Twisting and turning on the Bethpage trails

On August 12, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

So that’s where I ran – thanks Garmin!

Today’s run (Bethpage trails): 3.25 miles

I’d hoped to cover more than three miles on the wooded trails at Bethpage this morning, but that distance turned out to be more than enough. I really like Bethpage’s trails because they are well groomed and diverse. The terrain varies between mulch, dirt, loose rocks and sand. I don’t care much for the sandy parts, but they are just part of the challenge.

In terms of technical terrain, Stillwell has it beat, but Bethpage provides some fun twisty trails that seem to go in circles but really just wind around (see top of picture). I usually get disoriented when running in the woods and today was no exception. I’m always surprised where I come out. Today it was at the top of the big hill along the paved bike trail.

The humidity was high and I felt like the week’s activities were catching up to me as I neared the finish of my run. I circled the parking lot before calling it a workout and headed back home to start our day, which is also my last day of vacation. It’s been a great week and it’s always disappointing when a vacation ends. Even though this turned out to be a low mileage week for running, it was a high mileage week for everything else.

Liquid exhaustion

On August 4, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Yesterday’s run (treadmill): 30 minutes
Today’s run (street) 5.25 miles

Circuitous route

I was tired on Thursday morning and (no surprise) my run was slow. Yesterday morning I felt the same, so I skipped my morning run altogether. I’m not sure why I lacked energy on these two days but it definitely affected my motivation to run. After a half day in the office I headed home feeling more inclined to work out, so I took the opportunity to fit in a 30 minute treadmill run.

Despite yesterday’s brutal heat and high humidity, I remained relatively dry during my indoor run. Credit goes to the big fan we’ve positioned directly in front of the treadmill. I didn’t push my pace but, by the time I reached my planned finish time, I was completely soaked with sweat. I’d placed an icy glass filled with Gatorade G2 on the side table of the bed to drink after I’d completed my run. As they say, I was keeping my eye on the prize.

This morning I took it outside with no planned route, but an intention of running five miles. The dew point was approaching 70 by the time I set off and I tried to keep a sustainable pace that would allow me to cover my planned distance. I hadn’t matched my normal pace since Wednesday morning’s run. Today was no different but my focus was on distance, not speed.

The hot sun and the moisture in the air wore me down, mile by mile, but I still had enough in the tank to cover 5-plus miles. I’m accustomed to being sweaty after these long runs, but today it looked and felt like I had stepped out of a lake as I walked into the house. Every square inch of skin was wet and my clothing was completely saturated. Although I felt no aerobic strain during the run, I was still breathing heavily five minutes after the finish. It was more exhausting than I realized.

I’m on vacation this coming week and I hope to get a chance to run in Washington DC while we’re there. If that’s not practical, I may need to settle for the fitness center in the hotel. It’s less stimulating to run indoors. But, with this weather, I’ll fully appreciate the air conditioned experience.

Appreciating the obvious

On July 31, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (street): 2.5

In a recent Runner’s World’s “Daily Kick in the Butt”, there was a quote that went, “Relish the bad training runs. Without them it’s difficult to recognize, much less appreciate, the good ones.” I thought about that quote on my run this morning as I made my way along my usual route. The run felt great and I could tell that I was pacing well. It was indeed a “good one.”

The trick is to have more good runs than bad ones. I can usually tell within the first 10 yards of a run whether I’m in for a good or bad experience. Sometimes I’m fooled and a good run will turn bad. I’ve had times when I felt I could run all day but, after a few miles, I was questioning whether I’d make it back home without stopping.

On the other hand, there are times when you get a “second wind” that completely changes how you feel and what you think you can do. I recall a treadmill run a few months ago, when I was self-bargaining to keep going until I hit the 35 minute mark. I had nothing left until – suddenly – I felt boundless energy. I ended up running for over an hour that day. I only stopped because I’d run out of time.

Why are some runs better than others? Sometimes it’s circumstantial. You’re tired, feeling ill, had too big a lunch, or hadn’t properly trained for the workout. Other times the cause is not so clear. While we always look for a reason when a run goes bad, we often just appreciate the ones that go really well.

Wackos and backward walkers at the track

On July 22, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Round and round (and round) we go

Today’s run (track): 1 mile warm up, 8 x 220 M, 2 mile run = 4.15 miles

I finished my training for this week’s 5K with some speed work on the local high school track. I’m always ambivalent about track running because I find the experience excruciatingly boring. At the same time, with its precise measurement and flat surface, the track is a great place to run intervals. Plus, there’s always an interesting cast of characters to help distract me from the tedium.

The temperature was in the 70’s and the humidity was moderate when I started my workout, with a warm up mile that I completed in 8:19. I wore my Hattori’s that I’ve kept in the closet over the last few months while I ran with the Spira’s, Kinvara 3’s and my Brooks test shoes. The Hattori’s felt fantastic and I’m tempted to go back to them as my regular trainers.

My track-mates included a guy who had about a decade on me, running shirtless. He was covered in sweat and moving at an impressive pace. I wondered how long he could keep that up. Pretty long, it turned out. I suspect he’d been at it for a while when I arrived, and he continued for the first 20 minutes of my workout.

Also on the track was an older Asian woman whom I’d seen before. She circles the track walking backwards. I’m not sure why, but that’s her thing. There was a stocky guy with long hair and a beard walking the whole time I was there. I noticed that he’d switched to a trot around the time I was leaving. I also saw two or three other fitness walkers, some fast and some slow, whose orbits coincided with my laps at various points on the track.

One of the walkers was a guy in his 40’s who I first noticed when he ran the steps in the grandstand. I expected to see him run when he got to the track, but he walked. He did a couple of sprints and, oddly, it was only when our paths crossed (I’d reversed direction on the track). Was he trying to prove he could run as well? He looked angry the whole time he was there and I noticed that he sped out of the parking lot in his big BMW, with gravel flying, after he’d finished his workout. What a wacko.

I felt good running the 220 splits and averaged 7:01 for that mile. I know I could have done better than that, but my goal was to generate some speed without injuring myself. It had been a while since I did any speed work. I did the last two miles closer to a 9:00 minute pace and I was satisfied with what will be my last training run before Wednesday.

While I’m ambivalent about the track, I can almost guarantee my runner’s high after a workout like that. I count on that to help me through the less-than-stimulating experience of running in circles.

Chia Surge provides "gritty" experience

On June 30, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Still waiting for my surge

Today’s run (Bethpage State Park): 6.2 miles

I took an unscheduled rest day on Friday and hoped to make up some miles today. The weekend weather was supposed to be hot and humid, so I planned to get out early before temperatures got into the 80’s. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to Bethpage State Park until 8:00 AM, and the heat was already rising.

Prior to my run, I tried the last of the “test gels” that I’d recently purchased at REI. This brand was called Chia Surge and, according to its website (VITALYTE), “Chia Surge is the first gel to combine Whole Seed Chia and Palatinose for mile after mile energy and muscle fuel, with Beta Alanine and BCAA’s to buffer lactic acid and improve muscle performance.”

That sounded pretty impressive and I had high hopes that it would help me through my planned 6.2 mile run this morning. The gel contains Chia, a seed that is featured as a natural source of energy in Christopher McDougall’s book, “Born to Run.” I had experimented with Chia seed after I’d read the book and found the energizing claims inconclusive.

If you think you’d be squeamish about putting a thick, sweet, but slightly chemical-tasting syrup in your mouth, you may want to avoid this product. That’s because it gets worse when you feel the grittiness of hundreds of Chia seeds that crunch as you (involuntarily) chew them. I followed my ingestion of Chia Surge with a rigorous flossing session.

Still, I’d hoped that the gel would provide that promised surge that would get me through the heat and my challenging route along Bethpage’s rolling bike trail. I began my run at the trail head and took note of my energy level. I felt a little below average, with heavy legs and low energy. There was no surging going on, at least at that point.

A look at my splits showed some interesting metrics. I’d covered mile one in 10:30 which, even for me, is slow. But something weird happened after that and my pace dropped to the low 9:00’s for the next couple of miles. Was it a delayed reaction to the gel? Or did that easy first mile warm me up for the next two? If it was the former, I’d say that Chia Surge provides a little extra energy for a short time.

By mile four, the heat was getting to me and the running became more difficult. I’d filled my gel flask with water and used it strategically because it only held 4 ounces. I like that it fits nicely in the pocket of my Brooks running shorts. The route is out-and-back and I’d wished I turned around sooner at that point, but it was too late. I had to do my full six.

I struggled through the rest of the run and dreaded the last hill that took what was left of my energy. I definitely slowed down after mile three, but considering the heat and my low energy start, my overall pace wasn’t terrible (10:17). I certainly felt like I got a good workout.

I can’t say that Chia Surge helped or that it didn’t. I was more impressed with the experience I had with both the Accell and the Chocolate #9 gels last week. It would be unfair to judge a product based on a single use, but it’s unlikely that I’d try Chia Surge again. There are too many other options out there, and none of them require dental floss.

2012 New Hyde Park 8K race report

On June 3, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Crossing the line later than I’d hoped

Today’s run (New Hyde Park 8K): 45:30

I ran the New Hyde Park 8K this morning for the fourth consecutive time. It wasn’t a disaster, but it could have gone better. No PR today.

I’d done all the right things to prepare — steady training, speed work last weekend, and two days rest prior to race day. I wasn’t feeling 100% yesterday, but I did some light upper body work followed by some core work that seemed to help. I didn’t have a great night’s sleep but I felt fine this morning. More rest would have been good.

The weather was perfect when we arrived at the Denton Ave. school where the race begins and ends. There was a little miscue with my registration and they couldn’t find my race package. Fortunately, they did have my proper tag and bib number. The crowd seemed smaller than last year, but a quick comparison with last year’s results shows there were slightly more people running today. But the feel of the race was different this year, lacking its usual excitement and energy.

Feeling okay after the start

We assembled for the start under sunny skies, I took a position about 20 feet behind the line. After one false start, we were on our way. I was looking forward to running this course and I felt fine for the first few minutes. I started feeling the effort soon after that, far too early in the race. Still, I had little trouble keeping up with the crowd. I was concerned about sustaining my present pace over five miles.

I came through mile 1 at 8:32 and struggled with a couple of small hills before the route spilled onto New Hyde Park Road. I wasn’t even near the 2 mile mark when I began to struggle. New Hyde Park Road rises for a while before dropping ahead of the turn onto the service road for the Long Island Expressway. I stopped at the first water station and took water. Usually I’ll slow down but keep moving, but in this case, I came to a standstill. That cost me at least 30 seconds, but I’m glad I did it.

The stretch along the service road was tough, but I held my pace for the most part. The shaded stretches were a godsend, but after coming up the hill leading to Shelter Rock Road, it was all sun. I had filled my gel flask with two Roctanes that I took between miles 3 and 4 and I believe they helped get me through the end of the course without a bonk. At mile four I was disappointed to see that my cumulative time was far behind my goal time. I was hoping I might (at least) come close to my prior finish times.

The last part of the course routes through a neighborhood leading to the field behind the Denton Ave. school. By the time I turned off Shelter Rock Road I was ready for the end and was visualizing the green field where the finish line is located. I wasn’t struggling by the last mile, but I knew that this race would not go down as a great performance. I was disappointed to see the clock showing 45 minutes when I finally reached the field, and crossed the line at 45:30.

I’m not sure why today’s run was so difficult, but I definitely wasn’t on my game this morning. I averaged a 9:10 pace which I’d consider good on a training run, but I missed my target of running sub-9:00 race.

Rather than settling the score in 2013, I’m thinking that I might look for a different race next June. I don’t have the same affection for this event that I have for some other races, and I’m primed for a new challenge. Still, I got a great workout and I was able to share the experience with my wife and kids. Every race can’t be a personal best and I accept my performance without complaint. Racing is about challenging yourself, and today, it was a struggle. But at least I tried and I toughed it out. I win.

I’ve got a secret (running shoe)

On May 17, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Yesterday’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

I’m having another busy week that has caused me to miss two blog posts and today’s workout. I’m hoping to get back on track tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ve been enjoying the experience of testing a new pair of running shoes for a company that I cannot name. In the past, I’ve been provided a good number of running shoes for review, but these models were already available in stores. I did receive my Kinvara 3’s a month before retail launch, but had no influence on their design.

The shoes I’m evaluating are a work in progress and they will surely change before hitting the stores. I’ve done two runs in them (both indoors) so I’m curious to see how they feel on the road. They happen to be the type of shoes I’d consider as a primary trainer, and that makes the testing especially interesting. I filled out my first feedback report yesterday and liked being able to share my opinions with those who can shape the final product. I’ll provide all the details once the testing is done (and I get an okay from the company to do that).

This video ad from Nike has been going around for a while, although I only saw it this week. I’m not a fan of Nike running shoes (my test shoes are not Nikes) but I really liked this commercial. It made me laugh when I watched it.

My favorite thing about the race

On May 7, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Photo courtesy of Newsday

My favorite thing about yesterday’s race wasn’t the PR, the medal or the feeling of crossing the line after two hours of running. It was the fun of the day, being around people that I knew, who were sharing the same experience as me. Last year’s half marathon was a singular effort. I traveled alone, ran the race alone and had little contact with anyone else until I’d finished the race.

I wasn’t alone before or after the Half Marathon and it made a big difference for me. My family often joins me at races and it always feels special when they do. But a half marathon is a long time to wait on the sidelines for someone that you see only for a moment. I had my special after-race time with my wife and kids when I got home yesterday, and it was great.

Over the course of two hours and eight minutes, there’s a lot of time to think. The field was crowded and that allowed me many opportunities to study the runners ahead of me. I’m always amused by what some people wear during a race. At other times, my mind drifted to non-race related things, and I found myself surprised to be passing mile markers so quickly. I spend a lot of time “in the zone” over that 13.1 miles.

Most importantly, I had fun while I ran yesterday’s race, and that was completely opposite to my previous experience running the half. You train a lot and pay money to enter a race. If you don’t enjoy it, you shouldn’t do it. The LI Half was certainly worth the price of admission. In fact, it’s much more than that.

Race Report: 2012 LI Half Marathon

On May 6, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Proud to earn the medal

LI Half Marathon: 13.1 miles — 2:08:47 (PR)

This morning I ran my second half marathon and the results were (happily) better than the first. I finished the race almost 14 minutes faster than last year. All those weekends at Bethpage clearly paid off, and a healthy knee took care of the rest.

My day started early and I was joined by my friend TC who came by my house at 6:00 AM. We did last minute preparations, like pinning bib numbers and packing our gear bags, before we headed over to Eisenhower Park. The roads were clear and we made good time. We quickly found parking spots and walked over to Charles Lindbergh Boulevard where the start of the race was being staged. In our excitement we forgot to take notice of where we’d parked. It was something we’d regret later.

Even though we were early, the crowd was already large. It quickly grew to thousands and, before we knew it, race time had come. Last year there was a dearth of porto-pottys and this year it appeared as though they’d doubled the number. That made things much easier for people and prevented the need to use the grounds along the starting line as ad hoc facilities.

I located a spot in the 9:00 pace range and after some unexpected fireworks, the crowd was off. With over 5,000 runners on the move, we basically shuffled past the starting line. It was good that the race provided a starting line sensor that captured net times for runners, but for some odd reason “official” times are calculated from gun time.

Consequently, my “official” pace was based on a time that was three minutes longer than my actual time. It’s a bad policy because it punishes people who follow the rules and line up at their pace range, rather than move to the front of the line. I really don’t understand that. Since they record the runner’s net times, why don’t they use them?

But while this race is about performance, it’s also about the experience. Knowing what to expect after running the race last year really helped me manage my expectations. The loop around Nassau Coliseum, that felt so long the last year, went by very quickly today. I couldn’t believe how soon we reached the 5K mark and I appreciated my healthy knee when we passed the four mile sign. That was the moment of truth for me last year, when I debated whether to drop out to protect my knee.

I maintained a steady pace as I made my way up Post Road to Jericho Turnpike, stopping for the briefest time to grab water to wash down some GU Roctane I had put in my gel flask. That turned out to be a great way of managing fuel. I hit the 10K mark in just about an hour and I ran strongly through the next few miles. At one point, on Brush Hollow Road, a band was playing a fast tempo blues song that perfectly matched my cadence. Although I usually prefer silence when I run, I appreciated all the live bands that played for us today.

When I reached Wantagh Parkway I was still feeling good, but the sun had come out and the entrance to the Parkway was the steepest incline we’d yet encountered. I made it up fine and enjoyed some of the downhill sections, although one uphill section went on for a while. All along the race, I thought about the quote: “Run the mile you’re in” and that helped me focus on the moment, instead of thinking about the miles ahead.

Once we hit Carmen Avenue I was pretty psyched because I knew that I would beat last year’s time by a measurable amount. I was careful not to mistake the full marathon’s 24 mile marker for a sign that we’d reached 12 miles (like I did last year) and when I saw the 11 mile marker, I knew I had enough in reserve to finish with some strength.

We entered the park and I actually needed to pass some runners on the narrow pathway. I saw my dentist up ahead and greeted him as I caught up. I yelled “Let’s go!” and we picked up the pace. He was able to sustain it, but I needed to drop back to my previous pace after a couple of minutes. I knew when I was getting close to the end, and started to feel some excitement. My Garmin said 2:04 and I knew I had a good chance of breaking 2:10, which was my stretch goal.

The last quarter mile was hard and the crowd along the path was deep and LOUD. I saw the finish line and put in as much effort as I could until I crossed. I was in so much better shape than last year at the end. I saw TC, who had nailed the distance in 1:50, waiting near the line. We celebrated each other’s performances and made our way slowly to the Finish Line Festival. The crowds were so thick that we decided to skip the festival and head to the UPS trucks to get our stowed gear.

We had no clue where to find our cars, so we walked around for over thirty minutes until we finally located the lot where we’d parked. I thought back to last year when I could barely handle the ten minute walk to my car after the race.

A foot soak with Dr. Bonner’s peppermint soap helped a lot this afternoon and I’m going to take a couple of days off from running to recover. I am pleased and happy with today’s race and I’m proud of my friends who also ran today. Is it realistic to think that I could break 2:00 in a half marathon some day? I’m not sure I can, but after today’s race, I can considerate it a possibility.

Race report: 2012 Marcie Mazzola 5K

On April 15, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

The big finish

Today’s run (Marcie Mazzola 5K): 3.1 miles

26:48 (8:38 pace)

Once again, Team Emerging Runner headed out early on a Sunday morning (6:55 AM) for my fourth running of the Marcie Mazzola 5K. Although the race starts at 8:30, we like to get there before the crowds, because the parking lot gets filled quickly. We arrived to see things in full swing with dozens of volunteers dressed in the race’s signature purple shirts.

I got my race number and we settled in for an hour’s wait until the start. I’ve participated in this race for the last four years and my wife and I recognize many of the people from prior years. This race attracts runners across the spectrum, from the very young, to those in their 80’s. There are always lots of people from running clubs and corporate teams, but the total number of participants was still a manageable 440.

Colorful crowd prior to race start

We were concerned about the weather, because conditions were dark and cloudy when we left the house. The news stations were reporting light showers throughout the morning. By race time, things had brightened up and we lined up to the start under partly sunny skies. I chatted with the runner next to me while we waited. He asked me if my Hattori’s (yep, decided to go with a reliable favorite) hurt my knees. I told him, with a mid-foot strike, that they are actually kinder to my knees than cushioned shoes.

Seconds after the horn, we turned onto Woodhull, which the race announcer described as being 5/8ths of a mile in distance. I ran it more aggressively than last year and expected my first mile split to be better than the 9:17 that was called out by the race volunteer. But it is a big long hill and last year I spent 9:35 covering the same distance. Once we crested, the road began its downward slope and I pushed hard to make up some time.

I ran well over the second mile and passed a good number of runners. I do believe all the long runs I’ve been doing are helping my speed. My 2 mile split was 17:30, which brought my overall pace down to 8:45 at that point, a half minute per mile improvement. With that progress and the feeling that I had sufficient energy to sustain my pace, I thought I was in for a PR-challenging run.

Once I crossed West Main Street and reached Prime Avenue that borders Heckscher Park, I knew I’d soon be challenged on the turnaround that leads to the final streets toward the finish line. About an eighth of a mile before the end sits a short steep hill that I always dread. I wanted to preserve whatever I had left for my final sprint, but I needed to spend precious energy getting past this hill.

Hard charge around the final dogleg

With no choice but to charge up the hill, I poured it on and hoped for the best. Seconds later I passed mile 3 and made my way up a less challenging hill, past the cheering crowds, where I saw my family waiting along the final dogleg leading to the finish chute. I had given it everything I had, running a 7:40 pace as I crossed the line.

Road ID – It wasn’t for performance but I won!

We hung out after the race to watch the award ceremony and then waited for the results of the raffle. My kids always hold out hope of winning one of the prize baskets, but it didn’t happen this year. There’s a raffle just for the runners, and I was fortunate to win a gift certificate for a Road ID. Timing is everything, because I just got one a couple of weeks ago! But this one will be put to good use.

Long line for Mr. Softy

Like last year, the race organizers hired a Mr. Softy truck to hand out soft serve cones to race participants. It was a welcome treat again this year, and that one cone made its way through the entire Emerging Runner team.

It was another great Marcie Mazzola race, my second race of the year, and a good break from my weekend long runs. I would have liked to break 26 minutes and I thought I was on track to do that, but it didn’t happen. Still, I improved on last year’s time by 44 seconds – not too bad.

Tomorrow it’s back to the office and next weekend I’m back to long base running. I’m happy with this morning’s race and now it’s all about the LI Half in May.