What goes with me for a long run...

When I gear up for my long runs every week it feels a bit like I'm getting ready for some kind of expedition.  When I was on vacation my family gave me a hard time for how long it took me every morning to actually get my foot out the door.  I'd get up to run at 7 (yes, even on vacation!) and I wouldn't start running until 9 or 10.  I'm not so bad about stalling when I'm at home, but at home I don't have my parents, my brothers, the beach or a cute pug to distract me.  So between all these distractions and getting my pack ready, it takes a while.  Here's what I pack before I leave:

On the left is my SpiBelt.  It's sort of a mini-fanny pack for running.  It holds some of the things I like to be able to grab quickly - My phone, Clif Bloks, Gu, and my apartment key.

In my backpack goes the rest of the stuff.  The pack is a Kelty Big Basin.  True to the amazon reviews, the reservoir that it came with leaked terribly, so I got a new one from Camelpak and now I can say that the combination meets my needs.  You might notice in the picture there I've got my handy sweat rag tied to the chest strap and the waist strap is tied up behind the pack.  It took me way too long to figure out that for me this is the only comfortable way to run with a pack.  

In the pack:

-Pepto Bismol Chewables (gotta be chewables!)

-Toilet Paper (just in case)

-Wallet

-Extra Socks

-Mini Body Glide stick

-Clif Crunch Bar

-Payday 

(I rarely eat both the crunch bar and the payday, but it makes me happy to have options to choose from when I need fuel.)

My long run at the beach was a little rocky.  I bonked at mile 12 out of 14, but I got to run through some new trails and nearly got the piss scared out of me by ... a butterfly.  Go ahead and laugh, but I had run through a few too many spiderwebs and was feeling VERY jumpy after not having seen any other humans for about an hour, and it startled me.  I shrieked like there was an axe murderer after me, and then laughed my way down the trail, relieved there was nobody around to see or hear my response to the very scary butterfly.

These are the only two pictures I took during that run.  The trail I was on opened up to a view of the beach.

Same part of the same trail, just a little closer.

Even though my long run that week was embarrassing and disappointing, the rest of the week went really well.  I managed to get all of my runs in, plus a trip to the gym to lift, and - AND! - (you may want to sit down for this part) - I beat my brother in a four mile race.  Gasp!  All three of my brothers are very athletic, and being the tomboy that I was when I was growing up, that meant losing a lot whenever we played sports together.  So this was big.  He might have beat me by one stroke the day before in mini golf, but I smoked him in our race and I couldn't have been happier about it.  Now that I think about it, we put a bet on that race.  That jerk still owes me ten dollars.

Stats from my long run at the beach:

Okay so the stats aren't working.  But I'm gonna go ahead and leave that there to show you I tried.  It's garmin's fault.  I think.  I'll repost later in the week to see if it's fixed.

As promised!

I love shopping for gear.  I can't say that I've tested a huge variety of brand names and styles when it comes to most of my running stuff, mostly because I just can't afford to buy stuff that I'm not sure I'll use on a regular basis.  This means I have a good bit of research to do when I decide to make running purchases, and so far, I'm happy to say that most of the junk I've bought gets used pretty regularly.

I'll start by contradicting myself with a purchase that I use much less frequently.  My FiveFingers.  I have the Ladies' Bikila LS in blue and gray.

Still a little embarrassed that I own these.

I should start by saying that I have probably run less than ten miles in these shoes and I've had them for nearly a year.  I've walked in them a bunch, and they feel great, but I'm just too worried about injury to put any significant miles on them.  Still, they're fun to run in if I have the patience to change my shoes after a run to cool down for another half-mile.  Most vendors will warn customers when trying on these shoes that if you run in them with little to no barefoot running experience, you're very likely to hurt your feet, legs back, etc.  Shod running has shaped our form over the years and to try and switch to a barefoot style takes a lot of time and patience.  I don't have that right now, so instead I have a pair of funny looking shoes that sit in my closet.  A waste?  Maybe.  I'll get over it.

My favorite running shoes that I have now or that I've ever had also happen to be my newest.  The Brooks PureCadence.  These shoes feel great.  They are super light, they keep my feet dry, and for me they are supportive enough while still feeling very lightweight.

I think they're pretty fly, too.

In my opinion, what's even more important than than the shoes is what goes in them.  I have about a million pairs of running socks but my favorite by far would definitely have to be my Injinji Lightweight Toesocks.

They even come in fun colors!

I have several pairs of these now and they're the only socks I'll wear for long runs.  I know toe socks might seem a little silly for distance running, but they are the best at keeping my toes happy and blister-free.

Speaking of blisters and skin irritation in general, let's talk about chafing.  It's an unfortunate reality.  I swear the folks at Body Glide are not paying me to tell you this: they've figured out how to make it stop.  I don't know how it works but this little deodorant-stick-style lubricant has kept me from developing sore spots since I trained for my first marathon in 2010.

Thank you, Body Glide!

Now this may be hard to believe, but my outfit when I run is the part I'm least picky about.  Running shorts are running shorts in my mind.  As long as they've got a liner and a pocket I'm a happy camper.  I use leggings in the winter, but it's not winter, so here you go.  Running shorts:

Bright colors are always a plus.

My only requirement is a pocket for my house key.

As far as tops go, any tech-shirt will do.  I try to stick with sleeveless during the summer to avoid the farmer's tan, but as long as it's not cotton I'm not really one to complain.  My favorite running shirts are the free ones that they give you with your bib at races.  If it's a bigger, more expensive race, then they usually even give out shirts that are made of synthetic moisture-wicking fabric instead of the hanes-style cotton tee.  These are my two favorites:

Left: 2012 GW Parkway Classic
Right: 2010 Baltimore Running Festival

So now that I've figured out what to wear, how will I monitor my run?  Two ways.  First is my Garmin ForeRunner 310XT.  This little gadget tells me the time of day, the time I've been running, how far I've gone, my current pace, average pace, distance and time ahead of/behind my goal pace, steps per minute, elevation, split times per mile, and about a million other things that I haven't yet figured out how to program.  Believe it or not, the features I just listed are features that I ACTUALLY USE on a somewhat regular basis.  The watch itself is a bit big.  Still, it tells me everything I could want to know.

Like a computer, only for my wrist.

My favorite part of the ForeRunner is that it automatically uploads all of my run data using a little wireless USB device and then logs it all for me on Garmin's website where I can track everything and set goals.  I hit a major benchmark yesterday, even though I have some catching up to do if I want to hit my goal of 1000 miles in 2012.

Woohoo!  500 miles!

I also use my iPhone from time to time if I forget to charge my watch.  I have the RunKeeper app which is a little underwhelming after being spoiled by all of Garmin's fun features, but it does the job.

This took a lot longer than expected.  I think I need to take a break and I will update with more goodies about fuel for long runs, and what I like to put into my pack.  Until then.

What a great long run I had this week

It was just the right mix of fun and challenging.  I ran a route that was completely new to me, and I didn't get lost!  It was also the longest run I've been on since my first marathon, nearly two years ago.  The best part is, I felt great afterwards.



I decided to put off my gear review post until next time.  I had so much fun during my long run on Tuesday, that I'd rather just do a recap.  Still, I'm a pushover, so here's a preview of me in some of the gear you can look forward to hearing about.

Bathroom mirror shot.  This has myspace written all over it.

My run on Tuesday felt sort of like an urban expedition since I was exploring routes that were new to me.  I started north up Van Dorn out of Kingstowne and the traffic was moving slow enough for me to keep up with some of the cars for a few minutes at a time.

Approaching the Capital Beltway!

The sidewalk/path/whatever you want to call it that runs along Van Dorn is sweet.  It's asphalt, which apparently is much easier on the joints than concrete, and it's got some nice views too.

Traffic, Alexandria, 495, wildflowers.  What more could you ask for?

As I got a little closer to the 495 overpass, I noticed something genius about the path.

Notice how some stairs are longer than others?

Now I don't know if the stair-making people did this on purpose, but I like to think that they did.  I might be the only person to have noticed this, or maybe every slightly OCD runner is thankful for this detail as they trot down these stairs.  Anyways, I think it's marvelous.  These stairs are spaced out so that each there's a break after each little series of quick steps, making it so that while running, you naturally end up leading off the next series of quick steps on the alternating foot.  (I keep typing and deleting and re-typing this sentence trying to make it less confusing, but it's just not happening.  Trust me.  The stairs are great.)

Another cheers to these stairs.  That's how brilliant they are.

 And then the 495 overpass.  Here's the little bridge for pedestrians crossing underneath the beltway.

This is also where traffic started to thin out and where I cut past the Van Dorn metro, down Eisenhower. 

The walkway under 495 was pretty neat, and well lit, but I still think I'd be a little creeped out to take this route after dark.

I'm glad it was daytime with plenty of cars out.

After heading down Eisenhower for a bit, I took a bike trail that cuts through to Rose Hill, my old neighborhood.

These stairs coming up from the Eisenhower Connector were much less forgiving than the first set I came across.

From Rose Hill, it was a straight shot down Telegraph to get home.  Then it was time to watch some Olympics while I ate everything in sight.

So my fridge wasn't quite that empty at the end of the day, but it felt like it.