First Mile Running Team

Every day hot/humid. Just surviving my 6 mile run.

Bad air - round 2. After 2 days of no running I thought it’s better today. But with readings of 123 for 2.5PM, it still smells like fire.

When we run, our body gets to be a math scientist. The multi tasking motion and forward movement, all without falling involves a multitude of mathematical calculations, all unlocked within our many parts of the brain. Running, though simple in its form, is actually quite genius.

What is it when you plan for a long run, but then as you start you don't feel it anymore. You want to go back home, back to breakfast. Everything feels like shutting down, tired. Then you start it, and it doesn't get better, why did I not listen to my body? But other times, it becomes a run of a life time. How to switch this 'on'? How to know, today is the day? Maybe, every run has a chance of bringing along the darkness.

When trying to hit a specific time in a workout or race, you straddle a very fine psychological line where the setup for failure is quite easy. On the other hand, having a secondary baseline, such as the effort based accomplishment or any other perimeter of success, such as top three instead of winning, can make you survive your own (also necessary) obsessiveness/perfectionism.

PR...nahh PV... yes!! Personal Victory!
One of the best things about running is that it is so insanely personal! It's also nothing different, the training, the obstacles, than in other aspects in everyday life. When navigating personal victories, remember you are not alone, and that it's ok to be unsure sometimes. Look for a network for support.
In the way of moving forward, take time to reflect and get a sense of past accomplishments and an awareness of your potential.
Anything in this process, the things we go after and the goals we are passionate about should ultimately bring us JOY. When the joy is gone, it's time to pause. Reflect and reset.
Even during the hard times, we should feel an underlying sense of satisfaction, as we know how hard the work is we are putting ourselves in this self-chosen and joyful attempt to reach our personal victory goal.

When the Going Gets Tough, Gratitude Keeps You Going; Once you let a little bit of this negativity in, the door seems to blow wide open. This happens to everyone! The key is knowing that you don't have to stay there. The ability to exit this dark place is what can take or break you on race day. "Find a thought that serves you better." Take a mile to think about what you are thankful for helps you shift your mindset, for a mile stop thinking about the pace. Especially in training, focus and strengthen your mind, so you can push through dark spots in the race. Remember, whenever you take on a challenge, things are going to get tough. But more than avoiding it, the ability to overcome it and keep moving forward is what matters.

This was a tough one (again)! 10k in Central Park. Heat, humidity.
1. Mile in 6:03.

Note to self, sunset has moved up so quickly. Need to start my run no later than 6pm.

At what point can a race be a downfall?
Yes sure, there is a chance somebody just didn’t train enough. The race then defeats them. Game over. But if we did all the right preparation, how can we defeat a race or is the race out to defeat us, no matter what? How can we get away without loosing it all?
I had a running buddy once, who had qualified for the Olympic trials. His expectations were high, and besides anything, he wanted to proof that his disability would not stand in the way of his performance. The race happened
to be hot and he came in second to last. He never quite recovered from his disappointment. Did he stake his
expectations too high, or was it just that he took the wrong approach to begin with.
Another running friend of mine, when asked how is race went, would always answer that it went great. My view of my own race was mostly that it went not as expected. As my friend always finished behind me, I found him to be arrogant. It took me a few years to understand his philosophy. It was not that he wasn’t aiming to run better, but to get away from a race with a smile and determination to attack the next one coming up, is worth far more, than a feeling of failure.
How we shape our perspective is all inside of us. Too easily do we focus on time, place and trophies. A race is a race, whatever happens, we learn from it. Now, positive learning is when we walk away from it, regardless of the outcome, and become a stronger person.

Running with [better] care!
As runners we are fine tuned machines, I feel, maybe comparable to a Ferrari.
For those of us who are competitive, the running part is not an afterthought in the days schedule, but it is the main focus everything else, work, kids and vacation is built around. And then the micro organization. What we eat for breakfast is determined by what runs are on the program later in the day. If we mow the lawn or not, depends if there is a workout scheduled or not.
So, why then, is there a chance that we do miss the moment when we are stuck in our elaborate, perfect setup?
Case in point, my own experience about two and a half years ago. Having run a 1/2 Marathon, I went on a trip to Europe the next day. On arrival I felt like my calf was tied. It’s normal, I’m a runner. The day after my ribcage became painful, I inquired Dr. Google, and learned that it could be an inflammation of the rib muscles. Ok, I assumed that’s perfectly normal, I ran a 1/2 marathon. So what!? Then the shoulder became painful. Ok, that’s alright, at least the ribcage is not burning as much. Then the pain went to the back, and finally came the crescendo where I couldn’t breathe for some agonizing 2 hours, sometime around midnight. But I am a runner, tough enough. I’m used to pain. I continued the trip, and upon my return 3 weeks later ran another 1/2 Marathon. My explanation to myself was, that the race is the safest place to be, since there is an ambulance every 2 miles. At the finish of this second 1/2, I was a heartbeat from passing out. Then, after all this time went by, I finally arrived at the doctors office (there was no sooner appointment). Yup, the Doc shook my hand and said 'Congratulations, you made it!', and that I had a 98% chance of not making it. And the reasoning with the ambulance, he said ‘Yes, they would have been there right away, but I never would have made it to the hospital alive’.
The PE, pulmonary embolism was real. Deceased lung tissue is the proof of it. What caused it? The perfect storm maybe. Running and then sitting on the plane, or something else that every possible test couldn’t show. How did I make it? Nobody knows, but destiny played a role, as the blood clot might have been 0.007 mm, and if it would have been 0.012 or two of the smaller ones clumped together, it could have been too much. Or it was my fitness level, healthy lung, strong heart.
Either way, I consider myself that Ferrari. Constantly check the oil pressure, clean the filters, make sure the tires have the perfect profile depth, keep it clean inside and out, only fill with premium gasoline.
But why, then, did I fail to recognize the pressure in my calf, in vague memory, I feel that it could have been there for a possible 18 months prior. Why did I fail to ignore the burning sensation in my ribs as a clot traveled to its destination?
As runners we learn to live with pain. It is that pain threshold that allows us to keep going, to repeat the suffering of a workout day after day again. For myself, I can only say, luckily I’m in good enough shape that this episode didn’t end before I could write about it. But it is a stark reminder, that what we assumed to be just so right yesterday, should be part of that evolving evaluation towards our next milestone, or, in runner's terms, the next tough race.

Do I need to break-in my new running shoes? Answer: today's new foam does not need break-in miles, at least with the high priced super lightweight thick foam shoes.
Long past is the time of running shoes' foam needing a break-in phase. 30 years ago, the foam was much firmer than today with no aeration or lightness. It needed to be 'broken down' to achieve a certain rebound. And then not too many miles after that, softness disappeared and the shoes' foam firmed up and it was like running without any protection, injuries abound.

Taper for a 1/2 marathon:
keep your runs but cut the distance/time
keep the intensity (90%) but cut the number of reps
stay easy 7-10 days before (weekend before), then start buildup towards race-day (stress-wave)
no taper is quite the same as the one before

Longer distance (10+miles) require a different setup. Finding a liquid bottle for on the go, for the first time in over 10 years is harder than expected. I'm surprised to find that inventions in that area did not expand as far as eg. the running shoe technology. Dual bottle does not work for me as I'm not left handed. Push-pull top doesn't work well (it's just a bit better than a water bottle screw top). Hmmm, search continues.

About HeartRate training: A lot of running plans call for HR zone running. Zone 1, 2 ..5, and then explain Zone 1 "should be easy, Zone 2 at 80%.....".
But what does that all mean?
Finding your real HR zone means you're getting a true personalized workout, one that's fit for you!
Only varying intensity improves economy and speed.

Another Monday, another tired morning. Central Park, NYC. Dry and dusty. Goal was 6:26p for 1st 5K. And then depending how I feel. Determination was clear. Hit 5K in 19:55, lost a bit time over 5 miles, held on 10M for 65min. 13.1 in 1.26, and total 14.8 @ 6:40p. It was tough, but felt it more so afterwards. 69 degrees was on the edge of being too warm.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5353037067

Exhausted! 10M - 65:29, 1/2M-1.26:40. Tot:14.8M - peter heimgartner's 14.8 mi run 5K-19:51,5M-32:20,10K-40:20. 69Degrees still ok.

Talking about Breakthrough, you never quite know when it happens. But being diligent towards a goal is an almost sure path towards the finish line. I happened to have a breakthrough, after a very tired feeling morning. Sometimes I feel, as if it's best to run somewhat subdued anyway. That allows for less attention to the pain ahead. This run was an almost 3 min improvement vs. one week ago on the 10 Mi, and 4 min improvement over the 1/2 M. Week total goal is now at 62 miles. Temps still ok, 64 degrees on this run, let's see when the heat will be a problem.
https://www.strava.com/activities/5276457091

An unexpected Breakthrough! 10M-65:15,1/2M-1.26:09 - peter heimgartner's 14.0 mi run Solo run, 64 degrees-still cool.

Comparison Run 2019vs2021 - 1/2mi road
6/2019: @162/63/64/65/66/67 HR, avg. 6:24 (@67 6:19)
5/2021: avg. 6:23 (@68 6:16)
Goal was easy 6:42p, so well under that pace.
Total 10mi-74min @7:24p

For most running plans, a very! gradual increase in mileage is least injury risky. For example: Beginning goal 25 miles per week (would include 4x4 miles, one long run at 6, one day off and one day 3m). The increase in mileage would be 0.1 miles per day. So, after one week, mileage increase of 0.5 miles. Take 10 weeks to build to 8 miles daily. After that keep the 8 daily and increase the long run by one mile per week. Keep going for 10 weeks until you hit 18 miles for long run. Total now should be about 55-60 miles per week over 20 weeks buildup. Add another cycle for racing and marathon, and you have a 6 months or about 24-30 week running cycle from mid April until mid November, when most marathons and other shorter races happen. Go RUN!

Testing track vs. road - HR/TIME comparison: 148-150 HR.
Road: 8:04 pace, track: 7:15 pace. Using HR (@ race goal) for more consistent workout benefits! (this test was done 2017)

Nice cool mid morning, but lonely in Central Park. No preparation run, no breakfast which actually made me run with stomach distress. This workout was run purely on pace (Goal was sub 7)
https://www.strava.com/activities/5199187789

Grateful for being able to just do it. 10-68:24 - peter heimgartner's 13.1 mi run on a day feeling tired, no breakfast, no plan to go further than 7-8 miles, still being able to go 1:30 half, lonely run in CP

Central Park run, mainly around the inner 'horse trai'. Almost getting too warm towards end. At the beginning had some company, but he dropped off not too long after I passed him.
10 Mile time was about 68:11 min. Total distance 11.25 @ 6:52 pace
https://www.strava.com/activities/5086895949

CP Tempo,10M - 68:11 - peter heimgartner's 11.2 mi run Before it gets too warm.

Workout based on Distance (this time): After about 2 mile warmup/easy jog, starting with
0.1 miles controlled uptempo, followed by
0.1 miles controlled reduction. Next one,
0.11 with 0.1 slower pace. And so on, for a total of 25 segments, ending with the longest interval 0.25, 1/4 mile.
This workout I ran on a figure 8 loop through slightly rolling street. Total miles 7, average pace 7:14.
Enough rest in between to make the 'on' segments distinctively faster.

In 2019 I did a comparison HR run; same HR (148), distance 1M, various surfaces. 1) Rolling Hilly: time 8:16. 2) Road Flat: 8:04. 3) Track: 7:38. Result: Same HR, completely different pace. Training with HR as the one constant variable, improves running performance.

Age-graded scores have been divided into several broad levels: 60% and up = local class. 70% and up = regional class. 80% and up = national class. 90% and up = world class. - That said, it depends where you race and the competition. In NYC the 'local elite' starts at 80%. That's been my goal.

Today PB for James: 5K - 26:31 on a challenging course!

'Hill Training' is not just running anything that goes up. To train without injury and get the most benefits, choose a hill that starts

a) slightly downhill, to get a good CAD
b) first longer uphill followed by a short flattening, to consolidate the stride
c) ending with a second shorter but steeper finale.
Total distance should be a good 300-600 Meter. or 90sec-3min.
Pics: It's hard to see, but 1. slight downhill, 2. good uphill, 3. final push.