One last run before rest and race

Not exactly an ocean side paradise

Today's run (street): 3.65 miles

I'm no longer getting up at 3:30 AM. On average, I'm getting an additional two hours of sleep every night. That means seven to eight hours, versus the five or six I had before. I would often supplement my sleep with a 20 minute nap on the train in the morning, but all together, my net rest time is far improved. The downside is that I'm still getting to bed around the same time as before so it's been taking me longer to fall asleep.

Mornings feel very different these days. Instead of the blur of activities that began with the bleating of my alarm, followed by a fast change into running clothes (and then a run), I can enjoy the morning at a leisurely pace. The quiet darkness at 5:30 AM goes well with a cup of coffee and the local news. The only downside is that it takes me forever to actually get outside or on the treadmill if I don't have the pressure of the clock.

This morning I spent a long time preparing for what was my last run before my race. My wife couldn't believe how much I was stalling. It wasn't that I didn't want to run. It was just so cold and windy that I didn't want to go outside. I decided that I'd finish the taper with an easy run and I used that as license to wear extra layers to stay warm.

Running the neighborhood at 8:00 AM is a different experience than when it's still dark. There are far more cars and school buses to avoid. I took it easy from the beginning and ran my distance at a fairly slow pace. The battery in my HRM must have run out of power, because I wasn't getting any readings. I sweat a minimal amount across the almost-four miles, but that may be due to the near-constant winds. I am glad that I'd bundled up and worn a wind-blocking layer.

I'm finished with running until the race, and I'll enjoy resting until then. I may do a light elliptical workout and/or a core session during this period, but I'm done with hard stuff until I'm at the starting line. Right now, they're predicting 25 MPH winds and a 70% chance of rain in Long Beach on Saturday. Cold, wet and windy. Sounds like fun.

Running shoes retire too

End of the line

Today's run (street): 3.75 miles

In today's NY Times Well section, there is an article entitled, "When to Retire a Running Shoe." It's a subject of great debate, because the answer can be different with every runner. The article doesn't provide an actual answer, but it does support my view that a shoe's cushioning level makes little difference in terms of protection. Golden Harper, the man who created Altra running shoes, suggested that a runner knows when it's time to replace, “You get a sense for it,” he said. “Nothing hurts, but it is going to soon.”

I think about that as I consider which shoes to wear during my upcoming race. My Kinvara 3's are nearing 500 miles. Though they have held up exceptionally well, I know that this was when my original Kinvaras came to their useful end. The other concern I have about the Kinvaras is that, despite their light weight, they're a little soft as a racer. I'm trying to decide whether to run in the Spira XLT's that are a little more responsive (but have their quirks), or the Brooks Pure Drift prototypes that I use primarily on the treadmill.

Today I ran in the Kinvaras around the neighborhood and I felt like I was running close to top form. The numbers didn't back that up, but I still did better than average. It may have been the stiff winds coming from the west that slowed me down, or the fact that I left a little in reserve through most of the run. I plan a more aggressive approach on Saturday. I'll run tomorrow then rest. I hope this rain moves out by morning so I can finish my taper with a street run.

Treadmills aren't always portals to boredom

Today's run (treadmill): 3.2 miles

For all my complaining about the treadmill as a portal to mind blowing boredom, I'm sure spending a lot of time on ours. Back in 2011 I managed to go almost six months without using the machine. This was a well timed period between spring, summer and fall when it never seemed to rain at 4:00 AM. On those rare occasions where the weather interfered, I'd default to the elliptical machine.

Once again, the weather kept me inside today. 22 degrees plus wind chill made for an uninviting outdoor running experience. I could have bundled up and gone outside but I wanted to focus on my speed. I don't run as fast with lots of layers and I'll need to figure that out for the race on Saturday. I'm hoping for a mild turn in the weather and I'll stay inside the registration area as long as I can to minimize the amount of time spent in the cold prior to the start. Those five minutes waiting for the gun can get downright chilly.

This morning's treadmill run started fast and I didn't let off my speed until I'd finished. I increased pace incrementally over the last five minutes, pouring it on at the end to simulate the finish of a race. I'm feeling primed at this point and I'm looking forward to returning to the road tomorrow. I'm still not a treadmill lover but, with these speed focused runs, I'm rarely bored.

Snowflake looms so no backing down

Speed play and HR % of MAX

Today's run (treadmill): 5.2 miles

I was up at 5:30 AM this morning and the winds were howling. The news stations were talking about wind chills in the teens and I decided to return to the treadmill rather than face the bitter cold. I'm hoping that by next Saturday the weather will be milder. Many races provide no warming shelter prior to the event. I'm happy that the Long Beach Snowflake race is staged in a school gym located across the road from the starting line.

Yesterday's run was done a little faster than my normal training pace, and I debated whether I should take down the intensity today. I decided to go the other way and started at a brisk pace, maintaining that speed until the 15 minute mark. I increased it 8% at that point for about five minutes. I then backed down to my original pace and held it until I surged again for the final five minutes of my run.

I often question the accuracy of the treadmill's display because the effort required on the treadmill seems greater than an equivalent pace on the road. That's okay, I'd rather have it under-count the distance than gain a false sense of my performance. So my 5.2 miles was hard earned and likely lower than the actual "distance" I'd covered.

I'll probably run tomorrow through Wednesday and rest the two days prior to the race. I've read about the benefits of moderation in terms of weekly distance and the frequency of workouts, so I have no problem with that taper plan. I'm running well but I haven't raced in three months, so I'm not really sure how competitive I'll be. I'm not expecting to beat last year's PR, but I do have a target that I hope to beat. In reality, it's just nice to be back in the game.

Timing is everything with the Fitbit

Little bit, lots of Fit

Today's run (street): 4.3 miles

In life, timing can make a big difference. The big news that I'm leaving my company after 20 years was followed two weeks later by the yet to be confirmed news that my company is in talks to be sold. I'm unbelievably glad to be leaving before that happens. At the other side of the good timing scale, my company is (once again) offering staffers the opportunity to purchase Fitbit trackers at a sizable discount (80%). If I'd left a few weeks earlier, I wouldn't have scored that discount.

The first time they've offered this, I bought a device and gave it to my wife. The Fitbit One is simple to use and it captures a copious amount of performance data. Among the metrics are steps taken, staircase climbs, calories burned and it can even track your sleep patterns. My wife uses it daily to track both her workouts and her daily steps. It provides fun feedback and motivation on its little display.

I decided to try using it because I'll no longer be in an office where I am constantly moving from place to place. My wife pointed out that, even though I'm good about doing my morning workouts, I risk falling into a sedentary lifestyle the rest of the day. I've learned in business that tracking indicators (of things you can control) helps to optimize desirable outcomes. So there you go. I hope to see my new device some time next week.

This morning I went outside for a run for the first time in two weeks. I couldn't believe that was the case until I checked my Garmin Connect logs and saw all the treadmill (and a couple of elliptical) workouts dating back to February 2nd. After checking the weather, I dressed for the cold and made my way outside. I had a slight concern about the residual snow that covered my main escape route, the sidewalks. I figured that if I felt any concern for safety, I'd do a dive into a nearby snowbank.

It turned out to be a very safe run with very few cars. The cars that were on the road maintained a respectful distance and drove slowly. Still I was hyper-vigilant because I don't trust drivers under even the best conditions. I wore a bright orange outer layer on top to maximize my visibility to drivers. I probably could have done with one less layer underneath, but I was fine overall.

My run went well and, despite 14 MPH winds, I managed to beat my average training pace by about 10 seconds per mile. If not for the winds, I may have improved that by another five percent or so. As I ran, I thought about next Saturday when I'll be racing in Long Beach. Last year the temperature was slightly above freezing and there was a mix of sleet and snow falling. I wore my ultra-minimal Hattoris and my toes went numb. But I still ran my fastest 4 mile race that day.