Boo for Bethpage and yay for Stillwell!

On December 4, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

No sports for you!

Today’s run (Stillwell Woods): 4.6 miles

I had a plan today and I intended to stick with it — 5 miles on the Bethpage State Park bike path, first thing in the morning. I checked the weather and saw that the temperature was in the high 30’s, so I put on some long pants and a couple of top layers and headed to Bethpage. I wore my Brooks Adrenalins because I wanted more thermal protection than the Hattori’s provide and, frankly, I’m just not loving the Mirages on pavement right now.

When I arrived at the park I was confronted with a locked gate and a sign that said “Winter sports are prohibited at this point.” Harrumph!! That was disappointing and after snapping the above picture, I turned around and headed back toward home. I was all dressed up with nowhere to run, but I figured I’d think of something along the way.

When I reached my exit I decided to head over to Stillwell, which I knew would still be be open to those participating in “winter sports.” I parked close to Southwood’s Road that put me as far away as possible from the trail head. I thought it would be good to have some extra distance coming and going.

By the time I crossed over from pavement to trail, I’d already covered more than a quarter mile and I followed my usual route into the woods. Despite not being trail shoes, the Brooks do a credible job on dirt, sand and small rocks and that was all I was taking on this morning.

My run was pleasant but unremarkable and I didn’t encounter another person until I was on my last loop around the big field. It was there that I passed three runners coming from the other direction. I continued west and then south, until I reached the path that led to the trail head. As I came onto that path I saw the three runners from before, who had come to the same point from the opposite side.

Since I ended up slightly ahead of these runners, I felt pressured to maintain a lead. Fortunately, they weren’t running too fast, but they weren’t dogging it either. When we reached the paved drive I increased my speed to maintain my position. I liked having a reason to run fast and the Adrenalins felt as responsive as always. I averaged in the low 8:00 range for that last section and was more than happy when I reached my car.

I covered 10.5 miles this weekend, a little short of my goal, but still respectable. I feel like I’m running well right now. Not a lot of speed, but it’s there when I need it.

Ups and downs at Bethpage State Park

On October 9, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

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.

Bethpage base run better than expected

On September 10, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (Bethpage State Park): 6.7 miles

With Cow Harbor happening next week, I knew I needed to put in a few more base miles before I begin my training taper. Last year I spent a lot of time focusing on the Cow Harbor route and the strategy to run it. I even did a trial run of the course to understand firsthand the challenges of James Street, Waterside Drive and Pumpernickel Hill.

I haven’t done too much thinking about it this year and I’m guessing that’s okay. I know from last year that I should take the first mile slow despite the temptation to sprint along Scudder Avenue’s downhill sections. Better to reserve energy for the end of Bayview Ave. and James Street’s “Widow Hill.” I’m really hoping that the weather will be cooler than last year, when the heat and humidity sent half a dozen people to the hospital. Even so, I know I’ll reach a point during that race when I’m questioning why I’m doing it. All it takes is all you got.

I went over to the bike path at Bethpage State Park this morning. It’s my favorite place for runs on pavement that are longer than four or five miles. The theme of today’s run was time, not speed. I didn’t care how fast I ran, I just wanted to run at least an hour to help reinforce my conditioning. Bethpage isn’t quite as challenging as Cow Harbor in terms of elevation changes, but it’s rolling. The bike trail has two hilly sections that can be tough to get over and the worst of it is at the end.

I brought along my hand bottle that I filled with Gatorade G2 and the air was so cool that I didn’t take my first sip until I was past the 2 mile mark. Although my perceived effort was fairly low I was maintaining a better pace than normal for this type of run. I was actually annoyed when I looked at my Garmin at the three mile mark to see I was pacing around 9:10 per mile because I wanted to do this run closer to 9:50.

There were many runners and cyclists on the path. I noticed more running groups than usual and I wondered if the Ocean to Sound Relay was happening today (I checked later and saw that it will be held on the 25th). I changed direction after a number of runners coming from the other side had passed by. I feared getting swallowed up by them and preferred to draft in their wake. Nothing surprised me more than when I started passing them, first a few single runners and then entire groups. I was simply maintaining my pace. Interestingly, I wasn’t passed by a single runner all day.

By mile five I was beginning to tire but I wasn’t losing much speed. I continued to drink the G2 and almost finished it just before I took on the long hill that comes at the end. I didn’t take the hill fast but I did maintain a steady rhythm as I ascended. I really appreciated the final 50 meters that is all downhill.

Most women ask for roses

I got to my car and was able to sit down immediately because I had placed an AllSport SeatShield covering on my car’s seat. I got a couple of these water/sweat proof covers after my wife (rightfully) complained that towels on the seats don’t do a good enough job. She gets mad when I occasionally take her car to runs and her seats end up moist from sweat. These covers, at about $20 apiece, seemed expensive when I realized that they’re made of material that’s similar to recyclable shopping bags. But the covers fit very well over the seats and kept them dry. If that result makes my wife happy then it’s worth every penny!

Racing the hurricane

On August 27, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (Bethpage State Park): 7.1 miles

Apparently there’s some rain and wind coming our way as Irene makes her (its?) way up the eastern seaboard. At least we’ve had time to prepare, but with a million people in the NYC area under mandatory evacuation everyone is pretty much on edge. With the hurricane coming later, I went out early to Bethpage to get in some training miles.

There were plenty of people on the trails at Bethpage this morning, along with golfers who were getting in a few rounds before the storm. It was cloudy, but humid, and I was glad that I wore my new Mizuno singlet. I brought along my water bottle that I filled with 1/3 ice and 2/3 Gatorade G2 to help keep me hydrated. The combination of the two kept things bearable over my entire 7+ mile run.

My goal distance was eight miles but I decided that I’d shorten that by a mile because it’s been a long time since I’ve run more than a few miles in the Hattori’s. I didn’t want to invite injury andwith the high humidity, it was the right thing to do.

By the end of my run I was looking forward to getting past the last long hill and quite happy when I finally finished. Considering the weather, I thought I’d performed well and I was pleased that I was able to work on my base. I’ll either be on the treadmill or the elliptical tomorrow, unless we lose our power. That being the case, I’ll revisit my core workout in the dark.

Me and Dave on the Bethpage trail

On July 31, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Start of the Bethpage bike path and its first big hill

Today’s run (Bethpage bike path): 6.3 miles

This morning I finally caught up with my running buddy Dave, who I haven’t seen since the winter. He’d just come back from a long vacation in Greece with his family where he had many opportunities to run. We had decided to cover about six miles today, the first time I’ve done a run over 6 miles since mid-June.

We started at 7:20 AM while it was still fairly cool. The humidity hadn’t risen much and we were sheltered by the bike path’s tree cover that starts about a mile into the route. We maintained an easy pace and, before I knew it, we’d passed the 30 minute mark. We then turned around to complete the second half of the run.

Along the way we saw a number of people running in groups, perhaps in training for an upcoming race. There were the usual cyclists, most of them polite, but one rider overtook us on the final hill and screamed “Move over!” before he passed. Not too cool since there was plenty of room for him already.

Between the relaxed pace and the interesting conversation the hour-plus run went by very quickly. I had brought my Amphipod hand bottle, filled it with crushed ice, for hydration. The contents stayed cold as the ice melted and it provided a cool supply of water throughout the route. We finished the run feeling like we’d had a good workout and had the sweat to prove that. I was really pleased to break the 6 mile barrier after many days, along with great company, a nice course and near perfect weather.

Running the great trails at Bethpage

On June 22, 2011 By Emerging Runner1 Comment

All around the woods at Bethpage this morning

Today’s run (Bethpage State Park trails): 4.6 miles

Today is both the last day of middle school for my kids and my daughter’s 13th birthday. Yes, I’m the father of a teenager. The kids were released by 10:30 AM so I needed to get out fairly early to prepare for the morning’s birthday activities.

I couldn’t face another neighborhood run and I really wasn’t in the mood for another run along the Bethpage bike trail. It then occurred to me that Bethpage also has some very nice wooded trails. I arrived a little after 8:00 AM and headed in through the main trail head. I often lose my way when I run the paths at Bethpage because there are so many trails to choose from.

I followed a path that runs northeast and appreciated how nicely the trails in this park are maintained. I decided to continue until I ran out of trail so I stayed on the same path until that happened. At one point I crossed another wide trail that was groomed so well that the fresh loam felt like a carpet. I was determined to return to that and run it to the western end.

I’d taken a Hammer gel that I’d bought for $0.75 at REI a few weeks ago (it was a featured sale item) and it seemed to provide the necessary energy for a fairly vigorous run. I wore the Mirages that I’m now considering my defacto trail shoes for non-technical trail running and I moved along well. Once I reached the western end I encountered the twisty, windy, sandy, hilly sections and I did remarkably well through that terrain.

Trail head on the southern edge

One of these trails ended at the southwest side of the parking lot so I ran along the bottom before ducking into another trail head on the opposite corner. From there I reconnected with that wide groomed trail and followed it until I intersected with the path that would take me back to the main trail head. I exited the woods from there and ran through the field all the way back to my car.

I ended up covering more distance than I’d planned and I quickly moved on because I wanted to be showered and ready for the kids when they arrived back home. The timing worked fine and soon we were off to lunch and other activities. Soaking rains moved in soon after that but the sun came out again and the kids are now swimming in the pool, the first of many summer vacation afternoons.

I had a great run today and I’m very glad I remembered these beautiful trails. Any trail runners on Long Island who live in eastern Nassau or western Suffolk counties should take the time to run Bethpage. It’s a great way to spend a morning.

Good long run on cloudy Sunday morning

On June 12, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (Bethpage State Park): 6.6 miles

Yesterday’s experience landing on a sharp rock made me concerned that I would end up with a real injury. My foot felt tender after that run so I iced it for about an hour before we all headed out. I wore an old pair of Brooks Adrenalins in hopes that the cushioning would protect the bruise as I moved around. I didn’t give it much thought after that and I went to bed hoping my foot would be back to normal by morning.

I woke up at 4:00 AM to the sound of driving rain and wondered if my morning run would be a washout. I returned to bed and when I woke up at 5:30 I saw that the rain had moved out. I watched the local weather report to be sure that was the case and headed off to Bethpage State Park for a run. My plan was to go out for about 5K and come back for a total of 6+ miles. My foot felt okay and I hoped that would continue once I hit the bike trail.

It actually felt chilly when I stepped out of the car and I did some dynamic stretches while the Garmin 210 acquired its signal. As soon as the satellites locked in I took off, attacking the first hill that begins right after the start. Soon I was bounding down the long hill, maintaining a mid-8:00 pace. I knew I was running harder than planned because my breathing was labored and I slowed down until I felt more comfortable.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Bethpage bike path feels like it’s a predominantly uphill route no matter which direction you run it. My foot felt fine and the Hattori’s were doing their job. I watched my form and felt energized on the hills. With cloudy skies and the early hour there weren’t a lot of runners on the trail. Every few minutes I’d encounter clumps of people either walking or running together and an occasional cyclist.

I concentrated on the way I was running (arm position, posture, strike) and decided to block out the final hill from my thoughts. I’d deal with it when it came along, no sense wasting effort dreading the inevitable. By the time I reached that hilly stretch I was feeling a little tired but I put in some additional effort and did my best to surge on the steepest part of the hill. I’m not sure if it made a difference but I am definitely becoming less intimidated by that final challenge.

It’s been a good week of running despite taking two rest days and I credit the Hattori’s which have noticeably improved the experience. I’m pleased with my form and I’m hoping that it will translate into better efficiency (and therefore speed). Even if that’s not the case, I feel like I’m running better right now than ever before.

Long run at Bethpage and REI is here!

On May 22, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

My run among the bikers

Yesterday afternoon’s workout (biking): 5.8 miles
Today’s run (Bethpage State Park): 6.6 miles

Yesterday afternoon I had a break in the schedule so I went out for a neighborhood bike ride. I kept it to about 30 minutes. The first three minutes had some stops and starts due to equipment issues that I needed to resolve on the fly. A half hour provided enough time for me to feel like I’d done some work. Still, it was easy enough that I didn’t need to disrupt our evening plans with another shower.

This morning I headed over to Bethpage to do my long weekend run. I haven’t done much more than five miles on any run since the half marathon. Even though my knee is still tender it’s ready for more distance. I targeted 6-7 miles for this morning and ended up running 6.6. When I arrived at the park the parking lot was 3/4 filled and I noticed a lot of bikers gathered near a table set up near the bike path starting point. I learned later that the were holding an event called Bike MS: Traffic Free Family Fun Ride.

I knew then that I’d have plenty of company on the trail and I worried a bit about inexperienced cyclists who didn’t understand how to share the road with runners. With one exception, a serious looking cyclist who came up behind me and passed to my left with barely a foot of clearance, the other bikers were extremely courteous. Most experienced cyclists provided the requisite and helpful “On your left” as they approached.

I had a PowerBar Strawberry Banana gel prior to my run and I carried my Amphipod hand bottle filled with G2. Both provided good energy. I ran at an easy pace and was able to manage the frequent hills without much trouble. Near the end of my run I was passed by a young woman who was moving so well that she soon passed me again, going the other way. I wasn’t trying to break any speed records but she was probably running double my speed at that point.

The MS Bike volunteers cheering in another cyclist

Once I crested the dreaded last hill I was ready to call it a run. I was happy to note that my knee held up well till the end. As I made my way to the final downhill that leads to the start of the path I saw the two “cheerleaders” who were waving their pom poms to celebrate every charity biker who finished. The high school aged cheerleader even gave me my own rah! rah! finish that I appreciated. It was a nice event for an important cause and they had a great turnout.

Later in the day we went over to the REI that (finally!) opened on Long Island. I felt like a kid in a candy store and I could have spent the entire day there. We got our daughter a mountain bike and I also picked up some gels and Brooks running shirt that was on sale at a great price. It’s been a busy and active weekend. Since noon on Friday I’ve done almost 14 miles running and another 5.8 biking. I’m looking forward to my weekly rest day tomorrow.

It happens every year

On April 19, 2011 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

I thought you were supposed to have fun on birthdays

Today’s run (Bethpage State Park): 8.25 miles

It’s my birthday today, an event that used to coincide with Patriot’s Day, a Massachusetts holiday that was best known as the day they ran the Boston Marathon. Growing up in Massachusetts, I enjoyed the fact that I never had to go to school on my birthday, first because it was a holiday and later because we always had our spring break that week. It wasn’t until college that I had to attend classes on my birthday. I may have chosen not to go on those days just to maintain the tradition. Well that was my story anyway.

We went to a large family dinner last night and near the end I was presented with a birthday cake. It was very nice of my wife’s family to do this. The cake was selected by my brother-in-law who is a dedicated vegan. The cake was pleasant enough. I have no idea what it was made of but it tasted like a bran muffin with white non-dairy frosting. Yummy! Fortunately (or unfortunately) there were a number of un-vegan desserts available.

This morning I decided to celebrate my birthday with an 8.25 mile run on the Bethpage bike-paths. I bought an Empire Passport on Saturday and was looking forward to being waved through for my generous contribution to the park service but no one was in attendance. Oh well. I brought along my Amphipod hand water bottle and set out with a target of 8 miles. It’s been a while since I’ve done a run exceeding 6 miles but I expected it to go well since my aim was to run it easy.

Useful GU

I consumed a GU Roctane in vanilla orange flavor about 30 minutes before my run and I think it helped get me moving at the beginning. The skies were gray with some very light rain and the temperature was a cool 50 degrees. At around the 3 mile mark I grew concerned about my stamina on this hilly course but I decided that I’d simply throttle my speed below my lactic threshold level (English: slow down but not stop) if I grew too tired. I recovered some energy by mile 5 but I struggled with the last long hill at the end that I always dread.

It was a good run overall. I maintained a pace in the high 9:00 range despite the tougher sections. I’ll probably go even longer on a run before I return to work next Monday and begin my taper. I’m a bit sore from this run and yesterday’s speed work. Add a day of recovery and the result is improved conditioning. Happy birthday indeed.

Bethpage trails on a sunny day — but I didn’t love the run

On April 17, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (Bethpage State Park trails) 3.5 miles

By now I have a sense of how a run will go long before I take my first step. When I prepare my gear the night before my 4:00 AM runs I usually know how I’ll feel when my alarm goes off in the morning. On weekends, when I run longer and later in the morning, I’ve come to expect a tougher time once 10:00 AM comes and goes.

That was the case today. I was up early but I didn’t get out until almost noon. I wasn’t feeling the drive to run and I even considered talking the day to rest. As the weather grew sunnier through the morning I decided to go for it. I knew that we’d see rainy weather for the next couple of days and I didn’t want to waste a good day. I didn’t feel it today but I knew I had to get out there.

I went to Bethpage to run the trails and started at the beginning of the bike path. I followed that for about half a mile before reaching an opening to the dirt trail that runs north. That trail eventually wrapped east and opened to numerous other paths. I followed the wider, better groomed, trail before deciding to switch to a single-track that first took me north but then bent right and eventually reversed direction. I continued through these trails, switching paths every so often and gauging my position by the direction of the sun.

I wasn’t fatigued but my running lacked an energetic punch. In truth, it wasn’t a very good run. I never got that free-wheeling feeling of roller coaster running that I often experience on the trails. After three miles I decided to pay attention to what my body was telling me and I wrapped it up after covering 3.5 miles overall. I still have a cold that I’m hoping will be over soon. A rest day tomorrow will be nice and long distance run is the plan for Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on weather.