Defining a good run

Today's run (street): 2.3 miles at 9:19/mile

By now I've done enough running to know that some runs just go better than others. I don't get upset when I struggle through a run because I know it's circumstance, not ability, that is making the going tough on that particular day. I've done long runs that seemed effortless a day after I ran a particularly difficult shorter run. What defines a good run? Is it how you feel when running or how fast you covered the distance? Or is it the way you feel at the end that matters?

I didn't feel particularly energized this morning when I went out and I started off slower than usual. I know this because my Garmin kept chirping to indicate that I was drifting out of my defined pace range. It was cold at 4 AM and with the wind, even colder. I dressed for the weather but it took me a few minutes to warm up. I usually start my runs on cold days by going north on roads that have slight elevations. This makes me work a little more and helps get my body temperature regulated. The extra work needed for the hill plus that first few minutes transitioning to aerobic breathing sometimes makes it feel hard. That was the case today and it didn't feel much better ten minutes into the run.

It was probably fatigue but my legs felt heavy and though it seemed like I was running at a brisk pace I could see that I really wasn't. I can't say that I enjoyed today's run as much as other recent workouts but when I finally reached home I had the same feeling of accomplishment that I get every time I complete a run. It's a great feeling and I didn't care about the numbers. I got through a tough one today and as I cooled down I knew I'd soon be rewarded with a hot cup of coffee. That was enough to call it a good run.

Pacing discovery on the treadmill

Today's run (treadmill): 2.4 miles at 9:08/mile

Although I was fully prepared to run on the treadmill when I set up my gear last night I felt a little differently this morning. The alarm woke me up from a sound sleep and made me question whether a workout or thirty extra minutes of sleep would do me the most good. I would have liked the extra sleep but I knew if I didn't run I'd feel guilty for the rest of the day. Despite its negative connotations, I truly believe that guilt has its good side. I had a little coffee and got on the machine, resigned to running a couple of miles.

As I started my run I compared the pace on the display to the pace on my Garmin that I knew was accurately calibrated. The two readings were closer than I'd expected them to be. I increased the tread speed and saw that the paces changed in sync with each other but once I got to target speed I found that I could achieve a faster pace on the Garmin, compared to the treadmill's, just by quickening my cadence. When I resumed my default running rhythm the Garmin's readout resumed duplicating the treadmill's. It was an interesting discovery because now I know I can naturally speed up or slow down a little without needing to mess with the treadmill's controls. That makes a big difference to me because much of my frustration with the treadmill is from the tedium that comes with being forced to maintain a hardwired pace.

Although I started off tired I did rebound and got through 2.4 miles at a decent pace. I don't know why I find treadmill running so much harder than road or trail running but I do. Still, I rather it be that way than the other way around.

Sunday run with the Emerging Runner Girl

Yesterday's runs (street): 4.4 miles at 9:02 + .75 mile fun run

Counting Friday's run in the city, I managed to cover a little more than 12 miles this weekend. Out of those twelve my favorite experience was on a distance less than a mile (more below). With last Tuesday's 4.8 miles in Central Park and another 2+ miles on Wednesday, I still fell short of my informal weekly goal of reaching 20 miles. Of course if I include the 2 miles covered on the elliptical last Thursday I'll be able to claim that goal. Okay, done. 21 miles for the week!

As hoped, the rain slowed down by early Sunday afternoon and I took the opportunity to hit the neighborhood streets. I don't generally do my best speed running at 1:30 in the afternoon but I tried to keep the pace as brisk as possible. Due to the wet roads I wore my Adidas Response 15 trail runners. That was less for protection on the slippery road service and more to keep my Brooks GTS 10's from getting wet and dirty. I ran about 1.5 miles on local neighborhood streets and then cut over the neighborhood #2 for the bulk of the run. Since I was running in trail shoes I took advantage of a few areas alongside the road that had packed dirt and grass. It was pleasing to hear the chirp of the Garmin as I passed the two mile point. The third followed surprisingly soon after the second. At one point I looked at the watch and noticed that it was giving me readouts that said "00:15 ahead" which confused me. I then realized that when I updated the FR60's firmware yesterday it switched to a default setup that included a virtual running partner. I would have had fun with the virtual partner if I better understood the interface. I again relied on my heart rate monitor to guide me in terms of effort. My pace seemed fast for those conditions but, after verifying on Gmaps, I confirmed that the Garmin was accurate.

When I got home from my run I was met by my 11 year old daughter who had been riding her scooter and waiting for me to return. We decided to run a loop around some of the local roads and covered .75 miles between 10-10:30 mins per mile. Though it had been months since we ran together she kept up very well. My daughter has near perfect running form and she lands on her front foot naturally. I think she was happy when I told her that I learn things by watching her run. Next weekend I hope we will be able to cover more distance.

It's still very soggy in NYC and on Long Island so I'm not sure what outdoor running I'll be able to do during the week. I'm planning to get at least one Central Park run in before next weekend, assuming we see clear skies this week.

Racing decisions for May and June

Today's workout: Rain delay

I wasn't surprised to see pouring rain when I woke up this morning. All the same I was very disappointed. I'd held out hope that the weather reports would be wrong and that the storm would miss Long Island. No such luck. My issue with running in the rain comes from wearing glasses. A light rain is really no problem, it's sort of like driving through mist. But when the rain starts to come down hard it's windshield wiper time. Since my glasses don't have wipers, running through rain can be very disorienting. I'm surprised there isn't some rain protection invention for runners who wear glasses. I guess corrective goggles or using contact lenses would be my only choices. Neither option is too appealing.

The weather reports are indicating intermittent rain this afternoon so I may luck out for running later. I had hoped to run with a friend earlier this morning but it was just too wet at 6:00 AM. He and I are planning to try again next Sunday since I've decided not to do the RXR 10K race next weekend that would have conflicted with that. I may run one of the local 5K's taking place later in May or just skip this month for racing and focus on racing in June. There's the XTERRA Trail Series 8K at Stillwell on June 6 and the New Hyde Park 8K on the 13th. The Stillwell #2 race would be my toughest racing challenge to date. Stillwell #1, held this past March in the ice and snow, was very difficult even with the course cut down to 3.5 miles due to trail conditions. I ran New Hyde Park last year and struggled with pace, clocking in just under nine minutes per mile. I'll need to decide which to run in June. Maybe I'll run both.

A tale of two 3.5 mile runs

Yesterday's run (Central Park): 3.5 miles at 9:12/mile

Today's Run (street): 3.5 miles at 8:45/mile

Yesterday I was excited for the chance to do another run in Central Park. It was a busy Friday and I managed to wrap up morning meetings in time to change and meet up with my friend Steve for the jog up to the park. The skies were bright and the sun was out but the 57 degree temperatures felt cold on the building-shaded streets. We started our run at the 6th Ave. entrance on Central Park South and made our way to the lower loop to run counterclockwise to the north. Steve admitted to really feeling last Friday's workout for a couple of days after our run but he said he could do six today. I told him that he may feel differently once he started to encounter the hills. We set off at a decent pace, low 9's, and enjoyed watching all the activity in the park. At one point we were set upon by a group of tourists on bicycles who didn't seem to understand the concept of sharing the road with pedestrians. We also saw a person running around wearing Kangoo Jumps that look like in-line skates with elliptically shaped spring devices on the bottom. He certainly got some energy response from the shoes. Looked like fun but I'll stick to my Brooks for now.

Once we reached the reservoir we followed the path on the southern edge and then headed south. Steve was very glad at the 2 mile point that we weren't really going to run six. He did a great job keeping up with me and I told him his reward would be downhill running to balance all the hills we'd hit on the way up. We ended up covering 3.5 miles and felt fresh, even at the end. Good thing too because we both had long afternoons ahead. We walked south back to our offices, energized for the rest of the work day.

I woke up this morning with a headache that I attributed to sinus pressure. Rather than hoping it would just go away on its own I took a Sudafed and ibuprofen and chased them with a strong cup of coffee. I headed out around 8:00 AM for my run. I warmed up after about a mile and covered a route that took me first around and then through the neighborhood. I was concerned that the effects of the Sudafed would impact my running and while I felt tired I still managed to keep a decent pace. I originally thought I'd go 40 minutes but I cut it short to ensure I'd be ready in time for this morning's activity, an Arbor Day festival at a local preserve. I was pleased with today's run. I've programed the Garmin to automatically roll through the various metrics as I run such as pace, distance, time and heart rate. I used the heart rate numbers rather than speed to guide me in terms of effort to expend. It paid off with a decent pace, close to what I achieved recently in a 5K race.

Tomorrow I have plans to meet my friend KWL at a local park for a run at 6:30 AM. The weather is supposed to be pretty bad so chances are we'll need to postpone. That would be too bad but I can't complain about all the great running weather (and great runs) I've enjoyed this week.