Montauk tapering to the end

Montauk: The End

Yesterday's run (treadmill): 4 miles

Montauk is a beautiful and relaxing place, especially during the off season that is devoid of both crowds and intense sunlight. The East End has a vibrant running culture and I struck up a conversation last night with a local woman who'd noticed my LI Marathon running hat. She has run the LI Half a number of times and will again participate on May 6. We noticed lots of runners along the Montauk Highway and other local roads. I just wish these people would run against traffic!

With the gorgeous surroundings and long straight roads, it would have been fun to do a run by the ocean. But the weather was raw at 7:30 AM, with cold winds and threatening skies. I opted for the fitness center that had a nice selection of high quality Life Fitness machines. I hopped on a treadmill and set the speed to 6.6 MPH to start. The solid platform and wide tread encouraged me to pick up the pace and, by the 5 minute mark, I was up over 7 MPH. I felt great and decided to extend my run from 3 to 4 miles.

About halfway through my workout, two guys came in and got on elliptical machines. They didn't seem to familiar with the concept and I was amused to watch them struggle with the motion and controls. I would have helped, but it wasn't a practical option. Before long, I had reached half my planned distance.

I continued to increase my speed and finished the last couple of minutes in a sprint. The machine had a "cool down" button that dropped the speed in increments. It was a strong effort, not that far off from race pace, and a perfect way to finish my taper. I'm feeling ready for Sunday's race.

Getting high (up) in the Hamptons

Later that morning we headed to the Montauk Lighthouse and climbed the 137 steps up and down. It was a nice bonus workout and a wonderful view from the top.

Inclined to train with a treadmill taper

Sunny skies at the end of LI

Today's run (treadmill): 3.1 miles

We left for our trip today, but I got in a treadmill workout this morning. I debated the type of run I'd do, first thinking I'd focus on speed, but then realizing I'd pushed pretty hard yesterday. I ended up splitting the workout between an incline segment and a progressive speed run.

Sunday's 5K course begins with a hill challenge so I set the machine to a 6% incline and ran that for the first mile. I brought that down and upped the speed every couple of minutes and finished my run at a high 8:00 pace. Between the incline and the speed progression, I was pretty worn out by the end. I was pleased with the workout, one more to go before Sunday.

We're enjoying the early season sun in Montauk and I'm trying to figure out how I'll finish my taper. If there's a route by the water, I'm there.

My speed is back, and just in time

Today's run (street): 3.2 miles

After weeks of focus on distance, I've turned my attention more towards speed. Yesterday's weight exercises were a good first step that provided direct benefits this morning. I decided to run in my Hattori's today. Between the colder weather and testing out new shoes, I haven't been wearing the Hattori's much and I've missed them. When I set out for today's run, I once again appreciated their simplicity and fit

Sorry Meb, they're nice, but not for me

We had stopped by Famous Footwear yesterday morning to get my son some new shoes and I took the opportunity to try on a pair of Skechers Go Run's. I've been intrigued by these shoes since Meb Keflezighi committed to them and the good reviews from both Running Times and Runner's World. I don't really consider Skechers a serious brand for running shoes, but this model seemed different.

My impression of the Go Run's was primarily positive except for a raised part of the mid-sole that helps facilitate a mid-foot strike. I appreciated the spirit but not the execution. For some who are looking to transition to a more minimal shoe, the Go Run may be a nice option.

The Hattori's inspired me to move and I came through the first mile at around 8:50. I maintained that pace through the second mile and then shifted into race mode until the end. I finished the 5K+ run with an overall pace of 8:32. Throughout my run, I used rapid arm motion to regulate my leg turnover and that produced my fastest training run so far this year.

Today's run reinforced my training plan and I feel good about my preparation going into Sunday's race. A little more speed and some end-of-week rest should get me there.

Upper body ignorance is no longer bliss

Getting pumped

Today's workout (light upper body): 25 minutes

Mondays are typically my rest day and I had no intention of running this morning. I felt some energy and that inspired me to try a little upper body work. I've read many articles about the benefits of strength training, not only to improve running performance, but also for the way it helps maintain bone density. Many runners ignore their upper body thinking that it's all about their legs. But there has to be a reason why Usain Bolt has arms that would make most gym rats envious.

In terms of upper body development, I'm about as far opposite to Mr. Bolt as one can get. I'm not without muscle or (surprisingly) definition, but I have much room for improvement. That improvement did not come today, but it was a start. Instead of counting reps, I selected something distracting on the TV and did bicep curls with alternating arms (8 lb. each arm) for 10 minutes. I followed that with 10 minutes of reverse curls and finished with some isometric exercises.

It wasn't a lot of weight and my workout was hardly difficult, but I did break a sweat. After ignoring my arms and wrists for so long, I wasn't about to injure myself by over-training. If I can do this workout once a week, I'll bet I'll see some results, after a while. I know that arm speed relates directly to cadence, and if stronger arms will lead to more steps per minute, sign me up.

We'll be in Montauk for a few days and I'm hoping to get some runs in near the water. Fast running with an ocean view. Sounds good to me.

Recovery + speed, a good combination

Today's run (street): 3.7 miles

My biggest motivation to get outside the next day after a tough workout is that I know I'm in for an easy run. The word I use is recovery, although I'm not sure that's how other runners may define that term. For me, it's liberation from the stopwatch, an opportunity to proceed at a comfortable pace, so I can focus on the sights and sounds of my surroundings.

A funny thing about these recovery runs is that I often introduce a little speed play into the mix. The relaxation eventually becomes an energizing force. Today's run was like that. I dressed with more layers than I'd have chosen for a performance run and set off for a trip around the neighborhood. I took it easy and followed a different route than normal, running around the nearby middle school where a boisterous game of adult flag football was being played.

When I changed direction for the first time, I was hit by some fairly strong headwinds and was doubly glad I had dressed on the warmer side. Today is Easter so the streets were quiet, and I enjoyed the lack of cars on the road. There weren't many people outside either, so I had the sunny streets all to myself.

By the time I reached three miles, I was ready to turn to home and I followed a route that had a long, but moderate, incline. Once I cleared that section, I poured on the speed and completed the last half mile at a pace 20 seconds faster than my overall average. That last burst of speed put my time within the range of a training, rather than a slow recovery, run.

I finished the weekend after logging almost 15 miles (25 for the week) and added yet another mile to my longest run (so far) this year. I may do some intervals tomorrow, even though I usually take Monday as a rest day. I'll need to wrap up my taper for Sunday's 5K by Friday. Right now I'm in great shape for long runs, but I'm not sure my 5K speed is ready to tap.