Snowbound and demotivated (but still running)

On February 8, 2014 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Our snowman is happy, but I’m tired of the treadmill

Yesterday’s run (treadmill): 3.25 miles
Today’s run (treadmill): 4.3 miles

I’ve been off the grid since yesterday morning, so I didn’t end up posting on Friday. It was a busy day, but I was able to work in a treadmill run in the morning. As much as I would have liked to run outside, the snow has been a barrier. I’d briefly considered running around the clear and relatively safe driveway loops at the nearby middle school, but I determined that would be trading one boring situation for a another.

This morning my motivation meter was very low. The thought of another indoor run was disheartening. I considered doing some type of cross training, but my options were few. On a day like today, having access to a gym would be great. I got on the treadmill and told myself that I’d mix up the workout, either by switching up the program, or folding in an elliptical session.

I ended up staying with the treadmill because I became distracted by Olympics coverage. I made it past four miles, but tedium prevailed and I couldn’t convince myself to go a full five. I was happy that I did the run, but I felt guilty for not doing more. I’m debating whether I should do an additional workout on the elliptical. The only problem with that is the need to go through the whole showering process again when I finish.

I saw in Footnotes magazine that GLIRC is doing another Clubhouse run tomorrow, although it’s not listed on the events calendar. I check the date again. I don’t know if the bike trail I ran with TPP and SIOR during the last GLIRC run are clear of snow and ice. If they aren’t, I’m not too sure that I want to risk a slip. But it would be nice to run outside. I’ll see how adventurous I feel in the morning.

The freezing rain workout

On February 6, 2014 By Emerging Runner6 Comments

Today’s run (treadmill): 3.1 miles

Yesterday morning did not work out for a run. The overnight snowfall was saturated with freezing rain and my schedule was too tight to allow time for both shoveling and doing a workout. I was due to give a webinar later in the morning, preceded by some planning calls. Weather conditions were so bad they closed the schools and I figured that was due to the ice covered roads.

We only received a few inches of snow so I thought I could easily push it off the driveway. That was a bad assumption. The weight of this snow made it hard to move it more than a couple of feet. A full shovel’s worth of the stuff probably weighed over 30 pounds. I figured out a way to clear the drive and walk, but it took me three times as long as it did during the last snowfall. After about 40 minutes, my wife was able to join me and that cut the time considerably. No run yesterday, but I did get a good upper arm workout.

The still icy roads made the treadmill my only option this morning. I could have also used the elliptical, but I wanted to run. I had an early call scheduled, so I set the speed slightly faster than my comfort level. If everything went according to plan, I’d be able to finish, shower and still have a few minutes before the start of the call. I ended up cutting it close, but I made it. I was very tired by the end.

I’m in there!

Earlier this week I received my first copy of Footnotes, the Greater Long Island Running Club’s (GLIRC) official magazine. That, added to my recently received GLIRC 2014 calendar, made me feel like a real member. It was interesting to see that there are group activities listed in the magazine that don’t seem to be on the website (if they are they’re hard to find). Looking further, I saw that I was mentioned as a new member. Yay!

An amnesiac run

On February 5, 2014 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run (treadmill): 3.2 miles

I found out this morning that an industry presentation, scheduled for the 14th, has to be given tomorrow. That certainly changed my priorities for the day. Once I learned about the date change, I had every excuse to skip today’s workout. I didn’t skip the run, but it’s almost as if I did.

We got about 8 inches of snow yesterday, so an outside run was out of the question. I organized my materials and took a break at 9:00 AM to start the run. I hopped on the treadmill, set my speed, put on CNN and ran until the display showed 3.2 miles. No playing around with paces or inclines. No last quarter mile at an otherwise unsustainable speed. Just start, run and stop.

Almost as soon as I hit the shower, the run was out of my head. I must have been thinking about the work I’d need to do over the next few hours. On the whole, I guess I’d rather have running amnesia rather than suffer through half an hour of treadmill tedium. Best of all, I won’t have to give a presentation on Valentine’s Day.

Super Bowl Sunday but not a Super run

On February 2, 2014 By Emerging Runner6 Comments

Go teams!

Today’s run (treadmill): 5.1 miles

Apparently there’s some big football game happening today. I’m not much of a sports fan (except for running), especially at the professional level. My youthful obsession with the Boston Red Sox and Bruins gave way to the practical realization that a favorite player’s loyalty only extended to the length of his contract. In terms of my interest in today’s Super Bowl, I’ll go as far as to say that I’m curious to see some of the commercials.

My plan this morning was to get outside and run in my neighborhood, something that I have not done since January 15th. Conditions were okay to do that, with moderately warm temperatures outside and fairly clear streets. There was fog, but it was dissipating. I have some high visibility clothing (and pulsating LED lights) that would have ensured that I’d be easily seen.

I was tired after I’d woken up and I found it hard to motivate myself to get out and run. I knew I’d do it, but as the morning grew long, I decided to follow my wife on the treadmill after she’d completed her workout. I was determined to put in my five miles, even if it was going to happen inside.

I started my run at a brisk pace, but dialed it down at the two mile point. I wasn’t fatigued, but I thought the original pace would be hard to sustain throughout the next three miles. The warmer temperatures outside translated into hot conditions inside. By mile three, it felt as hot and humid as summer. I ended up bringing my speed back up to my original pace for the last half mile. When I finally finished, I debated whether a nap would be preferable to a shower. I went with the shower.

Tomorrow is my rest day and I’m looking forward to some recovery time. I’m debating whether I’ll even turn on the game later, but I am interested in the fact that it’s taking place in the NY area. Either way, I’ll be glad when I’m finally be able to walk through Time Square without dodging Super Bowl events. Even more, I’ll be thrilled to get past the ongoing debate between New York and New Jersey on the provenance of the Super Bowl.

The Federal Reserve workout

On January 31, 2014 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Watch your feet

Today’s run (treadmill): 3.2 miles

I spent yesterday in the city and covered about 5.25 miles on foot. Most of that distance came from walking from the Financial District back to Penn. I was downtown for a meeting that included a tour of the Federal Reserve Bank, which is located on the quaintly named Maiden Lane. It was an interesting experience that I highly recommend. We got to see lots of gold bars and learned (happily not through this experience) that each bar weighs 12.4 kg and if you drop it on your foot, your foot will break. Apparently the Federal Reserve manages the nation’s monetary policy and inflation as well, but I think it’s mostly about moving gold bars on a cart between lockers.

Due to my schedule on Thursday, I wasn’t able to run, but all that walking provided a good alternative. Today was the first day in a long time where the temperature rose above 40°. Even so, the roads still have snowbanks so I elected to run again on the treadmill.

The warmer weather provided some additional humidity that I appreciated every time I reached for the remote or touched part of the treadmill during my run. Lately the cold dry air has been causing huge shocks from the built up static electricity. It can get so bad that it resets or even shuts down the treadmill’s display. Not much to report on today’s run except to say it seemed to go by faster than normal. I had a call scheduled close to my projected finish time and, as things got close, I amped up the speed to complete my targeted distance.

I’m hoping to finally get outside for a run tomorrow and perhaps take on the northern section of the Bethpage bike trail. It’s been a long time since I’ve run on pavement, but I’m sure it won’t be hard to re-adapt my stride.

History shows that January is treadmill month

On January 30, 2014 By Emerging Runner7 Comments

Today’s run (treadmill) 3.25 miles

Today has been an interesting day, due to an odd combination of business and non-business related happenings. Amidst this jumble, I managed to work in a treadmill run. Although the roads are fairly clear, we saw snow overnight that made street running dangerous and sidewalk running impossible.

I’ve been somewhat frustrated by this January’s weather that has forced me off the road and onto the treadmill so often. I looked at Garmin Connect and was a little surprised to see that 70% of my runs this year have been indoors. Curiously, a search of last January showed that I did the same percentage of treadmill runs in 2013. That made me feel slightly better.

The good news about frequent use of the treadmill is that it eventually becomes a manageable routine. I’ve found myself getting more comfortable with the different cadence and a more restricted stride. It’s always a good workout and a safer way to get my miles than the road these days. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I’m liking these workouts, but I have started to appreciate them.

A harder effort, but an easier run

On January 26, 2014 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s afternoon snowfall

Today’s run (treadmill): 3.4 miles

I had some early work that needed attention, so I didn’t get to running until late morning. We saw some snow yesterday and I had little expectation that I could get outside for a run. The roads had improved, but not to the point of safety. It was back to the treadmill, once again.

Instead of music, I decided to put on Meet the Press for distraction. That helped a lot, especially the Rand Paul segment that provided some good energy-producing anger. I’d set the treadmill’s speed 5% faster than yesterday’s pace. It felt about the same and I hoped that would continue. Maintaining the same speed throughout yesterday’s run had caused my heart rate to increase 16% by the end. Even with today’s more challenging effort, I didn’t reach yesterday’s 88% of max.

My late start forced a shorter run than I’d usually do on a Sunday. I was fine with it, although I probably would have gone a little longer if I was running outside. Monday’s temperature is supposed to rise to 37°. That, along with predictions of rain, could get rid of the snow that’s been keeping me off the road for so many days (including today’s mini-snowstorm). Clear roads would be a welcome sight, although a return to 11° temperatures is also part of the deal.

Fighting a migraine to a draw

On January 25, 2014 By Emerging Runner4 Comments

Helpful, but no cure

Today’s run (treadmill): 3.5 miles

I woke up with a dull headache and pressure on the right side of my head. The telltale signs of a developing migraine. On occasion, I’ve been able to minimize the effect with a combination of Excedrin, Pseudoephedrine and coffee. It’s an imperfect solution because, even with all that, there’s usually some residual discomfort.

With icy roads and 12° temperatures this morning, I returned to the treadmill. I gave myself enough time to metabolize the Excedrin (analgesics can do damage when used during a run) but the decongestant had a tiring effect that discouraged me from pushing too hard. I didn’t finish the run with my usual sprint at and beyond anaerobic threshold. Still, it was the right workout for the way I was feeling.

The endorphin response temporarily quelled the migraine’s mild, but still present symptoms. I had a fairly easy business day today, which allowed me to catch a 15 minute nap. That got rid of any remaining pain, although the pressure remains. I’m hoping a good night’s sleep will get me back to normal. I’d like to go for a long outside run outside this weekend, although predictions are for wind chill temperatures in the low teens. Even so, I’d rather deal with the cold than go through another migraine.

When hearts attack

On January 23, 2014 By Emerging Runner20 Comments

Today’s run (treadmill): 3.2 miles

It was 8° outside when I was ready to run this morning. Between the extreme cold and roads that were coated with icy-snow, I had no choice but to use the treadmill. I have accepted that I’m no longer hardcore and I’m okay with that. My workout today was nothing special: A moderate start and a hard finish. But by the end, I was glad to have run for the first time since Tuesday.

After I finished my workout, I looked at my email and saw a note from my friend M. I was shocked to read that he’d suffered a heart attack the weekend before New Year’s. M is a runner and triathlete and the day before this attack he’d played two hours of full court basketball. I immediately thought of Dave, an occasional running partner, also fit, who had a heart attack during a race a couple of years ago.

Interestingly, I had introduced Dave to M at the Dirty Sock 10K that we all ran last August and we talked about Dave’s experience. Dave had recovered so well by then that he beat my time by almost seven minutes. M has quickly bounced back from his heart attack. Unbelievably, he is running again. In fact he’s planning to compete in this weekend’s Winter Run Series at Caumsett State Park.

It’s scary to think that dedicated runners like Dave and M would be candidates for a heart attack, but it’s also reassuring to see how quickly they were both able to recover. We tell ourselves that an active lifestyle will keep us healthy and I have no doubt that’s true. But other factors can tip the scales and these things sometimes happen. Even so, I firmly believe the reason why M and Dave came through their experiences so strongly is because of the conditioning they got from running.

An unwanted source of running energy

On January 21, 2014 By Emerging Runner4 Comments

Today’s run (treadmill): 3.2 miles

When people talk about sources of energy for running, it’s usually framed in terms of nutrition or rest. Supplements like gels can give you incremental energy while on a run. A good night’s sleep can take away built up fatigue and tension. A far less considered (but equally effective) source of energy is anger and frustration. Case in point, today.

Although it’s Martin Luther King day and my kids are off from school, not every business observes this holiday. This is especially true for those based outside of the US. Because of this, I needed to field a few calls, one of which generated a lot of frustration at my end. As I worked to address and resolve the issue, the level of stress built to a point where I needed to take a break.

Today is my usual rest day, but I have a big day tomorrow that starts very early. So early in fact, that I won’t have an opportunity to run in the morning. Swapping my rest day made sense and the timing seemed right. Although the skies were clear and the temperatures weren’t too bad, I didn’t want to deal with gearing up for an outside run. Instead, I quickly changed into indoor workout clothes and hopped on the treadmill.

I had just come off two hard running days so my plan was to run at a more moderate pace today. Just hard enough to get my heart rate up, but not to the point where I could further stress my body. I found myself thinking about my last call and the result was faster stepping. This caused my foot to land frequently on the kick plate in front of the tread. In response to that, I incremented the treadmill’s speed until this stopped happening.

The good news was that my frustration got channeled into a quick source of energy. The bad news was that all the hard running quickly drained this energy. The faster pace became increasingly difficult to sustain. I ended up backing down to my original speed but returned to the faster pace for the last quarter mile.

It turned out to be a harder workout than I would have tried under normal circumstances. The residual effect was a significant reduction in my level of stress. I returned to my business problem and satisfied the issue, at least for now. The frustration fueled a higher intensity run and the workout took the edge off my frustration. I don’t want to depend on (or even invite) stress as a source of energy. But when frustration happens, I’m glad to have running to to manage that stress.