Self doubt at the end of my taper

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

If this morning's run was a typical training workout, I would have been pleased by my performance. I pushed my speed somewhat, ran well and ended up pacing 20 seconds per mile faster than normal. So why complain about that? While I concede some performance due to the time of day (4 AM), I was hoping to finish this morning's route a full minute faster than I did.

I was speaking to my friend CK yesterday and mentioned the 8K on Sunday. I told him my goal target for time and pace and he said I should do that easily. Easy for him to say, he can run 7:00 miles any day of the week. When I was running this morning, I felt like I could push it another 10%, but after that it would be a challenge. When I returned to my house at the end of my run, I questioned whether I could even sustain the pace I'd run today over double the distance.

Last year I averaged 8:40 per mile for the ~ 5 mile NHP course. It was both a PR and a great surprise, since I'd paced 9:00 the prior two years. I've run well in races this year and did some speed work over the weekend, but I haven't done a run greater than 5 miles since May 19. I'm hoping the energy of race day, plus two days rest, decent weather and a performance mindset, will help me reach my goals on Sunday.

Where can I get a SAG card?

Making the scene, literally

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

Only in NYC can you get to your office and not be surprised to see camera and lighting trucks setting up along the street. They're filming a major studio movie here and the subject matter relates to one of my company's iconic brands. This is the second time they've filmed here in the last few weeks and I have a great view of the action from my office window (see above). Hmmm, I wonder if they need any extras?  

This morning I did a treadmill run because the weather report had predicted rain. I'm not sure it was raining when I got up to work out, but the humidity indoors was extremely high. This was my penultimate run before the New Hyde Park 8K, so I increased my effort by adding some incline through my progressive speed workout.

I felt fine the entire run except for my feet that are still sore at the bottom. In an odd way, the soreness helped, because it took my mind off the hard effort of running in the heat and humidity. As strange as it sounds, I think that made a difference. Despite the hot conditions, my run seemed to go by quickly and it never really felt like it was too much to bear. One more run to go and my taper is complete. Then onto Hollywood. I mean New Hyde Park.

Getting to the bottom of my foot pain

Bottom Lateral Ouchiitis

I wore my new recovery slides yesterday in the hope that they'd help alleviate the persistent soreness I've had at the bottom of my feet. This is not plantar fasciitis, because the pain is specific to the inside lateral part of my feet, just below the toes. I'm pretty sure the cause relates to all the long pounding runs I did at Bethpage to train for the half marathon earlier this month. I've reduced my weekly mileage by 10% since completing that race and have only done one run longer than 8 miles since that day.

The pain is not terrible and it hasn't prevented me from running. But this pain, like the mild soreness that I've had with my Achilles tendon, is persistent and it can be uncomfortable at times. I've looked up my symptoms for lateral foot pain and, for runners, it seems to be a form of tendinitis. I'll continue using the recovery shoes and will also try to be more disciplined about soaking my feet with peppermint oil soap this week. I'm scheduled for a fast race on Sunday and I'm hoping to reduce the negative variables as much as I can.

Hot run before a cool parade

A memorable parade on Memorial Day

Today's run (street): 3.9 miles

We needed to get out a little early this morning to get our son to the staging location for the Memorial Day parade. It was fun to see him come by, playing with the school band. After seeing friends and neighbors, it really felt like a small town event. By the time the parade was done, we were all ready to begin our Memorial Day lunch. Sure feels like summer, even if it hasn't quite arrived.

I'd planned to run on the treadmill knowing that we'd be under some time pressure in the morning. But the skies were bright at 7:00 AM, and I knew I couldn't stay inside. Instead, I geared up for an outdoor run and I considered the temperature (67°), but not the humidity (oppressive).

There was a breeze from the north when I started my run, and that made the air feel deceptively cool.  It soon became apparent that it was going to be hot. I tried to follow roads with tree shade on the left side but the sun was strong and so was the heat. I made the mistake of checking my pace nine minutes into the run, and that prompted me to speed up my progress. Normally that's desirable, but with the humidity, I may have been better off maintaining my prior rate.

As bad as it was, I didn't feel it was too hot to run. I capped my distance at 3.9 miles, but that had more to do with my limited time than to the heat. I ended up with an average pace that was 25 seconds per mile faster than my first mile. Since today's a holiday I decided to run today instead of taking my usual Monday rest day. I'll probably rest tomorrow and run on Wednesday and Thursday, before I take my usual two days off before my race.

D'oh, a deer!

Rainy conditions on Stillwell's trails

Today's run (Stillwell Woods): 4 miles

Yesterday's workout was focused on speed and intensity so I thought I'd go for an easier run today. It's been a while since I've visited Stillwell Woods and a trail run sounded like a good idea. Just for fun, I downloaded a podcast from 3nonjoggers.com. This is a trio of trail runners who record a weekly hour-long running-related program. I read about them in the April issue of TrailRunner magazine.

I have not run with a music player in years, but, with my new pocket-rich running shorts, I thought I might today. I'm glad I did, as the podcast was funny and interesting and I certainly recommend it. While I feel that listening to music or podcasts is dangerous on the road, at least I won't see any cars on the trail. Mountain bikes, yes. Deer, yes. But no cars.

I mention deer because I had a close encounter with one this morning. I was moving along nicely on a twisty section of singletrack, when my eyes caught a flash of beige about five yards ahead. Apparently I had surprised a large deer grazing in the woods. The deer jumped onto the path in front of me and took off very quickly. I literally said "What the @#$%!" when I saw it. Although I'd seen deer on my runs in the past, I'd never seen one at Stillwell.

Besides the deer sighting, there wasn't much happening on the trails this morning. It was raining lightly when I started and the rain intensified for a while during my run. The canopy overhead protected me, but I still got fairly wet. My only company besides the deer were three bikers who passed me on my way up a steep rise. The tables got turned when they sputtered out before reaching the top and I just kept going. To their credit they cheered me when I went by.

Ready for future recovery

Later in the day I returned some Adidas recovery slides that my wife bought to surprise me. It turned out that she ordered the wrong size, simply because she listened to what I told her. They are Adidas Superstars with a very comfortable foot bed. I look forward to wearing them after my next run.

Tomorrow morning we'll be at the Memorial Day parade to watch my son march with the school band. That will preclude a long morning run, but I'll probably do a treadmill workout as I begin my taper week. I've had some interesting experiences on the road, track and trail this weekend. Might as well add the treadmill to the mix.

Track challenges, real and virtual

Today's run (track intervals): 1 mile warm up, 8x 200's, 1 mile cool down

Since it's a long weekend, I thought I'd forgo my usual Saturday distance run in favor of intervals. I'm running the New Hyde Park 8K next weekend and felt that I needed to put in some speed work before winding down my training. It's been months since I've been to the track, so I was looking forward to a change of scenery.

I started my workout at around 8:00 AM with a mile warm up that I completed in 8:53. The humidity was high and the sun was already hot by the time I'd started. I followed my warm up with 8 x 200's, averaging 6:26/mile and I finished with a mile cool down that I ran at around 8:50. About halfway through that last mile I realized my Garmin wasn't recording properly, so my time so the cool down is an estimate.

The toughest run on the web

As tough as that workout was, I found an even bigger challenge on a different track with QWOP - a video game that you can play online. In this game, the user is challenged to move a track runner 100 meters by controlling only his thighs and calves. It's deceptively difficult, so far the best I've done is 17.4 meters. Before you judge that as lacking, try it yourself!

Shorts success at the SOHO REI

Shorts but sweet

Today's run (street): 3.6 miles

My office is usually a ghost town on the day before a holiday weekend. Acknowledging that, my company officially closes our office at 1:00 PM. I chose to work from home this morning instead of coming in for half a day. We begin "Summer Friday's" next week, but this was the next best thing.

With no commute to worry about, I had more time to sleep in this morning. I've been feeling sleep debt lately so this additional rest was welcomed. After morning coffee and the news, I changed into my running gear and headed outside. The skies were cloudy, but free of rain. Humidity was high, but I figured that an outdoor run would be far preferable to the treadmill.

My route took me through the top of my neighborhood and then down to the bottom, and back. I ran well and ended up pacing a little better than my average. Since today was a week day, I encountered more cars than on a typical weekend morning. I spent more time than normal running on the sidewalk and was especially careful not to trip on misaligned concrete.

Although I didn't wear them today, I finally found a pair of good running shorts with pockets. Yesterday, me and KWL went downtown to check out REI's new location in SOHO that is having a big sale this week. It's an impressively large store and a good place to waste a few hours if you have them. We didn't, so we split up and headed for our respected areas of interest - cycling for him and running for me.

After considering options from Salomon, Patagonia, Mountain Hardware and REI brand, I bought a pair of Brooks Rogue Runner III's. The shorts have a 7" inseam, two side pockets, a small zipper pocket and an inside pouch. They'll be great for either the street or the trails.

12 steps to changing your mind

Today's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

My sleep was interrupted last night by a phone call from one of my daughter's friends. I had trouble falling asleep after that. My sleep schedule is already tight and, with my early rise time, I often wonder if I get enough rest. I finally did get back to sleep, but woke up a few more times throughout the night. Before I knew it, I needed to get up for the day.

In the minute it took me to get out of bed and make my way downstairs, I thought through the various options I had for my workout. Skipping my run altogether was my leading thought as I stood at the top of the stairs. But by the time I reached the foyer below, I had reconsidered that decision.

It was hot and humid at 3:45 AM and I was very tired, but I felt I needed to compromise. I would run, but instead of gearing up and going outside, I'd do my workout on the treadmill. I figured I could better throttle my speed and pick things up as I went along.

I had no guilt starting at 5.5 MPH because it's generally advised to run slower paces as humidity rises. I notched up my speed every two minutes and, after 15 minutes, turned on the treadmill's fans that cooled my sweat covered body. I eventually got to full speed for the last five minutes and stepped off the machine feeling like I had a great workout.

Despite being tired and unready to run when I got up, I managed to get myself in gear (literally) and ended up happier for it. My walk downstairs changed my mindset. 12 steps made all the difference.

Brooks's PureDrift is good news for minimalist runners

A most minimal shoe - coming Jan 2013

Today's run (street): 2.5 miles

Last night I predicted that it wouldn't rain this morning, so I set up my gear for an outdoor run. When I stepped outside, I realized that wishful thinking wasn't enough to ensure good weather conditions. I decided on the spot to run, despite the light rain that was falling. I figured, if conditions worsened, that I'd just turn around and head for home.

I didn't know it at the time, but my Garmin showed that I'd covered the first mile extremely slowly. I thought I was moving well, but it's hard to gauge your pace when you're still half asleep. The rain had let up after ten minutes so I guess I'd picked up the pace from there. I ended up averaging 9:50 for the run, which isn't all that bad.

I wore my test shoes again this morning and appreciated their minimal construction, low platform and comfort. However, I wished they were a little roomier on the lateral side, at the top. My toes do get a little squished, but so far, I've had no issues with blisters or chafing. The shoe is pre-market, so the fit will probably change many times before they launch.

Brooks announced a new model this week, with an expected launch date of January, 2013. I'm guessing I'm going to like them ; )

When testing shoes, three can be a crowd

Testing 1,2,3

Today's run (treadmill): 2.5 miles

I'm feeling a little guilty regarding my delay in posting my reviews about the Spira Stingers and Saucony Kinvara 3's. I have written a fair amount on both shoes through this blog, so it's not like I haven't reported on them. Now, with the new shoes that I am testing for the manufacturer, it's even harder to focus on one particular brand.

I'm about halfway through my review of the Spiras, so I decided to wear them on this morning's run. Once again, the rain forced me to stay inside on the treadmill. It was extremely humid at the start, so I moderated my pace to prevent overheating. The treadmill has dual fans that throw a decent amount of air, but that was no match for today's heat.

After running so often in the Kinvaras, and more recently in my test shoes, I was better able to discern key differences between the three pairs. The Spiras, which I sized up by 1/2 to ensure a good fit in the toe box, are flexible at the mid-foot, but the uppers bag when the shoe flexes. I also noticed a little pressure from the wavesprings on the fore-foot, something I hadn't experienced before.

I ended up having a decent run, though I throttled my performance in deference to the heat and humidity. As I ran through my workout, my eyes locked on the the other two pair in my current rotation. If I had to choose only one shoe, which would it be? After today, I think the answer is starting to come to me.

Quest for pockets

Is this too much to ask?

Yesterday afternoon we stopped by Sports Authority to pick up some needed items and I was hoping to find a good pair of running shorts with side pockets. It's always puzzled me why men's running pants and running shorts often lack pockets. Most have a small pouch, but that's useless for anything bigger than a key or a credit card. I'd really like another pair with side pockets, so I can get quick access to my gel flask on longer runs.

The cynic in me thinks that pockets are excluded on running shorts to save manufacturing costs. I'm probably wrong about that. It's more likely that these shorts are designed to be lightweight, and provide maximum freedom of movement. This is true of my two pair of Adidas shorts that I love, despite their lack of storage.

Sports Authority disappointed me because most of their athletic gear is either Nike or Under Armor and I have an irrational dislike for those brands. To their credit, both offered running shorts with pockets. Adidas had no running shorts with pockets, period. The only other brand was New Balance. They had pairs of shorts with pockets, but I've found that NB's liners irritate me on longer runs.

I'm obviously too particular, as I could have bought what I wanted yesterday. Instead, I went online and looked at shorts from RaceReady, GoLight, Brooks, Mizuno, and others. There are also plenty of trail running shorts with side pockets out there, although most are pricey. I may take a trip downtown to REI or Paragon this week to see what they have. Or I can just give in and buy the Nikes.

Running among the bikers at Bethpage

Many riders out for a good cause

Today's run (Bethpage State Park): 8.2 miles

Yesterday morning's run was surprisingly difficult. I knew from the start that I was off my game and I hoped that I'd get back in the groove by today's run. Happily, I did. I headed to Bethpage this morning to run the bike trail, with a plan to cover about eight miles.

The weather was fantastic at 8:00 AM, with sunny skies, low humidity and a temperature of 52 degrees. The lot was filled with cars when I arrived at the park, and I saw that an MS charity bike ride was being staged at the trail head. I remembered this event from last year. It's a non-competitive ride that includes cyclists of all ages.

The bike path begins with a short, but pronounced, hill and I could tell right away that I'd have little trouble taking on Bethpage's challenges. I'd run this path numerous times during my half marathon training and could always gauge whether I was in for a good or bad experience within the first half mile. I decided to pick up the pace and see what I could handle.

I'd brought along my gel flask that I'd filled with a GU gel and water. I decided to hold off using that until I'd reached the halfway point, when I would encounter a series of steep rises. My energy was good, but the temperature, with the direct sun, was rising.The first hill was tough and the second two were tougher, but I made it over and back the Southern State in decent shape.

Throughout the run I encountered numerous cyclists, most of whom gave me a wide berth and warned me of their approach. There were a couple of jerks, as usual, who sped closely by, but the majority of riders shared the road respectfully.

I passed a number of other runners along the way, and that told me I was pacing well. I didn't look at my Garmin through most of my run, because I didn't want to be distracted by metrics. I parceled out my gel solution and wished near the end that I had mixed in two GU's rather than just one. But I never reached a point where I was close to bonking. I took on little K2 and Everest (my nickname for the last two hills) feeling quite confident.

I wore my test shoes and they performed really well. By mile seven, the bottoms of my feet were getting sore. I've experienced that with every pair I own of late. It may have something to do with running exclusively in shoes that lack stability control. Too bad, but I'm not switching back.

After I crested the final hill, I enjoyed the last downhill section that leads to the head of the path. The bike event volunteers were standing at the end waving pom poms and cheering the cyclists as they finished. They all gave me a big cheer as I crossed and I yelled, "Did I win?!" That was fun.

I did well today, 8 miles at a mid-9:00 pace. I was pleased, especially compared with yesterday's performance. My friend TC, who ran the LI Half with me, ran a 10K this morning in 49 minutes. Congrats to him. Also impressive was my friend KWL, who rode the 103 mile Grand Fondo from the GW Bridge to Bear Mountain (and back) today.

Quite the weekend for activity. Another colleague ran the Brooklyn Half yesterday. It's the season for racing. NHP 8K is happening in two weekends. Hope I feel as strong on that day as I did today.