Half of 200%

I had high hopes for Spring-like running this morning but the warmer temperatures won't reach us until later. I watched the thermometer widget on my iMac while I waited for the sun to rise. It was 17 degrees at 5:00 AM and, annoyingly, 16 degrees at 6:00. I left at 7:00 dressed for cold but, as always, I forgot to properly protect my face. No matter, I figured my body temperature would fix that soon. It all worked out and I felt great throughout the entire run. I only finished when I did because we're on a tight schedule today.

I had about ten minutes to go near the end of the run and reached a point where I would finish at almost exactly 4 miles by heading straight home or I could take a detour and add another half mile. Despite really feeling the effort at this point I took the harder path and ultimately finished 4.4 miles at a 9:25 pace. My goal for this weekend is 8 miles so I accomplished 50% of that and more than 100% for today. I'm not sure why the run went so well, perhaps it was getting some good rest overnight. I really hope I can repeat this tomorrow.

When doing less is doing more

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My son has had a tough week. Last Saturday he injured his big toe and he has been slowly recovering since then. He's also been feeling under the weather and is staying home from school today. Many kids stay home from school when they're sick but my son always plows through. He's in 4th grade but, up until today, he hasn't missed a single day of school. He won a perfect attendance award at the end of 1st grade and never looked back. I respect him for his dedication but I admire him more for deciding that his well being is more important than an award.

I wasn't feeling great yesterday and left for home a little early in hopes of getting some rest. I went to bed fully prepared to take a real rest day today; no running, elliptical or any other kind of workout. I have not done that since mid September which was the last time I remember feeling ill. I rose at my regular time and felt a bit weak. I got some coffee and planned to go back upstairs and watch the news rather than run.

Of course I didn't do that. Instead I decided that I'd run an easy mile just to get my heart rate up. Once I started I didn't want to stop and ran my regular distance. I even tried a speed technique that was suggested by one of my more experienced runner friends..

It might seem like a noble thing to press on when you're feeling ill but there are situations when pushing can make things worse. I'm feeling okay but not great after that hard workout. Running instead of resting could have backfired and put me out for the entire day. I think I can learn a lesson from my 9 year old son who understands that taking care of yourself is more important than an award or a goal.

Driving to run

Yesterday afternoon I escaped from my mid-town office for a meeting that took place in a semi-rural New Jersey town about 50 minutes from Manhattan. As we got closer to our destination I noticed a few parks where people could run or bike. A colleague who came with me pointed out one place that is supposed to have great running trails. I really wanted to take a detour and explore that more. I then started wondering whether it ever makes sense to get in your car and drive an hour to run recreationally. It just doesn't seem very green.

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Most of my runs start and end in front of my own house. MapMyRun tells users how much gas they save based upon the miles they run. I do occasionally drive two miles to the local high school track because the roads in between are too heavily trafficked for safe running. But that's as far as it goes in terms of my driving to run.

There are many beautiful parks within 20 minutes of my house and we also have beaches with boardwalks that would provide a great view and a forgiving running surface. Maybe an hour is out of scope but 15 minutes is not. I really need to get some trail shoes and start exploring, beginning with the most local options. After all it's supposed to hit 70 degrees by Sunday.

Is it too early to think about Thanksgiving?

As I'd expected, yesterday's snowstorm delayed my train commute home. There was a lot of snow on my car when I got to the station and I had to climb in through the passenger side because the driver's side door was frozen shut. You might think that all this would get me down but I was too excited by an email from my wife telling me that our town is planning to hold its first annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day.

I haven't been able to confirm details but I did see it listed on the town's Chamber of Commerce website. The site didn't list the distance or whether they will offer multiple races but I'm hoping there will be a 10K because that distance would align with my 2009 running goals. If it's anything more than 6.2 miles I don't know if I could be ready in time. Right now I'm focusing on getting through my upcoming 4 mile race. I know I can handle that distance but anything over that is fairly intimidating at this point.

Unless it's a half marathon or more (highly doubtful since my town isn't that big!) I'm going to enter the Turkey Trot. After all, what fun would running be without a big challenge once in a while?

Running to distractions

Were you to ask any group of runners the main reason why they run I'll bet most would say they do it because they just love running. Fair enough, there is much to be said for the experience. Among other things, there is the changing landscape, fresh air and the feeling that you are doing something challenging that also benefits your health. So what's not to love?

As I padded downstairs at 4:01 AM this morning to get my pre-run coffee it occurred to me that there are things about running that are not so easy to love. Like waking up every day at 4:00 and running by 4:10. Like enduring freezing cold winds, muscle pulls or hot humid conditions in the name of reaching your distance goals. I think most runners are okay with the idea of suffering. Somehow it plays into the love thing but I'm not a psychologist so I can't defend that theory. I'm discovering that my main source of suffering, fatigue, has begun to give way to a more insidious issue: tedium.

Running on the treadmill this morning yielded two emotional responses. The first was "Wow, this feels great, I wish I could run for another half hour." The second response came near the end of my allotted run time "OMG, I can't run in place while I stare at the furniture in the room for another minute." It's not just the treadmill either. This weekend, as I ran through my neighborhood without any fatigue and conditioning issues to distract me, I began to wish for something new to look at besides cars and houses.

This may be a reason why I'm thinking so much lately about trail running. It would be great to look at a changing landscape that actually is a landscape. I wonder if anyone sells systems that simulate outdoor running by projecting trails on the wall that move at the pace that you run. That may be overkill. I also keep thinking about spring when I can do my early weekday runs outdoors, providing there's enough light to see and be seen. That would be better than staring at a cabinet.

In tomorrow's Sedentary Man

In tomorrow's column Sedentary Man shares the experience of his recent visit to a Big and Tall shop. Among other things, he discovers you can buy cologne for the exceptionally sized. In the meantime, check out this weeks column.

Running resolutions at the 8% mark

Today is Groundhog Day which means little except that January has come and gone. Given that it's February 2nd, we are already 8.7% through the year. I thought I would take a look at my progress against my 2009 running goals to see how I've done.

1. Participate in at least four local races.
Not achieved but that's okay. I'm training for two upcoming races in early spring and (barring injury) I'm expecting to beat this goal by year's end.

2. Run a complete 10K course (individually or in a race). This is achievable but probably not until the second half of the year. I'm averaging about 3.25 miles for my longer runs and my best distance so far this year has been 4.4 miles. I haven't been pushing too hard to regularly reach 4 miles but that needs to happen soon. Running 6.2 miles isn't crazy when I consider that I've already run 70% of that distance. But I just couldn't do it today.

3. Run three miles under 8:40/mile.
I think this one will be tough. I'm told by experienced runners that simply running in a race helps your pace. I guess it's the adrenalin rush or keeping up with the other runners. An 8:40 5K pace would be great but I'd be pleased with 8:59.

4. Incorporate one rest day into my weekly training schedule.
I have not taken any rest days but I am incorporating two non-running days into the week. On Mondays and Thursdays I do about 25 minutes on the elliptical machine in the morning. Not exactly rest but I don't consider elliptical work equal to running in terms of effort.

I'm also doing core a few days a week and will be integrating more upper body work into my routines. I'm also thinking about adding some of the forms from my old Uechi-ryu training. I haven't done much with that since I achieved shodan rank.

Those are the breaks

The freezing cold temperatures had given way to a much more bearable 32 degrees this morning and I had hoped to resume running with my 9 year old son today. The snow and bone chilling cold had forced him to take a hiatus for the last three weekends and he had mentioned that he really wanted to run. Unfortunately the poor guy had an accident while cleaning up the dishes yesterday when a plate fell on his big toe. This required a trip to the emergency pediatrician's office last night and no activity of any kind prescribed for the next five days. So much for us running together this weekend.

I headed out alone this morning and didn't check the temperature before I left. I quickly regretted all my layers when I realized that it was almost twice as warm as Saturday's 18 degrees. Instead of hating the wind I began wishing for more of it. Today's run was less taxing than Saturday's and I ran about 4 miles. I still felt a bit sluggish and my pace reflected it; 12/sec per mile slower than yesterday.

When I tried to sync my Sportband with the Nike+ site I got the same "No runs to upload" message that I got the day before. Fortunately the device still records events accurately so I can manually capture the data and input it into MapMyRun. There is a way to manually create an XML message with the run data that can be uploaded to the Nike+ site. I'm debating whether I want to take the trouble do something that won't reflect the real time performance of my workout. After all, that's whole the point of the Nike+ system.

I should be frustrated and angry that the Sportband has failed me in so many ways but I'm taking a glass-half-full perspective. Now I'll get to buy and play with a new technology that will give me even more features than my Sportband. Despite the fact that I've had the Sportband (make that three Sportbands) over the last five months and have recorded hundreds of runs, I will get my entire investment back and this will help fund my new purchase. I only wish I could make my son's toe problem go away so easily.

Updated - What's up with Google search?

UPDATE SUNDAY 7:00 AM:

From NY Times: "Google’s Internet search service malfunctioned for nearly 55 minutes Saturday morning, upending users around the world with search results that carried false safety warnings and Web links that did not work." http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/technology/01google.html

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All morning I've noticed that every search result from Google (but interestingly not the paid results) come up with a notice "This site may harm your computer." Clicking on a link brings up this page:

I hope it's something that Google fixes quickly. I had the same results using Firefox and Safari.

A new Nike+ Sportband problem

I had a particularly good bunch of runs this week and looked forward to downloading my Sportband after this morning's workout. Today is the last day of January and I was curious to see how I did in total mileage compared to December.

I started with 15 minutes of core exercise as a warm up and then ran 3.1 miles outside. It was 18 degrees and windy and I struggled through the whole run. Running is mostly fun but today it was work. There was no debate when I reached the crossroad where I could run another mile or just head for home. I had hoped the core work would have prepared me better but my legs felt heavy throughout the run. My running felt mechanical the whole way through and I was prepared for an abysmal pace. I was surprised to see that I ran 3.1 miles in about 29 minutes.

My frustration came when I attempted to upload the past week's runs to the Nike+ site only to see the dialog box read "No new runs to upload." I tried multiple times but the application just wouldn't recognize my runs. I ended up manually inputting the runs into MapMyRun where I aggregate all my workouts including training done on the elliptical machine. I looked on the Nike+ forums to see if there was a solution posted. There were no solutions but I saw that I wasn't the only one who was experiencing this issue.

I finished January having run almost exactly the same total distance as in December averaging about 15 miles a week. Since I was on vacation for two weeks in December and had more time to run I'm considering January's distance a net gain. With the Sportband failing to upload my runs I'm thinking about bringing it back for a refund and getting a Garmin 50 with foot pod and HRM. I just can't rationalize spending over $400 for a Forerunner 405, Polar or Suunto GPS watch with the additional foot pod and HRM.

I'm balking on sunshine

It occurred to me this morning as I stood freezing on the train platform that I have yet to run in the blisteringly hot summer heat. I (re)started running last year in late August and did most of my runs before 6:30 AM, before temperatures climbed well above the 70's. By now I've experienced running in temperate, cold and really cold weather and I'm trying to figure out how to handle the coming days of high humidity and heat. With the cold you can always dress warmer with more layers and thicker vests and jackets. Although you do need to fight dehydration when running in the cold I'm guessing the requirement for proper hydration in the hot weather is much different.

I'm running in two races between April 19 and May 2nd and according to some data I've seen (based upon the above chart) the apparent temperatures could be in the 90's. I've read that it's important to run in similar weather conditions two weeks prior to a race to acclimate yourself to the heat or cold. I'm thinking that I can use indoor running as a way of controlling my environment as I move closer to those dates. In terms of gear, I'll use any excuse to buy more technical shirts.

Fitness Showrooms: Deal or bad deal?

The latest episode in the ongoing saga of our BH Fitness elliptical machine played out yesterday when the Fitness Showrooms tech replaced the X1 display and logic board for the third time since November.

Unfortunately this didn't solve the problem with the inaccurate heart rate monitor (HRM) nor did it fix the problem with the angle of the display. So the net result of all of this is that we're back to the starting point with a unit that doesn't provide a key capability. We are actually worse off than when we started because the original display was properly centered but the last two displays have sat off center.

What's frustrating is that the Fitness Showrooms tech told my wife that the HRMs don't work on these machines and that includes the one in their showroom. While Fitness Showrooms was happy to use the HRM as a selling feature they've refused to rebate the cost to buy an accurate, wearable HRM. Although I like the design and feel of the X1 I am tempted to send it back and buy another brand that has more features and that works as promised.

If I do decide to buy another elliptical I won't be getting it from Fitness Showrooms. Their position is that we should address our problems with the unit directly with the manufacturer, BH Fitness. Fitness Showrooms represented the HRM as a key feature in order to make the sale. But, to date, they have not stood behind what they sold.

Daily discoveries

Although it has been a number of months since I've returned to running I'm still finding about new things every day. I wrote yesterday about what I recently learned about trail shoes and I came across a couple of other things as well. My first discovery was that my normal pace on the road is about 25 seconds/mile faster than what seemed to be an equal effort on the treadmill. I know my street pace is correct because I can quantify it by dividing duration by distance using a stopwatch and Google Earth's path ruler. Both tools are close to 100% accurate so I consider that to be my pace of record. My Sportband, when calibrated, closely correlates to this distance and pace number.

The big question is whether the Sportband works as accurately with treadmill running as it does on the street. My guess is that it does because the only variable is whether the treadmill motor throws off enough EMI to interfere with the transmission between the Nike+ chip and the Sportband. If that were the case then the Sportband readings would be inconsistent as the level of EMI interference varies due to positioning changes between the Sportband and chip during a run. My conclusion is that the difference in pace has to do with stride length. My stride is probably shorter on the treadmill because I'm conscious of the possibility of over-running the speed of the tread,

My second discovery was that the Core workout, despite its low impact, seems to generate an impressive amount of energy. This makes it a great warm up for a run and a nightmare when you do it shortly before you go to bed. Forget sleeping for a while. I learned this Sunday night as I stared at the clock for two hours waiting to drop off.

Finally, I read yesterday that replenishing glycogen within 15 minutes after exercise significantly helps recovery and benefits your next day's workout. There seems to be no end of new things to discover about a seemingly simple sport.

The trail shoe conspiracy

Of all the running gear that I own my least understood (and probably most important) items are my running shoes. I started my return to running with a pair of New Balance cross trainers and soon discovered that they were clearly the wrong tools for the job. I started researching running shoes and was quickly intimidated by the many options I had in choosing a shoe.

There were shoes for people who were (regrettably dubbed) pronators and supinators. There were also shoes for neutral runners, front foot strikers and for other types of runners who possessed other seemingly important afflictions. I had purchased the Nike+ Sportsband to track my performance so I decided to look for Nike+ shoes that would allow me to properly place the RF chip below the sole instead of atop my foot as I did in my New Balance shoe. My salesperson at the shoe store recommended Nike Turbulence 13's because they had good cushioning. As a new runner she thought I would want a more comfortable fit. It was a good recommendation and I've never had a problem with them.

I hadn't thought about running shoes for months until I started becoming interested in off road running. As much as I like the track it does get tedious running in circles. I'm beginning to outgrow my neighborhood in terms of the distances I can cover without doubling back on any streets so it would be nice to have another option. I looked at trail shoes online and in places like Sports Authority and figured on paying about $50-$60 for a pair. Given the mix of choices I had seen for this type of shoe I decided to pay a visit to a local running store to get the scoop on the best trail shoes for my type of running.

My salesperson was a young guy who was clearly a serious runner. I told him that I run on the road but I wanted to try running trails as well. He asked me what type of trails I planned to run on and I told him I wanted to start with actual running trails as opposed to paths in the woods. He surprised me by saying that I didn't need trail shoes unless I planned on running in fairly rough terrain. He showed me some shoes from various manufacturers and while the shoes were different the thing they had in common was the price. Every shoe he had was over $100 and I asked him why their shoes were so expensive compared to the ones I had seen at Sports Authority. He said they only carried top lines but he also said that trail shoes with Gore-Tex were priced higher than other shoes because of the additional Gore-Tex licensing costs. He said that in many cases the manufacturer’s own water protection and breathability systems were better than Gore-Tex but people wanted - and paid for - the higher priced brand.

I decided not to buy any shoes because I still wasn't sure what I really needed. I know now that I can use my Turbulence 13's on trails but I don't want them to get too dirty or beat up. I'll take a look at the more modestly priced shoes at the sporting goods stores to see what they offer - or don't - in terms of weather protection. So I'll add trail shoes to my list of other running gear, like a GPS watch, that I want but don't necessarily need. I'd rather pay more to get a good shoe but I don't want to buy more shoe than I need.

Tomorrow's Sedentary Man

In tomorrow's new column Sedentary Man talks about the various things that bother him. Yes, I could tell him that none of this relates to the subjects of diet, medicine or exercise but I don't want to make him any angrier. Here's the current column...

12 degrees of difficulty

On Sunday morning I was a little shocked to see the thermometer reading 12 degrees but decided that nothing was going to stop me from running outside. I took off feeling okay but soon regretted the cold as my face and hands (despite gloves) began to hurt. I considered turning back to get my running balaclava but instead decided to just press on. I figured that I'd warm up within five minutes so I put my head down and changed my direction to minimize the amount of wind I was facing.

Normally I'll begin sweating before reaching the 1 1/2 mile mile mark but I was still freezing at that point in the run. Those great Merino wool socks and my running leggings were keeping my lower half toasty but it was pretty cold above the waist despite my three long sleeve jerseys and a light running jacket. As I ran I came up with a wish list of cold running gear (e.g., running mittens) that I'd wished I had brought along.

My body temperature mercifully equalized a few minutes after mile two and I was quite comfortable for the remaining part of the run. The wicking properties of the base layer were keeping me dry and relatively warm. I thought about how I could have dressed differently to avoid the first 20 minutes of discomfort but I also wondered if the things that kept me warm the first half of the run would work against me once I had warmed up. I've read that you're supposed to dress in removable layers on really cold days but I'm puzzled as to what to do with this stuff when you no longer need it.

As the work week starts I'll be back to the treadmill for my morning workouts. I had two great runs this weekend and I'll miss the road until Saturday but I know I won't miss the cold.

Our common interest

One great thing about blogging about running is that there's always something new to say. There's definitely a symbiotic relationship between my daily workouts and my daily posts. One inspires the other. This journal started as way to capture my singular experience as I returned to running but I have discovered that many other people relate as well to the site. I recently checked my traffic and saw that the Emerging Runner has gained readers in 54 countries and it has seen thousands of visits and page views since I started in mid November. The parallel site on the Runner's World Loop is active as well but there is no way (that I know of) to check that traffic volume. It's not the volume that's important as much as the fact that a community can be created through a device like a blog. I have learned a lot from hearing from others in terms of workout programs, expectations, technologies and gear.

I have no goals for the Emerging Runner other than to keep the conversation going. I would like to represent other views as well. If you have a good story to share about running, dealing with injuries, favorite running gear, etc., send me an email or post a comment about it. It would also be great to hear more from the international readers. What's it like to run in London, Ottawa, Stockholm...?

In the meantime, keep running. That's really what this is all about.

Way off track

As I backed out of my garage this morning to head to the track I noticed that the temperature display in my car said 42 degrees. In the seven minutes it took to reach the track the reading had dropped ten degrees and with strong winds I figured the chill brought that down at least ten degrees more. I was prepared for the weather but not for what I saw when I arrived - the entire track was covered in icy snow. I got back in the car and headed straight back home.

It's been a couple of weeks since I'd run outdoors due to snowstorms that seem to happen every weekend. I was determined to get back on the track or street so I hit my neighborhood roads which were sandy and dirty but mostly clear of snow and ice. After a few weeks on treadmill duty it was disconcerting to encounter freezing cold winds but it really felt like running. I thought about some of the runners I've heard from recently in places like Michigan where it's been 5 degrees. If they're out there running I really can't complain. I ran 3.6 miles and felt strong throughout the run and finished better than I have in a long time. Maybe my conditioning has improved.

I was happy that my starting struggles did not follow my return to road running. I thought the wind resistance and hills would slow my speed but I was surprised to see I ran 20 sec./mile faster than I'd been averaging on the treadmill. I'll do another neighborhood run tomorrow to see if I can exceed 4 miles, a distance I'm hoping to achieve at least once a weekend until my April race.

The observer effect and starting struggles

The observer effect in quantum physics refers to changes made merely through the act of observation. In less scientific terms, it's the act of putting attention to a problem that contributes to its solution. Since I wrote the post "Stages of my daily run" where I lamented the difficulties of getting through the first mile, I've had virtually none of the problems related to the starting minutes of my run.

I can't really assign a good reason for this except that I acknowledged the problem. I haven't changed my level of fitness much over the last few weeks. My improvement may be related to the integration of core workouts but that routine is too new and is done too infrequently to have made much of a difference at this point. Adventure Girl mentioned that her starting struggles went away when she reached 6-8 mile training distances. That may actually be a key reason for my improvement. I'm nowhere close to 6-8 miles in my regular training runs but my distances are 30% longer on average compared to a month ago. I've heard from another blogger that her starting struggles relate to her pace, presumably starting too fast to sustain that rate of speed. There's something to that as well, as I focus more on distance I'm backing off on speed and that definitely contributes to starting comfort.

While it's great to feel better about the start I still struggle with the finish. Last weekend was good for total miles but still a disappointment in terms of reaching individual distance goals. I need to start regularly exceeding 4 miles on my weekend runs so that I am properly conditioned for the April race. It looks like the weather will be dry and warm (30's) enough for track running this weekend. I cannot wait because as much as I love the treadmill there's no substitute for the road.

Cruel recollection

In the pantry in my kitchen there's a section I reserve for energy bars of all types. Some I use prior to my pre-dawn run as a device to jumpstart my metabolism. Others contain more calories and are higher in protein and work well after a run or a light meal. What's in common with all these bars is the predominant ingredient - peanut butter - that I prefer over other types. Peanut butter is a perfect food for runners with its high energy density, zero cholesterol and good fat providing many benefits. This all worked out pretty well until the FDA announced a sweeping recall of products manufactured with peanut paste supplied by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). Among those products are many of the energy bars that I buy such as my favorite type of Larabar from General Mills, Peanut Butter Cookie.

After a quick review of my inventory I realized that I probably have just enough non-peanut butter based bars in reserve to carry me through until the next visit to Trader Joe's. I'll stock up on safer choices until this all passes. It shouldn't cost me much to do that since, sadly, I'll be bringing back all of my recalled peanut butter Larabars. But maybe I'll keep one and take my chances...

Aging backwards

This past weekend my mother-in-law declared that I look ten years younger since I've returned to running. I appreciated the compliment although I think she was just being kind. Either way it was nice to hear, better than the more common statements of concern that I get from friends: "You're losing too much weight" and "You look like an underfed prisoner.” That is certainly not the image I'd like to project. Even my wife has pointed out that since I've hit my goal I should start eating again like a normal person. I told her she should listen to her mother.

I agree that I have reached my desired level for weight but I’m not going back to my old habits. I’m in far better shape than I've been in over a decade and I’d really like to stay that way. Besides, I’ve already had my suits tailored. Although I don’t do many upper body workouts I've noticed that muscle definition in my chest and arms is much more noticeable. Results like that add to the motivation to run and cross train. I'm not looking to reverse the aging process except to help ensure that I can ably run in the decades ahead. I’m in an unusual place compared to many runners my age who, despite dedicated training, will soon begin to see performance declines every year simply due to nature. Since my starting point is different (I’ve had lots of room for improvement since returning to running last August) I’m actually gaining in both performance and endurance. I don’t know how long it will be until I hit my peak and then start to lose ground but I’m not worrying about that now. It’s great to be told that you look years younger (especially if it were true) but I much more prefer the way it feels.

Inauguration run

Today is an historic day and regardless of your political viewpoint you have to admit it's nice to have this much positive energy around a national event. But the Emerging Runner doesn't cover politics so instead I'll mention something I heard on the news this morning about the venue. As the reporter described the scene of the swearing in ceremony she mentioned that people would be congregating in the space between the Capital Building and the Lincoln Memorial, a distance of 2 miles. Despite my interest in the event my reaction was "what a great run that would be!"

I've written before about the benefits of running outdoors and how the changing view (even on the track) is preferable to staring at the wall, out a window or even at a TV set. I mostly run outside in my neighborhood but on some occasions I've been fortunate enough to run in various cities while traveling on business or vacation. The next time I go to D.C. I would love to run the National Mall from end to end (and back). I'm sure there are hundreds that do that every day.

Last fall we spent a weekend in the Old Town section of Philadelphia and I ran through that historic area very early in the morning. It was a little scary actually because it was eerily quiet and the only people I saw during that run were homeless. I've run in other cities like Cambridge where you can run from Kendall Square over the Longfellow Bridge to the Esplanade and back in under 30 minutes, with most of the run alongside the Charles River. In my past running life I ran through the streets of Salt Lake City on a Sunday morning for an hour and didn't see a single person. Of course I also used to run in NYC but that wasn't an ideal experience.

Now that I've reached a point where I can cover some distance I will try to run in every city I visit on vacation or business. However, I am a sucker for hotel fitness centers and can be easily seduced by a Precor M9 if it's a little chilly outside.

The Sedentary Man talks nutrition

In this week's column the Sedentary Man explains that the way he eats is likely due to the way his mother fed him growing up. Still, for a guy with an Ivy League degree you'd expect Sedentary Man to have more sense about nutrition. But I'm only saying that to get back at him for nodding off during our meetings. Read his column here...

The persistance of treadmill memory

My apologies for writing such a bad Dali pun as a headline but I have discovered something interesting about treadmill data. The cold weather and snow that we have experienced this past week has forced me to spend a lot of time running indoors. The treadmill is clearly a subject for discussion as most people view it either as an enabler or a necessary evil but you can't argue with its convenience. After using it as my third choice after street and track for months I realized that my basic assumption of its measurement accuracy is flawed. I've always assumed that maintaining a constant speed on the treadmill will accomplish the same for the runner. In other words, assuming the reading is accurate, when the treadmill says 7 MPH you're running 7 MPH.

The treadmill forces you to run (as long as the tread is moving you'd better be running) but there can be a measurable variance in treadmill speed and runner speed. I noticed this on Saturday when I had a strong start and after a mile my Sportband showed my distance about .05 miles ahead of the treadmill's. Throughout the run I saw that gap begin to close and at 2.7 miles the treadmill distance began to exceed the Sportband distance. This intrigued me and also annoyed me because I knew I'd need to run a little extra at the end to achieve my planned distance. After thinking about it I realized it makes sense. You don't have to run the same pace of the treadmill as you run on it as long as your feet are moving. There is a minimum speed you'll need to maintain lest you get swept off the tread but there's some latitude there. My experience showed me where I peak in terms of pace and where I begin to lose speed over time. Knowing this will help me better tune my performance by pushing my crossover time further and further into my run.

I was hoping to run on the track today but, like yesterday, we've received another few inches of snow. I ran about 3.5 miles yesterday on top of Saturday's 3.6. I may shoot for longer distance today or go the other way and cross train with the elliptical and the shovel.