Tough connexin at Stillwell Woods

On November 28, 2010 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Electrolytes delivered painfully

Today’s run (Stillwell Woods): 3 miles

I was on the fence about running this morning. It’s been busy week between Thanksgiving related activities and seeing friends. I’d run every day since Tuesday including Thursday’s 5K. I talked all morning about whether I should go for a trail run or take a rest day. After lunch I was still talking about it and my exasperated wife finally said “Oh, just get into your running clothes and go for a run!” I had received a sample package of Sport Connexin electrolyte capsules in the mail this morning that I’d agreed to try. I took three before my run, per the directions, and headed over Stillwell Woods.

I’ll start by saying that I had a bad run and I’m not sure why. It could have been due to over training this week, running after a big lunch, the electrolyte supplement or a combination of all three. I followed my usual route into the main woods and quickly came upon markings for tomorrow’s Rob’s Run, a 5K XC race that is held there each November. I’ve already raced three times this month, including two Turkey Trots, so I decided to forgo Rob’s Run even though it happens so close to home. As I made my way along the course I felt far more tired at the one mile mark than I thought I should. My legs felt heavy and the supplements, that contain calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, and sodium, were backing up on me and providing a burning sensation in my throat and nose that reminded me of the effects from a highly carbonated beverage. Not pleasant. It may have been because two ingredients (potassium and sodium) are supplied as bicarbonates that may have reacted to stomach acids. No matter what I’m not going to use them again before a run.

By the time I reached the two mile mark I decided to continue only one more mile before calling it a workout. I’m still planning a long distance run tomorrow and I didn’t want to push myself when I felt below par today. I may have been better off skipping today’s run but you never know how things will go until you try. Hoping for a better experience tomorrow…

Sitting at the top of the bell

On November 22, 2010 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Running with the fast pack yesterday was bittersweet. On one hand I was thrilled to be maintaining a pace that was almost two minutes faster than my recent training runs. My elation was mitigated by the steady flow of runners catching up and passing me throughout the race. As I ran I thought about how these people were able to glide by me so easily while I was running fairly hard. I wondered how many I would find walking along side of the road during the last miles of the race. That was the case at both the Dirty Sock and Cow Harbor 10K’s. As it turned out, there were few people to pass, even at the end of yesterday’s race. It was a fit bunch of runners on the boardwalk.

Race results typically group in a bell shaped curve with a small segment of the fastest and slowest runners on each tail. With one exception, where I placed second in my age category, I’ve usually been the person sitting near the top of the bell. I’m actually fine with that because I’m only racing myself. When I came over the line I was happy to know I’d likely PR’d but also hopeful that Dave, who finished well in front of me, also had a better time than last week (he did). I think the strategy of running easy and long with some tempo runs in the mix is the best approach to date. My pace at the halfway point in yesterday’s race was 8:36 but I lost 2 minutes on the second 5K. If I can maintain my speed across an entire 10K I’ll have a chance of achieving another PR at that distance. No matter what, I’ll still be at the top of the bell, but happily I enjoy the view from there.

Race report: Long Beach Turkey Trot

On November 21, 2010 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

West facing view on the boardwalk. Finish line in the distance

Today’s run (Long Beach Turkey Trot): 6.2 miles at 55:10 (8:53 pace)

I ran my second 10K in as many weeks this morning in a race that provided a fast field and inspiring views. I was happy with last week’s performance and wasn’t looking for a PR this morning but I managed to run a personal best for the second straight week. I arrived fairly early and was fortunate to find a parking spot very close to the registration area. That came in handy as I made a few trips back to my car to help me keep warm before the start. It was definitely cold but the wind was milder than I’d expected.

Chilly competitors gathering prior to race time

I met up with Dave on the boardwalk and he suggested that we make our way to the front to get a good position for the start. There were no starting line mats so no time adjustments would be made for those who started in the back. It was good that Dave thought of that and we took off quickly heading east along the boardwalk, moving at rapid pace. It wasn’t until after the race when Dave pointed out that we started near the front that I realized why I felt so slow with so many people charging past me in the first few minutes. Dave got out ahead and I tracked him for a couple of miles before I lost sight of his orange hat. I wasn’t looking at my Garmin so when it chirped for one mile I was surprised and then floored to see I’d covered it at an 8:05 pace. The energy of the front of the pack runners had carried me quickly to that point but I knew that pace was not sustainable for five more miles.

I forced myself to slow down a little and was passed by speedy runners who could more easily maintain eight minute per mile paces. The course, that started along the ocean, moved north and west until we turned east along Park Ave., the main road through Long Beach. The miles passed quickly and before long we’d turned north on Magnolia on our way to Bay Drive that provided more views of the water. Once we reached Washington Boulevard I knew, happily, that there was less distance to run than what we’d already covered. At the four mile mark the split clock showed 34:40 and I knew I was tracking well under 9:00 per mile. As usual, the last 2.2 miles was the toughest and I kept fighting the urge to ease off the throttle. I was still getting passed more than I was passing people but I was determined to preserve my potential PR time.

Dave on right, post race. I swear we didn’t plan the matching outfits

I was glad when I saw runners turning left onto a road that I knew would take us back to the boardwalk. Once I made it to the boardwalk I turned east and quickly passed the mile 5 marker. The race official was calling times that were still in the high 40:00 range and I felt I had a chance to beat last week’s time. It seemed to take forever to run the final 1.2 miles and when I saw the finish line I felt the same as I did at Cow Harbor: “So close but so far.” When I got to the final hundred yards I picked up the pace and came over the line running hard. I met up with Dave who also had a good race. His time was in the 53 minute range, beating his Hope for Warrior’s time from last week as well. Dave was soon joined by his wife and daughters who were quite proud of their dad.

Taking a moment to enjoy the ocean view after the race

I stuck around for the awards but it started feeling too cold, even with the hooded running jacket I’d brought to wear post-race. They posted the results and I checked my time before heading home. Another mid pack finish but at least I ended up in the top half. I’m not sure how much more I can improve my 10K time but I like the direction that it’s going. Well, two November races done and one to go next Thursday. That Turkey Trot will be extra fun because I’ll have my family with me on the course, not just at the finish line.

A good race for many reasons

On November 15, 2010 By Emerging Runner3 Comments

I always enjoy the day after a race because it gives me a break from running and a chance to think about the day before. One of my 2010 running goals was to PR in a race and I accomplished that yesterday. I am pleased with achieving that goal and I give due credit to the following:

Flat course
Perfect weather
Sufficient rest
Prior focus on building up my base
No injuries
Compression gear
Prior 10K’s run on trails or on a very hilly course (Cow Harbor)
Positive attitude throughout the run

I was happy to average 9:05 per mile, a pace I hadn’t matched since September. I would have liked to break 9:00 but I’ll take what I got. You always want to leave something for a future PR. As well as I did compared with my last 10K, I still finished mid-pack. I think that due to the conditions many people had a good race day on Sunday. Next weekend I’ll have a chance to challenge my 10K PR at the Long Beach Turkey Trot. I’m not focused on another PR though. If I can enjoy next Sunday’s race as much as I did yesterday, that’s more than enough for me.

I stand corrected

On November 2, 2010 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (street) 2.4 miles

Yesterday I wrote how fitness and performance levels tend to decline in middle age. I believed that to be true and, absent proper training, it probably is true. Out of curiosity I looked back on my running history on Garmin Connect and compared my performance (street runs only) between April 1 and October 31 to the same period last year. Some things surprised me. It was almost uncanny that the number of runs, year over year, were virtually identical: 119 in 2009 and 118 in 2010. However, it was the differences that caused my surprise.

Gains for the period 4/1 to 10/31 (2009 vs. 2010)

12.4% more distance overall, average distance per run was up 12.5%.
Cumulative running time was 9% overall, average run was 9% longer.
Average pace was 4.6% faster.
Average cadence was 3.6% greater.
Median distance per run was up 11.5%

The only thing that declined year over year was average heart rate, dropping 1.4% this year. I use the HRM intermittently so that one comparison isn’t statistically valid.

So despite what I’d read I have seen some real improvement. Emerging Runner friend and contributor James suggested that I focus more on building a base with comfortably paced runs and using that conditioning to improve my speed. James is an accomplished and dedicated runner who structures his training well. I’ve already started doing what he’s suggesting by focusing more on distance and less on performance. In addition, almost weekly, I’m running with a friend in the city where we pace minutes slower than my current goal rate. This weekend Dave and I are planning an LSD run in preparation of our first (of two) 10K’s that we’re running this month. If running slow and comfortably will help me on race day I’m all for that.

Extra work just to stay the same

On November 1, 2010 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

I recently read an article stating that men past the age of 40 will lose muscle mass even if their rate of activity and exercise remains constant. The trick to maintain a specified base level is to increase the amount of effort incrementally over time. Working more just to keep from losing what I already have is not an appealing thought. I love to run and this activity helps me maintain a healthy body and mind. However, I do wonder why my paces seem to average closer to mid 9’s rather than low 9’s over the last year. It was a hot summer and I know that factored into my performance. I figured as the weather cooled off my run times would begin to improve. Prior to the Dirty Sock 10K I was focusing on faster paces over short distances and was regularly nailing mid to high 8’s on runs below 5 miles. More recently, I’ve focused on longer distances (6+ miles) for my weekend runs and when I do that I find that I’m back in the 9:30-9:50 range.

The last week isn’t representative of my potential because I’ve been fighting a bad cold. The previous weekend, when I reran the Cow Harbor 10K course, I was only able to manage a 9:33 pace for the 6.2 miles under ideal conditions. I’ll agree that regularly meeting last year’s numbers will require some extra work. It may be time to re-engineer my training and add more strength and speed work. Or maybe I’ll just run longer and hope for the best.

Pace expectations and the online calculator

On October 21, 2010 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Your guess is as good as mine

Today’s workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

Thinking about two of my planned races in November, both 10K’s, I decided to analyze my performance at other race distances to help me manage my expectations. My PR for a 5K is 25:50, or 8:19 per mile. Both times I’ve run 8K’s I’ve averaged 9:00 per mile. That means that adding 3K (1.86 miles) caused my speed to degrade by 8.2%. That’s a big drop for not much incremental distance. Averaging all my 5K’s, my pace is 8:31 meaning that I generally lose 6% when going from 5K to 8K. My 10K track record is spotty because I’ve only run one of them on pavement but my overall pace averages 9:32, or almost 12% higher than my 5K average. According to the calculators that you can find online that factor in age grading, V02 Max and other formulations, I should be averaging 8:50 per mile on 10Ks. That pace is based on my 5K average. It’s a nice thought but I’m not sure how to get there.

For now I continue to focus on distance first and speed second. One thing that seems obvious is that adding more length to my runs and maintaining a consistent pace will bring my power curve forward, past the 3 mile mile mark. I’ve run 8 miles at 9:15 so I know I can improve on my current performance. I’ll keep that in mind this weekend when I rerun the Cow Harbor course in Northport.

Which friend do you want to be?

On October 12, 2010 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run (street): 2.6 miles

I know a person who runs about 40 minutes every few days. The time is arbitrary because he doesn’t wear a watch. He thinks that he runs about four miles each time he goes out but he’s not really sure. My friend has little idea of his pace but guesses he runs around 10 minutes per mile. I know another person who cycles through a weekly regimen of training: intervals on the track, tempo runs, strides, Fartleks and distance runs. He knows his paces for all these activities. He usually hits his desired numbers. These two people enjoy running, but the way they engage is very different.

I’m somewhere in the middle in terms of activity and expectations. I do care about my distance and pace but I don’t devote much time to the core training activities that help make one faster or better prepared for tough conditions. I view my running satisfaction against two criteria — performance and experience. Performance is defined for me very specifically: a pace as far below 9:00 per mile as possible or covering a challenging distance. Experience is much more arbitrary. That’s defined by how I feel. Some runs are relatively slow but feel great. That’s a successful experience. Other runs hit the mark on performance but the price paid is pain and/or injury. Not so successful. As a recreational runner I look for equilibrium between these two criteria. When that balance is reached I am a happy runner.

Today I was not a happy runner. I took my usual rest day on Monday and by last night I was feeling ready to run. We had kinetic storms overnight with wind, thunder and lightning and I feared I’d be stuck on the treadmill today. It was slightly rainy when I got up at 3:45 and I decided to go for it. From my first few steps off my driveway I could tell that I would have trouble on this run. I couldn’t generate the leg turnover I needed to get to my desired speed and I felt a bit tired. I hoped that initial fatigue would give way to a boost of energy after a few minutes and while things did improve, it wasn’t by much. I ended up running for 25 minutes and only covering 2.6 miles in total. Sub-par performance against my expectations and a fairly miserable experience in the process. On one hand I did go out under rainy skies and did my workout long before most of the world was thinking about waking. If I was friend #2 I’d be furious about my poor performance. If I was friend #1 I’d probably think “That wasn’t as much fun as usual, maybe next time I’ll feel better.” I think friend #1 makes the better point.

Will this brand Thriv?

On October 7, 2010 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Thriv’s Path Crew running shirt

Yesterday’s run (Central Park): 3.1 miles
Today’s workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

It’s no secret that I like running gear and that I’m interested in technologies that help a runner achieve their best performance. I appreciate the innovations that come from the big running shoe companies so long as they provide benefits and aren’t just selling marketing hype. When I see something new I pay attention, especially when it represents innovation. Over the weekend we stopped into Sports Authority to find a gym bag for my daughter and I noticed they had a new line of running clothes under the brand name Thriv. The Thriv shirts, apparently made in India, were very appealing. They were soft like cotton and colorful, but not garish. The labels claimed great wicking capabilities through their combination of organic cotton and bamboo and the prices were competitive. I bought a red “Path Crew” jersey in size large (no medium choice) because this particular model was discounted to $20.

I wore my new Thriv shirt on my run in Central Park with JQ yesterday. It was dry and cool, with some sun, and we followed our standard three mile route while enjoying the park and maintaining our usual, lively discussion. The shirt was very comfortable and the fit was generous. I would have preferred it to be a size smaller but it was fine for a workout of this type. Since we were running a couple of minutes per mile slower than my usual training pace I didn’t generate my normal level of perspiration but I did sweat some and the shirt wicked it fine. However, the Path Crew didn’t do a good job of evaporating moisture compared with my experiences wearing the Nike Sphere and Brooks Rev T jerseys. I’d put Thriv in the middle of my running shirt collection in terms of effectiveness, better than the C9’s and REC Tech’s but not at the level of the ATAYNE, Adidas, Nike and Brooks shirts. For $20 it’s a decent addition to my athletic-wear collection. Still, I’ll probably stick with the brands that provide both innovation and performance, even if it costs me more.

Well at least it didn’t rain

On September 28, 2010 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run (street): 2.4 miles at 9:50

I lucked out this morning because my window of running coincided with a break in the rain. I feared that with all the overnight rain I’d be forced back onto the treadmill. The streets were wet but the skies were clear when I set out at 4:05 AM. Although I work to avoid repetitious activities I do tend to follow the same pattern on my morning runs. I mix in different loops each time I go out but I usually follow the same basic course. I do this for practical reasons. With only about 25 minutes to run, I need to time the activity so that no matter how far I go I’ve got enough time to return within my designated workout period. More than once I’ve made the mistake of losing track of the time and have found myself a mile away with only 5 minutes left in my workout window. Only an elite could have pulled that off and I am far from that these days.

I know Saturday was a tough run and my slower than desired pace could be explained somewhat by the conditions. Sunday was a recovery run and I wasn’t even thinking about how fast I ran it. Today I hoped to get back on track. I went out with a goal of covering 2.6 to 2.8 miles within my time span and I took a completely different route than usual. My energy level wasn’t near where it should have been, but I thought I was moving along well. Without running my measured mile for my first loop I felt out of sync not knowing (without looking at the Garmin) when I’d passed that distance. It seemed to take longer to get there than it should have and I knew that meant I was running slow. My form felt sloppy, and while I had been considering running the South Bay 10K next weekend, I decided that I wasn’t up to racing again so soon. Along the way I must have completely zoned out because I found myself in a different place than I expected to be at a certain point and was disappointed that my distance was falling short of my goal. I finished up and tried to understand why today’s run was so underwhelming.

Some runs are just like that I guess. I probably need more than one day’s rest and I may take Thursday off this week instead of doing my elliptical session. I’m not going to race on Saturday but I’m hoping to cover some distance. I want to run a 10 miler. Perhaps Saturday is the day for doing that.