Back to Basics

I got out on the road today. 50 minutes, end to end. This included warm up and cool down walks, as well as three stretch breaks. I took it gingerly, expecting to reprise some of the aches and pain from last week's Adirondack 1/2 Marathon. I finished today with a tweak in my left knee, otherwise I felt fair. The slow-n-steady approach gets credit, I am certain.

The ADK 1/2 ended up being a fine time. For a bunch of reasons -- some reasonable, some not, nearly all mental -- I ran little in preparation. I wanted to back out, but having made a commitment to Mrs. FA and some other folks, off we went.

Given the lack of training, I planned a walk/run strategy: run the first six miles, and then walk/run alternate miles. This way I could finish in 2:30 and not hurt myself.

I stuck more or less to the plan, and ran more or less at my intended pace. At mile 11, I stopped to wait for Mrs. FA so we could run the last two miles and finish together, which we did in 2:43.

There's a New York Road Runners 5 miler on Halloween, and I want to run between 9 and 9:30 minute miles. I am going to train for this alone, for myself. My recent lack of motivation re: the ADK 1/2 stemmed mainly from a promise I made to run it. There are already too many obligations in life. If I run, I have to run because I want to, obliged to no one.

It is a beatiful day in NYC, and the Park is full of runners and tourist and folks walking dogs. I ran the route that I ran over and over and over when I started running more than two years ago. I even wore the heart monitor strap, which gave me some interesting bio-feedback. I haven't used it in a long time. There's a stiff headwind along part of my route - the first crisp breeze of the Fall season. Looking forward to more of it.

Later. fellas.

10K

Got out for a mellow 10K today before running off to a meeting. It felt pretty good, not great, but not bad. It was mild and not raining today, so that was good. The sun came out after the run, but what can you do?

I'll try for another 10K tomorrow as well to get in the mileage. I noticed that my left leg was a bit sore today in the quad -- I think it has something to do with the fact that for much of the ES20 it was the leg on the high side of the road and it felt more tired during the run than the right leg (could be total poppycock, I don't know, but it seems like a plausible theory).

Bye-Bye Zen

So, I've been running Zen for about the past year or so. By Zen I mean I just go out and do it. I don't time it, record the distance, monitor HR, pay attention to the weather (too much), ignore pace etc. I just try to let the run come to me, seek a flow and go. Well, it's time to say bye-bye to my Zen running experiment. I've got a bunch of double-digit-distance races coming up and a 10K in two weeks (less actually), and I need to train and I need to pay attention to distance and pace and HR and track my progress. I'm going to get my watch up and running again, I'm going to pay more attention to the weather (my legs froze this AM without a sufficient base-layer on and it was miserable), and while I'm going to look for the flow and let the runs come to me I'm going to buckle down a bit harder, work harder at running and being fit and bending my schedule to the run. There is a relentless logic to training -- the more you do the better you get the easier it becomes to train the more you can train the better you get and on, and on, and on. I dragged my sorry butt out of bed at 6:20, and was on the road by 6:30. It was cold and dark, but it felt good to be moving and good to know that whatever today brings, it won't make me miss my run. It's time get type-A about this thing. I'll be on the road tomorrow at 6:30 AM again. See you then.

Coupla Weeks

Well, I've been quietly sort of running over the past couple of weeks. The week after Falmouth was a bust despite my motivation -- lots of work to do from the cape and not much rhythm. I got in one swim but it wasn't much to write home about. I may have done a short run, but I honestly don't remember. I returned from the Cape and went to tri training session the following week. I mis-read the schedule and brought my sneakers when I should have brought my bike... I swam and went for a short run, somewhere in the neighborhood of 25-30 minutes. It was super humid and the black flies were assaulting my head.

I got in one more run that week but don't remember which route I did, it may have been a shorty. Can you see that I'm really into it right now?

Last week I did the tri training, swim/run and one more run, a short one. I just got back from tri training and did a swim and bike ride. I'm awful on the mountain bike when I ride it like 4 times each year. I need to get in another ride or so to get comfortable on the clipless pedals. The swim was fine, i wasn't super motivated, but did it. The ride was fun despite not being 100% comfortable. I went slow and gabbed with a fire fighter from Cambridge. There is a full run through a week from Wednesday.

I'm rediscovering that I really love the running etc., more than drinking and that it makes me feel better than drinking... right now I'm a drinker with a running problem more than a runner with a drinking problem. I think I'm going tomorrow for a run. I like how it makes me feel, and though one wouldn't think so, I need to keep reminding myself about how much I like the exertion.

One bit of business that's going undone: I have an entry form for the CCM Relay. Who's in? I want to fill it out tomorrow even though it's going to cost more because it will be in after 9/1. Also, psyched to hear VTR is considering VCM '10. I've been thinking about it and I'm in. I need to run it.

Run 58

I had only 25 minutes and didn't want to out-and-back, so headed off on my usual resevoir route but left the resevoir track early and looped back on the Park Road, running the Great Hill in reverse and exiting the park at Adam Clayton Powell Blvd to run surface streets back home. I ran a little harder than ususal due to the hills. I am not going to run again before the race Saturday. Having a hard time getting excited for it, frankly. More thoughts on this later.

Run 54

Ran ~ 3 miles in ~ 27 minutes on Saturday afternoon, sneaking away with Mrs. FA from her parent's place for an out-and-back to the edge of their subdivision. It's ugly what a long weekend of heavy eating can do. I was happy with my time, but felt sluggish and breathless. Sticking to bran and veggies this week.

Riverside Run, #51

So I haven't run since last Sunday. It was a long work week, with multiple family commitments in the evenings, etc. (The bigger of the little FAs turned 8 on Thursday. Unbelievable.) So I wanted to shake off the week with something new, and not obsess over distance or time.

I ran to Riverside Park, downtown to the Intrepid, and up 43rd Street to 8th Avenue where I hopped on the C train to head home.

Google says it's 4.48 miles. I ran it in 49.10, nearly an 11 minute mile pace, which I'm glad to say is slow for me. I did stop to walk 2x for a minute each time, and stopped once to heed nature. Not sure how long that took. Whatever. It is great and clear and cold in NYC today, and windy on the riverfront. I like that route, and think I'll extend it for long weekend runs.

I'm also starting to think about trying a run with the iPod. Will certainly blog about that. Chaka Khan's Ain't Nobody was the earworm on this run; it shifted over to Zep's Travelin By The Riverside Blues when I hailed the big carrier.

Peace, fellas.

Tough Week

No posts for two days! That's a record for this crowd, lately. This is a tough time for me. I always find the weeks immediately before Thanksgiving are super busy, as if clients are startng to clear the decks for holidays and year-end. I haven't run since Sunday, shanghai-d by preparations for a trip to Tampa, and the trip itself. The trip was very positive and may lead to a super exciting opportunity, but I've had few cracks to fill, ala Agricola. When I was a kid we had a family friend, a carpenter, who used to say you gotta give something to get something, sometimes.

I'm slammed today and my local industry's big annual affair is tonight. I aim to go light on the booze and hit the road tomorrow morning. We'll be upstate most of next week so I hope to be firmly back on plan by Thanksgiving. Looking forward to posting, and to seeing yours, too.

Peace,

A New Race

In a recent post I mentioned a mid-December Reindeer Run in nearby Schroon Lake. I was wrong about that; it's in far-off Queensbury. But Mrs. FA and I registered for the NYRR's Holiday 4-Miler on Sat., Dec. 13, in Central Park. (We joined NYRR while at it.)

That's about a month away. I am thinking I'll aim for 37 minutes. I haven't run since last Thurs. But I'll be back on the road tomorrow.

Peace,

Syked!

Gents, I am getting completely revved up, thinking about the CCM relay. As I told Agricola, son of the mountain, beast on the hills, I've never run anything before, so I'll consider this an accomplishment! Will look to the blog for guidance on spooling up for this. Knowing me, momentum is important, so I am thinking I'll start after I'm back from scout camp, the week of Jun 23. I then have two months of fairly steady routine before a week away in Aug, and then two more months of routine before the event. I am not overly concerned about work travel, which is murder on a steady cycling regimen, running being considerably easier to maintain on the road than biking, but I'll stop being obvious boy, 'til later. Peace.

Endurance Event

Below is a sampling of the 2008 Krispy Kreme Challenge in Raleigh, NC. Run two miles. Get a dozen donuts. Eat them all. Run back to the start/finish line. Do it in one hour or less. How exactly does one train for this?



I found this on a site that I've been following off an on for a while -- Big Arm Woman.

I need to get out today, but the weather is nasty . . .

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.

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.

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.

Last of July

Time: 31:15
Avg HR: 152
Peak HR: 173
Calories: 474
Distance: 3.7
Start Time: 6:24 AM
Training Effect: 4.0
Temp: foggy and humid
Date: 7/31/07

Got a moderate run in this AM. It felt pretty good though I was feeling the Sunday-10K. The first 90 seconds of this run felt like an eternity to me for some reason and I wasn't sure how I was going to run for 30 minutes. I passed a woman on an uphill and that gave me a little boost and on I went. It was really foggy this AM and though my alarm went off at 5:30 AM I rolled over for a bit until it burned off a bit by 6 -- the 'hood was completely blanketed by fog and I couldn't see a thing outside my window when I first awoke.

It was so humid today that at the end of the run, sweat or atmospheric moisture was condensing on the hair on my arms and legs. I don't know which it was -- though I think it was atmospheric moisture because the droplets were tiny, perfect spheres. It seems counter intuitive that while hot and sweaty one would have condensation on his arms and legs. The only explanation I can figure is that the hair on my arms, soaked in sweat was cooler than the air and therefore things were condensing. That's it for Mr. Science. Five more runs before Falmouth.

10K

Time: 51:18
Avg HR: 162
Peak HR: 180
Calories: 835
Distance: 6.21
Start Time: 8:01 AM
Training Effect: 5.0
Temp: hot and humid
Date: 7/29/07

SO I got one my needed +50 minute runs in on Sunday. I lounged for a bit in the AM and it was really too hot to do so. I just need to get up and go early. I sweated for probably 40 minutes after finishing -- and not just droplets on the brow, i mean soaking through my shorts so it was like I'd been swimming, running down my back and dripping off of finhertips. I must admit that I walked for about 1 minute to get everything all aligned again at around the 5 mile mark. Also . . . the front of my shirt was blood stained at the end -- the dreaded chafed nipples. I'll do the route again this Sunday in my final long tune up Falmouth which goes off on 12 August. All in all though, I think I'm in a good place for my goal of sub-60 if all goes well. I also feel pretty good today, not much soreness in the legs though I am enjoying my off day but looking forward to tomorrow's trot which I'll probably keep on the shorter side.

Mental Game

Time: 35:26
Avg HR: 154
Peak HR: 178
Calories: 591
Distance: TBD
Start Time: 6:03 AM
Training Effect: 4.5
Temp: 62 F (90% Rel. Humidity)
Date: 7/27/07

This is such a mental thing, running. Yesterday was my day, but I couldn't do it. Like last week, this week has been a grind at work that's leaving me mentally (& physically) tired. Child One lost her stuffed kitty, Meowser, on Wednesday (we found her the next day, it's a good story). We were so bummed out about the possibility of losing Meowser that we were both just wiped. It sounds crazy but that added bit of baggage just kept me in the rack -- i was up at 5:30, I couldn't roll out though.

So, I went today. I took it easy in the first third or so, ran a decent hill and then just sort of fell into a good pace with a strong last mile. It was humid again but this Friday it didn't destroy me. I'm just focusing on heeding temp/humidity and the signs from my body about how to proceed. I need to map this course to get a sense of distance. I'm enjoying the running-for-time thing but without any exact understanding of distance I'm not sure where I stand in relation to my goals for the Falmouth RR which happens in two weeks. That's created a bit of anxiety for me. I'm looking to get a 50-53 minute run in this weekend -- maybe tomorrow to up my weekly run count, or maybe Sunday to start next week strongly. I'll let you know either way.

Foggy Run

Time: 32:57
Avg HR: 164
Peak HR: 178
Calories: 589
Distance: ~5?
Start Time: 6:03 AM
Training Effect: 4.7
Temp: 60
Date: 7/10/07

It was a foggy day today and therefore somewhat more interesting than the normal morning trot. I actually went out for 41 minutes but neglected to start the watch until 9 minutes in. So the data is for the recorded run. My quads were pretty tight, but I kept on trucking. My goal is to consistently run in the neighborhood of 40 - 45 minutes 2 times each week, with one or two shorter 3 milers thrown in for good measure. I figure 15 - 18 more runs before Falmouth, so I think I'm in a good position for that race.

Vacation Recap
On my 1 July post I mentioned that I wanted to do two 5 milers on the Cape. I did them. The first I did pushing Child Two, the second I did alone. The latter was a bit painful because it was after a nasty lunch that consisted of a fish sandwich (yes, fried, I was on Cape Cod for vacation!)and a cone with the kiddies. These are not optimal training foods (new running rule!), and I had to stop a couple of times because I felt like I was going to hurl. Data is below.

With Child Two
Time: 43:55
Avg HR: 154
Peak HR: 170
Calories: 690
Distance: 5
Start Time: 7:38 AM
Training Effect: 4.7
Temp: n/a
Date: 7/3/07

Solo
Time: 41:42
Avg HR: 164
Peak HR: 176
Calories: 676
Distance: 5
Start Time: 4:59 PM
Training Effect: 5.0
Temp: n/a
Date: 7/5/07

CSI

I started late so only rode for thirty minutes tonight, all on the trainer, standing still in my living room. I comfortably spin between 16 and 18 mph most nights, so that's roughly 8.5 miles, I didn't bother to check the computer. I don't have a heart rate monitor yet, so that's all I can say about it.

There isn't a lot to look at when you train at home. During my first few outdoor rides of the year last week it was remarkable how much more quickly time passes with the changing landscape. Finding the proper living room diversion has become a small obsession of mine.

Reading is out of the question. I am on my road bike, on a trainer, there is no gym-style-stationary-bike-shelf-for-your-magazine thing. I've tried the iPod, and while it spares my sanity on long flights it just doesn't do the job on long rides. I don't have the proper patience to build a kick ass playlist, and when Zep's The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair downshifts to Annie's Song (that's John Denver, fellas) it's tough to keep your dick up.

So I've come to define what works on television. Nothing too cerebral or hard to follow (I'm short Syriana), nothing too talk-oriented (tried Barefoot in the Park once. Short that.). The right show needs a little action, a jaunty tone, and a good story, enough narrative force to pull you along without drowning you. Right now that's CSI. Back to back reruns from 7 to midnight on Spike TV. Beauty.

Outrun The Taxman

I know this is a little bit short notice, but this weekend VT Runner and I, and our families, are going to be on Cape Cod. It might be fun to get a Long Distance Training Blog run going mid-Cape on Saturday or Sunday. The one thing I need to caveat is that Sunday may be rough if Saturday night goes the way I hope it does, and it often does, when the fams get together -- so Saturday may be a better day for fitness. We're thinking about doing an hour run, sometime in the afternoon. Let me know if you're interested via email or a comment and I'll work to arrange things.