Archive for July, 2011

Had a solid workout yesterday, my first tempo in almost a month thanks to the injury interruption.  Coach Adam/ A muse, while not coaching me this time since I’m in laid-back mode indefinitely (though he’s still letting me tug on his shirt tails when I get the urge) suggested 3 x 10min starting at MP progressing to HP which sounded fun, though I did it by distance so I’d have absolute time & pace values.  And because I’m still clueless about my current marathon and half pace, I used my last tempos as guides.  Happily, it was the nicest morning in weeks: 71 degrees and 50 dewpoint.

It was a 15-miler starting with 3.25mi easy, then the tempo portion which looked like this: 1.5mi@7:21, 1.5mi@7:02 and 1.75mi@6:54 (this one was a bit longer, just because) w/ 2min recoveries between each.  I finished with a brisk pace for the remaining 6.5 miles home.  Avg pace for the 15 miles was 7:55 and the heart rate data looks really good.

Today’s run was funny, thanks to a tiny older Asian woman on a bike who rode by me and yelled the word “HOT!” looking kinda mad, which confused me, it wasn’t that hot and she was wearing long sleeves, I figured I misunderstood her or that she was a crazy person.  I caught up to her a few miles later while she was adjusting her bike and she said “You take a break, you need break, too hot”.  Which totally cracked me up, it wasn’t like my shorts were soaked but my skin was pretty sweaty, I guess, but she was so cute.  About 20 minutes later, she passes me again and says “How far you go?  10 miles?  You go 10 miles?”  I replied with a laugh “13″ to which she replied “10 miles?  You go 10 miles?” so I said again “13!” and I think she got it, as she shook her head like I was a lost cause and rode on.  I love my park.

Shoes!
Yesterday brought a shoe extravaganza from Runningwarehouse.  I’ve said before that I’m not a smart shoe reviewer and never will be, I can’t tell crap about nuances or what makes one shoe better than another.  My reviews have to do with my picky feet that hate most shoes.  In fact, when I go to one of those shoe superstores for regular shoes, like DSW, I always leave feeling like a failure as a woman for having tried on a bazillion shoes and not feeling right in any.

So when you read my non-scientific, non-runnerly reviewettes (not true reviews, two of the pairs didn’t even leave the Blue Hovel), definitely don’t take my word for it, everybody’s feet are different and you might love what I can’t deal with. I’ve listed the size and weight of the shoes and for comparison’s sake, I wear 7.5 in Men’s Kinvara and they weigh 7.2oz.

Brooks Green Silence

These had the lowest heel-drop of any of the shoes I ordered.  The weird thing with the heel-drop is that it’s 7mm as opposed to the 4mm of Kinvaras but I felt like I was wearing Earth Shoes, with a negative heel.  Really strange.  But what bothered me more was the firmness of the upper.  They call it a mesh upper but it’s solid fabric with perforations in it.  It also has a rubber overlay on the toe (or whatever “green” material it is), which is also used as trim for the lace attachments.  I was too aware of the stiffness it caused, though I think in the winter it wouldn’t bug me, but with Summer humidity that leaves my shoes sloshing and my feet spreading, I want a more “transparent” shoe. So no.  (Women’s size 9, 6.6oz)

Pearl Izumi Streak II

I thought this was the cutest of the bunch and wanted it to work but it didn’t.  Again, I was too aware of the hard plastic overlay at the toe though a bigger size would probably fix that.  Still, I could feel some strange bumpy action below my foot at the sole, they just didn’t feel right, so I said no to these, too. (Mens size 8, 7.3oz)

Adidas AdiZero Adios
These were juuuuust right!  They were actually the first ones I tried on but I couldn’t start the review with a success story, that’d be boring.  Anyway, they’re uglier than sin (though the green was the lesser evil than the salmony/orangey/pukey color)  and whenever I pass anyone in the park wearing a bright solid color, I can’t help but stare at their feet so now it’s my turn, but when I put these on it was like putting on slippers.

Touted as a great marathon racing shoe (Haile Gebrselassie got his 2:03 WR in them) I’ve read a few reviews saying people use them as daily trainers which is my aim, though it’s cool that I can race with them, as well.

What makes them so comfortable is that the only firm trim on the entire shoe are the supportive stripes on the side and the band supporting the heel (the heel cup is rigid, as well).  The upper is a forgiving mesh while the toe and lace trim are suede-like fabric, extremely soft.  But the best part for me, notorious shoe surgeon, is that the toe overlay doesn’t extend around the edges, leaving mesh on either side so your toes can fan out to their heart’s content.  This is a beautiful thing!

I wore them on my 13-miler this morning and loved the way they felt: light, fast and really comfy.  It was strange wearing a different shoe after wearing Kinvaras every day for over a year.  I was aware of being closer to the ground with none of that sponginess of the Kinvara but I didn’t really notice the heel being built up, it’s always my forefoot that gets my attention more than anything.  Didn’t have any hotspots, smooth run first time out.  Bonus: the shoe laces have sparkles in them (and these are Mens, lol) and thanks to the color, I’ll be able to find them under the bed really easily. (Mens size 8, 6.7oz.  Actually, the left one is 6.6oz and the right is 6.8oz…left foot wins the race!)

A Blogger Brunch
This Sunday, I’m driving up to NYC for a couple hours to break bread with some blogger friends I’ve been “talking to” for a couple years but have never met.  Ewen is here on a long holiday from Australia, which precipitated the powwow, then Julie and Joe will be there, along with a couple additional NY-based running bloggers.  I’ll also enjoy a fun blast from the past, because a gal I used to work with at TR Technologies in NYC (maybe 17 years ago?), also a runner, will be joining us.  Should be a great time.

I was in the midst of writing a blog post on how much I despise the whole real estate racket with their bait and switch tactics (ads for places/prices that don’t even exist), was going to tell you about how I almost took one place in a high-rise, cute apartment but with a horrible view of a gas station and tons of vehemently negative online reviews, but that the building manager wasn’t satisfied with my 1040 (nevermind that I have a perfect credit rating and my landlord would give a stellar recommendation, they refused to check either) so they turned me down which made me feel like a pathetic loser.  Then there were the appointments that got canceled because someone else beat me to it, one that happened just as I was walking up to the building.

It was depressing, but not for long. I was getting re-used to the idea of living one more year in the Blue Hovel and saving as much money as I could.  The girl upstairs was letting me sleep through the night, so that was the main thing.  Better to stay here and be in a better position for next year than grovel or deal with liars.

So I’m finishing up the post, click on my Craigslist bookmark out of habit (I’ve only been doing that about 100 times/day) and see something new that just came up.  A one bedroom, perfectly in my budget, on one of the most beautiful blocks in the area…no exaggeration, it’s a richy block.  I talk to the owner (an adorable Greek couple who live there) and within 10 minutes, I’m outside on the street, confused, because I run up this block every day and always thought this particular building was a private home with its perfectly manicured yard, flowers everywhere, so peaceful and pretty.  But no, this is the place.

Look! A turret!

Long story short: it’s amazing, it’s perfect, it’s beyond what I could have hoped for.  Central air (Philly is an old city, so this isn’t the norm), dishwasher, beautiful hardwood floors, refinished wood everywhere, the owners live there and take great pride in the building so it’s super clean and well-kept.  But the best part is…there’s a turret!  It’s a tiny half-round room in a turret off the living room, perfect for a sewing area. It totally reminds me of when I lived in England for a year when I was a kid.

Not only that, the building is set back on what is already a quiet street that leads straight into the park, my running mecca.  Compare this to my current place, a premiere example of urban garbage-strewn ugliness complete with unending noise from 4 lanes of ever-present traffic.  As I walked back home, thinking about what I’d just seen, all I could do is repeat to myself over and over again “OMG OMG OMG OMG…”

Couple fun facts: there was a tenant who lived there 14 years, moved in every apartment in the building at one time or another, ended up falling in love with a girl on the first floor and they recently got married and bought a house.  I asked the owners to please find a nice-looking man for me too.  Another unexpected thing was when they said if I ever need to break the lease, just please don’t do it in the winter because they don’t want to deal with trying to find renters in the winter.  LOL!!  I can break the lease and not be punished for it?  What planet am I on?  This is everything I’m not used to in a landlord – sweet people with heart.

Running Shoe Smorgasbord
My beloved first edition Kinvaras are on sale – and for good, I imagine – at Eastbay for $39.99 (small mens sizes, great for women).  By all rights, I should be stocking up, but I already have a couple boxed pair and a few in rotation so I’m not chompin’ at the bit.  But I am becoming curious as to what else is out there and would like a different model shoe to alternate with, so I just ordered 3 different styles from Runningwarehouse…very exciting! I don’t expect them all to work but if one does, that’d be great.

My priority was to remain in the lightweight category and that the toebox be roomy enough.  I wish they all had the same 4mm heel drop as the Kinvara but alas, they don’t.  I willingly forfeited higher heels for the likelihood of a better overall fit (thanks to Runningwarehouse’s Shoefitr).  But I should mention, I don’t care that much about the heel drop as long as the shoe’s lightweight, I just don’t want any injury potential from rotating a low heel with a higher one.

So what’d I order?  Asics Adizero Adios, Brooks Green Silence and Pearl Izumi Streak II.  The only one I got in the female version is the Green Silence.  The highest heel drop is the Adios at 11mm, then the StreakII at 9mm and the Green Silence at 8mm.  They’re all about the same weight.   I was also considering the NB Road Minimus and Mizuno Ronin, so if these don’t work out, I’ll try those as well.

The ones I ordered, btw, are listed as racing shoes, but since I’m light and don’t put much wear on my shoes, they should work as everyday trainers.  But as the year progresses, I’m sure there’ll be more Kinvara-like offerings as other companies get in on the low heel-drop, lightweight trainer bandwagon.  Brooks, as a matter of fact, has this coming out in October and I’m sure it won’t be long till the other companies follow suit. It’s too big a market to ignore.

OK!  It’s 6:30 and I am going to leave the Blue Hovel in September…woohoo!! Time for a cocktail for sure.  Cheers, m’dears!

…and all parts working properly.  I even had a slight distance PR this week with 92 miles.

I’ve been strictly capping my weekly volume at 90 so I wouldn’t be tempted to make arbitrary mileage raises, but coming off a couple weeks of enforced cutbacks I didn’t need my usual Monday recovery 9.  Instead, I saved it as a Get Out Of Jail Free card in case I needed a shorter run later in the week, but I ended up not needing it.  (and ok, maybe there was also some petulance involved, a “so there!” to having been injured)

I wore the knee strap one more time, on Monday, but it annoyed me and I couldn’t decide if it helped or hindered so that was the end of that.  I’ve been running without problems since then, though occasionally stopping to stretch if I sense any knee tightness coming on.

Returning to my regular mileage level was uneventful (aside from being hugely happy-making and a big fat relief) but I was wimpy about running fast again, afraid I might aggravate something.  It’s amazing how fragile you can feel after months of feeling nearly indestructible.

Thanks to a week of awful weather, the thought of running hard was extremely unappealing so I had no problem holding off.  But by the end of the week I was antsy about losing any speed I had left, so Thursday I trepidatiously added in some strides.  That went fine, so the next day I did a couple miles at 7:30 to see how that felt and then finished off with a set of strides.  Modest efforts, to be sure, but at least it got the ball rolling again.

Back To My Old Tricks Week In Review
Monday: 11@8:33
Tuesday: 13@8:29
Wednesday: 12@8:18
Thursday: 16@8:21 (6 strides)
Friday: 12@8:11 (couple quicker miles + 5 strides)
Saturday: 16@8:12
Sunday: 12@8:04
Total: 92 mi (avg pace 8:18)

I’ve Been Googlefied!
If you’re a Facebook friend or 3:20 buddy, you already know this, but here’s something crazy I discovered the other day while using Google Street View to check out something on my apartment building.  It’s me!  You can even go down the street for a different perspective of my ass. Hilarious.

The funniest thing besides seeing myself (which was really weird) is that I remember that day perfectly, though it was over 1½ years ago.  I was out there trying to fix the latch on the trunk of my car.  Good thing you can’t see my face because I was completely pissed off.

So you all know by now I live in a horrible dump I unaffectionately call The Blue Hovel, named for its disgusting ancient blue office carpet replete with gross holes (and that I recently thought was the source of a scabies attack till I realized it was heat rash), clashing light blue floor tile in the kitchen and more unrelated-in-the-blue-family tile covering the bathroom walls.  Doesn’t help that my couch (bought before this apartment) is also blue.

You probably also know I had a horrible situation with my first upstairs neighbors due to the fact that the ceiling is a GPS for whoever lives above, creaking loudly everywhere, particularly above my bed.  The girl who replaced them was petite and often away on a trip, so I didn’t have a burbling hatred with her at all, though it’s still been a series of intrusions to hear her alarm go off for mornings and naps, the occasional bout of crying, many many sleep interruptions…basically, more uninvited humanity than a person deserves in their own private space.

But it’s cheap.

I moved here after breaking up with Nick and this was the least awful available place in the neighborhood, so I took it.  There are some redeeming features as far as location and…come to think of it, that’s the only redeeming feature.

Because not only is it embarrassingly ugly, it’s embarrassingly small – around 350sq ft.  Luckily, I don’t own a lot of things, yet it’s taken creativity to live here.  Anyone coming over would always say “it’s not so bad!” but they were just being nice.  And a couple friends have witnessed the ceiling clomping, so trust me, I’m not being Princess and the Pea about it.

Anyway, you know I started talking about moving out during the first year while on my Financial Marathon (start with the bottom post and work up, if you care).  Tail between my legs, that didn’t come to fruition in as timely a manner as I’d hoped, so I signed the lease for another year.  Wonder of Wonders, a few months later, the Financial Marathon did come to a successful conclusion!  My income increased substantially and I was finally saving money – a fantastic turn of events, especially because prior to that, my bank account had hovered for over a year between $2-$4000.  Scary at my age.

But now I’ve got a little nest egg building and it’s been amazing to be able to buy the few things I want (very few, I can barely fit an extra pair of socks in this dump) or drop $1000 on the Vegas Half Marathon trip coming up and not even have a second thought.

Cut To The Chase, Flo!
My lease is expiring Sept. 1st and even though this place is utter shit, I had decided to renew for one final year, delaying escape to save more dough.  One reason was that my new income level still feels foreign and since I’m self-employed, I figured another year would let me trust it.  Plus, I really despise moving as an activity and the girl upstairs was gone enough that I figured I could stand it for another 12 months.

But then, a month ago, I saw a U-Haul outside…the girl upstairs was moving out!  All of a sudden, I was in panic mode, knowing that whoever moved up there wasn’t likely to be out of town regularly.

It turned out to be another young girl, nice enough, but who has been here for 4 days and already woken me up every.  single. night. at around 2am.  Luckily, I’m taking that melatonin so I’m able to return to sleep quickly but I have had it!!! And I’m not at all blaming the girl, I used to go to bed at 3am when I was her age – it’s just that this is one craptasticly horrible building.

So I started looking at Craigslist and getting depressed over the listings until I did some calculations and realized…I can afford a nice place!  I’m just so used to being poor, I was still in a mentality of thinking my rent had to be as low as possible.  This is crazy, considering the amount of time I spend at home – if there’s one thing I should spend money on, it’s a place I love to be.  Furthermore, even with a sizable rent increase, I’ll still be able to save while getting TONS more for my dough.

So when my window broke on Sunday, I was all “This is yet another sign saying GO, ALREADY!”.   Hell, I’ve even been toying with forfeiting my security deposit to escape one month sooner but I’ll do my best to stick it out.  This is one move I will not despise.

The Adventurers
Unrelated, I wanted to post this great photo of my ex-husband, Jonny, and friend Andy, who are in the midst of a 10-week sailing adventure.  They started in Long Island, NY and are headed to Disko Island, Greenland before sailing back down again, just the two of them on Andy’s boat.  Here they are yesterday on the Strait of Belle Isle (Jonny left, Andy right) giving a 4th of July toast, which is kinda funny since Jonny’s a Brit and Andy’s Swiss.

Check out the map.  I included Iceland so you can get an idea of how far north they’re going.  This, my friends, is one of the few occasions I reserve the word Awsome for.  Because it literally is.

What an exciting 2 weeks for my leg!  First, an achilles scare due to a tight calf muscle, then the day that left the building, I got runner’s knee. I’m pretty sure it arose from spending a week doing all that intense rehab stuff below the knee (eccentric heel drops, rolling, massage, tennis ball, Stick) while totally ignoring everything north of that.  Hey, I never said I wasn’t lazy.

I’ve spent the week rolling the crap out of my quads, IT and glute, several times a day.  The vastus medialis (teardrop muscle near the inner knee) had a knot on par with that evil calf muscle so I massaged it like mad till it finally abated 4 days later.  Meanwhile, there are still two trigger points on the IT and vastus lateralis that I can feel when I roll, but they’re just about gone.

I was able to run through it except for Wednesday, after trotting downhill towards the park it felt worse than before and made me nervous so I stopped and walked back home.  Later that day, I realized it was just that the discomfort had moved to the IT band side of the knee.  So for the next two days, I cut distance and started taking the flat route to the park.

It’s been feeling progressively better and today, because I wanted to run longer, I got a patellar strap.  I wasn’t sure about it though; when I had ITBS in 2009, I tried an IT band strap and hated it so I wore it once.  But the patellar strap worked beautifully. I felt my knee at the beginning of the run but then…nothing. The other nice thing about the run was my friend Kev was out there on his bike so we chatted for about 5 miles.

Week Of The Knee in review
Monday: 9@8:19
Tuesday: 15@8:08
Wednesday: 1.1@8:36 (my walking home day)
Thursday: 9@8:06
Friday: 9@7:57
Saturday: 12@8:13
Sunday: 15@8:18
Total: 70 mi (avg pace 8:11)

All in all, I was pretty laid back about having another tweak to deal with.  Aside from losing a few little workouts (no biggie since real training doesn’t start till next week), I still managed to have a solid week of running and this week should see me back to the usual shmusual.  Besides, other stuff has been pretty great…

First off, I thought it was going to be a dead month for voiceover work and it ended up being real busy.  But better still was the discovery of my new favorite TV show via Netflix, Obsessed, about people with OCD.  How on earth can I be worried about a little running trouble when there’s a woman so afraid of feces, she scrubs her rectum with a toothbrush to the point of needing 2 blood transfusions.  Seriously, I have nothing to complain about.

Well, aside from this morning when my bedroom window broke so now it’s impossible to open until someone with a very tall ladder comes to fix it. And then a few minutes later (no exaggeration) my router died. But a quick trip to Best Buy righted the latter and in my next post, I’ll tell you why the former was A Sign and how life is going to improve dramatically in a couple months.  Until then, Happy 4th of July to my US friends and Happy Whatever Day It Is In Your Timezone to my foreign ones.