New, New Shoes

It feels like I've changed shoes so often lately...

A few months ago I went and had my gait analyzed at a local running store and switched up brands of shoes. Tried the Saucony Omni's for a couple months and since then I have had serious blisters - I thought they would eventually quit rubbing, but it didn't really happen.

So, by a stoke of luck (haha) I was planning to do a trail run in KC in the middle of a 2 week work trip and had asked the man to bring my clothes and shoes when he came to meet me. As luck would have it he forgot. No worries, I'm a runner I can always use new shoes! ;-)


So, off to the closest sporting goods store we went - they had a limited selection of trail shoes - decided on some Asic Gel Enduro's - low end, but they seemed to be functional enough for what I was wanting (and they did get me through a 2 hour trail run in the snow - see previous blog). While we were there the man talked me into trying on a pair of his favorite running shoes - Mizuno's. I tried on two different kinds, but after some humorous running around the make shift 'track' at the store with my jeans rolled up and the man taking video of my form - I decided I really liked the Wave Inspire.

I'll have to give further updates after more wear, but after using them for a 45 mile week (including a 22 mile run) they are great - no break-in time required as far as I can tell. Three weeks till OKC, we'll see how they hold up there!! :-)

In the Snow

Ah, running in the snow - so hard, but so good at the same time.

Running in fresh snow - the only footprints you see are from non-humans - mostly deer, some birds, a few squirrels and possibly a racoon. So awesome. You feel alone, but alive.

Running down the service road to hit the single track trails was exhillirating in itself - how can you describe?? I had my trusty mascot (lol - just kidding, but my most awesome mountain biker pal - seriously who can ride single track in the snow anyway - he can!!) with me. Since I'm not a fast runner or moutain biker, me running in the snow while he bikes (with no traction) is finally somewhat equal playing field!! ;-) HA!

So, running in the snow - it makes you feel so many muscles you haven't felt while running on the roads. It was painful, beautiful, pristine - a run I won't soon forget. Really, that's all I want to say......

Going clipless - Again

Last spring I bought my first road bike - mostly because of a stress fracture that was keeping me from running. Anyway, shortly after the purchase I was encouraged to go to clipless pedals by some biker-savy friends. It was a good choice - it's helped a lot - not that I don't still have work to do - but it really has helped a lot.
So, cut to this year - I've been dying to get back on the mountain bike and hit the trails so I'll be better prepared for Adventure Racing this season. Then, cut to yesterday - first really beautiful day of the year - the weather was awesome so I talked the main man into going to the trails with me to work on my technique. (Not that it was twisting his arm or anything - he loves the trails - I'm sure he'd just prefer to hit them hard rather than 'babysit', but he humors me!! ;-)).
He gets off before me though so the plan was just to meet there, but a 1/2 hour after he leaves I get a call reminding me his shoes are in my car - so a new plan emerges - he will work on his bike till I get there then we hit the trails together - no worries. Well, the part of this plan he didn't tell me was he was going to slap some clipless pedals on my mountain bike?!? I know I've talked about doing it, but I wasn't thinking I would try it first time out this year. Ahhhh, but what better way to start - right? ;-) Seriously it went well - he really showed me how much more power I have going up hills with clipless. I'm still a little shaky getting in/out, but I only fell twice - not bad for me! We tried a climb at the beginning - I hit a root 1/2 way up and fell, but went back and tried it again and made it! He wanted me to start at it mid-way up the hill by clipping in and holding onto a tree, but I just couldn't - that will be next time!! The rest of the trip was on pretty smooth, flat single track - quite a few turns and a few narrow trees, but nothing terrible so we were able to hit it pretty hard. We mostly worked on me NOT using my breaks - I would say I just need to remove them, but he'd take me up on that and I'm just not quite ready!

So, after the first session my top 3 lessons I'm taking are:

1. Keep spinning no matter what
2. Stand and put pedals horizonal when going down nasty rough hills (the only time I don't have to be spinning)
3. Don't use the breaks!!

I know there will be more lessons to learn, but those are it for now - oh, those and don't unclip to stop - just grab a tree - hopefully that will help with my balance!

I just have to remember my moto - It doesn't hurt that bad to fall!!! :-)

Mid-day Running

It's in the low 40's today, but pretty clear. Brooke and I just went for a 4-1/2 mile run over the lunch hour. It's been a few months since I've done that, but it felt so good. The wind is coming out of the south today so running that direction was a little chilly, but the run back to the office was nice - I even got a little hot.
It made me so ready for spring and summer when I can just take off and run at any given time and not have to be overly prepared with all the cold weather gear to keep from freezing. Knowing you have a gym bag with shorts, shirt, jog bra, socks, running shoes and a hair tie at all times is a liberating feeling. Knowing you can leave the headaches, politics, paperwork, emails all behind in moments notice! Times like these make me really question why I still live in southwest Missouri and not somewhere where it stays at a tolerable temperature year round??

Regardless, I got to get in a lunch run today and it felt good, really good to have that mid-day break! :-)

On a side note and possible future blog - it seems that a severe fault of American business lies in not giving employees sufficient breaks during the day - or making their workdays too long - or in my case, both of those. There is so much to be said for a break in the day to refresh and rejuvinate you - helping you to be a more productive employee! And, if we all utilized breaks for runs, brisk walks, bike rides, or even a game of frisbee toss - we would also be healthier - lowering our respective companies health costs...