I will admit that performance is a rush

On January 16, 2013 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Yesterday’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes
Today’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

I’m currently in the middle of a group of multi-day industry meetings. These gatherings are energizing, but they can take up a lot of time. In the past, I’ve skipped one or more workouts during these periods because of the impact on my schedule. I’m pleased that this week I’ve been able fit in my runs and stay on schedule.

One of this year’s goals is to get outside more often on my morning runs. That wasn’t an option today with a mix of freezing rain and snow coming down at 4 AM. Like yesterday, I headed to the treadmill and did a progressive speed run, pushing hard enough to get my heart rate to target.

While I do believe that moderate workouts are my best strategy, I do like the rush that comes from doing multiple speed increases over the last quarter of these runs. Right now, a little speed goes a long way.

The soul of weekend runs and the Sole of weekday workouts

On January 6, 2013 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Sole F63 – my frequent morning companion

Today’s run (street): 4.2 miles

It’s more than halfway through the weekend that followed my short week back to work. The real test comes next week with five straight days of waking up at 3:45 AM. Four of those mornings will involve a run that starts before 4:00. It’s harder in the winter, especially on those days where the temperature falls below freezing.

A year ago I would bundle up and get outside every morning unless it was raining. These days I usually choose the treadmill because it saves me time. Instead of dealing with layers of clothes, headlamp, etc., I can be running in minutes. Is it the same experience? Far from it. It always feels like I work harder on the treadmill but the benefits are lower. The machine might be a Sole, but the workouts are somewhat soul-less.

The weekend provides far more opportunity for interesting running. Adding to that is the flexibility to start my run later and to run longer. Yesterday I enjoyed a trail run after a leisurely morning having coffee and spending time with my family. I wasn’t that excited about doing another neighborhood run today, but it was better than staying inside.

I probably overdressed this morning in response to the 34°temperatures reported on the news. The skies were dark and gray when I stepped outside so I left my sunglasses behind. About a mile into my run the sun came out and I began to regret that decision. The sun also started to warm things up and I hoped I wouldn’t end up completely saturated in sweat before I finished my workout.

Somehow I managed to stay comfortable throughout the run and I even picked up the pace a few times. I wanted to run at least four miles today to hit my weekly distance target and I ended up totaling 21 miles. It’s been a while since I’ve run at Bethpage so I’m thinking of heading there next weekend. In the meantime, the next four runs will probably happen on the Sole F63.

Run delayed by vapor lock

On December 26, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

30 amps of LIPA-less power

Today’s run (treadmill): 35 minutes

Hurricane Irene knocked out our power for six days last year and Sandy had us down for eleven. We figured enough was enough so we ordered a Generac 5500 watt generator to be delivered to our home. Weeks later, we saw that the unit hadn’t even shipped. We decided to buy an alternative unit at Home Depot (a 5700 watt RIDGID) and picked it up this morning.

We felt it would be best to get the generator early in the day, so we headed over to the store before 8:00 AM. I planned for a quick setup and start-up before going out for my run. I thought, naively, that I’d be on the road by 9:30. The setup went fine, but I couldn’t manage to keep the engine running for more than 30 seconds before it stalled out.

I tried every suggestion in the manual and called the 800 numbers for RIDGID, Yamaha (maker of the generator’s motor) and Home Depot. The others were not especially helpful, but Home Depot said to bring it to them and they’d get to the bottom of it. They quickly diagnosed the problem (vapor lock in the fuel line) and had the unit running smoothly in minutes.

Playing around with the generator took over seven hours, from initial pickup to a final (successful) test at home. I am definitely not a late-day runner and the weather was getting worse by the minute. I considered skipping my workout, but decided that the day’s frustrations needed an outlet. I turned to the treadmill and ran for 35 minutes. I’m pleased to have completed my workout, but I’m especially happy to finally break our full dependency on LIPA.

Hitting the running reset button

On December 19, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

Today is my last day in the office until after New Year’s. I have a short business trip on Thursday and Friday and then I’ll be on vacation through January 1st. Due to travel and weekend plans, I’m looking at another low mileage week. That’s okay, because I plan to get out as much as I can next week.

I’ve gotten into the habit of running on the treadmill in the morning, rather than hitting the streets with a headlamp and reflective vest at 4:00 AM. I’m finding it easier to manage my time that way and it’s making me really appreciate my outdoor weekend runs. I probably won’t get a chance to run again until this Saturday and then I’ll need to take another break until next Tuesday. I’m not pleased to be taking so much time away from running, but I’m looking at it as an end of the year reset.

Running against tragedy

On December 15, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

I’ll keep this one under wraps

Today’s run (treadmill): 5.1 miles

Yesterday’s senseless shooting in Connecticut upset me deeply. How can kids ever feel safe at school with the knowledge that sick people, with ready access to guns, can so easily hurt them? Coincidentally, our own town was conducting an emergency dismissal drill at the time of shootings. Let’s hope that if anything good comes out of this, it will be a call to action to address the NRA’s paranoid and obstructive agenda. Easy access to guns have made these scenarios all too common.

I’ll admit that I know very little about the details of yesterday’s event. I’m usually on top of the news, but I’ve avoided watching or reading anything about this tragedy. I haven’t even been able to bring myself to take the newspaper out of its wrap. I think I know everything I need to know.

Due to our schedule today, I was kept at home in the morning and couldn’t go outside for run. Later today we have a party, so my options were limited. I look forward to weekends, because they usually give me the freedom to run outside for as long as I wish. Since I was place-constrained but not time constrained, I decided to do a longer run on the treadmill.

I’d normally put the news on the TV and watch it as I ran, but that wasn’t going to happen today. Instead, I put on one of the music channels at the upper range of the cable spectrum and pumped up the volume. I set the incline at 1% to keep it interesting, and increased my speed periodically in order to get my heart rate to the targeted zone. I had plenty of energy for the run, but I felt very tired when I finished. The good thing about a hard workout is that it lifts your spirits when you’re done. I really needed that today.

Debating "You’ll never regret a run"

On November 28, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

I often quote the line, “You’ll never regret a run” to make the point that the effort to exercise is always worth it despite how you might feel. Just this morning my wife said the same thing to me about her workout. Ironically enough, I may have found the exception to the rule today, having completed a treadmill run and suffering the consequences of that decision.

It’s hard to differentiate between feeling tired because you’ve just woken up and feeling fatigued for other reasons. This morning I went through my routine of preparing for the treadmill (30° outside temps made that an easy decision). Though I felt groggy, I expected that feeling to pass once I got going. That happened, but soon after I’d cooled down I was ready to return to bed for more sleep.

Since my schedule is tight on weekday mornings, I had to ignore the dizziness and feeling of weakness. I left for the train, hoping that I could get a decent seat and take a nap. The LIRR is running less trains due to Sandy-related issues and the cars get very crowded, but I managed to secure a good spot and slept for 20 minutes.

I’d hoped that would solve the problem but my fatigue continues. Despite some strong coffee and analgesics I’m still hurting. I don’t know if running on the treadmill was best thing for me this morning. Had I not done that, I could have taken an extra 30 minutes to rest and avoided the physical impact of running. If I skipped my run, I’m wondering whether I’d be feeling any better. Or would I feel worse due to the guilt of missing a workout? I’m taking solace in the thought that while I may regret today’s run, I would definitely have regretted skipping it.

Rejecting rest is easier when you have options

On November 20, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

This morning was a time of quick compromises. I set out my running clothes last night anticipating a cold morning run. Occasionally, I’ll wake up an hour before I need to get up and then struggle to fall back asleep. I usually win that struggle, but the ensuing sleep cycle puts me out until my alarm buzzes. This leaves me groggy and without much energy.

Today I had one of those mornings. My first thought was how much preparation time I’d lost by sleeping to my alarm. I usually wake up ten minutes prior to that and take the opportunity to start earlier. The time it takes to put on layers of clothes, a hat and running shoes (plus my SPIbelt, reflective vest and headlamp) is longer than you’d think. Add to that the wait time needed to acquire a GPS signal, and suddenly I’m up against my time budget.

After waking up this morning, my mind went first to the easy solution: a rest day. Sleep induced logic argued that I’ll be off on Thursday and Friday leaving me time to make up the miles with longer runs. I then remembered that on Thursday we’re doing the 5K Turkey Trot and I’ll be running that at an easy pace with my family. Knowing that I’d lose another hard workout on Thanksgiving, I rejected taking a rest day.

The next best option was to run on the treadmill. Running shorts, shoes and a HR monitor were all I needed and in just a few minutes I was off and running . I started easy and it took almost ten minutes of speed increases to get my heart rate into my targeted zone. By the end, it felt like a good workout and I managed to salvage about five minutes of additional downtime before my shower. A quick compromise was better than an impromptu rest day. At least it was today.

Fighting the sleep fog for the good of the run

On November 13, 2012 By Emerging Runner4 Comments

Today’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

Am I done yet?

Every evening I follow a process to prepare for my morning workout. This involves a few steps, beginning with check of the morning weather on the local news channel. I then select my running gear based on expected conditions at 4 AM. My favorite part of this process has nothing to do with running. It’s the discussions I have with my son and daughter who talk to me while I get my gear ready. It only takes fifteen minutes from start to finish, but I’ve had some of my best conversations with my kids during those times.

Last night my son and I were discussing sleep. I asked him if he ever looks forward going to bed and he said that he doesn’t like to sleep. He recognizes the need for sleep, but doesn’t like that it takes away from his (many) interests. I had to agree, to a point. As it happens, I typically get 5 to 6 hours sleep on weekdays and 7 to 8 hours on the weekends. Even with those brief interruptions there never seems to be enough time.

But sleep is seductive. Getting up and out of bed after a deep sleep is very hard to do. It’s especially difficult to maintain a commitment to run while your brain is still suppressing histamines, norephinephrine, and serotonin. The only way to break through the fog is to give yourself an ultimatum: “Regardless of how I feel, I’m running.”

That’s what it took today to get me on the treadmill. Once the machine began to turn, I was able to distract my focus from sleepiness to being semi-alert. I’m afraid of the treadmill so my safety instinct took over and, by the three minute point, I was running at target for the first phase of a progressive speed run. All residual effects from sleeping had passed, and I thought about pushing harder to get my heart rate up into zone 4. I ended up meeting my goals and felt energized throughout the run.

In the end, I’m always happy that I followed through on my commitment to run. It’s almost an act of faith to go through the motions of putting on running clothes while eyeing the bed that they sit on. But every time I run when I want to rest, I feel better mentally, physically and emotionally. You just have to believe that you’ll get past the fog.

Running election scenarios on the treadmill

On November 7, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

This is a running blog and not a platform for my views on politics. However, today’s treadmill run had me thinking about the scenarios that would play out based on the results. In an effort to get going on my run as quickly as possible, I resisted the temptation to flip on the TV or look at my smartphone to see the election outcome. So at 3:45 AM I was distracting myself from my run, wondering whether we’d have a new president or a shift in the control of Congress or the Senate.

I finished my run by 4:10 and a few minutes later I had my answers. I’ll admit that I was pleased with the results, and especially happy that both Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock lost their respective races. That’s not a partisan view, plenty of my Republican friends feel the same way as me.

My positive perspective from the election and a pretty good treadmill run was dashed when I reached my local train station. I discovered that the train that I’d planned to make was canceled due to equipment problems. That meant a half hour’s wait in the cold, followed by a train packed like sardines.

It’s day nine and still no power to my home, long lines at gas stations and the LIRR running on a “modified” schedule. But in the long run, everything will return to normal. Although for the LIRR, normal is never all that great.

Treadmill beggars can’t be choosers

On November 6, 2012 By Emerging Runner4 Comments

Slipping and squealing but soft underfoot

Today’s run: (treadmill): 2.6 miles

When LIPA announced that it could take seven to ten days to restore power after Sandy came through, I thought they were setting up expectations so they could exceed them. After the criticism LIPA took about its response to Hurricane Irene last year, I wondered if their projections were exaggerated so they’d look good when they beat them. I’m obviously naive.

We are still without power eight days after losing it. I’m used to keeping our cars in the garage but we are parking outdoors while we stay with our hosts. That meant five minutes of scraping ice off the windshield this morning in 27° weather. Earlier this morning, the steam from my shower set off the smoke detector, waking everyone up at 5:30 AM. We miss our house.

I used my mother-in-law’s treadmill this morning because I wasn’t comfortable running in their neighborhood at 4:00 AM. The neighborhood itself is safe, but I didn’t want their security people to be alarmed by a crazy person with a headlamp running around this community. The treadmill is a Nordic Track and the tread platform has a little give compared to our Sole’s. The Nordic Track machine was in need of maintenance, judging from the occasional squealing and slipping of the belt. The slipping did decrease after a few minutes.

I discovered that the machine would not go any lower than a 1% incline, but in the spirit of making lemonade from lemons, I took it as a challenge on top of just pushing my speed. I ran faster on this treadmill than I usually run on our home unit, but you can’t compare machines that may be calibrated differently. With any luck, our power will come back tomorrow and I can return to the road. That is, if the coming storm doesn’t force me indoors, once again.