Despite how it sounds, brown fat is a runner's friend

Yesterday's workout (treadmill): 25 minutes
Today's workout (elliptical): 26 minutes

I've never understood why it's so hard to use fat as an energy source. Everyone knows that people burn calories at a specific rate and that most of what isn't used gets stored as fat. Unfortunately, this fat isn't (metaphorically) shelved and ready for use as soon as our bodies need a boost. It requires a lot of physical change to access these stores. An article in the Tuesday NY Times talks about brown fat, which our bodies can efficiently access and burn.

The article makes a number of points, including the interesting fact that when a person is cold, their body will convert our excess white fat to brown fat. The more brown fat we have, the more fuel we have to burn at the ready. It's funny, but I've bundled up less on my commute since I read that article. Just think, next time you are standing in the miserable cold, you can take solace in the fact that you are converting your unhealthy fat into a performance enhancing form.

My wife's anti-wimp technique

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

The rain and warm temperatures have washed away most of this weekend's snow, so I headed out for a neighborhood run this morning. The treadmill, which I have long demonized, has recently become my lazy choice for a morning workout. And why not? It's ready to go when you are. A quick change into running  shoes, shorts and shirt (shirt optional), and I can go from sleeping to running in a third of the time it takes me to go outdoors.

Why did I run outside today? Because my wife made me. Last night I told her that I was planning an indoor run and she said "The rain is gone and it's going to be almost 50 degrees tomorrow morning. You really like to run outside, so why aren't you?" I couldn't tell her that I've become a wimp who prefers the easy, controlled experience of treadmill running. Or that I've been seduced by the extra time afforded by not putting on outside gear and messing with satellite acquisition.

Out I went this morning, and I had a great run. I appreciated my ability to vary speed, cadence and stride on a whim and the ever changing scenes of my neighborhood. The winds were strong and they seemed to come from multiple directions. I ran very well, but only beat my usual pace by 20 seconds per mile. It was probably due to so many headwinds. The important thing was that, due to my wife's prompting, I had a much  better experience than I would have on the treadmill. Maybe I should listen to her more often.

Monday R&R

I always appreciate my rest days, but I especially enjoyed it this morning. After a few tough workouts this weekend, I was ready for a break. I've resumed my focus on distance and performance after dropping both mileage and intensity in my running in December. My half marathon doesn't happen for three more months, but I'm determined to be better trained for 13 miles than I was at last year's race.

An important part of training is proper rest and recovery. After this weekend's challenging run on snow, followed the next day by an hour of treadmill and elliptical, a day of rest feels just right. The temperatures are rising, so by tomorrow I'm hoping that the ice on the roads will be gone. Otherwise, it's back on the treadmill, once again.

This brick did the trick

Good training method and effective against big bad wolves

Today's workouts:
Treadmill - 30 minutes
Elliptical - 30 minutes

I may be using the term incorrectly, but the word "brick" is often used to denote a type of triathlon training. The idea is to perform two different workouts, back to back. This helps a triathlete acclimate from intense running to intense biking. This is also known as transitioning. I'm not sure if running to elliptical meets that definition, but it doesn't really matter since I'm not looking to train for a triathlon.

The roads were clearer this morning, but the remnants of yesterday's dry fluffy snow have turned to ice. I decided that indoors would be a better bet, especially with 18 degree temperatures outside. Last Sunday I did an hour on the treadmill using elevation to make it even more challenging. I traded elevation for speed today and did my run around 30 sec. per mile slower than 5K pace.

Thirty minutes on the treadmill went by faster than I'd expected. Before I started my run, I hooked up my Android smartphone to the treadmill so I could play music through the built in speakers. I was dissatisfied with the selections coming out of Slacker so I switched to YouTube and started a video of NYC Marathon participants in their final stretch through Central Park.

I'd hoped that watching other runners would motivate me, but the fixed camera and low resting position of my phone's screen made for a boring distraction. When I tried to select a different video I received sizable shocks from my phone (I have a terrible static issue with the treadmill) so I yanked my phone out of the machine and ran with no visual stimulation besides my snowy backyard scenery.

As usual, I progressed my speed in regular intervals so that, in my last five minutes, I was running my targeted pace for a 4 mile race. I was more than ready to stop when I passed the 30 minute mark.  Three minutes later, I was set up on the elliptical and starting the second half hour of my "brick."

Starting a workout with an elevated heart rate and full coat of sweat is an interesting experience. I was used to those conditions when finishing a session on the elliptical, but never before I started. The first couple of minutes were tough but I soon realized that my fitness was there. By the time I reached 20 minutes the only things that bothered me were my feet because I was wearing my Hattori's. Those thin soles are not a good choice for an elliptical machine.

I was pretty tired near the end and I kept telling myself that all workouts eventually finish and this one would too. I stepped off the machine feeling like I'd put in a good morning's effort and I felt that the "brick" idea was sound. Workouts on the treadmill and the elliptical can grow tedious, but 30 minutes of each was a good plan for an hour of training. 

Like running on the beach, except for the frozen face

Today's run (snow): 3.2 miles

Long Island is receiving its first snowfall of the winter, with about three inches of powder on the roads so far. Since I ran on the treadmill three times this week to avoid snow that didn't come, I thought I'd continue my illogical reasoning by running outside when it did snow.

If I were skiing or snowshoeing I would have been thrilled with the conditions I faced when I stepped outside. The snow was soft powder that looked very pretty. Unfortunately, the fluffy stuff absorbed most of the energy from my stride. As I moved along, I noticed how similar this was to running on a sandy beach.

The streets were not plowed and I was wary of any car or truck I encountered because I didn't trust their control. I headed to the sidewalk so avoid any vehicles, but I preferred the roads that had packed snow where cars had driven. The effort of running on 3 inches of powder was exhausting, but the sections of hard pack brought some relief.

The temperature was 25 degrees when I started my run and the snowflakes that landed on my face and glasses threatened to freeze. Still, I was fairly comfortable. By the time I returned home my face felt numb.

I only covered three miles this morning, but it felt like double that distance in terms of effort. I was sweating by the end, but once I changed into dry clothes I was ready for my second workout: shoveling the driveway. The snow has finally stopped and, by tomorrow, I'm hoping the roads will be clear. If that's the case I'll be sure to appreciate the benefits of running on a more responsive surface.