Randoms, Running and WOD's

Since signing up for Burning River 100 I have been focused on getting into training and finally finishing my first hundred. I have been plotting with an amazing ultra beast and my CrossFit coach. I've been having salad at night in front of the TV instead of M&M's (those come later) and I'm drinking more water than I ever knew I could hold. (Glad hubby pays the sewage bill!)

This week is my first week of real training since Marshall University Marathon. I was so excited (and I still am) but I forgot how much real training sucks too. It's been a fun couple days mentally readjusting to not being able to easily walk up and down stairs or get up from the couch. And it's not even a ton of mileage yet either!

Today I took it easy and ran my prescribed mileage at recovery pace. And then I hit CrossFit for some more torture training. This was the WOD I was given by my coach:

I didn't push super hard. I wasn't out of breath when it was over. I focused on slow and steady but still my legs wanted to rip themselves off and club me with my Altra shoes. As you can see I only managed 8 rounds + 2/3 of a 9th round. I really can't wait to get into shape where a 30-ish mile week and two CrossFit WOD's don't total me. Instead of being upset I'm just going to use it to fuel my fire. By July this won't even be worth doing as a WOD, maybe not even as a warm up.

In other news, Christmas is bearing down on us (which also means I'll be another year older, you can send presents). Most of my shopping is done and everything that's here is wrapped. Even the Christmas cards went out already. I'm pretty proud of myself! But what I'm really ashamed proud of is this:

My poor Lily has been walking around shivering in our drafty old house. She is always on my lap or under a blanket or trying to cuddle with our other dog. I finally took pity on her and bought her Dachshund pajamas. Yes, there are companies that make extra long clothes just for weiner dogs. And yes, I am now one of THOSE people. My dog wears clothes....

In other (odd) news, I'm not racing this weekend. Shane has signed up for at least one 5k and may do a 5k/10k combo race the next day. It's really weird for me to say no to (THREE!) races but I know I need to put in my long run and then rest up for next week. Eyes on the prize and all that jazz... What's cool is that I might be able to be a spectator and cheering squad for once!? Never gotten to cheer on Shane in a race before. Maybe Sunday could be the first!

The Pain Cave

During the interview with Shalane Flanagan the topic of cross training came up. While I love to hear all about the training of the athletes I admire, I found the next question to be even more interesting. A member of the media group asked about Shalane's tolerance for pain and how she can push herself through moments when her brain is screaming, "STOP!"

See for yourself!

I remember when I first started running and I would wonder, "Is that supposed to hurt?" There were aches in my shins, my calves, my knees, my hips and basically every part of my body. I vividly recall my first case of Illiotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) and not being able to walk up and down stairs after my first half marathon. I was truly worried that I'd damaged myself beyond repair and ended my running career before it ever got started.

I found Shalane's response truly comforting. She can get past it because she's been there in practice. I may not be busting out 15 400 meter repeats on the track once a week or tempo runs at a 5 minute mile but I do push myself. Sometimes my lungs start to burn, literally burn. My heart starts to beat so loud I wonder if it might just quit. My leg muscles throb and, when I finally stop, shake with the effort they've just put out. I've spent sleepless nights tossing and turning because I can't shake the cramps and pains that are wracking my body, especially after an ultra.

I think one of the reasons I was able to PR at Marshall was because I have wrecked myself beyond good sense at other points in my training and racing. I was able to pace it better because I know what each effort level feels like and how long I can sustain it. The same thing with the Baker 50 Mile. I didn't take 53 minutes off my time by running myself into the ground but by knowing my body inside and out.

Sometimes you have to push past what you think you can endure to find out where your limits really lie. And then you push those limits out a little further every time you train and have to find them all over again.

Nerve Check

Last month I had the amazing experience of meeting Shalane Flanagan during the Runner's World Hat Trick. Getting to Q&A an Olympic marathoner has to be one of the coolest things I've had the pleasure of checking off my bucket list (even if I didn't know I should have put it on there!). I promised to get up the videos of the session and I finally am! I'm only about 5 weeks late so hush!

The first video I wanted to share is Shalane talking about her pre-race nerves and how they affected her throughout highschool and college and how she uses them to push herself now. After the video I'll talk more about my own experiences with keeping pre-race jitters in check but for now here's the good stuff:

Now, if you're still here, let's talk about me! Every person is different but from my own experience I know that race day nerves can ruin a performance. My first marathon was an absolute disaster and a big part of it was nerves. My stomach went sour in the days leading up to the race and I let all the fears, excitement and anxiety get the better of me. I had the worst race of my life and a miserable couple days on either side of it to boot.

So what can you do? The answer is to focus on what you can control.

Have you done the training? If the answer is no then maybe you should reevaluate your goals or even drop down to a shorter distance. But if the answer is yes then you should feel secure in your ability.

Is your goal realistic? We all have the desire to blow our last time out of the water or get a medal. Evaluate your training and races leading up to your goal race. Do the times and paces that you ran indicate your goal is attainable? Note: I didn't say easy, just within reason. Again, if not, reset your goals. If yes, try to relax and trust in your training.

I was extremely nervous meeting Shalane for the first time!

Do you have a plan? Have you figured out what your splits should be at each mile or certain interval (5k, 10k, half, etc)? Do you know when you are going to take a GU or a Shot Blok and when you plan to drink? For my PR marathon I had everything planned: 52 minutes per 5 miles and GU or 2 Shot Bloks every 5th mile. I carried a handheld and drank to thirst. Knowing that I had everything I needed in my SPIbelt and that I wasn't depending on luck, the course aid stations, or last minute decisions really eased my mind.

Check the weather the day before and lay out your clothes, your drop bag (if you're using one), your (charged!) Garmin and iPod, your GU's/Shot Bloks/whatevers, and anything else you will need to take with you. Having everything right in front of you when you wake up will make it easier to remember your plans and you won't leave the house wondering if you forgot something important.

Lastly, eat your normal breakfast even if you have to eat it earlier than usual. If you ate a bagel with peanut butter and coffee before long runs then eat that before your race. Think about how long it usually takes you to feel ready to run after your meals and allow at least that much time between your breakfast and your race.

You may not be entirely relaxed and confident, but as long as you know there's nothing else within your control, it will be easier to trust in your training and have an enjoyable day.

What are your favorite pre-race rituals? Do you have any superstitions or good luck charms? How do you keep your nerves at bay?

Chasing the Turkey

I can now say that I have chased a man dressed in a full turkey costume for 3.1 miles. The first ever Turkey Chase 5k took place in Cranberry Township this morning and Shane and I were there. Shane expressed hopes that it would be small first year event. I, of course, laughed in his face. Every runner likes to create a calorie deficit before they fall into a three day tryptophan coma.

When we arrived at Graham Park 45 minutes early the parking was already getting tight. I pulled the Jeep onto some grass and we went to get our bibs and chips. I'm not sure what the point of chip timing was since there were 593 people and no starting mats. Being only a couple weeks post-marathon I decided there was no point in racing and this would be an easy run. No watch, no hard effort, and hopefully no pain.

Love the shirt

I lined up 6 or 7 people deep and when the gun went off I gritted my teeth as people blasted past me. I hadn't realized there were SO many people there! And I felt my pace start to pick up. I pulled back even more and tried to not be angry that runners were leaving me in their dust. I saw my Team Aquaphor teammate, Jordan, go by and felt another surge of envy. I wanted to race!

And then we hit a small but steep incline and I didn't want to run anymore. Someone said the distance was 0.63 miles and I suddenly just wanted to be done. I pulled my attention from my lack of speed and focused on my form. Stand tall, small arm movements, smooth stride, high cadence. I tried to estimate my pace based on effort. I knew that I was probably going faster than it felt since I was running with such a large group. I guessed I was in the 9:30 per mile range.

At one point we passed the finish line and the clock read 12:4x. I figured I must be around the halfway point, probably a little less based on the time and my estimated pace. As I headed out to the turnaround I counted from the leaders back. I expected to see Shane and as more people went by I started to worry. When I finally saw him I had counted 60 people ahead of him. I still didn't realize just how large this race was.

I rounded the turn and headed back to the finish. People were kicking and struggling to the finish. Rasping breath and coughs and staggering forms were all around me. My breathing was still easy and I felt the urge to find another gear for the finish but I held back. As I passed Shane he yelled out, "27". I figured he meant the clock was already past 27 minutes so I didn't kick. I crossed the mat at 27:0x. I should have FREAKING kicked! Doh!

I'm still pretty amazed that I ran a 27:04 easy race though. That's a big improvement and I feel a great 2013 season coming! The really cool part was finally meeting my Team Aquaphor teammate in person though. I've been following the exploits of these 200 people for most of the year and I feel like I know them.

Jordan and I

 

Of course, after that it was turkey time! Ash couldn't wait to dig into her 'big chicken' and I love pumpkin pie! Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

 

 

 

How was your day? Did you do a Turkey Trot/Gobble Wobble/Gut Buster?

Just Another Runner

Since the Runner's World Half & Festival I've been working hard to read all of the books I brought home with me. The Big Book of Marathon & Half Training was a good read, albeit very basic. The next one on my pile was 'Going Long' which is an accumulation of stories from Runner's World, edited by David Willey. I had the pleasure of meeting Dave and his son, who both kicked my butt in the 5k portion of the Runner's World Hat Trick.

However, as I read these books from Rodale, owner and publisher of Runner's World Magazine, I find that one common thread ties every bit of editorial together, whether satire, drama, or documentary. The fact is Runner's World seems to think that everyone is a Boston Qualifier or a 3-something marathoner. (Even in the 'Big Book' the little blocks with personal stories often featured 3:xx marathoners.)

The truth? We're not. I am just as amazed and motivated as the next runner when I meet someone who's lost 100 pounds, run 10 marathons, and just BQ'ed... all in the last year. But the fact is that these people are the exception, not the rule. And qualifying for Boston is a big deal because it's HARD. I may never do it and that's okay. What irks me is that every book in the Rodale repertoire acts like it's normal somehow to tick off 7 minute miles on easy runs or do 8 mile tempos at a 5:xx pace. It's NOT!

In fact, the average runner is not a member of this club. Something like 62% of the field in my last marathon finished in the 4-4:30 range. I just missed being middle of the pack yet again. Maybe it's supposed to be motivating to read these times and paces that aren't even remotely on my radar. Maybe it's supposed to be inspiring. Really, though, let's face it. It's getting old. I'm sick of opening books on training and finding that the pace tables stop several minutes shy of my actual training paces. The race time comparison tables end long before my races actually did.

Maybe Runner's World is losing sight of their target audience? From what I see on their forums, the largest numbers are by far in the Beginner's Forum. The elite racing forum is tiny, the ultra room only slightly larger, and the marathoners and training forums still miniscule in comparison. People who are only just trading flip flops for Nikes or jeans for compression shorts are the bulk of the ones who are seeking advice and training tips and motivation. In all honesty, the runners who are at the front either have coaches, are coaches, or might as well be for the most part. Either that or they are inhumanly genetically gifted with a high VO2max, perfectly balanced fast and slow twitch fibers, and speedy recovery cells. In other words, they aren't me and I doubt they are the balance of my readers or my running friends.

Am I the only one noticing this or feeling this way? Is anyone else ready to take all of the Rodale and Runner's World books and pile them for a bonfire?

Moving Forward

After barely missing my goal at the Marshall University Marathon but still setting a new PR I knew it was time to rest and reevaluate where my training and racing stand. A review of my log reveals a 10 week average of 16.7 miles per week and a year-to-date average of 19.6 miles per week. This is nowhere near the base I need to reach my goals and I'm really amazed that I've done what I have this year. In order to keep my eyes on the prize I've enlisted the help of one of my ultra running idols and laid out the foundation for my 2013 race calendar.

Right now, I'm looking at the following:

March 17, 2013 - Shamrock Marathon in Virginia
April 20, 2013 - North Coast 24 Hour in Ohio
July 27, 2013 - Burning River 100 Mile in Ohio
August 24, 2013 - Baker Trail Ultra Challenge 50 Mile in Pennsylvania
October 5, 2013 - Oil Creek 100 Mile in Pennsylvania

I would eliminate the Baker as it's really too close to Burning River but 2013 will be the year I earn my final piece of the medal. And I'm not ready to wait three more years for it. So as long as I'm not injured or completely wrecked after BR100, I will toe the line at Baker. And I feel hopeful that with a little help from a stellar runner that I'll be in great shape and ready to tackle such a tough calendar. It's obviously not the 30 races I've done thus far in 2012 but it's tougher races that I want to do better, stronger, faster. In 2013 I'm going for quality over quantity. I want to find out what I'm really capable of.

I've been really enjoying my week of rest after Marshall. I had about 3 days of feeling totally burned out. I had a plan of exactly what recovery exercises I was going to do each day but for the first few days it was all I could do to get dressed and take care of the kids and the house. I wasn't sore (not like after the last 4 marathons) and I wasn't sick or injured but I was mentally done. By Thursday I was ready to refocus and get back to preparing myself for the toughest challenges of my life.

I'm also ready to inject a little fun into my training. I was given the opportunity to review the Jabbawockeez School of Dance videos. We don't have cable and we really don't watch a ton of television so I didn't know who these winners of America's Best Dance Crew (2008) were. I was a little weirded out when the DVD's showed up with white-masked faces staring at me from the covers. Thankfully, they don't wear them in the actual instruction videos.

The instructions are easy to follow and the moves are relatively simple. Gemma, Ash, and I had a great time following along with the first video and dancing around the living room. I am probably a little too self-conscious to break out these moves unless I'm goofing off with my girls but this was a great way for us to be active together and for me to get a workout in outside of running and lifting. It was challenging in a different way for me. I had to use balance and coordination skills I rarely need in my daily life. I got to jump and kick and twist in ways that my chosen sports rarely incorporate and I had a blast with my kids while I was doing it! Overall, I'd say these videos are a win.

If you're looking for something that breaks free of the typical squat, crunch, run in place videos then definitely check out the JABBAWOCKEEZ videos series!


Disclaimer: I was given this product in order to review it for promotional purposes. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

M.U.M.'s The Word!

Today was my last big race of the season, Marshall University Marathon. What a crazy year it's been! This was my 30th race for 2012 and my third marathon this year. After just missing my goal at Baltimore last month I really wanted to take another crack at 4:29:59 or better. I had no illusions that it would be easy, however. In the 4 weeks between Baltimore and Marshall, I ran two 5k's, a 5 mile, a 10k, and two half marathons. My legs are pretty much destroyed and I've been battling what seems to be bronchitis or an upper respiratory infection since Baltimore. I was going to find out just how tough I really am today if I wanted a shot at a PR.

On Saturday I made the 4.5 hour drive down to Huntington, WV and picked up my packet. This race is awesome in that you get a shirt and a jacket if you register early. I got both and was pleasantly surprised, except that the small shirt is still too big for me!

Shirt

 

The jacket is actually a dark forest/hunter green but my iPhone won't pick it up.

I didn't have the foresight to make hotel reservations for such a small marathon. Wouldn't you know I couldn't find a room to save my life? I ended up in a fleabag dump about 20 minutes outside of town. It didn't even have a name, the sign just said 'MOTEL'. The room was painted puke green, there were holes punched in every wall, the bathroom counter was pulled free of the wall, the smoke detector was missing, and there were what appeared to be blood stains on everything. I practically begged my husband to drive down and stay with me to save me from the huge, loud men stomping up and down the stairs, slamming doors, and screaming all night. Of course, he stayed home. I curled up on top of the comforter and fell into an uneasy sleep. I woke up every hour or two when a door would slam or someone would start yelling. I was so happy when my alarm went off at 4:30am and I could get the heck out of dodge!

My personal hell

 

I drove around and finally found an open gas station. I got a coffee and a donut and then drove to the stadium where the race started. The lot was practically empty so I enjoyed my breakfast and sorted out my gear. I decided to wear my INK n BURN shorts and camisole with a $5 Walmart throwaway and some cheap gloves. It was around 45 degrees at starting time.

 

One of the big issues with this race was a lack of communication with the runners. According to the website the starting line was at one intersection but it actually turned out it was about 2 blocks up. I was standing with a huge group of people when they made an announcement that we all needed to run to the real starting line before they started the race. I made my way up to the back of the pack at the true starting line and it was only a few minutes before we were off. I didn't start my Garmin with the horn because I assumed there would be timing mats at the start. I was wrong and, therefore, my watch was off the entire race.

 

As soon as I started I was pretty much on pace. I wanted to start out more conservatively this time in hopes of not bonking or at least not too hard. I wanted to stay within 10 seconds of my goal pace so 10:00 - 10:20 for an average of 10:10-ish.

 

Mile 1: 10:17

Mile 2: 10:09

Mile 3: 10:35

Mile 4: 10:36

Mile 5: 10:04

 

By the third mile I was starting to feel the effects of the past few months of extreme racing. I had weird aches and pains that would pop up and then disappear again a few hundred feet later just to be replaced with something else. First it was a pain deep in my groin and then it was my shin. Eventually my feet and ankles and even my lower back decided to protest too. I began to just ignore the aches knowing that one would disappear and another would arise soon. I finished the first 5 miles right about the 52 minute mark so I made it my goal to finish each 5 mile interval in 52 minutes. I figured that would get me a 4:26 - 4:29 finish.

 

Mile 6: 10:29

Mile 7: 9:57

Mile 8: 9:57

Mile 9: 10:14

Mile 10: 11:00

 

I'm not sure what exactly happened at mile 10. I was carrying my handheld so I wasn't stopping at water stops. I took my nutrition every 4 miles or so. I took a GU at mile 4, 2 Shot Bloks at miles 9, 13.1, and 17 plus another GU at mile 22. I tried to keep my walk breaks to take my GU or Shot Bloks under a minute.

 

Mile 11: 9:45

Mile 12: 9:55

Mile 13: 10:03

Mile 14: 10:35

Mile 15: 10:53

 

In the second half the temperature started to rise quickly. It was right around 72 degrees by the time I finished. At mile 15 I stopped to have my handheld refilled and I also started taking Gatorade at several aid stations. I was feeling surprisingly strong though. The aches were still there but I didn't feel like they were affecting me too much. One thing that was really irritating was the lack of scenery on the course. Downtown Huntington is just not pretty and I had nothing to look at besides the back of the person in front of me.

 

Mile 16: 10:22

Mile 17: 10:07

Mile 18: 10:03

Mile 19: 9:51

Mile 20: 9:56

 

At mile 20 I was feeling confident that a 4:29 was in the bag. I was taking a 30 second walk break every mile or mile and a half and it was keeping my legs happy. I never had any cramping or bonking. I started trying to see how hard I could push. I wanted to leave everything on the course and either succeed in epic fashion or blow up just as well.

 

Mile 21: 10:19

Mile 22: 10:29

Mile 23: 11:23

Mile 24: 10:29

Mile 25: 11:28

 

In mile 23 I stopped for a cup of Gatorade and the volunteer handed me water. I had to loop back to get the right cup and then walk long enough to get it down. I knew I lost some time but I hoped the last little bit of hydration and electrolytes would see me through since my water bottle was empty again. However, it didn't happen. Shortly after mile 24 my left knee hit me with a sharp pain. I ended up walking for about 90 seconds to relieve it and that cost me any chance of my 4:29. I told myself I had to still try though and I picked it back up.

 

Mile 26: 10:29

Last .42: 9:44 average

 

Stadium

 

This course is USATF certified so I'm not sure why I got such a long reading. I almost always get a 26.3 Garmin distance on marathons. This was by far the longest course I've ever run. Every mile marker was consistently a quarter mile past where my Garmin said it should be. I'm wondering if the starting line debacle didn't end up adding that distance?

 

Anyway, the last little bit of this race is what makes it worth running. You run down a ramp into the stadium (OUCH!) and onto the football field. You run to the far goal post, make a U-turn, and then run across the field to finish in the end zone. A little boy handed me a football as I made the final turn (to commemorate the football team killed in the plane crash) and so I tucked it and sprinted. I actually managed to catch and pass one woman in this final 100 yards. According to my Garmin I got down to a 7 minute mile here.

 

Catching another woman at the last second... literally

 

 

I stopped my watch and saw 4:33:45. Not the time I wanted but a PR nonetheless. I happily collected my medal and then sat in the turf to drink a bottle of water before heading home. However, my official time is now posted as 4:34:05. I am really unhappy that the lack of starting mats means I now have a 4:34 PR instead of a 4:33 PR.

 

Medal

 

 

5 marathons done and six states down!

 

 

Oops and Oats

Wednesday at work was INSANE! I seriously thought I was going to die! My company has an ATV for when we work offroad but my boss told us we didn't need it where we were going. We got to the site and our contact told us to follow him. We started sideways across the hill and then turned a sharp right to go straight up! The hill doesn't look so bad in the picture until you put it in context. The hill was about a 45 degree angle and that little orange thing in the background is a bulldozer at the bottom, which had to pull us off the hill!

You can see where we drove up the grass/hay side and then were stopped by the mud which then caused us to slide backwards and sideways into the wall of waste soil! I'm thankful that pile was there or else we would have gone sideways over a 5 foot embankment and flipped the truck! Super scary moment of the day right there!

The good side was that I received something new to try and we all know I love new things! Nairn's Oatcakes offered to send me a sample of their cookies and crackers for review and I accepted because I'm adventurous a pig. I've been taking the mixed berries cookies to work with me and not only are they yummy but they are also convenient! Each box contains individually wrapped packs of a few cookies. Portion control and packable for the win! If you want to pick up your own Nairn's cookies you can find them at here.

Dislosure: I received this product for review from Nairn's. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sweat Pretty

PUMA recently sent me some items from their FAAS line and I enjoyed giving their clothing a whirl. Now they have another awesome idea for their fans called Sweat Pretty. In these videos Cara Castronuova takes you through step-by-step workouts that leave the gym and the old-fashioned videos in the dust.

From boxing to standup paddle boarding to trapeze classes, these videos introduce fresh and fun ways to stay fit and feminine at the same time! So if your workouts are feeling a little stale or if the gym is getting crowded with pre-holiday/bad weather members then check out the Sweat Pretty videos and call up some friends to join you in something outside the box!

Episode 1:

Episode 2:

Episode 3:

Zombies, Ghosts and Dirt Monsters

Thanks to Hurricane Sandy our Trick or Treat was delayed until yesterday. We're procrastinators so we spent Friday painting, carving, and decorating for Saturday. We had planned to eat at the spaghetti dinner hosted by the local church but they cancelled at the last minute so we were left to our own devices. Shane made a run to the grocery store and saved the day with some fixings for our own spaghetti! Then we bathed the girls and got ready to head out for some candy collecting!

Gem was a goth prom queen

Princess Ash wouldn't sit still or wear her tiara

 

Scoops was a .... good question

 

Lily the weiner, of course!

 

There's one house in our neighborhood that the girls call the scary house. They have a great love of Halloween apparently and go all out. Ash and Gem both insisted that we had to Trick or Treat there. I was prepared for tears and going home early and traumatized children but they both handled it well and Ash even wanted to go up twice!

 

Scary House

 

Mercifully it was too cold for staying out long and the girls were happy with their hauls after only an hour. Shane and I were able to get them cleaned up and in bed by their normal time and then we turned our clocks back and jumped into bed ourselves to rest up for the Dirt Monster 5 Mile trail race. After running this two years ago I felt confident I would get a course PR and I was looking forward to the last race with huge hills for the month! This race is funny in that it beneifts the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Foundation of Pittsburgh, hence the name Dirt Monster. It also lends itself to the logo on the shirt.

 

Elevation profile

 

We left the girls with my mom and headed down to the park around 8:30. We were pre-registered so arrival was easy. We parked at the pavilion and got our shirts and bibs. Then we huddled in the car, avoiding the 40-ish degree temps, and debated wearing our jackets or not until the race started at 9:30. I decided to run with my jacket, hat and gloves. For my base layer I had INK n BURN denim print capris and a long sleeved shirt.

 

Race shirt - scary dirty shoes!

 

 

The race started right on time and we headed uphill, made a left turn followed by some rolling hills and then continued making our way up, Up, UP! I knew how long this hill was and how much it would cost me later if I pushed so I jogged until the effort felt too hard and then I hiked as fast as I could. A lot of people blew by me and I think they figured it would be up and then back down and they could recover. As you can see by the elevation profile there's only one good down in the first 4 miles. The rest is all in the last mile and that's what I was saving for.

 

Looking towards the hill we run up

 

I tried to keep my pace even and sustainable for the first three miles. Walking the steep hills meant my splits don't reflect it but the effort felt even. 12:40, 10:06, 12:38 for miles 1, 2, and 3. After mile three I started to pick it up. I was sick of being passed and I could see people starting to blow up in front of me. I passed a lot of people, notably a couple guys in kilts and a girl wearing road shoes. I was impressed that the girl in Kinvaras had managed to stay ahead of me for 3 miles on a thick blanket of wet leaves, through mud, and over a ton of rocks and fallen branches. When I passed her I noticed her breathing was way too labored for only a little over halfway though and realized she was putting out way too much effort trying to move forward and stay upright. My husband said he saw three people wipe out but my Altra Zero Drop Superiors served me well and I remained upright the entire time.

 

My new Altra's got their first taste of mud

 

I continued to gain momentum with each person I passed and felt that I could really improve on my time from 2010 (1:09:34). I thought I might even break an hour if I got moving. I was projecting 57 or 58 minutes and really excited about it. Mile 4 done in 10:37. There was one moment of annoyance when I came up behind a kid that was walking. He had blown by me on the first steep uphill and now it looked like he had blown up. I said excuse me and nothing. I realized he had headphones in so I yelled excuse me. Apparently his music was up too loud because again there was no reaction. I finally just ran up on the birm of the narrow singletrack trail and pushed by him. Lesson: Turn down the volume when you run!

 

I passed a few more people as I navigated the first part of the downhill to the finish chute. Then I caught a glimpse of orange cones through the trees and floored it. I was thrilled to see the finish clock was still under 55 minutes. Last mile in 8:28. My official time was posted as 54:36! That's 2 seconds shy of a 15 minute course PR!

 

Pavilion

 

Back at the pavilion Shane handed me my sweatshirt and we were treated to chicken noodle soup, soda, beer and Halloween candy while we waited for results. There were far more people this year than the last time I ran so I doubted I had a shot but enjoyed seeing my old running partner and some other running friends for a bit. When awards were announced SURPRISE! I got 3rd in my age group which happened to be 18-29 for this race so I was even more shocked. Shane was apparently in the most competitive age group because he placed 7th despite finishing in 46:11.

 

Trying not to freeze while posing

 

All in all it was a good day and really helped me see how far my fitness has come since Ash was born. Now to keep the momentum going through the winter and see what I can do next spring!

 

 

Fast in Faas

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter then you already know I've FINALLY been putting my bike from last Christmas to good use! It's helping me fit in some easy cardio and cross train my legs on my non-running days which is something I should have been doing all along. Plus the CycleOps trainer means I can cycle in front of the TV watching the same crap I'd be watching while NOT working out. ;)

It's been a struggle to keep my motivation up since Sandy has pounded the east coast. We're safe and sound here but the nonstop rain has kept us all indoors. (Keeping NY and NJ in our thoughts!) I don't mind the treadmill so much but it lends to easier distractions: hop off and change laundry, run upstairs to get more water, interrupted by kids 10 times in a half hour, and so on.... Anyway, I got a package in the mail yesterday that drastically improved my chances of actually working out today!

New PUMA gear! I've never tried the brand and I had no clue what to expect so naturally I jumped at the chance to give it a go. My first impression when I opened the box was WOAH! The bright colors really stand out. I'm not normally very 'loud' but these combinations are attractive without being too overbearing. The green and orange shorts with the white shirt don't scream 'Look at me!' And the black jacket with hot pink accents is feminine and bold but not crazy. The shoes are a whole different story with the blue and pink but athletic shoes are supposed to be fun! First thing this morning I tried the ensemble out. I probably should have waited for a run day but I'm too impatient. (I did however clean the mirror before snapping a pic... Bonus points for me!)

Second impression: The FAAS Split shorts are SHORT! I don't usually mind short-shorts but these also don't have a liner. I felt breezes in new places and I'm not sure I liked that. I tried putting on some underwear but cotton under tech shorts felt even worse. I'm not sure that I would risk running in these outside for fear of flashing unsuspecting bystanders. Cycling outdoors would also be iffy because of the risk of exposure. Comfort-wise these shorts feel great on. The elastic is firm but not tight (for reference I got a size Medium) and they didn't chafe. From a quality of material and fit standpoint these are pretty awesome for the MSRP of $35.

The shirt I received is a size small. I think the cut runs on the smaller side because I was having issues with bunching up. Whenever I reached over my head or leaned over the bottom rode up and didn't fall back into place when I straightened up. This usually happens when I order a size too small so I don't believe that it is a cut or quality issue. For a basic tech tee (MSRP $20) this shirt works just fine. It breathes, it doesn't have a fabric neck tag, and it has the silky slide-over-your-skin feel. However, it doesn't have flat seams. This could be a HUGE potential issue on runs over 5 or 6 miles or in the rain. Cycling 6 miles on the trainer in it didn't pose any problems though.

The jacket is the Faas Microfleece Hoody and it is by far my favorite item in this package! The colors, the feel, the fact that it actually has a HOOD all make it superior to many of my other light jackets. This hoody does feel heavier than many of my jackets and I probably wouldn't use it for exercise until the temperature is close to freezing. Obviously it was too warm in my house to wear it on the bike but I'm wearing it now! It is definitely comfortable and I love that it has an iPod-sized breast pocket! The only thing I don't love is the zipper. For a hoody that retails for $90 I expect a sturdy zipper. The zipper on this is cheap plastic and I had trouble with it before I ever put the hoody on. Give me a good quality zipper and this hoody would be on my Christmas list in every color they have!

Lastly, the shoes! The Faas 550's are comfortable! I think they are also sized slightly smaller than my usual brands. I ordered a size 8 (my usual) and I can't wear my thicker socks with these. With thin socks the fit is perfect although the toebox feels tighter (narrower) than I'm used to. I couldn't find the heel to toe drop information on the Puma site but I'd be willing to bet that it is the standard 12mm. It feels a little high to me in the heel since I've been running in 8mm and zero drop shoes lately. The cushion is heavenly though and I think these will be perfect as cross trainer or track shoes. Due to the toe constriction issue (probably should have asked for an 8.5) I don't think I could wear these for a longer run but that's not a quality issue so much as a sizing issue. The upper and laces feel of average quality. The real difference in these shoes is all in the sole. The rubber/foam blend differs in each Faas shoe from the minimalist, lighter 200 to the heavily cushioned 900. The 550 is right in the middle and feels springy enough to absorb the impact of landing but not overly cushioned enough to impact toe off or reduce power. I'll probably give these a few miles on the road as soon as I get a dry day to really get a good feel for what they can do.

Overall, I think PUMA has done a great job making gear that's right in line with the wants and needs of the average runner and athlete. The quality isn't over the top but neither is the price. For an average Joe or weekend warrior this tech tee or these shoes are probably perfect. If trail or ultra running is more your style then this probably isn't the line for you. However, for cross training today these pieces were ultimately comfortable, affordable and attractive. I'd say PUMA scores an 8 out of 10 overall with the Faas line!