Gear Report: Yurbuds

I really love having a bird for a pet. Archie is endlessly entertaining, but the things that make him so cute are also the things that cause him to be a nuisance. Case in point, our curious little birdie recently chewed through the cord of my earbuds. Not all the way through, but just enough that the wires poke through the plastic coating and scratch my neck. Enough that it causes a distraction that messes with my run.

Oh yeah, he LOOKS innocent all right.

This was before the Naples Half, so I wore a pair of M's earbuds for that race. They hurt my ears, were too loud, and fell out once I started sweating. I knew I needed a new pair. I really love the earbuds that come with iPods, but I may be in the minority there. Anyway, Apple has come out with their new version, and I wasn't sure if I'd like them. For $30, I wanted to be sure I was getting headphones I really loved.

Left and Right are clearly labeled.

So I did some research, and decided to get a pair of Yurbuds. I'd heard from other runners that these are excellent for all kinds of reasons. For one thing, they're specially designed to lock into your ear so they don't jiggle. The enhancers are medical-grade silicone, removable for easy washing, and designed to lock into place without putting pressure on sensitive spots in the ear.

On top of all that, they allow ambient noise to be clearly heard while still delivering excellent sound-quality. (This was important to me, because I like to be able to hear cars - or other runners - when I'm running.)

Comfy!

They're the same price as the Apple earbuds, so I picked up a pair in blue. (They come in pink, green, yellow, orange...and multiple other color choices. Target carried them all.) The first run I had with them had me hooked. They did not bounce at all. Even the wires didn't pull or twist; I didn't have to readjust any part of them during the entire run. This is a big deal, since I wear my earphone wires inside my shirt, and I'm usually caught groping around midway into a run to rearrange the cord as it migrates. They were super-comfy. I could hear passing cars and M's conversation even while listening to my music. I almost felt like I wasn't wearing anything in my ears at all!

But wait, there's more! The company guarantees a perfect fit. If your Yurbuds don't fit, you can take a picture of yourself wearing them and they'll create a specialty-fit enhancer just for you, free of charge.

I mean...this is just awesome.

I'm sold on these. I got the Inspire for Women; the box comes with two sizes of enhancers, and the smaller size fits my ears really well. They carry tons of choices, including over-the-ear styles and styles equipped for iPhones, complete with water-resistant microphone.

And did I mention that the more expensive options feature cloth-covered cords so they'll never tangle, and other crazy features? Check out their website here for more details.

So if you're looking for a new pair of earbuds, I highly recommend these. They come in a variety of colors, they're comfortable, they enhance your safety because they allow ambient noise, they provide great sound-quality, and they're sweat and water-resistant. They're worth every penny, especially when you compare them to what I was using before. I can't wait to wear these in a race!

ABK

Potpourri

If there's a such thing as a link-hoarder, I am definitely one of them. I click anything that looks remotely interesting, and often keep the window open until I feel I've really learned the information or have shared the article around with enough people. Right now I have 10 tabs open in Firefox, and many of them are days old.

The good news is that many of these are running links. I don't want to close them in case I can't find them again and am in desperate need. How will I ever know where I filed that article on the Seven Most Common Running Injuries? My bookmarks are cluttered and unmanageable. Once I bookmark an article, it's gone. Out of sight, out of mind.

So to remedy this situation, I bring you a kind of potpourri of a post. It will set my mind - and my browser - at ease, and have the added benefit of sharing a bunch of stuff I think needs sharing.

To begin, I'm keeping a few blogs open that I've been following semi-religiously.  Shut Up + Run has been around what seems like forever. SUAR is funny, blunt, and not afraid to let it all hang out. If you want an uplifting running-related read daily (and aren't afraid to hear the gross side of running), definitely check it out. (Two of her most-viewed posts are "How to Not Crap Yourself on the Run" and "20 Things No One Tells You About Running". She also occasionally does give-aways of great running gear.)

Hungry Runner Girl is another lighthearted blog run (no pun intended) by a seasoned distance runner (and new mom). I like that her posts always touch on running, but also include non-running daily-life stuff. (This blog makes me wish I had an iPhone to run with, or a tiny running-friendly camera...Oh, and mountains. It makes me wish I had mountains.)

For another blog that follows that tendency, Go Crow Go! is a mostly-running-but-sometimes-not blog that is more about personal growth and the journey. It's akin to my blog, and I like seeing inside someone else's head as they take the highs and lows of running in stride. Run Fat Boy! Run! is another such blog. His story, personal struggles, love for his family, and amazing endurance in the face of difficulties makes this blog worth the read.

I recently read this article on Yasso 800s and their magical ability to predict marathon time. I wish I could post the video straight to this post, but if you're interested, follow the link. It's an awesome concept and a workout I definitely want to try over summer.

 

Finally, I watched this TEDxTalks video featuring a long-distance runner/cardiologist with some interesting theories on running speeds and distances. Data seems to show that running is beneficial, but moderation is key. This isn't going to get me to stop running long distances, and the point isn't to tell us not to run marathons. But when it comes to running and health, this 18-minute video shares a lot of useful knowledge.

 

On a final note (I mean it this time), I woke up today with absolutely no muscle soreness and without any knee pain. Using my foam roller and flat-band have really helped my ITBS. I am so excited to start training again this week. I will definitely post some awkward photos of my new exercise/recovery techniques sometime soon. For the greater good, of course, and because I love a little public humiliation.

ABK

Naples Daily News Half Marathon 2013

Well, the first race of the year is out of the way. That's quite a way to think of it, huh? K and I arrived early, which was good because it gave us time to do a warmup lap and use the porta-potties before it got busy. Hurray, toilet paper!

We found A, another one of our running friends, and her sister and husband. Her sister runs closer to my pace, so while A was aiming for a PR and K wanted to come in under 2:00, A's sister and I were able to run at a more comfortable pace together for the first five miles or so.

The course map.

The weather was pretty nice. Mid-to-high 60s, overcast. It was a little humid, and I found early on that I was dehydrated. I hadn't had enough water throughout the week, I think. Anyway, one of my old students was handing out water at the first water station where we stopped; it was fun to give him a little wave as we went by. I love knowing my old students are still involved in sports and community outreach.

I was feeling pretty good up to about mile 8. Then, some back pain set in. My knees were absolutely perfect during the race. My ITBS stretches have really been paying off; I'll make a post about them for those that are interested. But I must have been neglecting my core, because my shoulders and lower back were really tight and achy.

Because of the humidity, I stopped at each water station to drink. This definitely slowed down my pace. If I had been able to skip a couple, I think I would have come in around 2:20, which was my unofficial goal. However, pausing for water, and then slowing my pace afterward to avoid cramping up, paired with the long course (close to 14 according to my Nike+) really took a toll. I ended up feeling defeated and sluggish in the last mile.

R and K had my back as I finished up!

But finally, finally, I was at the quarter mile mark. K and her oldest daughter (my G-ddaughter) met me at the last corner and began running with me. Little R is just shy of three years old, and she kept shouting, "Look, I'm running!" Of course a million people wanted to take pictures of this and kept exclaiming how cute she was. (She tends to get that reaction a lot.)

At that corner, M and K's husband were taking photos/video, so I plastered on a smile and waved. I didn't have it in me for a final sprint.

I made it!

My time was 2:37:41. Not nearly my best, but this is only my third Half, and the first time I ran this race my time was 2:56, so I'm happy with the improvement. It's weird, because the course is tree-lined, flat, paved, and really lovely. It should be an easy race.

As much as I love the price of this race, especially for the amenities, I think it’s too quiet to keep my energy high. The main problem seems to be the time of year. After the holidays and the break for New Years, it’s hard to get back into real training. I didn’t feel prepared for this race, and it definitely showed. The lack of motivation to keep my running going bit me in the butt.

All done!

I’m glad I did better than last time we ran this course, but I’m not happy with my results. I don’t know if I’ll plan to run this one again. There seems to be too much working against me. Maybe my January race for 2014 needs to be just a 5k...but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Overall, I'm feeling happy with the race and to have another medal to add to my collection.

Here are my lowly stats: age group: 81/109, gender group: 670/896.

I have a whole year to show improvement. I'm not too bummed about the results, because over the weekend I decided to just take this race as what it was: the first of the year. I'm looking forward to the rest of 2013.

ABK