First Barefoot Run This Year

My first barefoot run this year was on a treadmill at the Philadelphia Loews Hotel today.  Three miles.  It felt great!

I Thought I Ran Longer Today

I only ran 13.3 miles today.  It took 2 hours.  I was dragging myself through the first 40 minutes of it.  I felt bloated and tired.  I wanted to get a two hour run in - and I accomplished that.  But I did practically the same distance last Saturday in 1:45.  Last week I followed up with an PM bike ride.  No ride today - had important stuff to do today 9 AM - 3 PM.  I wish Boston was more than 23 days away!

Watchung Reservation Long Run

My run today was 12 miles in Watchung Reservation.  It was my first run of 2009.  I have been skiing for the past week, and got only one run in, on New Years Eve.  That is OK - this is typically running down time, during the winter when skiing takes a lot of my time.  I run a lot less.  It is probably good for my body and mind and the entire training cycle.

Today's run was important, however.  I am scheduled to run a Fat Ass trail marathon, The Watchung Winter Ultra, at Watchung Reservation next weekend.  I have run hundreds of miles at Watchung Reservation.  Other runners that frequent the reservation and I agree, that the distance of the Sierra Trail there that is stated on the map is short by about 2 miles.  The maps claim 10, but running times always seem to support 12 miles.  We have collectively decided that a 10 mile loop of Watchung Reservation using the Sierra Trail is to eliminate the part to the south of Sky Top Drive.  That section is also the most technical section, with lots of sharp 4-6" rock scree, and radical uphill and downhill sections.  I am too old school and too cheap to Garmin that trail, but maybe someone else has.  I will have to ask around.

Today I figured I should include that technical 2 mile section on my run today so I am ready for it next weekend, and I figured I should run the rest of the trail clockwise, since I always do it counter-clockwise.  Trails look different in opposing directions, especially hours into a run.  The race next weekend does one lap in each direction.  I only took one 10 foot wrong turn because I was distracted by people and dogs at the intersection.  The trails were busier than usual today.  I passed 47 people and 12 dogs, not counting the people playing hockey on Lake Surprise - which I couldn't believe was happening because some of the lake was not even frozen.

My time was 1:47:14, which supports the 12 mile theory, at just under 9 minutes per mile.  It might even be longer - it felt like I was running 8:30's or better for a lot of the trail - but we know that trail running times per mile are decieveing, so I am accounting for that by about 30 seconds per mile.

I think people will be running 4 or more miles longer than they expect on Saturday.

The trail conditions today were varied.  There were sections that were icy and wet, and a lot of it had frozen mud in uncomfortable configurations.  The ground was generally very hard, not muddy as it usually is at the reservation.  We are supposed to get some rain and some snow showers this week, and currently the forecast is for rain & snow showers on race day.  Trail conditions, fueling and keeping warm might be a challenge.

I Ran to Work & Philly Marathon Thoughts

I had been thinking about running to work for a long time.  I have been able to ride my bike to work since school started on September 2nd.  I have driven my car only seven times since then.  I decided to do this run to work because my last few runs have felt really great.  I feel in better cardio shape than I have in about a year and a half.  My legs are feeling unbelievably strong, as evidenced by my riding my Dawes SST single speed.  It is really great to feel the fitness from the two activities of running and cycling coming together - I remember that feeling from back when I was a fairly serious triathlete, about 1985-95.

I felt a bit of pressure to get to work fast, since I left only about 10 minutes earlier than when I ride my bike.  I figured it would take me about an hour to cover the 7 miles, thinking I might take some walk breaks.  I have done this run before, to work and back, on a weekend leading up to some long race last year, for a regular nonstop long run, so I had some experience with the timing.  I didn't take any walk breaks today.  It only took me 53:49 = 7:42/mile.  Pretty good, considering my backpack, though packed light, was annoying me.

It was a cool but sunny run.  Tech long sleeve, last year's NYC Marathon shirt, polypro gloves and tight sweatpants did it just fine.  Ms. Click beeped at me and Mr. Dobson yelled "Go Mr. G!" from the window of his car when he passed me.  I gave him a double fist pump, even though I didn't know it was him until I saw him inside later on.  A couple of other teachers saw me and asked how my ride was.  I told them I ran in today.  Of course they said I am crazy.  Maybe I am, in a good crazy way.  I didn't tell my family I was running in today, because I didn't want them to think I was getting nuttier about this commute-as-workout thing.  But if I do qualify for Boston, I will be doing it more often December-March.  That might be the best way to deal with inclement weather this winter - on days when biking would be dangerous or really too cold.  Plus, it will be a great offset to all the days of running I miss due to skiing.

One of the main reasons I ran to work today is because I  needed to get in a long day today, since it is getting close to the Philly Marathon, and I certainly don't have enough long runs behind me.  I figured two seven mile runs in one day will be a good long day.  It isn't exactly a 20 miler, but it is something.  I have no 20 milers at all leading up to this marathon.  The last time I ran anything close to that was 30K for the Escarpment Trail Run in the end of July, during the days of the broken toe.  I have a bunch of long-ish days, but usually spread over two workouts.  I feel fitter than I have for the last two years going into the NYC marathon, because of cross-training on the bike.  Hopfully a taper next week will be enough to run at least a Boston qualifier.  In 1983 I ran 2:41 at the Philly Marathon.  I am fairly sure the course was different than it is today.  So 25 years later I am hoping to run a 3:30 or better.  That averages to exactly 8 minutes per mile.  Using the MacMillan race predictor calculator with my 1:32 Newport-Liberty Waterfront Half-Marathon time, it predicts a 3:14.  That is a good sign.  I am in a lot better shape today than I was for that race.  Using my most recent race, 32:29 at the USATF-NJ 8K XC, it predicts 3:12!  That was XC & barefoot - but don't get too excited, because it was a shorter race.  Predictions must be more accurate when the predictor-race distance approaches the actual race distance.

Losing The Shoes (off the roof of the car)

I ran with my son's cross-country team this morning. It is the last practice on a week off from school for them, before Saturday's state sectional meet. With no more dual meets, only varsity is working out now, and only one girl. Our high school team is not exactly a cross-country power, but I am glad my freshman son is running usually 6th man on varsity, and that there are no seniors on the team. The coach seems to know what he is doing for training them, though they generally lack strong "Eye of The Tiger" motivation right now. Definitely a building year.

We started with laps on the track, sprinting the front 100m straightaway on each lap. They wanted to just start with that cold, but I convinced them to run the entire first lap before hitting the first sprint. I couldn't keep up on the sprint, even with the one girl that showed up for practice. It took me about a mile to warm up, is why. Youth...

After a couple miles on the track, we moved to the football field for the rest of the workout. I took my Saucony Killkenny XC flats off, but couldn't get any of the kids to take theirs off. They should have, since it was a damp day and the field was wet. At this point, I had no problem sprinting with them, as they tired and my 35 years of endurance kicked in.

After the workout I put my shoes on the roof of the car for a minute, so I could clear my back seat to give a couple of the kids a ride home in my little Ford Focus. When we got home, I realized I left the shoes on my roof! So I retraced my drive. I found the shoes on the edge of Greenbrook Road where it curves near West End Avenue. Those shoes rode my roof for at least a mile, taking a few accelerations and turns before ditching!

10 Miles or so

Ran 10.6 this afernoon to try and make up for not running yesterday.  I need to make my runs longer than 5 miles.  Not enough longer runs for the Philly Marathon, as I have stated before.  I ran a loop to Middlesex and back.  I wore training shoes.  The second half of this run is mostly on sidewalk.  That feels much too hard.  The next time I run it I need to run is in reverse.

As I was running past a driveway to a local laundrymat, I was almost struk by a guy pulling out.  I had seen he never looked to his right, the direction I was coming from, so I had already given him some extra space.  He was on the cell phone.

Ten Miles at Watchung Reservation

There was record heat today.  I am in need of logging some long runs in prep for the Newport-Liberty Half-Marathon in two weeks and for the Philly Marathon in two months.  So I wanted to run for a couple hours today.  I cut it short because of the practically record heat.  It reached 92 degrees F in some parts of NJ today.  I smartly didn't begin running today until about 3 PM, at the height of the heat.  At Watchung Reservation the rocks were literally sweating.  They were cool from the days before, so they collected condensation.  I sweatted a lot more than the rocks, however.  I carried water and electrolyte replacement.  And I had to walk a couple of times.  I usually encounter dozens of other people walking on the trails.  Today I encountered a total of eight, if you count the baby in one guy's backpack.  I guess it was too hot for people to even walk today.  I admit, it wasn't exactly too hot, relatively, had it been summer in NJ.  But for me to have to turn on my AC at home on September 15 definitely qualifies today as an anomyly.

Sneaking Out to Run Barefoot & More Workplace Fitness Bigotry

It's was a half day today for the students during exam days here at the secondary institution that supplies me with my career and lifestyle. They got out at 1:30. We have to stay until 3:45 on these half days. I have almost everything done for the year. So I brought my running clothes and felt like I was doing something illegal as I sneaked out the back door and ran laps around the fields out back. I started in shoes, but the grass was in surprisingly good condition. After the first 1.5 mile lap, I had no choice but to scrap the shoes and run the rest of the time barefoot. On one of the laps there was a group of gossipy teachers checking out somebody's new car in the parking lot right next to the edge of the field I was lapping. I tried really hard not to look at them, thinking that if I didn't look at them they would perhaps not recognize me. But they did. Crap - now I have to put up with more workplace fitness bigotry. The fattest gossipy woman yelled to me, "I hope you step on a bee!" Why would anyone yell that? (By the way, I have stepped on a bee while running barefoot and it wasn't that bad.) I am hoping she was just busting my chops in a friendly way. Yet, many a truth is said in jest and all that. So, shoot, who knows....

And this makes me think a bit about my plan for my 50th year. My plan is to complete an Ironman, a 50K and a 50 mile run. I have this crazy mid-life crisis redirect of trying to inspire people to say to themselves, "Jeeze, if he can do this at 50, so can I." It is going to require more visible bike commutes and runs out the back door during the next academic year. So will my intended effect be thwarted? I wonder how many of my coworkers are going to secretly hate me for it?

Towpath "Train"ing Run

The goal today was to run my first ultra-marathon: 34 miles from Trenton to New Brunswick on the Delaware-Raritan Canal towpath. The Towpath "Train"ing Run is an annual event that the Raritan Valley Road Runners puts on. There are designated paces - 7:30, 8:30, 9:30 & 10:30. Runners can start at many "stations" along the towpath. The idea is to have everyone finish together - a large "train" that builds as the event goes on. It is non-competitive. Awards are given to runners that finish the entire length, and records are kept year-to-year so people receive awards at 100 mile increments. Everyone's mileage for the day is tallied and an equal dollar amount is donated to the Cancer Institute of NJ.Many people would think that the reason I did not accomplish my goal today would have been the extremely hot and humid weather. The temperature varied from about 70 degrees at the 6 AM start to 85 degrees at the 11 AM finish. But I never felt dehydrated. I used electrolyte capsules for the first time since 9th grade football practice. I carried a bottle and the supported run supplied plenty of water and Gatoraid.

I also did not bonk. I loaded with pasta last night. I had a decent Cheerios & banana breakfast at 4:15 AM. I consumed a Powerbar double mocha gel every hour. I drank Gatoraid.

But I stopped at 24.9 miles. I stopped because my thighs hurt a lot. I didn't want to do too much damage to my legs with so many other races coming up in the next few weeks. I didn't want to undo the progress I made this spring with healing my Achilles tendon problems. And I knew I was lacking in long runs with only one 2 hour and one 3 hour day this year under my belt.

I got back on the train after hitching a ride with Ed with 2.3 miles to go, from DeMott Lane to the end. That part really hurt. My total for the day was 27.2 miles. So it was sort-of an ultra, since I did run one mile beyond a marathon. I kinda wish I was running an official marathon, because my time would not have been so bad. At 24.9 miles I was at 3:37 = 8:43/mile. The run felt easier than really racing a marathon. If I had to race a marathon I think I could have easily ran about 3:37 or faster. One thing this event does for me every year is show me I am in much better endurance shape than I believe I am in at this point in my yearly training cycle. Though I didn't complete 34 miles, it is fairly amazing to me that I could relatively easily run 27 on sub-30 mile weeks and a lot of cycling.

I think the thigh pain that contributed to my decision to stop was because none of my long runs were at 8:30 pace, which is what we were required to maintain. I knew my long runs were slower than 8:30, but I figured since they were at Watchung Reservation, they were hilly and the trails were rougher, and that would compensate for a slower pace. Plus I couldn't run those long runs any faster because they were so close to the event - two and one week away, respectively. An important outcome of the "Train"ing run is to inform me that if I want to run a fast Escarpment Trail Run in the end of July, I will have to do some faster long runs.

After the run there was a great picnic. Socializing, eating burgers and drinking 5 or 6 beers made my thighs feel much better ~! All the photos are here.

Group that started at 6 AM in Trenton. L to R standing: Ken M, Me, Steve W *, Pete P, Laura S, Bob J, Lauren M*, Jen D, Dennis M, Lesley W, Zsuzsana C*; stooping: Jorge R.
(*Completed 34 miles!)
Thanks to Sonya S for the photos!

Three Hours Running

I ran for three hours today. I needed to get a 3 hour run in to give me confidence that I could run for five hours next Saturday at the Towpath "Train"ing Run. It was split up in two sessions, however. This was a necessity because of my son's soccer schedule. So I set my countdown timer at three hours and began to hack away at the time remaining. Starting about 11 AM at his game - before the game started and whenever he was subbed out - I got in an hour of running time, barefoot, on grass. So that part of the two sessions was broken up a little also, but it was fairly fast. I probably averaged under 8 minute miles. This run went for about 20 minutes, then some game watching & rain delay, then another 20 minutes, then some game watching, then a final 20. More or less.

The second session started at about 4:00 PM. I went up to Watchung Reservation. I did the Wilderness Trail loop plus an extra muddy loop, mostly of unmarked trails. I ran this slower and carried a water bottle. It warmed up after the thunderstorms today, so it was fairly humid. I have to say this run felt easy and probably averaged about 8:45 pace. It was beautiful: saw a hawk, hundreds of chipmunks, some deep red cardinals and blue bluebirds, and chased a fox who ran in front of me near Watchung Stables.

I am feeling like I can run 5 hours, especially with all the support the "Train"ing Run offers. However, 34 miles is a lot farther than a marathon, so I will have no qualms about dropping out if I feel like I am injuring myself. I have fought too long against these Achilles tendon and PF problems to put myself into the position of needing another long recovery.

Can't Freakin' Believe It

I had a rather disturbing run today: It was close to pain-free. I mean, my Achilles tendons and PF problems, which have been dogging me since mid-June, didn't bother me too much. And here is what I did differently: On a hunch, I put an old pair of OTC orthotics in an old pair of cheap KangaRoos racing shoes. This is diametrically opposed to everything I have learned running barefoot for the past three years.

The OTC orthotics pre-date my journey into running barefoot. When I wore them I was a heel striker, and I used them in expensive trainers. Today my feet correctly touched the pavement as a barefoot runner should: midfoot first, followed by non-weight-bearing heel-touch. So I am thinking maybe I can use these old aftermarket insoles as a bridge to recovery.

Another possibility is coincidence. I have been noticing that if I keep my blood level of ibuprofen up, I have less pain. I happened to have followed a consistent dosage yesterday and today. Add that to the minimal mileage I have been running, and maybe it is just time to feel the pain may be near ending.

Either way, I am really really hoping this is the home stretch for the pain, just in time for the NYC Marathon 20 days from today.

Jumping Back In

Ran 5 miles barefoot on the road yesterday in 45 minutes flat. It felt wonderful. I really need to remember that wearing training shoes hurts everything so much more. I am really amazed at how forefoot oriented I am now. It is impossible to wear training shoes and make my stride work properly. I slowed down in the last mile or so of the run yesterday, because I was catching some extra right Achilles pain. I have learned that I have to visualize totally relaxing my calf muscles and using my upper-leg muscles to pull myself forward. When I do that I don't stress my Achilles tendons. They store energy and return it to me gently. The trade off, especially right now, is that I run slower than I would wearing XC flats.

October Do or Die

OK, I essentially took the week off from running. I ran a 37-minute 5 miles on Thursday. Yesterday I tried running another five, but I cut it short. After 7 minutes I looped back, tired of my Nike Frees. I wanted to run barefoot. Why I didn't start that way, I will never figure out. For the last quarter mile I pulled them off and finished barefoot. I had a lot of pain before I removed the shoes, then less when barefoot. I am just fighting the ingrained wisdom, still, that shoes will protect my already injured heels. The truth is, they hurt them more. Flats or nothing. When will I get that through my stinkin' head.

So I have 31 days to get the training in for the NYC Marathon. Not much time. The goal is simply to go sub-4-hours.

Doing It All Amazingly Wrong

My running has been both wrong and amazing these past two weeks.

The amazing wrongness began at President's Cup on June 18th. I wrote about the damage I did to myself there. Summary: 19:15 5K barefoot. Left Achilles tendon = hurtin'. So for the rest of the week, Tuesday - Saturday I did not run. Instead I did some swimming and cycling, some icing and some rope-stretching. People at work noticed I was limping and showed concern.

I was registered for the Pine Beack 5K on Sunday June 24th. It was the USATF-NJ masters championship, so I wanted to run for the team's sake. I knew I had less pain in my Achilles when I was warmed up, but it was difficult to get to the warmed-up state by running. So I brought my bike to the event, warmed up on the bike, and ran the race wearing road race shoes. Initially I didn't have much pain during the race, but I did not want to push too hard. I ran 19:41, finishing just ahead of a member of my club who is a mother of two and still lactating.

The next day I swam again. Continuing my amazing wrong running program, I proceeded to run a cross-country 5K on Tuesday June 26th. I ran 19:53, finishing behind a 13 year old, but ahead of a bunch of 16 year-olds. Some pain there, but tolerable. So I continued last week with more alternative training Wednesday - Saturday: swimming and cycling, icing and stretching. .

Charlie emailed yesterday suggesting a long hilly trail run at Round Valley today. Of course that would be an amazingly wrong thing to do, considering my condition. But, true to form, I went and did 20 hilly rocky miles in 3:12 this morning with him and Jen. It was a beautiful run, and I am amazed I was able to do it. My Achilles did not bother me until the last few miles. I am psyched that I might even be able to run a decent Escarpment Trail on July 29th, despite this nagging Achilles pain.

So I am looking forward to another week of alternative training because I am not registered for another race until July 10th, another XC 5K. Maybe I should sign-up for a triathlon?

A 26.2 Mile Saturday

To my amazement, because I did not know I was in this kind of shape, on only three hours of sleep, I ran a 3:46 for 26.2 miles yesterday. It wasn't exactly a marathon and I didn't exactly do it barefoot (more on that later). It was The Towpath Train'ing Run, a non-competitive event that follows the 34-mile length of the Delaware-Raritan Towpath from Trenton to New Brunswick, NJ. The event is supported and is intended to be done at regulated paces to keep runners together. Runners can run the "freight train" at 9:30 per mile, the "local train" at 8:30 per mile, or pick up the "express train" at 7:30 per mile. Runners may start at any of the "refueling stations", which are the towpath's road crossings, many of which are served by buses supplied by the event.

TOWPATH TRAIN'ING RUN BOARDING SCHEDULE

I was one of five runners who started at 6 AM in Trenton on the 8:30/mile local train. Two runners, Peihan and Bill, started an hour earlier on the 9:30/mile freight train. As the day progressed, runners joined the train at the stations, and the group got larger throughout the day. The event is arranged so that all three trains eventually converge for the final quarter mile, honoring the person(s) that run the entire distance by having them finish first. Three of the women that started in Trenton ran the entire 34 miles - Peihan from the freight train and Jen & Lauren from our local. Lauren & Peihan took some extra time and unfortunately missed the convergence at the end. This is the first year of the event that no men completed 34 miles.

After the event there was a big bar-b-cue picnic and beer-drinking celebration for all the runners and their families. The event director told some interesting, funny or personal stories about each runner that completes 20 miles or more as he awarded them their commemorative picture frames. The total mileage from all the runners combined from this day is computed into a 75 cent per mile donation to the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. It was a beautiful day and an amazing event.

I have done this event since its inception, and I believe there are a few important factors that make this a event a great experience. Nobody comes away exhausted or disappointed with their time. Even though some people run the longest run in their lives at this event, everyone seems energized at the picnic after the event. Perhaps this is because of the cooperative spirit of the event, the excellent support, the two minute breaks at the refueling stations, the flatness and forgiveness of the towpath, or just the good karma generated by the spirit of the event. For my running club, The Raritan Valley Road Runners, it is a key event that more people take part in as participants or volunteers than any other event throughout the year.

So about my own 26.2 for the day: I did it in two parts. I started in Trenton at 6 AM. Just before starting, the event director, Ray Petit, said to me, "We need to get going, you better get your shoes on..." I picked up my foot and showed that I had duct tape on the bottom of my socks. He was flabbergasted that I was about to run the towpath in socks and duct tape, and took a photo commemorating the event. I had to wear socks & duct tape because there is just too much gravel in too many spots for me to keep the pace with this group totally barefoot. I didn't know how far I was going to go in the socks, and had one of our support vehicles carry a pair of XC shoes for when I might need them. As our run to the first refueling station progressed, I was disappointed that my socks got wet and were slipping forward trying to remove themselves from my feet. This became annoying. Being cheap, I had used some older socks that were perhaps a bit stretched out. I should have opted for some newer ones, they may have gone farther than that first 8.4 miles. Next year...

After switching to my Reebok Circa Waffle XC shoes, I completed the rest of the first 20.7 miles of the run. I then helped at the next two refueling stations and got some recovery time. I re-boarded the train with 5.5 miles to the finish. I was able to start and finish with Jen Davis, one of the women that ran the entire distance. We arrived at the end at 11:01 AM, just one minute off the 8:30/mile schedule!

I should run more marathons at 8:30, because today I feel no soreness! I mowed my lawn barefoot this morning, and this afternoon I ran around my daughter's soccer game field barefoot during half-time for about 3/4 of a mile.

At the beginning of the Towpath Train'ing Run in Trenton. L to R: Leslie, me, Bob, Lauren & Jen

All the photos are here.

Natirar Cross-Country Course

Ran at Natirar, a new park that opened May 1, 2007. It has the potential of being one of the best cross-country courses in the state. It was a 100% grass and gravel surface, with hills that would satisfy any hard-core XC runner! A great place to run barefoot, but the second loop gets too rocky for the last half mile. However, many other multiple loops would keep me happy for hours.

(View the map below as hybrid to see the terrain.)

Great Run Today

Just felt good. Ran in shoes, one of my long-time 8 mile loops, Greenbrook Road to Middlesex and back.