More Shoes!

As I posted previously - I bought new shoes recently because I would need some this year and there was a sale. Not a great sale, but a sale nonetheless. The photo above is what I had come home with.

Then I heard Fleet Feet was having their big annual birthday sale so I thought I'd go check out some running pants. Saw no pants for me, but I did see my shoes (The only Asics, and the only size they had in them were mine!). On sale. A Real sale (half of what I had paid at the last "sale"!). Of course I bought all they had. 5 pair this time. Got home and laughed at the fact that I had 9 pair of brand new shoes.

The colors were not as varied - one pair of the same White/Black/Flame and 4 pair of a different blue version.
I did something that may not be kosher - but I swapped a pair of the newest blue ones for a Goldenrod pair. I doubt they would care and even when I pointed out the shoes didn't match the box - they didn't care. So now I have 5 pair of 3 different colors, so I'll be able to alternate colors this year.
I still need to buy some new Trail running shoes...

Whew!

So went to run 6 miles on the treadmill this morning (yeah - didn't feel like getting out in the 28° weather and have to slink into to work an hour early if my ankle/leg felt bad). Good news though - didn't feel a thing. Along with icing it a few times and using Arnica, and that extra day of rest - it worked. My schedule is a day off, so Friday I'll double up on my run (speedwork?) and yoga, then do my standard "long" run Sunday of only 13 miles. Not as excited for the taper due to the injury-watch. Maybe also because I am stronger and less worn-out? Or I haven't trained as much and not as worn-out. Hmmm - I'll go with the former.
Been using the "Next Blog" link up at the top of the screen recently and found a few decent ones that I may read again. Wonder who comes across mine?? Hello?? Anyone out there??
17 more days until Myrtle Beach! My running buddy Todd isn't having a good training period for this one - I'm thinking he may back out. Or at least I'm thinking he should if he doesn't feel better about it. Maybe I could get him to pace me the 2nd half?
Palmetto 200 Relay note - Still waiting on word from Runner 12 - Mike, but I've put in my request to be runner #7 - 3rd leg gets to run over the Isle Of Palms Connector Bridge. Besides having thought it would be cool to run over it Many years ago, running onto the IOP is nice - lots of good memories there (Windjammer, Wild Dunes, Windjammer, Windjammer...). We are registered as Do Not Resuscitate All Stars. Read where the Spokane to Sandpoint Relay has a Roller Coaster at Mile 118 that teams can ride. How cool is that? And it would be around midnight! Found some interesting Black Light tattoos that would be awesome to run at night with - if only there were temporary ones available. Anyway - no more rambling tonight...

Slight setback?

Went out for my planned 20 miler Sunday at 9:45am with rain coming down and a large cloud hanging over the Greenville radar, but scattered showers behind it - so some respite from the wetness, supposedly. 40° temps weren't horrible either but I had to throw on one more layer under my windbreaker before I started and it worked out just fine. The rain went on and off form "steady" to "heavy" and back and forth repeatedly. I just had to laugh out loud at one point it was so ridiculous out there, doing laps, watching the sides of the road get filled with water. My heron showed up for a lap, so I take that as a good omen - even though I had to walk much of the last 2 laps. My on and off left ankle/shin was sore the night before for no reason, then crept up on me after 5 miles or so. I was really worried I'd have to stop after a 10k or so, but it never got too bad. It eventually went away after 15 miles or so, then I proceeded to have my 3 fastest laps (trying to go for even splits and making up for my 3 Gu breaks). My last little break did me in though - More pain that had me slowly walking, trying to shuffle the remaining two miles. I wanted that 20 (actually - 20.4 miles). My 9:02 pace thru 18 miles turned into a 9:17 overall, but that's ok. Finishing is my goal as always, uninjured is up there too. Third goal is the even split times. One thing different about this run - even during nd after those faster laps towards the end - no heaviness or soreness in my thighs or hips - and that is always where I feel it, the speed tapers off and I have to mentally push myself to continue.
More to follow on this. Extra rest day tomorrow.

bagel

This mornings episode was dropping half of my bagel - jelly side down - on the floor as I walked thru the living room (hardwoods). No obstacles or anything, just slid off the plate as I walked. Tired.

what follows early mornings...

Things that I forget (or things that happen) because I often get up before 5am during the week to run. I'll go out for anywhere from 4-11 miles then head to work and shower, starting work around 7am:
I've forgotten work clothes (socks, shirt, underwear, somethingt to comb my hair). I've had to drive back home from work (after showering) in my sweaty running clothes. I've bummed a work shirt from our Marketing Department. I can get by without a comb or brush, it just makes my hair a little poofy. After a few times of being forgetful, I started storing an extra set of clothes in my locker there.
Last week - something new happened. My 11 mile run on a Thursday, filled up my two water bottles, placed them in my back containing work clothes. Got to Oak Grove Lake - and one bottle was Completely empty. Ugh. Top was on and the spout was closed, but the top was not tight. Nowhere close to being on tight. So - one bottle of water I made do with, and the extra set of clothes came in handy with one exception. I do not keep a 2nd pair of Work shoes in my locker. It was 27° that morning and I was not going to wear wet shoes (no extra socks either, but those weren't so wet). I ended up wearing my running shoes - luckily, I had worn my gray trail running shoes, which didn't stand out as much with my black pants as my mostly white ones would have.
So - be careful when packing your things the night before a run, or Early in the morning. And it never hurts to have a extra set of everything for when you do mess it up. If only getting more sleep was an option...

ups and downs

So this week - I was seriously considering going to a doctor about my calf. The knot that appeared a week and a half ago was still there, very sore to the touch, and had me wondering if I should take a break (meaning no Myrtle Beach race). I read enough online about compartmental syndrome, shin splints, overuse, poor shoes, lack of stretching and more to make me think I was doing everything wrong.
The day after this thought crossed my mind, the pain disappeared, and the knot has mostly too. It never got sore during runs, and my 15 miler this morning was just fine. Still - nothing. I feel very lucky to have made it thru this far with my frequent 30+ mile weeks and still be able to run. I was thinking my year would be completely different if I had to take even a short break. No MB, No June ultra, even the Palmetto 200 could have been in jeopardy (Team meeting tonight!). I have one more 20 planned before the highly anticipated taper begins. Should have some notes after our team meeting tonight. We have lost one member for this event (Will be back for future DNR All Star events), and possibly one more will miss out - so we need to decide if we will temporarily replace them or go as a 10/11 person team. Debating shirt designs too (Many with wolves for some odd reason).

Shopping!

I went shopping for Gu last week as I only had 1 left and need plenty more in the next 5 weeks counting down to Myrtle Beach. Got to the store in question and they only had 1 of my 2 favorites - vanilla, not plain (if that can be considered a flavor). Loaded up my basket with 9 and browsed the other items around. After much back and forth - ended up with 3 various power bars, 3 of the Gu Roctane (Orange-vanilla) and 2 other chocolate Gu's. Looked like I had been Trick Or Treating at some weird running convention.
Thought I'd go check out their selection of shoes. I have enough miles to get thru MB, plus my trail running shoes, and could squeeze some more into another pair if needed, but know I will need 3-4 pair to get thru the year, especially if I am going to do another year of 1200+ miles. Asics 2150's have been out awhile, but still priced higher than I like. I'm still in 2130's (my trail shoes are 2020's!), so I am always hoping to get some 2140's on sale. BINGO! Only $20 off, but size 11.5 seems like it would be an odd size so I get a little clutchy when I see them available. They had 5 pair in 3 color schemes. How many did I come home with? 4. Two in Black/Onxy/Goldenrod and two in White/Black/Flame. I am set!
Had some worry this week with my left calf and a knot on the inside of my shin (muscle area). Was sore, but not on the bone. Of course it was perfectly fine on my 18 miler today (29° and sunny). Supposed to be 20m, but felt fine with only 18. Had tried to run slower and mostly worked, but still not quite there. Felt as worn out as usual though.
Part of the pain may have been from running more the previous week than I ever have. Just by a few tenths, but still. I do have lofty goals of training for my ultra by running in the 40's. Maybe even a 50 mile week - while going to running 4 days. Lots of things up in the air.
Palmetto200 is a go! We will be one of 10-20 teams it looks like, which will be quite interesting. Team DNR returns as "Team DNR All Stars". So far, I think 11 have committed - still waiting on Mike (who was still having ankle issues last I spoke to him). More on this soon - but there are some cool legs as we get to the finish!

Cold

So it was cold and very windy (10-15 mph) yesterday - so I stayed inside all day long. Knew I had to get out today for my 15, so I went out at 10:30am and 2 hrs 16 minutes later - I was done. 30°, some wind, some sun and Cold. Tried to run a 7:45/lap pace, and finally did. At Lap 10! Oh well. Checked my stats from 2009, so I'll update them here:
-1230 miles
-Ran/hiked/walked worked out in some way - 241 days
-Ran 12 races and had PR's in 8 of them. No PR for the relay, 2 other races I wasn't running for time. So the only race I really didn't PR was Reedy River 10k (but it was my 2nd fastest).
-Ran on 49 weekends (Sat or Sun)
-Weekly mileage was from 4.3 - 37.2. Maximum running was the week of the Windermere Marathon; Low point was 3 weeks later with some foot pain after running 13 a week after the race.