If there was one lesson I learned about running last fall, it was that I enjoy it much more if I'm performing better. Literally, the faster I run, the more I like running. I love those kind of multipliers too, they make my inner geek warm and fuzzy.

Of course, it becomes a more goal oriented sport for me at that point and this is much more interesting than just being able to slog through another run. I wonder though if there is a greater endorphin release or whatever when you are able to go faster. What do 6 8 minute miles do for me that 6 9 minute miles don't? Where is my mind?

Like I said, I figured this out last fall when I finally started getting close to some PRs for the first time in years. Eventually, I PR'd in two races - The Marathon and the 5 Miler. This gave birth to the "bulletin board" you see in the picture where I now post my bibs from PR races. It also gave birth to a hope that I would manage to maintain the shape I was in throughout the Winter, something that did not happen. You know how much I like the cold...

Now though, I have this nice decent half marathon behind me and the ambition to turn my training up several notches and notch some more PRs. I'll be doing my first speedwork or hillwork of the season on Thursday with The Dusters and I'm planning on a longish run this weekend, maybe a 12 miler if I can keep up with Barnacle, and the rain stays away on Sunday. We'll see. This level of training makes me feel so good about myself though.

 This is how it is supposed to go, but sometimes the front shoe of the back runner clips the back of the rear shoe of the front runner, and off comes the shoe. 

That's what happened among the first corral at the start of Sunday's Coogan's 5k. What happened next was even worse. The one-shoed runner turned around and tried to get his shoe, muscling back into the thick wave of runners surging forward. One of my friends, a super athlete, was knocked to the ground. Instead of getting a medal, she spent the race in the medical tent. It could have been a lot worse for her. The victim of the shoe clip did the wrong thing. With over 5000 runners rolling forward, the only thing he gained was sharing the misery. Under the best circumstances he had no shot at a personal best. Next time, use the heel lock, should you have the extra lace hole. If you lose a shoe, go forward and diagonally, safely off to the side, and chalk it up to fate. It's not as if there is a shortage of races in the New York region.

How Do You Start Running?

 

     A few months ago I reconnected with a college classmate named Agnes via Facebook.  Like many I have reconnected with lost friends and acquaintances from my high school and college through social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter. I have not seen Agnes since a month or two after our college graduation, more than a few years ago.

A Good Day For A Bike Ride

 

     This past weekend was a welcome change after the cold snowy winter we’ve had.  Just a week ago we ran in snow-covered Central Park, as kids made snowmen and rode their sleds.  Since the weather was beautiful today, Esther and I decided to try something different — we took the bikes out for a ride. 

This was an unusual race for me for a couple of reasons, not only was it in Miami, clearly still my 2nd home after all these years, but I knew I would be writing about it to give people a chance to learn about 13.1 who are of course putting on a half marathon in Queens next month.This entry though is more about my own experience, though I will have a more complete review of the race in a few days. 

The one thing I will say now is that 13.1 offered one of the best post-races I've ever been a part of.  Not only was it a fun party but it truly took advantage of everything Miami. In addition to the Sam Adams (Yes!), there was paella, pan, Cuban coffee, a copious spread of fruits and breads and this was complimented by Latin music and dancing (more for the 5Kers I imagine) at 10th and Ocean in the heart of South Beach. If they do half this good in Queens, we're gonna have a lot of happy people post-race. I'm truly impressed.

Myself, I went into this race with mixed expectations. I actually start almost all races in a somewhat dichotic state of mind. Half of me thinks it's going to be a complete disaster and half of me thinks I could PR. Today, I was leaning more towards disaster since my training has been nearly invisible the last two months, my longest run being a painful 9 miler two weeks ago. At the same time though, when I have run lately, I've run pretty strong except for a disaster of a 4 miler a few days back. So, I really had no idea what the hell I was going to do.

This morning was the Coogan's 5K in Washington Heights.  It was the PERFECT weather for a race.  Low 40's at the start, sunny and not a cloud in the sky.  The hills took a bit out of me, but I pushed myself (though I would have pushed so hard had I not been running with Jess, thanks hun!).

I can not BEGIN to tell you how good it felt.  I never imagined I'd be a sub-9 runner before the middle of summer.  Glad to see my recent hard work is starting to pay off.
And really, it just makes me want to get out there more.

This week the long run was technically only supposed to be 9.5 miles, but I was so close to 10 and wanted to get that double digit mileage, that we pushed through an extra half mile.  We started the run near my sister-in-law's apartment at 116th, and ran to 135th where we could get into a path which ran along the Hudson and provided a really beautiful view.  At 156th we came back into the city, running up a rather steep incline to Ft. Washington street, and continued onward to the Coogan's Salsa 5K race.  The race was a lot of fun, with all sorts of interesting bands playing (the Beatles cover group was particular good!).  We ran through Washington Heights into Fort Tryon Park and around the Cloisters, which I had never actually seen.  It's quite beautiful up there!

 

We finished the race, certainly not anywhere close to first place.  In fact, the finishers were flying by us on the way back and we hadn't even gotten to the first mile marker yet.  But, we were running for distance, not speed.  We maintained about a 13:30 pace throughout the run on average.  It was a great experience, and I am SO HAPPY to have finally breached the 10 mile mark!

The start before the race

Not your average fun run, Coogan's 5k. Sure the bands are out there playing great stuff. Fort Washington and Inwood have a fine urban look. And the weather this year was primo: sunny, warm and not windy. But the physical nature of the course is tough. It rolls up, and it rolls down. The downs are wonderful but they never make up for the time loss on the ups. Yet it's only a 5k. Even if you were minimally prepared for the event, it is over quickly. Forget about getting a 5k PR. With Coogan's you hope for a Coogan's 5k PR. I'm not complaining. I broke the 20:00 barrier, running a mere 11 seconds faster than last year, as well as the 80% age graded mark. But hey, I'm another year older and each year the slope gets steeper for the likes of me. I couldn't think of too many other things I would rather have been doing in the Big Apple at 9 on this Sunday morning than running the Coogan's.

Bang, and They're Off! A wave of mens open 1500 meters.

Not as popular, certainly considered more esoteric, track competition is a member of the running family. If you stay with running long enough, more than likely you will come to the door that leads to running track. Whether you enter it is your choice. However, you will never know if you don't give it a try. It might turn out to be just what you have always been looking for. Immediate gratification in competition, a controlled running environment, a real promise of improving your road speed as well as the possibility of adding to your longevity, are aspects you might never have considered in running track.

 

I started core training today in order to not only prepare for Tough Mudder, but also to strengthen my abdominals so they can better support my back.  After recovering from two herniated discs in my lower back last year I want to do everything I can to prevent another injury.

I ran the mile to the gym to warm up and felt fantastic.  It was such a gorgeous day and I ran into a friend I haven't seen in ages with time to catch up before grabbing a mat and yoga ball.


Then, the class began.

Wow.  That instructor kicked my butt.  After only thirty minutes I was pouring sweat and trembling.  I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow, but it felt so good to engage muscles I don't usually focus on.  I have the feeling this might become a habit.