Paying the price for running too fast

On December 7, 2014 By Emerging Runner9 Comments

Today’s run (street): 4.5 miles

Yesterday afternoon I started experiencing muscle pain from my left side glute down to the hamstring. The pain isn’t sharp, but it’s noticeable. My first thought and concern was that the new Kayanos were throwing off my gait. I realized that was unlikely because my only prior run in them was on Friday, when I covered a scant 3.3 miles. I took ibuprofen before bed last night and hoped the ache would be gone in the morning.

That wasn’t the case. When I got up, the pain was there. No better or worse than last night, but it was enough to notice. I’ve been injury-free for over a year and I was puzzled by this condition. It felt more like sciatica than a muscle or tendon tear. However, if that was the source then analgesics should have helped.

My opportunities for running are skewed to the end of the week and the weekend, so missing a Sunday run for rest would have an effect on my weekly volume. I decided to go for a very easy run and carefully monitor the pain. The last time I had something like this, it quickly went from moderate discomfort to bad pain. So bad, in fact, that I needed to abandon a run after a quarter mile and limp back home.

I wore the Kayanos again because they have stability features that would provide a correction for a pronator like me. I generally ignore that need because I prefer a neutral trainer. My old Brooks Adrenalins, which had a firm medial post, would do a great job of solving issues related to gait.

I took off with a conscious focus on the sore muscle and soon realized that running wasn’t going to exacerbate the problem. At the same time, my quads and hamstrings felt tighter than normal and I knew I had no chance of matching yesterday’s speed. It was then when I realized the pain I felt was probably due to those episodes of fast running during yesterday’s workout. It’s been a while since I’ve pushed my pace so hard for so long.

Nice weather we’re havin’

The other factor that worked against me today was the weather. According to Garmin Connect, conditions during today’s run were 37° temps with a 23 MPH wind. The wind chill made it feel like 26° and at times I felt like I was running last year’s Long Beach Turkey Trot. I had no illusions of meeting my performance target. Besides that, the purpose of this run was recovery.

I expected to cover about 4 miles – less if my pain grew worse. Since that didn’t turn out to be the case, I hung in for an extra half mile. When I was done I was ready for a nap. Hours later, my muscle soreness remains, but it’s no worse than when I got up this morning. Rest has always been my best approach to injury, so I’ll be doing that for the next couple or days (at least). This doesn’t seem to be the same type of pain I had last time. I hope so, because that injury took me off the road for over a week.

Jingle on the way

On November 30, 2014 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run (street): 3.8 miles

There are sure a lot of Christmas themed 5Ks on Long Island. I ran the Ho Ho Holiday race a couple of years ago and last December I ran the Hot Chocolate 5K with SIOR. There’s also the Jingle Bell run, Stuff the Sleigh, the Toy Trot and the Holiday Fun Run. It’s been months since I’ve raced and I’m feeling ready to return to the starting line. I’m excited to be running the Jingle All The Way 5K with my buddies on December 13.

I used to avoid 5Ks because it took a lot of time and effort to do something that goes by in less than 30 minutes. 10Ks were my favorite distance because they’re short enough to require tactical speed, yet long enough to require a smart pacing strategy. However, after many month’s hiatus from racing and little performance focused running, a 5K seems like a good way to restart competition.

This morning I woke up with a pain under my arch and I wondered if I’d bruised a tendon during yesterday’s rough trail run. I’m always concerned that I’ll develop plantar fasciitis, which is the fourth most common running injury. I debated whether I should take a rest day to help my foot recover. After having some coffee and walking around the house, the pain diminished and I decided to go out for a few miles to see how it held up.

It was very cold this morning, so I went with the Opedix Knee-Tecs once again for warmth. My objective was a 3-4 mile tempo run. I planned to start easy and increase speed after a couple of miles. If my foot pain returned, I figured I would keep to the original pace or shut down the run. After 15 minutes without pain, I stepped it up and maintained a faster pace until the end.

I ended up improving my second half pace by a full minute over the first. It still wasn’t to the level of performance I’m hoping to attain on the 13th, but it’s going in the right direction. I’ll see if I can maintain a higher intensity in my runs leading up to the race date. There’s nothing like having a race on the calendar to motivate you to try a little harder.

Turkey day morning run

On November 28, 2014 By Emerging Runner7 Comments

Today’s run (street): 4.3 miles

Happy Thanksgiving! It’s so nice to be on break from work and being able to spend time with friends and family. It’s also a treat to have time to go out for runs (weather permitting) every day. Yesterday’s running plans were disrupted by the freezing rain, but this morning’s conditions were much more favorable.

It was 33° and cloudy when I got my gear organized. My daughter decided to join me for the first part of my run and I was excited about that. We waited outside in the cold while my Garmin locked in on its GPS signal. It has been taking longer and longer to acquire a connection and I hope that doesn’t mean that I’m going to need a new watch. Actually it would be great to get a new toy, but I’ve been very happy with the FR210. Once the display came ready, we were off the driveway and on the road.

Our route was a clockwise loop around the roads adjacent to my house. We moved along at an easy pace and chatted away. Once we completed the circle I left my daughter at the house and continued on to complete my run. A few minutes later I began to notice some snowflakes fluttering down and I loved the effect. That, combined with the crisp air, the scent of wood burning and the aroma of Thanksgiving cooking made for a very pleasant experience.

There weren’t a lot of people out at 8:00 AM, but those I saw were in a friendly mood. I wasn’t the only person in the neighborhood who was trying to get in a holiday run. I crossed paths with three other runners by the time I wrapped up my workout. The rest of the day has been filled with holiday activities and LOTS of food. Still more fun to come on that.

I plan to get out tomorrow to burn off the all these calories. I’m not sure what I’ll do, but the weather is supposed to be sunny and cold. Congrats once again go to TPP who put in yet another great race effort today at the Town of Oyster Bay turkey trot. One of these days I’m going to return to the track and work on speed. Maybe tomorrow will be that day.

Escape from a neighborhood run

On November 22, 2014 By Emerging Runner8 Comments

Après run selfie

Today’s run (Bethpage Trail): 6.25 miles

It took me a while to decide where I’d run this morning. The easy choice was to stay in my neighborhood but I’m getting bored seeing of the same roads, houses and cars. I considered Stillwell Woods because I haven’t been on the trails in a few weeks. My goal was to run at least six miles today, so I figured I’d go to the Bethpage trail where I do better on longer runs.

It was “wicked cold” this morning (as we’d say in Boston) so I needed to gear up properly. Running in cold weather usually doesn’t bother me except in cases when the wind chill causes my glasses to freeze on my face. Today’s weather was fairly calm and I wore plenty of layers. That included my new Opedix Knee-Tecs that I scandalously wore without a top layer of shorts.

I parked in the Bethpage lot and ran up the hill toward the trail. I then decided to head north so I could follow the mile markers to the 5K point. Turning around there would get me my planned six-plus mile distance. I didn’t have the same level of energy today that powered me through yesterday’s surprisingly good run. Even so, I felt strong enough to take on the ribbon of hills that awaited me.

The temperature during my run was 34° with a 10 MPH wind from the west. Since I traveled north for the first half and then south for the second, I didn’t experience much in the way of resistance. It did feel chilly and I didn’t see a single runner, cyclist or walker until I reached my second mile. I run at Bethpage so often that I recognize a lot of people on the trail now, and based upon their greeting when we pass, I assume that some of them recognize me back. There’s one woman I see every time I run there who always gives me a big smile and wave.

Today’s route

Today’s run was more LSD than PDQ so I wasn’t disappointed that it took over an hour to cover my route. Overall, I was pleased with the run and happy that I didn’t settle for another workout around my neighborhood roads. I may do that tomorrow, but at least today I got to experience some hills and look at scenery that didn’t include a bunch of boring houses and cars.

Running performance is a weighty issue

On November 21, 2014 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (street): 3.6 miles

There’s an article in a recent issue of Running Times that correlates weight and performance. There’s nothing surprising or revelatory in the article, but they make the obvious point that carrying extra pounds will not help your speed. I’ve been exploring every reason why my pace has declined over the last couple of years and have ruled out health issues. After reading this story, I wondered if weight is a factor.

I’ve kept my weight under control over the last six years and I continue to watch my diet. Running 16-20 miles a week certainly helps. Still, I’ve wondered if I’ve become lax in terms of sugar intake and portion control. I hadn’t stepped on a scale in months and decided check to see if I’d gained weight. I hoped that I had because I can deal with that. Just lose a few pounds and go back to 26 minute 5Ks!

I pulled out the scale and saw that I was only 3.5% over my ideal healthy weight. That didn’t provide much opportunity to trade pounds for performance. I’m slowly coming to the conclusion that the only way to improve is to commit to a higher level of training. Running buddy TPP has proven that really works.

I went out this morning for a cold weather run that felt even colder due to strong winds. I spent almost ten minutes waiting for a GPS signal before the watch showed ready. I took off and noticed that I felt a little stronger than usual. However, I didn’t expect a great performance because of the strong winds. The wind chill was in the teens and my face felt frozen.

It wasn’t until I got back home that I realized I’d done my fastest run in months. I was happy to see that, but I’m not exactly sure why. I may start paying a little more attention to my diet and bring that 3.5% down to target. Every little bit helps. Especially for those of us who are happy to stick with their current level of training.

Layered up for a surprisingly good run

On November 14, 2014 By Emerging Runner8 Comments

Today’s run (street): 3.25 miles

I had the opportunity to get out early today, but I squandered my time and ended up sneaking in a run between business calls. I got a lot done before I went out, but came very close to missing my window for a morning run. I’m an early-bird and really didn’t want to have to go out late in the day. After seeing that the current temperature was hovering around 35°, I piled on the layers and scooted out the door.

It was chilly, but not freezing, when I finally got outside. I was afraid I’d dressed too warmly and would later regret the hat and gloves I was wearing. I ended up keeping them on and (happily) never felt overheated during the run. It’s supposed to get even colder this weekend.

It wasn’t until I reached my first quarter mile that I realized I had decent energy. I spotted a runner a few hundred feet ahead and realized that I was going to pass her quickly. I wasn’t setting the world on fire this morning, but I was moving faster than usual. I ended up improving 40 seconds per mile over Tuesday’s run. A couple of fartleks near the end helped that along.

I considered wearing my new Opedix Knee-Tecs today, but I’m saving them for tomorrow when I meet my buddies to take on a particularly hilly course. My friend KWL, who ran a strong race at the NYC Marathon two weeks ago, will be joining SIOR, TPP and possibly others. I know it will be a challenge for me to stay with this fast crowd, but I’ll try my best.

Raw, dark, windy, rainy run

On November 1, 2014 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Rain puddle running

Today’s run (street): 5.6 miles

Last night the kids hosted a Halloween party and I did my best to avoid all the holiday related food and the tray of candy by the door. This resulted in a late night, but I wasn’t able to sleep later than 5:30 this morning. I only had a small cup of coffee when I got up, because I expected to be out running in short order. I looked outside and saw torrents of rain hitting the deck and decided to wait it out rather than do a long run on the treadmill.

The time went from 6:30…7:30… and on, but the rain continued to come down. When my wife got on the treadmill to start her run I saw that the rain had slowed down. I took advantage of this break and put on a few layers of running gear. Based on the weather report that said 40° temps and 14 MPH winds, I went for track pants and a long sleeve top.

Before I headed outside, I added my ASICS lightweight running rain jacket. I was sure that the rain would return at some point and I wanted to minimize soakage. It took forever to get a signal on my Garmin – the progress bar kept stopping short by a millimeter before dropping back to the halfway point. After 10 minutes of that nonsense, I decided to start without the GPS locked in, since I could capture distance later with Gmaps.

The combination of thermal and waterproof layers worked well and I followed a loop that was never more than a half mile from my house. I figured that if the skies opened up, I could get back in 5 minutes or less from any point. I know my neighborhood well enough to estimate distance without looking at my watch and I noticed that it took longer than expected to record the first mile. I guessed that the problem locking in all the satellites was affecting accuracy.

It was cold, dark and gray and the rain gained intensity as I went on. The jacket’s hood did a good job of keeping me dry, but it kept slipping forward and blocking my peripheral vision. I stepped in a puddle and was glad I wore Smartwool socks which are still thermal when wet. The winds grew stronger and it started raining harder. I was determined to complete at least five miles and ignored everything except the road ahead and any signs of approaching cars.

Looping the loop

I moved along fairly well considering the conditions and debated whether to add another loop to get me over six miles. Instead, I stretched out my last two loops into connected streets and ended up covering 5.6 miles before returning to my warm dry house. I was a little disappointed in my performance. After measuring my true distance and calculating pace, I had hopes that I broke 10 mins/mile but that didn’t happen. I guess I can blame the wind and the rain, but I know it was really my stride and cadence.

According to the weather reports, tomorrow will be cold, but at least the rain will be gone. I’d like to get out earlier than today and do at least six miles. I probably won’t make 16 miles for the week, but at least I’ll be getting in a couple of decent base runs.

I’m sending my most positive thoughts to friends KWL, NL, FS and other friends who are running the NYC Marathon tomorrow. I hope you all have great races and fantastic experiences. Enjoy every moment, stay hydrated and don’t over-layer!

A chilly, windy, wonderful run

On October 5, 2014 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Circuitous route

Today’s run (street): 5.6 miles

Yesterday’s steamy treadmill workout reminded me that we’re not quite done with humid days. All I hoped for this morning was clear skies so I could get outside for my run. What I didn’t expect to see were temperatures in the mid 40’s — cold even for early October. Goodbye humidity and hello dry air. I was thrilled.

45° is chilly enough to wear long sleeves, yet warm enough for shorts. Since I’m more concerned about comfort than fashion, that’s the combination that I went with. The stiff wind from the west made things occasionally unpleasant. Changing direction along today’s circuitous route helped to keep things manageable.

Unlike last Sunday’s long run, I didn’t encounter too many oddities along the way. I did notice that the Justice Monkey sign was replaced by a small kick board that someone had hung in its place. Once again, puzzling and strange. I also followed a skateboarder down one of the longer roads. I tried to stay with him, but was never able to catch up. How fast do skateboards go?

I would have liked to do a full six miles this morning, but I needed to get back in time to meet our day’s schedule. Even so, it was great to be outside and running in the crisp fall air. A review of the run data shows that, despite replacing the battery in the foot pod, it didn’t record my cadence. That was disappointing because I tried to work on that and would have liked to see the results. I’ll probably have to re-link the foot pod to my Garmin 210 to make it work again.

Hoka Clifton (top), Saucony Kinvara 5 (bottom)

Today’s run was a nice antidote to yesterday’s treadmill slog and I hope this cooler weather sticks around until next weekend. I’m starting to think about replacing my Virratas and I’m on the fence on whether to stay with a minimal platform (i.e., Kinvara 5) or join the new wave of cushioned running shoes that Hoka started. After running in Hattoris, Kinvaras, Pure Drifts and Virratas over the past four years, I’m open to a change.

Winter running in mid April

On April 16, 2014 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Thick frost on the lawn this morning

Today’s run (street): 6.25 miles

Yesterday’s schedule was rough and it involved an early morning drive to a client north of the city. This meeting and other obligations disrupted my training schedule and they caused me to miss my weekly speed work. I considered doing those repeats today and moving my long run to Thursday, but I didn’t want to space my base training runs too close together.

I was surprised to see that the temperature was only 32° when I got up. At least yesterday’s driving rains were gone, so it was just a matter of bundling up. I’ve gotten used to running in 40 degree weather so I was concerned about a possible recurrence of cold-related breathing issues, but they didn’t materialize. I dressed for the frigid temperature and set out to cover 6 miles or so.

Complex route

Longer runs in my contained neighborhood are hard to do unless you don’t mind covering the same streets multiple times. I mentally mapped out a route that would minimize these redundancies and took off running at an easy pace. I knew that it would be cold, but I didn’t count on the stiff breezes that accompanied it. According to my Garmin data, the winds were at 14 MPH, making it feel like 24° outside. Nothing like pushing your way up a long sloping road with freezing wind buffeting you the entire way.

The run itself was fairly easy. I have no doubt that the Brooklyn Half training is contributing to my endurance. I picked up the pace on the last mile and ran it almost a minute faster than the previous 5. That told me two things: I can run faster when I need to do it and I can find speed at the end of a middle-long distance run. Speed is a relative term of course. My “fast” pace today did not match race target. But it is progress and I’m all for that.

Wind induced Turkey Trot flashback

On March 26, 2014 By Emerging Runner16 Comments

Wind chilly

Today’s run (neighborhood): 5 miles

This morning I saw that the temperature was 33°, but the wind was making it feel like it was 19° outside. I weighed the pros and cons of going out or staying inside. I decided that I’d rather endure challenging winds than five mind-numbing miles on the treadmill. In retrospect, I’m not sure that was the smartest way to go

One of the reasons I chose to run outside was to confront this cold weather breathing issue straight on. By coincidence, the first three base runs I’ve done since starting my half marathon training have happened on the three coldest days. The theory I’m exploring is that cold air is affecting my ability to breathe efficiently and causing me to struggle far below normal lactate threshold. Interestingly, I found something online that said facial cooling triggers the vagus nerve (grow up, it’s located in your face) which can slow up heartbeat.

I’ve had trouble getting my heart rate above 80% of max on these cold runs, so the answer may be in there somewhere. My plan this morning was to run fairly easy, since I did intervals yesterday. I started out feeling okay, but not speedy (which was fine). I was also wearing more layers than a pâte feuilletée and that was probably slowing me down. The wind was brutal and running directly into it practically stopped my forward progress. It was like a flashback to the Long Beach Turkey Trot last November, but happily without the sandstorm.

Race fitness: It’s just a matter of Venn

The two main objectives to my training are to increase my endurance well enough to cover 13.1 miles and improve my stamina to allow me to maintain a targeted pace over that distance. I’ll be honest and say that today’s run did not provide any sign of improved speed, but I was able to handle the mileage better than on Sunday.

Tomorrow’s weather is supposed to be much like today’s. If that’s the case I’m going to stay inside and run my three miles at “pace” on the treadmill. I’ll plan to run longer distances outside and keep the speedier workouts indoors until the weather gets warmer. If that’s what it takes to bridge stamina and speed, I’m willing to spend a little time on the treadmill.