Wondering how we’ll weather the weather

On February 22, 2013 By Emerging Runner6 Comments

Right now, Weather.com is saying there’s a 30% chance we’ll see precipitation tomorrow morning. That’s the start time for the Long Beach Snowflake race. On top of that, the wind chill will make it feel like 32 degrees outside. Last year conditions were similarly miserable. Despite the weather, I still had a great race.

I’ve rested the past couple of days and trained fairly hard during the week. I have no real expectations for tomorrow, except that I’ll do my best to be competitive. This will be the first time I’ll race since last October, so I’m excited to be back in the game. I’m hoping all goes smoothly and that the odds stay in our favor, as running in the cold and rain isn’t a great way to spend a Saturday morning. We can control many things in life, but there’s not much we can do about the weather.

One last run before rest and race

On February 20, 2013 By Emerging Runner3 Comments

Not exactly an ocean side paradise

Today’s run (street): 3.65 miles

I’m no longer getting up at 3:30 AM. On average, I’m getting an additional two hours of sleep every night. That means seven to eight hours, versus the five or six I had before. I would often supplement my sleep with a 20 minute nap on the train in the morning, but all together, my net rest time is far improved. The downside is that I’m still getting to bed around the same time as before so it’s been taking me longer to fall asleep.

Mornings feel very different these days. Instead of the blur of activities that began with the bleating of my alarm, followed by a fast change into running clothes (and then a run), I can enjoy the morning at a leisurely pace. The quiet darkness at 5:30 AM goes well with a cup of coffee and the local news. The only downside is that it takes me forever to actually get outside or on the treadmill if I don’t have the pressure of the clock.

This morning I spent a long time preparing for what was my last run before my race. My wife couldn’t believe how much I was stalling. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to run. It was just so cold and windy that I didn’t want to go outside. I decided that I’d finish the taper with an easy run and I used that as license to wear extra layers to stay warm.

Running the neighborhood at 8:00 AM is a different experience than when it’s still dark. There are far more cars and school buses to avoid. I took it easy from the beginning and ran my distance at a fairly slow pace. The battery in my HRM must have run out of power, because I wasn’t getting any readings. I sweat a minimal amount across the almost-four miles, but that may be due to the near-constant winds. I am glad that I’d bundled up and worn a wind-blocking layer.

I’m finished with running until the race, and I’ll enjoy resting until then. I may do a light elliptical workout and/or a core session during this period, but I’m done with hard stuff until I’m at the starting line. Right now, they’re predicting 25 MPH winds and a 70% chance of rain in Long Beach on Saturday. Cold, wet and windy. Sounds like fun.

Harsh weather, a tough run and a happier mind

On December 27, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Lots of protection from 5 little ounces

Today’s run (street): 3.4 miles

Last night’s wind and rain carried over into morning and the world looked dark and dreary when I got up. I hadn’t thought much about running except for the hope that the weather would clear. I really wanted to avoid another indoor workout if I could. The gray skies and slick roads did little to motivate me so I waited a few hours before deciding to head out.

The cold had prompted me to put on a couple of top layers, but I didn’t realize how nasty it was until I finally stepped outside. Conditions were chilly, wet and windy and I immediately returned to the house to grab my running windbreaker. I’d bought this ASICS Serpent jacket at a race Expo four years ago and have always found it effective against rain and wind. My only issue with it has been its tendency to trap heat. Today that worked to my advantage.

I’ve been fighting the beginning of a cold and set out at an easy pace, running into headwinds and a spray of light rain. My gear selection: three top layers, City Sport winter weight running pants, gloves and an over-the-ears wicking hat, kept me surprisingly comfortable over the first mile. As I moved through the streets, the wind began to pick up and the rain got heavier. I laughed at the unpleasant conditions but chose to keep going. I hoped that things would improve, but they never did.

The winds were challenging and, at times, it felt like they undercut my speed by half. After three miles the conditions had become exhausting and the rain made it increasingly difficult to see through my glasses. I hurried home through the final set of roads, pushing as hard as I could just to get to the end.

Despite the harsh conditions I was very glad that I did this run. I wasn’t in the best mood in the morning and had considered taking a rest day. My wife wisely (and strongly) suggested that I get out, saying that a run would change my perspective. Once again, she was right. Tough runs often lead to a far better outlook.

Following the primary rule of racing

On October 10, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

It’s probably overkill to rest two days before a 5K race, but that’s what I’m planning to do. I have gotten away with a single day’s rest before some races, but I’ve also paid the price for running hard prior to race day. The primary rule of racing is “Don’t change what works.” In the same way that you’d never try a new gel or sport drink or wear new running shoes for the first time on the day of a race, there’s little to be gained by changing your preparation methodology.

Today was supposed to be my last training run for my taper and I looked forward to running the streets of my neighborhood. The weather report said clear skies by morning, so I geared up and headed downstairs, ready to hit the road. Unfortunately, as the garage door lifted, I could see the rain coming down hard. I would have run in a light drizzle, but this was not going to work.

I headed back upstairs and shed my outdoor gear before hopping on the treadmill to do my workout. I ran fairly hard yesterday, especially with the 3% incline, so I locked into a comfortable pace and resisted temptation to increase my speed throughout the run. Sometimes you get more out of an easy run than an intense one. After the hard training I’ve done over the past few weeks, I’m going to enjoy the next two days of rest. Hopefully, that will put me at my best on Saturday.

Cow Harbor 2012: rain or shine (but please shine!)

On September 14, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Not what I’m hoping to see tomorrow

Today is rest day number two, prior to the Cow Harbor 10K. The weather report for tomorrow is slightly discouraging due to some bad timing. They are saying that both Friday and the weekend will be beautiful, except for some rain that will sweep through between 7:00 and 9:00 AM. If that’s accurate, we could be in for a soggy start.

I won’t worry about the weather because there’s nothing I can do about it. I don’t enjoy running in the rain because it can cause some annoying visibility problems for me (glasses). Worse, I really dislike the feel of moisture permeating my socks and sloshing around my running shoes. On the bright side, if it’s raining we won’t have to deal with the hot baking sun. I hope it doesn’t rain, but if it does I’ll deal with it.

In terms of my readiness for tomorrow, I don’t think I’m at the same level of conditioning as I was a year ago. I looked at Daily Mile and saw that I’ve only done four runs longer than 6 miles since the beginning of August. Half of those happened in the last two weeks, so it isn’t like I’ve ignored distances altogether. But even with those workouts, my base isn’t really optimal for a hard 6.2 mile run.

I’m still debating whether to do numbers pickup later today, or get them tomorrow before the race. I haven’t chosen my race day gear but I have my nutrition figured out. I’m excited to be running Cow Harbor once again and I hope conditions are good. I’m also hoping my colleague FS also has a great race this weekend when she runs the Dutchess County Half Marathon.

D’oh, a deer!

On May 27, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Rainy conditions on Stillwell’s trails

Today’s run (Stillwell Woods): 4 miles

Yesterday’s workout was focused on speed and intensity so I thought I’d go for an easier run today. It’s been a while since I’ve visited Stillwell Woods and a trail run sounded like a good idea. Just for fun, I downloaded a podcast from 3nonjoggers.com. This is a trio of trail runners who record a weekly hour-long running-related program. I read about them in the April issue of TrailRunner magazine.

I have not run with a music player in years, but, with my new pocket-rich running shorts, I thought I might today. I’m glad I did, as the podcast was funny and interesting and I certainly recommend it. While I feel that listening to music or podcasts is dangerous on the road, at least I won’t see any cars on the trail. Mountain bikes, yes. Deer, yes. But no cars.

I mention deer because I had a close encounter with one this morning. I was moving along nicely on a twisty section of singletrack, when my eyes caught a flash of beige about five yards ahead. Apparently I had surprised a large deer grazing in the woods. The deer jumped onto the path in front of me and took off very quickly. I literally said “What the @#$%!” when I saw it. Although I’d seen deer on my runs in the past, I’d never seen one at Stillwell.

Besides the deer sighting, there wasn’t much happening on the trails this morning. It was raining lightly when I started and the rain intensified for a while during my run. The canopy overhead protected me, but I still got fairly wet. My only company besides the deer were three bikers who passed me on my way up a steep rise. The tables got turned when they sputtered out before reaching the top and I just kept going. To their credit they cheered me when I went by.

Ready for future recovery

Later in the day I returned some Adidas recovery slides that my wife bought to surprise me. It turned out that she ordered the wrong size, simply because she listened to what I told her. They are Adidas Superstars with a very comfortable foot bed. I look forward to wearing them after my next run.

Tomorrow morning we’ll be at the Memorial Day parade to watch my son march with the school band. That will preclude a long morning run, but I’ll probably do a treadmill workout as I begin my taper week. I’ve had some interesting experiences on the road, track and trail this weekend. Might as well add the treadmill to the mix.

A cold and soggy 10 on the Bethpage bike trail

On March 31, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Rainy day run on the Bethpage bike trail

Today’s run (Bethpage State Park): 10.1 miles

It’s been a cold, dark, overcast and rainy Saturday. Not exactly ideal conditions for a long training run. I could have waited until later in the day, when it’s supposed to clear up, but I just wanted to get it done. I’ve experienced some tiredness and a scratchy throat over the last couple of days but I refused to give into a cold. I figured that if I was going to ignore my symptoms, I’d might as well ignore the weather.

My plan was to go out for ten miles and I accomplished that. It was raining when I arrived at Bethpage and fairly cold (38°). I dressed in a long sleeved jersey, but decided to forgo a rain jacket to minimize the chance of overheating. That was a good decision even though it was chilly at the start. Admission to the park starts again this weekend, so I opted to buy an Empire Passport rather than pay $8 every time I go to Bethpage. Plus I can use it at any other NY State park.

I filled my bottle with a Nuun electrolyte tab and brought along a GU gel to take at the halfway point when I sometimes start to fade. I wore the Spira Stinger XLT’s and they felt good, but I noticed some irritation on the bottom of my left foot. I had blamed this pain on the new Kinvaras but now I’m convinced it’s a problem with my foot.

My base training must be working because I felt good throughout most of my run. Taking the gel at 5 miles certainly helped, and it wasn’t until I reached the end when I began to tire. A pack of young women from my town’s high school were also on the trail and they passed me like I was standing still. Of course they hadn’t covered the distance I’d run at that point. As if I could have kept up with them under any circumstance!

The last two big hills were tough and I was really glad to get past them. I covered my 10 miles as planned and I’m happy with my training progress. The rain left me soaked and my socks were soggy but I didn’t let it interfere with today’s goal. Tomorrow is a recovery day and I’m taking Monday off so I may skip my rest day and get in another workout. With two weeks until my next race, I guess I should start thinking about speed as well as distance.

Going a sustainable 60

On March 3, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (treadmill): 60 minutes

The overnight rain extended into morning drizzle, so I debated whether to wait for it to stop or head to the track in hopes that it would let up. I chose the latter, but needed to run a last minute errand on the way. That turned out to be a fortuitous delay, because the skies opened up before I got to my workout. I didn’t want to wait around for the rain to stop, so I headed home.

Since I couldn’t run outside, I thought I’d spend an hour on the treadmill. Sixty minutes on the treadmill is far different than an hour on the road. Not just from the tedium of an unchanging view, but also due to the increased effort from running at a higher cadence (necessary to make up for a shorter stride).

I maintained my pace for 50 minutes and then stepped up my speed every minute until I finished my planned time. In a way, it’s like a 10K, where you stay on pace then push past your comfort zone for the last mile. I was glad to find plenty of fuel to get me through the fast finish and I stepped off the treadmill as soaked as if I’d already showered.

I was happy with my compromised workout, and though I wanted to do speed work today, I’m pleased with what I did. Tomorrow’s weather should be clear, so I will have my choice off outside options. I think I’ll pass on the speed work though. Another six mile run may be exactly what I need.

A rigorous rainy run in Central Park

On May 21, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Remember the Maine! Because that where we’re meeting.

Yesterday’s run (Central Park): 4.65 miles
Today’s run (street): 2.5 miles

There’s quite a contrast between today’s bright sun and yesterday’s rainy, cloudy skies. Friday morning had started out dry but, by 10:00 AM, the streets were wet and the umbrellas were open. I mentioned in a meeting that I planned to go out at around noon for a run in Central Park and got the expected “You’re crazy” and “Why would you want to do that?” responses. I checked in with my friend CK who was game for a run, regardless of the weather. We confirmed our plan to meet at the statue of the USS Maine at 12:30.

It was chilly and drizzling as I began my walk to Columbus Circle. I wore a short sleeved shirt and running shorts because the humidity was in the mid 70’s and I knew I’d get hot while running. I arrived early at the statue and CK was already there. We started our run by heading south along the lower loop, and then heading east. The rain wasn’t too bad and, despite my glasses, I had no problem seeing. My real problem was keeping up with CK. He was looking to move along at a faster pace than the 9:30 that I was maintaining as we worked on the first few hills.

We kept going north until we reached the reservoir and ran around it until we’d reached the west side. From there we exited onto the bridal path and tackled a hilly section before we crossed over to West Drive. We increased our speed from there, running closer to a 8:50 mile, which was a hard pace for me and a relaxing one for CK. Those hills always get to me.

We finished where we started and by then the rain had increased to a steady fall and I felt cold on the walk back to my office. By the time I got there I was soaked, a combination of sweat and rain. I toweled off with Wet Ones and grabbed a quick bite. Though I hoped I could spend the afternoon sequestered in my office, I was pulled into a bunch of meetings. No one seemed to notice that I’d gone without a post-run shower.

This morning I was extremely pressed for time so I went out for a short run. I’m planning to do some biking with my daughter later so I didn’t care about distance. Speaking of distance, my friend FS ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon this morning. Conditions were ideal so I’m hoping she had a great experience. That race was my first choice for my first half but registration was closed by the time I tried to sign up. Maybe next year.

I miss the morning drought of 2010

On March 16, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

No running in the rain this morning*

Today’s run (treadmill): 2.4 miles

Last year I had a five month span between spring and fall when I avoided running on the treadmill. We had no rain at 4:00 AM between the period of May and October , at least on the days when I’d planned to run. This winter has not been a runner’s paradise and I’ve found myself on the treadmill more often than not during my weekday morning runs. I expected rain this morning and headed directly to the treadmill without checking outside. I’m not sure it was raining when I started but it was pouring by the time I’d finished.

Familiarity can breed contempt but it can also be comforting. Since I had nothing but contempt for the treadmill historically, there was no place to go but up. I followed my usual routine today, progressively increasing my speed and finishing at around an 8:50 pace. Knowing that I don’t need to get up to speed right away makes it easier to motivate myself to start. By blipping the FAST button every few minutes I can manage my level of effort. My only rule is that I can only go faster, that is, until I’ve reached my planned end time when I stop recording my run on the Garmin and finish with a few minutes of cool-down running.

I may go for a Central Park run on Friday with my friend CK. It’s supposed to get up to 70 degrees which is nice, but also sweat inducing. I’ve got a big meeting Friday afternoon and it wouldn’t be right to sit there looking like a wet dog. I’ll figure it out whether to run at noon once I get an updated weather report.

*Picture courtesy of brokenheartedrunner.wordpress.com