In the Long Run

Went on a long run with a few friends today. I've always heard and read people talk about how much better running with someone is. And while I've never doubted that, running has always been my personal time. So I've never really searched out running partners.
However, a bunch of us are all training for the same half marathon and doing our long runs together was suggested. We met up at our local rails to trail, with a goal of 8 miles yesterday.

It really shouldn't surprise me that it was fun, and challenging. Like I said, I've read over and over about how great running buddies are. I've had friends tell me over and over. But I was still surprised.

We ended up doing 9.5 miles, with an average pace of 11 minute miles, which is 1:30 faster than what I averaged last year on long runs. And I haven't been training as much this year. Two hours of running flew by. We didn't run together the entire time, as we're all slightly different paces, which makes it the best of both worlds. Someone to talk to for awhile, some alone time to build mental toughness, and knowing your faster friends are waiting for you at the turnaround point or at the end to keep you moving.

I'll probably still do the majority of my runs on my own, for the simple fact that schedules don't work out, and it is still my personal time. But I'm definitely a convert to the idea of running with a buddy for the long runs.

New Shoes!

I have always been a shoe-aholic. For as long as I can remember, buying new shoes was super exciting. Any kind of shoe. I even got excited to buy new field boots for work. I like buying new clothes, but only so I would have something to wear with my shoes.

But new running shoes has always been one of the most exciting shoe purchases. Yes, new high heels are pretty, but let's face it, I don't wear them all that often. My running shoes have 400-600 miles on them in 6 months. A new pair is a new running buddy, new fashion accessory (yes, I do believe running shoes are fashionable!), a new piece of sports equipment, all rolled into one new shoe purchase.

I spent my lunch break trying on what seemed like every pair in the store (on a related note, why do shoe manufacturers have to change the models all the time? I loved my last pair, but when I tried them on again, they fit differently) and finally found the perfect pair.  A shiny new set of Yankz for them, and a new pair of running socks rounded everything out.

Today is a rest day, but I can't WAIT to run tomorrow!

Rush Hour Run

Gotta love running at rush hour. There are so many stoplights around my house, and I have a love-hate relationship with them. Sometimes they come at just the right time when I'm gasping and love an excuse to stop. And sometimes, they come at the worst possible moment, when I'm just hitting my stride and stopping throws me all off.

I recently got a fancy new smartphone, and one of the greatest things about it, is the MyTracks app. It tells me my distance, speed, min and max elevation, and best of all, total time, and moving time. So I can see how much time I waste waiting at stoplights. Usually it's just a minute or two. Tonight, almost 5 minutes.

Other than the wasted time, it was a good run. Put in a good solid 4.5 miles. Was tired at first, but found my stride about halfway through. But it's so nice out, and it felt great to be outside. The last mile was tough though. The route I took required me to run past my house to get that last mile in. Took all I had not to cut the run short at 3.5 miles.

On a slightly related moment, I definitely am getting new shoes this weekend. My joints feel beat up from the pounding.

Fractured Hand

So the weather here has been beautiful the last couple weeks (think 70-ish, clear, low humidity). I've been sick, and busy, and have been squeezing workouts in minus my usual enjoyment of working out. So here it was, a gorgeous day, I have no plans except laundry, so no plans and I think a great way to spend an hour or two would be to take my mom's dog Willie and go run some trails. Not a long run, and no real goal for this run except just having fun. It's so easy to get caught up in what you need to accomplish for each workout that you forget to have fun. And Willie ALWAYS has fun on runs and it's catching.

We get ten minutes into the run, nice and warmed up, and I'm starting to pick up the pace a little, when, out of nowhere, a tree root jumps up and grabs my toe. I go flying. And I mean, flying. There's nothing I can do, except tuck my arms in (I do know enough not to brace my arms out, that's how you break your wrist). Willie doesn't realize that I'm no longer running, but flying through the air, and keeps going. Which pulls me onto my left side since I'm still holding onto the leash in that hand. I land full on my left side, and skid for about 5 feet.

I pick myself up, brush off the leaves, shake myself out a little bit, and we continue on our way. Don't really think much about it until we're walking back to the car and I notice my hand is swelling a bit. I ice it good once we get home, and still don't think much about it. Couple days go by, the swelling goes down, and it still hurts a bit, but really not all that bad. However, my mom's nagging drives me to make a doctor appointment just in case.

Turns out, I fractured the outside bone in my hand. I have to wear a brace (luckily the doctor didn't think a cast was necessary) for a month. No swimming or biking for a month. He didn't say anything about running, and I have a half marathon in 25 days, so I figure, as long as I don't trip again, running is fine. I might try biking on the trainer in another few days too. I can do that without putting any weight on it.

The moral of the story is, aside from watching for tree roots, always get it checked out "just in case."