I wasn't feeling well yesterday and thought I may have caught a cold. Thursday's elliptical session wore me out much more than I would have expected. I bounced back last night and planned to do a run for this morning. When I woke up, I felt a little dizzy. After being at this for almost four years, I am able to tell the difference between being "morning tired" and actually feeling weak. I quickly decided to skip today's workout.
The main reason I opted for a rest day is that I hope to do a long run tomorrow at Bethpage. I didn't want to wear myself out on a maintenance run, and I thought some additional rest might be beneficial. I think resting was the right thing to do, but I'll admit to having some guilty feelings about it. I'm planning to use that guilt tomorrow to motivate me through what I hope will be my longest run (so far) this year.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Learned my lesson, but can I handle the mileage?
Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes
As I come closer to the anniversary of my first half marathon, I'm thinking about both the training and my increased risk of injury. Most training programs recommend a careful approach to adding to weekly mileage, usually no more than a 10% increase per week. The idea behind this is to prevent overuse injuries that come from running longer distances than your body is ready to handle.
Last year I played my half marathon training by ear, occasionally stepping up distance without regard to the consequences. In my case it wasn't the aggregate mileage that hurt me, but the fact that I arbitrarily threw in long runs without building up to them. A nine mile run on the trails at Belmont Lake a week before the half marathon created a knee problem that plagued me throughout the race.
This year I'm taking a practical approach to my training and, hopefully, I'll be better prepared on race day. Since I can't really increase my mileage between Monday and Friday, I'll need to step up my long running on the weekends. This weekend I'll need to total 13 miles, by April 7 weekend I'll target 18 and, before my taper, I'll need to cover 21. Easier said than done, but it looks like I'm going to become very familiar with the Bethpage bike trail.
As I come closer to the anniversary of my first half marathon, I'm thinking about both the training and my increased risk of injury. Most training programs recommend a careful approach to adding to weekly mileage, usually no more than a 10% increase per week. The idea behind this is to prevent overuse injuries that come from running longer distances than your body is ready to handle.
Last year I played my half marathon training by ear, occasionally stepping up distance without regard to the consequences. In my case it wasn't the aggregate mileage that hurt me, but the fact that I arbitrarily threw in long runs without building up to them. A nine mile run on the trails at Belmont Lake a week before the half marathon created a knee problem that plagued me throughout the race.
This year I'm taking a practical approach to my training and, hopefully, I'll be better prepared on race day. Since I can't really increase my mileage between Monday and Friday, I'll need to step up my long running on the weekends. This weekend I'll need to total 13 miles, by April 7 weekend I'll target 18 and, before my taper, I'll need to cover 21. Easier said than done, but it looks like I'm going to become very familiar with the Bethpage bike trail.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The five paces I run
Today's run (street): 2.5 miles
Yesterday morning the NBC weatherman announced that Monday would be the last cold day of winter. Just like that. I'm not sure why he was so confident, but he didn't appear to be kidding. Never one to believe such things, I watched the local station last night as I readied my clothes for this morning. They were predicting 29 degrees around 4:00 AM. So much for warmer weather.
About half of today's route was in the direction of a steady wind that made it feel very chilly. I moved at a steady pace and, every once in a while, I stepped it up. I averaged a mid-9:00 pace which was disappointing because it felt like it should have been faster. I started thinking about my pacing.
Based on my 800+ runs logged in Garmin Connect, I see that I generally have five pace ranges: LSD (> 10:30), easy/trail (9:50-10:30), normal (9:20-9:50), tempo (8:55-9:20) and road race (< 8:55). I would really like to make my tempo range my normal pace range amd I think it's as much a matter of pushing myself mentally as increasing my physical capabilities. After all, If I can do one training run at 9:00 a mile, why can't I do them all?
Yesterday morning the NBC weatherman announced that Monday would be the last cold day of winter. Just like that. I'm not sure why he was so confident, but he didn't appear to be kidding. Never one to believe such things, I watched the local station last night as I readied my clothes for this morning. They were predicting 29 degrees around 4:00 AM. So much for warmer weather.
About half of today's route was in the direction of a steady wind that made it feel very chilly. I moved at a steady pace and, every once in a while, I stepped it up. I averaged a mid-9:00 pace which was disappointing because it felt like it should have been faster. I started thinking about my pacing.
Based on my 800+ runs logged in Garmin Connect, I see that I generally have five pace ranges: LSD (> 10:30), easy/trail (9:50-10:30), normal (9:20-9:50), tempo (8:55-9:20) and road race (< 8:55). I would really like to make my tempo range my normal pace range amd I think it's as much a matter of pushing myself mentally as increasing my physical capabilities. After all, If I can do one training run at 9:00 a mile, why can't I do them all?
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Night or day, inside or out?
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| Worth a read |
In her new book, "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?", Mindy Kaling writes, "There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth waking me up to see it.” I thought that was a very funny line (it's a great book) but I have to disagree a little. As I stood at the train this morning I saw the sun coming up and the first thought I had was, "Finally, I can now go out on my long weekend runs before 6:30 AM without needing a headlamp."
There's a big difference, psychologically, when I run in the dark versus running in daylight. My 4:00 AM runs serve a purpose, but that purpose is primarily fitness maintenance. My weekend runs provide a far wider benefit to both mind and body. A run on the trails is visually fascinating, the terrain is challenging and the lack of concern for traffic (except for mountain bikers) allows for deep thinking.
This morning I was at the complete other end of the spectrum, running my 25 tedious minutes on the treadmill. A friend of mine just bought a True treadmill that is very feature-rich. One capability is heart rate cruise control -- the machine will automatically speed up, slow down or change elevation to keep the runner at a specific heart rate. It also has a 14" LCD screen that takes input from a smartphone, PC, iPad, etc. That would be amazing compared to my humble Sole. But in the end, I'd far prefer to be running outside, just after sunrise.
Monday, March 5, 2012
One-line running shoe reviews
It's been a while since I've updated Runner's Tech Review but I may be testing a new pair of running shoes soon. These shoes are different and the manufacturer promises to deliver measurable gains in performance. That's always an intriguing notion, but I've rarely seen these claims pay off. We'll see.
In the meantime, I'm more than ready to find a replacement for my Hattori's that I've used both as a trainer and race shoe over the last year. I'm impressed that they've held up as well as they have after 300+ miles of pounding, but they are showing signs of wear. I have a second pair of Hattori's that were sent to me by Saucony but something about the fit is different. I find them unwearable after 60 miles of running.
Yesterday I had a little time in the middle of the day and went over to Dick's where I tried on a few pairs of running shoes. I didn't find my next pair but I was glad to reinforce what I expected. Here are my quick impressions:
In the meantime, I'm more than ready to find a replacement for my Hattori's that I've used both as a trainer and race shoe over the last year. I'm impressed that they've held up as well as they have after 300+ miles of pounding, but they are showing signs of wear. I have a second pair of Hattori's that were sent to me by Saucony but something about the fit is different. I find them unwearable after 60 miles of running.
Yesterday I had a little time in the middle of the day and went over to Dick's where I tried on a few pairs of running shoes. I didn't find my next pair but I was glad to reinforce what I expected. Here are my quick impressions:
- Adidas adizero® Rush: Light, surprisingly comfortable, smooth roll, stiff fore-foot, high platform (too much heel).
- Brooks Pure Cadence: Light, cushioned, tight arch/mid foot, awkward roll, expensive.
- Brooks Adrenaline 12: Extremely comfortable, natural roll, moved well with foot, high platform (too much heel).
- New Balance MT20: Tight forefoot (even 1/2 size up), light, uneven roll.
- Merrell Road Glove: Light, unstructured, wide toe box, lack of fore-foot response.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
When a run goes according to plan
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| How I spent my morning |
My morning running plan was happily free of debate. No decisions to make about my route, gear or distance. I'd prepared to run 6 miles on the roads around my neighborhood and the cloudy and dry weather looked perfect.
I started by running the loop I use every morning to benchmark my first mile. After that I diverted my course by running towards the middle school. Once I got there, I ran across the field to a path that took me to the nearby business park. I continued in that direction and ran the hilly loop before exiting into neighborhood #3 at the three mile point.
I felt good as I moved along these neighborhood streets that led me out to Woodbury Road, a heavily trafficked street. Running along Woodbury Road's sidewalk is always interesting. In the fall there's often a thick covering of leaves that cushion each step. Today the sidewalk was bare and covered with packed dirt. Except for the cars whizzing by on the street, I felt like I was doing a mini trail run.
I reached the easternmost point of my run and then switched directions back toward my house. I was on track to cover my intended six miles and ended up making it with a little distance to spare. I didn't run this route particularly fast but I was satisfied with the effort and pleased to have run a dozen miles over this weekend.
The best part of finishing a couple of good weekend runs is knowing that Monday is my rest day. Another 20+ mile week is in the books. So far, so good for my half marathon training plan.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Going a sustainable 60
Today's run (treadmill): 60 minutes
The overnight rain extended into morning drizzle, so I debated whether to wait for it to stop or head to the track in hopes that it would let up. I chose the latter, but needed to run a last minute errand on the way. That turned out to be a fortuitous delay, because the skies opened up before I got to my workout. I didn't want to wait around for the rain to stop, so I headed home.
Since I couldn't run outside, I thought I'd spend an hour on the treadmill. Sixty minutes on the treadmill is far different than an hour on the road. Not just from the tedium of an unchanging view, but also due to the increased effort from running at a higher cadence (necessary to make up for a shorter stride).
I maintained my pace for 50 minutes and then stepped up my speed every minute until I finished my planned time. In a way, it's like a 10K, where you stay on pace then push past your comfort zone for the last mile. I was glad to find plenty of fuel to get me through the fast finish and I stepped off the treadmill as soaked as if I'd already showered.
I was happy with my compromised workout, and though I wanted to do speed work today, I'm pleased with what I did. Tomorrow's weather should be clear, so I will have my choice off outside options. I think I'll pass on the speed work though. Another six mile run may be exactly what I need.
The overnight rain extended into morning drizzle, so I debated whether to wait for it to stop or head to the track in hopes that it would let up. I chose the latter, but needed to run a last minute errand on the way. That turned out to be a fortuitous delay, because the skies opened up before I got to my workout. I didn't want to wait around for the rain to stop, so I headed home.
Since I couldn't run outside, I thought I'd spend an hour on the treadmill. Sixty minutes on the treadmill is far different than an hour on the road. Not just from the tedium of an unchanging view, but also due to the increased effort from running at a higher cadence (necessary to make up for a shorter stride).
I maintained my pace for 50 minutes and then stepped up my speed every minute until I finished my planned time. In a way, it's like a 10K, where you stay on pace then push past your comfort zone for the last mile. I was glad to find plenty of fuel to get me through the fast finish and I stepped off the treadmill as soaked as if I'd already showered.
I was happy with my compromised workout, and though I wanted to do speed work today, I'm pleased with what I did. Tomorrow's weather should be clear, so I will have my choice off outside options. I think I'll pass on the speed work though. Another six mile run may be exactly what I need.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Teaching your body to go fast
Today's run (street): 2.5 miles
"The idea is to teach your body to go faster than it wants to." That was a comment from Emerging Runner friend Paul regarding interval training. I reread that sentence three times because I thought it was a perfect way to describe the concept of speed work. It sounds simple, but it's not. Making your body go faster than it wants to go is hard. But when you do, it (almost) always pays off.
I thought about Paul's comment during my run this morning. Usually at 4:00 AM I feel heroic, simply because I've dragged myself out of bed and hit the road in the darkness and the cold. Performance is secondary and my expectations are low, because I'm usually half asleep through the first mile. Today I played a little with my speed once I felt fully alert. I'd pick a spot a few hundred feet ahead and increase my pace until I reached my target. I was curious to see if these fartleks would translate into a performance improvement.
It turned out they did. Today's run finished 1: 10 sooner than Tuesday's although I followed the same route at the exact same time in the morning. It was a difference of 26 seconds per mile. I'll take half minute per mile improvements any day, but my overall pace was still in the low 9:00's. That sleepy first mile always throws me off. I guess that's as fast as my body was willing to go this morning.
"The idea is to teach your body to go faster than it wants to." That was a comment from Emerging Runner friend Paul regarding interval training. I reread that sentence three times because I thought it was a perfect way to describe the concept of speed work. It sounds simple, but it's not. Making your body go faster than it wants to go is hard. But when you do, it (almost) always pays off.
I thought about Paul's comment during my run this morning. Usually at 4:00 AM I feel heroic, simply because I've dragged myself out of bed and hit the road in the darkness and the cold. Performance is secondary and my expectations are low, because I'm usually half asleep through the first mile. Today I played a little with my speed once I felt fully alert. I'd pick a spot a few hundred feet ahead and increase my pace until I reached my target. I was curious to see if these fartleks would translate into a performance improvement.
It turned out they did. Today's run finished 1: 10 sooner than Tuesday's although I followed the same route at the exact same time in the morning. It was a difference of 26 seconds per mile. I'll take half minute per mile improvements any day, but my overall pace was still in the low 9:00's. That sleepy first mile always throws me off. I guess that's as fast as my body was willing to go this morning.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Upping my game to reach an elusive PR
Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes
Tabata training and intervals have got me thinking about my current racing performance. The good news is that, since last June, I've been on a streak where I've set new PR's for 4 miles, 8K and 10K. In addition, I've achieved best ever times on five races that I do every year. The bad news is that I'm about to come around again to those races and the challenge of meeting or beating my best times will be much harder.
I believe that my improved performance is attributable to three things: more racing experience, smarter preparation methods and better weather conditions. I can't count on the weather and there's not much more I can do in terms of race day prep. The key for continued achievement in 2012 will be better training. I have a few ideas about that.
My next race is six weeks away. It's a 5K and I generally run those races as a controlled sprint. 5K is the only distance where I didn't PR in 2011, even though I ran three of them. My 5K PR is 25:50 (8:19 pace) from a race I ran in 2009. I came within 16 seconds of that time last December, but almost doesn't count.
The key to my training for the Marcie Mazzola 5K will be a much greater focus on intensity. This, coupled with increased core and strength workouts, may help me move the time needle from 25:50 towards 24:52 (8:00 pace). I have no expectation that I'll get there in April, but I may yet beat my 8:19 PR.
Tabata training and intervals have got me thinking about my current racing performance. The good news is that, since last June, I've been on a streak where I've set new PR's for 4 miles, 8K and 10K. In addition, I've achieved best ever times on five races that I do every year. The bad news is that I'm about to come around again to those races and the challenge of meeting or beating my best times will be much harder.
I believe that my improved performance is attributable to three things: more racing experience, smarter preparation methods and better weather conditions. I can't count on the weather and there's not much more I can do in terms of race day prep. The key for continued achievement in 2012 will be better training. I have a few ideas about that.
My next race is six weeks away. It's a 5K and I generally run those races as a controlled sprint. 5K is the only distance where I didn't PR in 2011, even though I ran three of them. My 5K PR is 25:50 (8:19 pace) from a race I ran in 2009. I came within 16 seconds of that time last December, but almost doesn't count.
The key to my training for the Marcie Mazzola 5K will be a much greater focus on intensity. This, coupled with increased core and strength workouts, may help me move the time needle from 25:50 towards 24:52 (8:00 pace). I have no expectation that I'll get there in April, but I may yet beat my 8:19 PR.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
A four minute workout that beats an hour's worth of exercise
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| 4 minutes a day - only $14,000! |
The skies were clear when I got up this morning but I decided to take the easier road with an indoor run. Part of it was due to time. I'd slept up to my alarm, giving me only 15 minutes to prep, get outside and run. I'm sure that 15 minutes sounds like a lot but, in the early morning, time goes by like a freight train. That is, until you are on the treadmill, where every minute feels like three.
As I ran through my workout this morning, I thought about an article I read on Active.com about Tabata training. This training method involves a short duration program (< 5 minutes) consisting of 20-second maximum-intensity sprints separated by 10-second recovery periods. According to the article, a study compared stationary cyclists doing hour-long, moderately intensive, workouts (control group) to another group that did the Tabata training.
Both groups did five workouts a week for six weeks. The control group's weekly duration was 5 hours while the Tabata's totaled just 20 minutes. The control group improved their VO2 max by 9.5% with no change to anaerobic capacity. The Tabata group improved their VO2 max by 14 percent and improved their anaerobic capacity by 28 percent!
It made me think of that $14,000 ROM machine they've been advertising in the back of Popular Science since my college days. The claim is that this machine gives you a complete workout in four minutes a day. If Tabata is for real, then perhaps that's really true. But according to the article, any maximum intensity workout will do the job. You certainly don't need to spend $14K to get the same benefit as pushups.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
My perception was better than my reality
Today's run (street): 2.5 miles
Getting up and out the door before 4:00 AM this morning wasn't as hard as I expected it would be. I even got up before my alarm and made it outside five minutes earlier than normal. That's always a bonus because it means that I get an extra five minutes to relax and recover before moving on with my morning routine.
My unexpected energy carried through to the road and I felt as though everything was working great. With the exception of some strong breezes that hit sporadically, conditions were pleasant. My stride felt balanced and my cadence felt quick. I didn't look at my Garmin because I wanted to be surprised by my pace when I completed the run.
I was surprised at the end to see how I performed, but not in the way I hoped. This run felt fast, but it took me almost 90 seconds more to complete than normal. I didn't get it and I still don't really understand how a run that felt so good resulted in such a mediocre time. I can usually predict my pace fairly accurately but I was far off today. No matter though. I enjoyed the run and I'll take experience over speed any day (except race day!).
Getting up and out the door before 4:00 AM this morning wasn't as hard as I expected it would be. I even got up before my alarm and made it outside five minutes earlier than normal. That's always a bonus because it means that I get an extra five minutes to relax and recover before moving on with my morning routine.
My unexpected energy carried through to the road and I felt as though everything was working great. With the exception of some strong breezes that hit sporadically, conditions were pleasant. My stride felt balanced and my cadence felt quick. I didn't look at my Garmin because I wanted to be surprised by my pace when I completed the run.
I was surprised at the end to see how I performed, but not in the way I hoped. This run felt fast, but it took me almost 90 seconds more to complete than normal. I didn't get it and I still don't really understand how a run that felt so good resulted in such a mediocre time. I can usually predict my pace fairly accurately but I was far off today. No matter though. I enjoyed the run and I'll take experience over speed any day (except race day!).
Monday, February 27, 2012
Why is running so media invisible?
I watched some of the Brooks PR Invitational last night. The entire event, consisting of top high school age runners, was streamed live on FloTrack. It was a fairly low tech, low fidelity presentation, but I appreciated having an opportunity to see this competition. The two events that I watched were the women's and men's 2-mile races and both ended with exciting finishes.
Watching this coverage made me realize how rare it is to see live running competition either on television or on the web. Flipping through my cable stations on the weekend provides multiple opportunities to watch (depending on season) basketball, football, baseball and hockey. In addition there are many programs dedicated to fishing, hunting, extreme sports, surfing, tennis and even hiking. But the only running I ever see is the YES Network program ("Running") that is updated monthly, at best.
With over 20 million people in the US who consider themselves runners, I'm surprised how hard it is to find coverage of the sport. Perhaps it's because running is an activity where people prefer to participate rather than watch. More likely, it's difficult to capture the feeling of a race on a TV screen. But I'd think that a sport that generates over $5 billion in industry revenue can probably support at least one cable channel.
Watching this coverage made me realize how rare it is to see live running competition either on television or on the web. Flipping through my cable stations on the weekend provides multiple opportunities to watch (depending on season) basketball, football, baseball and hockey. In addition there are many programs dedicated to fishing, hunting, extreme sports, surfing, tennis and even hiking. But the only running I ever see is the YES Network program ("Running") that is updated monthly, at best.
With over 20 million people in the US who consider themselves runners, I'm surprised how hard it is to find coverage of the sport. Perhaps it's because running is an activity where people prefer to participate rather than watch. More likely, it's difficult to capture the feeling of a race on a TV screen. But I'd think that a sport that generates over $5 billion in industry revenue can probably support at least one cable channel.
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