Back on the [Training] Wagon

Holiday season is in full swing and as of Tuesday so is Boston training. If it seems like only a few weeks ago I was running a marathon that's because I was.

I had planned to hold off training until after the New Year but on Monday one of my teammates sent out the following email:*

Hey guys,

A few of us were reflecting on how we can come together as a team and compete better in the NYRR points standings next year. We have a good core group of runners so I think half the job will be showing up to the races.  I see no reason why we could not challenge the 3 teams directly ahead of us.

Concerning training I know I have been guilty of doing most of my workouts/runs on my own. On many Tuesdays/Thursdays I contemplate going to team practices in the Park/6th Street track but when juggling my schedule I usually end up working out near my house. I figure I will end up running alone anyway so might as well run close to home. In the spirit of team camraderie I will start making the effort more often to workout with the team. When I know I can make it I will RSVP on the meetup site (will try a few days in advance) and drop you all a quick line via e-mail to let you know I will be there.

Hope all is well and see you out there (I will be in Park tomorrow for 7PM workout),

Chris 

 

Obviously the guilt-trip worked because I showed up at both our Tuesday and Thursday workouts. Tuesday night was hill sprints, the first speed work I've done since Philly. Because we took a full rest period between each sprint, the workout itself didn't feel that tough, but boy was I sore on Wednesday!

 

Last night the workout was 5-8x800 at 5k pace. I got off work late and had to run directly to the track which means I ended up with a 3 mile warm-up. Apparently, that was a good thing because the repeats went  great. Along with two teammates, I did 7, though I'd planned at stoping at 5. We managed to do all of them pretty close to pace, though for the last one we kind of let it all out.

 

The point of this rambling is that I think my abbreviated recovery went pretty well because I felt fresh for Thursday's workout and on my Friday morning recovery run as well. I'm going to continue cutting myself a little slack for the next few weeks, but I think this training cycle has the potential to be pretty awesome!

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*Edited for reader clarity.

The Return of the MWMLR!

[Note: For those of you who don't care about training principles and just want to hear about why my run was awesome, skip the first three paragraphs]

If any of you read the title to today's post and are scratching your head, it may be because you're not familiar with marathon training guru Pete Pfitzinger. He literally wrote the book on marathon training, okay, he wrote a book on marathon training, Advanced Marathoning.

While I'm not using his plan this training cycle, I have taken elements of it and incorporated them into the plan my team is using. One big part of Pfitz' weekly schedule is a mid-week medium long run (I'm just abbreviating it as MWMLR to save some keystrokes). I found this to be a particularly beneficial component.

Marathon runners often obsess over the importance the weekend long run. There's evidence that a single weekly long run might not be enough to bring your aerobic capacity to a new level, but in my opinion, the true benefit of the mid-week long run is psychological. If you run 12 to 15 miles in the middle of the week, that weekend long run doesn't seem so intimidating, and if that weekend 22 miler doesn't seem so bad, then it follows that maybe even 26.2 miles sounds a little more doable.

Photo from Flickr use: Norikuroda

Anyway, that was plenty of introduction to bring me to the part where I say that I finally got in a true MWMLR this week after a long time off. While I've been doing mid-week runs of 9 to 10 miles, there's today was the first time in at least 6 weeks.

I did my favorite standby route: over the 59th Street Bridge into Queens, along Vernon Blvd, over the Pulaski Bridge into Brooklyn, along the Greenpoint and Williamsburg water fronts, around the Navy Yard, and over the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall Park.

Today's iteration was particularly awesome because it was extremely foggy this morning. Running through Central Park to get to the Queensboro, I couldn't see or even really hear any cars. It truly did not feel like I was running in the middle of the city. Then, going running into Queens, I could see the lights of some of the taller buildings cutting through the fog, but since it was still dark, I couldn't make out the buildings themselves. It was as though the lights were simply suspended in the clouds.

By the time I arrived in Downtown Brooklyn it was light out, but the fog was just as thick. Running under the Manhattan Bridge (so I guess that means I was in DUMBO) I couldn't see the top of its towers. The Brooklyn Bridge looked ethereal, quite a feat for such an imposing masonry structure. I didn't get to see the sunrise, which is usually my favorite part of an early morning run, but I experienced the city in a new light--a wonderful start to the day.

Weekend Workout: Metric Marathon

This weekend I had the opportunity to try a new (to me) workout: the metricmarathon. This workout, created by Keith and Kevin Hanson, the coaches behindthe Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, aims to simulate racing a marathon asclosely as possible without all the physical stress of running a full 26.2miles.

Part of our route

For the metric marathon, you run 26.2 kilometers (roughly 16.3 miles) asgoal marathon pace. Ideally, you also want to simulate the course you’ll be runningas well. Since you do the workout on tired legs—you haven’t tapered like youwill before your big race—you experience a level of fatigue similar to theactual event without trashing your body.  

In previous training cycles I’ve always included some pace runs, oftenthrowing in a few goal marathon pace miles at the end of longer runs, but I hadnever done something like this before. Thankfully, our coach and captains organizeda team metric marathon on Sunday.

We started in Lower Manhattan and ended in Astoria, covering three boroughsin the process. Along the way, the Brooklyn Bridge stood in for the Verrazano,the Welfare Island Bridge stood in for the Willis Avenue Bridge, and AstoriaPark stood in for Central Park. Other key course features, like the Pulaski andQueensboro Bridges, needed no understudies. The result? A course that was verysimilar in topography to the actual New York City Marathon.

How did I do? Not too shabby; I was able to stay within a few seconds of mygoal pace for the whole run. There’s still a big difference between 16.3 and26.2, but with over a month to go, hopefully I can get myself to where I wantto be come November 4!

Training Tip: Double Up!

"Double your pleasure, double your fun." That's what the old Double Mint ad said, anyway. Is the whole double idea true with running? I find it is. As marathon training begins I like to up my overall mileage, in part so my weekly long run doesn't seem like such a huge chunk of my weekly mileage. One "easy" way to do this is by incorporating doubles--days when you run two different times.

These guys know all about doubles.

Pre-marathon, the big focus is usually building endurance. If you're like me, you've given yourself some time off of heavy mileage and reduced your long run distance following your last major race. This means you need to take some time to rebuild your base. Once you've rebuilt your endurance by gradually increasing your mileage, you can hold onto it without doing long runs every day--one or two a week is sufficient to keep it up. Now the hard part of training begins as you add in quality (i.e., hard) workouts like repeats, hills, tempos, etc. Obviously these sessions can really take it out of you.

Here's where the counterintuitive part comes in--adding a second run can increase your recovery! [Note: Now would be a great time to revisit my post on recovery runs if you haven't read it].  For starters, a long run is tougher on your body than two short runs even if the total distance is the same. Secondly, if you do doubles with some regularity, it stimulates your body to adapt--you're getting an aerobic stimulus two times in one day!

My favorite kind of double.

Doing a second run on a hard day can also serve one of two beneficial purposes. If you do an easy run on the morning of a hard workout day, you body gets warmed up. You may find you feel more energetic come time for your workout. If you do a second run after a hard workout, you're running a pre-fatigued state. This forces your body to tap into slightly different energy stores and to use different muscles, both of which can have benefits come race day.

There's another obvious plus to doubles. In periods of extreme weather, like 90+ degree summer days or frigid winter days, it can be much easier psychologically and physiologically to spend two short periods outside rather than a single extended period.  Yes there's much to be said for acclimating yourself to the kinds of conditions you may face on race day, but on easy days, doubles can help you avoid the extra stress that extreme temperatures place on the body.

One word of caution, be careful adding doubles to your schedule. I recommend this great article from Running Times, which details a smart approach to incorporating doubles. 

An Unplanned Long Run

With marathon training about to start again Saturdays mean long runs. I had every expectation that I would do this morning's run in Stowe, Vermont. I was supposed to fly to Burlington last night for a visit to my Aunt and Uncle who recently relocated to the Green Mountain State. Unfortunately fate the airline had a different idea.

Long story short: I woke up this morning in Arlington, Virginia (for those readers unfamiliar with NoVa, Arlington is right next to DC). Thankfully, I used to live in DC so I know the area well. What did I do? I called my DC-area running buddy Brian.

We met this morning for and early long run to try and beat the heat (ha!). We ran along the Mt. Vernon trail from Crystal City to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Alexandria, over the bridge into Maryland (you know I love bridges) and back.

Because of the heat we took it slow but it was a great run! It definitely helped make the best of a bad situation. Now if I can only make to Vermont tonight...

P.S. Sorry about any typos--I'm posting from the airport on my phone.

Easter Run

I'm out in Rockland County for Easter weekend which means I got to do my final double-digit run in less urban surroundings. Since today will be filled with friends, family, and food, I opted to get the run out of the way yesterday (though the weather was so perfect this morning I couldn't help but sneak in a quick 3 miles).

With 13 on tap yesterday, I mapped out a run on roads that looked runable (there aren't many sidewalks here) and hoped for the best. I was not disappointed! After a couple initial miles through the Village of Suffern, NY, I made my way across state lines into Ramapo County, NY.

Before long I began thinking, It smells like Central Park, why is that? I rounded a corner and the answer was clear--horse poop! Of course, I got to see the horses two. One horse, and three ponies (only two are in the picture) just enjoying some time in the field.

I continued along a winding road, hugging the shoulder and hoping no one would hit me. Although I missed one of the turns I had planned on taking, I didn't mind running a little further because the weather was perfect. When I finally made the turn I was in for a treat--a long climb up a winding road. I couldn't see the end because of the curves, but I figured this was a good final practice for the Newton Hills.

Eventually I found myself back in familiar territory as I entered the town of Ramsey, NJ. I had a final long climb and then the run evened out. With a couple miles to go, two wild turkeys ran across the road. I tried to snap their picture but they were faster than me. Oh well, I guess that's how they made it through Thanksgiving.

I finally crossed back into New York and picked up the pace for the final stretch. The whole run felt restorative. Not all of it was particularly rural, but the whole time I felt like there was nothing between me, the sky, and the various animals I saw along the way (thankfully there was a fence between me and the dog that went crazy around mile 4!).

I'm now ready for my final week of the taper, but first, time for some Easter brunch!
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Yesterday's Run: 13.6 miles at 7:30 pace.
Today's Run: 3.7 miles at 7:35 pace.

On Track

Today was my last "hard workout" before Boston. I've used Pete Pfitzinger's training schedule for several marathon cycles now (although this was my first time using the 12-week plan instead of the 18-week one) so I know what to expect. That said, his final track workout always gets me a little nervous--it's mile repeats. 

I dread mile repeats. Last night I lay in bed thinking, Do I really need to do these? I know what a mile feels like... Couldn't I just run 800s instead? Or better yet, skip the speed work altogether? Well, I conquered that inner voice, though not until this morning when my alarm finally went off. (I'd probably been awake for at least an hour wondering when the misery would start.)

As with a lot of my speed work, I do mile repeats around the Central Park Reservoir. Because it has markings every 20 yards and is clearly labeled 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, and so on, it works pretty well. You don't get the same hamster feel that a track can sometimes give you and it's easier for me to get to than the nearest track.

As much as I was dreading today's run, it went pretty well. It was definitely brisk out this morning, but I got to enjoy the sunrise over Central Park about halfway through my run. Even before the sun comes up, the pre-dawn reservoir is a nice sight to behold:

Photo from Central Park.com (You think I do speed work with my camera?)

The repeats went pretty well. I started out aiming for 10k pace, but probably ended up closer to 8k. They were 6:07, 6:04, and 6:02. Those are better than I did last cycle and my legs felt pretty fresh. Hopefully after a week of easy running they'll feel even better.
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Today's Run: 8.3 miles at 7:28 pace (that includes the mile repeats and recovery jogs).

Training Essentials: The Jury's Still Out on KT Tape

Note: As we get closer to Boston (only 13 days to go), I'm going to highlight some of the things that have been "essential" to me during training. Now, for all you literalists out there, by essential I simply mean things I wouldn't want to train without.

One of my favorite part about big races is the goodie bag. I know there's tons of crap in the bag that no one will ever use and countless trees are killed in the process, but I still love dumping the contents out on my bed or the hotel room floor. Sifting through them, you find things like energy bar samples, coupons, race flyers, and sometimes something useful. A year or so ago--I don't remember which race it was now--I received a sample of KT tape in a race bag. I had no use for it, but I decided to hold onto it. Now I'm glad I did.

A few days after I started having Achilles pain I saw someone running in Central Park wearing KT tape. I remembered my sample and decided to try it out. Well, that was 2+ weeks ago and I'm hooked on the stuff. Now, big disclaimer, I have no idea if this stuff works. As I explained earlier, following the initial onset of pain, I immediately took several days off of running, iced my Achilles twice a day, and took ibuprofen. It was only after doing all these things that I tried the tape and tried running again. In fact, there are a number of studies that suggest the tape may not be all that effective.

Now that I've called the stuff sufficiently into question, if you're still interested in trying the stuff, here's my two cents. KT Tape is widely available at sporting goods stores and running shops but I don't think it's as good as the original Kinesio Tex Gold tape. In my experience, KT doesn't stick quite as well and so you don't get as long of a use out it. Kinesio Tex tape seems to last longer. 

Also, although KT makes uncut rolls, most of their tape comes in pre-cut strips. The problem with pre-cut strips is that they don't fit every use. If you're going to buy tape from either brand, I recommend buying the uncut rolls and cutting them yourself. You'll get more bang for your buck and have a wider range of options.
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Today's Run: 4.2 miles at 8:00 pace. 

Taper Time Changes

Well, it's official--the taper is here! Technically my Boston taper started last week but with the Cherry Blossom race, a midweek medium long run, and a track workout, it didn't feel like a light week.  This week's drop in mileage, however, should be a whole lot more noticeable.

Now that I'm cutting back my mileage, I've made some other changes in my routine to make sure I'm at my best on Marathon Monday.

1. More Sleep - I'm usually pretty good at getting a full night's sleep on weeknights, but come weekends I let myself stay up later. From now until the race, however, I'm sticking to an early bedtime. Having an established routine will help come the night before when I'm desperately trying to fall asleep.

2. More Vegetables - I do eat a lot of vegetables already, but during the taper I try and replace more carbs and fats with vegetables. Since I'm not running 70 miles, I don't need the same amount of food. I find I eat more sensibly when I just temporarily replace some other foods with fruits and veggies.

3. No Alcohol - Starting three weeks out I cut out all booze. This serves two real purposes, it helps me keep caloric intake in check as I cut down my mileage and it helps me get more or at least better sleep.

4. Dialing Down Cross-Training - Cutting back on running doesn't mean anything if I just pick up the intensity on cross-training. I usually cut out cross-training two weeks before and cut out strength training one week before.

All my trameframes listed above are subjective. They're what has worked for me in the past so I'm sticking to them this cycle. If you've got different changes that you make, or different schedules for incorporating similar changes, I'd love to hear them!
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Today's Run: 9.1 at 7:56 pace.

Field Notes: To Boston and Back

I can't even begin to say how much fun I had in Boston this weekend on my mini-field trip. I treated my excursion not only as a training session but also as a 24hr vacation: I watched two movies (one going--The Godfather Part I--and one coming back--Wall Street), finished reading Atonement, leisurely read the Saturday Globe, had a delicious dinner out, and had a great brunch. All that and I did my 21 mile run.

On Saturday morning I woke up early to catch the commuter rail out of Back Bay station. They could have called this train the Marathon Limited because it was filled with runners. I was on the Framingham/Worcester line which runs along a significant portion of the marathon course (great for spectators without cars) so people got off at different points along the way. Looking out the window I could see packs of runners heading back into Boston. 

I got off the train at Framingham, which is a little after mile 6 on the course. The train depot (see right) is one of the 116 year-old route's landmarks. I crossed over the tracks and took off due east. Even though I've run the marathon two times before yesterday's run felt new. Without the thousands of runners and spectators I could actually see everything I was passing. I also had more time to take it all in. At the same time, in my head I tried putting the run into race context. For example, by the time you get to Framingham on race day the course have pretty much leveled out after a nearly 300-foot descent in the first four miles. Your legs should still feel fresh and you should have plenty of energy, but you have already take a beating. 

As I continued on I began passing many of the runners I had seen from the train. Most of the large groups were folks running for local charities like the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I was really impressed to see how many volunteers they had out staffing water stops along the way.

I found myself much more aware of the rolling hills than I have been on race day. Even the level parts of the course aren't really flat. In Wellesley I stopped at Marathon Sports and picked up a gel. It was the first gel I've had since NYC in November but I felt like I needed a boost. I didn't linger by the official marathon merchandise but I did take a quick peak at the jacket--bright orange! Not my favorite but I have a feeling I will probably end up getting one at the expo anyway. There was a bakery across the street and I really wished I could have sat down and enjoyed a pastry! 

The highlight of yesterday's run was obviously Newton. Once you turn onto Comm. Ave (Commonwealth Ave) the infamous Newton Hills really begin (although they actually started earlier, back by Newton Lower Falls. Some observations: the second hill seems to be the longest and the toughest; there is WAY MORE downhill than I remember from race day; Heartbreak Hill is much shorter than I remember. For those who haven't run the course or the race before, none of the hills is that bad when viewed in isolation. It's the fact that they're piled one on top of the other from miles 16 to 20. Now I said the hills were a highlight yesterday. Why? Because there were tons of people along this section. Not only were the charity teams out, but Saucony and New Balance had aid stations too. I scored some water and energy bars (which I stuffed in a pocket for post-run). The only bummer was at mile 21. There was a "finish" sign for all the folks who had started their runs at Hopkinton but I had to keep going.

The final miles weren't bad--they're mainly flat--but there were far fewer runners on the course. I crossed the finish line--it's painted on Boylston year round, though since it hasn't been touched up yet it looked pretty roughed up. The next time I see it it'll be freshly painted and I'll be the one looking roughed up.
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Today's (Sat.) Run:
21 miles at 7:33 pace.

A Friday Field Trip: Boston

Today after work I'll be heading to Penn Station for a little field trip to Boston. A few weeks ago I heard that one of the local running clubs had planned a weekend trip to Boston to do their long run on the marathon course. This little factoid set the wheels in my head turning. You mean, you can go to Boston on a normal weekend? The trains run year round? Not just for Patriot's Day? I was as shocked as you undoubtedly are.

Since I booked far enough in advance, I was able to get a "cheap" ticket for the train which is so much more relaxing than the bus. I'll be arriving this evening and staying with the cousin of a runner friend (I just love the way I always meet new people through running!). Tomorrow, I will wake up early, take the commuter rail out of the city and run back into town. Then it'll be time to shower, repack, and head back to New York.

Wish me and my Achilles luck!

What Better Way to Celebrate St Patty's Day than with a Boston Simulation?

With less than a month to go until Boston, I'm running out of long runs. Though it's hard to believe, after this weekend, I have just one more 20 miler to go! This morning my running group put together a Boston simulation 20 miler for those of use who'll be heading to Hopkinton on Patriot's Day. 

We met in Washington Heights, right by the GW Bridge, where you'll find Manhattan's biggest hills. Since most folks are running tomorrow's NYC Half, the run wasn't very well attended but that didn't matter to those of us who showed up. After a quick detour of the GW and back (why? just because) we started a quick descent to mimic Boston's initial downhill miles. 

Our simulation profile

The weather was almost perfect, sunny and in the mid-50s. We ran along Riverside Drive and into Riverside Park, making our way to the Hudson Greenway at 103rd street. Given how empty the path is during the winter, it was amazing to see so many people out running and biking! We kept the pace pretty light for the first part of the run, around 7:50, although occasionally we found ourselves going faster and had to dial it back. 

Once we got to 59th Street it was time to turn east towards Central Park and the Newton-simulating hills. At this point we began picking up the pace, weeving through the crowds at Columbus Circle and entering the packed park. Our route took us clockwise, up around the west side of the park for two laps of the Harlem Hills. At this point we were down to two runners. Unfortunately I did something to my achilles on Wednesday and it still hasn't recovered. At mile 16 I decided it was better to slow down for my ankle's sake but I still managed to finish the run with 20.9 miles. 

I'm going to take the next couple days off for the sake of my achilles but I'm feeling pretty confident for Boston. Next week I head to Boston for a "real simulation" so then we'll really see. I can't believe how fast this training cycle has flown by!

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Today's Run: 20.9 at 7:39 pace.

Training Essentials: Compression Socks

Note: As we get closer to Boston (only two weeks left of real training until the taper!!!), I'm going to highlight some of the items that have been "essential" to me during training. Now, for all you literalists out there, by essential I simply mean things I wouldn't want to train without. 

Today I'm starting with one of my favorite items--compression socks.

The main theory behind running socks--yes, like with most running trends, it's theory, not fact--is that the compression of the lower leg increases the blood flow flushing out the fatigue causing by-products from a hard workout. Some folks swear by them on race day including elites like Chris Solinsky and Paula Radcliffe, while other folks use them exclusively as a post-run recovery tool.

What do scientists think? According to a 2007 study conducted at Stellenbosch University in South Africa wearing compression socks during a race or workout doesn't actually improve performance. The same study, however, found that wearing compression socks after a tough workout leads to a faster lactate recovery rate. 

So when do I wear compression socks? I wear them during some harder workouts (like today's 7x800 speed session) and often on long runs. I don't know for sure whether they help, but they certainly aren't hurting my performance. I also use them as a recovery tool. Post-race or just when my legs are feeling a little sore, I'll put them on around the house for an hour or so. [Note: From personal experience, don't wear them to bed--your toes will not be happy in the morning.]

As for which ones I recommend, there are a dozen or so brands out there. I have tried and like 2XU, CW-X, and CEP. I like the sleeves better during a run (they only cover your calf so you can wear normal socks) but the full socks better post-run. Are these the holy grail of running? No. Could I train without them? Obviously, since I didn't get my first pair until marathon #4. That said, I'm hooked on them now and definitely think they're worth checking out.  

A Brooklyn-Based Long Run

I guess I ended up taking the weekend off of posting but don't worry, I didn't take off from running. On Saturday I picked up a new pair of shoes (I'll be posting about them soon with some kind of review) so I had to give them a test drive. What was supposed to be an easy 6 turned into an easy 10 just because I was enjoying the sunlight so much. That run also brought me to 67 miles, pretty close to my marathon mileage peak.

Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza

Yesterday was a long run day--20 miles on my schedule. The Dashing Whippets do Sunday long runs in Brooklyn so I decided to head to Kings County for a change of scenery. It was a little bit of a struggle to get out of bed with one less hour of sleep but I managed to eat my bowl of cheerios and drag my butt to the subway. The group met at Grand Army Plaza in front of Prospect Park and boy were there a lot of us, probably 25 in all. Although it was chilly when I left my house, by the time I got to the meeting place it had warmed up considerably and with plenty of sun it was the perfect day for a run.

A good group of folks were looking to do 12 to 20 miles at a 7:45 pace so I went with them. The route we ran was great, taking us through Park Slope to Red Hook then along the water passing through Brooklyn Bridge Park, DUMBO, Vinegar Hill, the Navy Yard into Williamsburg. When we got to McCarren Park we turned around and did the New York City Marathon route in reverse which was fun--I realized the course has more hills than I thought.

Throughout the run we lost a person here or there as folks running shorter distances peeled off to catch the subway home. By the time we made it to Lafayette Ave in Clinton Hill we were down to 7 people and by the time we made it back to Prospect Park we were down to 5. Only two of us were looking to do a full twenty so we entered the park and did a loop. I was sore at the end, but I have to say the run went by pretty quickly. All the midweek 15 milers I've been doing seem to be paying off because yesterday I felt fresh until the final couple miles. With Boston exactly 5 weeks from today it's nice to have another quality 20 under my belt and it was even nicer to run it with such a great group of people.

Misunderstood: The Recovery Run

Yesterday I ran what felt like a pretty tough 15.2 miler. Probably what made it feel so tough is the fact that my legs are still recovering from Sunday's half-marathon. Needless to say, I was happy to have a simple 5 mile recovery run on tap this morning. As far back as I can remember, "recovery runs" have been a part of my training schedule. For those non-runners out there, a recovery run is a relatively short, slow run done after a harder run (like a speed workout or a long run). Sometimes they're done the following day, sometimes they're done only a matter of hours after the hard workout.

These shoes look pretty beat up. I bet they could use a recovery run.

The old school explanation for recovery runs is something like this:

The recovery run will help you to recover faster by increasing blood flow which brings recovery aid in the form of oxygen, clearing away lactic acid, and helping you replenish your glycogen stores.

These days, most experts say that recovery runs do not help you recovery faster. According to running guru Matt Fitzgerald, lactic acid levels return to normal within an hour after even the toughest workouts and lactic acid isn't even the cause of muscle fatigue.  There also is no scientific evidence that light activity like a recovery run promotes muscle tissue repair, glycogen replenishment, or any other physiological response that actually speeds muscle recovery. 

So why bother with recovery runs?  They're not junk workouts, they actually help you work on two things: overall mileage and running on tired legs. First, speaking to mileage, or training volume, the benefit is easy to explain: within your own physical limits, the more running you do, the fitter you become, even if your workouts are relatively easy. Recovery runs also help you to work on your running economy because you do the run in a pre-fatigued state without creating enough additional stress to necessitate more recovery time.

I wish someone had explained the logic behind these runs to me in the beginning because it can be difficult forcing yourself to run slower than usual, but there you have. Recovery runs are a valuable part of any training regime, even if it's not for the reasons you may have thought.

The Morning Runner's Schedule

Once upon a time I was night owl. Okay, not really, but I used to stay up past 10pm on weeknights. I've been more of a morning person than a night owl for as long as I can remember--you try working in bakery in high school and see what that does to your sleep schedule--but I would still stay awake for prime time television.

During undergrad, my schedule began to shift slowly towards the morning hours. I've always preferred running at the start of my day, but somehow I've let me day start earlier and earlier. It used to be a morning run meant waking up at 7:30am, maybe 7:00 if I wanted a longer run. Bedtime was a respectable 10pm or 10:30 in those youthful days.

Now? I might as well be called grandpa with the hours I keep. My usual bedtime is now closer to 8pm no matter what time I'm getting up (4:45 for a medium long run, 5:45 for a shorter run). Having a weeknight get-together at 8:30? Don't expect me to show up. Dinner at 7:30? Can we move it forward at least a half hour?

The thing is, I don't mind my old man bedtime. I seriously value my sleep and consider it an essential part of training, but I'm sure most non-runners (and probably plenty of after-work runners) thing I'm a few cards short of a full deck.

I'd like to say that once marathon training is over my sleep schedule will return to something that let's me watch 30 Rock when it's actually on TV, but summer's coming up: if you want to beat the heat, you have to run before the sun comes up!

A Hilly Northern Manhattan Long Run

On Saturday it was time for another long run. I usually let myself wake up without an alarm on the weekends (which means sleeping until around 8) and then leisurely prepare for my long run. This week, however, I had an important commitment--a visit to the famed L&B Spumoni Gardens! This meant I had to make sure to be done with my run by 11 but I still got to sleep in until 7:30 which was heaven! For the run, I set out going north along the Harlem River Drive bike path. I love this short stretch because even with all the cars, being sandwiched between Highbridge Park and the Harlem River makes you feel like you miles from the rest of Manhattan. Few other runners use this path so you also usually have it to yourself--a rarity in the city.

At Dyckman Street I headed west and did a bit of a loop through Inwood Park, another great spot for running that many people who live in the southern reaches of Manhattan never experience. Then, because I am training for the infamous hills of Boston, I decided to tackle some of the hills of Washington Heights. This entailed a nice run through Fort Tryon Park and a visit to Manhattan's highest natural point. Finally, I traveled back down to the Hudson River Greenway and followed it to 72nd Street. The run ended, like so many of my long runs, with a fresh bagel and cream cheese!

See the elevation profile after the jump:

Changed Perspective

Marathon training has a way of changing your perspective on a lot of things. Before my first 26.2 I used to think of any run over 7 or so miles as "long." Now, when I have a weekend "long run" of 15, it seems like nothing. Similarly, I used to think waking up at 6:45 for a run was early. Now that I have to be at work earlier and I have multiple midweek MLRs*, 5am seems like a reasonable hour for running.

Today's MLR was a 12 miler (yes, they're slowing creeping up in distance). I ran south along the Hudson all the way to 46th Street, where I turned around and ran back to 72nd where I cut across Riverside Park and continued to Central Park, returning home along East Drive.

Here's a great picture of Riverside Park in the wee morning hours courtesy of Wolf in NY. Riverside Park and the Hudson River Greenway tend to be pretty empty in the early hours--I could count the total number of other runners I saw on one hand--but that's what I like about it. It's a chance for me to think, to assess my running, and to just get into the zone.

By the time I got home from my run today, I felt great. I'm ready to attack the work day and I'm really looking forward to another successful week of training.

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*Medium Long Run--basically any run between 10 and 15 miles.

Marathon Training Day #1, or how I welcomed the reopening of the East River Esplanade

In 2010, I ran my first Boston Marathon using an 18 week plan (I modified Hal Higdon’s Advanced II schedule). The following year, I used another 18 week schedule (Peter Pfitzinger’s 18/70). Were I using an 18 week schedule this time around, I would 6 weeks into marathon training by now. However, because I had he Houston Half on tap this year, I decided to concentrate on training for that during December. That means I’m trying a 12 marathon schedule for the first time. I think I’ve got a pretty good base–40 to 50 miles a week with weekend long runs of 13 to 16 miles–so I’m hoping to arrive in Hopkinton ready to go.

Officially, this marathon cycle kicked off yesterday, but Mondays are rest days in the Pfitz program (I’m using his 12/70 plan) so today was my first “real” day. The plan called for 11 miles but after Sunday’s 2+ loop of Central Park, I wanted something less repetitive. Thankfully, the East Side Esplanade has reopened in the E 70s so I ran south through Central Park, along 60th to the East River, and was able to enjoy the uninterrupted waterfront path all the way to 120th St.

It’s hard to believe it, but  path has been closed for more than a year while they put up a new pedestrian bridge at E 78th St. While I doubt I’ll be using that bridge much, it definitely is great to see the City investing in pedestrian improvements. It seems like every year waterfront access gets better. Now if they could only do something about that pesky stretch from 34th to 59th…

Note: This entry was originally posted January 24, 2012.