Going a sustainable 60

On March 3, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (treadmill): 60 minutes

The overnight rain extended into morning drizzle, so I debated whether to wait for it to stop or head to the track in hopes that it would let up. I chose the latter, but needed to run a last minute errand on the way. That turned out to be a fortuitous delay, because the skies opened up before I got to my workout. I didn’t want to wait around for the rain to stop, so I headed home.

Since I couldn’t run outside, I thought I’d spend an hour on the treadmill. Sixty minutes on the treadmill is far different than an hour on the road. Not just from the tedium of an unchanging view, but also due to the increased effort from running at a higher cadence (necessary to make up for a shorter stride).

I maintained my pace for 50 minutes and then stepped up my speed every minute until I finished my planned time. In a way, it’s like a 10K, where you stay on pace then push past your comfort zone for the last mile. I was glad to find plenty of fuel to get me through the fast finish and I stepped off the treadmill as soaked as if I’d already showered.

I was happy with my compromised workout, and though I wanted to do speed work today, I’m pleased with what I did. Tomorrow’s weather should be clear, so I will have my choice off outside options. I think I’ll pass on the speed work though. Another six mile run may be exactly what I need.

Where angels fear to treadmill

On February 4, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (treadmill intervals): 30 minutes

When two unpleasant things, like sodium and chloride, are combined, the resulting substance can be quite palatable (like salt). More often, combining two disagreeable things will just amplify their unpleasantness. One great example is running intervals on the treadmill.

My plan for this morning was to head out early to the local track to run 4 x 400’s and 100 meter sprints. I ended up sleeping to 6:45 AM, which set my schedule back an hour, so I changed my plans to run 200 meter intervals at the adjacent middle school. Due to circumstances, my time got too tight to do even that, so I elected to do my speed work on the treadmill.

Honestly, I don’t always find the treadmill disagreeable, but I far prefer to run outside. Intervals on the treadmill spook me because the faster the machine goes, the more concern I have for my safety. When the Sole is cranking over 8 MPH, it provides a scary display of motion and power. A 7:30 pace on the road feels very mild by comparison. The whole time I’m running fast on the treadmill my primary concern is a misstep that will cause me to fly off the machine.

Since I don’t really trust the recorded distance on the Sole’s display, I went by time for my fast running. I started off with three minutes of easy running and then hit the 8 MPH button, holding on for dear life. I’m sure there are many people, some who read this blog, that might look at 8 MPH as brisk, but not especially fast. I guess it’s all relative, because that first 3 minute cycle was a heart racing experience.

I switched between 3 minute cycles of 8 MPH (truth be told, I dialed back to 7.5 MPH after completing the second interval) separated by two minute recovery cycles. The first three recovery periods were done at 4 MPH, and the rest were at 6 MPH. I ended up running a total of 30 minutes and I stepped off the treadmill thinking:

OMG I’m exhausted
I need electrolytes
I wish I was already in the shower
I need to be ready to leave the house in 30 minutes and all I want is a nap

When I came out of the shower I was still sweating, and I knew I accomplished my goal of getting an effective speed workout completed today. I’ll go out for a very easy run tomorrow and start my taper for next Saturday’s race. Now that enough time has passed, I’m already forgetting how hard today’s workout felt. Like sodium and chloride, treadmill intervals do yield some benefits when they’re combined, but it’s hard to appreciate that at the time.

In treadmill I trust. Or do I?

On January 27, 2012 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

This is the key

A rainy morning kept me inside today so I did yet another treadmill run. I’m curious to know how close the readout on the treadmill’s display matches my actual progress and performance. I replaced the treadmill’s console a few months ago but wasn’t able to run the calibration sequence when I installed it. Every time I run on the machine I question the accuracy of its recorded distance and speed.

I’ve often felt that running on this treadmill (a Sole F63) and our prior Pro-Form unit felt harder at a given speed than when running on the road. A 9:00 pace on the Sole feels like about 8:50 on pavement. It may be that the treadmill forces a shorter stride and higher cadence that feels more challenging. I would think that the treadmill would feel easier and street running because there’s no wind resistance. Plus, you don’t experience hills unless you select an incline.

I still have my foot pod that links to my Garmin and I could probably answer my accuracy questions by comparing the Garmin performance with the Sole’s on the same run. Before I do that, I need to replace the foot pod battery and do some calibration runs outside in order to establish an accurate baseline. The other issue is that the foot pod won’t attach easily to my Hattori’s so I’ll need to run in a different shoe. I guess I can make excuses why it will be hard to test or I can just go ahead and try it.

My wife’s anti-wimp technique

On January 24, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (street): 2.5 miles

The rain and warm temperatures have washed away most of this weekend’s snow, so I headed out for a neighborhood run this morning. The treadmill, which I have long demonized, has recently become my lazy choice for a morning workout. And why not? It’s ready to go when you are. A quick change into running shoes, shorts and shirt (shirt optional), and I can go from sleeping to running in a third of the time it takes me to go outdoors.

Why did I run outside today? Because my wife made me. Last night I told her that I was planning an indoor run and she said “The rain is gone and it’s going to be almost 50 degrees tomorrow morning. You really like to run outside, so why aren’t you?” I couldn’t tell her that I’ve become a wimp who prefers the easy, controlled experience of treadmill running. Or that I’ve been seduced by the extra time afforded by not putting on outside gear and messing with satellite acquisition.

Out I went this morning, and I had a great run. I appreciated my ability to vary speed, cadence and stride on a whim and the ever changing scenes of my neighborhood. The winds were strong and they seemed to come from multiple directions. I ran very well, but only beat my usual pace by 20 seconds per mile. It was probably due to so many headwinds. The important thing was that, due to my wife’s prompting, I had a much better experience than I would have on the treadmill. Maybe I should listen to her more often.

This brick did the trick

On January 22, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Good training method and effective against big bad wolves

Today’s workouts:
Treadmill – 30 minutes
Elliptical – 30 minutes

I may be using the term incorrectly, but the word “brick” is often used to denote a type of triathlon training. The idea is to perform two different workouts, back to back. This helps a triathlete acclimate from intense running to intense biking. This is also known as transitioning. I’m not sure if running to elliptical meets that definition, but it doesn’t really matter since I’m not looking to train for a triathlon.

The roads were clearer this morning, but the remnants of yesterday’s dry fluffy snow have turned to ice. I decided that indoors would be a better bet, especially with 18 degree temperatures outside. Last Sunday I did an hour on the treadmill using elevation to make it even more challenging. I traded elevation for speed today and did my run around 30 sec. per mile slower than 5K pace.

Thirty minutes on the treadmill went by faster than I’d expected. Before I started my run, I hooked up my Android smartphone to the treadmill so I could play music through the built in speakers. I was dissatisfied with the selections coming out of Slacker so I switched to YouTube and started a video of NYC Marathon participants in their final stretch through Central Park.

I’d hoped that watching other runners would motivate me, but the fixed camera and low resting position of my phone’s screen made for a boring distraction. When I tried to select a different video I received sizable shocks from my phone (I have a terrible static issue with the treadmill) so I yanked my phone out of the machine and ran with no visual stimulation besides my snowy backyard scenery.

As usual, I progressed my speed in regular intervals so that, in my last five minutes, I was running my targeted pace for a 4 mile race. I was more than ready to stop when I passed the 30 minute mark. Three minutes later, I was set up on the elliptical and starting the second half hour of my “brick.”

Starting a workout with an elevated heart rate and full coat of sweat is an interesting experience. I was used to those conditions when finishing a session on the elliptical, but never before I started. The first couple of minutes were tough but I soon realized that my fitness was there. By the time I reached 20 minutes the only things that bothered me were my feet because I was wearing my Hattori’s. Those thin soles are not a good choice for an elliptical machine.

I was pretty tired near the end and I kept telling myself that all workouts eventually finish and this one would too. I stepped off the machine feeling like I’d put in a good morning’s effort and I felt that the “brick” idea was sound. Workouts on the treadmill and the elliptical can grow tedious, but 30 minutes of each was a good plan for an hour of training.

Too lazy to go outside

On January 20, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

It may be odd to say this, but I feel like I’ve gotten a little lazy in my workout routine. It’s not that I’m running less frequently or backing off on my intensity. Not at all. In fact, the amount of time I’m averaging per weekday run is up 4%. What’s different is that a third of my morning workday runs have been done of the treadmill instead of through the streets of my neighborhood.

I’m not sure if it’s the January chill or my reluctance to spend ten minutes gearing up to go outside, but every night I check the weather and if they say cold, rain or heavy winds, I prep for an indoor workout. That’s exactly what happened last night. The news station said light snow at 4:00 AM so I said, “that’s that” It turned out to be clear, but instead of heading outside I still hopped on the treadmill.

So I’m calling it laziness even if I’m ultimately working hard. But tomorrow, even with the predicted snow, I have every intention of doing my run outdoors.

60 minutes going nowhere

On January 16, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Almost there!

Today’s run (treadmill): 40 minutes@ 2% incline, 10 mins@ 1%, 10 mins level

It was another 18 degree morning and I just didn’t feel like running outside. I normally rest on Mondays, but with the holiday I couldn’t resist a workout with no time constraint. I hopped aboard the treadmill as soon as my wife had finished her daily run. My goal was to run an hour because I’ve been remiss about pushing my base training. I really needed to focus on that.

When I start my runs outside, I usually get to speed within the first ten seconds. No metaphoric dipping my toe in the pool to get used to the water. But the treadmill is different, probably because I find it odd to have so much motion contained within such a small area. A misstep would be bad. I’ll admit that I’m a little afraid of the machine, especially when going full speed.

I started at a moderate pace but set the incline to 2%. I maintained that combination for the first 10 minutes at which point I began my steady increase of speed in .1 MPH increments. By the 20 minute mark I was sweating and at 40 minutes I took the incline down to 1%. It’s amazing what a difference that made, but I traded off by increasing the speed a little more.

At 50 minutes I dropped the incline entirely and blipped up the speed every minute so that I was running about an 8 minute pace by the end. I wore my Thrive running shirt that is made with cotton and bamboo and it was completely soaked by the time I finished. I was glad to get through a longer run today and pleased that I still had plenty left in the tank when I finished.

I’m concerned that my original Hattori’s are beginning to wear out and the left shoe of my replacement pair doesn’t fit very well. After much research, I’m hoping to replace the Hattori’s with either the Kinvara 3 or the New Balance MR00 when they hit the stores in March. Since I haven’t tried either model I’m concerned that I might be disappointed (like when I finally tried the Brooks Pure Project models). If that’s the case, I’ll need to start my search once again.

Faint praise for the treadmill

On January 4, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

I’m going to blame the transition from vacation to work for my sluggish performance this morning. Even though I’m an early riser while on vacation, there’s a big difference between waking up at 6:00 AM versus 3:45 AM. It probably didn’t help that I set a 2% incline for the first 2/3rds of today’s workout.

A year ago I probably would have braved the weather and gone outside, despite this morning’s 11° temperature. My dislike of the treadmill experience used to outweigh the discomfort of freezing conditions, but I’ve finally accepted the treadmill for what it is. I even appreciate how I can change conditions like speed and elevation with a single touch. I’ll reluctantly admit that, on an extremely cold morning, the treadmill can be the better choice.

Still, I far prefer the trails or the road, and I can’t wait to get outdoors this weekend. I may have been better off resting today, but since I started the run I felt I needed to finish it. Around the 15 minute mark I realized I wasn’t at full strength. I decided to drop the incline rather than hurt myself further. I did step up the speed a little when I did that, but not by much. Tomorrow, I will do an elliptical workout and (hopefully) on Friday the temperatures will be back in the 30’s and I’ll take to the streets once again.

Reality check: back to work and 13.1 training

On January 3, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (treadmill): 25 minutes

As I walked through mid-town this morning, I detected the acrid odor of a cigarette. It reminded me that being on vacation had shielded me from that toxic smell for almost two weeks. Well it’s back to work for me today. I’ll miss being on vacation but at least I like work.

The alarm jolted me awake at 3:45 and I debated whether to ease back into work mode by skipping today’s run. With temperatures in the 20’s, it was easy to justify staying indoors. But when you have a treadmill and an elliptical machine, there’s really no excuse not to exercise. I did an easy indoor run for 25 minutes which actually helped both mind and body.

I’m trying to decide an approach to training for the half-marathon in May. Last year I think I misunderstood the amount of base training I would need to meet my expectations for a 13.1 mile race. It was the most difficult run I’ve ever done, but I still felt I that could have done better in terms of finish time. I’m hoping that with a reasonable plan, I can realistically target 2:10. To do that, I’m going to need to do a lot of 10 to 13 mile training runs between now and May.

Indecision leads to a workout choice

On December 27, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (treadmill): 23 minutes

Sometimes, if you wait long enough, your decisions will be made for you. I had an 8:00 AM doctor’s appointment this morning and got up at 6:00. I thought I had plenty of time to run, shower and then get to my destination. I knew that the weather was due to change today, with driving rains expected this afternoon. Given that possibility, I figured I’d get in a neighborhood run while I could.

Two hours is a deceptive time span. It seems like all the time in the world until there’s no time left. I had a leisurely cup of coffee while I watched the news. I checked the time and felt I was on track. Suddenly it was 6:30 and I realized I needed at least 10 minutes to get my outside running gear prepared. That would leave me only 45 minutes to run, shower and dress in order to get to my doctor’s office by 8:00.

It was clear that the window for an an outside run had closed, so I ran upstairs and quickly dressed for an indoor workout. With limited time I cranked up the speed, averaging about 7 MPH, per the display. By the time I was done, I was ready for rest, but there was no time left to do that. A quick shower followed and off I went. I walked into the office at 7:58.

I regret missing out on an outside run today and next time I’ll be more aware of just how short two hours can be. Still, I had a vigorous (if short) workout and may not have gone as hard as that if I’d had more time. Did I make to right decision? Or was the right one made for me?