Back to the track

Good conditions for speed work on the newly redone track

Today's workout (track intervals): 6 x 800 (ave. pace 8:23) plus 1.62 miles of recovery runs (4.62 total miles)

Along with all the distance training that I've been doing over the last few weeks,  it was important to fold in some speed work to my training for next week's race. I headed over to the high school track this morning with the intention of following a Runner's World plan for a race week taper. The track was redone over the summer and recently painted and it looked brand new as I stepped onto the pristine surface to start my warm-up laps. The plan was to run six 800 meter intervals with 2:30 recovery jogs. I was pleased with my energy level at the start. Considering my 8 mile run on Saturday, I was still able to maintain a mid 8 minute pace on the speed sections. As time passed I saw more people on the track, mostly walkers, but a few runners showed up near the end. I ran through my segments, not pushing too hard, but keeping my pace below 8:30.  I wore my Kinvaras and they felt great. I averaged 8:52 overall, with the interval segments averaging 8:23. In the end I felt satisfied with the workout.

In the afternoon we headed over to the outlets and I visited the Adidas store where I tried on a pair of Marathons. The fit was good and they reminded me a little of the Kinvaras but I actually prefered the Sauconys. At the Reebok store I tried on a pair of ZigTech's that just felt awful on my feet. I'm no fan of Nike but since I was at the Nike store I tried the LunarGlide + (not for me) and the Moto 5's that actually felt very good. The wrap at the arch was excellent as was the heel to toe transition. They also had the the 6's and 7's at the same $75 price point. I tried on the 7's and didn't like the fit or the feel at all. That's the problem with Nike's, not a lot of consistency between the fit of the shoes from update to update.

Tomorrow I plan to run in Central Park with my friend CK to put in five hard miles. Tuesday I'm running with another colleague, JQ, who is looking to get back into running. We'll take that slow and I'll look at that as my penultimate workout before the Great Cow Harbor 10K.

Making it through with Hydration and GU

Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 8 miles at 9:49 (variable terrain)

I wanted to put in some mileage this morning but I couldn't face another long run around the local roads. I'll probably be back on the street tomorrow but this morning I needed a break. I set out for Bethpage early under cloudy skies that felt like they could give way to rain. I decided that was fine because much of the bike path has decent tree cover. By the time I arrived, the skies had cleared but not to the point where the sun came out. I was happy for that. Running with sun is fine in winter but this time of year I prefer cool and dry with gray skies above.

There were numerous walkers on the bike path at the start of my run. I made my way up the short steep hill that gives way to a long downhill section that almost catapults you through mile one. But it's a little like having desert before your meal. Easy as they are to manage at the start, those hills are a bear to address at the end. Soon enough, I was into the wooded part of the trail, trying to gauge my readiness to complete an eight mile circuit. I brought along my Amphipod water bottle to see how things would go with some in-run hydration.

I'd also brought along a GU energy gel (Mandarin Orange flavor) that I plan to have for next week's race. My last experience with a gel pack (Honey Stinger chocolate flavor) did not go well but I still like the idea of having restoring carbs during the second half a longer run. I still don't love the Amphipod bottle because it's very cold to hold at the beginning (filled with ice) and it sloshes as the water supply depletes. Still, having water made a difference and it made my gel experience much better than last time. I ate the gel at the 4 mile mark and it helped me enough to maintain my first half pace over the last four miles. I took a few side trails that run parallel to the paved path. My turnaround point at four miles went around a small pond that was also ringed by a dirt trail.

There were numerous runners along the way wearing team shirts and on my return leg I noticed mile markers along the bike path. It wasn't until I was near the Bethpage Parkway circle that I realized the Ocean to Sound Relay routed through this course. I really wanted to participate in that race but I couldn't get a team together. That's probably for the best because I'd prefer to focus on the Great Cow Harbor 10K next Saturday. About a mile from my end point I was surprised and happy to see Dave coming from the other direction, one mile into his run of the day.

Later this afternoon my daughter and I did a run around the middle school field. She really ran well and maintained a decent pace throughout our run. I think her training is making a difference. I'm hoping mine is too.

The taper begins

I went to bed last night feeling ambivalent about running this morning. Though I usually run on Fridays I thought that resting prior to the weekend might be a better way to prepare for some long runs. Over the past few weekends I've driven up my distance running and I'm feeling stronger at the 6+ mile mark than I have in a long time. Last Sunday's run in Northport helped me understand my limits and after running the Great Cow Harbor course (supplemented by BJS's notes) I think I'm mentally prepared for the race.

My plan for this weekend, as I begin my taper, is to reinforce my stamina so I can sustain my goal pace throughout the 10K. Besides compiling lots of quality miles I'm going to need to do hill repeats. There aren't too many hills in my area that can stand in as training resources for the James Street challenge but I have some ideas. It may be worth paying the entrance fee at Bethpage State Park to run the hilly bike trail. That trail is long enough to allow me an 8+ mile out-and-back run that culminates with a large hill right before the exit to the trail head. I always dread that hill, especially because it often comes after an hour of running in the heat. This weekend I will embrace the hill knowing that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Or in this case, a ton of prevention for a megaton of cure.

The Cross Country Kid

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes - high resistance

My daughter has joined her middle school cross country team and yesterday they had their first practice. The coach had them run laps around a field that I know from personal experience is plenty big. My daughter and I had discussed running strategy in the past and she put it to use at the practice. While the others (especially the boys - it's co-ed) took off fast she stayed at the back of the pack to conserve energy for the duration of the run. Due to her smart running, she ended up finishing with the front of the pack and she's excited to get back out there again today. I honestly wouldn't care if she ended up last as long as she enjoys the experience. Cross country training will get those kids into great shape. How long will it be before she can outrun me?

Speaking of training, I focused this morning's workout on a high resistance elliptical session. I more than doubled my usual resistance level and tried to stay within sight of my usual pace rate. At the 10 minute mark I was soaked with sweat but I knew this low impact workout was exactly what I needed. I ended up going for 25 minutes and I'm sure I did more work than I have on any 25 minute run of late. I'm really looking forward to my long runs this weekend. Maybe I'll do a speed run tomorrow morning. Either that or rest. I'm beginning to believe strategic rest is the best way to hold the gains.

There is an article in today's Wall Street Journal about running in Central Park at night. Some of what's said reminds me of my own 4:00 AM running experiences. As much as I like Central Park, I don't think I'd be willing to run there at midnight. Safety first!

Resisting Paragon's bargains



Running shoes 4 cheap at Paragon Sports

 Today's run (street): 2.6 miles at 9:22

Yesterday afternoon I paid a visit to Paragon Sports in Union Square. They are having a warehouse sale all week long and I thought a trip there would be a nice break from a busy day. I first checked out the running section to see what they had and was surprised to see some brands of running clothing that were new to me. Paragon had some 20% off deals on good stuff from Brooks, ASICS, Adidas, Craft, New Balance and Saucony but I didn't see anything that I really needed. They also had big displays of Nike and UA clothes but I can find that stuff anywhere. The warehouse sale was predominantly about shoes. Bins of shoes separated by gender and size filled up most of the room. The clothing choices were sparse for running although I did see a nice, long sleeved Adidas jersey at a genuine bargain price but I didn't need it. I tried on a pair of Brooks Cascadia 4 trail shoes that were priced low. They fit well except for my left foot where it was snug in the toe box. I knew this would be a problem on the courses I'd run with them so I took a pass. The place was mobbed with people looking for quality stuff at 50% off. Amazing how price drives demand.

This morning I wanted to run fast but I didn't. I felt like I was doing everything right -- urgent pace, good form, mid foot landing, but in the end the numbers told a different story. I read an article in Running Times about recruiting your intermediate fast-twitch muscles to gain aerobic speed but I clearly didn't learn enough. I'll admit I was disappointed today considering I ran with my Saucony Grid Tangent 4's that used to provide some speed advantage. Maybe it was the early morning hour or mid-week fatigue. Tomorrow I'll take on the elliptical and Friday I'll try again for some speed. This weekend will be about distance and hills. My legs are still feeling the effects of the James Street incline from last Sunday.

When negative is a positive

Today's run (street): 2.8 miles at 9:01

Yesterday afternoon I caught up with CK, one of my running advisers, and we talked about what it takes to run negative splits, especially over distance. I've had experiences in races where I'm overtaken on the last mile by people who seem to come out of nowhere. Though I struggle to keep from being passed I'm not usually successful. I told CK that my speed tends to degrade along a linear slope and that my end pace is often 30 seconds (or more) per mile slower than when I start. CK said that if that's the case I'm probably going out too fast and that a slower start on longer runs will provide a stronger finish. He also said that once a week I should do shorter distances (e.g., 2 miles) and run at race pace to build my speed.

I thought about that this morning as I prepared for my morning run. My calf muscles are still very tight from Sunday's practice run and I wasn't sure whether to start fast and finish fast or experiment with the "Start slow, finish strong" idea. About ten steps in I knew that I could handle some speed and after a minute I picked up the pace. My form felt misaligned during the first mile and that prevented me from settling into an efficient rhythm but after about eight minutes things seemed to come together. I planned to run more than two miles so I tried to keep aware of my speed and cadence and, as I moved past the two mile mark, I picked up my pace even more. The result was a credible 9:01 but, better still, I tracked negative splits after the first mile. I don't consider today a speed workout but it was directionally positive. Tomorrow I'll focus even more on my pace and leave stamina building for the weekend. CK and I may do a lunchtime training run in Central Park on Monday -- five miles including those hills above the reservoir. I can't say I love the idea but I need to be prepared for the James Street challenge.

Cow Harbor 10K -- it's about the experience

On September 25th there will be 5,300 people in Northport, NY, lining up for the Great Cow Harbor 10K race. To date, besides the Cape Cod marathon relay, the biggest fields I've run against have been measured in the hundreds. Cow Harbor has a staggered start to keep things manageable but with that amount of people, all crammed together, I'm wondering how long it will be before the runners in my corral spread out enough for me to run at my planned pace. I imagine that the hill on James Street serves as a natural filter point to hold off the crowds but I could be wrong. Friends who participate in NYRR events in Central Park tell me how the sheer density of bodies often disrupts a well paced run.

The huge field of runners also negates any hope of an age category placement. I've placed second in my category in a total field of 300, but statistically, I have no chance of doing that in Cow Harbor. Last year there were almost 300 runners in my age group and the winner ran a sub-6:00 minute pace. My best hope is to finish within the top 50% of the pack. I don't mean to imply that I'm already giving up or that I'm in any way negative about this race. It's really the opposite. I'm in awe of the scale and thrilled to be.part of it. I love that truly elite runners will be pounding the same pavement as me on that day and will similarly dread the challenge of Widow Hill. My leg muscles are a bit sore this morning and that's telling me that hill practice will be on my training menu next weekend. All the same, I'm looking forward to revisiting the Great Cow Harbor course, surrounded by thousands of others who feel the same way about this event.

The Great Cow Harbor practice event

Cow Harbor 10K challengers (left to right), Ocha, BJS, me, Dave

Today's run (street): 6.41 miles at 9:23 (per Garmin)

Some runs are so tough that from the moment you start all you can think about is finishing. Other runs are just the opposite -- you'd run forever save for the practical need to meet the day's schedule. Today was much more of the latter. I can't remember the last time I've enjoyed a challenging workout as much as today's Great Cow Harbor 10K practice run.

BJS, Dave and I met near the dock in Northport and BJS drove us to the starting point of the race on Laurel Avenue. We began by running south on Laurel at a decent clip. The first mile has a small hill but is predominantly flat to downhill, and by the time we reached the end of Main Street we were moving along nicely. It was at that point where we ran into Ocha who was also doing a practice run for the race and he joined our merry band as we made our way up Bayview Avenue that led to James Street (aka, "Widow Hill"). There's a famous runner's quote that if a hill has a name it's probably a pretty big hill. I'd say this one certainly deserves a name and we made slow but steady progress toward the top. The hill crests and then serves up an extra steep portion before flattening at the 2.5 mile mark. I didn't think that was the biggest hill on the course because I'd thought Widow Hill came later than that. When BJS, who played pace master and course guide for our group said we'd completed the worst part I didn't believe him.

At around the three mile mark I ran with Ocha who had never raced a 10K and claimed to only run 6 miles a week. If that's the case I'd like to see what he'd be like running 20. He led the way during our practice run, including the end when we scaled the final hill challenge, ("Pumpernickel Hill") and then finished the last mile's mostly downhill path. BJS and Ocha both showed some good speed and I watched them grow increasingly smaller as they headed for our endpoint. I came in about thirty seconds behind them with Dave following me closely. We then walked over to the dock area where Ocha ran into a couple of runners he knew and we asked them to take the above photo. It was a great day for running and there were many others out on the road this morning. I was very happy to run with BJS, Dave and Ocha and learn the course. I'm better prepared for what lies ahead two weekends from today, Widow Hill notwithstanding.

9/11

Today's run (street): 5.35 miles at 9:20

Yesterday morning I felt run down so I decided to forgo my run. I thought about a city run later in the day but since I planned to leave the office early I deferred that too. I thought about sneaking in a short run when I got home but ultimately decided that resting when I felt tired was the best thing to do. We had an early obligation this morning so I had to wait until 9:30 before I could go out for my run. I wasn't there mentally and I was still feeling a little tired but I was determined to cover at least five miles.

Today is September 11 and as I ran through the streets of my neighborhood I thought about my experience nine years ago, sitting around a table in my office and seeing my workmates stream by the door on their way to the corner conference room to watch the events on TV. A colleague popped his head in and said "Do you know what's going on right now?" Later I stood in an office on the 40th floor and looked downtown at the surreal clouds of smoke covering the southern end of the Manhattan skyline. I also remembered how sad we all felt a long time after that day. I didn't think things would ever feel normal again.

I wish I was a runner back in 2001 because running would have been a perfect method of sublimating those emotions. I certainly appreciate running today, and no matter how well or difficult a run may be I almost always get something out of the experience. Today was tough from the start but I focused on my form, my stride (using Kenley's can stomping concept to help maintain a mid foot landing) and my pace. I didn't feel very strong so I conceded some speed in the middle of the run. I picked up the pace over the last half mile and was happy at the end with my result. Tomorrow I'm doing a practice run on the Great Cow Harbor 10K course with BJS and Dave, both of whom are veterans of this race. I hope I have my normal energy restored by that time because there's a lot of challenging hills to face.

2010 running goals -- progress report

Today's workout (elliptical): 26 minutes

Somehow it's already September and it has been months since I've done a check in on my 2010 running goals. My year started out tough with my recovery from pneumonia through most of January. I still feel like I lost a month but I'm certainly back into the fold these days. A quick review of my goals that I set in late January shows I'm fairly well on track. I think there's a good chance that I'll make most of them.

Progress report on 2010 goals

1. Fully transition to mid/front foot running style.
I've been spending more time with my Saucony Kinvaras, shoes that help me land on my mid-foot rather than off my heel. Still, I prefer my Brooks for longer distances as well as my Grid Tangents that have a more conventional build. I'd say that my style is generally mid and forefoot oriented but a full transition has not happened and may not by year's end.
2. Raise at least $200 for charitable causes by donating per race mile.
So far I've raised $130 (I've also had an anonymous donator) and I should be adding $30 more after Great Cow Harbor. That will leave $40 to raise (eight more race miles) between then and New Year's. I believe this is highly possible.

3. PR in a race - preferably in a longer distance than 5K (but I'll happily take a new 5K PR!).
Well, technically, my XTERRA trail race in March was a PR because it was a new distance but I won't take credit for it as a PR. This is because the race distance was modified just prior to the start and it's almost a given that I won't run a race with that unique length again. I had my chances on the Marcie Mazzola 5K, the New Hyde Park 8K and the Dirty Sock 10K but didn't do better than last year. Cow Harbor will provide an opportunity to beat my 10K PR although the deck may be stacked because my prior 10Ks have been on a dirt course.

4. Run trails at three or more NY state parks that I have yet to visit.
I guess I can't take credit for my Colorado park running so I'm 1 for 3 having run in Muttontown Preserve. I have my eye on Caleb Smith this fall so that leaves one more -- Bear Mountain or the Gunks in New Paltz would be awesome.

5. Run a continuous 10 mile route under 9:30/mile.
My personal distance record is still 8.15 miles although I have been working toward more frequent long runs that will prepare me for an eventual 10. Ten under 9:30/mile? That's another challenge.

6. Participate in at least 5 races. Bonus points for running one in NYC.
So far it's four with one on the calendar and another planned for November. I'm looking for races in October and December to make it 8 for 2010. Maybe one in NYC?

7. Finish the year as excited about running as I am right now.
Definitely on track for this one!

Memo to self: Check elapsed time on the Garmin

Today's run (street): 3 miles at 10:14

I don't know how it happened but I ended up running for much longer than I'd intended this morning. My heel problem seemed much less noticeable last night and I gave little thought to it this morning until I took my first steps running. Once again I felt the pain -- not sharply -- but there it was. I briefly considered turning back but I chose to keep going at a much slower pace than I normally run. I wore my Brooks that offer great protection and focused on landing on my mid foot and avoiding direct heel strikes. This is easier to do with the Kinvaras that are almost the same height between heel and forefoot but I'd chosen to wear the Brooks  this morning for their superior cushioning.

I knew I was running slower than usual but I didn't want to exacerbate my injury. I mapped out (in my head) the route I would follow and figured that I'd cover a little less distance than usual given my slower speed. Somehow I got caught up in the rhythm of my run and didn't pay any attention to my time or distance. When I finally arrived home I looked at my Garmin and saw that I'd covered 3 miles in a little over 30 minutes. This actually shocked me because I didn't notice that I'd run eight minutes longer than usual. I was not surprised to see that my pace was a minute slower than average. It was the trade-off I made for protecting my foot this morning. I was disappointed that I lost eight minutes of recovery time between my run and my shower but I still had enough time to finish my coffee. I'll probably do an elliptical session tomorrow. That will be kinder to my foot and hopefully I'll recover from this heel problem before the weekend.

Distant thoughts

I'm back to the office today after being away for almost four days. It felt like a mini vacation as we said goodbye to summer. We put away the pool furniture and the kids did their final preparations for returning to classes today. Over the Labor Day weekend I covered 19 miles, the longest distance I've run within 48 hours. When you begin to accumulate distance you start to notice the amount of time it requires. Covering 19 miles took me three hours, plus prep and recovery time. I now wonder how people who train for marathons manage to fit in all the long runs necessary for training. Despite the time it took cover my distance I was pleased by the way I recovered from each subsequent run. No next day aches and pain even though I was running two or three times the length of a normal morning workout.

Running five times a week, averaging 4 miles per run, has been a good formula for building an aerobic base and for keeping me in decent shape. I know now that these shorter runs have prevented me from suffering the injuries that often befall  higher mileage runners. I may have stepped into dangerous territory yesterday when I went for almost an hour wearing my minimalist Kinvaras to cap off my weekend of running. A twinge of heel pain revealed how unready I was to cover so much ground, especially when wearing shoes that provided so little impact protection. It was in that moment that I fully appreciated the statistic that 66% of runners suffered a related injury in 2009. I had thought I was somehow immune to common injuries and that my running style or my shoes would prevent them. My heel pain is almost gone today but it's not forgotten. I'm still going to focus on distance as I train for my next race but I'll be far more respectful of the problems that can come from higher mileage running.