Stillwell Woods running, made in the shade

On July 6, 2013 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Out of the woods and into the sun

Today’s run (Stillwell Woods): 3.4 miles

With temperatures reaching the 90’s by midday today, I decided that a sheltered run at Stillwell Woods would be a good bet. Even with heavy tree cover, I knew it would be hot at 8:30 AM, so I did what I could to stay comfortable. I wore my white, terrycloth Jackrabbit running hat, a white technical jersey and a cooling bandanna that I’d prepared by soaking in water and placing in the refrigerator. Due to the high tick population this season, I traded coolness (both in look and comfort) for safety, with a pair of mid-calf wool trail socks.

The beginning of my run was great. I had none of yesterday’s fatigue and, this being a trail run, I moderated my pace and prevented any anaerobically-induced coughing. The shaded woods kept conditions bearable and the short segments of unprotected sky reinforced my decision not to do a street run today. It wasn’t very crowded and I only saw a few mountain bikers on the paths. At one point, I was overtaken by three high school-aged girls who were running along the trail. They seemed to have little trouble speeding along in the hot and humid weather.

About halfway through my run, I began to think about the Dirty Sock 10K in August, when conditions will likely be similar. On that day, I’ll need to cover almost double the distance I was running today. I have some hot weather training to do. I think the bandanna helped at first, but after a while the heat rendered it ineffective. By the time I reached the trail head, I was soaked with sweat and ready to stop.

In the end, I felt great. A change of scenery was needed, and I enjoyed the experience far more than my recent runs on local roads. Stillwell is only 5 minutes from my house, so it’s an easy choice to make whenever I’m feeling bored of my running routine. A harder choice will be taking on some of Stillwell’s tougher trails that I’ve come to avoid, in favor of more familiar (and easier) routes. I’m going to take on that challenge, but not with 90° temps and 90% humidity.

Cow-themed glycogen fueling station

On July 3, 2013 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

One cow out front. 1,000 more inside

Today’s run (street): 3.4 miles

I spent yesterday in the city, on a day that started early and ended late. It was was hot, humid and generally uncomfortable, but I was fortunate to see a lot of business friends throughout the day. I switched my usual routine and ran on Monday and took Tuesday as my rest day.

Today, I worked out of my home office and that gave me the flexibility to join my wife and kids at Maureen’s Kitchen, a local breakfast place that is famous for its cow theme, large portions and cash-only policy. I usually eat a small breakfast (less than 400 calories) but today I indulged and ordered Maureen’s French Toast. I even paid the extra $1.75 for genuine maple syrup. My brother would have been appalled. He lives in VT where good stuff practically flows from the tap. The meals they served us were almost laughably huge, but I managed to get through most of mine.

Due to my schedule, I had calls that prevented me from getting out for a run until 1:30 PM, when the temperature and humidity were at their peak. The heat notwithstanding, it was probably good that I had a chance to digest all those carbs from my morning meal.

I had good energy, probably due to an over abundance of glycogen, and I got through the first mile fairly quickly. I might have turned this into a performance run, but I’m still dealing with chest congestion that caused me to cough whenever I increased speed past a certain point. My cough has improved, but it’s still present, even after three full weeks.

Between pushing my speed as far as I dared, the baking sun and the moist air, I finished feeling like I’d just raced. It didn’t take long to get my heart rate down, but it was a tough workout. I’m aiming for an early Independence Day run tomorrow that may end with a dive into the pool. Unlike last summer, I will be sure to put aside my phone before I take the plunge.

Considering a new concept: running fast

On July 2, 2013 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Comfort or competitive?

Today’s run (treadmill): 3.1 miles

It was nice to put some speed into my running yesterday, after so many weeks of moderate workouts. It’s easy to fall into the trap of running an equilibrium pace, something that I define as the speed I run when I’m not thinking about running. Enabling this behavior are all the articles I’m reading that challenge the long term health benefit of high intensity workouts. But if you want to be a competitive runner, you need to train fast every once in a while.

I envy people who have trouble running slowly. In the early ’90’s, I went out fast on every run and I think that led to my eventual disenchantment with running. When I returned to running in 2008, my strategy was to ease into my training, building my fitness over time. My enjoyment of running was tied to the experience of being outside and active, without suffering every time I did a run. That’s possibly why I am perfectly comfortable running easy.

Every time I race, I want to race again soon. I’m debating whether to subject myself to a July race, or wait until the Dirty Sock in August that has always been the kickoff race to my busier fall and winter race schedule.

This morning I broke from tradition and did a run the day after a race. I usually take Monday as a rest day, but an early day tomorrow prompted me to do the day trade. In deference to recovery, I ran easy, but the humidity made it feel hard. The wet weather kept me inside on the treadmill so at least I had the floor fan to mitigate the heat. I was happy when I finished.

Weather permitting, I’ll be back on the road on Wednesday. My plan is to add some speed to my run, at least during some segments. Who knows, some day I could be one of those people who have trouble running slowly.

2013 Marcie Mazzola Race Report

On June 30, 2013 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Last turn before the finish

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

This morning I ran the Marcie Mazzola Foundation race for the fifth year in a row. This race was originally scheduled for last April, but the date was moved to the end of June because of a Mazzola family issue. I was concerned about running this race in the summer heat, but the ample shade made it bearable. This year I was joined by a couple of industry colleagues who were running this race for the first time.

As I’d expected, my performance did not match prior races I’ve done at this distance, but I was not disappointed. In previous years, I was racing every month and that helped me maintain my competitive focus. It’s halfway through the year and I’ve only participated in two races so far. I ran about 15 minutes on the treadmill yesterday to “activate” my leg muscles, with a combination of elevation (training for the hill on Woodhull) and speed. It’s hard to know if that helped, but I don’t think it did any harm.

Team Emerging Runner arrived at 7:45 AM for the 8:30 start. Unlike the spring race, when the morning temperature requires extra layers prior to the start, it was nice to be comfortable in just my race gear. Registration went fine, and we watched the kid’s fun run that happens 30 minutes before the 5K start. Soon after that I saw my friend Bill, an experienced racer, who had never run the Marcie Mazzola race.

Bill and I made our way down to the starting line on Park Ave and I noticed that the crowd was smaller than last year. No doubt this was due to the race date change, because the organizers announced that there were over 500 registrants. The race results showed 15 DNS’s, most likely runners that signed up for April but had scheduling conflicts today. There were 103 less finishers this year than in 2012.

Once Bill and I established our position behind the line, we were joined by another friend, Mike, who had walked to the race from his house. Mike runs triathlons, but had not run Marcie before today. As we waited for the countdown, I described the course and tried to prepare them for the hill on Woodhull Rd. Neither seemed intimidated by it.

The official Marcie 5K Pace car

The race started on time and soon after seeing my wife and kids on the sideline, we took the right and climbed the big hill that goes on for half a mile. I felt like I was moving at a decent clip and I passed a number of runners along the way. I’m still experiencing upper respiratory issues and as I made my way up Woodhull, I started to wheeze and cough. I think I’m getting closer to recovery (it’s been three weeks now!) but I was concerned about pushing too hard. I backed off the throttle slightly, until my breathing regulated. With all that, I was a little disappointed to see that I ran the first mile in 9:30.

Seconds after the start

In past years, I’ve run that first mile even slower and still finished in the 26:00 range. I ran as fast as I could today, but missed my average 5K finish time by almost two minutes. I was hoping to break 27:50, but I ended up finishing in just over 28 minutes. If this race had a timing mat at the starting line, I may have have hit my targeted time. Considering the lack of race training I did to prepare, I’m fine with today’s number.

Post-finish hydration and electrolytes

I ran miles two and three in the high 8:00 range, bringing my overall pace close to 9:00. I never felt concern about sustaining my pace, although the last segment going east of Heckscher Park, followed by a brief but noticeable hill, always makes it challenging at the end. I always want to break nine minutes, but that didn’t happen today. Still, even with a small field of runners, I ended up in the top 40% of finishers.

Racing buddies, Bill (left) and Mike (right)

Bill came in half a minute before me and Mike came in shortly after I’d finished. The path to the finish line is on an incline that has a dogleg that points runners to the chute. I thought the timer said 27:58 when I went through, but the official results have me 10 seconds after that. Either way, I was happy at the end, with my family cheering me on as I crossed the line.

After taking almost three months off from racing, it was great to be back in competition. I didn’t have any expectation that I would perform well today, but I didn’t want to embarrass myself either. Another Marcie Mazzola race is in the books, and I’m looking forward to my next race, that is likely to be the Dirty Sock 10K. That’s a race that demands some real training so I’d better get started. But today, I’m going to focus on a little post-race relaxation.

Running from home to the Greenbelt Trail

On May 18, 2013 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Section of the new bike trail I covered today

Today’s run (Street + Greenbelt Bike Trail): 5.25

There’s nothing like the promise of a Saturday morning training run. It’s the start of the weekend and a break from business obligations. On those rare Saturdays where my schedule is open-ended, I usually go to a local park or Preserve. It’s a treat to run among interesting scenery, rather than gazing at my neighborhood’s expanse of manicured lawns and avoiding careless drivers.

The drawback to park and Preserve running is the need to travel to those locations. It bothers me that I have to drive my car to get to my running destination. Stillwell Woods and Trailview are only five minutes from my home (and Bethpage is ten), but getting to them still involves logistics. If I could only get to the Greenbelt trail without needing a car…

Well it looks like my wish has been granted. This morning I decided to explore the area near my house where the town has paved some bike trails. These trails run along the busier roads that I’d always dismissed as too dangerous to run. I started from my front door and did a loop around some local roads before cutting through the middle school into neighborhood #3. This neighborhood has an exit out to Woodbury Road, exactly where the new path starts.

The trail along Sunnyside, heading north

Suddenly, I was on a protected multi-use trail that would theoretically connect me all the way to the Massepequa Preserve trail head, 13 miles to the south. I ran along the path and saw evidence of progress, with construction signs and a few short gaps in the paved surface. Sunnyside Boulevard, the road that parallels the path, has a long hill that goes for 3/4 miles. It’s steeper than Waterside Ave. on the Cow Harbor course and will be a good local training spot to prep for that challenge.

Once I made my way past the Northern State Parkway just north of the LIE, I stopped to figure out where the path continued south. There were a number of “No Trespassing” signs around this area that I took more as a suggestion than a warning, since I was seeing lots of cyclists zooming by. I tried to understand the safest way to get across to the paved path that continued on the other side. At that moment, two riders came across, and I asked them how far the bike trail went. They spoke the magic words, “All the way to Massepequa Preserve.” Awesome.

Truth be told, I wasn’t feeling my best on the run, and the long uphill section on Sunnyside had worn me out. I’d considered reversing direction and heading home at that point, but now I had to continue long enough to see where the path would lead. I crossed the street and followed the trail south until I reached the point where the service road diverged from the LIE. I then doubled back and crossed back over to where the path continued north.

The run back was easier, even though there were some short hills to address. Most of the next mile was downhill and that helped restore my energy level as I went along. Shortly before I reached Woodbury Road, I took a tangential path to see where it led (it terminated a block west) and ran to the the crosswalk that led me back into neighborhood #3.

It was exciting to know that I could actually run to Bethpage from my house if I really wanted to. It would be about 6.5 miles – doable – but then I’d have to run home. I’ve run 13+ miles a few times, so it’s in the realm of the possible. However, I think I’ll need to do a lot more base training before I take that on.

Trail running on the Bethpage feather bed

On May 13, 2013 By Emerging Runner7 Comments

Wood-chipped trails as soft as a featherbed

Today’s run (Bethpage State Park trails): 3.6 miles

Happy Mother’s Day!

After yesterday’s workout washout, I decided to go to Bethpage for a run on the wooded trails. It was rainy and overcast early in the morning, but the weather reports were predicting the sun would return by 9:00 AM. Once I saw that was true, I headed over to the park and made my way up the hill where I could pick up a trail on the southern side.

Once I got past the basketball courts and picnic area, I cut into the woods and encountered a wide, wood-chip covered path. I haven’t spent much time on these trails since hurricane Sandy and I was surprised how much work was done to return them to pristine condition. Running along the path gave the sensation of being on a very thick carpet or a feather bed. Even though we’d gotten a soaking yesterday, the wood chips were doing a great job keeping things dry.

I wanted to increase the challenge, so I took some side paths that were more technical, narrow and steep. I wondered if I’d run into the paved path that runs parallel to the top of the woods, but I stayed tucked inside. The low tree cover and the dry air acted like nature’s air conditioner I made my way back to the east end and followed a few trails that I’d never run before. One of these trails ran parallel to the start of the new paved bike path. I’d run next to it a number of times before, but never on it.

Trail running miles can feel harder than pavement miles and that was the case today. I felt like I had a very good workout and it was great to be back to the woods. The trail was as comfy as a B&B mattress, except when I was running on twisty, narrow single-track. In each case, my surroundings made the experience an energizing way to spend a cool Sunday morning.

Happy resolution, happy morning run

On April 20, 2013 By Emerging Runner4 Comments

I should design a route that spells out my name

Today’s run (street): 4.5 miles

The outcome of the manhunt for the surviving Boston Marathon bomber ended with a live suspect and no further casualties. As good as that is, it’s important to remember that lots of innocent people were killed or maimed this week in the name of religious zealotry and hate. The Boston Marathon’s joy was hijacked for the benefit of no one. I only hope the city’s powerful reaction to the senseless acts this week will ultimately strengthen the event.

There are a couple of high profile NYC races this weekend and I fear that some weak-minded fool will try a copy-cat attack. I also worry that the London Marathon will have similar threats. I’ll never cease to be amazed by the level of depravity that exists in the minds of some people. Cowards will always look for easy targets.

Okay, back to talking about running! Less than half of my workouts over the past seven days have happened outdoors and I was determined to run outside today. It rained overnight and into the morning, so I waited until the skies cleared before going out. The temperature was 48° around 9:00 AM, so I dressed in shorts, but wore a log sleeved running shirt. That turned out to be a good decision, because the winds were strong from the south and the extra warmth was appreciated.

My Garmin annoyed me (once again) by taking over five minutes to lock into its signal. Standing in the shade of my garage was a chilly experience, but once I got moving I felt comfortable. I elected to run south on Jericho for a change, but the stiff winds forced me to duck back into the neighborhood. It was one of those situations where conditions were perfect in some directions and awful in others. Despite that, I felt great throughout the run.

I didn’t have a distance target, so I just followed roads until I found myself heading in the direction of home. I could have easily run a few more miles, but my son and I are planning to hike later and I wanted to keep some energy in reserve. It was a completely pleasant experience today and, for the first time in days, I was able to think of things other than the events that have played out around Boston. I’m really hoping that this weekend the races will be about the runners, and the stories will be all be happy.

Definitely the second title

On March 29, 2013 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

On the road

Today’s run (street): 3.3 miles

Even before I run, I’ll usually have a good idea of what I’ll write in my daily post. If my plan is to go out for a few miles, the variables are basically the route I’ll take and how I performed. Today was different, I’d decided to try a return to the road. That invited the real possibility that I’d undo all the recovery work I’ve done over the past seven days. I wondered if I’d title today’s post, “Too much too soon”, or “Victory on the road.”

I was genuinely nervous when I stepped outside. I took extra time to do some dynamic stretching, especially with my right leg. The GPS took its time to acquire signal but it finally went to ready state. I hit the start and set off in my usual starting direction, hoping for the best.

The first test came quickly, just 50 steps away from my house. It was here that my hip injury announced itself two weeks ago, causing me to immediately stop my run. No problem this time. One hurdle cleared.

The next point of concern came up three minutes later, near the top of the first road on my route. That was how far I’d gotten the last time I attempted a street run. The pain at that time was excruciating. Later, it took almost an hour, an ice pack and an Aleve before it began to feel better. I cringed when I passed that point today. Happily, there was no pain.

I continued on, feeling increasingly confident as I made my way through the first mile. My hip felt okay, but there was some tightness. I was running very easy and that probably helped. Around mile two I started to detect a dull pain around my hip. It was barely noticeable but I became concerned that I was pushing my luck. I was about a mile from my house, so I considered my options. I could either walk back home, or continue along my route. I chose to keep running.

The final 1.3 miles went fine. By the end, I knew I’d done no harm to my hip. The important thing was that I’d successfully completed a run on pavement. Hours later, my hip still feels fine. We had a family get-together in the afternoon and I didn’t notice my hip at all. The question is, do I go longer than three miles tomorrow? Further, since this injury has improved with rest and careful workouts, is it necessary to keep my appointment with the orthopedist next week?

Race report: Long Beach Snowflake 4 Miler

On February 23, 2013 By Emerging Runner8 Comments

The finish line

Today’s run (Long Beach Snowflake race): 4 miles – 35:00 (8:45 pace)

This morning I ran the Long Beach Snowflake 4 mile race for the third consecutive year. After the devastating effects of hurricane Sandy, I was sure the race would be postponed this year. But the spirit of the city was evident today and the race went on. The course was different than prior years, but the experience felt similar. Weather conditions were far from ideal, but it could have been much worse.

The view beyond the finish line

The race was staged at the Lindell Elementary School, nine blocks north of last year’s location. I arrived at 7:45 AM, hoping to beat the crowd in case parking was an issue. The school actually had plenty of parking and I found a spot close to the building. There were 129 less participants this year than last year and I was especially glad that I’d signed up. Although I live 30 minutes from Long Beach, I felt an obligation to participate and support this city that has been through so much.

Pre-race crowd keeping warm

After picking up my race bib and shirt, I took in the sights and sounds of the growing crowd as we moved closer to start time. Every race is different, but the pre-race energy always feels the same. The school gym kept everyone warm and comfortable until a member of the race crew ushered us to the line ten minutes before the start. I was glad that it was almost race time, but the cold winds made me wish I was back in the gym.

The crowd assembled behind the starting line as the race director organized people so that the faster pacers could start at the front. I stood a few rows behind them, because I like to be swept along by the speediest runners for the first mile. After some inspiring statements about Long Beach’s recovery from the storm, and a quick review of the new course, we counted down to the start.

The course went directly south for half a mile, turning east on Broadway for the next 1.5 miles before the turnaround. I didn’t realize that Broadway was so close to the old boardwalk. I’d expected to turn left after passing a couple of blocks, not ten. I was being passed left and right, despite my attempts to keep up with the faster crowd. I felt some relief to make the turn at Broadway, but I knew I still had three and a half miles to go.

There’s a point in every race when I feel that I failed to train properly for that event. It usually comes after the first couple of miles, when I begin to question my ability to sustain my race pace. Today was no different. I came through the first mile in 8:06. A good pace, but it was almost 15 seconds off last year’s mile one split time. I hoped to stay below 9:00 for the remaining splits and I managed to do that, although mile three recorded at 8:59 on my Garmin.

It’s always a fast crowd in Long Beach and getting passed can be disheartening. It wasn’t until I made the turn at mile two, heading west, that I saw the large number of people behind me, still running east. Instead of feeling happy, I worried that they would all eventually overtake me. This race felt hard, probably because I haven’t gone all out in race mode for months. Still, I felt that I could handle the pace I was running, and I ended up finishing in the top 35%.

I settled into my stride at three miles, coming through a few seconds under 26 minutes. It seemed to take forever to reach Lindell where we took a right, heading north for for the last half mile. By 9:30 AM, cars were trying to cross the course at some intersections. Traffic control did their best, but I actually saw a couple of cars impatiently cutting through with runners still crossing the box. I had no incidents, but a couple of cars made me nervous.

I finally saw the finish chute when I had a block and a half to go. I tried to muster more speed, but I was at my physical limit. It would have been nice to cross the line earlier, but I left nothing on the course today and ran the best pace I could maintain. I was very happy to cross over the line. I felt all four hard miles at that point, yet I also felt strong.

Why am I smiling? The race is over

After the race, I watched some runners come in before downing a Gatorade and taking a few pictures. I was disappointed that my friend Steve, who ran this race with me the last two years, couldn’t participate today. I’ll tell him what he missed. For me, it was a validation of my fitness and a pretty good effort. I may not have loved every minute of the run, but I sure loved the feeling when I finished.

The soul of weekend runs and the Sole of weekday workouts

On January 6, 2013 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Sole F63 – my frequent morning companion

Today’s run (street): 4.2 miles

It’s more than halfway through the weekend that followed my short week back to work. The real test comes next week with five straight days of waking up at 3:45 AM. Four of those mornings will involve a run that starts before 4:00. It’s harder in the winter, especially on those days where the temperature falls below freezing.

A year ago I would bundle up and get outside every morning unless it was raining. These days I usually choose the treadmill because it saves me time. Instead of dealing with layers of clothes, headlamp, etc., I can be running in minutes. Is it the same experience? Far from it. It always feels like I work harder on the treadmill but the benefits are lower. The machine might be a Sole, but the workouts are somewhat soul-less.

The weekend provides far more opportunity for interesting running. Adding to that is the flexibility to start my run later and to run longer. Yesterday I enjoyed a trail run after a leisurely morning having coffee and spending time with my family. I wasn’t that excited about doing another neighborhood run today, but it was better than staying inside.

I probably overdressed this morning in response to the 34°temperatures reported on the news. The skies were dark and gray when I stepped outside so I left my sunglasses behind. About a mile into my run the sun came out and I began to regret that decision. The sun also started to warm things up and I hoped I wouldn’t end up completely saturated in sweat before I finished my workout.

Somehow I managed to stay comfortable throughout the run and I even picked up the pace a few times. I wanted to run at least four miles today to hit my weekly distance target and I ended up totaling 21 miles. It’s been a while since I’ve run at Bethpage so I’m thinking of heading there next weekend. In the meantime, the next four runs will probably happen on the Sole F63.