It’s been ages since I last blogged – May 17 to be exact. The day after I ran my marathon. The day I reached a goal I’d been working toward for three long years. And after I reached that goal, I admit… I kind of hit a bit of a slump.
No, no, I didn’t stop running or working out or anything like that. But I did find myself a bit burnt out and exhausted. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. I toyed with the idea of running another marathon in the fall, but I kept waffling. Scotiabank in September? Goodlife in October? Hamilton in November? I couldn’t seem to decide. Nothing excited me, nothing interested me… nothing gave me that drive I had during the past three years.
After the marathon, I got to know a woman from my fitness classes named Andrea who was thinking of power walking her first marathon. She was excited, she was pumped and she was ready to take on this amazing challenge. As we became better friends, it made me realize I wasn’t feeling that way about running at all. Maybe it was the three years of obsessing over the marathon, or maybe it was just post-race letdown, but honestly, I couldn’t feel anything except “meh.”
That’s when the “summer of slump” really took off. I decided that instead of training for a marathon, I’d train for the KW Walking Classic ½ Marathon in Kitchener/Waterloo in September. I figured a race with all my Tread Powerfully friends would be fun and exciting and get me going again. I figured I needed a break –and this was the answer.
Wrong answer. While I enjoyed the experience of the race itself, I really hated the training. I hated how LONG walking took compared to running (a 10K should NOT take more than an hour! And if I’m going to be out for three hours exercising, I want to get in close to 30K – not 18!). My shoes bothered my feet. I felt tired all the time. (Full disclosure: I did keep running two times a week while training. I said I was in a slump, not dead!) I just wanted to get the race over with – I wasn’t feeling the least bit inspired.
And I ate. Boy, did I eat. Chips, chocolate, brownies, chicken wings, ribs, ice cream… treats galore! My diet was worse than it’s been in years. That’s not to mention all the red wine, coolers, Caesars and beer (BEER! I haven't drank that much beer since university!) I drank all summer. Sure, we had fun… then came September.
When September came, it was time to get back into the old routines. The kids went back to school and started at a new daycare. I went back to teaching and back to work. (I had worked ahead in the spring so I could take the summer off.) I opened my closet, reached in, and almost died.
NOTHING fit me anymore. And I mean nothing. Even my “big” jeans were tight. And my work clothes? Forget it – they weren’t coming anywhere near me. I didn’t even step on the scale because I didn’t want to know the answer. I’m going to assume it was at least 10 pounds – maybe more.
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m not the type of person to take this. Sure, I’d had a bit of a slump this summer, but I refused to let that scale creep up anymore. I refused to buy new clothes. It was a new school year – time for a new me.
I kept on training for the KW ½ marathon, knowing I shouldn’t give up after training all summer. I signed back up for Weight Watchers online to get rid of that excess summer weight. And, most important of all, I started thinking of a new goal for myself.
On September 26, I crossed the finish line of the KW ½ marathon in fourth place overall. Quite a great feeling – to be at the front of a race is entirely different than being in the middle of the pack (my usual spot when running!). I felt good that day – strong, fast and confident. I started to feel like myself again. Then, the weight started slowly starting to come off – I’m almost back into my skinniest jeans, and pretty much everything else fits again. It’s a bit like waking up out of a dream.
So it’s time to start a new dream. A new goal. A new purpose. One that involves running. And I thought to myself, what’s the biggest goal out there? What’s the pinnacle of achievement for every runner?
Boston. There, I said it. I’m putting it down on paper. I am going to run the Boston Marathon.
Why Boston? If you’re asking that, you’re clearly not a runner. The Boston Marathon is the crème-de-la-crème of all marathons. With its elite qualifying times and long history, there probably isn’t a runner out there who hasn’t though, just once, “Gee, it would really be great to run Boston...”
The goal itself is daunting. To make it just a little bit harder, I decided that I need to run Boston the year I turn 40. That means I need to run it in April, 2014. It also means I need to run a marathon in 3:45 or less in order to qualify. (The qualifying times get longer as you get older… if you’re wondering what yours would be, check it out here.)
It’s a scary goal, because in all honesty, unlike my original goal to run a marathon, it’s one I might not achieve no matter how hard I try. It’s more than just having the guts to go out there and finish a marathon – I actually have to RUN FAST. And I have no idea if I can run fast enough to qualify without dying.
I’m giving myself lots of time, though, to achieve this goal. If I want to run in April 2014, I don’t need to qualify until the fall of 2012 or the spring of 2013 – that’s still two years away. I know I need to improve on both my speed and my pacing during the marathon, but if I run two marathons a year, it’s entirely possible I can achieve this goal. I just might need a LOT of help along the way!
I’ve started by signing up for the Mississauga Marathon again next year. I am also planning to run either the Scotiabank Marathon in September 2011 or the Hamilton marathon in November 2011. (The final decision will come after Mississauga when I figure out my schedule, etc.)
But if I’m serious about qualifying, there are some things I need to do. This fall is all about starting it off on the right foot (no pun intended). Here’s what I need to work on:
1. Speed. Yeah, that’s a given. I need to run faster, which means I need to focus on speed work. To train for Mississauga, I’m going to use the training plan in the book Run Less, Run Faster. It’s a very, very specific plan where you do three quality runs a week – one speed, one tempo, one long. Each one has to be done at a particular pace, even your long runs. No exceptions! This fall, I’m going to do some of the speed and tempo workouts from the 5K training plan to make sure I can sustain this schedule come January.
2. Weight. I know, I know, I say this all the time… but if I want to truly be faster, I’ve GOT to lose some weight. It completely stands to reason that the lighter you are, the faster you run. Ideally I would LOVE to shed 20 pounds, but I haven’t weighed THAT since I was in high school. I have no idea if it’s even possible. At the very least, though, I need to shed about 10 pounds. I plan on losing no more than 1 pound a week. Ideally, by February, I should be at a decent weight to improve my speed a bit. (As my doctor always says during my physical, “Gee, you don’t LOOK like you weigh that much.” Thanks doc. Appreciate it.)
3. Get technical. I still time my track repeats on my son’s Han Solo watch. I’m thinking that’s not quite going to cut it if I want to qualify for Boston. It’s time to start using all that fancy-dancy technology out there for runners. I’ve been lusting after a Garmin for at least a year now, and have already told Mike it’s at the top of my birthday list for December. He’s a smart man… I can pretty much count on getting that Garmin! Also, over the course of the next few years, I am going to look into things like V02 max testing, body fat testing and perhaps a few other things to help me truly become a faster runner.
4. Keep strength training. Yes, I strength train a lot, thanks to friend/trainer/all-round fitness guru Sue and the ladies at Tread Powerfully. I train at least 3-5 times a week in a group setting, and also do Pilates with Lisa and recently started yoga. These are all elements that I swear go into making me a faster runner.
I ran my first marathon in 4:16, which means I need to shave a minimum of 31 minutes off my time. Impossible? I hope not… I ran my first ½ marathon in 2:10, then a year later ran it in 1:50, shaving 20 minutes off my time. My first 5K took me 35 minutes, and my most recent (in June) was 24:40. If I can do that, I don’t see how I can’t somehow get down ½ an hour on my marathon time. Not right away, of course, but probably in three or four marathons. I’m aiming to run Mississauga next spring in 4:05. It seems much less daunting this way.
So for the fall, I’m going to work on my goals. Weight Watchers is going along smoothly and my diet has greatly improved. I’m drinking a ton of smoothies filled with healthy greens, hemp protein, yogurt, almond milk, flax seed and all those other super-foods designed to keep me healthy. I’m right back on the healthy eating train (with a few treats, naturally! Just not every day) and working on some speed work and strength training this fall. Here’s what the workout schedule looks like (and yes, most workouts are completed before the rest of the house is awake… that’s how you have a husband, two kids and two jobs and fit in workouts):
Sunday a.m.: Advanced Intense Strength (quite possibly the hardest class in the world – I have never experienced pain like this in my life.)
Monday a.m.: Yoga @ 6:15 a.m.
Tuesday a.m.: Speed run or tempo run
Tuesday p.m.: Intense Strength
Wednesday a.m.: Tread Powerfully Circuits (wonderful class… when it ends in November I’m going to add a tempo run in the morning)
Thursday p.m.: Power Pilates (1/2 hour weights, ½ hour of Pilates)
Friday a.m.: Long run (between 16 and 25K, depending on the week.)
Saturday a.m.: Tread Powerfully for one hour, 25 minutes.
Some classes I’ll be missing for various reasons, but for the most part, I’ll be trying to “move” every day. Monday’s yoga classes are more for stretching rather than vigorous yoga, so that’s really a “rest” day. And there are enough class cancellations throughout the fall that I will get another day in every week or two.
There. It’s all out there. And I’m planning to update this blog far more frequently than I have in the past… especially with research, training tips, training plans, clothing and all the other things I’m learning on this journey. I’m finally excited again.
Giddy-up!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
How I ran a marathon
I am an athlete.
For the past three years, I've imagined being able to write this blog post and say those words out loud. Finally, after all that hard work, I think it's safe to say I am officially an athlete. Yesterday, I crossed the finish line in 4:16:41 and completed a marathon.
There's so much to reflect on now that it's done. Part of me doesn't even believe that I did it (although at 37K, believe me, I realized I actually WAS doing it!). But I've got the pictures and the medal to prove it – in three years, I have gone from decidedly un-athletic to a full-out marathon runner.
When Mike and the kids met up with me after I crossed the finish line, Mike asked me how it went. I replied, "It was hard. Really, really hard." And it was – much harder than any run I'd ever done before, and perhaps the hardest physical thing I've ever done in my life other than giving birth. (As an interesting aside, I was in labour with Chris for four hours and 20 minutes – four minutes more than it took me to run the marathon1)
The day itself was gorgeous. You could not have asked for better weather. Beautiful, sunny, no wind and not too hot. I did get a bit of a sunburn (didn't think to put on sunscreen!), but I had a hat and sunglasses on the whole time, so my face and head were fine.
The race started at 7:30 in the morning, just outside of Square One shopping centre. We ran west down Burnamthorpe, both the half marathoners and the full marathoners. It was extremely crowded. I couldn't wait for the 15K mark, when it would start to thin out a bit.
Most of the run was through the most beautiful neighbourhoods you can imagine. And the path down along the lake? Stunning, especially with that sunshine. I'll never forget turning down the path and seeing the lake sparkling in the sunlight. Then, the path curves and there was an incredible view of the Toronto skyline. I wish I'd had a camera to take a picture, although I was a bit busy at the time!
But everyone told me that running the 42K (26 miles) was harder than any training run or any other race. They were right. I felt myself struggling even around the 25K mark or so… I didn't know how I'd make it to 42. I kept refueling and I drank a ton of water, and really just tried to break the race down into smaller chunks. I'd tell myself things like, "Well, at 27K you can have more food. Just make it to 27K and you'll feel better," or, "At 38K there's another water station and you can walk while you drink your water. Just make it to there and you'll feel better."
At least when I hit 40K there were enough spectators cheering that it powered me through until the end. The funny part about the Mississauga race is that your first name is on your bib, so complete strangers kept shouting things like, "Go Alison! You can do it Alison! You look great Alison!"
After the race was done, I felt like my legs were going to fall off. I managed to get halfway to the car before I threw in the towel and told Mike he'd just have to go get the car and bring it to me. I spent most of the afternoon in bed or on the couch (after a soak in Epsom salts!), and honestly, I actually feel a bit better than I thought today. Going up and down stairs is tough (why do I live in a split level???), but I even managed to walk Andrew to the bus stop this morning.
While you try to train and prepare for everything, there are always some race-day mistakes you make. For me, one mistake was definitely neglecting my armpits – the skin is completely chafing and hurts more than my legs! I should have used Body Glide or Vaseline. That has never happened to me before in a run, and I ran in that tank top all the time – but usually with a shirt over top. Yesterday it was too hot for the shirt (I took it off at the 3K mark), so that probably explains it. They started hurting around the 15-16K mark, which didn't bode well for the rest of the race.
Another mistake was how much I slowed down. I'm not sure WHY that happened (well, I mean, I know WHY – I was pooped! – but why my training didn't power me through that). I don't know if I went out too fast or if I simply hadn't done enough long runs, but that is an area I would really like to work on. Not that I had a bad result – not at all! – but I could have done a lot better if I hadn't slowed down so much. I felt like a turtle… and probably looked like one too!
But while it only took me 4:16 to run the race, the truth is it took every minute of those three years of training. Every 5K race, every 10K race, every half marathon, Around the Bay, and every second of my training runs, Tread Powerfully classes, Intense Strength classes, Power Pilates classes… all of those things led to this moment.
I also learned that with outer strength comes a great deal of inner strength. Three years ago, I was really a different person. I was more reactive. I got angry when I did something wrong. I had no patience. Running and exercise gave me all those things. It gave me patience. It showed me how, by taking time for myself, I could give more of myself to others. It has started me on the road to becoming a better person – a better mother, a better wife, a better friend, a better member of the community. I have many more things I want to achieve, both personally and in the world. I have career goals, goals for my family and I want to help others. I truly believe this journey has given me the inner strength to do that.
Of course, my running journey isn't over either – far from it. Mike asked me yesterday if I would do a marathon again. I know I will. It may not be this fall (today, running the Scotiabank Toronto marathon seems like a BAD idea!), but I will do it again. I want to run the New York marathon and the Chicago marathon one day. I'm even harbouring a dream of running Boston, although I'd have to shave ½ an hour of my time to qualify! I don't know where the future will take me, but I know my feet will take me there.
So stay tuned… this blog isn't done and neither am I. For now, I'm going to take a few days rest and spend a bit of time decided on the next step of my journey. See you then!
Happy trails…
For the past three years, I've imagined being able to write this blog post and say those words out loud. Finally, after all that hard work, I think it's safe to say I am officially an athlete. Yesterday, I crossed the finish line in 4:16:41 and completed a marathon.
There's so much to reflect on now that it's done. Part of me doesn't even believe that I did it (although at 37K, believe me, I realized I actually WAS doing it!). But I've got the pictures and the medal to prove it – in three years, I have gone from decidedly un-athletic to a full-out marathon runner.
When Mike and the kids met up with me after I crossed the finish line, Mike asked me how it went. I replied, "It was hard. Really, really hard." And it was – much harder than any run I'd ever done before, and perhaps the hardest physical thing I've ever done in my life other than giving birth. (As an interesting aside, I was in labour with Chris for four hours and 20 minutes – four minutes more than it took me to run the marathon1)
The day itself was gorgeous. You could not have asked for better weather. Beautiful, sunny, no wind and not too hot. I did get a bit of a sunburn (didn't think to put on sunscreen!), but I had a hat and sunglasses on the whole time, so my face and head were fine.
The race started at 7:30 in the morning, just outside of Square One shopping centre. We ran west down Burnamthorpe, both the half marathoners and the full marathoners. It was extremely crowded. I couldn't wait for the 15K mark, when it would start to thin out a bit.
Most of the run was through the most beautiful neighbourhoods you can imagine. And the path down along the lake? Stunning, especially with that sunshine. I'll never forget turning down the path and seeing the lake sparkling in the sunlight. Then, the path curves and there was an incredible view of the Toronto skyline. I wish I'd had a camera to take a picture, although I was a bit busy at the time!
But everyone told me that running the 42K (26 miles) was harder than any training run or any other race. They were right. I felt myself struggling even around the 25K mark or so… I didn't know how I'd make it to 42. I kept refueling and I drank a ton of water, and really just tried to break the race down into smaller chunks. I'd tell myself things like, "Well, at 27K you can have more food. Just make it to 27K and you'll feel better," or, "At 38K there's another water station and you can walk while you drink your water. Just make it to there and you'll feel better."
At least when I hit 40K there were enough spectators cheering that it powered me through until the end. The funny part about the Mississauga race is that your first name is on your bib, so complete strangers kept shouting things like, "Go Alison! You can do it Alison! You look great Alison!"
After the race was done, I felt like my legs were going to fall off. I managed to get halfway to the car before I threw in the towel and told Mike he'd just have to go get the car and bring it to me. I spent most of the afternoon in bed or on the couch (after a soak in Epsom salts!), and honestly, I actually feel a bit better than I thought today. Going up and down stairs is tough (why do I live in a split level???), but I even managed to walk Andrew to the bus stop this morning.
While you try to train and prepare for everything, there are always some race-day mistakes you make. For me, one mistake was definitely neglecting my armpits – the skin is completely chafing and hurts more than my legs! I should have used Body Glide or Vaseline. That has never happened to me before in a run, and I ran in that tank top all the time – but usually with a shirt over top. Yesterday it was too hot for the shirt (I took it off at the 3K mark), so that probably explains it. They started hurting around the 15-16K mark, which didn't bode well for the rest of the race.
Another mistake was how much I slowed down. I'm not sure WHY that happened (well, I mean, I know WHY – I was pooped! – but why my training didn't power me through that). I don't know if I went out too fast or if I simply hadn't done enough long runs, but that is an area I would really like to work on. Not that I had a bad result – not at all! – but I could have done a lot better if I hadn't slowed down so much. I felt like a turtle… and probably looked like one too!
But while it only took me 4:16 to run the race, the truth is it took every minute of those three years of training. Every 5K race, every 10K race, every half marathon, Around the Bay, and every second of my training runs, Tread Powerfully classes, Intense Strength classes, Power Pilates classes… all of those things led to this moment.
I also learned that with outer strength comes a great deal of inner strength. Three years ago, I was really a different person. I was more reactive. I got angry when I did something wrong. I had no patience. Running and exercise gave me all those things. It gave me patience. It showed me how, by taking time for myself, I could give more of myself to others. It has started me on the road to becoming a better person – a better mother, a better wife, a better friend, a better member of the community. I have many more things I want to achieve, both personally and in the world. I have career goals, goals for my family and I want to help others. I truly believe this journey has given me the inner strength to do that.
Of course, my running journey isn't over either – far from it. Mike asked me yesterday if I would do a marathon again. I know I will. It may not be this fall (today, running the Scotiabank Toronto marathon seems like a BAD idea!), but I will do it again. I want to run the New York marathon and the Chicago marathon one day. I'm even harbouring a dream of running Boston, although I'd have to shave ½ an hour of my time to qualify! I don't know where the future will take me, but I know my feet will take me there.
So stay tuned… this blog isn't done and neither am I. For now, I'm going to take a few days rest and spend a bit of time decided on the next step of my journey. See you then!
Happy trails…
Monday, May 10, 2010
The final countdown
I started this blog almost three years ago with one goal in mind: run the Mississauga Marathon in May of 2010. I find it hard to believe that May of 2010 is upon us, and in six days, I am actually going to (attempt to) meet that goal by running the marathon on Sunday. Talk about stick-to-it-iveness! (Yeah, that's not a word…)
I can't say I've been the most successful blogger in all of this, as I seem to have had a bit of trouble updating regularly. Whoops! It's definitely a peril of being a professional writer… by the time my work writing is done, I have no more time for personal writing. Luckily, with my new job, I have a weekly editor's blog I update regularly (at www.primacy.ca), so there have been a few running-related posts over there.
What I can say, though, is that as far as reaching the actual marathon goal goes, I have been far more successful. While there are no guarantees I will actually finish the race, I'm choosing to think positively and that I will finish, even if it takes me six hours.
But I think what I'm really still amazed at is that I actually followed through with this whole thing. It took almost three years and three 5K races, three 10Ks, a 10-miler, three half marathons and one 30K race, but I managed to go from barely being able to run to running for 3+ hours straight. Yeah, that seems crazy, even to me.
Since the "actual" marathon training began in January, I have not missed a single run on my training plan either. There were a few I had to postpone, but I somehow fit in every single run. Not bad for a mother of two with two jobs, a house and a husband! There were a lot of 5:30 a.m. runs and a lot of juggling, but I managed to fit it all in, along with three strength training/pilates classes a week. So you see, there really IS time to exercise… I even found time for those big, long 2+ hour runs. It wasn't always easy, but it was doable.
So how am I going to do on Sunday? Honestly, I have no idea. Realistically, I think 4:30 is a good time for me for my first marathon. While I don't have a time goal per se (my goal is really just to finish), I think that I would be a teensy bit disappointed if I didn't make it in 4:30. I managed to do the 30K Around the Bay in 2:46, so that gives me a lot of time to slow down and bit and make sure I make it another 12 kilometres. If I had to choose a "dream" time, I'd say around 4:15. (Remember that to qualify for Boston in my age category, I'd have to do it in 3:45… so taking into account that 3:45 is kind of the high water mark for us "average" runners, I think these times are pretty realistic.)
But all this thinking about time has got me thinking about a bunch of other numbers that come into play. Here's what I've learned about running a marathon, by the numbers:
Number of:
Pairs of running shoes: 9
Races entered: 10
Water belts: 3
Water bottles: 11
Pounds of weight lifted 3x a week: 20 (10 per dumbbell)
Kms run since January, 2010: 945.5 (with only 14.5 left to go until race day!)
Times I've puked: 3
Times I've cried: 2 (only twice! Once after my first half, once after Around the Bay)
Times I've imagined myself crossing the finish line: infinity
Yes, it's been a long, hard journey, but ultimately, it's one I'm glad I've done. I learned more about myself during this training than I think I have in my whole life. I think it's made me a calmer person – more relaxed, happier and a better mother and wife than I was before I started this journey.
What's next? I've actually decided NOT to decide on anything just yet. I want to wait and see how Sunday goes before making my next move. It could be anything… I might decide to do a half marathon this fall, I might try power walking a race again, I might take a break from running and get back into spinning, Tread Powerfully and try out some yoga… or I might even decide to try another marathon this fall. But whatever I choose, I won't make a decision until after the marathon.
Six more days to go…
Happy trails…
I can't say I've been the most successful blogger in all of this, as I seem to have had a bit of trouble updating regularly. Whoops! It's definitely a peril of being a professional writer… by the time my work writing is done, I have no more time for personal writing. Luckily, with my new job, I have a weekly editor's blog I update regularly (at www.primacy.ca), so there have been a few running-related posts over there.
What I can say, though, is that as far as reaching the actual marathon goal goes, I have been far more successful. While there are no guarantees I will actually finish the race, I'm choosing to think positively and that I will finish, even if it takes me six hours.
But I think what I'm really still amazed at is that I actually followed through with this whole thing. It took almost three years and three 5K races, three 10Ks, a 10-miler, three half marathons and one 30K race, but I managed to go from barely being able to run to running for 3+ hours straight. Yeah, that seems crazy, even to me.
Since the "actual" marathon training began in January, I have not missed a single run on my training plan either. There were a few I had to postpone, but I somehow fit in every single run. Not bad for a mother of two with two jobs, a house and a husband! There were a lot of 5:30 a.m. runs and a lot of juggling, but I managed to fit it all in, along with three strength training/pilates classes a week. So you see, there really IS time to exercise… I even found time for those big, long 2+ hour runs. It wasn't always easy, but it was doable.
So how am I going to do on Sunday? Honestly, I have no idea. Realistically, I think 4:30 is a good time for me for my first marathon. While I don't have a time goal per se (my goal is really just to finish), I think that I would be a teensy bit disappointed if I didn't make it in 4:30. I managed to do the 30K Around the Bay in 2:46, so that gives me a lot of time to slow down and bit and make sure I make it another 12 kilometres. If I had to choose a "dream" time, I'd say around 4:15. (Remember that to qualify for Boston in my age category, I'd have to do it in 3:45… so taking into account that 3:45 is kind of the high water mark for us "average" runners, I think these times are pretty realistic.)
But all this thinking about time has got me thinking about a bunch of other numbers that come into play. Here's what I've learned about running a marathon, by the numbers:
Number of:
Pairs of running shoes: 9
Races entered: 10
Water belts: 3
Water bottles: 11
Pounds of weight lifted 3x a week: 20 (10 per dumbbell)
Kms run since January, 2010: 945.5 (with only 14.5 left to go until race day!)
Times I've puked: 3
Times I've cried: 2 (only twice! Once after my first half, once after Around the Bay)
Times I've imagined myself crossing the finish line: infinity
Yes, it's been a long, hard journey, but ultimately, it's one I'm glad I've done. I learned more about myself during this training than I think I have in my whole life. I think it's made me a calmer person – more relaxed, happier and a better mother and wife than I was before I started this journey.
What's next? I've actually decided NOT to decide on anything just yet. I want to wait and see how Sunday goes before making my next move. It could be anything… I might decide to do a half marathon this fall, I might try power walking a race again, I might take a break from running and get back into spinning, Tread Powerfully and try out some yoga… or I might even decide to try another marathon this fall. But whatever I choose, I won't make a decision until after the marathon.
Six more days to go…
Happy trails…
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Around the bay in two hours (and 46 minutes)
It's less than five weeks until the marathon, and I'm almost through the worst of my training. One more 32K run and it's time to taper! I'm really looking forward to tapering.
It's not even the long runs that are getting to me; it's the early morning runs, particularly the days I have to run 13K. I get up at 5:30 a.m. on those days to run and, as you can imagine, I'm really tired.
But otherwise, training is going very well. A few weeks ago, I did the "famed" Around the Bay race in Hamilton. It sounds exactly like what it is – a 30K race that literally takes you around the bay through Hamilton and Burlington. Most of the course is fairly flat, but the last 10K take you along Northshore Blvd. and up Valley Inn Road – and those who know the area know that there are many hills, especially the "big one" on Valley Inn.
The Bay race is known for those killer hills, as well as being known as the oldest road race in North America. It actually pre-dates the Boston Marathon by a year or two, but since it's not a real marathon, it doesn't quite have the same cachet! (And you don't have to qualify to run the Bay… anyone who wants to run it can sign up and do so.)
Still, around here, the Bay is "the" race to run. If you don't want to do the full 30K, you can do 5K, or you can do the relay (in teams of either two or three). All in all, it's a great race. Very fun, very challenging and a great warm-up race to a full marathon. (In fact, many people who are running Boston use the Bay as a training run.) I had always planned to use it as my warm-up race as well.
All in all, the 30K race was a success for me. I ran it in 2:46 on the nose, which was almost 15 minutes faster than my three-hour "amazing" goal. I honestly figured it would take me at least three hours, if not longer than that to finish. Sure, I ran two sub-two-hour half marathons, but they weren't much under two hours. And this was the first time I was running 30K – I was sure to slow down.
I didn't – and honestly, I didn't even realize how fast I was going until I rounded the corner into Copps Coliseum and saw the time on the jumbotron (another amazing reason to run this race – it ends IN the stadium!)
Was I happy? You bet. But it wasn't all perfect. While my speed was good, I did have some terrible cramps between 10K and 17K – bad enough to make me have to walk a bit. I wasn't sure what caused them – something I ate the night before, a too-tight water belt, dehydration – but it made for a slightly unpleasant experience.
The other problem was that I was so fast, Mike and the kids hadn't even made it into the stadium to see me finish. He got a text message from me saying I was done while he was still outside. He had trouble finding parking – definitely something to keep in mind before the marathon.
So what did I learn from Around the Bay? Here's what it taught me for my marathon:
1. Watch what you eat the night before. I experienced some of the same cramps on my 32K run, and the only connection I can find is that I had ground beef the night before. I suspect that may be the culprit for my cramps. And even if it's not, I'm still going to avoid it in my pre-marathon meal. I think I will have what I ate before the Chilly – a vegetarian pasta dish on brown rice pasta.
2. Get there early. That goes for the start line AND for the family heading to the finish line. You never know when you'll be done – or how bad parking will be. I really don't want my family to miss me finishing the marathon.
3. I'm stronger than I think. I KNOW the 30K is easier than the marathon, but I once thought it was impossible too. It's not – and I need to remember that around the 37 kilometer mark of the marathon when I want to give up.
4. I really need to eat. I gobbled Sharkies energy chews on the Bay race, but I'm experimenting with other chews (the gels make me sick) before the marathon. So far, I've settled on the GU energy blocks. They taste amazing, and they have electrolytes, carbohydrates and sodium to get me through the 4+ hours of the race.
Take those lessons as well-learned. I'm applying them in my long runs now, and hopefully it will help come race day!
Happy trails…
It's not even the long runs that are getting to me; it's the early morning runs, particularly the days I have to run 13K. I get up at 5:30 a.m. on those days to run and, as you can imagine, I'm really tired.
But otherwise, training is going very well. A few weeks ago, I did the "famed" Around the Bay race in Hamilton. It sounds exactly like what it is – a 30K race that literally takes you around the bay through Hamilton and Burlington. Most of the course is fairly flat, but the last 10K take you along Northshore Blvd. and up Valley Inn Road – and those who know the area know that there are many hills, especially the "big one" on Valley Inn.
The Bay race is known for those killer hills, as well as being known as the oldest road race in North America. It actually pre-dates the Boston Marathon by a year or two, but since it's not a real marathon, it doesn't quite have the same cachet! (And you don't have to qualify to run the Bay… anyone who wants to run it can sign up and do so.)
Still, around here, the Bay is "the" race to run. If you don't want to do the full 30K, you can do 5K, or you can do the relay (in teams of either two or three). All in all, it's a great race. Very fun, very challenging and a great warm-up race to a full marathon. (In fact, many people who are running Boston use the Bay as a training run.) I had always planned to use it as my warm-up race as well.
All in all, the 30K race was a success for me. I ran it in 2:46 on the nose, which was almost 15 minutes faster than my three-hour "amazing" goal. I honestly figured it would take me at least three hours, if not longer than that to finish. Sure, I ran two sub-two-hour half marathons, but they weren't much under two hours. And this was the first time I was running 30K – I was sure to slow down.
I didn't – and honestly, I didn't even realize how fast I was going until I rounded the corner into Copps Coliseum and saw the time on the jumbotron (another amazing reason to run this race – it ends IN the stadium!)
Was I happy? You bet. But it wasn't all perfect. While my speed was good, I did have some terrible cramps between 10K and 17K – bad enough to make me have to walk a bit. I wasn't sure what caused them – something I ate the night before, a too-tight water belt, dehydration – but it made for a slightly unpleasant experience.
The other problem was that I was so fast, Mike and the kids hadn't even made it into the stadium to see me finish. He got a text message from me saying I was done while he was still outside. He had trouble finding parking – definitely something to keep in mind before the marathon.
So what did I learn from Around the Bay? Here's what it taught me for my marathon:
1. Watch what you eat the night before. I experienced some of the same cramps on my 32K run, and the only connection I can find is that I had ground beef the night before. I suspect that may be the culprit for my cramps. And even if it's not, I'm still going to avoid it in my pre-marathon meal. I think I will have what I ate before the Chilly – a vegetarian pasta dish on brown rice pasta.
2. Get there early. That goes for the start line AND for the family heading to the finish line. You never know when you'll be done – or how bad parking will be. I really don't want my family to miss me finishing the marathon.
3. I'm stronger than I think. I KNOW the 30K is easier than the marathon, but I once thought it was impossible too. It's not – and I need to remember that around the 37 kilometer mark of the marathon when I want to give up.
4. I really need to eat. I gobbled Sharkies energy chews on the Bay race, but I'm experimenting with other chews (the gels make me sick) before the marathon. So far, I've settled on the GU energy blocks. They taste amazing, and they have electrolytes, carbohydrates and sodium to get me through the 4+ hours of the race.
Take those lessons as well-learned. I'm applying them in my long runs now, and hopefully it will help come race day!
Happy trails…
Friday, March 19, 2010
The final countdown
There are a few things I didn’t anticipate about trying to write a blog, have a career, raise a family AND run a marathon. One was that I wouldn’t really have time to update the blog!
The other is that marathon training is TOUGH. Quite possibly even tougher than the marathon itself (although somehow I doubt that…). Training is going well, but crazy. I have run 63 km since Sunday, and am off to do another 27 tomorrow. I now have two pairs of running shoes (soon to start rotating through them), and am still working on improving my eating habits. I have a new protein power with amino acids designed to help recovery.
I also completed the Chilly Half Marathon a few weeks ago with a record-breaking time of 1:50:45. That’s faster than I ran the Scotia Half last fall, and that’s also without any speed work. I think the sheer amount of mileage I’m putting in right now is making a difference.
Around the Bay (30K) is next weekend, and I hope I’m ready. I haven’t run 30K yet… the most I’ve done to date is 25K, although the 27 is looming tomorrow. I’m strength training 3 x a week now as well, and I admit, that’s about it. I’ve even given up the outdoor Tread Powerfully classes right now, because I just don’t have the time to get to them. I’m sure I will pick it back up again soon, but I need to incorporate one rest day a week right now, as my muscles are fatigued and I really want to avoid injury.
I’ve started seeing a new chiropractor and a new massage therapist, as well as continuing to get professional advice on my shoes from the folks at the Burlington Orthotic Centre. And of course, Sue Abell, TP instructor and trainer extraordinaire, is always answering my endless questions!
Career-wise, everything is going great these days. I’m enjoying my new teaching gig – it’s tough and it’s challenging, but rewarding too. And the new website (www.primacy.ca) is up and running, and I am loving writing about things like health, fitness, nutrition, etc.
So for the moment, it’s time to put my head down and focus on my training. It’s tough fitting it all in, but I’m pretty determined I’m going to do this.
Eight weeks, two days and counting…
The other is that marathon training is TOUGH. Quite possibly even tougher than the marathon itself (although somehow I doubt that…). Training is going well, but crazy. I have run 63 km since Sunday, and am off to do another 27 tomorrow. I now have two pairs of running shoes (soon to start rotating through them), and am still working on improving my eating habits. I have a new protein power with amino acids designed to help recovery.
I also completed the Chilly Half Marathon a few weeks ago with a record-breaking time of 1:50:45. That’s faster than I ran the Scotia Half last fall, and that’s also without any speed work. I think the sheer amount of mileage I’m putting in right now is making a difference.
Around the Bay (30K) is next weekend, and I hope I’m ready. I haven’t run 30K yet… the most I’ve done to date is 25K, although the 27 is looming tomorrow. I’m strength training 3 x a week now as well, and I admit, that’s about it. I’ve even given up the outdoor Tread Powerfully classes right now, because I just don’t have the time to get to them. I’m sure I will pick it back up again soon, but I need to incorporate one rest day a week right now, as my muscles are fatigued and I really want to avoid injury.
I’ve started seeing a new chiropractor and a new massage therapist, as well as continuing to get professional advice on my shoes from the folks at the Burlington Orthotic Centre. And of course, Sue Abell, TP instructor and trainer extraordinaire, is always answering my endless questions!
Career-wise, everything is going great these days. I’m enjoying my new teaching gig – it’s tough and it’s challenging, but rewarding too. And the new website (www.primacy.ca) is up and running, and I am loving writing about things like health, fitness, nutrition, etc.
So for the moment, it’s time to put my head down and focus on my training. It’s tough fitting it all in, but I’m pretty determined I’m going to do this.
Eight weeks, two days and counting…
Friday, November 20, 2009
Gearing up for the big one
It’s been three months since I wrote anything for this blog, and I’m hanging my head in shame. It’s not because I haven’t been running – it’s just that I took on a new job and life is going at a breakneck pace.
First, the good news. In September, I signed a contract with a medical company to become editor of their soon-to-be-launched health, nutrition and fitness website. Yeah, it’s pretty exciting! The content is amazing and it is exactly the type of writing I want to do. Articles on proper nutrition, working out, and all those other topics I really want to explore. It’s fun and exciting, and I can’t wait until the site launched! (A glitch with the technical team has delayed it, but it should be up by January.)
Then, there’s the even better news. I completed the Scotia Half Marathon in Toronto, beating my goal of 2 hours. I actually finished it in 1:56:51, shaving 14 minutes off my time from the Chilly Half Marathon. That’s crazy, right? How does one even do that?
I credit it to three things. One is that I finally lost those nagging 10 pounds. (Okay, truth be told, I’d really like to lose another 10 or so… but I could see this happening forever.) Being lighter really does make a difference when it comes to running.
The second is speed work. I did speed work training for the Chilly as well, but this time, I would go to the track and really focus on my speed intervals. (While training for the Chilly, I simply timed my intervals while running on the road.) Being on the track was a good gauge of distance and speed, and I think it helped me increase my cardio capacity and leg turnover speed.
Finally, I started doing more strength training/weights. I had previously been doing one Intense Strength class per week through Tread Powerfully (this is done inside, with 10lb. weights and is a very intense workout) and I ramped up to 2-3 Tread Powerfully classes per week (power walking with 3lb. weights.) The more muscle I put on, the stronger I got, which improved my speed. In September, I ramped it up even more with the Intense Strength class, a combined strength training/Pilates class, and an “Advanced Intense Strength” class that even has homework assignments every week! That class is truly a killer, and only for the fittest and/or most determined of all the Tread Powerfully members. (I like to believe that I’m both!)
So what’s next? I have actually signed up for a number of races, culminating in the Mississauga Marathon. Here’s what I’m working on:
-The Boxing Day 10 miler (16 km.) on Dec. 26 (which just happens to be my 35th birthday)
-The Chilly Half Marathon on March 7, 2010
-Around the Bay (30K) road race on March 28, 2010
-The Mississauga Marathon on May 16, 2010
I’m also keeping up with my strength training workouts. A lot of people ask me what my workout schedule looks like. I’m not sure they want to know! It’s a bit intensive, but so far, so good. My weight is holding steady, but I find my clothes are getting bigger and I’m looking a lot more muscular. But, for the curious, here’s a typical week for me:
* Sunday: Advanced Intense Strength, 7 a.m. (this combines weights with sports drills, plyometric exercises and even skipping… it changes every week and is incredibly intense.)
* Monday during the kids’ swimming lessons: I was spinning at the YMCA every Monday evening, but I kind of loathe the instructor. (As an instructor, not as a person.) Now I have changed to 3 miles of speedwork on the treadmill, aiming to have it finished in 25 minutes.
* Monday after swimming lessons: The week’s Advanced IS “homework” (which varies every 2 weeks) and a core strengthening routine. (Think planks, pushups, crunches, etc.)
* Tuesday morning: An “easy” run, ranging from 6 to 10K, depending on my training schedule. And yeah, I get up at 6 a.m. to do this before the kids go to school and I go to work.
* Tuesday evening: Intense Strength, 6:30 p.m.
* Wednesday: An interval routine consisting of skipping and body-weighted exercises, followed by the week’s Advanced IS “homework” and another core strengthening routine. I usually try to get up at 6 a.m. for this, but if I can’t, I do it in the evening when the kids have gone to bed.
* Thursday morning: Either speedwork at the track or a tempo run. The distance is slowly building before the 10 mile race. (Again, I get up at 6 a.m. to do this one…)
* Thursday evening: Power Pilates at 6:30 p.m., which is a half-hour of weights (I use 10lbs) followed by a half-hour of Pilates.
* Friday morning: The week’s long run. Today’s, for example, was 12K. That will keep increasing until the marathon. (I try to get up at 6, but thanks to a flexible schedule, I don’t always have to… today, for example, I wasn’t that busy with work so I did it after I dropped the kids off.)
* Saturday morning: Tread Powerfully “4.5 mph” class at 7 a.m. This is a very intense TP class for people who can consistently walk at least 4.5 miles per hour or faster. (And yes, I can!)
Ouch! I just realized that this means I work out TEN times a week. It might be a bit excessive, but honestly, I’ve never felt better.
Now if I could just get my nutrition under control! It’s not bad… but with winter coming, I’m craving sweets and bad carbs. I have a plan… now I just need to do it! More on that later.
Happy trails…
First, the good news. In September, I signed a contract with a medical company to become editor of their soon-to-be-launched health, nutrition and fitness website. Yeah, it’s pretty exciting! The content is amazing and it is exactly the type of writing I want to do. Articles on proper nutrition, working out, and all those other topics I really want to explore. It’s fun and exciting, and I can’t wait until the site launched! (A glitch with the technical team has delayed it, but it should be up by January.)
Then, there’s the even better news. I completed the Scotia Half Marathon in Toronto, beating my goal of 2 hours. I actually finished it in 1:56:51, shaving 14 minutes off my time from the Chilly Half Marathon. That’s crazy, right? How does one even do that?
I credit it to three things. One is that I finally lost those nagging 10 pounds. (Okay, truth be told, I’d really like to lose another 10 or so… but I could see this happening forever.) Being lighter really does make a difference when it comes to running.
The second is speed work. I did speed work training for the Chilly as well, but this time, I would go to the track and really focus on my speed intervals. (While training for the Chilly, I simply timed my intervals while running on the road.) Being on the track was a good gauge of distance and speed, and I think it helped me increase my cardio capacity and leg turnover speed.
Finally, I started doing more strength training/weights. I had previously been doing one Intense Strength class per week through Tread Powerfully (this is done inside, with 10lb. weights and is a very intense workout) and I ramped up to 2-3 Tread Powerfully classes per week (power walking with 3lb. weights.) The more muscle I put on, the stronger I got, which improved my speed. In September, I ramped it up even more with the Intense Strength class, a combined strength training/Pilates class, and an “Advanced Intense Strength” class that even has homework assignments every week! That class is truly a killer, and only for the fittest and/or most determined of all the Tread Powerfully members. (I like to believe that I’m both!)
So what’s next? I have actually signed up for a number of races, culminating in the Mississauga Marathon. Here’s what I’m working on:
-The Boxing Day 10 miler (16 km.) on Dec. 26 (which just happens to be my 35th birthday)
-The Chilly Half Marathon on March 7, 2010
-Around the Bay (30K) road race on March 28, 2010
-The Mississauga Marathon on May 16, 2010
I’m also keeping up with my strength training workouts. A lot of people ask me what my workout schedule looks like. I’m not sure they want to know! It’s a bit intensive, but so far, so good. My weight is holding steady, but I find my clothes are getting bigger and I’m looking a lot more muscular. But, for the curious, here’s a typical week for me:
* Sunday: Advanced Intense Strength, 7 a.m. (this combines weights with sports drills, plyometric exercises and even skipping… it changes every week and is incredibly intense.)
* Monday during the kids’ swimming lessons: I was spinning at the YMCA every Monday evening, but I kind of loathe the instructor. (As an instructor, not as a person.) Now I have changed to 3 miles of speedwork on the treadmill, aiming to have it finished in 25 minutes.
* Monday after swimming lessons: The week’s Advanced IS “homework” (which varies every 2 weeks) and a core strengthening routine. (Think planks, pushups, crunches, etc.)
* Tuesday morning: An “easy” run, ranging from 6 to 10K, depending on my training schedule. And yeah, I get up at 6 a.m. to do this before the kids go to school and I go to work.
* Tuesday evening: Intense Strength, 6:30 p.m.
* Wednesday: An interval routine consisting of skipping and body-weighted exercises, followed by the week’s Advanced IS “homework” and another core strengthening routine. I usually try to get up at 6 a.m. for this, but if I can’t, I do it in the evening when the kids have gone to bed.
* Thursday morning: Either speedwork at the track or a tempo run. The distance is slowly building before the 10 mile race. (Again, I get up at 6 a.m. to do this one…)
* Thursday evening: Power Pilates at 6:30 p.m., which is a half-hour of weights (I use 10lbs) followed by a half-hour of Pilates.
* Friday morning: The week’s long run. Today’s, for example, was 12K. That will keep increasing until the marathon. (I try to get up at 6, but thanks to a flexible schedule, I don’t always have to… today, for example, I wasn’t that busy with work so I did it after I dropped the kids off.)
* Saturday morning: Tread Powerfully “4.5 mph” class at 7 a.m. This is a very intense TP class for people who can consistently walk at least 4.5 miles per hour or faster. (And yes, I can!)
Ouch! I just realized that this means I work out TEN times a week. It might be a bit excessive, but honestly, I’ve never felt better.
Now if I could just get my nutrition under control! It’s not bad… but with winter coming, I’m craving sweets and bad carbs. I have a plan… now I just need to do it! More on that later.
Happy trails…
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
If the shoe fits
You always hear how inexpensive running is as a form of exercise, and to a certain extent that’s true. You don’t need fancy equipment or a gym membership, just a pair of shoes and the great outdoors. But there’s the rub… you need shoes. And, particularly when you are doing a lot of running, you need really good shoes.
Good shoes don’t come cheap. The minimum amount you can expect to pay is $100 – more for a really good pair. Now, when it comes to shoes, I have to confess I’m pretty cheap. I haven’t paid more than about $120 for a pair of shoes yet. It’s really starting to show.
I’ve always had a bit of problem with running shoes. I wear a size 9 shoe, and when I first started running, I really wanted the Nike+ running shoes so I could use my iPod to track mileage, etc. I went through three pairs of Air Max Moto shoes before realizing that they really weren’t the best shoes. They didn’t have enough cushioning, and all-in-all, I wasn’t happy with them.
So I went to the Running Room and bought my infamous pair of Mizunos and a sleeve to hold my Nike+ sensor. The Mizunos gave me terrible blisters, so the leader of my 10K clinic advised me to wear two pairs of socks. That eliminated the blister problem, but when I ran my last 10K race, I also lost my toenail as a result of my shoes being too tight. (As an aside, my Nike sensor then wore out, and I never bothered replacing it. I started using MapMyRun.com to plan out my routes.)
I went back to the Running Room and they told me the size 9s were just far too tight, and that was my problem. So they gave me a pair of the Asics (the cheaper ones) in a size 10 – the only size they had in stock. Those are the shoes I used to run the half marathon last March. And they weren’t too bad – in the winter, I wore thick socks and it didn’t bother me too much that they were too big.
Spring rolled around, and the Asics were on their last legs. Plus, with the warmer weather, I stopped wearing thick socks – and I noticed how badly my feet were slipping. My knee started to hurt again, as did my hips; a sure sign I needed new shoes.
To “get me through,” I bought another pair of Nikes at the outlet, and they were super-cheap. I honestly wasn’t even sure they were the right type for my gait (I roll my feet outwards), but I figured it would get me through training for the 5K, then this summer I could invest in a pair of good shoes.
Well, those Nikes barely lasted a month. They got so bad, my friends could see my feet rolling outward. They looked like crap, felt like crap, and all the aches and pains started coming back. I started running in the old Asics again, because at least they didn’t completely kill my feet.
But they weren’t going to last, and my long runs (up to 14K at this point) have been torture. So I finally bit the bullet and went to the Burlington Orthotic Center to get my gait analyzed and to get PROPERLY fitted for shoes.
The results weren’t too surprising. Yes, my feet indeed roll outward, and the left one actually rolls out, then rolls in. I tried on several different pairs, and we settled on the Asics (but the level up from what I had.) However the biggest change is that I should be wearing a 9 ½. The 10, they said, was just way too big for me and it was no wonder I was having problems. The 9 ½ I tried on felt great, but they were a D width, and that’s too wide for my foot. They offered to order in the B width, and from then on it’s been a waiting game.
I finally get to pick up my new shoes tomorrow, and I have to say I’m excited. I have to run 16K on Sunday evening, and I was dreading the thought of doing it in my beat-up old Asics. The new shoes will seem like heaven.
The best part is that because I got them from the orthotic center, I can get my doctor to sign a prescription and claim the shoes under our benefits. We get up to $200 a year for shoes, so if one pair of these criminally expensive (approx. $180) shoes can be covered, that is fantastic. Because at the rate I’m running, I’ll need new shoes again before Christmas. Ouch!
Happy trails…
Good shoes don’t come cheap. The minimum amount you can expect to pay is $100 – more for a really good pair. Now, when it comes to shoes, I have to confess I’m pretty cheap. I haven’t paid more than about $120 for a pair of shoes yet. It’s really starting to show.
I’ve always had a bit of problem with running shoes. I wear a size 9 shoe, and when I first started running, I really wanted the Nike+ running shoes so I could use my iPod to track mileage, etc. I went through three pairs of Air Max Moto shoes before realizing that they really weren’t the best shoes. They didn’t have enough cushioning, and all-in-all, I wasn’t happy with them.
So I went to the Running Room and bought my infamous pair of Mizunos and a sleeve to hold my Nike+ sensor. The Mizunos gave me terrible blisters, so the leader of my 10K clinic advised me to wear two pairs of socks. That eliminated the blister problem, but when I ran my last 10K race, I also lost my toenail as a result of my shoes being too tight. (As an aside, my Nike sensor then wore out, and I never bothered replacing it. I started using MapMyRun.com to plan out my routes.)
I went back to the Running Room and they told me the size 9s were just far too tight, and that was my problem. So they gave me a pair of the Asics (the cheaper ones) in a size 10 – the only size they had in stock. Those are the shoes I used to run the half marathon last March. And they weren’t too bad – in the winter, I wore thick socks and it didn’t bother me too much that they were too big.
Spring rolled around, and the Asics were on their last legs. Plus, with the warmer weather, I stopped wearing thick socks – and I noticed how badly my feet were slipping. My knee started to hurt again, as did my hips; a sure sign I needed new shoes.
To “get me through,” I bought another pair of Nikes at the outlet, and they were super-cheap. I honestly wasn’t even sure they were the right type for my gait (I roll my feet outwards), but I figured it would get me through training for the 5K, then this summer I could invest in a pair of good shoes.
Well, those Nikes barely lasted a month. They got so bad, my friends could see my feet rolling outward. They looked like crap, felt like crap, and all the aches and pains started coming back. I started running in the old Asics again, because at least they didn’t completely kill my feet.
But they weren’t going to last, and my long runs (up to 14K at this point) have been torture. So I finally bit the bullet and went to the Burlington Orthotic Center to get my gait analyzed and to get PROPERLY fitted for shoes.
The results weren’t too surprising. Yes, my feet indeed roll outward, and the left one actually rolls out, then rolls in. I tried on several different pairs, and we settled on the Asics (but the level up from what I had.) However the biggest change is that I should be wearing a 9 ½. The 10, they said, was just way too big for me and it was no wonder I was having problems. The 9 ½ I tried on felt great, but they were a D width, and that’s too wide for my foot. They offered to order in the B width, and from then on it’s been a waiting game.
I finally get to pick up my new shoes tomorrow, and I have to say I’m excited. I have to run 16K on Sunday evening, and I was dreading the thought of doing it in my beat-up old Asics. The new shoes will seem like heaven.
The best part is that because I got them from the orthotic center, I can get my doctor to sign a prescription and claim the shoes under our benefits. We get up to $200 a year for shoes, so if one pair of these criminally expensive (approx. $180) shoes can be covered, that is fantastic. Because at the rate I’m running, I’ll need new shoes again before Christmas. Ouch!
Happy trails…
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