Heat

I got out on Wednesday for a slow 6 miles at lunch. This was a day that having a running partner pulled me through. I knew I should run, but it wasn’t until my buddy called with a non-descript, “You runnin’ today?” that I committed to it. I thanked him for calling me out, even if he didn’t know that’s what he was doing. Without the call, I could have bailed…easily.

So, we did the run, and it was HOT. Way hotter than I thought it would be. We stopped to walk 3 times – he called T.O.’s twice, and I called it for the final break. Not my best run, but we made it. Some days, making it out (and back) is what matters.

Later boys.

Five Plus

I couldn't find my HR belt today, so no data beyond time, 41:35, and distance, 5.2 miles. After about 26 minutes I found my groove and fell into a nice rhythm. I've had a choppy couple of weeks that have me running less than normal but I'll get back on it. I'll shoot to do another 5 on Saturday and then I'll be back in the swing.

Anybody else noticing the seasonal change affects your ability to get out of bed? I think it's the light changing (I have no idea, honestly) but it gets harder and harder to get out of bed as the light diminishes. The weather is gorgeous though and it would be a total bummer to let it go to waste.

There but for the grace of dog, go I

I got out tonight at 7:35pm and the curtain fell pretty quickly; it was dark by 7:55. So there I was, pedaling through the Park in the dark, just passing the Guggenheim when a profoundly oblivious woman stalked across the road with a giant shaggy dog, about 25 yeards ahead, directly into the vector off three guys who had just passed me. The middle guy hit the brakes so hard he went bike over ass over helmet, landed on his right shoulder and hadn't come to a complete stop before the woman started blaming him for reckless cycling, climate change et al. Nearly a dozen passing cyclists came to his aid, which was pretty cool, this being NYC, after all, as well as an older runner who appeared to be an orthopedist, which did not surprise me one bit, this being NYC, after all. Everyone agreed the orthopedist had rank so we sped away.

Adventures, fellas. Central Park is full of them. I am getting out Labor Day morning with a friend on a 30 mile loop trail up in Westchester County, and looking forward to that.

So I took a slow second lap and called it a night. Strangly, the heart rate monitor wouldn't give up my average amd maximum heart rate but provided a level of alternative detail I've never seen before. And so the numbers are:

Time: 0.54.39
Mx Speed: 23.3 mph
Av Speed: 14.7 mph
Distance: 13.34 miles
Burn: 746 calories

Hard: 19.30
Moderate: 27.44
Light: 8.02

(I presume these last three stats are judgment calls on my heart rate....)

Ride to blog...

One hour

I got out for a one hour loop today at lunch and felt great. After running two 5K runs in the past 14 days, I finally felt ready to get back out there. The weather was perfect at about 75 - 80 degrees, with blue sky and a slight breeze. My legs felt fresh and my lungs felt fully recovered after the much needed time off.

Agricola, at the very beginning of my marathon training, you stressed the importance of listening to your body. I'd add that you need to listen to your psyche, too. You have to be ready to run, to want to do it at some level (even as you dread the first steps). Today was just one of those days when it all clicked. I'm savoring it now. Who's next?

Mini Me

For my first ride since Bastille Day I took the elder little artist for a spin in the Park early this morning. It was a successful outing, the first time she didn't need help getting up the hills. We stopped a few times, but in all she was a trooper and loved it and it was truly sad and delightful to see how strong she's grown.

As I figured she'd need me to hop off and on my own bike a few times, I rode the mountain bike I acquired during the first Reagan administration. That was odd. Heavy. No toe clips. The saddle was comparatively comfortable. But as I watched all the roadies whiz past us, I longed to ride again. I am blocking out time and hoping this will be my week.

More on that later, fellas.

It's about time...

Not only have I brought procrastination to new levels with my lack of running, I can't even write the damn post until 6 days later! I finally got my butt out for a quick run last Sunday. The running took 23 minutes, the prep and cool down took about 3 hours. Most of this time was spent trying to figure out my HRM that hasn't been touched in 5 years. I almost went out and purchased a new one but convinced myself that I need to show some dedication to running for at least a month before I up the geek factor on my watch to Agricola levels. The weather was perfect for a run, mid 70's, and the sun was shining. I ran the outer loop of my neighborhood which is, unfortunately, the only route I have. One of the many contributors to my lack of running is my neighborhood. I'm boxed in by a narrow winding cart path of a road that I would have avoided even in my H.S. days. My goal for the next few weeks is to run 2-3 times p/week.

Distance: No clue
Time: 23:55
Avg. HR: 155

Running through the Mts.

Hi all,

I had a very nice run in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada yesterday morning. Straight down the main street called Connaught and just out of town. As I was completing my half way point of my 28 minute run, a beautiful 16 point male elk came in to sight. Several cars stopped to check it out and I just kept running, knowing I would be able to see it again when I ran back. Huge antlers and a beautiful animal. Made my morning as I watched the sun peek through the mountains. I highly recommend the Canadian Rockies to anyone willing to make the trek. It has been a remarkable trip!

Fumes

Time: 32.46
Avg HR: 157
Peak HR: 178
Calories: 564
Distance: 4.02
Start Time: 6:32 AM
Training Effect: 4.1
Temp: warm & HUMID
Date: 8/22/07

Work has been a zoo -- absolutely no fun and incredibly frustrating. I've been pretty much flat out for the past month and there's no respite in sight. You've got love working at a small time shop where everyone thinks they know what they're doing . . . sometimes I really miss the huge agencies and huge clients of NYC -- actually all of the time, Boston is a piker-advertising town.

The long and the short of it is that I end up spent on Fridays, running on fumes.
Couple that with not getting enough sleep last night and today's run was a bit challenging. I tried going out slower but seemed to be running harder based on my numbers. I never really got comfortable -- snot was pouring out my nose, my left eye watered like a faucet (and has been through the latter half of the summer), my throat was filled with gunk, my shorts were riding up and it was nasty humid . . . so, yeah, I had a great time today, with my dear friend, Running . . . hiking and camping tomorrow, so probably no run this weekend, but we'll see. The weekend can't come soon enough.

A Couple of Good Articles

Great article.

Coffee, anybody?

Check it off

I got in 3.1 miles today. It took about 25 minutes and was completely, 100% uneventful. The only event was the fact that I did it. It's all about just getting out there for me right now as I get my "routine" back on track.

I will say that my muscle memory is still intact. My first few strides felt completely natural. Not that it's all that complex to run, but I felt so comfortable doing it -- as if my body knew exactly what was coming, what I was asking of it, and got right in line. Not sure if I'm explaining that very well, but it was a cool feeling. I took it as a small reminder that even though I'm in a bit of a lull, I have put in a lot of work and miles. I am a runner. That was the feeling.

Has anyone else experienced that?

Cape Cod Marathon Relay Team

I've signed up for a Cape Cod Marathon relay team. We're in and I've included a bunch of you on the team. VTR is running the whole thing. The folks from this site who are listed on the team are:

Runner's Hye
Bennu
Phat
Agricola

I included someone else just to fill in the fifth spot but he won't run because he doesn't run but I had his work address and so signed him up. I used everybody's work addresses. There's an open spot for anybody else who wants to join. The date of the run is Sunday, 10/28. We will run 5 legs varying in length between 3 and 6 miles (approximately). Details are here.

Getting back

I ran the Tuesday night trail race last night after about 10 days off due to a slight head cold and the need for a break. I came in with a decent time (22:21 for the 5K), but I wasn't exactly feeling it. My lung capacity was definitely down and although my legs felt strong, my head wasn't into the race. I would chant my little mantras, but I didn't quite buy into them. Today, I had time at lunch to get in a nice run, but passed. I guess I'm slowly working my way back into running, but motivation is definitely an issue. I'm glad to see that others on this blog are in the same boat.

On a more positive front, last night was an absolutely beautiful run. The course takes us through old fields, rolling hills, and woods with an unobstructed view of Camel's Hump at the start/finish. It was one of those nights that I was awe-struck by the scenery. VTRunner child#1 must have been similarly inspired. He finished second in the "cub" race,a nd was very proud of himself... although I think he credited his breakthrough performance on his new purple cape, not the scenery.

Back At It

Time: 32.17
Avg HR: 153
Peak HR: 174
Calories: 464
Distance: 4.02
Start Time: 6:19 AM
Training Effect: 3.81
Temp: August morning chilly
Date: 8/22/07

Well, I got back at it this AM with a rather brisk trot -- both in terms of pace and temperature. August mornings, such as today's, always remind me of being a kid and working trees -- the mornings near the end of summer were always chilly. I like it. It's a good way to prep for fall, less sun, and more cold. It's amazing how fast the summer has gone. It doesn't seem like that long ago that we were celebrating the return of warm weather . . .

I felt pretty good but I did feel a bit of a drop-off from my hiatus. I'm not sure it's related to the time off, per se, but more likely the result of my mysterious cold/allergy bout. I'm still mighty congested, and this AM was the first in the last 6 that I actually felt up to running. I needed to get out regardless though because I definitely felt laziness sliding back into me -- it's nice to sleep in, it's nice to have an extra 40 minutes in the AMs . . . be gone laziness! Run! Run! Run!

I put on new shoes today for the first time in years, literally. I got the next gen of my New Balance 1221s, the NB 1222. They seem pretty good, but the lacing system is a bit different than the 1221s, and I wasn't able to get them as tight, in the right places, as I wanted to -- that will come with breaking-in though. My other shoes were so old, that NB is actually up to the 1223 -- I got these at the NB outlet. I loved the 1221s and am sad to see them go.

Seasonal Woes

I don't know what it is, but every time the seasons start to change I become achey, stuffy and generally lousy feeling. I'm not sure if it's a viral or bacterial thing, or the shifting pressure, changing air or new allergens that trigger my symptoms and knock me for a loop. I haven't run since Thursday of last week. Lat Friday, I awoke feeling nasty and it carried through the weekend. Non-sore legs and gorgeous weather on the Cape, made me psyched to do my five mile loop but I took a three hour nap instead on Saturday. Sunday I laid around all day doing nothing until I helped prune some trees with my father-and-brother-in-laws. I was totally out of it, all day -- lethargic, unmotivated . . . blah. Yesterday would have been a stolen day. Today would have been my actual on-day but I felt less than chipper again so bagged it. Tomorrow is Mrs. Agricola's day so Wednesday will mark my return -- as long as my seasonal woes have come to an end.

Phones home?

There's an interesting "debate" on boston.com today about the use of headphones while running. I personally don't chose to listen to tunes, but I'm not against it. I prefer to zone out by getting into a rhythm with my breathing, observing random thoughts, repeating various mantras, etc.

What do you guys think? Should headphones be banned at races?

Check it out...

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2007/08/20/a_running_debate/

Near Bail

Time: 37.46
Avg HR: 154
Peak HR: 174
Calories: 617
Distance: 4.7
Start Time: 6:40 AM
Training Effect: 4.1
Temp: 60 & humid
Date: 8/16/07

I nearly bailed this AM. I was dragging, as evidenced by my late start time and while getting dressed in the kitchen -- yes, I get dressed down there in the AM in an effort not to disturb the family -- I nearly went back to bed. The blog, and my desire to improve won out. I had intended to do my my 5 mile loop and compromised on a little shorter one. I felt slow, but my pace was pretty good. I moved up a training class on my watch -- I was at 6, but now am at 7. Not entirely sure what it means, I'll research and get back to you. My left hamstring is still somewhat sore, but my quads felt pretty good -- just tired, not sore. I may take the rest of the week off, but I'm going to be on CC again this weekend and wanted to do my 5 mile route down there. We'll see how the legs feel Saturday AM.

Recovery

Time: 26:39
Avg HR: 150
Peak HR: 166
Calories: 370
Distance: 3.3
Start Time: 6:27 AM
Training Effect: 3.7
Temp: low-50s & dry
Date: 8/14/07

I did my short route this AM. It was more for recovery than fitness. I'm a little sore in the quads and hammies but looking to run through it. It will be good for leg strength. Things felt pretty good by the end, though it's all a bit sore/tight right now. I could actually see my breath in places this AM -- it was a little chilly. Fall is coming.

Falmouth Road Race

Alright, I've been talking about this for weeks, and working towards it since January. I was out of shape and overweight, and I needed to train to run this thing. I first ran this race in 2004 -- I was happy with my time, then. I ran it in 2005 and 2006 and was not happy with my time. I was happy with yesterday's run, I covered the 7 miles in 57:05 (by my watch)and 57:10 by the (un)official clock. Regardless, my average/mile pace was 8:09 or 8:10. Here's some data and where I finished:

There were 8,941 finishers (top 15%)
There were 4,879 men (top 20%)
There were 4,288 19-39 year olds (top 12% -- incl. women)
(I'm not giving the actual line here because I want to remain anonymous on the web, by and large. The folks who know me can look me up for the official info)

Here are my splits
Mile 1: 8:25
Mile 2: 7:53/16:18
Mile 3: 7:55/24:14 I messed up timing on 2-4, so this is slightly estimated.
Mile 4: 8:02/31:16
Mile 5: 8:12/40:29
Mile 6: 8:18/48:48
(10K): 50:40
Mile 7: 8:16/57:05

The race can be blown in the early miles as they are mainly rollers and I think I got in a bit of trouble there. You can see I was flagging a bit on 5-6 -- but I finished 6-7 faster than I went out, and there's a big old hill at the end. I gave it a good kick up the final hill (training and visualization helped on this) and I passed a couple of people on the way up who didn't catch me on the way down. I finished with a good kick. Overall I'm really happy with this result.

Tune-up

Time: 26:08
Avg HR: 152
Peak HR: 171
Calories: 392
Distance: 3.3
Start Time: 6:16 AM
Training Effect: 3.8
Temp: cool
Date: 8/10/07

Short brisk run. Short brisk post. I'm ready for Sunday.

Passing bikers?

I went out for a quick four miler at lunch today. Nothing to report, except that I passed two bikers on the route. They were an old couple who originally passed me while I was resting at my turnaround point on the local bike path. I had a hunch I might catch them, but I hoped I wouldn't.

When I closed in on them, I seriously had to consider the etiquette of the situation. I mean how demoralizing would it be to be passed by a runner while you're pedalling along on your bike? I also had to consider whether I could continue to gain on them after passing by. I did not want to play the obnoxious guy passing bikers only to be passed myself after running out of gas. After sorting this out, I went for it. Ok, "went for it" might be a little strong. These guys were crawling to the point that I half expected them to fall over in front of me. So, I continued on, passed the woeful bikers and finished the run. It was an entertaining situation.

Here are the stats:
4.2 miles
32:41 minutes
2 bikers passed

In case I the day gets away from me tomorrow, I want to take a second to wish Agricola luck at Falmouth this weekend. Tear it up! Sub-60 baby! Looking forward to the full report.

Logging miles and gadgets

I managed to squeeze in a 7.5 miler at lunch today in weather that was pushing 90%+ humidity (at least it felt that way). My time was somewhere around 1:02, and luckily I had this little gadget to help me stay hydrated and get through it.

http://www.amphipod.com/320/320.html -- Highly recommended after 2 uses. It is easy to use, has an expandable zip pocket for Gu, Powerbars, money, id, whatever. It also seems well-designed because I hardly knew it was there.

Drizzle

Time: 32:37
Avg HR: 153
Peak HR: 172
Calories: 494
Distance: 4.02
Start Time: 6:29 AM
Training Effect: 4.0
Temp: warm and drizzling
Date: 8/8/07

It was a drizzly morning today and it drizzled on me the whole run. It was a classic, humid summer morning rainfall -- big drops, spaced far apart falling from a leaden sky that looked like it would open up on me at any moment. It did open up, but about 10 minutes after coming in the house. Nice timing.

I've got one run and four days to go before Falmouth. I know it's only a 7 miler but I'm pumped for this race and hope the weather permits me to blaze it -- though I'm afraid that it's going to be hot and humid and if it is that will change my strategy a bit. As far as my remaining run it's scheduled for Friday and I'm going to ease up a bit and go short and (maybe) slow in a short taper before the race.

What a thrilling post.

Trail Racing...Family-Style

Every Tuesday night during the summer months, the Catamount Outdoor Family Center (http://www.catamountoutdoor.com/) hosts a 5K trail running series, which is a riot. Competitors range from local high school cross-country teams (these guys fly!) to a husband and wife in their mid-80's to recreational runners like us. They have two courses which run on single track trails through old farming meadows and woods. Both courses are beautiful, although one is a killer with lots of hills and switchbacks.

The races are truly a family affair. The owner of the Center and his grown son manage the race and are out there every week. Spouses often alternate running and watching the kids on a weekly basis, and there are two shorter races for "cubs" (age 0 - 6) and "cadets" (age 7 - 12).

The entire VT Runner family typically runs a bunch of these races each year, but this was our first one of 2007. VT Runner the elder (4.5 yo) has "raced" for the last 3 years, but has always alternated between running, walking, being carried, picking flowers, rolling in the long grass, and/or bursting into tears at the starting line. We really never know what to expect. Last night, he surprised us all by charging the race (probably about 100 yards long) and having a ball. He had so much fun, that he ran the route no less than 5 times and was a ball of sweat by the time my run was done. He did not want to stop running, and even raced to the car. VT Runner the younger (2 yo) also "ran" the entire route a couple of times and was very proud of herself. I was proud of them both.

My race (Mrs. VT Runner had kid duty last night) was also fun. I ran a 22:26 for the 5K route, alternately shadowing and leading a couple of guys at a steady but hard pace. At about the mid-point, I needed to focus to keep pushing, so I started repeating a mantra to myself, "No fatigue in the legs, no fatigue in the lungs," but quickly changed it to "Strong legs, strong lungs" because I didn't like saying the word fatigue. Can you tell how strongly I believe in the power of positive thinking/imagery in running?

I really needed the help for the last 1K because I ran my 3rd kilometer as if it was my last. I still don't know how I turned a "3" into a "4" on the 3K mile marker sign, but the mistake was painful. In the end, I guess it turned out OK because I posted my fastest time ever for this 5K. I think I was inspired by the kids' performances. How cool is it to be at the stage where we can truly share our passions and activities with the whole family? I have a feeling it's only going to get better from here.

When you gotta go

I woke up Saturday morning, had a small cup of coffee, and hit the road for my long run of the week, an 11 miler at a comfortable pace. I did an out and back that offered views of Lake Champlain at the turnaround point. Unfortunately, this run also offered a gastro-intestinal revolt at said turnaround, the longest point from home. With no bathroom in sight and TONS of poison ivy lining the trail, I clench-walked one painful mile before finding a solution to my predicament. No need for details here, except for the fact that I ran the remaining 4 miles with only one sock. You do the math.

Oh, the joys of running.

On a completely different front, I had a massage today to work out some shoulder/back issues I've been having (residual pain from a waterskiing-induced shoulder separation 2 years ago), and my masseuse made an interesting observation. She was working my neck area while I was on my back, and she said she could tell I was a runner because of the muscles in the front of my neck and around my collarbones. Apparently, runners' intense breathing, especially on longer runs, develops these muscles in a special way that isn't found on non-runners. I couldn't tell you what the difference is, but I thought it was really cool to have her notice a physiological trait that specifically id's me as a runner.

Running on Sunday morning

Just went for a 26 minute run on Sunday morning and I felt slow and tired, but at least I got out there. Hope to get in 3 runs this week...

Saturday/Monday

Saturday
Time: 51:54
Avg HR: 158
Peak HR: 182
Calories: 838
Distance: 6.2
Start Time: 6:51 AM
Training Effect: 5.0
Temp: warm
Date: 8/4/07

I set out on Saturday AM for my second 50+ minute run before Falmouth. It went really well. It was a bit slower overall (about 39 seconds total) but I had no walking portion to get back on track, and the last hill was easier this week than last. I think it made a huige difference getting out an hour earlier because it was that much cooler, and the air was also drier this week than last. I noticed a difference in my runs in-between 10Ks. The longer run does so much to help the conditioning. I'm psyched I bucked up for these and got them in.

Monday
Time: 30:53
Avg HR: 148
Peak HR: 169
Calories: 422
Distance: ~3.8
Start Time: 6:41 AM
Training Effect: 3.8
Temp: cool -- classic August Morning!
Date: 8/6/07

Today was a day I felt the effect of the longer run that I mentioned above. It was a moderate run, just under four, in a time of about 8:07/mile. The HR was within a very comfortable range and the run felt good. It's as if I've turned a definite corner and it feels good to be here at this point in my training: two more runs this week and 6 days until Falmouth . . . I'm feeling good.

Through the woods

I got in a quick three on the trails near the office yesterday. It was a hot one up here in VT (mid-90's), and the sheltered wooded paths provided some relief.

Nothing more to report on the running front. I'm just chugging along getting the miles in.

On the work front, I'll mention that today is the first day of Burton's annual summer tent sale, and it is a scene! They're rolling with a Nascar theme, and the staff is taking it to the next level -- sporting cut off half shirts and handlebar mustaches, serving pulled pork sandwiches, blaring classic rock. There's even a real Nascar-type racecar and racing video games. The doors opened at 7AM, and when I got here at 8:45 the line was still probably 200 yards long and wrapped around the parking lot. People apparently got here at 5AM, and I saw one tent. Scattered throughout the crowd, I saw kids who were literally glowing, arms full of snowboards and bags bigger than they were full of gear. It's a good day to come to work when you see the passion of the customers literally on your doorstep.

That's all from here. I have 6 miles on tap today. We'll see how that goes.

Nice Run

Time: 35:00
Avg HR: 153
Peak HR: 173
Calories: 528
Distance: 4.3
Start Time: 6:24 AM
Training Effect: 4.02
Temp: warm & humid
Date: 8/2/07

Today's run was a beauty. I went on the first mile in 8:37 and that set a nice pace for the rest of the run, though based on average pace/mile it sped up over the course which is good. I don't know if it was the long run on Sunday or what, but today felt good. The only downer was a blister on my right foot -- either the footbed in my sneaker was shifted or my sock was twisted. I'm not sure what it was and I'm not worried -- duct tape can fix all.