Winter in May :O

Woke up yesterday morning and was glad I hadn't put away the winter running gear.  With 22+ mph winds, the low 30's had a real feel in the low 20's!  In a change from my normal weekend routine - running on the Bronx River Parkway - I switched over to the Leatherstocking Trail.  My ulterior motive wasn't running portions of the Paine to Pain course (which I did) - but rather have the woods act as a barrier to some of the winds (which they didn't).

As sign of the times - "park users practice safe social distancing."

Astonishingly, while runners, walkers and others did that -- a full grown deer was standing on the trail as I approached.  That wasn't astonishing.  What made me do a double take was that it made no effort to move as I got closer!  It wasn't until I slowed down and reached into my pocket for my phone that it decided to run off.  Apparently it was photo-shy - not runner shy!

This morning it was noticeably warmer and less windy - but still chiller than a "normal" day in May.

Last, but certainly, not least:  Happy Mother's Day!

Easy 10 Miler this Weekend

Hard to believe that I ran 10 miles yesterday, my longest run of the year!  I've run past this statute dozens of times - it's across from the White Plains Train Station.  It's the first time I stopped to take a selfie there :O

It was great weather to be outside.  This was the second time in as many weeks that I took to the northern leg of the Bronx Riverway Greenway.  Today, to balance it out - so to speak - I ran down the southern leg.  Can't say the weather was as great - but it was still great to be outside!

A pair of weekend runs --

I managed to get in an eight+ miler yesterday and another 4 miler this afternoon.  The eight miler was especially fun, and probably my longest run since New Year's day.  I've basically been running 4 days a week, with those runs ranging from 4-6 miles each.  Not a lot of mileage! 

But, with the weather getting warmer, and a bit more sunshine as an added incentive, I plan to add an extra day (5) and by the end of the month, hopefully, yet another (6).  A rather slow crawl to rebuilding my mileage base -- but having fun in the process :D

Happy Thanksgiving - 2019

 
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

I got in a few windy miles this morning (just under 4) before starting on our Turkey day family dinner.  Part one, the potatoes and turkey are officially in the oven.  Now for a little break before returning to kitchen duty.  My brother and his family will get here around 3 or so - then we sit down to Thanksgiving :D

On a related note, while I haven't missed road races, it's times like these that I really miss going to races.  What I really miss around the holidays - like any one of the dozens of Turkey Trots in the area - isn't the actual race, but all the pre and post-race socializing w/my running friends :(

Hopefully the urge to jump back into a race will return by Christmas.  I'm sure there'll by a few Santa runs out there :D

A few Fall miles - Duck Pond

I had great fun on that quick trip to San Francisco.  The only downside was no time get in any running miles.  I did get to check out the Embarcadero district on Friday night, including a few drinks and a lot of Sushi at a private club - the Modernist!

Now, safely back in New York -- a few weekend miles this crisp Fall morning.  Duck Pound is one of the many local water spots (hardly given names) that populate the neighborhood.

A better view - sans the selfie:

"Bomb Cyclone" Freezes out Weekend Races!

Before last week I had never heard the term "bomb cyclone" - and suspect it was newly minted to describe the seemingly never ending deep freeze that's settled in - and won't leave!  As I write that (Monday morning), the temperature has just inched above 20 degrees.  It's been a long time since the thermometer has gotten that high.

Last week the brutal cold led to the cancellation of most local road races.  The NYRR kicked it off on Thursday night with the cancellation the Kleinerman 10K (Saturday).  The next day the Boston Buildup 10K (Sunday) was postponed until next weekend.  The same day (Friday) the MHRRC announced its cancellation of the "Recover from the Holidays" FA 50K (Saturday).  And, to complete the picture, on Saturday NYCRUNS cancelled the Hot Cocoa 5 Miler (Sunday).  Intended or not, the bomb cyclone wiped out 4 races this chilly weekend!

As for just plain running mileage - I managed to log a solid 50 miles for the first week of 2018 - in those ridiculously frigid conditions.  I hate to admit it, but by yesterday a run in 7 degrees was old news.  It was almost "easy" relative to the previous string single digit runs - because the wind had died down enough that the "real feel" was actually 7 degrees, instead of the sub-zero wind chills of all the previous miles!

In any event, I'm so over winter right now!  Hopefully the days of double digit temperature aren't too far off - haha!

a pair of weekend 10 milers - and one went south!

my plan to run back to back 10 milers this weekend (building on last weekend's pair of 7 milers) started off fine - despite the soggy saturday morning.  i got in a solid 10 miles after the rain passed through - and took a bit of the heat along with it.  it was still very humid, but the relatively cooler temperature let me get in the 10.2 miles at an overall 8:07 pace (1:22:42).  i was plenty happy with that because it was my first double digit run in over a month!

in fact, with sunday's mileage, i would log my first 40+ mile week in over a month.  so the base re-building in the wake of 3 non-running weeks was coming along fine.  but sunday's run turned into anything but routine - it morphed into a death march after the 4th mile!  i was toast in the heat and humidity!  to put the run in context, i walked the nine mile loop 2 weeks ago in a 14:14 pace (when i was under doctor's orders not to run).  yesterday i crawled across the second half of that loop in a walk-run slog.  i did the entire 9 mile loop in 1:27:50, a 9:46 pace - and ducked into my nicely air-conditioned house and drank an entire 20 ounce watered-down gatorade in one slug!  then i sheepishly headed out and mostly walked the last mile (a half mile out and back).

contrasted with the 10 miler on saturday, the experience left me pretty stunned because i've done that loop thousands of times - and this is the first time i've ever crashed so badly.  maybe just a bad day - who knows. but this afternoon, in even tougher conditions - the heat index was solidly above 100 - i ran 6 miles in a typical easy pace (50:22, 8:08 pace).  and that included a comical stop at the high school field house for a sip of water - only to be told that their water fountain was broken!  so i had to use the bathroom faucet to cool off - and passed on actually drinking it!

on the positive side - all these heat wave miles have certainly speeded up my re-acclimation to summer running - haha :D

a pair of weekend 7 milers + one :D

as my post-op running base-rebuilding continues, i ran a pair of hilly 7 milers over the weekend.  that's pretty much in line with my doctor's orders - who, by the way, took out the remaining two stitches (left eye) this morning!  i celebrated by running the same 7 miler again when i got home this afternoon :D

not only am i getting in the miles to rebuild my base mileage, but also to get re-acclimated to the heat and humidity.  before the 3 week hiatus from running, i had a decent number of hot summer miles under my belt.  but even with a lot of walking in those non-running weeks, getting back to running in heavy humidity was tough (like starting over tough).

on the positive side, the string of 7 milers came in at 58:20, 58:00 and 57:05 minutes, consecutively.  the more fascinating tidbit is while i struggled in the first two runs, the third one (this afternoon) was a relatively fast first 4 miles and then each successive one got tougher (including some walking on the hills in 6 and 7). but i still managed to finish it almost a minute faster than the 7 miles on sunday!

what that tells me is that some of my speed is coming back!  however, the endurance isn't keeping pace - haha! 

3 weeks later... back to running :D

4 mile done!  it's been 2 weeks since the second cataract surgery (left eye) - the minimum designated "no running" period per my doctor's orders (and that came a week after the initial surgery on my right eye).  this has been the longest stretch that I haven't run a step.  I seriously cannot remember having not run for a period of 3 weeks.  in fact, I doubt that in the last 15 years I've been sidelined for more than a week (if that long) without any running. 

I've had some setbacks (hematoma at umstead, anemia the following summer, chronic compartment syndrome a few years back, a nasty scalding of my hand last fall) but quickly bounced back (relatively speaking).  even with the chronic compartment syndrome I was able to run a little (e.g. low mileage).  this was a totally new - and at times utterly frustrating - experience.

it's a small price to pay, however, for the benefits - better vision!  in fact, the best benefit of all is having my "night vision" restored as a result of getting rid of the cataract in my right eye.  now I can drive at "night" again - for better or worse!

so it's going to be an interesting next few weeks as I get my running legs back.  I've basically power walked over these last weeks to keep up some sort of cardio.  but 14 minute miles aren't the same as 8 minute miles (or racing, for that matter).  despite the heat and humidity, the 4 miles took me just over 34 minutes (an 8:32 pace).  i'm way happy with that! 

still no post-surgery running, another week+ to go -- argh!

It's been almost 2 weeks since my last run.  I ran 5+ miles on Tuesday, June 16, the day before the cataract surgery on my right eye.  The following Wednesday the left eye was operated on.  Both surgeries went well, but the prescribed post-op inactivity is driving me nuts (ironic in the sense that i'm still not cleared to drive - haha).

The doctor wants me to wait two weeks until I can get back to running again (which pretty much means nothing faster than walking until next Wednesday).  And the first few runs should be on the track (or treadmill) until I get back in the groove of things.  He has a pretty conservative view about exercising after the surgery (but who am I to quibble since I still have 1 suture in the right eye and 2 in the left that need to be removed).

Tomorrow I head back to the doctor's office for a follow-up visit and new the temporary eyeglass prescription.  My near vision has been completely corrected, but I'll still need to wear glasses for distance.  It'll still be a few more weeks before I'll be ready for a final prescription (as the eyes continue to heal and adjust), but in the short term... I'll be able to drive again :D

Stay tuned!

my cataract surgery - it's done!

yesterday i finally had the cataract removed from my right eye!  finally, in the sense that my doctor diagnosed this problem in 2009(!) and through procrastination, anxiety, logistics - but mostly fear - i kcpt putting off the day of reckoning!  and since the eye surgery ice has been broken, the left eye is on deck for correction next week!  i'm happy - and relieved - to finally get this taken care of.  aside from the corrected vision itself, the one big benefit i should get from it is the restoration of my night vision.  i'll be able to drive at night again!

the only downside at this point is the recovery.  i can't do any running for two weeks.  i basically won't be doing any running (and especially races) for the next three weeks!  yikes!  that's going to be one tough stretch of withdrawal :O

but it's all good!

some boiling water washes away a race weekend...

who would think a splash of boiling water could cause so much grief?!  thursday night, while taking a pot of just cooked pasta off the stove - something i've done a million time in my life - the dish towel got caught on the stove and caused the some of the water to spill over the rim and onto my right hand.  it lasted all of a second - and that was more than enough time to result in 1st and 2nd degree burns over the top of my hand.  it wasn't life-threatening - but it was painful.

after a trip to the er that night, and a follow-up with a burn specialist the next morning, i spent the next few days changing the dressings on a swollen, blistered hand 3x a day.  it wasn't fun.  not only that, but the doctor nixed any serious racing or running plans i may have harbored.  to add to the discomfort - aside from the swollen fingers, i wasn't in any pain after the first night - my shoulder was sore form the tetanus shot!

as i write this now - monday morning - my hand is still lightly bandaged... but thankfully i can back to typing (for better of worse).  and, i should be back to running in a couple of days :D

a pair of 10 milers in lieu of a race this weekend

the month began with the taconic rr freezer 5 miler at fdr park penciled in on my race schedule for this weekend.  when the boston buildup 20k in fairfield was rescheduled from last weekend to this one because of snow, i'd skip the 5 miler and run the 20k instead.  on the way to this weekend, we got another blast of snow - i've lost count of the inches of snow that just keeping coming down this winter and, seemingly, refuse to melt away given the icebox conditions we've been lock in with as well!

the already rescheduled 20k was put over until next sunday - which, as an aside, may lead to the 25k being pushed back a week so the races won't be run back to back.  pushing the 25k back a week will, unfortunately, upset a few apple carts - namely the celebrate life half marathon set for the weekend the 25k would be moved to... well, that decision doesn't need to be made for a while.  who knows, a rogue snowstorm may push back the 20k an unprecedented third time (stranger stuff has happened)!

in any event, the freezer 5 miler was back on for me.  then came more snow on saturday afternoon. i had slogged thru a relatively slow and unpleasant 10 miles that morning - mostly 2 mile loops of the side streets in my neighborhood because my main running route was impassable thanks to unplowed snow, which be that point had taken on an ice-like edge.  that afternoon the freezer 5 miler was preemptively shortened to 4 miles because of severe icy condition at the parking lot used for the turnaround on the 5 mile course.

this morning, when i finally got to fdr park, the main park roads looked pretty bad - i could only imagine how bad the condition was at the turnaround parking lot at the other end of the park!  but the real surprise was hearing from the runners walking back to the main parking lot from the concession lodge (staging area) that the race was cancelled!  given the conditions on the main park road, it was right call.  even making it into an unscored fun run would have been dicey.  instead, all the pre-registered runners will get a free entry into another trrc race this year.

ironically - and somewhat late - when i got home i found that my friends had posted the cancellation news on my fb status and twitter feed.  i had left for the race 40 minutes earlier!  instead of changing out of my running clothes, i just headed back out to run the same loops of my neighborhood street that i did the day before.  on the positive side, the second ten miles came in at 1:30 even, a 9 minute pace - versus prior day's 1:35, 9:30 pace!

on the dreadful side - the weather forecast is for yet more snow this tuesday - argh!!  hopefully, that will be winter's last gasp for a while because the rest of the week - and into the weekend - sees a return to 40 degree temperatures!

2013 running year in review :D

the 2013 running year has come to a close.  i ran the final run of the year this afternoon, with snow flurries during the final 2 miles.  the 7.6 miles brought my december mileage up to 203.2 and gave me 2,168.2 total miles for the year.  given that this was a recovery year, and i suffered a minor setback during the first quarter, i'm very happy with that total.

i mistakenly began the year ramping my mileage back up, thinking (and wanting to believe) that i had put the chronic compartment syndrome behing me.  i had to pretty much write off the 2012 running year since the doctor diagnosed me with it in july.  my mileage dropped off so precipitously during the second half of the year that i didn't bother summing up the year - i just couldn't wait for it to end and get to work on rebuilding my mileage base.

things looked good in january, but i added too many miles to quickly.  by mid-february my right foot once again gave me pain during what should have been easy runs and races.  so much for a quick road back to decent running mileage.  as it turned out, it took until may before i ran a 200 mile month.  and i never looked back, managing to run 200+ miles a month since then.

i also headed back to the track for some speedwork during the summer. i managed to get down to 21 minute 5ks and 45 minute 10ks - times i hadn't seen in a couple of years.   the goal for 2014 is to keep working on the speed and get down to 20 minute 5ks and 43 minute 10ks.  very doable goals if i can get myself over to the track on a regular basis :D

as for races, the one regret i have for 2013 was not running any ultras.  it's the first year in a very long time (since 2005 or 2006) that i haven't run at least one ultramarathon.  i had registered for the jfk 50, but was sidelined with a nasty chest cold.  i keep my string of nyc marathons alive with the 2013 edition earlier that month.  it was the only marathon i ran during the year.  as for shorter distances, i ran 46 races ranging from one mile to 30k.

looking ahead, 2014 will certainly include a return to ultras (i probably start off with the sybil 50k in april).  but my primary running objective will be speed and shorter distances - getting down those 5k and 10k times!  that means many more track sessions and intervals :D

happy new year!

another 60 mile week/200 mile month!

june came to a close just as may did, with a 60 mile week that pushed my monthly mileage over 200 for the second straight month. i followed up may's 220 miles with 227 miles in june.  my base building and recovery has really come along over the last 3 months: 133, 220, and 227 miles.  my average weekly mileage has crept over 50 miles for the last 6 weeks - which include an unplanned "recovery" week of only 32 miles in mid-june).

but the highlight of june wasn't the mileage - it was a return to the track!  i had 4 weeks of interval workouts and a one mile race during june.  the 4x800, 4x100, 4x100, and 4x800 workouts over the last 4 weeks were a welcome return to the track.  if the 6:04 mile i ran in greenburgh is any indication, some of my speed is slowly coming back!

the july goal is pretty straightforward - keep logging the 50 mile training weeks, but increase the volume of speed work.  now that i've become reacquainted with intervals, need to build up the number of reps from 4 to 6 (and then, hopefully, 8).  i also want to add in some 1,200 meter repeats as well (on the road to mile repeats during august).  i'm glad to be back to track work!

60 miles for the week, 200 for the month!

normally, i don't write up weekly (or, monthly, for that matter) training mileage.  but i'm so pleased to have returned to a 60 mile week yesterday, and a 200 mile month with today's 10 miler at rockefeller state park, that i wanted to post it. this is my highest weekly and monthly mileage in almost a year since i was sidelined with chronic compartment syndrome!  where i typically ran 200+ miles a month, i suddenly found my mileage more than cut in half as i struggled with the recovery process.

the 200 miles for may (so far) was a 50+% increase from the 133 miles i logged in april - which was my first solid recovery month.  i had averaged just under a 100 miles a month for january, february and march.  that period also marked a recovery set-back, if you will.  i thought, with the start of the new year, that i was ready to start rebuilding my mileage base - only to see the increased mileage through february take it's toll.  so i had to dial back the mileage in march and start over again.

hopefully, if things go according to plan, i'll head back to the track in june for some speedwork.  the key is getting back to the point where i can consistently push off my right foot without the risk of  re-aggravating the original injury.  i've been pushing the pace in the latter part of recent races and it seems okay.  but the real test will be on the track running intervals.  stay tuned :D

a pair of weekend 10 milers

this weekend's running consisted of a pair of 10 milers. it wasn't what i had originally planned on, which was a trip down to van cortlant park for the st. patrick's day marathon races. i doubt that i would have run the full marathon distance, more likely just the half. but that plan was shelved (marathons at van cortlandt park in general) when no permit was forthcoming from the parks department. that controversy was the subject of a different post.

on saturday morning i went out for an easy 10 miler over a very challenging (read hilly) course. it's actually a 9 mile loop that i like to run on the weekends, with a quick mile out and back to bring it up to 10 miles. it was that last out and back mile that was the only one on the run to come in under 8 minutes - and barely at that with a 7:50! the entire run took me 1:26:32, for an 8:32 pace.

my recovery consisted of a trip over to zachy's (one the greatest wine stores out there) that afternoon for a huge german riesling tasting! certainly an inspired choice for st. patrick's day :D  that night was a more traditional st. patrick's day celebration.  between dishes of corned beef and cabbage, i drank mostly irish whiskey (a major detour from my traditional favorites of beer, wine, and martinis - in no particular order).

as would be expected, i wasn't too excited about the prospect of another 10 miles the next morning.  in a concession to my less than enthusiastic state of mind, i opted to run on my easier (but relatively boring) post road route (way less climbing).  but strangely, after a somewhat lethargic first two miles (in the high 8:20's), i  got a burst of inspiration.  that may have been due to the signs hastily put up alongside a stretch of the approach to the library parking lot: "warning, keep away: bees!"  that risk was certainly a first for the post road :O

despite the lackluster start, i managed to drop my pace down to the low 7's - and had a 6:50 mile nine - treating it now as a tempo run.  amazingly, even with the first two miles, i ran a 1:15:20, and averaged a 7:32 pace for the entire 10 miles.  i must admit that i was surprised with that outcome - i had only wanted to run 8 minute miles and finish with a sub 1:20 (balancing out the prior day).  but i'll take it :D

back to winter running tights, winter has arrived :O

yesterday, to again mark an irreverent milestone, i reluctantly put on my running tights for a training run.  for me it's the psychological threshold that admits another winter has finally arrived.  it was a personal record because i can't remember having ever postponed that day of reckoning until january - or even the official start of winter for that matter.  last year i caved in to the cold weather on december 14 - and that was a week longer than the year before.  so to have stuck it out for an extra 3 weeks this time around, well past the official start of winter on december 22, is definitely a morale booster :D

even so, with the two day cold spell about to break - i may still get a little more mileage out of my running shorts over the next few days :O

ny running show podcast: empire state building run-up & gridiron 4 miler

yesterday's episode (#17) of the new york running show kicked off early (3 in the afternoon) to accommodate a different kick-off a few hours later, in dallas - the superbowl. we had a pretty large group on the line and the topics included the empire state building run-up held last tuesday and the gridiron classic 4 miler run that morning.

listen to, or download, it here, at talkshoe.

spring semester underway...

it's been a busy last few days. i returned home from singapore on saturday night, via connecting flight in hong kong. the jet lag wasn't too bad - but i did sleep for 10+ hours! woke up late sunday morning and went out for a 6 mile run. it felt great to be home again! although i can't say i missed the weather one bit. aside from jet game, sunday was a day to ease back into familiar routines.

then, as if winter break had sped by in a nanosecond, monday morning kicked off with the start of spring semester (simultaneous with a temperature drop into the single digits)! i'm teaching a pair of fun (relatively speaking) classes: corporate tax and business law. i generally teach tax classes every semester. but i haven't taught business law in a number of years - that one i'm really looking forward to.

thanks to the frigid weather yesterday, i skipped running (wimped out is more accurate). a rebound into the high 20's made today's 6 miles seem balmy! this may turn into a low mileage week because the ted corbitt run around manhattan 34 miler is saturday. and the postponed boston build-up 15k is on deck for sunday morning in ridgefield. should be a great running weekend!