Trainer Review

Last month I purchased some new shoes. Many times I’ve mentioned that I’m an Asics girl, I’ve had the same shoes for the past 10 years. I branched out (a little) and tried a new series by Asics. I got advice from Second Sole that the GEL-DS Trainer 16 was a good racing flat. So I bit the bullet, paid a little more money than expected and figured I’d give it a shot.

So I put them to the test. First I took them for a run on the treadmill. They were way too clean to take out in the mud. Whoa! These shoes are so light. I definately didn’t expect to notice such a difference. I felt like I was able to run faster than before. I even pushed up the incline and had a big boost of confidence.

Second test was taking them out on the bike. I don’t have real biking shoes so I’ve been using my running shoes, which are pretty bulky. The shoes again were lightweight and stayed on the pedals just fine. I don’t plan on buying shoes for the bike for a while, so this is a great option to have in between.

Third test was taking these shoes to the street. I’ve hesitated on this just because I hate the first time shoes get dirty, but after that I’ll be the first to run through a puddle. I took them out Monday to do those easy miles I originally planned, but in the short time I had them on, I felt like they were great shoes to really take to the streets and race in.

Pearly whites!

Overall, I love these shoes. They’re so light I feel like I’m running barefoot. The laces are on a slight diagonal slant so it doesn’t put too much pressure on the top of my foot. They also have a weird cut out in the back of the shoe, but I think it helps to provide a little bit of support lower in the heel. They give enough support that my ankles are rolling around. Plus the comfort level is way up there. These shoes are an A+ in my book, so go check them out!

Yep, my feet really are that tiny

Classic at Mastick Recap

Yes, I’m finally getting to this a week late, but I had so many other posts that I just couldn’t fit it in. Exactly one week ago, I ran the 19th Annual Classic at Mastick. Last Tuesday I picked up my race packet from Second Sole. The bags are great, big and have many pockets. I’m also pretty sure I have two water bottles already, but they’re a good size and you can never have enough. No more shirts though

Ralphie believes he’s a runner

Mastick is a great race for the local schools to get their cross teams ready for the season. And the teams keep growing. I had a completely different mind set going in to this race. It was the first time I wasn’t nervous and didn’t have a set time I wanted to meet. The weather was also the best it’s been in a long time, and much better than it usually is for this race. As soon as the gun went off, I let the high school runners get ahead of me, there was no way I was going to finish the same time they did. The first 800 meters is around the park, so there was a ton of uneven grass. Once I got onto the dirt path, I noticed my knee was a little sore but ignored it. My first mile was at a good pace, so I tried to keep the second mile about the same pace. Unfortunately the second mile, like always was a lot slower than expected. If anyone has any tips on how to make this not happen, please let me know.

The last mile I tried to kick it in. I think it was my fastest mile, but it didn’t help much. I ended up with the time of 30:12. It seems like the more races I run, the slower I get. But I have accepted that my times will not be just like they used to be in college. I haven’t been training for 5k’s and doing no sprint workouts. But that is still no excuse, I should have better times.

I took a few too many days off this weekend, so my first run back was on Monday. I was hoping to get a few easy miles in and really focus on training for my half. But I took about 20 steps and my knee started to ache. It got worse as the run went on, and I couldn’t even go a mile. I wanted to fight through it, but I haven’t felt this bad of pain in a long time.

I’ve decided to take a few days off to hopefully let my knee recover, and get rid of some allergies. But I think I’ve run my final Mastick. The cross courses just can’t work for my knees anymore. I’m starting to rethink the Alumni race too. If 800 meters of uneven ground can keep me out a week after a race, I’m a little concerned with a mile and a half of massive hills will do. I really want to wear the buns though….

These next couple of week are crucial. I have two half marathons, the alumi race, and a marathon relay. I’m bound and determined to get my knee in better shape. But my days of running cross country courses are over. There’s nothing better than the smell of cross season, I could smell it at Mastick. Lots of memories, but plenty to look forward to.

Seasons Change

It is finally the end of wedding season this year. Five out of five weddings complete….and already two on the calendar for next summer. This past weekend we headed out to the country for my cousin’s wedding on one of my uncle’s farms. The weather was beautiful, the ceremony was short and being able to see the whole family was a bonus.

My 14 year old sister…who is as tall as me

As soon as the ceremony was done, we headed back up north to Cleveland to see the Browns take on the Packers….I’ve been waiting for this for months! Football season is here! We barely made it in time, and I was excited to see I wasn’t the only who wasn’t wearing orange or brown. Although I did hear some fans calling me out for carrying around my giant cheese. Overall, it was a great game. I’ve always wanted to see the Packers play in person. Regular season and in Lambeau Field would be ideal, but I’ll take what I can get. It was an exciting game, and even though we lost, I know it will be a great season. Afterall, the Browns beat the Packers last year in preseason and then they ended up winning the Super Bowl…maybe history will repeat.

Are you a Browns fan?

If you are, then you are like many other Clevelanders who have been waiting all year for football season. To some, it is the best time of the year. And the fact that it lasts through February, makes it even better. And this is the year, right? The Browns will win the Super Bowl?

Well……

I fully support you and your dedication.The most important people in my life are Browns fans.

But….

I am a proud Green Bay Packers fan, and now I lost most of my readers. I have been a Packers fan for as long as I can remember. I am more than excited that they will be in Cleveland tomorrow. So you can bet that I plan on being at that game. I’ll be leaving my cousin’s wedding early (don’t worry they’re already married, it’s their second ceremony) driving three hours back to Cleveland, just in time to see the game. So I apologize if you can no longer read my blog, but hopefully my choice won’t be too upsetting for too long. And don’t worry, I still love Cleveland!

Welcome back old friend

It’s that time of year again for the Classic at Mastick, probably my favorite race. I’ve run this so many times in high school and college, it was a great way to see how I would start off the season. But it’s always been a love/hate race. And as long as I live in the Cleveland area, I will always try to run this race. This year the race surprised me and came up a little sooner than I expected. I am in no way ready for 5k’s. With the brutal heat and schedule, I haven’t been focusing on speed, just trying to get runs in when I can. But once this weather breaks, I’m hoping to get more workouts in on the track. If you get a chance, try to sign up next year. I’m not going for a PR, just going out for fun. Here’s my thoughts on the race before going in:
Pros:

• The race takes place in Rocky River Reservation (Mastick)
• Scholarship money is given to students for a college fund, great way to help students out
• The race is at night, my favorite time to run
• The goodie bags are fabulous, I’ve never not liked what they’ve given out
• It’s a great race for high school students to do a little test run….but watch out, they’re fast and can put times to shame
• Same course every year, so you know exactly where to run, which includes lots of shade

Hesitations

• Those high school students are fast, many are teams that go to state. You can’t feel bad when they beat you by 6 minutes or so…
• Because it’s a night race, its usually really hot and humid, so hydration is key all day long
• Parking is tough, get there as soon as you can, even if you’re rushing out the door after work you may need to park a distance away
• The course is a bit long, and for some reason I’ve always run it slow, so I try to keep that in mind when checking out my times at each mile

All in all I love this race. I enjoy running it even if I know I’m going to have a slower time like always. But with cooler weather in the forecast, there could be a change in how this race ends up. Hopefully I’ll have a good race report later in the week.

Don’t forget to breathe

I meant to write this last week, but I’ve started doing one of the hardest things to date. Yoga. I took a Pilates class back in high school and it really helped with my breathing and running. I’ve always wanted to start up again, but either didn’t have time or I just couldn’t let myself spend $20 on one class. But one of the perks with my new apartment is that there is a free yoga class once a week. So Thursdays nights, while I have free time in between semesters, I’ll be working on my breathing and stretching.

I didn’t know what to expect, it was a lot harder than I thought. I’m not flexible so many of the positions weren’t perfect. And half of the time I forgot to breathe, instead I would hold my breath. I’ve realized this  is the hardest thing to do. I felt great after the class finished, and I’m excited to keep going. And with it being free, there isn’t a reason not to go. I still would love to find a Pilates class around that isn’t a bank breaker, but my schedule will be way to hectic until December.

Which do you prefer, yoga or pilates?

Just a night in the country

Living in the suburbs of Cleveland for most of my life, I have to say I didn’t think I’d ever be at a wedding on a farm. But I spent a few weeks each summer growing up in the country visiting my relatives when I was younger, so it was a nice reminder of where my family came from. This is number four of five weddings, and number one of two on a farm. One of Darren’s closest friends from College of Wooster had their wedding in Louisville outside of Canton, and it was absolutely beautiful. The ceremony was outside (and hot) but the reception was inside a barn. It was gorgeous and nothing what I had expected. We also had surprise guests…some cows in the field next door. But it was a beautiful time and I wish them the best!

With the lovely bride and groom

In a week and a half we have our final wedding of the summer to go to, then start the races!