Thursday, October 23, 2014

Watchung Hills Municipal Alliance Run 2014

Those looking to enjoy some fall foliage and engage in a small, hometown race can find it in the annual Watchung Hills Municipal Alliance 5-K Run, benefiting Drug Education programs in area schools. Starting and finishing around the bucolic Watchung Lake in Somerset County, the race usually has a field of less than 100 runners, most of them the same, year-after-year. The race has a long sloping uphill and downhill section on Sunlit Drive in Watchung, and a short but challenging hill near the end, on Stirling Road. "Team Mountain Fitness" had about 15 participants in the race this year, myself included. The race date has varied, but this year was held on Sun., Oct. 23rd. It was one of the first true fall days in New Jersey, a brisk 50 degrees at race-time, with a blustery but manageable wind. Running my first race since tearing my right meniscus this summer, I made sure I warmed up over a mile before the start, to loosen up the sore right leg. I also prepped with two Aleve in the morning. Not sure of what to expect, I took it out hard at the flat start, knowing the hills (both up and down) are the roughest on the knees. With a field of about 50, I was in fourth or fifth place in the early going, close enough to the lead to keep me motivated. The first mile marker is halfway up Sunlit, on the steepest part of the race. I think my watch read a disappointing 7:06, but at least I was running without much knee pain. As I've gotten older (my 56th birthday was in September), 5-K's have become more and more of an anaerobic sprint. I basically start at near full-out pace, and just try to maintain it throughout. Let's face facts: my heart-rate max (now 166) and spring in my legs have dropped at about an equal amount through the years, and I just have to be in oxygen debt all the way to have any respectable showing. Strategy? Run as hard as your body allows! With that in mind, I put injury concerns aside, and tried to push the downhill on the second mile to get a decent split. By now alone in fourth place, with no one right in back or front, I passed the two mile mark in 13:50. Now, it was just about maintaining solitary focus. I tried to take advantage of a 1/4 mile flat straightaway on the Mountain Blvd. side of the Lake, and, gasping, pushed as hard as I could up the hill past Water and Wine restaurant. The final 1/4 mile is flat to downhill, and is well-committed to memory from years of running this race, and practicing along the course. Although about a minute slower than my best this year, I was not disappointed to pass the finish line in 21:46, knees still intact! There was a lot of post-race comradeship and picture-taking, and nearly everyone involved got some type of age-group medal. Add in a nice long sleeve T-shirt and some late-morning sunshine peaking through the tall trees - it was good to be able to run and enjoy the low-key charm of the Alliance 5-K!

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Running Through Injury

I am running (hobbling) through knee pain! What started as an annoying tightness in both knee-caps early this summer, segued into a torn meniscus in the right knee in August, which was treated with cold laser therapy. Three weeks of swimming and light elliptical followed, before running (ever so gingerly) on the track and gravel paths. Foam rollers and stretching, as well as ice and Aleve followed every run. I've ventured out on the roads since then, even though the difference in surface pounding is noticable. I've also tried some 400-meter repeats, but I'm sure anyone who saw me out on the Watchung Hills track was wondering what that gimpy middle-aged guy was attempting to do! Yesterday, I completed my first hill workout since the injury, and my six-mile tempo runs (unbelievably) have been at the same pace I was doing pre-meniscus tear. The first mile is always a totally painful near-limp. Then the 56-year old legs gradually loosen, and by three miles, I'm usually able to think of something other than my throbbing knee-caps! Going down stairs has gotten more manageable, although I'm still staying away from weighted step-ups and lunges at the gym. The swelling has gone away significantly, but not disappeared, yet. Part of my recovery issue is my profession. I usually train about six clients a day, and like to join in on the walking lunges in the parking lot and "prisoner squats" inside the gym. And then, of course, I have to get my own workout in as well! The upright bike was impossible for me when I first got injured, with the downward force creating too much pressure. I know I'm getting better, because I've been able to resume that cross-training mode. I tried the rower just after the meniscus tear, and the flexion on the knee was not a good idea. I think I can get back to that soon, as well. My real test will be my first 5-K since the injury: the Watchung Hills Municipal Alliance 5-K on Oct. 19th, at Watchung Lake. Many members of our club are entering, and it's usually my last race of the Fall, before the cold weather sets in. Last year, I was battling a groin strain, and struggled through in 21 minutes and change. The year before that, it was an achilles issue...This year, meniscus tear..next year, something else, I'm sure!