Back on Track - Good Long Run and Recovery Run

After missing my long-distance run for two weekends in a row, I was really anxious to get back on track with a good long run, followed by a recovery run. On Saturday morning, I tried the Gulf Terrace Hike and Bike Trail, part of the Beaumont, Texas city park system.
(click on photos to enlarge)

This isn't a wooded dirt trail like I'm used to, but it's well thought out and well done. The complete trail is a measured 3.5 miles, part of which is a 2.0 mile loop.  This lets one add 2-mile multiples to the base mileage to build different totals.   

It is a concrete trail through field areas, wide enough for both foot and bicycle traffic, and has some nice features for runners. 

There are signs marking each mile, and markers on the trail at each quarter mile, making it easy to track pace. 






There is even a mileage sign at 3.1 miles, which is nice if one is training for 5K/10K. 

My last long run was 18.2 miles. After missing my long run for two weekends in a row, I decided to resume a little lower, at 13-15 miles.

I felt good after a few miles, and decided to try doing the 3.5 miles twice, with two additional 2-mile loops added to each, for a total of 15 miles.

Although not the wooded park I'm used to, it has it's own natural beauty (despite some oil drilling on adjacent property).  There are a few trees, and a lot of native grasses and wildflowers to be observed.  There is no shade, so it won't be my favorite venue in the Summer; in Texas, shade is your best friend in the Summer.  However, for Fall, Winter and Spring, it should be a good option.  It's only 2.25 miles from my house, so it's convenient.


I got on the trail at about 7:30 AM Saturday.  At 60 degrees, it was a little warmer than I like.  It was getting close to 80 by the time I finished.  However, compared to some of my long Summer runs (80+ degrees and 98 % humidity at sunrise), not too bad.   After two weeks of reduced mileage, I didn't care about pace, just logging good distance and running hours.  I finished the 15 miles fairly comfortably, 2:40:38, 10.71 pace.

Sunday, I followed with a recovery run.  It always feels good to lightly warm up again while still a little achy from the long-distance run.  I returned to the same location and just ran the 3.5 miler, at 38:44, 11.07 pace.  It was 65 degrees at 7 AM, a little warmer yet than Saturday.  I'm looking forward to the cool front on the way for Monday or Tuesday!

My last good week had been 32 miles total.  My most recent two weeks had fallen to 23 and 18.5 miles.  So, this got me back on track; a good  base mileage week of 36 miles, and a good long run.

Eco-Run:
I was pleased to see that there was less litter along the trail than I normally saw in the Baytown parks, although on the way out I found a few plastic bottles on the adjoining soccer field, and  a couple of cans by the road leading in.  Total Eco-run pickup for the two days: 2 aluminum cans, 14 plastic bottles, 1 32-ounce plastic cup, 1 empty mint box, and 1 empty GU package.

Recovery Run/Eco-Run and Cool New Gadget

I ran my recovery run in the park this morning, 3.2 miles, even slower and easier than usual.  I started out a bit sore from Saturday's long run, and running hurt a bit until I warmed up completely.  I experienced a somewhat unusual sensation after yesterday's 18 miler; immediately after I finished the run, when I first stood still, I had such a burning feeling in my calves like I've never felt before.  It was like they were on fire for a minute or two, and then the sensation subsided.  It was just a little different from a normal workout burn; it's hard to describe...

A recovery run is a perfect pace to combine with an Eco-Run.  The slower pace allows a better view into the underbrush and a little more time to look.  I took advantage of the easy run to look farther beyond the edge of the trail for litter, and bagged a lot of plastic and aluminum for recyling as I passed by.  One last Eco-Run in this park before I move.

Don't you hate litter?

I also found an interesting new gadget for the blog, a moon phase indicator (see sidebar).  I sometimes look up moon phase information to get an idea of how much natural light to expect on pre-dawn runs.  This gadget will put it at my fingertips on the blog...

Trial and Error (Well, Maybe Mostly Error...)

After months and months of trial and error, I finally seem to have settled into a training formula that works for me.  In 2008, when I really started to run seriously (rather than sporadically), I was woefully ignorant of what I should be doing.  I just went out and ran.  That was OK, to a point.  However, as daily and weekly mileage increases, the miles become less forgiving of runner mistakes.   Looking back, I probably made almost every dumb mistake possible.  Dumb Mistake #1: Poor Shoes-  I started out with halfway worn-out running shoes, and put maybe 400 more miles on them before I got new ones.  I didn't get new shoes until my feet really started to hurt, and by then it was too late.  I later found that recommended running shoe replacement is every 300-500 miles.  I had just signed up for my first race in March, 2009, and my feet (especially my left) made me stop running for over two weeks.  I tried to walk my run route instead, and couldn't even do that, just barely limping around the house and office to get where I had to go.  I  thought I was just getting some arthritis around my heel and ankle joints, and that if I just worked through it, the pain would go away.  It didn't.  Closer examination determined that the worst pain came from my left heel area, that I have low arches and overpronation, and the result was plantar fasciitis.   I was fortunate that after 2+ weeks of rest, I was able to run again (with new shoes), with only very slight pain.  I worked on a stationary bike for the 2 weeks to maintain some level of conditioning, and tried to run again 4 days before the race.  I felt OK, so I ran 2 days, took 2 days off, and ran hard on Saturday.  To this date, that race is still my best ever 5K time.  Dumb mistake #2: Ignorance of the 10% Rule- The foot problem scared me, and prompted me to learn about the "right" way of doing things.  I read every thing I could find on the running web sites.  I discovered the "10% rule" -  Don't increase weekly mileage by more than 10 %, and don't increase the distance of the longest weekly run by more than 10%.  At least, I had been smart enough to start a spreadsheet for running stats in 2009.  Looking back, I found that 3 weeks before I had to stop running, I had increased my weekly mileage by 44%.  Plus, I was running 7 days a week, with no recovery days (Dumb mistake #3).   These are the really stupid mistakes.  The rest are probably more in the area of lessons learned and finding what works best for me.  Lesson Learned #1: Hydration- As I started running longer distances in the brutal Texas summer, I had to experiment with how much to drink before and during a long run to avoid coming home 6 ½ pounds lighter due to dehydration.  And I'm a morning runner; I run at the lowest temperature of the day.  Later in the day, the effect is greater.  It's a good idea to know your sweat rate.  Weigh before and after running, add the amount you drank during the run,  and divide by hours run.  The result is the amount of liquid needed during each hour.  Sports drinks have electrolytes.  Too much plain water can be dangerous due to electrolyte dilution.  Lesson Learned #2: Clothing-  I started running in cotton t-shirts, shorts and socks.  After getting overheated and chafed because cotton doesn't wick moisture and doesn't breathe when its wet, and after getting blisters when I started running 10+ miles, I discovered why runners wear polyester shorts and shirts, and poly-acrylic-lycra spandex socks.  Moisture and friction control!   Lesson Learned #3: Managing Plantar Faciitis-   Here's what worked for me:  1. Stretches that stretch the calf and Achilles tendon.  I loosen up a little before I run, but stretch a lot after I run.  2. I found over-the-counter cushioned arch support inserts that help a lot.  I started out wearing them running, but now I wear them all the time, except in the shower and in bed.  3. Ice: After a long run, I soak my feet in a bucket with ice and water for 5-10 minutes.  It makes sore feet feel better quickly.  Some people said that it would not heal unless I quit running for maybe a few months,  but with this combination, it is gradually improving even as I'm adding total mileage. 

There are a million and one training programs out there and a confusing array of possible techniques. Distance?  Speed?  Intervals?  Mile repeats?  Fartlek?  What's a newbie runner to do?  I think the answer is to do what works for you.   I'm training for marathon distance, so the long run is my key workout.  I tried speed work, but sprints aggravated my heel pain, so I quit.  What works for me is the Tempo Run, fast enough to be a push, but without too much extra shock. 

This is the weekly training formula that's working for me:
1. I run 6 days, and rest 1 day; 5 short runs and 1 long run.
2. For 4 days, I run easy pace and tempo pace on alternating days.
3. The day before my long run is for rest or light cross-training.
4. I run one long run per week.  When I add distance, I repeat it several consecutive weeks before adding distance again.
5. The day after my long run is for a short and easy recovery run.

Advice to New Runners:
1. Get a decent pair of shoes.  They don't have to be the most expensive; I look for good mid-range shoes on sale, but I'm a cheapskate.
2. Read articles. Learn.  There's a lot of information out there on the web.  Talk to runners.  There may be a few snobby elite types, but I haven't met any.  I've found runners to be an inclusive group that love to help other runners. 
3. Start out easy and increase gradually.
4. Shake up your routine.  Run easy some days and harder some days, shorter some days and longer on others. Give yourself some rest days.
5. Listen to your body.
6. Don't forget about #5.

Recovery Run and an Unexpected Reward

My normal routine is to take a slow Recovery Run on the morning following my weekly Long Run.  At 5 AM this morning, I had to force myself out of bed to run.  Normally, I can't wait to get up and run, but I ached more than normal, from the cumulative effect of Sunday's Long Run, followed by working in the yard all afternoon, followed by cycling in the evening.  I finally convinced myself that even a short run would help the soreness subside more quickly, and to at least run 1 ½ or 2 miles.  I didn't get on the road until 5:40, 10+ minutes later than normal.  Running was uncomfortable at first, but got easier as I warmed up, and I decided to go 2 miles.  At about ¾ mile, I got an unexpected reward:  I saw a meteor streak overhead, making a long, bright trail of light through the dark sky as it passed.  I felt pretty good by the end of the run, and my soreness was gone by the afternoon; this was the reward I expected from today's run.  The next time I'm tempted to stay in bed, I hope to remember that a day missed may also result in the loss of an unexpected reward.  (Run stats: 2.0 miles, 24:12, 12.10 pace.)

I've always been interested in astronomy; with a little research online I found that every October, the Earth passes through an area of space containing rock fragments and dust left by Halley's comet.  This results in an annual Orionid Meteor shower. The peak dates for this year were predicted to be October 16-27.  The debris is actually very close to Earth, but the meteors are called "Orionid" because from Earth, they appear to originate from the direction of the constellation Orion.  On the morning of this sighting, I had noticed that the constellation Orion was very prominent in the night sky, and the meteor did indeed seem to come from the general direction of Orion.

September 20, 2009 - Recovery Run

Recently, I’ve been taking Sunday off after my Saturday long run. However, today I decided to try following the long run with a “recovery run.” I didn’t think about starting this technique until recently; I just started really pushing the long run distance last month. When I first started increasing distance, I followed the long run with a normal medium distance hard run on the next day. That turned out to be a mistake. Then, for several weeks, I took the day following the long run off completely. That worked out better. However, recently I’ve been reading more about the benefits of the recovery run. Here's a link to a good recovery run article. 
To summarize, this article discusses the widely-held assumption that recovery runs, relatively short, slow runs within 24 hours after a harder run, clear lactic acid from the legs and facilitate recovery from preceding hard training. In this article the author maintains that lactic acid levels return to normal within an hour after a workout; that recovery runs do not actually enhance recovery. He sees the real benefit of recovery runs coming from working out again in a state of lingering fatigue from the previous training. Long runs boost fitness by taking the body well beyond the point of initial fatigue; recovery runs are performed entirely in a fatigued state, so they boost fitness despite being shorter and/or slower than key workouts.

So, I took a 3.2 miler, very slow and easy, 44:37, had to consciously hold back to keep it really comfortable and stayed under 125 bpm. It felt good- a light workout while still a little achy warmed everything up and seemed to help the aches, without being hard enough to cause any additional fatigue or foot pain.