19 hours to the Turkey Trot

Today's workout (core): 20 minutes

I heard from Dave that tomorrow's 10K start has been moved up to 9:00 AM. That alters my race day schedule but I should be okay.  I'm a little concerned about how to prepare for the cold weather. I'm hoping to park close enough to be able to stow my extra layers shortly before the start of the race. My friend KWL occasionally plays golf on the Lido course that's located near the race route. He said it gets very windy when he plays so that could be something to deal with.  It's funny how quickly my concerns on race day go from worrying about high heat and humidity in September to managing against the chill in November. The difference is that many a comfortably warm start has ended with a miserably hot finish. I'll take a cold start leading to a cooler running experience any day.

This morning I ran through the Lolo core routine that I followed last weekend. I'm considering a slow and easy run a little later this afternoon. Or I may just call it a taper and do some dynamic stretches in the morning. I'm happy to be racing again tomorrow, but with last week's 10K I don't feel the pleasantly nervous edge I sometimes get prior to a race. I'm not expecting to beat last Sunday's time but I plan to try. I'm looking forward to another new experience, especially at an ocean-side venue. I need to sort out what I'll wear besides the compression sleeves and the Kinvaras. 19 hours to go to Turkey Trot #1!

It's Turkey Trot season

It's hard to believe that it's almost time for Thanksgiving. The year has gone by quickly and I blame that somewhat on missing most of January recovering from a severe bout of pneumonia. Despite that setback I've run six races this year that, with my race last Sunday, matched last year's total. This Sunday I'll be running the Long Beach 10K Turkey Trot. Some of this race takes place along a boardwalk that runs parallel to the beach. I love running on wooden boardwalks with views of the water so this sounds like an interesting course. The weather prediction for Sunday calls for morning temperatures in the high 30's. The race doesn't start until 9:30 AM so I'm betting things will warm up a little by then. It could be cold near the water but I don't care about that. My biggest concern about Sunday is finding decent parking.

After this weekend's 10K I'll look forward to a Thanksgiving day Turkey Trot at Nissequoge River State Park. It's a 5K and I'm running it with my family. I'm not sure how much running and how much walking will get done in this race but when the gun sounds I know we'll all be running! Friends Adventure Girl and FS will both be running the Prospect Park five miler on Thanksgiving day and my friend CK will be running in the Rockland county 5 mile Turkey Trot for probably the 20th time. Last year I ran the Bridie Goldstein/MercyFirst 5K during Thanksgiving week where set my 5K PR. I won't be challenging that time on the 25th, but with my family all with me I'll still have many reasons to be thankful.

Two years of Emerging Runner

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

I ended my training week with an elliptical workout this morning. I knew the day ahead would be challenging so it was nice to start things off with a good sweat. I'm never sure how 25 minutes on the elliptical stacks up to running for the same amount of time. There are days when I feel like running is harder and other days when the elliptical feels like the better workout. I won't run tomorrow and I'll miss that but I will do a core workout.

Today is the second anniversary of The Emerging Runner and I had planned to relaunch the site this week with some new features and graphics. I haven't had the bandwidth to finish all that so it will have to wait until the weekend. It's been a great two years and 720 posts later I'm even more excited about running and blogging than I was on November 18, 2008, the date of my first post. More to come!

Treadmill taper run

Today's run (treadmill): 2.4 miles

The twin furies of wind and rain forced me to stay inside this morning. I didn't mind too much. It's been months since I've run indoors and I was almost looking forward to a change of pace. One thing I did like was the reduction in time between waking and running. This is usually 10-15 minutes for outside runs because of all the extra safety gear and complexities of getting out the door. This morning it was simply shorts, shirt, socks, shoes, run.

Every time I use it, I say the same thing. I really dislike the treadmill. It scares me and it's hard. I don't like my running surface dictating my speed and if I stumble I know I'll find myself unceremoniously swept off the tread. But we bought our treadmill for a reason and that reason includes always having the option to run, even on miserable days like today.

I started slowly because the treadmill felt fast, even at a moderate speed. Each quarter mile I increased my speed by .1 MPH so that by the time I'd finished my run I was pacing in the low 9:00 range. Although my overall pace averaged in the mid 9's it felt like a hard workout. I only ran about 23 minutes in total and I enjoyed the extra time finishing my coffee while watching the local news. I wore my Brooks on today's run and didn't love them as much as I had prior to my using the Kinvara's. I'm planning to run with the Saucony's on Sunday for the 10K. After all, they're my PR shoes at that distance. Tomorrow I'll stay indoors again for a final intensity workout on the elliptical. I've never run two races on consecutive weekends before. I'm curious to see how that goes.

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.

A good race for many reasons

I always enjoy the day after a race because it gives me a break from running and a chance to think about the day before. One of my 2010 running goals was to PR in a race and I accomplished that yesterday. I am pleased with achieving that goal and I give due credit to the following:

• Flat course
• Perfect weather
• Sufficient rest
• Prior focus on building up my base
• No injuries
• Compression gear
• Prior 10K's run on trails or on a very hilly course (Cow Harbor)
• Positive attitude throughout the run

I was happy to average 9:05 per mile, a pace I hadn't matched since September. I would have liked to break 9:00 but I'll take what I got. You always want to leave something for a future PR. As well as I did compared with my last 10K, I still finished mid-pack. I think that due to the conditions many people had a good race day on Sunday. Next weekend I'll have a chance to challenge my 10K PR at the Long Beach Turkey Trot. I'm not focused on another PR though. If I can enjoy next Sunday's race as much as I did yesterday, that's more than enough for me.

Hope for Warriors 10K race report

Shot of the runners at the 10K start

Today's race (Hope for the Warriors): 6.2 miles at 56:23 (9:05 pace) UPDATED

Heading over to the start

I ran a good race today but I can't tell you how good because the race organizers haven't yet posted the results (see above update). Apparently there were some problems with the system used by Finish Line Road Race Technicians who managed that aspect of the race. This event was larger and grander than I'd expected and during the the pre-race ceremonies they said that over 2,000 people were participating. The crowd had grown large by the time acknowledgments were given to the men and women who serve in the military and to the families that support them. There were many active soldiers on hand and many of them participated in the races. This event had three race distances: 1 mile, 5K and 10K. At 9:30 AM, instructions were given to head to our respective starting lines and I met up with Dave as we waited for the gun to sound. Given the size of the crowd it looked like it took me 1:23 just to reach the starting line so I'm hoping they'll list net times in the results.

Dave went out ahead of me and I'm thinking he finished a couple of minutes faster that I did. The first mile was crowded because the 5K starters were sent ahead of us and there were lots of people walking abreast forcing runners to weave in and out to get a clear path. By the first mile things opened up as the walkers faded to the back and the 5K runners split off to the left to continue their race on different roads. I wore my compression pants and compression calf sleeves and though I did get a little warm in the legs it didn't affect my performance. Actually, I think it helped because I maintained a good level of energy throughout the run. Much of that is due to my recent focus on longer distances that are helping me build a better base. The weather must also be credited, it was sunny, dry and cool. Really perfect conditions for a race.

Seconds from the finish

I passed a lot of runners even on the 5th and 6th mile. By the time I reached Sunrise Highway I was looking forward to seeing my wife, my kids and the finish line but through the run I never had a "This is too hard" moment. When we came off the ramp onto route 27 one of the policemen yelled "You're almost there, the finish line is under the big flag!" In the distance I could see the flag and I reserved my final kick until I came into target range. Unfortunately there were two huge flags and the one I thought was the finish was actually positioned where I stood at the start. I did my best to keep my brisk stride knowing I had about a minute and a half more running time to get to the real finish. Very soon I saw my family along the side and I high fived them right before I crossed the line.

Me and Dave post-race

The display at the finish was off to the side so I didn't see my time when I'd actually crossed the line.  I'm a little nervous that the race organizers will say they lost the results. I hope that's not the case but either way I know I PR'd for 10K and that's great. It was a fun and inspiring event with soldiers carrying flags, field packs, and in one case, a dummy soldier on his shoulder. Next year I hope they provide more than five Porto-potties, far too few for the huge number of participants. Overall, it was great time and gratifying to participate in an event that benefits so many deserving soldiers. I'll post my finish time once results are posted.

Core values preparing for Sunday's 10K

Today's workout (hand weights and core): 20 minutes

I wasn't ready to fully rest this morning so I did a light upper body workout with weights and then completed a cycle of the "Lolo Jones" core exercises. These exercises were featured in an article I'd saved from Runner's World in 2009. It's a fast workout but I usually feel good after I do it. I looked at the Run for the Warriors course this morning and saw that it's a big rectangle with lots of straightaways. I understand that it's a relatively flat course and that will be a relief compared with the hilly terrain of the Cow Harbor race in Northport.

The temperatures should be in the mid to high 50's at 9:30 AM when the race is scheduled to start. I think I have my gear selected: Nike compression pants, Zensah calf sleeves, Brooks Rev-T jersey and my Saucony Kinvaras. Five months ago I would probably have chosen the Grid Tangents or the Brooks GTS 10's but I've really come to appreciate the performance of Kinveras as both a training and race day shoe. According to Dave who has previously run this race (and will be running it again this year), tomorrow's event will be inspiring as it honors veterans from all wars and features many veteran's groups. We are big supporters of those who provide service to the country and are glad to participate in an event that generates so many donations for veterans.

Spandex as an energy source

Zensah product shot

Yesterday's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

I've completed my training for Sunday's race and now my challenge is holding back on activity until that event. I considered running this morning because I'm not convinced that two day's rest provides any measurable advantage over just resting the day before. Still, I decided to stick with the taper plan. I've spent the last two weeks focusing on low intensity running and I don't think I've broken 9:10 on any run since mid-October. What I have done since September's Cow Harbor race is increase my base and I'm hoping that will make a difference this weekend.

Yesterday I returned to City Sports and bought a pair of Zensah calf/shin sleeves. This compression stuff isn't cheap but compared with other brands like Zoot and CEP, the Zensah gear was more affordable. But $40 for stretchy leg warmers isn't exactly what I'd call a bargain. These compression sleeves, made with spandex and nylon, are far more than that and I wore them for about five hours yesterday. I made my decision to buy the Zensah sleeves after talking to the sales person who was surprisingly knowledgeable about these products and their benefits, although she kept pronouncing lactic acid as "lasic acid." I was tempted to buy full compression socks because  the foot wrap apparently helps flush lactic (or lasic) acid from the tendons in the foot. The cost just seemed too high and I tend to like the socks that I already own.

Last night, after I'd taken off the calf sleeves, my legs felt restless, or energetic, depending on how you look at it. I plan to wear these sleeves under my Nike compression pants during the race. I know the unwritten rule is never to race with gear that you haven't previously used but I'm willing to take the chance. Restless or energetic legs are far better than the alternative.

Progression through compression

It was almost a year ago that my wife surprised me with a gift of a long sleeved Nike Fit jersey and Nike compression pants. I was due to race the MercyFirst 5K and she thought I'd appreciate having some new gear. I ran my fastest ever race pace wearing that outfit and it made me curious about the connection between compression and performance.

Last Saturday Dave and I did a long run on the Bethpage bike trail and he wore CW-X compression pants along with compression socks of the same brand. I looked online to see whether compression and performance are correlated and saw that there are studies that support that theory. The real benefit seems to be on the recovery side because compression aids blood flow and channels built up lactic acid. I know that when I run with my compression gear I feel more energetic. I went to City Sports to see what they had for socks and was surprised to see a range of socks and calf sleeves costing between $30-$60. I didn't buy anything but I'll admit that I'm curious to try them. Perhaps I'll head back today or check out Paragon's selection at lunchtime. Except for the price there seems to be more upside than downside to using this technology.

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.