So I decided to skip my third 20 miler and instead break up the miles so I ended up running an extra day this week for six days of running. I still got in the same miles but not all at once. Since I also have another 20 miler in two weeks and I've already done two 20 milers, I'm not worried about missing this. This allowed me to enjoy the half marathon this past weekend instead of running 7 before it. I'm sure I could have done it but I didn't see the purpose. I think 3 - 20 milers is plenty.
Next week is another cut back week to 35 miles and I've also got another half marathon on Sunday again. THAT one I plan to race. We'll see how it goes and I'm hoping for a confidence boost with a well run half marathon. I'd like to be under 1:40 pace and would love to PR but we shall see.
I'll be following the yellow brick road of my marathon with The Ride 6 by Saucony
Well, Saucony still remains my #1 choice for running shoes. Yesterday, while at the Brooksie Way expo, I picked up my third pair of the Ride 6 - $75 booyah!. Saucony continues to improve on these every year they come out with a new version(with Ride 3 being the exception) I couldn't even tell you how many Saucony Ride shoes I've worn over the years(dozens) but it remains a staple in my running shoe arsenal. The only other shoe I've been comfortable for a marathon distance is Mizuno's Wave Rider which I happen to PR in last year.
While I've been searching and searching and searching(and searching more) for a trail shoe for my trail marathon next year, I think I've finally narrowed it down to the Brooks Cascadia 8. I've tried them on and they seem comfortable enough for the full and I've talked to so many that praise them. I wouldn't mind trying on the Pearl Izumi Trail N2's either but can't seem to find anyone that carries them. Whatever I get I need them to be comfortable for up to 50k. Perhaps I'll order both from Running Warehouse and send one back or even keep both to train with. I just need to pull the trigger so I can run with them this winter.
What's your favorite road shoe? Do you have a favorite trail shoe?
Hey, everyone!!!! It's coming in one month! That's right, another year of the Wicked Halloween Run in Plymouth on October 27th presented by Kona Running Company. Some of you may already know but this is also the third and final race of the Triple Crown series for 2013. Do all three races - ShamRock n Roll Run, Kona Run and Wicked Halloween Run(excluding the one mile) and you get this:
Get this medal if you ran at least the 5k for all three races
I can't wait to earn this at the Wicked Halloween Run. Not only that but if you sign up for this race, you will get a 1/4 zip tech shirt which looks incredible as well as another awesome medal for this race.
The medal
The shirt
There's several options again for this years race including a one mile, 5k and 10k. The 5k and 10k will have two waves to help with the amount of people that come to the race. I really love all the Kona Running Company races since they are a hometown race and incredibly organized. They really do everything they can so everyone has a great time and feels welcome in their town.
Check out the course for this year. If you've run the ShamRock n Roll run, then you will know what to expect since the courses are similar certified courses. I love that they start and finish in downtown Plymouth.
1 mile course
5k certified course
10k certified course
The 10k course, which I'll be running, will have Powerade at the 3 mile mark. They will also have pacers for the race(as well as the 5k) which is nice if you are looking to beat or meet a goal time.
Of course, as in the past, they have entertainment before/after the race with music as well as a costume contest and finish line food. I'll be there dressed up as a runner(I know, original) It's really an excellent family event that the kids are sure to love as well. For those there just for fun, line up in the second wave and enjoy the course! Walkers are always welcome.
awesome scarecrows from last years race
For the serious racer, the 5k and 10k are certified course, chip timed and competitive. There will also be age group awards 3 deep in each 5 year age category. Not that I'm super fast but I've never been able to place at the Kona races because there are so many fast runners!
Interested in learning more or want to register/volunteer?
I hope you decide to come out and join me for this fun race. Can't make it this year? Think about running the Kona Chocolate Run in November(HERE) Also, if you are not running, they can always use more volunteers. I'll be volunteering at packet pickup the day before, so if you see me, come say hello!
In related news, if you missed the Triple Crown series this year and wished you didn't, don't worry! Kona Running Company is launching a new "Kona Grand Slam" series for 2014. Finish all four Kona race events(excluding the mile) and receive a classic Grand Slam Medal. The four events are: ShamRock n Roll Run, Kona Run, Wicked Halloween Run and the Kona Chocolate Run. More information to follow soon.
I hope to see you there and I'll be sure to have a complete review after the race!
Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!
Note: I am a Kona Running Company ambassador and receive a complementary race entry. All opinions are my own and I'm not required to give any positive remarks. I do it because I love the company and it's races.
Up next on Sunday is my next race, the Brooksie Way half marathon. I always look forward to this race. It will be my third time running it. This one has a special place in my heart since it was the first half marathon I've ever run back in 2010, three years ago. This will be half marathon #18 and race #54. Apparently I like to run races?
Here's a picture from my first half in 2010 where I got to meet Frank Shorter:
My brother-in-law, Frank Shorter, and me!
In 2011, I didn't run it because I was worried about doing well on my 20 mile training run(haha - stupid) so I went and spectated instead. Here's the eventual winner below in 2011. It was fun to see everyone running and enjoying themselves.
Then last year I went back again. I actually had a marathon in 2012 but I really wanted to run it again especially since last year was the fifth anniversary of the race. I ended up running a 10 mile training run the day before and finishing out this race with a 54 mile week - the most I've ever run in a week and I almost PR'd as well(off by about a minute). It was a great race for me last year and a huge confidence boost for the marathon. Here's a picture after the race of several running friends in the area. My running buddy, Trieu, took the picture who has gone to lots of races with me.
Josh, Matt, Me, and Janet
This year I'll be running with my other running buddy, Kevin as well as Trieu and I know that Josh will be there as well. One of the great things about this race is that it's nice and close for me and I seem to see lots of people that I know. The plan is to run this as a hard training run but not to race and try for a PR since I want to do that the following weekend at the Sleeping Bear Half Marathon. I look forward to reviewing this years race for you.
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Five miles on the schedule today. Done! It's been an incredible week for running here in Michigan.
Last weekend was really the last weekend of anything easy from here on out until the marathon. I have a completely packed running schedule coming up for the next ten weeks. Yes, you heard it right, ten weeks!
Here's the long run plan starting 9/29 through 12/7:
Brooksie Way Half Marathon(a hilly half) Was supposed to run 20 miles but I am breaking this up and ran 7 today and will only run the half alone. I won't race but will push it.
Sleeping Bear Half Marathon - I'll be using this one to see how my training has been going. I'll be racing this one.
20 mile long run - I'm hoping for all trails on this one - still undecided.
How's that for a fall running schedule? Holy cow am I going to be busy. I'll be happy to get through it all!! Seriously, though, I'm looking forward to each and every race. The Virtual 10k will give me December's race so I'll have run 24 races in 2013 with at least one race each month - a first for me. Who says running has a season?
I also plan to take some rest from running 7-10 full days off sometime in December just like I did last year.
What races are on your calendar this fall? Anybody going to be at the races I'll be at?
Monday 5 miles (Actual - 5.01 miles, weights, yoga)
Tuesday 6 miles (Actual - 6.20 miles)
Wednesday 5 miles (Actual - 5.01 miles, weights)
Thursday 6 miles (Actual - 6.01 miles, yoga)
Friday Rest (Actual - Rest)
Saturday 12 miles (Actual - 12.17 miles on trails)
Sunday Rest (Actual - Yoga)
Total miles: 34.40 miles
As I said last week, this week was a cut back week. It's funny how cut back weeks, while they help you, sometimes make my legs feel worse. That happened this week. I actually felt better running 50 miles the week before than this week but I will say the 12 miler on Saturday was nice instead of 20 miles to run. I enjoyed running on the trails again at Pontiac Lake. Nobody could make it for a run on Saturday so I headed out there myself. It was like I had the whole park to myself. A really enjoyable run.
This week coming up will be another tough 50 mile week. I've decided to back off of the 20 mile run though for this week. I'll got three 20 milers in the plan so instead I'm going to run the same 50 miles but move 7 of the miles to Friday or Saturday so I can run the half by itself. I've still got one more 20 mile run planned before the marathon.
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10 miles this morning before work and yoga. Someone wake me up at work this afternoon! Haha!
So this is it. I signed up for my last race of the year. It's the A Christmas Story 10k. While they have an actual race in Cleveland, and it's not that far of drive to it(3.5 hours), they also offer a virtual race option which is what I opted for. You get a long sleeve race shirt, bib, and medal with the race packet being delivered on or before December 1 for $54 total. Is it expensive - yes but I love the theme and if I lived in Cleveland, I'd run the actual race.
They are offering a virtual option to anyone in the US and you can also sign up internationally as well as under an International Military Run. It's a great idea. You can even switch to the actual race if for some reason you might end up being in Cleveland that day too. So, of course, the main reason for doing this race? This:
The medal
Of course, who wouldn't want to win a "major award" afterall? Haha! This is an awesome medal!!!!
For those in the Detroit area, if you sign up for it(or even if you don't), I'll put together some information so a group of us can run this virtual race together most likely at Stony Creek since it's easy to get a 10k out of it being one loop around the lake is 6 miles. I'm planning for December 7th so mark your calendars and I'll follow up with a flyer about it. Also, you need to sign up for the virtual race HERE by November 15th in order to get your race packet.
Balega via Verde PR recently sent me several pairs of their socks to try. I've also done a review of their Balega Ultra Light running socks as well, which I loved.(review HERE)
I'm always looking for great running socks to try and since I had a great experience with their Ultra light running socks and Balega has a great reputation, I was happy to try these out. All three of the socks are a medium weight sock. The Hidden contour and Hidden comfort are very similar. Really the only different I saw between the two were the Hiddon contour had maybe a little more elasticity by your ankle and mid foot. Of course, also the colors were different being bright orange and grey with green. In regards to feel, they both felt like the same sock. While there were very minor differences, they really had 95% of the same features. In fact, if you review their website(HERE), they show the exact same features. I think it would make sense for the company to show the differences on their website better so runners know what to choose.
The blister resist pair were different in that they had less Dryamix Mohair and also had wool in them(35%). In my opinion, these felt like they kept my feet cooler in the warmer temperatures. Other than that, they felt very similar to the other pairs in regards to fit and size.
In regards to comfort, they were all comfortable. I ran in them mostly in weather from 50-80 degrees which is when most runners would likely wear these. While they do wick moisture, the higher temperatures as well as the heavier weight, had them soaking wet when I finished running in them. I will say, though, that I did not experience any blisters in any of the socks which really is the key to a good running sock - at least one of the keys.
I would guess, given the thickness, that these will perform better, for me, during cold temperatures. I'll be especially interested to try the blister resist pair out during winter conditions since they have wool in them which should help keep my feet warmer during the coldest of runs.
Sorry to say that I cannot give them a glowing review. Yes, they are a nice pair of socks, but for me, I would choose more towards their ultra light pairs. I love a sock that gives me a snug fit, even with compression, and something that does not move around when running. While the socks remained in place when running, it just felt like these were moving slightly as I ran which I did not care for. Because of this, I could not see myself running in these for a anything more than the 10k distance yet the ultra light pair I reviewed earlier this year, I could run a marathon in. So while I'd wear these for shorter training or shorter races, in my personal opinion, they don't fit what I'd want for long distances.
I will say that they do have a huge selection of the types of running socks they sell and I'm sure there is a style that would fit you well. Head up to your local running store and try a pair to get what you like the best. You can also visit their pages:
*
Note - I received several pairs of Balega socksin exchange for this review. All opinions on this blog post
are my own and I was not paid or required to give a particular opinion
on the product.
As you all know, I always give full disclosure on the blog and thought it would be interesting to share a few stats of the blog. I don't see many people who share this information.
The first is my overall stats. This is all that is tracked by Google. I don't have anything tracking the unique hits on my blog but know that I should. Google offers it and I've tried to add it without success. Hey - whatever - this is a blog I do for fun and not make money so while it would be interesting to know that, I don't really care that much.
Since I started the blog in November 2010, I've had almost 400,000 page views. Just let me preface this. It took a LONG time to get there and most of these probably happened over that last year or so. I've been averaging about 16,000 views a month. It might equate to 2,000-3,000 in regular readers I'm guessing.
Next up. What are people reading? Here's my top blog posts. It's actually funny to see this since the #1 post is for Tommie Copper compression wear which I didn't even give a good review. Most of the top posts are product review that I've done - potential endurance product companies take note! As you can also see, the number of comments does not equate to pageviews. In fact, I know I've done some other blog posts where there were many more comments but less pageviews.
Then there is where people read. Most, of course, are in the United States, but I have a mix of other countries in there as well.
So that's it for today. A bit of interesting facts on the background of the blog.
I received some information this weekend about the new Garmin that is going to be released this fall. Looks like some exciting new changes. As you know, I love my Garmin 310xt but I've been interested in a primarily run watch. This might be the one. Here's the info:
There’s A Coach In Every Watch— Garmin® Forerunner® 620 and 220 With Color Display
OLATHE, Kan./September 16, 2013/Business
Wire — Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN),
the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the Forerunner 620 and Forerunner 220
GPS running watches – two of the lightest, thinnest, most advanced
offerings for runners from Garmin, and the next best thing to having a
personal running coach. The Forerunner 620 offers advanced features like
recovery advisor, race predictor and VO2 max estimate to help runners
train smarter and achieve new race goals. When used with the NEW
HRM-Run™ monitor¹, the 620 also provides feedback on running form. For
indoor training, like on a treadmill, the 620 and 220’s built-in
accelerometer tracks distance and pace, so runners don’t need a separate
sensor. Both models boast Garmin’s unique one-inch Chroma™ color
display to easily interpret data. To see the Forerunner 620 and 220 in
action, go to www.garmin.com/ForerunnerCoach.
“Whether running indoors or out, Forerunner 620 and 220 will change
the way runners look at training,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice
president of worldwide sales. “Advanced features in the 620 such as
recovery advisor, VO2 max estimate, race predictor and stats on running
economy, combined with connected features and training plan options
found in both the 620 and 220, make these watches must haves for runners
of all levels. To keep runners motivated the watches also notice if
runners hit any personal records on that run, like their fastest mile,
5k, 10k, half or full marathon or their longest run to date.”
Regardless of a runner’s experience, motivation, or how far or fast
they go, they likely want to know how they can improve and objectively
measure their fitness. Forerunner 620 does just that by estimating
runners’ VO2 max, which is a good indicator of athletic capability.
Previously, the only way to accurately obtain VO2 max was by paying for a
lab test. When used with a heart rate monitor, the 620 incorporates
several pieces of data, like running speed, beats per minute and heart
rate variability, into an advanced algorithm to estimate runners’ VO2
max. The number itself indicates the maximum volume of oxygen a runner
can consume per minute, per kilogram of body weight at their max
performance. Theoretically, the more oxygen runners can use during
high-level exercise, the more energy they can produce. A color gauge on
the watch display shows how a runner’s VO2 max data compares to other
individuals of their gender and age range. Based on the VO2 max
estimate, the 620 can predict a runner’s race time for several
distances. This can give runners a time target for their next race,
assuming they’ve completed proper training.
When wearing HRM-Run, Forerunner 620’s NEW recovery advisor and
recovery check take the guesswork out when it comes to planning recovery
time between hard workouts. Just like a coach, it learns the runner and
their physiology based on heart rate data, so it factors this against
their last workout and then shows how much time before they are fully
recovered and ready for their next hard running workout. Color-coding on
the
high-resolution Chroma
display gauge
makes it easy to interpret — green, of course, means they are good to
go. When runners see red on the display and a recovery time of more than
3 days, they might consider taking a rest day or just doing a light
recovery run. HRM-Run also has an accelerometer in the module that
measures torso movement in order to calculate 3 different running
metrics:
Cadence — the number of steps per minute. It displays the total steps (right and left combined)
Vertical oscillation — the bounce in runners’ running motion. It displays the vertical motion of a runners’ torso, measured in centimeters.
Ground contact time — the amount of time in each step that you spend on the ground while running, measured in milliseconds.
"The Forerunner 620 is a watch that runners have been waiting for",
said Dr. Jack Daniels, famed running coach, author and exercise
physiologist. "Being able to monitor runners' running dynamics and
receive real-time feedback in a watch is a huge step in running
innovation."
Thanks to their Bluetooth® Smart wireless upload capabilities, Forerunner 620 and 220 can send runners’ run data to the Garmin online community, Garmin Connect™, without being connected to a computer. It can transfer the data through the Garmin Connect Mobile
app on their compatible smartphone. Additional connected features
include live tracking, which allows runners’ friends and fans to follow
along and see their stats in real-time. Runners must have their phone
paired with their 620 or 220 throughout the run to use the LiveTrack feature.
Victories, goals achieved and successes can be shared on runners’
social media sites by posting updates through the Garmin Connect Mobile
app. And, for real-time coaching as they run, both the 620 and 220 are
compatible with free training plans at Garmin Connect. Runners can also
set up their Forerunner 620 to work with one or more Wi-Fi hot spots,
such as their home and office networks, to automatically sync with
Garmin Connect when in range. Syncing with Garmin Connect on a regular
basis not only ensures the upload of runners’ data, it also sends the
next seven days worth of satellite data, to Forerunner 620 and 220, to
ensure the fastest possible satellite acquisition— no more standing and
waiting, and seeing runners with their wrists to the sky while waiting
for a signal.
With the growing popularity of the run/walk training method in the
distance running community (example: a runner runs for five minutes,
walks for one minute and repeats for the duration of the course), Garmin
has included a run/walk alert. This alert allows Forerunner 620 and
220’s other features, such as, Auto Lap and Auto Pause, to remain active
during a run/walk session.
Both Forerunner 620 and 220 are water-resistant to 50m and can stand
up to much more than rain, sweat and splashes. The Forerunner 620 has a
touchscreen display responsive enough that it can be operated with
running gloves, while the 220 is operated with easy to push buttons.
Both models have rechargeable batteries lasting up to six weeks in watch
mode and up to 10 hours in training mode.
Forerunner 620 is available in blue/black and white/orange, while
Forerunner 220 is available in black/red and white/violet and are
expected to ship fall 2013 and have suggested retail prices of
$399.99/$449.99 (HRM-Run Bundle) and $249.99/$299.99 (Heart Rate Bundle)
respectively. Forerunner 620 and Forerunner 220 are the latest
solutions from Garmin’s expanding fitness segment, which focuses on
developing technologies and innovations to enhance users’ lives and
promotes healthy and active lifestyles. Whether it’s running, cycling,
or other athletic pursuits, Garmin fitness devices are becoming
essential tools for athletes both amateur and elite. For more about
features, pricing and availability, as well as information about
Garmin’s other fitness products and services, go to www.garmin.com/intosports, www.garmin.blogs.com and http://twitter.com/garmin.
Here's a quick video related to it as well:
I've asked for a media copy to test it and review it but not sure that will be possible. Regardless, it looks like Garmin is doing what it can to continue to stand out in the GPS watch industry.
DC Rainmaker has posted an EXCELLENT hands on first look at both watches that is a must read, HERE. You're going to want to buy one after reading this. He'll have a full review our once he's completed his testing.
Monday 5 miles (Actual - 5.50 miles, weights, yoga)
Tuesday 10 miles (Actual - 10.01 miles)
Wednesday 5 miles (Actual - 5.01 miles, weights, yoga)
Thursday 10 miles (Actual - 10.10 miles)
Friday Rest (Actual - Yoga)
Saturday 20 miles (Actual - 20.11 miles)
Sunday Rest (Actual - Rest)
Total miles: 50.73 miles
A fifty mile week this past week. I've only run a couple of weeks this high. I remember my first one last fall and I was so excited about hitting that. I think I could probably go more, maybe 60, without feeling like I am going to get hurt but I'm going to stick with the plan right not and not push it anymore. I'm feeling pretty good about this. I've got two more 50 mile weeks in the training program with two more 20 milers so we will see if I hold up.
This week is a big cut back and I'll drop back to 34 miles - it should feel easy!
For those of us that run marathons, you know what's in a 20 miler. Yes, it's likely different for each of us but it's always fulfilling regardless of how good or how bad you feel when you finish.
To me, it's all about the journey. Sure, I like to go fast but I usually reserve that for my races. Just like in a marathon, it's a great way for you to see the city you live in. I think most people that don't run really miss out on a lot of stuff in the community. We, as runners, get a great perspective of things in the city. Sometime it's a great trail, other times it's a Metropark and unfortunately, at times, it's just the neighborhood in the dark. Regardless, they all give you a unique perspective of your surrounding area.
Yesterday, my running buddy Kevin and I went for a 20 mile run. For the most part we ran on the Paint Creek Trail - an incredible resource in the Northern suburbs of Detroit and in our backyard. It's a great run but you also need variety in your long run(at least I do).
I went back to take a look at my 20 mile runs and where they were. In my running experience, I've run a total of 14 runs over 20 miles including the four marathons. That's 10 training runs of at least 20 miles. Here's what I found out:
My first 20 miler was April 24, 2011
I did two 20's for my first marathon, Bayshore Marathon
I did three 20's for my second marathon, Detroit Marathon
I did one 20 for my third marathon, Flying Pig Marathon(but thought I did two?)
I did two 20's for my fourth marathon, Grand Rapids Marathon
I've run two 20's for the current training program for Indy(and have 2 left).
My times have been from 3:00:29(20.01 miles) to 3:32:59(20.72 miles)
I've also run the 20 miles on various places including Macomb Orchard Trail, Paint Creek Trail(6 times), Stony Creek Metropark, a run around Otsego Lake in Gaylord, and a run along Mullett Lake in Indian River. Both Paint Creek Trail and Mullett Lake was on trails so the theme is that when I'm running 20 miles, it's mostly on trails(7 of 10 runs on trails). For me, it's much less stress on your body plus you rarely need to worry about cars.
Here's a few pictures from today's 20 miler. We started at the duck pond in Rochester at around 7am with temperatures in the 40's. The nice thing about running early is you get to see the sun coming up over the steamy water. The Paint Creed trail starts right here.
Rochester Municipal Park aka Duck Pond - Rochester, MI
Maybe a few miles into our run and we saw a hot air balloon. We don't see them that often around here so it was a nice surprise to our run.
Hot air balloon
About 8 miles into the run, there's a really nice pond which is close to Lake Orion or the end of the trail. If you are a runner/biker in the area, you know exactly where this is.
A cool pond
For this 20 miler, we decided to run a little into Lake Orion instead of stopping at the trail but it was getting fairly busy by the time we got there. We did get to see this cool drain coming from Lake Orion into the river which I had not seen before.
After that it was a quick loop through downtown Lake Orion and we headed back to Rochester. I didn't end up taking any more pictures until I got back into Rochester where we passed the park and kept running to get our additional two miles in. There's a nice overpass that the city dressed up near the river by Rochester road. There's even a fountain built into the wall below.
Then as we came back the same way, you can see the flowers the City has along the bridge. It's really very nice for a run and I have not seen this since it was all built out. We also caught up with Janet from Miles Fly By and ran with her a couple miles and chatted. We also saw Matt, her husband from Faster Than a Turtle, earlier who was flying by us on the trail getting ready for his next half marathon. Both Janet and Matt are running the Romeo to Richmond Half the next day.
Janet near our finish at about 19.5 miles
Finally we made it back to the park to complete our 20 miles. Another 20 miler was in the books.
Guess why they call it the duck pond?
It was a perfect day for running and a long run. I love the weather this time of year in Michigan when it gets cooler. We ended with temps in the high 50's. What more could you ask for?
