Get Well Soon, Training Partner

After dying on the run on Saturday, Garmie remained dead all weekend. I called Garmie tech support as soon as I was able on Monday and spoke to Matt. He theorized that perhaps the battery had died because Garmie did not connect to the cradle very well anymore. We tested this theory by tying a ponytail holder to Garmie while he sat in his cradle, connected to my computer.

Garmie thought for a minute, then displayed the message “Battery Charge in Progress.” Excellent! Matt gave me the  part number for the new cradle, and I was in business. I watched his screen like a nervous mother with a child on an iv until the display changed to “Battery Charge Complete.” I then properly unplugged him and waited for my Tuesday morning run.

At which time he promptly refused to turn on.

Tuesday afternoon saw me speaking with Wayne at Tech Support. I explained everything that had elapsed to date. He was very apologetic for my misfortune with their product, and, though Garmie is about 22 months old and well out of the warranty period, he said he’d get him all fixed up for no charge. He got me a work order set up, gave me instructions for mailing him to Olathe, KS, and told me he would need to be away for 10 to 14 days. What I’d get back, he warned me, would probably be a refurbished 205, but, he assured me, “It’ll work.”

Garmie shipped out today, appropriately protected and insured, after being rotundly kissed by his mother/training partner. The postal clerk thought I was a little odd, I’m sure, but that little guy has seen me through much, and I will miss him . . .

. . . but I need someone to pace me on my runs.

Godspeed, Garmie, and get well soon.

Yep, I’m Doing It Again

Signed up for another hot-weather race: am running a 5K on Saturday. Race doesn’t start until 7:30, so I expect that temperatures will be well in the 90s as we’re running. I don’t have high expectations of setting a PR, though I’d love to do better than I did at the Pineapple race.

Though Little G cannot run the race because of her work schedule, Mel will be there; we’re planning to drive out together. I’m so thankful for my running buds!

In other news, I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but the last pair of Nike Structure Triax 11+ I bought were not 9.5 wides, which I usually wear, but 9 wides instead. I’ve been wearing them for about a month, but this week I finally realized that I wa going to have to change something. I can’t take the shoes back or stop wearing them–or maybe I should say I won’t. I generally wear Thorlo socks, big giant heavy things that I’m sure add a lot of thickness inside my shoes. So I went down to my running store yesterday and found thinner socks. I bought one pair of thin Nike socks and one pair of Feetures socks. The Nikes are very thin; the Feetures slightly thicker, but still much thinner than the Thorlos.

This morning I set out in the Nike socks, actually carrying the Feetures  socks. Since I plan on racing Saturday in the Nike shoes, I wanted to know which socks would give me the best fit, and today’s was the last planned run before the race. So, yes, at mile 3, I changed socks.

The Nike socks felt good–but very thin. I had to lace my shoes more tightly, even using the top eyelet, to keep my foot in securely. But overall, I felt comfortable. But then I switched to the Feetures socks–what a difference! My feet instantly felt so much more at home in the shoes–not tight, but just right. So, yes, these will be my racing socks and shoes.

Let’s go racing!

Out of May and into Glorious June

May was my downfall month last year, during my first summer of running. It was tough to get accustomed to the heat and humidity,and I hit a tough patch of running. But by June, I felt like I was mostly back in stride, and by July, I was fully back in training mode, with a sub-2-hour finish in my sights at the 13.1 Ft Lauderdale in November.

Today was my first June run this year. I set out for an 8-miler later than I intended to, around 5:15 or so. I had my ipod and water, both strategies against a flagging resolve, the heat (the metereologist reported it was 75 as I set out), and the humidity–just knowing it was so humid when I ran on Saturday was making it hard to get out.

But, rule #1–getting out the door is sometimes the toughest part of the run. I laced up my new Nike Structures and set out.

Mile 1 was slow–about 11 minute pace–and I stopped at Garmie’s trill to take an ounce or so of water. Though the second mile’s pace was faster, I stopped for water again at the end. But after that, I seemed to work into some kind of pace, and I even wondered if I’m done carrying water. Granted, I’ll probably still plan my routes to hit water at the halfway point, but I think I can finally stop carrying that little 10-oz Sprint water bottle. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good tool for those first summer weeks, but I’m tired of passing it from one hand to the other, and I’ll be glad to leave it at home if I can.

I did develop one problem during the run, which presented itself for the first time at about mile 4: I tried new arch supports, which I removed the sockliner to insert, and this made an inner seam in the shoe rub against my arch. Ouch! The result: two new sore spots that would be blisters if I ran in those shoes again tomorrow, or maybe even the next day. It’s one reason I recommend to new runners that they do rotate two pairs of shoes, and even two models of shoes if they can swing it. The next time I wear the Structures, not only will the sockliner go back in, but I’ll go back to my tried-and-true over-the-counter Dr. Scholl’s arch supports. If it ain’t broke . . .

In the end I was a little sore today, but I rubbed on some Icy Hot on the right leg before I set out, both calf and hamstring, and managed the 8½ in entirely running steps,  stopping for water at the end of miles 1, 2, and 5 (when I stopped to see if I could relieve the pressure on the arches). I’ve got 6 on the schedule tomorrow and I may try to do them without water, stopping at the water fountains at 3 or so.

Happy running.

Run DMT’s Gracie’s Gear Giveaway

Ooooh, when I saw this I just had to write about it.

My new online running bud, Denise over at RunDMT, who also slogged her way through 26.2 at Gasparilla (did you hear about my first marathon?) is sponsoring a new gear giveaway.

Now, I’ve seen these workout tanks for women and I have to admit, I’ve been suspicious of them. Granted, we all need to pack away stuff–ipods, gels, you know, stuff. Then throw in a husband who suddenly becomes a tiny bit nervous about his wife becoming a pre-dawn runner and now you’ve got a cell phone in there, too. Where are you supposed to pack all this stuff? Yeah, I’ve got a SpiBelt. But I’d rather not pinch my waist or hips.

So, like I said, I’ve spied these tanks. But I have my doubts about them. I know they say the pocket’s comfy. But really, I’ve put stuff there before (don’t look at me like that) and it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. So when Denise said she was sponsoring a giveaway, I said, sign me up.

I was tempted to keep it to myself, but, well, that wouldn’t be very Christlike, would it?*

Here’s the button that will link you back to Denise’s blog and the giveaway. Just post a comment telling her which color tank you’d like to win–it’s that simple! (Though when you’re done I’d appreciate you coming back to tell us if the thing works!)

*There’s also the small detail that Denise promises my posting her button here actually increases my chances of winning! Boogety!

cold weather running, florida style

When I set out today, the weather guy was warning us about the near-freezing temperatures and telling everyone to “grab an extra sweater” before heading out.

Here’s what I wore for my scheduled six-miler: my long and lean tank from Target (check it out on the Gear page), my old sweats (I think they’re from Walmart), my Reebok long-sleeve tech top, chosen because it’s the snuggest I have and would let in the least wind–it was gusting up to 10mph.

Over that, a vest I picked up on sale from Swix–it’s really too big for me, but it was an extra layer over my core I thought I’d be thankful for, and had a high neck, which none of my other pieces had.

Over that, a jacket from Target’s C9 line, light, but when zipped, wind-proof.

My wicking cap from Nike, and over that, the toboggan the Boss bought for me years ago when we visited San Francisco and went to a frigid Giants game. It’s about the only item of clothing that still fits from those “fat” years, since your head doesn’t change size when you drop sixty or seventy pounds.

I also had the Boss’ warm gloves, which, in retrospect, were way too big and too warm for the conditions. Socks would probably have done better.

So, mile 1, all layers on. Felt great. Tough. Florida drivers would go by and think, Wow, look at her, she’s running. Coldest day in three years and she’s out! Running!

Mile 2, jacket off, gloves off. What was I thinking? It’s 36, not 6!

Mile 2.2, gloves still off, but jacket back on, unzipped. What was I thinking, this is my Southern heart we’re talking about, and it is just a few degrees above freezing. And windy.

Mile 2.5, vest unzipped. I feel great. Let’s do it again tomorrow.

Mile 3, vest zipped, pace slowing. Heading into the wind. It’s friggin’ cold. Gloves back on.

Mile 4, jacket off. Going through a more residential area gives protection from the wind. Gloves are now on and off every half-mile, and I’m considering using them as tissues.

Miles 5 and 6, the wardrobe is unchanged, save the gloves are now a pain. If they’re in my hand, my fingers feel like ice. If they’re on my hands, they’re too warm. No middle ground. The jacket is a belt around my waist, and my nose is running faster than I am.

In all, it was a nice run, the kind I hope to call to mind in the evil miles of the marathon. If I can get myself out of bed when it’s thirty-four degrees outside to go running, and run into the wind, it’s because I really, really want this. My pace was awful, my legs didn’t feel good, but today, I was bigger than all those things.

My hamstrings are really bothering me, which is factoring more heavily into my maybe taking tomorrow off or running less than the scheduled 8 than the fact that they’re telling us tomorrow will feel about 10 degrees cooler than it did today.

One big source of discomfort was my runny nose, and that was totally my fault because I knew on Saturday, when it was maybe 50 when I set out, that my nose acts up in cooler temps. And the gloves. They’re just wrong for me. If I do run tomorrow, I won’t wear those again. I’ll just run with socks on my hands or something.

Eight on the schedule tomorrow. Might be wiser to take a rest day or scale it back. But wisdom isn’t my strength as a runner . . .

Winter Arrives in Florida

Three waves of cold fronts have made landfall on our peninsula over the last ten days or so, progressively lowering the temperatures on our shores a little at a time.

Our daytime highs this month have actually hit the eighties. But, in the last few days, our highs have only reached the mid-sixties. Our lows have stayed in the fifties.

The coldest air by far arrives tonight. Our daytime highs over the next two days is predicted not to climb out of the fifties; the overnight lows are predicted to stay in the mid-thirties. The temps will gradually climb, and we’ll be back to lows in the forties and highs in the the low seventies by the weekend.

Sounds like paradise, doesn’t it? Some of you are packing your bags right now.

But to those of us that live here, especially, perhaps, those of us that get up early to run, we’re looking at those numbers and thinking, the mid-thirties? That’s freezing! Indeed, a freeze warning has been declared for the interior areas of the state.

I had plans to run with a friend this morning. When she heard a cold front was moving in she called and asked about the wisdom of running this morning. I told her today would still be warm; the front would be moving in during the day today. But she heard the wind howling overnight and texted me to cancel our run.

But I have a 20 on the schedule on Saturday. So I could run today, when the temps were in the low 60s with winds gusting 10 miles an hour, or wait until tomorrow and Thursday, when temps will be in the low 40s, and we have a 10% chance of precipitation. Hmmmmm.

I set out in the wind. It wasn’t the best run, by far. But I gotta get my miles in.

I do plan to run tomorrow and Thursday, by the way. I dug out my old sweat pants. I’m not sure they wick sweat very well but they’ll have to do. I have a big note on my mirror to remind me to find my gloves before I turn in for the night. I’m planning to wear my snug tank for a base layer, my snuggest-fitting long sleeve tech (or two), and a jacket. I don’t have a winter running cap, but I’ll find a way to cover my ears and head.

Hey, it’s going to be about 40 degrees when I set out. Runners all over the northeast run regularly in these conditions without inviting frostbite. How bad can it be?

Seriously, how bad can it be?

Well, hello, there, speedwork

It’s been a long time since these legs have seen any speedwork. Since the knee/hip/hammie pain started, I made the decision to cut back on the intensity of my training since I didn’t want to cut back on the mileage. My once-weekly speedwork was shelved.

However, after the last few runs, my legs are back. I’ve started to think that it’s time to reintroduce speedwork. Though I don’t intend to race the marathon, speedwork trains the legs, the heart, and the lungs for more than just speed.

The original training schedule called for good old mile repeats today, but I thought running at 7:35 pace might be tough. I looked at Glover’s training schedule and he suggested longer intervals–maybe 1.5 or 2 mile intervals instead, run at 5k or 10k pace.

Now, my pace in that 10k was 7:55, but I couldn’t possibly run a 50-minute 10k today, so my goal was between 8:15 and 8-minute miles, with half-mile recoveries. I set out for three repeats, with a one-mile warm-up and one-mile cool-down, for an eight-mile total*.

The legs are tired, not surprising coming off a 20-miler. And having gotten used to doing mostly mile repeats for my intervals, I’ll confess that doing a mile and a half felt interminably long. The first interval came in at an 8:14 pace. The second, 8:09; the last, 7:45.

I’m not very good at pacing myself evenly, but I’m getting better, and speedwork days are all about that. They’re days not to get distracted by the ipod or even by wandering thoughts, but to really engage with the act of running–to pay attention to stride, breathing, and rhythm, to pay attention to how the body feels running at a certain pace. I still have a lot to learn about holding pace.

It’s nice to get back to speedwork; speed can feel a lot like my natural home. I’m not sure marathons will ever feel like my thing, though I’m sure I’ll be glad to hang that medal in a prominent place.

In gear news, wore the Mizunos today and I don’t love them. They’re light, sure, but I’m not sure that they offer enough support.

*Of course, the route I picked turned out to be a nine-mile route, so I got rather more distance than I planned . . . Since I’m supposed to be taking it easy on these non-20-miler weeks and today was a tough workout, I think I may take tomorrow off.

On my doorstep: Adrenaline GTS 8s!

When the Monkey and I got home from our Bible study yesterday, noon-ish, awaiting on my doorstep was a lovely box from Holabird Sports*. Inside, my first pair of Adrenalines 8. I’ve worn a few pairs of 7s. Having tried the 8s in the store and not liked them, I was extremely nervous about running in the 8s, but I finally got to the point where I couldn’t find the 7s in my size online. I finally thought, How bad could it be?

They were beautiful, and immediately after putting lunch in front of my Monkey, I put them on–yes, with the brown corduroy skirt I’d worn that day. I was just so nervous about the fit that I wanted to work out any kinks before this morning’s run. So I walked around in Thorlos and Adrenalines for a few hours that afternoon.

First thing I noticed–heel’s a lot stiffer than in the 7s. Uncomfortably so. But I have OTC cushioning heel cups, so I stuck those in. Instant improvement. Next up, the part of the shoe that hits just under my ankle, where the laces are, feels pokey. Sorry, I can’t express that better. It’s just very uncomfortable. And as it is, I have a bruise there already on my left leg due to who knows what. So I unlaced down one hole. Now this means I have to leave the bunny ears fairly long or suffer with the laces hitting the ground on every stride, but that’s far from tragic. I thought my heel might slip from the heel cup, but that didn’t happen.

Instead, I had my best run in weeks. Negative splits. 9:20 pace. No music, either. For the first time in . . . well, forever, I felt like a real runner. I just felt like myself again. I needed a day like this before I tried that 20-miler on the schedule Saturday.

And I think I might try those heel cups in the Mizunos, just for fun.

*Five starts for customer service for Holabird Sports. I only paid $64.95 for the shoes, ordered online on New Year’s Day, of all days. They were shipped out of their warehouse the following day, at no cost to me, and arrived at my house, in Florida, on January 7 (their website puts their physical location at Baltimore, Maryland). Fantastic. I also reached a person on my first attempt when I called to confirm my order, and she not only pulled up my order and confirmed that it had shipped but even gave me advice, reminding me to wear the shoes on at least one short run before setting out in them on my first 20-miler. Thanks, Mary, wherever you are.

**Highlights from yesterday’s playlist, just because I enjoyed these so much (all the links are to the iTunes store):

Blue Bird Tattoo, by Circe Link, from “More Songs!”

Real Gone, by Sheryl Crow, from the Cars soundtrack

Sunday Morning, by No Doubt, from “Tragic Kingdom”

I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts, by Merv Griffin, from “More Vintage Children’s Favorites”

I Wan’na Be Like You, by Louis Prima, from the Jungle Book soundtrack

Jackson, by Joaquin Phonix & Reese Witherspoon, from the Walk the Line soundtrack

also, the “There’s Power in the Blood” rendition from the kids’ VBS program, which isn’t available on iTunes. You can see the video on YouTube, if you’re so inclined. It’s a great upbeat version of a traditional hymn, and helped me remember that even if I had to walk home, I have all the power I need to be God-pleasing, Christ-serving!

Yes, the playlist does lean heavily toward children’s music. What can I tell you? I’m a stay at home mom.