Resisting temptation at DSW

Friday's workout: 2.25 miles (XC/road run) plus hill workout

NB MT100

NB MR800

Yesterday was a very busy day so I didn't get a chance to post. We had an early start and I didn't get a chance to run until later in the day. While out, we stopped by DSW, one of my favorite shoe stores. I've been encouraging my wife to get a new pair of running shoes to replace her Nike Vomeros that have served her well over the last year. I was looking for a pair of casual loafers but I couldn't find any that felt right. I guess I'm spoiled by the fit of running shoes that feel so much better on my feet. Since I was there I tried a pair of New Balance MT100's that looked like a low heeled trail shoe. I'm still very curious about a shoe design that promotes front and mid-foot striking and I thought this shoe felt really good. I could tell by the way my legs felt when I tested them that the initial running experience with 100's would result in some calf soreness. I also tried a pair of the New Balance 800's. This is the "ChiRunning" shoe that promotes mid-foot running and competes against shoes like the Nike Free. I ultimately decided that I didn't need any more shoes, especially since the prices of these shoes weren't significantly lower than anywhere else.

Saucony Grid Fusion 2

My wife tried on a few pairs of Saucony's and found that the Grid Fusion 2 had the best fit and feel. I encouraged her to try some of the more high end models and she ultimately preferred the Fusion. Later in the day we all headed to the park. My daughter tried out her new Razor scooter and I did some hill runs and then did laps around one of the ball fields and also ran some other areas of the park with my wife. She liked her new running shoes and I was glad to get some running in after such a busy day. By evening we were all pretty exhausted. I plan to get out today for a longer run. I'm not sure whether I'll stay in the neighborhood or take advantage of the beautiful weather and hit the trails again.

Involuntary Garmin-slaughter

Today's workouts: Stillwell field trail loop - 3.55 miles plus speed and hill drills

My Garmin 50 display was showing "LoBattery" so I decided to change it myself. Big mistake. I had the right battery (CR2032) on hand so I thought "How hard could this be?" Replacing the battery in the heart rate monitor and the foot pod was simple but when I opened the 50 I knew it was going to be a lot more complicated. I should have stopped there and taken it to a jeweler but I was too impatient and it cost me the watch. I first had to separate the housing from the main board that held the display in order to get to the battery and when I did some tiny brackets and and a tiny spring went flying. Before I knew it the whole thing became a cruel puzzle. When I put it together in the most logical way that I could, the display failed to work. I looked up how to change the battery on this watch online but there is little documentation. In fairness to Gamin they do recommend professional battery installation.

I went through all the stages of grief: Denial (it worked before, it will work again!), Anger (stupid Garmin engineering!), Bargaining (what are Forerunner 50's going for on Amazon these days?), Depression (I have nothing to capture tomorrow's run so it will be meaningless!), Acceptance (this sucks but maybe it's a good excuse to buy a 405). Then I went online and priced out the 405, the new F60 and even saw that Garmin has a new "entry level" GPS watch called the 110. Since the 110 doesn't also work with a foot pod I'm down to deciding between the 405 and the F60.

This morning I pulled out my iPhone arm band and did my run at Stillwell using MotionX which has been improved since the last time I used it. The day was sunny and I acquired a signal quickly. I set off to run the field loop trail making four circuits with a total distance of 3.55 miles. As usual the GPS accuracy was a little off so I used Google Earth to verify the true length. It was a better experience with the iPhone than I had on previous runs. I uploaded the GPX file from MotionX to Garmin Connect and it worked great.  My online running history didn't skip a beat despite last night's Garmin problem. I may take the broken watch over to a local jeweler to see if they can make it work. If not I'll probably get the new F60 that should work with the 50's HRM and foot pod.  I did see a 405 online for $299 with a $50 rebate so maybe...

Later in the day the Emerging Runner family headed to a local park to enjoy the beautiful weather. After playing some hoops we made our way to the ball fields and had a running competition. First we ran from home plate straight out to center field (which rises to a 60+% incline over the last 30 or 40 feet) and back again. All four of us did that run, my son did it several times, and we recorded our times using my iPhone's stopwatch app. After that we all took turns on a circuit that required the runner to touch the six light poles that ringed the diamond and outfield. The total length of that circuit is .15 miles. Based on that, I calculated our paces. I ran it at 5:33, my wife at 7:40 and my son and daughter (10 & 11) at 8:20. We weren't dressed at all for running (although I did have my NB trail shoes) so this was a good benchmark for the next time we come, better prepared. It was a very active day for the family. How could we stay inside with this weather?

Out and about time

Granger's "safer" waterproofing spray

Today's workout (street run): 5.6 miles at 9:29 pace

The rain finally stopped this morning and I didn't waste any time getting out for a neighborhood run. For me, the experience of running on the treadmill versus running outdoors is very different. In that running outdoors actually provides enjoyment. There was still a fine mist in the air when I set out around 7:00 AM. I headed directly to neighborhood #3 because I haven't run there in a long time and I needed a change of scenery. My original plan was to run neighborhoods 2 and 3 and then cover a couple of miles in my own neighborhood. There was a lot of traffic on the service road that needed to be crossed to get to the other areas. Crossing over to #3 is safe because there's only one direction for traffic and it's easy to see cars long before they reach the crossing point.  The light rain was burning off by the time I hit the first mile but, despite 40 degree temperatures, there was some humidity fogging my sunglasses. With a slight breeze it was still pleasant and once the mist stopped it felt drier and cooler.

Once through neighborhood #3, I headed back to my main neighborhood, skipping 2, because the traffic I'd need to cross on the service road was too heavy for comfort. On weekend mornings it's much different to run along that section. I dressed exactly right and felt increasingly stronger throughout the run. This didn't translate into a fast pace but it felt great and I got some good mileage in on a weekday, always a bonus. It looks like the sun may actually make an appearance this afternoon and if it does I'm planning to experiment with Granger's G-Max Universal waterproofing spray on my Helly Hansen Trail Lizards. I bought this spray because it appears to be safer and more environmentally responsible (according to the label) than the solvent-based sprays that come with warnings that take up an entire side of the can. It will be great if the spray provides a moisture barrier on these shoes because I often have to step around large puddles on the trails at Stillwell. I know the shoes aren't engineered to be waterproof so they will likely let in some water. However, the spray may help keep things a little drier.

With all the rain we've had since Saturday, the trails will surely be soaked for the next few days. It would be great to have a little extra protection should I head to Stillwell or Muttontown this week. It's great to finally run outside.

Pre-run dynamic stretching has its merits

Today's workout (treadmill): 2.5 miles at 9:05 (2% incline)

Ugh. That describes the wet weather outside and my experience on the treadmill this morning. Long Island is getting 4"-6" of rain over the next 24 hours on top of all the rain we've seen since Friday night. Yesterday was a nice break from exercise and I really needed some rest. I had been experiencing some slight pain in my right knee and intermittent pain in my left abductor muscle that may have been related to extra mileage on hills over that last two weeks. With any thoughts of an outside run washed away with the steady rain, I turned to the treadmill for my run.

I had just read in Running Times about dynamic stretching. This method differs from static stretching in that it activates muscles rather than relaxing them. As it happens, my pre-run stretching is already dynamic. Using a couple of of exercises that AG taught me I usually do a few leg swings and knee cradles before I start. I decided to add a few more to the mix today and I did feel very loose before I started my run. The treadmill belt is still unstable and we're waiting for a new motor that will theoretically resolve the slipping and jerking issue. I am able to avoid that for the most part by keeping to the left but the possibility of a slip is definitely an unwanted distraction during my run. I spent a couple of minutes warming up at a slower pace and then hit the start button on the Garmin after pushing the speed to 6.6 MPH. I'd also set the incline to 2% and the combination of a relatively brisk pace (9:05 on the treadmill feels like 8:40 on the street to me) and the slight elevation made my first mile difficult.

I settled into the run and managed to tough it out long enough to cover 2.5 miles at speed before I switched off the Garmin and cooled down for another ten minutes at a slower pace with no incline. It wasn't an enjoyable experience but it was a good workout. Additionally, I finished the run with no knee or muscle pain. The air was especially dry and I really appreciated the coconut water that I used for re-hydration. I'm really hoping that by tomorrow morning conditions will be favorable for an outdoor run. Much as I like the new treadmill, it doesn't provide the satisfaction of running outside.

Rain, rain (don't) go away

Today's workout: Rest day

We changed our plans for a short vacation in western Massachusetts when we saw that the current torrential rainstorm's duration would coincide exactly with our scheduled time away. Instead we stayed local and amused ourselves with distractions that included a Wii tournament. I was soundly whipped at tennis by my daughter and out boxed by my son. Well at least I got a little exercise. Very little.

Tomorrow's weather looks to be equally stormy but I'm hoping that there will be a window of time when the rain stops long enough for me to get in a neighborhood run. Barring that, I'll return to the new treadmill and work around the slipping belt by staying farther to the left side. I got a notification that the new parts have been shipped so it shouldn't be long before the treadmill becomes more of an asset than a liability.  Thursday, Friday and the weekend days look to be much more running-friendly than today, tomorrow and Wednesday so I'm sure I'll still get plenty of miles in on this vacation.