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Archive for the ‘LSD - Long Slow Distance’ Category
1:37:54
16, Aug 2009That was my time in today’s nyc half marathon. It works out to 7:29 splits. I’m still not quite sure what to make of today’s NYC Half. I did ok, especially considering the weather, but something about it wasn’t as gratifying as I had hoped it would be. Excuse me while I go negative for a little bit (which I rarely do, so again, bear with me)…
Even with an early 7am start, it was hot and it was sticky. I wish it would have started even earlier, 6am would have been fine by me. I really liked this race in theory, but why the hell does it have to go down in the middle of august? Also, I really disliked the first 7 miles of central park. Getting killed with those rolling hills in the first half makes for a much less enjoyable second half. And again, like many other nyc runners, I am bored to tears of racing in central park. It really makes it less of an “event” when more than half of the race is the same tired course many of us run week after week.
The 2-3 mile stretch through times square was great, and I really enjoyed getting back onto flat terrain. It was nice to see people out there cheering. And the tall buildings provided plenty of shade. This was actually the coolest stretch of the course. I deliberately slowed down to enjoy the reprieve from the heat.
But then the west side sucked. Again, perhaps it’s because, much like many other new yorkers, I spend too much time training on the hudson river greenway. So the 3-4 miles leading down to Rector street were very stale, and as the sun rose in the sky, it became progressively hotter. I felt myself slowing down alot, and was still barely getting passed. I felt like everyone in my immediate reach kind of hit a collective wall out there. A wall of heat and humidity.
Umm, what else sucked? The water stations were plentiful, especially towards the end which was good. I hate gatorade endurance formula, so I made a habit of grabbing the gatorade AND the water and mixing them together. I have a bone to pick with people who grab their beverage and then start walking alongside the water station. If you’re going to walk while you drink, that’s fine, but please move out of the way so other runner’s can access the station without tripping over you.
Oh, I thought of something I actually liked. Receiving an ice cold wet towel at the end of the race kicked ass. I don’t think I’ve ever run a race where they were passing them out at the end, but it was amazing. And of course it felt good to run as part of a fundraising team, and seeing fellow ACS runners along the course was encouraging. Am I glad I raced? Of course, I’m totally glad I did it. I’m probably just bitter I didn’t PR!
A big congratulations to Tadese Tola and Paula Radcliffe. And to everyone who completed today’s nyc half marathon!
J
Sunday Long Run in Allentown
6, Jul 2009Sunday’s long run was a mixed bag, much like my entire training schedule these days. I ran 11 miles in about 84 minutes, 7:40 splits. Here’s a rundown of the variables, from best to worst.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/pa/allentown/730124681226155924
The Course - We were visiting Lauren’s parents in Allentown for the July 4th weekend. It was refreshing to do a long run in a different neighborhood and get in some trail running on the Ironton Rail Trail. I’m officially sick of the Westside Highway / Greenway. www.irontonrailtrail.org
The Weather - Even though we didn’t get out the door until almost 9am it was relatively cool, with very little humidity. Compare that to the hot soupy weather at last weekend’s Achilles 5 miler in Central Park and yesterday was a perfect summer morning for running.
Met-Rx Amped Shot – Took it 10 minutes before going out for the run. 250mg of caffeine condensed to 2 ounces = rocket fuel. http://www.metrx.com/labels/015784.pdf
Proper Rest – There’s something to be said about getting a full 8+ hours for 3 nights in row. Then waking up and casually getting dressed, eating and stretching. Over the last few weeks I’ve had to really condense my prep time and you really feel a difference once you’re out on the course.
My Ankle – I can run on it for sure, but its still not right. I rolled it about 10 days ago and although the podiatrist gave me clearance to run, I know it’s not back to 100%. Running on an uneven surface, like trails, makes me nervous as hell. Just stepping on an oversized piece of gravel was giving me anxiety. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I ran so slow.
The Pace – I wasn’t thrilled about doing 7:40’s. Just a month ago, my 10-mile pace was 7:03. Two weeks ago it was 7:17. Starting to see a trend here? Of course, I think part of the reason it was a little slower than usual was because I stopped/slowed down to console Lauren who was victim to…
A Dog Bite – I thought this was just runner’s folklore, I didn’t know runners actually got bit by dogs. Apparently, Lauren was running along minding her own business when one of the 3 dogs some guy was walking just kind of jumped up and bit her. Aside from scaring the shit out of her, it left a pretty bad mark. I caught up with her about 2 miles from home, jogged with her for about a half mile, then tried to sprint back to get the ice/first aid stuff together. If you can’t control your dogs people, don’t walk them in groups of three.
Of course now I’m off to a good start this week, that will soon be completley reversed by the effects of a bachelor party weekend in Montreal. I think its safe to say I won’t be running any more PR’s this year. Of course with some of the times I’ve posted already this year, maybe that’s ok.
J
The BEST of NYCin310 – Top 15 Posts
1, Jul 2009In the last 3 months, I’ve written over 100 posts on training, nutrition, running form and racing. At least 15% of them have been decent. Here are the top 15 articles on NYCin310…
Welcome to NYC in 310
I lay the groundwork for NYCin310… training to run a Boston Qualifier in NYC.
Date: March 25, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=50
Jack Daniels + Racing
My race strategy takeaways from the legendary Jack Daniels’ Running Formula.
Date: March 28, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=122
Understanding the 1% Theory
It’s all about paying attention to the little things that add up to big improvements.
Date: March 31, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=190
5K vs 10K Race Strategy – Healthy Kidney 10K
The difference between racing 5ks and 10ks, and a look at an excellent 5k research study.
Date: April 8, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=245
FIRST Training
The program that revolutionized the way I run. 3 days a week + 2 days cross-training.
Date: April 12, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=259
FIRST Part II
The 2nd post in my series on the Furman Institute of Running & Scientific Training.
Date: April 14, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=288
FIRST Training Part III
Final thoughts on what I learned from reading “Run Less, Run Faster”
Date: April 15, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=290
iPods and Competitive Racing
The controversy continues… is it ok to run races with your iPod?
Date: April 24, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=350
Hill Strategy
Hills are my #1 enemy in running… well maybe #2, right behind morning runs.
Date: May 3, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=469
Predicting Race Time & Setting Goals
A review of all the different race pace prediction calculators.
Date: May 6, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=478
Race Results: Top % and Age-Grade
Age grading is the great equalizer, factoring in age and gender to your finish time.
Date: May 10, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=489
From Speed-work To Improved Fitness
How long does it take for us to reap the rewards of a hard workout?
Date: May 12, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=513
How to Spot Overtraining
Endurance training puts a lot of stress on your body. Learn the signs of overtraining.
Date: May 13, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=533
Pre-Race Rocket Fuel
What I eat going into a race. I can’t say it’s the healthiest regime, but it works.
Date: May 14, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=536
Tips For Running In The Morning
The best way to get ready to get yourself out the door, first thing in the morning.
Date: June 16, 2009
Url: http://www.nycin310.com/?p=737
Thanks for reading, make sure to bookmark my site and come back often. Feel free to email me at Jason@nycin310.com. You can also follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NYCin310.
J
23 Tips For Half Marathon Training & Racing
24, Jun 2009I carefully read each and every article in the Runner’s World vault for half marathon training and condensed it down to 23 tips (17 on training and 6 on racing). The full articles can be read here: http://tr.im/HalfMarathonRW
Enjoy.
TRAINING
1. Use long tempos to learn how to gauge your energy and get your legs used to the pounding. Get comfortable with lactic acid build-up.
2. In the high mileage month before your race, slow down your non-running activities. If you’re lifting or cross training 3 to 4 times a week, cut it down to two or three sessions.
3. Focus less on your projected finish time and more on the training process as a whole.
4. Take a 10-K training model and extend it out, or use a marathon program and take down the long runs a bit.
5. Cut back interval training to twice a month. Run longer intervals with shorter recovery times.
6. Interval Workout: Try two miles at half-marathon pace, one mile at 10-K pace, and a half mile at 5-K pace. Then repeat the sequence.
7. Don’t try to PR in the workout every single time.
8. Training is practice for the real thing and you’ve got to expect you’re going to screw up sometimes.
9. If you go out too hard on tempo runs, it’s good practice for when you go out too fast in a race and have to regroup.
10. If you want to run fast on the roads, skip the track and do your interval workouts on the roads. Find a course where its easy to map out specific shorter distance markers.
11. Come up with a training plan that you can follow without a lot of hassle.
12. Taper for two weeks. This will ensure that you step up to the starting line rested, injury-free, and ready to reach your goal time.
Tips #13 thru 23 after the jump….
Morning Runs / Progression Runs
22, Apr 2009Writing for this blog has forced me to really dig deep into the vaults of running topics so that I have material to cover in my posts. When I started this thing a month ago, I had no idea that I would be reading every piece of running literature that I can get my hands on. Guess what, it pays off. Just like any other sport/hobby/activity, if you want to get better, knowledge is power. Most of the time, I don’t even actively try to incorporate new techniques into my training program, it just kind of happens. Take this morning for instance…
I hate running first thing in the morning.
FIRST Training
12, Apr 2009I’ve blogged previously about my evolution into a 3-day a week runner. I don’t take off on non-running days, I just substitute in weight lifting and cardio machines. I’m not sure how I stumbled across my formula, but something tells me I must have read about the FIRST training program and subconsciously incorporated it into my routine. FIRST stands for “Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training” and it’s the foundation of my new favorite running book Run Less Run Faster (B. Pierce, S. Murr, R. Moss).
I’m only half way through the book, but I get it. The training principles are for runners who are eager to put in quality workouts, but are injury prone. That’s me. The concepts addressed in Run Less Run Faster are so simple and intuitive, here it is in a nutshell: “To race fast you need to train fast, but if you train fast, you need to build in substantial recovery time or you risk career halting injury.” That’s it… kind of.
Sunday LSD
12, Apr 2009I tried blogging from my mobile on Friday, but apparently it never posted. This is what I wrote:
“Looking forward to running outside tomorrow for the first time in a while. I was browsing the Runner’s World forums today and discovered a thread debating if heavy treadmill users are really runners. And I found myself defending the merits of the treadmill a little too vigorously. Maybe that’s because I can count the number of times I’ve run outdoors this year on two hands (and still have fingers left over).
There are some advantages to treadmilling (as I’ve discussed in previous posts) but the big problem is that treadmill pace isn’t a great predictor for race performance. Before the Bay to Bay 5k in March, I broke 17:45 on a few treadmill 3.1 milers, but even in a race environment that only translated to 18:04 outdoors.
Long story short, it’s finally getting nice out again I’m looking forward to running my tempo runs outdoors more often. Hoping for good weather for tomorrow’s long run.”
Then it rained all day on Saturday (in Allentown-PA, visiting Lauren’s parents for Easter). So much for making good on my enthusiasm to run outside. Went to the gym instead, all the way there vowing not to put in junk miles on the treadmill. The problem was, I did some intense intervals on Wednesday and skipped running on Thursday/Friday to rest up for Saturday’s long run. So what the hell was I supposed to do, skip a third day in a row? Do a tempo workout and jeopardize the opportunity to do a Sunday long run? I compromised and ran junk miles combined with some circuit lifting, which in retrospect was probably the right decision.
The other big running related event in my day on Saturday was purchasing a book I’ve been eying up for a while Run Less Run Faster by Bill Pierce, Scott Murr and Ray Moss. I’m about half way through the book already and expect it to be finished by Monday evening. I’ve absorbed a ton of useful info, which I’ll share in a separate post.
This morning was bitter cold but I sucked it up, layered and set out to do two 5.25 mile laps around the Ironton Trail.
Here’s the link to the map: http://www.walkjogrun.net/routes/current_route.cfm?rid=2EFF18D9-C0B0-FE32-F31D9115FDE50CD0
The Manhattan Loop – Prequel
6, Apr 2009After flirting with a hamstring injury during Friday’s speed work, I decided to take it easy this weekend. Friday night activities were of the taco and tequila variety, so frankly I was proud to even make it to the gym on Saturday for some bike/elliptical and a few pull-ups/dips.
Sunday should have been a long run in the 8 – 9 mile range, but to play it safe I substituted with a 3hr, 30 mile bike around the perimeter of Manhattan. It took me several attempts over the last 6 months to carve out a seamless route, so it’s something I’d like to post for the benefit of others. I took some pictures while I was out riding and I’ve mapped out the precise route on walkjogrun.net.
Manhattan Loop – Part 1 (13 Miles)
3 Days A Week
30, Mar 2009That’s how many days a week I run… and it works. How do I know? I’ve run a 3:40 marathon, a 1:30 Half and an 18 min 5k, ALL respectable times. And for the last 2 years, I’ve rarely run more than 3 days a week.
After recovering from all the training miles I put in for my first marathon, it was hard for me to go out there and run 5 days a week. It seemed like every time I tried to build back up, I kept getting injured. So last May, as I was beginning to train for my 2nd NY Marathon, I searched the Internet to validate my training plan. I wanted to know that training for a marathon could be done with a 3 day a week training schedule. Fortunately for me, I discovered this article…
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_outdoors/2008/05/run-your-fastes.html
East River Track
28, Mar 2009Had a great workout today, second time running outdoors this year thanks to the half decent weather. Lauren and I jogged from the Financial District up to East River Park which is about 2.5 Miles one way. There’s an awesome track located right off of the FDR at about East 6th street…
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