Rain disrupts my plans, but not my running

On August 2, 2013 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Weather fit for neither beast nor trail runner

Today’s run (treadmill): 3.1 miles

I ended up skipping yesterday’s workout altogether, choosing to wait until this afternoon to run the trails with my friend. The early morning’s weather was perfect, but unfortunately, it was the only good weather we had today. I glanced outside throughout the day and watched the sky grow increasingly darker. It would either clear up, or I’d be looking at rainy and muddy conditions at 4:00 PM.

Around 3:00 PM, my friend Chris called to check in. He was on Long Island for business and preparing to finish a meeting, before heading to my house. The rain was coming down in buckets and any hopes that it would taper off were gone. We decided to postpone our trail run until next week.

With my afternoon freed up, I refocused on a business project. I knew I had the option of running on the treadmill so, by 4:15, I’d decided to do that. In keeping with my plan to train at faster paces, I started on the edge of comfort and increased my speed periodically throughout the run.

Some people find treadmill running easier than outdoor running, but I have the opposite experience. 6.6 MPH (9:00/mile) on my Sole F63 feels like 5K race pace. I was determined get through the run, despite increasing discomfort. I bumped up the pace with a quarter mile to go and held it until I’d “covered” my planned distance.

It was definitely one of the hardest runs I’ve done in the last four weeks and I was glad that I didn’t back off on my speed, even as the run got tougher. I need to maintain that mindset as I go through my Dirty Sock training. Even without Chris to push me or the challenges at Stillwell, I think made some good conditioning progress today.

Choosing the difficult path

On July 28, 2013 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

The trail rarely taken

Today’s run (Stillwell Woods): 3.5 miles

I went to Stillwell Woods this morning for a change of pace and the opportunity to run in shade. The clouds have moved out and the humidity (and dew point!) is higher than yesterday. Even though Stillwell offers a nice break from my neighborhood streets, I don’t feel like I’ve taken full advantage of its breadth of choices. Nowadays, I tend to follow the same few trails, but I decided to change that today.

When I arrived at Stillwell Park, I saw an open tent with mountain bikes set up by Santa Cruz, a bike manufacturer. A few months ago Scott bikes did the same thing, offering people the opportunity to test their bikes on Stillwell’s trails. Due to that, I was a little concerned that I’d get over-run by mountain bikers on the trails. It turned out that I only encountered a few groups of riders who shared the path nicely.

Unlike the route I normally follow, I turned left on a path marked “most difficult.” In the past, I would take on Stillwell’s hardest technical trails. Over time, I’ve found myself running the same, less challenging loop. The trees were doing a nice job of blocking the sun as I made my way through the ups, downs and root covered paths. After a couple of miles, I started to feel fatigued and I needed to take a minute to rest before continuing.

It turned out to be a more difficult run than I’d intended. The upside was getting through a good workout with scenery far more interesting than my neighborhood streets.

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.

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.

Trail fun (times two) at Stillwell Woods

On April 28, 2013 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Mountain biking is Scott to be fun

Today’s run (Stillwell Woods): 4.4 mile + 4.5 mile hike

I returned to the trails in a big way today. This morning I went over to Stillwell for a run, and saw that Scott Sports was there, hosting an event. Scott, who also has a line of running shoes, was providing people with the opportunity to test their mountain bikes on Stillwell’s trails. The Scott folks offered me the chance to try a bike, but I really wanted to get my run in.

I was concerned that the trails would be packed with novice riders, but that wasn’t the case. I saw more bikers than usual, but most were skilled and courteous. Last night I noticed that the Fitbit had recorded over 10,000 steps, but only three staircase equivalents. My son and I decided to knock out a bunch of stair climbs, so we did another 26.

Despite some concern that I’d pushed too hard last night, I had no trouble taking on Stillwell’s steep sections today. I ended up covering 4.4 miles and appreciated the change of surface after so many recent runs either on the treadmill or on pavement.

Choosing the difficult path

Later, my son and I returned to Stillwell for another hike. Our goal was to take on Stillwell’s toughest trails and to find the elusive Ewok Forest. At every fork, we took the “more difficult” option. We found ourselves so far east that we intersected with the Trailview path toward Cold Spring Harbor. We doubled back from there, taking a circuitous route that involved a few side paths. We finally decided that we’d covered enough ground and headed back to the trail head.

One of Stillwell’s sharp drops

When we returned to the car, I checked the Fitbit and saw that we’d covered 4.5 miles, which worked out to 10,200 steps and 23 staircase equivalents. We saw new trails and I introduced my son to the junked car that I always pass as part of my regular running route. We didn’t end up taking advantage of the Scott event, but we certainly had a Stillwell workout. Today, that went double for me.

Stillwell trails and a mystery solved

On March 16, 2013 By Emerging Runner4 Comments

My Stillwell Loop x 2

Today’s run (Stillwell Woods): 4.2 miles

The Garmin power loss mystery was solved this morning when I uploaded my week’s runs to Garmin Connect. The duration of Thursday’s treadmill run was recorded at sixteen hours and forty-one minutes. I had forgotten to turn off the timer after my run, and it dutifully recorded time until it ran out of juice. I was happy to see that it was my lack of attention, and not an issue with my battery, that caused the power drain.

The Garmin was back to full power this morning when I headed over to Stillwell Woods. It was freezing cold at the start and I expected the dirt paths to be rock hard. Surprisingly, the ground had plenty of give. As I traveled further, I even encountered some muddy sections. My hip did not bother me like yesterday, but I could still feel some soreness.

I followed my usual loop, a route that I favor for two reasons: I don’t get lost while on it and it doesn’t subject me to the extreme inclines that exist further to the east. I was careful not to push too hard and further aggravate my hip, so I locked into a comfortable pace and enjoyed the scenery as I ran.

I saw a few groups of high school-age runners moving rapidly along the trail and figured they were training for cross country. There were some mountain bikers as well, and one rode behind me for a while, but didn’t pass. Knowing he was there made me nervous. I moved far to the right, hoping that he’d take the hint. At that moment, the rider turned onto a connecting path and my problem was solved.

I ended up covering my route twice and even added a little extra distance to make sure I made my targeted distance of four miles. So far my hip is still behaving and I’m hoping the residual soreness will go away. It was nice to be back in the woods and I look forward to more trail running as winter turns to spring. You can run the trails all year round, but it’s far better when the paths are clear.

Vermont trails beckon, but Long Island has its charms

On January 2, 2013 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

State Parks on LI

My brother works for a company based in northern Vermont and he is planning to move up there with his family very soon. They have a new place with plenty of room for guests and he reports that the town is “chock full of trails for biking and running.” Having been born and raised in New England, I’m envious of his new surroundings. The opportunity to live quietly among the mountains and trees is appealing and I’m sure the culture change will be fun for them.

It’s easy to look at a place like Vermont and imagine an idyllic life filled with long runs through mountain trails. The area seems to embody a lifestyle that is both bohemian and active. We’ve spent some time in Manitou Springs, Colorado and I imagine their new town will be similar. But what about us suburbanite Long Islanders? Are we excluded from this experience? Surprisingly, I don’t think that’s the case.

I’ve been running trails for a few years at this point and most of that has been done in the wooded parks of western Long Island. Stillwell Woods, five minutes from my house, may not have views of majestic 14ers or expansive rivers, but you can lose yourself for hours navigating features like the Ewok Forest, the Viper Pit and the “UH OH!” trail.

In fifteen minutes I can drive to parks like Belmont Lake, Bethpage, Sunken Meadow, Caumsett, Cold Spring Harbor, Trailview and Caleb Smith (to name but a few). Each place offers something both unique and special to runners. Long Island isn’t New England, but over the years I’ve come to appreciate many great things about it. But as much as I love my local trails, I also look forward to exploring the running paths in upstate Vermont.

Hoping seasonal happiness is just a trail run away

On December 17, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

We are only weeks away from New Year’s Eve, but I’m not feeling the holiday season like I have in prior years.With last Friday’s unconscionable violence in Connecticut, and worries about an impending “fiscal cliff” that could drive us back into recession, it doesn’t seem like the best of times. On the bright side, I’ll get to spend some good vacation time with my family next week. I’m also looking forward to running the LIRRC Hangover Run on January 1st.

That’s the thing about running. No matter what’s troubling you, you can always look forward to your next event. Over the past few years, I’ve found that an upcoming race can help offset negative thoughts and motivate me to train harder. Thinking about running on the trails at Stillwell or Bethpage has helped me through more than one difficult work day. Unfortunately my schedule will prevent me from doing any off-road running until later next week. But when I do, I hoping to finally recapture that elusive holiday feeling.

Caleb Smith trails: bad conditions for both run and runner

On December 9, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Hazards abound on the Caleb Smith trails

Yesterday’s workout (Caleb Smith State Park): 3.4 miles (run), 1 mile (hike)

It was a busy Saturday for us, and I didn’t get a chance to post about yesterday’s activity until this morning. Yesterday afternoon we headed over to Caleb Smith State Park where my wife and kids participated a candle making workshop while I hit the trails. Hurricane Sandy had done a lot of damage to the park, but they’d just re-opened the yellow trail. The blue, green and red trails still remain closed.

Prior to leaving for Caleb Smith, we’d stopped for lunch at Moe’s. That was a mistake on my part. Lunch was fine, but I didn’t give myself enough time for proper digestion. I thought I felt fine when we arrived, but soon after I’d started toward the trail I could tell that’s the going would be tough. I pressed on hoping that I’d begin to feel better as time went on.

After a mile I couldn’t ignore the discomfort. It wasn’t a stomach issue, but I felt lethargic and my legs felt heavy and unresponsive. I decided to walk it off and covered a half mile before resuming my run. The trail was in poor condition, with branches strewn along the path by the storm and thick mud from the morning rain. The parts of the trail that were covered by leaves were the most run-able.

I felt marginally better after a half mile hike and resumed my run for the next mile. I had looked forward to this trail time, but I wasn’t enjoying it much. The trail markings were a little inconsistent and I found myself on the closed paths once or twice. In most cases I could keep going until I reconnected to the yellow trail but once or twice I had to double back.

At one point I thought I saw another runner through the trees, but couldn’t really see much, except that it clearly wasn’t a squirrel or a fox. I thought it was odd that someone would run off-trail, especially with the current conditions. During my next loop around, I detected the same movement and saw that the “runner” was actually a deer. I noticed two or three others soon after. They kept their distance but didn’t run away when our paths came together at a clearing.

I ended up running over 3 miles, though not continuously. I was happy to be finished and vowed not to repeat my mistake of having a big lunch prior to an effort of that scale. After my run, I spoke for a while with a ranger whose team maintained the park. He told me it would be some months before the cleanup was completed. There’s a lot of tree damage that they can’t get to with heavy equipment so it comes down to a two man crew that uses old fashioned methods to precision cut and remove damaged trees.

I’m planning to do a neighborhood run later this morning and really hope that yesterday’s running difficulties don’t carry forward to today. I’d rather have yesterday’s lunch to blame than to be dealing with a bigger issue related to being ill.

Four years emerging and a trail run to celebrate

On November 18, 2012 By Emerging Runner4 Comments

Today’s run (Stillwell Woods): 4.2 miles

Four years ago today, I published my first post on the Emerging Runner. I had made some unsuccessful attempts to run in the past, but in 2008 I fully committed to running as a lifestyle. I’d also started a few blogs before that time but never managed to keep them going. My hope on that day that I published that post was to break that cycle. After four years, I think I can say that I did.

In the October issue of Runner’s World magazine, Captain “Sully” Sullenburger was featured in the section called “I’m a Runner.” The interview is short, but interesting. I especially liked this quote, “I’m not a good runner, but I’m better than someone who doesn’t do it at all.” That statement sums up everything I’ve written over the last four years.

Over the past four years I gone from being someone who faced every run as a difficult challenge, to a solidly mid-pack race competitor. I was talking to my brother yesterday about my four years as a runner, and how I struggled so hard on my first runs. I remembered hoping for the day when I’d be able to run and think of something besides discomfort and pain. Soon enough, my runs became my best process for thinking through any problem.

If not for Hurricane Sandy, I’d be spending most of this post recapping the Long Beach Turkey Trot that was scheduled for this morning. The hurricane devastated that city and destroyed the boardwalk that is almost half of the 10K course. I love racing in Long Beach for its ocean views and flat, runner friendly roads. I hope the community gets back to normal quickly, not for the runners, but for the sake of the residents.

High visibility on the trails

Today called for a change from the neighborhood roads that I’ve run since returning home after our power was restored. Stillwell Woods was the perfect choice and I headed over with a plan to run my favorite two mile loop a couple of times. I’d recently bought a nice, high visibility running shirt at TJ Max for the bargain price of $7.99 and thought Stillwell would be the perfect place to use it.

The mountain bikers were out in force and most shared the trails very well, politely warning me when they were closing in. I’m sure the bright orange shirt helped them see me in plenty of time. I took it easy on the trail and was careful to avoid branches that had fallen on the path from Sandy. It was difficult at times to see the trail because the rising sun was hitting me head-on. I got whacked in the head a couple of times by overhanging branches but my hat protected me from any damage.

It’s been a nice fourth anniversary of my running/blogging life so far today. Later on, the Emerging Runner family is heading to East Northport to assist in an effort to get food to elderly and housebound people whose lives were disrupted by Sandy. Next week is Thanksgiving but I am thankful often, especially today when I am able to help myself and help others. The decision I made to run in 2008 has much to do with that.