Bethpage running with a clear head

Bi-directional out-n-back

Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 5.5 miles

The downside to taking headache remedies is when those medicines affect the quality of my sleep. Although Excedrin is merely a combination of aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine, it is amazingly effective in treating my migraine-like headaches. Unfortunately, caffeine taken late in the day, plus pseudoephedrine, makes it hard for me to get to sleep that night.

That was the case last night, but somehow I managed to wake up feeling rested and refreshed. Perhaps it was the absence of a pounding headache that made the difference. The weather outside was sunny and bright, although it felt unseasonably cold. I put on a long sleeved 1/4 zip shirt and a pair of lightweight running pants and headed to Bethpage for a run.

When I arrived at the park, there was a line of cars waiting to get through the entry tollbooth. That was very unusual for an early Sunday morning. As I moved closer I noticed kids being dropped off and when it was my turn to go through, my park friend told me that a big soccer tournament was being held today. I proceeded to the lot where I usually have my choice of spots and saw that the lot was as full as a Long Island train station at 9 AM. I finally found a place and quickly made my way to the trail head.

My route today went west on the old bike path for half a mile before I reversed direction to take on the big hill. My plan was to start the northern trail extension at the one mile mark and then do a four mile out and back. I felt good on the run, the high forties temperature and steady breeze counteracted the heat from the sun. The only negative was something in the air (pollen?) that aggravated my throat a little.

There were lots of cyclists out and a handful of runners. At one point I was running up a steep hill when a young woman came up on my left, said good morning and was gone from sight in less than a minute. She was probably running in the six minute mile range. I often wish I could run at that speed, but I know it requires a much different approach to training than I'm willing to follow. It also helps to be younger.

After the turnaround, I prepared for the predominantly uphill section that I'd face for the next half mile. That went by surprisingly smoothly and I finished my run feeling strong. When I got to my car, I noticed there were still cars swarming around, looking for spots. I guess the tournament must be an all day thing.  But I was done, ready to start my non-running day. It was great to run outside after yesterday's gloomy weather. Best of all, no more pounding headache.

Running, despite the pressure

Today's run (treadmill): 4.1 miles

Last night I began to notice the signs of impending headache: pressure from the back of my head to my ear, accompanied by the roar of tinnitus. These headaches have some of the traits of a migraine, but they seem to correlate more to changes in the weather. And on Long Island, the weather is always changing. I resisted taking a decongestant before bed in hopes that I might be able to sleep it off. But it the morning it was there, in full force.

I had no issues taking pseudoephedrine at that point. A look out the window revealed rain and wind. The news was reporting the temperature to be 51°. I figured I'd do an indoor workout. The decongestant did a good job minimizing the pain, but the pressure was still there. I decided to return to bed for a short nap. That worked out well, and I woke up 20 minutes later with enough energy to get on the treadmill.

Today's workout was about putting in the miles. I kept the speed moderate to keep my heart rate in check. I was concerned that moving too far into zone 3 would create more pressure and worsen my headache. The room felt cool when I started, so I didn't turn on the floor fan. I regretted that by the end. I was glad I'd done the workout but worried that I'd worn myself out for the day.

As it turned out, my run helped my headache, at least for a while. I needed to take more medicine later in the day, but I'm optimistic that I'll be recovered by tomorrow. If not, at least I might be able  get outside for a run.

A glimpse (perhaps) of another emerging runner

Two routes to a healthy life

Today's run (street): 3.25 miles

This morning I noticed a guy walking around the neighborhood while I was out running. Everything from his noticeable gut to his white New Balance walking shoes reminded me of myself, five years ago. My journey from a sedentary life to being a runner started with early morning walks around the neighborhood. That routine led to walking with some running, then running with a little walking. After six weeks, I was just running.

I don't know this walker or his story, but I admire him for getting outside and moving. I have no idea if he's been a dedicated walker or whether he has plans to transition to running. One thing that walking did for me was reinforce the benefits of of an active lifestyle. I lost 30 pounds between August and November of 2008 and half of that weight came off before was exclusively running.

This week I've struggled with a cold and decided to forgo yesterday's workout. During my run today, I thought about that cold and realized that I was recovering fairly quickly. I wondered if my running had helped me hold off colds in the past, and if my immunity was stronger because of running.

I completed my run and noticed that my overall time was nothing special. I'd taken it easy in deference to my still present (but diminishing) cold and I think that was a good decision. I know that running keeps me in good shape and it might just be keeping me healthy. I'd like to think that the walker I saw will follow my path and get to his ideal level of fitness. Whether it's by running or walking, the end result will be a happier life.

Lost on the run, but only for a moment

Dazed and confused

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles

I got outside a little earlier than yesterday to try to beat the heat. As we move toward summer, I know that I'll need to get out even earlier. Unlike yesterday's sunny, humid and hot conditions, the morning sky was overcast and the air was cool. A slight breeze from the north made it even cooler, but still comfortable.

Back when I lived in Massachusetts, I would drive along winding, tree-lined county roads through nearby towns like Dover and Sherborn. It was quite scenic, but visually indistinct.  I'd sometimes be so focused on my thoughts that I'd zone out and lose track of where I was exactly. I was very familiar with the area, but the specific location context was missing. Eventually I'd see something distinctive and immediately reorient.

As I moved along this morning, my thoughts became focused on some new business and technology ideas. Somewhere around the two mile point of my run, I realized I wasn't paying attention to my location. I wasn't too concerned because I've literally run my neighborhood roads more than a thousand times and I know every street, house and car on it. But for 20 seconds, I had no clue which street I was running on or whether I'd missed taking a turn on my planned route.

I finally recognized where I was, happy that I didn't miss the approaching turnoff. It was fun to be in that moment, when my boring old neighborhood looked unfamiliar. It was also nice to disengage from the run and still make progress on my distance. I'm not looking to zone out like that all the time, but today it brought some novelty to some well trod ground.

Running, thinking, creating, implementing

This week's obsession

Today's run (street): 3.4 miles

I've always been interested in media and technology. In fact, my whole career has been focused on those two things. Among the benefits of being "retired when convenient" is that I can focus on things that really interest me. I recently created a Drupal CMS that I'm developing as an XML publishing system. In the past, I would have had to do this late at night or on weekends, but now I can work on it whenever I feel like taking a break from other things.

One of the reasons I enjoy working with technology is that it combines creativity with functionality. The creative process can be based on design, problem solving or building something cool. I had reached the point on a Drupal technical challenge that was monopolizing my focus. I needed to take a break, so I went for a mid-morning run.

The temperature was around 70 degrees when I went outside, but the sun was harsh and the humidity was high. I wasn't concerned about going fast today and that helped me deal with the hot weather. I found a pace that allowed me to move along without thinking. I was thinking, but just not about running. As I moved along, I thought about different options for addressing my technical challenge. By the time I reached home, I had my answer.

It wasn't a particularly impressive workout in terms of metrics, but the heat kept my efforts in check. I liked that I was able to combine running, technology, creativity and business in a way that resulted in a win, win win, win situation.