Hurtin' Hattori's

Along with the damage to my Hattori's toe box yesterday, that probably came as a result of so much downhill running during the race, I also managed to aggravate my right Achilles to the point of great discomfort. This injury has been a long time coming. I started to notice some pain at the back of that foot (just above the heel) some weeks ago, but it never became worse than an uncomfortable distraction. It wasn't too bad after the race yesterday, but later in the day I felt some sharp pains as I walked around.

I don't know why this problem developed. If it is the Hattori's, I'd think the injury would have happened on both Achilles tendons. But running related injuries never seem to occur symmetrically. It could be a combination of the shoe and the way I run. I've been icing the area and taking Aleve since last night, and that combination has helped a lot.

I considered doing an easy run today, just to get outside, but I decided that might do more harm than good. A slow, easy recovery run wouldn't help my conditioning and it would definitely put more strain on the Achilles. I'm probably going to do most of my running in the Mirages over the next two weeks to see if that helps the problem. I love the Hattori's but they may be getting to the end of their usefulness. I have another pair of Hattori's that I can start to use once my Achilles feels better. When I do, I'll know to replace them soon after I reach 200 miles.

Race Report: Oyster Bay 5K

A sweatshirt as a race shirt - very nice touch!

Today's run (Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor's 5K): 3.1 miles (26:52)

Do you know what I like about racing in the fall? Everything. What could be better than a cool, clear morning, sunny skies and no humidity in the air? Answer: all that plus trees with leaves turning from green to gold. That was how I felt as I walked toward the registration area off East Main Street in Oyster Bay this morning, just prior to today's race.

I don't do too many 5K races. I actually prefer to compete in 10K's because I like the strategic balancing of speed and stamina over 6.2 miles. But 5K's can be a lot of fun because they allow you to push harder without having to worry about having enough left by the end. Today's race worried me a little because I knew that the first 1.4 miles were mostly uphill. I trained for that and actually looked forward to the challenge, but I'd never run this course and I really didn't know what to expect.

Registration was a snap, people were well organized and the volunteers were very kind and gracious. The woman who handed me my race shirt - a nice quality sweatshirt actually - wished me good luck and I knew that she meant it. The acid test for any race is how well they plan for pre-race requirements (Porto-Poti's). There were a number of them available, which kept the lines short, even as we got close to start time.

I headed to the line about ten minutes before the 9:00 AM start and ran through some dynamic stretches. The crowd was thickening and I thought I had positioned myself fairly well towards the front. Looking behind me, I saw that I was more than 3/4 of the way toward the back. I figured I'd either pass people to gain position or I wouldn't. Based on results I think I probably passed a quarter of those ahead of me, by the end.

230 miles later

It took me 12 seconds to cross the start line after the gun and, unfortunately, there was no starting line sensor to record those of us who lined up farther to the back. If there was a sensor, I would have recorded a time of 26:40 for an 8:36 pace. My official pace was 8:39, so not that much different and still under 8:40. I think I ran it pretty hard, because after the race I noticed that my Hattori was ripping at the top.

The first third of a mile took us along South Street and then right on Berry Hill Road where the street begins its uphill stretch. We continued up the aptly named Berry Hill for over a mile and I was able to gain some position. I passed a number of runners who were struggling with the elevation at that point. About halfway up this road I realized that I wasn't struggling with the hill at all. In fact, I was actually enjoying myself.

I encountered the first mile split sign along Berry Hill Road, that read 9:08. I knew that I had another half mile before we turned on Sandy Hill Road that would take us back into town for the finish. I knew the steepest part of that road was still to come, so I prepared for it and tried to maintain this pace until I reached the top.

When the turn came I was certainly relieved but still thinking that I was having fun. One of the spectators yelled "Hard part's over!" and I hoped that was true. We immediately went into a downhill charge that set the stage for the second half that was primarily downhill. I appreciated that but downhill running still takes a certain amount of work. But yes, it's much easier than running uphill!

I came through mile 2 at 18:00 which meant that I made up time from my mile one pace. I hoped to continue that progress as we bombed along Sandy Hill Road, past houses with people cheering at the end of their driveways and a construction crew who were doing a big excavation. I wondered when we'd be making the turn onto Main Street and suddenly I noticed runners taking a sharp left that signaled that I was close.

East Main had a short hill and on the way down I saw my parked car. That told me I was close to the finish line. Seconds later I saw the 3 mile split sign showing  26 minutes and I dropped down a gear for the last tenth of a mile. When I was within 100 feet of the line, a teenage boy tried to pass me on my right to beat me to the finish. I increased my pace and beat him over the line by a second.

There was plenty of water, juice, electrolyte drink, bagels, cookies, energy bars, fruit and even gourmet cupcakes waiting for us at the end. I had water and some electrolyte drink but just about everyone else had a softball-sized cupcake in their hand. Nicely done, my complements to the race organizers.

My family couldn't join me this morning because of activities related to my son's birthday but they were all excited to hear how things went when I called. Having parked on the road that led to the finish line, I needed to wait another 25 minutes for the last runners to finish before I could start heading home. It was fun to sit in my car and see these runners and walkers going by. It's hard work no matter when you finish and I admired the efforts of these people as much as those who crossed the line in less than 20 minutes.

This was a great race and I look forward to running it again next year. Next on my schedule is the Run for the Warriors 10K in November followed the next weekend by the Long Beach 10K Turkey Trot. I'm going to try to do a December race this year, if schedules work during that busy month.

A little wind may make a tough course tougher

It was nice to take a rest day this morning, especially since it's been a busy week. I probably should have run through a quick set of core exercises or done some upper body work, but I decided to enjoy my coffee and the extra time instead. I'm hearing that the rain will clear out tonight but tomorrow morning will be very windy. I'm not sure what that will mean to runners, but if the wind comes from the south that long hill on the first mile and a half will be a lot tougher.

Again I've reached the point where my training ends and the result of that effort will be reflected at the finish line the next day. I'm not expecting a 5K PR considering the hilly course and the possible wind issue. Either way, if it's tough for me then it will be tough for the hundreds of others who will also participate. This may be the first time I race in October. Seems hard to believe, but I think it's true.

Correction: I ran the Cape Cod Marathon Relay in October!

Next run: the Oyster Bay 5K

Today's run (treadmill): 2.6 miles

After hearing reports of rain throughout the night and into the morning, I prepared for an indoor workout today. It was damp but not raining when I got up, but I still stayed with my plan. While I was having my coffee, I decided I'd use the treadmill rather than the elliptical. I wanted to end my taper with a run.
Today was about reinforcing my conditioning and then resting until Saturday morning. I'll probably run through my 15 minute set of core exercises tomorrow morning but that will be it in terms of working out. The weather for Saturday is supposed to be clear and cold so I need to decide what gear I'll wear for the race.

The 5K kicks off the annual Town of Oyster Bay Festival that features many events and live entertainment. I'll be curious to see if that means big crowds at our 9:00 AM start. I hoping I'll be able to park close to the registration area. Every race brings new experiences and I'm looking forward to that.

Post-doctoral run

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

A check of the weather last night showed the possibility of early morning rain. I decided to think positively and prepared my gear for an outdoor run. I figured that I could always defer to the treadmill if necessary.
I was pleased to step out to dry, cool conditions and a full moon. The low cloud cover defused the moonlight but it was still plenty bright. Satellites acquired, I bounded down the driveway feeling like I'd have a good run.

After Monday's "holiday" spent doing medical exams and tests, I was ready to come off my rest day and run hard. The first road along my route is slightly uphill. I normally wish to get past that section quickly, but today I wished that it was a longer road. This wasn't because I was enjoying the run (although I was), but because I feel like I need every hill I can get to prepare for Saturday's 5K.

I finished up with a credible overall pace but I hope to beat that time by 40 seconds per/mile during the race. It will all come down to whether the slowness going uphill will be offset by the speed that I can generate going down. I won't really know until I see the hill. Could it be as bad as Cow Harbor's James Street? I truly hope not.

What's harder, running or not running?

I did some hard running over the weekend and a long elliptical session on Monday, so I decided to take a rest day today. I usually run or work out every day of the week before a race (except on the day before) while reducing distance and effort for the taper. Today I needed to rest. Yesterday's marathon session at the doctor took a lot out of me and my body told me to forgo my run this morning.

Since I didn't run I'm feeling energetic, but I know I made the right decision. I feel prepared for the hilly challenge this Saturday and I don't think one day off will make any difference to my conditioning at this point. It's sometimes hard to get moving on my runs each morning but it's often harder not to run at all.

Celebrating Columbus Day a different way

Today's workout (elliptical): 37 minutes

Happy Columbus Day. I'm spending the middle of my day at the doctor getting my annual checkup and associated tests. Good health requires activity and a lot of maintenance.

This morning I substituted my run for a longer elliptical session. It was an opportunity to work out with my wife while she ran on the treadmill.  After two days of hill practice today's workout was a breeze.

As I'd mentioned, my wife ran on the treadmill, which survived the console replacement that I did on Sunday. Unfortunately it seems like the elevation control needs to be calibrated and I need some instruction to help me do that. Until that happens the machine won't do inclines. In the meantime the treadmill itself works fine. Nothing is ever simple.

Ups and downs at Bethpage State Park

Dear Garmin: I can't recall that 90 foot spike at 1.4 miles

Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 4.2 miles -- 4 x 800m downhill, 4 x 800m uphill

Yesterday's training run at the business park provided some hilly terrain but the net gain was less than what I'll face next Saturday. I decided to head to Bethpage and do some hill repeats. My plan was to run up and down the big hill that comes at the beginning of the bike path. This hill comes at the end of my out-and-back long runs and I always dread it. I wondered how I'd feel running it four times today.

Since what goes up must also come down, I started my session going downhill after an initial climb up a steep but short section off the trail head. I ran this hill to the half mile point, turned around and came back up until my Garmin showed that I'd gone a half a mile in both directions. I repeated this exercise four times with no stopping between intervals.

The first two miles were easy. While I'm usually encountering this big hill after an hour's worth of running, today I was still relatively fresh. The downhill segments served as a nice recovery from the harder work of coming back up.  I saw a lot of other runners today and wondered if they were also training for next week's race, since Bethpage's path has many hills along its route.

It was a good workout but not as hard as I feared. The second two miles were a little tougher, but I never felt over-taxed. That may be a sign that my conditioning is in line for next Saturday's course that is half uphill and half down. I didn't push hard on the downhill sections but I didn't hold back either. I figure that after I crest the highest point on the Oyster Bay 5K, I can let loose on the decline knowing that the hardest part of the race has already been run.

Two projects: Pure and Sole

Mis-Connecting with the PureConnect

Today's run (street): 4.75 miles

Yesterday I had lunch with a colleague and then headed over to City Sports to look at some new items.  I'd received an email this week from City Sports saying they had Brooks's new line of Pure Project shoes. These shoes, inspired by the minimalist running movement, have been greatly anticipated. If you follow Brooks on Twitter you might think that running in them approaches a religious experience.

My lunch mate is an avid cyclist so, while he went off to look at bike gear, I made my way to the running shoe section. I was helped by a salesperson who actually knew something about running shoes. This was a pleasant surprise because I usually get people who know very little about the differences between brands and models.

My salesman asked if I'd like to try a pair of the PureConnects, Brook's most minimal model in the Pure Project line. I tried them on and my excitement was immediately deflated when I felt how snugly the shoe wrapped my mid-foot and arch. The back and front of the shoe felt awkwardly separated. The salesperson claimed that this snugness facilitated a mid-foot landing and I told him I didn't think it was necessary to clamp my arch to do that. I did some strides in the limited space and did not think the shoes felt especially responsive.

Undeterred, the salesperson had me try on the PureFlow model which is a little more cushioned and has a stabilizing component that, interestingly, sits opposite from the medial side of the shoe. The Flow felt better on my foot than the Connect but I still didn't like it. I tried a quick "run" and felt no chemistry. My primary rule about a running shoe is never believe sales people when they say "They will feel better when you run in them." Sorry, but no. If it doesn't feel right in the store, I'm done.

The obelisk in "2001: A Space Odyssey" looked harmless too

Speaking of "projects", this weekend I will attempt to do a console-ectomy on the Sole to replace the system board that is preventing us from adjusting the speed of the treadmill. Right now, the parts are sitting in a huge box in the living room and I'm scared to look inside. I have a bad track record with "repairs" and I'm a little intimidated by the task.

Finally, I hit the local business park this morning to practice running roads with elevation. I needed to be back early, otherwise I would have headed to Bethpage. I ran to the park and circled the loop three times before heading back home. The route is not especially steep but there is a steady incline over half the distance.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to get in some speed work as I look toward next week's 5K. I may also try running some inclines on the treadmill. That is, if I don't permanently destroy the new control board today.  

Good runs, bad runs, isn't all just timing?

At some point on this hill I will question why I did this race

Today's run (street): 2.4 miles

I looked at a course map for the Oyster Bay 5K that I plan to run on Saturday, October 15. The first 1.3 miles are all uphill and, according to Gmaps and MapMyTri, the overall elevation gain is greater than James Street, the bane of Cow Harbor racers. The saving grace, if there is one, is that this hill stretches a lot farther than James Street, and that may mean that the grade is lower. I'm hoping that's true.

My run today was a little disappointing. After good experiences on Wednesday and Thursday, where I had great energy and form, I had hoped for another good run. I can't explain it exactly, but I felt unbalanced and under-powered this morning. I even modified my route, shortening its length to save time after a late start. As I was running, I thought about whether I'd be the "Thursday me" or the "Friday me" when I go out on the hilly course a week from now.

So, what does it mean when you run well for days and then you don't? In this case, I don't think it means that much. I probably needed more rest and it wouldn't hurt for me to stretch a little. Sometimes it's timing of your performance curve, good days and bad. Right now I'm hoping this 5K coincides with a good running day. With that hill, I'm going to need all the advantage I can get.

Gear gremlins and going gloveless

A great headlamp when it works

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

My Petzl headlamp has served me well over the years but this morning I was ready to toss it into the trash. This unit (Tikka Plus) is extremely lightweight and I often forget that I'm even wearing it. But the light weight comes at the cost of fragility. The plastic assembly doesn't secure the three AAA batteries in position very well and slight movements will occasionally disrupt the connection and cause the lamp to go dark. This morning it took me over five minutes to get it operational, time that's much too precious to waste in the morning.

Once I was confident that the lamp was working properly I set out for my run in temperatures that felt far colder than the reported 45°. I immediately regretted not having gloves, but I had a long sleeved jersey that I pulled over my hands. That helped a little, but it caused my shirt to bind around my shoulders and I soon abandoned that solution. I'll plan to bring gloves tomorrow unless it truly warms up as expected. The run itself was great and I nearly broke 9:00/mile which is hard for me to do at that early hour.

I'm toying with the thought of running in Central Park tomorrow. It's been a long time since I've done a city run and since Friday's the lead-in to a holiday weekend, my afternoon schedule is light. I'll decide tonight so that I'll have time to pack gear for the morning. If Friday is as cool and bright as today a CP run could be a great pre-weekend workout.

A zap to the Sole



 Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

The recent change in seasons has reduced the humidity in the air and this is considered good news for runners. However, the consequence of dry air comes from running indoors, when static buildup plays havoc on your treadmill. That was the case this morning for my wife. She is a dedicated treadmill runner and rarely misses a workout. This morning, while adjusting the speed control, my wife felt a burst of static electricity that blew out some of the controls of the unit.

Our treadmill still works, but you can only select speeds of 2, 4, 6, 8, etc. MPH. My wife likes to do tempo runs on the machine and this involves multiple changes to speed and elevation during her workout. Today, she smartly adjusted to a higher incline to make up for slower belt speeds, but it's a compromise to her regular routine. We're hoping the Sole repairman can get to us quickly and restore the F63's controls to full functionality.

I rarely use the treadmill, preferring instead to run outside in the morning. When it rains I am forced to run indoors so I'm hoping that the weather stays dry until the machine is fixed. I had a great run this morning, the temperature was 57 and the humidity was low. I worked on my form and posture as I ran and tried to push my cadence to gain more speed. It's fall racing season so I'm also thinking about incorporating more core work in the days leading up to my next race.

I feel bad for my wife who will need to adapt her routine until the treadmill issues are resolved. She's dedicated to her 5:00 AM workouts but I'm not sure she'd be too keen on joining me on my 4:00 AM runs.