11 days to go before the XTERRA Trail Run

On February 24, 2010 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Helly Hansen Trail Lizard

I am eleven days away from my next race and I’m looking forward to the event. This upcoming race is different from any I’ve raced before, including my previous trail race, the Dirty Sock 10K. The March 7th XTERRA race at Stillwell Woods presents conditions that will challenge runners at every step. Unlike a road race where the streets are wide enough for bunches of runners, Stillwell has a lot of singletrack paths that barely accommodate one person. I don’t know exactly how the course will be routed but there are some significant drops and climbs in those woods. On the bright side, if I am able to keep up with the other runners I may have my first experience running at Stillwell without getting lost.

I haven’t been able to train on trails since my adventure at Muttontown Preserve a few weeks ago. Since then there’s been too much snow and more coming this weekend if predictions for a Nor’easter are accurate. I’ve been relegated to the treadmill except on days off so I’m under-trained for hills. I ran 2.4 miles this morning at 9:17/mile. The guest room was warm and I wore my Atayne shirt that I love but it’s slightly heavier than my other short sleeved running shirts. Together they contributed to a sweaty but pleasant run. I had the TV on so I could catch some highlights from last night’s Olympic games while I ran. I’m hoping that I can get outside this weekend for some hill training or do some elliptical sessions at a high resistance level. Otherwise I’ll just need to manage my way through the race with my present state of conditioning. I’m also wondering what the Stillwell course will be like if there’s a ton of snow on the ground. I’ll be wearing my Helly Hansen Trail Lizards, my most capable trail runners. I’m hoping they’ll be enough shoe for the day’s conditions.

Spirit, check. Strength, more work needed.

On February 23, 2010 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

My decision to keep Monday as a rest day turned out to be a good one. Last night my legs felt incredibly tired and I tried to relate that to my day spent sitting around waiting for the jury selection process to play itself out. I thought my leg fatigue may have come from standing for long periods on the marble floors outside the courtroom. I think it’s more likely that my legs are tired from all the running I did over the weekend. It’s good that I have no residual breathing issues from pneumonia. Based on my recent runs I’m sure that my breathing capacity has returned to pre-illness levels. What still needs work are my quads, calf’s and gluteal leg muscles that aren’t yet used to five miles of pounding. To paraphrase an old cliche: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh could use some strength training.”

I took it easy this morning for the first ten minutes of my run. Despite a speed south of 6 MPH I felt the challenge and it seemed faster than indicated. Once I’d loosened up I moved the control closer to a 9:20 pace for the remainder of the run. In all I averaged 9:36 per mile for 2.5 miles. If I had another ten minutes I probably could have pushed my pace enough to get closer to 9:15 overall, especially if I threw in a few speedy tempos into the mix.

I know I’m not supposed to be thinking about pace but it’s a metric that tells me if I’m progressing. Besides, LSD (or even SSD*) works fine when you have distraction of the outdoors to complete the experience. But on a treadmill it’s very hard not to think about speed.

* Short Slow Distance

A good run despite the cold

On January 30, 2010 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

The temperature has been holding steady below 20 degrees despite the prediction on weather.com that it would warm to 25 degrees by early afternoon. It was closer to 10 than 20 when I got up at 5:30 AM so I decided to wait until later to run. Our local high school had a Wellness Fair this morning and we headed over there. I was impressed by the number of companies and exhibits, most of them focusing on nutrition, safety, medical care and mind-body activities. There were lots of yoga places, acupuncturists, orthodontists and karate schools but only one place – a local athletic shoe store – that had anything related to running. I did spend time talking with a person who sold chia-based energy products such as energy bars and snack mixes. I tried a couple of samples of chia energy bars which tasted okay. Chia was mentioned in “Born to Run” as a staple of the diet of the Tarahumara people who ascribed great benefits to the seed included heightened strength and energy. Before all this the only use we had for chia seeds was to grow vegetation on Chia Pets.

After lunch we stopped in at TJ Max, a great place for finding good sports apparel at bargain prices. I bought a Layer 8 thermal wicking zip top for less than $14, a New Balance long sleeved technical shirt for $7.99, a warm wicking winter hat for $8.00 and three pair of Keen Merino wool socks for $3.00 a pair. I also bought a pair of over-the-shoe traction devices (like YakTrax) for almost nothing. I couldn’t wait to try it all out.

By 3:00 it was obvious that it wasn’t getting any warmer so I set out into the cold with most of my new gear. Despite the cold I was doing well with three layers of tech shirts plus the thermal zip. Below I had a pair of compression shorts (a previous Layer 8 bargain from TJ Max) and over that my long Champion compression pants. I decided to run about 30 minutes, slowly, so I mapped out a route in my head and followed that path. The wind was blowing hard and I was grateful to reach a point where I could change direction. I had no problems running and I tried to focus on front foot landing. I did start to cramp up at the 5 minute mark but I promised myself that I’d eat a banana when I got back to restore my potassium levels. Eventually the cramping passed and I wound my way through the neighborhood, covering a total of 2.88 at 10:11/mile. When I checked my Garmin I saw that the footpod battery must have died midway through the run so I Gmaped my distance to calculate my pace against elapsed time.

Overall I was happy with the run. I wished I’d covered more ground in the time I ran but I did want to keep it slow to aid my recovery. I purposely avoided some side streets that would have added time because I knew pushing too hard would be trouble. My stamina seems to be pretty good overall. Tomorrow I’ll go out again. I’d love to see it warm up so I can hit the trails once again.

The Emerging Runner returns to the street

On January 23, 2010 By Emerging Runner3 Comments

Looking back I’d say it was a pretty good week. My doctor gave the okay to return to work on Tuesday and although I struggled through the mid-afternoon hours I managed to rebound with some strength. It was great to see my colleagues at work who were incredibly gracious and welcoming. I missed them a lot. After Monday’s treadmill run I decided to suspend any exercise for the remainder of the work week. The changes in sleeping schedule, the early morning commute and the work day challenges were enough to consider for my recovery. I saw Adventure Girl yesterday for the first time in over a month and she said (owing to my my pneumonia and flu induced weight-loss) that I look like a serious runner. I may look the part but I have a ways to go before I feel like one again. Today was a great first step in getting there.

I wanted to put some structure to today’s run to make sure I didn’t push past my capabilities. I mapped a route in my neighborhood that I had run many times before so I knew what to expect in terms of elevation and progress. My ego is still thinking that I am an 8:20 racer and 9:00 recreational runner so I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn’t going to run anywhere close to those paces today. It was in the low 20’s when I set out at 8:00 AM and I wore three layers of tech shirts, my mid-weight, full length running tights, a warm, wicking running hat that covered my ears and running gloves. I’d anticipated that the relatively short run at a slower pace would mean I’d remain cold during the run. That was a good assumption. I set out at a modest pace, just below 10:00/mile and I was happy that I had no trouble with my breathing despite the cold air. People told me my first time back out on the street would be hard but it wasn’t. As I passed the half-mile mark I started to wonder if and when “the wall” would come. I didn’t check my pacing but I could tell that I’d be covering the 2.15 mile route in more than 20 minutes.

As it happened I finished in 22:24 at 10:25/mile, perhaps the slowest 2 miles I’ve ever run. I was very pleased by this run for a couple of reasons. First, I finished thinking that I could have gone another mile or more without taxing myself too badly. Second, the experience felt great, pleasure not work, and it reminded me again why I love running. I downed an 8 oz. bottle of Ensure that I had bought to boost my nutritional intake when my illness depleted my appetite. They should rename that product and market it as a recovery drink. Good stuff. I may go out again tomorrow for another two easy miles.

The Emerging Runner is back.

Racing the snow

On December 19, 2009 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

My day started a little later than I’d planned when I woke up and realized that it was close to 7:00 AM. I can’t recall the last time I slept later than 6:30 AM on a weekend day so that was very unusual. I was fairly exhausted this week and I obviously needed the rest. I had an early appointment so I missed my opportunity to get a run in before I left. I wouldn’t have cared that much about missing the chance to run early but the weather report is calling for a blizzard and I really wanted to get out before that hit. Actually a run in a blizzard would probably be fun but I didn’t want to invite injury from slipping.

I went out around 10:00 AM with a plan to cover 4 or 5 miles. I had hoped that my eight hours of sleep (I average six) would provide an enhanced level of energy. That was not the case. It was cold when I stepped out and the wind made it feel like a chilly 15 degrees. Soon after I took off I noticed that my HRM strap was working its way down from my chest. That has happened before for reasons I can’t really understand. Perhaps it’s due to a lack of humidity and no bottom compression layer. After removing the strap on the fly I headed back to my house and threw it on my lawn so it wouldn’t distract me any further. Despite the dry cold air, and wind that was sapping my energy, I was determined to cover my distance. The effort on the hills seemed to be amplified from the cold air and this caused my breathing to become labored. The first two miles were a struggle but after that I adjusted to the elements and maintained a moderate pace. When I finally arrived on the road that connects to my street I felt like I’d accomplished far more than a recreational run.

I ended up covering 5 miles with a mid-9 minute pace. Not as fast as I wish I’d run but under the circumstances it met my needs. The snow is beginning to come down and in two hours the volume will be “severe.” I love the snow but not the shoveling. I hope I saved enough energy for that fun activity later in the day.

My problem is imprecision

On December 10, 2009 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Much about running is related to precision and consistency. The difference between a 2:03:57 marathon finish time and a 2:04+ time is huge. When I finished my 8K this summer in 44:30 I thought I’d nailed it under 9:00 per mile. Before I finished my post race banana I realized that 8K is actually 4.96 miles and my finish time actually reflected a 9 minute pace. I guess that’s why people run intervals, do hill work and fartleks. It’s all about squeezing that extra few seconds that makes the difference between a PR and a run. I believe that runners become better at maintaining consistency over time and one of the things that separates an emerging runner like myself from an established runner is that consistency. While I may run 3+ miles at 8:45 on one day, the next day I may find myself in the mid-9’s for no reason that I can understand. Those runners who I look to for guidance on running can generally nail whatever pace they wish on each run.

A while back I stopped checking my pace during my runs because I felt it put too much pressure on me and detracted from my enjoyment of the experience. I was thinking that this change had made me a slower runner, but upon reviewing my times from earlier in the year, I’ve discovered that not to be true. I’m generally faster now but my range of paces is wider. This morning I set out to run at whatever pace felt right. I wasn’t energized, that’s often the case at 4:00 AM, but I tried to step it up after a while. In the end I only managed 9:31 per mile while on an almost identical run earlier this week I was closer to 9:00. I may resume checking pace during runs for a while to see if I can maintain greater consistency while I work on bringing down my pace. That’s precisely what I need right now.

The great (internal) debate

On November 7, 2009 By Emerging Runner3 Comments

I’ve been reading the December issue of Runner’s World and I’m finding a lot of great stuff. I love this magazine and I’m always excited when I get a new issue. There’s a lot in the front section about preparing for winter running. I’m interested in that because I want to get through the season without losing any fitness but I am extremely adverse to treadmill running. I’m concerned about days when I’m greeted with a blanket of snow on the ground and 18 degree temperatures. I’m thinking about purchasing some Yak-Trax so I can go outside on days that would normally require an indoor workout.

I’ve had some tough runs this week and AG, who is the best coach I’ve ever had regardless of sport, suggested that I skip this weekend’s runs so that I can fully recover from the Cape Cod Relay and last week’s seven mile bike trail run. Skipping a run during the week is always a self-debate but ultimately an easy decision. My weekend runs mean something different to me and I really look forward to them throughout the week. In the past I’ve only skipped a weekend run day when resting for a Sunday race. Still, since AG recommended it, I needed to take that seriously. While I read through Runner’s World this morning I saw a piece that reinforced the idea of maintaining a consistent running routine with the point that to maintain fitness the workout can still be easy.

The pleasure of a Saturday morning run plus the RW article tipped me toward running and I set off with the intention of going 30-35 minutes without regard to pace or distance. I dressed warmly since the temperature was 30 degrees and I didn’t want to be tempted to run fast to warm up quickly. I felt very good and actually worked hard to keep my pace moderate. I covered parts of my neighborhood and parts of neighborhood #2 going 3.9 miles in about 37 minutes. I was surprised that my pace was mid 9:00 because it felt slower but I verified the distance on Gmaps. It was the best run I’ve had since the relay and although it wasn’t taxing it produced the requisite level of endorphins to reinforce the value of the workout. I think I characterized this type of running as “comfort food miles” and that’s how they felt today. I’m considering a very brief speed workout tomorrow (4 x 800m) if I feel strong. Otherwise I may just rest. Hopefully AG will approve!

Daylight savings time doesn’t help at 4:05 AM

On November 3, 2009 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

The hype has calmed down around the NY Marathon but yesterday it was fun to see so many runners in city exploration mode. I figured that the group of Italian-speaking men on the subway wearing matching jackets and wearing high end running shoes had participated in the race. I saw many other people wearing their finisher’s medals as they strolled around Rockefeller Center and I thought how great it must have felt to be exploring the city after accomplishing a marathon the day before. It’s not the same but I carried a lot of pride and elation the week following the Cape Cod relay. This morning, on my way to the train station, I spotted at least three runners along the way. They may have been inspired by this weekend’s events or were taking advantage of daylight savings time that allowed them to run with a lot more light at 6:00 AM than they had the previous week.

At 4:05 this morning it looked the same as it does every day although today I was helped by a full moon. It was 40 degrees and dry when I went out to run and ended up covering only 2.25 miles in 21 minutes. I went out slow and didn’t speed up appreciably throughout the run owing to tiredness. All the same it was better than not running and I’ll file today’s workout under “maintenance run.” I’ll go out tomorrow and aim for a better pace. I should be running closer to 9 minute miles on a regular basis, especially without the excuses of heat and humidity.

Halloween weekend running – no tricks, just treats

On November 2, 2009 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Compared to my usual weekly distance, I’ve covered a lot of miles this week including over 11 this weekend. I’m thinking that between now until the 28th (the date of my next race) that mileage will be less important than speed conditioning and leg strength. If I want to make a 5K PR I’ll need to do better than I did yesterday. This might also be a good time to return to core exercise to strengthen my glutes and work on my right quad that tends to cramp on runs that exceed five miles.

It was a very fun Halloween weekend for the family and I was happy to relax and watch the NY Marathon coverage on DVR between other Sunday activities. At around 4:30 my daughter asked me to go for a run and despite the fact that I was psychologically finished with running until Tuesday I could not say no. We did our usual loop of 1.25 miles at a ten-something pace. Perfect for me because I could run at that speed without breaking a sweat in the 50 degree weather. As usual, we had a ball, the running was fun and the conversation was great. For the rest of the month I’ll concentrate on speed instead of extra miles – unless the miles include other opportunities to run with my daughter.

Marathon day training run

On November 1, 2009 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

After yesterday’s fairly long and challenging run I thought about skipping it today in favor of an elliptical session or simply resting and running on Monday instead. After watching the coverage of the NY Marathon that started at 6:00 AM I knew I needed to get out and run, even for a short distance. I pre-planned a 5K run around my neighborhood and hoped to maintain a sub 9-minute pace. My route followed the boundary of my neighborhood until I cut into the streets about halfway around. I felt far better than I’d thought I might considering the length of yesterday’s run and I consciously pushed myself to keep a brisk pace. Along the way I encountered a group of teens who were dressed for running and I hoped they would continue in my direction. I figured that a group of 17 year old runners would be great for pacing but they went a different way so I needed to pace myself the best I could. I checked my watch after 20 minutes and hoped that I was within seven minutes of finishing.

I ended up covering my distance at an 8:45 pace after pushing hard in the last quarter mile. I was actually surprised that my time was as slow as it was because I’d tried hard to move quickly throughout the run. It may be that I’ve put in a record number of miles since Sunday (28!) and I just didn’t have enough left to draw upon today. I watched the marathon after my cool down and shower and was pleased to see that Meb Keflezighi, an American, won the the men’s race. For the first time I appreciated watching this race with the perspective of a runner who has experienced competition. I don’t mean that my experience is anything like those who covered five boroughs over 26.2 miles today. I hope, with a little rest and a lot more fast training runs, that I can be competitive in my upcoming 5K at the end of this month.