Sunday, January 31, 2010

Favorite Running Gear

I thought I would kill two birds with one stone by taking a picture of all my favorite running gear and talking about why/how I use each piece.

day 02/30 - Favorite Running Gear

Race Ready LD Fitness shorts w/mesh pockets - I love these short and wear them on almost every run (I have 2 pairs). Even when it is cold, I'll often wear pants over or under them so I can still have the storage space. The snug fit prevents chafing, and the mesh pockets in the back are perfect to carry everything I need during a long run without bouncing, including my cell phone and nutrition.

Pearl Izumi Seamless Arm Warmers - This is perhaps the best investment I ever made. I love wearing these when it is cool out instead of a long sleeve shirt. Because they fit snugly, they do a better job at keeping me warm and dry by wicking away sweat. When it warms up, I can simply roll them down to my wrists or tuck them into my pockets.

Bondi Bands - These wicking headbands help keep my hair in place and sweat off my eyes, and they are cute too! You often can't read the cute sayings because I usually wear a hat over it. I wear these anytime I work out, whether it be yoga or cycling or anything else.

Garmin Forerunner 305 - Obviously I use this to track my distance, time, pace, etc. I LOVE data! :) I rarely run without the watch, but sometimes ignore the display and analyze the data when I get home instead.

Body Glide - I use this everywhere, especially for long runs or hot days, to avoid chafing.

Nutrition - Last year I ate only sports beans for my half marathons and long runs because I couldn't stand gels, but I quickly grew tired of those. I finally started eating Gu gels this year, and I love how compact they are so I can carry more for the marathon without weighing me down. I usually also bring along a pack of clif shot blocks and mini luna bar to mix things up so I don't get sick of eating gels.

Amphipod RunLite Snapflask 4 Hydration Belt - When I run with the Galloway group, they have water stops so I rarely need to carry my own hydration. However, there are times when we start too early or I'll go run on my own, so I'll wear this. It can hold up to 4 8-oz bottles, but I usually just carry 2. If I position it just right and snug enough, it doesn't bounce around and I barely notice it. I much prefer the extra weight around the waist instead of carrying a bottle on my hand. I also own a Amphipod Handheld 12 oz Water Bottle that I used for shorter runs in the summer, but I try to avoid carrying anything when I run if I can help it.

Spi Belt - I use this as a race belt (using safety pins to attach the bib to it) more than for storage, although it comes in handy to carry keys, ID, and money when I don't want to carry a purse.

Pearl Izumi Jacket (not pictured) - I bought this at the Pearl Izumi outlet for cycling, but it has come in handy for running in the cold more often. It is a light weight wind breaker, but has zippers under the arms to help ventilate when it starts to get warm or you can remove them altogether to turn it into a vest. It is also water resistant.

I am sure I am forgetting some essential piece of gear, but these are the basics. Of course, I also use a good sports bra and tech shirts. What's on your list of essential gear? Do you have any questions about what gear to use for a specific situation? Let me know in the comments!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

30 Days of Blogging and Photos

day 01
Today marks the beginning of my attempt to blog and take a photo daily for the next 30 days (2 items on my 101 things in 1001 days list). I figured this would be a good time to start so I can document the weeks leading up to my first marathon, and give me something to do while I cut back on running. I also plan to do a "Day in the Life in Photos" on marathon day.

My photo for day 1 is on the right. It's nothing too exciting, but there you have it. I took it with my iPhone while walking to El Coqui to treat myself to some well earned mofongo, only to be disappointed that they no longer sell it for lunch :(

I have no idea what I'll talk about for 30 days in a row, but we'll figure it out. If you have suggestions for topics or questions you'd like to see me address here, bring it on in the comments!

Marathon Training Update = 24 Miles!

This morning I did my last long run of marathon training, and it was amazing -- possibly my best long run ever. I was going to run the full distance in training, but decided to do 24 instead so that the Gasparilla Marathon would truly be my maiden voyage. I felt strong the entire 24.4 miles and had enough left to speed up at the end, finishing with an average pace of 13:07 min/mile, and I could have easily done an extra 2 miles. Read all the details on dailymile.

Now it's time for taper madness! =) I'll be cutting back on running a bit, as well as cross training, but have a few races to keep me busy and motivated. Here's the schedule for the upcoming weeks:

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

2010 Goals and Preliminary Race Schedule

I can already feel that 2010 is going to be a great year. I have very lofty goals, yet I think they are attainable. After reviewing my data from 2009, here's what I've come up with to continue to challenge myself and keep things fun and interesting :)

2009 Goals Update

  1. sub-30 5K - No - PR = 33:12
  2. sub-70 10K - didn't run any 10Ks
  3. sub- 2:35 Half Marathon - No
  4. first Sprint Duathlon - YES!
  5. first Marathon - training now for Feb 2010
  6. (maybe) first Sprint Triathlon - YES!

2010 Goals

  1. Complete at least 30 items from my 101 things in 1001 days list
  2. Complete my first marathon!
  3. Complete my first olympic triathlon
  4. Complete the Tri 2010 dailymile challenge - run/bike/swin at least a total of 2010 miles in tri proportions: swim 60, bike 1568, run/walk 382
  5. Do a long run of at least 6-10 miles each week during triathlon season (will increase starting in June when I begin training for my 2nd marathon -- WHAT?) This should give me a minimum of 12 - 18 miles per week.
  6. Run/walk 700 miles (58/month; 14/week)
  7. Bike 1750 miles (146/month; 34/week)
  8. Swim 1 mile non-stop
  9. Exercise 365 hours - this includes all sports and cross training (1 hour/day)
  10. Run a 5K in under 30 minutes or at least a new PR
  11. Run a 10K without walking
  12. Run a 1/2 marathon in under 2:35 or at least at a new PR
  13. Maintain my weight at under 125 lbs

Tentative 2010 Racing Schedule
(this is very tentative and will change, especially the triathlons or anything after May. Items in bold are confirmed.)
So that's my plan for now. I'll adjust it as the year goes on and racing calendars are finalized at the various sites. If you have a suggestions for a not-to-be-missed race, or goal I overlooked, post it in the comments.

Monday, January 4, 2010

2009 Recap

2009 was a great year of fitness for me, and I had a lot of first. I logged a total of 2141.93 miles (combined total from biking, cycling, swimming, and walking), and a combined total of 315 hours and 36 minutes of exercise. I'm sure I exercised more than that because I was not logging time on some core and strength workouts until recently. Below are more stats and even graphs!

Running Stats: 556.29 miles; 116 hours, 43 minutes.

June through August was when I was training for triathlons, and my running slowed. But it picked back up in great force in September when I began training for the marathon. I hope to do a much better job of keeping up with my running during tri season this time and hope to do a long run of 6-10 miles each week. If I can manage that, I should easily be able to run 600-800 miles in 2010.



Cycling Stats: 1486.95 miles; 117 hours, 36 minutes

As expected, cycling peaked in June - August during tri season and then tapered as I trained for the marathon and made running the priority. Now that we have a bike trainer, I hope to start riding more and re-building my base in time for tri season.




Swimming Stats: 14.66 miles; 15 hours, 36 minutes

This is my weakest sport, and it shows. The chart is so pathetic that I'm not even posting it. I haven't swam since September, and probably won't again until March. I'll probably have to start from scratch somewhat with endurance, improve my technique, and re-acclimate myself to not fearing the lake.

Summary of Accomplishments in 2009
Races Completed in 2009
  1. 2009.12.12: Reindeer Run 5K - 39:50 (clock)
  2. 2009.12.05: OUC Half Marathon - 2:39:36 (chip)
  3. 2009.11.26: Turkey Trot 5K - 35:13 (watch)
  4. 2009.11.15: Horrible Hundred (35) - 2:38 (watch)
  5. 2009.10.18: U Can Finish 5 Miler - 1:01:33 (chip)
  6. 2009.09.26: Miracle Miles 15K - 1:49:50 (chip)
  7. 2009.09.12: OUC Downtown Orlando Tri Relay - 1:47:43 (chip)
  8. 2009.09.06: Trek Women's Sprint Tri - 2:13:40 (chip)
  9. 2009.08.15: Central Florida Sprint Tri #3 - 1:29:01 (chip)
  10. 2009.08.08: Faces of Courage Reverse Triathlon - 1:33:12 (chip)
  11. 2009.07.18: Lake Louisa Sprint Tri - 55:44 (clock)
  12. 2009.06.28: Baldwin Park Duathlon - 1:56:57 (chip)
  13. 2009.05.17: Jim Payne 5K - 37:14 (chip)
  14. 2009.04.25: Run for the Trees 5K - 33:12 (chip)
  15. 2009.04.16: Corporate 5K - 34:45 (watch)
  16. 2009.04.04: Windermere Run Among the Lakes 5K - 34:28 (watch)
  17. 2009.03.07: Disney Royal Family 5K
  18. 2009.02.08: Melbourne Beaches & Music 1/2 Marathon - 2:42:11 (chip)
  19. 2009.01.24: Seasons 5.2K - 36:02 (chip)
This post is already long enough, so I'll post my goals for 2010 in a separate post.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

At Home Workouts

If you follow my dailymile feed, you've seen I do a lot of cross training during the week to supplement my running: yoga, core, strength, and kickboxing. Most of these I do in the comfort of my own home, and I wanted to share with you my toolbox for my at home workouts.

Yoga
  • YOGAmazing video podcasts - this is what I do most of the time. Each video is about 20 minutes long with a specific focus (runners, cyclists, hamstrings, abs, etc). You can download the last 20 or so podcasts from iTunes for free, or buy older ones from the archives for $1.99. 
  • Yoga Conditioning for Athletes - this DVD includes a 1 hour practice geared towards athletes plus several sport specific mini workouts (cycling, running, golf, swimming, and tennis) about 3-5 mins each that can be used as a pre/post run stretch 
  • A.M. Yoga for Your Week - this DVD has 5 different 20-25 minute yoga sessions to start the day: staning poses, back bends, forward bends, twists, and hip openners. They are great to start the day or as a cool down stretch after a long run.
  • Yoga Core Cross Train - This DVD includes two core yoga workouts: 30 minute strength building, 30 minute restorative, targeting the total body and suitable for any age or experience level.
Kickboxing
Core/Strength
What are your favorite at home workouts?

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Marathon Training Update = 23 Miles of Determination!

This morning I ran 23 miles in 5:15:34 @ 13:46 min/mile pace in the freezing cold. This is a distance PR by 3 miles! I'm exhausted and achy, but ecstatic at what I've accomplished. You can read the details of the run on dailymile.

It really sunk in more than ever this morning that I am definitely a runner, and it has transformed me. Two years ago, I would have laughed at the thought of running more than a mile, let alone going out at 3 am in the cold -- which I considered to be anything under 65. The old me would have used the low temperature as an excuse to stay in bed and skip the workout. But the new me is determined to do whatever it takes to finish my first marathon and nothing seems to deter me.

I've done a lot of things I never thought I would, including running in the rain, running in sub-freezing temperatures, and entering the food chain to complete a triathlon. When the forecast called for rain during my last half marathon, I did not once considered not running it an option. I simply went to Track Shack, got the proper gear, and wished for the best. Being out of town for Thanksgiving and Christmas meant I had to do two long runs (6.5 miles and 10 miles) without my beloved Galloway group. I was apprehensive at first, but knew I could do it and it turned out to be easier than expected. Visiting Jason's parents in Georgia this week meant that I had to run twice in (literally) freezing weather: 3 miles and 4.75 miles. Last year I got sick and didn't attempt it. This year I was determined not to jeopardize marathon training, so I got some warm clothes and braved the elements and hills.

I'm so ready to tackle this marathon already, but I am grateful for the next two weekends of shorter long runs--10 & 12. And how awesome is it that 10-12 miles is considered "short" now? :) On 1/23 I'll tackle my last long run of 26 miles, then begin a 4 week taper. So I'll basically be running two marathon 5 weeks apart.
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