the same group of men and women at different points during my run. They were moving along well despite the snowy surface. I last saw them entering the woods as I was getting into my car. Based on all the places I spotted them, I'm guessing they were covering close to ten miles. All my layers contributed to overheating, except for my face that was freezing for most of the run. I had hoped to cover at least four miles today, but conditions were ultimately difficult.

Later, when I got back to my neighborhood, I spotted a few people running on the road. The streets looked clearer than when I looked in the early morning (probably due to the sun) and I realized, if I'd waited, it probably would have been safe to run them. No matter, I got to run some new parts of Bethpage Park on a combination of trails, pavement and golf cart paths. I may not have covered my targeted distance, but I had a great workout. When I got home I did ten push ups. Just because I could.

Snow good reason to run outside

Pretty snow. Awful run.

Today's workout (run): 1.2 miles, (elliptical): 25 minutes

Just a snow flurry moving quickly through the area, nothing to worry about. That's what they were saying at 6:00 AM when I started planning my morning run. The news stations began reporting heavy snowfall had started in NYC around 6:30. I naively assumed it wouldn't reach Long Island for a while, nor did I think we'd have much accumulation. Wrong.

After a cup of coffee, I made my way upstairs to change into running gear. I saw that my wife was already on the elliptical. I also noticed that the snow was coming down pretty hard. No problem, I'd dress for bad weather and wear my Cascadias for traction. After all, running in snow is fun, right? I took one more look at the elliptical and considered that option before heading out into the winter wonderland.

This was to be my first run since New Years Day. I'd resisted the temptation to resume workouts once my sciatica pain began to lessen and targeted today to start. The soreness remains, but it's minor. I knew that the inch-plus of snow would slow me down and provide a softer surface than pavement. I hoped that both factors would help minimize the chance that I'd re-aggravate my injury.

The temperature was in the mid-20's with moderate wind. I made my way through the neighborhood, keeping to the sidewalk for safety. Between the spongy snow and uneven sections, that seemed equally risky. By the time I reached the top of the first road, my feet began to feel numb. The volumes of snow blowing around made it hard to see and I felt sinus pain where my freezing glasses touched my face.

I'd intended to run about three miles but the growing discomfort changed my mind. I redirected my route and returned to my house after covering 1.2 miles. By the time I returned home, it was almost white-out conditions. So much for a fun run in the snow. Even with my Opedix and under-layer, three top layers, a waterproof running jacket, headband and cold weather beanie, I was uncomfortably cold.

I quickly headed upstairs and shed most of those layers before jumping on the elliptical. Compared to the cold, slippery conditions I'd just left, the elliptical experience felt great. I completed a 25 minute session and capped it off with ten push ups. We had a nutritionist in the office yesterday and I talked to her about fat burning efficiency with aerobic, cardio and weight bearing exercise. The nutritionist told me that strength focused workouts are the most effective way to reduce body fat while maintaining muscle mass. Thus, the push ups.

Tomorrow should be free of snow but still still extremely cold. It warmed up into the 30's this afternoon so there's a chance the roads may be clear of snow. Last January there was so much snow that I was forced to use the treadmill for over 70% of my workouts. The current condition of our treadmill makes that an unappealing option. In the meantime, I'm back to running and that's the progress I've been hoping for.

2015 Hangover Fun Run

Happy New Running Year

Today's run (Hangover Run): 5 miles

The Hangover Run is a free event put on every New Year's day by the Long Island Road Runners Club. I ran it for the fourth time today and, for the second year in a row, I was accompanied by running buddies SIOR and TPP. This morning we were joined by SIOR's speedy daughter, a cross-country and track runner.

It's usually freezing cold on New Year's day, so it's a challenge to choose the right running clothes. Too many layers will keep you comfortable prior to the start, but you can overheat on the run. I overdressed for warmth and regretted it. I ended up taking off my gloves and holding them in my hands during most of the run. It wasn't the overheating that got to me today. It was the nagging sciatica that has bothered me over the past few weeks.

We all met up in the parking lot and headed toward the staging area about 15 minutes before the run was set to start. After signing our liability waivers we made our way towards the line. There were about 200 people congregated behind the time clock that counted down to the 9:30 AM start time. Without fanfare, we were off. I felt great and hoped that would continue for the duration of the run.

About a quarter mile into the run, SIOR and SIOR Jr passed me and continued on ahead. TPP did the same at the 3/4 mile point and I saw, after the turnaround, that she'd caught up with the SIORs. The course is a one mile loop with a suggested distance of five miles, so I was able to chart the progress of the others as we passed back and forth.

The soreness started on the second mile and increased as the run continued. I felt like I had another gear but I was reluctant to put too much on the injury. I still don't know the nature of the problem, so I'm being careful about hard I push. I picked up my pace a few times during the last mile and that resulted in my second fastest split. I came through the last mile, with an overall time of 51 minutes. My friends were all  waiting for me at the finish.

As tradition dictates, we headed to Starbucks for coffee and conversation that included a deep analysis of the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. We don't always talk about running.

Happy New Year to everyone. It's nice to start the year with a  challenging run, especially when it happens with great people.

T'was the day before Christmas

My view of the world

Today's run (street): 3.9 miles

T'was the day before Christmas and boy did it rain,
   And running in showers is really a pain;

My new ASICS raincoat turned out to be good,
   Mostly because it's equipped with a hood;

I took all precautions so that I'd be visible,
  My outfit was flashy and probably risible;

My route was kept local in case it was pouring,
   Three loops near my house, but it never was boring;

There were few on the street, all due to the raining,
   Just me and the roads, but I wasn't complaining;

The weather got soggy, so after a while,
   I capped off my run at just under four miles;

Tomorrow is Christmas and less rain would be fun,
   With conditions ideal for a Christmas day run;

I hope Santa is listening on this gloomy gray day,
   That bright sunny skies are really the way;
 
I plan to get out no matter the weather,
   But after today it just has to get better.

Paying the price for running too fast

 

Today's run (street): 4.5 miles

Yesterday afternoon I started experiencing muscle pain from my left side glute down to the hamstring. The pain isn't sharp, but it's noticeable. My first thought and concern was that the new Kayanos were throwing off my gait. I realized that was unlikely because my only prior run in them was on Friday, when I covered a scant 3.3 miles. I took ibuprofen before bed last night and hoped the ache would be gone in the morning.

That wasn't the case. When I got up, the pain was there. No better or worse than last night, but it was enough to notice. I've been injury-free for over a year and I was puzzled by this condition. It felt more like sciatica than a muscle or tendon tear. However, if that was the source then analgesics should have helped.

My opportunities for running are skewed to the end of the week and the weekend, so missing a Sunday run for rest would have an effect on my weekly volume. I decided to go for a very easy run and carefully monitor the pain. The last time I had something like this, it quickly went from moderate discomfort to bad pain. So bad, in fact, that I needed to abandon a run after a quarter mile and limp back home.

I wore the Kayanos again because they have stability features that would provide a correction for a pronator like me. I generally ignore that need because I prefer a neutral trainer. My old Brooks Adrenalins, which had a firm medial post, would do a great job of solving issues related to gait.

I took off with a conscious focus on the sore muscle and soon realized that running wasn't going to exacerbate the problem. At the same time, my quads and hamstrings felt tighter than normal and I knew I had no chance of matching yesterday's speed. It was then when I realized the pain I felt was probably due to those episodes of fast running during yesterday's workout. It's been a while since I've pushed my pace so hard for so long.

Nice weather we're havin'

The other factor that worked against me today was the weather. According to Garmin Connect, conditions during today's run were 37° temps with a 23 MPH wind. The wind chill made it feel like 26° and at times I felt like I was running last year's Long Beach Turkey Trot. I had no illusions of meeting my performance target. Besides that, the purpose of this run was recovery.

I expected to cover about 4 miles - less if my pain grew worse. Since that didn't turn out to be the case, I hung in for an extra half mile. When I was done I was ready for a nap. Hours later, my muscle soreness remains, but it's no worse than when I got up this morning. Rest has always been my best approach to injury, so I'll be doing that for the next couple or days (at least). This doesn't seem to be the same type of pain I had last time. I hope so, because that injury took me off the road for over a week.

Rainout workout

 

Today's workout (elliptical): 1 hour

Today was halfway between work and play. Like most of my office colleagues, I decided to work from home. That kept my calendar relatively clear and I'd hoped I could work in a morning run before I got down to business. We heard that we'd be getting some weather, but I didn't expect it to start so early. I was willing to run in light rain but not in the frozen mix that was coming down.

I had hopes that the rain would stop long enough to let me get out for 30 minutes, but it eventually became clear that wouldn't happen. Instead of digging into some of today's objectives, I'd remained on hold. I thought about deferring my run, but the hourly weather report confirmed that the rain wasn't going to stop. I considered and rejected the treadmill and opted instead for the elliptical.

It had been a while since I'd done an elliptical workout. Although I appreciate the quietness of the machine compared with the treadmill, I'm always somewhat ambivalent about it. I usually end up feeling like I got a good workout but I'm never sure how an elliptical session compares to a run. Our Pro-Form doesn't provide a lot of information on its display and the little data it does show has no context in terms of performance.

I finally got some work done after that long elliptical session but we had a family friend come by and that put an early end to my workday. He's a nationally ranked power lifter and has more muscle in one forearm than I have in my entire body. Our friend has a background in physiology. As always, I took every opportunity to get advice on sports nutrition. It was a nice start to the Thanksgiving long weekend.

The rain should be gone by tomorrow though there's a chance of snow showers. No turkey trot this year but I'm going to get out unless conditions are too treacherous.

Escape from a neighborhood run

Après run selfie

Today's run (Bethpage Trail): 6.25 miles

It took me a while to decide where I'd run this morning. The easy choice was to stay in my neighborhood but I'm getting bored seeing of the same roads, houses and cars. I considered Stillwell Woods because I haven't been on the trails in a few weeks. My goal was to run at least six miles today, so I figured I'd go to the Bethpage trail where I do better on longer runs.

It was "wicked cold" this morning (as we'd say in Boston) so I needed to gear up properly. Running in cold weather usually doesn't bother me except in cases when the wind chill causes my glasses to freeze on my face. Today's weather was fairly calm and I wore plenty of layers. That included my new Opedix Knee-Tecs that I scandalously wore without a top layer of shorts.

I parked in the Bethpage lot and ran up the hill toward the trail. I then decided to head north so I could follow the mile markers to the 5K point. Turning around there would get me my planned six-plus mile distance. I didn't have the same level of energy today that powered me through yesterday's surprisingly good run. Even so, I felt strong enough to take on the ribbon of hills that awaited me.

The temperature during my run was 34° with a 10 MPH wind from the west. Since I traveled north for the first half and then south for the second, I didn't experience much in the way of resistance. It did feel chilly and I didn't see a single runner, cyclist or walker until I reached my second mile. I run at Bethpage so often that I recognize a lot of people on the trail now, and based upon their greeting when we pass, I assume that some of them recognize me back. There's one woman I see every time I run there who always gives me a big smile and wave.

Today's route

Today's run was more LSD than PDQ so I wasn't disappointed that it took over an hour to cover my route. Overall, I was pleased with the run and happy that I didn't settle for another workout around my neighborhood roads. I may do that tomorrow, but at least today I got to experience some hills and look at scenery that didn't include a bunch of boring houses and cars.

Layered up for a surprisingly good run

Today's run (street): 3.25 miles

I had the opportunity to get out early today, but I squandered my time and ended up sneaking in a run between business calls. I got a lot done before I went out, but came very close to missing my window for a morning run. I'm an early-bird and really didn't want to have to go out late in the day. After seeing that the current temperature was hovering around 35°, I piled on the layers and scooted out the door.

It was chilly, but not freezing, when I finally got outside. I was afraid I'd dressed too warmly and would later regret the hat and gloves I was wearing. I ended up keeping them on and (happily) never felt overheated during the run. It's supposed to get even colder this weekend.

It wasn't until I reached my first quarter mile that I realized I had decent energy. I spotted a runner a few hundred feet ahead and realized that I was going to pass her quickly. I wasn't setting the world on fire this morning, but I was moving faster than usual. I ended up improving 40 seconds per mile over Tuesday's run. A couple of fartleks near the end helped that along.

I considered wearing my new Opedix Knee-Tecs today, but I'm saving them for tomorrow when I meet my buddies to take on a particularly hilly course. My friend KWL, who ran a strong race at the NYC Marathon two weeks ago, will be joining SIOR, TPP and possibly others. I know it will be a challenge for me to stay with this fast crowd, but I'll try my best.

Garage squatter and Knee-Tecs

Opedix (L), ER version (R)

Today's run (street): 3.5 miles

The possum saga continued last night when I pulled into the garage and saw this little fellow sitting cozily at the back of my garage. I tried to coax him out but he wasn't having any of that. He scooted under an alcove and hid there until my son and I were able to gently nudge him out with a broom. He scrambled outside and across the lawn and I'm hoping he's found a more hospitable place to nest.

It's Veteran's Day and my company is closed for the holiday. Last night (before the possum incident) I went out to dinner with a work colleague and although I didn't get home especially late, I woke up feeling very tired. I didn't want to miss an opportunity to get in a mid week outdoor run, so got myself out the door and hoped for the best.

What should have been a recipe for a tough and uninspired run turned out to be a very pleasant experience. The temperature was close to 55° and, for once, I wore the right gear, including shorts. Humidity was high but instead of feeling uncomfortable, it felt good. Just as I've been doing during my recent runs, I put my best effort into the last mile and covered it 45 seconds faster than the previous one.

It's going to get very cold going into the weekend and I need to start thinking about winter gear. I've agreed to test a pair of Opedix Knee-Tec tights that are supposed to be thermal and also provide (per their website), "dynamic alignment, improved mobility, stability and optimized joint function." I'll be putting them through their paces and will likely be wearing them in SIOR's preferred style. Stayed tuned.

Daunted by the howling winds

Today's run (street): 3.6 miles

I cannot believe that tens of thousands of people ran the NYC marathon this morning. It's not just that the marathon distance (26.2 miles) does not compute to me (it doesn't, but that's for a future post). I'm more amazed that people spent so many hours running the course while facing 20-40 MPH winds. I will admit that those conditions were too much for me to deal with this morning. Feeling like I was running into an invisible wall wore me out and I ended up cutting my run short.

The unrelenting sound of wind whipping through the trees prompted me to dress warmer than I normally would for 46°. Things started out well and I had high hopes for getting in my planned distance. I decided to first run the perimeter of my neighborhood that includes Jericho Turnpike and South Oyster Bay Road. I briefly considered crossing one of those main streets to open up my route to different options.

I ended up staying on South Oyster Bay Road and enduring the cracked and buckled sidewalk that was especially scary because it had a layer of leaves that hid potential tripping points. I made sure I kept my step high to avoid any mishaps. By the time I re-entered the neighborhood from the south, I started to get frustrated with the wind that reminded me of the miserable experience I had at last year's Long Beach Turkey Trot.

I struggled to make it to the mid point of my neighborhood and planned to make a beeline home. Along the way I saw a yellow recycling bin being blown across multiple yards, trash cascading from containers and leaves flying in every direction. Despite that, I decided to take a detour that added another half mile to my distance. I was disappointed to fall far short of today's goal, but I didn't see the sense in battling the wind monster any further.

As I ran, I thought about friends who were waiting on Staten Island for their wave to be called. The news showed thousands of people patiently huddling under makeshift blankets trying to remain warm. Once they were able to go, they faced the same conditions that I did, but would need to run over seven times the distance that I covered today.

Congratulations to my friends who braved the weather and the marathon course. You are probably very tired, but you did an amazing thing. Even under perfect conditions, this would be a tough race. I hope the celebrations will far exceed the pain.

Raw, dark, windy, rainy run

Rain puddle running

Today's run (street): 5.6 miles

Last night the kids hosted a Halloween party and I did my best to avoid all the holiday related food and the tray of candy by the door. This resulted in a late night, but I wasn't able to sleep later than 5:30 this morning. I only had a small cup of coffee when I got up, because I expected to be out running in short order. I looked outside and saw torrents of rain hitting the deck and decided to wait it out rather than do a long run on the treadmill.

The time went from 6:30...7:30... and on, but the rain continued to come down. When my wife got on the treadmill to start her run I saw that the rain had slowed down. I took advantage of this break and put on a few layers of running gear. Based on the weather report that said 40° temps and 14 MPH winds, I went for track pants and a long sleeve top.

Before I headed outside, I added my ASICS lightweight running rain jacket. I was sure that the rain would return at some point and I wanted to minimize soakage. It took forever to get a signal on my Garmin - the progress bar kept stopping short by a millimeter before dropping back to the halfway point. After 10 minutes of that nonsense, I decided to start without the GPS locked in, since I could capture distance later with Gmaps.

The combination of thermal and waterproof layers worked well and I followed a loop that was never more than a half mile from my house. I figured that if the skies opened up, I could get back in 5 minutes or less from any point. I know my neighborhood well enough to estimate distance without looking at my watch and I noticed that it took longer than expected to record the first mile. I guessed that the problem locking in all the satellites was affecting accuracy.

It was cold, dark and gray and the rain gained intensity as I went on. The jacket's hood did a good job of keeping me dry, but it kept slipping forward and blocking my peripheral vision. I stepped in a puddle and was glad I wore Smartwool socks which are still thermal when wet. The winds grew stronger and it started raining harder. I was determined to complete at least five miles and ignored everything except the road ahead and any signs of approaching cars.

Looping the loop

I moved along fairly well considering the conditions and debated whether to add another loop to get me over six miles. Instead, I stretched out my last two loops into connected streets and ended up covering 5.6 miles before returning to my warm dry house. I was a little disappointed in my performance. After measuring my true distance and calculating pace, I had hopes that I broke 10 mins/mile but that didn't happen. I guess I can blame the wind and the rain, but I know it was really my stride and cadence.

According to the weather reports, tomorrow will be cold, but at least the rain will be gone. I'd like to get out earlier than today and do at least six miles. I probably won't make 16 miles for the week, but at least I'll be getting in a couple of decent base runs.

I'm sending my most positive thoughts to friends KWL, NL, FS and other friends who are running the NYC Marathon tomorrow. I hope you all have great races and fantastic experiences. Enjoy every moment, stay hydrated and don't over-layer!

Caught in the rain

Today's run (street): 4 miles
Thursday's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

It has been a rainy week and I was too busy to run until Thursday morning when I did a treadmill workout. Yesterday turned out to be a very long day. On top of that, I probably covered five miles in the giant building I work in.

The rain was coming down hard this morning but I hoped for a break. The skies cleared a little before 8:00 AM and I got out quickly with the goal of getting through my run before the rain returned. I was almost successful. It felt colder than the reported 51° and I was glad that I wore track pants and a long sleeve shirt. I made the rounds and spent a lot of time on the sidewalks while the school buses made their way around the neighborhood.

My goal was to get in at least three miles, but since the weather was holding up I decided to continue a little longer. I pushed my luck too far and ended up running the last quarter mile in the rain. I'm not sure why, but the run felt very hard today. I'm hoping for better experiences this weekend, especially on Sunday when the fun bunch once again get together for a long group run.

I'm early middle aged fit

Weather induced headache

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles 

TGIF and I mean it. This week has been tough and the traffic during my commute has grown increasingly worse since the end of summer. Yesterday's rainy weather provoked one of my sinus headaches, along with pounding pressure and exhaustion. I took advantage of working from home today by sleeping a little later. That, plus a couple of ibuprofen, helped minimize the discomfort.

I haven't had a chance to run since Monday, so once I felt a little better I headed outside. Cool temps, clear skies and low humidity made for great conditions. I felt some residual fatigue due to the sinus pressure, but I got around okay. Not my hardest effort, but still a good workout.

SuperMax

During my run I thought about a test I took on this website that supposedly calculates your "fitness age." The site is put on by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the test covers a lot of factors. This is not "Find out what kind of tree you are in five questions."  I answered honestly and my fitness age calculated to 41. Better still, my VO2 Max score was 48, which is considered excellent for my age group.

My buddies SIOR and TPP scored in the "teen to grad student" age range, not a surprise because they are both extremely fit. If you don't believe me, try keeping up with them on the hills at Bethpage. If I truly have the fitness of the average 41 year old man, then I have to conclude that 41 year olds run slower than I thought.

Running flat but looking cool and modern

A new outlook

Today's run (street): 3.5 miles

This week has been a commuting nightmare. It took me two hours to get home from work on Wednesday and Thursday nights. My morning drives into the office were barely shorter than that. Happily, I work from home on Fridays. Having no morning commute provides a lot more time to work in a run. I did a short treadmill workout on Tuesday, but Friday, Saturday and Sunday have become my main days for running.

I've had a lot on my mind in terms of business planning for 2015 and I looked forward to getting out for a few miles today to focus on various ideas and scenarios. When I got out on the road, I felt flat, both physically and mentally. I couldn't concentrate on my business topics, so I focused on the run. It was a decent effort, but it still felt flat. I was hoping that I'd be rewarded with an endorphin rush at the end, but no such luck.

I ended up having an interesting day - lots of calls kept me busy and I took a break in the early afternoon to pick up my new glasses. My teenage daughter pronounced them cool and modern (translation: she's no longer embarrassed to be seen with me). That made me happy.

Unfortunately, this weekend's weather is supposed to be very wet. Tomorrow morning's planned group run is being postponed until next week. I'm really looking forward to that as it's been far too long since we've gotten together. I may end up doing some longish runs on the treadmill this weekend, a possibility that does not excite me. But at least I'll look cool and modern while I'm doing my workout.

Great weather, great run, weird cadence

Curious cadence

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles

This morning's weather was nearly perfect for a run. I needed to go out early due to today's business schedule. It was still dark when I got ready and I considered starting my run with a head lamp. I managed to stall long enough to do without it. I was out the door a little after 7:00 and ready to run.

I had a lot of trouble falling asleep last night. It was probably because I drank so much coffee that morning during breakfast. With that, I expected to be tired. Instead, I was fully energized and was able to maintain a decent pace from the beginning. I give most of the credit to the weather that kept me cool and dry. Perhaps some credit goes to all the standing I've been doing while working.

I ended up with the best performance I've seen in weeks. While I'm encouraged by this, I know it could be related to the circumstances of the day. I ended up with some puzzling data about my cadence, as Garmin reported my SPM to be less than 30% of normal. Not only that, Garmin reported my average stride at 3.15 meters (10.3 feet). Perhaps it's time for a new battery in the foot pod.

Tomorrow morning's schedule is busy and I'm left with little choice but to do another early morning neighborhood run. I'm hoping that I can finally get together with my Runska-buddies on Sunday, but it sounds like we may need to wait until next weekend.