Chill Distance

Run: 10K loop at a chill pace

Distance: 6.2 miles

Time: 59:27

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ ★

Gut: ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Energy:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Soundtrack: Godsmack, IV

     The work schedule, the turn to chilly weather and this wonderful sniffly cold from my children has turned the past two weekends into a no-run zone. After some great runs down in Florida with my last conference, I was super jazzed up to keep the momentum once I got back to Connecticut, but it just hadn't happened.

     Today though, it was going down! I was working on my computer finishing up a book chapter that I had been working on, and I could feel the beautiful weather calling me through the window. It was perfect out here today! I think the high was 54, and that is amazing for New England on January 31st - no matter what the year.

     I decided to take it nice and slow, and just get out there and enjoy myself. After two weeks off, and with this crazy runny nose, I knew that I wasn't setting any records. It all turned out to be perfect, and I got a great run in.

     We still have a little bit of snow in some spots, and there were a few sidewalks that weren't ever plowed off. This made for a little bit of back and forth with the shoulder of the road, but I found most of the drivers today to be very kind and gracious. There is something about this weather that makesthe folks driving by appreciate the people getting some exercise out on the roads a little bit more.

     So the legs continue to be in great shape and my conditioning feels good. We have a bunch of St. Patty's Day 5K's coming up in March. I think that if all goes well with those, I may look into sneaking in a spring half marathon this year, and then take it from there. I'll probably start taking out my weekend runs to 8 - 10 miles from now until March, and see how the tendonitis hangs in there. From 10 miles, it shouldn't be much to throw in a 12 miler a weekend or two before a half marathon. It's gonna get interesting, but so far, all keeps looking good for a solid 2016!

Distance

Speed: 6.6 miles at a relaxed pace

Distance: 6.6 miles

Time: 66:43

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ ★

Gut: ★ ★ ★ ★

Energy:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Soundtrack:  Far East Movement, Free Wired

     As we speak, I am charging my headlamp through my computer. I was very proud of bringing my morning light with me to Florida. I was even smart enough to remember to bring the special charger that goes with this thing. But, as I made my way to the elevator down to the hotel lobby this morning, I pushed the light button to find that the charge in the battery was red - no good!

     I decided to give it a go anyway. For those who have been following this blog for a while, you will recall when I first got into this morning running thing, I was always doing it in the dark. Turns out, that does kinda freak me out, and I have been much more content to run with my headlamp.

     Fastforward two years to today, and of course its a new moon out - so no help there. My headlamp does manage to get me almost out to the first turn-around point before cutting out. This is good, because I was able to see that there were no wandering coconuts on the sidewalk this morning! The trail is obviously unfamiliar to me, as we are down here on conference, but it is very flat, not strewn with any debris, and there are a few hotels and communities on the street that have their own lights.

     I'm not sure what ended up spooking me more: the armadillo or the shirtless guy also going out for a run in the dark. I confirmed the armadillo was an armadillo with the bell hop after I got back to the hotel. Those little creatures are just so mysterious to me - since we don't have them in New England, and they are just so odd. They scamper like New York City rats, so it put the spook into me as it scurried away. The dude with his shirt off was a little more familiar, but he did seem to come out of nowhere.

     So I'm charing up my headlamp, but tomorrow I may either run some in the afternoon, or switch it up and see what the gym here has to offer. We have the 5K in two days, so I may just sleep in! We'll see. Keep you posted. Enjoy the day everyone, and I hope you can get a good run in.

Distance

Run: 10K loop at moderate pace

Distance: 6.2 miles

Time: 56:12

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ 

Gut: ★ ★ ★

Energy  ★ ★ ★ .5

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Soundtrack: Disturbed, Indestructible

     Happy New Year, running fans! 2016 is here, and it's time to talk resolutions. This is probably too much info, but my 2015 resolution was to floss more, and I did a great job of that. Cleanest teeth ever! For this year I have several resolutions, but one is to be much better about blogging after my runs. I was great about this in 2014, but the work-life balance of 2015 kept me running, but blogging about it a little less often. This is the year!

     One of the reasons that this is going to be easy is that I am coming into this year feeling great! If you recall, this time last year I was JUST getting back into running after an annoying left ankle tendonitis from the Hartford Half Marathon the fall prior. This year I ran maybe 5 or 6 minutes slower, but felt great after the race, and have been able to run steadily ever since. For the first time in a long time my ankles, knees and hamstrings are all good!

     Another big win has been the crazy warm weather that we have had in Connecticut this winter. I ran this same run last week after Christmas and it was 70 degrees outside. Seriously, shorts and tee shirt, on the road, the week of Christmas - crazy. But this has kept me off the treadmill and on the roads, and I am starting off this in the best condition in a long time.

     So big plans for this year: I'm looking to run 3 or 4 or maybe even 5 half marathons, rather than just the Hartford Half in October. We have one coming up in April, and I think that I will be able to get up to the distance for it. After that it may end up being determined by the night call schedule at the hospital, but my legs feel up to the challenge. On the speed end, I'd love to see this year be the year of the 23:30 5K. We've got a bunch of those coming up, and with my kiddos starting to like these races, I think we will be out there on the weekends more. And last resolution - more running with the kids. Weekends, evenings, races, whatever. It's just great to see them getting into it!

     Today's run was stellar, and it's got me very motivated. Great weather, great pace, and just feels like the whole year is ahead of me. I hope everyone is having a similar start to 2016. See you for the next run.

Distance

Run: 60 minutes of long slow distance

Distance: 6.2 miles

Time: 58:44

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Gut: ★ ★ ★ ★

Energy  ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ ★.5

Soundtrack: Disturbed, Indestructible

     I definitely can feel that I am getting back into some kind of running shape. This run today was awesome. I'm not exactly sure where it came from, but I shaved off about 1:15 from my previous 10K runs, and this one just felt good. I thought it might not be so great because I spent some serious time in the garden with a pitch axe and then mowed my lawn just prior. But from the get go this run had something special about it.

     I made good time at the start and felt like I had pretty fresh and warmed up legs. This carried through my first 5K. After my half way water break I got a little sluggish, but once I was making my way back home for the last 2 miles, I decided to turn up the pace. This was no problem and I was able to cruise it the whole way home. Awesome!

     One thing that is becoming very obvious for me this year is that I am trading in my 4:00 - 4:30 AM morning runs for an evening run. I just can't seem to get the momentum early in the morning, and I'm finding that I do have time in the evening to get out on the road. It's just so interesting how your body and mood and mindset can change from year to year. I think that this day-night dilemma has been behind my not getting after my training so far this year, but I am happy to say that I think that I have this thing figure out.

     So goodbye sun rises, and hello sunsets. I think either which way I'll be putting my headlamp to use. And with a new game plan for a new season, I'm ready to start working on some speed, distance and endurance, and we'll see what this fall's race season has to offer.

Distance

Run: 60 minutes of long slow distance

Distance: 6.2 miles

Time: 60:10

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Gut: ★ ★ ★ ★

Energy  ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Soundtrack: Godsmack, IV

     I am an Obstetrician Gynecologist, and a father of three, so I do think that this gives me some expertise to talk about orgasms. And while this is not my usual commentary on this running blog, I do think that this is a topic that needs to be addressed. Especially since I had such an incredible run this evening.

     A lot of people like to talk about a Runner's High. Certainly there is something reinvigorating and energizing about running, but I think the word "high" is missing the point. See, that makes me think about sitting around, chilling out on the couch, listening to the Grateful Dead, and eventually needing a nap. A Runner's High is quite the opposite, and I think has more in common biochemically with an orgasm than anything.

     For those who don't know what I'm talking about, I'll give you an example. And it starts with music. So I listen to all types of music - hard rock, classic rock, classical, reggae, hip hop, R&B, pop, you name it. I'm not a fan of country, but that's about it (sorry Garth!). When I'm running though, I pretty much prefer rock, as you can see from following my soundtracks. Rock pretty much keeps me pumped up for the run, and keeps things high energy.

     Usually on most runs about 2 or 3 miles in I will find the perfect combo of a rocking good song and a good pace. And this is where the Runner's High kicks in. My experience of this is a wave of hormones and endorphins that pour out of my brain and flow down my spinal cord. Everything then gets into my blood stream and my pace picks up for at least the next minute of two. It's actually quite awesome, and you really can feel that there are chemicals are literally coming out of the brain and going down your back.

     If I had to guess, I am almost certain that these hormones are going to be natural opiates, adrenaline, oxytocin, norepinephrine, serotonin and the like. All the same kind of stuff that gets kicked off with an orgasm, and really is responsible for the positive feedback that keeps you coming back for more. In fact, mathematically I would put it this way Runner's High = 0.25 x Orgasm (+/- 10%), and is best called a Running Orgasm, rather than a high.

    Now if you are thinking that you would like this experience - you are right. However, you need to train up for this and I usually find that you need to get to the right distance, at least 2 or 3 miles, and you need to be in the "zone" a little. Seriously, it has a lot of similarities to the bed room. Also, it doesn't happen on every run, but with the right practice, and the right music, you can get this great feeling most of the time.

Distance

Run: 70 minutes of long slow distance

Distance: 7.3 miles

Time: 71:32

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★

Gut: ★ ★ ★

Energy  ★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Overall:  ★ ★★

Soundtrack: Metallica, ... And Justice for All

     Another scorcher today! Fortunately I had a few things in my favor. Most importantly we had just gotten back from vacation and I was totally refreshed. Maybe not my legs so much, as they were still feeling my back-to-back beach runs, but certainly my soul. Also, I had left a little orange juice out with my water bottle, and that TOTALLY helped with avoiding a hypoglycemic metabolism problem. And while I ran in the heat from 2:00 - 3:15 PM or so, it did give me all morning to get hydrated for the humidity.

     Today's big lesson was in humility. After training up for my half marathon last season, I got pretty familiar with my splits. 11:30 to the crest of the first hill, about 18:00 to the park, and about 28:30 for my 3.1 mile loop. Not today - nope, the whole loop was taking me just under 31 minutes, which at first was bringing me down a little. Then I remembered, I'm just two weeks back into my regular running, and no way should I be running at my end of season pace from last year.

     All the better if my treadmill time throughout the winter had kept me on track, but that's just fine. The key for me at least is to not try to get out there and push it too hard too soon. Slow and steady wins the race is a great notion for exactly this purpose. If I keep up this type of running, I'm sure that I will be back on track come October.

     So I'll keep my head down and do what I tell everyone else. Just get out there and do it. Every step counts, and even mile takes you one step closer to whatever finish line you are trying to get to. Even a slow 7 miles in the humidity and heat is much better than no miles, and definitely provides some variety to a nice 3 mile run on a cool day. There is credit for endurance and flexibility.

Distance

Run: 60 minutes of long slow distance

Distance: 6.2 miles

Time: 60:56

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ 

Gut: ★ ★ ★

Energy  ★ .5

Mind:  ★ ★ 

Overall:  ★ .5

Soundtrack: Linkin Park, Minutes to Midnight

     What is a runner supposed to do when the weather prediction is for 91 degrees and high humidity? Well, I can give you some pointers based on the smart things that I did today, and the really dumb things as well. Because all in all, I was pretty excited to see the fire hydrant across from my house (my start / finish line) by the end of my run this hot and steamy morning!

     First things first, you run actually starts before you run. If you are a night time runner, things that you do or eat during the day will be reflected in your run. If you are a morning runner like me, then drinks, dinner and going out at night make an impact on your run. If you know it's gonna be hot and humid the following morning, definitely skip the heavy dinner and probably best to avoid any alcohol or caffeine. You really can't wake up and plan to drink 2 liters of water to get rehydrated, and then expect to be able to run very far or fast feeling like a camel in your stomach.

     OK, so the morning of your run, should be the morning. I ran from 8:00 to 9:00 AM today (much later than my 4:30 AM runs), and by the second half of the run the sun was out and the humidity was on the rise!  I wouldn't plan to start anything after 10 AM if you can avoid it. Better to get in an evening run, say after 6 PM, if you are looking at the possibility of a late morning run. Believe me, nothing beats a 5:00 AM cool morning run on these hot days. AND, if you compare that to the sweaty awfulness of a 11 to noon run, it's a no-brainer.

     Water. Water. Water. This is one of two major problems with these days (the other is overheating). My guess is that you sweat off half to a whole liter of water in about 10 minutes of running when its this hot and humid. If you pay a lot of attention to this blog, you will see that I normally run a nice hilly 5K loop. I usually leave a water bottle on top of my fire hydrant and take a drink every three miles or so. On days like this, you need to drive out and stash some water at about one to one and half miles out. Some people can run with water on the body, which is great. For those of you like me, plant some water along your run.

     Water isn't enough though. Most morning runners will realize that at about 6 miles you are all out of glucose and glycogen and you are burning fat, if you don't eat some carbohydrates before you head out. Some people can eat carbohydrate gels, but that was never for me. What you need to do is leave a little juice box or sports drink near your water or switch out water for the sugary drink here and there. Dehydration makes the hypoglycemia feel even worse, as now you are trying to make your muscles do things with low blood pressure and low blood sugar. Ain't gonna happen.

     Last, don't plan your hardest work outs for these days. Also, don't expect to run your best times or paces. These are actually great days for stretching, working out that nagging injury, and gradual slow runs and cruisers. The fact that you went out and ran at all is a win, so don't feel like you have to be completely on top of your game.  Be safe, and be smart. Getting in some miles is great, but you don't want to take yourself out of the game!

     So run on people. Enjoy the summer, and enjoy the fact that the mornings are brighter earlier, and the nights stay brighter longer. Take advantage of these times to avoid to heat and humidity and still get your running in.

Treadmill

Run: 3 miles at 6.5 miles per hour

Distance: 3.0 miles

Time: 27:44

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ .5

Gut: ★ ★ ★ .5

Energy  ★ ★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Soundtrack: The Crystal Method Radio, Pandora

     Yep, still cold, and still working the treadmill. Twenty degrees out this morning, and that's just too cold. So off I went to the gym to meet up with my 4:30 AM crew. Mostly everyone was there. We have a few that stick to the weights, and a several that stick to the treadmills and ellipticals. Today was a running day for me, and so I made my way over to my usual treadmill - row two, seat six.

     As I walked past the two treadmills next to mine, I saw that they were out of service. Nothing new for regularly used gym equipment, but both of these also had scribbled on the 'not-to-be-used' message the milage that each treadmill had racked up over the years. Apparently one had gone 18,170 miles and the other 17,576 miles. Now I'm no treadmill, but that seems pretty good.

     So this got me to thinking, I wonder how long: 1) the average runner runs in a year, and 2) how many miles I put on in this past year. The answer to number two is easy, because I am going to have to put it off for a while. I began this website with a 4.3 mile run on August 3, 2014 - click the link to see the first ever blog post to the site. I have pretty much documented every run that I have gotten in since then, so I will tally up the score when we get to August and let you know.

     The answer to number one however... So, according to Running Competitor.com, the average runner puts in over 35 miles per week. Running For Fitness.org actually has a nice table of recommended distances for those interested in completing different distance races, and at different levels of training. You can see the range here for maximum weekly miles is anywhere from 10-20 miles per week up to 40-60 miles per week. And really my favorite source for setting a good program for your running, and running safely, Runner's World suggests this schedule which focuses more on time and effort than distance.

     So in the thick of it, I probably was running about 3 - 4 miles two to three days a week, with about 8 miles on the weekend. That would be about 20 miles per week. Take that out 50 weeks (gotta have some kind of break) and you're looking at 1000 miles in a year. That's me at my ideal finest, which clearly, I'm not there. In reality, I'm gonna guess I put in about a quarter of that last year, if I'm lucky. For the 35.5 miles per week professional, you are looking at 1846 miles (I didn't give them the 2 weeks off) per year. 

     So little treadmill, I may have given you a lot of crap this winter, but I'm impressed with what you've pulled off. Looks like you've packed in 10 professional runner years before needing a new belt and deck. I'd have to say, I think that I'm gonna need a new set of both if I ever get myself up to 35 miles week. One can always dream!

Distance

Run: 60 minutes of easy distance, hilly.

Distance: 6.7 miles

Time: 62:13

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ .5

Gut: ★ ★ ★ ★

Energy: ★ ★ ★ .5

Mind: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ★

Soundtrack: Stone Sour, House of Gold & Bones Part 1 & 2 

     I was wondering when this day was going to come. Finally, running outside on my usual course! It has been a long cold February, and this was finally the day. Going into the weekend, I had a feeling that we'd get some warm enough weather and some clearing. Saturday was actually quite rainy. I saw a few blog posts from people running races on Saturday, and felt a little bad for them. Nothing like running in some chilly rain!

     Since I wasn't signed up for a race ticket, I put my run off until Sunday. It's was cloudy but clear, and there were some spots where the sun broke through. I was a little worried about the snow on the sides of the road, but that was mostly clear, and so it was a safe run up my usual hill and back. The park where I turn back around at about 1.5 miles was completely covered in snow, and it will probably be a few weeks before the cinder path is even visible. I figured out a little loop in the driveway to the park, which worked out just fine.

     So what did on learn on my first 6.7 miles of the 2015 outdoor running season? Well, for starters, while not the same as road running, the treadmill did keep me somewhat in shape, and I think that I am starting off this year on the right foot (ha ha, couldn't help it!). Even though I was super psyched, it doesn't mean that I was totally into all parts of the run - I was pretty dragging by the end, but it's just going to take some time to get back into this. And last, you just can't beat running on the road, especially with some hills, when you want to think about running fitness.

     We are off to a great start. I'll probably keep it on the treadmill for the early weekday runs this week, but the weekends should start affording some distance road runs, and a little 5K race this up coming weekend! Happy St. Patrick's Day coming up.

Distance

Run: 6 miles of easy hilly distance

Distance: 6.3 miles

Time: 58:19

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★

Gut: ★ ★ ★ ★

Energy  ★ ★ ★ .5

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Soundtrack: Godsmack, 1000hp, Good Times, Bad Times

     Whew momma, I just got this run in before the snow started falling! And it is totally coming down now. No doubt we'll have some accumulation by the end of this afternoon. There was a call for snow as of yesterday, and you could see in the sky that it was on it's way at some point. It's funny how impending snow is like impending rain, but a little less menacing. Kinda like running in the snow is a little better off than running in rain - at least for this R.O.B.

     All in all a good run. A bit chilly, but with the right gear, once I got started it was warm enough. It's interesting in that when I run I prefer to keep my hands in a loose fist, but usually with my thumbs out. For the first two miles, my thumbs were a little too cold in this position, and I had to tuck them into my fists. This was just awkward enough that I couldn't help but pay attention to it for the two miles. Then as my gloved hands got warmed up, it didn't matter as much where my thumbs were. All in all, a very weird small detail, but when you've got an hour alone with yourself, it's interesting what you end up paying attention to.

     So I'm happy to be back to 6 miles runs. Legs feel good - ankle still annoying, but no more so. I'm not entirely sure what kind of distance I'm looking at for 2015 races, but 6 - 8 miles on the weekends is going to be a good base for either 5K's or 10k's, whatever it may be. For now, I'm just happy to have gotten in one more road run before the flakes started to fall. I may be shoveling before the end of this day!

Distance - Happy New Year

Run: 30 minutes hilly distance with a 0.5 mile tempo run kick at the end

Distance: 3.6 miles

Time: 30:53

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★

Gut: ★ ★ ★ ★

Energy  ★ ★ ★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Soundtrack: Godsmack, 1000hp

     Happy New Year to the R.O.B. faithful! What a better way to ring in the new year than a little road run on a chilly and crisp New Year's Day afternoon. I usually don't like running in under freezing temperatures, but it was so bright and clear today that the 30oF mercury level was no problem for today's run outside.

     Most running blogs on New Year's day are probably going to want to get into New Year's resolutions. There are probably lots of us out there making plans for more distance, more training, more races - which is awesome. My actual New Year's resolution is to floss more, but I do hope for more racing this year than last. I wish all you runners out there the best of luck with your running resolutions.

     Since I was running my regular 3 mile hilly running loop today, I did have some time to reflect on the runs from 2014. This past year was a major one for my running, and I'm pretty psyched to be where I am today. I'm going into this new year probably 15 - 20 pounds lighter than last year, and despite my achy left ankle, in much better running condition. This is all due to this web site, a great runners guide and a lot of good hard work. With some smart training, and continued dedication, I think that 2015 should pan out to be even better.

     As I hit the down hill part of my run today, I started remembering some of the starlit morning runs with Venus popping up on the horizon, the beautiful fall vistas of downtown Hartford, and some of the close calls with the crazy drivers at the one major intersection on the run. I remember figuring out the time splits for some of the landmarks along the way on the three mile run. And most of all, I remembered how the time on this hill helped me to figure out a new career path, and get me to a job this upcoming year with so much opportunity. 

     All in all 2014 was a great running year for this Running Obstetrician. Like the year or two prior, it really was a half year of serious running. Since I am hitting 2015 with a good run, good pace and (fairly) healthy legs, I am thinking that 2015 will be even better. I guess my first goal will be to beat my 28:00 5K from last year at my conference coming up in 2 weeks. After that, I will look for some local 5K's. There is a half marathon around town in March, but we'll see about that! If you enjoy this blog, and enjoy the Races page, keep an eye out because there is going to be lots to come in 2015.

     Happy New Year everyone, and let's make this one to remember!

Distance - New Territory

Run: 40 minutes of easy distance, hilly.

Distance: 4.3 miles

Time: 41:57

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ .5

Gut: ★ ★ ★ ★

Energy  ★ ★ ★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Soundtrack: Chevelle, La Gargola

     During training I try to stick to the same few courses that I have picked out along the way. I end up knowing the distance, about how long each run should take me, as well as the terrain. This is all very helpful when either trying to push myself to go a little faster/farther, or if I just want to get in a nice steady pace for some known distance.

     Since I've been mostly running off/on a lot lately, I wouldn't call my past few weeks "training". However, I'm getting a pounce on the whole New Year thing, and am getting back after it. Also, we have had such unseasonably warm beautiful weather of late, that I had to get in a nice distance run on the streets. So with all of this, I decided to pick out a new route.

     This route is actually part of my hill course. I usually just double back down the hill as part of the hill training. But, if I keep on going there are several options for nice loops back to my start. I had (incorrectly) guesstimated the distance to be about 2 to 2.5 miles, and thought I would get in this loop, and then take my usual 3 mile loop to follow, making for a nice 5 mile run or so.

     The run was good, even with my left ankle bothering me here and there. The roads were a little wet, so coming down from the hill was a little tricky with the footing, but overall not too bad. Some of the curves were a little dicy, and probably on a busy traffic day I wouldn't pick this route; but this quiet Sunday morning ended up being just fine.

     As I made the last turn to the homestretch, I thought I would have a sip of water from my water bottle nicely stashed on top of the fire hydrant across the street from my house. I felt like maybe this distance wasn't quite 2 mile, so I wanted to check my GPS. Low and behold, 4.3 miles. Now certainly not any more distance than I was planning on running, but a little more than I thought from this route.

     After weighing another 3 miles at this point in my run, I decided to cap it at 4.3. I can see making it out to this loop again, but not as part of my regular training. It's not quite even distance, and the downhill and traffic are just enough to keep me off. I'm glad that I got the run in, as I have always wanted to check it out. I'll probably save it for exactly the type of day that I ran it - a lazy weekend day run with some good hills built in.

Distance

Run: 3 miles at a jog pace

Distance: 3.1 miles

Time: 28:15

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★

Gut: ★ ★★ ★

Energy:  ★ ★★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ .5 

Soundtrack: Breaking Benjamin, Dear Agony 

     On the way back from rounding in the hospital, I couldn't help but notice how beautiful it was outside today. After the Thanksgiving snow and a few days of cold temperatures, today was a lovely 53 degrees. As I pulled into the driveway, I realized that I wasn't a very good Running Obstetrician if I wasn't running. I made up my mind right there and then to get in a few miles on the road.

     So this left ankle tendonitis this has been a drag. It hurts decently good at times, and despite taking some serious downtime, it is still there. A good friend of mine implied a while back that there are just some pains that you have to run through, and there is no sense in whining about it. These pains would NOT include a pulled hamstring or serious joint / tendon pain that stops you from being able to run. I don't recommend running through these!

     My ankle pain, however, seems fairly unchanged despite my recent treadmill activities, so I decided to put the "no pain, no gain" mentality to the test. Now key here (which took me a long time to learn), you have to go at this SLOWLY and SMARTLY. Therefore, despite the fact that I would have loved to have spent a whole hour running in this soon to be absent beautiful weather, I only put in three miles and at a fairly slow pace.

     That being said, it was a great pay off. The run was very nice, and my ankle pain was no worse than my usual walking around. The melting snow was a nice sight to see (soon to return for good!). And there was a cute Christmas tree sale going on at the local fire department. All in all a good run, and the ankle feels no worse for the wear. I don't see any PR paces or distances on the horizon, but at least I'm back on the road, and I snuck in a really good one today. Take that ankle!

Distance

Run: 75 minutes of easy distance, hilly.

Distance: 8.6 miles

Time: 75:01

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Gut: ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Energy:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Soundtrack: Linkin Park, Minutes to Midnight and Meteora 

The taper continues. It was another beautiful fall morning, and a very nice easy run. This was my last distance run before the marathon next weekend. This early morning run was very popular, and I saw many of my contemporaries getting in their final distance run while I was out and about. I noticed again this morning several of last year's marathon long sleeve shirts, which lead me to do a little reflecting on my own running fashion.

First and foremost, I am mostly about function over fashion. I like to be cool when its hot, and warm when it's cold. I do like the wicking type of shirts, because more than 5 or 6 miles in a cotton t-shirt does eventually make you feel like you are running in a wet towel. Hats and gloves become required gear once it starts getting below 50 degrees, and certainly below 40 degrees for even the "toughest" runners out there. My partner also bought me some leg warmer / compression stockings, for lack of a better word. These are quite functional (perhaps, or so says the box they came in), and they do add a little flare.

So I guess my running fashion is similar to my regular fashion. For the most part I like to match. I see some folks who put on really the first thing that jumps into their hands, and well, I guess I do put about 15 seconds of thought into making sure that at least my shorts and shirt are matching. I actually did a very nice job today with my NY Giants blue hat, KC Royals shorts and last year's light blue New Haven road race shirt. I also have a little light blue and a similar neon yellow in my shoes to pull it all together.

The other option is going a little over board. For example, I bought some knee high neon pink socks for a movie I was filming a few years ago, and these socks always turn heads. They do well in October, as they are pretty much the same pink you see everywhere for breast cancer awareness. Bright colors are always good because they can be a little over the top, and also they alert cars that you are running on the side of the road!

I've given some thought to picking up a new running outfit for the half marathon this weekend. Really, this is not my style to be so into style. But, I am pretty excited for this thing, and I think that unlike last year, I am not going to be able to get away with the shorts and t-shirt, as it was unseasonably warm then, and it has been seasonable cool recently. I'll let you know what I pick out, or you can just look at the photos when I get the page up under Races next weekend.

So anyway you do it, strut your stuff. Think practical and stay safe, but outside of that, anything goes!

Distance

Run: 120 minutes of easy distance, hilly.

Distance: 12.5 miles

Time: 118:35

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ .5

Gut: ★ ★ ★ .5

Energy:  ★ ★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Soundtrack: Metallica, Death Magnetic and St. Anger

Tomorrow may be the first day of fall, but today certainly had the feel of summer about it. I officially dropped a run this past week - which made me feel terrible, but work and lack of sleep just led to it not happening. Catching up on sleep and the weekend's events made this week's distance run a little tricky. I managed to get out at about 10:30 this morning, which was nice, but a little more than I bargained for.

This was my longest run before the half marathon in a few weeks, and so I knew I was looking at about 12 miles. We had some rain earlier this morning, and I had to put the run off until a little later. There was actually some break in the clouds, and I made run for it, literally, at 10:30. The after effect of the rain was that it was quite humid, and the sun poked through the clouds several times, making the 74 degree weather seem pretty hot and steamy overall.

While tough and painful, it was actually a good set-up for the upcoming 13.1 miles. I certainly was dehydrated for the second half of the run, and I was able to experience the overwhelming occasional feeling of wanting to stop and take a break, and instead powering through it. I had a few moments of running in this weird fog where your brain is staying stop, but your legs keep going, and you really don't seem connected. Then there are those times you are just in a fog, and when you come to, you've cleared a mile. All great practice for what I hope to be a good showing in a few weeks.

Part of me wants to give it another go next weekend, and see how I do. Really, there is no point in shooting for a personal best on a training run. A lot of the lessons learned about why today may not have been the most optimal 12 miles will hopefully be learned for the upcoming race. And in the best news possible, no sign of injury, and we are starting our taper! I'm very interested to see how this all plays out!

Distance

Run: 90 minutes of easy distance, hilly. Last 20 minutes at race pace.

Distance: 9.4 miles

Time: 93:11

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ ★

Gut: ★ .5

Energy:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★

Overall:  ★ ★ ★

Soundtrack: Led Zepplin, Led Zepplin (Disc 2 and 4)

You can't having a running blog without eventually tackling the issue of the bathroom. Now I'll try not to get into too much detail, but this post will cover the concept that I like to call the "poop emergency". Most everyone has heard of this concept when they start thinking about distance running, and certainly there must be something to it. So here goes.

Now I've never had the whole catastrophe of not making it to a safe at least semi-private location for this on a long run, or in a race, but I've certainly seen it happen. I think the concept is either: 1) you don't want to give up the time to find a secure location to take care of things, and therefore slow up your pace or 2) the proper locale just doesn't present itself in time. Either which way, things are pretty uncomfortable, and then rhythmic pounding of the pavement does little to help.

Now the smartest of runners will have this all wrapped up before the start of a serious race or long distance run, but sometimes this just cannot be planned for. When you find yourself stuck, it usually comes on gradually, but then there comes the moment where action is required. When the brain-intestine link decides it's time, the clock is ticking. When reasonable alternatives do not present themselves, it's time to look for plans B, C and D.

When you find your location, it's close to the best thing in the world. It's nice to catch a break from the race pace, but even better is getting back into the race. It becomes like you are running a whole other race, and for a few miles you can take on anything. It's like all the emotion and turmoil of running the race and crossing the finish line all wrapped up into a two minute reenactment in a cruel (and usually hilarious after the fact) mini theater.

So prepare as best you can, but if you are going to find yourself going out for more and more long distance runs, beware of the "poop emergency", and watch as your cut off for things that you thought you would never do begins to become much more flexible!

Distance

Run: 80 minutes of easy distance, hilly. Last 20 minutes at race pace

Distance: 8.8 miles

Time: 80:14

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ ★

Gut: ★ ★ ★ .5

Energy:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Soundtrack: Chevelle, This Type of Thinking Could Do Us in

The great diagnostician returns! I'm not sure if you read my last post, but suffice it to say, my run on Thursday was bad news. I thought that a few strange combination of events were coming together to make the run so bad, but by the end of the morning, I had it figured out. I was SICK! It was one of those awful 24 hour GI things, but then it was over. The funny part is that I wasn't able to put together the chills, body aches and upset stomach symptoms to come up with why that run felt so bad! By the end of it all, I am impressed that I pulled off that work out with the way I ended up that day. I am not impressed with my self-doctoring skills!

Today's run was exactly the opposite in how I felt. It was a beautiful weekend morning, and this long distance run was great. My legs felt great on the long continuous portion of the run. The increased pace at the end was a challenge, but good to start pushing myself at a distance. I'm sure that I ran at least the 8.8 miles, and looking back on previous runs, I bet I was even over 9 miles. This phone ap that I have really isn't cutting it anymore. I may have to think about another technology investment, if I am going to keep distance accurately for everyone (and myself!). We are on pace for a good week!

Distance

Run: 60 minutes of easy distance, hilly

Distance: 6.4 miles

Time: 60:07

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ .5

Gut: ★ ★ ★

Energy:  ★ ★ ★

Mind:  ★ ★ ★

Overall:  ★ ★ ★

Soundtrack: The Crystal Method, Vegas

Due to a calamity of events, I ended up running the weekend distance run this Sunday morning, rather than Saturday. All in all not too bad, but it did have one major consequence - a little slow to go, and SORE legs. Why so sore? Well, yard work. I did a fair amount of hedge trimming on Saturday, and picking up the brush all day did a job on my hamstrings. Both hamstrings were WAY wound up for the run.

I'm fairly sensitive to my hamstrings after a major hamstring pull last fall. I was beginning to get to a great 5K pace (my short term goal is 23:30), and I was looking forward to the mecca of races for me, The Manchester Road Race, held on Thanksgiving morning. I was trying to set myself up for a 23:30 pace on the treadmill in the gym a few weeks prior, when one mile into the run, BAM, the left hamstring let loose.

Now, I've broken a few bones, twisted some ankles, and pulled some muscles before, but this was the real deal. It was almost as if someone had come up behind me with a broomstick handle and whacked me in the back of my left leg. I managed to pull the emergency release button and got off the machine. Immediately it hit me that I would not be running in the Thanksgiving race - and really, as minor a thing as that is, I felt this overwhelming sadness come over me. I can only imaging what real athletes feel like with injury!

So I hobbled around for three days, and was out for three months. It wasn't until this past summer that I got back into the swing of things, but seriously, this leg has not been the same. Now that I'm building up distance and speed again, I am quite sensitive to how my hamstrings feel - both of them. I can feel that the more I strengthen them with hills and distance, the tighter and tighter they get. The only solution - stretching. Now I don't mind stretching, but it's not something that I did a lot in the past. I guess this is what you get when you start getting older! Smarter running and more stretching!

Distance

Run: 80 minutes of easy distance, hilly

Distance: 8.6 miles

Time: 80:03

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Gut: ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Energy:  ★ ★ ★ .5

Mind:  ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Overall:  ★ ★ ★ ★ .5

Soundtrack: Led Zepplin, Remasters, Disc 2 and 3

This was a great day for running. This long run was exactly what running is supposed to be. I had a LONG weekend in the hospital, but finally got out around noon today. I needed to get in my long run for the week, and was a little hesitant about pulling it off in the middle of the afternoon. But, we had a birthday party to get to by 4:00 PM, and it had to be done.

With the fall beginning to show itself around New England, even though it was decently sunny, 77 degrees made for a very tolerable temperature. My stomach was empty from basically getting up and coming home after rounds, and my legs felt great the whole run. I was a little low on energy, but drinking some 100% juice before and during the run kept me from feeling too run down.

A lot of people like to talk about a "runner's high". I think that this comes in many forms, but one of my favorites is feeling the endorphins pouring out of my brain and running down my spinal cord. People describe this as, "tingling all over". I get this on most runs over thirty minutes, and if I'm listening to music, it usually gets timed with some dramatic part of the song. For example, I don't know anyone who wouldn't feel something like this listening to Houses of the Holy about 45 minutes into a long run! It kind of pumps you up for two or three minutes, and it is certainly one of the more "addictive" parts of running. On a good run like today, this can happen two or three times. Unfortunately, it's sort of a combination of emotion and effort, and it can't simply be turned on - which would be nice for a boost up a hill or a final kick in a race.

Distance

Run: 75 minutes of easy distance, hilly

Distance: 7.9 miles

Time: 75:18

Performance Stats (out of 5 ★)

Legs: ★ ★ .5

Gut: ★ ★ ★

Energy:  ★ ★ .5

Mind:  ★ ★ ★

Overall:  ★ ★ .5

Soundtrack: Metallica, ...And Justice For All

The weekend distance run is probably my favorite run of the week. It lets you really settle into the run and take it all in. That being said, you have to plan for the run, because it takes longer than the mid-week stuff.

I knew that this weekend was going to be tough for the distance run. We had our annual BBQ and Brewed Beer Blowout, and I certainly partook in the festivities! I meant to get up early on Saturday and fit the run in before getting ready for the party, but there was lots to do once I got up. The party was a blast, but I had a few too many brews and BBQs for todays run!

All in all, it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. I put the run off until later in the day when the sun was going down (no way I was going to make it 8 miles in the hot sun today!). My legs were a little extra achy, especially the knees and my right hamstring. My energy was lower than usual, but the music kept me going, and in the end it shook out to be a good first 8-mile run in at least as many months. Sometimes you just gotta figure out how to make the best of things, and stick to your guns. It'll all eventually works itself out.