What's next after my Kivaras?

Merrell's new Trail Glove

I'm pleased with the way I feel this morning after yesterday's long run. Sunday was a busy day and I spent a lot of  time on my feet. I thought I might experience some second day aches and pains but after a sound sleep I woke up feeling fine. With almost 400 running miles on my Kinvaras I'm fully convinced that a lower, more minimal running shoe works well for me and the very small differential (drop) between forefoot and heel has strengthened my calves and ankles. Despite being a video-documented pronator I've had few troubles running in this neutral shoe. My dilemma these days is choosing a different shoe than the Kinvara when running on hard surfaces.

I love the Brooks GTS-10's that were my go-to show prior to acquiring the Kinvaras. Ironically, although I have seven pairs of running shoes I really don't feel like I have that many choices. My Helly Hansens are great for tough trails but not a shoe that I like to wear on the road. My Adidas Responses work well on vacation, doing double duty as a trail or street running shoe and also for walking. But as a daily trainer they are just built too high. That leaves me with the Skecher's Resistance Runners (at best an occasional training tool), the Karhu Fast 2 Ride (a good shoe but not for me) and the Saucony Grid Tangent (a light stability shoe whose only negative is its conventional build). Finally, the higher platform of the Brooks has discouraged me from pulling them out of the cabinet as often as did in the past.

Last week I stopped by City Sports and tried on the Merrell Trail Glove, a zero-drop minimal trail shoe. I loved its wide toe box and light weight but my foot felt off balance toward the front. I want to try the NB Minimus next, as well as the Brooks Green Silence and the new Saucony Mirage. I'm concerned that I'll soon wear out the Kinvaras and I'm definitely going to replace them with something as minimal. I love to try out new running shoes but I've really learned to love the Kinvaras. I look forward to struggling with that decision.

A sweet run with a sweeter ending

Today's run (mixed surfaces): 8.2 miles

Although trails are my favorite venue for running I didn't love yesterday's experience at Muttontown Preserve. I understand that trails provide freedom and adventure but Muttontown's trails seemed to have more than its share of obstructions. This undercuts my ability to cut loose and just run while still feeling confident that I'll eventually end up at the same place where I began. A more adventurous runner (and one with a better sense of direction) may look at the challenge as part of the fun. Perhaps if I ran those trails more often I would feel better about it. I still get lost in Stillwell but at least I have a general sense of where I am most of the time.

I took no chances today and mapped out a route around my neighborhood. I followed this course for the most part but made some spontaneous changes to keep it interesting. My first destination was the business park that is located about a mile east of my neighborhood. A loop around the main drive has a modest but steady incline when run counter-clockwise. That loosened me up for the miles that would follow.

By the second mile I felt like I was growing stronger, evidence that my base training was yielding some benefit. I crossed into neighborhood #3 from the business park and ran until I reached  a main road that took me into the next town. All along that main road the sidewalks were covered thickly by decomposing leaves and there were numerous fallen branches that required some careful stepping. I returned to my own neighborhood and covered about three more miles before returning home.

Demonstration of tapping a walnut tree

This was probably the best long run I've done this year. Not the longest or the fastest, but this was definitely the most satisfying. If I feel this way on May 1st I'll have no problems doing the  LI half marathon. We spent this afternoon at Hoyt Farm in Smithtown where they held an event showing the origins and the process of making maple (and walnut tree) syrup. We all had fun, especially at the end when we got to sample it! I suspect freshly made maple syrup can be an effective recovery food.

Return to the Muttontown trails

Circuitous run on the Mystery Trail

Today's run (Muttontown Preserve): 3 miles

I took advantage of the weather today and headed over to Muttontown Preserve at noon for a run. Our morning was very busy so I didn't get out as early as I would have liked. Even with that late start the parking lot was less than a quarter full and I was glad to know that the trails probably wouldn't be crowded. The snow is all gone but some of the effects of all that water remain. The dirt roads around the entrance were rutted and the trails have a lot of muddy sections. With the noon day sun, I started my run wondering if I should have picked shorts instead of running pants. As it turned out I made the right choice.

Rough road leading to some rough trails

I followed the same path I originally tracked on my previous run and held my breath as I passed by the place where I fell head first into frozen mud. No such issue today but the condition of the trails was marginal and several times I encountered fallen trees along my path. Some places were completely blocked and that forced me to bushwhack through thorny brush to reconnect with trail on the other side. It was then that I really appreciated having long pants and long sleeves. I'd hoped to make my way south, then west and come back north to the trail-head but my poor navigation kept me contained in the northwest part of the preserve. I actually ended up running part of one loop three times. By the third time, I finally recognized the terrain!

I had MotionX running on my iPhone and even with the real-time mapping and compass I managed to get lost. I could see where I went wrong but I couldn't find an alternative path to correct my vector. Instead of mountain bikers, like I often see at Stillwell, I encountered people riding horses on the trail. Between the mud and horses I needed to do a lot of careful stepping. My Garmin, with its auto-pause set too low, kept stopping and restarting and occasionally not restarting. Of my approximately 35 minutes running, the Garmin recorded only about 25 minutes. MotionX did a better job although I'm not confident in the iPhone's GPS accuracy. At least, by the map,  I have a good idea where I ran.

Altogether it wasn't a very far run but the elevation changes were frequent with a total gain of 220 feet. I came away from the Muttontown Preserve feeling a little ambivalent about the place. I know that MP provides potential for a good fulfilling run but I'm zero for 2 so far. I really wish the trails were better marked so I could spend more time appreciating the experience and less time worrying about direction. Still, it was great to be back on dirt and though my distance was only about three miles they were three hard miles. I'm hoping to cover more distance on the road tomorrow and I'm glad to know that I probably won't get lost when I do it.

The treadmill is part of the plan

Rain has recently replaced snow as a persistent inhibitor to my outdoor running. I wear glasses and they don't mix well with rainy weather as both fog and rain impair my vision when I run. The effect can be disorienting and sometimes downright scary. So with last night's storm extending into the morning, I knew that the treadmill would be my only choice.

Every run I do these days connects to my need to be ready for my half marathon. In between now and then I'll run a 5K but my raison de courir, as my aunt would put it, is to do well at the RXR LI Half. My biggest issue with the treadmill experience is that it's the opposite of peaceful. When I'm on the road or the trail I tune into my surroundings and my favorite runs are those where the sound of my footsteps is the loudest thing I hear. I further appreciate that I own the run and choose where and how I'll run. Our treadmill is quieter than its predecessor but it's still an aggressive machine that forces me to conform to its limitations.

My current approach to treadmill running is to begin more slowly than when I run on the street. Rather than begin with a frenzied pace, I work my way up by starting at around a 9:50 pace and finishing closer to 8:50. That seems to work and I am getting to fold in some speed into the run. I think the two keys to a successful race on May 1st are: 1) Continuing to build my base closer to 9 or 10 miles, and 2) Working on strengthening my core, especially the glutes and hamstrings that will help me maintain my speed. Hard work to be sure, but at least I have a plan.

Hoping to revisit a mystery

Mysteries of the Muttontown Preserve

Today's workout (elliptical) 25 minutes

After resting on Wednesday I was eager to get back to my routine. Predictions of rain in the morning prompted me to prepare for an elliptical session last night. Indoor activities are occasionally welcomed because they involve less gear and give me more time to work out. Today's elliptical workout was pretty straightforward. I always aim to do 25 minutes and the end result is typically the same: I'm happy that I worked out but not entirely satisfied that I worked as hard as I would on a run. But in the end I'm usually soaked with sweat and the muscles that most need help - hamstrings and glutes - are humming.

We're going to get soaked today and the rain should carry over to mid-day tomorrow so I'll likely find myself on the treadmill Friday morning. That's fine. I want to do at least one good base building run over the weekend and I'm also thinking how fun it might be to return to the Muttontown Preserve in milder weather. Knowing some of the mysteries of the Mystery Trail, I could be in for another great adventure. But hopefully this time I won't need to scale any fences.