3

What did I do today?  Like most hygienically-friendly folks, I took a cold shower to wake myself up this morning.  Wait.  That was my 4-mile jog, which included the final 2.2 miles of the marathon course.  It was 46 degrees with wind and rain … awesome marathon weather … if you are sadistic and live in Wales.  Fortunately, the forecast for Sunday still looks favorable.  Despite miserable conditions, I was in high spirits … 3 days away!  I noticed as I turned into CP that the actual mile markers (signs) are up.  I’d be lying if that did not incite quicker turnover on what was supposed to be a steady state run.  I wound my way south down Cat Hill to briefly exit the park and run along Central Park South (still on course) and turned back into CP when I saw the bleachers outside of Columbus Circle.  [Whoa … it’s getting real.]  I made my way up the final 400 meters near Tavern on the Green and in all its resplendent glory …

Oh yeah, today was also Expo Day.  Really Expo 20 minutes because that is about all the time I spent at the Javits Center.  My mission was to get the bib, bag and make a quick swing thru with my wife.  I was specifically looking for items for her and the kids (for putting up with this marathon stuff), but neither of us was inspired enough to make a purchase (nor wait in the insane lines).  I’m a bit jaded on the Expo as this is my home turf and I am fortunate enough to see gear year around.  Expos are important but generally for out-of-town folks looking to take a piece of the event back home.  All good, just not my thing.  More importantly, I wanted to get off my feet.  I got me some running to do soon.

It’s almost time … 3.

 

More Money in the Bank

I’ve used this phrase countless times during marathon training … generally as a response to a challenging workout.  Last night’s tempo was not itself excessively challenging – 4mi tempo @ HMP … we’ve been assigned the same workout plus 4mi @ MP as an appetizer.  This particular session brought out additional factors to juggle in addition to simply  executing a run: cold rain, wind, leaves just waiting for you to slip on, puddles with crevices begging for a fresh ankle to mangle, and of course, it was pitch black, save for an occasional flickering lamp along the outer loop of CP.  Even for a dedicated group of athletes as CPTC, the numbers venturing out in this mess were lower than usual ~ 20 folks.

I geared up in a lightweight jacket (not waterproof as I don’t own one), gloves, hat and Nike Zoom Elites.  I was gunning for a longer warm up, but because of the conditions, Coach sent us on our way at the appointed hour, if not slightly earlier.  Therefore, I cut it short (3+), regrouped and headed out with my pack.  As usual Runner’s Kitchen lead the way and pretended to start at my pace, then took off leaving us in the dust … she’s a beast.  Given my growing “stay healthy / avoid stupidity” paranoia, I felt like we were all holding back during the first mile to orient to the conditions.  I had visions of slipping on a leaf or otherwise just biting it. It felt like we were cruising along at MP (7:30) and then would steadily drop to HMP (7:15-20) for the balance.  When Garmin chimed after mile 1 it read – 7:40.  Crap.  Despite that first mile always being slow (gradual uphill), we needed to get going.

I found the rhythm during miles 2 and 3 (7:18, 7:21) and focused on form.  My thoughts started creeping towards marathon Sunday … not necessarily racing visions, but more so how this night (like so many before it) would be reflected upon during the race.  Withdrawing the cash deposited for 4 grinding months for the money day.  I remember the brutally cold sessions on this same route when I first joined CPTC and I was dead last … by A LOT.  Tonight, that was not the case.  I finished with a nice kick for mile 4 (7:01).  All in, a solid effort with 10mi total and 7:20 pace for the tempo portion.

I’m planning to run the last 10 miles of the course in a couple of weeks to find the tangents, get used to the surroundings and continue painting that mental picture of what will happen on 11.7.2010.

Last thing, I absent-mindedly failed to mention Morrissey’s sparkling 2:57:41 PR at Chicago.  Nice work, my man.  CPTC represented in my hometown!

 

Shoe Review – Full-Weight Trainers

In this continuing series, next up are the big boys and girls of the running shoe world … full-weight kicks. When I first started running (and knew zippo about workout-specific shoes), I found the biggest, heaviest shoe I could find as I thought the bigger the shoe the more support, the less chance of injury. A reasonably popular book largely dispelled (or at least better publicized this myth). While I am not an advocate (or detractor) of Vibram Five Fingers or barefoot running, I do believe minimalist kicks are the way to go … more on this in a later post. However, there are situations when a heavier shoe adds value to your running program. When?

Marathon training! That is not to say inserting a full-weight shoe (FW) into your rotation at other times is inappropriate … it clearly is not. However, if you follow the hard day / easy day principal of marathon training, a FW shoe is advisable for your recovery runs. Right now I am using these:

NB 1064

Be warned … the 1064s are a lot of shoe. They are bulky, thick-soled and heavy at 12.1 oz (size 9 – heavier if you wear a larger size). If the goal of racing is to get from point A to point B as fast as possible, why would you put a tank around your feet? To force you to slow down on the days when you are supposed to slow down. I do speedwork on Tuesdays and hard tempos on Thursdays. You will find me wearing the 1064s on Wednesday and Friday without fail. FW shoes are medicine for legs and feet after a taxing workout.

With that as a backdrop, how do the 1064s perform? I’d give them a “B” as they are responsive and comfortable, yet run big in the toebox (historical problem with NB) and are almost too much shoe. Out of the box, they feel great. Unlike the Zooms, there is no break-in period. These kicks are ready to ride immediately. If you like cushioning, the 1064s are like a pillow with plenty of support and shock absorption, but they are big. While I harp on the size of the shoe, they do serve the intended purpose of instilling the discipline you need to properly execute a recovery run. You might ask, “Do I need to buy another pair of shoes to remind me to go slow on easy days?” The answer is no, provided that you are in fact disciplined. I like rotating shoes and find that my feet thank me for it.

The 1064s grip multiple surfaces very well. I tend to do easy runs on dirt where slippage or that “running in sand” feeling are the norm, but these kicks do a nice job of handling varied terrain.

For those bigger runners contemplating an everyday trainer, the 1064s can fit the bill. The shoe is also responsive enough to enable you to do some varied workouts. At the end of an easy run, I’ll toss in 5-7 strides (70-100m of near sprinting) to add some spice at the end of a boring recovery run. I found the shoe did not inhibit me in any way. In fact, if you can go fast in a heavy shoe, just think of what you can do when you slip on something lighter.

If you are interested in the 1064s, I’d recommend selecting a ½ size smaller than your normal trainers.

Shoe Review – Daily Trainers

Over the last few months I’ve experimented with a few different brands and types of kicks. Below is my review / point of view on daily trainers. Next I’ll provide thoughts on full-weight shoes and then minimalist kicks:

Historically, Nike has run narrow in the toe box … leaving normal sized human beings (170lbs+) out in the cold or suffer from cramped feet. While weight is not necessarily a perfect correlation with shoe width, I’m using it anyway. My Nike history is mixed. I loved the Lunar Racer 1 for track up to half marathon distances. Rumor has it that Nike is re-introducing LR1s soon as the LR2 have fallen short of expectations. This past Spring I tried the Lunar Fly as a daily trainer. Meh. I found them a bit too soft to withstand daily pounding. Also, the Nike history of narrow toe box bit me here. I developed a blister almost instantly. Nice shoe, but not for me. I wear them as a lifestyle shoe.

Somewhat frustrated, I turned to CPTC’s shoe expert, @mpatent, for advice. He suggested these:

Nike Zoom Elite 4

The Zooms are a lightweight trainer that ride even better than they look. Initially though, they were stiff. It took 30mi or so to break them in. However, even in the more rigid state I found them worlds better than any other daily trainers I’ve tried. They are surprising responsive at 11oz. I find the Zooms to be nearly the perfect weight for easy runs and even the occasional tempo. In fact, I wore the Zooms for my first 20+ mile run.

For those of you forefoot strikers (like me), the Zooms are supportive, although the heel is a bit thick in that respect. I’ll cover minimalist shoes in a separate post. Still, for a daily trainer, the Zooms certainly do not inhibit proper biomechanics. I have a high arch and wear neutral shoes. The Zooms were comfortable and stable without feeling restricting. I tend to run on dirt/gravel/trails in Central Park, but I don’t wear a trail specific shoe. With waffle rubber lugs, the Zooms do very well on non-paved surfaces as they grip the terrain nicely. I would not recommend racing in them, unless you are 200lbs and cannot wear flats or a more minimalist shoe. As you know, I put a beating on my shoes … gotta extract that value. I expect 500mi from the Zooms. At nearly 300mi, they are well-built enough to withstand that kind of pounding.

Now the bad news … the Zoom Elite 4′s are discontinued. You can find them randomly and usually at a great price. I stocked up and will hoard pairs as I find them.

1 Down, More to Go

Instead of a daily blog, this is turning into a weekly data dump.  I don’t like that.  You can’t like it either.  I need more blogging consistency.  Here’s the recap of last week:

Wednesday.  After a craptastic interval session on Tuesday (5x1k), Wednesday was a simple recovery run + strides + drills.  After work, I scooted along the mini Bridle P and did a few laps around the reservoir.  What I am lacking in blogging discipline, I am making up for it with drills.  I incorporate them after easy runs to make certain form does not go by the wayside during this mileage build up.  Total of 6 miles.

Thursday.  Another biggie in terms of team tempo runs.  On the menu was 7 miles with the first half (plus a bit more) at marathon pace and the rest at half marathon pace.  I wanted to negative split (unlike last week’s evens) so I went out more conservatively and hung with a group for the entire first half.  I usually find myself in no man’s land for tempos … I stay away from the Assassins who jet out early and but keep them in sight enough to where I am slightly ahead of the pack behind me.  Since 7 miles would be my longest tempo ever, I decided to hang with the crew.  It was a smart move as the marathon pace portion felt very comfortable as I occasionally chatted with teammates (7:37).  The challenge would be kicking up enough turnover to drop the pace by 10-15 seconds to get to HM pace without busting out too early and bonking at the end.  I did my best to ease into it, but I tired on the 2^nd loop (last 1.7 miles).  I also screwed up my coach’s instructions.  As we went by him to complete the first loop, I heard him say, “Shorten up.  Shorten up.”  I took that to mean shorten up my stride (tends to be long) to get more leg revolutions.  I completely mucked it up and ended up slowing down dramatically.  I glanced at my watch as I approached the final mile and saw 7:47 pace.  Gah!!!  I kind of panicked because the entire point of going out more conservatively was to have something in the tank to negative split.  Therefore, to make up the time, I pushed it.  The final mile ended up being 6:43, which was not ideal, but at least it worked.  Overall, for the second bit – 7:30 pace.  I walked away a bit annoyed that I changed stride (incorrectly), but I did negative split for the night … albeit at slower than goal pace for each.  Progress over the even split last week though.  Toss in the warm up and cool down and it was an 11.5 mile night.

Friday.  Same deal as the recovery on Wednesday, except no Bridle P.  Instead, I did a series of loops on the reservoir and Great lawn.  Total of 7 miles.

Sunday.  I might have spent a total of 20 minutes on my feet all day Saturday in preparation for the long run on Sunday.  I lounged around and watched more sports than I have in probably the last 2 months combined.  I also hydrated and carbed up a fair amount.  Why?  21.  Not my age or the restaurant.  I had my first 20 spot of this cycle on the docket. Frankly, I did my best not to think much about it.  Any way you slice it, 20+ miles is a big number. This is especially the case when my PR is 18 miles.  Since long runs are sacred, I treat them like marathon Sunday to an extent.  I use it as a dress rehearsal … CPTC singlet of some sort with the shorts and socks I plan to wear on 11.7.2010.  Regarding shoes, I will have a great indication after this upcoming week on the kicks I’ll wear (more on that tomorrow – shoe review).  For now, I wear Nike Zoom Elite 4 which are great daily trainers, but not ideal for speed.  The one element you cannot prepare for though are the elements.  Sunday was humid, overcast and rainy.  It did not matter.  I’m stubborn.

I set off for CP and did a few loops on the dirt (5mi) to shake as much gunk out of me as possible on the soft stuff before venturing down the West Side Highway. By the way, I have figured out my bridle path issue.  Previously, I’ve blogged about CP burnout.  Part of it is no doubt psychological, but part of it is environmental.  Water and humidity hang like a cloud over CP due to the number of trees, which in turn requires more effort from me when on the bridle (the roads are better).  Like clockwork, when I left CP for the openness of the WSH, I instantly felt better.  I wish I made this discovery in June as the summer could have been marginally more pleasant, but my legs will thank me for staying on dirt for most of my workouts.  The WSH route was the same as 2 weeks ago … head south from 96^th down to Battery Park / World Trade Center and reverse course.  Hydration and fuel were critical.  I stopped at Chelsea Piers (miles 9 and 14) for Powerade and a patron said, “Boy, you have a good sweat going.”  I was soaked from sweat and the downpour that washed some of it away.  My shoes were squishing starting at mile 9.  At any rate, I rolled along.  I took 2 GUs, which I guess helped, but believe the sports drinks had a bigger impact on keeping me going.  The strong feeling I had from mile 12-16 briefly flew the coop during mile 17.  It kind of sucked, actually.  Once I hit 18, I saw a definite path to the finish line.  I finished up back on the Reservoir and felt pretty good for having run 21 miles in the rain and soup.  Overall pace was decent at 8:45.

I expected to be completely destroyed after doing 20+, but other than moderately dehydrated and generally fatigued, I felt fine.  I immediately soaked, put on full compression tights and began the recovery process.  While Monday is a scheduled rest day, I need to be back in the game on Tuesday, even if I just to log some easy miles and do a few striders … get the blood flowing.

1^st 20 in the books.  On to the next one.

Incremental Progress

I’m hoping that I did not leave whatever speed I’ve developed on the track at Icahn last Tuesday.  Since then I’ve tried to maintain patience and recover properly, but it has been a slow slog ever since.  I posted recently about respecting the recovery run and do believe in its importance in overall training.  Also, I know I tore up a ton of little muscles in my legs and even my shoulders (which were sore too).  Still, anxiousness is returning. Despite all the progress and evidence that I am getting quicker, usually about 5-6 days before a race I actively think about how on Earth will I be able to generate anything close to race pace.  Do you ever feel like that?

Since I bagged Thursday’s 5 mile tempo with the team, I decided to give it a go on Sunday morning.  I chose the route that will be the course for this Sunday’s 5-mile Father’s Day Race Against Prostate Cancer.  We ran that route extensively during the Winter and Spring months, but have since switched it up.  Therefore, I viewed Sunday as a good opportunity to survey a course I’ve run hundreds of times.  I didn’t think I would be able to generate HM pace (suggested for this tempo) because I’d done hill sprints the day before.  I was right.  I wasn’t even close to marathon pace and I didn’t push it.  Average pace 7:50.  I wasn’t upset. I used what the body gave.  Given my recent issues with finishing races strongly, I used it as an opportunity to build confidence to get after it for those last 2 miles.  I didn’t have splits within the 5, but assumed that the pace of the last 2 miles was quicker than the first 3 … I started slowly.  With warm up and cool down a total of nearly 9 miles.

Not sure if posted about this, but I recently picked up compression socks.  Zoot was recommended by a teammate, so I went with them.  Like anything it will take time before I can assess whether they are beneficial, but so far so good.

Courtesy: Running Warehouse

I will say that since I started sleeping in them, I’ve been sleeping more soundly or at least waking up more groggy {improved circulation?).  This morning was a case in point.  I was very close to pulling the plug on the morning run, but I was diligent and got my lazy self out of bed at 6am.  With a race on Sunday, I’m looking at Monday and Tuesday as mileage heavy days and slowly taper down from there.  Although I have the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge (3.5 miles) on Thursday.  I’m definitely not “racing” it with a big race 2 days later.  Maybe I’ll try marathon pace for that one.  Need to speak with my coach.  Anyway, rather than just amble around the Bridle Path like I usually do, I decided to set some goals while jogging to the park.  I wanted to run a specific route twice with the second time being quicker … not a progression … maybe you could call it intervals or pick-ups.  I set my sights on soft terrain around the outer reservoir and then heading south on a slight downhill – 2.69 miles at 8:36 pace.  Then I turned around and headed back up that same route (now uphill) and circle the outer reservoir again – 2.58 miles at 8:32 pace.  Not bad.  Incrementally quicker and since the 400m I have been slooooowwwwwllly dropping the pace again.  Tomorrow’s team track work is important because I need to regain some turnover to feel reasonably confident about Sunday.  I finished off this morning’s workout with a cool down around the inner reservoir for a total of 7.3 miles.

Traveling in Packs

Short weeks due to holidays always fly by.  I cannot believe it’s Wednesday already.  I can sniff the weekend!  Before we look ahead, we should look back a bit.  Last night was our team track workout.  The session could not get more simple: 12x400s. To spice it up a bit, our coach said reps 1-6 should be run at 5k pace with 7-12 run progressively quicker by 1 second each (200m recovery).  I agree with Eat, Drink, Run in that 400s are my favorite track distance.  Managing the prescribed pace on the other hand would prove to be challenging.  Fortunately, we had a huge turnout which always helps.  With the clouds threatening and occasional sprinkles, Mother Nature kept the most of the walkers and goof balls who frequent the track away. Yeah, they have a right to the track too, but they are still annoying.

I arrived just in time to get a very limited warm up and some stretching done.  Therefore, I would need to use the first few intervals to get loose and also adjust to the crazy humidity.  It felt soupy out there.  A number of folks who I heard about, but had not seen at workouts, showed up.  They were in great shape, but I raised my eyebrows when I heard they wanted to start at 0:95 and work their way down.  That’s a bit aggressive when you consider that “0:95” really means 0:91s which is not wise if you have 11 more to bang out with the final 6 getting quicker.  As a result, I nestled in the back of the turtle pack and let folks have at it.  The splits:

Interval	Time	Pace
1	1:37	6:28
2	1:37	6:28
3	1:32	6:08
4	1:33	6:12
5	1:33	6:12
6	1:33	6:12
7	1:29	5:56
8	1:29	5:56
9	1:26	5:44
10	1:21	5:24
11	1:24	5:36
12	1:15	5:00

Good session.  I found a nice little rhythm during #2 – #6 … and began to inch my way from the middle to the lead group of 4-5 folks.  As I suspected, it took the first couple reps to shake out.  I’m glad I resisted the urge to surge when we hit #7.  I felt the pull of the group at the start.  With 5 more reps and each one quicker, I was not looking to drop a 1:25 out of the box.  I went a little too hard on #10 and lost the rhythm for #11.  The penultimate interval is always weird for me … I don’t want to let it go with the finale staring me in the face, so I tend to ease up a little too much and screw up the negative progression.  I opened it up on #12 and led from start to finish … not the goal, but it just happened that way.  It’s important to finish strong so I always try to get some decent turnover on the last rep.

I planned for today as rest day, but after speaking with my coach, he suggested I get out early Wednesday to get rid of any latent lactic acid in the legs.  With my redemption 5k on Saturday, I wondered whether I would attempt the Thursday night tempo.  Nope.  He said no way.  Admittedly it’s a big workout (6-miler – 3 @ HMP, 2 @ 10k and 1 @ 5k.  It’s a really big workout. I’m bummed that I can’t try it, but I’m a good listener.  Instead, I’ll probably go out there with the team and do some easy miles and a few pick-ups on my own.  Friday will be the rest day.

As a result of the revised scheduling, I hopped out of bed at 6am this morning still feeling good after last night.  Today was to be a recovery run … a real one, but for the first couple of miles the legs would not cooperate and moved way too fast (low 8:00s).  Eventually I got it right and finished up with 6.2 miles at 8:39 pace.  Still too fast, but the last couple felt right (8:56. 9:08).  I saw an insane number of teammates (and even my coach) on the bridle path this morning.  My guess is folks are getting ready for the Japan Day 4-miler on Sunday.

I’m looking at compression socks.  Teammates highly recommend them.  Zoot is supposed to be good.  Do you use compression socks?  If so, which brand?

LunarFlying

A funny thing happened on the daily log of miles.  I kind of stop paying attention to the number of miles put on my trainers (Brooks Launch).  With each run, the miles are automatically logged so I do know how many I’ve put on them, but until I spent time goofing around on Strands the total didn’t register in my head.  643 miles.  Yikes!  It makes sense as I’ve been running in them since around Thanksgiving … 170+ miles/mo. equals time for a switch.  Early last week I tried on yet another brand (gone thru New Balance, Brooks and Asics so far) … this time … Nike.  Historically, Nike has run narrow and I’ve been advised to avoid them.  I’m still experimenting with trainers (love my Asics Piranhas for racing) so I visited Niketown and tried on a couple of models.  I liked what I saw and felt so I ordered them online to save some cash.  Here’s what I ended up with:

Nike LunarFly+

The Lunar Fly+ are about 9 oz. compared to Launch at 10.3 oz (plus the separate insert I used, which is probably more like 12+oz).  For now, I will go without the insert and assess whether any leg or foot issues crop up.  I’m normally not crazy about kicks with a lot of white on them for obvious reasons, but these felt and looked solid. They felt like next to nothing during this morning’s run, but I don’t attribute today’s performance to the new shoes (get to that in a second).  In the back of my mind, I’m searching for kicks for NYCM.  Flats don’t provide enough support for that type of pounding, so a light trainer is the way to go. The Launch treated me well and took a heck of a beating, but I need to see what else is out there.  I may very well return to them later in training.

I took Lesley Higgins’ (@le_diable) suggestion and attempted hill sprints yesterday.  I joked that depending on my recovery, she could be the recipient of harsh tweets from me.  She said, “You will thank me tomorrow.”  With that (and the new kicks), I headed out on a beautiful Sunday for the anticipated slow slog on the bridle path.  Not 10 strides from the start I noticed something different … the legs were feather-like.  I figured “it’s gotta be the shoes!”

After the first mile (8:24), which is my warm up and usually ~9:00, I thought wow, I should have tried Nike a long time ago.  After the 2^nd and 3^rd miles, reality hit me like a thunderbolt (7:57, 8:09).  Lesley was spot on … fast twitch fibers were awakened during the hill sprints and unleashed this morning.  I could not shut them off.  I slowed down and even stopped a few times just to try to back off.   No dice.  Therefore, for 10 miles I was battling speed management because I had no incentive to hammer today.  I felt like I could go sub-7 pace without much effort.  That would be dumb today, but still, it’s nice to know.  Overall 10 miles at 8:16 pace (planned on 8:45).  No wonder @le_diable is a pro. Thank you, indeed!

Maximum Efficiency

Normally, weekends are leisurely affairs.  I generally choose when I run and everything else works around that schedule.  Not this weekend.  We are celebrating my wife’s birthday.  I’ll give you a sense of just how this morning progressed:

- 5:30 am.  Up and out the door for my morning run in Central Park.  Our wonderful streak of perfect running weather ended violently today.  39*, rain and wind gusts up to 25 mph.  (Ian, this was the type of weather that would make a Brit recall the glories of the homeland.)  After a really slow warm up, I finally hit a rhythm on the last 4 miles.  Total 6.5 miles at 8:50.

- 6:50 am. After a quick change into dry clothes, I headed back out into the cold, wet slug.  Why?

- 7:05 am. – I had to hit up Starbucks for a venti cappuccino.  I didn’t have time to make one at home.  Annoying because mine are better and don’t cost me $4.  Next, I rolled into CP to check in as I was volunteering at a local race (8000m).  I under-dressed (jacket, running pants, dry shoes, 3 layers of gloves, and cap).  However, I was smart enough to bring a sturdy umbrella.  Also, the good folks at NYRR gave us long ponchos to wear as well.  The umbrella shielded me from the drizzle, but was a bigger help with the wind.  It wasn’t THAT cold outside, but since I was at home for only 5-10 minutes after my run, my body temp never warmed.  Therefore, I was shivering for most of the race.  My duties consisted of patrolling a fairly busy area … Engineer’s Gate at 90^th & Fifth Ave.  It’s a major entry point into the park.  You would think that with the weather as crappy as it was there wouldn’t be many non-racers in the park.  Wrong.  Between weekend warriors looking to get in shape for bikini season and/or attack New Year’s Resolutions, runners finishing out training for next weekend’s big NYC Half as well as LA and Boston marathoners, traffic was surprisingly consistent.

After 25 minutes of shivering and worse …. thinking about shivering, the first athletes ran by.  It was at that point I could go into cheering mode … not necessarily for those up front as it’s much more fun and necessary to encourage the weekend warriors pushing through those last miles.  They appreciate and need it much more.  The conditions were just brutal for racing.  Hats off to those brave enough to endure that mess.

- 9:25 am.  Back home to pick up my wife who wanted to get her run in this morning.  We have family in town … free babysitting!!  Therefore, I changed again, thru the hat and gloves back in the dryer and analyzed which of my rain-soaked shoes would I put back on my cold feet.  Since I never really cooled down, I did want to get a few more miles to cap off the morning.  We ran easy (at her pace) for almost 3 miles.  Total for the day: 9.5.

- 10:45 am. Next, we jogged to her favorite diner and enjoyed a pleasant breakfast (pancakes!!!).

- 11:30 am. Next, we hit up a nearby running store.  As a general rule, I don’t buy clothes for women (why else have we been happily married for so long?), but wanted her to check out the 50% sale.  Of course, she found nothing.  I grabbed tights that I’d been eyeing for months for $25.  Ha!!

- Noon. Home for a while, until we go out to dinner and a jazz performance later tonight.

It was a crazy busy, yet frightening efficient morning.  I need a nap.

Turning the Page

On the walk home yesterday (post-race and 9 mile cool down), I had a rare thought enter my mind.  Despite knowing that Monday’s are NOT rest days, I told myself, “There is no way I’m running tomorrow.”  I was drained physically and psychologically (due in no small part from tripping over a friggin’ pylon).  I told my wife the exact same thing when she asked what my plans were for Monday morning.  I deserved a day off.

I read many great running blogs, but if memory serves I think it was Marathon Maiden who recently blogged about the challenges of eating after long and/or intense running. The body needs it, but the mind is not always in harmony.  I’m pretty good about immediately grabbing a Gatorade or similar drink, but it’s difficult for me to settle down long enough to force food down my throat.  Note, I was starving during and after the race and run, but the adrenaline was still flowing which did not help the cause.  After being repeatedly told by my dependents that I desperately needed a shower, I did so and then managed to sit down and eat some excellent pasta and meatballs.  The balance of the day was spent yelling at Time Warner Cable, blogging, congratulating fellow runners, etc.  No nap.  Lastly, I watched 2/3’s of the Oscars … despite funny stand up by the hosts, it dragged on and I couldn’t finish it out … and Helen Mirren was robbed, again.

On to today’s rest day. Call it a short-term runner’s low.  As I laid out my running gear before I went to bed last night, my wife just shook her head.  I popped up at 6:00 am this morning with very slight stiffness.  I didn’t know what to expect.  For HMs, I am usually incredibly sore for a couple of days.  Yesterday was of comparable distance with more intensity but over a longer period of time.  Also, since it was my first time racing in flats (I only wear them indoors), I thought my feet could have issues.  Happy to report that all is good.  The Asics Piranhas were stellar and will definitely be used for 10ks and HMs too.  I failed to mention that I am certain the flats contributed to my faster time.  The Asics are 4.2 oz vs. my trainers (Brooks Launch) which are closer to 10 oz with the inserts.  At least one thing went well yesterday.   I need to find lighter trainers, after working though the Brooks. as I am noticing the extra weight during daily runs.

With Spring finally crawling out from under the sheets of ice, I was gleeful as I hit the bridle path.  Dirt never felt so good. It’s been at least 5-6 weeks since the last time I ran my favorite route.  I did a series of loops on the bridle and reservoir paths for 7.2 miles (8:57 pace). It was great to shake out the little acid and stress that remained in the legs.  The principal reason why I ran less than 24 hours after putting down 12 hard miles was it was time to get back to work.  Race is over.  Need to move on and buckle up for the next one.