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.

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.

Snowflake looms so no backing down

On February 17, 2013 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Speed play and HR % of MAX

Today’s run (treadmill): 5.2 miles

I was up at 5:30 AM this morning and the winds were howling. The news stations were talking about wind chills in the teens and I decided to return to the treadmill rather than face the bitter cold. I’m hoping that by next Saturday the weather will be milder. Many races provide no warming shelter prior to the event. I’m happy that the Long Beach Snowflake race is staged in a school gym located across the road from the starting line.

Yesterday’s run was done a little faster than my normal training pace, and I debated whether I should take down the intensity today. I decided to go the other way and started at a brisk pace, maintaining that speed until the 15 minute mark. I increased it 8% at that point for about five minutes. I then backed down to my original pace and held it until I surged again for the final five minutes of my run.

I often question the accuracy of the treadmill’s display because the effort required on the treadmill seems greater than an equivalent pace on the road. That’s okay, I’d rather have it under-count the distance than gain a false sense of my performance. So my 5.2 miles was hard earned and likely lower than the actual “distance” I’d covered.

I’ll probably run tomorrow through Wednesday and rest the two days prior to the race. I’ve read about the benefits of moderation in terms of weekly distance and the frequency of workouts, so I have no problem with that taper plan. I’m running well but I haven’t raced in three months, so I’m not really sure how competitive I’ll be. I’m not expecting to beat last year’s PR, but I do have a target that I hope to beat. In reality, it’s just nice to be back in the game.

Preparing to run the Snowflake

On February 4, 2013 By Emerging Runner5 Comments

Even though I’ve been away from the office since Thursday, this has probably been the busiest week I’ve had this year. I’m not complaining, but my plans to run today needed to be postponed. I was planning to go into the office tomorrow, but that’s also going to have to wait a day.

I may head to Bethpage on Tuesday morning to enjoy the peaceful experience of running without the weekend crowds. I am definitely in the mood to take on some hills and push the pace. Even though the Snowflake Race will happen on the pancake-flat streets on Long Beach, I’ve found hill training to be a great way to improve my speed.

My friend Steve, who has run this race with me the last two years, won’t be able to join me this year. He has two reasons, one good and one bad: paternity leave (good), knee injury (bad). I’m anticipating a very cold morning on race day and a very big crowd at the starting line. I have done pretty well at this race and, last year, I achieved a 4 mile PR. I don’t know about this year, but I plan to be competitive. I may be busy, but not too busy to get out and start training tomorrow.

Icy roads lead to double fun

On February 3, 2013 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

So many running shoes, few compelling choices

Today’s workout: treadmill (30 minutes), elliptical (20 minutes)

My plans of participating in a GLIRC group run this morning were dashed when I woke to see more than an inch of snow on the ground. Normally I would have put on trail shoes and dealt with it, but the wind-chill temperature was 17 degrees and the road surfaces were icy. I didn’t want to run on unfamiliar roads under those conditions, so I chose to stay inside for my run.

The elliptical provides another good option for indoor workouts. The AC adapter arrived yesterday so my wife used the elliptical this morning while I ran on the treadmill. We both went for about 30 minutes and when she finished, I hopped on the elliptical. I’d pushed hard from the start on the treadmill and increased my speed to the point where I was running at race pace by the end.

As soon as I finished, I quickly switched to the elliptical to keep my heart rate from dropping too low. I put the resistance at 40% and tried to get into a fluid rhythm. The built-in fan did a surprisingly good job of cooling my face and the elliptical, while bare bones in terms of features, provided a very good challenge. My wife said the same about her session.

Ravenous Lite

Later in the day we ran some errands, including a stop at one of the large discount shoe places in the area. My wife needed to exchange some winter boots, so while she and my daughter took care of that, my son and I looked at running shoes. There wasn’t much that interested me, but I did try on a pair of Columbia Ravenous Lite trail shoes that were priced at $60. They were really nice. Very minimal for trail runners. But I couldn’t justify buying them, with plenty of miles left on my Helly Hansen Trail Lizards.

After my last couple of runs, I feel like I’m heading in the right direction in terms of performance. That’s good because I need to get ready to race. I saw on the GLIRC events list that Long Beach is planning to do the Snowflake 4 mile run on February 23rd. After the devastating damage from Sandy that wiped out the boardwalk, I expected this event to be canceled. I’ll be there to run one of my favorite races and support the people who organize this event.

Race report: Long Beach Snowflake Run

On February 11, 2012 By Emerging Runner4 Comments

Pouring it on for the finish (center, in black)

Today’s race (Long Beach Snowflake 4 Mile Run): 33:50 (8:28 pace)

For the second year in row, the snow has forced Snowflake Run participants off of the boardwalk. Last year it was an issue of volume, there was so much snow and ice on the boardwalk that it became both dangerous and impassible. This year it was a steady but light snowfall that would have been too slippery for fast running. So, once again, we found ourselves lining up on Broadway for this four mile race.

Last weekend I ran intervals on the treadmill in the hope of being ready to go out hard this weekend. That must have helped because I achieved a new 4 mile PR this morning and beat my prior PR by over a minute. Team Emerging Runner accompanied me this year and, aside from some difficulties finding a parking spot, the event went very well.

We arrived about 30 minutes from start time and when I walked into the gym to pick up my race number, I was surprised to see so many people milling around. The room smelled strongly of perspiration and adrenaline and against one wall was a slide show accompanied by blaring music. I headed to the rest room after visiting registration and saw a long line of of women waiting patiently. The men’s room line went quickly and soon I was back to my family in the gym.

My fuel of choice for the race was GU Roctane and as it got closer to race time, I had some Ghiradelli 72% cocoa dark chocolate to top me off. I’d just run into my friend Steve who was running with me and I gave him some chocolate for a pre-race boost. Steve had his wife and their two little ones at the race and everyone was in good spirits despite the cold, wet weather.

We lined up fairly close to the start line to get a good take-off position. Steve and I learned a lesson last year when we were forced into a narrow path between the snow and parked cars. That situation produced so much crowding that we could barely exceed a trot for the first couple of minutes.

A fast start as the snow came down

Before too long, we were off and running. My Garmin had gone into energy saver mode so I wasn’t able to start my timing until I’d run a few hundred feet. Once that was resolved, I focused on staying with a fast crowd of front runners who I’d hoped would sweep me up and carry me along.

My friend Steve disappeared into the crowd almost immediately and I figured I’d see him at the turnaround or at the finish line. The group surrounding me was running at a faster pace than I could sustain, but I did my best and hoped to pass the first mile one under 8:20. When I saw the timing clock I was amazed to see that I’d actually clocked 7:54 for mile one.

I must have passed Steve just before that point because he told me later that he came through around 8:05. My goal was to preserve as much of that first mile pace as I could, and I settled into a rhythm that I thought I could maintain throughout the race. My splits were 7:54, 8:43, 8:34 and 8:39. I bounced around a little, but I didn’t suffer from progressively positive splits as I’ve done in the past.

It’s a nice crowd of runners who participate in these Long Beach races. None of that obnoxious posturing I’ve seen other places. That isn’t to say this crowd is any less competitive. If anything, I think this race fields a deeper pool of speedy runners than I’ve seen elsewhere.

Having run this course last year, I knew what to expect in terms of progress and effort. I ran hard but I probably could have pushed more into the middle miles. I wanted to make sure I had enough energy to finish strongly and I’m pleased with the way things turned out.

Once I passed two miles, I reminded myself that I had less than half the distance to go. The rate of people who passed me had slowed down to the point where I was running mostly with those who ran about my pace. I used the guy in front of me as a pacer through most of the last mile. Once I saw the finish chute, about three blocks in the distance, I dropped a gear and gave it my best of the day.

As I approached the finish line I could see my wife and kids cheering me on, but the clock atop the chute was reading 16:00, so I feared that the timing system wasn’t working. My Garmin showed that I’d come in under 34 minutes, so I knew I’d done well. It turned out that the actual race clock was positioned low and to the left, so I’d missed it.

I assumed Steve had already finished, but discovered that he hadn’t yet come through. He came crossed the line about a minute later – an impressive effort for someone who hadn’t really run much over the prior few months. We went back to the gym to see our results posted and I saw that I’d crossed the line in 33:50, for a pace of 8:28 and a new PR.

Steve and I went back out and watched the runners streaming across the line while the snow continued to fall. I had been concerned that the wet surface would be too slippery for my Hattori’s, but that wasn’t an issue. However, the shoe’s lack of insulation was a big issue and I couldn’t feel my toes for most of the race. I’ll have to remember that the next time I wear them in cold, wet conditions.

So, my first race of 2012 went very well and I’m enjoying the great feeling that comes from a sustained effort like a race. I’ll probably go out for a very easy run tomorrow and start thinking about my strategy for my next two races, one short (5K) and the other long (13.1 miles). In the meantime, I’ll enjoy all the moments from today’s events.

Will there be snow at the Snowflake race?

On February 9, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

They are now predicting that we’ll see snowflakes at the Snowflake race in Long Beach this Saturday. I have no issues running with a little snow, my biggest concern is that they’ll yank us off the boardwalk again because of slippery conditions.

I’m enjoying day one of my two-day rest period prior to Saturday’s event. Not counting the New Year Hangover 5 mile (fun) run, this will be my first race of 2012. I’m hoping that I’ve trained correctly for this race.

Four mile races are similar to 5K’s, except that they require a little more strategy in terms of parceling out speed. Where 5K’s are basically fast runs that get faster at the end, a 4 mile race requires a little more pacing.. I’m looking to make my first mile my slowest, and pick up speed as I go. The condition of the course will factor in as well. I’m still hoping for the boardwalk, but you never know.

No parades for the Snowflake race

On February 7, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run: (street): 2.5 miles

It was amusing to see the throngs of NY Giants fans, all dressed in blue, converging on Penn Station this morning. The big ticker tape parade starts downtown at 11:00 and I guess these fans wanted to get a head start on the festivities. The confusion in the faces of so many Giants fans made me think it was their first time ever taking the train into the city. Hats off to the Giants though, they earned it. But it’s hard to be a New Englander in NYC this week.

I actually prefer sports, like running, where I can influence the outcome. I’ll have the chance to do that this Saturday at the Long Beach Snowflake run. The weather on race day will probably be similar to this morning’s, when I went out into 30 degree temperatures. My run went fine, I probably did the second half 10% faster than the first. It’s difficult to go from just awake to a hard-charge at that hour, so I usually concede that my first mile will be on the slow side.

I’m curious to see how they will route us on Saturday. It would be great to run the whole race on the boardwalk, but I don’t think that’s the way they’ve designed the course. At least not in the prior three races I’ve run there. One more run tomorrow and then I’ll rest until race day. It’s not the Superbowl, and there won’t be a parade on Monday, but Long Beach is the place to be on Saturday morning..

For now, it’s all about my need for speed

On January 31, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run (street): 2.5 miles

This coming weekend I’ll take a break from distance training in order to focus on speed. The City of Long Beach Snowflake Race takes place on the 11th and I’m hoping to do some interval training this weekend to prepare. Long Beach is always a great venue for a race because it’s primarily flat. If the weather cooperates this year, a good portion of the run will be on the boardwalk.

This morning I managed to get myself outside despite the cold and had a decent run. My dawdling put me a few minutes behind, but fortunately my Garmin acquired its signal in record time. This gave me back a minute or so in terms of my morning schedule. I probably benefited from a tailwind over my first half mile but I didn’t appreciate it until I turned and hit the headwinds. Fortunately, I had worn enough layers to stay comfortable despite the wind chill.

I was happy with my running performance through January and I’m hoping to turn in a credible time in Long Beach 4 miler. Still, I need to put in the work to activate those fast twitch fibers. So it’s back to the track on Saturday for some fun 400’s.