Faster than Usual

Ylan Segal said:

Hey everyone,

It's been a while since I've roamed around here, and was never much of a
poster.

In any event, for the last 6 months my running has been very consistent:
4 miles, 3 times a week early morning (6 am). I have not been training
for a particular race and my goal has simply been to keep my level of
fitness. My average pace is usually 9:30 - 9: 45 min / mile.

Yesterday, I forgot to set the alarm in the morning and missed my run.
Usually when this happens I don't have time during the day to run later
on, but yesterday I did: I started my run at 6 pm.

I started nice and slow like always, except that about half a mile in
when I looked at my watch I thought... hey I am going too fast, but my
heartbeat was at where it usually is (I wear a HRM). This continued
through the whole run: Great feeling and faster than usual for the same
perceived effort. My average pace was 8:15 min / mile.

So, not that I am complaining, but still the question is: Why?

I am currently leaning to this explanation: I usually don't eat anything
before running in the morning and just go after a glass of water. Dinner
the night before ends at about 7:30 and I usually have a snack at 9:30 -
10 pm. So that makes about 8 hours without food. Yesterday, on the other
hand I had eaten a big meal 3 hours before (chicken, rice, veggies,
etc). Could it be that I just was fueled better yesterday? And if so,
how can I fuel for my morning runs?

--
Ylan

You have one or two possibilitys. First the fuel factor, a likely
cause, and second it's possible your body just gets warmed up tords
the end of the day. My PM runs are much faster, longer, and more
comfortable than my morning runs, and I find fuel isn't a factor.

"Ylan Segal" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I started nice and slow like always, except that about half a mile in
when I looked at my watch I thought... hey I am going too fast, but my
heartbeat was at where it usually is (I wear a HRM). This continued
through the whole run: Great feeling and faster than usual for the
same
perceived effort. My average pace was 8:15 min / mile.

So, not that I am complaining, but still the question is: Why?

I was also a morning runner. I actuallt got up an hour before my run to
make sure I took care of 'business.' I would also run once a week at
night with friends specifically on the track and feel much more alert. I
don't think the track was magical but I was much more awake and loose
after work. Even with this knowledge I still ran in the morning
although slower. Awakening in the dark or watching the sun come up, was
so much better for my head and my job.

-Doug

Ylan Segal said:

So, not that I am complaining, but still the question is: Why?

Could be an anomaly. Would suggest trying the same test a few more times
and see if you get the same results consistently.

If you do get similar results, something worth looking at, in addition to
the fueling issue, is how long you start after getting out of bed. You could
be just stiff and sluggish because you just got out of bed.

Cheers,
--
Elflord

Elflord said:

You could
be just stiff

Just the way you like your men, in bed, and stiff.

On Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:07:38 +0000 (UTC), Elflord <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Ylan Segal said:

So, not that I am complaining, but still the question is: Why?

Could be an anomaly. Would suggest trying the same test a few more times
and see if you get the same results consistently.

If you do get similar results, something worth looking at, in addition to
the fueling issue, is how long you start after getting out of bed. You could
be just stiff and sluggish because you just got out of bed.

Cheers,

Hey Elfart, WTF are you doing here? Take off creepo.

On Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:41:08 -0700, [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Elflord said:

You could
be just stiff

Just the way you like your men, in bed, and stiff.

Indeed, you know me too well TBR, you lusty hero you.

Elflord

Elflord said:

On Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:41:08 -0700, [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Elflord said:

You could
be just stiff

Quoted message said:

Just the way you like your men, in bed, and stiff.

Indeed, you know me too well TBR, you lusty hero you.

Elflord

Cut the [censored]. If I told you once I told you a million times, "we" are
just not happening Donniekins.

On Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:27:48 -0700, [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Cut the [censored]. If I told you once I told you a million times, "we" are
just not happening Donniekins.

I'll never stop trying to get into your shorts Bill.

Elflord

I'll never stop trying to get into your shorts Bill.
--
Ignorint [censored]-off Man

Elflord said:

Ylan Segal said:

So, not that I am complaining, but still the question is: Why?

Could be an anomaly. Would suggest trying the same test a few more times
and see if you get the same results consistently.

Yeah... that is the thing: I rarely get a chance to run in the
afternoon. If I don't do it early in the morning, I don't do it!

Quoted message said:

If you do get similar results, something worth looking at, in addition to
the fueling issue, is how long you start after getting out of bed. You could
be just stiff and sluggish because you just got out of bed.

10 minutes? I pretty much wake up, get dressed, drink some water, very
lightly stretch major muscles (and we are talking very lightly here, 3
minutes tops) and out the door...

--
Y.

Ignorint censored-off Man said:

I'll never stop trying to get into your shorts Bill.

Ignorant censored-off man said:

Ignorint censored-off Man said:

I'll never stop trying to get into your shorts Bill.

"Ylan Segal" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Elflord wrote:

sluggish because you just got out of bed.

Quoted message said:

10 minutes? I pretty much wake up, get dressed, drink some water, very
lightly stretch major muscles (and we are talking very lightly here, 3
minutes tops) and out the door...

Since you can't experiment by comparing more runs later in the day then
try getting up about a hour earlier(yes, you will lose some beauty rest)
have a cup of coffee/tea and simply allow youself to wake up. 10 minutes
and out the door is not enough time.

Another choice would be to walk a mile or two first and then start your
run, but both will take more time.

FWIW, I get up an hour or more ahead of my run and it still takes me 2-3
miles before I start to loosen up and I have been doing this for 20+
years.

-Doug

Ylan Segal said:

Elflord said:

Ylan Segal said:

So, not that I am complaining, but still the question is: Why?

Could be an anomaly. Would suggest trying the same test a few more times
and see if you get the same results consistently.

Yeah... that is the thing: I rarely get a chance to run in the
afternoon. If I don't do it early in the morning, I don't do it!

Weekends, perhaps ?

Also, would second Doug's suggestion.

Either way, a single data point can always be excused as an "act of god".
There isn't much to explain until you look into it further ... And when you
do look into it further, the results will be self explanatory.

Cheers,
--
Elflord

I'm not trying to be critical but you were either not looking
at your HRM enough or it needs a battery. The
difference between 8:15 and 9:45 is huge. No increase
in PE or HR? Putting it nicely, it seems highly unlikely.

Steve W.

Ylan Segal said:

Hey everyone,

It's been a while since I've roamed around here, and was never much of a
poster.

In any event, for the last 6 months my running has been very consistent:
4 miles, 3 times a week early morning (6 am). I have not been training
for a particular race and my goal has simply been to keep my level of
fitness. My average pace is usually 9:30 - 9: 45 min / mile.

Yesterday, I forgot to set the alarm in the morning and missed my run.
Usually when this happens I don't have time during the day to run later
on, but yesterday I did: I started my run at 6 pm.

I started nice and slow like always, except that about half a mile in
when I looked at my watch I thought... hey I am going too fast, but my
heartbeat was at where it usually is (I wear a HRM). This continued
through the whole run: Great feeling and faster than usual for the same
perceived effort. My average pace was 8:15 min / mile.

So, not that I am complaining, but still the question is: Why?

I am currently leaning to this explanation: I usually don't eat anything
before running in the morning and just go after a glass of water. Dinner
the night before ends at about 7:30 and I usually have a snack at 9:30 -
10 pm. So that makes about 8 hours without food. Yesterday, on the other
hand I had eaten a big meal 3 hours before (chicken, rice, veggies,
etc). Could it be that I just was fueled better yesterday? And if so,
how can I fuel for my morning runs?

--
Ylan

Steve W. said:

I'm not trying to be critical but you were either not looking
at your HRM enough or it needs a battery. The
difference between 8:15 and 9:45 is huge. No increase
in PE or HR? Putting it nicely, it seems highly unlikely.

Yeah, I know it seems huge. This is why I posted.

I don't think it's the HRM was malfunctioning, I mean, the total time
was shorter, as measured by the kitchen clock, the route I took was very
familiar, the perceived effort was the same and the distance measurement
on the HRM (it has a footpod) was also correct.

Anyway, I will try to do some experimenting, as Doug and Elflord
suggested and try to figure it out.

--
Ylan