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Category Archives: Running

Training Log: Because I’m Training for Something!

May 20, 2019 By in Big Cottonwood Marathon, Running, Training Tags: , , , , , , 1 Comment
Training Log: Because I’m Training for Something!

If you follow me on Instagram, then you might know I was selected to run the Big Cottonwood Marathon (Yes, MARATHON). A week ago, training for a marathon wasn’t my plan for the summer. I wanted to get speed and get back into shape, but I didn’t have any huge goals in mind. I applied for the Team Hylands Big Cottonwood Team because it sounded like an awesome experience. I never thought I would be selected.

Big Cottonwood is the exact opposite marathon experience of what I’ve been used too. I’ve run NYCM twice, and it’s crowded and hilly. Both of my better marathon times have come from NYCM (3:17, 3:07) despite it being one of the toughest courses out there. The second marathon I ran, Phoenix, was downhill enough that it doesn’t count towards an OTQ but you can still Boston Qualify. I ran a 3:14 there, and at the time was a PR. It wasn’t close to the 3:10 I wanted and my quads were on fire from the downhill.

Am I entirely sure I will excel at a new downhill course? I don’t know, but I am excited to have a big race on the books.

I’m not in the same shape as last spring, summer, or fall, so my goal is to get back into shape. I would be ecstatic to run about the same time as NYCM, knowing it wouldn’t translate into the same fitness as a 3:07 at NYCM. I’m most excited to train for something.  I’ll have a post about it at some point, but I’m going to wait a couple more weeks to start “training.”  I want a shorter training cycle with 2-3 20 miles. I don’t want to focus much on doing anything past 20 miles because in the humid summer, that is unpleasant. I would rather take shorter quality miles, than longer, slogging through the humidity miles.

That was a long intro to my training log, right?

Monday: Easy 60 minutes/3000 meter swim
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 12X400 averaging 6:20 pace
Thursday: 3000-meter swim
Friday: Easy 60 minutes
Saturday: Movie Madness Half Marathon (14 Mile at 7:10 pace)
Sunday: Easy 60 minutes/3000 meter swim

 

Thoughts:

Besides marathon training, I guess. As always, my easy runs are just that, easy.

Workout Wednesday: 12X400 averaging 6:20 pace with 90 seconds recovery

I do my workouts on roads. I like it better, and most tracks aren’t open except very early or very late. So I do them all on roads. When school is done for the summer, I might get on the track.  The workout was a little faster than last week, which is progress.

Swimming:

I still plan to swim throughout the summer. I’m enjoying the cross training, and even though I’m marathon training soon, I think the extra cross training is going to keep me healthy.

Movie Madness Half Marathon: 14 Miles (7:10 average):

After my weekend plans changed, I decided to skip town and run the Movie Madness Half Marathon in Harrisburg. You can’t beat a $60 half marathon these days. The short story is, I was misdirected around mile 3 and ended up running 14 miles instead of 13.1 While yes, it stinks to get lost and run longer, my goal for the race was to get quality miles in. I wasn’t in a “race mode,” and I didn’t go to the half marathon to run my “fastest” ever.  It was fun to get a long run done elsewhere and enjoy myself.

Anyway, that was my most exciting training log for a while, because I’m going to start training for something.

Posts from the Week:

Exploring Tyler State Park (Newtown, PA)

Reebok Floatride Run Fast

Cape May 10k (42:35)

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. This week I talked about why running shoes are so expensive.  Each week in the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport. There are often giveaways as well as discount codes.

Questions for you:

Have you run the Big Cottonwood Marathon? Have you run a downhill marathon? Any tips? 

Are you training for something this summer?

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Reebok Floatride Run Fast

May 15, 2019 By in Gear Review, Running Tags: , , , , , , 6 Comments
Reebok Floatride Run Fast

Like I mentioned with the Reebok Floatride Run fast Pro, if you had asked me if I would be running in Reebok a year ago I would have laughed. Now I run in two shoes from Reebok.  Plus, the Runfast Pro rivals the Nike 4% and in my opinion, a better shoe when it rains.  Recently, Reebok stepped up their game and reentered the running industry.

Reebok Floatride Run Fast shoe review

Floatride Run Fast ( $140)
Weight: 6.05 oz
Stack Height:8mm drop.

Fit:

It fits more similar to a racing flat than a true trainer. It runs narrow, and the top is pointy. If you have a wider foot, it’s better to go up a half size. I found the 10.5 to be a good fit, but I think it was running longer I might go higher than that.

The upper uses a very thin engineered mesh. I can appreciate how the mesh is seamless. If you have a bunion or wider forefront, it won’t rub. The upper is one of the lightest and most breathable of any shoes I’ve run in.  It’s worth noting that with the lack of seams, there isn’t a lot of structure to the shoe.

Reebok Floatride Run Fast shoe review

Ride:

The Reebok Floatride Run Fast is a shoe that is designed to run fast. It’s not a true racing flat and has more cushion than the Pro, but it’s a great option for speed work and tempos.

Since it has enough cushion, it could be used as a long run or an easy run shoe, but I don’t think I’ll keep it there myself.  If you like running in something flatter or lighter (like the Saucony Kinvara, Hoka Cavu, or New Balance Beacon), you might prefer to train in it.

Reebok has the best traction of any road shoe on the market right now. When it’s raining or wet, I’ve gravitated towards Reebok just because of all of the rubber on the bottom. If I run another rainy race, I’ll probably race in the Run Fast Pro.

Reebok Floatride Run Fast shoe review

Conclusion:

Reebok is definitely back in the running game with their shoes. The Run Fast is a great option for speed work and faster runs. For me, it won’t be an easy run or recovery shoe because I need more cushion.

Current Rotation:

Easy/Daily Runs: Hoka Mach 2, Brooks Glycerin 17

Speed Work: Reebok Float Ride Runfast Pro, Nike Streak Lt,

Long Runs: Hoka Cavu 2

Races: Nike Fly, Reebok Run fast Pro

You can see all current shoe reviews here.

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. This week I talked about the differences between social media runners and running specialty.  In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport. There are often giveaways as well as discount codes.

Questions for you:

What is your favorite shoe in the rain?

What shoe are you racing in right now? 

 

 

Training: Building Fitness and 10ks

May 13, 2019 By in Running, Training Tags: , , , , , , , 3 Comments
Training: Building Fitness and 10ks

Last weeks training was good. I got what I wanted for the week.  Over the summer, I plan to race as much as possible to get back into shape. That’s what I did when I set my 5k PR several years ago. I want to keep racing until I’m back in shape. I personally find I’m able to push myself harder in races versus workouts.

Monday: Easy 60 minutes
Swim 3000 meters
Tuesday: Easy 60 minutes
Swim 3000 meters
Wednesday: 3X1 mile averaging 6:30 pace
Thursday: 3000-meter swim
Friday: Easy 60 minutes
Saturday: Cape May 10k (42:35) Total miles with warmup/cooldown 10
Sunday: Long Run 12 miles averaging 7:58 pace (last 3 miles 7:08, 7:01, 6:56)

Thoughts:

After a rough Spring and putting the effort in, and not getting anywhere I’ve finally committed mentally to building back fitness. When I start trying to build back speed, I’m usually faster, so this feels as though I have a long way to go, especially considering Spring didn’t go my way.

My easy runs were just that, easy. There is never much more to say about them.

Workout Wednesday: 3X 1 mile (averaging 6:30 pace) with 2 minutes rest in between:

This was my first-speed workout in about a month. I intentionally took time off to allow my body some rest from hard workouts. It felt challenging, but I’m happy with my effort and getting back out there.

Swimming:

As most people know by now, I’ve been getting back into the pool more. I still plan to swim throughout the summer. I was a competitive swimmer through college, and it seems like a different lifetime ago. I’m having fun in the pool right now because I can mindlessly stare at the black line for about an hour. I can’t compare myself to previous fitness levels because there is no way I’ll get back in the pool for 10,000-14,000 meters 5X a week as we did in college (yes that’s 2-4 hours most days).

Cape May 10k: (42:35)

This pace was slower than my 10-mile pace at Broad Street. I have struggled to get the turnover in my legs faster recently. It feels as though my body as one pace for hard efforts and that is between 6:45-6:55.

This is another personal worst in recent years, but as I said on Instagram, my goal is to show up at races. The good, bad, ugly, I’ll be there. I still had a great time with friends, and I’m happy to have done it.

 

Long Run: 12 miles averaging 7:58 pace

My long run on Sunday felt better than my race on Saturday. My last 3 miles of my long run were 7:08, 7:01, 6:56. My last 3 miles of my 10k the day before were 6:58, 7:01, 7:01). Somewhat comical but that’s how the legs felt. I would have loved to run better at the race, but it wasn’t in the cards. I didn’t set out to run that fast, but it was motivational that I felt better for my long run.  

Posts from the Week:

Broad Street 10 Miler (1:07.35) 

Hiking Parker Loop at High Point State Park

Aftershokz Headphone Review

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. This week I talked about the differences between social media runners and running specialty.  In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport. There are often giveaways as well as discount codes.

Questions for you:

How do you get your turnover faster?

What is something you struggle with in running? Long runs? Easy runs? Workouts?

 

Broad Street 10 Miler (1:07.35)

May 10, 2019 By in Running Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment
Broad Street 10 Miler (1:07.35)

Every year at Broad Street brings a new challenge. This year was the least amount I’ve run, and I was in the worst fitness I’ve been in going into the race. Worst, shouldn’t be read as a bad thing as I’ve been enjoying other things such as hiking and swimming.

I knew I wasn’t going to be anywhere close to the 1:01-1:05 I’ve run every other year, but that was okay.  My dad drove up as he likes the race as well. This year, the weather was pouring rain. It never stopped, and in fact miles, 8-10 rained harder. It was warm rain, so it was mentally difficult to decide if I wore a jacket or not. Ultimately, I did, and I’m still not sure it was the best idea.  Although with the wind, I know without a jacket I would have been cold.

We got to the stadium around 6 am. Broad Street is a 10-mile race straight down Broad Street, so you have to take transportation up. With 40,000 people it’s imperative to be early. We made it up to the start line by 7 am. Once we got out, it was pouring rain. Like a significant race, you have to wait around. So we waited around for an hour. It was cold and rainy.

Broad Street Run 2019 dad and i

Finally, I found my way to the corral around 7:50. I had an elite bib, but I hadn’t run anywhere close to a time to qualify me there for about 8-9 months. I wasn’t going to start there and started right at the front of the purple coral. Purple was for anyone who wanted to go 1:05-1:10. I ran the Garden State 10 Miler in 1:08.30 so this seemed like the best bet.

Broad Street Run 2019

“Act as awkward as possible”
Me: Ok

Finally, we were off. I hadn’t started around purple before so it was a new experience being bumper to bumper with everyone for the first mile. You literally can’t move in any direction but straight.

The first mile went off without any note. I ran a 6:40 and I felt decent. My legs felt stiff. They didn’t feel ready to run hard, but I felt like I could run faster than the last 10 Miler.

Mile 2, I ran a 6:25. I was surprised it was that fast, but I was just running. It finally opened up, so I made more space to move.  Not that I was weaving around, but I wasn’t running on top of anyone.

I told myself to get to mile 3.  Then I would be 1/3 of the way there. I hit mile 3 in 6:38. It as too crowded for me to get any Gatorade, so I settled for water. I could have used electrolytes, but it is what it is.

The next two miles, I focused on getting to mile 5. Mile 5, is City Hall and brings a change of scenery. You run around City Hall and continue around Broad Street. It breaks it up, and by the time you’re through it, you’re nearly at mile 6.

In the last three weeks, I’ve run less, and I’ve only run 10 miles once. Most of my runs have been 6 miles, and I haven’t done anything fast since the Atlantic City Half. So it would make sense that at mile 6, I felt like I hit a bunch of bricks.

I ran a 6:56 and 6:51 and just kept telling myself to get to the finish line. By mile 8, I told myself only 15 more minutes.

I knew one of my closest friends, Shawn, would be hanging around mile 9 and I wanted to be able to see her. Suddenly, I did! Instead of just waving like an average person, I slid over and high fived her. Maybe it cost me a few seconds, but I was over it.

We went under the Navy Yard banner at 9.75 and just powered to the finish. I crossed in 1:07.35.

Thoughts:

I won’t say I’m thrilled with the time, as it’s over 2 minutes slower than any other Broad Street I’ve run. That being said, I haven’t been in the same shape, so I’m not surprised either. It’s starting my racing back into fitness. This summer I decided I’m going to run a lot of races and get back into fitness that way.

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport. There are often giveaways as well as discount codes.

Questions for you:

Have you run a 10 Mile Race? 

What is your favorite distance? 

 

Aftershokz Headphone Review

May 8, 2019 By in Gear Review, Running Tags: , , , , , , 26 Comments
Aftershokz Headphone Review

Many people have asked to start including product reviews as well as shoe reviews on my blog. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t change shoes every single week so a new shoe review won’t happen.

I’ve reviewed a few other running brand gear including CEP Compression as well as the Coros GPS Watch.

Aftershokz Headphone review

Do you run with music?

This is a question I get frequently. During easy runs, I do. During workouts and races, I don’t. I don’t typically listen to podcasts when I run and usually keep podcasts on in the background when I’m working or cleaning my house (hey, we all need motivation right?).

I should preface this review with: for years, I used the standard iPhone headphones and didn’t have an issue. I could buy dollar store headphones, and they would work.

The primary issue, for me, was safety and hearing things around me. With standards headphones, I always kept the music low to hear around me.

What makes Aftershokz different?

By now, you’ve heard of Aftershokz on the internet. We sell them at the running store I work at as well, the brand has gotten big!

Aftershokz sits in front of your ear so you can still hear around you. Aftershokz sends sound waves through your cheekbones, leaving your ears open so you can hear what is going on around you. I’ve run countless miles with them, and I can hear everything while also listening to music.

Most headphone companies want to promote noise isolation and cancellation, AfterShokz has gone against the grain with the open ear design. Not having something covering your ears allows you to be more alert and have situational awareness during your workout.

The Pros:

  • The only headphone design that allows you to hear your surroundings.
  • Durable (they are sweatproof and I’ve run in the rain several times and been fine).
  • Light: They aren’t bulky and don’t bounce around.
  • Bluetooth and no cord

The Cons:

  • They aren’t going to be as loud as other headphone brands that sit directly on your ear.  They don’t cancel outside noise, but that is the point.

ETA: Originally, I stated that you can’t change music/volume directly on the headphone. You, in fact, can and it’s done with the button on the side!  How I missed that, I don’t know!

Bone Conduction? What does that mean?

As you play music or sound, the pads vibrate. Instead of sending noise through the air and into your eardrum, it diverts it through your bones.

With bone conduction, there is a difference in the sound between over the ear headphones. I’ve always found the volume to be fine with the Aftershokz and bone conduction. I don’t know if they are the right headphone for a more noisy situation like crowded gym but for running, they are great.

The Models:

The Trekz Titanium:

Aftershokz Headphone review

The Trekz Titanium was the original version and retails at $99.99. It’s the first, the original, and a great product.  It comes in brighter and more bold colors. If bright colored headphones are for you, this is your product.

  • The Aftershokz Titanium has Bone conduction technology delivers music through your cheekbones, ensuring ears remain completely open to hear outside sounds.
  • Light, flexible and portable.
  • The OpenFit™ design allows you to hear outside noise while still enjoying music.
  • Wireless Bluetooth
  • It’s certified to keep out sweat, dust, and moisture, from workouts to wicked weather
  • Six hours of sound per full charge
  • Hassle-free 2-year warranty

The Aftershokz Trekz Air: 

Aftershokz Headphone review

The Trekz Air is the second generation and retails at $149.99. It all has all of the features of the Titanium but with a few more.  The colors are much more toned down as well. The Trekz Air has a little better sound quality and volume. The significant updates come with the headphone piece wrapping around your head is much lighter and slimmer.

The Aftershokz Trekz Air version is also about 20% lighter. The final difference is the microphone quality is better for phone calls. I don’t call people while working out (I’m not that coordinated) but several people do.  If that is something that interests you, the Trekz Air might be a better option.

Aftershokz is an excellent product and even better company, possibly why they’ve exploded on social media and in running specialty.

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport. There are often giveaways as well as discount codes.

Questions for you:

What kind of headphones do you use?

Do you use music when you run?

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