Dank

This morning the weather was chilly and damp. I got out for about three miles, no watch. My legs felt heavy, like I was carrying lead weights on my ankles. Felt that way the whole run, no piano dropped on my back at the halfway point.

I figured I'd better get out this morning, since we're supposed to get a good-sized storm starting around 1:00 this afternoon. We're supposed to get 6-10" of snow between 1pm and 6am tomorrow morning. the roads probably won't be clean tomorrow morning, so I probably won'd go too far tomorrow morning.

Storm's a-comin'

We're supposed to get another snowstorm Monday afternoon/night, which will last through until Tuesday. The weather forecasters are calling it a Nor'easter (I didn't think anybody outside New England used that word). Maybe I'd better get a Sou'ester.

Today's a day off, but I'd better get out tomorrow morning, because I've got a feeling that Tuesday will be another slick roadways day.

Long Run

Well, for me at this stage, anyway. Got in 4 miles this morning. I decided to time myself to see how I'm doing at this stage. My four miles took me 34 minutes, exactly. That's about 8:30 pace. Not bad, considering the amount of time I was out. three months with no running can take quite a bite out of your training schedule. Of course, if I had had health insurance during that time, I wouldn't have been hesitant to run during that period, but that's another story.

Slippin' and slidin'

Snowy day this morning--the whole city got between 4 and 6 inches of snow last night, and as usual, there's noplace to put it. I only got out for about a mile this morning, because the footing was so bad. After about a half mile, I just turned around and went back. I like to try to avoid getting killed while on my runs.

Oops

Slept in this morning. Looks like Thursday, not Friday, will be my day off. Well, tomorrow really is another day.

I'll get out Friday morning, then Saturday for my long run.

Don't have a race lined up yet.

Back on Staten Island

I'm back in NYC. This morning, I got out for 3 miles. It felt pretty good, relaxed and easy. The temperature was around 35 degrees, warm enough for no hat and no gloves. I was surprised by how much ice was on the ground. The streets were slippery in places, and all of the standing water had a skin of ice on top. the salt must have washed away, and no more added since.

I replaced the battery in my strobe light--it wasn't dead, just low--and I was surprised by how much brighter and more frequent the flash was. Nobody will be able to miss me on the street now.

I'm looking forward to earlier sunrises. The sun was up by the time I left for work this morning--6:30. It will be good to be able to see things while I rum.

We're supposed to get some snow tomorrow night. I'm going to try to get out tomorrow morning and Saturday morning. Saturday means I get to run in the daylight. Yee Ha.

Back in Rocheter

The temperature soared to 22 degrees this morning, and I got out for about 3 miles. Oed wanted to stretch with me before and after my run, so we got down on the floor and stretched together.

I got in about 9:40 last night, so running yesterday was out of the question. I'm going to try to get out tomorrow. I have to say that running in 40 degree weather is a whole lot easier than this 20 degree stuff.

No races this weekend. I'm looking for one to run.

Day off

Not because of any injury or aches, but because I had to get in to work early today. I'm also flying out after work, so I won't be able to get in a run this afternoon. Oh, well, tomorrow will be fine. Fine and cold.

Nice Morning

I got out for about three this morning. My back felt a little bit tight, right above my left hip, but a few hundred yards and it loosened right up. The route feels shorter every time I run it, so I think I'll be running a longer distance before too long. I have to remember not to extend my distance by too much right off the bat.

Weather this morning wasn't too bad; the temperature was right around 32F. There are still some very small piles of snow and ice at certain intersections. In some places, the water on the street had frozen, meaning I had to pick my way around these spots. I don't need to hurt myself by trying to avoid falling after slipping on the ice. No running tomorrow--I have to finish packing at 5am tomorrow morning for my flight. I'll get out on Saturday morning.

Starting Again

I got back out today for about three miles. the weather was beautiful--about 45 degrees and not too windy. I was able to get out in shorts and a long-sleeved t-shirt. It's still dark when I get out, but that should change before too long. In June, twilight will be starting before 5 am.

No race this weekend. No running on Friday, either. I'm flying to Rochester friday night and coming back Tuesday morning.

One more day off

I need to take one more day off to let my lower back heal. It feels pretty good today, but I don't want to do anything to it.

Tomorrow morning, back on the road.

Out for the Day

I have to take today off. Yesterday, at work, I had to move around some banker's boxes full of documents, and my lower back is somewhat sore this morning. Ibuprofen and rest are the order of the day.

I hope that tomorrow I'll be back on the road.

Chilly Morning

yesterday was really a missed opportunity. It was about 30 this morning, not really cold, but chilly, and the wind was strong. I don't know what the wind chill was, but it was cold. Anyway, I got out for my 3 mile loop; heard the "door closing" bell of the SIRR as I went past the Annadale Station--mist have been around 5:40. I don't think I got out early enough to be there for the 5:19 train. I'm looking forward to this weekend, and being able to run while the sun is up. In the dark, it feels more dangerous and more lonely out on the roads.

I timed the last half mile of my run this morning. That hill at the beginning of that last half takes it right out of me for the rest of the half. Dashing up a hill is no way to start. I chose that route, though, in order to go down a quiet, residential street which parallels the main, heavily traveled road that I really need to go down. I want to avoid that road because it's got a fair amount of traffic, and long stretches with no shoulder or sidewalk. Anyway, that last half took me 3:33.

Still looking for a race to get into. Also looking for a gym in midtown Manhattan that won't drain my bank account.

Missed Opportunity

Last night, by the time I got back to Staten Island, I was so exhausted that I just had something to eat and went to bed. I slept like a log, and wanted to stay in bed this morning, so I decided to run tomorrow. When I got up, I discovered that this morning, the temp was in the high 40s, with light rain. By the time I get home tonight, it will be down into the 30s. Tomorrow's high temp will only be in the high 30s, so I imagine that at 5 am it will be somewhat colder--low is to be around 25-30 tonight. And there's my missed opportunity. I wouldn't have had to get nearly as bundled up for a 45-47 degree morning as I will for a 25-27 degree day. I much prefer to get out and run in shorts and a t-shirt, and the more clothing I wear, the less I enjoy it. So, tomorrow, I will not enjoy running as much as I would have if I got out today. On the other hand, I really, really needed some sleep. So, I guess instead of a missed opportunity, it was a trade-off.

Last Night

I got out late last night, around 5pm. Electra got out and ran with me for my 1-mile cooldown. I ran about 2.5, felt pretty good. I am looking forward to the days when the snow is gone, and I can run on trails. The snow is wet and crusty, but too soft to run on top of. The top layer is kind of like ice, with wet, heavy snow underneath.

I couldn't get out this morning to run, since I had to get up at 4am to catch a plane. When I get home tonight, I'll probably just fall into bed and be out for the night. I'll get up tomorrow and run early. Probably my 3-mile loop.

Another day

Yesterday, I got out for about 2.5 miles. It was late when I got out, due to my presence being required at the DMV. I have to get back there today, so it'll probably be late before I get out to run today.

It was cool and wet yesterday, and today looks to be colder and wetter.

Next race? Don't know yet.

Race Day

I ran in a one-mile race this morning. The race was an informal one, with a line on the pavement for a start/finish line and no chute or awards. It was an out-back race. I finished 10th overall, 6th in my age group. The top ten were obviously dominated by the over-40 crowd. Of the other four in the top ten, two were under 20 and the other two were over 30. I don't know where all of the 20+ year-olds were, but there weren't many at the race.

Electra ran in the race as well (women's under-20). She did pretty well at the race, finishing in around 10 minutes. It was really her first race, so ten minutes isn't bad at all.

A good Morning

I got out for about three miles this morning. When the alarm went off at 5, I hit the snooze bar and immediately started making excuses for staying in bed. After about 30 seconds of this, I managed to rouse myself and get out of bed to go run.

I decided to run the last half mile flat out, just to see what I could do. Right at the beginning of that half mile, I stepped into a puddle which was over the top of my shoe, which made for a somewhat uncomfortable last half mile. I didn't notice the puddle because I was trying to start my watch to time that half. Considering that puddle, the steep uphill at the beginning of the half, and the sheet of ice about 300 yards into the half (which made me slow down almost to a walk so I wouldn't lose my footing), my time of something around 3:30 wasn't bad. I'm not sure what my exact time was, since I accidentally cleared my time when the alarm went off.

Tomorrow, I'm flying up to Rochester, and I'm running in a 1 mile race on Sunday. My daughter Electra has also decided to try running, and she's going to go to the race with me. Maybe my son Oedipus will come along--the race is in age-group heats, so one of will be with Oed the whole time.

I won't be able to run tomorrow morning, since I have to pack for my trip tonight. I'll get out for a nice, easy run on Saturday.

Treadmills

I was revisiting some older parts of my training log at lunch, and I happened across something I wrote a little bit under a year ago. At the time, I was living in Atlanta and working out at a gym in the building where I worked. The building was on a slope and the gym was one floor up from the street on the "uphill" side and two on the "downhill" side. This was my opinion of treadmills:

Advantages:
1. Safety--It would be very difficult to get run over by a car, especially when your gym, like mine, is on the second or third floor above street level.
2. Convenience--The treadmill is always there and often available.
3. Temperate--You don't have to worry about rain, snow, ice or wind when you're on the treadmill.
4. Pace Running--You can learn to run at a precise pace, since the treadmill goes at a constant speed.
5. Amusement--It's possible to listen to music or even watch television from a treadmill.

Disadvantages
1. Chopped Stride--The running surface of the treadmill is too short, even for one of my modest stature. I can't imagine the difficulty someone 6'2" or taller would have on one of these machines.
2. Pace--The fastest a treadmill (at least all of the ones in my gym) will go is 10 mph, or 6:00/mile pace. I enjoy sprinting for portions of my runs, particularly the last half mile. It would not be unusual for me to run the last half mile in 2:40 or less, and that's impossible on one of these treadmills.
3. Convenience--All of the treadmills in the gym might be in use at any time, making it impossible to get a run in if you won't go outside. In addition, you can only use your gym's treadmills when the gym is open (of course if you've got enough disposable income to be able to afford a really good treadmill...) At least the street is literally always available.
4. Dizzyness--I can't be the only one who experiences dizzyness after stepping off the treadmill, can I?
5. BORING!--It is neccessary to bring music or have access to a television in order to keep interested. Next time, I'm bringing a cd player with me to keep myself going.
6. Almost forgot--that stupid emergency stop--It's there for a reason--to keep you from going off the end of the belt--but the cord must be too short or something, because it seems to be too easy for me to pull the cord and stop the whole thing.

Nice Morning

Got out for my new 3 mile loop this morning. a little bit chilly--temps in the mid 20s. The batteries in my strobe light (strapped to my arm) are running low--the light flashes, but not a brightly or as frequently as it used to. I'll have to buy some new batteries for it this weekend and put them in.

I'm thinking about running in a one-mile race this Sunday. I've asked the race director for some more info and it looks like it might be a fun race to be in. I haven't run a one-mile race since college, and that was on a track. I'm guessing that this race is one of those straight-line mile runs where people get their personal bests (unofficial) for the mile.

The weather should be OK this weekend, temps are supposed to be in the high 30s or low 40s, so I may run in shorts.