Something Else to Buy ... It Never Ends

I mean seriously ... look how beat these things look. The first time I wore these was the week before the D.C. Cherry Blossom 10-miler, which was in the early part of APRIL! If you know me, you know this ... I'm frugal! There I said it! Running shoes are expensive - not to mention the unnecessary amount you have to pay to enter the race in the first place. Anyway, I knew it was inevitable and I know can't push these troopers much more than I have. They're Adidas, which has been what I've worn for about five years now. Not by choice. IU is sponsored by Adidas and since I was on the FH team, we got all that stuff for free. Yes, at times it looked like Adidas threw up on me in red and white. :-) I have no complaints about Adidas running shoes but I'd like to switch it up a bit just for kicks (no pun intended).

I went into the Raleigh Running Outfitters (love this place by the way) off Six Forks Road in North Raleigh and fell in love with these Nike shoes. They have this shoe grid to help determine what shoe is right for you. Then, the shoes are all classified on the wall according to the grid. They look at your walk, your arch and some other things and then pretty much just tell you what section of the wall to stick with. I just trusted whatever they were saying. My sisters recommend Mizuno. I need to research those more than I have - they love them. If you're into the technicalities you can check the how to in picking the right shoe. I'm more into how it feels when I try it on. I know there's more that should go into making that decision but that's just how I am. 1) Are they cute? 2) Do they feel good? 3) Does the person helping me recommend them?

So that's my next adventure ... shoe shopping ... without the heel.

Ran three miles tonight with my sister and my two nieces, which entails two strollers to push. Lucky me - I pulled the short straw and got to push the (almost) three-year-old. Whew! Talk about adding another element to the work out!

Startin' Up Another Week

I typically try to completely recover after my long run. Last Saturday I was barely shy of 11 miles (Runner's World suggested 10 to 11).

I ran around Shelley Lake - this wooded loop in Raleigh outlining a reservoir. It's great on weekend mornings because it's a whole community you feel included in. You'll see running groups all equipped with their little waist-hugging water bottles, bikers - some competitive snug in their spandex attire and some leisure riders, fishermen and women, families with young children feeding the ducks off the wooden bridge, young and old couples walking their dogs, and then you'll find the people who are just enjoying their early morning walk. No matter who you pass, you're most likely to get a "hey" or a smile and a nod. It's reassuring to know that there are other people who get their kicks out of exercising, training or just embracing some fresh air.

Anyway, my 11ish mile run felt pretty good. Until I hit mile eight and a half, I could have gone forever, but no doubt I hit my brick wall. I hope I can keep pushing that wall back a little farther each time. Somewhere around mile nine and a half I stopped for 30 seconds or so to stretch a little. I don't really like to stop when I get going (not like nine miles is just getting going) but it's really tough for me to start back up again. I waited as long as I could. All in all, it was a good run. I've been in the process of building back up after being sick with a bacterial infection a week and a half ago, when I had to miss an entire week of running.

Yesterday I had planned on doing a light two to three mile run but I ended up going to the mall and the grocery store. By the time I got home I figured I walked a good enough amount and at least got my legs moving a bit. I was still feeling sore from my long run the day before so I thought it was best to hold off. Today, Runner's World advises trainees to do something for up to 60 minutes. I'm not quite sure what they mean here, I assume just anything active other than running. Work was hectic today and I got home late so I settled for a hard 30 minutes on the elliptical.

Tomorrow I'm all geared up for a "Quality" five to six miles. When Runner's World says "Quality" they mean something along the lines of a hill work out, winds sprints or a Kenyan run. A couple weeks ago I did a Kenyan run for the first time. If a storm wasn't brewing and I didn't run into some debris (literally a pinecone to my head) it might have been a good experience. Say you are running six miles, you would run the first three at a fairly comfortable pace and then the last three at a faster pace than you'd usually run. Basically it's a race against yourself; you want to beat your first three-mile time on your way back. When you're supposed to slow down your pace for your long run, this run and your "Tempo" run (on Thursdays for me) aims at boosting your speed.

I think tomorrow I'll do a hill work out. There's a great (yet not-so-fun) hill to run that I haven't tried that yet. I like switching it up so I don't get so bored with repeat workouts. Oh and I got my Garmin Forerunner 205 watch today, too! I'm eager to give it a try!

'Til next time! :-)
Mere

The Skinny on How I Got Here ...

I've always been an athlete, yet not always a runner. I've played many sports growing up, predominantly field hockey, where I was always told to run as fast and hard as I could. Sprints, intervals, changing directions. I carried my FH career into college where I started as center mid on Indiana University's team. Just like most anything else, it had its ups and downs; but I promise you the ups heavily outweighed any downs. The feeling of connecting as a team and representing something so much bigger than yourself is indescribable. Anyway, I'm not here to talk about my FH career. I brought it up because I wanted to give you a background of my running history. Make your time, hit the line, go faster, pick it up, hustle, hustle, hustle. Once my career was over, I needed something else. I needed more competition.

Why not running?

Initially I never ran more than 30 minutes. I must have had speed instilled in me. I was much like a Chevy Camaro SS ... zero to 60 in 4.7 seconds. Basically, I started off sprinting. I just didn't know any better. So I wouldn't say that 30 minutes was a goal of mine, it was more like I just couldn't run any longer. I was spent. Obviously I had to learn to slow it down, become more like my last car - my little red Volkswagen Jetta. It took her awhile to get going, to get used to the distance we were traveling. Bless her heart and God rest her soul.

My sisters had all run races, 5Ks, 10-milers, half-marathons and marathons so my competitive side wanted to do it too. (There are five girls and a boy in my family.)

My first 5K was the Wake Forest Turkey Trot (NC). This was right up my alley. I finished third in my age group running at a 7:12 pace (and won and medal - woohoo). I think there were 700 or so in my age group. I can't remember exactly.

My next race was the Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom 10-miler. I got better a little in my training since those two races were a couple years apart. I had the opportunity to run with my sisters at times who all stressed the importance of pacing yourself. When I finally listened and used a little discipline I realized running longer than 30 minutes wasn't so hard after all. I finished that race in 1:17, running a 7:42 pace or so. Apparently the Expo and packet pick-up wasn't stellar according to my sisters (who had run it with me) but the course and was very flat and beautiful. This is definitely when I got bit by the race bug. I needed more! There was something about total strangers cheering me on and sincerely motivating me that had inspired me. I'm addicted.

Then, I ran the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 5K in Raleigh, NC with my colleagues. Most of them ran/walked the recreational race but I got up a little earlier to participate in the competitive one. I finished 10th out of thousands in my age group. Running at a 7:30 pace or so, I experienced another eye-opening race. This one for a different reason. To compete for a cause is like nothing else. It really puts things into perspective. I was happy and proud to be running for the millions who have died, defeated and are still battling breast cancer, especially my boss, who is going in for surgery next week.

Now here I am. I've signed up and am training for two races. The Baltimore half-marathon is Oct. 10 and the OBX full-marathon is Nov. 9. I'm following the Runner's World novice-marathon training guide and it just worked out that the week I will be running the half I'm supposed to run a 14-miler.

I'm early in training but I know I have a lot to look forward to ... the love/hate relationship I will develop, the cuts and scraps I will endure and the passion that will conquer.

Thanks for coming with me on my journey, where I hope to discover more inspiration to overcome any vulnerabilities that may arise.