Ice Ice Baby

Posted on September 20, 2006 by threlkeld

Two posts in one week! You know what that means — I just hit a big freelance deadline yesterday and I actually have some free time this morning. (And this is how I spend it. How very sad.) I’m going out to have some Thai food this evening to celebrate. Then I’m taking a couple of weeks off…so no crazy deadlines again until early October. Hoozah!

But back to the subject of this post: I read yet another article on the value of ice baths for recovery recently. This one was in the September issue of Running Times.

Since I was using myself as a guinea pig for Clif Shot on my Sunday long run, and I obviously enjoy suffering and discomfort, I decided to go whole hog and try the ice bath too. I wouldn’t call what I did an “ice” bath — there was no ice (gotta save that for the martinis). But I did soak my lower half in the coldest water I could run in the bath for a good 10 minutes. And, wouldn’t you know it, I was not as stiff as I usually am. After a long run, the pain tends to peak about 36 hours later (4AM if I’m lucky). This time around, no 4AM wakeup call. I also didn’t look like a robot going down stairs, which is always a plus.

I’m a convert. I’ll do the cold soak after hard workouts and races. Followed by a warm bath…ahhh….

Filed under: training | Leave a comment »

Road Tested: Clif Shot Bloks

Posted on September 18, 2006 by threlkeld


Sunday was my last long run before the Westchester Half Marathon in early October. In my last race, I carried a few Starburst Chews for sustenance and, quite honestly, they made me feel ill. So I’ve sworn off grocery store candy for running sustenance.

For some reason, I can’t stomach the idea of eating GU (or any of the products like it), and the availability of Gatorade at water tables is unreliable. So, I picked up a few packs of Clif Shot Bloks last week to try those out. On Sunday I tried the Orange flavor (with caffeine).

While I wouldn’t call them tasty, they are not offensive. And, unlike gummy bears, they’re easy to chew. Plus they don’t stick to your teeth like Starburst Chews do. A package contains two servings (100 cals each). They are quite large (about .75 inch square), and the package is hard to open. I ended up hiding the pack with my water and sticking 2 or 3 in my key pocket, then “refilling” when I finished a loop. If you don’t have ample pockets, you’d probably need some sort of fuel belt to carry enough for a longer event.

So, what’s the verdict? Well, I ate one about every 15 or so minutes once I hit the 1:30 mark. I do think they helped. I tend to feel very drained around mile 12 of a run. I started taking the Bloks around mile 9 and didn’t feel as bad when I hit 12 miles and felt quite refreshed at the end of the run (16 miles). Maybe it’s the placebo effect, but I’ll probably carry these for the half.

Filed under: eating, training | Leave a comment »

Nice pants

Posted on September 12, 2006 by threlkeld

Another shopping entry. Non-shopping runners, skip this.

Oh, my god. I’ve found the perfect casual pants. They’re sold by Title 9 Sports and they are called the Jane Bond Pants.

First of all, they fit perfectly. The waist sits right at my bellybutton (I’m very low waisted, so finding pants that don’t make me look like an 80-year-man in Sans-a-Belts is a challenge), and the pants have a side zip. The fit is very slimming and flattering.

Plus they have cool zipper pockets in neat places: Two in front at the hip, one near the left knee and one near the right ankle. The two weird pockets are about big enough to hold some credit cards. The pants are cut fairly wide (straightleg), but you can narrow them at the ankle thanks to a button. And they’re made of nylon, so I’m hoping they’re water resistant.

I hate shilling for retailers, but I know how hard it is to find a great pair of pants. I just wish they cost ten bucks rather than seventy.

Filed under: clothes and gear | 4 Comments »

Let the river run

Posted on September 10, 2006 by threlkeld

Today I ran in the South Nyack 10 Mile Race in Rockland County, New York. It was an interesting race, but a tough one.

My goal had been 1:25:00, but I came in at 1:27:05, and felt like horking afterwards, which I usually don’t. That may have been due to racing against some other woman for the last quarter mile. I couldn’t hold her pace (7:15), so she beat me. Oh, well. I came in #177 out of 450-odd people (no results online yet), so I’m still pleased.

It was cool enough (in the mid-60s), and I should have been able to make 1:25, but I have a feeling some environmental aspects of the race conspired against me. I say this because everyone around me seemed to get fatigued between mile 6 and 7. The race started in South Nyack in a local park, ran under the NY Thruway/entrance to Tappan Zee, and south along the Hudson river — and back. Mile 4-6 was a run out along a mile-long pier jutting into the river, which was very scenic (and very windy).

I was flying during the first half, and then the second half was a chore. My pace was 45 seconds slower. I have a feeling there was a very slight incline, which is tough to deal with over several miles. Also a brisk headwind in some spots. And the end of the race featured a little steep hill (200 yards?) followed by a very long steep hill. I could hear other runners groan when it came into view. But I used my trick of breaking it up into little goals (“My next goal is that blue mailbox…”), which helps me deal with it mentally.

So, I blew my goal time, but I’ve got a boatload of excuses. 🙂

But I got some free ice cream, half a banana and a whole bunch of water. And we picked up our racing numbers yesterday at a ravioli shop, race sponsor Gracie’s Ravioli, where we bought some homemade meat and cheese ravioli. That made an excellent carbo-loaded pre-race meal last night.

And I had a bonus celebrity sighting at the post-run awards ceremony and raffle — Rosie O’Donnell, South Nyack resident, with her gaggle of kids. She didn’t run the race, but she was taking lots of pictures.

Even though it’s still summer, I’m marking this race as the start of fall racing season. Yay!

Filed under: racing | 3 Comments »

Screw you!

Posted on September 9, 2006 by threlkeld

Winter’s just around the corner, and frugal runners everywhere are looking for strategies to avoid slipping on our butts when the snow and ice arrives.

Cheap runners in icy areas, your prayers have been answered. An enterprising peer has devised a way to create your own foul weather running shoes. And all it takes is a trip to Home Depot, an electrical outlet, and a complete rejection of the Running Gear Industrial Marketing Complex.

Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you…the Screw Shoe.

Filed under: shoes | Leave a comment »

Yet another reason not to live in Florida

Posted on September 6, 2006 by threlkeld

Note to self: Don’t go running in a Florida swamp.

Filed under: humor | 1 Comment »

Create your own tech tees

Posted on August 27, 2006 by threlkeld

Oooh, this is tempting. At Running Banana, you can create your own technical shirts. For only (cough cough) $31-37.

I may need to put out my own line of Runs Like a Girl tees. You’d pay $50 for one, um, right? Especially since the designs they have up there are, well, kind of lame. Okay, really lame.

Filed under: clothes and gear, resources | Leave a comment »

It’s only 119 days until Christmas

Posted on August 27, 2006 by threlkeld


Not a running post, but I couldn’t resist posting about this today (especially now that I’ve figured out how to include pictures in my posts).

I’m always on the lookout for places to shop for the weirdos in my life. I scored big time this week with FredFlare. My favorite item has got to be Vinnie’s Tampon Case. What hip young (or not so young) woman in her right mind wouldn’t want this? It’s pure merchandising/pop culture magic.

A close second is the Paper Airplane Passport Holder. I may need to get one of those for myself.

Filed under: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Cushy Foot Gear: Adidas Supernova Cushion

Posted on August 26, 2006 by threlkeld

Since my Asics Kayanos have hit the the 300 miler mark, I figured I should start rotating in a new pair for my long runs. Frankly, I’m not that happy with the Asics. The toebox is two narrow, which isn’t great, since I have a big ol’ honkin’ bunion on my left foot. And they’re too stiff. I think they’re designed for underpronators (or over? I can’t remember which is which) — whatever the condition is called when your feet roll inwards. Which mine don’t. So I’m aware of this solid chunk of plastic under my arch, which is sort of annoying.

I did some reading and decided to try the Adidas Supernova Cushion. I picked up a pair at my favorite online shoestore, Zappos (lots of user reviews and free shipping — even on returns!) and they arrived yesterday. I took them out for a spin — a little 5 mile easy run — and they are great shoes! I had an initial scare because the left one was hurting my foot. But I realized that in my enthusiasm, I’d laced it too tightly. Once I loosened things up, all was well.

The shoes feel very flexible. I think they’re for “neutral gait” runners. In any case, the “stepping on a solid chunk of plastic” sensation is absent from these shoes. They are also very cushioned (hence, the name). And light! I expected them to be heavy, what with all the padding both inside and outside the shoe (the blown rubber/plastic stuff is really thick), but they don’t feel burdensome at all.

The arch support is very good (I have mediumish arches), and the fit is snug through the middle of the foot, but nice and roomy in the toe box. And the heel does not slip. I even like the fact that the shoelaces aren’t too long (I hate that). The best part — they look cool.

I’m so sick of white running shoes. I don’t want to go out there looking like Nurse Ratched. So I try to find shoes that are either very colorful or keep a low profile.

Now I have the perfect companion to my other favorite shoe (for speedwork and racing), the New Balance 901.

I’m actually looking forward to my next long run to see if the magic lasts.

Filed under: shoes | 1 Comment »

This just in: Work makes you boring!

Posted on August 23, 2006 by threlkeld

Oy yoy yoy. I have been up to my eyeballs in work lately. As a freelancer, this is a beautiful thing. Because now I can afford some fancy new running duds. But as a human being with outside interests — like, um, running — it sucks!

Miraculously, despite the 12+ hour days (including weekends), I have managed to stick to my training schedule most of the time. I think my next race is a 10-miler in Nyack on September 10. But that depends. On. How much work. I get done. Before. Then.

Since I last posted, we had a horrific heat wave. I believe it topped 106 on one day. Whee! The good news is I’ve finally become acclimated to running outside in the summer here. So much so, that on days with reasonably low humidity, I am flying down the road like the road runner now, even in the heat. Now I’m wondering how fast I’ll be once the fall arrives and it’s actually pleasantly cool outside.

I’ve also lost just over 7 pounds since early July, which must help with the speed as well. The other day at Costco I hefted a “twin chicken” package — around 8 pounds — and realized that I’ve been running around with the equivalent of two chickens on my back (or thighs and rear end is more like it; “Hey, chicken ass!”). It’s great to have those damned chickens off my back.

Since I’m running faster and beginning to see glimpses of muscle under the blubber, I’m inspired to remain on the Bunny Food Diet: wall to wall salad and no wine allowed on weekdays. Again — whee!

Filed under: everyday life | 2 Comments »

« Previous Page — Next Page »