A Long Run

So the official word on my foot is that the tendon is bruised. (This is great news!) I've been given exceptionally strong NSAIDs, and being the terrible patient that I am, I figured that if I wasn't feeling pain and could lace my shoe accordingly, I was good to run.

Today I woke up just knowing I would get my 15-miler in. It was just one of those wonderful doubt-free mornings. (I think getting the news that my foot wasn't fractured or badly injured really made me extra-excited to run today.)

I kept a nice even pace, and the first half of the run flew by. By mile 10 I was a little achy and in need of some distraction, but I never once though of cutting the run short.

Thank goodness for compression socks!

I had some tingling and aches in my toes, and my hips felt it a little bit. But I completed the 15 miles in 2:26:xx, with an average pace faster than my half marathon PR, so I was beyond pleased. I walked for fuel at 3.5, 7, and 10.5 miles, and took a little walk at 13.5 to wiggle my toes a bit.

I felt energized the entire way, and had no problems with breathing; my legs felt a little heavy toward the end of course, but I forced myself to pick up the pace in the last mile because I was so ready to be done!

Hurts so good?

Besides this milestone of the LSD being my longest run ever, I also took my first-ever ice bath! (Kind of.) I know studies show ice baths are mostly mental, but I think my feet definitely appreciated it. I foam-rolled, then used a tennis ball on the soles of my feet. Besides some twinges in my right hip, I'm feeling great!

This feels muuuch better! (Just ignore that pile of running shoes in the corner...Also, remind me to never give a thumbs-up ever again.)

I'm definitely looking forward to a rest day, though.

Do you have any runs or races this weekend?
What was your farthest long run in training? In a race?
How do you recover after a run leaves you achy?

ABK

Splint Decisions

The third week of the Runner's World Run Streak has begun, and I'm going strong. Well, strong-ish. I've always had a hard time toeing that line between giving up and acknowledging that there is a more important battle to be fought.

When it comes to picking battles in real life, I'm a pro. I know what's important to me, and for the most part I know when to let things roll off my back and when to pick up a sword and start slaying dragons.

I posted this to FB in one of my running groups after Day 15 of the streak. (Can you catch the typo?)

The problem with "choosing my battles" when it comes to running, though, is that I'm not a naturally competitive person. Often, I'm more likely to back down from a daunting run than to face it head-on. Over time, I've grown to a point where I know when I'm shortchanging myself and backing down. But the run streak has really messed with my head a bit.

Here's the face of someone who doesn't know when to quit: the day after that post, I hopped on a treadmill anyway.

Weighing my looming marathon training, set to begin July 7, and this run streak, the training should come first. That means that anything that could risk injury should automatically be put on hold, right? Shin splints are clearly my body's way of saying, back off! I'm tired! You're doing too much too soon! But logically, I don't think one to two miles a day is really asking that much of my body, especially as I'm keeping the pace nice and slow (in the low 10s, sometimes high 9s).

Foam rolling and sleeping in my compression socks seemed to help a bit.

Usually, I would balk at the first sign of pain and take a nice rest for a couple days. But you see, the run streak has re-ingrained in me the habit of running. I had taken so much time off, remember? I had been burned out. I have the streak to credit for my even running at all lately! And if I want to have any base level of fitness before July 7, then I need to be running consistently.

Day 17: Today I tried my luck in another pair of shoes, but nothing much changed there.

So here I am, at a crossroads. Quit the streak, take a rest day or two, then go back to running normally and hope I don't lose the motivation I've finally found again; or run through the shin splints, hope they don't turn into a real injury, and stay motivated through July?

The threat of injury should easily outweigh anything else, but it's hard to take shin splints seriously. Plus, I tried to take yesterday and today off and was so grumpy and fidgety that I had to get to the gym. And once there, I had to run! The rowing machine, the elliptical...yeah, I spent time on those, but in the end I needed to pound out a couple miles before I felt satisfied. Nothing makes me happier than a run.

I know what the seasoned runners will say. I know, as a relatively experienced (if not average) runner, what I should do. But I felt transcendent running through my pain today, telling it to shut up, take a back seat, and let me do my thing. In a way, I think this is something I need because it will teach me not to back down at the first sign of discomfort, and I know when I'm doing 16 or 18 miles during training, I'm going to need to know how to push through some pain.

All the treadmill shots lately can be explained by this.

I need to play the rest of the streak by ear. Maybe call it quits, maybe just see what happens. It was fun while it lasted and I'm grateful for the lessons it taught me. Now it's time to stop hanging my success on a certain number of days, and do what's right for me.

On a more cheery note, I'm currently designing my first running tattoo. I've decided to reward myself post-streak (however long it ends up being). I told my parents about it last week, and then received this email from my mom after she had shared the news with my grandparents.

Either Grandma is a master guilt-tripper, or the sweetest lady ever.

How cute is that?

What are your thoughts on running through discomfort?
How do you decide when enough is enough?
Do you have any running-related body art?

ABK

Gear Report: Running Clothes for Newbies

Get ready for some laughably bad photos of clothes.

After my post about my favorite running outfits vs. backup outfits, a surprising number of people came out of the woodwork asking about where to even start when it comes to running clothes. I take it for granted that I now know the dos and don't of running-wear by heart, but looking back now, I realize that I used to make all kinds of mistakes:

My first-ever 5k. What is this look?

Cutoff sweatpants? A cotton, baggy t-shirt? What was I thinking? Well, obviously I was thinking that I had no idea what makes a good running outfit. While a lot of this boils down to preference, there are definitely some rules to go by.

Avoid cotton. This goes for everything from tops and shorts to underwear. Cotton doesn't breathe and doesn't allow for sweat to be wicked away from the body. Ever gone swimming in a tshirt? That baby will stay drenched and cling to you for hours.

Choose clothes you feel comfortable in. I've bought a few things off sales racks and then never worn them because they're unflattering. If you can't imagine yourself wearing it out of the house, don't buy it.

I prefer tank tops and singlets because I feel sleeves are very restricting, but when it's cooler out I go for some nice tech-Ts. Here's a rundown of the brands and styles I prefer:

Socks

I wear Thorlo Experia socks. I love the extra padding, they don't slip, and I've never gotten a blister while wearing them. Even though I run in hot and humid weather, I never find my feet overheating from these.

I wear ProCompression calf sleeves during my runs. Even on short runs, I can definitely tell a difference in leg fatigue when I don't wear them. I kind of compare them to wearing a sports bra on your calves: they give extra support and keep things nice and tight.

I wear the full ProCompression socks for recovery, especially after a long run or a long day on my feet. I've worn these to work; I've worn them to bed. They are miraculous.

Underwear

Confession time: I don't really wear underwear because my running shorts tend to have built-in mesh. But if I'm wearing spandex that doesn't have some netting, my go-to underwear is Target's Champion C9 brand. However, they don't seem to be available anymore, so click here for Runner's World's insight into undies.

Capris

I love capris for long races because they cut down on chafing. They're also great for winter,when the temperatures may start in the 50s but by the end of a run are well into the 60s. I overheat easily when I run so I tend to prefer shorts, but Champion makes a great pair of running capris.

Bras

Up until recently, I exclusively wore Target's Champion C9 sports bras. They come in so many fun colors and offer just the right fit and support for my build. But I recently scored this fun Patagonia bra, and I am in love with it! It's super comfy; I feel like I'm not even wearing it. Plus, the thinner straps don't cause as much eczema and chafing on my shoulders.

Champion makes their bras with thinner straps, and now that I've tried them, they've moved into my realm of favorites. They're reasonably priced and very pretty!

Tops

I will almost always grab a singlet over anything else. The lighter the material, the roomier the neck, and the sleevelesser the arm-holes, the more likely I am to gravitate toward it. I particularly love this one from Saucony (found here). It's lightweight, reflective, flattering, and inexpensive! When I'm looking for long-sleeves for layering in colder weather, I really love my Saucony HydraMAX top:

 

Shorts

I'm beginning to see that messy backgrounds are a trend in my house.

These new running shorts from Nike are where it's at! The wide waistband is comfortable and flattering; the legs are roomy but don't give that weird inflated look. The shorts are fully lined, soft, breathable, and have pockets! Suddenly I realize why so many people are brand-loyal to Nike.

The bottom line here is that trial-and-error will help a new runner figure out what brands/styles work for them! I prefer clothes that fit close to the body, but many runners gravitate toward looser tops and running skirts. Try things out; over time, you'll put together a drawer (or six) of running clothes you'll have trouble choosing between!

What clothing tips would you share with new runners?
What apparel questions do you have?
Share links to your favorite running clothes in the comments!


ABK

Style Faux Pas

I sometimes wear my compression socks to school. Today was one of those days. I usually wear my purple ones, because they blend nicely with the shoes I prefer to wear to work after running.

Today, of course, I was running late. Without time to find my purple socks in the dark, I grabbed the first pair I could find.

The students could see just enough to notice and comment on the color choices.

Clashing in all their glory.

Clearly, this is avant garde style right here. I probably got about a million comments on them; most were complimentary.

They liked the bright colors, scoffed at the idea of trying to match your socks to your outfit, and thought the color scheme of the socks looked like olives.

Maybe I should wear these when I go to DC with the kids next week. I mean, after all that walking, I'll probably need them.

What fashion "mistakes" do you make in the name of running?

Seriously, how bad is this look?

ABK