09/06/2020
I had a really hard time wanting to post the past few months. I had a biking accident and my running went from awesome to nothing to barely anything. Yesterday I did my first trail run. I was slow and had to walk a lot but by the end, with my face covered in salt from my sweat, I felt like a real runner again. I have one last "first" which is working out with weights again then I'll be just like I was before. Only not. Because things change us. 2020 has changed me from a global level to a personal level. I hope it makes the content I bring you all the more better for it. Are you still on this journey with me?
05/31/2020
So I ran 8 miles in my apartment (no treadmill)...
Running 8 Miles in My Apartment: Part One
“I think I am going to run now!” Cue claps of thunder and flashes of lightning. It never fails that after I have taken all my off days for the week and waited until the very last hour to go for a r…
05/27/2020
Is the workout hard enough if you don't sweat off your notes completely?
Just started phase 2 of Jack Daniel's half marathon training plan. My first quality session went really well despite the track being asphalt currently. For reference my estimated vdot is 54. So I have the corresponding R paces listed above the distances.
I'm really excited to test this type of training out. I'm still doing my usual 5 days of running. It will be interesting to see how that adapts to this plan. It is also the first time I've ever intentionally trained for this long of a distance. I'm hoping it will be a good spring board for training for my first marathon in the next year or so.
05/23/2020
New Blog Post! :)
Plantar Fasciitis as an Overuse Injury: A Commentary
Just in front of my heel, it is a little inflamed. If I stretch my toes back and dorsiflex fully, it feels like inelastic cords are running through the length of my foot, keeping it from stretching…
05/21/2020
Nothing like a new outfit to make your run a little more fun (and distract from the bright white of your elbow creases)!
I've been coming to the sad realization lately that all the running clothes I've had from high school and maybe even before are in need of replacement.
Most importantly, hanging on to worn out sports bras is not doing me any good.
So I grabbed a new outfit from yesterday just in time for my long run today!
My shirt and sports bra are both Nike but my shorts are from which is a first for me. I'm always happy to try out new brands and I'm so happy my store is now carrying them, because they were great!
This run was fueled by:
@ Littleton, Colorado
05/18/2020
You are missing a key ingredient in your running routine! Warming up prepares the muscles, tendons, and ligaments for the harder work ahead. There are days in my past where I couldn't run a step before doing drills. If you find yourself in a similar situation, try doing a warm up. I do one before every single run (unless I'm being lazy). Jog or walk for 2 to 10 minutes and follow with dynamic form drills (lunges, squats, hops, bounds, side shuffles, etc.) Finish out with a few key static stretches if you feel you need them.
For better results, develop a dynamic drill routine that specifically targets your problems areas.
05/06/2020
I want to know: what questions do you have about running?
I'm well on my way to another 50-mile week, and I'm super excited for races to start up again when it's safe. But while I'm doing my best to perfect my training, how can I help you fine tune yours?
05/04/2020
50 miles for the week!
All of this gear (plus the new Runner's World magazine as a reward) has been instrumental in getting me here, but I have to give Solstice XT special credit. They certainly don't bill this shoe as a long distance shoe, but after getting me through several 14 mile runs and taking on the bulk of my mileage most weeks, it deserves my respect.
My first impression of the shoe was that it was too firm, but after a week of running it broke in just right. Another initial concern of mine was the lack of security around the heel in terms of lacing. You can't do a runner's loop with this shoe, but it turned out to be not too much of a problem.
It is 100% a shoe I would consider getting again (unless a different Altra impresses me more). I was looking for a firmer, lower cushion shoe than the Escalante, and this one worked perfectly.
Unfortunately with quarantine, I was quite hard on this pair. I'm quite hard on my shoes in general, so I only got 310 miles on them. If you are a lighter footed runner than I or your wear pattern is a bit more even, you could easily get more I'm sure. These shoes are still in great enough condition that I'll be wearing them around for a good bit.
In my opinion this shoe is more versatile than it is given credit for. If you are used to a low cushion trainer, I would consider it.
My current shoes with these retired are:
Everyday running: Altra Escalante Racer
Recovery: Saucony Kinvara 10
Trail: Altra King MT 2
04/29/2020
Got called a wh*re on my run today. With my skin salty, lips bleeding, and dead faced look, apparently I'm shirtless for some sinister, impure reason. I got 10 miles in at 7:40 pace as Denver is approaching record temperatures for this time of the year, and this is what I get called. Growing up in Alabama and college in Mississippi, I was never called anything like that so I have to say I'm surprised it happened in Colorado. Can I please just run without this idiocy?