December 19th, 2008
Tomorrow’s 5K is gonna be a cold one: wind chill of 20 degrees. That’ll be only the third time I’ve run in that cold a temp so racing in it should be interesting. All I want is to have a fun morning (a PR can wait) so it’s a no-pressure race and this, my friends, is huge. I’m finally beginning to mellow out on that score. ‘Bout time.
In other streams of thought, the weight loss thread on the Marathon Race Training Forum is becoming huge and inspiring with Before-After photos from fellow bloggers/commenters Kazz, Progman and EatDrinkRunWoman, among others. What transformations!
Since adding my name to the list, I’ve made better food choices the last few days. More shocking, it’s now Day 9 without candy and this is a real milestone. Honest Injun, about every night for the last 10 years I’ve had candy after dinner. Now, my new dessert is granola cereal with some light yogurt, how’s that for a sensible trade-off?
A shoe moment: I’ve never really known when to switch shoes, they say when you start getting aches or pains. Most people get new ones at 300-350 miles, so I was getting rid of my shoes at 350 miles without an actual need to, just because I thought I should.
Nowadays, I don’t feel like throwing away perfectly usable shoes, so I currently have three pairs of Inspires in rotation with mileages of 405, 366 and 257. I have to laugh at how hard it was, psychologically, to continue using that first pair after they got to 350. I kept wondering if I was putting myself in danger for injury and would I be able to tell the shoes were fucking me up before they fucked me up? So far, so good…the old ones don’t feel perceptibly different from my newer ones, so I’ll keep wearing them until I have a reason not to. Here’s hoping they’re good for 500, if not more.
And that’s it for today, check back here tomorrow for a race report – which better be full of fun, goddamn it!
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Morning! Good luck on your 5k tomorrow. I, too, am supposed to race in the blistery and possibly snowy weather but have not really decided if I am or not. I have to drive an hour to get to the race so I will have to wait and see how the roads are before I decide.
I have also been reading the MRT thread and wow is it big! I have a hard time keeping up with that one. However, I have been inspired by the before and after pictures. My big thing is Oreos after dinner. For as long as I can remember I have had 2 Oreos (a serving size with 140 calories if you are wondering why just 2) after dinner with my milk. That is one thing I find hard to give up. So you have my complete congratulations on the candy change. I understand how hard it can be. However, it is almost a new year and I am ready for a new me, at least as far as my diet!!
Again good luck tomorrow!
Christi, good luck tomorrow too! Driving an hour and in potential snow definitely puts another set of variables on it, so if you do it…kick ass!
Have to laugh at your two Oreos, that’s like when someone tells me they smoke 2 cigarettes a week, I’m like, “hell, that’s nothing, good for you for being able to keep it in check like that.” (speaking from a 2-pack-a-day memory), but I know, our little habits make a difference.
running when it’s that cold really isn’t that bad if dressed right, and that can take some trial and error. I seem to sweat like a pig no matter how cold it is or what I wear.
as far as shoes, I use to push it to 500 miles, now I notice a difference after 300. I have a pair of 2130s that I put over the counter insoles in and I think I’ll get 400 miles outa those. I rotate about 3 pairs.
Yeah, when it comes to clothes, raceday always gives me anxiety. I’m beginning to find a pattern though, I think I tend to dress for 8-10 degrees less on raceday than on training runs. Still working out this theory, though.
Cool on you for extending shoe life with insoles. Very smart!
OK, I’m off to do what little holiday shopping we have on the list, so will return later for more gab.
Good luck on your 5K. Since its cold dress like its 10* warmer. Try not to overdress. Try to do a decent warm up run.
Far has shoes, I always try to get at least 500 miles out of them. This could be because im cheap. I read, I think it was Glovers book, bye rotating shoes you extend the life of them. Some reason it made sense to me.
Yes it was Glover. I had to look it up. Glovers Competitive Runner’s Handbook page 398. He writes “studies show that by alternating 2 pairs of shoes they’ll last longer than 3 pairs used consecutively.”
So if your rotating 3 pairs you might be good even longer.
I wonder how the people who did the studies figured out when their shoes were done? I’m kinda alternating two pairs at present. The old ones for slow or muddy, and the newer ones for fast or long. Both these pairs have run marathons, and the old ones must be well past 400 by now. I track the miles in a spreadsheet, but I’ve been reluctant to check the totals!
On the clothing front, my early-morning running habit has involved me in some ice and rain this week. I swear by my spandex leggings, and also a thin nylon running jacket with a full-length zipper. I can adjust the temperature by moving the zipper up and down. I wear long sleeves underneath, and an extra layer if it’s raining hard.
The MRT weight loss thread has taken on a life of it’s own – I agree it’s a great thread (contemplating putting that before and after pic on my blog because I know most those readers aren’t RWOL folks). I have also started to evaluate and overhaul my eating patterns, but I am REALLY trying to avoid doing this DailyPlate.com thing. The one thing I promised myself was that I would never get to the point of actually calorie counting- sooner or later it’s inevitable I suppose.
On the subject of shoes, some of the Brooks shoes I wear I can never seem to get more that 250 miles out of before my knees start complaining. I wish I could get 500.
I think shoe life and body weight are inter-related. My training buddy Joe is taller and heavier than me. and takes longer strides. He’s really hard on his shoes, and they give up after about 300 miles. I (usually) stop using mine after 400 even though it’s hard to sense any deterioration at that distance.
on weight and shoes, I agree. When I was 10lbs less, I got more outa my shoes. Never really thought of that.
Progman, I wouldnt worry about dailyplate.com.
It’s a bit of a pain and I think if you have a good idea about that you’re eating, you dont need to go there.
I had to delete my post because of redundancy. I will repost when I have something intelligent to say!